Search Results (35,807)

The Nutrient Tracking Tool (NTT) is a free and user-friendly modeling program developed by the Texas Institute for Applied Environmental Research (TIAER) at Tarleton State University in cooperation with the USDA Office of Environmental Markets. NTT simulates various cropping systems to evaluate management practices that optimize crop production while improving water quality and quantity. The objective of this study is to evaluate the capability of NTT to predict corn yield under different agricultural management scenarios. To assess model performance, 45 management scenarios from three field studies conducted in Iowa, Colorado, and Kansas were replicated in NTT. These scenarios included variations in nutrient sources and application rates, tillage practices, seeding rates, and irrigation management. Field data, including location, slope, planting dates, tillage practices, fertilization rates, and soil properties, were entered into NTT, and simulated crop yields were compared with measured values reported in the studies. Results showed strong agreement between measured and predicted corn yields across the evaluated scenarios. For example, the average measured yield of combined strip-tillage and manure treatment reported by Al-Kaisi and Kwaw-Mensah was 9.48 Mg ha, while NTT predicted 9.45 Mg ha. Similarly, for Halvorson et al., NTT predicted a yield of 8.06 Mg ha, compared with the measured yield of 8.23 Mg ha. Overall, the results indicate that NTT can reliably predict corn yield under a range of management practices, demonstrating its potential as a decision-support tool for agricultural management. Full article

Background/Objectives: Understanding nutrient intake and diet quality in older adults is essential for promoting healthy ageing and quality of life. The aim of the study was to assess dietary intake and nutritional status in two age groups of older adults in Croatia (65–74 years and ≥75 years). Methods: A total of 786 participants aged 65 and older were included in this cross-sectional study. Data from the National food consumption survey (OC/EFSA/DATA/2017/01), based on the EU Menu methodology, were used. Data collection included a general questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire, two 24-h recalls or food diaries, and anthropometric measurements. The effects of body mass index and physical activity level on dietary intake were analysed using a general linear model. Results: 21.5% of older adults in Croatia had a normal weight, while 78.5% of were classified as overweight or obese. Significant differences were recorded in energy and macronutrient intake between the two age groups. Body mass index was significantly associated with energy (kcal/day), fat intake (g/day), and intake of the meat, poultry, fish and eggs food group in the 65–74 year age group. In the ≥75 year age group, physical activity level showed an effect on energy, carbohydrates, and milk and dairy product intake. Intake of nutrient-dense foods and fluids was below recommendations in both observed groups. Conclusions: The study results, based on a representative sample, provide the first overview of the nutritional status of older adults in Croatia. These findings offer a foundation for public health initiatives and further research on the nutritional status of the older population in Croatia. Full article

The application of digital twin (DT) technology to intelligent machining shows promise, but its effectiveness in predicting vibration and assessing surface quality has not been thoroughly validated for widespread industrial use. This study presents a physics-informed predictive digital twin framework operating in an offline or near-real-time predictive configuration for vibration prediction and surface roughness modeling in milling processes. Impact hammer testing was conducted to extract the dominant modal properties of the spindle–tool assembly, which were embedded into a Simulink-based dynamic framework to predict tool vibration under varying cutting conditions. Full-immersion slot milling experiments on AL6061 were performed for validation. Within all datasets, including training phase and validation phase, the predicted vibration amplitudes exhibit a coefficient of determination $R^2=0.94$ with measured values. The overall MAPE and RMSE are about 10.39% and 0.234, respectively. Power-law regression-based surface roughness prediction models were subsequently established using cutting parameters and both measured and DT-predicted vibration features through logarithmic transformation and least-squares fitting. The results show that the roughness prediction model using vibration features predicted by the digital twin model achieved a correlation coefficient of approximately $R^2=0.84$, with MAPE = 9.57% and RMSE = 0.16 μm, which is comparable to the predictive model based on experimentally measured vibration. These results indicate that, within the investigated machining conditions, the digital twin can provide vibration features suitable for surface roughness prediction, demonstrating its potential as a virtual sensing approach. This work advances digital twin applications from process monitoring toward predictive, quality-oriented machining systems and provides a foundation for adaptive parameter updating in intelligent manufacturing environments. Full article

Brake wear is a major contributor to non-exhaust particulate emissions, and standardized measurement methods are currently being extended from light-duty (LD) to heavy-duty (HD) vehicles. However, differences in brake geometry and operating conditions may influence particle transport and sampling representativeness in HD brake emission test systems. This study investigates the influence of brake caliper position on particle emissions and mixing uniformity in an HD brake emission test setup. Experiments were conducted using a dynamometer-based system with four sampling probes distributed across the sampling plane. Emissions of particulate mass (PM10, PM2.5) and particle number (solid and total particle number emissions for particles >10 nm) were measured for two caliper orientations (horizontal and vertical). Mixing quality was assessed by comparing probe-specific emission results to the plane-averaged value. The results show that the vertical orientation was associated with 34% higher PM10 and 40% higher PM2.5 emissions on average, a significant increase. Particle number emissions also increased on average, but the differences were small relative to test repeatability. The more pronounced effect on PM suggests that the caliper position mainly influences the transport and losses of larger particles, which contribute more to PM. In contrast, the uniformity of particle concentration across the sampling plane was similar for both configurations, with deviations comparable to those reported for LD systems. These findings should be considered in the interpretation of results obtained with any similar test systems, comparisons between such systems, and literary reviews. Full article

Digital identity is increasingly treated as foundational infrastructure for digital economies and public services, yet national approaches remain fragmented and difficult to compare. This study presents a PRISMA-guided systematic artefact-based review of government digital identity programmes, using programme-relevant government artefacts as the review corpus, including strategies, trust frameworks, guidance, service documentation, and identity-enabled public-service materials. Adapting an NLP pipeline for large-scale digital identity text analysis, the study identifies recurring themes, constructs comparative programme profiles, and operationalises three artefact-based measures: alignment, transparency, and maturity. Rather than assessing innovation performance or operational system quality directly, it examines the documentary layer through which programmes are described, justified, and made comparable. The analysis reveals substantial variation in how highly digitalised societies articulate governance, trust, interoperability, security, privacy, and service delivery. The review contributes a repeatable artefact-based framework for cross-jurisdictional comparison and provides a baseline for ontology development and future triangulation against citizen perception, expert assessment, and technical evaluation. Full article

Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a widespread invasive plant in tropical and subtropical regions, creating serious ecological and hydrological problems. Beyond disrupting aquatic ecosystems, it increases unaccounted water loss and alters key physicochemical properties. This study evaluated the evapotranspiration of water hyacinth and its influence on water quality in Lake Tana, Ethiopia’s largest freshwater lake. Two artificial ponds (one control and one covered with water hyacinth), each measuring 1 m × 1 m × 0.94 m, were monitored over three months to quantify water loss. In parallel, water samples were collected from the lake at 0.5 m depth along 2 km intervals, comparing hyacinth infested and open-water sites. The results showed clear differences between conditions. Dissolved oxygen was significantly lower in hyacinth-covered areas (6.65 ± 0.44 mg/L) than in open water (7.93 ± 0.42 mg/L). Similarly, pH decreased under hyacinth cover (5.53 ± 0.53) compared to non-infested sites (6.53 ± 0.40). In contrast, water temperature increased in infested areas (23.70 ± 0.42 °C) relative to open water (22.08 ± 0.33 °C). Total dissolved solids were slightly but significantly lower in hyacinth-covered water. Evapotranspiration from water hyacinth was about 1.6 times higher than evaporation from open water, with an estimated monthly loss of 0.28 m³ per square meter. When scaled to lake conditions, this corresponds to approximately 0.78 to 7.01 million m³ of water loss per month, though actual values may vary due to environmental factors. Overall, water hyacinth substantially affects both water quantity and quality, highlighting its importance for lake management and sustainable water use. Full article

This paper examines how local firm entry affects air pollution and whether the Air Pollution Prevention and Control Action Plan (APPCAP) changes this relationship. Using a county–month panel for 2010–2020, we match the Chinese Industrial and Commercial Enterprise Registration Database with county-level monthly PM2.5 data to measure new firm entry and its sectoral composition. To address the potential endogeneity of firm entry, we use the opening of high-speed rail as an instrumental variable. The results show that firm entry significantly increases county-level PM2.5 concentrations. This effect is highly heterogeneous across industries, with stronger pollution effects in sectors such as wholesale and retail, manufacturing, and accommodation and catering. We further find that the APPCAP significantly weakens the positive effect of firm entry on air pollution. Additional evidence suggests that the policy improves air quality not only by tightening environmental constraints, but also by shifting firm entry toward relatively cleaner industries. This paper explains the environmental consequences of local economic expansion from the perspective of incremental firm entry and provides new evidence on the joint role of environmental regulation and industrial restructuring in air pollution control. Full article

Background: No systematic review has yet been conducted simultaneously on the effectiveness of psychological interventions across multiple outcome measures during rehabilitation following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). This study aims to assess the effects of such interventions on pain, psychological outcomes, patient-reported knee function, objective knee measures, and quality of life following ACLR. Methods: We searched PubMed, Medline, Embase, PsycINFO, and the Cochrane Library from inception to 20 April 2026 (PROSPERO CRD42023483889). Eligible randomized controlled trials compared psychological interventions with usual care in ACLR patients. Two reviewers assessed eligibility, risk of bias, and extracted data. Random-effects models were used; effect sizes were interpreted using Cohen’s guidelines. Results: Of 401 records screened, 11 RCTs (440 participants) were included. Psychological interventions significantly improved pain (six trials, SMD = −0.96, 95% CI −1.40 to −0.52, p < 0.001, I² = 47%; large effect), kinesiophobia (TSK-11: five trials, SMD = −0.48, −0.74 to −0.22, I² = 0%; small effect), knee self-efficacy (K-SES: three trials, SMD = 0.53, 0.19–0.86, I² = 0%, moderate effect), patient-reported knee function (IKDC: two trials, SMD = 0.58, 0.26–0.90, I² = 0%, moderate effect), and physical role function (SF-36: two trials, SMD = 0.41, 0.04–0.78, I² = 0%, small effect). No significant effects were found for KT1000, knee strength, SF-36 mental well-being, or ACL-RSI (all p > 0.05, with substantial heterogeneity for ACL-RSI). Particularly, imagery therapy reduced pain (three trials, SMD = −1.54, I² = 15%). Conclusions: This meta-analysis provides preliminary evidence that psychological interventions, especially imagery therapy, may improve pain, psychological outcomes, patient-reported knee function, and quality of life after ACLR. Adequately powered trials with standardized protocols are needed to confirm these findings. Full article

This work presents an FPGA-based edge-event timing front-end for time-resolved sensing and event-driven measurement scenarios. The proposed design is intended as a detector-independent timing subsystem whose architectural choices are motivated by constraints that are common in single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD)-based and other asynchronous time-resolved sensing workflows, including event trustworthiness, dead-time sensitivity, and constrained downstream readout. Rather than treating the implementation as an isolated interpolation macro, this work evaluates it as an experimentally observable timing subsystem that combines carry-chain-based fine interpolation, coarse–fine timestamp formation, explicit event-quality assessment, dead-time-aware handling, and lightweight host-visible export. The experimental validation is organized around two complementary modes. An internal ILA-based mode is used to verify coherent front-end behavior under MHz-range short-pulse excitation, while a UART-based campaign identifies practical host-visible operating regions through baseline, repeatability, pulse-width, safe-versus-aggressive, and intermediate frequency-sweep experiments. The results identify a safe export-compatible operating point, a more exploratory high-rate regime, and an experimentally interpretable transition between them that, while not strictly monotonic in all metrics, does not exhibit catastrophic degradation across the explored frequency range. Taken together, the measurements indicate that the proposed architecture is best understood not as a best-case standalone time-to-digital (TDC) benchmark but as an experimentally characterized timing front-end whose practical behavior can be interpreted across complementary internal and export-visible operating regimes. Full article

Recyclers worldwide face a common bottleneck: incoming mixed plastic bales are chemically opaque, yet the choice between mechanical recycling, chemical recycling, and energy recovery hinges on contaminant levels that cannot be judged by visual inspection alone. This study develops and validates a tiered analytical decision-support framework that translates standard laboratory measurements into explicit, actionable go/no-go routing criteria for any mixed polyolefin waste stream. The framework is organized into three successive analytical tiers of increasing specificity: Tier 1 uses FTIR and DSC for rapid polymer identification and thermal subclass confirmation; Tier 2 applies TGA/DTG for thermal stability assessment and filler quantification; and Tier 3 deploys ICP-OES, WD-XRF, CIC, and TG–MS for targeted heavy metal, halogen, and evolved gas profiling, triggered only when Tier 1/2 flags are raised. This staged logic minimizes unnecessary testing while ensuring that contaminant-relevant information is captured where it matters. The framework is demonstrated on nine blind mixed plastic waste streams (P1–P9) supplied by an industrial recycling facility without prior disclosure of polymer identity, filler content, or additive history—conditions that replicate the uncertainty encountered at any sorting plant globally. Application of the tiered protocol identified dominant polymers (HDPE, LDPE, PP), quantified inorganic fillers (CaCO₃ up to ~38 wt%), and detected hazardous contaminants, including chlorine (up to ~1900 ppm), lead, chromium, and titanium, enabling each stream to be assigned to a specific recycling route with defined contaminant thresholds. Because the method relies exclusively on commercially available, vendor-independent instrumentation and follows a reproducible, rule-based decision logic, it is directly transferable to recycling facilities in any geographic context without site-specific calibration. The proposed framework thus provides a practical, scalable decision-support tool for feedstock-level quality control under emerging regulations such as the UNEP Global Plastics Treaty. Full article

Stereo radargrammetry using Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images is a powerful technique for all-weather 3D topographic measurements. However, conventional methods based on local template matching often struggle to establish accurate correspondences in mountainous or vegetated areas due to severe SAR-specific geometric modulations. In this paper, we propose a novel high-accuracy stereo radargrammetry framework by introducing RoMa, a robust Transformer-based deep learning model, for dense SAR image matching. Optical pre-trained deep learning models often suffer from a domain gap. To overcome this limitation, we develop an automated pipeline to construct a patch-based SAR image dataset using a reference Digital Surface Model (DSM) and an SAR projection model. By fine-tuning RoMa on this dataset, the model effectively adapts to the complex non-linear deformations of SAR images. Furthermore, unlike conventional methods, our approach establishes correspondences directly on the original slant-range images without requiring ground-range projection, thereby avoiding image quality degradation caused by pixel interpolation. Experimental results using airborne Pi-SAR2 images demonstrate that the fine-tuned RoMa significantly outperforms conventional methods, achieving an 82.86% matching accuracy at a 10-pixel threshold. In the 3D measurement evaluation, the proposed method achieves the lowest elevation mean error ($-1.24$ m) and the highest inlier ratio (74.1%), proving its effectiveness in generating accurate, dense, and wide-area 3D point clouds even in challenging terrains. Full article

Healthy, inclusive, and environmentally supportive educational settings are increasingly recognised as relevant to children’s development, well-being, and equity. However, evidence on the physical environment in early childhood education remains fragmented across outdoor spaces, indoor spatial organisation, indoor environmental quality, materials, and contaminant-related conditions. This systematic review aimed to synthesise current evidence on the relationship between the physical environment of early childhood educational settings and multidimensional indicators of child well-being. The protocol was registered in PROSPERO, and the review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Searches were conducted in Web of Science Core Collection, Scopus, ERIC, and APA PsycInfo. Methodological quality and risk of bias were assessed using ROBINS-I and JBI critical appraisal tools. Eighteen studies were included. Of these, 10 focused on outdoor spaces and schoolyards, five on indoor spaces and spatial organisation, and three on indoor environmental quality, materials, or contaminants. The findings suggest four main interpretive patterns: (i) expanding opportunities for participation through functionally diverse areas and materials; (ii) shaping coexistence and interaction through access to and distribution of resources; (iii) supporting sensory regulation; and (iv) sustaining environmental health and habitability. Overall, more favourable settings were associated with better indicators of activity and play, interaction and coexistence, and involvement and regulation. For indoor environmental quality studies, however, the evidence was mainly indirect, referring to environmental-health, comfort, exposure, or habitability indicators rather than direct child-level well-being outcomes. The certainty of the evidence was moderate to low due to methodological limitations, particularly confounding and selection bias in non-randomised intervention studies and imprecision in the measurement of environmental exposure in several cross-sectional studies. The findings may inform cautious reflection on spatial design, educational practice, and policy, but stronger recommendations require more robust study designs, reproducible exposure metrics, clearer distinction between direct and indirect well-being-related indicators, and comparable outcome measures. Full article

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is a central outcome measure in population health research, yet empirical investigations directly linking nutrition label utilization to HRQoL remain limited, particularly in East Asian contexts. This study examines the associations between nutrition label use, dietary control, and HRQoL among Korean adults while accounting for the pronounced ceiling effect inherent in EQ-5D utility scores. Methods: Data were drawn from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) 2024 (N = 5215 adults aged 19–80). HRQoL was measured using the EQ-5D-3L with Korean time trade-off weights. Nutrition label use was operationalized as a composite index (0–3). Given that 48.0% of the weighted sample reported perfect health, a two-part model was employed: Part 1 applied survey-weighted logistic regression predicting perfect health, while Part 2 applied survey-weighted OLS regression restricted to those with imperfect health (n = 2713). Results: In Part 1, nutrition label use was not significantly associated with perfect health (OR = 1.057, p = 0.124), whereas dietary control was negatively associated (OR = 0.819, p = 0.009), suggesting reverse causality. In Part 2, nutrition label use was positively associated with EQ-5D scores (β = 0.0047, p = 0.006). Education, income, and unmet medical need were dominant predictors. Results were robust to an alternative full-sample OLS specification. Conclusions: Nutrition label utilization was modestly and positively associated with HRQoL among Korean adults with imperfect health. Given the cross-sectional design, this association should be interpreted as exploratory and may reflect broader health-oriented characteristics, including health consciousness, self-regulatory behaviors, and health literacy, rather than the independent effect of nutrition label use alone. The findings also underscore the methodological importance of addressing ceiling effects in EQ-5D analyses. Full article

Ectomyelois ceratoniae (Zeller), the date moth, is a major pest of date palm (Phoenix dactylifera L.), responsible for severe post-harvest losses in arid and Mediterranean regions. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) is an environmentally friendly control method whose effectiveness depends on selecting irradiation doses that ensure sterility while preserving insect quality. This study evaluated the histopathological effects of ⁶⁰Co gamma irradiation on the digestive system of fifth-instar larvae of E. ceratoniae. Larvae were exposed to doses of 0 (control), 250, 300, 350, and 450 Gy, and the mesenteron, proctodeum, and Malpighian tubules were analyzed using Mallory’s trichrome staining. Quantitative measurements included epithelial thickness, intestinal stem cell density, Malpighian tubule diameter, and a histological integrity index. Gamma irradiation induced pronounced dose-dependent alterations. These included thinning and disorganization of the intestinal epithelium, a marked reduction in stem cell density, swelling of Malpighian tubules, and a progressive loss of tissue integrity. Severe degeneration and functional collapse of digestive tissues were observed at doses ≥ 350 Gy. The results indicate that 300–350 Gy represents a critical irradiation range inducing irreversible digestive damage compatible with effective sterilization. These findings provide histopathological reference criteria for optimizing dose selection and quality control in SIT programs targeting E. ceratoniae. Full article

Background/Objectives: Teledermoscopy may improve melanoma triage by accelerating specialist review and compressing the time to definitive treatment, but its clinical relevance depends on whether faster access is accompanied by detection at a less advanced stage. This study compared teledermoscopy-assisted and conventional referral pathways for cutaneous melanoma as a pathway-level service evaluation. Methods: In this single-center observational cohort, 87 patients with histologically confirmed primary cutaneous melanoma were analyzed, including 43 managed through teledermoscopy-assisted referral and 44 through a conventional pathway. Primary outcomes were time from referral to dermatology consultation, biopsy, and definitive excision. Secondary outcomes included Breslow thickness, mitotic rate, ulceration, stage distribution, early-stage disease, and selected pathway-quality indicators. Results: Teledermoscopy-assisted referral was associated with shorter median times to consultation (9.0 vs. 18.7 days), biopsy (16.6 vs. 30.3 days), and excision (26.9 vs. 43.2 days), all p < 0.001. Patients in the teledermoscopy group had lower Breslow thickness (0.7 vs. 1.5 mm, p < 0.001), lower mitotic rate (1.2 vs. 2.9 mitoses/mm², p < 0.001), a higher proportion of stage 0/I melanoma (79.1% vs. 40.9%; risk ratio 1.93, 95% CI 1.31–2.85), and fewer lesions with Breslow > 2.0 mm (9.3% vs. 36.4%; risk ratio 0.26, 95% CI 0.09–0.70). Conclusions: In this non-randomized cohort, teledermoscopy-assisted referral was associated with faster melanoma care and a more favorable stage profile at excision. Because pathway assignment was not randomized and lesion-level referral urgency was incompletely measured, these findings should be interpreted as associations that support further prospective evaluation rather than as proof of causal stage migration. Full article