Search Results (968)

This study introduces an innovative strategy for active, biodegradable food packaging through the incorporation of gamma-decalactone (GDL), a natural aromatic compound with antimicrobial properties, into apple-pectin-based edible films. The addition of GDL significantly modified the film structure, resulting in enhanced light barrier properties (the opacity increased from 1.10 to 8.64 a.u./mm), a more porous microstructure (confirmed by SEM), and reduced tensile strength (from 13.84 to 5.68 MPa). The films also exhibited lower water vapour sorption (from 1.45 to 0.80 g/g dry matter (d.m.) and increased gas permeability. FTIR analysis confirmed interactions between GDL and the polymer matrix. The films with GDL added exhibited antimicrobial properties against various microbial species, such as bacteria, yeasts, and moulds. A 5% addition of GDL to the coating completely inhibited the growth of Bacillus subtilis bacteria and Yarrowia lipolytica, reducing the number of yeast cells by 3 log units (after 48 h of culture, from 7.11 ± 0.09 to 4.09 ± 0.27 log CFU/mL) and limiting Monilinia fructicola mycelium growth by 70%. These results highlight GDL’s dual function as a natural aromatic and antimicrobial agent, supporting its potential application in sustainable packaging for perishable foods. Full article

Improving the end-of-life performance of polylactic acid (PLA) for food packaging requires strategies that enhance biodegradability, solubility, and dispersibility without compromising essential material properties. PLA-based films were produced by melt extrusion using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a hydrophilic modifier, aiming to enhance the water uptake and affinity of PLA, which may potentially lead to faster environmental degradation. Two PVPs with distinct molar masses at varying concentrations were used to investigate their effects on the structural, thermal, mechanical, optical, and barrier behavior of the films. Thermal analysis revealed a slight depression in glass transition temperature, more evident in blends with low-molecular-weight PVP10, indicating increased chain mobility and partial miscibility. A two-step degradation process with extended thermal decomposition profiles was observed upon the inclusion of PVP. SEM and ATR-FTIR analyses confirmed enhanced dispersion and non-covalent interactions in PVP10-based blends, in contrast to the pronounced phase separation and micro-voids observed in PVP40-based systems. Mechanically, films containing 5 and 10 wt.% of PVP10 retained tensile strength and stiffness, whereas PVP40 led to embrittlement. Optical properties were modified by increasing the PVP content, resulting in greater opacity and color differences, which potentially offer benefits for light-sensitive packaging. Altogether, PLA films containing 5 and 10 wt.% of PVP10 demonstrated the most favorable balance between water affinity-oriented design and packaging-relevant performance. Full article

Luminous, hot, massive stars can lose mass both through quasi-steady winds driven by line-scattering of the star’s continuum luminosity, and through transient eruptions identified as Luminous Blue Variables (LBVs). This paper compares and contrasts the processes involved in steady vs. eruptive mass loss, with an emphasis on their dependence on the star’s proximity to the classical Eddington limit. For winds, I examine the role of the iron opacity bump in initiating a quasi-continuum-driven outflow, which can induce atmospheric turbulence in O-stars, an envelope inflation cycle in LBVs, or enhanced wind mass loss in WR stars. In contrast, the giant eruptions of eruptive LBVs like $\eta$ Carinae require a sudden addition of energy to the stellar envelope, like that which can occur from stellar mergers. The positive net energy imparted to a substantial fraction (>10%) of the stellar mass leads to sudden ejection that closely follows an analytic exponential similarity solution. Moreover, the rapid rotation and enhanced luminosity of the post-merger star drive a super-Eddington wind. Due to equatorial gravity darkening, this wind is stronger over the poles, sculpting a bipolar structure in the ejected mass, consistent with observations of $\eta$ Carinae’s Homunculus nebula. Full article

To describe a technique for managing acute corneal hydrops in eyes with keratoconus using dome stromal drainage with intracameral air injection under real-time three-dimensional (3D) microscope-integrated optical coherence tomography (OCT) guidance. We describe a retrospective case series of six eyes from six patients with keratoconus who developed acute corneal hydrops. All eyes underwent intracameral air injection with controlled dome puncture for stromal fluid drainage, without the use of sutures. The procedure was performed using a 3D visualization system that enables integrated and simultaneous viewing of the surgical field and intraoperative OCT scan (a 3D digitally assisted visualization system that displayed a split-screen view of the surgical field and OCT cross-sections simultaneously). Postoperative resolution of edema and improvement in clarity were documented. The resolution of corneal edema allowed for subsequent mushroom-shaped penetrating keratoplasty performed with a femtosecond laser in four eyes of four patients. All six eyes showed significant resolution of corneal edema within 2 to 4 weeks. Stromal clefts collapsed rapidly after drainage. In each case, the thick edema was reduced to a confined leucoma. No intraoperative or postoperative complications were observed. All four eyes that underwent a femtosecond laser-assisted mushroom-shaped penetrating keratoplasty showed optimal anatomical and functional success. Air-assisted dome drainage, combined with simultaneous 3D and OCT visualization, is a safe and effective technique for treating acute corneal hydrops. This technology enables real-time decision-making and enhances surgical precision, opening the door to advanced procedures that are otherwise limited by corneal opacity. Full article

Flame-retardant poly (ethylene terephthalate) composites (FR PET) have been developed with the potential to be used as substrates in applications where flexibility and transparency are required. Several phosphorous-based flame retardants of a different nature were selected here for compounding by melt blending with a low-molecular-weight PET polymer. The fire reaction, transparency, and mechanical properties were analyzed. TGA and cone calorimetry were used to elucidate the gas-phase and condensed-phase actions of flame retardants and their effectivity. Cone calorimeters showed an improved performance with the addition of flame retardants, particularly a reduction in generated heat, improving the FGI (fire growth index) value. However, a V0 classification (following the UL94 standard) was achieved only with the addition of an organic phosphonate, Aflammit PCO900, to the PET matrix. This behavior was linked to the early reaction of this flame retardant in the gas phase, in addition to a plastification effect that causes the removal of the polymer from the incident flame. The presence of flame retardants reduced the transparency of composites over the neat PET, but, nevertheless, a good optical performance remained. No special effect was observed on the crystallization parameters. Therefore, the increase in opacity can be attributed to the poor miscibility of flame retardants and/or differences in the diffraction index of the polymer and FR additives. Full article

Background/Objectives: To determine the inter-rater agreement of visual and AI-based assessments of a renowned semi-quantitative chest CT scoring system (Pan-score) used to evaluate the severity of pulmonary involvement (e.g., ground-glass opacities, consolidations) in patients suffering from COVID-19. Methods: This retrospective study includes patients with PCR-confirmed COVID-19, who received a chest CT scan (not more than three days prior to or after the positive PCR test) between 21 March 2020 and 30 December 2022. The five lung lobes were scored separately on a scale from 0 (no pulmonary involvement) to 5 (>75% pulmonary involvement) by a radiology specialist, an experienced assistant physician, a medical student, and a dedicated AI-based software tool for chest CT. Weighted Cohen’s κ values were calculated to assess the reliability of agreement between the different readers. Results: A total of 569 consecutive patients (381 males [67.0%], 188 females [33.0%]; mean age 68.8 years) with confirmed COVID-19 were evaluated. All of them received at least one chest CT scan. There was a significant difference (p < 0.001) between the mean Pan-score evaluated by the three human readers (9.35 ± 6.03) and the score computed fully automatically by the software (10.44 ± 5.10). However, the inter-rater agreement both between the three different human readers and between the human readers and the AI was high throughout, with κ values of 0.71–0.86 and 0.83, respectively. The slice thickness of the reconstructed CT images did not have an impact on the inter-rater agreement, but the total score was significantly higher when the images were acquired following the administration of i. v. contrast media. Conclusions: The evaluated chest CT scoring system is user-friendly due to its simplicity, though it is generally prone to inaccuracies, since the estimation of the extent of pulmonary involvement is quite subjective. Nevertheless, the inter-rater agreement was high throughout, both between the differently experienced human readers and between the human readers and the AI software. In summary, the Pan-score seems to be a reliable approach to estimate the extent of pulmonary involvement in patients suffering from COVID-19. Full article

Organic matter plays a vital role in shale reservoirs as both a hydrocarbon storage medium and migration pathway. However, the quantitative relationship between the microstructural features of organic matter and the macroscopic mechanical and failure behaviors of shale remains unclear due to rock heterogeneity and opacity. In this study, high-resolution three-dimensional digital core models of shale were reconstructed using Focused Ion Beam Scanning Electron Microscopy (FIB-SEM) imaging. The digital models captured the spatial distribution of silicate minerals, clay minerals, and organic matter. Numerical simulations of uniaxial tensile failure were performed on these models, considering variations in the organic matter volume fraction and fractal dimension. The results indicate that an increased organic matter volume fraction and fractal dimension are associated with lower tensile strength, simpler fracture geometry, and reduced acoustic emission activity. Tensile cracks preferentially initiate at interfaces between minerals with contrasting elastic moduli, especially between organic matter and clay, and then propagate and coalesce under loading. These findings reveal that both the volume fraction and fractal structure of organic matter are reliable predictors of tensile strength and damage evolution in shale. This study provides new microscale insights into shale failure mechanisms and offers guidance for optimizing hydraulic fracturing in organic-rich formations. Full article

Innovative Credit Scoring (ICS) holds promise for reshaping financial inclusion in Indonesia, offering a potent alternative to conventional credit assessments that often exclude underserved populations. By leveraging alternative data—from telco records to e-commerce and social media footprints—and AI/ML technologies, ICS can deliver more accurate, inclusive, and responsive credit evaluations. However, its potential is constrained by structural inefficiencies and weak regulatory frameworks. This study employs a qualitative, exploratory design based on eight focus group discussions with 36 stakeholders, including regulators, financial institutions, data providers, and academics. Thematic analysis reveals three core barriers: fragmented regulation, limited data interoperability, and algorithmic opacity. To address these challenges, the paper recommends four policy priorities: (1) enforce and expand POJK 29/2024; (2) establish interoperable, integrated MSME data systems; (3) mandate algorithm audits to reduce bias and opacity; and (4) invest in digital infrastructure to close regional access gaps. Without these systemic shifts, ICS may fall short of its inclusive promise. Full article

Background/Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic profoundly transformed social life worldwide, indiscriminately affecting individuals across all age groups. Children have not been exempted from the risk of severe illness and death caused by COVID-19. Objective: This paper sought to describe the clinical findings, laboratory and imaging results, and hospital care provided for severe and critical cases of COVID-19 in unvaccinated children, with or without severe asthma, hospitalized in a public referral service for COVID-19 treatment in the Brazilian state of Pernambuco. Methods: This was a case series study of severe and critical COVID-19 in hospitalized, unvaccinated children, with or without severe asthma, conducted in a public referral hospital between March 2020 and June 2021. Results: The case series included 80 children, aged from 1 month to 11 years, with the highest frequency among those under 2 years old (58.8%) and a predominance of males (65%). Respiratory diseases, including severe asthma, were present in 73.8% of the cases. Pediatric multisystem inflammatory syndrome occurred in 15% of the children, some of whom presented with cardiac involvement. Oxygen therapy was required in 65% of the cases, mechanical ventilation in 15%, and 33.7% of the children required intensive care in a pediatric intensive care unit. Pulmonary infiltrates and ground-glass opacities were common findings on chest X-rays and CT scans; inflammatory markers were elevated, and the most commonly used medications were antibiotics, bronchodilators, and corticosteroids. Conclusions: This case series has identified key characteristics of children with severe and critical COVID-19 during a period when vaccines were not yet available in Brazil for the study age group. However, the persistence of low vaccination coverage, largely due to parental vaccine hesitancy, continues to leave children vulnerable to potentially severe illness from COVID-19. These findings may inform the development of public health emergency contingency plans, as well as clinical protocols and care pathways, which can guide decision-making in pediatric care and ensure appropriate clinical management, ultimately improving the quality of care provided. Full article

This article investigates the paradox of disappearance as both an aesthetic and a political phenomenon. Taking inspiration from Radiohead’s song “How to Disappear Completely,” it argues that aesthetic representations of disappearance never achieve total erasure; instead, they give rise to new forms of visibility. A true aesthetics of disappearance does not exist. Through case studies such as H.G. Wells’s The Invisible Man and Guy Debord’s Society of the Spectacle, the article demonstrates that disappearance is always mediated: the invisible man becomes hyper-visible through his clothing, bandages, and mask, while the spectacle conceals marginalized lives only to expose them through mechanisms of institutional control (e.g., prisons, medical facilities, schools—as analyzed in Michel Foucault’s work). An investigation of the “novel of the institution” (Campe), especially as it appears in the works of Franz Kafka and Robert Walser, eventually explores the nexus between aesthetic representation and institutionalized forms of coerced visibility. Ultimately, the essay argues that disappearance, as an aesthetic and political event, destabilizes regimes of visibility—not by erasure alone, but by exposing the fragility of appearance itself. The tension between opacity and exposure suggests that resistance lies not in pure absence but in subverting the very mechanisms of representation. Full article

Kefiran, the extracellular polysaccharide produced from the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) bacteria in kefir grains, with its well-documented functional and health-promoting properties, constitutes a promising biopolymer with a variety of possible uses. Its compatibility with other biopolymers, such as milk proteins, and its ability to form standalone cryogels allow it to be utilized for the fabrication of films with improved properties for applications in the food and biomedical–pharmaceutical industries. In the present work, the properties of kefiran films were investigated in the presence of milk proteins (sodium caseinate, native and heat-treated whey proteins, and their mixtures), alongside glycerol (as a plasticizer) and cryo-treatment of the film-forming solution prior to drying. A total of 24 kefiran films were fabricated and studied for their physical (thickness, moisture content, water solubility, color parameters and vapor adsorption), mechanical (tensile strength and elongation at break), and optical properties. Milk proteins increased film thickness, solubility and tensile strength and reduced water vapor adsorption. The hygroscopic effect of glycerol was mitigated in the presence of milk proteins and/or the application of cryo-treatment. Glycerol was the most effective at reducing the films’ opacity. Heat treatment of whey proteins proved to be the most effective in increasing film tensile strength, reducing, at the same time, the elongation at break, while sodium caseinates in combination with cryo-treatment resulted in films with high tensile strength and the highest elongation at break. Cryo-treatment, carried out in the present study through freezing followed by gradual thawing of the film-forming solution, proved to be the most effective factor in decreasing film roughness. Based on our results, proper selection of the film-forming solution composition and its treatment prior to drying can result in kefiran–glycerol films with favorable properties for particular applications. Full article

This study explores the challenges and theoretical transformations that the widespread application of AI technology in social governance brings to the protection of citizens’ fundamental rights. By examining typical cases in judicial assistance, technology-enabled law enforcement, and welfare supervision, it explains how AI characteristics such as algorithmic opacity, data bias, and automated decision-making affect fundamental rights including due process, equal protection, and privacy. The article traces the historical evolution of privacy theory from physical space protection to informational self-determination and further to modern data rights, pointing out the inadequacy of traditional rights-protection paradigms in addressing the characteristics of AI technology. Through analyzing AI-governance models in the European Union, the United States, Northeast Asia, and international organizations, it demonstrates diverse governance approaches ranging from systematic risk regulation to decentralized industry regulation. With a special focus on China, the article analyzes the special challenges faced in AI governance and proposes specific recommendations for improving AI-governance paths. The article argues that only within the track of the rule of law, through continuous theoretical innovation, institutional construction, and international cooperation, can AI technology development be ensured to serve human dignity, freedom, and fair justice. Full article

Background/Objectives: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is frequently complicated by pulmonary hypertension (PH), which is associated with reduced exercise capacity and poor prognosis. Early and accurate non-invasive detection of PH remains a clinical challenge. This study evaluated whether combining quantitative CT analysis of lung fibrosis with cardiac MRI-derived measures of right ventricular (RV) function improves the diagnostic accuracy of PH in patients with ILD. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 72 ILD patients who underwent chest CT, cardiac MRI, and right heart catheterization (RHC). Lung fibrosis was quantified using a Gaussian Histogram Normalized Correlation (GHNC) software that computed the proportions of diseased lung, ground-glass opacity (GGO), honeycombing, reticulation, consolidation, and emphysema. MRI was used to assess RV end-systolic volume (RVESV), ejection fraction, and RV longitudinal strain. PH was defined as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) ≥ 20 mmHg and pulmonary vascular resistance ≥ 3 Wood units on RHC. Results: Compared to patients without PH, those with PH (n = 21) showed significantly reduced RV strain (−13.4 ± 5.1% vs. −16.4 ± 5.2%, p = 0.026) and elevated RVESV (74.2 ± 18.3 mL vs. 59.5 ± 14.2 mL, p = 0.003). CT-derived indices also differed significantly: diseased lung area (56.4 ± 17.2% vs. 38.4 ± 12.5%, p < 0.001), GGO (11.8 ± 3.6% vs. 8.65 ± 4.3%, p = 0.005), and honeycombing (17.7 ± 4.9% vs. 12.8 ± 6.4%, p = 0.0027) were all more prominent in the PH group. In receiver operating characteristic curve analysis, diseased lung area demonstrated an area under the curve of 0.778 for detecting PH. This increased to 0.847 with the addition of RVESV, and further to 0.854 when RV strain was included. Combined models showed significant improvement in risk reclassification: net reclassification improvement was 0.700 (p = 0.002) with RVESV and 0.684 (p = 0.004) with RV strain; corresponding IDI values were 0.0887 (p = 0.03) and 0.1222 (p = 0.01), respectively. Conclusions: Combining CT-based fibrosis quantification with cardiac MRI-derived RV functional assessment enhances the non-invasive diagnosis of PH in ILD patients. This integrated imaging approach significantly improves diagnostic precision and may facilitate earlier, more targeted interventions in the management of ILD-associated PH. Full article

The Diamond Sutra (Vajracchedikā-Prajñāpāramitā-Sūtra) translated by the Sui Dynasty monk Dharmagupta is the fourth Chinese rendition of the Diamond Sutra. Characterized by unprecedented linguistic opacity and syntactic complexity within the history of Buddhist textual transmission, this translation’s distinctive features have attracted significant scholarly attention. This study synthesizes existing academic perspectives and employs Sanskrit–Chinese textual criticism and comparative analysis of parallel translations to conduct a granular examination of Dharmagupta’s retranslation. Our findings reveal that this text fundamentally deviates from conventional sutras designed for religious dissemination or liturgical recitation. Its defining traits, including morphological calquing of Sanskrit structures, simplified pronominal systems, and etymologically prioritized equivalence, collectively reflect a pedagogical focus characteristic of language instructional texts. Dharmagupta’s approach epitomizes a translation-as-pedagogy paradigm, with the text’s deviations from conventional norms resulting from the interplay of religious development, historical context, and translator agency. We argue that the Diamond Sutra retranslation constitutes a radical experimental paradigm in translation history, warranting re-evaluation of its significance within the broader trajectory of Buddhist textual practice. Full article

In this work, bio-based thermoelectric composites were developed using acrylated epoxidized soybean oil (AESO) as the polymer matrix and bismuth telluride (Bi₂Te₃) as the thermoelectric filler. The materials were formulated for both UV-curing and thermal-curing processes, with a focus on Digital Light Processing (DLP) 3D printing. Although UV curing proved ineffective at high filler concentrations due to the light opacity of Bi₂Te₃, thermal curing enabled the fabrication of stable, homogeneously dispersed composites. The samples were thoroughly characterized through rheology, FTIR, TGA, XRD, SEM, and density measurements. Thermoelectric performance was assessed under a 70 °C temperature gradient, with Seebeck coefficients reaching up to 51 µV/K. Accelerated chemical degradation studies in basic media confirmed the degradability of the matrix. The results demonstrate the feasibility of combining additive manufacturing with sustainable materials for low-power thermoelectric energy harvesting applications. Full article