Search Results (149,640)

Industrial volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions from large-scale petroleum storage represent a persistent environmental challenge, particularly in agricultural perimeters where atmospheric “breathing” cycles drive localized soil loading. This study investigates the thermodynamic and spatial relationship between gasoline storage emissions and chemical contamination in the Constanta South terminal area using a multi-layered analytical approach. By integrating gas chromatography (GC-MS) headspace analysis with an artificial intelligence (AI) framework utilizing high-order polynomial regression, we quantified the source–path–receptor dynamics across a thermal gradient (12 °C to 70 °C). The results reveal a non-linear surge in VOC emissions at temperatures exceeding 37 °C, characterized by a shift toward medium-weight hydrocarbons (C4–C6) that act as carriers for heavier aromatics. The AI risk model identified a significant spatial gradient, identifying a 500 m “critical zone” where the Hazard Quotient (HQ) is elevated, necessitating technological upgrades like Vapor Recovery Units (VRUs) to mitigate ecological risks. Full article

This study explores the role of organic food within sustainable tourism in Slovenia, with particular attention to consumer expectations, trust in organic certification, willingness to pay a price premium, and the interpretation of sustainability labels, especially the Slovenia Green scheme. Data were collected through an online survey conducted in Slovenia in 2025 (n = 324) and analysed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, and exploratory factor analysis to examine key dimensions of sustainable tourism perceptions. The results show that organic food is generally recognised as an important element of sustainable tourism and is most often associated with environmental protection, health benefits, and food safety. The study also identified a clear gap between consumer expectations and certification requirements, as many respondents associated the Slovenia Green label with certified organic dishes, although organic food is not mandatory within the scheme. Consumer trust in organic food was moderate to high, and most respondents expressed willingness to pay a price premium for certified organic menu items, indicating market potential within the tourism and hospitality sector. The findings highlight the need for clearer communication of certification scope, better alignment between sustainability labels and consumer expectations, and targeted education and capacity building among tourism providers. Overall, organic food remains an underutilised but strategically relevant component of sustainable tourism development in Slovenia. Full article

Drought, a major abiotic stressor affecting global agricultural productivity, significantly reduces crop yields and threatens food security worldwide. As the primary organ for perceiving soil moisture signals and absorbing water, the crop root system architecture plays a pivotal role in plant adaptation to drought conditions. With the development of high-throughput imaging technologies (i.e., 2D/3D image acquisition), high-throughput genotyping platforms, and gene-editing technologies, significant progress has been achieved in the characterization of root traits and the dissection of molecular genetic regulatory networks underlying these traits in crops. This review comprehensively synthesizes recent advances in the phenotypic characterization, underlying molecular regulatory networks, and functional roles of key root architectural traits, including the root length, angle, density, and root hair development, in enhancing drought resilience. Finally, we discuss the existing challenges in the current research and provide an outlook on the future trend of integrating multi-omics, high-throughput phenomics, and genome editing technologies to breed new drought-resistant crop varieties with ideal drought-resistant root architectures. Full article

Membrane technology demonstrates broad prospects in the field of methane capture and purification due to its high efficiency and low energy consumption characteristics. This paper systematically reviews the research progress in membrane technology for methane separation in recent years, focusing on the design and optimization of membrane material systems, in-depth analysis of mass transfer mechanisms, and practical applications in areas such as biogas upgrading and natural gas decarbonization. Researchers have significantly enhanced membrane separation performance for CO₂/CH₄, CH₄/N₂, and other systems by developing novel material systems such as polymer membranes, inorganic membranes, and mixed matrix membranes (MMMs), combined with strategies like pore structure regulation, interface optimization, and functionalization. Although membrane technology has shown good economic feasibility and application potential in some scenarios, challenges such as long-term material stability, anti-plasticization capability, and large-scale manufacturing remain the main current obstacles. Future research should further focus on the development of novel membrane materials, process integration optimization, and intelligent process control to promote a greater role for membrane technology in the efficient utilization of methane resources and energy structure transformation. Full article

This article builds on the argument that design for complex interactive systems should shift from creating transactional interactions to `organizing relational complexity’. Grounded in agential realism, we reframe computational agents from black-box predictors to material-discursive apparatuses. We utilize a standard reservoir computing architecture, conceptualized here as the Affective Reservoir, as a diffractive instrument to visualize the co-constitution of gameplay. In doing so, we replace the teleological concept of a fixed `goal’ with the agential realist concept of a `yearning’: the continuous negotiation of situated tension. By analyzing the reservoir’s dynamics, we show how coherent regimes of interaction emerge within the agent’s internal state space, not from error minimization but from Dynamical Friction; the intense interference pattern generated when the agent’s Re-membered Inertia (habitual momentum) resists the Affective Gradients (situational forcing) of its environment. Ultimately, we argue that by orchestrating an agent’s capacity to be affected via its resistance to and resonance with the environment, designers can move beyond transactional logic to sustain emergent relational phenomena. Full article

The electrodeposition of rare earth metal alloys has attracted considerable interest, not only due to the challenges associated with the reduction in metal ions, but also because of their unique material properties and promising technological applications. This review presents a comprehensive analysis of the state-of-the-art in the electrochemical deposition of these alloys, focusing on various electrolytic systems, including aqueous solutions, organic molecular solvents, ionic liquids, and deep eutectic solvents. Despite inherent problematic factors such as low reduction potentials, competing hydrogen evolution reactions, and difficulties in controlling metal formation, recent advancements have enabled improved control over film formation, typically through the induced codeposition of lanthanides with iron-group metals. The influence of key factors, such as electrolyte composition and current/potential modes, on alloy codeposition, elemental and phase composition, structure, and deposition efficiency is discussed. The magnetic properties, electrocatalytic behavior, and corrosion resistance of the deposited films are also shown, highlighting their relevance for high-performance applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: Emergency Services (ESs) are highly demanding clinical settings where Nursing Practice Environments (NPEs) play a critical role in shaping professional- and care-related outcomes. International evidence suggests that unfavorable NPEs are associated with reduced job satisfaction, compromised care quality, and increased safety risks. This study aimed to describe NPEs and selected professional and care-related outcomes among ESs nurses in Portugal in 2018 and 2022. Methods: A descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using data from two national surveys of ESs nurses collected in 2018 (n = 390) and 2022 (n = 434). Data were collected through an online questionnaire including the Practice Environment Scale of the Nursing Work Index (PES-NWI), measures of job satisfaction, intention to leave, perceived quality and safety of care, safety culture, incident occurrence, and missed nursing care. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize results across both samples. Results: NPEs were predominantly classified as unfavorable in both samples, with around 70% of nurses working in unfavorable environments. The most compromised dimensions were staffing and resource adequacy, nurses’ participation in hospital affairs, and nurse manager ability, leadership, and support of nurses. Job satisfaction was low in both samples, and a high proportion of nurses reported an intention to leave the organization. Differences were observed between samples in perceived quality and safety of care, incident occurrence, and missed nursing care, particularly in relational and autonomous interventions. Collegial nurse–physician relations emerged as the only favorable dimension in both samples. Conclusions: The findings indicate that NPEs in Portuguese ESs were predominantly unfavorable in both study periods, reflecting structural and organizational challenges. These findings may be associated with nurses’ professional outcomes and perceived care quality and safety, highlighting the importance of targeted organizational interventions to improve practice environments. Full article

Social media has become an important venue for health communication. Although prior research has examined the effects of humor, evidence on the mechanisms through which humor shapes communication effectiveness in social media health communication remains fragmented and has not been systematically synthesized. This systematic review examines how humor functions as a communication strategy in social media health communication designed by healthcare professionals, health organizations, and researchers. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, 32 empirical studies were identified and synthesized. Findings indicate that humor is primarily used in two ways: as a content-level strategy to enhance audience engagement and as a psychological persuasive appeal in health message design and dissemination. Across studies, humor not only enhanced platform-level engagement but also influenced affective responses, attitudes, cognitions, and perceptions, which in turn shaped health-related behavioral intentions. Importantly, the effectiveness of humor was also contingent upon contextual and audience characteristics. This review integrates fragmented evidence into a conceptual framework that clarifies the pathways and boundary conditions of humor-based health communication on social media. It also highlights key limitations associated with the use of humor in health messaging and outlines directions for future research. Overall, this study provides theoretical insights and practical guidance for the strategic use of humor in digital health communication. Full article

This article presents a performance assessment of an electrical power and cooling system powered by a parabolic dish collector and using refrigerants with low global warming potential. The study was conducted using energy and mass balances for each component and system. The simulation includes various parameters, such as solar radiation, the focal temperature of the solar collector, the ambient temperature, the power cycle pressure ratio, and the chiller’s evaporation temperature. The results show that the efficiency of the organic Rankine cycle with the refrigerant R1233zd(E) is similar to that of the refrigerants R123 and R245fa and is up to 11 and 50 times lower than with R290 and R744, respectively. The solar absorption chiller using the refrigerant R717 can achieve cooling with a supply temperature up to 5 °C lower than that of R718. The dynamic simulation results show that the energy efficiency of the proposed solar-powered generator–chiller is 14% higher than that of a standard solar-powered absorption chiller. Furthermore, the same solar-powered generator–chiller reduces the primary energy required by a conventional system by 60% (PESr = 0.60). The presented results may be useful for the design of sustainable generator–chillers for rural areas or for autonomous housing in tropical climates. Full article

Background/Objectives: Depression is a common and consequential comorbidity among adults with diagnosed diabetes. Prior research has largely emphasized individual health behaviors, with less attention to emotional burden, social context, or theory-driven interpretation. The Multi-Theory Model (MTM) of Health Behavior Change offers an integrative framework for examining behavioral, emotional, and environmental correlates of health outcomes. This study applied MTM to examine correlates of lifetime diagnosed depression among U.S. adults with diagnosed diabetes. Methods: This cross-sectional study analyzed 2023 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System (BRFSS) data from 19,967 adults with diagnosed diabetes, representing approximately 30 million U.S. adults after survey weighting. Lifetime diagnosed depression was assessed based on respondents reporting that a health professional had told them they had a depressive disorder, representing a lifetime history of depression rather than current depressive symptoms. Independent variables were organized into behavioral, emotional, and environmental domains consistent with MTM. Survey-weighted descriptive analyses, Rao–Scott χ² tests, and nested survey-weighted logistic regression models were conducted. Results: The weighted prevalence of lifetime diagnosed depression among adults with diagnosed diabetes was 24.3%. In the fully adjusted MTM-guided model, emotional and environmental domains showed the strongest associations with lifetime diagnosed depression. Frequent mental distress was associated with substantially higher odds of depression (adjusted odds ratio ≈ 10.4, p < 0.001). High social or economic stress and fair or poor self-rated health remained independently associated (p < 0.001). Behavioral factors, including physical activity, smoking, and body mass index, were attenuated after adjustment. Conclusions: Lifetime diagnosed depression among adults with diagnosed diabetes was more strongly associated with emotional burden and adverse social conditions than with health behavior alone, supporting the integration of distress screening and context-responsive interventions into diabetes care. Full article

Tea (Camellia sinensis L.) infusion is the second most commonly consumed drink in the world after water, valued for its sensory qualities and health-promoting properties. Tea contains a range of chemical compounds that give it specific nutritional and refreshing properties. These include alkaloids, polyphenolic compounds, carbohydrates, amino acids, enzymes, and aromatic compounds. The content of individual compounds in tea leaves is impacted by factors such as the variety, region, and cultivation method, as well as specific processing operations. The aim of the present study was to investigate the content of bioactive compounds in a selection of organic and conventional tea infusions characterized by different degrees of leaf fragmentation. The analysis of selected phenolic acids, catechins, quercetin, and caffeine in black tea and black Earl Grey tea infusions was conducted using high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The study confirmed that the chemical composition of tea infusions is significantly impacted by the type of tea, cultivation practices, and form of the leaves, and revealed some previously underexplored interactions between the leaf fragmentation and cultivation system effects. From a consumer or product design perspective, organic loose-leaf Earl Grey teas appear to offer the most favourable balance of catechins, and flavonoids whereas conventional bagged black teas provide higher phenolic acid content. Full article

Background: In multicultural healthcare systems such as the Italian one, migrant children may experience dental care as particularly stressful because linguistic and cultural barriers can limit communication, emotional expression, and understanding of the clinical setting. Aim: Understanding the emotional experience of migrant children during dental visits is essential for improving clinical management in pediatric dentistry and orthodontics within multicultural contexts. Because linguistic barriers often limit verbal communication, this study aimed to explore children’s mental representations, emotional states, and perceptions of the dental environment through drawing and to evaluate the clinical implications for communication and therapeutic collaboration. Methods: This qualitative study was conducted in Italy between 2016 and 2025 and analyzed 50 drawings produced by 50 foreign-born migrant children aged 6–13 years, recruited through an educational cooperative in Piacenza. Most participants originated from developing countries and had limited proficiency in Italian, frequently showing a marked “experience gap” in drawing ability that interfered with normative developmental stages described by Lowenfeld. The analysis focused on spatial organization, line quality, color use, posture, interpersonal distance, and representation of the clinical environment, integrating graphic competence assessment with emotional interpretation. Results: Younger children commonly depicted rigid lines, essential settings, and oversized dental unit lamps, whereas older children increasingly represented threatening or disproportionate instruments, aggressive dentists, and omission of the patient figure. Around age 10, drawings became more detailed and colorful, although symbols of closure, such as locked doors, persisted. In adolescents, representations polarized between rich, coherent scenes and extremely essential drawings dominated by fear, rigidity, minimal environments, and symbols of constraint. The findings suggest that drawing may represent a valuable non-verbal clinical and communicative resource for exploring migrant children’s emotional experience of dental care and for identifying signs of anxiety and vulnerability that may not emerge through verbal interaction alone. Conclusions: These findings support the value of a culturally sensitive dental approach integrating drawing, visual aids, multilingual educational materials, and play-based strategies to reduce communication barriers and improve cooperation in migrant children receiving pediatric dental and orthodontic care. Full article

The application of organic residues in agriculture helps to replenish soil organic carbon (OC), improve soil fertility and biodiversity, reinforce aggregate stability, and favour water infiltration. Moreover, its application as a soil amendment alters the fate of herbicides applied to the soil. The objective here was (i) to evaluate soil quality by determining the physicochemical and biological parameters of an agricultural soil (Soil) amended with green compost (Soil + GC) over an arable pea–wheat crop rotation in a short-term experiment; and (ii) to study the dissipation and persistence of iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium applied in field plots sown with winter wheat under real field conditions. The experimental field design consisted of 24 plots (10 m²) involving 12 with control and 12 with GC-amended soils. The plots were sown with pea after GC application (~11 t ha⁻¹) in February 2023, and with winter wheat in October 2023. Iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium (Hussar^® Plus, Bayer CropScience S.L., Barcelona, Spain) was applied in post-emergence at the agronomic dose (D1 = 176 mL ha⁻¹) and double dose (D2 = 352 mL ha⁻¹). Soil samples were taken from the plots to assess the soil physicochemical and biological parameters at six sampling times after GC application, with extraction and determination of residual herbicide and metabolite (metsulfuron-methyl) concentrations. In addition, the yield and characteristics of the pea and wheat grain crops were determined. The application of GC to the soil significantly increased pH (0.5 units by July 2024) and electrical conductivity (up to 5.2 times) compared to control soil, which remained constant throughout the experiment. The OC in Soil + GC increased by 40% in July 2024 compared to control soil. Total nitrogen content increased up to 2.0 and 1.3 times during the pea–wheat growing seasons in Soil + GC compared to unamended soil. Soil dehydrogenase activity, respiration, and biomass increased by up to 1.4, 2.2 and 1.4 times, respectively, in Soil + GC compared to unamended soil over the growing seasons. The soil microbial structure, determined by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis, recorded no significant differences between the microbial groups in both soil treatments. A non-significant increase in pea and wheat yield was observed in Soil + GC compared to unamended soil. The results revealed an increase in the residual amounts of herbicide and metabolite, being slightly more persistent, with DT₅₀ and DT₉₀ values up to 1.6 times higher, in the Soil + GC plots over time. Much higher amounts of metabolite (DT₅₀ = 24.8–29.7 days) than iodosulfuron-methyl (DT₅₀ = 5.2–8.8 days) were found in all the treatments. This may be due to wheat plants intercepting the herbicide initially at the time of application in post-emergence, the rapid dissipation of the herbicide reaching the soil, and/or the higher persistence of the metabolite compared to that of the herbicide. Overall, the soil’s physicochemical and biological properties were improved in GC-amended soil, and organic amendment increased slightly the persistence of iodosulfuron-methyl-sodium and its metabolite in the soil. Full article

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physiological mechanisms and health resilience of Duroc pigs reared in an outdoor system compared to a conventional indoor system. A total of 24 Duroc pigs (approximately 3 months of age) were randomly assigned to either an indoor (IN, n = 12) or an outdoor (OUT, n = 12) rearing system for a 45-day trial. Growth performance (body weight and ADG) and spleen organ index were not significantly different between the two rearing systems (p > 0.05). Hematological profiles, including leukocyte and erythrocyte indices, showed no significant differences (p > 0.05), although plateletcrit tended to decrease in the OUT group (p = 0.08). For serum biochemical parameters, pigs in the OUT group exhibited significantly higher concentrations of total protein, triglycerides, calcium, and sodium compared to those in the IN group (p < 0.05). Additionally, serum albumin and glucose levels tended to be higher in the OUT group (p < 0.01). No significant differences were observed in liver and muscle enzyme activities (AST, ALP, GGT, CK) between the treatments (p > 0.05). In conclusion, outdoor rearing did not compromise growth performance or induce chronic physiological stress or tissue damage in Duroc pigs. Instead, it promoted active energy and lipid mobilization, enhanced protein metabolism, and improved mineral homeostasis, demonstrating the robust physiological adaptability of the Duroc breed to outdoor environments. Full article

Treatment-associated regression of tumors outside the irradiated field has occasionally been reported, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear, particularly in the context of central nervous system (CNS)–directed therapy. Glioblastoma (GBM) is commonly treated with radiotherapy and temozolomide, both of which may influence tumor biology and the systemic environment. We report a patient with synchronous primary GBM and early-stage lung adenocarcinoma who underwent craniotomy followed by intensity-modulated radiotherapy with concurrent temozolomide for GBM. During GBM-directed chemoradiotherapy, the untreated pulmonary lesion demonstrated progressive regression without any lung-specific therapy, temporally coinciding with CNS-targeted treatment. Although comprehensive immunophenotyping was not feasible, longitudinal changes in the proportion of peripheral blood lymphocytes were observed during therapy. These findings represent a clinical observation characterized by a temporal association between CNS-directed treatment and regression of a distant, non-irradiated tumor. However, the underlying mechanism remains uncertain, and a contribution from systemic temozolomide exposure cannot be excluded. While treatment-related systemic effects may be considered, no specific causal mechanism can be established based on this single case. This case highlights an unusual clinical observation that may warrant further investigation. Further studies are needed to clarify the relationship between CNS-directed therapies and systemic tumor behavior. Full article