Search Results (3,453)

This review covers literature published up to June 2026. Detecting various water pollutants quickly and reliably remains a challenge. Boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes, particularly when fabricated as nanostructured thin films such as nanocones or nanowalls, offer a wide electrochemical window, low background current, and excellent chemical stability, making them promising tools for electrochemical sensing. However, unmodified BDD electrodes face an inherent trade-off among conductivity, active site density, and interfacial stability, a phenomenon termed herein the “sensitivity-selectivity-stability triangle bottleneck”, which severely limits practical performance. In this review, we demonstrate how multi-scale structural regulation can circumvent this bottleneck. Specifically, a triple strategy comprising boron doping, surface modification, and post-annealing treatment is proposed and evaluated. First, the effect of boron doping level on conductivity and active site density is discussed. Second, two common surface modification approaches are examined: carbon nanomaterials (which increase surface area and form conductive networks) and metal nanoparticles (which enhance catalytic activity and interfacial charge transfer). Third, post-annealing is highlighted as a key synergistic step that locks the modified layer and stabilizes the interface. Together, these three components form an integrated framework. To provide concrete guidance, the performance of each strategy is compared for representative water pollutants, including heavy metal ions, phenolic compounds, and emerging contaminants such as antibiotics and pesticides, with emphasis on sensitivity, selectivity, and stability. Representative detection limits achieved include 0.01 μg/L for Pb²⁺, 5 nM for acetaminophen, and 0.32 fM for PCB-77, demonstrating the effectiveness of the triple structural regulation strategy. Finally, in line with the theme of this Nanomaterials Special Issue on nanostructured thin films, current challenges in structural regulation are summarized, and future directions, including multi-parameter optimization, AI-assisted high-throughput screening, and real-world testing, are outlined. The goal is to offer practical structure-performance guidelines for designing BDD-based electrochemical sensors that are both high-performing and durable. Full article

The performance of grain storage silos is strongly influenced by discharge flow patterns, hopper geometry, and material properties such as moisture content and impurity levels. However, the combined effects of these factors on flow behavior, discharge rate, and segregation are not yet fully understood. This study experimentally investigated the integrated effects of moisture content, prismatic hopper geometry (hopper angle β), and impurity addition on flow behavior, segregation, and mass flow rate in reduced-scale silos. Experiments were conducted using three prismatic silos with hopper angles of β = 15°, 33°, and 45°, filled with maize at moisture contents of 13.6%, 20.2%, and 26.0% (wet basis), under both clean conditions and with the addition of 10% impurities (fraction passing through a 5 mm sieve). The discharge rate was determined by direct mass–time measurements, flow patterns were inferred from video analysis, and segregation was quantified based on the mass fraction of impurities in samples collected during discharge. The results indicate that moisture content was the most influential factor, reducing the discharge rate by up to 22.8% when increasing from 20.2% to 26.0% w.b. (p < 0.05). Hopper geometry also had a significant effect, with performance differences among configurations becoming more pronounced under high-moisture conditions. The addition of 10% impurities increased the discharge rate under all tested conditions, with gains of up to 29.0% at 26.0% w.b. and β = 15°. Segregation intensified with increasing moisture content, leading to a progressive accumulation of impurities toward the end of discharge. The stick–slip phenomenon was observed under a critical condition (26.0% w.b., β = 15°, with impurities), resulting in a 23.0% reduction in the average discharge rate compared to the equivalent stable condition. These findings demonstrate that granular flow behavior in silos is governed by the interaction between moisture, hopper geometry, and material composition. The results also suggest that operational strategies such as pre-cleaning should be evaluated in conjunction with expected moisture conditions, as pre-cleaning may adversely affect flow performance under high-moisture scenarios. Full article

Karpathy’s proposal to replace Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) with plain-text knowledge bases maintained directly by language agents (Agentic Knowledge Curation) has gained traction in industrial applications yet lacks systematic empirical evaluation. To our knowledge, this study presents the first comparative evaluation of this paradigm using blind human assessment by two independent external reviewers. The corpus comprises the technical documentation of a production semantic search system for Spanish legal documents (11 files, ~19,300 tokens) alongside 100 questions verified against source code, distributed across direct retrieval, multi-document synthesis, and reasoning about absence. Claude 3.5 Sonnet was utilized as the reference model to isolate the retrieval architecture’s effect. While overall accuracy was statistically indistinguishable between paradigms, agentic curation showed a significant advantage in direct retrieval over long documents. Conversely, error analysis revealed RAG false negatives associated with the lost-in-the-middle phenomenon, whereas agentic curation exhibited localized degradation in textual fidelity for queries requiring exact reproduction of formulas or sequences. These results characterize the differential error profiles of both paradigms, providing actionable design criteria for engineers managing technical documentation with language models in cloud environments. Full article

As a key energy storage component, the rapid detection of battery status and safety and reliability evaluation of the lithium battery have attracted more attention. Among them, the expansion behavior evaluation technology of the lithium battery, as a non-destructive rapid detection method, is an effective means to evaluate the health status of the battery and realize early safety warning. This paper reviews the causes of the current expansion phenomenon of lithium battery, the development status of expansion evaluation technology and the evaluation method of expansion test results. The existing expansion behavior evaluation technology under constant pressure and constant displacement conditions are classified and discussed. By accurately obtaining changes in the internal state of the battery, it can accurately predict and evaluate performance, life and safety. By obtaining the critical conditions of battery expansion, the design and optimization of the module structure are guided. On this basis, the limitations of lithium battery expansion test under different boundary conditions are further discussed. The future development of battery expansion test methods and battery expansion control and solutions are proposed. This paper aims to optimize the evaluation technology of lithium battery expansion behavior and improve the safety and reliability of the battery. Full article

The occupational health implications of solar photovoltaic (PV) recycling remain critically under-investigated. This study assessed occupational exposure across the PV recycling value chain in Taiwan, evaluating primary mechanical dismantling and downstream reuse sectors (glass milling and controlled low-strength material [CLSM] batching). Area and personal samples were analyzed for total dust, respirable dust, and trace heavy metals. Results indicated that primary mechanical crushing yielded relatively low ambient dust and negligible toxic heavy metal (e.g., Pb, Cd) aerosols, attributed to the macroscopic ductility of metallic ribbons and EVA shock-absorbing properties. Conversely, a critical “hazard transfer” phenomenon was empirically identified downstream, where intensive secondary grinding and aggregate blending in the downstream reuse sector (glass milling and CLSM batching) systematically shifted the aerodynamic particle size distribution, causing the respirable dust fraction to surge to 38.9–72.6%. The pursuit of zero-waste material circularity inadvertently amplifies highly dispersive, respirable dust hazards in downstream sectors, necessitating targeted occupational exposure controls. Full article

The rapid pace of urbanization, coupled with the variability in climatic conditions, has led to a marked increase in global food demand. Simultaneously, this phenomenon has resulted in a decline in the overall quality of food, highlighting the need to improve existing agricultural production systems. In this context, zeolite has emerged as a promising soil amendment for optimizing its physical properties and crop yields. However, there is limited information on its effects during tomato cultivation, particularly for the Saladette variety (Solanum lycopersicum L.) in Hidalgo, Mexico. This includes the use of this zeolite variety, the evaluation of its antioxidant properties, and its antioxidant activity at different applied concentrations. This study evaluated the effect of different concentrations of zeolite applied to the soil on tomato growth and fruit quality. After crop establishment, the treatments were monitored monthly. The results showed that the application of zeolite significantly improved crop yield, with Treatment 3 (5 kg zeolite plant⁻¹) showing the best performance without affecting the physical characteristics of the fruit. The tomatoes maintained adequate commercial standards, with weights ranging from 104 a 169 g, sizes from 5.16 to 6.20 cm, and firmness values between 1.19 and 2.27 N; therefore, this treatment was selected for the determination of the antioxidant activity on the fruits. Furthermore, an increase in antioxidant capacity was observed, reaching 5.50 µmol TE/100 g of dry sample in the DPPH antioxidant capacity test. This demonstrates that zeolite application positively influences the quality and antioxidant capacity of tomatoes. This suggests that zeolite could be used in various crops, potentially improving the quality of the final product and offering health benefits to consumers thanks to the antioxidant compounds generated during harvest. However, further studies are needed to determine the optimal application rates and the long-term effects on soil health and crop productivity. Full article

Background: Nutritional impairment has been associated with adverse outcomes in acute coronary syndrome (ACS), yet its relationship with the no-reflow phenomenon remains incompletely understood. We aimed to compare the performance of the Hemoglobin–Albumin–Lymphocyte–Platelet (HALP), Prognostic Nutritional Index (PNI), and Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) scores for no-reflow assessment in patients with ACS. Methods: This prospective single-centre study included 279 consecutive patients with ACS undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention. HALP, PNI, and CONUT scores were calculated from admission laboratory parameters. No-reflow was defined as post-procedural TIMI flow grade ≤ 2 in the absence of mechanical obstruction, with myocardial blush grade used in equivocal cases. Hierarchical logistic regression, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, net reclassification improvement (NRI), integrated discrimination improvement (IDI), decision curve analysis, and bootstrap validation were performed. Results: No-reflow occurred in 46 patients (16.5%). All three nutritional indices were significantly associated with no-reflow (all p < 0.001). In multivariable analysis, only the CONUT score remained independently associated with no-reflow (OR 1.728, 95% CI 1.226–2.435, p = 0.002). The addition of nutritional indices to the clinical model improved discrimination, increasing the area under the curve from 0.649 to 0.693 for HALP, 0.733 for PNI, and 0.770 for CONUT. CONUT provided the largest likelihood-ratio improvement (χ² = 25.98, p < 0.001), NRI (0.757, p < 0.001), and IDI (0.104, p < 0.001). Pairwise DeLong comparisons showed no statistically significant differences among the nutritional models. Internal validation of the CONUT model demonstrated good discrimination and calibration (bootstrap-corrected AUC 0.754). Conclusions: Among the evaluated nutritional indices, CONUT showed the largest incremental improvement in model performance; however, statistically significant superiority over HALP and PNI was not demonstrated. These findings should be considered as exploratory and require confirmation in larger multicentre studies. Full article

High-temperature low-pressure carburizing significantly reduces the time required to produce carburized layers. However, its application promotes austenite grain growth and, consequently, the formation of coarse acicular martensite. In this study, the possibility of limiting this phenomenon in AMS 6265 and 18CrNiMo7-6 steels using the PreNitLPC^® technology was evaluated. The process was carried out at 1050 °C, with pre-nitriding applied during charge heating. In both steels, comparable carbon concentration profiles and carburized layers with an effective case depth of approximately 1.0 mm were obtained. The introduction of nitrogen into the surface layer resulted in a local reduction in austenite grain growth compared with the core. The average grain size in the surface layer was approximately 14.5 µm for AMS 6265 steel and 12.5 µm for 18CrNiMo7-6 steel, whereas in the core it increased to approximately 25.1 µm and 24.1 µm, respectively. At the same time, AMS 6265 steel exhibited a higher fraction of retained austenite, approximately 20%, compared with approximately 15% for 18CrNiMo7-6 steel. This resulted in a lower near-surface hardness of AMS 6265 steel, approximately 750 HV0.1, compared with approximately 800 HV0.1 for 18CrNiMo7-6 steel, corresponding to a hardness difference of about 50 HV0.1. TEM/NBD/EDS investigations showed that nanoscale AlN precipitates formed in both steels and acted as the main factor inhibiting austenite grain-boundary migration. The results confirm that the PreNitLPC^® technology enables high-temperature low-pressure carburizing without detrimental grain growth in the surface layer. Full article

Background: False-positive variant calls generated within low-complexity regions (LCRs) remain a persistent bottleneck in clinical genomics, complicating downstream analysis. This study evaluates a targeted spatial masking strategy designed to suppress deterministic artifacts in short-read sequencing data, while preserving clinically actionable variants residing outside LCRs. We implemented a selective masking protocol prior to variant calling across analytical reference standards (EQA, NA12878) and two independent breast cancer whole-exome sequencing cohorts (n = 25). Methods: Callsets were evaluated for diagnostic sensitivity, precision gains, mutational signatures, VAF behavior, pseudo-multiallelic noise and ClinVar/dbSNP annotation. Results: The protocol removed thousands of sequencing and alignment artifacts while maintaining the retained biological callset, with negligible disease-associated diagnostic variants detected in the excluded artifact fraction. LCR masking preserved physiological Ti/Tv and Ins/Del profiles in retained calls, resolved pseudo-multiallelic noise, and distinguished excluded artifact calls by distorted mutational and VAF signatures. dbSNP profiling showed cohort-dependent behavior: TCGA-BRCA reproduced an intriguing phenomenon, with excluded calls showing higher dbSNP annotation than retained calls, whereas AURORA showed the opposite direction. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate the potential vulnerability of one-dimensional database annotation for variant authentication and highlight targeted spatial filtration as a critical, early pipeline intervention for high-fidelity clinical genomics of non-LCR-associated germline variants using short reads. Full article

Quartile rankings of journals have become shorthand for research quality in many national evaluation systems. This Commentary offers a non-systematic documentary analysis of this phenomenon in Spain and selected Latin American systems. It conceptualizes these arrangements as quartile regimes: configurations of rules, indicators, organizational routines, and incentives that make the Journal Citation Reports or SCImago quartile position of a journal function as a high-stakes proxy for research quality. The article draws on legal and policy texts, agency criteria, reform documents, peer-reviewed literature, and selected integrity cases used as illustrative vignettes rather than prevalence evidence. Spain is analyzed as an early and influential case in which sexenios and accreditation made journal indicators central to individual careers, although the 2024 sexenio criteria now move explicitly toward qualitative narratives, broader outputs, and responsible indicators. Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, and Peru are treated as purposive Latin American cases that show distinct pathways through individual recognition schemes, graduate-program evaluation, journal-indexing systems, career committees, and publication bonuses. The article argues that quartile regimes reshape publication language, research agendas, disciplinary hierarchies, authorship practices, and integrity risks, with particularly strong effects in the social sciences and humanities and in regional journal ecosystems. Current reform efforts, including the Agreement on Reforming Research Assessment, the Coalition for Advancing Research Assessment, FOLEC-CLACSO, and the ALAEC manifesto, show that quartiles can be repositioned as weak contextual signals within broader, field-sensitive frameworks that value quality, bibliodiversity, multilingual communication, open science, and societal relevance. Full article

Heavy metal pollution poses a significant threat to industrial and agricultural ecosystems; however, thorough research on the coupled risks and migration mechanisms of heavy metals within soil-groundwater systems in arid-region industrial parks remains limited. This study systematically collected 312 surface soil samples and 239 groundwater samples from typical chemical industrial parks in Xinjiang, northwestern China. The pollution levels of six typical heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb, and Zn) were quantitatively evaluated utilizing the Single Pollution Index (P_i), Nemerow Pollution Index (P_N), and Potential Ecological Risk Index (RI) for soil and the improved Heavy Metal Contamination Index (HCI) for groundwater. Additionally, GIS mapping and the Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) model were integrated to delineate spatial distributions and primary emission sources. The assessment results indicated overall moderate pollution risks for Cd, Cu, and Ni in the soil, and for Cd, Pb, Cr, and Ni in the groundwater. Notably, Cd emerged as the primary risk contributor across both media. The RI identified Cd as the element posing the highest soil toxicity risk (with a mean RI of 53.57), while the HCI revealed that specific industrial zones face severe contamination levels (HCI > 4500), predominantly driven by Cd and Pb. GIS analysis illustrated a distinct distance–decay diffusion pattern emanating from industrial point sources. Crucially, PMF source apportionment demonstrated divergent contamination pathways: surface soil heavy metals (e.g., Cr, Cu, Pb, Zn) were primarily governed by top-down local industrial emissions (52.5%), whereas groundwater contamination was largely dictated by regional groundwater flow carrying mixed agricultural and natural geogenic inputs (75%). Furthermore, Pearson correlation analysis revealed a prevalent weak or negative correlation between heavy metal concentrations in the two media, suggesting a spatial “decoupling” of their contamination pathways. This phenomenon is likely driven by a dynamic “retention-leaching” mechanism within the arid vadose zone, where alkaline pH and high clay content act as a hydrochemical barrier impeding vertical migration. These findings underscore that soil and groundwater in arid industrial regions should be managed as distinct hydrochemical systems, providing a robust scientific basis for targeted remediation and the sustainable redevelopment of industrial brownfields. Full article

This mixed-methods study explores the effectiveness of a semester-long academic development programme in addressing Imposter Phenomenon among Early-Career Academics. This intervention introduced low-technology simulations, allowing consideration of authentic challenges of practice. While experiences of Imposterism in academia are often institutionally driven, most coping strategies remain individualistic. This study responds to a paucity of research, offering an original contribution by providing evidence from a pilot evaluation. Participants (n = 19) completed the Clance Imposter Phenomenon Scale pre- and post-intervention, with those reporting moderate to intense Imposterism (scores 41–80) interviewed (n = 10). Quantitative analysis revealed that n = 3 reported less frequent imposter feelings, n = 2 reported more frequent imposter feelings, and n = 14 indicated no change. Qualitative analysis of interview data revealed that perceptions of simulation-based pedagogies were shaped by bi-directional intersections between three domains: understandings of simulation for professional learning; interactions/collaboration with peers; and personal identity/professional context. Findings indicated that sustained peer-interaction within psychologically safe and supportive environments was particularly valued, reducing isolation, enhancing professional belonging, and improving confidence–dimensions closely associated with academic wellbeing. However, contextual factors, including role ambiguity and unclear progression pathways, sometimes intensified imposter feelings, highlighting structural conditions shaping professional identity and educator wellbeing. Full article

Background/Objectives: The obesity epidemic coexists with the phenomenon of “hidden hunger” (Type B malnutrition)—a micronutrient deficiency amidst a caloric excess. Traditional dietary assessment methods often distort the actual picture by ignoring technological losses during cooking, which necessitates the use of digital tools. Methods: A cross-sectional study (N = 3267) was conducted using the digital platform “NIAP”. The analysis was based on valid 3–7-day dietary records with algorithmic accounting for nutrient retention factors during thermal processing. The nutrient profiles of individuals with a normal body mass index (BMI) and obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²) were compared. Results: The epidemiology of intake shortfalls was highly prevalent and pronounced: 99.9% of the cohort had ≥1 inadequacy (with a mean negative deviation of −77.3% for vitamin D and −59.2% for Omega-3), and 61.5% exhibited ≥10 simultaneous multiple intake shortfalls. These inadequacy rates remained robust in a sensitivity analysis excluding under-reporters. The obesity group consumed significantly more energy, saturated fatty acids, added sugars, cholesterol, and sodium, but demonstrated a lower relative macronutrient intake (g/kg of body weight). Absolute fiber intake did not differ between the groups, indicating a decrease in its density per 1000 kcal in the diet of individuals with obesity; the intake of Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) showed a downward trend. The Na:K ratio was significantly higher in the obesity group (1.19 vs. 1.04, p < 0.001). Correlation analysis confirmed an inverse relationship between BMI and the overall nutrient density of the diet. Conclusions: A high-energy diet does not compensate for systemic micronutrient inadequacy among the evaluated cohort. Obesity is associated with a dietary imbalance favoring “empty calories” and pro-inflammatory components against a background of severe multiple dietary inadequacies. The integration of algorithmic dietary assessment that accounts for cooking losses is critical for objective diagnosis and personalized nutritional intervention. Full article

Water erosion is a critical degradation process that reduces fertility and agricultural sustainability, especially in semi-arid regions. The Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) allows for the quantification of this phenomenon using factors such as rainfall erosivity (R) and topography (length-slope, LS). In this study, both factors were estimated and analyzed in the Cañitas sub-basin, located in the semi-desert area of the state of Zacatecas, Mexico, characterized by irregular precipitation and limited data availability. The objective of this study is to estimate and analyze the R factor and LS factor to evaluate their influence on soil water erosion processes. Records from five meteorological stations (1986–2022) were used, along with the Modified Fournier Index (MFI) and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) tools, generating spatial maps of rainfall erosivity and topography. An average R factor of 81.69 MJ∙mm/ha∙h∙year was estimated, consistent with the values obtained using the MFI. The LS factor shows that the northwestern area of the study zone has the most extensive and steepest slopes (up to 20). This study analyzes the R and LS factors to identify areas vulnerable to water erosion and to understand the influence of climate and topography in a semi-arid region, which can serve as a reference for planning conservation actions and managing watersheds in semi-arid areas with high climatic variability. Full article

Background: Oculopharyngodistal myopathy (OPDM) is a rare disorder with progressive ptosis, ophthalmoplegia, and oral incompetence, which pose challenges to management. While surgical interventions for blepharoptosis have been reported, addressing concurrent facial muscle weakness remains a significant challenge in comprehensive disease management. Case: A 59-year-old woman with OPDM exhibited severe ptosis and oral incompetence. Despite undergoing prior cosmetic interventions, these symptoms had progressively worsened over 10 years. Preoperative evaluation revealed complete ptosis with a margin reflex distance 1 (MRD-1) of 0 mm and preserved Bell’s phenomenon. A two-stage reconstruction using fascia lata grafting corrected ptosis with a frontalis sling and restored oral competence with U-shaped grafts anchored to the zygomatic arches. Results: At 3 years and 6 months postoperatively, eyelid elevation had improved without corneal exposure, and oral competence was restored, resolving drooling. Conclusions: Semi-dynamic reconstruction using fascia lata grafting effectively addresses ptosis and oral incompetence in OPDM, improving visual and swallowing functions and enhancing quality of life. Full article