Search Results (65)

The rapid proliferation of multi-standard fifth-generation (5G) new radio sub-6 GHz systems has intensified the demand for compact, high-isolation multiplexing components capable of simultaneously routing multiple frequency channels through a single shared antenna port without cross-band interference. This article presents the design and full-wave electromagnetic (EM) simulation of a compact microstrip triplexer operating at 2.2, 2.6, and 3.0 GHz for 5G sub-6 GHz applications. The proposed triplexer employs square open-loop resonators (SOLRs) arranged as three independent three-pole Chebyshev bandpass filter channels. Each channel is synthesized from a standard normalized Chebyshev lowpass filter prototype. The three channels are integrated at a common input port via a T-junction, with the connecting transmission line stubs dimensioned to enforce high inter-channel isolation. The triplexer is implemented on Rogers RT/Duroid 6010LM substrate. Full-wave EM simulation results demonstrate return losses of 21.1, 23.1, and 22.8 dB; insertion losses of 1.08, 1.01, and 0.98 dB; and inter-channel isolations of 45.7, 45.2, and 45.7 dB for ports S₃₂, S₄₂, and S₄₃, respectively. The achieved inter-channel isolation exceeding 45 dB represents a significant improvement over the majority of recently reported microstrip triplexers operating in the sub-6 GHz range. The device occupies a compact circuit area of 0.34λg × 0.52λg. λg is the guided wavelength for the microstrip line impedance at the 2.6 GHz centre frequency of the triplexer. Full article

Port–hinterland links are a major driver of performance in maritime supply chains, affecting landed cost, service reliability and environmental outcomes. Yet research on ports and inland freight remains fragmented across transport geography, logistics, operations research and governance studies. This review consolidates evidence on how physical, operational, governance and digital integration levers shape supply chain outcomes at the port–hinterland interface. A Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)-informed protocol was applied to Web of Science Core Collection records retrieved with a title-level port–hinterland query, last updated on 23 November 2025. The qualitative synthesis covers 90 peer-reviewed studies published from 2008 to 2026. Four eligible records (IN22, IN30, IN54 and IN83) could not be retrieved as full texts and are excluded from the qualitative synthesis; their metadata are retained only in the 94-record bibliometric keyword layer. The review traces the evolution from spatial and administrative views of hinterlands toward functional, network-based and actor-centred perspectives, and synthesises seven streams: delimitation and port choice, corridor competition, dry ports and extended gates, coordination and governance, multimodal operations, digitalisation, and sustainability and resilience. It proposes a four-layer conceptual framework linking infrastructure, services, governance and information integration to cost, reliability, capacity, emissions and resilience. The evidence base remains dominated by model-based studies that offer limited causal identification, supporting a focused agenda for more empirically grounded port–hinterland supply chain research. Full article

Medium-sized Mediterranean cities harbour extraordinary living heritage yet frequently lack the governance frameworks to sustain it equitably, a structural tension that scholarship has insufficiently addressed. This study investigates the governance gap in Kalamata, Greece (70,000 inhabitants), a paradigmatic case combining three millennia of heritage depth, an exceptional “belle époque” architectural and industrial deposit, and one of the densest voluntary cultural networks in the Greek urban system. Through an explanatory sequential mixed-methods design, a stratified resident survey (n = 517), 49 stakeholder interviews, and systematic cultural cartography (Cultural Map v7, 2026), the study documents Institutional Resilience through Cultural Civil Society (IRCC): a co-evolutionary dynamic in which voluntary cultural activity expanded precisely as institutional capacity contracted during the 2010–2018 austerity crisis, producing a resilience that is admirable as a civic achievement yet structurally fragile as a governance model. Quantitative findings reveal significant geographic inequalities in cultural access (Centre M = 3.1 vs. Eastern zones M = 2.2, p < 0.001) traceable through archival data to the post-1922 refugee settlement geography, while the culture–urban development satisfaction nexus (Spearman ρ = 0.62, p < 0.001) is theoretically interpreted through civic attachment as a proposed common underlying construct; formal mediation was not statistically tested in the present study. CDIS triangulation identifies systemic weaknesses in cultural governance and spatial equity alongside strengths in civil-society participation. Seven evidence-based policy recommendations operationalise a transferable analytical framework for comparable medium-sized Mediterranean port cities, specifically those sharing comparable historical heritage density, civil-society cultural vitality, and governance capacity constraints, rather than a broadly generalisable model. Full article

Background: Native nephrectomy is frequently required in autosomal-dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) before or during transplantation, but the optimal minimally invasive approach is unsettled, and it is unclear whether the pattern of post-operative complications tracks with operative technique. We report a retrospective single-centre experience of hand-assisted laparoscopic (HAL) native nephrectomy and, alongside it, a technique-stratified scoping review of complications. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed all consecutive adults undergoing HAL native nephrectomy—with an infra-umbilical midline hand-port and free intraperitoneal cyst rupture—in preparation for transplantation in the period between December 2019 and December 2025. In parallel, we performed a PRISMA-ScR-compliant scoping review (MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus) of minimally invasive ADPKD nephrectomy, with duplicate independent screening and extraction, stratifying complications by operative approach and cyst-decompression method. No quantitative pooling was undertaken. Results: Twenty-three patients (mean age 52.8 ± 9.9 years; 87% dialysis-dependent; 78% for transplant preparation) were included. Median operative time was 102 min (IQR 90–122) with minimal blood loss, one transfusion (4%), and no open conversion. Complications occurred in 8/23 (35%) and were bowel-predominant: one small-bowel perforation, two obstructions, and one ileus—three of Clavien–Dindo grade IIIb, all in right-sided nephrectomies and independent of specimen weight. Peri-operative mortality was 1/23 (4%), from a non-technique-related mycotic aortic dissection. Of 481 records screened, 19 studies met inclusion; the cyst-decompression method was reported in only 7 (37%). Bowel events clustered in series using free intraperitoneal cyst rupture or puncture and were largely absent where decompression was contained, a pattern crossing platform boundaries and that is mechanistically consistent with intraperitoneal spillage of cyst contents. Conclusions: HAL native nephrectomy is a rapid and feasible means of removing massively enlarged polycystic kidneys before transplantation but, in our experience, carries a bowel-predominant morbidity that clustered in right-sided procedures and was independent of specimen weight. The sparse literature is consistent with—but cannot confirm—a relationship to intraperitoneal cyst spillage rather than to the hand-assisted approach itself. Whether contained cyst decompression can preserve operative efficiency while reducing bowel morbidity is a hypothesis warranting prospective study. Full article

Background/Objectives: Prostate cancer is one of the most common non-skin solid malignancies among male solid organ transplant recipients (SOTRs), in whom radical prostatectomy is technically demanding. We report the first use of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence for simultaneous transplanted-ureter identification and renal graft vascular mapping during robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP), and the first use of the CMR Versius^® platform in a SOTR. Methods: Retrospective case series of four consecutive male SOTRs (two renal [RTRs], two hepatic) undergoing RARP. In both RTRs, a dual-route ICG protocol was used on the da Vinci Xi with Firefly^® imaging: pre-docking intraureteral ICG via a ureteral catheter for ureter identification, plus an intravenous ICG bolus for graft vascular mapping and cortical perfusion. One hepatic recipient was operated with the CMR Versius^® system using an infra-umbilical port configuration to avoid the chevron transplant scar. Results: All four procedures were completed robotically without conversion. Median operative time was 176 min and median estimated blood loss 350 mL. Surgical margins were negative (R0) in all four; final pathology was pT3aN0 in three and pT2N0 in one, although in the renal recipients nodal staging reflected a contralateral-only dissection. PSA was undetectable at three months in all patients. One hepatic recipient later developed biochemical recurrence, managed with salvage radiotherapy and androgen deprivation therapy, with subsequent undetectable PSA. One hepatic recipient had a Clavien–Dindo IIIa complication. No graft dysfunction occurred. Conclusions: ICG-guided RARP and the CMR Versius^® platform appear technically feasible in carefully selected solid organ transplant recipients treated at an experienced multidisciplinary centre, with no graft-related complications observed in this small initial series. These preliminary findings require validation in larger, multicenter studies before general safety and oncological efficacy can be established. Full article

Background/Objectives: The placement of central venous access devices, including peripherally inserted central catheters (PICCs) and PICC-PORTs, is a routine procedure in oncology care. Usually associated with limited physical pain, these procedures may nevertheless generate significant anxiety and negatively influence the overall procedural experience. Virtual reality (VR) has emerged as a non-pharmacological intervention capable of modulating attentional and emotional responses during medical procedures; however, evidence in adult oncology patients undergoing vascular access placement remains scarce. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of VR on an oncological patient’s overall procedural experience. Methods: This manuscript outlines the design and methodology of a prospective, single-centre randomised controlled trial. Adult oncology patients scheduled for PICC/PICC-PORT placement are randomised to receive standard care alone or standard care combined with an immersive VR intervention delivered via a head-mounted display during the procedure under pragmatic, real-world clinical conditions. The primary outcome is a composite patient-reported procedural experience endpoint, assessed through a non-aggregated framework encompassing procedural anxiety, comfort, satisfaction and procedural tolerability. Procedural anxiety constitutes the main quantitative driver; the remaining domains are analysed as individual component dimensions and interpreted jointly to contextualise the overall experience. Secondary outcomes include procedural pain, physiological parameters and procedural characteristics. A mixed-methods approach integrates quantitative assessment with qualitative phenomenological analysis. Results: The study is expected to provide methodological and clinical insight into the role of immersive VR in improving procedural experience and support future multicentre trials. Conclusions: This trial will contribute to the expanding field of digital and immersive health technologies by evaluating VR as a patient-centred adjunct intervention in oncological procedural care using a predefined patient-reported experience-based primary endpoint. The protocol has been submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov with the registration number NCT07384741. Full article

Protected areas are increasingly expected to reconcile biodiversity conservation with socio-economic sustainability, yet operational tools for assessing local sustainability are limited. This study develops a replicable viability index as an operationalization of socio-economic sustainability at the settlement scale, focusing on the capacity of rural communities to maintain demographic balance and housing dynamics over time. The framework was applied to the West Estonian Archipelago Biosphere Reserve (WEABR), an inhabited UNESCO “Man and the Biosphere” site. Using harmonized census data from 1979 to 2021, the index combines three village-level binary indicators: population dynamics, residential construction activity, and demographic balance. Binary scoring reduces statistical volatility in small settlements and enables comparison across time. Approximately 60% of rural settlements remained viable over four decades, while highly viable settlements declined from 14% to 7%. Population stabilization increased, but ageing intensified and new construction decreased. Viability concentrates near urban centres, ports, transportation corridors, and coastal areas, while inland peripheral villages stagnate. Compared with mainland rural Estonia, WEABR shows a relatively resilient middle tier of viable settlements. The framework provides a transferable tool for monitoring settlement level socio-economic sustainability in inhabited protected areas. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to determine the inguinal hernia recurrence rate after transabdominal preperitoneal (TAPP) repair, particularly considering the effect of simultaneous umbilical hernia repair. The secondary aim was to assess whether closing the 10 mm midline supraumbilical port-site fascia affects the incidence of trocar-site hernia (TSH) following inguinal TAPP. Methods: We reviewed medical records of consecutive patients undergoing inguinal TAPP at the Department of Surgery, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, between 1 January 2014 and 30 June 2022, and supplemented the data with telephone follow-up. Demographic, clinical, and operative variables were compared between patients who did and did not report inguinal hernia recurrence. Patients were also grouped by operating surgeon to compare TSH rates. Surgeon A routinely closed the 10 mm supraumbilical fascial defect with a single suture, while Surgeon B mostly did not, deciding on a case-by-case basis. Results: The analysis included 281 patients with a median follow-up of 60 months. The overall recurrence rate was 10.6%. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics did not differ significantly between patients who reported recurrence and those who did not. A prior hernia repair was more common in the recurrence group (34.1% vs. 17.2%; p = 0.007). Concomitant umbilical hernia repair was performed in 12.5% of cases. Patient-reported recurrence was higher after combined TAPP and umbilical hernioplasty than after TAPP alone (14.3% vs. 12.2%), but this difference was not statistically significant (p = 0.784). Surgeon A had a lower observed TSH rate than Surgeon B (1.0% vs. 3.6%), although this difference did not reach statistical significance (p = 0.242). Conclusions: Concurrent TAPP and umbilical hernioplasty is not associated with a higher recurrence rate, but further research on a larger cohort is necessary. Routine closure of the 10 mm midline supraumbilical fascial defect could reduce the TSH rate, although the difference was not statistically significant. The side of the hernia does not influence recurrence after TAPP. Full article

In this study, using global liner shipping schedules, UNCTAD’s Port Liner Shipping Connectivity Index and Liner Shipping Bilateral Connectivity Index, together with bilateral trade-value data for 2022–2024, we construct a multilayer weighted port-to-port network that explicitly embeds port-level cargo-handling and service organisation capabilities, as well as demand-side routing pressure, into node and edge weights. Building on this network, we apply CONCOR-based structural-equivalence analysis to delineate functionally homogeneous port clusters, and adopt a structural role identification framework that combines multi-indicator connectivity metrics with Rank-Sum Ratio–entropy weighting and Probit-based binning to classify ports into high-efficiency core, bridge-control, and free-form bridge roles, thereby tracing the reconfiguration of cluster-level functional structures before and after the Red Sea crisis. Empirically, the clustering identifies four persistent communities—the Intertropical Maritime Hub Corridor (IMHC), Pacific Rim Mega-Port Agglomeration (PRMPA), Southern Commodity Export Gateway (SCEG), and Euro-Asian Intermodal Chokepoints (EAIC)—and reveals a marked spatial and functional reorganisation between 2022 and 2024. IMHC expands from 96 to 113 ports and SCEG from 33 to 56, whereas EAIC contracts from 27 to 10 nodes as gateway functions are reallocated across clusters, and the combined share of bridge-control and free-form bridge ports increases from 9.6% to 15.5% of all nodes, demonstrating a thicker functional backbone under rerouting pressures. Spatially, IMHC extends from a Mediterranean-centred configuration into tropical, trans-equatorial routes; PRMPA consolidates its role as the densest trans-Pacific belt; SCEG evolves from a commodity-based export gateway into a cross-regional Southern Hemisphere hub; and EAIC reorients from an Atlantic-dominated structure towards Eurasian corridors and emerging bypass routes. Functionally, Singapore, Rotterdam, and Shanghai remain dominant high-efficiency cores, while several Mediterranean and Red Sea ports (e.g., Jeddah, Alexandria) lose centrality as East and Southeast Asian nodes gain prominence; bridge-control functions are increasingly taken up by European and East Asian hubs (e.g., Antwerp, Hamburg, Busan, Kobe), acting as secondary transshipment buffers; and free-form bridge ports such as Manila, Haiphong, and Genoa strengthen their roles as elastic connectors that enhance intra-cluster cohesion and provide redundancy for inter-cluster rerouting. Overall, these patterns show that resilience under the Red Sea crisis is expressed through the cluster-level rebalancing of core–control–bridge roles, suggesting that port managers should prioritise parallel gateways, short-sea and coastal buffers, and sea–land intermodality within clusters when designing capacity expansion, hinterland access, and rerouting strategies. Full article

Ports often act as bottlenecks in import cycles. Yet feasibility assessments of port–dry port systems still privilege distance/location over the process dynamics that generate time and cost. This paper proposes a process-centred feasibility method that links process analysis and reengineering, operational cycle design, and economics. We map AS-IS/TO-BE activities, design shuttle-train operations between port and dry port, and estimate costs via a time-driven approach aligned with TDABC. The method is applied to the Port of Genoa—Rivalta Scrivia dry port. Consolidating containers to a single inland destination and relocating customs clearance to the dry port via Fast Corridor stabilises yard operations, removes re-handling in the port-to-dry-port cycle, reduces dwell, and improves train formation and reliability. Under these conditions, the process-based configuration becomes time- and cost-competitive vis-à-vis all-road and conventional block-train baselines for relevant inland destinations. This paper reframes feasibility from a distance-based view to a process, cycle, and economics logic, offering managerial guidance and policy implications on regulatory enablers that unlock dry-port benefits. Full article

The port of Gaženica, managed by the Port Authority of Zadar, is open to public traffic of special economic interest to the Republic of Croatia. Situated outside Zadar’s city centre, with convenient access to the airport and A1 highway, this port presents significant opportunities for Zadar County’s economic growth. While also serving as a cargo and fishing port, as the second-largest passenger port in Croatia, the port of Gaženica prioritises the development of cruise ship traffic. The expansion of intermodal traffic is being facilitated through the development of a multipurpose terminal to accommodate general, roll-on/roll-off, and containerised cargo (full and empty containers). The rising number of passenger ships—particularly cruise ships—along with the increasing passenger, vehicle, and cargo traffic, poses a significant risk of pollution due to dust, noise, greenhouse gases, and other pollutants. Considering these risks, the use of alternative energy sources, decarbonisation of maritime transport, the separation of waste by type, and the proper handling and disposal of ship waste are of utmost importance. The aim of this study is to present and analyse the green transition process of the port of Gaženica through the results that have been achieved or are yet to be achieved through the implementation of green projects by the Port Authority of Zadar. For this purpose, a mixed-methods approach combining project analysis and the qualitative analysis of emissions data is used. It is important to highlight that the method of interviews with relevant representatives of institutions involved in the project was also used to gain insight into financial and infrastructural challenges, the accessibility of certain data, and potential improvements in implementation. The research results indicate that the port of Gaženica has completed four green projects, while another four are currently being implemented, with their completion expected by 2026. The research concludes that it is necessary to strengthen environmental awareness regarding proper waste disposal among all stakeholders in maritime transport, including the local community, businesses, and local authorities. The results demonstrate a need to focus on certification with the aim of strengthening the green transition process through involvement in the EcoPorts and Green Award certification schemes. It is also necessary to actively improve the public availability of data from the base station in the port of Gaženica to inform the public about environmental impacts in real time (24/7) while facilitating data collection for statistical reporting purposes. Full article

Launched in 2013, China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) was originally devised to link East Asia and Europe through a network of physical and digital infrastructure. This article analyses the BRI’s development in the European context by offering a comparative analysis of 727 BRI and BRI-like projects within 46 European countries from 2005 to 2021. The analysis considers projects’ location, typology, status, and the main enterprises involved in each project. According to our results, there is a “two-speed Europe”. Indeed, while the vast majority of projects are included in the Digital Silk Road (e.g., telecommunication, transfer technology, data centre, 5G, fintech) and are located in North-Western Europe, traditional investments in infrastructure (e.g., ports, roads, railways, SEZ) are concentrated in South-Eastern Europe and the Balkan countries. While North-Western Europe is particularly concerned about cyber security and data protection issues, various South-Eastern European countries look favorably upon the development opportunities offered by the BRI. The BRI is clearly different from the Western approach to development (based on competition and economic liberalism) and integration (based on treaties). The BRI approach—including its platform, leveraging political flexibility, economic pragmatism, ability to mobilize resources, and ability to create synergies between state and business—could take advantage of the flaws of the European integration process. The BRI, with its strengths as well as weaknesses, represents an opportunity for the EU to understand the need for greater economic and political foresight, social cohesion, and economic flexibility to meet the development needs of its member countries. China, too, can draw inspiration from cooperating with EU countries on how to improve the reception of its investment initiatives by focusing on reciprocity, security guarantees, and protection of rights and the environment. Full article

Mean flow velocities and the corresponding turbulence fluctuation velocities were measured within the suction port of a standard twin-screw compressor using LDV and PIV optical techniques. Time-resolved velocity measurements were carried out over a time window of 1° at a rotor speed of 1000 rpm, a pressure ratio of 1, and an air temperature of 55 °C. Detailed LDV measurements revealed a very stable and slow inflow, with almost no influence from rotor movements except near the rotors, where a more complex flow formed in the suction port. The axial velocity near the rotors exhibited wavy profiles, while the horizontal velocity showed a rotational flow motion around the centre of the port. The turbulence results showed uniform distributions and were independent of the rotors’ motion, even near the rotors. PIV measurements confirmed that there is no rotor movement influence on the inflow structure and revealed complex flow structures, with a crossflow dominated by a main flow stream and two counter-rotating vortices in the X-Y plane; in the Y-Z plane, the presence of a strong horizonal stream was observed away from the suction port, which turned downward vertically near the entrance of the port. The corresponding turbulence results in both planes showed uniform distributions independent of rotor motions that were similar in all directions. Full article

Background and Objectives: Robotic-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) is a preferred minimally invasive option for renal tumours, but its use in highly complex cases (RENAL score ≥ 9) remains underexplored. Only four Asian countries, India, China, South Korea, and Japan, have published studies on RAPN for complex kidney tumours, highlighting limited evidence. The aim of this study is to assess the perioperative, functional, and oncological effects of RAPN for complex renal tumours at a single tertiary centre in Malaysia. Materials and Methods: Patient demographics, tumour characteristics, perioperative parameters, and postoperative results were collected through a retrospective review that was conducted on 35 patients who had undergone RAPN between January 2023 and June 2024. The outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics, correlation analysis, and comparative tests between surgical approaches (transperitoneal vs. retroperitoneal). Results: Of the 35 patients, all had high-complexity tumours. RAPN achieved a “trifecta” outcome in 88.6% of patients. Significantly lower intraoperative blood loss is associated with the retroperitoneal approach in comparison with the transperitoneal approach, whereas other perioperative parameters, which include warm ischaemia time, did not show any significant differences. No positive surgical margins were observed, and no local recurrences or port-site metastases were detected during a mean follow-up of 11.31 ± 5.78 months. Postoperative changes in renal function were negligible, with a mean creatinine change of 5.69 ± 20.39 µmol/L. Conclusions: RAPN is a safe and effective option for complex renal tumours, offering excellent functional and oncological outcomes. The choice between transperitoneal and retroperitoneal approaches should be tailored to tumour characteristics for optimal surgical outcomes. This single-centre Malaysian study contributes to the limited Southeast Asian literature on RAPN for complex renal tumours. Full article

Ports in the Baltic Sea region play an integral role in advancing sustainable maritime practices in the area, due to their geographic interconnectedness, economic importance, and sensitivity to environmental challenges. While numerous port sustainability assessment methods exist, most of which are grounded in the Triple Bottom Line (TBL) metric, many tend to emphasise whether specific targets have been met, rather than evaluating port sustainability on a scalar basis. This study explores the sustainability strategies of seven selected ports in five Baltic Sea countries using an innovative qualitative evaluation framework developed by the Swedish Maritime Competence Centre (SMCC). The SMCC model integrates the three core pillars of sustainability-environmental, social, and economic dimensions, while incorporating energy efficiency and digitalisation as critical enablers of modern port operations. The findings reveal significant variation in sustainability performance among the selected ports, shaped by regional contexts, operational profiles, and prior engagement with sustainability initiatives. Also, the results bring into light the most common sustainable practices used in the ports, e.g., LED lightning, onshore power supply, and port information systems. Full article