Search Results (582)

High-pressure grinding rolls (HPGRs) are critical in mineral processing, making comprehensive research and analysis of their performance of great significance. This study focuses on the HPGR-3516 test prototype and develops an analytical model that combines the discrete element method (DEM) with multi-body dynamics (MBD). The influences of feed top size, roll speed, and specific press force on equipment performance were examined using analysis of variance (ANOVA) in conjunction with response surface methodology (RSM). A performance prediction model was established through regression analysis, followed by multi-objective optimization and experimental validation. The results indicate that increasing roll speed under high specific press force significantly reduces the roll gap, while the effect is negligible under low specific press force. Increasing roll speed improves throughput more substantially for fine feed than for coarse feed. The optimal process parameters were determined to be a feed top size of 8 mm, a roll speed of 0.37 m/s, and a specific press force of $4.84 \mathrm{N}/{\mathrm{m}\mathrm{m}}^2$. In comparison to the original parameters, throughput increased by 15.81%, qualified particle size passing rate (QPR) improved by 7.85%, and roll gap decreased by 10.24%. This study offers valuable insights into predicting the dynamic performance of HPGRs and has significant engineering implications. Full article

Achieving urban climate neutrality and interim mitigation targets requires rapid demand-side emission reductions, yet current user-centred interventions remain fragmented, are often concentrated on low-impact actions, and rarely provide a traceable basis for comparing outcomes, validity conditions, and equity implications across contexts. This paper reframes demand-side mitigation as a design problem of “use infrastructures”: integrated configurations of communication, product-technology, services, interaction, and governance that make low-carbon choices practicable within everyday routines. We introduce the Design Evidence Link (DEL) as a traceability device supporting ex ante configuration (selection and orchestration of levers) and ex post verification (monitoring, attribution of outcomes, and trade-off control). Through a design-led comparative analysis of nine international cases in high-impact sectors (household energy, ground mobility, food systems, and circular economy/materials), we derive and consolidate a shared extraction and coding protocol that links determinants (barriers and enablers) to design requirements and decision-grade metrics (carbon impact, adoption, continuity, and equity), explicitly qualifying uncertainty and evidence levels. Cross-case results show that effective interventions rely less on isolated information and more on coordinated action packages that reduce cognitive and economic frictions, enhance data credibility through standards and accountability, and embed follow-up mechanisms that support behavioural continuity. DEL also surfaces recurring validity conditions and failure modes (digital exclusion, trust erosion, rebound, and lock-in), translating them into operational criteria for policy and design. Compared with behaviour-change or theory-of-change framings, DEL focuses on the observable orchestration of integrated conditions of use and on the explicit grading of evidence. It should therefore be read as a structured analytical–operational framework for ex ante and ex post assessment, whose transferability remains conditional on source quality, contextual prerequisites, and the limits of the selected cases. Full article

Background: Transcatheter tricuspid edge-to-edge repair (T-TEER) is the most widely used treatment option for patients with tricuspid regurgitation (TR). In real-world practice, a substantial proportion of referred patients are not eligible for T-TEER or do not achieve an adequate early TR reduction and may therefore require alternative transcatheter tricuspid valve interventions (TTVI)—orthotopic or heterotopic tricuspid valve implantation. The aim of the study was to characterize patients with severe TR referred for transcatheter treatment, and identify patients in whom alternative TTVI strategies may be required. Methods: The CAPTURE Study (NCT 06838611) enrolls consecutive patients referred for TR treatment. All patients undergo clinical and echocardiographic assessment to determine eligibility for T-TEER. Candidates for alternative TTVI strategies were defined as patients disqualified from T-TEER due to anatomical ineligibility or those with unsuccessful T-TEER, defined as next-day TTE showing TR more than moderate. This pilot analysis includes patients enrolled from November 2023 to December 2024. Results: 147 patients were enrolled, 77 (52.4%) patients were qualified for T-TEER and the procedure was performed in 71 (48.3%) patients, with successful TR reduction in 55 cases (77.5% of treated patients); a subset of 34 patients (23.1%) was identified as potential candidates for alternative TTVI strategies. These patients exhibited more advanced TR (torrential TR 76.5% vs. 18.2%; p < 0.001) and right heart failure symptoms (ascites 44.1% vs. 12.7%; p < 0.001). Additionally, they had significantly higher bilirubin concentration (1.09 [1.20] mg/dL vs. 0.61 [0.42] mg/dL; p = 0.003), lower hemoglobin level (11.8 [1.7] g/dL vs. 12.3 [1.7] g/dL; p = 0.017) and platelet count (161.0 [51.0] × 109/L vs. 183.0 [79.0] × 109/L; p = 0.015), suggesting an increased bleeding risk. Conclusions: In this preliminary single-center real-world cohort, approximately half of the patients with severe TR were eligible for T-TEER, whereas more than 20% emerged as potential candidates for alternative TTVI strategies. This subgroup was characterized by more advanced right-sided remodeling and laboratory features suggestive of hepatic dysfunction and increased bleeding risk, which may have important implications for Heart Team decision-making and procedural planning. Full article

Agroforestry, where trees and shrubs are planted in row-alley systems, can utilize the natural ability of plants to interact with pollutants and serve as a passive biotechnological method for improving air quality. A method for programming air phytoremediation processes is presented, using appropriately shaped plant structures, considering species characteristics and the spatial configuration of plants in row-alley plantings. The main objectives of this study were: to determine the relationship between pollution reduction and the characteristics of plant communities, considering the parameters of individual plants and group characteristics, to determine strategic parameters for the interaction between plants and pollutant flows, and to identify optimization paths for each stage. The optimization of the air phytoremediation process is presented using the example of changes in the fine particulate matter (PM_2.5) concentration pattern, analyzed through numerical experiments using micrometeorological computational fluid dynamics models (ENVI-met software). Ex-ante analysis of hypothetical scenarios showed that introducing appropriate configurations of variable vegetation structure could lead to pollution reductions of up to 19%. The effectiveness of the presented plant systems qualifies this method as a type of bioengineering technology, supporting the multifunctionality of agroforestry systems. Full article

Short Interspersed Elements (SINEs) are eukaryotic non-autonomous retrotransposons that rely on RNA polymerase III (pol III) for transcription. A subset of mammalian SINEs—designated T⁺ SINEs—harbors a canonical polyadenylation signal (AATAAA), a pol III terminator, and an A-rich tail at their 3′ end, thereby acquiring the unusual ability to undergo AAUAAA-dependent polyadenylation. Here, we delineate the genomic architecture, evolutionary history, and polyadenylation behavior of the C SINE family in Lagomorpha. Comprehensive bioinformatics searches identified 1.2–1.6 million C copies distributed across Leporidae (hares and rabbits) and Ochotonidae (pikas) genomes. Phylogenetic reconstruction resolved two diverged leporid subfamilies, C1 and C2, with C1 predating C2 and comprising five-fold more copies. Only C1 qualifies as a T⁺ SINE, retaining functional or rudimentary AATAAA motifs and pol III terminators. In contrast, C2 is absent from pika genomes, yet remains retrotranspositionally competent in hares and rabbits. Lineage-specific analyses further reveal episodic activity of certain C1 variants throughout the last 10 million years of pika evolution. Functional assays in transfected HeLa cells demonstrate that AATAAA and an upstream polypyrimidine tract constitute the minimal cis-determinant for efficient C1 transcript polyadenylation. Finally, transcriptome profiling of pre-implantation rabbit embryos indicates that pol III-driven SINE C transcription is activated at the 16-cell stage. Full article

Background/Objectives: The identification of peripheral nerves is critical for their preservation during surgery, as accidental transection or injury can lead to significant patient morbidity. Current methods for identifying nerves typically rely on qualitative white-light visualization of anatomy, texture, and color. To improve nerve identification during surgical procedures, we developed a novel nerve imaging agent, “bevonescein,” a derivative of the peptide–dye conjugate FAM-HNP401. Methods: Variants of FAM-HNP401 were designed to be synthesized completely on solid phase to enable the efficient generation of GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice)-qualified bevonescein. We determined the nerve binding affinity for each variant, CPC-17, CPC-18, CPC-19 (bevonescein), and CPC-20, using mean fluorescent intensity measurements after binding the agents to human sural nerve sections. Results: Bevonescein (CPC-19) demonstrated significantly superior nerve binding compared to other variants and controls. Bevonescein-labeled nerves exhibited a mean fluorescent intensity of 562 ± 34.7, compared to 252 ± 41.7 for CPC-17, 344 ± 34.7 for CPC-18, and 270 ± 41.7 for CPC-20. The dye-alone control, 5-carboxyfluorescein, showed a fluorescent intensity of 168 ± 41.4. Conclusions: Bevonescein represents a first-in-class molecule that can improve the visualization of peripheral nerves during surgery, potentially reducing nerve injury and associated morbidity. It has been successfully tested in a Phase 1/2 clinical trial demonstrating safety and efficacy at a 500 mg dose and is currently in Phase 3 clinical testing. Full article

Background: Postoperative pancreatic fistula (POPF) is a major source of morbidity following a pancreatoduodenectomy (PD), often delaying or precluding adjuvant chemotherapy and potentially compromising long-term oncologic outcomes. While established risk models focus on anatomical and biochemical factors, the role of biliary microbiota remains underexplored. This study aimed to assess relationship between bacteriobilia and the incidence of POPF, as well as its impact on overall survival (OS) in patients undergoing a PD for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). Methods: We analyzed the medical histories of 725 patients with a pancreatic tumor who were qualified for surgery between 2017 and 2022. This retrospective cohort study included 138 patients who underwent a PD for histologically confirmed PDAC. Intraoperative bile cultures were obtained and analyzed for microbial presence and resistance patterns. Results: Bacteriobilia was detected in 76.8% of patients, including bacteria with resistance mechanisms (BRM) present in 12.3% of bile samples. Bacterial bile colonization conferred an increased odds of POPF grade B (OR 5.11; p = 0.088), whereas BRM were strongly predisposed to POPF grade C (OR 4.97; p = 0.026). Upon a multivariate analysis, bacteriobilia independently drove clinically relevant POPF and POPF grade B (OR 5.50; p = 0.034 and OR 8.04; p = 0.048, respectively), while BRM remained a key determinant of POPF grade C (OR 6.17; p = 0.047). Beyond morbidity, bile colonization markedly impaired overall survival irrespective of tumor stage (26.7 vs. 54.7 months; log-rank p = 0.009). Conclusions: Bacterial bile colonization may contribute not only to higher rates of POPF but to a significantly reduced OS in patients undergoing a PD for PDAC. Bacteriobilia should be considered as a prognostic factor for worse survival after a PD. Full article

Background/Objectives: Bone age assessment is critical in pediatric endocrinology and forensic medicine. Although recently developed multimodal large language models (LLMs) show potential in medical imaging, their diagnostic performance in bone age determination has not been sufficiently evaluated. This study evaluates the performance of four multimodal LLMs (ChatGPT-5, Gemini 2.5 Pro, Grok-3, and Claude 4 Sonnet) in bone age determination using the Gilsanz–Ratib (GR) atlas. Methods: This retrospective study included 245 pediatric patients (109 male, 136 female) under the age of 18 who underwent left wrist radiography. Each model estimated bone age using the patient’s radiograph and GR atlas as reference (atlas-assisted prompting). Bone age assessments made by an experienced radiologist using the GR atlas were evaluated as the reference standard. Performance was assessed using mean absolute error (MAE), intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), and Bland–Altman analysis. Results: ChatGPT-5 demonstrated statistically superior performance, with an MAE of 1.46 years and ICC of 0.849, showing the highest alignment with the reference standard. Gemini 2.5 Pro showed moderate performance, with an MAE of 2.24 years; Grok-3 (MAE: 3.14 years) and Claude 4 Sonnet (MAE: 4.29 years) had error rates that were too high for clinical use. Conclusions: Significant performance differences exist among multimodal LLMs, despite atlas-supported prompting. Only ChatGPT-5 qualified as “clinically useful,” demonstrating potential as an auxiliary tool or educational support under expert supervision. Other models’ reliability remains insufficient. Full article

The Construction Industry-related degree programs in higher education institutions are substantially significant platforms for mandating the excellence of Construction Management Education (CME). The quality enhancement in the built environment is achieved through CME, where contemporary education and research yield advanced construction methods for Industry. The education delivery in Building Construction Science/Technology/Management disciplines is planned through the designated policies of the State and regulatory authorities in the United States of America, in addition to the individual vision and mission of the institutions. With the advent of Artificial Intelligence, the rubrics and teaching methodologies have shifted to an advanced mechanism in higher education. In this research, concentrating on the same aspect of transformations in Construction Education allied with the use of modern tools, various undergraduate programs like Building Construction Science or Construction Management, use of modern education has been focused on; thereby concentrating on ‘Studio’ education as the key objective of this research. The continuing education goal in CME is to deliver life-long learning skills to students, so that they achieve sustainable development as qualified professionals later on. Henceforth, Studio teaching is discussed in this research for its impact on students’ expertise, knowledge development and life-long learning. Studio education is a unique dimension in technical disciplines such as Architecture and Construction Science, and, therefore, to achieve the essential objectives of ‘Studio Instructional Technology’, the students are introduced to real-world challenges, so that they can visualize and ultimately innovate solutions for the industry. This paper determines the effectiveness of teaching practices that instructors are expected to utilize while formulating the concepts and skills in students during Design or Structural Studios at the undergraduate level. Utilizing a structured and methodologically robust analytical research, the study formulates evidence-based recommendations for optimizing Studio-instruction pedagogies within undergraduate degree programs of CME. Full article

Healthcare-associated infections remain an ongoing concern across medical and dental practice, prompting continuous evaluation of infection prevention measures. In dental extractions, the necessity of sterile gloves is debated, as the oral cavity represents an inherently contaminated environment. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluated whether the use of sterile gloves reduces postoperative socket infections compared with non-sterile gloves. A search of MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Google Scholar identified randomized controlled trials, clinically controlled trials, and observational trials directly comparing sterile versus non-sterile glove use during dental extractions. The primary outcome of this study was extraction socket infection at day 7 post-surgery. A meta-analysis using relative risk (RR) was performed for dichotomous data. Of the initial 7170 publications found, seven articles met inclusion criteria. Infection rates ranged from 0% to 3.9%, with an overall infection rate of 0.3% in the sterile glove group (672 patients) and 1.3% in the non-sterile glove group (758 patients). Three studies qualified for meta-analysis, resulting in an RR of 0.30 (95% CI 0.07–1.24), indicating no significant difference in postoperative infections between sterile and non-sterile glove usage. Given the limitations of small sample sizes, low event rates, incomplete reporting, and lack of subgroup data for surgical versus non-surgical extractions, no difference in postoperative infection was found between sterile and non-sterile glove use. Additional research is needed to determine whether glove sterility influences infection risk, particularly in surgical procedures. Full article

This study examines the determinants of talent retention in the hotel sector of Extremadura, a peripheral European region facing depopulation, labour scarcity and structural limitations that threaten the sustainability of its human capital base. Grounded in the Job Demands–Resources (JD-R) theory, the research analyses how a set of key labour resources, specifically professional training, organisational trust, job satisfaction and sustainability commitment, influence employees’ intention to remain in their organisations. These resources are conceptualised as organisational and motivational mechanisms that enhance employees’ capacity to cope with job demands and reinforce their attachment to the organisation. A quantitative survey was conducted with hotel-sector employees in Extremadura; 255 questionnaires were validated, and the proposed structural model was tested using SEM. The findings show that organisational trust is the strongest predictor of retention, followed by professional training and sustainability commitment, while job satisfaction also exerts a significant, though more moderate, effect. These results indicate that enhancing fairness perceptions, strengthening continuous training pathways and integrating sustainability-oriented values are essential strategies for retaining qualified personnel in territories with limited external opportunities. Rather than measuring human capital sustainability directly, the study shows that talent retention operates as a central empirical mechanism through which the sustainability of human capital can be supported in peripheral tourism economies. It concludes by highlighting the need for managerial practices that support transparent leadership, structured professional development and participatory sustainability initiatives, and encourages future research to incorporate longitudinal designs and direct measures of human capital sustainability. Full article

This study creates and refines a risk–effectiveness–integrated dynamic simulation framework that brings together risk and effectiveness factors affecting qualified workforce allocation in multi-project contexts, specifically in the construction of industrial production facilities. Based on a case study of three overlapping projects in West Java, Indonesia, this study examines the requirements for an expert workforce across the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) phases. Conventional mitigation measures generally assume that a qualified expert workforce is immediately available. However, hiring the right personnel with specific qualifications for a project takes time. To fill this gap, this paper presents a system dynamics-based model that explicitly integrates quantified project risks and execution effectiveness to determine expert workforce requirements at the multi-project level. This aspect is often addressed implicitly in the existing workforce planning approaches. This mixed-methods strategy includes a literature review, variable validation, simulation modeling, and case analysis. The results show that workforce planning based on integrated risk and effectiveness factors significantly improves project delivery by anticipating expert workforce shortages and reducing the need for reactive solutions. Model validation using real project data demonstrates that the simulated expert workforce demand reproduces both the average behavior and variability observed in real-world practice, satisfying quantitative behavioral validation criteria across projects and the EPC phases. The model contributes to sustainability by enhancing long-term workforce resilience, reducing resource waste, and supporting more efficient industrial project delivery. Full article

Ceramic balls, as an emerging grinding medium, require a systematic method for optimizing their size distribution in wet ball mills. This study proposes an innovative approach that integrates Duan’s semi-theoretical ball diameter formula with breakage statistical mechanics to determine the optimal ceramic ball size distribution. The ideal ball diameters for grinding 2.36–3.0 mm, 1.18–2.36 mm, 0.60–1.18 mm, and 0.30–0.60 mm tungsten ore were identified as 55 mm, 50 mm, 35 mm, and 20 mm, respectively. Subsequently, the optimal ball size distribution was formulated as CB3: Ø55 mm:Ø50 mm:Ø35 mm:Ø20 mm = 30%:40%:20%:10%. Comparative sieve analysis and discrete element method (DEM) simulations confirmed that the CB3 distribution yields the highest proportion of qualified particles, the most favorable collision frequency, and the greatest kinetic energy among all tested configurations. The proposed method demonstrates both accuracy and practicality, providing a theoretical foundation for the industrial application of ceramic ball grinding systems. Full article

The International Agreement on the Carriage of Perishable Foodstuffs and on the Special Equipment to Be Used for Such Carriage (usually known as ATP Treaty) defines a standardized isothermal test for qualifying refrigerated containers, but its current protocol is lengthy, costly and lacks scientific justification. This paper presents a combined theoretical and experimental study aimed at optimizing this procedure. First, a heat-transfer framework based on transient conduction and thermal diffusivity is developed to estimate stabilization times using dimensionless criteria. Then, extensive experimental tests on ATP containers validate these predictions and reveal additional phenomena such as air leakage and chimney effects. Based on these findings, a revised protocol is proposed that reduces the test duration from more than 18 h to approximately 2 h while preserving the thermal stabilization conditions required by ATP. Experimental results show that the uncertainty in the determination of the global heat-transfer coefficient K is reduced from about 2–$2.3\%$ in the classical ATP procedure to roughly $0.7$–$1.0\%$ with the new protocol. In addition, the method suppresses secondary physical effects—such as chimney-driven air leakage and latent-heat losses due to water evaporation—thus improving the physical representativeness of the measured K value. The proposed accelerated protocol offers a scientifically grounded, cost-effective alternative for future ATP standards. Full article

Breast cancer is a substantial and growing public health issue in India, with epidemiological data demonstrating distinct and often severe disease characteristics in contrast to Western countries. Contrary to the global trend, Indian women frequently develop the disease at an earlier age and tend to present with more advanced stages, emphasizing important variations in disease pathophysiology. This review compiles and critically evaluates the current literature to describe the specific pathophysiology of breast cancer in the Indian population. We investigate the unique cellular and molecular landscapes, evaluate the impact of specific Indian demographic and genetic features, and highlight crucial gaps in knowledge, diagnostic tools, and therapeutic approaches. The assessment reveals a molecular landscape determined by the incidence of specific tumor subtypes; triple-negative breast cancer, for instance, is frequently diagnosed in younger women, and genetic profiling research suggests variations in its susceptibility genes and mutation patterns when compared to global populations. While this paper brings together recent advancements, it highlights the challenges of adopting global diagnostic and treatment guidelines in the Indian healthcare system. These challenges are largely due to variances and specific demographic and socioeconomic discrepancies that create substantial hurdles for timely diagnosis and patient care. We highlight significant gaps, such as the need for more complete multi-omics profiling of Indian patient cohorts, an absence of uniform and readily available screening programs, and shortcomings in healthcare infrastructure and qualified oncology experts. Furthermore, the review highlights the crucial need for therapeutic strategies tailored to the distinct genetic and demographic profiles of Indian breast cancer patients. We present significant strategies for addressing these challenges, with a focus on integrating multi-omics data and clinical characteristics to gain deeper insight into the underlying causes of the disease. Promising avenues include using artificial intelligence and advancements in technology to improve diagnostics, developing indigenous and affordable treatment options, and establishing context-specific research frameworks for the Indian population. This review also underlines the necessity for personalized strategies to improve breast cancer outcomes in India. Full article