Search Results (16,897)

Volumetric collapse, a critical phenomenon in clayey soils, is characterized by a sudden reduction in volume when subjected to wetting under a specific effective vertical stress. This behavior is primarily caused by the breakdown of cementing bonds between particles in the soil’s interstitial spaces. Our study, which examines the impact of unit weight and wetting on the collapse potential of clayey soils under various stress conditions, has practical implications for geotechnical engineers. We evaluated three-unit weights spanning from loose to compacted states and assessed collapse behavior at various stress levels. Even in the observations of the microstructure under a scanning electron microscope, which corroborated the images, the pathology is evident. The results demonstrate an explicit dependency between unit weight and collapsibility. Statistical analysis revealed that unit weight was the predominant factor influencing the outcomes, with the magnitude of applied stress being identified as a secondary yet notable determinant. Furthermore, the non-linear interactions, as elucidated through ANOVA and Tukey’s HSD tests, serve as instrumental methodologies in this analytical framework. The findings underscore a significant correlation between applied stress and collapse potential, underscoring the crucial role of soil densification in mitigating the risks associated with collapse phenomena. Full article

The global demand for food has been increasing, presenting new challenges in meeting this demand. To address this growing need, the use of coating technology through nanoemulsions shows great potential. The use of thyme essential oil stabilized by chitosan nanoparticles offers a promising and sustainable approach for the development of edible coatings. Chitosan was extracted from shrimp shell waste and used to produce nanoparticles via the ionotropic gelation method, using sodium tripolyphosphate (TPP) as a crosslinking agent. To prepare the nanoemulsions, thyme essential oil was used as the dispersed phase, combined with an aqueous phase containing chitosan nanoparticles and Tween 80 as the emulsifier. Two techniques were employed to produce nanoemulsions: high-pressure homogenization and ultrasonication. Nanoemulsion formulations with different concentrations were prepared and characterized in terms of droplet size (Z-Average) and stability using dynamic light scattering (DLS). The average droplet sizes obtained were above 100 nanometers for samples produced via high-pressure homogenization and below 100 nanometers for those prepared using ultrasonication. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) confirmed that both the method (p = 0.002) and the oil phase concentration (p < 0.001) had statistically significant effects on droplet size. Regression analysis showed that oil concentrations below 2.0 g (w/w) increased droplet size, while concentrations above 4.0 g (w/w) significantly reduced it (p < 0.05). However, physical stability tests conducted at 5 °C for 30 days showed consistent values across both formulations, with only minor fluctuations, suggesting overall good stability. Full article

Background: Robot-assisted laparoscopic radical prostatectomy (RALP) requires prolonged steep Trendelenburg positioning, which increases intraocular and intracranial pressure. Although transient visual field defects have been documented after RALP using objective perimetric testing, data on patient-reported visual outcomes remain limited. We hypothesized that intraoperative optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) measurements and hemodynamic variables would be associated with postoperative patient-reported visual symptoms. Methods: This prospective, single-center observational cohort study enrolled consecutive adult patients undergoing RALP between March and September 2023 at Ospedale Santo Stefano, Prato, Italy. Patients with pre-existing glaucoma, ocular disease, or intracranial hypertension were excluded. Intraoperative ONSD was measured by transorbital ultrasound at three time points: before Trendelenburg (t1), 30 min after Trendelenburg (t2), and at end of Trendelenburg (t3). Postoperative visual symptoms were assessed at ≥1 month follow-up using the validated Catquest-9SF questionnaire. Rasch analysis converted ordinal responses to interval-level measures. Logistic regression explored associations between visual complaints and intraoperative predictors (Rasch scores, lowest mean arterial pressure [MAP], maximum ONSD). Results: Fifty-five patients were enrolled. Six patients (10.9%) reported new subjective visual symptoms at follow-up. Rasch-transformed scores were associated with the presence of these symptoms (coefficient 1.38; p < 0.05). Lowest intraoperative MAP (p = 0.081) and maximum ONSD (p = 0.811) did not reach statistical significance as independent factors. Conclusions: Patient-reported visual symptoms occurred in approximately 11% of patients after RALP. Postoperative Rasch-transformed visual function scores correlated with these complaints. While intraoperative ONSD was not associated with visual outcomes, the potential role of intraoperative hypotension requires further investigation in larger, powered cohorts. Full article

Background/Objectives: The Black Caribbean population of Honduras, also referred to locally as Negro Inglés, constitutes one of the country’s nine recognized indigenous and Afro-descendant peoples. Predominantly settled in the Bay Islands and sections of the Caribbean coast, this community traces its ancestry predominantly to West Africa and has remained culturally and linguistically distinct for more than three centuries. Despite its demographic and historical relevance, no population-specific short tandem repeat (STR) database has been established for this group. Methods: Allele frequencies for 23 autosomal STR loci were characterized in 100 unrelated Black Caribbean individuals from the department of Islas de la Bahía. DNA was extracted from blood on FTA cards and amplified with the PowerPlex Fusion 6C System (Promega Corporation). Statistical parameters were computed using Genepop v4.2, Arlequin v3.5 and GDA v1.0. Results: A total of 241 distinct alleles were detected across all 23 loci (mean 10.48 ± 3.85 alleles/locus). Expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.6541 (D13S317) to 0.9350 (SE33), with a mean of 0.8150 ± 0.0664—values consistent with a population of predominantly West African origin. No locus exhibited a significant departure from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium after Bonferroni correction (α = 0.0022). The combined power of discrimination exceeded 99.9999% and the combined chance of exclusion surpassed 99.9999%. Conclusions: This first genetic characterization of the Honduran Black Caribbean population delivers an essential, population-specific reference dataset for forensic casework, paternity testing, and population genetics research. The data also deepen the understanding of Afro-descendant genetic diversity in Central America and constitute a critical step towards equitable forensic genetic services for all Honduran ethnic communities. Full article

Background: Body mass index (BMI) is widely used as a simple anthropometric indicator, but its functional relevance to physical fitness in physically active populations, such as Physical Education students, remains debated. Aim: This study examined the association between BMI and selected components of physical fitness in Physical Education students, considering sex and country differences. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate Physical Education students from Poland and Romania (n = 515; mean age: 21.64 ± 1.34 years). BMI was calculated from measured height and body mass and analyzed as both a continuous and categorical variable. Physical fitness was assessed using three Eurofit tests evaluating upper-limb movement speed, trunk muscular endurance, and lower-limb explosive power. Analyses included correlation methods and multiple linear regression models with subgroup analyses, interaction terms, and quadratic BMI terms to assess nonlinearity. Results: Associations between BMI and fitness components were small in magnitude and inconsistent (r = −0.28 to 0.143; β = −1.614 to 0.005) and varied across tests and subgroups. No significant interaction effects by sex or country were observed, as interaction terms were not statistically significant, and no clear nonlinear relationships were identified. Sex and country were significantly associated with performance levels, whereas BMI contributed only marginally to explaining variability (ΔR² = 0.005–0.011). Conclusions: BMI showed limited and inconsistent associations with the assessed fitness components in this relatively homogeneous group of Physical Education students. It should be interpreted cautiously as a functional indicator and complemented with more precise measures of body composition and physical fitness. Full article

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) in dogs is associated with increased serum pancreatic lipase activity, complicating the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis (AP). This prospective study evaluated pancreatic lipase activity measured using a quantitative DGGR assay in dogs with CKD while excluding cases with clinical or imaging evidence of AP, and the DGGR results were compared with the qualitative SNAP cPL test. Twenty-five dogs with IRIS stage 1–4 CKD were enrolled. The DGGR results were within the reference range in 52% of dogs and elevated in 48%, whereas the SNAP cPL results were abnormal in 72% of cases. Discordance between tests was common, with several dogs showing abnormal SNAP cPL results despite normal DGGR values, a difference that was statistically significant (p = 0.016). The DGGR results revealed significant differences between normal and abnormal values relative to serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen concentration, as well as total serum lipase activity, suggesting an influence of impaired renal function on pancreatic lipase. No significant association was observed between CKD stage and either DGGR or SNAP cPL results. These findings indicate that pancreatic lipase activity may be increased in dogs with CKD independently of AP and that SNAP cPL may overestimate pancreatic enzyme elevation in this population. DGGR appears to be more reliable for excluding AP in dogs with CKD, although positive results should be interpreted cautiously in conjunction with clinical and imaging findings. Full article

Business-to-consumer (B2C) e-commerce firms operate in fast-changing digital markets, where timely interpretation of external signals may strengthen organisational agility. This study examines how four dimensions of competitive intelligence—market, technological, social, and competitor intelligence—relate to organisational agility in Croatian B2C e-commerce firms. The study adopted a pragmatic explanatory sequential mixed-methods design. Quantitative data were collected through an online survey, and 208 valid responses were analysed using reliability testing, construct-validity assessment, correlation analysis, and multiple regression. Qualitative follow-up evidence was used to support the interpretation of the quantitative results. The findings show that the effects of competitive intelligence dimensions on organisational agility are not uniform. In the final validated model, social intelligence emerged as the only significant positive predictor of organisational agility, while market intelligence, technological intelligence, and competitor intelligence did not show statistically significant effects. The study therefore suggests that, in this context, systematic attention to customer conversations, online feedback, and socially visible market signals may play a more decisive role in supporting agile organisational responses than other intelligence domains. The study contributes to the competitive intelligence and agility literature by showing that intelligence dimensions should be examined separately rather than treated as a single undifferentiated capability in digital commerce settings. Full article

Background/Objectives: Apples are nutritionally valued for their dietary fibre and polyphenols, which influence gut microbial metabolism. However, the metabolic consequences of short-term apple consumption on the human gut environment have not yet been thoroughly investigated. This study aimed to investigate the impact of short-term supplementation of the habitual diet with Gala apples on the human faecal metabolomic profile and to identify metabolite changes reflecting microbial fermentation processes. Methods: A pilot dietary intervention was conducted in 15 healthy adults (6 females, 9 males; age 18−30 years). Participants consumed three Gala apples per day as part of their habitual diet for three consecutive days, one with each main meal. Faecal samples were collected before and after the intervention. Metabolic profiling was performed using ¹H NMR spectroscopy. Results: Multivariate analysis showed no clear clustering between pre- and post-intervention samples, suggesting that inter-individual variability exceeded the overall intervention effect. Univariate analysis showed a nominal increase in faecal methanol levels post-intervention (β = +0.72, FC ≈ 2.05, p = 0.012); however, this change did not remain statistically significant after correction for multiple testing (q = 0.27). Several other metabolites showed nominal decreases following the intervention, including amino acids, branched-chain fatty acids, short-chain fatty acids, and aromatic microbial metabolites. Conclusions: Short-term Gala apple consumption was associated with nominal, metabolite-specific changes in the faecal metabolome without clear global shifts. These findings may show immediate metabolic responses to increased intake of apple-derived substrates; however, given the exploratory design, small sample size, and high inter-individual variability, causal relationships cannot be established. Further studies in larger, controlled cohorts incorporating complementary approaches are required for confirmation. Full article

Surface electromyography (sEMG) is widely used to assess muscle activity in clinical and research settings. However, while conventional wet electrodes have advanced considerably in recent years, they are often limited by disposability, reduced comfort, and limited reusability. Recent advances in additive manufacturing provide opportunities to fabricate customizable, low-cost dry electrodes using conductive filaments. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility and signal performance of in-house-fabricated 3D-printed sEMG electrodes made from three commercially available conductive filaments, (Fili, Filaflex, and Proto-Pasta) differing in base polymer and resistivity, and compared their performance with standard wet electrodes. Surface electrodes were placed over the biceps brachii muscle, and EMG signals were recorded during concentric–eccentric elbow flexion under three loading conditions (3, 5, and 7 kg). Signal quality was assessed using EMG amplitude, signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), and background noise. The results showed no significant differences in SNR or background noise between the 3D-printed electrodes and standard wet electrodes. Among the tested materials, Proto-Pasta electrodes produced the highest mean EMG amplitudes, while Filaflex electrodes showed slightly lower background noise, although these differences were not statistically significant. Overall, the findings indicate that in-house-fabricated 3D-printed electrodes can provide signal quality comparable to conventional wet electrodes, supporting their potential use as low-cost and customizable alternatives for sEMG applications in research and wearable monitoring systems. Full article

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second most common cancer in Europe. There is a need to explore and validate new blood-based tumor markers to improve the selection of patients who are likely to benefit from an early, non-invasive diagnosis of CRC. The purpose of this report is to present the test protocol and its verification. The study is planned in four phases. The first trial phase involves collecting material, consisting of healthy tissue, diseased tissue, and plasma, from 120 CRC patients over 50 years old during surgery. This phase also involves identifying microRNAs (miRNAs) and comparing their expressed levels in colorectal cancer cells with those in healthy tissue taken from a standard resection margin. We detected measurable levels of miRNAs in tissue samples taken from patients, confirming that the material was correctly removed for testing. Statistically significant differences were obtained between healthy and cancerous tissue for selected miRNAs. Some of the selected miRNAs have higher expression levels in CRC tissue and could be potential candidate biomarkers for laboratory-based colorectal cancer diagnosis. Full article

Objective: To evaluate whether documented bacterial infection or neutropenic fever is associated with delayed hematopoietic recovery in patients with acute leukemia undergoing induction or consolidation chemotherapy. Methods: We conducted a retrospective observational study of 171 adult patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) or acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) treated between 2022 and 2025. Patients were divided into three groups: (1) microbiologically documented infection (n = 73); (2) neutropenic fever without pathogen identification (n = 73); and (3) no fever or infection (n = 25). Hematopoietic recovery was assessed by time to neutrophil recovery (>0.5 × 10⁹/L) and time to reticulocyte production index (RPI) > 1.0. Statistical comparisons were performed using ANOVA or Kruskal–Wallis tests as appropriate. Results: The mean time to neutrophil recovery was 32.0 days (95% CI: 30.0–34.0) in Group 1, 28.4 days (95% CI: 27.3–29.6) in Group 2, and 15.2 days (95% CI: 14.3–16.2) in Group 3 (p = 0.0039). The mean time to RPI > 1.0 was 36.3 days (95% CI: 34.2–38.4), 33.0 days (95% CI: 31.8–34.2), and 19.4 days (95% CI: 18.5–20.3), respectively (p = 0.0018). Differences between Groups 1 and 2 were not statistically significant. Conclusions: Infection and neutropenic fever are associated with significantly prolonged hematopoietic recovery following chemotherapy for acute leukemia. Delayed regeneration may increase the risk of complications and negatively affect treatment outcomes. Full article

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to examine the sex-specific distribution of traumatic spinal fractures and potential predictive clinical factors for a more well-founded treatment evaluation. Methods: This study is a retrospective cohort study. Data from electronic medical records were analyzed and compiled in a database. Demographic information, trauma-specific characteristics, and radiological measurements, as well as laboratory values and surgical treatments, were collected. Only surgical cases were included in this study. Statistical analyses were performed using the IBM SPSS Statistics program. Chi-square tests, effect sizes, and 95 confidence intervals were used for comparison of categorical variables, and means and standard deviations were calculated, as well as Levene’s test for equality and t-tests for analyzing continuous variables. The statistical significance was set at a two-tailed p < 0.05. Results: A total of 164 patients were included, with a mean age of 58.03 years. Statistically significant differences between sexes were found in age (p = 0.04), GCS (p = 0.03), hemoglobin (p = 0.03), hematocrit (p = 0.007), and the one-year post-surgical intervertebral angle (p = 0.004). AIS score showed statistically significant differences in the cervical and lumbar sections (p < 0.015; p = 0.022) and the overall spine (p = 0.049). No statistically significant difference in the HU values in the vertebra above the fracture was found between men and women. Women showed significantly larger one-year postoperative intervertebral angles than men. Conclusion: Vertebrae with lower HU values tend to collapse despite stable surgical treatment; therefore, additional bone quality assessment should be contemplated. These findings highlight sex-specific considerations for future clinical decision-making. Full article

Background: Postpartum oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) screening after gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) enables early detection and prevention of type 2 diabetes, yet adherence is suboptimal, particularly in regional and rural areas. This study examined lifestyle behaviour and health-related quality-of-life factors associated with OGTT non-adherence over time. Methods: A longitudinal cohort study of women with prior GDM in regional and rural New South Wales, Australia, was conducted. Binary logistic regression models examined associations between lifestyle behaviours, health-related quality of life, and OGTT non-adherence at 3, 18, and 36 months postpartum. Results: OGTT non-adherence increased over time. Multivariable models were not statistically significant at any timepoint. At 3 months postpartum, several lifestyle and health-related quality-of-life variables were associated with non-adherence; however, these associations were not sustained at later timepoints. No consistent predictors of non-adherence were identified across follow-up. Conclusions: All women with prior GDM remain at risk of missed postpartum screening, with engagement declining over time. Findings should be interpreted as exploratory, reflecting time-specific patterns rather than stable predictors. Early postpartum represents a critical window for intervention, while longer-term strategies require flexible, integrated, and accessible models of care to support sustained diabetes prevention, particularly in regional and rural populations. Full article

In the context of political and financial market turmoil, effectively forecasting financial market trends is crucial for investment decisions. Large language models (LLMs) have been applied in extant research to predict market trends, analyze investor sentiments and interpret financial news, all aiming to help investment decision making. However, LLMs face limitations due to training data heterogeneity, restricting multidimensional perspectives and hindering comparative analysis for optimization. This study proposes a “Dual-Agent LLM Debate Mechanism” framework using a Proponent (LLM1: Gemini Pro 3) and an Opponent (LLM2: ChatGPT 5.2) to address single-LLM forecasting gaps: The Proponent generates a baseline forecast (F1) from an Integrated Context, while the Opponent validates and resolves conflicts with the Proponent via up to three rounds of cross-debate to produce a consensus forecast (F2). A controlled experiment was conducted to analyze 75 financial market indicators (FMIs) across five asset categories, revealing that F2 outperforms F1 in accuracy and directional stability, particularly in highly volatile assets like Cryptocurrencies and 10-Year Government Bonds. Paired-sample t-tests confirmed statistical significance, validating the mechanism’s effectiveness. Our study results demonstrate how cross-debate between LLMs enhances forecasting accuracy through structured optimization. Full article

In response to the decline in population diversity, the imbalance between exploration and exploitation, and the low convergence efficiency in the middle and later stages of the Red-billed Blue Magpie Optimizer (RBMO) when addressing complex optimization problems, this study proposes a multi-strategy enhanced variant termed CLD-RBMO. The proposed algorithm improves the original search mechanism from three perspectives: strengthened global exploration, enhanced local refinement, and directed exploitation in the middle and later stages. During the exploration phase, a hierarchical perturbation mechanism based on Logistic chaotic mapping and Lévy flight is introduced to enhance randomness and spatial coverage in the early search process. In the local exploitation phase, a Cauchy–Gauss hybrid mutation operator is employed to improve the algorithm’s capability to escape from local optima. In the middle and later search stages, a stochastic differential mutation strategy is incorporated to provide population-structure-based directional guidance for individuals, thereby accelerating convergence and improving optimization accuracy. Simulation results on the CEC2017 benchmark test functions indicate that CLD-RBMO demonstrates clear superiority over the original algorithm and several representative swarm intelligence optimization algorithms in terms of optimization accuracy, stability, and overall performance ranking. Convergence curve analysis confirms its dynamic performance improvements across different search stages, and the Wilcoxon rank-sum test further statistically validates the significance of the performance enhancement achieved by the proposed improvements compared with the original algorithm. Moreover, evaluations on two representative mechanical engineering optimization case studies further demonstrate the algorithm’s strong stability and engineering generalization capability. Full article