Search Results (20,134)

Background: The growing use of digital health technologies in diabetes care offers new opportunities for self-management and clinical monitoring. However, there remains significant variability in the extent to which individuals engage with these digital tools. Understanding the psychosocial and clinical factors associated with the use of digital health technologies is crucial for developing targeted implementation strategies. Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess the use of digital health technologies among adults with diabetes and to explore their relationship with psychosocial factors—especially technology acceptance and self-efficacy—as well as certain clinical characteristics, including diabetes-related stress, age, and disease duration. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional study involving 304 adults with diabetes. Digital engagement was measured using the Digital Adherence and Use Questionnaire (DAUQ), a 7-item self-report instrument (Cronbach’s α = 0.89), from which a composite Digital Engagement Score was calculated (range 1–5) to indicate the level of technology-related self-management behaviors. Participants were descriptively categorized into low- and high-engagement groups. Engagement patterns were also analyzed by diabetes type to understand structural differences in technology exposure. Relationships between psychosocial variables and the outcome were examined using correlation analyses. Since engagement among participants with type 1 diabetes (T1D) showed limited variability, multivariable regression analyses were performed on participants with type 2 diabetes (T2D) using beta regression, with linear regression as a sensitivity analysis. An exploratory beta regression was also conducted for T1D. Results: Overall, 35.5% of participants were classified as having high digital engagement. High engagement was observed in more than 90% of participants with T1D, compared to 4.1% of those with T2D. Median engagement scores differed significantly between low- and high-engagement groups (median [Q1–Q3]: 1.71 [1.71–2.39] vs. 3.86 [3.86–4.43]). Highly engaged participants reported much higher levels of openness to technology (median [Q1–Q3]: 5.00 [1.00–5.00] vs. 1.00 [1.00–1.00], p < 0.001) and self-efficacy (median [Q1–Q3]: 3.00 [3.00–3.00] vs. 5.00 [5.00–5.00], p < 0.001). In T1D, multivariable beta regression analyses showed that age was independently associated with digital engagement, with each 10-year increase corresponding to a decrease in engagement (β = −0.147, 95% CI −0.219 to −0.075, p < 0.001). Diabetes duration and psychosocial variables were not independently associated with engagement in the multivariable model. In contrast, among participants with T2D, insulin treatment emerged as the strongest independent predictor of engagement (β = 0.996, 95% CI 0.859–1.134, p < 0.001), and diabetes-related stress emerged as an independent predictor of engagement (β = 0.069, 95% CI 0.006–0.132, p = 0.033). Technology acceptance was positively associated with engagement (β = 0.694, 95% CI 0.350–1.037, p < 0.001), whereas higher self-efficacy was independently associated with lower engagement intensity (β = −0.366, 95% CI −0.608 to −0.124, p = 0.003). Age and diabetes duration were not independently associated with engagement after adjustment. Conclusions: Digital engagement appears to function as a structurally embedded component of self-management in T1D, with limited variability and largely independent of psychosocial modulation. In T2D, engagement is predominantly driven by treatment characteristics (insulin treatment), psychosocial dynamics (stress, technology acceptance), with higher self-efficacy associated with reduced reliance on digital tools. These findings suggest distinct behavioral mechanisms underlying digital health utilization across diabetes types and support the need for tailored implementation strategies. Full article

Dual-source heat pump systems combining photovoltaic-thermal (PVT) and air-source technologies have attracted considerable research interest due to their energy complementarity. Based on the climatic characteristics of the Dalian region, this study conducted field measurements and data analysis on a developed dual-source heat pump system incorporating three adaptive operational modes: (1) PVT mode, (2) PVT/air dual-source mode, and (3) photovoltaic (PV)/air-source mode. Compared to Mode (3), Mode (1) achieves a 5.76% higher heating capacity and an 11.56% greater electrical efficiency. Meanwhile, Mode (2) demonstrates a 12.23% increase in heating capacity, and a 9.14% improvement in electrical efficiency relative to Mode (3). A data-driven methodology is provided to quantify the system’s evaporation temperature, the thermal efficiency of PVT mode, and the coefficient of performance (COP) of the PVT heat pump. The economic assessment demonstrates that the proposed dual-source heat pump system achieves a heating cost as low as RMB 0.1125/kWh and a payback period of 6.4 years, indicating favorable economic benefits. This study provides fundamental data and computational methods for the optimized operation of the PVT/air dual-source heat pump. Full article

An improved optimizer based on projection-iterative methods (IPIMO) is proposed to address the optimal configuration problem of multi-type energy storage systems (MT-ESS), with the objective of achieving synergistic minimization of comprehensive costs, including both investment and operational expenditures. A comprehensive energy system model is established, integrating photovoltaic power, wind power, and six typical energy storage technologies—lithium-ion battery, flywheel energy storage, supercapacitors, valve-regulated lead-acid battery, compressed air energy storage, and redox flow battery. Four typical operational scenarios are designed to validate the adaptability and robustness of the algorithm. A systematic evaluation of IPIMO’s comprehensive performance is conducted by comparing it with the weighted average method (WA), the single-energy storage optimization method (SEO), the projection-iterative-methods-based optimizer algorithm (PIMO), and the genetic algorithm (GA). Simulation results demonstrate that IPIMO exhibits superior convergence performance, achieving stable convergence rapidly and significantly outperforming PIMO and GA. Moreover, IPIMO achieves the lowest total cost across all four scenarios, with an average of $46,837, representing reductions of 6.54% compared to the benchmark weighted average method and 11.8% compared to the SEO. Additionally, IPIMO adaptively adjusts the allocation ratios of energy storage types based on scenario characteristics, prioritizing energy-type storage in stable scenarios while increasing the proportion of fast-response storage to 49.1% in fluctuating scenarios, thereby demonstrating its strong scenario adaptability. Full article

To address global carbon reduction demands, oxy-fuel combustion in circulating fluidized beds (oxy-CFB) has emerged as a highly promising carbon capture technology, offering extensive fuel flexibility and facilitating bioenergy with carbon capture and storage (BECCS). However, its commercialization is hindered by significant energy penalties and complex scale-up challenges. This review comprehensively analyzes the fundamental multiphase mechanisms, heat transfer behaviors, and multi-pollutant emission characteristics of oxy-CFB systems, drawing upon multiscale modeling advancements and operational data from pilot to 30 MW_th industrial demonstrations. Replacing air with an O₂/CO₂/H₂O mixture fundamentally alters gas–solid hydrodynamics and char conversion pathways, necessitating active fluidization state re-specification. Despite shifting optimal desulfurization temperatures and introducing recarbonation risks, the technology demonstrates inherent advantages in synergistic pollutant control, including the complete elimination of thermal NO_x. While atmospheric oxy-CFB is technically viable, transitioning to pressurized operation is critical to minimizing system efficiency penalties. Furthermore, integrating oxygen carrier-aided combustion (OCAC) and developing advanced predictive control strategies are essential to managing multi-module thermal inertia and enabling rapid dynamic responsiveness for modern power grids. Full article

In the current paper, the nonlinear absorption characteristics and laser modulation performance of the ternary anisotropic semiconductor material ZrGeTe₄ were successfully explored. The recovery time of the ZrGeTe₄-PVA thin film was measured to be 5.74 ps by the pump–probe technology. By employing ZrGeTe₄ as a saturable absorber, a passive mode-locked Yb-doped fiber laser was demonstrated for the first time. In the 1 µm mode-locked operation, the central wavelength was 1031.29 nm, the pulse repetition rate was 24.85 MHz, and the pulse width was 786.3 ps. In an Er-doped fiber laser operating at a wavelength of 1561.10 nm, the pulse width was as short as 1.26 ps with a repetition rate of 4.38 MHz. The results show that ZrGeTe₄ has excellent broadband nonlinear optical characteristics. Full article

Digital Twins for cultural heritage buildings commonly depend on high-fidelity 3D scanning, detailed onsite surveys, and unrestricted data acquisition. In many countries, however, legal, regulatory, and conservation constraints render such methods inaccessible or explicitly prohibited, significantly limiting the deployment of digital-heritage technologies in real settings. This paper introduces HeritageTwin Lite, a regulation-compliant workflow for constructing low-detail yet operational Digital Twins of protected cultural heritage buildings using only publicly permissible data sources. The proposed approach relies on a GIS-based 2D application through which users select a site and manually delineate building footprints and structural outlines. These 2D sketches are combined with satellite imagery, publicly available photographs, archival records, and open datasets to generate a massing-level 3D model. Building height and volumetric characteristics are estimated using contextual cues such as surrounding structures, known architectural typologies, and scale references derived from people or urban elements. The resulting Digital Twin prioritizes geometric plausibility over fine architectural detail, enabling simulation, analysis, and decision-support tasks, such as environmental modeling, airflow and CFD approximation, and high-level Heritage BIM integration, while fully respecting cultural heritage restrictions. Three case studies illustrate the proposed workflow and systematically identify which components of conventional smart-building and Digital Twin pipelines remain feasible and which become infeasible under heritage regulations. The results demonstrate a practical and scalable path toward compliant Digital Twins for protected buildings, positioning low-detail modeling not as a limitation but as a regulatory necessity. Full article

Background: Despite significant improvements in blood safety, the risk of transfusion-transmitted infections persists, particularly from emerging and re-emerging viruses. For red blood cell (RBC) products, this risk is exacerbated by the fact that there is no routine testing for many of these pathogens, and effective, commercially available pathogen inactivation technologies specifically for RBCs are still lacking. This gap in the safety framework means that viruses capable of establishing an asymptomatic viremia—a characteristic of many arboviruses like Zika, dengue, and West Nile virus—present a tangible threat to the blood supply, highlighting the need for broad-spectrum countermeasures. Study Design and Methods: This study aims to investigate the antiviral activity of green tea extract (GTE) and its key catechins, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG) and epicatechin gallate (ECG), against ZIKV in both cellular models and red blood cell (RBC) products. In vitro antiviral activity was assessed using A549 cells treated with GTE (150 μg/mL) or purified EGCG/ECG (20 μM). Mechanistic studies focused on viral attachment inhibition. Additionally, ZIKV-spiked RBC products were co-incubated with GTE (300 μg/mL) for 1 h to evaluate virucidal effects. Erythrocyte integrity was confirmed via hemolysis assays. Results: Co-treatment with GTE or catechins suppressed ZIKV replication by ≥3.64 logs (p < 0.001) in A549 cells. GTE and catechins primarily inhibited viral attachment. In RBCs, GTE reduced viral infectivity by 99.99% (4-log reduction) without compromising erythrocyte membrane integrity or cellular viability. Furthermore, RBCs with added GTE demonstrated a lower hemolysis rate during storage for up to 60 days. Conclusions: GTE exhibits potent virucidal activity against ZIKV in blood matrices, highlighting its potential as a pathogen reduction agent to enhance transfusion safety. Further development of GTE-based additive solutions or technologies is warranted. Full article

High-cost innovative anticancer drugs pose challenges for health systems in balancing timely patient access with long-term financial sustainability. In Thailand, reliance on Health Technology Assessment for reimbursement decisions may delay access, highlighting the potential role of Managed Entry Agreements (MEAs) as complementary policy instruments to manage uncertainty related to price, effectiveness, and use; however, MEA application remains limited and lacks an analytical framework for technique selection. This study used real-world data from Thammasat University Hospital to examine and compare the cost-saving performance of five MEA techniques—discount, free initiation treatment, utilization cap, conditional treatment continuation, and pay-by-result—across six high-cost anticancer drugs representing dominant uncertainty characteristics. Drug procurement costs were modeled over a 24-month horizon from the payer’s perspective, and one-way sensitivity analyses were conducted using ±10% variation in median progression-free survival. Free initiation treatment generated the highest cost savings across uncertainty types, followed by conditional treatment continuation, while utilization cap and discount produced more moderate savings. Pay-by-result demonstrated the lowest cost-saving potential. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of comparative rankings. Overall, the findings indicate that MEA performance varies according to dominant sources of drug-related uncertainty and support a more structured, context-appropriate approach to MEA selection to strengthen market access and value-based pricing in Thailand. Full article

China’s rapid urbanization has accelerated the transition of residential development toward high-density models. As a critical interface between architecture and the urban environment, residential facades reflect evolving design strategies, living demands, and technological conditions. However, due to the complexity and diversity of facade components, the underlying influencing factors of facade evolution remain insufficiently explored. This study focuses on Shenzhen, a typical high-density city in southern China, and quantitatively analyzes 225 residential facades from 1980 to 2024 using HCA (Hierarchical Cluster Analysis). The results show that the development of residential facades in Shenzhen presents continuous and staged evolutionary characteristics, with a transition from simplified, function-oriented configurations to diversified and technology-integrated forms. Six clusters of facade types are identified, and the analysis reveals that this evolution is driven by the combined effects of policies and design standards (external factors), resident demand (internal factors), and technological development (technical support), rather than merely stylistic changes. This study establishes a quantitative classification framework to identify the evolutionary patterns and influencing factors of residential facades, enriches the research system of high-density residential facades, provides methodological support for facade analysis, and offers both theoretical and practical guidance for facade design in subtropical high-density cities. Full article

The poultry industry generates large amounts of protein- and mineral-rich by-products that remain underutilized. This study investigated the use of chicken skin protein hydrolysate and chicken bone protein–mineral mass (PMM) as functional ingredients in emulsified poultry sausages. The hydrolysate was characterized by a high protein content (52.25%) and high water- and fat-binding capacity (142% and 125%, respectively), while the PMM served as a source of protein and minerals with stable physicochemical and rheological characteristics. These ingredients were incorporated into sausage formulations at different substitution levels. Partial replacement of poultry meat increased protein and mineral content and affected key technological properties, including water-binding capacity, emulsion stability, cooking loss, and shear force. Moderate inclusion levels were associated with a more cohesive protein matrix, lower cooking losses, and improved structural stability, whereas excessive substitution resulted in increased firmness and less favorable sensory characteristics. Among the tested formulations, the combination of 18% PMM and 4% protein hydrolysate showed the most balanced technological and sensory performance. The findings suggest that poultry by-products processed into functional ingredients may have potential for application in value-added sausage formulations. Full article

Construction projects are prone to conflicts and disputes due to differing stakeholder interests, which can adversely affect their successful completion in terms of time, cost, and quality. Thus, implementing effective conflict management methods is essential to reduce negative outcomes and capitalize on the positive outcomes of conflicts. However, there is still limited understanding of the status and trends of stakeholder conflicts, and critical conflict causes and management strategies identified by previous studies. Thus, a systematic literature review was conducted, complemented by a scientometric analysis using the VOSviewer bibliographic tool and Pareto analysis to systematically identify critical factors within literature. A total of 63 studies published between 1993 and 2025 were analyzed. Findings indicate that most recent studies have focused more on human, contractual, and technological aspects of conflict. Overall, this study identified 46 conflict causes and 58 management strategies, which were categorized into different groups based on their characteristics. Among these, 23 and 31 were identified as most critical causes and management strategies based on Pareto analysis, with most factors linked to stakeholder relationships. The study offers a systematic understanding of the status quo and emerging themes in stakeholder conflicts research in construction industry. The findings of this study will be beneficial for researchers in identifying future research directions and project stakeholders to understand the most common conflicts and effective management methods for handling conflicts in construction projects. Full article

This study aimed to analyze the whole genome sequencing of Lactobacillus (Lb) sakei HRB10, which was isolated from traditional dry sausage, to investigate its genetic traits and metabolic processes. The study revealed that the genome total length of Lb sakei HRB10 was 1987622 base pairs (bp), containing 1906 genes and a Genomic Component (GC) percentage of 41.11%. Database annotations indicate that the primary pathways in the genome of Lb sakei HRB10 are amino acid, fatty acid, and carbohydrate metabolisms. These pathways are crucial in forming the distinct flavor in dry sausage. There are many annotated genes encoding enzymes associated with amino acid and carbohydrate metabolisms, but there is a limited number of annotated genes encoding enzymes associated with fatty acid metabolism. Comparative genomics analysis results showed that the length of Lb. sakei HRB10 genomes were in the range of 1.93−2.07 Mb, and the GC content was 41.05−41.22%. The phylogenetic tree results and average nucleotide identity showed a very high homology between Lb. sakei HRB10, MFPB19, and TMW-1.3. This study provides knowledge to understand the formation mechanism of flavor formation by Lb. sakei HRB10 in dry sausages, thereby facilitating the identification of promising strains for application in meat fermentation. Full article

Coal gangue, the primary solid by-product of coal mining, presents severe environmental challenges due to massive accumulation. At the same time, it represents potential as a secondary resource if properly utilized. This review systematically summarizes the mineralogical characteristics, modification strategies, and utilization pathways of coal gangue. Current treatment methods, including thermal, chemical, and microbial activation, are discussed, highlighting their respective efficiencies, economic feasibility, and environmental impacts. Furthermore, this review emphasizes the transition of coal gangue from low-value disposal to high-value utilization. Representative applications are summarized, including its use as a precursor for advanced construction materials, as a functional material for environmental remediation, and as a feedstock for energy recovery. Finally, the major technological challenges and research gaps are identified. Future development should focus on intelligent sorting technologies, low-carbon activation processes, and synergistic multi-waste integration. These directions are expected to promote the transformation of coal gangue from an environmental liability into a valuable resource for the circular economy. Full article

With the rapid advancement of autonomous driving technology and the commercialization of Human–Machine Interface (HMI) services, camera-based systems for external environment perception are being extensively deployed. While comprehensive camera systems enhance safety and convenience, they simultaneously raise serious privacy concerns by collecting facial and biometric information of Vulnerable Road Users (VRUs) and passengers. Although facial anonymization technology has emerged as a key solution, the field currently faces a fundamental challenge: the absence of unified performance evaluation criteria. Existing studies employ disparate evaluation metrics, making objective inter-model comparison and performance verification difficult. This study proposes quantitative evaluation metrics and corresponding evaluation criteria that enable systematic and objective assessment of facial anonymization model performance. Through large-scale experiments, we developed quantitative evaluation metrics encompassing facial landmark variations, visual similarity, and re-identification prevention capability, and derived specific threshold values based on statistical methodologies. Furthermore, to validate the proposed evaluation criteria, we conducted systematic empirical assessments using models that adopt different technical approaches. The validation experiments showed that the evaluation criteria proposed in this study can be applied across models with distinct technical characteristics. This research is expected to contribute to resolving the heterogeneous evaluation criteria issues in existing studies by providing unified evaluation criteria. It may also support the development of privacy protection technologies in autonomous driving environments. Full article

As offshore wind power develops toward larger unit capacities and deeper offshore deployments, its inherent power intermittency poses increasing challenges to system stability and reliable grid integration. To address the issues of large-scale wind power fluctuation and efficient energy utilization, an integrated hydrogen production through offshore superconducting wind power (HPOSWP) system is investigated, which combines high-temperature superconducting (HTS) wind generators with water electrolysis. This paper reviews the operational characteristics of the HPOSWP system under wide power fluctuation conditions, specifically assessing the adaptability of high-power-density HTS wind generators and the feasibility of highly reliable liquid hydrogen (LH₂) circulation cooling technologies from a qualitative perspective. This study provides valuable insights into the application of large-scale HPOSWP systems under fluctuating power conditions and establishes a solid theoretical foundation for subsequent system design and engineering implementation. Full article