Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is an increasingly prevalent condition characterized by abnormal fat accumulation in the liver, often associated with metabolic disorders. Emerging evidence suggests a potential link between vitamin D deficiency and the development and progression of MASLD. The current review provides a concise overview of recent studies uncovering novel mechanistic insights into the interplay between vitamin D and MASLD. Several epidemiological studies have highlighted a significant association between low vitamin D levels and an increased risk of MASLD. Vitamin D, traditionally known for its role in bone health, has now been recognized as a key player in various physiological processes, including immune regulation and inflammation. Experimental studies using animal models have demonstrated that vitamin D deficiency exacerbates liver steatosis and inflammation, suggesting a potential protective role against MASLD. Mechanistically, vitamin D appears to modulate MASLD through multiple pathways. Firstly, the vitamin D receptor (VDR) is abundantly expressed in liver cells, indicating a direct regulatory role in hepatic function. Activation of the VDR has been shown to suppress hepatic lipid accumulation and inflammation, providing a mechanistic basis for the observed protective effects. Additionally, vitamin D influences insulin sensitivity, a critical factor in MASLD pathogenesis. Improved insulin sensitivity may mitigate the excessive accumulation of fat in the liver, thus attenuating MASLD progression. In parallel, vitamin D exhibits anti-inflammatory properties by inhibiting pro-inflammatory cytokines implicated in MASLD pathophysiology. Experimental evidence suggests that the immunomodulatory effects of vitamin D extend to the liver, reducing inflammation and oxidative stress, key drivers of MASLD, and the likelihood of hepatocyte injury and fibrosis. Understanding the complex interplay between vitamin D and MASLD provides a basis for exploring targeted therapeutic strategies and preventive interventions. As vitamin D deficiency is a modifiable risk factor, addressing this nutritional concern may prove beneficial in mitigating the burden of MASLD and associated metabolic disorders. Full article

The traditional preparation process of natural rubber latex requires tedious treatment of a variety of rubber additives. In this paper, a new process of wet mixed grinding was used to prepare a reinforced vulcanization mixture and a rapid vulcanization effect. The effect of different amounts of vulcanization mixtures on the mechanical properties of natural latex film was studied, and the pre-vulcanization process of latex and the vulcanization process of film were optimized. The results showed that with the increase in the amount of vulcanization mixture, the tensile strength increased from 5.96 MPa to 29.28 MPa, and the tear strength increased from 7.59 kN/m to 52.81 kN/m. When the vulcanization temperature of the latex film is heated from 80 °C to 100 °C, the vulcanization time is shortened by 5~6 times. The new vulcanization mixture prepared in this work has the characteristics of simple production and fast vulcanization speed, which provides a new solution for the development of the latex product industry. Full article

In the present study, the combined effect of an AgIon^® antimicrobial absorbent (Ζ) pad and a chitosan coating (C) on the preservation of fresh beef stored aerobically at 5 °C was investigated. Microbiological, physicochemical, and sensory attributes were monitored for up to 10 days of storage. The microbiological data indicated that the C and chitosan coating plus absorbent pad (CZ) treatments were the most efficient in reducing total viable counts (TVC) by 4.09 and 3.53 log cfu/g compared to the control W and Z treatments on day 4 of storage (p < 0.05). An analogous reduction in the counts of the other microbial groups monitored was recorded. pH values were ca. 5.7 for treatments W and Z and 5.45 for treatments C and CZ on day 4 of storage (p < 0.05). The total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N) values remained <20 mg/100 g for all treatments on day 4 and for treatments C and CZ on day 10 of storage. The total color difference values decreased (p < 0.05) during storage for treatments W and Z, but remained constant for treatments C and CZ. Based on sensory, microbiological and physico-chemical data, beef shelf life was ca ^# + 3 days for samples W and Z and at least 10 + 3 days for samples C and CZ. Between the two antimicrobial treatments, chitosan was considerably more effective than the AgIon^® antimicrobial absorbent pad, which showed practically no antimicrobial activity in direct contact with beef meat. Full article

The maximum diving depth of modern submarines has always been increasing. Although this has been useful and in some cases necessary, it usually comes with some risks. For instance, when a submarine encounters an emergency situation that requires immediate ascent from great depths, the situation becomes more dangerous, especially due to its rolling characteristics. To investigate the effect of unsteady forces during free ascent motion of submarines at great depths on submarine rolling, in this study, the SST-DDES model combined with the overset grid technique was used for the numerical simulation of a submarine free ascent. Water tank experiments for free ascent were conducted to validate the numerical approach, which confirmed the reliability of the numerical method. Following this, the CFD method was employed to conduct an initial exploratory investigation into the free ascent motion of deep-submergence submarines. The free ascent motion of submarines at great depths under five different degrees of freedom combinations was studied. The computational results indicated that submarines are more prone to roll over during free ascent at great depths. At a depth six times the length of the submarine, the maximum roll angle underwater reaches 22.8°. In addition, unsteady rolling moments, lateral forces, and yawing moments have a significant effect on submarine rolling, intensifying the tendency to roll. Furthermore, it was observed that the vertical hydrodynamic attack angle β is related to the rolling stability of the submarine, such that a moderate decrease in β is beneficial for the rolling stability. The numerical calculation method and preliminary research findings can provide theoretical support for controlling the ascent motion of real submarines. Full article

This study investigated the effects of an antibiotic cocktail on intestinal microbial composition, mechanical barrier structure, and immune functions in early broilers. One-day-old healthy male broiler chicks were treated with a broad-spectrum antibiotic cocktail (ABX; neomycin, ampicillin, metronidazole, vancomycin, and kanamycin, 0.5 g/L each) or not in drinking water for 7 and 14 days, respectively. Sequencing of 16S rRNA revealed that ABX treatment significantly reduced relative Firmicutes, unclassified Lachnospiraceae, unclassified Oscillospiraceae, Ruminococcus torques, and unclassified Ruminococcaceae abundance in the cecum and relative Firmicutes, Lactobacillus and Baccillus abundance in the ileum, but significantly increased richness (Chao and ACE indices) and relative Enterococcus abundance in the ileum and cecum along with relatively enriched Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, Cyanobacteria, and Enterococcus levels in the ileum following ABX treatment for 14 days. ABX treatment for 14 days also significantly decreased intestinal weight and length, along with villus height (VH) and crypt depth (CD) of the small intestine, and remarkably increased serum LPS, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and IgG levels, as well as intestinal mucosa DAO and MPO activity. Moreover, prolonged use of ABX significantly downregulated occludin, ZO-1, and mucin 2 gene expression, along with goblet cell numbers in the ileum. Additionally, chickens given ABX for 14 days had lower acetic acid, butyric acid, and isobutyric acid content in the cecum than the chickens treated with ABX for 7 days and untreated chickens. Spearman correlation analysis found that those decreased potential beneficial bacteria were positively correlated with gut health-related indices, while those increased potential pathogenic strains were positively correlated with gut inflammation and gut injury-related parameters. Taken together, prolonged ABX application increased antibiotic-resistant species abundance, induced gut microbiota dysbiosis, delayed intestinal morphological development, disrupted intestinal barrier function, and perturbed immune response in early chickens. This study provides a reliable lower-bacteria chicken model for further investigation of the function of certain beneficial bacteria in the gut by fecal microbiota transplantation into germ-free or antibiotic-treated chickens. Full article

When constructing an investment portfolio, it is important to maximize returns while minimizing risks. This portfolio optimization can be considered as a multi-objective optimization problem that is solved by means of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms. The use of multi-objective evolutionary algorithms (MOEAs) provides an effective approach for dealing with the complex data involved in multi-objective optimization problems. However, current MOEAs often rely on a single strategy to obtain optimal solutions, leading to premature convergence and an insufficient population diversity. In this paper, a new MOEA called the Synergistic MOEA with Diffusion Population Generation (DPG-SMOEA) is proposed to address these limitations by integrating MOEAs with diffusion models. To train the diffusion model, a mixed memory pool strategy is optimized, which collects improved solutions from the MOEA/D-AEE, an optimized MOEA, as training samples. The trained model is then used to generate offspring. Considering the cold-start mechanism of the diffusion model, particularly during the training phase where it is not suitable for generating initial offspring, this paper adjusts and optimizes the collaborative strategy to enhance the synergy between the diffusion model and MOEA/D-AEE. Experimental validation of the DPG-SMOEA demonstrates the advantages of using diffusion models in low-dimensional and relatively continuous data analysis. The results show that the DPG-SMOEA performs well on the low-dimensional Hang Seng Index test dataset, while achieving average performance on other high-dimensional datasets, consistent with theoretical predictions. Overall, the DPG-SMOEA achieves better results compared to MOEA/D-AEE and other multi-objective optimization algorithms. Full article

Identifying distributed strain sensing (DSS) patterns (or signatures), particularly those arising from different hydraulic fracture geometries, has gained significant attention and research effort. Recent works have generated a catalogue of signatures for planar hydraulic fractures in an elastic rock formation. Yet, in numerous cases (e.g., fault motion and some geothermal reservoir stimulation), the main mode of deformation is a shear on a fracture or a network of natural fractures (particularly during low pressure injection/circulation). However, the specific fiber signatures that result from such shear deformation have not been studied. In this study, we use a three-dimensional poroelastic hydraulic fracture simulator to capture the strain signatures resulting from the shear deformation of fractures in various orientations with respect to the monitoring well. Five key cases are examined: one where the fracture strike is perpendicular to the fiber, another with the strike running parallel to the fiber, a third case where the fracture strike is at 45 degrees to the fiber, a fourth case with a strike slip fault perpendicular to the fiber, and a fifth case where fiber is intersecting the fracture. Theoretically and physically meaningful results were obtained in all five cases, which completely differ from the heart-shaped signature of tensile fracture propagation. It was discovered that the strain pattern changes with the shear deformation direction with respect to the fiber. The model is then used to simulate the response of a fracture network at Utah FORGE to injection to assess whether a signature might be expected in response to the planned injection and circulation rates, and, if so, what strain pattern might be expected. The simulation confirms that a strain response can indeed be observed. More importantly, the fiber response that would be detected in the monitoring well would be a combination of strain signatures from dilation and shear deformation of differently oriented natural fractures. The results in this study provide useful insights on the application of fiber to other stimulation and/or circulation scenarios where shear deformation of a fracture or fracture network plays a major role. Full article

This paper presents a novel method for forecasting the impact of cloud cover on photovoltaic (PV) fields in the nowcasting term, utilizing PV panels as sensors in a combination of physical and persistence models and integrating energy storage system control. The proposed approach entails simulating a power network consisting of a 22 kV renewable energy source and energy storage, enabling the evaluation of network behavior in comparison to the national grid. To optimize computational efficiency, the authors develop an equivalent model of the PV + energy storage module, accurately simulating system behavior while accounting for weather conditions, particularly cloud cover. Moreover, the authors introduce a control system model capable of responding effectively to network dynamics and providing comprehensive control of the energy storage system using PID controllers. Precise power forecasting is essential for maintaining power continuity, managing overall power-system ramp rates, and ensuring grid stability. The adaptability of our method to integrate with solar fencing systems serves as a testament to its innovative nature and its potential to contribute significantly to the renewable energy field. The authors also assess various scenarios against the grid to determine their impact on grid stability. The research findings indicate that the integration of energy storage and the proposed forecasting method, which combines physical and persistence models, offers a promising solution for effectively managing grid stability. Full article

A promising therapeutic option for the treatment of critical-size mandibular defects is the implantation of biodegradable, porous structures that are produced patient-specifically by using additive manufacturing techniques. In this work, degradable poly(DL-lactide) polymer (PDLLA) was blended with different mineral phases with the aim of buffering its acidic degradation products, which can cause inflammation and stimulate bone regeneration. Microparticles of CaCO₃, SrCO₃, tricalcium phosphates (α-TCP, β-TCP), or strontium-modified hydroxyapatite (SrHAp) were mixed with the polymer powder following processing the blends into scaffolds with the Arburg Plastic Freeforming 3D-printing method. An in vitro degradation study over 24 weeks revealed a buffer effect for all mineral phases, with the buffering capacity of CaCO₃ and SrCO₃ being the highest. Analysis of conductivity, swelling, microstructure, viscosity, and glass transition temperature evidenced that the mineral phases influence the degradation behavior of the scaffolds. Cytocompatibility of all polymer blends was proven in cell experiments with SaOS-2 cells. Patient-specific implants consisting of PDLLA + CaCO₃, which were tested in a pilot in vivo study in a segmental mandibular defect in minipigs, exhibited strong swelling. Based on these results, an in vitro swelling prediction model was developed that simulates the conditions of anisotropic swelling after implantation. Full article

In modern industrialized societies, the focus on healthy eating has increased significantly across multiple sectors, including the media, public policy, expert opinion, and public awareness. The aim of this research was to explore the perceptions of healthy eating and the barriers to adopting a healthy diet among undergraduate students in Human Nutrition and Dietetics (HND) and Food Science and Technology (FST) degrees in Spain. An exploratory and descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted using a qualitative and quantitative methodology and convenience sampling. Two focus groups and a questionnaire were utilized (300 participants from all academic years completed the survey). Differences in definitions of healthy eating and perceived barriers were found between genders and students at different stages of training (p < 0.05). In their understanding of healthy eating, the students placed importance on balance, variety, moderation, and individual factors. Although students considered it easy to follow a healthy diet, family’s eating habits, time availability, and emotional states were found to be the main barriers to the implementation of healthy practices. The obtained data supports the need to critically address perceptions of healthy eating throughout the training of nutrition and food science professionals. The insights obtained on the perceived barriers highlight the importance of considering both individual and environmental factors. Full article

Glomerular hyperfiltration (GH) has been reported to be higher in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and is an independent risk factor for renal function deterioration, metabolic, and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine GH in type A PCOS subjects and to identify whether inflammatory markers, markers of CKD, renal tubule injury markers, and complement system proteins were associated. In addition, a secondary cohort study was performed to determine if the eGFR had altered over time. In this comparative cross-sectional analysis, demographic, metabolic, and proteomic data from Caucasian women aged 18–40 years from a PCOS Biobank (137 with PCOS, 97 controls) was analyzed. Slow Off-rate Modified Aptamer (SOMA)-scan plasma protein measurement was undertaken for inflammatory proteins, serum markers of chronic kidney disease (CKD), tubular renal injury markers, and complement system proteins. A total of 44.5% of the PCOS cohort had GH (eGFR ≥ 126 mL/min/1.73 m² (n = 55)), and 12% (n = 17) eGFR ≥ 142 mL/min/1.73 m² (super-GH(SGH)). PCOS-GH women were younger and had lower creatinine and urea versus PCOS-nonGH. C-reactive protein (CRP), white cell count (WCC), and systolic blood pressure (SBP) were higher in PCOS versus controls, but CRP correlated only with PCOS-SGH alone. Complement protein changes were seen between controls and PCOS-nonGH, and decay-accelerator factor (DAF) was decreased between PCOS-nonGH and PCOS-GSGH (p < 0.05). CRP correlated with eGFR in the PCOS-SGH group, but not with other inflammatory or complement parameters. Cystatin-c (a marker of CKD) was reduced between PCOS-nonGH and PCOS-GSGH (p < 0.05). No differences in tubular renal injury markers were found. A secondary cohort notes review of the biobank subjects 8.2–9.6 years later showed a reduction in eGFR: controls −6.4 ± 12.6 mL/min/1.73 m² (−5.3 ± 11.5%; decrease 0.65%/year); PCOS-nonGH −11.3 ± 13.7 mL/min/1.73 m² (−9.7 ± 12.2%; p < 0.05, decrease 1%/year); PCOS-GH (eGFR 126–140 mL/min/17.3 m²) −27.1 ± 12.8 mL/min/1.73 m² (−19.1 ± 8.7%; p < 0.0001, decrease 2%/year); PCOS-SGH (eGFR ≥ 142 mL/min/17.3 m²) −33.7 ± 8.9 mL/min/17.3 m² (−22.8 ± 6.0%; p < 0.0001, decrease 3.5%/year); PCOS-nonGH eGFR versus PCOS-GH and PCOS-SGH, p < 0.001; no difference PCOS-GH versus PCOS-SGH. GH was associated with PCOS and did not appear mediated through tubular renal injury; however, cystatin-c and DAF were decreased, and CRP correlated positively with PCOS-SGH, suggesting inflammation may be involved at higher GH. There were progressive eGFR decrements for PCOS-nonGH, PCOS-GH, and PCOS-SGH in the follow-up period which, in the presence of additional factors affecting renal function, may be clinically important in the development of CKD in PCOS. Full article

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common type of cancer in women and the number of new cases in the US is still increasing each year. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which comprises 15–20% of all breast cancer, is a heterogeneous disease and is considered the most aggressive type of breast cancer due to the lack of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) expressions for treatments. Traditional chemotherapy is the standard protocol for the treatment of TNBC. Toxicity and multidrug resistance are major drawbacks to chemotherapy. The lack of molecular targets and poor prognosis for TNBC prompts an urgent need to discover novel therapeutic strategies to improve clinical outcomes and quality of life for patients. Photodynamic therapy (PDT) or light treatment is a binary anti-cancer procedure that uses a photosensitizer (PS) that, upon light activation, produces cytotoxic oxygen species, destroying tumor cells. PDT is minimally invasive and can be repeated a few times without accumulating significant toxicity in the surrounding tissues. The primary goal of this study was to investigate in vitro photodynamic chemotherapy as a ternary combination therapy using our synthesized photosensitizers (chlorin–vitamin conjugates and their corresponding indium complexes) co-treated with known chemotherapeutic agents (taxol, doxorubicin, cisplatin, fluorouracil, or methotrexate) in the presence of light and determine the optimum conditions as a pre-clinical study of an enhanced tumoricidal effect against TNBC. Our results indicated that the best combination for an effective chemophotodynamic effect involves a ternary treatment of the indium complex of the chlorin–lipoic acid conjugate (InCLA) co-treated with taxol, which exhibited strong synergism at the nanomolar concentration when combined in the presence of visible light irradiation. Other ternary combinations containing taxol with a synergistic anti-tumor effect against TNBC include chlorin–pantothenic acid (CPA) and chlorin–biotin (CBTN) conjugates. Several other ternary combinations containing InCLA, CBTN, and CPA with either cisplatin, fluorouracil, or methotrexate were identified to generate a synergistic or additive effect. The light dosage remained constant, but the dosages of photosensitizers and chemotherapy drugs were varied to obtain the lowest possible concentration for the desired effect. The synergistic, additive or antagonistic effects of the drug combinations were determined based on the Chou–Talalay method, with InCLA–taxol having the lowest combination index (CI) of 0.25. Fluorescence and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images provided evidence of apoptosis as the preferred mode of cell death. Our study demonstrated the combination of PDT and chemotherapy as a potential treatment option for TNBC patients. Full article

In dynamic and unpredictable environments, the precise localization of first responders and rescuers is crucial for effective incident response. This paper introduces a novel approach leveraging three complementary localization modalities: visual-based, Galileo-based, and inertial-based. Each modality contributes uniquely to the final Fusion tool, facilitating seamless indoor and outdoor localization, offering a robust and accurate localization solution without reliance on pre-existing infrastructure, essential for maintaining responder safety and optimizing operational effectiveness. The visual-based localization method utilizes an RGB camera coupled with a modified implementation of the ORB-SLAM2 method, enabling operation with or without prior area scanning. The Galileo-based localization method employs a lightweight prototype equipped with a high-accuracy GNSS receiver board, tailored to meet the specific needs of first responders. The inertial-based localization method utilizes sensor fusion, primarily leveraging smartphone inertial measurement units, to predict and adjust first responders’ positions incrementally, compensating for the GPS signal attenuation indoors. A comprehensive validation test involving various environmental conditions was carried out to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed fused localization tool. Our results show that our proposed solution always provides a location regardless of the conditions (indoors, outdoors, etc.), with an overall mean error of 1.73 m. Full article

The Somma–Vesuvius volcanic complex emitted huge quantities of volcanic materials over a period from before 18,300 years BP to 1944. The activity during the last period, from post-AD 1631 to 1944, primarily produced lava and pyroclastics via effusive and strombolian eruptions. We investigated the pedogenesis on rocks formed from post-AD 1631 to 1944, occurring on the slopes of Mt. Vesuvius up to Gran Cono Vesuviano and in the northern valley separating Vesuvius from the older Mt. Somma edifice. Pertinent morphological, physical, chemical, and mineralogical (XRD and FT-IR) soil properties were studied. The results indicated the existence of thin and deep stratified soils on lava, as well as the presence of loose detritic covers formed via pyroclastic emplacement and redistribution. The soils showed minimal profile differentiation, frequently with layering recording the episodic addition of sediments. We found that the dominant coarse size of primary mineral particles was preserved, and there was a low level of clay production. The main mineralogical assemblage present in sands also persisted in clays, indicating the physical breaking of the parent material. Chemical weathering produced mineral modifications towards the active forms of Al and Fe and was also attested in selected soils by glass alteration, allophane production, and the presence of analcime in clay as a secondary product from leucite. The differences in glass alteration and analcime production found in the selected soils on lava were related to soil particle size and soil thickness. Concerning the youngest soil present on Gran Cono Vesuviano, other factors, such as the substratum’s age and site elevation, appeared to be implicated. Full article

Afrotropical inland waters are highly diverse ecosystems; however, they remain poorly studied, especially for rotifers. Here, we contributed to the knowledge of the rotifer species richness in the largely understudied African countries of Angola and Ghana. We assessed the roles of habitat type and a suite of abiotic environmental factors in determining rotifer species richness of Ghana. A total of 37 sites (Ghana 32, Angola 5) in 19 water bodies from a variety of aquatic habitat types were sampled. In Ghana, we identified 118 taxa (105 species or subspecies level, 13 identified to genus). We identified 15 taxa (13 species) in the Angola samples. For Ghana, 100 of 118 (~85%) taxa were new records for the country, of which 13 species (~11%) were also new records for Africa. Nearly all the species (~93%) were new records for Angola. Species richness was positively correlated with conductivity and reservoir habitat type and negatively with pH. Redundancy analysis (RDA), conducted at the species level for the Ghana dataset, indicated suites of species associated with latitude, longitude, temperature, TDS, or pH. We also evaluated the effect of climate on species distribution in 27 African countries by conducting a review of all reports from Africa to determine factors associated with species richness. A Spearman’s correlation confirmed a significant positive correlation between the number of rotifer species and the number of climatic regions (R = 0.53, p < 0.001) for certain countries, based on species distributions in relation to Köppen–Geiger climate regions. This fact validates the environmental heterogeneity hypothesis for African rotifers. Lastly, we predicted that rotifer species richness in Ghana, as a country with a tropical climate, could approach ~190 taxa, while in climatically heterogeneous Angola we predict ~200 taxa. This study contributes to our knowledge of rotifer biogeography and species richness patterns in Africa. Full article

The development and advantages of renewable energy technologies mean that their areas of application are constantly expanding. The development of roads, transport systems, and electromobility also increases the demand for electricity. Roads occupy a certain area that could be used to install wind turbines or photovoltaic systems that could be used to power, among others, electric vehicle charging stations and road technical infrastructure facilities (travel service areas, tunnel lighting, road signs). There are many examples around the world where such solutions have been used. This critical review of existing solutions and the possibilities of their application in new places may contribute to further development and research in this area. Particular attention was paid to the possibility of using renewable energy systems in Poland, which can be successfully transferred to other countries with a similar climate. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global food waste patterns through unanticipated shifts in composition and quantities. This review explores the impacts of COVID-19 on food waste generation and management approaches in the Near East and North Africa (NENA) region during the recovery phase. This paper comprehensively explores food loss and waste in the NENA region. It presents a detailed analysis of pandemic-induced changes in household food waste behaviors, analyses the integration of circular economy principles in recovery strategies and policy implications, and outlines potential avenues for future research in this critical area. The key findings are threefold: First, this study reaffirms that food waste is a critical challenge in NENA, contributing to food insecurity, water scarcity, and environmental issues. Second, the pandemic catalyzed a dichotomy in consumer behaviors—panic buying initially increased waste, while hardship measures later encouraged sustainable waste reduction practices like meal planning and leftover use. Third, adopting a circular economy approach holds potential, yet its implementation remains limited in terms of curbing food waste and promoting sustainability in NENA. Overall, while the pandemic accentuated the urgency of tackling food waste, it also stimulated innovative policy thinking and strategic planning for building more resilient food systems. This paper concludes that leveraging pandemic-driven sustainability mindsets while addressing systemic drivers of waste will be key to mitigating food waste and its impacts moving forward. This paper offers timely insights into the evolving food waste management landscape in NENA, underscoring the need for integrated policies to navigate post-pandemic recovery effectively. Full article

Low Earth orbit (LEO) satellite networks are characterized by rapid topological changes, numerous network nodes and varying states of node resource constraints, which have resulted in traditional routing algorithms no longer being suitable for LEO satellite network routing. Therefore, this paper proposes an inductive learning architecture based on Graph Sample and Aggregate (GraphSAGE), which can significantly reduce the number of topology nodes to be trained, thereby reducing the computational complexity of the nodes. Then deep reinforcement learning (DRL) is employed for the continuous learning optimization of routing algorithms, and its generalization is improved by selecting GraphSAGE to construct the DRL agent. In the proposed graph neural-network-based routing optimization algorithm for LEO satellite networks, each Deep Q-Network (DQN) agent independently generates the hidden states of the nodes through the GraphSAGE model and uses them as inputs to the DRL model to make routing decisions. After a simulation and comparison, the proposed algorithm not only improves the overall network throughput, but also reduces the average end-to-end delay. The average throughput of the proposed algorithm increases by 29.47% and 18.42% compared to that of Dijkstra and the DQN, respectively. The average end-to-end delay is reduced by 39.76% and 15.29%, respectively, and can also adapt to changing topologies. Full article

In seismic performance assessment, the development of building fragility curves is critical for performance-based engineering. Traditional methods for time history analysis, reliant on detailed ground motion (GM) inputs, often suffer from inefficiency and a lack of automation. This study proposes an accurate fragility assessment methodology, which is assisted by machine learning (ML) and particle swarm optimization (PSO), adept at handling scenarios with both scarce and sufficient fragility data. Under scenarios of scarce data, the integrated algorithms of PSO and ML are utilized, focusing on selecting GMs that may induce maximum inter-story drifts. When the dataset is sufficient, an ML fusion model is utilized to predict engineering demand parameters (EDPs), facilitating the generation of more accurate fragility curves. The effectiveness of this method is demonstrated through a case study on a high-rise reinforced concrete (RC) building, revealing a marked improvement in the precision of GM selection and the estimated range of fragility curves over traditional approaches. The proposed methodology aids in advancing structural optimization and the development of early-warning systems for seismic events, thus holding the potential to enhance current seismic risk mitigation strategies. Full article

Facing the increasingly complex and uncertain external environment, the reasonable control of investment risk is the key to realizing the sound operation and high-quality development of enterprises. Based on the innovation perspective, this paper takes A-share non-financial listed companies from 2007 to 2021 as the research sample to explore the impact of the corporate risk-taking level on the high-quality development of enterprises and examines the transmission mechanism of the relationship between the two from the perspectives of innovation efficiency, innovation input, and innovation output. It is found that enterprise risk-taking significantly inhibits the high-quality development of enterprises, by reducing innovation efficiency; innovation efficiency plays a mediating role in the influence of the relationship between the two, which is mainly due to the fact that enterprise risk-taking increases the innovation inputs of enterprises but reduces the innovation outputs of enterprises, and then reduces the innovation efficiency of enterprises and inhibits the high-quality development of enterprises. This heterogeneity study finds that the inhibitory effect of corporate risk-taking on the high-quality development of firms is more pronounced among manufacturing firms, small-scale firms, and firms with higher capital intensity. The findings of this study provide both guidance to help enterprises to reduce risky investment decision-making behaviors and experience for regulators to effectively promote the formulation of policies related to the high-quality development of the real economy. Full article

This study introduces a novel sensitivity analysis approach to assess the resilience and susceptibility of hydrologic systems to the stresses of climate change, moving away from conventional top-down methodologies. By exploring the hydrological sensitivity of the upper Kızılırmak River basin using the Variable Infiltration Capacity (VIC) hydrologic model, we employed a sensitivity-based approach as an alternative to the traditional Global Climate Model (GCM)-based methods, providing more insightful information for water managers. Considering the consistent projections of increasing temperature over this region in GCMs, the hydrologic system was perturbed to examine gradients of a more challenging climate characterized by warming and drying conditions. The sensitivity of streamflow, snow water equivalent, and evapotranspiration to temperature (T) and precipitation (P) variations under each perturbation or “reference” climate was quantified. Results indicate that streamflow responds to T negatively under all warming scenarios. As the reference climates become drier, streamflow sensitivity to P increases, indicating that meteorological drought impacts on water availability could be exacerbated. These results suggest that there will be heightened difficulty in managing water resources in the region if it undergoes both warming and drying due to the following setbacks: (1) water availability will shift away from the summer season of peak water demand due to the warming effects on the snowpack, (2) annual water availability will likely decrease due to a combination of warming and lower precipitation, and (3) streamflow sensitivity to hydroclimatic variability will increase, meaning that there will be more extreme impacts to water availability. Water managers will need to plan for a larger set of extreme conditions. Full article

Hypertension is a pervasive and widespread health condition that poses a significant risk factor for cardiovascular disease, which includes conditions such as heart attack, stroke, and heart failure. Despite its widespread occurrence, the exact cause of hypertension remains unknown, and the mechanisms underlying the progression from prehypertension to hypertension require further investigation. Recent proteomic studies have shown promising results in uncovering potential biomarkers related to disease development. In this study, serum proteomic data collected from Qatar Biobank were analyzed to identify altered protein expression between individuals with normal blood pressure, prehypertension, and hypertension and to elucidate the biological pathways contributing to this disease. The results revealed a cluster of proteins, including the SRC family, CAMK2B, CAMK2D, TEC, GSK3, VAV, and RAC, which were markedly upregulated in patients with hypertension compared to those with prehypertension (fold change ≥ 1.6 or ≤−1.6, area under the curve ≥ 0.8, and q-value < 0.05). Pathway analysis showed that the majority of these proteins play a role in actin cytoskeleton remodeling. Actin cytoskeleton reorganization affects various biological processes that contribute to the maintenance of blood pressure, including vascular tone, endothelial function, cellular signaling, inflammation, fibrosis, and mechanosensing. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest a potential novel role of actin cytoskeleton-related proteins in the progression from prehypertension to hypertension. The present study sheds light on the underlying pathological mechanisms involved in hypertension and could pave the way for new diagnostic and therapeutic approaches for the treatment of this disease. Full article