Changes in land cover by rapid urbanization have diminished the cooling effect of urban green spaces (UGS), exacerbating the upward trend of land surface temperature (LST). A thorough and precise understanding of the spatio-temporal characteristics of UGS and LST is essential for mitigating localized high temperatures in cities. This study identified the spatio-temporal changes in UGS configuration and LST in Shanghai from 2003 to 2022. The correlation between UGS configuration and LST was explored using spatial autocorrelation analysis and causal inference. The results show that (1) the high-temperature space had grown from 721 km² in 2003 to 3059 km² in 2022; (2) in suburbs, the largest area of UGS tended to decrease, while the number of patches tended to increase, indicating a distinct feature of suburbanization; (3) changes in the largest area of UGS had more significant spatial correlation, indicating that urban sprawl primarily impacts large UGSs; and (4) compared to the number and shape of UGS, changes in the largest area are the key factor influencing regional LST. These findings enrich the knowledge of the spatio−temporal relationship between the UGS configuration and its cooling effect in urbanization, offering valuable insights for building cooler cities. Full article

The deployment of wireless communication networks in the E band (60–90 GHz) requires highly flexible, real-time, and precise tunability to optimize power transmission amidst diffraction, obstacles, and scattering challenges. This paper proposes an innovative reconfigurable metasurface reflect array design capable of achieving a dynamic phase range of 312 degrees with less than 1 dB of loss. The design integrates two types of unit cells and employs piezoelectric crystal as the tuning element. Simulation results illustrate the feasibility of beam focusing and accurate beam steering within a range of ±3 degrees. Furthermore, the proposed reconfigurable metasurface reflector demonstrates an antenna gain comparable to that of a dish antenna with the same aperture size. Full article

The industrialization of Fe-based amorphous alloys with high a saturation magnetic flux density (B_s) has been limited so far due to their inadequate amorphous forming ability (AFA). In this study, the effects of substituting Si with C on the AFA, thermal stability, and magnetic properties of Fe₈₂Si_6−xB₉P₃C_x (x = 0–6) alloys were systematically investigated. The experimental results demonstrate that the AFA, thermal stability, and soft magnetic properties can be significantly enhanced by the addition of C. Specifically, at a copper wheel velocity of 40 m/s, the Fe₈₂Si_6−xB₉P₃C_x (x = 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6) alloy ribbons exhibit a fully amorphous structure in the as-spun state. The activation energy required for the α-Fe phase crystallization process in Fe₈₂Si_6−xB₉P₃C_x (x = 0, 2, 4, and 6) alloys is determined to be 326.74, 390.69, 441.06, and 183.87 kJ/mol, respectively. Among all of the compositions studied, the Fe₈₂Si₄B₉P₃C₂ alloy exhibits optimized soft magnetic properties, including a low coercivity (H_c) of 1.7 A/m, a high effective permeability (μ_e) of 10608 (f = 1 kHz), and a relatively high Bs of 1.61 T. These improvements may be attributed to a more homogeneous and optimized magnetic domain structure being achieved through proper C addition. This work holds significant implications for the advancement of Fe-based soft magnetic amorphous alloys with high B_s. Full article

Differentiation matrices are an important tool in the implementation of the spectral collocation method to solve various types of problems involving differential operators. Fractional differentiation of Jacobi orthogonal polynomials can be expressed explicitly through Jacobi–Jacobi transformations between two indexes. In the current paper, an algorithm is presented to construct a fractional differentiation matrix with a matrix representation for Riemann–Liouville, Caputo and Riesz derivatives, which makes the computation stable and efficient. Applications of the fractional differentiation matrix with the spectral collocation method to various problems, including fractional eigenvalue problems and fractional ordinary and partial differential equations, are presented to show the effectiveness of the presented method. Full article

Consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about synthetic preservatives like nitrites in meat, prompting the meat industry to explore alternatives in order to lower nitrite levels. This study investigated the effects of incorporating hemp flour on the chemical and shelf-life characteristics of minced meat products with reduced nitrite content. Three types of products were prepared: HF0 (control) (0% hemp flour, 30 mg/kg NaNO₂), HF4 (4% hemp flour, 15 mg/kg NaNO₂), and HF6 (6% hemp flour, 15 mg/kg NaNO₂). Analyses were conducted on proximate composition, fatty acid composition, antioxidant properties, lipid oxidation, colour, texture, and sensory characteristics. The addition of hemp flour at 6% reduced moisture content and influenced ash and sodium chloride levels in minced meat products. Despite the favorable fatty acid profile of hemp flour, its inclusion did not significantly alter the composition of the products. However, it did lead to significantly lower levels of lipid oxidation and modified the antioxidant capacity. Colour attributes were affected, with a higher hemp flour content resulting in colour deterioration. Cooking loss increased with a higher hemp flour content, and the minced meat products were significantly harder. Visual and olfactory sensory evaluation indicated that there were no significant differences in most traits, suggesting consumer acceptance of hemp-flour-enriched minced meat products. Overall, this study highlights the potential of hemp as a functional ingredient in minced meat products, also exhibiting the ability to reduce lipid oxidation. Full article

The high standard of communication quality in optical access networks makes forward error correction (FEC) schemes, such as LDPC, an integral part of the system. However, pipeline conflict arising from data dependencies is a common issue encountered in the hardware implementation of layered QC-LDPC decoders. This paper proposes an efficient layered decoding architecture to reduce pipeline conflicts without introducing stall cycles. It can solve some of the pipeline conflicts by flexibly reordering the processing order of inter-layer and intra-layer submatrices offline. In addition, the patch method, based on variable-to-check messages, allows for the delayed use of gains between layer iterations, which can further minimize the performance loss caused by the remaining pipeline conflicts. The experimental results on the LDPC code of the IEEE802.16 standard in the OFDM-PON system demonstrate that the proposed architecture has sensitivity improvements of 0.125 dBm and 0.375 dBm, respectively, compared with our previous work and the method described in the other work. The optimized architecture improves the reliability of the decoder and can also make a contribution to efficient PON systems. Full article

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection has rapidly spread through various routes. A genomic analysis of clinical MRSA samples revealed an unknown protein, Sav2152, predicted to be a haloacid dehalogenase (HAD)-like hydrolase, making it a potential candidate for a novel drug target. In this study, we determined the crystal structure of Sav2152, which consists of a C2-type cap domain and a core domain. The core domain contains four motifs involved in phosphatase activity that depend on the presence of Mg²⁺ ions. Specifically, residues D10, D12, and D233, which closely correspond to key residues in structurally homolog proteins, are responsible for binding to the metal ion and are known to play critical roles in phosphatase activity. Our findings indicate that the Mg²⁺ ion known to stabilize local regions surrounding it, however, paradoxically, destabilizes the local region. Through mutant screening, we identified D10 and D12 as crucial residues for metal binding and maintaining structural stability via various uncharacterized intra-protein interactions, respectively. Substituting D10 with Ala effectively prevents the interaction with Mg²⁺ ions. The mutation of D12 disrupts important structural associations mediated by D12, leading to a decrease in the stability of Sav2152 and an enhancement in binding affinity to Mg²⁺ ions. Additionally, our study revealed that D237 can replace D12 and retain phosphatase activity. In summary, our work uncovers the novel role of metal ions in HAD-like phosphatase activity. Full article

(1) Background: The introduction of novel therapies has led to a considerable evolution in the management of Multiple Myeloma, and chromosomal abnormalities predict the success of treatment. We aimed to characterize cytogenetic abnormalities for risk stratification in the patient population and to evaluate the predictive and prognostic value of the specified abnormalities in distinct treatment modalities. (2) Methods: This study included patients with Multiple Myeloma who applied to the Internal Medicine Clinic of the Cukurova University Faculty of Medicine. Between 2010 and 2023, 98 cases with cytogenetic abnormality data were identified. We analysed the effects of cytogenetic abnormalities on survival and response rates to first chemotherapies. (3) Results: P53 del was the most prevalent abnormality, and t(11;14) was the most common translocation. There was no significant difference in the mean survival and treatment response rates for specific cytogenetic abnormalities. When chemotherapies based on lenalidomide were initiated, patients’ life-death statuses differed significantly from those of treatments without lenalidomide. Regardless of the type of chromosomal aberration, lenalidomide-based treatments independently enhanced average survival 14-fold, while there was no significant difference in overall survival among treatments. (4) Conclusions: In individuals with cytogenetic abnormalities, lenalidomide-based treatments should be started regardless of the chemotherapy to be used for the condition. Full article

The construction sector has been subjected to scrutiny due to its propensity for waste generation and the extensive utilisation of finite natural resources. In response to these concerns, a transition towards a novel conceptual framework known as circular economy (CE) has been advocated. Nevertheless, the integration of CE principles within the construction domain encounters numerous impediments to its advancement. Despite scholarly recognition of these challenges, scant research has been devoted to elucidating the intricacies associated with the planning and execution of large-scale projects, particularly within developing nations such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This paper intends to fill this gap through the identification and ranking of those barriers encountered when trying to implement CE during construction in KSA. To this end, a comprehensive literature review was completed, alongside a survey conducted amongst 239 participants involved in three mega-projects. A statistical analysis of the data collected was carried out based on the one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA). Following this, a relative importance index (RII) was established to rank 24 barriers categorised as major within the sample. The findings revealed the lack of regulation within the construction sector, the lack of education and training, little awareness and guidance on the subject, and the absence of an incentives policy as primary barriers to adopting CE in KSA. The present study endeavours to enhance the comprehension regarding the principles of circular economy (CE) and the attendant challenges encountered during its implementation. The overarching objective is to provide insights that can inform decision-making processes, thereby facilitating the development of robust mitigation strategies and the adoption of best practices. Full article

In the context of sustainable development, revitalising the coal sector is a key challenge. This article examines how five innovative technologies can transform abandoned or in-use coal mines into sustainable energy centres. From solar thermal to compressed air energy storage, these solutions offer a path to a more sustainable future while addressing the decline in coal production. This approach not only promotes energy efficiency but also contributes to the mitigation of environmental impacts, thus consolidating the transition to a more responsible energy model. Thus, in this document, the reader can find the explanation of why we have opted for these technologies and not other existing ones. In addition, the economic, environmental and technical feasibility of the different technologies is analysed. Finally, real cases of the successful application of these technologies will be presented once they have gone beyond the project idea phase, and the reasons why we are calling for their transposition to the coal industry in the search for its revitalisation will be explained. Full article

Fungi are ubiquitous and metabolically versatile. Their dispersion has important scientific, environmental, health, and economic implications. They can be dispersed through the air by the aerosolization of near surfaces or transported from distant sources. Here, we tested the contribution of local (scale of meters) versus regional (kilometers) sources by analyzing an airborne fungal community by ITS sequencing around a copper mine in the North of Chile. The mine was the regional source, whereas the soil and vegetal detritus were the local sources at each point. The airborne community was highly homogeneous at ca. 2000 km², impeding the detection of regional or local contributions. Ascomycota was the dominant phylum in the three communities. Soil and vegetal detritus communities had lower alpha diversity, but some taxa had abundance patterns related to the distance from the mine and altitude. On the contrary, the air was compositionally even and unrelated to environmental or spatial factors, except for altitude. The presence of plant pathogens in the air suggests that other distant sources contribute to this region’s airborne fungal community and reinforces the complexity of tracking the sources of air microbial communities in a real world where several natural and human activities coexist. Full article

Recent studies have highlighted the possibility of using surface electromyographic (EMG) signals to develop human–computer interfaces that are also able to recognize complex motor tasks involving the hand as the handwriting of digits. However, the automatic recognition of words from EMG information has not yet been studied. The aim of this study is to investigate the feasibility of using combined forearm and wrist EMG probes for solving the handwriting recognition problem of 30 words with consolidated machine-learning techniques and aggregating state-of-the-art features extracted in the time and frequency domains. Six healthy subjects, three females and three males aged between 25 and 40 years, were recruited for the study. Two tests in pattern recognition were conducted to assess the possibility of classifying fine hand movements through EMG signals. The first test was designed to assess the feasibility of using consolidated myoelectric control technology with shallow machine-learning methods in the field of handwriting detection. The second test was implemented to assess if specific feature extraction schemes can guarantee high performances with limited complexity of the processing pipeline. Among support vector machine, linear discriminant analysis, and K-nearest neighbours (KNN), the last one showed the best classification performances in the 30-word classification problem, with a mean accuracy of 95% and 85% when using all the features and a specific feature set known as TDAR, respectively. The obtained results confirmed the validity of using combined wrist and forearm EMG data for intelligent handwriting recognition through pattern recognition approaches in real scenarios. Full article

It is crucial to consider structural design issues in Trombe wall (T-wall) buildings to promote more suitable indoor climates and thermal comfort standards. Therefore, the present study examined the impact of two different T-wall designs and six different roof types on the energy and operational efficiency of a building located in a low-temperature and high-humidity winter climate. Ansys-CFX 15.0 software was employed to simulate the thermal and fluid dynamics behavior of the T-wall system, and flow, thermal comfort, energy, and exergy analyses were conducted. Three-dimensional simulation results and the pertinent literature data showed a good level of agreement, and the accuracy of the model was ensured. Outcomes revealed an average air velocity variation of 0.186 m/s and maximum average indoor air temperature variation of 3.3 °C between the six roof geometries. The highest air speed (0.988 m/s) was recorded for the gambrel roof while the lowest one (0.802 m/s) was recorded for the typical flat roof. The shed roof right with a rounded T-wall was more comfortable for standing and sitting activity than the others for the two T-wall shapes, and, at Y = 0.6 m and Y = 1.1 m, the average predicted percentages of dissatisfied (PPD) values were 31 and 28%, respectively. Furthermore, it was determined in the study that solar radiation intensity and T-wall and roof geometries had a significant effect on energy and exergy efficiency, and high energy and exergy efficiencies were achieved at higher solar intensity values. The best energy and exergy efficiencies were obtained for the butterfly and shed roof configurations. This study can serve as a reference for the thermal environment design of buildings with T-walls. Full article

Due to various reasons, such as limitations in data collection and interruptions in network transmission, gathered data often contain missing values. Existing state-of-the-art generative adversarial imputation methods face three main issues: limited applicability, neglect of latent categorical information that could reflect relationships among samples, and an inability to balance local and global information. We propose a novel generative adversarial model named DTAE-CGAN that incorporates detracking autoencoding and conditional labels to address these issues. This enhances the network’s ability to learn inter-sample correlations and makes full use of all data information in incomplete datasets, rather than learning random noise. We conducted experiments on six real datasets of varying sizes, comparing our method with four classic imputation baselines. The results demonstrate that our proposed model consistently exhibited superior imputation accuracy. Full article

Since 2023, a new format of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) has been implemented in Europe. Market forces alone cannot guarantee land services, which can be described as flows of goods and services from ecosystems to human systems as functions of nature. Market forces also cannot ensure food security everywhere and at all times, so deliberate measures should incentivize farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices and maintain necessary skills and resources. This study identifies, quantifies, and interprets four narratives that are typical in the approach to food security and the public debate about the land services in the CAP Strategic Plans: (A) provision of land services within the Pillar 1 economics; (B) small vs. large farms; (C) direct payments in comparison with rural development; and (D) choices by the old and new member states. Participatory processes, descriptive statistics, and partial component analysis were used in terms of the methodology. The key finding is that the importance attached to eco-schemes varies among member states, although a majority dedicate approximately 25% of the Pillar 1 budget to them. We showed that small-scale farming countries move resources from Pillar 2 to strengthen direct payments. In contrast, affluent countries with robust agricultural structures can afford to reinforce Pillar 2 rural development through transfers from direct payments. To support small-scale and medium farms, appropriate support requires a combination of several measures, including the sizable hectare payment in Pillar 1 and farmer-oriented agri-environmental measures. Full article

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of direct restorations using unidirectional glass fiber orientations and a short-fiber-reinforced composite (SFRC) on the fracture resistance of endodontically treated premolars with mesio-occluso-distal cavities. Ninety double-rooted premolars were selected. Fifteen teeth were left intact/as a control group. The endodontic treatment and cavity preparations of seventy-five teeth were performed and divided into five experimental groups: Resin composite (RC), modified transfixed technique + RC, circumferential technique + RC, cavity floor technique + RC, and SFRC + RC. All teeth were fractured under oblique static loading at a 30° angle using a universal testing machine. The fracture patterns were observed and classified. Data were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance, Pearson chi-square, and Tukey HSD post hoc tests (p = 0.05). The highest fracture strength values were obtained in intact teeth (599.336 N), followed by modified transfixed + RC treated teeth (496.58 N), SFRC + RC treated teeth (469.62 N), RC (443.51 N), circumferential + RC treated teeth (442.835 N), and cavity floor + RC treated teeth (404.623 N) (p < 0.05). There was no significant difference between the RC and the circumferential technique + RC (p > 0.05). Unrepairable fractures were observed at low rates (20%) in the modified transfixed + RC and SFRC + RC teeth, and at higher rates in RC (73.3%), cavity floor + RC (60%), and circumferential + RC (80%) teeth. The application of an SFRC or the modified transfixed technique yielded an improved fracture strength and the fracture pattern of ETPs being restored with a universal injectable composite. Full article

Volatility estimation and quantile regression are relevant active research areas in statistics, machine learning and econometrics. In this work, we propose two procedures to estimate the local variances in generic regression problems by using kernel smoothers. The proposed schemes can be applied in multidimensional scenarios (not just for time series analysis) and easily in a multi-output framework as well. Moreover, they enable the possibility of providing uncertainty estimation using a generic kernel smoother technique. Several numerical experiments show the benefits of the proposed methods, even compared with the benchmark techniques. One of these experiments involves a real dataset analysis. Full article

Chronic wounds such as diabetic ulcers are a major complication in diabetes caused by hyperglycemia, prolonged inflammation, high oxidative stress, and bacterial bioburden. Bioactive biopolymers have been found to have a biological response in wound tissue microenvironments and are used for developing advanced tissue engineering strategies to enhance wound healing. These biopolymers possess innate bioactivity and are biodegradable, with favourable mechanical properties. However, their bioactivity is highly dependent on their structural properties, which need to be carefully considered while developing wound healing strategies. Biopolymers such as alginate, chitosan, hyaluronic acid, and collagen have previously been used in wound healing solutions but the modulation of structural/physico-chemical properties for differential bioactivity have not been the prime focus. Factors such as molecular weight, degree of polymerization, amino acid sequences, and hierarchical structures can have a spectrum of immunomodulatory, anti-bacterial, and anti-oxidant properties that could determine the fate of the wound. The current narrative review addresses the structure–function relationship in bioactive biopolymers for promoting healing in chronic wounds with emphasis on diabetic ulcers. This review highlights the need for characterization of the biopolymers under research while designing biomaterials to maximize the inherent bioactive potency for better tissue regeneration outcomes, especially in the context of diabetic ulcers. Full article

In this study, we introduce a stagger-stacked DDR module that comprises one IPD chip (top die) along with four memory chips initially. The steady-state thermal characteristics of this configuration were empirically assessed using a dedicated thermal test vehicle. The purpose of this research is to investigate the module’s junction temperature by adjusting four factors: the thermal conductivity of the molding plastic, chip thickness, chip misalignment length, and the thermal conductivity of the adhesive film. We observed that the junction temperature decreases with an increase in the chip staggered length. An improved orthogonal experimental method was utilized to achieve the optimal design of the module. The optimal junction temperature has decreased by 4.74% compared to the initial value. Additionally, three alternative packaging technologies—cantilever, pyramid, and a combination of cantilever and pyramid—were evaluated for the benchmarking of the thermal performance. Ultimately, the stagger-stacked package demonstrated a reduction in the junction temperature by 3.62%, 7.95%, and 5.63%, respectively, when compared to the three traditional stacked packages. Full article

Two main issues are addressed in this work. The first issue is environmental concerns about managing plastic waste on a large scale by promoting reuse with low energy requirements in the recycling processes. The second issue is the desiccation cracks in fine soils, induced by prolonged droughts, which have motivated the interest in mitigating the adverse effects on the stability of geotechnical works using recycled materials. Therefore, this work addresses a strategy based on the use of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polypropylene (PP) fibers for the reinforcement of soils prone to cracking. To evaluate the effectiveness of plastic fibers in controlling soil volumetric changes and cracking during drying, several experiments were conducted in an environmental chamber to properly simulate and monitor the desiccation process. Image analysis and suction measurements provided several metrics and parameters, and their usefulness is discussed in detail, both for the unconventional determination of the optimum fiber content by weight with 100% effectiveness in preventing cracking and for correlating fiber content with reductions in shrinkage and cracking patterns, thus contributing to the understanding of the behavior of fiber-reinforced soils. Finally, examples of large-scale applications of recycled plastic fibers in geotechnical works are proposed, and the positive environmental impact is estimated. Full article

Ovarian cancer is a highly lethal form of gynecological cancer. This disease often goes undetected until advanced stages, resulting in high morbidity and mortality rates. Unfortunately, many patients experience relapse and succumb to the disease due to the emergence of drug resistance that significantly limits the effectiveness of currently available oncological treatments. Here, we discuss the molecular mechanisms responsible for resistance to carboplatin, paclitaxel, polyadenosine diphosphate ribose polymerase inhibitors, and bevacizumab in ovarian cancer. We present a detailed analysis of the most extensively investigated resistance mechanisms, including drug inactivation, drug target alterations, enhanced drug efflux pumps, increased DNA damage repair capacity, and reduced drug absorption/accumulation. The in-depth understanding of the molecular mechanisms associated with drug resistance is crucial to unveil new biomarkers capable of predicting and monitoring the kinetics during disease progression and discovering new therapeutic targets. Full article

A novel patch phased array antenna with improved scanning performance is presented in this paper. The active element pattern is changed as desired through a modified SIW cavity, resulting in an extension of the phased array’s 3 dB scanning range. Furthermore, sequential rotation is used to reduce the cross-polarization level of the array, which also improves the scanning gain at ±45°. Without altering the element size or profile, the array has the merits of low cost, low complexity, and a simple feed structure. The presented phased array antenna (PAA) exhibits a gain fluctuation of less than 2.2 dB when steering to 45°. Furthermore, the cross-polarization levels are below −68.1 dB when scanning to 45° in a E-/H-plane over the whole working band. To validate the proposed design, a prototype of a 24 × 16 active PAA is designed, fabricated, and measured. A good agreement between the simulated and measured results is achieved, Thus, this paper offers a viable solution to enhance the scanning performance of a PAA with fixed interelement spacing. Full article