bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interaction of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium Fertilisation and Precipitation on the Nitrogen Use Efficiency of Rainfed Grass
Authors: Ragályi Péter , Szabó Anita , Csathó Péter , Rékási Márk , Csontos Péter
Published: February 2025

Nitrogen (N) fertilisers should be utilised as efficiently as possible. In addition to N fertiliser doses, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) is influenced by other factors. The effects of four different N, phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) supply levels (0–3) and rainfall periods (dry, normal, wet) were investigated on NUE indices in six selected years of a field experiment. Generally, rainfall and N had the strongest effects. N × rainfall supply interaction increased biomass production from 0.915 t ha−1 (N0, dry) to 10.4 t ha−1 (N3, wet). The N balance varied between −47.3 kg ha−1 (N0, wet) and 218 kg ha−1 (N3, dry). The N uptake per unit N of fertiliser (FNRE) was mainly determined by the P × rainfall interaction, varying between 26.13% (P0, dry) and 83.73% (P3, wet). Both the biomass increment per unit N of fertiliser (agronomic efficiency—AE) and the biomass production per unit N uptake (internal efficiency—IE) were mainly influenced by the N × rainfall interaction, with AE decreasing from 43.7 kg kg−1 (N1, wet) to 10.6 kg kg−1 (N3, dry) and IE from 114 kg kg−1 (N0, normal) to 45.9 kg kg−1 (N3, wet). Both P and, to a lesser extent, K had a significant positive effect on these indices. The N dose of 200 kg ha−1 year−1, the P2O5 supply of 153 mg kg−1, and the K2O supply of 279 mg kg−1 proved to be optimal in terms of NUE indices.
Paliperidone-Induced Massive Asymptomatic Creatine Kinase Elevation in Youth: From a Case Report to Literature Review
Authors: Grandioso Aurora , Tirelli Paola , Forcina Gianmario , Frattolillo Vittoria , De Biasio Delia , Cesaro Francesco Giustino , Marzuillo Pierluigi , Miraglia del Giudice Emanuele , Di Sessa Anna
Published: February 2025

Background/Objectives: Unlike rhabdomyolysis and neuroleptic malignant syndrome (NMS), massive asymptomatic creatine kinase elevation (MACKE) represents a condition commonly detected during routine screening in patients receiving antipsychotic drugs. In particular, current evidence indicates a greater incidence of this condition in patients without signs of NMS, rhabdomyolysis, or other causes of CK increase during exposure to second-generation antipsychotics (SGAs) than first-generation antipsychotics (FGAs) with a variable onset and duration. Although its pathophysiology is still not fully elucidated, MACKE has usually been recognized as a self-limiting condition, but drug discontinuation might also be required to successfully revert it. Overall, knowledge in this field is mainly extrapolated from adult data, while similar evidence in youths is still limited. As clinicians might often deal with MACKE, its understanding needs to be expanded to avoid misdiagnosis, potentially leading to wasteful healthcare spending and unfavorable patient outcomes. Methods: By reporting the first case of MACKE in an adolescent receiving an SGA, namely paliperidone, we also aimed to provide a comprehensive overview of this medical condition. Conclusions: Making a MACKE diagnosis is essential since its relevant clinical and economic implications are mainly related to unnecessary closer laboratory monitoring or therapeutic changes (e.g., drug discontinuation or switch to another medication).
Discovery of Biofilm-Inhibiting Compounds to Enhance Antibiotic Effectiveness Against M. abscessus Infections
Authors: Dzalamidze Elizaveta , Gorzynski Mylene , Vande Voorde Rebecca , Nelson Dylan , Danelishvili Lia
Published: February 2025

Background/Objectives: Mycobacterium abscessus (MAB) is a highly resilient pathogen that causes difficult-to-treat pulmonary infections, particularly in individuals with cystic fibrosis (CF) and other underlying conditions. Its ability to form robust biofilms within the CF lung environment is a major factor contributing to its resistance to antibiotics and evasion of the host immune response, making conventional treatments largely ineffective. These biofilms, encased in an extracellular matrix, enhance drug tolerance and facilitate metabolic adaptations in hypoxic conditions, driving the bacteria into a persistent, non-replicative state that further exacerbates antimicrobial resistance. Treatment options remain limited, with multidrug regimens showing low success rates, highlighting the urgent need for more effective therapeutic strategies. Methods: In this study, we employed artificial sputum media to simulate the CF lung environment and conducted high-throughput screening of 24,000 compounds from diverse chemical libraries to identify inhibitors of MAB biofilm formation, using the Crystal Violet (CV) assay. Results: The screen established 17 hits with ≥30% biofilm inhibitory activity in mycobacteria. Six of these compounds inhibited MAB biofilm formation by over 60%, disrupted established biofilms by ≥40%, and significantly impaired bacterial viability within the biofilms, as confirmed by reduced CFU counts. In conformational assays, select compounds showed potent inhibitory activity in biofilms formed by clinical isolates of both MAB and Mycobacterium avium subsp. hominissuis (MAH). Key compounds, including ethacridine, phenothiazine, and fluorene derivatives, demonstrated potent activity against pre- and post-biofilm conditions, enhanced antibiotic efficacy, and reduced intracellular bacterial loads in macrophages. Conclusions: This study results underscore the potential of these compounds to target biofilm-associated resistance mechanisms, making them valuable candidates for use as adjuncts to existing therapies. These findings also emphasize the need for further investigations, including the initiation of a medicinal chemistry campaign to leverage structure–activity relationship studies and optimize the biological activity of these underexplored class of compounds against nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) strains.
An Integration of RNA Sequencing and Network Pharmacology Approaches Predicts the Molecular Mechanisms of the Huo-Xue-Shen Formula in the Treatment of Liver Fibrosis
Authors: Jiang Keying , Bao Jianfeng , Lou Zhonghan , Liu Fei , Xu Keyang , Kwan Hiu Yee
Published: February 2025

Background: Liver fibrosis is a prevalent, chronic inflammatory condition characterized by the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix components and, primarily, collagen in the liver. Huo-xue-shen (HXS) has proven effective for the treatment of liver fibrosis. However, the mechanism is yet to be deciphered. Methods: Network pharmacology, machine learning algorithms and RNA-seq were used to predict the immune-treated targets and mechanisms associated with HXS in liver fibrosis. Molecular docking was employed to screen for effective agents based on the drug–compound–hub gene network in HXS, aiming to identify the most critical bioactive compound in HXS for the treatment of liver fibrosis. Results: A total of 100 immune-treated targets (ITTs) of HXS were found to significantly regulate the PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and the MAPK signaling pathway. Among these, CDKN1A, NR1I3, and TUBB1, which can concurrently interact with quercetin, were associated with the prognosis of liver fibrosis, indicating that HXS may inhibit or reverse HSC activation primarily by suppressing neutrophil extracellular trap formation, stimulating oxidative phosphorylation and promoting thyroid hormone synthesis in the regulation of the liver microenvironment. Conclusions: Our study suggests that HXS may delay the progression of liver fibrosis by targeting multiple pathways, as shown by the network pharmacology and transcriptome profiling used to examine the liver immune environment. Quercetin, its key ingredient, likely plays an important role by mediating the CDKN1A, NR1I3, and TUBB1 signaling pathways. Overall, our findings provide a new perspective on the potential biological mechanisms of this traditional Chinese medicine formula.
Germanium Metasurface for the Polarization-Sensitive Stokes Thermal Imaging at a MWIR 4-Micron Wavelength
Authors: Sultana Hosna
Published: February 2025

The mid-wave infrared (MWIR) spectral range can provide a larger bandwidth for optical sensing and communication when the near-infrared band becomes congested. This range of thermal signatures can provide more information for digital imaging and object recognition, which can be unraveled from polarization-sensitive detection by integrating the metasurface of the subwavelength-scale structured interface to control light–matter interactions. To enforce the metasurface-enabled simultaneous detection and parallel analysis of polarization states in a compact footprint for 4-micron wavelength, we designed a high-contrast germanium metasurface with an axially asymmetric triangular nanoantenna with a height 0.525 times the working wavelength. First, we optimized linear polarization separation of a 52-degree angle with about 50% transmission efficiency, holding the meta-element aspect ratio within the 3.5–1.67 range. The transmission modulation in terms of periodicity and lattice resonance for the phase-gradient high-contrast dielectric metasurface in correlation with the scattering cross-section for both 1D and 2D cases has been discussed for reducing the aspect ratio to overcome the nanofabrication challenge. Furthermore, by employing the geometric phase, we achieved 40% and 60% transmission contrasts for the linear and circular polarization states, respectively, and reconstructed the Stokes vectors and output polarization states. Without any spatial multiplexing, this single metasurface unit cell can perform well in the division of focal plane Stokes thermal imaging, with an almost 10-degree field of view, and it has an excellent refractive index and height tolerance for nanofabrication.
Identifications of Genes Involved in ABA and MAPK Signaling Pathways Positively Regulating Cold Tolerance in Rice
Authors: Ding Guohua , Li Zhugang , Iqbal Zubair , Zhao Minghui , Cui Zhibo , Cao Liangzi , Zhou Jinsong , Lei Lei , Luo Yu , Bai Liangming , Yang Guang , Wang Rongsheng , Li Kun , Wang Xueyang , Liu Kai , Qu Mingnan , Sun Shichen
Published: February 2025

Cold stress (CS) significantly impacts rice (Oryza sativa L.) growth during seedling and heading stages. Based on two-year field observations, this study identified two rice lines, L9 (cold stress-sensitive) and LD18 (cold stress-tolerant), showing contrasting CS responses. L9 exhibited a 38% reduction in photosynthetic efficiency, whereas LD18 remained unchanged, correlating with seed rates. Transcriptome analysis identified differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with LD18 showing enriched pathways (carbon fixation, starch/sucrose metabolism, and glutathione metabolism). LD18 displayed dramatically enhanced expression of MAPK-related genes (LOC4342017, LOC9267741, and LOC4342267) and increased ABA signaling genes (LOC4333690, LOC4345611, and LOC4335640) compared with L9 exposed to CS. Results from qPCR confirmed the enhanced expression of the three MAPK-related genes in LD18 with a dramatic reduction in L9 under CS relative to that under CK. We also observed up to 66% reduction in expression levels of the three genes related to the ABA signaling pathway in L9 relative to LD18 under CS. Consistent with the results of photosynthetic efficiency, metabolic analysis suggests pyruvate metabolism, TCA cycle, and carbon metabolism enrichment in LD18 under CS. The study reveals reprogramming of the carbon assimilation metabolic pathways, emphasizing the critical roles of the key DEGs involved in ABA and MAPK signaling pathways in positive regulation of LD18 response to CS, offering the foundation toward cold tolerance breeding through targeted gene editing.
Predicting and Understanding Emergency Shutdown Durations Level of Pipeline Incidents Using Machine Learning Models and Explainable AI
Authors: Asaye Lemlem , Le Chau , Huang Ying , Le Trung Q. , Yadav Om Prakash , Le Tuyen
Published: February 2025

Pipeline incidents pose significant concerns due to their potential environmental, economic, and safety risks, emphasizing the critical need to understand and manage this vital infrastructure. While existing studies predominantly focus on the causes of pipeline incidents and failures, few have investigated the consequences, such as shutdown duration, and most lack comprehensive models capable of accurately predicting and providing actionable insights into the risk factors. This study bridges this gap by employing machine learning (ML) techniques, including Random Forest and Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM), for classifying pipeline incidents’ emergency shutdown duration levels. These techniques are specifically designed to capture complex, nonlinear patterns and interdependencies within the data, addressing the limitations of traditional linear approaches. The proposed model has further enhanced with Explainable AI (XAI) techniques, such as Shapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) values, to improve interpretability and provide insights into the factors influencing shutdown durations. Historical incident data, collected from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) from 2010 to 2022, were utilized to examine the risk factors. K-Fold Cross-Validation with 5 folds was employed to ensure the model’s robustness. The results demonstrate that the LightGBM model achieved the highest accuracy of 75.0%, closely followed by Random Forest at 74.8%. The integration of XAI techniques provides actionable insights into key factors such as pipeline material, age, installation layout, and commodity type, which significantly influence shutdown durations. These findings underscore the practical implications of the proposed approach, enabling pipeline operators, emergency responders, and regulatory authorities to make informed decisions that optimize resource allocation and mitigate risks effectively.
Introduction to the Special Issue “Religious Experience and Metaphysics”: A Brief Overview of Husserl’s Concept of Metaphysics
Authors: Louchakova-Schwartz Olga
Published: February 2025

Over the past decade, the recognition of connections between phenomenology and metaphysics has transformed our understanding of phenomenology quite significantly [...]
The Conflicts and Compromises of the Two Cosmologies Making Korean Shamanism
Authors: Kim Dongkyu
Published: February 2025

This article explores how the unique cosmology of Korean shamanism, which continues to function as a living religion in contemporary Korea, has been shaped. A key characteristic of the cosmology in Korean shamanism is its combination of two cosmological beliefs. First, it adheres to the general shamanistic cosmology of protection, where suffering caused by supernatural beings can be overcome through the protection of even more powerful beings, who also assist in predicting the future. Second, it incorporates the belief that human life and the universe operate according to specific cosmological principles. The coexistence of these two distinct cosmologies which form an explanatory system of modern Korean shamanism reflects the historical experiences of Koreans with Confucianism during the Joseon dynasty and with Western modernity. In this paper, I analyze the dynamics of conflict and compromise between the two cosmologies through a historical approach and case studies. Specifically, I examine the use of the terms ‘unse (wheel of fortune)’ and ‘spirit’s intervention’ as conceptual metaphors representing each cosmology, as they are employed in interactions between shamans and their clients. Furthermore, I maintain that contemporary Korean shamanism is a form of religious practice constructed as a compromise between various worldviews, including those of shamans and their clients.
Integrating Diurnal Physiological and Structural Variations in SIF for Enhanced Daily Drought Detection in Maize
Authors: Wang Jin , Liu Zhigang , Jiang Hao , Yang Peiqi , Xu Shan , Guo Tingrui , Zhang Runfei , Han Dalei , Zhao Huarong
Published: February 2025

Daily water stress reflects the water stress status of crops on a specific day, which is crucial for studying drought progression and guiding precision irrigation. However, accurately monitoring the daily water stress remains challenging, particularly when eliminating the impact of historical stress and normal growth. Recent studies have demonstrated that the diurnal characteristics of the crop canopy obtained via remote sensing techniques can be used to assess daily water stress levels effectively. Remote sensing observations, such as the solar-induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) and reflectance, offer information on the crop canopy structure, physiology, or their combination. However, the sensitivity of different structural, physiological, or combined remote sensing variables to the daily water stress remains unclear. We investigated this issue via continuous measurements of the active fluorescence, leaf rolling, and canopy spectra of maize under different irrigation conditions. The results indicated that with increasing water stress, vegetation exhibited significant coordinated diurnal variations in both structure and physiology. The influence of water stress was minimal in the morning but peaked at noon. The morning-to-noon ratio (NMR) of the apparent SIF yield (SIFy), in which only the effect of the photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) is eliminated and in which both structural and physiological information is incorporated, exhibited the highest sensitivity to water stress variations. This NMR of the SIFy was followed by the NMR of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and the NMR of the canopy fluorescence emission efficiency (ΦFcanopy) obtained via the fluorescence correction vegetation index (FCVI) method, which primarily reflect structural and physiological information, respectively. This study highlights the advantages of utilizing diurnal vegetation structural and physiological variations for monitoring daily water stress levels.
The Influence of Reservoirs on Landslide Erosion
Authors: Tang Fengjiao , Qi Shengwen , Guo Songfeng , Li Yongchao , Guo Xinyi , Lu Xiao , Zou Yu , Wang Xueliang , Hu Xie , Ma Lina , Zheng Bowen , Wang Zan
Published: February 2025

The evolution of the landslide erosion of bank slopes in reservoir regions is crucial for disaster prevention and mitigation in hydropower projects, and it is also an important topic to investigate the impact of anthropogenic activities on the environment. A dispute exists on the landslide erosion of bank slopes under reservoir impoundment. In this paper, we chose the Xiluodu reservoir as a typical case for analysis. The reservoir is located on the eastern Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and ranks as the fourth largest hydropower station in the world. Firstly, we identified landslides using the multi-temporal image interpretation method before and after impoundment in the reservoir area, and established a landslide dataset. On this basis, we analyzed the spatiotemporal distribution of these landslides, and derived the landslide erosion rate based on the quantitative relation between landslide volume and area. The results showed that the landslide erosion rate increased sharply during the initial impoundment period and decreased exponentially. We then analyzed reservoir-induced landslides worldwide and found that most reservoir bank slopes tend to stabilize after about five years of impoundment, eventually even becoming more stable than pre-impoundment, regardless of the location, scale, water fluctuations, and geoenvironment. Thus, in the long term, reservoir construction tends to reduce erosion and contribute to bank stability. This study provides a preliminary answer to the controversial issue of the impact of reservoir construction on the natural environment.
Helicopter Turboshaft Engines’ Neural Network System for Monitoring Sensor Failures
Authors: Vladov Serhii , Ścisło Łukasz , Szczepanik-Ścisło Nina , Sachenko Anatoliy , Perzyński Tomasz , Vasylenko Viktor , Vysotska Victoria
Published: February 2025

An effective neural network system for monitoring sensors in helicopter turboshaft engines has been developed based on a hybrid architecture combining LSTM and GRU. This system enables sequential data processing while ensuring high accuracy in anomaly detection. Using recurrent layers (LSTM/GRU) is critical for dependencies among data time series analysis and identification, facilitating key information retention from previous states. Modules such as SensorFailClean and SensorFailNorm implement adaptive discretization and quantisation techniques, enhancing the data input quality and contributing to more accurate predictions. The developed system demonstrated anomaly detection accuracy at 99.327% after 200 training epochs, with a reduction in loss from 2.5 to 0.5%, indicating stability in anomaly processing. A training algorithm incorporating temporal regularization and a combined optimization method (SGD with RMSProp) accelerated neural network convergence, reducing the training time to 4 min and 13 s while achieving an accuracy of 0.993. Comparisons with alternative methods indicate superior performance for the proposed approach across key metrics, including accuracy at 0.993 compared to 0.981 and 0.982. Computational experiments confirmed the presence of the highly correlated sensor and demonstrated the method’s effectiveness in fault detection, highlighting the system’s capability to minimize omissions.
MTL-DoHTA: Multi-Task Learning-Based DNS over HTTPS Traffic Analysis for Enhanced Network Security
Authors: Jung Woong Kyo , Kwak Byung Il
Published: February 2025

The adoption of DNS over HTTPS (DoH) has significantly enhanced user privacy and security by encrypting DNS queries. However, it also presents new challenges for detecting malicious activities, such as DNS tunneling, within encrypted traffic. In this study, we propose MTL-DoHTA, a multi-task learning-based framework designed to analyze DoH traffic and classify it into three tasks: (1) DoH vs. non-DoH traffic, (2) benign vs. malicious DoH traffic, and (3) the identification of DNS tunneling tools (e.g., dns2tcp, dnscat2, iodine). Leveraging statistical features derived from network traffic and a 2D-CNN architecture enhanced with GradNorm and attention mechanisms, MTL-DoHTA achieves a macro-averaging F1-score of 0.9905 on the CIRA-CIC-DoHBrw-2020 dataset. Furthermore, the model effectively handles class imbalance and mitigates overfitting using downsampling techniques while maintaining high classification performance. The proposed framework can serve as a reliable tool for monitoring and securing sensor-based network systems against sophisticated threats, while also demonstrating its potential to enhance multi-tasking capabilities in resource-constrained sensor environments.
Reasons for the Practice, Abandonment, and Non-Practice of Extracurricular Physical Activity and Sport Among Primary and Secondary School Students in Cantabria: What Can We Do About It?
Authors: Barcala-Furelos Martín , González-Gutiérrez Iván , Rodríguez-Negro Josune , Mecías-Calvo Marcos , Navarro-Patón Rubén
Published: February 2025

(1) Background: Physical education at school is not able to meet the need for physical activity and sport (PA and S) established by international organizations, making it necessary to implement its practice outside school hours. This study aimed to find out the reasons for practicing, abandoning, and never having practiced PA and S outside school hours among students of Primary Education (PE) and Secondary Education (SE) in Cantabria (Spain). (2) Overall, 1038 students participated (349 from PE and 689 from SE), consisting of 512 boys and 526 girls between 10 and 17 years old (M = 12.92; SD = 1.92). They completed an ad hoc questionnaire with 21 questions about reasons for practicing (12 items), abandoning (3 items), and never having practiced PA and S (6 items) between the months of May and June 2024. (3) Results: As for active students, boys argue that they do so because of the influence of friends (p = 0.024), search for excitement (p = 0.002), liking PA and S (p = 0.022), and entertainment (p = 0.001). In PE, compared to SE, the most important factors are excitement (p < 0.001), health (p = 0.005), and liking PA and S (p = 0.022). Students who abandon PA and S do so because of the competitive environment (p = 0.001), with boys predominating. SE students highlight reluctance and laziness (p < 0.001) and the loss of liking PA and S (p = 0.013). Students who have never practiced PA and S do so because they do not find any sport motivating (p = 0.047) and because of reluctance and laziness (p = 0.018), especially among girls. In SE, the differences appear due to reluctance and laziness (p = 0.009) and because friends do not practice PA and S (p = 0.049). (4) Conclusions: Boys prioritize emotional and competency aspects, while girls focus on social aspects and happiness. PE students tend to participate in sports for fun and to improve their skills, while SE students tend to show reluctance and laziness and a loss of interest in PA and S.
Mechanical Properties of Sustainable Foam Lightweight Soil at Varying Curing Temperatures and Its Early-Stage Quality Control
Authors: Zhu Jie , Zhang Zhihua , Zhang Rongjun , Yin Chen , Liu Dongrui , Zhang Bailing
Published: February 2025

Sustainable foam lightweight soil (FLS) with the introduction of solid waste-based binders and dredged mud has shown high engineering and environmental value in expressway reconstruction and extension projects. Accelerated testing through high-temperature curing is considered a crucial method for early-stage assessment of sustainable FLS construction quality. This study aims to explore the curing temperature effect on the strength development of the FLS with different mix proportions and the applicability of accelerated curing method. Strength tests were first conducted on kaolin clay-based FLS with three wet densities and three water contents under different curing temperatures (T), and the strength of the dredged mud-based FLS was also tested to broaden the applicability. Results indicate that higher T and increased wet density significantly enhance the strength of clay-based FLS at any curing age, while higher water content reduces it. The wet density and water content of the proposed FLS recommended in this study considering the strength and lightweight requirements are 800 kg/m3 and 100%, respectively. Moreover, the effectiveness of the accelerated aging method for clay-based FLS is demonstrated by the fact that no dramatic strength loss occurs due to foam expansion and collapse at elevated T of up to 50 °C. On this basis, a strength prediction model based on the concept of activation energy is proposed for both kaolin clay-based and dredged mud-based FLS considering the temperature effect. Changes in wet density have a minimal impact on model parameters, but variations in soil type and water content require updating these parameters to ensure prediction accuracy. Finally, an early quality control method is introduced for applying the sustainable FLS in field projects.
A Review of Distributed Energy Systems: Technologies, Classification, and Applications
Authors: Cheng Qun , Zhang Zhaonan , Wang Yanwei , Zhang Lidong
Published: February 2025

Climate change is worsening across the region, exacerbating the energy crisis, while traditional centralized energy systems struggle to meet people’s needs. Globally, countries are actively responding to this dual challenge of climate change and energy demand. In September 2020, China introduced a dual carbon target of “Carbon peak and carbon neutrality”. Since then, it has consistently encouraged and supported innovative research on carbon reduction and energy conservation through its resource policies. Distributed energy systems (DESs) are gaining favor in various countries due to their promising applications in energy and environmental realms, particularly in light of current imperatives for energy conservation, emission reduction, and relevant policies. This paper provides a retrospective analysis of recent research and applications of DESs, conducts a systematic classification and statistical overview of DES implementations, and offers insightful recommendations and future prospects for the advancement of DESs.
The Use of Indicators in the Regulation of Municipal Solid Waste Management: A Bibliometric Analysis (2004–2024)
Authors: Andrade Marcello Ádamis , Braga Risete Maria Queiroz Leão , Tavares Antônio de Noronha , Marques Rui Cunha
Published: February 2025

The regulation of urban solid waste management services has become increasingly complex, requiring effective performance indicators for monitoring and evaluation. This study conducted a bibliometric analysis to understand how indicators are being used in solid waste management regulation worldwide. This research employed the Web of Science database to analyze scientific production from 2004 to 2024, using Biblioshiny 4.1 software for data processing and analysis. From 779 initially identified documents, 38 studies were selected and thoroughly analyzed. The results revealed a concentration of scientific production in European countries, with Portugal leading (20 publications), followed by Italy (12) and the Netherlands (7). The analysis identified 99 authors with an average of 3.26 co-authors per document and a 26.32% international co-authorship rate. The articles averaged 23.4 citations, indicating a significant academic impact. A keyword analysis revealed 132 terms, with “regulation”, “waste management”, and “efficiency” being the most prominent. The bibliographic coupling analysis demonstrated strong connections between regulation and efficiency, particularly in Portugal’s sunshine regulation model through ERSAR. This study highlights the need for standardized performance indicators in regulatory frameworks and suggests opportunities for increased international collaboration in developing effective monitoring systems for solid waste management services.
Integrating Expert Assessments and Spectral Methods to Evaluate Visual Attractiveness and Ecosystem Services of Urban Informal Green Spaces in the Context of Climate Adaptation
Authors: Kamiński Jan , Głowienka Ewa , Soszyński Dawid , Trzaskowska Ewa , Stuczyński Tomasz , Siebielec Grzegorz , Poręba Ludwika
Published: February 2025

This study aimed to develop criteria for the expert assessment of the visual attractiveness of informal urban green spaces and compare these results with indicators derived from spectral indices and geospatial data. The research was conducted in Lublin, Poland, a medium-sized European city. The expert assessment evaluated the overall attractiveness, naturalness, landscape contrast, and uniqueness. The results were juxtaposed with spectral indices, such as the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Leaf Area Index (LAI), and land surface temperature, which were calculated for the target areas and a 300 m buffer surrounding them. The analyses revealed strong correlations between the expert ratings and spectral indices. For example, overall attractiveness was linked to lower temperatures, while landscape contrast exhibited a relationship with temperature differentials. Moreover, areas with greater landscape contrast showed larger index differences between the site and the buffer. Positive correlations were also observed between attractiveness and land slope. Importantly, the spectral indices highlighted the ecological value of some sites that received lower expert assessments, such as areas dominated by shrubs and bushes. This research introduces the concept of ‘enchanted natural places’ (ENPs) as a framework for identifying and formalizing the protection of visually and ecologically valuable, informal green spaces. The integration of expert evaluations with spectral data provides a novel, robust methodology for assessing urban green spaces, bridging subjective perceptions and objective environmental indicators. This approach underscores the importance of informal green spaces not only for aesthetic and ecological benefits but also for supporting biodiversity and mitigating urban heat islands, contributing to urban resilience in the face of climate change.
Systematic Selection of Waste from Run-of-Mine Coal Processing as Sustainable Raw Materials for Organo-Mineral Fertilizer Production
Authors: Olivo Eduarda Fraga , Acordi Juliana , Faraco Morgana Nuernberg Sartor , Simão Lisandro , Ribeiro Manuel Joaquim , Fernandes Élia Maria Raposo , Zocche Jairo José , Raupp-Pereira Fabiano
Published: February 2025

The main focus of this study, from a sustainable perspective, was to develop mineral circularity actions for the minimization of environmental impacts, generated over decades by the processing of run-of-mine (ROM) coal in the Catarinense coal basin–Brazil (CCB–Br), from the use of potential residual fractions (candidate residues) as raw materials for the production of organo-mineral fertilizers, or OMFs (candidate products). Therefore, the objective was to assess the potential of the residual fractions, generated in the distinct phases of ROM coal processing, as candidate waste for valorization, contributing directly to the advancement of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The samples from ROM processing resulted in 24 waste fractions identified by geological characteristics and a sustainable processing methodology. These fractions were subjected to a systematic analysis using the criteria for waste valorization CPQvA (classification (C) of hazardousness, potentiality (P), quantities/viability (Qv), and applicability (A)). Two samples were identified with significant potential for valorization in the agro-industry as sustainable raw materials for the organo-mineral fertilizers. Both samples exhibited neutral stock pH values (7.0 and 7.1), low percentage Fe2O3 content (4.2% and 3.2%), low SO3 content (0.5% and 1.2%), and low total sulfur content (1.0%). These characteristics qualified the studied ROM samples as raw materials suitable for the production of organo-mineral fertilizers (OMFs), and which comply with Brazilian legislation.
Optimization of Carbon Emission Reduction Path in the Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei Region Based on System Dynamics
Authors: Zhu Xuelian , Che Jianan , Niu Xiaogeng , Cao Nannan , Zhang Guofeng
Published: February 2025

The Beijing–Tianjin–Hebei (BTH) region serves as a pivotal engine for China’s economic development and a gathering area for energy consumption and carbon emissions. Its early achievement of carbon peak is of great significance for promoting high-quality development and regional coordinated development. This study constructs a system dynamics model encompassing four primary subsystems, economy, energy, population, and environment, based on an in-depth analysis of the current situation and main characteristics of carbon emissions in the BTH region from 2010 to 2022. We explored the carbon emission reduction effects under different scenarios by simulating a baseline scenario, an industrial structure optimization scenario, an energy structure optimization scenario, an environmental protection scenario, and a coordinated development scenario. The results indicate the following: (1) From 2020 to 2030, carbon emissions from energy consumption in the BTH region is predicted to exhibit a fluctuating downward trend under all five scenarios, with the most rapid decline observed under the coordinated development scenario. (2) Under the single-variable regulation, Beijing achieves the best carbon emission reduction effect under the environmental protection scenario, while Tianjin and Hebei exhibit superior performance under the energy structure optimization scenario. (3) All three regions demonstrate optimal emission reductions under the coordinated development scenario. Finally, this study discusses the carbon emission reduction paths for Beijing, Tianjin, and Hebei, and provides targeted suggestions for their implementation.
Energy Consumption and Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Emissions in Urban Wastewater Treatment Facilities: A Case Study of Seoul Metropolitan City (SMC)
Authors: Li Li , Lee Gyumin , Kang Doosun
Published: February 2025

Substantial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) increase the global warming potential, underscoring the importance of addressing their role in GHG mitigation. This study proposes a strategy development approach that analyzes unit-process-based energy consumption, direct and indirect GHG emissions, and scenario impacts to create integrated water–energy–GHG solutions. The analysis of four WWTPs in Seoul Metropolitan City (SMC) identified aeration as the most energy-intensive process, consuming over 40% of the total energy. In addition, substantial GHG emissions were observed, with total indirect emissions surpassing direct emissions. To address these challenges, five future scenarios targeting 2050 were developed and analyzed: (1) replacing aeration diffusers, (2) reducing wastewater production, (3) adjusting treatment levels, (4) increasing renewable energy production, and (5) integrating all measures. Scenario 1 proved most effective in reducing energy and GHG emission intensity, Scenario 4 achieved high energy self-sufficiency, and Scenario 5 enabled some plants to achieve net-zero energy and carbon conditions. The approach proposed in this study provides actionable insights to support carbon neutrality through targeted water–energy–GHG strategies.
Caracterización del aceite esencial de semillas de Schinus molle L. para aplicaciones agroindustriales
Authors: Curasma Castellanos Leyla Sofia , Oré Areche Franklin , Ticsihua Huaman Jovencio , Atao Surichaqui Elisa Raquel , Malpartida Yapias Rafael Julian
Published: February 2025

Los aceites vegetales son esenciales para la salud, la industria alimentaria y la sostenibilidad ambiental. El propósito de la presente investigación fue caracterizar el aceite extraído de las semillas de Schinus molle L., evaluando sus posibles aplicaciones en la agroindustria. La investigación se desarrolló en Huancavelica, Perú, con un diseño cuantitativo y descriptivo. Los resultados indican que la extracción del aceite es más eficiente a temperaturas moderadas, 100°C y 150°C, logrando un rendimiento del 35,25%, mientras que a temperaturas de 200°C se reduce al 9,47%, afectando negativamente la calidad del aceite. Los parámetros fisicoquímicos mostraron una baja humedad, 0,03%-0,04%; un índice de acidez aceptable, 5,61-5,68 mg KOH/) y un índice de peróxido dentro del rango seguro para aceites comestibles, aunque con riesgo de oxidación. Se concluye que la extracción a temperaturas moderadas maximiza el rendimiento y calidad del aceite, recomendándose mantener condiciones entre 100°C y 150°C.
Detección de microplásticos en tres especies de bivalvos provenientes de la provincia de Esmeraldas- Ecuador
Authors: Guamán Jeniffer Tatiana Rodríguez , Arteaga Susana Anabel Villavicencio , Rea Max Alexander Bonilla
Published: February 2025

La contaminación de los ecosistemas acuáticos a causa de la presencia creciente de plásticos ha recibido en los últimos años una importante atención en todo el mundo. En este contexto se determinó la presencia de microplásticos en A. tuberosa, A. similis y L. sp. provenientes de la provincia de Esmeraldas. Para la extracción de los microplásticos se realizó digestión alcalina y ácida del tejido blando de los tres especímenes, la observación de las propiedades físicas de los microplásticos se realizó mediante microscopía óptica y se usó espectrometría de infrarrojo para la identificación de los polímeros presentes en los microplásticos. Se determinó que el morfotipo predominante fueron las fibras, seguido de los fragmentos y los polímeros identificados en los microplásticos fueron: polietileno, aminos, metilos y alquenos. Este estudio aporta a la limitada información dentro del tema de estudio y servirá como base para estudios futuros referentes a microplásticos.
Lesões de pele no intraoperatório de cirurgias robóticas: série de casos
Authors: Olle Fernanda Borcelli , Trevilato Denilse Damasceno , Artioli Renata Pereira Silva , Fagundes Maria Anobes Bonet Grespan , Neves Charel de Matos , Paula Saul Ferraz de , Pedroso Martina Madalena , Montanari Carolina Caruccio
Published: February 2025

Introdução: A realização de cirurgias robóticas tem trazido avanços em diversos aspectos, incluindo precisão e rápida recuperação. No entanto, junto com os benefícios, surgem preocupações sobre potenciais complicações durante o procedimento, incluindo lesões de pele. Objetivo: Relatar cinco casos de pacientes que apresentaram lesão de pele  no intraoperatório de cirurgia robótica. Métodos: Trata-se de um estudo observacional, retrospectivo, descritivo de uma série de cinco casos. Foi conduzido em um Centro Cirúrgico de um hospital privado de Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil. Os dados foram coletados em prontuários de pacientes que realizaram procedimentos entre janeiro e dezembro de 2022. Estudo aprovado pelo comitê de ética e pesquisa sob número CAAE: 73725323.7.0000.5330. Resultados: Dos 556 pacientes que realizaram procedimento cirúrgico por técnica robótica em 2022, cinco (0,9%) apresentaram lesão de pele documentada em prontuário no pós-operatório. Quatro eram do sexo masculino, a maioria com idade superior a 60 anos e comorbidade de hipertensão arterial. Quatro foram classificados com maior risco de desenvolvimento de lesões na ELPO, dois apresentaram lesões de pele por dispositivo médico e três por posicionamento intraoperatório. Conclusão: Este estudo analisa cinco casos de lesões de pele durante cirurgias robóticas, enfatizando a importância da prevenção com a ELPO. Apesar do menor tempo cirúrgico em cirurgias robóticas, lesões de pele persistem em pacientes de alto risco, ressaltando a importância da utilização da ELPO para medidas preventivas mais eficazes. Mais pesquisas são cruciais para desenvolver estratégias inovadoras e melhorar a segurança dos pacientes.
Relato de caso: leiomiomatose peritoneal disseminada
Authors: Silva Nathalia Tavares da , Garcia Rafaela Debastiani , Silva Larissa Tavares da
Published: February 2025

Introdução: A Leiomiomatose Peritoneal Disseminada (LPD) é uma condição rara e benigna de origem ginecológica, cuja etiologia ainda não é completamente compreendida. Caracteriza-se pela formação de nódulos compostos por células musculares lisas na cavidade peritoneal, podendo simular um quadro maligno. A doença afeta predominantemente mulheres em idade reprodutiva, sendo incomum em mulheres na pós-menopausa. Entre as possíveis causas estão fatores hormonais, predisposição genética e intervenções iatrogênicas. Materiais e métodos: Os dados foram obtidos por meio de revisão de prontuário da paciente, exames complementares e revisão de literatura. Relato de caso: trata-se de uma mulher de 48 anos com histórico de diabetes, obesidade e transtorno de ansiedade que procurou atendimento médico com queixa de dor abdominal e lombar progressiva. Exames de imagem revelaram formações nodulares peritoneais suspeitas para neoplasia, além de leiomioma invasivo de grande extensão. A biópsia percutânea confirmou o diagnóstico de leiomioma benigno com comportamento invasivo, optando-se por ressecção cirúrgica. A cirurgia ocorreu sem intercorrências, paciente apresentou boa recuperação pós operatória e segue sem sinais de recorrência. Conclusão: O caso apresentado ilustra o desafio diagnóstico frequentemente citado na literatura sobre a Leiomiomatose Peritoneal Disseminada (LPD), destacando a dificuldade em determinar sua etiologia, o que dificulta a implementação de estratégias preventivas eficazes. A evolução rara do caso enfatiza a importância de considerar diagnósticos diferenciais, mesmo em condições benignas que se manifestam de forma agressiva ou invasiva. Este relato contribui para a ampliação do conhecimento sobre apresentações incomuns de leiomiomas e suas implicações diagnósticas e terapêuticas.
A utilização do treinamento de força na prevenção de quedas em idosos
Authors: Batista Marco Antonio Leitão , Santos Ana Carine dos , Machado Rafael Bacelar , Alves Sandra Gabriela Ribeiro , Alves Even Herlany Pereira
Published: February 2025

A síndrome do idoso frágil se origina  a  partir  do  declínio  das  funções  fisiológicas  dos idosos. Observa-se entre estes pacientes a diminuição de atividades físicas, perda de peso, queda da velocidade de mobilidade e redução das funções cognitivas, sendo estas situações avaliadas a partir dos critérios de fragilidade de Fried, especialmente em idosos com  doenças  crônicas.  Nesse  sentido,  este estudo teve como objetivo evidenciar  estudos  que  verificaram  sobre a utilização do treinamento de força na prevenção de quedas em idosos e sua influência  na  qualidade  de vida  de  idosos  com  fragilidade.  Identificou-se que a sarcopenia aumenta  com  a  idade, sendo    mais    comum    em    mulheres,    idosos institucionalizados e idosos hospitalizados. Sendo assim, identificou-se que a prática de exercícios  físicos,  é  capaz  de  impedir  que  idosos  se tornem frágeis. Com relação à queda, ela é a variável clínica mais presente,  sendo  um  histórico  comum  em  boa  parte  deles. Os maus-tratos foram objeto de poucos estudos, porém conclui-se que idosos homens e depressivos são as maiores vítimas de violência física e verbal. O envelhecimento natural traz consigo diversas alterações fisiológicas, como a perda de massa muscular e a diminuição da força, que podem comprometer a autonomia e a independência dos indivíduos. Essas mudanças são conhecidas como sarcopenia e estão associadas a um maior risco de quedas, fraturas e outras complicações. O treinamento de força surge como uma estratégia eficaz para reverter esses efeitos do envelhecimento fortalecendo os músculos, melhorando o equilíbrio, coordenação, prevenindo quedas, mantendo a autonomia e a qualidade de vida dos idosos.
Mecanismos imunológicos e inflamatórios na patogênese da artrite reumatoide: papel das citocinas, autoanticorpos e disfunção endotelial
Authors: Melo Glauciane Reis , Pereira Conrado Lenzi , Carvalho Kayan Filipe , Rodrigues Marina Castro , Ribeiro Mayara de Mello Gonçalves
Published: February 2025

A artrite reumatoide (AR) é uma doença autoimune crônica que, além de afetar as articulações, têm um impacto sistêmico significativo, incluindo a disfunção endotelial e aumento do risco cardiovascular. A inflamação crônica, mediada por citocinas como TNF-α, IL-1β e IL-6, altera a função endotelial, comprometendo a produção de óxido nítrico e favorecendo o desenvolvimento de doenças cardiovasculares. Pacientes com AR apresentam maior risco de aterosclerose, infarto do miocárdio e acidente vascular cerebral devido a essa disfunção. A inflamação também está associada à resistência à insulina, levando ao desenvolvimento de síndrome metabólica, uma complicação que inclui hipertensão, dislipidemia e obesidade. A resistência à insulina é exacerbada pela ação das citocinas inflamatórias, comprometendo o controle glicêmico e aumentando o risco de diabetes tipo 2. Além disso, pacientes com AR frequentemente enfrentam osteoporose, uma condição que resulta da inflamação crônica que prejudica a formação óssea, favorecendo a reabsorção óssea e aumentando a fragilidade óssea, especialmente com o uso de corticosteróides. As terapias imunomoduladoras, como os inibidores de TNF-α e os inibidores de Janus quinase (JAK), têm mostrado eficácia não apenas no controle da inflamação articular, mas também na mitigação das complicações sistêmicas, incluindo a disfunção endotelial e as complicações metabólicas. A abordagem terapêutica deve ser multidisciplinar, visando não apenas o controle das manifestações articulares, mas também o manejo das comorbidades, como as doenças cardiovasculares e osteometabólicas, para melhorar o prognóstico e a qualidade de vida dos pacientes com AR.