Search Results (525)

The dynamics of port-Hamiltonian systems is based on energy balance principles (the first law of thermodynamics) embedded in the structure of the model. However, when dealing with thermodynamic subsystems, the second law (entropy production) should also be explicitly taken into account. Several frameworks were developed as extensions to the thermodynamic domain of port-Hamiltonian systems. In our work, we study three of them, namely irreversible port-Hamiltonian systems, entropy-based generalized Hamiltonian systems, and entropy-production-metric-based port-Hamiltonian systems, which represent alternative approaches of selecting the state variables, the storage function, simplicity of physical interpretation, etc. On the example of a simplified lumped-parameter model of a heat exchanger, we study the frameworks in terms of their implementability for an IDA-PBC-like control and the simplicity of using these frameworks for practitioners already familiar with the port-Hamiltonian systems. The comparative study demonstrated the possibility of using each of these approaches to derive IDA-PBC-like thermodynamically consistent control and provided insight into the applicability of each framework for the modeling and control of multiphysics systems with thermodynamic subsystems. Full article

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune liver disease marked by cholestasis and progressive fibrosis. While ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) remains the first-line therapy, approximately 30–40% of patients have an inadequate biochemical response, increasing the risk of disease progression. Obeticholic acid (OCA), a potent farnesoid X receptor (FXR) agonist, was the first second-line agent approved by the only Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and has demonstrated moderate biochemical efficacy but limited tolerability due to dose-dependent pruritus and safety concerns in cirrhosis. Fenofibrate, a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha (PPAR-α) agonist, showed substantial alkaline phosphatase (ALP) reductions when added to UDCA, although its long-term benefit remains unconfirmed in large-scale trials and its use remains off-label in the United States, unlike FDA-approved agents. Seladelpar, a selective peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor delta (PPAR-δ) agonist, and elafibranor, a dual PPAR-α/δ agonist, have both recently received FDA accelerated approval after demonstrating significant improvements in ALP, biochemical response rates, and pruritus relief in phase 3 trials. This review summarizes these second-line therapies’ mechanisms, efficacy, safety, and limitations emphasizing the need for individualized treatment decisions and ongoing research into long-term clinical outcomes. Full article

The Farnesoid-X-receptor (FXR) is a bile sensor involved in the regulation of bile acid homeostasis, fibrosis, inflammation, and metabolism. Obeticholic acid (OCA), a semisynthetic derivative of chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA), initially named 6-ethyl-CDCA or INT-747, is the first in a class of FXR ligands that have been approved for clinical use for the treatment of patients with primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) who are unresponsive or intolerant to ursodeoxycholic acid. In this narrative review, we will examine the current status and future perspective of clinical use of OCA. Based on results from phase 2 and 3 clinical trials, OCA received a conditional market approval for its use as a second-line treatment for the management of PBC in 2016. However, concerns over drug (OCA)-induced liver injury (DILI), including hepatic decompensation in cirrhotic and non-cirrhotic PBC patients, have led to discontinuation of OCA commercialization in the EU, but not in North America and the UK, in 2024. Based on positive results from preclinical models, OCA has been investigated also for the treatment of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH). Results from phase 2 and 3 trials, however, have shown that while OCA reduces liver fibrosis, the beneficial effects on steatosis are marginal, thus preventing its clinical approval under the current regulatory guidelines. Here, we review potential applications of OCA in PBC patients in the context of a highly competitive therapeutic landscape, generated by the approval for clinical use of safer and effective second-line therapies, including PPARs agonists such as elafibranor and seladelapar and increased off-label use of fibrates. The current status of development of second-generation FXR agonists such as cilofexor, tropifexor, and vonafexor and their potential in the treatment of liver fibrosis in MASH will be discussed and compared to recently approved therapies, resmetirom, and semaglutide, a GLP-1 agonist. Finally, since some of the novel candidates for treating MASH, have shown limited efficacy on liver fibrosis, we suggest that development of combinatorial therapies based on FXR ligands and agents acting on different molecular targets might offer the opportunity for the repositioning of drug candidates whose development has been abandoned for insufficient efficacy, minimizing/recovering costs linked to drug development. Full article

This study aims to explore the significant factors that predicted the purchase intention (PI) of Generation Z (Gen Z) in China on photovoltaics (PV) products. The Theory of Planned Behaviour (TPB) is extended with two exogenous variables (environmental responsibility (ER) and environmental consciousness (EC)) and government support (GS) as a moderator. In the proposed model, three TPB dimensions also serve as mediators. A total of 675 valid responses from Generation Z in China were gathered via purposive sampling and analysed using partial least squares–structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings revealed that subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioural control (PBC), and EC exerted a substantial influence on PI towards PV products. In accordance with the findings, EC has an indirect effect on PI via SN and PBC. In addition, the moderation analysis revealed that GS significantly enhances the relationship between EC and PI. Several important practical implications derived from the findings of the study were discussed, and it could be a useful reference for stakeholders in framing strategies to promote the PI of PV products. This study extends the TPB model by including two possible exogenous variables and examining the moderator and mediator propositions that significantly influence the PI of PV products, based on a comprehensive literature review. The proposed model is envisaged to provide additional evidence on the topic. Full article

There are limited studies related to safety violations among Hong Kong construction workers. This study seeks to fill a gap in previous research and provide insight into the current safety violation phenomenon by examining the causes of safety violations. A mixed-method strategy is adopted for this study. The quantitative questionnaire survey, with 365 valid responses, examined the relationships by adapting the framework of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Thirty-seven semi-structured interviews were then completed to explore the phenomenon. The findings show that intention has a significant impact on safety violations. Two proximal factors (perceived behavioural control (PBC) and attitude) significantly influence their intention, with PBC being the most significant factor. High Reliability Organising, which is the distal factor contributing to PBC, attitude, and descriptive norms, offers a new era of construction safety management that requires a sense of reflectiveness for ongoing improvement. To enhance workers’ intentions, practical interventions can be developed that focus on PBC and attitude. Training should be tailor-made to cater to the specific characteristics demonstrated by different work groups such as young and elderly workers. The government should also review the current weaknesses of safety training. Full article

This paper proposes a learning-driven passivity-based control (PBC) strategy for sensorless induction motors, combining a nonlinear adaptive observer with recurrent neural networks (RNNs) to improve robustness and estimation accuracy under dynamic conditions. The main novelty is the integration of neural learning into the passivity framework, enabling real-time compensation for un-modeled dynamics and parameter uncertainties with only one gain adjustment across a broad speed range. Lyapunov-based analysis guarantees the global stability of the closed-loop system. Experiments on a 1.1 kW induction motor confirm the approach’s effectiveness over conventional observer-based and fuzzy-enhanced methods. Under torque reversal and flux variation, the proposed controller achieves a torque mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.18 Nm and flux MAE of 0.21 Wb, compared to 1.58 Nm and 0.85 Wb with classical PBC. When peak torque deviation drops from 42.52% to 30.85% of the nominal, torque symmetric mean absolute percentage error (SMAPE) improves by 7.6%, and settling time is reduced to 985 ms versus 1120 ms. These results validate the controller’s precision, adaptability, and robustness in real-world sensorless motor control. Full article

The growing demand for natural and sustainable food preservatives has drawn interest in carbon dots (CDs) derived from plant sources. This study aimed to synthesize CDs from dried German chamomile flowers (DF) and residual biomass (RB) obtained after essential oil extraction using a hydrothermal process. Their characteristics, bioactivities and cytotoxicity were examined. Both DF-CDs and RB-CDs were spherical (7–10 nm), exhibited strong UV blocking properties and tunable fluorescence and were rich in polyphenolic functional groups, especially the –OH group. DF-CDs generally showed higher antioxidant capacity than RB-CDs as assayed by DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging activities, FRAP and metal chelation activity. Both CDs showed antibacterial effects toward pathogenic bacterial strains (Escherichia coli and Listeria monocytogenes) and spoilage bacteria (Shewanella putrefaciens and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) in a dose-dependent manner. Cytotoxicity was assessed in BJ human fibroblasts, and both CDs exhibited high biocompatibility (>88% viability at 1000 µg/mL). When both CDs at 300 and 600 ppm were applied in a precooked baby clam edible portion (PBC-EP) stored at 4 °C, microbial growth, TVB and TMA contents were lower than those of the control. The total viable count was still under the limit (5.8 log CFU/mL) for the sample treated with CDs at 600 ppm up to 9 days, while the control was kept for only 3 days. Furthermore, the lipid oxidation level (PV and TBARS value) of PBC-EP decreased with CD treatment, especially at higher concentrations (600 ppm). Therefore, chamomile-derived CDs could serve as a promising alternative for perishable seafood preservation. Full article

This study, based on the Decomposed Theory of Planned Behavior (DTPB), constructs and validates a systematic model to explore the key drivers influencing consumers’ continuous usage intention of sustainable Ready-to-Drink (RTD) beverage packaging. The model includes perceived value and social normative paths, introducing perceived sustainability (PS) and perceived value fit (PVF) as moderators to reveal the role of contextual perceptions in green consumption decision-making. Empirical results show that all conventional path hypotheses (H1–H6) are supported. Among the moderating effect hypotheses, H7b, H9a, and H10c are not supported, while the rest hold. Theoretical implications include the following: Perceived Usefulness (PU) and Perceived Enjoyment (PE) significantly and positively influence consumer satisfaction (SA), consistent with the Expectation Confirmation Model (ECM). Both external influence (EI) and interpersonal influence (II) significantly enhance subjective norms (SN), aligning with TPB theory. Self-efficacy (SE) and facilitating conditions (FA) positively affect perceived behavioral control (PBC), consistent with the DTPB model. Satisfaction, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control significantly predict continuous usage intention (UI), with satisfaction showing the strongest effect, highlighting the importance of positive initial experiences for green behavior continuation. Full article

Background: Autoimmune cholestatic liver diseases (AICLDs), including primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), are characterized by progressive biliary injury and cholestasis, leading to an impaired quantity/quality of life. Pruritus affects 20–70% of patients and is often refractory to current treatments. Ileal bile acid transporter (IBAT) inhibitors reduce bile acid reabsorption and may alleviate cholestatic pruritus. This systematic review and meta-analysis evaluates their efficacy and safety in adults with AICLD. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane-CENTRAL for studies assessing IBAT inhibitors in adult AICLD patients with pruritus for ≥12 weeks. The primary outcome was the change in the 5-D Pruritus Scale. Secondary outcomes included sleep quality, serum bile acids, liver biochemistry, and safety. Heterogeneity was assessed using Cochrane Q and I² statistics. Results: Three studies (n = 180) met inclusion criteria, including two RCTs and one single-arm study. Patients (78% female; 85% PBC; 77% linerixibat) showed a significant pruritus reduction (MD = −4.93, 95%CI [−6.26, −3.59], p < 0.0001), accompanied by improved sleep quality (MD = −8.12, 95%CI [−13.54, −2.70], p = 0.0033). Serum bile acids, FGF19, and autotaxin decreased significantly, with increased C4 levels. AST and GGT declined, while ALP, ALT, and bilirubin remained stable. Adverse events occurred in 89.7%, mainly diarrhea (22.7%), nausea (12.2%), and abdominal pain (18.2%); serious events were rare (2.2%). Conclusions: IBAT inhibitors significantly reduce pruritus and improve sleep in AICLD, with a favorable safety profile. These findings support their potential as a novel therapeutic option for cholestatic pruritus in adults with AICLD. Full article

Food tourism is growing in travel experiences, with tourists increasingly drawn to culturally authentic and aesthetically engaging food. Understanding the psychological and experiential factors shaping these preferences is crucial for enhancing tourist visit intentions. Therefore, this study examines the factors such as attitudes (ATT), subjective norms (SN), perceived behavioural control (PBC), and food aesthetic experience (FAE) that influence tourists’ behavioural intentions towards food preferences (BIFP) in Goa, India. The research extends the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) by incorporating food aesthetic experiences as a mediating factor. A quantitative approach was employed, involving a structured questionnaire based on a five-point Likert scale, administered to 217 tourists visiting Goa, India, who were selected through a random sampling method. Data were analysed using Partial Least Squares–Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) through SmartPLS 4.0. Results show that attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, and food aesthetic experience significantly influence tourists’ behavioural intentions towards food preferences. Food aesthetic experience emerged as a strong mediator, particularly between attitudes, perceived behavioural control, and tourists’ behavioural intentions towards food preferences. These findings highlight the role of sensory appeal in shaping culinary choices. The study concludes that a holistic approach, supported by cultural education and stakeholder collaboration, can enrich tourist experiences and support food tourism development. Full article

In countries facing physical water shortages, the safe use of treated wastewater can increase agricultural yields. However, farmers’ willingness to reuse water in agriculture is very low. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to determine the factors that influence 217,215 Iranian farmers who use treated wastewater to adopt safe irrigation practices. This study, which developed the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB) by including risk perception (RP) and knowledge factors, is a groundbreaking endeavor in the field of the safe use of treated wastewater at the farm level in Iran and around the world. The final model analysis was conducted based on structural equation modeling (SEM). The findings reveal that attitudes, perceived behavioral control (PBC), RP, and knowledge significantly influence farmers’ behaviors regarding safe wastewater use, while subjective norms did not impact intentions. The subjective norm in this study includes the perceived social pressure by farmers (through family, friends, the farming community, and local authorities) to perform or not perform safe behavior in using treated wastewater for irrigation. Notably, PBC was the most important component in the original TPB model, because intention has a beneficial impact on behavior. In the extended model, knowledge and risk perception emerged as critical elements. Therefore, intervention policies should prioritize enhancing farmers’ knowledge, risk perception, and perceived behavioral control to promote safe treated wastewater usage. This study offers valuable insights for developing countries in agricultural practices. Full article

Given the increasing prominence of sustainable tourism in light of climate change, this study investigates the sustainable tourist behavior of winter tourists through psychological and demographic factors in relation to climate change. Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior and a cognitive–affective combination of variables, we outline a structural equation model to investigate the direct and indirect effect of climate change awareness (CCA), environmental attitude (ATT), and perceived responsibility (PR) towards sustainable behavior (SB). Environmental concern (EC) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) are employed as mediators in a test. A total of 518 Greek winter tourists’ data were examined using SEM and multi-group analysis (MGA). It is indicated that CCA and PR directly predict SB with significant effects, and ATT’s influence is fully mediated. EC and PBC are used as significant psychological mediators, and PBC is indicated to possess a strong effect. MGA discloses significant gender, age, education, climate salience, and frequency of tourism behavior differences, provoking contextual differences that inform sustainability response. There is a theoretical contribution in the form of specification of dual roles played by cognitive control and emotional concern in determining sustainable tourism behavior. Practical implications inform the planning of interventions, particularly for policymakers, educators, and tourist managers. Future studies need to incorporate behavior information, examine causality, and carry out analysis to cultural and season levels. Full article

Burned area detection plays a critical role in assessing the impact of forest and land fires, particularly in Indonesia, where both peatland and non-peatland areas are increasingly affected. Optical remote sensing has been widely used for this task, but its effectiveness is limited by persistent cloud cover in tropical regions. A Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) offers a cloud-independent alternative for burned area mapping. This study investigates the performance of a Stacking Ensemble Neural Network (SENN) model using polarimetric features derived from both C-band (Sentinel 1) and L-band (Advanced Land Observing Satellite—Phased Array L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS-2/PALSAR-2)) data. The analysis covers three representative sites in Indonesia: peatland areas in (1) Rokan Hilir, (2) Merauke, and non-peatland areas in (3) Bima and Dompu. Validation is conducted using high-resolution PlanetScope imagery(Planet Labs PBC—San Francisco, California, United States). The results show that the SENN model consistently outperforms conventional artificial neural network (ANN) approaches across most evaluation metrics. L-band SAR data yields a superior performance to the C-band, particularly in peatland areas, with overall accuracy reaching 93–96% and precision between 92 and 100%. The method achieves 76% accuracy and 89% recall in non-peatland regions. Performance is lower in dry, hilly savanna landscapes. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of the SENN, especially with L-band SAR, in improving burned area detection across diverse land types, supporting more reliable fire monitoring efforts in Indonesia. Full article

Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic, immune-mediated liver disease characterized by progressive destruction of the small intrahepatic bile ducts, leading to cholestasis, inflammation, and ultimately fibrosis and cirrhosis. This review emphasizes the central role of bile acids in PBC pathogenesis, exploring how disruptions in their synthesis, transport, and detoxification contribute to cholangiocyte damage and disease progression. In addition to discussing the autoimmune features of PBC, including the presence of specific autoantibodies and cellular immune responses, we examine how bile acid dysregulation exacerbates cholestasis and promotes lipid metabolic disturbances. Particular attention is given to the “bicarbonate umbrella” hypothesis, which describes a protective mechanism by which cholangiocytes resist bile acid–induced injury—an essential factor disrupted in PBC. The aim of this review is to summarize current knowledge gaps in the pathophysiology of PBC, with a focus on the role of bile acids not only as key drivers of disease mechanisms, but also as potential biomarkers of disease progression and treatment response. Full article

Macroalgae (seaweeds) produce unique bioactive metabolites that have enabled their survival for millions of years, offering significant potential for human benefits. In the Israeli Mediterranean Sea, no comprehensive systematic surveys of seaweeds have been published since the 1990s, and their chemical composition remains largely unexplored. This study presents an extensive survey of intertidal seaweed communities along the shallow Israeli coastline, documenting their spatial, temporal, and biochemical diversity. Of the 320 specimens collected, 55 seaweed species were identified: 29 red (Rhodophyta), 14 brown (Phaeophyceae), and 12 green (Chlorophyta). A significant shift in species abundance was documented, with a single dominant annual bloom occurring during spring, unlike previously reported biannual blooms. Chemical analysis of the dominant species revealed significant seasonal variations in compound levels, with higher protein content in winter and increased antioxidant capacity during spring. Phenolic and natural sunscreen compounds (mycosporine-like amino acids, MAAs) showed no general seasonal trend. These findings highlight the optimal environmental conditions for seaweed growth and underscore their potential for aquaculture and biotechnology. We hypothesize that the ecologically unique conditions of the Israeli Mediterranean Sea may foster resilient seaweed species enriched with distinctive chemical properties, suitable for nutritional, health, pharmaceutical, and nutraceutical applications, particularly as climate-adaptive bioresources. Full article