Search Results (20,838)

Precise prediction of voltage degradation is critical for the prognostics and health management of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The performance degradation of PEMFCs is governed by a complex coupling of multiple physicochemical mechanisms, including catalyst layer and proton exchange membrane degradation. Crucially, these internal degradation processes evolve across highly heterogeneous time scales, ranging from transient high-frequency fluctuations to low-frequency and long-term irreversible performance fade. Conventional predictive models, which typically rely on single-scale architectures or fixed receptive fields, are inherently ill-equipped to simultaneously decouple and capture these cross-scale temporal dynamics. To tackle this challenge, this paper innovatively proposes a multi-scale deep learning framework that integrates a multi-scale degradation trend perception module, a long short-term memory (LSTM)-based encoder–decoder architecture, and a multi-head attention mechanism. One-dimensional convolutional layers with different kernel sizes are employed to simultaneously extract local temporal features at multiple granularities, followed by the LSTM encoder–decoder to model long-range temporal dependencies, while the cross-attention mechanism dynamically allocates attention across the encoded context at each autoregressive decoding step. Experimental outcomes indicate that the proposed model realizes excellent predictive accuracy across five evaluation indices in comparison with standard baselines. In particular, the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) reaches 1.6696%, and the maximum absolute percentage error (Max-APE) is strictly bounded within 5%, substantiating the reliability of the proposed framework for high precision and long-horizon health prognostics for PEMFCs. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sexual offences remain a global challenge, disproportionality affecting developing and conflict-stricken countries. Differential DNA extraction (DDE) is standardly applied to intimate swabs collected in these cases to separate and purify sperm and epithelial fractions ahead of DNA profiling. Whilst DNA purification steps using magnetic bead technology are routinely automated in general forensic workflows, the separation step within DDE workflows usually relies on centrifugation, which is challenging to automate in a high-throughput manner. This proof-of-concept study aimed to develop a novel method to separate sperm and epithelial fractions using magnetic bead technology to enable a fully automated and high-throughput DDE workflow. Methods: First, the Macherey-Nagel NucleoMag^® Forensic DNA kit’s protocol for forensic samples was modified to be DDE-based, and different magnetic beads for the separation and purification steps were assessed on mock sexual offence samples. Once a working protocol was established, variables within the protocol were systematically adjusted to improve quality metrics and DNA profiling outcomes. The top-performing method was then assessed with decreased input biological material and on a post-coital swab. Results: The DDE protocol developed in this study identified Cytiva SeraSil-Mag^TM magnetic beads to successfully separate epithelial and sperm fractions, which will enable a fully automated and high-throughput DDE workflow for the first time. DNA extracted from the sperm fraction of mock sexual offence samples prepared with 1 μL of semen input yielded a mean Y-target DNA yield of 25.04 ng (SD = 15.11 ng), a median M:F ratio of 1:3.53 (range = 1:1.08–1:22.46) and a mean log(LR) of 12.01 (SD = 5.41) when the female contributor’s DNA profile was unknown. Conclusions: The proof-of-concept of a magnetic bead-based DDE method was successfully demonstrated across a range of different semen input volumes, and the benefit of information-preserving genotyping using the TrueAllele^® system was demonstrated. Full article

Providing care for effective management of tuberculosis (TB) and diabetes mellitus (DM) is a challenge, particularly in resource-limited settings. This study assessed factors affecting the provision of care for patients with TB-DM in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, using the six elements of the SELFIE—Sustainable intEgrated chronic care modeLs for FinancIng and performancE framework. A health facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted with randomly selected patients with TB-DM multi-morbidity. Data were analysed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 27. Logistic regression was employed to identify factors influencing TB-DM care provision. A total of 357 respondents participated, with a response rate of 96.5%. The mean age of the respondents was 49.8 years. Only 13.4% of patients received good TB-DM services. Key factors influencing TB-DM care were (a) insufficient counseling on the proper use of medication (AOR = 2.6, CI: 1.1–6.6, p = 0.035) and the risk of TB for DM patients (AOR = 10, CI: 3.7–27, p < 0.001), (b) leadership and governance including supportive leadership for TB-DM care (77.1%), organized TB-DM care (62.5%), the presence of a care policy (77.1%), and continuity of care (58.3%), (c) workforce factors such as the presence of a multidisciplinary team (60.4%), TB-DM service coordinator (58.3%), HCWs with adequate knowledge (87.5%), (d) costs of health services are fair (75%) and (e) lack of technologies such as EMR (88%) and lack of medical products to treat TB-DM (64.7%) delays care for TB-DM. Most TB-DM patients in Addis Ababa had limited access to care. The continuous monitoring of services can facilitate the identification of care gaps, thereby guiding the implementation of improved interventions. Full article

Brain tumors remain a major cause of mortality worldwide, where early and accurate diagnosis is critical for effective treatment planning. This study compares the performance of lightweight neural networks for brain tumor classification on the “Brain Tumor MRI Dataset” from Kaggle. The Cross-Industry Standard Process for Data Mining (CRISP-DM) methodology guided the experimental workflow, including data understanding, preprocessing, modelling, and evaluation. Two lightweight architectures, a Multilayer Perceptron (MLP) and LeNet, were trained and evaluated for comparison. Results show that LeNet outperformed the MLP, achieving test accuracy of 92.67% with a loss of 1.65, while the MLP attained 84.38% accuracy with a loss of 0.87. LeNet required fewer parameters which were 914,384 than the MLP which were 2,329,754. Experiments were conducted on an NVIDIA RTX 3000 Ada Generation Laptop GPU with 8 GB dedicated memory. Under this setting, LeNet completed training in 1 h 16 min 45.26 s, compared with 1 h 30 min 26.79 s for the MLP. While recent transfer-learning and deeper CNN studies on brain tumor MRI classification commonly report accuracies above 98%, they often rely on substantially heavier architectures; in contrast, the proposed LeNet achieved 93.33% accuracy with only 914,384 parameters and shorter training time, highlighting a practical trade-off between accuracy and efficiency. These findings demonstrate that lightweight convolutional architectures can achieve superior classification performance with lower computational cost, highlighting their suitability for resource-constrained medical imaging applications and edge-based healthcare systems. Full article

Background: High-quality trauma data are essential for data-informed decision-making. However, completeness and accuracy of trauma registries remain challenging in low- and middle-income countries. This study aimed to assess trauma registry data quality in Rwanda and describe a coordinated implementation package used to support improvements in registry completeness and accuracy. Methods: We conducted a prospective, longitudinal quasi-experimental quality-improvement study with repeated monthly measurements across eight hospitals in Rwanda from October 2023 to September 2025. Trauma registry data quality indicators—case missingness, variable missingness, and variable accuracy—were assessed monthly using a predefined Rwanda Trauma Registry data quality assessment and reporting protocol. Results: A total of 26,268 trauma cases were recorded across the eight hospitals. Linear mixed-effects models showed significant temporal improvements in trauma registry data quality. Case missingness decreased by 0.72 percentage points per month (β = −0.721; 95% CI −0.955 to −0.487; p < 0.001), and variable missingness declined by 0.33 percentage points per month (β = −0.331; 95% CI −0.435 to −0.228; p < 0.001). Variable accuracy increased by 0.25 percentage points per month (β = 0.253; 95% CI 0.198 to 0.307; p < 0.001). Conclusions: The findings show substantial improvements in registry completeness and accuracy during a coordinated, bundled, PDSA-guided quality-improvement implementation process in Rwanda. Because the study was uncontrolled and the activities were implemented together, the results should be interpreted as associations over time rather than causal effects of any individual intervention component. Full article

Background: In the coming decades, the agricultural system will increasingly rely on organic amendments to sustain crop production, maintain soil health and ensure long-term food security. While inorganic fertilizers remain widely used for vegetable production due to their rapid nutrient availability, their prolonged application has been shown to degrade soil quality, disrupt microbial communities and limit the nutritional quality of harvested produce. Consequently, there is a growing need to explore organic alternatives such as biochar and poultry manure that can enhance both crop productivity and functional quality. Objective: This study aimed to determine the influence of different application rates of biochar (5/T₁, 10/T₂, and 20/T₃ t/ha), poultry manure (10/T₁, 20/T₂, 30/T₃ t/ha), and NPK (2:3:4) as control on the metabolomic profile of tomato fruit. Methods: The metabolomic profile was determined using 1H-nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Results: Common metabolites across biochar rates included allantoin, asparagine and betaine, while rate-specific released metabolites such as inosine (T₁), epicatechin (T₂) and kynurenine (T₃) were also identified. Similarly, poultry manure showed an array of metabolites at the highest application rate, with metabolites such as cellobiose, creatinine and maltose, while histamine (T₁) and ADP (T₃) were also detected as distinct metabolites. Full article

The increasing global demand for pavement infrastructure has intensified the consumption of non-renewable construction materials, particularly natural aggregates and soils, raising significant environmental and resource sustainability concerns. In response, there is a growing need to explore alternative materials that can reduce reliance on these finite resources. Mine tailings, generated in large volumes from mining operations, have emerged as a promising substitute due to their potential to enhance asphalt concrete performance while mitigating environmental impacts associated with their disposal. This study presents a comprehensive review of the application of selected mine tailings in asphalt mixtures. It critically examines their physicochemical properties and evaluates their influence on key performance characteristics of asphalt pavements. The review further highlights the various applications, benefits, and limitations associated with their use. Despite increasing research interest, the field remains relatively underdeveloped, with limited experimental validation for practical pavement applications. The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the sustainable utilisation of mine tailings and identify key research gaps, offering direction for future experimental and field-based investigations in pavement engineering. The study observed that the performance of asphalt mixtures incorporating mine tailings from aluminium, copper and iron by-products is largely dependent on the physicochemical and mineralogical characteristics of these materials. The particle size, specific area and presence of reactive oxides are essential ingredients for improved interaction with the bitumen content of the mixture. Full article

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) are persistent environmental contaminants widely recognized as “forever chemicals” due to the exceptional stability of their carbon–fluorine (C-F) bonds. Their widespread occurrence in water, soil, sediments, and biota, coupled with increasing evidence of toxicity, bioaccumulation, and long-range transport, has intensified the search for sustainable remediation strategies. Conventional remediation technologies for PFASs have been widely applied but remain constrained by several technical and environmental limitations, such as incomplete mineralization, high energy requirements, secondary waste generation, and the formation of toxic transformation products. Moreover, many conventional treatment processes were not originally designed to handle the chemical stability and structural diversity of PFASs, resulting in variable removal efficiencies across different compounds. Bio-based strategies for PFAS remediation, particularly those targeting C-F bond cleavage and biological defluorination, are gaining attention due to the unique challenges posed by the chemical stability and environmental persistence of these “forever chemicals”. This review addresses the fragmented nature of PFAS remediation research by integrating biological and physicochemical strategies and critically examining mechanisms of C-F bond cleavage and defluorination. Emerging technologies, including bioelectrochemical systems, photocatalytic and electrochemical defluorination, adsorption-assisted degradation, plasma treatment, hydrothermal processes, and synthetic biology approaches, are evaluated in relation to their degradation efficiencies, defluorination capacities, and applicability in diverse environmental matrices. Particular attention is given to integrated “capture-and-destroy” systems that combine adsorption with catalytic or biological degradation to enhance remediation efficiency and reduce energy demand. PFAS treatment performance varies markedly across scalability, destruction, and cost. Key knowledge gaps and future perspectives are outlined, emphasizing the need for scalable, energy-efficient, and environmentally sustainable remediation technologies capable of achieving complete PFAS mineralization in complex environmental systems. Full article

Planetary health, the interdependence of human well-being and the integrity of Earth’s natural systems requires frameworks capable of integrating ecological stewardship, relational governance, intergenerational accountability, and equitable participation. This paper argues that Indigenous Knowledge Systems (IKS), long marginalized by colonial policies of suppression and assimilation, offer precisely such frameworks. Drawing on illustrative examples from the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, Amazonian Indigenous nations, Maasai communities of East Africa, the Mapuche of South America, and the first Global Summit on Indigenous Peacebuilding, the paper identifies three interlocking contributions of IKS to planetary health: (1) intergenerational ecological stewardship; (2) relational governance and community-centered peacebuilding; and (3) gender-balanced authority as a condition for flourishing. The paper concludes that the integration of IKS into planetary health scholarship and practice is not an exercise in cultural representation but a strategic necessity for addressing the interconnected crises of ecological degradation, social fragmentation, and institutional short-termism that define the present era. Full article

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, and lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) remains a cornerstone of cardiovascular prevention. Statins are among the most extensively studied and widely prescribed medications and have demonstrated substantial benefits in reducing major adverse cardiovascular events in both primary and secondary prevention settings. Nevertheless, the effectiveness of statin therapy in routine clinical practice is frequently compromised by poor adherence, treatment discontinuation, concerns regarding adverse effects, and persistent residual cardiovascular risk. This narrative review synthesises contemporary evidence relating to the mechanisms of action of statins, their role in primary and secondary prevention, determinants of medication adherence, statin-associated muscle symptoms (SAMSs), and emerging developments in precision cardiovascular medicine. Current evidence indicates that although statins remain highly effective in reducing cardiovascular risk, long-term treatment success is strongly influenced by behavioural, psychological, social, and healthcare system factors. Increasing attention has also been directed towards the multifactorial nature of SAMSs and the contribution of nocebo effects to perceived statin intolerance. Emerging approaches involving pharmacogenomics, artificial intelligence, digital health technologies, and multidimensional risk assessment offer opportunities for more individualised prevention strategies, although important limitations relating to cost, accessibility, and external validity remain. Overall, contemporary cardiovascular prevention requires a patient-centred approach that integrates biological, behavioural, and social determinants of health to optimise treatment adherence and improve long-term cardiovascular outcomes. Full article

Food safety culture (FSC) is a structured, measurable and enforceable element of the food industry, which is essential for building consumer trust and safeguarding consumer wellness. Regardless of the size of the organisation, FSC plays a pivotal role in safety and quality assurance and should be embedded in the company’s values and beliefs, ultimately manifesting in employee behaviours. FSC’s principal denominators encompass the fundamental principles of leadership, knowledge, engagement, environment, performance, and outcome. These principles collectively form a holistic framework that is pivotal for enhancing the efficacy and efficiency of safety initiatives in the food supply chain. FSC should be integrated into existing food safety standards, aligning with management systems and enjoying support and ownership at all levels and portfolios. Attaining a strong FSC requires commitment and active participation, not only from departments and sections directly involved with food handling, but also from administrative departments and branches. A non-conducive or weak culture, on the other hand, creates barriers to the achievement of safety goals and creates environments that may lead to product safety failures and non-conformances, with potential detrimental impacts on both consumer and business well-being. The absence of a specific culture constitutes a culture in itself, and, therefore, regular, valid, and reliable assessment is crucial for understanding the current state of FSC, without drawing generalised, superficial, or biased conclusions. In this study, the history and context of FSC are discussed, as well as narratives on assessment protocols and improvement initiatives. A trustworthy and ethical assessment is the first step in a three-phase process, involving assessment, alignment, and intervention to improve FSC, constituting various subcategories. The ultimate intent of this study is to provide turn-key solutions through presenting ideas, debating concepts and proposing interventions to guide and inform FSC improvement, culminating in safe and wholesome products. Full article

The global packaging industry is highly energy intensive, with liquid carton packaging facing growing pressure to improve sustainability through energy efficiency. The objective of this review is to synthesize and critically evaluate existing literature on energy performance metrics, energy auditing practices, optimization frameworks, and renewable energy integration in liquid carton packaging manufacturing. Unlike previous studies that focus on individual aspects of industrial energy management, the review adopts an integrated system-level perspective that combines process-level energy analysis, auxiliary utility systems, energy performance indicators, digital monitoring approaches, optimization tools, and renewable energy integration. This holistic approach provides a more comprehensive understanding of energy performance improvement opportunities within liquid carton packaging manufacturing. The study examines global energy trends, system inefficiencies, and best practices in implementing energy management systems, modeling tools, and solar photovoltaic adoption. A qualitative approach was applied, analyzing peer-reviewed articles, industry reports, and case studies to identify key themes and comparative strategies. Findings indicate that energy-intensive processes such as extrusion coating and flexographic printing dominate consumption, while auxiliary systems contribute significantly to non-process energy use. Despite advancements in monitoring and renewable integration, gaps persist in standardized performance metrics, real-time data utilization, and regional representation, particularly in Africa, Latin America, and other developing regions where packaging manufacturing systems remain underrepresented in the literature. The findings provide a practical reference guide for energy managers, manufacturing engineers, and sustainability practitioners seeking to implement ISO 50001-based energy management systems, real-time energy monitoring frameworks, and renewable energy integration strategies within packaging manufacturing facilities. The review further highlights the need for standardized performance metrics and region-specific studies to support sustainable and energy-efficient packaging operations. Full article

Adolescents with intellectual disabilities are often excluded from mainstream sexual reproductive health education and services. This exclusion is due to stigma and systemic barriers further increasing their vulnerability to exploitation, unintended pregnancies, and limited contraceptive access. Additionally, adolescent childbearing has been linked to an increased risk of long-term health and functional limitations. This study explored contraceptive awareness and decision-making among caregivers of adolescent learners with intellectual disabilities in selected Special Care Centres in Tshwane District Gauteng province. This exploratory, descriptive qualitative research utilised a purposive sampling method to select caregivers from five Special Care Centres to participate in focus group discussions. The sample size was 29 participants. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis on NVivo15 software and halted after reaching saturation. Intercoder reliability was achieved with consensus agreement among researchers. Three overarching themes, supported by two sub-themes emerged: (1) Caregivers’ understanding of contraception: (1.1) Perceived benefits and disadvantages of contraception; (1.2) Early exposure to contraceptive information. (2) Socio-economic influences on contraceptive decision-making: (2.1) Financial burden; (2.2) Preference for permanent contraceptive method. (3) Negotiating cultural expectations and practical caregiving realities: (3.1) Community acceptance of contraceptive use; (3.2) Willingness to forgo biological grandchildren. Caregivers’ awareness and decisions about contraception reflect not only their health knowledge but also the socio-economic pressures they face and the practical realities that shape choices within their communities. This study recommends disability-inclusive sexual reproductive health education that provides contextually relevant insights for strengthening community-based interventions among adolescents with intellectual disability. Full article

Metal additive manufacturing (MAM) is extensively being utilized by aerospace and automobile industries to produce parts with complex geometries with minimum lead time, no material wastage, and higher dimensional accuracy. Additively manufactured (AMed) AlSi10Mg alloys are one of the most used alloys in lightweight structural applications due to their tailored microstructure and suitable mechanical properties for these applications. This review critically presents the recent and current developments on the AlSi10Mg alloys fabricated using various MAM methods such as laser powder bed fusion (LPBF), directed energy deposition (DED), and electron beam melting (EBM). Special attention is given to the establishment of linkage among the process–structure–property–performance of the AMed AlSi10Mg alloy. This review highlights that LPBF-fabricated AlSi10Mg alloys typically exhibit a finer cellular α-Al matrix with a continuous Si network and provide superior strength with lower ductility. DED samples showed a coarser dendritic microstructure and exhibited moderate strength and ductility. However, EBM fabrication leads to near-equilibrium microstructures and exhibits reduced strength with improved ductility due to higher processing temperatures and thermal gradients. The effects of MAM methods, build orientations, and their process parameters on the microstructural evolution and mechanical performance of AlSi10Mg alloy products are extensively investigated. The influence of post-processing methods is also discussed, which reveals their critical role in the anisotropy, ability to mitigate defects like porosity and a lack of fusion, surface irregularities and material strengths. Despite showing steady progress in this area, several challenges like residual stresses, process-induced porosity, and limited availability of universal standardizations remain unaddressed. Such issues raise doubts about the reproducibility and adoption of the fabricated components on a large scale. This review study is likely to help the aerospace and automobile industries in the printing of structural components using an optimized parameter range, leading to an optimized microstructure and balanced mechanical properties with minimum defects. This review provides a comprehensive comparison of the LPBF, DED, and EBM processing routes for AlSi10Mg alloys by correlating the processing parameters to the microstructural evolution, mechanical properties, and fatigue performance. It indicates that the optimization of process parameters and post-processing treatments are the key strategies to reduce defects, control the microstructure, and obtain a good balance between strength and ductility. The review also points out the existing research gaps and future directions towards reliable industrial implementation of AMed AlSi10Mg components. Full article

Background/Objectives: Granulomatous inflammation in tissue biopsies presents a diagnostic challenge, particularly in differentiating between Mycobacterium tuberculosis complex (MTB) and non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in high-HIV-prevalence areas. This study evaluates the prevalence and species distribution of mycobacteria in formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded (FFPE) tissues from patients with granulomatous inflammation and correlates these findings with demographic and clinical data. Methods: Conducted at the NHLS-Dr George Mukhari Tertiary Laboratory, the retrospective descriptive study analysed 37 FFPE samples (January 2019–December 2020) after obtaining ethical approval and collecting clinicopathological data. Histopathological assessments using H&E and Ziehl–Neelsen (ZN) stains were carried out, and mycobacterial species were identified utilising multiplex PCR with reverse hybridisation (GenoType MTBC/CM/AS assays). Results: The cohort had an average age of 38.59 years, with a predominance of females (59.5%) and a high HIV positivity rate (62.2%). The most common biopsy site was lymph nodes (32.4%). All samples exhibited necrotising granulomas, but only 8.1% displayed acid-fast bacilli (AFB) on ZN staining. Molecular testing revealed mycobacterial DNA in 75.7% of samples, identifying NTM alone in 50.0%, MTB alone in 10.7%, and both in 28.6%. M. fortuitum was the most frequently recognised species. Importantly, there was no significant association between mycobacterial detection and HIV status (p > 0.05). Conclusions: The findings demonstrate that molecular methods substantially improve mycobacterial detection rates and speciation. This underscores the diagnostic limitations of ZN staining and highlights the importance of molecular diagnostics for accurately identifying bacterial aetiology, crucial for appropriate antimicrobial therapy in immunocompromised patients. Full article