Search Results (22,310)

The study aims to recover, interpret, and analyze the daily meteorological observations made in Venice by Tommaso Temanza from 1751 to 1769. These records are relevant because they provide direct information about the climate of the Little Ice Age. Temanza used a barometer, an air thermometer of Amontons’ type, and an additional mercury thermometer, i.e., Réaumur’s thermometer. These early instruments are presented and discussed in this study. The barometer readings needed standard corrections, which were unknown at that time. The scale of the air thermometer was arbitrary, and temperatures were measured in inches of mercury. For the Amontons thermometer, Temanza missed the calibration points and used a particular scale with the zero-point in the middle of the range. He gave two contradictory explanations for this choice, both of which are discussed in this paper. In the 18th century, the use of a singular value to represent the average temperature, called “Temperate”, was promoted by Michieli du Crest in Geneva and Toaldo in Padua. This work reconstructs the unknown scale, using contemporary observations by Giovanni Poleni and Giuseppe Toaldo in Padua (30 km west of Venice) and snowfall reported in the weather notes to determine the temperature point at 0 °C. A discussion is made about the calibration, validation, and conversion of readings from the original to modern units of pressure and temperature, i.e., hPa and °C, respectively. The recovered record of Venice is presented in comparison with Padua, Bologna, and Milan. The paper provides and analyzes the new dataset, and improves knowledge about the climate, history of science, instruments, and observations made in the mid-18th century. Full article

Biosurfactants are amphipathic compounds produced by various microorganisms, including fungi and yeasts, with those produced by the latter being of particular interest as they are considered microorganisms of low or no sanitary risk. This article presents an analysis of the available information regarding the role these compounds play within the ecological habitat where yeasts inhabit, as well as their potential biotechnological applications in commercial areas. Some of the biological roles that biosurfactants play for their producing microorganisms are unknown and can be highly diverse, depending on the adaptive needs microorganisms have to survive the environmental conditions prevalent in their habitat. However, some of these roles that have been reported are related to nutrient availability, cellular communication, and competition, as well as surface colonization. The structures of biosurfactant molecules produced by yeasts are highly diverse, and so far, have been reported as sophorolipids, carbohydrate–protein–lipid complexes, carbohydrate–protein polymers, mixtures of lactones, and mannosylerythritol lipids. In addition to their properties as surfactants and/or emulsifiers, many of these molecules have also been reported to possess biological activities, including antimicrobial, antifungal, antitumoral, antioxidant, antiadhesive, antiviral, ultraviolet (UV)-protectant, anti-aging agent, moisturizing, and enzyme-activator/inhibitor properties. By understanding the functions that biosurfactants perform in nature, novel and efficient methods for their production can be proposed, as well as new applications in areas such as pharmaceuticals, food, and cosmetics. The latter is of particular interest due to the growing biosurfactant market and the processes that demand greater knowledge about their production, biological, and environmental interactions for their management and disposal. Full article

We (Public Interest Group on Cancer Research) started a podcast and guest blog series on cancer in 2024. Our objective in this Commentary is to describe our experience with this series, insights gained, adjustments made to our approach, and our recommendations for future series. Our group identified and invited guests to contribute a blog or podcast episode on cancer, lived experience of cancer, cancer care and research, or advocacy. The podcast episodes were recorded using the WebEx platform (version 45.9.0.33069) and edited using the Kdenlive software (version 23.08.4). The blogs and podcasts were edited, finalized, and posted online for public access. In this manuscript, we utilized descriptive statistics to define and summarize information about the podcast episodes, guest blogs, and categorical responses to guest feedback survey questions, while we presented the responses to open-ended survey questions as quotes and summaries. As a result, during the period of January 2024–July 2025, we aired 28 podcast episodes and 13 guest blogs involving 36 guests. Guests included people from various backgrounds (such as people with lived experience, advocates, scientists, and healthcare providers) and members of equity-deserving communities (such as women, Indigenous and 2SLGBTQIA+ communities). We contemplated and learned as we proceeded with this project and implemented changes to address the issues that arose. In most cases the guests had positive experiences; however, in rare cases, university practices or federal policies prevented guest compensation, creating an unusual barrier. In conclusion, podcasting and blogging are practical public engagement instruments that provide space for sharing messages and knowledge to communicate with members of the public. Systematic barriers, such as policies that hamper guest compensation, need to be fixed for equitable participation, compensation, and engagement. As there is an increased interest in public engagement and knowledge mobilization activities, our learnings shared in this commentary may help other groups initiate or improve their public engagement practices. Full article

This paper surveys existing ontologies for visualization, which formally define and organize knowledge about visualization concepts, techniques, and tools. Although visualization is a mature field, the rapid growth of data complexity makes semantically rich frameworks increasingly essential for building intelligent and automated visualization systems. Current ontologies remain fragmented, heterogeneous, and inconsistent in terminology and modeling strategies, limiting their coverage and adoption. We present a systematic analysis of representative ontologies, highlighting shared themes and, most importantly, the gaps that hinder unification. These gaps provide the foundations for developing a comprehensive, generic ontology of visualization, aimed at unifying core concepts and supporting reuse across research and practice. Full article

Energy poverty (EP) is a complex socio-economic phenomenon of growing importance in European Union (EU) countries. The level of EP, along with the health of the population and the level of perceived well-being (H&W), is a fundamental element of socioeconomic development and a determinant of the quality of life of individuals and entire societies. In this study, two main research objectives were set: a comparison of country classification results obtained using a classical method (QGIS) and a method based on artificial intelligence (SOM) and assessment of the complementarity of both approaches in studying the diversity of EU countries in terms of EP and H&W. The classification results made it possible to demonstrate changes in the studied phenomena over time. The analysis was carried out using data from the Eurostat database from 2019 and 2023. The results presented in this study indicate that countries with the highest EP levels are located in two distinct regions: Eastern and Southern Europe. Countries with the lowest EP levels are located in Northern and Central Europe. In the case of H&W, higher levels were observed in northern and western European countries, while lower levels were observed in eastern and central European countries. The use of an AI-based method in socio-economic research and the comparison of the results with those obtained using the traditional method provides a more complete picture of the diversity of EU countries in terms of EP and H&W, broadening knowledge in empirical and methodological terms. Full article

In the current geopolitical context, sustainable energy development has become one of the pillars of global economic growth. This issue is well recognized in the European Union, which has undertaken a number of measures to achieve sustainable development goals. For these measures to be effective, it is essential to conduct a reliable, multi-variant diagnosis of the state of energy development in the EU-27 countries. This paper addresses this highly topical and important issue. It presents a new proprietary method—the Entropy–Evolutionary Evaluation of Sustainability (E³)—based on a multidimensional approach to researching and evaluating the state of sustainable energy development in the EU-27 countries between 2014 and 2023. Through the integration of 19 indicators representing the adopted dimensions of the study (energy, economic, environmental, and social), the method enabled both a static assessment and a dynamic analysis of energy transition processes across space and time. To determine the weights of the indicators for each dimension of sustainable energy development, the CRITIC, Entropy, and equal weight methods, along with the Laplace criterion, were applied. The Analytic Hierarchy Process method was used to establish the weights of the dimensions themselves. An important component of the approach was the inclusion of scenario studies, which made it possible to assess sustainable energy development under five variants: baseline, level, equilibrium, transformational, and neutral. These scenarios were based on different weight values assigned to three factors: the level of energy development (L), its stability (S), and the trajectory of change ($\tilde{T}$). The results, expressed in the form of a total index value and dimensional indices, reveal significant diversity among the EU-27 countries in terms of sustainable energy development. Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Latvia, and Austria achieved the best results, while Cyprus, Malta, Ireland, and Luxembourg—countries heavily dependent on energy imports, with limited diversification of their energy mix and high energy costs—performed the worst. The developed method and the results obtained should serve as a valuable source of knowledge to support decision-making and the formulation of strategies concerning the pace and direction of actions related to the energy transition. Full article

Genome sequencing has possibly been the greatest step in the development of advanced tools for animal genetic improvement: knowledge of gene sequences and use of haplotype markers for productivity traits can provide important improvements in yield production and optimisation of reproductive program. Next-generation and, more recently, third-generation sequencing techniques enormously increased the ability to produce sequences from single individuals and increased the interest in exome or whole-genome sequencing as an alternative to SNP chips in breeding programs as these techniques allowed for the capture of a wider range of variations, including characterisation of rare variants, structural variations, and copy number changes. Here, we present a procedure, based on fast de novo assembly and a scaffolding step, to quickly build an almost complete genome starting from long reads obtained in a single sequencing run. The procedure, applied to sequences from five water buffaloes, was able to independently build, for each individual, an almost complete high-quality genome with highly continuous chromosome sequences; in most cases, over 90% of the length of the reference chromosome was covered by less than ten long contigs. Unlike other pipelines based on slower assemblers or which require many sequencing data, in 1–2 days, the proposed procedure can go from a single run to continuous genome assembly, supporting fast analysis of large chromosome structures, potentially useful for improving animal breeding and productivity. Full article

Organic rice farming (ORF) can support both climate change mitigation and adaptation. However, a deeper understanding of its specific benefits and challenges is needed. This paper synthesises current knowledge on the potential of ORF to enhance resilience in regions exposed to natural hazards, with particular attention to the climate-vulnerable region of the Mekong Delta (MKD), Vietnam. ORF can deliver multiple benefits: reducing production costs, revitalising degraded and pesticide-contaminated soils, improving water and soil quality, enhancing biodiversity, and contributing to human health and sustainable livelihoods. In the context of MKD, where rice production intersects with acute vulnerability to salinity intrusion, storms, and drought, ORF also presents opportunities for long-term adaptation by improving ecosystem health and reducing socio-ecological vulnerability. Despite these benefits, ORF remains limited in scale and impact due to the lack of integrated, landscape-level implementation strategies. Challenges like chemical contamination, limited access to certified organic inputs, and insufficient institutional and technical support leave many existing ORF initiatives vulnerable and constrain further expansion. To fully realise ORF’s resilience and sustainability potential, more targeted research and policy attention are needed. An integrated governance approach that considers both biophysical and socio-economic dimensions is essential to support a meaningful and scalable transition to organic rice farming in climate-sensitive regions like the MKD. Full article

To address the lack of effective risk-identification methods during the commissioning of new power grid equipment, we propose a knowledge graph construction approach for both scheme generation and risk identification. First, a gated attention mechanism fuses textual semantics with knowledge embeddings to enhance feature representation. Then, by introducing a global memory matrix with a decay-factor update mechanism, long-range dependencies across paragraphs are captured, yielding a domain-knowledge-augmentation universal information-extraction framework (DKA-UIE). Using the DKA-UIE, we learn high-dimensional mappings of commissioning-scheme entities and their labels, linking them according to equipment topology and risk-identification logic to build a commissioning knowledge graph for new equipment. Finally, we present an application that utilizes this knowledge graph for the automated generation of commissioning plans and risk identification. Experimental results show that our model achieves an average precision of 99.19%, recall of 99.47%, and an F₁-score of 99.33%, outperforming existing methods. The resulting knowledge graph effectively supports both commissioning-plan generation and risk identification for new grid equipment. Full article

Background: Delirium is a rare but clinically significant complication of opioid withdrawal that remains poorly characterized in the literature. While classical withdrawal symptoms are well recognized, atypical presentations such as delirium are less frequently reported and often challenging to diagnose due to symptom overlap and heterogeneity of withdrawal syndromes. Methods: In this systematic review, we systematically analyzed available case reports and case series describing delirium precipitated by spontaneous opioid withdrawal, tapering, or antagonist-induced withdrawal. Twelve papers met inclusion criteria, comprising a total of fifteen case reports. Results: Most patients (n = 15) developed delirium within hours to days of withdrawal onset, often with fluctuating consciousness, disorientation, perceptual disturbances, and psychomotor changes. Reported risk factors included psychiatric comorbidity (major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder), concomitant use of psychotropic medication, rapid detoxification protocols, and potential exposure to adulterated substances. Management strategies varied but generally involved supportive care, benzodiazepines, antipsychotics, or reinstatement of opioid agonists. Conclusions: The findings highlight the need for heightened clinical awareness, careful differentiation from other withdrawal-related neuropsychiatric states, and systematic exclusion of organic etiologies. Despite the increasing number of patients affected by OWS, the knowledge available to date is based on case reports and a small case series, making it impossible to critically assess the prevalence or identify risk factors. Future research should aim to identify risk factors, optimize treatment, and explore novel diagnostic approaches, including AI-driven monitoring and connectomic analyses, to improve early detection and therapeutic outcomes in opioid withdrawal-associated delirium. Full article

The benefits of work-integrated learning (WIL) in higher education are well documented. Conversely, the assessment thereof, across disciplines, remains challenging. WIL is embedded in the environmental health (EH) degree at a University of Technology (UoT) in South Africa (SA), with similar challenges. The absence of explicit competency indicators and associated assessment criteria in the current curriculum necessitates an understanding of the full range of professional competencies necessary for achieving environmental health goals. Concomitantly, research relating to EH WIL and its assessment in EH programmes are sparse. The aim of this study is to present a holistic assessment framework for competencies developed due to WIL. Using a qualitative design, data collection occurred through in-depth interviews, document analysis and focus group discussions. Data analysis was guided by the Legitimation Code Theory’s (LCT) Specialization dimension. The results foregrounds competencies beyond mere knowledge integration and technical skill development in WIL. It is thus recommended that current assessment be altered to adopt holistic assessment of EH WIL and include the full range of professional competencies essential for EH practice success. Further research may explore where additional opportunities exist for authentic assessment of the foregrounded competencies, throughout the programme, additional to the WIL assessments. Full article

This paper presents a comparative study on the transdisciplinary design of resilient urban subcenters, examining the interplay between human-led and artificial intelligence (AI)-generated design approaches. By employing holistic design methods, we prepare and present revitalization projects for two areas of urban space. Our goal was to create a resilient urban subcenter that contributes to the development of a resident. The first revitalized site reflects the multicultural past of the city. The second project addresses the need to revitalize a subcenter reserved for residents. In the non-AI approach, holistic design is implemented across various universities, fields, and academic disciplines—the humanities, social sciences, engineering, and the arts. Transdisciplinary teams of sociologists, engineers, interior designers, architects, urban geographers, and acousticians transcend workshop limitations as well as cognitive boundaries, promoting the creation of new, unconventional knowledge. The AI-integrated approach employs artificial intelligence in a dual capacity: both as a generator of alternative design visions and as an analytical tool for assessing technological readiness. The findings contribute to the evolving discourse on sustainable urban development and the transformative potential of technology in transdisciplinary design practices. Full article

What is a plant? A photosynthesizing organism, molecule, commodity, songs, images, oniric experience, spirit…Indigenous perspectives show that plants cannot be thought of without the relationships that constitute them. We contextualize our reflection in plant extractive activities that, by reducing sociality with these non-humans to anonymous, non-situated knowledge, feed a transit of knowledge based on a relational extractivism. Thus, in this article, based on one historical case and another ethnographic one involving two South American plants—cinchona (Cinchona officinalis) and matico (Piper aduncum)—we present a reflection on plant agency from the perspective of Amazonian peoples, with the intention of showing how these beings are conceived of as subjects who are part of kinship relations, but also of predation. We take shamanic and artistic experiences as ethnographic cases to argue that the Western categories of biology are insufficient to define and circumscribe the so-called plant kingdom according to certain Amazonian conceptions. Full article

The eco-toxicological impacts caused by organic pollutants in aquatic environments have emerged as a global concern in recent decades, resulting from the potential hazards they present to ecosystem integrity and human health. Decorating active components on mesoporous silica is considered a popular approach by which to obtain synergistic effects in persulfate activation for sustainable water decontamination. However, at present there has been no review focusing solely, specifically and comprehensively on this field. Therefore, this paper places an emphasis on the latest research progress on the synthesis and physicochemical properties of functionalized mesoporous silica materials as well as their catalytic performance. The preparation methods included co-condensation, impregnation, grinding–calcination, hydrothermal synthesis and chemical precipitation, and their synthesis parameters played a major role in the characterization of materials, thereby affecting pollutant elimination. Metal redox cycles, nonmetallic activation and confinement effects contributed to persulfate activation. Targeted pollutants were degraded via radical pathways, non-radical pathways, or a combination of the two. The effects and causes of operational conditions (catalyst and persulfate dosage, initial pollutant concentration, temperature, initial pH, co-existing anions, and natural organic matter) varied across the degradation systems, and they were categorized and summarized in detail. Furthermore, functionalized mesoporous silica presented excellent reusability, stability and applicability in practical application. Finally, current potential directions for further research and sustainable development in this field were also prospected. This critical analysis aims to fuel the evolution of functionalized mesoporous silica catalyst-driven persulfate system application in water treatment and to bridge prevailing knowledge gaps. Full article

In many disaster-prone regions, lower-income communities face disproportionate impacts due to the prevalence of informal housing. Informal housing, characterized by substandard construction and lack of adherence to building codes, exacerbates vulnerabilities during disasters, leading to widespread destruction and hampered recovery efforts. This study examines the multifaceted causes of informal housing in Puerto Rico using a qualitative content analysis of applicable literature. Seven interdisciplinary factors were derived from 42 relevant manuscripts with identifiable factors linked to informal housing in Puerto Rico: Knowledge, Perception, Government Dynamics, Institutional Support, Enforcement, Culture, and Resources. Despite post-disaster efforts advocating for building back better, systemic challenges perpetuate informal housing practices, reinforcing cycles of vulnerability. This research underscores the need for integrated decision making in pre-disaster preparation and post-disaster reconstruction efforts. This research presents a detailed understanding of the Informal Housing Cycle, demonstrates how interdisciplinary factors are barriers to safe and sustainable housing, and explores the complex relationships between these factors. This study aims to guide policy and practice to reduce future disaster impacts on Puerto Rico housing, thus breaking the cycle of vulnerability, empowering communities, and fostering sustainable resilience in post-disaster reconstruction efforts. Full article