Search Results (179)

Cardiovascular disease remains the world’s leading cause of mortality, yet everyday care still relies on episodic, symptom-driven interventions that detect ischemia, arrhythmias, and remodeling only after tissue damage has begun, limiting the effectiveness of therapy. A narrative review synthesized 183 studies published between 2016 and 2025 that were located through PubMed, MDPI, Scopus, IEEE Xplore, and Web of Science. This review examines CVD diagnostics using innovative technologies such as digital cardiovascular twins, which involve the collection of data from wearable IoT devices (electrocardiography (ECG), photoplethysmography (PPG), and mechanocardiography), clinical records, laboratory biomarkers, and genetic markers, as well as their integration with artificial intelligence (AI), including machine learning and deep learning, graph and transformer networks for interpreting multi-dimensional data streams and creating prognostic models, as well as generative AI, medical large language models (LLMs), and autonomous agents for decision support, personalized alerts, and treatment scenario modeling, and with cloud and edge computing for data processing. This multi-layered architecture enables the detection of silent pathologies long before clinical manifestations, transforming continuous observations into actionable recommendations and shifting cardiology from reactive treatment to predictive and preventive care. Evidence converges on four layers: sensors streaming multimodal clinical and environmental data; hybrid analytics that integrate hemodynamic models with deep-, graph- and transformer learning while Bayesian and Kalman filters manage uncertainty; decision support delivered by domain-tuned medical LLMs and autonomous agents; and prospective simulations that trial pacing or pharmacotherapy before bedside use, closing the prediction-intervention loop. This stack flags silent pathology weeks in advance and steers proactive personalized prevention. It also lays the groundwork for software-as-a-medical-device ecosystems and new regulatory guidance for trustworthy AI-enabled cardiovascular care. Full article

In this study, high-yield biopolymer/ceramic hollow fibers were fabricated via a facile, modified polyol process in a spinneret setup, enabling the controlled adsorption of Cu²⁺ ions. Post sintering transformed these into catalytic copper-decorated carbon/ceramic (alumina) composite hollow fibers, with alginate serving as both a metal ion binder and a copper nanoparticle stabilizer. The resulting hollow fibers featured porous walls with a high surface area and were densely decorated with copper nanoparticles. Their structural and morphological characteristics were analyzed, and their NO reduction performance was assessed in a continuous flow configuration, where the gas stream passed through both the shell and lumen sides of a fiber bundle in a tangential flow mode. This study also examined the stability, longevity and regeneration potential of the catalytic fibers, including the mechanisms of deactivation and reactivation. Carbon content was found to be decisive for catalytic performance. High-carbon fibers exhibited a light-off temperature of 250 °C, maintained about 90% N₂ selectivity and sustained a consistently high NO reduction efficiency for over 300 h, even without reducing gases like CO. In contrast, low-carbon fibers displayed a higher light-off temperature of 350 °C and a reduced catalytic efficiency. The results indicate that carbon enhances both activity and selectivity, counterbalancing deactivation effects. Owing to their scalability, durability and effectiveness, these catalytic fibers and their corresponding bundle-type reactor configuration represent a promising technology for advanced NO abatement. Full article

Modern web applications increasingly demand rendering techniques that optimize performance, responsiveness, and scalability. Progressive Server-Side Rendering (PSSR) bridges the gap between Server-Side Rendering and Client-Side Rendering by progressively streaming HTML content, improving perceived load times. Still, traditional HTML template engines often rely on blocking interfaces that hinder their use in asynchronous, non-blocking contexts required for PSSR. This paper analyzes how Java virtual threads, introduced in Java 21, enable non-blocking execution of blocking I/O operations, allowing the reuse of traditional template engines for PSSR without complex asynchronous programming models. We benchmark multiple engines across Spring WebFlux, Spring MVC, and Quarkus using reactive, suspendable, and virtual thread-based approaches. Results show that virtual threads allow blocking engines to scale comparably to those designed for non-blocking I/O, achieving high throughput and responsiveness under load. This demonstrates that virtual threads provide a compelling path to simplify the implementation of PSSR with familiar HTML templates, significantly lowering the barrier to entry while maintaining performance. Full article

A core tertiary wastewater reactive filtration technology, where continuously renewed hydrous ferric oxide coated sand is created in an upflow continuous backwash filter, has been adopted in about 100 water resource recovery facilities in several countries. Primarily focused on ultralow phosphorus discharge requirements to address nutrient pollution impacts and harmful algae blooms, the technology has also demonstrated the capacity to address high-efficiency removals of Hg, As, Zn, N, and other pollutants of concern, in addition to water quality needs met by common sand filtration, including total suspended solids. Recent work has demonstrated the capability of an additive iron–ozone catalytic oxidation process to the core reactive filtration technology platform to address micropollutants such as pharmaceuticals. Most recently, direct injection of frangible biochar into the reactive sand filter bed as a consumable reagent demonstrates a novel biochar water treatment technology in a platform that yields dose-dependent carbon negativity. In this work, the reactive filtration technology performance is reviewed from field pilot-scale to full-scale installation scenarios for nutrient removal and recovery applications. We also review the potential of the technology for nutrient recovery with the addition of biochar and micropollutant destructive removal with catalytic oxidation. Research exploration of this reactive filtration technology includes life cycle assessment (LCA) and techno-economic assessment to evaluate the environmental and economic impacts of this advanced water treatment technology. A recent LCA study of a pilot-scale field research and full-scale municipal system with over 2200 inventory elements shows a dose-dependent carbon negativity when biochar is injected into the process stream of reactive filtration. In this study, LCA demonstrates that reactive filtration has the potential as a negative emissions technology with −1.21 kg CO₂e/m³, where the negative contribution from the dosed biochar is −1.53 kg CO₂e/m³. In this biochar water treatment configuration, the system not only effectively removes pollutants from wastewater but also contributes to carbon sequestration and nutrient recovery for agriculture, making it a potentially valuable approach for sustainable water treatment. Full article

The construction industry urgently requires sustainable alternatives to conventional cement to mitigate its environmental footprint, which includes 8% of global CO₂ emissions. This review critically examines the potential of rice husk ash (RHA) and silica fume (SF)—industrial and agricultural byproducts—as high-performance supplementary cementitious materials (SCMs) in soil–cement composites. Their pozzolanic reactivity, microstructural enhancement mechanisms, and durability improvements (e.g., compressive strength gains of up to 31.7% for RHA and 250% for SF) are analyzed. This study highlights the synergistic effects of RHA/SF blends in refining pore structure, reducing permeability, and enhancing resistance to chemical attacks. Additionally, this paper quantifies the environmental benefits, including CO₂ emission reduction (up to 25% per ton of cement replaced) and resource recovery from agricultural/industrial waste streams. Challenges such as material variability, optimal dosage (10–15% RHA, 5–8% SF), and regulatory barriers are discussed, alongside future directions for scalable adoption. This work aligns with SDGs 9, 11, and 12, offering actionable insights for sustainable material design. Full article

Nitric oxide (NO) is a well-known member of the reactive oxygen species (ROS) family. The extent of its concentration influences whether it produces beneficial physiological effects or harmful toxic reactions. In a blood system, NO is generally produced by nitric oxide synthase (NOS) in the endothelium. Then, it diffuses into the smooth muscle wall causing a vasodilatation, and it can also be diluted in a lumen blood stream. In the present study, we analyzed a convectional reaction–diffusion of NO in a 3D digital phantom of a short segment of small arteries. NO concentrations were analyzed by applying numerical solutions to the boundary problems, which included the Navier–Stokes equation, Darcy’s law, varying consumption of NO, and the dependence of NOS activity on shear stress. All the boundary problems were evaluated using COMSOL Multiphysics software ver. 5.5. The role of two diffusive barriers surrounding the endothelium producing NO was theoretically proven. When the eNOS rate remains unchanged, an increase in the fenestration of the internal elastic lamina (IEL) and a decrease in the diffusive permeability of a thin layer of endothelial surface glycocalyx (ESG) lead to a notable rise in the NO concentration in the vascular wall. The alterations in pore count in IEL and the viscosity of ESG are considered to be involved in the physiological and pathological regulation of NO concentrations. Full article

1-butanethiol, a volatile mercaptan that is harmful and has a persistent odor, was adsorbed from a gaseous stream onto granulated activated carbon (AC) that was doped with Cu, Fe, and Zn oxides. The adsorbents were prepared by precipitating salts of the respective metals using an ammonia solution, along with the inclusion of an anti-caking agent known as Pluronic-123. Characterization of the three prepared adsorbents was conducted using electron microscopy (SEM), textural analysis, thermogravimetric analysis, FTIR, and XRD. The study’s results indicate that the adsorbents exhibit different textural characteristics and variations in the size and shape of the metal oxide clusters deposited on the activated carbon. These differences also led to variations in the adsorption capacity for 1-butanethiol among the three adsorbents. Full article

Modern computational models tend to become more and more complex, especially in fields like computational biology, physical modeling, social simulation, and others. With the increasing complexity of simulations, modern computational architectures demand efficient parallel execution strategies. This paper proposes a novel approach leveraging the reactive stream paradigm as a general-purpose synchronization protocol for parallel simulation. We introduce a method to construct simulation graphs from predefined transition functions, ensuring modularity and reusability. Additionally, we outline strategies for graph optimization and interactive simulation through push and pull patterns. The resulting computational graph, implemented using reactive streams, offers a scalable framework for parallel computation. Through theoretical analysis and practical implementation, we demonstrate the feasibility of this approach, highlighting its advantages over traditional parallel simulation methods. Finally, we discuss future challenges, including automatic graph construction, fault tolerance, and optimization strategies, as key areas for further research. Full article

The rural digital governance platform is closely related to rural sustainable development. By playing the role of the rural digital governance platform, it can optimize the allocation of rural resources, improve the efficiency of rural governance, promote the development of rural industries, improve the quality of life of rural residents, promote the inheritance and innovation of rural culture, and provide a strong guarantee for the sustainable development of rural areas. Through the continuous advancement of the rural digital governance platform, it is anticipated to achieve the modernization of rural governance, promote industrial prosperity, optimize public services, encourage talent return, and foster cultural inheritance and innovation. This will provide a robust foundation for the implementation of the rural revitalization strategy. Guided by the “digital village” strategy, digital platforms serve as pivotal vehicles for the transformation of rural digital governance. Taking the policymaking process facilitated by the “JuHaoban” platform as a case study, this paper integrates theoretical frameworks with practical applications to construct a “Mixed-Scanning–Multiple-Stream” framework. This framework elucidates the policy innovation process at the local-decision-making level under the influence of the central strategy. The findings indicate that the problem stream can be generated through both proactive scanning and reactive response mechanisms, which can operate concurrently. Decision makers at various levels function as policy entrepreneurs, leading the policymaking community, and the policy window can open either opportunistically or continuously, driven by these decision makers. The policy establishment process of Julu County’s “JuHaoban” platform exemplifies an “up-and-down” dynamic, primarily influenced by political streams. By proactively identifying social issues and responding to emergencies, county-level decision makers implement policy innovations in alignment with the “digital village” strategy. The “Mixed-Scanning–Multiple-Stream” framework provides substantial explanatory power regarding local policy innovation processes within central–local interactions. The conclusions and recommendations offer significant policymaking implications for the development of rural digital governance platforms. Full article

To fulfil the goals of the circular economy, the treatment of textile wastewater should be focused on the recovery of valuable components. Monovalent anion-selective electrodialysis (MASED) was applied for the separation of reactive dyes from mineral salts. Standard cation-exchange membranes (CM membranes) and monovalent selective anion-exchange membranes (MVA membranes) were used in the electrodialysis (ED) stack. The separation efficiency was evaluated for model solutions of various reactive dyes (varying in molecular weight and chemical reactivity) containing NaCl. In the course of MASED, the mineral salt was successfully removed from the dye solutions with an efficacy of 97.4–99.4%, irrespectively of the composition of the treated solution. The transport of dye molecules through the ion-exchange membranes (IEMs) from diluate to concentrate compartments was irrelevant. Nonetheless, a significant adsorption of dye particles on the membranes was observed. Around 11–40% of the initial dye mass was deposited in the ED stack. Dye adsorption intensity was significantly affected by dye reactivity. This study showed the potential of the MASED process for the separation of the reactive dye from the mineral salt on condition that antifouling membrane properties are improved. The obtained streams (the concentrate rich in mineral salt and the diluate containing the reactive dye) can be reused in the dye-house textile operations; however, some loss of dye mass should be included. Full article

This article investigates the performance of Faradaic electro-swing reactive adsorption (ESA) for CO₂ capture using simulations. Traditional methods such as amine scrubbing face energy efficiency challenges, particularly at low CO₂ concentrations. ESA, which uses electricity for CO₂ regeneration, offers a promising alternative due to its isothermal operation and scalability. The study models ESA using quinone-based redox-active CO₂ carriers in an electrochemical cell with an ionic liquid electrolyte, allowing reversible adsorption and release through voltage control. The model estimates system productivity and energy consumption, considering transport and chemical kinetics. Key findings show that operating parameters, such as applied potential and gas flow rate, have a significant effect on efficiency. Applying a potential of −1.3 V improved the adsorption capacity, reducing CO₂ capture time compared to −1.1 V. At a 1% CO₂ concentration and a low flow rate, effective capture resulted in a productivity of 1.6 kg/(m³·day) with an energy consumption of 0.6 MWh/tCO₂. However, higher gas flow rates reduced capture efficiency due to CO₂ transport limitations in the ionic liquid. Optimization of electrode design is essential to improve ESA efficiency. Full article

This work outlines the commissioning and initial experiments from a new pilot plant at Arcelor Mittal Gas Lab (Asturias, Spain) designed to decarbonize up to 300 Nm³/h of blast furnace gas (BFG). This investigation intends to demonstrate for the first time at TRL7 the calcium-assisted steel-mill off-gas hydrogen (CASOH) process to decarbonize blast furnace gases. The CASOH process is carried out in packed-bed reactors operating through three main reaction stages: (1) H₂ production via the water–gas shift (WGS) of the CO present in the BFG assisted by the simultaneous carbonation of CaO; (2) oxidation of the Cu-based catalyst with air, and (3) reduction of CuO with a fuel gas to regenerate CaO and produce a concentrated CO₂ stream. The first experimental campaign used 200 kg of commercial Ca- and Cu-based solids mixed to create a 1 m reactive bed, which is sufficient to validate operations and confirm the process’s effectiveness. A product gas with 40% of H₂ is obtained with CO₂ capture efficiency above 95%. Demonstrating at TRL7 the ability to convert BFG into H2-enriched gas with minimal CO/CO₂ enables remarkable decarbonization in steel production while utilizing existing blast furnaces, eliminating the need for less commercially developed production processes. Full article

Two common iron oxide-bearing wastes—a drinking water treatment residual and a passive mine water treatment sludge (MWTS)—were utilised with and without modification as media in microcosm experiments to treat artificial benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylene (BTEX)-contaminated wastewater. In all cases, the removal of BTEX was observed over the 160-day experiments, with benzene being the most recalcitrant. The solubilisation of iron was observed, which, alongside the syntropic relationship between the methanogens and firmicutes, allowed several anaerobic processes to occur, including iron reduction in concert with the biodegradation of BTEX. Nitrogen sparging prior to microcosm establishment, compared to aeration, was seen to lead to the greater subsequent removal of BTEX, indicating that anaerobic conditions favoured removal. The rates of BTEX removal indicated that these iron oxide-bearing wastes, an abundant waste stream, may be an interesting candidate for cost-effective media for BTEX remediation in applications such as permeable reactive barriers. Full article

The alkylation reaction of aromatic compounds gains considerable attention because of its wide application in bulk and fine chemical production. Aromatics alkylated with olefins is a well-known process, particularly for linear alkylbenzene, phenyloctanes, and heptyltoluene production. As octane boosters and precursors for various petrochemical and bulk chemical products, a wide range of alkylated compounds are in high demand. Numerous unique structures have been proposed in addition to the usual zeolites (Y and beta) utilized in alkylation procedures. The inevitable deactivation of industrial catalysts over time on stream, which is followed by a decrease in catalytic activity and product selectivity, is one of their disadvantages. Therefore, careful consideration of catalyst deactivation regarding the setup and functioning of the process of catalysis is necessary. Although a lot of work has been carried out to date to prevent coke and increase catalyst lifespan, deactivation of the catalyst is still unavoidable. Coke deposition can lead to catalyst deactivation in industrial catalytic processes by obstructing pores and/or covering acid sites. It is very desirable to regenerate inactive catalysts in order to remove the coke and restore catalytic activity at the same time. Depending on the kind of catalyst, the deactivation processes, and the regeneration settings, each regeneration approach has pros and cons. In this comprehensive study, the focus was on discussing the reaction mechanism of 1-octene isomerization and toluene alkylation as an example of isomerization and alkylation reactions that occur simultaneously, shedding light in detail on the catalysts used for this type of complex reaction, taking into account the challenges facing the catalyst deactivation and reactivation procedures. Full article

Water quality is intricately linked to the global water crisis since the availability of safe, clean water is essential for sustaining life and ensuring the well-being of communities worldwide. Pollutants such as industrial chemicals, agricultural runoff, and untreated sewage frequently enter rivers via surface runoff or direct discharges. This study provides an overview of the key mechanisms governing contaminant transport in rivers, with special attention to storage and hyporheic processes. The storage process conceptualizes a ubiquitous reactive boundary between the main channel (mobile zone) and its surrounding slower-flow areas (immobile zone). Research from the last five decades demonstrates the crucial role of storage and hyporheic zones in influencing solute residence time, nutrient cycling, and pollutant degradation. A review of solute transport models highlights significant advancements, including models like the transient storage model (TSM) and multirate mass transport (MRMT) model, which effectively capture complex storage zone dynamics and residence time distributions. However, more widely used models like the classical advection–dispersion equation (ADE) cannot hyporheic exchange, limiting their application in environments with significant storage contributions. Despite these advancements, challenges remain in accurately quantifying the relative contributions of storage zones to solute transport and degradation, especially in smaller streams dominated by hyporheic exchange. Future research should integrate detailed field observations with advanced numerical models to address these gaps and improve water quality predictions across diverse river systems. Full article