Search Results (21,966)

Against the backdrop of policy-driven transformation in construction industrialization, the EPC general contracting model has emerged as a core pathway for the large-scale development of prefabricated buildings. However, the EPC mode integrates the links of design, procurement, production, and transportation, construction, resulting in a complex coupling correlation among the risk factors of prefabricated construction schedule, which is easy to induce the risk contagion effect and increase the difficulty of risk control of project schedule delay. To address this, this study constructs a hybrid model integrating the “Fuzzy Interpretive Structural Model (FISM)-Coupling Degree Model-Bayesian Network (BN)” to systematically analyze risk contagion mechanisms. Taking an EPC prefabricated building project as an example, FISM is used to reveal the hierarchical structure of risk factors, while the coupling degree model quantifies interaction strengths and maps them into the BN to optimize conditional probability parameters. Through comprehensive hazard analysis, seven key causal risk factors and two critical risk propagation paths are identified. Targeted control measures are designed for the key risk factors, and BN-based simulation is applied to locate critical risk nodes and implement break-chain interventions for the risk paths, resulting in a 23% reduction in the probability of schedule delay. Engineering applications demonstrate that this model can effectively achieve the dynamic identification and blocking of risk paths, providing valuable reference for similar projects and offering informed support for managers in formulating scientific response strategies. Full article

The study focuses on the phylogeny and systematics of the order Mastogloiales sensu Cox. Results of a two-gene (18S rRNA and rbcL) molecular analysis on the order demonstrate that genera Aneumastus, Decussiphycus, Mastogloia, and Stigmagloia form a closely related phylogenetic group, while Achnanthes and Craspedostauros belong to a different evolutionary lineage. Heterogeneity is also expressed in the difference in morphological features, including the structure of pore occlusions. Combining molecular and morphological data, we hereby amend the description of the order Mastogloiales and describe new types of pore occlusions, typical for the order. Using our material from freshwater and saline waterbodies in China, Indonesia, Mongolia and Vietnam, we illustrate the diversity and ultrastucture of pore occlusions. As a part of morphological analysis, Mastogloia recta is studied with SEM and TEM for the first time. In addition, our study reveals a new species of the genus Aneumastus from Mongolia—Aneumastus khovsgolensis sp. nov.—which was subjected to molecular and morphological investigations using light and scanning electron microscopy. This new species is compared to similar taxa of the Aneumastus tusculus-group. Full article

Structures resembling iron-related bacteria (IRB) have been found in the Mississippian limestones that form part of the carbonate platform in the Moravo-Silesian Basin that surrounds the Upper Silesian Block, an eastern margin of the Brunovistulicum. Microfacial, petrological, and geochemical analyses were used to determine the bacteria-like structures that are present in narrow zones unrelated to bedding. We present here the morphology and chemistry of the studied microstructures showing their similarities to IRB from the present-day Sphaerotilus-Leptothrix group, the Galionella group, and the Mariprofundus ferrooxydans species. We suggest that bacterial growth occurred in the originally empty micropores of microfossil skeletons and shells, between bioclasts or in secondary voids formed during the selective dissolution of micrite or smaller sparite crystals. Hydrothermal solutions, associated probably with the post-Variscan magmatism in this area, provided iron compounds for the growth of the IRB. Full article

Background: Cardiac-respiratory dual gating in SPECT (DG-SPECT) is an emergent technique for alleviating motion blurring artifacts in myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) due to both cardiac and respiratory motions. Moreover, the attenuation artifact may arise from the spatial mismatch between the sequential SPECT and CT attenuation scans due to the dual gating of SPECT data and non-gating CT images. Objectives: This study adapts a four-dimensional (4D) cardiac SPECT reconstruction with post-reconstruction respiratory motion correction (4D-RMC) for dual-gated SPECT. In theory, a respiratory motion-matched attenuation correction (MAC) method is expected to yield more accurate reconstruction results than the conventional motion-averaged attenuation correction (AAC) method. However, its potential benefit is not clear in the presence of practical imaging artifacts in DG-SPECT. In this study, we aim to quantitatively investigate these two attenuation methods for SPECT MPI: 4D-RMC (MAC) and 4D-RMC (AAC). Methods: DG-SPECT imaging (eight cardiac gates and eight respiratory gates) of the NCAT phantom was simulated using SIMIND Monte Carlo simulation, with a lesion (20% reduction in uptake) introduced at four different locations of the left ventricular wall: anterior, lateral, septal, and inferior. For each respiratory gate, a joint cardiac motion-compensated 4D reconstruction was used. Then, the respiratory motion was estimated for post-reconstruction respiratory motion-compensated smoothing for all respiratory gates. The attenuation map averaged over eight respiratory gates was used for each respiratory gate in 4D-RMC (AAC) and the matched attenuation map was used for each respiratory gate in 4D-RMC (MAC). The relative root mean squared error (RMSE), structural similarity index measurement (SSIM), and a Channelized Hotelling Observer (CHO) study were employed to quantitatively evaluate different reconstruction and attenuation correction strategies. Results: Our results show that the 4D-RMC (MAC) method improves the average relative RMSE by as high as 5.42% and the average SSIM value by as high as 1.28% compared to the 4D-RMC (AAC) method. Compared to traditional 4D reconstruction without RMC (“4D (MAC)”), these metrics were improved by as high as 11.23% and 27.96%, respectively. The 4D-RMC methods outperformed 4D (without RMC) on the CHO study with the largest improvement for the anterior lesion. However, the image intensity profiles, the CHO assessment, and reconstruction images are very similar between 4D-RMC (MAC) and 4D-RMC (AAC). Conclusions: Our results indicate that the improvement of 4D-RMC (MAC) over 4D-RMC (AAC) is marginal in terms of lesion detectability and visual quality, which may be attributed to the simple NCAT phantom simulation, but otherwise suggest that AAC may be sufficient for clinical use. However, further evaluation of the MAC technique using more physiologically realistic digital phantoms that incorporate diverse patient anatomies and irregular respiratory motion is warranted to determine its potential clinical advantages for specific patient populations undergoing dual-gated SPECT myocardial perfusion imaging. Full article

Point cloud quality assessment remains a critical challenge due to the high dimensionality and irregular structure of 3D data, as well as the need to align objective predictions with human perception. To solve this, we suggest a novel graph-based learning architecture that integrates perceptual features with advanced graph neural networks. Our method consists of four main stages: First, key perceptual features, including curvature, saliency, and color, are extracted to capture relevant geometric and visual distortions. Second, a graph-based representation of the point cloud is created using these characteristics, where nodes represent perceptual clusters and weighted edges encode their feature similarities, yielding a structured adjacency matrix. Third, a novel Graph Attention Network Transformer Fusion (GATF) module dynamically refines the importance of these features and generates a unified, view-specific representation. Finally, a Graph Convolutional Network (GCN) regresses the fused features into a final quality score. We validate our approach on three benchmark datasets: ICIP2020, WPC, and SJTU-PCQA. Experimental results demonstrate that our method achieves high correlation with human subjective scores, outperforming existing state-of-the-art metrics by effectively modeling the perceptual mechanisms of quality judgment. Full article

Lymantria xylina is a major pest in coastal casuarina shelterbelts and a species subject to quarantine regulations by countries to which it is non-native. Phototaxis is fundamental to the insect’s surveillance and risk assessment analysis, and it exhibits pronounced sexual dimorphism in compound eye structure. This dimorphism was investigated using scanning and transmission electron microscopy. Males displayed significantly larger compound eyes, characterized by greater ommatidial areas and a higher total number of facets per eye compared to females. From the distal to proximal end, the ommatidium consists of the cornea, primary and secondary pigment cells, crystalline cones, retinula cells, a rhabdom bundle, and basal retinal cells (in a “7 + 1” arrangement). The internal ultrastructure of the ommatidia is similar in both sexes. However, males possess significantly thinner cornea and extremely elongated crystalline cones. Based on external morphology, both sexes generally exhibit a parallel-symmetrical compound eye form, minimizing optical asymmetry to optimize nocturnal vision. These differences are attributed to the distinct visual demands of males for mate-searching in low-light environments, while females, being more stationary, have reduced visual needs. Paraffin sections of Lymantria xylina compound eyes further revealed that, during dark adaptation, pigment granules aggregated within the crystalline cone region to enhance low-light capture. Conversely, following intense light stimulation, these granules translocated to the perinuclear region of photoreceptor cells, forming a light-shielding configuration. Full article

The presence of arsenic-bearing minerals in ores, notably enargite (Cu₃AsS₄), remains an unresolved issue for copper beneficiation processes, including those for porphyry copper deposits. In particular, several operational challenges remain for the selective flotation of enargite from copper–sulphide ores, as well as the selective leaching of arsenic from enargite in copper concentrates. This study addresses these challenges from the standpoint of mediator science, where structures with specific elemental compositions observed by several authors at the surface of enargite and chalcopyrite, under different conditions and analytical techniques, are compiled and analysed. Most probable surface species, observed using technologies measuring the outmost surface layer and occurring onto the mentioned minerals, are identified and compared to species predicted by classic thermodynamic calculations. The results indicate that for chalcopyrite the major species formed in acidic conditions is elemental sulphur, while copper oxide and iron oxides and oxy-hydroxides species predominate with increasing pH. For the case of enargite, a similar situation is observed at low pH values, although slightly acidic conditions appear as a less examined condition for this mineral. Some of the observed species were found to be consistent with thermodynamic predictions, while others are notably absent. Particularly, for the case of enargite researchers have reported the formation of arsenic (III) oxide at pH values as high as 13, and observation not predicted by Pourbaix diagrams. Thus As₂O₃ could be considered a metastable species at highly alkaline conditions, which opens an option to beneficiation from froth flotation. Interestingly, at the same pH condition, iron oxide and oxyhydroxides species predominate at the surface of chalcopyrite. Therefore, applying the mediator concept, the initial alkaline flotation of sulphide ores turns into an oxide flotation case. Full article

Segmentation of white blood cells is critical for a wide range of applications. It aims to identify and isolate individual white blood cells from medical images, enabling accurate diagnosis and monitoring of diseases. In the last decade, many researchers have focused on this task using U-Net, one of the most used deep learning architectures. To further enhance segmentation accuracy and robustness, recent advances have explored the combination of U-Net with other techniques, such as attention mechanisms and aggregation techniques. However, a common challenge in white blood cell image segmentation is the similarity between the cells’ cytoplasm and other surrounding blood components, which often leads to inaccurate or incomplete segmentation due to difficulties in distinguishing low-contrast or subtle boundaries, leaving a significant gap for improvement. In this paper, we propose GAAD-U-Net, a novel architecture that integrates attention-augmented convolutions to better capture ambiguous boundaries and complex structures such as overlapping cells and low-contrast regions, followed by a gating mechanism to further suppress irrelevant feature information. These two key components are integrated in the Double U-Net base architecture. Our model achieves state-of-the-art performance on white blood cell benchmark datasets, with a 3.4% Dice score coefficient (DSC) improvement specifically on the SegPC-2021 dataset. The proposed model achieves superior performance as measured by mean the intersection over union (IoU) and DSC, with notably strong segmentation performance even for difficult images. Full article

Furosemide appears to contribute to the accumulation of protein-bound uremic toxins (PBUTs) and to induce adverse drug reactions. We investigated the extent to which the association between the furosemide dose and serum PBUT concentrations mediates the relationship between the furosemide dose and the symptom burden in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). This cross-sectional analysis included patients with CKD stages 2 to 5 from the CKD-REIN cohort and with data on the baseline serum concentrations of the free fractions of indoxyl sulphate (IS), kynurenine (KYN), p-cresyl sulphate (PCS), and indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), as measured by liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry. The symptom burden was also assessed with a modified (8-item) symptom subscale from the Kidney Disease Quality of Life-36 (e.g., muscle soreness, cramps, itchy skin, dry skin, dizziness, appetite, numbness, and nausea). We used beta regressions to model the association between the furosemide dose and the symptom burden and used structural equation models to quantify the mediating effect of PBUT on this association. Among the 2053 included patients (males: 66%, median age: 68; mean estimated glomerular filtration rate: 35 mL/min/1.73 m²), those prescribed high-dose furosemide (>120 mg/day) had higher symptom burden than those not prescribed furosemide (i.e., a 5.67-point lower symptom score, 95%CI 1.41–9.93). The sum of PBUTs explained 3.78% (95%CI 0.10–18.01%) of this association. Similar results were observed for IS, KYN, and IAA, considered separately, but not for PCS, whose estimated mediation effect was nearly null. Although high-dose furosemide was associated with a greater symptom burden in patients with CKD, mediation by PBUT accumulation appeared to be minimal. Full article

Floating offshore wind–wave hybrid systems, as a novel structural form integrating floating wind turbine foundations and WECs, can effectively enhance the efficiency of renewable energy utilization when properly designed. A numerical model is established to investigate the dynamic responses of a wind–wave hybrid system comprising a semi-submersible FOWT and PA wave energy converters. The optimal damping values of the PTO system for the wind–wave hybrid system are determined based on an NSGA-II. Subsequently, a comparative analysis of dynamic responses is carried out for the PTO system with different states: latching, fully released, and optimal damping. Under the same extreme irregular wave conditions, the pitch motion of the FOWT with optimal damping is reduced to 71% and 50% compared to the latching and fully released states, respectively. The maximum mooring line tension in the optimal damping state is similar to that in the fully released state, but nearly 40% lower than in the latching state. This optimal control strategy not only sustains power generation but also enhances structural stability and efficiency compared to traditional survival strategies, offering a promising approach for cost-effective offshore wind and wave energy utilization. Full article

Hybrid natural/synthetic fiber laminates were examined as a practical process to cut mass, reduce material footprint, and meet structural demands while addressing sustainability targets. Yet direct, like-for-like comparisons generated under a single process and accompanied by durability measurements were limited, leaving design choices uncertain. This study aimed to fabricate and benchmark five representative laminates—C1: flax/epoxy, C2: jute/glass/epoxy, C3: hemp/carbon/epoxy, C4: flax/glass/bio-epoxy, and C5: kenaf/basalt/polyester—under a controlled hot-press schedule with a fixed cavity and verified fiber volume fraction. Panels were characterized using ASTM D3039 tension, ASTM D790 flexure, instrumented impact, 168 h water immersion, and thermogravimetric mass retention. The results were normalized to enable direct multi-criteria comparison, and a model was calibrated to predict tensile strength. C3 delivered the highest strengths (tension ≈ 120 MPa; flexure ≈ 126 MPa), while C5 showed the greatest impact capacity (≈60 kJ/m²). End-of-test water uptake at 168 h was C1 ≈ 3.4%, C2 ≈ 2.6%, C3 ≈ 1.4%, C4 ≈ 2.1%, and C5 ≈ 2.3%. The tensile predictor was fitted to panel means, with an R² of 0.988, and maintained an R² of 0.96 under leave-one-configuration-out testing. These results indicated that carbon-containing hybrids played the most critical roles in terms of stiffness, with kenaf/basalt being most suitable for stiffness-critical components at a similar density, and flax/glass with a bio-resin maximized the sustainability score while maintaining adequate strength. Future research should focus on enhancing specific strength at high renewable content through interface treatments, and extended modeling to improve flexure and impact responses. Full article

The present work investigated the effect of different storage temperatures (10 °C, 30 °C, and 50 °C) on the mechanical, structural, chemical, and microstructural properties of a set of sustainable mortars with gray waste. Three types of mortar were investigated: (1) Type A, prepared from a proportion of 1 part cement: 1 part hydrated lime: 6 parts sand; (2) Type B, prepared from a proportion of 1 part cement: 1 part hydrated lime: 6 parts sand: 0.1 part waste; and (3) Type C, prepared from a proportion of 0.9 part cement: 1 part hydrated lime: 6 parts sand: 0.1 part waste. The waste incorporation reduced compressive strength by 8%, while partial cement replacement reduced by 33%. The cement storage at 10 °C preserved the compressive strength, whereas storage at 50 °C increased it by 8.8%. In type B mortar, the waste incorporation improved compressive strength by 19% at 50 °C. The most substantial enhancement occurred in type C mortar, where cement replacement with residue and storage at 50 °C led to a 27% increase. These results highlight the potential of higher storage temperatures to mitigate cement degradation in humid environments. Furthermore, XRD analysis revealed that cement storage temperature did not affect the formation of primary cement phases, as degradation products were chemically similar to hydration products. However, sustainable mortars exhibited changes in the C-S-H phase signal when the cement is stored for 90 days at 30 °C. Finally, SEM and EDS analyses identified variations in Ca, Si, and O proportions depending on storage conditions. Full article

Ginger is a common spice found in many cuisines all over the world that is from the rhizome of Zingiber officinale. Additionally, it has been used in traditional medicinal practices as an aid in many ailments ranging from nausea to muscle pain. The non-volatile compounds of ginger, including zingerone, are responsible for pungency and they have widespread biomedical activities. The crystal structure of zingerone, a 6-gingerol degradation product and phenolic compound, reveals that the C4 hydroxyl group is the fulcrum for strong intermolecular interactions such as (O1-H2…O3) 2.737(2) Å. Our electrochemical results using rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) hydrodynamic voltammetry demonstrate that zingerone is an effective scavenger of superoxide radical anions and that zingerone, unlike powdered ginger, is a strong antioxidant with a collection efficiency slope of −6.5 × 10⁴ M⁻¹. The addition of vitamin C enhances scavenging activity for both zingerone and ginger powder, although the effect is more noticeable with zingerone. Correspondingly, the zingerone/vitamin C efficiency slope value is −5.40 × 10⁵ M⁻¹. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations permit the development of a plausible antioxidant mechanism for zingerone, and zingerone synergistic action with vitamin C, in which zingerone is capable of being regenerated with the assistance of protons that may be provided by ascorbic acid. This mechanism demonstrates that zingerone acts as a strong antioxidant agent by virtue of its C4 hydroxyl group and aromatic system. The scavenging chemical reaction is the same as that obtained through the dismutation of superoxide by superoxide dismutase (SOD) enzymes into hydrogen peroxide and molecular oxygen. Thus, zingerone behaves as a SOD mimic. Full article

Eucalyptus plantation forests play an important role in the global trade balance, and have been challenged with the Eucalypt Physiological Disorder (EPD) exhibiting symptoms on barks. Despite of that, there is little information on the anatomical features of phloem and periderm associated with this disorder. Although tolerant and susceptible commercial clones exhibited similar anatomical structures, they differed in the proportions of conducting and total phloem tissue and the amount of phloem containing Calcium oxalate (CaOx) crystals. The frequency and diameter of sieve tube elements (STEs) also varied among the tested clones. The increased area of phloem with non-collapsed STE and CaOx crystals were linked to the EPD tolerant phenotype. Bark, secondary phloem, and periderm thickness were correlated with EPD scores. Structural characteristics of phloem cells is correlated with increasing stem diameter. Bark and phloem thickness exhibited significant and positive associations with EPD-tolerant clones and stem diameter, while negative correlations with EPD scores. These connections corroborate the positive impact of increasing the proportion of total phloem thickness on stem diameter growth and EPD tolerance. The present results were based on restricted, yet commercially important, Eucalyptus species (E. grandis, E. urophylla and E. grandis × E. urophylla hybrids) highlighting bark and phloem traits linked to plant growth and EPD tolerance. Full article

This paper examines how sustainable leadership and strategic sustainability integration are framed and supported for SMEs in the EU. We apply comparative document analysis (CDA) to 35 policy, industry, and NGO reports published in 2020–2025 for Germany, Sweden, Poland, and Spain. Multi-level materials (EU, national, industry/NGO) were thematically coded, and the synthesis is presented in a multi-level conceptual framework linking policies, leadership, strategy, barriers, and transferable practices. The analysis indicates systematic differences in institutional maturity: Sweden and Germany display denser, more navigable support ecosystems and clearer leadership narratives, whereas Poland and Spain exhibit greater fragmentation and a more compliance-oriented framing. Instrument menus are broadly similar (grants/co-funding, concessional finance, advisory vouchers, training, standards/toolkits, green public procurement), yet accessibility and measurement strength diverge; outcome tracking (e.g., energy savings, CO₂e avoided) is more consistent in Sweden/Germany than in Poland/Spain. Green–digital coupling is pivotal: sequencing “on-ramps” (advisory/vouchers) into innovation finance accelerates adoption; where such on-ramps are thin, uptake concentrates among already prepared firms. Implications follow for policy design and practice: prioritize simple entry points for micro- and small enterprises, strengthen monitoring with meaningful KPIs, and ensure regional parity in access to finance and advisory. For SME leaders, role-modeling, employee development, and experimentation help embed sustainability when formal structures are lean. Beyond mapping patterns, this study provides an auditable operationalization of sustainable leadership for document analysis and a transferable framework to compare policy mixes and ecosystem readiness across countries. Full article