Carbon quantum dots are a novel form of carbon material. They offer numerous benefits including particle size adjustability, light resistance, ease of functionalization, low toxicity, excellent biocompatibility, and high-water solubility, as well as their easy accessibility of raw materials. Carbon quantum dots have been widely used in various fields. The preparation methods employed are predominantly top-down methods such as arc discharge, laser ablation, electrochemical and chemical oxidation, as well as bottom-up methods such as templates, microwave, and hydrothermal techniques. This article provides an overview of the properties, preparation methods, raw materials for preparation, and the heteroatom doping of carbon quantum dots, and it summarizes the applications in related fields, such as optoelectronics, bioimaging, drug delivery, cancer therapy, sensors, and environmental remediation. Finally, currently encountered issues of carbon quantum dots are presented. The latest research progress in synthesis and application, as well as the challenges outlined in this review, can help and encourage future research on carbon quantum dots. Full article

Controlling the distribution of water and wastewater between industrial processes is vital to rationalize water usage and preserve the environment. In this paper, a mathematical technique is proposed to optimize water–wastewater networks, and a nonlinear program is introduced to minimize the consumption of freshwater and, consequently, the flowrate of wastewater discharge. A general mathematical model, able to handle industrial plants containing up to eight sources and eight sinks, is developed using LINGO optimization software to facilitate dealing with complex case studies. The introduced model can handle single-contaminant networks as well as multiple-contaminant ones. The optimal water network is synthesized through two steps; the first step involves the introduction of the case study data into the developed mathematical model. The second step considers using the optimal solution produced after running the developed LINGO model as feed data for a pre-designed Excel sheet able to deal with these results and simultaneously draw the optimal water–wastewater network. The proposed mathematical model is applied to two case studies. The first case study includes actual data from four fertilizer plants located in Egypt; the water resources and requirements are simultaneously integrated to obtain a sensible cutting in both freshwater consumption (lowered by 52.2%) and wastewater discharge (zero wastewater discharge). The second case study regards a Brazilian petrochemical plant; the obtained results show noticeable reductions in freshwater consumption by 12.3%, while the reduction percentage of wastewater discharge is 4.5%. Full article

In the contemporary agricultural landscape, agriculture faces four pressing demands: competitiveness, ensuring food security for a growing population, environmental sustainability, and providing farmers with acceptable living conditions. To meet this global challenge, digital technologies represent a major avenue for innovation and development towards modernized digital agriculture. In this context, irrigation advisory platforms have proven to be transformational tools for both farmers and policymakers, offering insights into the appropriate crop water requirements. This article presents a benchmarking analysis of around 20 professional irrigation advisory platforms. The methodology involves selecting 20 platforms based on accessibility ensuring geographical characteristic diversity. Our findings highlight key criteria shaping the ecosystem of such platforms, including the services offered and their objectives, the types of covered crops, the target users, the form, as well as the source, the availability of the platform, and the variety of data utilized. Lastly, we discuss the main conclusions drawn from our analysis and provide insights into the challenges and future perspectives of irrigation advisory platforms in enhancing agricultural practices and sustainability. Full article

This study presents the development of a sandwich ELISA method for gluten detection in foods, using recombinant Fab antibody fragments against gliadin. The Fabs were chemically biotinylated and immobilized on streptavidin-coated plates as capture antibodies, while alkaline phosphatase-conjugated Fabs were used as detection antibodies. Four different gliadin-binding Fabs were tested and the Fab pair Fab8E-4 and Fab-C showed the best compatibility. An indirect sandwich immunoassay, using unmodified Fab8E-4 for capture and Fab-C as the detection antibody, achieved a detection limit of 26 ng/mL of gliadin, corresponding to 10 mg/kg of gluten in foods. No cross-reactivity was observed against 60 gluten-free species commonly used in the food industry. Analysis of 50 commercial products demonstrated consistent results compared to the standard method for gluten detection. The complete lack of cross-reactivity of the developed immunoassay with oat products potentially provides an advantage over other gluten detection systems. Full article

To address tooth enamel demineralization resulting from factors such as acid erosion, abrasion, and chronic illness treatments, it is important to develop effective daily dental care products promoting enamel preservation and surface remineralization. This study focused on formulating four toothpastes, each containing calcined synthetic hydroxyapatite (HAP) in distinct compositions, each at 4%, along with 1.3% birch extract. Substitution elements were introduced within the HAP structure to enhance enamel remineralization. The efficacy of each toothpaste formulation was evaluated for repairing enamel and for establishing the dynamic of the remineralization. This was performed by using an in vitro assessment of artificially demineralized enamel slices. The structural HAP features explored by XRD and enamel surface quality by AFM revealed notable restorative properties of these toothpastes. Topographic images and the self-assembly of HAP nanoparticles into thin films on enamel surfaces showcased the formulations’ effectiveness. Surface roughness was evaluated through statistical analysis using one-way ANOVA followed by post-test Bonferroni’s multiple comparison test with a p value < 0.05 significance setting. Remarkably, enamel nanostructure normalization was observed within a short 10-day period of toothpaste treatment. Optimal remineralization for all toothpastes was reached after about 30 days of treatment. These toothpastes containing birch extract also have a dual function of mineralizing enamel while simultaneously promoting enamel health and restoration. Full article

The performance of the tire has a very important impact on the safe driving of the car, and in the actual use of the tire, due to complex road conditions or use conditions, it will inevitably cause immeasurable wear, scratches and other damage. In order to effectively detect the damage existing in the key parts of the tire, a tire surface damage detection method based on image processing was proposed. In this method, the image of tire side is captured by camera first. Then, the collected images are preprocessed by optimizing the multi-scale bilateral filtering algorithm to enhance the detailed information of the damaged area, and the optimization effect is obvious. Thirdly, the image segmentation based on clustering algorithm is carried out. Finally, the Harris corner detection method is used to capture the “salt and pepper” corner of the target region, and the segmsegmed binary image is screened and matched based on histogram correlation, and the target region is finally obtained. The experimental results show that the similarity detection is accurate, and the damage area can meet the requirements of accurate identification. Full article

We investigate some subclasses of regular and bi-univalent functions in the open unit disk that are associated with Lucas-Balancing polynomials in this work. For functions that belong to these subclasses, we obtain upper bounds on their initial coefficients. The Fekete–Szegö problem is also discussed. Along with presenting some new results, we also explore pertinent connections to earlier findings. Full article

Every year, large quantities of dust are transported from North Africa to the Americas, Europe, and West Asia. The purpose of this study is to analyze four intense and pervasive dust storms that entered the Middle East from Northern Africa. Satellite products, ground-based remote sensing measurements, reanalysis data, and the outputs of the Aire Limitée Adaptation dynamique Développement InterNational-Dust (ALADIN-Dust) and the ICOsahedral Nonhydrostatic weather and climate model with Aerosols and Reactive Trace gases (ICON-ART) forecasting models were synergized. The dust storms originated from different source regions located in the north, northeastern, and central parts of the Sahara Desert. The transport height of the main dust plumes was about 3–5 km, triggered by the westerly zonal winds. The presence of a closed low over the Eastern Mediterranean and the penetration of a deep trough into North Africa at 500 hPa were the main synoptic circulation patterns favoring long-range dust transport during the four dust events. A comparison of aerosol optical depth (AOD) outputs from the two models with satellite data revealed that although both models forecasted dust transport from Africa to the Middle East, they considerably underestimated the AOD values, especially near the dust sources. The ICON-ART model performed slightly better than ALADIN in forecasting these dust storms, and for longer forecasting leading time, although the performance of both models decreased, the superiority of the ICON-ART model became more apparent. Full article

Background: Early-life vitamin D is a potentially modifiable risk factor for the development of eczema, but there is a lack of data on longitudinal associations. Method: We measured 25(OH)D3 levels from neonatal dried blood spots in 223 high-allergy-risk children. Latent class analysis was used to define longitudinal eczema phenotype up to 25 years (4 subclasses). Skin prick tests (SPTs) to 6 allergens and eczema outcomes at 6 time points were used to define eczema/sensitization phenotypes. Associations between 25(OH)D3 and prevalent eczema and eczema phenotypes were assessed using logistic regression models. Results: Median 25(OH)D3 level was 32.5 nmol/L (P25-P75 = 23.1 nmol/L). Each 10 nmol/L increase in neonatal 25(OH)D3 was associated with a 26% reduced odds of early-onset persistent eczema (adjusted multinomial odds ratio (aMOR) = 0.74, 95% CI = 0.56–0.98) and 30% increased odds of early-onset-resolving eczema (aMOR = 1.30, 95% CI = 1.05–1.62) when compared to minimal/no eczema up to 12 years. Similar associations were seen for eczema phenotype up to 25 years. We did not see any strong evidence for the association between neonatal 25(OH)D3 and prevalent eczema or eczema/sensitization phenotype. Conclusions: Higher neonatal 25(OH)D3 levels, a reflection of maternal vitamin D levels in pregnancy, may reduce the risk of early-onset persistent eczema. Full article

Due to a large number of harmful chemicals flowing into the water source in production and life, the water quality deteriorates, and the use value of water is reduced or lost. Biochar has a strong physical adsorption effect, but it can only separate pollutants from water and cannot eliminate pollutants fundamentally. Photocatalytic degradation technology using photocatalysts uses chemical methods to degrade or mineralize organic pollutants, but it is difficult to recover and reuse. Woody biomass has the advantages of huge reserves, convenient access and a low price. Processing woody biomass into biochar and then combining it with photocatalysts has played a complementary role. In this paper, the shortcomings of a photocatalyst and biochar in water treatment are introduced, respectively, and the advantages of a woody biochar-based photocatalyst made by combining them are summarized. The preparation and assembly methods of the woody biochar-based photocatalyst starting from the preparation of biochar are listed, and the water treatment efficiency of the woody biochar-based photocatalyst using different photocatalysts is listed. Finally, the future development of the woody biochar-based photocatalyst is summarized and prospected. Full article

The low solubility and stability of fat-soluble curcumin in water limit its application in active packaging. This study explored the use of a pH-driven method to investigate the preparation and enhancement of the performance of films loaded with curcumin in a matrix of sodium alginate (Alg) and egg white protein (EWP). In this study, the EWP, Alg, and curcumin primarily bind through hydrogen bonding, electrostatic interactions, and hydrophobic interactions. Compared to EWP films, the films loaded with curcumin through the pH-driven method exhibited enhanced extensibility and water resistance, with an elongation at break (EB) of 103.56 ± 3.13% and a water vapor permeability (WVP) of 1.67 ± 0.03 × 10⁻¹⁰ g·m/m²·Pa·s. The addition of Alg improved the encapsulation efficiency and thermal stability of curcumin, thereby enhancing the antioxidant activity of the film through the addition of 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and 2,2′-azinobis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radicals, which resulted in 106.95 ± 2.61 μg TE/g and 144.44 ± 8.89 μg TE/g, respectively. It is noteworthy that the detrimental effect of Alg on the color responsiveness of films containing curcumin has also been observed. This study provides a potential strategy and consideration for the loading of low water-soluble active substances and the preparation of active packaging. Full article

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs) are a neurological disorder characterized by enlarged intracranial capillaries in the brain, increasing the susceptibility to hemorrhagic strokes, a major cause of death and disability worldwide. The limited treatment options for CCMs underscore the importance of prognostic biomarkers to predict the likelihood of hemorrhagic events, aiding in treatment decisions and identifying potential pharmacological targets. This study aimed to identify blood biomarkers capable of diagnosing and predicting the risk of hemorrhage in CCM1 patients, establishing an initial set of circulating biomarker signatures. By analyzing proteomic profiles from both human and mouse CCM models and conducting pathway enrichment analyses, we compared groups to identify potential blood biomarkers with statistical significance. Specific candidate biomarkers primarily associated with metabolism and blood clotting pathways were identified. These biomarkers show promise as prognostic indicators for CCM1 deficiency and the risk of hemorrhagic stroke, strongly correlating with the likelihood of hemorrhagic cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs). This lays the groundwork for further investigation into blood biomarkers to assess the risk of hemorrhagic CCMs. Full article

Control flow critical metadata play a key role in hardware-based control flow integrity (CFI) mechanisms that effectively monitor and secure program control flow based on pre-extracted metadata. The existing control flow analysis tools exhibit some deficiencies, including inadequate compatibility with the RISC-V architecture, a steep learning curve, limited automation capabilities, and restricted data output formats. CFIEE is an open-source tool with a graphical interface for the automated extraction of control flow critical metadata. The tool possesses the capability to analyze RISC-V binary executables, transforming the binary into an intermediate representation (IR) in the form of the disassembled code, and extracting the critical metadata required for studying hardware-based CFI mechanism through a designed control flow transfer relationship analysis algorithm. The extracted metadata include program basic blocks and their corresponding hash values, control flow graphs, function call relationships, distribution of forward transfer instructions, etc. We selected 15 embedded system programs with processor adaptation for functional verification. The results demonstrate the CFIEE’s capability to automatically analyze programs within the supported RISC-V instruction set and generate comprehensive and precise metadata files. This tool can significantly enhance the efficiency of control flow metadata extraction and furnish configurable metadata for the hardware-based security mechanisms. Full article

In practical applications, the temporal completeness of knowledge graphs is of great importance. However, previous studies have mostly focused on static knowledge graphs, generally neglecting the dynamic evolutionary properties of facts. Moreover, the unpredictable and limited availability of temporal knowledge graphs, together with the complex temporal dependency patterns, make current models inadequate for effectively describing facts that experience temporal transitions. To better represent the evolution of things over time, we provide a learning technique that uses quaternion rotation to describe temporal knowledge graphs. This technique describes the evolution of entities as a temporal rotation change in quaternion space. Compared to the Ermitian inner product in complex number space, the Hamiltonian product in quaternion space is better at showing how things might be connected. This leads to a learning process that is both more effective and more articulate. Experimental results demonstrate that our learning method significantly outperforms existing methods in capturing the dynamic evolution of temporal knowledge graphs, with improved accuracy and robustness across a range of benchmark datasets. Full article

 The construction industry strives for sustainable solutions to tackle environmental challenges and optimize resource use. One such focus area is the management of industrial byproducts and waste materials, including fugitive dust control through wheel washers. While wheel washers play a pivotal role in dust management, they generate a challenging byproduct known as wheel washer sludge (WWS). The disposal of WWS is complicated due to its composition and potential hazards. Recent research explores reusing WWS in construction materials, particularly in repair mortar, aiming for sustainability and circular economy principles. This study investigates the incorporation of WWS into repair mortar formulations, evaluating mechanical properties, durability, and environmental implications. Results show that WWS enhances workability but prolongs setting time. Mechanical strength tests reveal improvements with WWS addition, especially when pretreated. Water absorption rates decrease with pretreated WWS, indicating enhanced durability. Chemical attack tests demonstrate resistance to carbonation and chloride penetration, especially with modified WWS. Freeze–thaw tests reveal improved resistance with WWS addition, particularly modified. Microstructure analysis confirms hydration products and denser matrices with WWS inclusion. Environmental hazard analysis shows WWS contains no harmful heavy metals, indicating its suitability for use in repairs. Overall, this study highlights the technical feasibility and environmental benefits of incorporating WWS into repair mortar, contributing to sustainable construction practices.  Full article

The suspension system is a crucial part of an electric vehicle, which directly affects its handling performance, driving comfort, and driving safety. The dynamics of the 8-DoF full-vehicle suspension with seat active control are established based on rigid-body dynamics, and the time-domain stochastic excitation model of four tires is constructed by the filtered white noise method. The suspension dynamics model and road surface model are constructed on the Matlab/Simulink simulation software platform, and the simulation study of the dynamic characteristics of active suspension based on the fractional-order PI^λD^µ control strategy is carried out. The three performance indicators of acceleration, suspension dynamic deflection, and tire dynamic displacement are selected to construct the fitness function of the genetic algorithm, and the structural parameters of the fractional-order PI^lD^m controller are optimized using the genetic algorithm. The control effect of the optimized fractional-order PI^lD^m controller based on the genetic algorithm is analyzed by comparing the integer-order PID control suspension and passive suspension. The simulation results show that for optimized fractional-order PID control suspension, compared with passive suspension, the average optimization of the root mean square (RMS) of acceleration under random road conditions reaches over 25%, the average optimization of suspension dynamic deflection exceeds 30%, and the average optimization of tire dynamic displacement is 5%. However, compared to the integer-order PID control suspension, the average optimization of the root mean square (RMS) of acceleration under random road conditions decreased by 5%, the average optimization of suspension dynamic deflection increased by 3%, and the average optimization of tire dynamic displacement increased by 2%. Full article

Vascularized composite allografts (VCA) face ischemic challenges due to their limited availability. Reperfusion following ischemia triggers oxidative stress and immune reactions, and scavenger molecules could mitigate ischemia–reperfusion injuries and, therefore, immune rejection. We compared two scavengers in a myocutaneous flap VCA model. In total, 18 myocutaneous flap transplants were performed in Major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-defined miniature swine. In the MATCH group (n = 9), donors and recipients had minor antigen mismatch, while the animals were fully mismatched in the MISMATCH group (n = 9). Grafts were pretreated with saline, sodium iodide (NaI), or hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), stored at 4 °C for 3 h, and then transplanted. Flaps were monitored until clinical rejection without immunosuppression. In the MATCH group, flap survival did not significantly differ between the saline and hydrogen sulfide treatments (p = 0.483) but was reduced with the sodium iodide treatment (p = 0.007). In the MISMATCH group, survival was similar between the saline and hydrogen sulfide treatments (p = 0.483) but decreased with the sodium iodide treatment (p = 0.007). Rhabdomyolysis markers showed lower but non-significant levels in the experimental subgroups for both the MATCH and MISMATCH animals. This study provides insightful data for the field of antioxidant-based approaches in VCA and transplantation. Full article

Renewable, green, and safe natural biopolymer-derived materials are highly desired for the purification of pollutants, but significantly improving their performance without the introduction of additional harmful chemicals remains a huge challenge. Based on the concept of “structure optimization design,” environment-friendly composite beads (named SA/PASP/RE) with excellent adsorption performance and recyclability were rationally constructed through a green ionic crosslinking route, using the completely green biopolymer sodium alginate (SA), sodium salt of polyaspartic acid (PASP), and the natural nanoclay rectorite (RE) as starting materials. The nano-layered RE was embedded in the polymer matrix to prevent the polymer chain from becoming over-entangled so that more adsorption sites inside the polymer network were exposed, which effectively improved the mass transfer efficiency of the adsorbent and the removal rate of contaminants. The composite beads embedded with 0.6% RE showed high adsorption capacities of 211.78, 197.13, and 195.69 mg/g for Pb(II) and 643.00, 577.80, and 567.10 mg/g for methylene blue (MB) in Yellow River water, Yangtze River water, and tap water, respectively. And the beads embedded with 43% RE could efficiently adsorb Pb(II) and MB with high capacities of 187.78 mg/g and 586.46 mg/g, respectively. This study provides a new route to design and develop a green, cost-effective, and efficient adsorbent for the decontamination of wastewater. Full article

The construction industry accounts for approximately one-third of the total waste generation globally. With the United Nations projecting a population increase of 2 billion within the next three decades, there is a heightened demand for building stock, generating unprecedented volumes of construction and demolition waste (CDW). To combat this, circular economy strategies are purported to help alleviate the prevailing situation. But a number of challenges are jeopardizing their implementation in the construction industry and preventing from achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals, net zero carbon and zero avoidable waste targets. This paper systematically analyzes 54 research articles, published in the past decade within major peer-reviewed English-language scholarly publications in the form of a systematic research review. In doing so, it aims to identify and classify the challenges that prevent improved CDW management by assimilating previous research results in support of a circular economy. The classification and analysis using a PESTLE model offers insights into gaps and differences between categories, as well as regions and countries. This initial step could contribute to a better understanding of these barriers, along with associated solutions, which could result in a significant reduction on the impact of construction activities, therefore facilitating the development of an effective circular economy in the sector. Full article

Objective: To assess the association between clinical orthodontic indicators and oral-health-related quality of life, adjusted for socio-demographic factors, focusing on 16-year-old patients with cleft lip and/or palate (CL/P). Participants: One hundred and twenty-two patients with CL/P, representing cleft-lip (CL), cleft-palate (CP), unilateral/bilateral cleft-lip-palate (UCLP/BCLP), enrolled in the national CLP-Team, Bergen, Norway. Method: A cross-sectional study by two orthodontists assessing the number of teeth, intermaxillary sagittal relation (ANB-angle), dental arch and occlusion of 16-year-old patients with CL/P. All completed a digital questionnaire including self-reported socio-demographic variables, OHIP-14 questionnaire and dental aesthetics. Cross-tabulations with Pearson’s Chi-square test were used to identify associations between self-reported OHRQoL and socio-demographic and clinical indicators. Multiple variable analyses were conducted with binary logistic regression analysis using the odds ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) to assess associations between OHRQoL and clinical indicators adjusted for socio-demographic variables. Ethical approval was granted by the regional ethics committee. Results: Patients with UCLP and BCLP had poorer clinical indicators compared to patients with CL and CP (p < 0.05). A total of 80% of the patients had OHIP-14 > 0. The highest oral impact was reported for psychological domains and articulation and the least for functional domains. Respondents with BCLP and those with poor intermaxillary relationships (ANB < 0°) reported a high impact on OHRQoL (p < 0.05). No statistically significant associations between other clinical indicators and socio-demographic variables such as gender, educational aspiration, and place of residence were reported. Conclusions: The study revealed an association between severe cleft diagnosis, missing teeth, misaligned teeth, negative overjet, and poor OHRQoL, but a statistically significant association was found only between OHRQoL and poor intermaxillary sagittal relations (unfavorable profile). To improve OHRQoL among patients with clefts, there is a need for an individual follow-up and prioritization of oral healthcare. Full article

In the present research, we consider a biological model of serum hepatitis disease. We carry out a detailed analysis of the mentioned model along with a class with asymptomatic carriers to explore its theoretical and numerical aspects. We initiate the study by using the piecewise fractal–fractional derivative (FFD) by which the crossover effects within the model are examined. We split the time interval into subintervals. In one subinterval, FFD with a power law kernel is taken, while in the second one, FFD with an exponential decay kernel of the proposed model is considered. This model is then studied for its disease-free equilibrium point, existence, and Hyers–Ulam (H-U) stability results. For numerical results of the model and a visual presentation, we apply the Lagrange interpolation method and an extended Adams–Bashforth–Moulton (ABM) method, respectively. Full article

Traumatic pain is frequently encountered in emergency care and requires immediate analgesia. Unfortunately, most trauma patients report sustained pain upon arrival at and discharge from the Emergency Department. Obtaining intravenous access to administer analgesics can be time-consuming, leading to treatment delay. This review provides an overview of analgesics with both fast onset and parenteral, non-intravenous routes of administration, and also indicates areas where more research is required. Full article