Background: Preoperative malnutrition is a significant factor in patients with pancreatic tumors undergoing pancreaticoduodenectomy. The aim of this study was to assess the association between preoperative malnutrition and delayed discharge within a ten-day timeframe and potential correlations between preoperative malnutrition and postoperative surgical complications. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted, recruiting a final sample of 79 patients with benign or malignant cephalic pancreatic tumors from 2015 to 2022. The risk of malnutrition was assessed using the Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool, while length of hospital stay and relevant clinical data were extracted from clinical documentation. Results: The preoperative malnutrition risk was high in 21.52% of the sample, moderate in 36.71%, and low in 41.77%. Body mass index (BMI) (p = 0.007) and postoperative surgical complications (p < 0.001) were significantly correlated with delayed discharge. No statistically significant differences were found between levels of malnutrition risk and delayed discharge (p = 0.122), or postoperative surgical complications (p = 0.874). Conclusions: Postoperative complications and BMI emerge as significant risk factors. The limited sample size may have compromised the collection of homogeneous and significant data. Future studies should evaluate the implementation of personalized nutritional screening tools, nutritional assessment plans, and the involvement of specialized health professionals. Full article

Elodea canadensis Michx. (common waterweed) and Elodea nuttallii (Planch.) H. St. John (Nuttall’s waterweed), two invasive aquatic plants from North America, have coexisted in European water bodies since the early 20th century. New localities for both species in Croatia continued to be discovered during a study that ran from 2016 to 2023 as a part of the annual implementation of Water Framework Directive monitoring that covered the entire territory of Croatia (786 sampling points in total). Based on these data, the distribution and ecology of both species were analysed. Elodea canadensis was found at 30 sampling points, mostly in rivers, and E. nuttallii at 15 sampling points, mostly in artificial canals. Nearly three-quarters (72.5%) of all elodea sampling points were in the Pannonian Ecoregion. Elodea canadensis was discovered for the first time in the Continental—Dinaric and Mediterranean—Dinaric Subecoregions. To study the ecology of the species, for each sampling point, vegetation relevés were performed and monthly measurements of physico-chemical parameters were collected. The most common accompanying species for both elodeas are presented, and the difference in species assemblages between the sites with E. canadensis and E. nuttallii was confirmed with the ANOSIM test. Furthermore, Indicator Species Analysis revealed eight species characteristic of E. canadensis sites and eleven species characteristic of E. nuttallii sites. Fitting multivariate models (CCA and NPMR) to species abundance revealed the ecological reaction of E. canadensis and E. nuttallii to environmental descriptors. The most strongly contributing environmental descriptors that influence the distribution of both Elodea species are biochemical oxygen demand, electrical conductivity and total phosphorus. In Croatia, the replacement of E. canadensis with E. nuttallii was observed in several water bodies with high nutrient loads. Full article

Phosphorus (P) is a critical element for life, and wastewater treatment systems can be strategic points for its recovery, thereby avoiding eutrophication pollution in nature. The aim of this research was to investigate P recovery via struvite, namely in terms of the influence of operating parameters, coexisting interfering ions, and seeding. This paper focuses on synthetic solutions, although an assessment was performed on wastewater. The results of the assessment indicated that, in the synthetic solution, the minimum concentration for struvite precipitation is about 30 mg P/L, and that the Mg/P molar ratio of 1 promotes P removal efficiency with less contribution from other minerals. In order to assess the results in terms of real-world scenarios, the influence of coexisting ions (calcium and sodium) was investigated. Calcium was shown to have the greatest impact on the process, as 80% was removed for an initial concentration of 200 mg Ca/L. Indeed, these experiments generated an amorphous precipitate that did not contain struvite. The utilization of biomass ash (size < 63 µm) as seeding in crystallization increased the P removal efficiency compared to the sample without seed and helped to control the pH. The precipitation experiments with wastewater demonstrated good P removal efficiencies (over 90%) but indicated a reduction in the purity of the final product (struvite was a minor crystalline phase identified in XRD—15%wt). Full article

In this paper, a layered method based on focal depth is proposed for the fast generation of computational holograms. The method layers objects with focal depth as spacing and approximates triangles on the object as projections on the layers based on the physical properties of the focal depth to simplify the computation. Finally, the diffraction distributions of all layers are calculated via angular spectral diffraction and superimposed to obtain the hologram. The proposed method has been proven to be about 20 times faster on a CPU than the analytical polygon-based method. A hologram containing tens of thousands of triangles can be computed on a GPU in a fraction of a second. In addition, this method makes it easy to attach complex textures, which is difficult with polygon-based analysis methods. Finally, holograms of objects with complex textures were generated, and the three-dimensionality of these holograms was confirmed by numerical and optical reconstruction. Full article

Magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) have found extensive application in the biomedical domain due to their enhanced biocompatibility, minimal toxicity, and strong magnetic responsiveness. MNPs exhibit great potential as nanomaterials in various biomedical applications, including disease detection and cancer therapy. Typically, MNPs consist of a magnetic core surrounded by surface modification coatings, such as inorganic materials, organic molecules, and polymers, forming a nucleoshell structure that mitigates nanoparticle agglomeration and enhances targeting capabilities. Consequently, MNPs exhibit magnetic responsiveness in vivo for transportation and therapeutic effects, such as enhancing medical imaging resolution and localized heating at the site of injury. MNPs are utilized for specimen purification through targeted binding and magnetic separation in vitro, thereby optimizing efficiency and expediting the process. This review delves into the distinctive functional characteristics of MNPs as well as the diverse bioactive molecules employed in their surface coatings and their corresponding functionalities. Additionally, the advancement of MNPs in various applications is outlined. Additionally, we discuss the advancements of magnetic nanoparticles in medical imaging, disease treatment, and in vitro assays, and we anticipate the future development prospects and obstacles in this field. The objective is to furnish readers with a thorough comprehension of the recent practical utilization of MNPs in biomedical disciplines. Full article

The objective of this research is to investigate the characteristics of the deformation response in adjacent subway tunnels caused by deep foundation excavation of reclaimed land. Focusing on a deep foundation excavation project situated in proximity to Line 11 of the subway in Shenzhen, this study employs theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, and on-site measurements to thoroughly investigate the deformation issues induced by the unloading of the excavation. The research results are as follows: using the energy method to calculate the uneven deformation of adjacent subway tunnels caused by the excavation can overcome the limitations of traditional algorithms, which treat the subway tunnel as a uniformly elastic foundation beam, resulting in more reasonable calculation results. Increasing the self-stiffness (EI)_eq of the tunnel can effectively reduce the maximum displacement (w_max) of the tunnel, and as (EI)_eq increases, its “weakening effect” on w_max gradually diminishes. Underground continuous walls can effectively control tunnel deformation, with tunnel displacement decreasing as the thickness and concrete strength of the continuous walls increase. “Long excavation” deep foundation excavations can impact the displacement and uplift range of the tunnel, with the maximum tunnel displacement showing a nonlinear decrease with increasing excavation depth. Tunnel displacement decreases as geotechnical parameters (elastic modulus E, internal friction angle φ, and cohesion C) increase, with the elastic modulus being the most sensitive parameter. The research findings can be applied to tunnel construction, maintenance, and safety evaluations, providing valuable references for similar engineering projects in the future. Full article

Located at the eastern corner of Mediterranean Europe, Greece occupies a critical position for mammal dispersals to/from Europe, Asia, and Africa and constitutes a potential passageway towards Western Europe. During recent decades, numerous fieldwork campaigns in several Pliocene–Pleistocene sites have greatly enriched the fossil record and provided valuable taxonomic and biostratigraphic data. However, a fully developed reference biochronological unit scheme for the Greek record that could contribute to correlations at a continental scale is still pending. In this article, we provide the updated Late Pliocene to Middle Pleistocene large mammal succession, and we introduce the Faunal Units (FUs) of Greece. We define eight FUs, the Milia, Dafnero, Gerakarou, Tsiotra Vryssi, Krimni, Apollonia, Marathousa, and Apidima FUs (from the oldest to the youngest), which are determined by a set of first and last local occurrences. The results form the basis for discussion of already set turnovers, dispersals, and extinction/immigration events and showcase the importance of the local record for the investigation of the European terrestrial ecosystems. By developing the first detailed biochronological scheme for the Pliocene–Pleistocene of Southeastern Europe, this study comprises the basis for an expanded Balkan faunal unit scale and a reference framework for future investigations. Full article

Photonic crystal channel drop filters (CDFs) play a vital role in optical communication owing to their ability to drop the desired channel. However, it remains challenging to achieve high-efficiency CDFs. Here, we demonstrate a highly efficient three-channel CDF with both high transmission and high quality (Q) factor based on a novel ring resonator that is in the middle of two waveguides. A dielectric column with a large radius replaces the homogeneously distributed dielectric columns inside the ring cavity to modulate the coupling ratio with a straight waveguide, thereby enhancing the transmission and Q factor. The transmission and Q factor of the single-cavity filter are 99.7% and 12,798.4, respectively. The mean value of the three-channel filter based on the basic unit can reach up to 94.6% and 10,617, respectively, and a crosstalk between −30.16 and −50.61 dB is obtained. The proposed CDFs provide efficient filter capability, which reveals great potential in integrated optoelectronics and optical communication. Full article

Understanding the influence of teaching culture (tradition) within academic departments is crucial for new teachers navigating the complex landscape of higher education. This paper investigates the possible impact of the department’s teaching culture on the pedagogical approaches of new teachers, forming their teaching style, concentrating on insights gathered from interviews with experienced colleagues in a Swedish university department with a focus on engineering education. By exploring the department’s teaching traditions and identifying potential challenges faced by new teachers, this study offers valuable insights into enhancing teaching styles and fostering student engagement. Drawing upon both experiential knowledge and insights from pedagogic literature and courses, the authors provide practical strategies to overcome obstacles and promote operative teaching practices. Ultimately, the outcomes of this study aim to empower new teachers to create enriching learning environments that promote student motivation, engagement, and overall academic success, aligning with the findings of existing literature on pedagogy and student learning outcomes. Full article

Intercropping is a vital cropping system that can create a conducive growth environment for crops and enhance land productivity. Tiger nuts (Cyperus esculentus L.) have high oil content and are adaptable to various soil types, making them a promising new oil crop with significant development potential. This study evaluated the plant height, leaf area, tiller numbers, biomass, land equivalent ratio (LER), and root morphological characteristics of tiger nuts. The agronomic traits and root distribution of tiger nuts and other crops were further investigated to achieve the goal of high yield for tiger nuts. Seven intercropping systems were implemented in the experiment: maize–tiger nut intercropping (MT), soybean–tiger nut intercropping (ST), cotton–tiger nut intercropping (CT), monoculture tiger nut (T), monoculture maize (M), monoculture soybean (S), and monoculture cotton (C). The results indicated that under different planting systems, the agronomic traits of tiger nuts in MT and ST modes were superior, with plant height and tiller numbers increasing by 7.6% to 11.6%. However, the plant height and Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) values in CT mode were slightly lower than in T mode. Additionally, intercropping reduced the leaf area by 6.2% to 37.9%. Root development was more pronounced in intercropping modes, with the ST mode showing the most significant improvement, increasing the 0–20 cm root length density (RLD) by 12.2% to 45.7%. Therefore, each of the three intercropping modes demonstrated distinct advantages. The LER of the intercropping systems ranged from 1.10 to 1.24, enhancing land utilization, with tiger nuts being the dominant species. Compared to monoculture, the ST mode exhibited the best overall effect. Understanding the impact of different planting systems on tiger nuts provides valuable insights for developing tiger nut cultivation in Xinjiang. Full article

Timber–concrete composite structure is a type of efficient combination form composed of concrete floors and timber beams or floors through shear connectors, and shows good application potential in the floor system of timber buildings. The long-term performance of the timber–concrete composite structures is complex and is affected by the creep of timber and concrete, as well as the long-term slip of the shear connectors. This article presents a comprehensive overview of the research status on the long-term behavior of timber–concrete composite members and different shear connectors. For the shear connectors, the effects of loading levels, environments, and component materials on their creep coefficients are summarized. As to the timber–concrete composite members, both the experimental and numerical investigations are gathered into discussions: the connection types, component materials, loading conditions, and durations in the long-term tests are also discussed; various models for describing long-term behavior of timber, concrete, and connection systems are provided, and then a comprehensive description of the progress of numerical investigations over the last decades is made. In addition, the suggestions for future research are proposed to reach a clearer understanding of the bending mechanisms and mechanical characteristics of timber–concrete composite structures. Full article

As one of the world’s most regulated river basins, the semi-arid Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) in south-eastern Australia is considered at high ecological risk, with substantial declines in native fish populations already identified and climate change threats looming. This places great importance on the collection and use of data to document population trends over large spatial extents, inform management decisions, and provide baselines from which change can be measured. We used two medium-term data sets (10 MDB basin-wide fish surveys from 2004–2022) covering the 23 catchments and 68 sub-catchments of the MDB to investigate trends in the distribution of common riverine species at the entire basin scale. Fifteen native species were analysed for changes in their contemporary range, and whilst short-term changes were identified, all species showed no significant continuous trend over the study period. We further analysed the native species extent relative to their historic records, with bony herring and golden perch occurring in 78% and 68% of their historic river kilometres, respectively, whereas southern pygmy perch, northern river blackfish, silver perch, mountain galaxias, and freshwater catfish were all estimated to occur in less than 10% of their historic extent. Six established non-native species were also analysed and were very consistent in extent over the years, suggesting that they are near the available limits of expansion of their invasion. We provide effect sizes for the spatial extent index which can be used as baselines for future studies, especially those aiming to monitor changes in the spatial extent and population status of native species, or changes in the spatial extent of new or existing non-native species. Full article

Background/Objectives: Huntington’s disease (HD) is an autosomal dominant genetic disorder causing progressive neurodegeneration which, aside from symptomatic therapies for controlling psychological and motor problems, currently has no effective treatment. People who receive this diagnosis often feel disoriented and lost without guidance. Furthermore, HD patients are estimated to have a two to seven times greater risk of suicide death compared to the general population. The current review investigates the complex relationship between HD and suicide, seeking to identify key risk factors influencing suicidal ideation and behaviour in affected individuals. Methods: We conducted a systematic review following the PRISMA guidelines. Studies were searched for on the PubMed, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases, and 17 articles met the inclusion criteria. Results: The findings reveal that emotional strain, neuropsychiatric symptoms, and the absence of a cure contribute to heightened suicidal tendencies in HD patients. Critical periods for suicide risk coincide with early symptomatic stages of disease or the successive phase, with the loss of independence impacting on daily functioning. Risk factors associated with HD include a depressive mood, cognitive impairments, and a history of suicide attempts. Conclusions: From a prevention perspective, a comprehensive multidisciplinary and multidimensional approach could enhance the overall well-being of people with HD. In particular, screening for suicidal thoughts in people with HD could mitigate suicide risk. Full article

This review presents a recent study on improving energy crops (ECs) in the EU and discusses the potential use of biostimulants to enhance CO₂ sequestration processes in these plants. The novelty of this study lies in demonstrating alternative directions for improving productivity and increasing plant yield without relying on introducing new hybrids (GM) or using advanced agrotechnology. There is a great deal of discussion about using energy crops for direct combustion or biogas production. However, there is a paucity of information regarding the use of biostimulants and their role in increasing the yield of energy crops, particularly in terms of CO₂ compensation. In CO₂ sequestration, increasing the intensity of the photosynthetic process is considered crucial for the more efficient growth of energy crops. Traditionally, fertilization aimed at improving photosynthesis results in a large amount of alkaline elements, which can cause negative effects in boilers. This paper describes the use of amino acid biostimulants extracted from industrial waste, either chemically or biotechnologically, and their different forms of application. It addresses the current challenges and benefits of using biostimulants in energy crops to increase photosynthesis without the use of genetic engineering tools in plants. Full article

This paper presents a hybrid adaptive control strategy for upper limb rehabilitation robots using impedance learning. The hybrid adaptation consists of a differential updating mechanism for the estimation of robotic modeling uncertainties and periodic adaptations for the online learning of time-varying impedance. The proposed hybrid adaptive controller guarantees asymptotical control stability and achieves variable impedance regulation for robots without interaction force measurements. According to Lyapunov’s theory, we proved that the proposed impedance learning controller guarantees the convergence of tracking errors and ensures the boundedness of the estimation errors of robotic uncertainties and impedance profiles. Simulations and experiments conducted on a parallel robot validated the effectiveness and the superiority of the proposed impedance learning controller in robot-assisted rehabilitation. The proposed hybrid adaptive control has potential applications in rehabilitation, exoskeletons, and some other repetitive interactive tasks. Full article

Skeletal muscle (SKM), despite comprising ~40% of body mass, rarely manifests cancer. This review explores the mechanisms that help to explain this rarity, including unique SKM architecture and function, which prohibits the development of new cancer as well as negates potential metastasis to SKM. SKM also presents a unique immune environment that may magnify the anti-tumorigenic effect. Moreover, the SKM microenvironment manifests characteristics such as decreased extracellular matrix stiffness and altered lactic acid, pH, and oxygen levels that may interfere with tumor development. SKM also secretes anti-tumorigenic myokines and other molecules. Collectively, these mechanisms help account for the rarity of SKM cancer. Full article

Acute promyelocytic leukemia is a rare form of acute myeloid leukemia in which immature promyelocytes abnormally proliferate in the bone marrow. In most cases, the disease is characterised by the translocation t(15;17) (q24;q21), which causes the formation of PML::RARA, an oncogenic fusion protein responsible for blocking myeloid differentiation and survival advantage. Here, we present a case of acute promyelocytic leukemia with two unusual features: basophilic differentiation and a three-way translocation involving chromosomes 12, 15 and 17. In the few cases reported, basophilic differentiation was associated with a poor prognosis. In contrast, our patient responded promptly to the standard treatment with all-trans-retinoic acid (ATRA) and arsenic trioxide (ATO) and obtained complete remission. To our knowledge, this is the first report of basophilic acute promyelocytic leukemia with the three-way translocation t(12;17;15) (p13; q24;q21). Full article

Ensuring that the proposed probabilistic model accurately represents the problem is a critical step in statistical modeling, as choosing a poorly fitting model can have significant repercussions on the decision-making process. The primary objective of statistical modeling often revolves around predicting new observations, highlighting the importance of assessing the model’s accuracy. However, current methods for evaluating predictive ability typically involve model comparison, which may not guarantee a good model selection. This work presents an accuracy measure designed for evaluating a model’s predictive capability. This measure, which is straightforward and easy to understand, includes a decision criterion for model rejection. The development of this proposal adopts a Bayesian perspective of inference, elucidating the underlying concepts and outlining the necessary procedures for application. To illustrate its utility, the proposed methodology was applied to real-world data, facilitating an assessment of its practicality in real-world scenarios. Full article

In modern society, the size of buildings tends to expand due to technological advances. However, while prioritizing performance design and specific building materials, fire research has fallen short of creating a comprehensive fire characteristic database for building materials. This study presents a plan for building a big data resource to evaluate the fire performance of cellulose-based flame retardant building finishing material in buildings of varying sizes. The three types of building finishing materials applied in this study are polyurethane foam, MDF, and cellulose-based building finishing materials. The variables were determined based on the floor area, and the change in floor area was calculated using the aspect ratio, a dimensionless number. Data analysis utilized the Fire Dynamics Simulator (FDS) to determine the time required to meet life safety standards for temperature, visibility, and Fractional Effective Dose (FED). The results confirm a correlation between the safe evacuation time (ASET) and increasing floor area. Additionally, the study demonstrates that cellulose-based flame-retardant building finishing material effectively maintains safe evacuation times even with increasing floor areas, as evidenced by increases of 41.0 s, 13.2 s, and 97.5 s in temperature, visibility, and FED, respectively. Full article

One important category of traditional remedies is medicinal plants, which are widely consumed by the population and often subjected to contamination. For the first time, the elemental composition of five wild medicinal plants traditionally consumed in the Republic North Ossetia—brook-mint (Mentha longifolia), oregano (Origanum vulgare), St. John’s wort (Hypеricum perforаtum), thyme (Thymus daghestanicus), and fireweed (Chamaenerion angustifolium)—and corresponding soil samples was determined. This investigation aimed to assess the degree of toxic element accumulation in plants and the possible toxic effect of the analyzed plants on human health. The analysis encompassed the quantification of 36 major and minor elements in soil samples, alongside the detection of 23 elements in plant samples using instrumental neutron activation analysis. According to contamination and enrichment factors, which were calculated in order to assess the level of soil pollution, elements such as As, Sb, Zn, and U in soil may originate from both geogenic and anthropogenic sources. In all plant samples, the most abundant major elements were K and Ca and their content ranged from 9870 to 49,500 mg·kg⁻¹ and 5400 to 20,000 mg·kg⁻¹, respectively, while among the microelements, Fe (54–2080 mg·kg⁻¹) and Mn (27.8–190 mg·kg⁻¹) can be highlighted as the most abundant. The transfer factor was calculated to estimate metal uptake from soil in plants. The highest values of the transfer factor were obtained for Mo, K, Ca, and Zn. The daily intake of metals and the health risk index were calculated to assess the safety of the collected plants. The health risk index was below the threshold for all plants suggesting a probable non-carcinogenic effect. Principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis were used as classification techniques. The principal component analysis allowed us to define the main groups of elements and associate them with their sources of origin, while discriminant analysis enabled us to discriminate plant samples by species. Full article

Drought poses a significant threat to global food security, particularly impacting rice cultivation during the germination stage. In this study, a soil-based system that utilizes soil moisture content was used to simulate optimal and stress conditions to assess the effect of the specific seed priming protocols on germination. Eleven rice varieties, representative of indica and japonica subspecies, grown in different ecosystems and having diverse nutrient contents, were treated with water or solutions of either poly-gamma-glutamic acid (γ-PGA) or denatured γ-PGA. Collected data regarding germinability and stress indices revealed different drought sensitivity between japonica and indica subspecies and genotype-specific responses to priming. Particularly, γ-PGA improved germination of highly susceptible indica varieties whereas water soaking was more effective for the moderately sensitive japonica varieties. Integrative analyses evidenced differences between biofortified and non-biofortified rice under γ-PGA treatment, suggesting a possible correlation between γ-PGA efficacy and Zn/Fe seed content. These findings underline that priming strategies should be tailored based on genotype and therefore this factor should be always taken under consideration for future works. The current study provides relevant information for optimizing seed priming techniques to sustain the development of drought-resilient crops as a sustainable strategy to address agricultural resilience and safeguard food security amidst environmental challenges. Full article

This work presents a model for solving the Economic-Environmental Dispatch (EED) challenge, which addresses the integration of thermal, renewable energy schemes, and natural gas (NG) units, that consider both toxin emission and fuel costs as its primary objectives. Three cases are examined using the IEEE 30-bus system, where thermal units (TUs) are replaced with NGs to minimize toxin emissions and fuel costs. The system constraints include equality and inequality conditions. A detailed modeling of NGs is performed, which also incorporates the pressure pipelines and the flow velocity of gas as procedure limitations. To obtain Pareto optimal solutions for fuel costs and emissions, three optimization algorithms, namely Fractional-Order Fish Migration Optimization (FOFMO), Coati Optimization Algorithm (COA), and Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (NSGA-II) are employed. Three cases are investigated to validate the effectiveness of the proposed model when applied to the IEEE 30-bus system with the integration of renewable energy sources (RESs) and natural gas units. The results from Case III, where NGs are installed in place of two thermal units (TUs), demonstrate that the economic dispatching approach presented in this study significantly reduces emission levels to 0.4232 t/h and achieves a lower fuel cost of 796.478 USD/MWh. Furthermore, the findings indicate that FOFMO outperforms COA and NSGA-II in effectively addressing the EED problem. Full article