This paper is devoted to the study of CMOS IC parameter degradation during reliability testing. The paper presents a review of literature data on the issue of the reliability of semiconductor devices and integrated circuits and the types of failures leading to the degradation of IC parameters. It describes the tests carried out on the reliability of controlled parameters of integrated circuit TPS54332, such as quiescent current, quiescent current in standby mode, resistance of the open key, and instability of the set output voltage in the whole range of input voltages and in the whole range of load currents. The calculated values of activation energies and acceleration coefficients for different test temperature regimes are given. As a result of the work done, sample rejection tests have been carried out on the TPS54332 IC under study. Experimental fail-safe tests were carried out, with subsequent analysis of the chip samples by the controlled parameter quiescent current. On the basis of the obtained experimental values, the values of activation energy and acceleration coefficient at different temperature regimes were calculated. The dependencies of activation energy and acceleration coefficient on temperature were plotted, which show that activation energy linearly increases with increasing temperature, while the acceleration coefficient, on the contrary, decreases. It was also found that the value of the calculated activation energy of the chip is 0.1 eV less than the standard value of the activation energy. Full article

The coordination between leaf and root traits is conducive to an integrated understanding of whole-plant ecological strategies and reveals how community composition and diversity contribute to defining the functions and services of ecosystems. However, there is limited understanding regarding the impact of species richness and trait categories on the coordination between leaf and root traits. Based on a 9-year common garden experiment, we investigated the leaf and fine root traits of 56 plots (25.8 m × 25.8 m) encompassing various trait categories (trait categories were defined according to the root depth, leaf habit, and mycorrhizal type) and different levels of species richness (1, 2, 4, 8) in the context of a forest biodiversity and ecosystem functioning experiment conducted in subtropical China (BEF-China). We found the following: (1) Our findings indicate that there was generally a significant difference in leaf traits, occasionally in absorptive root traits, and no difference in transport root traits between different trait categories. (2) Conversely, species richness significantly influenced all transport root traits except root nitrogen and most leaf and absorptive root traits. (3) The results demonstrated that trait categories played a crucial role in the coordination between leaf and fine root traits. Additionally, the coordination between leaf and fine root traits increased with higher species richness, particularly in deep-rooted, evergreen, and ectomycorrhizal fungi species. Furthermore, the coordination between leaf and fine root traits was significantly lower in monocultures compared to four- and eight-species mixtures. These results suggest that a significant mixture effect exists in the coordination between leaf and fine root traits due to the comprehensive and divergent capture of above- and belowground resources and reduced intraspecific competition. Therefore, compared to monocultures, mixed-species stands can enhance the coordination of leaf and fine root traits, and it is advisable to establish forests with mixtures of more than four species, dominated by deep-rooted, evergreen, and ectomycorrhizal fungi species, to maintain ecosystem stability and functional integrity. Full article

The Phase-Change Heat Exchanger Unit in Layered Porous Media (PCEU-LPM) is obtained through frozen pouring processing, and exhibits characteristics such as high thermal conductivity, high latent heat, and high permeability, making it suitable for dissipating heat in airborne electronic devices. This study numerically investigates the impact of aircraft speed acceleration conditions, which lead to weightlessness or overload, on the performance of the PCHEU-LPM, with a particular focus on the influence of natural convection in the liquid-phase region. Initially, a microscale thermal analysis model is established based on the Navier–Stokes equation scanning electron micrograph to calculate the effective thermal conductivity and permeability of the PCHEU-LPM under different porosities. Subsequently, these parameters are incorporated into a macroscale thermal analysis model based on Darcy’s law, employing an average parameter approach. Using the macroscale thermal analysis model, temperature and velocity fields are computed under various porosities, acceleration magnitudes, and directions. The calculation results indicate that as the acceleration increases from α = 0 to α = 10 g, the interface temperature of the PCHTU-LPM decreases by approximately 5.2 K, and the temperature fluctuation decreases by 2.4 K. If the porosity of the PCHTU-LPM is increased from ε = 70% to ε = 85%, the influence of acceleration change on natural convection will be further amplified, resulting in a decrease in the interface temperature of the PCHTU-LPM by approximately 10.2 K and a decrease in temperature fluctuation by 5.8 K. When the acceleration direction is +z, the interface temperature of the PCHTU-LPM is at its lowest, while it is highest when the acceleration direction is −z, with a maximum difference of 15.4 K between the two. When the acceleration direction is ±x and ±y, the interface temperature lies between the former two cases, with the interface temperature slightly higher for ±y compared to ±x, with a maximum difference of 3.9 K between them. Full article

The analysis of students’ attitudes and perceptions represents a basis for enhancing different types of activities, including teaching, learning, assessment, etc. Emphasis might be placed on the implementation of modern procedures and technologies, which play an important role in the process of digital transformation. Among them is artificial intelligence—a technology that has already been found to be applicable in various sectors. When it comes to education, several AI-based tools and platforms can be used by students and teachers. Besides offering customized learning experiences, AI may play a significant part in establishing the concept of sustainability, especially when concerning the achievement of sustainable development goal 4. This paper investigates students’ intention to use artificial intelligence in education, taking three predictors from the UTAUT model and AI awareness as the moderator. The analysis included students from the Autonomous Province of Vojvodina, Republic of Serbia. For the purpose of the research, the partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) method was applied. Hereby, two models (without and with a moderator) were tested to examine the main and moderating effects, respectively. Regarding the results, while interaction terms were non-significant, the impacts of performance expectancy, effort expectancy, and social influence on behavioral intention were significant and positive. Full article

Endoscopy-related musculoskeletal injuries (ERIs) are frequent among gastrointestinal, pulmonary, nasal, and urologic endoscopists, impacting the healthcare system. The present review aims to compare the ERI rates, risk factors, and ergonomic recommendations in the different endoscopic fields. A review was conducted using PubMed and Cochrane Library for articles based on surveys and published until 10 January 2024. Demographic, work, and ERI data from 46 publications were included, covering 10,539 responders. The ERI incidence ranged between 14% and 97%, highlighting the need of intervention independent of the specialties. The neck, back, and shoulder were the most frequent ERI locations, while gender, age, years of experience, and procedure volume the most common risk factors. Ergonomic recommendations suggest concentrating on endoscope design changes, especially in gastrointestinal endoscopy, to increase the comfort, adaptability of the equipment in the operating room, and workflow/institutional policy changes. The inclusion of an ergonomic timeout guarantees the correct equipment positioning, the neutralisation of the endoscopist’s posture, and an indirect break between procedures. Ergonomic training to increase awareness and best practice should be promoted, also using new technologies. Future research should concentrate on intervention and comparative studies to evaluate to which extent prevention measures and newly designed equipment could reduce ERI incidence. Full article

The urban environment represents one of the main contexts in which natural resources are exploited to support intensive human activities, especially from an energy perspective. In this context, there is still a lack of general methodologies/tools which can be used to understand the behavior of buildings and to prove their sustainability under real operating conditions, depending on their location, construction characteristics and materials, plants, external conditions, and conduction. In this research, the Buckingham theorem is applied to the thermophysics of buildings, describing the heat transfer of opaque surfaces in a transient regime. The abstraction of dimensionless numbers merges the main phenomena of interest, such as thermal conduction, convection, and radiation, enhanced by consideration of the surface sun–air temperature and the external air temperature. The parameters themselves were mutually matched through a proper equation, whose coefficients were determined by a regression analysis of the measurements from an intensive experimental campaign investigating a building in Florence for 3 years. The resulting correlation shows a good agreement with the available dataset and a determination coefficient of over 70%. Therefore, the proposed approach, owing to the generalization of the dimensionless numbers, suggests the possibility of sustainability estimates, from an energy point of view, of envelope/plant/user systems, including assessments at a higher scale than that of a single building. Full article

Although cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) includes lifesaving maneuvers, it might be associated with a wide spectrum of iatrogenic injuries. Among these, acute lung injury (ALI) is frequent and yields significant challenges to post-cardiac arrest recovery. Understanding the relationship between CPR and ALI is determinant for refining resuscitation techniques and improving patient outcomes. This review aims to analyze the existing literature on ALI following CPR, emphasizing prevalence, clinical implications, and contributing factors. The review seeks to elucidate the pathogenesis of ALI in the context of CPR, assess the efficacy of CPR techniques and ventilation strategies, and explore their impact on post-cardiac arrest outcomes. CPR-related injuries, ranging from skeletal fractures to severe internal organ damage, underscore the complexity of managing post-cardiac arrest patients. Chest compression, particularly when prolonged and vigorous, i.e., mechanical compression, appears to be a crucial factor contributing to ALI, with the concept of cardiopulmonary resuscitation-associated lung edema (CRALE) gaining prominence. Ventilation strategies during CPR and post-cardiac arrest syndrome also play pivotal roles in ALI development. The recognition of CPR-related lung injuries, especially CRALE and ALI, highlights the need for research on optimizing CPR techniques and tailoring ventilation strategies during and after resuscitation. Full article

The properties of small size, low noise, high performance and no wear-out have made the hemispherical resonator gyroscope a good choice for high-value space missions. To enhance the precision of the hemispherical resonator gyroscope for use in tasks with large angular velocities and angular accelerations, this paper investigates the standing wave precession of a non-ideal hemispherical resonator under nonlinear high-intensity dynamic conditions. Based on the thin shell theory of elasticity, a dynamic model of a hemispherical resonator is established by using Lagrange’s second kind equation. Then, the dynamic model is equivalently transformed into a simple harmonic vibration model of a point mass in two-dimensional space, which is analyzed using a method of averaging that separates the slow variables from the fast variables. The results reveal that taking the nonlinear terms about the square of the angular velocity and the angular acceleration in the dynamic equation into account can weaken the influence of the 4th harmonic component of a mass defect on standing wave drift, and the extent of this weakening effect varies with the dimensions of the mass defects, which is very important for steering the development of the high-precision hemispherical resonator gyroscope. Full article

Our preliminary research proposed the cytochrome P450 family 7 subfamily A member 1 (CYP7A1) and hydroxyacyl-coenzyme A dehydrogenase trifunctional multienzyme complex beta subunit (HADHB) genes as candidates for association with milk-production traits in dairy cattle because of their differential expression across different lactation stages in the liver tissues of Chinese Holstein cows and their potential roles in lipid metabolism. Hence, we identified single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of the CYP7A1 and HADHB genes and validated their genetic effects on milk-production traits in a Chinese Holstein population with the goal of providing valuable genetic markers for genomic selection (GS) in dairy cattle, This study identified five SNPs, 14:g.24676921A>G, 14:g.24676224G>A, 14:g.24675708G>T, 14:g.24665961C>T, and 14:g.24664026A>G, in the CYP7A1 gene and three SNPs, 11:g.73256269T>C, 11:g.73256227A>C, and 11:g.73242290C>T, in HADHB. The single-SNP association analysis revealed significant associations (p value ≤ 0.0461) between the eight SNPs of CYP7A1 and HADHB genes and 305-day milk, fat and protein yields. Additionally, using Haploview 4.2, we found that the five SNPs of CYP7A1 formed two haplotype blocks and that the two SNPs of HADHB formed one haplotype block; notably, all three haplotype blocks were also significantly associated with milk, fat and protein yields (p value ≤ 0.0315). Further prediction of transcription factor binding sites (TFBSs) based on Jaspar software (version 2023) showed that the 14:g.24676921A>G, 14:g.24675708G>T, 11:g.73256269T>C, and 11:g.73256227A>C SNPs could alter the 5′ terminal TFBS of the CYP7A1 and HADHB genes. The 14:g.24665961C>T SNP caused changes in the structural stability of the mRNA for the CYP7A1 gene. These alterations have the potential to influence gene expression and, consequently, the phenotype associated with milk-production traits. In summary, we have confirmed the genetic effects of CYP7A1 and HADHB genes on milk-production traits in dairy cattle and identified potential functional mutations that we suggest could be used for GS of dairy cattle and in-depth mechanistic studies of animals. Full article

To enhance the physical and mechanical characteristics of steam-cured concrete, an orthogonal experimental design was utilized to examine the effects of varying contents of fly ash (0 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%, 20 wt%), silica fume (0 wt%, 5 wt%, 10 wt%, 15 wt%), basalt fiber (0 vol%, 0.05 vol%, 0.1 vol%, 0.2 vol%), and polypropylene fiber (0 vol%, 0.05 vol%, 0.1 vol%, 0.2 vol%) on its mechanical properties. Utilizing range and variance analyses, this study identified four preliminary optimized compositions of concrete incorporating fly ash, silica fume, basalt fiber, and polypropylene fiber. On this basis, in order to determine the optimal mix proportion, the mechanical performances, the pore characteristics, and the microstructure of four optimized mix proportions were analyzed. According to the results of macroscopic, fine, and microscopic multi-scale tests, the addition of 15 wt% fly ash, 10 wt% silica ash, 0.2 vol% basalt fiber, and 0.1 vol% polypropylene fiber to the steamed concrete is the best to improve the performance of the steamed concrete. Compared to ordinary concrete, the compressive strength increases by 28%, the tensile strength increases by 40%, and the porosity decreases by 47.2%. Full article

Digital financial inclusion and common prosperity are pivotal elements in promoting the sustainable socioeconomic development of China. This study introduces a novel Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) method to evaluate the Common Prosperity Index (CPI). Using this index, alongside the Digital Financial Inclusion Index (DFII) released by Peking University, it examines the evolution of the coupling coordination relationship between digital financial inclusion and common prosperity within the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration from 2011 to 2021. By integrating gravity models and social network analysis, in this paper, we thoroughly investigate the spatiotemporal evolution characteristics of the spatial network of this coupling coordination relationship. The results indicate that both the DFII and CPI generally exhibit an upward trend, but the decline in the coupling degree reflects a weakened interaction strength between them. Specifically, Anhui significantly lags behind Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Shanghai in the development of digital financial inclusion and common prosperity, indicating regional development imbalances. Furthermore, the strength of spatial connections in city coupling coordination has significantly increased, with Nanjing’s siphon effect on cities in Anhui becoming markedly stronger, and the number of core cities in the network increasing, which demonstrates a geographical proximity feature in network development. Additionally, the overall network characteristics are transitioning towards higher density and “small-world” properties, suggesting a trend toward network stabilization. The disparity in centrality among cities has decreased, with an overall enhancement in centrality, where the spatial spillover effects from core areas such as Hangzhou-Ningbo, Nanjing-Changzhou, and Shanghai-Suzhou-Wuxi significantly promote the development of peripheral cities. Based on these findings, this paper proposes policy recommendations for the sustainable development of digital financial inclusion and common prosperity in the YRD region. Full article

Altruism plays an essential role in promoting vaccine uptake, an issue that came to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic through discussions of herd immunity and altruistic motivations. In response, the primary objective of this cross-sectional survey was to explore how altruistic attitudes have evolved in the post-pandemic era and to assess their effectiveness in motivating vaccination behavior in different age groups. The study aimed to elucidate changes in altruistic motivations for vaccination and their implications for public health strategies. Using a representative sample of the adult population of South Tyrol, Italy, including 1388 participants, altruism was assessed in 2023 with the scales of the Elderly Care Research Center (ECRC) and the International Personality Item Pool (IPIP) subscale of the version 5F30F-R1. Its association with demographic variables, vaccination attitudes and personal beliefs in two age groups (18–69 years, 70+ years) was analyzed. The results reveal distinct predictors of altruism across these scales and age groups, suggesting a shift in altruistic attitudes towards vaccination when comparing data from a similar survey conducted in 2021 with the 2023 results. Consequently, the use of altruism scales for different age groups is warranted. This study highlights the need for further research in this field. It concludes that while promoting altruistic behavior to increase vaccine uptake appears to be effective primarily among the younger population, emphasizing personal safety is more appropriate for encouraging vaccination among older individuals. Full article

Prefabricated temporary buildings are a promising solution for post-disaster scenarios for their modularity, sustainability and transportation advantages. However, their low thermal mass building envelope shows a fast response to heat flux excitations. This leads to the risk of not meeting the occupant comfort and HVAC energy-saving requirements. The literature shows different measures implementable in opaque surfaces, like vacuum insulation panels (VIPs), phase change materials (PCMs) and switchable coatings, and in transparent surfaces (switchable glazing) to mitigate thermal issues, like overheating, while preserving the limited available internal space. This paper investigates the energy and overheating performance of the mentioned interventions by using building performance simulation tools to assess their effectiveness. The optimization also looks at the transportation flexibility of each intervention to better support the decision maker for manufacturing innovative temporary units. The most energy-efficient measures turn to be VIPs as a better energy solution for winter and PCMs as a better thermal comfort solution for summer. Full article

Renal embolisms due to cardiac myxomas are extremely rare; the clinical course, treatment, and prognosis of this disease are not established. A 69-year-old Japanese woman who underwent a nephrectomy for renal cell carcinoma 3 years earlier was hospitalized with a right occipital lobe cerebral infarction. Her renal function suddenly worsened 3 days post-admission: her serum creatinine rose from 1.46 mg/dL to 6.57 mg/dL and then to 8.03 mg/dL the next day, and hemodialysis therapy was started. Abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans showed patchy non-contrasted low-density areas in the right kidney, and chest CT scans and transesophageal ultrasonography revealed a left atrial tumor. We diagnosed renal infarction due to a left atrial myxoma. Hemodialysis and anticoagulant therapy (heparin) were continued, followed by the cardiac myxoma’s resection. The patient’s renal function gradually improved post-surgery, and the hemodialysis was discontinued. Considering our patient and 19 other case reports of renal infarction associated with cardiac myxoma, the treatment for such a renal infarction and the outcomes differ depending on the embolus site. The poor outcome of abdominal aortic embolism requires a prompt embolectomy, whereas a branch renal artery embolism requires anticoagulation therapy to prevent thrombosis formation around the myxoma. Full article

The present paper provides a brief overview of the existing methods for energy separation and an analysis of the possibility of the practical application of the Hartmann–Sprenger effect to provide quasi-isothermal pressure reduction of natural gas at the facilities within a gas transmission system. The recommendations of external authors are analyzed. A variant of a quasi-isothermal pressure regulator is proposed, which assumes the mixing of flows after energy separation. Using a numerical simulation of gas dynamics, it is demonstrated that the position of the resonators can be determined on the basis of calculations of the structure of the underexpanded jet without taking into account the resonator and, accordingly, without the need for time-consuming calculations of the dynamics of the processes. Based on the results of simulating the gas dynamics of two nozzle–resonator pairs installed in a single flow housing, it is shown that, in order to optimize the regulator length, the width of the passage between the two nearest resonators should be greater than or equal to the sum of diameters of the critical sections of the nozzles. Numerical vibroacoustic analysis demonstrated that the most dangerous part of the resonator is the frequency of its natural oscillations. Full article

Empathy is the emotional capacity to feel and understand the emotions experienced by other human beings from within their frame of reference. As a unique psychological faculty, empathy is an important source of motivation to behave altruistically and cooperatively. Although human-like emotion should be a critical component in the construction of artificial intelligence (AI), the discovery of emotional elements such as empathy is subject to complexity and uncertainty. In this work, we demonstrated an interesting electrical device (i.e., an MXene (Ti₃C₂) memristor) and successfully exploited the device to emulate a psychological model of “empathic blame”. To emulate this affective reaction, MXene was introduced into memristive devices because of its interesting structure and ionic capacity. Additionally, depending on several rehearsal repetitions, self-adaptive characteristic of the memristive weights corresponded to different levels of empathy. Moreover, an artificial neural system was designed to analogously realize a moral judgment with empathy. This work may indicate a breakthrough in making cool machines manifest real voltage-motivated feelings at the level of the hardware rather than the algorithm. Full article

Polyurethane (PU) is a very versatile material in engineering applications, whose mechanical properties can be tailored by the introduction of active fillers. The current research aims to (i) investigate the effect of active fillers with varying filler loads on the mechanical properties of a PU system and (ii) develop a micro-mechanical model to describe the hyperelastic behavior of (un)filled PU. Three models are taken into consideration: without strain amplification, with constant strain amplification, and with a deformation-dependent strain amplification. The measured uniaxial stress–strain data of the filled PU nanocomposites reveal clear reinforcement due to the incorporation of carbon black at 5, 10 and 20 wt%. In low concentration (1 wt%), for two different grades of carbon black and a fumed silica, it results in a reduction in the mechanical properties. The micro-mechanical model without strain amplification has a good agreement with the measured stress–strain curves at low concentrations of fillers (1 wt%). For higher filled concentrations (5–15 wt%), the micro-mechanical model with constant strain amplification leads to a better prediction performance. For samples with a larger filler volume fraction (20 wt%) and for a commercial adhesive, the model with a deformation-dependent strain amplification effect leads to the best predictions, i.e., highest R² regarding curve fitting. Full article

The Hindukush and Himalaya regions of Pakistan are chronically prone to several geological hazards such as landslides. Studying landslides in these regions is crucial for risk assessment and disaster management, as well as for determining the effects of adverse climatic conditions, infrastructure management, and increasing anthropogenic activities. High-relief mountains in these regions face severe challenges because of frequently occurring landslides and other natural hazards, especially during intensive rainfall seasons and seismic activity, which destroy infrastructure and cause injuries and deaths. Landslides in the Alpuri Valley (Hindukush) and the Neelum Valley (Himalaya) have been activated through high magnitude earthquakes, intensive rainfalls, snowfall, floods, and man-made activities. Landslide susceptibility mapping in these areas is essential for sustainable development as it enables proactive risk management, up-to-date decision-making, and effective responses to landslide hazards, ultimately safeguarding human lives, property, and the environment. In this study, the relative effect method was applied for landslide susceptibility modeling in both study areas to determine the capability to reduce the effects of landslides, and to improve the prediction accuracy of the method. The relative effect is a statistical model that has only been used for very limited time for landslide susceptibility with effective results. A total of 368 (Neelum Valley) and 89 (Alpuri Valley) landslide locations were identified, which were utilized to prepare the reliable landslide inventory using GIS. In order to evaluate the areas at risk for future landslides activities and determine their spatial relationship with landslide occurrences, the landslide inventory was developed with 17 landslide causative factors. These factors include slope gradient, slope aspect, geology, plan curvature, general curvature, profile curvature, elevation, stream power index, drainage density, terrain roughness index, distance from the roads, distance from the streams, distance from fault lines, normalized difference wetness index, land-use/land-cover, rainfall, and normalized difference vegetation index. Finally, the performance of the relative effect method was validated using the success and prediction curve rate. The AUC-validated result of the success rate curve in the Alpuri Valley is 74.75%, and 82.15% in the Neelum Valley, whereas, the AUC-validated result of the prediction rate curve of the model is 87.87% in the Alpuri Valley and 82.73% in the Neelum Valley. These results indicate the reliability of the model to produce a landslide susceptibility map, and apply it to other landslide areas. The model demonstrated a more effective result in the Alpuri Valley, having a smaller area. However, the results are also desirable and favorable in Neelum Valley, with it being a large area. It will assist in general landslide hazard management and mitigation, and further research studies related to future landslide susceptibility assessments in other parts of the region. Full article

The organic component of biomass pyrolysis oils is composed of a light fraction (C2–C4 volatiles, sugar- and lignin-derived monomers) and a less polar heavy fraction (pyrolytic lignin/humins, greater than approximately 200 g/mol). Importantly, this heavy fraction can account for roughly one-third to one-half of the total pyrolysis oil. While the composition and characteristics of the light fraction are generally well understood, research is still needed for the characterization of the heavy fraction. Some important thermodynamic fuel properties of this fraction are the heat of combustion, normal boiling point, heat of vaporization, and flash point, which are (computationally) estimated in this work with regularized regression and empirical correlations. The quantification of these properties has implications on downstream utilization, particularly in the context of co-processing bio-oils with plastic and coal liquefaction products and/or crude petroleum. Finally, challenges and opportunities for (experimental) work are discussed for the advancement of sustainable valorization of biomass pyrolysis oils. Full article

Data from the Neonatal Oxygenation Prospective Meta-analysis (NeOProM) indicate that targeting a higher (91–95%) versus lower (85–89%) pulse oximeter saturation (SpO₂) range may reduce mortality and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and increase retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Aiming to re-evaluate the strength of this evidence, we conducted a Bayesian reanalysis of the NeOProM data. We used Bayes factors (BFs) to evaluate the likelihood of the data under the combination of models assuming the presence vs. absence of effect, heterogeneity, and moderation by sex. The Bayesian reanalysis showed moderate evidence in favor of no differences between SpO₂ targets (BF₁₀ = 0.30) in death or major disability, but moderate evidence (BF₁₀ = 3.60) in favor of a lower mortality in the higher SpO₂ group. Evidence in favor of differences was observed for bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) (BF₁₀ = 14.44, lower rate with lower SpO₂), severe NEC (BF₁₀ = 9.94), and treated ROP (BF₁₀ = 3.36). The only outcome with moderate evidence in favor of sex differences was BPD. This reanalysis of the NeOProM trials confirmed that exposure to a lower versus higher SpO₂ range is associated with a higher mortality and risk of NEC, but a lower risk of ROP and BPD. The Bayesian approach can help in assessing the strength of evidence supporting clinical decisions. Full article

Heterogeneous rock masses that include rhythmic alternations of marl, shale, marly limestone, sandstone, siltstone, and argillite, such as Flysch, are particularly prone to generating colluvial deposits on gentle slopes, which are often subject to failures triggered by heavy rainfall. Flysch-derived colluvial soils are made up of highly heterogeneous sediments ranging from clayey loam to rock fragments, and they have been studied more rarely than homogeneous soils. In this work, we present a geotechnical and hydraulic characterisation performed both in situ and in the laboratory on flysch-derived colluvial soils that were involved in a channelised landslide in the pre-alpine area of the Friuli Venezia Giulia region (NE Italy). The investigated soils were characterised by the average values of the grain size composition of about 25% gravel, 20% sand, 30% silt, and 25% clay. The loamy matrix presented low-to-medium values of the liquid and plastic limits, as well as of the plasticity index (LL = 40%, PL = 23%, and PI = 17%, respectively). The values of the peak friction angle for natural intact samples were 33° < ϕ’_p < 38°, whereas the residual friction angle fell to 23–24° at great depths and high vertical stresses, for a prevailing silty–clayey matrix. Variable head permeability tests were performed both in situ and in the laboratory, showing that the values of the vertical and horizontal permeability were very close and in the range 1 × 10⁻⁴–1 × 10⁻⁶ m/s. The soil permeability measured in the field was generally higher than the hydraulic conductivity calculated on laboratory samples. The proposed geotechnical and hydrological characterisation of flysch-derived colluvial soils can be of fundamental importance before the use of more thorough analyses/models aimed at forecasting the possible occurrence of slope failures and evaluating the related landslide hazard. The reported geotechnical and hydraulic parameters of flysch-derived colluvial materials can represent a useful reference for rainfall infiltration modelling and slope stability analyses of colluvial covers that are subject to intense and/or prolonged precipitation. However, when facing engineering problems involving colluvial soils, particularly those coming from flysch rock masses, the intrinsic variability in their grain size composition, consistency, and plasticity characteristics is a key feature and attention should be paid to the proper assumption of the corresponding geotechnical and hydraulic parameters. Full article

Microtubules are an indispensable component of all eukaryotic cells due to their role in mitotic spindle formation, yet their organization and number can vary greatly in the interphase. The last common ancestor of all eukaryotes already had microtubules and microtubule motor proteins moving along them. Sponges are traditionally regarded as the oldest animal phylum. Their body does not have a clear differentiation into tissues, but it contains several distinguishable cell types. The choanocytes stand out among them and are responsible for creating a flow of water with their flagella and increasing the filtering and feeding efficiency of the sponge. Choanocyte flagella contain microtubules, but thus far, observing a developed system of cytoplasmic microtubules in non-flagellated interphase sponge cells has been mostly unsuccessful. In this work, we combine transcriptomic analysis, immunofluorescence, and electron microscopy with time-lapse recording to demonstrate that microtubules appear in the cytoplasm of sponge cells only when transdifferentiation processes are activated. We conclude that dynamic cytoplasmic microtubules in the cells of sponges are not a persistent but rather a transient structure, associated with cellular plasticity. Full article