How hands-on gardening impacts behaviors including healthy eating and physical activity during early childhood can be of critical importance for preventing the early onset of obesity. This study investigates how participating in hands-on gardening impacts preschoolers’ (3–5 years old) physical activity (measured by accelerometers) in childcare centers in the semi-arid climate zone. The research was conducted in eight licensed childcare centers located in West Texas with 149 children (n = 149). Four childcare centers in the experimental group received hands-on garden interventions; the other four in the control group did not. In both experimental (intervention) and control (non-intervention) centers, children wore Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers continuously for 5 days before and for 5 days after intervention (a total of 10 days). Results show that the duration of sedentary behavior of children in the experimental (intervention) group significantly decreased compared to children in the control (non-intervention) group. The finding suggests that the positive effects of childcare hands-on gardening on physical activity extend to semi-arid climate zones where gardening is challenging due to high temperatures and lack of annual rainfall. The research emphasizes the critical need to incorporate hands-on gardening in childcare centers as an obesity prevention strategy nationally in the US and beyond. Full article

Glenoid fossa fractures are rare injuries accounting for 10 to 29% of all intra-articular scapula fractures. They are usually the result of high-energy trauma, and concomitant injuries are not uncommon. Patients with glenoid fractures are admitted with shoulder pain and restricted range of motion. Although shoulder plain radiographs could establish the diagnosis, a computed tomography scan is necessary to adequately define the fracture pattern and characteristics. The most commonly used classification system is that of Ideberg (modified by Goss), which includes five glenoid fossa fracture types according to the location, extension, and complexity of the lesion. Articular surface displacement and step-off are the most important factors that should be taken under consideration when deciding for conservative or surgical management. Operative treatment includes open reduction and internal fixation through a posterior or anterior approach depending on fracture morphology and displacement. However, open surgical techniques are related to extensive soft-tissue disruption, risk of neurovascular injury, and inadequate exposure of the entire glenoid cavity. Introduction of arthroscopy could facilitate better visualization of the glenoid articular surface and improved fracture reduction. However, it is a technically demanding procedure with many challenges and pitfalls. The aim of this review is to summarize the current evidence regarding the treatment of glenoid fossa fractures and present the beneficial effect of arthroscopy in improving the quality of fracture fixation and overall functional outcomes. Full article

Background: Spondylodiscitis is an infectious disease affecting an intervertebral disc and the adjacent vertebral bodies and is often the complication of a distant focus of infection. This study aims to ascertain the regional and hospital-specific disparities in bacterial patterns and resistance profiles in spontaneous and iatrogenic spondylodiscitis and their implications for patient treatment. Methods: We enrolled patients from two German hospitals, specifically comparing a university hospital (UVH) with a peripheral non-university hospital (NUH). We documented patient demographics, laboratory results, and surgical interventions. Microbiological assessments, antibiotic regimens, treatment durations, and resistance profiles were recorded. Results: This study included 135 patients. Upon admission, 92.4% reported pain, with 16.2% also presenting neurological deficits. The primary microbial species identified in both the UVH and NUH cohorts were S. aureus (37.3% vs. 31.3%) and cog. neg. staphylococci (28.8% vs. 34.4%), respectively. Notably, a higher prevalence of resistant bacteria was noted in the UVH group (p < 0.001). Additionally, concomitant malignancies were significantly more prevalent in the UVH cohort. Conclusion: Significant regional variations exist in bacterial prevalence and resistance profiles. Consequently, treatment protocols need to consider these nuances and undergo regular critical evaluation. Moreover, patients with concurrent malignancies face an elevated risk of spondylodiscitis. Full article

Grating (moiré) interferometry is one of the well-known methods for full-field in-plane displacement and strain measurement. There are many design solutions for grating interferometers, including systems with a microinterferometric waveguide head. This article proposes a modification to the conventional waveguide interferometer head, enabling the implementation of a polarization fringe phase shift for automatic fringe pattern analysis. This article presents both the theoretical considerations associated with the proposed solution and its experimental verification, along with the concept of in-plane displacement/strain sensing using the described head. Full article

Damping involves the various frictional and other obstructive effects that attenuate free vibration. For a long time, people have mainly used it to make various dampers to reduce mechanical vibration and consume kinetic energy. It is widely used in fields such as aerospace, automotive, and consumer electronics. These dampers mainly act on mechanical structures. In recent years, with the rapid development of novel human–machine interaction methods and force/tactile feedback technology, the damper has begun to act on people, such as when a person interacts with a robot and their force is applied to a structure with damping. This type of damper requires variable damping, and the amount of variation is controlled by the magnitude of human action. This study used magnetorheological fluid (MRF) instead of traditional damping fluids, such as silicone oil, sesame oil, and mechanical oil. Magnetorheological fluid is a controllable fluid with magnetorheological effects, and its viscosity (hardness) can be changed by changing the nearby magnetic field. This study took the design of variable damping keyboard buttons with haptic feedback as an example to study the electromagnetic and dynamic models of variable dampers based on magnetorheological fluids. The experimental setup was designed and used to verify the haptic effectiveness of the scheme, which can be applied to the development of other haptic dampers that require variable damping. Full article

This study presents two concepts for integrating a wave rotor combustor (WRC) into a baseline engine: the wave rotor pressure-gain cycle (WRPGC) and the wave rotor work cycle (WRWC). Performance parameters were calculated under different thermodynamic cycles, and a comparative analysis of the thermodynamic cycles was conducted, considering both the ideal- and actual-loss conditions. Furthermore, the impact of the WRC precompression ratio, turbine inlet temperature, and fixed peak cycle temperature on the thermodynamic-cycle performance was investigated. The results indicate that embedding a WRC into a baseline engine with a compressor pressure ratio higher than 24.0 does not lead to an improvement in the thermal efficiency. However, under a baseline engine pressure ratio of 3.6, the actual-loss WRC cycle achieves efficiency improvements of 40.5% and 49.5% in the WRPGC and WRWC, respectively, compared to the baseline engine cycle. Increasing the wave rotor precompression ratio or the turbine inlet temperature ratio results in greater performance improvements for the WRWC compared to the WRPGC. When the peak cycle temperature of the wave rotor is fixed, there exists a narrow pressure ratio range wherein the WRPGC outperforms the WRWC. Therefore, the WRPGC is more suitable for embedment in baseline engines with lower pressure ratios. Full article

Catnip (Nepeta cataria L.) plants produce a wide array of specialized metabolites with multiple applications for human health. The productivity of such metabolites, including nepetalactones, and natural insect repellents is influenced by the conditions under which the plants are cultivated. In this study, we assessed how field-grown catnip plants, transplanted after being propagated via either single-node stem cuttings or seeds, varied regarding their phytochemical composition throughout a growing season in two distinct environmental conditions (Pittstown and Upper Deerfield) in the state of New Jersey, United States. Iridoid terpenes were quantified in plant tissues via ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography with triple quadrupole mass spectrometry (UHPLC-QqQ-MS), and phenolic compounds (phenolic acids and flavonoids) were analyzed via UHPLC with diode-array detection (UHPLC-DAD). The highest contents of total nepetalactones in Pittstown were found at 6 weeks after transplanting (WAT) for both seedlings and cuttings (1305.4 and 1223.3 mg/100 g, respectively), while in Upper Deerfield, the highest contents for both propagules were at 11 WAT (1247.7 and 997.1 mg/100 g, respectively) for seed-propagated and stem cuttings). The highest concentration of nepetalactones was associated with floral-bud to partial-flowering stages. Because plants in Pittstown accumulated considerably more biomass than plants grown in Upper Deerfield, the difference in nepetalactone production per plant was striking, with peak productivity reaching only 598.9 mg per plant in Upper Deerfield and 1833.1 mg per plant in Pittstown. Phenolic acids accumulated in higher contents towards the end of the season in both locations, after a period of low precipitation, and flavone glycosides had similar accumulation patterns to nepetalactones. In both locations, rooted stem cuttings reached their maximum nepetalactone productivity, on average, four weeks later than seed-propagated plants, suggesting that seedlings have, overall, better agronomic performance. Full article

A class of algorithms based on subspace projection is widely used in the denoising of magnetoencephalography (MEG) signals. Setting the dimension of the interference (external) subspace matrix of these algorithms is the key to balancing the denoising effect and the degree of signal distortion. However, most current methods for estimating the dimension threshold rely on experience, such as observing the signal waveforms and spectrum, which may render the results too subjective and lacking in quantitative accuracy. Therefore, this study proposes a method to automatically estimate a suitable threshold. Time–frequency transformations are performed on the evoked state data to obtain the neural signal of interest and the noise signal in a specific time–frequency band, which are then used to construct the objective function describing the degree of noise suppression and signal distortion. The optimal value of the threshold in the selected range is obtained using the weighted-sum method. Our method was tested on two classical subspace projection algorithms using simulation and two sensory stimulation experiments. The thresholds estimated by the proposed method enabled the algorithms to achieve the best waveform recovery and source location error. Therefore, the threshold selected in this method enables subspace projection algorithms to achieve the best balance between noise removal and neural signal preservation in subsequent MEG analyses. Full article

The production of mineral fertilisers relies heavily on mineral deposits that are becoming depleted or is based on processes that are highly energy demanding. In this context, and in line with the circular economy and the European Green Deal, the recovery of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) from organic wastes using chemical technologies is an important strategy to produce secondary raw materials for incorporation into mineral fertilisers, partially replacing the traditional sources of N, P, and K. However, there are very few studies on the agronomic and environmental effects of such substitution. The aim of this work was to evaluate plant growth under microcosm conditions and the effect on the soil microbiome of mineral fertilisers in which part of the N, P, or K content comes from bio-based materials (BBMFs), namely ash, struvite, and a patented chemical process. The crop was maize, and a metataxonomic approach was used to assess the effect on the soil microbiome. The BBMF treatments were compared with a control treated with a conventional mineral fertiliser. The conventional fertiliser performed significantly better than the bio-based fertilisers in terms of maize biomass production at the first sampling point 60 days after sowing (DAS), but at the last sampling point, 90 DAS, the BBMFs showed comparable or even better biomass production than the conventional one. This suggests that BBMFs may have a slightly slower nutrient release rate. The use of fertiliser, whether conventional or BBMF, resulted in a significant increase in microbiome biodiversity (Shannon index), while it did not affect species richness. Interestingly, the use of fertilisers modulated the composition of the bacterial community, increasing the abundance of beneficial bacterial taxa considered to be plant-growth-promoting bacteria, without significant differences between the conventional mineral fertilisers and the BBMFs. The predominance of PGPRs in the rhizosphere of crops when BBMFs are used could be part of the reason why BBMFs perform similarly or even better than conventional fertilisers, even if the rate of nutrient release is slower. This hypothesis will be tested in future field trials. Thus, BBMFs are an interesting option to make the food chain more sustainable. Full article

The Chinese government promulgated the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 to provide scientific guidance for agrifood consumption and enhance nutrition intake. We categorized the sample into pre-2018 and post-2018 periods. By evaluating the effects of the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 through economic theory and a translog revenue function model based on financial statement data from 2015 to 2022, our findings indicate that the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 has increased the overall agrifood sales of listed agrifood enterprises, but the increase in agrifood sales produced by large listed agrifood enterprises has been slight. Finally, we offer policy recommendations for regulatory authorities and develop strategies for agrifood firms to encourage local food procurement. This study also contributes to our understanding of China’s agrifood industry dynamics and underscores the significance of the National Nutrition Plan 2017–2030 in enhancing nutritional intake and fostering sustainable growth in China’s agriculture industry. Full article

Economic consumption and environmental impacts due to potassium (K) inputs in agriculture are gaining increasing attention. It is urgent to improve K use efficiency (KUE) for agricultural development. Delayed sowing has been shown to maintain grain yield in winter wheat. Still, there needs to be more information regarding the effect of sowing date on crop K status evaluated by the K nutrition index (KNI), KUE, K uptake efficiency (UPE), K utilization efficiency (UTE), and grain K concentration (GKC). Here, we assessed Shannong23 and Tainong18 winter wheat cultivars with three sowing date treatments composed of 26 September (early sowing), 8 October (normal sowing), and 22 October (late sowing) in the 2021–2022 and 2022–2023 growing seasons. The influences of sowing date on the KNI, tillering, grain yield formation, KUE, UPE, UTE, K transport, and GKC were examined. Our study indicated that late sowing in winter wheat was an almost optimal K nutritional situation, whereas early and normal sowing were under situations of excess K. As sowing was delayed, aboveground K uptake (AGK), UPE, and spike number per unit area decreased; UTE and grain number per spike increased; and grain yield and KUE were unchanged. A positive correlation between KNI and UPE and spike number per unit area and a negative correlation between KNI and UTE and grain number per spike were found, whereas no significant correlation between KNI and KUE was observed. Late sowing promoted K transport from pre-anthesis accumulation in vegetative organs to grain, resulting in a higher GKC, which could lead to high grain quality and K recovery. Therefore, late sowing winter wheat can use K more efficiently and increase GKC, implying that delayed sowing can reduce K input, favoring sustainable agriculture development. Full article

X-ray fluorescence imaging (XFI) can localize diagnostic or theranostic entities utilizing nanoparticle (NP)-based probes at high resolution in vivo, in vitro, and ex vivo. However, small-animal benchtop XFI systems demonstrating high spatial resolution (variable from sub-millimeter to millimeter range) in vivo are still limited to lighter elements (i.e., atomic number $\mathcal{Z}\le 45$). This study investigates the feasibility of focusing hard X-rays from solid-target tubes using ellipsoidal lens systems composed of mosaic graphite crystals with the aim of enabling high-resolution in vivo XFI applications with mid-$\mathcal{Z}$ ($42\le \mathcal{Z}\le 64$) elements. Monte Carlo simulations are performed to characterize the proposed focusing-optics concept and provide quantitative predictions of the XFI sensitivity, in silico tumor-bearing mice models loaded with palladium (Pd) and barium (Ba) NPs. Based on simulation results, the minimum detectable total mass of PdNPs per scan position is expected to be on the order of a few hundred nanograms under in vivo conform conditions. PdNP masses as low as 150 ng to 50 ng could be detectable with a resolution of 600 $\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{m}$ when imaging abdominal tumor lesions across a range of low-dose (0.8 $\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{Gy}$) to high-dose (8 $\mathsf{\mu }\mathrm{Gy}$) exposure scenarios. The proposed focusing-optics concept presents a potential step toward realizing XFI with conventional X-ray tubes for high-resolution applications involving interesting NP formulations. Full article

When heating units are operated in winter, the extreme conditions, such as deep peak regulation and large extraction, can easily lead to a low unit load and severe icing in the wet cooling tower, which threatens the safe operation of the unit. Therefore, it is necessary to study the anti-freezing characteristics of the wet cooling tower. In this paper, a three-dimensional numerical model of a high-level, natural draft wet cooling tower is developed based on the constant heat load method. The influence of withdrawing a certain percentage of circulating water into the bypass on the cooling performance and anti-freezing characteristics of the high-level, natural draft wet cooling tower is investigated. The results show that as the percentage of circulating water bypass extraction increases, the temperature drop of circulating water in the tower continues to increase, but the lowest and the average water temperatures at the bottom of the packing continue to decrease. At the same time, the amount of circulating water entering the tower decreases, the pressure difference between the inside and outside of the tower under the same environmental conditions decreases, and the pumping force of the cooling tower decreases. If the circulating water bypass extraction percentage is less than 10%, it can prevent the circulating water from freezing at the bottom of the packing and, at the same time, try to reduce the temperature of the circulating water entering the condenser to ensure the efficiency of the unit. Full article

Ovarian tumors in mares are uncommon in comparison to other neoplasms and are classified into three categories: gonadal stromal tumors, coelomic epithelium surface tumors, and germinal cell tumors. Some ovarian neoplasms histologically show a mixture of multiple cell types in the same tumor, such as fibrothecoma; therefore, the differentiation between fibroma and thecoma is often difficult. According to the World Health Organization, fibrothecomas are classified as sex-cord stromal tumors (pure stromal tumors). Neoplasms such as fibrothecoma present with limited morphological, clinical, ultrasonographic, and endocrine profile characteristics. To diagnose this type of tumor, a broad clinical examination is needed, but histopathology remains the most accurate. Herein, we report a case of incidentally found ovarian fibrothecoma during a diagnostic laparotomy in a 6-year-old Dutch Warmblood (KWPN) mare who presented to the clinic with colic symptoms. After a unilateral ovariectomy, the altered right ovary was diagnosed as fibrothecoma based on histopathological features. Full article

Knowledge communication in cultural heritage and digital humanities currently faces two challenges, which this paper addresses: On the one hand, data-driven storytelling in these fields has mainly focused on human protagonists, while other essential entities (such as artworks and artifacts, institutions, or places) have been neglected. On the other hand, storytelling tools rarely support the larger chains of data practices, which are required to generate and shape the data and visualizations needed for such stories. This paper introduces the InTaVia platform, which has been developed to bridge these gaps. It supports the practices of data retrieval, creation, curation, analysis, and communication with coherent visualization support for multiple types of entities. We illustrate the added value of this open platform for storytelling with four case studies, focusing on (a) the life of Albrecht Dürer (person biography), (b) the Saliera salt cellar by Benvenuto Cellini (object biography), (c) the artist community of Lake Tuusula (group biography), and (d) the history of the Hofburg building complex in Vienna (place biography). Numerous suggestions for future research arise from this undertaking. Full article

To improve arthroplasty care quality, the EndoCert initiative focuses on structural, processual, and surgeon-related quality assurance. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of a surgeon’s case load in certified centers on quality of care, distinguished by different types of surgeons. Data from the annual reports of EndoCert certified centers for the years 2017 to 2021 were analyzed. The study revealed reduced numbers of cases, while the number of surgeons remained constant. Since 2020, the decrease in the average case load per surgeons has become more pronounced. There were also differences between senior (sECrs) and EndoCert-registered surgeons (ECrs). Before the 2020 pandemic, over half of surgeons exceeded minimum annual case requirements, while, afterwards, this number declined, especially for the ECrs. Affiliated surgeons, who are also sECrs or ECrs, performed predominantly lower numbers of arthroplasties. However, a higher percentage of affiliated surgeons in a center correlated with faster surgeries and lower mortality rates. High numbers of arthroplasties per center or surgeon were not necessarily associated with better quality indicators, especially in the knee. While the comprehensive quality standards may offset volume effects, EndoCert should reconsider minimum volume regulations based on surgeon, but also on each joint. Full article

Percutaneous closure of the patent foramen ovale (PFO) is generally regarded as a safe and effective procedure, indicated in patients with a prior PFO-associated stroke. While it is highly safe, rarely, it could be accompanied by a migration of the device, mainly caused by the interplay of a specific PFO morphology and inappropriate device sizing. Herein, we outline a seldom-observed complication of an unintentional detachment of the PFO closure device during implantation, leading to its migration into the abdominal aorta, and a unique management approach. Due to the inability to recapture the occluder with a snare, which is considered to be a mainstay of endovascular retrieval methods, two coronary guidewires were maneuvered through the mesh of the occluder and then captured with a snare proximally to the occluder. This innovative dual-wire–snare system was carefully pulled to the common femoral artery, a position deemed suitable for surgical extraction via arteriotomy, which was achieved successfully. Full article

An important aspect of the application of unmanned systems is the reliability and safety of controlling these devices. An innovative approach has been proposed to improve the efficiency of the pilot operator and the reliability of the automated control system. It includes the development of an algorithm for determining the pilot’s condition based on heart rate analysis. This algorithm helps to assess the condition of the pilot and his ability to control the drone. Another important element of the proposed approach is the algorithm for selecting the control mode of the automated control system for unmanned aerial vehicles, which takes into account information about the functional state of the pilot operator. This algorithm allows the system to automatically switch between different operating modes depending on the condition of the pilot, ensuring optimal control and minimizing the risks of human error. An integrated approach to improving the reliability of the unmanned aerial vehicle control system allows not only improving the work of the pilot operator, but also ensuring the safer and more efficient operation of automated systems. Full article

Transboundary water governance involves collaborative decision-making across geopolitical boundaries to manage shared water resources sustainably. While this approach integrates public, private, and community efforts, little scrutiny has been directed toward the involvement of non-institutionally affiliated stakeholders. This study critically examines stakeholder participation in Upper Klamath Basin water governance by investigating how deficiencies in stakeholder inclusion impede transboundary water management processes by favoring institutionally affiliated actors. Findings reveal the differential influence of “endogenous” (directly involved), “exogenous” (indirectly involved), and “peripheral” (limited engagement and influence) actors. While endogenous and exogenous actors have formal or informal ties to institutions, peripheral actors lack institutional affiliation(s), making it difficult for them to participate in and ultimately influence water governance decision-making processes. Their limited access to financial, natural, and social capital further restricts their engagement with governance efforts. This imbalance underscores challenges to equity and inclusion in transboundary water governance processes. Addressing the exclusion of peripheral actors from transboundary water governance requires that governance institutions prioritize equity and inclusivity, fostering transparency, incentivizing inclusive practices, and comparing engagement processes to enhance effectiveness and equity in transboundary water management. Full article

Hydrophobic ion pairing (HIP) complexation was found to be an efficient approach in modulating the release and enhancing the stability and encapsulation of hydrophilic macromolecules such as proteins in hydrophobic nano/microcarriers. The present work strives to develop and optimize the preparation of the HIP complex of the antimicrobial enzyme lysozyme (LYZ) with the ion-pairing agent (IPA) sodium dodecyl sulphate (SDS) relying on the quality-by-design (QbD) approach. The quality target product profile (QTPP) includes the achievement of maximal lipophilicity in a reversible manner to enable the maintenance of biological activity. The related critical quality attributes (CQAs) were defined as complexation efficacy, complex stability, enzyme recovery and activity. Three risk assessment (RA) tools were used to identify and rank the critical process parameters (CPPs) and critical material attributes (CMAs). From this assessment, the pH of the medium, LYZ:SDS molar ratio and drying conditions were determined as high-risk factors that need to be investigated. To the best of our knowledge, for the first time, electrostatic titration was used as a smart approach to determine the optimum molar ratio at different pH values. Based on the predefined CQAs, pH 8 with an LYZ/SDS molar ratio of 1:8 was found to be the optimal condition for complexation efficiency and recovery (%) of a biologically active enzyme. A cost-effective drying process based on a ventilated oven was developed, which resulted in complex qualities comparable to those obtained by the commonly used freeze-drying method. In a nutshell, the optimum conditions for the preparation of the LYZ/SDS HIP complex were efficiently facilitated by the rational application of QbD principles and the utilization of efficient electrostatic titration and ventilated oven-drying methods. Full article

The investigation of the ignition delay of hydrocarbon fuel is highly valuable for enhancing combustion efficiency, optimizing fuel thermal efficiency, and mitigating pollutant emissions. This paper has developed a BP-MRPSO neural network model for studying hydrocarbon fuel ignition and clarified the novelty of this model compared to the traditional BP and ANN models from the literature. The model integrates the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm with MapReduce-based parallel processing technology. This integration improves the prediction accuracy and processing efficiency of the model. Compared to the traditional BP model, the BP-MRPSO model can increase the average correlation coefficient, from 0.9745 to 0.9896. The R² value for predicting fire characteristics using this model can exceed 90%. Meanwhile, when the two hidden layers of both the BP and BP-MRPSO models consist of 9 and 8 neurons, respectively, the accuracy of the BP-MRPSO model is increased by 38.89% compared to the BP model. This proved that the new BP-MRPSO model has the capacity to handle large datasets while achieving great precision and efficiency. The findings could provide a new perspective for examining the properties of fuel ignition, which is expected to contribute to the development and assessment of aviation fuel ignition characteristics in the future. Full article

The pouring of sand casting is accompanied by severe heat conduction, and there is an urgent need to investigate the pyrolysis properties of foundry sand. The main purpose of this study was to investigate the pyrolysis behaviors of resin sand, including precoated sand (PCS), hot box sand (HBS), and warm box sand (WBS), at heating rates of 20 °C/min, 30 °C/min, and 40 °C/min in nitrogen and air atmospheres. The mass loss of the resin sand was monitored continuously with a simultaneous thermal analyzer, and the kinetic parameters of the resin sand were calculated based on the Coats–Redfern method and thermal data. The average mass loss of the resin sand during pyrolysis was 3.03%, which was much smaller than that of the other sands. The volatile release characteristic index of resin sand could not be calculated based on this concept. To solve this issue, the term T_stv/m_loss was established, and its value was determined. With increasing heating rates from 20 °C/min to 30 °C/min and from 30 °C/min to 40 °C/min, the mass losses of the resin sand increased by 0.79% and 0.64%, respectively, and the volatile release characteristic indices of the resin sand increased by 3.8 × 10⁻¹⁰ and 1.06 × 10⁻⁹, respectively. In addition, the mass losses and volatile release characteristic indices of resin sand in an air atmosphere were greater than those in a nitrogen atmosphere. With increasing heating rate, the activation energy of the resin sand decreased in a nitrogen atmosphere. The findings concerning the thermal decomposition behaviors of resin sand provided a theoretical basis for the pouring step of the sand casting process. Full article