Search Results (107,742)

Wireless communication plays an important role in the digitization of industries. A 5G cellular communication system enables several industrial automation use cases. Fifth-generation deployments in industrial use cases have mainly been carried out in the sub-7 GHz frequency range. In this work, we empirically study 5G system performance in the millimeter wavelength (mmW) range for industrial use cases: additive manufacturing processes and precision manufacturing robotics. We carry out an experimental performance evaluation of a commercially available non-public 5G mmW system to assess its latency, reliability and throughput for uplink and downlink data traffic in a real industrial environment. We also investigate the impact of various 5G configurations on 5G performance characteristics with insights from the baseband log information as well as unidirectional latency measurements. Our empirical results indicate that 5G mmW system can achieve low latency with high reliability in both one-way traffic directions. The throughput is observed to be high for line-of-sight (LOS) scenarios, making the use of the 5G mmW system appealing especially for data rate-intensive and time-critical industrial use cases. We also observe that industrial environments with lots of metal and reflective surfaces provide favorable propagation conditions for non-LOS transmissions. Our results indicate that static industrial use cases with low mobility can leverage the performance benefits of 5G mmW systems. Full article

The construction industry, being labor-intensive, prioritizes productivity to boost project performance, yet struggles to achieve expected levels despite increased focus by scholars and practitioners. This lagging causes significant losses in time, cost, and quality performance of construction projects but also broader implications for resource efficiency and environmental impacts. As a remedy to the multifaceted issue, this study aims to identify and evaluate life cycle risks of productivity management in construction projects in Türkiye. A comprehensive literature review identified risk factors affecting labor productivity, followed by a discussion session to finalize the decision framework, including life cycle phases of productivity management and risk factors in each phase. Then, the fuzzy analytical hierarchy (AHP) process revealed the most critical risk factors in each phase, followed by semi-structured interviews to reveal measures for addressing the most significant risks. The findings show that productivity management in construction projects contains nine phases. In addition, the most important factors were chiefly related to collaboration, information sharing, lack of supervision, work interruptions, and changes. Findings from semi-structured interviews emphasize regular employee training and open communication to enhance project outcomes, optimize workflows, and promote sustainability. The study’s key contribution is introducing a life cycle approach to construction productivity management, a previously unexplored perspective. This provides an effective framework that can be implemented in construction projects to manage and improve labor productivity as a whole-life cycle approach. Full article

The introduction of the semi-professional Australian Rules Football League for Women (AFLW) in 2017 was indicative of a broader ‘boom’ for women and girls’ sport in Australia. The ‘boom’ promised not only newly created, or enhanced, professional pathways for elite women athletes but also a commensurate change in the community sport landscape, backed by a gender equality framework, that would offer women and girls new, and supported, opportunities to play sport. This paper investigates what happens when these opportunities are taken up by examining the experiences of a senior women’s football team in a community-level Australian Rules football club in Melbourne, Australia. Drawing on 11 semi-structured interviews with players, we consider the transformative potential, for these individuals and for gendered power relations, that might be generated from women’s participation in traditionally masculine sporting spaces. The findings reveal contradictory moments of both emancipation and empowerment on one hand with ambivalence and disempowerment on the other. Women’s participation in Australian Rules Football is a contested terrain that is simultaneously embodied, cultural, and social, and we note the experiences and strategies that women utilize to negotiate their engagement with football. We argue that increasing “opportunities” for women to play football is not enough for the transformative promise of the AFLW to be met, and as such, further highlight the ongoing contested terrain of women’s sport. Full article

Background: Rejected medical claims pose a significant challenge for healthcare facilities accredited by Tanzania’s National Health Insurance Fund (NHIF). Despite the NHIF’s role in reducing out-of-pocket costs, claim rejections have been a persistent issue, largely due to documentation errors, coding mistakes, and non-compliance with NHIF regulations. This study determined the patterns of rejected claims and the strategies employed by NHIF-accredited hospitals to mitigate these challenges. Methodology: This cross-sectional study was conducted between July and August 2024 and used quantitative and qualitative approaches. The study utilized secondary data (August 2023 to January 2024) on the rejected claims from 46 healthcare facilities (HFs) and key informant interviews from the respective selected facilities. Descriptive data analysis was carried out using STATA version 15 and qualitative data analysis was conducted using NViVo2 version 12 software. Results: A total of 46 public (27) and private (19) HFs were included in this study. The data revealed significant variation in the average number of items rejected per claim across HFs, ranging from 0.21 in a regional referral hospital to 1.21 in a zonal hospital. Non-adherence to standard treatment guidelines (STGs) was significantly more common (p < 0.001) in polyclinics, accounting for 17.2% of the items rejected, and with the lowest number (0.8%) seen in zonal hospitals. Overutilization (drugs and investigations) was commonly reported in all HFs, ranging from 12.5% in polyclinics to 31.8% in district hospitals (p < 0.001). Non-applicable consultation charges were only reported in one zonal hospital. To mitigate these rejections, HFs implemented strategies such as immediate error verification, regular communication with NHIF, staff training, technology use, and regular supervision by the internal audit units. Despite these efforts, challenges persisted, particularly those stemming from complex NHIF policies, which account for most rejections in zonal health facilities. Conclusions: There are significant variations in rejection patterns among HFs, with attendance date anomalies, non-adherence to STGs, NHIF pricing, and overutilization being the most common reasons across all HFs. Strategies to address rejections should be tailored to specific health facilities, coupled with electronic systems that will detect errors during patient management. Full article

Volcanoes, during their explosive and post-explosive phases, as well as through continuous degassing processes, release a range of pollutants hazardous to human health, including toxic gases, fine particulate matter, and heavy metals. These emissions impact over 14% of the global population living in proximity to volcanoes, with effects that can persist for days, decades, or even centuries. Living conditions in these regions often involve chronic exposure to contaminants in the air, water, and soil, significantly increasing the risk of developing neurological disorders. Prolonged exposure to elements such as lead (Pb), mercury (Hg), and cadmium (Cd), among others, results in the accumulation of metals in the brain, which increases oxidative stress and causes neuronal damage and severe neurotoxicity in animals. An examination of metal accumulation in brain cells, particularly astroglia, provides valuable insights into the developmental neurotoxicity of these metals. Moreover, microglia may activate itself to protect from cytotoxicity. In this review, we consider the implications of living near an active volcano for neurotoxicity and the common neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, we encourage governments to implement public health strategies and mitigation measures to protect vulnerable communities residing near active volcanoes. Full article

The summer-sowing short-season cotton cultivation model is an important method for simplified and mechanized cotton planting in the Yangtze River Basin. However, the effects of microbial fertilizers on cotton growth and soil under this model remain unclear. In 2023, we conducted a systematic analysis on the application of microbial fertilizers (compost) at varying levels (CK, MF1, MF2, and MF3) during different growth stages of cotton (bud, flowering, bolling, and boll opening). Results showed that appropriate microbial fertilizer application (MF2 and MF3) enhanced soil bacterial and fungal diversity, enriched beneficial microorganisms (e.g., Acidobacteriota and Candidatus Udaeobacter), improved soil nutrient availability, and increased antioxidant enzyme activity (POD, SOD), while reducing membrane lipid peroxidation (MDA). These effects led to significant improvements in yield traits, such as cotton plant height, number of fruiting branches and bolls, boll weight, and coat weight. The highest microbial fertilizer application level (MF3) resulted in a 54.35% increase in seed yield and a 75.37% increase in lint yield compared to CK. PLS-DA (Partial Least Squares Discriminant Analysis) and multivariate statistical analyses revealed that microbial fertilizer application fine-tuned soil microbial community composition, emphasizing the dynamic balance of the microbial ecosystem. This study provides scientific support for optimizing microbial fertilizer strategies to enhance the yield and quality of summer-sown short-season cotton and promote sustainable agriculture. Full article

This article discusses the redesign of a towing mobile robot to obtain a modern system for implementing mobile robot control research. Controller architecture issues are presented, and a selected control algorithm is considered in detail. The reconstruction of the robot is also intended to ensure that the current standards for the electronic architecture controlling the robot are met and that this architecture can be easily developed to include components related to the safety of the robot’s operation. The discussion of the control architecture is divided into a description of the high-level controller responsible for the position stabilization algorithm and a description of the low-level controller responsible for the drive motor control and robot safety. The high-level control algorithm is responsible for a trajectory tracking task realized with use of a transverse function approach algorithm. A time elastic band algorithm was also used to generate a reference trajectory, allowing the robot to be guided through waypoints. The low-level controller is comprehensively described with details on the industrial controller architecture used, the communication between the controller modules, and the interaction of these modules with the on-board computer. The redesign of the towing mobile robot was summarized by the implementation of outdoor experiments where the task of driving through reference points was completed. Full article

This article addresses the validation of an instrument designed to measure organizational leadership practices for inclusion and evaluates the said instrument’s factorial structure and convergent validity. This work responds to the need for quantitative tools to assess how school principals promote inclusion, in recognition of its importance for guaranteeing student access to an equitable quality education at all levels, from early childhood education through high school. The above-referenced instrument was developed based on a comprehensive literature review and consultations with experts, resulting in a 36-item scale structured in six key dimensions: D1: Professional Development; D2: Inclusive Vision; D3: Support for the Teaching–Learning Process; D4: Building Networks; D5: Participation and Dialog, and D6: Resource Management. The validation process included a confirmatory factor analysis that supported the existence of a hierarchical structure of a general factor of leadership for inclusion that determines the aforementioned key dimensions, with adequate fit indices (χ²(588) = 1694.624, p < 0.001, CFI = 0.945, TLI = 0.941, RMSEA = 0.060, SRMR = 0.034) and high internal consistency in the general scale (α = 0.98, Ω = 0.96). In terms of convergent validity, the instrument showed significant and consistent correlations with related constructs such as teacher self-efficacy and pedagogical leadership. This study highlights the importance of leadership for inclusion as a central element of fostering participation and learning in diverse school contexts, by providing a reliable tool for continuous improvement of the school management team’s performance of its functions. Also, it is important input for education policymakers charged with formulating student equity, who recognize the enhanced well-being and active participation in the social environment that result from the greater inclusion of students in their educational communities. Full article

This study delves into the apologetic discourse put forward by Poon Chung-kwong 潘宗光 (b. 1940), who is both a scientist and a lay Buddhist of contemporary Hong Kong, concerning the compatibility of Pure Land Buddhism and natural science. It centers on an analysis of his application of diverse physical knowledge to elucidate the description of Sukhāvatī, an ideal and enigmatic world, within Buddhist texts. Poon endeavors to demonstrate that multiple facets of Sukhāvatī, including its establishment and the rebirth of believers within this domain, are congruent with scientific principles. This is in an effort to counter the public’s perception of Buddhism as “unscientific” or even “superstitious”, notwithstanding that some physical theories he employed are still in the inferential stage and, furthermore, are enmeshed in controversy, which substantially undermines the cogency of his apologetic discourses This study presents a case of the interaction between Pure Land Buddhism and natural science, which has hitherto been overlooked by the academic community. Full article

Herbicide-tolerant soybeans are the most extensively cultivated genetically modified (GM) crop globally. The effects of GM soybean and associated agronomic practices on soil microbial communities remain poorly understood. This study aimed to investigate the impact of planting GM soybeans with a glyphosate application on soil microbial diversity. The main bacterial and fungal community compositions (phylum level) were consistent for GM and non-GM soybeans. The alpha diversity analysis indicated that the bacterial Shannon index was significantly higher in GM rhizosphere soil during flowering compared to non-GM soil. There were no significant differences in the Shannon, Simpson, or ACE indices of the soil fungal communities between GM and non-GM soybeans in the same period. The PCoA analysis showed no significant differences in community structure between the GM and non-GM soybean soil for either fungi or bacteria during the same period. Although the relative abundance of Bradyrhizobium at the seedling stage was significantly lower in those GM than in those non-GM, it did not affect the final number of root nodules in either soybean type. The relative abundance of Frankia was significantly lower in GM rhizosphere soil during the seedling and flowering stages, whereas that of Thelebolus was significantly higher during flowering and pod filling. The abundance and ecological functions of these taxa warrant continuous monitoring. Full article

Background. Antibiotic-resistant (AR) bacteria pose an increasing threat to public health, but the dynamics of antibiotic resistance gene (ARG) spread in complex microbial communities are poorly understood. Conjugation is a predominant direct cell-to-cell mechanism for the horizontal gene transfer (HGT) of ARGs. We hypothesized that commensal Escherichia coli donor strains would mediate the conjugative transfer of ARGs to phylogenetically distinct bacteria without antibiotic selection pressure in gastrointestinal tracts of mice carrying a human-derived microbiota with undetectable levels of E. coli. Our objective was to identify a mouse model to study the factors regulating AR transfer by conjugation in the gut. Methods. Two donor E. coli strains were engineered to carry chromosomally encoded red fluorescent protein, and an ARG- and green fluorescent protein (GFP)-encoding broad host range RP4 conjugative plasmid. Mice were orally gavaged with two donor strains (1) E. coli MG1655 or (2) human-derived mouse-adapted E. coli LM715-1 and their colonization assessed by culture over time. Fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and 16S rDNA sequencing were performed to trace plasmid spread to the microbiota. Results. E. coli LM715-1 colonized mice for ten days, while E. coli MG1655 was not recovered after 72 h. Bacterial cells from fecal samples on days 1 and 3 post inoculation were sorted by FACS. Samples from mice given donor E. coli LM715-1 showed an increase in cells expressing green but not red fluorescence compared to pre-inoculation samples. 16S rRNA gene sequencing analysis of FACS GFP positive cells showed that bacterial families Lachnospiraceae, Clostridiaceae, Pseudomonadaceae, Rhodanobacteraceae, Erysipelotrichaceae, Oscillospiraceae, and Butyricicoccaceae were the primary recipients of the RP4 plasmid. Conclusions. Results show this ARG-bearing conjugative RP4 plasmid spread to diverse human gut bacterial taxa within a live animal where they persisted. These fluorescent marker strategies and human-derived microbiota transplanted mice provided a tractable model for investigating the dynamic spread of ARGs within gut microbiota and could be applied rigorously to varied microbiotas to understand conditions facilitating their spread. Full article

Actions for improving water quality are critical and include the remediation of polluted groundwater. The effectiveness of the remediation strategy to remove contamination by chlorinated solvents may be increased by combining physicochemical treatments (i.e., adsorption) and biological degradation (i.e., biological reductive dechlorination (BRD)). Recent studies have shown the potentialities of bio-based materials for bioremediation purposes, including polyhydroxybutyrate (PHB), a biodegradable microbial polyester tested as a fermentable source of slow-release electron donors. Further, a low-cost biochar derived from the pyrolysis of pinewood waste (PWB), used as sorbent material, has recently been proposed to accelerate reductive microbial dehalogenation. Here, we propose a coupled adsorption and biodegradation (CAB) process for trichloroethylene (TCE) removal in a mini pilot-scale reactor composed of two reactive zones, the first one filled with PHB and the second one with PWB. This work aimed to evaluate the performance of the CAB process with particular regard to the effectiveness of the PWB in sustaining the biofilm, mostly enriched by Dehalococcoides mccartyi. The main results showed the CAB system treated around 1300 L of contaminated water, removing 102 mg TCE per day. Combining PHB and PWB had a positive effect on the growth of the dechlorinating community with a high abundance of Dhc cells. Full article

Background: Simulation is a crucial component in the training of healthcare professionals, offering a safe environment for practical learning without posing risks to patients. Aim: This study aims to evaluate the effect of simulation with a standardized patient on the acquisition and retention of knowledge, as well as on the self-efficacy of nursing students. Methods: A quasi-experimental study with a pre-test and post-test design was conducted with 120 nursing students, who were randomly assigned to two groups. The experimental group (60) received training through simulation with a standardized patient, supplemented by a lecture-based course. The control group (60) received only the same lecture-based course. A pre-test was conducted to assess students’ baseline knowledge and self-efficacy before any intervention. Student performance was then assessed with a post-test immediately after the training to measure knowledge acquisition and self-efficacy and a post-test three months after the intervention to measure long-term knowledge retention. Results: The results showed a statistically significant difference in mean scores between the intervention and control groups in terms of knowledge acquisition (14.92 vs. 13.32; p < 0.001; d = 0.99), self-efficacy (33.02 vs. 31.05; p < 0.001; d = 1.03) and knowledge retention three months after training (12.4 vs. 10.6; p < 0.001; d = 0.94). Conclusions: The results of this study confirmed the effectiveness of simulation in knowledge acquisition and retention, as well as in the self-efficacy of nursing students. These findings support the integration of this method into training programs to strengthen the skills of future healthcare professionals. Full article

Falls are a major cause of injury among older adults. The Physio-fEedback Exercise pRogram (PEER) combines physio-feedback, cognitive reframing, and guided exercises to reduce fall risk. However, its impact on physical activity (PA) over time is underexplored. Functional time-series analysis offers insight into behavior patterns and sustainability. This preliminary study assessed PEER’s effectiveness in improving PA levels immediately and over time. A total of 64 community-dwelling older adults were cluster-randomized into PEER (N=33) or control groups (N=31). Participants wore Fitbit trackers, generating time-series data on activity. The PEER group completed an 8-week program, while the control group received CDC fall prevention pamphlets. PA data were analyzed using smoothing spline analysis of variance (SSANOVA), chosen for its flexibility in modeling complex, non-linear relationships in time-series data and its ability to handle skewed distributions and repeated measures. Unlike traditional parametric models, SSANOVA decomposes temporal trends into interpretable components, capturing both smooth trends and abrupt changes, such as those occurring on group workout days. This capability ensures robust and nuanced analysis of intervention effects. Results showed PEER participants significantly increased evenly and had very active minutes and reduced sedentary behavior during the intervention. No significant effect was found for light active minutes. Specifically, during the intervention period, PEER participants engaged in an average of 6.7% fewer sedentary minutes per day, 13.8% additional fairly active minutes per day, and 2.8% additional very active minutes per day compared to the control group. While the reduction in sedentary minutes and increase in fairly active minutes were not statistically significant, the increase in very active minutes was significant. However, our functional time-series analysis revealed these improvements diminished over the 15-week follow-up, indicating challenges in maintaining PA. In conclusion, PEER boosts PA and reduces sedentary behavior short-term, but strategies are needed to sustain these benefits. In conclusion, PEER boosts PA and reduces sedentary behavior short-term, but strategies are needed to sustain these benefits. Public health policies should emphasize technology-driven fall risk assessments, community-based prevention programs, and initiatives that promote physical activity, home safety, and chronic condition management. Full article

Circular Economy (CE) models have gained attention in the academic community for their ability to promote sustainability and efficiency in resource use. It promotes advances in the traditional linear economy and offers innovative solutions to environmental issues. In this context, start-ups play a key role in implementing Circular Business Models (CBMs), leading the transition to more sustainable practices and positively impacts on the market and the environment. In the current academic literature, there are relevant studies on the implementation of the CE in traditional companies. Still, discussions on how start-ups transition from linear economy to circular business models remain limited. To address this gap, we conducted a systematic literature review on how start-ups design and adapt the linear economy to their circular business models. Our methodology followed the PRISMA 2020 protocol, thoroughly searching the Scopus, Science Direct, and Web of Science databases, resulting in 42 articles. The findings highlight the crucial role of Circular Start-Ups (CSUs) in the transition to a Circular Economy, identifying the challenges and opportunities they face and the internal and external barriers they need to overcome to ensure long-term sustainability. Furthermore, this study highlights the existing gaps in the literature and suggests key areas for future research. Full article