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Comparative assessment of geotechnical and microstructural transformations in clayey soil stabilised with wheat straw ash, pottery waste, and lime
Abstract Expansive clayey soils show high plasticity, swelling and low bearing resistance, limiting pavement and foundation use. This study compares wheat straw ash (WSA), pottery waste (PW) and lime for stabilising high-plasticity clay through performance-based optimisation and mechanism interpretation. Raw materials were characterised using particle-size distribution, index properties, XRF and SEM-EDX, and mixes were prepared on a total dry mass basis. Initial dosage ranges of WSA: 5–20%, PW: 5–30% and lime: 1–6% were screened. Optimum contents were selected using a threshold-based multi-criteria approach based on differential free swell (DFS), pH, consistency limits and compaction behaviour, identifying 12.5% WSA, 22% PW and 4% lime. WSA eliminated DFS and reduced plasticity index to 7.6, mainly through active-clay dilution, pore filling and partial matrix densification. PW reduced plasticity index to 7.01 and improved behaviour through angular-particle packing, interlocking and load transfer. Lime reduced plasticity index to 6.43 and produced the strongest response due to high alkalinity, fabric modification and calcium-assisted bonding. Compaction showed increased optimum moisture content and reduced maximum dry density for WSA and lime, while PW maintained better compactability. Unconfined compressive strength and soaked California bearing ratio tests evaluated the optimum mixes. At 28 days, WSA, PW and lime achieved strength values of 768.3, 869.65 and 1245 kPa and CBR values of 4.29, 4.80 and 9.36, respectively. SEM and XRD observations were consistent with distinct stabilisation responses: active-clay dilution and pore filling for WSA, granular skeleton modification for PW, and calcium-assisted physicochemical modification for lime. The findings show that WSA and PW can serve as useful waste-derived alternatives, although lime remained the most effective mechanical stabiliser.
An updated systematic review, meta-analysis, and network meta-analysis of breast cancer incidence after metabolic and bariatric surgery
Explainable deep learning for early sepsis detection from ICU time-series data using XAI techniques
Abstract Sepsis is one of the most deadly illnesses with a high risk of mortality. Consequently, identifying it at the beginning of illness symptoms is crucial and plays a key role in improving patient outcomes. This study presents a customized solution for the early detection of sepsis with an emphasis on the use of interpretability and explainability techniques, utilizing a range of machine learning approaches and interpretable artificial intelligence methods. The database on which this research study is based has many problems; the main ones being large data gaps and class disparities. Employing robust methods, precise categorizations, and rigorous computations, Approximately 12 diverse models were developed and optimized. With ROC-AUC indicators of 0.9566 and 0.9595 and F1 scores of 0.85 and 0.85 respectively, Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) and Temporal Convolutional Network (TCN) models performed better than conventional models in terms of sepsis prediction. These two approaches have shown remarkable progress in detecting clinical patterns while avoiding false negative results—an essential aspect of the medical field. To assess model performance and offer clear insights into model predictions, interpretation-based techniques were employed. This improved clinical confidence and facilitated well-informed decisions in crucial medical diagnoses.
Computational discovery of bioactive flavonoids from Ziziphus mauritiana via integrated ADME prediction, molecular docking, DFT calculation and molecular dynamics simulation
Impacts of anthropogenic and environmental stressors on biotic communities in Al-Mahmoudia Canal, Egypt: a seasonal assessment of water quality and plankton dynamics
Abstract Al-Mahmoudia Canal is crucial for water supply in Egypt’s Al-Beheira and Alexandria governorates, but it faces ecological challenges from pollution. This study examines plankton dynamics and water quality across four seasons at seven sites, analyzing microbiological contamination, heavy metals, turbidity, and nutrients. Phytoplankton abundance peaked in spring at Station 4, with seasonal variations linked to temperature and nutrients. Zooplankton showed seasonal diversity, with increased turbidity and nutrient levels in summer and autumn due to organic pollution. Heavy metal and microbial contamination also fluctuated seasonally, with fecal coliform levels exceeding safety limits. The study highlights pollution hotspots and emphasizes the need for ongoing monitoring and management to ensure sustainable water resource use in the Nile Delta.
Genotype-specific responses of six grapevine cultivars to in vitro propagation
Unified digital biomarker platform for wearable devices assuring integrity, heterogeneity, and scalability
Degradation-aware PSO–MPC energy management for second-life battery prosumer microgrids
Abstract The growing retirement of electric vehicle lithium-ion batteries has created significant opportunities for their reuse in stationary energy storage systems. However, integrating second-life batteries (SLBs) into residential photovoltaic (PV)-based prosumer microgrids remains challenging due to heterogeneous initial state-of-health (SoH) conditions, accelerated degradation behavior, and uncertain remaining useful life. This paper proposes a degradation-aware energy management framework for SLB-integrated prosumer microgrids based on the joint use of particle swarm optimization (PSO) and model predictive control (MPC). The proposed framework consists of four coordinated stages: PSO-based capacity sizing, hybrid AI-based forecasting of PV generation, electricity prices, and load demand, SoH-aware adaptive battery management within the MPC layer, and net present value (NPV)-based battery replacement decision-making. Within the control layer, the adaptive battery management mechanism updates state-of-charge limits, C-rate constraints, and degradation penalty coefficients according to real-time SoH evolution, thereby mitigating excessive capacity fade while preventing economically inefficient underutilization. In addition, a three-stage replacement strategy is developed to determine whether continued operation, SLB, or fresh battery replacement yields the highest long-term economic benefit. The proposed method is evaluated through long-horizon simulations using 2024 meteorological, market, and demand data for five residential prosumers in Antalya, Türkiye. The results show that the framework achieves a fleet-average self-consumption ratio of 71.8%, a renewable energy penetration factor of 37.6%, and a cost of energy of 0.0722 $/kWh, while sustaining battery utilization and enabling lifecycle-aware operation under realistic uncertainty. These findings demonstrate that the proposed PSO–MPC framework provides a computationally tractable approach that achieved stable convergence and feasible MPC solve times (2.1–3.4 s per 72-hour horizon) across all 20 simulated years under the five-prosumer Antalya configuration for degradation-aware energy management of SLB-based microgrids.
Experimental and numerical investigation of longitudinal ventilation velocity and heat release rate on temperature distribution in highway tunnel fires
Abstract Although tunnel fires are relatively infrequent, the unique, elongated, and nearly enclosed structure of tunnels exacerbates fire hazards, and their occurrence can result in catastrophic losses, necessitating effective fire safety management. This study examines the characteristics of smoke spread and temperature attenuation in highway tunnel fires under varying heat release rates and longitudinal ventilation velocities, specifically focusing on conditions of traffic congestion. By utilizing a combination of scaled-model experiments and analytical modeling, the research highlights that smoke generated in tunnel fires travels along the tunnel length, with its dispersion heavily influenced by both heat release rates and the presence of congested vehicles. In scenarios without ventilation, smoke ascends to the tunnel crown and propagates symmetrically toward both ends, while the movement of congested vehicles does not significantly affect smoke transport. The introduction of longitudinal ventilation significantly mitigates upstream smoke movement, leading to reduced maximum temperatures near the fire source and preventing smoke recirculation, especially critical during traffic congestion when evacuation routes may be limited. The study identifies critical wind speeds necessary for effective smoke management, revealing that these speeds increase with higher heat release rates. Initial increases in ventilation velocity may temporarily elevate temperatures due to enhanced combustion; however, further increases result in a predominant cooling effect that lowers overall tunnel temperatures. Additionally, the temperature distribution is asymmetrical, with downstream temperatures rising as heat release rates increase. A temperature decay model for tunnel crowns was developed, demonstrating a strong correlation with experimental data and underscoring the effectiveness of longitudinal ventilation in managing high temperatures and controlling smoke flow during tunnel fire incidents, particularly in congested traffic conditions.
Optimization model of tunnel construction machine groups configuration based on neural optimization machine
An elastic–plastic model considering the dilatancy behavior of granular materials under proportional stress paths
Prognostic value of serum anion gap in pulmonary embolism independent of lactate: evidence from a natural experiment of missing lactate data
A fused Cuckoo Search Algorithm and African Vultures Optimization for optimising the patch of wearable microstrip patch antenna
Association of platelet to highdensity lipoprotein cholesterol ratio (PHR) with stroke and its subtypes: a large prospective cohort study
Utility and safety of a self-developed patent chest strap in endoscopic transaxillary thyroid surgery: a prospective comparative effectiveness study
Abstract A novel patent chest-strap was developed for use in endoscopic transaxillary thyroid surgery. We conducted a phase prospective study in China to evaluate its utility and safety. This phase 1 study evaluates the utility, safety, and effectiveness of a novel patent chest-strap in a real-world clinical patient population. This single-center, open-label, prospective, randomized study was conducted from July 1, 2025, to March 31, 2026, to evaluate the long-term safety and efficacy of a patented chest strap (PCS) in patients undergoing endoscopic transaxillary thyroidectomy. Patients older than 18 years who underwent the procedure with or without the chest strap were enrolled. The primary endpoints included postoperative drainage outcomes and total usage of the PCS, which served as measures of effectiveness. Secondary endpoints focused on strap-related complaints, assessed in comparison with traditional bandages (TB), to evaluate safety. A total of 108 patients were included in the PCS group and 126 in the TB group. In the PCS group, the mean age was 43.5 ± 16.2 years, and 61 patients (56.48%) were female. Compared with the TB group, the PCS group showed statistically significant differences in height (1.67 ± 0.03 m vs. 1.73 ± 0.04 m; P < 0.00001), weight, and body mass index ( P < 0.0001). The mean postoperative drainage volume on the first day was 50 mL in the PCS group and 48.5 ± 9.19 mL in the TB group. Drainage volumes differed significantly between groups on the second day (36 ± 8.49 mL vs. 44 ± 12.73 mL; P < 0.001) and the third day (35 ± 7.07 mL vs. 25 mL; P < 0.001). The total postoperative drainage volume was lower in the PCS group than in the TB group (111.92 ± 13.44 mL vs. 122.5 ± 24.75 mL). Complications were more frequent in the TB group. Skin allergy occurred in 40 patients (31.75%) in the TB group compared with 9 patients (8.33%) in the PCS group. The patent chest-strap has the postoperative benefits for patients with endoscopic transanxillary thyroidectomy, and suffered fewer ratio of complications. This phase real-world study performed a positive feedback for a self-developed clinical patent transformation achievement in China. Registration : Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( https://www.medicalresearch.org.cn/ ) ChiCTR2500107867 (Registered data: 15 August, 2025)
Normal CURE and RURE values for displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) at 1.5 Tesla MRI
Abstract Assessment of left ventricular (LV) dyssynchrony is important for diagnosing and guiding therapy in heart failure. Displacement encoding with stimulated echoes (DENSE) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) quantifies myocardial dyssynchrony but lacks robust reference values. Forty healthy Caucasian volunteers (18–60 years) with no history of cardiac diseases underwent CMR at 1.5T MRI scanner using 2D spiral cine DENSE research sequence. Three short-axis slices (basal, mid-ventricular, apical) were acquired from the LV. Phase images were processed with open-source DENSEanalysis software to measure circumferential (E cc ) and radial (E rr ) strains, from which circumferential uniformity estimate (CURE) and radial uniformity estimate (RURE) were computed. Participants were categorized by sex and age into groups (18–30, 31–41, and 42–60 years). DENSE-derived strain values were also compared to those obtained using MRI feature tracking (FT). Males and females differed in average E cc (− 18 ± 4 vs. − 19 ± 5%, p = 0.01) and E rr (44 ± 20 vs. 36 ± 22%, p = 0.001), with no differences due to age. The apical segment of RURE was higher in males ( p = 0.04), and age did not affect RURE. CURE showed no sex‑ or age‑related variation. The lower limit of normal was 0.80 for CURE and 0.64 for RURE. When FT was compared to DENSE, mean E cc was similar (− 20% vs. − 19%), though patient-level agreement was moderate (Intra class correlation (ICC) = 0.588, p = 0.013); FT showed lower E rr (mean 34% vs. 42%; ICC 0.304, p = 0.062). CURE demonstrated stable values across age and sex in healthy volunteers, supporting its use as a robust marker of LV dyssynchrony with a normal threshold of ≥ 0.80. In contrast, RURE showed greater variability, although a lower reference limit of ≥ 0.64 was established.
Development and internal evaluation of a composite electrophysiological criterion for the diagnosis of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation
Individual variability in hydrogen-producing microbes influences the response to hydrogen supplementation on sleep quality: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel study
Abstract Hydrogen has been reported to exert antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, and its potential health benefits have been investigated. However, to our knowledge, evidence regarding its impact on sleep quality in healthy individuals remains extremely limited. In addition, the influence of inter-individual variability in the gut microbiota on hydrogen efficacy has seldom been studied. In this study, we aimed to assess the impact of hydrogen-rich jelly on sleep quality and examine the influence of gut microbiota on this effect. A total of 44 healthy adults with poor sleep quality were randomized to receive either hydrogen-rich jelly or placebo jelly. No significant differences were observed between the intervention groups in the changes in sleep-related outcomes, including OSA-MA, VAS, PSQI, and STAI scores, in the overall analysis. Notably, when participants were stratified by the mean change in the VAS score for sleep quality, gut microbiota β-diversity showed apparent clustering in the hydrogen group but not in the placebo group. This cluster was explained by the differences in the relative abundance of hydrogen-producing bacteria, such as Bacteroides . Linear mixed-effects model analyses revealed significant interaction effects in the group × H 2 -producers in the VAS for sleep quality and mental stress, with greater improvement in participants with a lower abundance of hydrogen-producing bacteria. In conclusion, these exploratory findings raise the hypothesis that baseline gut microbiota composition, particularly microbial hydrogen-producing capacity, may modify individual responses to hydrogen supplementation. This hypothesis warrants confirmation in larger studies to explore its implications for microbiome-informed stratification in future hydrogen intervention research. Clinical trial registration : This clinical trial was registered with the University Hospital Medical Information Network Clinical Trial Registry on 27/12/2023 (UMIN-CTR, UMIN000053237).
Development of a facial expression database covering diverse emotional states using large language models and an android robot
Abstract Facial expression databases are fundamental resources in many research areas. However, conventional databases built from human images are often limited in emotional diversity, with additional challenges such as high creation costs and difficulty in reproducing the expressions. In this study, we present a novel approach for constructing a wide-range facial expression database using large language models and an android robot. By leveraging the generative capabilities of large language models, our approach links semantic emotion descriptions to controllable robotic facial actuation, enabling the systematic exploration of diverse affective states. In addition, human-in-the-loop evaluation is incorporated to improve the alignment between generated facial expressions and emotion labels. The resulting database consists of 672 facial expressions corresponding to 75 emotion labels. Analyses of the database characteristics showed that the database captures a wider range of affective states that are broadly consistent with general emotional tendencies. It is expected to serve as a useful resource for future research in many fields, including information science and psychology.