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Industrial metabolism of iron and carbon with substance flow analysis in iron and steel industry

Iron and carbon are inextricably linked from the source to the destination in iron and steel system. With the shortage of iron ore and severe pollution caused by emissions, it is pressing to improve resource efficiency and reduce pollution. To comprehensively evaluate resource efficiency and understand the metabolic processes of iron and carbon, SFA (Substance flow analysis) was considered as an effective assessment method to assess the resource efficiency. In this paper, a widespread SFA model is proposed, and four evaluation indicators are proposed to appraise the metabolic processes of iron and carbon. According to the data of a state-owned and large-scaled steel enterprise in China, metabolic network of iron and carbon are established. The results of this study showed that the resource utilization efficiency of iron is 86.77%, and that of carbon is 0.33%. Focus is given onto the metabolic processes of iron and carbon in BOF and EAF, as well as the iron-carbon metabolism nexus. When considering the material and energy metabolism of the upstream process, the molten iron ratio is inversely proportional to the electricity consumption intensity and directly proportional to the carbon emission intensity. The average emission intensity will decrease 83.00 kg CO2/t molten steel if the molten iron ratio decreases 0.05 in EAF, while electricity consumption intensity increases 32.00 kwh/t molten steel.

Exploring the implemented guidelines for dyslipidemia treatment and care among nurses and physicians: A qualitative study in Jordan

Background Dyslipidemia is a major risk factor for ischemic heart disease worldwide. The most recent guidelines from the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association (ACC/AHA) and the European Society of Cardiology/European Atherosclerosis Society (ESC/EAS) aim to control cholesterol levels and reduce cardiovascular risk. In Jordan, where no national guidelines exist, international guidelines are commonly adopted. However, limited research has examined their implementation in clinical practice. This study aimed to explore the implementation of updated ACC/AHA and ESC/EAS guidelines for the treatment and care of dyslipidemia among nurses and physicians in Jordan. Methods Semi-structured focus group interviews with open-ended questions were conducted to gain a deeper understanding of current practices and guideline implementation among nurses and physicians. Results The focus group discussions revealed that healthcare professionals attempt to follow specific guidelines and achieve optimal treatment goals. However, several barriers, including a heavy workload, limited resources, and a lack of institutional support, hinder effective implementation. Participants also provided several suggestions to improve guideline implementation and expressed the need for national, context-specific dyslipidemia management guidelines in Jordan. Conclusions The study found limited implementation of dyslipidemia management guidelines among Jordanian nurses and physicians in clinical practice. Findings highlight the need for national guidance and system-level support to facilitate better implementation.

Why suppressing all wildfires has made today’s megafires worse

Experimental and numerical simulation studies on the mechanical properties and failure characteristics of rock masses with weak interlayers

To elucidate the mechanical properties and failure behaviors of rock-like materials with weak interlayers of varying inclinations and thicknesses, uniaxial compression tests were conducted on such rock-like materials. The effects of interlayer inclination and thickness on the acoustic emission ringing counts and macroscopic fracture of the rock-like materials were investigated. From a mesoscopic perspective, the crack initiation and propagation processes, stress field distribution characteristics, and energy evolution laws of the rock-like materials with weak interlayers were analyzed. Additionally, the failure modes obtained from the experiments were compared with those from numerical simulations. The results indicate that as the interlayer thickness or inclination increases, the peak strength and elastic modulus of the specimens gradually decrease. Specifically, under the influence of interlayer thickness, the peak strength and elastic modulus decrease by 38.27% and 68.69%, respectively, while under the influence of interlayer inclination, they decrease by 51.28% and 8.47%, respectively. The energy dissipation of the specimens is mainly concentrated in the post-peak stage and is closely related to the propagation and coalescence of microcracks within the rock mass. The initial failure typically occurs at the weak interlayer or at the interface between layers. The weak interlayer serves as the primary zone for microcrack initiation, and the stress concentration zones are mainly distributed on the upper and lower sides of the interlayer. The failure mode transitions gradually from tensile failure to shear failure, ultimately dominated by a combined tensile-shear failure. Moreover, the failure primarily manifests as the overall failure of the specimens with weak interlayers.

The evolution of irreversible cell differentiation under cell death effect

Cell differentiation is an important characteristic of multicellular organisms which produce new-typed cells to engage in diverse life functions. Irreversible differentiation, as an important differentiation pattern, describes cells differentiated by determined trajectories to form specialized cell types. It has been found that differentiated cell types often show different death rates. Yet, it is still unclear what role cell death plays in shaping the formation of irreversible cell differentiation. Here, we establish a theoretical model to investigate the impact of cell death on the evolution of irreversible cell differentiation in multicellular organisms. Irreversible differentiation refers to the loss of a cell type’s differentiation potential, and it is constructed by the sequences of differentiation probabilities of a cell type across cell divisions. We show that irreversible differentiation is more likely to occur when cell death rates between cell types are linear. Meanwhile, differences in death rates between cell types affect the emergence conditions of irreversible differentiation, whereas no significant impacts on that from equal cell death rates. Additionally, we found that cell death impacts the cell number and cell composition of a mature organism. These findings provide insights into understanding the role of cell death in the formation of cells’ irreversible differentiation.

Plan-B careers can be a force for good in science

Association between presence of latrine and unclean child face on the prevalence of active trachoma among children aged 1 to 9 years in low-income setting: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Background Trachoma is the leading infectious cause of blindness worldwide, primarily affecting populations in low-income countries with poor sanitation and hygiene conditions. The World Health Organization has set a goal to eliminate trachoma as a public health problem. However, progress towards this goal has been uneven across different regions. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the available evidence on the association between the presence of latrine facilities and unclean child faces with the prevalence of active trachoma among children aged 1 to 9 years in low-income country settings. The findings from this study can help guide the design of more targeted interventions to reduce the burden of trachoma in vulnerable populations. Materials and methods A total of 2695 articles were searched from PubMed, Hinari, African Online Journals, Google, Google Scholar, Science Direct, and Semantic Scholar and exported to STATA version 17 for analysis. The levels of heterogeneity among studies were assessed using I2 and p-values. The findings of the meta-analysis were presented using a table, graph, and forest plot with a 95% confidence interval. A P-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Result Among 2695 articles searched, 16 of them were selected for meta-analysis. The pooled prevalence of active trachoma was 21.10 (95% CI; 14.18, 28.02). The finding indicated high heterogeneity among the included studies (I2 =99.3%, p<0.0001). There was a statistically significant association between the presence of a latrine (POR=0.10, 95% CI: 0.00, 0.19) and unclean child face (POR=1.30, 95% CI: 1.08, 1.53) and the pooled prevalence of active trachoma among children aged 1 to 9 years in low-income countries. Conclusion The present study revealed that the pooled prevalence of active trachoma was high as compared to the WHO trachoma eradication goal. The presence of latrine facility and unclean child face were significantly associated with the prevalence of active trachoma among children aged 1 to 9 years in low-income countries. Hence it is recommended to improve access to latrines, promote child facial hygiene, and intensify overall trachoma control in low-income countries.

Effects of Er: YAG laser and acid etching on bond strength of clear aligner attachments to fluorotic enamel

Background There is a lack of research on the bonding ability of attachments to fluorosis enamel. This study evaluates Er: YAG laser-assisted acid etching as a potential optimization protocol. Methods Twenty healthy teeth and ninety fluorotic teeth (Thylstrup-Fejerskov Index = 4) were divided into a control group (healthy enamel + acid etching) and a fluorotic group (acid etching 30/60/90 seconds vs. Er: YAG laser + acid etching). The enamel surface was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, and the shear bond strength (SBS) of each group (n = 10/group) was tested. Results Attachments exhibited higher SBS than brackets (P < 0.01). Laser-acid etching enhanced SBS compared to acid etching alone (P < 0.01). Laser-treated surfaces exhibited predominantly mixed fracture and resin cohesion fractures, in contrast to adhesive interface fractures and mixed fractures in the acid-only groups. Conclusion Er: YAG laser (100mJ/30 Hz) with 60 seconds acid etching achieves excellent bonding for fluorotic enamel attachments, restoring adhesion to healthy enamel levels while preventing over-etching damage. This protocol shows clinical potential for bonding fluorotic enamel.

Don’t train medical AI on patients’ data without their knowledge

Discontinuation rates and predictors of Medical Cannabis cessation for chronic musculoskeletal pain

Medical cannabis (MC) is increasingly used as a treatment for chronic musculoskeletal pain, but there is limited data on factors influencing its discontinuation. This study aims to investigate the rates of MC discontinuation and explore factors influencing it in patients with chronic musculoskeletal pain. A retrospective analysis was conducted on 78 patients certified for medical cannabis over a 2 year period. Patient demographics, pain origin, and Global Physical Health (GPH) and Global Mental Health (GMH) scores were collected before intervention. Discontinuation rates were measured at three-month and one-year follow-up. Statistical analyses, including Fisher’s Exact Test and two-sample t-tests, were performed to assess associations between variables and discontinuation. The overall discontinuation rate of MC use was 57.9% at one year, with 44.7% of patients discontinuing within the first three months. Older age was significantly associated with higher discontinuation rates. Pain origin categories did not significantly differ between those who discontinued and continued MC use, although a higher proportion of patients in the discontinued group reported low back pain. No significant differences were observed in baseline GPH and GMH scores between the two groups. This study demonstrates a high discontinuation rate of MC use in patients for chronic musculoskeletal pain. The absence of significant differences in pain origin or baseline health scores suggests that factors beyond pain location or general health may contribute to the decision to discontinue MC. Further research is needed to explore the long-term effects of MC on pain management and patient outcomes.

Overcome threats to renewable energy through skilful statecraft

Perceived causes of marital dissatisfaction among Nigerian immigrants in North America: A qualitative study

Marital dissatisfaction among Nigerian immigrants in North America (NINA) arises from a complex interplay of cultural transitions, acculturation stress, and socio-economic pressures. This cross-sectional study followed a phenomenological approach and the guidelines from the Consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ) to examine the perceived causes of marital dissatisfaction among NINA through in-depth interviews with 15 participants residing in the United States and Canada. Participants were adults with at least one year of living with a Nigerian spouse in North America. Ten themes emerged from the data analysis identifying key marital challenges faced by Nigerian immigrant couples in North America. These include cultural conflicts between patriarchal and egalitarian values, financial stress, job insecurity, and extended family obligations. Other challenges involve social norms discouraging open discussions, experiences of abuse, lack of relationship skills, peer and societal pressures, infidelity, parenting conflicts, immigration-related stress, and an overreliance on prayer without practical interventions. These findings highlight the need for culturally sensitive support systems for this population and policies focusing on providing culturally tailored marital counseling, financial literacy programs, and accessible culturally sensitive mental health support services.

Direct power control and back-stepping-based direct power control for dual-stator brushless doubly-fed wind power generator

This paper proposes a novel-structured Lyapunov-based back-stepping direct power control (BS-DPC) for an emerging dual-stator brushless doubly-fed wind power generator (DSBDFWPG). The DSBDFWPG features two coaxial stators (inner/outer) and a specially designed cage-barrier rotor separated by a non-magnetic ring, maximizing the internal space utilization of large-scale wind turbines to enhance power and torque density. The inner/outer power/control windings couple with corresponding rotor sections, respectively. Unlike traditional look-up table DPC (LUT-DPC) or generic nonlinear methods, the proposed BS-DPC is rooted in Lyapunov stability theory, ensures global asymptotic stability, while synergizing with SVPWM technology to suppress power fluctuations, reduce current THD, and enhance reliability/robustness. Comprehensive simulations and experiments conducted on a 50 kW DSBDFWPG prototype (12/8 poles) validate BS-DPC’s superiority overwhelming LUT-DPC in achieving variable speed constant frequency operation, maximum power point tracking, reactive power/unit power factor control, and harmonic distortion mitigation.

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The relationship between vitamin D levels, comprehensive geriatric assessment and anthropometric measurements

Introduction It is well-established that vitamin D deficiency increases with age. This study aims to investigate the relationship between vitamin D levels, comprehensive geriatric assessment and anthropometric measurements in elderly individuals. Methods In this retrospective cross-sectional analytical study, data from patients aged 65–100 registered with İzmir City Hospital Home Care Services were analyzed. The patients’ vitamin D levels were compared with their sociodemographic and clinical data, anthropometric measurements (BMI, ABSI, body fat percentage), and geriatric assessment results (activities of daily living, nutrition, mental status, depression, frailty, and sarcopenia). Data were analyzed using SPSS 26.0 Statistics program. Results This retrospective cross-sectional study included 439 elderly individuals aged 65–100 years receiving home healthcare services. In univariate analysis, no significant associations were found between vitamin D and other variables, except for hypertension (p = 0.049). ABSI values were higher in individuals vitamin D level with severe deficient and deficient compared to other groups, while BMI levels were found to be higher in the vitamin D deficient group (p < 0.001, p < 0.001, respectively). Additionally, the severe deficiency group had a higher frequency of pressure ulcers and lower Barthel Index scores (p = 0.033, p = 0.026, respectively). Correlation analysis revealed a significant negative relationship between vitamin D levels and ABSI (r = −0.184, p < 0.05) and the presence of pressure ulcers (r = −0.113, p < 0.05). Regression analysis confirmed these negative associations with ABSI (β = −0.179, p < 0.05) and pressure ulcers (β = −0.113, p < 0.05). Hypertension and BMI lost their significance in correlation and regression analyses. Conclusion Lower vitamin D levels were associated with higher ABSI values and a greater frequency of pressure ulcers. ABSI may be useful in predicting vitamin D deficiency, and monitoring vitamin D levels in patients with pressure ulcers is recommended.

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Taurine from tumour niche drives glycolysis to promote leukaemogenesis

Abstract Signals from the microenvironment are known to be critical for development, stem cell self-renewal and oncogenic progression. Although some niche-driven signals that promote cancer progression have been identified1–5, concerted efforts to map disease-relevant microenvironmental ligands of cancer stem cell receptors have been lacking. Here, we use temporal single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) to identify molecular cues from the bone marrow stromal niche that engage leukaemia stem-enriched cells (LSCs) during oncogenic progression. We integrate these data with our human LSC RNA-seq and in vivo CRISPR screen of LSC dependencies6 to identify LSC–niche interactions that are essential for leukaemogenesis. These analyses identify the taurine–taurine transporter (TAUT) axis as a critical dependency of aggressive myeloid leukaemias. We find that cysteine dioxygenase type 1 (CDO1)-driven taurine biosynthesis is restricted to osteolineage cells, and increases during myeloid disease progression. Blocking CDO1 expression in osteolineage cells impairs LSC growth and improves survival outcomes. Using TAUT genetic loss-of-function mouse models and patient-derived acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) cells, we show that TAUT inhibition significantly impairs in vivo myeloid leukaemia progression. Consistent with elevated TAUT expression in venetoclax-resistant AML, TAUT inhibition synergizes with venetoclax to block the growth of primary human AML cells. Mechanistically, our multiomic approaches indicate that the loss of taurine uptake inhibits RAG-GTP dependent mTOR activation and downstream glycolysis. Collectively, our work establishes the temporal landscape of stromal signals during leukaemia progression and identifies taurine as a key regulator of myeloid malignancies.

Management preferences of orthopedic surgeons in rickets patients in Turkey: Results of a nationwide survey

Aim Rickets remains a significant health issue, particularly in developing countries. This study evaluated the management preferences of orthopedic surgeons in Turkey regarding rickets and analyzed these approaches from a pediatric endocrinology perspective. Methods An online survey was developed based on a comprehensive literature review and previous similar studies. The survey link was distributed via email to members of the Turkish Orthopedic and Traumatology Association and the Pediatric Orthopedics Association. The questionnaire included 14 multiple-choice items addressing sociodemographic characteristics and the general approach to the diagnosis and treatment of rickets. Prior to dissemination, the survey was reviewed by 13 board-certified orthopedic surgeons from various institutions to ensure clarity and content validity. Results Of the 257 respondents, 198 met the inclusion criteria and were included in the analysis. Orthopedic surgeons with more than 10 years of experience (n = 111,56.1%) were significantly less likely to refer rickets patients to a pediatric endocrinologist (p = 0.009) and more likely to recommend oral or intramuscular 25-OH-vitamin D3 ampoule treatment rather than oral drops or capsules (p < 0.001). Surgeons who saw fewer than 25% pediatric patients in daily practice (n = 110,55.6%) were more inclined to refer patients without ordering diagnostic tests or initiating treatment (p = 0.011). The presence of a pediatric endocrinologist within the same institution (n = 96,48.5%) was also associated with increased referral rates without preliminary testing or treatment (p = 0.003/p = 0.002, respectively). Physicians who encountered at least one rickets patient per week (n = 78,39.4%) demonstrated better knowledge of normal serum 25-OH-vitamin D3 levels (p = 0.042) and were significantly less likely to refer patients to a pediatric endocrinologist (p < 0.001). Conclusion Management approaches to rickets among orthopedic and traumatology specialists in Turkey vary significantly depending on clinical experience, practice setting, and access to a pediatric endocrinologist. To prevent both undertreatment and unnecessary referrals, newly diagnosed rickets patients in orthopedic clinics should be appropriately evaluated and referred when necessary. Establishing a standardized diagnostic and referral algorithm based on international guidelines and incorporating it into orthopedic training programs is strongly recommended.

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