Search Results (12,481)

Recently, various emerging technologies have been introduced to host IoT applications. Edge computing, utilizing volunteer devices, could be a feasible solution due to the significant and underutilized resources at the edge. However, cloud providers are still reluctant to offer it as an edge infrastructure service because of the unpredictable nature of volunteer resources. Volunteer edge computing introduces challenges such as reliability, trust, and availability. Testing this infrastructure is prohibitively expensive and not feasible in real-world scenarios. This emerging technology will not be fully realized until dedicated research and development efforts have substantiated its potential for running reliable services. Therefore, this paper proposes VonEdgeSim, a simulation of volunteer edge computing. To the best of our knowledge, it is the first and only simulation capable of mimicking volunteer behavior at the edge. Researchers and developers can utilize this simulation to test and develop resource management models. We conduct experiments with various IoT applications, including Augmented Reality, Infotainment, and Health Monitoring. Our results show that incorporating volunteer devices at the edge can significantly enhance system performance by reducing total task delay, and improving task execution time. This emphasizes the potential of volunteers to provide reliable services in an edge computing environment. The simulation code is publicly available for further development and testing. Full article

Microplastic (MP) pollution in agricultural ecosystems is an emerging environmental concern, with limited knowledge of its transport and accumulation in rural waterbodies. This study investigates the distribution and sources of MP in drainage ditches influenced by pond connectivity, land use, and soil properties within a small catchment in Nanjing, East China. Sediment was collected from ditches in 18 sites across forest, agricultural, horticultural, and urban areas. Using laser-directed infrared spectroscopy (LDIR), 922 MP particles were identified. Six materials were dominant: fluororubber (FR), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyurethane (PU), acrylonitrile (ACR), chlorinated polyethylene (CPE), and polyethylene (PE). MP concentrations varied by land use and pond connectivity, with ditches above ponds exhibiting higher counts (1700 particles/kg) than those below (1050 particles/kg), indicating that ponds act as MP sinks. The analysis revealed site-specific MP sources, with FR linked to road runoff and PET associated with agricultural practices. Correlations between MP shape and soil properties showed that more compact and filled shapes were more commonly associated with coarser soils. PE particle size was negatively correlated with organic matter. This study highlights the need for targeted strategies to reduce MP pollution in rural landscapes, such as reducing plastic use, ditch maintenance, and improved road runoff management. Full article

Collaboration is challenging in highway building projects since there are always a number of stakeholders involved, each with different responsibilities, backgrounds, objectives, and competing interests. The basis for addressing collaboration problems in building projects is knowledge. Knowledge management (KM) can benefit greatly from the distinctive characteristics of BIM (building information modeling). Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate knowledge collaboration in highway construction projects that is enabled by BIM. It first explores the motivations behind and difficulties with using BIM for knowledge-based collaboration. Next, it looks for possible ways to overcome those difficulties. It employs a large highway project as a study case in China. It uses in-depth interviews with a range of contractors working on this project to comprehend the difficulties they face in working together and investigate ways that BIM-supported KM can help stakeholders collaborate more effectively. Ultimately, it creates a conceptual model for knowledge-driven collaborative management within the BIM environment, offering both a theoretical framework and useful direction for knowledge-based collaboration amongst various stakeholders. The study explores the advantages of BIM characteristics in knowledge collaboration, which provides empirical evidence for the transformation from traditional IT-based knowledge collaboration to BIM-based knowledge collaboration in large and complex highway projects. Full article

The gut microbiome emerges as an integral component of precision medicine because of its signature variability among individuals and its plasticity, which enables personalized therapeutic interventions, especially when integrated with other multiomics data. This promise is further fueled by advances in next-generation sequencing and metabolomics, which allow in-depth high-precision profiling of microbiome communities, their genetic contents, and secreted chemistry. This knowledge has advanced our understanding of our microbial partners, their interaction with cellular targets, and their implication in human conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). This explosion of microbiome data inspired the development of next-generation therapeutics for treating IBD that depend on manipulating the gut microbiome by diet modulation or using live products as therapeutics. The current landscape of artificial microbiome therapeutics is not limited to probiotics and fecal transplants but has expanded to include community consortia, engineered probiotics, and defined metabolites, bypassing several limitations that hindered rapid progress in this field such as safety and regulatory issues. More integrated research will reveal new therapeutic targets such as enzymes or receptors mediating interactions between microbiota-secreted molecules that drive or modulate diseases. With the shift toward precision medicine and the enhanced integration of host genetics and polymorphism in treatment regimes, the following key questions emerge: How can we effectively implement microbiomics to further personalize the treatment of diseases like IBD, leveraging proven and validated microbiome links? Can we modulate the microbiome to manage IBD by altering the host immune response? In this review, we discuss recent advances in understanding the mechanism underpinning the role of gut microbes in driving or preventing IBD. We highlight developed targeted approaches to reverse dysbiosis through precision editing of the microbiome. We analyze limitations and opportunities while defining the specific clinical niche for this innovative therapeutic modality for the treatment, prevention, and diagnosis of IBD and its potential implication in precision medicine. Full article

This study investigates the current landscape of generative AI and LLM applications in architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC), focusing on trends, practical implications, educational strategies, and imperatives for upskilling. Employing a six-stage systematic review sourced from Google Scholar, Scopus and Web of Science, 120 papers were analyzed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of these technologies in shaping the future of the AEC industry. By addressing these objectives, the research contributes to enhancing knowledge about the potential impacts of generative AI and LLMs on the AEC industry and provides insights into strategies for leveraging these technologies effectively. This study underscores the transformative impact of AI and advanced technologies on the AEC sector and education. By enhancing learning experiences and optimizing construction processes, AI fosters personalized education and efficient project management. The study’s significance lies in its identification of necessary skills and competencies for professionals, ensuring effective AI integration. Implications include the need for continuous professional development, formal education, and practical training to leverage AI’s potential fully. This paves the way for sustainable, intelligent infrastructure and accessible, adaptive learning environments, driving innovation and efficiency in both fields. Full article

‘Xinomavro’ (V. vinifera L.) is an important native red wine grape variety in Northern Greece, particularly in PDO (protected designation of origin) regions. Despite its significance, there is limited research on the effects of pruning type and severity on ‘Xinomavro’ vine physiology, yield, and berry quality across diverse environmental conditions. This study aimed to address this knowledge gap and provide growers with crucial information for optimizing vineyard management practices. The study was conducted over two consecutive years (2016 and 2017) in a vineyard in Thessaloniki, Northern Greece. Four treatments (B12: 12 buds on 6 spurs, B24: 24 buds on 12 spurs, M12: 12 buds on 2 canes, and M24: 24 buds on 4 canes) combining two bud load levels (12 or 24 count nodes) and two pruning types (short spurs or long canes) were applied to ‘Xinomavro’ vines in a complete block randomized design. The vine water status, gas exchange, canopy characteristics, yield components, and berry composition were measured. Bud load and pruning type significantly influenced vine canopy development, microclimate, and yield components. Short pruning with high bud load (B24) resulted in denser canopies and higher yields, whereas cane pruning (M12 and M24) led to more open canopies and improved berry quality indicators. Treatment effects on berry composition were inconsistent across years but showed a tendency for higher anthocyanin and total phenol content in cane-pruned vines. This study demonstrates that pruning type (short or long fruiting units) may have a greater impact on vine growth, yield, and berry composition than bud load alone in ‘Xinomavro’ vines. Cane pruning appears to be a more effective strategy for achieving vine balance and potentially improving grape quality under given experimental conditions. Full article

Objective: This qualitative study sought to explore patient experiences with technologies used in the Community Health in a Virtual Environment (Co-HIVE) pilot trial. Technology is becoming increasingly prevalent in mental healthcare, and user acceptance is critical for successful adoption and therefore clinical impact. The Co-HIVE pilot trialled a model of care whereby community-dwelling patients with symptoms of depression utilised virtual appointments and remote monitoring for the assessment and management of their condition, as an adjunct to routine care. Methods: Using a qualitative descriptive design, participants for this study were patients with symptoms of moderate to severe depression (based on the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire, PHQ-9), who had completed the Co-HIVE pilot. Data was collected via semi-structured interviews that were audio-recorded, transcribed clean-verbatim, and thematically analysed using the Framework Method. Results: Ten participants completed the semi-structured interviews. Participants reported experiencing more personalised care, improved health knowledge and understanding, and greater self-care, enabled by the remote monitoring technology. Additionally, participants reported virtual appointments supported the clinician–patient relationship and improved access to mental health services. Conclusions: This experience of participants with the Co-HIVE pilot indicates there is a degree of acceptance of health technologies for use with community mental healthcare. This acceptance demonstrates opportunities to innovate existing mental health services by leveraging technology. Full article

Pheochromocytoma and paraganglioma (PPGL) are rare tumors derived from the adrenal medulla and extra-adrenal chromaffin cells. Diagnosis is often challenging due to the great variability in clinical presentation; the complexity of management due to the dangerous effects of catecholamine excess and the potentially malignant behavior require in-depth knowledge of the pathology and multidisciplinary management. Nowadays, diagnostic ability has certainly improved and guidelines and consensus documents for treatment and follow-up are available. A major impulse to the development of this knowledge has come from the new findings on the genetic and molecular characteristics of PPGLs. Germline mutation in susceptibility genes is detected in 40% of subjects, with a mutation frequency of 10–12% also in patients with sporadic presentation and genetic testing should be incorporated within clinical care. PPGL susceptibility genes include “old genes” associated with Neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1 gene), Von Hippel Lindau syndrome (VHL gene) and Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia type 2 syndrome (RET gene), the family of SDHx genes (SDHA, SDHB, SDHC, SDHD, SDHAF2), and genes less frequently involved such as TMEM, MAX, and FH. Each gene has a different risk of relapse, malignancy, and other organ involvement; for mutation carriers, affected or asymptomatic, it is possible to define a tailored long-life surveillance program according to the gene involved. In addition, molecular characterization of the tumor has allowed the identification of somatic mutations in other driver genes, bringing to 70% the PPGLs for which we know the mechanisms of tumorigenesis. This has expanded the catalog of tumor driver genes, which are identifiable in up to 70% of patients Integrated genomic and transcriptomic data over the last 10 years have revealed three distinct major molecular signatures, triggered by pathogenic variants in susceptibility genes and characterized by the activation of a specific oncogenic signaling: the pseudo hypoxic, the kinase, and the Wnt signaling pathways. These molecular clusters show a different biochemical phenotype and clinical behavior; they may also represent the prerequisite for implementing customized therapy and follow-up. Full article

Universities, as hubs of economic, technological, and social knowledge development, have increasingly adopted metric-based strategies to guide resource management and monitor their growth. The Sustainable University World Ranking, UI GreenMetric, is widely applied for this purpose, measuring performance across six categories aligned with the United Nations Agenda 2030—Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This study focused on assessing information concerning the water category of this ranking, or the five water management indicators, at the School of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities of the University of São Paulo, to estimate its classification. The methodology involves assessing the current situation of the university in terms of each indicator, and classifying it according to the ranking guidelines. The information obtained is treated as evidence for posterior validation with the ranking. The findings indicate satisfactory performance in the indicators of water 1, 3, and 5. Notably, the implementation of rainwater collection and storage systems has been successful, alongside maintaining potable water parameters for consumption within the campus, as well as the use of efficient water-saving devices. Indicators 2 and 4, related to effluent treatment and water reuse, are expected to achieve higher classifications with the reactivation of the wastewater treatment system’s operation. Over the period from May 2023 to June 2024, the average daily water consumption was measured at 52.89 ± 25.23 m³ day⁻¹, with a per capita consumption rate of 10.28 L consumer agent⁻¹ day⁻¹. An anticipated 20% reduction in water consumption is expected upon the incorporation of water reuse initiatives. The use of the UI GreenMetric framework has been found strategic and useful as a diagnostic tool, facilitating the identification of areas requiring improvement and guiding efforts toward enhancing the sustainability of the institution. Full article

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study was to determine the influence of H. pylori eradication on the serum level of the orally administered valproic acid (VPA) in children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy; Methods: This prospective cohort observational study included 100 children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy, recruited from a neurology clinic from May 2021 to December 2021. The patients were divided into two groups, each containing 50 children. The first group had a positive H. pylori stool antigen and H. pylori-related symptoms, while the second group had a negative antigen. H. pylori Eradication therapy was given to the positive H. pylori group. The serum level of VPA was obtained at baseline and 4 weeks after eradication therapy. Results: Despite there being no significant difference between the H. pylori-positive and H. pylori-negative groups regarding the baseline VPA serum level (79.9 ± 13.9 and 77.9 ± 13.1 mcg/mL), respectively, the serum VPA level had significantly increased after H. pylori eradication therapy (99.4 ± 11 mcg/mL) (p value = 0.000), as opposed to the H. pylori-negative group (85.3 ± 10.9 mcg/mL) (p value = 0.142). Furthermore, there was a statistically significant association with a negative correlation between the VPA serum level after eradication and the number of epileptic attacks per month (p value = 0.033, R value = −0.301) and the dose of VPA (p value = 0.046, R value = −0.284). Conclusions: The eradication of H. pylori resulted in a highly significant improvement in the serum level of the orally given VPA in children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy, as well as an indirect decrease in the frequency of epileptic events per month, allowing for dose reduction. Eradication therapy may have anticonvulsant properties and might indirectly aid in the management of epileptic activity. H. pylori screening for children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy can optimize serum VPA levels, potentially leading to better seizure control. To our knowledge, this is the first study in the literature to describe the effect of H. pylori eradication on the serum level of the orally administered VPA in children with idiopathic generalized epilepsy. Full article

Rapidly progressive hip osteoarthritis (RPOH) is a rare and severe form of osteoarthritis (OA), marked by the rapid degeneration and destruction of the femoral head, often within months. Despite its unclear etiology, several factors such as subchondral fractures and immune responses have been proposed as possible contributors. This narrative review aims to synthesize current knowledge on the pathogenesis, risk factors, clinical presentation, imaging features, and grading systems of RPOH. Predominantly affecting elderly females, RPOH presents distinctive challenges in both diagnosis and management due to its abrupt onset and severity. Known risk factors include advanced age, female gender, obesity, intra-articular corticosteroids use, and long-term hemodialysis. Clinically, RPOH is characterized by severe pain during active weight-bearing movements, despite patients presenting a normal range of motion during passive examination in the early stages. While several classification systems exist, there is no universal standard, complicating differential diagnosis and clinical approaches. This review emphasizes the necessity for early diagnostic methods utilizing specific biomarkers, rapid differential diagnosis, and targeted, personalized interventions based on individual risk factors. Full article

The escalation of climate-induced disasters underscores how climatic variability has become a main question in designing risk-sensitive policies in advanced and developing countries. The macroeconomic implications of Natural Hazards (NHs) are extremely significant, as they can compromise financial stability and long-term prosperity. To mitigate risks and close the knowledge, protection, and development gaps can free resources, speeding up reconstruction of infrastructure, recovering from disruption of supply chains, and returning to pre-disaster levels of activities. This is not a simple task involving different steps of a “ladder approach”, sharing the burden of cost and responsibilities across the relevant stakeholders and reducing moral hazard. This approach rests on Public–Private Partnerships (PPPs) and technological R&D public investments able to crowd private ones in and establish useful Public–Private Insurance Schemes enhancing the disaster risk management role of the state. This paper proposes leveraging innovation technology both to enhance risk assessment and reduce uncertainty for climate-related NHs such as landslides. It is an important interdisciplinary question; in fact, despite the unequivocal acknowledgment of the global warming system, the precise ramifications of global warming and associated climatic shifts on NHs like landslides remain still elusive. The advanced modeling technique implemented by our interdisciplinary PPP contributes to geographically circumscribe the areas eventually subjected to landslides and constantly monitor the vulnerability of their structures, infrastructures, economic activities, and hence population. The reliable data that we can produce through remote sensing acquisition systems are necessary inputs to contain risk exposure both physically and financially. Full article

Functional diversity is a key component of biodiversity that reflects various dimensions of ecosystem functioning and the roles organisms play within communities and ecosystems. It is widely used to understand how ecological processes influence biotic assemblages. With an aim to increase our knowledge about dragonfly ecological requirements in tufa-depositing karst habitats, we assessed functional diversity of their assemblages, various life history traits (e.g., stream zonation preference, substrate preference, reproduction type), and relationship between functional diversity and physico-chemical water properties in three types of karst lotic habitats (springs, streams, and tufa barriers) in a biodiversity hotspot in the western Balkan Peninsula. Dragonfly functional diversity was mainly characterized by traits typical for lotic rheophile species with medium dispersal capacity. Among the investigated habitats, tufa barriers, characterized by higher (micro)habitat heterogeneity, higher water velocity, as well as lower conductivity and concentration of nitrates, can be considered as dragonfly functional diversity hotspots. Functional diversity and most of the life history traits were comparable among different substrate types in the studied habitats, indicating higher importance of habitat type in shaping dragonfly functional diversity patterns in karst lotic habitats. Our results should be considered in the management and conservation activities of vulnerable karst freshwater ecosystems and their dragonfly assemblages. Full article

Background/Objectives: Stroke survivors often experience various visual consequences that impact their daily life and may benefit from visual interventions. However, some of these usually go unaddressed as optometrists are rarely included in the post-stroke care pathway. Yet, optometrists are interested in contributing to the care of these patients. This survey evaluated the readiness of optometrists in diagnosing and managing visual disorders specific to stroke survivors. Methods: A questionnaire was developed by the researchers, pilot tested by 5 research optometrists and 15 community optometrists, and modified based on the feedback. Practicing optometrists were invited to complete the anonymous online survey through optometric organizations in Canada, the US, Hong Kong, India, and the UK. Results: Most respondents displayed strong knowledge, but 61.6% indicated that enhancing their knowledge would be helpful. The majority (87%) agreed that stroke is related to an increased incidence of falls. Participants’ knowledge regarding the natural history of post-stroke visual disorders was poorer. There were also inconsistencies regarding what optometrists considered ideal interventions and what they undertook in practice. More than 50% of respondents reported that the quality of published evidence on post-stroke visual consequences was low or nonexistent. Conclusions: Overall, survey respondents displayed sufficient knowledge. However, there are areas of uncertainty in their knowledge, which in many cases correspond to real gaps in the available evidence. There is a need to identify and remediate these gaps to enable optometrists to deliver quality optometric care as collaborative members of the post-stroke professional team, which would eventually improve the rehabilitation of stroke survivors. Full article

This article presents the results of a study focused on collaboratively developing an Innovation Management Model (MGI) for the leather agro-industrial chain in Colombia. This study integrates the participation of interested parties, the prioritization of variables, the literature review, and the validation of the model, emphasizing sustainability considerations throughout the process. The methodology involved a literature review, using Scopus and Google Scholar, focusing on innovation management models, open innovation, and sustainability of the leather sector. In addition, three surveys were conducted to prioritize the established variables, using Likert scale questions, to assess relevance and congruence. Key findings included 26 critical variables covering aspects such as agricultural and technological innovation in platforms and projects, capacity development, R&D activities, supply chain dynamics, innovation management processes, knowledge and technology integration, business model adaptation for sustainable development, and environmental impact assessment. The prioritized innovation model aims to guide stakeholders to define open innovation strategies, sustainable and regenerative innovation generation, and improvement of strategic and technological capabilities. Full article