Authors: Alexander Ye. Kaglyan Dmitri I. Gudkov Volodymyr V. Belyaev Sergiy I. Kireev Lyudmyla P. Yurchuk Sergiy P. Pryshlyak Natalya A. Pomortseva Olena O. Gupalo Mariya O. Men’kovska
The results of the assessment of the levels of radionuclide contamination of fish in the dammed, conditionally impermeable Yanivskyi backwater of the Pripyat River in the Chornobyl Exclusion Zone (ChEZ) for the period 2008-2025 are presented. It was found that the activity concentration of radionuclides in representatives of the ichthyofauna of the backwater as of 2025 decreased compared to the beginning of our research of this water body in 2008, on average, by 1.6 times for the content of 90Sr, and by 1.4 times for the content of 137Cs (unlike closed water bodies such as lakes of the ChEZ, in which the activity concentration of 137Cs in fish also decreases, and the activity concentration of 90Sr - gradually increases). The activity concentration of radionuclides in fish from the studied water body exceeded the permissible levels (PL) for fish products adopted in Ukraine by 13-111 times for 90Sr and 2-15 times for 137Cs, with PLs of 35 and 150 Bq/kg, respectively. As of 2020-2025, the activity concentration of 90Sr in the prey fish (non-predatory) species from the Yanivskyi backwater of the Pripyat River mainly exceeds the activity concentration of 137Cs by 1.5-11.9 times, and in predatory fish, this indicator was only 0.3-2.6. For comparison, we present data on radionuclide activity concentrations in representatives of the ichthyofauna from several water bodies of the ChEZ. The total radiation dose rate for fish from the Yanivskyi backwater was also estimated, which is within 2.0-8.7 μGy/h. The recorded levels of the average total absorbed dose rate for practically all studied fish of the Yanivskyi backwater exceed the screening dose of 2 μGy/h and are lower than the safe level of 10 μGy/h recommended within the framework of the European Commission’s “PROTECT” project. ]]>NEUROBIOLOGY 10.21926/obm.neurobiol.2603340
Authors: Oleksandr M. Stoyanov Valeriy Y. Kalashnikov Rooslan S. Vastyanov Yevgen V. Oprya Yuriy V. Melnyk Yana I. Kuhel Tamara O. Andreeva
The article presents a comprehensive clinical, neurological, and neuropsychological analysis of chronic alcoholic encephalopathy (CAE) as a systemic toxic-metabolic lesion of the central nervous system, characterized by a stage-dependent progressive course that is not a direct equivalent of the stages of alcohol dependence. Based on the examination of 66 patients with CAE of varying severity, the disease is shown to involve a combination of diffuse neurological symptoms (cerebellar, vestibular, pyramidal, sensorimotor, and autonomic disorders, among others) and a systemic cognitive deficit. It has been established that cognitive impairment is one of the early and pathogenetically significant manifestations of CAE and demonstrates a fronto-subcortical regulatory pattern. In the compensated stage, impairments of voluntary attention, neurodynamics, and executive control are already present, with relative preservation of global cognitive status (MMSE). As CAE progresses, cognitive deficits become persistent and multicomponent, involving executive functions, cognitive flexibility, behavioral regulation, and memory, reaching a dementia level in the decompensated stage. The results of specialized neuropsychological methods (FAB, Schulte-Gorbov tables, Pieron-Ruzer test, Clock Drawing Test, 10-word memory test, and “Exclusion of the Superfluous” test) demonstrated high sensitivity to early regulatory disturbances. They allowed for objective assessment of the staged progression of fronto-subcortical dysfunction. It was shown that impairments in memory and constructive activity in CAE are secondary and regulatory, resulting from deficits in programming and control rather than primary amnestic or apraxic disorders. The obtained data support the concept of CAE as a progressive disorder of integrative brain regulatory mechanisms and justify the use of a comprehensive neuropsychological approach for early diagnosis, staging, and prognosis of alcohol-related CNS damage. ]]>Authors: Hyong Woo Choi
Despite industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) being long recognized for its diverse bioactive phytochemicals, most scientific studies have predominantly focused on aerial tissues, leaving the roots relatively underexplored. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the phytochemical architecture, biological functionalities, and nutraceutical prospects of hemp root extracts. Characterized by a unique metabolic profile featuring pentacyclic triterpenoids, phytosterols, specialized alkaloids, and neolignans, hemp roots have demonstrated promising antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antinociceptive, cytotoxic, and cell-protective activities, primarily in preclinical studies. We further examine how advancements in extraction and formulation technologies, such as nano-encapsulation, are overcoming historical barriers to stability and bioavailability. By addressing current regulatory landscapes and research limitations, this review highlights the potential of hemp roots as a sustainable, high-value resource for the functional food and cosmeceutical industries. It proposes prospects for metabolomics-guided discovery and clinical validation. ]]>Authors: Felix Sunday Nworie Chiamaka Mbam Ogonna Ogwa Clinton Oroke Nkechi Eze Chioma Ike-Elechi Collins Chidiebere Igwe
In this study, iron(III) oxide-Chromolaena odorata leaf biochar nanocomposite (Fe2O3-COLBN) and silver oxide-Chromolaena odorata leaf biochar nanocomposite (Ag2O-COLBN) were prepared and used for the treatment of well water for household use. The fabricated nanocomposites and the pyrolyzed Chromolena odorata leaf biochar were characterized using UV-Vis spectroscopy, Scanning Electron Microscopy coupled with Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM/EDX), X-ray Diffraction (XRD), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to elucidate the morphological, structural, and functional properties. The well water was assessed physicochemically and microbiologically using standard procedures and values compared to W.H.O standard. The heavy metal content and antimicrobial effectiveness of biochar and the nanocomposite (as well as biochemical and morphological tests) in the well water were evaluated using atomic absorption spectrophotometry and agar well diffusion method, respectively. Based on the results obtained, Ag2O-COLBN and Fe2O3-COLBN were stable after three-cycle treatment, multifunctional, and microporous, with an average crystallite size of 27-39 nm. Physicochemical data revealed reductions in turbidity, total dissolved solids (TDS), anion concentrations, and heavy metal concentrations. The antimicrobial assessment showed that 0.001 g each of Ag2O-COLBN and Fe2O3-COLBN inhibited the growth of pathogenic microorganisms in a single 30 min equilibration with 200 cm3 of well water samples. The nanocomposites (Ag2O-COLBN and Fe2O3-COLBN) are sustainable, low-cost, and efficient materials for well water purification, especially in rural areas, drought-prone areas, and in disaster management environments. ]]>Authors: Van Dinh Pham Van Toi Pham Minh Giang Hoang Ping Yu Chang
Anaerobic digestion (AD) has emerged as a promising pathway for recovering energy from organic-rich municipal solid waste (MSW), particularly in waste systems characterized by high biodegradable content and moisture levels. However, the relationships between waste physicochemical properties, methane recovery potential, and techno-economic feasibility remain insufficiently integrated in current research. This study developed a comparative framework combining empirical prediction (S1), stoichiometric estimation (S2), and laboratory-scale AD experiments (S3) to evaluate methane recovery and energy potential from biodegradable municipal solid waste (BMSW). The analyzed waste stream contained approximately 62% biodegradable material with high moisture content and favorable C/N and VS/TS ratios for AD. Methane yields predicted by S1 and S2 reached 347 and 505 mL-CH4/g-VS, respectively, whereas experimental digestion produced 334 mL-CH4/g-VS under mesophilic conditions. The lower experimental yield reflected operational limitations, including incomplete biodegradation and microbial inhibition at elevated loading rates. Net electricity recovery was estimated at approximately 184-289 kWh/ton of waste, while avoided greenhouse gas emissions reached up to 1.6 ton-CO2e/ton of waste. Capital investment analysis further indicated strong scale dependency, with larger facilities achieving substantially lower unit investment costs. Overall, the findings demonstrate that substrate physicochemical compatibility, rather than geographic context alone, governs AD performance and feasibility in organic-rich municipal waste systems. ]]>Authors: Ankit Kumar Singh Aastha Singh Avanish Kant Agnihotri Amit Trivedi Mohd Nadeem
The advent of cloud computing, the Internet of Things (IoT), and digital services has led to an increase in the number and complexity of cyberattacks. The intrusion detection methods currently used, based on machine learning and artificial intelligence, include SVM, random forest, deep learning, convolutional neural networks, and LSTM. These methods are more advanced than the signature method since they are more efficient. However, despite these advancements, several issues with intrusion detection systems remain. They include high false-positive rates, computational complexity, limited scalability, inability to detect zero-day attacks, and poor real-time performance. To overcome such challenges, this paper suggests the development of an intelligent system for network intrusion detection using artificial neural networks (ANNs). This method is intended to increase the accuracy of cyber threat detection and minimize the number of false positives through adaptive and nonlinear learning. Data preprocessing, data encoding, feature normalization, feature selection, and feedforward neural networks are some of the methods employed in the classification of data traffic into malicious and normal traffic. The types of intrusions considered in this study include DoS, Probe, R2L, and U2R attacks. According to experiments performed using intrusion detection benchmark data, the proposed ANN algorithm delivers accuracy, precision, recall, and F1 score values of 97.6%, 96.8%, 97.2%, and 97.0%, respectively, while maintaining a low false-positive ratio of only 2.1%. The comparative analysis further demonstrates that the ANN classifier outperforms other classification techniques, such as random forests, decision trees, and support vector machines. The findings thus demonstrate that the ANN can be successfully used for detecting attacks and improving the security of networks, cloud computing, and the IoT. ]]>Authors: Kadir Aydın Çağrı Ün
Thermal runaway in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is an escalating fire-safety problem in electric vehicles and battery energy-storage systems (BESS), and conventional water-based suppression has repeatedly been shown to delay propagation without preventing pack destruction or re-ignition. Solid, electrically non-conductive cooling agents are a promising but under-characterized alternative. This study addresses the absence of comparative, in-pack data on boron-based salt-hydrate cooling powders. Eight propane-burner ignition tests were performed on five LIB cell formats (NMC pouch, NMC pouch pack, LTO prismatic, NCA cylindrical and LiFePO4 cylindrical) using manual water and Cobra-type extinguishers. As a separate proof-of-concept experiment, a 15-cell 18650 NMC pack (≈110 Wh) was fully immersed in solid borax-pentahydrate (Na2B4O7·5H2O) cooling powder and exposed to a 1.4 kW external heat source for 23 min, with continuous K-type thermocouple logging. Water-based methods produced re-ignition and explosive cell ejection in cylindrical packs (peak 600-890°C; extinction times up to 9 min). The boron-immersed pack remained below 75°C for the full 23-min exposure with a single transient 102.5°C reading that was an artifact of thermocouple withdrawal and showed no flame, gas venting or cell rupture. The behavior is interpreted through the endothermic dehydration cascade of borax pentahydrate (≈210 kJ/mol at 160-450°C) and a re-cast Arrhenius-type one-step thermal-runaway model. Within the explicit limitations of a single, uncontrolled comparison, boron-based salt-hydrate cooling shows strong potential as a non-toxic, non-carcinogenic, infrastructure-light, in-pack suppression strategy that is complementary to rather than a replacement for water-based methods. Controlled, replicated and scaled-up testing, together with material-level characterization, is identified as essential future work. ]]>GENETICS 10.21926/obm.genet.2603346
Authors: Minh Trong Quang Minh Nam Nguyen
Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common malignancies among men worldwide, and early detection is critical for improving clinical outcomes. Circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as promising non-invasive biomarkers for cancer diagnosis due to their stability in blood and association with tumor-related molecular alterations. In this study, machine learning (ML) methods were applied to large-scale circulating miRNA expression data to develop a diagnostic model for PCa detection. Serum miRNA expression profiles were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus dataset GSE211692, which included 6,920 samples comprising 1,027 PCa cases and 5,893 non-cancer controls. To reduce the risk of overfitting and information leakage, preprocessing, normalization, feature selection, and hyperparameter optimization were performed within the training and cross-validation framework, with the held-out testing set used only for final internal evaluation. Four ML algorithms, namely Logistic Regression, K-Nearest Neighbors, Random Forest, and CatBoost, were implemented. Principal component analysis (PCA) was additionally performed on both the training and held-out test datasets to visualize the sample distribution by case-control status. Although PCA showed clear separation between PCa and non-cancer samples, complete batch-related metadata were unavailable; therefore, potential technical batch effects could not be fully excluded. Among the evaluated algorithms, the Random Forest classifier showed the strongest internal diagnostic performance. A three-miRNA panel comprising miR-1290, miR-1307-3p, and miR-4783-3p demonstrated strong discriminatory capability for PCa classification. However, because the model was developed and evaluated on a single public dataset without external validation, the reported performance should be interpreted with caution. Further validation in independent clinical cohorts, comparison with established biomarkers such as PSA, and integration of clinicopathological variables are required before clinical translation can be considered. ]]>Authors: Matthew A. Adebayo O’Seun Odewale Olabisi A. Ajayi
Mild steel has tendency to form a protective film in caustic environments; however, elevated temperatures and freshly exposed metal surfaces usually prevent stable film formation—leading to rapid and active corrosion rate of mild steel. This study reports the potential of using ethanol extract of African peach leaf as alternative corrosion inhibitor of mild steel in 1.0 M NaOH solution. Gravimetric and electrochemical measurements were carried to unravel the mechanisms of the corrosion reduction by the inhibitor while scanning electron microscopy (SEM)-energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy were used to visualised the surface structure and relative elemental composition of the mild steel after immersion in inhibited (1.0 M NaOH + inhibitor) and uninhibited (1.0 M NaOH) solutions. Equilibrium data were subjected to Langmuir, Freundlich and Temkin models while the temperature-dependent data were analysed using appropriate thermodynamic equations. Corrosion rate exhibited a marginal decline with increasing inhibitor concentration, whereas the inhibition efficiency demonstrated a substantial enhancement. Variations in experimental temperature had a minimal effect on the inhibition efficiency of the inhibitor in protecting mild steel surface. The equilibrium data obeyeda the Langmuir isotherm model. The adsorption of the inhibitor onto the mild steel surface was spontaneous, involving a mixed adsorption mechanism (comprising both physisorption and chemisorption) and was endothermic. The observed reduction in corrosion current density (Icorr) and the corresponding increase in inhibition efficiency from polarization measurements, alongside the enhanced charge transfer resistance (Rct) derived from electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), collectively confirm the effective corrosion inhibition performance of the African peach extract. Hence, Nauclea latifolia leaf extract serves as a viable and eco-friendly corrosion inhibitor for mild steel in alkaline environments. ]]>Authors: Rick Sá
Biofield Therapies (BTs), such as Reiki and Healing Touch, are used in integrative and complementary medicine, but their biological mechanisms remain poorly understood. This review aimed to explore the physiological biomarkers modulated by BTs in a selected sample of studies to identify common patterns and elucidate potential mechanisms of action. A focused narrative synthesis of 14 intentionally selected studies was performed, encompassing various BT modalities, study designs (including randomized clinical trials, preclinical studies, and in vitro models), and biomarker types. A total of 64 biomarkers were extracted and classified based on type, clinical application, and biological function. Data synthesis included descriptive statistics to summarize the distribution of biomarker categories within this sample. In the RCTs, the analysis of the 17 biomarkers pointed to diagnostic and diagnostic-prognostic contexts, with a relevant subset of prognostic-therapeutic biomarkers (23.5%) suggesting an adjuvant role in predicting clinical outcomes and in therapeutic monitoring. The most frequently reported biomarkers in the selected studies were inflammatory and immunological (40.6%), followed by cellular regulatory markers. The main findings included evidence of modulation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, enhanced immune function (Natural Killer (NK) cell activity), cytoprotective effects in in vitro models, and exploratory observations of increased telomere length. This synthesis suggests that BTs are associated with measurable physiological changes in multiple systems, reinforcing the need for further mechanistic investigations. Future research should prioritize investigations into the diagnostic and prognostic potential of BT in oncological contexts, as well as the development of individualized biophotonic signatures to promote personalized, rapid, and non-invasive applications. ]]>Authors: Esther E. Odungide Loveth A. Emokpae Orobosa Aikoriogie Grace E. Obasuyi Elizabeth M. Babatunde Mathias A. Emokpae
During pregnancy, the increased demand for elemental iron makes pregnant women particularly susceptible to iron deficiency anemia. The management of iron homeostasis and erythropoiesis is controlled by hepcidin and erythropoietin. A comprehensive assessment that incorporates the stimulus, the regulatory gatekeeper (hepcidin), and the resulting iron status provides a robust, mechanistic framework for comprehending the initial disruptions in iron metabolism during pregnancy. This study aims to evaluate alterations in iron metabolism and erythropoietic activity among pregnant women by assessing serum erythropoietin, hepcidin, and iron status indices, and to determine the influence of gestational age at antenatal registration and anaemia status on these parameters. Serum erythropoietin (EPO), urinary hepcidin (Hep), serum iron parameters, and complete blood count were evaluated in 200 pregnant women at their initial antenatal booking and in 150 non-pregnant women of reproductive age using standard methodologies. A total of thirty-eight (19.0%) of the pregnant women registered at ≤12 weeks of gestation, while 162 (81.0%) registered after 12 weeks of gestation. The average serum EPO and total iron-binding capacity were significantly elevated (p < 0.05). In contrast, Hep, ferritin, iron, and transferrin percentage saturation were notably decreased (p < 0.05) in pregnant women compared with their non-pregnant counterparts. Serum iron and ferritin levels in pregnant women who registered at ≤12 weeks of pregnancy were significantly higher (p < 0.05). In contrast, Hep, total iron-binding capacity, and percentage saturation transferrin were considerably lower (p < 0.05) in women who registered for antenatal care at ≤12 weeks compared to those who registered at >12 weeks of pregnancy. The average serum EPO and Hep levels in anaemic pregnant women were significantly higher (p < 0.05) than those in non-anaemic pregnant women. However, serum ferritin, iron, total iron-binding capacity, and percentage saturation transferrin were significantly lower (p < 0.05) in anaemic pregnant women compared to their non-anaemic counterparts. These findings indicate that pregnancy is associated with marked alterations in iron metabolism, characterized by increased erythropoietic activity and reduced iron stores. The significantly elevated serum erythropoietin and total iron-binding capacity, alongside decreased ferritin, serum iron, hepcidin, and transferrin saturation, suggest increased iron demand and relative iron deficiency among pregnant women. Early antenatal registration (≤12 weeks) appears beneficial, as it is associated with better iron status and more favorable regulatory profiles compared to late registration. Overall, the results underscore the importance of early antenatal care and timely monitoring of iron status to prevent and manage iron deficiency and anaemia during pregnancy. ]]>Authors: Iga Janus Paweł Adam Piepiora
The field of sports psychology has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, largely influenced by global changes caused by the pandemic. One notable development is the evolution of e-sports psychology from an emergency solution to a permanent and integral component of a specialist’s repertoire. The objective of this paper is to provide a concise overview of the contemporary provision of psychological services through online consultations in competitive sport. The advent of global digitalisation has effectively eliminated geographical barriers, ensuring the crucial continuity of psychological care irrespective of an athlete’s mobility. Concurrently, it has introduced a novel, specific dynamic of interaction. The discussion highlighted that the elimination of logistical constraints and the lowering of the threshold for cooperation render digital solutions a tool with unprecedented potential. This in turn allows for more effective outreach to a wide audience. It was noted that the virtual environment may have certain limitations regarding non-verbal cues. However, it also provides a secure space for interaction that can greatly surpass the potential of traditional face-to-face consultations. The proposal is to move away from perceiving e-psychology methods in sport solely as an alternative. It was concluded that technology-mediated interventions open up new perspectives of accessibility and flexibility, often constituting the most optimal form of support, best suited to the fast pace and dynamics of an athlete’s functioning in the realities of modern sport. ]]>Authors: Mehmet Recai Uygur Fatma Sever
This Perspective revises the Regime-Constraint-Adaptation (RCA) framework to clarify that environmental adaptation is not explained by regime labels alone, nor by a normative comparison between democracy and autocracy. Governance is treated more narrowly as the selection, calibration, implementation, and correction of policy instruments in relation to legally defined ecological objectives and observed ecological outcomes. The revised argument integrates RCA with the Technology-Organization-Environment (TOE) framework: monitoring and disclosure technologies shape signal quality; organizational capacity and stakeholder structures shape implementation; and the wider institutional environment, including regime constraints, policy mandates, and social-cultural motives, shapes whether instruments become ecologically effective. The article also introduces configurational reasoning inspired by fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA), because high adaptation may arise through different combinations of transparency, decision centralization, technology, capacity, legal accountability, and behavioral alignment. The contribution is therefore conceptual and diagnostic. It does not claim to present empirical testing. Still, it refines testable propositions, operational indicators, boundary conditions, and short illustrative cases from China, Europe, and Southeast Asia to show how the framework can guide future comparative research. ]]>Authors: Kuok Ho Daniel Tang
Bioenergy plays a differentiated yet increasingly strategic role in national energy transitions, shaped by distinct policy architectures, market structures, and developmental priorities. This review compares the bioenergy policies and markets of China, the United States (US), and India, three of the world’s largest energy consumers, to assess their implications for global bioenergy transitions. China’s bioenergy sector is embedded within a centralized, planning-based governance framework, emphasizing waste-to-energy conversion, agricultural residues, and biogas. Installed biomass power capacity exceeds 45 GW, with annual bioenergy generation of over 200 TWh, while policy support prioritizes system integration, waste management, and controlled expansion rather than rapid market growth. In contrast, the US operates the world’s largest biofuel market, driven by legally mandated demand under the Renewable Fuel Standard and reinforced by tax credits. The US produces more than 60 billion liters of biofuels annually, dominated by corn ethanol and rapidly expanding renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), with cumulative private investment exceeding USD 200 billion over the past two decades. India represents a mission-oriented and developmental model, with bioenergy policies linked to rural income generation, waste utilization, and energy access. Ethanol blending capacity has expanded rapidly, supporting production of over 6 billion liters per year, while biogas and compressed biogas deployment is accelerating through capital subsidies and guaranteed offtake mechanisms. Comparative analysis reveals a trade-off between policy stability and market flexibility. China offers long-term certainty but limited space for innovation; the US enables scale and innovation amid policy volatility; and India prioritizes inclusivity and diffusion, with uneven implementation. These contrasting pathways underscore the need for context-specific bioenergy strategies and highlight bioenergy’s diverse roles in supporting decarbonization, waste management, and sustainable development globally. ]]>Authors: David Goldman Matthew Nagra
Traditional public health messaging prioritizes disease prevention, whereas individual motivations for dietary change frequently focus on appearance and social outcomes. Physical attractiveness functions as a multimodal signal, combining facial appearance, body odor, and body composition. Evolutionary models posit that such cues communicate fitness-relevant information regarding health status. This narrative review integrates empirical evidence linking plant-forward dietary patterns to facial attractiveness, body odor quality, and adiposity. It examines the mechanisms underlying these associations and their implications for health promotion strategies. Literature searches identified peer-reviewed articles published between 2000 and 2025 that investigated relationships between dietary patterns and appearance-related outcomes, including facial attractiveness, skin coloration, body odor, and body composition in adult populations. Evidence from experimental, observational, and cross-cultural research indicates that diet influences attractiveness through multiple pathways. Increased intake of carotenoid-rich fruits and vegetables enhances facial skin coloration and perceived health within weeks. Glycemic load impacts attractiveness through mechanisms such as perceived age and sexual dimorphism. Dietary composition affects body odor pleasantness by altering sweat chemistry and microbial metabolism. Plant-based dietary patterns support achieving adiposity levels associated with peak attractiveness. These modalities operate on distinct temporal scales and provide partially independent information, consistent with multiple-message models of sexual signaling. Diet is a modifiable determinant of socially salient appearance cues. Appearance-based feedback has been hypothesized to promote dietary behavior change by delivering prompt and personally relevant reinforcement, though this pathway requires further empirical evaluation. Presenting dietary recommendations in terms of visible outcomes may complement traditional health messaging by aligning individual motivations with public health objectives. ]]>Authors: Nazgol Hafizi Gokce Tuna Sadiye Müjdem Vural
The incorporation of innovative contemporary façade materials has fundamentally transformed architectural practice, driven by increasing demands for sustainability, building performance, and aesthetic expression. Despite substantial technical advancements in materials science, a critical gap persists in linking material innovation to tectonic expression — the relationship between material properties, construction logic, and architectural form. This study presents a systematic meta-analysis and a taxonomic framework for innovative façade materials, with a particular focus on their tectonic-aesthetic implications in contemporary architecture. A two-phase methodology was employed: keyword co-occurrence network analysis using VOS Viewer, followed by a Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol applied to Web of Science publications (2010-2025). From an initial pool of 175 records, 123 were screened, 31 met eligibility criteria, and 19 studies addressing tectonic implications underwent detailed full-text analysis. Findings confirm that the majority of existing research prioritizes performance-related topics such as energy efficiency and thermal comfort, leaving the tectonic consequences of material innovation largely underexplored. To address this gap, this study proposes a novel taxonomical framework comprising seven categories: Smart Materials, Bio-based Materials, Modified Traditional Materials, Composite Materials, Nano-engineered Materials, Biomimetic Materials, and Digital Fabrication Materials — each analyzed in terms of its structural logic, assembly potential, and aesthetic expression. This framework represents the first systematic attempt to classify innovative façade materials through a tectonic lens, offering architects and designers a structured tool for material selection that balances technical performance with creative design intent. ]]>Authors: Abdul Rahman Y. Wahoud Salim F. Bamsaoud Mohammed F. Bamatraf Qamar Al Zammar
Preparation and characterization of an iron-tin bimetallic nanocatalyst supported on activated carbon (AC) prepared from papaya seeds, which was previously available in the surrounding environment, were performed. Different characterization techniques such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), FT-IR spectrometry, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry were used. Many properties were characterized, and the resulting activated carbon could serve as an inexpensive catalytic support with a high surface area and a large micropore volume, even at a (20%) loading ratio of (Fe2O3-SnO2/AC). Adsorption of methylene blue dye (MB) onto (Fe2O3-SnO2/AC) surface was studied and optimal conditions were determined. The adsorption of methylene blue best fit the traditional Tempkin isotherm model, and the maximum capacity were 294.11 mg/g. ]]>Authors: Damir Istamov Asliddin Komilov
Copper indium gallium selenide (CIGS) thin-film solar cells remain among the most promising photovoltaic technologies due to their high absorption coefficient, tunable bandgap, and compatibility with low-temperature processing. This manuscript presents a comprehensive numerical investigation of performance enhancement strategies for CIGS-based solar cells using one-dimensional and multidimensional simulation frameworks. Device optimization is analyzed by systematically varying absorber composition, bandgap grading, defect density, and doping concentration, as well as through engineering of buffer, window, and back-surface-field (BSF) layers. SCAPS-1D simulations are employed to evaluate steady-state optoelectronic behavior. At the same time, advanced TCAD tools such as Silvaco Atlas and Synopsys Sentaurus provide spatially resolved insight into heterojunction band alignment, interface recombination, and module-level effects including laser scribing. The impact of alkali post-deposition treatments, grain-boundary passivation, tuning of the conduction-band offset, and alternative non-toxic buffer materials is assessed. Advanced architectures—including double-absorber layers, multi-junction stacks, bifacial designs, and perovskite/CIGS tandems—are examined to identify pathways beyond single-junction efficiency limits. The results indicate that coordinated optimization of composition gradients, carrier-selective contacts, and interface passivation can enable power conversion efficiencies exceeding 30% in numerical simulations under idealized conditions. However, these values represent theoretical upper bounds, while experimentally certified efficiencies remain significantly lower, underscoring the importance of incorporating realistic material properties and recombination mechanisms in modeling. Overall, this work highlights the central role of multi-physics simulation in guiding the design and experimental realization of next-generation high-efficiency CIGS solar cells. ]]>Authors: Jozélio Freire de Carvalho Rosangela Passos de Jesus
Plant-based diets have attracted increasing interest in the context of rheumatic diseases due to their potential anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory effects. However, there is an important conceptual distinction between a vegan diet, which completely excludes animal-derived products, and a plant-based diet, which prioritizes plant foods but may include small amounts of animal-derived foods. This differentiation is essential to understand the variability in clinical outcomes reported across studies. To critically and comparatively evaluate the available evidence regarding the effects of vegan and plant-based diets on major rheumatic diseases: rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), gout, and fibromyalgia—with an emphasis on clinical, laboratory, and metabolic outcomes. A structured narrative review with systematic elements was conducted, with searches performed in PubMed/MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science databases up to October 6, 2025. Meta-analyses, systematic reviews, randomized clinical trials, and prospective cohort studies investigating vegan, vegetarian, or plant-based diets in adults with rheumatic diseases were included. Methodological quality was assessed using the AMSTAR-2, RoB 2, and Newcastle–Ottawa Scale tools, and the certainty of evidence was graded according to GRADE criteria. A total of 21 relevant studies were identified, including seven clinical trials, four systematic reviews, and ten observational studies. In RA, vegan diets—particularly gluten-free and low-fat patterns—demonstrated significant reductions in pain, CRP, and DAS28, along with improvements in lipid profile and gut microbiota. In PsA and axSpA, data are limited but suggest a modest benefit with whole-food plant-based patterns, possibly mediated by modulation of the gut-immunity axis. Cohort studies indicated up to a 40% reduction in gout risk among vegetarians. In fibromyalgia, plant-based dietary patterns were associated with improvements in pain, fatigue, and quality of life. Overall evidence quality ranged from low to moderate depending on study design and dietary control. Vegan and plant-based diets may have potentially beneficial effects as adjunctive strategies in the management of rheumatic diseases, supporting inflammatory and metabolic control. Distinguishing between a strict vegan diet and a healthy plant-based pattern is essential, as the quality of plant foods appears to determine the magnitude of benefit. Despite methodological limitations in the existing literature, the evidence is biologically plausible. It supports the need for longer and more rigorously designed clinical trials to strengthen evidence-based dietary recommendations in rheumatology. ]]>Authors: Shahriar Abubakri Gilson R. Lomboy Douglas B. Cleary
The use of recycled concrete aggregate (RCA) offers a sustainable alternative to traditional virgin aggregates in concrete production, helping mitigate the environmental impacts associated with mining and construction waste disposal. RCA is characterized by the presence of attached mortar from previous concrete applications, which significantly influences the mechanical properties of the aggregates, as well as mix design and the overall performance of new concrete incorporating these recycled materials. This paper provides a comprehensive review of various aspects related to RCA, encompassing its production, inherent properties, and economic considerations. It provides a detailed analysis of specific attributes of recycled concrete aggregates such as shape, particle density, water absorption, abrasion resistance, and mortar content, and reveals their implications on mix design processes. Furthermore, the paper critically examines and discusses both the fresh and hardened properties of concrete utilizing recycled concrete aggregate. ]]>