The Koliba-Corubal basin, located between Guinea and Guinea-Bissau, is a key area for water resource management, but it is vulnerable to the effects of climate change. This article aims to analyze historical and future hydrological trends in this basin using the GR4J hydrological model in order to assess the impact of climate change on water availability. The study is based on past climate data (1981–1993) and future projections from CMIP6 climate models, applied to three climate change scenarios: SSP 126, SSP 370, and SSP 585. The results show a significant decrease in river flows in the basin, with reductions of up to 65.6% by the end of the century, especially under the SSP 370 and SSP 585 scenarios. Dry periods are especially affected, with a marked decline in monthly flows, seriously impacting water resource management for agriculture and drinking water supply. Using Mann-Kendall and Pettitt statistical tests, the study also identifies potential breaks in the time series of flows. The results of this analysis highlight the urgency of adopting climate change adaptation strategies and the need for sustainable water resource management in the Koliba-Corubal basin to meet the challenges posed by these changes.
In the context of the global implementation of the dual carbon strategy, enhancing the thermal insulation performance of kiln insulation layers to reduce energy consumption is a highly effective route to achieving energy conservation and emission reduction. In this work, mullite foamed ceramics were fabricated via a direct-foaming method using industrial alumina and white clay as raw materials, and the thermal conductivity was decreased by introducing a secondary phase and increasing the interfacial thermal resistance. The influence of the TiO2 addition on the phase composition, pore characteristics, and properties was systematically investigated by means of XRD, SEM, and EDS. The results indicate that the foamed ceramics are mainly composed of mullite, with minor phases including corundum and aluminum titanate. It has been demonstrated that increasing the TiO2 addition decreased the ceramic’s thermal conductivity, due to the formation of low-thermal-conductivity Al2TiO5 phases and the elevation of the interfacial thermal resistance. The specimen exhibiting the optimal properties is characterized by a porosity of 77.8%, a strength of 1.86 MPa, and a thermal conductivity of 0.216 W/(m·K) (1000 °C), achieved with a TiO2 addition of 6 wt%.
The introduction of proprotein convertase subtilisin/Kexin type 9 (PSCK9) inhibitors has transformed the approach to low-density lipoprotein cholesterol lowering in the prevention of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. This paper aims to determine the longer-term impact of these interventions on major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) and all-cause mortality. A systematic search of major databases was conducted to identify randomised controlled trials comparing PCSK9 inhibitors with a placebo. Studies were included if they reported cardiovascular events with a follow-up duration greater than 12 months. Frequentist, Bayesian meta-analysis, and trial sequential analysis were utilised to assess the efficacy of PCSK9 inhibitors in reducing MACE. Amongst 11 studies encompassing 52,372 patients, statistically significant reductions were observed in rates of myocardial infarction (risk ratio (RR) 0.78; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.68 to 0.89, p < 0.01, I2 = 20%), coronary revascularisation (RR 0.83; 95% CI 0.75 to 0.91, p < 0.01, I2 = 9.1%) and ischemic stroke (RR 0.76; 95% CI 0.66 to 0.87, p < 0.01, I2 = 0%) amongst patients on PCSK9 inhibitors compared to placebo based on random-effects meta-analysis. Trial sequential analysis and Bayesian analysis supported these results, with posterior probabilities that PCSK9 inhibitors improve outcomes for myocardial infarction, coronary revascularisation, and ischemic stroke of 83.8%, 82.9%, and 69.4%, respectively. No statistically significant effect was observed for the other outcomes. This meta-analysis demonstrates significant reductions in the rate of myocardial infarction, coronary revascularisation, and ischemic stroke. Further benefits may emerge with longer-term follow-up and alternate methods of targeting PCSK9.
Central metabolism includes essential pathways such as glycolysis, the pentose phosphate pathway, and the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Beyond the canonical pathways, it also involves byproduct formation, amino acid metabolism, fatty acid metabolism, and cofactor homeostasis, forming the metabolic backbone that supports cellular growth and biosynthesis. Conventional analytical methods often fail to provide real-time information in living cells, limiting their utility for guiding metabolic engineering. In this context, biosensor-assisted approaches have emerged as powerful tools for the real-time, non-destructive detection of intracellular metabolites and metabolic fluxes, while also enabling dynamic regulation of metabolic networks. In this review, we summarize recent advances in biosensors targeting key metabolites, cofactors, and regulatory nodes across central metabolism, with an emphasis on their design principles and applications in metabolic monitoring, high-throughput screening, and dynamic regulation for improved bioproduction. We also discuss current challenges related to sensor performance and implementation, and highlight the possibilities of integrating biosensors with omics, metabolic modules, and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide insights into future opportunities for biosensor development.
Smart manufacturing has emerged as a key enabler of industrial digital transformation, fostering intelligent, interconnected, and adaptive production systems. At the same time, production flexibility has become a strategic imperative for managing demand volatility, supply chain disruptions, and mass customization requirements. Despite substantial advances in Industry 4.0 and the transition toward Industry 5.0, the literature remains conceptually fragmented and largely technology-driven, with limited integration of organizational, human-centric, and sustainability perspectives. This study presents a systematic literature review of smart manufacturing for production flexibility, synthesizing existing research across major enabling technologies and industrial application domains. The review identifies three critical gaps in the current body of knowledge: (i) the lack of a unified and multidimensional conceptualization of production flexibility, (ii) insufficient integration between cyber–physical infrastructures and socio-technical systems, and (iii) the limited incorporation of human-centricity and sustainability as core design principles. The findings demonstrate that production flexibility should be viewed not as a direct technological outcome, but as an emergent system-level capability arising from the dynamic interaction of digital technologies, organizational structures, and human intelligence. To address these gaps, the study proposes a seven-stage Smart Manufacturing–Production Flexibility (SM–PF) transformation framework encompassing digital connectivity, system integration, intelligent analytics, adaptive automation, autonomous systems, human–AI collaboration, and ecosystem integration. The framework conceptualizes the evolution of flexibility from conventional operational adaptability toward anticipatory, reconfigurable, cognitive, and ecosystem-level capabilities. This study contributes an integrated theoretical foundation and a structured roadmap for future research and industrial transformation in smart manufacturing.
