Found 565 results
Open Access
Article
06 November 2025Sustainable Recycling Mechanisms for Waste Cooking Oil in China’s Third-Tier Cities: Evidence from Restaurant Practices
The conversion of waste cooking oil (WCO) into biodiesel is a key strategy for advancing energy sustainability, particularly within China’s rapidly expanding restaurant industry. In third-tier cities such as Shantou, Guangdong Province, WCO collection faces unique challenges. Through in-depth interviews with 20 restaurant operators, this study identifies multiple barriers to effective WCO management, including an aging population, underdeveloped local economies, limited technological infrastructure, and unequal access to educational opportunities, all of which hinder the adoption of advanced filtration systems and broader environmental sustainability initiatives. Moreover, the non-standardized operations of third-party WCO collection services, coupled with space constraints in small restaurant kitchens, further exacerbate inefficiencies in recovery processes. To address these challenges, this study develops a comprehensive framework for WCO collection that is adaptable to regions with similar socio-economic conditions. Integrating grounded theory, Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM), and Latent Dirichlet Allocation, the framework fills critical gaps in existing research. The analysis reveals that government financial incentives occupy the foundational layer of the ISM hierarchy and serve as a key driver of recycling behavior among restaurant operators; educational attainment enhances awareness and compliance but is moderated by structural constraints; and trust in third-party recyclers exerts a relatively limited influence. Correspondingly, H1 receives qualitative support, H2 is partially supported, and H3 gains only limited support. Building on these findings, the study proposes a multi-stakeholder governance framework that includes a “community-school-family” education system, an intelligent third-party management platform, and a government-led industrial chain to promote the formation of a closed-loop circular economy. The results demonstrate that the proposed framework not only offers actionable policy recommendations but also facilitates the adoption of sustainable practices and deepens the understanding of socio-economic and operational factors affecting WCO management, thereby providing strong support for energy and environmental sustainability.
Open Access
Review
05 November 2025Mental Health Impacts Associated with Exposure to Climate-Sensitive Hazards in Pacific Island Countries: A Scoping Review
Pacific Island Countries (PICs) face some of the most severe health risks from climate change, with associated mental health impacts that remain under-recognized. This scoping review synthesizes peer-reviewed literature published by February 2025 to examine the mental health consequences of exposure to climate-related hazards across 22 PICs. The search identified 193 studies, 19 of which were included in the review. Most studies employed qualitative or mixed methods, focusing on storms, droughts, sea-level rise, planned relocation, and environmental changes. Reported mental health outcomes included increased depression, anxiety, grief, and distress, often linked to direct exposure and secondary effects such as displacement, resource insecurity, and social disruption. Risk and protective factors were identified, emphasizing broader social, cultural, spiritual, and environmental influences that mediate the relationships between climate-sensitive hazard exposures and mental health outcomes in PICs. Cultural mediators such as traditional knowledge, land connection, and community cohesion shaped both vulnerability and resilience. Common coping strategies included relocation, community-based support, and leadership-driven actions. However, access to mental healthcare remained limited due to a shortage of trained professionals, stigma, and preference for traditional healing methods. To address these challenges, it is essential to integrate mental health into national public health frameworks, enhance disaster preparedness, increase access to mental health services, and conduct context-specific research.
Open Access
Communication
05 November 2025Computer Simulation of the Heat Treatment of Knitting Needles
The article discusses the main steels that are used to make needles for knitting machines. Based on an analysis of literature data, needles for knitting machines are primarily made of high-carbon steel, the main alloying elements of which are carbon in an amount of about 1.0 wt. %, silicon (0.3–0.5 wt. %), manganese (0.55–0.75% by weight), and chromium (about 0.4% by weight). In addition, these steels may contain microalloying additives, such as niobium in an amount of about 0.010% by weight. The publicly available computer model has been expanded to simulate the heat treatment of new materials for knitting machine needles. Using the developed computer model, the optimal structural and phase composition of the knitting needle material is established, which confirms its performance characteristics. It is shown that computer simulation of heat treatment modes makes it possible to conduct computer simulations of heat treatment modes with good accuracy and evaluate the effect of optimizing heat treatment parameters to obtain the best properties. Based on the results of computer modeling, one or more promising heat treatment modes can be selected, which can ultimately have a positive effect on the quality and service life of knitting needles.
Open Access
Review
04 November 2025Therapeutic Vaccination in Lung Cancer: Past Attempts, Current Approaches and Future Promises
Lung cancer represents a significant burden on global health, necessitating the need for new and effective treatment strategies that expand our current therapeutic repertoire. Immunotherapy, namely immune checkpoint blockade (ICB), has revolutionized lung cancer therapy over the last decade by invigorating anti-tumor T cell responses to prolong survival and quality of life. However, not all patients benefit from ICB, emphasizing the need for novel immunotherapeutic strategies that engage other immune functionalities to offer synergy with already available therapies. There has been a longstanding interest in deploying lung cancer vaccines to generate or enhance tumor antigen-specific T cell responses for greater tumor control. Thus far, success has been limited to early-stage clinical trials, where safety, generation of antigen-specific T cell responses in blood sampling, and some patient benefits have been established. Moving forward, the establishment of widespread clinical success in large-scale trials is a necessity to bring lung cancer vaccines into the therapeutic arsenal. In this review, we examine the logic and mechanisms behind therapeutic lung cancer vaccines, before critically and iteratively examining past and current attempts in lung cancer vaccinology. We also look at early pre-clinical studies and outline the future for therapeutic lung cancer vaccines.
Open Access
Communication
31 October 2025Impact of SGLT2 Inhibitors on PA Pressures in D-TGA after Atrial Switch Operations
Heart failure (HF) is the leading cause of mortality in adults with congenital heart disease (ACHD), including patients with systemic right ventricles, such as those with dextro-transposition of the great arteries with an atrial switch (DTGA-AS). With more ACHD patients surviving well into adulthood, there is an increase in advanced heart failure (HF) and pulmonary hypertension (PH), many of whom are being treated with SGLT2-inhibitors (SGLT2-i). However, there is a paucity of data supporting SGLT2-i inhibitor use in the ACHD population and on how they may impact pulmonary artery pressures (PAP). This single center retrospective study aimed to evaluate the impact of SGLT2-i on (PAP) in patients with DTGA-AS. Six patients were studied, all male (mean age 41 [range 38–52] years), with a mean systemic right ventricular ejection fraction of 27% (range 22–32%), with an implanted hemodynamic CardioMEMs monitor data were recorded one month prior to medication start and six months afterwards. Half of the patients had normal PAP, and the addition of SGLT2i did not result in a significant change in PAP in all patients. However, half of the patients demonstrated a trend towards improvement. In conclusion, in this study with a small sample size of DTGA-AS patients, there was no significant reduction in PAP.
Open Access
Article
31 October 2025Performance Evaluation of Machine Learning Algorithms for Predicting Organic Photovoltaic Efficiency
This study forecasts the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of organic solar cells using data from experiments with donors and non-fullerene acceptor materials. We built a dataset that includes both numerical and categorical features by using standard scaling and one-hot encoding. We developed and compared several machine learning (ML) models, including multilayer perceptron, random forest, XGBoost, multiple linear regression, and partial least squares. The modified XGBoost model performed best, achieving a root mean squared error (RMSE) of 0.564, a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.446, and a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.980 on the test set. We also assessed the model’s ability to generalize and its reliability by examining learning curve trends, calibration curve analysis, and residual distribution. Plots of feature correlation and permutation importance showed that ionization potential and electron affinity were key predictors. The results demonstrate that with proper tuning, gradient boosting methods can provide highly accurate and easy-to-understand predictions of organic solar cell efficiency. This work establishes a repeatable machine learning process to quickly screen and thoughtfully design high-efficiency photovoltaic materials.
Open Access
Article
29 October 2025Material Analysis of CNT’s as Conductive Additive for NMC Lithium-Ion Polymer Batteries Cathode Electrode
Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are promising conductive additives for lithium-ion polymer (LiPo) batteries. The performance of lithium metal oxide cathodes is highly dependent on the properties of the conductive carbon additive. This study investigates the advantages of CNTs over conventional carbon black for this application. Material properties, including hardness, tensile strength, thermal conductivity, and electrical resistivity, were analyzed and compared using Ansys Granta (CES EduPack 2024 R2) software. The results demonstrate that CNTs are superior in tensile strength (110 MPa), hardness (50 HV), and thermal conductivity (210 W/m·°C). These properties enhance the mechanical integrity of the CNT-based cathode composite, leading to improved battery performance. Furthermore, the electrochemical behavior of CNT/LiNi0.5Co0.2Mn0.3O2 composite cathodes was investigated, focusing on the carbon precursor (methane vs. natural gas) and CNT diameter. At a current rate of 3 °C, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) derived from methane delivered a specific capacity 20 mAh/g higher than those derived from natural gas. This indicates that methane-derived MWCNTs exhibit superior electrochemical performance, which is attributed to reduced polarization and a higher discharge potential. The study also revealed that MWCNTs with a smaller diameter (30–50 nm) performed better at high charge/discharge rates, owing to a higher number of primary particles per unit mass. This analysis aids in understanding material selection and its implications for battery design and lifecycle. The findings serve as a reference for future research exploring the use of CNTs in advanced battery materials.
Open Access
Review
29 October 2025Admixture of Amerindian, African and European Genes: Cuba, Mexico and Colombia as Study Cases
One hundred years after Columbus arrived in America in 1492, Amerindian population had fallen from 80 to 8 million in North and South America. The main causes were new microbes, slavery conditions and war. The people of San Basilio de Palenque (Colombia), close to Cartagena, in the Colombian Caribbean Coast, were established by runaway African slaves who built a refuge in San Basilio. The Spanish governors pressured the Spanish monarchs in Madrid to grant freedom to the Africans of San Basilio de Palenque, who became the first free Africans in the Americas. They speak the only Bantu-Spanish Creole and preserve African genetic traits according to HLA genes. Research also examined Cubans from Havana, showing that around 12% of the typical Amerindian HLA genes are present in Havana’s population. Cubans’ blood contains Amerindian genes in spite of that Amerindian physical traits do not exist now in the Cuban population. Amerindian HLA and other genes analyses and other cultural traits observed in Mexico—such as those of the Pacific Mayo/Yoreme and the Atlantic Huastecan/Teenek groups—suggest that the initial peopling of the American continent occurred much earlier than traditionally proposed, and that there was a bidirectional exchange of populations between the Pacific and Atlantic in relation to Europe (finding in America of European Paleolothic Solutrean traits) peoples may have occurred.
Open Access
Article
28 October 2025The Role of Knowledge Transferred between Rural Inhabitants and Newcomers in the Development of Rural Areas
The purpose of this study is to find the answer to the question: What is the role of the transfer of knowledge between the permanent and new residents of the countryside. The results are based on qualitative inquiry, carried out in 18 Polish villages, situated in socially and historically diverse regions and outside of the metropolitan areas. Knowledge, which is transmitted in the contacts between the two groups considered, has a very clearly informative character. This concerns primarily the basic information pieces, meant to ensure satisfaction of the daily needs of the groups of inhabitants considered. Knowledge transfer is relatively little intensive and takes place during sporadic encounters, mainly in public spaces—a street, a central square, a shop. This, presumably, exerts an influence on the nature and quality of knowledge and information exchange. The permanent residents are, first of all, the source of current information and practical knowledge, concerning broadly conceived village life, answering the fundamental questions of what, where, and when. On the other hand, the newcomers, side by side with informative knowledge, provide also knowledge of advisory and non-material character. Knowledge and information provided by permanent rural residents serve the needs of daily life and the satisfaction of current necessities, while newcomers introduce new lifestyles and behaviors, leading to increased social activity in the countryside.
Open Access
Review
28 October 2025Digital Transformation and Circular Economy Integration: Pathways for Sustainable Business Innovation
The accelerating pace of digital transformation has reshaped how industries pursue sustainability, offering innovative ways to integrate environmental responsibility into business strategy. This study examines how digital technologies such as artificial intelligence, blockchain, the Internet of Things, and big data analytics enable the adoption of circular economy principles in sustainable business innovation. Using a systematic literature review of 85 studies published between 2015 and 2025, the research identifies key mechanisms through which digital transformation enhances resource efficiency, extends product lifecycles, and promotes transparent supply chains. The findings show that digitalization strengthens competitiveness and sustainability but presents challenges such as high implementation costs, unequal access to digital infrastructure, and the environmental footprint of information and communication technology systems. The study concludes that aligning digital adoption with organizational culture, governance structures, and supportive policy frameworks is essential for realizing circular economy strategies at scale and achieving resilient, low carbon, and sustainable business models.
