Comparison of waste bin placement optimization methods: A case study in Zurich.

The production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) from glucose is a reaction of considerable interest in biomass conversion into platform molecules. This reaction suffers, however, in general from low selectivity and the generation of undesirable polymeric byproducts (humins). Herein, we describe the preparation of phosphate-terminated Nb2C MXene (Nb2C-PO4) as a novel heterogenous water-tolerant acid catalyst, able to afford high yields of HMF, while minimizing humin formation. The phosphate-modified Nb2C has been extensively characterized (X-ray diffractometry (XRD), high resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), scanning transmission electron microscopy(STEM-EDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)) in order to prove the retention of the MXene structure and the presence of phosphate groups on the surface, and the acid-base properties have been assessed by NH3- and CO2-TPD and pyridine-DRIFTS. Apparently, the effect of phosphate is to mask less selective acid sites, while the remaining ones are more selective to promote HMF formation from glucose. This proposal is also supported by the contrasting behavior of pyridine and 2,6-di-tert-butylpyridine as quenchers of acid sites. Under optimized conditions, 64% yield of HMF can be obtained at 150°C in a monophasic THF/water mixture, using a high glucose concentration (5% w/w) and a low Nb2C-PO4 loading (S/C = 10 w/w), reaching a TOF of 3077 h-1.

Radial artery catheters are commonly used in intensive care units to monitor the vital signs of patients. This study was carried out to evaluate the complications of radial artery catheters that are used in intensive care in terms of catheter sites, catheter dressings and catheterization techniques. This is an observational and descriptive study. The study's data were collected between December 2022 and March 2023 in Turkiye. Data were collected using a sociodemographic information form, and the catheters were observed for 7 days. The data of the study were collected from 144 patients who were admitted to the Intensive Care Unit. The mean age of the patients was 63.12, while 64 (44.4%) of them were women. The mean cannulation duration of the radial artery catheters of the patients was 9.78 ± 3.97 days. It was determined that complications developed in 109 (75.7%) of the patients. No significant relationship was found between catheter survival and the selection of right versus left radial artery catheterization sites, the use of the Seldinger technique (early: p = 0.308, intermediate: p = 0.416, long-term: p = 0.625), or the 20 G cannula application technique (early: p = 0.363, intermediate: p = 0.320, long-term: p = 0.293). The Hypafix dressing and the transparent gel sheet dressing regarding the early (p = 0.829), intermediate (p = 0.677) and long-term (p = 0.997) survival of the catheters. Based on the results of this observational study, no significant association was found between the radial artery catheterization site, catheter application technique or the type of catheter dressing used and the development of catheter-related complications. It may be preferable to use a dressing method that is both easy for nurses to apply and economically feasible for radial artery catheterization in intensive care units.

Structure-guided engineering of serratiopeptidase using constant-pH molecular dynamics and site-directed mutagenesis to improve pH-dependent functional resilience.

Pseudo-сolloidal species of actinides in contaminated aquifers. Insights from experimental and modeling approaches.

Understanding how environmental gradients influence bivalve shell characteristics is essential for developing ecological knowledge, strengthening consumer preferences, and increasing market value. This study employed geometric morphometrics and digital color profiling to assess the impact of cultivation sites (Khurushkul, Moheshkhali, and Chowfaldandi) and depths (0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 m) in raft-based mariculture on the shell morphology and coloration of the green mussel Perna viridis along the southeastern coast of the Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh. At each site, a total of 150 mussels were collected directly from raft-culture socks, with 50 individuals sampled from each of the three depths, resulting in a total sample size of 450 mussels. Morphometric variation was assessed by geometric techniques, and coloring was measured using RGB, HSV, and CIELAB models under standardized imaging conditions. Environmental and trophic conditions varied across sites and depths, producing distinct phenotypic patterns in mussels. Khurushkul individuals were more elongated with the most saturated and brilliant green hues of coloration, Chowfaldandi mussels were compact and appeared pale and chalky in color, and Moheshkhali populations showed intermediate traits. Multivariate analyses supported strong spatial separation with >90 % classification accuracy. Depth gradients further shaped morphology and color: shallow mussels were larger and greener, mid-depth individuals exhibited a more vivid brownish tone, and deeper mussels were smaller, dorsally compressed, and weakly pigmented, reflecting reduced light, food availability, and hydrodynamic differences. These findings indicate that site-specific hydrographic conditions, associated food availability, and vertical gradients collectively shaped mussel phenotype, underscoring the adaptive plasticity of P. viridis to local ecological conditions. These findings also provide compelling evidence that P. viridis exhibits pronounced adaptive plasticity, enabling its phenotype to mirror localized ecological conditions. Ecologically, the study demonstrates that shell traits serve as sensitive integrators of environmental variability, making them powerful bioindicators for detecting habitat quality, trophic shifts, and environmental stress in tropical coastal systems. From a practical perspective, the phenotypic indicators identified in this study can inform site selection, optimize culture depth, and improve broodstock and farming management for green mussel mariculture. Overall, the study provides a framework for integrating shell-based phenotypic traits into aquaculture planning and coastal environmental monitoring in the Bay of Bengal region.

A novel hybrid Z-IT2F FUCOM-MARCOS approach for sustainable solar site selection

Few marine debris monitoring programs have explicitly applied statistical methods in their design, limiting data value and applicability. Here, we describe the NOAA Marine Debris Program's strategy for designing a scientifically robust monitoring survey in the United States to estimate shoreline debris status and trends. Key principles of experimental design are emphasized and applied across four phases: frame, design, monitor, implement and learn. Informed by a power analysis with spatially balanced site selection, the design includes 62 sites in each of 10 regions; 12 sites visited annually with quarterly replication and 50 sites visited once every five years (no within year replication), yielding reliable estimates of annual status and declining trends of 25% to 50% over an 11-year duration. This design may not be directly transferable, the underlying methodology can be tailored to suit alternative contexts. Practitioners should consider monitoring as a rigorous scientific endeavor to improve management value.

Developing confined supramolecular environments capable of regulating radical cascade processes with high site selectivity remains a longstanding challenge in catalysis. Herein, we report two imidazolium-functionalized cationic covalent organic cages featuring distinct cavity architectures, including a triangular-prismatic cavity (cage 1) and a bowl-shaped cavity (cage 2), as confined platforms for oxidant-free Hofmann-Löffler-Freytag (HLF)/cyclization cascade catalysis. Both cages efficiently mediate a one-pot transformation of N-chloroamides into pyrrolidine derivatives under mild conditions, whereas cage 1 exhibits substantially enhanced activity and selectivity relative to cage 2 and a monomeric analog. Mechanistic investigations suggest that the geometrically confined cationic cavity of cage 1 promotes substrate preorganization through cooperative host-guest interactions, stabilizes nitrogen-centered radical intermediates via electrostatic and C-H···π interactions, and facilitates the key 1,5-hydrogen atom transfer (1,5-HAT) process by lowering the associated activation barrier. Host-guest binding studies and DFT calculations, reveal a structure-recognition-reactivity relationship in which substrate anchoring, spin delocalization, and cavity confinement collectively govern catalytic efficiency. These findings demonstrate how confined cationic microenvironments can reconstruct radical cascade pathways and provide a general strategy for designing supramolecular catalysts for selective multistep transformations.

This study presents the first comprehensive GIS-MCDM site suitability model for a Waste-to-Energy (WTE) facility in Upper Egypt. A sixteen-criterion analytical framework encompassing environmental protection, geological safety, infrastructure accessibility, and social proximity constraints was developed through a structured expert consultation process involving 42 specialists from academic, governmental, and environmental sectors. Criterion weights were derived using the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) and validated with a Consistency Ratio of 2.6% (well below the 10% threshold). Spatial data layers were derived from Landsat-9 imagery (SVM classification), ASTER GDEM (30m), ERA5-Land wind reanalysis, World population grids, OpenStreetMap infrastructure networks, and the Conoco-EGPC geological map of Egypt. Across the 10,698.5km² study area, the integrated suitability map reveals that zones classified as high or very high suitability together constitute only 2.02% of the total area (59.5km²; very high: 0.19%, 6.3km²; high: 1.83%, 53.2km²). The dominant land constraint, 69.3% classified as very low suitability, reflects strict environmental exclusion buffers around protected areas (PA; weight 11.4%), sensitive land uses (SU; 11.2%), surface water bodies (SW; 9.4%), and steep terrain (SP; 9.4%). Three candidate sites with high suitability scores were delineated, with the most favorable located east of Beni Suef city (coordinates: 29°01' N, 31°07' E; area: 22.75km²), proximate to the governorate's largest existing landfill (~ 2.6km) and with favorable north-westerly wind alignment relative to populated zones. This study advances the GIS-MCDM literature by integrating geological (faults, lithology, soil bearing capacity) and environmental safety criteria within an arid-region planning context, an approach insufficiently addressed in prior Egypt-focused or MENA (WTE) siting studies. The resulting suitability model constitutes a reproducible, evidence-based decision-support tool for Egyptian environmental planners and aligns with Egypt's Sustainable Development Strategy 2030 goals for renewable energy diversification and circular economy promotion. The selected site shows potential logistical and economic advantages due to its proximity to existing landfill infrastructure and regional road networks; however, these advantages represent spatial screening indicators and require further techno-economic and network-based transport assessment before implementation. Model validation using ROC-AUC analysis confirmed good discriminatory performance, with an AUC of 0.829, overall accuracy of 90.0%, and Kappa coefficient of 0.801.

Vascular closure devices (VCDs) enable rapid hemostasis after femoral arterial access and support early mobilization and improved patient comfort. MYNX CONTROL is an extravascular polyethylene glycol based closure system designed to seal femoral arteriotomies without leaving permanent intraluminal material. This expert review summarizes the device concept and mechanism of action and critically appraises the available clinical evidence on technical success and access site complications in 5-7 Fr femoral arterial closure. Differences in reported outcomes across published cohorts are examined in the context of patient selection, femoral access characteristics, and procedural technique, with particular attention to factors that increase the risk of maldeployment. MYNX CONTROL can provide reliable hemostasis with a low incidence of major access site complications when appropriately deployed. As with most devices its performance is strongly dependent in using the appropriate technique. It is widely accepted that reliance on tactile feedback alone is insufficient in challenging anatomy. Adjunctive imaging guidance enhances deployment accuracy and procedural safety.Optimal outcomes require careful access site selection and operator training that includes competence in vascular ultrasound.

Chest tube thoracostomy is a core skillset within pediatric emergency medicine (PEM); however, few PEM physicians perform this procedure regularly. Site selection is typically performed through landmark identification of the fifth intercostal space (ICS), and incorrect placement can result in serious morbidity. The aims of this study were to evaluate the accuracy of safe thoracostomy site selection among PEM providers, and to identify relationships between provider demographics and experience with performance in this selection process. This was a single-center observational study using a convenience sample of pediatric emergency department (PED) patients. Providers marked the fifth ICS bilaterally using the landmark technique, and the ICS and diaphragm levels were subsequently confirmed using point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS). Descriptive statistics were calculated for patient and provider characteristics. Associations between provider characteristics with location of the ICS mark were evaluated using a generalized estimating equation approach. Fifteen participating PEM providers performed 120 bilateral landmark-based ICS identifications. Among all identified sites (n=240), only 37.1% (n=89) were accurately confirmed as the fifth ICS, with 12.9% (n=31) being below the fifth ICS. Furthermore, 9.2% (n=22) of all sites were located below the diaphragm during resting breathing. Providers with longer tenure, more PED experience, greater number of chest tubes placed, and greater comfort with identifying the fifth ICS were more likely to mark below the fifth ICS (P=0.004, 0.026, <0.001, <0.001, respectively). This study demonstrates a considerable gap in thoracostomy site selection accuracy among PEM physicians. A significant number of chosen sites were found to be below the fifth ICS, and there was a surprising discordance between provider experience and accuracy. These findings highlight a critical gap in performance and the need for ongoing training. Incorporating POCUS into standard practice may improve site selection accuracy and patient outcomes in the PED setting.

Geographic Impact of Surgical Conferences on Travel Burden and Carbon Emissions: Multisociety Study.

Site-dependent differences in placental stiffness in extrachorial placenta: implications for shear wave elastography assessment.

MOF-supported surface-imprinted polymer for hazard governance of aristolochic acids in herbal matrices: A safety-control strategy supported by multiscale simulations.

Small Island Developing States (SIDS) such as Cabo Verde (CV) face persistent energy insecurity due to heavy reliance on imported fossil fuels and limited deployment of land-based renewables. This study develops a transferable, risk-informed multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework for ocean current energy site selection, integrating high-resolution hydrodynamic modeling, environmental constraints, techno-economic factors, and tropical cyclone (TC) exposure. Using a high-resolution ocean circulation model that resolves tidal and inter-island flow dynamics, we characterize the spatial and temporal variability of surface currents and associated power densities across CV. These resource layers are combined with depth, distance-to-coast, protected areas, shipping routes, and TC hazard fields within an MCDA structure supported by sensitivity analysis. Results show that the strongest and most persistent currents occur within the northwestern inter-island channels, where seasonal mean speeds exceed 0.7m/s and power densities surpass 200 W/m2, with 95th-percentile speeds above 2m/s. Several locations meet key feasibility thresholds with mean currents near or above 1m/s, suitable depths (10-20m), proximity to shore, and relatively low variability while also lying outside high-TC-risk zones, low wave conditions, and major maritime corridors. The proposed framework demonstrates how hazard-aware, multi-criteria evaluation can support resilient OCE planning in SIDS and is transferable to other cyclone-exposed coastal systems.

The incorporation of a carbonyl group into a chemical scaffold represents a pivotal strategy in drug design and material synthesis. A synthetic challenge, however, has been the introduction of carbonyls into carborane clusters at the boron sites due to the inherent inertness of the B-H bonds and the difficulty in controlling site selectivity. Here, we report a palladium-catalyzed approach for the selective and straightforward carboxylation of o-, m-, and p-carboranes with carbon monoxide (CO) at ambient temperature and pressure, generating boron-substituted carborane-based carboxylates. Experimental and computational studies reveal that CO plays a dual role as a carbonylation source and a π-acid ligand, which enhances the electrophilicity of the palladium center, leading to improved regioselectivity and reduced barrier for the key B-H bond activation. The reaction exhibits excellent site selectivity, atom economy, step economy, and broad substrate scope. Importantly, carboxylate functionality can serve as a versatile platform for carborane functionalization, including methylation, cyanation, isocyanation, arylation, fluorination, azidation, and borylation. Furthermore, the conjugation of a carborane moiety with a drug scaffold or bioactive molecule has been realized via ester, thioester, and amide formation. Our methods provide access to valuable, or even previously inaccessible, functionalized carboranes, surpassing traditional methods that rely on halogenated carborane precursors.

Herein, we describe a photoinduced Ni-catalyzed protocol that leverages the potential of cyclic acetals as vehicles for accessing glycosides bearing carbon-carbon linkages distal to the anomeric position. This method offers a new gateway to elusive compounds with high site selectivity, providing new opportunities in sugar-based therapeutics with lipophilic side chains.

The Paget disease represents a form of adenocarcinoma arising in epidermis; it can be distinguished in mammary (when involves the nipple areolar epidermis) and extramammary Paget disease (uncommon form that involves apocrine gland-rich areas); they present significant diagnostic challenges because of its nonspecific clinical appearance and frequent misidentification as benign, inflammatory skin conditions. Line-field confocal optical coherence tomography (LC-OCT) is a novel, noninvasive imaging modality that enables in vivo, real-time visualization of the skin with near-histological resolution. The objective of this study was to evaluate the diagnostic performance and clinical applicability of LC-OCT as a noninvasive imaging tool for the in vivo assessment of both mammary and extramammary Paget disease, and to establish their correspondence with conventional histopathological findings. This retrospective study included 4 patients with histopathologically confirmed diagnoses of mammary and extramammary Paget disease. All lesions were imaged in vivo with LC-OCT before biopsy. In both mammary Paget disease and extramammary Paget disease, LC-OCT identified intraepidermal clusters and single hypo-reflective Paget cells correlating with histological findings. LC-OCT represents a valuable adjunct in dermatologic diagnostics, offering near-histological, real-time visualization of cutaneous architecture. It can enhance diagnostic accuracy, guide biopsy site selection, improve preoperative margin assessment, and support follow-up after nonsurgical therapy.

Ferrocene derivatives are widely employed in fields such as organic synthesis, materials science, and medicinal chemistry. Significant advances have been achieved in the synthesis of 1,2- and 1,3-disubstituted ferrocene derivatives through palladium-catalyzed C-H arylation. In contrast, the preparation of 1,1'-disubstituted analogues via a comparable strategy remains highly challenging and has not been reported to date. Herein, we describe a palladium-catalyzed heteroannular C-H arylation that facilitates one-step assembly of 1,1'-disubstituted ferrocene derivatives. In contrast to previously reported remote C-H functionalization strategies, this method employs oxime ethers as directing groups and iodoarenes as arylating reagents under ligand-free conditions, while exhibiting excellent site selectivity.