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Found 6515 publications
Wedelolactone Inhibits Hepatitis B Virus Replication by Modulating NF-κB and Nrf2/HO-1 Signaling: An in-vitro Huh7 1.3-mer HBV Plasmid Model
Publication Name: Iranian Journal of Pharmaceutical Research
Publication Date: 2026-12-01
Volume: 25
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Background: Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is a well-recognized cause of hepatic injury through prolonged viral replication, inflammation, and oxidative stress. Existing antiviral drugs limit viral replication but cannot eliminate viral transcription or even totally preclude liver injury, thus reemphasizing the significance of drugs with combined antiviral and hepatoprotective effects. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of wedelolactone on HBV replication, gene expression, inflammation, and oxidative stress in an in-vitro model of HBV plasmid transfection with human hepatic cells. Methods: Human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (Huh7) were transfected with a 1.3-mer plasmid and treated with wedelolactone (2.5 - 10 µM). Luciferase assays for HBV promoter activity, Northern blotting and Southern blotting for transcripts and replicative intermediates, qPCR for extracellular HBV DNA, and western blotting for viral antigens such as HBx were performed. Cell cytotoxicity was measured. NF-κB/IκB, inflammatory cytokines (TNF-α, IL-6), and antioxidant markers (Nrf2, HO-1, Keap1) were assessed to evaluate inflammatory and oxidative responses. Results: Wedelolactone significantly suppresses HBV promoter activity, RNAs, core particle formation, and extracellular HBV DNA. It reduced the expression of HBcAg and HBsAg. It inhibited NF-κB activation and cytokine release, while simultaneously enhancing Nrf2/HO-1 signaling, including induction of heme oxygenase-1 by lowering levels of Keap1. Conclusions: Wedelolactone exerts dual antiviral and hepatoprotective actions by inhibiting HBV replication and modulating inflammatory and oxidative stress pathways.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.5812/ijpr-168329
Explaining the variation in sustainable development through the lens of key macroeconomic and environmental factors
Publication Name: Discover Sustainability
Publication Date: 2026-12-01
Volume: 7
Issue: 1
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This paper investigates the role ofenvironmental and macroeconomic stabilityin achieving sustainable developmentin Pakistan from 1990 to 2022.The objective of this study is to investigate the contagion effects of both ecological and macroeconomic variables on Pakistan's sustainable development, employing the structural VAR methodology. The research addresses an important gap in the literature to jointly analyze macroeconomic stability and environmental sustainability within a unified framework for a developing economy like Pakistan. The need for this study arises from Pakistan’s dual challenges of persistent macroeconomic instability and rising environmental stress, which together threaten progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Positive energy shocks are strongerth annegative shocks arising from CO2 , external debt, and inflationin explicating variation inPakistan’s sustainable development. The study finds that renewable energy consumption has the most significant long-term impact on sustainable development, accounting for 33.83% of the forecast error variance. Overall, 55.50% of sustainable development is predicted by environmental factors,14.66% by macroeconomic variables, and 29.84% by its shock. Such results lead to accepting the hypothesis that ecological and macroeconomic stability significantly affect the sustainable development of Pakistan. In the long run, renewable energy consumption has a positive impact on sustainable development, promoting energy security, supporting economic growth, and maintaining environmental stability. The results of diagnostic tests suggest that the structural VAR approach is specified correctly. This study recommends that all economic policies be designed to highlight the need for comprehensive reforms that align economic stability with environmental resilience to achieve sustainable development. In the context of Pakistan, positive shocks arising from renewable energy consumption demonstrate a stronger influence on variations in sustainable development compared to negative shocks arising from CO₂ emissions, external debt, and inflation. This highlights the central role of energy transitions in achieving sustainability.
Open Access: Yes
Role of centres in public transport networks
Publication Name: European Transport Studies
Publication Date: 2026-12-01
Volume: 3
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
A well-functioning public transport network is the foundation of sustainable urban mobility. However, the term 'well working' is difficult to define and may be subjective. This paper introduces a network-analytical approach to show the correlation between usage, which reflects the quality of a public transport service, and the structure of its network. This approach is based on Barabási's definition of a scale-free network and physicists' observations of network structures. Ultimately, the paper will show that scale-free public transport networks are more efficient in terms of usage, as modelled by the modal split of the observed cities.
Open Access: Yes
Application of healthcare data mining techniques to planning for nursing length of stay in surgical departments
Publication Name: Systems and Soft Computing
Publication Date: 2026-12-01
Volume: 9
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
Effective allocation of nurse resources in surgical departments is essential for improving patient care and controlling operating costs in a health society. Length of stay (LOS) is the metric that connects clinical workload to staffing decisions, yet ward-level forecasting and its translation into daily nursing schedules remain limited. This study presents a hybrid, data-driven decision-support system that combines machine-learning LOS prediction with Reinforcement Learning (RL) for the surgical ward. A dataset of 137,145 records is used to evaluate Random Forest, Gradient Boosting, Decision Tree, and a Multi-layer Perceptron. Random Forest achieved the most accurate and stable performance (R² = 0.84; RMSE = 1.63), and its predicted LOS states drive an RL agent that adjusts staffing and triggers early-discharge reviews. The novelty lies in focusing on the understudied surgical ward, converting predicted LOS into a daily scheduling policy, and integrating forecasting with RL-based scheduling. The hybrid model reduced average LOS from 6.12 to 4.82 days, lowered weekly nurse overtime by approximately 47%, and improved staff utilization.
Open Access: Yes
Examination of the Effect of Wind on Vehicle Drag Coefficient from Aerodynamics Point of View
Publication Name: Periodica Polytechnica Transportation Engineering
Publication Date: 2026-11-28
Volume: 54
Issue: 1
Page Range: 34-40
Description:
The aim of the paper is to investigate the wind effect on vehicle aerodynamic properties. Two-dimensional Ahmed body is examined with Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method. During the analysis, two different studies were carried out. First, the simplified vehicle shape was examined in standing position, only the force from the wind velocity affected the body. The drag coefficient change was examined in case of different wind velocities and angles of attack. After that, the effect of wind while driving was investigated. The body was defined as a moving object and at another inlet the wind was defined. Different travelling and wind velocities with different angles of attack were studied. Based on the results of the simulations, a comprehensive impact of the wind can be measured on the drag coefficient. This proves that the wind has a measurable effect on vehicle aerodynamic properties and must be taken into account when investigating the effect of weather conditions on vehicle aerodynamic properties.
Open Access: Yes
DOI: 10.3311/PPtr.40035
A Schweizer–Sklar power Bonferroni aggregation operator under p,q-QOFS for vendor selection based on GRA-DEMATEL-MEREC
Publication Name: Mathematics and Computers in Simulation
Publication Date: 2026-11-01
Volume: 249
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: 784-812
Description:
This study aims to support decision-making in vendor selection for water supply problem which is often complex and uncertain. Vendor selection involves multiple criteria, including technical capability, quality of proposals, financial strength, and risk management. Evaluating vendors in water supply problem is therefore a challenging task. To address this challenge, this research proposes a systematic framework for vendor assessment based on the judgements of technical experts, environmental scientists, local committees, project managers, and government authorities. Thereafter, we introduce a new integrated approach that synergizes power Bonferroni aggregation operators and Schweizer–Sklar operation with p,q-quasirung orthopair fuzzy information and grey relational analysis, providing a robust framework to tackle real-life challenges. Moreover, the proposed model integrates the MEREC (MEthod based on the Removal Effects of Criteria) and DEMATEL (DEcision-MAking Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) methods to derive more precise and reliable weights for both attributes and experts. This robust framework enhances multi-attribute decision-making by enabling decision-making to make well-informed choices and providing structured, accurate solutions that minimize uncertainty and enhance decision quality. What is more, using a numerical example based on the process of considering problem, we construct a novel decision-making method. Finally, we include sensitivity analysis and a comparison between the existing approaches and the proposed method in this study.
Open Access: Yes
Selection of the mini- and micro-channels geometry for improved heat recuperation in specific industrial conditions
Publication Name: International Journal of Thermal Sciences
Publication Date: 2026-11-01
Volume: 229
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
The sustainable development of modern society requires the efficient use of energy in industry and in the communal sector. This is possible by increasing heat recuperation and using intensified heat exchangers. Recuperative heat exchangers enable the use of heat from streams exiting high-temperature processes to heat the cold supply streams. They have a lot of applications, such as ammonia and methanol synthesis, high-temperature nuclear reactors, the Brayton power cycle, pasteurisation of food products, etc. A new method for selecting the best channel geometry for specific applications of recuperative heat exchangers is proposed, based on the use of mini- and micro-channels of various types and sizes. It involves the numerical solution of a novel equation developed to evaluate the thermal-hydraulic performance of mini- and micro-channels in certain process conditions. This allows the comparison of performance for channels using different methods of heat transfer enhancement. The new simplified formulas for micro-channel performance evaluation in the laminar flow regime are also proposed. The influence of operating heat load on optimal channel geometry is discussed, and the way to modernise channel parameters specifically for use in micro-process systems. The methodology is illustrated by the example of an industrial application. Compared to macro-channels, the heat transfer area of HE with mini-channels can be reduced by 1.2 to 3 times for intensified mini-channels with a hydraulic diameter of 1 mm, with possible reduction by 3 to 5 times in micro-channels of the hydraulic diameter 0.1 mm. The use of the proposed equation and the correct adjustment of the channel length results in up to 12% smaller heat transfer area with channels of the same geometry. It can be improved by about 37% by selection of a proper channel type.
Open Access: Yes
Infrastructure-led urban development does not have to come at the expense of environmental sustainability: Evidence from South Korea
Publication Name: Cities
Publication Date: 2026-10-01
Volume: 177
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
This study examines the interplay between large-scale rail infrastructure expansion and long-term vegetation dynamics in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, highlighting how integrated urban planning can mitigate or even reverse environmental degradation typically associated with rapid urbanization. Uniquely, Korea's new towns have been systematically developed as transit-oriented districts to alleviate the hyper-concentration of population in Seoul, resulting in a context where railway construction and urban growth are tightly coupled. Contrary to the prevalent narrative of inevitable green space loss, the spatial analysis reveals that several newly developed districts, designed with explicit ecological considerations, demonstrate stable or even increasing vegetation indices over the study period. By employing a combined Geographically and Temporally Weighted Regression framework, we identify localized trajectories where synchronized transit investments and proactive green urbanism policies have yielded net ecological gains. These findings position Korea's policy-driven urban model as an instructive case study for reconciling infrastructure development with ecological resilience, underscoring the critical importance of integrating environmental objectives into transportation and land-use planning.
Open Access: Yes
Alleviating energy poverty through grid modernization: Micro-evidence from China's ultra-high-voltage transmission projects
Publication Name: Energy Policy
Publication Date: 2026-10-01
Volume: 217
Issue: Unknown
Page Range: Unknown
Description:
As renewable energy generation and ultra-high-voltage (UHV) transmission technologies continue to advance, long-distance power transmission is increasingly reshaping energy allocation and household welfare. Using data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) and a stacked difference-in-differences (stacked DID) approach, this study examines the impact of UHV transmission projects on household energy poverty and explores the underlying channels. The results show that UHV projects significantly alleviate household energy poverty, and the findings remain robust across a series of robustness checks. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the poverty-reducing effect is stronger for low-education households, low-income households, and households with elderly members, suggesting that UHV projects disproportionately benefit more vulnerable groups. We further find that UHV projects transmitting clean or mixed electricity have a stronger effect than those relying mainly on thermal power. Furthermore, the beneficial impact of UHV projects appears to be more pronounced under heightened geopolitical risk and uncertainty. The mechanism analysis suggests that UHV projects alleviate energy poverty primarily by expanding employment opportunities, facilitating labor reallocation away from agricultural activities, and reducing household electricity expenditure. These findings highlight the welfare implications of large-scale transmission infrastructure and suggest that grid integration can serve as an important policy instrument for simultaneously advancing energy security, clean energy transition, and energy poverty reduction.
Open Access: Yes
