Artiles
Open Access
Communication
30 April 2026Peculiarities of Radiation Synthesis of MeWO4 Ceramics
We report the results of MeWO4 ceramics synthesis by the direct exposure of metal (Mg, Ca, Zn, W) oxides mixture to a high-power flux of high-energy electrons. The oxide powder particle sizes are 1–10 microns. The synthesis occurs with high efficiency in less than 1 s without the use of any additional substances and energy sources. The purpose of this work is to establish the main processes that ensure the effective synthesis of MgWO4, CaWO4, and ZnWO4 ceramics from ZnO, CaO, MgO, and WO4 oxides, which differ significantly in their physical and chemical properties. It has been found that the dependence of synthesis efficiency on the electron beam power density and the power density threshold at which synthesis begins varies significantly for simple metal oxides and is very close for the tungstates of these metals. The most probable explanation for the observed effect is redistribution of absorbed radiation energy. WO3 powder particles have a high absorptance of the incident electron radiation. The result is a cascade multiplication of primary electrons into secondary electrons with much lower energy. Secondary electrons are efficiently absorbed by MgO, CaO, and ZnO particles, leading to their efficient decomposition and the formation of a new phase.
Open Access
Article
30 April 2026Spatial and Temporal Changes in Shifting Cultivation in Mizoram: Drivers and Implications
Shifting cultivation is a way of life and the major source of livelihood in Mizoram, Northeast India. More than 80% of the rural population traditionally practices shifting cultivation. Since production is largely subsistence-oriented, a significant proportion of people live below the poverty line. This study aims to examine the spatial and temporal changes in shifting cultivation, identify the major drivers influencing it, and analyze its implications for the economy and environment. Data were primarily collected from satellite imagery for four years—2009, 2014, 2019, and 2024—during February and March, which is the period of burning Jhum plots. The data were analyzed using Geographical Information System (GIS) tools, and changes in the area under shifting cultivation were calculated using the exponential growth rate. The study reveals that between 2009 and 2024, the area under shifting cultivation declined by more than 80%. The major factors affecting the decline of shifting cultivation were assessed. These factors were climate variability and change, shortened Jhum cycles, reduced production and productivity, increasing population, higher levels of education, inadequate markets, and greater availability of jobs. Land degradation, reduction of biological diversity and gene pool, and food insecurity were also identified as significant implications. Transforming Jhum plots into permanent agricultural land could make farming practices more sustainable and improve livelihoods.
Open Access
Article
29 April 2026Advances in Smart Structures Using Control Algorithms for Sustainable Manufacturing
This paper presents developments in the intelligent control of smart structures for sustainable manufacturing. This study aimed to develop advanced control approaches for the intelligent control of piezoelectric structures and suppression of oscillations. A significant achievement is the development of advanced-control algorithms. Robust control techniques, such as H-infinity control, guarantee system performance and stability in the face of uncertainties and disruptions. The addition of white noise and uncertainty to advanced finite element models is a novel aspect of this study. The outcomes of the analysis were used to present the advances made using this method. This approach is innovative because it employs intelligent control strategies that consider construction optimization by reducing the oscillations and measurement noise. By accounting for modeling uncertainty, these methods optimize construction. Optimizing smart structures makes them more sustainable and ideal for practical applications. The proposed construction is sustainable and creates an innovative design for civil and mechanical engineering applications.
Open Access
Article
29 April 2026Family Factors and Children’s Academic Performance: The Mediating Role of Anxiety and the Moderating Role of Student Type
Family-related factors have been consistently linked to children’s academic performance and may also be associated with academic outcomes through psychological processes. Based on this perspective, the present study investigated the association between different family factors (parental involvement, parenting styles, and family functioning) and academic performance among Chinese primary school children. In addition, the potential mediating role of anxiety was examined, as well as whether the associations between these family factors and anxiety differed by student type (students with low versus typical school performance). Data were collected through a cross-sectional survey of 1083 students in Grades 3–5 and their parents from three primary schools in China, with parental involvement, parenting styles, family functioning, and children’s anxiety assessed via parent-reported questionnaires, along with measures of academic performance. The results showed that parental involvement, parenting styles, and family functioning were each significantly associated with children’s academic performance, and that anxiety played an indirect role in these relationships. Student type did not significantly moderate the relationship between these family factors and anxiety. Overall, the findings highlight the relevance of both the family environment and children’s anxiety in understanding variations in academic performance, and they suggest the importance of considering family- and child-related factors in educational research.
Open Access
Article
29 April 2026Design of an Industrial Facility for Recycled Polymer Granule Production
With the global increase in the production and disposal of polymeric waste, it becomes crucial to develop sustainable solutions that promote the circular economy of recyclable materials. This work presents a technical feasibility study for the implementation of a production unit for recycled polymer pellets, using a mixture of High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE), Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE), and Polypropylene (PP) as raw material. The proposal aims to map the complete production process, from the collection and receipt of the recycled material to the granulation and sale of the pellets, including the characterization of the materials and the necessary compatibilizers and additives. The definition of production capacity, equipment selection, and industrial layout will also be addressed. The study includes a logistical and financial analysis, even if preliminary, for a hypothetical organization located in the region of São José dos Pinhais—PR, for the processing of recycled PP-PE blend. To carry out this study, basic concepts of industrial engineering design were applied. Information on the process and characteristics of a hypothetical PP-PE formulation was obtained through bibliographic research. The study allowed for important considerations regarding the development of a basic industrial design for processing recycled polymer. Preliminary results indicate existing demand in the metropolitan region of Curitiba (southern Brazil) and potential for job creation, including the use of labor from waste pickers distributed throughout the region.
Open Access
Article
28 April 2026Framing the ‘Double Burden’: A Critical Policy Discourse Analysis of the Climate-Poverty Nexus in the World Bank’s CCDRs for LDCs
Climate change and poverty are intertwined global challenges that disproportionately impact Least Developed Countries (LDCs). However, how global institutions discursively construct the climate-poverty nexus to legitimize their policy recommendations remains underexplored. Drawing on Critical Policy Discourse Analysis (CPDA), this study investigates how the World Bank Group frames the relationship between climate change and poverty in its Country Climate and Development Reports (CCDRs) for LDCs, as well as the discursive legitimation strategies embedded in these constructions. Findings identify two dominant, complementary discursive frames: the vulnerability frame and the causality frame. The vulnerability frame constructs poor and marginalized groups as passive victims of climate impacts, leveraging on attributive relational and passive material processes, and deploys moral evaluation as a legitimization strategy to position adaptation policies as a non-negotiable moral imperative. In contrast, the causality frame positions climate change as an active, causal agent driving poverty dynamics, utilizing active material processes and extended causal chains, and employs scientific rationalization to legitimize mitigation policies as rational, long-term investments aligned with LDCs’ development priorities. These two frames collectively shape a hybrid policy agenda that integrates ethical imperatives with technocratic efficiency, reflecting the World Bank’s attempt to legitimize its institutional influence on LDC climate-development trajectories. This research contributes to the scholarship on discourse in global climate governance by equipping stakeholders to engage with international policy advice critically and fostering more context-sensitive strategies for LDCs.
Open Access
Article
28 April 2026Harnessing Artificial Intelligence for Hypothesis Generation in Childhood Asthma: Insights from NHANES
Although large language models (LLMs) have undergone substantial development, their applicability to epidemiological research has not been sufficiently examined. This study aims to develop and evaluate an LLM-based framework for hypothesis generation and testing, demonstrating its application in childhood asthma in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Pilot study was conducted to explore factors associated with childhood asthma in the 2001–2020 NHANES cycles. A modular agent system was developed, including Database Query, Statistic, Paper Search, and Paper Download tools, along with two LLM models (Key Generator and Hypothesis Tester). Multivariable logistic regression was used to test for the association between each variable and current asthma, generating a tentative affirmative claim. The Key Generator module produced keywords for literature search, the Paper Search and Paper Download tools queried PubMed and retrieved relevant studies, and the Hypothesis Tester module synthesized evidence and determined the support for claims for each variable. Keywords and conclusions were reviewed by researchers and validated using multiple LLMs (ChatGPT, DeepSeek, and Gemini) to ensure consistency and robustness. 25,839 children with (n = 2928) and without (n = 22,911) current asthma, and 10,359 variables were included in the multivariable analysis, which yielded 100 variables associated with asthma. Of these, 21 were directly related to asthma (supporting published studies), 43 were indirectly related to asthma (based on background knowledge, though not explicitly discussed in the available publications), and 34 were unrelated to asthma. Two variables were excluded due to a lack of discriminative keywords. This study demonstrates the effectiveness of LLM-based models for generating and testing hypotheses about childhood asthma.
Open Access
Article
27 April 2026Identifying Effective Intervention Targets for Depressive Symptoms Across Adolescence: A Network-Based Simulated Intervention
Depressive symptoms are prevalent and demonstrate distinct developmental trajectories throughout adolescence. Although previous research has suggested central symptoms as possible intervention targets, few studies have explored the effects of targeting these symptoms on global network states. Utilizing the Ising model and the NodeIdentifyR algorithm, this study aimed to identify effective intervention targets and examine their associations with central symptoms across different stages of adolescence. A total of 46,842 participants completed the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale and provided demographic information. Participants were categorized into early (n = 15,299), middle (n = 15,596), and late (n = 15,547) adolescence. The Ising model identified “feeling sad” and “feeling depressed” as the symptoms with the highest expected influence in early and middle-to-late adolescence, respectively. The expected influence value of “feeling depressed” increased from early to late adolescence. Simulated interventions projected that decreasing the thresholds of “feeling bad” (early adolescence) and “feeling depressed” (middle and late adolescence) would yield the greatest reduction in network activation, identifying them as effective treatment targets. Worsening “feeling sad” and “feeling depressed” (early adolescence) and “feeling blue” (middle and late adolescence) was projected to result in the greatest increase in network activation, making them the effective prevention targets. The most central symptoms were not necessarily congruent with the effective intervention targets identified by simulations. These findings may help practitioners optimize treatment and prevention efforts for adolescents with depressive symptoms across distinct developmental stages.
Open Access
Article
27 April 2026Physicochemical Characterisation of Commercial Brazilian Sparkling Wines Produced by the Charmat and Traditional Methods
This study provides a physicochemical characterisation of commercial Brazilian sparkling wines, aiming to describe the typicity of products obtained using the Charmat and Traditional methods. A total of 261 wines were analysed, including 119 produced by the Charmat method and 142 by the Traditional method. The results show distinct compositional patterns across the analysed samples. Wines produced by the Traditional method, predominantly based on blends of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir, showed higher levels of lactic acid, volatile acidity, alcohol, and pressure, together with lower residual sugar contents. In contrast, Charmat sparkling wines displayed greater varietal diversity, including the widespread use of Glera, and higher levels of residual sugar, malic, and citric acids. A relatively high proportion of sparkling wines were identified as “Long Charmat”, with maturation periods of six months or more on lees in tanks, while a subset of Traditional method wines showed ageing times shorter than 12 months. In both production methods, Riesling Italico (Welschriesling) ranked among the four most frequently used grape varieties. Overall, the results highlight consistent compositional tendencies within a broad set of commercial wines. This study establishes a reference compositional dataset for Brazilian sparkling wines, contributing to the understanding of this expanding wine category by characterizing production practices and grape variety usage and identifying “Long Charmat” as a distinctive feature in the Brazilian context.
Open Access
Review
27 April 2026Engineering High-Performance CIGS Solar Cells: Structural Design and Process Development
The development of high-efficiency copper indium gallium diselenide (CIGS) solar cells is currently driven by a dual strategy of internal structural refinement and integration into multi-junction tandem architectures. This study aims to systematically analyze the key design and optimization strategies required to overcome the 33.7% Shockley–Queisser limit of single-junction devices. The results demonstrate that bandgap engineering, particularly through double-graded “notch” profiles, significantly enhances charge carrier collection and improves overall device performance, while alkali metal post-deposition treatments effectively reduce interface recombination losses. Furthermore, integrating CIGS with perovskite top cells in two-terminal (2T) and four-terminal (4T) configurations is a promising pathway to achieving efficiencies exceeding 30%. By combining advanced vacuum-based fabrication techniques, such as the three-stage co-evaporation process, with precise optical management, CIGS technology is positioned as a versatile candidate for both high-performance terrestrial and radiation-tolerant space applications.
