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The challenges faced by the metallurgical industry implicate that actions aimed at reducing negative impacts on the environment are becoming extremely important. This is justified both in the search for economically competitive methods of producing basic construction materials, consistent with the circular economy policy, and in improving the efficiency of metal production technology. An essential aspect of biomass use is the introduction of an energy source that naturally reduces the energy supplied to the reactor, thereby reducing the carbon footprint of the metal produced. In this case, the research undertaken aims to determine the possibility of using a bioreductant that will allow for the reduction or elimination of the fossil raw material, which is coal, thus reducing the costs associated with ETS and ETS II (European Union Emissions Trading System). This paper presents the results of research on the reduction process of oxide metal-bearing raw material, the chemical composition of which is similar to slags from the copper industry. The effects of slag reduction time on the degrees of copper and lead removal were examined. The process was carried out at 1300 °C, with the constant addition of a reducing agent, in the form of crushed pine cones. After processing for 1 h, the copper content in the waste slag was 1.30 wt%, whereas extending the process to 5 h reduced the copper content to 0.15 wt%. For lead, at the exact reduction times, the element’s contents in the slag after processing were 1.92 wt% and 0.79 wt%, respectively. The results of the studied process showed that, in the first stage of the slag reduction process, intensive reduction of copper and lead oxides occurs. Research was also conducted to characterize the biomaterial during the high-temperature process. Results show high degrees of removal for basic metals at the following levels: 99% for Cu and 72% for Pb. The waste slag is characterized by low metal content, which allows for safe storage or use in other sectors of the economy. This type of biomaterial is, therefore, recommended for research in large-scale laboratories or on a semi-industrial scale, particularly in relation to the gas phase formed and its possible impacts on the structural elements of industrial installations. It should be noted that there is a lack of data in the literature on the use of forest biomass in the form of pine cones as an alternative to coke as a reducing agent for use in pyrometallurgical processes.

Large Language Models (LLMs), built on Transformer architectures, exhibit remarkable generalization across a wide range of tasks. However, fine-tuning these models for specific tasks remains resource-intensive due to their extensive parameterization. In this paper, we explore two remarkable phenomena related to the attention mechanism during the fine-tuning of LLMs (where Wq, Wk, and Wv denote the weights of the query, key, and value layers, respectively). The first phenomenon, termed “Unequal Importance of Attention Matrices”, highlights the impact of fine-tuning different weight matrices. It shows that optimizing the Wv matrix yields significantly better performance than optimizing the Wk matrix. Fine-tuning only the Wq and Wv matrices is computationally efficient while delivering results comparable to, or even better than fine-tuning all three matrices (Wq, Wk, and Wv). The second phenomenon, “Attention Matrices with Customized Learning Rate Lead to Better Convergence”, emphasizes the importance of assigning distinct learning rates to these matrices. Specifically, a higher learning rate for the Wv matrix compared to Wq and Wk accelerates convergence and improves performance. Building on these insights, we propose a new strategy that improves fine-tuning efficiency in terms of both storage and time. Experimental results on benchmark datasets validate the effectiveness of this approach, supporting our theoretical findings. Our analysis lays the theoretical groundwork for configuring and improving algorithms in LLMs fine-tuning.

This study aimed to identify gut microbiota-derived metabolites governing the activity of hepatic CYP3A in blood level. Indole propionic acid (IPA) and lithocholic acid, ligands of the pregnane X receptor, a transcriptional regulator of CYP3A, and various gut microbiota-derived metabolites in blood level were analyzed. Results revealed that IPA and lithocholic acid did not affect CYP3A activity, while indoxyl sulfate (IS), a uremic toxin, affected CYP3A across different cell lines. The effects of IS on primary hepatocytes from three donors were analyzed, and a concentration-dependent impact was observed, as the CYP3A activity decreased in one donor and increased in another. These findings offer initial insights into blood-level gut microbiota-derived metabolites influencing hepatic CYP3A. Furthermore, the study demonstrates that the response to IS, beyond its concentration, can cause variations in hepatic CYP3A activity among individuals. This study advocates accounting for the dual effects of IS and the benefits of personalized medicine.

Earthquakes that cause extensive damage occur frequently in Japan, the most recent being the Noto Peninsula earthquake on January 1, 2024. To facilitate such a recovery, we introduce a community-based participatory research program implemented through cooperation between universities and local communities after the 2011 Great East Japan Earthquake. In this project, the university and the town of Shichigahama, one of the affected areas, collaborated to hold annual workshops in the target area, which evolved into a climate monitoring survey. Even in Japan, where disaster prevention planning is widespread, various problems arise in the process of emergency response, recovery and reconstruction, and building back better when disasters occur. As is difficult for residents and local governments to solve these problems alone, it is helpful when experts participate in the response process. In this study, we interviewed town hall and university officials as representatives of local residents regarding this project and discussed their mutual concerns. The community-based participatory research framework developed in the Shichigahama project could be used in the recovery from the Noto Peninsula Earthquake as well as in future reconstruction and disaster management projects.

The original online version of this article was revised to correct the reported overall complication rate of the procedure discussed in the article. The correct rate is 12.90%. Publisher's Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

This pioneering study evaluates the safety, efficacy, and Aesthetic outcomes of Ergonomix2 Motiva Ergonomic Implants in breast augmentation. It aims to assess their capability to offer more natural touch and dynamics, delineate the learning curve for surgical techniques, and examine their safety profile compared to Ergonomix1 implants. A prospective cohort study was conducted, comparing 31 patients who received Ergonomix2 implants with a control group of 51 patients with Ergonomix1 implants. Eligible patients were those seeking Aesthetic breast augmentation without prior surgeries or chronic illnesses. Detailed documentation of surgical techniques, implant characteristics, and patient demographics was performed. The study assessed surgical learning curve, implant positioning accuracy, and short-term and early complications. Aesthetic outcomes were evaluated using the BreastQ questionnaire and quantitative elastography. Patients with Ergonomix2 implants showed significant improvements in Aesthetic outcomes, including breast contour symmetry and natural feel. The learning curve demonstrated a decrease in surgical time and higher implant positioning accuracy. The safety profile was favorable, with a low complication rate and high patient satisfaction levels. Ergonomix2 implants exhibited enhanced softness and pliability, closely mimicking natural breast tissue, as confirmed by elastographic analyzes. Ergonomix2 implants represent a significant advancement in Aesthetic breast surgery, offering natural-feeling and dynamically adaptable outcomes. Despite the promising results, the need for specialized surgical techniques and further research on long-term safety and efficacy is emphasized. This study contributes foundational knowledge to the field of ergonomic breast implants and their application in modern plastic surgery. This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Intelligence is a process by which certain types of information/data are aquired or requested by those directing a missing person incident. The process continues by rallying teams of resources to collect, process and exploit, analyze and produce useful information that can then be disseminated and integrated into actionable plans. Traditionally the collection, processing, exploitation, analysis, and production has been done by hand on paper and sorted by experienced search leaders and training of the human brain. However, what if this work could be done by computers and artificial intelligence? This is the hypothesis we are exploring through a privately funded university effort. The “Artificial Intelligence for Search and Rescue” is a project with goals to use AI and related computational methods and tools to support Search and Rescue (SAR) missions. This project is a collaboration with California Polytechnic State University (Cal Poly) Computer Science and Software Engineer Department Dr. Franz Kurfess, undergraduate and graduate students in alliance with alumnus Gary Bloom and Christopher Young both experienced search and rescue incident managers. The project began in the summer of 2021 through privately funded research, senior projects, and class projects. This paper is Part 1 and will describe the initial work included the collecting and consolidating the pertinent mechanisms for storing and processing data and the research of the potential artificial intelligence options. Part 2 will describe the final product after lab/field testing and refinements. KEY WORDS: Intelligence Gathering, Missing Person, Interviewing.

The United States Army Corps of Engineers employ Tainter gates to effectively regulate water flow through dam spillways from upstream to downstream of navigation locks and dams. Post-tensioned Tainter gate anchorages are widely utilized in numerous dams across the United States, predominantly within the Mississippi Valley, Great Lakes and Rivers, Southwestern, and Northwestern Divisions. Ten dams were tested between 2010 and 2017, and failed rods were found on eight of these dams. Testing 5,371 greased trunnion anchor rods showed that 22 rods were broken, and 6 rods had slipped gripping hardware. In addition, 202 rods on Markland Dam and 76 rods on Greenup Dam experienced significant cantilever bending or corrosion, which may contribute to anchor rod failure. The objective of this study is to establish the effect of a failed rod, or rods, on the monitored stress for the remaining rods and on the capacity of the rod groups located in the same box. A comprehensive experimental study was conducted for post-tensioned anchorages with varying effective rod configurations. A scaled anchorage system that includes a posttensioned concrete trunnion girder with nine high-strength post-tensioning rods was employed in the experimental investigation. Finite element analyses duplicating various trunnion rod failure scenarios were validated using data observed from the extensive experimental investigation. The analytical results accurately predicted load changes of the rods under different loads and de-tensioning configurations. The findings of this study provide a valuable insight that would assist dam owners plan for appropriate proactive maintenance and remediation strategies for post-tensioned Tainter gate anchorages of navigation dam and lock assets.

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