In today’s fast-moving, disrupted business environment, supply chain risk management is crucial. More critically, Industry 4.0 has conferred competitive advantages on supply chains through the integration of digital technologies into manufacturing and logistics, but it also implies several challenges and opportunities regarding the management of these risks. This paper looks at some ways emerging technologies, especially Artificial Intelligence (AI), help address pressing concerns about the management of risk and sustainability in logistics and supply chains. The study, using a systemic literature review (SLR) backed by a mapping study based on the Scopus database, reveals the main themes and gaps of prior studies. The findings indicate that AI can substantially enhance resilience through early risk identification, optimizing operations, enriching decision-making, and ensuring transparency throughout the value chain. The key message from the study is to bring out what technology contributes to rendering supply chains resilient against today’s uncertainties.

Every production day in Nigeria, and in other oil producing countries, millions of barrels of produced water is generated. Being very toxic, remediation of the produced water before discharge into environment or re-use is very essential. An eco-friendly and cost effective approach is hereby reported for remediative pre-treatment of produced water (PW) obtained from Nigerian oilfield. In this approach, Telfairia occidentalis stem extract-silver nanoparticles (TOSE-AgNPs) were synthesized, characterized and applied as bio-based adsorbent for treating the PW in situ. The nanoparticles were of average size 42.8 nm ± 5.3 nm, spherical to round shaped and mainly composed of nitrogen and oxygen as major atoms on the surface. Owing to the effect of addition of TOSE-AgNPs, the initially high levels (mg/L) of Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) and TSS of 607, 3.78 and 48.4 in the PW were reduced to 381, 1.22 and 19.6, respectively, whereas DO and COD improved from 161 and 48.4 to 276 and 19.6 respectively, most of which fell within WHO and US-EPA safe limits. Particularly, the added TOSE-AgNPs efficiently removed Pb (II) ions from the PW at temperatures between 25 ℃ to 50 ℃. Removal of TOSE-AgNPs occurred through the adsorption mechanism and was dependent contact time, temperature and dose of TOSE-AgNPs added. Optimal remediation was achieved with 0.5 g/L TOSE-AgNPs at 30 ℃ after 5 h contact time. Adsorption of Pb (Ⅱ) ions on TOSE-AgNPs was spontaneous and physical in nature with remediation efficiency of over 82% of the Pb (Ⅱ) ions in solution. Instead of discarding the stem of Telfairia occidentalis, it can be extracted and prepared into a new material and applied in the oilfield as reported here for the first time.

This study employs logistic regression to investigate determinants influencing active living among elderly individuals, with “Active Living” (1 = Active, 0 = Inactive) as the dependent variable. Analysing data from 500 participants, findings reveal significant associations between active living and variables such as chronic conditions (OR = 0.29, p < 0.001), mental well-being (OR = 1.57, p < 0.001), social support (OR = 5.75, p < 0.001), access to parks/recreational facilities (OR = 2.59, p < 0.001), income levels (OR = 1.82, p = 0.003), cultural attitudes (OR = 2.72, p < 0.001), and self-efficacy (OR = 2.01, p < 0.001). These findings highlight the complex interplay of factors influencing active living among elderly populations. Recommendations include implementing targeted interventions to manage chronic conditions, enhance mental well-being, strengthen social networks, improve access to recreational spaces, provide economic support for fitness activities, promote positive cultural attitudes towards aging, and empower older adults through self-efficacy programs. Such interventions are crucial for promoting healthier aging and fostering sustained engagement in physical activity among older adults.

Paraffin wax is the most common phase change material (PCM) that has been broadly studied, leading to a reliable optimal for thermal energy storage in solar energy applications. The main advantages of paraffin are its high latent heat of fusion and low melting point that appropriate solar thermal energy application. In addition to its accessibility, ease of use, and ability to be stored at room temperature for extended periods of time, Nevertheless, improving its low thermal conductivity is still a big, noticeable challenge in recently published work. In this work, the effect of adding nano-Cu₂O, nano-Al₂O₃ and hybrid nano-Cu₂O-Al₂O₃ (1:1) at different mass concentrations (1, 3, and 5 wt%) on the thermal characteristics of paraffin wax is investigated. The measured results showed that the peak values of thermal conductivity and diffusivity are achieved at a wight concentration of 3% when nano-Cu₂O and nano-Al₂O₃ are added to paraffin wax with significant superiority for nano-Cu₂O. While both of those thermal properties are negatively affected by increasing the concentration beyond this value. The results also showed the excellence of the proposed hybrid nanoparticles compared to nano-Cu₂O and nano-Al₂O₃ as they achieve the highest values of thermal conductivity and diffusivity at a weight concentration of 5.0 wt%.

Introduction: Stenoses in the path of arteriovenous fistulas (AVF) for hemodialysis are a very prevalent problem and there is long experience in their treatment by percutaneous angioplasty (PTA). These procedures, however, involve non-negligible equipment requirements, exposure to radiation and intravenous contrast that are not beneficial for the patient and make their performance more complex. This study reviews our initial experience with Doppler ultrasound-guided angioplasty. Methods: Prospective cohort of patients with native AVF dysfunction due to significant venous stenosis treated by Doppler echo-guided PTA. AVF puncture, lesion catheterization, balloon localization and inflation, and outcome verification were performed under ultrasound guidance. Only one fistulography was performed before and another one after dilatation. As a control, the cases performed during the same period by the usual angiographic method were also collected. Results: Between February 2015 and September 2018, 51 PTAs were performed on native AVF, of which 27 were echogenic (mean age, 65.3 years; 63% male). The technical success rate was 96%. In 26% of cases, PTA was repeated due to residual stenosis after angiographic imaging. There were 7.3% periprocedural complications. 92% of the AVFs were punctured at 24 hours. Primary patency at 1 month, 6 months and 1 year was 100%, 64.8% and 43.6%, and assisted patency was 100%, 87.2% and 74.8%. There were no significant differences in immediate or late results with respect to angiographically guided AVF angioplasty. Conclusions: AVF-PTA can be performed safely and effectively guided by Doppler ultrasound, which simplifies the logistics required for its performance, although we still need to improve the capacity for early verification of the result with this imaging technique.