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Initial feasibility assessment of robotic-assisted cleft lip repair in an in-vitro model
Synergistic experimental and theoretical investigation of bis-chalcone derivatives as efficient corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in acidic media
Abstract Building on our previous investigations of chalcone-based functional materials, the present work reports a synergistic experimental and theoretical investigation of the designed bis-chalcone derivatives, namely 3-(4-(dimethylamino)benzylidene)pentane-2,4-dione (DBPD) and 3-(3-(4-dimethylamino)phenylallylidene)pentane-2,4-dione (DPAPD), as highly efficient corrosion inhibitors for carbon steel in 1.0 M HCl solution. The inhibition performance and adsorption behavior were evaluated using weight loss, potentiodynamic polarization, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, surface characterization techniques (SEM/EDX), density functional theory, and Monte Carlo simulations. Both compounds exhibited excellent concentration-dependent corrosion inhibition efficiency. Potentiodynamic polarization measurements confirmed that both compounds behave as mixed-type corrosion inhibitors, significantly reducing the corrosion current density (I corr ) from 217.59 to 27.61 and 21.18 μA cm⁻², while electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed a marked increase in the charge-transfer resistance (R ct ) from 19.7 to 219.05 and 244.78 Ω cm² in the presence of 10 × 10⁻⁵ M DBPD and DPAPD, respectively, confirming the formation of a protective adsorbed film on the steel surface. Adsorption followed the Langmuir isotherm model (R 2 > 0.994), indicating spontaneous adsorption and nearly homogeneous surface coverage. SEM and EDX analyses confirmed the formation of a compact protective film and a substantial reduction in corrosion damage. DFT calculations and MC simulations revealed strong adsorption of the inhibitor molecules on the Fe(110) surface, with DPAPD exhibiting higher adsorption affinity, in excellent agreement with experimental observations. The enhanced inhibition performance was attributed to the electron-donating dimethylamino group, extended π-conjugation, and multiple adsorption centers. These findings provide molecular-level insight into the inhibition mechanism and highlight bis-chalcone derivatives as promising, structurally tunable corrosion inhibitors for acidic industrial applications.
Rotational wobble effects on equilibrium structure and Floquet stability in the circular restricted three body problem
Consideration of electromagnetic wave interference on microorganism inactivation on reflective surfaces
Modulating SPARC expression in mesenchymal stem cells improves MSCs-mediated skin regeneration and wound repair
Development of an off-grid solar photovoltaic thermoelectric cooling system for sustainable fish preservation
Abstract Keeping fish refrigerated during the fishing process significantly enhances the quality and safety of the fish. This process is highly reliant on traditional and industrial methods, most of which are costly for small-scale fishermen, have reduced effectiveness for some, and depend on fossil fuels, hence generating GHG emissions. Therefore, a shift to controlled clean solar energy is necessary due to its feasibility and potential to reduce GHG emissions. Therefore, it aimed to assess solar energy (SE) use to develop a solar cooling unit (SCU) based on the thermoelectric cooling prototype powered by a solar photovoltaic system for fish preservation during the fishing process. Cooling chamber, heat exchanger, Peltier Modules (PMs), solar power unit, and control unit are considered the main components of the designed SCU. The results indicated that the greatest temperature reduction inside the SCU, 4 ᵒC, was achieved using a triple PM configuration at the highest specific energy consumption with a value of 0.079 kWh/kg, and a minimum performance cooling coefficient with a value of 0.039. Also, the relative cooling performance improvement values were 67 and 108% for dual and triple PM, compared to the single PM, according to the Monte Carlo statistical analysis. Moreover, the economic feasibility study indicators showed that the triple PM attached with the developed SCU is the most economically advantageous, enhancing the shortest payback period of 0.15 years. Furthermore, the robust Monte Carlo simulation revealed that the triple-PM setup provides a 76.2% probability of successfully maintaining critical preservation temperatures (T cool ≤ 7ᵒC) under dynamic field conditions. The findings show that the thermoelectric module has a high potential in improving a direct cooling method. However, future adoption of this cooling system lies critically on new, better conversion efficiency thermoelectric material discoveries and development of higher efficiency systems.
An exploratory animal-economics study to evaluate the motivation of group-housed rabbit does to access different secluded areas
Abstract Eight New Zealand White nulliparous rabbit does ( Oryctolagus cuniculus ) were housed in two customised motivational pens, each comprising a central group area (feeders and drinkers) connected to four individual compartments containing different enrichment resources: none-control, hiding box, sand, and straw. The system required the rabbit does to push a transparent door to gain access to the compartments. The workload became progressively heavier at 48-hour intervals (ranging from 0 to 150 g of added weight) during an 8-day test period. This experimental setup was replicated across four consecutive trials (in total 32 trial days), and behavioral data were video-recorded for 60 min per day. Outcomes evaluated included time-budget allocation (group vs. individual areas, and specific resource choices within the individual areas), daily visits per doe, visit probability, and a comprehensive suite of animal-economics indices (elasticity of demand, expenditure rate, consumer surplus, and effort budget allocation). The results demonstrated that does spent significantly more time in the central group area than in the individual compartments overall; however, this allocation was strongly influenced by the door weight. Among the individual compartments, the zone containing straw accounted for the highest time allocation (17.5%), followed by the hiding box (8.6%), the empty control (3.0%), and sand (1.8%). Daily visits to these individual areas systematically declined as the workload cost increased, showing distinct motivational differences among the resources (straw > hiding box > control > sand). In conclusion, these preliminary behavioral trends suggest that individual seclusion could be considered a price-dependent, non-essential resource for nulliparous rabbits under these conditions. Beyond these specific behavioral findings, this study successfully validates a robust methodological framework. By integrating standardized pen architecture, controlled workload increments, automated door systems, and animal-economics processing indices, this model establishes a scalable framework. This standardized methodology can be reliably adapted in future research to decouple confounding environmental factors and systematically evaluate the behavioral priorities of reproducing does across diverse commercial husbandry systems and physiological stages.
Amines for feasible synthesis of mesoporous nitrogen-doped titania anatase for visible light photocatalysis
Knowledge of human papilloma virus and vaccine hesitancy among health sciences students in Türkiye
Development and validation of a core competency framework for professional tennis coaches in China
Act-Exo-Rehab: an adaptive active exoskeleton for upper limb rehabilitation in real-time environments
Abstract Upper limb exoskeletons have emerged as a significant rehabilitation tool for the elderly, injured, and individuals with disabilities. Traditionally, these devices require the constant presence of a medical practitioner and are typically confined to fixed environments such as hospitals or clinics, often mounted on a setup or wheelchair. They are often bulky, expensive, and difficult to assemble. This paper presents a novel design for an upper limb exoskeleton that overcomes these limitations by being exceptionally lightweight, portable, and easy to assemble and manufacture. The exoskeleton facilitates 6 degrees of freedom (DOF) motion, encompassing shoulder, elbow, and wrist movements with partial assistance to the joints. It does not require fixation to a particular location, making it adaptable for use with both left and right upper limbs. Additionally, the paper discusses the kinematic analysis, dynamic simulation using MATLAB, control strategies, and the practical implementation of the physical system. Note to Practitioners: This work presents a lightweight and portable upper limb exoskeleton design intended for practical rehabilitation applications. The proposed system emphasizes ease of assembly, reduced system complexity, and suitability for home-based or assistive environments. The design framework can assist practitioners and developers in building cost-effective and adaptable rehabilitation devices, particularly for scenarios where portability and simplicity are critical. Amputee, Rehabilitation, Upper Limb Exoskeleton, Fused Deposition Modelling, Additive Manufacturing, Unified Robotics Description Format, Inverse Kinematics, Trajectory Planning, Way-point Tracking, Proportional-Integral-Derivative Control, Embedded System.
Rumble Recognition: a gastrointestinal sound discrimination task to measure gastrointestinal interoception
Abstract Gastrointestinal interoception is the sensing, interpretation and integration of signals originating from the gut. In contrast to chemosensory aspects of gut-brain signalling, perceptual aspects of gastrointestinal viscerosensation and visceromotor control have received relatively little attention despite links to physical and mental health and wellbeing. To facilitate research into these aspects of interoception, we developed a novel gastrointestinal sound discrimination task, Rumble Recognition , to measure gastrointestinal interoceptive accuracy, self-beliefs, and metacognitive insight in three ecologically valid conditions; following a 3-hour fast, after drinking sparkling water, and after consuming a high-protein meal replacement shake. The discrimination task used a two-interval forced choice design to assess gastrointestinal interoceptive performance accuracy alongside self-reported confidence from which a measure of metacognitive insight was computed. This novel task was tested for proof-of-principle in a healthy sample ( n = 45; 68% women), and we demonstrated its feasibility, tolerability, and ability to yield parameters relevant naturalistic experiences including reported experience of hunger. The task is fully automated, requires minimal, affordable equipment, and is freely available via open source code. We anticipate this task can facilitate research in this important, expanding and clinically relevant domain.
Comparative outcomes of fentanyl and morphine in critically ill patients with malignancy: a retrospective cohort study utilizing MIMIC-IV
Abstract Fentanyl and morphine are commonly prescribed opioids for cancer-related pain; however, the comparative associations between these agents and clinical outcomes in critically ill patients with malignancies remain unclear. This study aims to examine the associations of fentanyl versus morphine with delirium, length of stay (LOS) in the intensive care unit (ICU), and short-term mortality in this population. Clinical data from critically ill adults with malignancies admitted to the ICU for the first time were derived from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care-IV v3.1. The primary outcome was delirium. Secondary outcomes comprised 14- and 30-day all-cause mortality and the LOS in the ICU. Logistic regression models were adopted to evaluate the association of fentanyl versus morphine with delirium; linear regression models were applied to examine the association with the LOS in the ICU; Cox proportional hazards models were adopted to analyze associations with 14- and 30-day all-cause mortality. Subgroup analyses stratified by sex, age, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, and sepsis were performed to explore the stability of the findings. Propensity score matching was conducted for sensitivity analysis. Data from 2074 critically ill patients with malignancy (1051 fentanyl users and 1023 morphine users) were analyzed. Compared with those receiving fentanyl, patients receiving morphine demonstrated a significantly diminished risk of delirium (odds ratio = 0.273, 95% confidence interval [CI]: [0.200, 0.371], p < 0.001). Morphine was linked to a shorter LOS in the ICU relative to fentanyl (β = − 0.870, 95% CI: − 1.496 to − 0.243, p = 0.007). Nonetheless, compared to fentanyl users, those receiving morphine were linked to a 114.60% elevated risk of 14-day all-cause mortality (hazard ratio [HR] = 2.146, 95% CI: [1.503, 3.066], p < 0.001) and a 70.60% heightened risk of 30-day all-cause mortality (HR = 1.706, 95% CI [1.254, 2.320], p < 0.001). In conclusion, morphine is associated with a diminished risk of delirium and a shorter LOS in the ICU among critically ill patients with malignancy, yet concurrently linked to elevated short-term mortality. These findings indicate potentially divergent outcome associations within this population and may offer a point of reference for individualized analgesic management in critically ill patients with malignancy.
Experimental and numerical study of the effect of appurtenances on the wind-induced vibrations of a cable-stayed bridge
DEC1 deficiency ameliorates myocardial ischemic injury via the p53-dependent apoptosis pathway
Abstract Myocardial infarction (MI) causes myocardial hypoxia and subsequent cardiomyocyte death, leading to inflammatory responses that adversely affect prognosis. Clinical outcomes of MI also exhibit diurnal variation, suggesting involvement of circadian clock genes. Differentiated embryo chondrocytes 1 (DEC1) is a clock gene whose expression is induced by hypoxia and has been implicated in the regulation of apoptosis; however, its role in MI remains unclear. To investigate the function of DEC1 in MI, we established a coronary artery ligation model using wild-type and DEC1-deficient (DEC1 ⁻/⁻ ) mice. To assess the contribution of apoptosis, pifithrin-α, a p53-dependent apoptosis inhibitor, was administered following MI induction. DEC1 ⁻/⁻ mice showed increased p53 expression and enhanced apoptosis in the infarcted myocardium. Despite increased apoptotic cell death, inflammatory cell infiltration was significantly reduced, and overall survival after MI was improved compared with wild-type mice. Administration of pifithrin-α to DEC1 ⁻/⁻ mice attenuated apoptosis and abolished the survival benefit. Additionally, expression of survivin, an inhibitor of apoptosis protein, was downregulated in DEC1 ⁻/⁻ hearts after MI. These findings indicate that DEC1 deficiency modulates MI outcomes by enhancing p53-dependent apoptosis while suppressing post-infarction inflammatory responses. DEC1 may therefore represent a novel regulatory factor linking hypoxia, circadian signaling, and myocardial injury.
Age-related differences in extubation time following propofol-based target-controlled infusion in pediatric medium-duration surgery: A prospective cohort study
Nationality patterns of the fastest marathon runners across age groups in the Berlin marathon
Abstract While the dominance of elite East African marathoners is well-established, little is known about the nationality distribution of the fastest age group marathoners. This study examined how the nationality distribution of the fastest marathon runners varies across age groups and sexes in the ‘Berlin Marathon’. We analysed race data from 825,886 finishers (627,962 men and 197,807 women) of the ‘Berlin Marathon’ from 1999 to 2024. Finishers were grouped by five-year age brackets, sex and nationality. We examined performance across five analytical layers: (1) all runners, (2) top 100, (3) top 30, (4) top 10 and (5) the single fastest runner per country and age group. Linear regression models were applied to both the entire dataset and the subset of the top 100 finishers per age group to assess the predictive value of age and nationality on finish time. Most finishers were from Germany, with the USA becoming the second-most represented country after 2017. In younger age groups (20–39 years), the fastest average times for both sexes were achieved by runners from Kenya and Ethiopia. In middle-aged (40–49 years) and older groups (50 + years), top performances shifted toward runners from Germany, the United States, Japan, and Switzerland. In regression models, age group and nationality explained only 4.1% of the variance in male finish times and 2.9% in females across the full dataset. However, for the top 100 runners, explanatory power rose significantly to 52.8% for men and 48.6% for women. The nationality distribution of the fastest age group marathoners shifts with age in the ‘Berlin Marathon’: East African nations dominate at younger ages, while Western Europe and East Asian countries lead among older runners. These results emphasize the global expansion of competitive master running and the role of cultural and demographic factors in shaping endurance performance across the lifespan.
Reconfigurable optical arithmetic logic unit and its applications
Abstract The growing constraints of Moore’s Law have fundamentally impeded further advancement in the energy efficiency of conventional electronic integrated circuits. In response, integrated photonics has emerged as a promising solution due to its exceptional bandwidth and ultralow latency. Optical digital computing based on integrated photonics offers inherent advantages in operation speed and energy efficiency compared to electronic digital schemes. However, implementing multi-functional arithmetic logic primitives on photonic chips still face a considerable challenge, and the reported works are mainly limited to basic logic gates or isolated computing modules rather than reconfigurable computational systems. Here, we report a reconfigurable optical computing architecture utilizing silicon-based microring modulators, which can implement reconfigurable basic logic operations and various arithmetic logic units, including 2-bit adder, subtractor and digital comparator. The experimental results demonstrate high computational density of 528 Gb/s/mm 2 and energy efficiency of 12.36 fJ/bit at the operation speed of 20 Gb/s. The proposed device’s practical viability is further demonstrated through multiple application scenarios including data encryption and image processing.