Browse Articles

Motion-numerical compatibility affects magnitude classification

Abstract Number concepts are spatially organized along a mental-number line (MNL) with smaller magnitudes represented in left/lower space and larger magnitudes progressively toward right/upper space. Evidence for this association largely relies on simple button responses. We investigated the generality of this association with directional head movements. In a preliminary test, 31 neurotypical adults classified spoken numbers with lateralized buttons faster under MNL-congruent than incongruent conditions along both horizontal and vertical axes. Having established the standard number-space association, participants then performed a Go/No-go version of our task with concurrent horizontal or vertical head movements. The results showed a congruency effect between number magnitude and head direction—which was limited to the horizontal axis. Our results suggest that horizontal motion induces spatial attention shifts which facilitate spatially congruent magnitude processing, thus supporting a conceptual association of space and magnitude.

Effect of Ti addition on microstructure and mechanical properties of Co–Cr–Mo alloy developed by µ-plasma arc metal powder additive manufacturing process

Determination of cardiac output, shunt-fraction, and active circulatory volume in children with hypoplastic left heart syndrome after the Norwood procedure with RV to PA-shunt.

Abstract Management of neonates with hypoplastic left heart syndrome following the Norwood procedure seeks to optimize systemic oxygen delivery while maintaining an appropriate distribution between systemic and pulmonary blood flow. The objective of this study was to quantify actively circulating blood volume, total cardiac output, the pulmonary-to-systemic blood flow ratio (Qp/Qs), and vascular resistance indices at fractions of inspired oxygen (FiO2) of 0.21, 0.5, and 0.9 during the early postoperative period. Measurements were obtained in 16 neonates using an ultrasound dilution technique that determines hemodynamic variables from changes in blood ultrasound velocity following injection of isotonic saline (COstatus, Transonic Systems Inc.). An increase in the Qp/Qs ratio was observed with rising FiO2, which was associated with a reduction in systemic blood flow, while pulmonary blood flow remained statistically unchanged across the FiO2 levels studied. This pattern is consistent with the interpretation that pulmonary blood flow in this setting is mainly influenced by the mechanical properties of the right ventricle to pulmonary artery shunt rather than by FiO2 mediated changes in pulmonary vascular tone. Actively circulating volume index was reduced at baseline and decreased further with increasing FiO2 accompanied by an increase in systemic vascular resistance. These findings indicate that the early postoperative hemodynamics in neonates after the Norwood procedure are more responsive to alterations in systemic circulation than to modulation of pulmonary vascular tone. Therapeutic strategies targeting augmentation of circulating blood volume and reduction of systemic afterload warrant further investigation as potential approaches to optimize postoperative management in this population.

A novel deep learning approach for mosquito species classification via a dual-head structure and calibration-aware fusion architecture

Evaluation of large Language model performance on Persian rheumatology board exams: accuracy and clinical reasoning of GPT-4o vs. GPT-5.1

Service satisfaction and perceived social support mediate the effect of internalised stigma on quality of life of people with mental illness: mediation analysis

An efficient tripartite remote state preparation scheme with noise analysis

An enhanced neural network algorithm and its applications for numerical optimization and parameter extraction of photovoltaic models

Abstract Solar energy is a clean energy source with great application prospects. Photovoltaic (PV) system plays a very important role in converting solar energy into electricity. Optimizing, controlling, and simulating the PV system is of great significance for improving the conversion efficiency of solar energy. The key lies in how to extract the unknown parameters of the PV model. To address this issue, this paper proposes an enhanced neural network algorithm (ENNA). In ENNA, a new transfer operator with three learning strategies based on the defined perturbation operator and elite operator is designed, which makes full use of the obtained population information, including the optimal position of the population, the mean position of the population, and the historical population. To verify the performance of ENNA, ENNA is first used to solve 52 complex benchmark functions. Then, ENNA is employed to extract the unknown parameters of three PV models, i.e., single diode model (SDM), double diode model (DDM), and PV module model (PVM). The optimal root mean square errors obtained by ENNA in SDM, DDM, and PVM are 0.00098602, 0.000982485, and 0.00242507, respectively. ENNA is compared with 10 powerful metaheuristics in terms of numerical comparison, average ranking and convergence performance, and its optimal solutions are compared with the reported optimal solutions of 10 metaheuristic algorithms. The experimental results have demonstrated the excellent performance of ENNA in PV model parameter estimation. The source code of ENNA can be obtained by https://ww2.mathworks.cn/matlabcentral/fileexchange/182977-enna .

Customized composition of lithium metal solid-electrolyte interphase by electric field modulation of anion motion direction

Development and validation of a novel scoring scale for colonic endocytoscopy staining quality

Abstract Background While endocytoscopy allows for in vivo cellular-level observation, achieving high-quality staining remains a technical challenge. Aims To develop and validate a simple, reliable scale for assessing and improving endocytoscopic staining quality. Methods We developed a four-dimension staining quality score and validated it on a retrospective image cohort (n = 2692). The scale’s reliability, validity, and internal consistency were assessed, and associated factors were identified using multinomial regression. The scale was then externally validated in a separate retrospective image cohort (n = 2413) to confirm its clinical applicability. Results The scale showed inter-rater agreement (ICC = 0.992) and reliability (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.81), with a single principal factor explaining 62.3% of variance.The Spearman correlation between the gold standard score and AOD value was 0.81. Staining quality was influenced by lesion characteristics and physician experience (P < 0.05). After one month of training, junior physicians showed improved agreement with gold standard scores, with Kappa values rising from 0.61, 0.66, and 0.69 to 0.81, 0.83, and 0.82. Higher staining quality was also significantly associated with better concordance between Endocytoscopy imaging and histopathology (P < 0.001). Conclusion This endocytoscopic staining quality score is a reliable and valid tool to guide technique refinement and improve diagnostic accuracy.

Cytoplasmic NAD/H synthesis via NRK1 regulates inflammatory capacity and promotes survival of CD4+ T cells

Abstract T cell metabolism increases upon activation, underpinning immune effector functions. Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD/H) is an essential redox cofactor for glycolysis and mitochondrial substrate oxidation. It’s phosphorylation to NADP/H regulates reactive oxygen species (ROS) abundance. NAD/H levels increase upon T cell activation, but synthesis pathways and implications are not fully characterised. Here, we interrogate the role of the NAD/H-synthesis enzyme nicotinamide riboside kinase 1 (NRK1), the expression of which increases upon stimulation of both human and murine CD4 + T cells. Functionally, NRK1 activity restrains activation and cytokine production of CD4 + T cells while promoting survival. These activities are linked to increased NRK1 expression in the cytoplasm, where it locally raises NAD/H levels. This supports glycolysis, but more profoundly impacts cytoplasmic NADP/H generation, thereby controlling ROS abundance and nuclear NFAT translocation. During fungal and viral infection, T-cell-intrinsic NRK1 maintains effector CD4 + T cell abundance within affected tissues and draining lymph nodes, supporting infection control. Taken together, these data confirm that subcellular regulation of immune cell metabolism determines immune responses at the level of whole organism.

Temperature-driven shifts in foraging behaviour during larval development in a dragonfly

Abstract Predatory performance of dragonfly larvae is influenced by a multifaceted interplay of external factors such as temperature, prey density and interspecific competition, and life history traits like age and size. We investigated the relative impact of these factors and traits on the prey-capture behaviour of Sympetrum striolatum larvae i.e., the number of strikes, captures and capture success. The larvae were observed three times over a five-week period under a combination of three temperature levels, two prey densities, and with or without a conspecific competitor. To access the ontogenetic effects on foraging behaviour the larvae were reared from hatching and their size measured before each trial. Higher temperature, particularly for young and small larvae, and prey density significantly increased prey-capture behaviour. The life history traits strongly affected strikes, captures, and capture success and these effects were stronger than the external factor prey density or competition. These results underscore the crucial role of ontogeny on foraging performance. Future studies and predictive models of foraging behaviour should incorporate life history to better understand foraging dynamics. Our study highlights the importance of integrating developmental biology into understanding behaviour under environmental change, rather than focusing solely on external variables.

Electricity-free hydrogen production from the air

Abstract The ever-growing demand for electricity and clean water restricts widespread application of hydrogen production via water electrolysis or photocatalytic water splitting. Here, we present a self-sufficient electricity-free air-to-hydrogen system that integrates radiative cooling-enhanced water adsorption with synergistic photocatalysis and photothermal conversion by fabricating spectral selective absorbing/emitting hygroscopic hydrogen evolution nanofiber membranes to harvest atmospheric moisture and produce hydrogen. Leveraging the nocturnal radiative cooling effect, we expand the operational relative humidity range of nanofiber membranes and enhance both water collection capacity and kinetics. The collected water undergoes efficient gas-phase water splitting for H 2 production during the day through photothermal catalytic processes without electrical and liquid water assistance. The hydrogen production rate of the scale-up air-to-H 2 system under outdoor natural light reaches 6467.55 µmol·m -2 ·h -1 . Extrapolating this experimentally validated rate to land-based deployment demonstrates the potential for large-scale hydrogen generation, with practical feasibility dependent on regional humidity and solar conditions. Thus, our approach cost-effectively addresses green-H 2 scarcity without demanding natural freshwater and electricity, thereby providing an archetype for global sustainable development.

24-hour ozone concentration forecasting using a DLinear-LSTM hybrid model incorporating periodic features via sequence decomposition

Engineering thin 3D Li-composite foil negative electrodes with high mechanical toughness

Abstract Current three-dimensional lithium negative electrodes are plagued by inherent trade-offs among mechanical robustness, thin processability, and electrochemical performance. Here, we engineer a free-standing Li-composite foil negative electrodes by integrating a lithiophilic Li-Zn alloy with a Li 3 N-enriched carbon nanotube network. The Li-Zn alloy strengthens tensile resistance and regulates lithium deposition, while the Li 3 N-enriched carbon nanotube network reinforces mechanical toughness, achieving a rupture toughness of 1.3 × 10⁶ J/m³, a 12-fold enhancement over bare lithium. This property enables the fabrication of thin negative electrodes (<10 μm) that resist pulverization during deep Li plating/stripping. In cells with LiNi 0.8 Co 0.1 Mn 0.1 O 2 positive electrodes, the composite negative electrode facilitates extended cyclability (>500 cycles in coin cells at 1 C, 92% retention after 300 cycles in Ah-grade pouch cells at 0.5 C) and sustain high-rate operation (10 C). An 8.5 Ah pouch cell demonstrates a practical specific energy of 553 Wh kg −1 at cell level when tested at 0.1 C. This work presents a design strategy for realizing high-energy, long-cycle-life lithium metal batteries.

Evaluation of six eco-analytical tools for the sustainable HPLC analysis of a quinary anti-cold drug mixture

The gut microbiome and metabolome associate with Schistosoma mansoni infection and cardiovascular disease risk in Uganda

Abstract Helminth infections are consistently associated with reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, yet the biological mechanisms underlying this relationship remain unclear. The gut microbiome and metabolome are key regulators of cardiometabolic health and may mediate infection-associated effects on host physiology. Here we show that Schistosoma mansoni infection associates with distinct gut microbial and metabolic profiles linked to CVD risk in people living in Uganda. In a cross-sectional study of 209 individuals living in communities with contrasting S. mansoni endemicity, we profile the gut microbiome using 16S rRNA gene sequencing and the faecal metabolome using liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry. S. mansoni infection associates with increased gut microbial diversity and distinct taxonomic signatures, including enrichment of taxa such as Treponema and depletion of Prevotella and Streptococcus . Several infection-associated microbial taxa statistically mediate the relationships between S. mansoni infection and cardiovascular disease risk. Faecal metabolomic profiling identifies infection-associated metabolites, and integrative analyses showed linked microbe–metabolite networks associated with cardiovascular risk.These findings identify gut microbiome and metabolome signatures associated with S. mansoni infection and cardiovascular disease risk in Uganda. Although causality cannot be inferred, this work provides insight into host–parasite–microbiome interactions and highlights microbial and metabolic pathways relevant to cardiometabolic health.

Meta regression of endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty versus intragastric balloon investigating influence of duration and baseline body mass index

Abstract Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty (ESG) and intragastric balloon (IGB) are established endoscopic bariatric therapies (EBTs) for obesity, but their comparative efficacy and safety remain uncertain. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis of comparative studies evaluating ESG versus IGB. The primary outcome was percentage of total body weight loss (%TBWL), assessed at the longest available follow-up and stratified timepoints (1, 3, 6, and 12 months). To explore temporal trends, we performed a meta-regression using follow-up duration as a continuous moderator. Secondary outcomes included a meta-regression based on baseline BMI differences and a pooled analysis of adverse events. Six comparative studies (n = 5330) were included. ESG was associated with significantly greater %TBWL than IGB (mean difference: 2.541; 95% CI 0.754 to 4.327; p  = 0.005), with increasing benefit over time. Meta-regression confirmed a significant positive association between follow-up duration and treatment effect ( p  = 0.0006). A separate meta-regression revealed greater efficacy of ESG in patients with higher baseline BMI ( p  = 0.0001). Overall adverse event rates were comparable between the two groups ( p  = 0.20) ; however, IGB showed observed trends toward higher device intolerance and early removal rates in individual cohorts. Our findings suggest that ESG may offer a therapeutic advantage over IGB regarding weight loss efficacy, a trend that appears more pronounced in cohorts with higher obesity severity and across extended follow-up periods. ESG offers a comparable safety profile to IGB and may represent a more durable endoscopic bariatric option with potential advantages in procedural tolerability. Long-term trials are needed to validate its metabolic and clinical advantages beyond 12 months.

Miniature endoscope for high resolution electrophysiological recordings from the colon of live mice

Genetic monitoring of an endangered arable weed reveals local maintenance of genetic variation in times of land use and climate change

Abstract Genetic monitoring is a powerful tool to reveal human impact on genetic diversity and genetic differentiation in times of land use and climate change. Unfortunately, it is not yet frequently applied in wild plant nature conservation at present. Consequently, we conducted a genetic monitoring study of the rare and endangered arable weed Sherardia arvensis , which continuously decreased in the recent decades due to environmental changes. Therefore, detecting a possible shift in genetic diversity and differentiation is highly relevant for conservation. We applied multiplexed ISSR genotyping by sequencing (MIG-seq) to compare genetic variation within and among eight populations, as well as effective population size of the species using samples collected at the same sites in 2007 and 2020. We obtained 371 SNPs from 160 analysed individuals. In contrast to our expectations, we observed nearly similar levels of genetic diversity and differentiation within and among populations in 2007 and 2020, although 25% of the investigated populations went extinct in the study period. Effective population sizes showed some differences between the study years, depending on the analysis. The observed maintenance of genetic diversity and differentiation patterns may most likely be explained by the longevity of seeds in the soil, which is generally high in many arable weeds. In the case of S. arvensis seeds may persist in the soil for up to ten years. This allows the regeneration of populations and contributes to the maintenance of genetic variation. A potential impact of population loss and decrease of effective population size on genetic diversity and differentiation may therefore be delayed, comparable to the already described phenomenon of an extinction debt in other species. Our study clearly underlines, that long-term genetic monitoring over long time periods is needed to reveal potential changes of genetic diversity and differentiation in the Anthropocene.