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Modeling terahertz propagation via frequency-domain physics-informed neural networks
Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) provides a non-invasive and label-free method for probing the internal structure and electromagnetic response of materials. Numerical simulation of THz-TDS can help in understanding wave–matter interactions, guiding experimental design, and interpreting complex measurement data. However, existing simulation techniques face challenges in accurately modeling THz wave propagation with reduced computational cost during inference. Additionally, conventional simulation solvers often require dense spatial–temporal discretization, which limits their applicability to large-scale and real-time scenarios. Simplified analytical models may neglect dispersion, multiple scattering, and boundary effects. To address these limitations, we establish a novel computational framework that integrates frequency-domain physics-informed neural networks (FD-PINNs) with less data-driven ones. To validate our proposed FD-PINNs, simulation results from finite-difference time-domain and TD-PINNs were used to compare with FD-PINNs. Finally, experimental results from THz-TDS systems were employed to further exhibit accurate reconstruction ability of FD-PINNs.
Active thermodynamics of inertial chiral active gases: Equation of state and edge currents
One of the most fundamental quests in the physics of active matter concerns the existence of a comprehensive theory for its macroscopic properties, i.e. an “active thermodynamics.” Recently, despite progress in developing this field, crucial questions, such as the influence of chirality on the thermodynamics of active matter, remain open—even in the simplest and most generic case of the ideal active gas. Here, we derive and experimentally verify key elements of the active thermodynamics of ideal chiral active gases, unveiling edge currents and odd diffusivity as their peculiar features. Our main results are the derivation of an equation of state relating density and pressure via a chirality-dependent effective temperature, the derivation of Fick’s law, including the full diffusion matrix predicting odd diffusion, and the exact prediction of edge currents at container walls that nonmonotonically depend on chirality. Our results serve as a crucial step toward a comprehensive understanding of how chirality influences and allows us to control the macroscopic properties of active matter.
Hamstring strength assessment methods in sport: A systematic review and meta-analysis of post-activity strength decrements, asymmetry benchmarks, and measurement reliability
Hamstring strain injuries (HSI) represent one of the most prevalent and recurrent injuries in sport, making reliable strength assessment essential for neuromuscular monitoring in athletic populations. Despite the breadth of available testing modalities, no comprehensive synthesis of assessment methods, their reliability, post-activity strength responses, or normative asymmetry values has been undertaken. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the reliability of hamstring strength assessment methods, quantify the time-course of strength decrements following competition, establish normative inter-limb asymmetry benchmarks, and identify gaps to guide future assessment practices. PubMed, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science were searched from inception to November 1, 2025 following PRISMA guidelines. Methodological quality was assessed using a modified version of the Downs and Black checklist. A total of 161 studies were included in qualitative synthesis and 106 in quantitative analysis. Isokinetic dynamometry was the most frequently used modality, followed by force platform assessments and Nordic hamstring-based devices, with a clear upward trend in field-based testing observed after 2010. Multiple modalities demonstrate good reliability, sensitivity to post-activity fatigue, and comparable patterns to detect inter-limb asymmetries, supporting their use across varied applied settings. Hamstring strength deficits persisted for 24–72 hours following on-field activity, identifying a critical vulnerability window during congested schedules. Minor inter-limb asymmetries of approximately 3–4% appear normative and should not be considered clinically meaningful in isolation. Practitioners should establish individualized baselines and integrate routine monitoring with evidence-based recovery strategies to mitigate HSI risk throughout competitive seasons.
Evaluating the reliability of structured light entoptic tasks
Abstract Human perception of polarised light, known as Haidinger’s brushes, is linked to macular health but is typically too faint for reliable clinical use. Structured light can enhance these entoptic patterns, but the test-retest reliability of this approach requires validation. Here, we evaluated the reliability of a structured light-based psychophysical task in twenty-five participants (fifty eyes) across two sessions separated by one to fourteen days. Participants viewed structured light stimuli that produced rotating entoptic patterns and identified the rotation direction in a two-alternative forced-choice paradigm while a central obstruction varied in size to determine retinal eccentricity thresholds. Intraclass correlation coefficients demonstrated good to excellent reliability, with values of 0.83 for right eyes and 0.93 for left eyes. Bland-Altman analysis revealed non-significant mean differences of -0.32 degrees and − 0.12 degrees for right and left eyes, respectively, with limits of agreement spanning approximately 6° and 4° around mean thresholds of ~ 6.1° and ~ 6.5°, confirming an absence of systematic bias. These findings indicate that structured light-based psychophysical tasks can yield repeatable measurements of entoptic pattern extent in healthy individuals. Further validation in clinical populations and older age groups is required before the method can be recommended for clinical screening.
Melting of Fe3C under laser-shock compression to 300 GPa
We directly measure melting of shock compressed Fe3C to 300 GPa using in situ x-ray diffraction. We find melting begins at a shock stress state near 150 GPa and is fully liquid by 190(10) GPa. We find no evidence for crystalline Fe7C3, which is the incongruent melting phase observed in static compression experiments. These observations indicate that the equilibrium melting reaction of Fe3C to liquid and Fe7C3 is kinetically inhibited on nanosecond timescales.
The accuracy of electrostatic interactions captured by AI protein structure prediction models
A variant of the U1A protein containing four substitutions to ionizable residues was generated serendipitously due to a miscommunication. Biophysical measurements reveal this variant has twice the helical structure of wild-type U1A and is trimeric, unlike the monomeric wild type. In sharp contrast, structures predicted by deep-learning (AlphaFold2, RoseTTAFold2) and transformer-based tools (OmegaFold, ESMFold) are nearly identical to the wild-type (backbone RMSD < 1 Å). Surprisingly, these models predict ionizable residues buried within the nonpolar core, contradicting established physico-chemical principles. To explore this effect further, we generated sequences containing up to all twelve residues that make up the nonpolar core of U1A. Across thousands of sequences, and depending on the AI model used, the majority of predicted structures contained fully buried ionizable residues while still maintaining the overall U1A fold. We then examined two additional proteins of comparable size, acylphosphatase and the de novo designed TOP7 fold, and observed the same phenomenon: AI models frequently predicted structures with buried ionizable residues that nevertheless retained the parent fold. However, short (50 ns) molecular dynamics simulations with physics-based force fields (CHARMM/AMBER) rapidly relaxed these structures, exposing the ionizable residues. We conclude that while AI-based tools perform exceptionally on natural sequences, they do not reliably encode the physico-chemical principles governing ionizable residue placement. We propose including brief molecular dynamics simulations as a vital validation step for AI-generated structures.
Development of long short-term memory models using rainfall and soil moisture to predict soil moisture dynamics
Long short-term memory (LSTM) models were developed using rainfall and soil moisture data to predict soil moisture at various depths in an Asian pear orchard. Two types of rainfall inputs were tested: hourly rainfall data treated as individual values and event-based rainfall data, where cumulative rainfall was calculated by applying the minimum inter-event time threshold (12 h). Soil moisture was measured at depths of 20, 40, and 60 cm from the soil surface during 2023 and 2024 using frequency domain reflectometry. The models were trained to predict soil moisture at time horizons of ‘t + 1’, ‘t + 3, ‘t + 6’, and ‘t + 12’ when ‘t’ is present time. Short-term predictions more accurately followed the observed soil moisture trends than long-term predictions. During the collection period, rainfall varied from 0.5 mm to 48.5 mm per hour. Soil moisture contents increased immediately following the onset of rainfall. These results are consistent with existing knowledge. As soil depth increased, soil moisture contents tended to increase and respond more gradually to rainfall. During rainfall, in the topsoil (20 cm depth) moisture content fluctuated significantly, while the subsoil (60 cm depth) remained relatively stable for several hours after rainfall ended. The model performance was evaluated using mean absolute error, root mean square error (RMSE), and normalized RMSE values. In both models using hourly and event-based rainfall inputs, errors in soil moisture prediction tended to increase with longer forecast time horizons. However, these errors were significantly lower when using event-based rainfall data. These findings indicate that event-based rainfall is a more effective input for LSTM models in predicting soil moisture in an Asian pear orchard, and such models can support precision irrigation systems that optimize water use by delivering the right amount of water at the right time.
Preparation and evaluation of high-performance modified poly(ester-amide), and study its biological activity after its formulated as a vehicle for protective coating
Abstract Poly(ester-amide) (PEA) resins are widely used in coating applications because of their excellent mechanical strength, chemical resistance, and durability; however, the development of PEA coatings with enhanced antimicrobial performance remains a significant challenge. In this study, a novel modified PEA resin was synthesized using 3- N -bis(2-hydroxyethyl)-7-hydroxy coumarin carboxamide (HEHCCA) as a reactive modifier. To the best of our knowledge, the incorporation of HEHCCA into PEA coating systems has not been previously reported. The modified resins were prepared by partially replacing hydroxyethyl linseed oil fatty acid amide (HELA) with HEHCCA, while phthalic anhydride was used as the polyacid component. The prepared resins were formulated into coating systems and characterized according to standard ASTM methods to evaluate their physicochemical, mechanical, chemical, and antimicrobial properties. The results showed that increasing HEHCCA content increased the reaction time, viscosity, color intensity, and drying time of the coatings. Mechanical properties such as gloss, impact resistance, scratch hardness, and adhesion improved noticeably, whereas flexibility remained nearly unchanged. The coatings also exhibited good chemical resistance except under alkaline conditions. In addition, the modified PEA resins demonstrated significant antimicrobial activity, particularly against Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumoniae , with inhibition zones reaching 24.15 ± 0.30 mm. These findings suggest that HEHCCA-modified PEA resins are promising candidates for advanced protective and antimicrobial coating applications.
Effect of nucleation layer growth conditions on the defect structure in MOVPE-grown cubic GaN epitaxial layers
A possible approach to achieve higher efficiencies and faster switching speeds in green-to-red LEDs for visible light communication is the application of GaN grown in the zincblende phase. However, zincblende GaN epilayers often exhibit an unwanted phase mixture and a rich defect structure, which can impair the performance of light emitting devices. In this study, the effect of nucleation layer growth conditions on the formation and distribution of wurtzite GaN inclusions and stacking faults in overlying zincblende GaN thin films deposited under constant conditions by metalorganic vapor-phase epitaxy have been studied. We show that the zincblende phase can be achieved with high purity using nucleation layers grown within a reasonable temperature range (560–610 °C) and at moderate V/III ratios. Nucleation layer temperatures outside this window or lower V/III ratios (&lt;1000) favor the formation of wz GaN on the {111}A (Ga-polar) planes, whereas higher V/III ratios (&gt;2500) at moderate temperatures lead to growth of wz GaN on the {1−11}B (N-polar) planes. Based on the experimental findings, a schematic map of the different growth regimes has been developed. We use this map to discuss how growth kinetics and thermodynamic effects influence the preferential polarity growth and defect formation in different growth regimes.
Relative Thom conjectures, symplectic and beyond
We establish a criterion that ensures a bounded almost complex curve in a bounded almost complex 4-manifold minimizes genus among all smooth surfaces that share its homology class and the transverse link on its boundary. An immediate corollary affirms the relative symplectic Thom conjecture and, moreover, yields obstructions coming from knot Floer homology to a link bounding a symplectic surface in a symplectic filling. Our results are applicable to knots in manifolds equipped with plane fields that admit no symplectic fillings; for instance, we show that symplectic surfaces in a thickening of any contact 3-manifold with nonzero Ozsváth-Szabó invariant minimize slice genus for their boundary. We conjecture that this phenomenon occurs precisely when the contact structure is tight, which would imply that tightness can be viewed as a symplecto-geometric notion.
Psychological distress and psychosocial care in adults with glaucoma in Africa: A systematic review protocol
A diagnosis of glaucoma often carries a substantial psychological burden. The chronic nature of the disease, the prospect of lifelong treatment, the possibility of surgery, and concerns about progressive vision loss can contribute to significant psychological distress. Despite growing recognition of these emotional challenges, there has been no systematic synthesis of the burden of psychological distress among adults with glaucoma in Africa or of the psychological support services available within glaucoma care. This protocol, registered with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO: CRD420261338962), outlines a systematic review designed to address this gap. The review will comprehensively assess the prevalence and determinants of psychological distress among adults with glaucoma and identify interventions or support services integrated into glaucoma care across African settings. Searches will be conducted in PubMed, Scopus, CINAHL, Google Scholar, and African Journals Online without language or date restrictions. Retrieved records will be managed in EndNote and screened in Covidence by two independent reviewers, with disagreements resolved through consensus or consultation with a senior reviewer. Risk of bias and methodological quality will be evaluated using established critical appraisal tools. Where sufficient data are available, findings will be synthesized through meta-analysis; otherwise, a structured narrative synthesis following synthesis-without-meta-analysis principles will be undertaken. By consolidating the available evidence, this review aims to inform the integration of psychological care into glaucoma management and support more holistic approaches to preserving both visual and mental well-being.
Repetitive superposition performance of stress waves in control module of projectile under dynamic impact
Descriptor-driven UMAP (D-UMAP) for visualizing and analyzing structural evolution in SiC nano-grinding
This study introduces a descriptor-driven uniform manifold approximation and projection (D-UMAP) framework to visualize and analyze the complex structural evolution in SiC nano-grinding. Various atomistic descriptors, including global (Coulomb, Ewald, Sine, MBTR) and local (LMBTR, ACSF, SOAP) types, were systematically evaluated for their efficacy in characterizing SiC polytypes and capturing dynamic structural transformations during simulated 4H-SiC melting. The D-UMAP framework, which integrates optimized descriptors with the UMAP algorithm, successfully mapped high-dimensional descriptor spaces to low-dimensional manifolds, preserving structural relationships and enabling intuitive visualization of continuous structural evolution. Results from nano-grinding simulations on SiC with dopants, micropipes, and inclusions demonstrate D-UMAP’s ability to reveal subtle evolutionary pathways and distinct material states, offering critical insights for process optimization and material property control in precision manufacturing.
A human-specific long noncoding RNA regulator of antigen-presenting cell viability and antimicrobial defense
Macrophages are essential for both, to clear pathogens and preserve tissue homeostasis, yet the molecular regulators of this equilibrium remain incompletely defined. Here, we identify SAILR (survival associated immune-regulatory RNA), a primate-specific long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), as a critical modulator of macrophage viability under infection conditions. SAILR is induced during monocyte-to-macrophage differentiation, but rapidly downregulated upon bacterial challenge in a nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) dependent manner. In both naïve and immune-activated macrophages, SAILR dampens the expression of adhesion, phagocytosis, and invasion factors, which include SIGLEC1 and MMP7. During infection with Salmonella Typhimurium, depletion of SAILR sensitizes macrophages to apoptosis, resulting in loss of intracellular replication niches and reduced bacterial recovery. Conversely, enforced SAILR expression promotes macrophage survival and increases intracellular pathogen burden. Mechanistically, SAILR interacts with the antiapoptotic adaptor protein 14-3-3β to support macrophage survival. Notably, downregulation of SAILR is mirrored in circulating immune cells from patients with severe COVID-19 and sepsis. Together, our findings position SAILR as a central regulator in linking macrophage survival to host–pathogen interaction and disease pathophysiology.
Effect of intentional daily liter of plain water on total fluid and caloric intake among free-living adults
While previous studies have examined short-term water consumption and corresponding energy intake, few have investigated the effects of a longitudinal intervention in non-obese, young adults. We aimed to evaluate the effect of a 6-week daily liter of plain water consumption on fluid and caloric intake among free-living healthy adults. Thirty-eight young healthy adults (25 ± 6 y, 1.67 ± 0.09 m, 73.0 ± 16.7 kg, 25.8 ± 4.2 of body mass index) were provided two 500mL bottles of water per day and asked to consume them for six weeks. They were provided no further direction on fluid consumption during the study. Participants recorded 24-hour total food and fluids consumed and collected urine across three time points of baseline, 3-week (mid), and 6-week (post). Twenty-four-hour total fluid, plain water, sugar-sweetened beverages, caloric intake, urine specific gravity (USG), urine osmolality (U osm ), and urine volume were measured at all three time points. Hydration status was assessed via 24-hour USG and U osm . Twenty-four-hour total fluid intake was significantly increased at mid (p = .040) but not post (p = .426). Twenty-four-hour total plain water intake was significantly increased at mid (p = .028) and post (p = .049) time points. No significant differences were observed in 24-hour total sugar-sweetened beverage intake across time points (p = .210). Twenty-four-hour total caloric intake was significant reduced at the post (p = .048) but not at mid (p = .257). Twenty-four-hour total caloric intake was not associated with 24-hour total fluid intake (r = .052, p = .618), total plain water intake (r = −.049, p = .636), and total sugar-sweetened beverages intake (r = .143, p = .170). No significant differences were found in 24-hour USG (p = .075) and total urine volume (p = .491) among time points, but U osm significantly decreased at mid (p = .001). In conclusion, a moderate increase in plain water intake may prompt a decrease in daily caloric intake and thus facilitate weight management.
Integrating multi-source geoscience data with RF-weighted conditional variational autoencoders (CVAE) for porphyry copper prospectivity mapping: an application to the Ardestan district, Central Iran
Magnetic correlation length in hard/soft core–shell magnetic nanoarchitectures
The magnetic behavior of the hard/soft CoFe2O4@NiFe2O4 system is discussed within the framework of two established models for magnetic nanoparticle ensembles, the Langevin model and the Random Anisotropy Model (RAM), both of which assume coherent and spatially uniform magnetization within the magnetic volume. The proposed approach allows us to quantify how magnetic coherence develops across the structurally distinct core and shell regions and to identify the regime in which these models remain valid, as well as the conditions under which their interpretative limits emerge. In the superparamagnetic state at 300 K, the magnetic sizes extracted from Langevin fitting (∼5.5 nm for the core and ∼8.1 nm for the core–shell particles) are smaller than the geometric diameter, indicating partial spin disorder. Field-dependent blocking temperatures fitted using RAM yield correlation lengths Lcorr,0 ≈ 9–10 nm and intrinsic effective anisotropy constants Keff ≈ 3.2 × 105 J m−3 for both systems. These results reveal an intrinsic limitation of coherent-rotation models when applied to core–shell architectures: the effective energy barrier represents a composite parameter that includes contributions from the core, shell, surface, and interfacial regions, which cannot be individually disentangled within a macrospin framework.
IL-7–glucose–Aiolos axis orchestrates pathogenic CD8 <sup>+</sup> T cell function in spondyloarthritis
CD8 + T cells are essential mediators of host defense, whereas their aberrant activation contributes to inflammatory diseases such as spondyloarthritis. The molecular mechanisms governing human CD8 + T cell effector programming remain incompletely understood. Here, we identify a metabolically distinct subset of human CD8 + T cells defined by high expression of CXCR3, IL-7R, and GLUT1 and low expression of the transcription factor Aiolos. IL-7–JAK–STAT signaling was associated with increased GLUT1 expression and glucose uptake, accompanied by reduced Aiolos expression in CD8 + T cells. Consistent with this, Aiolos functioned as a regulatory constraint on effector cytokine production under glucose-limited conditions, and its reduction was associated with enhanced cytokine production in metabolically active CD8 + T cells. Circulating CD8 + T cells from patients with spondyloarthritis exhibited elevated GLUT1 expression compared with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy controls, which correlated with disease activity. In addition, CXCR3 + IL-7R + pSTAT5 + GLUT1 + Aiolos low CD8 + T cells were enriched in inflamed joints, where CXCL10 may contribute to their recruitment. Increased FDG uptake in inflamed sacroiliac joints further supports enhanced metabolic activity at sites of inflammation. JAK inhibitor therapy was associated with reduced GLUT1 expression and increased Aiolos expression in CD8 + T cells, accompanied by decreased effector cytokine production and clinical improvement in patients with spondyloarthritis. Together, these findings support a model in which cytokine signaling, metabolic state, and transcriptional regulation are functionally linked in human CD8 + T cells, and suggest that Aiolos may act as a regulatory node integrating these inputs in inflammatory diseases.
Standard precautions versus clinically triggered contact precautions for prevention of extended-spectrum β-lactamase-producing enterobacterales in acute-care geriatric units: A prospective non-inferiority interventional study protocol (GERSP-study)
Introduction Extended-spectrum β-lactamase–producing Enterobacterales (ESBL-E) pose a major global public health challenge, as they are associated with frequent empirical antibiotic treatment failure and increased patient morbidity and mortality. In this context, contact precautions (CP) have traditionally been recommended for hospitalized patients colonized or infected with ESBL-E to prevent healthcare-associated transmission. However, growing evidence has questioned the effectiveness of this strategy in certain care settings. The primary objective of this study is to assess the non-inferiority of standard precautions (SP) compared with clinically triggered CP in reducing the incidence density of ESBL-E acquisition in acute-care geriatric wards. By doing so, this study aims to inform the evaluation of pragmatic infection prevention policies implemented at the institutional level in vulnerable hospital populations. Methods and analysis We will conduct a prospective, two-site interventional study in two geriatric departments of the Metz–Thionville Regional Hospital Center (Metz, France) using an alternating-period (crossover-like) design at the site level, with random allocation of the starting condition (CP first vs SP first). Patients will be screened for ESBL-E carriage at admission and at discharge. During CP periods, contact precautions are implemented only for patients with clinically detected ESBL-E infections identified through routine clinical cultures; asymptomatic ESBL-E carriage identified through surveillance screening does not trigger contact precautions. During SP periods, patients are managed using SP alone. The primary outcome is the incidence density of ESBL-E acquisition per 1,000 patient-days. Secondary objectives include species-specific analyses comparing ESBL-producing Escherichia coli and non-E. coli Enterobacterales. The total inclusion period is four years. Incidence rates will be compared using count regression models adapted to clustered period-based data.