Browse Articles

Single cell and bulk transcriptomics reveal metabolic reprogramming biomarker signatures during extracorporeal membrane oxygenation for cardiogenic shock

Assessment of cold atmospheric pressure plasma therapy initiated at peak severity in a mouse model of radiation dermatitis

Abstract Radiation dermatitis (RD) is a common side effect of radiation therapy, potentially leading to treatment interruptions. This study evaluated the efficacy of cold atmospheric plasma (CAP) in a mouse model of RD, specifically focusing on treatment initiation at the peak of disease severity. As secondary objective, hyperspectral imaging (HSI) and optical coherence tomography (OCT), were evaluated as objective measures to monitor disease severity. RD was induced via gamma irradiation, with daily CAP treatment initiated at the peak severity. RD severity was monitored using macroscopic scoring and imaging. We found that CAP treatment initiated at the peak of disease did not result in a measurable improved healing under the tested conditions. HSI showed significant differences ( p  ≤ 0.05) between healthy and RD skin even beyond macroscopic scoring. OCT differentiated between healthy and diseased skin, however, no significant difference was observed after macroscopic healing. Our findings suggest that CAP therapy initiated at peak RD does not accelerate recovery. However, this result does not preclude potential efficacy of CAP when administered prophylactically or at the early onset of skin injury. The study underscores the critical importance of treatment timing and highlights HSI and OCT as potentially valuable non-invasive tools for objective RD assessment.

A dynamic pharmacometric framework defining the relationship between ivermectin exposure and mosquito lethality

Abstract Ivermectin is used in the treatment of several neglected tropical diseases. Studies have shown that it effectively kills anopheline mosquitoes. However, the relationship between the pharmacokinetic properties and mosquito-lethal effects have not been described quantitatively. Pharmacokinetic properties and mosquito-lethal effects associated with a single oral administration of ivermectin were evaluated in two healthy volunteer trials in Thailand. All data were pooled and analysed using nonlinear mixed-effect modelling. Ivermectin and metabolites were described by a parent-metabolite model. When co-administered with dihydroartemisinin-piperaquine, a reduced elimination clearance (41%) and a slower absorption (32%) of ivermectin was identified, resulting in higher exposures. Different peripheral volume of distributions of ivermectin in men and women were also observed (75% higher in females). Individual pharmacokinetic profiles were incorporated in a sigmoidal E max model, which were used to quantify the relationship between ivermectin exposure and mosquito-lethal effects. The integrated models described successfully the observed mortality of both Anopheles dirus and An. minimus . The final models were used to illustrate the potential impact on vector-control associated with ivermectin administration. In conclusion, ivermectin and its metabolites showed effective mosquito-lethal effects. The developed pharmacometric framework could be a useful tool in the evaluation of ivermectin as a potential vector-control agent in malaria elimination campaigns.

IoT-based smart water billing system for accurate consumption monitoring and fair distribution

Abstract Accurate water consumption measurement and equitable billing are vital for sustainable water resource management, especially in regions facing scarcity and uneven distribution. Conventional systems, which often rely on shared mechanical meters, fail to provide individual usage data, leading to disputes, waste, and inefficiencies. This paper presents the design and experimental validation of a low-cost, IoT-enabled Smart Water Billing System (SWBS) that delivers real-time consumption monitoring, adaptive calibration, and automated proportional billing. The proposed system integrates an ESP8266 NodeMCU, YF-B1 Hall-effect flow sensors, and anomaly detection algorithms to ensure precise measurement and early leak detection, where the IoT functionality of the prototype is realized through the Wi-Fi-enabled NodeMCU, which transmits processed consumption and status data to a remote backend using HTTP-based communication for cloud-connected logging and monitoring. A multi-stage calibration method was developed to maintain accuracy across diverse flow rates, reducing measurement error to below 3%. Experimental results confirm that the system reliably tracks individual unit consumption, supports scalable deployment in multi-unit buildings, and provides transparent billing through wireless data transmission. By combining affordability, accuracy, and real-time analytics, the SWBS offers a sustainable solution for modern urban water management, promoting conservation and fair resource distribution.

Exploring team situation awareness among operating room staff

YOLO4SWD: an improved YOLOv11-based method for waste detection and classification

Abstract To make sorting more efficient, promote the recycling of resources, and lower the costs of environmental management, it is important to be able to accurately identify waste categories. However, current waste detection methods encounter substantial obstacles, such as inadequate feature extraction for diminutive waste objects, disproportionate contextual information application in intricate backgrounds, and a notable decline in classification accuracy in occlusion situations. To address these limitations, this study introduces an enhanced waste detection model derived from YOLOv11n, termed YOLO4SWD (YOLO for Smart Waste Detection), which integrates three principal innovations. (1)The CoordA module is embedded into the backbone to accurately capture fine local features of tiny waste and boost feature discrimination between waste and low-contrast backgrounds. (2) A lightweight BasicRFB block is integrated into the neck layer to enlarge the model’s effective receptive field.(3) The FSEAM module is adopted in the detection head to preserve the effective features of unoccluded regions and block interference from occluded regions, thereby improving the accuracy of waste detection in scenarios where occlusions are common. The experimental results show that the proposed YOLO4SWD model is much better than the baseline YOLOv11n. The proposed model exhibits robust detection performance, achieving 81.6%, 69.9%, and 62.5% in mAP@0.5, mAP@0.75, and mAP@0.5:0.95, respectively. This indicates that it performs better in detecting trash in complex environments.

Functional differentiation and configurational improvement pathways of Production-Living-Ecological Spaces in rural counties of Southern Xinjiang

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.

Giant Anisotropy and High Second‐Order Nonlinearity of 3R‐MoS ₂ for Multifunctional Photonics

ABSTRACT The miniaturization of photonic circuits is impeded by the difficulty of combining active nonlinear frequency conversion with passive subdiffractional light guiding. Here, we establish a rhombohedral 3R‐polytype of MoS 2 (3R‐MoS 2 ) as a multifunctional platform resolving this challenge. Unlike its centrosymmetric 2H counterpart, 3R‐MoS 2 preserves broken inversion symmetry in the bulk, enabling scalable second‐order nonlinearity. Challenging the assumption of identical linear properties between polytypes, we reveal that 3R‐MoS 2 not only possesses a giant optical anisotropy similar to 2H, but also exceeds it. By determining the full dielectric tensor, we demonstrate that this anisotropy enables extreme skin‐depth (e‐skid) waveguides capable of subdiffractional light confinement, achieving mode sizes nearly 20% below the diffraction limit. Furthermore, we harness the combination of our measured giant in‐plane refractive index and high optical nonlinearity to tune the Fabry–Pérot (FP) resonator and enhance second‐harmonic (SH) generation at a given wavelength, yielding an effective nonlinear response of 1.2 nm/V. These findings bridge the gap between active and passive functionalities, positioning 3R‐MoS 2 as a solution for high‐density multifunctional nanophotonic integration.

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

Engineering Function‐Reversal Sacrificial Sites for Selective Volatile Aromatic Hydrocarbons Detection in Complex Environments

ABSTRACT Accurately monitoring carcinogenic volatile aromatic hydrocarbons (BTXs) is crucial for assessing air‐qualities and danger‐classes in specific occasions, However, it remains challenging to conduct highly selective identification of them in complex environments. Here, we have developed a gas‐shunting strategy by installing function‐reversal ZnO materials into Ir‐WO 3 supports to diminish interference‐gas responses and guide special aromatic hydrocarbons sensing. We find that ZnO materials can serve as reactively sacrificial sites for small‐molecule H 2 S and CO and induce main aromatic hydrocarbons reactants into Ir‐WO 3 supports. This gas‐shunting route guarantees highly‐selective aromatic hydrocarbons sensing even in dual/ternary gas mixtures. Through integrating functional‐opposite sensors into a system, the final sensing arrays achieve 100% classification accuracy for 10 single gases and 75 multi‐compose gases with low training costs. In addition, we also show an autonomic “cruise‐detection” system by equipping sensor arrays into robotic dog to accurately identify complex gases. Our findings emphasize sensors designs with selective features and may broaden integrated sensing‐system analysis in complex environment.

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.