Browse Articles

Construction of a prognostic risk model for acute myeloid leukemia based on exosomal genes and analysis of immune microenvironment characteristics

Fatty acid-binding proteins as potential biomarkers for human cancer prognosis

Subtalar joint kinematics defined by a rotational axis translating along the posterior talocalcaneal facet

Abstract The subtalar joint is essential for the normal function of the human foot during bipedal walking, with its kinematics being pivotal for understanding foot biomechanics, disorders, and evolution. Traditionally, the helical axis representation has been used to assess subtalar joint movement, assuming translational motion along the rotational axis. However, recent observations challenge this assumption, revealing predominantly mediolateral translation during walking. To address this discrepancy, we propose a novel method that combines a rotational axis representation with a translational axis aligned parallel to the cylindrical axis of the subtalar joint’s posterior facet. Utilizing human cadaveric lower legs, we quantified subtalar joint motion through CT scan analysis. Comparative evaluations between the conventional helical axis representation and the newly proposed cylindrical axis-based representation revealed a closer correspondence between calcaneus movement and the cylindrical axis, emphasizing the pivotal role of posterior facet morphology in subtalar joint kinematics. This innovative approach provides a more intuitive and clinically useful depiction of subtalar joint biomechanics, potentially leading to deeper insights into fundamental biomechanics and function of the human foot, and improved clinical assessment and treatment strategies for subtalar joint-related pathologies.

Gang‐Wei Wang

Inspiratory muscle weakness further impairs exercise capacity and respiratory functions and increases dyspnea perception in patients with heart failure

Harnessing attention-driven hybrid deep learning with combined feature representation for precise sign language recognition to aid deaf and speech-impaired people

Highly Structure‐Selective On‐Surface Synthesis of Isokekulene Versus Kekulene

Abstract The role of different facets of metal nanoparticles in steering reaction pathways is crucial for the design of heterogeneous catalysts with superior selectivity. As a prominent class of reactions, transition‐metal‐catalyzed carbon‐hydrogen (C─H) bond activation is widely used for the synthesis of base chemicals, modern organic materials, and pharmaceuticals. Here, we report orthogonal selectivity in intramolecular cyclodehydrogenation of a nonplanar cyclic precursor steered by different facets of a copper single crystal. On the Cu(110) surface, the previously unknown cycloarene isokekulene forms with a high selectivity of 92%, whereas reaction on the Cu(111) surface exclusively yields kekulene (>99%). Combining scanning tunneling microscopy with CO‐functionalized tips and density functional theory, we identify two adsorption geometries of the precursor, which react to the respective products. Isokekulene adopts two nonplanar adsorption configurations and exhibits strong molecule‐substrate interactions, explaining its preferential formation on Cu(110). This combined in‐solution and on‐surface synthesis approach represents an alternative route for the highly selective synthesis of molecules that are challenging to synthesize and process via conventional methods.

Effect of dendritic structure on the filtration performance of fibrous media during dust loading by CFD-DEM

Condition monitoring and fault diagnosis of power transformer based on non-invasive measurement

Abstract In modern power systems, it is crucial to monitor and detect internal faults in power transformers promptly and accurately to ensure reliability and prevent disruptions. Failure to identify these faults promptly can reduce the transformer’s lifespan, cause system disconnection, and compromise network stability. This paper introduces an innovative method for the discrimination, classification, and localization of internal short-circuit faults in power transformers, with a focus on three types of winding faults: turn-to-turn fault, series short circuits, and shunt short circuits. The proposed method introduces an online detection scheme utilizing the ΔV-Iin locus diagram, which leverages existing measurement devices without requiring additional hardware. A comprehensive winding model was developed in MATLAB to simulate insulation failures, and the method also analyzes the effects of faults and harmonic distortions on transformer performance. Features for fault discrimination and localization are derived from the ΔV-Iin locus and calculated using the practical design specifications of three power transformer models with capacities of 3 MVA, 5 MVA, and 7 MVA, operating at 50 Hz in a three-phase configuration. Experimental results on the 3 MVA transformer demonstrate that the formulated identifier efficiently detected all three types of insulation breakdown with an accuracy of 98.51%. Additionally, the fault localization algorithm achieved a fault location accuracy of approximately 93.28%. The findings indicate that the proposed approach is a robust and reliable tool for assessing the condition of power transformers.

Enhanced Nonlinear Optical Response and Self‐Powered CPL Detection in Unique Triangular–Tetrahedral Chiral Copper(I) Halides

Abstract The low‐coordination polyhedral architecture of Cu(I)‐based chiral metal halides induces significant structural distortions, endowing these materials with remarkable circularly polarized light (CPL) activity and exceptional nonlinear optical (NLO) performance. However, achieving highly selective CPL detection with large dissymmetry factors ( g lum ) in Cu(I)‐based chiral metal halides remains a significant challenge. Herein, we prepared 1D chiral ( R / S )‐MPZCu 2 Cl 4 (where MPZ is 2‐methylpiperazine) halides with the unique triangular–tetrahedral configuration in the noncentrosymmetric cubic P 1 2 11 space group, resulting in substantial structural distortions, which significantly impact nonlinear susceptibility. Consequently, ( R )‐MPZCu 2 Cl 4 halide exhibits efficient second harmonic generation (SHG), which is 7.29 times as high as that of KH 2 PO 4 . Additionally, ( R )‐MPZCu 2 Cl 4 halide also exhibits remarkable third harmonic generation (THG) response, and g THG‐CD is as high as +0.309, which is the first demonstration of THG‐based CPL detection in Cu(I)‐based metal halides. The self‐powered CPL photodetectors based on ( R / S )‐MPZCu 2 Cl 4 show high CPL distinguishability at 0 V and further achieve self‐powered X‐ray detection with excellent low‐dose detection and radiation resistance. Our study provides valuable insights into the structure–performance relationship in chiral organic–inorganic hybrid Cu(I) halides, paving the way for next‐generation multifunctional optoelectronic devices.

Astaxanthin mitigates cardiac toxicity induced via doxorubicin by alleviating mitochondrial fission and autophagy in rats

Green synthesis of strontium stannate nanorods using extract of Juniperus communis L.: Structural characterization and evaluation of antibacterial, antifungal, and antioxidant activity

Engineered Nanofluidics for Molecular Recognition and Physical Perception

Abstract Nanofluidics has garnered significant attention as the ultra‐sensitive method for molecular recognition and physical perception that are not easily accessible through the traditional methods. The development of nanofluidic devices necessitates the integrated solid‐state nanochannels/nanopores with versatile surface modification strategies using precise nanofabrication techniques. This review systematically summarizes the development of the solid‐state nanochannels and nanopores, nanofabrication methods, sensing principles, transport characteristics, and the strategies employed to perceive molecules and physical stimuli. The discussion also emphasizes promising research directions and explores how the interaction between interface chemistry influenced by molecular recognition and physical stimuli, in conjunction with the exceptional ion transport properties of nanofluidic devices, significantly impacts the sensing performance of the nanofluidics. Lastly, we present the vision for the future prospects of biomimetic nanofluidic devices in ionic sensing applications.

Novel dataset and model for restroom sound event classification

Abstract This study presents a novel privacy-preserving deep learning framework for accurately classifying fine-grained hygiene and water-usage events in restroom environments. Leveraging a comprehensive, curated dataset comprising approximately 460 min of stereo audio recordings from five acoustically diverse bathrooms, our method robustly identifies 11 distinct events, including nuanced variations in faucet counts and flow rates, toilet flushing, and handwashing activities. Stereo audio inputs were transformed into triple-channel Mel spectrograms using an adaptive one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN), dynamically synthesizing spatial cues to enhance discriminative power. Extensive experimentation identified the RegNetY-008 architecture as the most effective backbone, further improved by employing a semi-supervised learning strategy via pseudo-labeling and targeted data augmentation techniques such as XY masking and horizontal CutMix. The proposed ensemble model, combining RegNetY-008 networks with complementary third-channel generation strategies, achieved outstanding generalization performance, yielding an accuracy of 97.8% and macro-averaged F1-score of 0.966 across acoustically distinct test environments. Our publicly available dataset addresses critical gaps in existing resources, promoting future research in intelligent, privacy-conscious restroom monitoring

Pharmacokinetic analysis of selective TRPV2 inhibitor SET2 in rats

Cortico-subcortical converging organization at rest

Abstract Local segregation and global integration are the fundamnetal organizational principles of human brain. It is unknown how subcortex configures itself with respect to the segregation and integration dynamics at rest. Using resting state functional MRI data of 92 healthy adult participants, we revealed three non-overlapping segregated communities in subcortex, confining anatomically to thalamus, basal ganglia, and subcortical limbic structures, termed as subcortical networks. Further using network science, we analysed the topology of subcortex and found about 80% of subcortical regions acting as hubs, connecting with other cortical as well as subcortical communities. Next, using statistical modelling, we determined the role of subcortex (both at region-level and network-level) in cortical information integration and found multiple, widespread cortical regions (networks) converging onto individual subcortical regions (networks) (a many-to-one mapping). Individual subcortical networks showed varied extent of convergence, broadly from primary and association networks in cortex. We found functional diversity of cortex to be the major driving factor behind cortical convergence within subcortex and that the absence of subcortical regions significantly impacted the information transmission efficiency within the cortico-subcortical converging organization. Overall, our results provide insights into the subcortical organization at rest and underscore the subcortical contributions in shaping the large-scale brain dynamics.

Gender-specific factors affecting changes in physical function among older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract This longitudinal study investigated gender-specific factors associated with changes in physical function among community-dwelling older adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the impact of behavioral restrictions on older adults has been previously studied, few studies have examined individual-level longitudinal changes, especially with a focus on gender differences. A total of 242 older adults in Japan (111 men and 131 women) were followed from 2019 to 2021. Physical function was assessed using the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test and 5-m habitual walking speed. Associations between individual characteristics—such as education level (years), economic status, daily activity levels, and living arrangement—and changes in physical function were examined using linear mixed-effects models, adjusting for age, education level (years), economic status, and living arrangement. The results showed that among men, having less than 12 years of education level (years) and a higher pre-pandemic leisure activity score were significantly associated with a decline in TUG performance. Among women, living alone was associated with improved 5-m walking speed. These findings indicate that physical function changes during the pandemic varied by gender and were influenced by individual-level factors. The results highlight the importance of developing gender-sensitive and context-specific strategies to support older adults in maintaining physical function during public health emergencies.

Clarifying the role of SONIA: supporting academic evidence on CDK4/6 inhibitor timing

Visual motion thresholds mapped to midget and parasol ganglion cell topography in the human retina

Abstract Motion in visual images can be described in terms of changes in phases of Fourier components (phase cues), or displacements in the position of specific features (position cues) over time. Human observers are able to perceive motion using both cues, where perceived direction of motion is biased in favour of phase cues at higher spatial and temporal frequencies, and in favour of position cues at lower spatial and temporal frequencies. This suggests the existence of separable mechanisms for processing phase and position cues. We propose that these mechanisms receive separate inputs from the parasol (magnocellular) and midget (parvocellular) retinal ganglion cells. Using two-frame apparent motion Gabor stimuli that isolated phase and position cues, we measured displacement thresholds for motion direction discrimination across the visual field (from 0 to 15 degrees eccentricity) for 7 observers. Thresholds for positional displacements decreased significantly more steeply with eccentricity than those for phase displacements, mirroring precisely the decline with increasing eccentricity of the linear densities of the midget and parasol retinal ganglion cell populations respectively. These results suggest that the magnocellular and parvocellular visual pathways could constitute separable neural substrates for first-order (Fourier) and third-order (feature-tracking) motion perception.

Determination of Cd(II) and Zn(II) ions in honey samples by in-situ produced CO2-assisted dispersive micro solid phase based on covalent organic framework