Browse Articles

Research on factors influencing teaching staff’s continued use intention of AIGC tools: based on structural equation modeling and artificial neural networks

Continuous-surface 3D reconstruction from kilometer-range single-photon LiDAR using score-based priors

Abstract Three-dimensional (3D) imaging underpins applications ranging from autonomous navigation to defense and biomedicine, with single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) light detection and ranging (LiDAR) enabling fast, long-range, and photon-efficient depth sensing. In practice, reconstruction quality is constrained by limited sensor resolution, particularly in the short- and medium-wave infrared, as well as sensor dark counts, background illumination, atmospheric effects, and motion. We introduce a unified framework for continuous-surface 3D scene representation that integrates multimodal sensing with score-based priors on latent variables. The proposed approach models scenes using a parametric continuous surface, enabling robust rendering at arbitrary spatial resolutions, even in the presence of multiple depth layers allowing imaging through camouflage. We demonstrate capabilities including data compression, targeted high-resolution rendering, and guided super-resolution of dynamic 3D videos. Validated across multiple sensing scenarios using diverse off-the-shelf priors, this framework enables compressed, high-fidelity 3D imaging in real-world environments.

Research on spatial motion distance features of human body joint points based on dual-video acquisition experimental environment

Exploring effects on motor skills of the ball-based play in preschools intervention, a stepped wedge case-controlled pilot study

Physiological and histopathological responses of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus to ammonia exposure at varying thermal regimes

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of ammonia exposure on the physiological responses, vitality, and histopathology of Pangasianodon hypophthalmus at two temperatures. A 2 × 2 factorial design was applied using two total ammonia nitrogen (TAN) levels (0 and 10 mg/L) and two temperature regimes (28 °C and 32 °C) over a 4-week period. At the end of the experiment, clinical signs, histopathology, hematology, stress indicators (glucose and cortisol), liver function enzymes, and oxidative stress markers (malondialdehyde levels and antioxidant enzymes) were assessed. Fish exposed to 10 mg/L TAN at 32 °C exhibited severe clinical signs, including dermal erosion, muscle necrosis, and respiratory distress. Ammonia exposure at 32 °C significantly reduced red blood cell (RBC) counts, hemoglobin, and hematocrit. Furthermore, elevated temperatures exacerbated ammonia-induced stress, evidenced by significant increases in cortisol, blood glucose, and malondialdehyde levels, alongside altered liver and antioxidant enzyme activities. Histopathological analysis confirmed significant damage to the gill filaments, hepatopancreas, and renal tissues, with severity increasing alongside water temperature. These results indicate a synergistic effect between ammonia exposure and water temperatures, where higher temperatures reduce the threshold for ammonia tolerance, triggering respiratory distress, systemic oxidative stress, and metabolic failure. These findings underscore the critical need for strict water quality management in tropical aquaculture, particularly in regions like Egypt, as rising global temperatures due to climate change may transform currently sub-lethal ammonia levels into potent lethal stressor for P. hypophthalmus . However, the study is limited by controlled laboratory conditions and relatively short experimental duration, suggesting the need for long-term investigations.

Validation of the pediatric index of mortality 3 in a pediatric intensive care unit in Thailand: a prospective, single-center observational study

Abstract The Pediatric Index of Mortality 3 (PIM3) is a widely used severity-of-illness score. This study aimed to validate PIM3 performance in patients aged < 18 years admitted to a Thai pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). This prospective, single-center, observational study included patients aged < 18 years admitted to the PICU between April 1, 2024, and March 31, 2025. PIM3 performance was assessed using the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for discrimination. Calibration was primarily evaluated utilizing the Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test, and the standardized mortality ratio (SMR). A total of 617 patients were enrolled, with an observed mortality of 2.43% (15 deaths), lower than the PIM3-predicted mortality of 3.63%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.917 (95% CI 0.842–0.993). The Hosmer–Lemeshow goodness-of-fit test showed no statistically significant difference between observed and predicted mortality (χ² = 7.561; P  = 0.478). The standardized mortality ratio was 0.67 (95% CI 0.37–1.11). In this single-center cohort with a low mortality event count, PIM3 demonstrated good discrimination and acceptable calibration, although the SMR suggested a non-statistically significant trend toward overpredicting mortality.

Fluvoxamine combined with lenvatinib enhances anti-hepatocellular carcinoma immunity by promoting M1 macrophage and T-cell infiltration

Gaussian splashing enables direct volumetric rendering underwater

Differentiation-coupled formation of core clock protein interactions in mouse embryonic stem cells

Widespread ecosystem effects of an extreme fresh pulse event in a temperate marine ecosystem

Abstract Extreme climate events are becoming more frequent and intense under climate change, but their impacts on marine food webs are not well understood. In the North Atlantic, salinity anomalies over decadal timescales have been well studied, but extreme freshening has been observed in recent years at a magnitude far greater than prior measurements. Further, short-term fresh pulses and their ecological effects are poorly understood. We integrate recent monitoring data from the New York Bight with long-term datasets to document the ecosystem impacts of a short-term fresh pulse which influenced this region from September 2023 to September 2024. Mean surface salinity in this region was lower from February through August than in any other year of observation in a 30-year dataset, with salinity anomalies of -0.80 to -1.43 psu (mean − 1.13 psu). Profound ecosystem impacts of this event were observed throughout the food web. We observed aragonite saturation levels below 1, reflecting corrosive conditions for calcifying organisms. Elevated densities of key copepods occurred in spring and summer, while fish and invertebrates showed marked equatorward shifts in a reversal of recent poleward trends. Humpback whale body condition and residence time were unusually high. Anomalously high sightings rates of endangered North Atlantic right and sei whales occurred during a particularly fresh period in summer. Our findings address a gap in knowledge regarding the ecological impacts of fresh pulses, and portend widespread impacts of these events under continued climate change with implications for commercial and protected species.

Explainable AI-based optimization framework for sustainable fly ash concrete design

Comparison of serum irisin and leptin levels in obese and non-obese women with polycystic ovary syndrome

An enhanced multi-strategy educational competition optimizer for numerical optimization

Rethinking water governance through indigenous systems: A comparative assessment of qanat and well irrigation productivity in Sabzevar County, Iran

Abstract This study investigates the relationship between water governance and agricultural water productivity in two irrigation systems, qanat and well-based farming, in Sabzevar County, Iran. The study is based on cross-sectional field survey data collected from 202 farmers using a structured questionnaire grounded in internationally recognized water governance frameworks. A multistage random sampling approach was applied. Water governance was operationalized as a multidimensional index consisting of eight components. Physical water productivity (crop yield per cubic meter of water, kg·m⁻³) and economic water productivity (net economic return per cubic meter of water, IRR·m⁻³) were calculated for three major crops (wheat, barley, and cotton). Descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation analysis, Mann–Whitney U tests, and multiple linear regression models were employed for data analysis. The results show that overall water governance is at a moderate level, with relatively higher performance in consensus-building and responsibility, and lower performance in accountability, transparency, and equity-related dimensions. Water productivity was significantly higher in qanat-based systems compared to well-based systems for both physical and economic indicators, with larger differences observed in economic productivity. Correlation analysis indicates a positive association between water governance and water productivity, stronger for economic productivity ( r  = 0.258, p  < 0.01) than for physical productivity ( r  = 0.162, p  < 0.05). Regression results further confirm that governance is positively associated with economic water productivity after controlling for socio-economic and farm-level variables. The findings highlight the importance of strengthening formal water governance institutions, particularly in accountability, transparency, and equity, while leveraging existing social capital and traditional irrigation systems. Rehabilitation and sustainable management of qanat systems are suggested as complementary strategies for improving agricultural water efficiency and reducing pressure on groundwater resources. This study contributes to the literature by providing comparative empirical evidence on governance–productivity linkages in traditional and modern irrigation systems in arid regions.

Effect of magnesium supplementation on inflammatory factors and clinical outcomes of allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation in patients with acute leukemia receiving a neutropenic diet: a randomized clinical trial

The influence of chirality on the macroscopic behavior of multiferroic smectic phases

We study the influence of chirality on various types of multiferroic phases, which show simultaneously liquid crystalline order, as well as long range electric or magnetic order, including the possibilities of ferro, antiferro, and conical forms. The main focus is on the chiral ferroelectric smectic CF* phase. This includes a discussion of possible ground states, including defect phases not considered before. We present the macroscopic dynamics of the simplest possible ground state, namely a helix superposed on the ferroelectric structure of smectic CF with C1h symmetry, thus leading to triclinic C1 symmetry. A combination of linear irreversible thermodynamics and symmetry arguments is used to derive the resulting dynamic equations applicable at sufficiently low frequencies and long wavelengths. Specific for smectic CF*, when compared to CF, are, for example, static cross-coupling terms between layer compressions and spatial variations of the in-plane director. Correspondingly, we find in the dissipative domain several chiral contributions specific for CF*, when compared to nonchiral CF, including cross-coupling terms between layer compressions and gradients of the in-plane director. For various other types of chiral multiferroic smectic phases, we concentrate on the differences to their nonchiral analogs, including the McMillan phase, smectic CM, and the antiferroelectric smectic ZA phase. We point out that the chiralization of a ferromagnetic smectic A phase could lead to conical magnetism, a topic that is also of high current interest in solid state physics. Finally, we elucidate the significance of mesoscopic aspects in the dynamic equation for the displacement field across various multiferroic smectic phases.

Polaron transformed canonically consistent quantum master equation

A central challenge in the theory of open quantum systems is the development of theoretical frameworks capable of accurately describing large, strongly interacting quantum many-body systems in the regime of strong system–bath interaction. In this work, we take a step toward this goal by formulating a polaron-transformed version of the canonically consistent quantum master equation (CCQME) [T. Becker et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 129, 200403 (2022)]. The CCQME extends beyond standard weak-coupling approaches while retaining the same numerical complexity as conventional quantum master equations, thereby enabling the treatment of large quantum systems. The polaron transformation further enhances the accessible system–bath interaction strengths, allowing us to move from moderate to ultra-strong interaction regimes. We present a unified and transparent derivation of these two approaches and combine them to obtain the polaron-transformed CCQME. Applying our method to the paradigmatic spin–boson model, we find excellent agreement with numerically exact time-evolving matrix product operator simulations. Finally, we predict an initial-state-independent slowing down of thermalization in the strong-coupling regime of the spin-boson model.

The x-ray absorption spectrum of the propargyl radical C3H3●

We report a combined experimental and computational study of the near-edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectrum of the propargyl radical, C3H3●. As a central intermediate in the formation of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, the propargyl radical is a species of considerable relevance in combustion and astrochemistry and was here generated by pyrolysis from propargyl bromide. The NEXAFS spectrum shows a pronounced band at 282.2 eV corresponding to transitions from carbon 1s orbitals to singly occupied molecular orbitals. Ab initio calculations reveal that two transitions to the lowest-lying states 1 A12 and 2 A12, which take place from the C1s orbital of the two terminal carbon atoms, contribute to this band. In addition, a 420 meV spacing of the first band is visible and is assigned to a vibrational progression in the symmetric CH2 stretch. Transitions at higher energies are also described reasonably well by theory. The fragmentation pattern was investigated at the different resonant transitions and shows the cleavage of one as well as both C–C bonds.

Transient hydroperoxyalkyl intermediates (•QOOH) in isopentane oxidation. II. Isomer-resolved unimolecular dynamics

Transient carbon-centered hydroperoxyalkyl intermediates (•QOOH) in isopentane oxidation are characterized by their time- and energy-resolved unimolecular dissociation dynamics to hydroxyl (OH) and cyclic ether products. Two distinct •QOOH isomers are examined with radical sites at a primary carbon of one of the methyl groups (β-Me) or a secondary carbon (β-Et) of the ethyl group. Energy-dependent unimolecular rates are obtained from the time-dependent appearance of OH products for the two isomers and compared with statistical microcanonical rates computed using RRKM theory, including heavy-atom tunneling, based on high-level theoretical calculations. A benchmark-corrected approach is utilized to compute high-accuracy stationary-point energies, most importantly, transition-state barriers, for the •QOOH_Me and •QOOH_Et isomers in isopentane oxidation, building on higher-level reference calculations for the oxidation of ethane (C2H5O2) and propane (C3H7O2), respectively. The measured rates are compared with RRKM calculations incorporating the benchmark-corrected transition-state parameters, a vibrationally adiabatic multidimensional hindered-rotor treatment of key torsions, and quantum tunneling. Agreement between experiment and theory validates the statistical description and shows faster decay for •QOOH_Et due to its lower barrier. Both β-QOOH isomers decay almost exclusively to OH + cyclic ether products under the conditions studied.

Transient hydroperoxyalkyl intermediates (•QOOH) in isopentane oxidation. I. Conformer- and isomer-resolved infrared spectra

Transient carbon-centered hydroperoxyalkyl intermediates (•QOOH) in isopentane oxidation are characterized by infrared (IR) action spectroscopy under jet-cooled conditions with selective detection of hydroxyl (OH) radical products. Two distinct •QOOH isomers with radical sites at a primary carbon of one of the methyl groups (β-Me) or a secondary carbon (β-Et) of the ethyl group are identified by comparison with theoretically calculated IR absorption features for multiple conformers, including C–O, ethyl, and O–O torsions of the two isomers. A master-equation analysis is developed and utilized to explore the conformational cooling process and the resultant conformer population distributions of the two isomers. Most of the IR features observed, including those in the strong fundamental and first overtone OH stretch regions as well as weaker combination bands involving OH stretch with torsion or OOH bend, are in good accord with computed anharmonic frequencies for the most populated conformers of the •QOOH_Et isomer. Relatively weak IR features most evident in the fundamental and first overtone OH stretch regions are ascribed to multiple conformers of the less stable •QOOH_Me isomer, along with a weak feature that is uniquely attributed to a combination band involving asymmetric CH2 stretch and HCH bend of •QOOH_Me. The time- and energy-resolved unimolecular dynamics of the •QOOH_Et and •QOOH_Me isomers to OH radical products are reported in Paper II [Qian et al., J. Chem. Phys. 164, 244312 (2026)].