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23 pages, 774 KB

Open AccessArticle

BiMSGP: A Bidirectional Mamba-Based Model for Scalable and Accurate Genomic Prediction in Plants

by Qingjie Liu, Xinwei Yao, Jinyan Ma, Huilin Cheng, Huahao Zhou, Licong Ding, Songyang Huai and Xu Liu

Genes 2026, 17(9), 1156; https://doi.org/10.3390/genes17091156 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Accurate prediction of complex traits from high-dimensional genomic markers remains difficult in plant breeding. Linear models have limited capacity for non-linear interactions, and many deep learning models scale poorly on long marker sequences. This study introduces BiMSGP, a bidirectional Mamba-based model for [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Accurate prediction of complex traits from high-dimensional genomic markers remains difficult in plant breeding. Linear models have limited capacity for non-linear interactions, and many deep learning models scale poorly on long marker sequences. This study introduces BiMSGP, a bidirectional Mamba-based model for scalable genomic prediction. Methods: BiMSGP extends a selective state space model with forward and backward processing so that each marker can integrate sequence context from both directions while retaining linear computational complexity; this is a modeling device for long-range marker dependencies, not a demonstration of biological epistasis. Regression was evaluated on Wheat599, Wheat2000, and SoyBase, and classification on SoyBase, using 10-fold cross-validation with shared fold assignments and no inner validation split; the held-out fold was used for checkpoint selection, learning-rate adjustment, and reporting. Ablation studies compared bidirectional and unidirectional stacks and different depths. Exploratory paired tests of fold-wise PCC differences were used to distinguish numerical rank from a paired difference under this protocol. Results: Under the reported evaluation protocol, BiMSGP attained the numerically highest mean Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) in all four Wheat599 environments, six of eight Wheat2000 traits, and five of seven quantitative SoyBase traits. Several of these numerical ranks did not have exploratory

p_{t} < 0.05

against the strongest baseline; GBLUP had a higher mean PCC for SoyBase oil (

p_{t} = 0.025

). Shallow bidirectional designs had higher mean PCC than deeper and unidirectional variants on Wheat599 Environment 1. Training cost was higher than that of lightweight baselines on larger datasets, but inference remained in the millisecond range. Conclusions: Under this protocol, bidirectional selective state space modeling yielded competitive mean scores with a higher training cost than lightweight baselines. The scores are exploratory and may be optimistic; they are not unbiased estimates of generalization. Evaluation that separates model selection from assessment, and tests in independent populations, years, or environments, remains future work. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Application of Bioinformatics in Crop Genetic Improvement)

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20 pages, 4080 KB

Open AccessArticle

Genomic Characterization and Biotechnological Potential of a Skatole-Degrading Bacillus pumilus Strain hhy901 Isolated from Bovine Manure

by Zhonghao Wang, Wenjie Zhang, Weibing Zhang, Wei Zhang, Yulong Zhao, Feier Ren, Kaili Zhang, Jie Cheng, Jiajin Sun and Hongyan Hou

Curr. Issues Mol. Biol. 2026, 48(9), 964; https://doi.org/10.3390/cimb48090964 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Skatole (3-methylindole) is a primary malodorous compound emitted from livestock manure, posing significant challenges for odor control in intensive animal production. In this study, a skatole-degrading bacterial strain, designated hhy901, was isolated from fresh cattle manure and identified as Bacillus pumilus through polyphasic [...] Read more.

Skatole (3-methylindole) is a primary malodorous compound emitted from livestock manure, posing significant challenges for odor control in intensive animal production. In this study, a skatole-degrading bacterial strain, designated hhy901, was isolated from fresh cattle manure and identified as Bacillus pumilus through polyphasic taxonomy, including 16S rRNA and gyrB gene phylogeny, morphological characterization, biochemical profiling, and whole-cell fatty acid analysis. Under an initial skatole concentration of 100 mg/L in Bacillus liquid medium, strain hhy901 removed 87.2% of skatole within 96 h, as determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Whole-genome sequencing revealed a genome of approximately 3.60 Mb with a GC content of 41.91%, encoding 3564 predicted protein-coding genes. Functional genomic annotation identified 39 genes associated with xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism, including putative catechol dioxygenase, aldehyde dehydrogenase, and cytochrome P450 genes, which together suggest a potential skatole catabolic pathway. Furthermore, the genome harbored a broad repertoire of genes associated with resistance to heavy metals, disinfectants, and multiple antibiotic classes, indicating a potential for environmental stress adaptation. Virulence factor profiling predominantly identified genes related to nutrient acquisition and microbial competition, with only a single invasion-associated factor detected, suggesting a relatively low invasive pathogenic potential. However, the presence of multiple antimicrobial resistance determinants warrants cautious interpretation, and phenotypic validation of both degradation function and biosafety is required before environmental application. These results establish B. pumilus hhy901 as a promising microbial candidate for further development of bio-deodorization strategies in livestock production, pending functional and safety validation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bioinformatics Research in Bacterial Genomics, Metagenomics and Metatranscriptomics: 2nd Edition)

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20 pages, 1007 KB

Open AccessArticle

Time-Resolved UAV Multispectral Characterization of Cultivar-Dependent Yield Variation in Rice Under Planting-Density Treatments

by Jing Yang, Jian Liu, Xuetong Zhu, Yikai Ding, Mengya Li, Xin Lu, Xiuru Wu and Fei Zhao

Agronomy 2026, 16(18), 1855; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16181855 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

UAV multispectral imagery can support rice yield estimation, but spectral–yield relationships may change with cultivar and planting density. We evaluated three japonica rice cultivars under five planting-density treatments in a split-plot experiment and collected UAV multispectral imagery on 13 dates. We examined five [...] Read more.

UAV multispectral imagery can support rice yield estimation, but spectral–yield relationships may change with cultivar and planting density. We evaluated three japonica rice cultivars under five planting-density treatments in a split-plot experiment and collected UAV multispectral imagery on 13 dates. We examined five vegetation indices: NDVI, RVI, NDRE, OSAVI, and CLRE. Cultivar significantly affected grain yield and yield components. Planting density had no significant main effect, while the cultivar × density interaction was significant for grain yield. Spectral–yield correlations were strongest during 19–25 August, which broadly matched reproductive development based on field observations. NDRE and CLRE showed the most consistent associations. A four-index PLSR model using 19 August data achieved an outer-LOOCV R² of 0.773 and an RMSE of 530.28 kg ha⁻¹. Tuned RF gave comparable performance (R² = 0.783, RMSE = 518.60 kg ha⁻¹). Adjustment for cultivar, planting density, and block substantially reduced the pooled mid-August correlations. However, the four-index spectral set still improved prediction beyond cultivar, planting density, and their interaction. Grouped validation changed little when density levels or cultivar × density combinations were withheld, but performance declined sharply when an entire cultivar was excluded. These results show that mid-August UAV observations were informative in this experiment, but wider use will require validation across more cultivars, years, and sites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Precision and Digital Agriculture)

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20 pages, 17157 KB

Open AccessArticle

The Anatomy of Facial Muscles Revisited: High-Resolution Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Computed Tomography Studies on Body Donors

by Heiko Stark, Kenny Jandausch, Angelina Roth, Uta Biedermann, Martin Krämer, Jürgen R. Reichenbach, Rene Aschenbach, Gerd Fabian Volk, Martin S. Fischer and Orlando Guntinas-Lichius

J. Imaging 2026, 12(9), 459; https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging12090459 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

The facial muscles are crucial for nonverbal communication, physiological functions, and articulation. Unlike skeletal or masticatory muscles, they lack fascia, attach directly to the skin and function without joint-mediated movements or visual feedback. The aim of this study was to reconstruct the facial [...] Read more.

The facial muscles are crucial for nonverbal communication, physiological functions, and articulation. Unlike skeletal or masticatory muscles, they lack fascia, attach directly to the skin and function without joint-mediated movements or visual feedback. The aim of this study was to reconstruct the facial musculature using high-resolution computerised tomography (CT) and 3 Tesla magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) on 14 body donors, yielding segmented 3D datasets of the facial muscles, as well as bony and soft-tissue head structures. We hypothesise that the facial musculature comprises functional subunits with variable geometries that extend beyond classical anatomical definitions, with attachment points and three-dimensional positioning that differ from conventional descriptions. The most significant finding was that MRI could not resolve individual facial muscles as depicted in anatomical atlases. Instead, the musculature appeared as a single continuous sheet of muscle, embedded in fatty tissue and not attached to the bone. Whether the facial musculature is in fact continuous or consists of several muscles connected by connective tissue remains unclear. The difficulty of segmentation varied depending on the region; the zygomatic muscle was the easiest to separate, whilst the orbicularis oculi, frontalis and platysma muscles proved particularly difficult due to their thin, flat morphology. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Applications of Image and Video Processing in Medical Imaging)

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15 pages, 242 KB

Open AccessArticle

Negotiating Generative AI-Assisted Academic Writing: Student Perspectives on Authorship, Responsibility and Learning

by Christine Savvidou

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1568; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16091568 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in university students’ academic writing is challenging established understandings of authorship, academic integrity, and learning. The study investigated how undergraduates negotiate authorship, responsibility and learning within these emerging writing practices. The study used a qualitatively [...] Read more.

The increasing use of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in university students’ academic writing is challenging established understandings of authorship, academic integrity, and learning. The study investigated how undergraduates negotiate authorship, responsibility and learning within these emerging writing practices. The study used a qualitatively driven mixed-methods design with undergraduate students enrolled in two sections of an academic writing course at an English-medium university in Cyprus. Data comprised 55 written reflections on students’ use of GenAI while completing a research paper and 27 responses to an anonymous post-course questionnaire. Reflections were analysed using thematic analysis, with questionnaire data providing additional descriptive and contextual evidence. Findings indicate that students positioned GenAI as legitimate support for brainstorming, organising ideas, language refinement and feedback while resisting its use as a substitute for intellectual engagement. Students constructed authorship through human judgement, locating ownership in verification, evaluation, decision-making, and accountability rather than sole textual production. Ethical GenAI use emerged as boundary work distinguishing assistance from substitution, while meaningful learning was associated with maintaining cognitive ownership of the thinking underpinning academic work. These findings suggest that GenAI can be integrated into academic writing while students continue to locate authorship, ethical responsibility, and meaningful learning in human judgement and intellectual engagement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue AI-Driven English Teaching and Learning: Practices, Potentials, and Challenges)

18 pages, 1981 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Refined Model Considering Entrance Resistance for Two-Phase Spontaneous Imbibition in Nanopores

by Shixun Bai, Zejun Wang, Gang Bai and Fan Tong

Processes 2026, 14(18), 3008; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14183008 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Spontaneous imbibition is an important process in enhanced oil recovery, yet its accurate prediction in nanoscale pores remains a significant challenge due to the breakdown of continuum assumptions at the nanoscale. The classical Lucas-Washburn (L-W) equation, which suggests that imbibition length is proportional [...] Read more.

Spontaneous imbibition is an important process in enhanced oil recovery, yet its accurate prediction in nanoscale pores remains a significant challenge due to the breakdown of continuum assumptions at the nanoscale. The classical Lucas-Washburn (L-W) equation, which suggests that imbibition length is proportional to the square root of time, fails to capture the complex early-time dynamics in nanopores. Therefore, in this work, coarse-grained molecular dynamics simulations were employed to systematically investigate two-phase imbibition across a range of pore sizes (1.85–7 nm), fluid types (C4–C20 alkanes), and wettability conditions. The results reveal a distinct transition from continuum-dominated to molecularly dominated flow as pore size decreases, with anomalous kinetics that originate from molecular-scale interactions in sub-2-nm pores. A refined imbibition model is proposed that explicitly incorporates an entrance resistance term in addition to the capillary and viscous forces. This new model successfully resolves the overestimated initial velocity by the L-W equation, revealing a dual-regime physics, including an early-time, almost linear regime influenced by entrance resistance, followed by the classical late-time L-W regime. The model demonstrates excellent agreement with molecular dynamics data for mesoscopic nanopores (r ≥ 3.5 nm), validating its physical basis. Although the proposed model is still not predictive due to the implicit inclusion of imbibition rate in the derivision, the findings provide a robust theoretical foundation for describing imbibition in nanopores and highlight the critical need for molecular-scale approaches in extreme nanoconfinement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Application and Prospect of Multiphase Flow Technology in Oil and Gas Exploitation)

21 pages, 12474 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Resource Access to Capability Conversion: Education, Employment, and Access to Smart-City Resources in Relation to Quality of Life Among B40 Households in Greater Klang Valley, Malaysia

by Yifan Yang, Zhengyi Zhao, Lu Bai, Yanlin Liang, Paul Anthony Mariadas, Haiyang Jiang, Wei Zhang, Ruofan Zhao and Siti Nurul Munawwarah Roslan

Sustainability 2026, 18(18), 9650; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18189650 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study examined the associations among Education Affordability (EA), Job Opportunity (JO), Access to Smart-City Resources (ASR), and Quality of Life (QoL) among respondents from B40 households in Malaysia’s Greater Klang Valley. A cross-sectional, face-to-face survey was conducted in December 2024 using convenience [...] Read more.

This study examined the associations among Education Affordability (EA), Job Opportunity (JO), Access to Smart-City Resources (ASR), and Quality of Life (QoL) among respondents from B40 households in Malaysia’s Greater Klang Valley. A cross-sectional, face-to-face survey was conducted in December 2024 using convenience sampling. Of 400 completed questionnaires, nine respondents did not meet the eligibility criteria, yielding a final analytic sample of 391. Confirmatory factor analysis assessed the four-factor measurement model, and PROCESS Model 59 estimated direct, indirect, and conditional associations using HC3 heteroscedasticity-consistent standard errors and 5000 bootstrap samples. EA was positively associated with JO and QoL, while JO and ASR were positively associated with QoL. ASR was not significantly associated with JO, and the EA × ASR interaction in the JO equation was not statistically significant. The indirect association between EA and QoL through JO was supported at low, mean, and high ASR levels, while pairwise contrasts were not statistically significant. In the QoL equation, the EA × ASR interaction was statistically significant, whereas the JO × ASR interaction was not. Income vulnerability differentiated the separate EA–QoL, JO–QoL, and ASR–QoL associations, while neither three-way interaction was statistically significant. Overall, the findings identify Education Affordability, employment opportunity, and resident-facing smart-city resources as distinct but interconnected correlates of Quality of Life among B40 households. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Health, Well-Being and Sustainability)

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16 pages, 7668 KB

Open AccessArticle

Efficacy, Physiological Response, Flesh Quality and Carvacrol Residue of Oregano Essential Oil as Anesthetic for Spotted Sea Bass (Lateolabrax maculatus)

by Tian Wang, Chen Yao, Yongqiang Zhao, Hui Huang, Shuxian Hao, Yanyan Wu, Ya Wei and Jianwei Cen

Fishes 2026, 11(9), 556; https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes11090556 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Oregano essential oil (OEO) was tested as a natural botanical anesthetic for spotted sea bass (Lateolabrax maculatus) through a comprehensive evaluation of anesthetic efficacy, physiological homeostasis, tissue integrity, flesh texture and carvacrol residual dynamics. Gradient treatments (100–300 µL/L) revealed dose-dependent anesthetic [...] Read more.

Oregano essential oil (OEO) was tested as a natural botanical anesthetic for spotted sea bass (Lateolabrax maculatus) through a comprehensive evaluation of anesthetic efficacy, physiological homeostasis, tissue integrity, flesh texture and carvacrol residual dynamics. Gradient treatments (100–300 µL/L) revealed dose-dependent anesthetic performance, and 200 µL/L was validated as the optimal dosage, under which fish reached deep anesthesia within 3 min and regained normal swimming within 5 min, with zero mortality recorded 12 h post-anesthesia. Temporary stress and oxidative stress fluctuations occurred in serum biochemistry and antioxidant enzyme profiles, which approached control levels after 12 h depuration. Only slight histological changes appeared in liver and gill tissues without permanent pathological damage. Minor declines in partial texture attributes recovered completely within 12 h, whereas other muscle quality indicators remained unaffected. Carvacrol was detected in muscle immediately after OEO anesthesia but was below the detection limit at all subsequent sampling times. Functioning as an efficient natural anesthetic with minimal physiological disturbance, OEO shows potential as an alternative to synthetic anesthetics for spotted sea bass live transportation and delivers dependable technical guidance for aquaculture production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Use of Essential Oils in Aquaculture)

21 pages, 629 KB

Open AccessArticle

Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Tax Intensification, Beverage Affordability, and Food-Security Safeguards: Global Evidence from 2022–2024

by İbrahim Olgun and Musa Gün

Foods 2026, 15(18), 3343; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15183343 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes aim to discourage unhealthy consumption, but their implications for broader food affordability also need monitoring. We examine whether changes in SSB excise-tax shares between 2022 and 2024 were associated with beverage affordability, healthy-diet affordability, and food insecurity. The analysis [...] Read more.

Sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) taxes aim to discourage unhealthy consumption, but their implications for broader food affordability also need monitoring. We examine whether changes in SSB excise-tax shares between 2022 and 2024 were associated with beverage affordability, healthy-diet affordability, and food insecurity. The analysis links WHO beverage-tax data with FAO food-system indicators and World Bank controls. First-difference models include 83–113 countries, depending on the outcome, with adjustment for multiple testing. A one-percentage-point increase in excise share was associated with a 0.0023-log-point change in SSB income burden (95% confidence interval −0.0349 to 0.0395). This estimate is small and imprecise. The PPP-price association depends on an anomalous source record, while the three food-system outcomes show no statistically precise associations after multiplicity adjustment. Because food insecurity is measured over overlapping three-year windows, it serves as a contextual indicator. The findings establish neither that tax intensification is ineffective nor that adverse food-system effects are absent. They support joint monitoring of beverage affordability and food access and identify a need for longer panels and household-level evidence. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Food Security Insights: Policy, Consumer Behavior, and Food System Sustainability)

18 pages, 828 KB

Open AccessArticle

Optimization of Sugar-Substituted Strawberry Preserve Formulation via Back-Propagation Neural Network

by Qing Gao, Nanxin Wang, Yutian Wang, Shuxin Ye and Jinsong He

Foods 2026, 15(18), 3342; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods15183342 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Single-factor experiments were conducted with sensory score set as the evaluation index to investigate individual effects of sugar substitution dosage, mass ratio of xylitol (Xyl) to isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO), and osmotic soaking duration on the comprehensive quality of low-sugar strawberry preserves. Box–Behnken design (BBD)-based [...] Read more.

Single-factor experiments were conducted with sensory score set as the evaluation index to investigate individual effects of sugar substitution dosage, mass ratio of xylitol (Xyl) to isomaltooligosaccharide (IMO), and osmotic soaking duration on the comprehensive quality of low-sugar strawberry preserves. Box–Behnken design (BBD)-based response surface methodology (RSM) and back-propagation neural network (BPNN) models were subsequently established for parallel process optimization and comparative modeling analysis based on single-factor experimental datasets. Physicochemical indicators including total sugar, titratable acidity, total flavonoids, total phenolics, chromatic aberration, moisture content and water activity of low-sugar strawberry preserves manufactured under optimized technological parameters were determined and systematically compared with those of sucrose-controlled counterparts. The RSM and BPNN models predicted maximum sensory scores of 81.62 and 82.62, respectively. Experimental verification conducted under the practically adjusted optimal conditions derived from the RSM and BPNN models yielded sensory scores of 81.63 and 82.72, respectively, with the BPNN-derived condition achieving a higher verified sensory score than the RSM-derived condition. Based on these results, the optimal processing parameters were determined as a 40% (w/w) addition amount of compound sugar substitute, a Xyl/IMO mass ratio of 1.5, and a soaking time of 5.5 h. Lower total sugar and titratable acidity, yet higher contents of total phenolics and flavonoids, were detected in sugar-substituted strawberry preserves in comparison with sucrose-preserved samples. Meanwhile, stronger red–yellow chromaticity was observed in sucrose-based preserves, while sugar-substituted products delivered higher lightness. Superior predictive capacity of the BPNN model to RSM was validated in the formulation optimization of strawberry preserves. Our experimental findings show that partially replacing sucrose with functional sweeteners improves the nutritional attributes of fruit preserves without impairing their sensory acceptability. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Food Engineering and Technology)

24 pages, 24243 KB

Open AccessArticle

Impact of Climate Change on the Spatial Dynamics of Habitats Suitable for the Genus Clusia L. in Peru

by Dennis Cieza-Tarrillo, Jim J. Villena-Velásquez, Neiser Vergara-Yrigoin, José I. Pomiano-Mendoza, Jeiner O. Rafael-Abanto, Sivmny V. Valqui-Reina, Sandy Chapa-Gonza, Carlos Culqui-Arce and Alex J. Vergara

Forests 2026, 17(9), 1126; https://doi.org/10.3390/f17091126 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Climate change is expected to reshape the climatic suitability of Neotropical plant taxa, particularly in topographically complex regions such as the tropical Andes, yet no nationwide assessment exists for the genus Clusia L. (Clusiaceae) in Peru. We modeled its current and future potential [...] Read more.

Climate change is expected to reshape the climatic suitability of Neotropical plant taxa, particularly in topographically complex regions such as the tropical Andes, yet no nationwide assessment exists for the genus Clusia L. (Clusiaceae) in Peru. We modeled its current and future potential distribution using MaxEnt, based on 245 spatially thinned occurrence records (GBIF) and bioclimatic variables from WorldClim 2.1 selected through Pearson correlation and variance inflation factor filtering. Model complexity was tuned with ENMeval using spatial block cross-validation, and future projections were generated under the SSP2-4.5 and SSP5-8.5 scenarios for 2041–2060, 2061–2080, and 2081–2100 across three Global Climate Models. The model showed acceptable, stable performance (training AUC = 0.824, test AUC = 0.825), with elevation and precipitation seasonality (Bio15) as the leading predictors, together with Bio19 and Bio3 accounting for over 80% of the total contribution. Currently, only 16.61% of Peru is climatically suitable (medium–high) for the genus, concentrated discontinuously along Andean slopes and inter-Andean valleys. Both future scenarios project progressive contraction and fragmentation of suitable habitat, most severe under SSP5-8.5, where high-loss areas reach 50.43% of the evaluated territory by 2081–2100; these projections should be interpreted as plausible scenarios rather than validated forecasts, given the absence of independent data for future periods. Habitat gains were restricted to higher elevations, consistent with an altitudinal range shift. These results provide a coarse-scale spatial baseline that highlights broad patterns of climatic vulnerability for the genus, intended to guide exploratory conservation attention and future species-level research in the Andean region, rather than site-specific management decisions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Dynamics and Resilience: Monitoring, Assessment and Early Warning Under Global Change)

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13 pages, 1741 KB

Open AccessArticle

Tunable Chiral Spectral Responses of Incommensurate Twisted Bilayer Photonic Crystals

by Hyundong Kim, Dowoon Kim and You-Shin No

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(18), 9360; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16189360 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Recently, twisted bilayer photonic crystals (TBPhCs) have been used as moiré-based optical platforms, supporting twist-tunable chiroptical and polarization-dependent responses. A periodic moiré supercell exists only for commensurate twist angles, whereas conventional supercell approaches are not directly applicable to incommensurate structures. Here, we numerically [...] Read more.

Recently, twisted bilayer photonic crystals (TBPhCs) have been used as moiré-based optical platforms, supporting twist-tunable chiroptical and polarization-dependent responses. A periodic moiré supercell exists only for commensurate twist angles, whereas conventional supercell approaches are not directly applicable to incommensurate structures. Here, we numerically investigate the chiroptical response of dielectric TBPhCs using rigorous coupled-wave analysis 4D (RCWA4D), which treats the reciprocal lattice of each layer independently without constructing a common moiré supercell. We analyze the transmittance spectra under normally incident circularly polarized light while varying the air-hole radius and twist angle. A finite relative twist produces distinct resonant responses for right- and left-circularly polarized incidence, giving rise to circular dichroism (CD). Varying the air-hole radius redistributes the CD features across the resonance spectrum and enhances the integrated absolute CD at a specific geometry. For this geometry, a continuous twist-angle sweep reveals the evolution of positive and negative CD features over the wavelength–angle parameter space, which enables the identification of favorable twist conditions for enhanced circular-polarization contrast. These results demonstrate the applicability of RCWA4D for systematically studying the chiroptical and twist-angle-dependent properties of TBPhCs, including incommensurate configurations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Nanotechnology and Applied Nanosciences)

22 pages, 1745 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Emergency Governance Capacity for Wind–Sand Hazards on Desert Expressways Using a Scenario-Based Dynamic BWM-TOPSIS Weighting Model: A Case Study of the G30 Lianhuo Expressway in Xinjiang, China

by Xiaodong Liu, Wuping Ran, Jing Zhang, Long Cheng, Zulyaiga Sabir, Maimaitiaili Maturing, Yao Wang and Tao Sun

Infrastructures 2026, 11(9), 336; https://doi.org/10.3390/infrastructures11090336 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Fixed indicator weights cannot fully capture changes in governance priorities as wind–sand hazards intensify. Using the Xinjiang section of the G30 Lianhuo Expressway as a case study, this study classified wind–sand events into three scenarios: warning and restricted traffic, high-risk traffic control and [...] Read more.

Fixed indicator weights cannot fully capture changes in governance priorities as wind–sand hazards intensify. Using the Xinjiang section of the G30 Lianhuo Expressway as a case study, this study classified wind–sand events into three scenarios: warning and restricted traffic, high-risk traffic control and diversion, and extreme conditions with comprehensive rescue. A five-dimensional evaluation system containing 15 indicators was established. Scenario-specific weights were determined using the Best–Worst Method, while TOPSIS was applied to evaluate governance performance based on objective response records and independent text coding. The dominant dimensions across the three scenarios were risk monitoring and early warning, decision activation and traffic control, and rescue resources and coordination, with weights of 0.356, 0.392, and 0.421, respectively. The corresponding closeness coefficients were 0.577, 0.667, and 0.733. As hazard severity increased, governance priorities shifted from risk communication to traffic diversion, interdepartmental coordination, evacuation, medical assistance, and support for vulnerable groups. Compared with the fixed-weight model, the dynamic model improved the closeness coefficients by 0.029, 0.064, and 0.092. The results show that scenario-specific weighting can support staged response, resource allocation, and human safety protection on desert expressways. Full article

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30 pages, 1544 KB

Open AccessArticle

Repeated-Voyage Measurement of Cellular–GEO Satellite Complementarity and Buffering Implications for Maritime IoT Backhaul

by Hyounhee Koo, Changho Ryoo and Jaeseung Song

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(18), 9361; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16189361 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Reliable ship-to-shore backhaul is essential for maritime Internet of Things (IoT) data delivery, yet cellular and satellite connectivity varies by route, operating phase, and qualification criterion. This study analyses 606,625 georeferenced monitoring records collected during a nine-month, 12-voyage campaign aboard a container ship [...] Read more.

Reliable ship-to-shore backhaul is essential for maritime Internet of Things (IoT) data delivery, yet cellular and satellite connectivity varies by route, operating phase, and qualification criterion. This study analyses 606,625 georeferenced monitoring records collected during a nine-month, 12-voyage campaign aboard a container ship operating between Korea and Southeast Asia, with the cellular–geostationary Earth orbit (GEO) satellite analysis limited to the period of active very small aperture terminal (VSAT) service. During sailing, cellular attachment was reported for 70.3% of valid cellular state records, but only 28.0% satisfied the adopted technology-specific received power criteria, with leg-level qualified fractions ranging from 77.1% (Incheon–Busan) to 17.3% (Shanghai–Ho Chi Minh). Within the joint-analysis window, either the cellular criterion was satisfied or a valid GEO probe response was observed in 99.4% of records, although the residual gap reached 3.1% on Laem Chabang–Ho Chi Minh. Under retrospective cellular-first allocation, raising the candidate VSAT signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) threshold from 6 to 7 dB increased the store-and-forward share from 6.7% to 25.7% without reducing the median round-trip time (RTT) of the retained GEO records, and the longest buffered interval grew from 2.02 to 9.86 h. These results show that route segment, operating phase, state definition, and threshold selection materially influence link allocation and buffering implications; live traffic steering and application-level availability were not evaluated. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Internet of Things (IoT) and Its Application in Monitoring: 2nd Edition)

33 pages, 12569 KB

Open AccessArticle

Vision-Based Structural Health Monitoring of Catenary Components in UAV Inspections via Mask-Guided Asymmetrical Flow

by Qiaolu Wang, Haitao Lan, Tianyu Zhou, Ning Ma, Haonan Yang and Jingke Yan

Biomimetics 2026, 11(9), 679; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomimetics11090679 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Automated vision-based structural health monitoring (SHM) of catenary support components is critical for ensuring railway operational safety. However, achieving reliable structural damage identification in practical engineering scenarios is hindered by complex environmental and operational variations (EOVs) in aerial imagery, the multi-scale nature of [...] Read more.

Automated vision-based structural health monitoring (SHM) of catenary support components is critical for ensuring railway operational safety. However, achieving reliable structural damage identification in practical engineering scenarios is hindered by complex environmental and operational variations (EOVs) in aerial imagery, the multi-scale nature of structural degradation, and the scarcity of damage samples. To address these SHM challenges, this paper proposes a high-precision unsupervised damage detection framework named Mask-Guided Asymmetrical Flow (MGAF). First, to mitigate the impact of EOVs, a SAM-guided preprocessing strategy is introduced to explicitly suppress background interference and extract effective structural Regions of Interest (ROIs). Second, an Asymmetrical Parallel Flow architecture is designed to balance damage detection sensitivity and processing latency. By optimizing the flow depth for high-resolution features, this architecture prevents overfitting to high-frequency environmental noise while preserving deep semantic information. Furthermore, a Cross-Scale Feature Fusion (CSFF) module is developed to enhance the detection capability for early-stage structural damages (e.g., fatigue micro-cracks and fastener looseness) by integrating global structural semantics with local textural damage indicators. Finally, a Morphological Edge Suppression (MES) mechanism is employed to eliminate boundary artifacts, thereby reducing the false alarm rate in pixel-level damage localization. Extensive experiments on the self-constructed CSCUD dataset demonstrate that the proposed system achieves competitive anomaly detection performance compared with representative unsupervised methods with an Image-level AUROC of 98.9% and a Pixel-level AP of 40.1%. During online inference, MGAF achieves a processing time of 0.077 s per frame on an NVIDIA RTX 4090 GPU, excluding the offline GSI-Net localization and SAM-based structural ROI extraction stages. This demonstrates the efficiency of the proposed anomaly detection module for practical railway inspection scenarios. Additional experiments on selected categories from the MVTec AD benchmark provide preliminary evidence of the transferability of MGAF to visually similar industrial anomaly detection scenarios. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Bio-Inspired Intelligent Sensing, Fault Diagnosis and Health Management for Complex Engineering Systems)

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30 pages, 5735 KB

Open AccessArticle

Three-Dimensional Helicoidal Antennas for Near-Field Communication Wireless Charging in Smart Ring Applications: Design, Modelling, and Comparison to Representative Planar Reference Antennas

by Lilian Rolle, Thibaut Deleruyelle, Alain Loussert and Jérémy Quignon

Electronics 2026, 15(18), 4321; https://doi.org/10.3390/electronics15184321 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

The deployment of embedded near-field communication (NFC) wearable devices continues to grow with the Internet of Things (IoT). Constraints on bill of materials (BOM) cost, representing all the components of a device, and available space lead manufacturers to seek alternatives to implement wireless [...] Read more.

The deployment of embedded near-field communication (NFC) wearable devices continues to grow with the Internet of Things (IoT). Constraints on bill of materials (BOM) cost, representing all the components of a device, and available space lead manufacturers to seek alternatives to implement wireless charging. This article introduces an antenna solution to respond to requirements of NFC charging applications for smart ring form factors. The proposed study includes electrical parameter modelling, estimation of inductance, resistance, quality factor, and coupling coefficient together. This 3D helicoidal antenna operates in quasi-magnetostatic mode. The different pairs are then compared to existing representative planar reference antennas in simulation. The results are confirmed with experimental validation for the best case, worst case, and typical case. First, the article presents the different antennas produced. It defines the pairs of antennas and their respective coupling coefficients. The methodology to simulate and measure losses is also presented. Then, the article compares a representative planar reference with a prototype. The proposed methodology is validated through a comparison of simulations performed with identical S-parameters. This comparison demonstrates both the robustness of the model and the end-to-end charging performance of the prototype. Finally, the article presents a comparative simulation at 2 W and 3 W for all prototype pairs. All antennas provide improved end-to-end power transfer performance, achieving simulated efficiencies up to 64.2%, representing a maximum absolute improvement of 26.2 percentage points, with an average absolute improvement of 22 percentage points in the end-to-end efficiency compared to pre-existing representative planar reference antennas at the same operating power. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Wireless Power Transfer: Current Status and Future Prospects)

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19 pages, 349 KB

Open AccessArticle

Toward Institutionalizing Academic Advising: A Needs Assessment at a Korean Private University

by Yedana Lee, Gayoung Lee and Jung-Eun Ha

Sustainability 2026, 18(18), 9649; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18189649 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Self-designed curricular pathways are expanding across Korean higher education, increasing the complexity of students’ academic, major, and career decision-making. This study examined student and faculty perspectives on institutionalizing a professionalized Academic Advisor (AA) role through a needs assessment at a private university in [...] Read more.

Self-designed curricular pathways are expanding across Korean higher education, increasing the complexity of students’ academic, major, and career decision-making. This study examined student and faculty perspectives on institutionalizing a professionalized Academic Advisor (AA) role through a needs assessment at a private university in South Korea. Data were collected from a non-probability sample of 407 undergraduate students, concentrated primarily in health-science and education-related departments, and 10 full-time faculty members through a cross-sectional student survey and semi-structured faculty interviews. Students reported difficulty establishing criteria for deciding among options; 62.9% preferred a single, continuous advisor, and 64.6% indicated greater willingness to seek consultation after developing trust. Students also showed endorsement of proactive, data-informed support, although human-mediated interpretation was not directly tested as a condition of acceptance. A significant but small grade-level difference was found in advisor-relationship perception (F(2, 394) = 3.27, p = 0.039, η² = 0.016). Faculty interviews identified role overload, demand for proactive intervention, and a need to differentiate emotional mentorship from professional advising. Integrating the findings informed a preliminary dual-track advising framework combining faculty mentoring, professional AAs, competency-based quality assurance, and a hybrid Early Alert process. Rather than representing an implemented or validated model, the framework provides a preliminary direction for institutional development and future evaluation. From a sustainability perspective, the findings highlight the need to build institutional advising capacity while reducing reliance on discretionary faculty labor. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Transformation of Higher Education in Emerging Technological Frameworks: Quality, Sustainability and Institutional Development)

31 pages, 1391 KB

Open AccessArticle

From Fragmented Adoption to Institutional Articulation: A Six-Axis Framework for Capability-Enhancing Generative AI in Higher Education

by Francisco Herrera and Rosana Montes

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(9), 1567; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16091567 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is being integrated rapidly across higher education, yet its educational value depends less on adoption intensity than on the institutional conditions through which its use is organized and enacted. This conceptual study develops a six-axis framework for examining institutional [...] Read more.

Generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is being integrated rapidly across higher education, yet its educational value depends less on adoption intensity than on the institutional conditions through which its use is organized and enacted. This conceptual study develops a six-axis framework for examining institutional articulation across governance, curriculum, assessment, faculty development, digital ethics, and equity. Drawing on a selective integrative analysis and conceptual synthesis, the framework moves from a dimensional taxonomy of institutional interventions to a configurational account of their interdependence. It distinguishes institutional articulation, the process through which institutional functions are connected, interpreted, resourced, and revised, from institutional coherence, the variable degree of alignment that results. Human capability formation provides the substantive educational criterion for evaluating that coherence, distinguishing capability-enhancing configurations from arrangements oriented primarily toward efficiency, automation, or output production. The framework further situates the six institutional axes within a broader relational architecture in which affect, trust, and perceived legitimacy condition enactment; assessment validity and demonstrable learning provide evidence of capability formation; and credential credibility, professional adaptability, stakeholder trust, reputation, and legitimacy constitute potential system-level consequences. The framework is operationalized through phased institutional transformation and illustrative process, outcome, and alignment evidence, and generates four propositions for future empirical research. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Higher Education)

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13 pages, 5069 KB

Open AccessArticle

Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of MoSi₂ Coatings Prepared by High-Velocity Oxygen-Fuel Spraying

by Chenhao Wang, Hui Dong, Fei Wang, Yong Zhou and Lishuang Wang

Coatings 2026, 16(9), 1119; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16091119 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Refractory alloys, such as NbW5-1, are susceptible to catastrophic oxidation failure in high-temperature environments. The application of MoSi₂ coatings on the surface is an effective approach to address this issue. MoSi₂ coatings in the case were deposited via high velocity oxygen [...] Read more.

Refractory alloys, such as NbW5-1, are susceptible to catastrophic oxidation failure in high-temperature environments. The application of MoSi₂ coatings on the surface is an effective approach to address this issue. MoSi₂ coatings in the case were deposited via high velocity oxygen fuel (HVOF) spraying. A systematic orthogonal experimental design was used to investigate the effects of spray distance, powder feeder rotation speed and carrier gas flow rate on the microstructure, phase composition, porosity and mechanical properties of the coatings. The results showed that spray distance was the most important process parameter affecting coating performance. Nine coatings deposited in the case all primarily contained MoSi₂ and a fraction of Mo₅Si₃. The coating deposited under the optimal process parameters (spray distance of 200 mm, propane pressure of 8 bar, powder feed r of 23 g/min, oxygen pressure of 10 bar, gun traverse speed of 180 mm·s⁻¹ and carrier gas flow rate of 900 NL/h) exhibited a dense microstructure with a few isolated pores (porosity of 2.75%). This coating exhibited relatively optimal overall mechanical properties within the parameter range investigated in this study, with a Vickers hardness of 854 HV, an elastic modulus of 418 GPa and a fracture toughness of 4.41 MPa·m^1/2. Therefore, high-melting-point MoSi₂ coatings can be successfully deposited by using HVOF technology through its optimal process parameters. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Surface Engineering of Alloys: Coatings and Thin Films)

12 pages, 2500 KB

Open AccessArticle

Balloon Angioplasty for Recoarctation in Infants with Isolated Aortic Coarctation and Coarctation Associated with Other Congenital Heart Diseases

by Axel Rentzsch, Sophie Schubert, Jochen Pfeifer, Migdat Mustafi and Hashim Abdul-Khaliq

J. Cardiovasc. Dev. Dis. 2026, 13(9), 473; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcdd13090473 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background: For infants who underwent surgical coarctation repair and required balloon angioplasty for recoarctation within the first year of life, data are limited—especially regarding safety, mid-term efficacy, and reintervention risk factors. Methods: This retrospective study included the data of 33 infants who underwent [...] Read more.

Background: For infants who underwent surgical coarctation repair and required balloon angioplasty for recoarctation within the first year of life, data are limited—especially regarding safety, mid-term efficacy, and reintervention risk factors. Methods: This retrospective study included the data of 33 infants who underwent surgical correction of CoA within their first three months of life and whose first cardiac catheterization for recoarctation—defined by a systolic echocardiographic gradient of ≥20 mmHg—was performed within the first year of life. Results: The median age at repair was 21 days, and that at angioplasty was 77 days. The peak systolic gradient decreased from 40.0 to 21.0 mmHg (p < 0.001), and the mean gradient decreased from 13.9 to 6.7 mmHg (p = 0.02). The aortic stenotic diameter increased from 3.2 to 4.1 mm (p < 0.001), and the z score increased from −4.2 to −2.7 (p < 0.001). Right arm systolic blood pressure dropped from 111.8 to 88.2 mmHg (p < 0.001); 7% of cases remained hypertensive. Complications occurred in 12% of patients, and reintervention was needed in 39.4%. Association with other congenital heart disease increased reintervention risk (OR 4.51). Follow-up gradients were as follows: 27.4 ± 10.2 mmHg (1 year), 24.6 ± 8.3 mmHg (2 years), 32.8 ± 18.8 mmHg (5 years), and 35.4 ± 23.2 mmHg (7 years). Conclusions: Early balloon angioplasty for postoperative recoarctation is safe, effective, and repeatable, with a high procedural success rate and sustained hemodynamic improvements. Reinterventions were more common in patients with additional CHD, though outcomes remained favorable. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Congenital Heart Disease: Technological Innovations in Cardiac Surgery and Interventional Therapy)

32 pages, 5110 KB

Open AccessArticle

Transverse Seismic Response of a High-Pier, Long-Span Stiff-Skeleton Arch Bridge Equipped with Transverse Steel Dampers

by Huaping Yang, Ruifeng Yu, Linxi Duan, Changjiang Shao, Zhizhong Li, Bo Jiang and Qiming Qi

Buildings 2026, 16(18), 3750; https://doi.org/10.3390/buildings16183750 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

This study numerically examines the transverse seismic response of a high-pier, long-span stiff-skeleton arch bridge equipped with transverse steel dampers (TSDs). A three-dimensional SAP2000 model represents the primary bridge members predominantly with elastic beam elements. Nonlinear behavior is concentrated in the spherical steel [...] Read more.

This study numerically examines the transverse seismic response of a high-pier, long-span stiff-skeleton arch bridge equipped with transverse steel dampers (TSDs). A three-dimensional SAP2000 model represents the primary bridge members predominantly with elastic beam elements. Nonlinear behavior is concentrated in the spherical steel damping bearings (SSDBs), gap links, and idealized TSD links. A sequential staged discrete screening evaluates TSD yield strength, initial gap, and post-yield stiffness ratio using displacement, elastic force-demand, and hysteretic-response indices. Fifteen recorded motions are then used to examine response trends across pulse-period groups. Nine pulse-like records are also decomposed to compare the original motions with their residual components. Within the predefined candidates, 3000 kN, 150 mm, and 15% provide the selected balance among the adopted response indices. This combination is conditional on the candidate set, stage order, bridge model, and input motions, and is not a global multi-parameter optimum. An additional 15-record check of the 13 unique parameter configurations found that no candidate minimized representative bearing, pier, and arch responses simultaneously. This supports interpreting the retained values as a conditional compromise. Exploratory record-level tests identify false-discovery-rate-controlled group differences for pier-top displacement, arch-rib displacement, and arch-rib bending moment; most force-demand indices do not show resolved group differences in this small set. In the nine paired original–residual comparisons, median peak-response reductions range from 16.8% for pier-base shear to 76.9% for arch-rib bending moment, although the pier-base shear change is not statistically resolved. These findings provide comparative numerical demand trends for the investigated bridge. They do not constitute member-capacity verification, physical-device validation, or a general seismic-safety assessment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Building Structures)

25 pages, 11124 KB

Open AccessArticle

Improving the Performance Properties of Stainless Steel Products by Depositing Modifying Coatings Containing Layers of Copper, Chromium and Zirconium

by Sergey Grigoriev, Pavel Potapov, Valery Zhylinski, Uladzimir Matys, Catherine Sotova, Filipp Milovich, Elena Eganova, Tatyana Borovik and Alexey Vereschaka

Technologies 2026, 14(9), 594; https://doi.org/10.3390/technologies14090594 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

This article presents the potential for enhancing the corrosion resistance of stainless steel components by depositing modifying coatings containing copper, chromium, and zirconium layers on their surfaces while optimising the deposition process parameters. Coatings with an outer zirconium nitride (ZrN) or chromium nitride [...] Read more.

This article presents the potential for enhancing the corrosion resistance of stainless steel components by depositing modifying coatings containing copper, chromium, and zirconium layers on their surfaces while optimising the deposition process parameters. Coatings with an outer zirconium nitride (ZrN) or chromium nitride (CrN) layer and adhesive-corrosion-resistant Zr–Cu–Zr, Cr–Cu–Cr, and Cu–Zr sublayers were studied. The highest deposition rate of the copper layer was achieved with a copper cathode arc current of I_cat = 85 A and a substrate bias voltage of U_sub = 100 V. The proposed coatings reduced corrosion intensity by up to 30 times compared to an uncoated sample and up to three times compared to coatings with an adhesive sublayer without copper (zirconium or chromium only). The use of the proposed coatings reduced corrosion intensity by up to 15 times compared to an uncoated sample and up to 1.6 times compared to coatings with an adhesive layer without copper (chromium only). The Cr–Cu–Cr–CrN coating provided the best corrosion resistance in a 3.0% NaCl solution with a calculated corrosion current i_cor of 0.36 μA/cm². These results indicate that the inclusion of a copper layer in the adhesive sublayer provides additional corrosion protection. The sample with a Cr–Cu–Cr–CrN coating exhibited better corrosion resistance, but its adhesive bond to the substrate was not very strong. The sample with a Zr–Cu–Zr–ZrN coating demonstrated high adhesive strength with relatively high corrosion resistance. Full article

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23 pages, 1361 KB

Open AccessArticle

Compressing Transformer-Based Sensor Fusion Models for Autonomous Driving Using Curriculum-Based Multi-Task Knowledge Distillation

by Dhieddine Barhoumi, Stefan Hensel and Marin B. Marinov

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(18), 9359; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16189359 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Multimodal sensor fusion architectures such as TransFuser achieve strong waypoint-based driving performance by fusing RGB panoramas and LiDAR bird’s-eye-view (BEV) representations through transformer attention, but their dual backbones and quadratic-cost fusion blocks preclude deployment on resource-constrained platforms. This work proposes LightFuser, a hybrid [...] Read more.

Multimodal sensor fusion architectures such as TransFuser achieve strong waypoint-based driving performance by fusing RGB panoramas and LiDAR bird’s-eye-view (BEV) representations through transformer attention, but their dual backbones and quadratic-cost fusion blocks preclude deployment on resource-constrained platforms. This work proposes LightFuser, a hybrid Performer–Transformer fusion architecture that retains multimodal reasoning at substantially reduced cost. LightFuser halves backbone parameters and FLOPs, applies Performer attention with FAVOR+ at the early, high-resolution fusion stage to obtain linear time and memory complexity, and reserves exact Transformer attention for the mid and late stages, where token counts are small and semantics are richer. A multi-task knowledge distillation framework transfers the decision quality of a high-capacity TransFuser teacher to the lightweight student, organized as a task-ordered curriculum: supervision starts with waypoint control and successively adds depth, semantic segmentation, and BEV objectives. On the CARLA Leaderboard, LightFuser attains a Driving Score of 42.4 (teacher: 47.3) while reducing network latency from 128.4 ms to 67.6 ms per frame. Latency is measured over network modules only and excludes simulator stepping, sensor acquisition, preprocessing, and I/O overhead; the resulting 14.8 FPS sustains a 10 Hz control cycle, meaning near-real-time operation throughout. Full article

30 pages, 2537 KB

Open AccessArticle

Demographic Shortcuts Account for Most of the Apparent Accuracy of Four-Class Gait-Based Differential Diagnosis in Neurodegenerative Disease: An Interpretability-Driven Audit of Machine Learning on a Public Gait Benchmark

by Zheng Wang, Yitong Xia and Guifeng Zhang

Bioengineering 2026, 13(9), 1092; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering13091092 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Machine-learning gait studies often report high accuracy for separating neurodegenerative diseases, but rarely test whether this reflects pathology or the demographic differences that accompany disease in convenience cohorts. We audited the PhysioNet Gait in Neurodegenerative Disease Database (63 subjects: controls, Parkinson’s disease [PD], [...] Read more.

Machine-learning gait studies often report high accuracy for separating neurodegenerative diseases, but rarely test whether this reflects pathology or the demographic differences that accompany disease in convenience cohorts. We audited the PhysioNet Gait in Neurodegenerative Disease Database (63 subjects: controls, Parkinson’s disease [PD], Huntington’s disease [HD], amyotrophic lateral sclerosis [ALS]), classifying 37 stride-rhythm features under subject-disjoint nested leave-one-subject-out cross-validation. A random forest reached a macro-averaged one-vs-rest AUROC of 0.832 (95% CI 0.759–0.904; permutation p = 0.001). Four complementary audits—demographic-only baselines, confound adjustment, feature-family ablation, and age matching—show that this overstates gait-specific discrimination: five anthropometric variables alone reached an AUROC of 0.812, statistically indistinguishable from the gait model (p = 0.701), and the de-confounded gait model (0.755) fell further to 0.585 once age was matched across groups. HD was the exception, essentially unaffected by adjustment (0.812 → 0.804) and carried by variability and long-range-correlation measures. In an independent, age-matched cohort recorded with a different sensor (n = 110, PD versus control only), the same vulnerability reappeared through a different variable: the gait model (0.828) showed no statistically significant difference from walking speed alone (0.746, p = 0.11), while age and anthropometry fell to chance; this cohort contained no HD subjects, so the HD finding remains externally unvalidated. The shortcut vulnerability generalises across cohorts; the demographic variable that drives it does not. Four-class differential diagnosis is not demonstrated on this benchmark; HD gait arrhythmicity is the one signal that withstands internal sensitivity analysis. We recommend that accuracy claims from small, demographically imbalanced gait cohorts be accompanied by this kind of audit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Artificial Intelligence in Gait Analysis and Rehabilitation)

21 pages, 1029 KB

Open AccessReview

Patient-Centered Activities Performed by Clinical Research Nurses in Clinical Trials: A Scoping Review of Enacted Practice

by Catia Genna, Kiara Ros Thekkan, Silvia Rodelli, Valeria Amatucci, Laura Turchini, Luciana Nicola Giordano, Mattia Bozzetti and Daniele Napolitano

Healthcare 2026, 14(18), 3111; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare14183111 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Background/Objective: Clinical Research Nurses (CRNs) are recognized members of multidisciplinary teams in clinical trials (CTs), contributing to both research procedures and patient-centered care. Although competency frameworks describe the expected domains of CRN practice, less is known about how these competencies are enacted in [...] Read more.

Background/Objective: Clinical Research Nurses (CRNs) are recognized members of multidisciplinary teams in clinical trials (CTs), contributing to both research procedures and patient-centered care. Although competency frameworks describe the expected domains of CRN practice, less is known about how these competencies are enacted in patient-centered activities during CTs. This scoping review aimed to examine how patient-centered activities are enacted by Clinical Research Nurses in clinical trials. Methods: A scoping review was conducted following the Joanna Briggs Institute methodology and guided by the PRISMA-ScR checklist. A literature search was performed in MEDLINE, CINAHL, and EMBASE, complemented by gray literature searches across Google Scholar, GreyLit, and clinical research nursing association websites. Studies published in English over the last 20 years were included if they described patient-centered activities enacted by CRNs within CTs. Results: Twenty-one studies were included, reporting data from more than 1800 participants, primarily from survey-based research conducted across North and South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and New Zealand. CRNs were frequently described as involved in direct patient care, safety monitoring, patient education, follow-up coordination, and investigational product management. Variability across studies was reported in the implementation and level of autonomy associated with these activities. Studies from the UK, USA, Australia, Canada, Sweden, and New Zealand described CRNs as independently involved in activities such as informed consent and recruitment, whereas studies from Italy and South Korea more frequently reported physician-supported or supervised involvement in these tasks. Conclusions: This scoping review mapped how patient-centered activities performed by CRNs are described across clinical trial contexts. The findings highlight the broad range of relational, clinical, educational, and coordinative activities attributed to CRNs in supporting research participants throughout clinical trials, while also identifying variation in how these activities are enacted across studies and settings. The review contributes to the current understanding of the patient-centered dimension of CRN practice and supports further research exploring how these activities are implemented across different clinical trial contexts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Nursing Competencies: New Advances in Nursing Care—2nd Edition)

17 pages, 2895 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multiscale Stepwise Learning Network for Seismic Impedance Inversion

by Yang Zhang, Hong Cao, Zhifang Yang, Hao Yang, Qiang Ge, Yuqi Qiu, Jiangbei Huang and Sen Zhao

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(18), 9358; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16189358 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Due to the limitations of seismic data resolution, conventional inversion methods are commonly limited by the band-limited nature of seismic data, noise interference, and insufficient resolution for subtle geological targets. This study proposes a continuous wavelet transform (CWT)-assisted multiscale stepwise learning (MSL) workflow [...] Read more.

Due to the limitations of seismic data resolution, conventional inversion methods are commonly limited by the band-limited nature of seismic data, noise interference, and insufficient resolution for subtle geological targets. This study proposes a continuous wavelet transform (CWT)-assisted multiscale stepwise learning (MSL) workflow for seismic impedance inversion. The proposed workflow transforms seismic traces into time–frequency representations using CWT and progressively learns different frequency components through convolutional modules with different kernel sizes. A seismic forward-modeling constraint is further introduced to improve the consistency between the predicted impedance and the observed seismic response at non-well locations. The network takes a single seismic trace represented by CWT coefficients in the 1–80 Hz frequency range and a corresponding low-frequency initial impedance model as inputs, and outputs the acoustic-impedance trace at each time sample. The main methodological novelty is the progressive learning of different frequency components using frequency-dependent convolutional kernels. The method is evaluated on a 3D seismic dataset from the Sichuan Basin, China, using leave-one-well-out validation involving seven wells. In addition, we provide detailed ablation experiments and quantitative analysis. Across all seven blind-well tests, the proposed method consistently achieves the highest mean correlation coefficient (0.8509) and the lowest mean MSE (0.0636) among the compared methods. These results indicate that the proposed workflow can effectively integrate multiscale seismic information and provide effective support for seismic impedance inversion. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Exploration Geophysics and Seismic Surveying)

26 pages, 9682 KB

Open AccessArticle

Optical-Algorithm Co-Design of a Lightweight Petzval Star Tracker with Selective Asymmetric Aberration Suppression

by Haijun Wang, Hongjian Yu, Xuedi Chen, Qun Hao, Yao Meng, Ting Sun, Haifeng Yao, Fei Xing, Xinyuan Liu and Kaihua Qi

Remote Sens. 2026, 18(18), 3243; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs18183243 (registering DOI) - 20 Sep 2026

Abstract

Traditional high-precision star trackers rely on long-focal-length optical configurations, which suffer from bulky volume and heavy weight, which restricts their application to small satellite platforms. Meanwhile, lightweight optical architectures inevitably introduce residual optical aberrations that distort star spot energy distribution and degrade centroid [...] Read more.

Traditional high-precision star trackers rely on long-focal-length optical configurations, which suffer from bulky volume and heavy weight, which restricts their application to small satellite platforms. Meanwhile, lightweight optical architectures inevitably introduce residual optical aberrations that distort star spot energy distribution and degrade centroid extraction accuracy. Targeting Petzval-type star trackers, this paper proposes an optical-algorithm collaborative lightweight design scheme. First, a coupling mathematical model between centroid positioning error and four asymmetric optical aberrations is established to quantify the error contribution hierarchy of coma, astigmatism, distortion, and lateral chromatic aberration. Second, an aberration dimensionality-reduction optimization method is proposed to selectively constrain precision-sensitive asymmetric aberrations; the conventional six-element Petzval lens group is simplified to a four-element lightweight configuration, reducing lens count by 30% and total system length from 27 mm to 21 mm. Finally, a three-stage joint compensation framework consisting of aberration residual identification, iterative centroid offset correction, and regularized Richardson--Lucy image restoration is constructed for on-orbit low-computation platforms. Ground star-map tests and on-orbit measurements demonstrate that the star centroid error is reduced from 0.098 pixels to 0.014 pixels after compensation, corresponding to an 85.7% improvement in localization precision. The 16

μ

m in-spot energy concentration rises from 76.2% to 86.5%, with full-field energy uniformity improved by 19.2%. Attitude measurement accuracy better than 3

^{''}

(

3 σ

) is achieved for the X- and Y-axes (roll/pitch). The system exhibits favorable robustness under stray-light and multi-scene observation conditions. This integrated optical-algorithm solution realizes arcsecond-level attitude measurement for roll and pitch axes under strict lightweight constraints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Image Formation, Super-Resolution, Deblurring, and Feature Enhancement for Satellite Remote Sensing)

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