Search Results (1,804)

The commercialization of rechargeable alkaline zinc–air batteries has been constrained by critical challenges associated with the zinc electrode, including passivation, dendrite growth, and hydrogen evolution reaction. These issues severely limit the cycle life and pose a major barrier to large-scale industrial deployment. Integration of porous anode structures and electrode additives—two widely investigated approaches for mitigating challenges related to zinc anode—shows significant promise. However, effectively combining these approaches remains challenging. This study introduces a method for fabricating zinc anodes that can combine the benefits of a porous structure and electrode additive. The polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) polymer binder used in fabricating the anode material resulted in a stable scaffold, providing the desired anode porosity of approximately 60% and effectively anchoring ZnO nanoparticles. The zinc anodes prepared using a nickel mesh current collector without any electrode additives demonstrated stable cycling performance, sustaining 350 cycles at a current density of 60 mA g_Zn⁻¹ with a coulombic efficiency of approximately 95%. Incorporating 2 wt.% Bi₂O₃ as an electrode additive further enhanced the cycling performance, achieving 200 stable cycles with 100% coulombic efficiency under an increased current density of 120 mA g_Zn⁻¹, signifying the effectiveness of the proposed fabrication strategy. Full article

In foundation pit engineering, precise determination of the physical–mechanical parameters of the surrounding rock is essential for reliable simulation of rock deformation and anchor cable forces. A foundation pit engineering project in Shapingba District, Chongqing, was selected as a case study. A numerical model was developed using FLAC3D, and 64 working conditions were designed via orthogonal experiments to serve as training samples. Global optimization inversion of the samples was performed using a BP neural network enhanced by particle swarm optimization. Using selected monitoring data of surrounding rock displacement and anchor cable forces, inversion was conducted to determine the physical–mechanical parameters of the foundation pit surrounding rock, and the FLAC3D model inputs were subsequently updated. Finally, simulated results were validated against field measurements. The maximum relative error of surrounding rock displacement reached 8%, with only 3% at the pit center. The largest settlement occurred in the eastern section, where the relative error was 5%. For anchor cable forces, the maximum relative error was 7.9%. This study employed a PSO-BP neural network to invert the physical–mechanical parameters of the foundation pit surrounding rock and introduced a two-stage validation using measured displacements and anchor cable forces. The approach enhances inversion accuracy and provides a practical reference for similar foundation pit engineering applications. Full article

Depression relapse is a common issue during long-term care. We introduce a privacy-aware explainable personalized federated learning (PFL) framework that incorporates layer-wise relevance propagation and Shapley value analysis to provide patient-specific interpretable predictions from EEG. The study is conducted with the publicly available Healthy Brain Network (HBN) dataset, with analysis conducted for n = 100 subjects with resting-state 128-channel EEG with accompanying psychometric scores, and subject-wise 10-fold cross-validation is used to assess the performance of the model. Multi-channel EEG features and standardized symptom scales are jointly modeled to both increase the clinical context of the model and avoid leakage issues. This results in overall accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score values of 92%, 91%, 93%, and 90.5%, respectively. The attribution maps from the model suggest region-anchored spectral patterns that are associated with relapse risk, providing clinical interpretability, and the federated setup of the model allows for a privacy-aware training setup that is more easily adaptable to multi-site deployment. Together, these results suggest a scalable and clinically feasible approach to trustworthy relapse monitoring with earlier intervention. Full article

Background: Large language models (LLMs) are increasingly considered in dentistry, yet their accuracy in orthodontic radiology remains uncertain. This study evaluated the performance of ChatGPT-4 on questions aligned with current radiology guidelines. Methods: Fifty short, guideline-anchored questions were authored; thirty were pre-selected a priori for their diagnostic relevance. Using the ChatGPT-4 web interface in March 2025, we obtained 30 answers per item (900 in total) across two user accounts and three times of day, each in a new chat with a standardised prompt. Two blinded experts graded all responses on a 3-point scale (0 = incorrect, 1 = partially correct, 2 = correct); disagreements were adjudicated. The primary outcome was strict accuracy (proportion of answers graded 2). Secondary outcomes were partial-credit performance (mean 0–2 score) and inter-rater agreement using multiple coefficients. Results: Strict accuracy was 34.1% (95% CI 31.0–37.2), with wide item-level variability (0–100%). The mean partial-credit score was 1.09/2.00 (median 1.02; IQR 0.53–1.83). Inter-rater agreement was high (percent agreement: 0.938, with coefficients indicating substantial to almost-perfect reliability). Conclusions: In the conditions of this study, ChatGPT-4 demonstrated limited strict accuracy yet substantial reliability in expert grading when applied to orthodontic radiology questions. These findings underline its potential as a complementary educational and decision-support resource while also highlight its present limitations. Its role should remain supportive and informative, never replacing the critical appraisal and professional judgement of the clinician. Full article

Background: Reconstruction of distal forearm and hand soft tissue defects remains a complex surgical challenge due to the functional and aesthetic significance of the region. Several flap options have been established such as the posterior interosseous artery flap (PIA) or temporalis fascia flap (TFF), yet the anterolateral thigh flap (ALT) has gained increasing attention for its versatility and favorable risk profile. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 12 patients (7 males, 5 females; mean age 51.8 years) who underwent free microvascular ALT reconstruction for distal forearm and hand defects between May 2020 and May 2025. Etiologies included infection, chemical burns, explosion injuries, and traffic accidents. The mean defect size was 75.4 cm², and the average operative time was 217 min. Secondary flap thinning was performed in eight cases. In one patient without available recipient veins, a pedicle vein was anastomosed using a coupler device anchored into a cortical window of the distal radius to establish venous outflow via the bone marrow. Results: All flaps demonstrated complete survival with successful integration. Minor complications included transient venous congestion in one case and superficial wound dehiscence in four cases. Functional outcomes were favorable, with postoperative hand function rated as very good in 10 of 12 patients at follow-up. The bone-anchored venous anastomosis provided effective venous drainage in the salvage case. Conclusions: The free microvascular ALT is a reliable and highly adaptable method for distal forearm and hand reconstruction. It provides excellent soft tissue coverage, allows for secondary contouring, and achieves both functional and aesthetic goals. Furthermore, intraosseous venous anastomosis using a coupler device might represent a novel adjunct that may expand reconstructive options in cases with absent or unusable recipient veins. Full article

Background and Objectives: Laryngeal cancer imposes a disproportionate burden on speech, airway protection and long-term quality of life. Contemporary population-based data for Central and Eastern Europe remain scarce, and the post-pandemic trajectory is uncertain. Materials and Methods: We performed a nationwide, retrospective ecological time-series study using Romanian mortality registers and hospital-discharge files for 2017–2023. Crude and age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) were calculated, county-level indirect standardisation and spatial autocorrelation assessed and joinpoint regression quantified temporal trends. Forecasts to 2040 combined Holt–Winters/ARIMA models with Elliott-wave heuristics anchored to Fibonacci retracements. Results: In 2023, 798 laryngeal cancer deaths yielded a crude mortality of 3.65/100,000 (95% CI 3.41–3.91). Male mortality (7.07/100,000) exceeded female mortality 18-fold. Rural residents experienced a higher rate than urban counterparts (4.26 vs. 3.04/100,000), a difference unchanged after indirect age standardisation. National ASMR fell by 3.7% annually (p < 0.01), yet five counties formed a high-risk corridor (standardised mortality ratios 1.59–1.82); Moran’s I = 0.27 (p < 0.01) indicated significant spatial clustering. Pandemic-era surgical throughput collapsed by 48%, generating a backlog projected to persist beyond 2030. Ensemble forecasting anticipates a doubling of discharges and mortality between 2034 and 2037 unless smoking prevalence falls by ≥30% and radon exposure is curtailed. Conclusions: Although overall laryngeal cancer mortality in Romania is declining, the pace lags behind Western Europe and is threatened by geographic inequities and pandemic-related care delays. Aggressive tobacco control, radon-remediation policies and expansion of surgical and radiotherapeutic capacity are required to avert a forecasted surge in the next decade. Full article

Yak husbandry on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau relies on genetically resilient sire lines, yet the paternal ancestry of the locally prominent Jiuzhi breed has never been quantified. To resolve this gap, a 690 bp fragment of the Y chromosomal SRY gene was sequenced in 117 males spanning Jiuzhi (n = 12) and five neighboring Qinghai breeds and compared with three single individual public records that represent Qinghai Plateau, Tianzhu White, and Wild yaks. Alignment, haplotype calling, diversity indices, F_ST differentiation, AMOVA, multidimensional scaling, and TCS network analysis were performed. Thirty-two haplotypes were recovered; Jiuzhi yaks possessed twelve, and six of them had private alleles. Mean A + T content was 53.8%. Haplotype diversity was highest in Qinghai Plateau, Tianzhu White and Wild yaks and lowest in Larima yaks, while Jiuzhi diversity resembled that of Huanhu. Pairwise F_ST values indicated negligible differentiation between Jiuzhi and either Qinghai Plateau or Yushu yaks (F_ST ≈ 0) but pronounced divergence from Tianzhu White and Wild yaks (F_ST ≈ 0.97–0.99). AMOVA attributed 90.7% of molecular variance to among-breed differences, and multidimensional scaling clustered Jiuzhi with Jinchuan, Yushu and Huanhu. Network topology resolved two patrilineal clades, confirming dual paternal origins for Jiuzhi yaks. These data provide the first quantitative baseline for sire selection and conservation of Jiuzhi yaks and highlight close affinities with adjacent plateau breeds. Limitations include the use of single individual public sequences for Qinghai Plateau, Tianzhu White and Wild yaks (employed solely as phylogenetic anchors) and reliance on a single Y-linked locus; broader sampling and multilocus approaches will refine within-breed estimates. Full article

Introduction: Penile fibro-ligaments have been extensively studied for many centuries; however, there is, unfortunately, a lack of thorough understanding. We aimed to bridge the research gap between anatomy and surgical reconstruction. Methods: We excluded cadaveric penises, already dissected and disassembled by medical students, that had damaged the corpora cavernosa (CC) or corpus spongiosum (CS). However, penises were included if both the ischiocavernosus and bulbospongiosus muscles were undamaged. A total of 8 out of 52 penises were meticulously examined. Our dissection findings were supplemented with 101 cadaveric photos, 255 penile vascular surgeries, 11 CT imaging scans, and 8 MRI imaging scans. The combined understanding was reprocessed with radiographic imaging, and patients underwent penile surgeries, notably eight hypospadias surgeries, and eight penile elongation surgeries were performed elsewhere. Results: Bilaterally, the penile CC is primarily anchored to the pelvic wall through the cavernosal ligament (CL = 2), while the CS is connected to the urinary sphincter. The suspensory, fundiform, and arcuate pubic ligament (two anatomically and one functionally) assist in stabilizing and holding the penile shaft to the pelvic wall. Distally, a distal ligament (DL = 1) and spongiosal ligament (SL = 1) extend the CC and CS to the glans penis and frenulum, ensuring urethral patency when necessary. The CC is encircled by a bi-layered tunica consisting of a 360° inner circular and a 300° outer longitudinal tunica. The ischiocavernosus muscle wraps around the penile crus and envelops the CL, connecting to the ischial tuberosity. The CS is partially surrounded by the bulbospongiosus muscle proximally and receives the SL distally. The entire penis interconnects with the skeletal muscle of the urogenital diaphragm. Conclusion: The physiological integrity of the human penis relies on ten anatomically and six functionally fibro-muscular ligaments. Full article

This study evaluates adhesive bolts (chemical anchors) bonded with epoxy and vinyl ester resins for surface and tunnel excavations in tropical mining environments under static and dynamic loading. Over 300 pull-out tests in concrete and hard rock examined the effects of bolt length, curing time, and substrate condition on load capacity, failure mode, and bond–slip response. Epoxy anchors exhibited higher bond strength, including under early-age and thermally active conditions, while vinyl ester showed improved ductility and post-peak behaviour in fractured rock. Numerical modelling with Rocscience RS2 (Phase 2) and Unwedge simulated excavation responses for bolt lengths of 190–250 mm and spacings of 0.5–2.0 m. Tensile failure dominated at wider spacings, whereas closely spaced anchors enhanced confinement and redistributed stresses. The combined experimental–numerical evidence quantifies chemical-anchor performance in complex subsurface settings and supports their use for early-age support and long-term stability. Findings motivate integration of resin-grouted bolts into modern support designs, particularly in seismically sensitive or hydrothermally variable mines. Full article

Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) is readily released into the extracellular space as an autocrine and paracrine purinergic signaling molecule. We originally reported a genetically encoded, fluorescent protein-based Förster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) biosensor that can detect micromolar levels of extracellular ATP. Through mutagenesis of the ATP binding site and optimization of cell-surface display, here we report the development of a second-generation biosensor called ECATS2 with greater than three-fold higher affinity for extracellular ATP. We found that the tether length between the FRET biosensor and the cell surface anchor is critical to optimization of its performance. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the improved sensor can detect extracellular ATP release upon hypoosmotic stress in cultured astrocytes. This new sensor contributes an improved tool for the ratiometric detection of extracellular ATP dynamics and purinergic signaling. Full article

Digital transformation has re-engineered tourism marketing and how destination branding competes for tourist attention, yet scholarship offers little systematic quantification of these changes. Drawing on 160 peer-reviewed studies published between 1990 and 2025, we combine grounded-theory thematic synthesis with a random-effect meta-analysis of 60 datasets to trace branding performance across five technological eras (pre-Internet and brochure era: to mid-1990s; Web 1.0: 1995–2004; Web 2.0: 2004–2013; mobile first: 2013–2020; AI-XR: 2020–2025). Results reveal three structural shifts: (i) dialogic engagement replaces one-way promotion, (ii) credibility migrates to user-generated content, and (iii) artificial intelligence–driven personalisation reconfigures relevance, while mobile and virtual reality marketing extend immersion. Meta-analytic estimates show the strongest gains for engagement intentions (g = 0.57), followed by brand awareness (g = 0.46) and image (g = 0.41). Other equity dimensions (attitudes, loyalty, perceived quality) also improved on average, but to a lesser degree. Visual, UGC-rich, and influencer posts on highly interactive platforms consistently outperform brochure-style content, while robustness checks (fail-safe N, funnel symmetry, leave-one-out) confirm stability. We conclude that digital tools amplify, rather than replace, co-creation, credibility, and context. By fusing historical narrative with statistical certainty, the study delivers a data-anchored roadmap for destination marketers, researchers, and policymakers preparing for the AI-mediated decade ahead. Full article

Sea anchors for fishing operations are essential equipment to enhance catch efficiency and ensure operational stability at sea. However, previous studies have mainly focused on theoretical modeling or experiments under restricted conditions, which have not sufficiently reflected the complex operating environments and practical needs of real-world fisheries. To address this gap, this study derived key factors to improve the design and operation of sea anchors and quantitatively analyze the relative importance and rank of these factors. An expert panel was formed from 25 participants, including jigging vessel captains, recreational fishing boat captains, sea anchor manufacturers, and research institute workers. Using a three-round Delphi process followed by Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) analysis, we distilled an initial list of 52 improvement suggestions into 15 prioritized items, quantitatively ranked by relative importance based on expert consensus. The highest-ranked factor was ‘Enhancement of fabric drying performance’, followed by ‘Application of low-cost, high-efficiency materials’, ‘Improvement of recovery’, ‘Enhancement of UV resistance’, and ‘Product quality certification’. The highest-weighted metric was ‘Improvement of usability’, followed by ‘Enhanced durability’ and ‘Improvement of functionality’. The consistency ratio (CR) of the pairwise-comparison matrix was 0.0014 (AHP acceptability criterion: CR ≤ 0.1), confirming the reliability and consistency of the analysis. By reflecting real-world priorities through a robust and systematic analytical process, this study offers a foundation for evidence-based improvements in sea anchor design and operation, overcoming the limitations of earlier approaches rooted in subjective judgment or trial-and-error experience. Full article

Background/Objectives: The aim was to provide a comprehensive, systematic review on the Lateral Extra-articular Tenodesis (LET) methods used in anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction in the light of recent data. Methods: To identify all of the essential studies that reported relevant data concerning primary outcomes: indications for surgery, surgical technique, graft type, fixation method, and tibial fixation location, an extensive search of the major and significant electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Central, ScienceDirect, Web of Science, Embase) was performed by three independent authors. A systematic investigation was conducted in November 2023, with no limits regarding the year of publication. After the database search, three independent reviewers screened all the papers, which followed strictly the inclusion and exclusion criteria, identifying a title, abstract, and full text concerning LET, surgical technique, femoral attachment, tibial attachment, graft type, fixation method, knee angle during fixation, and graft tension at fixation in ACL reconstruction. A systematic review of the collected literature was carried out according to the guidelines of Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). Study quality was assessed using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Results: Of the 35 papers reviewed, seven surgical techniques of LET differing in the way the procedure was performed were separated. The majority of papers were from Italy (n = 11), USA (n = 3), France (n = 3), and Canada (n = 3). The number of total participants across all studies was 6253. The majority of studies (17 papers) used the Lemaire modified procedure, and 10 papers used the MacIntosh technique modified by the Coker–Arnold approach. Most of the papers mentioned fixation location on the lateral distal part of the femur including six articles referring directly to lateral femoral epicondyle. Most authors (25 papers) defined tibial attachment as Gerdy’s tubercle. The most common graft was the iliotibial band and fixation method was sutures. The types of fixation in the surgical techniques of the collected papers were Sutures, Staples, Anchor, Interference screw, K-wire, Bioabsorbable Screw and Titanium Screw with a serrated polyethylene washer. Conclusions: Despite variability in technique, the Lemaire-modified procedure emerged as the preferred approach for Lateral Extra-articular Tenodesis, suggesting a general consensus around its reliability and reproducibility in clinical practice. The frequent use of the iliotibial band as graft material reflects its accessibility and suitability for reinforcing anterolateral stability. Similarly, the consistent use of sutures and fixation at Gerdy’s tubercle may indicate a favorable balance between technical ease and biomechanical strength. The variability in femoral fixation points—either at the lateral femoral condyle or epicondyle—highlights the ongoing debate or surgeon preference, underscoring the need for further comparative studies to establish optimal fixation strategy. Collectively, these patterns may help guide surgical decision-making, particularly when tailoring procedures to individual patient anatomy or surgical expertise. Full article

Siamese network trackers are a prominent paradigm in visual object tracking due to efficient similarity learning. However, most Siamese trackers are restricted to the bounding box tracking format, which often fails to accurately describe the appearance of non-rigid targets with complex deformations. Additionally, since the bounding box frequently includes excessive background pixels, trackers are sensitive to similar distractors. To address these issues, we propose a novel segmentation-assisted model that learns binary mask representations of targets. This model is generic and can be seamlessly integrated into various Siamese frameworks, enabling pixel-wise segmentation tracking instead of the suboptimal bounding box tracking. Specifically, our model features two core components: (i) a multi-stage precise mask representation module composed of cascaded U-Net decoders, designed to predict segmentation masks of targets, and (ii) a saliency localization head based on the Euclidean model, which extracts spatial position constraints to boost the decoder’s discriminative capability. Extensive experiments on five tracking benchmarks demonstrate that our method effectively improves the performance of both anchor-based and anchor-free Siamese trackers. Notably, on GOT-10k, our method increases the AO scores of the baseline trackers SiamRPN++ (anchor-based) and SiamBAN (anchor-free) by 5.2% and 7.5%, respectively while maintaining speeds exceeding 60 FPS. Full article

Rhodopsin, the prototypical Class A G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) and visual pigment of rod photoreceptors, has long served as a structural and mechanistic model for GPCR biology. Mutations in rhodopsin are the leading cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), making this receptor a critical therapeutic target. In this review, we summarize the chemical, structural, and biophysical features of small-molecule modulators of this receptor, spanning both classical retinoid analogs and emerging non-retinoid scaffolds. These ligands reveal recurrent binding modes within the orthosteric chromophore pocket as well as peripheral allosteric and bitopic sites, where they mediate folding, rescue trafficking, photocycle modulation, and mutant stabilization. We organize ligand performance into a three-tier framework linking binding affinity, cellular rescue potency, and stability gains. Chemotypes in tier 2, which show sub-micromolar to low-micromolar activity with broad mutant coverage, emerge as promising candidates for optimization into next-generation scaffolds. Across scaffolds, a recurring minimal pharmacophore is evident by a contiguous hydrophobic π-surface anchored in the β-ionone region, coupled with a strategically oriented polar handle that modulates the Lys296/Glu113 microenvironment, offering tractable design vectors for non-retinoid chemotypes. Beyond the chromophore binding pocket, we highlight opportunities to exploit extracellular loop epitopes, cytoplasmic microswitch clefts, dimer/membrane interfaces, and ion co-binding sites to engineer safer, state-biased control with fewer photochemical liabilities. By integrating rhodopsin photobiophysics with environment-aware, multi-state medicinal chemistry, and by addressing current translational challenges in drug delivery, this review outlines a rational framework for advancing rhodopsin-targeted therapeutics toward clinically credible interventions for RP and related retinal degenerations. Full article