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23 pages, 80104 KB  
Article
An Integrated Low-Cost Underwater Navigation Solution for Divers Employing an INS Composed of Low-Cost Sensors Using the Robust Kalman Filter and Sensor Fusion
by Taisei Hayashi and Daisuke Terada
Sensors 2025, 25(18), 5750; https://doi.org/10.3390/s25185750 - 15 Sep 2025
Viewed by 290
Abstract
Divers’ navigation heavily depends on their experience and physical condition, and accidents caused by failure to return occur every year. To address this issue, we developed a navigation system for divers. This navigation system leverages Raspberry Pi and low-cost sensors, including an accelerometer, [...] Read more.
Divers’ navigation heavily depends on their experience and physical condition, and accidents caused by failure to return occur every year. To address this issue, we developed a navigation system for divers. This navigation system leverages Raspberry Pi and low-cost sensors, including an accelerometer, gyro sensor, geomagnetic sensor, and pressure gauge, to guide divers along predefined routes back to their starting point. The system employs a 20 Hz sampling frequency and applies high-pass filtering (HPF) to acceleration signals to eliminate gravitational interference. Velocity integration errors are corrected using the rate of pressure change, while impulse noise in accelerometer and geomagnetic sensors is removed via the Robust Kalman Filter (RKF). A time-varying system noise covariance matrix enhances accuracy during rotational states. Quaternion-based attitude avoids gimbal lock, with the Kalman Filter (KF) fusion of accelerometer/geomagnetic data mitigating gyro sensor drift. Forced oscillator trials achieved pitch/roll RMS errors of ±1.23° and ±0.26°. In Kanagawa, Japan, divers successfully navigated 44 waypoints (<5 m spacing) along a route with obstacles (30 m rope, Authors, reefs), with a start/end GNSS positioning error of 6.67 m. Full article
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15 pages, 3299 KB  
Article
Towards Sustainable Airport Operations: Emission Analysis of Taxiing Solutions
by Marta Maciejewska and Paula Kurzawska-Pietrowicz
Sustainability 2025, 17(18), 8242; https://doi.org/10.3390/su17188242 - 13 Sep 2025
Viewed by 354
Abstract
Airport operations significantly contribute to air pollution in their vicinity through various sources, including aircraft activities—particularly taxiing and take-off—as well as ground support equipment, service vehicles, and maintenance work. Since emissions from aircraft engines represent the primary pollution source at airports, it is [...] Read more.
Airport operations significantly contribute to air pollution in their vicinity through various sources, including aircraft activities—particularly taxiing and take-off—as well as ground support equipment, service vehicles, and maintenance work. Since emissions from aircraft engines represent the primary pollution source at airports, it is essential to reduce emissions at every phase of the LTO (landing and take-off) cycle to improve local air quality and promote environmental sustainability. Given the research gap in emission analysis, a comprehensive LCA framework for airport pushback and taxi operations is proposed, integrating tow truck propulsion, a taxiing strategy, and fleet management. Given the complexity of the issue, the authors first decided to investigate emissions from taxiing operations using tow trucks with different powertrains. The analyses performed were considered preliminary and a starting point for exploring emissions during taxiing operations at airports. Typically, aircraft are pushed back from the apron and then taxi under their own power using both engines at approximately 7% of maximum thrust. To substantially reduce exhaust emissions, external towing vehicles can be employed to move aircrafts from the apron to the runway. This study evaluates the potential for emission reductions in CO2 and other harmful compounds such as CO, HC, NOx, and PM by using electric towing vehicles (ETVs). It also compares emissions from different taxiing methods: full-engine taxiing, single-engine taxiing, ETV-assisted taxiing, and taxiing using diesel and petrol-powered tow vehicles. The analysis was conducted for Warsaw and Poznań airports. Three aircraft types—the most commonly operating at these airports—were selected to assess emissions under various taxiing scenarios. The results show that using electric towing vehicles can reduce CO and NOx emissions to nearly zero compared to other methods. Interestingly, CO emissions from full-engine taxiing were lower than those from petrol-powered towing, although the Embraer 195 showed the highest CO emissions among the selected aircrafts. HC emissions were lowest for the A321neo and also relatively low for the diesel towing vehicle. The use of electric tow trucks significantly reduces CO2 emissions: only 2.8–4.4 kg compared to 380–450 kg when taxiing with engines. This research highlights the critical role of sustainable ground operations in reducing harmful emissions and underscores the importance of integrating sustainability into airport taxiing practices. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Control of Traffic-Related Emissions to Improve Air Quality)
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8 pages, 235 KB  
Article
The Relationship Between Chronic Low Back Pain and Cigarette Smoking Habits in Patients Treated with Conservative Therapy
by Fabiola Cappella, Alessandro Di Rienzo, Mario Chiapponi, Valentina Liverotti and Mauro Dobran
Rheumato 2025, 5(3), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/rheumato5030013 - 2 Sep 2025
Viewed by 730
Abstract
Aim of the study: This paper focuses on the correlation of nicotine use with chronic lumbar back pain (CLBP). Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study involving smoker and non-smoker patients with a diagnosis of chronic low back pain (CLBP), recruited [...] Read more.
Aim of the study: This paper focuses on the correlation of nicotine use with chronic lumbar back pain (CLBP). Methods: This is a cross-sectional observational study involving smoker and non-smoker patients with a diagnosis of chronic low back pain (CLBP), recruited during their initial neurosurgical consultation at the Neurosurgery Clinic over a period of 6 months. All patients were followed for a minimum of 3 months after the start of conservative therapy. Age, sex, smoking habits, and the presence of any comorbidities were noted. Pain severity and discomfort were evaluated using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), the DN4 questionnaire, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). Based on imaging (MRI of the lumbosacral spine), diagnoses of disc herniation or vertebral lumbar stenosis were documented. Statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics software (Version 30). A p-value of less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Improvement on the CLBP, NRS, and DN4 scales after the same conservative therapy was better in Patients with non-smoking habits improved more on the CLBP, NRS and DN4 scales when compared to smokers (NRS scale 0.001 and DN4 scale 0.027). Conclusions: Patients with smoking habitudes affected by lumbar disk her-niation and stenosis and undergoing conservative therapy had worse pain scores Full article
21 pages, 4090 KB  
Review
Geomagnetic Secular Variation Models for Latitude Scaling of Cosmic Ray Flux and Considerations for 10Be Exposure Dating of Laurentide Ice Sheet Retreat
by Dennis V. Kent, Luca Lanci and Dorothy M. Peteet
Quaternary 2025, 8(3), 47; https://doi.org/10.3390/quat8030047 - 1 Sep 2025
Viewed by 456
Abstract
Published cosmogenic 10Be exposure ages from the terminal moraine of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) in northeastern North America have been interpreted to date the start of the retreat of the LIS at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) about 25 thousand years [...] Read more.
Published cosmogenic 10Be exposure ages from the terminal moraine of the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) in northeastern North America have been interpreted to date the start of the retreat of the LIS at the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) about 25 thousand years ago (ka). In contrast, published 14C accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) dates for terrestrial plant macrofossils in LIS basal deglacial clay deposits range back to only ~16 calibrated (cal) ka, more consistent with the timing of glacio-eustatic rise and associated meltwater discharge to the North Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico associated with LGM deglaciation. We apply statistical models of geomagnetic secular variation, including dipole moment, to the latitudinal scaling of cosmic ray flux to see how well the age discrepancy can be addressed. A preferred new scaling, which is essentially time-invariant over the relevant LGM age range, shifts the exposure ages only a few thousand years younger. The age discrepancy may thus stem more from potential local biases toward higher 10Be concentrations (older apparent ages) at the terminal moraine sites, such as much higher 10Be production rates at the LIS front, and especially from inheritance. Such biases can be tested by obtaining primary 10Be calibration sites in the LGM time frame, and by more comprehensive sampling strategies for glaciated terrain to discern inheritance. Full article
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17 pages, 2890 KB  
Article
Boosting the Photocatalytic Behavior of PbS/TiO2 Nanocomposites via the Pulsed Laser Deposition of PbS Nanoparticles onto TiO2 Nanotube Arrays Under Various Helium Background Pressures
by Ameni Rebhi, Karim Choubani, Anouar Hajjaji, Mohamed Ben Rabha, Mohammed A. Almeshaal, Brahim Bessais, Mounir Gaidi and My Ali El Khakani
Crystals 2025, 15(9), 783; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst15090783 - 31 Aug 2025
Viewed by 567
Abstract
In this study, highly ordered titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2-NTs) have been synthesized using the electrochemical anodization procedure. Subsequently, the TiO2-NTs were successfully decorated with PbS nanoparticles (NPs) using the pulsed KrF-laser deposition (PLD) technique under vacuum and under different [...] Read more.
In this study, highly ordered titanium dioxide nanotubes (TiO2-NTs) have been synthesized using the electrochemical anodization procedure. Subsequently, the TiO2-NTs were successfully decorated with PbS nanoparticles (NPs) using the pulsed KrF-laser deposition (PLD) technique under vacuum and under different Helium background pressures (PHe) ranging from 50 to 400 mTorr. The prepared samples (PbS-NPs/TiO2-NTs) were characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and UV–Vis and photoluminescence spectroscopies. XRD analyses confirmed that all TiO2-NTs crystallized in the anatase phase, while the PbS-NPs crystallized in the cfc lattice. The average crystallite size of the (200) crystallites was found to increase from 21 to 33 nm when the pressure of helium (PHe) was raised from vacuum to 200 mTorr and then dropped back to ~22 nm at PHe = 400 mTorr. Interestingly, the photoluminescence intensity of the PbS-NPs/TiO2-NTs samples was found to start diminishing for PHe ≥ 200 mTorr, indicating a lesser recombination rate of the photogenerated carriers, which also corresponded to a better photocatalytic degradation of the Amido Black (AB) dye. Indeed, the PbS-NPs/TiO2-NTs samples processed at PHe = 200 and 300 mTorr were found to exhibit the highest photocatalytic degradation efficiency towards AB with a kinetic constant 130% higher than that of bare TiO2-NTs. The PbS-NPs/TiO2-NTs photocatalyst samples processed under PHe = 200 or 300 mTorr were shown to remove 98% of AB within 180 min under UV light illumination. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Recent Advances in Photocatalysts Materials)
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21 pages, 3604 KB  
Article
Study on the Morphological Development Timeline and Growth Model of Embryos and Larvae of European Catfish (Silurus glanis)
by Zhuoleaersi Adakebaike, Zhengwei Wang, Hudelati Anasi, Jiangtao He, Xuejie Zhai, Chunming Shi and Zhulan Nie
Animals 2025, 15(17), 2478; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15172478 - 23 Aug 2025
Viewed by 696
Abstract
To systematically elucidate the chronological patterns of embryonic development and morphological changes in the larval and juvenile stages of Silurus glanis, and provide fundamental biological insights into this species, in this study, fertilized eggs were obtained through artificial spawning induction technology. After [...] Read more.
To systematically elucidate the chronological patterns of embryonic development and morphological changes in the larval and juvenile stages of Silurus glanis, and provide fundamental biological insights into this species, in this study, fertilized eggs were obtained through artificial spawning induction technology. After removing adhesiveness from fertilized eggs using trypsin, a detailed developmental study was conducted. The study systematically analyzed the chronological sequence of embryonic development and the morphological change patterns of larval and juvenile fish. The results showed the following: The fertilized eggs of S. glanis are yellow, spherical, and sticky, and the stickiness allows eggs to attach to spawning substrates, enhancing hatching success. The egg diameter after water absorption was (2.88 ± 0.13) mm. The embryonic development took 47 h and 55 min, with a total accumulated temperature of 1245.56 h degrees Celsius, the developmental process includes seven stages and twenty-six periods, namely the zygophase stage, cleavage stage, blastula stage, gastrula stage, neurula stage, organogenesis stage, and hatching stage. At a temperature of (26.0 ± 0.9) °C, the hatched individuals went through the pre-yolk sac larval stage, late larval stage, juvenile fry stage, and juvenile stage. In the pre-yolk sac larval stage, otoliths appeared in the bilateral otic vesicles, a pair of barbel primordia emerged under the mandible, a short and thin straight intestine formed in the abdominal cavity, and the oral fissure first appeared. In the late larval stage, the fin rays were initially formed, the intestine became thicker and longer, the oral fissure, anus, and cloaca were formed, and the larvae could float and start feeding on exogenous food. In the juvenile fry stage, the differentiation of various organs was basically complete, the nostrils became larger, and both the anal fin and caudal fin had dark black markings. In the juvenile stage, the maxillary barbels elongated, the mucus layer thickened on the body and back, the abdomen is light white, and it had the external morphological characteristics of an adult fish. By measuring and calculating the total length, body length, body height, and head length of S. glanis larvae and juveniles (0–40 days), the results showed that the growth characteristics conformed to the following fish growth formula: TL = 0.0141x2 + 0.8096x + 8.2421 (R2 = 0.9916), where x denotes days after hatching. This study has preliminarily mastered the chronological patterns of the embryonic development, growth, and formation of the morphological characteristics in larval and juvenile S. glanis, providing scientific data and laying a theoretical foundation for the division of early developmental stages, reproduction, hatching, and fry cultivation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Early Development and Growth of Fishes: 2nd Edition)
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19 pages, 1910 KB  
Review
Hansen’s Disease in Ecuador: Current Status, Knowledge Gaps, and Research Priorities: A Literature Review
by Manuel Calvopiña, Juan S. Izquierdo-Condoy, Esteban Ortiz-Prado, Jorge Vasconez-Gonzalez, Lorena Vaca and Elías Guamán
Pathogens 2025, 14(8), 832; https://doi.org/10.3390/pathogens14080832 - 21 Aug 2025
Viewed by 1662
Abstract
Background: Hansen’s disease or leprosy is one of the 21 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). In Ecuador, leprosy is considered eliminated as a public health problem; however, new cases are reported annually. Additionally, Mycobacterium leprae infection was detected in nine-banded armadillos across the country, [...] Read more.
Background: Hansen’s disease or leprosy is one of the 21 neglected tropical diseases (NTDs). In Ecuador, leprosy is considered eliminated as a public health problem; however, new cases are reported annually. Additionally, Mycobacterium leprae infection was detected in nine-banded armadillos across the country, suggesting a potential zoonotic reservoir. This literature review aims to provide an updated overview of the epidemiological situation of leprosy in Ecuador, identify knowledge gaps, and outline research priorities to support the development of a comprehensive national strategy for achieving zero autochthonous cases. Methods: This article analyses the current situation of leprosy in Ecuador based on international and national publications. A retrospective literature search using five international, regional, and national publications on leprosy published between 1954 and 2024 (70 years) with no restriction on language or publication date, was performed. Findings: Our review identified 28 publications with the earliest article dating back to 1954. Of these, 14 were published in international journals, 15 (53.6%) were in Spanish. Four nationwide studies documented leprosy cases across Ecuador’s three continental regions (Coast, Andes, and Amazon) with a predominance in the tropical coast. No cases have been reported from the Galápagos Islands. From 1983, Ecuador started multi-drug therapy. Data from the Ministry of Public Health (MoH) system identified 1539 incident cases, showing a significant decline in new cases from 2000 to 2024, with no cases in children. New cases detection rate by 100,000 inhabitants was 0.51 in 2019 according to the World Health Organization (WHO). No study has genotyped the Mycobacterium spp. in human cases, other animal species, or environment. According to the MoH, multibacillary leprosy accounts for 78.95% of diagnosed cases, with confirmation based on Ziehl–Neelsen staining and histopathology. No survey has assessed disabilities, knowledge, attitudes, and practices (KAP) or stigma related to leprosy. Research is needed on transmission routes, Mycobacterium genotyping, genetic susceptibility, and antibiotic resistance. BCG vaccination coverage fell to 75.3% in 2021. Cases are currently diagnosed and treated on an outpatient basis in large hospitals. Conclusions: This comprehensive review highlights persistent gaps in leprosy research and critical information, despite seven decades of documented cases in Ecuador. The disease is still endemic across the country, particularly at subnational level in the subtropics and tropics of the Pacific coast and the Amazon. There is a need for nationwide epidemiological research on reservoirs and the environment applying the One Health concept. Increased laboratory facilities and readily available official data are required to improve our understanding of leprosy in Ecuador. Strengthening community-level efforts is essential for Ecuador to meet the targets of the “WHO’s Towards Zero Leprosy: Strategy 2021–2030.” Full article
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23 pages, 2765 KB  
Case Report
The Role of Art in the Revitalisation of Brownfield Sites—The Case of Nantes
by Iwona Szustakiewicz
Arts 2025, 14(4), 97; https://doi.org/10.3390/arts14040097 - 18 Aug 2025
Viewed by 766
Abstract
The article examines the role of art in the successful revitalisation of brownfield sites in Nantes. The city’s deindustrialization in the 1960s–80s caused a severe economic and social crisis. Significant areas were left behind by the abandoned factories, which were rapidly degrading, negatively [...] Read more.
The article examines the role of art in the successful revitalisation of brownfield sites in Nantes. The city’s deindustrialization in the 1960s–80s caused a severe economic and social crisis. Significant areas were left behind by the abandoned factories, which were rapidly degrading, negatively affecting the entire city. Many of these were located on a river island in the city centre. Since the early 1990s, the Nantes authorities initiated a process of revitalising brownfield sites. They implemented several culture-led regeneration strategies. Nantes opened up to temporary events: street theatre shows and art festivals. The flagship project and symbol of renewal became Les Machines de Île, mobile, interactive machines that took over the previously degraded island and hark back to its industrial past. Site-specific art installations filled the city. The municipal authorities also started to implement the concept of a creative cluster, concentrating art colleges, cultural facilities, and creativity-related businesses on former wasteland. The use of a variety of strategies brought success, and the results went beyond the revitalised area. Cultural activities became an accelerator of change and contributed to the regeneration process of the city. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Arts and Urban Development)
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18 pages, 1812 KB  
Review
Nanocarriers for Medical Ozone Delivery: A New Therapeutic Strategy
by Manuela Malatesta and Flavia Carton
Nanomaterials 2025, 15(15), 1188; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15151188 - 3 Aug 2025
Viewed by 701
Abstract
Ozone (O3) occurs in nature as a chemical compound made of three oxygen atoms. It is an unstable, highly oxidative gas that rapidly decomposes into oxygen. The therapeutic use of O3 dates back to the beginning of the 20th century [...] Read more.
Ozone (O3) occurs in nature as a chemical compound made of three oxygen atoms. It is an unstable, highly oxidative gas that rapidly decomposes into oxygen. The therapeutic use of O3 dates back to the beginning of the 20th century and is currently based on the application of low doses, inducing a moderate oxidative stress that stimulates the antioxidant cellular defenses without causing cell damage. Low O3 doses also induce anti-inflammatory and regenerative effects, and their anticancer potential is under investigation. In addition, the oxidative properties of O3 make it an excellent antibacterial, antimycotic, and antiviral agent. Thanks to these properties, O3 is currently widely used in several medical fields. However, its chemical instability represents an application limit, and ozonated oil is the only stabilized form of medical O3. In recent years, novel O3 formulations have been proposed for their sustained and more efficient administration, based on nanotechnology. This review offers an overview of the nanocarriers designed for the delivery of medical O3, and of their therapeutic applications. The reviewed articles demonstrate that research is active and productive, though it is a rather new entry in the nanotechnological field. Liposomes, nanobubbles, nanoconstructed hydrogels, polymeric nanoparticles, and niosomes were designed to deliver O3 and have been proven to exert antiseptic, anticancer, and pro-regenerative effects when administered in vitro and in vivo. Improving the therapeutic administration of O3 through nanocarriers is a just-started challenge, and multiple prospects may be foreseen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Biology and Medicines)
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21 pages, 4352 KB  
Article
Research on Startup Characteristics of Parallel Axial-Flow Pump Systems
by Chao Yang, Chao Li, Lingling Deng and You Fu
Water 2025, 17(15), 2285; https://doi.org/10.3390/w17152285 - 31 Jul 2025
Viewed by 325
Abstract
This study takes four parallel axial-flow pumps (three in operation + one on standby) as the research object. Using a 1D–3D coupling method, it explores the flow characteristics of axial-flow pumps under different startup strategies during multi-pump parallel operation. Through comparative analysis, the [...] Read more.
This study takes four parallel axial-flow pumps (three in operation + one on standby) as the research object. Using a 1D–3D coupling method, it explores the flow characteristics of axial-flow pumps under different startup strategies during multi-pump parallel operation. Through comparative analysis, the following conclusions are drawn: when all three pumps start simultaneously, the internal pressure exceeds the rated head by 23.43%, and the reverse flow reaches 10.57% of the rated flow. When starting the pumps sequentially with 5 s intervals, the pressure can be reduced to 11.41% above the rated head, but the reverse flow increases to 13.87%. Further extending the startup interval to 15 s results in only minimal improvements compared to 5 s intervals: the maximum internal pressure and maximum reverse flow decrease by just 0.97% and 0.05%, respectively. When valve coordination is added to the 5 s sequential startup strategy (pre-opening the valve to 60% before pump startup), the pressure exceeds the rated head by 10.49%, and the reverse flow exceeds the rated flow by 6.04%. In this scenario, the high-pressure areas and high-turbulence zones on the blade back surfaces are significantly reduced, achieving optimal flow stability. Therefore, the parallel system startup should adopt a coordinated strategy combining moderate time intervals with 60% valve pre-opening. This approach can both avoid excessive pressure impact and effectively control reverse flow phenomena, providing an important basis for optimizing the startup of multi-pump parallel systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Hydraulics and Hydrodynamics)
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16 pages, 3471 KB  
Article
Reconstruction of Pleistocene Evolutionary History of the Root Vole Alexandromys oeconomus (Cricetidae, Rodentia) in Northern Asia
by Tatyana V. Petrova, Andrey A. Lissovsky, Semyon Yu. Bodrov, Aivar V. Kuular, Nikolay I. Putintsev, Munkhtsog Bariushaa and Natalia I. Abramson
Diversity 2025, 17(7), 497; https://doi.org/10.3390/d17070497 - 20 Jul 2025
Viewed by 425
Abstract
Previous phylogeographic study of the root vole (Alexandromys oeconomus) revealed four mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages—North and Central European, North (=Central) Asian and Beringian. Three of them were studied in detail, while the North Asian lineage, which occupies the most extensive territory [...] Read more.
Previous phylogeographic study of the root vole (Alexandromys oeconomus) revealed four mitochondrial cytochrome b lineages—North and Central European, North (=Central) Asian and Beringian. Three of them were studied in detail, while the North Asian lineage, which occupies the most extensive territory and is considered to be the place of origin for the species, was understudied. In the framework of the current study, we obtained 95 new sequences (34 localities) from the wide territory of Northern Asia and in total, examined 940 specimens from 181 localities throughout the species’ distribution range. The North Asian lineage was found to be more diverse than the Beringian and the European lineages. Southern Siberia and especially the Altai–Sayan region displayed the highest haplotype and nucleotide diversity, suggesting the region’s role as a genetic diversity hotspot. We suppose that the expansion of the North Asian lineage started from Western Transbaikalia. Its representatives colonised the territory from the Urals to the northern shore of the Okhotsk Sea, and then spread in the opposite direction, to Southern Siberia. As a result, a mixture of haplogroups is observed in the Altai–Sayan region. According to the BEAST analysis calibrated with the first A. oeconomus records, the MRCA of North Asian and Beringian lineages is dated back to ~0.82 Mya, and the first divergence within the North Asian lineage may have occurred ~0.6 Mya. When compared with colonisation times of other representatives of the Arvicolinae subfamily, our dating seems to be overestimated. In this regard, molecular data for dated fossil remains of the root vole are essential for subsequent studies. Full article
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18 pages, 3116 KB  
Article
Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Depressive Symptoms, Sleep Quality, and Modulation of Gut Microbiota and Inflammatory Biomarkers: A Randomized Controlled Trial
by S Rehan Ahmad, Abdullah M. AlShahrani and Anupriya Kumari
Brain Sci. 2025, 15(7), 761; https://doi.org/10.3390/brainsci15070761 - 18 Jul 2025
Viewed by 3257
Abstract
Background: More than merely determining our sleep pattern, our body’s internal clock also improves the quality of our sleep, alleviates the symptoms of depression, and maintains the balance of our gut flora. Methods: We carried out a 12-week randomized controlled trial with 99 [...] Read more.
Background: More than merely determining our sleep pattern, our body’s internal clock also improves the quality of our sleep, alleviates the symptoms of depression, and maintains the balance of our gut flora. Methods: We carried out a 12-week randomized controlled trial with 99 adults from Kolkata, New Delhi, and Pune who reported sleep problems and symptoms of depression or anxiety. Participants received either a probiotic formulated to improve sleep quality and reduce depressive symptoms or a placebo. We tracked sleep using overnight studies and wearable devices, assessed depressive symptoms with standardized questionnaires, and analyzed stool samples to profile gut bacteria and their metabolites using gene sequencing and metabolomics. Advanced statistics and machine learning helped us pinpoint the key microbial and metabolic factors tied to sleep and mental health. Results: At the start, participants with disrupted sleep and depressive symptoms had fewer beneficial gut bacteria like Bifidobacterium and Lactobacillus, more inflammation-related microbes, and lower levels of helpful short-chain fatty acids. These imbalances were linked to poorer sleep efficiency, less REM sleep, and higher depression and anxiety scores. After 12 weeks, those taking the circadian-supporting probiotic saw a statistically significant increase in beneficial gut bacteria, improved sleep efficiency (+7.4%, p = 0.02), and greater reductions in depression and anxiety compared to the placebo. Increases in SCFA-producing bacteria most strongly predicted improvements. Conclusions: Our results show that taking a probiotic supplement can help bring your gut back into balance, support better sleep, and lift symptoms of depression and anxiety. This offers a hopeful and practical option for people looking for real relief from these deeply connected challenges. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Relationships Between Disordered Sleep and Mental Health)
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12 pages, 1374 KB  
Review
Ethanol-Producing Micro-Organisms of Human Gut: A Biological Phenomenon or a Disease?
by Aladin Abu Issa, Yftach Shoval and Fabio Pace
Appl. Biosci. 2025, 4(3), 36; https://doi.org/10.3390/applbiosci4030036 - 15 Jul 2025
Viewed by 1013
Abstract
The discovery that human beings may endogenously produce ethanol is not new and dates back at the end of the 19th century; recently, however, it has become clear that through the proliferation of gut microorganisms that produce ethanol from sugars or other substrates, [...] Read more.
The discovery that human beings may endogenously produce ethanol is not new and dates back at the end of the 19th century; recently, however, it has become clear that through the proliferation of gut microorganisms that produce ethanol from sugars or other substrates, blood alcohol level may be greater than 0, despite Homo sapiens sapiens lacking the enzymatic pathways to produce it. Very rarely this can lead to symptoms and/or to a disease, named gut fermentation syndrome or auto-brewery syndrome (ABS). The list of microorganisms (mostly bacteria and fungi) is very long and contains almost 100 different strains, and many metabolic pathways are involved. Endogenous ethanol production is a neglected entity, but it may be suspected in patients in whom ethanol consumption may be firmly excluded. Nevertheless, due to the growing prevalence of NAFLD (now renamed as MAFLD) worldwide, an ethanol-producing microorganism responsible for endogenous ethanol production such as Klebsiella pneumoniae or Saccharomices cerevisiae is increasingly sought in NAFLD patients, or in patients with metabolic diseases such as diabetes mellitus, obesity, or metabolic syndrome, at least in selected instances. In the absence of standard diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines, ABS requires a detailed patient history, including dietary habits, alcohol consumption, and gastrointestinal symptoms, and a comprehensive physical examination to detect unexplained ethanol intoxication. It has been proposed to start the diagnostic protocol with a standardized carbohydrate challenge test, followed, if positive, by the use of antifungal agents or antibiotics; indeed, fecal microbiota transplantation might be the only way to cure a patient with refractory ABS. Scientific societies should produce internationally agreed recommendations for ABS and other conditions linked to excessive endogenous ethanol production. Full article
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22 pages, 2434 KB  
Article
Sylph: An Unsupervised APT Detection System Based on the Provenance Graph
by Kaida Jiang, Zihan Gao, Siyu Zhang and Futai Zou
Information 2025, 16(7), 566; https://doi.org/10.3390/info16070566 - 2 Jul 2025
Viewed by 632
Abstract
Traditional detection methods and security defenses are gradually insufficient to cope with evolving attack techniques and strategies, and have coarse detection granularity and high memory overhead. As a result, we propose Sylph, a lightweight unsupervised APT detection method based on a provenance graph, [...] Read more.
Traditional detection methods and security defenses are gradually insufficient to cope with evolving attack techniques and strategies, and have coarse detection granularity and high memory overhead. As a result, we propose Sylph, a lightweight unsupervised APT detection method based on a provenance graph, which not only detects APT attacks but also localizes APT attacks with a fine event granularity and feeds possible attacks back to system detectors to reduce their localization burden. Sylph proposes a whole-process architecture from provenance graph collection to anomaly detection, starting from the system audit logs, and dividing subgraphs based on time slices of the provenance graph it transforms into to reduce memory overhead. Starting from the system audit logs, the provenance graph it transforms into is divided into subgraphs based on time slices, which reduces the memory occupation and improves the detection efficiency at the same time; on the basis of generating the sequence of subgraphs, the full graph embedding of the subgraphs is carried out by using Graph2Vec to obtain their feature vectors, and the anomaly detection based on unsupervised learning is carried out by using an autoencoder, which is capable of detecting new types of attacks that have not yet appeared. After the experimental evaluation, Sylph can realize the APT attack detection with higher accuracy and achieve an accuracy rate. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Emerging Research on Neural Networks and Anomaly Detection)
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22 pages, 2814 KB  
Article
Quantitative Evaluation of Postural SmartVest’s Multisensory Feedback for Affordable Smartphone-Based Post-Stroke Motor Rehabilitation
by Maria da Graca Campos Pimentel, Amanda Polin Pereira, Olibario Jose Machado Neto, Larissa Cardoso Zimmermann and Valeria Meirelles Carril Elui
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2025, 22(7), 1034; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph22071034 - 28 Jun 2025
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Abstract
Accessible tools for post-stroke motor rehabilitation are critically needed to promote recovery beyond clinical settings. This pilot study evaluated the impact of a posture correction intervention using the Postural SmartVest, a wearable device that delivers multisensory feedback via a smartphone app. Forty individuals [...] Read more.
Accessible tools for post-stroke motor rehabilitation are critically needed to promote recovery beyond clinical settings. This pilot study evaluated the impact of a posture correction intervention using the Postural SmartVest, a wearable device that delivers multisensory feedback via a smartphone app. Forty individuals with post-stroke hemiparesis participated in a single supervised session, during which each patient completed the same four-phase functional protocol: multidirectional walking, free walking toward a refrigerator, an upper-limb reaching and object-handling task, and walking back to the starting point. Under the supervision of their therapists, each patient performed the full protocol twice—first without feedback and then with feedback—which allowed within-subject comparisons across multiple metrics, including upright posture duration, number and frequency of posture-related events, and temporal distribution. Additional analyses explored associations with demographic and clinical variables and identified predictors through regression models. Wilcoxon signed-rank and Mann–Whitney U tests showed significant improvements with feedback, including an increase in upright posture time (p<0.001), an increase in the frequency of upright posture events (p<0.001), and a decrease in the total task time (p=0.038). No significant subgroup differences were found for age, sex, lateralization, or stroke chronicity. Regression models did not identify significant predictors of improvement. Full article
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