Search Results (859)

To solve the problems of large root damage and incomplete seedling blocks (SBs) in rice machine transplanting, this study numerically optimized the root blanket-cutting device for rice blanket seedling cutting and throwing transplanters based on the discrete element method (DEM) and multi-body dynamics (MBD) coupling method. A longitudinal sliding cutter (LSC)–substrate–root interaction model was established. Based on the simulation tests of Center Composite Design and response surface analysis, the sliding angle and cutter shaft speed of the LSCs arranged at the circumferential angles (CAs) of 0°, 30°, and 60° were optimized. The simulation results indicated that the LSC arrangement CA significantly affected the cutting performance, with the optimal configuration achieved at a CA of 60°. Under the optimal parameters (sliding angle of 57°, cutter shaft speed of 65.3 r/min), the average deviation between the simulated and physical tests was less than 11%, and the reliability of the parameters was verified. A seedling needle–substrate–root interaction model was established. The Box–Behnken Design method was applied to conduct simulation tests and response surface optimization, focusing on the picking angle, needle width, and rotary gearbox speed. The simulation results showed that the picking angle was the key influencing factor. Under the optimal parameters (picking angle of 20°, seedling needle width of 15 mm, rotary gearbox speed of 209 r/min), the average deviation between the simulated and physical tests was less than 10%, which met the design requirements. This study provides a new solution for reducing root injury, improving SB integrity, and reducing energy consumption in rice transplanting, and provides theoretical and technical references for optimizing transplanting machinery structure and selecting working parameters. Full article

In South Korea, sunlight rights and daylight rights are legally distinguished, yet no standardized methodology exists for their quantitative assessment. Current evaluations of sunlight rights are narrowly defined, relying on the duration of direct solar penetration at the window center during the winter solstice, while excluding reflected and diffuse light. This restrictive approach has led to confusion among both researchers and legal practitioners, as it diverges from daylighting evaluations that account for indoor brightness and energy performance. The recent enactment of regulations to secure solar access in schools has further intensified disputes between educational institutions striving to protect students’ visual comfort and developers seeking to maximize building potential. To address this gap, this study proposes an evaluation framework tailored to the Korean context. A reference classroom model representative of standard Korean schools was developed, and simulations were conducted by introducing obstructing building masses to block direct sunlight. The methodology evaluated key variables, including time of day and solar altitude, and analyzed daylighting performance and lighting-related energy consumption under obstructed conditions. The results show that blocking sunlight through south-facing windows reduces daylighting performance by 89% to 98%, leading to additional reliance on artificial lighting, with energy use increasing between 128 Wh and 768 Wh. These findings underscore the limitations of current legal interpretations based solely on sunlight duration and highlight the necessity of adopting performance-based evaluation methods. Protecting school sunlight rights through such approaches is essential to enhancing classroom visual environments and reducing energy demand. Full article

Background: Patent foramen ovale (PFO) is a common finding linked to cryptogenic stroke. Transesophageal echocardiography identifies high-risk anatomical features, but it remains unknown whether electrocardiography (ECG) may distinguish between high-risk and low-risk PFO anatomies. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 207 consecutive patients (median age 45 years; 46.9% male) who underwent percutaneous PFO closure between January 2021 and June 2025. Patients were stratified into low-risk (score 0–1, n = 46), and high-risk (score 2–5, n = 161) groups using the Nakayama risk score. Baseline 12-lead ECGs were analyzed for crochetage R wave, right bundle branch block, RSR’ pattern, and T-wave abnormalities. Clinical, laboratory, and echocardiographic data were systematically evaluated. Results: High-risk patients more frequently exhibited crochetage R waves (40.4% vs. 17.4%, p = 0.004) and spontaneous Doppler shunting (53.3% vs. 31.0%, p = 0.010). Crochetage R wave strongly correlated with the presence of a large right-to-left shunt (≥20 bubbles: 97.2% vs. 82.0%, p = 0.002), reinforcing its pathophysiological significance. The presence of a crochetage R wave was independently associated with high-risk PFO anatomy (OR: 32.4; 95% CI: 2.64–397.7; p = 0.007). In addition, spontaneous Doppler shunting (OR: 5.4; 95% CI: 1.1–26.4; p = 0.039) and absence of lipomatous hypertrophy (OR: 0.10; 95% CI: 0.01–0.71; p = 0.022) were independent predictors of high-risk PFO anatomy. Conclusions: In patients with PFO, ECG changes such as the crochetage R wave are driven by anatomical risk features and shunt magnitude and may aid noninvasive risk stratification in cryptogenic stroke. Full article

As cities strive for human-centered and fine-tuned development, Agent-Based Modeling (ABM) has emerged as a powerful tool for simulating pedestrian behavior and optimizing walkable neighborhood design. This study presents a comparative bibliometric analysis of ABM applications in block-scale walkability research from 2015 to 2024, drawing on both Chinese- and English-language literature. Using visualization tools such as VOSviewer, the analysis reveals divergences in national trajectories, methodological approaches, and institutional logics. Chinese research demonstrates a policy-driven growth pattern, particularly following the introduction of the “15-Minute Community Life Circle” initiative, with an emphasis on neighborhood renewal, age-friendly design, and transit-oriented planning. In contrast, international studies show a steady output driven by technological innovation, integrating methods such as deep learning, semantic segmentation, and behavioral simulation to address climate resilience, equity, and mobility complexity. The study also classifies ABM applications into five key application domains, highlighting how Chinese and international studies differ in focus, data inputs, and implementation strategies. Despite these differences, both research streams recognize the value of ABM in transport planning, public health, and low-carbon urbanism. Key challenges identified include data scarcity, algorithmic limitations, and ethical concerns. The study concludes with future research directions, including multimodal data fusion, integration with extended reality, and the development of privacy-aware, cross-cultural modeling standards. These findings reinforce ABM’s potential as a smart urban simulation tool for advancing adaptive, human-centered, and sustainable neighborhood planning. Full article

Effective station–city integration is crucial for sustainable development around high-speed rail stations. However, research assessing public preferences regarding the aspects of this integration remains limited. We constructed a performance evaluation model for station–city integration in high-speed rail station areas. By considering the high-speed rail station area in the Yangtze River Delta region as a research object, which is located in the metropolitan cities centered on Shanghai, China, we dissected the five dimensions of population, industry, land use, function, and environment into 15 indicators that flow into the three value objectives of attraction–retention–integration (NPI). Subsequently, we systematically analyzed the performance differentiation characteristics of station–city integration in the Yangtze River Delta region’s high-speed rail station areas by employing a multiple regression model to delve into the influence mechanisms affecting the performance differentiation patterns of station–city integration. Our findings indicate the following. (1) Regarding station–city integration performance grade differentiation, a few high-speed rail station areas in the Yangtze River Delta region exhibit a high-efficiency integration level, whereas more areas fall within the higher and general integration levels. (2) Spatially, the station–city integration performance in high-speed rail station areas within the Yangtze River Delta region exhibits a distinct distribution characterized by “high-grade point-block dependence and low-grade concentrated contiguous patches.” (3) The spatial distribution of the five dimensions of station–city integration performance exhibits significant disparities. (4) Regarding the development types of station–city integration performance advantages, efficient integration of stations and cities represents a multidimensional advantageous development type and higher integration falls into the same category. (5) Station–city integration performance results from the comprehensive effects of four factors: government policy inducement, station energy level attraction, station–city relationship adhesion, and urban energy level promotion. This study advances a systematic framework—encompassing performance measurement, mechanistic inquiry, and strategy formulation—for examining station–city integration in HSR station areas. By integrating the perspective of cyclical cumulative development into the node–place model from urban planning and geographical viewpoints, we articulate a new performance model that clarifies critical influencing factors and mechanisms, thus broadening the theoretical scope of HSR station area research. We believe that the NPI evaluation model can provide valuable insights for guiding the integrated development of high-speed rail station areas and enhancing the quality of urban development. Full article

Background/Objectives: Lightweight CNNs for medical imaging remain limited. We propose TurkerNeXtV2, a compact CNN that introduces two new blocks: a pooling-based attention with an inverted bottleneck (TNV2) and a hybrid downsampling module. These blocks improve stability and efficiency. The aim is to achieve transformer-level effectiveness while keeping the simplicity, low computational cost, and deployability of CNNs. Methods: The model was first pretrained on the Stable ImageNet-1k benchmark and then fine-tuned on a collected plantar-pressure OA dataset. We also evaluated the model on a public blood-cell image dataset. Performance was measured by accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. Inference time (images per second) was recorded on an RTX 5080 GPU. Grad-CAM was used for qualitative explainability. Results: During pretraining on Stable ImageNet-1k, the model reached a validation accuracy of 87.77%. On the OA test set, the model achieved 93.40% accuracy (95% CI: 91.3–95.2%) with balanced precision and recall above 90%. On the blood-cell dataset, the test accuracy was 98.52%. The average inference time was 0.0078 s per image (≈128.8 images/s), which is comparable to strong CNN baselines and faster than the transformer baselines tested under the same settings. Conclusions: TurkerNeXtV2 delivers high accuracy with low computational cost. The pooling-based attention (TNV2) and the hybrid downsampling enable a lightweight yet effective design. The model is suitable for real-time and clinical use. Future work will include multi-center validation and broader tests across imaging modalities. Full article

Repairing the central nervous system (CNS) remains one of the most difficult obstacles to overcome in translational neurosciences. This is due to intrinsic growth inhibitors, extracellular matrix issues, the glial scar–form barrier, chronic neuroinflammation, and epigenetic silencing. The purpose of this review is to bring together findings from recent developments in genome editing and computational approaches, which center around the possible convergence of clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) platforms and artificial intelligence (AI), towards precision neuroregeneration. We wished to outline possible ways in which CRISPR-based systems, including but not limited to Cas9 and Cas12 nucleases, RNA-targeting Cas13, base and prime editors, and transcriptional regulators such as CRISPRa/i, can be applied to potentially reactivate axon-growth programs, alter inhibitory extracellular signaling, reprogram or lineage transform glia to functional neurons, and block oncogenic pathways in glioblastoma. In addition, we wanted to highlight how AI approaches, such as single-cell multi-omics, radiogenomic prediction, development of digital twins, and design of adaptive clinical trials, will increasingly be positioned to act as system-level architects that allow translation of complex datasets into predictive and actionable therapeutic approaches. We examine convergence consumers in spinal cord injury and adaptive neuro-oncology and discuss expanse consumers in ischemic stroke, Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and rare neurogenetic syndromes. Finally, we discuss the ethical and regulatory landscape around beyond off-target editing and genomic stability of CRISPR, algorithmic bias, explainability, and equitable access to advanced neurotherapies. Our intent was not to provide a comprehensive inventory of possibilities but rather to provide a conceptual tool where CRISPR acts as a molecular manipulator and AI as a computational integrator, converging to create pathways towards precision neuroregeneration, personalized medicine, and adaptive neurotherapeutics that are ethically sound. Full article

Oman launched its COVID-19 vaccination campaign in December 2020, navigating significant public health challenges with resilience and adaptability. The country faced global vaccine shortages, community hesitancy to receive the vaccine, and diverse sociocultural and infrastructural obstacles. Despite these issues, Oman scaled up its COVID-19 vaccination efforts, administering over 7 million doses, covering approximately 71% of the population by mid-2022. The campaign, which operated through more than 44 vaccination centers nationwide, exemplified rapid vaccine implementation, strategic prioritization, and a coordinated pandemic response. This study examined the field experience of Oman’s accelerated COVID-19 mass vaccination campaign through the World Health Organization’s Health System Building Blocks framework. The key domains addressed included (1) multi-sectoral collaboration underpinned by strong governance structures; (2) the role of primary healthcare facilities as essential first responders during health crises, and safe handling of vaccination procedures; (3) transparency and active community engagement, particularly through local leaders and social media, to address vaccine hesitancy; (4) the integration of digital health information systems to ensure unified and efficient data management; (5) building a resilient healthcare workforce by enhancing vaccination capacity and mental health support; and (6) the importance of financial alternatives. Additionally, the critical role of global and regional partnerships in vaccine production and distribution was highlighted. Drawing on Oman’s experience, this descriptive review offers context-specific lessons for enhancing health system preparedness and guiding effective responses to public health emergencies. Full article

This work presents the design and simulation of a time-interleaved successive approximation register (SAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) implemented in GlobalFoundries’ 22 nm Fully Depleted Silicon-on-Insulator (FD-SOI) CMOS process. Motivated by the increasing demand for high-speed electrical links in data center and AI/ML applications, the proposed ADC architecture targets medium-resolution, high-throughput conversion with optimized power and area efficiency. The design leverages asynchronous SAR operation, bootstrapped sampling switches, and a hybrid binary/non-binary capacitive digital-to-analog converter (DAC) to achieve robust performance across process, voltage, and temperature (PVT) variations. System-level modeling using channel operating margin (COM) methodology guided the specification of key circuit blocks, enabling efficient trade-offs between resolution, speed, and power. Post-layout simulations demonstrated effective number of bits (ENOB) performance consistent with system requirements, while Monte Carlo analysis confirmed the statistical yield. The converter achieved competitive figures of merit compared to state-of-the-art designs, as benchmarked against the Murmann ADC survey. This work highlights critical design considerations for scalable mixed-signal architectures in advanced CMOS nodes and lays the foundation for future integration in high-speed SerDes systems. Full article

Objectives: This prospective observational study aimed to assess the prognostic value of electrocardiographic (ECG) findings obtained at emergency department (ED) admission in adult patients presenting with trauma-related fractures, with a focus on their association with 30-day all-cause mortality. Materials and Methods: A total of 391 patients aged ≥18 years with trauma-induced fractures were enrolled at a tertiary emergency center between February and May 2025. Baseline demographic and clinical data, including comorbidities, trauma mechanisms, and 12-lead ECG findings at admission, were recorded. Patients were monitored for 30-day mortality. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify independent predictors of mortality. Results: The mean age of the patients was 73.9 ± 6.7 years, and 50.1% were female. Normal sinus rhythm was the most common ECG finding (31.5%), followed by sinus tachycardia (20.5%) and bundle branch block (15.3%), while atrial fibrillation (AF) was present in 9.5% of cases. Thirty-day mortality occurred in 5.1% of the cohort (n = 20). Non-survivors had significantly higher frequencies of AF (35.0% vs. 8.1%, p = 0.001), head trauma (70.0% vs. 18.1%, p < 0.001), cerebrovascular disease (55.0% vs. 16.4%, p < 0.001), and polypharmacy (100% vs. 62.8%, p = 0.001) compared with survivors. Conversely, low-energy falls were more common among survivors (74.7% vs. 20.0%, p < 0.001), whereas falls from stairs or a bed and high-energy trauma were significantly more frequent among non-survivors (all p < 0.05). In multivariate logistic regression, AF (OR: 6.112; 95% CI: 1.612–23.176; p = 0.008), head trauma (OR: 16.514; 95% CI: 4.925–55.367; p < 0.001), and cerebrovascular disease (OR: 6.725; 95% CI: 2.219–20.385; p = 0.001) emerged as independent predictors of 30-day mortality. Although normal sinus rhythm was associated with survival in univariate analysis (p = 0.034), it did not retain independent significance in multivariate modeling. Patients with AF had significantly lower 30-day survival compared with those without AF (65.0% vs. 96.3%, p = 0.001). Conclusions: This prospective study demonstrates that electrocardiographic abnormalities—especially atrial fibrillation—are strong predictors of 30-day mortality in older adult trauma patients. Their prognostic value was further reinforced when assessed alongside head trauma and cerebrovascular disease. These findings emphasize ECG as a rapid, practical, and noninvasive tool for early risk stratification and clinical decision-making in the emergency care of geriatric fracture patients. Full article

Extreme weather events, such as typhoons, induce strong wave–current interactions that significantly alter nearshore hydrodynamic conditions, particularly in shallow intertidal zones. This study investigates the influence of wind speed and water depth on wave–current coupling under typhoon conditions in Shenhu Bay, southeastern China—a semi-enclosed bay that hosts multiple ancient forest relics within its intertidal zone. A two-tier numerical modeling framework was developed, comprising a regional-scale hydrodynamic model and a localized high-resolution model centered on a protective structure. Validation data were obtained from in situ field observations. Three structural scenarios were tested: fully intact, bottom-blocked, and damaged. Results indicate that wave-induced radiation stress plays a dominant role in enhancing flow velocities when wind speeds exceed 6 m/s, with wave contributions approaching 100% across all water depths. However, the linear relationship between water depth and wave contribution observed under non-typhoon conditions breaks down under typhoon forcing. A critical depth range was identified, within which wave contribution peaked before declining with further increases in depth—highlighting its potential sensitivity to storm energy. Moreover, structural simulations revealed that bottom-blocked devices, although seemingly more enclosed, may be vulnerable to vertical pressure loading due to insufficient water exchange. In contrast, perforated designs facilitate an internal–external hydrodynamic balance, thereby enhancing protective effect. This study provides both theoretical and practical insights into intertidal structure design and paleo-heritage conservation under extreme hydrodynamic stress. Full article

Hydroxyl radicals (·OH) offer exceptional potential for cancer treatment through reactive oxygen species (ROS) amplification and apoptotic induction. However, conventional Fe-based metal–organic framework (Fe-MOF) nanomaterials are limited by inadequate Fe²⁺ concentrations, resulting in suboptimal Fenton catalytic performance. This study presents concave octahedral Fe-MOF nanomaterials with integrated bimetallic Fe/Zn centers through controlled solvothermal synthesis. The nanoplatform exhibits high specific surface area (559 m²/g) and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) loading efficiency (58.7%). These structural properties establish it as a potential nanobuilding block for constructing stimuli-responsive gels. With optimized Fe²⁺ content (57.3%), the Fe-MOF material shows enhanced nanozyme-like activity (V_max = 4.58 × 10⁻⁷ M/s, K_cat = 1.83 × 10⁻³ s⁻¹) for H₂O₂-mediated ·OH generation. The Fe-MOF@FU demonstrates pH-responsive drug release (76.5% at pH 5.0) and glutathione (GSH) depletion, synergistically enhancing oxidative stress. Biocompatibility studies confirm safety, while in vitro investigations show remarkable anticancer activity against 4T1 cells with 17.8% viability, supporting its dual role as an independent therapeutic agent and a functional component for future gel-based delivery systems. Full article

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to assess the clinical and anatomical predictors of acute cardiac complications after transcatheter aortic valve implantation (TAVI). Materials and Methods: All patients who underwent a TAVI procedure for severe aortic stenosis between November 2016 and May 2025 at a tertiary center in Romania were screened for inclusion. Of those, patients who had available computer tomography valvular sizing reports were included in the present study. Results: A total of 485 patients were included in this study. Balloon-expandable valves were implanted in 381 patients (78.5%), while self-expanding valves were used in 104 patients (21.4%). A total of sixty-nine (14.2%) patients suffered at least one acute cardiac complication following TAVI, and in-hospital death occurred in nine (1.8%) patients. In the multivariable analysis, clinical parameters—such as diabetes mellitus, left bundle branch block, or left ventricular diameter—and anatomic parameters, such as left coronary artery height and sinotubular junction height, were predictors of acute complications. Similarly, periprocedural characteristics, such as maximum transprosthetic gradient and the use of the Portico/Navitor valve platform was also associated with the occurrence of acute complications. Conclusions: A high acute complications rate is typical for TAVI, although most complications can be successfully treated and the in-hospital death rate is low. Left coronary artery height and sinotubular junction height were predictors of acute complications, among other clinical and procedural characteristics. Full article

Sjögren’s disease (SjD) targets the salivary and lacrimal glands and is characterized by autoantibody production and glandular lymphocytic infiltrate with ectopic germinal centers (EGCs). The chemokine CCL25 recruits CCR9⁺ CD4⁺ T cells to the salivary glands to promote B cell activation. However, the therapeutic potential of targeting the CCL25–CCR9 axis to limit glandular inflammation and lymphoid neogenesis remains largely unexplored. Evaluate whether blocking the CCL25–CCR9⁺ T cell axis with a monoclonal antibody could reduce immune infiltration, ectopic germinal center (EGC) formation, and local autoantibody production in the NOD.H2(h4) mouse model of SjD. Female NOD.H2(h4) mice were administered anti-CCL25 antibody, isotype control, or PBS intraperitoneally for 12 weeks. Sera and saliva were collected to evaluate anti-Ro52 antibodies via ELISA across treatment groups. Salivary glands were harvested and processed for H&E staining to assess lymphocytic infiltration and focus scores. Treatment with α-CCL25 was well tolerated, with no significant differences in body weight or stimulated salivary flow between treatment groups. Histopathological evaluation revealed no reduction in lymphocytic infiltration, focus scores, or percentage of inflamed tissue in α-CCL25-treated mice compared to controls. Anti-Ro52 antibodies were undetectable in plasma or saliva across all groups and timepoints. Systemic CCL25 blockade did not significantly alter salivary gland inflammation, function, or autoantibody production in NOD.H2(h4) mice. These findings suggest that monotherapy targeting the CCL25–CCR9 axis may be insufficient to resolve glandular autoimmunity in this model and that additional or combinatorial strategies may be necessary for effective intervention. Full article

Background and Objectives: Revision anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) is demanding and yields inferior outcomes compared with primary procedures. The quadriceps tendon (QT) autograft with bone block has biomechanical and biological advantages though clinical evidence in revision remains limited. This study evaluated the clinical and radiological outcomes of revision ACLR using bone-block QT autograft in young, active patients. Materials and Methods: A case series with a level of evidence of 4. Thirty-four patients (28 men, 6 women; mean age, 27.2 ± 5.8 years) who underwent revision ACLR with a bone-block QT autograft between 2021 and 2023 were retrospectively reviewed. The mean follow-up was 37.4 ± 3.2 months. Clinical assessments included the Lysholm, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) subjective, and Tegner activity scores, along with isokinetic strength testing. Objective stability was evaluated using pivot shift grading and Telos stress radiography. Radiological analyses included 3D computed tomography for tunnel positioning and magnetic resonance imaging for tunnel widening. Perioperative and postoperative complications were recorded. Results: All clinical outcomes improved significantly from baseline to 2-year follow-up: Lysholm (62.7 ± 9.6 to 87.1 ± 10.3), IKDC (59.0 ± 10.8 to 79.5 ± 11.1), and Tegner (3.5 ± 1.2 to 5.6 ± 1.3; all p < 0.001). However, the Tegner score remained lower than the pre-injury level (6.1 ± 1.4; p = 0.035). At the final follow-up, 91.2% of the patients had returned to sports, with 59% resuming sports at their pre-injury level or higher. Side-to-side anterior laxity decreased from 8.5 ± 1.7 mm to 1.4 ± 1.1 mm on Telos stress radiography (p < 0.001). Preoperatively, 82% of patients demonstrated high grade pivot shift (≥grade 2), which improved to 91% graded as negative or grade 1 at final follow-up (p < 0.001). Isokinetic evaluation showed improvements in quadriceps (28.7% ± 12.5% to 12.4% ± 8.1%) and hamstring (18.3% ± 9.7% to 8.9% ± 6.5%) deficit (both p < 0.001). MRI demonstrated minimal tunnel widening (tibia, +1.3 ± 0.9 mm, p = 0.012; femur, +0.3 ± 0.6 mm, p = 0.148). Three complications (8.8%) were observed: one cyclops lesion, one transient extension deficit, and one graft rupture. No patellar fractures, septic arthritis, or revision procedures occurred during the follow-up period. Conclusions: Bone-block QT autografts provide a reliable option for revision ACLR, yielding functional improvement, restored stability, and minimal donor-site morbidity, with low complications. These findings support their consideration as the preferred graft choice for young active patients needing revision reconstruction. Full article