Search Results (33,842)

Background/Objectives: Compaction of sustained release coated pellets into tablets is associated with damage to the functional coat and loss in sustained release. The influences of precompression, trilayering, and tableting rate on the compaction of sustained release coated pellets into tablets are not well defined and were herein investigated to enhance the current limited understanding of these factors. Methods: Pellets coated with acrylic polymer (AC) or ethylcellulose (EC) were combined with filler material and compacted into multi-unit pellet system (MUPS) tablets prepared using different levels of precompression, as a trilayered MUPS tablet and at different tableting rates. The physical properties of the resulting MUPS tablets were evaluated. Trilayering was achieved by adding cushioning layers at the top and bottom of the MUPS tablet to avoid direct contact of pellets with punch surfaces. Results: With precompression, slightly stronger MUPS tablets were made compared to the tablets without precompression for EC pellets but not AC pellets. However, precompression led to a slight reduction in pellet coat damage for AC pellets but not EC pellets. Trilayering led to significant reductions in pellet coat damage and significant increases in tablet tensile strength. When EC pellets were lubricated with sodium stearyl fumarate, pellet coat damage was significantly lower. Increasing the tableting rate from 20 to 100 rpm did not result in increased pellet coat damage but in significantly weaker tablets due to the shorter dwell time. Conclusions: This study provides key insights on how compaction parameters and techniques could be altered to produce better MUPS tablets. Full article

Background: The clinical characteristics of sarcopenia, including low muscular strength, are commonly seen among people with multiple myeloma. A scoping review was conducted to explore the role of exercise as a potential countermeasure for sarcopenia in this population. Our objectives were to (1) describe the design and findings of the studies and (2) identify the outcomes used in exercise-related studies to characterize sarcopenia. Methods: A systematic search (to March 2025) was conducted for published studies involving exercise or physical activity for individuals with multiple myeloma using key databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Scopus). Results: Of 971 articles reviewed, 12 articles were included, involving 967 total participants and 624 with multiple myeloma. All 12 studies included a measure for muscle physical performance, 9 studies included measures for muscular strength, and 7 studies included measures for muscle quantity/quality. Five studies reported a significant improvement from exercise for measures of muscular strength, four studies reported a significant benefit for physical performance, and three studies reported a benefit in muscle quantity. Few studies included outcomes that met all the international criteria recommended to characterize sarcopenia. Conclusions: Further multicentre research trials are needed to better understand whether and how exercise may be helpful for people with multiple myeloma, especially in the context of sarcopenia. Full article

Background: Body surface area is a key determinant of cardiac morphology and function, but it is often underestimated in the interpretation of athlete’s cardiac phenotypes. Aims: This study aimed to assess the role of anthropometric characteristics and whether particularly high vs. low body surface area (BSA) is associated with distinct morpho-functional and cardiometabolic features in elite athletes. Methods: We retrospectively included 2518 Olympic athletes. All underwent a pre-participation screening, including physical examination, ECG, blood analysis, echocardiography, and cardiopulmonary exercise testing. Participants were grouped by sex-specific BSA percentiles: Group A (<5th percentile), Group B (25th–75th), and Group C (>95th percentile). Functional, echocardiographic, and cardio-metabolic parameters were compared among groups. Results: In male athletes, Group C showed higher resting systolic blood pressure (123.8 ± 10.4 mmHg) than Group B (117.4 ± 9.6, p < 0.0001) and Group A (110.4 ± 13, p < 0.0001), and a higher prevalence of dyslipidemia (31.7% vs. 11.1% in Group B and 4% in Group A, p = 0.031). Despite greater LVEDD (59 ± 3 mm in Group C vs. 55 ± 2.9 in B and 51.1 ± 3.1 in A, p < 0.0001) and LV mass (p < 0.0001), functional performance was lower in Group C, with VO₂ max/kg of 35.2 ± 13.2 mL/min/kg vs. 44 ± 7.1 in B, and 47.8 ± 7.3 in A (p < 0.0001). Similar trends were observed in females for morpho-functional parameters, though lipid profiles did not significantly differ among groups (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Anthropometric traits significantly influence the cardiovascular and metabolic phenotype of elite athletes. Our findings support the integration of anthropometric profiling into the routine cardiovascular assessment of athletes, especially those at the extremes of body size, to better interpret physiological adaptations and risk profiles. Full article

During long-range imaging, the turbid medium in the atmosphere absorbs and scatters light, resulting in reduced contrast, a narrowed dynamic range, and obscure detail information in remote sensing images. The prior-based method has the advantages of good real-time performance and a wide application range. However, few of the existing prior-based methods are applicable to the dehazing of panchromatic images. In this paper, we innovatively propose a prior-based dehazing method for panchromatic remote sensing images through statistical histogram features. First, the hazy image is divided into plain image patches and mixed image patches according to the histogram features. Then, the features of the average occurrence differences between adjacent gray levels (AODAGs) of plain image patches and the features of the average distance to the gray-level gravity center (ADGG) of mixed image patches are, respectively, calculated. Then, the transmission map is obtained according to the statistical relation equation. Then, the atmospheric light of each image patch is calculated separately based on the maximum gray level of the image patch using the threshold segmentation method. Finally, the dehazed image is obtained based on the physical model. Extensive experiments in synthetic and real-world panchromatic hazy remote sensing images show that the proposed algorithm outperforms state-of-the-art dehazing methods in both efficiency and dehazing effect. Full article

The built environment influences urban quality of life, particularly through material properties and design decisions that affect thermal comfort, energy consumption, and environmental performance. Among the physical parameters shaping urban microclimates, surface reflectivity—albedo plays a central role in regulating both surface and ambient temperatures. While high-albedo materials are widely recognized for mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect and lowering energy demand, limited attention has been given to how material aging alters albedo and, by extension, thermal performance over time. This study investigates that relationship through field measurements conducted at 18 outdoor locations in Xanthi, Greece, across four dates with varying environmental conditions. Variables such as material color, age, and temperature were analyzed through statistical methods and linear regression. Results confirmed a strong correlation between color and albedo and identified a statistically significant relationship between aging and albedo. Additionally, the expected inverse correlation between albedo and surface temperature was reaffirmed. These findings underscore the dynamic nature of material performance and highlight the need for incorporating aging behavior into sustainable urban design. The study contributes data to the field and supports the development of long-term strategies in urban planning and maintenance aimed at preserving the reflective efficiency of surface materials. Full article

Background: We investigated the effect of mental fatigue (MF) on artistic swimmers’ (AS) physiological and cognitive responses and physical and technical AS performance. Methods: Twelve young female ASs completed a free team routine (FT) involving 4 × 4 min trials separated by a 2 min rest in two sessions a week apart. Pre- and post-FT, athletes performed three “boosts” for vertical displacement and a 50 m maximum effort front crawl swim. Before each session, a 30 min MF test (Stroop condition; SC) or an emotionally neutral video (control condition; CC) were implemented in counterbalanced order. Choice reaction time and central executive function tests were applied before and after the completion of both conditions. Technical performance was evaluated by five official judges. Heart rate was continuously recorded, whilst blood lactate was measured before the start and after the second and fourth FT. Rating of perceived exertion (RPE) was recorded after each FT. Results: Technical performance scores during FT were lower in SC than CC (6.82 ± 0.92 vs. 7.17 ± 0.69, p < 0.001, and d = 0.43). The choice reaction time was decreased by 3.4 ± 9.3% in SC but increased 4.4 ± 8.1% in CC (p < 0.05). Central executive function was no different between conditions despite a medium effect size in SC (d = 0.58). The “boost” height was lower in SC compared to CC (70 ± 5 vs. 72 ± 5 cm, p < 0.05, and d = 0.45). Heart rate, RPE, and 50 m time did not differ between conditions (p > 0.05), but blood lactate was higher in the CC compared to SC (5.3 ± 2.6 vs. 4.6 ± 2.9 mmol/l, p < 0.05, and d = 0.25). Conclusion: Mental fatigue may impair technical performance during FT, primarily via cognitive dysfunction, with reduced glycolytic activation as a potential additional factor. Full article

The food packaging industry is inclined toward biodegradable films, and jellyfish hold significant potential for exploitation due to their extraordinary collagen content. Thus, the primary objective of this research was to develop an antioxidant gelatine-based film from the blue cannonball jellyfish (Stomolophus sp. 2) (JG), using chitosan (CH) and the casting method, with glycerol (GLY) as a plasticiser to improve film flexibility. The JG obtained through alkaline, heat, and dialysis treatment exhibited high in vitro antioxidant activity. A commercial chitosan acetic acid solution (1%) was added to a JG water solution (1%) and a commercial gelatine (CG) solution (1%) was employed as a control. The film’s mass ratio was 4:1:2 (JG:CH:GLY). The physical, chemical, thermal, mechanical, and antioxidant properties of the JG-CH and CG-CH films were compared; JG-CH showed higher solubility and thermal stability than CG-CH. The colour and light transmittance were similar; however, their tensile strength and elongation differed. Furthermore, JG-CH films exhibited a higher ABTS radical-scavenging capacity compared to CG-CH films. FTIR and ¹H NMR spectra of the JG-CH films indicated excellent compatibility between the components, primarily due to hydrogen bonding. This study demonstrates that JG-CH films possess functional properties that make this material suitable for application as a biomaterial film for food. Full article

Background/Objectives: Orthopaedic surgery is often recommended for children with cerebral palsy (CP) across all Gross Motor Function Classification System (GMFCS) levels. Despite this, little is known about the experience of parents during their child’s surgery and recovery. Methods: This topic was explored using a mixed-methods research design. Using an interpretive description methodology, in-depth interviews with parents of children with CP who had undergone orthopaedic surgery were completed by a physical therapist within an interdisciplinary clinical context in an acute care orthopaedic surgery clinic. Transcripts were reviewed by inductive thematic analysis. Resulting themes were used to inform the development of a self-administered survey, which was distributed to a separate cluster sample of parents. Results: From interviews with six parents, four themes were identified: (1) preparing and being prepared, (2) feeling known and recognized, (3) knowing and advocating for your child, and (4) feeling stressed and coping. The results of surveys completed by 25 parents were analyzed using descriptive statistics. When asked whether their child’s surgery was a stressful experience, 80% (20/25) agreed. However, 60% (15/25) indicated that the surgery was not a negative experience. Forty-four percent (11/25) felt their child’s recovery was longer than expected. Survey responses to questions related to the qualitative themes were similar across GMFCS levels and surgical procedures. Conclusions: The findings identify the importance of recognizing the needs of parents and suggest opportunities for collaboration between the healthcare team and families in caring for children across the spectrum of functional mobility and orthopaedic procedures. Full article

Modern semantic segmentation models require extensive pixel-level annotations, creating a significant barrier to practical deployment as labeling a single image can take hours of human effort. Active learning offers a promising way to reduce annotation costs through intelligent sample selection. However, existing methods rely on poorly calibrated confidence estimates, making uncertainty quantification unreliable. We introduce Conformal Risk Controlled Active Learning (CRC-AL), a novel framework that provides statistical guarantees on uncertainty quantification for semantic segmentation, in contrast to heuristic approaches. CRC-AL calibrates class-specific thresholds via conformal risk control, transforming softmax outputs into multi-class prediction sets with formal guarantees. From these sets, our approach derives complementary uncertainty representations: risk maps highlighting uncertain regions and class co-occurrence embeddings capturing semantic confusions. A physics-inspired selection algorithm leverages these representations with a barycenter-based distance metric that balances uncertainty and diversity. Experiments on Cityscapes and PascalVOC2012 show CRC-AL consistently outperforms baseline methods, achieving 95% of fully supervised performance with only 30% of labeled data, making semantic segmentation more practical under limited annotation budgets. Full article

Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) has been recognized as an efficient and cost-effective metal additive manufacturing technique due to its high deposition rate and scalability for large components. However, the quality and repeatability of WAAM parts are highly sensitive to process parameters such as arc voltage, current, wire feed rate, and torch travel speed, requiring advanced monitoring and adaptive control strategies. In this study, a vision-based monitoring system integrated with a reinforcement learning framework was developed to enable intelligent in situ control of WAAM. A custom optical assembly employing mirrors and a bandpass filter allowed simultaneous top and side views of the melt pool, enabling real-time measurement of layer height and width. These geometric features provide feedback to a tabular Q-learning algorithm, which adaptively adjusts voltage and wire feed rate through direct hardware-level control of stepper motors. Experimental validation across multiple builds with varying initial conditions demonstrated that the RL controller stabilized layer geometry, autonomously recovered from process disturbances, and maintained bounded oscillations around target values. While systematic offsets between digital measurements and physical dimensions highlight calibration challenges inherent to vision-based systems, the controller consistently prevented uncontrolled drift and corrected large deviations in deposition quality. The computational efficiency of tabular Q-learning enabled real-time operation on standard hardware without specialized equipment, demonstrating an accessible approach to intelligent process control. These results establish the feasibility of reinforcement learning as a robust, data-efficient control technique for WAAM, capable of real-time adaptation with minimal prior process knowledge. With improved calibration methods and expanded multi-physics sensing, this framework can advance toward precise geometric accuracy and support broader adoption of machine learning-based process monitoring and control in metal additive manufacturing. Full article

Background: Symptoms of dizziness, syncope, and palpitations are common presentations in outpatient and emergency care, frequently attributed to stress and anxiety when conventional neurological and cardiac evaluations are normal. Joint hypermobility (JH) syndromes including hypermobile Ehlers–Danlos syndrome (hEDS), and hypermobility spectrum disorders (HSD) are under-recognised as potential causes. Methods: Our retrospective cohort study examined the clinical features, diagnostic findings, and responses to treatment in patients with JH syndromes, who are referred to a specialised syncope clinic within a UK teaching hospital. It involved 218 patients with joint hypermobility, predominantly young females (median Beighton score: 6), reporting chronic orthostatic intolerance, dizziness, and palpitations. Common comorbidities included joint pain, chronic fatigue, gastrointestinal dysmotility, and psychiatric conditions. Prevalence of symptoms, cardiovascular abnormalities on investigation (ECG, echocardiography, and tilt-table testing), and treatment responses were analysed. Results: History and examination were often diagnostic. Standard cardiac tests rarely provided diagnostic value except to exclude alternate conditions. Tilt-table testing was abnormal in 82.0% of cases, revealing orthostatic hypotension, reflex syncope, or postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS). Conservative measures (hydration, salt intake, and exercise) were effective in over half of the cases; pharmacological treatments (ivabradine, fludrocortisone) were considered for refractory cases. Conclusions: This study emphasises that JH syndromes are a common cause of palpitations, dizziness, and syncope in young females. They are multi-system conditions affecting both physical and mental health, which remain under-recognised and are often dismissed as ‘functional’, particularly in women—highlighting gender bias in diagnosis. A structured diagnostic approach with routine joint assessments for JH and increased awareness can facilitate early recognition and management in general medical settings, reducing reliance on emergency services and improving patient outcomes. Full article

Background: Football performance depends on the integration of physical, technical, and cognitive abilities under constantly changing conditions. In this context, dual-task training combining physical and cognitive demands has emerged as a promising approach to enhance decision-making and game intelligence in youth football players. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the effects of an eight-week dual-task training programme on physical (speed, strength, and agility), cognitive (working memory, planning, processing speed, and response time), technical (dribbling and short passing), and dual-task performance in U16 football players. Methods: Thirty-two players (age: 14.88 ± 0.65 years; BMI: 20.98 ± 1.79 kg/m²) were randomly assigned to a control group (n = 14) and an experimental group (n = 18). The experimental group completed a dual cognitive–motor training (CMT) programme consisting of 24 sessions (3 sessions/week, 10–15 min each), integrated into regular football practice. Pre-intervention and post-intervention assessments included football skills (dribbling and passing tests), cognitive tests (Wom-Rest and Vismem-Plan), physical tests (countermovement jump, 20 m sprint, and 505 change-of-direction), and a dual-task test (soccer skills and cognitive aptitude test). Results: The experimental group showed significant improvements in all assessed variables, while the control group exhibited no changes or declines in performance. The most notable effects were observed in SoSCAT with visual interference, dual-task cost, and 505 change-of-direction. Conclusions: The findings suggest that integrating brief dual CMT programmes into regular football practice can simultaneously enhance physical, technical, and cognitive performance in youth players. This evidence supports the implementation of dual CMT as an effective and time-efficient tool in talent development programmes. Full article

In this study, the microwave heating efficiency of a water body is investigated with different shape factors. In particular, the same water volume was deposited in cylindrical containers with different diameters. Here, “shape factor” refers to the ratio between the surface fluid layer, which strongly absorbs microwave energy, and the inner layer, which is heated largely via conduction. For a liquid in a cylindrical container, the shape factor is characterised as the ratio between the depth and diameter of the air/water surface area. The heating efficiency is characterised by relating the energy absorbed in the outer fluid layer with the energy gained in the bulk and monitoring the temperature in the fluid bulk at the point that the outer layer commences boiling. A correlation equation for the uniformity of the sample heating (with stirring) provided a simple link between the physical factors and microwave (MW) parameters. It was found that a depth/diameter ratio approaching 1:1 provided the most uniform heating. The correlations between the fitting parameters and physical conditions provide a simple yet effective method to characterise the thermal homogeneity of microwave heating that can assist with practical parameterisation of the design of microwave reactors. Full article

Background: Menopause is often accompanied by menopausal symptoms and reduced quality of life. Studies on the combined effects of time-restricted eating and exercise in this population are lacking. This approach may provide additive preventive benefits by aligning nutritional timing with exercise to improve health and well-being in menopausal women. We aimed to assess whether a combined intervention is more effective than exercise alone in reducing menopausal symptoms and improving quality of life. Methods: This study examined the effects of a time-restricted eating protocol (16:8) combined with a resistance and endurance circuit training program in menopausal women. Symptoms were assessed using the Menopause Rating Scale (MRS), and quality of life was evaluated with the Menopause-Specific Quality of Life Questionnaire (MENQOL). Participants (n = 54) were quasi-randomly assigned to a combination group (exercise + time-restricted eating; n = 24) or an exercise group (exercise only; n = 30), with allocation influenced by participant preference. Results: The reduction in the total MRS score, as well as in the psychological and somatic MRS subdomains, was significantly greater in the combination group than in the exercise group (p = 0.008, p = 0.009, p = 0.007, respectively). No significant difference was observed in the urogenital domain. For MENQOL, post-intervention scores in the physical and psychosocial subdomains were significantly lower in the combination group compared with the exercise group (p = 0.013, p = 0.002, respectively), while no significant differences were found in the vasomotor and sexual subdomains. Conclusions: These findings suggest that integrating time-restricted eating with exercise results in greater alleviation of menopausal symptoms and improvements in quality of life compared to exercise alone in menopausal women. Full article

Background: Emotion regulation (ER) difficulties are closely linked to maladaptive coping strategies, including impulsive and emotional eating, which undermine health and well-being in young adults. Technical university students are particularly vulnerable due to factors such as a high academic workload, sedentary behavior, and performance-related stress. This study evaluated the effects of a four-week structured physical activity intervention on ER and eating behaviors among engineering students. Methods: Seventy first- and second-year computer science and engineering students (40 males and 30 females, aged 19–25 years) from Politehnica University of Bucharest participated in the study. The intervention included three weekly supervised training sessions and a daily step count requirement (≥6000 steps), verified via weekly smartphone submissions. Pre- and post-intervention assessments employed the Difficulties in Emotion Regulation Scale (DERS-36) and the Adult Eating Behavior Questionnaire (AEBQ-35). Data were analyzed using Kolmogorov–Smirnov tests, Wilcoxon signed-rank tests, and paired-sample t-tests. Results: Significant improvements were observed in five ER domains—non-acceptance of emotional responses, goal-directed behavior, impulse control, access to regulation strategies, and emotional clarity (all p < 0.01). No change occurred in emotional awareness (p > 0.05). Eating behaviors (restrained, emotional, and external eating) showed no significant differences pre- and post-intervention (all p > 0.05). Conclusions: A short-term, structured physical activity program enhanced emotion regulation capacities but did not alter eating behaviors in the short run. These findings highlight the feasibility of embedding low-cost, exercise-based modules into higher education to strengthen students’ psychological resilience. Longer and multimodal interventions may be required to produce measurable changes in eating behaviors. Full article