Search Results (216)

Autonomous social robots aim to reduce human supervision by performing various tasks. To achieve this, they are equipped with multiple perceptual channels to interpret and respond to environmental cues in real time. However, multimodal perception often leads to sensory overload, as robots may receive numerous simultaneous stimuli with varying durations or persistent activations across different sensory modalities. Sensor overstimulation and false positives can compromise a robot’s ability to prioritise relevant inputs, sometimes resulting in repeated or inaccurate behavioural responses that reduce the quality and coherence of the interaction. This paper presents a Bioinspired Attentional System that uses Reinforcement Learning to manage stimulus prioritisation in real time. The system draws inspiration from the following two neurocognitive mechanisms: Inhibition of Return, which progressively reduces the importance of previously attended stimuli that remain active over time, and Attentional Fatigue, which penalises stimuli of the same perception modality when they appear repeatedly or simultaneously. These mechanisms define the algorithm’s reward function to dynamically adjust the weights assigned to each stimulus, enabling the system to select the most relevant one at each moment. The system has been integrated into a social robot and tested in three representative case studies that show how it modulates sensory signals, reduces the impact of redundant inputs, and improves stimulus selection in overstimulating scenarios. Additionally, we compare the proposed method with a baseline where the robot executes expressions as soon as it receives them using a queue. The results show the system’s significant improvement in expression management, reducing the number of expressions in the queue and the delay in performing them. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hearing loss is a prevalent sensory impairment in older adults, linked to reduced quality of life, cognitive decline, and social isolation. While it usually begins in the high-frequency range, some individuals present with isolated low-frequency hearing loss (LFHL). The long-term prognostic implications of such frequency-specific patterns remain unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of long-term hearing deterioration by initial hearing loss type: LFHL, high-frequency hearing loss (HFHL), and combined-frequency hearing loss (CFHL). Methods: We retrospectively analyzed pure-tone audiometry (PTA) data from 10,261 patients who underwent at least two pure-tone audiometry assessments between 2011 and 2022 at a tertiary hospital. Each ear was treated as an independent observation. Hearing loss was defined as a threshold > 20 dB HL at 250, 500, 4000, or 8000 Hz. Participants were classified into normal hearing (NH), LFHL, HFHL, and CFHL groups. The outcome was a final four-frequency pure-tone average (4PTA) ≥ 40 dB HL. Logistic regression adjusted for age and sex was used, with subgroup analyses by follow-up duration. Results: HFHL (OR = 1.66, 95% CI: 1.47–1.89) and CFHL (OR = 2.23, 95% CI: 1.97–2.53) showed significantly higher risks of hearing loss compared with NH. LFHL did not show a significant increase (OR = 0.94, 95% CI: 0.76–1.16). These results were consistent across follow-up durations, with CFHL showing the most extensive deterioration. Conclusion: HFHL is a strong predictor of long-term auditory decline, and risk is further elevated with CFHL. In contrast, isolated LFHL was not associated with increased risk, suggesting relatively favorable outcomes. Frequency-specific classification may aid risk stratification and long-term monitoring strategies. Full article

Background: Hypothyroidism has been implicated as a risk factor for carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS). However, the effect of hypothyroidism on the risk of CTS has not been studied in large, non-selective clinic populations, and the impact of hypothyroidism on electrodiagnostic parameters remains inadequately understood. Methods: In this retrospective study, we examined 480 patients referred for upper limb electrodiagnostic evaluation. We compared the prevalence of CTS among patients with and without hypothyroidism, adjusting for age and gender. Additionally, we compared the median nerve sensory and motor latencies and comparative latency studies (COLS) [median-to-ulnar comparison through palmar difference (Palmdiff) and ring difference studies (Ringdiff); and median-to-radial comparison through a thumb difference study (Thumbdiff)] among patients with and without hypothyroidism disease, stratified by CTS status and age groups. Results: The crude prevalence of CTS was higher among patients with hypothyroidism (79.7%) compared to those without (61.8%) (p = 0.005). However, after adjusting for age and gender, logistic regression analysis revealed a non-significant association between hypothyroidism and CTS (adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.71; 95% CI: 0.89–3.28, p = 0.106). CTS was more prevalent among patients with hypothyroidism under 50 years of age (OR: 2.59; 95% CI: 1.17–5.73, p = 0.018). There were no significant differences in any electrodiagnostic parameters between patients with and without hypothyroidism among CTS and non-CTS groups. Conclusions: Hypothyroidism increased the risk of CTS among patients under 50 years of age. The electrodiagnostic parameters used for CTS diagnosis were not influenced by the presence of hypothyroidism. Full article

This study examined the association between formal sex education (FSE), sensory disability status, and contraceptive use among U.S. women. Women with disabilities face barriers to contraceptive decision-making, such as limited accessible FSE content and topics. Data were weighted and analyzed from the 2011–2019 National Survey of Family Growth among women 15–25 years of age. Multivariable logistic regression and moderation analysis examined the association between sensory disability status, contraceptive use during last sexual encounter, and FSE topics. Women with hearing loss or both hearing loss and vision loss were less likely to use contraceptives during last sexual encounter than women without sensory disability (hearing loss: adjusted odds ratio (aOR): 0.36; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.14, 0.96; both: aOR: 0.28; CI: 0.08, 0.91). Exploratory moderation analysis showed women with vision loss who received FSE on birth control methods (aOR: 6.14; 95% CI: 1.70, 22.23) and on sexually transmitted infections (aOR: 28.24; 95% CI: 1.71, 46.63). The estimates were based on small numbers of individuals within each subgroup and wide confidence intervals, and thus should be interpreted with caution. The findings point to differences in contraceptive use according to sensory disability status, indicating future studies need larger sample sizes to better understand the role of FSE for women with sensory disability. Full article

Background/Objectives: Fibromyalgia syndrome is commonly associated with reduced intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD), as assessed by skin biopsy, a finding referred to as small fiber pathology (SFP-FMG). The clinical significance of this abnormality, and how it relates to symptoms in fibromyalgia, remains uncertain. Reduced IENFD also represents the defining feature of small fiber neuropathy (SFN). While previous observations suggest that IENFD reduction is generally less severe in SFP-FMG than in SFN, no study has directly confirmed this finding in a large cohort. This retrospective study aimed to compare the severity of IENFD reduction in patients with SFP-FMG and those with SFN. Methods: To account for age and sex differences, we used the age-and sex-adjusted axonal loss density (ALD), defined as the percentage reduction from normative IENFD values. We retrospectively analyzed skin biopsy data from 73 patients with SFP-FMG and 134 patients diagnosed with SFN. Results: We found that the reduction in IENFD was significantly milder in patients with SFP-FMG than in those with SFN both at distal and proximal sites. Receiver operating characteristic analysis indicated that an ALD threshold of 37.6% provided good specificity for distinguishing SFN from SFP-FMG. Conclusions: These findings indicate that small fiber damage in fibromyalgia syndrome is quantitatively mild compared to patients with SFN. This may explain the absence of detectable sensory deficits on clinical examination and suggests a limited contribution of peripheral nerve damage to the pathophysiology of fibromyalgia syndrome. Full article

Physical hazards are the most common source of health effects among waste recyclers, frequently leading to worker injuries. South Africa’s formal buy-back centres (BBCs) have emerged as key nodes in the recycling chain, yet the burden of non-fatal workplace injuries among BBC recyclers is not characterised. We conducted a cross-sectional study at ten BBCs in Johannesburg, enrolling 160 waste recyclers (median age 32 years; 55.6% female). A structured, interviewer-led questionnaire captured workers’ characteristics and self-reported injuries in the past six months. Robust Poisson regression was fitted to determine associations with frequent workplace injury. Overall, 69.4% of participants reported at least one injury. Cuts and lacerations (67.6%) and sprains or muscle strains (39.6%) predominated. Each additional year of age raised the risk of frequent workplace injury by 1% (adjusted relative risk [aRR] 1.01; 95% CI 1.00–1.02), each extra hour worked per day by 22% (aRR 1.22; 95% CI 1.04–1.42), and presence of hearing or vision problems by 45% (aRR 1.45; 95% CI 1.14–1.83). Targeted interventions—such as work hour regulation, sensory-friendly accommodations, and comprehensive, fit-focused PPE programs—are needed to reduce injury risk in this vulnerable workforce. Full article

Understanding the intricate relationship between sensory perception and physicochemical properties of cacao-based products is crucial for advancing quality control and driving product innovation. However, effectively integrating these heterogeneous data sources poses a significant challenge, particularly when sensory evaluations are derived from low-quality, subjective, and often inconsistent annotations provided by multiple experts. We propose a comprehensive framework that leverages a correlated chained Gaussian processes model for learning from crowds, termed MAR-CCGP, specifically designed for a customized Casa Luker database that integrates sensory and physicochemical data on cacao-based products. By formulating sensory evaluations as regression tasks, our approach enables the estimation of continuous perceptual scores from physicochemical inputs, while concurrently inferring the latent, input-dependent reliability of each annotator. To address the inherent noise, subjectivity, and non-stationarity in expert-generated sensory data, we introduce a three-stage methodology: (i) construction of an integrated database that unifies physicochemical parameters with corresponding sensory descriptors; (ii) application of a MAR-CCGP model to infer the underlying ground truth from noisy, crowd-sourced, and non-stationary sensory annotations; and (iii) development of a novel localized expert trustworthiness approach, also based on MAR-CCGP, which dynamically adjusts for variations in annotator consistency across the input space. Our approach provides a robust, interpretable, and scalable solution for learning from heterogeneous and noisy sensory data, establishing a principled foundation for advancing data-driven sensory analysis and product optimization in the food science domain. We validate the effectiveness of our method through a series of experiments on both semi-synthetic data and a novel real-world dataset developed in collaboration with Casa Luker, which integrates sensory evaluations with detailed physicochemical profiles of cacao-based products. Compared to state-of-the-art learning-from-crowds baselines, our framework consistently achieves superior predictive performance and more precise annotator reliability estimation, demonstrating its efficacy in multi-annotator regression settings. Of note, our unique combination of a novel database, robust noisy-data regression, and input-dependent trust scoring sets MAR-CCGP apart from existing approaches. Full article

Coconut water was explored as a plant-based substrate for the development of probiotic beverages fermented with four Bifidobacterium strains (B. animalis B-41406, B. bifidum B-41410, B. breve B-41408, and B. infantis B-41661). Each strain was tested separately in a monoculture, with the coconut water adjusted to pH 6.7 and fermented under anaerobic conditions at 37 °C for 24 h. All formulations achieved a high cell viability (>12 log CFU/mL post-fermentation) and maintained counts above 6 log CFU/mL after 42 days at 4 °C. The fermentation resulted in significant lactic acid production (up to 6.1 g/L), with moderate acetic acid accumulation, and the pH remained below 4.5, ensuring microbiological stability. The sugar consumption varied across the strains, with B. bifidum and B. breve utilizing glucose and fructose more effectively. A sensory analysis, conducted with 100 untrained panelists using a 9-point hedonic scale and the Check-All-That-Apply (CATA) method, revealed that the B. bifidum-fermented beverage had the highest acceptance, attributed to favorable descriptors such as an “ideal sweetness”, “coconut flavor”, and “ideal texture”. These findings support the application of B. bifidum in the formulation of stable, microbiologically viable, and organoleptically acceptable non-dairy probiotic beverages, highlighting coconut water as a promising functional matrix. Full article

Photophores are light-producing organs found in many fish species living in the mesopelagic, bathypelagic, and abyssal layers of the ocean. They function to attract prey, confuse predators, and communicate with other individuals of the same species. Understanding the structure and function of photophores is crucial to exploring bioluminescence and the ecological adaptations of marine life in deep-sea environments. The present study is the first to investigate the photophore anatomy of the mesopelagic fish Ichthyococcus ovatus (Cocco, 1838), using specimens naturally stranded along the coast of the Strait of Messina. The morphology of the ventral photophores of I. ovatus includes four functional parts: a tank containing photogenic cells, a lens filter, a reflector surrounding the entire organ, and a pigmented layer. An immunohistochemical assay was conducted using anti-nNOS and anti-S100p antibodies. The presence of nNOS/NOS type I immunolabeling the pigmented layer surrounding the photophores and the nerve fibers reaching the lens suggests a potential role of neuronal nitric oxide signaling in modulating light shielding by the pigment sheath, controlling light exposure, and adjusting light focusing though the lens-associated nerves. S100p immunostaining was observed in the nerve fibers reaching the photophores, highlighting its potential involvement in regulating neuronal calcium levels and, consequently, influencing signal transmission to control bioluminescence output. A sensory feedback pathway from the photophore to the CNS is suggested. Within the lens and in the irregularly shaped cells located in the photophore’s lens, S100p immunolabeling could indicate active signaling and differentiation processes. These findings expand our understanding of light-emitting systems in mesopelagic fishes and offer a valuable foundation for future studies on the functional and evolutionary significance of photophores. Full article

Various gels are integral for the food industry, providing unique textural and mechanical properties essential for the quality and functions of products. These properties are fundamentally governed by the gels’ nanostructural organization. This review investigates the mechanisms of nanostructure formation in food gels, the methods for their characterization and control, and how precise tuning of these nanostructures enables targeted food applications. We examine the role of various building blocks, including biopolymers, lipids, and particles, and the gelation mechanisms leading to specific nanostructures. Advanced techniques (e.g., microscopy, scattering, spectroscopy, and rheology) are discussed for their insights into nano-/microstructures. Strategies for tuning nanostructures through chemical composition adjustments (e.g., concentration, pH, ionic strength) and physical processing controls (e.g., temperature, shear, ultrasound) are presented. Incorporating nanostructures like nanoparticles and nanofibers to enhance gel properties is also explored. The review links these nanostructures to key functional properties, including mechanical strength, water-holding capacity, optical characteristics, and bioactive delivery. By manipulating nanostructures, products can achieve tailored textures, improved stability, and controlled nutrient release. Applications enabled by nanostructure tuning include tailored sensory experiences, fat reduction, innovative food structures, and smart packaging solutions. Although significant progress has been made, precise structural control and a comprehensive understanding of complex nanoscale interactions in food gels remain challenging. This review underscores the importance of nanostructure tuning in food gels, highlighting its potential to drive future research that unlocks innovative, functional food products. Full article

Study Design: Prospective observational study. Background: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) impairs balance and gait function, increasing fall risk and limiting quality of life. Although postoperative recovery of balance is clinically important, longitudinal data using multidimensional balance assessments are limited. Methods: A prospective cohort study was conducted in 101 patients (mean age 74.9 ± 6.9 years) undergoing surgery for LSS. The Brief Balance Evaluation Systems Test (Brief BESTest), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), Modified Falls Efficacy Scale (MFES), Zurich Claudication Questionnaire (ZCQ), and Visual Analog Scales (VAS) for pain/numbness were evaluated preoperatively and at 6 and 12 months postoperatively. Changes over time and correlations between Brief BESTest and PROMs were analyzed. Results: The total Brief BESTest score significantly improved from 13.3 ± 5.3 preoperatively to 16.1 ± 5.1 at 6 months and 16.0 ± 5.1 at 12 months (p < 0.01). Subdomains including Anticipatory Adjustments, Postural Responses, Sensory Orientation, and Stability in Gait improved significantly, while Stability Limits did not. At 12 months postoperatively, ODI decreased by 19.1%, ZCQ symptom and function scores improved by 0.8 and 0.9 points, respectively, and VAS scores improved by 17.1 mm for low back pain, 26.5 mm for lower limb pain, and 19.5 mm for numbness, all showing marked improvements from baseline. MFES also increased significantly postoperatively. The Brief BESTest score correlated significantly with MFES and ZCQ-PFS at baseline, and with ODI, ZCQ, and VAS scores at 12 months. Conclusions: Balance ability in LSS patients improved after surgery, as measured by the Brief BESTest, with clinically meaningful changes maintained for 12 months. Improvements in balance were significantly associated with reductions in pain, disability, and fear of falling, suggesting the Brief BESTest is a comprehensive indicator of postoperative recovery. Full article

This study presents the development and optimization of a functional soy sauce fermented with Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris), a medicinal fungus known for its high cordycepin and polysaccharide content. Using C. militaris as the sole starter culture, the process aimed to improve both nutritional and functional properties. Response surface methodology was employed to optimize the entire fermentation process. During the koji stage, temperature, aeration, and inoculum concentration were adjusted to maximize protease activity and cordycepin production. In the fermentation stage, temperature, brine concentration, and water-to-material ratio were optimized to increase amino acid nitrogen and bioactive compound levels. Under optimal conditions (24 °C, 679.60 LPM aeration, 9.6% inoculum for koji; 32 °C, 12% brine, 1.53:1 water-to-material ratio for fermentation), the resulting soy sauce contained 1.14 ± 0.05 g/100 mL amino acid nitrogen and 16.88 ± 0.47 mg/100 mL cordycepin. Compared with traditionally fermented soy sauce, the C. militaris product exhibited a darker color, enhanced umami taste, and a distinct volatile profile featuring linoleic acid, methyl palmitate, and niacinamide. These results demonstrate the feasibility of using C. militaris in soy sauce fermentation and its potential as a novel functional condiment with improved bioactivity and sensory quality. Full article

Cereal-based plant beverages have gained attention as functional ingredients in bakery formulations, offering both nutritional and technological benefits. Replacing water with these beverages may improve the nutritional value of bread by increasing its fiber and unsaturated fatty acid content, while also introducing functional components that affect dough rheology and bread texture. This study examined the effects of substituting water with oat (BO), millet (BM), and spelt (BS) beverages in wheat bread formulations at 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% levels. Thirteen bread variants were prepared: one control and four substitution levels for each of the three cereal-based beverages, using the straight dough method, with hydration adjusted according to farinograph results. Farinograph tests showed increased water absorption (up to 64.5% in BO100 vs. 56.9% in control) and improved dough stability (10.6 min in BS100). Specific bread volume increased, with BS75 reaching 3.52 cm³/g compared to 3.09 cm³/g in control. Moisture content remained stable during storage, and crumb hardness after 72 h was lowest in BO100 (9.5 N) and BS75 (11.5 N), indicating delayed staling. All bread variants received favorable sensory ratings, with average scores above 3.75 on a 5-point scale. The highest bread yield (149.8%) and lowest baking loss (10.9%) were noted for BS100. Although BO breads had slightly higher fat and energy content, their nutritional profile remained favorable due to unsaturated fatty acids. Overall, oat and spelt beverages demonstrated the greatest potential as functional water substitutes, improving dough handling, shelf-life, and sensory quality while maintaining consumer appeal. Full article

In nature, organisms often rely on the integration of local sensory information and prior experience to flexibly adapt to complex and dynamic environments, enabling efficient path selection. This bio-inspired mechanism of perception and behavioral adjustment provides important insights for path planning in mobile robots operating under uncertainty. In recent years, the introduction of deep reinforcement learning (DRL) has empowered mobile robots to autonomously learn navigation strategies through interaction with the environment, allowing them to identify obstacle distributions and perform path planning even in unknown scenarios. To further enhance the adaptability and path planning performance of robots in complex environments, this paper develops a deep reinforcement learning framework based on the Soft Actor–Critic (SAC) algorithm. First, to address the limited adaptability of existing transfer learning methods, we propose an action-level fusion mechanism that dynamically integrates prior and current policies during inference, enabling more flexible knowledge transfer. Second, a bio-inspired radar perception optimization method is introduced, which mimics the biological mechanism of focusing on key regions while ignoring redundant information, thereby enhancing the expressiveness of sensory inputs. Finally, a reward function based on ineffective behavior recognition is designed to reduce unnecessary exploration during training. The proposed method is validated in both the Gazebo simulation environment and real-world scenarios. Experimental results demonstrate that the approach achieves faster convergence and superior obstacle avoidance performance in path planning tasks, exhibiting strong transferability and generalization across various obstacle configurations. Full article

Background/Objectives: In the context of facial surgery, particularly reconstructive procedures, sensory recovery is a critical yet often underexplored aspect of functional rehabilitation. Sensory-motor recovery can be considered a key marker of integration following reconstructive surgery. Among sensory modalities, discriminative sensitivity is typically the last to recover, making its evaluation particularly relevant. While established norms for hand sensitivity exist in the literature, there is a paucity of data regarding facial sensitivity. The objective of this study was to evaluate the discriminative sensitivity of the face in a population of healthy women aged 45–60 years. Methods: A total of 20 healthy women were included between January and March 2013. Participants had no history of facial pathologies or trauma. Discriminative sensitivity was measured using the Disk-Criminator™ device across eight facial zones. A detailed mapping of the tested areas was performed. Data obtained were compared with the existing literature. Statistical analyses included Shapiro–Wilk tests for normality, followed by Student’s t-tests for group comparisons. To account for small sample size and verify robustness, non-parametric Mann–Whitney U tests were also performed. Adjustment for multiple comparisons was applied using the Bonferroni correction (adjusted α = 0.0125). Results: The mean age of participants was 52.3 years (±4.0 years). Discrimination threshold values ranged from 2.9 to 14.3 mm. Comparison with existing studies showed no significant age-related differences in zone 2R (cheek) and zone 8 (lower lip), suggesting stable sensitivity in these regions across adulthood. However, a significant decline in sensitivity with age was observed only in zone 1R (forehead), with a p-value < 0.001 after Bonferroni correction. Conclusions: We established a reference framework for cutaneous discriminative sensitivity across eight facial zones. These norms can serve as a baseline for the assessment and monitoring of patients with facial pathologies. Furthermore, our findings contribute to a better understanding of age-related sensory changes. Full article