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Magnesium metal boasts a high theoretical volumetric specific capacity and abundant reserves. Magnesium batteries offer high safety and environmental friendliness. In recent years, magnesium-ion batteries (MIBs) with Mg or Mg alloys as anodes have garnered extensive interest and emerged as promising candidates for next-generation competitive energy storage technologies. However, MIBs are plagued by issues such as sluggish desolvation kinetics and slow migration kinetics, which lead to limitations including a limited electrochemical window and poor magnesium storage reversibility. Herein, the sodium vanadium phosphate @ carbon (Na₃V₂(PO₄)₃@C, hereafter abbreviated as NVP@C) cathode material was synthesized via a sol–gel method. The electrochemical performance and magnesium storage mechanism of NVP@C in a 0.5 M magnesium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide/ethylene glycol dimethyl ether (Mg(TFSI)₂/DME) electrolyte were investigated. The as-prepared NVP@C features a pure-phase orthorhombic structure with a porous microspherical morphology. The discharge voltage of NVP@C is 0.75 V vs. activated carbon (AC), corresponding to 3.5 V vs. Mg/Mg²⁺. The magnesium storage process of NVP@C is tentatively proposed to follow a ‘sodium extraction → magnesium intercalation → magnesium deintercalation’ three-step intercalation–deintercalation mechanism, based on the characterization results of ICP-OES, ex situ XRD, and FTIR. No abnormal phases are generated throughout the process, and the lattice parameter variation is below 0.5%. Additionally, the vibration peaks of PO₄ tetrahedrons and VO₆ octahedrons shift reversibly, and the valence state transitions between V³⁺ and V⁴⁺/V⁵⁺ are reversible. These results confirm the excellent reversibility of the material’s structure and chemical environment. At a current density of 50 mA/g, NVP@C delivers a maximum discharge specific capacity of 62 mAh/g, with a capacity retention rate of 66% after 200 cycles. The observed performance degradation is attributed to the gradual densification of the CEI film during cycling, leading to increased Mg²⁺ diffusion resistance. This work offers valuable insights for the development of high-voltage MIB systems. Full article

As core pieces of transport equipment in longwall mining systems, scraper conveyors operate under extremely harsh and dynamic loading conditions. Their operational reliability and service life primarily depend on the performance of critical components within their drive systems, particularly the support bearings. However, complex and often unpredictable load spectra (such as severe impacts, vibrations, and contaminant ingress) pose significant challenges to the dynamic behavior and longevity of these bearings. Traditional static analysis fails to capture their true operating state, as it neglects transient effects, varying contact angles, and internal vibration excitation. This study conducts a comprehensive dynamic analysis of angular contact ball bearing 7205C to elucidate its dynamic response under actual operating conditions of scraper conveyors. Based on Hertzian elastic contact theory and bearing dynamics theory, the comprehensive stiffness of the angular contact ball bearing is derived, and the effects of axial force, rotational speed, and mass eccentricity on bearing performance are analyzed. The findings are expected to provide a theoretical foundation for optimizing bearing selection, predicting service life, and enhancing the overall reliability of mining machinery. Full article

Background/Objectives: Falls are a leading cause of hospitalization, injury, and healthcare spending among older adults. Surveillance data on local falls, especially for those associated with Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias (ADRD), are limited. We conducted a surveillance analysis to describe fall-related hospitalizations and their associations with ADRD in Los Angeles County (LAC). Methods: We analyzed countywide hospital discharge data for LAC residents aged 50+ from 2016–2022 (n = 3,520,927) to assess differences in fall-related hospitalizations by ADRD status and demographic characteristics. We used multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of fall status and multinomial regression to examine associations between ADRD status and discharge disposition. Results: Of all hospitalizations, 6.8% were fall-related. Individuals hospitalized for falls had longer stays, higher charges, and were more frequently female, older, and White. Fall frequency peaks consistently occurred during winter months, with higher seasonal variation among those without ADRD. After adjustment, ADRD diagnosis was associated with increased odds of fall-related hospitalization (AOR = 1.14) and non-routine discharge, including transfer to a short-term hospital (AOR = 1.35), skilled nursing or other care facilities (AOR = 1.88), and home health care (AOR = 1.23). Conclusions: This study provides one of the most comprehensive local assessments of fall-related hospitalization among older adults in the United States. The findings highlight the increased risk and care complexity among patients with ADRD. As results are descriptive and reflect cross-sectional surveillance, temporality and causality cannot be inferred. Nevertheless, the findings underscore the need for better surveillance and integrated fall prevention, discharge planning, and post-hospital support strategies tailored to individuals with ADRD. Full article

This paper investigates the stabilization of a chemostat system with biomass settling dynamics using feedback linearization and model reduction techniques. The original three-dimensional system, composed of substrate, free biomass, and settled biomass compartments, is reduced to a two-dimensional system by assuming quasi-steady-state for the settled biomass population. A nonlinear feedback control law for the dilution rate is then designed using feedback linearization, aiming to regulate the free biomass concentration around a desired set point. The proposed control strategy compensates for nonlinearities introduced by Monod-type microbial growth and biomass settling effects. To evaluate robustness, time-varying disturbances are introduced into the inflow substrate concentration. Numerical simulations in MATLAB confirm that the closed-loop system maintains stability and tracks the biomass target despite sustained inflow fluctuations. The results demonstrate the efficacy of the reduced-order feedback linearization approach in chemostat stabilization and its potential for bioreactor control under uncertain environmental conditions. Full article

Background and Objectives: Currently, the development of local drug delivery systems for the treatment of cancer patients is a pressing issue. Such systems allow for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs directly to the tumor site, ensuring prolonged drug release or reducing the risk of recurrence after tumor removal, minimizing the impact on healthy tissues and thereby reducing the overall toxic load on the body. This work is devoted to evaluating the prospects of using scaffolds based on low-modulus titanium Ti-15Mo alloy with a biomimetic coating as a platform for the local administration of the cytostatic drug cisplatin into the patient’s body. Methods: Porous coatings were obtained by plasma electrolytic oxidation in an aqueous solution of sodium phosphate and calcium acetate with the addition of various components. The influence of coating parameters on the corrosion resistance of samples and on the antiproliferative effect of cisplatin-loaded scaffolds was evaluated. Human K562 hemoblastosis, HT116 intestinal cancer, and SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell lines were used as cell models. Results: It was shown that the addition of sodium phosphate (the PS type electrolyte) provides the formation of a coating with a developed system of interconnected pores characterized by an attractive combination of parameters: high porosity (17%), high pore size (3.9 μm), and considerable thickness (17.4 μm). This coating demonstrated the best corrosion resistance in a Ringer solution as compared to the other tested states. In addition, the PS coating loaded with cisplatin exhibited a pronounced cytotoxic effect on cancer cells. This effect was attributed to its ability to fix cisplatin on the surface, which slows down its release into the extracellular environment, increasing the time of its action, thereby contributing to a more effective (by more than 3 times) suppression of tumor cell proliferation compared to the action of the standard form of the drug in the form of a solution when changing the growth medium and subsequent incubation for 48 h. Conclusions: PS scaffolds made of low-modulus titanium alloy Ti-15Mo with a biomimetic surface in an electrolyte based on an aqueous solution of sodium phosphate and calcium acetate with the addition of sodium silicate can be used as an advanced platform for the local delivery of the cytostatic drug cisplatin, which makes them promising for application in orthopedic oncology. Full article

Direct current fast charging is a necessary element of the transition to electric vehicles (EVs). Regulatory complexity, capital requirements, and challenging business models hinder charging infrastructure deployment, so focusing on the efficient use of such infrastructure is of paramount importance. A tool to improve this efficiency is an incentive to terminate charging events when charging power drops, the vehicle state of charge rises above some value, or time plugged in exceeds a threshold. A timeseries charging demand model was built based on observed EV population and charging behavior. This was used to explore these three incentive trigger metrics across a range of plausible values, to find their relative impacts on the vehicles charging, those waiting in line to access a cordset, and charging site operators. Results indicate that basing such a trigger on charging power would have little impact if the threshold power is low enough to accommodate older, slower-charging vehicles, but that more restrictive limits based on state of charge or charging duration can decrease wait times, increase vehicle throughput, and increase total energy sales for cordsets serving more than 1000 EVs per year. Full article

This article focuses on Florida’s death row in the 1960s and 1970s when executions stopped, even though juries continued to return capital verdicts for murder and (until 1977) rape. It first challenges the conventional wisdom surrounding the moratorium years as there were no executions in Florida from mid-May 1964 until May 1979. It investigates the overlapping governor-initiated pauses, court-ordered postponements, and significant state and national court rulings in this period. This article then explores the experiences of male death row prisoners who were held in solitary confinement with limited human contact on a special wing in the Florida State Prison at Raiford, an often violent and unstable maximum-security state prison. Prior to the Furman v. Georgia (1972) U.S. Supreme Court decision, capital prisoners in Florida waited for up to twelve years for courts and politicians to make crucial death penalty decisions. Death row conditions declined as the number of penalized bodies increased threefold between 1963 and 1972. However, Florida’s death row also became a crucial political, social, and cultural space in which some prisoners directly challenged the biopower of the state prison system, by submitting hand-written legal appeals, offering to participate in military service and medical-scientific research, and engaging in collective petitioning and hunger strike. Full article

Transmetalation, the exchange of metal ions between coordination complexes and biomolecules, has emerged as a powerful design lever in cancer metallopharmacology. Using thiosemicarbazones (TSCs) as a unifying case study, we show how redox-inert carrier states such as zinc(II) or gallium(III) can convert in situ into redox-active copper(II) or iron(III/II) complexes within acidic, metal-rich lysosomes. This conditional activation localizes reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation and iron deprivation to tumor cells. We critically compare redox-active and redox-inert states, delineating how steric and electronic tuning, backbone rigidity, and sulfur-to-selenium substitution govern exchange hierarchies and kinetics. We further map downstream consequences for metal trafficking, lysosomal membrane permeabilization, apoptosis, and ferroptosis. Beyond TSCs, iron(III)-targeted transmetalation from titanium(IV)-chelator “chemical transferrin mimetics” illustrates a generalizable Trojan horse paradigm. We conclude with translational lessons, including mitigation of hemoprotein oxidation via steric shielding, stealth zinc(II) prodrugs, and dual-chelator architectures and outline biomarker, formulation, and imaging strategies that de-risk clinical development. Collectively, these insights establish transmetalation as a central therapeutic principle. We also highlight open challenges such as quantifying in-cell exchange kinetics, predicting speciation under non-equilibrium conditions, and rationally combining these agents with existing therapies. Full article

Serotonergic psychedelics, particularly psilocybin, lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD), and dimethyltryptamine (DMT), are increasingly recognised as powerful tools to advance the understanding of consciousness and its relation to brain activity. Psychedelic research has informed neuroscientific theories that attempt to map neural observations of network connectivity and signal diversity to phenomenological qualities like psychological flexibility. Thus far, however, there have been relatively limited efforts to bridge the gap between psychedelic-informed theory and the experiential differences observed in neurodevelopmental conditions such as autism. In this narrative review and conceptual synthesis, we compare the psychedelic state and autism in adults from a neurophenomenological perspective. Predictive processing is invoked as a unifying framework. This procedure highlights both phenomena as involving a shift towards sensory information relative to prior knowledge, but potentially implicating alterations at opposite ends of the cortical hierarchy. This contrastive approach also reveals opportunities for refining concepts—including psychological flexibility—as well as interpretations of results across fields. However, neurobiological findings, especially in autism, are heterogeneous and there are inherent restrictions in comparing transient state and lifelong trait phenomena. Conclusions of this comparison are primarily conceptual and offer testable hypotheses for the neurophenomenology of the psychedelic state, autism, and their interaction. Full article

We present Stereo-GS, a real-time system for online 3D Gaussian Splatting (3DGS) that reconstructs photorealistic 3D scenes from streaming stereo pairs. Unlike prior offline 3DGS methods that require dense multi-view input or precomputed depth, Stereo-GS estimates metrically accurate depth maps directly from rectified stereo geometry, enabling progressive, globally consistent reconstruction. The frontend combines a stereo implementation of DROID-SLAM for robust tracking and keyframe selection with FoundationStereo, a generalizable stereo network that needs no scene-specific fine-tuning. A two-stage filtering pipeline improves depth reliability by removing outliers using a variance-based refinement filter followed by a multi-view consistency check. In the backend, we selectively initialize new Gaussians in under-represented regions flagged by low PSNR during rendering and continuously optimize them via differentiable rendering. To maintain global coherence with minimal overhead, we apply a lightweight rigid alignment after periodic bundle adjustment. On EuRoC and TartanAir, Stereo-GS attains state-of-the-art performance, improving average PSNR by 0.22 dB and 2.45 dB over the best baseline, respectively. Together with superior visual quality, these results show that Stereo-GS delivers high-fidelity, geometrically accurate 3D reconstructions suitable for real-time robotics, navigation, and immersive AR/VR applications. Full article

Gynogenesis is a reproductive mode where offspring inherit exclusively maternal chromosomes. Gynogenetic development in fish may be induced intentionally by activating eggs with the UV-irradiated, inactive spermatozoa. In the meiotic variant of gynogenesis, the resultant haploid gynogenetic zygote is then exposed to a physical shock to inhibit the release of the 2nd polar body and to reconstitute the diploid state of the embryo. Here, meiotic gynogenesis was induced in the rainbow trout eggs from different clutches to find any differences in terms of gene expression and antioxidant enzyme activity between eggs with high and low ability for gynogenetic development. The survival rates of the gynogenotes after hatching from the eggs originating from five females varied from 16.6 ± 4.3% to 53.8 ± 9.8%. Biochemical and molecular examination revealed that eggs with higher developmental potential for meiotic gynogenesis exhibited significantly greater glutathione peroxidase (GPx) activity than eggs with lower efficiency of gynogenesis. Moreover, eggs exhibiting the highest ability for gynogenetic development showed increased transcription of the keratin 8 gene and decreased abundance of keratin 18 and tubulin β mRNA transcripts. Since keratins protect oocytes from physical stress after ovulation, the high abundance of keratin 8 in the rainbow trout eggs may increase their resilience to the physical shock applied for the zygote diploidization during gynogenesis. On the other hand, a low level of tubulin-building microtubules may increase the efficiency of high hydrostatic pressure (HHP) shock used for diploidization of the gynogenetic zygotes. Full article

Integrating positive welfare indicators into dairy science is gaining attention, yet the biological correlates of affective states in commercial herds remain poorly understood. This study explored associations between dairy cows’ emotional states quantified through the Positive Affect Index (PAI) derived from the Qualitative Behaviour (QBA) Assessment and milk biomarkers, yield, and udder health indicators across 37 commercial farms. Descriptive statistics, housing-adjusted linear regressions, and partial Spearman correlations were used to explore these relationships. Higher PAI values, indicating more positive herd-level emotional states, were significantly associated with lower SCC (22% reduction, p = 0.016) and lower odds of elevated DSCC (OR = 0.69, p = 0.002), reflecting improved udder health. Positive affect was also linked to a higher lactose concentration (p < 0.001) and an increased fat-to-protein ratio (FPR). A tendency for higher milk yield (+1.07 L per milking, p = 0.077) and slightly lower protein content was observed, consistent with a dilution effect. These associations remained robust after sensitivity analyses and were independent of housing type. The results demonstrate that milk composition and udder health biologically reflect positive emotional states, supporting the integration of behavioural assessments and milk biomarkers as a non-invasive framework for advancing welfare-oriented and precision dairy farming. Full article

Emotionally expressive avatars are often used to increase engagement in virtual environments, but their effects on users’ emotional outcomes and experience during evaluative tasks are not well established. This study examined whether differences in avatar emotional expressiveness are associated with affective responses and user experience during a socially evaluative speech task in virtual reality (VR), and how individual characteristics and emotional variables relate to performance and user experience. Sixty-three university students were randomly assigned to deliver a five-minute self-presentation, simulating a job interview, in front of a virtual mirror while embodied in either a high-expressive or low-expressive avatar. In the present study, the manipulation of avatar expressiveness was implemented using Meta Quest 2 and Meta Quest Pro headsets, differing mainly in facial-tracking capability. Participants completed a structured three-phase protocol: pre-avatar embodiment (baseline questionnaires), avatar embodiment (speech task), and post-avatar embodiment (post-task measures). Emotional state and trait variables, speech fluency and engagement during the task, and user experience variables were assessed. No significant effects of avatar expressiveness were found on emotional or experiential variables. Correlation analyses revealed a positive association between extraversion and avatar embodiment. These findings contribute to our understanding of the factors that are associated with user experience and behaviour in avatar-based VR environments and suggest that individual traits, such as extraversion, should be considered when designing VR applications for training, education, and therapeutic purposes. Full article

The title compound has been fully characterised using ¹H and ¹³C NMR spectroscopy, which reveals (E) to (Z) isomerisation upon dissolution. In the solid state, X-ray diffraction shows exclusively the (E)-isomer with two geometrically near-identical independent molecules each with the outer rings tilted with respect to the central ring. Full article

This article examines the effects of climate change on the 32 million inhabitants of the Megalopolis of Central Mexico (MCM), which is threatened by chaotic urbanization, land-use changes, the deforestation of the Forest of Water by organized crime, unsustainable agriculture, and biodiversity loss. Expensive hydraulic management extracting water from deep aquifers, long pipes exploiting water from neighboring states, and sewage discharged outside the endorheic basin result in expensive pumping costs and air pollution. This mismanagement has increased water scarcity. The overexploitation of aquifers and the pollution by toxic industrial and domestic sewage mixed with rainfall has increased the ground subsidence, damaging urban infrastructure and flooding marginal neighborhoods with toxic sewage. A system approach, satellite data, and participative research methodology were used to explore potential water scarcity and weakened water security for 32 million inhabitants. An alternative nature-based approach involves recovering the Forest of Water (FW) with IWRM, including the management of Natural Protected Areas, the rainfall recharge of aquifers, and cleaning domestic sewage inside the valley where the MCM is found. This involves recovering groundwater, reducing the overexploitation of aquifers, and limiting floods. Citizen participation in treating domestic wastewater with eco-techniques, rainfall collection, and purification filters improves water availability, while the greening of urban areas limits the risk of climate disasters. The government is repairing the broken drinking water supply and drainage systems affected by multiple earthquakes. Adaptation to water scarcity and climate risks requires the recognition of unpaid female domestic activities and the role of indigenous people in protecting the Forest of Water with the involvement of three state authorities. A digital platform for water security, urban planning, citizen audits against water authority corruption, and aquifer recharge through nature-based solutions provided by the System of Natural Protected Areas, Biological and Hydrological Corridors [SAMBA] are improving livelihoods for the MCM’s inhabitants and marginal neighborhoods, with greater equity and safety. Full article