Search Results (1,412)

Background/Objectives: γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a non-protein amino, is synthesized from glutamic acid through the catalytic activity of glutamate decarboxylase (GAD). As a key signaling molecule, GABA plays a vital role in plant responses to abiotic stresses. To explore the potential involvement of the GABA gene family in Juglans regia’s response to environmental stressors, a comprehensive genome-wide identification and analysis of GABA-related genes was performed. Methods: The study examined their protein features, evolutionary relationships, chromosomal locations, and promoter cis-regulatory elements. Additionally, the expression patterns of GABA family genes were analyzed in J. regia seedlings subjected to salt and drought stress. Results: Genome analysis identified three main components of the GABA metabolic pathway in J. regia: glutamate decarboxylases (GADs), GABA transaminases (GABA-Ts), and succinic semialdehyde dehydrogenases (SSADHs). These genes were unevenly distributed across 14 chromosomes, with chromosome 10 containing the highest number. Promoter analysis revealed that about 80% of cis-acting elements were linked to plant hormone regulation, such as abscisic acid (ABA), and stress responses, including drought and high-salinity. Phylogenetic analysis showed that JrGAD1 was distantly related to other JrGAD members, while certain JrGABA-T and JrSSADH genes formed closely related pairs. Under salt and drought stress, JrSSADH23 expression was highly upregulated (2.60-fold and 2.24-fold, respectively), a trend observed for most JrSSADH genes. Conclusions: These findings offer valuable insights into the molecular basis of GABA metabolism in J. regia’s stress adaptation and identify promising genetic targets for developing stress-tolerant varieties. Full article

Cities are complex systems with socioeconomic activities exhibiting diverse spatial distributions, where selecting an appropriate observation scale is vital for understanding urban complexity. However, the traditional methods for this task are often limited, either because they rely on subjective judgments or lack generalizability before being applied across the diverse functions of a city. To address this issue, we introduce a complexity–heterogeneity balancing method, which employs renormalization group techniques to generate distribution matrices across different scales, striking a balance between complexity and heterogeneity to objectively identify appropriate observation scales. We implement this method on freight, enterprise and restaurant distribution data derived from major Chinese cities to identify their appropriate spatial scales. The results properly reflect the characteristic spatial organization structure of each urban function, meaning that the method provides a robust framework for determining appropriate scales in urban spatial analysis tasks. Our study has potential applications in enhancing the logistics optimization, industrial zoning and commercial planning processes and identifying urban functions and morphological features, thereby contributing to sustainable urban development. Full article

With rapid urbanization and intensifying climate change impacts, the thermal comfort performance of semi-outdoor spaces has emerged as a critical issue in sustainable urban design and housing development. However, the unique void decks of residential environments remain underexplored in the existing literature. This study addresses the knowledge gap by investigating how morphological characteristics influence microclimatic conditions and user satisfaction in high-density subtropical residential environments. Field measurements and questionnaire surveys were conducted across 18 void decks in four representative Shenzhen communities during summer 2024, examining air temperature, relative humidity, wind velocity, mean radiant temperature, and UTCI alongside users’ thermal perceptions. Hierarchical cluster analysis identified three distinct typologies based on spatial attributes: North–South-Ventilated (NS-VD), Single-Directional (SD-VD), and Oblique-Oriented (OO-VD). Ridge regression analysis revealed seven critical configuration variables—height-to-depth ratio, orientation, angle with wind, number of open sides, sky view factor, green view factor, and height from ground—collectively explaining 51.2% of UTCI variation. The results were as follows: (1) we identified morphological typologies and quantify microclimate variations across spatial configurations; (2) established quantitative relationships between objective thermal metrics and subjective thermal perceptions; and (3) developed evidence-based design recommendations for enhancing thermal environments in subtropical residential contexts. The findings support climate-responsive design for high-density residential environments by providing a scientific basis for optimizing microclimates and enhancing community vitality. Full article

Charitable giving plays a vital role in advancing sustainable development, yet little is known about its determinants in transitional economies. This study addresses this gap by examining the socioeconomic and psychological drivers of prosocial financial behavior in Uzbekistan, integrating the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), Norm Activation Theory (NAT), and Well-Being Theory. Data from a sample of 348 individuals reveal two distinct pathways of giving: one shaped by resources (income, age) and another by subjective well-being (happiness). While income, age, and happiness emerged as significant positive predictors of charitable behavior, traditional TPB factors such as attitude, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control were not supported in this context. A surprising finding was the negative association between personal norms and charitable giving, challenging assumptions of Western-centric models and pointing to the importance of cultural and institutional conditions, such as trust in charities and informal giving practices. The study contributes to sustainability research by showing that fostering well-being and targeting specific demographic groups can enhance philanthropy, while also emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive approaches in understanding prosocial behavior within emerging economies. Full article

Echocardiography remains a vital part of the initial assessment and monitoring of oncological patients. It allows for proper treatment selection but can also reveal life-threatening complications, including impaired left ventricular function or thromboembolism. It can rarely detect intracardiac masses that require further investigation. In the presented case, a 51-year-old female patient with left-sided breast cancer, who had undergone neoadjuvant chemotherapy, was hospitalised due to a right atrial mass identified via routine transthoracic echocardiography (TTE). Initial anticoagulation therapy showed no clinical improvement. Follow-up TTE revealed a 12 × 19 mm hyperechogenic, mobile mass in the right atrium (RA). Computed tomography angiography (CTA) ruled out pulmonary embolism and revealed that the mass was located close to the tip of the vascular access port. Transoesophageal echocardiography showed that the lesion was not connected to the vascular port. Based on location and mobility, the lesion was most consistent with a cardiac myxoma. After the Heart Team made a decision, endovascular intervention using a vacuum-assisted device was performed without complications. Histopathological examination excluded thrombosis and myxoma, revealing a fibro-inflammatory lesion. A multimodality approach is necessary to assess RA masses. However, even an extensive evaluation could be misleading, so treatment options should always be subject to the Heart Team’s decision. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aimed to determine the effects of weight gain and fatigue on nursing students performing high-fidelity cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) simulation. Methods: A simulation-based research study (with or without a vest) was performed at the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Castilla la Mancha (Spain), with volunteer nursing students. Vital signs, pain scale, pupillary sizes, analytical parameters, and lifestyle habits were evaluated before, during, and after CPR. The differences between groups were assessed by ANOVA for time and group factors. Results: A total of 31 participants met the inclusion criteria, 15 subjects without a vest and 16 subjects with a vest. The ANOVA results revealed that all the variables presented statistically significant time effects, except for glucose. For the group effect, heart rate, lactate, and cortisol presented statistically significant differences between subjects with and without vests. Conclusions: Vital signs and physiological variables increased during CPR with vests. This could negatively impact the CPR procedure. The implementation of physical training programs aimed at improving the performance of future health professionals during CPR should be studied. Full article

The recent years have seen a significantly increased representation of African artists at major recurring shows of contemporary art. This paper looks at works featured in the past few editions of La Biennale di Venezia, Kassel’s documenta, Berlin Biennale, and the European Nomadic Biennial Manifesta—events that once stemmed from civilisational transformations and now function as influential art institutions. The way these are organised leaves room for art which deals with pressing, difficult matters; especially our relationship with the Global South is becoming a major concern. Africa’s output is unlike all traditional forms of Western culture, and its most interesting instances are participatory, socially contextualised, and utilitarian; colonial crimes and trauma count among vital subjects. At the same time, various uncompromising approaches challenge our notions about how to conceive of an exhibition and how an art institution should operate: works of art are no longer fetishised simply as appealing manifestations of an unfamiliar aesthetic. Consequently, the art world has no other choice but to adjust the programming of its initiatives, shows, and organisations so that space is made for endeavours firmly rooted in the present day, actually facing its challenges. Full article

Understanding the thermal environment of outdoor public spaces is critical for climate-responsive architectural design, evidence-based urban science, and data-driven smart city planning. Thermal comfort shapes both individual decision-making and collective behavioural patterns, offering valuable insights for designing spaces that support year-round vitality. This study investigates the relationship between thermal conditions and crowd behaviour in severe cold regions by combining behavioural mapping with on-site environmental measurements. Results show that in high-temperature conditions, spatial distribution is primarily influenced by sunlight and shade, whereas at low temperatures, sunlight has minimal effect on space use. Attendance, duration of stay, and activity intensity follow quadratic relationships with the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI), with optimal values at 29 °C, 26 °C, and 27 °C, respectively. Walking speed is inversely correlated with UTCI, with the fastest speeds observed under cold discomfort, reflecting rapid departure from space. Sitting behaviour peaks at 21 °C UTCI and declines to nearly zero when UTCI is below 10 °C. A comparative analysis between Harbin and other regions reveals significant deviations from temperate zone patterns and greater similarity to subtropical behavioural responses. A key contribution of this study is the introduction of the spatial usage rate model and the foot vote method, two novel, observation-based tools that allow for the objective estimation of thermal comfort without relying solely on subjective surveys. These methods offer architects, planners, and smart city practitioners a powerful evidence-based framework to evaluate and optimise outdoor thermal performance, ultimately enhancing usability, adaptability, and public engagement in cold-climate cities. Full article

The human lower extremity plays a vital role in locomotion, posture, and weight-bearing through coordinated motion at the hip, knee, and ankle joints. These joints facilitate essential functions including flexion, extension, and internal and external rotation. To address mobility impairments through personalized therapy, this study presents the design, dynamic modeling, and control of a four-degree-of-freedom (4-DOF) lower limb exoskeleton robot. The system actuates hip flexion–extension and internal–external rotation, knee flexion–extension, and ankle dorsiflexion–plantarflexion. Anatomically aligned joint axes were incorporated to enhance biomechanical compatibility and reduce user discomfort. A detailed CAD model ensures ergonomic fit, modular adjustability, and the integration of actuators and sensors. The exoskeleton robot dynamic model, derived using Lagrangian mechanics, incorporates subject-specific anthropometric parameters to accurately reflect human biomechanics. A conventional sliding mode controller (SMC) was implemented to ensure robust trajectory tracking under model uncertainties. To overcome limitations of conventional SMC, an adaptive sliding mode controller with boundary layer-based chattering suppression was developed. Simulations in MATLAB/Simulink 2025 R2025a demonstrate that the adaptive controller achieves smoother torque profiles, minimizes high-frequency oscillations, and improves tracking accuracy. This work establishes a comprehensive framework for anatomically congruent exoskeleton design and robust control, supporting the future integration of physiological intent detection and clinical validation for neurorehabilitation applications. Full article

Monitoring plant water status is vital for optimizing irrigation in precision agriculture. This study explores the use of two simple, affordable, and non-invasive sensor systems, electrical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and infrared (IR) spectroscopy, to assess plant water status directly from leaf tissues. This approach is well-suited for the realization of large networks of distributed sensors wirelessly connected to a central hub. An outdoor experiment was conducted over two phases of 20 day-experiment involving six Hydrangea macrophylla plants subjected to two irrigation treatments: a control group (well-irrigated) and a test group (poorly irrigated) designed to induce water stress. The standard relative water content (RWC) method validated the treatment effects on the plants, and both EIS and IR sensors effectively distinguished between the two groups. Impedance-derived parameters, particularly the normalized intracellular resistance (R0) and the cell membrane capacitance (C0), exhibited statistically significant differences between the treatments. In addition, the IR measurements showed moderate correlations with RWC, with determination coefficients of R² = 0.56 and R² = 0.51 for first and second phases of the experiment, respectively. Despite some limitations concerning the electrode–leaf conformity and external sunlight interference, the results point to the advantages of these methods for real-time plant monitoring and decision-making in smart irrigation systems. Full article

Alpine permafrost plays a vital role in regional hydrology and ecology. Alpine permafrost is highly sensitive to climate change and human disturbance. The Muri area, which is located in the headwaters of the Datong River, northeast of the Tibetan Plateau, has undergone decadal mining, and the permafrost stability there has attracted substantial concerns. In order to decipher how and to what extent the permafrost in the Muri area has responded to the decadal mining in the context of climate change, daily MODIS land surface temperatures (LSTs) acquired during 2000–2024 were downscaled to 30 m × 30 m. The active layer thickness (ALT)–ground thaw index (DDT) coefficient was derived from in situ ALT measurements. An annual ALT of 30 m × 30 m spatial resolution was subsequently estimated from the downscaled LST for the Muri area using the Stefan equation. Validation of the LST and ALT showed that the root of mean squared error (RMSE) and the mean absolute error (MAE) of the downscaled LST were 3.64 °C and −0.1 °C, respectively. The RMSE and MAE of the ALT estimated in this study were 0.5 m and −0.25 m, respectively. Spatiotemporal analysis of the downscaled LST and ALT found that (1) during 2000–2024, the downscaled LST and estimated ALT delineated the spatial extent and time of human disturbance to permafrost in the Muri area; (2) human disturbance (i.e., mining and replantation) caused ALT increase without significant spatial expansion; and (3) the semi-arid climate, rough terrain, thin root zone and gappy vertical structure beneath were the major controlling factors of ALT variations. ALT, estimated in this study with a high resolution and accuracy, filled the data gaps of this kind for the Muri area. The ALT variations depicted in this study provide references for understanding alpine permafrost evolution in other areas that have been subject to human disturbance and climate change. Full article

Acquisition of joint attitudes is vital in mine geology but often constrained by underground conditions, while manual cataloging remains inefficient and subjective. To overcome these issues, we propose a mobile phone photography and deep learning-based method. Rock joint images are collected with smartphones, augmented by cutting and rotation, and enhanced using CLAHE. After labeling with Labelme, a dataset is built for training. A ResNet residual module and CBAM attention are integrated into a U-Net architecture, forming the RC-Unet model for accurate semantic segmentation of joints. Post-processing with OpenCV enables contour extraction, and the PCP three-point localization algorithm rapidly calculates joint attitudes. A practical engineering case verifies that intelligent joint identification can replace manual cataloging in relatively simple underground environments. This approach improves efficiency, reduces subjectivity, and provides a rapid, low-cost, and easily storable means for geological information acquisition, highlighting its potential as an effective tool and supplementary method for mine surveys. Full article

Detecting human movement through walls is vital for disaster response and security, where obstacles obscure visibility and endanger rescue operations, necessitating advanced through-wall radar (TWR) solutions. This study introduces a novel method to enhance velocity estimation accuracy in TWR systems despite signal attenuation caused by walls. Our proposed method dynamically adjusts the beamforming range based on radar-target distance, improving point cloud reconstruction and enabling precise velocity measurements. We conducted experiments in 1D and 2D indoor environments, with and without a brick wall, to validate the proposed method’s effectiveness. In both 1D and 2D experiments, the proposed method successfully restored the velocity information of five subjects located behind a brick wall, achieving root mean square error (RMSE) values of approximately 0.1–0.2 m/s in most cases. Furthermore, statistical comparisons before and after applying the proposed method in the brick wall environment revealed significant reductions in RMSE (p < 0.05) and significant increases in the number of detected point clouds (p < 0.05), confirming the method’s effectiveness in enhancing both velocity extraction accuracy and detection capability. Full article

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Trimix^® on the microvilli and glycocalyx of ocular conjunctival epithelial cells, assessing drug persistence on the cell surface and its interaction with the glycocalyx. Microvilli, vital indicators of cellular health, are altered in inflammatory or toxic conditions, making their restoration a key therapeutic target. Method: Building upon previous scanning electron microscopy work, this investigation utilized Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) to delve into the direct interaction between Trimix and the cell membrane, elucidating its role in cellular mechanisms. The research involved both an in vitro phase, examining the drug’s molecular arrangement, and an in vivo phase, treating three subjects (healthy, moderate inflammation, severe dry eye) for 30 days. Cytological samples were taken via impression cytology for TEM analysis to observe the drug’s long-term action and its influence on microvillar structures, glycocalyx, and vesicular transport. Results: We demonstrated that Trimix stimulated vesicular transport and promoted the formation of a rudimentary glycocalyx, significantly increasing its presence and the number of microvilli in treated patients across all inflammatory grades, even in severe dry eye. Conclusions: In conclusion, Trimix acts as an effective glycocalyx substitute, restoring the second mucosal system (SMS) and enabling distressed cells to resume essential exchange functions, offering a novel therapeutic approach for dry eye disease. Full article

This paper presents the results of a study on manners of green area design, with green areas understood as areas with biologically vital surfaces, in the context of contemporary remodelling of historical market squares. This study approaches this problem comprehensively with the example of Lesser Poland—a region in southern Poland. The presented detailed analysis covers cities and towns where a major town or city square was remodelled in the period between 2009 and 2024. The findings of this study of these spaces’ development—both before and after the completion of their respective remodelling projects—have been presented as comparative diagrams. Based on this, essential quantitative parameters linked to green area surface area and the biologically vital area to square ratio were calculated for the pre- and post-remodel stages. Interpreting the findings enabled the identification of the quantitative changes that occurred during the remodelling of each square, and thus outlining of the general tendencies in the design of greenery in these spaces. Research shows that the process of redevelopment of urban markets most often results in a reduction in green space, regardless of its initial condition. In some cases, this phenomenon becomes radical, leading to the almost complete elimination of green spaces from the market square. We compared our findings with those of other studies on the remodelling and redevelopment of the city centres of Polish cities and referred to the literature on diagnosing the phenomenon dubbed as ‘concretosis’ (betonoza in Polish). We also discussed this tendency in the context of the revitalisation of city centres and the programming of functions that city market squares feature after remodelling, as well as the specificities of Polish law in terms of requirements in the planning and design of public spaces. This study’s subject matter also references the general tendencies in planning downtown public spaces that are often historic and which are highly distinct and attractive places in numerous cities and towns around the world. Full article