Search Results (45,622)

Maple (Acer spp.) seeds are potential sources of fat-soluble nutrients and bioactive compounds, yet they remain comparatively understudied. This study compared six market-derived Acer seed types by quantifying phospholipids (PLs), fatty acids, carotenoids, and phytosterols, and by evaluating total phenolic content (TPC) and DPPH radical scavenging activity in methanolic extracts. Total phospholipid contents varied markedly among samples (17.94–295.87 mg/100 g), with phosphatidylcholine (PC), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and phosphatidylinositol (PI) as the predominant classes. Fatty acid profiles were dominated by oleic acid (C18:1) and linoleic acid (C18:2), and nervonic acid (NA; C24:1) was consistently detected in all samples at 0.17–1.88 g/100 g (4.55–7.89% of total fatty acids). β-Sitosterol ranged from 16.58 ± 1.41 to 37.46 ± 1.62 mg/100 g. Carotenoid composition varied among the tested samples, and Jeju red maple showed the highest provitamin A potential, including the exclusive detection of α-carotene and the highest retinol activity equivalent. Antioxidant indices also differed significantly among samples (TPC: 317.89–897.12 mg GAE/100 g; DPPH: 81.37–93.27%), but TPC was not consistently proportional to DPPH activity, suggesting contributions from non-phenolic constituents. Pearson correlation analysis further showed exploratory co-variation patterns among the measured variables across the tested samples. Overall, the tested market-derived Acer seed materials exhibited marked compositional diversity and antioxidant potential, supporting their further evaluation as candidate functional food, nutraceutical, and value-added plant lipid resources. Full article

Background/Objectives: Autonomy and the ability to live independently are priority goals for older adults and are closely linked to healthy aging and quality of life (QoL). However, nutrition, although a crucial and modifiable determinant, remains undervalued. Cardiovascular diseases are highly prevalent in middle-aged and older adults and increase the risk of functional impairment, burdening the economy and limiting the patient’s autonomy. This study aimed to analyse the quality of life in older adults and its relationship with functional impairment and nutritional status. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study that included 359 patients with a mean age of 71.52 years who were admitted to the National Institute of Gerontology and Geriatrics “Ana Aslan”, between January 2024 and April 2025. Data were collected through interviews, medical records, and standardized instruments, including the Up and Go Test, Tinetti Test, Downton Fall Risk Index, and handgrip strength assessment. Quality of life was assessed using the EQ-5D-5L and the visual analog scale (VAS). Results: Nutritional status assessed using MNA showed significant moderate-to-strong correlations with EQ-5D-5L mobility (r = −0.326, p = 0.007 in the ≥80 years’ group), anxiety/depression (r = −0.544, p < 0.001 in the ≥80 years’ group), self-care (r = −0.271 to −0.311, p < 0.05 in patients over 65), and usual activities (r = −0.294, p = 0.016 in the ≥80 years’ group). In contrast, BMI showed moderate positive correlations with EQ-5D-5L pain/discomfort across all age groups (r = 0.365 to 0.524, p < 0.002). Functional assessment revealed strong negative correlations between EQ-5D-5L mobility and the Tinetti Test (r = −0.583 to −0.728, p < 0.001), with weaker correlations for pain/discomfort and anxiety/depression dimensions. While BMI-EQ-5D-5L pain/discomfort correlations were consistent across age groups, a stronger correlation was observed in the ≥80 years’ group for MNA-EQ-5D-5L anxiety/depression. Conclusions: In this exploratory cross-sectional study, MNA and BMI were associated with different quality of life domains. Lower MNA scores were more frequently associated with anxiety/depression and certain functional domains, particularly in the ≥80 years’ group, whereas higher BMI was more consistently associated with pain/discomfort across age groups. Full article

Wireless sensor networks using battery-powered, low-cost sensors, due to their non-rechargeability and strictly limited energy resources, are more sensitive to energy efficiency than other networks of this type. Clustered wireless sensor networks address this problem. In these networks, the most energy-intensive communication, i.e., a long-range one, is carried out via designated nodes, called cluster head nodes, while other cluster nodes communicate with their cluster heads. Cluster head node selection is handled by appropriate routing protocols, and newly designed protocols are first tested in simulations. Among the simulators of cluster head selection protocols, those implemented in a MATLAB environment play an important role, and among these, those implementing a first-order radio model to estimate the energy cost of transmission, both at the transmitter and at the receiver, play a particularly important role. This paper presents and discusses the energy aspects of MATLAB-based open-source wireless sensor network environments that employ the first-order radio model for the simulation of cluster head selection protocols. Current MATLAB-based open-source simulators of cluster head selection protocols were inventoried and analyzed. The review results showed that the first-order radio model had been used in its classic form for years, with the same default parameters. Although the simulators were written using different programming paradigms, precluding simple copy-and-paste, the first-order radio model was generally similar. However, there were exceptions to this rule. A hard exception is the simulator for a body-area wireless sensor network, which only implements a version of the first-order radio model specific to that environment. Soft exceptions are two simulators of the popular cluster head selection protocol, which implemented only half the functionality of the classic first-order radio model. On the one hand, this demonstrates both the widespread use of a conservative approach to the model, which ensures relatively easy repeatability of simulation results, and, on the other hand, the flexibility of the model, which allows its extension to other environments. Finally, the limitations of the model are presented and directions for future research are indicated. Full article

Spatial qualities are central to architectural reasoning; yet, in studio-based education, they often remain implicit rather than structured as a shared analytical framework. This study examines how a multi-scalar taxonomy of spatial qualities can function as a collaborative analytical language in studio-based architectural education. Situated in Košanćićev venac and Dorćol, two historically layered areas of Belgrade’s old town, this study integrates expert spatial analysis with a student questionnaire administered across bachelor and master study levels. Empirical testing was conducted to evaluate structural coherence, conceptual differentiation and the distribution of spatial qualities across detail, architectural and urban drawing scales. The findings indicate consistent internal stability, clear differentiation among constructs and statistically significant cross-scale articulation. Form- and composition-related qualities showed high usability, while interpretative constructs were more variable. Master-level students demonstrated greater engagement with cognitive and interpretative constructs, indicating a shift toward more conceptually grounded design reasoning without affecting overall structural coherence. These results suggest that spatial qualities can operate as a level-independent analytical language, supporting inclusive participation, shared interpretation and structured dialogue within the design studio. By positioning spatial qualities as a collaborative pedagogical framework, this study contributes to interdisciplinary communication and more equitable engagement in architectural education. Full article

Background/Objectives: Sexual dysfunction is a prevalent and multifactorial condition affecting a large proportion of the global population, with limited therapeutic options beyond pharmacological approaches primarily targeting erectile dysfunction. This has increased interest in botanical supplements for sexual health, although mechanistic evidence and clear links between phytochemical composition and biological activity remain scarce. The present study provides an integrative evaluation of a commercial Turnera diffusa extract (Liboost^®) formulated to support sexual health by combining detailed phytochemical characterization with targeted in vitro mechanistic assays. Methods: The extract was characterized by HPLC-DAD-HRMS, enabling the identification and semi-quantification of its major constituents. A total of 49 compounds were detected, predominantly flavonoids, including luteolin- and apigenin-derived glycosides, flavonols, methoxyflavones, flavanones, and coumaroyl derivatives, with a total quantified flavonoid content of 15.9 mg·g⁻¹. Biological activity was evaluated in human cell models without cytotoxic effects at the tested concentrations. Results: Liboost^® significantly reduced PDE5 expression, inhibited aromatase activity, and moderately increased nitric oxide production. These complementary effects suggest a multi-target modulation of pathways involved in sexual function, integrating vascular, endocrine, and nitrergic mechanisms. Conclusions: Although limited to in vitro models, the findings provide mechanistic support for the biological activity of T. diffusa extracts and highlight the importance of linking phytochemical composition with functional evidence when evaluating botanical supplements. Full article

Background: Low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) lung cancer screening (LCS) frequently identifies emphysema in high-risk smokers. However, the extent to which CT-detected emphysema reflects underlying physiological impairment remains uncertain. We evaluated whether spirometry can detect functional abnormalities in this population beyond structural imaging findings. Methods: This cross-sectional study included 323 individuals with LDCT- detected emphysema and no lung cancer or prior chronic respiratory diseases within a screening cohort (n = 3076). Participants underwent pre-bronchodilator spirometry and symptom assessments (COPD Assessment test (CAT) and Modified Medical Research Council (mMRC) Dyspnea Scale). Pre-bronchodilator airflow limitation was defined as forced expiratory volume in one second to forced vital capacity ratio (FEV₁/FVC) < 0.70. Small airways dysfunction was defined by ≥2 reduced mid-expiratory flow parameters (<60% predicted). Flow–volume curve morphology was assessed qualitatively. Results: Pre-bronchodilator airflow limitation was observed in 45.2% of participants, predominantly mild. Small-airway dysfunction was present in 52%, and an abnormal flow–volume curve morphology in 67.5%. Notably, functional abnormalities were frequently observed despite preserved FEV₁. Symptom burden was low, with only 7.7% of participants reporting clinically significant symptoms. Functional impairments often overlapped and were common in minimally symptomatic individuals. Conclusions: In a lung cancer screening (LCS) cohort with CT-detected emphysema, functional abnormalities are frequently observed, including in individuals with preserved FEV₁ and minimal symptoms. Spirometry provides additional physiological insight beyond structural imaging; however, these findings are descriptive and should not be interpreted as diagnostic of COPD. Further studies are needed to determine their clinical relevance. Full article

As tourism businesses increasingly integrate anthropomorphic and AI-impowered technologies into service functions, a key managerial and theoretical challenge is adjusting high-tech performance with high-touch human involvement. Addressing this issue, this paper applied a PLS-SEM algorithmic modeling method to explore how anthropomorphic technological experiences shape guests’ experiential sharing intentions (ESIs) within hospitality service environments. Drawing on social response theory and service experience theory, this research developed and practically evaluated a moderated–mediated model describing how anthropomorphic technological experiences can impact experiential sharing intentions (ESIs). Specifically, the model tested the direct and indirect impacts of anthropomorphic experience on ESI through affective experience (AF_EX) and perceived service innovation (PSI), while evaluating the moderating roles of employee presence and technology identity. The results offered strong evidence to support the developed framework. Anthropomorphic experience can positively impact guests’ affective experience, PSI, and ESI with others. Both AF_EX and PSI can act as significant predictors of ESI and can operate as complementary mediating mechanisms, implying that emotional involvement and innovation-signaling technologies reinforce guests’ advocacy through dual experiential pathways. Notably, the findings revealed a critical boundary setting. Technology identity can amplify the influence of anthropomorphic experience on both AE and PSI, signaling that guests who view technology as part of their self-concept exhibited greater levels of experiential value from human-like operations. By applying PLS-SEM algorithmic modeling to integrate anthropomorphism, perceived innovation, and experiential value within a moderated mediation framework, this paper advanced the theoretical understanding of high-tech–high-touch hospitality experiences and provided practical insights for developing synergistic technology-enabled service contexts. Full article

The cathode and anode differential pressure control of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) directly affects its service life and operating efficiency. Existing control methods find it difficult to cope with strong nonlinear perturbations, and fixed differential pressure control is prone to pressure overshoot and threshold exceedance, resulting in unstable pressure regulation. In order to solve the current research problems, a reinforcement learning method based on hybrid experience replay (HP-TD3) is proposed. A CART-based algorithm is first used to classify the states of the test load, and a load-related segmented reward function is designed. In addition, a hindsight experience replay (HER) mechanism is incorporated into the Priority Experience Replay Twin Delayed Deep Deterministic Policy Gradient (PER-TD3) framework to improve sample utilization efficiency and training stability. Finally, the performance of HP-TD3 and its ability to cope with nonlinear disturbances are verified on a fuel cell control unit hardware-in-the-loop (FCU-HIL) platform. In the A test load (frequent switching and high low-load proportion), the Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), and the degradation index of the fuel cell dynamic performance (Δfc) of HP-TD3 are respectively reduced by 17.4%, 20.5%, and 13.3% compared to P-TD3; in the B test load (high-load operation and low switching frequency), these indicators are reduced by 25.7%, 29.4%, and 15.4% respectively. Full article

Background/Objectives: Gastro-resistant multiparticulate systems are designed to protect drugs in acidic environments and to ensure intestinal release. In practice, the method of administration may need to be modified: pellet-containing capsules opened or tablets halved for patients with swallowing difficulties, yet the type of liquid used for administration is often not specified. This study examined the stability of gastro-resistant coated pellets after exposure to various aqueous media prior to ingestion. Methods: To evaluate administration instructions, 103 Summaries of Product Characteristics of gastro-resistant products were reviewed. Pellets were produced using a bottom-spray fluidized bed process and coated with Eudragit L 30 D-55. Dissolution testing in pH 1.2 medium was performed after pre-soaking the pellets for 5, 15, and 30 min in beverages with various pH and conductivity. Drug release was measured by UV-VIS method, and morphological changes were assessed by image analysis. Marketed gastro-resistant products were also examined visually. Results: SmPC review revealed that the beverage for intake was frequently unspecified. Among the tested beverages differences in pH and conductivity were observed. Alkaline medicinal mineral waters induced increased and time-dependent premature drug release compared to tap and filtered water. Image analysis indicated a reduction in surface area after exposure to alkaline media. Conclusions: Contact with non-specified aqueous media before swallowing may weaken the protective function of gastro-resistant films. More explicit recommendations on suitable administration manipulation and media may improve therapeutic consistency. Full article

Cannabinoid receptors occupy strategic control nodes within motor circuitry, making them potential targets for modulating different motor manifestations. They are positioned both within basal ganglia circuits that regulate movement and within spinal circuits that control skeletal muscle tone. Consequently, cannabinoids have been studied across diverse motor disorders, most notably in movement disorders and tone disorders, particularly those resulting in spasticity. Because motor control spans multiple anatomically and functionally distinct levels, relating cannabinoid signaling to effects on motor function is not straightforward. Limited understanding of cannabinoid receptor distribution has led to cannabinoids being tested even in disorders where receptor localization would predict little or no benefit. Mapping receptor distribution within individual motor circuits and integrating them with their pharmacological effects can help anticipate how cannabinoid signaling shapes motor output. Combined with characteristic motor manifestations, one can identify motor disorders in which cannabinoids may have therapeutic value. In this review, we integrate existing evidence to place cannabinoid receptors within key motor pathways, ranging from basal ganglia circuits controlling movement to peripheral mechanisms governing muscle tone. We consider both cannabinoid 1 receptor (CB₁R) and cannabinoid 2 receptor (CB₂R), with CB₂R gaining attention only recently for its potential relevance within the central nervous system. Building on this framework, we infer how cannabinoids acting at these sites may modulate motor control, and consequently, influence motor manifestations across major motor disorders. Finally, we examine how these distribution-based expectations align with available clinical observations. Full article

As a widely used computing substrate, the side-channel security of FPGAs has attracted considerable attention, yet a systematic understanding of how FPGA device types contribute to exploitable leakage remains limited. This work presents a device-centric evaluation that maps an S-box-like function onto common FPGA primitives, including look-up table (LUT), flip-flop (FF), block RAM (BRAM), and distributed RAM (LUTRAM), and assesses Correlation Power Analysis (CPA) outcomes under the Hamming Weight (HW) and Hamming Distance (HD) power models. The results show pronounced leakage differences across device types: FF- and BRAM-based implementations exhibit substantially stronger leakage than LUT- and LUTRAM-based ones, and they frequently achieve $\mathrm{GE}=0$ in our configurations, while the HD model is generally more effective than the HW model in the performed CPA evaluations. Notably, FF-, BRAM-, and LUTRAM-based implementations can already be breakable starting from one instance under the HD model in our device-level tests, indicating that exploitable leakage may manifest in real FPGA applications. These device-level observations are further validated on a practical cipher by analyzing two SM4 encryption modules that differ only in the S-box implementation style; the BRAM-based design shows significantly stronger leakage than the LUT-based design, achieving $\mathrm{GE}=2.58$ versus $\mathrm{GE}=78.3$ at 10,000 traces. This work highlights the critical role of device selection and implementation style in FPGA side-channel security, and it provides practical insights for designing secure FPGA applications against power side-channel analysis. Full article

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), a non-protein amino acid, functions as the chief inhibitory neurotransmitter in mammals and is associated with several health benefits, including hypotensive, diuretic, tranquilizing, and antidiabetic effects. Although cocoa has been identified as a potential source of GABA, information regarding its concentration in cocoa-derived materials remains limited. This study evaluated the GABA content of dried germinated cocoa beans and dried cocoa husks (shells) collected from different geographical regions in Thailand. GABA was extracted using solid–liquid extraction with deionized water, 70% ethanol (v/v), and 90% ethanol (v/v), and quantified by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with diode array detection (HPLC/DAD). The results revealed that both germinated cocoa beans and cocoa husks contain considerable amounts of GABA. The highest GABA content in cocoa beans was detected in samples from Tak province (242 ± 18 mg/100 g), while cocoa husks from Nan province exhibited the highest GABA content (361 ± 11 mg/100 g), both obtained using 70% ethanol extraction. Among the solvents tested, 70% ethanol demonstrated superior extraction efficiency compared with deionized water and 90% ethanol. In conclusion, germinated cocoa beans and cocoa husks represent promising natural sources of GABA, and extraction with 70% ethanol provides an effective approach for maximizing GABA recovery for potential functional foods and bioactive product development. Full article

Background/Objectives: Tablet development requires simultaneous optimization of multiple quality attributes under limited experimental budgets, yet formulation–property relationships are highly nonlinear in mixture systems. To support pre-formulation decision-making prior to extensive tablet prototyping, this study proposes an AI framework that organizes formulation and process data together with raw-material property records into a reusable database, and enriches conventional composition/process features with physically motivated mixture descriptors derived from raw-material properties and formulation/process settings. Methods: Mixture-level scalar descriptors are constructed by composition-weighted aggregation of material properties, and particle size distribution (PSD) is incorporated via a compact set of summary statistics computed from composition-weighted mixture PSDs. Three feature sets are compared: (i) Materials + Processes (MP), (ii) MP with scalar Descriptors (MPD), and (iii) MPD with PSD summaries (MPDD). Five target properties are modeled: hardness, disintegration time, flow function, cohesion, and thickness. We train and evaluate Random Forest, Extra Trees Regressor, Lasso, Partial Least Squares, Support Vector Regression, and a multi-branch neural network that processes the three feature blocks separately and concatenates them for prediction. For interpolation assessment, repeated Train/Dev/Test splitting (5:3:2) across multiple random seeds is used, and the effect of feature augmentation is quantified by paired RMSE improvements with bootstrap confidence intervals and paired Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. To assess robustness under practical formulation updates, rolling-origin time-series splits are employed and Applicability Domain indicators are computed to characterize out-of-distribution coverage. Results: Across interpolation evaluations, mixture-descriptor augmentation (MPD/MPDD) improves hardness and disintegration time in most settings, whereas gains for flow function are smaller and cohesion/thickness show mixed effects under limited sample sizes. Conclusions: Under extrapolation-oriented evaluation, the descriptors can improve hardness but may degrade disintegration-time prediction under covariate shift, emphasizing the need for careful descriptor selection and dimensionality control when deploying pre-formulation predictors. Full article

Sol–gel-based optical functional sensor coatings were developed for real-time monitoring of multiphase saponification reactions in microreactors. Various pH-sensitive indicator mixtures, including bromocresol green and bromocresol purple (BCG and BCP) and methyl red–methyl orange, were incorporated into sol–gel coatings and evaluated on test plates across pH range of 2–12. Coatings with BCG and BCP 1:3 demonstrated the most pronounced color change at high pH (11–12), with distinct hue (H) transitions providing a reliable measure of local pH. These optimized coatings were integrated into microreactor channels to track the passage of oil and NaOH slugs under varying flow rates. Hue analysis produced reproducible plateaus corresponding to NaOH-rich (H = 50°) and oil-rich (H = 41°) phases, enabling droplet-level resolution of slug flow and detection of flow-regime transitions. The sensor response was fully reversible, highlighting the robustness and reusability of the coatings. Unlike previous high-resolution fluorescence-based systems, this approach relies on simple visible-light imaging and low-cost data extraction, leaving the reaction chemistry unaltered. The results demonstrate that sol–gel coatings coupled with hue-based analysis provide a practical, noninvasive, and real-time monitoring strategy for multiphase reactions in microreactors, with potential for implementation in industrial or IoT-enabled process control systems. Full article

Fungal hydrophobins reduce the surface tension of hyphae so that hyphae can grow into the air. Reduced expression of hydrophobin genes results in abnormal morphogenesis of both hyphae and the fruiting body of Flammulina filiformis. Previous studies showed that filamentous-growth MAPK signaling pathway directly modulates pseudohyphae formation in budding yeast, so we hypothesized that the specific transcription factor in this pathway may also directly regulate the expression of hydrophobin genes in F. filiformis. Downstream of the G protein, the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway is parallel with the filamentous-growth MAPK signaling pathway in regulating the filamentous growth of fungi. Thus, the cAMP addition test was carried out to exclude the involvement of the PKA/cAMP signaling pathway in aerial-hyphae deficiency of the three mutants used in our previous study. Transcriptomic analysis showed common changes in the MAPK signaling pathway of the three mutants, including 6 downregulated and 3 upregulated genes in common. Transcription factor Tec1 was one of the upregulated genes, and it is a pathway-specific transcription factor for filamentous growth. Motif prediction showed that putative binding sites of Tec1 and Ste12 existed in the promoter region of the three chosen hydrophobin genes mentioned in our previous study, and DAP-seq analysis suggested that putative binding sites of Tec1 and Ste12 were located in 10 hydrophobin genes, respectively, and there were 8 in common for both the transcription factors. These results gave suggestive evidence supporting our hypothesis. We have identified a potential regulatory connection between the filamentous-growth MAPK signaling pathway and hydrophobin genes through Tec1 and Ste12. However, functional validation is required to confirm direct regulation between both the transcription factors and the downstream genes. Full article