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17 pages, 254 KB

Open AccessArticle

Leadership Matters: Fostering Teacher Resilience in Arab Schools Amid Crisis and Systemic Uncertainty

by Rafat Ghanamah

Educ. Sci. 2026, 16(4), 610; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci16040610 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

This study explores how school leadership styles are perceived to relate to teacher resilience during crises in Arab schools in Israel. Drawing on twenty semi-structured interviews with principals and vice-principals, findings show that transformational and participative leadership, characterized by emotional support, accessibility, active [...] Read more.

This study explores how school leadership styles are perceived to relate to teacher resilience during crises in Arab schools in Israel. Drawing on twenty semi-structured interviews with principals and vice-principals, findings show that transformational and participative leadership, characterized by emotional support, accessibility, active listening, and shared decision-making, are perceived to foster teachers’ sense of security, self-efficacy, and collective resilience. In contrast, authoritarian and rigid approaches are described as contributing to increased stress, reduced motivation, and diminished coping capacity. The study highlights the significance of socio-cultural and political contexts, indicating that effective leadership in crises involves not only professional guidance but also cultural awareness, flexibility, and responsiveness to staff needs. These findings underscore the value of integrative leadership approaches and targeted professional development to support teacher well-being and organizational resilience in crisis-prone settings. By focusing on leaders’ perspectives, the study contributes to understanding how culturally sensitive and adaptive leadership practices may support educational stability under conditions of uncertainty. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Teacher Education)

25 pages, 1862 KB

Open AccessArticle

Machine Learning-Assisted Modal Sensitivity and Parameter Ranking in Systems with Viscoelastic Damping

by Jakub Porysek and Magdalena Łasecka-Plura

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(8), 3749; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16083749 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

This paper proposes a machine-learning-assisted framework for modal sensitivity analysis of systems with viscoelastic damping elements, including both classical and fractional rheological models. Surrogate models are trained to approximate natural frequencies over a prescribed parameter space using two sampling strategies (Grid and Latin [...] Read more.

This paper proposes a machine-learning-assisted framework for modal sensitivity analysis of systems with viscoelastic damping elements, including both classical and fractional rheological models. Surrogate models are trained to approximate natural frequencies over a prescribed parameter space using two sampling strategies (Grid and Latin Hypercube) and two regression approaches: multi-layer perceptron (MLP) and Gaussian process regression (GPR). Sensitivities are obtained from the surrogates by finite differences and complemented by model-interpretability measures, namely permutation feature importance (PFI) and Shapley Additive Explanations (SHAP). The surrogate-based results are compared with analytically obtained sensitivities. Local first- and second-order sensitivities of natural frequencies are derived analytically using the direct differentiation method (DDM) for a nonlinear eigenvalue problem formulated in the Laplace domain and further transformed into dimensionless sensitivity measures. The methodology is demonstrated for a single-degree-of-freedom oscillator with classical and fractional Kelvin damper models and a two-story frame equipped with a fractional Kelvin damper. The results show very good agreement between analytical and surrogate-based sensitivities. Feature-importance rankings obtained by PFI and SHAP are consistent with the dimensionless sensitivities and capture changes in parameter influence under varying damping levels. Dispersion studies indicate only minor ranking variations. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Civil Engineering)

17 pages, 1496 KB

Open AccessArticle

Assessing Spatial and Spatiotemporal Tactile Working Memory Using Adaptive Staircase Procedures

by Nashmin Yeganeh, Ivan Makarov, Runar Unnthorsson and Árni Kristjánsson

Sensors 2026, 26(8), 2361; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26082361 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Tactile working memory limits the amount of information that can be processed through touch, with important implications for the design of haptic communication systems. Although visual and auditory working memory have been extensively investigated, tactile working memory, particularly for spatial and spatiotemporal sequences, [...] Read more.

Tactile working memory limits the amount of information that can be processed through touch, with important implications for the design of haptic communication systems. Although visual and auditory working memory have been extensively investigated, tactile working memory, particularly for spatial and spatiotemporal sequences, remains less well understood. The present study examined tactile working memory capacity in two psychophysical experiments. Participants reproduced sequential vibrotactile stimuli delivered to the forearm via a 3 × 3 array of voice-coil actuators by entering responses through keypresses. Both experiments employed an adaptive 3-up/1-down staircase procedure, in which sequence length was adjusted according to response accuracy, and thresholds were estimated from reversal points. In Experiment 1 (Ordered Recall), participants reproduced both the spatial locations and the temporal order of stimulation, yielding a memory capacity threshold of approximately four items. In Experiment 2 (Unordered Recall), participants recalled only the set of stimulated locations without regard to order, resulting in a higher threshold of approximately five items. These results demonstrate that incorporating temporal sequencing demands into spatial recall substantially increases cognitive load and reduces effective tactile memory capacity. The findings clarify fundamental limits of tactile working memory and provide practical guidance for the development of haptic interfaces, wearable feedback systems, and sensory substitution technologies that must balance information complexity with human cognitive constraints. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Wearables)

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17 pages, 2285 KB

Open AccessArticle

Oxidative Dry Reforming of Methane in a Reactor with a Porous Membrane Catalyst

by Mikhail Tarasenko, Andrey Makarov, Mark Neshin, Valery Skudin, Roman Kozlovskiy, Maria Myachina and Natalia Gavrilova

Membranes 2026, 16(4), 145; https://doi.org/10.3390/membranes16040145 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Oxidative dry reforming of methane (ODRM) in a membrane reactor can become the basis for creating an energy-efficient process for converting greenhouse gases into a sought-after chemical raw material for gas chemistry. The process was carried out in a distribution mode in a [...] Read more.

Oxidative dry reforming of methane (ODRM) in a membrane reactor can become the basis for creating an energy-efficient process for converting greenhouse gases into a sought-after chemical raw material for gas chemistry. The process was carried out in a distribution mode in a reactor with a membrane porous catalyst (MPC) at a temperature of 850 °C. The reagents CH₄ and CO₂ were supplied to the MPC through a volume of retentate, and O₂ mixed with N₂ through a volume of permeate. The mixture of reaction products was removed from the shell side. In the experiment, the effect of the O₂/CO₂ ratio on the conversion of CH₄, CO₂ and O₂, as well as on the thermal effect of the process, was established. When oxygen enters the reactor during dry reforming of methane (DRM), the temperature inversion in the volumes of retentate and permeate occurs, as well as a decrease in electricity consumption in the resistor furnace. The observed effects of the ODRM process in MPC were interpreted using the hypothesis of active mass transfer occurring in pore channels. It is assumed that part of the carbon deposits in MPC will be gasified by oxygen. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Membrane Applications for Energy)

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15 pages, 1791 KB

Open AccessArticle

Antibody Responses After BA.5/BF.7 Breakthrough Infection in People Living with HIV

by Ying Liu, Zhaowei Guo, Zhuo Yang, Yaruo Qiu, Xinglin Li, Xin Li, Leidan Zhang, Danying Chen, Xuesen Zhao and Hongxin Zhao

Vaccines 2026, 14(4), 339; https://doi.org/10.3390/vaccines14040339 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) constitute a vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it remains uncertain whether long-term suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) restores sufficient immune competence to support robust hybrid immunity. While vaccination followed by breakthrough infection—termed hybrid immunity—typically elicits potent [...] Read more.

Background: People living with HIV (PLWH) constitute a vulnerable population during the COVID-19 pandemic; however, it remains uncertain whether long-term suppressive antiretroviral therapy (ART) restores sufficient immune competence to support robust hybrid immunity. While vaccination followed by breakthrough infection—termed hybrid immunity—typically elicits potent humoral responses in immunocompetent individuals, the functional quality and breadth of these responses against evolving Omicron subvariants remain poorly characterized in PLWH. This study aimed to assess functional antibody responses, including neutralizing activity and Fc effector functions, in vaccinated and unvaccinated PLWH who experienced breakthrough infection with Omicron subvariants BA.4/5 or BF.7. Methods: We enrolled three cohorts between December 5 and December 20, 2022: 25 HIV-negative individuals with breakthrough infection (BTI-HC), 20 ART-experienced PLWH with breakthrough infection following three-dose COVID-19 vaccination (BTI-HIV), and 10 ART-experienced PLWH with primary infection without prior vaccination (PI-HIV). All HIV-positive participants were receiving suppressive ART with regimens based on non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors or integrase strand transfer inhibitors for a median of 3.4 years. We measured receptor-binding domain (RBD)-specific IgG, neutralizing antibody titers against ancestral D614G, Delta, BA.1, BA.4/5, BF.7, XDV, KP.2, and KP.3 variants, and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) responses. Results: Despite lower absolute CD4⁺ T cell counts, BTI-HIV participants mounted RBD-binding IgG, neutralizing antibody, and ADCC responses that were comparable to BTI-HC and significantly exceeded PI-HIV across all tested variants. Both breakthrough infection cohorts exhibited immunological imprinting, with higher neutralizing titers against ancestral D614G than infecting BA.4/5 or BF.7 variants. Emerging variants XDV, KP.2, and KP.3 demonstrated substantial neutralization escape in all groups. PI-HIV showed markedly diminished neutralization breadth and failed to generate enough responses against all tested Omicron strains. Conclusions: Suppressive ART enables PLWH to mount hybrid immunity—conferred by vaccination followed by BF.7 or BA.4/5 breakthrough infection—with neutralizing and ADCC responses comparable to HIV-negative individuals, and significantly exceeding those of unvaccinated PLWH with primary infection. This underscores the critical role of vaccination in establishing effective hybrid immunity in this population. However, we observed immunological imprinting, with higher titers against ancestral strains than against infecting variants, and substantial escape by emerging sublineages XDV, KP.2, and KP.3 across all groups. These findings support prioritizing updated variant-containing vaccines for HIV-positive populations and reinforce the essential role of vaccination in this vulnerable group. Full article

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29 pages, 847 KB

Open AccessArticle

Supply Chain Coordination with Guaranteed Auction Contracts

by Xinyu Geng and Jiaxin Wang

Mathematics 2026, 14(8), 1267; https://doi.org/10.3390/math14081267 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

This paper investigates the problem of contract coordination in a two-tier multi-unit auction supply chain consisting of a seller and an auction house. We theoretically show that the conventional commission-based mechanism distorts the transmission of demand information from the demand side to the [...] Read more.

This paper investigates the problem of contract coordination in a two-tier multi-unit auction supply chain consisting of a seller and an auction house. We theoretically show that the conventional commission-based mechanism distorts the transmission of demand information from the demand side to the supply side, thereby preventing effective supply chain coordination. In contrast, guaranteed auction contracts can achieve coordination under both cooperative and non-cooperative game frameworks. Under the cooperative game setting, profits are allocated according to a Nash bargaining solution, in which each party receives its disagreement payoff and a bargaining-power-weighted share of the surplus, with risks and returns being allocated symmetrically. Under the non-cooperative game setting, the supply chain leader can appropriate a larger share of the total profit while bearing relatively lower risk. These results indicate that, as the supply chain leader, the auction house can select different cooperation modes under guaranteed auction contracts according to its bargaining position, but profit allocation should be benchmarked against the cooperative game outcome in order to enhance the long-term competitiveness and stability of the supply chain. Full article

24 pages, 10739 KB

Open AccessArticle

HAML: Humanoid Adversarial Multi-Skill Learning via a Single Policy

by Xing Fang, Honghao Liao, Yanyun Chen, Wenhao Tan and Xiaolei Li

Actuators 2026, 15(4), 212; https://doi.org/10.3390/act15040212 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Translating large-scale motion datasets into robust, deployable humanoid controllers is a critical challenge in engineering informatics, primarily due to the scarcity of high-quality annotations, the risk of mode collapse in conditional generation, and the strict constraints of onboard computing hardware. This paper presents [...] Read more.

Translating large-scale motion datasets into robust, deployable humanoid controllers is a critical challenge in engineering informatics, primarily due to the scarcity of high-quality annotations, the risk of mode collapse in conditional generation, and the strict constraints of onboard computing hardware. This paper presents a deployable two-stage learning system that maps clip-level motion datasets to a single-policy multi-skill controller and its deployable counterpart. We adopt coarse one-hot skill labels that can be assigned automatically at the clip level with negligible manual effort, enabling scalable dataset construction. To prevent conditional discriminators from ignoring skill conditions, we inject mismatched (transition, label) pairs and introduce a condition-aware loss that explicitly penalizes incorrect transition–label associations, improving controllability and mitigating mode collapse. For real-world deployment, we further propose a two-stage training strategy: a privileged teacher policy is first trained in simulation and then distilled into a student policy that relies on stacked historical proprioceptive observations, ensuring robustness against sensing noise and latency without relying on external state estimation. Extensive evaluations in simulation and on real hardware demonstrate improved skill coverage, transition coverage, realism, and training efficiency across heterogeneous embodiments. With the onboard computer of a Unitree G1 robot, the distilled policy runs at 100 Hz with 15–25 ms latency, confirming the system’s engineering feasibility. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Actuators for Robotics)

15 pages, 631 KB

Open AccessSystematic Review

Effects of GLP-1 Agonists on Patients with Hidradenitis Suppurativa: A Systematic Review

by Annik Caliezi, Aref Hosseini, Ronald Wolf and Seyed Morteza Seyed Jafari

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(8), 2909; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15082909 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, which presents with painful nodules, abscesses and sinus tracts. Patients suffer from pain, drainage and worsening of mental health and quality of life. Treatment is often difficult. HS is typically associated with obesity [...] Read more.

Background: Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory skin disease, which presents with painful nodules, abscesses and sinus tracts. Patients suffer from pain, drainage and worsening of mental health and quality of life. Treatment is often difficult. HS is typically associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome; thus, antidiabetics, especially GLP-1 agonists, present a potential therapy option. The aim of this review was to analyze the effects of GLP-1 agonists on patients with HS, including on their cardiovascular risk and quality of life. Methods: A literature search was conducted on Embase and PubMed, yielding 300 papers, of which 10 were used for this review. Results: HS patients using GLP-1 agonists showed improved clinical course with less pain and suppuration. Further, patients’ quality of life and mental health improved and their cardiovascular risk was reduced. Inflammatory parameters showed no significant changes. Patients receiving a higher drug dose of GLP-1 agonists were more likely to show clinical improvement. A reduction in weight or BMI did not correlate with improvements in Hurley stage, pain or depression. Hence, HS patients could be treated with GLP-1 agonists. Conclusions: Therefore, whether patients’ improvement is due to weight loss, or other mechanisms, i.e., GLP-1 agonists’ anti-inflammatory properties, remains to be determined in further studies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Hidradenitis Suppurativa: Clinical Diagnosis, Treatment, and Management)

17 pages, 8099 KB

Open AccessArticle

Dynamic Instability Mechanism of Water-Saturated Granular Coal Subjected to Different Confining Pressure

by Chaochao Wang, Helong Gu and Nan Zhang

Water 2026, 18(8), 912; https://doi.org/10.3390/w18080912 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Dynamic instability of water-saturated granular coal in tectonic stress zones is a critical safety issue in coal mining. This study adopts raw coal granules from the Daping Coal Mine to investigate the dynamic response and instability mechanisms under coupled confining pressure, median particle [...] Read more.

Dynamic instability of water-saturated granular coal in tectonic stress zones is a critical safety issue in coal mining. This study adopts raw coal granules from the Daping Coal Mine to investigate the dynamic response and instability mechanisms under coupled confining pressure, median particle size (d₅₀), and water saturation via dynamic impact tests, 2D equivalent modeling, and theoretical analysis. The results indicate that confining pressure and median particle size jointly regulate the dynamic mechanical properties of coal, with liquid bridge volume serving as a key mediating variable. The study reveals a dual-path coupling instability mechanism of “liquid bridge softening and confining pressure strengthening”: a critical confining pressure of 12 MPa divides the dominant force from liquid bridge to friction. Small-particle units show a stronger strengthening effect, and large-particle units have a slightly higher critical confining pressure. Field observation validates the theoretical patterns, identifying areas near faults as high-risk zones for dynamic instability. Accordingly, a three-tier prevention and control strategy of “tectonic stress unloading, flexible support, grouting modification” is proposed. The research findings enhance the theory of water-saturated granular coal instability and provide theoretical and engineering foundations for disaster prevention and control in tectonic stress zones of coal mines. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Water-Triggered Geo-Hazards in Underground and Geotechnical Engineering: Mechanisms, Early Warning and Sustainable Mitigation)

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13 pages, 1254 KB

Open AccessArticle

Posterior Tibial Plateau Offset Is Reduced During Total Knee Arthroplasty and Is Associated with Tibial Component Malpositioning

by Luis V. Bürck, Rosa Berndt, Clemens Gwinner, Lorenz Pichler and Moses Kamal Dieter El Kayali

Med. Sci. 2026, 14(2), 192; https://doi.org/10.3390/medsci14020192 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Purpose: The posterior tibial plateau offset (PTPO) is a parameter of sagittal plane bony tibia morphology with high variability and clinical relevance, particularly in cases involving stemmed tibial implants, where posterior tibial cortex interference may occur. However, its change during total knee arthroplasty [...] Read more.

Purpose: The posterior tibial plateau offset (PTPO) is a parameter of sagittal plane bony tibia morphology with high variability and clinical relevance, particularly in cases involving stemmed tibial implants, where posterior tibial cortex interference may occur. However, its change during total knee arthroplasty (TKA), and its relationship to tibial component positioning remain unknown. Methods: Pre- and postoperative sagittal radiographs of 98 patients undergoing primary, mechanically aligned TKA using a single implant system were retrospectively analyzed. PTPO was measured as the distance between the tibial anatomical axis and the center of the tibial plateau or tibial component. Tibial component placement (TCP) was assessed anteriorly and posteriorly and categorized as anatomical (0–1 mm), mild (1–3 mm), or moderate (>3 mm) underhang (TCU) or overhang (TCO). Pre- and postoperative changes in PTPO were analyzed, preoperative PTPO was compared across TCP categories. Correlations with absolute anterior and posterior deviation from anatomical component placements were calculated. Results: PTPO showed high preoperative variability (mean 6.89 ± 3.69 mm) and was significantly reduced after TKA (5.89 ± 3.44 mm; mean change −1.06 ± 3.44 mm; p < 0.001). Higher preoperative PTPO was associated with anterior (p = 0.01) and posterior TCU (p = 0.02). PTPO showed a moderate correlation with anterior (r = 0.53, p < 0.01) and a strong correlation with posterior implant deviation (r = 0.68, p < 0.01). Conclusions: PTPO shows high variability among patients undergoing TKA, is significantly altered through surgery and correlates with tibial component malposition, particularly TCU. Surgeons should consider PTPO during preoperative planning to optimize tibial component positioning and reduce the risk of implant-to-bone conflict, especially when using stemmed implants. In patients with a high preoperative PTPO, accuracy-enhancing techniques such as computer navigation or robotic assistance may be considered. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Translational Medicine)

26 pages, 2128 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Rigid-Body Pendulum Model for Plyometric Push-Up Biomechanics: Analytical Derivation and Numerical Quantification of Flight Time, Arc Displacement, Maximum Height, and Mechanical Power Output

by Wissem Dhahbi

Bioengineering 2026, 13(4), 445; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering13040445 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Aim: Conventional free-fall kinematic models applied to plyometric push-up assessment treat the upper body as a vertically translating point mass, ignoring the curvilinear trajectory imposed by the ankle pivot and systematically biasing flight-time and height estimates. Methods: A planar rigid-body pendulum pivoting about [...] Read more.

Aim: Conventional free-fall kinematic models applied to plyometric push-up assessment treat the upper body as a vertically translating point mass, ignoring the curvilinear trajectory imposed by the ankle pivot and systematically biasing flight-time and height estimates. Methods: A planar rigid-body pendulum pivoting about the ankle axis was formulated via two independent derivation pathways (static moment equilibrium and a gravitational-torque coordinate approach), yielding effective pendulum length L = (M_W/M) × L_OS. Closed-form expressions for flight time, arc displacement, maximum height, and mean mechanical power were derived analytically from energy conservation and compared against free-fall predictions across seven pendulum arm lengths (L_OW = 0.50–2.00 m) and 500 initial hand velocities per length, using adaptive Gauss–Kronrod quadrature (relative tolerance 10⁻¹⁰) with ODE cross-validation (maximum discrepancy < 2.5 × 10⁻⁷ s). Results: Flight time equivalence (t^H = t^G) was formally established. The free-fall model overestimated flight time by up to 18.82% (Δt = 0.096 s; L_OW = 0.50 m, V_H,0 = 2.50 m/s) and maximum height by up to 28.43% (Δh = 0.087 m; L_OW = 0.50 m, t_flight = 0.50 s), with both errors growing nonlinearly with initial velocity. Overestimation in height was proportionally larger at shorter pendulum arm lengths (18.18% at t_flight = 0.30 s for L_OW = 0.50 m vs. 10.91% for L_OW = 1.00 m). Conclusions: The pendulum model provides a physically consistent, analytically tractable framework for geometry-adjusted upper-body power assessment from four field-obtainable anthropometric inputs. These results reflect computational self-consistency; prospective experimental validation against force-plate kinematics is required before applied deployment. Prospective empirical validation against dual force-plate and motion-capture reference data is required to establish the model’s accuracy boundaries under real push-up kinematics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomechanics of Physical Exercise)

28 pages, 3527 KB

Open AccessArticle

Autonomous Tomato Harvesting System Integrating AI-Controlled Robotics in Greenhouses

by Mihai Gabriel Matache, Florin Bogdan Marin, Catalin Ioan Persu, Robert Dorin Cristea, Florin Nenciu and Atanas Z. Atanasov

Agriculture 2026, 16(8), 847; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16080847 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Labor shortages and the need for increased productivity have accelerated the development of robotic harvesting systems for greenhouse crops; however, reliable operation under fruit occlusion and clustered arrangements remains a major challenge, particularly due to the limited integration between perception and motion planning [...] Read more.

Labor shortages and the need for increased productivity have accelerated the development of robotic harvesting systems for greenhouse crops; however, reliable operation under fruit occlusion and clustered arrangements remains a major challenge, particularly due to the limited integration between perception and motion planning modules. The paper presents the design and experimental validation of an autonomous robotic system for greenhouse tomato harvesting. The proposed platform integrates a rail-guided mobile base, a six-degrees-of-freedom robotic manipulator, and an adaptive end effector with a hybrid vision framework that combines convolutional neural networks and watershed-based segmentation to enable robust fruit detection and localization under occluded conditions. The proposed approach enables improved separation of overlapping fruits and provides accurate spatial localization through stereo vision combined with IMU-assisted camera-to-robot coordinate transformation. An occlusion-aware trajectory planning strategy was developed to generate collision-free manipulation paths in the presence of leaves and stems, enhancing harvesting safety and reliability. The system was trained and evaluated using a dataset of real greenhouse images supplemented with synthetic data augmentation. Experimental trials conducted under practical greenhouse conditions demonstrated a fruit detection precision of 96.9%, recall of 93.5%, and mean Intersection-over-Union of 79.2%. The robotic platform achieved an overall harvesting success rate of 78.5%, reaching 85% for unobstructed fruits, with an average cycle time of 15 s per fruit in direct harvesting scenarios. The rail-guided mobility significantly improved positioning stability and repeatability during manipulation compared with fully mobile platforms. The results confirm that integrating hybrid perception with occlusion-aware motion planning can substantially improve the functionality of robotic harvesting systems in protected cultivation environments. The proposed solution contributes to the advancement of automation technologies for greenhouse vegetable production and supports the transition toward more sustainable and labor-efficient agricultural practices. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue AI-Powered Agricultural Robots: From Field Sensing to Autonomous Operation)

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24 pages, 2837 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Reference-Free Lens-Flare-Aware Detector for Autonomous Driving

by Shanxing Ma, Tim Willems, Wenwen Ma, Marwan Yusuf, David Van Hamme, Jan Aelterman and Wilfried Philips

Sensors 2026, 26(8), 2359; https://doi.org/10.3390/s26082359 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

As autonomous driving technology advances, the deployment of autonomous vehicles in urban environments is rapidly increasing. Lens flare—an often overlooked optical artifact in object detection research—can lead to increased false positives or missed detections, particularly in the challenging conditions inherent to autonomous driving. [...] Read more.

As autonomous driving technology advances, the deployment of autonomous vehicles in urban environments is rapidly increasing. Lens flare—an often overlooked optical artifact in object detection research—can lead to increased false positives or missed detections, particularly in the challenging conditions inherent to autonomous driving. Current mitigation methods are often ill-suited for real-time implementation. This work proposes a solution to alleviate the adverse effects of lens flare by utilizing a lightweight lens flare perception network, eliminating the need for additional hardware or complex image pre-processing. Specifically, we propose a reference-free model utilizing a ResNet18 backbone integrated with a lightweight Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) to extract and leverage lens flare information. This model is developed via a teacher–student framework, which was distilled from an end-to-end reference-based model optimized using the Learned Perceptual Image Patch Similarity (LPIPS) metric. Our experiments demonstrate that incorporating lens flare information significantly enhances the performance of the baseline object detection network, outperforming previous mitigation methods by a substantial margin. The proposed method can be seamlessly integrated into existing object detectors and requires only an efficient training process, facilitating its deployment in practical autonomous driving tasks. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Vehicular Sensing)

22 pages, 2767 KB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Energy System Planning and Scheduling Considering RSOC Efficiency and Lifespan

by Junbo Wang, Yuan Gao, Haoyu Yu, Qi Tang, Yang Wang, Yin Zhang, Nianbo Liang and Xue Gao

Energies 2026, 19(8), 1869; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19081869 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

The stochastic and intermittent characteristics of renewable energy pose significant challenges to energy utilization and power system stability. The reversible solid oxide cell (RSOC), as an emerging multi-energy conversion technology, exhibits high efficiency in both electrolysis and power generation modes, offering a promising [...] Read more.

The stochastic and intermittent characteristics of renewable energy pose significant challenges to energy utilization and power system stability. The reversible solid oxide cell (RSOC), as an emerging multi-energy conversion technology, exhibits high efficiency in both electrolysis and power generation modes, offering a promising solution to renewable energy integration and energy supply issues. However, RSOC performance degrades over time, and its average efficiency decay rate directly influences capacity investment decisions and day-ahead scheduling strategies. To address this, a comprehensive energy system model considering RSOC capacity is developed, with a detailed representation of each subsystem. A bi-level optimization framework is then proposed, where the upper level minimizes system investment and operation costs, and the lower level optimizes day-ahead scheduling costs. The model explicitly accounts for RSOC efficiency degradation and lifetime attenuation. Particle swarm optimization is applied to determine the optimal capacity configuration. Case studies demonstrate that the proposed model enhances system economics, promotes multi-energy complementarity, and prolongs RSOC lifetime, providing theoretical and technical support for the planning and operation of integrated energy systems with RSOC. Full article

20 pages, 2979 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effects of UV Aging on Antimicrobial Performance and Color Stability of Hygienic Additive-Modified Polyurethane and Waterborne Coatings Applied to Oriental Beech (Fagus orientalis L.)

by Hacı İsmail Kesik, Recep Aykan and Perihan Akbaş

Polymers 2026, 18(8), 937; https://doi.org/10.3390/polym18080937 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

This study was carried out to investigate the antimicrobial performance and color stability of silver (Ag)-modified polyurethane and waterborne coating systems applied to Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis L.) wood after the specimens were subjected to UV aging for 24 h. Antimicrobial activity and [...] Read more.

This study was carried out to investigate the antimicrobial performance and color stability of silver (Ag)-modified polyurethane and waterborne coating systems applied to Oriental beech (Fagus orientalis L.) wood after the specimens were subjected to UV aging for 24 h. Antimicrobial activity and color stability were evaluated before and after aging against Escherichia coli (E. coli, ATCC 25922), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus, NCTC 13552), and Candida albicans (C. albicans) in accordance with the JIS Z 2801 standard. Color changes were determined using CIELab parameters (ΔL*, Δa*, Δb*, and ΔE*) in accordance with the TS EN ISO 16474-3 standard. Prior to UV exposure, the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli occurred in Ag-modified waterborne varnish coatings, whereas the highest antifungal activity against C. albicans occurred in Ag-modified polyurethane paint systems. After UV aging, antimicrobial performance varied depending on the coating type. Particularly, Ag-modified waterborne varnish coatings retained significant antibacterial activity against E. coli and S. aureus and exhibited the highest antifungal performance against C. albicans. Color analysis revealed that UV exposure also caused significant changes in all coating systems. The most pronounced variations were observed for the lightness difference (ΔL*), red–green color difference (Δa*), and yellow–blue color difference (Δb*) parameters, while the lowest total color difference (ΔE*) values were observed for Ag-modified polyurethane and Ag-modified waterborne varnish coatings. Overall, Ag-modified waterborne varnish systems demonstrated superior performance in both antimicrobial activity and color stability after UV aging. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Polymer Applications)

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19 pages, 4482 KB

Open AccessReview

Impact of Reforestation on Soil Quality with Emphasis on Mediterranean Mountain Habitats: Review and Case Studies

by Jorge Mongil-Manso, Raimundo Jiménez-Ballesta and María del Monte-Maíz

Land 2026, 15(4), 625; https://doi.org/10.3390/land15040625 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Ecological restoration—whether active or passive—includes forest development, forest rehabilitation, and a range of other activities that contribute to ecosystem services. To provide a formal framework, we hypothesized how does reforestation (through different forestry practices) affect the conservation of soil functionality? That is, how [...] Read more.

Ecological restoration—whether active or passive—includes forest development, forest rehabilitation, and a range of other activities that contribute to ecosystem services. To provide a formal framework, we hypothesized how does reforestation (through different forestry practices) affect the conservation of soil functionality? That is, how does reforestation/afforestation/forest restoration improve soil quality? And, specifically, how do they improve physical properties (such as structural stability, infiltration) and chemical properties (such as acidity, electrical conductivity)? For this purpose, we conducted a bibliometric analysis review of the peer-reviewed scientific literature and research reports of numerous articles in order to compile a large database of forest restoration studies, with an emphasis on the Mediterranean region. The final focus was to obtain conclusions about how it affects soil quality. Overall, our examination confirms that deforestation drives a decline in soil carbon and nitrogen, subsequently impairing microbial activity. Consequently, forest removal frequently leads to accelerated erosion, nutrient depletion, and compaction. In contrast, reforestation acts as a critical intervention, stabilizing soil structure, reestablishing fertility, and enhancing soil quality overall. Additionally, three case studies are synthetically presented concerning the short-, medium-, and long-term results of forest restoration projects carried out mainly in central and northern Spain. These cases corroborate the significant role of forest restoration in the control and enhancement of ecosystem services, particularly in relation to soil improvement, the enhancement of hydrological regulation processes within watersheds (runoff, infiltration, erosion), landscape amelioration, and the socio-economic aspects of rural environments. Ultimately, forest restoration is established as a necessary and essential practice in ecological restoration efforts to counteract the impacts of anthropogenic activities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Restoring Forests, Restoring Soils: Integrated Approaches for Sustainable Land Management)

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21 pages, 302 KB

Open AccessArticle

Criminalising Asylum Beyond Prosecution: Exclusionary Law and Policy in the UK

by Sarah Singer

Laws 2026, 15(2), 28; https://doi.org/10.3390/laws15020028 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

This paper explores the ‘criminalisation’ of asylum in recent UK law and policy, most notably the 2022 Nationality and Borders Act (NABA) and 2023 Illegal Migration Act (IMA), and the ways in which this framework has fed through into recent legislative and policy [...] Read more.

This paper explores the ‘criminalisation’ of asylum in recent UK law and policy, most notably the 2022 Nationality and Borders Act (NABA) and 2023 Illegal Migration Act (IMA), and the ways in which this framework has fed through into recent legislative and policy measures. Whilst the development and expansion of criminal offences relating to irregular entry and arrival may be considered the most overt form of ‘criminalising’ people on the move, in this paper it is argued that the criminalisation of asylum in the UK today should not only be understood through the prism of crimmigration measures which are expressly penal in nature, but also through an array of measures which, although framed as administrative and civil, are similarly punitive in character and serve the criminal punishment rationale of retribution and deterrence. The legislative framework of the NABA 2022 and IMA 2023 has paved the way for this progressive ‘criminalisation’ by sanctioning those arriving irregularly to the UK to claim asylum. This trend has been continued in recent law and policy, and progressively expanded in a manner that increasingly sanctions refugees for the very fact of having claimed asylum in the UK. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Shifting Sands of Refugee Protection: Normativity, Crisis, and Contemporary UK Asylum)

17 pages, 2663 KB

Open AccessArticle

Urban Density-Dependent Effects of Neighborhood Park Spatial Features: Evidence from the Seoul Metropolitan Area

by Miri Jun

Sustainability 2026, 18(8), 3790; https://doi.org/10.3390/su18083790 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

This study examines how users’ preferences for spatial elements in neighborhood parks influence satisfaction and assesses the moderating role of urban density in this relationship. An online survey was conducted with 283 residents in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, and the study area was [...] Read more.

This study examines how users’ preferences for spatial elements in neighborhood parks influence satisfaction and assesses the moderating role of urban density in this relationship. An online survey was conducted with 283 residents in the Seoul Metropolitan Area, and the study area was classified into high-, medium-, and low-density urban contexts. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to derive key spatial elements, and multiple regression and moderation analyses were conducted to empirically verify the relationship between the respondents’ spatial preferences and satisfaction. The study finds that the spatial elements of neighborhood parks have significantly varying effects on user satisfaction based on urban density. Specifically, natural and community spaces were identified as core elements that consistently influenced satisfaction across all urban density levels. In contrast, multifunctional cultural spaces were the only significant predictors of the relationship between spatial preferences and satisfaction in high-density spaces and urban-landscape spaces only had a significant influence in medium-density areas. The findings suggest that the spatial elements of neighborhood parks do not operate universally; rather, their effects on user satisfaction are context-dependent and shaped by urban density. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Well-Being and Urban Green Spaces: Advantages for Sustainable Cities)

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22 pages, 2004 KB

Open AccessReview

Exercise, Cellular Senescence, and Cancer: Novel Perspectives on Functional Aging Through Block Strength Training in Older Adults—A Narrative Review

by Rodrigo L. Castillo, Emilio Jofré-Saldía, Daniela Cáceres-Vergara, Georgina M. Renard and Esteban G. Figueroa

Biomedicines 2026, 14(4), 875; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14040875 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Population aging has markedly increased the burden of cancer in older adults, in whom frailty, sarcopenia, and reduced physiological reserve limit tolerance to treatment and worsen clinical outcomes. Aging is accompanied by progressive functional decline and by biological processes such as cellular senescence, [...] Read more.

Population aging has markedly increased the burden of cancer in older adults, in whom frailty, sarcopenia, and reduced physiological reserve limit tolerance to treatment and worsen clinical outcomes. Aging is accompanied by progressive functional decline and by biological processes such as cellular senescence, characterized by irreversible cell cycle arrest, chronic low-grade inflammation, and impaired immune surveillance. The accumulation of senescent cells and the persistence of a senescence-associated secretory phenotype contribute to tissue dysfunction and generate a microenvironment that favors tumor initiation and progression. Physical exercise has been associated with attenuation of inflammation, improvements in metabolic and immune function, and with lower levels of senescence-related biomarkers. Although aerobic exercise has been extensively studied in this setting, resistance training holds relevance for older adults due to its capacity to counteract sarcopenia, preserve muscle strength and power, and sustain functional independence. Structured and periodized approaches to resistance exercise may further enhance these benefits by delivering targeted stimuli aligned with age-related physiological deficits. Block strength training (BST), a periodized model that concentrates training adaptations into sequential phases of maximal strength, power, and muscular endurance, has demonstrated consistent improvements in functional performance and reductions in frailty risk in community-dwelling older adults. BST improves physical function. It may also influence biological processes related to aging and cancer; however, mechanistic evidence specific to BST remains to be established. We hypothesized that the exercise in block as a targeted, a structured and physiologically grounded resistance training intervention highlights the potential of BST to promote functional aging and healthy. In the case of cancer biology, and the environment near to tumour, the relationship between aging mechanisms in older adults and controlled exercise effects are currently in advance, but mechanistic trials are still lacking. Finally, we propose a novel training method, structured and personalized, that could impact different clinical outcomes in older patients with cancer. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Mechanisms of Cell Death in Cancer Cells: A New Therapeutic Opportunity—2nd Edition)

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21 pages, 10454 KB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Diabetic Retinopathy in Wistar Rats Induced by Streptozotocin: A Window into Retinal Disease Progression

by Luis Fernando Barba-Gallardo, Manuel Enrique Ávila-Blanco, Javier Ventura-Juárez, Martín Humberto Muñoz-Ortega, Ruth Clarisa Murillo-Ruíz, Marcela Rivera-Delgadillo, José Luis Díaz-Rubio, Elizabeth Casillas-Casillas, Luis Héctor Salas-Hernández and Paloma Lucía Guerra-Ávila

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(8), 3427; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27083427 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), recognized as a progressive neurovascular and microvascular complication of diabetes, remains one of the leading causes of visual disability worldwide, within the context of a sustained increase in ophthalmic diseases and retinal vascular disorders that compromise vision. This study aimed [...] Read more.

Diabetic retinopathy (DR), recognized as a progressive neurovascular and microvascular complication of diabetes, remains one of the leading causes of visual disability worldwide, within the context of a sustained increase in ophthalmic diseases and retinal vascular disorders that compromise vision. This study aimed to characterize the progression of diabetic retinopathy in a streptozotocin (STZ)-induced Wistar rat model. A single dose of 65 mg/kg body weight was administered, with follow-up periods at 2, 4, 8, and 10 weeks, compared to healthy controls. STZ-induced rats exhibited reduced weight gain compared to the control group. They also showed markedly variable hyperglycemia, with glucose concentrations ranging from 250 to 530 mg/dL. Histological analysis of retinal tissue at week 4 revealed early signs of vascular compromise, including early indications of a microenvironment conducive to neovascularization and edema. By week 8, retinal damage had progressed to hemorrhage, persistent edema, and layer-specific vascular disruption. At week 10, intensified neovascularization and exacerbated edema indicated advanced microvascular deterioration. Immunofluorescence analysis demonstrated a temporal accumulation of CD8⁺ T cells in the retina, correlating with photoreceptor degeneration. The coordinated dynamics of CD4⁺ and CD8⁺ T cells suggested transient immune activation during STZ-induced retinal degeneration. Gene expression profiling revealed a proinflammatory and pro-oxidative retinal microenvironment, characterized by the overexpression of angiogenic pathways and proliferative signals. Simultaneously, the antioxidant response appeared partially impaired. Collectively, these findings provide mechanistic perspective on the multifactorial nature of diabetic retinopathy. Oxidative stress, inflammation, and angiogenesis converge to disrupt retinal homeostasis. This experimental model may serve as a reliable platform for future studies aimed at elucidating disease pathophysiology, identifying novel therapeutic targets, and evaluating emerging ophthalmic antidiabetic interventions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomarkers in Diabetes Mellitus: From Discovery to Clinical Application)

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13 pages, 312 KB

Open AccessArticle

Existence of (ω, c)-Periodic Solutions for a Class of Nonlinear Functional Integral Equations and Applications

by Jonathan González Ospino and Rogelio Grau

Mathematics 2026, 14(8), 1266; https://doi.org/10.3390/math14081266 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

We provide sufficient conditions for the existence of

(ω, c)

-periodic solutions of a general class of nonlinear functional integral equations. This study extends and generalizes previous contributions in the literature. As an application of the developed theory, we establish [...] Read more.

We provide sufficient conditions for the existence of

(ω, c)

-periodic solutions of a general class of nonlinear functional integral equations. This study extends and generalizes previous contributions in the literature. As an application of the developed theory, we establish the existence of

(ω, c)

-periodic solutions for recurrent neural networks with time-varying coefficients and mixed delays, as well as for a class of nonlinear Volterra–Stieltjes integral equations with infinite delay. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section C1: Difference and Differential Equations)

24 pages, 2148 KB

Open AccessReview

Research Progress on the Detection of Deep-Sea Microorganisms and the Significance of Measurement Standards

by Ziyi Cheng, Mei Zhang, Huijun Yuan, Jingjing Liu and Yongzhuo Zhang

Chemosensors 2026, 14(4), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/chemosensors14040094 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

The exploration of deep-sea microorganisms is transitioning from ex situ laboratory analysis to in situ real-time monitoring. While in situ technologies offer unprecedented access to microbial activities in their natural extreme habitats, they face a critical, yet often overlooked, bottleneck: the absence of [...] Read more.

The exploration of deep-sea microorganisms is transitioning from ex situ laboratory analysis to in situ real-time monitoring. While in situ technologies offer unprecedented access to microbial activities in their natural extreme habitats, they face a critical, yet often overlooked, bottleneck: the absence of a robust metrological framework. This lack of standardized calibration, traceability, and reference materials results in data that are often irreproducible, device-specific, and incomparable across studies, severely undermining scientific discovery and resource assessment. This review provides a systematic analysis of the current landscape of deep-sea microbial detection technologies, categorizing them by their operational principles and critically evaluating their performance, limitations, and metrological readiness. By synthesizing the technological challenges with the principles of metrology, we identify the fundamental gap between advanced sensing capabilities and the lack of in situ measurement standards. To bridge this gap, we propose an innovative “laboratory simulation–in situ detection–remote calibration” trinity calibration system. This framework establishes a complete metrological traceability chain tailored for extreme deep-sea conditions, aiming to transform isolated sensor data into globally comparable, scientifically robust, and industrially actionable information, thereby paving the way for precision deep-sea biology and governance. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section (Bio)chemical Sensing)

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18 pages, 865 KB

Open AccessArticle

Analysis of Quality Distinctions of Pumpkin Seed Oil (Cucurbita pepo var. oleifera) and Walnut Oil (Juglans regia L.)

by Kamil Czwartkowski, Edyta Nizio, Damian Marcinkowski, Dominik Kmiecik, Anna Grygier, Aleksander Siger and Wojciech Golimowski

Molecules 2026, 31(8), 1263; https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules31081263 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

The study aimed to characterize the quality and evaluate the content of bioactive substances in cold-pressed pumpkin seed and walnut oils obtained from the specific varieties (Cucurbita pepo var. oleifera and Juglans regia L.). The analyses included the determination of acid value, [...] Read more.

The study aimed to characterize the quality and evaluate the content of bioactive substances in cold-pressed pumpkin seed and walnut oils obtained from the specific varieties (Cucurbita pepo var. oleifera and Juglans regia L.). The analyses included the determination of acid value, peroxide value, and anisidine value. The content of chlorophylls and carotenoids was identified, and the fatty acid, phytosterol, and tocopherol profiles were characterized. The results were subjected to principal component analysis and compared with the physicochemical parameters of other popular niche oils. It was shown that both oils tested have unique, relatively simple fatty acid profiles (only 5–6 dominant acids were identified). In addition, significant differences in squalene content were observed: pumpkin seed oil showed a higher concentration than other vegetable oils. In contrast, walnut oil was found to lack squalene, which is atypical among the analyzed niche oils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Physicochemical Interactions and Modifications of Composition, Structure and Properties During Food Processing)

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10 pages, 653 KB

Open AccessCase Report

Multidrug-Resistant Escherichia coli Causing Respiratory and Systemic Infection in a Guinea Pig (Cavia porcellus) in Romania: A Case Report

by Alexandru Gligor, Vlad Iorgoni, Paula Nistor, Sebastian Alexandru Popa, Ionela Popa, Ionica Iancu, Ileana Nichita, Kalman Imre, Emil Tîrziu and Viorel Herman

Vet. Sci. 2026, 13(4), 370; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci13040370 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli has increasingly been recognized as a pathogen capable of causing severe systemic infections in various animal species. However, reports describing respiratory and septicemic infections caused by MDR E. coli in guinea pigs remain scarce. The objective of this [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Multidrug-resistant (MDR) Escherichia coli has increasingly been recognized as a pathogen capable of causing severe systemic infections in various animal species. However, reports describing respiratory and septicemic infections caused by MDR E. coli in guinea pigs remain scarce. The objective of this report was to describe the clinical, pathological, and microbiological findings associated with a fatal infection in a domestic guinea pig. Case Study: A 10-month-old female guinea pig (Cavia porcellus), kept as a companion animal in a household environment, presented with acute respiratory distress, lethargy, and anorexia, progressing rapidly to death within approximately 36 h of onset. Post-mortem examination revealed severe pulmonary congestion, diffuse inflammatory lesions in the trachea, and generalized vascular congestion in multiple organs. Bacteriological cultures obtained from lung and bone marrow samples yielded pure growth of Escherichia coli. Identification was confirmed using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing demonstrated resistance to several antibiotic classes, including β-lactams, fluoroquinolones, tetracyclines, sulfonamides, and phenicols, while susceptibility was retained only to aminoglycosides. Molecular analysis revealed the presence of virulence genes involved in adhesion and iron acquisition, supporting the pathogenic potential of the isolate. Conclusions: This report highlights the ability of MDR E. coli to cause severe respiratory and systemic infections in guinea pigs. The findings underline the importance of early diagnosis, appropriate antimicrobial stewardship, and improved husbandry conditions in preventing such infections. From a One Health perspective, the circulation of resistant strains in companion animals may represent a potential risk for both environmental and human health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Veterinary Microbial Infectious Diseases in the One Health Era: Pathogenesis, Antimicrobial Resistance, and Innovative Control Strategies in Zoonoses)

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25 pages, 6534 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spectral–Spatial State Space Model with Hybrid Attention for Hyperspectral Image Classification

by Mengdi Cheng, Haixin Sun, Fanlei Meng, Qiuguang Cao and Jingwen Xu

Algorithms 2026, 19(4), 300; https://doi.org/10.3390/a19040300 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

Hyperspectral image (HSI) classification requires the extraction of discriminative features from high-dimensional spatial–spectral data. While the Mamba architecture has shown promise in long-sequence modeling with linear complexity, its application to HSI remains constrained by two major hurdles: the unidirectional causal scanning which fails [...] Read more.

Hyperspectral image (HSI) classification requires the extraction of discriminative features from high-dimensional spatial–spectral data. While the Mamba architecture has shown promise in long-sequence modeling with linear complexity, its application to HSI remains constrained by two major hurdles: the unidirectional causal scanning which fails to capture non-causal global dependencies, and the serialization-induced loss of two-dimensional spatial topology and local textures. To overcome these limitations, we propose HAMamba, a novel Hybrid Attention State Space Model. HAMamba facilitates deep representation learning through two core components: a Multi-Scale Dynamic Fusion (MSDF) module and a Hybrid Attention Mamba Encoder (HAME). Specifically, the MSDF module augments spatial perception through parallelized feature extraction and dynamically weighted integration. The HAME synergizes a Bidirectional Sequence Scan Mamba (BSSM) to establish global semantic context and a Spatial–Spectral Gated Attention (SSGA) module to refine local structural details. Comprehensive experiments on four public benchmark datasets demonstrate that the proposed HAMamba significantly outperforms state-of-the-art approaches, achieving a superior balance between classification accuracy and computational efficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Evolutionary Algorithms and Machine Learning)

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18 pages, 646 KB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Optimisation and LC-ESI-QToF-MS/MS Profiling of Phenolics Extracted from Green Tea Herbal Dust

by Stela Jokić, Ema Pavičić, Valentina Masala, Carlo Ignazio Giovanni Tuberoso, Snježana Keleković, Drago Šubarić, Martin Lalić and Krunoslav Aladić

Analytica 2026, 7(2), 30; https://doi.org/10.3390/analytica7020030 (registering DOI) - 11 Apr 2026

Abstract

The herbal tea industry has experienced substantial growth, particularly regarding green tea (Camellia sinensis). In the manufacturing of filter tea, fine herbal dust is generated as a residual by-product during grinding and sieving and is typically discarded as waste. This study [...] Read more.

The herbal tea industry has experienced substantial growth, particularly regarding green tea (Camellia sinensis). In the manufacturing of filter tea, fine herbal dust is generated as a residual by-product during grinding and sieving and is typically discarded as waste. This study aims to explore the application of ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE) for secondary valorisation of green tea herbal dust by investigating the effects of various parameters on extraction efficiency. Antiradical activity of UAE extracts was determined using the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay, and the total phenolic content (TPC) was measured using Folin–Ciocalteu’s assay. Furthermore, selected phenolics were quantified by HPLC and qualitatively characterised by liquid chromatography coupled with electrospray ionisation and quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (LC-ESI-QToF-MS/MS). The results demonstrate that UAE parameters have a pronounced influence on the antioxidant activity, TPC, and individual polyphenolic profile of green tea herbal dust extracts. Ethanol–water mixtures at a ratio of around 40–60%, as well as moderate impulse regimes (around 60%) and extraction times (around 10 min), were the most suitable for extracting green tea polyphenols. Epigallocatechin gallate was the predominant phenolic component in most extracts, alongside epicatechin, epigallocatechin, catechin, and gallic acid. The findings highlight the UAE technique as a robust, green, and scalable method for valorising green tea by-products, thereby facilitating the development of high-value natural extracts for applications in the food, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries. Full article

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