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14 pages, 641 KB

Open AccessArticle

Association Between Controlled Attenuation Parameter and Mortality in Patients with Nonviral, Nonautoimmune Chronic Liver Disease

by Mai Totsuka, Ryota Masuzaki, Naoki Matsumoto, Masayuki Honda, Tomohiro Kaneko, Shuhei Arima, Masahiro Ogawa and Hirofumi Kogure

Diseases 2026, 14(10), 371; https://doi.org/10.3390/diseases14100371 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) is widely used as a noninvasive marker of hepatic steatosis, but its prognostic significance in nonviral chronic liver disease is unclear. We evaluated the association of CAP with all-cause mortality and its relationship with liver stiffness measurement (LSM) [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Controlled attenuation parameter (CAP) is widely used as a noninvasive marker of hepatic steatosis, but its prognostic significance in nonviral chronic liver disease is unclear. We evaluated the association of CAP with all-cause mortality and its relationship with liver stiffness measurement (LSM) and metabolic factors. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 1040 patients with nonviral chronic liver disease who underwent FibroScan assessment in 2022 and were followed through April 2025. Cox proportional hazards models were used to identify factors associated with all-cause mortality. CAP and body mass index (BMI) were evaluated in separate primary multivariable models, with an additional exploratory model including both variables. Results: During a median follow-up of 2.8 years, 44 deaths occurred. In a multivariable model adjusted for age, sex, serum albumin, and LSM, lower CAP was independently associated with mortality (HR per 10 dB/m increase, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.89–0.98; p = 0.003), together with lower serum albumin and male sex, whereas LSM was not significant. In an exploratory model including both CAP and BMI, the association between CAP and mortality was no longer statistically significant, whereas BMI remained independently associated with mortality. Overall survival differed significantly across CAP quartiles (log-rank p < 0.001), with the lowest CAP quartile showing the poorest survival. Conclusions: Lower CAP values were associated with increased all-cause mortality; however, this association was no longer statistically significant when BMI was included in the exploratory model. Low CAP should therefore not be interpreted as a favorable phenotype without considering body composition and nutritional status. Further studies incorporating direct measures of sarcopenia and frailty are warranted. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Gastroenterology)

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18 pages, 13925 KB

Open AccessArticle

Integrated Metabolome and Transcriptome Analyses Reveal Candidate Regulatory Networks of Anthocyanin Biosynthesis in Cinnamomum burmanni (Nees et T. Nees)

by Tiantian Wang, Jieshu Wei, Ying Liu, Qian Zhang, Yidan Liang, Yanling Cai, Mingji Ke, Junyan Wu and Chen Hou

Horticulturae 2026, 12(10), 1245; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12101245 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Cinnamomum burmanni (Nees et T. Nees) Blume represents an economically valuable evergreen arbor celebrated for its essential oils; nevertheless, its floral and foliar anthocyanin metabolic profile remains largely uncharacterized. In this investigation, integrated LC-MS/MS-based targeted metabolomics, comparative RNA sequencing, weighted gene co-expression network [...] Read more.

Cinnamomum burmanni (Nees et T. Nees) Blume represents an economically valuable evergreen arbor celebrated for its essential oils; nevertheless, its floral and foliar anthocyanin metabolic profile remains largely uncharacterized. In this investigation, integrated LC-MS/MS-based targeted metabolomics, comparative RNA sequencing, weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and RT-qPCR validation were employed across mature foliage, floral buds, and anthesis flowers (designated YXYZD, YXHBD, and YXHDD, respectively). Metabolomic profiling resolved 49 flavonoid-related metabolites, including anthocyanin derivatives, other flavonoids, and procyanidins, spanning eight subclasses. We detected 37, 34, and 13 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) in YXYZD vs. YXHBD, YXYZD vs. YXHDD, and YXHBD vs. YXHDD, with the anthocyanin biosynthetic pathway demonstrating prominent enrichment during floral transition. Concurrently, transcriptome profiling annotated 37,236 unigenes and captured 46 differentially expressed structural genes (DEGs) underpinning anthocyanin generation, including 5 PAL (phenylalanine ammonia-lyase), 1 C4H (cinnamate 4-hydroxylase), 7 4CL (4-coumarate-CoA ligase), 8 CHS (chalcone synthase), 1 CHI (chalcone isomerase), 10 F3H (flavanone 3-hydroxylase), 5 DFR (dihydroflavonol 4-reductase), 1 F3′5′H (flavonoid 3′,5′-hydroxylase), 2 ANS (anthocyanidin synthase), 5 BZ1 (anthocyanidin 3-O-glucosyltransferase), and 1 UGT75C1 (UDP-glycosyltransferase 75C1), whereas ANS showed dominant expression across bud and flower stages, contrasting with the leaf-restricted profile of UGT75C1. Network analysis resolved 22 expression modules (excluding the grey module), identifying candidate module–trait associations wherein the red and yellow clusters aligned tightly with cyanidin and delphinidin conjugates. Furthermore, expression divergence across 35 MYB and 14 bHLH transcription factors underscored their putative regulatory engagement. Joint transcript–metabolite integration highlighted BZ1 (EVM0001658) as a candidate key gene whose expression tracked cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside and delphinidin-3-O-sophoroside accumulation alongside down-regulation through flower opening. These data provide a foundation for understanding anthocyanin formation in C. burmanni and may facilitate future germplasm characterization and utilization. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Breeding, Cultivation and Metabolic Regulation of Medicinal Plants—2nd Edition)

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26 pages, 1269 KB

Open AccessArticle

Evaluating Greenhouse Tomato Responses to High Temperature Using AquaCrop-OSPy with Sequential Sensitivity Analysis and GLUE Calibration

by Xuewen Gong, Guangtai Xu, Tianli Ren, Wei Zeng, Xinxin Chen and Rangjian Qiu

Agronomy 2026, 16(19), 1973; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16191973 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

How to precisely depict the effects of high temperature on greenhouse crop growth and yield formation and derive optimal irrigation schedules remains an emerging challenge for current crop models. To address this issue, our study focused on drip-irrigated tomato plants grown in a [...] Read more.

How to precisely depict the effects of high temperature on greenhouse crop growth and yield formation and derive optimal irrigation schedules remains an emerging challenge for current crop models. To address this issue, our study focused on drip-irrigated tomato plants grown in a greenhouse and adopted a two-factor experimental design with high temperature (TH: daily maximum temperature 35~40 °C) and two water levels (full irrigation, WH: 1.0E_pan; deficit irrigation, WD: 0.6E_pan), where E_pan denotes the cumulative evaporation of a 20 cm standard evaporation pan. Forty-three parameters of the AquaCrop-OSPy model were screened using the Morris global sensitivity analysis method, and the selected highly sensitive parameters were processed via GLUE-based calibration and uncertainty characterization subjected to global optimization through a GLUE method to derive the model-based preferred strategy under high-temperature conditions in the greenhouse. On this basis, four indicators (yield, biomass (Bio), water consumption (ET) and water use efficiency (WUE)) were adopted to evaluate 20 combined scenarios of five temperature gradients and four irrigation strategies, which were then ranked using the TOPSIS–Entropy Weight (TEW) method. The results showed that the highly sensitive parameters of the AquaCrop-OSPy model under high-temperature greenhouse conditions included initial harvest index, water productivity, basal crop coefficient, maximum canopy cover, canopy growth coefficient, and days to maturity. After optimization using the GLUE method, the values of the above parameters were 70.9%, 15.2 g/m³, 1.36, 86.2%, 12.6%/d, and 108 d, respectively. The calibrated AquaCrop-OSPy model performed satisfactorily for canopy cover (CC), Bio, and yield under the evaluated experimental conditions, although ET and WUE simulations remained less accurate under combined high-temperature and deficit-irrigation conditions. The root mean square error of simulated CC was less than 7.2%, and the percentage errors of yield and Bio were less than 3.5% and 6.9%, respectively. Evaluation of the 20 temperature–irrigation coupled scenarios revealed that, among the scenarios evaluated, the 32~34 °C range combined with 1.1 or 0.9 E_pan was associated with comparatively high simulated yield and WUE. Among the simulated scenarios evaluated using the TEW procedure, 34 °C + 1.1 E_pan produced the highest comprehensive index (0.9283). The framework provides a model-based basis for identifying candidate irrigation strategies for greenhouse tomato under high-temperature conditions, which should be further tested experimentally. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Irrigation and Fertilizer Requirements of Crop Tillage Systems Under Future Climate Change Scenarios)

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15 pages, 268 KB

Open AccessArticle

Gender Sensitivity and Gender-Role Ideology Among Medical Students in Germany: A Multicenter Cross-Sectional N-GAMS Study

by Lea Sackmann and Bernhard Langer

Int. Med. Educ. 2026, 5(4), 106; https://doi.org/10.3390/ime5040106 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Introduction: Sex and gender affect health, clinical reasoning, treatment decisions, and communication. Medical education should enable students to recognize clinically relevant sex- and gender-related differences without reinforcing stereotypes. The Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale (N-GAMS) measures gender sensitivity and gender-role ideology. This [...] Read more.

Introduction: Sex and gender affect health, clinical reasoning, treatment decisions, and communication. Medical education should enable students to recognize clinically relevant sex- and gender-related differences without reinforcing stereotypes. The Nijmegen Gender Awareness in Medicine Scale (N-GAMS) measures gender sensitivity and gender-role ideology. This study aimed to assess these constructs among medical students in Germany. Methods: A multicenter cross-sectional survey was conducted in 2023. Of 35 medical faculties invited, nine participated. N-GAMS scores were calculated for gender sensitivity (GS), gender-role ideology toward patients (GRIP), and gender-role ideology toward doctors (GRID). Gender-group differences were examined using analysis of variance, and adjusted associations with sociodemographic, educational, and institutional variables using multivariable linear regression. Results: 424 students completed the survey. Mean scores on the five-point N-GAMS scale were 2.55 for GS, 1.85 for GRIP, and 1.73 for GRID. Gender differences were significant for GRIP and GRID, but not GS. In exploratory adjusted models, male gender was associated with higher GRIP scores than female gender (beta = 0.167, nominal p = 0.001, Holm-adjusted p = 0.017). A corresponding association was observed for GRID at the nominal level (beta = 0.130, p = 0.010), but it did not remain significant after Holm adjustment (adjusted p = 0.212). Conclusions: Gender-role stereotypes toward patients were more pronounced among male than female students. Findings support longitudinal, clinically embedded sex- and gender-sensitive medical education combining knowledge with critical reflection on stereotyping. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Professions Education Advancements and Innovations—International Perspectives—2nd Edition)

14 pages, 5056 KB

Open AccessReview

Low Nephron Number and Kidney Disease

by Samaneh Goorani and John D. Imig

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(19), 8888; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27198888 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Reduced nephron endowment and acquired nephron loss increase susceptibility to hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Low birth weight, prematurity, genetic factors, and adverse prenatal exposures can limit nephron development, whereas aging and kidney injury reduce the number of functioning nephrons after birth. [...] Read more.

Reduced nephron endowment and acquired nephron loss increase susceptibility to hypertension and chronic kidney disease (CKD). Low birth weight, prematurity, genetic factors, and adverse prenatal exposures can limit nephron development, whereas aging and kidney injury reduce the number of functioning nephrons after birth. Compensatory glomerular hypertrophy and increased single-nephron filtration can initially preserve overall glomerular filtration rate, but sustained glomerular stress may promote podocyte injury, proteinuria, and glomerulosclerosis. These changes can accelerate nephron loss and create a cycle of progressive kidney damage. Disease susceptibility depends on genetic background and additional metabolic, environmental, and hemodynamic stresses. This review examines the determinants of nephron number, the adaptive and potentially harmful consequences of nephron reduction, and approaches to preserving kidney function. Improving maternal health, reducing harmful exposures, and controlling hypertension and metabolic disease may reduce the long-term consequences of low nephron number. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Kidney Diseases: Molecular Mechanisms and Therapies)

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12 pages, 875 KB

Open AccessReview

Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Progression and Spontaneous Regression in Desmoid Tumors

by Shinji Miwa, Katsuhiro Hayashi, Takashi Higuchi, Hirotaka Yonezawa, Sei Morinaga, Yohei Asano and Satoru Demura

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(19), 8887; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27198887 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Desmoid-type fibromatosis, also known as desmoid tumor (DT), is a rare and locally aggressive soft tissue neoplasm driven by constitutive activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, most commonly through CTNNB1 or APC alterations. While some tumors progress and cause substantial morbidity, approximately 25–38% [...] Read more.

Desmoid-type fibromatosis, also known as desmoid tumor (DT), is a rare and locally aggressive soft tissue neoplasm driven by constitutive activation of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway, most commonly through CTNNB1 or APC alterations. While some tumors progress and cause substantial morbidity, approximately 25–38% undergo spontaneous regression during active surveillance, which is currently recommended as the first-line management strategy. Although advances in next-generation sequencing and transcriptomic profiling have elucidated the molecular drivers of tumor progression, the molecular mechanisms underlying spontaneous regression remain poorly understood. This review summarizes current knowledge of the molecular pathogenesis of DT and proposed mechanisms of spontaneous regression, including attenuation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling, hormonal modulation, alterations in the immune microenvironment, and crosstalk between Wnt signaling and other pathways such as Notch, PDGFR/c-Abl/HIF1α, and TGF-β. Based on the current knowledge of the molecular mechanisms in DT, spontaneous regression appears to reflect a multifactorial transition from an active proliferative state toward a quiescent, fibrotic phenotype rather than a single molecular event. Further studies integrating single-cell and spatial transcriptomics with immune profiling are warranted to identify therapeutic targets and stratify patients for active surveillance versus active treatment. Full article

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23 pages, 1145 KB

Open AccessArticle

Corporate Governance Reform and Organisational Accountability in Saudi Arabia: The Roles of Board Practices and Ownership Concentration

by Basma Bchennaty and Muhammad Nauman Khan

J. Risk Financ. Manag. 2026, 19(10), 783; https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm19100783 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

This study examines how the post-reform corporate governance environment is associated with organisational accountability in Saudi Arabian listed firms and whether board practices represent potential pathways through which this association occurs in ownership-concentrated companies. A convergent mixed-methods design combines interviews with 28 governance [...] Read more.

This study examines how the post-reform corporate governance environment is associated with organisational accountability in Saudi Arabian listed firms and whether board practices represent potential pathways through which this association occurs in ownership-concentrated companies. A convergent mixed-methods design combines interviews with 28 governance actors and an unbalanced panel of 164 non-financial listed firms covering 2015 to 2024 (1476 firm-year observations). The qualitative and quantitative strands were conducted in parallel and integrated through a joint display that assessed convergence, complementarity, and tension across findings. The post-reform period is positively associated with organisational accountability, board independence, committee strength, and board gender diversity, while ownership concentration attenuates the reform-accountability association. Because the nationwide reform applied to listed firms concurrently and no untreated comparison group is available, the estimates are interpreted as conditional longitudinal associations rather than changes attributable specifically to regulation. Interview evidence indicates that stronger formal structures do not invariably correspond with behavioural independence or substantive scrutiny. The study contributes an institutional-translation account in which regulatory expectations acquire organisational meaning through board practices but remain conditioned by concentrated ownership and wider institutional change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Collection Transformative Corporate Finance and Governance)

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26 pages, 3995 KB

Open AccessReview

The Viability of Sol–Gel Coatings for the Corrosion Protection of NdFeB Permanent Magnets

by Wallace Rwisayi Matizamhuka

Corros. Mater. Degrad. 2026, 7(4), 65; https://doi.org/10.3390/cmd7040065 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

NdFeB permanent magnets are essential components in electric vehicles, wind-turbine generators, high-performance motors, and other energy technologies because of their exceptional magnetic performance. However, their multiphase microstructure and highly reactive Nd-rich grain-boundary phase make them particularly susceptible to galvanic and intergranular corrosion, which [...] Read more.

NdFeB permanent magnets are essential components in electric vehicles, wind-turbine generators, high-performance motors, and other energy technologies because of their exceptional magnetic performance. However, their multiphase microstructure and highly reactive Nd-rich grain-boundary phase make them particularly susceptible to galvanic and intergranular corrosion, which can cause grain detachment, pulverization, loss of coercivity, and premature failure. This review critically examines the corrosion mechanisms and recent advances in protective coating technologies for NdFeB magnets, including chemical conversion, vacuum deposition, electrodeposition, electroless plating, physical vapor deposition, organic/inorganic coatings, and sol–gel-derived systems. Reported quantitative results demonstrate the substantial potential of advanced coatings: phosphate layers with thicknesses of 10–18 μm improved corrosion protection while preserving magnetic properties; gaseous phosphating increased neutral salt-spray resistance from 4 to 12 days; amorphous Al–Mn coatings reduced the degradation current density by approximately three orders of magnitude; plasma-assisted Al coatings reduced corrosion current density to 22.05 × 10⁻² μA cm⁻², representing a two-order-of-magnitude improvement over uncoated magnets; and sol–gel alumina coatings reduced corrosion current density by approximately one order of magnitude. More advanced hybrid sol–gel systems provide even greater protection, with PEI-functionalized graphene oxide/silane coatings achieving a corrosion current density of 8.365 × 10⁻⁸ A cm⁻² and a water contact angle of 148.5°. Lanthanum-doped silane coatings delivered a protection efficiency of 92.5%, while self-healing B–PDMS/SiOx coatings reduced the corrosion current density from 3.52 × 10⁻⁶ to 6.39 × 10⁻¹⁰ A cm⁻². Overall, sol–gel and organic–inorganic hybrid coatings emerge as promising, adaptable, and potentially sustainable alternatives, although crack formation, adhesion, defect control, long-term stability, and industrial scalability remain important challenges. Full article

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14 pages, 512 KB

Open AccessArticle

Corvis ST Assessment of Corneal Biomechanical Properties in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

by Aida Kasumović Bećirević, Armin Kasumović, Ines Matoc Kasumović, Ivan Merdžo, Ana Kovač, Marija Veselinović, Mirko Jankov and Sanja Sefić Kasumović

Medicina 2026, 62(10), 1928; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62101928 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with structural and biochemical changes in the cornea that may influence its biomechanical behavior. This study aimed to compare corneal biomechanical properties between healthy individuals and patients with type 2 DM. Materials and Methods [...] Read more.

Background and Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with structural and biochemical changes in the cornea that may influence its biomechanical behavior. This study aimed to compare corneal biomechanical properties between healthy individuals and patients with type 2 DM. Materials and Methods: This observational cross-sectional study was conducted at a specialized ophthalmology center from September 2025 to April 2026 and included 115 eyes, which were divided into two groups: 60 healthy control eyes and 55 eyes of patients with DM type 2 (DM2 group). All subjects underwent a complete ophthalmological examination and corneal biomechanical screening using Corvis ST (Oculus Optikgeräte GmbH, Wetzlar, Germany). The study included participants aged 50–70 years, with central corneal thickness from 500 to 600 μm, and normal ocular findings. Exclusion criteria included a history of any previous corneal disease, uveitis, glaucoma, spherical refractive errors exceeding ±3.00 D, cylindrical refractive errors exceeding 3.00 D, prior ocular surgery, contact lens wear and systemic connective tissue diseases. Results: DM2 group was older than the control group (median age 63 years [IQR 57–68] vs. 56 years [IQR 54–59], p < 0.001). In unadjusted comparisons, deformation amplitude at highest concavity (DA HC) was higher in the DM2 group (1.05 [0.98–1.09] vs. 0.98 [0.91–1.06] mm, p = 0.002), as was integrated radius (IR) (8.00 [7.53–8.40] vs. 7.50 [6.60–8.60] mm⁻¹, p = 0.032), whereas radius of curvature at highest concavity (RC HC) (7.41 [6.77–7.86] vs. 7.52 [7.10–8.04] mm, p = 0.038) and stiffness parameter at first applanation (SP-A1) (115.50 [102.18–128.40] vs. 122.50 [107.90–142.90] mmHg/mm, p = 0.023) were lower. After adjustment for age, gender, central corneal thickness and intraocular pressure, only DA HC remained independently associated with DM2 status (β = 0.033 mm, 95% CI 0.007–0.058; p = 0.012). Conclusions: Patients with type 2 DM exhibited a corneal biomechanical profile characterized by greater corneal deformability, reflected by higher DA HC and IR values and lower RC HC and SP-A1 values in unadjusted comparisons. Of these parameters, increased DA HC remained independently associated with DM2 after multivariable adjustment. These findings highlight the complexity of diabetes-related corneal biomechanical alterations and suggest that they may not uniformly manifest as increased corneal stiffness. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Anterior Eye Segment Advances: Diagnosis and Treatment of Corneal Diseases, Cataracts and Glaucoma)

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14 pages, 8880 KB

Open AccessArticle

Mapping of Powdery Mildew Resistance Genes and Mining of Candidate Genes in Bottle Gourd (Lagenaria siceraria) Based on BSA-seq and Transcriptome Sequencing

by Kuanhong Wang, Yongxue Zhang, Panling Lu, Shoubo Tian, Hongmei Zhang and Zhaohui Zhang

Horticulturae 2026, 12(10), 1244; https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae12101244 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Powdery mildew is one of the most destructive fungal diseases of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), severely threatening yield and quality, yet the genetic basis of its resistance remains poorly understood. In this study, an F₂ segregating population derived from a [...] Read more.

Powdery mildew is one of the most destructive fungal diseases of bottle gourd (Lagenaria siceraria), severely threatening yield and quality, yet the genetic basis of its resistance remains poorly understood. In this study, an F₂ segregating population derived from a cross between the resistant inbred line G6 and the susceptible inbred line G3 was used, and BSA-seq, integrated RNA-seq analysis, qRT-PCR validation, and KASP marker development were comprehensively employed. SNP-index and InDel-index analyses independently mapped and converged on a candidate interval of 1,898,234–8,241,294 bp (~6.34 Mb) on chromosome 2. By comparing differentially expressed genes (DEGs) at 12, 24, 48, and 72 h post-inoculation with the BSA candidate interval, one candidate resistance gene, Lsi02G006660, was identified, and a KASP marker (Chr2_5941698, G/T) was successfully developed. This study provides a candidate gene and marker resources for molecular breeding of powdery mildew resistance in bottle gourd. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Genetic Mapping and QTL Analysis for Key Traits in Horticultural Crops)

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42 pages, 34748 KB

Open AccessArticle

An Industrial Carpet Defect Dataset and a Hybrid Two-Stage Inspection Framework for Automated Quality Control

by Oumeima Nuigues and Yacine Yaddaden

Industries 2026, 1(2), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/industries1020010 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Automated visual inspection has become a critical component of Industry 4.0 manufacturing systems, enabling improved product quality, reduced operational costs, and increased production efficiency. In the carpet manufacturing industry, quality inspection remains particularly challenging due to the high variability of textures, colors, patterns, [...] Read more.

Automated visual inspection has become a critical component of Industry 4.0 manufacturing systems, enabling improved product quality, reduced operational costs, and increased production efficiency. In the carpet manufacturing industry, quality inspection remains particularly challenging due to the high variability of textures, colors, patterns, and defect appearances, which often limits the effectiveness of conventional inspection systems. Furthermore, the scarcity of publicly available industrial carpet defect datasets limits the realistic assessment of automated inspection methods. Existing approaches are therefore frequently evaluated on benchmark datasets that do not fully capture the variability of real manufacturing environments or rely on computationally demanding end-to-end deep learning architectures, which may reduce their suitability for practical industrial deployment. To address these challenges, this paper introduces a new industrial carpet defect dataset acquired under controlled imaging conditions and containing defect-free samples together with four representative defect categories: Backing Seam, Bad Mend, Dirty Face, and End Out. In addition, we present an engineering study that systematically evaluates a practical two-stage inspection framework combining pretrained deep feature extraction, one-class anomaly detection, and supervised defect classification for industrial carpet quality control. A distinguishing aspect of this study is the systematic evaluation of the framework on both the public MVTec AD Carpet benchmark and the newly introduced industrial dataset, enabling its performance to be assessed under both benchmark and realistic industrial conditions. The first stage performs anomaly detection using one-class learning models trained exclusively on defect-free samples, while the second stage classifies detected defects into predefined categories. To investigate the impact of visual representations on inspection performance, multiple deep feature extraction backbones, including ConvNeXt, VGG-19, and Wide ResNet-50-2, are evaluated in combination with lightweight machine learning models. Experimental results demonstrate strong inspection performance, achieving an AUROC of 99.92% on the MVTec AD Carpet benchmark and 93.92% on the proposed industrial carpet dataset. The obtained results demonstrate that this integration of established techniques provides an effective and computationally lightweight solution for industrial deployment, while confirming the practical value of the proposed dataset as a realistic benchmark for future research. Full article

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26 pages, 12902 KB

Open AccessArticle

Coordinated Design of Extended-State Observer-Based SOGI-PLL and Optimized Voltage Feedforward for Enhanced Disturbance Rejection

by Xiaoguang Kong, Feixian Chen, Xiaotian Xu and Xiaonan Dong

Mathematics 2026, 14(19), 3620; https://doi.org/10.3390/math14193620 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Under weak-grid conditions, phase-locked loops (PLLs) are essential for synchronizing grid-connected inverters with the utility grid. However, conventional PLLs suffer from insufficient DC-offset and harmonic rejection capabilities, and the coupling between PLL dynamics and grid-voltage feedforward (GVF) may lead to system instability under [...] Read more.

Under weak-grid conditions, phase-locked loops (PLLs) are essential for synchronizing grid-connected inverters with the utility grid. However, conventional PLLs suffer from insufficient DC-offset and harmonic rejection capabilities, and the coupling between PLL dynamics and grid-voltage feedforward (GVF) may lead to system instability under weak-grid conditions. To address these issues, this paper proposes an extended-state third-order generalized integrator PLL (ES-TOGI PLL) with an enhanced voltage feedforward path. The ES-TOGI structure integrates a DC-offset estimation module and an inertial compensation loop, which suppresses the DC component from 0.0355% to 0.0135% and attenuates the third harmonic from 0.161% to 0.137% under distorted grid conditions. Meanwhile, the enhanced feedforward path, implemented via all-pass and high-pass filters, improves the system phase margin and ensures stable operation under weak-grid conditions with a short-circuit ratio (SCR) of 2. Experimental results demonstrate that the ES-TOGI PLL reduces the output current of total harmonic distortion (THD) from 7.70% (without PLL) to 5.75%, and the enhanced feedforward further lowers the THD to 4.63%, outperforming conventional SOGI, ESOGI, and AFAPLL structures. These results confirm that the proposed ES-TOGI PLL with enhanced feedforward provides an effective solution for robust grid synchronization under non-ideal grid conditions. Full article

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14 pages, 557 KB

Open AccessReview

Reclassifying No Specific Molecular Profile Endometrial Cancer: A Narrative Review of Molecular Heterogeneity, Prognostic Refinement, and Clinical Management

by Yujing You and Yan Zhang

Cancers 2026, 18(19), 3223; https://doi.org/10.3390/cancers18193223 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Molecular classification has transformed the management of endometrial cancer (EC), yet the no specific molecular profile (NSMP) subtype remains a major challenge for precision oncology due to its substantial biological and clinical heterogeneity. This narrative review summarizes evidence on the molecular features, candidate [...] Read more.

Molecular classification has transformed the management of endometrial cancer (EC), yet the no specific molecular profile (NSMP) subtype remains a major challenge for precision oncology due to its substantial biological and clinical heterogeneity. This narrative review summarizes evidence on the molecular features, candidate prognostic biomarkers, procedural implications, and treatment data relevant to NSMP EC and proposes a conceptual framework for further study. Emerging evidence indicates that NSMP represents a heterogeneous disease spectrum rather than a uniform entity. Histological grade and estrogen receptor (ER) expression provide important prognostic refinement, while molecular alterations, including CTNNB1 mutations, ARID1A abnormalities, and L1CAM overexpression, may further discriminate risk. Current trials and guidelines increasingly support biomarker-driven treatment strategies, although prospective validation is needed. In conclusion, NSMP EC requires further refinement beyond conventional risk classification. We propose an evidence-informed three-layer conceptual framework integrating molecular classification (POLE, MMR, and p53 status), clinicopathological factors (grade and ER expression), and emerging biomarkers, including ARID1A and L1CAM. This framework is intended to organize current evidence and generate hypotheses for future validation, which may facilitate individualized prognostic assessment of NSMP EC. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Molecular Cancer Biology)

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19 pages, 495 KB

Open AccessArticle

Financing the Circular Transition Under Compound Risk: Public Capital Allocation Between Civil Protection and the Digital Circular Economy in Lithuania

by Eglė Štareikė, Vytautas Šlapkauskas, Leda Žilinskienė and Andrejus Novikovas

J. Risk Financ. Manag. 2026, 19(10), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm19100782 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Industry 5.0 frames digital and circular investment as a capital-allocation problem under risk. This study examines how a small open economy allocates limited public capital between two demands. The first is civil protection against hybrid and military threats. The second is the transition [...] Read more.

Industry 5.0 frames digital and circular investment as a capital-allocation problem under risk. This study examines how a small open economy allocates limited public capital between two demands. The first is civil protection against hybrid and military threats. The second is the transition to a digital circular economy. Lithuania serves as the case. The study combines doctrinal analysis of EU and national law with documentary analysis of budgetary and program data. It assesses three hypotheses on displacement, funding composition, and the early identification of dual-benefit investment. The data combine state budget allocations for 2021–2024 with planned needs and allocations up to 2030. All figures from 2025 onward are planning commitments, not outturns. Civil protection funding rose from EUR 12.7 million in 2021 to EUR 43.0 million in 2023. It stood at EUR 39.7 million in 2024. A further EUR 284.7 million is required for 2025–2030. Circular economy measures are planned at EUR 4.27 billion against an assessed need of EUR 4.44 billion (96.0% coverage). The displacement hypothesis is not supported. On a like-for-like annual basis, the circular program remains eight to thirteen times larger. The main constraint is composition. The circular industry receives 32.8% of its assessed need and accounts for 90.8% of the program’s funding gap. The horizontal line for digitalization, research, and coordination receives only 0.3% of planned funds. The findings have three policy implications. Project appraisal should include a dual-benefit test. Civil protection procurement should apply lifecycle criteria. Digital traceability infrastructure needs dedicated funding because both circular finance and supply-chain security depend on it. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Financing the Sustainable Digital Economy: Investment, Risk, and Human-Centric Value in the Industry 5.0 Era)

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13 pages, 515 KB

Open AccessArticle

Linkage to HIV Care Among Adolescents and Young Adults Reporting a Positive HIV Self-Test in OR Tambo District, Eastern Cape, South Africa

by Zimkhitha Diniso, Guillermo Alfredo Pulido Estrada, Sibusiso Cyprian Nomatshila, Kululwa Ndayi and Monwabisi Faleni

Epidemiologia 2026, 7(5), 138; https://doi.org/10.3390/epidemiologia7050138 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Background: HIV self-testing (HIVST) can improve access to HIV testing among adolescents and young adults (AYAs); however, gaps remain in post-test linkage to care. This study examined post-HIVST outcomes and factors associated with reported linkage to HIV care among AYAs in the Eastern [...] Read more.

Background: HIV self-testing (HIVST) can improve access to HIV testing among adolescents and young adults (AYAs); however, gaps remain in post-test linkage to care. This study examined post-HIVST outcomes and factors associated with reported linkage to HIV care among AYAs in the Eastern Cape, South Africa. Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study was conducted among 170 AYAs aged 15–24 years who had used HIVST within the preceding five months. Socio-demographic characteristics, HIVST results, post-test care-seeking, and linkage to HIV care were assessed. Bivariate analyses and Firth penalized logistic regression were used to identify factors associated with reported linkage to HIV care among participants reporting a positive HIVST result. Results: Of 156 participants who disclosed their HIVST result, 67 (42.9%) reported a positive result. Among these, 29 (43.3%) sought confirmatory testing, 38 (56.7%) sought care within 1–4 weeks, and 53 (79.1%) reported linkage to HIV care. More than half (55.2%) reported that counselling was not offered, and 59.7% perceived linkage-to-care services as not easily accessible. In multivariable analysis, female participants had higher odds of reporting linkage to HIV care than male participants (AOR = 5.54, 95% CI: 1.49–20.67, p = 0.011). Conclusions: Among AYAs with previous HIVST use, important gaps were observed in confirmatory testing and timely care-seeking. Male AYAs may require targeted support to improve engagement with HIV care services. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic HIV Prevention and Treatment: A Guide to Health and Safety)

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15 pages, 1464 KB

Open AccessArticle

Multilevel Resource Capacity and Inequality in Community Eldercare Access Among Older Adults in China: Household Living Arrangements as Conditional Contexts

by Xi Chen, Rahimah Ibrahim, Yok Fee Lee and Tengku Aizan Hamid

Societies 2026, 16(10), 327; https://doi.org/10.3390/soc16100327 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Access to community eldercare reflects the joint distribution of economic resources, social protection, local infrastructure, and household circumstances. Drawing on the capability approach, this study examined whether multilevel resource capacity was associated with a survey-derived access-opportunity composite among older adults in China [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Access to community eldercare reflects the joint distribution of economic resources, social protection, local infrastructure, and household circumstances. Drawing on the capability approach, this study examined whether multilevel resource capacity was associated with a survey-derived access-opportunity composite among older adults in China and whether household size and generational composition conditioned that association. Methods: A cross-sectional analysis of the 2018 China Longitudinal Ageing Social Survey included 8578 adults aged 60 years or older. Partial least squares structural equation modelling estimated formative resource-capacity and access-opportunity composites. The primary model used documented Tukey-fence treatment and mean replacement; casewise deletion, 99th-percentile winsorisation, exclusion of service use, and separate-interaction specifications were examined as sensitivity analyses. Results: Resource capacity was positively associated with access (β = 0.206, p < 0.001), with community resources contributing the largest outer weight (0.659). In the joint-interaction model, the association increased with household size (β_int = 0.056, p = 0.003) and was stronger in single-generation households (β_int = 0.088, p = 0.016). The resource-capacity association persisted across all sensitivity models, whereas neither interaction remained significant when estimated separately under lower-collinearity specifications. The primary model explained 15.7% of access variance (R² = 0.157; Q² = 0.012). Conclusions: Resource capacity and urban–rural location mark important inequalities in reported community eldercare opportunity. Household moderation is best treated as exploratory because it was specification-sensitive. Social work responses include benefits advocacy, service navigation, family coordination, and community-level action on territorial service gaps. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Social Work Practice, Policy, and Inequality in an Aging Society)

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31 pages, 6247 KB

Open AccessArticle

Plasma-Activated Water Priming Enhances Field Lettuce Yield, Uniformity and Disease Resilience Across Variable Nitrogen Strategies

by Benjamin Wang, Brian Sharbono, Josh Buice, Kallol Das, Hanna Hekkanen, Shunping Ding and Mark Cappelli

Agrochemicals 2026, 5(4), 43; https://doi.org/10.3390/agrochemicals5040043 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Plasma-Activated Water (PAW) promotes plant growth, but whether it should replace conventional nitrogen, supplement it, or prime the crop early in the season is unclear. We compared nine nitrogen strategies differing in source (urea vs. PAW), rate (full, 1/5, 1/10, and zero), and [...] Read more.

Plasma-Activated Water (PAW) promotes plant growth, but whether it should replace conventional nitrogen, supplement it, or prime the crop early in the season is unclear. We compared nine nitrogen strategies differing in source (urea vs. PAW), rate (full, 1/5, 1/10, and zero), and timing on field-grown romaine lettuce in two trials. In Trial 1 (late summer), no treatment effect was significant, although the 80/20 urea/PAW blend and PAW priming co-led in yield and uniformity. Trial 2, grown in cooler autumn–winter conditions with ten times the rainfall and naturally occurring downy mildew on an estimated 62.5% of plants, produced 19–41% lower fresh weights and significant treatment effects. PAW priming (1/5 N as PAW first, then full-rate urea; about 73% of the full seasonal nitrogen) ranked in the top two in both trials, significantly exceeded full-rate urea in Trial 2, and produced 62.5% of heads above a 700 g marketable threshold against 9.4% for urea. The 50/50 blend and PAW priming declined least between trials, while the 80/20 blend and pure urea declined most; reduced-rate treatments from either source were indistinguishable from the control. Yield loss fell disproportionately on the wrapper leaves, consistent with the observed disease. PAW priming maintained yield and improved uniformity across two contrasting seasons and merits further evaluation. “Disease resilience” here denotes yield maintained in a disease-present season, not treatment-driven resistance: disease was not rated plot by plot. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Fertilizers and Soil Improvement Agents)

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23 pages, 6602 KB

Open AccessArticle

PROSAIL-DNN-TL: A Hyperspectral Inversion Framework for Winter Wheat Leaf Chlorophyll Content Based on Fine-Tuned Transfer Learning

by Xueqing Zhu, Ying Nian, Jikai Liu and Xinwei Li

Agronomy 2026, 16(19), 1971; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16191971 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Accurate and efficient estimation of leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) is essential for crop physiological monitoring and precision agriculture. Current remote sensing approaches for LCC estimation mainly rely on machine learning and deep learning methods, which exhibit strong nonlinear modelling capabilities but require sufficient [...] Read more.

Accurate and efficient estimation of leaf chlorophyll content (LCC) is essential for crop physiological monitoring and precision agriculture. Current remote sensing approaches for LCC estimation mainly rely on machine learning and deep learning methods, which exhibit strong nonlinear modelling capabilities but require sufficient and representative samples. Radiative transfer models (RTMs) can simulate canopy spectral response based on physical mechanisms and generate large-scale datasets, thereby overcoming the limitations of purely data-driven approaches. However, their applications under diverse environmental conditions remain challenging due to uncertainties caused by model parameterization and discrepancies between simulated and observed data. This study proposed a hybrid framework, PROSAIL-DNN-TL, integrating the PROSAIL RTM with full-network fine-tuned transfer learning for winter wheat LCC estimation. First, 85,680 simulated samples generated by PROSAIL were used to pre-train a deep neural network (DNN), and field observations (n = 270) were subsequently used for full-network fine-tuning. A conventional DNN model trained only with field data and machine learning models based on different feature selection strategies were established for comparison. The results showed that: (1) UVE-selected bands were distributed across visible, red-edge, and near-infrared regions; CARS retained more bands in the visible region, whereas SPA mainly selected near-infrared bands; (2) RR and SVR achieved higher accuracy than KNN, with the full-spectrum and CARS feature sets showing superior performance and SPA showing the lowest accuracy; (3) PROSAIL-DNN-TL achieved reliable LCC estimation performance, with an average test R² of 0.79 across 500 repeated experiments, and showed improved performance compared with conventional machine learning models; (4) PROSAIL-DNN-TL achieved reliable predictive performance when evaluated using datasets collected during the 2024 and 2025 growing seasons, with R² values of 0.75 and 0.92, respectively. Overall, the proposed hybrid framework integrates physical knowledge from RTMs with data-driven modelling through transfer learning, providing a potential approach for crop chlorophyll monitoring. However, the SPAD-to-LCC conversion used in this study was not specifically calibrated for the instrument and crop, and therefore, the absolute LCC values should be interpreted with caution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Precision and Digital Agriculture)

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17 pages, 1587 KB

Open AccessArticle

Patient-Reported Burden and Clinical Spectrum of Rheumatic Immune-Related Adverse Events After Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy in Lung Cancer: A Real-World Cohort Study

by Zhenhong Ren and Jianchao Lu

Curr. Oncol. 2026, 33(10), 603; https://doi.org/10.3390/curroncol33100603 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Background: Rheumatic immune-related adverse events (R-irAEs) after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in lung cancer can be difficult to distinguish from cancer-related or degenerative musculoskeletal symptoms. Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort, we analyzed 768 ICI-treated patients and a nested questionnaire cohort to [...] Read more.

Background: Rheumatic immune-related adverse events (R-irAEs) after immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy in lung cancer can be difficult to distinguish from cancer-related or degenerative musculoskeletal symptoms. Methods: In this single-center retrospective cohort, we analyzed 768 ICI-treated patients and a nested questionnaire cohort to characterize rheumatologist-confirmed R-irAEs, baseline associated factors, and patient-reported outcomes. Missing baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) was handled using multiple imputation. Results: New musculoskeletal symptoms occurred in 177 patients (23.0%), and 66 patients (8.6%) had confirmed R-irAEs. The leading phenotypes were inflammatory arthritis (n = 22), inflammatory arthralgia (n = 15), and polymyalgia rheumatica-like syndrome (n = 13). In multivariable analysis, female sex (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 2.21, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.31–3.74), baseline CRP > 10 mg/L (OR 2.08, 95% CI 1.14–3.81), and pre-existing autoimmune disease (OR 5.24, 95% CI 2.37–11.57) were associated with confirmed R-irAEs. Among 437 questionnaire responders, confirmed R-irAEs were associated with worse pain, morning stiffness, disability, fatigue, and health status than non-confirmed musculoskeletal symptoms (all Holm-adjusted p < 0.001). Conclusions: Confirmed R-irAEs affected a measurable minority of ICI-treated patients with lung cancer and were associated with worse post-treatment patient-reported outcomes. Because baseline patient-reported outcomes were unavailable, these findings should not be interpreted as R-irAE-attributable change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Thoracic Oncology)

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12 pages, 9486 KB

Open AccessCommunication

Assessing Deep Maturity of Compost: Relative Cotyledon Chlorophyll as a Complementary Indicator in Full-Scale Cow Manure Composting

by Yuan Luo, Yingrong Zhao, Yueni Song, Min Yan, Shuyan Li, Jing Yuan and Zhiping Yang

Agronomy 2026, 16(19), 1970; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16191970 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Compost maturity is commonly assessed using the seed germination test, which mainly reflects below-ground radicle growth. However, composts that meet conventional maturity criteria may still inhibit above-ground seedling development. This study assessed the deep maturity of compost using relative cotyledon chlorophyll (RCC) in [...] Read more.

Compost maturity is commonly assessed using the seed germination test, which mainly reflects below-ground radicle growth. However, composts that meet conventional maturity criteria may still inhibit above-ground seedling development. This study assessed the deep maturity of compost using relative cotyledon chlorophyll (RCC) in the seedling establishment test as a complementary indicator in full-scale cow manure composting. Windrow composting and membrane-covered composting were conducted, with Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa L. subsp. pekinensis) seeds used for phytotoxicity testing. The relative seed germination (RSG) remained above 90% throughout both composting processes, indicating that RSG alone was insufficient to indicate maturity. The relative radicle growth (RRG) and germination index (GI) exceeded 80% after day 14 in windrow composting and after day 21 in membrane-covered composting, confirming full maturity of both products. In contrast, RCC exceeded 100% only after day 28 in both technologies, suggesting that a longer time is required to achieve deep maturity that promotes above-ground plant growth. RCC was significantly correlated with chemical indices (dissolved organic carbon and ammonium nitrogen) but showed no correlation with RRG or GI, indicating its independent and complementary role in phytotoxicity assessment. These findings demonstrate that composts considered mature based on radicle elongation may still inhibit cotyledon greening. The RCC indicator thus provides a simple and complementary tool for deep maturity assessment, particularly when compost is used for nursery substrate. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Waste Management Through Composting: Benefits, New Insights and Challenges, 2nd Edition)

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36 pages, 5394 KB

Open AccessArticle

Circular Economy and Climate Resilience: Implications for Governance, Adaptation Strategies, and Economic Inclusion of Smallholder Farmers in Nigeria

by Adetomiwa Kolapo and Isaac Busayo Oluwatayo

Sustainability 2026, 18(19), 10180; https://doi.org/10.3390/su181910180 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Climate change, environmental degradation, and global supply chain disruptions highlight the urgency of advancing circular economy (CE) practices for sustainable agricultural transformation. However, in fragile governance contexts such as Nigeria, CE adoption among smallholder farmers remains uneven. This study investigates the role of [...] Read more.

Climate change, environmental degradation, and global supply chain disruptions highlight the urgency of advancing circular economy (CE) practices for sustainable agricultural transformation. However, in fragile governance contexts such as Nigeria, CE adoption among smallholder farmers remains uneven. This study investigates the role of governance quality, socioeconomic conditions, and climate variability in shaping CE implementation in Southwest Nigeria. Using survey data from smallholder farmers, we applied an instrumental-variable multivariate probit regression model to account for interdependencies across multiple CE practices, residue recycling, composting, and waste-to-energy. Governance quality was assessed through five indices: transparency, participation, enforcement, coordination, and service delivery. Socioeconomic (education, income, farm size) and climatic variables (rainfall, drought shocks) were included to capture enabling and constraining conditions. The results show that governance quality significantly affects CE adoption patterns: transparency strongly drives residue recycling, participation fosters composting, and enforcement enables capital-intensive waste-to-energy. Coordination and service delivery exert broad positive effects across multiple practices. Education, income, and farm size were positively associated with adoption, whereas climatic variability significantly influenced adoption decisions, reflecting farmers’ sensitivity to ecological shocks. The findings imply that scaling CE in Nigeria requires more than technical innovation; it demands transparent, participatory, and credible governance alongside inclusive socioeconomic support. Policy interventions should prioritize the strengthening of advisory systems, farmer cooperatives, regulatory enforcement, and integrated service delivery while embedding the CE within broader climate adaptation strategies. Through aligning governance quality with inclusive development, CE adoption can foster resilience, economic inclusion, and environmental sustainability in a fractured global order. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Governance of the Low-Carbon Transition for Sustainable Development)

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26 pages, 2981 KB

Open AccessArticle

Exploratory Stage-Resolved Transcriptomic Profiling of Seed Development in Amaranthus hypochondriacus var. Revancha Prioritizes Candidate Genes for Seed Maturation

by Ana Paulina Rodríguez-Vera, Fabiola Estefanía Tristán-Flores, Victor Montero-Tavera, Juan Antonio Cervantes-Montelongo, Selene Fragoso-Iñiguez, Humberto Ramírez-Medina, Eloy Conde-Barajas, Gerardo Acosta-García and Guillermo Antonio Silva-Martínez

Agronomy 2026, 16(19), 1969; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy16191969 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

Seed development influences reserve accumulation, grain quality, seed maturation, and subsequent crop performance, yet stage-associated transcriptional changes remain poorly characterized in grain amaranth. Here, we performed exploratory transcriptomic profiling of three reproductive stages of Amaranthus hypochondriacus var. Revancha: ovule (OV), immature seed (IS), [...] Read more.

Seed development influences reserve accumulation, grain quality, seed maturation, and subsequent crop performance, yet stage-associated transcriptional changes remain poorly characterized in grain amaranth. Here, we performed exploratory transcriptomic profiling of three reproductive stages of Amaranthus hypochondriacus var. Revancha: ovule (OV), immature seed (IS), and mature seed (MS). One composite RNA-seq library was generated for each stage from pooled tissues collected during three independent sampling events. The composite-sampling strategy did not provide independent biological replication or allow estimation of biological dispersion. Transcript-abundance patterns were evaluated using exploratory expression contrasts, functional annotation, Gene Ontology and KEGG analyses, and targeted expression and chromatin assays. OV was characterized by transcripts associated with structural organization and early developmental processes, whereas IS showed increased representation of metabolic and biosynthetic functions consistent with active reserve accumulation. MS displayed transcript-abundance patterns associated with stress responses, redox homeostasis, abscisic acid-associated processes, and desiccation-related protection. Selected genes related to gibberellin metabolism, reserve regulation, developmental control, and cellular protection showed stage-associated expression patterns. Across developmental-stage comparisons, 1083 genes showed higher and 2801 lower transcript representation in OV relative to IS, whereas 5692 and 4424 genes, respectively, differed between OV and MS, and 6399 and 4128 between IS and MS. Semi-quantitative RT-PCR and targeted H3K4me3 ChIP-PCR provided complementary evidence for selected loci. Because each developmental stage was represented by a single composite RNA-seq library, the transcriptomic contrasts are interpreted as exploratory and hypothesis-generating rather than as statistically replicated developmental effects. Therefore, this study provides a stage-resolved transcriptomic resource for grain amaranth and prioritizes candidate genes and biological processes for future functional, physiological, and breeding-oriented studies of seed maturation and composition. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Omics Approaches for Crop Improvement—Volume II)

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19 pages, 534 KB

Open AccessArticle

ESG Pillar Composition and One-Year Accounting Loss Onset: Evidence from Bloomberg-Covered Firms, 2020–2024

by Ibrahim Alhanaya

J. Risk Financ. Manag. 2026, 19(10), 781; https://doi.org/10.3390/jrfm19100781 (registering DOI) - 7 Oct 2026

Abstract

This study examines whether the internal composition of an environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating contains incremental information about one-year accounting-loss onset after the overall ESG level is held constant. Bloomberg environmental (E), social (S) and governance (G) pillar scores are reparameterised as [...] Read more.

This study examines whether the internal composition of an environmental, social and governance (ESG) rating contains incremental information about one-year accounting-loss onset after the overall ESG level is held constant. Bloomberg environmental (E), social (S) and governance (G) pillar scores are reparameterised as ESGLevel = (E + S + G)/3, GovernanceHalo = G − (E + S)/2, and ESContrast = E − S. The FY2020–FY2024 panel contains 13,745 firm-years for 2751 relatively large listed firms; the principal model uses 8029 eligible transitions and 472 loss-onset events. A one-standard-deviation increase in GovernanceHalo has an average marginal effect of −0.02 percentage points (95% CI −0.87 to 0.83). Firm-blocked cross-validation provides essentially no incremental one-year predictive gain. Reviewer-driven sensitivity analyses using within-year standardised pillars, a firm fixed-effects linear probability model, Firth penalised logit, stabilised inverse-probability weighting for complete-case selection, and dynamic pre-trend controls do not reveal a stable loss-onset association. A separate 30% annual market-capitalisation contraction outcome is negatively associated with GovernanceHalo and remains significant after false-discovery-rate adjustment (q = 0.024), but it is a valuation-contraction proxy rather than an accounting-loss or crash-risk measure. The previously observed E/S score build-out is no longer evident after controls for prior score changes, current E/S level and historical score volatility. The evidence therefore rules out large average one-year loss-onset effects in this Bloomberg-covered sample while leaving open smaller, heterogeneous, longer-horizon and provider-specific effects. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Corporate Finance and ESG: Shaping the Future of Sustainable Business)

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21 pages, 878 KB

Open AccessReview

Multi-Omics and Digital Biomarkers for Dynamic Cardiometabolic Risk Prediction

by Kexin Ding, Xiaoyi Li, Jun Zhang and Dafang Chen

Biomedicines 2026, 14(10), 2263; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines14102263 (registering DOI) - 6 Oct 2026

Abstract

Cardiometabolic risk changes as metabolic state, vascular injury, behavior and treatment evolve. Multi-omics assays characterize the underlying molecular state, whereas wearable sensors and continuous glucose monitoring capture physiological responses during daily life. This review asks whether combining these measurements improves a defined clinical [...] Read more.

Cardiometabolic risk changes as metabolic state, vascular injury, behavior and treatment evolve. Multi-omics assays characterize the underlying molecular state, whereas wearable sensors and continuous glucose monitoring capture physiological responses during daily life. This review asks whether combining these measurements improves a defined clinical decision beyond established clinical information in type 2 diabetes, atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease and heart failure. We distinguish biological association, prediction and clinical utility, and define dynamic risk prediction as repeated estimation of future event probability over a specified horizon using only information available at each prediction time. Large cohorts link proteins and metabolites with future disease, and intensive studies connect molecular variation with activity, nutrition and glycemic responses. However, evidence for joint molecular–digital integration remains predominantly observational. Trials of glucose monitoring and structured telemanagement show that monitoring can improve outcomes when it is embedded in an effective care pathway, but they do not establish the incremental value of multi-omics. We therefore organize the evidence around three requirements: temporal alignment of stable genomic information, intermittent molecular assays and dense digital trajectories; validation against a strong clinical comparator; and prospective assessment of patient outcomes, cost and burden. Emerging sensors, dynamical network biomarkers and digital twins may eventually extend this framework, but they remain experimental or conceptual for integrated cardiometabolic event prediction. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Molecular and Translational Medicine)

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27 pages, 5525 KB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Transmission Attenuation Characteristics of Continuous Wave Mud Pulses Considering Unsteady Friction

by Hu Han, Zhenyu Zhong, Haihui Shen, Hao Geng and Dong Yang

Processes 2026, 14(19), 3196; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr14193196 (registering DOI) - 6 Oct 2026

Abstract

With the advancement of oil and gas exploration into ultra-deep drilling and increasingly complex downhole environments, the demand for higher downhole data transmission rates has steadily increased. Continuous wave mud pulse telemetry has emerged as a promising technology with significant potential for widespread [...] Read more.

With the advancement of oil and gas exploration into ultra-deep drilling and increasingly complex downhole environments, the demand for higher downhole data transmission rates has steadily increased. Continuous wave mud pulse telemetry has emerged as a promising technology with significant potential for widespread application. While considerable research has focused on techniques for downhole signal generation and noise reduction at the wellhead in continuous wave mud pulse telemetry systems, the attenuation behavior of continuous wave transmission within the wellbore remains insufficiently explored. This study integrates transient flow theory to account for unsteady friction induced by continuous wave transmission and enhances the one-dimensional mathematical model for the generation and propagation of continuous waves. The attenuation process of continuous wave transmission, influenced by coupled drilling tools within the wellbore, is analyzed in detail, along with the fluctuation patterns of steady and unsteady friction. Furthermore, the study examines the effects of various parameters—such as frequency, displacement, mud density, viscosity, and wave velocity—on attenuation characteristics. The findings reveal that continuous wave signals in the wellbore undergo exponential attenuation, with the amplitude of the bottom hole assembly (BHA) significantly diminished. This attenuation is primarily attributed to both steady and unsteady friction, which exhibit fluctuating behaviors. High-frequency continuous waves are strongly affected by unsteady friction, resulting in rapid attenuation, whereas steady friction remains constant across varying frequencies. Notably, unsteady friction intensifies with increasing frequency. These insights establish a theoretical foundation for understanding the attenuation of continuous wave transmission under varying parameters, thereby contributing to the improvement of signal transmission efficiency. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Advanced Technology for Oil and Nature Gas Exploration)

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18 pages, 12852 KB

Open AccessArticle

A Five-Control Specificity Checklist Overturns an Apparent Phytochemical Disruptor of the VDAC1-Hexokinase-I Interface

by Raphael Taiwo Aruleba and Ebenezer Esenogho

Biophysica 2026, 6(5), 98; https://doi.org/10.3390/biophysica6050098 (registering DOI) - 6 Oct 2026

Abstract

Hexokinase-I anchors to voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) at a membrane-buried glutamate, E73, and disrupting this contact is an established anticancer objective. The site-directed docking of natural product libraries into such hotspots routinely identifies disruptors, yet these candidates are rarely tested for either [...] Read more.

Hexokinase-I anchors to voltage-dependent anion channel 1 (VDAC1) at a membrane-buried glutamate, E73, and disrupting this contact is an established anticancer objective. The site-directed docking of natural product libraries into such hotspots routinely identifies disruptors, yet these candidates are rarely tested for either site specificity or ligand specificity. We screened a verified 43-compound library from Camptotheca acuminata against the VDAC1 E73 groove and then applied five orthogonal controls, calibrated against an empirical uncertainty budget. The conventional workflow was persuasive; ursolic acid ranked first at −7.25 kcal/mol, redocked reproducibly, remained associated with the groove through 100 ns of POPC-embedded dynamics, and returned −42.7 kcal/mol by Molecular Mechanics/Generalized Born Surface Area (MM-GBSA). Replicate calculations then showed that score uncertainty was dominated not by stochastic search, which contributes a standard deviation of 0.007 kcal/mol, but by the arbitrary definition of the site, 0.379 kcal/mol, and by receptor conformation, 0.550 kcal/mol. Against this scale, the controls rule out the candidates. Blind docking identified alternative sites with scores equal to or better than E73. A scan of twenty-four surface sites placed E73 within one box placement standard deviation of several unrelated positions. Neutralizing the E73 carboxylate changed affinity by −0.30 to +0.04 kcal/mol across fifteen compounds. Cholesterol, a membrane lipid, scored within the same uncertainty, and outscored the lead ligand under a second scoring function and in four of six relaxed receptor conformations. Contact occupancies reached 29% for the lead ligand compared to 100% for the reference ligand, NADH. We propose using the controls as a checklist, as illustrated by this case study. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Computational Biophysics: Advances in Molecular Dynamics)

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23 pages, 8628 KB

Open AccessArticle

Selective Digital Adaptation and Business Resilience: A Longitudinal Study of Apparel SMEs in China

by Sujun Liu and Chunmin Lang

Businesses 2026, 6(4), 53; https://doi.org/10.3390/businesses6040053 (registering DOI) - 6 Oct 2026

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to examine how apparel SMEs in less-developed regions of China adapt to long-term retail digitalization and how these adaptations relate to business resilience and the creation of consumer and community value. This two-and-a-half-year longitudinal qualitative study (February [...] Read more.

The purpose of this study is to examine how apparel SMEs in less-developed regions of China adapt to long-term retail digitalization and how these adaptations relate to business resilience and the creation of consumer and community value. This two-and-a-half-year longitudinal qualitative study (February 2023–June 2025) combined repeated prospective observations with retrospective accounts from later-added firms through interviews and field visits with apparel businesses and consumers. By 2025, the participating businesses had been in operation for an average of 25 years. Data were analyzed using grounded-theory coding, with themes organized using the Gioia data structure. Findings show that, as digital technologies increasingly reshaped retailing, brick-and-mortar SMEs became proactive in selectively adopting accessible technologies, including social media for marketing and consumer interaction and digital payment systems for transaction management. This differed from their earlier response to e-commerce, which had transformed retailing since the 2000s but was initially met with passive adaptation because of resource and knowledge constraints. SMEs also adjusted product assortments and targeted niche consumer segments, gradually forming hybrid physical–digital business models. Participants retrospectively reported more stable customer and revenue trajectories after 2017, although adaptation did not guarantee survival. SMEs retained physical-retail strengths, including personalized service, trust-based relationships, and tangible product evaluation. This study shows how selective digital adaptation and market repositioning may support resilience among resource-constrained SMEs. Full article

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20 pages, 1138 KB

Open AccessArticle

Diagnostic Accuracy of GPT-5 in Detecting and Localizing Acute Ischemic Stroke on Isolated Diffusion-Weighted Imaging: A Retrospective Case–Control Study

by Emre Gökçen, Mikail Kuşdoğan, Mustafa Fatih Erkoc, Levent Albayrak, Güneş Seda Albayrak and Deniz Tanrıverdi

J. Clin. Med. 2026, 15(19), 7716; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm15197716 (registering DOI) - 6 Oct 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: Multimodal large language models are emerging tools for medical image interpretation, but their performance on isolated diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for acute ischemic stroke remains largely unexplored. We evaluated GPT-5 for stroke detection and vascular territory classification on preselected representative DWI images using [...] Read more.

Background/Objectives: Multimodal large language models are emerging tools for medical image interpretation, but their performance on isolated diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) for acute ischemic stroke remains largely unexplored. We evaluated GPT-5 for stroke detection and vascular territory classification on preselected representative DWI images using a structured two-step prompting protocol. Methods: This single-center, retrospective, balanced case–control study included 220 cases (110 stroke patients and 110 stroke-negative controls). Four representative axial DWI slices per case were provided without apparent diffusion coefficient maps. Step 1 queried stroke presence and vascular territory; Step 2 queried the middle cerebral artery (MCA) segment-associated territory (M1–M4) following an MCA response. The reference standard was radiologist–neurologist consensus based on full multimodal magnetic resonance imaging, blinded to GPT-5 outputs. Diagnostic performance metrics and Cohen’s kappa (κ) were calculated. Results: Stroke detection showed a sensitivity of 100% (95% confidence interval [CI], 96.6–100%), specificity of 83.6% (95% CI, 75.6–89.4%), accuracy of 91.8%, and κ = 0.836. Accuracy was 93.6% for anterior/posterior circulation (κ = 0.838) and 90.9% for vascular territory (κ = 0.799). Conditional MCA segment-associated territory accuracy was 71.6% (53/74; κ = 0.602); end-to-end accuracy was 66.3% (53/80). Exploratory analysis of the 18 false-positive cases identified four overlapping error categories: artifactual and physiologic signal misinterpretation (72.2%), chronic lesion misclassification (27.8%), terminological inconsistency or unsupported report statements (77.8%), and etiological scenarios or unhedged definitive diagnoses (38.9%). Conclusions: GPT-5 achieved high sensitivity and a specificity of 83.6% for stroke classification on preselected representative DWI images using a vascular territory-based diagnostic framework. However, the 16.4% false-positive rate indicates that positive findings require radiologist confirmation. These findings support further evaluation of GPT-5 as a potential clinician-assisted image-interpretation tool but do not establish a clinical decision-support role. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Brain Injury)

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