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Nowadays, the automotive industry is primarily driven by the CO₂ policy that targets net zero carbon emissions by 2035 from passenger cars and commercial vehicles. The main path to achieve this goal is the implementation of electric powertrains with the energy stored in batteries, as the case for battery electric vehicles (BEV). However, this technology still faces some difficulties in terms of energy density, overall weight, charging time, and vehicle autonomy. From the other point of view, fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV) offer the same advantages as BEV in terms of CO₂ reduction, providing better autonomy and lower refueling time. The energy demand by the electric powertrain strongly depends on the vehicle driving conditions as it directly affects energy consumption. In that context, the article aims to study the electrical energy demand of an ultra-energy efficient vehicle intended for a Shell eco-marathon competition in order to minimize hydrogen consumption. The study was carried out over a single lap on the racing track in Nogaro, France while applying the race rules from the competition in 2023. It includes a numerical evaluation of the vehicle resistance forces in different driving strategies and experimental validation on the propulsion test bench. Full article

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12 pages, 1495 KB

Open AccessCase Report

A Case of Misdiagnosed Hepatic Sarcoidosis: Evaluating Ultrasound Resolution Microscopy for Differentiating Hepatic Sarcoidosis from Hepatocellular Carcinoma

by Jie Zhang, Kazushi Numata, Jintian Zhang, Wenbin Zhang and Feiqian Wang

Diagnostics 2026, 16(2), 238; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics16020238 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

Background and Clinical Significance: Hepatic sarcoidosis is a benign lesion of unknown etiology. The gold standard for diagnosing hepatic sarcoidosis is histopathological examination. The symptoms and imaging findings of patients with hepatic sarcoidosis are often atypical, leading to misdiagnosis as hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Ultrasound resolution microscopy (URM) can overcome the diffraction limit, enabling fine visualization and quantitative analysis of the microvascular networks. This study aimed to provide new evidence for the differential diagnosis of these two diseases by comparing the URM parameters of hepatic sarcoidosis initially misdiagnosed as HCC with those of HCC. Case Presentation: A 67-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital due to upper abdominal pain for two weeks. Ultrasonography revealed a liver mass. The lesion was located in segment IV of the left hepatic lobe, was approximately 18 × 10 mm in size, and appeared hypoechoic. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging both showed a “fast-in, fast-out” pattern, strongly suggesting HCC. The tumor markers were within the normal range. The patient underwent a laparoscopic left hepatic lobectomy. The histopathological diagnosis of the resected specimen was “hepatic sarcoidosis”. URM examination was performed during the preoperative diagnostic process. Subsequently, the URM parameters of the patient’s lesion were analyzed and compared with those of HCC. The results showed differences in multiple URM parameters, including microvascular flow velocity, diameter, microvascular density ratio, and vascular distribution, between this case of hepatic sarcoidosis and HCC. Conclusions: URM can quantitatively and multidimensionally evaluate the microvasculature of liver lesions, providing new reference data for the diagnosis and differential diagnosis of hepatic sarcoidosis. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Pathology and Molecular Diagnostics)

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17 pages, 702 KB

Open AccessArticle

Machine Learning the Decoherence Property of Superconducting and Semiconductor Quantum Devices from Graph Connectivity

by Quan Fu, Jie Liu, Xin Wang and Rui Xiong

Entropy 2026, 28(1), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/e28010089 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

Quantum computing faces significant challenges from decoherence and noise, which limit the practical implementation of quantum algorithms. While substantial progress has been made in improving individual qubit coherence times, the collective behavior of interconnected qubit systems remains incompletely understood. The connectivity architecture plays a crucial role in determining overall system susceptibility to environmental noise, yet systematic characterization of this relationship has been hindered by computational complexity. We develop a machine learning framework that bridges graph features with quantum device characterization to predict decoherence lifetime directly from connectivity patterns. By representing quantum architectures as connected graphs and using 14 topological features as input to supervised learning models, we achieve accurate lifetime predictions with

R^{2} > 0.96

for both superconducting and semiconductor platforms. Our analysis reveals fundamentally distinct decoherence mechanisms: superconducting qubits show high sensitivity to global connectivity measures (betweenness centrality

δ_{1} = 0.484

, spectral entropy

δ_{1} = 0.480

), while semiconductor quantum dots exhibit exceptional sensitivity to system scale (node count

δ_{2} = 0.919

, importance = 1.860). The complete failure of cross-platform model transfer (

R^{2}

scores of −0.39 and −433.60) emphasizes the platform-specific nature of optimal connectivity design. Our approach enables rapid assessment of quantum architectures without expensive simulations, providing practical guidance for noise-optimized quantum processor design. Full article

(This article belongs to the Section Quantum Information)

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17 pages, 11104 KB

Open AccessArticle

Lightweight Improvements to the Pomelo Image Segmentation Method for Yolov8n-seg

by Zhen Li, Baiwei Cao, Zhengwei Yu, Qingting Jin, Shilei Lyu, Xiaoyi Chen and Danting Mao

Agriculture 2026, 16(2), 186; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16020186 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

Instance segmentation in agricultural robotics requires a balance between real-time performance and accuracy. This study proposes a lightweight pomelo image segmentation method based on the YOLOv8n-seg model integrated with the RepGhost module. A pomelo dataset consisting of 5076 samples was constructed through systematic image acquisition, annotation, and data augmentation. The RepGhost architecture was incorporated into the C2f module of the YOLOv8-seg backbone network to enhance feature reuse capabilities while reducing computational complexity. Experimental results demonstrate that the YOLOv8-seg-RepGhost model enhances efficiency without compromising accuracy: parameter count is reduced by 16.5% (from 3.41 M to 2.84 M), computational load decreases by 14.8% (from 12.8 GFLOPs to 10.9 GFLOPs), and inference time is shortened by 6.3% (to 15 ms). The model maintains excellent detection performance with bounding box mAP50 at 97.75% and mask mAP50 at 97.51%. The research achieves both high segmentation efficiency and detection accuracy, offering core support for developing visual systems in harvesting robots and providing an effective solution for deep learning-based fruit target recognition and automated harvesting applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Precision Agriculture in Orchard)

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4 pages, 152 KB

Open AccessEditorial

Effects of Surface Layer Modification on Fatigue, Corrosion, and Wear Behaviour in Metallic Materials

by Jordan Maximov and Galya Duncheva

Coatings 2026, 16(1), 94; https://doi.org/10.3390/coatings16010094 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

The surface layers (SLs) of metal structural and machine components are the most stressed [...] Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Surface Layer Modification on Fatigue, Corrosion and Wear Behavior of Metallic Materials)

15 pages, 1293 KB

Open AccessArticle

Loaded Single-Leg Roman Chair Hold Preferentially Increases Biceps Femoris Activation, Whereas the Nordic Hamstring Exercise Emphasises Semitendinosus Activation in Professional Athletes

by Gokhan Yagiz, Fuat Yuksel, Cristina Monleón, Hans-Peter Kubis, Gokhan Mehmet Karatay, Serdar Eler, Esedullah Akaras, Nevin Atalay Guzel and Encarnación Liébana

Medicina 2026, 62(1), 146; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina62010146 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

Background and Objectives: Hamstring strain injuries (HSIs) are frequent and recurrent in athletes who perform high-speed running. The long head of the biceps femoris (BFlh) is often affected by HSIs. While the Nordic hamstring exercise (NHE) is used for prevention, evidence shows it mainly activates the semitendinosus (ST) instead of the biceps femoris (BF). It was argued that hamstrings may contract isometrically during sprinting’s late swing phase; exercises like the single-leg Roman Chair-Hold (RCH) might better mimic sprinting. Limited electromyographic (EMG) data compare NHE and RCH. This study examined EMG activation of BF and ST during both exercises in athletes. Materials and Methods: Thirty-six professional handball players (17 females, 19 males) were randomly assigned to NHE (n = 18; mean age 22.1 ± 3.9 years) or RCH (n = 18; mean age 22.6 ± 4.9 years). A wireless EMG system recorded dominant leg BFlh and ST activity, normalised to maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC%). NHE participants completed one set of ten repetitions; RCH participants performed three sets of ten repetitions with progressive loads (bodyweight, +10 kg, +20 kg). Results: RCH led to a significantly higher mean BFlh activation in the third set with +20 kg weight compared to NHE (72.9% versus 46.5%; p < 0.001, g = 1.52). BFlh activation steadily increased across RCH sets, coinciding with additional load increments (p < 0.001). Conversely, NHE produced greater ST activation than the RCH at the first set, where RCH was performed with only bodyweight (p < 0.001). Conclusions: NHE primarily activates the ST, while RCH gradually increases BFlh activation, particularly under load. Future research should investigate which exercises are more effective at reducing HSIs to draw more robust conclusions based on the study’s findings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovations in Sports Injury Prevention and Rehabilitation)

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12 pages, 1259 KB

Open AccessArticle

Salinity Tolerance of Rice Genotypes: Response to Physiological Parameters and Seed Germination

by Felipe de Campos Carmona, Abdelbagi M. Ismail, James Egdane, Gustavo Soares Lima, Ibanor Anghinoni, Sidnei Deuner and Filipe Selau Carlos

Seeds 2026, 5(1), 5; https://doi.org/10.3390/seeds5010005 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

Soil salinity is a major abiotic stress that limits rice production, with severity varying among genotypes. It disrupts key physiological processes, particularly water uptake and membrane integrity. This study evaluated six rice genotypes to (i) determine the critical salinity threshold for seed germination and (ii) investigate the physiological mechanisms underlying genotypic variation. Seeds were exposed to saline solutions of up to 32 dS m⁻¹ under controlled conditions, and germination was recorded at 2, 5, 10, and 14 days after stress imposition. Additional assays at 0, 12, 18, and 24 dS m⁻¹ for 1, 3, and 5 days assessed water uptake, electrolyte leakage, and malondialdehyde (MDA) accumulation. The critical threshold for germination was consistent across genotypes (26.01–28.53 dS m⁻¹), except for Nona Bokra, which was more sensitive (20.5 dS m⁻¹). Salinity reduced seed water uptake and promoted membrane degradation, as evidenced by increased electrolyte leakage and MDA accumulation, with severity proportional to stress duration. Full article

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9 pages, 784 KB

Open AccessArticle

Patient-Derived Microtumors: How Can We Continue to Personalize Treatment for Ovarian Cancer Patients?

by Emily O'Brien, Dhruva Dave, Abbie Kleckley, Fibiana Oladipo, Christopher M. Mayer, Rebecca Henderson, Blanca Vasquez, Elizabeth Lucas, Jeffrey A. Thomas, Rony Thomas, Raj Singh, Jingsong Chen, Michael D. Toboni, Charles A. Leath and Rebecca C. Arend

Targets 2026, 4(1), 2; https://doi.org/10.3390/targets4010002 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

Background/Objectives: This pilot study investigates the feasibility of using patient-derived microtumors (PDMs) to assess chemotherapy response in epithelial ovarian cancer. Methods: Fresh tissue from 10 patients was used to develop PDMs, which were then tested against carboplatin/paclitaxel, carboplatin/docetaxel, and carboplatin/pegylated liposomal doxorubicin (PLD). Of the 10 PDMs, 3 were obtained from primary debulking surgery (PDS), and 7 were obtained at the time of interval debulking surgery following neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Results: When looking at PDMs derived from tissue collected at the time of PDS, we found that 100% of PDMs demonstrated a full response to carboplatin/PLD, while 30% showed a full response to all regimens, all of which were derived from high-grade serous carcinoma during PDS. The remaining PDMs showed moderate responses to carbo/taxol and carbo/doce. Conclusions: This study suggests that PDMs can be used to assess the efficacy of chemotherapy regimens, as a hypothesis-generating step toward future predictive validation. Full article

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26 pages, 4165 KB

Open AccessArticle

Spectroscopic Methods in Evaluation of Antioxidant Potential, Enzyme Inhibition, Cytotoxicity, and Antimicrobial Activity of the Synthesized N³-Substituted Amidrazones

by Renata Paprocka, Leszek Pazderski, Jolanta Kutkowska, Iqra Naeem, Amna Shahid Awan, Zahid Mushtaq and Aleksandra Szydłowska-Czerniak

Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2026, 27(2), 746; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijms27020746 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

Seven amidrazones containing a characteristic NH₂–N=C(Ar¹)–NHAr² moiety, where Ar¹, Ar² are phenyl, 4-methylphenyl, 4-nitrophenyl, 2-pyridyl, and 4-pyridyl substituents, denoted as 2a–2g, were synthesized by the reactions between thioamides and hydrazine. Their molecular structures were confirmed by ¹H, ¹³C, ¹H-¹³C HMQC, ¹H-¹³C HMBC, and ¹H-¹⁵N HMBC NMR spectroscopy, with complete assignment of the detected signals, as well as by high-resolution mass spectra. The biological activity of all compounds was studied, exhibiting antioxidant properties determined by 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) methods, inhibitory potential against digestive tract enzymes (α-amylase, lipase, pepsin), cytotoxicity (hemolysis), and antimicrobial activities (against Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria, and a fungus). The antioxidant activity of the studied amidrazones varied from 83.34% to 93.27% and 1.01–5.79 mM FeSO₄ for the DPPH and FRAP methods, respectively. Moreover, these derivatives revealed inhibition potential against α-amylase (28.6–86.8%), lipase (28.0–60.0%), and pepsin (34.1–76.6%), which increased when increasing their concentrations from 0.2 to 1 mg/mL. Among them, compound 2d (possessing 2-pyridyl and 4-nitrophenyl substituents) stood out in particular, as a potent antioxidant (DPPH = 90.43%, FRAP = 4.73 Mm FeSO₄) with the highest activity against Gram-positive bacteria: S. aureus (MIC = 64 μg/mL), G. rubripertincta (MIC = 64 μg/mL), and fungus: C. albicans (MIC = 32 μg/mL); high α-amylase (86.8%) inhibition at the highest concentration (1 mg/mL); and lipase (38.0%) and pepsin (43.8%) inhibition at the lowest concentration (0.2 mg/mL). The obtained results were analyzed by unsupervised multivariate techniques to confirm significant differences in the biological activity of amidrazones depending on the Ar¹ and Ar² substituents. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Spectroscopic Techniques in Molecular Sciences)

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23 pages, 3143 KB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Deposition Temperature on the Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Cr/Ni Co-Doped Diamond-like Carbon Films

by Hassan Zhairabany, Hesam Khaksar, Edgars Vanags, Anatolijs Šarakovskis, Enrico Gnecco and Liutauras Marcinauskas

Crystals 2026, 16(1), 52; https://doi.org/10.3390/cryst16010052 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the influence of sputtering temperature on the bonding structure and properties of non-hydrogenated chromium/nickel co-doped diamond-like carbon (DLC) films synthesized via direct current magnetron sputtering. The Cr/Ni doping levels in the coatings were regulated by varying the shield opening above a chromium-nickel (20/80 at.%) target, resulting in a total metal co-doping concentration ranging from 6.1 to 8.9 at.%. The thickness of the Cr/Ni-DLC films ranged from 160 to 180 nm. Meanwhile, the deposition temperatures of 185 °C and 235 °C were achieved by adjusting the substrate-to-target distance. The XPS and Raman spectroscopy results indicated enhanced graphitization of the Cr/Ni-DLC films with a decrease in the synthesis temperature. XPS results indicated the formation of carbon-oxide and metal-oxide bonds, with no evidence of metal carbide formation in the doped DLC films. Furthermore, both the nanohardness and Young’s modulus demonstrated significant improvement, while the friction coefficient was reduced more than twice as the deposition temperature increased. These findings provide valuable insights into the influence of deposition temperature on Cr/Ni co-doped DLC films, highlighting their potential as advanced functional coatings. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Functional Thin Films: Growth, Characterization, and Applications)

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13 pages, 458 KB

Open AccessArticle

Admiration to Action: How Charisma Orientations Towards Waterbirds Influence Their Conservation

by Abigail Meeks, Christopher Serenari, Elena Rubino, David Newstead, Trey Barron and S. Anthony Deringer

Conservation 2026, 6(1), 10; https://doi.org/10.3390/conservation6010010 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

Insufficient investment in wildlife that lacks strong aesthetic or emotional appeal to humans poses a significant obstacle to achieving broader conservation goals. Species that are not considered charismatic are nonetheless vital to ecosystems and deserve attention from conservationists, researchers, and the public. However, effective strategies for bridging the gap between these species and traditionally charismatic ones remain underexplored. Our exploratory study introduced the concept of charisma orientations to examine their influence on pro-bird behaviors, such as following guidelines, reporting disturbances, and participating in community advocacy. We identified six relational and socially negotiated orientations—ecological importance, intrinsic right to exist, protection support, affective meaning, and perceived decline—that together represent key perspectives through which waterbirds are understood. A survey of 615 Texas coastal recreationists revealed that relying solely on positive charisma diminishes the appeal of waterbirds for participants. The species likeability frame was relevant only in the context of reporting disturbances, while a moral policy stance (the belief that waterbirds need protection) was significant in predicting advocacy. Younger males and individuals who felt current regulations were adequate were less likely to engage in waterbird conservation behaviors. Our findings suggest that examining the intersection of contested charismatic species and various charisma orientations can uncover subtle nuances often overlooked due to an overemphasis on positive charisma and emotional resonance, which may only partially apply or not apply at all. Full article

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16 pages, 1579 KB

Open AccessData Descriptor

Dataset on Citizens’ Perceptions of Urban Resilience: Survey Results from Veracruz—Boca Del Río Metropolitan Area, Mexico

by María de los Ángeles Martínez-Cosío, José Eriban Barradas-Hernández, Sergio Márquez-Domínguez, Alejandro Vargas-Colorado, Pedro Javier García-Ramírez, Gerardo Mario Ortigoza-Capetillo, José Piña-Flores, Franco Antonio Carpio-Santamaría, Abigail Zamora-Hernández, Erick Alejandro Ramírez-Martínez and Dariniel de Jesús Barrera-Jiménez

Data 2026, 11(1), 13; https://doi.org/10.3390/data11010013 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

This paper presents a dataset developed to characterize the citizens’ perceptions of urban resilience applied to the Veracruz—Boca del Río Metropolitan Area (VBMA) in Mexico. The data were obtained by conducting online surveys, which were administered to a total of 147 subjects, including 89 from the municipality of Veracruz, 35 from Boca del Río, 15 from Medellín de Bravo, and 8 from Alvarado, with ages ranging from 16 years to over 61 years. The survey was designed to estimate the population’s perception of the Urban Resilience Index (URI) and the Urban Resilience Profile (URP). It was developed derived from a methodology based on IMPLAN and enriched with questionnaires from Villada and SEDATU, resulting in a final questionnaire comprising 10 axes, 33 indicators, and 156 variables. A novel contribution was implemented as a significant study case, which uses the dataset to estimate the URI and URP to the VBMA applying the Entropy Method, considering three criteria: age, gender, and municipality. Here, citizens’ perceptions about urban resilience have been estimated in an URI equal to 0.4571, resulting in a moderate level of resilience. Moreover, this perception could be improved by conducting a full-scale survey with substantial financial investment. Full article

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19 pages, 1900 KB

Open AccessArticle

Experimental Evaluation of the Bioenergy Potential of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (Orejero) Fruit Peel Residue

by Zully-Esmeralda Gómez-Rosales, Paola-Andrea Hernández-Mejía, Andrés-Gonzalo Forero-González, Johanna-Karina Solano-Meza, Javier Rodrigo-Ilarri and María-Elena Rodrigo-Clavero

Energies 2026, 19(2), 360; https://doi.org/10.3390/en19020360 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

This study presents an experimental evaluation of the bioenergy potential of Enterolobium cyclocarpum (“orejero”) fruit peel residue, an underutilized agroforestry by-product in tropical America. Although the species is widely used for shade and fodder in livestock systems, its fruit peel has not yet been characterized for energy recovery purposes. Fruit samples were collected in rural areas of Tesalia (Huila, Colombia), and the peel fraction was analyzed in certified laboratories. The moisture content of the peel was determined as 11 wt%, and the lower heating value was measured as 0.015 TJ/t following ASTM E711-06. Elemental analysis according to ASTM D5373-16 yielded (dry basis): 37.2 wt% C, 4.09 wt% H, 0.45 wt% N and 0.13 wt% S. Based on Colombian cultivation and production data, the theoretical energy potential was estimated as 3.6 TJ/year per hectare. The technical energy potential reached 0.18 and 0.21 TJ/year per hectare for combustion and gasification, respectively. CO₂-equivalent emissions were also estimated for both conversion routes, revealing a trade-off between the higher energy yield and higher specific emissions associated with gasification. Overall, the results show that E. cyclocarpum fruit peel residue has a calorific value comparable to widely used agri-food residues in Colombia (e.g., sugarcane bagasse and oil palm fiber), but with a substantially higher per-hectare energy potential due to its large residue fraction. Its high availability, favorable fuel properties, and compatibility with decentralized combustion and gasification technologies support its use as a promising feedstock for bioenergy generation in rural or off-grid areas, in line with circular economy and sustainable energy transition strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass and Waste-to-Energy for Sustainable Energy Production)

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24 pages, 5731 KB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Different Infill Types on the Cyclic Behavior of Steel Plate Shear Walls

by Mohammed M. Elgiar, Alaa A. Elsisi, Hassan M. Maaly and Osman Shallan

Appl. Sci. 2026, 16(2), 759; https://doi.org/10.3390/app16020759 (registering DOI) - 12 Jan 2026

Abstract

The steel plate shear wall (SPSW) is a prevalent lateral load-resisting system in high-rise steel buildings. Comprising a boundary frame and an infill plate, its performance is the focus of this study. This work aims to investigate the effects of different infill plate types of identical weight and boundary frame characteristics on the seismic behavior of SPSWs. A numerical method is proposed to enable a comprehensive comparison of the seismic behavior of different SPSW types of equal weight. The model is validated using previously published numerical and experimental works. The study examines unstiffened (USPSW), stiffened (SSPSW), and corrugated steel plate shear walls (CSPSW). The effects of boundary frame stiffness were studied, with key performance metrics, such as load-carrying capacity, stiffness, and energy dissipation capacity, analyzed in detail. It is found that SSPSWs exhibit superior seismic behavior compared to USPSWs and CSPSWs. The load-carrying capacity of SSPSWs is approximately 14% and 24% higher than that of USPSWs and CSPSWs, respectively. USPSWs demonstrate greater sensitivity to boundary frame stiffness than CSPSWs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Finite Element Method and Its Applications, Second Edition)

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