Search Results (33,222)

Face super-resolution (FSR) aims to reconstruct high-quality high-resolution face images from low-resolution inputs. Although CNN–Transformer hybrid models have shown promising performance by jointly modeling local textures and global dependencies, their large parameter sizes and high computational costs hinder practical deployment in resource-constrained scenarios such as mobile devices and embedded systems. Meanwhile, existing lightweight SR models usually reduce complexity by simplifying network depth, channel dimensions, or convolutional operations, which may weaken feature representation capability and lead to insufficient recovery of fine facial structures. To address these issues, this paper proposes HCTIUNet, a lightweight CNN–Transformer hybrid network based on an inverted U-shaped architecture. Specifically, the proposed network integrates lightweight CNN branches for local facial texture extraction and Transformer branches for global dependency modeling, while introducing a multi-scale feature interaction strategy and a global feature refinement module to enhance facial structural details. Experimental results on the FFHQ, CelebA, and Helen datasets demonstrate that HCTIUNet achieves competitive performance under the ×8 face super-resolution setting, obtaining PSNR/SSIM/LPIPS values of 27.55 dB/0.765/0.225, 27.63 dB/0.761/0.212, and 27.53 dB/0.777/0.213, respectively. Moreover, HCTIUNet contains 10.5 M parameters, requires 9.9 G FLOPs, and achieves an inference time of 0.021 s. These results indicate that the proposed method achieves a favorable trade-off between reconstruction accuracy, perceptual quality, and computational efficiency, making it suitable for efficient face super-resolution applications. Full article

Aqueous zinc–manganese dioxide (Zn–MnO₂) batteries are undergoing a paradigm shift from traditional ion-insertion mechanisms to a reversible deposition/dissolution process. By leveraging a two-electron transfer (Mn²⁺/MnO₂), this electrolytic system achieves a high theoretical capacity of 616 mAh g⁻¹ and a theoretical operating voltage of 1.99 V. However, the accumulation of dead Mn, electrically isolated inactive phases, and dynamic interfacial pH fluctuations remain critical barriers to cycle life and practical energy density. This review systematizes a trinitarian strategy to overcome these bottlenecks, focusing on interfacial engineering, redox mediator-assisted recovery, and advanced electrode architectures. We evaluate how anion engineering and pH-buffering stabilize reaction pathways, and how diverse mediators (e.g., halogens, metal ions, and organic molecules) chemically rescue inactive manganese. Furthermore, we examine the integration of 3D carbon networks and low-cost hybrid electrodes to sustain high-areal-capacity deposition. To elucidate these complex mechanisms, we highlight multiscale analytical approaches combining synchrotron X-ray techniques and density functional theory (DFT). Finally, we outline a roadmap for applications ranging from grid-scale flow batteries to flexible wearable electronics. This work provides a comprehensive perspective on realizing sustainable, safe, and high-performance zinc-based energy storage. Full article

Intangible cultural heritage (ICH) embodies national memory. China has established a four-level ICH protection system covering national, provincial/autonomous regional, municipal, and county levels. The Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region possesses abundant ICH resources formed by intensive cultural integration. However, existing studies have mostly focused on the national and provincial levels and paid insufficient attention to county-level ICH, which restricts detailed analysis of its spatial characteristics. Based on 1546 four-level ICH items, this study employs GIS spatial analysis and the geodetector method to investigate the spatial distribution characteristics and driving factors of ICH. The results indicate that ICH quantity is the highest in Yinchuan (372) and the lowest in Shizuishan (163). Traditional skills (763) are predominant, while Quyi (15) is the rarest. The imbalance index ($s$ = 0.1553) and the geographic concentration index ($G$ = 46.1) demonstrate that ICH is unevenly distributed and clustered at the municipal scale, showing a pattern of high density in the north and low density in the south. The Hui population ($q$ = 0.5639), cultural industry employees ($q$ = 0.4835), and annual precipitation ($q$ = 0.3809) are the main driving factors, with significant multi-factor interactions. This research provides a theoretical reference and practical paradigm for balanced ICH protection and living heritage in Ningxia. Full article

Background/Objectives: Prostate biopsy is essential for diagnosing prostate cancer. Social determinants of health (SDOH), including socioeconomic status, race, occupation, education, and environment, affect access, outcomes, and quality of life. Recognizing disparities from technology access to complications is crucial for equitable care. A systematic review examined how SDOH impacts biopsy access, technology, and complications. Methods: A systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus was performed to identify eligible studies published through February 2026. We included studies that evaluated the association between one or more SDOHs and prostate biopsy. Relevant outcomes included biopsy utilization, use of specific biopsy technologies (e.g., magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-guided, transperineal), and post-procedural complications. Results: Nine observational studies met the inclusion criteria. The findings revealed disparities across three key domains. First, access to advanced biopsy technology was uneven. Four studies showed that Black men were significantly less likely than White men to receive MRI-guided biopsies. Additionally, post-biopsy outcomes showed that Black and Hispanic men faced significantly higher rates of post-biopsy infection and hospitalization compared to White men. Lastly, patients in rural areas, those in public hospitals, and individuals with lower socioeconomic status demonstrated reduced access to modern techniques, including MRI-guided or transperineal biopsy. Conclusions: Social and economic factors influence who receives a prostate biopsy and who has access to advanced technologies. Minority and low-income patients face diagnosis barriers and higher complication rates, highlighting systemic inequities. The healthcare system often rewards access over need, and without bold policy changes, gaps in technology and resources will worsen, moving us further from truly equitable prostate cancer care. Full article

Accurate and robust detection of leaf diseases is a key enabler for precision agriculture and large-scale crop health monitoring. Despite the strong generalization of modern one-stage detectors (e.g., YOLOv8), two domain-specific challenges remain: (i) weak or blurry lesion boundaries hinder precise localization, and (ii) low color contrast between diseased and healthy tissues forces models to rely on subtle texture patterns rather than salient shapes. To tackle these challenges, we reframe the core agricultural disease detection task as the identification of “asymmetric morphological anomalies” and propose a domain-tailored enhancement framework. First, we introduce an Edge Enhancement Module (EEM) that explicitly strengthens boundary-aware representations. Inspired by the natural symmetry of healthy leaves, our EEM is specifically designed to capture symmetry-breaking boundary discontinuities and localized asymmetric edges caused by disease lesions. Our method enhances edge and texture cues that are indicative of disease lesions, which often exhibit local asymmetries and boundary discontinuities. The EEM includes a Differential Normalized Pooling Block (DNPB) that highlights edge responses through discrepancies between max pooling and average pooling, which also models cross-group edge correlations. Second, the Lightweight Texture-Sensitive Feature Enhancement (LTSFE) mechanism amplifies texture-discriminative channels under low-contrast conditions by leveraging complementary global statistics and efficient channel mixing, all with negligible computational overhead. We evaluated our method on a self-constructed dataset of 106,434 images with 225,640 annotations covering diverse crops. Experiments show that the proposed method achieves state-of-the-art accuracy (81.54% mAP@0.5:0.95) while maintaining real-time inference (142 FPS), consistently outperforming strong baselines. Ablations confirm the effectiveness and complementarity of EEM and LTSFE, demonstrating that domain-specific architectural design, inspired by biological symmetry, can substantially improve agricultural vision systems. Full article

Small ruminant production in Kosovo is predominantly extensive, and biosecurity practices remain poorly characterized. The emergence of Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in Europe (beginning in 2024) and the first confirmed case in Kosovo (July 2025) highlight the urgent need for baseline biosecurity data to inform disease control. A cross-sectional pilot study was conducted on 63 small ruminant farms (53 meat-producing, 10 dairy-producing) across seven municipalities in Kosovo between September 2025 and February 2026. Biosecurity practices were assessed using the Biocheck.UGent™ questionnaire during direct on-farm visits. External (Ext) biosecurity scores (preventing pathogen introduction) were higher (p < 0.0001) than internal (Int) scores (limiting spread within farms). For external biosecurity, the highest scores were observed for purchase and reproduction (Ext A), intermediate scores existed for feed and water (Ext C) and visitors and farm workers (Ext D), and the lowest scores were found for transport and carcass removal (Ext B) and infrastructure (Ext E). For internal biosecurity, the highest scores were observed for lamb/kid management (Int H) and dairy management (Int I), followed by the management of adult animals (Int J); work organization (Int K) and reproduction management (Int G) formed an intermediate-low cluster, whereas disease management (Int F) scored the lowest. Benchmarking against the Biocheck.UGent™ worldwide database (predominantly intensive systems, thus not directly comparable) indicated that internal biosecurity and overall biosecurity levels were lower than the benchmark, while external biosecurity was comparable for some components. Given the convenience sample (36.4% response rate), findings are exploratory and are not directly generalizable. Larger herd size was positively correlated with external (ρ = 0.54, p < 0.0001), internal (ρ = 0.35, p = 0.005), and overall (ρ = 0.57, p < 0.0001) biosecurity scores. This first empirical biosecurity assessment of small ruminant farms in Kosovo reveals critical gaps in transport hygiene, disease management, and reproductive management pathways that enable PPR spread and perpetuate endemic zoonoses. The positive association between herd size and biosecurity may indicate structural barriers and/or knowledge gaps for small farms. Current biosecurity tools, designed for intensive systems, require adaptation for extensive production systems. These findings provide a baseline for targeted interventions, policy development, and validation of context-appropriate biosecurity instruments in Kosovo and similar extensive systems globally. Full article

Prior to this study, knowledge on the evolutionary lineage of Garra remained inadequate, as previous phylogenetic investigations were primarily based on partial gene sequences. Although several mitogenomes of Garra species have been reported, their structural organization and comprehensive genomic characteristics have not been thoroughly evaluated. In this study, Garra manipurensis, endemic to the Indo-Burma biodiversity hotspot, was identified based on its detailed morphology and meristic counts. The circular mitogenome of G. manipurensis is 16,776 bp in length and contains the canonical set of 37 genes, along with duplicated control regions separated by tRNA-Proline. The comparative assessments across Garra species indicate predominantly conserved GTG start codons, occasional alternative ATA initiation codons, and incomplete stop codons. The selection pressure examinations within Garrini taxa reveal a purifying selection across all protein-coding genes. The control region comprises four conserved sequence blocks and species-specific tandem repeats, reflecting a balance between functional constraint and lineage-dependent evolutionary dynamics. The phylogenetic inference supports the monophyly of Garra and places G. manipurensis in close affinity with Garra flavatra, which is native to the western slope of Rakhine Yoma in Myanmar and Mizoram State in northeastern India. The genetic diversity analyses revealed haplotype differentiation, with shallow intraspecific genetic distances (0.000–0.011) observed samples between two distinct drainage systems in Manipur and Mizoram, northeastern India. The observed pattern of haplotype divergence in G. manipurensis may reflect the historical or seasonal hydrological connectivity among the western-slope drainages of the Chin Hills, with the subsequent geographic isolation potentially contributing to the emergence of distinct genetic lineages. Nevertheless, the extent and evolutionary significance of this differentiation remain uncertain and warrant further investigation through expanded geographic sampling and the incorporation of additional molecular data. Collectively, these findings provide in-depth insights into the mitogenomic architecture, comparative gene arrangements, phylogenetic patterns, and matrilineal evolutionary history of G. manipurensis and other congeners, thereby improving our understanding of the systematics and genetic diversity of this important cyprinid fish lineage. Full article

Efficient monitoring of pork freshness is essential to minimize spoilage-related losses in the meat industry. To address the limitations of existing detection technologies, namely high cost, poor timeliness and high environmental sensitivity, this study developed a novel electronic nose system integrating a hybrid sensor array with dynamic gas path control. By combining metal oxide semiconductor (MOS) and electrochemical sensors (e.g., MQ137, MQ136), the system exhibits high sensitivity to the key volatile organic compounds (VOCs) released during pork spoilage, achieving a detection accuracy of over 90% in identifying spoilage stages. Combined with a dual-mode gas circuit design (solenoid valve switching time: 0.85 s), the reliability of the system was further demonstrated. This technology offers an economical and efficient real-time monitoring solution for slaughterhouses and cold chain logistics, providing a new low-cost scientific approach for pork freshness assessment. Full article

The digital transformation of tourist facilities requires careful selection of technologies that can provide secure, stable and scalable network infrastructure. Due to the possibility of application in different sectors with different specificities, the focus of the research was placed on the implementation of smart tourist services. A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making model based on PIPRECIA and MVA models was applied for the research. Based on the literature and the opinions of experts in the field, evaluation criteria such as bandwidth, latency, energy efficiency, security and privacy, scalability, costs and interoperability were defined, and internet technologies such as Li-Fi, Wi-Fi 7, Wi-Fi 6, private 5G networks, Ethernet-over-Power (EoP), NB-IoT and LoRaWAN were defined. The results obtained put the security and privacy criterion at the top (0.2253), followed by scalability (0.1952) and bandwidth (0.1624). The obtained results indicate that Wi-Fi 7 achieved the highest weighted score (4.2247), followed closely by Li-Fi (4.2177) and Wi-Fi 6 (4.0771). Wi-Fi 7 demonstrated particularly strong performance in scalability, interoperability and bandwidth, making it highly suitable for environments with high user density. Li-Fi achieved very high scores in security and latency, which makes it particularly appropriate for security-sensitive smart tourism environments. Lower-ranked technologies such as NB-IoT and LoRaWAN proved valuable for supporting IoT and monitoring functions, rather than as primary communication infrastructure. The proposed model has proven to be a flexible, transparent and practical tool for strategic decision-making in the field of smart tourism. In addition to the basic application presented in the paper, the model has the potential to be adapted to different contexts and expanded with additional criteria or new technologies. The proposed hybrid approach can serve as a useful decision-making tool for tourism managers, system engineers and urban planners who are looking for optimal solutions for the development of digital infrastructure. Full article

While chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T-cell therapies have shown significant effectiveness in hematological malignancies, their efficacy in solid tumors remains limited by the hostile tumor microenvironment (TME) and antigen heterogeneity. Recently, CAR-Macrophage (CAR-M) therapy has emerged as a paradigm-shifting approach, leveraging the innate capability of macrophages to deeply infiltrate tumors and their plasticity to reverse immunosuppression. Unlike T cells, CAR-Ms not only mediate direct phagocytosis but also initiate epitope spreading, effectively bridging innate and adaptive immunity. This review critically examines the trajectory of CAR-M therapy from biological rationale to clinical reality. We dissect the engineering evolution of CAR constructs, arguing for macrophage-specific signaling domains (e.g., FcRγ, Megf10) over traditional T-cell designs. Crucially, we address the major bottlenecks in clinical translation, including the manufacturing challenges of non-expanding primary macrophages and the emerging shift toward induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived platforms. Furthermore, we evaluate current clinical trial landscapes and discuss next-generation strategies such as in vivo programming via lipid nanoparticles (LNPs) and synthetic logic-gating to enhance safety. Ultimately, overcoming manufacturing constraints and optimizing delivery systems will be pivotal for CAR-M to evolve from a niche therapy into a standard-of-care modality for solid tumors. Full article

The aim of the present study was to investigate the bioactive composition of pomegranate peel and to produce a phenolic-rich extract for encapsulation using vibrating nozzle technology. Conventional heat- and advanced microwave-assisted extraction of phenolic compounds were investigated, and the extract with the highest phenolic content was used to perform encapsulation with alginate-based delivery solutions containing fava bean proteins, mucin, carboxymethyl cellulose, nutriose, and collagen hydrolysates. The formulated beads were characterized for their physico-chemical (morphology, size distribution parameters, and FT-IR spectra) and bioactive (encapsulation efficiency and simulated gastrointestinal digestion) properties. The highest yields of punicalin, punicalagin, and ellagic acid (9.40, 44.51, and 3.95 mg g⁻¹ DM, respectively) were achieved by heat-assisted extraction at 80 °C. The addition of fava bean proteins and carboxymethyl cellulose to the alginate-based delivery solutions resulted in the highest encapsulation efficiency of total phenols (83.99 and 83.78%, respectively). However, the beads formulated with fava bean proteins were irregularly shaped, while those with carboxymethyl cellulose were predominantly spherical. All beads showed limited phenolic release under simulated gastric conditions, followed by enhanced release in the intestinal phase. Overall, the obtained results indicate that encapsulation efficiency was governed by the combined effects of rheological parameters, bead morphology, and molecular interactions, highlighting the importance of a multi-parameter design approach in the development of effective delivery systems. Full article

Cobalt occupies an irreplaceable strategic position in renewable energy and high-end advanced industries. As high-grade mineral resources gradually deplete, associated sulfide minerals have attracted increasing attention as alternative sources of cobalt. This study investigated a selective extraction of cobalt from low-grade cobalt-bearing pyrite using oxygen-pressure acid leaching. The Gibbs free energy (ΔG) of key chemical reactions in the leaching system was calculated to verify the thermodynamic feasibility of the process. The effects of critical parameters, including oxygen pressure, initial acidity, stirring speed, leaching time, and temperature, on cobalt leaching efficiency and phase transformation characteristics were systematically investigated. Under optimal conditions of oxygen pressure 1.5 MPa, H₂SO₄ initial acidity 7.36 g·L⁻¹ (0.82 mol/L), stirring speed 300 rpm, leaching duration 120 min, and temperature 230 °C, the cobalt leaching rate reached 98.2%, whereas the leaching rates of iron and aluminum were only 19.79% and 28.11%, respectively. Combined with SEM-EDS, XRD, and XPS characterization results, oxygen pressure acid leaching effectively destroyed the lattice structure of cobalt-bearing pyrite and liberates lattice-hosted cobalt, thereby facilitating efficient cobalt leaching. At high-temperature and oxygen pressure conditions, Fe³⁺ underwent hydrolysis and precipitated as hematite (Fe₂O₃) or hydronium jarosite (H₃O)Fe₃(SO₄)₂(OH)₆, enabling the selective extraction of cobalt. Aluminum in cobalt-bearing pyrite primarily occurred as the stable boehmite (AlOOH) phase, exhibiting excellent acid resistance and low dissolution during leaching. This study broadens the utilization pathway of low-grade cobalt resources and provides valuable insights and a scientific theoretical basis for the efficient treatment of cobalt-containing sulfide concentrates and tailings. Full article

The present integrative umbrella review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the evidence and practices related to mental health and career transitions in elite sport toward the implementation of service provision through digital interventions. Following PRIO guidelines, an extensive search across five databases (2015–2025) identified 52 eligible manuscripts (e.g., conceptual, review, and position studies). Data extraction focused on mental health, dual-career pathways, career transition challenges and needs, and identity-related issues among high-performance athletes. The findings revealed a strong consensus that athlete well-being is shaped by the dynamic interaction of mental health symptoms, sport-specific stressors, identity processes, and structural conditions across the athletic lifespan. Mental health vulnerabilities (e.g., anxiety, depression, disordered eating, and distress) were consistently reported, particularly during injury, deselection, and retirement. Dual-career engagement, diversified identities, and proactive career planning emerged as key protective factors, while stigma, limited literacy, and uneven access to psychological services remained persistent barriers. Five main thematic areas (Matrix 1) operationalized in ten higher-order intervention domains (e.g., Matrix 2, screening, monitoring, literacy, and others) and 14 potential online implementation strategies (Matrix 3) were identified. However, the evidence highlights fragmented implementation and a lack of scalable, cross-national tools to support athletes during and beyond their competitive careers. Therefore, a harmonized, evidence-based, multidimensional framework for the development and implementation of digital support resources has been proposed. This integrative review underscores the need for integrated, culturally sensitive, and digitally enabled support systems to promote sustainable transitions and long-term athlete well-being. Full article

The increasing penetration of renewable energy sources and converter-interfaced loads has intensified the need for fast and reliable grid-support services. Although electric vehicle (EV) battery chargers have emerged as promising resources for Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) applications, existing solutions typically focus on individual services such as virtual inertia or frequency regulation, while limited attention has been given to the coordinated provision of multiple ancillary services within a unified framework. Furthermore, the use of batteries alone for fast frequency support may accelerate battery degradation due to frequent high-power transients. To address these challenges, this paper proposes a hybrid energy storage-based EV battery charger architecture and a coordinated multi-timescale control strategy capable of simultaneously providing virtual inertia support, long-term frequency regulation, reactive power compensation, and harmonic mitigation. The proposed approach utilizes a DC-link capacitor to deliver fast inertial response while the battery supplies sustained frequency support, thereby reducing battery stress and improving energy management efficiency. An enhanced frequency estimation method based on a phase-locked loop combined with a low-pass filter is also introduced to improve dynamic performance. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy under various grid disturbances. The system achieves an equivalent virtual inertia constant of approximately 1.85 s and delivers up to 786 W of transient inertial support within 80 ms during frequency events. The enhanced frequency estimation method significantly reduces transient overshoot, while harmonic compensation limits the grid current and voltage total harmonic distortion to 1.50% and 3.23%, respectively. In addition, the controller provides up to 400 VAR of reactive power support during voltage disturbances while maintaining stable battery operation. These results demonstrate that the proposed EV battery charger can function as a multifunctional grid-support resource, enhancing frequency stability, voltage regulation, power quality, and overall V2G capability in future smart grids. Full article

Background: The optimal route of tranexamic acid (TXA) administration remains one of the most debated topics in total knee arthroplasty. This study aimed to compare the effects of intravenous (IV), intra-articular (IA), and combined TXA protocols on total blood loss (TBL) and hidden blood loss (HBL), while identifying independent predictors of perioperative bleeding. Methods: In a prospective cohort study of 245 patients undergoing primary TKA, participants were assigned into four groups: IV TXA (15 mg/kg), IA TXA (1 g), combined (IV + IA), and a control group. TBL and HBL were calculated using the Gross formula. A multivariate linear regression model was used to assess independent associations of each protocol. Results: The IV group demonstrated significantly lower TBL (mean 898 mL) and HBL (mean 568 mL) compared with both the control (1329 mL and 894 mL; p = 0.002) and IA groups (1129 mL and 748 mL; p = 0.008). While IA TXA reduced 24 h drain output (p < 0.001), it did not significantly reduce TBL (p = 0.539) or HBL (p = 0.875). No significant differences were found between the IV-only and combined groups (p > 0.05). Multivariate regression identified the IV route as an independent predictor of reduced TBL (B = −383.7, p = 0.001). Conclusion: A single intravenous dose of TXA was associated with lower total and hidden blood loss compared with intra-articular administration. The lack of additional benefit in the combined group suggests a possible plateau effect of systemic administration, which is hypothesis-generating and limited by the study design for blood conservation in TKA. Level of Evidence: Level II, Prospective Cohort Study. Full article