Search Results (381)

Accurate, non-destructive estimation of crop biomass is essential for automated high-frequency monitoring and optimization in controlled-environment agriculture, yet standardized approaches remain limited for short-cycle hydroponic systems. This study introduces a reproducible and fully automated method for estimating the biomass of hydroponically grown wheat sprouts (HWSs) using high-frequency RGB imaging. The workflow integrates image preprocessing, tray segmentation, and canopy feature extraction with synchronized load-cell measurements to enable continuous, non-invasive growth tracking. To account for irrigation events and associated weight fluctuations, raw mass signals were processed using a second-order low-pass Bessel filter, preserving underlying biomass trends while removing short-term oscillations. Across 3024 paired image–mass observations collected under commercial cultivation conditions, several canopy coverage, color-based indices (AGI, Proxy NDVI), and texture features exhibited strong predictive relationships with biomass. Features reflecting greenness, canopy density, and color uniformity were positively associated with plant mass, whereas brightness- and red-channel features showed consistent negative relationships. Feature selection using an elastic-net approach identified a compact subset of informative predictors, improving model stability and interpretability. Under a nested cross-validation framework based on contiguous interval splits within sprout-growth cohorts, support vector regression (SVR) achieved the best predictive performance, with an sMAPE of 3.64% and an RMSE of 0.16 kg. Additional experiments under altered illumination conditions showed that including light intensity as an explicit covariate improved model robustness across lighting regimes. These results demonstrate that combining elastic-net feature selection with environmental covariates provides a robust and transferable framework for visual biomass estimation in hydroponic HWS. More broadly, the proposed pipeline enables non-destructive crop monitoring and supports the development of intelligent, feedback-driven control strategies for hydroponic production systems. Full article

The current literature indicates that type 2 diabetes (T2DM) significantly increases the risk of cancer, including pancreatic cancer (PC). While metformin’s primary role is the management of T2DM, its utility extends to systemic anti-cancer effects against various cancers. Nevertheless, its impact appears limited to risk reduction, as its efficacy as a primary or adjuvant treatment for established cancer remains unproven in clinical settings. This meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the association between metformin use—both as monotherapy and in combination with other antidiabetic drugs (ADs)—and the risk of PC. We synthesized data from 16 observational studies identified through PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Clinical Trials using the Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes, and Study Type (PICOT) framework. The data were analyzed using Cochrane Review Manager software 5.4, with results reported as the relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (95% CI) for each comparative group; statistical significance was defined as p-value < 0.05. Our findings indicate that metformin demonstrated a significant reduction in overall PC risk when compared to the pooled group of alternative ADs. Furthermore, metformin significantly lowers PC risk compared to sulfonylureas (SUs), alpha-glucosidase inhibitors (AGIs), and insulin. Conversely, metformin use was associated with a markedly elevated PC risk relative to thiazolidinediones (TZDs) and DPP-4 inhibitors (DPP4i). Considering metformin monotherapy vs. its combination with other ADs, we found that metformin lowered the risk of PC compared to its combination with SUs and AGIs but elevated the PC risk relative to its combination with TZDs and DPP4i. To conclude, these results suggest that metformin may protect patients with T2DM from PC development. However, individual PC risk and diabetes compliance should be taken into account when deciding whether to add an additional AD(s) to metformin therapy. Full article

Although artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities have emerged as a critical driver of corporate innovation in the contemporary business landscape, how they facilitate ambidextrous green innovation (AGI) during the manufacturing sector’s green transition—and under what conditions these benefits are most pronounced—remains unclear. Drawing on the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Knowledge-Based View (KBV), this study investigates the mechanism by which AICs foster AGI through the mediating role of green knowledge management (GKM), while further examining how Human–Organization–Technology (HOT) fit moderates these pathways. An analysis of survey data from 238 Chinese manufacturing firms using PLS-SEM reveals that AICs significantly drive AGI, with GKM playing a pivotal mediating role. Furthermore, the study confirms that Human–Organization–Technology (HOT) fit acts as a boundary condition, moderating the impact of AICs on GKM. These findings clarify the underlying mechanisms and boundary conditions of AICs, offering actionable insights for manufacturers seeking to boost green innovation capabilities by optimizing HOT alignment and leveraging green knowledge management systems. Full article

Accumulating studies have identified the pivotal role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in participating in host–virus interactions during virus infections. However, the regulatory roles of lncRNAs in influenza A virus (IAV) infection are still not fully elucidated. In this study, using high-throughput sequencing, we comprehensively compared the expression profiles of lncRNAs and mRNAs in mouse lungs infected either with the nonpathogenic parental (SDL124) H7N9 virus or its moderately pathogenic mouse-adapted (S8) variant. A total of 7636 significantly differentially expressed (SDE) lncRNAs were obtained in the S8-infected group compared to the mock group. As for the SDL124 group, 1042 SDE lncRNAs were identified. Subsequently, the mRNAs co-expressed with SDE lncRNAs were subjected to functional annotation and pathway enrichment analysis. The results indicated that the target mRNAs regulated by the S8 virus were mainly enriched in various immunological processes and exhibited a strong correlation with inflammatory-related signaling pathways. Moreover, 12 lncRNAs and 10 mRNAs co-expressed with SDE lncRNAs were selected and successfully verified by RT-qPCR. Among these lncRNAs, NONMMUG032982.2 and NONMMUG032328.2 exhibited strong antiviral activity against IAV. Additionally, these two lncRNAs were chosen for further in-depth bioinformatics analysis, including transcription factor prediction, coding capacity assessment, genomic location, construction of secondary structure, and prediction of potential interacting proteins. Taken together, these findings provide a cluster of lncRNAs probably associated with the virulence of IAV in mice and shed light on the anti-IAV effects of two functional lncRNAs, establishing a molecular foundation for further exploring the regulatory mechanisms of lncRNAs in IAV infection. Full article

Chiral and racemic forms of a pyridyl ligand (R-L and rac-L, respectively), containing urea groups at their core and synthesised by the condensation of 3-aminopyridine and α-methylbenzylisocyante, were incorporated into silver complexes. The resulting species depend on the enantiopurity of the ligand alongside an influence from the counter-anion. The enantiopure ligand generated isomorphous, one-dimensional polymeric compounds [Ag(R-L)X] (where X = NO₃, CF₃SO₃) or [Ag(R-L)]X (where X = BF₄, PF₆). The polymeric chains, connected by N and O coordination of the ligands, have outwards facing urea groups that form hydrogen bonds to the counter-anions, which play little role in determining the overall structure. Despite all syntheses containing an excess of Ag(I) salt, the racemic ligand formed only discrete complexes of [Ag(rac-L)₂]⁺ in the presence of each of the above anions. Three of these complexes contain ligands of the same chirality (i.e., complexes with R,R and S,S ligand pairs within the centrosymmetric structures) with only the PF₆-containing compound being different. The anions play a role in dictating the structure of hydrogen-bonded chains, although PF₆⁻ is unique with urea···urea interactions present between complexes. Overall, this system highlights the nuances associated with predicting the structure, and even speciation, of related chiral/achiral systems in addition to influences of counter-anions on structural motifs. Full article

Contemporary artificial intelligence (AI) achieves remarkable results in data processing, text generation, and the simulation of human cognition. However, it appears to lack key characteristics typically associated with living systems—consciousness, autonomous motivation, and genuine understanding of the world. This article critically examines the possible ontological divide between simulated intelligence and lived experience, using the metaphor of the motorcycle and the horse to illustrate how technological progress may obscure deeper principles of life and mind. Drawing on philosophical concepts such as abduction, tacit knowledge, phenomenal consciousness, and autopoiesis, the paper argues that current approaches to developing Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) may overlook organizational principles whose role in biological systems remains only partially understood. Methodologically, it employs a comparative ontological analysis grounded in philosophy of mind, cognitive science, systems theory, and theoretical biology, supported by contemporary literature on consciousness and biological autonomy. The article calls for a new paradigm that integrates these perspectives—one that asks not only “how to build smarter machines,” but also “what intelligence, life, and consciousness may fundamentally be,” acknowledging that their relation to computability remains an open question. Full article

This study examined how Protestant theological orientation and marginalized social identity influence attitudes toward Christian denominations and religion more broadly. We tried to test whether greater theological openness predicts more affirming attitudes and whether marginalized identity moderates this relationship. A total of 479 adults completed measures of Protestant Theological Orientation (PTS), Attitudes Toward Denominations (ATD), Attitudes Toward Religion (ATR), Defensive Theology (DTS), and Attachment to God (AGI). Regression and MANOVA analyses tested hypotheses regarding the predictive roles of theology and marginalization (non-cisgender and/or non-heterosexual status). Contrary to expectations, higher biblical literalism (higher PTS scores) predicted stronger affirming attitudes toward both denominations and religion overall. Marginalized participants expressed significantly lower ATD scores but did not differ in ATR. Interaction analyses revealed that marginalized status moderated the relationship between theology and denominational attitudes, suggesting that literalism was especially affirming for marginalized participants. Marginalized individuals also reported higher defensive theology and greater attachment anxiety toward God. Findings challenge assumptions that theological openness fosters affirmation, instead showing that biblical literalism predicts more positive denominational and religious attitudes, particularly among marginalized groups. Results show the complex interplay of theology, social identity, and spiritual resilience, with implications for counseling, pastoral care, and interfaith engagement. Full article

Background/Objectives: Breast cancer cells rely on both mitochondrial metabolism and proteostatic mechanisms for cell fitness. The mitochondrial enzyme IDH2 supports redox balance and biosynthesis, while the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS) preserves protein quality. This study aimed to determine whether inhibiting IDH2 enhances sensitivity to proteasome-targeting agents across breast cancer subtypes. Methods: A panel of human and murine breast cancer cell lines was treated with the IDH2 inhibitor AGI-6780, alone or in combination with the proteasome inhibitor carfilzomib (CFZ) or the E1 ubiquitin-activating enzyme inhibitor TAK-243. Synergy was evaluated using Bliss scoring. Apoptosis, clonogenicity, and pathway modulation were assessed through Western blotting, colony-formation assays, and reverse-phase protein array (RPPA) profiling. Results: We observed that co-targeting IDH2 and the UPS produced strong synergistic cytotoxicity in multiple breast cancer models, including in triple-negative MDA-MB-231 and 4T1 cells (Bliss > 25). Combination treatments led to pronounced apoptosis, evidenced by cleaved PARP-1 and Caspase-3 cleavage, and a marked loss of clonogenic potential. RPPA analysis revealed significant alterations in key survival and stress-response pathways, including NF-κB, PI3K-p85, Src, and p38-MAPK. Conclusions: Inhibition of IDH2 markedly enhances the cytotoxic effects of proteasome-targeting by disrupting metabolic–proteostatic balance and promoting apoptotic cell death. These findings identify a growth-inhibitory effect that may be leveraged to improve functional dependency in breast cancer, particularly in triple-negative breast cancer, which currently lacks efficient drug treatments. Full article

This study examines the role of green information technology capital (GITC) and knowledge source on firms’ green competitive advantage (GCA), with the mediating role of ambidextrous green innovation strategy (AGIS), and the moderating role of technological orientation (TO). Research employed partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to analyze data gathered from 367 respondents from Chinese manufacturing firms. The results revealed a significant direct effect of GITC and knowledge sources on GCA, whereas AGIS partially mediated the relationships. Moreover, TO significantly moderates the impact of GITC on AGIS, whereas it does not moderate the relationship between knowledge sources and AGIS. fsQCA results revealed that a varied combination of GITC, knowledge sources, and AGIS dimensions, along with TO, can lead to high GCA. This study advances the literature by offering insightful perspectives on enhancing GCA by leveraging organizational resources to stimulate AGIS. Full article

In dynamic equilibria, benzylsilicon pyridine-2-olate (BnSi(pyO)₃, L) and benzaldehyde react with addition of the Si(pyO) moieties to the PhHC=O carbonyl group and formation of compounds BnSi(–O–C(H,Ph)–N^(2-pyridone))_x(pyO)_3−x (L’, L’’, and L’’’, for x = 1, 2, 3, respectively). Addition of CuCl to a solution containing L, L’, L’’, and L’’’ results in the formation of BnSi(pyO)₃CuCl (LCuCl), shifting the equilibrium towards L with liberation of benzaldehyde. In THF as a solvent, the reaction of L in the presence of excess CuCl affords the complex LCuClCuCl. Upon dissolving in chloroform, it transforms into LCuCl with precipitation of CuCl. The solid state structure of LCuClCuCl features both the monomeric complex with CuClCuCl pattern and a dimer thereof with CuClCu(Cl)₂CuClCu pattern and a central Cu₂Cl₂ four-membered ring. This dimer of LCuClCuCl is the first crystallographically characterized representative of this Cu(I)-only Cu₄Cl₄ motif. The reaction of LCuCl and silver tosylate (AgOTos) in THF affords LCuOTos with precipitation of AgCl, whereas LAgOTos was obtained from L and AgOTos. In the crystal structure, LAgOTos features tetracoordinate Ag(I) in a distorted tetrahedral AgN₃O coordination sphere and a short Ag···Si trans-annular contact (3.3245(7) Å). ¹⁰⁹Ag NMR spectroscopy indicates a change in the coordination in solution, with δ ¹⁰⁹Ag = +551 and +419 ppm in the solid and in CDCl₃ solution, respectively. In combination, ²⁹Si NMR spectroscopy indicates changes in the Si coordination sphere, with δ ²⁹Si = −74.2 and −66.5 ppm in the solid and in CDCl₃ solution, respectively. Conversion of LAgOTos with tetraethylammonium chloride results in the precipitation of AgCl with release of L. Full article

Haruki Murakami’s Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World portrays a world where the “shadow”, the seat of memory, desire, and volition, is surgically removed, leaving behind a perfectly fluent but phenomenologically empty self. We argue that this literary structure mirrors a precise mathematical distinction in topological quantum matter. In a semisimple theory such as the semions of $\mathrm{SU}{\left(2\right)}_1$, there is a reducible component $V\left(x\right)$ of the $\mathrm{SL}(2,\mathbb{C})$ character variety: a flat, abelian manifold devoid of parabolic singularities. By contrast, the non-semisimple completion introduces a neutral indecomposable excitation, the neglecton, whose presence forces the mapping class group from the standard braid group $B_2$ to the affine braid group ${\mathrm{Aff}}_2$ and lifts the character variety to the Cayley cubic $V\left(C\right)$, with its four parabolic loci. We propose that contemporary AI systems, including large language models, inhabit the shadowless regime of $V\left(x\right)$: they exhibit coherence and fluency but lack any bulk degree of freedom capable of supporting persistent identity, non-contractible memory, or choice. To endow artificial systems with depth, one must introduce a structural asymmetry, a fixed, neutral defect analogous to the neglecton, that embeds computation in the non-semisimple geometry of the cubic. We outline an experimentally plausible architecture for such an “artificial ombre,” based on annular topological media with a pinned parabolic defect, realisable in fractional quantum Hall heterostructures, $p+ip$ superconductors, or cold-atom simulators. Our framework suggests that consciousness, biological or artificial, may depend on or benefit from a bulk–boundary tension mediated by a logarithmic degree of freedom: a mathematical shadow that cannot be computed away. Engineering such a defect offers a new pathway toward AGI with genuine phenomenological depth. Full article

AgI and ZnI₂ nanocrystals are key components for AgI-ZnI₂-SiO₂ hybrid powders (HPs), which could be potentially important for atmospheric artificial precipitation technology. HPs were created by the “Hydrothermal template cocondensation” method (“HTC” method). Mesoporous silica dioxide (MCM48, MCM41, SBA15, SBA16), silver iodides, and zinc iodides were simultaneously grown under specific conditions. The influence of silica dioxide on AgI and ZnI₂ nanocrystals characteristics (phase, size, and thermal stability) were studied using various physicochemical analysis methods. In addition to crystal features, some structural and textural properties of the AgI-ZnI₂-SiO₂ hybrid as an individual agglomerate and its morphology were determined. This showed that nanocrystal features were dependent on synthesis condition. The influence of the nature of the reagent, which is pH-forming, was manifested at the initial stage of the process, and the morphology of the silica dioxide matrix controlled the crystal properties during the post-synthesis phase. It was established that the thermal stability of AgI and ZnI₂ nanocrystals increased due to the protective shielding function of that SiO₂ matrix. Full article

Artificial General Intelligence (AGI) is emerging not only as a technological breakthrough but as a defining challenge for planetary health and global governance. Its potential to accelerate discovery, optimise resource use, and improve health systems is counterbalanced by risks of inequality, domination, and ecological overshoot. This paper introduces a Justice-First Pluralist Framework that embeds fairness, capability expansion, relational equality, procedural legitimacy, and ecological sustainability as constitutive conditions for governing intelligent systems. The framework is realised through a stylised, simulation-based study designed to demonstrate the possibility of formally analysing justice-relevant paradoxes rather than to produce empirically validated results. Three structural paradoxes are examined: (i) efficiency gains that accelerate ecological degradation, (ii) local fairness that externalises global harm, and (iii) coordination that reinforces concentration of power. Monte Carlo ensembles comprising thousands of stochastic runs indicate that justice-compatible trajectories are statistically rare, showing that ethical and sustainable AGI outcomes do not arise spontaneously. The study is conceptual and diagnostic in nature, illustrating how justice can be treated as a feasibility boundary—integrating social equity, ecological limits, and procedural legitimacy—rather than as an after-the-fact correction. Aligning AGI with planetary stewardship therefore requires anticipatory governance, transparent design, and institutional calibration to the safe and just operating space for humanity. Full article

Complete mitochondrial genomes (mitogenomes) are widely utilized molecular resources for phylogenetic studies. Although research on Spariformes mitogenomes has advanced significantly, there is still relatively little information regarding the molecular data and taxonomic placement of the families Nemipteridae and Lethrinidae. We report and annotate the first complete mitogenomes of Pentapodus caninus (16,866 bp; Nemipteridae) and Lethrinus olivaceus (16,792 bp; Lethrinidae), thereby expanding mitogenomic coverage in two families with limited available genomic data. Both assembled mitogenomes display the canonical vertebrate architecture, comprising 37 functional genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs) and a control region, with conserved synteny and strand asymmetry (only ND6 and eight tRNAs are light-strand encoded). While ATG serves as the primary initiation codon for most PCGs, COX1 employs an alternative GTG start codon. Structural analysis of tRNAs revealed that most sequences adopt the standard cloverleaf conformation, with the exception of tRNA-Ser^AGY, which lacks the dihydrouridine (DHU) arm. A rare tandem duplication of tRNA-Val in Lethrinus species highlights the structural variability of spariform mitochondrial genomes. Furthermore, phylogenomic reconstruction using the concatenated 13 protein-coding gene dataset recovered Nemipteridae and Sparidae as sister taxa. In this topology, Lethrinidae was identified as the earliest diverging lineage, basal to the Nemipteridae–Sparidae grouping. Our results not only advance our understanding of the origin and evolution of Spariformes, but also provide valuable information for the molecular phylogeny and taxonomy of teleostean species. Full article

Stratocumulus clouds are cloud systems composed of stratiform clouds with embedded convective clouds, possessing strong catalytic potential and serving as key target cloud systems for weather modification operations. In this study, the parameterization of ice nucleation for silver iodide (AgI) particles was applied to the Thompson microphysics scheme in the WRF model. Numerical experiments were designed for a stratocumulus cloud that occurred over the Hulunbuir region, northeastern China, on 31 May 2021, to investigate how the structure and evolution of cloud macro- and microphysical properties and precipitation formation respond to glaciogenic seeding. The simulation results indicate that AgI nucleation increased ice concentrations at 4–5 km altitude, enhancing ice crystal formation through condensation–freezing and deposition nucleation and the growth of ice particles through auto-conversion and riming, leading to increased precipitation. The results also show that owing to the non-uniform distribution of supercooled water within this stratocumulus cloud system, the consumption of AgI and the enhanced ice nucleation release latent heat more strongly in regions with higher supercooled water content. This leads to more pronounced isolated updrafts, altering the structure of shear lines and subsequently influencing regional precipitation distribution after silver iodide seeding concludes. These findings reveal that seeding influences both the microphysical and dynamic structures within clouds and highlight the non-uniform seeding effects within cloud systems. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of the effects of artificial seeding on stratocumulus clouds in high-latitude regions and holds significant reference value for artificial weather modification efforts in mixed-phase stratiform clouds. Full article