Search Results (837)

Advantages in CMOS MOSFET-based electronics served as a basis for modern ubiquitous computerization. At the same time, theoretical and practical developments in material science, analytical chemistry and molecular biology have presented the possibility of applying Boolean logic and information theory findings on a molecular basis. Molecular computing, both organic and inorganic, has the advantages of high computational density, scalability, energy efficiency and parallel computing. Carbon-based and carbohydrate molecular machines are potentially biocompatible and well-suited for biomedical tasks. Molecular computing-enabled sensors, medication-delivery molecular machines, and diagnostic and therapeutic nanobots are at the cutting edge of medical research. Highly focused diagnostics, precision medicine, and personalized treatment can be achieved with molecular computing tools and machinery. At the same time, traditional electronics and AI advancements create a highly effective computerized environment for analyzing big data, assist in diagnostics with sophisticated pattern recognition and step in as a medical routine aid. The combination of the advantages of MOSFET-based electronics and molecular computing creates an opportunity for next-generation healthcare. Full article

Background: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder with substantial socioeconomic impact, characterized by the gradual loss of dopaminergic neurons, dopamine deficiency, and pathological processes such as neuroinflammation, oxidative stress, and α-synuclein aggregation. Monoamine oxidases (MAOs) are enzymes responsible for the degradation of neuroactive amines, including dopamine, a neurotransmitter essential for motor, cognitive, and behavioral functions. Among these, MAO-B plays a central role in dopamine metabolism, producing reactive metabolites and oxidative species that contribute to the oxidative stress associated with PD pathophysiology. In this context, MAO-B inhibition has emerged as a promising therapeutic strategy. However, specific limitations, such as motor complications linked to prolonged levodopa use and the adverse effects of currently available MAO inhibitors, remain significant clinical challenges. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using PubMed and SciFinder databases. Keywords such as “MAO inhibitors”, “Parkinson’s pathology,” and “Parkinson’s disease” were combined with Boolean operators (AND, OR, NOT). The search covered publications from 2010 to 2025. Results: While previous reviews, particularly those by the groups of Guglielmi and Alborghetti, mainly emphasized the clinical use of MAO-B inhibitors and advances in patents, the present review identified approximately 300 compounds synthesized and evaluated as MAO inhibitors, encompassing diverse chemical classes. Among them, selective MAO-B inhibitors exhibited the greatest pharmacological potential, reinforcing the relevance of this isoform as a strategic target in PD therapy. Conclusion: These findings highlight the advances of Medicinal Chemistry in the development of novel MAO-B inhibitors, both as monotherapies for early-stage PD and as adjuvants to levodopa in advanced disease. Collectively, they emphasize the promise of MAO-B inhibitors as candidates for more effective therapeutic interventions in Parkinson’s disease. Full article

This review consolidates recent advancements in microbial biotechnology for sustainable food systems. It focuses on the fermentation processes used in this sector, emphasizing precision fermentation as a source of innovation for alternative proteins, fermented foods, and applications of microorganisms and microbial bioproducts in the food industry. Additionally, it explores food preservation strategies and methods for controlling microbial contamination. These biotechnological approaches are increasingly replacing synthetic additives, contributing to enhanced food safety, nutritional functionality, and product shelf stability. Examples include bacteriocins from lactic acid bacteria, biodegradable microbial pigments, and exopolysaccharide-based biopolymers, such as pullulan and xanthan gum, which are used in edible coatings and films. A comprehensive literature search was conducted across Scopus, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and Google Scholar, covering publications from 2014 to 2025. A structured Boolean search strategy was applied, targeting core concepts in microbial fermentation, bio-based food additives, and contamination control. The initial search retrieved 5677 articles, from which 370 studies were ultimately selected after applying criteria such as duplication removal, relevance to food systems, full-text accessibility, and scientific quality. This review highlights microbial biotransformation as a route to minimize reliance on synthetic inputs, valorize agri-food byproducts, and support circular bioeconomy principles. It also discusses emerging antimicrobial delivery systems and regulatory challenges. Overall, microbial innovations offer viable and scalable pathways for enhancing food system resilience, functionality, and environmental stewardship. Full article

The increasing complexity of modern food production demands advanced solutions for quality control (QC), safety monitoring, and process optimization. This review systematically explores recent advancements in machine learning (ML) for QC across six domains: Food Quality Applications; Defect Detection and Visual Inspection Systems; Ingredient Optimization and Nutritional Assessment; Packaging—Sensors and Predictive QC; Supply Chain—Traceability and Transparency and Food Industry Efficiency; and Industry 4.0 Models. Following a PRISMA-based methodology, a structured search of the Scopus database using thematic Boolean keywords identified 124 peer-reviewed publications (2005–2025), from which 25 studies were selected based on predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, methodological rigor, and innovation. Neural networks dominated the reviewed approaches, with ensemble learning as a secondary method, and supervised learning prevailing across tasks. Emerging trends include hyperspectral imaging, sensor fusion, explainable AI, and blockchain-enabled traceability. Limitations in current research include domain coverage biases, data scarcity, and underexplored unsupervised and hybrid methods. Real-world implementation challenges involve integration with legacy systems, regulatory compliance, scalability, and cost–benefit trade-offs. The novelty of this review lies in combining a transparent PRISMA approach, a six-domain thematic framework, and Industry 4.0/5.0 integration, providing cross-domain insights and a roadmap for robust, transparent, and adaptive QC systems in the food industry. Full article

Research into floating photovoltaics (FPV) has seen a significant increase in recent years. Still, the observed outputs are poorly quantified, isolated, and occasionally contradictory, with reported cooling-induced efficiency increases varying widely across sources. To address the need for consensus in the field, a systematic literature review (SLR) and meta-analysis were conducted using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework to provide a comprehensive overview of the current state-of-the-art in FPV systems. 3751 articles were identified through Boolean queries on three databases (Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar). Using Python programming to ensure objectivity and replicability, the dataset was screened to 109 publications (subject to a manual, full-text review) relating strictly to modelling, simulation, and performance analysis of FPV systems with regard to the observed effect of reduced operating temperature. Focusing on these areas, this study provides a fundamental understanding of the temperature-based performance, as well as insights into the operation and simulation of FPV systems. Consistent temperature reductions were observed between ground-mounted and floating systems. Experimental data on FPV temperature were subject to a regression analysis, and the resulting equation was found to correspond well to a reported relation in the literature. The article concludes with a set of informed research directions to underpin the further development and implementation of FPV technology. Full article

In the setting of Cauchy–Stieltjes kernel (CSK) families, this study provides some features of free Poisson, free Gamma, and free Binomial laws, as well as some innovative limit theorems linked to Fermi convolution. These findings highlight the fundamental links between noncommutative probability and analytic function theory, demonstrating the usefulness of CSK families for advancing the computational and theoretical aspects of free harmonic analysis. Full article

Background/Objectives: Lichen Planus Pemphigoides (LPP) represents a rare variant of Oral Lichen Planus in which the typical pemphigoid-associated antibodies, BP180 and BP230, are present. The objectives of this Systematic Review are to analyze the data currently available in the literature on this rare condition, with the aim of laying the groundwork for future investigations and research. Methods: This Systematic Review was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) under the registration number CRD420251133018. Subsequently, a search was conducted on PubMed/Medline, Scopus, and Ovid using specific keywords combined with Boolean operators. Articles published up to 2025 were included. The following types of studies were considered eligible: case reports, clinical conferences, clinical studies, clinical trials, controlled clinical trials, letters, multicenter studies, observational studies, randomized controlled trials, and human-based studies. Book chapters, systematic reviews, narrative reviews, in vitro studies, and animal models were excluded. Results: A total of 67 articles were initially identified; following thorough review and exclusion, 20 articles were retained. The patient data extracted from these selected studies were used to construct a table in which patients were categorized according to both qualitative and quantitative variables. The results highlight that LPP is a condition requiring a complex diagnostic process involving both histological examination and serological testing (Immunofluorescence and Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay—ELISA). Conclusions: Furthermore, with the advent of immunotherapy, an increasingly well-documented new category of drug-induced LPP has emerged, associated with PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors. Full article

Background: Depression affects around 280 million people globally and is one of the main causes of disability. Among people with cancer, depression and anxiety affect 20–25%, significantly reducing quality of life, adherence to treatments, and survival. Despite the availability of pharmacological and psychological treatments, their application can be limited by side effects, accessibility, and costs—especially in low- and middle-income countries. Physical exercise is emerging as a valuable complementary strategy, improving both physical and mental well-being. Nevertheless, structured exercise programs are still rarely implemented in oncology. This review aims to provide evidence-based recommendations for integrating physical activity into mental health support for people with cancer. Methods: This review includes six randomized controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating physical exercise interventions for depression and anxiety in people with cancer aged over 18 years. Included studies compared exercise interventions to control or standard care and reported outcomes related to psychological well-being and adverse effects. Exclusion criteria included non-original studies, non-English articles, and works not focused on exercise. The search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Library using MeSH terms and Boolean operators. The review protocol was registered in PROSPERO (CRD42025637522). Results: Exercise interventions—such as aerobic, resistance, and mind–body practices—proved effective and feasible across cancer types. Benefits were seen in both psychological and physical outcomes. However, variations in protocols and outcome measures, as well as a lack of long-term data, limit generalizability. Conclusions: Personalized exercise programs can significantly reduce depression and anxiety in people with cancer. Standardized core methods, long-term research, and systemic support are needed to integrate exercise into routine oncology care. Full article

Background/Objectives: Thyroid disorders such as Hashimoto’s thyroiditis and Graves’ disease represent major endocrine challenges worldwide, often requiring long-term management. Recently, nutritional supplementation with selenium and myo-inositol has been proposed as a supportive strategy. This review aims to summarize the current evidence regarding their efficacy in improving thyroid function, reducing thyroid autoantibodies in Hashimoto’s disease, and restoring biochemical euthyroidism in Graves’ disease. Methods: A narrative review of the available literature was undertaken, concentrating on randomized controlled trials and observational studies evaluating selenium and myo-inositol, alone or in combination (MYO+Se), in patients with autoimmune thyroid disorders and benign thyroid nodules. Search Strategy and Study Selection: We searched MEDLINE/PubMed, Embase, Cochrane CENTRAL, and Scopus from inception to 31 July 2025. The search used Boolean operators to combine the following keywords: (“selenium” OR “selenomethionine”) AND (“myo-inositol” OR “inositol”) AND (thyroid OR Hashimoto* OR Graves’ OR hyperthyroid* OR hypothyroid* OR nodule* OR goiter OR orbitopathy). We included human studies in English. Inclusion criteria: Research designs include RCTs, quasi-experimental studies, cohort/case-control studies, and big case series (n ≥ 30). Exclusion criteria: Animal-only or in vitro studies (unless mechanistic), pediatric case reports, and editorials/commentaries. Study selection and data extraction: Two reviewers screened independently; discrepancies were settled through consensus. The data retrieved included the population, baseline iodine/selenium status (if reported), dose/formulation, treatment duration, outcomes (TSH, FT4, FT3, TPOAb, TgAb, TRAb, nodule metrics), and adverse events. Quality assessment: The risk of bias was assessed using the RoB-2 for RCTs and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale or JBI checklists for observational studies. A qualitative synthesis emphasized study quality, consistency, directness, and accuracy. Results: Clinical research indicate that selenium supplementation may reduce thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) levels in Hashimoto’s disease, thereby attenuating autoimmune activity. Myo-inositol, particularly when combined with selenium, has been proven to improve thyroid hormone profiles while also lowering nodule size or growth. In Graves’ disease, supplementation has been linked to the restoration of biochemical euthyroidism in certain patients, albeit data are limited. Despite these encouraging results, diversity in trial design, treatment length, and dosages restrict the robustness of existing recommendations. Conclusions: Selenium and myo-inositol supplementation have shown promise as adjuvant treatments for autoimmune thyroid diseases and benign thyroid nodules. However, further large-scale, well-designed clinical trials are needed to determine the appropriate dosages, treatment duration, and patient selection criteria. Personalized supplementation solutions may improve medication efficacy and help with more comprehensive thyroid disease care. Full article

Background: Opioids are commonly used to manage both acute and chronic pain by acting on opioid receptors in the central and peripheral nervous systems. However, concerns about their increasing prescription and misuse have emerged due to adverse effects, toxicity, and the global impact of opioid-related harm. Objectives: This systematic review aims to evaluate the harmful (adverse and toxic) effects of prescribed opioids on the pediatric and the general population. Methods: Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic search was conducted for data from January 2011 to December 2024 across selected electronic databases (PubMed^®, SciELO^®, Web of Science^®, and EMBASE^®) using a specific search strategy with Boolean operators. Cross-sectional, cohort, and case–control designs published in English, analyzing and identifying the harmful effects of prescribed opioids in children and the general population, were eligible for inclusion. Three reviewers independently assessed titles and abstracts for eligibility, followed by a full-text review. A referee reviewer resolved discrepancies. Data extraction was performed for qualifying studies. The risk of bias was assessed by the ROBINS-I tool. Results: A total of 3984 papers were collected, with 1697 duplicates and 2062 non-eligible papers removed; resulting in 25 papers (112.825 patients) selected for qualitative analysis. The pediatric group experienced more harmful effects across multiple body systems (nausea and vomiting, hypotension, agitation, drowsiness/lethargy, lethargy, respiratory depression, aspiration pneumonia) compared to the general population (dominant S wave, long QTc interval, right axis deviation, seizure). Conclusions: Despite the data heterogeneity, this study highlights the importance of evaluating the harmful effects of opioids, particularly in pediatric patients, to assess the risk–benefit balance and health risks associated with their use. The lower number of effects in the general population may be attributed to increased pharmacological tolerance and tolerability. Full article

We provide a new proof of the Arason–Pfister Hauptsatz (APH) in the setting of reduced special groups, as developed by Dickmann and Miraglia. Our approach avoids the use of Boolean invariants and instead relies on a construction inspired by Marshall’s quotient, suitably adapted to the context of special groups. We establish structural properties of this quotient and show that it generalizes the Pfister quotient by a Pfister subgroup. Using this framework, we define iterated quadratic extensions of special groups and develop a theory of Arason–Pfister sequences. These tools allow us to prove that any anisotropic form $\phi \in I^n\left(G\right)$ over a reduced special group G satisfies the inequality $dim\left(\phi \right)\ge 2^n$, where $I^n\left(G\right)$ denotes the n-th power of the fundamental ideal of the Witt ring of G. Our methods are purely algebraic and internal to the theory of special groups, contributing with novel tools to the categorical study of abstract theories of quadratic forms. Full article

Histotripsy is a novel, non-invasive ultrasound-based ablative therapy that destroys tissue through focused cavitation. As solid tumors continue to be a major global health burden, there is interest in image-guided ablation techniques that reduce collateral damage and promote immune activation. This narrative review aims to synthesize current advancements, clinical applications, limitations, and future directions of histotripsy in both oncologic and non-oncologic contexts. A comprehensive literature search was conducted from database inception to July 2025. Search terms included combinations of subject headings and keywords such as “histotripsy,” “mechanical ablation,” “ultrasound,” and “solid tumors.” Boolean operators and truncation were used to increase sensitivity. Peer-reviewed studies were included, encompassing preclinical, clinical, and review articles. Reference lists of relevant articles were examined to identify additional sources. Histotripsy has shown strong potential in the treatment of tumors involving the liver, pancreas, kidney, brain, and cardiovascular system. It offers real-time imaging guidance, sharp lesion boundaries, and minimal damage to surrounding structures. Early clinical trials have demonstrated encouraging safety and efficacy, particularly in liver and kidney tumors. Its ability to preserve critical anatomy and stimulate innate and adaptive immune responses through the release of cellular debris and cytokines offers advantages over thermal ablation. Limitations include acoustic aberration, motion-related targeting challenges, and the need for further long-term clinical data. Histotripsy represents a promising advancement in noninvasive tumor ablation. Continued clinical investigation and technological refinement are necessary to validate its therapeutic value and define its role within comprehensive cancer care. Full article

Digital Building Logbooks (DBLs) have been proposed to preserve lifecycle data across the design, construction, operation, and renovation phases of buildings. Yet, implementation has been hindered by the absence of standardized data models across jurisdictions and stakeholder practices. This paper argues that Large Language Models (LLMs) offer a solution that reduces reliance on rigid standardization. To test this approach, we first draw on parallels from the healthcare sector, where LLMs have extracted structured information from unstructured electronic health records. Second, we present an LLM-based workflow for processing unstructured building inspection reports. The workflow encompassed three tasks: (1) qualitative summary, (2) quantitative summary, and (3) risk level assessment. Sixteen inspection reports were processed through GPT-4o across 320 runs via a Python script. Results showed perfect consistency for categorical fields and Boolean indicators, minimal variability for ordinal severity ratings (σ ≤ 0.6), and stable risk assessments with 87.5% of reports showing low standard deviations. Each report was processed in under 10 s, representing up to a 100-fold speed improvement over manual review. These findings demonstrate the feasibility of post hoc standardization, positioning DBLs to evolve into large-scale knowledge bases that can substantially advance research on the built environment. Full article

As a multirobot system grows in its number of agents, contention over shared resources poses a more significant risk of deadlock and operational deficiencies. When integrating with buildings, one of the most common pieces of equipment that robots have to use is the lift (elevator). This work focuses on exploring different Anytime Constraint Programming techniques for finding time-optimal schedules across multiple robots and lifts. The choice of which lift each robot uses to complete its task has a noticeable impact on the makespan of the system. This work explores a Time-Ordered-based approach and a Time-Expansion Graph-based approach. The Time-Expansion Graph-based approach is found to outperform the Time-Ordered-based approach. This is because the Time-Expansion Graph method has immediate access to more comprehensive information. Additionally, this paper shows that, in some cases, applying such an optimization can considerably reduce the makespan. Full article

Globally, Giardia infections affect an estimated 280 million people each year, making it a significant cause of enteric diarrheal disease. Despite being categorized as a neglected disease, the prevalence of Giardia in wild animals varies, with both mammals and birds serving as hosts. Molecular tools have identified nine Giardia species, including Giardia duodenalis with eight genotypes. Birds, with their wide-ranging habitats and movement capabilities, are crucial disseminators of Giardia. This review aimed to identify Giardia species in wild birds globally, utilizing various academic databases with search terms such as “wild birds” and “Giardia” in combination with Boolean operators for comprehensive results. Giardia spp. have been identified in thirteen orders of wild birds; however, they have been genotyped in only seven orders. Giardia duodenalis assemblage A was identified in wild birds from the Americas; meanwhile, assemblages A, B, D, and F were identified from Europe, and B and E from Asia. Assemblage B is mainly associated with humans and a wide number of wild animals. Therefore, ascertaining the prevalence of G. duodenalis and its assemblages across diverse avian species and orders is crucial to assess the potential risk of zoonotic transmission associated with the dissemination of this protozoan. Full article