Search Results (357)

This paper proposes a compressive-sensing (CS) acquisition algorithm for low-power, high-dynamic GNSS receivers based on low-dimensional time-domain measurements, a non-iterative compressive-domain direct-projection peak-search pipeline, and a coherence-optimized sensing-matrix design. Unlike most existing GNSS-CS acquisition approaches that rely on explicit sparse-recovery formulations (e.g., OMP/BP/LS-type iterative reconstruction) to identify the delay–Doppler support—often incurring substantial computational burden and acquisition latency—the proposed method performs peak detection directly in the compressive measurement domain and is supported by unified Gram-matrix optimization and perturbation/detection analyses. Specifically, the measurement Gram matrix is optimized on the symmetric positive-definite (SPD) manifold to obtain a diagonally dominant and well-conditioned structure with reduced inter-column correlation, thereby bounding reconstruction-induced perturbations and preserving the main correlation peak. Simulation results show that the proposed scheme retains the low online complexity characteristic of direct-projection baselines while achieving a 2–3 dB acquisition sensitivity gain, and it requires substantially fewer operations than iterative OMP-based CS acquisition schemes whose cost scales approximately linearly with the sparsity level K. The proposed framework enables robust, low-latency acquisition suitable for resource-constrained GNSS receivers in high-dynamic environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injuries frequently lead to long-term quadriceps impairments despite surgical repair. There is growing evidence that these deficits are caused in part by alterations in the central nervous system. Thus, transcranial neuromodulation (TNM) could be valuable in ACL rehabilitation. To systematically review randomized controlled trials (RCTs) assessing the effects of TNM on neurophysiological, functional, and safety outcomes in patients with ACL injury or reconstruction. Methods: We conducted searches on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane. We considered all original studies evaluating TNM, including transcranial current stimulation (tCS) and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), in patients with ACL reconstruction or injury. Measures of corticospinal excitability, safety, balance, and muscle strength were assessed. We employed the Cochrane RoB 2 method to assess the risk of bias. Results: Seven studies comprising 129 participants (64 TNM, 65 controls) were included. Most studies applied transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the primary motor cortex contralateral to the ACL injury in conjunction with physical rehabilitation. Single-session protocols demonstrated minimal effects, whereas repeated sessions resulted in improvements in corticospinal excitability, quadriceps strength, and balance. No serious adverse events were reported; minor effects included transient headache or scalp tingling. The risk of bias was assessed as low to moderate across the studies. Conclusions: TNM appears to be safe and may enhance functional recovery in individuals with ACL injuries when administered in multiple sessions alongside standard rehabilitation. Further high-quality trials are necessary to determine optimal protocols and long-term outcomes. Full article

The temperate rainforests of southern Chile host a rich diversity of plants traditionally used in medicine, yet their bioactive potential remains underexplored. This study evaluated the chemical composition, antioxidant capacity, antibacterial activity, and cell viability of ethanolic leaf extracts from Cissus striata (CS), Mitraria coccinea (MC), and Raukaua laetevirens (RL), compared with Buddleja globosa (BG), a well-known medicinal shrub. Extracts were obtained using 70% ethanol, ensuring high recovery of polyphenolic compounds while avoiding thermal degradation. The total phenolic content (TPC) was highest in CS, exceeding values reported for green tea, while MC exhibited the greatest total flavonoid content (TFC). HPLC–MS/MS analysis showed that RL was rich in rutin, while CS exhibited a higher quercetin content. Antioxidant activity assessed through ABTS, DPPH, and FRAP assays, was correlated with polyphenolic composition. CS showed the highest antioxidant potential, surpassing green tea by ~39%, as determined via FRAP, while MC and RL displayed capacities comparable to BG. Antibacterial activity assays demonstrated that MC inhibited Escherichia coli with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 12.5 mg/mL, lower than that of ampicillin, whereas CS was highly active against Staphylococcus aureus, with an MIC of 0.39 mg/mL, equivalent to the activity exhibited by tetracycline. Cytotoxicity assays confirmed that the extracts did not reduce human cell viability, supporting the potential of Chilean native shrubs as safe, natural sources of antioxidants and antimicrobials for food and pharmaceutical applications. Full article

Background: Cesarean section (CS) frequently results in abdominal scarring, affecting recovery, aesthetics, and quality of life. Platelet-rich plasma (PRP), an autologous concentrate rich in growth factors, may enhance wound healing. This pilot trial assessed the effect of intraoperative PRP on CS scar outcomes. Methods: In this single-center, single-blind randomized controlled trial (February 2023–December 2024), 100 women undergoing elective CS were randomized to PRP treatment (n = 50) or standard care (n = 50). PRP, prepared from 20 mL autologous blood, was infiltrated into uterine incision margins and subcutaneously before skin closure. Scar healing was evaluated at day 7 and day 40 postpartum using the Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS; physician and patient), Vancouver Scar Scale, Manchester Scar Scale, REEDA (Redness, Edema, Ecchymosis, Discharge, Approximation) Scale, Visual Analog Scale (VAS), and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Mann–Whitney U tests and Cohen’s d effect sizes were calculated. Results: Follow-up was complete for all participants. On day 7, PRP-treated patients had lower mean scores across most scales (e.g., Vancouver: 1.74 ± 1.58 vs. 2.54 ± 2.30; p = 0.063). At day 40, improvements persisted, with POSAS Patient scores significantly lower in the PRP group (7.24 ± 1.81 vs. 8.00 ± 2.06; p = 0.029). Effect sizes were small-to-moderate (<0.5), suggesting underpowering. No adverse events occurred. Conclusions: PRP administration during CS showed favorable trends toward improved scar quality and reduced patient-reported discomfort, with statistical significance for POSAS Patient scores at 40 days. Larger, multicenter trials with extended follow-up are needed to confirm these findings. Full article

Shape memory polymers (SMPs) are a class of smart materials that exhibit unique shape-fixing and recovery abilities, attracting wide attention for applications in electronics, aerospace, and biomedical engineering. Chitosan (CS) as a renewable biopolymer, possessing good biocompatibility, biodegradability, and antimicrobial properties; its use as a matrix enhances the environmental compatibility and bio-adaptability of SMPs. MXene, as a novel two-dimensional material, is characterized by high electrical conductivity, abundant surface functional groups and good hydrophilicity, showing potential in energy storage, electromagnetic shielding and sensing. In this work, CS and poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) were used as the polymer matrix, and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) together with MXene were introduced as co-fillers to construct multifunctional composites. The effect of the CNTs/MXene hybrid fillers on mechanical properties, electromagnetic shielding and multi-stimuli-responsive shape memory behavior was systematically investigated. After ratio optimization, the composites showed excellent comprehensive performance: tensile strength reached up to 20.0 MPa, Young’s modulus up to 292.2 MPa, and maximum elongation at break of 23.2%; electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (SE_T) in the X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz) reached a maximum of 10.6 dB; shape fixation rates exceeded 90%; under thermal stimulation, a shape recovery ratio of 98.3% was achieved within 41.7 s; light-driven recovery rate reached 86.5% with a minimal recovery time of 82.3 s; under electrical stimulation the highest recovery rate was 94.1% with a shortest recovery time of 30 s. This study successfully prepared functional multi-stimuli-responsive shape memory composite films and provided a new strategy for the design of green smart materials. Full article

This study investigated the functionality and antifouling capabilities of the chitosan–silver nanoparticle–graphene oxide (CS/AgNPs/GO) composite membrane. An increase in the molecular interaction between the membrane surface and bovine serum albumin solution enhanced the flow recovery rate (FRR) due to the presence of amide -NH₂ and -OH groups. The modified CS composite showed a strong ability to prevent fouling, achieving over 77.5% due to greater interfacial intermolecular bonding. In addition, the tensile strength of the membrane composite improved from 42.7 to 49.6 MPa with an increase in the concentration of dimethylacetamide employed as a plasticizer. Therefore, efficient molecular interactions within the polymer matrix would significantly influence the membrane’s flux recovery rate, tensile strength, and ability to prevent fouling. Full article

Corn stover (CS) is an abundant biomaterial, which is regularly rejected during corn harvesting. This biowaste is a typical lignocellulosic source rich in hydroxycinnamates, which are mainly represented by p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid. These polyphenols are largely bound onto the lignocellulosic complex and can be effectively liberated using alkaline catalysis. On this basis, the work described herein targeted at developing a high-performance process for producing hydroxycinnamate-enriched extracts, by deploying alkali-catalyzed hydrothermal and organosolv treatments. For this purpose, sodium carbonate was tested as a benign, natural alkali catalyst, along with the well-studied sodium hydroxide. The kinetic study demonstrated that both the alkali catalyst and the organic solvent (ethanol) may significantly affect polyphenol recovery, a fact further investigated by carrying out response surface optimization. The hydrothermal treatment was shown to be more efficacious than the organosolv one, with regard to total polyphenol recovery, while the sodium carbonate catalysis was less efficient compared to the sodium hydroxide one. Under optimized conditions, the hydrothermal treatment afforded 74.4 ± 3.6 mg gallic acid equivalents per g of dry CS mass. On the other hand, a more thorough investigation of the polyphenolic profile of the extracts obtained clearly demonstrated that the sodium hydroxide-catalyzed organosolv treatment provided almost 76 and 98% higher yields for p-coumaric and ferulic acid, respectively, compared to the hydrothermal treatment. Extract composition impacted the antioxidant activity, and it was revealed that the higher the p-coumaric acid/ferulic acid ratio, the stronger the antioxidant effect. It is proposed that the sodium hydroxide-catalyzed ethanol organosolv treatment of CS may be a particularly promising technique in a lignocellulose biorefinery frame, although improvements might be necessary to further increase treatment performance. Such a process might contribute to fully valorizing agricultural biowastes for the production of high value-added chemicals, in line with the “lignin first’ philosophy. Full article

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is a complex, life-threatening syndrome characterized by inadequate tissue perfusion due to impaired cardiac function. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and acute decompensated heart failure are the leading causes, with mortality remaining high despite advances in revascularization and supportive care. The Society for Cardiovascular Angiography and Interventions (SCAI) classification allows risk stratification and guides clinical decision making by capturing the spectrum of shock severity. Percutaneous mechanical circulatory support (pMCS) devices, such as the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) and Impella, aim to stabilize hemodynamics by augmenting cardiac output and unloading the left ventricle. However, randomized trials and meta-analyses have not demonstrated a consistent survival advantage of Impella over IABP, while reporting higher rates of bleeding and vascular complications. Landmark trials, including ECLS-SHOCK and DanGer, have provided conflicting results, likely reflecting differences in baseline severity and timing of device implantation. Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenator (VA-ECMO) offers full cardiopulmonary support but increases left ventricular afterload, potentially worsening myocardial injury. Combined strategies such as ECPELLA (Impella + VA-ECMO) or ECMO + IABP may mitigate left ventricle (LV) overload and improve bridging to recovery or advanced therapies, although evidence remains largely observational and complication rates are considerable. In right-sided or biventricular failure, tailored options (e.g., Impella RP, Bi-Pella) guided by invasive hemodynamics may be required. Current evidence suggests that pMCS benefits are limited to carefully selected subgroups, underscoring the importance of early diagnosis, prompt referral, and individualized intervention. Robust randomized data are still needed to define the optimal role of pMCS in AMI-related CS. Full article

This paper studies the pilot design for compressed sensing (CS)-based sparse channel estimation in multi-input–multi-output orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (MIMO-OFDM) systems. To improve the performance of estimating multiple jointly sparse channels, based on the assumption that the modulus of the pilot symbol at each pilot carrier position is equal to a constant, the pilot is currently allocated by means of lowering the sensing matrix’s total coherence (TC). However, according to the block compressed sensing (BCS) theory, the recovery ability of the sensing matrix is determined by the block coherence (BC) and subblock coherence (SC), which should be as small as possible. Therefore, we propose a novel scheme, which designs the pilot by simultaneously minimizing the TC, BC, and SC of the sensing matrix to improve the channel estimation accuracy. We first formulate the jointly sparse channel estimation as a block sparse signal recovery problem, and the pilot allocation problem is comprised of allocating the pilot index for each transmitter and allocating the pilot symbol at each carrier. Then, we derive the error bound of BCS-based channel estimation, where the pilot symbols bear any value. Finally, a novel sequential joint criterion design (SJCD) method is proposed to design pilots with a joint criterion, where the pilot pattern and pilot power are designed by BC and TC, respectively. Simulation results show that, compared with existing algorithms, the proposed algorithm can achieve a better channel estimation performance in terms of normalized mean square error (NMSE) and bit error rate (BER). Full article

Background: The primary objectives of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) therapy are to enhance the wound-healing process, reduce pain, and minimize the loss of productivity due to recovery time. Localized application of PRP, which is enriched with growth factors such as PDGF, TGF-β1, IGF-1, VEGF, and FGF-2, as well as interleukins (IL-1, IL-4, IL-6, IL-10, and IL-13), has been documented to accelerate the healing process by approximately 30–40%. This study aimed to assess the safety and efficacy of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in enhancing outcomes following circumcision in male children. Methods: The patients were divided into two groups: one undergoing standard circumcision and the other receiving PRP application during circumcision. Pain scores, edema level, bleeding, local infection, and safety of PRP were evaluated. Results: This study evaluated 80 male children undergoing circumcision, divided into two groups: Group CS (n = 44) underwent classical circumcision, and Group PRP (n = 36) received PRP application. Median ages were comparable (p = 0.101). Penile edema occurred less frequently in the PRP group (5.6%) compared to the CS group (18.2%) (p = 0.089), with no severe edema observed in the PRP group. Postoperative bleeding was present in 6.8% of the CS group but absent in the PRP group (p = 0.110). Other complications, such as nausea (CS: 6.8%, PRP: 5.6%, p = 0.816), vomiting (CS: 4.5%, PRP: 2.8%, p = 0.679), local infection (CS: 2.3%, PRP: 0%, p = 0.363), wound dehiscence (CS: 2.3%, PRP: 0%, p = 0.363), and skin tunnel formation (CS: 6.8%, PRP: 2.8%, p = 0.409), showed no significant differences. No cases of necrosis, chordee, rotational anomaly, or secondary phimosis were observed. Safety analysis of PRP revealed minor complications during blood draw: hypotension in one patient (2.8%) and local ecchymosis in two patients (5.6%), resolving without intervention. During PRP application, one allergic reaction (2.8%) occurred, presenting as a transient rash that resolved spontaneously. Group PRP consistently reported lower pain scores than Group CS at all time points. Conclusions: PRP application during circumcision is safe. The findings provide preliminary but important evidence regarding the potential benefits of PRP in pediatric circumcision. Full article

Background/Objectives: Impella 5.5 provides a higher flow rate than smaller microaxial pumps and has been increasingly adopted for cardiogenic shock (CS). This study aimed to evaluate whether its introduction into our Shock Team program in 2023 improved outcomes compared with a historical cohort supported with other mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed patients with CS treated with MCS between 2020 and 2024 at a tertiary center. The Impella 5.5 group (n = 17) included patients managed after device implementation, either as stand-alone or sequential therapy. The historical cohort comprised 40 patients treated with ECMO, Impella CP, CentriMag, or IABP prior to 2023. Propensity score matching (age, sex, etiology, lactate, SCAI stage) generated 17 matched pairs. The primary outcome was survival at discharge, 30 days, 3 months, and 6 months. Secondary outcomes included bridging to recovery, heart transplantation (HTx), durable LVAD, and major complications. Results: Impella 5.5 was associated with higher survival at discharge (94.1% vs. 58.8%, p = 0.039), 30 days (94.1% vs. 58.8%, p = 0.039), and 3 months (94.1% vs. 58.8%, p = 0.039). At 6 months, survival remained higher (88.2% vs. 58.8%) but did not reach statistical significance in point analysis (p = 0.118). Bridging occurred more frequently with Impella 5.5 (HTx 64.7% vs. 52.9% (p = 0.464), recovery 17.6% vs. 5.9% (p = 0.292)), while LVAD implantation rates were similar (11.8% vs. 17.6%, p = 1.0). Major bleeding (17.6% vs. 47.1%, p = 0.141), stroke/TIA (5.9% vs. 17.6%, p = 0.601), and the need for renal replacement therapy (5.9% vs. 23.5%, p = 0.335) were numerically lower with Impella 5.5. Conclusions: In this single-center, retrospective analysis, the introduction of Impella 5.5 was associated with higher short-term survival and favorable bridging metrics; estimates are imprecise due to small, heterogeneous samples. These hypothesis-generating findings warrant confirmation in larger, prospective multicenter cohorts Full article

Background/Objectives: Cannabis sativa (CS) exerts its effects through the endocannabinoid system. Although studies have shown limited evidence regarding the plant’s therapeutic efficacy, little is known about the standardization of doses and their corresponding effects. This study aims to analyze changes in muscle electrical activity and cardiovascular hemodynamics before, during, and after administering doses of full-spectrum cannabis and tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) oils. Methods: Participants will be assigned to a single group that will undergo five different interventions: CBD + THC at 12.50 mg, CBD + THC at 18.75 mg, THC intervention at 12.50 mg, THC at 18.75 mg, and placebo intervention (PI). The study will enroll healthy, self-reported men and women aged 18 to 50, with no mental health disorders and no exposure to CS in the past six months. Interventions will occur on five randomized days, following three phases: (1) pre-intervention (PRE-IN); (2) intervention (IN)—1 h after oral oil ingestion; and (3) post-intervention (POST-IN)—2 h 30 min after ingestion. At each stage, 2 min of quiet breathing (QB); 2 min with an inspiratory resistance valve (30% of maximal inspiratory pressure—PImax) and expiratory valve (10% of maximal expiratory pressure—PEmax) (VAL); and 4 min of recovery without the valve (REC) were evaluated. Register: RBR-3jsvtbr. Conclusions: This study will enhance the understanding of the dose–response effects of full-spectrum cannabis and THC oils and may serve as a model for future research in this field. Full article

Steroidal pharmaceutical wastewater, such as stock liquid and cell lysate, is conventionally treated at a high cost due to its complex composition and high organic content. To treat steroidal pharmaceutical wastewater, make it harmless, and utilize it as a resource, engineering exploration of large-scale biogas engineering was carried out based on its anaerobic digestion characteristics, and the microbial population in the digestion process was analyzed. The results showed that, at a medium temperature of 35 °C and a total solid percentage of 6.5% ± 0.5%, both stock liquid and cell lysate wastewater could be anaerobically fermented normally, with the potential for anaerobic digestion treatment. The cumulative biogas production of lysate gas from the supernatant could reach 758 mL/gVS, which was significantly better than that of traditional raw materials such as straw and feces. The methane content reached 78.9%, and the total VFAs reached 10,204 mg/L on the ninth day. Moreover, we found that co-digestion of steroidal pharmaceutical wastewater with corn straw (CS) significantly enhanced system stability and biogas production efficiency, with synergistic improvement reaching up to 42%. This approach effectively shortened the lag phase observed in the mono-digestion of steroidal pharmaceutical wastewater. Actual treatment in a large-scale biogas project revealed that, after the addition of two kinds of wastewater, the main and auxiliary reactors presented serious acidification problems. Of these, the total volatile fatty acids in the main reactor reached up to 21,000 mg/L, and the methane content in the biogas production decreased to 25%. Additionally, 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing analysis showed that, after the addition of steroidal pharmaceutical wastewater, the archaea community in the anaerobic reactor changed significantly due to the stress of changes in the fermentation environment. Euryarchaeota became the absolute dominant bacteria, and the methanogenic pathway also changed to the hydrogen trophic methanogenic pathway with Methanothermobacter as the absolute dominant bacterium. This is the first successful industrial-scale application of biogas engineering for treating steroid wastewater, demonstrating its technical feasibility and energy recovery potential. These research outcomes provide critical engineering parameters and practical experience for large-scale resource recovery from similar wastewater streams, offering important reference values for advancing pharmaceutical wastewater treatment from compliance discharge to energy utilization. Full article

Revealing the coordination relationship between land use/land cover (LULC) and carbon storage (CS) under diverse climate scenarios is crucial for climate change adaptation in topographically complex regions. This study developed an integrated framework combining the System Dynamics (SD) model, Patch-generating Land Use Simulation (PLUS) model, and Integrated Valuation of Ecosystem Services and Tradeoffs (InVEST) model, enabling a closed-loop analysis of driving forces, spatial simulation, and ecological feedback. This study systematically assessed LULC evolution and ecosystem CS along China’s National Highway 318 (G318) from 2000 to 2020, and projected LULC and CS under three SSP-RCP scenarios (SSP1-1.9, SSP2-4.5, SSP5-8.5) for 2030. Results show the following: (1) Historical LULC change was dominated by rapid urban expansion, cropland loss, and nonlinear grassland fluctuation, exerting strong impacts on ecosystem dynamics. Future scenario simulations revealed distinct thresholds of ecological pressure. (2) Regional CS exhibited a decline–recovery pattern during 2000–2020, with all 2030 scenarios projecting CS reduction, although ecological-priority pathways could mitigate losses. (3) Coordination between land-use intensity and CS improved gradually, with SSP2-4.5 emerging as the optimal strategy for balancing development and ecological sustainability. Overall, the coupled SD-PLUS-InVEST framework provides a practical tool for policymakers to optimize land use patterns and enhance CS in complex terrains. Full article

Corn stover (CS) is a highly abundant type of agricultural biowaste, largely composed of lignocellulosic material. CS may be a particularly rich pool of hydroxycinnamates, represented primarily by p-coumaric acid and ferulic acid; yet, these compounds are bound onto the lignocellulosic matrix, and their release requires an appropriate acid and/or alkaline catalysis. This being the case, this study herein aimed to develop an effective process to boost hydroxycinnamate recovery by employing acid-catalyzed hydrothermal and organosolv treatments. To this end, oxalic acid was tested as a benign, natural acid catalyst, along with the well-examined sulfuric acid. A kinetic assay showed that both the acid catalyst and the use of an organic solvent (ethanol) may greatly impact the rate and level of polyphenol recovery. Under optimized conditions, determined by implementing response surface methodology, it was demonstrated that the organosolv treatment was far more effective than the hydrothermal one, with regard to total polyphenol recovery, while the oxalic acid catalysis was equally efficient as the sulfuric acid one. This treatment afforded 17.8 ± 2.3 mg gallic acid equivalents per g of dry CS mass. However, a thorough insight into the polyphenolic composition of the extracts produced revealed that hydrothermal treatment may enable, apart from p-coumaric and ferulic acid release, the formation of a compound tentatively identified as an ester of p-coumaric acid with a pentose. Furthermore, it was shown that sulfuric acid-catalyzed organosolv treatment provided almost 25 and 34% higher yields for p-coumaric and ferulic acid, respectively, but it strongly inhibited p-coumaric acid-pentose ester formation. These compositional differences appeared to impact the antioxidant activity of the corresponding extracts. It was concluded that the oxalic acid-catalyzed ethanol organosolv treatment of CS may have important potential in a biorefinery context, but improvements are required to further enhance treatment performance. This would lead to replacing corrosive catalysts, such as sulfuric acid, with benign ones, thereby establishing a fully sustainable process for the recovery of bioactive phytochemicals. Full article