Search Results (3,143)

Physical therapy is a critical component of medical rehabilitation, aiding recovery from conditions such as stroke, spinal cord injuries, and musculoskeletal disorders. Effective rehabilitation requires precise monitoring of patient performance to ensure exercises are executed correctly and progress is accurately assessed. This paper presents a novel automated system for controlling the rehabilitation process and evaluating physical therapy exercise quality using computer vision and a customized Human Skeleton-based Balanced Time Warping algorithm. The proposed method quantitatively assesses the similarity between a physiotherapist and patient performance by analyzing skeletal motion data extracted from RGB-D video sequences without requiring pre-alignment or sensor-specific calibration. A motion-dependent, weighted Euclidean distance between 3D skeletal models is used to compute pose dissimilarity, while a modified DTW approach aligns temporal sequences and evaluates dynamic consistency. The total dissimilarity measure is a balanced combination of posture (DP) and dynamics (DT) components. Evaluated on a custom dataset of 136 video recordings from 23 participants performing exercises in sitting and standing positions under varying performance accuracy levels (“good,” “intermediate,” and “bad”), the system demonstrates the strong clustering of accuracy levels. Proposed dissimilarity, together with a fixed reference element (physiotherapist), induces a natural non-strict order on the set of distances between patients and physiotherapists. A high value of Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient between computed dissimilarity and execution accuracy (0.977) indicates that this method is suitable for assessing exercise performance accuracy and for adequately evaluating the patient’s rehabilitation progress. The method enables objective, real-time feedback, reduces therapist workload, and supports remote monitoring, offering a scalable solution for personalized rehabilitation. Future work will involve clinical validation with post-stroke and cardiac patients. Full article

Hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs) have become a hot topic in adaptive motive and academic fields owing to their high energy efficiency and low emissions. There are a large number of candidate schemes in the configuration design and parameter optimization stages of their powertrains that require performance evaluation. To address the problem of balancing computational burden and accuracy in traditional performance simulation algorithms for HEVs, such as dynamic programming (DP), an adaptive-efficient DP algorithm is proposed in this study, which introduces optimal SOC grid density identification and an optimal control point boundary relaxation method to simplify both state variable and control variable space simultaneously. Based on the series-parallel HEV configuration, the results show that the proposed method sacrifices fuel economy by 2.03% to 2.63% compared to DP, improves the simulation calculation speed by 232–319 times under various cycle conditions, and the engine operating points of the two are also relatively similar. In addition, the fuel economy performance of this method is very close to that of the Rapid-DP algorithm, and the calculation speed is also 2–3 times that of the latter, which effectively verifies that the proposed algorithm achieves high simulation accuracy while significantly improving computational efficiency. Full article

This study investigates the fabrication of anodic aluminum oxide (AAO)/Al bilayer films using a two-step aluminum anodization process and explores the perception and prediction of structural colors through these films. A composite AAO film with an AAO/Ni/Al structure was fabricated by electroplating an AAO/Al bilayer film with an AAO/Al structure. The fabricated composite AAO film was used to produce structural colors through changes in optical characteristics caused by Ni nanoplugs. Constructive-interference wavelengths resulting from variations in the pore diameter and interpore distance of AAO/Al bilayer films and composite AAO films were predicted using the Bragg–Snell law, with a maximum error margin of 9%. Additionally, the composite AAO film exhibited RGB colors within the predicted constructive-interference wavelength range. These results demonstrate that structural colors can be reliably predicted by estimating the constructive-interference wavelengths of composite AAO films. The approach provides a practical design rule for target colors in AAO-based coatings under normal incidence. The key advance is a single closed-form rule that links D_t, D_int, D_P, and D_ni to λ_{_peak} at normal incidence, enabling forward and inverse color design without numerical optimization. Full article

Foods rich in amylose and resistant starch (RS) hold great potential for improving human health. Granule-bound starch synthase (GBSS) is a key enzyme for amylose biosynthesis and its interaction partner, PROTEIN TARGETING TO STARCH1 (PTST1), has been characterized. In this study, we generated overexpression and knockout transgenic plants of StPTST1 to investigate its effect on starch content and physicochemical properties. Aligning with the presence of carbohydrate-binding module in the protein, StPTST1 possesses starch-binding capacity. stptst1 knockout mutants showed a reduction in both total starch and amylose contents in tubers. Analysis of the pasting properties showed that peak viscosity (PV), trough viscosity (TV), breakdown viscosity (BV), final viscosity (FV), and setback viscosity (SV) were all increased in the mutants compared to that in the WT plants. Overexpression of StPTST1 led to an increase in the contents of amylose, RS, and total starch. Moreover, the proportion of short chains (0 < DP < 32) in amylopectin of StPTST1-overexpressing plants was reduced. These data demonstrated that both stptst1 mutants and StPTST1-overexpressing plants were altered in starch content and physicochemical properties. Elucidating the function of StPTST1 deepens our understanding of starch biosynthesis in potato and highlights its potential for enhancing potato nutritional quality. Full article

Background/Objectives: Developmental prosopagnosia (DP) is a neurodevelopmental disorder marked by lifelong face recognition difficulties. The 20-item Prosopagnosia Index (PI-20) has become an important tool for screening individuals with DP and has been validated across various groups of English speakers worldwide. Recently, other language versions of PI-20, such as a Simplified Chinese one, have been developed and validated. Given the significant differences between Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese, as well as the distinct user populations, this study aims to validate a Traditional Chinese adaptation of the PI-20 using a standardized face memory task and a novel face authenticity judgment task in Mandarin-speaking populations. Methods and Results: In Study 1 (n = 94) and Study 2 (n = 138), we tested two large independent samples of college students using the English PI-20 and the Traditional Chinese PI-20, respectively. The results show strong internal consistency and similar score distributions in both versions of the PI-20. In Study 3 (n = 64), we examined the correlation between PI-20 scores and performance on the Cambridge Face Memory Test (CFMT). We found a significant correlation with the CFMT score and the Traditional Chinese version, but not with the English version PI-20. In Study 4 (n = 32), we examined whether PI-20 scores correlated with a face authenticity judgment task where participants judged whether the face image was real or AI-synthesized. Results showed that PI-20 negatively correlated with accuracy in judging real faces, but not with judging AI-synthesized faces. Conclusions: Overall, this study shows that although Taiwanese participants validly respond to the original PI-20, the Traditional Chinese version exhibited a stronger association with their objective face memory skills and showed a link to participants’ knowledge about real faces, which is a new finding. The Traditional Chinese PI-20 can serve as a dependable and useful tool in future research. Full article

Sand dune migration, as a typical dynamic process of aeolian geomorphology in arid regions, directly influences regional ecological security and infrastructure development. Focusing on the western edge of the Kumtag Desert, this study uses remote sensing imagery and field investigations, combined with multi-factor meteorological observations and CMIP6 climate scenarios, to quantitatively analyze the migration characteristics and influencing factors of representative dunes, and to construct a predictive model for future migration trends. The dominant migration direction is W–WNW–NW, which closely matches the composite resultant drift potential. The average annual migration speed is 12.86 m·a⁻¹, classifying these dunes as fast-moving; small to medium dunes migrate faster (13.84 m·a⁻¹) than large dunes (11.27 m·a⁻¹). Wind speed, sand-moving wind frequency, drift potential (DP), Vegetation Fractional Cover (FVC), and precipitation significantly affect migration speeds; wind speed is the primary driver (single-factor R² = 0.41), while precipitation (R² = 0.26) and FVC (R² = 0.27) exert a suppressing effect, particularly on small to medium dunes. Based on stepwise multiple regression analysis combined with CMIP6 multi-model predictions, under the SSP8.5 scenario, characterized by significant temperature increases, drastic fluctuations in precipitation patterns, and notable increases in wind speed, the average annual sand dune migration speed is projected to reach 18.59 m·a⁻¹ by the end of this century, an increase of 5.78 m·a⁻¹ compared to the current speeds; whereas under the SSP1–2.6 and SSP2–4.5 scenarios, changes are projected to be minor and overall relatively stable. The findings of this study provide a scientific basis for regional infrastructure and engineering planning, as well as for the renovation and protection of existing oil and power transmission lines. Full article

This study investigates how different vegetation types influence the molecular structure and abundance of soil organic carbon (SOC), as well as their influence on microbial metabolic pathways and community composition. Soil samples were collected from four different sites: a woodland dominated by Drypetes perreticulata (DP), a woodland dominated by Horsfieldia hainanensis (HM), a Zea mays L. field (ZL), and a citrus reticulata orchard (CB). The molecular structure of soil organic carbon (SOC) was characterised using Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, identifying aromatic carbon (ArC), polysaccharide carbon (PSC), alkyl carbon (AlkC), amine carbon (AmC), ether carbon (EtC), and olefin carbon (OleC). Our results indicated significant variations across vegetation types: DG exhibited a significantly higher ArC content, while maize fields showed lower PSC levels. To analyse the relationships between different samples, we employed principal component analysis (PCA), which revealed distinct organic carbon structures across vegetation types, with the forests (DG and HM) significantly differing from agricultural sites (ZL and CB). Additionally, the 16S V3_V4 region of soil bacteria was sequenced using high-throughput sequencing. We employed PICRUSt2 to predict microbial metabolic pathways, revealing consistent core metabolic functions across samples but significant variations in secondary metabolism, with HM samples exhibiting the most distinctive metabolic profiles. Redundancy analysis (RDA) further demonstrated that microbial metabolic pathway variation explained 55.66% of organic carbon structure variance. Key microbial taxa exhibited significant associations with specific carbon source types and functional pathways. These findings highlight the pivotal mechanisms by which different vegetation types regulate soil organic carbon structure and composition by driving changes in microbial metabolic traits and community assembly. This study provides a mechanistic basis for understanding the coupling between vegetation, microorganisms, and carbon cycling, offering significant guidance for optimising vegetation restoration strategies, enhancing soil carbon sequestration capacity, and advancing carbon management practices based on microbial regulation. Full article

Galectin-3 (Gal-3) is a histologic marker of pancreatic cancer and a potential therapeutic target. This study aimed to characterize a novel sulfated agarose-derived oligosaccharide (DP9) from marine algae, Gracilaria lemaneiformis, evaluate its Gal-3 inhibitory activity, and investigate its anti-pancreatic cancer mechanisms. Through controlled acid hydrolysis, a series of odd-numbered oligosaccharides (DP3-11) were obtained, in which DP9 showed the strongest Gal-3 inhibition in hemagglutination assays. Structural analysis confirmed DP9’s unique composition including an alternating β (1→4)-D-galactose and α (1→3)-3,6-anhydro-L-galactose backbone, featuring partial 6-O-methylation on β-D-galactose and 6-O-sulfation on 3,6-anhydro-α-L-galactose residues. Molecular docking revealed DP9’s binding to Gal-3’s carbohydrate recognition domain through key hydrogen bonds (His158, Arg162, Lys176, Asn179 and Arg186) and hydrophobic interactions (Pro117, Asn119, Trp181 and Gly235), with the sulfate group enhancing binding affinity. In vitro studies demonstrated DP9’s selective anti-pancreatic cancer activity against BxPC-3 cells, including inhibition of cell proliferation; S-phase cell cycle arrest; induction of apoptosis; and suppression of migration and invasion. Mechanistically, DP9 attenuated the Gal-3/EGFR/AKT/FOXO3 signaling pathway while showing minimal cytotoxicity to normal cells. This study first demonstrated that agarose-derived odd-numbered oligosaccharides (DP9) can serve as effective Gal-3 inhibitors, which proved its potential as a marine oligosaccharide-based therapeutic agent for pancreatic cancer. Full article

The intensification of industrialization and increasing energy consumption have led to elevated emissions of hazardous gases such as NO, NO₂, and SO₂, making their efficient capture and removal crucial for environmental remediation. In this work, first-principles calculations were employed to systematically investigate the adsorption behavior of these gases on single-atom-decorated (Sc, Ti, and V) 1T-ZrS₂ monolayers. The results indicate that the transition metal atoms preferentially occupy the hexagonal hollow sites of ZrS₂, forming an approximately octahedral coordination field and exhibiting characteristic d-orbital splitting. During gas adsorption, the decorated systems exhibit pronounced metal-to-adsorbate charge donation and strong d-p hybridization, indicative of strong chemisorption. Notably, Ti-ZrS₂ exhibits the strongest adsorption toward NO₂, inducing partial molecular dissociation and suggesting catalytic activity, whereas Sc- and V-decorated systems predominantly maintain molecular adsorption. Recovery time calculations indicate that the adsorption processes are comparatively stable, making these systems suitable for gas capture and pollution abatement. Overall, single-atom decoration provides an effective strategy to modulate the electronic structure and gas interactions of ZrS₂, highlighting its potential as an efficient gas scavenger for NO, NO₂, and SO₂. Full article

Aim: To evaluate basal well-being and the effects of a Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) program in health-care professionals (HCPs), a recognized worker category subjected to elevated stress from job conditions. Methods: A quasi-experimental pre–post study was conducted in Italian HCPs. Well-being (assessed by Psychological General Well-Being Index-PGWBI), stress (Perceived Stress Scale-PSS), and burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory-MBI) were collected at baseline and after an MBSR program. Moreover, levels of C reactive protein, glucose, and lipid profiles were also monitored in a subgroup. Results: At baseline, Total-PGWBI score value evidenced no distress, whereas Total-PSS and MBI dimensions (emotional exhaustion—EE, depersonalization and detachment from the job—DP, and lack of personal or professional accomplishment—PA) indicate moderate distress. After MBSR, PGWBI, PSS, and MBI dimensions significantly improved. Moreover, significant benefits on lipid profile were observed after MBSR. Conclusions: MBSR may be a promising method to improve well-being and lipid profile in HCPs. Thus, MBSR might represent a new future complementary prevention tool for mental and physical health maintenance in this category of workers. Full article

Background/Objectives: The aim of this study was to classify cows with respect to different diets, dry period (DP) lengths, and lactation weeks based on body weight, milk variables, and plasma metabolites measured in early lactation. Methods: Holstein–Friesian cows (n = 95) were randomly assigned to three DP lengths (0, 30, or 60 d; n = 31, 34, and 30) and two early-lactation diets (lipogenic: n = 47; glucogenic: n = 48) in a 3 × 2 factorial design. From 10 d pre-calving to 8 weeks postpartum, cows received experimental diets. An XGBoost model was trained for classification using weekly body weight, milk variables, and plasma metabolites, validated via 1000 repeated hold-out partitions with stratified sampling. Results: Classification performance for lactation week, relative to week 1 in lactation, was good, with an area under the curve (AUC) > 0.9, independent of diet or DP length. The classification for 0 d vs. 60 d DP length was better than that for 0 d vs. 30 d or 30 d vs. 60 d DP length, showing an AUC > 0.8, independent of diet or lactation week. The top features to classify diet were plasma urea and milk fat content. Milk yield and protein content were the important features for classifying lactation weeks regardless of diet, while milk fat content was a critical predictor specific to the glucogenic diet. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate that milk and plasma features can retrospectively classify management groups in early lactation using machine learning approaches. Full article

Phosphorus (P) is a limiting nutrient for plant growth and productivity. Improving P use efficiency is important for crop production. In Lactuca sativa (lettuce), five phosphate starvation response 1 (PHR1) genes were identified and characterized through a bioinformatics approach. The expression patterns of LsaPHR1s were examined using qRT-PCR under various treatments, including devoid phosphorus (DP), low phosphorus (LP), high phosphorus (HP), darkness, ABA, IAA, and MeJA. The results indicate that LsaPHR1s in lettuce responded to phosphorus stress, hormones, and darkness. Furthermore, we engineered LsaPHR1.1 knock-out mutants via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing. Then, the mutants were subjected to phosphorus stress (DP, LP, and HP). In contrast to WT, the mutants improved nitrate and ammonium contents, increased antioxidant enzyme activity, and elevated antioxidant and chlorophyll contents. Our results offer a potential strategy for improving phosphorus stress tolerance in lettuce, which holds great significance for maintaining yield and quality. Full article

The nutritional value of a diet and its bioavailability in fish depend on three primary capacities: (a) ingestion, (b) digestion, and (c) absorption. Among these, digestive capacity, defined here as the total enzyme activity available to hydrolyze the bonds of dietary macromolecules to obtain hydrolysis products that are ultimately converted into absorbable micromolecular units, establishes the upper limit for the bioaccessibility of nutrients. To clarify usage and measurement, we conducted a systematic SCOPUS survey (January 2020–June 2024; 62 relevant articles). Most studies either omit a clear definition of digestive capacity or conflate it with digestive organ morphology or isolated enzyme activities. We compared indicators and assay conditions (substrate type, pH, temperature, and expression of units), revealing significant inter-study variability. Based on this synthesis, we propose four operational definitions: (a) Extract Theoretical Volume (ETV)—calculated volume of extract, considering both the solvent volume (SV) used for tissue homogenization and the tissue’s water content; (b) digestive capacity (U)—the total catalytic activity present in the digestive tract at the moment of sampling, where 1 U is the amount of enzyme catalyzing the formation of 1 µmol of product per minute under species-specific physiological pH, ionic strength, and temperature, with the total activity expressed as U fish⁻¹, U organ⁻¹, or U g⁻¹ fish or U g⁻¹ organ, enabling direct comparisons across studies; (c) Digestive Processing (DP)—the total number of bonds hydrolyzed during a given digestion time, whether instantaneous or over a defined period; and (d) Digestive Processing Index (DPI, U-min or U-h), which integrates digestive capacity over time. This framework provides a harmonized checklist for assay standardization and advances comparative studies in fish digestive physiology. Full article

Research surrounding impacts of staffing on pharmacy residents is limited. This prospective survey study aims to elucidate relationships between burnout and weekends staffed among California pharmacy residents. Postgraduate year 1 and 2 (PGY1 and PGY2) pharmacy residents completed electronic surveys in August 2023 and February 2024. The primary outcome was the difference in burnout score changes based on weekends required to staff (measured using the Maslach Burnout Inventory-Human Services Survey for Medical Personnel). Secondary subgroup analyses measured differences in burnout scores by the overall cohort, no weekend staffing vs. weekend staffing required, PGY1 vs. PGY2, and by changes in planned professional pursuits. Of 66 respondents, no significant differences in burnout scores were observed based on the number of weekends required to staff. Final mean emotional exhaustion (EE), but not depersonalization (DP) or personal accomplishment (PA), scores were significantly higher for all residents combined, increasing from 24.8 (SD 10.2) to 28.4 (SD 11.5). Final mean EE scores were also significantly higher among PGY2s compared to PGY1s, at 35.1 (SD 0.70) vs. 25.8 (SD 12.0), respectively. Final mean burnout scores were significantly worse in those becoming less likely to pursue board specialty certification across all domains, with EE = 32.6 (SD 6.50), DP = 4.29 (4.79), and PA = 36.3 (SD 3.21). Based on these results, staffing intensity alone may not be associated with burnout among California pharmacy residents, but PGY2 pharmacy residents may be at higher risk of burnout. Higher burnout scores may predict the likelihood of pursuing board specialty certification. Future studies assessing additional confounding factors with a broader scope are needed to fully define risk factors for burnout in pharmacy residents. Full article

This study presents an experimental investigation of seabed scour in front of a quay wall due to the interaction between propeller jet flow and the wall effect. For this purpose, two propellers (D_p = 6 and 9 cm in diameter) were used, and four different wall clearances (X_w = 2, 4, 6 and 8D_p) were selected. The experiments were carried out for propeller rotational speeds ranging from 300 rpm to 1000 rpm. The effect of clay content was also investigated using three different clay contents of 0, 5 and 10% by weight (i.e., p = 0, 0.05 and 0.1). The results of the study reveal that at low propeller rotational speeds, scour in the cohesive seabed is decreased compared to that in the cohesionless bed. The scour profiles obtained at high propeller rotational speeds for the seabed with a clay content of 5% were found to have the same characteristics as those obtained for the cohesionless seabed. However, as the clay content increases to 10%, significant changes occur in the scour profiles, and the cohesion effect begins to dominate. Full article