Search Results (18,882)

Biofouling remains a critical challenge in bioelectrochemical cells (BECs), hindering their efficiency and performance. This research article reviews advances in biofouling mitigation techniques within BEC systems during the period from 2019 to 2025, focusing on membrane modifications and electro-assisted membrane technologies. Through comprehensive analysis, it is revealed that Nafion alternatives, including ceramic membranes and recycled nonwoven fabrics like polypropylene, have emerged as significant contenders due to their combination of low cost and high performance. Additionally, the incorporation of silver, zeolite, and graphene oxide onto membranes has demonstrated efficacy in mitigating biofouling under laboratory conditions. Furthermore, the application of direct current electric fields has shown potential as a chemical-free preventative measure against biofouling in BECs. However, challenges related to long-term stability, scalability, and cost-effectiveness must be addressed for widespread adoption. Full article

We provide an automated characterization of human retinal cells, i.e., RPE’s based on the non-invasive AO-TFI retinal imaging and PR’s based on the non-invasive AO-FI retinal imaging on a large-scale study involving 171 confirmed healthy eyes from 104 participants of 23 to 80 years old. Comprehensive standard checkups based on SD-OCT and Fondus imaging modalities were carried out by Ophthalmologists from the Luzerner Kantonsspital (LUKS) to confirm the absence of retinal pathologies. AO imaging imaging was performed using the Cellularis^® device and each eye was imaged at various retinal eccentricities. The images were automatically segmented using a dedicated software and RPE and PR cells were identified and morphometric characterizations, such as cell density and area were computed. The results were stratified based on various criteria, such as age, retinal eccentricity, visual acuity, etc. The automatic segmentation was validated independently on a held-out set by five trained medical students not involved in this study. We plotted cell density variations as a function of eccentricity from the fovea along both nasal and temporal directions. For RPE cells, no consistent trend in density was observed between 0° to 9° eccentricity, contrasting with established histological literature demonstrating foveal density peaks. In contrast, PR cell density showed a clear decrease from 2.5° to 9°. RPE cell density declined linearly with age, whereas no age-related pattern was detected for PR cell density. On average, RPE cell density was found to be ≈6313 cells/mm² ($\pm \sigma =757$), while the average PR cell density was calculated as ≈10,207 cells/mm² ($\pm \sigma =1273$). Full article

In less than 30 years, Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) has evolved from an antiparkinsonian rescue intervention into a flexible neuromodulatory therapy with the potential for personalized, adaptive, and enhancement-focused interventions. In this review we collected evidence from seven areas: (i) modern eligibility criteria, and ways to practically improve on these, outside of ‘Core Assessment Program of Surgical Interventional Therapies in Parkinson’s Disease’ (CAPSIT-PD); (ii) cost-effectiveness, where long-horizon models now show positive incremental net monetary benefit for Parkinson’s disease, and rechargeable-devices lead the way in treatment-resistant depression and obsessive–compulsive disorder; (iii) anatomical targets, from canonical subthalamic nucleus (STN) / globus pallidus internus (GPi) sites, to new dual-node and cortical targets; (iv) mechanistic theories from informational lesions, antidromic cortical drive, and state-dependent network modulation made possible by optogenetics and computational modeling; (v) psychiatric and metabolic indications, and early successes in subcallosal and nucleus-accumbens stimulation for depression, obsessive–compulsive disorder (OCD), anorexia nervosa, and schizophrenia; (vi) procedure- and hardware-related safety, summarized through five reviews, showing that the risks were around 4% for infection, 4–5% for revision surgery, 3% for lead malposition or fracture, and 2% for intracranial hemorrhage; and (vii) future directions in connectomics, closed-loop sensing, and explainable machine learning pipelines, which may change patient selection, programming, and long-term stewardship. Overall, the DBS is entering a “third wave” focused on a better understanding of neural circuits, the integration of AI-based adaptive technologies, and an emphasis on cost-effectiveness, in order to extend the benefits of DBS beyond the treatment of movement disorders, while remaining sustainable for healthcare systems. Full article

Nonunions and fracture-related infections represent a significant complication in orthopedic and trauma care, with their incidence rising due to an aging, more comorbid global population and the escalating threat of multi-resistant pathogens. This narrative review highlights pivotal advancements in diagnostics and therapeutic approaches, while also providing an outlook on future directions. Diagnostic methodologies have significantly evolved from traditional cultures to sophisticated molecular techniques like metagenomic next-generation sequencing and advanced imaging. Simultaneously, therapeutic strategies have undergone substantial refinement, encompassing orthoplastic management for infected open fractures and the innovative application of antibiotic-loaded bone substitutes for local drug delivery. The effective integration of these possibilities into daily patient care critically depends on specialized centers. These institutions play an indispensable role in managing complex cases and fostering innovation. Despite considerable progress over the past 25 years, ongoing research, interdisciplinary collaboration, and a steadfast commitment to evidence-based practice remain crucial to transforming management for the future. Full article

This study presents a concise analytical framework that combines suprametric spaces with directed graph structures to model dynamic market environments. The proposed setting captures hierarchical and asymmetric relations between economic components, providing a more flexible structure than conventional metric frameworks. Within this framework, several types of contractive mappings, such as supra-Kannan, supra-Reich, and supra-Ciric contractions, are defined, and corresponding fixed point theorems are established. The theoretical results are applied to a nonlinear integral equation describing the evolution of prices in production and consumption processes. Under appropriate assumptions, the existence and uniqueness of solutions are guaranteed, and a numerical example demonstrates the convergence and practical importance of the proposed model. Full article

People are exposed to mixtures of metals, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), phthalates, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) rather than single chemicals, yet mixture inference is hampered by high dimensionality, correlation, missingness, and left-censoring below limits of detection (LOD). We analyzed 2013–2014 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) biomarkers (n = 4367) to (i) recover latent, interpretable co-exposure structures and (ii) quantify how these mixtures relate to liver health. To denoise and handle censoring, we applied Principal Component Pursuit with LOD adjustment (PCP-LOD), decomposing the exposure matrix into a non-negative low-rank component (population co-exposure profiles) and a sparse component (individual spikes), and then used Bayesian Kernel Machine Regression (BKMR) to estimate nonlinear and interactive associations with AST, ALT, GGT, ALP, total bilirubin, and the Fatty Liver Index (FLI), retaining analytes with ≥50% detection. PCP-LOD revealed coherent clusters (e.g., long-chain PFAS grouping; shared metal loadings), while the sparse layer highlighted episodic phthalate elevations. BKMR indicated outcome-specific mixture effects: PAHs and selected phthalates showed consistently positive associations with ALP, GGT, and FLI; PFAS (PFOS, PFNA, PFOA) exhibited modest associations with ALP and bilirubin; metals displayed mixed directions. A joint increase in the overall mixture from the 25th to 75th percentile corresponded to an upward shift in FLI and a smaller rise in ALT. This censoring-aware low-rank-plus-sparse framework coupled with flexible mixture modeling recovers actionable exposure architecture and reveals clinically relevant links to liver injury and steatosis, motivating longitudinal and mechanistic studies to strengthen causal interpretation. Full article

Carbon emissions from dairy farms have significantly hindered the advancement of sustainable agriculture, and improving carbon efficiency is a key pathway to mitigate these emissions. As a critical technological innovation, smart farming technology exerts a substantial impact on boosting carbon efficiency in dairy farms. Based on field survey data collected from Chinese dairy farms, this study employs an integrated empirical approach, including endogenous switching regression, two-stage least squares, and propensity score matching, to rigorously evaluate the impact of smart farming technology on economies of scale. A mediation analysis is further conducted to examine the interrelationships among smart farming technology, economies of scale, and carbon efficiency, while the moderating role of government regulation is also empirically tested. The findings reveal three key results: (1) Smart farming technology exerts a direct and positive influence on the economies of scale in dairy farms, with this effect becoming more pronounced as farm size increases. (2) Economies of scale serve as a partial mediator in the relationship between smart farming technology and carbon efficiency. This indicates that smart farming technology not only directly enhances carbon efficiency but also does so indirectly by facilitating the expansion of production scale and reducing unit costs. (3) Government regulation positively moderates this mediating pathway. Specifically, through standardizing production practices, offering policy incentives, and guiding the application of technology, government interventions strengthen the ability of smart farming technology to foster economies of scale. These insights underscore the importance of steering dairy farms toward the adoption of smart farming technologies to simultaneously improve scale efficiency and carbon performance, thereby supporting the transition toward low-carbon and sustainable agricultural development. Finally, this study proposes three policy implications: strengthening institutional support for the adoption of smart farming technologies in dairy production systems, significantly enhancing training programs related to these technologies, and systematically guiding dairy farms toward smart technology adoption to simultaneously improve economies of scale and carbon efficiency. Full article

By 2045, approximately 783.2 million people are projected to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). In addition, obesity is expected to affect up to 22% of the world’s population or one in four people. The diabesity epidemic, a worrying trend in which T2DM and obesity co-occur, is becoming increasingly evident and could be the most significant epidemic of non-communicable chronic diseases in human history. The salutogenic pattern of health, which emphasises well-being and resistance resources, could be a promising solution to address this alarming worldwide problem. The salutogenic pattern of health has numerous positive effects on the health of persons with T2DM. These include reducing the risk of it, lowering some biomarkers and laboratory parameters related to its control, and promoting a better lifestyle, ultimately improving the overall quality of life. The salutogenic pattern of health offers an effective and evidence-based approach to address the growing global problem of chronic non-communicable diseases such as T2DM. Integrating this theory into standard modern medical practice has the potential to significantly improve health outcomes and overall patient well-being, making it an important direction for modern medicine. Accordingly, the aim is to explore and analyse the salutogenic pattern of health associated with T2DM in order to prevent it, but also the better management of it. Full article

Background: Childhood cancer survivors (CCSs) are at heightened risk of long-term neurocognitive and emotional difficulties that can affect educational attainment, social participation, and overall quality of life. These outcomes vary across developmental stages and are influenced by treatment modality, age at diagnosis, and central nervous system (CNS) involvement. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, PsycINFO, and Web of Science for articles published between January 2000 and June 2024. Search terms included combinations of “childhood cancer survivors,” “neurocognitive outcomes,” “executive function,” “emotional regulation,” and related MeSH terms. Inclusion criteria required peer-reviewed studies assessing CCS using standardized neuropsychological or emotional measures. Results: Evidence indicates persistent deficits in processing speed, working memory, and higher-order executive functions, with additional challenges in attention and memory. Emotional difficulties, including anxiety, depression, and social withdrawal, were prevalent and often co-occurred with cognitive impairments. Developmental timing of cancer and treatment was a key determinant of outcome. Family functioning, school reintegration support, and broader social environments emerged as important moderators of resilience. Conclusions: CCSs face complex, interrelated cognitive and emotional challenges that warrant early identification and ongoing, developmentally tailored intervention. Integrated approaches combining cognitive remediation and psychosocial support appear most effective. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, multi-informant assessments, and culturally sensitive frameworks to inform targeted prevention and rehabilitation strategies. Our synthesis highlights that deficits in processing speed and working memory are most pronounced following CNS-directed therapies during early developmental stages, whereas emotional vulnerabilities such as anxiety and social withdrawal often emerge later in adolescence. Interventions combining cognitive remediation, targeted psychosocial support, and structured school reintegration show the strongest evidence for improving adaptive outcomes. Coordinated survivorship care across healthcare, educational, and family systems is essential to sustain developmental recovery. Full article

Background: Inherited retinal dystrophies (IRDs) include a clinically and genetically diverse array of conditions resulting in progressive visual impairment. The PROM1 gene is crucial for the development and maintenance of photoreceptors. Variants in PROM1 are linked to a wide phenotypic spectra of IRDs; however, the correlation between genotype and phenotype is not fully elucidated. Comprehending these relationships is essential for enhanced diagnostic precision, patient guidance, and formulation of focused treatments. Objective: This study aims to examine the genotype–phenotype associations in patients with PROM1-associated IRDs. Clinical variability and inheritance patterns linked to different pathogenic variants are examined, aiming to clarify their different behaviors. Methods: We performed a retrospective investigation of patients identified as affected by PROM1-related IRDs. Thorough ophthalmologic assessments, including retinography, fundus autofluorescence, optical coherence tomography (OCT), and electrodiagnostic testing (EDT), were conducted. Genetic testing was performed via targeted gene panels or whole-exome sequencing. Variants were categorized based on ACMG criteria, and inheritance patterns were determined by familial segregation analysis. Clinical characteristics were analyzed among genotypic groups to ascertain potential phenotype–genotype relationships. Results: All patients had pathogenic or likely pathogenic PROM1 mutations. Both autosomal dominant and autosomal recessive inheritance patterns were identified. Dominant pathogenic variants were predominantly linked to late-onset cone-rod dystrophy or macular dystrophy, whereas biallelic variants frequently resulted in early-onset severe rod–cone dystrophy characterized by fast vision deterioration. A group of patients with the same genotypes displayed significant phenotypic variability, indicating the potential impact of modifier genes or environmental influences. Truncating mutations in the N-terminal region were significantly associated with earlier illness onset and greater functional impairment. Conclusions: PROM1-related IRDs demonstrated significant clinical and genetic heterogeneity, with the route of inheritance and type of variant affecting disease severity and progression. Our findings underscore the significance of thorough genotypic and phenotypic characterization in afflicted individuals. A deeper comprehension of PROM1-related IRD disease pathways can enhance prognosis, direct clinical care, and facilitate the advancement of genotype-based therapy strategies. Full article

Tensile tests of AlMg4.5 alloy were carried out at six strain rates to study the Portevin–Le Chatelier (PLC) effect. The measured engineering stress–time and engineering stress–engineering strain curves were evaluated by direct peak detection and reference function approximation. The waiting and decay times of the PLC effect, and the related stress jumps and drops, were determined. It was shown that, as a function of strain rate, the quotient of the decay and the waiting time forms a curve with a decreasing slope after an initial rapid rise; the same can be stated about the time derivative of the stress jumps. These relationships are suitable for identifying serrations that vary depending on the strain rate, in full harmony with the stress serration amplitudes observed in the tensile test diagrams. Full article

Sleep is a fundamental biological process essential for health and homeostasis. Traditionally investigated through laboratory-based polysomnography (PSG), sleep research has undergone a paradigm shift with the advent of wearable technologies that enable non-invasive, long-term, and real-world monitoring. This review traces the evolution from early analog and actigraphic methods to current multi-sensor and AI-driven wearable systems. We summarize major technological milestones, including the transition from movement-based to physiological and biochemical sensing, and the growing role of edge computing and deep learning in automated sleep staging. Comparative studies with PSG are discussed, alongside the strengths and limitations of emerging devices such as wristbands, rings, headbands, and camera-based systems. The clinical applications of wearable sleep monitors are examined in relation to remote patient management, personalized medicine, and large-scale population research. Finally, we outline future directions toward integrating multimodal biosensing, transparent algorithms, and standardized validation frameworks. By bridging laboratory precision with ecological validity, wearable technologies promise to redefine the gold standard for sleep monitoring, advancing both individualized care and population-level health assessment. Full article

Participation in cancer prevention programs is suboptimal. Socioeconomic backgrounds play a role in cancer awareness and prevention programs. We conducted a narrative review, summarizing the evidence on the integration of cancer prevention extended to non-occupational risk factors at the workplace. Cancer prevention programs include screenings (colonoscopy, mammography, Pap-test), vaccinations (anti-HPV, anti-HBV), and interventions focused on lifestyle changes. Such strategies may face several barriers related to individual or environmental factors. The workplace is potentially an ideal setting for implementing extended cancer prevention strategies because (i) occupational health surveillance (OHS) targets adults, including hard-to-reach subgroups; (ii) it is structured, with health records and exams for risk assessment; (iii) it offers a key chance to promote cancer awareness and prevention through direct worker–physician interaction. Such an innovative approach requires a coordinated effort to build professional networks and manage high-risk workers. Its successful implementation depends on financial support and the active involvement of physicians, employers, and workers. Occupational-based cancer prevention represents a novel and promising strategy, though its feasibility and cost-effectiveness need to be assessed through large-scale studies. Full article

The system analysis method is suitable for detecting the optimal pathways for regional sustainable (e.g., green, low carbon) socioeconomic development. This study develops an inexact fractional energy–output–water–carbon nexus system planning model to minimize total carbon emission intensity (CEI, total carbon emissions/total economic output) under a set of nexus constraints. Superior to related research, the model (i) proposes a CEI considering both sectoral intermediate use (indirect) and final use (direct); (ii) quantifies the dependencies among energy, output, water, and carbon; (iii) restricts water utilization for carbon emission mitigation; (iv) adopts diverse mitigation measures to achieve carbon neutrality; (v) handles correlative chance-constraints and crisp credibility-constraints. A case in Fujian province (in China) is conducted to verify its feasibility. Results disclose that the total CEI would fluctuate between 45.05 g/CNY and 47.67 g/CNY under uncertainties. The annual total energy and total output would, on average, increase by 0.58% and 2.82%, respectively. Eight mitigation measures would be adopted to reduce the final carbon emission into the air to 0 by 2060. Compared with 2025, using water for carbon emission mitigation would increase 17-fold by 2060. For inland regions, authorities should incorporate other unconventional water sources. In addition, the coefficients of embodied energy consumption and water utilization are the most critical parameters. Full article

Background: Oral health plays a critical role in systemic wellbeing, with growing evidence supporting strong associations between oral conditions and cardiovascular disease (CVD). These connections extend beyond periodontal disease and involve oral microbiota imbalance, systemic inflammation, and oral side effects of cardiovascular pharmacotherapy. Objective: To explore these links, a narrative literature review was performed using PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect, covering studies published between 2000 and 2025. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted in PubMed, Scopus, and ScienceDirect for studies published between January 2000 and May 2025. Both MeSH and free-text terms related to oral health, periodontal disease, systemic inflammation, endothelial dysfunction, and atherosclerosis were used. Eligible studies included observational and interventional research, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. Key findings: The evidence consistently supports an association between chronic periodontal inflammation and cardiovascular risk, mediated by systemic dissemination of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, CRP) and microbial products that promote endothelial activation and atherogenesis. Interventional data indicate that periodontal therapy may reduce systemic inflammatory burden and improve vascular parameters, though heterogeneity across studies limits causal inference. Conclusions: Current findings highlight a significant oral–systemic connection through inflammatory and endothelial mechanisms. Strengthening interdisciplinary collaboration between dental and cardiovascular care providers is essential to translate this evidence into preventive and therapeutic practice. Further longitudinal and mechanistic studies are required to confirm causality and guide clinical integration. Full article