Search Results (307)

While architectural visual features significantly influence human emotion, the spatiotemporal neuro-mechanisms underlying their interactive effects remain poorly under-researched. This study systematically decoupled the dynamics of indoor spatial perception by investigating the interactive impacts of color combination, color shape, and area proportion to find out the effects on participants’ emotion. By integrating high-resolution electroencephalography (EEG), specifically analyzing the N200, late positive potential (LPP), Frontal Alpha Asymmetry (FAA), and Beta bands with Self-Assessment Manikin (SAM) ratings and Liking scores in immersive virtual indoor environments, data from 61 valid participants were analyzed. The results revealed a hierarchical neuro-affective processing structure: morphology dominated early cognitive processing, where curved geometries acted as a pre-attentive cognitive buffer, acting as a cognitive buffer by significantly attenuating the early-stage visual stress induced by angular, high-contrast configurations. Conversely, color combination primarily drove late-stage sustained environmental arousal, tracked by the LPP. Notably, area proportion demonstrated a significant amplification effect, significantly exacerbating pre-existing neuro-affective biases. Crucially, cross-modal triangulation revealed a selective inter-modal coupling: while sustained cortical activation (ΔLPP) significantly predicted subjective emotional arousal, early physiological buffering (ΔN200/ΔFAA) was functionally dissociated from subjective aesthetic preference (ΔLiking). This decoupling provides preliminary evidence consistent with a dual-system processing framework, suggesting that while curves may facilitate a preconscious biological safe baseline, ultimate aesthetic appreciation is likely subject to top-down cognitive over-riding. Ultimately, these findings transition indoor spatial color design from intuitive practice to evidence-based neuro-aesthetics, highlighting the critical role of morphological buffering and EEG metrics in optimizing human emotional well-being. Full article

Background: Internet Gambling Disorder (IGD) has become an important public health concern, yet relatively little is known about the combined neural, autonomic, and behavioral mechanisms underlying cue reactivity in immersive gambling environments. This study investigated whether individuals with IGD demonstrate altered neurophysiological and psychophysiological responses during a virtual reality (VR) gambling task. Methods: Fifty-seven adults, including 28 participants meeting diagnostic criteria for IGD and 29 healthy controls, completed a standardized VR casino paradigm incorporating predetermined win, loss, and near-miss events. Electroencephalography (EEG), galvanic skin response (GSR), behavioral performance, and post-task craving were assessed simultaneously. Results: Compared with healthy controls, the IGD group demonstrated significantly greater P300 amplitudes during win trials and enhanced late positive potential (LPP) responses following near-miss outcomes, indicating increased attentional allocation and sustained emotional processing of gambling-related cues. Skin conductance responses were also significantly higher in response to near-miss events, whereas overall skin conductance level and reaction time did not differ significantly between groups. Participants with IGD additionally exhibited greater engagement during the VR task and reported substantially higher craving following exposure to the gambling environment. Conclusion: These findings indicate that immersive VR combined with EEG and autonomic recordings provides a sensitive framework for detecting cue-reactivity associated with IGD. Although the findings should be interpreted in light of the relatively modest sample size and the use of a predominantly male sample, they suggest that immersive VR combined with EEG and autonomic recordings provides a sensitive framework for investigating cue reactivity associated with Internet Gambling Disorder. Integrating behavioral, physiological, and neural measures may improve understanding of the mechanisms underlying problematic gambling and inform future research on objective assessment strategies and intervention development. Full article

Advice-giving during social interaction is not a one-way flow of information. Instead, it constitutes a dynamic process that includes offering advice, receiving feedback, and adjusting subsequent behaviors. Few studies have examined how advisees’ facial attractiveness and feedback type together shape advisors’ willingness to keep providing advice, as well as the corresponding neural temporal patterns. In this study, we adopted an advice-giving game paradigm. We recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) when 28 participants received feedback and made subsequent advice decisions, to explore the interaction between facial attractiveness and feedback type. Behavioral results showed that both high facial attractiveness and acceptance feedback significantly increased advisors’ willingness to continue giving advice. Moreover, an interaction effect was observed: compared with rejection feedback, the influence of facial attractiveness on willingness to continue advising was relatively weaker under acceptance feedback. ERP results revealed that high facial attractiveness evoked greater P300 and late positive potential (LPP) amplitudes at the feedback reception stage. Under acceptance conditions, low facial attractiveness evoked greater feedback-related negativity (FRN) amplitudes. At the advice decision stage, high facial attractiveness similarly elicited larger P300 and LPP amplitudes, while low facial attractiveness produced greater N2 amplitudes in acceptance trials. These findings indicate that facial attractiveness affects static social evaluation and also shapes the dynamic interaction sequence of giving advice, receiving feedback and forming subsequent decisions. Attractive faces and acceptance feedback may possess greater motivational significance and social salience, thereby promoting advisors’ subsequent willingness to provide advice. Full article

Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) is a highly prevalent condition associated with pelvic floor damage, fibroblast dysfunction, and impaired extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling. This study aimed to investigate the regenerative potential and underlying molecular mechanisms of decidua-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (DMSCs) in a rat model of vaginal distension (VD) and in human suburethral fibroblasts from SUI patients. Adult female rats were subjected to VD and treated with periurethral DMSC injections, followed by functional and transcriptomic analyses, one and six weeks after VD. In parallel, an in vitro co-culture system was used to evaluate the paracrine effects of DMSCs on SUI fibroblasts. DMSC treatment significantly increased leak point pressure (LPP) one week after VD, approaching values observed in control animals (19.8 ± 0.45 vs. 22.3 ± 2.08 mmHg, p = 0.09), while promoting transcriptional changes consistent with tissue repair. Gene expression analyses revealed transient increases in proliferative and inflammatory markers, followed by earlier normalization compared to untreated animals. In vitro, DMSCs reduced p16 expression, increased p21 and Klotho levels, and rebalanced ECM remodeling by decreasing MMP-1 and increasing MMP-2. These findings indicate that DMSCs promote a regenerative microenvironment by modulating senescence and ECM dynamics. Overall, DMSCs may represent a promising disease-modifying strategy for SUI by enhancing tissue repair and functional recovery. Full article

Conventional nitrogen fertilizers are essential to food production but impose substantial energy, greenhouse-gas, and reactive-nitrogen losses. This review compares Haber–Bosch-derived urea, ammonium nitrate, calcium nitrate, green ammonia, and fertigation with plasma-activated water (PAW), in which non-thermal plasma fixes atmospheric nitrogen directly into water as NO₃⁻/NO₂⁻ and, in some systems, NH₄⁺. A PRISMA-adapted Scopus screening retrieved 765 records. Automated screening excluded 312 records; all 453 provisionally retained records were then manually audited, removing 88 additional false positives and yielding 365 plasma nitrogen-fixation studies, including 157 PAW/plasma-in-liquid records. The comparison uses explicit system boundaries for energy, carbon intensity, nitrogen-use efficiency, and technology readiness. The lowest verified directly measured in-water system reports 1.14 MJ mol⁻¹ N for total soluble nitrogen, whereas lower values near 0.4–0.5 MJ mol⁻¹ N refer mainly to gas-phase or modeled plasma fixation and are not directly interchangeable with PAW. Controlled-environment studies report improved germination or vegetative growth in several crops and, in one full-cycle controlled horticultural study with a nitrate-equivalent control, fruit performance comparable with conventional nitrate fertilization. Nevertheless, PAW is not a general replacement for synthetic fertilizer. Its most credible near-term role is as a decentralized complement in fertigation, protected cultivation, hydroponics, and remote or supply-constrained systems supplied by low-carbon electricity. Major barriers are dilute and variable nitrogen concentration, reactor durability, storage stability, incomplete techno-economic accounting, and the absence of replicated multi-season field validation. Minimum reporting requirements and research priorities are proposed. Full article

Background: Lichen planopilaris (LPP) and frontal fibrosing alopecia (FFA) are primary cicatricial alopecias with no FDA-approved treatments and a limited evidence base for any intervention. Alopecia areata (AA), while better studied, similarly lacks a well-tolerated, locally acting non-pharmacologic option. The 308 nm excimer laser is established in inflammatory dermatoses, yet its role in hair loss conditions has not been systematically characterized. This review provides an updated appraisal of the AA evidence base and the first systematic appraisal of excimer therapy in LPP and FFA. Methods: We searched PubMed/Medline, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane CENTRAL and synthesized findings narratively, given substantial heterogeneity across included studies. Results: In total, 33 studies reporting 634 unique patients met the inclusion criteria across AA subtypes (patchy/localized, totalis, universalis, ophiasic, and pediatric), LPP, and FFA. Most evidence (30/33 studies, 613/634 patients) pertains to AA, where excimer therapy produced meaningful hair regrowth in a large proportion of patients. Cicatricial data was more limited (3/33 studies, 21/634 patients). LPP data suggest improvement in inflammatory symptoms; FFA results were mixed. Adverse effects were mild and transient, primarily erythema and hyperpigmentation. Conclusions: The use of 308 nm excimer therapy may be a well-tolerated non-pharmacologic option when pharmacologic therapy is contraindicated, poorly tolerated, or inadequately effective, though limited evidence, especially for LPP and FFA, warrants further investigation across these and other conditions not yet studied. Full article

Background/Objectives: Prepubertal localized aggressive periodontitis/LPP is an extremely rare but extremely fast-progressing form of periodontal disease involving systemically healthy children, starting in primary and mixed dentition. Our aim is to synthesize the data (January 2014–April 2026) on LPP progression description in systemically healthy children aged 2–13 years; clinical and biological responses to available treatment strategies, focusing on disease progression pattern, treatment efficacy and factors influencing treatment outcomes; and correlating findings with a report of a 24-month follow-up of a female prepubertal Caucasian patient during the primary and early stages of mixed dentition. Methods: A total of 489 studies were found after deduplication for the selected period. Due to the eligibility criteria, 9 studies plus another 10 contextual publications were included. Additionally, a 24-month follow-up of a previous LPP case was correlated. Results: LPP displayed rapid tissular destruction in primary dentition with risks to transfers to mixed and permanent dentition. The systemic antibiotic treatment reduced tissue loss, enabling fast periodontal regeneration. LPP is rare but severe, with a continuous biological trajectory, and with the window of opportunity remaining when the first symptoms appear. A few months (4–6 months) delay in diagnosis leads to irreversible tooth loss even in young patients with high biological healing potential. Conclusions: Systemic antibiotic treatment is mandatory in LPP/C-MIP cases from the primary dentition phase but does not reset host susceptibility. The Amoxicillin/Augmentin–Metronidazole association is recommended, with caution regarding dosage (adverse reactions). Periodontal gains are radiologically and clinically proven, but rebounding is possible. Full article

TIDEs (therapeutic peptides, oligonucleotides, and related molecules) represent a rapidly expanding market that has gained significant momentum due to the recent success of Glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) receptor agonists for the treatment of obesity, diabetes and as cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Chemical synthesis remains the dominant manufacturing route for candidates containing approximately 10–40 amino acids and includes non-proteinogenic amino acids. Consequently, various combinations of solid-phase peptide synthesis (SPPS), liquid-phase peptide synthesis (LPPS), hybrid approaches, or tag-assisted peptide synthesis (TAPS) can be applied to achieve full-sequence assembly. However, identifying the most eco-efficient pathway through experimental trials alone is impractical because of the vast number of possible process combinations and the growing variety of green solvent alternatives. Therefore, process simulation studies—widely established in chemical engineering—must be adapted to the specific physicochemical characteristics of these large, multi-component molecules. This paper provides an overview of the current state of research and illustrates potential process improvements enabled by digital twin technologies as exemplified for the first manufacturing steps of tirzepatide. Full article

Background/Objectives: For the first time, water-soluble encapsulated forms of 20-hydroxyecdysone were synthesized as clathrate complexes with β-cyclodextrin. The derivatives included a ketoxime form (20-NOH), obtained by selective oximation of the C-6 carbonyl, and a triacetate form (3Ac-20E), obtained by regioselective acetylation of the C-2, C-3, and C-22 hydroxyl groups. Methods: The chemical structures of the obtained compounds were confirmed using spectroscopic methods, including ¹H and ¹³C NMR. The Z-configuration of the oxime in 20-NOH was established by the diagnostic upfield shift in the C-5 resonance (δ 36.0 ppm) relative to the parent compound (δ 51.4 ppm). Results: The antioxidant activity was evaluated using FRAP and DPPH assays. The β-cyclodextrin complexes were shown to exhibit significantly higher radical scavenging activity, with IC₅₀ values of <0.05 mg/mL compared to 0.24 mg/mL for the parent 20-hydroxyecdysone (20E). In the FRAP assay, the complexes demonstrated enhanced reducing capacity, with values of 3.452 ± 0.520 AAE/mL for the ketoxime form (20-NOH·β-CD) at a concentration of 0.75 mg/mL and 3.810 ± 0.279 AAE/mL for the acetate form (3Ac-20E·β-CD) at the same concentration, whereas the parent compound did not exceed 0.46 AAE/mL. In both in vitro and in vivo experiments, it was established that the investigated complexes demonstrated hepatoprotective properties, as evidenced by the normalization of biochemical parameters as well as the restoration of liver structure according to ultrasound and histological studies. The ketoxime-derived complex (20-NOH·β-CD) at a dose of 25 mg/kg demonstrates the greatest reduction in transaminase activity and MDA levels, indicating its high efficacy and the presence of an optimal therapeutic dose. In addition, the encapsulated forms demonstrated moderate antifungal activity against Candida albicans and bactericidal activity against four bacterial strains (MIC >10 mg/mL). Conclusions: The obtained results indicate that β-cyclodextrin complexes significantly enhance the biological activity of 20E and highlight the potential of these compounds for pharmaceutical applications. Full article

Background: Lichen planus (LP) is a chronic inflammatory dermatosis with multiple clinical variants involving the skin, mucous membranes, nails, and hair follicles. Methods: We conducted a retrospective, descriptive study of patients diagnosed with LP at a tertiary referral center from January 2011 to December 2024. Inclusion required concordance between clinical presentation and histopathologic findings. Demographic characteristics, LP subtypes, anatomical involvement, comorbidities, therapeutic approaches, and treatment outcomes were extracted from electronic health records. In addition, an exploratory sensitivity analysis restricted to patients with a single LP subtype was performed to allow for independent subgroup comparisons, and a modified Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) based on available comorbidity domains was calculated. Pairwise multivariable logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, and outcome-specific modified CCI were performed for selected comorbidities. Results: A total of 754 patients were included (mean age 53.1 years), with cutaneous LP (cLP), oral LP (oLP), genital LP (gLP), and lichen planopilaris (LPP) being the most frequent subtypes; a total of 620 had a single major LP subtype and were included in the mutually exclusive analysis. In these groups, modified CCI, age-adjusted modified CCI, and overall comorbidity count differed significantly across subtypes (Kruskal–Wallis p < 0.001). After adjustment in pairwise models, cLP-only showed higher odds of malignancy compared with oLP-only, gLP-only, and LPP-only and higher odds of diabetes mellitus compared with all other pure subtypes. Most other comorbidity comparisons were non-significant or imprecise because of low event numbers. Topical glucocorticoids were the most frequently used treatment, and treatment responses varied by subtype, being more effective in cLP and gLP compared to LPP. Topical calcineurin inhibitors demonstrated the highest response rates in gLP. Acitretin was most effective in cLP, whereas isotretinoin showed favorable responses in oLP. Conclusions: This large, histopathologically confirmed cohort highlights distinct differences in comorbidity patterns, anatomical involvement, and therapeutic response across LP subtypes. Treatment outcomes vary substantially by subtype, underscoring the need for individualized management strategies. Prospective studies are warranted to further elucidate subtype-specific disease associations and optimize treatment approaches. Full article

Plasma-assisted nitrogen fixation has emerged as a promising strategy for sustainable nitrate production. However, the coexistence of multiple interfaces and complex multi-step reaction pathways within the plasma-liquid system often leads to the formation of mixed nitrogen species, posing a significant challenge for achieving high product selectivity. In this study, a dual-cell reactor was introduced in liquid-phase plasma (LPP) system, enabling selective product distribution. Optical emission spectroscopy revealed pronounced signals corresponding to the second positive system (SPS) of N₂ and the first negative system (FNS) of N₂⁺, indicative of strong plasma excitation and ionization processes that facilitated the formation of reactive nitrogen oxide intermediates. These species were subsequently converted into aqueous NO₂⁻ and further oxidized into NO₃⁻ only in the reaction cell where reactive species are generated. The effects of key parameters, including electrode material, treatment time, solution pH, and discharge conditions, were comprehensively evaluated. As a result, the reaction cell achieved a nitrate selectivity of 98.9%, whereas the absorption cell achieved a nitrite selectivity of 100%. Findings from EPR and scavenger analyses collectively provide a detailed mechanistic understanding of LPP-driven nitrogen fixation and highlight the importance of controlling plasma parameters to achieve highly selective production of nitrogen compounds. Full article

Many System-on-Chip (SoC) studies rely solely on simulation and tool-based results, encountering unexpected failures during post-silicon validation. In particular, silicon-level demonstrations of Hardware/Software (HW/SW) functional equivalence, which confirms that an FPGA-validated design operates identically on an ASIC with the same firmware, remain extremely rare. This work proposes a reproducible FPGA-to-silicon verification methodology that establishes HW/SW functional equivalence at the silicon level by applying an identical firmware source code, device driver, and memory map to both platforms. The methodology is validated on an Arm Cortex-M0-based SoC platform fabricated in Samsung 28 nm Low Power Plus (LPP) CMOS technology with a dual Inter-Integrated Circuit (I2C) interface. The fabricated chip integrates two 64KB on-chip memories within a core area of 653 $\mathsf{\mu }$m × 769 $\mathsf{\mu }$m, operates at 125 MHz, and consumes 17.5 mW at the optimal operating point of 1.0 V. The primary contributions are: (1) a reproducible FPGA-to-silicon HW/SW functional equivalence verification methodology based on shared firmware source code, device driver, and memory map across both platforms, (2) silicon-measurement-based performance characterization with verified experimental data, (3) a reproducible design methodology documenting the complete flow from FPGA verification through ASIC fabrication, including static timing closure, place-and-route, and physical verification, and (4) an extensible SoC platform architecture enabling researchers to integrate and validate their own Intellectual Property (IP) via Advanced High-performance Bus (AHB) and I2C interfaces. Full article

Acrylic resin is widely used in the fabrication of complete dentures, interacting significantly with the intraoral environment. However, complete dentures face challenges such as stability issues and biofilm accumulation. Glaze application is a common method to reduce surface porosity and microbial adhesion, but it also decreases surface wettability, potentially impairing salivary film formation essential for peripheral sealing. This study aimed to incorporate titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles into the glaze applied to thermally activated acrylic resin (TAAR) via spray coating to enhance surface wettability and antifungal activity. Four groups were tested: G (TAAR + commercial glaze − control); AlG (TAAR + commercial glaze + aluminum oxide − roughness control); TiG (TAAR + commercial glaze + titanium dioxide); and ZnG (TAAR + commercial glaze + zinc oxide). Evaluations included flexural strength, color and translucency, surface analysis and antibiofilm activity against Candida albicans. Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. No statistically significant differences in mechanical strength (MPa) were observed (G: 108.54 ± 8.36; AlG: 113.60 ± 11.95; ZnG: 111.98 ± 9.27; TiG: 113.66 ± 10.41). Surface roughness significantly increased, and contact angle decreased, indicating improved wettability. Regardless of the antifungal activity no improvement was detected (G: 6.71 ± 0.10; AlG: 6.82 ± 0.08; ZnG: 6.72 ± 0.20; TiG: 6.66 ± 0.18). In conclusion, the incorporation of nanoparticles into the glaze improves the wettability of acrylic resin surfaces, potentially enhancing peripheral sealing and denture retention, which is beneficial for patients with reduced alveolar ridge height. Full article

Plasma-sprayed yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) coatings are critical to enhancing the performance of thermal barrier coatings in gas turbines and aero-engines; however, their service life is significantly constrained by microstructural evolution and multi-mechanism coupling effects. Focusing on plasma spraying process routes (atmospheric plasma spraying, APS; suspension plasma spraying/solution precursor plasma spraying, SPS/SPPS; low-pressure plasma spraying, LPPS) and key process parameters as primary input variables, this review systematically analyzes their regulatory roles in microstructural characteristics such as porosity and crack density. Available studies indicate that distinct process routes give rise to pronounced structural differences: the porosity of APS coatings is 10%–20%, that of SPS/SPPS coatings is 15%–30%, and that of LPPS coatings is 1%–8%. After thermal exposure above 1100 °C, the porosity decreases to 6%–12%, 8%–18%, and 0.5%–3%, respectively, while the thermal conductivity increases to a maximum of approximately 2.5 W·m⁻¹·K⁻¹ and the Young’s modulus rises to 60–220 GPa. Further analysis reveals that mechanisms such as sintering densification, phase destabilization, thermally grown oxide (TGO) interfacial stress accumulation, and calcium–magnesium–alumino-silicate (CMAS) infiltration exert coupled amplification effects through microstructural evolution, thereby accelerating coating failure. On this basis, emerging regulation strategies are evaluated: the CMAS penetration depth of high-entropy oxides at 1300 °C for 5 h is only about 1/7 that of conventional YSZ, the thermal cycling life of self-healing coatings is enhanced by up to 4.2 times, and the crack density is reduced by approximately 35%. Finally, it is proposed that a quantitative prediction model integrating “structural parameters–evolution kinetics–service life” should be established, and that anti-sintering design, gradient structures, and functionalized systems be combined to enable the transition of YSZ coatings from empirical optimization to predictable design. Full article

A C/Zn-ZnO/TiO₂/Fe-Fe_xO_y (C/ZTF) nanocomposite photocatalyst with magnetic recoverability was synthesized by liquid-phase plasma (LPP) processing. Structural and surface analyses revealed that the photocatalyst consisted of TiO₂, Zn-ZnO, and Fe-Fe_xO_y domains integrated with a turbostratic-like carbon matrix and accompanied by defect-rich surface features. These structural characteristics are considered to support broader light absorption and more efficient interfacial charge migration. Under LED irradiation, C/ZTF achieved 95.8% degradation of methylene blue (MB) within 60 min at pH 7, while 92.5% degradation of tetracycline (TC) was achieved within 100 min at pH 9. Photoelectrochemical and photophysical analyses indicated that C/ZTF promoted charge separation and reduced carrier recombination more effectively than the individual component photocatalysts. Scavenger experiments suggested that •OH was the dominant reactive species in MB degradation, while •O₂⁻, h⁺, and e⁻ also contributed to the reaction. The enhanced photocatalytic performance of C/ZTF is associated with improved charge separation and interfacial charge-transfer behavior in the multicomponent heterostructure. The carbonaceous phase is considered to contribute to this process, and the overall photocatalytic behavior is discussed in relation to a dual Z-scheme-like pathway. These results provide design insight for recyclable multicomponent photocatalysts for environmental remediation. Full article