Search Results (220,088)

Background: Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) demonstrates non-enzymatic actions attributable to a 14mer bioactive peptide derived from its sixth exon, ‘T14’, a pivotal agent driving Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Methods: To investigate this possible parallel between development and neurodegeneration, we tracked the expression and timeline of T14 in embryonic and neonatal rodent brain tissue in relation to the expression of its parent molecule, AChE, benchmarked against markers of neural maturation (NeuN) and neurodegenerative pathology (pTau) using sedimentation profiling, Western blotting, and qPCR. Results: We report two key findings: Firstly, while overall AChE activity, expression, and oligomeric assembly in the developing rodent cortex predominantly reflect AChE-T, endogenous T14 appear to selectively correspond with the AChE-R variant (r = 0.936, p = 0.0639), peaking at P7 before declining in tandem with NeuN and pTau. Secondly, application of exogenous peptide to cultured SHSY-5Y cells triggers the selective upregulation of this same variant, AChE-R (F_(3,18) = 9.320, p < 0.05). This effect is blocked by cotreatment with either mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin or NBP14, an antagonist of T14. Conclusions: We conclude that in development, T14 and AChE-R are closely linked, that both are involved in a developmental mechanism most active in the embryonic brain, and that inappropriate reactivation of this mechanism in the mature brain could be the driver in the progression of AD. Full article

Promoting visual health in early childhood is crucial for visual development, and effective school-based interventions are urgently needed. This study examined the effects of physical exercise combined with accommodative training on visual acuity and ocular biometric parameters in children aged 6–7 years. A total of 163 first-grade students were allocated by intact classes to an experimental group (n = 82), which received a 32-week physical exercise program incorporating visual tasks designed to stimulate ciliary-muscle accommodation, or a control group (n = 81), which received standard physical education. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), kinetic visual acuity (KVA), axial length (AL), corneal curvature (CC), and anterior chamber depth (ACD) were assessed at baseline, mid-intervention, and post-intervention. Significant time effects and time × group interactions were observed for UDVA and KVA (all p < 0.05). Although no between-group differences were found at baseline or mid-intervention, the experimental group demonstrated significantly better UDVA and KVA than the control group after the intervention. Significant time effects were observed for AL, CC, and ACD, but no significant between-group differences were detected. These findings suggest that physical exercise combined with accommodative training can effectively enhance visual function in young children, while ocular biometric parameters maintain stable growth trajectories consistent with normal pediatric development. Full article

Deep excavations in soft ground commonly use permanent foundation piles and temporary support columns as independent systems, causing duplicated construction and discontinuous force transfer. This study proposes an integrated pile–column system in which prestressed high-strength concrete (PHC) pipe piles serve as both permanent foundation piles and temporary excavation support columns. The main scientific contribution is a constructible load-transfer framework for this dual-purpose use. Two steel transition details were developed: a steel sleeve connecting the PHC pile to the steel transfer beam, and a steel transfer structure connecting the pile to the base slab. Together, they establish a continuous column–beam–strut load path. Local three-dimensional finite element models were developed in Abaqus to quantify stress transfer in the critical connection regions under prescribed service-stage actions. The maximum sleeve shear stress and beam axial stress were 27.92 and 112.56 MPa, respectively. The corresponding gross-section elastic bending stress in the PHC pile was 7.48 MPa. The models characterize local connection responses; staged excavation and soil–structure interaction were outside their scope. The system was implemented in the Dongcun Road No. 2021G68 project in Nanjing. Third-party monitoring recorded maximum retaining-wall head displacement, deep horizontal displacement, pile column settlement, and strut force of 10.24 mm, 12.59 mm, 0.43 mm, and 658 kN, respectively. All values remained below the project alarm thresholds. The study establishes a field-documented design framework for PHC pile–column integration and identifies the critical connection regions governing local stress transfer. Full article

Although smart city investments have surged in fields such as healthcare, infrastructure and waste management, very little is known about the quality of evidence or its association with urban economic development. This systematic review, based on PRISMA 2020 guidelines, searched four major academic databases for peer-reviewed literature published between January 2011 and April 2025. 58 included studies were appraised independently by two reviewers using MMAT 2018 (mean score 76.5%, Cohen’s κ 0.738) and were divided into four thematic clusters: Healthcare AI (n = 14), Smart Infrastructure (n = 12), Waste Management AI (n = 11) and Smart Cities—Saudi/GCC (n = 21). CNNs dominate the image-based waste classification; LSTM and ensemble methods each outperform in different time-series and tabular waste forecasting tasks. Quantified benefits include a 0.773 AUC-ROC across 78 disease prediction tasks, a 16% decrease in travel time, and a 35% decrease in waste collection frequency. Direct empirical linkage between the service efficiency generated by the ANN and economic development at the zone level remains largely unestablished in the reviewed literature-an issue that is particularly salient in the GCC context. The dual-stage ANN mediation model is suggested as the main research priority in this review. Full article

Background/Objectives: Polyendocrine Metabolic Ovarian Syndrome (PMOS) is a common endocrine disorder affecting women of reproductive age. Current international evidence-based guidelines promote lifestyle management, including diet and nutrition, as first-line treatment strategies. Accredited nutrition professionals, such as dietitians, are therefore well placed to deliver such support. We aimed to investigate the barriers, facilitators and practice patterns of accredited dietetic professionals in the management of PMOS. Methods: This was a mixed-methods, cross-sectional analysis of Australian dietitians using a self-administered online survey to collect: self-rated knowledge and confidence levels for PMOS care; perceived barriers and facilitators to clinical management; awareness and implementation of evidence-based guidelines; and current dietary management practices. Quantitative and qualitative data were analyzed in parallel, using both descriptive statistics and conventional content analysis. Results: Dietitians (n = 86) reported moderate levels of knowledge (n = 33; 38.4%) and confidence (n = 31; 36.5%). Perceived practice barriers included supporting women through weight management, lack of interprofessional collaboration and dietary misinformation. Facilitators to clinical management included the availability of evidence-based dietary approaches, professional development opportunities and clinical knowledge and experience. Manipulation of macronutrients, dietary patterns, individualized medical nutrition therapy and lifestyle and eating behaviors were identified as key dietary management approaches. Conclusions: Moderate levels of knowledge and confidence were observed. However, ongoing barriers, including supporting women through weight management strategies, limited interprofessional collaboration and dietary misinformation, continue to contribute to inconsistent practice patterns. Our findings highlight the need for structured professional development and improved implementation of evidence-based PMOS guidelines in dietetic practice. Full article

Conventional five-degree-of-freedom (5-DOF) magnetic bearing supports often require a large axial span, while highly integrated magnetic circuits can introduce axial–radial flux coupling through shared return paths. This study proposes a compact permanent-magnet-biased 5-DOF magnetic bearing for flywheel energy storage systems, integrating two radial support sections and one axial support unit within a common stator. A series-opposed compensation winding is introduced to suppress axial-control-induced leakage into the radial branch. An electromagnetic design procedure considering leakage, ampere-turns, and magnetic-saturation constraints is evaluated using a three-dimensional magnetostatic finite-element model. At 6 A, the modeled axial and radial forces reach approximately 1.50 and 0.75 kN, respectively, while the maximum ferromagnetic flux density remains below 1.25 T. Under permanent-magnet-biased operation, the compensation winding reduces the peak radial-field deviation from approximately 161.5 to 1.7 mT, corresponding to approximately 99.0% suppression; the full-path RMS-deviation metric indicates approximately 93.1% suppression. Among the investigated configurations, the one with 50 turns provides the closest restoration to the bias-only radial field. Prototype tests demonstrate stable five-channel closed-loop static suspension, supporting physical realizability, but do not directly validate the predicted decoupling ratios. Full article

Fused filament fabrication (FFF) is increasingly employed for functional components subjected to sliding contact, for which friction and wear determine service life as decisively as static strength. Tribological characterization of fiber-reinforced polyamide 12 has been conducted predominantly under dry sliding, and the influence of the lubrication regime on the contrast between reinforcement types remains insufficiently established. The present study investigated carbon fiber (PA12-CF) and glass fiber (PA12-GF) reinforced polyamide 12, both processed by FFF, under dry sliding and under two protic ionic liquid lubricants, bis (2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium succinate (MSu) and bis (2-hydroxyethyl) ammonium citrate (MCi). Discs were tested against a 100Cr6 bearing steel counterface on an Anton Paar TRB3 tribometer at a fixed normal load of 20 N, with sliding speeds of 0.5, 0.75 and 1.0 m/s for 60 min each. The coefficient of friction (COF) and the contact-point temperature were recorded throughout, the specific wear rate was obtained by contact profilometry, and worn surfaces were examined by scanning electron microscopy with energy dispersive X-ray analysis. MCi held the mean COF at 0.023 for both composites, against a dry mean of 0.071 across the study, whereas MSu increased the mean to 0.25 and produced the highest wear rates, concurrent with an increase in viscosity during testing. Reinforcement type governed the morphology of the worn surface consistently, yet lubricant selection proved more consequential than material selection. Full article

Background: Facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) is a progressive and heterogeneous disorder lacking reliable circulating biomarkers for disease monitoring and therapeutic response. We hypothesized that metabolic dysregulation, lipotoxicity, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress induce sphingolipid remodeling that is reflected in serum and correlates with disease severity. Methods: We performed RNA sequencing, differential expression, and pathway analyses on biceps brachii muscle biopsies from mild (n = 9) and severe (n = 5) FSHD patients and healthy controls (n = 6). Selected transcripts were validated by OpenArray quantitative PCR. Serum samples from mild (n = 9), severe (n = 13), and control subjects (n = 10) were analyzed by targeted and untargeted LC-MS/MS sphingolipidomics. Results: Severe FSHD exhibited transcriptomic signatures of mitochondrial dysfunction, ER stress, inflammation, and extracellular vesicle biogenesis. RNA-seq revealed activation of the de novo ceramide synthesis pathway, with increased SPTLC1–3, CERS2, CERS5, and DEGS1, reduced SMPD1/4 and SMPDL3A, and dysregulation of cerebroside metabolism. Migrasome/extracellular vesicle markers (TSPAN4, TM4SF1, PIGK, CPQ, ITGA5, and ITGB1) were predominantly upregulated in patients with severe disease. Serum lipidomics showed severity-dependent increases in dihydroceramides, ceramides, sphingomyelins, and dihydrosphingomyelins, while the Cer/HexCer d18:1/18:0 ratio progressively increased with disease severity. Conclusions: Integrated transcriptomic and lipidomic analyses identify sphingolipid dysregulation and extracellular vesicle biogenesis as hallmarks of severe FSHD and support circulating sphingolipids as candidate biomarkers for disease severity and therapeutic monitoring. Full article

Background: Implant-prosthetic rehabilitation of single-tooth edentulism often requires orthodontic reshaping of the potential implant-prosthetic space because its dimensions change due to the migration of adjacent teeth. In this context, it is very important to understand the force system generated by orthodontic arches in order to control tooth movement and to achieve, at the end of orthodontic treatment, the correct dimensions of the potential implant-prosthetic space for dental implant placement. Materials and Methods: The study was based on CBCT images acquired from a 25-year-old female patient with maxillary and mandibular lateral edentulism. The images were processed using InVesalius and Geomagic to obtain a patient-specific three-dimensional reconstruction of the dento-maxillary structures. Orthodontic brackets, adhesive components, and round-section nickel–titanium archwires were subsequently modeled and positioned within a common three-dimensional coordinate system. The reconstructed geometry was used to extract local geometric parameters of the archwire. These parameters were subsequently introduced into a local equivalent Euler–Bernoulli beam formulation to estimate elastic force components and transverse reactions associated with the bracket-related points. Results: The study revealed an uneven distribution of forces along the orthodontic arches. For the upper arch, the elastic force values ranged from 0.044 to 0.383 N, and for the lower arch, from 0.050 to 0.308 N. The calculated reactions at the bracket components also varied depending on the orthodontic archwire geometry and the position of the support points. Conclusions: Patient-specific three-dimensional reconstruction combined with a local analytical beam approximation provides a framework for estimating geometry-dependent elastic force components within an orthodontic appliance. The calculated values should be interpreted as equivalent local force estimates derived from the reconstructed geometry and not as a complete three-dimensional force–moment system. Full article

Both bulk solution properties and the molecular organisation of the electrode/solution interface may influence the kinetics and reversibility of an electrode process. In this study, the effects of acetonitrile (ACN) and 2-thiouracil (2-TU) in an acidic perchlorate medium on the electroreduction of Bi(III) ions were investigated. A cyclically renewable liquid silver amalgam film electrode (R-AgLAFE) was used as the working electrode as an alternative to classical mercury electrodes. Direct current polarography (DC), square-wave voltammetry (SWV), cyclic voltammetry (CV), and differential capacitance measurements were used. Increasing the ACN content from 0_(v/v) to 50%_(v/v) decreased the current response, D_ox, and effective kinetic parameters α and k_s,app while increasing ΔE_p, indicating decreased apparent reversibility of the electrode process. The addition of 2-TU caused a pronounced increase in the SWV peak current and a decrease in the difference between the anodic and cathodic peak potentials. In the 50%_(v/v) ACN solution, the accelerating effect was weakest at the highest 2-TU concentration. The differential capacitance measurements provided evidence consistent with significant reorganisation of the interfacial layer. Overall, the observed acceleration associated with 2-TU is consistent with adsorption-dependent interfacial effects and the possible participation of labile Bi(III)–2-TU-associated species in the near-electrode region. Full article

Background/Objectives: The growing population of cancer survivors has increased the need for reliable, culturally appropriate instruments to identify unmet supportive care needs. The Cancer Survivors’ Unmet Needs Measure (CaSUN) is a survivorship-specific assessment tool, but validated Russian and Kazakh versions have not previously been available. This study aimed to translate and culturally adapt CaSUN, evaluate its psychometric properties in cancer survivors in Kazakhstan, and examine unmet needs relevant to survivorship care. Methods: This cross-sectional psychometric validation study included 404 cancer survivors (Russian version, n = 201; Kazakh version, n = 203). Translation and cultural adaptation involved forward- and back-translation, expert review, cognitive debriefing, and pilot testing. Internal consistency was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Construct validity was evaluated using exploratory (EFA) and confirmatory factor analysis (CFA), with measurement invariance examined across language versions. Unmet needs and associated demographic and clinical factors were also examined. Results: Both versions demonstrated excellent internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha: Russian = 0.966; Kazakh = 0.978). KMO values were 0.920 and 0.940, respectively (Bartlett’s tests, p < 0.001). EFA yielded a five-factor solution explaining 68.1% and 64.2% of the variance in the Russian and Kazakh versions, respectively; however, parallel analysis supported five factors in the Russian sample but suggested three in the Kazakh sample, indicating greater structural uncertainty for the Kazakh version. CFA demonstrated good incremental fit in both language groups (Russian: CFI = 0.975, TLI = 0.973; Kazakh: CFI = 0.973, TLI = 0.971), although RMSEA (0.096 and 0.102, respectively) and SRMR (0.116 and 0.099, respectively) indicated residual model misfit. Metric invariance was supported, while scalar invariance was supported by conventional fit index criteria but should be regarded as provisional. The most frequent unmet needs concerned medical care, up-to-date information, and involvement in health management. Younger age, male sex, urban residence, a history of cancer recurrence, and Kazakh language completion were independently associated with more unmet needs. Conclusions: The Russian and Kazakh CaSUN versions demonstrated high internal consistency and evidence supporting construct validity and cross-language comparability. These culturally adapted versions may support systematic needs assessment and patient-centered survivorship care in multilingual oncology services in Kazakhstan. Full article