Search Results (21,557)

Background: Penile squamous cell carcinoma is an uncommon neoplasm that arises via two carcinogenic pathways, one linked to HPV infection and the other to chronic inflammation and p53 alterations. Objective/Methods: We assessed the distribution of HPV genotypes in penile tumors and subsequent inguinal metastases in a cohort of 343 patients, analyzing their concordance with p16 stain and histological subtype, as well as the predictive significance of HPV tumor status and the immunohistochemical expression of p16 and p53 in inguinal lymph node metastasis (ILNM). Results: The overall prevalence of HPV in primary penile tumors was 42.9%, with high-risk HPV genotypes detected in 95.2% of HPV-positive cases. HPV16 was the most prevalent genotype identified in both primary tumors and metastases. However, other genotypes, including the low-risk HPV82, were also found in metastatic disease. We observed good concordance between HPV tumor status and histological subtype and very good concordance between HPV tumor status and p16 staining, with Cohen’s kappa (κ) values of 0.80 (p-value < 0.001) and 0.83 (p < 0.001), respectively. Conclusions: In most HPV-positive metastatic cases, the same HPV genotypes were detected in both the metastasis and the penile tumor. Both p16 staining and histological subtype can serve as surrogates for molecular HPV testing in lower resourced settings. In this dataset, no significant association was found between HPV status, p16 expression, or p53 expression and the presence of ILNM, suggesting their limited utility as predictive markers for ILNM in penile cancer. Full article

The effect of A-site substitution on the morphological and electrochemical properties of La_1-xSr_xMnO₃ (x = 0, 0.25, 0.50) perovskites was investigated to evaluate their potential as electrode materials for supercapacitors. X-ray diffraction analysis confirmed the formation of the perovskite structure, with minor peak shifts and distortion of crystal structure induced by Sr substitution. Scanning electron microscopy analysis revealed irregularly shaped particulate morphology across all perovskite compositions. The increasing amount of Sr as in La_0.5Sr_0.5MnO₃ (LSM-50) favored the formation of nanosized particles, and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis confirmed the presence of all constituent elements; EDX elemental mapping also showed a uniform distribution of all elements in the various perovskite compositions. Among all compositions, La_0.75Sr_0.25MnO₃ (LSM-25) possessed the highest specific capacitance (C_sp) of 483 Fg⁻¹ at 1 Ag⁻¹ current density in 3 M KOH electrolyte, as determined by electrochemical analysis. This perovskite material also exhibited a capacitance retention of 87.8% after 5000 charge–discharge cycles. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy revealed that LSM-25 showed the lowest solution resistance (0.68 Ω*cm²) and charge transfer resistance (1.52 Ω*cm²), indicating strong electrode–electrolyte interaction. Detailed analysis of cyclic voltammetry data revealed that the predominant charge storage mechanism was diffusive in nature, with 88% of the diffusive contribution registered for LSM-25. These findings demonstrate that Sr substitution at the A-site significantly enhances the energy storage performance of LaMnO₃, making it a promising candidate for supercapacitor applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is primarily treated via dietary modifications. Several diets have been shown to improve symptoms with similar efficacy. Other aspects of IBS, such as insufficient nutrient intake and being overweight, should also be considered when planning treatment options. The present scoping review aimed to identify various diets investigated in IBS-related clinical trials and to map the measured outcomes. Methods: We performed a systematic search of three databases: PubMed, Embase, and CINAHL Ultimate. Our search was limited to papers published between January 2000 and February 2026, and included human studies published as peer-reviewed original articles in English that described dietary interventions in adult patients (≥18 years) with IBS. Results: The titles and abstracts of 1261 studies were screened; 1147 studies were excluded; and 114 full-text articles were assessed for eligibility. Excluding articles outside the scope of our research resulted in a total of 71 included articles from 57 unique clinical trials. The most common interventions were low fermentable oligo-, di-, and monosaccharides and polyols (FODMAP) (n = 43), traditional dietary advice (n = 13), and gluten-free diets (n = 11). The most common primary outcomes were the effect on IBS symptoms (n = 48), efficacy in terms of improving quality of life (n = 10), psychological well-being (n = 7), nutrient intake (n = 7), and adherence/applicability/feasibility to the diet (n = 7). Conclusions: In conclusion, the most studied dietary intervention in IBS was low FODMAP, and an effect on GI symptoms was the most common outcome. Considering other conditions associated with IBS, the effects on anthropometric, endocrine, metabolic, and nutritional parameters should also be evaluated. Full article

Progressive supranuclear palsy-Richardson’s syndrome (PSP-RS) is a primary 4R tauopathy in which early axonal dysfunction may precede overt neurodegeneration; however, the mechanisms linking Tau dysregulation to cytoskeletal vulnerability remain poorly defined. Here, we generated induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC)-derived midbrain dopaminergic neurons from individuals with sporadic PSP-RS and matched healthy controls and performed integrated transcriptomic and proteomic analyses. PSP-RS neurons exhibited coordinated suppression of dopaminergic and synaptic programs alongside activation of cytoskeletal remodeling and stress-related pathways. These changes were accompanied by increased Tau phosphorylation, neurofilament accumulation, and structural alterations of the axonal compartment, consistent with an early axonopathic phenotype. Notably, mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling significantly increased. Pharmacological inhibition of mTOR reduced Tau phosphorylation and neurofilament levels, indicating that mTOR activity contributes to the maintenance of cytoskeletal imbalance. In conclusion, our findings support a model in which early cytoskeletal dysfunction in PSP-RS arises from the convergence of Tau dysregulation, impaired structural homeostasis, and altered signaling pathways. Rather than acting as a primary driver, mTOR appears to function as a pathogenic amplifier that sustains axonal stress. This study provides a human cellular framework to investigate early axonopathic mechanisms in sporadic PSP-RS. Full article

With the expected further electrification of society, a greater electricity demand is to be expected, requiring improved flexibility. One proposal that meets these demands is the adaptation of the current district heating power plants by adding condensing tail turbines. Condensing tail turbines allow for further expansion of steam. A simple economic analysis showed that implementing a condensing tail with the ability to bypass 50% of the district heating resulted in an additional 2.36 million SEK (215 thousand €) in income per winter. The condensing tail turbine lacks research, especially its control strategy, leading to the novel part-load study for both a 100% and 50% capacity condensing tail of both a single- and double-flow type. For the full-load condensing tail, each bypass fraction above 0.6, meaning a 60% reduction in district heating load, showed a clear optimum which would give up to 173.5 kW gain in electricity production from adjusting the control strategy. The total gain in power from bypassing 90% of steam from the condensers amounted to 3.13 MW and 3.17 MW for the single- and double-flow turbines, respectively. A 50% capacity condensing tail showed a smaller difference, resulting in 1.7 MW for both. Full article

Background: Parents of children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and sleep problems can experience challenges and negative health effects. The aim of this study was to explore parents’ own health-related experiences as their child with ADHD and sleep problems underwent a sleep intervention with a weighted blanket. Methods: A convergent mixed methods design was undertaken. Sociodemographic and questionnaire data were collected from 68 parents at baseline and at the 16-week follow-up. Paired-samples t-tests were used to analyze the data. An inductive qualitative content analysis was used to analyze interviews with 21 parents after the follow-up. An integrative analysis was performed and assessed for confirmation, expansion, or disconfirmation. Results: At the follow-up, parents reported improvements in their own health status (EQ-5D-3L—index 0.83 ± 0.15 vs. 0.87 ± 0.13; p = 0.034), in well-being (Outcome Rating Scale—individual 7.08 ± 2.22 vs. 7.55 ± 1.82; p = 0.045), and in family life (the Brief Child and Family Phone Interview—family comfort score 5.62 ± 1.62 vs. 5.14 ± 1.66; p = 0.003). Parents’ health-related experiences were described as: (1) having a sense of well-being, including being well rested, sustaining energy, reaching a state of calm, and finding hope, (2) balancing family life, including reclaiming personal sphere and nurturing relationships, and (3) managing everyday life, including keeping to the daily schedule and dealing with household chores. The integrative analysis resulted in the overarching themes of health through: (1) inner strength (confirmed), (2) recovery (expanded), (3) close relationships (confirmed), and (4) social engagements (expanded). Conclusions: The findings suggest that sleep interventions for children with ADHD and sleep problems may also be associated with positive changes in aspects of parents’ health, well-being, and family life. Full article

Introduction: Motor reserve (MR) has been hypothesized as a protective factor against age-related and pathological motor decline, potentially enhancing quality of life. This study aimed to investigate the influence of MR on motor performance, assessed via mobile health technology (MHT), in drug-naïve Parkinson’s disease (PD) patients. Methods: Consecutive drug-naïve PD patients and age-matched healthy controls (HC) underwent cognitive and motor assessments. Turning MHT parameters were extracted from the Timed Up and Go test (TUG) performed at self-selected and fast speeds. Participants were categorized into high- or low-MR groups based on the Motor Reserve Index questionnaire (MRIq). Results: Forty-five PD patients and forty healthy controls (HC) were enrolled. PD patients showed longer TUG durations and altered performance compared to HC. No differences were found between high and low motor reserve (MR) groups in demographics or clinical severity. However, high-MR patients exhibited shorter turn duration and higher angular velocities at both self-selected (p < 0.005) and fast speeds (p < 0.05). MR subdomains related to physical and care activities correlated with MHT turning metrics, unlike housework and leisure domains. Conclusions: the findings highlighted the relevance of MR on motor performances assessed by MHT in drug naïve PD, independently from motor severity. Full article

The incorporation of artificial intelligence, multi-sensor perception, and cyber-physical control into mining operations offers tremendous opportunities for increasing productivity, safety, and sustainability. However, present frameworks focus on discrete subsystems rather than providing a unified, safety-constrained optimization method that has been verified in both surface and underground environments. This paper describes a scalable, hierarchical autonomous mining architecture that incorporates sensor fusion, edge intelligence, fleet coordination, and digital twin-based decision support. It is designed to operate in GNSS-denied conditions and extreme climatic constraints common to Nordic mining environments. A mathematical modeling approach formalizes vehicle dynamics, drilling mechanics, and multi-agent fleet coordination inside a safety-constrained multi-objective optimization formulation. The framework is validated using Monte Carlo simulation with uncertainty measurement, sensitivity analysis, and statistical hypothesis testing. The preliminary results show improvements over a typical baseline, with productivity increasing by approximately 24.3% ± 3.2%, energy consumption decreasing by 12.8% ± 2.5%, and safety risk decreasing by 48.6% ± 4.1%. A sensitivity study identifies localization accuracy, communication delay, and optimization weighting as the primary system performance drivers. The suggested framework serves as a reproducible and transferable reference model for next-generation intelligent mining systems, having direct applications to both industrial deployment and future research in autonomous resource extraction. Full article

Poly(lactic acid-lactic acid) (PLGA) has demonstrated significant application potential in tumor-targeted drug delivery systems due to its excellent biocompatibility, degradability, and multifunctionality for loading various therapeutic agents. PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) can achieve targeted delivery to tumor cells through specific surface modifications and stimulus-responsive release mechanisms, significantly enhancing drug accumulation efficiency at tumor sites while reducing toxic side effects on normal tissues. This review systematically summarizes the fundamental physicochemical properties of PLGA materials and recent advances in tumor-targeting strategies for PLGA NPs. It comprehensively elucidates research breakthroughs in PLGA-based delivery systems regarding stimulus-response mechanisms, passive targeting, active targeting, and tumor combination immunotherapy, while revealing the intrinsic logic of synergistic strategies for enhancing targeting efficiency. Finally, from the perspective of clinical translation and individualized oncology, this review conducts an in-depth assessment of the current challenges and looks forward to future research directions, aiming to provide forward-looking guidance for the development of precision nanomedicine. Full article

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) include thousands of fluorinated organic compounds of anthropogenic origin. Their extensive use, combined with their high stability, has led to the widespread contamination of water and soil resources. Here, single-step foam fractionation enhanced soil washing was carried out for the remediation of PFAS-contaminated soil. Concentrations of target Perfluoroalkyl Carboxylic Acids (PFCAs) and Perfluoroalkane Sulfonic Acids (PFSAs) were monitored in foam and leachate along the duration of the treatment. Among PFCAs, only long-chain compounds peaked in foam at the beginning of the treatment. This was consistent with the increase in the sorption affinity to the air–water interface with chain length. The same behavior was observed also in PFSAs by comparing PFHXs, PFHpS and PFOS. The fraction of PFCAs still in the leachate after 40 min of treatment was found to decrease with chain length, with PFSAs showing a similar trend. PFAS removal significantly increased with soil particle size, ranging from 48.2 ± 3.2% (fraction < 0.063 µm) to 64.1 ± 1.9% (fraction > 2 mm). Final mass balance analyses detail PFAS distribution among soil, leachate, and foam, providing valuable information for the additional treatment required to destroy the PFAS load extracted from the contaminated soil. Full article

Wind energy is an important form of clean energy, and its rational utilization represents a crucial solution for mitigating the energy crisis and global warming. In this study, wind energy potential and its long-term changes in the South China Sea (SCS) are evaluated using ERA5 100 m wind data from 1944 to 2023, validated against ASCAT observations. High wind speeds and high wind power density (WPD) are concentrated southwest of Taiwan and southeast of Vietnam. Annual wind availability exceeds 6457 h across most regions, reaching up to 8283 h in optimal locations. WPD and capacity factor peak in winter (up to 2.4 × 10⁸ Wh·m⁻² and >50% capacity factor), with the most stable conditions occurring in the southwestern Taiwan Strait, southeast of the Pearl River Delta, and the Beibu Gulf. Empirical orthogonal function analysis reveals that the first mode of winter WPD accounts for 65.7% of the total variance, with a statistically significant increasing trend since 1990. The interannual variation in wind energy resources in the SCS during winter is controlled by the combined effects of sea surface temperature (SST) anomalies in the tropical Pacific and the Arctic Barents Sea. Specifically, in the years with strong wind anomalies in the SCS, mega-La Niña-type SST patterns in the tropical Pacific trigger anomalous cyclonic circulation in the SCS and the eastern Philippine Sea, while warm anomalies in the Arctic Barents Sea surface drive a wave-like structure of “anticyclone–cyclone–anticyclone” from Siberia to South China. The coupling of the two systems jointly promotes the strengthening of the South China Sea monsoon, leading to increased wind speeds and elevated WPD in the northern SCS. These findings provide a scientific basis for wind farm siting and long-term operational planning in the region. Full article

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed on 27 deep eutectic solvents (DESs) composed of various hydrogen bond acceptors (HBAs)—tetrabutylammonium bromide (TBAB), tetrabutylammonium chloride (TBAC), and tetraethylammonium chloride (TEAC)—combined with different hydrogen bond donors (HBDs)—3-aminopropan-1-ol (AP), 2-(methyl-amino)ethanol (MAE), and 2-(n-butylamino)ethanol (BAE). Radial distribution functions (RDFs) were computed from the simulation trajectories to probe the microscopic structure of these DESs. The effects of HBA/HBD molar ratio, alkyl chain length, anion type, and the amine group’s substitution on the structural organization of the DESs were systematically investigated. Moreover, the influence of water addition on the structural properties of selected DESs (TBAB with AP, MAE, or BAE at a 1:6 molar ratio) was explored. These structural features were then correlated with previously reported experimental data. To complement the classical simulations, ab initio molecular dynamics simulations were conducted on the same TBAB-based systems, enabling the analysis of electronic structure phenomena, including RDFs, dipole moment distributions, and charge transfer. Furthermore, experimental large-angle X-ray scattering (LAXS) data collection and analysis were performed in terms of the simulated structural data. This multi-scale approach provides a detailed understanding of the structural and electronic characteristics governing the behavior of alkanolamine-based DES. Full article