Search Results (366)

(1) The beach areas of Galveston, Texas, USA are heavily used for recreational activities and often experience elevated fecal indicator bacteria levels, representing a potential threat to ecosystem services, human health, and tourism-based economies that rely on suitable water quality. (2) During the span of 15 months (March 2022–May 2023), water samples that exceeded the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency-accepted alternative Beach Action Value (BAV) for enterococci of 104 MPN/100 mL were analyzed via microbial source tracking (MST) through quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assays. The Bacteroides HF183 and DogBact as well as the Catellicoccus LeeSeaGull markers were used to detect human, dog, and gull fecal sources, respectively. The qPCR MST data were then utilized in a quantitative microbial risk assessment (QMRA) to assess human health risks. Additionally, samples collected in July and August 2022 were sequenced for 16S rRNA and matched with fecal sources through the Bayesian SourceTracker2 program. (3) Overall, 26% of the 110 samples with enterococci exceedances were positive for at least one of the MST markers. Gull was revealed to be the primary source of identified fecal contamination through qPCR and SourceTracker2. Human contamination was detected at very low levels (<1%), whereas dog contamination was found to co-occur with human contamination through qPCR. QMRA identified Campylobacter from canine sources as being the primary driver for human health risks for contact recreation for both adults and children. (4) These MST results coupled with QMRA provide important insight into water quality in Galveston that can inform future water quality and beach management decisions that prioritize public health risks. Full article

Background/Objectives: Restored CD4 absolute counts (CD4AC) and CD4/CD8 ratio in the setting of continuous antiretroviral treatment (ART) do not exclude a low-level immune activation associated with HIV reservoirs, microbial translocation, or the side effects of ART itself, which accelerates the aging of people living with HIV (PLHIV). To delineate biomarkers of incomplete immune restoration in PLHIV on successful ART, we evaluated T-lymphocyte mitochondrial parameters in relation to phenotypic markers of immune exhaustion and senescence. Methods: PLHIV with sustained viral suppression, CD4AC > 500 and CD4/CD8 ratio >0.9 on ART (n = 39) were compared to age-matched ART-naïve donors (n = 27) and HIV(–) healthy controls (HC, n = 35). CD4 and CD8 differentiation and effector subsets (CCR7/CD45RA and CD27/CD28), activation, exhaustion, and senescence markers (CD38, CD39 Treg, CD57, TIGIT, and PD-1) were determined by flow cytometry. Mitochondrial mass (MM) and membrane potential (MMP) of CD8 and CD4 T cells were evaluated with MitoTracker Green and Red flow cytometry dyes. Results: ART+PLHIV differed from HC by increased CD4 TEMRA (5.3 (2.1–8.8) vs. 3.2 (1.6–4.4), p < 0.05), persistent TIGIT+CD57–CD27+CD28– CD8+ subset (53.9 (45.5–68.9) vs. 40.1 (26.7–58.5), p < 0.05), and expanding preapoptotic TIGIT–CD57+CD8+ effectors (9.2 (4.3–21.8) vs. 3.0 (1.5–7.3), p < 0.01) in correlation with increased CD8+ MMP (2527 (1675–4080) vs.1477 (1280–1691), p < 0.01). These aberrations were independent of age, time to ART, or ART duration, and were combined with increasing CD4 T cell MMP and MM. Conclusions: In spite of recovered CD4AC and CD4/CD8 ratio, the increased CD8+ MMP, combined with elevated markers of exhaustion and senescence in ART+PLHIV, signals a malfunction of the CD8 effector pool that may compromise viral reservoir latency. Full article

Extant Chinese studies have documented that transposing characters within two-character words (e.g., 西装 suit) yields greater parafoveal preview benefits for target words compared to replacing the characters with unrelated ones (e.g., 型间 a nonword), i.e., the Chinese character transposition effect. This effect has been interpreted as evidence for flexible positional encoding in parafoveal processing, whereby readers tolerate character order disruptions. Alternatively, it has been attributed to morpheme-to-word activation. The present study aims to further clarify the mechanism of the transposition effect. We manipulated four preview conditions of target words in a sentence, identical, semantic, transposed semantic, and control preview, using an eye tracker to record eye movements. Experiment 1 employed reversible word pairs (e.g., 领带 tie-带领 lead) as semantical and transposed previews for targets (e.g., 西装suit). Experiment 2 used non-reversible word pairs (e.g., 衬衫 shirt-衫衬 a nonword). The results revealed comparable processing for both the semantic and transposed semantic preview conditions. Critically, the transposed semantic preview yielded a processing advantage over the unrelated preview. These findings demonstrated that Chinese readers efficiently extract semantic information from the parafoveal region even when character order is disrupted, indicating flexible character position encoding. Full article

Existing activity measurement methods, such as gas analyzers, activity trackers, and camera-based systems, have limitations in accuracy, convenience, and privacy. To address these issues, this study proposes an improved activity estimation algorithm using a 60 GHz Frequency-Modulated Continuous-Wave (FMCW) radar. Unlike conventional methods that rely solely on distance variations, the proposed method incorporates both distance and velocity information, enhancing measurement accuracy. The algorithm quantifies activity levels using Shannon entropy to reflect the spatial–temporal variation in range signatures. The proposed method was validated through experiments comparing estimated activity levels with motion sensor-based ground truth data. The results demonstrate that the proposed approach significantly improves accuracy, achieving a lower Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) and higher correlation with ground truth values than conventional methods. This study highlights the potential of FMCW radar for non-contact, unrestricted activity monitoring and suggests future research directions using multi-channel radar systems for enhanced motion analysis. Full article

For unmanned aerial vehicles with long-duration autonomous missions, efficient energy management is critically important. One of the most promising solutions is solar power, the implementation of which requires the continuous orientation tracking of the Sun’s position. This study presents a three-axis active solar tracking system based on a gimbal mount, providing full kinematic control of the panel in space. A mathematical model of orientation is developed using the Earth-Centered Inertial, local geographic frame, and unmanned aerial vehicle body coordinate systems. An aerodynamic analysis is conducted, including a quantitative assessment of drag, lift, and torque on the panel. Based on the obtained characteristics, limiting conditions for the safe operation of the tracker are formulated. An adaptive control algorithm is introduced, minimizing a generalized objective function that accounts for angular deviation, aerodynamic loads, and current energy balance. Numerical simulations are described, demonstrating system stability under various scenarios: turbulence, maneuvers, power limitations, and sensor errors. The results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach under real-world operating conditions. Full article

This paper presents a comparative study for detecting the activities of daily living (ADLs) using two distinct sensor systems: the FlexTail wearable spine tracker and a camera-based pose estimation model. We developed a protocol to simultaneously record data with both systems and capture eleven activities from general movement, household, and food handling. We tested a comprehensive selection of state-of-the-art time series classification algorithms. Both systems achieved high classification performance, with average $F_1$ scores of 0.90 for both datasets using a 1-second time window and the random dilated shapelet transform (RDST) and QUANT classifier for FlexTail and camera data, respectively. We also explored the impact of hierarchical activity grouping and found that while it improved classification performance in some cases, the benefits were not consistent across all activities. Our findings suggest that both sensor systems recognize ADLs. The FlexTail model performs better for detecting sitting and transitions, like standing up, while the camera-based model is better for activities that involve arm and hand movements. Full article

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by motor symptoms such as tremors, rigidity, and bradykinesia. The accurate and continuous monitoring of these symptoms is essential for optimizing treatment strategies and improving patient outcomes. Traditionally, clinical assessments have relied on scales and methods that often lack the ability for continuous, real-time monitoring and can be subject to interpretation bias. Recent advancements in wearable technologies, such as smartphones, smartwatches, and activity trackers (ATs), present a promising alternative for more consistent and objective monitoring. This review aims to evaluate the use of smartphones and smart wrist devices, like smartwatches and activity trackers, in the management of PD, assessing their effectiveness in symptom evaluation and monitoring and physical performance improvement. Studies were identified by searching in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library. Only 13 studies of 1027 were included in our review. Smartphones, smartwatches, and activity trackers showed a growing potential in the assessment, monitoring, and improvement of motor symptoms in people with PD, compared to clinical scales and research-grade sensors. Their relatively low cost, accessibility, and usability support their integration into real-world clinical practice and exhibit validity to support PD management. Full article

Background: Remote symptom monitoring via electronic platforms may identify patients at risk for unplanned acute care visits after surgery. Since 2016, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSKCC) has employed the Recovery Tracker (RT), a patient-reported outcome (PRO) system, for symptom monitoring after ambulatory procedures. In 2021, RT was extended to patients undergoing inpatient colorectal surgery. Objective: To evaluate the impact of RT implementation on urgent care utilization and readmission rates in patients undergoing elective inpatient colorectal surgery and to determine whether patient engagement with RT influences these outcomes. Methods: In this retrospective observational study at MSKCC, we compared patients undergoing elective colorectal surgery during the RT implementation period (March 2021–December 2022) to a historical control cohort (February 2019–February 2020). The primary outcome was a potentially unnecessary urgent care center (UCC) visits—defined as a visit not requiring inpatient admission. Secondary outcomes included 30-day readmission and survey engagement. Multivariable logistic regression was used for adjusted comparisons. Results: A total of 1941 patients in the RT cohort and 1206 in the control group met the inclusion criteria. The RT cohort had higher rates of UCC visits without admission (4.43% vs. 1.6%) and 30-day readmissions (9.74% vs. 6.88%). RT period surgery was independently associated with increased odds of UCC visits (OR 2.80, 95% CI 1.71–4.58, p < 0.0001) and readmissions (OR 1.43, 95% CI 1.09–1.88, p = 0.0098). Notably, RT users who completed at least one survey (70.2%) had significantly lower odds of readmission (OR 0.56, 95% CI 0.41–0.77, p = 0.0003) compared to non-responders. Discussion: Engagement with the RT system was associated with a 44% reduction in readmission risk, identifying non-responders as a vulnerable subgroup. While the overall rates of post-discharge care utilization increased after RT implementation, active participation in PRO reporting emerged as a protective factor. Conclusions: These findings highlight the need for strategies to promote engagement and support patients less likely to interact with remote monitoring tools. Non-response may signal barriers such as technological challenges or increased vulnerability, warranting proactive engagement strategies. Full article

Background: Step count has emerged as an objective indicator of physical activity, yet its association with functional recovery following hip fracture remains unclear. Objective: This study aimed to evaluate daily step counts after hospital discharge in older adults with hip fracture and to determine thresholds associated with functional improvement. Methods: A prospective, observational study was conducted in patients aged over 75 years admitted with hip fracture. Daily steps were recorded using validated activity trackers. Functional status was assessed at one, three, and six months after discharge through telephone interviews. Functional improvement was defined as an increase of at least 5 points on the Barthel Index. Step count thresholds were estimated using Liu’s method based on receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results: Ninety-four patients were included with a mean age of 83.2 ± 6 years, with 80.8% being female. Of the patients included in the study who recorded their daily steps after hip surgery, 59 patients (72%) improved during the first month after discharge with a median of 220 daily steps (IQR: 103.5–494.5; cut-off point at 150 steps). At the third month after hip fracture, 77 patients (86.5%) showed functional improvement with a median of 778 steps (IQR: 263–1697; cut-off point at 425 steps). At month six, 65 patients (80.2%) showed functional improvement with a median of 1757 steps (IQR: 696–3388; cut-off point at 2404 steps). Conclusions: In older adults discharged after hip fracture, achieving more than 150 steps per day in the first month, 425 steps in the third month, and 2404 steps by the sixth month was associated with functional improvement on the Barthel Index. These findings suggest potential activity targets to support mobility recovery. However, further research is warranted to confirm these associations in larger and more diverse populations. These thresholds, although exploratory, may also assist clinicians in monitoring and identifying patients at risk of poor functional recovery. Full article

Multiple object tracking (MOT) is a critical and active research topic in computer vision, serving as a fundamental technique across various application domains such as human–robot interaction, autonomous driving, and surveillance. MOT typically consists of two key components: detection, which produces bounding boxes around objects, and association, which links current detections to existing tracks. Two main approaches have been proposed: one-shot and two-shot methods. While previous works have improved MOT systems in terms of both speed and accuracy, most works have focused primarily on enhancing association performance, often overlooking the impact of accelerating detection. Thus, we propose a high-speed MOT system that balances real-time performance, tracking accuracy, and robustness across diverse environments. Our system comprises two main components: (1) a hybrid tracking framework that integrates low-frequency deep learning-based detection with classical high-speed tracking, and (2) a detection label-based tracker management strategy. We evaluated our system in six scenarios using a high-speed camera and compared its performance against seven state-of-the-art (SOTA) two-shot MOT methods. Our system achieved up to 470 fps when tracking two objects, 243 fps with three objects, and 178 fps with four objects. In terms of tracking accuracy, our system achieved the highest MOTA, IDF1, and HOTA scores with high-accuracy detection. Even with low detection accuracy, it demonstrated the potential of long-term association for high-speed tracking, achieving comparable or better IDF1 scores. We hope that our multi-processing architecture contributes to the advancement of MOT research and serves as a practical and efficient baseline for systems involving multiple asynchronous modules. Full article

The analysis of human movement is crucial in biomechanical research and clinical practice. Quantitative movement analysis evaluates sports performance by tracking joint angles, segmental velocities, and body positions. There are high-accuracy motion-tracking systems like Vicon Motion Systems (Oxford, UK) or OptiTrack (Corvallis, OR, USA), but they are expensive, require expertise, and lack portability. This study assessed a low-cost virtual reality-based motion-tracking system with a customized eMotion data acquisition and analysis application to describe joint movements during squatting. The system, which utilizes commonly available virtual reality accessories, successfully collected kinematic data and continuous tracker trajectories. The results showed high repeatability comparable to advanced optoelectronic motion-capture systems. The eMotion system protocols exhibited low variability for most rotations, with inter-trial values ranging from 0.65° to 2.20° except for hip and knee flexion, which reached 3.09° and 4.01°. The motion-tracking technology that is part of VR headsets has great potential in supporting training and rehabilitation by enabling quantitative assessment of any activity in both the real and virtual worlds. The use of low-cost solutions can increase the potential for human motion measurements in clinical practice and biomechanical research. Full article

Background/Objectives: Wearable activity trackers (WATs) are increasingly used by individuals to monitor physical activity, sleep, and other health behaviors. Integrating WAT data into clinical care may offer a cost-effective strategy to support health behavior change. However, little is known about users’ willingness to share their WAT data with healthcare providers. This study aimed to explore attitudes and experiences of WAT users regarding the sharing of WAT data with healthcare providers and to examine how these vary according to user characteristics. Methods: An international online cross-sectional survey was conducted on adults who had used a WAT within the past three years. The survey assessed user demographics, usage patterns, experiences of sharing data with healthcare providers, and willingness or concerns regarding data sharing. Multivariate logistic regression was used to examine associations between user characteristics and data-sharing experiences or attitudes. Results: 447 participants completed the survey (60.0% female; 83.9% < 45 years; 60.0% from the United States). Most (94%) participants expressed willingness to share WAT data with healthcare providers, 47% had discussed it, and 43% had shared WAT data in clinical settings. Privacy was the most commonly reported concern, cited by 10% of participants. Participants with chronic health conditions were more likely to have shared or discussed WAT data, but also more likely to report concerns. Geographic differences were also observed, with Australian participants less likely to have shared or discussed their WAT data with providers, and US participants reporting fewer privacy concerns. Conclusions: The high willingness to share WAT data suggests that there is a possibility for integrating patient-owned WATs into clinical care. Addressing privacy concerns and equipping healthcare professionals with the skills to use WAT data will be essential to fully realize this opportunity. These findings highlight the need for further development of secure WAT systems, clinician training, and expanded evidence on WATs’ clinical utility. Full article

This review provides a comprehensive and multidisciplinary overview of recent advancements in solar tracking systems (STSs) aimed at improving the efficiency and adaptability of photovoltaic (PV) technologies. The study systematically classifies solar trackers based on tracking axes (fixed, single-axis, and dual-axis), drive mechanisms (active, passive, semi-passive, manual, and chronological), and control strategies (open-loop, closed-loop, hybrid, and AI-based). Fixed-tilt PV systems serve as a baseline, with single-axis trackers achieving 20–35% higher energy yield, and dual-axis trackers offering energy gains ranging from 30% to 45% depending on geographic and climatic conditions. In particular, dual-axis systems outperform others in high-latitude and equatorial regions due to their ability to follow both azimuth and elevation angles throughout the year. Sensor technologies such as LDRs, UV sensors, and fiber-optic sensors are compared in terms of precision and environmental adaptability, while microcontroller platforms—including Arduino, ATmega, and PLC-based controllers—are evaluated for their scalability and application scope. Intelligent tracking systems, especially those leveraging machine learning and predictive analytics, demonstrate additional energy gains up to 7.83% under cloudy conditions compared to conventional algorithms. The review also emphasizes adaptive tracking strategies for backtracking, high-latitude conditions, and cloudy weather, alongside emerging applications in agrivoltaics, where solar tracking not only enhances energy capture but also improves shading control, crop productivity, and rainwater distribution. The findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate tracking strategies based on site-specific factors, economic constraints, and climatic conditions, while highlighting the central role of solar tracking technologies in achieving greater solar penetration and supporting global sustainability goals, particularly SDG 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy) and SDG 13 (Climate Action). Full article

Background/Objective: Cyclosporine A and other calcineurin inhibitors have been identified as prospective treatments for preventing Alzheimer’s disease. We previously found that calcineurin inhibitors elicit a unique behavioral profile in zebrafish larvae, characterized by increased activity, acoustic hyperexcitability, and reduced visually guided behaviors. Screening a large library of FDA-approved compounds using Z-LaP Tracker revealed that some heart medications produce a similar behavioral profile, suggesting these drugs may exert calcineurin-inhibitor-like effects relevant to prevent-ing or ameliorating Alzheimer’s disease. Methods: Screening a large library of FDA-approved drugs using Z-LaP Tracker, a neural network model, revealed a cluster of 65 drugs demonstrating a cyclosporine A-like behavioral profile. Fourteen of these drugs were heart medications, including angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, al-pha-adrenergic receptor antagonists, and a statin. Results: Dual administration of the heart medications with cyclosporine A in Z-LaP Tracker revealed synergistic effects: lower doses of each heart medication could be delivered in conjunction with a lower dose of cyclosporine A to evoke a similar or larger behavioral effect than higher doses of each drug independently. Other studies have shown that many of these heart medica-tions drugs directly or indirectly inhibit the calcineurin–NFAT pathway, like cyclo-sporine A, providing a potential mechanism. Conclusions: Co-administering a low dose of cyclosporine A with select cardiac drugs could be a potentially effective treatment strategy for preventing Alzheimer’s disease occurrence and simultaneously treating cardiovascular dysfunction, while mitigating the side effects associated with higher doses of cyclosporine A. Given that heart disease precedes Alzheimer’s disease in many patients, physicians may be able to create a treatment regimen that addresses both con-ditions. Our results suggest that a calcineurin inhibitor combined with simvastatin, irbesartan, cilostazol, doxazosin, or nebivolol is the most promising candidate for future exploration. Full article

This paper is centered around the autonomous displacement of the maglev ruler system, with the core objective of optimizing the performance of its horizontal control system. The horizontal positioning precision of the maglev ruler’s mover core plays a crucial role in determining the survey accuracy. Moreover, its horizontal system exhibits distinct nonlinear and strongly coupled characteristics. Initially, a mathematical model is meticulously established based on the principles of magnetic circuits and dynamics. By analyzing the relationship between the Ampere force and the coil current, and constructing the dynamic equations, it is clearly demonstrated that this system belongs to a nonlinear and strongly coupled type with two inputs and two outputs. Subsequently, the active disturbance rejection control algorithm is employed to address the decoupling issue, and a novel differential tracker, SYSTD, is designed. SYSTD is constructed using specific elementary functions. Through rigorous theoretical derivation, its favorable stability is verified. The basis for parameter selection is obtained through phase-plane analysis, and a detailed tuning method is provided. Additionally, a sensor-less control technology is proposed, where survey coils are wound along the horizontal control coils to estimate the position of the mover core. The simulation and experimental results indicate that the improved system showcases excellent performance. In the simulation, the positioning accuracy can reach ±5 μm, while, in the experiment, the control accuracy can achieve ±2 μm. It can effectively realize decoupling control and possesses good dynamic, static characteristics, as well as remarkable robustness. This research paves the way for the practical application of the maglev ruler system in fields such as coordinate survey. Full article