Search Results (2,531)

The accurate prediction of Remaining Useful Life (RUL) is fundamental to Prognostics and Health Management (PHM), enabling predictive maintenance and ensuring the operational safety of complex industrial systems. While deep learning models have demonstrated significant potential in RUL estimation, existing approaches often struggle with noisy sensor signals, inconsistent predictions across overlapping time windows, and a lack of explicit modeling for the underlying temporal structure of the degradation process. This paper proposes a novel multi-view temporal structure-aware learning framework to address these challenges. The framework introduces a multi-view temporal perturbation mechanism that generates multiple perspectives of the degradation state, coupled with a Transformer-based backbone to capture long-range dependencies. To enhance stability and physical rationality, we design a multi-view consistency regularization term and a temporal ordering constraint learning mechanism. These components ensure that the model produces stable predictions across temporal shifts and adheres to the inherent monotonic degradation patterns. Experimental evaluations conducted on the NASA C-MAPSS dataset demonstrate that the proposed method significantly improves prediction accuracy, stability, and structural consistency compared to state-of-the-art baselines. Full article

Depressive symptoms are a prevalent mental health concern among older adults. This study examined whether the frequency of receptive arts engagement was associated with depressive symptom scores through leisure-related relaxation and subjective well-being in a specified serial mediation model. Using cross-sectional data from the 2023 Chinese General Social Survey (CGSS), we analyzed 2332 adults aged 60 years or older. Hierarchical regression and bias-corrected bootstrap mediation analyses with 5000 resamples were conducted to examine the proposed model. We found that more frequent art activities were significantly associated with fewer depressive symptoms. Three indirect associations were examined. The indirect association through leisure and relaxation alone was not significant, whereas the association through subjective well-being was the largest of the three tested pathways. A small serial indirect association through leisure and relaxation and subjective well-being was also identified. This model-specific pathway should not be interpreted as causal or as the primary mechanism of arts engagement. These findings describe one possible pathway linking receptive arts engagement to depressive symptoms among older adults. Further research should examine this pathway alongside other psychological, biological, social, and behavioral processes. Full article

Homeownership has become increasingly difficult for many college graduates in the United States. This quantitative study examines the conditional associations among undergraduate major, post-college income, student loan debt, and homeownership using restricted data from the 2021 College and Beyond II Alumni Survey. Grounded in Human Capital Theory and informed by Status Attainment Theory as a secondary interpretive perspective, the study analyzes a sample of 2513 college graduates approximately a decade after degree completion. Logistic regression models examine differences in the conditional odds of homeownership across undergraduate major categories while accounting for post-college economics, student loans, and demographic characteristics. The findings indicate that arts and humanities graduates had lower conditional odds of homeownership than graduates did in the STEM-health, business, education, and social science fields. Higher salary and other household income were associated with higher conditional odds of homeownership, whereas student loan default and higher monthly loan payments were associated with lower conditional odds. Ever borrowing was also positively associated with homeownership, although this relationship should not be interpreted as evidence that student borrowing causes or facilitates homeownership. The findings highlight the complex relationships among educational pathways, post-college economic circumstances, student loan experiences, and homeownership and underscore the need for further research on the long-term financial outcomes associated with higher education. Full article

Sex Education Queer Youth Need (SEQuYN) is a collaborative, arts-based action research project addressing gaps in sexuality education for 2SLGBTQ+ youth in New Brunswick, Canada. The project responds to the exclusion of diverse sexual identities and experiences from school curricula, a pressing issue across Canada. Launched in Spring 2020 amid COVID-19, SEQuYN involved gathering anonymous responses from 25 youth aged 18–29 about their sexual educational needs and experiences. Youth participants answered questions such as, “What do you wish you had learned in school-based sex education?” and “How can we reflect trans experiences in sex ed?” The research team transformed these responses into cellphilms (cellphone + film production). Later, we co-produced zines during a 2024 workshop, exploring the inclusion of queer joy in sex education. Our analysis, framed by queer joy, explores the process of making and sharing cellphilms and zines to mobilise sexual health information and queer youth perspectives, to foster the sex education queer youth need. However, we also question how likely New Brunswick teachers are to integrate these creative methods into their practice, as the existing curricula and policy context erases the sense of urgency or need. Full article

Endocrine system hormones regulate growth, metabolism, and reproduction. These hormones often function at low concentrations, making them especially susceptible to disruption via endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) that can mimic, block, or disturb normal hormone signaling. Among these EDCs, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are of special concern for human health because they are persistent and bioaccumulate. In this review, we focus on effects of PCBs and PFAS on female reproduction, with emphasis on steroidogenesis, ovarian function, fertility, and assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes. We describe the chemical properties and exposure routes of PCBs and PFAS, and how these features explain their long half-lives and ability to transfer to the female reproductive system and fetus. Evidence suggests that both PCBs and PFAS can reduce follicle numbers, disturb oocyte quality, and increase oxidative stress and apoptosis. Human and animal data also link PCB and PFAS exposure with altered ART outcomes. Together, the literature indicates that persistent exposure to PCBs and PFAS poses a significant and long-lasting risk to female reproductive health. Full article

Endometriosis is a chronic estrogen-dependent systemic inflammatory disorder characterized by ectopic implantation of endometrial-like tissue, primarily on the ovaries, pelvic peritoneum, and bowel. According to the World Health Organization (WHO) estimate updated in 2025, endometriosis affects approximately 10% (about 190 million) of reproductive-age women worldwide and is a major contributor to chronic pelvic pain, dysmenorrhea, dyspareunia, and infertility. Standard medical therapies focus on ovarian suppression, which alleviates symptoms but precludes conception and carries significant metabolic and skeletal adverse effects. Recent multi-omics research has raised interest in the gut microbiome and the estrobolome, defined as the microbial gene repertoire involved in estrogen metabolism, as potential modulators of systemic estrogen exposure and immune homeostasis. Altered microbiota composition and microbial β-glucuronidase activity may influence enterohepatic estrogen recirculation; however, endometriosis-specific evidence is predominantly associative or preclinical and does not establish a causal pathway. Dysbiosis and increased bacterial β-glucuronidase activity promote enterohepatic recirculation of estrogens, contributing to hyperestrogenism and ectopic lesion proliferation. Concurrently, oxidative stress, peritoneal inflammation, aberrant macrophage polarization, and neoangiogenesis sustain lesion survival and contribute to chronic pelvic pain. This comprehensive review synthesizes mechanistic, preclinical, and clinical evidence regarding microbiome-targeted interventions and nutritional compounds, including probiotics, prebiotics, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), curcumin, resveratrol, epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), and vitamin D, in modulating the estrobolome, immune responses, and oxidative microenvironment in endometriosis. We further discuss dietary patterns, bioavailability challenges, and the potential of precision nutrition to optimize reproductive outcomes. These approaches may be considered complementary or investigational adjuncts; current evidence is insufficient to demonstrate disease modification or improvements in spontaneous pregnancy, assisted reproductive technology (ART) outcomes, or live birth. Here, “fertility-sparing” denotes the absence of intentional ovulation suppression rather than proven fertility enhancement. Full article

In recent years, concerns about youth mental health, school disengagement and territorial inequalities have renewed interest in arts-based, participatory educational practices, including participatory video (PV) and youth-led filmmaking. This scoping review, conducted and reported in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR guidelines, maps empirical studies employing PV or youth-led filmmaking with adolescents and young people (approximately 9–24 years) in school, after-school and community-based programmes, focusing on engagement, belonging, psychological well-being, agency, empowerment and socio-emotional skills. A structured search was conducted in four electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, PsycInfo) and complemented by manual screening of reference lists, yielding nineteen peer-reviewed articles in English using qualitative, quantitative or mixed-methods designs in which PV was a central component. Narrative thematic synthesis suggests that PV can create “third spaces” for expression and co-authorship, support participation and voice, strengthen trust, self-efficacy and relational competences, and foster school connectedness. At the same time, the literature points to limitations linked to structural constraints, power hierarchies and partial institutional recognition of youth-produced narratives. Overall, the review indicates that participatory video is a promising but context-dependent approach for supporting protective factors associated with school disengagement and early school leaving and outlines implications for integrated school–community interventions and future research on longer-term impacts. Full article

Globally, the World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that there are 20.6 million new cancer cases each year, and its incidence is expected to rise as the global population ages. At the same time, new technologies and advanced treatments are increasing survival rates, particularly in high-income countries. The need to understand cancer’s impact on psychosocial well-being and patients’ existential lifeworld is reflected in research, literature, pathographies, and other art forms. This article examines blogs as a distinctive arena for meaning-making, healing, and the articulation of cancer experiences. Through a close reading of three cancer blogs written by individuals with pelvic and colorectal cancers living in Norway, we examine illness narratives that often receive limited attention in private and public discourse. Drawing on Paul Ricoeur’s theory of narrative identity and configuration, we analyse how bloggers organise events, create meaning, and narrate their lives during potentially terminal illness. We also engage with Mikhail Bakhtin’s reflections on genre to explore blogs’ communicative character, heterogeneity of voices, and orientation towards anticipated responses. The findings suggest that cancer blogs function as intentional narrative and social resources during profound existential transformation. They also demonstrate that philosophical and literary concepts are valuable tools for analysing blogs as health humanities texts capable of capturing chaotic and disrupted illness stories. Full article

Food contact materials (FCMs) represent a major route of exposure to chemicals since they can migrate from packaging into food, raising health concerns. Due to its heterogeneous nature and complexity, the monitoring of chemicals present in or released by FCMs poses a significant analytical challenge, requiring both target methods for the quantitative determination of both intentionally and non-intentionally added substances (IAS and NIAS) and untargeted approaches to fingerprint the material and identify previously unknown IAS and NIAS. In recent years, green analytical chemistry has become fundamental for method development, promoting safer, faster and more sustainable workflows with reduced solvent consumption, waste generation and environmental impact. This review discusses recent advances in green analytical workflows for FCM characterization, with emphasis on sample preparation and instrumental analysis, covering the state of the art from 2020 to 2026. Full article

Blue-light filters now span spectacle, contact and intraocular lenses, but the term encompasses technologies with markedly different spectral characteristics and intended outcomes. This state-of-the-art narrative review synthesises peer-reviewed evidence on optical performance, digital eye strain, glare, photostress, sleep and circadian physiology, retinal phototoxicity, macular health, reported adverse effects and commercial translation. Near-clear spectacle filters preserve high-contrast acuity in most studies, but randomised and systematic reviews show no clinically meaningful average reduction in short-term digital eye strain. Some products reduce blue-colour contrast, particularly under low-contrast or low-light conditions, and adverse-event reporting is sparse. Studies of evening filters are heterogeneous: substantial amber attenuation can alter circadian light exposure, yet several trials have found no objective sleep benefit. Conventional visual outcomes with blue-filtering intraocular lenses are broadly comparable with ultraviolet-only lenses, although some individual studies report small mesopic colour or contrast disadvantages; long-term macular protection remains unresolved. Research on contact lenses is limited, typically short-term and often manufacturer-associated, and focuses on glare, photostress, scatter and perceived brightness rather than long-term health outcomes. Taken together, the evidence should be interpreted by filter spectrum and intended outcome, rather than treating blue-light filtering as a single intervention. Full article

Background: Metabolic complications and weight gain have emerged as primary concerns among virologically suppressed and immunologically competent people living with HIV. Particularly integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) and tenofovir alafenamide (TAF) are being connected with this issue. Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and its components within a highly homogeneous, virologically suppressed cohort, assessing the impact of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and HIV-unrelated factors. Methods: We conducted a single-center cross-sectional analysis of 93 HIV-positive patients receiving stable ART for >2 years, in Wrocław, Poland. To minimize confounding, individuals with HBV/HCV co-infections or significant alcohol use were excluded. Participants were stratified primarily by regimen, INSTI/TAF-based (n = 50) vs. PI/TAF-based (n = 28), and secondarily by the particular drugs taken. Clinical assessment included anthropometric parameters, lipid profiles, and glucose metabolism. Results: The prevalence of MetS was 10.8%. No statistically significant differences were observed in the incidence of MetS, insulin resistance, or dyslipidemia between the INSTI/TAF and PI/TAF groups. A marginally significant trend toward lower total cholesterol was identified in patients receiving dolutegravir/TAF compared to those on darunavir/TAF. Conclusions: In this stable Caucasian cohort with long-term viral suppression, we found no statistically significant differences in metabolic outcomes between modern INSTI- and PI-based regimens. However, due to the limited sample size and low statistical power, these findings do not prove clinical equivalence. Our results suggest that in particular tightly selected settings of well-controlled patients, traditional risk factors and lifestyle may remain the primary drivers of metabolic health, although modest drug-related effects cannot be ruled out. Full article

Engagement in the arts, particularly developing skills in an art form, represents a cognitively rich activity involving attention, memory, executive function, and sensorimotor coordination. Despite widespread assumptions that artistic abilities such as drawing are innate, they are highly trainable through targeted learning. Different techniques exemplify how structured observational drawing exercises can reshape perceptual and cognitive processing. For example, the negative space drawing technique directs attention to the shapes surrounding an object rather than the object itself. Specific techniques can map onto underlying cognitive processes, and this article examines the translational potential of learning to draw as a cognitive intervention. Due to the Arts’ aesthetic nature, the benefits extend beyond cognitive and can impact modifiable salutogenic factors at large. A toolkit of drawing techniques is provided, with information on the underlying cognitive processes. By connecting the cognitive neuropsychology of observational drawing to cognitive aging, this work contributes to a growing body of evidence supporting the arts as a vehicle for brain health, with particular promise in an aging global population. As technology transforms the landscape of arts and aesthetics, the cognitive value of embodied artmaking is underscored. Full article

‘Making of a Meadow’ is an expansive research project developed in 2024, culminating in the ‘Language and Landscape Impact Fellowship’ in 2025, funded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council Impact Acceleration Account, the Royal College of Art, in collaboration with the Kent Downs National Landscape. The project consists of a series of public workshops led by selected artists across the KDNL. The KDNL is applying for UNESCO Geopark status, and these creative projects form part of a body of evidence demonstrating the importance of the relationship between creativity, geodiversity and biodiversity. A key aim of the project is to expand access to and provide creative engagement with the bio- and geodiverse habitats of the Kent Downs in support of this application. The project also supports creative learning through the design of an educational resource for the KDNL (Making of a Meadow Notebook) for schools and the public to use to encourage, celebrate and attend to geo- and biodiversity. This article evaluates and advocates for creative methods of paying attention to chalk grassland habitats to support understanding their value alongside expanded conceptions of literacy, textual, sonic, visual and linguistic, raising awareness of the vital importance of bio- and geodiverse habitats to the health of the world in both human and planetary ways. Full article

Background: Infertility is increasingly recognized as a significant global public health concern. A thorough understanding of the diverse causes of infertility and their influence on treatment outcomes is essential for optimizing therapeutic strategies and improving success rates. Methods: In this study, we analyzed data from 9132 couples who underwent IVF treatment at a fertility center in Istanbul, Turkey, between 2010 and 2020. Results: Female factor infertility was the most prevalent among all participants (35.4%), followed by male infertility (26.4%), combined infertility (22.3%), and unexplained infertility (15.8%). Diminished ovarian reserve was found to be the most common indication in the female and combined infertility groups. Embryo transfer (ET) was performed in 7485 cases. Within this cohort, the antral follicle count was higher in the combined and unexplained infertility groups compared with the female and male infertility groups. The highest number of MII oocytes was found in the unexplained infertility group. Pregnancy rates varied significantly across groups, being higher in the male infertility and unexplained infertility groups than in the female infertility and combined infertility groups. Live birth rates also varied significantly across groups. The highest rate was observed in the unexplained infertility group. Conclusions: The distribution of infertility etiologies and their association with ICSI outcomes underscore the necessity to enhance the efficacy of ART protocols and to adopt evidence-based approaches to treatment strategies. Female factor infertility remains a significant clinical challenge, whereas unexplained infertility presents relatively favorable outcomes. Full article

The rapid digitalisation of healthcare has accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, Electronic Health Records (EHRs), and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), transforming healthcare delivery into a highly interconnected and patient-centric ecosystem. In response to growing concerns about data security, privacy, and interoperability, blockchain technology has emerged as a promising solution for its decentralization, immutability, auditability, and secure access control. However, many existing blockchain infrastructures rely on classical cryptographic primitives, including RSA- or elliptic-curve-based public-key mechanisms and cryptographic hash functions such as SHA-256, whose relevant security properties may be affected by sufficiently powerful quantum attacks. This review investigates the convergence of blockchain and quantum technologies to address emerging security threats in e-health systems. A structured literature review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines using the IEEE Xplore, PubMed, ACM Digital Library, Google Scholar, and Crossref databases, covering studies published between January 2018 and June 2025. Following a systematic screening and eligibility-verification process, 57 relevant studies were selected and analyzed. The review evaluates quantum-resilient security mechanisms, including Quantum Key Distribution (QKD), Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG), and NIST-standardized Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) algorithms specified in FIPS 203, FIPS 204, and FIPS 205. Based on the identified research gaps in the state of the art, this study also proposes a novel four-layer Quantum-Blockchain Security Architecture (QBSA) designed for secure healthcare environments. The analysis further reveals significant challenges associated with lightweight PQC deployment for IoMT devices, interoperability standardization, quantum hardware limitations, and regulatory compliance in cross-institutional healthcare systems. The findings highlight the necessity of integrating quantum-resilient cryptographic frameworks with blockchain infrastructures to support the development of secure, scalable, and patient-centric next-generation e-health ecosystems. Full article