Search Results (25,288)

Domain generalization (DG) attempts to generalize a model trained on single or multiple source domains to an unseen target domain. Motivated by the transferability of vision-language pretrained models, we argue that text can provide complementary semantic cues for domain generalization. In this paper, we develop a Text-guided Domain Knowledge Generalization (TDKG) framework with three components. First, we devise an automatic word-generation method that uses lexical substitution to produce domain-relevant descriptors. Second, we embed these descriptors into the text feature space through prompt learning while preserving category semantics and encouraging diversity across domain words. Finally, we use both image and generated text features to train a normalized classifier and update the image encoder. The text branch is required only during training; inference uses the test image alone. Experiments on five domain generalization benchmarks show competitive performance and consistent improvements over the matched empirical risk minimization (ERM) baseline, although the size of the gain varies across datasets and target domains. Full article

The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score grades dysfunction in six components in people, using thresholds fixed against human reference ranges and a human case mix. Whether those numbers transfer to cats has not been examined. Of 52 cats assessed for eligibility, 23 met predefined systemic inflammatory response syndrome criteria, 22 of them non-septic, and an adapted score was calculated at admission from non-invasive measurements and one venous sample. A complete score was obtained in every cat. Under the applied bilirubin thresholds, the hepatic sub-score exceeded zero in 21 of 23 cats and, with the renal component, accounted for 63.0% of the mean total score; removing that component lowered the median total from 6.0 to 3.0 and left three cats scoring zero. Under stated physiological assumptions, translating the original PaO₂/FiO₂ thresholds through the feline oxyhaemoglobin dissociation curve placed the first respiratory threshold near 91%, rather than the 95% applied here, and removed the respiratory point from six cats. Five of the 23 cats did not survive to discharge, too few for any outcome analysis, and none was attempted. The framework was measurable in this setting, but its thresholds describe admission abnormalities rather than organ dysfunction and require feline-specific calibration. Full article

Cocrystallization is an effective strategy for modifying the physicochemical properties of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs), yet rational coformer selection remains challenging. In this work, we propose an interpretable extension of DeepCocrystal by integrating Principal Component Analysis (PCA) with supramolecular language-based prediction. Picolinamide, nicotinamide, and isonicotinamide were selected as models for APIs due to their diverse hydrogen-bonding capabilities but structural similarity. A curated coformer library was screened computationally, and the molecular descriptor space was analyzed to identify dominant structural drivers of cocrystal compatibility. PCA revealed that cocrystal propensity in the studied systems is primarily governed by hydrogen-bond complementarity, polarity matching, and aromatic surface interactions. The integrated framework is intended to enhance mechanistic interpretability without altering the predictive output of DeepCocrystal. In this setting, the PCA layer functions as a post hoc, unsupervised readout of the descriptor space, so the original ranking and scoring of the predictions remain unchanged. This approach provides a scalable and chemically transparent methodology for rational coformer prioritization and supports data-driven crystal engineering strategies. In addition, a simpler post-filtering strategy based on pK_a values was also applied to the DeepCocrystal predictions to attempt a classification that can exclude salts. Following the pK_a-based post-filtering rules, from the 137 API–coformer pairs classified by DeepCocrystal as positive or as uncertain, that is, all pairs not confidently excluded, 46 pairs retained their classification as high-probability cocrystal-compatible, 39 pairs were assigned the classification of uncertain but salt formation excluded, 11 pairs retained the classification of negative with large uncertainty, 34 pairs were reclassified as belonging to the salt/cocrystal “gray zone”, and 7 pairs were classified as salt-risk candidates. Full article

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a well-established technique used in medical applications and bio-based research. It has also been used to study wood and composite materials of various types. Soy-based adhesives used in hardwood plywood applications are not very moisture-resistant. We have employed MRI to study water-soaked plywood composites made with soy adhesives in an attempt to gain insight into how water interacts and affects the soy adhesive bondlines. Various MRI data acquisition sequences were used to show how water interacts and migrates within the soy adhesives and to quantify the presence of water at the bondline of the plywood samples. The data from MRI was combined with cyclic testing data of plywood to help understand how soy adhesives can be modified to reduce their moisture sensitivity. MRI of plywood bondlines made with chemically modified soy adhesives shows that moisture ingress can be reduced dramatically. Cyclic water soak/drying testing of plywood made with chemically modified soy adhesives shows that the reduction in moisture sensitivity results in dramatic improvements in bondline durability, as measured by the ANSI/HPVA EF 2020 cyclic testing protocol for hardwood plywood. Full article

El Mirador de la Luna is an off-grid single-family dwelling at 2640 m above sea level (a.s.l.) in Higospamba Alto, Cuenca, Ecuador. The study examines which dimensions of inhabiting under conditions of real autarky exceed the reach of conventional methods of architectural analysis. This single longitudinal case study (n = 1), with twenty years of gestation, six of photography and drawing on site, and six of qualitative post-occupancy evaluation (2020–2026), is the primary instrument of a design-inhabitation methodology that dissolves the separation between theory and practice when the architect acts simultaneously as researcher, designer, and inhabitant. The methodology extends Wallas’s four phases (1926) with a fifth, gestation, which names the time of in-venting prior to the existence of a site, a brief, or a commission, anchored in the in-vention (in-venire) of García Cors (2024). The philosophical foundation integrates Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, Rosalind Krauss’s expanded field (1979), Epicurean autarky, and Levinasian intimacy as interpenetrability, all operating as instruments of verification. Three unanticipated findings, a stratified soundscape made audible by the elevated slab, anabatic winds that drive rain in under the eaves, and orographic fog as absolute interior, produced three documented responses, an executed opening, an attempt the site rejected, and an operating protocol. The courtyard, a decision prior to the work sustained at a structural cost, accumulates six years of recorded use. Balcony and courtyard hold distinct modes of attention, directed in the first and undirected in the second. Operational autarky was achieved in electricity, thermal comfort, hot water, and wastewater. Post-occupancy thus operates as design in two directions, in the sense of Schön’s reflective practice (1983). Material autarky is shown to be a geographical condition rather than an ideological choice, and Platonic Eros, inscribed in the sketches before the work, makes its generative role verifiable in the graphic record. Full article

Background: High-risk percutaneous coronary intervention (HR-PCI) in patients with severe left ventricular (LV) systolic dysfunction and complex coronary artery disease may be complicated by abrupt intraprocedural hemodynamic deterioration. Temporary mechanical circulatory support may be considered after individualized Heart Team assessment; however, clinical experience with the pulsatile iVAC2L device remains limited. Case Presentation: An 84-year-old man presented with inferior ST-segment-elevation myocardial infarction, acute decompensated heart failure, pulmonary edema, and an LV ejection fraction of 10–15%. Coronary angiography (CAG) showed a presumed chronic total occlusion of the right coronary artery (RCA) and critical disease of the left main (LMCA), left anterior descending (LAD), and left circumflex (LCx) arteries. Preparation for coronary artery bypass grafting was initiated, but clinical deterioration prompted PCI. The first attempt was aborted after cardiac arrest during coronary wiring. Following stabilization and repeat Heart Team assessment, iVAC2L-supported HR-PCI was performed. During 60 min of active pump support, five stents were implanted in the LMCA, LAD, and LCx. The patient remained conscious and hemodynamically stable without vasopressors. LV ejection fraction was approximately 20% at discharge after six hospital days, and the patient was transferred to inpatient rehabilitation. Conclusions: In this selected patient, iVAC2L-supported HR-PCI was technically feasible and was associated with maintained intraprocedural hemodynamic stability. A single case cannot establish comparative safety or efficacy; prospective studies are required to define patient selection, procedural protocols, and clinically meaningful outcomes. Full article

Background/Objectives: Cardiac implantable electronic device (CIED) infections range from localized pocket infection to systemic disease. This study evaluated clinical, laboratory, microbiological, and imaging findings associated with the final classification of systemic CIED infection and described device management and in-hospital outcomes. Methods: This retrospective single-center study included 75 adults with definite CIED infection after case-by-case diagnostic re-adjudication, comprising 61 patients with localized pocket infection and 14 with systemic infection. Exploratory univariable and Firth penalized logistic regression analyses were used to examine associations with systemic infection. Results: Of 75 patients with definite CIED infection, 14 (18.7%) had systemic infection and 61 (81.3%) had localized pocket infection. Fever was observed in 5/14 (35.7%) patients with systemic infection and 3/61 (4.9%) patients with localized infection (p = 0.005). Procalcitonin was available for 70 patients and was higher in systemic than in localized infection (0.23 [0.06–1.57] vs. 0.05 [0.03–0.12] ng/mL; p = 0.025). Chronic kidney disease stage G3a–G5 was more frequent in systemic infection (3/14 [21.4%] vs. 2/61 [3.3%]; p = 0.042), and estimated glomerular filtration rate was lower (64 [45–83] vs. 89 [73–99] mL/min/1.73 m²; p = 0.014). Among 33 culture-positive episodes, coagulase-negative staphylococci were recovered in 12/22 localized episodes, whereas Staphylococcusaureus was recovered in 6/11 systemic episodes. Complete system removal was documented in 12/14 (85.7%) systemic and 46/61 (75.4%) localized infections; the median interval from admission to first removal attempt was 10 [6–17] and 5 [3–8] days, respectively. In the exploratory Firth model including age, fever, and log₂-transformed procalcitonin, fever (aOR 6.17, 95% CI 1.02–37.52) and procalcitonin per doubling (aOR 1.35, 95% CI 1.02–1.81) were associated with systemic infection. In the kidney-function sensitivity model, the procalcitonin estimate was attenuated (aOR 1.31, 95% CI 0.99–1.74). Two in-hospital deaths occurred, both among patients with systemic infection. Conclusions: In this small retrospective cohort, fever and higher procalcitonin concentrations were exploratory correlates of the systemic-infection classification. The study did not evaluate diagnostic accuracy, clinical prediction, calibration, or external validity. Larger prospective studies with standardized diagnostic work-up and external validation are needed before biomarker-based clinical decisions can be considered. Full article

The power performance (high-rate capability) of laser-structured electrodes for graphite and NMC 811 were evaluated at different electrolyte concentrations and electrode thicknesses. Line patterning was used to create microstructures via femtosecond laser ablation. The electrochemical power performance of structured electrodes at both increasing electrolyte salt concentration and increasing electrode thickness shows that the best power performances were attained at 1.0 M electrolyte salt concentration. Lithium plating observations and long-term cycling capacities show that cycle life is greatly determined by electrolyte salt concentrations across all electrodes. Results suggest that salt mobility in the electrolyte and concentrations are significant factors in improving the power performance in both unstructured and structured electrodes. Ablated material recycling attempts also reveal that graphite is able to retain its chemistry and can be directly recycled for electrochemical use. Full article

Gateway engineering courses often expose accumulated gaps in students’ foundational knowledge, affecting progression and retention. This study investigates early predictors of completion and performance in Machine Elements, an integrative second-year mechanical engineering course at the University of Zagreb. A retrospective cohort dataset of 2351 students enrolled between 2013 and 2021 was analysed using admission variables, first-year course grades, and exam-attempt indicators. Cohort differences were examined with descriptive statistics and non-parametric tests, while course completion was modelled using logistic regression, LASSO-based predictor selection, and temporal validation. Students who completed the course differed most consistently from non-completers in Strength of Materials performance and prerequisite exam attempts. A reduced five-predictor model retained most of the full model’s predictive ability, achieving ROC AUC = 0.749 in the pooled sample and 0.726 in temporal validation. Intervention-oriented evaluation showed that Top-K risk selection provided high precision but low sensitivity under limited support capacity. Full article

The transition from face-to-face to online learning has been problematic, particularly for historically disadvantaged universities (HDUs) shaped by infrastructural inequalities in South Africa. Grounded in connectivism theory, this study explores the lived experiences of young adult students’ navigating online learning at an HDU in South Africa. Adopting a qualitative interpretative phenomenological approach, the study purposively selected 20 young adult students from the institution. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews and analyzed using thematic analysis. Two primary themes emerged: students’ experiences and navigation of online learning, and perceived strategies and support mechanisms to enhance online learning. The findings reveal that young adult students’ learning experiences are significantly constrained by limited access to critical nodes (such as digital devices), weak network structures, and unstable connectivity. These challenges disrupt the flow of information within learning networks, thereby hindering meaningful academic engagement. Despite these constraints, young adult students demonstrate forms of navigational agency in attempting to connect to available learning resources. This study contributes to the literature and theory by extending connectivism theory into a Global South context, illustrating how digital inequality undermines the formation and sustainability of learning networks in HDU. It moves beyond viewing online learning challenges as purely technical issues, instead framing them as structural and pedagogical limitations. The study recommends that HDUs develop policies that seek to strengthen network connectivity through targeted institutional interventions, including strategic partnerships with telecommunications providers to subsidize data costs and improve access to digital devices for socio-economically disadvantaged students. Full article

Background/Objectives: The relative contribution of pharmacotherapy versus patient-level factors to smoking cessation success remains unclear, particularly in real-world settings where access to first-line treatments such as varenicline is limited. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of commonly used pharmacotherapies and to identify independent predictors of cessation in a primary care setting in Turkey. Methods: In this prospective observational study, 487 adult smokers attending a smoking cessation clinic in Istanbul, Turkey, were included. Participants received cytisine (n = 243), bupropion (n = 130), nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) (n = 8), bupropion plus NRT (n = 38), or a non-pharmacological intervention consisting of structured behavioral counseling without pharmacotherapy (n = 68), based on clinical judgment and patient preference. Baseline sociodemographic characteristics, smoking history, and nicotine dependence (Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence, FTND) were recorded. Smoking cessation at 3 months was assessed via telephone follow-up. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify independent predictors of cessation. Results: The overall 3-month cessation rate was 32.2% (138/429). Bupropion plus NRT combination therapy was associated with significantly higher odds of cessation than cytisine (aOR = 2.36, 95% CI: 1.10–5.08, p = 0.028), while bupropion, NRT, and non-pharmacological treatment did not differ significantly from cytisine; given the very small NRT subgroup (n = 8), this estimate should be interpreted cautiously. Among patient-level factors, higher educational level (aOR = 1.38, 95% CI: 1.02–1.85, p = 0.035), a prior quit attempt (aOR = 2.14, 95% CI: 1.14–4.00, p = 0.018), and a longer duration of prior abstinence (aOR = 1.01 per month, 95% CI: 1.00–1.02, p = 0.034) were independently associated with higher odds of cessation. Age, sex, employment status, number of previous quit attempts, and FTND score were not significant predictors. These findings should be interpreted with caution given the non-randomized design, short follow-up, and self-reported, biochemically unverified outcome ascertainment described below. Conclusions: In this real-world cohort from Turkey, bupropion plus NRT combination therapy, along with several patient-level factors, was independently associated with 3-month smoking cessation. These findings suggest a potential benefit of combination pharmacotherapy that warrants confirmation in larger, adequately powered studies, and highlight the continued importance of individualized, behaviorally informed cessation strategies, particularly in settings with constrained access to first-line treatments such as varenicline. Full article

Background/Objectives: Unexplained infertility (UI) is defined by the absence of detectable abnormality on standard evaluation, which raises the possibility that the causative defect lies at the level of intracellular signaling rather than at the level of gamete number or hormone concentration. The PI3K/Akt pathway governs primordial follicle activation, granulosa cell survival, and the acquisition of oocyte competence, but AKT2 transcript abundance in the somatic follicular compartment has not been characterized clinically in UI. We compared cumulus/granulosa cell AKT2 transcript levels and follicular fluid Akt and phospho-Akt (Ser473) protein levels between women with UI and women undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for isolated male factor infertility.  Methods: This was a prospective case–control study of 128 women (64 UI, 64 male factor) aged 23–35 years, all stimulated with a GnRH antagonist protocol and recruited December 2020–May 2021. AKT2 expression in cumulus/granulosa cells recovered at denudation was quantified using RT-qPCR (ΔΔCt, GAPDH reference). Total Akt and phospho-Akt (Ser473) were measured in follicular fluid using ELISA and normalized to the number of oocytes retrieved. Oocyte maturation, fertilization, day 3 embryo quality, and day 5 blastocyst quality were assessed using Alpha/ESHRE Istanbul consensus criteria. Correlation analyses were exploratory and reported with Benjamini–Hochberg false discovery rate (FDR) adjustment. Results: Baseline characteristics, including age, body mass index, antral follicle count, AMH, FSH, LH, oocytes retrieved, and duration of infertility, were comparable between groups. Granulosa cell AKT2 ΔCt was higher in the UI group (3.46 ± 1.47 versus 2.68 ± 1.18; p = 0.001), corresponding to a 1.72-fold lower AKT2 transcript level (ΔΔCt 0.78; Cohen’s d = 0.59); the difference persisted after adjustment for age, body mass index, AMH, basal estradiol levels, and previous IVF attempts (adjusted ΔCt difference 0.74, 95% CI 0.25–1.24; p = 0.004). Follicular fluid total Akt (11.55 ± 4.08 versus 11.75 ± 3.60 relative units; p = 0.78) and phospho-Akt (21.05 ± 7.14 versus 19.81 ± 7.24; p = 0.34) did not differ, nor did values normalized per oocyte. Oocyte maturation rate (0.72 ± 0.25 versus 0.76 ± 0.18), fertilization rate (44.6 ± 29.5% versus 42.2 ± 25.6%), day 3 good-quality embryo rate (25.0 ± 25.8% versus 26.6 ± 23.8%), and good-quality blastocyst rate (30.2 ± 25.8% versus 20.5 ± 18.5%) were all comparable. Of 24 exploratory correlations, only two survived FDR adjustment. Both correlations were in the male factor comparison group and both involved the small blastocyst subgroup: total Akt per oocyte (ρ = 0.738) and phospho-Akt per oocyte (ρ = 0.728) versus good-quality blastocyst rate (n = 17; FDR p = 0.011). AKT2 ΔCt did not correlate with any embryological endpoint in either group. Conclusions: Cumulus and granulosa cell AKT2 mRNA was reduced approximately 1.7-fold in women with unexplained infertility, despite indistinguishable ovarian reserve, ovarian response, and embryological performance and despite unchanged follicular fluid Akt protein. Because the comparison group consisted of women from couples undergoing ICSI for male factor infertility rather than women of proven fertility, the difference cannot be attributed specifically to unexplained infertility, and the findings describe transcript abundance rather than pathway activity. Confirmation against a fertile comparison group, with protein-level assessment in the same cells and clinical pregnancy endpoints, is required. Full article

The global fish industry is an essential contributor to food security and the economy; however, it produces considerable quantities of fish waste. Depending on species and processing methods, 20–80% of fish biomass is discarded as waste, amounting to almost 64 million tons annually. Conventional disposal methods such as landfilling, incineration, and wastewater discharge cause environmental pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Therefore, for sustainable development, it is important to valorize fish waste into renewable energy and value-added products. Hence, this review aims to encourage the technical development of fish waste into bioenergy and bioresources by thoroughly studying key technologies for converting it into biogas, biodiesel, fertilizer, animal feed, and biochar. Although several studies have explored these technologies, most remain disjointed and lack a systematic assessment. Therefore, this work attempted to critically evaluate the technological principles, advantages, limitations, and optimization strategies of current valorization approaches. Furthermore, several recommendations have been proposed, including conducting pilot-scale trials, producing higher value-added products within a biorefinery system. Overall, this review provides a holistic outlook on the energy and resource conversion of fish waste, supporting sustainable waste management. Full article

Electromobility is a key direction in the development of sustainable transport. The aim of the study was to determine its level of development and to identify and assess factors associated with the perception of electromobility among residents of the Lubusz Voivodeship. Additionally, an attempt was made to identify user segments with differing perceptions of this phenomenon. The analysis covered the years 2010–June 2026, with a survey conducted at the turn of 2025/2026. The level of electromobility development was assessed based on quantitative indicators, while resident opinions were collected via a survey. Linear regression and cluster segmentation were used to analyze the data. Relationships between variables were examined, focusing on factors associated with the price acceptance of electric vehicles. The regression results indicated that, of the eight predictors included in the model, only four—infrastructure quality, charging time, vehicle range, and environmental awareness—exhibited statistically significant associations with price acceptance. Cluster analysis allowed for the identification of diverse user segments with different preferences, motivations, and barriers related to electromobility. The results can form the basis for designing public policies, marketing strategies, and investment activities in the area of sustainable transport. Full article

Winter food conditions can shape behavioral investment, yet measured food mass and short-term foraging behavior need not covary. We quantified the potentially available food dry mass (FD), foraging-attempt rate (FAR), and 15 min behavioral time allocation of wintering black-necked cranes (Grus nigricollis Przevalski, 1876) in five habitats across three sampling stages in Linzhou County, XiZang. Food was sampled in eight independent plots per stage × habitat combination, and 600 valid focal observations were analyzed under a working-independence assumption. Habitat, sampling stage, and their interaction were associated with both FD and FAR (all nominal p < 0.001 in the fixed-effects models). Unplowed farmland consistently had the highest FD and FAR, whereas riverbank and shallow-water areas generally had the lowest values. Foraging accounted for 59.2–75.3% of observed time. Because different plots and partly different valleys were sampled among stages, these stage-associated contrasts combine temporal and spatial variation. Plot-level FD–FAR relationships varied among habitats and stages, showing that measured dry mass and a 1 min behavioral rate were not interchangeable indicators of food accessibility, foraging success, or energetic payoff. Future work should revisit fixed plots, retain individual–flock–plot–session identifiers, and quantify food identity, burial depth, hydrological conditions, successful ingestion, and detection-corrected habitat use. Full article