Search Results (60,839)

Background/Objectives: Precise genetic access to the zebrafish habenula remains limited by a scarcity of compact, sequence-defined cis-regulatory elements (CREs). Here, we integrated developmental expression mapping, deep-learning predictions on long-range sequences, and in vivo reporter assays to identify compact regulatory sequences driving habenular expression. Methods: Using a transgenic zebrafish line enriched for habenular reporter expression, we isolated GFP-positive cells from larval brains and profiled their transcriptomes via microarray. A subset of candidate genes enriched in this dataset was validated using whole-mount in situ hybridization across two developmental stages. This analysis identified genes with highly reproducible habenular expression, leading to the selection of the gng8 and ano2 loci for subsequent CRE characterization. We developed ZEN-former (Zebrafish EN-former), an Enformer-based sequence-to-function model trained on neuronal subclass chromatin accessibility profiles from the adult mouse brain. Results: The model demonstrated strong correlation between predicted and experimentally measured signals across held-out genomic regions. To prioritize regulatory candidates, we integrated ZEN-former predictions with available zebrafish ATAC-seq data, RepeatMasker annotations, and gene models, identifying two ~600 bp intervals at each gene locus. These selected intervals were combined to generate ~1.2 kb reporter constructs for gng8 and ano2 loci, which were then evaluated using Tol2 transposon mediated transgenesis assays in zebrafish. In transiently injected larvae, both constructs successfully drove reporter expression in the habenular region. Furthermore, the resulting stable transgenic lines displayed highly specific and reproducible habenular expression. Quantitative confocal analysis showed mean habenular labeling completeness values of 84.5% and 96.2% for the gng8- and ano2-derived lines, respectively. Conclusions: Together, these findings provide a proof of concept that sequence features learned from mammalian chromatin accessibility datasets can effectively guide the prioritization of functional regulatory elements across species in zebrafish. The compact regulatory constructs and stable transgenic lines generated here offer robust genetic tools for investigating habenular circuitry. Full article

Thermodynamic concepts are increasingly used in nonlinear photonics to describe Rayleigh–Jeans thermalization, optical wave turbulence, condensation, negative-temperature states, and statistical mode locking. We ask how far this reasoning can be extended to localized structures maintained far from equilibrium by gain, loss, dispersion, and nonlinearity, using strongly chirped dissipative solitons (DSs) of the complex cubic–quintic Ginzburg–Landau equation as a model system. Their internal energy flows and separation of correlation scales connect coherent solitary waves with semi-incoherent wave kinetics, driven-open systems, and Bose–Einstein-condensation analogies. We review thermodynamic-like indicators based on spectral entropy, internal energy, effective temperature, and spectral condensation, and we relate them to dissipative-soliton resonance (DSR), stochastic mode-locking self-start, and redistribution between single- and multipulse attractors. Normal and anomalous group-delay dispersion provide complementary cases. In normal dispersion, DSR is accompanied by spectral localization, increasing scale separation, and growing multipulse accessibility; the statistical degree-count interpretation becomes meaningful only after the two scales separate and still requires ensemble calibration. In anomalous dispersion, the spectrum has extended wings, and noisy calculations reveal finite robust regions inside a larger existence domain, without an analogous thermodynamic turnover along the continuation tested. Thus, the unification is strongest at the level of the adiabatic solution and state-selection diagnostics, not an equilibrium thermodynamics. DSs thereby provide a photonic platform linking nonequilibrium thermodynamics, wave turbulence, driven condensates, and statistical phase-transition concepts. Full article

Forensic age determination in presumed minors is affected by a structural tension between biological uncertainty, juridical thresholds, and the ethical duty to protect childhood. Conventional dental age estimation methods provide point estimates of chronological age but do not directly address the question central to legal proceedings: whether adult status can be affirmed with certainty. This short communication introduces MIDAS (Maturity Index for Determination of Adult Status), a certainty-based, hybrid human–AI framework for adult age determination. Two forensic odontologists independently assessed mandibular third-molar development (Radicular Completion Ratio, R₈; Apical Closure Index, A₈) in 180 anonymized orthopantomographs of individuals aged 14–25 years, complemented by an AI-assisted radiomorphometric module extracting root density relative to enamel (D₇) and trabecular texture homogeneity (T_m). These parameters were integrated into a continuous Integrated Dental Maturity Index (IMD). By raising the biological reference age to 20 years and excluding the 17–20-year interval from affirmative adult classification, the framework operationalizes the precautionary principle, interpreting residual uncertainty in favor of childhood protection. As a proof of concept, this study establishes the conceptual and operational architecture of MIDAS rather than its diagnostic accuracy. Formal validation on larger and more diverse populations is required before routine forensic and medico-legal application. Should such validation confirm its performance, MIDAS could offer an ethically grounded, legally coherent, and scientifically transparent complement to conventional methods of dental age estimation and adulthood determination. Full article

Consolidated bioprocessing (CBP) using Acetivibrio thermocellus offers a promising route for the direct conversion of recalcitrant lignocellulose into ethanol. In this study, a synergistic co-culture system comprising A. thermocellus C1 and Thermoanaerobacterium thermosaccharolyticum DSM571 was established for the bioconversion of untreated Salix psammophila, a woody biomass native to the desert regions of Inner Mongolia. To enhance fermentation performance, exogenous additives—including Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles, biochar, and CaCO₃—were introduced in combination with process parameter optimization. These additives significantly stimulated microbial ethanol synthesis. Under optimized co-culture conditions, the system demonstrated exceptional cell-wall deconstruction capability, achieving a cellulose degradation rate of 75.04% and a hemicellulose degradation rate of 65.30%. Bioethanol was produced at a yield of 28.95% of the theoretical maximum. These results confirm that simultaneous co-inoculation allows both strains to establish a balanced cooperative interaction from the onset of fermentation, effectively facilitating synergistic sugar utilization and metabolic carbon flux. This high efficiency in raw biomass deconstruction provides a solid laboratory-scale proof-of-concept, highlighting the strong potential of this direct CBP strategy for converting raw desert biomass into high-value bio-based chemicals and fuels. Full article

Tool–prepreg friction contributes to process-induced residual stress and distortion in thermoset composite manufacturing, but its variation with the resin cure state remains insufficiently characterized. This study experimentally characterizes the friction response of untreated and post-gel pretreated T800/bismaleimide prepregs using a pull-out apparatus. The effects of slip velocity, temperature, and normal pressure are evaluated, and the measured trends are interpreted using Coulomb-type contact, viscous film shearing, and mixed-lubrication concepts. The friction coefficient of the untreated prepreg increases with the slip velocity and decreases with temperature and pressure, indicating a substantial contribution from viscous resin-film shearing. In contrast, the post-gel pretreated prepreg is nearly insensitive to the slip velocity and pressure, while its friction coefficient increases with temperature, consistent with a predominantly solid-like interfacial response. During a cure cycle, the friction increases slowly at low cure levels and more rapidly during the later stages of curing. The results provide experimental friction data for a high-temperature bismaleimide prepreg system and suggest that the gelation state may serve as a useful reference for distinguishing early- and later-stage interfacial behavior. Full article

Neurological disorders are a major cause of disability and mortality worldwide, and accessible methods for detecting tremor-related trajectory deviations remain an important research challenge. We present an augmented reality (AR)-based approach for evaluating trajectory deviations associated with tremor-related hand movements in Parkinson’s disease (PD) and neurological sequelae of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Unlike conventional surface-based drawing tests, the proposed approach removes the physical support point that may facilitate compensatory stabilization of hand movements during task performance. The method implementing this concept was preliminarily evaluated in a pilot cohort of 131 participants, including 50 healthy controls, 6 patients with PD, and 75 combat veterans with TBI, and was compared with a standard geometric figure drawing test. In the PD subgroup, the AR protocol flagged algorithmically detected trajectory deviations in all six participants. Given the small PD sample and the limited number of additional findings in the TBI group, these observations should be interpreted as preliminary and hypothesis-generating rather than as evidence of proof-of-concept accuracy or sensitivity. The results suggest that the anchor-free AR-based trajectory-assessment method may warrant further investigation as a potential approach for tremor-related movement analysis. Larger clinically validated studies with independent confirmation and standard concept metrics will be required to determine the clinical utility of the proposed method. Full article

The manual creation of personalized travel itineraries remains a labor-intensive process that requires travel agents to consolidate heterogeneous information from multiple sources, including natural language interactions, booking confirmations, screenshots, and reservation documents. Although recent advances in multimodal artificial intelligence have significantly improved language understanding and content generation, existing solutions typically address isolated tasks rather than providing an integrated workflow capable of automating the complete travel planning process. This paper presents the development and validation of an AI-powered conversational agent designed to automate itinerary generation and generative video synthesis through natural language processing (NLP) and multimodal data extraction. The system, evaluated at Technology Readiness Level 4 (TRL4), employs an agentic workflow in which a single orchestrator model delegates subtasks to specialized models through tool calling, integrating specialized large language models (Gemini 2.5/2.0 Flash, GPT-4o-mini) with optical character recognition (OCR) and Latent Diffusion Models to interpret user requests, extract structured data from images and PDFs, and produce comprehensive travel packages formatted as professional PDF deliverables alongside promotional videos assembled programmatically from curated and AI-generated visual assets. Validation in a controlled laboratory environment demonstrated over 90% intent recognition accuracy, successful data extraction from non-standard formats, and the automated production of both client-ready documents and coherent visual narratives from static itinerary data. The system achieved an average video generation latency of approximately $4.2$ min while maintaining structural consistency in the generated PDF itineraries. The system represents a viable proof-of-concept for intelligent travel planning automation, with implications for enhancing operational efficiency in the tourism industry. Future work will advance the prototype to TRL5 through integration with external booking APIs and real-user testing scenarios. Full article

Laboratories play a critical role in engineering education by bridging the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical applications. Dedicated laboratory stands serve as essential platforms for experiential learning, enabling students to interact directly with real or simulated systems. These stands enable a deeper understanding of complex engineering concepts and, at the same time, support the creation of essential skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking, and system integration. While physical laboratory stands provide a rich learning experience, their large-scale implementation can be both technically and financially challenging. In this context, virtual laboratory environments based on virtual prototypes offer a valuable complementary approach by improving access to practical learning while providing greater flexibility and reducing implementation costs. This paper presents the development of a virtual laboratory stand implemented using Simscape and designed for use in the teaching process in mechatronics engineering. The developed virtual prototype materializes a Segway-type self-balancing mobile robot and is used as a teaching tool in the lab activity of the control systems course. The educational effectiveness of the proposed virtual laboratory stand was evaluated by comparing students’ perceptions with those of a conventional analytical-model-based laboratory activity. The collected questionnaire data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and the Mann–Whitney U test. Students using the virtual laboratory reported consistently higher ratings than those using the analytical model, with statistically significant differences observed in three questionnaire items. These findings suggest that the proposed virtual laboratory stand enhances students’ learning experience and provides a valuable complementary approach for teaching control system design in mechatronics. Full article

Kidney transplant monitoring and early identification of graft dysfunction are central needs for long-term graft survival. Although kidney biopsy represents the gold standard in diagnostic procedures, its invasiveness may limit frequent longitudinal evaluation, highlighting the necessity of non-invasive diagnostic tools. Urine has emerged over the years as an easily obtainable source of cellular and molecular components derived from transplanted kidneys. Particularly, exfoliated cells and extracellular vesicles (EVs) represent complementary and interconnected markers able to reflect tissue injury, inflammatory signals, immune cell infiltration, and regenerative processes occurring in the graft. Also, recent advances in transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and single-cell technologies have expanded the diagnostic and mechanistic value of urinary liquid biopsy, enabling the identification of disease-specific molecular signatures associated with rejection, delayed graft function, fibrosis, and graft loss. This review discusses the emerging concept of an integrated urinary cell–EV ecosystem and highlights how integrated multi-omic approaches may transform non-invasive graft surveillance and advance precision medicine in kidney transplantation. Full article

Conventional biosensor coatings face considerable challenges in reconciling high loading capacity, antifouling performance, and long-term stability. Metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), with their ultrahigh surface areas, tunable pores, and abundant unsaturated metal sites, have become important functional coating materials for advanced sensing interfaces. This review focuses on interface engineering strategies for MOF-based biosensor coatings and systematically compares three core construction approaches, namely defect engineering, MOF-on-MOF heterostructures, and interface-assisted fabrication, examining their distinct interfacial regulation logics and applicability under engineering constraints including substrate compatibility, film uniformity, and scalability. The multifaceted interfacial roles of MOF coatings are then categorized across electrochemical, photoelectrochemical, colorimetric, optical fiber, and dual-signal biosensors, covering enrichment-confinement, catalytic transduction, biorecognition protection, and smart gating. Notably, most reported systems remain at the proof-of-concept stage, with insufficient validation in complex biofluids, ambiguous signal transduction mechanisms, and a notable deficiency in systematic assessments of coating adhesion and durability. Future efforts should focus on establishing standardized failure evaluation protocols, adopting AI-driven rational design, and advancing toward multi-target integrated and flexible wearable platforms to bridge the gap between laboratory research and practical diagnostic applications. Full article

Background/Objectives: The period between 12 and 16 years of age coincides with peak pubertal change, declining habitual physical activity, and the consolidation of lifelong behavioral patterns, making it a critical window for understanding how fitness develops and how stable (or unstable) it is over time. This review aims to synthesize longitudinal evidence addressing how HRPF changes and tracks in adolescents aged approximately 12 to 16 years, the sex- and maturation-related modifiers of these patterns, the methodological approaches used to assess them, and the secular and behavioral context within which they occur. Methods: A structured narrative review was conducted searching four electronic databases—Google Scholar, PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus—using terms combining concepts of adolescence, health-related physical fitness, and longitudinal study design published up to April 2026. Reference lists of retrieved systematic reviews and meta-analyses were snowball-searched. Eligible studies employed longitudinal or repeated-measures designs in samples overlapping the 12–16-year age range; no formal risk-of-bias appraisal or quantitative pooling was undertaken, consistent with the narrative-review design. Findings were synthesized narratively by HRPF component and thematic domain. Results: Cardiorespiratory fitness rises through early adolescence before plateauing or declining from approximately age 15 in one longitudinal cohort, more markedly in boys; muscular power and strength diverge increasingly by sex, a pattern consistent with androgen-mediated gains in lean mass in boys, although this mechanism was not directly tested here; flexibility remains the most stable component; and body composition acts as both an outcome and a determinant of other fitness test performance. Within-adolescence tracking is moderate-to-high for most components in the single available 3-year cohort of adolescent girls that reported component-specific tracking coefficients (e.g., lower-limb power β = 0.98, aerobic endurance β = 0.75, trunk muscular endurance β = 0.51), and substantially stronger than tracking from childhood into adolescence. Secular trends indicate population-level fitness has declined in many countries over recent decades, with adolescents showing greater decline than children. Conclusions: Early-to-mid adolescence appears to be a critical and time-limited opportunity to consider for fitness-promoting intervention: fitness rank is still somewhat malleable, but shows progressively stronger tracking with age—a pattern of rank stability that should not itself be read as evidence about responsiveness to intervention. Methodological heterogeneity in test batteries, follow-up duration, and tracking statistics limits direct comparability across studies. Future research should incorporate maturity-status indicators, multi-wave designs, and harmonized assessment protocols. Full article

Despite decades of clinical experience, the physiological rationale for extracorporeal life support (ECLS) in acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) remains incompletely defined. Existing trials have primarily evaluated ECLS as a rescue intervention, with limited attention to the physiological adaptations required to sustain extracorporeal gas exchange. We propose that the maternal–fetal circulation, the only naturally occurring example of prolonged extracorporeal gas exchange, provides a hypothesis-generating physiological analogy. In this paradigm, gas exchange is externalized through a low-resistance, high-flow circuit while systemic physiology reorganizes to unload the native lung. Translating this concept to severe ARDS suggests that ECLS should be viewed not simply as an adjunct to conventional support, but as a transition to an alternative physiological state centered on extracorporeal gas exchange. This perspective may inform physiology-based patient selection, management strategies, and the design of future clinical trials. Full article

Soil degradation is commonly quantified using state or trend indicators, but these measures do not show whether a shortfall has accumulated through time, created a deferred obligation, or transferred costs and risks across actors, places, sectors or generations. This Concept Paper addresses that gap by developing Soil Security Debt as a preliminary accounting architecture anchored in five Soil Security dimensions: capacity, condition, capital, connectivity and codification. A purposive synthesis of soil assessment, environmental debt, Land Degradation Neutrality, ecosystem accounting and environmental liability identifies transferable principles. The architecture separates native-unit indicator gaps, normalised dimension accounts, gross incurrence, verified repayment and outstanding balances. Biophysical, ecological, soil-carbon, water, economic, social and governance debt are overlapping interpretive lenses; intergenerational transfer describes the incidence of outstanding liabilities. A hypothetical calculation demonstrates internal calculability, while retrospective mappings of erosion and soil-carbon studies illustrate how empirical evidence could populate parts of the ledger. The framework is not an empirically validated universal index: operational use requires context-specific indicators, defensible references, uncertainty propagation, sensitivity analysis and longitudinal validation. Soil Security Debt offers a testable way to distinguish a current adverse state from an accumulated or transferred liability and make prevention, restoration and residual loss explicit in assessment and policy. Full article

Traditional Chinese gardens are not only aesthetic representations but also spatial expressions of diverse aspects of social life. Compared with the extensive studies on Jiangnan gardens, the spatial organization and cultural meanings of private gardens in northern China remain relatively less explored. This study examines the East Courtyard of Wu Family Manor, a late Qing private garden in Guanzhong. Space Syntax is applied to quantitatively analyze its spatial configuration, while historical documents and field surveys are combined to explore the logic of its spatial organization and its relationship with merchant family practices and ritual concepts. The results reveal a clear spatial hierarchy within Wu Family Manor. The residential core occupies a relatively central position in the spatial configuration, and the garden functions as a complementary extension of domestic life. The spatial organization reflects a dual logic of hierarchical public order and inward-oriented family life, corresponding to the ritual principles and residential practices of merchant families. Compared with the landscape-oriented organization commonly observed in Jiangnan gardens, Wu Family Manor presents a different pattern of garden–residence integration, consistent with the characteristics of traditional northern garden residences. Methodologically, this study demonstrates the feasibility of integrating Space Syntax with historical and socio-cultural evidence to examine the spatial logic of traditional garden residences in northern China, thereby expanding its application to the study of traditional Chinese gardens. In practice, this finding indicates that conservation and adaptive reuse should consider not only individual buildings and gardens but also the spatial relationships and hierarchical structure underlying their organization. Clarifying the spatial organization logic of historic garden–residence complexes can provide additional evidence for interpreting and retaining their historical spatial character and regional identity, while also offering a reference for the conservation and renewal of similar traditional garden–residence sites in different historical and regional contexts. Full article

Background: Nutrition counselling during the perinatal period is an important component of midwifery care and health promotion. Existing competency frameworks recognize nutrition-related education and counselling as part of midwifery practice, while several studies have assessed midwives’ nutrition knowledge, attitudes, confidence, and self-reported practices. However, it remains unclear to what extent existing assessment approaches capture the quality of nutrition counselling as experienced by women receiving midwife-led care. Objective: This scoping review aimed to map existing tools, questionnaires, competency frameworks, checklists, and other assessment approaches related to nutrition counselling, nutrition education, and nutrition-related competencies in midwifery and perinatal care; to compare the measurement domains represented across these approaches; and to identify remaining measurement gaps. Methods: The review was conducted according to established scoping review methodology and reported in accordance with PRISMA-ScR. PubMed/MEDLINE, Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, CINAHL, and Embase were searched from database inception to 1 July 2026 using two complementary search strategies targeting both nutrition-related assessment approaches and patient-experience/counselling-quality concepts. Eligible sources included studies or documents describing instruments, competency frameworks, questionnaires, screening tools, checklists, or other assessment approaches related to nutrition counselling within midwifery or perinatal care. Data were charted according to assessment type, target population, intended purpose, domains assessed, development methodology, validation evidence, and relevance to midwife-led nutrition counselling, and were synthesized descriptively and conceptually across assessment domains. Results: The database searches identified 186 records, of which 42 duplicates were removed, leaving 144 records for title and abstract screening. Thirty-four reports underwent full-text assessment, of which 25 were excluded, resulting in nine included reports. These reports represented a smaller number of distinct assessment tools, frameworks, and approaches because three reports evaluated or applied the same underlying instrument, the FIGO Nutrition Checklist. The included evidence comprised nutritional-risk screening, provider-focused knowledge-, attitude-, and practice-based assessment, observational approaches to counselling delivery, and a professional competency framework. Cross-cutting synthesis identified four conceptually distinct measurement levels: nutritional risk and dietary status, professional knowledge and competence, counselling delivery and implementation, and women’s experience of nutrition counselling. No eligible nutrition-specific patient-reported experience measure was identified, leaving the intersection between nutrition-specific content and woman-reported counselling experience insufficiently represented. Conclusions: Existing approaches provide fragmented assessment of nutrition-related care and do not comprehensively capture women’s experiences of midwife-led nutrition counselling. Further research should determine whether existing measures can be adapted or combined or whether a new patient-reported experience measure (PREM) is warranted. Full article