Search Results (1,084)

This paper examines the technological dimension of “handwritten time” a distinctive mode of existence of the Russian Avant-garde. By the mid-1930s, the avant-garde’s stylistic confrontation with Socialist Realism had effectively expelled it from the contemporary literary process, artificially arresting its development—an instance of “unfinished modernity.” The article offers a detailed analysis of the technology of self-archiving (“lit-recycling”) developed by Aleksei Kruchyonykh: a deliberately chosen strategy of uncensored writing oriented toward an implicit reader of the future. The conscious refusal to complete the conventional publishing cycle, together with the systematic archiving of materials, generated a new pragmatics of the Russian avant-garde, enabling continued work under conditions of total censorship. The study considers both the strengths of this pragmatics of self-isolation and its unavoidable costs, above all the rupture of author–reader communication. Drawing on workbooks and diary notebooks from the 1930s, it reconstructs an archiving technology that had fully matured by that decade: the balance between draft and fair copy, as well as the mechanisms of auto-communication and self-censorship. Each stage of textual work is shown to acquire a specific function within a single technological continuum. Special attention is paid to contemporary methods for reconstructing the avant-garde’s creative records. The article reconstructs successive versions of Kruchyonykh’s poems (“Irina in the Fog,” “Trash,” “All Dead Poets…,” “Mind You!,” “Grumbling,” etc.), and cites diaries and handwritten books. It also foregrounds Kruchyonykh’s “prophetic” texts—those marked by a premonition of the coming great war—which conclude his diary and creative notebooks of the 1930s. Full article

Air–sea CO₂ flux (FCO₂) in the estuary–coastal continuum plays a vital role in global carbon sequestration; however, the mechanisms governing FCO₂ spatial heterogeneity during early spring remain poorly understood, particularly the roles of distinct dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) sources. In March 2025, we investigated the FCO₂ spatial variability and DIC sources across the Yangtze River estuary and adjacent coastal areas using DIC concentration, pH, and δ¹³C_DIC analyses. The study area was a net CO₂ source (7.3 ± 8.7 mmol m⁻² d⁻¹), with the intensity declining progressively from the inner estuary to offshore areas. Physical mixing of three principal water masses established the following pattern: high-pCO₂ Changjiang Diluted Water and Yellow Sea Coastal Current drove CO₂ outgassing, while low-pCO₂ East China Sea Shelf Water weakened it. Quantitative apportionment revealed atmospheric CO₂ invasion as the dominant DIC source, followed by carbonate dissolution and organic matter degradation, with the latter declining from the inner estuary to offshore areas. The spatial variation in DIC source contributions further confirms that, superimposed on the physical mixing, biogeochemical processes—particularly biological activity—modulated reginal source intensities. This early-spring case captures a critical transitional window and highlights the necessity of integrating multi-factor regulation with DIC source partitioning to resolve carbon dynamics in the estuarine–coastal continuum. Full article

Sarcopenia is increasingly recognized as a key extracardiac manifestation of heart failure (HF), contributing to functional impairment, reduced quality of life, and adverse clinical outcomes. Characterized by progressive loss of skeletal muscle mass, strength, and physical performance, it affects more than half of hospitalized HF patients. It is independently associated with increased mortality and reduced exercise capacity. The pathophysiology of sarcopenia in HF is multifactorial and closely linked to metabolic and nutritional disturbances. Chronic inflammation, neurohormonal activation, oxidative stress, endothelial dysfunction, and anabolic resistance contribute to muscle catabolism and impaired protein synthesis. These alterations are further exacerbated by inadequate dietary protein intake and micronutrient deficiencies, promoting progressive muscle wasting and functional decline. Sarcopenia may also represent an early and potentially modifiable stage in the continuum toward cardiac cachexia. This narrative review provides a comprehensive synthesis of current evidence on the epidemiology, pathophysiological mechanisms, and management of sarcopenia in HF, with particular emphasis on nutritional and metabolic determinants. Emerging data support a multimodal therapeutic approach integrating exercise training with targeted nutritional strategies, including adequate protein intake, essential amino acid supplementation, and correction of micronutrient deficiencies. However, evidence from large, well-designed trials remains limited. In summary, improved recognition and integrated management of sarcopenia in HF are essential. Future research should focus on the development of effective, nutrition-centered therapeutic strategies. Full article

Dynamic recrystallization processes are known to significantly affect both the mechanical properties and the microstructure of materials. In this paper, we investigate the influence of discontinuous dynamic recrystallization (dDRX) during deformation at high strain rates (from 10⁴ to 10⁵ s⁻¹) and elevated temperatures in pure aluminum and copper (in the range of 700–800 K for aluminum and 800–1100 K for copper). For this purpose, we propose a theoretical model in which the material is described within the framework of continuum mechanics, plastic deformations are modeled using a dislocation plasticity approach, the equation of state is represented by a neural network, and the microstructure evolution is simulated using the cellular automata method. The model is applied to uniaxial compression and tension of copper and aluminum polycrystals with an initial average grain size of 14 μm. It is shown that grain refinement occurs in all systems. The average grain size decreases from 14 μm to 4–5 μm. The distribution of plastic and total strains in the polycrystals is presented. In all considered systems, deformation localization is observed, and the localization pattern changes due to the nucleation of new grains and grain boundary surfaces during dynamic recrystallization. Full article

Cardiometabolic diseases, encompassing obesity, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes (T2D), metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), hypertension, and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), represent a vast continuum driven by multi-organ network dysregulation. Clinical risk assessment remains dominated by late-stage measures (e.g., fasting glucose, HbA1c, standard lipids). While these assessments predominate the literature and clinical trial endpoints, each incompletely capture early mechanistic risk, inter-individual heterogeneity, and differential response to interventions. Multiomics (genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics, proteomics, metabolomics, lipidomics, microbiomics, and extracellular vesicle/exosome cargo profiling) expands the biomarker landscape but introduces translational barriers: high dimensionality, cohort heterogeneity, limited causal inference, and insufficient validation pipelines. AI-driven systems biology platforms can support cardiometabolic biomarker discovery and therapeutic translation by enabling systems-level biological inference across heterogeneous datasets, prioritizing mechanism and traceability over purely correlation-based models. GATC Health’s Operon™ platform is described as a proprietary, AI-driven internal scientific computing platform designed to support therapeutic discovery and development decision-making across the pharmaceutical lifecycle, including evaluation of drug efficacy, safety, off-target effects, pharmacokinetics (PK), pharmacodynamics (PD), and overall development risk. Operon evolved from earlier generations of GATC Health’s internal multiomic modeling systems (formerly referred to as the Multiomics Advanced Technology, MAT) and incorporates expanded data types, orchestration layers, validation workflows, and productization frameworks. Operon is operated by GATC scientists and generates structured, productized outputs (e.g., formal assessments, analyses, and decision frameworks) that are reviewed by experts. Operon methodologies have undergone internal validation and independent academic evaluation under blinded conditions, with reported classification performance (true positive rate 86% and true negative rate 91%) in controlled evaluation settings; these performance metrics should not be interpreted as guarantees of clinical success. This review provides a T2D-centered cardiometabolic biomarker landscape with cardiovascular extension and outlines how Operon-enabled multiomic integration and scenario-based simulation can support early screening, endotype stratification, mechanistic interpretation, and precision intervention design, including AI-guided polypharmacology strategies. Full article

We investigate theoretically the 75 keV proton-impact ionization of atomic helium. The convoluted quasi-Sturmian approach is extended to treat, on an equal footing, both the direct mechanism and the electron capture to the continuum. This is achieved by proposing an ansatz of the Green’s function of the three-body Coulomb system $(e^{-},{He}^{+},p^{+})$ that is compatible with the well-known 3C correlated continuum wave function. The model that stems from this approximation, named $3\tilde{C}$, is tested numerically using parabolic Sturmian expansions. Calculations of fully differential cross sections are presented for different regimes of energy losses, namely for ejected electron energies below, nearly equal to, and above the cusp energy. Our results are compared with recent experimental measurements and other theoretical calculations. The proposed $3\tilde{C}$ model yields very encouraging results and paves the way towards a more advanced Lippmann–Schwinger approach based on the 3C model. Full article

Silicon is increasingly applied in agriculture to improve plant productivity under both abiotic and biotic stress constraints. Nevertheless, its mechanisms of action are often studied separately at the soil, plant, or microbiome levels, limiting a comprehensive understanding of its overall impact on agroecosystem functioning. This review proposes an integrated perspective of the soil–plant–microbiome continuum, linking silicon chemistry in soil solutions with the effects of silicon amendments on soil properties and the processes of uptake, transport, and deposition in the plants. We show that silicon bioavailability depends on maintaining a pool of dissolved silicon dominated by orthosilicic acid, regulated by mineral weathering, adsorption–desorption dynamics, polymerization, pH, iron and aluminum oxides, and organic matter. In soils, silicon inputs can improve structure, modulate acidity and cation exchange balances, influence nutrient availability, and reduce the mobility of certain metals. They may also affect enzymatic activities and microbial community composition. In plants, silicon uptake and transport, mediated by specific transporters, contribute to tissue silicification, the maintenance of leaf architecture, and the regulation of water, ionic, and redox homeostasis. These processes provide a basis for enhanced tolerance to drought, salinity, and metal toxicity, as well as biotic stress caused by pathogens and pests. Finally, we discuss key limitations to the agronomic application of silicon, including the diagnosis of the silicic status of soils, the choice of source and mode of application, and the genotypic variability of acquisition, as well as the need for multi-site tests and more robust mechanistic validations. This synthesis provides a coherent mechanistic framework to better define the conditions under which silicon can serve as a reliable tool for sustainable crop management under climate change. Full article

Artmaking is recognized as an effective means of supporting emotional regulation and reducing stress, yet little empirical work has directly compared the psychological and physiological effects of digital versus traditional art materials. Guided by the Expressive Therapies Continuum (ETC), this study examined whether drawing with oil pastels on paper or drawing on a digital tablet differentially influenced emotional state, physiological stress, and subjective creative experience following a validated group stress induction. Forty-eight healthy adult women were randomly assigned to create art for 45 min using either oil pastels or a tablet with a digital stylus. Measures included state anxiety, salivary cortisol, emotional valence, arousal, dominance, flow experience, and artmaking experience. Both modalities produced significant reductions in state anxiety, with no differences between groups. Emotional responses also changed significantly from pre- to post-artmaking, again without between-group differences. Cortisol levels did not significantly decrease in either condition, and no differences emerged across flow dimensions or artmaking experience scales. These findings indicate that tablet-based and traditional oil pastel drawing generate comparable emotional and experiential benefits following acute stress. Interpreted through the ETC, results suggest that therapeutic mechanisms of artmaking may be activated across a wider range of media than previously assumed. Digital tools appear capable of facilitating sensory–affective and integrative processes often attributed to traditional materials, thereby supporting their integration into trauma-informed practice. Full article

SiO₂ aerogel cement composites (SACCs) are promising for building insulation, but how their residual thermal performance evolves after high-temperature exposure remains unclear, limiting fire protection assessment. In this study, SACC specimen with aerogel contents of 0%, 5%, 7%, and 10% were heat-treated at 400, 600, 700, 800, and 1000 °C. After cooling, their post-exposure thermal performance and microstructure were characterized via mass loss, density, thermal conductivity, MIP, and SEM. Results obtained at room temperature showed that with increasing treatment temperature, thermal conductivity first decreases and then increases, reaching a minimum after 700 °C treatment for the A7 specimens (from 0.092 to 0.063 W/(m·K)). Microstructural analysis of cooled specimens revealed that this non-monotonic behavior arises from three heat-induced changes: the cement matrix, aerogel aggregates, and the interfacial gap between them. After treatment at 700 °C, the gap corresponds to a Knudsen number of 0.01–0.02, entering the slip-flow regime. Combined with the low thermal conductivity of the cement matrix, this yields the best insulation. After treatment at 800 °C and above, the gap exceeded 60 μm, shifting heat transfer to the continuum regime and reducing insulation capacity. A thermal conductivity prediction model based on these post-exposure mechanisms agreed well with the experimental results. Full article

Background/Objectives: Major depressive disorder (MDD) remains a leading cause of disability worldwide and exhibits substantial biological heterogeneity that is not adequately captured by current symptom-based diagnostic systems. While the classical monoamine hypothesis has historically guided antidepressant development, it does not fully account for variability in treatment response, delayed therapeutic onset, or the persistence of cognitive and anhedonic symptoms. Converging evidence from molecular, neuroimaging, and translational studies increasingly implicates glutamatergic dysregulation and impaired neuroplasticity as key mechanisms in depressive pathology. This narrative review aims to integrate monoaminergic and glutamatergic perspectives within a dimensional framework that may help explain clinical heterogeneity and inform mechanism-based treatment strategies. Methods: A narrative synthesis of the literature was conducted using major biomedical databases including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. Preclinical studies, neuroimaging investigations, biomarker research, randomized clinical trials, and meta-analyses examining monoaminergic dysfunction, glutamatergic signaling, neuroplasticity pathways, and rapid-acting antidepressants were reviewed and thematically integrated. Results: Evidence indicates that depressive syndromes may reflect varying contributions of monoaminergic dysregulation and glutamatergic–neuroplastic impairment. Monoaminergic disturbances interact with inflammatory and neuroendocrine processes, including cytokine-driven activation of the kynurenine pathway. In parallel, alterations in glutamatergic signaling, glial function, and BDNF–TrkB–mTOR pathways contribute to synaptic atrophy and network dysfunction. Rapid-acting antidepressants such as ketamine, esketamine, and dextromethorphan–bupropion provide clinical proof-of-concept that direct engagement of synaptic plasticity mechanisms can accelerate symptom improvement, particularly in treatment-resistant depression. Conclusions: Integrating monoaminergic and glutamatergic mechanisms within a “monoamine–glutamate continuum” offers a conceptual framework for understanding depressive heterogeneity and treatment response. Multimodal approaches combining clinical phenotyping with inflammatory, neuroimaging, and molecular markers may ultimately support mechanism-informed precision psychiatry strategies in major depressive disorder. Full article

Classical homogenization theory treats critical exponents as universal quantities depending only on spatial dimension, but recent evidence shows that this assumption fails for continuum composites once the mechanism of randomness generation is taken into account. We synthesize three complementary frameworks—structural approximation, structural sums, and self-similar renormalization—to develop a unified geometric theory of criticality in random composites. Dilute-regime expansions for the effective conductivity and shear modulus are expressed in terms of structural sums whose ensemble statistics depend sensitively on the randomness protocol. To bridge the dilute and critical regimes, we employ self-similar factor approximants, iterated-root approximants, additive approximants, and renormalization schemes based on minimal-difference and minimal-sensitivity conditions, combined with Borel summation. For maximally disordered protocols $\mathcal{P}\left(\tau \right)$, the conductivity index s and the elasticity index S fall within comparable numerical ranges, indicating a shared geometric origin and spectral response to the continuous breaking of translational symmetry. A regular periodic arrangement of inclusions ($\tau =0$) possesses full discrete translational symmetry; as a stochastic protocol $\mathcal{P}\left(\tau \right)$ is applied ($\tau$ increases), this symmetry is gradually degraded until statistical chaos is reached. For instance, the parameter $\tau$ can be considered as a time of stirring. During this evolution, the system traverses a continuous spectrum of critical indices, $s=s\left[\mathcal{P}\right(\tau \left)\right],$ which encodes the geometric and topological memory of the initial ordered state. It is established that the classical “universality” of percolation corresponds to a fixed point $\tau$ within a broader manifold of protocol-dependent critical behaviors. The framework developed here provides a coherent basis for inverse design, diagnostics, and classification of random composites by their disorder history, offering a geometric alternative to the universality paradigm. Full article

The gravitational field represents the fundamental stress field in geotechnical engineering. Its influence on soil mechanical behavior is manifested not only through variations in stress magnitude but also through stress gradient effects. However, existing soil mechanics frameworks and classical continuum-based numerical methods cannot characterize the intrinsic mechanical response of granular media under stress gradient conditions. Based on a previously established higher-order continuum theory incorporating stress gradient effects, this study develops a multiscale coupled Finite Element Method–Discrete Element Method (FEM–DEM) numerical framework. The method is implemented using Esys-escript in conjunction with the open-source discrete element platform Yade. By embedding representative volume elements (RVEs) at the finite element level and introducing gravity-induced stress gradients within the RVE using the discrete element method, stress gradient transfer and multiscale coupling are achieved. The proposed method is validated through numerical simulations of triaxial compression and trapdoor tests. The results demonstrate that the method can capture the microscale mechanisms associated with stress gradient effects and effectively resolve the constitutive solution difficulty encountered in the previously proposed generalized continuum framework incorporating stress gradients. The developed framework provides a new numerical tool for investigating the mechanical behavior of granular media under stress gradient conditions, with potential applications in geotechnical problems governed by gravitational fields, including deep underground engineering and extraterrestrial environments with non-conventional gravity. Full article

In-pipe robots must navigate narrow, curved passages where rigid mechanisms often require bulky steering units. Soft crawlers offer better compliance but typically rely on multiple actuators or reconfigurable contacts to achieve multi-directional motion. Drawing inspiration from biological soft crawlers that exploit directional friction and coordinated anchor–slip patterns, this study focuses on locomotion principles observed in caterpillars, water boatmen, and whirligig beetles. Based on these bioinspired concepts, we present a tendon-driven soft in-pipe robot that combines continuum bending–twisting deformation with modular anisotropic friction pads (AFPs), enabling three locomotion modes using only two motors. AFP inclination, curvature, and ridge geometry were optimized through friction tests, constant-curvature modeling, and finite element analysis to enhance directional adhesion on flat and curved surfaces. A deformation-based locomotion framework was developed to couple tendon actuation with friction orientation, achieving longitudinal crawling, transverse translation, in-place rotation, and smooth transitions via programmed twisting. Driving experiments demonstrated repeatable anchor–slip locomotion with average speeds of 28.6 mm/s, 15.7 mm/s, and 11.5°/s for the three modes. Pipe tests in straight, curved, and T-junction sections further validated stable contact and reliable gait transitions. These findings highlight the potential of friction-programmed continuum robots as compact, bioinspired platforms for advanced in-pipe inspection and diagnostic tasks. Full article

Stress fractures (SFs) are a common overuse injury in athletes and represent the severe end of the bone stress injury (BSI) continuum. They result from repetitive mechanical loading exceeding the bone’s capacity for adaptation and are associated with impaired performance, prolonged time away from sport, and risk of recurrence if not appropriately managed. This narrative review provides a clinically oriented synthesis of current evidence on the epidemiology, pathophysiology, risk factors, diagnosis, management, and prevention of SFs in athletes. Particular emphasis is placed on modifiable contributors, including training load errors, neuromuscular fatigue, and low energy availability within the framework of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport (RED-S). Diagnostic evaluation is discussed using a stepwise clinical approach integrating history, physical examination, targeted laboratory assessment, and imaging, with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as the reference standard for early detection and severity grading. Management is presented through a risk-based framework combining MRI severity and anatomical site classification to guide treatment decisions and return-to-sport pathways. While most low-risk SFs respond to conservative strategies, high-risk lesions require closer monitoring and, in selected cases, early surgical consideration. This review proposes a practical clinical framework to support decision-making in athletes with suspected or confirmed SFs, aiming to improve early diagnosis, optimize management, and reduce recurrence risk in sports medicine practice. Full article

Mechano-sorptive phenomena (MSP) refer to the coupled mechanical response of polymers under simultaneous mechanical stress and fluid sorption. The most researched MSP are environmental stress cracking (ESC) and mechano-sorptive creep (MSC). ESC initiates at regions of localized stress and solvent sorption, presenting as brittle fracture, while MSC is characterized by large, time-dependent, and partially recoverable creep associated with transient bulk sorption. ESC experiments can however also result in significant plastic deformation, in which case the term environmental stress yielding (ESY) has been used. Similarly, MSC can evolve into tertiary creep followed by rupture, in which case the phenomenon is termed mechano-sorptive creep rupture (MSCR). Both behaviors originate from solvent diffusion into the amorphous phase, leading to disruption of non-covalent interactions between polymer chains. This review bridges seemingly disconnected research to illustrate that ESC and MSC represent extremes on a continuum of MSP, rather than disparate phenomena. We identify the principles of polymer thermodynamics and experimental methods necessary to separate polymer deformation under MSC into reversible stress-induced swelling and irreversible non-equilibrium deformation. Finally, we illustrate how MSP underline the functionality of several biomimetic materials including dentin adhesives, mutable collagenous tissue, spider silk, tendons, and articular cartilage, as well the synthesis of biomimetic materials by solvent vapor annealing assisted by soft shear. Full article