Search Results (25,371)

Background: Kidney transplantation (KT) improves survival and quality of life in patients with end-stage kidney disease; however, long-term allograft survival remains a major challenge. Brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), a biomarker of cardiorenal stress and volume status, may be associated with early postoperative physiological changes after KT. This study evaluated the association between early postoperative BNP changes and long-term allograft survival, and explored the potential role of BNP-derived parameters in relation to graft outcomes. Methods: This retrospective cohort study included adult recipients of deceased-donor KT between 2009 and 2018. Patients were categorized according to early graft function. Serum BNP levels were measured preoperatively and within postoperative 24 h, and the percentage increase (dBNP ratio) was calculated. Cox regression and receiver operating characteristic analyses were used to identify risk factors for graft failure and evaluate the discriminatory performance of BNP-derived biomarkers, respectively. Results: Among the 179 recipients, postoperative BNP levels and dBNP ratios differed significantly across graft function groups, with higher values in delayed graft function. After multivariate adjustment, the dBNP ratio remained significantly associated with graft failure (hazard ratio, 1.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.10–1.21; p < 0.001). Additionally, the dBNP ratio demonstrated better discriminatory performance for graft failure compared with postoperative BNP alone (area under the curve, 0.815 vs. 0.596; p < 0.001), with an exploratory cutoff of approximately 18%. Recipients with a dBNP ratio ≥ 18% had poorer early graft function, lower longitudinal estimated glomerular filtration rates, and significantly reduced graft survival. Conclusions: An increased early postoperative dBNP ratio was significantly associated with adverse long-term kidney allograft outcomes. However, given the potential for residual confounding, these findings should be interpreted as associative and hypothesis-generating rather than predictive. Full article

This study aimed to identify structural differences in shot characteristics between world-class badminton players and regional collegiate players using a hierarchical comparative framework. Match data were collected from top-ranking players in the Badminton World Federation (BWF) World Series and from regional university league players. All shots were recorded using a custom VBA-based notational analysis system, including player identity, court position, shot type, and rally outcome. Statistical analyses were conducted using chi-square tests with residual analysis and logistic regression modeling incorporating competitive level and tactical patterns. The results revealed that BWF players exhibited significantly lower error rates and higher proportions of building shots, indicating superior rally stability and tactical consistency. In contrast, collegiate players demonstrated higher variability in performance, including both higher ace rates and error rates. These findings suggest that world-class performance is characterized by the ability to sustain rallies while minimizing errors, rather than relying solely on offensive success. Although effect sizes were relatively small and the predictive performance of the regression model was modest (AUC = 0.53), the analysis successfully captured structural differences in tactical patterns between competitive levels. This supports the value of the model as a tool for understanding game dynamics rather than prediction. From a theoretical perspective, the findings align with the view of sport performance as a dynamic, self-organizing system, where outcomes emerge from interactions between players. Practically, the results suggest that improving defensive stability, reducing errors, and maintaining rally continuity are critical for achieving higher competitive performance. This study demonstrates the usefulness of a hierarchical comparative approach for bridging the gap between domestic and international performance standards and provides a foundation for future data-driven research in badminton. Full article

To achieve accurate localization and tackle the inevitable dual challenges of ill-posedness and strong nonlinearity in limited-aperture translational target inversion, this paper proposes a novel integrated scheme that synergistically combines a domain contraction (DC) strategy with wavelength-dependent weighting (WW) of multi-frequency data. The DC strategy dynamically reduces the solution space to mitigate ill-posedness and enhance stability, while the WW strategy strategically prioritizes lower-frequency data to mitigate nonlinear effects. This organically integrated approach, termed the domain-contracted wavelength-dependent weighting RMC-CC-CSI (DC-WW-RMC-CC-CSI) algorithm, enables a more robust and efficient inversion process. Simulation results demonstrate that our DC-WW scheme delivers significant improvements over the baseline RMC-CC-CSI method in imaging accuracy, convergence speed, noise robustness, and computational efficiency. Full article

To overcome the low strength of conventional polytetrafluoroethylene/aluminum (PTFE/Al) reactive materials and the insufficient reaction efficiency of aluminum, this study introduces highly reactive aluminum–cerium alloys (Al-Ce-1#, -2#, and -3#, with Ce contents of 30, 50, and 70%, respectively; the primary phase in Al-Ce-3# is Al₂Ce) with a multiscale structural design (comprising both micron-sized and nano-sized particles) into an ammonium perchlorate (AP) matrix. Al/AP reactive materials and Al-Ce/AP reactive materials with varying Ce contents were prepared. The thermal decomposition characteristics, dynamic mechanical properties, and impact ignition behavior were systematically investigated using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and split Hopkinson pressure bar (SHPB) experiments. The results demonstrate that the addition of Al₂Ce significantly alters the thermal decomposition process of AP, substantially lowering its decomposition temperature (by approximately 69 °C) and promoting concentrated exothermic decomposition. SHPB tests reveal that Al₂Ce/AP composites exhibit higher dynamic yield strength and flow stress than the Al/AP, accumulating faster strain energy density under impact loading, which indicates a more violent fragmentation failure mode. This enhanced mechanical failure behavior, which provides highly reactive interfaces and promotes hotspot formation, synergizes with the catalytic effect of Al₂Ce on AP decomposition. Together, these mechanisms jointly improve the impact ignition sensitivity of the material, significantly lowering its ignition threshold and shortening its combustion duration. This study confirms that Al₂Ce/AP is a novel reactive material combining excellent dynamic mechanical properties with outstanding impact reactivity, providing theoretical and technical support for the application of highly reactive rare-earth aluminum alloys in aluminum-based reactive materials. Full article

Trees in arid mountainous forests adapt to seasonal water variability through dynamic eco-physiological adjustments. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics and environmental drivers of such adaptations in Picea schrenkiana Fisch. et Mey, a keystone conifer in China’s Tianshan Mountains. We monitored key indicators—including osmoregulatory substances, antioxidant enzyme activities, and stoichiometric traits—across three regions (eastern, central, western) and three seasons (spring, summer, autumn) during the 2023 growing season. The results revealed significant seasonal shifts in all the measured traits (p < 0.05). Spring was characterized by high carbon allocation toward soluble sugars and starch, supporting growth; summer triggered elevated antioxidant enzyme activities to mitigate oxidative stress; and autumn favored nitrogen accumulation and proline synthesis, indicating preparatory storage for winter. Soil factors were primarily positively associated with antioxidant enzyme activity (path coefficient = 0.51; p < 0.001), whereas microenvironmental factors were more complex and often negatively correlated. The partial least squares path model confirmed that osmoregulatory substances centrally link stoichiometric adjustments with antioxidant defense, revealing an integrated physiological strategy. These findings elucidate the mechanism underlying the resilience of P. schrenkiana in arid highlands and provide a framework for its conservation under environmental change. Full article

This paper proposes a dynamic obstacle-avoidance algorithm for unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) that combines a Fuzzy-enhanced Dynamic Window Approach (FDWA) with an Improved Bidirectional A*–Improved Grey Wolf Optimizer (IBA*–IGWO) framework. Firstly, the traditional dynamic window method (DWA) is improved by adopting an initial heading angle optimization strategy to reduce the heading deviation of unmanned vessels during cruising. Secondly, a fuzzy controller is introduced, which can adaptively adjust the weight coefficients in the cost function of the DWA algorithm based on the current position of the unmanned vessel, surrounding environmental information, etc., to improve obstacle avoidance ability and adaptability in different environments. Finally, using the global static cruise route provided by the IBA*–IGWO algorithm, key nodes are selected as local endpoints for the FDWA algorithm to ensure that the unmanned vessel can perform cruise tasks according to the optimal plan during navigation and make dynamic adjustments in case of emergencies. The simulation results demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed method in handling unknown and dynamic obstacles under the current grid-based experimental settings, while enabling the USV to return to the pre-planned global route after local obstacle avoidance. These results provide a basis for further development toward more robust and rule-aware autonomous navigation in realistic maritime environments. Full article

Heavy metal contamination of drinking water remains a persistent global challenge, exacerbated by salinity, industrial discharge, and the limitations of existing membrane technologies that are constrained by permeability–selectivity trade-offs. In this study, we develop a hybrid thin film nanocomposite (TFN) forward osmosis (FO) membrane by incorporating a zirconium-based metal–organic framework (UiO-66) and its conductive polymer-functionalized analogue (PANI@UiO-66) into the polyamide active layer via interfacial polymerization. The incorporation of UiO-66 enhances water transport through the introduction of hydrophilic microporous domains, while the polyaniline coating modulates nanoscale transport pathways and interfacial interactions. Systematic variation in filler type and loading reveals distinct functional roles of the two fillers. Membranes incorporating bare UiO-66 exhibit increased water flux, attributed to facilitated transport through MOF-derived nanochannels, but show a moderate increase in reverse solute flux. In contrast, PANI@UiO-66 incorporation results in reduced water flux but significantly suppresses reverse solute flux and enhances chromium rejection, indicating improved control over selective transport. At an optimal loading of 0.15 wt% (TFN-PU3), the membrane demonstrates an improved balance between water permeability and solute selectivity compared to the pristine thin film composite (TFC) membrane under FO conditions. The observed performance is attributed to the combined effects of modified transport pathways and interfacial interactions introduced by the hybrid filler system. The results highlight the potential of conductive polymer–MOF hybridization as a strategy for tuning membrane performance. This work provides a practical framework for designing TFN membranes for selective heavy-metal removal in saline and complex water environments. Full article

Synthetic cathinones are among the most frequently encountered classes of new psychoactive substances, and many occur as structural isomers sharing identical molecular formulas and highly similar mass-spectral features. Among them, substituted cathinones with the molecular formula C12H17NO (MW 191 Da) present particular analytical challenges because of their similar chromatographic behavior and overlapping ionization patterns. This study evaluated a combined EI-GC-MS and ESI-LC-MS/MS workflow, incorporating derivatization with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA) and acetic anhydride (AA), for the differentiation of ten MW 191 Da isomers. TFAA-derivatized GC-MS enabled preliminary classification of the isomers, although several EMC and MEC analogs remained only partially resolved. AA derivatization improved the separation of unresolved isomers under slower oven temperature conditions, demonstrating the value of alternative acylation for enhancing chromatographic discrimination. LC-MS/MS provided complementary confirmation for several analytes, but some isomers remained difficult to distinguish because of shared product ions and peak fusion in mixed-standard analysis. Overall, this study establishes a practical analytical workflow for distinguishing MW 191 Da substituted cathinone isomers and highlights both the strengths and limitations of combining derivatization-based GC-MS with LC-MS/MS confirmation in routine forensic or clinical laboratories. Full article

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most lethal and aggressive primary brain tumor in adults. Despite a standard-of-care regimen involving surgical resection, radiotherapy and temozolomide (TMZ), median overall survival typically hovers between 12 and 15 months. This poor prognosis is driven by profound intratumoral heterogeneity, glioma stem cell populations, and an immunosuppressive microenvironment that collectively fuel resistance to traditional apoptosis-centric therapies. Ferroptosis—a form of regulated cell death driven by iron-dependent phospholipid peroxidation and the collapse of antioxidant defenses—has emerged as a compelling alternative for eliminating therapy-refractory GBM cells. This review examines the molecular machinery of ferroptosis in glioma and explores how an additional regulatory layer, noncoding RNAs (ncRNAs), modulates this process. We highlight key experimentally validated axes where microRNAs, long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs), and circular RNAs (circRNAs) orchestrate iron handling and antioxidant thresholds. These include sensitizers like miR-147a and circLRFN5, which promote iron overload, and resistors like circCDK14 and TMEM161B-AS1, which act as “ferroptosis brakes”. Furthermore, we discuss how integrative analyses of TCGA and CGGA cohorts have yielded ferroptosis-related lncRNA signatures that robustly predict patient survival. Finally, we outline the clinical potential of these ncRNAs as biomarkers and therapeutic targets while addressing the delivery challenges, such as the blood–brain barrier, that must be overcome to achieve precision, ferroptosis-oriented GBM therapy. Full article

The NAC (NAM, ATAF1/2, and CUC1/2) family of transcription factors (TFs) play critical roles in regulating salt tolerance across diverse plant species. This study identified and characterized 101 NAC TFs in eggplant (Solanum melongena L.), revealing their diverse physicochemical properties, chromosomal distributions, and evolutionary relationships. Based on its salt stress-induced expression pattern and homology to known salt-responsive NAC factors, SmNAC28 was selected as a key candidate for functional investigation of salt tolerance. Expression profiling indicated that SmNAC28 is preferentially expressed in roots and stems, and its transcript levels are modulated by salt stress. Subcellular localization confirmed that SmNAC28 localizes to both the plasma membrane and nucleus, a dynamic distribution regulated by S-palmitoylation. Under normal conditions, SmNAC28 is anchored to the plasma membrane and nucleus via S-palmitoylation; upon salt stress exposure, it undergoes depalmitoylation and translocates to the nucleus. Using a hairy root transformation system in eggplant, we demonstrated that overexpression of SmNAC28 in roots significantly enhanced salt tolerance by mitigating oxidative damage, maintaining ion homeostasis, and promoting osmotic adjustment. Analysis of transcript levels further revealed that SmNAC28 overexpression upregulated ion transporter genes (NHX2, CHXs), signaling genes (CIPKs), and the proline biosynthesis gene (P5CS), which demonstrated that SmNAC28 integrates antioxidant defense, ion homeostasis, and osmotic regulation to confer salt tolerance. This study reveals the response mechanism of SmNAC28 to salt stress of the eggplant transcription factor SmNAC28 under salt stress, and provided a research foundation for salt tolerance breeding. Full article

Thalassemia is a hereditary hemoglobinopathy characterized by ineffective erythropoiesis, chronic hemolysis, and transfusion-related iron overload, which collectively contribute to oxidative stress and organ dysfunction. The present study aimed to investigate the relationships between iron metabolism, oxidative stress biomarkers, and immune cell function across different clinical conditions. Peripheral blood samples were obtained from healthy individuals and patients with iron deficiency anemia, obesity, thalassemia trait (TT), β-thalassemia HbE (BTE), and β-thalassemia major (BTM). Hematological parameters were measured using automated hematology analyzers, while biochemical indicators, including liver enzymes and bilirubin, were determined using clinical chemistry assays. Iron overload was evaluated using serum iron parameters and T2*-weighted magnetic resonance imaging. Oxidative stress biomarkers, including reduced glutathione, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances, and total antioxidant capacity, were assessed spectrophotometrically. Flow cytometric analysis was used to measure reactive oxygen species, redox-active iron, and lipid peroxide levels in granulocytes and lymphocytes. Thalassemia patients exhibited severe anemia, elevated liver enzymes, increased bilirubin levels, and significant alterations in iron metabolism compared with healthy controls. Hepatic iron accumulation was more common than cardiac iron deposition, particularly in BTE patients. Granulocyte oxidative burst activity was significantly reduced in thalassemia patients, whereas lymphocyte responses remained relatively preserved. Increased variability in glutathione levels suggested activation of intracellular antioxidant defense mechanisms in response to chronic oxidative stress. These findings highlight the complex interplay between iron overload, oxidative stress, and the immune cell dysfunction associated with thalassemia, thereby providing insights into improved monitoring and therapeutic strategies. Full article

To meet the stringent requirements of broadband operations, high stability and low dispersion in high-power microwave systems, this paper proposes a broadband linearly polarized quasi-non-diffractive wave generation method based on a filter-equivalent circuit model. A metasurface structure centered at 75 GHz is designed for this method, which enables the generation of linearly polarized quasi-non-diffractive beams in the 60–90 GHz band with a 40% relative bandwidth and a maximum non-diffractive distance of 120 mm. By optimizing the metasurface’s phase response through the equivalent circuit model, the proposed method effectively suppresses the dispersion effects that limit bandwidth utilization in existing designs. Simulation results confirm that the generated beams maintain excellent stability across the entire operating band, with minimal variations in the maximum non-diffractive distance. This work fills the research gap in broadband achromatic linearly polarized quasi-non-diffractive beams, and its relative bandwidth outperforms all previous linear polarization designs. It thus provides a reliable technical solution for long-distance, high-efficiency electromagnetic wave transmission in defense, industrial and medical applications that rely on high-power microwave technology. Full article

Ultraviolet B (UVB), as a major component of solar radiation, is a key factor in inducing skin photoaging. The epidermis serves as the primary defensive barrier of the skin and absorbs the majority of UVB. This study aims to elucidate the protective effect of Alk against UVB-induced photoaging and further uncover its underlying molecular mechanisms. In vitro, Alk-pretreated HaCaT cells were exposed to UVB. Cell viability, ROS, senescence, antioxidant enzymes, and protein expression were analyzed. Mechanisms were examined using CETSA, DARTS, Co-IP, and NRF2 knockout. In vivo, Alk hydrogel was tested in UVB-exposed BALB/c mice, with protection assessed via histology and immunohistochemistry. In vitro, Alk directly binds to Keap1, disrupts Keap1–Nrf2 interaction, promotes nuclear translocation of Nrf2, and upregulates the expression of its downstream target HO-1. Consequently, intracellular ROS generation is reduced, cellular senescence is alleviated, and the expression of inflammatory factors (TNF-$\alpha$, COX-2) and MMP-9 is suppressed. In vivo, topical application of the Alk hydrogel prevented UVB-induced skin thickening and collagen degradation. Alk exerts a preventive effect on UVB-induced photoaging in HaCaT cells and skin, providing strong support for developing Alk as a potential plant-derived active ingredient for preventing skin photoaging. Full article

Traditional disease management, which is based on the application of synthetic chemical products, has negatively affected human health and the environment. A sustainable approach based on the application of natural compounds and microorganisms is potentially better for consumer health. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of plant-based and/or organic products against soilborne fungal pathogens of tomato. A preliminary in vitro experiment was performed to select potential putative inhibitory products (PIPs) and fungal pathogens that were then used in an in vivo experiment conducted inside a greenhouse that mimics real-world field conditions. For the greenhouse experiment, bergamot and pomegranate wastes and the commercial product EP5 were selected as the PIPs to control Agroathelia rolfsii, Fusarium oxysporum and Sclerotinia sclerotiorum growth. Each pot was artificially inoculated three days before the low-dose treatment, and one tomato seedling was transplanted into each pot four days after the treatment. Data regarding the phytosanitary status of the plants and roots, as well as their length and weight, were collected after 45 days, and the results obtained demonstrate that plant-derived products were able to mitigate fungal diseases, with pomegranate waste being the most effective. Also, the EP5 product, as a resistant inducer, was able to significantly improve the natural defense of tomato plants, resulting in it being the best PIP used. Mycological analyses were performed on the roots to assess the presence of inoculated fungal pathogens after natural product treatment. Overall, the results confirm that the PIPs are suitable for crop management, but the outcomes are variable. In general, pomegranate waste and EP5 significantly protected the roots against fungal attacks, while bergamot waste showed lower efficacy. This trend was not observed for plant length and weight, as the treated plants showed results similar to those of the untreated controls. In conclusion, natural products are a valid alternative to chemicals, as they demonstrate both efficacy and safety, but their potential should be further investigated in field trials. Full article

The explosive growth of temporal graph data has led to significant training overheads for Dynamic Graph Neural Networks (DGNNs), a bottleneck primarily driven by massive data movement between host processors and storage arrays across conventional PCIe I/O buses. While near-data processing with Computational Storage Devices (CSDs) can alleviate this bottleneck, a single CSD is inherently incapable of meeting the terabyte-scale capacity requirements and complex sequence modeling demands of modern large-scale DGNNs. Horizontal scaling with multi-CSD clusters over standard PCIe topologies presents a viable, cost-effective solution, yet our in-depth profiling identifies two critical architectural bottlenecks in naive multi-CSD architectures: host-bounced memory copies significantly compromise inter-device communication efficiency, and sparse graph sampling frequently exceeds the capacity of the tightly constrained local DRAM of CSDs, resulting in excessive flash I/O and performance degradation. To address these interconnected bottlenecks, we propose M-DGNN, a hardware–software co-designed architecture optimized for standard PCIe interconnects. First, M-DGNN orchestrates direct peer-to-peer (P2P) DMA dataflows for inter-CSD hidden state exchange, completely bypassing host operating system intervention and reducing the context-switching overhead. Second, we design a host-assisted caching strategy with a Host-Pinned Memory Extension (HPME) mechanism, which leverages host-pinned memory as an asynchronous DMA extension pool to shield resource-constrained CSDs from high-latency flash I/O during structural subgraph sampling. Extensive experimental evaluations across seven large-scale dynamic graph datasets demonstrate that M-DGNN delivers up to a 6.2× end-to-end speedup over the state-of-the-art DGNN systems. This work establishes an efficient, scalable near-data computing paradigm for large-scale DGNN training. Full article