Search Results (9,589)

Operational expenditure in wind farms is heavily influenced by unplanned maintenance, much of which stems from undetected rotor system faults. Although many fault-detection methods have been proposed, most remain confined to laboratory test. Blade-root bending-moment measurements are among the few techniques applied in the field, yet their reliability is limited by strong sensitivity to varying operational and environmental conditions. This study presents a data-driven rotor health-monitoring framework that enhances the diagnostic value of blade bending-moments. Assuming that the wind speed profile remains approximately stationary over short intervals (e.g., 20 s), a machine-learning model is trained on bending-moment data from healthy blades to predict the incident wind-speed profile under a wide range of conditions. During operation, real-time bending-moment signals from each blade are independently processed by the trained model. A healthy rotor yields consistent wind-speed profile predictions across all three blades, whereas deviations for an individual blade indicate rotor asymmetry. In this study, the methodology is verified using high-fidelity OpenFAST simulations with controlled blade pitch misalignment as a representative fault case, providing simulation-based verification of the proposed framework. Results demonstrate that the proposed inverse-modeling and cross-blade consistency framework enables sensitive and robust detection and localization of pitch-related rotor faults. While only pitch misalignment is explicitly investigated here, the approach is inherently applicable to other rotor asymmetry mechanisms such as mass imbalance or aerodynamic degradation, supporting reliable condition monitoring and earlier maintenance interventions. Using OpenFAST simulations, the proposed framework reconstructs height-resolved wind profiles with RMSE below 0.15 m/s (R² > 0.997) under healthy conditions, and achieves up to 100% detection accuracy for moderate-to-severe pitch misalignment faults. Full article

Point-of-care diagnostics are revolutionizing the detection of plant pathogens by enabling rapid, on-site identification without the need for specialized laboratories. One of the tools used for this purpose is loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP). LAMP is a powerful molecular technique increasingly used in pathogen control for its rapid, sensitive, and specific detection of plant pathogens. The aim of this study was the development of a novel, easy-to-use portable colorimetric LAMP (cLAMP) assay that could be used by inexperienced personnel for the detection of the pathogen Clavibacter michiganensis. The assay was combined with a newly constructed device in which LAMP can be performed in 30 min. Initially, a new set of LAMP primers targeting the micA gene was designed and evaluated the sensitivity (100 fg/reaction) and specificity of the assay. Next, the limit of detection (LoD) of two different commercial LAMP kits was compared with common laboratory detection techniques (DAS-ELISA, immunofluorescence, quantitative PCR, and PCR) using the same samples. Additionally, the LoD of the developed cLAMP assay was evaluated in bacterial suspensions and plant extracts spiked with C. michiganensis and validated the effect on the LoD of plant extracts from different tomato varieties. Lastly, its efficacy for C. michiganensis detection was assessed in experimentally inoculated tomato seedlings. The developed method for C. michiganensis detection can be used as a reliable tool for the early detection of the pathogen for field-based applications by untrained personnel. Full article

This study aimed to elucidate the oncogenic role of FOXA1(forkhead box A1) in ovarian cancer and to evaluate its potential as both a therapeutic target and a diagnostic biomarker. We further investigated whether FOXA1 inhibition could enhance responsiveness to immune checkpoint blockade and overcome chemoresistance. A total of seventy-six ovarian tissue samples were analyzed, including nine normal, thirty-four benign, and thirty-three malignant specimens. IHC (immunohistochemistry) staining was performed to assess FOXA1 expression and its correlation with tumor stage. Functional studies were conducted using FOXA1 siRNA in SK-OV3 and HEYA8 cell lines. Changes in cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and wound-healing ability were evaluated following FOXA1 silencing. Quantitative RT-PCR was used to measure the expression of FOXA1 and EMT (epithelial–mesenchymal transition)-related genes. The effects of FOXA1 inhibition on sensitivity to carboplatin and the immune checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab were also examined. IHC analysis revealed significant differences in FOXA1 expression among normal, benign, and malignant tissues, with levels correlating with tumor stage. FOXA1 silencing significantly reduced proliferation and decreased migration and invasion by 60–80%, accompanied by marked downregulation of EMT-related genes. Moreover, FOXA1 inhibition enhanced atezolizumab responsiveness and reduced carboplatin resistance in ovarian cancer cells. In summary, FOXA1 acts as an oncogenic driver in ovarian cancer, promoting proliferation, invasion, and EMT activation. Its overexpression correlates with disease progression, supporting its potential as a biomarker and therapeutic target. Targeting FOXA1 could enhance immunotherapy efficacy and help overcome chemoresistance in ovarian cancer. Full article

Background: Hip joint disorders exhibit diverse and overlapping radiological features, complicating early diagnosis and limiting the diagnostic value of single-modality imaging. Isolated imaging or clinical data may therefore inadequately represent disease-specific pathological characteristics. Methods: This retrospective study included 605 hip joints from Center A (2018–2024), comprising normal hips, osteoarthritis, osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH), and femoroacetabular impingement (FAI). An independent cohort of 24 hips from Center B (2024–2025) was used for external validation. A multimodal deep learning framework was developed to jointly analyze radiographs, CT volumes, and clinical texts. Features were extracted using ResNet50, 3D-ResNet50, and a pretrained BERT model, followed by attention-based fusion for four-class classification. Results: The combined Clinical+X-ray+CT model achieved an AUC of 0.949 on the internal test set, outperforming all single-modality models. Improvements were consistently observed in accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and decision curve analysis. Grad-CAM visualizations confirmed that the model attended to clinically relevant anatomical regions. Conclusions: Attention-based multimodal feature fusion substantially improves diagnostic performance for hip joint diseases, providing an interpretable and clinically applicable framework for early detection and precise classification in orthopedic imaging. Full article

Background/Objectives: Differential diagnosis between Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC) can be sometimes difficult resulting in the diagnosis of unspecified inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD-U). Data suggest that IgG antibodies against integrin αvβ6 (V6 Ab) help to identify UC patients. Recent studies suggest that measuring V6 Ab serum levels may be valuable for differential diagnostic purposes. The primary objective of the study was to assess the sensitivity and specificity of V6 Ab serum-level measurement in our IBD population to differentiate between colonic/ileocolonic CD and UC with an established diagnosis. Furthermore, we assessed the correlation between disease characteristics, activity and V6 Ab serum levels in UC patients. Methods: Consecutive IBD patients with an established diagnosis undergoing control colonoscopy in a tertiary IBD center were included. Baseline demographic data, current treatment, disease extent, clinical, biomarker, endoscopic and histologic disease activity were collected. V6 Ab serum levels were measured with the Anti-Integrin αvβ6 ELISA Kit (RUO). Patients’ written informed consent was obtained. Results: A total of 40 IBD patients, including 10 CD and 30 UC patients (15 with clinical activity and 15 in clinical remission) were enrolled. V6 Ab serum levels were significantly higher in UC patients compared to CD (p = 0.039). ROC analysis found 1.33 U/mL to be the best cut-off level (p = 0.04; AUC: 0.71) with 100% sensitivity and 50% specificity and a positive predictive value of 85.7% and a negative predictive value of 100% to differentiate between UC and CD. No significant correlation was found between V6 Ab serum levels and CRP (p = 0.057), fecal calprotectin (p = 0.77), endoscopic activity (p = 0.624) or disease extent (p = 0.624) in UC patients. Conclusions: Our study supports the value of V6 Ab serum level measurement as a differential diagnostic tool in IBD patients; however, the optimal cut-off value is yet to be determined. Our data do not support its role in disease activity monitoring. Full article

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most prevalent chronic rheumatologic condition in childhood, with an incidence that continues to rise worldwide. Despite substantial progress in therapeutic strategies over the past two decades, JIA remains a major health concern. Beyond joint inflammation and musculoskeletal impairment, accumulating evidence indicates that JIA is associated with metabolic disturbances and altered body composition, which may predispose affected children to an elevated cardiovascular risk in the long term. The objective of this review is to synthesize current knowledge on these metabolic and anthropometric alterations and to evaluate the role of non-invasive diagnostic methods in detecting early cardiovascular changes. A narrative review of the literature was conducted using PubMed and Scopus databases, focusing on studies assessing lipid metabolism, insulin resistance, adiposity, and cardiovascular markers in pediatric patients with JIA. Special attention was given to non-invasive diagnostic approaches, including bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), skinfold thickness, transient elastography, carotid intima–media thickness (cIMT), as well as selected biochemical markers. Evidence suggests that children with JIA frequently present with dyslipidemia, increased insulin resistance, and abnormal body fat distribution compared with their healthy peers. Non-invasive assessment methods, particularly DXA and cIMT, have demonstrated sensitivity in detecting subclinical metabolic and vascular changes. These alterations resemble early features of metabolic syndrome and are thought to contribute to premature cardiovascular morbidity in this population. Incorporating non-invasive cardiovascular risk assessment into routine rheumatology practice may improve early detection of metabolic and vascular complications in JIA, support timely preventive interventions, and ultimately enhance long-term outcomes for affected children. Most available evidence is derived from cross-sectional studies, highlighting the need for longitudinal investigations to better define long-term cardiometabolic risk in JIA. Full article

Background: Malnutrition is frequently under-investigated during remission in patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD), despite its significant impact on clinical outcomes and quality of life. This study aimed to evaluate the increase in diagnostic performance of five nutritional screening tools (NSTs) when serially administered to IBD outpatients in sustained clinical remission. Methods: In this prospective, single-center cohort study, NSTs were administered, and body composition analysis was performed in IBD patients at baseline and after six months. At both time points, the sensitivity, specificity, predictive values, and accuracy of NSTs in detecting malnutrition and persistent malnutrition per ESPEN and GLIM criteria were evaluated, comparing repeated to single-point assessments. A sensitivity analysis using low FFMI as a reference was also performed. Results: Sixty-six IBD patients (32 Crohn’s disease; 34 ulcerative colitis) were enrolled. At baseline, 25.7% and 9% of patients were malnourished according to ESPEN and GLIM criteria, respectively, with 7.5% exhibiting low FFMI. Malnutrition prevalence increased over time to 53%, 16.6%, and 16.6%, respectively. Among NSTs, MUST and SaskIBD-NR consistently exhibited the highest specificity for malnutrition detection at baseline, at 6 months, and for persistent malnutrition for ESPEN, GLIM and low FFMI. Serial (repeated) NST administration markedly improved the specificity of all tools, compared to single-point assessments. Conclusions: Serial nutritional screening with MUST or SaskIBD-NR significantly enhances the specificity of malnutrition risk detection in IBD patients in remission, supporting the incorporation of repeated nutritional assessments into clinical practice to offer a practical strategy to enhance screening effectiveness in IBD outpatient care. Full article

Background and Objectives: Celiac disease (CD) is a major global public health problem that can occur at any age. Pediatric CD can be typical, atypical, or even asymptomatic. Early diagnosis and early initiation of treatment are essential for improving patients’ quality of life and preventing serious complications later in life. However, it is impossible to identify asymptomatic children and adolescents without screening. In this systematic review, we attempted to identify different mass screening programs that have been reported for CD in apparently healthy children and adolescents across the world, to highlight the advantages and disadvantages of such strategies, and to collect and synthesize data from these studies reporting the prevalence of CD. In addition, where data were available, we also attempted to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of the tests used, their cost-effectiveness, the reported clinical benefits, and follow-up data from individuals identified through screening. Materials and Methods: Electronic databases, including PubMed and Scopus, were systematically searched. Initially, a total of 316 studies were retrieved. Finally, 55 studies met all inclusion criteria and were included in this review. The included studies were published between 1996 and 2023. Results: The reported age of participants ranged from 6 months to 23 years. Confirmation of CD by biopsy was reported in all but six studies. According to the studies that provided data, the (tTG IgA) seroprevalence of CD in apparently healthy children and adolescents, detected through different mass screening methods around the world, ranged from 0.20% (Turkey) to 3.11% (Italy). In addition, the prevalence of biopsy-confirmed CD ranged from 0.036% (Vietnam) to 3% (Sweden and Spain). Studies from 17 countries reported mass screening strategies based on finger-prick rapid tests. All rapid tests detected CD antibodies, except two, which detected HLA DQ2/DQ8 haplotypes. Rapid tests appeared to be no less sensitive and specific than other screening tests for CD and were probably less expensive, but further studies are needed for more reliable conclusions. Of the 55 studies in the review, only 10 reported follow-up data. After 3 months of a gluten-free diet, the general condition of the patients improved; after 6 months, tTG IgA and EMA IgA levels decreased and hemoglobin values increased; while after 1 year, tTG IgG levels also decreased, symptoms subsided, the children’s weight and height increased, school performance improved, episodes of upper respiratory tract infections decreased, and thyreoperoxidase antibodies that were positive at screening became negative. Conclusions: Mass screening for CD in asymptomatic children and adolescents is a challenge. Future research should provide more answers regarding the most appropriate target age, the frequency of screening, the optimal screening method, the cost-effectiveness, the clinical utility, and the long-term impact of mass screening on patients’ quality of life. Full article

This study examines the systemic integration of entrepreneurship education and the culture of self employment within higher education as a component of sustainable institutional reform. Using a comparative analytical approach, it analyzes international practices across five higher education systems. Finland, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and South Korea were selected to represent diverse yet mature models of entrepreneurship education integration. The findings reveal significant variation in the depth and coherence of integration across national contexts. Rather than identifying a single transferable model, the study shows that effective integration depends on the interaction of key institutional dimensions, including policy alignment, curricular embedding, faculty capacity, infrastructure, external partnerships, and impact evaluation. Finland demonstrates the most coherent configuration, while other systems exhibit partial or fragmented integration shaped by contextual factors. The study concludes that entrepreneurship education is most sustainable when embedded as a system-level institutional strategy rather than implemented through isolated initiatives. It offers an analytical framework, supported by an adapted ADKAR change model, to guide context-sensitive reform. For Arab higher education systems, the primary implication is diagnostic, emphasizing contextual adaptation over direct replication. Full article

Length-based stock assessment methods are widely applied in data-limited fisheries, yet the effects of how length-frequency data are temporally grouped prior to analysis remain poorly examined. Temporal grouping is routinely used to increase sample size and approximate equilibrium conditions, but it may also alter the size structure presented to assessment models and bias inference. In this study, we evaluate how alternative temporal grouping schemes influence stock status inference within a single length-based framework, using the length-based spawning potential ratio (LBSPR) model as a diagnostic tool. Using a 30-year length-frequency dataset from a tropical purse seine fishery in the Northeast Atlantic as an illustrative case, we applied LBSPR under four practice-relevant temporal grouping schemes: full-period pooling, a broad regime-based scheme, decadal blocks, and five-year blocks. Life history parameters and model settings were held constant across schemes to isolate the effect of temporal grouping. A sensitivity analysis of biological parameters was conducted for the finest temporal scheme to contextualise robustness. Results show that temporal grouping alone can substantially alter the inferred status of the illustrative case. The fully pooled scheme produced an apparently favourable status signal, whereas finer temporal groupings revealed extended periods of inferred reproductive depletion, followed by a more recent recovery. Sensitivity analyses indicate that, while biological parameter uncertainty influences the magnitude of estimates, it does not overturn the dominant effect of temporal grouping on inferred status patterns. This study demonstrates that temporal grouping is not a neutral preprocessing step but a structural decision with the potential to conceal or reveal exploitation signals in length-based assessments. We argue that temporal grouping should be treated as an explicit sensitivity dimension in data-limited assessment workflows. By shifting attention from stock-specific outcomes to data-structuring choices, this work provides practical guidance for improving transparency and robustness in length-based stock status inference. Full article

Background/Objectives: With the rising incidence of obesity-related endometrial cancer, there is renewed interest in physiologic, low-cost approaches to identify women with hormonally active endometrium who may benefit from early preventive interventions. The progesterone challenge test (PCT), an established clinical tool for evaluating amenorrhea, has been previously proposed as a method to detect endometrial pathology. This study systematically evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of the PCT for detecting endometrial hyperplasia, intraepithelial neoplasia, and carcinoma in asymptomatic postmenopausal women to determine its potential role as a physiologic marker of endometrial cancer risk. Methods: A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA-DTA guidelines. MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBM Reviews, and CINAHL were searched from inception to 20 January 2025, along with ClinicalTrials.gov and grey literature. Eligible studies prospectively evaluated the PCT with endometrial biopsy as the reference standard. Data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment were performed in duplicate. Risk of bias was assessed using QUADAS-2. Pooled sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values were estimated using hierarchical summary receiver operating characteristic models. Results: Nineteen studies (n = 3902) met the inclusion criteria. The pooled sensitivity and specificity of the PCT for detecting endometrial pathology were 95% (95% CI 86–100%) and 87% (76–96%), respectively. The positive predictive value was 32% (95% CI, 16–50%) and the negative predictive value was 100% (100–100%). When endometrial proliferation was included in the target condition, sensitivity decreased to 82%, but positive predictive value increased to 70%. Conclusions: The PCT shows high diagnostic accuracy for identifying estrogen-driven endometrial pathology in asymptomatic postmenopausal women. Re-evaluating this simple, physiologic test as a functional risk-stratification tool could inform precision prevention strategies for endometrial cancer. Full article

Angiostrongylus cantonensis (A. cantonensis) is the primary causative agent of human angiostrongyliasis and is widely distributed in Southeast Asia and China, with increasing reports from the Americas. Achatina fulica (A. fulica), Pomacea canaliculata (P. canaliculata), and slugs constitute established intermediate hosts of A. cantonensis, whereas Camaena hainanensis (C. hainanensis) has been newly reported as a host species in Hainan. A TaqMan quantitative PCR (qPCR) method assay targeting a novel genomic region of A. cantonensis was developed to detect infection in 150 snails collected from Hainan Province, China. The assay was employed to detect the parasite larvae across various snail tissues (lung sac, mucus, and foot), and its performance was compared with conventional lung sac microscopy. Out of the 120 A. fulica examined, 75 tested positive using the qPCR assay, yielding a significantly higher detection rate than lung-sac examination (p < 0.05). Significant differences were also observed in the positivity rates across the three snail tissues (lung sac, mucus, and foot) (p < 0.05), with the lung sac showing the highest rate of infection. Importantly, the detection of A. cantonensis DNA in snail mucus highlights its potential for development as a non-invasive diagnostic sample. Additionally, C. hainanensis was identified as a new host of A. cantonensis in Hainan, suggesting its possible contribution to parasite transmission. The newly developed qPCR assay demonstrated superior sensitivity (reflected by lower Ct values) compared with previously published TaqMan qPCR methods. The established qPCR method provides a sensitive and non-invasive tool for detecting A. cantonensis in snails, and can be applied for monitoring and early warning of parasite prevalence and transmission. Full article

Background/Objectives: Interpretation of chest X-rays (CXRs) requires accurate identification of lesion presence, diagnosis, location, size, and number to be considered complete. However, the effectiveness of large language models with vision capabilities (LLMs) in performing these tasks remains uncertain. This study aimed to evaluate the image-only interpretation performance of LLMs in the absence of clinical information. Methods: A total of 247 CXRs covering 13 diagnostic categories, including pulmonary edema, cardiomegaly, lobar pneumonia, and other conditions, were evaluated using Gemini 1.0, Gemini 1.5 Pro, GPT-4 Turbo, and GPT-4o. The text outputs generated by the LLMs were evaluated at two levels: (1) primary diagnosis accuracy across the 13 predefined diagnostic categories, and (2) identification of key imaging features described in the generated text. Primary diagnosis accuracy was assessed based on whether the model correctly identified the target diagnostic category and was classified as fully correct, partially correct, or incorrect according to predefined clinical criteria. Non-diagnostic imaging features, such as posteroanterior and anteroposterior (PA/AP) views, side markers, foreign bodies, and devices, were recorded and analyzed separately rather than being incorporated into the primary diagnostic scoring. Results: When fully and partially correct responses were treated as successful detections, vLLMs showed higher sensitivity for large, bilateral, multiple lesions and prominent devices, including acute pulmonary edema, lobar pneumonia, multiple malignancies, massive pleural effusions, and pacemakers, all of which demonstrated statistically significant differences across categories in chi-square analyses. Feature descriptions varied among models, especially in PA/AP views and side markers, though central lines were partially recognized. Across the entire dataset, Gemini 1.5 Pro achieved the highest overall detection rate, followed by Gemini 1.0, GPT-4o, and GPT-4 Turbo. Conclusions: Although LLMs were able to identify certain diagnoses and key imaging features, their limitations in detecting small lesions, recognizing laterality, reasoning through differential diagnoses, and using domain-specific expressions indicate that CXR interpretation without textual cues still requires further improvement. Full article

Early and accurate diagnosis is critical for disease surveillance, therapeutic guidance, and relapse monitoring. Sensor arrays have emerged as a multi-analyte detection tool via non-specific interactions to generate unique fingerprint patterns with high levels of selectivity and discrimination. Conjugated polymers (CPs), with their tunable π-conjugated backbones, exceptional light-harvesting capability, and efficient “molecular wire effect,” provide an ideal and versatile material platform for such arrays, enabling significant optical signal amplification and high sensitivity. This review systematically outlines the rational design and functionalization strategies of CPs for constructing high-performance sensor arrays. It delves into the structure–property relationships that govern their sensing performance, covering main-chain engineering, side-chain functionalization, and microenvironmental regulation. Representative applications are discussed, including non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, bacterial and viral infections, Alzheimer’s disease, and diabetic nephropathy, highlighting the remarkable diagnostic capabilities achieved through tailored CP materials. Finally, future perspectives are focused on novel material designs and device integration to advance this vibrant field. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) is a non-invasive method for visualizing systemic micro-circulation, primarily used in rheumatology. Many ocular diseases (e.g., glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy (DR), and central serous chorioretinopathy (CSC)) involve microvascular disturbances. Since microangiopathies are often systemic, NVC findings may reflect ocular pathology. This narrative review aimed to summarize current evidence linking NVC alterations with retinal, choroidal, and optic nerve diseases. Methods: A literature search of PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science (2000–2025) was conducted using the keywords “nailfold videocapillaroscopy,” “ocular diseases,” “retinopathy,” and “glaucoma”. Results: Most available studies were cross-sectional and exploratory. In glaucoma, NVC abnormalities suggesting systemic hypoperfusion (reduced capillary density, avascular areas, tortuosity, and microhemorrhages) were frequently reported. CSC was associated with capillary dilation patterns (megacapillaries and aneurysmal dilations), supporting a congestive rather than ischemic microvascular profile. In DR, NVC abnormalities (reduced density and neoangiogenesis) correlated with DR severity. Associations were also found for AMD and idiopathic macular telangiectasia type 2 (MacTel2, also known as IMT). However, only a limited number of prospective studies assessed diagnostic performance, and data on sensitivity, specificity, or ROC-based validation remain scarce. Conclusions: Current evidence suggests that NVC reflects systemic microvascular alterations associated with several ocular diseases. While NVC shows potential as an adjunctive tool for risk assessment and phenotyping, its diagnostic validity has not yet been established. Limitations include the predominantly observational nature of the studies, heterogeneity of methodologies, and the lack of standardized diagnostic thresholds. Prospective trials integrating NVC with ocular imaging modalities, such as OCT angiography, are needed to determine its clinical utility. Full article