Search Results (29,388)

This study proposes a tension-spring-based unidirectional rotational stiffness mechanism (TS-URM) and its implementation in a Unidirectional Series Elastic Actuator (USEA). Unlike conventional bidirectional rotary SEAs, the proposed design is structurally optimized for unidirectional torque transmission, improving deformation utilization efficiency in pulling-type applications. An analytical model was derived to establish the geometric relationship between spring elongation and rotational deformation, enabling explicit formulation of the torque–angle relationship. The influence of the installation angle on stiffness linearity was systematically analyzed, and a multilayer spring configuration was optimized to achieve a target rotational stiffness of approximately 42 Nm/rad. A preload adjustment mechanism was incorporated to eliminate nonlinear behavior in the initial operating region. Experimental results validated the analytical model and demonstrated stable unidirectional force control up to 130 N with steady-state errors within 1 N. The proposed mechanism provides predictable stiffness characteristics and an efficient structural solution for compact USEA systems. Full article

Voltage sags pose severe risks to sensitive equipment in modern industries, requiring power quality monitoring equipment to possess fast and accurate sag detection capabilities. The traditional second-order generalized integrator (SOGI) will have oscillation phenomena in the case of DC offset, low-frequency harmonics, and high-frequency impulse noise. This study introduces a strong detection algorithm that combines Adaptive Composite Morphological Filtering (ACMF) with an improved Mixed Second- and Third-Order Generalized Integrator (MSTOGI). First, the ACMF pre-filtering module dynamically adjusts the scale of composite structuring elements through periodic parameter optimization, effectively filtering high-frequency random impulses while preserving the sharp transitions of abrupt voltage changes. Second, MSTOGI eliminates DC offset, and optimizes the gain coefficient to achieve the best dynamic response speed. Ultimately, a cascaded notch filter (CNF) module focuses on and removes even-order harmonic ripples caused by the synchronous reference frame transformation. Simulation results indicate that under severe grid conditions involving multiple composite distortions, the proposed architecture reduces the sag detection time to within 1.0 ms under typical operating conditions, with steady-state phase errors strictly controlled within a ±2° range. This method provides a reliable solution for DVR and UPS. Full article

This paper proposes a unified approach based on maximal consistent blocks (MCBs) to address the problem of incomplete single-label and multi-label dimensional reduction. The matrix computation method for maximal consistent blocks is improved by introducing a dynamic multi-row detection mechanism and optimizing the block size determination criteria. The complete set of maximal consistent blocks can be efficiently obtained via matrix intersection operations. For incomplete single-label decision information systems, an attribute reduction algorithm is designed based on maximal consistent blocks. Redundant attributes are eliminated by preserving the upper and lower approximation distributions of decision classes. In the multi-label scenario, a complementary decision reduct method integrating coarse and fine decision functions is proposed, and a unified solution paradigm is adopted to accomplish multi-label dimensional reduction. The effectiveness in classification (F1-score, Ranking Loss, Hamming Loss), reduction performance, and runtime efficiency is validated via statistical tests, scalability studies, structured missingness studies, and comparisons with four representative baselines on Birds, Scene, and Yeast datasets (5%/10%/15% missing rates). Full article

This study employed near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy for real-time spectral acquisition of fermentation broth in lab-scale bioreactors, comparing the performance of transflectance and transmission sensors through glucose modeling and prediction while optimizing modeling approaches. The results demonstrated superior adaptability of transflectance sensors in fermentation environments: in conventional fermentation, glucose models exhibited lower errors (RMSEC = 4.087 g/L, RMSEV = 9.829 g/L) compared to transmission sensors (RMSEC = 5.972 g/L, RMSEV = 10.904 g/L), with significantly higher predictive performance (RPD = 3.735 vs. 2.369), indicating enhanced fitting accuracy and stability. In complex natural media containing peptone and yeast extract, transmission sensor performance deteriorated dramatically due to turbidity interference (R²_cal = 0.134), whereas transflectance sensors maintained robust performance (R²_cal = 0.993), confirming their adaptability to complex matrices. Regarding modeling strategies, the 1550–1700 nm spectral region demonstrated optimal feature extraction capability (RMSEC = 3.269 g/L, R²_cal = 0.987). Basic preprocessing methods such as the moving average smoothing method have become the preferred preprocessing methods, as they strike a balance between calibration and prediction performance. Outlier removal analysis revealed that moderate elimination of 12 high-error samples (accounting for 30% of the total 39 samples) reduced RMSEC to 1.441 g/L and improved R²_cv to 0.996, optimizing model performance; however, excessive removal of outlier samples degraded model capability, necessitating judicious sample selection. For fixed total sample sizes, calibration sets comprising 70–80% of samples yielded more reliable predictions. In conclusion, transflectance sensors demonstrate superior compatibility with multicomponent fermentation systems. Combined with wavelength selection, moving average preprocessing, and rational sample removal and partitioning strategies, this approach provides an effective solution for NIR-based online glucose monitoring. Full article

Endothelial dysfunction, chronic inflammation, immune dysregulation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, and metabolic disturbances collectively contribute to cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) associated with blood stasis patterns. Xuefu Zhuyu Decoction (XFZYD) is widely used clinically for the management of CVDs. Based on serum-exposed prototype profiling in rats, two pharmacology-driven core component sets of XFZYD were defined as the core set for the promotion of blood circulation and the elimination of blood stasis (CPBEB; HSYA, GRo, FA, β-ECD, AMY, ALB, PF) and the core set for the regulation of qi and the relief of pain (CRQRP; LIQ, NR, NAR, ROF, HSD, NHP, LTG, NRG, ISL, FNT, NOB, PD, SSa). CPBEB primarily targets vascular pathology by regulating endothelial dysfunction with dyslipidemia-driven arterial lipid deposition. Mechanistically, CPBEB is associated with improved endothelial function, reduced plaque instability, attenuated chronic inflammation and oxidative stress, normalized lipid and bile acid metabolism, and decreased thrombosis. CRQRP primarily modulates vascular tone and systemic energy metabolism. These effects are linked to enhanced AMPK/SIRT1-driven antioxidant defenses and mitochondrial homeostasis, increased NO/cGMP signaling, coordinated crosstalk among the TLR4/NF-κB, JAK/STAT, NLRP3, and PPAR pathways, and remodeling of the gut microbiota–immune network. In summary, this review integrates modern analytical approaches with network pharmacology and the literature evidence to clarify the material basis underlying XFZYD’s therapeutic effects in CVDs, thereby supporting the modernization and internationalization of traditional Chinese medicine. Full article

Volatile anesthetics have steadily become more popular in intensive care units for sedation for reasons related to their beneficial pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties. Common anesthetics such as isoflurane and sevoflurane rapidly reach sedative levels in the body, but they are also rapidly eliminated, allowing for quick recovery. These agents have minimal impact on the liver and kidneys, which makes them attractive options when compared to other agents including opioids, benzodiazepines, ketamine, and propofol. Use of delivery systems like AnaConDa^® (Anaesthetic Conserving Device; Sedana Medical AB, Danderyd, Sweden) has enabled providers to easily use these agents in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU). In this regard, they have recently provided additional beneficial consideration during intravenous drug shortages seen during the COVID-19 pandemic and at other times. These agents have shown organ-protective effects in the kidneys and lungs, which may even reduce the total time spent in the ICU. Pharmacodynamically, these anesthetics mediate their effects through central nervous system ion channels to exert analgesic and anxiolytic actions, thereby minimizing effects in the kidneys and lungs. These agents are primarily eliminated via exhalation, which makes them potential options for those with liver or kidney failure. This narrative review examines current efficacy and risks of using volatile anesthetics for sedation in the ICU setting and clinical roles for the future. Full article

Porcine Reproductive and Respiratory Syndrome Virus (PRRSV) poses a serious threat to the swine industry in China. As a major pig-producing province, Shandong requires continuous epidemiological monitoring of PRRSV. To elucidate the molecular epidemiology of the virus, 1621 clinical samples were collected from suspected cases across different regions of Shandong Province between 2023 and 2025, primarily from Tai’an, Linyi, Jining, and Liaocheng. RT-qPCR detection showed that the positive rate for PRRSV-2 was 20.05% (325/1621). Genetic analysis based on ORF5 and NSP2 genes indicated that Sublineage L1C (NADC30-like) was the dominant strain for 38.38% of ORF5 gene and 72.73% of NSP2 sequencing results. This was followed by Sublineage L8E and L1A and L5A strains. Key virulence-related mutations were identified at residues R13 and R151 in the GP5 protein, which are associated with enhanced pathogenicity. Additionally, variations in neutralizing epitope and the number of N-glycosylation sites (ranging from 2 to 5 per strain) suggested potential immune evasion. Notably, 26.79% (15/56) of sequenced samples showed discordant ORF5 and NSP2 genotyping results, indicating widespread recombination among PRRSV strains in Shandong Province. These finding demonstrated that the genetic diversity, high recombination frequency, and key amino acid variations in circulating PRRSV strains collectively undermine vaccine effectiveness. This study highlights the need to optimize vaccination strategies, enhance biosecurity measures, and implement effective disease control and elimination programs to reduce the impact of PRRSV in Shandong Province. Full article

Ocular diseases pose significant therapeutic challenges due to the eye’s intricate anatomy and efficient physiological clearance mechanisms, which result in the rapid elimination of topically administered drugs and an overall bioavailability of less than 5%. Anterior segment disorders—including keratitis, glaucoma, and dry eye syndrome—account for the majority of ophthalmic conditions and are primarily managed with pharmacological agents. However, due to extremely low drug bioavailability and poor patient compliance, their therapeutic outcomes often result in a decreased disease control rate or require early surgical interventions. Nebulized drug delivery, particularly employing advanced vibrating mesh technology, has emerged as a promising strategy to overcome these limitations. By converting liquid formulations into a uniform aerosol of micron-sized (1–10 μm) droplets, this approach achieves extensive and consistent coverage of the ocular surface, increases the absorption contact area, prolongs drug residence time, and ultimately enhances drug bioavailability. Preliminary clinical evidence indicates that nebulized therapies outperform traditional eye drops by achieving higher drug concentrations in the aqueous humor and demonstrating superior pharmacodynamic profiles and patient tolerability—particularly in conditions such as dry eye syndrome and glaucoma. This review presents a comprehensive overview of the mechanistic principles, technological advancements, and translational applications of nebulization-based ocular drug delivery systems. We place special emphasis on the integration of next-generation platforms that incorporate microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) and intelligent sensing technologies, enabling precision medicine approaches tailored to individual ocular pathophysiological characteristics. By bridging biomedical engineering and clinical ophthalmology, these innovations not only optimize existing therapeutic regimens but also pave the way for non-invasive delivery of complex biologics and gene therapies—potentially reshaping the landscape of anterior segment drug delivery. Full article

Red–Green–Blue–Thermal (RGBT) object detection is critical for robust all-weather perception. However, deploying dual-stream networks on resource-constrained edge devices is severely hindered by insufficiently adaptive multimodal fusion, the loss of small-object features during downsampling, and substantial computational overhead. To address these challenges, we propose GEM-YOLO, a real-time and lightweight RGBT detector. Specifically, an Adaptive Multimodal Gated Fusion Mechanism (GFM) is designed to dynamically calibrate modality weights and suppress noise. Furthermore, Space-to-Depth (SPD) convolutions are integrated into the backbone to achieve lossless downsampling, preventing the feature collapse of small targets. Finally, a lightweight Ghost-Neck is constructed using Ghost modules and GSConv to eliminate computational redundancy. Extensive experiments on the Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) and Multi-Modal Multispectral Fusion Dataset (M3FD) datasets demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method. With only 7.58 Giga Floating-Point Operations (GFLOPs) and 3.44 million parameters (M), GEM-YOLO reduces the computational cost by 18.6% relative to the dual-stream YOLOv11n baseline. Concurrently, it achieves competitive mean Average Precision at IoU = 0.5 (mAP@50) scores of 82.8% and 69.0% on FLIR and M3FD, respectively, with more evident gains on small-target localization. In practice, GEM-YOLO maintains competitive detection performance while keeping computational overhead low, making it promising for real-time multispectral perception on resource-constrained edge platforms. Full article

Gonad loss triggers severe endocrine disorders and altered energy metabolism, yet the precise mechanisms remain poorly understood. In swine production, surgical castration is widely performed to eliminate boar taint and aggressive behavior, but it impairs feed efficiency, increases fat deposition, and raises animal welfare issues. Castration reduces testosterone and estrogen levels, leading to elevated gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) and its downstream follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and luteinizing hormone (LH). Traditionally viewed as a reproductive hormone, FSH has recently emerged as a critical regulator of peripheral metabolism. Based on these findings, we designed and developed a novel FSH vaccine comprising an FSHβ13AA-tandem-ovalbumin conjugate, which has been demonstrated to effectively regulate growth and metabolism in castrated boars. In conclusion, this review underscores the previously underrecognized metabolic functions of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and proposes a novel immunomodulatory strategy targeting FSH for fine-tuning organ function and energy metabolism. This approach shows considerable potential for advancing sustainable, welfare-oriented swine production. Full article

Multiport DC–AC converters are widely used in photovoltaic-energy storage–charging systems, but traditional two-stage schemes face challenges in circuit cost and efficiency improvements. To address this issue, a novel three-port single-stage DC–AC converter is proposed for grid-connected applications. The proposed converter integrates two DC ports and one AC port through circuit multiplexing, eliminating the high-voltage DC bus and reducing system complexity. An unfolding bridge is employed at the AC port, and full bridge circuits are used at DC ports, reducing the number of high-frequency switches. The proposed single-stage topology inherently achieves galvanic isolation and bidirectional power conversion. To achieve accurate grid current regulation and wide-range zero-voltage-switching, a multiple-phase-shift modulation method is developed to ensure a sinusoidal current waveform. The effectiveness of the proposed converter and modulation method is verified through simulation results, demonstrating a peak efficiency of 97% and a total harmonic distortion of 2.91%. Full article

Introduction: Facial aging is characterized by progressive soft-tissue descent, affecting all anatomical layers—from bone structures to the skin envelope. Early manifestations include downward displacement of the midface soft tissues, deepening of the nasolacrimal and nasolabial folds, and the appearance of soft-tissue “puckering” in the lower third of the face. At this stage, patients typically seek aesthetic correction to restore youthful facial contours with minimal or no visible signs of surgical intervention. Methods: This study is an observational analysis of a prospectively maintained surgical database including 201 female patients who underwent TESL between 2006 and 2024. Patient demographic data, surgical technique specifics, and postoperative outcomes were collected. A total of 612 procedures were performed. The cohort was stratified into two age groups: 30–35 years (n = 72) and 36–45 years (n = 129). Results: No cases of facial nerve injury or neurological complications were observed. Complications included 13 cases of localized cicatricial alopecia (6.47%) and four postoperative hematomas (1.99%). Eleven patients (5.47%) required minor secondary revision to address preauricular skin pleating. The technique demonstrated consistent and favorable outcomes in restoring soft-tissue volume and positioning, eliminating early lower-face “puckering,” and improving the cervicomental and mandibular contours. Conclusions: For patients under 45 years of age presenting with early signs of facial soft-tissue ptosis, endoscopic subcutaneous midface elevation with vertical SMAS plication is a safe, effective, and minimally invasive approach to rejuvenating the mid and lower face. Full article

Ginkgetin (GK) is a naturally occurring biflavonoid predominantly isolated from Ginkgo biloba and has attracted increasing attention because of its broad pharmacological activities. Structurally, GK belongs to the 3′-8″-linked biflavone subclass, which distinguishes it from other biflavonoids like amentoflavone (the parent compound of this subclass) and its monomeric counterparts such as apigenin. This unique C-C linked dimeric architecture confers distinct molecular planarity and lipophilicity, contributing to its enhanced membrane permeability and multitarget engagement capabilities. GK has been shown to exert pleiotropic biological effects in preclinical studies, including anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, antifibrotic, anticancer, neuroprotective, cardioprotective, metabolic regulatory and antibacterial activities. Mechanistically, preclinical evidence indicates that GK functions as a multitarget modulator of key signaling pathways involved in oxidative stress, inflammation, cell death and tissue remodeling, such as nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2/heme oxygenase-1 (Nrf2/HO-1), nuclear factor kappa-B(NF-κB), Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription(JAK/STAT), mitogen-activated protein kinases(MAPKs), AMP-activated protein kinase/mechanistic target of rapamycin(AMPK/mTOR), phosphoinositide 3-kinase/protein kinase B(PI3K/Akt) and cyclic GMP-AMP synthase–stimulator of interferon genes(cGAS–STING). Notably, GK has been observed to display context-dependent regulation of cell fate decisions, including apoptosis, autophagy and ferroptosis, thereby enabling the selective elimination of pathological cells while preserving normal tissue function. Preclinical studies further demonstrate that GK exhibits therapeutic potential across diverse disease systems, including cancer, metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders and musculoskeletal diseases. In addition, emerging evidence highlights its antibacterial and antivirulence properties through the inhibition of biofilm formation and quorum sensing. It is crucial to note, however, that this promising profile is predominantly derived from preclinical studies, and clinical evidence in humans remains to be established. Despite these promising findings, the clinical translation of GK remains limited by challenges related to pharmacokinetics, bioavailability and druggability. This review systematically summarizes the chemical characteristics, pharmacological activities and molecular mechanisms of GK, with an emphasis on its multitarget actions and therapeutic potential across disease systems, and discusses current limitations and future perspectives to facilitate the rational development of GK-based interventions. Full article

Silicon carbide (SiC), owing to its excellent physical and chemical properties, has emerged as a leading third-generation semiconductor material. Conventional diamond wire cutting faces challenges in producing ultra-large, ultra-thin wafers. In contrast, the femtosecond laser has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its low kerf loss and high slicing speed. However, during femtosecond laser stealth slicing, spherical aberration induced by the refractive index mismatch between air and the SiC crystal severely degrades the slicing quality. Based on the analysis and calculation of wavefront aberration at a specific focal depth of 175 μm, we designed and implemented a static aberration correction method to reduce the thickness of the modified layer and improve the slicing quality. This method effectively mitigates focus elongation caused by refractive index mismatch, thereby reducing the modified layer thickness and the tensile stress required for wafer separation, while improving the surface quality of the separated wafers. Furthermore, this method eliminates the need for active optical components in aberration correction, simplifying the system and avoiding errors associated with the limited response speed of active optics. The technique demonstrates potential for practical application in industrial wafer slicing. Full article

With the increasing penetration of renewable energy in power systems, the effective utilization of pumped storage power plant (PSP) clusters for peak shaving has become an important issue in system operation. In this study, an intraday scheduling model for PSP clusters is formulated to minimize the variance of the system net load, while accounting for operational constraints, including power balance, unit operation, and reservoir energy evolution. The resulting model is a mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) problem, which is solved using the Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGA-II). Case studies are conducted on an improved IEEE 39-bus system under both conventional scenarios and extreme renewable energy conditions. The results show that, under a unified peak-shaving objective, PSP clusters exhibit a stable structure of role differentiation even in conventional operating conditions. As the system peak-shaving pressure increases, this differentiation is progressively reinforced along existing functional roles, shifting from renewable energy absorption to peak-period generation support. It tends to converge under high operational stress due to the coupling between load and renewable variability. Further analysis indicates that when capacity differences among PSPs are eliminated, the differentiation structure is significantly weakened, suggesting that physical capability differences constitute an important foundation for the formation of role differentiation. Full article