Search Results (105)

In recent years, people have increasingly sought to generate exercise trajectories that embody specific semantic shapes in order to create GPS art and share it on social platforms. This trend has created an urgent demand for navigation paths with specific semantic meanings on smartwatches and smartphones. Current methods mainly rely on manual design and lack efficient automation. Therefore, this study proposes a novel method for automatically obtaining navigation paths with specified shapes by retrieving graphics similar to the input graphic shape from the road network. This method uses invariant spatial relationships, such as turning angles and length ratios, along with graph matching techniques to establish one-to-one or one-to-many correspondences between line segments in the input individual graphics and those in the road network. This enables the retrieval of individual graphics within the road network. Based on this, a greedy strategy-based algorithm is proposed to solve the combined graphics retrieval problem. The results are evaluated to ensure high quality. The accuracy and effectiveness of our method are validated through experimental results using simulated and real road network data from five different regions. Furthermore, shape-constrained graphics retrieval expands the application domain of spatial scene matching. Full article

Urban green-space monitoring in dense cityscapes remains limited by accuracy–efficiency trade-offs and the absence of integrated, auditable area estimation. We introduce GreenViT, a Vision Transformer (ViT) based framework for precise segmentation and transparent quantification of urban green space. GreenViT couples a ViT-L/14 backbone with a lightweight single-path, progressive upsampling decoder (Green Head), preserving global context while recovering thin structures. Experiments were conducted on a manually annotated dataset of 20 high-resolution satellite images collected from Satellites.Pro, covering five land-cover classes (background, green space, building, road, and water). Using a 224 × 224 sliding window sampling scheme, the 20 images yield 62,650 training/validation patches. Under five-fold evaluation, it attains 0.9200 ± 0.0243 mIoU, 0.9580 ± 0.0135 Dice, and 0.9570 PA, and the calibrated estimator achieves 1.10% relative area error. Overall, GreenViT strikes a strong balance between accuracy and efficiency, making it particularly well-suited for thin or boundary-rich classes. It can be used to support planning evaluations, green-space statistics, urban renewal assessments, and ecological red-line verification, while providing reliable green-area metrics to support urban heat mitigation and pollution control efforts. This makes it highly suitable for decision-oriented long-term monitoring and management assessments. Full article

Segmented filamentous bacteria (SFB) are host-specific, immune-modulating microorganisms that colonize the small intestine of various vertebrate species, playing a crucial role in stimulating immune maturation during early life. Previous research on the genomes of SFB from humans, rats, and mice has revealed significant differences among SFB strains associated with various hosts, suggesting that their evolution is closely linked to their relationships with specific hosts. However, the genome of SFB from chickens has not been extensively investigated. In this study, we present the metagenomic reconstruction of an SFB genome derived from the ileum of layer Lohmann Select Leghorn (LSL) chickens. We utilized Hi-C sequencing techniques to assemble the LSL-SFB and annotate the avian SFB from both turkeys and chickens. Our reference-guided consensus assembly, followed by Hi-C scaffolding, produced a high-quality genome for LSL-SFB. Our pangenomic analysis revealed substantial conservation of core gene clusters among mammalian SFB strains, but we also identified a distinct repertoire of genes in chicken and turkey SFB. Furthermore, metabolic network analysis indicated a reduced capacity for biosynthesis, signifying an increased reliance on the host, as shown by the absence of key biosynthetic and utilization pathways. We also discovered a unique flagellin subunit (fliC-2) in chicken SFB from different genetic lines and confirmed its interaction with the chicken flagellin receptor, Toll-like receptor five. This study provides the first high-quality genome and annotation of LSL-SFB, alongside that of turkeys, offering valuable insights into the mechanisms of host specificity and adaptation. Understanding the interactions between host-specific SFB and their hosts, as well as their role in promoting immune maturation, is essential for improving intestinal health. Full article

This paper addresses the challenges of misclassification and reliability assessment in compensation capacitor detection under strong noise in high-speed railway track circuits. A hierarchical Bayesian deep learning framework is proposed, integrating multi-domain signal enhancement in the time, frequency, and time–frequency (TF) domains with bidirectional long short-term memory (BiLSTM) sequence modeling for robust feature extraction. Bayesian classification and regression based on Monte Carlo (MC) Dropout and stochastic weight averaging Gaussian (SWAG) enable posterior inference, confidence interval estimation, and uncertainty-aware prediction, while a rejection mechanism filters low-confidence outputs. Experiments on 8782 real-world segments from five railway lines show that the proposed method achieves 97.8% state-recognition accuracy, a mean absolute error of 0.084 μF, and an R² of 0.96. It further outperforms threshold-based, convolutional neural network (CNN), and standard BiLSTM models in negative log-likelihood (NLL), expected calibration error (ECE), and overall calibration quality, approaching the theoretical 95% interval coverage. The framework substantially improves robustness, accuracy, and reliability, providing a viable solution for intelligent monitoring and safety assurance of compensation capacitors in track circuits. Full article

Seed vitality is a key factor for successful germination of seeds and successful root establishment of crops. However, a cold environment can severely hinder the germination of soybean seeds, resulting in a significant decrease in yield. In this study, the cold tolerance of 205 chromosome segment substitution lines (CSSL) during the germination process was evaluated. CSSL_R22 exhibited higher seed vitality under low-temperature conditions. Five quantitative trait loci (QTL) related to cold tolerance during the germination stage were detected. By combining the QTL analysis results with transcriptome data, we determined that GmKAN1 (Glyma.20G108600) is an important regulatory factor for cold tolerance during seed germination. Preliminary studies have shown that GmKAN1, as a transcriptional repressor of GmARF2 and GmARF8, can regulate auxin synthesis to enhance the tolerance of seeds to cold stress. These results provide valuable insights into the regulatory network related to cold tolerance during soybean seed germination. Full article

Annual wild soybean is characterized by a high protein content. To elucidate the genetic basis, this study utilized a chromosome segment substitution line population (177 lines) constructed with cultivated soybean NN1138-2 as the recipient and wild soybean N24852 as the donor. Phenotypic analyses across three environments revealed significant variation in protein content ranging from 42.86% to 49.08%, with a high heritability of 0.70, indicating strong genetic control. Through high-throughput sequencing, six wild segments associated with high protein content were detected on chromosomes 3, 6, 9, 15, and 20, with phenotypic variation explained (PVE) by individual segments ranged from 3.58% to 22.46%, with segments on chromosomes 9, 15, and 20 as large-effect segments with PVE > 10%. All wild segments exhibited positive additive effects (0.42–1.09%), consistent with the characteristic of a high protein content in wild soybean. Compared with previous studies, five segments overlapped with reported loci, while qPro6.1 on chromosome 6 was a novel discovery. Integration of genomic and transcriptomic data identified 10 genes involved in nucleic acid binding, transmembrane protein transport, and amino acid synthesis pathway, with homologs validated in soybean, rice, and rapeseed. This research deepens the understanding of wild soybean’s high protein and offers new gene resources for breeding high-protein cultivated soybean. Full article

The ongoing ontological tension between architecture, art, and science is analyzed using semantic tools. This line of analysis addresses the gap in the literature caused by the lack of a systematic and traceable framework for defining the theatrical meaning of the relationship between multiple coding and performative space. The study examines Bernard Tschumi’s Parc de la Villette design from Architecture and Disjunction within the critical framework of Roland Barthes and Bertolt Brecht, and is conducted in the MAXQDA environment. Adopting a qualitative structural narrative analysis methodology and structured around three analytical operations (segmentation–inventory–structuring), the study is validated through interdisciplinary triangulation. At the segmentation phase, Tschumi’s text is divided into 19 meaning units under theoretical nodes based on Brecht’s principles of epic theater. These units were analyzed using closed (deductive) coding with a coding table derived from the literature and developed iteratively to ensure reliability through consensus between the two researchers. During the inventory phase, these meaning units were reinterpreted through open (inductive) coding using Barthes’ five codes, yielding 62 productive terms. During the structuring phase, the distribution and relationships between codes were thematized within the park’s 4 spatial configurations, based on evaluative and inferential layers of meaning. Full article

Kernel row number (KRN) is a pivotal determinant for yield in maize breeding programs. However, the genetic basis underlying KRN remains largely elusive. To identify candidate genes regulating KRN, a population of 318 BC₄F₄ chromosomal segment substitution lines (CSSLs) was developed via backcrossing, with Baimaya (BMY) as the donor parent and B73 as the recurrent parent. Furthermore, a high-density genetic linkage map containing 2859 high-quality single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers was constructed for quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping of KRN. Notably, 19 QTLs controlling KRN were detected across three environments and in the Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) values; among these, a major-effect QTL (qKRN4.09-1) was consistently identified across all three environments and BLUP. Then, the integration of linkage mapping and transcriptome analysis of 5 mm immature ears from near-isogenic lines (NILs) uncovered a candidate gene, Zm00001eb205550. This gene exhibited significant downregulation in qKRN4.09-1^BMY, and two missense variants were detected between qKRN4.09-1^BMY and qKRN4.09-1^B73. Zm00001eb205550 exhibited preferential expression in developing ears. Moreover, the pyramiding of favorable alleles from the five stable QTLs significantly increased KRN in maize. These findings advance our genetic understanding of maize ear development and provide valuable genetic targets for improving KRN in maize breeding. Full article

This study develops an integrated bi-level operations–assignment model to optimise express service on the Gyeongin Line, a core corridor connecting Seoul and Incheon. The upper level jointly selects express stops and time-of-day headways under coverage constraints—a minimum share of key stations and a maximum inter-stop spacing—while the lower level assigns passengers under user equilibrium using a generalised time function that incorporates in-vehicle time, 0.5× headway wait, walking and transfers, and crowding-sensitive dwell times. Undergrounding and alignment straightening are incorporated into segment run-time functions, enabling the co-design of infrastructure and operations. Using automatic-fare-collection-calibrated origin–destination matrices, seat-occupancy records, and station-area population grids, we evaluate five rail scenarios and one intermodal extension. The results indicate substantial system-wide gains: peak average door-to-door times fall by approximately 44–46% in the AM (07:00–09:00) and 30–38% in the PM (17:30–19:30) for rail-only options, and by up to 55% with the intermodal extension. Kernel density estimation (KDE) and cumulative distribution function (CDF) analyses show a leftward shift and tail compression (median −8.7 min; 90th percentile (P90) −11.2 min; ≤45 min share: 0.0% → 47.2%; ≤60 min: 59.7% → 87.9%). The 45-min isochrone expands by ≈12% (an additional 0.21 million residents), while the 60-min reach newly covers Incheon Jung-gu and Songdo. Backcasting against observed express/local ratios yields deviations near the ±10% band (PM one comparator within and one slightly above), and the Kolmogorov–Smirnov (KS) statistic and Mann–Whitney (MW) test results confirm significant post-implementation shifts. The most cost-effective near-term package combines mixed stopping with modest alignment and capacity upgrades and time-differentiated headways; the intermodal express–transfer scheme offers a feasible long-term upper bound. The methodology is fully transparent through provision of pseudocode, explicit convergence criteria, and all hyperparameter settings. We also report SDG-aligned indicators—traction energy and CO₂-equivalent (CO₂-eq) per passenger-kilometre, and jobs reachable within 45- and 60-min isochrones—providing indicative yet robust evidence consistent with SDG 9, 11, and 13. Full article

Building outlines are important vector data for various applications, but due to the uneven point density and complex building structures, extracting satisfactory building outlines from airborne light detection and ranging point cloud data poses significant challenges. Thus, a building outline extraction method based on topology-aware loop parsing and parallel constraint is proposed. First, constrained Delaunay triangulation (DT) is used to organize scattered projected building points, and initial boundary points and edges are extracted based on the constrained DT. Subsequently, accurate semantic boundary points are obtained by parsing the topology-aware loops searched from an undirected graph. Building dominant directions are estimated through angle normalization, merging, and perpendicular pairing. Finally, outlines are regularized using the parallel constraint-based method, which simultaneously considers the fitness between the dominant direction and boundary points, and the length of line segments. Experiments on five datasets, including three datasets provided by ISPRS and two datasets with high-density point clouds and complex building structures, verify that the proposed method can extract sequential and semantic boundary points, with over 97.88% correctness. Additionally, the regularized outlines are attractive, and most line segments are parallel or perpendicular. The RMSE, PoLiS, and RCC metrics are better than 0.94 m, 0.84 m, and 0.69 m, respectively. The extracted building outlines can be used for building three-dimensional (3D) reconstruction. Full article

First-line options for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) are evolving, recently returning to a fixed-duration (FD) approach incorporating regimens such as venetoclax + obinutuzumab, ibrutinib + venetoclax, and soon acalabrutinib + venetoclax ± obinutuzumab. Five Canadian hematologists convened to share perspectives regarding the attributes of these options and considerations for clinically appropriate integration within Canada’s publicly funded healthcare system. The hematologists underscored the importance of shared decision-making with patients, family members, and caregivers involving careful consideration of disease profile and patient characteristics, preferences, and values. They indicated that although a role persists for continuous therapy with approved covalent Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibitors (typically in high-risk disease), newer FD regimens offer multiple benefits related to the treatment-free period, quality of life, safety, re-treatment, healthcare resource utilization, and costs. The hematologists highlighted the appeal of all-oral FD combinations given their convenience and impact on treatment equity, factors especially compelling given Canada’s vast geography and large segment of rural populations. In closing, they emphasized the quickly evolving therapeutic setting of CLL in the 1L and beyond, underscoring the need for ongoing patient involvement in decision-making to support optimal treatment selection based on patient goals and within the confines of provincial funding. Full article

A rigorous framework for determining actual and minimum boil-up ratios in binary distillation combining analytical mass and energy balances with an extended Ponchon–Savarit graphical approach was implemented. First, global balances across the enriching and stripping sections yield a closed-form expression of the boil-up ratio (V_B) based on enthalpy differences. Second, the V_B was directly determined from an enthalpy–composition diagram by measuring the enthalpy segments between the saturated liquid, vapor, and heat-duty points. Applying this method to high-stage columns confirms that the two methods converge on identical V_B values. Based on these findings, a unified graphical methodology was developed to determine the minimum boil-up ratio (V_Bmin). V_Bmin can be determined on the same diagram by locating the intersections of the extremal tie lines in both the enriching and exhausting sections, analogous to the reflux-pinch points. This procedure was systematically validated across the five canonical feed thermal states. The implemented method is a graphical approach based on the Ponchon–Savarit technique, developed for binary systems. Full article

Papaver rhoeas L. has four strikingly red petals with a distinctly black area bordered by a thin white line at the petal base, thus creating a color pattern that makes the center of the flower, where the pollen is located, visually stand out. This paper aims to assess the intra-petal spatial variability in P. rhoeas petal color intensity and hue and associate it with corresponding differences in the amount and type of petal pigments. The distribution of pigments in the petal epidermis was investigated in different petal segments by column chromatography. Fresh petals were extracted with deionized water during blooming, between April and June 2023, in northwestern Greece. UV–visible absorption spectra of the eluted fractions revealed five pigments, with each pigment belonging to a different elution zone. In the black spots of the petals, anthocyanin coexists with a yellow flavonol with a maximum absorption peak at 340 nm. Red petal extract in 70:30 ethanol–water showed a distinct negative Cotton effect at 284 nm, distinct from black segment extract with a negative Cotton effect at 227 nm. The uneven distribution of floral pigments along the petal epidermis creates a unique color palette, enabling UV-reflection, which is key in attracting pollinators responsible for plant reproduction. Full article

Background: Monoclonal antibodies play an important role in therapeutic and analytical applications. For recombinant expression, the coding sequences of the variable regions of the heavy and light chains are required. In addition, cloning antibody sequences, including constant regions, reduces the impact of hybridoma cell loss and ensures preservation of the naturally occurring full antibody sequence. Method: We combined amplification of IgG antibody variable regions from hybridoma mRNA with an advanced method for full-length cloning of monoclonal antibodies in a simple two-step workflow. Following Sanger sequencing and evaluation of consensus sequences, the best matching variable, diversity, and joining (V-(D-)J) gene segments were identified according to identity scores from IgBLAST reference sequences. Simultaneously, the mouse IgG subclass was determined at the DNA level based on isotype-specific sequence patterns in the C_H1 domain. Knowing the DNA sequence of V-(D-)J recombination responsible for the complementary determining region 3 (CDR 3), variable region-specific primers were designed and used to amplify the corresponding antibody constant regions. Results: To verify the approach, we applied it to the hybridoma clone BAM-CCMV-29-81 and obtained identical full-length antibody sequences as with RNA Illumina sequencing. Further validation at the protein level using an established MALDI-TOF MS-fingerprinting protocol showed that five out of six genetically encoded CDR domains of the monoclonal antibody BAM-CCMV-29-81 could be efficiently correlated. Conclusion: This simple, streamlined method enables the cost-effective determination of the full-length sequence of monoclonal antibodies from hybridoma cell lines, with the added benefit of obtaining the DNA sequence of the antibody ready for recombinant expression. Full article

Background: Pelvic resections represent some of the most challenging procedures in orthopedic oncology, often necessitating the sacrifice of large bone segments and, subsequently, the loss of nearby soft tissues. Our study aims to evaluate the impact of surgical resections of pelvic bone tumors on the performance of the pelvic floor and digestive, urinary, and genital systems. Methods: We evaluated all malignant or locally aggressive pelvic bone tumors treated with bone resection in our institution between January 2017 and January 2024. The reconstructive approaches were recorded. Pre- and post-operative MRI and CT scans were used to evaluate the grade of pelvic prolapse. The prolapse of the pelvic floor was assessed with the M-line, the H-line, and the anorectal angle. Hydronephrosis was also evaluated. Urinary and fecal incontinence were evaluated with the Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire (PFIQ7). Results: Thirty cases were included in our study. Nine cases were treated with custom-made prostheses, five had ice-cone prostheses, two massive allografts, and one composite allograft-prosthesis. The others had no bone reconstruction. Meshes were used to reconstruct the pelvic floor in 9 cases. Patients with discontinuity of the pelvic ring had a significantly higher grade of pelvic prolapse (M-line) and worse PFIQ7 scores. Conclusions: The resection of pelvic bone tumors represents one of the main challenges in orthopedic oncology. While planning surgical demolition and performing the subsequent reconstruction, surgeons should also consider the impact of the surgical treatment on the pelvic floor and surrounding organs. Intra-operative reconstructions and post-operative rehabilitation are advisable. Full article