Search Results (14,908)

Electrospun nanofibrous membranes have gained considerable attention in bone tissue engineering due to their ability to mimic the extracellular matrix and provide a suitable environment for cell attachment and proliferation. This study investigates the fabrication, characterization, and biocompatibility of poly(L-lactic acid) (PLA)-based membranes enhanced with periclase (MgO) and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs). The membranes were fabricated using an optimized electrospinning process and subsequently characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and contact angle measurements. Additionally, in vitro biodegradation studies in simulated body fluid (SBF) and cytocompatibility tests with osteoblast-like cells were conducted. The results demonstrated that the incorporation of MgO and AuNPs significantly influenced the structural and chemical properties of the membranes, improving their wettability and bioactivity. SEM imaging confirmed uniform fiber morphology with well-distributed nanoparticles. FT-IR spectroscopy indicated successful integration of bioactive components into the PLA matrix. Cytocompatibility assays showed that modified membranes promoted higher osteoblast adhesion and proliferation compared to pristine PLA membranes. Furthermore, biodegradation studies revealed a controlled degradation rate suitable for guided bone regeneration applications. These findings suggest that electrospun PLA membranes enriched with MgO and AuNPs present a promising biomaterial for GBR applications, offering improved bioactivity, mechanical stability, and biocompatibility. Full article

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of puffed jujube powder (PJP) supplementation in the diet on the slaughter characteristics, growth performance, meat quality, and serum antioxidant capacity of Hainan Black (HB) goats. Twenty-four healthy male HB goats, three months old with an initial body weight of 15.12 ± 3.67 kg, were randomly divided into three groups: the 10% PJP group (basal diet plus 10% PJP); the 20% PJP group (basal diet plus 20% PJP); and the control group (basal diet only). After a 10-day adaptation period, a feeding trial was carried out for 90 days in an ad libitum diet environment. The results show that the final body weight of the 20% PJP group was markedly higher (p < 0.05) than that of the control group (22.58 ± 0.94 kg vs. 20.45 ± 1.01 kg). The average daily gain of the 20% PJP group was 83.44 ± 1.78 g/d, which was substantially greater (p < 0.05) than the 59.22 ± 2.13 g/d of the control group. The feed intake of the 20% PJP group was 713.10 ± 4.54 g/d, notably higher (p < 0.05) than the 498.20 ± 4.33 g/d of the control group. In terms of slaughter characteristics, the carcass weight of the 20% PJP group was 13.99 ± 1.22 kg, considerably heavier (p < 0.05) than the 11.79 ± 1.38 kg of the control group. The muscle weight of the 20% PJP group was 11.43 ± 1.42 kg, distinctly greater (p < 0.05) than the 9.59 ± 1.99 kg of the control group. The slaughter rate of the 20% PJP group was 42.41%, showing a notable increase (p < 0.05) compared with the 37.42% of the control group, and the net meat rate of the 20% PJP group was 34.65%, with a significant rise (p < 0.05) compared with the 30.43% of the control group. Regarding serum antioxidant capacity and meat quality, the activities of serum antioxidant enzymes, superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT), were conspicuously increased (p < 0.05) in the 20% PJP group. The meat shear force of the 20% PJP group was decreased by 12.9%, and the cooking loss was improved by 8.9% in comparison with the control group. In conclusion, the supplementation of 20% PJP in the diet was demonstrated to enhance the growth performance, improve the meat quality, and boost the antioxidant status of HB goats, thus presenting a feasible strategy for optimizing tropical goat production systems. Full article

In this study, we sought to improve the productivity of Far Eastern catfish (Silurus asotus) and tropical eel (Anguilla bicolor), which are high-value fish species in the Republic of Korea, as well as that of associated crops by applying biofloc technology (BFT)-based aquaponics systems. The following three systems were used: the flow-through system (FTS), BFT, and BFT aquaponics system (BAPs). Caipira lettuce (Lactuca sativa) was utilized and hydroponics (HP) was implemented to compare crop productivity. After 42 days of treatment, the BAPs and BFT systems improved fish productivity, with weight gain rates of 134.47 ± 1.80% in BAPs-cat, 130.38 ± 0.95% in BFT, and 114.21 ± 6.62% in FTS for S. asotus, and 70.61 ± 3.26% in BAPs-eel, 62.37 ± 7.04% in BFT, and 47.83 ± 1.09% in FTS for A. bicolor. During the experiment, the total ammonia nitrogen and NO₂⁻-N concentrations were stable in all plots. In the case of NO₃⁻-N, BFT showed an increasing tendency while both BAPs showed a decrease compared with that of the BFT. BAPs-cat (total weight: 224.1 ± 6.37 g) and HP (220.3 ± 7.17 g) resulted in similar growth. However, in BAPs-eel was 187.7 ± 3.46 g due to root degradation. Water content analysis showed that BAPs-cat and BAPs-eel contained sufficient K, Ca, P, and S, which are important for crop growth. Overall, the effect of BAPs on fish growth was higher than that of FTS. This study reveals that integrating BFT with aquaponics improves productivity for high-value fish and associated crops while maintaining stable water quality. This method offers sustainable, efficient production, reduces environmental impact, and provides insights for future research in sustainable aquaculture practices. Full article

For high-voltage signal detection applications, an auto-zero and chopper operational amplifier (OPA) is proposed in this paper. With the auto-zero and chopper technique, the OPA adopts an eight-channel Ping-Pong mechanism to reduce the high-frequency ripple and glitch generated by chopper modulation. The main transconductor effectively suppresses low-frequency noise and offset by combining input coarse and output fine auto-zero. A common-mode voltage tracking circuit is presented to ensure constant gate-source and gate-substrate voltages of the chopper, which reduces the charge injection caused by threshold voltage drift of their transistors and improves output signal resolution. The OPA is implemented using CMOS 180 nm BCD process. The post-simulation results show that the unit gain bandwidth (UGB) is 2.5 MHz and common-mode rejection ratio (CMRR) is 137 dB when the power supply voltage is 5–55 V. The noise power spectral density (PSD) is 6.6 nV/√Hz, and the offset is about 47 µV. The overall circuit consumes current of 960 µA. Full article

Background/Objectives: The transformation of nursing and midwifery education through digital technologies has gained momentum worldwide, with algorithm-based video instruction and virtual reality (VR) emerging as promising tools for improving clinical learning. This quasi-experimental study explores the impact of an enhanced flipped classroom model on Bulgarian nursing and midwifery students’ self-perceived competence. Methods: A total of 228 participants were divided into a control group receiving traditional instruction (lectures and simulations with manikins) and an experimental group engaged in a digitally enhanced preparatory phase. The latter included pre-class video algorithms, VR, and clinical problem-solving tasks for learning and improving nursing skills. A 25-item self-report questionnaire was administered before and after the intervention to measure perceived competence in injection techniques, hygiene care, midwifery skills, and digital readiness. Results: Statistical analysis using Welch’s t-test revealed significant improvements in the experimental group in all domains (p < 0.001). Qualitative data from focus group interviews further confirmed increased student engagement, motivation, and receptiveness to digital learning tools. Conclusions: The findings highlight the pedagogical value of integrating structured video learning, VR components, and case-based learning within flipped classrooms. The study advocates for the wider adoption of blended learning models to foster clinical confidence and digital competence in healthcare education. The results of the study may be useful for curriculum developers aiming to improve clinical readiness through technology-enhanced learning. Full article

Omnidirectional mobile robots have gained extensive application across diverse fields due to their exceptional maneuverability and adaptability in confined spaces. However, structural and systemic uncertainties significantly compromise motion accuracy. To enhance motion control precision, this paper proposes a sliding mode control (SMC) method integrated with a radial basis function (RBF) neural network. The approach aggregates model uncertainties, nonlinear dynamics, and unknown disturbances into a composite disturbance term. An RBF neural network is employed to approximate this disturbance, with compensation embedded within the SMC framework. An online adaptive law for neural network optimization is derived using the Lyapunov stability theorem, thereby improving the disturbance rejection capability. Comparative simulations and experiments validate the proposed method against modern control strategies. Results demonstrate superior tracking performance and robustness, significantly enhancing trajectory tracking accuracy for the MY3 wheeled omnidirectional mobile robot. Full article

Common prosperity serves as a pivotal condition for achieving sustainable development by fostering social equity, bolstering economic resilience, and promoting environmental stewardship. Differential land revenue, as a crucial form of property based on spatial resource occupation, significantly contributes to the achievement of common prosperity, though empirical evidence of its impact is limited. This study explores the potential influence of land utilization revenue disparity on common prosperity from the perspective of urban macro differential rent (UMDR). Utilizing panel data from 280 Chinese cities spanning 2007 to 2020, we discover that UMDR and common prosperity levels exhibit strikingly similar spatiotemporal evolution. Further empirical analysis shows that UMDR significantly raises urban common prosperity levels, with a 0.217 standard unit increase in common prosperity for every 1 standard unit rise in UMDR. This boost stems from enhanced urban prosperity and the sharing of development achievements, encompassing economic growth, improved public services, enhanced ecological civilization, and more equitable distribution of development gains between urban and rural areas and among individuals. Additionally, we observe that UMDR has a more pronounced effect on common prosperity in eastern cities and those with a predominant service industry. This study enhances the comprehension of the relationship between urban land revenue disparities, prosperity, and equitable sharing, presenting a new perspective for the administration to contemplate the utilization of land-based policy tools in pursuit of the common prosperity goal and ultimately achieve sustainable development. Full article

Background/Objectives: Low-dose corticosteroids have gained popularity in the treatment of acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS); however, the efficacy of high-dose corticosteroids as pulse steroid therapy remains controversial. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of pulse steroid therapy in patients with severe ARDS requiring venovenous (V-V) extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), where enhanced anti-inflammatory effects may be beneficial. Methods: Using data from the J-CARVE registry, which included patients with severe ARDS managed with V-V ECMO across 24 Japanese hospitals between January 2012 and December 2022, we identified 373 patients treated with corticosteroids. The patients were divided into two groups: pulse steroid therapy and non-pulse steroid therapy. Propensity score matching was performed, and all-cause hospital mortality and ECMO-free days within 28 days were compared between groups. Pulse steroid therapy was defined as methylprednisolone at a dose of 1000 mg/day. Results: After matching, 48 patients were included in each group. The all-cause hospital mortality rates were 41.7% (20/48) in the pulse steroid group and 47.9% (23/48) in the non-pulse steroid group, with no significant difference (odds ratio, 1.28; 95% confidence interval: 0.53–3.12, p = 0.68). The median ECMO-free days were 9.5 (interquartile range [IQR]: 0–17.3) in the pulse steroid group and 3 (IQR: 0–17) in the non-pulse steroid group, showing no significant difference (p = 0.69). Conclusions: Pulse steroid therapy did not improve all-cause hospital mortality or ECMO-free days in patients with severe ARDS who required V-V ECMO. Full article

This study investigated the evolving trends, current research hotspots, and future directions of radiotherapy combined with nanobiomaterials through a bibliometric analysis. Publications related to nanobiomaterials used in radiotherapy between 2004 and 2024 were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection database and analyzed using VOSviewer, R, and CiteSpace. China emerged as the leading contributor, accounting for 1051 publications (50.41%), followed by the USA. Liu Zhuang is the most productive author in this field. American Chemical Society (ACS) Nano published the most influential articles and accumulated the highest number of citations. Advanced Targeted Therapies in Cancer: Drug Nanocarriers, the Future of Chemotherapy was the most cited, with 1255 citations. Citation bursts have revealed emerging research trends in targeted delivery, cellular studies, co-delivery strategies, immunogenic cell death, polymeric nanoparticles, tumor research, and drug delivery systems, indicating potential avenues for future research. Over the past two decades, nanomaterials for radiotherapy have gained substantial attention. Key areas of focus include enhancing the efficacy of radiotherapy, achieving targeted drug delivery, minimizing adverse effects, and integrating nanomaterials with other therapeutic modalities. Future investigations are expected to improve the precision of radiotherapy, augment radiation effects, and optimize the tumor microenvironment. Full article

Despite the extensive evidence supporting the effectiveness of cognitive stimulation, differences in results may be due to the influence of cognitive and non-cognitive aspects in people with dementia. The aim of this systematic review is to identify the most reliable variables in forecasting the effectiveness of cognitive stimulation in people with mild to moderate dementia. According to PRISMA guidelines, the research was conducted using five databases (PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane, Web of Science, APA PsycInfo), considering randomized controlled trials. A total of six studies were included. Different aspects moderating the gain resulting from cognitive intervention were collected and assessed in terms of demographic, cognitive, emotional, social, and quality of life parameters. People with dementia benefit more from cognitive intervention if they are female, if they have a low formal education level, a low baseline level of cognitive function, and lower depressive symptoms, and if caregivers actively participate in sessions. Quality of life, if low at baseline, also seems to improve following CST intervention. A deeper understanding of the cognitive and non-cognitive aspects ensuring improvement after cognitive stimulation may guide future research to develop more personalized interventions. Full article

Multidrug-resistant (MDR) strains of Klebsiella pneumoniae present an acute threat as they continue to disseminate globally. Phage therapy has shown promise as a powerful approach to combat MDR infections, but narrow phage host ranges make development of broad acting therapeutics more challenging. The goal of this effort was to use in vitro directed evolution (the “Appelmans protocol”) to isolate K. pneumoniae phages with broader host ranges for improved therapeutic cocktails. Five myophages in the genus Jiaodavirus (family Straboviridae) with complementary activity were mixed and passaged against a panel of 11 bacterial strains including a permissive host and phage-resistant clinical isolates. Following multiple rounds of training, we collected phage variants displaying altered specificity or expanded host ranges compared with parental phages when tested against a 100 strain diversity panel of K. pneumoniae. Some phage variants gained the ability to lyse previously phage-resistant strains but lost activity towards previously phage-susceptible strains, while several variants had expanded activity. Whole-genome sequencing identified mutations and recombination events impacting genes associated with host tropism including tail fiber genes that most likely underlie the observed changes in host ranges. Evolved phages with broader activity are promising candidates for improved K. pneumoniae therapeutic phage cocktails. Full article

With the advancement of low-carbon and sustainable development initiatives, electric scooters, recognized as essential transportation tools and leisure products, have gained significant popularity, particularly among young people. However, the current electric scooter market is plagued by severe product similarity. Once the initial novelty fades for users, the usage frequency declines, resulting in considerable resource wastage. This research collected user needs via surveys and employed the KJ method (affinity diagram) to synthesize fragmented insights into cohesive thematic clusters. Subsequently, a hierarchical needs model for electric scooters was constructed using analytical hierarchy process (AHP) principles, enabling systematic prioritization of user requirements through multi-criteria evaluation. By establishing a house of quality (HoQ), user needs were transformed into technical characteristics of electric scooter products, and the corresponding weights were calculated. After analyzing the positive and negative correlation degrees of the technical characteristic indicators, it was found that there are technical contradictions between functional zoning and compact size, lightweight design and material structure, and smart interaction and usability. Then, based on the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ), the contradictions were classified, and corresponding problem-solving principles were identified to achieve a multi-functional innovative design for electric scooters. This research, leveraging a systematic industrial design analysis framework, identified critical pain points among electric scooter users, established hierarchical user needs through priority ranking, and improved product lifecycle sustainability. It offers novel methodologies and perspectives for advancing theoretical research and design practices in the electric scooter domain. Full article

Multimodal sentiment analysis (MSA) benefits from integrating diverse modalities (e.g., text, video, and audio). However, challenges remain in effectively aligning non-text features and mitigating redundant information, which may limit potential performance improvements. To address these challenges, we propose a Hierarchical Text-Guided Refinement Network (HTRN), a novel framework that refines and aligns non-text modalities using hierarchical textual representations. We introduce Shuffle-Insert Fusion (SIF) and the Text-Guided Alignment Layer (TAL) to enhance crossmodal interactions and suppress irrelevant signals. In SIF, empty tokens are inserted at fixed intervals in unimodal feature sequences, disrupting local correlations and promoting more generalized representations with improved feature diversity. The TAL guides the refinement of audio and visual representations by leveraging textual semantics and dynamically adjusting their contributions through learnable gating factors, ensuring that non-text modalities remain semantically coherent while retaining essential crossmodal interactions. Experiments demonstrate that the HTRN achieves state-of-the-art performance with accuracies of 86.3% (Acc-2) on CMU-MOSI, 86.7% (Acc-2) on CMU-MOSEI, and 80.3% (Acc-2) on CH-SIMS, outperforming existing methods by 0.8–3.45%. Ablation studies validate the contributions of SIF and the TAL, showing 1.9–2.1% performance gains over baselines. By integrating these components, the HTRN establishes a robust multimodal representation learning framework. Full article

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is a crucial global food crop. The intensive crop farming, monoculture cultivation, and impact of climate change affect the susceptibility of wheat cultivars to biotic stresses, mainly caused by soil fungal pathogens, especially those belonging to the genus Fusarium. This situation threatens yield and grain quality through root and crown rot. While conventional chemical fungicides face resistance issues and environmental concerns, biological alternatives like seed priming with natural metabolites are gaining attention. Polyamines, including putrescine, spermidine, and spermine, are attractive priming agents influencing plant development and abiotic stress responses. Spermine in particular shows potential for in vitro antifungal activity against Fusarium. Optimising spermine concentration for seed priming is crucial to maximising protection against Fusarium infection while ensuring robust plant growth. In this research, we explored the potential of the polyamine spermine as a seed treatment to enhance wheat resilience, aiming to identify a sustainable alternative to synthetic fungicides. Our findings revealed that a six-hour seed soak in spermine solutions ranging from 0.5 to 5 mM did not delay germination or seedling growth. In fact, the 5 mM concentration significantly stimulated root weight and length. In complementary in vitro assays, we evaluated the antifungal activity of spermine (0.5–5 mM) against three Fusarium species. The results demonstrated complete inhibition of Fusarium culmorum growth at 5 mM spermine. A less significant effect on Fusarium graminearum and little to no impact on Fusarium oxysporum were found. The performed analysis revealed that the spermine had a fungistatic effect against the pathogen, retarding the mycelium growth of F. culmorum inoculated on the seed surface. A pot experiment with Bulgarian soft wheat cv. Sadovo-1 was carried out to estimate the effect of seed priming with spermine against infection with isolates of pathogenic fungus F. culmorum on plant growth and disease severity. Our results demonstrated that spermine resulted in a reduced distribution of F. culmorum and improved plant performance, as evidenced by the higher fresh weight and height of plants pre-treated with spermine. This research describes the efficacy of spermine seed priming as a novel strategy for managing Fusarium root and crown rot in wheat. Full article

To address the issues of DC-side voltage fluctuation and three-phase current distortion in rectifier systems under pulsed load conditions, this paper proposes a control strategy that integrates Model Predictive Control (MPC) with a Luenberger observer for the Power Pulsation Buffer (PPB). The observer parameters are adaptively tuned using a gradient descent method. First, the pulsed current generated by the load is decomposed into dynamic and average components, and a mathematical model of the PPB is established. Considering the negative impact of DC voltage ripple and lumped disturbances such as parasitic parameters on model accuracy, a Luenberger observer is designed to estimate these disturbances. To overcome the dependence of traditional Luenberger observers on empirically tuned gains, an adaptive gradient descent algorithm based on gradient direction consistency is introduced for online gain adjustment. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed control strategy—combining the Luenberger observer with gradient descent and MPC—effectively reduces current tracking overshoot and improves tracking accuracy. Furthermore, it enables sustained decoupling of the PPB from the system, significantly mitigating DC-side voltage ripple and three-phase current distortion under pulsed load conditions, thereby validating the effectiveness of the proposed approach. Full article