Search Results (21,099)

Streptococcus iniae (S. iniae) is a globally significant aquatic pathogen responsible for severe economic losses in aquaculture. While the S. iniae infection often exhibits distinct seasonal patterns strongly correlated with water temperature, there is limited knowledge regarding the temperature-dependent immune evasion strategies of S. iniae. Our results demonstrated a striking temperature-dependent virulence phenotype, with significantly higher A. latus mortality rates observed at high temperature (HT, 33 °C) compared to low temperature (LT, 23 °C). Proteomic analysis revealed temperature-dependent upregulation of key virulence factors, including streptolysin S-related proteins (SagG, SagH), antioxidant-related proteins (SodA), and multiple capsular polysaccharide (cps) synthesis proteins (cpsD, cpsH, cpsL, cpsY). Flow cytometry analysis showed that HT infection significantly reduced the percentage of lymphocyte and myeloid cell populations in the head kidney leukocytes of A. latus, which was associated with elevated caspase-3/7 expression and increased apoptosis. In addition, HT infection significantly inhibited the release of reactive oxygen species (ROS) but not nitric oxide (NO) production. Using S. iniae cps-deficient mutant, Δcps, we demonstrated that the cps is essential for temperature-dependent phagocytosis resistance in S. iniae, as phagocytic activity against Δcps remained unchanged across temperatures, while NS-1 showed significantly reduced uptake at HT. These findings provide new insights into the immune evasion of S. iniae under thermal regulation, deepening our understanding of the thermal adaptation of aquatic bacterial pathogens. Full article

Carassius auratus exhibits significant physiological and behavioral alterations under the combined stress of temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) fluctuations, which are common challenges in aquaculture. In this investigation, we employed controlled thermal and DO gradients to characterize the multidimensional response profile of this species. The key findings revealed that thermal elevation profoundly influenced blood glucose and cortisol concentrations. Notably, exposure to hyperoxic conditions markedly attenuated stress responses relative to hypoxia at equivalent temperatures: cortisol levels were significantly suppressed (reductions of 60.11%, 118.06%, and 34.72%), while blood glucose levels exhibited concurrent increases (16.42%, 26.43%, and 26.34%). Distinctive behavioral patterns, including floating head behavior, surface swimming behavior, and rollover behavior, were identified as indicative behaviors of thermal–oxygen stress. Molecular analysis demonstrated the upregulated expression of stress-associated genes (HSP70, HSP90, HIF-1α, and Prdx3), which correlated temporally with elevated cortisol and glucose concentrations and the manifestation of stress behaviors. Furthermore, a muscle texture assessment indicated that increased DO availability mitigated the textural deterioration induced by heat stress. Collectively, this work establishes an authentic biomarker framework, providing crucial threshold parameters essential for the development of intelligent, real-time environmental monitoring and dynamic regulation systems to enhance climate-resilient aquaculture management. Full article

The low-cost Strapdown Inertial Navigation System (SINS)/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) is widely used in autonomous vehicles for positioning and navigation. Initial alignment is a critical stage for SINS operations, and the alignment time and accuracy directly affect the SINS navigation performance. To address the issue that low-cost SINS/GNSS cannot effectively achieve rapid and high-accuracy alignment in complex environments that contain noise and external interference, an adaptive multiple backtracking robust alignment method is proposed. The sliding window that constructs observation and reference vectors is established, which effectively avoids the accumulation of sensor errors during the full integration process. A new observation vector based on the magnitude matching is then constructed to effectively reduce the effect of outliers on the alignment process. An adaptive multiple backtracking method is designed in which the window size can be dynamically adjusted based on the innovation gradient; thus, the alignment time can be significantly shortened. Furthermore, the modified variational Bayesian Kalman filter (VBKF) that accurately adjusts the measurement noise covariance matrix is proposed, and the Expectation–Maximization (EM) algorithm is employed to refine the prior parameter of the predicted error covariance matrix. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method significantly reduces alignment time and improves alignment accuracy. Taking heading error as the critical evaluation indicator, the proposed method achieves rapid alignment within 120 s and maintains a stable error below 1.2° after 80 s, yielding an improvement of over 63% compared to the backtracking-based Kalman filter (BKF) method and over 57% compared to the fuzzy adaptive KF (FAKF) method. Full article

Background/Objectives: In recent years, the discharge of antibiotics into rivers and irrigation canals has increased. However, few studies have addressed the impact of these compounds on agricultural fields that use such water to meet crop demands. Methods: In this study, the transport of two types of gentamicin (pure gentamicin and gentamicin sulfate) was modeled at concentrations of 150 and 300 μL/L, respectively, in a soil with more than 60 years of agricultural use. Infiltration tests under constant head conditions and gentamicin transport experiments were conducted in acrylic columns measuring 14 cm in length and 12.7 cm in diameter. The scaling parameters for the Richards equation were obtained from experimental data, while those for the advection–dispersion equation were estimated using inverse methods through a nonlinear optimization algorithm. In addition, a fractal-based model for saturated hydraulic conductivity was employed. Results: It was found that the dispersivity of gentamicin sulfate is 3.1 times higher than that of pure gentamicin. Based on the estimated parameters, two simulation scenarios were conducted: continuous application of gentamicin and soil flushing after antibiotic discharge. The results show that the transport velocity of gentamicin sulfate in the soil may have short-term consequences for the emergence of resistant microorganisms due to the destination of wastewater containing antibiotic residues. Conclusions: Finally, further research is needed to evaluate the impact of antibiotics on soil physical properties, as well as their effects on irrigated crops, animals that consume such water, and the soil microbiota. Full article

Humanoid robots have attracted considerable attention for their anthropomorphic structure, extended workspace, and versatile capabilities. This paper presents a novel humanoid upper-body robotic system comprising a pair of 8-degree-of-freedom (DOF) arms, a 3-DOF head, and a 3-DOF torso—yielding a 22-DOF architecture inspired by human biomechanics and implemented via standardized hollow joint modules. To overcome the critical reliance of zeroing neural network (ZNN)-based trajectory tracking on the Jacobian matrix derivative, we propose an integration-enhanced matrix derivative observer (IEMDO) that incorporates nonlinear feedback and integral correction. The observer is theoretically proven to ensure asymptotic convergence and enables accurate, real-time estimation of matrix derivatives, addressing a fundamental limitation in conventional ZNN solvers. Workspace analysis reveals that the proposed design achieves an 87.7% larger total workspace and a remarkable 3.683-fold expansion in common workspace compared to conventional dual-arm baselines. Furthermore, the observer demonstrates high estimation accuracy for high-dimensional matrices and strong robustness to noise. When integrated into the ZNN controller, the IEMDO achieves high-precision trajectory tracking in both simulation and real-world experiments. The proposed framework provides a practical and theoretically grounded approach for redundant humanoid arm control. Full article

Shaken Baby Syndrome (SBS) is one of the primary causes of fatal head trauma in infants and young children, occurring in about 33 per 100,000 infants annually in the U.S., with mortality rates being between 15% and 38%. Survivors frequently endure long-term disabilities, such as cognitive deficits, visual impairments, and motor dysfunction. Diagnosing SBS remains difficult due to the lack of visible injuries and delayed symptom onset. Existing detection methods—such as neuroimaging, biomechanical modeling, and infant monitoring systems—cannot perform real-time detection and face ethical, technical, and accuracy limitations. This study proposes an inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based detection system enhanced with machine learning to identify aggressive shaking patterns. Findings indicate that wearable-based motion analysis is a promising method for recognizing high-risk shaking, offering a non-invasive, real-time solution that could minimize infant harm and support timely intervention. Full article

High-viscosity stratified strata, characterized by complex geotechnical properties such as strong cohesion, low permeability, and pronounced layered structures, exhibit significant lateral friction resistance and high-end resistance during steel sheet pile installation. These factors substantially increase construction difficulty and may even cause structural damage. This study addresses two critical mechanical challenges during vibratory pile driving in Fujian Province’s hydraulic engineering project: prolonged high-frequency driving durations, and severe U-shaped steel sheet pile head damage in high-viscosity stratified soils. Employing the Coupled Eulerian–Lagrangian (CEL) numerical method, a systematic investigation was conducted into the penetration resistance, stress distribution, and damage patterns during vibratory pile driving under varying conditions of cohesive soil layer thickness, predrilled hole spacing, and aperture dimensions. The correlation between pile stress and penetration depth was established, with the influence mechanisms of key factors on driving-induced damage in high-viscosity stratified strata under multi-factor coupling effects elucidated. Finally, the feasibility of predrilling techniques for resistance reduction was explored. This study applies the damage prediction model based on the CEL method to U-shaped sheet piles in high-viscosity stratified formations, solving the problem of mesh distortion in traditional finite element methods. The findings provide scientific guidance for steel sheet pile construction in high-viscosity stratified formations, offering significant implications for enhancing construction efficiency, ensuring operational safety, and reducing costs in such challenging geological conditions. Full article

Water scarcity and spatial variability in soil fertility are key constraints to stable grain production in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain. However, the interaction mechanisms between regulated deficit irrigation and soil fertility influencing yield formation and water-nitrogen use efficiency in winter wheat remain unclear. In this study, a two-year field experiment (2022–2024) was conducted to investigate the effects of two irrigation regimes—regulated deficit irrigation during the heading to grain filling stage (D) and full irrigation (W)—under four soil fertility levels: F1 (N: P: K = 201.84: 97.65: 199.05 kg ha⁻¹), F2 (278.52: 135: 275.4 kg ha⁻¹), F3 (348.15: 168.75: 344.25 kg ha⁻¹), and CK (no fertilization). The results show that aboveground dry matter accumulation, total nitrogen content, pre-anthesis dry matter and nitrogen translocation, and post-anthesis accumulation significantly increased with fertility level (p < 0.05). Regulated deficit irrigation promoted the contribution of post-anthesis dry matter to grain yield under the CK and F1 treatments, but suppressed it under the F2 and F3 treatments. However, it consistently enhanced the contribution of post-anthesis nitrogen to grain yield (p < 0.05) across all fertility levels. Higher fertility levels prolonged the grain filling duration by 18.04% but reduced the mean grain filling rate by 15.05%, whereas regulated deficit irrigation shortened the grain filling duration by 3.28% and increased the mean grain filling rate by 12.83% (p < 0.05). Grain yield significantly increased with improved fertility level (p < 0.05), reaching a maximum of 9361.98 kg·ha⁻¹ under the F3 treatment. Regulated deficit irrigation increased yield under the CK and F1 treatments but reduced it under the F2 and F3 treatments. Additionally, water use efficiency exhibited a parabolic response to fertility level and was significantly enhanced by regulated deficit irrigation. Nitrogen partial factor productivity (NPFP) declined with increasing fertility level (p < 0.05); Regulated deficit irrigation improved NPFP under the F1 treatment but reduced it under the F2 and F3 treatments. The highest NPFP (41.63 kg·kg⁻¹) was achieved under the DF1 treatment, which was 54.81% higher than that under the F3 treatment. TOPSIS analysis showed that regulated deficit irrigation combined with the F1 fertility level provided the optimal balance among yield, WUE, and NPFP. Therefore, implementing regulated deficit irrigation during the heading–grain filling stage under moderate fertility (F1) is recommended as the most effective strategy for achieving high yield and efficient resource utilization in winter wheat production in this region. Full article

Background/Objectives: Radial head arthroplasty is a commonly preferred treatment for complex, unreconstructable radial head fractures. Recent studies have raised the question of whether factors such as bone resorption may be related to failure. This observational, retrospective, multicenter, spontaneous, and non-profit study aims to assess radiological outcomes, focusing on bone resorption around the stem, for radial head replacement using a modular, cementless radial head prosthesis with interconnected porosity. Methods: A series of 42 cases was available for review. Patients underwent radial head arthroplasty using a three-dimensional-printed radial head prosthesis. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they had undergone at least one follow-up between 6 and 15 months post-operatively. A scoring system to detect bone resorption was developed and administered by two independent evaluators. Results: Forty-two patients (14 males, 28 females), with an average age of 59 ± 11 years (range: 39–80 years), were analyzed with a minimum of six months’ and a maximum of 32 months’ follow-up. At follow-up, 50 radiological evaluations were collected, with 29 showing ≤3 mm and 12 showing 3–6 mm resorption around the stem. The average resorption was 3.5 mm ± 2.3. No correlation was found between the extent of resorption and the time of follow-up. The developed scoring system allowed for a high level of correlation between the evaluators’ measurements of bone resorption. Conclusions: Radial head prosthesis with interconnected porosity provided a low stem resorption rate for patients after a radial head fracture at short-to-mid-term follow-up after the definition of a reliable and easy-to-use radiological-based classification approach. (Level of Evidence: Level IV). Full article

Background and Objectives: Extramedullary plasmacytoma (EMP) is a rare monoclonal B-cell neoplasm that typically affects the head and neck region, with a predilection for the sinonasal tract. Clinical presentation is often nonspecific, leading to delayed diagnosis. This study aims to improve our understanding of sinonasal EMP by reviewing the recent literature and presenting a case series from our clinical experience. Materials and Methods: A systematic review of published cases of sinonasal EMP from 2000 to 2023 was conducted using the PubMed database, yielding 28 eligible cases. Additionally, we retrospectively analyzed three patients diagnosed and treated at our institutions. Inclusion criteria included histologically and immunohistochemically confirmed EMP without evidence of systemic multiple myeloma. Data on demographics, tumor location, symptoms, treatment, and outcomes were collected and analyzed descriptively. Results: Sinonasal EMP most commonly presented with unilateral nasal obstruction and epistaxis. Tumors were primarily located in the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses, often extending beyond a single anatomical site. In the literature cohort, the most frequent treatment was combined surgery and radiotherapy (35.71%), followed by radiotherapy alone (17.86%). Recurrence was reported in 10.71% of cases, and 7.14% of patients died due to disease progression. All three patients in our case series underwent surgical excision; two received postoperative radiotherapy. No recurrences or progression to multiple myeloma were observed during follow-up (12–24 months). Conclusions: Sinonasal EMP is a rare but radiosensitive tumor with a favorable prognosis when treated with surgery and/or radiotherapy. Early diagnosis, histopathological confirmation, and exclusion of systemic disease are essential. Multidisciplinary management and long-term follow-up are critical due to the risk of recurrence and transformation into multiple myeloma. Full article

Museums may acquire archaeological artefacts discovered by non-specialists or amateur archaeologists, holding the potential to promote the safeguarding of cultural heritage by integrating the local community in their activities. However, this also creates an opportunity for the fraudulent sale of modern forgeries presented as archaeological artefacts, resulting in the need for a critical assessment of the artefact’s authenticity prior to acquisition by the museum. In 2019, the regional museum in Cáceres (Spain) was offered the opportunity to acquire a Phoenician-Punic head pendant, allegedly discovered in the vicinity of the city. The artefact’s authenticity was assessed by traditional approaches, including typological analysis and analysis of manufacture technique, which raised doubts about its purported age. VP-SEM-EDS analysis of the chemical composition of the different glass portions comprising the pendant was used for non-invasive determination of glassmaking recipes, enabling the identification of glass components incompatible with known Iron Age glassmaking recipes from the Mediterranean. Further comparison with historical and modern glassmaking recipes allowed for the identification of the artefact as a recent forgery made from glasses employing modern colouring and opacifying techniques. Full article

Head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) represent a heterogeneous group of tumors with a complex molecular profile. Despite therapeutic advances, patient prognosis remains poor, emphasizing the need for more effective treatment strategies. Traditional chemotherapy, with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), remains the gold standard but is limited by toxicity and tumor resistance. Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitors targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand (PD-L1), has improved overall survival, especially in patients with high PD-L1 expression. In parallel, targeted therapies such as poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase 1 (PARP1) inhibitors—which impair DNA repair and increase replication stress—have shown promising activity in HNSCC. Cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) inhibitors are also under investigation due to their potential to correct dysregulated cell cycle control, a hallmark of HNSCC. This review aims to summarize current and emerging pharmacotherapies for HNSCC, focusing on chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and PARP and CDK inhibitors. It also discusses the evolving role of targeted therapies in improving clinical outcomes. Future research directions include combination therapies, nanotechnology-based delivery systems to enhance treatment specificity, and the development of diagnostic tools such as PARP1-targeted imaging to better guide personalized treatment approaches. Full article

Addressing the technical demands for the rapid, precise detection of earthquake-triggered landslides in loess tablelands, this study proposes and validates an innovative methodology integrating enhanced deep learning architectures with large-tile processing strategies, featuring two core advances: (1) a critical enhancement of YOLOv8’s shallow layers via a higher-resolution P2 detection head to boost small-target capture capabilities, and (2) the development of a large-tile segmentation–tile mosaicking workflow to overcome the technical bottlenecks in large-scale high-resolution image processing, ensuring both timeliness and accuracy in loess landslide detection. This study utilized 20 km² of high-precision UAV imagery acquired after the 2023 Gansu Jishishan Ms 6.2 earthquake as foundational data, applying our methodology to achieve the rapid detection and precise segmentation of landslides in the study area. Validation was conducted through a comparative analysis of high-accuracy 3D models and field investigations. (1) The model achieved simultaneous convergence of all four loss functions within a 500-epoch progressive training strategy, with mAP50(M) = 0.747 and mAP50-95(M) = 0.46, thus validating the superior detection and segmentation capabilities for the Jishishan earthquake-triggered loess landslides. (2) The enhanced algorithm detected 417 landslides with 94.1% recognition accuracy. Landslide areas ranged from 7 × 10⁻⁴ km² to 0.217 km² (aggregate area: 1.3 km²), indicating small-scale landslide dominance. (3) Morphological characterization and the spatial distribution analysis revealed near-vertical scarps, diverse morphological configurations, and high spatial density clustering in loess tableland landslides. Full article

Background/Objectives: Oral cancer resection often leads to maxillofacial defects and dentition loss, compromising patients’ quality of life. Implant-supported prosthetic rehabilitation offers a reliable solution to restore function, though factors such as bone reconstruction, radiotherapy, and timing of implant placement (immediate vs. delayed) may influence outcomes. This study aimed to evaluate long-term implant survival and rehabilitation timelines in oncologic patients, comparing two cohorts (2005–2014 and 2015–2024) to assess the impact of evolving clinical practices. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted at Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón (Madrid, Spain), including 304 patients who underwent ablative oral cancer surgery and subsequent implant-based rehabilitation between 2005 and 2024. Data on demographics, oncologic treatment, reconstruction, implant timing, and prosthetic rehabilitation were collected. Outcomes were compared using Kaplan–Meier analysis and appropriate statistical tests between the 2005–2014 (n = 122) and 2015–2024 (n = 182) cohorts. Results: A total of 2341 Ticare Implants^® were placed, supporting 281 prostheses. Implant placement during primary surgery increased from 41% to 71% (p < 0.001). The median time from surgery to prosthesis significantly decreased from 24 to 15 months (p < 0.001). Five-year implant survival was 95% in the early cohort versus 97% in the later cohort. Implant survival was comparable between irradiated and non-irradiated patients (~94–96%). Fixed prostheses became more frequent (92% vs. 79%, p = 0.002). Conclusions: Implant-supported rehabilitation in oncologic patients is highly feasible and durable, with improved timelines and functional outcomes associated with early implant placement and modern digital planning strategies. Full article

This study investigates the relationship between the compressive strength of two-course masonry specimens and three-course masonry specimens extracted from previously constructed walls, to correlate the execution control specimens with the retest specimens. Compressive strength tests were performed on clay masonry units, laboratory-built two-course masonry specimens, and three-course masonry specimens extracted from constructed walls, following the prescriptions of NBR 15270 and NBR 16868-3. The results demonstrate that three-course masonry specimens exhibit lower compressive strength (characteristic and average, 44.83% and 40.29%, respectively) compared to two-course masonry specimens. Additionally, it was found that the dispersion of results is greater in three-course masonry specimens. Given that three-course specimens are typically used when it becomes necessary to verify the structural compliance of executed masonry—usually following unsatisfactory results from execution control using two-course specimens—more data are needed to compare such results. Factors such as increased height-to-thickness ratio, the presence of head joints, and the influence of execution conditions at the construction site seem to influence the difference between two and three-course specimens, as well as the dispersion of the results. Therefore, it is essential that technical standards provide supporting criteria to enable a reliable comparison between two-course specimens used for execution control and three-course specimens used as retest elements. Full article