Search Results (3,929)

While multilane roundabouts follow geometric design standards, they often overlook motorcycle-dominated traffic behavior. This study evaluates lane-reduction strategies to create safer and more inclusive urban corridors in mixed-traffic conditions, focusing on a case study in Southern Thailand. High-resolution unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) trajectory data were analyzed using the Macroscopic Fundamental Diagram (MFD), Cell Transmission Model (CTM), and Time-To-Collision (TTC) frameworks under three configurations: full lane availability, partial inner-lane closure, and full inner-lane closure. Results indicate progressive deterioration in performance under restricted-lane conditions. Under full closure, total flow decreased by 31%, and average travel time increased by 43%. The MFD curve shifted toward higher critical densities, indicating earlier congestion onset, while CTM results revealed longer discharge times, queue spillback, and increased merging friction. Conversely, safety outcomes (TTC) improved significantly: extreme rear-end conflicts were reduced by 48%, and severe lane-change conflicts were nearly eliminated (99%). Behavioral evidence suggests that full closure constrains motorcycles to a single circulating path, reducing erratic filtering and promoting more stable interactions. Overall, this study identifies a systemic trade-off between safety and efficiency, highlighting how geometric interventions catalyze behavioral adaptation. The findings highlight how geometric constraints shape collective behavior in motorcycle-dominated roundabouts and demonstrate the value of an integrated UAV-based framework as a vital tool for inclusive urban management, providing the granular data needed to balance safety and mobility in complex traffic landscapes. Full article

The representation of the sexuality of people with disabilities in contemporary media is often characterized by stereotypes, omissions, and heteronormative narratives that deny the complexity and richness of their emotional experiences. This essay explores the potential of photovoice-based methodology as a tool of visual empowerment to foster processes of authentic and self-aware self-representation through the immersive dynamic that this methodology can activate. Through an interdisciplinary theoretical approach that combines special pedagogy with recent research on digital media and immersive technologies, the study seeks to understand whether virtual spaces can be configured as protected environments in which people with disabilities have the opportunity to explore and communicate their sexual identity. Photovoice thus becomes a tool of narrative resistance that overcomes barriers and counters mediatized representations, often conveyed through dynamics of ableist cyberbullying and online discrimination. The contribution highlights how the combination of participatory visual storytelling and immersive environments can generate new forms of inclusive media literacy, promoting a Visual Education that recognizes and values the diversity of human experiences. Particular attention is devoted to the educational potential of these tools in the training of educators and social workers, as well as in raising awareness within the broader community. The paper proposes a theoretical and methodological framework for the implementation of visual self-representation projects capable of transforming social perceptions of disability and promoting a culture of authentic and respectful inclusion. Full article

Spatial inhomogeneities are essential for biological membrane function. They could trigger structural transformations in membranes as well as changes in their global behaviours, and influence intercell communications. This study investigates how curvature-enforcing inclusions and in-plane orientational order generate such patterns. We focus on membranes exhibiting spherical topology, consisting of primary (lipids) and secondary (inclusions) constituents. Using Monte Carlo simulations, we show that, for a high enough concentration of inclusions, a budding instability appears below a critical temperature. The complexity of patterns is further increased if membranes exhibit in-plane order. According to the Gauss–Bonnet and Poincare–Hopf theorems in membranes of non-toroidal topology, topological defects are inevitably formed which introduce centres exhibiting strongly local elastic distortions. Regions exhibiting a large enough local curvature could trigger additional pairs of defects. Furthermore, condensed in-plane order could generate a Flory–Huggins-type contribution, promoting the assembly of membrane inclusions. Finally, memory effects are expected to play an important role. Full article

Steel surface quality critically determines the service safety and structural reliability of industrial products. Defects such as cracks, inclusions, patches, pitting, rolled-in scale, and scratches severely compromise product safety, making accurate and efficient detection a key step in quality control. However, the native A2C2f module in YOLOv13 exhibits insufficient multi-scale feature extraction for tiny defects and weak robustness under complex industrial backgrounds, hindering the detection of these six defect types. To address these gaps, we propose a multi-scale denoising enhanced module, A2C2f-MSDE, which constructs a multi-scale multi-kernel fusion branch (MSKF) with learnable adaptive weights, integrates a lightweight SEL channel attention and a DE denoising module, and employs a dual learnable residual scaling structure, while preserving the original multi-scale fusion architecture. We embed A2C2f-MSDE into the YOLOv13 backbone, perform ablation studies to verify each component’s contribution, compare it with mainstream advanced detectors on the public NEU-DET dataset, and conduct generalization tests on the GC10-DET dataset. Experiments on NEU-DET show that the improved YOLOv13n achieves mAP50-95 of 0.454 (9.4% relative gain over baseline, absolute gain 0.039), with mAP50 and mAP75 reaching 0.774 and 0.466, at an inference speed of 555 FPS, respectively, outperforming the compared mainstream models. On GC10-DET, mAP50 reaches 0.704, comparable to the baseline, maintaining stable overall detection capability, while mAP75 and mAP50-95 improve by 0.033 and 0.019, verifying the module’s performance advantages under high localization accuracy requirements and its cross-dataset generalization ability. The proposed module effectively balances detection accuracy and lightweight characteristics, providing a high-performance solution for industrial steel defect detection. Full article

The growing scale and duration of global displacement driven by complex humanitarian crises pose significant challenges for humanitarian shelter and settlement planning. Refugees and displaced persons often live long-term in settlements and collective accommodation initially intended as temporary, which are frequently characterised by overcrowding, limited privacy, inadequate infrastructure, and uncertain living conditions, heightening psychological distress. Despite the recognition of mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) in humanitarian response, the role of the built environment and its impact on MHPSS remains underexplored. This study utilises a systematic-informed review of academic and grey literature to examine how healing architecture can support humanitarian settlement planning, with a focus on the wellbeing of displaced communities. Literature was identified through searches in Web of Science and Google Scholar, alongside selected publications from United Nations agencies and non-governmental organisations, resulting in a total of 34 documents included in the analysis. The paper addresses three research questions: What mental health challenges are most common among displaced populations? What healing architecture strategies are most relevant, and how do they influence mental health? How and under what conditions can healing architecture strategies contribute to humanitarian settlement planning to support wellbeing? Studies were identified through database and repository searches, appraised for quality, and synthesised using thematic analysis. Findings highlight key design strategies, including access to private and communal spaces, connection to nature, and culturally responsive layouts. Although the analysis identified contextual and methodological limitations in humanitarian settlement planning, integrating healing architecture offers practical pathways to enhance wellbeing through participatory and inclusive design. Full article

In the domain of river engineering, estimating the total sediment load in rivers is a crucial challenge. For tens to hundreds of kilometers downstream, the additional sand and gravel in the sediment can raise the elevation of channel beds. For highly braided rivers like the Brahmaputra-Jamuna, the accurate prediction of the total sediment load depends on the complex relationships among different hydro-meteorological variables. As a result, manual selection of the lagged features from only antecedent sediment records can produce suboptimal predictions, which can be considered a significant research gap. In addition, the predictive accuracy can be further enhanced through the application of advanced decomposition techniques. To address these deficiencies, we implemented three sophisticated feature selection methodologies: SelectKBest, Mutual Information, and Random Forest utilizing the Boruta Algorithm as an alternative to manual feature selection. Furthermore, we investigated complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise (CEEMDAN), variational mode decomposition (VMD), and the Hodrick–Prescott Filter (HPF) to improve data mining efficiency. Four distinct artificial neural network (ANN) training algorithms were considered: back propagation (BP), cascade correlation (CC), conjugate gradient (CG), and Levenberg–Marquardt (LM), as alternatives to the conventional BP-based training approach. The effectiveness of the variants of the ANN was assessed in comparison to a powerful ensemble learning model, specifically the decision tree (DT). Results indicate that the HPF-enhanced ANN-LM model exhibited the strongest performance metrics when compared to alternative techniques, with values of NRMSE = 0.004, MAE = 455.242 kg/s, NSE = 0.998, and KGE = 0.990. The outcomes from Sobol’s sensitivity analysis suggest that the sediment dynamics in this region can be better predicted through the inclusion of rainfall-based features. Full article

Lymphoplasmacytic gastritis (LPG) is one of the most prevalent chronic diseases affecting cheetahs (Acinonyx jubatus) under human care, yet its underlying cause remains unresolved. Gastric inflammation occurs in the majority of adult captive cheetahs but is uncommon in free-ranging populations, suggesting that management-related factors contribute to disease pathogenesis. This review proposes that LPG represents a bile acid-driven gastroenteropathy arising from disruption of the natural feeding ecology of the cheetah. In free-ranging systems, cheetahs consume large episodic meals separated by prolonged fasting intervals and ingest whole-prey containing substantial connective tissue and collagen. In captivity, feeding patterns are typically characterized by smaller, more frequent meals and diets dominated by lean skeletal muscle with reduced structural complexity. I hypothesize that this mismatch alters gastric emptying kinetics, disrupts coordinated pancreatic and biliary secretion, and destabilizes fat digestion. Inefficient lipolysis may impair micelle formation and promote bile acid mislocalization within the gastrointestinal tract, increasing mucosal exposure to hydrophobic bile acids capable of inducing chemical epithelial injury. Within this framework, lymphoplasmacytic gastritis is interpreted as a secondary inflammatory reaction to chronic bile acid-mediated mucosal stress rather than a primary immune-mediated disorder. The model also provides a mechanistic explanation for the frequent coexistence of gastritis with fat and protein maldigestion in captive cheetahs. Differential responses to antimicrobial therapy, glucocorticoids, sulfasalazine, pancreatic enzyme supplementation, and bile acid-modifying agents are broadly consistent with this proposed mechanism. Recognition of LPG as a physiologically driven gastroenteropathy has important implications for management, emphasizing restoration of feast–fast feeding patterns, inclusion of collagen-rich carcass components, and targeted modulation of bile acid composition and signaling. Full article

Background/Objectives: Spectral resolution is strongly associated with speech perception for adult cochlear implant users, but the developmental trajectory of spectral resolution in childhood is more complex and far less understood. Music-based training presents a unique opportunity to address this gap, as musical stimuli feature spectral complexity and fine frequency cues which map to spectral resolution. This study explored if a 12-week music-based intervention could support better spectral resolution in children with cochlear implants. Methods: Twelve children with cochlear implants participated in this longitudinal, repeated-measures study. The music training intervention consisted of group-based in-person music therapy and a take-home music app. Participants (six boys, six girls; M age = 7.3 years) were pseudo-randomized into an immediate training group (n = 4) or delayed-start waitlisted group (n = 8). Inclusion criteria required bilateral moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss, prelingual device fitting, and consistent bilateral device use. Eight children had bilateral CIs and four were bimodal listeners. Results: Spectral resolution perception was significantly enhanced after participating in the music intervention with a mean increase of 2 rpo, F(3, 10.7) = 3.859, p = 0.017. Previous engagement with music and age were not associated with spectral resolution. Conclusions: Despite the known limitations of CIs on spectral resolution, the results of this study indicate that music training can improve spectral resolution perception in children using CIs. Full article

Universal Accessibility in Astronomy requires a paradigm shift from visual-centric communication to multisensory data interaction. Because astronomy communication relies inherently on high-resolution imagery and visual metaphors, it creates significant accessibility barriers for blind and low-vision (BLV) audiences. To address this, multimodal encoding offers a feasible and meaningful solution by redistributing information across alternative sensory channels, ensuring that the absence of sight does not preclude the comprehension of spatial data. This article explores the development and evaluation of a low-cost, multimodal tool designed to represent complex astronomical concepts—specifically stellar magnitude and color—through tactile and auditory stimuli. Unlike traditional methods, our approach focuses on the haptic-cognitive link, allowing users to “feel” data through physical relief models. We present a structured impact study involving a heterogeneous group of blind, low-vision, and sighted participants. The methodology followed a mixed-methods approach, including a participatory workshop with 20 individuals and a detailed usability assessment with a core group (n= 6) of blind and low-vision participants. Preliminary results from this pilot phase demonstrate that multimodal integration effectively reduces the perceived mental effort for complex spatial data comprehension. Quantitative and qualitative feedback suggests that tactile-auditory sensory substitution not only improves accessibility but also enhances engagement and information retention across all user groups. These findings highlight the potential of multimodal models in transforming public scientific environments, such as museums and observatories, into inclusive, interactive spaces. Full article

Background/Objectives: Modern restorative dentistry increasingly focuses on achieving optimal aesthetic integration while simplifying clinical procedures. Single-shade resin composites were introduced to reduce the complexity of conventional multi-shade layering techniques through enhanced color adjustment potential and structural color technology. However, concerns remain regarding their long-term color stability. The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the color stability and aesthetic performance of single-shade resin composites compared with conventional multi-shade systems under different staining and aging conditions. Methods: This systematic review was conducted according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines and registered in the Open Science Framework. A systematic search was performed in PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library up to 31 October 2025. Studies evaluating color stability using the CIEDE2000 (ΔE₀₀) formula after staining and aging procedures were included. Risk of bias was assessed using the RoBDEMAT tool. Results: The search identified 169 records, of which 11 in vitro studies met the inclusion criteria. Across the included studies, discoloration increased progressively over time, and chromogenic agents frequently induced ΔE₀₀ values exceeding clinical acceptability thresholds. Turmeric and red wine demonstrated the highest staining potential, whereas distilled water and artificial saliva showed minimal color variation. Single-shade composites generally exhibited greater susceptibility to discoloration than multi-shade systems, although variability among materials was observed depending on composition and experimental conditions. Conclusions: Single-shade resin composites simplify restorative procedures and provide initial aesthetic integration; however, they appear more susceptible to clinically relevant discoloration under experimental conditions. Further clinical and in vitro investigations are required to confirm these findings. Full article

Background: Maritime operations increasingly rely on integrated, secure, and resilient architectures, yet the associated body of knowledge remains fragmented across conceptual, operational, logical, methodological, and governance-oriented perspectives. Objective: Our aim is to systematically review the literature on maritime integrated systems architecture in order to identify dominant themes, methodological tendencies, enabling technologies, and unresolved research gaps. Eligibility criteria: Peer-reviewed studies published in English were included when they addressed integrated systems architecture, or closely related architectural approaches, in maritime or naval contexts. Studies centred exclusively on isolated components, non-maritime settings without clear architectural transferability, or insufficient technical or methodological detail were excluded. Information sources: ACM Digital Library, IEEE Xplore, SpringerLink, ScienceDirect, MDPI, and IMarEST. Searches were carried out between January and March 2025, with the final search update for all sources completed in March 2025. Methods: The review was conducted and reported in accordance with PRISMA 2020. Three reviewers independently screened titles, abstracts, and full texts. Two reviewers independently extracted data, assessed methodological limitations and risk of bias using a review-specific qualitative appraisal framework, and evaluated the risk of bias due to missing results at the synthesis level. Disagreements were resolved through discussion and consensus, with third-reviewer arbitration when necessary. The synthesis combined qualitative thematic analysis across eleven predefined analytical categories with descriptive bibliometric and thematic mapping procedures. Results: Of 300 identified records, 60 studies met the inclusion criteria. Across non-mutually exclusive analytical categories, the literature was concentrated in Integrated Systems Architecture (52 studies), Development Processes (42), and Conceptual Models (37), whereas Zachman-based Methodology (4) and Maturity Models (3) were only marginally represented. Three recurrent patterns were observed across the corpus: the central role of cybersecurity and risk governance in architectural design; the growing importance of information technology and operational technology convergence for resilient monitoring, coordination, and decision support; and the increasing use of model-based and model-driven approaches to address architectural complexity. Overall confidence in the principal synthesized findings was judged to be moderate. Limitations: The review was limited to six databases and English-language publications, and the included studies varied in reporting depth, methodological transparency, and degree of empirical validation. Conclusions: The review organizes the field into a multilevel taxonomy spanning conceptual and operational models, logical and layered views, development processes, reference architectures, enabling technologies, and maturity-related perspectives. Taken together, the findings suggest that research in this area has progressed more clearly in architectural representation and integration than in long-term evaluation, particularly with regard to the practical operationalization of Zachman-based approaches and the development of maritime-specific maturity assessment frameworks. Funding: This review received no external funding. Registration: The review was not prospectively registered, and no publicly accessible protocol was prepared. Full article

The fundamental purpose of education—preparing new generations to be contributing members of society—remains constant, yet achieving this has become increasingly complex amid multifaceted technological, cultural, economic, and social transformations. Educational leaders worldwide continuously seek innovative pedagogical models addressing diverse learner needs and rapid societal changes. However, this article challenges the assumption that educational quality requires constant novelty, arguing that solutions lie in the innovative integration of established pedagogical theories developed over the past 150 years by scholars such as Dewey, Vygotsky, Piaget, Feuerstein, Gardner, Freire, and others. The article’s primary objective is to encourage education leaders and teacher educators to reconceptualize innovation by prioritizing pedagogical integration over continuous adaptation to rapidly expanding domain-specific knowledge and emerging technologies. Accordingly, this article employs a conceptual synthesis of major pedagogical approaches to equip educators with theoretical foundations and practical tools to foster learner independence, critical thinking, and holistic development across cognitive, emotional, and social domains. It will also promote inclusion through a practical framework integrating pedagogical theories, addressing diversity from a dual perspective, recognizing that both teachers and learners bring unique characteristics, strengths, and needs. Moreover, developing independent learners requires empowering teachers to cultivate unique professional methodologies grounded in integrated pedagogical understanding, so that a shift from innovation-centered to integration-centered teacher education may serve as a sustainable path toward educational quality and academic excellence. Full article

Background/Objectives: Burning Mouth Syndrome (BMS) is a chronic condition characterized by recurrent oral burning in the absence of visible mucosal lesions. Although its etiology is multifactorial and not fully understood, recent evidence suggests that alterations in masticatory function and occlusal patterns may contribute to symptom development and persistence. The aim of this review is to explore the association between BMS and alterations in masticatory and occlusal function and perception. Methods: A scoping review was conducted using PubMed, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus databases. The search covered studies published between January 1988 and February 2026. Inclusion criteria included studies in English addressing the relationship between BMS and masticatory or occlusal function and perception. Search strategy included both primary and review studies, and excluded congress abstracts and proceedings, commentaries, letters, theses/dissertations, editorials, animal and preclinical studies. Results: Thirteen studies met the inclusion criteria and were grouped into three categories: occlusal perception and sensory alterations (n = 4), dysfunctional oral habits (n = 6), and prosthetic factors (n = 3). Findings, presented descriptively, suggest that BMS patients may exhibit altered occlusal and sensory perception, increased sensitivity to mechanical or thermal stimuli, and possible central pain dysregulation. Dysfunctional or parafunctional habits may also be associated with symptom persistence. Additionally, prosthetic factors were reported in some studies to be linked with oral discomfort, with symptom improvement following corrective interventions in selected cases. Conclusions: BMS appears to be a complex and multifactorial condition. Altered sensory perception, parafunctional habits, and prosthetic factors may contribute to symptom expression. However, the available evidence is heterogeneous and limited; therefore, further well-designed longitudinal and interventional studies are needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn. Full article

Background/Objectives: Biosimilars are medicinal products derived from reference biologics and designed to demonstrate a high degree of similarity in quality, efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity. Machine learning (ML) and other artificial intelligence (AI) methodologies have emerged as important tools in this field in biosimilar research and development. This systematic review identifies ML applications throughout the biosimilar lifecycle while distinguishing them from the broader AI literature and from health technology evaluation, economic, and decision-analytic studies. Methods: Following PRISMA, records were retrieved from Scopus, PubMed, and Web of Science. After applying predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria, 44 original peer-reviewed studies were selected. Only studies that implemented a data-driven ML method for a biosimilar-relevant problem were included. Results: The review mapped AI applications at different stages of biosimilar development and characterized emerging trends and the types of methods used at each stage. Evidence indicates that the most mature empirical ML applications are concentrated in manufacturing optimization and analytical comparability, where supervised learning, ensemble models, and neural networks support process control, glycan or spectral analysis, and similarity assessment. By contrast, biosimilar-specific ML applications in clinical prediction and pharmacovigilance remain comparatively limited. Conclusions: These advances support the mission of biosimilars to provide affordable and high-quality biologic therapies. Using ML, developers can reduce timelines, reduce costs, and strengthen safety and efficacy assessments through the analysis of complex datasets that are difficult to address with traditional approaches. The main contribution of this review is to provide a clearer map of methodological maturity, translational relevance, and future opportunities for data-driven biosimilar development. Full article

Local community populations (“survivors”) exposed to the World Trade Center (WTC) disaster experienced complex exposures to mixtures of dust and combustion products with potential carcinogenic effects. Survivors with certifiable WTC-related conditions are eligible for inclusion in the federally funded WTC Health Program. We provide an updated description of cancers in the WTC Environmental Health Center (EHC), a program for WTC survivors, through 31 December 2024. Using data from the WTC EHC Pan Cancer Database, we summarized demographics, exposure history, and tumor characteristics among enrollees with pathologically confirmed primary cancers meeting WTC Health Program certification criteria. Among 17,449 members, 7274 had a certifiable cancer diagnosis; excluding non-melanoma skin cancers, 6588 patients with 7643 eligible cancers were analyzed. Women comprised 50.3% of the cohort and 47.5% of diagnoses. Solid tumors accounted for 87% of certifications, with breast (22%) and prostate (19%) cancers most frequent, followed by lung (8%), thyroid (6%), colorectal (6%), and melanoma (4.5%). Lymphoproliferative and hematopoietic malignancies represented 13% of cases. Fourteen percent developed multiple primary cancers, and median latency clustered around 14–16 years. Compared with our previous report in 2020, the enrolled number of cancers increased 2.5-fold. These findings support the need for sustained surveillance and additional epidemiologic studies to improve cancer prevention and survivorship in this uniquely exposed population. Full article