Search Results (1,076)

Coastal geomorphology is a key component of nearshore representation on nautical charts. However, its cartographic generalization remains constrained by incomplete knowledge-system modeling, limited task-oriented guidance, and insufficient quantitative descriptions of generalization quality. To address these limitations, this study proposes a knowledge-graph-based approach for cartographic generalization of coastal geomorphology in nautical charts. A three-layer graph framework, consisting of a concept layer, an entity layer, and a rule layer, was constructed around shorelines, coastline categories, and generalization rules. Textual knowledge extraction and spatial-feature extraction were then conducted using cartographic specifications, historical chart samples, and expert-experience documents to support the unified organization and population of multi-source knowledge. A reasoning mechanism integrating spatial constraints and semantic associations was further developed to generate quantitative reference indicators and evaluate shoreline generalization quality. The results show that the proposed knowledge graph can organize domain knowledge in a structured and traceable form, identify rule-compliance differences among different shoreline generalization results, and provide descriptive reference benchmarks for quality evaluation. The method offers a knowledge-driven basis for improving the objectivity and explainability of coastal geomorphology generalization in nautical-chart production. Full article

Background: Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocols aim to reduce surgical stress and optimize postoperative recovery, yet anesthesiologists’ knowledge of these protocols remains incompletely characterized. Methods: This cross-sectional survey (May–August 2025) evaluated knowledge of general and surgery-specific ERAS protocols among anesthesiology specialists, faculty, and residents in Turkey using a 37-item questionnaire based on current ERAS Society guidelines; the primary outcome was the continuous knowledge score, with Bloom’s cutoffs applied descriptively. Results: Among 380 participants (72.4% specialists/faculty, 27.6% residents), the mean standardized score was 68.5 ± 10.3; 47.6% (95% CI 42.7–52.7%) and 28.2% (95% CI 23.9–32.9%) had moderate and high knowledge, respectively. Professional title was independently associated with knowledge: scores were higher among specialists and faculty than residents (β = 5.92 and 6.79), and residents were less likely than specialists (OR 0.423) or faculty (OR 0.344) to fall in a higher knowledge category. Preoperative knowledge was lower than intraoperative/postoperative scores. Module-specific scores, interpreted descriptively because modules differ in item difficulty and subspecialty exposure, were highest in bariatric (74.6%) and lowest in colorectal surgery (49.8%). Conclusions: Anesthesiologists demonstrated predominantly moderate theoretical ERAS knowledge, with gaps in preoperative optimization and specific modules, indicating that curricula and continuing education may benefit from greater emphasis on these areas. Full article

NHLRC2-associated FINCA disease is an ultra-rare autosomal recessive multisystem disorder caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in NHLRC2. Its mutational spectrum and genotype–phenotype correlations remain incompletely defined, and the contribution of non-coding variants is poorly understood. Here, we report a male infant with a severe FINCA-like phenotype, including early-onset hemolytic anemia, pulmonary involvement, neurodevelopmental impairment, growth failure, recurrent infections, and fatal progression at 8.5 months. Whole-genome sequencing identified a compound heterozygous NHLRC2 genotype comprising the previously reported pathogenic missense variant c.442G>T (p.Asp148Tyr) and a novel deep intronic variant, c.331+6863A>G. Segregation analysis confirmed inheritance from different parents. Integrated genomic and splicing analysis predicted that c.331+6863A>G creates a strong cryptic donor splice site and supports pseudoexon inclusion. Reconstruction of the predicted aberrant transcript indicated premature termination and potential susceptibility to nonsense-mediated mRNA decay. To our knowledge, this is the first reported deep intronic NHLRC2 variant predicted to activate pseudoexon inclusion. Although experimental validation was unavailable, convergent clinical, segregation, population, and computational evidence supports c.331+6863A>G as the most plausible second disease-associated allele. This case expands the genomic spectrum of NHLRC2-associated FINCA disease and highlights the diagnostic value of phenotype-driven whole-genome sequencing. Full article

Gender bias in generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) is both a technical and a social phenomenon: it emerges from historically patterned data, model design, and interactions in institutional use, and it cannot be understood by engineering or by social critique alone. This critical integrative review develops a more differentiated account. It connects feminist epistemology, Science and Technology Studies, critical AI scholarship, natural language processing, and governance research to examine five levels: historical knowledge production, technical representation and generation, benchmark evaluation, institutional deployment, and accountability. The review explains tokenization, next-token prediction, transformers, and the transition from static embeddings to contemporary language models before assessing evidence from standard fairness tests—coreference tests (WinoBias), sentence-pair tests (CrowS-Pairs), and stereotype tests (StereoSet)—as well as open-ended generation, multilingual testing, and text-to-image systems. It shows that measured bias varies with task, prompt, language, model version, and metric. What a test records and what that record means are therefore distinct questions: measurements are situated and depend on the instrument, and their interpretation draws on theory rather than following from the numbers alone. Evidence from employment, education, healthcare, and translation further indicates that the relevant unit of analysis is the model-in-context—the model together with the institution and workflow in which its outputs are used. Technical mitigation can reduce specific harms but does not repair unequal criteria, incomplete evidence bases, or weak institutional accountability. The review proposes a multilevel governance approach combining technical evaluation, documentation, professional and community oversight, appeals, remedies, and public-interest knowledge infrastructure. Its distinctive contribution is to connect three observations usually kept apart—how bias is measured, how generative systems concentrate epistemic authority, and how statistical learning is oriented toward past data—and to show why democratic and feminist governance can keep alternative technological futures open. Full article

Senecavirus A (SVA), an emerging causative agent of porcine vesicular disease, belongs to the genus Senecavirus of the family Picornaviridae. The virus has been circulating in pig herds in the USA dating back to 1988, evolved into clinically significant pathogenic SVA variants causing a pandemic in the USA and Canada since 2014, and thereafter gradually spread to the Americas and Asia. To date, most studies have illustrated the infection dynamics, epidemiology, diagnostic methods, and vaccine development, yet the molecular pathogenesis of SVA remains incompletely characterized. As a novel picornavirus capable of establishing persistent subclinical infections, SVA has been detected in tissues such as tonsils and testicles for up to 156 days post-infection, posing a substantial challenge to swine health and production systems. In parallel, SVA has gained attention as an oncolytic virotherapy candidate for neuroendocrine tumors due to its tumor-selective tropism. Therefore, elucidating the mechanisms underlying SVA pathogenesis will not only support the development of effective countermeasures for swine but also inform the engineering of recombinant variants with enhanced therapeutic potential for human oncology. This review comprehensively summarizes the current knowledge on viral and host determinants of SVA pathogenesis, from the viral genome, evolution, and recombination to ANTXR1 host immunity, and programmed cell death, and presents future research directions, aiming to identify key knowledge gaps to guide future studies on SVA. Full article

This paper proposes a simulation-driven hierarchical Stackelberg–distributed model predictive control framework (SHS-DMPC) for intercepting multi-wave UAV swarm attacks under limited defensive resources. The interaction between the defender and the attacker is modeled as a Stackelberg leader–follower game. At the strategy layer, a finite-response approximation of Stackelberg decision making is constructed under incomplete information: the attacker’s response type is inferred online from swarm-level motion features, and candidate defender strategies are subsequently evaluated through state-dependent short-horizon rollout simulations. This formulation avoids requiring explicit knowledge of the attacker’s utility function while retaining anticipatory leader–follower strategy evaluation. At the task-allocation layer, target value, threat level, spatial bias, and a reassignment penalty are incorporated into the allocation cost to translate the selected defense strategy into dynamic defender–attacker assignments. At the control layer, each defending UAV solves a local DMPC problem to generate continuous control inputs while satisfying kinematic, inter-UAV separation, and airspace-boundary constraints. Simulation results show that SHS-DMPC achieve a higher interception success rate, a lower value-weighted target loss rate, and fewer minimum-separation violations than the comparison methods under multi-wave heterogeneous attack scenarios, demonstrating the benefits of closed-loop coupling among response inference, strategy-conditioned allocation, and constraint-aware distributed trajectory optimization. Full article

The anterior nucleus of the thalamus (ANT) is a key node of the hippocampal–diencephalic memory system and an established target for deep brain stimulation in drug-refractory epilepsy, yet its temporal connectivity remains incompletely characterized. This study delineates a dorsal posterolateral fiber bundle between the ANT and the amygdalo-uncal region, for which we propose the term anterior thalamo-temporal projection (ATTP). Fourteen hemispheres from seven human brains were examined using Klingler fiber dissection. The ATTP was identified in all 14 dissected hemispheres, following a dorsal posterolateral course through the pulvinar–lateral geniculate corridor and forming one macroscopic endpoint at the ANT, with no demonstrable ventral continuation. The reproducibility of a corresponding tractographic pattern was evaluated in 20 hemispheres from 10 Human Connectome Project participants using a repeated-run diffusion tractography protocol. An anatomically concordant tractographic pattern was reconstructed in 17 of 20 hemispheres (85%). The position of the ANT relative to the anterior commissure–posterior commissure line was also measured. The ANT position varied predominantly along the anteroposterior axis. To our knowledge, this study provides the first systematic microsurgical and tractographic delineation of the ATTP, establishing an anatomical framework for future investigations of medial temporal connectivity and patient-specific ANT neuromodulation. Full article

The plasminogen activator system (PAS), comprising urokinase-type plasminogen activator (uPA), tissue-type plasminogen activator (tPA), their receptors, and endogenous inhibitors, has been extensively investigated for its established roles in haemostasis, fibrinolysis, vascular remodelling and extracellular matrix (ECM) homeostasis. Increasing evidence indicates that the functions of the PAS extend well beyond the cardiovascular system and have important regulatory roles in neuronal plasticity, synaptic remodelling, neuroinflammation, and neurotrophic signalling. These processes are increasingly recognized as central contributors to the neurobiological adaptations underlying substance use disorders (SUDs). In this narrative review, we critically evaluate the current evidence regarding the involvement of the PAS in SUDs, with particular emphasis on the molecular and cellular mechanisms through which uPA and tPA influence addiction-related neuroplasticity. The available literature is predominantly derived from preclinical studies, while direct clinical evidence remains limited. Experimental findings support roles for uPA and tPA in modulating reward-related circuitry, behavioural sensitization, relapse-like behaviours, and neurotrophic signalling, including potential interactions with brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF)-related pathways, although the relative contributions of plasmin-dependent and plasmin-independent pathways remain incompletely understood. We also discuss the potential involvement of the PAS in neuroinflammatory responses and synaptic remodelling, together with the challenges associated with translating these findings into clinically relevant biomarkers or therapeutic strategies. Finally, we identify important gaps in current knowledge, including the need for independent replication, mechanistic clarification, and well-designed human studies to establish the clinical relevance of PAS dysregulation in addiction. Collectively, the available evidence supports a modulatory role for the PAS in addiction-related neurobiology and provides a rationale for further translational investigation, while highlighting that PAS-directed therapeutic approaches remain experimental and require substantial preclinical and clinical validation. Full article

Class-incremental three-dimensional point cloud semantic segmentation requires models to learn newly introduced categories while preserving previously acquired knowledge without storing historical point clouds. This setting is challenged by representation drift during incremental optimization and semantic background shift caused by incomplete annotations of previously learned categories. To address these problems, this study proposes confidence-gated relational distillation, an exemplar-free teacher–student framework that combines feature-level relation preservation with semantic-level background correction. The relational component transfers normalized neighborhood-affinity distributions and weights each point according to teacher reliability, thereby reducing the influence of uncertain predictions. The background-compensation component reconstructs reliable old-class targets using class-specific thresholds and calibrates competition between previously learned and newly introduced classes. Experiments on the Stanford Large-Scale Three-Dimensional Indoor Spaces dataset and ScanNet show competitive performance across multiple incremental settings, with more consistent improvements on ScanNet. Under the ScanNet 10-1 protocol, the proposed method achieves an average mean intersection over union of 44.6% across eleven learning states and 33.3% at the final state. Under the same PointNet++ configuration, it also reduces training time and peak graphics processing unit memory. These results indicate that reliable relational transfer and adaptive background correction provide an effective balance between old-class retention and novel-class acquisition without introducing replay data or separate architectural branches during incremental optimization. Full article

Claviceps purpurea is a highly specialized biotrophic ascomycete that colonizes floral tissues of grasses, including economically important cereal crops, causing ergot disease and producing ergot alkaloids with significant agricultural, pharmaceutical, and biotechnological relevance. Despite extensive research on its biology and secondary metabolism, the molecular mechanisms underlying host recognition, floral specificity, establishment of biotrophy, and developmental differentiation remain incompletely understood. This review integrates current knowledge derived from genomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, metabolomic, and functional genetic studies to provide an overview of the molecular basis of the C. purpurea–host interaction. Particular emphasis is placed on recent advances in fungal development, host immune modulation, hormonal signalling, sclerotial differentiation, and ergot alkaloid biosynthesis. Current evidence indicates that successful colonization depends on coordinated regulation of host recognition, secretion of effector proteins, carbohydrate-active enzymes, and manipulation of host signalling pathways to establish and maintain a biotrophic lifestyle. The transition from the sphacelial stage to sclerotial development represents a major developmental and metabolic reprogramming event associated with fungal differentiation and activation of the ergot alkaloid biosynthetic pathway. Recent multi-omics approaches have further revealed complex regulatory networks connecting fungal development and secondary metabolism. Claviceps purpurea has emerged as a valuable model for studying floral biotrophy and fungal secondary metabolism; however, key questions remain regarding the molecular basis of host specificity, effector function, hormonal crosstalk, and developmental regulation. Future integration of multi-omics approaches with functional genomics will be essential to resolve these processes and to support sustainable disease management strategies and the biotechnological exploitation of ergot alkaloids. Full article

RASopathies are a group of genetic disorders caused by germline variants affecting the RAS/MAPK pathway. Their shared phenotypic features—craniofacial anomalies, cardiac defects, cutaneous findings, neurodevelopmental issues, and cancer predisposition—make diagnosis challenging, especially since most lack standardized clinical criteria. This study aimed to develop a practical diagnostic algorithm based on high-frequency Human Phenotype Ontology (HPO) features. Key clinical variables for each RASopathy were identified through HPO, PubMed, and GeneReviews. Only findings present in 80–99% of cases or supported by expert consensus were included. A decision-tree algorithm was constructed and preliminarily evaluated using a blinded cohort of 50 individuals with confirmed molecular diagnoses. Patients were eligible for inclusion if they met the following criteria: (1) molecularly confirmed diagnosis of a RASopathy by next-generation sequencing identifying a pathogenic or likely pathogenic variant; (2) availability of complete phenotypic records in the institutional clinical database; and (3) age at evaluation between 0 and 18 years. Patients were excluded if phenotypic data were incomplete or if molecular confirmation was absent. The algorithm integrates phenotypic patterns and genotype–phenotype correlations. Validation showed 78% accuracy (95% CI: 64.0–88.4%) for clinical diagnosis and 66% accuracy (95% CI: 51.2–78.8%) for molecular prediction. To our knowledge, this is the first HPO-based diagnostic algorithm for the clinical and molecular approach to RASopathies. It provides a structured, accessible tool to improve early recognition and guide molecular testing, particularly for the RASopathy subtypes represented in the validation cohort. Further external validation including underrepresented subtypes is required. Full article

Bacterial vaginosis (BV) and aerobic vaginitis (AV) are usually described as distinct forms of vaginal dysbiosis. BV is characterized by depletion of lactobacilli, overgrowth of anaerobic microorganisms, and biofilm formation, whereas AV is associated with inflammatory changes, epithelial disruption, and predominance of aerobic bacteria. Over the past two decades, this distinction has profoundly influenced the understanding, diagnosis, and management of vaginal disorders. Despite their apparent differences, the relationship between BV and AV remains incompletely understood. Growing evidence indicates that many women exhibit microbiological and microscopic patterns that cannot be readily classified within existing diagnostic frameworks. Intermediate Nugent scores, mixed vaginitis, transitional ecological states, post-treatment microbiota reconstitution, physiological hypoestrogenic conditions, and uncommon inflammatory patterns all challenge the traditional view of BV and AV as strictly separate entities. This narrative review examines the historical evolution of BV and AV concepts, compares their microbiological, immunological, and epithelial characteristics, and evaluates the diagnostic paradigms currently used to identify vaginal dysbiosis. The strengths and limitations of clinical and diagnostic approaches are discussed together with the extent to which contemporary international guidelines reflect current biological knowledge. Particular emphasis is placed on intermediate, mixed, and overlapping states that blur the boundaries between established diagnostic categories. The available evidence supports the clinical usefulness of distinguishing BV and AV as separate clinicopathological entities. However, it also indicates that vaginal ecosystem disturbances frequently extend beyond rigid dichotomous classifications. Current diagnostic categories remain valuable tools for clinical practice, yet they may only partially capture the complexity and dynamic nature of vaginal dysbiosis. Understanding how microbial communities, host responses, epithelial integrity, and physiological factors interact remains a major challenge for future research and clinical interpretation. Full article

Prostate cancer is common in older men, yet mechanisms linking aging to tumor progression remain incompletely defined. Beyond genetic alterations, aging reshapes the prostate microenvironment through cellular senescence, chronic low-grade inflammation, immune dysfunction, stromal remodeling, metabolic stress, and impaired tissue repair, collectively promoting inflammaging. This persistent inflammatory state may create a permissive niche for tumor initiation, progression, immune evasion, and treatment resistance. Senescent epithelial and stromal cells release cytokines, chemokines, growth factors, matrix-remodeling enzymes, and extracellular vesicles through the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP). In parallel, immune aging alters T-cell subsets, myeloid cells, macrophages, and anti-tumor surveillance. This review summarizes how SASP programs, Th17/Treg imbalance, IL-17/IL-23 signaling, myeloid remodeling, stromal aging, metabolic stress, and immune–stromal–epithelial crosstalk shape prostate cancer biology. We further discuss therapeutic implications, including cytokine modulation, senescence-directed therapy, metabolic intervention, and biomarker-guided strategies. This review highlights key knowledge gaps and proposes a framework for age-aware prostate cancer research, biomarker development, and therapeutic strategies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TTC), also known as “broken heart syndrome”, is an acute and reversible cardiac condition often triggered by emotional or physical stress. Increasing evidence suggests a strong comorbidity between TTC and psychiatric disorders, particularly anxiety and depression. However, the nature, prevalence, and implications of these associations remain incompletely understood. This scoping review aimed to systematically map the available evidence on the association between Takotsubo cardiomyopathy and anxiety and depressive disorders, characterize the prevalence and nature of these psychiatric comorbidities, evaluate the methods used for their assessment, and identify knowledge gaps to guide future research and clinical practice. Methods: A systematic search of MEDLINE (via PubMed), Embase, Web of Science, and Google Scholar was conducted for peer-reviewed human studies published up to December 2025 in English or French. Eligible studies reported on psychiatric comorbidities in TTC populations, including pre-existing disorders, psychiatric triggers, or psychological sequelae. A standardized extraction grid and the Joanna Briggs Institute appraisal tools were used for data collection and quality assessment. Results: Eighteen studies were included. Depression and anxiety were prevalent among TTC patients, frequently preceding or accompanying cardiac events. Emotional stressors such as bereavement or panic attacks were commonly cited as triggers. Despite this, only a minority of studies used validated psychometric tools, and longitudinal psychiatric follow-up was rare. Most studies were limited by small sample sizes, retrospective designs, and heterogeneity in diagnostic approaches. Conclusions: The findings reveal a consistent association between TTC and affective disorders, underscoring the role of the brain–heart axis. Integrating psychiatric screening and follow-up into TTC management may enhance outcomes. Future interdisciplinary research is needed to clarify causal pathways and inform prevention and treatment strategies. Full article

Lardizabala biternata is an endemic vine and the sole species of the monotypic genus Lardizabala, distributed across central–southern Chile and producing edible fruits traditionally harvested from wild populations. Despite its cultural relevance, potential agronomic value, and evolutionary singularity, its conservation status remains poorly understood because of incomplete distributional knowledge and historical nomenclatural inconsistencies. Here, we conducted a preliminary record-based spatial conservation assessment of L. biternata using a taxonomically and geographically curated occurrence database integrated with Kernel Density Estimation (KDE), Extent of Occurrence (EOO), Area of Occupancy (AOO), overlap analyses with Chile’s protected-area network (SNASPE) and the Chilean Winter Rainfall–Valdivian Forests biodiversity hotspot, and ecological representativeness assessments based on mapped vegetation-class units. Our analyses revealed substantial spatial and ecological conservation gaps. Most documented occurrence records were located outside protected areas, while KDE-derived occurrence-record density patterns were concentrated within the biodiversity hotspot, a region characterized by high endemism and intense anthropogenic pressure. Although EOO indicated a relatively broad geographic extent, AOO indicated restricted occupancy based on documented records. In addition, several mapped vegetation-class units intersecting the 95% KDE-derived occurrence-record density area lacked formal conservation coverage entirely. Together, these findings suggest that L. biternata may warrant greater conservation attention than previously recognized. This study provides the first integrated record-based spatial conservation assessment of the species and establishes a baseline framework for future conservation evaluations, ecological studies, and ex situ conservation strategies. Full article