Search Results (13,671)

Integrated circuits are the core of a cyber-physical system, where tens of billions of components are integrated into a tiny silicon chip to conduct complex functions. To maximize utilities, the design and manufacturing life cycle of integrated circuits rely on numerous untrustworthy third parties, forming a global supply chain model. At the same time, this model produces unpredictable and catastrophic issues, threatening the security of individuals and countries. As for guaranteeing the security of ultra-highly integrated chips, detecting slight abnormalities caused by malicious behavior in the current and voltage is challenging, as is achieving computability within a reasonable time and obtaining a golden reference chip; however, artificial intelligence can make everything possible. For the first time, this paper presents a systematic review of artificial-intelligence-based integrated circuit security approaches, focusing on the latest attack and defense strategies. First, the security threats of integrated circuits are analyzed. For one of several key threats to integrated circuits, hardware Trojans, existing attack models are divided into several categories and discussed in detail. Then, for summarizing and comparing the numerous existing artificial-intelligence-based defense strategies, traditional and advanced artificial-intelligence-based approaches are listed. Finally, open issues on artificial-intelligence-based integrated circuit security are discussed from three perspectives: in-depth exploration of hardware Trojans, combination of artificial intelligence, and security strategies involving the entire life cycle. Based on the rapid development of artificial intelligence and the initial successful combination with integrated circuit security, this paper offers a glimpse into their intriguing intersection, aiming to draw greater attention to these issues. Full article

New psychoactive substances (NPSs) have emerged as a significant global public health challenge due to their ability to mimic traditional drugs. Among these, mephedrone has gained attention because of its widespread use and associated toxicities. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of the structure, pharmacokinetic properties, and metabolic pathways of mephedrone, highlighting its phase I and phase II metabolites as potential biomarkers for detection and forensic applications. A comprehensive literature search was performed without date restrictions. The search employed key terms such as “mephedrone metabolites”, “pharmacokinetics of mephedrone”, “phase I metabolites of mephedrone”, and “phase II metabolites of mephedrone”. Additionally, the reference lists of selected studies were screened to ensure a thorough review of the literature. Mephedrone is a chiral compound existing in two enantiomeric forms, exhibiting different affinities for monoamine transporters and distinct pharmacological profiles. In vivo animal studies indicate rapid absorption, significant tissue distribution, and the formation of multiple phase I metabolites (e.g., normephedrone, dihydromephedrone, 4-carboxymephedrone) that influence its neurochemical effects. Phase II metabolism involves conjugation reactions leading to metabolites such as N-succinyl-normephedrone and N-glutaryl-normephedrone, further complicating its metabolic profile. These findings underscore the importance of elucidating mephedrone’s metabolic pathways to improve detection methods, enhance our understanding of its toxicological risks, and inform future therapeutic strategies. Full article

This paper proposes a knowledge graph (KG) construction method for a part machining process in response to the low degree of structuring of historical process data association relationships within the enterprise in the field of part machining, which makes it difficult to reuse effectively. The part types are mainly shafts, gears, boxes and other common parts. First, the schema layer of the process knowledge graph was constructed using a top-down approach. Second, deep learning techniques were employed for entity extraction, while knowledge fusion and ontology relationship establishment methods were combined to build the data layer of the process knowledge graph (PKG) from the bottom up. Third, the mapping between the schema layer and data layer was implemented in the Neo4j graph database. Based on the constructed process KG, process route recommendation and rapid retrieval of process information were thus accomplished. Finally, a shaft part was used as the target part to verify the effectiveness of the proposed method. In over 300 trials, the similarity-based recommendation model achieved a hit rate of 91.7% (the target part’s route appeared in the recommended list in 91.7% of cases). These results indicate that the proposed machining PKG construction is feasible and can assist in process planning, potentially improving the efficiency of retrieving and reusing machining knowledge. Full article

The purpose of this article is to examine a previously unrecognized role for the vasopressin–oxytocin (VP-OT) system in mammalian “stress-response hormesis.” The current review adds hormesis to the long list of beneficial effects of OT. Hormesis, a biphasic adaptive response to low-level stressors, is introduced here to contextualize the dynamic roles of oxytocin and vasopressin. As with hormesis, the properties of the VP-OT system are context-, time-, and dose-sensitive. Here we suggest that one key to understanding hormesis is the fact that VP and OT and their receptors function as an integrated system. The VP-OT system is capable of changing and adapting to challenges over time, including challenges necessary for survival, reproduction and sociality. Prior research suggests that many beneficial effects of OT are most apparent only following stressful experiences, possibly reflecting interactions with VP, its receptors and other components of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis. The release of OT is documented following various kinds of hormetic experiences such as birth, vigorous exercise, ischemic events and the ingestion of emetics, including psychedelics. The phasic or cyclic modulation of VP and related “stress” hormones, accompanied or followed by the release of OT, creates conditions that conform to the core principles of hormesis. This concept is reviewed here in the context of other hormones including corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and urocortin, as well as cytokines. In general, VP and classic “stress hormones” support an active response, helping to quickly mobilize body systems. OT interacts with all of these, and may subsequently re-establish homeostasis and precondition the organism to deal with future stressors. However, the individual history of an organism, including epigenetic modifications of classical stress hormones such as VP, can moderate the effects of OT. Oxytocin’s effects also help to explain the important role of sociality in mammalian resilience and longevity. A hormetic perspective, focusing on a dynamic VP-OT system, offers new insights into emotional and physical disorders, especially those associated with the management of chronic stress, and helps us to understand the healing power of social behavior and perceived safety. Full article

This study presents an updated and detailed inventory of the tortricid tribe Eucosmini found in Taiwan Province, China, highlighting 26 genera and 53 species. Several taxonomic novelties were revealed: The genus Coenobiodes is newly recorded for Taiwan Province, Hermenias semicurva is newly reported for China, and six species are newly recorded for Taiwan. Most Eucosmini species in Taiwan are widespread in eastern Asia and/or the Palearctic, but 12 (23%) are endemic to Taiwan. Biogeographical distributions are provided for each species, and a list of the specimens examined is provided where applicable. These findings underscore Taiwan’s status as a biodiversity hotspot and offer crucial data for understanding regional and global biodiversity patterns. Full article

In an era of rapid technological advancement—particularly with the accelerated development of artificial intelligence and digital technologies—entrepreneurship enables firms to dynamically adjust their strategies in response to environmental uncertainty and helps them maintain sustainable competitive advantages over time. As a key concept in entrepreneurship research, entrepreneurial orientation (EO) has long attracted scholarly attention. However, existing studies on EO have primarily focused on its specific outcomes, while insufficient attention has been paid to its antecedents from the perspective of internal threats. Under the threat of performance shortfalls, firms’ strategic choices are influenced not only by resource constraints but also by managerial cognitive biases. Drawing on Behavioral Theory of the Firm, we explore the moderating roles of managerial overconfidence and myopia in the relationship between performance shortfalls and EO. This study aims to uncover the cognitive “black box” behind why some firms are more likely to trigger entrepreneurial behavior in adverse situations. Based on panel data from 2822 A-share listed companies in China spanning the period from 2009 to 2020, and using a fixed-effects regression model, our findings indicate that both historical and social performance shortfalls have significant positive effects on EO. Further analysis reveals that the positive impact of performance shortfalls on EO is attenuated under conditions of heightened managerial overconfidence and myopia. By enriching the boundary conditions of EO from a cognitive perspective, this study provides a theoretical explanation for how firms can engage in entrepreneurial behavior under threat by reducing cognitive biases, thereby offering both theoretical and managerial insights into how firms can maintain sustainable development under crisis conditions. Full article

Digital transformation (DT) has emerged as a key strategic lever for enhancing firm resilience and competitiveness, yet its influence on non-productive investment behaviors, such as corporate financial investment, remains underexplored. Existing studies have largely focused on DT’s role in innovation and operational efficiency, leaving a significant gap in understanding how DT reshapes firms’ financial asset allocation. Drawing on a unique panel dataset of A-share main board-listed firms in China from 2011 to 2023, this study provides novel empirical evidence that DT significantly restrains financial investment, with pronounced heterogeneity across ownership types. More importantly, this paper uncovers a multi-layered mechanism: DT enhances the corporate information environment, which subsequently reduces financial investment. In addition, the analysis reveals a moderated mediation mechanism wherein economic uncertainty dampens the information-enhancing effect of DT. Unlike previous research that treats corporate risk-taking as a parallel mediator, this study identifies a sequential mediation pathway, where improved information environments suppress financial investment indirectly by influencing firms’ risk-taking behavior. These findings offer new theoretical insights into the financial implications of DT and contribute to the broader understanding of enterprise behavior in the context of digitalization and economic volatility. Full article

(1) Background and aim: The benefit of surgical treatment compared to conservative management is unclear in degenerative cuff tears, and there is limited evidence regarding midterm functional outcomes. This study sought to compare the midterm functional outcomes of surgical versus conservative treatment for rotator cuff tears. (2) Methods: All patients on the waiting list for arthroscopy of cuff tears in a single center between 2013 and 2015 were analyzed. They were divided into two groups: those who underwent surgery (arthroscopy group) and those who declined the procedure (orthopedic group). The primary endpoint was shoulder functionality, evaluated with the CMS, SST, and SPADI-SP questionnaires. Inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) was used to account for differences between the groups. (3) Results: Of 57 patients (67 (62–71) years old, 47% women), 32 were in the arthroscopy group and 25 in the orthopedic group. Functionality was assessed at a median of 7 (7–8) years after diagnosis. The patients in the arthroscopy group were younger (p = 0.023) and more frequently women (p = 0.074). No significant differences were observed in the type of tear (p = 0.205) or laterality (p = 0.164). Functional outcome analysis showed more favorable scores in the surgical group: constant (74.5 ± 16.6 vs. 58.4 ± 23, p = 0.016), SST (7.3 ± 3.1 vs. 4.9 ± 4.2, p = 0.016), and SPADI-SP (35.7 ± 26.6 vs. 56.1 ± 30.4, p = 0.006). (4) Conclusions: In this cohort of patients with cuff tears, arthroscopic repair was associated with better clinical and functional midterm results compared to conservative treatment, although the benefit was less evident in older patients and those with complete tears. Full article

To address water sustainability challenges, this study investigates how public water concern influences corporate water responsibility (CWR) and how managerial green cognition moderates this relationship. Drawing on institutional theory and cognitive theory, we analyze a panel of 1292 publicly listed high-water-consuming firms in China from 2015 to 2024. The results show that public water concern significantly improves CWR by increasing legitimacy pressure, while its effect through government water governance attention is not statistically significant. Furthermore, managerial green cognition—including both economic and moral dimensions—positively moderates this relationship. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the moderating effect is stronger in firms with more female directors, older executives, and internationally experienced teams. These findings contribute to refining institutional theory in the context of environmental responsibility and highlight the critical role of executive cognition and demographic structure in corporate sustainability behavior. Full article

Forest ginseng (FG) is a rare medicinal and culinary plant in China, and its drying quality is heavily dependent on the drying method. This study investigated the effects of traditional hot air drying (HAD) and the self-developed negative-pressure circulating airflow-assisted desiccator drying (PCAD) method on the quality of FG using metabolomics and enzyme activity. The results revealed that the enzyme activities of dried FG were reduced considerably. PCAD preserved higher enzyme activity than HAD. Metabolomics data demonstrate that HAD promotes the formation of primary metabolites (amino acids, lipids, nucleotides, etc.), whereas PCAD promotes the formation of secondary metabolites (terpenoids, phenolic acids, etc.). A change-transformation network was built by combining the metabolites listed above and their biosynthetic pathways, and it was discovered that these biosynthetic pathways were primarily associated with the mevalonate (MVA) pathway, lipid metabolism, phenylpropane biosynthesis, and nucleotide metabolism. It is also believed that these findings are related to the chemical stimulation induced by thermal degradation and the ongoing catalysis of enzyme responses to drought stress. The facts presented above will give a scientific basis for the selection of FG drying processes, as well as helpful references for increasing the nutritional quality of processed FG. Full article

Protecting threatened elasmobranch species despite limited data on their distribution and abundance is a critical challenge, particularly in the context of increasing human impacts on marine ecosystems. In the northeastern Atlantic, species such as the leafscale gulper shark, Portuguese dogfish, spurdog, and spotted ray are facing pressures from overfishing, bycatch, habitat degradation, and climate change. The OSPAR Commission has listed these species as threatened and/or declining and aims to protect them by reliably identifying suitable habitats and integrating these areas into Marine Protected Areas (MPAs). In this study, we present a spatial modelling framework using regression-based approaches to identify suitable habitats for these four species. Results show that suitable habitats of the spotted ray (25.8%) and spurdog (18.8%) are relatively well represented within existing MPAs, while those of the deep-water sharks are underrepresented (6.0% for leafscale gulper shark, and 6.8% for Portuguese dogfish). Our findings highlight the need for additional MPAs in deep-sea continental slope areas, particularly west and northwest of Scotland and Ireland. Such expansions would support OSPAR’s goal to protect 30% of its maritime area by 2030 and could benefit broader deep-sea biodiversity, including other vulnerable demersal species and benthic communities. Full article

Pregnane X receptor (PXR) is an important nuclear receptor that regulates diverse physiological functions, including drug metabolism. Although PXR activation is potentially involved in adverse events, the full scope of its impact has yet to be elucidated. In this study, we developed a machine learning model to predict the activity of PXR agonists and applied the model to drugs listed in the US Food and Drug Administration Adverse Event Reporting System database. Analysis of the predicted agonist–active drug interactions and adverse event reports revealed statistically significant risks (lnROR > 1 and −logp > 1.3) for multiple cardiac disorders. These findings suggest that PXR activity is involved in cardiovascular adverse effects and may contribute to drug safety through the early identification of risks. Full article

This paper selects 50 listed commercial banks in China from 2012 to 2023 as research samples, and employs the fixed effects model and Hansen’s threshold regression method to systematically examine the impact mechanism and non-linear characteristics of FinTech development on the profitability of commercial banks. The key findings are summarized as follows: (1) FinTech significantly undermines the overall profitability of commercial banks by reshaping the competitive landscape of the industry and intensifying the technology substitution effect. This is primarily reflected in the reduction in traditional interest income and the erosion of market share in intermediary business. (2) Heterogeneity analysis indicates that large state-owned banks and joint-stock banks experience more pronounced negative impacts compared to small and medium-sized banks. (3) Additional research findings reveal a significant single-threshold effect between FinTech and bank profitability, with a critical value of 4.169. When the development level of FinTech surpasses this threshold, its inhibitory effect diminishes substantially, suggesting that after achieving a certain degree of technological integration, commercial banks may partially alleviate external competitive pressures through synergistic effects. This study offers crucial empirical evidence and theoretical support for commercial banks to develop differentiated technology strategies and for regulatory authorities to design dynamically adaptable policy frameworks. Full article

This paper examines the effect of digital innovation on cost stickiness in manufacturing firms, focusing on the underlying mechanisms and contextual factors. Using data from Chinese A-share listed manufacturing firms from 2012 to 2023, we find that, first, for each one-unit increase in the level of digital technology, the cost stickiness index of enterprises decreases by an average of 0.4315 units, primarily through digital process innovation and digital business model innovation, whereas digital product innovation does not exhibit a statistically significant impact. Second, manufacturing servitization and the optimization of human capital structure are identified as key mediating mechanisms. Digital innovation promotes servitization by transitioning firms from product-centric to service-oriented business models, thereby reducing fixed costs and improving resource flexibility. It also optimizes human capital by increasing the proportion of high-skilled employees and reducing labor adjustment costs. Third, the effect of digital innovation on cost stickiness is found to be heterogeneous. Firms with high financing constraints benefit more from the cost-reducing effects of digital innovation due to improved resource allocation efficiency. Additionally, mid-tenure executives are more effective in leveraging digital innovation to mitigate cost stickiness, as they balance short-term performance pressures with long-term strategic investments. These findings contribute to the understanding of how digital transformation reshapes cost behavior in manufacturing and provide insights for policymakers and firms seeking to achieve sustainable development through digital innovation. Full article