Search Results (1,007)

Multi-UAV collaborative mapping in communication-constrained indoor environments is often hampered by a trade-off between overall map refinement and the timely completion of safety-relevant shared regions. In high-density or unmapped areas, network congestion can delay the updates that matter most for close-proximity coordination, because standard bandwidth allocation does not distinguish between general map refinement and hotspot-related spatial data. To address this issue, we propose a resilient scheduling framework that prioritizes globally useful map updates while improving safety-relevant hotspot completeness under unreliable links. At its core is a Safety Reserve allocation strategy for “hotspot” submaps—areas where UAV trajectories overlap or approach unknown frontiers. By enforcing this reserve, the system directs a limited uplink budget to hotspot-related updates earlier during congestion. To remain useful under packet loss, we implement a prefix-decodable hierarchical data structure over a lightweight stateless protocol, allowing immediate fusion of valid partial updates. The framework identifies hotspots using feedback from a Lambda-Field risk model and a truncated least squares solver with graduated non-convexity (TLS–GNC) pose-graph optimizer. Experiments on S3DIS and ScanNet under partition-based two-agent emulation show that the proposed method improves hotspot-band completeness and progressive mapping quality over the tested baselines, especially under packet loss. Full article

Background: Chronic heart failure (CHF) in older adults requires sustained self-management and close follow-up, yet day-to-day care is often carried out by families with support from primary healthcare nurses. In Saudi Arabia, where family caregiving is culturally normative, collaboration between nurses and patients’ families may be pivotal to effective CHF management, but remains insufficiently understood in primary healthcare contexts. Methods: A qualitative study informed by an interpretive phenomenological approach was conducted. Participants (n = 24; 12 nurses and 12 family caregivers) were recruited using purposive sampling from primary healthcare centers in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were conducted in Arabic or English, audio-recorded, transcribed verbatim, and analyzed using reflexive thematic analysis following Braun and Clarke’s six-phase framework. Strategies to enhance trustworthiness included member checking, peer debriefing, maintenance of an audit trail, and reflexive journaling. Results: Twenty-four participants (12 nurses and 12 family caregivers) were interviewed. Four interrelated themes were generated from both nurses’ and family caregivers’ accounts. (1) “We Are Caring Together”: Collaboration was experienced as shared responsibility for daily CHF management, grounded in trust; (2) Navigating Roles and Boundaries: Participants described unclear expectations, role overlap, and tension between professional authority and family knowledge; (3) Communication as the Engine of Collaboration: Effective partnerships depended on clear information exchange, caregiver-tailored education, and continuity of contact, while communication gaps created uncertainty and delayed support-seeking; and (4) Cultural and System Constraints Shaping Collaboration: Strong family obligation motivated caregiving but also intensified moral pressure and limited help-seeking, while time pressure and fragmented services constrained meaningful engagement and continuity across settings. Conclusions: Nurse–family collaboration in CHF management is relational, shaped by trust, role negotiation, and communication, and constrained by cultural norms and system pressures. This study contributes to the literature by demonstrating how moral obligation, hierarchical professional norms, and system fragmentation distinctively shape collaboration in the Saudi primary care context, extending existing conceptualizations derived primarily from Western individualist settings. Strengthening collaboration requires explicit role clarification, health literacy–informed caregiver education, continuity of contact, and organizational supports. Findings are limited by purposive sampling, single-city context, and exclusion of patient perspectives. Full article

We report the enhancement of organic photodetector (OPD) performance through the incorporation of CsPbBr₃ perovskite nanocrystals (PNCs) into P3HT:PCBM devices. The optimized device (HPD_01) exhibits a maximum responsivity of 0.083 A/W and a specific detectivity of ~4.7·10¹⁰ Jones, and a minimum NEP of 5.2·10⁻¹² W·Hz^−1/2 at the self-powered operating point (V ≈ 0 V), outperforming the nanoparticle-free reference. Frequency- and distance-dependent measurements under visible light communication conditions demonstrate that the optimized device maintains strong signal detection up to 1 MHz and at distances exceeding 15 cm. Notably, the external quantum efficiency spectra reveal an additional contribution in the 450–575 nm range, which is absent in the reference device. This enhancement is consistent with a radiative absorption–reemission energy-transfer mechanism, supported by quantitative spectral overlap analysis showing that 99.5% of the PNC photoluminescence falls within the 450–575 nm EQE enhancement window and that the maximum differential EQE gain occurs at 519 nm—only 2 nm from the PNC emission peak. Our results suggest that controlled PNC incorporation enables efficient optical energy coupling, leading to high-sensitivity, fast-response OPDs suitable for optical communication applications. Full article

We present a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG)-based question-answering system for nuclear energy science communication, characterizing retrieval quality in generated responses. The system introduces a dual-similarity analysis that jointly measures (i) question-to-context (Q→C) and (ii) answer-to-context (A→C) semantic consistency, serving as “retrieval-side semantic alignment signal” and “post-generation semantic alignment indicator” respectively. Built with LangChain, FAISS retrieval, and a large language model, our pipeline separates offline indexing from online inference and is grounded on authoritative Taiwanese Nuclear Safety Commission documents. We evaluate two settings: (a) in-domain prompts derived from the corpus and (b) out-of-domain, randomly generated nuclear energy questions. Results show that generated answers are, on average, more semantically similar to retrieved contexts than the original questions under the present setup, while the overall association between retrieval-side and answer-side signals remains stronger in the in-domain setting. Out-of-domain questions show weaker but still observable answer-to-context alignment patterns, contingent on corpus overlap. These findings suggest that combining RAG with dual-similarity analysis offers a practical and audit-oriented approach for educational Q&A, and we discuss potential improvements in versioned regulations, re-ranking, and abstention strategies. In this study, the RAG technique and dual-similarity analysis are combined together to promote nuclear energy knowledge. The research flow chat of this study can be applied to many other fields of scientific knowledge. Full article

This cross-sectional study included 112 community-dwelling older adults aged ≥ 60 years residing in Tha Sala District, Nakhon Si Thammarat Province, Thailand, recruited using a community-based quota sampling approach. Locomotive syndrome (LS) was assessed using the two-step test and classified according to the Japanese Orthopaedic Association criteria. Physical activity was evaluated using the Thai version of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire across work-related, transportation-related, and recreational domains. Frailty and cognitive status were assessed using the Thai version of the FRAIL questionnaire and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, respectively. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to examine associations. The prevalence of LS was 74.1%, with 37.5%, 33.0%, and 3.6% in participants classified as having LS stages 1, 2, and 3, respectively. Transportation-related physical activity was significantly associated with lower odds of LS. Frailty and mild cognitive impairment frequently coexisted with LS but were not independently associated with LS after adjustment for age and sex. Transportation-related physical activity emerged as a key protective factor, highlighting the importance of habitual mobility in daily life. Our findings suggest that LS overlaps with, but is not identical to, frailty and cognitive decline in relatively robust community settings. Early screening and mobility-related physical activity may be crucial in preventing functional decline in rapidly aging societies. Full article

Mediterranean dehesas are open agroforestry systems in which tree configuration and climatic regime condition the organisation of biodiversity. In these landscapes, ants are commonly used as ecological indicators, although the relative importance of local versus regional factors in structuring their communities remains poorly defined. Ant assemblages were sampled using pitfall traps at 15 farms in southern Spain, and the influence of environmental variables defined at two spatial scales was analysed: microhabitat, distinguishing between areas under tree canopy and open areas, and farm as a unit representative of the regional context. The multivariate analyses applied (dbRDA, PERMANOVA and variance partitioning) reveal a hierarchical organisation of community assemblages. At the local scale, community variation was primarily explained by structural attributes of the tree layer, particularly canopy cover and distance to trees. At the farm scale, environmental predictors explained a modest proportion of community variation, with strong overlap among climatic, vegetation and structural variables. Overall, the structure of ant communities in dehesas follows a scale-dependent pattern, in which climate sets the regional framework and tree structure modulates assemblage organisation at a fine scale. Full article

Background: The progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) involves distal airway remodeling and bronchiolization; however, the mechanisms driving these changes, particularly the contributions of epithelial stem cells, are not fully understood. K13⁺ hillock cells, normally quiescent in proximal airways, were examined for their potential contribution to IPF pathogenesis. Methods: Spatial immunofluorescence was used to profile K13 expression along the airway axes in IPF and control lungs. Multiplex staining complemented by ex vivo culture assays was used to test expression stability. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) data were re-analyzed to identify cell subclusters and pathway enrichments. Meanwhile, cell–cell communication was inferred by using CellChat. Results: K13 was ectopically upregulated in IPF honeycomb cysts, triggering a proximal-like pseudostratified phenotype. This shift was marked by surges in K13⁺ regionally overlapping expression patterns (K5⁺, ~9%; CC10⁺, ~53%; ACE-TUB⁺, ~44%; MUC5AC⁺, ~23%) and a decline in SOX2 expression (~95% to ~64%), with ~70% of residual SOX2^low cells exhibiting elevated K13. Accompanying the expansion of K13⁺ subclusters (basal: 1.8% to 41.5%; club: 10.7% to 31.5%), it was observed that the profibrotic markers (K17, S100A2, LGALS7, IGFBP6) and ontologies related to RNA processing, stress response, and senescence were also enriched. These subclusters also amplified pro-fibrotic signaling (e.g., TGF-β, SEMA3, and GALECTIN-9) associated with epithelial subtypes and HAS1^high fibroblasts. Conclusions: Here, we demonstrate that K13⁺ cell activation is a pivotal event, driving the dysregulated proximalization of distal airways in IPF through fate reprogramming and epithelial-mesenchymal crosstalk. Thus, elucidating these K13-mediated fate dynamics provides a critical framework for understanding IPF pathogenesis. Full article

In China’s stock-based renewal agenda, many old residential communities display pronounced intergenerational overlap, in which grandparental childcare becomes a dominant pattern of outdoor-space use. Against the backdrop of age-structure shifts, population ageing, and persistently low fertility, community-level outdoor-space supply, distributive equity, and environmental adaptability have become key concerns in renewal practice. Yet, practitioners still lack a rankable, low-cost, and implementable evaluation-to-decision workflow. Using Xingshe Community in Dalian, China as an empirical case, this study establishes and tests an integrated “NLP–AHP–GBDT” assessment framework. Guided by policy discourse and planning theory, over 50 semi-structured interviews were processed via NLP-based semantic analysis and keyword mining to derive a two-tier indicator set (criterion and indicator layers). Seven specialists then applied the analytic hierarchy process to elicit indicator weights, and a resident survey was administered to generate weighted performance scores for diagnosing deficiencies. In the feedback-validation stage, we adopted both a qualitative Framework Method and a quantitative GBDT approach, first using the Framework Method to conduct feedback validation based on community residents’ open-ended evaluations. Subsequently, gradient boosting decision trees were used for supervised verification with renewal-scenario data, providing empirical backing for the weighting scheme and the resulting priority order for interventions. The findings suggest that outdoor spaces are broadly serviceable but fall short in intergenerational friendliness, reflecting a structural misalignment between intergenerational activity patterns and spatial provision. Based on the validated priorities, the study proposes modular, incremental micro-renewal measures focusing on safety and emergency accessibility, environmental comfort and caregiving–recreation coupling, and place identity with community organizational mobilization. Full article

Background: Microbial fermentation of non-digestible carbohydrates and proteins produce short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), which are critical communication signals in the gut–adipose tissue axis. Individual SCFA can differentially modulate the adipocyte secretory profile and adipose tissue metabolic function; however, their dose-dependent effects on adipocyte function in combined inflammatory and hypoxic environmental conditions that reflect the obesity-associated adipose tissue phenotype remain unknown. Methods: Mature 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cultured for 24 h with lipopolysaccharide (LPS; 10 ng/mL) plus 100 µM of cobalt chloride (CoCl₂) to chemically induce hypoxia ± individual SCFAs, namely acetate (Ace), propionate (Pro), and butyrate (But), in a dose-dependent manner (0.25 mM, 0.5 mM, and 1 mM). Results: Ace, Pro and But reduced secretion of IL-6, MCP-1/CCL7 and Rantes/CCL5 in a dose-dependent manner, whereas Pro and But reduced MCP3/CCL7 secretion and only But reduced resistin and increased adiponectin secretion compared to control (p < 0.05). Intracellular protein expression of the ratio of phosphorylated–to–total NFκB p65 was reduced by 1 mM But, whereas the ratio of phosphorylated–to–total STAT3 expression was reduced by 1 mM Ace, Pro and But and 0.5 mM Pro and But compared to control (p < 0.05). There was no difference in insulin-stimulated or non-insulin-stimulated glucose uptake between control and any individual SCFAs (p > 0.05). Conclusions: Adipocyte adipokine secretory function in combined inflammation and hypoxic environmental conditions is dose-dependently attenuated by individual SCFA, which exhibit both individual and overlapping effects. Full article

With the goal of maximizing opportunities for inclusivity for students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), this systematic narrative review, which allows for more interpretive inferences, investigates the use of magic-based interventions to determine if the skills needed for learning and performing magic tricks have commonality with skills needed to improve social skills deficits, as described in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th ed.) (i.e., deficits in social–emotional reciprocity, nonverbal communication used for social interaction, and developing, maintaining, and understanding relationships). The main purpose of this article is to highlight empirical studies that explore how using magic tricks with students with ASD might be beneficial in social skills development, particularly social–emotional reciprocity. Following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and using predetermined inclusion and exclusion criteria, a systematic narrative review was conducted. This resulted in a total of 129 articles reviewed and discussed using an integrative narrative synthesis approach. The findings reveal elements in common in both learning and performing magic tricks and skills needed to improve social skills, including nonverbal communication skills used for social interactions. Skills gained when learning and performing magic tricks also share overlapping elements needed to create and maintain friendships. Conceptually, findings suggest that learning and performing magic tricks provide a natural setting to practice skills needed to successfully attain social–emotional reciprocity, which could, theoretically, increase inclusion opportunities for students with ASD. Therefore, educators may consider including magic tricks in the classroom setting as a strategy to improve social skills deficits of students with ASD. Full article

Cities are complex land systems where spatial form mediates welfare, connectivity, and community-based adaptation. This study compares two Haredi neighbourhoods in Jerusalem, Ezrat Torah (an organically evolved semilattice) and Ramat Shlomo (a planned tree-type enclave), to examine how urban morphology interacts with planning logics to shape sustainability trade-offs. We integrated graph-based meshedness (α-index), aggregate isovist cascade analysis, and a geodesign-supported negotiation to evaluate the land-use mix, visibility structure, and network redundancy and to co-design 2045 scenarios across housing, transport, green, and social infrastructure. Findings showed that semilattice fabrics support richer overlaps among social and spatial subsystems, enabling incremental, lower-conflict adjustments towards sustainability objectives, whereas tree-like structures lock units into hierarchical compartments, constraining adaptation. Methodologically, the paper operationalises Alexander’s structure–life hypothesis with reproducible indicators and demonstrates how geodesign can align community preferences with broader sustainability goals. The contribution is twofold: (i) empirical evidence on how neighbourhood morphology conditions welfare–connectivity–resilience outcomes; and (ii) a transferable, negotiation-centred workflow for planning in culturally cohesive urban enclaves. Full article

Gut microbiota are integral to host health and ecological adaptation, yet their interactions with environmental microbial communities remain understudied in migratory waterbirds. Using high-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we compared gut microbiota of captive and wild Siberian cranes and their associations with soil microbiota in the Poyang Lake wetlands. Alpha diversity was significantly higher in soil than in gut microbiota, with captive cranes exhibiting greater microbial richness and evenness than wild individuals. Beta diversity analysis revealed distinct gut and soil microbiota, with partial overlap between captive and wild crane gut microbiota. Firmicutes dominated gut communities, with Ligilactobacillus and Romboutsia enriched in captive cranes, whereas Acidobacteria were predominant in soil. Escherichia-Shigella was more abundant in wild cranes and soil. Linear discriminant analysis (LDA) effect size (LEfSe) analysis identified 34 differentially enriched taxa, and microbial network analysis indicated stronger gut–soil microbial associations than those between captive and wild hosts. Network analysis further revealed distinct co-occurrence patterns between captive and wild groups, suggesting potential shifts in microbial interaction structures under different living conditions. These findings provide preliminary insights that may inform future conservation strategies for Siberian cranes. Full article

This study examines offline acceptance and online processing of Differential Object Marking (DOM) in the Spanish of Catalan–Spanish bilinguals in Catalonia. Both languages evidence DOM, though prescriptive grammars claim only partial overlap. Empirical research on Catalan DOM within these bilinguals reveals differences in distribution. Based on these factors, along with sustained bilingualism at the community and individual levels, more optionality was predicted for the distribution of Spanish DOM. Results from an offline scalar Acceptability Judgment Task and a Self-Paced Reading Task reveal three important findings. First, each task revealed distinct distributions. Participants aligned more with prescriptive grammars for DOs that are high on the animacy and definiteness scales in the offline task and were more tolerant of greater variability with the same DOs in the online task, possibly indicating weakening of the obligatory DOM constraint in these contexts. Second, geographic area modulated acceptance of the absence of DOM with animate DOs, suggesting microvariation. Third, unmarked inanimate DOs were preferred across both tasks. Overall, the results are interpreted as revealing divergence from prescriptive descriptions of Peninsular Spanish DOM system. Full article

To clarify the ecological characteristics of herbaceous plants on parabolic dunes in the Ebinur Lake Basin and to support regional ecological conservation, this study focused on herbaceous species with an importance value (IV) > 1%. Standard ecological indices and analytical approaches were used for assessment. The results showed the following. (1) A total of 12 herbaceous species were recorded, belonging to 10 genera and 7 families. The ranking of niche breadth showed no clear qualitative association with IV. (2) Niche overlap (Oik) among species was generally high. Fifty-eight species pairs had Oik > 0.60. Most herbaceous species differed only slightly in their environmental and resource requirements, indicating interspecific competition. (3) Overall species associations were significantly positive. The ratios of positive to negative associations were 12.2 based on the χ² test, the interspecific association coefficient (AC), and Spearman rank correlation. Species were strongly associated. The community was at the mid-successional stage. (4) Diversity indices followed a normal distribution. The community showed moderate richness and evenness, with pronounced dominance. For future conservation, species with similar ecological preferences and biological traits should be selected. Management should adjust and optimize species composition to improve resource use efficiency and enhance community stability. Full article

Biogas slurry is rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and bioactive substances, making it an effective material for restoring degraded grasslands. Against this background, we conducted a field experiment in Zhenglan Banner, Xilingol League, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China, from 2024 to 2025, to study the short-term effects of biogas slurry fertilizer on vegetation characteristics and above- and belowground plant traits. The experiment comprised three treatments: a water control (CK), 50% diluted biogas slurry (BS_50%), and full-strength biogas slurry (BS_100%). All treatments were applied at a rate of 300 m³·ha⁻¹, with CK receiving an equivalent volume of water. The biogas slurry contained 0.11% nitrogen (N), 0.07% phosphorus (P₂O₅), and 0.09% potassium (K₂O). Results showed that, compared with the control, biogas slurry application increased plant height, coverage, and biomass by 8.04–54.00%, 5.48–17.76%, and 18.40–96.01% in the first year, respectively. Plant crude protein and crude fat also increased by 7.33–31.17% and 21.54–30.00%. In the second year, the increases were 26.41–50.22%, 6.16–20.55%, and 13.91–52.42% for plant height, coverage, and biomass and 4.46–28.27% and 14.24–19.89% for crude protein and crude fat, respectively. The carbon, nitrogen and isotope indices of leaves and roots also increased simultaneously. Biogas slurry application altered plant community composition, BS_50% transiently increased plant family richness, BS_100% exerted persistent inhibitory effects, and species diversity across all fertilization treatments showed a recovery trend in the second year. Principal component analysis and redundancy analysis showed that treatment groups were clearly separated in 2024 but overlapped substantially in 2025. Root δ¹³C and root δ¹⁵N were key indicators distinguishing vegetation community characteristics. The results of this study confirmed that the application of biogas slurry fertilizer could actively improve the vegetation recovery of degraded grasslands. It provided reference support for the resource utilization of biogas slurry fertilizer and the sustainable management of grassland ecosystems. Full article