Search Results (43,636)

This article presents the design and development of an interactive architecture oriented toward the management of traditional vallenato, a musical genre recognized as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity by UNESCO. Architecture combines the principles of contextual awareness and the use of massive open online courses (MOOCs) to face the current challenges of preservation, dissemination, and teaching of this cultural expression, threatened by commercialization and the loss of its traditional roots. Through a modular structure, adaptive technological tools are integrated to capture, process, and use contextual information, personalizing learning experiences and strengthening the link between communities and their cultural heritage. The proposal consists of several functional layers, including context management, user profiles, educational resources, and a persistence unit, each designed to ensure the interoperability and sustainability of cultural data. In addition, the capacity of architecture to be used in other cultural contexts is highlighted, expanding its impact on different artistic manifestations and heritages worldwide. This article includes a comparative analysis with other existing models, highlighting the advantages of this solution in terms of customization and adaptability. Finally, opportunities for improvement and expansion are explored, as well as the pending challenges in the implementation of this technological tool in educational and cultural environments. Full article

Detection of pre-seismic ionospheric electric field perturbation remains an open challenge in the scientific community, hindered by methodological biases and a lack of reproducible frameworks. In this study, we investigate the existence of ionospheric perturbations associated with earthquakes by developing a deep learning framework for detecting anomalous patterns in global ionospheric electric field measurements provided by the DEMETER satellite and evaluating their statistical relationship with global seismicity. We developed an unsupervised LSTM autoencoder framework trained under a rolling-window scheme with two alternative optimisation strategies. The iterative rolling-window approach enabled the preservation of long-term temporal continuity while adapting to the non-stationary ionospheric background. Anomalies detected by the model were subjected to a seismic association and evaluated statistically. Findings were consistent across multiple network configurations, independent training optimisation strategies and different segments of the dataset, demonstrating strong methodological robustness. Our study suggests that modern sequential deep-learning models, when combined with an adaptive temporal training approach and statistical evaluation, provide an effective tool for the systematic detection and statistical quantification of associations between ionospheric electric field perturbations and seismic events. Full article

Blueberries are widely consumed due to their richness in nutrients, yet they are also prone to quality deterioration after being harvested, even at cold temperatures. Non-thermal physical technology is an important auxiliary method worth considering for maintaining the quality of this fruit while refrigerated. In this study, a static magnetic field (SMF) was applied as a complementary pretreatment strategy prior to cold storage of blueberries. The optimal SMF parameters were identified as 5 mT exposure for 12 h, as this significantly retarded decay and softening. The contents of ascorbic acid, total polyphenols, flavonoids and proanthocyanidins were elevated by 20.0%, 17.7%, 23.9%, and 9.1%, respectively. Concurrently, DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical-scavenging capacity, catalase (CAT), and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity markedly improved. Targeted metabolomic analysis revealed that SMF pretreatment significantly regulated polyphenol metabolic pathways and redirected polyphenol biosynthesis toward more stable and functional compounds, including three hydroxycinnamic acids, quercetin, dihydromyricetin, glycosylated hesperetin, and acylated delphinidin derivates. The synergistic effect of these SMF-elevated phenolics and the reinforced antioxidant system preserved the overall cold-storage quality of blueberries. These findings underscore the potential of SMF pretreatment as an effective physical technique for reducing postharvest blueberry losses. Full article

Objective: To explore the efficacy and outcomes of the ‘Inverted V graft’ technique, which synergistically combines a columellar strut and an extension graft. This innovative approach aims to provide enhanced structural support and improved aesthetic results in rhinoplasty procedures. Methods: Patients were observed postoperatively over a period of one year, with evaluations at designated intervals using the Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE) questionnaire to assess satisfaction. The closed preservation rhinoplasty method was employed under general anesthesia with all patients. The Inverted V graft was meticulously sutured in place, augmenting nasal structure and stability. Results: In a group of 19 participants, the study observed significant enhancements in patient satisfaction post-rhinoplasty, as indicated by ROE scores, with no age-related variation in outcomes. Surgical times averaged around 209.5 min, with an 18-month follow-up showing similar satisfaction improvements across both genders. Conclusions: The study demonstrates that the dual-purpose Inverted V graft technique significantly enhances structural support and aesthetic outcomes in rhinoplasty procedures. The use of this technique resulted in substantial improvements in patient satisfaction, as measured by the Rhinoplasty Outcome Evaluation (ROE) scores, indicating its effectiveness in achieving desired surgical results. Full article

The heritagisation of cultural landscapes is often understood as a state-led administrative process. At the same time, the discursive origins and adaptive mechanisms that precede formal designation remain underexplored, especially in relation to cultural sustainability. This study examines the pre-heritagisation of Suzhou’s classical gardens during China’s modern transformation by analysing periodical discourse published between 1870 and 1948. Using a mixed-methods approach that combines quantitative content analysis and Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA), it investigates 699 historical texts from the Index to Chinese Newspapers & Periodicals database. The findings reveal a dual discursive process. On the one hand, reports portrayed the gardens as accessible, multifunctional civic spaces through narratives of public use. On the other hand, literati discourse reinforced their classical value through historical memory and aesthetic preservation. Together, these tendencies show how the gardens were materially refunctioned and symbolically re-anchored under modern conditions. Rather than directly producing later heritage designation, this process helped create the socio-cultural conditions through which the gardens acquired broader public intelligibility, cultural legitimacy, and heritage-like meanings before formal institutional recognition. Full article

Background: Quality of life (QoL) after transradial access in diagnostic cerebral angiography may be shaped by procedural demands as well as by the ambulatory setting itself. This study, for the first time, prospectively explored this dimension through follow-up assessments of QoL after the procedure. Methods: In this prospective study, QoL was assessed using the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF-36), including the Physical and Mental Component Summary (PCS and MCS) as well as eight domain-specific subscales. After right transradial cerebral angiography, the SF-36 questionnaire was administered at baseline (pre-procedure), as well as at 1-month and 3-month follow-up visits. Mean PCS and MCS values were analyzed over time using linear mixed-effects regression models. In post hoc analyses, univariate and multivariable models were used to assess the influence of potential confounders. For subgroup analysis, patients were classified as transient deteriorators if PCS and/or MCS worsened by more than 0.5 SD at 1 month compared with baseline but not at 3 months. Permanent deteriorators were defined as worsening by more than 0.5 SD at both 1 month and 3 months compared with baseline. Results: A total of 35 patients (62.9% female) were recruited over the 12-month study period, with a mean age of 59.1 ± 10.1 years. No significant overall time effect was observed for mean PCS and MCS (p = 0.970 and p = 0.076). MCS showed a significant increase at 1 month compared with baseline (p = 0.046), with a trend toward significance at 3 months (p = 0.053). In post hoc analyses, sex, neurosurgical status, and dose area product were associated with MCS in univariate analyses (p < 0.05), but these associations did not persist after multivariable adjustment. For PCS, only age showed a significant association in univariate analysis (p < 0.05). In subgroup analyses, transient deterioration was more frequent in PCS than in MCS (11.4% [95% CI 3.2–26.7%] vs. 5.7% [95% CI 0.7–19.2%]), and permanent deterioration was also more common in PCS at 1- and 3-month follow-up (14.3% [95% CI 4.8–30.3%] vs. 8.6% [95% CI 1.8–23.1%]). Impairment predominantly involved the bodily pain subscale (88.9% [95% CI 51.8–99.7%]) within PCS and the vitality (80.0% [95% CI 28.4–99.5%]) and mental health sub-scales (80.0% [95% CI 28.4–99.5%]) within MCS. Conclusions: This short-term follow-up assessment demonstrated preserved QoL following transradial diagnostic cerebral angiography. Transient or permanent deterioration occurred in no more than five patients per subgroup (14%). These findings support the notion that a radial-first approach can be safely considered for diagnostic cerebral angiography without compromising patient-reported outcomes. Full article

Oncomodulin (OCM) is the most abundant Ca²⁺ buffering protein found in mature outer hair cells (OHCs). Cadherin 23 (CDH23) is a crucial component of the tip-links in hair cell stereocilia. The absence or dysfunction of these two proteins contributes to the early onset of age-related hearing loss (AHL). In this study, we investigated the effects of the Cdh23^753G→A mutation on OHC function using new Ocm-knockout (KO) mouse models (Ocm^tm1a/tm1a) with or without the Cdh23^753G→A mutation. Despite having the same genetic background, Ocm-KO mice carrying the Cdh23^753G→A mutation displayed a notable decline in OHC function across all measured frequencies as early as three months of age. In contrast, Ocm-KO mice without the Cdh23^753G→A mutation did not exhibit comparable hearing loss until they reached twelve months of age. Additionally, we examined the role of OCM in preserving OHC function under ototoxic stress induced by HPβCD (2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin). The distortion product otoacoustic emission data show that the administration of HPβCD resulted in a more pronounced decline in OHC function in Ocm-KO mice compared to wild-type (WT) mice. Time-lapse recording also shows that HPβCD treatment led to greater structural deterioration and more rapid rupture events in OHCs from Ocm-KO mice than in those from WT mice. These findings suggest that the Cdh23^753G→A mutation, rather than other potential strain-specific genetic factors associated with AHL, significantly exacerbates the early onset of AHL phenotypes in Ocm-KO mice. Furthermore, our data indicates that the OCM protein in OHCs enhances their ability to withstand ototoxic stimuli. Full article

T-2 toxin, a mycotoxin produced by the genus Fusarium, is widely prevalent in agricultural products and livestock feed, posing substantial health risks to livestock and humans. This toxin induces oxidative stress in testicular Sertoli cells, disrupts testicular architecture, and compromises spermatogenesis. Despite its widespread presence in contaminated feeds, effective therapeutic strategies to counteract T-2 toxin-induced reproductive toxicity in Sertoli cells remain elusive. This study evaluated the protective efficacy and molecular mechanisms of proanthocyanidins (PCs), a phytochemical with antioxidant properties, against T-2 toxin-induced damage in yak (Bos grunniens) Sertoli cells. The findings revealed that T-2 toxin markedly reduced the viability of yak Sertoli cells and stimulated the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Treatment with 10 μg/mL PCs significantly enhanced cell viability, decreased apoptosis, and preserved cellular functions. Furthermore, PCs reduced ROS levels in yak Sertoli cells exposed to T-2 toxin and improved antioxidant capacity by upregulating the nuclear factor erythroid derived 2-like (NRF2)/heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1) signaling pathway. Additionally, PCs inhibited mitochondria-mediated apoptosis, diminished the occurrence of malformed mitochondria, and enhanced the sirtuin 1 (SIRT1)/peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma coactivator 1 alpha (PGC-1α) signaling pathway associated with mitochondrial biogenesis in yak Sertoli cells exposed to T-2 toxin. This study provides novel insights into the prevention and treatment of T-2 toxin-induced reproductive damage in yaks and underscores the potential application of PCs in this context. Full article

The processing difficulty of subject relative clauses (SRCs) and object relative clauses (ORCs) in Mandarin Chinese has been a controversial issue in psycholinguistics. Memory-based accounts and experience-based accounts make contrastive predictions regarding the processing asymmetry. Given that older adults tend to have lower memory and richer language experience, the processing of relative clauses in older adults can reveal which theoretical account offers a more adequate explanation of sentence comprehension. The present study compared the processing of Mandarin SRCs and ORCs in older and younger adults using a self-paced reading paradigm. The results revealed that both groups showed lower accuracy for SRCs than ORCs, but this effect was larger in older adults. These age-related differences cannot be attributed to different strategic trade-off mechanisms and task experience. During online processing, older adults performed more slowly than younger adults, but no significant interaction was found between age and RC type. These findings suggest that aging affects sentence comprehension at the post-interpretive and decision processes, while online syntactic processing remains relatively preserved but globally slowed. The findings are largely consistent with memory-based accounts, indicating that age-related changes in sentence comprehension may be attributed to memory decline in older adults. Full article

Background: Adaptive deep brain stimulation (aDBS) for Parkinson’s disease (PD) relies on accurate detection of beta oscillatory activity. However, electrocardiographic (ECG) artifacts frequently contaminate local field potentials (LFPs), compromising control algorithms. While offline cleaning methods exist, their feasibility for real-time operation within the strict timing constraints of current sensing-enabled devices remains unknown. Methods: We evaluated four ECG removal algorithms, template subtraction (TS), singular value decomposition (SVD), extended SVD (eSVD), and the Perceive toolbox (PR), on simulated datasets (contaminated at −30 to +20 dB) and clinical recordings from 20 PD patients. Algorithms were assessed for artifact removal quality (beta power preservation, signal-to-noise ratio) and real-time feasibility (99th percentile processing latency—P₉₉ < 50 ms). Results: Only TS and standard SVD met the real-time feasibility threshold, with TS achieving superior timing consistency (P₉₉ ≈ 10 ms). eSVD and PR proved incompatible with closed-loop requirements (P₉₉ > 90 ms). While eSVD yielded the highest artifact suppression at extreme contamination, it suffered from poor signal preservation at moderate levels. TS demonstrated the best balance, maintaining beta power accuracy within ±12% across clinically relevant contamination levels. Conclusions: TS is the recommended method for real-time aDBS applications, offering a safety-critical balance of computational efficiency and biomarker fidelity. Full article

Blood pressure is a central marker of cardiovascular risk, but continuous monitoring remains difficult because cuff-based measurements are intermittent and uncomfortable. Photoplethysmography (PPG) is already ubiquitous in wearables and can, in principle, enable cuffless blood pressure estimation from a single optical signal. However, many deep learning approaches that perform well in floating-point are impractical for microcontroller-class devices, where memory budgets, latency, and integer-only arithmetic constrain what can be deployed. A key open question is which neural architectures retain accuracy after full-integer quantization, rather than only under desktop inference. Here, we show an end-to-end, microcontroller-oriented evaluation framework that benchmarks multiple 1D convolutional models for cuffless systolic and diastolic pressure estimation from single-channel PPG, jointly optimizing estimation error, model footprint, and quantization robustness. We find that floating-point accuracy alone is a poor predictor of deployability: some lightweight CNNs exhibit substantial performance drift after INT8 conversion, whereas a compact residual 1D CNN preserves its predictions with near-identical error statistics after integer quantization. We then deploy the selected integer-only model on an STM32N6 microcontroller using an industrial toolchain and confirm that on-device inference maintains low bias and limited error dispersion while meeting real-time constraints for continuous operation. These results highlight architecture-dependent quantization stability as a critical design dimension for sensor-edge intelligence and support the feasibility of fully on-device cuffless blood pressure monitoring without multimodal sensing or cloud processing. Full article

Cardiac fibrosis is a central determinant of heart failure progression and arises from pathological remodeling characterized by fibroblast activation, myofibroblast differentiation, and excessive extracellular matrix deposition. In contrast, physiological remodeling permits adaptive cardiac growth without net fibrosis. Pregnancy represents an underexplored physiological model of reversible cardiac remodeling. In response to hemodynamic load, the maternal heart undergoes hypertrophic growth that resolves postpartum, constituting a natural paradigm of fibrosis-resistant cardiac adaptation. Pregnancy and lactation are accompanied by profound endocrine and immune reprogramming of maternal tissues. We propose that this hormonal milieu orchestrates coordinated crosstalk among endothelial cells, fibroblasts, and immune cell populations to suppress profibrotic pathways and preserve extracellular matrix homeostasis. Candidate regulators include estrogen, progesterone, prolactin family peptides, relaxin, oxytocin, and components of the renin–angiotensin–aldosterone system. During the postpartum and lactational period, prolactin and oxytocin may further promote reverse remodeling. These hormones likely act by modulating local cytokine and growth factor networks that otherwise drive fibroblast activation. By focusing on non-myocyte cardiac cells and extracellular matrix dynamics, this review positions pregnancy as a translational model to uncover endogenous anti-fibrotic mechanisms and identify novel therapeutic strategies for cardiac fibrosis. Full article

The inherent non-uniformity of Infrared Focal Plane Arrays (IRFPA) inevitably results in stripe noise, which severely degrades image quality and hinders downstream applications. Existing deep learning methods often struggle to strike a balance between effective denoising and the preservation of fine thermal textures. To address this issue, we propose a Bottleneck-free Channel Dual-path Aggregation Network (BCDA-Net) based on a “Perception-Reconstruction” design principle. In the perception stage, the network jointly employs the Dual-Path Channel Down-sampling (DCD) module and the Context-Guided Stripe Attention Block (CGSAB). The DCD module utilizes a channel split strategy to simultaneously extract semantic features and preserve high-frequency textures, while the CGSAB performs global context modeling on these features to precisely perceive and locate global stripe noise patterns. In the reconstruction stage, we integrate the Cascaded Dense Feature Aggregation (CDFA) module with a Bottleneck-Free Aggregation Strategy (BFAS). The CDFA utilizes the perceived information to densely aggregate features and progressively reconstruct clean image details, whereas the BFAS structurally blocks the propagation of low-resolution noise during decoding, effectively mitigating aliasing artifacts induced by deep feature upsampling. Together, these components form a complete closed loop from accurate noise perception to high-fidelity reconstruction. Extensive experiments on public and real-world datasets demonstrate that BCDA-Net maximally preserves image details while removing non-uniform stripe noise. Both objective metrics and subjective visual quality outperform existing state-of-the-art methods. Full article

Deepfake content forgery compromises the integrity of digital media and the protection of personal identity, making its detection essential for preserving trust and enabling effective forensic analysis. Most deepfake detection approaches focus on global classification with a binary decision, which is inadequate for precise localization of manipulated regions. This limitation becomes particularly evident under image processing distortions. This paper proposes a dual-decoder architecture for the detection and segmentation of original and deepfake facial manipulations. Unlike conventional single-decoder segmentation models, the proposed approach introduces two decoding branches that learn complementary feature representations of authentic and forgery facial textures. In addition, attention mechanism modules are incorporated to refine encoder features based on decoder context, introducing adaptive feature selection during reconstruction. This architectural design reduces feature interference during reconstruction and enhances the localization of subtle inconsistencies introduced by deepfake manipulations. This approach generates complementary masks for real and forged regions, providing more precise boundary delineation. Experimental results highlight the robustness of the proposed method under image processing distortions, achieving intersection over union (IoU) scores of 0.9387 for real faces and 0.9254 for deepfake segmentation. These results underscore the effectiveness of the dual-decoder architecture in accurately detecting and localizing deepfake facial manipulations. Full article

The digital preservation and dissemination of historical and cultural heritage is a pivotal area at the intersection of digital humanities and geographic information science. To address the challenges of multi-source heterogeneity, limited dimensionality, and inadequate public engagement, this study designed and implemented an interactive visualization platform using modern Web technologies. Taking the Leshan Confucian Temple (religious heritage) and the former site of Wuhan University (educational heritage) as case studies, the platform integrates four types of heterogeneous data (geospatial coordinates, architectural attributes, visitor behavioral records, and multimedia imagery) into a unified spatiotemporal information model. Core technical implementations are built upon a lightweight front-end stack including the Gaode Map JavaScript API for geographic visualization, ECharts for dynamic statistical charting, and the Tailwind CSS framework for a fully responsive front-end interface. Key interactive features encompass linked map markers with contextual information windows, user-driven chart filtering, and paginated loading of cultural relic cards. Evaluation results demonstrate that the platform achieves cross-device response delay ≤3 s, supports spatially grounded, dynamic, and presentation of cultural heritage information, and attains a System Usability Scale (SUS) score of 82.5. This work offers a lightweight, scalable technical solution for advancing digital recording and public communication of historical and cultural heritage, while contributing to the theoretical discourse on spatial narrative and multi-source data integration in digital humanities. Full article