Search Results (5,689)

Background/Objectives: Performing presurgical functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) mapping in young patients is considered a challenge for clinicians, as fMRI maps are the sole source of information about the functional organization of cognitive functions/areas, especially when an awake craniotomy is not possible, as is often the case for pediatric populations. The literature on the fMRI tasks used in pediatric populations with brain injuries shows a certain heterogeneity in the approaches (task-based or resting states) and tasks, with a preference for motor/language mapping: tasks assessing extra-language functions are lacking. Methods: We have designed fMRI tasks focused on language and extra-language functions, which can be easily be applied when clinicians need to perform presurgical mapping. We present a retrospective case series of 17 patients. Results: Seventeen young patients (13.4 ± 2.8 years; range 7–16) were included in the study, for whom fMRI was performed. All underwent successful fMRI mapping by completing fMRI tasks selected based on their lesion site. The number of tasks performed by each patient significantly correlated with their age (r(17) = 0.561, p = 0.019). The patients tolerated the assessment and had good motion control: their movement parameters were minimal (range of rotation of −0.015–0.01 degrees; range of translation of −0.8–0.2 mm). The most administered fMRI tasks were tongue motor localizer (60%) and object naming (70%), with some patients performing extra-language function mapping involving visuo-spatial processing, selective attention, memory, and inhibition. Conclusions: This is an exploratory study given the sample size. fMRI measurements were considered feasible, as patients were able to complete the tasks under clinically realistic conditions. We discuss the clinical implication/usefulness of administering tasks for a personalized functional assessment of the young patient before surgery. Full article

A multi-objective tuning framework for optimizing Tuned Mass Damper (TMD) systems is presented. This framework optimizes the controlling parameters of TMDs while considering building resilience. The employed optimizer is the multi-objective HBA. Since TMDs are used in tall structures to mitigate seismic-induced structural responses, the proposed framework must be applicable to real-world scenarios; therefore, it determines both the placement and parameters of TMDs by accounting for the effects of various soil types and multiple earthquake records. Based on the obtained results, the optimal TMDs achieved an average roof-displacement reduction of 17% in soft soil, 7% in fixed-base conditions, and only 4% in dense soil, highlighting the decisive influence of soil–structure interaction on system efficiency. Moreover, there was considerable outcome variability across different earthquake records—ranging from 0.8% to 26% reduction—along with the observed negative effect (response amplification of up to 13.9% in certain fixed-base cases), which occurs when the TMD becomes detuned relative to the dominant frequency of the specific ground motion. This confirms the necessity for a robust design approach that simultaneously considers an ensemble of ground motions rather than optimizing for a single record. Full article

Epoxy materials are an important class of thermosets whose properties strongly depend on the used formula, the curing parameters, and many available hardeners. Achieving desired properties such as enhanced thermal stability, extended lifetime, or self-regeneration requires selecting suitable precursors and carefully tuning curing conditions. In this work, a selected biphenyl epoxy precursor was used as a model compound to assess whether using different hardeners could be an effective factor in tailoring the elasticity of cured epoxy networks. We employed two chemically distinct hardeners—4,4′ diaminodiphenylmethane (DDM) and suberic acid—to generate materials with markedly different final properties. For instance, the glass transition temperature T_g varied within a range of over 35 °C. Two complementary experimental techniques were used in this paper to establish the optimal curing parameters: differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS). Both techniques supported tracking of changes in the mixture while curing and enabled determination of T_g in the obtained products. Dielectric relaxation spectroscopy revealed various molecular motions (α, β, and γ-processes) occurring in different phases, especially in glass-forming solids. BDS is therefore a good tool for testing new organic materials. The analytic route used in this work, based on a combination of calorimetric and electrical approaches, enables precise adjustment of the curing parameters to a specific hardener and helps verify the effects of using different hardeners on the elastic properties of the product. This allows the creation and modification of epoxy matrices towards modern materials, such as composites with self-healing properties or enhanced thermal stability. Full article

In this study, systematic experiments are conducted on a vertical rigid cylinder with two degrees of freedom in the subcritical Reynolds-number regime. The selected flow conditions cover the excitation stage, the lock-in stage, and the post-lock-in stage of vortex-induced vibration. Structural displacements, hydrodynamic forces, and wake vorticity fields are measured simultaneously using laser displacement sensors, force transducers, and particle image velocimetry. The results show that the cross-flow motion remains dominant throughout the investigated range, while the in-line motion is activated through phase coupling within the lock-in region. A stage-dependent redistribution of hydrodynamic loading is identified. The loading first concentrates in the cross-flow direction during synchronization, then partially shifts toward the in-line direction under coupled motion, and finally becomes spatially dispersed as desynchronization develops. This directional redistribution moderates the peak cross-flow amplitude, broadens the lock-in region, and alters the sequence of force-coefficient peaks. The synchronized wake measurements reveal that the flow evolves from incoherent structures to organized vortex streets and then to fragmented and irregular patterns, directly reflecting the formation and collapse of directional load concentration. These findings establish a consistent linkage between hydrodynamic loading, structural response, and wake evolution, and provide experimental evidence for the coupled dynamics of two-degree-of-freedom vortex-induced vibration, offering physical insight for the design and assessment of realistic marine cylindrical structures. Full article

Event-based face detection has attracted significant interest due to the unique advantages of event cameras, including high temporal resolution, high dynamic range, and low power consumption. However, the lack of annotated public datasets remains a major challenge for training effective event-based face detection models. In this paper, we propose a spiking feature-driven synthetic event generation framework that utilizes a spiking neural network (SNN) in conjunction with a pretrained convolutional backbone to generate synthetic event representations from a single RGB image. To incorporate motion-induced ON/OFF polarity information, we introduce a movement-aware polarity integration (MPI) module that assumes four directional facial movements. An event-similarity score is further employed to select representations most consistent with real event data for training. Unlike conventional approaches relying on video-based simulators, our method enables efficient synthetic event dataset construction without requiring video inputs or additional simulation training. Experimental results on the N-Caltech101 dataset demonstrate a face detection accuracy of 99.91%, outperforming existing event-based face detection methods. Full article

The study presented a newly proposed mega-sub controlled structure system (MSCSS), connected to the design and building of high-rise structures, as enhanced durability and efficiency of mega-structural frames attracted the attention of researchers. In this article, a more reasonable and advanced mega-sub controlled structure model is designed and investigated under wind load. The complex model analysis theory is used to generate the equations of motion, the response spectrum (RS) expression, and the mean square response (MSR). The dynamic features that influence the control response of MSCSS, such as relative stiffness ratio (RD) and relative mass ratio (MR) between the mega-frame and substructure, are defined and investigated. The result showed that the displacement effectiveness is highly effective at low stiffness ratios, with a sharp decrease in maximum displacement observed when RD is less than 0.17 (RD < 0.17). Optimal response control effectiveness was identified within the RD range of 0.17 to 0.6. Also, the result indicates better acceleration control effectiveness when RD is between 0.3 and 0.5; however, this control decreases significantly when RD > 0.6. Furthermore, the study reveals that increasing the relative mass ratio obviously improves both displacement and acceleration control effectiveness at fixed RD = 0.3. Full article

Gait analysis study comparing unicompartmental vs. total knee arthroplasty, differences in knee kinematics: a retrospective cohort study. Background and Objectives: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective treatment for advanced knee osteoarthritis, although functional outcomes may remain suboptimal in many patients. Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) often provides better functional recovery but shows lower long-term implant survival. Recently, personalized TKA approaches have been developed to improve kinematic restoration and patient satisfaction. This study aimed to compare knee kinematics among patients who underwent personalized TKA, medial UKA, and healthy controls. Materials and Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 9 patients treated with robotic-assisted personalized TKA, 9 patients treated with medial UKA, and 9 healthy controls matched for age, sex, and BMI. Inclusion criteria were age 60–80 years, Kellgren–Lawrence grade III–IV, a minimum follow-up of 12 months, deviation from neutral HKA < 15°, healthy contralateral knee, and high postoperative functional scores. Exclusion criteria included valgus knees (HKA > 180°), postoperative complications, and neuromotor disorders. In the TKA group, a Medial Congruent implant was implanted with ROSA robotic assistance using a restricted kinematic alignment (±5° HKA) and asymmetric intercompartmental balancing. In the UKA group, a fixed-bearing medial implant (Physica ZUK) was used. Gait analysis was performed on a markerless instrumented treadmill (WalkerView™; Dalmine, Italy). Differences between groups were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and Tukey’s post-hoc test (p < 0.05). Results: UKA patients walked with a stiffer knee during stance. Knee range of motion during stance increased from UKA (6.3° ± 7.2°) to TKA (13.6° ± 8.8°, p = 0.045) and to controls (16.6° ± 4.5°, p = 0.02). During loading response, UKA patients showed lower flexion (10.2° ± 6.1°) than TKA (19.4° ± 7.9°, p = 0.049) and controls (19.6° ± 2.8°, p = 0.004). Knee flexion during swing was comparable between UKA and TKA. Conclusions: UKA patients demonstrated reduced knee flexion during early stance compared with robotic-assisted TKA and healthy controls. The observed differences may reflect multiple factors, including surgical technique, implant design, and patient-related characteristics. Because preoperative functional data were not available, potential selection bias cannot be excluded. These findings should be interpreted cautiously and warrant confirmation in larger prospective studies. Full article

Dynamic stretching (DS) comprises repetitive movements throughout the joint range of motion, and DS speed is known to affect athletic performance. However, it is unclear how DS speed affects musculotendinous stiffness (MTS). This study aimed to compare the DS effects at three different speeds on the maximum ankle dorsiflexion angle, maximum passive torque, and MTS. Based on sample size calculation (f = 0.25, α = 0.05, power = 0.80), 12 participants were needed, and 12 healthy university male athletes enrolled. DS to ankle plantar flexors was performed under the following conditions: low-speed (30 reps/min), moderate-speed (60 reps/min), high-speed (120 reps/min), and control (no DS). DS was performed for 15 reps × four sets with a 30 s rest. To assess musculotendinous extensibility, the maximum ankle dorsiflexion angle, maximum passive torque, and MTS were measured before and after DS. The maximum ankle dorsiflexion angle significantly increased after all DS (p = 0.001–0.006, d_z = 0.98–1.38) and was significantly larger in the high-speed DS than in the control condition (p = 0.039). MTS significantly increased after high-speed DS (p = 0.038, d = 0.68) but significantly decreased after moderate-speed DS (p = 0.025, d_z = −0.75) compared to baseline values. Maximal passive torque significantly increased after low-, moderate-, and high-speed DS (p < 0.001 to p = 0.011, d_z = 0.89–1.89) and was significantly higher after high-speed DS than after control (p = 0.004, d = 0.58). These results indicate that DS increases the ankle dorsiflexion angle regardless of speed and is effective in decreasing MTS at moderate speed. Full article

Symmetry and structural balance play a fundamental role in the collective behavior of networked agent systems (NASs). In particular, cluster formation tracking, representing the emergence and maintenance of symmetric group structures, has attracted significant attention due to its wide applications in robotics and autonomous systems. However, most existing approaches assume autonomous leaders, which may not be applicable in scenarios where human intervention is required. With this in mind, this paper addresses the cluster formation tracking problem for NASs with collision avoidance, where the leader receives control inputs from a human-in-the-loop (HiTL), making the leader a non-autonomous system. A distributed control protocol is developed so that followers can track the trajectories of their designated leaders using only relative information from neighboring agents. Sufficient conditions are established to guarantee collision-free cluster formation tracking, and Lyapunov-based analysis is employed to prove the asymptotic convergence of the subgroup tracking errors. In the proposed framework, human intervention is incorporated through external commands applied to the leaders, which makes the leader dynamics non-autonomous while preserving the distributed nature of the follower controllers. Simulation studies on a 13-agent network with three subgroups show that all followers achieve the desired time-varying cluster formations under HiTL-driven leader motions, with convergence times ranging from 4.21 s to 5.12 s. Moreover, the final tracking errors of all followers are reduced below $9.07\times {10}^{-5}$, while the minimum pairwise distances within each subgroup remain strictly above the prescribed safety threshold. These quantitative results verify both the effectiveness of the proposed protocol and the practical feasibility of integrating HiTL commands into collision-free cluster formation tracking. Full article

A dual-mode electrical–optical nanocomposite hydrogel is developed by integrating carboxyl-modified upconversion nanoparticles (UCNPs-COOH) and quaternized chitosan (CQAS) into a polyacrylamide (PAAm) covalent network. The hydrogel exhibits high optical transparency (>90% in the visible region), excellent mechanical properties (fracture strain of 1742%, tensile strength of 0.85 MPa, toughness of 6.57 MJ/m³), and robust adhesion to various substrates. The synergistic covalent–noncovalent hybrid network enables efficient energy dissipation, while CQAS-enhanced dispersion of UCNPs significantly improves upconversion luminescence intensity and stability, as evidenced by prolonged fluorescence lifetime from 0.564 ms to 0.691 ms at 539 nm. Leveraging distinct electrical and optical signal transduction pathways, the hydrogel functions as a highly sensitive resistive strain sensor with multistage gauge factors up to 13.85 and excellent cyclic stability over 1200 loading–unloading cycles at 100% strain for human motion monitoring. It also serves as a ratiometric optical pH sensor over a broad range (pH 1–13) based on phenolphthalein-sensitized upconversion luminescence, with excellent repeatability. By integrating real-time resistance responses with optical readouts within a single soft material, this work demonstrates a reliable dual-mode sensing strategy for simultaneous mechanical and chemical monitoring, holding promise for wearable electronics, smart healthcare, and environment-responsive sensing systems. Full article

Fully maintenance-free smart collars for range cattle, sheep and deer must survive years of uncontrolled grazing under highly variable shade and motion conditions. This paper presents an ultra-low-power buck converter governed by a fast integral terminal sliding mode controller (FITSMC) with a fixed-time observer. A new reaching law retains the initial sliding manifold and a negative-power term maintains the constant switching gain to preserve robustness near the surface while attenuating chattering without widening the bandwidth. The fixed-time observer estimates the irradiance and load changes and provides a feed-forward correction, tightening the output regulation regardless of initial conditions. Load step tests with moderate resistance swings showed the proposed method recovers noticeably faster and exhibits slightly lower overshoot than a recent method based on a two-phase power reaching law, while visible inductor current spikes are also suppressed. Simulations under daily grazing profiles confirmed tight output regulation adequate for microwatt data logging and periodic long-range (LoRa) bursts. The sleep mode quiescent current remained in the 9 microamps range, eliminating the need for manual recharge across multi-season field deployments. By integrating robust power electronics with collar-grade solar harvesting, the circuit offers a truly maintenance-free energy path for untethered livestock wearables and supports sustainable precision agriculture. Full article

Background/Objectives: The peroneus longus tendon (PLT) is increasingly used as an autograft for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR). However, during PLT harvest, the necessity of distal peroneus longus-to-peroneus brevis (PL-to-PB) tenodesis for the potential preservation of donor ankle function and medial longitudinal arch alignment remains unclear. This study compared ankle function, donor-site morbidity, complications, and weight-bearing radiographic foot alignment after PLT harvest with and without distal tenodesis. Methods: Between January 2020 and December 2024, 92 primary ACLR cases using an ipsilateral PLT autograft were retrospectively screened; 60 patients with available bilateral weight-bearing comparative foot radiographs were included and categorized into a tenodesis group (n = 30) or a non-tenodesis group (n = 30). Ankle outcomes included American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) Ankle–Hindfoot and Foot and Ankle Disability Index (FADI) scores, ankle range of motion (ROM), and donor-site complications. Radiographic alignment was assessed using Meary’s angle and calcaneal pitch angle on bilateral weight-bearing lateral foot radiographs, including side-to-side differences. Results: Follow-up duration was comparable between groups (18.5 ± 4.4 vs. 16.8 ± 3.4 months, p = 0.113). No patient demonstrated clinically relevant loss of ankle range of motion or strength at final follow-up. AOFAS (97.3 ± 4.9 vs. 95.0 ± 5.5, p = 0.078) and FADI (96.8 ± 5.2 vs. 95.3 ± 5.5, p = 0.091) scores were similarly high in the tenodesis and non-tenodesis groups, respectively. Sural nerve sensory disturbance occurred in 6/30 (20.0%) versus 5/30 (16.7%) patients (p = 0.739), and no harvest-site infection was observed. On weight-bearing radiographs, Meary’s angle and calcaneal pitch angle did not differ significantly between groups on the operated side (Meary: 7.99 ± 6.76 vs. 4.76 ± 6.32°, p = 0.061; calcaneal pitch: 23.19 ± 5.94 vs. 21.41 ± 4.64°, p = 0.201) or intact side (Meary: 7.05 ± 6.89 vs. 5.36 ± 6.11°, p = 0.320; calcaneal pitch: 23.33 ± 5.43 vs. 22.00 ± 4.48°, p = 0.305). Side-to-side differences were small and comparable (Δ Meary: 0.94 ± 3.97 vs. −0.60 ± 3.58°, p = 0.120; Δ calcaneal pitch: −0.14 ± 3.35 vs. −0.59 ± 3.29°, p = 0.603). Conclusions: Distal PL-to-PB tenodesis did not appear to provide measurable advantages in donor-ankle patient-reported outcomes or weight-bearing radiographic foot alignment compared with no tenodesis after PLT harvest for ACLR. Full article

Objectives: Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is a common musculoskeletal condition, and while percutaneous needle electrolysis (PNE) and intramuscular electrical stimulation (IMES) are emerging therapies for myofascial pain syndrome and tendinopathies, their effects remain unclear. This systematic review aimed to characterize the methodological features and synthesize the evidence on the clinical improvement and adverse events rates of PNE and IMES in treating MPS and tendinopathies. Data Sources: PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, ClinicalTrials.gov, the World Health Organization International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, Google Scholar, and reference lists. Searches were carried out on 10 July 2025 and repeated on 16 March 2026, just before final analysis. New results found during final searches were screened for inclusion to ensure currency of the review. Methods: We selected studies based on the PICOS framework and predefined selection criteria: Population: adults with MPS or active myofascial trigger points (TrPs), or tendinopathies; Intervention: PNE or IMES; Comparator: sham procedures, other interventions, or no intervention; Outcomes: pain intensity (e.g., Visual Analogue Scale or Numeric Pain Rating Scale), pressure pain threshold (PPT), and functional measures; and Study Design: experimental studies. Studies focused exclusively on post-surgical or neuropathic pain, studies without a relevant comparator, and studies not reporting clinically meaningful outcomes were excluded. We assessed the risk of bias of included studies and performed a narrative synthesis. Results: From 737 identified records, 30 studies met the selection criteria. PNE was generally effective in reducing pain and improving function in tendinopathies and MPS, although results varied across outcomes and follow-ups. IMES showed moderate evidence for reducing pain and enhancing function, particularly cervical range of motion and PPT. However, both interventions had inconsistent clinical improvement and adverse events rates on disability indices and quality of life. Most studies had a high risk of bias due to challenges in blinding. Reported adverse events were minor and self-limiting, indicating that both therapies are generally safe when performed by trained clinicians. Conclusions: PNE and IMES may improve pain and some functional outcomes in MPS and tendinopathies; however, these findings should be interpreted cautiously because most included studies had a high risk of bias. Full article

Under dynamic loading conditions, the output voltage of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) exhibits nonlinear degradation characterized by non-Gaussian fluctuations, abrupt changes, and long-range temporal dependence, which are difficult to model using conventional short-correlation or remaining useful life (RUL) prediction approaches. To capture both historical dependency and stochastic jump behavior, this study proposes a SHAP-driven mechanism–data fusion fractional stochastic degradation model based on fractional Brownian motion (fBm) and fractional Poisson process (fPp) for degradation trend forecasting. A terminal voltage mechanism model considering activation, ohmic, and concentration polarization losses is first established, and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) analysis is employed to quantify the contributions of multi-source operational variables and enhance interpretability. The Hurst exponent is then used to verify long-range dependence and jump characteristics in the voltage sequence. Subsequently, fBm is integrated with a fPp to construct a unified stochastic degradation framework capable of jointly describing continuous decay and discrete abrupt variations, enabling multi-step probabilistic prediction with confidence intervals. Validation on the publicly available FCLAB FC1 and FC2 datasets shows that the proposed model achieves superior overall performance under both steady and dynamic conditions, with MAPE/RMSE/R² of 0.027%/0.00178/0.9895 and 0.056%/0.00259/0.9896, respectively, outperforming fBm, Wiener, WTD-RS-LSTM, and CNN-LSTM methods. The proposed approach provides accurate and interpretable degradation forecasting for PEMFC health management and maintenance decision support. Full article

Background: Corticosteroid injections provide short-term relief for chronic subacromial bursitis but are associated with high recurrence rates. This study investigates the efficacy of a mobile health-supported home-based resistance exercise program compared with exercise education in patients with chronic recurrent subacromial bursitis after ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections. Methods: Participants with chronic subacromial bursitis were assigned via computer-generated block randomization to either an intervention group receiving ultrasound-guided corticosteroid injections followed by a 12-week home-based exercise program (50 min strengthening and resistance/session, 5 days per week) supported via instant messaging applications, or a control group receiving the same injection followed by printed educational materials covering the same exercise protocol. Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI) scores, Visual Analog Scale (VAS) pain scores and active pain-free range of motion (ROM) were evaluated by a blinded assessor at weeks 4 and 12. Between-group comparisons were analyzed using two-way ANOVA after confirming normality and homoscedasticity. Results: Fifty-three patients (mean age: 55.6 ± 10.5 years; 47.2% female) were randomized to the intervention (n = 27) or control (n = 26) groups. Significant interaction effects were identified for SPADI (p = 0.040) and ROM (abduction: p = 0.036/ flexion: p = 0.032). Post hoc analysis revealed that the intervention group exhibited a significantly greater reduction in SPADI scores (p = 0.007, d = 0.72) and greater increase in abduction ROM (p = 0.004, d = 0.84) at 12 weeks; both gains surpassed the MCID. Conclusions: A mobile health-supported home-based resistance exercise program can significantly extend the benefits of corticosteroid injections in patients with chronic subacromial bursitis. Trial Registration: NCT06220643, registered 14 December 2023. Full article