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Article
Computer Science and Mathematics
Mathematical and Computational Biology

Narjes Shojaati

Abstract: Amid COVID-19-related in-person school closures in 2021, an agent-based simulation grounded in social impact theory was implemented and documented to investigate the effects of in-person school closure on nonmedical prescription opioid use among adolescents in Ontario, Canada. The results of model simulations forecasted an alarming rebound effect in the opioid use prevalence after the lifting of in-person school closures and identified secure medication storage in households as an effective strategy for mitigating associated risks. This study evaluates this result by comparing the baseline projection from the previously published study with newly released 2023 data from the Ontario Student Drug Use and Health Survey. Furthermore, it employs the developed agent-based model to simulate the projection through 2030 and assesses the efficacy of secure medication storage in households for the coming years. The study confirms that the previously published simulation projection for 2023 closely aligns with observed data, showing nonmedical prescription opioid use prevalence among Ontario adolescents nearly doubling from 2021 to 2023. Additionally, the results show that nonmedical prescription opioid use prevalence among youth is projected to remain at these elevated levels. Critically, the findings suggest that the temporal window for effective secure medication storage interventions has elapsed, and these interventions are now expected to have minimal impact on reducing this increase, even when applied extensively. The agreement between reported predictions and observed data demonstrates that a simulation model with relevant conceptual foundation can accurately predict future trends and provide sufficient lead time for policymakers to implement interventions within critical time-sensitive windows to alter undesirable trajectories before public health crises escalate.

Review
Medicine and Pharmacology
Medicine and Pharmacology

Richard Z. Cheng

Abstract: Modern dietary debates remain highly polarized among competing nutritional paradigms, including low-fat, Mediterranean, plant-based, vegan, low-carbohydrate, ketogenic, and animal-based dietary models. Despite decades of nutritional guidelines and extensive epidemiological research, chronic diseases—including obesity, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), autoimmune disorders, cancer, and neurodegenerative diseases—continue to rise globally. These trends raise an important question: are prevailing nutritional frameworks adequately aligned with human physiology, metabolic biology, and long-term systems resilience?This paper proposes an Integrative Orthomolecular Medicine (IOM) Systems Medicine framework for evaluating human diets based not solely on caloric intake or macronutrient composition, but on broader biological principles including metabolic compatibility, metabolic flexibility, nutrient density and bioavailability, mitochondrial energetics, inflammatory regulation, biological barrier integrity, oxidative-reduction balance, and cumulative toxicological burden.We first examine evolutionary and physiological foundations of human nutrition, emphasizing omnivorous adaptation, fuel-switching physiology, fasting metabolism, and the evolutionary importance of energetic resilience during periods of food scarcity, migration, hunting, and prolonged physical exertion. Particular attention is given to the human capacity for metabolic flexibility—the ability to transition between glucose utilization, fatty acid oxidation, and ketone metabolism according to energetic demands and nutrient availability. We propose the Energetic Resilience Principle, which suggests that nutritional systems should be evaluated not solely according to glycemic control, but also according to their effects on mitochondrial energetics, fuel adaptability, endurance capacity, fasting tolerance, and long-term physiological resilience. Particular attention is also given to the absence of a clearly established minimum dietary carbohydrate requirement in the presence of adequate protein and fat intake.We then compare major dietary models—including the Standard American Diet (SAD), Mediterranean, plant-based and vegan, low-carbohydrate, ketogenic, and carnivore/elimination-based approaches—across multiple domains relevant to metabolic health and systems biology. Particular attention is given to the potential consequences of chronic dependence on highly refined, continuously fed, hyperinsulinemic metabolic states, including impaired metabolic flexibility, mitochondrial stress, oxidative imbalance, and reduced physiological adaptability.Special attention is given to the nutritional and toxicological characteristics of both plant- and animal-derived foods. While plant foods provide fiber, phytonutrients, vitamins, and numerous bioactive compounds, they may also contain naturally occurring defense compounds such as lectins, oxalates, phytates, alkaloids, and gluten-related proteins, in addition to agricultural contaminants including pesticides, herbicides, and microplastics. Conversely, animal-derived foods may bioaccumulate persistent fat-soluble pollutants and environmental contaminants. The paper further proposes that plant-heavy and animal-heavy dietary systems may differ in dominant toxicological exposure profiles, including relative tendencies toward water-soluble agricultural contaminants and plant defense compounds versus fat-soluble bioaccumulated environmental pollutants. Accordingly, this paper proposes that no modern dietary system is entirely toxin-free, and that dietary strategies should instead be evaluated according to cumulative toxicological burden, nutrient sufficiency, metabolic effects, mitochondrial support, and biological compatibility.Finally, this paper proposes a hierarchical IOM Systems Nutrition framework emphasizing: • low glycemic burden, • low ultra-processing burden, • low cumulative toxicological burden from both natural and industrial exposures, • nutrient sufficiency, • metabolic flexibility, • mitochondrial support, • preservation of energetic resilience, • and long-term physiological adaptability.Within this framework, nutrition is viewed not merely as a source of calories or macronutrients, but as a systems-level regulator of mitochondrial energetics, metabolic resilience, endocrine signaling, inflammatory regulation, biological integrity, adaptive stress responses, and long-term physiological resilience. The framework proposed is intended as a comparative systems-based model for evaluating dietary compatibility with human physiology and adaptive metabolism, rather than a universal prescription for any single dietary pattern.

Review
Biology and Life Sciences
Life Sciences

Asfaraeni Rahmah

,

Kurnia Agustini

,

Anton Bahtiar

Abstract: Obesity represents a growing global health challenge, driving the need for safer and more effective therapeutic strategies. Natural products, particularly medicinal plants, have gained increasing attention as potential sources of anti-obesity agents due to their diverse bioactive compounds and multi-target mechanisms. The genus Scutellaria (Lamiaceae) is rich in phytochemicals, especially flavonoids such as baicalin, baicalein, and wogonin, which have been reported to modulate key metabolic pathways involved in obesity. This review aims to comprehensively summarize current evidence on selected Scutellaria species with potential anti-obesity activity, focusing on their phytochemical profiles and pharmacological mechanisms. A literature search was conducted using PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases, and relevant studies were selected based on predefined inclusion criteria. The findings indicate that Scutellaria-derived compounds may exert anti-obesity effects through multiple mechanisms, including inhibition of adipogenesis, regulation of lipid metabolism, improvement of energy homeostasis, and suppression of obesity-associated inflammation. Preclinical studies provide substantial evidence supporting these biological activities; however, clinical validation remains limited. In conclusion, Scutellaria species represent promising candidates for the development of novel anti-obesity therapies. Further studies, particularly well-designed clinical trials, are necessary to confirm their efficacy, safety, and therapeutic applicability in humans.

Article
Physical Sciences
Chemical Physics

Shiquan Lin

,

Meishuang He

,

Qijun Liu

,

Fusheng Liu

,

Wencan Guo

,

Hongbo Pei

,

Xinghan Li

Abstract: Laser-ignited particle combustion is critical to energy, aerospace, and defense applications, yet understanding its physicochemical mechanisms is hindered by poor reproducibility in combustion data from randomly packed samples. While classical theory attributes data inconsistency to variations in packing density, we propose instead that consistency of the surface layer morphology—given the nanoscale laser penetration depth—is the dominant factor. A two-dimensional Discrete Element Model showed that increasing particle layers markedly reduces surface topography conformity, while gravitational settling maintains packing density near its theoretical maximum. An innovative constrained droplet method was developed for sample preparation, integrating multi-stage sieving, equal-circle packing in a circle theory, alongside droplet deposition to build multilayer samples mirroring computational models. In-situ laser ignition diagnostics revealed that key combustion metrics—spectral profiles, temporal evolution, ignition delay, and combustion duration—exhibit a rapid decline in consistency with increasing layers, closely matching the simulated decay in surface morphology conformity. Contrary to long-held assumptions, this work robustly shows that surface morphology governs laser-ignition experimental reproducibility. This paradigm-shifting finding redefines the controlling mechanism in laser-ignited combustion of random particle packings, thereby provides a method for refining sample preparation and enables the accurate determination of key parameters that remain elusive with conventional approaches.

Article
Computer Science and Mathematics
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Wenqi Gu

,

Carlo Vittorio Cannistraci

Abstract: Physics-informed neural networks (PINNs) provide a data-efficient frameworkfor solving partial differential equations, but improving their accuracy often requires enlarging multilayer perceptron backbones, which increases parameter countand computational cost. This study investigates whether PINN performance canbe improved while keeping the underlying MLP lightweight. We introduce the Cannistraci-Muscoloni-Gu Generalized Logistic-Logit Function (CMG-GLLF) as a learnable activation function for compact PINNs. To make CMG practicalfor PINN training, we reformulate its implicit logit-phase approximation into anexplicit differentiable form using a one-step Newton approximation, reducing numerical instability and computational overhead. Empirical validation on Burgers’equation shows that the explicit CMG formulation substantially outperforms boththe implicit CMG implementation and fixed tanh activation. We further show that alayer-wise CMG design achieves a favorable accuracy-parameter trade-off, addingonly two trainable parameters per hidden layer while improving over vanilla MLPsin most settings. In addition, we evaluate transponder-based contextual modula-tion, which adaptively modulates hidden-layer representations according to thenetwork input. Across Burgers, Allen-Cahn, and diffusion-reaction benchmarks,Transponder-NS consistently improves over parameter-matched vanilla MLPs andachieves the best overall ranking, with approximately order-of-magnitude errorreductions on Burgers and Allen-Cahn. Combining CMG with transponder modu-lation further improves performance on Allen-Cahn and remains competitive acrosstasks. Finally, parameter-level analysis on Allen-Cahn shows that learned CMG parameters differ from the fixed Tahn and that transponder modulation varies acrossboth layers and nodes, providing explainability on why CMG and transpondercould outperform vanilla networks through depth-dependent modulation behavior.These results suggest that learnable activation functions and contextual modulationoffer a practical route toward lightweight, accurate, and explainable PINNs.

Review
Chemistry and Materials Science
Surfaces, Coatings and Films

Ma Shuhua

,

Liao Quanxing

,

Che Guanglan

,

Chen Haoyi

,

Xu Shiai

Abstract: Membrane Distillation (MD) is a heat-driven seawater desalination technology that uses a hydrophobic microporous membrane as its core component. Due to its low energy consumption, high separation efficiency, and ability to handle high-concentration saline wastewater, it has become an effective solution to the shortage of freshwater resources. Neverless, issues such as membrane wetting, membrane fouling, and low membrane flux severely limit its large-scale application. Composite membranes prepared using metal-organic framework (MOF) materials as fillers have become a research hotspot due to their advantages, such as permeable microporous channels, customizable pore structures, and modifiable active sites. These properties enable them to effectively reduce temperature polarization and concentration polarization phenomena. This article describes the characteristics of metal-organic framework materials and their current applications in the field of membrane distillation. Comparative analysis of the applicability of MOF polycrystalline membranes and MOF composite membranes in membrane distillation. Discussed the working principle of MOFs in enhancing the performance of membrane distillation. Finally, the problems and challenges associated with the use of MOFs in membrane distillation applications were analyzed. Aims to provide theoretical guidance for the application of metal-organic framework materials in the field of membrane distillation seawater desalination.

Review
Medicine and Pharmacology
Dentistry and Oral Surgery

María de Lourdes Rodriguez Coyago

,

Isabel Narcisa Berrezueta-Reyes

,

Marco Miguel Vega García

,

Esteban Fernando Lima Tola

,

Wilson Daniel Bravo Torres

,

Jacinto José Alvarado Cordero

Abstract: The TM7x strain is a genetic variant of the bacterium Nanosynbacter lyticus, which belongs to the Saccharibacteria phylum within the Candidate Phyla Radiation (CPR) or Patescibacteria group. Its biology differs significantly from that of other bacterial phyla, and its ecological role in the oral cavity remains largely undefined. Through a organyzed and comprehensive literature review, we aim to define the role this bacterium plays within the oral ecosystem. We identified relevant studies from primary sources, included scientific articles from preclinical and clinical studies obtained from three digital databases. The bacterial strain TM7x is an obligate epibiont that exhibits autonomous energy me-tabolism and utilizes a type IV pili system to adhere to its direct host, Schaalia odontolytica. It interacts with its host in two stages: initially as an epipatobiont and subsequently as an episymbiont. TM7x plays a complex ecological role by modulating the host’s metabolism and structure toward a less virulent phenotype resistant to phage attack, while also in-fluencing the human host through immunomodulation and tissue protection. This organism has transitioned from being considered 'biological dark matter' to a key model for understanding coevolution within the human microbiome. Its ability to protect the host from phages, induce protective biofilms, and suppress destructive inflammatory responses positions it as a vital component of human oral microbiome homeostasis.

Article
Medicine and Pharmacology
Emergency Medicine

Anna Poghosyan

,

Martin Misakyan

,

Gurgen Mkhitaryan

,

Davit Minasyan

,

Irina Malkhasyan

,

Hayk Petrosyan

,

Anna Frangulyan

,

Aren Bablumyan

,

Armen Minasyan

,

Armen Muradyan

Abstract: Background: Modern warfare has introduced novel mechanisms of injury, particularly drone-induced blast trauma, resulting in complex craniomaxillofacial injuries. These injuries differ substantially from traditional ballistic trauma and require adapted surgical strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical characteristics, management approaches, and long-term outcomes of midfacial blast injuries. Methods: A retrospective analytical study was conducted on 41 patients with drone-induced midfacial blast injuries treated at a tertiary referral center in Armenia following the 2020 Nagorno-Karabakh war. All patients underwent surgical management after initial stabilization and were followed for 5 years. Clinical outcomes, complications, and reconstructive needs were assessed. Results: All patients presented with comminuted midfacial fractures, frequently associated with polytrauma (87.8%). Burns were observed in 82.9% of cases. Surgical management included radical debridement and early definitive osteosynthesis using titanium fixation systems. No cases of postoperative osteomyelitis, bone sequestration, or implant failure were observed during the 5-year follow-up. Patients with extensive soft tissue defects, particularly nasal and lip amputations required multiple reconstructive procedures. Long-term follow-up revealed progressive soft tissue thinning over titanium meshes, especially in the zygomatico-orbital region, necessitating secondary interventions such as lipofilling. Conclusions: Drone-induced midfacial blast injuries represent a distinct and severe form of trauma. Early definitive reconstruction following adequate debridement was associated with favorable outcomes. However, soft tissue reconstruction remains challenging and often requires staged procedures. Long-term follow-up is essential to manage delayed complications and optimize aesthetic outcomes.

Brief Report
Public Health and Healthcare
Public, Environmental and Occupational Health

CM (Tilly) Collins

,

Xindan Liang

,

Wanying Chen

,

Melanie Egli

,

Alexandra Richardson

,

Margarita White

,

Helena Rapp Wright

,

Rose Perkins

,

Leon Barron

Abstract: The use of spot-on pet parasiticides has risen substantially. Imidacloprid, a commonly used active ingredient (AI), was removed from outdoor agricultural use in 2018 due to evidenced environmental risks. Imidacloprid is an AI in certain spot-on pet parasiticides and, with its metabolites, is now a domestic contaminant. We report two studies of dust and surface contamination in >50 homes in London, UK. In study 1, a time series pre-and-post spot-on application, imidacloprid rapidly contaminates the home at concentrations far exceeding the environmental quality standards that exist. Seven days post-application, imidacloprid concentration in domestic mop water exceeded the acute toxicity maximum acceptable concentration (MAC) by 600-fold and rinsate from fabric on which animals frequently sat was almost 5000-fold the MAC. In study 2, of dust in 50 homes, the 10 homes without resident pets had the lowest imidacloprid concentration. Homes using spot-ons had much higher concentrations (38+/-17 µg/g), comparable to days 5-7 in Study 1. The imidacloprid acceptable daily intake (ADI) for humans applies to the gastric route (residues in food). Multiple routes of human contamination exist; transdermal and inhalation have no standards. There is evidence that imidacloprid is associated with cardiac, neurological and endocrine disruption in mammals, including humans. A precautionary approach is advisable, with responsive use rather than prophylactic use which maintains high levels of domestic contamination.

Review
Chemistry and Materials Science
Ceramics and Composites

Minahil Ishtiaq

,

Bin Li

,

Xiaoyu Shen

,

Yuanhui Liu

,

Huan Lin

,

Bo Zhang

,

Junhong Chen

Abstract: Silicon carbide (SiC) nanowires possess unique one-dimensional structural features, excellent mechanical strength, thermal stability and wide bandgap properties, showing great potential in high-temperature electronics, catalysis, sensing and composite reinforcement. Nevertheless, pristine SiC nanowires suffer from inert surface activity, weak interfacial compatibility and limited optoelectronic and catalytic performance. Surface coating and heterojunction engineering are effective strategies to address these deficiencies. This review systematically summarizes the synthesis routes of pristine SiC nanowires, including carbothermal reduction, chemical vapor deposition, template-assisted growth and molten salt synthesis, as well as their morphological regulation, physicochemical properties and inherent limitations. Meanwhile, typical coating methods such as wet chemical, hydrothermal, CVD and PIP are elaborated, and the influences of coating thickness, uniformity, adhesion and lattice/thermal compatibility on performance are summarized. The classification and interfacial charge mechanism of Type II, Z-scheme and Schottky heterojunctions are discussed, and the advances of coated SiC nanowires in photodetection, photocatalysis, gas sensing, electromagnetic shielding and energy storage are reviewed. Current challenges including coating stability, scalable preparation and integration bottlenecks are pointed out, and future research directions focusing on interface control, multifunctional integration and AI-assisted material design are prospected.

Article
Engineering
Control and Systems Engineering

Juan David Guncay

,

Christian Salamea

,

Javier Viñanzaca

,

Michael Peralta

Abstract: This work provides an experimental comparison between classical PID, analytically compensated PID, and fuzzy control applied to the speed control of a rover actuator based on a permanent magnet DC motor. Unlike most studies, which focus on classical metrics such as transient response and steady-state error, this work incorporates kinematic indicators such as acceleration and jerk to characterize the dynamic effort applied to the actuator. The results indicate that the fuzzy controller achieves the fastest transient response and the best disturbance rejection, although at the cost of an IAJ 2.378 times higher than that of the classical PID and a peak jerk 79.36% higher under nominal conditions. The classical PID exhibits the smoothest kinematic profile under nominal operation, but under disturbances it generates jerk peaks 2.39 times higher than the fuzzy controller and an IAJ 1.67 times higher than the compensated PID, evidencing its inadequacy under variable loads. The compensated PID achieves the lowest cumulative IAJ under disturbance, outperforming the fuzzy controller by 6.7%, and provides the best overall balance between response speed, disturbance rejection, and cumulative mechanical wear.

Article
Physical Sciences
Theoretical Physics

Axel G. Schubert

Abstract: This manuscript develops a timelike-boundary reading of locality and reality within the established Lorentzian causal structure of special relativity and the standard record language of quantum measurement. The central object is a timelike boundary equipped with a boundary observer field and observer-adapted cuts. Such a cut is treated as the local comparison surface on which selected quantities are read relative to a coarse-grained reference structure. A local record appears when a boundary-relative deviation becomes resolvable on that cut. The framework separates two roles that are often compressed into one event statement. Lorentzian geometry supplies causal admissibility: it determines which prior data or contextual contributions may be relevant for a candidate event. The boundary comparison supplies record content: it identifies the deviation that becomes locally manifest. Thus the causal cone constrains the admissible domain, but it does not by itself provide a microscopic route or a measurement record. The proposed reading therefore assigns locality to cut-local record formation under Lorentzian causal admissibility. Reality is associated with stable, record-accessible deviations rather than with direct exposure of the underlying reference structure. The result is a compact assignment framework in which causal structure, reference structure, resolved deviation, and local record formation are organized on the same timelike boundary without replacing the established mathematical content of special relativity or quantum mechanics.

Article
Physical Sciences
Fluids and Plasmas Physics

Andrei Galiautdinov

Abstract: The topological properties of planetary fluids are typically analyzed by mapping classical fluidequations onto complex quantum mechanical models. Here we present a purely real, six-dimensional Stueckelberg quantum mechanical formulation of the rotating shallow water equations to demonstrate that these topological features are intrinsic to the classical kinematics itself. Operating entirely within R^6, we decouple the complex quantum geometric tensor into an independent, real Fubini-Study metric and a real antisymmetric Berry curvature. Our real-variable approach explicitly derives a topological magnetic monopole of charge C=2 and captures the inherentscale invariance of the fluid's geometry without the need for complexification. We suggest that continuous variations in the Coriolis parameter may dynamically model the deep-time planetary evolution of the Archean Earth, and we propose a laboratory rotating-tank experiment to physically measure this topological phase transition. Finally, we show that our real 6D formulation naturally maps to unbroken supersymmetric quantum mechanics. By identifying a purely real supercharge and calculating a fluid Witten index of W = -2, we advance a mathematically supported viewpoint that steady-state geostrophic weather patterns represent the unbroken, zero-energy supersymmetric ground states of the rotating fluid system. Consequently, the topological isolation of this vacuum naturally restricts the spectral flow across the equator, providing a theoretical explanation for the unidirectional eastward motion of equatorial boundary waves.

Article
Computer Science and Mathematics
Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Zhizhuo Kou

,

Zhiqiang Qian

,

Zhenghao Zhu

,

Jiyuan Xin

,

Yakun Cui

,

Yuyao Zhang

,

Yanting Zhang

,

Haoran Li

,

Jian Xie

,

Shuaishuai Gong

+2 authors

Abstract: Credit risk assessment requires both accurate prediction and structured decomposition of how hetero-geneous evidence contributes to each decision. Monolithic Large Language Models can incorporate unstructured evidence and natural-language reasoning into such workflows, but in high-stakes un- derwriting they may be distracted by noisy inputs, miss rare but decisive risk cues, and offer limited control over policy-dependent decision thresholds. We present CREDITAGENT, a hierarchical credit review system with three stages: evidence filtering, specialist risk analysis by agents, and decision fusion. Our central contribution is holding the adapted backbone, specialist-agent outputs, hard-stop rules, and data split fixed, we vary only the final fusion strategy to isolate the effect of hierarchical fusion on underwriting quality. On a held-out set of 6,000 personal credit cases from Chinese financial institution, CREDITAGENT achieves 83.32% accuracy and a Business Efficiency Coefficient of 0.7647 outperform flagship model. We present these findings as an institution-specific case study while identifying which components (hierarchical fusion, GRPO training recipe) are mechanism-portable versus institution-specific (hard-stop rules, cost ratios). To ensure reproducibility, we make code and dataset publicly available at https://github.com/kouzhizhuo/Credit_Agents.

Article
Arts and Humanities
Philosophy

Andreas Schilling

Abstract: The functioning of complex natural structures, such as living systems, still lacks a generally accepted theoretical basis with respective empirical experimental verification for decades. We propose a class of experiments to test whether such systems could be subject to an unknown ordering principle that cannot be captured by known physical laws. We hypothesise that the quantum mechanical uncertainty principle enables ordering phenomena in nearly chaotic systems in the sense of a strong emergence principle, which would not be expected when they are modelled conventionally, as several authors have already formulated in various forms. To account for the harsh conditions prevailing in living systems that may preclude fragile macroscopic quantum coherence, our hypothesis does not require such coherence at all, contrary to earlier related proposals. To test this hypothesis, two virtually identical and sufficiently complex experimental setups should be compared. One setup will operate with deterministic pseudo-random number generators at key sensitive points, while the other one will use quantum-based physical random-number generators, the two setups being otherwise identical. Existing artificial neural networks are proposed as possible test objects, and their performance under identical training conditions can be used as a quantitative benchmark. As this working hypothesis extends far beyond artificial networks, a successful outcome of such an experiment could have significant implications for many other branches of science.

Article
Public Health and Healthcare
Physical Therapy, Sports Therapy and Rehabilitation

Jarosław Cholewa

,

Ivan Uher

,

Joanna Cholewa

,

Jacek Polechoński

,

Grzegorz Mikrut

,

Agnieszka Gorzkowska

Abstract: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by a decline in functional capacity and increasing limitations in daily activities. Clinical assessment tools provide valuable information on symptom severity but do not fully capture functional capacity. The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of the Senior Fitness Test (SFT) for assessing functional capacity in patients with PD, depending on met (group A) or did not meet (group B) health-promoting physical activity (PA) recommendations. The study included 74 patients with idiopathic PD classified as Hoehn and Yahr stage II. PA was assessed using ActiGraph GT3X+ triaxial accelerometer and activity diaries, functional capacity using SFT, and symptom severity by MDS-UPDRS scale. Group A achieved significantly better results in all SFT components and had lower MDS-UPDRS scores than group B. The synthetic functional index was higher in the A group (1.28 ± 2.25 vs. -0.64 ± 2.28; p < 0.001), whereas the total MDS-UPDRS score was lower (31.09 ± 4.97 vs. 34.99 ± 5.28; p = 0.022). The results indicate that the SFT may be a useful and practical tool to complement the clinical assessment of patients with PD and may support more individualized rehabilitation planning and monitoring.

Article
Biology and Life Sciences
Virology

Anna Alzheeva

,

Andrey Belov

,

Anastasia Rogova

,

Alena Andrianova

,

Lidiya Romanova

,

Magomed Gadzhikurbanov

,

Anastasia Averyanova

,

Galina Karganova

Abstract: Non-invasive methods for monitoring the condition of laboratory animals play a key role in ensuring animal welfare and improving the reliability of scientific data. This study evaluates the effectiveness of two non-invasive approaches - daily body weight measurement and urine analysis by qPCR - for monitoring the health of BALB/c mice infected with tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV). Calculation of the first derivative of body weight change allowed precise determination of disease onset, which correlated with clinical symptoms and detection of viral RNA in urine. Mathematical analysis of body weight change dynamics (first derivative with type 2 cubic spline smoothing, rh = 1) showed that a derivative threshold value of ≤ −0.6 reliably distinguishes infected BALB/c mice from healthy ones (AUC = 1 in ROC analysis). Urine analysis by qPCR allowed for the detection of viral RNA as early as the second day after infection, with a peak on the seventh day. The mathematical model was further tested on C57BL/6, CBA, and BALB/c mice of different ages and proved to be suitable. The threshold values of the derivative were found to be dependent on the mouse strain. The proposed non-invasive methods offer a humane and accurate alternative to invasive procedures, contributing to higher ethical standards and quality of research in virology.

Article
Engineering
Industrial and Manufacturing Engineering

Khakam Ma’ruf

,

Rizal Justian Setiawan

,

Taufik Akbar

,

Rheina Khaisa Rhehani Putri

,

Zaky Ahmad Aditya

,

Afan Sutopo

,

Muhamad Yogi

,

Yu-Tzu Chen

Abstract: Water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is an invasive aquatic plant with high lignocellulosic content, offering potential as a natural fiber resource for craft-based industries. However, its extremely high initial moisture content (≈95%) presents a major challenge in fiber processing, particularly for small-scale industries that rely on traditional sun-drying methods. These methods are highly dependent on weather conditions, prone to contamination, and produce inconsistent fiber quality. This study adopts a research and development (R&D) approach to design and evaluate an innovative dryer machine specifically for water hyacinth fiber processing. The proposed system utilizes LPG-based heating and controlled airflow to achieve stable drying conditions. Experimental results show that the dryer machine can process 10 kg of wet water hyacinth within 280 minutes, significantly shorter than approximately four days required for manual drying. The system reduces the moisture content to below 10%, resulting in improved fiber cleanliness, uniformity, and usability. Although the dried mass produced by the machine is slightly lower compared to manual drying, this is attributed to more effective moisture removal, leading to lower residual water content in the final product. Productivity analysis indicates improved operational consistency and higher processing capacity over extended periods (30–180 days), particularly under varying weather conditions. These findings demonstrate that controlled drying technology provides a reliable and efficient solution for lignocellulosic fiber processing in small-scale industries, contributing to improved material utilization and sustainable biomass management.

Article
Environmental and Earth Sciences
Soil Science

Sonia Ikundabayo

,

Jean de Dieu Bazimenyera

,

Romuald Bagaragaza

Abstract: Soil health and irrigation water quality are fundamental to sustainable agricultural productivity, particularly in semi-arid environments. This study evaluated the influence of irrigation water quality on soil physical and chemical properties within the Kagitumba Irrigation Scheme in Eastern Rwanda. An observational analytical design integrated field sampling, laboratory analysis, and statistical evaluation. Soil samples (n = 20) were col-lected at depths of 0–30 cm and 30–60 cm, alongside irrigation water samples (n = 5) from intake and distribution points. Soil parameters analyzed included texture, bulk density, pH, electrical conductivity (EC), organic matter, and nutrient content, while water quality assessment focused on pH, EC, turbidity, dissolved oxygen (DO), and oxidation–reduction potential (ORP). Data were subjected to descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, and ANOVA at a 95% confidence level. Findings revealed predominantly sandy loam soils with low bulk density, moderate water-holding capacity, and near-neutral pH. Soil salin-ity remained low, indicating limited risk of degradation. Irrigation water was generally suitable for agricultural use in terms of pH and salinity; however, elevated turbidity showed a strong negative correlation with infiltration rate (r = −0.73). Additionally, low soil nitrogen levels were significantly associated with water quality, suggesting nutrient leaching. These results underscore the critical role of irrigation water quality in shaping soil health and emphasize the need for improved water filtration and integrated nutrient management to enhance long-term sustainability.

Article
Medicine and Pharmacology
Hematology

Pornphimon Metheenukul

,

Thitichai Jarudecha

,

Oumaporn Rungsuriyawiboon

Abstract: The complete blood count (CBC) is a diagnostic test to analyze abnormalities of blood cells. Currently, automated hematology analyzers and artificial intelligence technology are being used with automated blood analyzers to ensure accuracy and reliability. This study aimed to evaluate the performance of artificial intelligence (AI) based automated blood cell analyzer, Awalife AI-100Vet Multifunctional Morphological Analyzer, in dog and cat blood samples by comparison with the CBC manual method. In dogs, PCV, hemoglobin, RBC, MCH, WBC, % Neutrophil, %Lymphocyte, %Monocyte, %Eosinophil and %Reticulocyte were all significantly correlated. While in cats, PCV, Hemoglobin RBC, WBC, % Neutrophil, % Lymphocyte, and % Eosinophil were all also significantly correlated. AUC values obtained by the Awalife AI-100Vet analyzer for Hematology testing in dogs and cats were 0.72 and 0.92 respectively. These findings suggest that the Awalife AI-100Vet analyzer demonstrated good accuracy using dog blood for hematology testing as well as excellent accuracy when using cat blood. The AI-based automated blood analyzer has the potential to analyze hematological data and is close to the reference method. However, there are still differences in some parameters. Further optimization of the AI algorithm, which will involve increasing the accuracy of identifying unusual cell shapes, improving stability against various samples, such as stains, and achieving good results when working with unique pathologies, should be carried out.

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