Contrast-enhanced breast MRI has an established role in aiding in the detection, evaluation, and management of breast cancer. This article discusses MRI sequences, the clinical utility of MRI, and how MRI has been evaluated for use in breast radiotherapy treatment planning. We highlight the contribution of MRI in the decision-making regarding selecting appropriate candidates for breast conservation therapy and review the emerging role of MRI-guided breast radiotherapy. Full article

The reliability and clarity of environmental assessments represent an important prerequisite for measures towards the sustainable transformation of our economic system. Studies examining the environmental performance of reusables are often used to derive arguments for and against their use. Accordingly, it is important to have clarity about the influence of methodological decisions on the results of such studies. This paper analyses possible approaches to the allocation of environmental impacts of transport processes to reusable shipping packaging in the context of parcel deliveries. A model was developed to conduct comparative analyses of carbon emissions (carbon footprint) from the use of single-use vs. reusable shipping packaging and was subsequently applied to two reusable shipping packaging systems currently available on the market. The results showed that using different allocation models led to significant variations in the results for the carbon footprint of the analysed packaging (single-use and reusable), while at the same time, the calculated environmental break-even point in the comparison between the single-use and reusable options remained rather stable. The results highlight the importance of a clear and standardized methodological framework for the communication of footprint information for reusable shipping packaging. Moreover, for determining the environmental break-even point, the results suggest that aspects like the comparison scenario (i.e., the selection of the single-use packaging) are more important than the methodological choice of the allocation model for transportation processes. Full article

The aim of our study was to evaluate the early and long-term clinical and morphological outcomes of the endovascular treatment of ruptured and non-ruptured intracranial aneurysms in a cohort of patients from a single centre. We retrospectively analysed the treatment outcomes of 402 endovascularly treated intracranial aneurysms with an average follow-up of 5.5 years. All included patients were treated with endovascular techniques (coil, stent or both). We analysed patient demographics, risk factors for an aneurysm rupture, aneurysm characteristics, and clinical and angiographic complications and outcomes. We analysed and compared the data from the two groups, ruptured aneurysms (RAs) and unruptured aneurysms (UAs), separately. Out of the 318 patients included, a good early clinical outcome was achieved in 78.5% of RAs and in 95.3% of UAs. No complications occurred in 87.71% of patients with UAs and in 80.45% with RAs. The periprocedural rupture rate for UAs and RAs was 0.8% and 2.2%, respectively. The rate of thromboembolic events was 4.8 and 8% for UAs and RAs, respectively. A retreatment due to the recanalisation was required in 9.21% of patients with UAs and in 16.66% of patients with RAs. The results from our centre showed an overall favourable clinical outcome with acceptable periprocedural complications for both RAs and UR aneurysms and proved the endovascular method as safe and effective in the treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Full article

Background: Osteopenia, caused by estrogen deficiency in postmenopausal women (PMW), lowers Bone Mineral Density (BMD) and increases bone fragility. It affects about half of older women’s social and physical health. PMW experience pain and disability, impacting their health-related Quality of Life (QoL) and function. This study aimed to determine the effects of Kinect-based Virtual Reality Training (VRT) on physical performance and QoL in PMW with osteopenia. Methodology: The study was a prospective, two-arm, parallel-design, randomized controlled trial. Fifty-two participants were recruited in the trial, with 26 randomly assigned to each group. The experimental group received Kinect-based VRT thrice a week for 24 weeks, each lasting 45 min. Both groups were directed to participate in a 30-min walk outside every day. Physical performance was measured by the Time Up and Go Test (TUG), Functional Reach Test (FRT), Five Times Sit to Stand Test (FTSST), Modified Sit and Reach Test (MSRT), Dynamic Hand Grip Strength (DHGS), Non-Dynamic Hand Grip Strength (NDHGS), BORG Score and Dyspnea Index. Escala de Calidad de vida Osteoporosis (ECOS-16) questionnaire measured QoL. Both physical performance and QoL measures were assessed at baseline, after 12 weeks, and after 24 weeks. Data were analyzed on SPSS 25. Results: The mean age of the PMW participants was 58.00 ± 5.52 years. In within-group comparison, all outcome variables (TUG, FRT, FTSST, MSRT, DHGS, NDHGS, BORG Score, Dyspnea, and ECOS-16) showed significant improvements (p < 0.001) from baseline at both the 12th and 24th weeks and between baseline and the 24th week in the experimental group. In the control group, all outcome variables except FRT (12th week to 24th week) showed statistically significant improvements (p < 0.001) from baseline at both the 12th and 24th weeks and between baseline and the 24th week. In between-group comparison, the experimental group demonstrated more significant improvements in most outcome variables at all points than the control group (p < 0.001), indicating the positive additional effects of Kinect-based VRT. Conclusion: The study concludes that physical performance and QoL measures were improved in both the experimental and control groups. However, in the group comparison, these variables showed better results in the experimental group. Thus, Kinect-based VRT is an alternative and feasible intervention to improve physical performance and QoL in PMW with osteopenia. This novel approach may be widely applicable in upcoming studies, considering the increasing interest in virtual reality-based therapy for rehabilitation. Full article

Short-term precipitation forecasting methods are mainly divided into statistical forecasting, numerical model-based forecasting, and radar image extrapolation techniques. The two methods based on statistical prediction and numerical model have the disadvantages of being unstable and generating large errors. Therefore, this study proposes the use of deep learning for radar image extrapolation for precipitation forecasting, in particular by developing algorithms for ConvLSTM and SmaAT-UNet. The ConvLSTM model is a fusion of a CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) and LSTM (Long Short-Term Memory network), which solves the challenge of processing spatial sequence data, which is a task that traditional LSTM models cannot accomplish. At the same time, SmaAT-UNet enhances the traditional UNet structure by incorporating the CBAM (Convolutional Block Attention Module) attention mechanism and replacing the standard convolutional layer with depthwise separable convolution. This innovative approach aims to improve the efficiency and accuracy of short-term precipitation forecasting by improving feature extraction and data processing techniques. Evaluation and analysis of experimental data show that both models exhibit good predictive ability, with the SmaAT-UNet model outperforming ConvLSTM in terms of accuracy. The results show that the performance indicators of precipitation prediction, especially detection probability (POD) and the Critical Success index (CSI), show a downward trend with the extension of the prediction time. This trend highlights the inherent challenges of maintaining predictive accuracy over longer periods of time and highlights the superior performance and resilience of the SmaAT-UNet model under these conditions. Compared with the statistical forecasting method and numerical model forecasting method, its accuracy in short-term rainfall forecasting is improved. Full article

To improve the performance of shotcrete in high-altitude and low-temperature environments, emulsified asphalt shotcrete (EASC), which can be used in negative-temperature environments, was prepared by using low-freezing-point emulsified asphalt, calcium aluminate cement, and sodium pyrophosphate as modified materials. The effect of emulsified asphalt on the performance of shotcrete was investigated through concrete spraying and indoor tests. Then, the modification mechanism of emulsified asphalt with respect to EASC was analyzed by combining scanning electron microscopy images and the pore structure characteristics of EASC. The results showed that in a negative-temperature environment, the incorporation of emulsified asphalt delayed the formation of the peak of the cement hydration exotherm, slowed the rate of the cement hydration exotherm, reduced the thermal perturbation of permafrost by EASC, increased the cohesion of the concrete, improved the bond strength between EASC and permafrost, and reduced the rate of rebound. The mechanical strength of the studied EASC decreased upon increasing the amount of emulsified asphalt in the admixture, and its resistance to cracking gradually improved. A content of less than 5% emulsified asphalt could improve the internal pore structure of EASC, thus improving its durability. Increasing the content of emulsified asphalt affected the hydration process of the cement, and the volume content of the capillary pores and macropores increased, which reduced the durability of the EASC. Full article

Contamination with plastics of small dimensions (<1 µm) represents a health concern for many terrestrial and aquatic organisms. This study examined the use of plastic-binding peptides as a coating probe to detect various types of plastic using a plasmon nano-gold sensor. Plastic-binding peptides were selected for polyethylene (PE), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), and polystyrene (PS) based on the reported literature. Using nAu with each of these peptides to test the target plastics revealed high signal, at 525/630 nm, suggesting that the target plastic limited HCl-induced nAu aggregation. Testing with other plastics revealed some lack of specificity but the signal was always lower than that of the target plastic. This suggests that these peptides, although reacting mainly with their target plastic, show partial reactivity with the other target plastics. By using a multiple regression model, the relative levels of a given plastic could be corrected by the presence of other plastics. This approach was tested in freshwater mussels caged for 3 months at sites suspected to release plastic materials: in rainfall overflow discharges, downstream a largely populated city, and in a municipal effluent dispersion plume. The data revealed that the digestive glands of the mussels contained higher levels of PP, PE, and PET plastic particles at the rainfall overflow and downstream city sites compared to the treated municipal effluent site. This corroborated earlier findings that wastewater treatment could remove nanoparticles, at least in part. A quick and inexpensive screening test for plastic nanoparticles in biological samples with plasmonic nAu-peptides is proposed. Full article

In this study, our aim is to find an effective method to solve the problem of disease similarity caused by multiple diseases occurring on the same leaf. This study proposes the use of an optimized RegNet model to identify seven common apple leaf diseases. We conducted comparisons and analyses on the impact of various factors, such as training methods, data expansion methods, optimizer selection, image background, and other factors, on model performance. The findings suggest that utilizing offline expansion and transfer learning to fine-tune all layer parameters can enhance the model’s classification performance, while complex image backgrounds significantly influence model performance. Additionally, the optimized RegNet network model demonstrates good generalization ability for both datasets, achieving testing accuracies of 93.85% and 99.23%, respectively. These results highlight the potential of the optimized RegNet network model to achieve high-precision identification of different diseases on the same apple leaf under complex field backgrounds. This will be of great significance for intelligent disease identification in apple orchards in the future. Full article

Within an educational context, the current aim of policy translation is to achieve policy coherence by strategically and structurally aligning components, enabling whole system reform. While acknowledging the importance of this coherence conceptualisation, the current literature perspective primarily emphasises message conveyance, and lacks a dimension that identifies policy coherence as the result of how individuals, including middle leaders, interpret and translate policy into actions, both individually and collectively. System middle leaders occupy a unique position within organisational structures, as they bridge the gap between executive system leaders and school- based leaders. To investigate how policy is interpreted and translated within their roles and the impact this has on attaining policy coherence, this study employed an interpretivist approach to exploratory case study methodology, grounded in a review of authoritative literature. The aim was twofold; first, to enhance understanding of policy coherence development at the system middle level by exploring the role enactment of system middle leaders within a large Australian government education system; and second, to examine the interconnectedness and impact of leaders’ role enactment on policy coherence for system reform. Findings suggest that achieving policy coherence is hindered by a lack of role clarity among system leaders, in relation to policy implementation, stemming from the inconsistent interpretation and translation of policy into system strategy documentation and a deficiency in formal policy interpretation and role induction practices. As a result, individual system leaders often turn to informal policy interpretations and interactions with peers to clarify roles, leading to role tensions, accountability ambiguity and partial policy implementation. As a result, this study concludes that the integration of role theory, policy implementation theory and organisational alignment theory offers an interpretivist insight into the development of policy coherence for system reform, illuminating a theoretical pathway and practical recommendations for systems to attain policy coherence. Full article

In this work, the properties of self-compacting concrete (SCC) and SCC containing 0.5 and 1% glass fibers (with lengths of 6 and 13 mm) were experimentally investigated, as well as their performance at high temperatures. With a heating rate of 5 °C/min, high-temperature experiments were conducted at 200, 400, 600, and 800 °C to examine mass loss, spalling, and the remaining mechanical properties of SCC with and without glass fibers. According to the results of the flowability and passing ability tests, adding glass fibers does not affect how workable and self-compacting SCCs were. These findings also demonstrated that the mechanical properties of samples with and without glass fibers rose up to 200 °C but then decreased at 400 °C, whereas the mixture containing 0.5% glass fibers of a length of 13 mm displayed better mechanical properties. Both SCC samples with and without glass fibers remained intact at 200 °C. Some SCC samples displayed some corner and edge spalling when the temperature reached about 400 °C. Above 400 °C, a significant number of microcracks started to form. SCC samples quickly spalled and were completely destroyed between 600 and 800 °C. According to the results, glass fibers cannot stop SCC from spalling during a fire. Between 200 and 400 °C, there was no discernible mass loss. At 600 °C, mass loss starts to accelerate quickly, and it increased more than ten times beyond 200 °C. The ultrasonic pulse velocity (UPV) of SCC samples with glass fibers increased between room temperature and 200 °C, and the mixture containing 0.5% glass fibers of a length of 13 mm showed a somewhat higher UPV than other SCC mixtures until it started to decline at about 400 °C. Full article

Background: The placenta exerts a crucial role in fetus growth and development during gestation, protecting the fetus from maternal drugs and chemical exposure. However, diverse drugs and chemicals (xenobiotics) can penetrate the maternal placental barrier, leading to deleterious, adverse effects concerning fetus health. Moreover, placental enzymes can metabolize drugs and chemicals into more toxic compounds for the fetus. Thus, evaluating the molecular mechanisms through which drugs and chemicals transfer and undergo metabolism across the placental barrier is of vital importance. In this aspect, this comprehensive literature review aims to provide a holistic approach by critically summarizing and scrutinizing the potential molecular processes and mechanisms governing drugs and chemical transfer and metabolism across the placental barrier, which may lead to fetotoxicity effects, as well as analyzing the currently available experimental methodologies used to assess xenobiotics placental transfer and metabolism. Methods: A comprehensive and in-depth literature review was conducted in the most accurate scientific databases such as PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science by using relevant and effective keywords related to xenobiotic placental transfer and metabolism, retrieving 8830 published articles until 5 February 2024. After applying several strict exclusion and inclusion criteria, a final number of 148 relevant published articles were included. Results: During pregnancy, several drugs and chemicals can be transferred from the mother to the fetus across the placental barrier by either passive diffusion or through placental transporters, resulting in fetus exposure and potential fetotoxicity effects. Some drugs and chemicals also appear to be metabolized across the placental barrier, leading to more toxic products for both the mother and the fetus. At present, there is increasing research development of diverse experimental methodologies to determine the potential molecular processes and mechanisms of drug and chemical placental transfer and metabolism. All the currently available methodologies have specific strengths and limitations, highlighting the strong demand to utilize an efficient combination of them to obtain reliable evidence concerning drug and chemical transfer and metabolism across the placental barrier. To derive the most consistent and safe evidence, in vitro studies, ex vivo perfusion methods, and in vivo animal and human studies can be applied together with the final aim to minimize potential fetotoxicity effects. Conclusions: Research is being increasingly carried out to obtain an accurate and safe evaluation of drug and chemical transport and metabolism across the placental barrier, applying a combination of advanced techniques to avoid potential fetotoxic effects. The improvement of the currently available techniques and the development of novel experimental protocols and methodologies are of major importance to protect both the mother and the fetus from xenobiotic exposure, as well as to minimize potential fetotoxicity effects. Full article

The sodium pump, or Na⁺/K⁺-ATPase (NKA), is an essential enzyme found in the plasma membrane of all animal cells. Its primary role is to transport sodium (Na⁺) and potassium (K⁺) ions across the cell membrane, using energy from ATP hydrolysis. This transport creates and maintains an electrochemical gradient, which is crucial for various cellular processes, including cell volume regulation, electrical excitability, and secondary active transport. Although the role of NKA as a pump was discovered and demonstrated several decades ago, it remains the subject of intense research. Current studies aim to delve deeper into several aspects of this molecular entity, such as describing its structure and mode of operation in atomic detail, understanding its molecular and functional diversity, and examining the consequences of its malfunction due to structural alterations. Additionally, researchers are investigating the effects of various substances that amplify or decrease its pumping activity. Beyond its role as a pump, growing evidence indicates that in various cell types, NKA also functions as a receptor for cardiac glycosides like ouabain. This receptor activity triggers the activation of various signaling pathways, producing significant morphological and physiological effects. In this report, we present the results of a comprehensive review of the most outstanding studies of the past five years. We highlight the progress made regarding this new concept of NKA and the various cardiac glycosides that influence it. Furthermore, we emphasize NKA’s role in epithelial physiology, particularly its function as a receptor for cardiac glycosides that trigger intracellular signals regulating cell–cell contacts, proliferation, differentiation, and adhesion. We also analyze the role of NKA β-subunits as cell adhesion molecules in glia and epithelial cells. Full article

Plants and insects coevolved as an evolutionarily successful and enduring association. The molecular arms race led to evolutionary novelties regarding unique mechanisms of defence and detoxification in plants and insects. While insects adopt mechanisms to conquer host defence, trees develop well-orchestrated and species-specific defence strategies against insect herbivory. However, current knowledge on the molecular underpinnings of fine-tuned tree defence responses against different herbivore insects is still restricted. In the current study, using a multi-omics approach, we unveiled the defence response of Populus tremula against aphids (Chaitophorus populialbae) and spongy moths (Lymantria dispar) herbivory. Comparative differential gene expression (DGE) analyses revealed that around 272 and 1203 transcripts were differentially regulated in P. tremula after moth and aphid herbivory compared to uninfested controls. Interestingly, 5716 transcripts were differentially regulated in P. tremula between aphids and moth infestation. Further investigation showed that defence-related stress hormones and their lipid precursors, transcription factors, and signalling molecules were over-expressed, whereas the growth-related counterparts were suppressed in P. tremula after aphid and moth herbivory. Metabolomics analysis documented that around 37% of all significantly abundant metabolites were associated with biochemical pathways related to tree growth and defence. However, the metabolic profiles of aphid and moth-fed trees were quite distinct, indicating species-specific response optimization. After identifying the suitable reference genes in P. tremula, the omics data were further validated using RT-qPCR. Nevertheless, our findings documented species-specific fine-tuning of the defence response of P. tremula, showing conservation on resource allocation for defence overgrowth under aphid and moth herbivory. Such findings can be exploited to enhance our current understanding of molecular orchestration of tree responses against herbivory and aid in developing insect pest resistance P. tremula varieties. Full article

The neuroTac, a neuromorphic visuo-tactile sensor that leverages the high temporal resolution of event-based cameras, is ideally suited to applications in robotic manipulators and prosthetic devices. In this paper, we pair the neuroTac with Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) to achieve a movement-invariant neuromorphic tactile sensing method for robust texture classification. Alongside this, we demonstrate the ability of this approach to extract movement profiles from purely tactile data. Our systems achieve accuracies of 95% and 83% across their respective tasks (texture and movement classification). We then seek to reduce the size and spiking activity of our networks with the aim of deployment to edge neuromorphic hardware. This multi-objective optimisation investigation using Pareto frontiers highlights several design trade-offs, where high activity and large network sizes can both be reduced by up to 68% and 94% at the cost of slight decreases in accuracy (8%). Full article

We studied the noncovalent interactions of gadolinium bisphthalocyanine (GdPc₂) with cluster models for graphene and hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) of variable size by using the PBE functional of the generalized gradient approximation in conjunction with Grimme’s dispersion correction and a DND double numerical basis set (that is, PBE-D2/DND). We found that in terms of the bonding strength, changes in the Gd-N bond lengths, the charge and spin of the Gd central ion, and the spin of the GdPc₂ molecule, the behaviors of the graphene- and hBN-based model systems are rather similar. As expected, when increasing the size of the graphene and hBN cluster models, the strength of the interaction with GdPc₂ increases, in which the bonding with the hBN models is usually stronger by a few kcal/mol. One of the main questions addressed in the present work was whether a change in the antiferromagnetic spin alignment to a ferromagnetic one, which is typical for GdPc₂, is (at least theoretically) possible, as it has been observed previously for a number of graphene models when a smaller basis set DN was employed. We found that the use of a larger DND basis set dramatically reduces the occurrence of ferromagnetic adsorption complexes but does not exclude this possibility completely. Full article

Heat stress is a significant environmental problem that has a detrimental impact on animal welfare and production efficiency in swine farms. The current study was conducted to assess the effect of low-intensity showers, provided during critical high-temperature hours daily, on body external temperature, feeding pattern, and carcass and meat quality characteristics in fattening pigs. A total of 400 animals (200 barrows and 200 gilts) were randomly allotted in 40 pens. A shower nozzle was installed over 20 pens (half barrows and half gilts) where pigs received a low-intensity shower for 2 min in 30 min intervals from 12 to 19 h (SHO group). Another group without showers was also considered (CON). Feeder occupancy measurement, thermographic measures, and carcass and meat quality parameters were studied. In the periods with higher environmental temperatures, SHO animals showed an increase in the feeder occupancy rate compared to the CON group. A decrease in temperature was observed after the shower, regardless of the anatomical location (p < 0.005). The treatment with showers led to higher values than in the CON group of 4.72%, 3.87%, 11.8%, and 15.1% for hot carcass weight, lean meat yield, and fat thickness in Longissimus Dorsi (LD) and Gluteus Medius muscles, respectively (p < 0.01). Pork from CON showed a 14.9% higher value of drip loss, and 18.9% higher malondialdehyde concentration than SHO (p < 0.01); meanwhile, intramuscular fat content was 22.8% higher in SHO than in CON (p < 0.01). On the other hand, the CON group exhibited higher L* (2.13%) and lower a* and b* values (15.8% and 8.97%) compared to the SHO group. However, the pH_20h of the CON group was significantly lower than that of the SHO group (p < 0.001), indicating a softer pH decrease. Related to fatty acids in subcutaneous outer and inner layers and intramuscular fat, the CON group showed higher ΣSFA and lower ΣMUFA and Δ₉-desaturase indexes than SHO (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the amelioration of heat stress through showers at critical times should be considered an interesting tool that improves both carcass and meat quality, as well as animal welfare. Full article

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) accounts for approximately 15–20% of all breast cancer types, indicating a poor survival prognosis with a more aggressive biology of metastasis to the lung and a short response duration to available therapies. Ibulocydine (IB) is a novel (cyclin-dependent kinase) CDK7/9 inhibitor prodrug displaying potent anti-cancer effects against various cancer cell types. We performed in vitro and in vivo experiments to determine whether IB inhibits metastasis and eventually overcomes the poor drug response in TNBC. The result showed that IB inhibited the growth of TNBC cells by inducing caspase-mediated apoptosis and blocking metastasis by reducing MMP-9 expression in vitro. Concurrently, in vivo experiments using the metastasis model showed that IB inhibited metastasis of MDA-MB-231-Luc cells to the lung. Collectively, these results demonstrate that IB inhibited the growth of TNBC cells and blocked metastasis by regulating MMP-9 expression, suggesting a novel therapeutic agent for metastatic TNBC. Full article

During social interactions, people decide whether to trust an actor based on their punitive behaviour. Several empirical studies have indicated that punishment intensity impacts observer trust, yet the underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated. This study included 242 junior high school students and was conducted to investigate the relationship between teachers’ punishment intensity and levels of student bystander trust. Additionally, the mediating role of trustworthiness and the moderating role of group relationships were explored. The results showed that the relationship between punishment intensity and observer trust follows an inverted U-shaped pattern. In addition, mild punishment boosts observer trust by improving perceived trustworthiness (ability and integrity) compared to no punishment, while harsh punishment reduces observer trust more than mild punishment by diminishing perceived trustworthiness (ability, benevolence, and integrity). More importantly, group relationships positively moderate the relationship between punishment intensity and observer trust. Specifically, compared to mild or no punishment, harsh punishment decreases trustworthiness (ability, benevolence, and integrity) in close teacher–student relationships but has less impact on neutral relationships. The above findings demonstrate that guiding educators in developing appropriate disciplinary concepts contributes to enhancing student observer trust. Full article

Background: Older adults have a high risk for musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, and mental health problems. We compared respiratory muscle strength, cardiovascular endurance, physical activity (PA), and depression between older adults with and without sarcopenia. Methods: This matched case–control study included 200 Thai older adults (100 participants with and without sarcopenia). According to the Asian Working Group for Sarcopenia 2019, participants completed a handgrip dynamometer, a 6 m walk test, and bioimpedance analysis for sarcopenia screening. Individuals were required to evaluate their cardiovascular endurance and respiratory muscle strength and complete a set of questionnaires (i.e., depression and PA). Participants with and without sarcopenia were compared using a t-test, and ANOVA was used for subgroup analysis. Results: Participants with sarcopenia had significantly lower inspiratory muscle strength (p < 0.001), functional capacity (p = 0.032), PA (p < 0.001), and higher depression scores (p < 0.001) than those without sarcopenia. Respiratory muscle strength and PA were significantly reduced in those with severe sarcopenia, followed by those with sarcopenia, possible sarcopenia, and no sarcopenia. Older adults with severe sarcopenia had higher depression scores than those with sarcopenia, possible sarcopenia, or no sarcopenia. Conclusions: Older adults with sarcopenia may exhibit lower cardiorespiratory performance, less PA, and higher depression than those without sarcopenia. Full article

The complexity of today’s scenario has made it necessary to investigate the need for individuals to make choices that entail increasing exposure to risk and uncertainty. Among the individual resources that could help people to cope with situations of uncertainty, the new construct of subjective risk intelligence (SRI), known as a person’s ability to effectively weigh the pros and cons of a decision in situations where not all the outcomes are foreseen, would seem to play a prominent role. Considering that personality and coping strategies have been shown to be significantly related in previous research, the present study investigates the relationships between subjective risk intelligence, emotional intelligence, personality traits and coping strategies in both adults and adolescents. This cross-sectional study was conducted on 1390 Italian people, divided into two subsamples of 641 adolescents and 749 adults. The results showed that SRI mediated the roles that personality traits and emotional intelligence have in coping strategies differently in the adult sample, in which the mediating role of SRI was found for avoidance coping, and in the adolescent sample, in which SRI influenced all of the antecedents analysed in the study for almost all of the identified coping strategies. In light of these findings, subjective risk intelligence could be activated to deal with uncertain and risky situations, influencing the choice of effective or ineffective strategies in both adults and adolescents. Full article

In recent years, robot manipulator arms have become increasingly prevalent and are playing pivotal roles across various industries. Their ability to replace human labor in arduous and hazardous tasks has positioned them as indispensable assets. Consequently, there has been a surge in research efforts aimed at enhancing their operational performance. The imperative to improve their efficiency and effectiveness has garnered significant attention within the research community. In this study, a novel fault-tolerant control (FTC) scheme for robot manipulators to handle the effects of the unknown input is proposed to aid robots in achieving good tracking performance. In the first step, an extended state observer (ESO) is constructed to approximate both velocities and the unknown input in the robot system. The observer offers estimation information with good accuracy and quick convergence. The estimated signals are then combined with computed torque control (CTC), which is a useful control technique for trajectory tracking of robot manipulator systems, to construct an active FTC to decrease the influences of the unknown input. The proposed algorithm does not require velocity measurement in the design process. In addition, with a novel design approach, the combination of controller and observer provides a novel control signal that delivers higher tracking performance compared to the traditional design approach. The global and asymptotic stability of the suggested technique is proved through the Lyapunov theory. Finally, simulations are implemented on a 2-degree-of-freedom (DOF) robot manipulator to validate the efficiency of the proposed controller–observer method. Full article

During the Holocene, the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River valley in China were pivotal areas for agricultural development. Quantitatively reconstructing the spatiotemporal changes in prehistoric human land use is essential for understanding, from a long-term perspective, the interactions among evolutions of climate, agriculture, and human activities. Based on 327 archaeological sites and the PLUM (prehistoric land use model), we quantitatively reconstructed human land use changes from 6 to 3 ka BP (thousands of years before the present) in the Tao River valley, the second-largest tributary in the upper reach of the Yellow River valley. The results indicated that regional land use areas increased from 571 km² to 1468 km², with spatial expansion from the lower reach to the upper–middle reach of the Tao River valley. A comparison of the five areas distributed across the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River valley revealed two different trends of increasing land use from 8 to 3 ka BP within these areas. The first group (the Wei River and Yiluo River valleys) exhibited rapid and substantial growth before 5 ka BP, while the second group (the Huangshui River and Tao River valleys, and the Yunlin district) showed a much slower and less significant increase before 5 ka BP, but a more obvious increase thereafter. The asynchronous increases in these areas indicate an expansion of land use from the southeastern part of the upper and middle reaches of the Yellow River Valley to across the entire region between 8 and 3 ka BP, which was primarily driven by agricultural development and cultural communication. Full article