Search Results (10,713)

Spheroids, as three-dimensional (3D) cell aggregates, can be prepared using various methods, including hanging drops, microwells, microfluidics, magnetic manipulation, and bioreactors. However, current spheroid manufacturing techniques face challenges such as complex workflows, the need for specialized personnel, and poor batch reproducibility. In this study, we designed a support-free, 3D-printed microwell chip and developed a compatible low-cell-adhesion process. Through simulation and experimental validation, we rapidly optimized microwell size and the coating process. We successfully formed three types of spheroids—human immortalized epidermal cells (HaCaTs), umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs), and human osteosarcoma cells (MG63s)—on the chip. Fluorescent viability staining confirmed the biocompatibility and reliability of the chip. Finally, drug response experiments were conducted using the chip. Compared to traditional methods, our proposed strategy enables high-throughput production of size-controlled spheroids with excellent shape retention, while enhanced gas exchange during culture improves differentiation marker expression. This platform provides an efficient and cost-effective solution for biosensing applications, such as drug screening, disease modeling, and personalized therapy monitoring. Furthermore, the chip shows significant potential for real-time in vitro monitoring of cellular viability, reaction kinetics, and drug sensitivity, offering valuable advancements in biosensor technology for life sciences and medical applications. Full article

Background: Adolescents in foster care endure frequent disruptive transitions, often culminating in discharge to independent living rather than reunification or adoption. Former foster youth fare poorly once on their own, with high rates of homelessness and social disconnection. This study explored the use of the Bridges Transitions Framework near the end of placement to help youth cope with the transition to adulthood. Methods: In this exploratory study, the framework was integrated into a foster agency’s programming; then, we assessed outcomes using administrative data and youth interviews. Thirty-five youth participated. Status of employment, education, and social support was collected 18 months after exposure to the framework. Results: The participants reported moderate to high levels of social support, which is often limited or absent among foster care leavers. Relative to rates reported in state-level foster care data, participants had substantially higher rates of school enrollment after discharge. With very few empirically assessed models available for this population that specifically address internal coping with such substantial life changes, the Transitions Framework offers a tool that may help foster youth navigate aging out of care. Securing lasting and meaningful social support and employment and completing education remain elusive for former foster youth. Conclusions: To confirm the utility of the Transitions Framework, it is recommended to assess it with a large sample and matched comparison group over time. Full article

Industrial buildings play vital roles in a society, from shaping the economic, technological, cultural, and social fabric of society to contributing to its growth, development, and resilience. Hence, often at the end of their lifespans, they are “preserved” for their historical value through renovation. Considerations for renovation often include their historical significance, structural integrity, adaptive reuse, social sustainability, financial viability, and environmental impacts. Among these considerations, the carbon emissions associated with a project are increasingly becoming a factor of relevance when a historical building is to be sensitively renovated so that it can continue to contribute to local sustainability. However, embodied carbon is often overshadowed by operational carbon and overlooked in the development of renovation options. This paper argues for the need to include embodied carbon in the consideration of any renovation process and for guidelines for doing so. The argument is built upon a systematic review of current practices in the renovation of industrial heritage buildings across selected representative countries from the Global South and the Global North, in the belief that the former could learn valuable lessons from the latter, which has more extensive experience in considering embodied carbon in such processes. The argument also shows the difference in policy between different countries and articulates how the inclusion of embodied carbon might support environmental targets in the Global South. Based on a quantitative comparison, this review explains why embodied carbon (EC) is missing in renovations of industrial heritage buildings in the Global South. This study estimates the proportion and value of EC within the total life cycle in renovations of industrial buildings to support the argument. Above all, a calculation using a standard life cycle assessment (LCA) tool (ISO14040 & 14044) applied to four successful examples and a quantitative comparison highlight the benefits of including embodied carbon in renovations of industrial buildings and the carbon savings in the Global South and further supports our argument. Full article

Objectives: To summarize the impact of various telerehabilitation interventions on motor function, balance, gait, activities of daily living (ADLs), and quality of life (QoL) among patients with stroke and to determine the existing telerehabilitation interventions for delivering physiotherapy sessions in clinical practice. Methods: Six electronic databases were searched to identify relevant quantitative systematic reviews (SRs). Due to substantial heterogeneity, the data were analysed narratively. Results: A total of 28 systematic reviews (n = 245 primary studies) were included that examined various telerehabilitation interventions after stroke. Motor function was the most studied outcome domain across the reviews (20 SRs), followed by ADL (18 SRs), and balance (14 SRs) domains. For primary outcomes, our findings highlight moderate- to high-quality evidence showing either a significant effect or no significant difference between telerehabilitation and other interventions. There was insufficient evidence to draw a conclusion regarding feasibility outcomes, including participant satisfaction, adherence to treatment, and cost. Most reviews under this umbrella included patients with stroke in the subacute or chronic phase (12 SRs). Simple and complex telerehabilitation interventions such as telephone calls, videoconferencing, smartphone- or tablet-based mobile health applications, messaging, virtual reality, robot-assisted devices, and 3D animation videos, either alone or in combination with other interventions, were included across reviews. Conclusions: Various telerehabilitation interventions have shown either a significant effect or no significant difference compared to other interventions in improving upper and lower limb motor function, balance, gait, ADLs, and QoL, regardless of whether simple or complex approaches were used. Further research is needed to support the delivery of rehabilitation services through telerehabilitation intervention following a stroke. Full article

We propose an observation system based on the Lagrange L1 point of the Earth–Moon system to observe solar spectral radiation reflected from the Earth, enabling continuous hyperspectral observation of the Earth’s hemisphere. The system can observe the solar spectral radiation reflected by the Moon, with its data applicable to on-orbit spectral radiation calibration. In this paper, the spectral irradiance at the entrance pupil of the Earth spectral radiation observation system (ESROS) is analyzed, and the optical design of the ESROS is introduced. An off-axis two-mirror telescope system, a coupling system of a microlens array and a fiber bundle, and an optical splitting system based on concave grating are used to achieve the full field of view hyperspectral splitting and miniaturization of the instrument. Finally, the stray radiation suppression of the instrument is introduced. The results show that the spectral resolution of the system is better than 5 nm in the 380–1000 nm band, and the spectral resolution is better than 10 nm in the 1000–1700 nm band. When observing the Earth, the signal-to-noise ratio is greater than 200. The external stray radiation suppression reaches the order of 10⁻⁹. The ESROS will provide crucial data support for researching global energy balance, climate change, and the spectral characteristics of exoplanets, facilitating planetary science and the exploration of extraterrestrial life. Full article

Background and Objectives: Palliative care is a very important part of medicine, aimed at ensuring an improvement in quality of life and a reduction in distressing symptoms in patients with serious, incurable, progressive diseases. The issues of the accessibility and quality of these services should be a focus for health policymakers and researchers, although it is acknowledged that a significant portion of the public has not heard about this service. For this reason, it is important to investigate the experience of the accessibility and quality of palliative care services in primary healthcare facilities. Materials and Methods: A quantitative study was conducted in institutions providing outpatient and inpatient palliative care services. A total of 784 patients and 219 family members participated in the study. Participants expressed their opinions through a questionnaire containing 24 statements, to which they responded by indicating their level of agreement on a Likert scale. The collected data were analyzed using statistical analysis software. Results: Palliative care services are widely available in large cities, but their accessibility is very limited in small towns and rural areas. Patients and their families are not familiar with the concept of palliative care, often equating it with the provision of treatment and nursing services, and they see the support of clergy as unnecessary. Although patients and their families rate the quality of the services received positively, they note shortcomings related to communication among staff. Conclusions: Palliative care services are provided within the primary healthcare system by specialists with qualifications regulated by legislation; however, patients do not see the need to receive assistance from clergy members. Based on the study results, it can be concluded that in Lithuania, the accessibility of palliative care is ensured in larger cities but is insufficient in smaller towns and rural areas. Patients tend to rate indicators reflecting the quality of palliative care services positively; however, they are not convinced that these services improve their quality of life. Full article

Nowadays, enhancing campus environments through mitigations of air pollutions is an essential endeavor to support academic achievements, health, and safety of students and staffs in higher educational institutes. In laboratories, pollutants from welding, auto repairs, or chemical experiments can drastically degrade the air quality in the campus, endangering the respiratory and cognitive health of students and staffs. Besides, in universities in Indonesia, automobile emissions of harmful substances such as carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), and hydrocarbon (HC) have been a serious problem for a long time. Almost everybody is using a motorbike or a car every day in daily life, while the number of students is continuously increasing. However, people in many campuses including managements do not be aware these problems, since air quality is not monitored. In this paper, we present a real-time air quality monitoring system utilizing Internet of Things (IoT) integrated sensors capable of detecting pollutants and measuring environmental conditions to visualize them. By transmitting data to the SEMAR IoT application server platform via an ESP32 microcontroller, this system provides instant alerts through a web application and Telegram notifications when pollutant levels exceed safe thresholds. For evaluations of the proposed system, we adopted three sensors to measure the levels of CO, NO₂, and HC and conducted experiments in three sites, namely, Mechatronics Laboratory, Power and Emission Laboratory, and Parking Lot, at the State Polytechnic of Malang, Indonesia. Then, the results reveal Good, Unhealthy, and Dangerous for them, respectively, among the five categories defined by the Indonesian government. The system highlighted its ability to monitor air quality fluctuations, trigger warnings of hazardous conditions, and inform the campus community. The correlation of the sensor levels can identify the relationship of each pollutant, which provides insight into the characteristics of pollutants in a particular scenario. Full article

We used otolith chemistry to test and complement current hypotheses regarding habitat use and connectivity between Dissostichus mawsoni sub-populations in Area 48 of the Commission for the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources (CCAMLR). Sagittal otoliths from 45 fish sampled near the South Orkney Islands were analysed. Their elemental (Li, Na, Mg, Cr, Mn, Sr, Sn, and Ba relative to Ca) and isotopic (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) signatures were examined in both the nuclear and marginal regions, representing juvenile and adult stages. Potential nursery habitats were geo-located by comparing observed and expected δ¹⁸O values. Chemical differences between the nuclear and marginal regions indicated ontogenetic migrations to deeper offshore habitats, suggesting a distinct habitat shift between 11 and 13 years of life. The data supported the existence of two nursery origins contributing to the study area’s population. However, the exact locations of these origins remain unclear and did not provide direct support for the hypotheses currently under consideration by the CCAMLR. Therefore, further assessment of the connectivity between nursery and adult habitats, as well as spawning site fidelity, is necessary before ruling out alternative hypotheses. Full article

Dietary interventions during chemotherapy hold promise for clinical and supportive care outcomes. We systematically investigated the feasibility, safety, and efficacy of nutritional counseling conducted during chemotherapy. Studies prospectively implemented nutrition counseling during chemotherapy. Articles were identified from three databases—EMBASE, Cochrane Library, and SCOPUS—from inception to 1 October 2024. Feasibility, safety, and efficacy of outcome data were extracted. Among 44 publications, 39 studies recruited 98 ± 80 participants (range 15–360); 38/39 (97%) were randomized controlled trials. One-third (31%) were among patients with breast cancer. Interventions were divided into individualized nutritional counseling (n = 21), nutrition counseling plus exercise (n = 13), and nutrient-specific dietary patterns (n = 10). Many had goals to achieve established nutrition guidelines. Feasibility was high based on attendance at counseling sessions, retention, and/or food log analysis. Overall, there were minimal adverse events related to the interventions. Many studies showed between-group differences favoring the intervention group for body weight (8/24, gain or loss, according to goals), nutritional status (8/9), quality of life (3/10 without and 6/9 with exercise), cancer-related fatigue (7/10), chemotherapy tolerance (6/11), and treatment responses (3/13). In conclusion, nutritional interventions were feasible and safe for patients undergoing chemotherapy and demonstrated preliminary efficacy to improve nutritional status, fatigue, chemotherapy tolerance, and other outcomes. Full article

As the Middle East experiences rapid growth due to its oil wealth, there is a pressing need to balance contemporary development with the preservation of its rich cultural heritage. This study focuses on Ushaiger Village in Saudi Arabia, an example of traditional Najid architecture that was once abandoned and has now been brought back to life through restoration. This research tracks the restoration steps, looks at how old buildings are being reused today, and assesses the effectiveness of these efforts through a survey of 80 local residents and tourists. The results show significant improvements in preserving the village, with over 100 buildings restored using traditional, environmentally friendly materials like mud and limestone. This restoration has won strong support from the community and has boosted the local economy by increasing tourism and supporting local businesses, aligning well with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 goals. This study illustrates that caring for heritage sites can promote economic and environmental health, providing a model for integrating cultural heritage into national development plans. Ushaiger Village’s story highlights the benefits of thoughtful conservation, showing that it can enhance community life and keep cultural identities alive within the Saudi Vision 2030. Full article

This article introduces a novel smart deployable scissor lift brace system designed to mitigate earthquake risks in buildings prone to the soft-story effect. The system addresses the limitations of traditional retrofitting methods, providing an efficient solution for enhancing the structural integrity of buildings while preserving the functionality of open lower floors, commonly used for car parking or retail spaces. The soft-story effect, characterized by a sudden reduction in lateral stiffness in one or more levels of a building, often leads to catastrophic collapses during large earthquakes, resulting in significant structural damage and loss of life. The proposed system is triggered by signals from the Earthquake Early Warning (EEW) system, advanced technologies capable of detecting and broadcasting earthquake alerts within seconds which are currently implemented in countries and regions such as Japan, parts of the USA, and parts of Europe. The smart deployable system functions by instantly activating upon receiving EEW signals. Unlike traditional retrofitting approaches, such as adding braces or infill walls, which compromise the open layout of lower floors, this innovative device deploys dynamically during seismic events to enhance the building’s stiffness and lateral stability. The article demonstrates the system’s functionality through a conceptual framework supported by proof-of-concept experiments. Historical earthquake time histories are simulated to test its effectiveness. The results reveal that the system significantly improves the stiffness of the structure, reducing displacement responses during events of seismic activity. If properly proportioned and optimized, this system has the potential for widespread commercialization as a seismic risk mitigation solution for buildings vulnerable to the soft-story effect. Full article

The alarming rise in environmental pollution, depletion of global resources, and increasing health consciousness have placed significant pressure on the development of eco-friendly, sustainable materials. Consequently, green, environmentally friendly materials made from biobased and/or biodegradable sources are gaining recognition and political support as sustainable alternatives to petroleum-based, non-biodegradable materials. Bio-based packaging materials, in particular, are widely used across all industrial sectors, with a growing demand for solutions that preserve food quality and extend shelf life. Within this context, the concept of “active packaging” (AP) is attracting considerable interest. While the traditional view of packaging materials is that they should be basically inert, active packaging involves intentional interactions with the packaged product or surrounding atmosphere, providing enhanced protection against degradation caused by human actions and environmental factors. This work aims to highlight the significant impact of biocomposites in the active packaging sector, driven by the synergistic integration of nanofillers and active agents, while providing an in-depth analysis of the key mechanisms and strategies underlying their functionality. Particular emphasis is placed on poly(lactic acid)(PLA), presenting a comprehensive review of innovative approaches to enhance the performance of PLA-based packaging, with a focus on improving antioxidant and antimicrobial properties to meet the demands of sustainable and efficient packaging solutions. Full article

Background: Neonatal sepsis, a severe infection in newborns, remains one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality among preterm infants. This study aimed to investigate the distribution of pathogens responsible for early-onset sepsis (EOS) and late-onset sepsis (LOS), the annual variability of pathogens responsible for each type of infection, and potential trends in their profiles in preterm infants from a tertiary care neonatal intensive care unit over a ten-year period. Methods: We analyzed 177 episodes of confirmed bloodstream infection between 1 January 2014 and 31 December 2023. An episode of confirmed bloodstream infection was defined by the growth of a single potential pathogen in the blood of an infant who met four criteria: showing clinical symptoms of infection, having abnormal hematologic parameters, receiving appropriate antibiotics for less than 5 days, and being born before 37 weeks of gestation. Pathogens were isolated from aseptically collected blood samples, processed within 2 h, incubated using the BACTEC system, and identified by Gram stains and selective media cultures. Pathogen identification was performed using standardized biochemical tests or MALDI-TOF MS. Sepsis was classified as EOS if it occurred within the first 72 h of life and as LOS if it occurred after 72 h. Results: Among the confirmed bloodstream infections, EOS accounted for 31 cases, while LOS accounted for 146 cases. Escherichia coli was identified as the primary pathogen responsible for early-onset sepsis (EOS), while Coagulase-negative Staphylococcus (CoNS) was most commonly associated with late-onset sepsis (LOS). The differences in the prevalence of these bacteria between EOS and LOS were statistically significant. However, no significant differences were found in the distribution of pathogens across different years, nor were there significant trends in their frequency over the study period. Our results demonstrate significant stability in the distribution of pathogens causing sepsis over the ten-year observation period, even during the COVID-19 pandemic. Conclusions: Understanding the temporal distribution of pathogens in neonatal sepsis can help prevent the overuse of antibiotics and support the implementation of screening programs, empiric therapy, and strategies to prevent healthcare-associated infections. Full article

Background/Objectives: Exercise for children with cystic fibrosis leads to well-known health benefits. However, maintaining regular activity is challenging due to the daily demands of academics, clinical care, and family tasks. Home-based exercise programs offer a more adaptable alternative, fitting into family schedules. This study evaluated the effectiveness of the “KidMove” program, a parent-supervised, tailored, home exercise regimen. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with an intervention group (IG) and a wait-list control group (CG). The “KidMove” program lasted 12 weeks and included 35 exercises targeting endurance, resistance, flexibility, and neuromotor training. The primary outcome, endurance, was measured with the Modified Shuttle Walking Test, while secondary outcomes included body composition, resistance, flexibility, postural control, respiratory function, and health-related quality of life. Data were collected at baseline and post-intervention. A per-protocol analysis was conducted with generalized estimating equations (GEEs). Results: Forty-six children aged 10 ± 4 years (6 to 18 years), mostly male (n = 24; 52.2%), participated. Significant improvements were observed in the Modified Shuttle Walking Test [Wald χ² = 14.24, p < 0.001], postural control [Wald χ² = 3.89, p = 0.048], knee flexibility [Wald χ² = 5.58, p = 0.018], and emotional functioning [Wald χ² = 9.34, p = 0.002] categories. Conclusions: The “KidMove” program offers a practical, family friendly alternative to center-based exercise by empowering parents to support their children’s physical activity at home, endurance, flexibility, and emotional well-being, while reducing the logistical challenges. Full article

Background: Neurodegenerative diseases (NGD) encompass a range of progressive neurological conditions, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD), characterised by the gradual deterioration of neuronal structure and function. This degeneration manifests as cognitive decline, movement impairment, and dementia. Our focus in this investigation is on PD, a neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, leading to motor disturbances. Early detection of PD is paramount for enhancing quality of life through timely intervention and tailored treatment. However, the subtle nature of initial symptoms, like slow movements, tremors, muscle rigidity, and psychological changes, often reduce daily task performance and complicate early diagnosis. Method: To assist medical professionals in timely diagnosis of PD, we introduce a cutting-edge Multimodal Diagnosis framework (PMMD). Based on deep learning techniques, the PMMD framework integrates imaging, handwriting, drawing, and clinical data to accurately detect PD. Notably, it incorporates cross-modal attention, a methodology previously unexplored within the area, which facilitates the modelling of interactions between different data modalities. Results: The proposed method exhibited an accuracy of 96% on the independent tests set. Comparative analysis against state-of-the-art models, along with an in-depth exploration of attention mechanisms, highlights the efficacy of PMMD in PD classification. Conclusions: The obtained results highlight exciting new prospects for the use of handwriting as a biomarker, along with other information, for optimal model performance. PMMD’s success in integrating diverse data sources through cross-modal attention underscores its potential as a robust diagnostic decision support tool for accurately diagnosing PD. Full article