Artiles
Open Access
Article
07 July 2026Development of a Hand Spasticity Testing Device for Quantitative Wrist Spasticity Assessment and Automated Evaluation of the Modified Tardieu Scale
The Modified Tardieu Scale is commonly used to assess spasticity by differentiating between neural and mechanical resistance. However, its manual administration may reduce objectivity and reproducibility. This study aimed to automate the Quality of Muscle Reaction (QMR) assessment in the wrist flexors. To this end, we developed a Hand Spasticity Testing (HaST) device and QMR classification model. The device integrates two inertial measurement units, surface electromyography sensors, and a force sensor to record joint angle, angular velocity, muscle activity, and reaction force during passive wrist extension. A classification model was then constructed using decision trees based on the acquired features, with training and evaluation performed via leave-one-out cross-validation. Using the developed device, 19 participants with upper-limb spasticity were evaluated. Key features, such as the number of local maxima in joint angle, velocity, and reaction force, along with other derived parameters, were extracted and classified to estimate QMR grades (0–2). The proposed method achieved an overall accuracy of 76% and a weighted average F1-score of 0.76. These results demonstrate the feasibility of objective and automated QMR quantification using the HaST device. The proposed system may serve as a preliminary screening and documentation tool to support objective spasticity assessment in clinical settings.
Open Access
Article
07 July 2026Soluble Oligomerization Is Involved in Fluorescence of Citrate-Copper Complexes
Fluorescence of citrate-Cu2+ was observed here. Citrate aqueous solution by itself showed weak fluorescence, and the fluorescence intensified about eighth fold (quantum yield increased over eighty fold) with the presence of appropriate Cu2+ ion concentrations at two different pH conditions. Only a certain specific ratio of citrate-Cu2+ generated homogenous particles of a particular size, which showed intensified fluorescence. Intensified fluorescence of citrate-Cu2+ complex was depressed by the presence of EDTA. The coordination between Cu2+ ion and citrate was probably through electrostatic chelation via the carboxylate group of citrate, because the required amount of Cu2+ ion decreased to obtain the fluorescent citrate-Cu2+ complex species, with the increase of pH; and the presence of ethanol disrupted the formation of this strong fluorescent citrate-Cu2+ complex species. This provides fresh insight into the molecular basis of fluorescence characters of citrate-Cu2+ complex, and into the microscopic mechanisms of charges’ and polarity’s effect on the interaction between solutes within the multiple component solution. This study reveals a fresh theoretical understanding of citrate for Cu2+ ion detection, stabilization, and elimination.
Open Access
Perspective
07 July 2026The Mental Health Costs and Benefits of Upward Intergenerational Mobility: A Lifespan Perspective
Upward intergenerational mobility is often viewed as a sign of social progress and individual achievement because moving into a higher socioeconomic position can improve access to education, income, occupational opportunities, and other useful resources. These changes may reduce exposure to material hardship and, in some cases, support better psychological well-being. At the same time, upward mobility is not always psychologically beneficial. The effort to attain a higher socioeconomic position often involves prolonged stress, strong performance pressure, repeated social comparison, identity-related tension, and fear of falling behind. In addition, not everyone who strives for upward mobility succeeds. Even when objective gains are made, individuals may still experience psychological strain linked to relative deprivation, feelings of inadequacy, distance from their family or community of origin, and continuing insecurity about their social position. This narrative review examines both the possible benefits and the less visible mental health burdens of upward intergenerational mobility from a lifespan perspective. The current study proposes a developmental framework that distinguishes resource-related benefits from mobility-related psychological costs, with particular attention to aspirational strain, uncertainty, comparative stress, belonging conflict, and the emotional consequences of perceived failure or insufficient progress. A central argument of this review is that the mental health implications of upward mobility depend not only on objective socioeconomic gains but also on how individuals interpret their movement, compare themselves with others, and negotiate identity and belonging across the life course. The review concludes with implications for research, practice, and policy, emphasizing that upward mobility should not be treated as a uniformly protective process for mental health and that efforts to promote mobility should also take account of the emotional burdens attached to it.
Open Access
Review
03 July 2026A Review of the Application Progress of Non-Invasive Hemodynamic Monitoring in the Precision Treatment of Hypertension
Hypertension affects many patients worldwide, and its precise treatment is the focus of clinical research. Currently, conventional clinical methods for monitoring blood pressure can only intermittently measure systolic and diastolic blood pressure and cannot monitor important hemodynamic parameters such as cardiac output (CO), systemic vascular resistance (SVR), and arterial elasticity, thereby affecting the formulation of individualized treatment plans. In recent decades, the emergence of non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring methods has addressed these clinical challenges. These methods use non-invasive methods to monitor parameters such as cardiac pumping function, vascular resistance, and volume status, helping clinicians better understand the pathophysiology of hypertension and facilitating a shift from “empirical blood pressure reduction” to “precision treatment based on hemodynamics”. This article aims to introduce the technical principles, main parameters, and clinical applications of non-invasive hemodynamic monitoring, with a focus on discussing its clinical value in hypertension classification, formulation of individualized treatment plans, assessment of treatment effects, and management of special populations. Based on this, future application and development directions are proposed, aiming to provide references and evidence for the clinical practice of precise hypertension treatment.
Open Access
Article
03 July 2026Analyzing the Impact of Riverbed Aggradation and Degradation on Flood Inundation Scenarios in an Ungauged River Using Hydrological and Hydraulic Model
Flooding is a recurrent and destructive natural hazard in Nepal, particularly in ungauged river basins where the lack of hydrological observations increases modeling uncertainty and where sediment-induced riverbed changes significantly influence flood behavior. Most flood models assume river courses remain constant. This is not true for rivers that constantly alter due to silt deposition and erosion. Ignoring these may lead to inaccurate flood predictions. This study examines the impact of long-term riverbed elevation changes on flood magnitude and risk in the Bakra River, a watershed in eastern Nepal characterized by limited data availability. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool was used to simulate runoff and sediment yield, and the one-dimensional Hydrologic Engineering Center–River Analysis System model was utilized to analyze hydraulic and sediment motion. The nearby Kankai River was used to calibrate and test the Soil and Water Assessment Tool model. The model performed well, with NSE = 0.77, R2 = 0.79 during calibration (2010–2014), and NSE = 0.78, R2 = 0.83 during validation (2015–2019). Simulating sediment with the same flow conditions yielded a good match (R2 = 0.89). After that, calibrated parameters were calculated Bakra River water and sediment capacity. For return periods of 2, 25, 50, and 100 years, flood frequency analysis yielded design discharges of 78 m3/s, 245.7 m3/s, 328.2 m3/s, and 397 m3/s. Based on Digital Elevation Model terrain data and Manning’s roughness coefficient, the Hydrologic Engineering Center–River Analysis System hydraulic model was employed. The Hydrologic Engineering Center–River Analysis System sediment model showed 41 years of riverbed alteration using the same calibrated geometry. The data showed that degradation was the predominant process, with the river’s aggradation reaching 2.1 m and its degradation 4.0 m. Floods are modeled with varying return periods using new river morphologies. Changes to the riverbed demonstrated differences in flood area size, depth, and risk. Overall, flooded regions got smaller, but very high hazard zones got roughly three to five times bigger than when the bed didn’t alter. Aggradation raised water levels and decreased channel capacity, creating high-speed and scouring zones around bridges. The study may assist in planning and managing the Bakra River and other similar study reaches to prevent future floods.
Open Access
Article
03 July 2026Multi-Objective Optimization Design of An Integrated Energy System with Ice Storage Based on Deep Reinforcement Learning
This study proposes an integrated energy system that combines photovoltaic power, wind power, battery storage, and ice storage to meet the electricity and cooling demands of buildings. The model for the ice storage tank incorporates the nonlinear ice-melting characteristics. An improved Multi-Objective Proximal Policy Optimization algorithm is employed for multi-objective optimization. In a case study of an office building in Shanghai, the optimization results demonstrate that the proposed method reduces daily operating costs by 6.52% and improves the CO2 emission reduction rate by 9.54%. The results demonstrate that the synergistic operation of electrical and ice storage effectively maintains supply-demand balance across different seasons. Sensitivity analysis further reveals that a 40% reduction in the unit cost of ice storage leads to a 5.7% decrease in battery capacity and a significant drop in grid dependency from 28.9% to 15.3%, highlighting the critical role of reducing ice storage costs in improving the system’s economic viability and renewable energy integration capability.
Open Access
Article
03 July 2026Strain Analysis for Grain Refinement and Mechanical Behaviour of AA5083 Processed Through Equal Channel Angular Pressing Technique
A metal forming technique called equal channel angular pressing is used to produce alloys and metals with ultrafine grain and nanocrystalline structure. Using this method, grain refining to the nano or submicron-scale is possible in materials with high strain super plasticity without affecting the size of the workpiece. One of the greatest techniques for creating bulk materials with ultra-fine grains is equal channel angular pressing. During this procedure, metal is continuously pushed through a channel die that has been particularly made with intersecting channels at different angles. The material is pass through a die in this procedure that has two channels that meet at a particular angle. Finer grains are formed as a result of the material’s deformation when it passes through the die. The creation of ultra-fine grains is influenced by a number of die design characteristics. The effects of processing route, corner angle, channel angle, and number of passes in die design on grain refinement. After comparing the results of several parameters, it was found that (90°) is the ideal channel angle for producing the maximum shear strain, and this strain reduces as the channel angle increases. The die was designed and produced in the lab with ideal design specifications, including a corner angle of (20°) and a channel angle of (90°). The mechanical characteristics of AA5083 were examined both before and after the Equal Channel Angular Pressing method. This study examines and analyses the mechanical behaviour of AA5083 that is treated through the use of an ECAP die that has ideal design specifications. Pressing was done between 0 and 2 times when using the (BC) path. According to the results, the grain size decreased from 480 nm to 170 nm, and the tensile strength increased from 225.8 MPa to 358.4 MPa after two ECAP runs.
Open Access
Article
02 July 2026A Multi-Scale Assessment of Estuarine Fish Communities in Irrawaddy Delta
This study quantitatively analyzes fish community responses to environmental gradients in Myanmar’s Irrawaddy Delta. Integrating beta-diversity partitioning, Threshold Indicator Taxa Analysis (TITAN), single-season occupancy modeling, and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM), and species co-occurrence network analysis, we identified primary environmental filters shaping ichthyofaunal structure. Spatial comparison between Bogale and Pyapon ecosystems revealed fundamentally distinct communities driven predominantly by species turnover (87.1%). Network topologies further demonstrated a significant spatial restructuring of biological interactions, with the primary network hub role shifting from the highly sensitive Tenualosa ilisha in the upper estuary to the highly adaptable Macrognathus zebrinus in the lower delta. Furthermore, SEM established a substantial structural connection between environmental stress and biological assemblage response (β = 0.99), suggesting water quality as the ecosystem’s master driver. TITAN and occupancy models demonstrated an “estuarine enrichment” effect, where primary network hubs (Tenualosa ilisha, Coilia neglecta) reached peak occupancies only beyond high salinity thresholds (>18.16 ppt). However, escalating water temperatures act as a critical limiting factor, with a strict thermal boundary identified at 27.6 °C, beyond which sensitive taxa populations rapidly decline. These findings provide direct implications for adaptive fisheries management, underscoring the necessity of monitoring osmotic and thermal change-points to protect vital fisheries from compounded climate change impacts.
Open Access
Review
01 July 2026Organoid Models of Liver Fibrosis: Bridging Genetic and Epigenetic Mechanisms with Biomarker Discovery
Fibrosis is a pathological process characterized by excessive deposition of extracellular matrix, progressive tissue stiffening, and ultimately organ dysfunction. It represents a common endpoint of chronic injury in multiple organs, including the liver, lung, kidney, and heart, and contributes substantially to global morbidity and mortality. Increasing evidence indicates that genetic susceptibility and dynamic epigenetic regulation play important roles in determining individual responses to chronic injury and in shaping fibrogenic signaling pathways. Despite its clinical significance, effective therapies remain limited, partly due to an incomplete understanding of the complex cellular interactions and molecular mechanisms that drive fibrotic disease. Traditional experimental models, including two-dimensional cell cultures and animal systems, often fail to fully recapitulate human tissue architecture and disease complexity. Organoid technology has emerged as a promising platform for modeling human diseases in vitro. Organoids are three-dimensional multicellular structures derived from stem cells or primary tissues that self-organize to mimic key structural and functional aspects of native organs while preserving important genetic and epigenetic characteristics of the originating tissue. Recent advances have enabled the development of organoid-based models that capture critical features of fibrosis, including epithelial injury, fibroblast activation, and extracellular matrix remodeling. These systems provide powerful experimental platforms for investigating molecular mechanisms of fibrosis, studying the influence of genetic and epigenetic regulatory networks, and identifying candidate biomarkers associated with disease progression. This review summarizes current progress in the use of organoid systems to study fibrosis across different organs. The advantages and limitations of these models are discussed, and emerging technologies that may enhance their physiological relevance and utility for biomarker discovery and anti-fibrotic drug development are highlighted.
Open Access
Article
01 July 2026From Autonomy to Self-Determination: Intra-Familial Forms of Communication and Identity Perspectives in Situations of Rare Disability
This study explores communication, autonomy, and self-determination in individuals with Angelman syndrome (AS), a rare genetic condition characterised by severe intellectual disability and the absence of speech. AS is associated with severe developmental delay, motor disorders, epilepsy, hyperactivity, and a characteristically cheerful disposition. Communication is significantly impaired: expressive language is virtually absent, while receptive language is retained, giving rise to the use of Augmentative and Alternative Communication (AAC). The qualitative methodology draws on ethnographic fieldwork conducted with families, comprising six home observation sessions and sixteen semi-structured interviews with parents, childminders, or educators. The analysis examines the role of AAC and a form of ‘everyday communication’ through the lens of autonomy and self-determination. Although AAC has been recognised by the United Nations since 2006, it remains underused in everyday contexts owing to constraints of time and complexity. Multimodal communication relies on interpersonal interaction (gestures, eye contact, routines), thereby promoting functional autonomy (mobility, eating) and identity formation. Autonomy begins with survival (basic needs), under constant supervision necessitated by associated risks, and gradually evolves towards the expression of preferences (leisure activities, choices) through a co-constructed relationship. Self-determination incorporates relational and social dimensions through the progressive development of a positive identity despite dependence. In conclusion, AAC complements ‘everyday communication’ in supporting self-expression beyond the family sphere. Self-determination is grounded in meaningful exchanges that sustain identity notwithstanding intellectual disability. The recommendations aim to extend AAC to social contexts and to contextualise autonomy within an inclusive support framework.
