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Acute epididymo-orchitis (EO) is a common inflammatory condition of the male genitourinary tract and a frequent cause of acute scrotal pain. Understanding its etiopathogenesis, clinical profile, and management outcomes is essential for preventing complications and ensuring optimal recovery. The objective of this study was to evaluate the etiopathogenesis, demographic profile, and management outcomes of acute EO in a tertiary care hospital. This prospective observational analytical study was conducted over 30 months at a tertiary care center. Seventy patients aged 18-70 years diagnosed with acute EO were enrolled. Demographic characteristics, risk factors, clinical features, laboratory findings, ultrasonographic findings, management approaches, and short-term outcomes were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The mean age was 37.3 ± 13.03 years, with the highest incidence in the 31-40-year group (32.9%). Scrotal pain and tenderness were present in all patients (100%), followed by fever (87.1%) and swelling (82.9%). Left-sided involvement predominated (60.0%). Common predisposing factors included urinary tract infection (31.4%), obstructed uropathy or prior instrumentation (24.3%), trauma (21.4%), and diabetes mellitus (22.9%). Pyuria (50.0%), leukocytosis (51.4%), and positive urine cultures (38.6%) were frequent, with Escherichia coli being the predominant organism. Doppler ultrasonography confirmed inflammatory changes in all cases, with reactive hydrocele observed in 31.4%. Most patients (87.1%) had no complications. Conservative treatment was effective in 97.1% of cases, with a significant reduction in pain scores within 84 h and near-complete clinical recovery by 4-6 weeks. Acute EO predominantly affects young to middle-aged men and responds well to early conservative management. Résumé Introduction:L’épididymo-orchite (EO) aiguë est une affection inflammatoire courante de l’appareil génito-urinaire masculin et une cause fréquente de douleur scrotale aiguë. La compréhension de son étiopathogénie, de son profil clinique et des résultats de sa prise en charge est essentielle pour prévenir les complications et assurer un rétablissement optimal.Objectif:L’objectif de cette étude était d’évaluer l’étiopathogénie, le profil démographique et les résultats de la prise en charge de l’EO aiguë au sein d’un hôpital de soins tertiaires.Méthodes:Cette étude prospective, observationnelle et analytique a été menée sur une période de 30 mois dans un centre de soins tertiaires. Soixante-dix patients âgés de 18 à 70 ans, ayant reçu un diagnostic d’EO aiguë, ont été inclus dans l’étude. Les caractéristiques démographiques, les facteurs de risque, les signes cliniques, les résultats biologiques, les résultats échographiques, les approches thérapeutiques et les résultats à court terme ont été analysés à l’aide de statistiques descriptives.Résultats:L’âge moyen des patients était de 37,3 ± 13,03 ans, l’incidence la plus élevée étant observée dans la tranche d’âge des 31 à 40 ans (32,9 %). La douleur et la sensibilité scrotales étaient présentes chez tous les patients (100 %), suivies par la fièvre (87,1 %) et l’œdème (82,9 %). L’atteinte unilatérale gauche prédominait (60,0 %). Les facteurs prédisposants les plus fréquents comprenaient les infections urinaires (31,4 %), les uropathies obstructives ou les antécédents d’instrumentation urologique (24,3 %), les traumatismes (21,4 %) et le diabète sucré (22,9 %). La pyurie (50,0 %), la leucocytose (51,4 %) et la positivité des cultures urinaires (38,6 %) étaient fréquentes, Escherichia coli étant le germe prédominant. L’échographie Doppler a confirmé la présence de signes inflammatoires dans tous les cas, une hydrocèle réactionnelle étant observée chez 31,4 % des patients. La majorité des patients (87,1 %) n’ont présenté aucune complication. Le traitement conservateur s’est avéré efficace dans 97,1 % des cas, permettant une réduction significative des scores de douleur dans les 84 heures suivant le début du traitement et un rétablissement clinique quasi complet entre la 4e et la 6e semaine.Conclusion:L’EO aiguë touche principalement les hommes jeunes ou d’âge moyen et répond favorablement à une prise en charge conservatrice précoce.

Posterior shoulder dislocations are rare and frequently misdiagnosed injuries that can lead to significant functional impairment if treatment is delayed. Chronic instability, restricted range of motion, and progressive degenerative changes often develop in neglected cases. We report a clinical case of a patient with bilateral posterior shoulder dislocations diagnosed 12 months after an epileptic seizure. The patient underwent multiple surgical interventions, including bilateral open reduction and defect reconstruction using custom implants. Persistent pain and limited motion after initial surgeries led to right shoulder anatomic total arthroplasty. In the postoperative period, a periprosthetic infection developed, requiring revision surgery and placement of an antibiotic-loaded spacer. During preoperative planning for the second-stage surgery, computed tomography revealed a substantial glenoid bone defect, which required the development and use of patient-specific instrumentation (PSI) and custom 3D-printed glenoid. Subsequently, anatomical total shoulder arthroplasty was performed on the left side, with autograft reconstruction of the humeral head. At the latest follow-up 34 to 43 months postoperatively, the patient demonstrated excellent functional outcomes (Constant Shoulder Score: 94 right, 98 left; ASES: 93 right, 95 left) with minimal residual pain and stable implant positioning on radiographs without evidence of bone resorption or lysis. This case highlights the critical importance of early diagnosis and individualized treatment planning for posterior shoulder dislocations. Advanced 3D technologies, including patient-specific instrumentation and custom implants, can effectively address complex bone defects, enabling restoration of function even after multiple prior surgeries.

We describe a time-integrated platform based on sorbent-coated metal discs, formalized as a configurable architecture for VOC enrichment prior to gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) via secondary re-adsorption onto a solid-phase microextraction (SPME) fiber. A reproducible fabrication, conditioning, sampling, desorption, and re-adsorption protocol is specified, with a sorbent loading of approximately 0.2 g per 3.6 cm disc and sampling durations of 60 min. Across standard analysis replicates, the disc workflow produced higher GC/MS peak areas than direct SPME for most of the analytes, with reduced response for highly volatile compounds such as acetone. To explain this volatility-dependent behavior, we introduce a mass-transport competition framework in which the measurable signal is governed by the product of accumulated analyte mass and transfer efficiency, S = M_ads × η_transfer. The framework distinguishes the capacity-driven platform from equilibrium-based SPME. The described workflow is solvent-free, low-waste, reusable, and compatible with routine GC/MS instrumentation. Method overview:•Sorbent discs are prepared by covering a metal plate with a layer of sorbent material using a silicon adhesive.•Conditioned sorbent discs can be exposed to any gaseous samples.•Sorbent discs are heated to desorb the enriched VOCs that are subsequently re-adsorbed onto an SPME fiber to enable GC/MS analysis.

The quantitative determination of drug purity is a critical aspect of pharmaceutical quality control, ensuring the safety, efficacy, and regulatory compliance of pharmaceutical products. Conventional analytical techniques such as high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) provide excellent analytical performance but often require extensive sample preparation, longer analysis times, and substantial solvent consumption. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy has emerged as a rapid, cost-effective, and environmentally friendly alternative for pharmaceutical analysis. This review critically evaluates recent advances in FTIR spectroscopy for the quantitative determination of drug purity in pharmaceutical dosage forms, with particular emphasis on sampling strategies, validation requirements, and chemometric applications. Published studies involving transmission FTIR, attenuated total reflectance (ATR-FTIR), and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) are systematically examined and compared. The role of chemometric techniques, including principal component analysis (PCA), partial least squares (PLS) regression, is discussed in overcoming spectral overlap and improving analytical performance. Validation parameters including linearity, accuracy, precision, specificity, limit of detection (LOD), and limit of quantification (LOQ) are critically assessed according to current regulatory guidelines. The reviewed studies demonstrate that FTIR spectroscopy, particularly when integrated with advanced chemometric methods, can provide reliable quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical compounds with analytical performance comparable to conventional techniques. Nevertheless, challenges related to model transferability, standardization, and regulatory acceptance remain. Future developments in machine learning-assisted spectroscopy, portable FTIR instrumentation, and harmonized validation protocols are expected to further expand the role of FTIR spectroscopy in pharmaceutical quality control and counterfeit drug detection.

Advances in reciprocating kinematics have improved the safety and efficiency of mechanical root canal preparation in Endodontics. Despite the growth of scientific publications in recent decades, a bibliometric analysis addressing research structure, temporal evolution, and the global landscape is still lacking. To conduct a bibliometric analysis of the scientific literature on reciprocating kinematics in Endodontics, focusing on publication trends, research themes, and global scientific contributions. The Web of Science Core Collection (WoS-CC) was searched in April 2026 without restrictions on publication year, language, or citation count. Extracted data included publication year, journal, impact factor, study design, research topic, country, institution, authorship, and keywords. Bibliometric mapping and network visualisation were performed using VOSviewer. Citation patterns and citation density, co-authorship networks, and keyword co-occurrence were analysed. Associations between citation count, publication year, and journal impact factor were assessed using Spearman's rank-order correlation. A total of 852 articles published between 2008 and 2026 were included, with the most cited article receiving 348 citations. The article with the highest citation density accumulated 21.11 citations per year since publication. Journal of Endodontics was the most productive journal (n = 215). Laboratory-based studies accounted for approximately 86% of the publications. The most frequently investigated topics were shaping ability and canal transportation (n = 140). Silva EJNL was the most prolific author (n = 46). Brazil ranked first in national scientific output (n = 231), while Asia was the most productive continent overall (n = 376). Spearman's analysis showed significant correlations, with citation counts strongly decreasing with publication year (ρ = -0.811), moderately increasing with impact factor (ρ = 0.551), and impact factor slightly decreasing over time (ρ = -0.315). Reciprocating instrumentation continues to represent an active area of research in Endodontics. The available literature is predominantly experimental, with a strong emphasis on instrument performance and procedural safety, whereas clinically oriented investigations remain comparatively limited. Although scientific output is concentrated within specific countries and research groups, this bibliometric analysis highlights sustained research interest in reciprocating NiTi systems and underscores the need for broader international collaboration and well-designed clinical studies to strengthen the clinical evidence base.

The global health threat posed by microbial contamination of aquatic systems demands feasible pathogen monitoring solutions. However, current detection methods are limited by expensive instrumentation and specialized personnel, which hinders their application in point-of-care testing (POCT). Here, we presented an integrated paper microfluidic platform for spatially multiplexed detection of pathogenic bacteria, including Salmonella, E. coli, C. perfringens, B. cereus, V. parahaemolyticus, S. aureus, and L. monocytogenes, selected due to their epidemiological significance and regulatory relevance in environmental and food safety monitoring. LAMP, RAA-CRISPR, and RPA-CRISPR assays were housed within physically isolated reaction chambers on two-layer chips. An engineered horseradish peroxidase (HRP) cascade-coupled crRNA modification system with DNA-conjugated labels was designed for colorimetric detection. Operation was enabled by solar-powered and portable hardware for incubation and imaging, coupled with a web application for quantitative analysis. Exceptional analytical performance was demonstrated, achieving an LOD of 1 CFU/mL, a dynamic range of 1-107 CFU/mL, high reproducibility (CV <5%), low batch-to-batch variation (<6%), low cost (&#xa3;2.5 per test), and scalable integration, with a sample-to-answer time of 60 min. Successful field validation in diverse aquatic environments confirmed its practical feasibility, consistent with gold standard PCR (R2 = 0.98). This platform offers a promising POCT solution for public health protection and epidemic monitoring, particularly in resource-limited settings.

Hypopharyngeal perforation is a rare but potentially life-threatening complication of upper aerodigestive tract instrumentation. Management strategies remain controversial, and data supporting flexible endoscopic closure in this region are limited. We describe 3 cases of iatrogenic hypopharyngeal perforations successfully managed with MANTIS through-the-scope tissue approximation clips as part of a multidisciplinary approach. All defects were closed endoscopically. Two patients achieved complete mucosal healing without surgical intervention. One patient experienced clinical decline related to comorbid illness rather than closure failure. Endoscopic closure using through-the-scope clips may be a feasible option in carefully selected patients when performed early with multidisciplinary collaboration.

Rapid and accurate nucleic acid detection is fundamental to effective disease management. While PCR remains the gold standard, its requirement for sophisticated instrumentation limits its application in point-of-care settings. CRISPR-Cas systems have emerged as a disruptive diagnostic technology, leveraging the programmable specificity and unique trans-cleavage activity of Cas effectors to revolutionize biosensing. This review systematically evaluates the evolution of CRISPR-Cas-powered sensing platforms, categorized by their signal transduction modalities. We first discuss the expanding biochemical landscape of Cas nucleases, highlighting recent discoveries where conventional boundaries of Cas9, Cas12, and Cas13 have been transcended to enable versatile DNA/RNA targeting. Subsequently, we provide a comprehensive analysis of four primary sensing architectures: (1) Fluorescence-based platforms, exploring diverse strategies from target and signal amplification with dual-labeled ssDNA probes to nanomaterial-based probes; (2) Naked-eye visual platforms, encompassing both solid-phase lateral flow assays and solution-phase colorimetric strategies that facilitate rapid, instrument-free screening; (3) Electrochemical biosensors, which transduce biological recognition events into measurable electrical parameters, offering high sensitivity and seamless integration with miniaturized electronics; and (4) Electronic and Optoelectronic systems, including field-effect transistors and plasmonic sensors, which offer high-sensitivity, label-free detection. Despite significant progress, the translation of CRISPR-Dx from laboratory proof of concepts to clinical reality faces several bottlenecks. We critically analyze current challenges, including the need for integrated "sample-to-answer" workflows, high-throughput multiplexing, and digital quantification. Finally, we envision future trends such as AI-assisted signal processing and wearable sensing interfaces. By bridging the gap between molecular biology and advanced engineering, CRISPR-powered platforms are poised to make precision molecular diagnostics universally accessible.

Percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) is an alternative to chronic oral anticoagulation to reduce stroke risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). The SAFE-PROTECT trial was designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of the AnchorMan, a novel LAA closure device, compared with the Watchman 2.5 device for patients with AF at high risk of ischaemic stroke. SAFE-PROTECT was a multicentre, open-label, non-inferiority trial of patients with non-valvular AF at high risk of ischaemic stroke, randomised 1:1 to LAA closure with the AnchorMan or the Watchman device. The 12-month primary endpoint was clinical success (freedom from ischaemic/haemorrhagic stroke, systemic embolism, cardiovascular or unexplained death); the secondary efficacy endpoint was echocardiography-defined LAA occlusion (peridevice leak <5 mm) at 12 months. A total of 216 patients were randomised to either an AnchorMan (n=108) or to a Watchman (n=108) device. The AnchorMan was non-inferior to Watchman for the primary endpoint (98.1% vs 98.1%;p>0.99; difference -0.3; 95% confidence interval [CI]: -3.9 to 3.5; pnon-inferiority=0.0004) and the powered secondary efficacy endpoint of LAA closure (100% vs 100%; difference 0%; 95% CI: -3.60 to 3.50; pnon-inferiority=not applicable). The rates of all-cause death, stroke, major bleeding, and device-related complications were low and similar between groups. Among patients with non-valvular AF at high risk of ischaemic stroke, the AnchorMan device met its prespecified non-inferiority primary clinical success and secondary LAA occlusion endpoints compared with the Watchman 2.5 device. gov: NCT04479722.

Efficient monitoring of cows during the periparturient period is essential for reducing calving-related losses and labor demands. This study evaluated a camera-based calving detection system using visible-light images under commercial farm conditions. A total of 61 cameras were installed on 31 beef cattle farms, and data from 357 calving events were analyzed. Behavioral parameters, including movement distance, posture changes and tail-raising behavior, were analyzed using an artificial intelligence-based system. An alert was generated when the estimated calving probability exceeded 70%. Using a predefined criterion of at least one alert within 24&#x2009;h before calving, the system successfully detected 336 of 357 calving events, resulting in a sensitivity of 94.1%. A total of 448 successful alerts and 191 early alerts were recorded, resulting in a positive predictive value of 70.1%. The mean interval between the first alert and calving was 192&#x2009;&#xb1;&#x2009;9&#x2009;min, and the median interval was 142&#x2009;min (interquartile range: 75-250&#x2009;min). Alert frequency increased significantly as calving approached (p&#x2009;<&#x2009;0.05). These results indicate that visible camera-based monitoring can effectively detect calving events and may provide a practical, non-invasive tool for improving calving management in beef cattle.

Despite the success of COVID-19 mRNA vaccines, they still face challenges with high costs, complex manufacturing, off-target biodistribution, and systemic reactogenicity stemming from their inflammatory carriers: lipid nanoparticles (LNPs). While "naked" RNA delivery could in principle solve these issues, studies have suggested that it is infeasible due to rapid degradation by RNases and poor cellular entry, thereby necessitating formulations that enhance intracellular delivery and RNA stability. Now, we challenge this paradigm by showing that a simple and inexpensive (<$1), lighter-derived electroporator with microneedle electrodes (Piezopen) can augment gene expression and immunogenicity to naked mRNA leading to comparable responses to LNPs at low doses. We achieve robust responses in the absence of systemic inflammation and reactogenicity using skin-targeted delivery, administer diverse construct types (i.e., mRNA, self-amplifying RNA (saRNA), circular RNA (circRNA)), and demonstrate cross-species validation in live human skin to derisk subsequent clinical application. Our results introduce Piezopen as an inexpensive, well-tolerated, and efficacious alternative to LNPs for mRNA vaccine delivery, designed to facilitate routine vaccinations and pandemic response.

This study presents a simulation-based framework for pose estimation of Unmanned Underwater Vehicles (UUVs) using a monocular vision system within a ROS-Gazebo environment. The RexRov2 UUV model, integrated with ArUco_ROS, is used to detect virtual markers and estimate position and orientation in a simulated underwater setting. A Perspective-n-Point (PnP) method is applied for pose estimation, and a proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller regulates vehicle motion based on marker-derived features. The system is evaluated by comparing estimated poses with ground-truth odometry obtained from the simulator. Under nominal conditions, the results demonstrate stable pose estimation with close agreement between estimated and true positions and orientations. The system maintains smooth trajectory tracking with minimal fluctuations, indicating reliable performance in controlled environments. Under increased hydrodynamic disturbances, however, the system exhibits deviations in position and orientation, leading to instability in tracking performance. These results highlight the limitations of classical PID control in nonlinear underwater environments and suggest the need for more robust control strategies. Overall, the proposed framework provides a safe, flexible, and cost-effective platform for testing underwater navigation algorithms and evaluating perception-control integration in simulated environments.

Impulse oscillometry (IOS) enables tidal-breathing assessment of airway mechanics and is useful in patients with limited cooperation. With the growing use of portable IOS devices for bedside and community pulmonary function assessment, agreement with established laboratory systems requires evaluation. To assess measurement agreement and clinical classification agreement between the portable IOS 600 and the conventional Jaeger MasterScreen-IOS. In this prospective two-centre method-comparison study with randomised measurement-sequence allocation, adult and paediatric participants underwent IOS measurement using both devices during a single visit. Core parameters (respiratory impedance at 5 Hz (Z5), resistance at 5 Hz (R5), resistance at 20 Hz (R20), reactance at 5 Hz (X5), reactance area and resonant frequency (Fres)) and secondary parameters were analysed. Interdevice agreement was assessed using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs), Bland-Altman analysis and coefficients of variation. Clinical classification agreement for core parameters was evaluated using Gwet's agreement coefficient 1 (AC1). Of 200 enrolled participants, 164 were included in the final paired analysis. Core IOS parameters showed high interdevice agreement, with ICCs ranging from 0.902 to 0.961. Bland-Altman analysis demonstrated small mean interdevice differences; however, proportional bias was observed for Z5, R5 and Fres, indicating that agreement at markedly abnormal values should be interpreted cautiously. Coefficients of variation did not differ significantly between devices. Clinical classification agreement was strong to almost perfect, with Gwet's AC1 values of 0.90, 0.92, 0.91 and 0.96 for Z5, R5, R20 and X5, respectively. Adult-only and exploratory disease-subgroup analyses showed generally consistent agreement estimates. Most secondary resistance parameters showed strong-to-almost-perfect agreement, whereas reactance at 15 Hz and reactance at 25 Hz showed lower agreement. The portable IOS 600 demonstrated high measurement agreement and clinical classification agreement with the MasterScreen-IOS for core IOS parameters under standardised testing conditions. Because the final cohort was predominantly adult, these findings are primarily applicable to adult participants. IOS 600 may serve as a complementary tool for airway function assessment, although further validation is needed in paediatric, disease-specific, bedside, primary care and community settings.

Spigelian hernia is a rare abdominal wall hernia with a high risk of incarceration. Laparoscopic repair is common, but the optimal approach remains controversial. We evaluated the feasibility and outcomes of laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair of Spigelian hernia using self-fixating mesh. Patients who underwent this repair between 2019 and 2023 were reviewed. All were treated using a standardized approach with self-fixating mesh without additional fixation. Patient demographics, operative findings, and outcomes were analyzed. Four patients underwent transabdominal preperitoneal repair. All patients had favorable outcomes with no recurrence during follow-up. Laparoscopic transabdominal preperitoneal repair using self-fixating mesh is a feasible technique for Spigelian hernia repair.

Carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) is a critical biomarker expressed in several cancers, necessitating the development of an ultrasensitive and selective detection platform for early-stage cancer diagnosis and monitoring treatment responses. Therefore, a comparative study related to electrochemical immunosensor for CEA detection between utilization of biopolymer functionalized graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (f-gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS) and pristine graphitic carbon nitride nanosheets (gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS) onto screen printed electrode (SPE) is presented. The synthesis of gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS was achieved via exfoliation process, followed by the functionalization of prepared gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS using chitosan and their depostion onto SPE surface. Further, prepared f-gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS/SPE surface was immobilized with specific activated antibodies for CEA (anti-CEA) using N-ethyl-N'-(3-dimethyl aminopropyl) carbodiimide (EDC) and N-hydroxy succinimide (NHS) coupling chemistry, ensuring sturdy and stable antibody attachment. In addition,&#xa0;bovine serum albumin (BSA) protein was used as a blocking agent to minimize non-specific interactions. The stepwise modified SPE platform was confirmed through morphological, structural and electrochemical techniques. The fabricated f-gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS based immunoelectrode i.e.&#xa0;BSA/anti-CEA/f-gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS/SPE was tested with various CEA concentrations ranging from 0.0001 to 20 ng/mL using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) technique, showcasing a sensitivity of 4.71 &#xb5;A/log(ng/mL)/cm&#xb2;. However, a comparison study was performed with pristine gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS i.e.BSA/anti-CEA/gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS/SPE, showed change in current response with the function of CEA concentrations ranging from&#xa0;0.0001&#xa0;to&#xa0;5 ng/mL, exhibiting a sensitivity of 1.42 &#xb5;A/log(ng/mL)/cm&#xb2;. The highly improved electrochemical performance of the BSA/anti-CEA/f-gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS/SPE immunosensor was achieved due to the availibility of abundant functional groups present in f-gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS providing strong biomolecular interactions with anti-CEA as well as improved surface area. Further,&#xa0;the obtained electrochemical immunosensing results with standard CEA biomarker were compared and validated with colorimetric immunoassay kit. The findings highlights the performance of the fabricated BSA/anti-CEA/f-gC&#x2083;N&#x2084; NS/SPE in terms of selectivity, specificity, reproducibility and accuracy along with its capability to be used for onsite diagnosis of CEA biomarker in serum samples using smartphone assisted portable electrochemical device.

Modeling interomics interactions across multiple molecular levels is critical for deciphering the mechanisms underlying complex diseases. Epigenomic and structural alterations, such as DNA methylation and copy number alterations (CNAs), modulate gene expression and collectively influence disease progression and patient survival outcomes. Despite advancements in deep learning-based multiomics analysis, gene-level interactions of interomics have been seldom considered, due to combinational complexity and power, which limits interpretability and mechanistic insight. We propose a pathway-based interpretable deep learning multiomics interaction model, PIMO, that explicitly captures regulatory effects across omics layers. Experiments on multiple TCGA cancer datasets showed that PIMO consistently outperformed state-of-the-art baselines in survival analysis, up to 13% increase in the C-index. PIMO provides biologically interpretable analyses that identify important pathways, genes, and interomics interactions with DNA methylation and CNAs. The source code and data are available at https://github.com/datax-lab/PIMO.

Sexual dimorphism is a fundamental biological determinant driving systematic differences in disease susceptibility, progression, and clinical outcomes. However, current sex-combined AI-based genomic models often exhibit algorithmic bias and fail to capture these sex-specific mechanisms, creating a critical barrier to unbiased precision medicine. Ensuring fairness in the context of sexual dimorphism requires understanding and addressing the distinct biological mechanisms functioning in each sex, rather than focusing solely on equalizing predictive performance. We propose a fairness-aware supervised hierarchical contrastive learning approach, called FairHICON, to discover unbiased sex-common and sex-specific predictive features. Evaluations on cancer and asthma transcriptomic datasets demonstrate that FairHICON significantly outperforms state-of-the-art benchmarks, improving predictive performance by up to 9% while effectively reducing the performance gap between male and female sexes. Furthermore, prognostic validation confirms that the identified sex-specific pathways stratify patient survival significantly better within their corresponding sex groups. This validates FairHICON to elucidate the molecular heterogeneity of sexual dimorphism, advancing inclusive precision medicine. The source code and data is available at https://github.com/datax-lab/FairHICON.

Distal femur fractures in the geriatric age group have a one-year mortality rate similar to hip fractures. Like hip fractures, treatment should focus on early mobilization to reduce morbidity and mortality. Nail-Plate Combination (NPC) and Double-Plate Combination (DPC) are suggested to allow early mobilization with low mechanical complication rates. This study aimed to compare the clinical and radiological outcomes of NPC and DPC in elderly patients with distal femur fractures. After the inclusion and exclusion criteria, 28 patients treated with NPC and 24 patients treated with DPC were included in the study. The clinical records and radiological images of these patients were evaluated using a standardized form. Operative time, intraoperative blood loss, range of motion (ROM), and Lysholm scores were obtained from the medical records of the patients. From the radiological records, findings of radiological union and measurements of the Anterior Lateral Distal Femur Angle (aLDFA) and the Anterior Posterior Distal Femur Angle (aPDFA) were obtained. In the NPC group, the operative time was 120 (&#xb1;22.5) minutes, and in the DPC group, it was 155&#xb1;&#xb1;23.75) minutes (p<0.001). In the NPC group, the amount of blood loss was 422.5 (&#xb1;115) mL, while in the DPC group, it was 640 (&#xb1;237.5) mL (p<0.001). At the 3rd month, the ROM was 100 (&#xb1;17.5) degrees in the NPC group and 80 (&#xb1;10) degrees in the DPC group (p<0.001). The Lysholm score at the 3rd month was 70 (&#xb1;12.5) in the NPC group and 68.5 (&#xb1;10) in the DPC group (p<0.001). The radiological union time was 12 (&#xb1;2) weeks in the NPC group and 12 (&#xb1;3.5) weeks in the DPC group (p=0.290). There was no significant difference between the two groups in terms of aLDFA measurements (81 [&#xb1;4.75] vs. 81 [&#xb1;1.75], p=0.356), while the aPDFA was 85.5 (&#xb1;4) in the NPC group and 83 (&#xb1;2) in the DPC group (p<0.001). Immediate weight-bearing after surgery is crucial in elderly patients. Dual-implant systems aim to enable early mobilization, but full weight-bearing is often delayed with DPC. NPC patients could bear full weight earlier, likely contributing to better early ROM and clinical outcomes. NPC showed several advantages over DPC, including less blood loss, shorter operative time, immediate full weight-bearing, better early ROM, and improved clinical scores. Complication and union rates were similar, but the benefits of NPC may be clinically meaningful.

This paper proposes a new grid-tied transformer-less boost switched capacitor topology (TLBSCT) that employs three capacitors and twelve switches to generate seven levels with a gain of three times. The salient features of the TLBSCT are its boosting capacity, zero leakage current, minimum switching devices and lower voltage stress. The capacitors of the proposed TLBSCT have self-balancing characteristics. The proposed TLBSCT offers a brief discussion of the configuration, principle of working and the design of the parameter, as well as its control scheme. In addition, a comparative study of the proposal against the current transformerless inverter (TLI) shows the better performance of the proposed approach(PA). Also, the theoretical concept and viability of the suggested design have been demonstrated by simulations and experiments. This work contributes to SDG 7: Affordable and Clean Energy by improving efficient and reliable grid-connected solar power conversion systems.