The number of stroke patients is steadily increasing, highlighting the critical need for rehabilitation to restore motor function. The shortage of rehabilitation specialists and the repetitive nature of traditional exercises underscore the advantages of robotic systems. However, many existing rehabilitation robots are not adaptable to various therapeutic requirements. Modular robots, with their reconfigurability and ease of assembly, provide a practical solution. This study presents the design and development of a modular wrist rehabilitation robot, consisting of three identical modules that provide the necessary degrees of freedom for wrist movement. The modular structure allows for easy assembly, adjustment for different hand sizes, and adaptability to various configurations. To improve control performance, an impedance control strategy was implemented along with a gravity compensation method. Simulation results show that impedance control alone resulted in an RMS error of approximately 7 degrees, while adding gravity compensation reduced the maximum error to 0.79 degrees. The proposed controller was implemented on the robot and validated through experimental tests with individuals. The results confirmed that impedance control effectively facilitates interaction between the robot and the user, demonstrating the system's potential for improving rehabilitation outcomes.

This research investigates the effects of nano-curcumin on the expression of Cyclin D1 and DILA1 genes, as well as on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway, in tamoxifen-sensitive and resistant MCF-7 breast cancer cell lines. The IC50 values were determined using the MTT assay. To establish tamoxifen-resistant MCF7 cells, a stepwise exposure to tamoxifen was conducted, gradually increasing the concentration to twice the IC50 dose. Following treatment with nano-curcumin, cell migration, proliferation, and apoptosis were evaluated using a wound healing assay and flow cytometry. Additionally, the impact of nano-curcumin on the PI3K/AKT/mTOR and Cyclin D1 signaling pathways was analyzed via qRT-PCR and Western blot. Nano-curcumin treatment significantly inhibits cell proliferation, viability, and migration and promotes apoptosis in tamoxifen-sensitive and resistant MCF7 cell lines. qRT-PCR and Western blot analyses revealed reduced expression of Cyclin D1, DILA1, NF-κB, PI3K, AKT, mTOR, VEGFα, MMP2, and BCL2, along with increased levels of PTEN, TIMP3, RECK, and BAX. Our results indicate that nano-curcumin mitigates drug resistance by decreasing DILA1 expression, which destabilizes Cyclin D1 protein and downregulates PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway genes. Additionally, nano-curcumin induces apoptosis and inhibits migration. These findings suggest the nano-curcumin and tamoxifen combination may be a promising therapeutic strategy to overcome drug resistance in ER+ breast malignancies.

The direct removal of trivalent arsenic (As(III)) from water remains a significant environmental challenge due to its prevalent neutral speciation and low affinity for conventional adsorbents. This study addresses this challenge by systematically engineering the active-site microenvironment of a robust Zr-based metal-organic framework (MOF-808). Through a postsynthetic solvent-assisted ligand exchange (SALE) approach, three distinct amino acids─glycine, asparagine, and histidine─were anchored into the framework to introduce nitrogen-donor sites with varying chemical complexity, creating MOF-808/Gly, MOF-808/Asp, and MOF-808/His. Comprehensive characterization (PXRD, FTIR, XPS, NMR, and BET) confirmed the preservation of the MOF structure and successful functionalization. The adsorption performance revealed a dramatic enhancement in As(III) uptake, with the histidine-functionalized variant (MOF-808/His) achieving a remarkable capacity of 181 mg/g, far surpassing that of the pristine framework. Advanced XPS analysis and adsorption isotherm modeling elucidated the critical role of the amine environment, demonstrating that the imidazole side chain of histidine facilitates superior As(III) binding via synergistic coordination and electrostatic interactions. Our findings establish that side-chain donor strength and pH-dependent protonation are key factors controlling both the thermodynamics and the kinetics of adsorption. This work provides a rational design strategy for creating highly efficient MOF-based adsorbents tailored for the removal of recalcitrant oxyanions like As(III).

ABSTRACT This study investigates the competitiveness of Kish and Qeshm Islands as sport tourism destinations in emerging economies. Utilizing a mixed-methods approach, the research combines semi-structured interviews, the Fuzzy Delphi Method, and Importance-Performance Competitor Analysis to evaluate stakeholder expectations and destination performance. Qualitative data were collected from 16 key stakeholders, while quantitative insights were obtained from surveys of 231 Kish Island tourists and 204 Qeshm Island sport tourists. The integrated analysis reveals significant performance gaps in infrastructure, service quality, and resource allocation. The findings underscore the critical role of resource optimization, stakeholder collaboration, and sustainability in building a resilient competitive advantage. Moreover, the results emphasize the necessity for strategic investments in human capital, advanced digital platforms, and community engagement to align destination offerings with international tourism benchmarks. The study provides actionable insights for tourism planning and development, guiding policymakers and destination managers in formulating targeted strategies to enhance destination competitiveness and ensure long-term resilience in the dynamic global sport tourism market.

This study investigates the controlled synthesis of neomycin nanoparticles via antisolvent-induced crystallization using a water-acetone system with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) surfactant as a stabilizer. Comprehensive analyses, including SEM, TEM, DLS, EDS, TGA, DSC, XRD, AFM, and FT-IR, confirmed the production of nanoparticles with uniform morphology and a size distribution ranging from 22 to 265 nm. Kinetic studies revealed that higher supersaturation profoundly reduced induction time and led to the formation of nanoparticles with smaller critical sizes. Nucleation mechanism analysis based on classical nucleation theory indicated the dominance of homogeneous primary nucleation under high supersaturation conditions, directly impacting key parameters such as critical nucleus radius, crystal growth rate, and final nanoparticle size. The results also showed noticeable changes of the interfacial energy in the presence of CTAB, resulting in higher colloidal stability. Moreover, CTAB broadened the metastable zone width (MSZW), enabling more precise control over the crystallization process. Additionally, the simultaneous optimization of process parameters, including supersaturation degree, agitation rate, and CTAB concentration, achieved nanoparticles with optimal physicochemical properties. These findings represent a significant step in the development of nanopharmaceutical formulations with controlled release and enhanced therapeutic efficiency.

In medical ultrasound imaging, achieving high-quality reconstructed images while avoiding a huge computational burden is an important challenge. The Null subtraction imaging (NSI) algorithm results in a high-resolution reconstructed image. However, this method is not successful in recovering the background speckle information. In this paper, a novel algorithm, known as NSI-based generalized coherence factor (GCF)-along with delay-and-sum (DAS), which is abbreviated as NSG-DAS, is developed to overcome this limitation. In the proposed method, by using a hybrid technique, the desired resolution and effective noise suppression of the NSI algorithm, as well as the background speckle information of the conventional DAS beamformer are recovered simultaneously. More precisely, by using the GCF method, a new weighing factor is introduced that enhances the coherent regions of the image and suppresses the off-axis signals. Evaluations prove the favorable performance of the suggested technique; in particular, by using the proposed NSG-DAS method, a resolution comparable to the NSI algorithm is achieved for the geabr0 dataset, which is improved by about 42% compared to DAS. Also, the contrast evaluation parameter of the suggested technique is comparable to the DAS algorithm and is improved by about 63% compared to the NSI method. This indicates the ability of the suggested technique to improve either resolution or contrast simultaneously.

SKOR2 is a transcriptional repressor expressed in central nervous system tissues, mainly in the Purkinje cells (PCs). This is essential for the proper migration, development, and differentiation of PCs at embryonic stages, and its disruption can affect cerebellar function. SKOR2 protein has two DHD and SAND domains, which play an important role in the TGF-β signaling pathway by binding to Smad transcriptional regulators. Herein, we report nine patients from two unrelated Iranian families suffering from a distinctive combination of learning disability, facial dysmorphisms, and motor and speech impairments. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was employed to identify pathogenic variants in the probands. Sanger sequencing was conducted to confirm the mutations found in the patients, their healthy parents, and relatives. A range of bioinformatics tools was utilized to assess the impact of the identified mutations on the function and structure of the related proteins. WES identified two novel missense (c.374 G > C: p.Arg125Pro) and frameshift (c.1271_1274del: p.K424Rfs*71) mutations in exon 2 of the SKOR2 gene. After segregation and in-silico studies, autosomal recessive inheritance and pathogenic nature of the identified mutation were confirmed. In addition, the studied patients had distinct phenotypes such as clumsiness, dysarthria, and severe hypotonia compared to previous studies, which we named Skor2-related syndrome. These findings indicated a novel SKOR2-related syndrome characterized by neurodevelopmental delay and ataxia. Our findings, given the limited previous studies on the SKOR2 gene, expanded the pathogenic mutations and phenotypic spectrum of SKOR2-associated disorders, provided criteria facilitating early diagnosis and supported genetic counseling for prognosis and family planning.