As 5G and Beyond networks increasingly expose programmable capabilities to vertical industries through standardized APIs such as CAMARA, new challenges emerge regarding efficient and reliable resource orchestration. In this paper we present a vertical-aware orchestration framework based on intelligent edge-deployed network applications that enable real-time coordination between vertical services and the 5G network. We introduce the Quality Awareness EdgeApp, a context-aware solution for dynamic per-UE QoS adaptation using exposed network APIs. The proposed framework is validated in a real-world 5G Standalone deployment at the Port of Antwerp-Bruges (Belgium) for teleoperated vessel operations. Our experimental results demonstrate improved SLA adherence and resource efficiency compared to static slicing and overprovisioning approaches. Our proposed architecture represents a practical step toward adaptive and scalable orchestration for 5G and Beyond vertical services.

Abstract Synthetic biology has evolved from a set of engineering aspirations to an operationally sophisticated discipline, and artificial intelligence (AI) is its fastest-growing accelerant. This review traces that convergence across six interlocking domains: systems-level biological modeling, de novo protein engineering, metabolic and microbial programming, multi-omics data integration, regulatory element design, and clinical translation. For each domain, we survey established results, integrate findings from 2010–2026 literature, and articulate the trajectories that will define the next decade. Emerging themes include physics-informed neural networks for mechanistically constrained biological modeling, drug design, and federated learning architectures that allow global omics collaboration without centralizing sensitive data, self-driving laboratories that close the Design-Build-Test-Learn loop with minimal human intervention, and large language models that accelerate hypothesis generation from scientific literature. Alongside these opportunities, the review gives equal weight to the governance challenges they create: dual-use risks amplified by generative sequence design, the reproducibility crisis in AI-driven biodesign, and the equitable distribution of autonomous experimentation capacity. The overarching argument is that the promise of synthetic biology, making biological design as deliberate and reliable as any mature engineering discipline, is closer than ever, but will only be realized if technical ambition is matched by scientific rigor, transparent governance, and inclusive access.

This paper presents a nonsingular terminal sliding mode control (NTSMC) strategy for robust three-dimensional (3D) trajectory tracking of a quadrotor unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) operating in the presence of external disturbances and modeling uncertainties. The proposed controller is designed using the full nonlinear dynamics of the quadrotor and ensures finite-time convergence of the sliding variables and tracking errors without introducing singularities in the control law. A Lyapunov-based stability analysis is provided to demonstrate finite-time stability of the closed-loop system. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is evaluated through comparative simulations against representative state-of-the-art sliding mode control strategies. Numerical simulations are conducted under multiple operating scenarios, including large initial deviations and persistent external perturbations. The results demonstrate that the proposed NTSMC scheme achieves improved tracking accuracy, enhanced robustness, and a more favorable transient response compared to the considered benchmark controllers.

Summary Background Road injuries are a leading cause of mortality and morbidity worldwide. Years of international efforts have aimed to strengthen policy engagement, including the 2020 UN General Assembly's proclamation of the Second Decade of Action for Road Safety (2021–30), targeting a 50% reduction in road traffic deaths and serious injuries by 2030. The aim of this study is to provide estimates to monitor progress and identify intervention gaps. Methods As part of the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2023, we estimated incidence, mortality, and morbidity of road injuries for 204 countries and territories from 1990 to 2023. Four road injury types and 47 nature-of-injury categories were examined. Morbidity and mortality data from clinical records, vital registration, and police reports were harmonised using meta-analytic techniques to ensure consistency and correct for systematic bias. Incidence was modelled with the meta-regression tool Disease Modelling-Meta-Regression version 2.1 and cause-specific mortality with the Cause of Death Ensemble model, both incorporating location-specific covariates to support interpolation. Years of life lived with disability (YLDs) were estimated from the prevalence and severity of the nature of road injury, and years of life lost (YLLs) from the number of cause-specific deaths multiplied by the standard life expectancy at the age of death. Disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) were the sum of YLLs and YLDs. All metrics were calculated with 95% uncertainty intervals (UIs). Findings In 2023, there were 50·9 million (95% UI 46·1–56·1) road injury incident cases, 1·34 million (1·04–1·58) deaths, and 75·3 million (59·8–89·2) DALYs globally. Road injuries were the leading global cause of death among males aged 10–39 years. Between 1990 and 2023, age-standardised incidence decreased by 38·3% (95% UI 36·9–39·7) and mortality decreased by 32·3% (6·1–49·0), but progress varied widely by World Bank income group. Mortality in low-income countries (43·8 [95% UI 31·7–56·0] deaths per 100 000 population) was approximately six times higher than in high-income countries (7·5 [7·1–7·9] deaths per 100 000), despite the high-income countries showing the highest age-standardised incidence rates (858·1 [95% UI 781·9–947·1] cases per 100 000). In the past decade, many countries achieved notable reductions in road injuries, but others, including Ghana and the USA, saw increases. More severe injuries tended to occur in low-income and middle-income countries. Interpretation Although global incidence, mortality, and DALY rates from road injuries have declined, progress remains uneven, with pronounced disparities across income groups reflecting systemic inadequacies in infrastructure, vehicle standards, enforcement, and post-crash care. Strengthening emergency response, improving road design, enforcing safety measures, and adapting policies to the evolving demographics remain essential. Funding Gates Foundation.

Sudden death is an unexpected natural fatal event that may arise from both cardiac and noncardiac causes. Differentiating true primary cardiac pathology from incidental or secondary myocardial changes remains a major challenge in forensic evaluation, particularly in clearly noncardiac sudden deaths. The aim of this study was to assess histopathological changes in the heart in cases of sudden death of cardiac and noncardiac origin and to compare the distribution of these findings across different certified causes of death. Additionally, the study aimed to evaluate the frequency and potential forensic relevance of these cardiac alterations. A retrospective cross-sectional analysis was conducted on 78 medico-legal autopsy cases of sudden death examined at the Department of Forensic Medicine in Bosnia and Herzegovina (2016–2025). Paraffin-embedded cardiac tissue was evaluated histologically by three independent pathologists, while cases involving unnatural causes of death or significant autolysis were excluded. Cardiac-origin deaths accounted for 76.9% of cases and were more common in males. Individuals who died from cardiac causes were significantly older than those with noncardiac causes (58.7 ± 19.2 vs. 45.7 ± 16.8 years; P = 0.012). Cardiac-origin deaths predominated in middle-aged and older adults, whereas noncardiac sudden deaths occurred more frequently in younger individuals. Myocardial infarction and scar tissue were significantly associated with cardiac-origin deaths ( P = 0.017 and P = 0.038). Hypertrophy and dispersed fibrosis increased progressively with age. Cardiac sudden deaths were more frequent and mainly associated with chronic myocardial changes rather than acute ischemia. Middle-aged individuals were the most vulnerable group, highlighting the need for improved cardiovascular risk assessment and prevention.

Highlights Diabetes abolishes the normal maturational rise of renal SDC1 in rats. SDC2 remains inappropriately elevated in diabetic kidneys at two months. NDST1 is biphasic: raised at two weeks, then profoundly suppressed by two months. Public transcriptomes reproduce the syndecan changes and point to post-transcriptional NDST control. Abstract Background: The aim of this study was to determine the temporal expression patterns of syndecan family members (SDC1, SDC2, SDC4) and heparan sulfate biosynthesis enzymes (NDST1, NDST2) in kidneys of diabetic rats and age-matched controls. Methods: Male Sprague–Dawley rats received intraperitoneal streptozotocin (55 mg/kg; DM1 group) or citrate buffer (control group). Kidney samples were harvested after 2 weeks and 2 months and processed for immunofluorescence. Results: SDC1 showed significant temporal upregulation in controls that was abolished in diabetic animals. SDC2 exhibited high early expression in the control group with significant decline as the kidneys matured but remained elevated in diabetic kidneys at 2 months compared to controls. SDC4 showed no significant difference between groups, though an age-related decrease was observed in controls. NDST1 was significantly upregulated in diabetic rats at 2 weeks, followed by profound suppression at 2 months (p < 0.0001). NDST2 showed modest but significant early elevation in diabetic animals. Transcript-level analysis of two independent public datasets of streptozotocin-induced diabetic rat renal cortex reproduced the principal directional findings—an early increase in SDC1 and a progressive elevation of SDC2—while indicating post-transcriptional regulation of SDC4 and the early NDST response. Conclusions: Diabetes disrupts normal temporal expression of syndecans and heparan sulfate biosynthesis enzymes in rat kidneys. Early compensatory upregulation of NDST1 and NDST2, followed by progressive NDST1 suppression, suggests a deteriorating heparan sulfate biosynthetic capacity, potentially contributing to the progression of diabetic nephropathy.

Vaccination is one of the most effective public health interventions, yet vaccine hesitancy continues to threaten high childhood immunization coverage. Parental attitudes, knowledge, and information sources play a critical role in shaping vaccination decisions, influencing both individual and community protection. A cross-sectional study was conducted between October and December 2024, including 120 parents of children covered by the national vaccination schedule. Data were collected via a self-administered25-item questionnaire distributed through Google Forms, assessing demographics, knowledge, attitudes, and sources of vaccination-related information. Associations between participant characteristics and vaccination attitudes, knowledge, and compliance were analyzed using chi-square tests. Among participants, 95% reported compliance with the mandatory vaccination schedule, and 84.2% expressed a positive attitude toward childhood vaccination. The majority recognized vaccination as primarily benefiting the child (75%) and providing protection against severe disease (72.5%). Healthcare professionals were the main source of vaccination information (71.7%), while media and social networks were less frequently used. Awareness of the anti-vaccination movement was reported by 58.3%, and 43.3% of participants expressed trust in available vaccine information. Compliance was significantly associated with marital status and number of children, while knowledge correlated with educational level. Younger parents and urban residents relied more on media sources, whereas older and rural parents primarily consulted healthcare professionals. The findings indicate that parents in the studied region demonstrate positive attitudes toward childhood vaccination, with high compliance and a strong reliance on healthcare professionals as sources of information. Vaccine hesitancy persists in a minority, often influenced by misinformation and uncertainty. Targeted, prevention-oriented interventions focusing on health communication and support from healthcare professionals are essential to sustain high vaccination coverage and protect children and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases.Keywords: child health, childhood vaccination, health communication, public health, vaccine hesitancy.

Fused deposition modelling (FDM) of carbon fibre reinforced polyamide (PA6-CF10) parts is subjected to challenges related to dimensional stability and mechanical properties. This study investigated the effect of annealing as a post-processing method for carbon fibre reinforced polyamide parts produced by FDM to enhance the mechanical properties while preserving dimensional accuracy immediately after processing and after 90 days of ambient storage. It provides a comprehensive evaluation of the effect of annealing on the mechanical properties, dimensional stability, and long-term behaviour of FDM-printed PA6-CF10 components under ambient storage conditions. To analyse mechanical properties and dimensional accuracy, samples were annealed at 90 °C to 180 °C for 60 min to 360 min. Optimal conditions were 180 °C for 210 min, yielding significant gains in tensile properties, especially for samples stored in ambient storage for 90 days after annealing. The tensile strength and tensile modulus after annealing increased by 7.27% and 5.15% compared to unannealed samples; samples tested 90 days after annealing have the tensile strength and tensile modulus increased by 14.53% and 13.79%. Dimensional deviation of the annealed samples compared to the 3D CAD model was less than 1% for samples tested 90 days after annealing. These results indicate that annealing improves both immediate mechanical performance and long-term stability of PA6-CF10 components while maintaining dimensional accuracy.

Background: The significance of imaging right-heart thrombus via echocardiography in acute pulmonary embolism (PE) patients, as well as its management, remains uncertain. Methods: In this retrospective, observational, multicenter, and multinational registry of consecutive acute PE patients, we compared 100 patients in whom thrombus was visualized in the right heart during echocardiographic evaluation with 2635 patients without visualization of thrombus. The co-primary endpoints were all-cause in-hospital mortality and PE-related mortality. Secondary endpoints included the prevalence of severe PE at admission (intermediate–high and high-risk PE), the frequency of thrombolytic therapy administration, and mortality among patients who received thrombolysis. Results: All-cause and PE-related mortality were higher in patients with thrombus in the right heart (31.0% vs. 9.6%, and 25.8% vs. 5.6%, p < 0.001, respectively). Patients with right-heart thrombi had a more severe PE presentation than those without (74.0% vs. 45.3%, p < 0.001). In patients treated with thrombolysis, all-cause mortality was higher in patients with right-heart thrombi (35.5% vs. 12.7%, p < 0.001). In the multivariable Cox regression analysis adjusted for ESC mortality risk, age, presence of syncope, atrial fibrillation, and hypoxemia, patients with thrombus in the right heart had a significantly higher risk of all-cause and PE-related death compared to patients without thrombus (HR 2.60, 95% CI 1.753–3.859, p < 0.001, and HR 3.287, 95% CI 2.056–5.253, p < 0.001, respectively). Conclusions: Visualization of thrombus in transit through the right heart is associated with higher all-cause and PE-related mortality, independent of PE severity and the use of thrombolytic therapy.

Background/Objectives: This study investigates the correlation between substantia nigra (SN) hyperechogenicity, detected via transcranial sonography (TCS), and retinal thinning in patients with Parkinson’s disease (PD). Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 86 PD patients (172 eyes) underwent clinical assessment (UPDRS, Hoehn–Yahr), TCS for SN area measurement, and optical coherence tomography (OCT) for retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL), ganglion cell-inner plexiform layer (GCIPL), and macular thickness analysis. Results: PD patients exhibited significant thinning of the GCIPL, average RNFL, and central macular thickness compared to healthy controls (p < 0.001 in all instances). Pathological SN hyperechogenicity (>0.19 cm2) was detected in 85.9% of patients with a preserved temporal bone window (71 out of 86). A significant negative correlation was found specifically between the SN echogenic area and central macular thickness (r = −0.248, p = 0.003). Patients with pathological SN findings had a significantly thinner central macula (p = 0.006) compared to those with a normal SN, while no significant correlations were observed between the SN area and RNFL or GCIPL. Conclusions: These findings demonstrate a specific correlation between SN hyperechogenicity and central macular thinning. While RNFL and GCIPL effectively differentiate PD from controls, the central macula might serve as a promising biomarker candidate reflecting SN changes. Further longitudinal studies are required to evaluate the role of these combined markers in the PD diagnostic algorithm.