Unified image restoration and enhancement: Degradation calibrated cycle reconstruction diffusion model

Image restoration and enhancement are pivotal for numerous computer vision appli-cations, yet unifying these tasks efficiently remains a significant challenge. Inspiredby the iterative refinement capabilities of diffusion models, we propose CycleRDM, anovel framework designed to unify restoration and enhancement tasks while achiev-ing high-quality mapping. Specifically, CycleRDM first learns the mapping relation-ships among the degraded domain, the rough normal domain, and the normal domainthrough a two-stage diffusion inference process. Subsequently, we transfer the finalcalibration process to the wavelet low-frequency domain using discrete wavelet trans-form, performing fine-grained calibration from a frequency domain perspective byleveraging task-specific frequency spaces. To improve restoration quality, we designa feature gain module for the decomposed wavelet high-frequency domain to elim-inate redundant features. Additionally, we employ multimodal textual prompts andFourier transform to drive stable denoising and reduce randomness during the infer-ence process. After extensive validation, CycleRDM can be effectively generalizedto a wide range of image restoration and enhancement tasks while requiring only asmall number of training samples to be significantly superior on various benchmarksof reconstruction quality and perceptual quality. The source code will be available athttps://github.com/hejh8/CycleRDM

Ecological networks reveal strong pest suppression complementarity between birds and bats within rice-dominated agroecosystems in West Africa

The growing demand for rice across West African countries requires urgent pest control strategies that are costeffectiveand ecologically sustainable. Insectivorous birds and bats can act as biocontrol agents providing pestsuppression services, reducing crop damage and potentially increasing yields. Here, we combined DNA metabarcodingand network analysis to uncover the diets and pest control potential of these predators in the lowlandrainfed rice fields of northern Guinea-Bissau. We identified 2276 predator–prey interactions involving 34predator species (18 bats, 16 birds) and 1347 prey OTUs, including 87 classified rice pests. Bats and birdsconsumed similar numbers of pest species but exhibited largely distinct diet preferences. The predator–preynetwork revealed low connectance and nestedness but high modularity, suggesting a compartmentalization intorelatively independent subcommunities of interacting partner species, with little dietary overlap. Our networkanalysis revealed that species contributing most to overall predator–prey dynamics are not always the same asthose driving pest suppression. While network degree, strength and module roles revealed that species suchScotophilus otu1, Hipposideros cafer/ruber, Scotoecus otu14, Ploceus cucullatus, and Hirundo smithii are key in thepredator–prey community, species such as Afronycteris nana and Euplectes franciscanus also emerged as importantfor pest suppression. Our findings highlight the importance of maintaining and managing a diverse community ofbats and birds for network resilience and as a potential nature-based solution for sustainable rice production

Residential Relocations and Housing Changes Among Immigrants and Their Descendants: An Analysis of Longitudinal Register Data From France

This paper investigates residential mobility and housing changes among immigrants, their descendants, and the native population, alongside the association between family and household characteristics and residential mobility. We apply discrete‐time event history analysis to rich French administrative panel data covering the period 2012–2019. The results show distinct patterns of residential moves among migrant groups and generations. Immigrants from North Africa and Sub‐Saharan Africa are less likely to move to homeownership and more likely to move to social renting compared to the native French population. By contrast, immigrants from Southeast Asia, Turkey, and Europe have a similar likelihood of moving to homeownership as the native population. We find little differences in the probability of moving to homeownership across migrant generations; however, the second generation appears less residentially mobile than the immigrant generation. The descendants of immigrants from North Africa and Sub‐Saharan Africa are the least likely to move to homeownership and the most likely to move to social renting. This suggests that either structural barriers or cultural norms shape the mobility patterns of immigrants and their descendants in the same way. Finally, we observe similarities in the association between household characteristics and residential mobility for migrants, their descendants, and the native population. This suggests that life course events play a similar role in residential mobility across all population groups. For migrants and their descendants, those with low socioeconomic resources move less, suggesting that a lack of resources is a determinant of low mobility

Automated and continuous estimation of FAPAR from distributed wireless PAR sensor networks

Accurate estimation of the fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (FAPAR) is crucial for understanding plant productivity and ecosystem dynamics. A number of indirect measurement techniques are used for estimating FAPAR with hand-held instruments, but researchers have identified discrepancies among different techniques when using them to validate satellite land products. Many researchers have also utilised photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) sensors to obtain quantitative measurements of PAR, but these lack robust measurement frameworks and protocols. Only very limited research has started on automated wireless PAR network systems to measure at finer temporal scales as well as to reduce human error and logistical costs. This study evaluates the performance of two flux (2f) and four flux (4f) FAPAR measurement systems and digital hemispherical photography (DHP) across multiple vegetation types (e.g., vineyard, broadleaf deciduous forest, savanna woodland) and different temporal scales (instantaneous and daily integrated). Results reveal strong agreement (R2 > 0.99, RMSE ≤ 0.04) between 2f- and 4f-FAPAR for all three study sites, with minimal overestimation (bias ≤ 0.04) by the 2f systems, suggesting that it can substitute, over similar environments, the more complex and costly 4f setup without substantially compromising accuracy. Daily integrated FAPAR exhibited greater stability and lower uncertainty compared to instantaneous FAPAR, underscoring its importance for long-term ecosystem monitoring. However, instantaneous FAPAR remains essential for satellite product validation due to its alignment with satellite overpass times. Additionally, 2f-FAPAR showed a good relationship with DHP-derived FAPAR. The findings highlight the potential of the 2f wireless PAR network as an automated, cost-effective, and reliable tool for canopy light absorption studies, offering substantial advantages for both ground-based ecosystem monitoring and remote sensing applications

The role of social capital in SMEs for polycrisis management

Since 2020 several crises have brought unexpected and complex economic, political and social challenges to small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). SMEs have had to innovate to survive but urgent responses often preclude strategic consideration for long-term repercussions. This paper explores the role of social capital in organisations and considers how it can assist in navigating external crises and buffering against future change. Using a hybrid social capital perspective we examine the prospects for SMEs to survive crises using two rounds of purposive and convenience sampling driven semi-structured interviews undertaken twelve months apart with the same respondents drawn from a diverse range of industries such as catering, digital agencies, education, and sport organisations. The interviews explored social capital through the attributes of stakeholder trust, reciprocity and shared values also discerning how integration with, and provocation from, wider networks impacts SMEs. The paper critically evaluates the role of social capital in SMEs during current times of seemingly ever-present crisis. Having clear awareness of the influence and role of social capital, its attributes and its role in shaping the continuity of an organisation through crises is a key application of this work that can be directly used within other organisations of this type

Electrochemical sensors for diagnosis and monitoring of acute lymphoblastic leukaemia.

Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia (ALL) is a deadly form of blood cancer which occurs predominantly in children. It represents one of the most prevalent paediatric cancers. Both the diagnosis and monitoring of ALL presents clinicians with significant challenges. Diagnosis and monitoring of such paediatric conditions can be challenging due to the limitations in the patient's ability to communicate symptoms clearly. Early diagnosis is vital for improving the chances of positive outcomes for patients. Similarly rapid, real-time prognostics allows clinicians to adjust treatment in a timely manner. This enhances survival prospects by both early diagnosis and monitoring of relapse and also helps to avoid damage caused by unnecessary excessive and harsh treatment when the patient is in remission. The latter is especially pertinent to young and vulnerable patients. Unfortunately, current diagnostic and prognostic tests for ALL are cumbersome, slow, and require specialised facilities and trained staff. As a consequence, they are neither rapid - nor can they be widely applied. Electrochemical biosensors have the potential to underpin rapid, self-administered, high-frequency, cost-effective and point-of-care monitoring of relevant (protein and nucleic acid) biomarkers. The development of such technologies has the potential to overcome the shortcomings of current ALL diagnostic and prognostic methods. Herein, we review the literature in electrochemical biosensors for ALL diagnostics and prognostics, identifying trends and suggesting promising avenues for future work. [Abstract copyright: Copyright © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Validity and Inter‐Device Reliability of an Artificial Intelligence App for Real‐Time Assessment of 505 Change of Direction Tests

The present study aimed to explore the validity and inter‐device reliability of a novel artificial intelligence app (Asstrapp) for real‐time measurement of the traditional (tra505) and modified‐505 (mod505) change of direction (COD) tests. Twenty‐five male Sports Science students (age, 23.5 ± 3.27 years; body height, 178 ± 9.76 cm; body mass, 79.4 ± 14.7 kg) completed 12 trials each, consisting of six tra505 and six mod505 trials. Completion times were simultaneously recorded via single‐beam electronic timing gates (ETG) and two different iPhones (APP1 and APP2). In total 300 trials were collected across the two tests, using all three devices, to establish the reliability and validity of the app. The coefficient of variation indicated a similar level of dispersion between the ETG (≤ 2.73%), APP1 (≤ 2.39%) and APP2 (≤ 2.52%). Intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC) revealed excellent reliability among the three timing devices (ICC ≥ 0.99) and Asstrapp relative reliability was excellent for both APP1 (ICC ≥ 0.91) and APP2 (ICC ≥ 0.91). There was a practically perfect correlation and agreement between ETG and Asstrapp (APP1: r = 0.97; APP2: r = 0.97) for both COD tests. However, small but significant differences were found between smartphones and ETG for tra505 (ES ≤ 0.33; p < 0.05). Collectively, these findings support the use of Asstrapp for real‐time assessment of both 505 COD tests

Simulation-Based Design of a Cam-Driven Hydraulic Prosthetic Ankle

Background/Objectives: A cam-driven hydraulic prosthetic ankle was designed to overcome the weaknesses of commercial prostheses and research prototypes, which largely fail to mimic the energy-recycling behaviour of an intact ankle, resulting in poor walking performance for lower-limb prosthesis users. Methods: This novel device exploits miniature hydraulics to capture the negative work performed during stance, prior to push-off, in a hydraulic accumulator, and return positive work during push-off for forward body propulsion. Two cams are used to replicate intact ankle torque profiles based on experimental data. The design process for the new prosthesis used a design programme, implemented in MATLAB, based on a simulation of the main components of the prosthetic ankle. Results: In this paper, we present the design programme and explain how it is used to determine the cam profiles required to replicate intact ankle torque, as well as to size the cam follower return springs. Moreover, a constraint-based preliminary design investigation is described, which was conducted to size other key components affecting the device’s size, performance, and energy efficiency. Finally, the feasible design alternatives are compared in terms of their energy losses to determine the best design with regard to minimising both energy losses and device size. Conclusions: Such a design approach not only documents the design of a particular novel prosthetic ankle, but can also provide a systematic framework for decomposing complex design challenges into a series of sub-problems, providing a more effective alternative to heuristic approaches in prosthetic design

Analysing the effectiveness of digital escape rooms on enhancing student experience and knowledge acquisition – A microbiology-based case

Active and gamified teaching methods, such as digital escaperooms, effectively enhance student outcomes. However, current work in this areais highly specialised and lacks translational capability across sectors, withlimited data associated with key higher education impact measures. This studyaimed to design a central platform for developing digital escape rooms andevaluate their pedagogical impact using a microbiology-based example.A university-wide platform for the design and delivery ofdigital escape rooms and an exemplar microbiology-based room were developedutilising WordPress with specialist plugins. The study cohort was comprised of17 students from a range of biology, biomedicine and chemical scienceprogrammes. Quantitative surveys were then completed to understand how digitalescape rooms impacted key pedagogical metrics with further stratification basedon socioeconomic factors.Overall feedback was positive with students reporting apositive experience (100 %), the escape room was well developed (88.2 %),increased their knowledge (82.4 %) and added value to their degrees (70.6 %).These data show the positive pedagogical impacts of digital escape rooms inhigher education