Macao Polytechnic University

Cryptanalysis and Improvement of an Image Cryptosystem via Chaotic Synchronization and Artificial Neural Networks in Modified OTP Scheme

Chaos-based image ciphers may exhibit favorable statistical metrics while retaining a recoverable algebraic structure. We analyze the modified one-time-pad image cryptosystem of Stoycheva et al., which combines static, Chua-system-derived, and neural masks with channel-wise shuff...

The Algorithmic Well‐Being Paradox: When AI Decision Delegation Helps and Hurts Consumer Well‐Being

ABSTRACT As generative AI increasingly shapes consumer decision‐making, its implications for consumer well‐being remain unclear. Existing research largely focuses on the trade‐off between algorithmic efficiency and autonomy loss. This research advances understanding by proposing...

Salient Object Detection in Complex Weather Conditions via Noise Indicators

ABSTRACT Salient object detection (SOD), a foundational task in computer vision, has advanced from single‐modal to multi‐modal paradigms to enhance generalisation. However, most existing SOD methods assume low‐noise visual conditions, overlooking the degradation of segmentation a...

TPE-optimized XGBoost model for fine–grained prediction of tertiary vocational college students’ employment destinations

Predicting tertiary vocational college students’ employment destinations has become an urgent need for most tertiary vocational colleges. This study proposes a machine learning framework based on Tree-structured Parzen Estimator (TPE)-Optimized eXtreme gradient boosting (XGBoost)...

scLDM: a conditional diffusion framework for single-cell perturbation prediction

Abstract Motivation Accurate prediction of single-cell responses to external stimuli is pivotal for deciphering gene regulatory mechanisms and accelerating data-driven drug discovery. However, effectively capturing the complex, non-linear mapping between intrinsic cell states and...

Immersive technologies in dance education: a systematic review

This study aims to investigate the development and application of immersive technologies (ImTs) in dance education through a systematic review of existing empirical studies. The review addresses several inquiries: (a) the dance learning activities supported by ImTs, (b) the benef...

The Effects of Mindfulness-Based Interventions on Proprioception: A Bayesian Multilevel Meta-Analysis of Evidence from Randomized Controlled Trials

Proprioception is crucial for physical activities, motor control, balance, and coordination, yet strategies to enhance it remain debated. Mindfulness-based interventions (MBIs) may improve proprioception by enhancing body awareness through attention regulation and body-mind syner...

Institutional tensions in HIV treatment: challenges in providing free antiretroviral drugs under China’s ‘Four Frees and One Care’ policy

Abstract China’s ‘Four Frees and One Care’ policy provides people living with HIV (PLHIV) with free antiretroviral drugs (ARVs), while the recent inclusion of new ARVs in medical insurance policy has created policy overlap. Guided by the Institutional Analysis and Development (IA...

Antibody-drug conjugate engineering: from design to efficacy and safety

Antibody–drug conjugates (ADCs) represent a rapidly expanding class of targeted cancer therapeutics that combine the high selectivity of monoclonal antibodies with the potent cytotoxic activity of small-molecule drugs. Their clinical success relies on the simultaneous optimizatio...

Renal microcirculatory impairment on contrast enhanced ultrasound predicts persistent renal impairment in cardiogenic shock patients receiving venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

Abstract Acute kidney injury (AKI) is one of the most frequent complications in patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) receiving veno‑arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO). Microcirculation dysfunction is an important mechanism and it can be effectively evaluated b...

SwinTransRNA: A Swin Transformer-Based Framework for Accurate Prediction of RNA Subcellular Localization

Abstract RNA subcellular localization determines the regulatory context in which microRNAs (miRNAs), circular RNAs (circRNAs), and long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) exert their functions, yet these RNA classes differ greatly in sequence length and circularity, making fixed-length raw...

Designing Macao from Goa: Alessandro Valignano’s Reform from the Perspective of Canon Law

The establishment of the Catholic Diocese of Macao in the sixteenth century marked a crucial moment, signifying that Roman Catholicism had secured a firm foothold in Asia. Previous scholarship has usually subsumed a series of institutional projects in the Diocese of Macao during...

From listening to a city to walking in the city: immersing and inspiring listeners through soundwalks

Purpose Destination marketing research has ignored the auditory experience. Based on the stimulus–organism–response theory, this study aims to investigate how the four dimensions of soundwalks (uniqueness, interestingness, richness and storyness) affect listeners’ immersion and i...

Utilitarian Value or Enjoyment Experience? The Formation Mechanism of IELTS Learners’ Continuous Learning Intention in AI-Driven Intelligent Tutoring Systems: Evidence from PLS-SEM, MGA, and ANN

As artificial intelligence becomes increasingly integrated into education, intelligent tutoring systems (ITSs) are emerging as important tools for personalized language learning. However, high learner dropout rates indicate that sustaining continuous intention remains a key chall...

Can AI replace the stars? The effectiveness of celebrity avatars in emotional connections

Purpose This research aims to investigate how consumers respond to celebrity avatars compared to human celebrities in relational communication contexts. It examines whether parasocial bonds formed with real celebrities transfer to their AI-powered avatar representations. Specific...

Exploring the impact of GenAI-assisted EFL courses on foreign language anxiety and willingness to communicate: a disciplinary comparison

Abstract The integration of generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) in language education has shown positive effects on language skills, anxiety reduction, and motivation. Yet, limited research has examined its differential impacts on foreign language anxiety (FLA) and willing...

SIHG-Rec: Unleashing the Power of Semantic and Interactive Homogeneous Graphs via Dual-Stage Fusion for Multimodal Recommendation

Recent studies in multimodal recommendation, which leverage diverse modal information to address data sparsity and enhance recommendation accuracy, have garnered significant interest. Two critical processes in this domain are modality fusion and representation learning. In repres...

Love as Calculation: The Internalized Rationality of Digital Intimacy and the Erosion of Social Flow

As neoliberal rationality permeates private life, romantic relationships are increasingly managed as calculated projects rather than spontaneous, autotelic bonds. Drawing on Self-Determination Theory (SDT), this study examines how calculative subjectivity is associated with dimin...

A Comparative Study of Generative AI Use Among Secondary and University Students in Macao: A Technology Acceptance Model Perspective

Generative AI (GenAI) is rapidly altering learning environments, yet comparative research spanning secondary and higher education remains scarce. Grounded in the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), this cross-sectional study surveyed Macao secondary (n = 487) and university (n = 4...

Generative AI-Assisted Principal-Facade Renewal of Lingnan Coastal Vernacular Architectural Heritage in Yun’ao Town Under Hot-Humid and Disaster-Prone Weather Conditions: A Grasshopper–Pix2Pix Framework

AI-assisted renewal of living vernacular settlements must preserve regional identity and historical layering while keeping professional judgment central; however, current facade-generation studies rarely connect field-derived architectural knowledge, controllable data constructio...