Search Results (3,027)

Optical absorbers based on Tamm plasmon states are known for their simple structure and high operational efficiency. However, these absorbers often have limited absorption channels, and it is challenging to continuously adjust their light absorption rates. Here, we propose a Tamm plasmon state optical absorber composed of a layered stack structure consisting of one-dimensional topological photonic crystals and graphene nano-composite materials. Using the four-by-four transfer matrix method, we investigate the structural relationship of the absorber. Our results reveal that topological interface states (TISs) effectively excite the optical Tamm state (OTS), leading to multiple absorption peaks. This expands the number of absorption channels, with the coupling number of the TIS determining the transmission quality of these channels—a value further adjustable by the period number of the photonic crystals. Tuning the filling factor, refractive index, and thickness of the graphene nano-composite material allows for a wide range of control over the device’s absorption rate, from 0 to 1. Additionally, adjusting the defect layer thickness, incident angle, and Fermi energy enables us to control the absorber’s operational bandwidth and the switching of its absorption effect. This work presents a new approach to expanding the tunability of optoelectronic devices. Full article

One of the most important and widespread corn/maize virus diseases is maize dwarf mosaic (MDM), which can be induced by sugarcane mosaic virus (SCMV). This study explores a machine learning analysis of five-band multispectral imagery collected via an unmanned aerial system (UAS) during the 2021 and 2022 seasons for SCMV disease detection in corn fields. The three primary objectives are to (i) determine the spectral bands and vegetation indices that are most important or correlated with SCMV infection in corn, (ii) compare spectral signatures of mock-inoculated and SCMV-inoculated plants, and (iii) compare the performance of four machine learning algorithms, including ridge regression, support vector machine (SVM), random forest, and XGBoost, in predicting SCMV during early and late stages in corn. On average, SCMV-inoculated plants had higher reflectance values for blue, green, red, and red-edge bands and lower reflectance for near-infrared as compared to mock-inoculated samples. Across both years, the XGBoost regression model performed best for predicting disease incidence percentage (R² = 0.29, RMSE = 29.26), and SVM classification performed best for the binary prediction of SCMV-inoculated vs. mock-inoculated samples (72.9% accuracy). Generally, model performances appeared to increase as the season progressed into August and September. According to Shapley additive explanations (SHAP analysis) of the top performing models, the simplified canopy chlorophyll content index (SCCCI) and saturation index (SI) were the vegetation indices that consistently had the strongest impacts on model behavior for SCMV disease regression and classification prediction. The findings of this study demonstrate the potential for the development of UAS image-based tools for farmers, aiming to facilitate the precise identification and mapping of SCMV infection in corn. Full article

The current study proposed and evaluated “residual squeeze and excitation attention gate” (rSEAG), a novel network that can improve image quality by reducing distortion attributed to artifacts. This method was established by modifying the Cycle Generative Adversarial Network (cycleGAN)-based generator network using projection data for pre-reconstruction processing in digital breast tomosynthesis. Residual squeeze and excitation were installed in the bridge of the generator network, and the attention gate was installed in the skip connection between the encoder and decoder. Based on the radiation dose index (exposure index and division index) incident on the detector, the cases approved by the ethics committee and used for the study were classified as reference (675 projection images) and object (675 projection images). For the cases, unsupervised data containing a mixture of cases with and without masses were used. The cases were trained using cycleGAN with rSEAG and the conventional networks (ResUNet and U-Net). For testing, predictive processing was performed on cases (60 projection images) that were not used for learning. Images were generated using filtered backprojection reconstruction (kernel: Ramachandran and Lakshminarayanan) from projection data for testing data and without pre-reconstruction processing data (evaluation: in-focus plane). The distortion was evaluated using perception-based image quality evaluation (PIQE) analysis, texture analysis (feature: “Homogeneity” and “Contrast”), and a statistical model with a Gumbel distribution. PIQE has a low rSEAG value. Texture analysis showed that rSEAG and a network without cycleGAN were similar in terms of the “Contrast” feature. In dense breasts, ResUNet had the lowest “Contrast” feature and U-Net had differences between cases. The maximal variations in the Gumbel plot, rSEAG reduced the high-frequency ripple artifacts. In this study, rSEAG could improve distortion and reduce ripple artifacts. Full article

As warmer and drier conditions associated with global warming are projected to increase in southern Europe, the Mediterranean countries are currently the most prone to wildfire danger. In the present study, we investigated the statistical relationship between drought and fire weather risks in the context of climate change using drought index and fire weather-related indicators. We focused on the vulnerable and long-suffering area of the Attica region using high-resolution gridded climate datasets. Concerning fire weather components and fire hazard days, the majority of Attica consistently produced values that were moderately to highly anti-correlated (−0.5 to −0.9). This suggests that drier circumstances raise the risk of fires. Additionally, it was shown that the spatial dependence of each variable on the 6-months scale Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI6), varied based on the period and climate scenario. Under both scenarios, an increasing rate of change between the drought index and fire indicators was calculated over future periods versus the historical period. In the case of mean and 95th percentiles of FWI with SPEI6, abrupt changes in linear regression slope values were observed, shifting from lower in the past to higher values in the future periods. Finally, the fire indicators’ future projections demonstrated a tendency towards an increasing fire weather risk for the region’s non-urban (forested and agricultural) areas. This increase was evident from the probability distributions shifting to higher mean and even more extreme values in future periods and scenarios. The study demonstrated the region’s growing vulnerability to future fire incidents in the context of climate change. Full article

Xilinhot City is a significant pastoral city in China where groundwater serves as the primary water source for the cold and arid pastoral regions. The formation and evolution of material components in groundwater, as well as groundwater quality, are directly linked to the health of pastoral residents. This study is based on the physical and chemical test results of 22 groundwater samples collected from the Xilinhot River Basin in Inner Mongolia. Various statistical analyses, including Piper and Chadha diagrams, as well as hydrogeochemical simulation methods, were employed to assess the hydrogeochemical characteristics and material composition sources of groundwater, evaluate groundwater quality and non-carcinogenic risks, and comprehensively discuss the impact of macro- and microelements on human health. The findings indicate that igneous rocks containing minerals such as potassium feldspar, plagioclase, and pyroxene contribute Na⁺, Cl⁻, and K⁺ to the groundwater, while sedimentary rocks containing minerals like dolomite and calcite supply ions such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, and HCO₃⁻. The groundwater quality is primarily classified as Class II–V, with F⁻ and NO₃⁻ exhibiting varying hazard quotients for children and adults in the study area, though they do not pose a non-carcinogenic risk. Additionally, the enrichment of hardness, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, SO₄²⁻, and other indicators in localized areas exceeds the recommended values for drinking water, potentially impacting the digestive and urinary systems of the human body. There is a risk of excessive fluoride in areas where F levels exceed 1 mg/L. Furthermore, the content of beneficial micronutrients such as selenium (Se), zinc (Zn), boron (B), and germanium (Ge) is relatively low. Based on the elemental abundance characteristics and a comparative analysis of the chemical properties of groundwater across five regions of China, this comparison facilitates a discussion on the definition of healthy groundwater, particularly in relation to safe consumption in cold and arid regions. This study aims to highlight the health issues associated with drinking groundwater in the cold and arid regions of Mongolia. The findings serve as a valuable reference for efforts aimed at reducing the incidence of endemic diseases and enhancing human lifespan. Full article

With the increasing global incidence and mortality rates of cancer, the development of novel anti-tumor drugs has become particularly urgent. Scutellaria barbata D. Don, a perennial herb belonging to the genus Scutellaria in the family Lamiaceae, has aroused extensive attention for its medicinal value in recent years. This article presents an exhaustive review of the flavonoid, diterpene, and other chemical constituents harbored within Scutellaria barbata, delving into the intricate mechanisms by which these compounds orchestrate their anti-tumor effects via diverse biological pathways. Remarkably, these compounds distinguish themselves through their capability to regulate cellular signaling, inhibit cancer cell proliferation, trigger apoptosis, disrupt angiogenesis, and bolster immune responses. These anti-tumor effects are achieved through strategic modulation of pivotal signaling cascades, particularly the PI3K/Akt/mTOR, MAPK, and NFκB pathways. In addition, this article also summarizes the clinical applications of Scutellaria barbata in tumor treatment, especially its potential in alleviating the side effects of radiotherapy and chemotherapy and improving patients’ quality of life. In conclusion, this review comprehensively summarizes and analyzes the chemical constituents, anti-tumor mechanisms, and clinical applications of Scutellaria barbata, with the aim of systematically reviewing the existing research results and exploring potential future research directions. Full article

The physical properties of lunar regolith are crucial for exploration planning, hazard assessment, and characterizing scientific targets at global and polar scales. The dielectric constant, a key property, offers insights into lunar material distribution within the regolith and serves as a proxy for identifying volatile-rich regoliths. Miniature radio frequency (Mini-RF) on the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter (LRO) provides a potential tool for mapping the lunar regolith’s physical nature and assessing the lunar volatile repository. This study presents global and polar S-band Mini-RF dielectric signatures of the Moon, obtained through a novel deep learning inversion model applied to Mini-RF mosaics. We achieved good agreement between training and testing of the model, yielding a coefficient of determination (R² value) of 0.97 and a mean squared error of 0.27 for the dielectric constant. Significant variability in the dielectric constant is observed globally, with high-Ti mare basalts exhibiting lower values than low-Ti highland materials. However, discernibility between the South Pole–Aitken (SPA) basin and highlands is not evident. Despite similar dielectric constants on average, notable spatial variations exist within the south and north polar regions, influenced by crater ejecta, permanently shadowed regions, and crater floors. These dielectric differences are attributed to extensive mantling of lunar materials, impact cratering processes, and ilmenite content. Using the east- and west-looking polar mosaics, we estimated an uncertainty (standard deviation) of 1.01 in the real part and 0.03 in the imaginary part of the dielectric constant due to look direction. Additionally, modeling highlights radar backscatter sensitivity to incidence angle and dielectric constant at the Mini-RF wavelength. The dielectric constant maps provide a new and unique perspective of lunar terrains that could play an important role in characterizing lunar resources in future targeted human and robotic exploration of the Moon. Full article

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Early detection and the modification of risk factors, such as diet, can reduce its incidence. Among food components, polyamines are important for maintaining gastrointestinal health and are metabolites of gut microbiota. Their disruption is linked to CRC, making polyamines a potential marker of the disease. This study analyzed the relationship between dietary components, including polyamines, and the presence of polyamines in feces to determine whether their presence could contribute to predicting the occurrence of colorectal lesions in patients. In total, 59 participants of both sexes (aged 50 to 70 years) who had undergone colonoscopy screening for CRC (18 without and 41 with colorectal lesions) participated in the study. A nutritional survey and determination of fecal polyamine content were performed. Specific dietary components and putrescine levels were higher in patients with colorectal lesions. The diet ratio of putrescine–spermidine and the fecal content of N-acetyl putrescine and cadaverine were elevated in patients with precancerous lesions and adenocarcinomas, showing a potential predictive value for the presence of colorectal lesions. These findings suggest that N-acetyl putrescine and cadaverine could be complementary markers for the diagnosis of suspected colorectal lesions. Full article

According to the DSM-5, neurodevelopmental disorders represent a group of heterogeneous conditions, with onset during the developmental period, characterized by an alteration of communication and social skills, learning, adaptive behavior, executive functions, and psychomotor skills. These deficits determine an impairment of personal, social, scholastic, or occupational functioning. Neurodevelopmental disorders are characterized by an increased incidence and a multifactorial etiology, including genetic and environmental components. Data largely explain the role of genetic and environmental factors, also through epigenetic modifications such as DNA methylation and miRNA. Despite genetic factors, nutritional factors also play a significant role in the pathophysiology of these disorders, both in the prenatal and postnatal period, underscoring that the control of modifiable factors could decrease the incidence of neurodevelopmental disorders. The preventive role of nutrition is widely studied as regards many chronic diseases, such as diabetes, hypertension, and cancer, but actually we also know the effects of nutrition on embryonic brain development and the influence of prenatal and preconceptional nutrition in predisposition to various pathologies. These factors are not limited only to a correct caloric intake and a good BMI, but rather to an adequate and balanced intake of macro and micronutrients, the type of diet, and other elements such as exposure to heavy metals. This review represents an analysis of the literature as regards the physiopathological mechanisms by which food influences our state of health, especially in the age of development (from birth to adolescence), through prenatal and preconceptional changes, underlying how controlling these nutritional factors should improve mothers’ nutritional state to significantly reduce the risk of neurodevelopmental disorders in offspring. We searched key words such as “maternal nutrition and neurodevelopmental disorders” on Pubmed and Google Scholar, selecting the main reviews and excluding individual cases. Therefore, nutrigenetics and nutrigenomics teach us the importance of personalized nutrition for good health. So future perspectives may include well-established reference values in order to determine the correct nutritional intake of mothers through food and integration. Full article

Fisheries management requires improvement in scientific knowledge to ensure sustainable exploitation of important commercial species and population renewal. Within this context, this study focused on the reproductive biology of spot tail mantis shrimp, Squilla mantis, in the Central Mediterranean Sea, aiming to understand the reproductive pattern of this species and validate the macroscopic maturity scale through histological analysis. A multi-year sampling was performed from 2016 to 2020 by a commercial fishing fleet in the Northern Central Adriatic Sea (GSA 17), and a total of 2206 individuals were collected. The monthly average value of the total sex ratio of S. mantis was 0.524 ± 0.044 (mean ± SEM) in favor of females, which dominated the population from September to April. The proposed 5 stage macroscopic maturity scale was validated histologically through histological analysis, confirming synchronous ovarian development. The somatic indexes (GSI and K Fulton) and monthly incidence of macroscopic ovarian maturity stages highlighted a protracted reproductive season from winter to spring (January–May). Although the length-weight relationship showed a similar growth trend between genders, males reached a bigger size in terms of carapace length (C.L.) and dominated the population from 32 mm (C.L.). The macroscopic L50 estimated was 25.94 mm (C.L.). Full article

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) are widely used in the fabrication of solid rocket motor casings due to their exceptional performance. However, the bonding interface between CFRP and viscoelastic materials (rubber) is prone to debonding damage during service and storage under complex environmental conditions, which poses a significant threat to the structural integrity and reliability of the engine. Existing nondestructive testing (NDT) methods, such as X-ray imaging, infrared thermography, and ultrasonic testing, although somewhat effective, exhibit significant limitations in detecting interfacial defects in deep or multilayered composite materials, particularly under the challenging conditions of service and storage. This study proposes an innovative method based on active Lamb wave energy analysis and introduces the Damage Evolution Factor (DEF), specifically designed to detect and evaluate interfacial debonding defects in CFRP–rubber bonded structures within solid rocket motors during service and storage. Through numerical simulations and experimental validation, we selected the A0 mode Lamb wave, which is more sensitive to interfacial damage, as the incident wave and excited it on the surface of the structure. Displacement time-history response signals at observation points under different damage models were extracted and analyzed, and DEF values were calculated. The results show that DEF values increase with the size of the interfacial debonding damage. Similar trends were observed in experimental studies, further validating the effectiveness of this method and demonstrating that DEF can be used for the quantitative evaluation of interfacial debonding defects in CFRP–rubber bilayer bonded structures. Full article

Acute heat illness (AHI) from extreme environmental heat exposure can lead to emergency department (ED) visits, hospitalization, and even death. While the ICD ninth revision codes for AHI have been validated in the U.S., there have been no studies on the validity of ICD-10 codes for AHI in Canada. The objective of this study was to assess the validity of an ICD-10 coding algorithm for ED encounters for AHI. We conducted a retrospective cohort study of children and adults who had ED encounters at two large academic, tertiary hospitals in London, Canada, between May and September 2014–2018. We developed an algorithm of ICD-10 codes for AHI based upon a literature review and clinical expertise. Our “gold-standard” definition of AHI was patient-reported heat exposure and documentation of at least one heat-related complaint. To establish positive predictive value (PPV), we reviewed 62 algorithm-positive records and noted which met our “gold-standard” definition. To calculate negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity (Sn), and specificity (Sp), we randomly reviewed 964 ED records for associated ICD-10 codes and diagnoses. Two independent reviewers completed blinded data abstraction, with duplicate abstraction in 20% of the sample. Of the 62 algorithm-positive records, mean (SD) age was 38.8 (23.8) years; 37% were female. PPV was 61.3 ± 12.1% (95% CI). Of the 964 randomly selected records, mean (SD) age was 41.7 (26.5) years; 51.1% were female. The NPV was 99.7 ± 0.4%, sensitivity 25.0 ± 42.4%, and specificity 100.0 ± 0.0%. An ICD-10 coding algorithm for AHI had high specificity but was limited in sensitivity. This algorithm can be used to assemble and study cohorts of patients who have had an AHI, but may underestimate the true incidence of AHI presentations in the ED. Full article

This paper proposes a generalized partially functional linear model with interaction terms. It is suitable for cases where the response variable is scalar, and the predictor variables include a mix of functional and scalar types, while considering the correlations among functional predictor variables. The model uses principal component analysis for dimensionality reduction, employs maximum likelihood estimation to obtain parameter values, proves the asymptotic properties of the estimates, and validates the model’s accuracy through data simulation experiments. Finally, the proposed model was applied to investigate the influence of air quality, climate factors, and medical and social indicators, along with their interactions, on cancer incidence, which is a binary response. Full article

Benggang erosion is one of the most severe geomorphological hazards occurring on deeply weathered crusts in the hilly regions of southern China. Unraveling the susceptibility and pinpointing the risk areas of Benggang erosion are essential for developing effective prevention and management strategies. This study introduced the Maxent model to investigate Benggang erosion susceptibility (BES) and compared the evaluation results with the widely used Random Forest (RF) model. The findings are as follows: (1) the incidence of Benggang erosion is rising initially with an increase in elevation, slope, topographic wetness index, rainfall erosivity, and fractional vegetation cover, followed by a subsequent decline, highlighting its distinct characteristics compared to typical types of gully erosion; (2) the AUC values from the ROC curves for the Maxent and RF models are 0.885 and 0.927, respectively. Both models converge on elevation, fractional vegetation cover, rainfall erosivity, Lithology, and topographic wetness index as the most impactful variables; (3) both models adeptly identified regions prone to potential Benggang erosion. However, the Maxent model demonstrated superior spatial correlation in its susceptibility assessment, contrasting with the RF model, which tended to overestimate the BES in certain regions; (4) the Maxent model’s advantages include no need for absence samples, direct handling of categorical data, and more convincing results, suggesting its potential for widespread application in the BES assessment. This research contributes empirical evidence to study the Benggang erosion developing conditions in the hilly regions of southern China and provides an important consideration for the sustainability of the regional ecological environment and human society. Full article

Soil–structure interaction (SSI) leads to a modification in the dynamic properties of structure, but due to the complexity of analysis, it is traditionally assumed in seismic designs that the structure is fixed-supported on the ground, which brings about potential risks to the seismic performances of structure. The study works on the possibility of SSI having detrimental effects by comparing the dynamic responses of the SSI system to a fixed-base structure, and presents charts for an evaluation of the system frequency of SSI for the purpose of engineering practice. In order to reveal the physical nature, the SSI model is reduced to its simplest form, consisting of a SDOF oscillator, a three-dimensional rectangular foundation, and a multi-layered half-space. The energy dissipation in the soil is achieved by foundation impedances and the substructure method. Previously, the foundation impedances are usually acquired by two-dimensional or axisymmetric three-dimensional models in uniform half-space to avoid the high cost of the more realistic, fully 3D models, while a high-precision indirect boundary element method is employed, combined with the non-singular Green’s functions of distributed loads to calculate the foundation impedances. Although SSI dampens the peak amplitude of structure response in the frequency domain, case studies on four buildings’ responses to 42 earthquakes in the time history show a possibility of 15–20% that SSI amplifies the dynamic responses of structures, such as the maximum and the mean values in the time history, depending on the properties of the structures and the site, as well as the frequency component of incident waves. Full article