Search Results (75,253)

The attenuation of slow shear acoustic waves in the (110) plane of tellurium dioxide (TeO₂) crystals was investigated. The strong acoustic anisotropy of TeO₂ crystals results in a non-uniform acoustic power distribution, which can introduce errors in conventional acousto-optic testing methods. In this study, we propose a general method to measure the acoustic power distribution along the propagation direction of acoustic waves in non-collinear acousto-optic tunable filters (AOTFs). Additionally, we analyze the errors introduced by the non-uniform acoustic field resulting from strong acoustic anisotropy in acousto-optic testing methods. The measurements were carried out for a crystal cutoff angle of 6.5° from the [110] axis, for the ultrasound frequency range from 40 to 140 MHz. The attenuation coefficients were determined and their quadratic dependence on ultrasound frequency was confirmed. Full article

Graphene, known for its outstanding physical and chemical properties, is widely used in various fields, including electronics and biomedicine. Reduced graphene oxide (rGO) is preferred for electrochemical applications due to its enhanced water solubility and dispersion. Electrochemically reduced graphene oxide (ErGO) is particularly advantageous as it can be prepared under mild conditions and simplifies sensor fabrication; however, ErGO-based electrochemical sensors often lack specificity. Bioreceptors like proteins, enzymes, and DNA/RNA aptamers are incorporated to provide high specificity. This study introduces a guanine (G)/cytosine (C)-modified ErGO electrode (G/C@ErGO-GCE) for the sensitive electrochemical detection of doxorubicin (DOX) with good selectivity. The G/C mixture acts as a bioreceptor and is anchored on the ErGO-GCE surface via π-π interactions. The G/C@ErGO-GCE was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, contact angle measurement, Raman spectroscopy, and electrochemical methods. The sensor demonstrated excellent dynamic range (DPV: 10 nM to 1 µM, CA: 30 nM to 1.3 µM), sensitivity (DPV: 2.17 µA/µM, CA: 6.79 µA/µM), limit of detection (DPV: 84 nM, CA: 34 nM), and selectivity for DOX detection, highlighting its potential for biomedical applications and pharmacokinetic studies. Full article

The study investigated the biological properties of a composite material composed of poly(lactide) (PLA) and iron (Fe) produced by sputtering iron onto melt-blown poly(lactide) nonwoven fabrics. The research aimed to thoroughly understand the structure and properties of these materials and their potential applications in biomedicine. We conducted comprehensive chemical and structural analyses using techniques such as microscopic analysis, flame atomic absorption spectrometry (FAAS), and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area analysis to precisely determine the properties of PLA-Fe materials. Additionally, we evaluated their impact on blood coagulation processes by measuring activated partial thromboplastin time (aPTT) and prothrombin time (PT). We also performed biological analyses on human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBM cells) including cell viability and DNA damage. Our results clearly demonstrate that PLA-Fe materials do not significantly influence blood coagulation mechanisms, as they only slightly prolong aPTT time and have no effect on PT. This suggests their potential in biomedical applications. Our results indicate the absence of cyto- and genotoxic properties of PLA-Fe materials against normal blood cells. In conclusion, the research findings suggest that the novel poly(lactide) and iron-sputtered nonwoven fabrics are promising tools in the field of biomedicine, offering potentially innovative therapeutic solutions for the treatment of wounds and injuries. Full article

In aircraft panel assembly, the interference fit unevenly distributed along the axial direction of the rivet holes leads to an uneven stress–strain field around the rivet holes. The uneven stress–strain fields of single rivets, when accumulated through multiple rivets, result in overall bending and twisting deformation, severely impacting the assembly coordination quality of the panel. This study introduces a numerical model using a single row of multiple rivets to explore cumulative deformation during both sequential and changing order riveting. The results show that the deformation in sequential riveting is mainly bending-oriented towards the driven head side, with the maximum displacement exhibiting a fluctuating accumulation trend as the number of rivets increase. In contrast, a changing riveting order can lead to a reduction in deformation accumulation. To reveal the technological mechanism behind deformation accumulation during the riveting process, a model correlating to the residual stress field was established. It was indicated that the continuous increase in the maximum equivalent bending moment in the axial section is the primary factor leading to deformation accumulation. Based on this finding, a pre-bending suppression method aimed at reducing the local maximum equivalent bending moment was proposed. Numerical calculations and experimental results showed that the maximum displacement of the specimen was reduced by 73.27%, proving that this method can effectively suppress the cumulative increase in deformation. Full article

The social recognition of cultural landscapes has increased in recent years. Culture must be accessible to all citizens, helping them to interpret the cultural landscape in the most respectful and autonomous way possible. Nevertheless, the link between accessibility and heritage requires a sensitive perception of the environment and individuals in their different situations. Usually, however, only partial solutions are offered, whereas a global, truly sustainable, and inclusive approach should be adopted. In this sense, information design can play an essential role in the enjoyment and knowledge of heritage landscapes. The aim of this article is to present some reflections on this topic, which have led a group of teachers and students from the Laboratory of Architectural, Cultural, and Heritage Landscape of the University of Valladolid (LAB/PAP) to develop experimental design proposals for the archaeological site of Tiermes, in Soria, Spain. The method applied is based on field research, case studies, project proposals, workshops, and user testing. The resulting proposals emerge from the previous research developed by the LAB/PAP. They will focus on information design to present this extraordinary site in an inclusive way. The final discussion will decide which of these proposals will be easier and more useful to implement. Full article

This article reviews technological advances and global trends in the diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of cardiovascular diseases. A bibliometric analysis was conducted using the SCOPUS database, following PRISMA-ScR guidelines, to identify relevant publications on technologies applied in the diagnosis and treatment of cardiovascular diseases. An increase in scientific output since 2018 was observed, reflecting a growing interest in the technologies available for the treatment of cardiovascular diseases, with terms such as “telemedicine”, “artificial intelligence”, “image analysis”, and “cardiovascular disease” standing out as some of the most commonly used terms in reference to CVDs. Significant trends were identified, such as the use of artificial intelligence in precision medicine and machine learning algorithms to analyse data and predict cardiovascular risk, as well as advances in image analysis and 3D printing. Highlighting the role of artificial intelligence in the diagnosis and continuous monitoring of cardiovascular diseases, showing its potential to improve prognosis and reduce the incidence of acute cardiovascular events, this study presents the integration of traditional cardiology methods with digital health technologies—through a transdisciplinary approach—as a new direction in cardiovascular health, emphasising individualised care and improved clinical outcomes. These advances have great potential to impact healthcare, and as this field expands, it is crucial to understand the current research landscape and direction in order to take advantage of each technological advancement for improving the diagnosis, treatment, and quality of life of cardiovascular patients. It is concluded that the integration of these technologies into clinical practice has important implications for public health. Early detection and personalised treatment of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) can significantly reduce the morbidity and mortality associated with these diseases. In addition, the optimisation of public health resources through telemedicine and telecare can improve access to quality care. The implementation of these technologies can be a crucial step towards reducing the global burden of cardiovascular diseases. Full article

The forests of the boreal biome, which perform an important climate-regulating function, are the most susceptible to forest fires. An important task is to obtain quantitative estimates of carbon (C) losses of forest ecosystems under different fire damage scenarios, as well as the possibility of such estimates based on remote sensing data. Our study provides comprehensive field data on C stocks in pools of plant phytomass and necromass, forest litter, and ground cover for a vast area of boreal forests in the Russian Far East. We studied forests of the larch formation that have been affected by fires of varying intensity. The severity of the fires was assessed based on differenced Normalized Burn Ratio (dNBR). The variation in C pools depending on the strength of the fire is shown. We did not find a relationship of C stocks with the dNBR in the forests in the south of the study area that might have caused the rapid change of species during post-fire recovery. In the northern part of the area, there is a trend of a decrease in plant phytomass with an increase in dNBR (R² = 0.78). The proportion of dead standing wood share in the total C stock increases with increasing fire severity (R² = 0.63). The maximum and average C stocks in the litter were 10.6 and 3.9 t C ha⁻¹, respectively; coarse woody debris contained 8.7 and 2.0 t C ha⁻¹; carbon stocks in living ground cover were 1.2 on average and reached 4.7 t C ha⁻¹. Our study shows that dNBR can serve as a good predictor of the C stock of phytomass after a fire in the northern part of the Far East region, which opens up opportunities for approximate quantitative remote estimates of C losses. Full article

Rice sheath blight is a serious disease caused by Rhizoctonia solani that reduces rice yield. Currently, there is a lack of efficient and environmentally friendly control methods. In this study, we found that Bacillus velezensis (B. velezensis) Y6 could significantly inhibit the growth of mycelium in Rhizoctonia solani, and its control efficiency against rice sheath blight was 58.67% (p < 0.01) in a pot experiment. Lipopeptides play an important role in the control of rice sheath blight by B. velezensis Y6, among which iturin and fengycin are essential, and iturin W, a novel lipopeptide in B. velezensis, plays a major role in lipopeptide antagonism to Rhizoctonia solani. In the field, we also found that inoculation with B. velezensis Y6 can increase rice yield (dry weight) by 11.75%. Furthermore, the transcriptome profiling results of the rice roots revealed that there were a total of 1227 differential genes (DEGs) regulated when treated with Y6, of which 468 genes were up-regulated and 971 genes were down-regulated in rice roots compared with the control. Among them, the DEGs were mainly distributed in biological processes (BP) and were mainly enriched in response to stimulus (GO:0050896), response to stress (GO:0006950), and response to abiotic stimulus (GO:0009628). According to the KEGG pathway analysis, there were 338 DEGs classified into 87 KEGG functional pathway categories. Compared with the control, a large number of enriched genes were distributed in phenylpropanoid biosynthesis (map00940), glutathione metabolism (map00480), glycolysis/gluconeogenesis (map00010), and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism (map00520). In summary, this investigation provides a new perspective for studying the molecular mechanism of B. velezensis in controlling rice sheath blight. Full article

Nighttime light (NTL) remote sensing has emerged as a powerful tool in various fields such as urban expansion, socio-economic estimation, light pollution, and energy domains. However, current annual NTL products suffer from several critical limitations, including poor consistency, severe background noise, and limited comparability. These issues have significantly interfered with the research of long-term NTL trends and diminished the accuracy of related findings. Therefore, this study developed a de-difference smoothing algorithm for producing high-quality annual NTL products based on monthly National Polar-orbiting Partnership Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (NPP-VIIRS) NTL data. It enabled the construction of a continuous global high-quality NTL dataset, named the De-Difference Smoothed Nighttime Light (DDSNL), covering the period from 2012 to 2023. Comparative analyses were conducted to validate the accuracy and availability of the DDSNL product against the benchmark EOG NPP-VIIRS and NPP-VIIRS-like NTL datasets. The results showed that DDSNL products had strong correlation with the NTL distribution of EOG NPP-VIIRS, but little correlation with NPP-VIIRS-like. Notably, DDSNL demonstrated better background noise reduction and higher separability between NTL and non-NTL areas compared to EOG NPP-VIIRS NTL. In contrast to the complete exclusion of background in NPP-VIIRS-Like, the retention of background values in DDSNL leads to more reasonable representation in the urban fringes. In the analysis of NTL changes matching impervious surface changes, the DDSNL product demonstrated the least interference from noise, resulting in the smallest segmentation threshold and the highest matching accuracy. This indirectly demonstrates the spatial and temporal consistency of the annual DDSNL product, ensuring its reliability in change detection-related studies. The annual DDSNL product developed in this research exhibits high fidelity, strong consistency, and improved comparability, and can provide reliable data reference for applications in electrification and urban studies. Full article

Agricultural trade is the foundation of world trade and an important link in economic and trade relations between countries or regions. Exploring the competitiveness and complementarity of the agricultural trade between China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, could provide a theoretical basis for tapping the growth potential of the agricultural trade between China and ASEAN and expanding the trade relationship. According to the theory of comparative advantage, trade complementarity theory, and intra-industry trade theory, and based on UN Comtrade data from 2013 to 2022, this study uses the Regional Revealed Comparative Advantage Index, the Trade Complementarity Index, and the Intra-Industry Trade Index to measure the competitiveness, complementarity, and intra-industry trade level of China–ASEAN agricultural trade, including HS01-24 commodities. The results show that the agricultural trade between China and ASEAN is both competitive and complementary. The competitiveness of China’s agricultural exports to ASEAN is greater than that of ASEAN’s agricultural exports to China, and the complementarity of the former is less than that of the latter. Both sides have their own comparative advantage products, and there is also a strong competitive relationship in some agricultural product fields. The bilateral agricultural trade is mainly intra-industry trade, and the level is relatively high, while some strongly competitive agricultural products urgently need to transform from inter-industry to intra-industry trade. China and ASEAN should participate in bilateral trade based on the comparative advantages of their own agricultural products; ASEAN should improve the quality of agricultural products to enhance international competitiveness; China should tap into the market demand for ASEAN agricultural products to enhance the complementarity of its agricultural exports to ASEAN; and the two sides should formulate different policies for different types of agricultural products. Full article

This study validates a comprehensive cybersecurity audit model through empirical analysis in three higher education institutions in Canada. The research aims to enhance cybersecurity resilience by assessing the effectiveness of cybersecurity controls across diverse educational environments. Given the increasing frequency and sophistication of cyberattacks targeting educational institutions, this research is essential to ensure the protection of sensitive academic and personal data. Data were collected through detailed audits involving system vulnerabilities, compliance with security policies, and incident response management at each institution. The findings underscore the importance of tailored cybersecurity strategies and continuous auditing to mitigate cyber risks in the Canadian higher education sector. This study contributes to the field by validating a versatile audit tool that can be adapted to various institutional contexts, promoting enhanced cybersecurity practices and evaluating the effectiveness of cybersecurity safeguards across the higher education sector in Canada. The results of the audit model validations provide the cybersecurity maturity rating of each institution. Further research is recommended to refine the model and explore its application in other industries and sectors. Full article

The field of infrastructure security has garnered significant research attention. By integrating complex network theory with game theory, researchers have proposed many methods for studying the interactions between the attacker and the defender from a macroscopic viewpoint. We constructed a game model of infrastructure networks to analyze attacker-defender confrontations. To address the challenge of finding the Nash equilibrium, we developed a novel algorithm—node-incremental greedy algorithm (NIGA)—which uses less strategy space to solve the problem. The experiments performed further showed that NIGA has better optimization ability than other traditional algorithms. The optimal defense strategies under different conditions of initial strategy ratios and attacker-defender resources were analyzed in this study. Using intelligent computing to solve the Nash equilibrium is a new approach by which for researchers to analyze attacker-defender confrontations. Full article

(1) Problematic Internet use (PIU) in young people is a topic of great interest both in the field of addictions and mental health, but scientific evidence is limited in Latin America. The aim was to analyze the relationship between PIU and depression in Latin American college students. (2) Methods: The sample consisted of 1828 college students (63.7% women), aged between 18–30 years (M = 21.64 years). (3) Results: PIU was detected in 40.2% of cases, and severe or moderately severe depression in 31.7%. Rates of severe depression in students with PIU were 3.02 times higher than in those without PIU (χ2(3) = 168.443; p < 0.000). The presence of PIU was also statistically significantly higher among youth with depressive symptoms. Linear and logistic regression models for predicting PIU, show how the depression level constitutes a risk factor for PIU: seven times higher for severe depression; more than five times higher for moderate depression; and more than two times for mild depression. (4) Conclusions: There is a clear association between depression and PIU, suggesting that a higher level of depression would act as a predictor of PIU. However, this finding is exploratory. Future studies should clarify the directionality of the relationship between both variables. Full article

Preclinical and clinical studies have demonstrated that precision therapy has a broad variety of treatment applications, making it an interesting research topic with exciting potential in numerous sectors. However, major obstacles, such as inefficient and unsafe delivery systems and severe side effects, have impeded the widespread use of precision medicine. The purpose of drug delivery systems (DDSs) is to regulate the time and place of drug release and action. They aid in enhancing the equilibrium between medicinal efficacy on target and hazardous side effects off target. One promising approach is biomaterial-assisted biotherapy, which takes advantage of biomaterials’ special capabilities, such as high biocompatibility and bioactive characteristics. When administered via different routes, drug molecules deal with biological barriers; DDSs help them overcome these hurdles. With their adaptable features and ample packing capacity, biomaterial-based delivery systems allow for the targeted, localised, and prolonged release of medications. Additionally, they are being investigated more and more for the purpose of controlling the interface between the host tissue and implanted biomedical materials. This review discusses innovative nanoparticle designs for precision and non-personalised applications to improve precision therapies. We prioritised nanoparticle design trends that address heterogeneous delivery barriers, because we believe intelligent nanoparticle design can improve patient outcomes by enabling precision designs and improving general delivery efficacy. We additionally reviewed the most recent literature on biomaterials used in biotherapy and vaccine development, covering drug delivery, stem cell therapy, gene therapy, and other similar fields; we have also addressed the difficulties and future potential of biomaterial-assisted biotherapies. Full article

Abandoned cropland is a widespread issue globally, with the impacts of utilizing abandoned cropland, such as grain production and carbon emissions, raising increasing concern. However, existing studies have largely overlooked the potential spillover effects on other regions through grain flows when increasing grain production in one region by utilizing abandoned cropland. Therefore, this study aimed to comprehensively estimate the impacts of using winter fallow fields (a typical seasonal abandoned cropland) on grain production and carbon emissions, particularly its neglected spillover impact. Focusing on Zhejiang province, this study used remote sensing techniques to identify winter fallow fields in 2018 and then assessed the impact of using those winter fallow fields on grain production based on grain yield data from the FAO, as well as its local and spillover impacts on carbon emissions based on the Greenhouse Gas Emission Factor method and a transportation carbon emission model. The results indicate the following: (1) The winter fallow fields in Zhejiang cover 5,161,000 hectares, accounting for 40.8% of the total cropland, with a notable prevalence in Jiaxing, Huzhou, Jinhua, and Quzhou. (2) Using winter fallow fields would increase grain production by 1,870,000 tons. (3) At the same time, local carbon emissions would rise by 261,000 tons if using winter fallow fields, but this would be paired with a reduction of 668,000 tons of carbon emissions from other regions (that is, a spillover impact), reflecting a net reduction (−447,000 tons) in overall emissions. In conclusion, using winter fallow fields can achieve a ‘win–win’ effect, increasing grain production while reducing carbon emissions. This study highlights that the spillover effects of using winter fallow fields on carbon emissions significantly surpass the localized impact, underscoring a critical aspect that has been traditionally undervalued, which should be paid more attention when policymakers formulate and implement cropland use policies. This study not only contributes to the academic discourse on sustainable land management but also serves as a practical guide for policymakers seeking to optimize agricultural productivity while curtailing the carbon footprint, thereby advancing towards a more secure and environmentally responsible food system. Full article