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15 pages, 290 KiB  
Review
Current and Future Applications of Arterial Spin Labeling MRI in Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformations
by Matteo De Simone, Marco Maria Fontanella, Anis Choucha, Karl Schaller, Paolo Machi, Giuseppe Lanzino, Philippe Bijlenga, Felix T. Kurz, Karl-Olof L?vblad and Lucio De Maria
Biomedicines 2024, 12(4), 753; https://doi.org/10.3390/biomedicines12040753 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Arterial spin labeling (ASL) has emerged as a promising noninvasive tool for the evaluation of both pediatric and adult arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). This paper reviews the advantages and challenges associated with the use of ASL in AVM assessment. An assessment of the diagnostic [...] Read more.
Arterial spin labeling (ASL) has emerged as a promising noninvasive tool for the evaluation of both pediatric and adult arteriovenous malformations (AVMs). This paper reviews the advantages and challenges associated with the use of ASL in AVM assessment. An assessment of the diagnostic workup of AVMs and their variants in both adult and pediatric populations is proposed. Evaluation after treatments, whether endovascular or microsurgical, was similarly examined. ASL, with its endogenous tracer and favorable safety profile, offers functional assessment and arterial feeder identification. ASL has demonstrated strong performance in identifying feeder arteries and detecting arteriovenous shunting, although some studies report inferior performance compared with digital subtraction angiography (DSA) in delineating venous drainage. Challenges include uncertainties in sensitivity for specific AVM features. Detecting AVMs in challenging locations, such as the apical cranial convexity, is further complicated, demanding careful consideration due to the risk of underestimating total blood flow. Navigating these challenges, ASL provides a noninvasive avenue with undeniable merits, but a balanced approach considering its limitations is crucial. Larger-scale prospective studies are needed to comprehensively evaluate the diagnostic performance of ASL in AVM assessment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advanced Research on Cerebrovascular Diseases)
17 pages, 1382 KiB  
Article
Centering Educators’ Voices in the Development of Professional Learning for Data-Rich, Place-Based Science Instruction
by Nicole Wong, Rasha Elsayed, Katy Nilsen, Leticia R. Perez and Kirsten R. Daehler
Educ. Sci. 2024, 14(4), 356; https://doi.org/10.3390/educsci14040356 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
This self-reflective case study describes our project team’s efforts to promote equity in science professional learning (PL) by centering the voices of educators in the PL design process and within the course itself. We believe that educators’ experiences, priorities, and expertise are essential [...] Read more.
This self-reflective case study describes our project team’s efforts to promote equity in science professional learning (PL) by centering the voices of educators in the PL design process and within the course itself. We believe that educators’ experiences, priorities, and expertise are essential to developing professional learning that meets the needs of teachers and their students. We have a particular interest in amplifying the voices of those in historically underrepresented communities. Toward that end, we engaged science educators who work with Indigenous students and recent immigrants as collaborators in developing PL to support data-rich, place-based Earth Science instruction. In this case study, we share and critique the practices and tools that we have employed to center educator voices, rather than those of the PL designers and researchers. Our strategies for developing more equitable science professional learning include the use of: (a) equity-focused research methods, such as asset-based needs-sensing questions and peer-to-peer interviews; (b) a humanistic stance toward data-rich science learning, which emphasizes the typically unnamed sociocultural inputs and outputs that permeate all aspects of data; (c) a participatory design process that centers educator voices; and (d) a model of professional learning that uses representations of educator and student experiences as objects for reflection. Full article
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27 pages, 2480 KiB  
Review
Current Status and Future Perspectives of Optic Nerve Imaging in Glaucoma
by Claudia Lommatzsch and Christian van Oterendorp
J. Clin. Med. 2024, 13(7), 1966; https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm13071966 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Being the primary site of degeneration, the optic nerve has always been the focus of structural glaucoma assessment. The technical advancements, mainly of optical coherence tomography (OCT), now allow for a very precise quantification of the optic nerve head and peripapillary retina morphology. [...] Read more.
Being the primary site of degeneration, the optic nerve has always been the focus of structural glaucoma assessment. The technical advancements, mainly of optical coherence tomography (OCT), now allow for a very precise quantification of the optic nerve head and peripapillary retina morphology. By far the most commonly used structural optic nerve parameter is the thickness of the parapapillary retinal nerve fiber, which has great clinical utility but also suffers from significant limitations, mainly in advanced glaucoma. Emerging novel imaging technologies, such as OCT angiography, polarization-sensitive or visible-light OCT and adaptive optics, offer new biomarkers that have the potential to significantly improve structural glaucoma diagnostics. Another great potential lies in the processing of the data already available. Artificial intelligence does not only help increase the reliability of current biomarkers but can also integrate data from various imaging modalities and other clinical measures to increase diagnostic accuracy. And it can, in a more efficient way, draw information from available datasets, such as an OCT scan, compared to the current concept of biomarkers, which only use a fraction of the whole dataset. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Ophthalmic Imaging)
14 pages, 268 KiB  
Article
Weak Sharp Type Solutions for Some Variational Integral Inequalities
by Savin Trean?? and Tareq Saeed
Axioms 2024, 13(4), 225; https://doi.org/10.3390/axioms13040225 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Weak sharp type solutions are analyzed for a variational integral inequality defined by a convex functional of the multiple integral type. A connection with the sufficiency property associated with the minimum principle is formulated, as well. Also, an illustrative numerical application is provided. [...] Read more.
Weak sharp type solutions are analyzed for a variational integral inequality defined by a convex functional of the multiple integral type. A connection with the sufficiency property associated with the minimum principle is formulated, as well. Also, an illustrative numerical application is provided. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Theory and Application of Integral Inequalities)
12 pages, 5749 KiB  
Article
GPS-Induced Disparity Correction for Accurate Object Placement in Augmented Reality
by Sungkwan Youm, Nyum Jung and Sunghyun Go
Appl. Sci. 2024, 14(7), 2849; https://doi.org/10.3390/app14072849 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
The use of augmented reality (AR) continues to increase, particularly in marketing and advertising, where virtual objects are showcased in the AR world, thereby expanding its various applications. In this paper, a method of linking coordinate systems to connect the metaverse with the [...] Read more.
The use of augmented reality (AR) continues to increase, particularly in marketing and advertising, where virtual objects are showcased in the AR world, thereby expanding its various applications. In this paper, a method of linking coordinate systems to connect the metaverse with the real world is proposed and a system for correcting and displaying virtual objects in the AR environment is implemented. The proposed method calculates errors to accurately represent virtual objects in AR and presents a method to show these objects without errors. The proposed method was verified through experiments to successfully display virtual objects in AR. To minimize localization errors, semantic segmentation was used to recognize objects and estimate buildings, thereby correcting the device location. An error correction expression is also presented. The proposed system is designed to correct and display virtual objects in AR, with confirmed functionality for location correction. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue User Experience in Virtual Environments)
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23 pages, 8705 KiB  
Article
Co-Treatment with Phlorotannin and Extracellular Vesicles from Ecklonia cava Inhibits UV-Induced Melanogenesis
by Kyung-A Byun, Youngjin Park, Seyeon Oh, Sosorburam Batsukh, Kuk Hui Son and Kyunghee Byun
Antioxidants 2024, 13(4), 408; https://doi.org/10.3390/antiox13040408 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Hyperpigmentation due to ultraviolet (UV)-induced melanogenesis causes various esthetic problems. Phlorotannin (PT) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from various plants suppress melanogenesis pathways. We used UV-exposed keratinocytes and animal skin to determine if co-treatment with PT and EVs from Ecklonia cava (EVE) could [...] Read more.
Hyperpigmentation due to ultraviolet (UV)-induced melanogenesis causes various esthetic problems. Phlorotannin (PT) and extracellular vesicles (EVs) derived from various plants suppress melanogenesis pathways. We used UV-exposed keratinocytes and animal skin to determine if co-treatment with PT and EVs from Ecklonia cava (EVE) could inhibit melanogenesis by reducing UV-induced oxidative stress and the expression of the thioredoxin-interacting protein (TXNIP)/nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain-like receptor family pyrin domain containing the 3 (NLRP3)/interleukin-18 (IL-18) pathway, which are upstream signals of the microphthalmia-associated transcription factor. UV exposure increased oxidative stress in keratinocytes and animal skin, as evaluated by 8-OHdG expression, and this effect was reduced by co-treatment with PT and EVE. UV also increased binding between NLRP3 and TXNIP, which increased NLRP3 inflammasome activation and IL-18 secretion, and this effect was reduced by co-treatment with PT and EVE in keratinocytes and animal skin. In melanocytes, conditioned media (CM) from UV-exposed keratinocytes increased the expression of melanogenesis-related pathways; however, these effects were reduced with CM from UV-exposed keratinocytes treated with PT and EVE. Similarly, PT and EVE treatment reduced melanogenesis-related signals, melanin content, and increased basement membrane (BM) components in UV-exposed animal skin. Thus, co-treatment with PT and EVE reduced melanogenesis and restored the BM structure by reducing oxidative stress and TXNIP/NLRP3/IL-18 pathway expression. Full article
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14 pages, 3691 KiB  
Article
Multiphotonic Ablation and Electro-Capacitive Effects Exhibited by Candida albicans Biofilms
by Jose Alberto Arano-Martinez, José Alejandro Hernández-Benítez, Hilario Martines-Arano, Aída Verónica Rodríguez-Tovar, Martin Trejo-Valdez, Blanca Estela García-Pérez and Carlos Torres-Torres
Bioengineering 2024, 11(4), 333; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering11040333 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
This work reports the modification in the homogeneity of ablation effects with the assistance of nonlinear optical phenomena exhibited by C. albicans ATCC 10231, forming a biofilm. Equivalent optical energies with different levels of intensity were irradiated in comparative samples, and significant changes [...] Read more.
This work reports the modification in the homogeneity of ablation effects with the assistance of nonlinear optical phenomena exhibited by C. albicans ATCC 10231, forming a biofilm. Equivalent optical energies with different levels of intensity were irradiated in comparative samples, and significant changes were observed. Nanosecond pulses provided by an Nd:YAG laser system at a 532 nm wavelength in a single-beam experiment were employed to explore the photodamage and the nonlinear optical transmittance. A nonlinear optical absorption coefficient −2 × 10−6 cm/W was measured in the samples studied. It is reported that multiphotonic interactions can promote more symmetric optical damage derived by faster changes in the evolution of fractional photoenergy transference. The electrochemical response of the sample was studied to further investigate the electronic dynamics dependent on electrical frequency, and an electro-capacitive behavior in the sample was identified. Fractional differential calculations were proposed to describe the thermal transport induced by nanosecond pulses in the fungi media. These results highlight the nonlinear optical effects to be considered as a base for developing photothermally activated phototechnology and high-precision photodamage in biological systems. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Thermal Therapy)
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16 pages, 4709 KiB  
Article
Impact of Molecular Weight Variations in Dendrobium officinale Polysaccharides on Antioxidant Activity and Anti-Obesity in Caenorhabditis elegans
by Xiao Pang, Heqin Wang, Chunbo Guan, Qiufeng Chen, Xinwen Cui and Xiuqing Zhang
Foods 2024, 13(7), 1040; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13071040 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
This research investigates the impact of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides (DOP) with different molecular weights on antioxidant effects, lifespan enhancement, and obesity reduction, utilizing both in vitro analyses and the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model. Through a series of experiments—ranging from the [...] Read more.
This research investigates the impact of Dendrobium officinale polysaccharides (DOP) with different molecular weights on antioxidant effects, lifespan enhancement, and obesity reduction, utilizing both in vitro analyses and the Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans) model. Through a series of experiments—ranging from the extraction and modification of polysaccharides, Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC), and analysis of composition to the evaluation of antioxidant capabilities, this study thoroughly examines DOP and its derivatives (DOP5, DOP15, DOP25) produced via H2O2-Fe2+ degradation. The results reveal a direct relationship between the molecular weight of polysaccharides and their bioactivity. Notably, DOP5, with its intermediate molecular weight, demonstrated superior antioxidant properties, significantly extended the lifespan, and improved the health of C. elegans. Furthermore, DOP15 appeared to regulate lipid metabolism by affecting crucial lipid metabolism genes, including fat-4, fat-5, fat-6, sbp-1, and acs-2. These findings highlight the potential application of DOP derivatives as natural antioxidants and agents against obesity, contributing to the development of functional foods and dietary supplements. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advance in Biological Activities of Functional Food—Second Edition)
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22 pages, 539 KiB  
Systematic Review
Natural Environments in University Campuses and Students’ Well-Being
by Helena Ribeiro, Keila Valente de Souza Santana and Sofia Lizarralde Oliver
Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health 2024, 21(4), 413; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21040413 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Most recent university campuses follow the North American model, built on city limits or countryside, with large separate buildings in open green spaces. Studies suggest that the prevalence and severity of mental health issues among university students has been increasing over the past [...] Read more.
Most recent university campuses follow the North American model, built on city limits or countryside, with large separate buildings in open green spaces. Studies suggest that the prevalence and severity of mental health issues among university students has been increasing over the past decade in most countries. University services were created to face this growing problem, however individual-based interventions have limited effects on mental health and well-being of a large population. Our aim was to verify if and how the natural environment in campuses is focused on programs to cope with the issue of mental health and well-being among students. A systematic review of literature was undertaken with search in Scopus and LILACS with the keywords “green areas” AND “well-being” AND “Campus”, following PRISMA guidelines. As a result, 32 articles were selected. Research on the topic is recent, mostly in the USA, Bulgaria, and China. Most studies used objective information on campuses’ greenness and/or university students’ perception. Mental health was usually measured by validated scores. Findings of all the studies indicated positive association between campus greenery and well-being of students. We conclude that there is a large potential for use of university campuses in programs and as sites for students’ restoration and stress relief. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Natural Environments on Human Well-Being)
18 pages, 1259 KiB  
Article
Neurophysiological and Autonomic Correlates of Metacognitive Control of and Resistance to Distractors in Ecological Setting: A Pilot Study
by Michela Balconi, Carlotta Acconito, Roberta A. Allegretta and Laura Angioletti
Sensors 2024, 24(7), 2171; https://doi.org/10.3390/s24072171 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
In organisational contexts, professionals are required to decide dynamically and prioritise unexpected external inputs deriving from multiple sources. In the present study, we applied a multimethodological neuroscientific approach to investigate the ability to resist and control ecological distractors during decision-making and to explore [...] Read more.
In organisational contexts, professionals are required to decide dynamically and prioritise unexpected external inputs deriving from multiple sources. In the present study, we applied a multimethodological neuroscientific approach to investigate the ability to resist and control ecological distractors during decision-making and to explore whether a specific behavioural, neurophysiological (i.e., delta, theta, alpha and beta EEG band), or autonomic (i.e., heart rate—HR, and skin conductance response—SCR) pattern is correlated with specific personality profiles, collected with the 10-item Big Five Inventory. Twenty-four participants performed a novel Resistance to Ecological Distractors (RED) task aimed at exploring the ability to resist and control distractors and the level of coherence and awareness of behaviour (metacognition ability), while neurophysiological and autonomic measures were collected. The behavioural results highlighted that effectiveness in performance did not require self-control and metacognition behaviour and that being proficient in metacognition can have an impact on performance. Moreover, it was shown that the ability to resist ecological distractors is related to a specific autonomic profile (HR and SCR decrease) and that the neurophysiological and autonomic activations during task execution correlate with specific personality profiles. The agreeableness profile was negatively correlated with the EEG theta band and positively with the EEG beta band, the conscientiousness profile was negatively correlated with the EEG alpha band, and the extroversion profile was positively correlated with the EEG beta band. Taken together, these findings describe and disentangle the hidden relationship that lies beneath individuals’ decision to inhibit or activate intentionally a specific behaviour, such as responding, or not, to an external stimulus, in ecological conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances on EEG-Based Sensing and Imaging: 2nd Edition)
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22 pages, 3341 KiB  
Article
Understanding the Interaction of Thermal, Rheological, and Mechanical Parameters Critical for the Processability of Polyvinyl Alcohol-Based Systems during Hot Melt Extrusion
by Florian Hess, Thomas Kipping, Werner Weitschies and Julius Krause
Pharmaceutics 2024, 16(4), 472; https://doi.org/10.3390/pharmaceutics16040472 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Hot melt extrusion (HME) is a common manufacturing process used in the pharmaceutical industry to improve the solubility of poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). The goal is to create an amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) where the amorphous form of the API is [...] Read more.
Hot melt extrusion (HME) is a common manufacturing process used in the pharmaceutical industry to improve the solubility of poorly soluble active pharmaceutical ingredients (API). The goal is to create an amorphous solid dispersion (ASD) where the amorphous form of the API is stabilized within a polymer matrix. Traditionally, the development of pharmaceutically approved polymers has focused on requirements such as thermal properties, solubility, drug–polymer interactions, and biocompatibility. The mechanical properties of the material have often been neglected in the design of new polymers. However, new downstream methods require more flexible polymers or suitable plasticizer polymer combinations. In this study, two grades of the polymer polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), which is already established for HME, are investigated in terms of their mechanical, rheological, and thermal properties. The mechanical properties of the extruded filaments were tested by the three-point bending test. The rheological behavior was analyzed by oscillating plate measurements. Thermal analysis was performed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In addition, the solid and liquid plasticizers mannitol, sorbitol, triacetin, triethyl citrate, polyethylene glycol, and glycerol were evaluated for use with PVA and their impact on the polymer properties was elaborated. Finally, the effects of the plasticizers are compared to each other, and the correlations are analyzed statistically using principal component analysis (PCA). Thereby, a clear ranking of the plasticizer effects was established, and a deeper understanding of the polymer–plasticizer interactions was created. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Impact of Raw Material Properties on Solid Dosage Form Processes)
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18 pages, 5084 KiB  
Article
Automatic Identification of Pangolin Behavior Using Deep Learning Based on Temporal Relative Attention Mechanism
by Kai Wang, Pengfei Hou, Xuelin Xu, Yun Gao, Ming Chen, Binghua Lai, Fuyu An, Zhenyu Ren, Yongzheng Li, Guifeng Jia and Yan Hua
Animals 2024, 14(7), 1032; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani14071032 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
With declining populations in the wild, captive rescue and breeding have become one of the most important ways to protect pangolins from extinction. At present, the success rate of artificial breeding is low, due to the insufficient understanding of the breeding behavior characteristics [...] Read more.
With declining populations in the wild, captive rescue and breeding have become one of the most important ways to protect pangolins from extinction. At present, the success rate of artificial breeding is low, due to the insufficient understanding of the breeding behavior characteristics of pangolins. The automatic recognition method based on machine vision not only monitors for 24 h but also reduces the stress response of pangolins. This paper aimed to establish a temporal relation and attention mechanism network (Pangolin breeding attention and transfer network, PBATn) to monitor and recognize pangolin behaviors, including breeding and daily behavior. There were 11,476 videos including breeding behavior and daily behavior that were divided into training, validation, and test sets. For the training set and validation set, the PBATn network model had an accuracy of 98.95% and 96.11%, and a loss function value of 0.1531 and 0.1852. The model is suitable for a 2.40 m × 2.20 m (length × width) pangolin cage area, with a nest box measuring 40 cm × 30 cm × 30 cm (length × width × height) positioned either on the left or right side inside the cage. A spherical night-vision monitoring camera was installed on the cage wall at a height of 2.50 m above the ground. For the test set, the mean Average Precision (mAP), average accuracy, average recall, average specificity, and average F1 score were found to be higher than SlowFast, X3D, TANet, TSN, etc., with values of 97.50%, 99.17%, 97.55%, 99.53%, and 97.48%, respectively. The recognition accuracies of PBATn were 94.00% and 98.50% for the chasing and mounting breeding behaviors, respectively. The results showed that PBATn outperformed the baseline methods in all aspects. This study shows that the deep learning system can accurately observe pangolin breeding behavior and it will be useful for analyzing the behavior of these animals. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Wildlife)
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26 pages, 4806 KiB  
Article
Transcriptomic and Metabolomic Analyses Reveal the Response to Short-Term Drought Stress in Bread Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)
by Xiaoyi Fu, Zhilian Liu, Xiong Du, Huijun Duan, Wenchao Zhen, Yuechen Zhang, Zhanliang Shi, Mingqi He and Ruiqi Li
Agronomy 2024, 14(4), 704; https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14040704 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Drought stress, a major abiotic stress, significantly affects wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production globally. To identify genes and metabolic pathways crucial for responding to short-term drought stress, we conducted transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of winter wheat cultivar Jimai 418 at four developmental [...] Read more.
Drought stress, a major abiotic stress, significantly affects wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) production globally. To identify genes and metabolic pathways crucial for responding to short-term drought stress, we conducted transcriptomic and metabolomic analyses of winter wheat cultivar Jimai 418 at four developmental stages: jointing (GS31), booting (GS45), anthesis (GS65), and 8 days after anthesis (DAA8). Transcriptomic analysis identified 14,232 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) under drought stress compared to the control. Specifically, 1387, 4573, 7380, and 892 DEGs were identified at the four developmental stages, respectively. Enriched pathways associated with these DEGs included plant hormone signal transduction, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling, galactose metabolism, and starch and sucrose metabolism. Totals of 222, 633, 358, and 38 differentially accumulated metabolites (DAMs) were identified at the four stages, respectively. Correlation analysis of both datasets revealed DEGs and DAMs associated with plant hormone signal transduction, arginine and proline metabolism, ABC transporters, and amino acid biosynthesis. These findings offer significant insights into Jimai 418’s molecular response to short-term drought stress. The identified DEGs, DAMs, and enriched pathways contribute to our understanding of wheat drought tolerance. This research will facilitate further investigations into drought tolerance mechanisms and guide the breeding of wheat varieties with enhanced drought resistance. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Crop Breeding and Genetics)
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13 pages, 3610 KiB  
Article
The Optimization of the Steam-Heat-Treated Process of Rattan (Calamus simplicifolius) Based on the Response Surface Analysis and Its Chemical Changes
by Minmin Xu, Zhihui Wang, Zhenrui Li, Zhenbing Sun, Lili Shang, Genlin Tian, Jianfeng Ma and Xing’e Liu
Forests 2024, 15(4), 615; https://doi.org/10.3390/f15040615 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
The objective of this study is to investigate the impacts of steam heat treatment parameters (e.g., temperature, time, and pressure) on the impact toughness of rattan (Calamus simplicifolius). The Box–Behnken design response surface analysis was employed to optimize the steam heat [...] Read more.
The objective of this study is to investigate the impacts of steam heat treatment parameters (e.g., temperature, time, and pressure) on the impact toughness of rattan (Calamus simplicifolius). The Box–Behnken design response surface analysis was employed to optimize the steam heat treatment parameters. Impact toughness was selected as the evaluation index, with single-factor tests conducted as a baseline for comparison. Changes in chemical composition, cellulose crystallinity, and pyrolysis properties were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra, Thermogravimetry–Fourier transform infrared (TG-FTIR) spectra, and wet-chemistry methods for both untreated control samples and the heat-treated samples. The results show that a 1 h steam heat treatment at 160 °C under 0.1 MPa pressure has the optimal process parameters for the rattan. The achieved impact toughness value closely matches the predicted value at 71.29 kJ/m2. After the steam heat treatment, hemicellulose and cellulose contents decrease, whereas relative lignin content increases significantly, leading to improved toughness characteristics in Calamus simplicifolius samples. The TG results indicate that maximum weight loss occurs at temperatures of 352 °C, 354 °C, and 361 °C, respectively, for three different samples. This suggests that the thermal stability is enhanced as a result of the heat treatment. These findings will help optimize the heat treatments of the rattan material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section Wood Science and Forest Products)
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45 pages, 25052 KiB  
Article
Micro-Satellite Systems Design, Integration, and Flight
by Philip Naumann and Timothy Sands
Micromachines 2024, 15(4), 455; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15040455 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Within the past decade, the aerospace engineering industry has evolved beyond the constraints of using single, large, custom satellites. Due to the increased reliability and robustness of commercial, off-the-shelf printed circuit board components, missions have instead transitioned towards deploying swarms of smaller satellites. [...] Read more.
Within the past decade, the aerospace engineering industry has evolved beyond the constraints of using single, large, custom satellites. Due to the increased reliability and robustness of commercial, off-the-shelf printed circuit board components, missions have instead transitioned towards deploying swarms of smaller satellites. Such an approach significantly decreases the mission cost by reducing custom engineering and deployment expenses. Nanosatellites can be quickly developed with a more modular design at lower risk. The Alpha mission at the Cornell University Space Systems Studio is fabricated in this manner. However, for the purpose of development, the initial proof of concept included a two-satellite system. The manuscript will discuss system engineering approaches used to model and mature the design of the pilot satellite. The two systems that will be primarily focused on are the attitude control system of the carrier nanosatellite and the radio frequency communications on the excreted femto-satellites. Milestones achieved include ChipSat to ChipSat communication, ChipSat to ground station communication, packet creation, error correction, appending a preamble, and filtering the signal. Other achievements include controller traceability/verification and validation, software rigidity tests, hardware endurance testing, Kane damper, and inertial measurement unit tuning. These developments matured the technological readiness level (TRL) of systems in preparation for satellite deployment. Full article
(This article belongs to the Section 础:笔丑测蝉颈肠蝉)
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19 pages, 2902 KiB  
Article
The Design and Optimization of a Novel Hybrid Excitation Generator for Vehicles
by Jianwei Ma, Fengyi Gu, Liwei Wang, Shilun Ma, Amir-Mohammad Golmohammadi and Shaohang Zhang
World Electr. Veh. J. 2024, 15(4), 139; https://doi.org/10.3390/wevj15040139 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Silicon rectifier generators, which are single-excitation generators, are commonly used in vehicles. However, a traditional single-excitation generator cannot satisfy the requirements of modern vehicles due to its low efficiency, high failure rate and large excitation loss; a hybrid excitation generator is more suitable [...] Read more.
Silicon rectifier generators, which are single-excitation generators, are commonly used in vehicles. However, a traditional single-excitation generator cannot satisfy the requirements of modern vehicles due to its low efficiency, high failure rate and large excitation loss; a hybrid excitation generator is more suitable for a wide range of applications in vehicles because of its many advantages. In this study, a novel, high-efficiency and energy-saving hybrid excitation generator with a claw-pole series magnetic circuit for vehicles was designed. The magnetic circuit and principle of operation were analyzed. The structure parameters of the hybrid excitation generator were initially designed according to motor design theory. The model of the hybrid excitation generator was built based on the finite element method, and the no-load characteristic was analyzed. Furthermore, the influences of the permanent magnet thickness and core slot width on the performance of the generator were analyzed. According to the results, the structural parameters were optimized. The no-load output characteristics and load characteristics were compared between the generator and a silicon rectifier generator, and the test results show that the design, simulation and optimization methods were reasonable. This provides theoretical support and research methods for the development of a hybrid excitation generator. Full article
16 pages, 1792 KiB  
Article
Limited Clinical Efficacy with Potential Adverse Events in a Pilot Study of Autologous Adoptive Cell Therapy in Canine Oral Malignant Melanoma
by Yuan-Yuan Xia, Kwan-Hwa Chi, Albert Taiching Liao and Jih-Jong Lee
Vet. Sci. 2024, 11(4), 150; https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci11040150 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) has been studied in several human and canine cancers with some promising clinical outcomes but not in canine oral malignant melanoma (OMM). Our manuscript aimed to explore one kind of ACT, the ex vivo-expanded autologous immune cell infusion in [...] Read more.
Adoptive cell therapy (ACT) has been studied in several human and canine cancers with some promising clinical outcomes but not in canine oral malignant melanoma (OMM). Our manuscript aimed to explore one kind of ACT, the ex vivo-expanded autologous immune cell infusion in canine OMM, as this tumor remains a treatment dilemma. The study recruited dogs with histopathological diagnoses of oral malignant melanoma, generated their peripheral blood mononuclear cells, expanded them into predominantly non-B non-T cells via stimulations of IL-15, IL-2, and IL-21, and then re-infused the cells into tumor-bearing dogs. Ten dogs were enrolled; three dogs did not report any adverse events; three had a mildly altered appetite; one had a mildly increased liver index, while the other three developed suspected anaphylaxis at different levels. The median progression-free interval was 49 days. Dogs with progressive disease during treatment had a shorter survival. This pilot study indicates limited efficacy with potential adverse events of this ACT. Most recruited patients were in a later stage and had macroscopic disease, which might affect the treatment efficacy. Further exploration of this cell therapy in an adjuvant setting, with adequate protocol modification and standardization, could still be considered. Full article
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13 pages, 4141 KiB  
Article
A Microfluidic Chip for Single-Cell Capture Based on Stagnation Point Flow and Boundary Effects
by Long Cheng, Xiao Lv, Wenchao Zhou, Huan Li, Qiushuang Yang, Xing Chen and Yihui Wu
Micromachines 2024, 15(4), 456; https://doi.org/10.3390/mi15040456 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
The capture of individual cells using microfluidic chips represents a widely adopted and efficient approach for investigating the biochemical microenvironment of singular cells. While conventional methods reliant on boundary effects pose challenges in precisely manipulating individual cells, single-cell capture grounded in the principle [...] Read more.
The capture of individual cells using microfluidic chips represents a widely adopted and efficient approach for investigating the biochemical microenvironment of singular cells. While conventional methods reliant on boundary effects pose challenges in precisely manipulating individual cells, single-cell capture grounded in the principle of stagnation point flow offers a solution to this limitation. Nevertheless, such capture mechanisms encounter inconsistency due to the instability of the flow field and stagnation point. In this study, a microfluidic device for the stable capture of single cells was designed, integrating the principle of fluid mechanics by amalgamating stagnation point flow and boundary effects. This innovative microfluidic chip transcended the limitations associated with single methodologies, leveraging the strengths of both stagnation point flow and boundary effects to achieve reliable single-cell capture. Notably, the incorporation of capture ports at the stagnation point not only harnessed boundary effects but also enhanced capture efficiency significantly, elevating it from 31.9% to 83.3%, thereby augmenting capture stability. Furthermore, computational simulations demonstrated the efficacy of the capture ports in entrapping particles of varying diameters, including 9 μm, 14 μm, and 18 μm. Experiment validation underscored the capability of this microfluidic system to capture single cells within the chip, maintaining stability even under flow rate perturbations spanning from 60 μL/min to 120 μL/min. Consequently, cells with dimensions between 8 μm and 12 μm can be reliably captured. The designed microfluidic system not only furnishes a straightforward and efficient experimental platform but also holds promise for facilitating deeper investigations into the intricate interplay between individual cells and their surrounding microenvironment. Full article
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17 pages, 680 KiB  
Article
Lite2: A Schemaless Zero-Copy Serialization Format
by Tianyi Chen, Xiaotong Guan, Shi Shuai, Cuiting Huang and Michal Aibin
Computers 2024, 13(4), 89; https://doi.org/10.3390/computers13040089 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
In the field of data transmission and storage, serialization formats play a crucial role by converting complex data structures into a byte stream that can be easily stored, transmitted, and reconstructed. Despite the myriad available serialization formats, ranging from JSON to Protobuf, each [...] Read more.
In the field of data transmission and storage, serialization formats play a crucial role by converting complex data structures into a byte stream that can be easily stored, transmitted, and reconstructed. Despite the myriad available serialization formats, ranging from JSON to Protobuf, each has limitations, particularly in balancing schema flexibility, performance, and data copying overhead. This paper introduces Lite2, a novel data serialization format that addresses these challenges by combining schemaless flexibility with the efficiency of zero-copy operations for flat or key–value pair data types. Unlike traditional formats that often require a predefined schema and involve significant data copying during serialization and deserialization, Lite2 offers a dynamic schemaless approach that eliminates unnecessary data copying, optimizing system performance and efficiency. Built upon a contiguously stored B-tree structure, Lite2 enables efficient data lookup and modification without deserialization, thereby achieving zero-copy operations. Full article
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19 pages, 59071 KiB  
Article
Road Extraction from Remote Sensing Imagery with Spatial Attention Based on Swin Transformer
by Xianhong Zhu, Xiaohui Huang, Weijia Cao, Xiaofei Yang, Yunfei Zhou and Shaokai Wang
Remote Sens. 2024, 16(7), 1183; https://doi.org/10.3390/rs16071183 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
Road extraction is a crucial aspect of remote sensing imagery processing that plays a significant role in various remote sensing applications, including automatic driving, urban planning, and path navigation. However, accurate road extraction is a challenging task due to factors such as high [...] Read more.
Road extraction is a crucial aspect of remote sensing imagery processing that plays a significant role in various remote sensing applications, including automatic driving, urban planning, and path navigation. However, accurate road extraction is a challenging task due to factors such as high road density, building occlusion, and complex traffic environments. In this study, a Spatial Attention Swin Transformer (SASwin Transformer) architecture is proposed to create a robust encoder capable of extracting roads from remote sensing imagery. In this architecture, we have developed a spatial self-attention (SSA) module that captures efficient and rich spatial information through spatial self-attention to reconstruct the feature map. Following this, the module performs residual connections with the input, which helps reduce interference from unrelated regions. Additionally, we designed a Spatial MLP (SMLP) module to aggregate spatial feature information from multiple branches while simultaneously reducing computational complexity. Two public road datasets, the Massachusetts dataset and the DeepGlobe dataset, were used for extensive experiments. The results show that our proposed model has an improved overall performance compared to several state-of-the-art algorithms. In particular, on the two datasets, our model outperforms D-LinkNet with an increase in Intersection over Union (IoU) metrics of 1.88% and 1.84%, respectively. Full article
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13 pages, 5381 KiB  
Perspective
Fabrication of Metal Contacts on Silicon Nanopillars: The Role of Surface Termination and Defectivity
by Federico Giulio, Antonio Mazzacua, Luca Calciati and Dario Narducci
Materials 2024, 17(7), 1549; https://doi.org/10.3390/ma17071549 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
The application of nanotechnology in developing novel thermoelectric materials has yielded remarkable advancements in material efficiency. In many instances, dimensional constraints have resulted in a beneficial decoupling of thermal conductivity and power factor, leading to large increases in the achievable thermoelectric figure of [...] Read more.
The application of nanotechnology in developing novel thermoelectric materials has yielded remarkable advancements in material efficiency. In many instances, dimensional constraints have resulted in a beneficial decoupling of thermal conductivity and power factor, leading to large increases in the achievable thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT). For instance, the ZT of silicon increases by nearly two orders of magnitude when transitioning from bulk single crystals to nanowires. Metal-assisted chemical etching offers a viable, low-cost route for preparing silicon nanopillars for use in thermoelectric devices. The aim of this paper is to review strategies for obtaining high-density forests of Si nanopillars and achieving high-quality contacts on them. We will discuss how electroplating can be used for this aim. As an alternative, nanopillars can be embedded into appropriate electrical and thermal insulators, with contacts made by metal evaporation on uncapped nanopillar tips. In both cases, it will be shown how achieving control over surface termination and defectivity is of paramount importance, demonstrating how a judicious control of defectivity enhances contact quality. Full article
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14 pages, 1898 KiB  
Article
Research on Green Development Decision Making of Logistics Enterprises Based on Three-Party Game
by Chan He and Xu Xu
Sustainability 2024, 16(7), 2822; https://doi.org/10.3390/su16072822 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
The concept of green logistics entails minimizing the ecological impact of logistical resources, enhancing the environmental quality within the logistics sector, and optimizing resource utilization to foster sustainable development in social economic production and consumption. Promoting green transportation is not only a positive [...] Read more.
The concept of green logistics entails minimizing the ecological impact of logistical resources, enhancing the environmental quality within the logistics sector, and optimizing resource utilization to foster sustainable development in social economic production and consumption. Promoting green transportation is not only a positive reflection of the concepts of environmental protection and green development, but also an effective means for traditional logistics enterprises to reduce operating costs, win competitive advantages, and achieve transformation and upgrading. This paper takes logistics enterprises facing green transformation and development decisions as the research object, and puts forward an evolutionary game model between logistics companies, government, and community. The evolution path of logistics enterprises’ green transformation development strategy choice under different conditions is analyzed in detail. The results show that, under the conditions of the government’s incentive and supervision and the public’s choice of green consumption, logistics enterprises are more inclined to green transformation development. Different levels of public choice and different levels of government regulation also make different corporate strategy choices. Therefore, it is suggested that the government provide policy, technical channels, funds, and other support for logistics companies promoting green logistics, and actively publicize the concept of green consumption in the market. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Theory and Practice of Sustainable Economic Development)
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20 pages, 3434 KiB  
Article
Metabolite Profiling of Colvillea racemosa via UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS Analysis in Correlation to the In Vitro Antioxidant and Cytotoxic Potential against A549 Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer Cell Line
by ?lvaro Fernández-Ochoa, Inas Y. Younis, Reem K. Arafa, María de la Luz Cádiz-Gurrea, Francisco Javier Leyva-Jiménez, Antonio Segura Carretero, Engy Mohsen and Fatema R. Saber
Plants 2024, 13(7), 976; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants13070976 (registering DOI) - 28 Mar 2024
Abstract
In this study, flower and leaf extracts of Colvillea racemosa were considered a source of bioactive compounds. In this context, the objective of the study focused on investigating the anticancer potential as well as the phytochemical composition of both extracts. The extracts were [...] Read more.
In this study, flower and leaf extracts of Colvillea racemosa were considered a source of bioactive compounds. In this context, the objective of the study focused on investigating the anticancer potential as well as the phytochemical composition of both extracts. The extracts were analyzed by UPLC-ESI-QTOF-MS, and the bioactivity was tested using in vitro antioxidant assays (FRAP, DPPH, and ABTS) in addition to cytotoxic assays on non-small cell lung cancer cell line (A549). Our results clearly indicated the potent radical scavenging capacity of both extracts. Importantly, the flower extract exhibited a greater antioxidant capacity than the leaf extract. In terms of cytotoxic activity, leaf and flower extracts significantly inhibited cell viability with IC50 values of 17.0 and 17.2 µg/mL, respectively. The phytochemical characterization enabled the putative annotation of 42 metabolites, such as saccharides, phenolic acids, flavonoids, amino acids, and fatty acids. Among them, the flavonoid C-glycosides stand out due to their high relative abundance and previous reports on their anticancer bioactivity. For a better understanding of the bioactive mechanisms, four flavonoids (vitexin, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, luteolin, and isoorientin) were selected for molecular docking on hallmark protein targets in lung cancer as represented by γ-PI3K, EGFR, and CDK2 through in-silico studies. In these models, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside and vitexin had the highest binding scores on γ-PI3K and CDK2, followed by isoorientin, so they could be highly responsible for the bioactive properties of C. racemosa extracts. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Plant Extracts and Their Therapeutic Effects)
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