Search Results (609)

Although previous studies have extensively explored the relationship between urban green spaces and residents’ well-being, research on how nature-based sports venues enhance urban well-being through multiple emotional mechanisms remains relatively limited. Drawing on environmental psychology, place attachment theory, and the principles of biophilic design, this study constructs a dual-mediation model incorporating Connectedness to Nature (CN) and Place Attachment (PA) to examine the pathways through which natural design features—including Natural Visibility (NV), Spatial Integration (SI), and Human–Nature Interactivity (HNI)—influence individuals’ urban well-being. Using ten representative nature-integrated sports venues in China as research sites, a total of 856 valid questionnaires were collected, and structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied for empirical analysis. The results show that (1) NV, SI, and HNI all exert significant positive effects on CN and PA; (2) CN significantly promotes both PA and Urban Well-being (UWB); (3) PA has a significant positive effect on UWB; and (4) both CN and PA serve as significant mediators between natural design features and UWB, with an evident serial mediation effect from CN to PA. These findings reveal the multilayered psychological mechanisms through which nature-based sports venues enhance residents’ well-being, enrich the theoretical framework of nature-oriented design and urban sustainability, and provide empirical evidence for the health-oriented and emotion-responsive design of urban sports facilities. Full article

Addressing the limitations of existing power amplifiers, particularly in terms of accuracy and noise performance, a high-voltage and high-current power amplifier has been developed. The input stage utilizes a rail-to-rail circuit structure, allowing the amplifier to deal with the full swing of input signals from the negative to the positive power supply. The output stage features an innovative class AB configuration with a bias structure, effectively reducing the crossover distortion typically associated with traditional circuits. This design improves linearity, achieving an output range that extends to the rails, while also enhancing the power supply rejection ratio and optimizing noise performance. Furthermore, over-temperature protection and current limiting circuits have been integrated to safeguard the system against permanent damage under extreme conditions. The power amplifier circuit was simulated and validated using Cadence 61 Spectre software. With a power supply of ±30 V, the amplifier achieved an output current of 560 mA, a low-frequency gain of 138 dB, a bandwidth of 24 MHz, and a noise level of 4.8 nV/$\sqrt{\mathrm{H}\mathrm{z}}$. The slew rate was measured at 14.2 V/μs. Compared to existing literature, significant advancements have been achieved in terms of gain, bandwidth, and noise performance. Full article

Quantum sensing with nitrogen vacancy (NV) defects in diamond enables detection of extremely small changes in temperature, host material strain, and magnetic and electric fields. Action potential detection has previously been demonstrated with cardiac tissue and whole organisms using NV defects in bulk diamond crystals. Nanodiamonds (NDs) with NV defects were previously used as effective fluorescent markers, as they do not bleach under laser illumination like conventional fluorescent dyes. Subcellular-level action potential recording with NDs is yet to be demonstrated. Here, we report our results on the confocal imaging of NDs and the feasibility of optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) experiments with Cath.-a-differentiated (CAD) mouse brain cells. 10 nm and 60 nm NDs were shown to diffuse into cells within 30 min with no additional surface modification, as confirmed with confocal imaging. In contrast, 100 nm and 140 nm NDs were observed to remain localized on the cell surface. ND photoluminescence (PL) signals did not bleach over the course of 5 h long imaging studies. ODMR technique was used to detect externally applied millitesla-level magnetic fields with NDs in cell solutions. In summary, NDs were shown to be effective, non-bleaching fluorescent markers in mouse brain cells, with further potential for use in action potential recording at the subcellular level. Full article

Background/Objectives: Neck muscle vibration alters neural processing, sensorimotor integration, and proprioception in healthy adults. Significant differential changes in the N18 and N24 somatosensory evoked potential (SEP) peak amplitudes, coupled with altered motor learning, occurred when completion of a force-matching task took place following neck muscle vibration. It is currently unknown if neck muscle vibration also impacts acquisition of skills from visuomotor tracking tasks, a gap this research addresses. Methods: A total of 25 right-handed, healthy participants were divided into vibration (age: 21.7 ± 1.89, n = 13; 8 females) (V) and no-vibration (NV) control (age: 21.2 ± 3.03, n = 12; 6 females) groups. The vibration was device applied over the right sternocleidomastoid and left cervical extensor muscles. The participants underwent right-median-nerve stimulation at 2.47 Hz and 4.98 Hz to elicit SEPs. A total of 1000 sweeps were recorded and averaged using an ANT Neuro Waveguard 64-lead EEG cap (ANT Neuro, the Netherlands, Manufactured by Eemagine, Berlin, Germany)pre- and post-completion of a novel visuomotor tracing task (MTT). Post-acquisition, the NV group had a 10 min rest, and the V group received 10 min of vibration at 60 Hz before motor task completion, followed immediately by post-acquisition and retention 24 h after. Results: N18 peak: The V group exhibited a proportional amplitude increase of 19%, while the NV group exhibited a 36% decrease. There was a trend toward decreased retention in the V group. P25 showed a significant effect of time, with increases of 11% for V and 9% for NV. Conclusions: V resulted in N18 SEP changes post-MTT-skill-acquisition. Both groups appeared to learn, with the V trending towards less retention. Full article

Rydberg atom-based electrometry based on electromagnetic induced transparency (EIT) and Autler–Townes splitting (EIT-AT) could achieve ultra-high sensitivity measurements. The amplitude and linewidth of EIT spectra significantly impact the accuracy of electric field measurements. This research utilizes cascade diffraction gratings to generate $2\times 2$ probe laser arrays for the excitation of Rydberg atoms, thereby enhancing spectral resolution under the power broadening. Compared with one laser, the laser array boosts EIT amplitude, narrowing the linewidth from 23.53 MHz to 12.66 MHz, making EIT-AT more distinguishable under identical fields and achieving an enhancement of the sensitivity of 77.96 $\mathrm{nV}/\mathrm{cm}/\sqrt{\mathrm{Hz}}$. These results indicate that laser arrays can optimize the sensitivity of measurement systems based on the Rydberg EIT effect. Full article

Ensuring the structural integrity of prestressed (PS) concrete is essential for the safety and longevity of infrastructure. Magnetic Flux Leakage (MFL) testing is a widely used non-destructive testing (NDT) method for detecting fractures in prestressing steel. This study explores the application of quantum sensors based on nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers in artificial diamonds for MFL testing and presents a novel method for processing continuous-wave optically detected magnetic resonance (CW-ODMR) data into vectorized magnetic field measurements. These sensors offer high sensitivity, low hysteresis, and multi-directional magnetic field detection, making them a promising alternative for advanced NDT applications. A data processing framework was developed to transform CW-ODMR measurements into vectorized magnetic flux density values in the x, y, and z directions. This process enables the conversion of crystallographic sensor orientations into calibrated field directions, ensuring precise magnetic field reconstruction. The method was validated through 121 fracture measurements and 19 open-bar-end measurements, demonstrating its effectiveness in extracting high-resolution vectorized magnetic field data. A subsequent statistical evaluation quantified the influence of sensor displacement, magnetization direction, magnetization distance, and measurement distance. These findings establish a foundation for integrating quantum sensors into MFL-based NDT, with potential applications extending beyond building inspections to a wide range of advanced sensing technologies in scientific and industrial fields. Full article

The NV center in diamonds has been widely employed in quantum sensing, quantum computing, and bioimaging due to its controllable ground-state spin, detectable magnetic resonance, excellent photostability, favorable biocompatibility, and chemical inertness. However, conventional excitation using 532 nm green light still exhibits certain limitations in practical applications. To address this, we propose a novel NV center excitation method based on the upconversion of near-infrared light to green emission. Through the synthesis of molybdenum-doped NaYF₄: 20% Yb³⁺, 1.5% Er³⁺ upconversion materials, efficient excitation of NV centers has been achieved. Both UC-LED luminescence spectroscopy and ODMR measurements confirm that the green light generated via the upconversion process exhibits sufficient intensity to effectively excite NV centers. Meanwhile, the characteristic sharp emission peaks of rare-earth upconversion materials eliminate the need for optical filters, facilitating device miniaturization, and a miniaturized UC-LED sensor has been developed. Full article

Background/Objectives: This study aims to investigate the association between health literacy (HL) and stress among family caregivers of older adults with dementia. Methods: Older adults and their caregivers were recruited from the geriatric outpatient memory clinic of an Italian hospital. Caregiver stress was assessed using the General Health Questionnaire-12 items (GHQ-12). HL was measured using the Newest Vital Sign (NVS) and the Short Form of the Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults (S-TOFHLA). Results: A total of 170 (71% females) caregivers, including spouses and offspring, were included in the analysis. According to the NVS, 53% demonstrated adequate HL, while 83% achieved adequate scores on the S-TOFHLA. The median GHQ-12 score was 15, with 48% presenting a score above 14, indicating higher stress levels; women reported significantly higher GHQ-12 scores than men. In a multivariate linear regression analysis adjusted for sex, education, and number of care tasks provided, the S-TOFHLA score showed a borderline association with the GHQ-12 score (B = −1.45; p = 0.064). When characteristics of the care-recipient were added to the model, the S-TOFHLA score emerged as an independent predictor of the GHQ-12 score (B = −1.41; p = 0.048), along with female caregiver sex and behavioral and psychological symptoms in the care-recipients. Exploratory analysis suggested that the association between HL and stress was present among male but not female caregivers. Conclusions: HL was associated with psychological stress in caregivers of older adults with dementia, with the relationship appearing more pronounced among male caregivers. Full article

Multi-objective optimisation is essential for balancing building energy efficiency and thermal comfort. Existing research primarily focuses on passive optimisation strategies that assume fixed behavioural patterns of a ‘rational occupant’. However, these studies often overlook the impact of stochastic occupant behaviour on building energy efficiency and thermal comfort. Furthermore, they fail to consider the inherent randomness, variability, dynamic nature, and feedback mechanisms of individual actions. As a result, this oversight can lead to suboptimal energy efficiency, insufficient thermal comfort, and a poor user experience. This study examines a naturally ventilated research building equipped with split-type air conditioning in China’s hot summer and cold winter climate zone. The research develops a rapid prediction model for air conditioning (AC) energy consumption and thermal comfort based on actual HVAC behaviours, incorporating the AC and natural ventilation (NV) operation schedules. The model utilises Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs), importance analysis, and batch simulation. Furthermore, a multi-objective optimisation decision-making model is developed to balance building AC energy consumption and indoor environmental thermal comfort, using the NSGA-II algorithm. The results indicate that when building design parameters comply with the current energy-saving design standards, behavioural optimisation can lead to a 31.4% reduction in energy use for building AC systems while enhancing thermal comfort by 37.5%. Furthermore, by implementing integrated optimisation strategies, comfort can be improved by as much as 92.6% without raising energy consumption. Full article

Gait assessment is key in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but the psychometric properties of common tests like the 6-Minute Walk Test (6MWT) are not fully established. Inertial Measurement Units (IMUs) offer objective gait measures, potentially reducing repeated testing. This study evaluated whether the resampling of the first 2 min of the 6MWT (2’6MWT) reflects full-test performance in 43 early-to-mild PD patients (median age 65) at baseline, 1-year, and 2-year follow-ups. A trunk-mounted IMU recorded distance covered, walking duration, stride length, gait speed, cadence, and symmetry. Analysis focused on participants with complete longitudinal data from a multicenter original cohort of 62. Stride length and gait speed (2’6MWT vs. 6MWT) demonstrated strong correlations (r > 0.98), near-perfect agreement, <5% error, and stability across follow-ups; cadence showed slightly more variability. The analysis of consecutive 2-min intervals of the 6MWT revealed stable stride length and gait speed, with modest decreases in distance and cadence over time. Exploratory associations of 2’6MWT and 6MWT with motor severity and cognitive status were consistent. These results indicate the 2’6MWT is a reliable, time-efficient alternative to the full 6MWT for assessing walking capacity in PD, especially in outpatient or fatigue-prone patients. The full 6MWT remains valuable for detecting subtle endurance- or fatigue-related changes. Full article

Optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) of nitrogen-vacancy centers in diamonds, in addition to optical excitation with green light, requires microwave excitation and thus a microwave structure. While many different microwave structures including microwave resonators have been presented in the past, none of them fulfilled the need to fit inside the miniaturized quantum magnetometer with limited space used in this work. This is why a novel microwave resonator design using commercially available printed circuit board technology is proposed. It is demonstrated that this design is of small form factor, highly power efficient and low-cost, with very good reproducibility, and in addition, it can be fabricated as a flexible printed circuit board to be bent and thus fit into the miniaturized sensor used in this work. The design choices made for the resonator and the way in which it was trimmed and optimized geometrically are presented and ODMR spectra made with a miniaturized quantum sensor in combination with such a resonator, which was fed by a microwave generator set to different microwave powers, are shown. These measurements revealed that a microwave power of −4 dBm is sufficient to excite the m_s = ±1 states of the nitrogen-vacancy centers, while exceeding −1 dBm already introduces sidebands in the ODMR spectrum. This underlines the efficiency of the resonator in exciting the nitrogen-vacancies of the diamond in the sensor platform used and can lead to development of low-power quantum sensors in the future. Full article

Aiming to address the insulation and power supply challenges faced by electrical measurement in ultra-high voltage (UHV) environments, this study proposes and implements a nitrogen-vacancy (NV) center magnetic sensing system based on Power over Fiber (PoF) technology. The system adopts a high-voltage and low-voltage separation design, realizing the isolated transmission of electrical energy and the reliable recovery of measurement signals through an optical fiber link. The sensing unit on the high-voltage side is composed of NV center sensors, microwave excitation modules, and signal processing modules. Its power supply is provided by an independently developed high-power laser power converter (LPC) assembly via 830 nm optical fiber laser transmission. Under an optical input of 10 W, this assembly can achieve an electrical output of 4.88 W with a conversion efficiency of 48.9%. The experimental results show that the system can operate stably in a simulated UHV environment; by optimizing modulation parameters, the optimal magnetic measurement sensitivity reaches 6.1 nT/Hz^1/2. This research provides a safe and reliable solution for the power supply and precise sensing of high-potential side equipment in UHV scenarios, and demonstrates the application potential of PoF technology in advanced sensing for power systems. Full article

Indoor air quality (IAQ) and thermal comfort influence the health and cognitive performance of school occupants. This study investigated carbon dioxide (CO₂), nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), thermal comfort, and ventilation rates (VRs) in eight naturally ventilated (NV) primary school classrooms in Ireland during October 2024, combining environmental monitoring with teacher surveys. Mean CO₂ concentrations ranged from 796 ppm to 2469 ppm, exceeding national guidelines in seven of the eight classrooms. NO₂ levels ranged from 3.4 µg/m³ to 7.2 µg/m³, with indoor/outdoor ratios increasing with VRs and influenced by window orientation and road proximity. Indoor temperatures remained within recommended limits, while relative humidity ranged from 53% to 78% mirroring CO₂ trends and exceeding guideline levels in classrooms with lower VRs and temperatures. Occupied VRs ranged from 1.2 L/p/s to 4.1 L/p/s with window opening behaviours, reliant on teachers’ perceptions of thermal comfort, accounting for 84% to 96% of VRs. Ventilation in NV classrooms is often insufficient, yet increasing VRs can compromise thermal comfort and increase ingress of outdoor pollutants and noise. The findings highlight the ineffectiveness of current school ventilation standards, which rely heavily on user operation. Integrating occupant-led strategies, including scheduled purging, awareness campaigns, and pre-emptive air quality alerting, into policy offers practical, immediate pathways to improving IAQ, fostering healthy, sustainable learning environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Extracellular vesicles (EVs) have become key facilitators of communication between cells, significantly influencing various physiological functions. Although EVs originating from mammalian cells have been heavily researched for their therapeutic applications, there is a growing interest in extracellular vesicles derived from edible plants (PDEVs) because of their unique bioactive characteristics. These nanovesicles (NVs) exhibit remarkable biocompatibility, low immunogenicity, and the ability to overcome biological barriers, making them promising candidates for biomedical applications. This study aimed to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of NVs isolated from Rosa canina berries. Methods: Antioxidant activity was assessed through in vitro assays, confirming their ability to fight oxidative stress. Additionally, enzymatic inhibition tests were conducted to explore their potential role in regulating key metabolic pathways associated with inflammation and oxidative damage. The antioxidant and anti-inflammatory activity of Rosa canina NVs was further tested on a THP-1 cell-based inflammation model, demonstrating their ability to modulate the inflammatory response at the cellular level. Moreover, the impact of these NVs on gut microbiota was investigated to assess their protective effects on antibiotic-induced dysbiosis. Results: The results demonstrated their ability to modulate oxidative stress, regulate enzymatic pathways, reduce inflammation in THP-1 cells, and influence gut microbiota in a positive manner. Full article

Elderly populations often face significant challenges when it comes to dietary intake tracking, often exacerbated by health complications. Unfortunately, conventional diet assessment techniques such as food frequency questionnaires, food diaries, and 24 h recall are subject to substantial bias. Recent advancements in machine learning and computer vision show promise of automated nutrition tracking methods of food, but require a large, high-quality dataset in order to accurately identify the nutrients from the food on the plate. However, manual creation of large-scale datasets with such diversity is time-consuming and hard to scale. On the other hand, synthesized 3D food models enable view augmentation to generate countless photorealistic 2D renderings from any viewpoint, reducing imbalance across camera angles. In this paper, we present a process to collect a large image dataset of food scenes that span diverse viewpoints and highlight its usage in dietary intake estimation. We first collect quality 3D objects of food items (NV-3D) that are used to generate photorealistic synthetic 2D food images (NV-Synth) and then manually collect a validation 2D food image dataset (NV-Real). We benchmark various intake estimation approaches on these datasets and present NutritionVerse3D2D, a collection of datasets that contain 3D objects and 2D images, along with models that estimate intake from the 2D food images. We release all the datasets along with the developed models to accelerate machine learning research on dietary sensing. Full article