Search Results (73,641)

The linear and third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of a water-soluble perylenediimide derivative, N,N′-di(2-(trimethylammonium iodide) ethylene) perylenediimide (TAIPDI), doped with semiconductor nanoparticles (NPs), were systematically investigated under femtosecond laser excitation. ZnO and TiO₂ NPs were synthesized using a pulsed laser ablation technique. Nanocomposite systems were prepared by incorporating different concentrations of ZnO and TiO₂ NPs into the TAIPDI dye solution. The optical properties were characterized using UV–visible absorption spectroscopy together with open- and closed-aperture Z-scan measurements at 800 nm. Linear absorption measurements revealed concentration-dependent modifications in the optical band gap, indicating electronic interaction between the dye molecules and the semiconductor NPs. Open-aperture Z-scan results demonstrated strong nonlinear absorption (NLA) behavior dominated by two-photon absorption and excited-state absorption processes. Closed-aperture measurements showed a negative nonlinear refractive (NLR) index, corresponding to self-defocusing behavior. Both the NLA coefficient and the NLR index increased with increasing NP concentration, resulting in a significant enhancement of the third-order nonlinear susceptibility of the nanocomposite systems. In addition, optical limiting measurements revealed a pronounced reduction in the limiting threshold with increasing nanoparticle concentration, demonstrating improved laser attenuation capability. These findings indicate that ZnO@TAIPDI and TiO₂@TAIPDI nanocomposites are promising candidates for applications in optical limiting, all-optical switching, and advanced photonic devices. Full article

Circular tunnel linings are geometrically symmetric structures, whereas non-uniform external pressure and different steel–concrete layer arrangements may induce asymmetric stress redistribution. To distinguish the axisymmetric response from the asymmetric harmonic response, this study develops an analytical solution for a two-layer corrugated steel–concrete composite tunnel lining subjected to equivalent external pressure. The concrete layer is modeled as an isotropic elastic material, while the corrugated steel layer is represented as an equivalent cylindrically orthotropic material. The governing equations are formulated in polar coordinates under plane-strain conditions, and the solution is obtained by superposing the axisymmetric component and the harmonic component. Perfect bonding is assumed at the steel–concrete interface, where displacement, radial stress, and shear stress are continuous. The proposed analytical solution is verified using finite element models for three cases: a single-layer homogeneous lining under uniform pressure, a two-layer composite lining under uniform pressure, and a two-layer composite lining under non-uniform pressure. The analytical and finite element results show good agreement, confirming the mathematical consistency and implementation accuracy of the proposed formulation. Based on the verified solution, the effects of layer arrangement, corrugated steel stiffness ratio, and burial depth are investigated. The results show that the corrugated steel layer carries the dominant hoop stress in both layer arrangements. The inner corrugated steel arrangement may be more relevant to internal strengthening of existing tunnels, whereas the outer corrugated steel arrangement provides a useful reference for new composite linings dominated by external ground pressure. Increasing the stiffness ratio transfers more hoop stress to the steel layer and reduces the elastic stress and displacement responses of the concrete layer, although improvement becomes less significant at large stiffness ratios. Increasing burial depth mainly amplifies the response magnitude without changing the overall symmetry pattern. The proposed solution provides a closed-form benchmark for evaluating symmetry-related stress redistribution in corrugated steel–concrete composite tunnel linings within the linear-elastic range. Full article

Various immunostimulants have been employed to enhance the efficacy of aquaculture. However, the mechanisms by which Eucommia ulmoides extracts affect the pathogen resistance of large yellow croakers remain to be elucidated. In this study, a multi-omics investigation was conducted to investigate the potential for enhancing pathogen resistance and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms of Eucommia ulmoides extracts on large yellow croaker juveniles. It revealed that the survival rate of the large yellow croaker juveniles was significantly enhanced (approximately doubled) by oral extracts of Eucommia ulmoides in the context of pathogen invasion. Examining the transcriptome of the liver revealed that Eucommia ulmoides extracts have the capacity to activate the class I MHC pathway for antigen processing, including genes for HSP70, HSP90, CALR, TAPBP, MHCI, and TCR. This, in turn, facilitates the phagocytosis of pathogens by the immune system. Furthermore, the alpha-diversity of the large yellow croaker juveniles’ gut microbiota was increased by the Eucommia ulmoides extracts, maintaining the stability of the gut microbiota and reducing the ratio of pathogens (Burkholderia cenocepacia and Streptococcus iniae) following a pathogen challenge. The application of correlation analyses indicated that a reduction in pathogens was closely associated with variations in whole gut microbiota. Full article

Background and Clinical Significance: Tumefactive Multiple Sclerosis (TMS) represents a rare and diagnostically challenging form of demyelinating disease characterized by large space-occupying lesions that can closely mimic intracranial neoplasms, abscesses, and other inflammatory or vascular conditions. Case Presentation: The case highlights the overlapping radiologic features that frequently lead to diagnostic uncertainty and underscores the importance of careful interpretation of multimodal imaging and ancillary studies. Overall a comprehensive multidisciplinary evaluation is essential to reduce the risk of misdiagnosis and avoid unnecessary invasive interventions. Conclusions: This review summarizes current evidence regarding the diagnostic approach, imaging characteristics, and therapeutic strategies for tumefactive demyelinating lesions. Additionally, we present a clinical case that illustrates the diagnostic complexity of this entity, in which neuroimaging findings and cerebrospinal fluid analysis supported a demyelinating rather than neoplastic process. Full article

Metastasis remains the leading cause of mortality in breast cancer and is closely linked to epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) and tumor microenvironment (TME)-associated processes. Diosmetin (DT), the active metabolite of diosmin, a widely used venoactive drug, has emerged as a potential anticancer agent. Building on our previous findings demonstrating that DT enhances doxorubicin efficacy, this study investigated its effects on tumor cell plasticity and stromal activation-associated responses. EMT was induced in MCF-7 cells, while a stromal model was established by TGF-β-mediated activation of BJ fibroblasts toward a cancer-associated fibroblast (CAF)-like phenotype. Additionally, doxorubicin-induced senescence was generated in fibroblasts. Migration assays and quantitative real-time PCR were used to assess functional and transcriptional changes. EMT induction resulted in decreased CDH1 expression and increased levels of VIM, MMP2, MMP9, IL-6, and HIF-1A, accompanied by enhanced migratory activity. DT attenuated TGF-β-induced CAF-like activation, as reflected by reduced expression of ACTA2, HGF, MMP2, MMP9, and IL6, and modulated hyaluronan turnover-related genes. Moreover, DT partially alleviated selected senescence-associated features in doxorubicin-treated fibroblasts. Collectively, these findings indicate that DT modulates EMT-associated plasticity and stromal activation-related responses in parallel in vitro models. Given its origin as a metabolite of a clinically used compound and its previously demonstrated chemosensitizing properties, DT may warrant further investigation as a potential adjunctive agent to modulate tumor- and stromal-associated processes in breast cancer. Full article

Mass-based circularity indicators, such as ISO 59020:2024, quantify material recovery as a share of total throughput but do not account for chemical composition or functional performance, as a consequence of their sector-agnostic design. In copper metallurgical systems, trace tramp elements (e.g., As, Sb, Bi, Fe, Sn, Ni) present in WEEE-derived scrap, anode slimes, and refinery residues can significantly reduce electrical conductivity. Even at nominal purities of ≥99.7 wt.% Cu, conductivity may drop to 85.0–88.0% IACS, as illustrated by selected reported cases—a level of functional degradation that remains undetected by mass-based accounting. Analysis of Grade A cathode standards (EN 1978:2022, LME Cu-CATH-1, ASTM B115-10:2021) shows that impurity limits as low as 2 ppm (Bi) constrain the achievable share of secondary feed in closed-loop recycling. For a specific flash-smelting–refinery configuration, modeling indicates that secondary feed shares above approximately 30% may lead to impurity accumulation beyond the stated specification constraints unless low-impurity primary copper is introduced. This study introduces the Quality-Adjusted Circularity Indicator (QACI), a conceptual, specification-constrained indicator framework that applies a dilution factor f_dil derived from a binary blending mass balance to adjust ISO 59020:2024 inflow-based circularity indicators using a feed-composition blending constraint anchored to Grade A specification limits. The QACI functions as a feed-composition screening indicator operating at the anode blending stage and does not represent a correction of the full electrorefining system. Parametric scenario analysis across six stylized impurity configurations shows that, at identical mass-based circularity (C_mass = 25%), the QACI ranges from 7.1% to 25.0%. This corresponds to a 1.3- to 3.5-fold difference between the mass-based and quality-adjusted indicator values under the stated feed-composition assumptions, illustrating the potential overestimation introduced when feed-quality constraints are not considered. This ratio quantifies the divergence between two indicator values under stylized conditions and should not be interpreted as a directly measured fold-difference in actual loop-closure performance. Positioned within the ISO 59020:2024 Annex C complementary method space, the QACI is positioned as a first-order screening approach of existing circularity metrics that may inform future research discussion of quality-differentiated approaches in EU secondary metals policy. Full article

Frequent heavy rainstorm disasters have led to the need for temporary storage of large quantities of heterogeneous disaster-related solid waste within a short period, making temporary storage an important issue in the construction and optimization of the urban comprehensive urban emergency management systems. This study takes the “23·7” catastrophic rainstorm event in Mentougou District, an area prone to rainstorm disasters in Beijing, as a case study and develops an auxiliary decision-making model for site selection that integrates estimates of construction waste and household goods waste, an “initial selection—screening—optimization” suitability evaluation, and the optimization of spatial layout optimization. By combining the spatial analysis method of the Geographic Information System (GIS), an evaluation index system covering natural geography, ecological environment, and socio-economic factors was constructed. An integrated AHP–EWM model was constructed, merging the expert-driven, subjective weighting of the Analytic Hierarchy Process with the objective, data-derived weighting of the Entropy Weight Method to determine indicator weights. The suitability distribution for site selection was studied by combining the multi-factor weighted overlay model, and the area most suitable for construction of Temporary Disaster Waste Storage Sites (TDWSSs), accounting for 4.51% of the total area, was identified. Subsequently, multiple constraints—including ecological protection redlines and minimum area requirements—were superimposed to exclude non-compliant areas. Ultimately, a combined optimization model integrating the minimum facility location model, maximum coverage model, and minimum impedance model was constructed, and the optimal site selection scheme was determined via ArcGIS. The results show that, when seven TDWSSs are considered, the coverage rate of administrative villages within the 20 km transportation service range reaches 97.38%. The results also indicate that, when the number of TDWSSs exceeds eight, the increase in the coverage rate tends to be moderate and the optimization space is limited, indicating that the layout scheme with seven TDWSSs is close to the regional optimal solution. This framework provides crucial guidance for post-rainstorm TDWSS planning and layout optimization. Full article

The application of Internet of Things (IoT) technology to Digital Twin (DT) in smart manufacturing has opened significant opportunities for real-time monitoring, predictive maintenance, and closed-loop control; however, the inherent latency that exists in these architectures (the temporal gap between a physical event and its reflection in a digital model) remains one of the most significant and least systematically understood barriers to fulfill its full potential. This paper aims to propose a formal four-layer taxonomy of latency sources in IoT-based Digital Twin systems for smart manufacturing and to review the current approaches and tools that are available for their measurement. The PRISMA protocol has been used to perform a systematic literature review, where 58 primary survey studies published between 2020 and 2026 were extracted from IEEE Xplore, Elsevier Scopus, Google Scholar and arXiv, with all the studies being coded along six dimensions (architectural layer, application domain, latency metrics reported, evaluation methodology, quantitative impact, and enabling technologies). The proposed taxonomy presents 28 different types of latencies under four layers: (L1) network, (L2) compute, (L3) data, and (L4) end-to-end (E2E), whose magnitudes vary from 0.1 ms for local network propagation to tail latencies above 500 ms in production (P99). Three categories and three cross-layer interaction patterns are formalized here and are absent from prior partial taxonomies. Among the most promising results is the finding that several high-impact interventions require no infrastructure investment: a protocol migration from Modbus to WebSocket reduces telemetry latency by 32%, while Age of Information-aware synchronization and clock drift correction deliver substantial data layer gains through software updates alone, yet remain underutilized. The review identifies a systematic under-reporting of tail-latency percentiles across the corpus, the lack of a cross-protocol jitter benchmark, and a predominance of simulation-based evaluation over real-hardware measurement. The systematic review contributions of this paper (the formal four-layer taxonomy, the proportional metric audit across the 58 papers, and the formalization of three cross-layer interaction patterns) are derived from cross-corpus analysis. The investigation also identifies three open research directions (a standardized manufacturing IoT-DT benchmark, cross-layer joint optimization frameworks, and wireless TSN validation on real manufacturing testing grounds) that together form a well-organized and practical basis to advance both the science and the application of ultra-low-latency Digital Twin technology in the industrial field. Full article

Background: Weaning from mechanical ventilation remains a complex and failure-prone process, with extubation failure rates reaching up to 30%. Conventional indices inadequately capture the multifactorial physiology underlying weaning failure. This study aimed to evaluate whether a multimodal ultrasound approach could improve the identification of mechanisms and prediction of extubation outcomes. Methods: In this prospective pilot observational study, adult mechanically ventilated patients with preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF ≥ 50%) undergoing spontaneous breathing trials (SBT) were included. Multimodal ultrasound assessment—including transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), lung ultrasound (LUS), diaphragmatic ultrasound (DUS), and venous excess ultrasound (VExUS)—was performed at two predefined time points. Conventional respiratory mechanics parameters were recorded concurrently. The primary outcome was a composite of SBT failure (permanent weaning failure) or reintubation within 48 h. Results: A total of 27 patients were included, of whom 8 (29.6%) experienced extubation failure (5 permanent SBT failure, 3 post-extubation reintubation). Respiratory system compliance showed consistent associations with extubation failure across both ROC and regression analyses (AUC 0.806, 95% CI 0.611–1.000; cutoff ≤ 45 mL/cmH₂O; sensitivity 88%; specificity 74%; NPV 93%). Diaphragm excursion was significantly lower in the failure group (p = 0.042) and showed useful predictive performance (AUC 0.750, 95% CI 0.565–0.935; cutoff ≤ 24 mm; sensitivity 100%; specificity 58%; NPV 100%). Lung ultrasound, VExUS, and echocardiographic parameters did not demonstrate significant predictive value. Given the limited number of outcome events (n = 8) and events-per-variable ratio of 4.0 (EPV = 4.0), all multivariable findings are hypothesis-generating. Conclusions: In this prospective pilot study, respiratory system compliance and diaphragm excursion were associated with extubation failure in patients with preserved left ventricular function, while echocardiographic indices, LUS, and VExUS grading did not demonstrate significant predictive value. These hypothesis-generating findings suggest that impaired diaphragmatic function and reduced compliance may be more closely associated with weaning failure than cardiopulmonary congestion parameters. However, given the small sample size, low EPV, and single-centre design, all findings require validation in larger multicentre studies including patients with impaired systolic function. Full article

According to data from the World Federation of Societies of Anesthesiologists, numerous countries across Asia and Africa have fewer than one anaesthesiologist per 100,000 people. Upskilling nurse anaesthetists in these regions is critical to improving clinical outcomes, and interactive virtual patient simulators offer a safe environment to explore complex clinical scenarios. This paper introduces an advanced general anaesthesia patient simulator engineered to bridge the accessibility gap left by existing platforms, which often require expert programming knowledge and restrict users to manual titration. Our simulator features an intuitive graphical user interface optimised for clinical education and natively supports both manual and closed-loop anaesthesia administration. The platform includes a suite of pre-designed controllers, specifically standard PIDs and two distinct fractional-order FO-PID variants, highlighting a novel robust FO-PID framework engineered to mitigate high patient variability. The deployment of these embedded controllers is demonstrated via a Depth of Hypnosis regulation case study and validated across a diverse cohort of 19 virtual patients. Closed-loop evaluation reveals that while the standard PID achieves a lower average mean squared error during the maintenance phase, the fractional-order alternatives deliver significantly superior robustness and inter-patient consistency. Ultimately, integrating this simulator into clinical training frameworks offers a viable pathway to reduce nursing workload and enhance patient safety through optimised automated drug delivery. Full article

Smart grid private communication networks need to support heterogeneous services with varying requirements for reliability, security, bandwidth, and controllability. In such networks, service function chains (SFCs) can provide customized network services by deploying virtual network functions (VNFs) over a shared substrate infrastructure. However, sharing physical servers among different service categories may conflict with the physical isolation requirement between critical grid services and common grid services. To address this problem, this paper investigates physical-isolation-aware SFC deployment for smart grid private communication networks. We first formulate an integer nonlinear programming (INLP) model that maximizes the network resource usage revenue while considering server resource constraints, link bandwidth constraints, flow conservation constraints, virtual link mapping constraints, server energy consumption, and physical isolation constraints. The nonlinear constraints are then linearized into an integer linear programming (ILP) model, which can be solved by an optimizer and used as a benchmark. To reduce the computational cost, we propose a private-network-oriented service function chain isolation deployment (PNO-SSID) algorithm. The proposed algorithm selects a revenue-aware subset of SFC requests, determines the service category to be preferentially processed, selects server nodes based on VNF-layer traffic cost, deploys VNFs using a matching-game-based method, and maps virtual links based on shortest paths. Simulation results show that PNO-SSID requires much less execution time than CPLEX while achieving close revenue in small-scale cases. Compared with online profit maximization (OLPM) variants using different request preprocessing strategies, PNO-SSID achieves higher network resource usage revenue and request acceptance ratio under physical isolation constraints. A prototype platform based on a fifth-generation non-standalone private network and the OAI platform further validates the feasibility of server-level isolated core network service chain deployment under the considered service-category separation requirement. Full article

This article examines the representation of mental illness, emergency treatment, and recovery, in Ned Vizzini’s 2006 Young Adult novel, It’s kind of a funny story. Existing criticism has predominantly pursued what we term “diagnostic realist” approaches, which evaluate fictional representations against clinical criteria. We both affirm what this work achieves and make the case for extending it. Drawing on work on disability representation in Young Adult Literature and perspectives from Mad Studies, we propose that a social model lens, which locates mental difference within social and structural contexts rather than within individual pathology, opens out further possibilities for understanding what this and related novels do. We then demonstrate how close attention to Vizzini’s artistry—including to his use of romance conventions, figurative language, intertextuality, and first-person focalisation—reveals a text that does not simply mirror mental illness realistically, but which actively dramatises how social environments, institutional structures, and modes of creative expression shape the experience of and recovery from mental ill health. Rather than displacing diagnostic approaches, we argue that these wider critical paradigms, inclusive of the social model and attendant attention to craft, can enhance understanding of the help such novels can provide for different kinds of readers. Full article

We investigate dynamic weighted fractional information-theoretic measures for linear stochastic differential equations driven by fractional Brownian motion with Hurst parameter $H\in (1/2,1)$. Motivated by recent constructions of fractional Deng entropy and building upon explicit Gaussian solutions and closed-form fractional moments derived in previous work, we establish fully analytical expressions for the Shannon entropy, Rényi entropy, Tsallis entropy, extropy, and a continuous weighted fractional entropy $\mathbb{E}\left[X_t^p(-log{p}_{X_t}\left(X_t\right))\right]$ for $p\ge 0$, expressed directly in terms of known fractional moments without density estimation. All derived measures share a universal asymptotic scaling law growing as $Hlogt$, establishing a precise quantitative link between long-memory effects and information dynamics. The weighted fractional entropy further reveals remarkable structural properties as a function of the weighting order p, exposing a dual role of long memory on the system’s informational content. As a concrete application, we characterize anomalous diffusion in aging soft materials through an explicit critical time linking maximal uncertainty to the memory exponent H and the macroscopic aging rate. All results are validated through extensive Monte-Carlo simulations, demonstrating excellent agreement with the closed-form expressions across a wide range of Hurst exponents H and weighting orders p. Full article

Combine harvesters in lodged, wet, weedy, uneven, or otherwise heterogeneous fields operate under rapidly changing feed rate, load, and material flow conditions. These disturbances often appear as drum overload, cleaning loss, grain breakage, impurity increase, and unstable travel, whereas conventional fixed-parameter operation still depends heavily on operator experience. This review examines intelligent perception and control technologies for combine harvesters from a mechanism-to-control perspective. The discussion covers dynamic load evolution, cleaning loss and grain damage mechanisms, multivariable coupling, pre-harvest perception, feed rate and internal state sensing, result layer loss and quality monitoring, forward speed control, threshing drum load regulation, adaptive cleaning control, and whole machine integration. The literature shows a clear shift from isolated sensing or single-parameter adjustment toward multimodal perception, state estimation, predictive control, digital twins, and edge deployment. At the same time, field robustness, cross-condition generalization, actuator bandwidth, sensing delay, and the coupling between result layer monitoring and closed-loop control remain the main barriers to deployment. The review, therefore, argues for a whole machine architecture that links environmental preview, internal state estimation, loss quality feedback, actuator-aware control, and cloud–edge–device collaboration for stable, low-loss, and autonomous harvesting in complex agricultural environments. Full article

The proliferation of large language model (LLM) agents has enabled increasingly complex multi-step automation; however, composing multiple agents into coherent systems introduces significant orchestration challenges that remain poorly documented. This survey examines LLM-based multi-agent orchestration from 2023 through early 2026 (literature cutoff: March 2026), with explicit attention to the evidence hierarchy used to interpret deployment claims. We propose a three-topology, one-adaptivity taxonomy—centralized, decentralized, and hierarchical coordination topologies, each optionally augmented with a dynamic–adaptive control axis—grounded in classical multi-agent systems theory and recent empirical evidence. We compare six leading frameworks (LangGraph, CrewAI, AutoGen/Microsoft Agent Framework, OpenAI Agents SDK, MetaGPT, and DSPy) along axes directly relevant to practitioners: state-management granularity, token-cost structure, failure-recovery options, and design philosophy. The emerging protocol stack is examined in terms of why MCP (agent-to-tool) and A2A (agent-to-agent) occupy complementary layers, how the ACP–A2A merger signals protocol convergence, and where ANP’s decentralized-discovery design fits. Production design considerations—state management, task planning, error handling, scalability, and security—are evaluated with reference to published benchmarks. Vendor-reported figures are marked † throughout and held to a documented evidence hierarchy, which separates them from peer-reviewed and government-evaluator measurements. We close by identifying eight open challenges and proposing a six-dimension evaluation framework for multi-agent coordination quality. This paper offers practitioners a decision framework covering taxonomy, framework selection, protocol adoption, and early operational pilots. Full article