Search Results (1,312)

The purpose of the study is to investigate human physiological responses to construction noise exposure using deep learning, applying electroencephalography (EEG) and electro-dermal activity (EDA) sensors. Construction noise is a pervasive occupational stressor that affects physiological states and impairs cognitive performance. EEG sensors capture neural activity related to perception and attention, and EDA reflects autonomic arousal and stress. In this study, twenty-five participants were exposed to impulsive noise from pile drivers and tonal noise from earth augers at three intensity levels (40, 60, and 80 dB), while EEG and EDA signals were recorded simultaneously. Convolutional neural networks (CNN) were utilized for EEG and long short-term memory networks (LSTM) for EDA. The results depict that EEG-based models consistently outperformed EDA-based models, establishing EEG as the dominant modality. In addition, decision-level fusion enhanced robustness across evaluation metrics by employing complementary information from EDA sensors. Ablation analyses presented that model performance was sensitive to design choices, with medium EEG windows (6 s), medium EDA windows (5–10 s), smaller batch sizes, and moderate weight decay yielding the most stable results. Further, retraining with ablation-informed hyperparameters confirmed that this configuration improved overall accuracy and maintained stable generalization across folds. The outcome of this study demonstrates the potential of deep learning to capture multimodal physiological responses when subjected to construction noise and emphasizes the critical role of modality-specific design and systematic hyperparameter optimization in achieving reliable annoyance detection. Full article

Achieving long-lived room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) with high quantum efficiency is of significant interest for applications in anti-counterfeiting, flexible optoelectronic displays, and multi-level information encryption. Here, we presented a hydrogen-bond engineering strategy to enhance RTP performance by progressively increasing the number of hydrogen-bonding sites within a polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) matrix. A series of carbazole-based chromophores (Cz, ICz and 2ICz) were embedded into the PVA network, and their photophysical properties were systematically characterized using steady-state photoluminescence spectra, time-decay spectra, Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR), and Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Spectroscopic analysis revealed that the increased number of N-H groups significantly strengthened hydrogen-bonding interactions, effectively suppressing non-radiative decay pathways and stabilizing triplet excitons. As a result, the phosphorescence lifetime was prolonged up to 1.68 s with a quantum yield of 38.63%. Furthermore, leveraging the spectral overlap integral between the phosphorescent emission and dye absorption, efficient Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) was realized, enabling tunable multi-color afterglow emissions. This study establishes a design strategy validated by spectroscopy for high-performance RTP materials and highlights their promising potential in advanced optical encryption and flexible photonic applications. Full article

Lettuce (Lactuca sativa), pak choi (Brassica rapa), and basil (Ocimum basilicum) were grown in hydroponic NFT systems under four nitrate levels (80–180 mg L⁻¹ N). We measured natural microbial contamination by plating nutrient-solution samples and leaf washes to obtain colony-forming unit (CFU) counts of bacteria and fungi. Separately, postharvest leaves were artificially inoculated with Botrytis cinerea and stored at 22 °C or 4 °C for 7 days to assess gray mold. In lettuce, high N (180 mg L⁻¹) markedly increased culturable microbial loads in both solution and leaves, whereas pak choi microbial counts remained low at all N levels. Basil showed a non-linear response: CFU counts peaked at moderate N (120 mg L⁻¹) and were lower at both deficit and excess N. At 22 °C, gray mold severity in pak choi increased with N; leaves fertilized at N150–180 suffered about 1.5–2 times greater lesion area than those at N80. By contrast, lettuce exhibited the worst decay under N deficiency: N80 leaves developed the largest lesions by 4–7 DPI, while moderate N (120–150 mg L⁻¹) minimized disease progression. Basil was highly susceptible under warm storage: all N levels reached near-total decay by 7 days, though N120 delayed early infection slightly. Refrigeration (4 °C) greatly suppressed lesion development in lettuce and pak choi, although high-N pak choi still showed ~20–30% more infected area than low-N after 7 days. Basil, however, suffered chilling injury at 4 °C, and all refrigerated basil leaves decayed severely (regardless of N). These results indicate crop-specific nutrient and storage strategies: avoid excessive N in pak choi, maintain balanced N in lettuce, and handle basil with non-chilling methods to reduce postharvest gray mold. Full article

Salivary Multi Test (SMT) is a device that can quickly and noninvasively measure seven parameters related to the oral environment using saliva as a sample: (1) bacteria that cause tooth decay, (2) acidity, (3) buffering capacity, (4) occult blood, (5) white blood cells, (6) protein, and (7) ammonia. This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the relationship between SMT and oral and gut microbiota in healthy general residents. After propensity score matching, 198 participants were included (low SMT group: 99 participants; high SMT group: 99 participants). We reclassified participants four years after the follow-up survey and compared the low- and high-SMT groups. The high SMT score group indicating a poor oral environment showed increased Olsenella in both the oral cavity and gut at the start of the survey and four years later. Oral Olsenella was strongly correlated with occult blood and protein levels. In contrast, a 4-year follow-up study demonstrated that changes in oral Olsenella were associated with occult blood changes. Conversely, changes in gut Olsenella were associated with changes in occult blood and protein. A poor SMT score has been shown to be linked to increased oral and gut Olsenella and improving the oral environment can improve the oral–gut microbial environment. Full article

This study explores the health status of veteran Zelkova serrata trees (average age 300 years) in the Pohang region in the context of long-term climatic trends and local environmental variability. Eleven nationally designated veteran trees were monitored using physiological indicators Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) values and live crown ratio (LCR), internal structural assessment (sonic tomography-derived decay ratio), and environmental parameters including meteorological records and Landsat-derived Land Surface Temperature (LST) data from 2000 to 2025. While recent years showed localized heat-extreme events, most sites displayed spatially heterogeneous yet gradually increasing LST trends, with 2024 recording the highest values at more than half the locations. Tree vitality differences were more strongly associated with site specific microclimatic conditions than with uniform long-term climate shifts: trees in cooler or less urbanized zones showed higher SPAD values and lower decay levels, whereas those in warmer, edge-influenced sites exhibited signs of physiological stress. The results indicate that rising summer surface temperature—and their interaction with atmospheric drying—intensify water-stress impacts, but the actual tree responses are modulated by local land-cover and soil stability contexts. These findings underscore the need for integrated, multi-scale assessment of veteran tree health and suggest that conservation practices should incorporate microclimate-based intervention strategies. Full article

The parameter optimization of marine hydrodynamic models currently relies predominantly on expert empirical knowledge, but the quantitative indicators and weighting mechanisms for rapid calibration remain unclear due to inherent model uncertainties and complexities. This study addresses these challenges through expert questionnaires that collect fuzzy evaluations of calibration criteria, developing an integrated methodology combining the theory of axiomatic fuzzy set (AFS) with principal component analysis (PCA). Numerical case studies quantify calibration indicator weights and assess critical parameter impacts, revealing that bathymetry and roughness coefficients predominantly govern simulation accuracy. Elevated roughness conditions demonstrate two regimes: (1) at 1–2 × baseline roughness, strong positive correlations (with a coefficient of determination R² increased by up to 0.568 compared to baseline) confirm effective model-data matching for tidal levels/currents; (2) beyond 2 × baseline roughness, progressive correlation decay accompanies increasing coefficients, indicating amplified simulation–measurement discrepancies. Notably, under reduced roughness conditions, high accuracy persists during spring/mid-tide phases but significantly diminishes during neap tides, demonstrating enhanced roughness sensitivity in low-tidal energy regimes. Full article

‘Fuji’ apples require long-term storage to ensure year-round supply, and controlled-atmosphere (CA) technology is widely used to preserve their quality and reduce postharvest losses. Nitric oxide (NO), a natural signaling molecule in plants, has shown potential to delay ripening and reduce physiological and pathological disorders during fruit storage. This study evaluated the effect of nitric oxide (NO) treatment during controlled-atmosphere (CA) storage on the postharvest quality of ‘Fuji Mishima’ apples. Apples were stored for 8 months at 1 kPa O₂ +< 0.5 kPa CO₂, 1.0 ± 0.2 °C, and 94 ± 2% RH. The treatments consisted of a control (without NO) and five NO application regimes: 5 µL L⁻¹ applied at the beginning of storage; 5 µL L⁻¹ applied both at the beginning and end; 5 µL L⁻¹ applied every 30 days; 10 µL L⁻¹ applied at the beginning; and 10 µL L⁻¹ applied both at the beginning and end of storage. All NO treatments delayed ethylene production and reduced its levels after 4 days under ambient conditions compared to the control. However, NO had no effect on flesh firmness, soluble solids content, titratable acidity, peel color, or flesh browning. Repeated NO applications (5 or 10 µL L⁻¹) increased peel yellowing. Treatment with 5 µL L⁻¹ applied every 30 days increased decay incidence. Phenolic compounds in the flesh were unaffected, while in the peel, they decreased with 10 µL L⁻¹. Overall, NO application in CA storage of ‘Fuji Mishima’ apples did not maintain fruit quality and, in some cases, increased peel yellowing and decay. Full article

Quantum computing is an emergent field promising the improvement of processing speed in key algorithms by reducing their exponential scaling to polynomial, thus enabling solutions to problems that exceed classical computational capabilities. Gate-based quantum computing is the most common approach but still faces high levels of noise and decoherence. Gates play the role of probability mixers codifying information settled in quantum systems. However, they are deviated from their programmed behaviour due to those decoherent effects as a hidden source modifies the desired probability flux. Their quantification of such unavoidable behaviours becomes crucial for quantum error correction or mitigation. This work presents an approach to decoherence in quantum circuits using the Lindblad master equation to model the impact of noise and thermalisation underlying the ideal programmed behaviour expected for processing gates. The Lindblad approach then provides a comprehensive tool to model both probability fluxes being present in the process, thus regarding the gate and the environment. It analyses the deviation of resulting noisy states from the ideal unitary evolution of some gates considered as universal, setting some operating regimes. Thermalisation considers a radiation bath where gates are immersed as a feasible model of decoherence. Numerical simulations track the information loss as a function of the decay rate magnitude. It also exhibits the minimal impact on decoherence coming from particular quantum states being processed, but a higher impact on the number of qubits being processed by the gate. The methodology provides a unified framework to characterise the processing probability transport in quantum gates, including noise or thermalisation effects. Full article

Urban park green spaces (UPGSs) play a critical role in enhancing residents’ quality of life, particularly for older adults. However, inequities in accessibility and resource distribution remain persistent challenges in aging urban areas. To address this issue, this study takes Gulou District, Nanjing City, as an example and proposes a comprehensive framework to evaluate the overall quality of UPGSs. Furthermore, an enhanced Gaussian two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method is introduced that incorporates (1) a multidimensional park quality score derived from an objective evaluation system encompassing ecological conditions, service quality, age-friendly facilities, and basic infrastructure; and (2) a Gaussian distance decay function calibrated to reflect the walking and public transit mobility patterns of the older adults in the study area. The improved method calculates the accessibility values of UPGSs for older adults living in residential communities under the walking and public transportation scenarios. Finally, factors influencing the social equity of UPGSs are analyzed using Pearson correlation coefficients. The experimental results demonstrate that (1) high-accessibility service areas exhibit clustered distributions, with significant differences in accessibility levels across the transportation modes and clear spatial gradient disparities. Specifically, traditional residential neighborhoods often present accessibility blind spots under the walking scenario, accounting for 50.8%, which leads to insufficient accessibility to public green spaces. (2) Structural imbalance and inequities in public service provision have resulted in barriers to UPGS utilization for older adults in certain communities. On this basis, targeted improvement strategies based on accessibility characteristics under different transportation modes are proposed, including the establishment of multi-tiered networked UPGSs and the upgrading of slow-moving transportation infrastructure. The research findings can enhance service efficiency through evidence-based spatial resource reallocation, offering actionable insights for optimizing the spatial layout of UPGSs and advancing the equitable distribution of public services in urban core areas. Full article

The operational failure of lithium-ion batteries under extreme temperatures (−40~60 °C) stems primarily from electrolyte limitations. While prior efforts improved either low-temperature or high-temperature performance independently, holistic electrolyte design with practical validation remains elusive. Herein, we develop an all-climate electrolyte (ACE) through synergistic coordination of solvent, Li salt, and additive, achieving low viscosity (<10 mPa·s at −40 °C) and high ionic conductivity (7.0 mS cm⁻¹ at −40 °C). Raman and NMR spectra reveal MA and EC co-occupying Li⁺ solvation sheath while EMC acts as a diluent, enabling rapid ion transport. Consequently, LiFePO₄ (LFP)|graphite (Gr) cell delivers unprecedented cyclability: zero capacity decay over 500 cycles at 0 °C, stable operation across −40~60 °C, and 94.1% retention after 100 cycles at 45 °C in Ah-level pouch cells. XPS and SEM analysis demonstrate lithium difluorophosphate (LiDFP) and lithium bis(fluorosulfonyl)imide (LiFSI) collaboratively remodel SEI/CEI interphases, enriching them with LiF, Li₃PO₄, and Li₂SO₄. This inorganic-dominant architecture enhances interfacial Li⁺ kinetics and all-climate stability compared to the baseline electrolyte. Our tripartite electrolyte strategy provides a material-agnostic solution for all-climate energy storage. Full article

Background/Objectives: As the aging population is growing globally, oral health has become integral to ensuring healthy aging and quality of life. This study assessed the oral health status of older adults in a Malaysian long-term care facility and explored caregiver-reported challenges in providing oral care. Methods: A convergent mixed-methods design was applied, involving 115 residents aged ≥60 years and 16 caregivers in a public facility. The residents’ oral health was assessed using interviewer-assisted questionnaires (demography, dependency level, Oral Frailty Five-item Checklist), clinical examinations (dental caries status, number of remaining teeth, oral and denture hygiene), and the Decayed, Missing, and Filled Teeth (DMFT) index. Focus group discussions with caregivers were conducted, transcribed, and thematically analyzed. Quantitative data were descriptively analyzed using SPSS version 29.0. Results: Over one-third of the residents (39%) were moderately to highly dependent on caregivers. All had experienced dental caries, with most having fewer than 20 teeth (92.9%) and requiring dentures (81.7%). Overall, both oral and denture hygiene were poor. Assessment of oral frailty indicated that the majority of residents (94.8%) were at risk of impaired oral function. A thematic analysis identified four key themes influencing oral health: (1) health and oral health conditions of residents; (2) variety in oral care practices; (3) older adults’ attitudes and behaviors; and (4) system factors. These themes were mapped in a conceptual framework demonstrating multilevel influences on oral care. Conclusions: Despite the single-center design, these findings provide actionable insights for improving geriatric oral health policies in Malaysia. Practical recommendations include integrating oral health into aged-care standards, expanding mobile dental services, and establishing oral care champions within facilities. Addressing these challenges is critical to improving quality of life and aligning long-term care practices with the WHO’s healthy aging priorities. Full article

Pluripotent stem cells (PSCs) exhibit remarkable self-renewal capacity and differentiation potential, necessitating tight regulation of gene expression at both transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. Among post-transcriptional mechanisms, RNA turnover and degradation together play pivotal roles in maintaining transcriptome homeostasis and controlling RNA stability. RNA degradation plays a pivotal role in determining transcript stability for both messenger RNAs (mRNAs) and non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), thereby influencing cell identity and fate transitions. The core RNA decay machinery, which includes exonucleases, decapping complexes, RNA helicases, and the RNA exosome, ensures timely and selective decay of transcripts. In addition, RNA modifications such as 5′ capping and N6-methyladenosine (m⁶A) further modulate RNA stability, contributing to the fine-tuning of gene regulatory networks essential for maintaining PSC states. Recent single-cell and multi-omics studies have revealed that RNA degradation exhibits heterogeneous and dynamic kinetics during cell fate transitions, highlighting its role in preserving transcriptome homeostasis. Conversely, disruption of RNA decay pathways has been implicated in developmental defects and disease, underscoring their potential as therapeutic targets. Collectively, RNA degradation emerges as a central regulator of PSC biology, integrating the decay of both mRNAs and ncRNAs to orchestrate pluripotency maintenance, lineage commitment, and disease susceptibility. Full article

Virotherapy is a promising method for treating oncological diseases, including such aggressive and difficult-to-treat brain tumors such as glioblastoma. Recombinant vaccinia virus VV-GMCSF-Lact has previously shown high antitumor potential against tumor cells of varying histogenesis, including gliomas, and completed a Phase I clinical trial, demonstrating safety and good tolerability in patients with recurrent/refractory metastatic breast cancer. Investigating two types of VV-GMCSF-Lact delivery, intravenous and intratumoral, into orthotopically transplanted C6 glioma in rats, it was shown that intratumoral injection significantly increases tumor volumes in comparison with intravenous virus delivery and is accompanied by noticeable toxic effects. Extensive areas of necrotic decay of tumor tissue and its significant mixed-cell infiltration and peritumoral edema, affecting the tumor volume, were detected using H&E staining of C6 tumors after intratumoral injection of VV-GMCSF-Lact. However, only with intratumoral administration was a significant decrease in the level of the tumor cell proliferation marker Ki67 demonstrated by immunohistochemical staining. The observed toxic effects of VV-GMCSF-Lact with intratumoral administration revealed the need for dose selection, which was performed on a mouse GL261 glioma model. Results of the study allowed us to determine the viral dose that does not lead to toxic effects and can potentially increase life expectancy of mice. The data obtained show the need for careful selection of both the route of viral drug dose and administration. Full article

Background: Digital transformation is reshaping public organizations worldwide, yet in low-resource contexts, its success is constrained by weak infrastructure and governance. In India, programs such as the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission and the Aspirational Districts Programme rely on meso-level officers who act as key managerial intermediaries, but their organizational challenges remain understudied. Aim: This study examines sub-district health and nutrition officers’ experiences, organizational barriers, and adaptive strategies in implementing digital reforms. Methods: Eight in-depth interviews were conducted with Medical Officers in Charge (MOICs) and Child Development Project Officers (CDPOs) across urban, semi-urban, rural, and flood-prone blocks of Muzaffarpur, Bihar. Data were transcribed, translated, and thematically analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s approach, informed by organizational and technology adoption theories. Results: Officers valued digital tools for transparency and real-time monitoring but faced systemic barriers, including hardware decay, poor connectivity, fragmented platforms, and limited fiscal autonomy. Despite these, they displayed managerial agency through informal infrastructures such as WhatsApp, peer mentoring, and parallel records. COVID-19 accelerated digital use while widening inequities. Conclusions: Meso-level officers are critical enablers of organizational resilience. Their experiences highlight how leadership, governance, and adaptive management shape digital transformation in resource-constrained settings. Full article

Solution combustion-synthesized BaAl₂O₄: Eu²⁺, Nd³⁺, and Pr³⁺ blue–green long-afterglow phosphors are prepared and systematically investigated. First, XRD confirms the BaAl₂O₄ host and screens for trace residual features. SEM reveals the agglomerated granular morphology typical of combustion products. XPS verifies the valence states (Eu²⁺, Nd³⁺, Pr³⁺) and the chemical environment of the host lattice. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra, transformed via the Kubelka–Munk function and analyzed using Tauc plots (indirect-allowed), indicate a wide band gap of the BaAl₂O₄ host with small, systematic shifts upon Nd³⁺/Pr³⁺ co-doping. PL measurements show Eu²⁺ 4f–5d emission and co-dopant-assisted excitation/defect pathways without altering the Eu²⁺ emission band shape. Afterglow lifetime and decay analyses correlate trap depth/distribution with the extended persistence. Finally, we demonstrate anti-counterfeiting by (i) snowflake printing and (ii) a binary 3 × 3 grid printed with two afterglow inks of different lifetimes to realize multi-level authentication. The sequential evidence links structure, chemistry, optical absorption, carrier trapping, and practical readout, providing a coherent basis for performance enhancement and application. Full article