Search Results (5,503)

Inertial navigation systems (INSs) exhibit distinctive characteristics, such as long-duration operation, full autonomy, and exceptional covertness compared to other navigation systems. However, errors are accumulated over time due to operational principles and the limitations of sensors. To address this problem, this study theoretically explores a numerically simulated integrated inertial navigation system consisting of a single-axis cold atom interferometer gyroscope (CAIG) and a conventional inertial measurement unit (IMU). The system leverages the low bias and drift of the CAIG and the high sampling rate of the conventional IMU to obtain more accurate navigation information. Furthermore, an adaptive gradient ascent (AGA) method is proposed to estimate the variance of the measurement noise online for the Kalman filter. It was found that errors of latitude, longitude, and positioning are reduced by 43.9%, 32.6%, and 32.3% compared with the conventional IMU over 24 h. On this basis, errors from inertial sensor drift could be further reduced by the online Kalman filter. Full article

Natural disasters like wildfires pose significant threats to communities, which necessitates timely and effective disaster response strategies. While Aspect-based Sentiment Analysis (ABSA) has been widely used to extract sentiment-related information at the sub-sentence level, the corresponding field of Aspect-based Emotion Analysis (ABEA) remains underexplored due to dataset limitations and the increased complexity of emotion classification. In this study, we used EmoGRACE, a fine-tuned BERT-based model for ABEA, which we applied to georeferenced tweets of the 2020 California wildfires. The results for this case study reveal distinct spatio-temporal emotion patterns for wildfire-related aspect terms, with fear and sadness increasing near wildfire perimeters. This study demonstrates the feasibility of tracking emotion dynamics across disaster-affected regions and highlights the potential of ABEA in real-time disaster monitoring. The results suggest that ABEA can provide a nuanced understanding of public sentiment during crises for policymakers. Full article

The anodic behavior of zinc electrodes is important for energy storage, corrosion protection, electrochemical processing, and other practical applications. This study investigates the anodic galvanostatic polarization of zinc foil and bulk electrodes in aqueous oxalic acid solutions, revealing significant differences in their electrochemical behavior, particularly in induction period durations. The induction period’s duration depended on electrolyte concentration, current density, and temperature. Notably, the temperature dependence of the kinetics exhibited contrasting trends: the induction period for foil electrodes increased with temperature, while that of bulk electrodes decreased. Chemical analysis and polishing treatment comparisons showed no significant differences between the foil and bulk electrodes. However, Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) observations of samples anodized at different temperatures, combined with Inductively Coupled Plasma–Optical Emission Spectroscopy (ICP-OES) analysis of dissolved electrode material, provided insights into the distinct anodic behaviors. X-ray Diffraction (XRD) studies further confirmed these findings, revealing a crystallographic orientation dependence of the anodic behavior. These results provide detailed information about the electrochemical properties of zinc electrodes, with implications for optimizing their performance in various applications. Full article

Photocatalytic redox processes significantly contribute to shaping Earth’s surface environment. Semiconductor minerals exhibiting favorable photocatalytic properties are ubiquitous on rock and soil surfaces. However, the sunlight-responsive characteristics and functions of TiO₂, an excellent photocatalytic material, within natural systems remain incompletely understood, largely due to its wide bandgap limiting solar radiation absorption. This study analyzed surface coating samples, determining their elemental composition, distribution, and mineralogy. The analysis revealed enrichment of anatase TiO₂ and β-carotene. Informed by these observations, laboratory simulations were designed to investigate the synergistic effect of β-carotene on the sunlight-responsive behavior of anatase. Results demonstrate that β-carotene-sensitized anatase exhibited a 64.4% to 66.1% increase in photocurrent compared to pure anatase. β-carotene sensitization significantly enhanced anatase’s electrochemical activity, promoting rapid electron transfer. Furthermore, it improved interfacial properties and acted as a photosensitizer, boosting photo-response characteristics. The sensitized anatase displayed a distinct absorption peak within the 425–550 nm range, with visible light absorption increasing by approximately 17.75%. This study elucidates the synergistic mechanism enhancing the sunlight response between anatase and β-carotene in natural systems and its broader environmental implications, providing new insights for research on photocatalytic redox processes within Earth’s critical zone. Full article

Understanding species composition and forest dynamics is essential for predicting biomass productivity and informing conservation in tropical montane ecosystems. We evaluated floristic, demographic, and biomass changes in eighteen 0.1 ha permanent plots in the Colombian Sub-Andean forest, including both primary (ca. 60 y old) and secondary forests (ca. 30 years old). Two censuses of individuals (DBH ≥ 2.5 cm) were conducted over 7–13 years. We recorded 516 species across 202 genera and 89 families. Floristic composition differed significantly between forest types (PERMANOVA, p = 0.001), and black oak (Trigonobalanus excelsa Lozano, Hern. Cam. & Henao) forests formed distinct assemblages. Demographic rates were higher in secondary forests, with mortality (4.17% yr), recruitment (4.51% yr), and relative growth rate (0.02% yr) exceeding those of primary forests. The mean aboveground biomass accumulation and the rate of annual change were higher in primary forests (447.5 Mg ha⁻¹ and 466.8 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively) than in secondary forests (217.2 Mg ha⁻¹ and 217.2 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹, respectively). Notably, black oak forests showed the greatest biomass accumulation and rate of change in biomass. Annual net biomass production was higher in secondary forests (8.72 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) than in primary forests (5.66 Mg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). These findings highlight the ecological distinctiveness and recovery potential of secondary Sub-Andean forests and underscore the value of multitemporal monitoring to understand forest resilience and assess vulnerability to environmental change. Full article

Background/Objectives: Myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) is a heterogeneous clonal hematopoietic disorder characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and leukemic transformation risk. Current therapies show limited efficacy, with ~50% of patients failing hypomethylating agents. This review aims to synthesize recent discoveries through an integrated network model and examine translation into precision therapeutic approaches. Methods: We reviewed breakthrough discoveries from the past three years, analyzing single-cell multi-omics technologies, epitranscriptomics, stem cell architecture analysis, and precision medicine approaches. We examined cell-type-specific splicing aberrations, distinct stem cell architectures, epitranscriptomic modifications, and microenvironmental alterations in MDS pathogenesis. Results: Four interconnected mechanisms drive MDS: genetic alterations (splicing factor mutations), aberrant stem cell architecture (CMP-pattern vs. GMP-pattern), epitranscriptomic dysregulation involving pseudouridine-modified tRNA-derived fragments, and microenvironmental changes. Splicing aberrations show cell-type specificity, with SF3B1 mutations preferentially affecting erythroid lineages. Stem cell architectures predict therapeutic responses, with CMP-pattern MDS achieving superior venetoclax response rates (>70%) versus GMP-pattern MDS (<30%). Epitranscriptomic alterations provide independent prognostic information, while microenvironmental changes mediate treatment resistance. Conclusions: These advances represent a paradigm shift toward personalized MDS medicine, moving from single-biomarker to comprehensive molecular profiling guiding multi-target strategies. While challenges remain in standardizing molecular profiling and developing clinical decision algorithms, this systems-level understanding provides a foundation for precision oncology implementation and overcoming current therapeutic limitations. Full article

Xyloglucan endotransglucosylase/hydrolases (XTHs) are a class of cell wall-associated enzymes involved in the construction and remodeling of cellulose/xyloglucan crosslinks. However, knowledge of this gene family in the model monocot Brachypodium distachyon is limited. A total of 29 BdXTH genes were identified from the whole genome, and these were further divided into three subgroups (Group I/II, Group III, and the Ancestral Group) through evolutionary analysis. Gene structure and protein motif analyses indicate that closely clustered BdXTH genes are relatively conserved within each group. A highly conserved amino acid domain (DEIDFEFLG) responsible for catalytic activity was identified in all BdXTH proteins. We detected three pairs of segmentally duplicated BdXTH genes and five groups of tandemly duplicated BdXTH genes, which played vital roles in the expansion of the BdXTH gene family. Cis-elements related to hormones, growth, and abiotic stress responses were identified in the promoters of each BdXTH gene, and when roots were treated with two abiotic stresses (salinity and drought) and four plant hormones (IAA, auxin; GA3, gibberellin; ABA, abscisic acid; and BR, brassinolide), the expression levels of many BdXTH genes changed significantly. Transcriptional analyses of the BdXTH genes in 38 tissue samples from the publicly available RNA-seq data indicated that most BdXTH genes have distinct expression patterns in different tissues and at different growth stages. Overexpressing the BdXTH27 gene in Brachypodium led to reduced root length in transgenic plants, which exhibited higher cellulose levels but lower hemicellulose levels compared to wild-type plants. Our results provide valuable information for further elucidation of the biological functions of BdXTH genes in the model grass B. distachyon. Full article

Insects and their bacterial endosymbionts form intricate ecological relationships, yet their role in host–pathogen interactions are not fully elucidated. The small brown planthopper (Laodelphax striatellus), a polyphagous pest of cereal crops, acts as a key vector for rice stripe virus (RSV), a significant threat to rice production. This study aimed to compare the endosymbiont community structures of nonviruliferous and RSV-viruliferous L. striatellus populations using 16S rRNA gene sequencing with high-throughput sequencing technology. Wolbachia was highly dominant in both groups; however, the prevalence of other endosymbionts, specifically Rickettsia and Burkholderia, differed markedly depending on RSV infection. Comprehensive microbial diversity and composition analyses revealed distinct community structures between nonviruliferous and RSV-viruliferous populations, highlighting potential interactions and implications for vector competence and virus transmission dynamics. These findings contribute to understanding virus-insect-endosymbiont dynamics and could inform strategies to mitigate viral spread by targeting symbiotic bacteria. Full article

In this paper, we propose a compressionmethod for optical encryption using singular value decomposition (SVD). Double random phase encryption (DRPE), which employs two distinct random phase masks, is adopted as the optical encryption technique. Since the encrypted data in DRPE have the same size as the input data and consists of complex values, a compression technique is required to improve data efficiency. To address this issue, we introduce SVD as a compression method. SVD decomposes any matrix into simpler components, such as a unitary matrix, a rectangular diagonal matrix, and a complex unitary matrix. By leveraging this property, the encrypted data generated by DRPE can be effectively compressed. However, this compression may lead to some loss of information in the decrypted data. To mitigate this loss, we employ volumetric computational reconstruction based on integral imaging. As a result, the proposed method enhances the visual quality, compression ratio, and security of DRPE simultaneously. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, we conduct both computer simulations and optical experiments. The performance is evaluated quantitatively using peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity index (SSIM), and peak sidelobe ratio (PSR) as evaluation metrics. Full article

Gas sensors are considered a highly effective non-destructive technique for monitoring the quality and safety of food materials. These intelligent sensors can detect volatile profiles emitted by food products, providing valuable information on the changes occurring within the food. Gas sensors have garnered significant interest for their numerous advantages in the development of food safety monitoring systems. The adaptable characteristics of gas sensors make them ideal for integration into production lines, while the flexibility of certain sensor types allows for incorporation into packaging materials. Various types of gas sensors have been developed for their distinct properties and are utilized in a wide range of applications. Metal-oxide semiconductors and optical sensors are widely studied for their potential use as gas sensors in food quality assessments due to their ability to provide visual indicators to consumers. The advancement of new nanomaterials and their integration with advanced data acquisition techniques is expected to enhance the performance and utility of sensors in sustainable practices within the food supply chain. Full article

This study comprehensively compares the performance of two non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques—active thermography (AT) and digital shearography (DS)—for identifying various damage types in composite structures. Three distinct composite specimens were inspected: a carbon-fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) plate with flat-bottom holes, an aluminum honeycomb core sandwich plate with a circular skin-core disbond, and a CFRP plate with two low-energy impacts damage. The research highlights the significant role of post-processing methods in enhancing damage detectability. For AT, algorithms such as fast Fourier transform (FFT) for temperature phase extraction and principal component thermography (PCT) for identifying significant temperature components were employed, generally making anomalies brighter and easier to locate and size. For DS, a novel band-pass filtering approach applied to phase maps, followed by summing the filtered maps, remarkably improved the visualization and precision of damage-induced anomalies by suppressing background noise. Qualitative image-based comparisons revealed that DS consistently demonstrated superior performance. The sum of DS filtered phase maps provided more detailed and precise information regarding damage location and size compared to both pulsed thermography (PT) and lock-in thermography (LT) temperature phase and amplitude. Notably, DS effectively identified shallow flat-bottom holes and subtle imperfections that AT struggled to clearly resolve, and it provided a more comprehensive representation of the impacts damage location and extent. This enhanced capability of DS is attributed to the novel phase map filtering approach, which significantly improves damage identification compared to the thermogram post-processing methods used for AT. Full article

Persons with disabilities face barriers to accessing sexuality education. For those who identify as queer, these challenges are compounded by stigma, ableism, and heteronormativity, resulting in distinct and overlooked experiences. This study explored the sexuality education needs of persons with disabilities who identify as queer in Kenya—a neglected demographic—using a phenomenological approach. Data were collected through a focus group discussion with six participants and analyzed thematically. Three themes emerged: invisibility and erasure; unprepared institutions and constrained support networks; and agency and everyday resistance. Educational institutions often overlook the intersectional needs of persons with disabilities who identify as queer, leaving them without adequate tools to navigate relationships, sexuality, and rights. Support systems are often unprepared or unwilling to address these needs. Societal attitudes that desexualize disability and marginalize queerness intersect to produce compounded exclusion. Despite these challenges, participants demonstrated agency by using digital spaces and informal networks to resist exclusion. This calls for policy reforms that move beyond tokenism to address the lived realities of multiply marginalized groups. Policy reform means not only a legal or governmental shift but also a broader cultural and institutional process that creates space for recognition, protection, and participation. Full article

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are highly volatile chemicals in natural and anthropogenic environments, significantly affecting indoor air quality. Major sources of indoor VOCs include emissions from building materials, furnishings, and consumer products. Natural wood products release VOCs, including terpenes and aldehydes, which exert diverse health effects ranging from mild respiratory irritation to severe outcomes, such as formaldehyde-induced carcinogenicity. The temporal dynamics of VOC emissions were investigated, and the toxicological and physiological effects of the VOCs emitted by two types of natural wood, Korean Red Pine (Pinus densiflora) and Japanese Cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa), were evaluated. Using female C57BL/6 mice as an animal model, the exposure setups included phytoncides, formaldehyde, and intact wood samples over short- and long-term durations. The exposure effects were assessed using oxidative stress markers, antioxidant enzyme activity, hepatic and renal biomarkers, and inflammatory cytokine profiles. Long-term exposure to Korean Red Pine and Japanese Cypress wood VOCs did not induce significant pathological changes. Japanese Cypress exhibited more distinct benefits, including enhanced oxidative stress mitigation, reduced systemic toxicity, and lower pro-inflammatory cytokine levels compared to the negative control group, attributable to its more favorable VOC emission profile. These findings highlight the potential health and environmental benefits of natural wood VOCs and offer valuable insights for optimizing timber use, improving indoor air quality, and informing public health policies. Full article

Background/Objectives: Hepatic cancers, including hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma (CCA), are major global health concerns due to rising incidence and limited therapeutic success. While traditional risk factors include chronic liver disease and environmental exposures, recent evidence underscores the significance of genetic alterations and gut microbiota in liver cancer development and progression. This review aims to integrate emerging knowledge on the interplay between host genomic changes and gut microbial dynamics in the pathogenesis and treatment of hepatic cancers. Methods: We conducted a comprehensive review of current literature on genetic and epigenetic drivers of HCC and CCA, focusing on commonly mutated genes such as TP53, CTNNB1, TERT, IDH1/2, and FGFR2. In parallel, we evaluated studies addressing the gut–liver axis, including the roles of dysbiosis, microbial metabolites, and immune modulation. Key clinical and preclinical findings were synthesized to explore how host–microbe interactions influence tumorigenesis and therapeutic response. Results: HCC and CCA exhibit distinct but overlapping genomic landscapes marked by recurrent mutations and epigenetic reprogramming. Alterations in the gut microbiota contribute to hepatic inflammation, genomic instability, and immune evasion, potentially enhancing oncogenic signaling pathways. Furthermore, microbiota composition appears to affect responses to immune checkpoint inhibitors. Emerging therapeutic strategies such as probiotics, fecal microbiota transplantation, and precision oncology based on mutational profiling demonstrate potential for personalized interventions. Conclusions: The integration of host genomics with microbial ecology provides a promising paradigm for advancing diagnostics and therapies in liver cancer. Targeting the gut–liver axis may complement genome-informed strategies to improve outcomes for patients with HCC and CCA. Full article

Miller–Dieker Syndrome (MDS) is a rare neurodevelopmental disorder caused by a heterozygous deletion of approximately 26 genes within the MDS locus of human chromosome 17. MDS, which affects 1 in 100,000 babies, can lead to a range of phenotypes, including lissencephaly, severe neurological defects, distinctive facial abnormalities, cognitive impairments, seizures, growth retardation, and congenital heart and liver abnormalities. One hallmark feature of MDS is an unusually smooth brain surface due to abnormal neuronal migration during early brain development. Several genes located within the MDS locus have been implicated in the pathogenesis of MDS, including PAFAH1B1, YWHAE, CRK, and METTL16. These genes play a role in the molecular and cellular pathways that are vital for neuronal migration, the proper development of the cerebral cortex, and protein translation in MDS. Improved model systems, such as MDS patient-derived organoids and multi-omics analyses indicate that WNT/β-catenin signaling, calcium signaling, S-adenosyl methionine (SAM) homeostasis, mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling, Janus kinase/signal transducer and activator of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling, and others are dysfunctional in MDS. This review of MDS integrates details at the clinical level alongside newly emerging details at the molecular and cellular levels, which may inform the development of novel therapeutic strategies for MDS. Full article