Search Results (388)

This study explores the development of a water-based hybrid thermoelectric (TE) material composed of Sb₂Te₃ nanoparticles (NPs) and polyethylene oxide (PEO). Sb₂Te₃ NPs were synthesized via the microwave-assisted colloidal route, where X-ray diffraction confirmed the purity and quality of the Sb₂Te₃ NPs. Key properties, including the Seebeck coefficient (S), electrical conductivity (σ), power factor (PF), and long-term stability, were studied. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis revealed that exposure to water and oxygen leads to NP oxidation, which can be partially mitigated by hydrochloric acid (HCl) treatment, though this does not halt ongoing oxidation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images displayed a percolation network of NPs within the PEO matrix. While the initial σ was high, a decline occurred over eight weeks, resulting in similar conductivity among all samples. The effect of surface treatments, such as 1,6-hexanedithiol (HDT), was demonstrated to enhance long-term stability. The results highlight both the challenges and potential of Sb₂Te₃/PEO hybrids for TE applications, especially regarding oxidation and durability, and underscore the need for improved synthesis and processing techniques to optimize their performance. This study provides valuable insights for the design of next-generation hybrid TE materials and emphasizes the importance of surface chemistry control in polymer–inorganic nanocomposites. Full article

Accurately mapping urban residents’ exposure to green space at high spatiotemporal resolutions is essential for assessing disparities and equality across blocks and enhancing urban environment planning. In this study, we developed a framework to generate hourly green space exposure maps at 0.5 m resolution using multiple sources of remote sensing data and an Object-Based Image Classification with Graph Convolutional Network (OBIC-GCN) model. Taking the main urban area in Nanjing city of China as the study area, we proposed a Dynamic Residential Green Space Exposure (DRGE) metric to reveal disparities in green space access across four housing price blocks. The Palma ratio was employed to explain the inequity characteristics of DRGE, while XGBoost (eXtreme Gradient Boosting) and SHAP (SHapley Additive explanation) methods were utilized to explore the impacts of built environment factors on DRGE. We found that the difference in daytime and nighttime DRGE values was significant, with the DRGE value being higher after 6:00 compared to the night. Mean DRGE on weekends was about 1.5 times higher than on workdays, and the DRGE in high-priced blocks was about twice that in low-priced blocks. More than 68% of residents in high-priced blocks experienced over 8 h of green space exposure during weekend nighttime (especially around 19:00), which was much higher than low-price blocks. Moreover, spatial inequality in residents’ green space exposure was more pronounced on weekends than on workdays, with lower-priced blocks exhibiting greater inequality (Palma ratio: 0.445 vs. 0.385). Furthermore, green space morphology, quantity, and population density were identified as the critical factors affecting DRGE. The optimal threshold for Percent of Landscape (PLAND) was 25–70%, while building density, height, and Sky View Factor (SVF) were negatively correlated with DRGE. These findings address current research gaps by considering population mobility, capturing green space supply and demand inequities, and providing scientific decision-making support for future urban green space equality and planning. Full article

Although our society is becoming increasingly reliant on technology, clinical practice has not yet harnessed digital technology to address the widest audience possible to prevent and treat a range of mental health concerns. The present study aimed to contribute to the literature by exploring the usability, feasibility, and engagement in In the Mirror: Functional Appreciated Bodies (IM FAB), an easily disseminable micro-intervention aimed at reducing body image dissatisfaction and eating disorder risk, piloted in a sample of undergraduate women. We evaluated the usability of the intervention’s procedures and prompts, the feasibility of using the IM FAB program as a smartphone app, and participant engagement to best understand how the participants’ experiences can inform future digital mental health intervention development using the same treatment techniques. Two hundred undergraduate women completed three weeks of mirror exposure sessions and received randomly scheduled text-based journaling prompts in the intervening two weeks. They completed a post-experiment questionnaire, which included the Usability Metric for User Experience (UMUX) scale, app-based feasibility questions, and engagement questions. Usability, feasibility, and engagement scores were high. Participants were generally positive, but with some mixed feedback about transitioning IM FAB to a digital mental health format, noting concerns about accountability and engagement if it was self-directed. Participants generally reported that the text journaling supported what they learned during mirror exposures. These insights can guide the future piloting of the IM FAB program as a mobile app with individualized features. Full article

Underwater Optical Camera Communication (UOCC) has emerged as a promising paradigm for short-range, high-bandwidth, and secure data exchange in autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs). UOCC performance strongly depends on exposure time and International Standards Organization (ISO) sensitivity—two parameters that govern photon capture, contrast, and bit detection fidelity. However, optical propagation in aquatic environments is highly susceptible to turbidity, scattering, and illumination variability, which severely degrade image clarity and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). Conventional systems with fixed imaging settings cannot adapt to time-varying conditions, limiting communication reliability. While validating the feasibility of deep learning for exposure prediction, this baseline lacked environmental awareness and generalization to dynamic scenarios. To overcome these limitations, we introduce a Real-to-Sim-to-Deployment framework that couples a physically calibrated emulation platform with a Hybrid CNN-MLP Model (HCMM). By fusing optical images, environmental states, and camera configurations, the HCMM achieves substantially improved parameter prediction accuracy, reducing RMSE to 0.23–0.33. When deployed on embedded hardware, it enables real-time adaptive reconfiguration and delivers up to 8.5 dB SNR gain, surpassing both static-parameter systems and the prior CNN baseline. These results demonstrate that environment-aware multimodal learning, supported by reproducible optical channel emulation, provides a scalable and robust solution for practical UOCC deployment in positioning, inspection, and laser-based underwater communication. Full article

Background and Objectives: This study aimed to compare target volumes and organ-at-risk (OAR) doses using five different volume definitions in radiotherapy (RT) planning of patients with glioblastoma multiforme (GBM). Materials and Methods: Rigid image fusion was performed using simulation computed tomography and postoperative magnetic resonance imaging scans of 20 patients with GBM. Volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) plans were generated according to three two-phase protocols—American Brain Tumor Consortium (ABTC), North Central Cancer Treatment Group/Alliance (NCCTG/Alliance), and Radiation Therapy Oncology Group/NRG (RTOG/NRG)—and two single-phase protocols—European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC) and European Society for Radiotherapy and Oncology–European Association of Neuro-Oncology (ESTRO/EANO)—each delivering a total dose of 60 Gy. OARs and dose constraints were evaluated. Statistical analysis was performed using the paired sample t-test. Results: The ESTRO/EANO volume had the smallest median PTV overall (p < 0.001). The lowest brain-PTV Dmean in the initial phase was observed in the ABTC group, followed closely by ESTRO/EANO (p < 0.001). Among boost volumes, the ABTC volume was the smallest, and the median brain-PTV Dmean was lowest in the ESTRO/EANO volume. ESTRO/EANO provided the lowest doses for contralateral and ipsilateral cochlea Dmean, brainstem D1cc, and contralateral lens Dmax. Notably, both EORTC and ESTRO/EANO plans maintained OAR doses within acceptable constraints, with ESTRO/EANO achieving the most consistently minimised exposure. Conclusions: Reduced irradiated brain volume, acceptable OAR preservation and practical applicability, the use of ESTRO-EANO and EORTC target volumes in radiotherapy of glioblastoma multiforme may provide dosimetric advantages that require further validation in clinical outcome studies. Full article

Extreme ultraviolet (EUV) lithography faces critical challenges in aberration control and patterning fidelity as technology nodes shrink below 3 nm. This work demonstrates how Source–Mask Optimization (SMO) simultaneously addresses both illumination and mask design to enhance pattern transfer accuracy and mitigate aberrations. Through a comprehensive optimization framework incorporating key process metrics, including critical dimension (CD), exposure latitude (EL), and mask error factor (MEF), we achieve significant improvements in imaging quality and process window for 40 nm minimum pitch patterns, representative of 2 nm node back-end-of-line (BEOL) requirements. Our analysis reveals that intelligent SMO implementation not only enables robust patterning solutions but also compensates for inherent EUV aberrations by balancing source characteristics with mask modifications. On average, our results show a 4.02% reduction in CD uniformity variation, concurrent with a 1.48% improvement in exposure latitude and a 5.45% reduction in MEF. The proposed methodology provides actionable insights for aberration-aware SMO strategies, offering a pathway to maintain lithographic performance as feature sizes continue to scale. These results underscore SMO’s indispensable role in advancing EUV lithography capabilities for next-generation semiconductor manufacturing. Full article

The use of copper and its alloys in architecture, especially in arid regions, is growing, driven by visual appeal, functional advantages, and sustainability. Changes in visual and colorimetric appearances and patina formation were evaluated for architectural Cu metal, brass (CuZn15), bronze (CuSn4), and a golden alloy (CuZn5Al5). Coupons were exposed over 4 years in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, at a test site located 2 km from the seashore under unsheltered conditions, and at various surface inclinations. Comparative exposures were conducted in Brest, France, at sites of increasing distance from the seashore. Visual appearance was assessed by colorimetry and optical imaging; patina cross-sections were characterized by means of scanning electron microscopy and elemental analysis (SEM/EDS), and crystalline phase identification was conducted by means of x-ray diffraction (XRD). All Dubai surfaces developed red-yellowish, heterogeneous patinas with embedded sand and dust, reducing lightness and visual appeal. Inclination had minor effect, although some extent of spallation occurred on downward-facing CuSn4. Even the corrosion-resistant CuZn5Al5 alloy lost its golden hue due to the incorporation of sand and dust into the patina. In Brest, appearance depended on the distance from the seashore, with green-blue patinas near the sea and red-yellowish farther inland, similar to Dubai. Cleaning may restore some luster, but the desert exposure generally reduced the long-term aesthetic performance of all materials. Full article

Background/Objectives: Nasal biopharmaceutics is the scientific understanding of product and patient factors that determine the rate and extent of drug exposure following nasal administration. The authors considered whether current biopharmaceutics tools are fit for the current and future needs of nasal product development and regulation. Methods: The limitations of current methods were critically assessed, unmet needs were highlighted, and key questions were posed to guide future directions in biopharmaceutics research. Results: The emergence of physiologically based biopharmaceutics models for nasal delivery has the potential to drive the scientific understanding of nasal delivery. Simulations can guide formulation and device development, inform dose selection and generate mechanistic insights. Developments in modeling need to be complemented by advances in experimental systems, including the use of realistic or idealized nasal casts to estimate the regional deposition of nasal sprays and refined in vitro cell culture models to study nasal drug absorption and the influence of mucus. Similarly, improvements are needed to address the practicalities of using animals in non-clinical studies of nasal drug delivery, and greater clinical use of gamma scintigraphy/magnetic resonance imaging is recommended to measure the delivery and nasal retention of different formulations in humans. Conclusions: Nasal drug delivery is a rapidly growing field and requires advances in nasal biopharmaceutics to support product innovation. Key needs are (i) validated clinically relevant critical product attributes for product performance and (ii) established links between how patients administer the product and where in the nose it deposits and dissolves in order to act or be absorbed, leading to its desired clinical effect. Full article

Calf disbudding is a routine practice in the dairy industry to prevent horn growth and reduce the risk of injury to animals and handlers. However, growing public concern about animal welfare has raised questions about the acceptability of common disbudding methods. This study explored public perceptions of caustic paste and hot-iron disbudding using a mixed methods approach. Quantitative survey analyses captured measurable trends while iterative qualitative analysis explored the underlying reasons behind participant’s attitudes. A convenience sample with a total of 511 Texas resident participants completed a 44-item online survey that included demographic questions, the Animal Attitude Scale (AAS-10), and image-based evaluations of the two techniques. Quantitative analysis using factor analysis and multiple regression revealed that concern for animal welfare and justification for animal use were the most significant predictors (p < 0.001) of method acceptability, with caustic paste generally viewed as more humane. Qualitative responses reinforced these results, identifying themes of animal suffering, ethical concerns, and a widespread lack of public knowledge. While caustic paste was preferred, skepticism toward hot-iron disbudding was more pronounced among low-income participants. Nonetheless, when properly performed with pain control, hot-iron disbudding is often considered a more controlled and welfare-conscious method due to faster healing times and reduced risk of injury to other animals from paste exposure. These findings underscore the need for consumer education and transparent communication from the dairy industry. Full article

Background: Sweet taste adaptation, the decline in perceived sweetness with repeated exposure, may influence dietary behavior and differs across sweeteners. Low-calorie sweeteners (LCSs) such as sucralose strongly activate the T1R2+T1R3 receptor and are generally associated with greater adaptation than sugars, although this effect can be reduced with sweetener blends. Aim: We investigated whether habitual LCS consumption affects sweet taste perception and whether blending sucralose with small amounts of sugars attenuates adaptation using sensory tests in humans and in vivo calcium imaging in a rodent model. Methods: In study 1, habitual (HC; n = 39) and non-habitual (NHC; n = 42) LCS consumers rate sweetness of sucralose (0.6 mM), glucose (800 mM), fructose (475 mM), and blends with low glucose (111 mM) or fructose (45 mM) across repeated trials (1–10) using a generalized labeled magnitude scale. In study 2, a microfluidic-based intravital tongue imaging system was used to assess in vivo responses to sweet adaptation in genetically modified C57BL/6 mice (n = 8) expressing a calcium indicator in type II/III cells of taste buds. Results: Habitual LCS use was not associated with differences in sweetness perception or adaptation (all p-values > 0.6). Sucralose alone produced stronger adaptation than when blended with sugars in both humans (p-values < 0.002) and mice (p < 0.001). Glucose and fructose alone showed adaptation (relative decrease reached on final trial compared to the first trial: −27% ± 4% for glucose, −38% ± 5% for fructose, both p-values < 0.002) but to a lower degree compared with sucralose (−66% ± 5%). Conclusions: Sweetener composition, rather than habitual LCS use, drives sweet taste adaptation. Blending sucralose with small amounts of sugars reduces adaptation at both perceptual and cellular levels, providing mechanistic insights relevant to the formulation of LCS products. Full article

Cataract surgery is the most common eye operation worldwide and is regarded as one of the safest procedures in medicine. Yet, despite its low complication rates, it generates a disproportionate share of litigation. The gap between excellent safety profiles and rising medico-legal claims is driven less by surgical outcomes than by patient expectations, often shaped by healthcare marketing and the promise of risk-free recovery. This narrative review explores the clinical and legal dimensions of cataract surgery, focusing on complications, perioperative risk factors, and medico-legal concepts of predictability and preventability. Particular emphasis is given to European frameworks, with the Italian Gelli-Bianco Law (Law No. 24/2017) providing a model of accountability that balances innovation and patient safety. Analysis shows that liability exposure spans all phases of surgery: preoperative (inadequate consent, poor documentation), intraoperative (posterior capsule rupture, zonular instability), and postoperative (endophthalmitis, poor follow-up). Practical strategies for risk reduction include advanced imaging such as macular OCT, rigorous adherence to updated guidelines, systematic video recording, and transparent perioperative communication. Patient-reported outcomes further highlight that satisfaction depends more on visual quality and dialogue than on spectacle independence. By translating legal principles into clinical strategies, this review offers surgeons actionable “surgical–legal pearls” to improve outcomes, strengthen patient trust, and reduce medico-legal vulnerability in high-volume cataract surgery. Full article

Extreme climate events such as heatwaves are becoming more frequent and pose serious challenges in cities. Urban areas are particularly vulnerable because built surfaces absorb and release heat, while human activities generate additional greenhouse gases. This increases health risks, making it crucial to study population exposure to heat stress. This research focuses on Naples, Italy’s most densely populated city, where intense human activity and unique geomorphological conditions influence local temperatures. The presence of a Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) is assessed by deriving high-resolution Land Surface Temperature (LST) in a time series ranging from 2013 to 2023, processed with the Statistical Mono Window (SMW) algorithm in the Google Earth Engine (GEE) environment. SMW needs brightness temperature (Tb) extracted from a Landsat 8 (L8) Thermal InfraRed Sensor (TIRS), emissivity from Advanced Spaceborne and Thermal Emission Radiometer Global Emissivity Database (ASTERGED), and atmospheric correction coefficients from the National Center for Environmental Prediction and Atmospheric Research (NCEP/NCAR). A total of 64 nighttime images were processed and analyzed to assess long-term trends and identify the main heat islands in Naples. The hottest image was compared with population data, including demographic categories such as children, elderly people, and pregnant women. A risk index was calculated by combining temperature values, exposure levels, and the vulnerability of each group. Results identified three major heat islands, showing that risk is strongly linked to both population density and heat island distribution. Incorporating Local Climate Zone (LCZ) classification further highlighted the urban areas most prone to extreme heat based on morphology. Full article

High dynamic range (HDR) imaging aims to overcome the limited dynamic range of traditional imaging systems and achieve effective restoration of the brightness and color of the real world. In recent years, single-image HDR (SI-HDR) reconstruction technology has become a research hotspot due to its simple acquisition process and applicability to dynamic scenes. This paper proposes an improved SI-HDR reconstruction method based on HDRUNet, which systematically integrates channel, spatial attention mechanism, brightness expansion, and color-enhancement branches, and constructs an adaptive multi-component loss function. This effectively enhances the detail restoration in extreme exposure areas and improves the overall color expressiveness. Experiments on public datasets such as NTIRE 2021, VDS, and HDR-Eye show that the proposed method outperforms the mainstream SI-HDR methods in terms of PSNR, SSIM, and VDP evaluation metrics. It performs particularly well in complex scenarios, demonstrating greater robustness and generalization ability. Full article

We present an automated and fully reproducible pipeline for restoring motion-smeared Mars Express SRC images of Phobos. A one-dimensional motion point spread function (PSF) is derived directly from SPICE geometry and microsecond-precision exposure timing, and Wiener deconvolution (SNR = 16 dB) is applied to recover image sharpness. Tested on 14 images from 4 orbits spanning slant distances of 52–292 km, exposures of 14–20 milliseconds, sampling of 0.47–2.7 m/pixel, and PSF lengths of 11–119 pixels, the method achieves up to 31.7 dB PSNR, 0.78 SSIM, and positive sharpness gains across all cases. The restored images reveal sub-meter surface features previously obscured by motion blur, with residual energy reduced relative to the acquisition model. The workflow relies solely on open data and open-source tools (ISIS, ALE/SpiceyPy, OpenCV), requires no star-field calibration, and generalizes to other motion-degraded planetary datasets, providing a fully transparent and reproducible solution for high-resolution planetary imaging. Full article

Background and objectives: The objective of this study was to test the effects of objectively measured screen time using wearable cameras, along with dietary intake and physical activity level (and their interaction), on obesity among Chinese school-aged children. Methods: This study was conducted among 52 fourth-grade children (age: 9.76 ± 0.44; 50% boy) in Beijing, including children with obesity and age- and sex-matched normal-weight controls. Screen time (min/day) was coded from wearable camera images collected over one week using image recognition, physical activity measured using accelerometers, and dietary intake via camera-assisted 3-day 24 h dietary recalls. Logistic regression and generalized additive models assessed associations with obesity indicators, including general (obesity; percentage of body fat, BF%) and central (waist circumference; weight-to-height ratio). The combined effects of screen time with dietary and physical activity factors were also analyzed. Results: Children with obesity had longer daily screen time (94.91 ± 35.44 vs. 83.15 ± 36.86 min). Longer screen time was associated with higher energy and carbohydrate intake, more average duration per meal, a higher proportion of meals with screen, increased sedentary time, and a lower proportion of time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). After adjusting for dietary intake and demographic covariates, longer screen time (≥1.3 h/day) was linked to higher odds of obesity (OR = 4.25, 95% CI = 1.09, 16.53) and BF% (OR = 6.14, 95% CI = 1.29, 29.10). Less protein intake (OR = 9.57, 95% CI = 1.31, 70.14), more proportion of meals with screen (OR = 6.40, 95% CI: 1.22, 33.61), less proportion of meals with social interaction (OR = 5.90, 95% CI: 1.01, 34.59), and less MVPA (OR = 5.21, 95% CI = 1.11, 24.43) with more screen time increased obesity risk. Conclusions: Objectively measured screen time was positively associated with the risk of childhood obesity. Longer screen time combined with lower protein intake, a higher proportion of meals consumed while watching screens, less meals with social interaction, and lower MVPA may collectively increase obesity risk. These findings call for efforts to reduce screen exposure, promote MVPA, and increase dietary protein intake. Additionally, encouraging children to avoid screen use during meals and promoting parent or peer companionship during eating may help reduce the risk of childhood obesity. Full article