Search Results (183)

Tillage–residue management is a controllable lever for improving maize yield and system resilience under climate variability. Here we propose a mixed-effects spatiotemporal learning framework (ME-LSTM) that integrates multi-source observations to enable robust yield prediction and management system evaluation across heterogeneous sites and years. First, we construct multi-year sliding-window inputs to represent legacy effects and cumulative influences of past management and environment. Second, a deep temporal encoder learns nonlinear dependencies from climate–soil–remote-sensing sequences to enhance interannual extrapolation. Third, a mixed-effects module explicitly separates management fixed effects from hierarchical random effects (e.g., source/study, site, year, and plot), absorbing source-specific biases and unobserved heterogeneity while improving interpretability. Finally, we parameterize management × climate/soil interactions to quantify system-specific sensitivities to environmental drivers and to support scenario-based comparison and recommendation of management options. Across multi-ecological maize datasets, ME-LSTM achieved an R² of 0.8989 with an RMSE of 309.83 kg ha⁻¹ on the test set. Ablation analyses show that removing remote-sensing features or ground-based temporal information substantially degrades performance, confirming the complementary value of multi-source fusion. Benchmarking against strong temporal baselines (LSTM, GRU, BiGRU, and Transformer) further demonstrates consistent accuracy gains of ME-LSTM, highlighting its suitability for small-sample, noisy, and hierarchically structured agricultural data. Overall, ME-LSTM provides an interpretable and scalable tool for climate-adaptive optimization of tillage–residue management and supports robust, actionable decision-making across diverse agro-ecological conditions. Full article

Flexible dielectric composite materials capable of converting power frequency electric fields into measurable electrical signals are of great significance in the field of non-contact electric field sensing in power systems. In this paper, graphene/nitride heterojunction powders were prepared using three representative nitrides (AlN, BN, and Si₃N₄) and embedded in polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to prepare flexible composite films with a fixed filler content of 5.0 wt%. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the successful formation of the heterojunctions. The results showed that the nitride-related elements (Al, Si and N) were spatially correlated with the graphene-rich regions, thus providing abundant interfacial contact sites. Dielectric spectroscopy (50 Hz–50 kHz) showed that all samples exhibited typical dispersive behavior, with the real part of the dielectric constant decreasing monotonically with increasing frequency, and the loss tangent also decreasing smoothly. Under a 50 Hz parallel-plate electric field, the normalized induced voltage amplitude (PDMS = 1) increases to 1.070 (≈7.0%) for G/PDMS, and further to 1.0723–1.07447 (≈7.23–7.45%) for AlN–G/PDMS, BN–G/PDMS, and Si₃N₄-G/PDMS. DFT calculations confirm that the graphene/nitride interface has a stable structure with negative binding energies (−2.241, −1.773, and −3.062 eV for AlN–G, BN–G, and Si₃N₄–G, respectively). Significant charge redistribution and Mulliken charge transfer (0.0538, 0.2047, and 0.0244 eV, respectively) are present at the interface, accompanied by Fermi level density of states modulation and a small bandgap opening (~0.101 eV) in BN–G. These results collectively support the interfacial polarization-driven mechanism and provide a comparative basis for selecting nitride components in graphene-based heterojunction fillers in flexible dielectric electric field-sensing layers. Full article

Background/Objectives: Marginal fit is a key determinant of the clinical performance of CAD/CAM (Computer-Aided DesignComputer-Aided Manufacturing) inlay restorations. This in vitro study compared the vertical marginal gap (VMG) of three chairside CAD/CAM inlay materials—VITA Enamic, CEREC Tessera, and Celtra Duo—using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) under a standardized digital workflow. Methods: Standardized Class I inlay preparations were performed in 15 extracted human molars (n = 5/material). Restorations were fabricated using a chairside workflow (Primescan intraoral scanning, CEREC 5.3 design, Primemill milling) followed by material-specific surface treatment and cementation with a self-adhesive resin cement. VMG was measured on SEM micrographs (500× for quantitative measurements; 200× for orientation) at three sites (mesial, central, distal), with three points per site (nine points/tooth; 135 point measurements). Triplicate points were averaged to site-level means and analyzed using a linear mixed-effects model (fixed effects: material, site, material × site; random intercept: tooth), Type II ANOVA, and Tukey-adjusted pairwise comparisons. Results: Mean VMG values were lowest for Celtra Duo (8.09 ± 1.98 µm), followed by VITA Enamic (27.90 ± 29.76 µm) and CEREC Tessera (32.72 ± 21.80 µm). The model indicated an overall effect of material (F(2,36) = 3.51, p = 0.040), whereas site and material × site effects were not significant. Tukey-adjusted pairwise comparisons did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: Within the standardized chairside workflow evaluated, an overall material effect on VMG was detected, but pairwise separation was inconclusive in this sample with overlapping distributions. Celtra Duo showed smaller VMG values with narrower dispersion in overall per-tooth means, while VITA Enamic and CEREC Tessera showed wider and overlapping distributions; all group means were below commonly cited clinical acceptability ranges for marginal gap. Full article

Urban recreational lakes require systematic microbiological monitoring to ensure public health protection and agreement with bathing-water regulations. This study investigates the spatial variability in fecal indicator bacteria (Escherichia coli and intestinal enterococci) at two major urban bathing sites in Zagreb, Croatia (Lake Bundek and Lake Jarun), using a four-year monitoring dataset (2016–2019) collected at 19 fixed sampling locations. E. coli was quantified using a miniaturized most probable number (MPN) method, while intestinal enterococci were determined by membrane filtration, following ISO standards. Microbiological concentrations were log₁₀-transformed and analyzed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test for statistically significant differences among sampling locations within each lake. Variability in microbiological data was characterized using box-and-whisker plots, which appropriately represent dispersion and skewness typical of MPN- and CFU-based measurements. The results indicate predominantly homogeneous spatial distributions of both indicators, particularly at Lake Jarun, where no statistically significant differences among sampling locations were observed. In contrast, a statistically significant spatial difference in E. coli concentrations was detected at Lake Bundek, likely reflecting site-specific characteristics such as smaller lake size and more limited water exchange. Full article

The deposition of airborne microplastics (MPs) poses potential risks to human health and terrestrial ecosystems. Therefore, suitable mitigation efforts are needed, as is knowledge of their deposition patterns in inhabited and remote regions. Currently, there are no standardized protocols for monitoring airborne MPs, and implementing and managing automatic monitoring systems would be costly and feasible only in a few fixed locations. Over the past few decades, several species of cryptogams have proven to be reliable biomonitors of persistent atmospheric contaminants. Due to the lack of standardized methodologies, the results of preliminary biomonitoring surveys for MPs have been inconsistent and difficult to compare. However, they clearly indicate higher MP concentrations in epigeic mosses than in epiphytic lichens (collected at the same site or experimentally exposed in parallel in bags). This review discusses the morphophysiological features that favor the entrapment and retention of intercepted MPs in mosses, as well as the field and laboratory activities necessary to determine whether these organisms progressively accumulate airborne MPs as a function of the exposure time. Steps for future research needed to develop a cost-effective, reliable and easily applicable biomonitoring methodology are suggested. Evaluating the advantages of active moss biomonitoring over sampling atmospheric bulk deposition or exposing suitable commercial materials is recommended. Full article

Background: Rotating and night-including shifts disrupt circadian alignment, impair sleep, and may reduce nurses’ physiological recovery. Objectives: This study aimed (1) to compare sleep quality and physical well-being across four shift schedules among hospital nurses and (2) to examine whether the association between rotating shifts and physical well-being was statistically consistent with an indirect association via sleep quality. Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 173 nurses from a tertiary hospital in Zagreb, Croatia, completed validated measures of sleep quality and physical well-being. Four shift patterns were analyzed—fixed morning, morning–afternoon, extended 12-h, and rotating three-shift—using Welch ANOVA and regression models. A bootstrapped mediation analysis (10,000 resamples; BCa method), interpreted as a statistical decomposition, estimated an indirect association consistent with sleep quality. Results: Rotating-shift nurses reported the poorest sleep (PSQI = 10.2 ± 2.6; p = 0.003). Physical well-being did not differ significantly across shift types (p = 0.08), although rotating-shift nurses had the lowest mean physical scores (24.3 ± 4.4). The rotating-shift subgroup was small (n = 16), limiting precision. The mediation analysis was statistically consistent with an indirect association between rotating shifts and physical well-being via sleep quality (ACME = −1.85, 95% CI −3.05 to −0.88; p < 0.001), while the proportion of the total association was imprecisely estimated. Conclusions: In this single-site cross-sectional sample, rotating night shifts were associated with poorer sleep and, on average, lower physical well-being; patterns were statistically consistent with an indirect association via sleep quality. Because exposure, mediator, and outcome were measured concurrently, these findings are hypothesis-generating and do not establish causality. Full article

The objective of the present study was to investigate whether orthodontic treatment alters the morphology and bone mineral density (BMD) distribution of the mandibular condyle in growing adolescent patients. Cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) images were retrospectively analyzed for 29 patients (10 males and 19 females, aged 12.5 to 17.0 years) treated with full fixed orthodontic appliances. The right and left mandibular condyles were digitally isolated. For the internal control sample, the basal cortical bone (CB) at both mandibular first molar sites was also digitally dissected. A frequency plot of the CBCT gray values, proportional to BMD, was analyzed to calculate the mean and the 5th percentile of low and high gray values (Low₅ and High₅). Morphological changes in the condylar surface were assessed based on temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA) counts. Lateral cephalometric radiographs were used to measure facial morphology parameters and classify skeletal patterns. The cervical vertebral gray values of the same patients were compared. No radiographic signs of TMJ disorder were observed with no significant difference in TMJOA counts between before and after treatment (p = 0.56). The volume, mean and Low₅ gray values of the mandibular condyle, facial morphology parameters, and cervical vertebral gray values significantly increased following orthodontic treatment (p < 0.05). Skeletal Class II patients exhibited greater changes in mean, Low₅, and High₅ mandibular condyle gray values compared to their Class I patients (p < 0.05), whereas cervical vertebral gray values were not significantly influenced by skeletal classification (p > 0.19). The findings suggest that orthodontic treatment, combined with natural patient growth, contributes to nonpathological condylar alterations in adolescent patients. Full article

This study presents an optimization-driven design of a wireless communications network to continuously transmit environmental variables—temperature, humidity, weight, and water usage—in poultry farms. The reference site is a four-shed facility in Quito, Ecuador (each shed $120\mathrm{m}\times 12\mathrm{m}$) with a data center located $200\mathrm{m}$ from the sheds. Starting from a calibrated log-distance path-loss model, coverage is declared when the received power exceeds the receiver sensitivity of the selected technology. Gateway placement is cast as a mixed-integer optimization that minimizes deployment cost while meeting target coverage and per-gateway capacity; a capacity-aware greedy heuristic provides a robust fallback when exact solvers stall or instances become too large for interactive use. Sensing instruments are Tekon devices using the Tinymesh protocol (IEEE 802.15.4g), selected for low-power operation and suitability for elongated farm layouts. Model parameters and technology presets inform a pre-optimization sizing step—based on range and coverage probability—that seeds candidate gateway locations. The pipeline integrates MATLAB R2024b and LpSolve 5.5.2.0 for the optimization core, Radio Mobile for network-coverage simulations, and Wireshark for on-air packet analysis and verification. On the four-shed case, the algorithm identifies the number and positions of gateways that maximize coverage probability within capacity limits, reducing infrastructure while enabling continuous monitoring. The final layout derived from simulation was implemented onsite, and end-to-end tests confirmed correct operation and data delivery to the farm’s data center. By combining technology-aware modeling, optimization, and field validation, the work provides a practical blueprint to right-size wireless infrastructure for agricultural monitoring. Quantitatively, the optimization couples coverage with capacity and scales with the number of endpoints M and candidate sites N (binaries $M+N+MN$). On the four-shed case, the planner serves 72 environmental endpoints and 41 physical-variable endpoints while keeping the gateway count fixed and reducing the required link ports from 16 to 4 and from 16 to 6, respectively, corresponding to optimization gains of up to 82% and 70% versus dense baseline plans. Definitions and a measurement plan for packet delivery ratio (PDR), one-way latency, throughput, and energy per delivered sample are included; detailed long-term numerical results for these metrics are left for future work, since the present implementation was validated through short-term acceptance tests. Full article

Background and Objectives: Orthodontic tooth movement triggers micro-trauma in the periodontal ligament, leading to a balanced process of bone resorption and apposition mediated by local inflammatory responses. Monitoring N-telopeptide levels in gingival crevicular fluid (GCF) and applying low-intensity laser biostimulation can help optimize mechanical loading, reduce adverse effects, and enhance tissue remodeling during treatment. Materials and Methods: This study had a split-mouth observational design. From 30 patients with ages between 20 and 50, with standardized fixed orthodontic treatment, GCF samples were collected from both control and laser-treated hemiarches before and 14 days after appliance activation. Low-intensity laser therapy (LLLT) was applied to selected sites to assess its effect on N-telopeptide levels, a marker of bone resorption, with samples analyzed via ELISA and results compared statistically to evaluate the impact of laser biostimulation during orthodontic treatment. Statistical analysis was performed using paired t-tests or Wilcoxon tests for two-group comparisons. Results: N-telopeptide levels in gingival crevicular fluid increased significantly from baseline (T0) to 14 days (T1) in both the laser-treated (HL) and control (sham) hemiarches (HC), with higher values observed in the lasered side. Statistical analysis confirmed significant differences between HL and HC at T1 (p < 0.0001), as well as between each T1 group and baseline, indicating that low-intensity laser therapy enhanced bone resorption activity during orthodontic tooth movement. Conclusions: N-telopeptide exhibited higher values in the hemiarches where laser therapy was applied than in the control ones. This provides a rationale for using laser biostimulation as an adjuvant during orthodontic treatment to modulate tissue restructuring. Full article

Iron ore image classification is essential for achieving high production efficiency and classification precision in mineral processing. However, real industrial environments face classification challenges due to small samples, inter-class similarity, and on-site noise. Existing methods are limited by single-view approaches that provide insufficient representation, difficulty in achieving adaptive balance between performance and complexity through manual or fixed feature selection and fusion, and susceptibility to overfitting with poor robustness under small sample conditions. To address these issues, this paper proposes the evolutionary deep fusion framework EDF-NSDE. The framework introduces multi-view feature extraction that combines lightweight and classical convolutional neural networks to obtain complementary features. Additionally, it was utilized to design evolutionary fusion that utilizes NSGA-II and differential evolution for multi-objective search to adaptively balance accuracy and model complexity while reducing overfitting and enhancing robustness through a generalization penalty and adaptive mutation. Furthermore, to overcome data limitations, we constructed a six-class dataset including hematite, magnetite, ilmenite, limonite, pyrite, and rock based on real production scenarios. The experimental results show that on our self-built dataset, EDF-NSDE achieves 84.86%/88.38% on original/augmented test sets, respectively, comprehensively outperforming other models. On a public seven-class mineral dataset, it achieves 92.51%, validating its generalization capability across different mineral types and imaging conditions. In summary, EDF-NSDE provides an automated feature fusion solution that achieves automated upgrading of the mineral classification process, contributing to the development of intelligent manufacturing technology and the industrial internet ecosystem. Full article

Understanding suspended sediment transport in macrotidal embayments is crucial for assessing water quality, ecosystem function, and long-term morphological stability. This study provides a high-resolution, localized estimate of suspended sediment flux and examines the empirical relationship between turbidity (NTU, nephelometric turbidity unit) and total suspended matter (TSM, mg·L⁻¹) in the main tidal channel of Gomso Bay, a UNESCO-designated tidal flat on the west coast of Korea. A 13 h high-resolution fixed-point observation was conducted during a semi-diurnal tidal cycle using a multi-instrument platform, including an RCM, CTD profiler, tide gauge, and water sampling for gravimetric TSM analysis. Vertical measurements at the surface, mid, and bottom layers, taken every 15–30 min, revealed a strong linear correlation (R² = 0.94) between turbidity and TSM, empirically validating the use of optical sensors for real-time sediment monitoring under the highly dynamic conditions of Korean west-coast tidal channels. The net suspended sediment transport load was estimated at approximately 5503 kg·m⁻¹, with ebb-dominant residual currents indicating a net seaward sediment flux at the observation site. Residual flows over macrotidal channels are known to vary laterally, with landward fluxes often occurring over shoals. Importantly, the results from this single-station, short-duration observation indicate a predominantly seaward suspended sediment transport during the study period, which should be interpreted as a localized and time-specific estimate rather than a bay-wide characteristic. Nevertheless, these findings provide a baseline for assessing sediment flux and contribute to future applications in digital twin modeling and coastal management. Gomso Bay is part of the UNESCO-designated ‘Getbol, Korean Tidal Flats’, underscoring the global significance of preserving and monitoring this dynamic coastal system. Full article

Background and Objectives: Currently, the development of local drug delivery systems for the treatment of cancer patients is a pressing issue. Such systems allow for the targeted delivery of anticancer drugs directly to the tumor site, ensuring prolonged drug release or reducing the risk of recurrence after tumor removal, minimizing the impact on healthy tissues and thereby reducing the overall toxic load on the body. This work is devoted to evaluating the prospects of using scaffolds based on low-modulus titanium Ti-15Mo alloy with a biomimetic coating as a platform for the local administration of the cytostatic drug cisplatin into the patient’s body. Methods: Porous coatings were obtained by plasma electrolytic oxidation in an aqueous solution of sodium phosphate and calcium acetate with the addition of various components. The influence of coating parameters on the corrosion resistance of samples and on the antiproliferative effect of cisplatin-loaded scaffolds was evaluated. Human K562 hemoblastosis, HT116 intestinal cancer, and SKOV3 ovarian cancer cell lines were used as cell models. Results: It was shown that the addition of sodium phosphate (the PS type electrolyte) provides the formation of a coating with a developed system of interconnected pores characterized by an attractive combination of parameters: high porosity (17%), high pore size (3.9 μm), and considerable thickness (17.4 μm). This coating demonstrated the best corrosion resistance in a Ringer solution as compared to the other tested states. In addition, the PS coating loaded with cisplatin exhibited a pronounced cytotoxic effect on cancer cells. This effect was attributed to its ability to fix cisplatin on the surface, which slows down its release into the extracellular environment, increasing the time of its action, thereby contributing to a more effective (by more than 3 times) suppression of tumor cell proliferation compared to the action of the standard form of the drug in the form of a solution when changing the growth medium and subsequent incubation for 48 h. Conclusions: PS scaffolds made of low-modulus titanium alloy Ti-15Mo with a biomimetic surface in an electrolyte based on an aqueous solution of sodium phosphate and calcium acetate with the addition of sodium silicate can be used as an advanced platform for the local delivery of the cytostatic drug cisplatin, which makes them promising for application in orthopedic oncology. Full article

The coastal restricted fishing area of Guangdong contains key spawning and nursery habitats with high biodiversity but growing ecological pressure, yet the influence of survey design and sampling frequency on biodiversity detection and abundance estimates remains unclear. We conducted four seasonal bottom-trawl surveys in 2023–2024 at 186 stations and compared fixed-site sampling (FS), simple random sampling (SRS), stratified random sampling by depth (StRS), and systematic sampling (SS). We recorded 563 species (446 fishes, 101 crustaceans, 16 cephalopods), observed seasonal shifts in dominant taxa, and found catch rates varied seasonally and spatially, peaking in summer. Species detection rose with station number and sampling frequency. For species richness, SS produced the highest detection and the lowest error and bias but showed volatility; StRS and SRS were more stable. For abundance, StRS had the lowest error, whereas SRS had the smallest absolute bias. Across all four seasons, 88 stations achieved an 80% richness detection rate; among reduced-frequency designs, autumn-only, spring–autumn, and autumn–spring–summer minimized errors. These results guide cost–precision trade-offs: SS (with random starts and interval rotation) for richness-oriented aims, and depth-based StRS for abundance, supporting optimized long-term monitoring and management in the northern South China Sea. Full article

This study investigates the long-term effects of catastrophic phosphate mining effluent contamination on the biocrust microbial community structure in sections of the ephemeral Ashalim Stream, Negev Desert, Israel. Microbial communities were characterized using next-generation sequencing of 16S rRNA gene fragments, conducted 1.5 and 5 years after the contamination event, across five stream strips. Samples from the nearby, uncontaminated Gmalim Stream served as controls. Biocrusts from Ashalim showed higher relative abundances of the phyla Actinobacteria and Firmicutes compared to Gmalim, whereas Chloroflexi were more prevalent in the controls. At the genus level, Blastococcus, Bacillus, Massilia, and Noviherbaspirillum were more abundant in the Ashalim strips, while Flavisolibacter, Segetibacter, and Rhodocytophaga were more abundant in the controls. Notably, genera within the Cyanobacteria phylum accounted for only 0.0–2.0% of sequences in Ashalim samples versus 2.5–20% in controls. The filamentous Leptolyngbya, Tychonema, and Trichocoleus genera were the most dominant cyanobacteria in all samples. The Nitrogen-fixing cyanobacterial genera Scytonema and Nostoc were consistently detected in Gmalim, but only in trace numbers in certain Ashalim sites. The results from both sampling campaigns support the hypothesis that phosphate effluent contamination had a profound impact on biocrust microbial community structure and function. In particular, the marked reduction in Cyanobacteria suggests a long-lasting disruption that may substantially hinder the natural ecosystem rehabilitation. Full article

Background: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) is a life-threatening condition characterized by necrosis of the gastrointestinal tract caused by hypoperfusion and hypoxia-induced inflammation. Surgical treatment often requires resection, with high morbidity and mortality. Intestinal tissue engineering using absorbable biomaterials represents a potential alternative. Small intestinal submucosa (SIS) is a biodegradable extracellular matrix (ECM) scaffold that may facilitate regeneration of the native tissue. Objectives: The aim of our study is to investigate the regenerative potential of SIS in a rat model with multiple gastrointestinal defects. Methods: In rats, after a midline laparotomy, an approximately 1 cm full-thickness incision was performed on the anterior gastric wall, on the antimesenteric side of the small and large intestine, each covered with an SIS patch. After three weeks, the graft sites and adjacent fragments were harvested and fixed in 10% neutral buffered formalin. Cross-sections of the grafted area were processed and stained with hematoxylin and eosin for histologic analysis. Results: Among the fifteen Wistar rats used in the study, the survival rate was 80% (12/15). Macroscopic examination of the abdominal cavity after the second surgery showed no complications. Adhesions were present in 92% (11/12). Histological examination demonstrated complete mucosal coverage in all stomach samples, nine of the small intestine, and ten of the large intestine. Mild fibrosis with minimal inflammatory infiltrates predominated. Ulceration with granulation tissue replacement was observed in three small intestine samples. Foreign body reactions were restricted to suture sites. Conclusions: In this multifocal injury model, SIS integrated effectively and supported early regenerative healing across gastric, small-intestinal, and colonic sites at 3 weeks. These data support further studies with longer follow-up, quantitative histology and functional assessment, and evaluation in neonatal-relevant large animal models to determine translational potential for NEC surgery. Full article