Search Results (54)

This paper serves as a comprehensive and practical resource to guide researchers in selecting suitable metals for use as photocathodes in radio-frequency (RF) and superconducting radio-frequency (SRF) electron guns. It offers an in-depth review of bulk and thin-film metals commonly employed in many applications. The investigation includes the photoemission, optical, chemical, mechanical, and physical properties of metallic materials used in photocathodes, with a particular focus on key performance parameters such as quantum efficiency, operational lifetime, chemical inertness, thermal emittance, response time, dark current, and work function. In addition to these primary attributes, this study examines essential parameters such as surface roughness, morphology, injector compatibility, manufacturing techniques, and the impact of chemical environmental factors on overall performance. The aim is to provide researchers with detailed insights to make well-informed decisions on materials and device selection. The holistic approach of this work associates, in tabular format, all photo-emissive, optical, mechanical, physical, and chemical properties of bulk and thin-film metallic photocathodes with experimental data, aspiring to provide unique tools for maximizing the effectiveness of laser cleaning treatment. Full article

To address the widespread challenges of significant multi-category dental morphological variations and interference from overlapping anatomical structures in panoramic dental X-ray images, this paper proposes a dual-stream dental segmentation model based on Transformer heterogeneous feature complementarity. Firstly, we construct a parallel architecture comprising a Transformer semantic parsing branch and a Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) detail capturing pathway, achieving collaborative optimization of global context modeling and local feature extraction. Furthermore, a Pooling-Cooperative Convolutional Module was designed, which enhances the model’s capability in detail extraction and boundary localization through weighted centroid features of dental structures and a latent edge extraction module. Finally, a Semantic Transformation Module and Interactive Fusion Module are constructed. The Semantic Transformation Module converts geometric detail features extracted from the CNN branch into high-order semantic representations compatible with Transformer sequential processing paradigms, while the Interactive Fusion Module applies attention mechanisms to progressively fuse dual-stream features, thereby enhancing the model’s capability in holistic dental feature extraction. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed method achieves an IoU of 91.49% and a Dice coefficient of 94.54%, outperforming current segmentation methods across multiple evaluation metrics. Full article

The wheat stem sawfly (WSS, Cephus cinctus Norton) is a major insect pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) in North America. Few management tactics exist, and quantifying their efficacy is confounded by the difficulty in monitoring infestation at the field scale. Accurate estimates of WSS infestation are cost prohibitive as they rely on comprehensive stem dissection surveys due to the concealed life cycle of the pest. Consolidating the available management tactics into an effective strategy requires inexpensive, spatially explicit estimates of WSS infestation that are compatible with the large field sizes dryland wheat is often sown to. Therefore, we investigated using multitemporal satellite passive remote sensing (RS) to estimate various metrics of WSS infestation collected from field surveys at the subfield scale. To achieve this, we dissected 43,155 individual stems collected from 1158 unique locations across 9 production wheat fields in Montana, USA. The dissected stem samples from each location were then quantified using the following metrics: the proportion of total WSS-infested stems, proportion of stems with more than one node burrowed through (adequate WSS infestations), and proportion of WSS cut stems only. Cloud-free Sentinel 2 images were collected from Google Earth Engine for each field from across the growing season and sparse multiway partial least squares regression was used to produce a model for total WSS infestations, adequate WSS infestations, and WSS cut stems, for each sampled field. Upon comparing the performance of these models, we found that, on average, the metrics for total (R² = 0.57) and adequate WSS infestations (R² = 0.57) were more accurately estimated than WSS cut (R² = 0.34). The results of this study indicate that multitemporal RS can help estimate total and adequate WSS infestations, but more holistic methods of field level sensing should be explored, especially for estimating WSS cutting. Full article

The T-Rehab System delivers a semi-immersive tele-rehabilitation experience by integrating Affective Computing (AC) through facial expression analysis and contactless heartbeat monitoring. T-Rehab closely monitors patients’ mental health as they engage in a personalized, semi-immersive Virtual Reality (VR) game on a desktop PC, using a webcam with MediaPipe to track their hand movements for interactive exercises, allowing the system to tailor treatment content for increased engagement and comfort. T-Rehab’s evaluation comprises two assessments: system performance and cognitive walkthroughs. The first evaluation focuses on system performance, assessing the tested game, middleware, and facial emotion monitoring to ensure hardware compatibility and effective support for AC, gaming, and tele-rehabilitation. The second evaluation uses cognitive walkthroughs to examine usability, identifying potential issues in emotion detection and tele-rehabilitation. Together, these evaluations provide insights into T-Rehab’s functionality, usability, and impact in supporting both physical rehabilitation and emotional well-being. The thorough integration of technology inside T-Rehab ensures a holistic approach to tele-rehabilitation, allowing patients to participate comfortably and efficiently from anywhere. This technique not only improves physical therapy outcomes but also promotes mental resilience, marking an important step advance in tele-rehabilitation practices. Full article

The FuelEU Maritime Regulation, part of the European Union’s (EU’s) Fit for 55 initiative, aims to achieve significant reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within the maritime sector. This study assesses the feasibility of alternative fuels for the Estonian pilot fleet using a Well-to-Wake (WtW) life cycle assessment (LCA) methodology. Operational data from 18 vessels, sourced from the Estonian State Fleet’s records, were analyzed, including technical specifications, fuel consumption patterns, and operational scenarios. The study focused on marine diesel oil (MDO), biomethane, hydrogen, biodiesel, ammonia, and hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), each presenting distinct trade-offs. Biomethane achieved a 59% GHG emissions reduction but required a volumetric storage capacity up to 353% higher compared to MDO. Biodiesel reduced GHG emissions by 41.2%, offering moderate compatibility with existing systems while requiring up to 23% larger storage volumes. HVO demonstrated a 43.6% emissions reduction with seamless integration into existing marine engines. Ammonia showed strong potential for long-term decarbonization, but its adoption is hindered by low energy density and complex storage requirements. This research underscores the importance of a holistic evaluation of alternative fuels, taking into account technical, economic, and environmental factors specific to regional and operational contexts. The findings offer a quantitative basis for policymakers and maritime stakeholders to develop effective decarbonization strategies for the Baltic Sea region. Full article

This review provides a comprehensive exploration of the current research landscape surrounding nanoclay-reinforced epoxy composites. A primary challenge in developing these nanocomposites is the hydrophilic nature of pristine clay, which hinders its dispersion within the epoxy matrix. To address this issue, organic modifiers are frequently employed to enhance clay compatibility and facilitate effective incorporation into the nanocomposite structure. The unique properties of nanoclay make it a particularly attractive reinforcement material. The performance of nanoclay/epoxy nanocomposites is largely determined by their morphology, which is influenced by various factors including processing methods, clay types, modifiers, and curing agents. A thorough understanding and control of these parameters are essential for optimizing nanocomposite performance. These advanced materials find extensive applications across multiple industries, including aerospace, defense, anti-corrosive coatings, automotive, and packaging. This review offers an in-depth analysis of the processing techniques, mechanical properties, barrier capabilities, and thermal characteristics of nanoclay-reinforced epoxy nanocomposites. Additionally, it explores their diverse industrial applications, providing a holistic view of their potential and current use. By examining the multifaceted landscape of epoxy/clay nanocomposites, this review illuminates the intricate relationships between fabrication methods, resulting properties, and potential industrial applications. It serves as a comprehensive resource for researchers and practitioners seeking to advance the development and application of these innovative materials. Full article

Tick-borne diseases have emerged as a major global public health problem in recent decades. The increasing incidence and geographical dissemination of these diseases requires the implementation of robust surveillance systems to monitor their prevalence, distribution, and public health impact. It is therefore not unexpected that tick-borne pathogens coexist in the same vectors, but the interactions of these agents between vectors and vertebrate hosts, including humans, remain poorly understood. The impact of infection in humans extends to the diagnostic challenges that arise when the same symptomatology can be associated with any tick-borne pathogen, and therapeutic recommendations only focus on the major or best-known tick-borne diseases, ignoring other lesser-known or less prevalent infections. Both surveillance systems and the holistic diagnosis of tick-borne pathogens are necessary tools to address the emergence of vector-borne diseases. In this study, we will focus on the main tick-borne viral, bacterial, and parasitic diseases in Spain to reflect the need to establish syndromic diagnostics in samples from patients with a history of tick bites and symptomatology compatible with them. On the other hand, and highlighting this need, innovations in molecular techniques, syndromic surveillance, and surveillance programs for ticks and tick-borne pathogens with public health implications are expected to be developed. Full article

In this study, the potential of employing SiN_x (silicon nitride) waveguide platforms to enable the use of liquid-crystal-based phase shifters for on-chip optical modulators was thoroughly investigated using 3D-FDTD (3D finite-difference time-domain) simulations. The entire structure of liquid-crystal-based Mach–Zehnder interferometer (MZI) optical modulators, consisting of multi-mode interferometer splitters, different tapering sections, and liquid-crystal-based phase shifters, was systematically and holistically investigated with a view to developing a compact, wideband, and CMOS-compatible (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) bias voltage optical modulator with competitive modulation efficiency, good fabrication tolerance, and single-mode operation using the same SiN_x waveguide layer for the entire device. The trade-off between several important parameters is critically discussed in order to reach a conclusion on the possible optimized parameter sets. Contrary to previous demonstrations, this investigation focused on the potential of achieving such an optical device using the same SiN_x waveguide layer for the entire device, including both the passive and active regions. Significantly, we show that it is necessary to carefully select the phase shifter length of the LC-based (liquid crystal) MZI optical modulator, as the phase shifter length required to obtain a π phase shift could be as low as a few tens of microns; therefore, a phase shifter length that is too long can contradictorily worsen the optical modulation. Full article

In recent years, cultural projects utilizing digital applications and immersive technologies (VR, AR, MR) have grown significantly, enhancing cultural heritage experiences. Research emphasizes the importance of usability, user experience, and accessibility, yet holistic approaches remain underexplored and many projects fail to reach their audience. This article aims to bridge this gap by presenting a complete workflow including systematic requirements analysis, design guidelines, and development solutions based on knowledge extracted from previous relevant projects. The article focuses on virtual museums covering key challenges including compatibility, accessibility, usability, navigation, interaction, computational performance and graphics quality, and provides a design schema for integrating virtual museums into such projects. Following this approach, a number of applications are presented. Their performance with respect to the aforementioned key challenges is evaluated. Users are invited to assess them, providing positive results. To assess the virtual museum’s ability to attract a broader audience beyond the usual target group, a group of underserved minorities are also invited to use and evaluate it, generating encouraging outcomes. Concluding, results show that the presented workflow succeeds in yielding high-quality applications for cultural heritage communication and attraction of wider audiences, and outlines directions for further improvements in digitized heritage applications. Full article

The magnitude and scale of the challenges ahead require fundamental sustainability transitions towards sustainable societies on an unprecedented level in human history. This paper argues that reflecting on the philosophical underpinnings of sustainability transitions and complementing the human–nature relationship with a more holistic and ecological perspective is necessary for the transition to a sustainable “humble world”. Using Taoist philosophy as an enabler, this paper explores the three principles of “interconnectedness and symbiosis”, “equality, balance and justice of all things” and “follow the Tzu-Jan and WuWei” to enrich sustainability transition studies and guide the construction for transition trajectories. By exploring the instrumental potential of Taoist-inspired principles in sustainability transitions, this paper provides a pre-paradigm complementary rationale for the “why” behind the “how” of achieving a sustainable future. The paper’s conclusions establish common ground for a transdisciplinary dialogue between Taoist philosophy and sustainability science (especially on sustainability transitions), strengthen the rationale for sustainability transitions, reveal transition commonalities compatible with Taoist philosophy, and add depth, richness, and inclusiveness to the cross-cultural knowledge base of sustainability transitions. Full article

This review outlines the evolutionary journey from traditional two-dimensional (2D) cell culture to the revolutionary field of organ-on-a-chip technology. Organ-on-a-chip technology integrates microfluidic systems to mimic the complex physiological environments of human organs, surpassing the limitations of conventional 2D cultures. This evolution has opened new possibilities for understanding cell–cell interactions, cellular responses, drug screening, and disease modeling. However, the design and manufacture of microchips significantly influence their functionality, reliability, and applicability to different biomedical applications. Therefore, it is important to carefully consider design parameters, including the number of channels (single, double, or multi-channels), the channel shape, and the biological context. Simultaneously, the selection of appropriate materials compatible with the cells and fabrication methods optimize the chips’ capabilities for specific applications, mitigating some disadvantages associated with these systems. Furthermore, the success of organ-on-a-chip platforms greatly depends on the careful selection and utilization of cell resources. Advances in stem cell technology and tissue engineering have contributed to the availability of diverse cell sources, facilitating the development of more accurate and reliable organ-on-a-chip models. In conclusion, a holistic perspective of in vitro cellular modeling is provided, highlighting the integration of microfluidic technology and meticulous chip design, which play a pivotal role in replicating organ-specific microenvironments. At the same time, the sensible use of cell resources ensures the fidelity and applicability of these innovative platforms in several biomedical applications. Full article

The increasing rate of adoption of innovative technological achievements along with the penetration of the Next Generation Internet (NGI) technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the water sector are leading to a shift to a Water-Smart Society. New challenges have emerged in terms of data interoperability, sharing, and trustworthiness due to the rapidly increasing volume of heterogeneous data generated by multiple technologies. Hence, there is a need for efficient harmonization and smart modeling of the data to foster advanced AI analytical processes, which will lead to efficient water data management. The main objective of this work is to propose two Smart Data Models focusing on the modeling of the satellite imagery data and the flood risk assessment processes. The utilization of those models reinforces the fusion and homogenization of diverse information and data, facilitating the adoption of AI technologies for flood mapping and monitoring. Furthermore, a holistic framework is developed and evaluated via qualitative and quantitative performance indicators revealing the efficacy of the proposed models concerning the usage of the models in real cases. The framework is based on the well-known and compatible technologies on NGSI-LD standards which are customized and applicable easily to support the water data management processes effectively. Full article

From powering our homes to driving our economies, energy lies at the heart of humanity’s complex challenges in the modern era. This paper reviews the evolution of smart energy systems, examining their technological advancements and societal implications while proposing a future design framework emphasizing four key pillars: holistic resource optimization, adaptive intelligence, environmental harmony, and human-centered design. While they offer numerous benefits, such as enhanced energy efficiency and reduced carbon emissions, smart energy systems also face challenges. These include cybersecurity risks, the complexity of integrating diverse energy sources seamlessly, high upfront costs, and potential compatibility issues arising from evolving technologies. Overcoming these challenges will be crucial for unleashing the full potential of smart energy systems and facilitating their global adoption. Abundant opportunities for further research and development exist in this domain, awaiting exploration and advancement. Full article

Recent research has emphasized the potential of natural and synthetic cannabinoids as anticancer agents. Yet it remains unclear whether and in which sense cannabinoids affect the anticancer activity of NK cells, an important branch of anticancer immunity. Similar uncertainty exists regarding NK cells-based immunotherapy. Here we presented an overview of multiple cannabinoid targets as canonical (mainly CB2) and non-canonical receptors, ion channels, transporters, and enzymes, expressed in NK cells, along with underlying molecular mechanisms. Through them, cannabinoids can affect viability, proliferation, migration, cytokine production, and the overall anticancer activity of NK cells. Respective holistic studies are limited, and, mostly, are phenomenological, not linking observed effects with certain molecular targets. Another problem of existing studies is the lack of standardisation, so that diverse cannabinoids at variable concentrations and ways of administration are applied, and often, instead of purified NK cells, the whole lymphocyte population is used. Therefore, there is an urgent need for more focused, systemic, and in-depth studies of the impact of the cannabinoid toolkit on NK cell function, to critically address the compatibility and potential synergies between NK activity and cannabinoid utilization in the realm of anticancer interventions. Full article

(1) Aims and Objectives: Mobile health (mHealth) is increasingly becoming a favorite healthcare delivery solution in underserved areas around the globe. This study aims to identify the influence of technology–organization–environment (TOE) factors on mHealth adoption and to assess the influence of mHealth on the reduction in health disparities in the context of healthcare delivery in low-resource settings. (2) Methods: A cross-sectional survey of physicians and nurses was carried out at six hospitals in the public and private health sectors in Pakistan. The survey’s theoretical foundation is based on the technology–organization–environment (TOE) framework. TOE constructs (relative advantage, compatibility, management support, organizational readiness, external support, and government regulations) were used to develop hypotheses. The hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). (3) Results: Findings from this study show that management support and external support are the two main predictors of mHealth adoption among healthcare professionals. The study proposes an mHealth adoption model that can significantly contribute towards improving medical outcomes, reducing inefficiencies, expanding access, lowering costs, raising quality, making medicine more personalized for patients, and gaining advantages from mHealth solutions in order to reduce health disparities. (4) Conclusion: The study suggests that there is no single approach that could support mHealth adoption. Instead, a holistic approach is required that considers cultural, economic, technological, organizational, and environmental factors for successful mHealth adoption in low-resource settings. Our proposed mHealth model offers guidance to policymakers, health organizations, governments, and political leaders to make informed decisions regarding mHealth implementation plans. Full article