Search Results (20)

The use of convolutional neural networks in nursery production remains limited, emphasizing the need for advanced vision-based approaches to support automation. This study evaluated the feasibility of detecting chip-budding graft sites in apple nurseries using YOLO object detection and segmentation models. A dataset of 3630 RGB images of budding sites was collected under variable field conditions. The models achieved high detection precision and consistent segmentation performance, confirming strong convergence and structural maturity across YOLO generations. The YOLO12s model demonstrated the most balanced performance, combining high precision with superior localization accuracy, particularly under higher Intersection-over-Union threshold conditions. In the segmentation experiments, both architectures achieved nearly equivalent performance, with only minor variations observed across evaluation metrics. The YOLO11s-seg model showed slightly higher Precision and overall stability, whereas YOLOv8s-seg retained a small advantage in Recall. Inference efficiency was assessed on both high-performance (RTX 5080) and embedded (Jetson Orin NX) platforms. YOLOv8s achieved the highest inference efficiency with minimal Latency, while TensorRT optimization further improved throughput and reduced Latency across all YOLO models. These results demonstrate that framework-level optimization can provide substantial practical benefits. The findings confirm the suitability of YOLO-based methods for precise detection of grafting sites in apple nurseries and establish a foundation for developing autonomous systems supporting nursery and orchard automation. Full article

MXene–polymer hybrids combine the high in-plane conductivity and rich surface chemistry of MXenes with the processability and mechanical tunability of polymers for lithium-metal and lithium–sulfur batteries. Most reported systems still rely on HF-etched MXenes, introducing F-rich terminations, safety and waste issues, and poorly controlled surfaces. This review instead centers on fluoride-free synthesis routes, benchmarks them against HF methods, and translates route–termination relationships into practical rules for choosing polymer backbones. We track the evolution from early linear hosts such as PEO- and PVDF-type polymers to polar nitrile or carbonyl matrices, crosslinked and ionogel networks, and emerging biopolymers and COF-type porous frameworks that are co-designed with MXene terminations to regulate ion transport, interfacial chemistry, and mechanical robustness. These chemistry–backbone pairings are linked to five scalable fabrication modes, including solution blending and film casting, in situ polymerization, surface grafting, layer-by-layer assembly, and electrospinning, and to roles as solid or quasi-solid electrolytes, artificial interphases, separator-like coatings, and electrode-facing architectures. Finally, we highlight key evidence gaps and reporting standards needed to de-risk scale-up of green MXene–polymer batteries. Full article

Polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) harness their molecularly precise organic–inorganic hybrid cage architecture to deliver hardness, scratch resistance, and programmable functionality for next-generation transparent coatings. Tailoring of solubility, thermal stability, mechanical robustness, electronic characteristics, and interfacial properties is achieved through strategic peripheral modifications enabled by versatile synthetic methodologies—spanning metal catalysis, metal-free routes, and selective bond activation. Advanced integration techniques, including covalent grafting, chemical crosslinking, UV–thermal dual curing, and in situ polymerization, ensure uniform dispersion while optimizing coating–substrate adhesion and network integrity. The resultant coatings exhibit exceptional optical transparency, mechanical durability, tunable electrical performance, thermal endurance, and engineered surface hydrophobicity. These synergistic attributes underpin transformative applications across critical domains: atomic-oxygen-resistant spacecraft shielding, UV-managing agricultural films, flame-retardant architectural claddings, mechanically adaptive foldable displays, and efficiency-enhanced energy devices. Future progress will prioritize sustainable synthesis pathways, emergent asymmetric cage architectures, and multifunctional designs targeting extreme-environment resilience, thereby expanding the frontier of high-performance transparent protective technologies. Full article

Rootstock choice offers a powerful lever for tailoring economically important trees to adverse environments. Camellia oleifera Abel., a premier oil-producing species cultivated widely on red-soil hills, suffers large yield losses under chronic phosphorus deficiency. We grafted a single elite scion (CL4) onto three contrasting rootstocks (CL4, CL3, CL53) and monitored growth and root transcriptomes for 1.5 years under adequate (1 mM) or limiting (0 mM) P supply. Under low-P stress, the rootstock identity reshaped the root architecture: CL4/CL3 produced the longest, most extensive network, increasing the total root length by 49.7%, the surface area by 52.9%, and the volume by 42.6% relative to the control, whereas leaf morphology responded solely to P supply, not to the graft combination. CL4/CL3 also accumulated up to more than 17.5% of root biomass and 28.25% of whole-plant biomass than any other combination. Physiologically, CL4/CL3 acted as an aggressive P miner, accumulating 67.8% more P in its roots than the self-grafted control under P limitation, while CL4/CL4 maximized the internal P use efficiency, showing a 44.74% higher root P use efficiency than CL4/CL53—two contrasting yet effective strategies for coping with low-P stress. Transcriptome profiling uncovered 1733 DEGs in the CL4/CL3 and 2585 in the CL4/CL4 roots, with 150 and 255 uniquely co-expressed genes, respectively. CL4/CL3 up-regulated organic-acid and phenylpropanoid pathways; CL4/CL4 activated defense and phosphate transport networks. qRT-PCR of six genes confirmed that CL4/CL3 mounted a stronger low-P response via MAPK, hormonal, and lipid–metabolic signaling. These results provide a mechanistic framework for rootstock-mediated P efficiency and establish a foundation for the molecular breeding of C. oleifera under nutrient-limited conditions. Full article

In this study, we present experimental investigations of the surface structure and water contact angles of magnetoactive elastomers (MAEs), which are controlled by an external magnetic field. Specifically, we examine how the polymer matrix architecture affects the surface roughness and wettability of MAEs in various magnetic fields. We performed a comparative analysis on MAEs based on a linear polysiloxane network and on a matrix of the same chemical nature containing side-grafted chains. We synthesized a series of magnetoactive elastomers containing 75 wt.% carbonyl iron and varying amounts of a low-molecular-weight plasticizer. Although the magnetorheological effect is higher for traditional linear MAEs, we found that the magnetic response in surface properties is higher for novel MAEs with side-grafted chains. The largest increase in water contact angle was observed in the side-chain MAEs with the highest 60 wt.% plasticizer content: rising from 112° in a zero field to 168° in a 490 mT magnetic field. Water contact angles exhibit greater stability over time for side-chain MAEs, and this stability further increases in the presence of a magnetic field. Our results demonstrate that the architecture of the polymer matrix serves as an effective tool for designing smart, magnetically responsive surfaces. Full article

Advancements in bioinks and three-dimensional (3D) printing and bioprinting have significantly advanced cardiovascular tissue engineering by enabling the fabrication of biomimetic cardiac and vascular constructs. Traditional 3D printing has contributed to the development of acellular scaffolds, vascular grafts, and patient-specific cardiovascular models that support surgical planning and biomedical applications. In contrast, 3D bioprinting has emerged as a transformative biofabrication technology that allows for the spatially controlled deposition of living cells and biomaterials to construct functional tissues in vitro. Bioinks—derived from natural biomaterials such as collagen and decellularized matrix, synthetic polymers such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) and polycaprolactone (PCL), or hybrid combinations—have been engineered to replicate extracellular environments while offering tunable mechanical properties. These formulations ensure biocompatibility, appropriate mechanical strength, and high printing fidelity, thereby maintaining cell viability, structural integrity, and precise architectural resolution in the printed constructs. Advanced bioprinting modalities, including extrusion-based bioprinting (such as the FRESH technique), droplet/inkjet bioprinting, digital light processing (DLP), two-photon polymerization (TPP), and melt electrowriting (MEW), enable the fabrication of complex cardiovascular structures such as vascular patches, ventricle-like heart pumps, and perfusable vascular networks, demonstrating the feasibility of constructing functional cardiac tissues in vitro. This review highlights the respective strengths of these technologies—for example, extrusion’s ability to print high-cell-density bioinks and MEW’s ultrafine fiber resolution—as well as their limitations, including shear-induced cell stress in extrusion and limited throughput in TPP. The integration of optimized bioink formulations with appropriate printing and bioprinting platforms has significantly enhanced the replication of native cardiac and vascular architectures, thereby advancing the functional maturation of engineered cardiovascular constructs. Full article

Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), derived from renewable biomass, have emerged as a pivotal component in the design of biomimetic composite hydrogels due to their exceptional mechanical strength, biocompatibility, and tunable surface chemistry. This review comprehensively explores recent advancements in surface modification strategies for CNCs (physical adsorption, chemical grafting, and bio-functionalization) and their impacts on the structure and properties of hydrogel networks, with particular emphasis on mechanical properties. Future applications in light/thermal/electrical-responsive soft actuators are critically analyzed. Guided by biomimetic design principles, the anisotropic mechanical responses induced by CNC-oriented alignment are explored, along with their cutting-edge advancements in soft robotics, wearable sensing, and biomedical devices. Perspectives are provided on future directions, including multi-stimuli synergistic actuation systems and sensing-actuation integration architectures. This work establishes a fundamental framework for designing CNC-enhanced smart hydrogels with tailored functionalities and hierarchical structures. Full article

Large segmental bone defects present significant challenges due to the insufficient vascularization of implanted grafts, necessitating advances in vascularized bone tissue engineering. Recent innovations focus primarily on enhancing graft vascularization through advanced biomaterial scaffolds, precise three-dimensional (3D) bioprinting technologies, biochemical interventions, and co-culture techniques. Biomaterial scaffolds featuring microchannels and high-surface-area architectures facilitate endothelial cell infiltration and subsequent vessel formation. Concurrently, sophisticated 3D-bioprinting methods, including inkjet, extrusion, and laser-assisted approaches, enable the precise placement of endothelial and osteogenic cells, promoting anatomically accurate vascular networks. Biochemical strategies that utilize the simultaneous delivery of angiogenic factors (e.g., vascular endothelial growth factor) and osteogenic factors (e.g., bone morphogenetic protein-2) effectively couple angiogenesis and osteogenesis. Additionally, co-culturing mesenchymal stem cells and endothelial progenitors accelerates the development of functional capillary networks. Preclinical studies consistently demonstrate superior outcomes for prevascularized grafts, as evidenced by enhanced vascular inosculation, increased bone formation, and improved mechanical stability compared to non-vascularized controls. These technological advancements collectively represent significant progress toward the clinical translation of engineered vascularized bone grafts capable of addressing complex and previously intractable bone defects. Full article

Rootstocks largely determine the tree architecture of the grafted scions, significantly affects yield, suitability for mechanical harvesting, and planting pattern of apple orchards. It is thus important to reveal the mechanisms behind the rootstocks influence on the tree architecture of scions in apple trees. This study analyzed the grafting survival rate, the physiological parameters including plant growth, photosynthesis and nutrient accumulation in the apple variety ‘Harlikar’ with eight apple rootstocks. We also explored the mechanism of scion architecture formation using transcriptomics based on different scion/rootstock combinations. The results indicated that ‘Harlikar’ had the lowest grafting survival rate with rootstock ‘M26’, with less callus formed at the graft interface, foliage etiolation, and weak photosynthetic capacity. While ‘Harlikar’ had better affinities with ‘M9-T337’, ‘M9-Nic29’, ‘M9-Pajam2’, ‘B9’, ‘71-3-150’, ‘Qingzhen 2’, and ‘Malus baccata’. Among these, the highest plant height and the highest number of lateral branches were observed in ‘Harlikar’ with rootstock ‘Qingzhen 2’, they were 1.12-times and 2.0-times higher than ‘Harlikar’ with vigorous rootstock ‘M. baccata’, respectively. The highest accumulations of total nitrogen, total phosphorus, and total potassium in scions were observed in ‘Harlikar’/‘Qingzhen 2’, they were 2.22-times, 2.10-times, and 11.80-times higher than that in ‘Harlikar’/‘M. baccata’. The lowest plant height was observed in ‘Harlikar’/‘71-3-150’, only 50.47% of ‘Harlikar’/‘Qingzhen 2’ and 56.51% of ‘Harlikar’/‘M. baccata’, and the lowest internode length was observed in ‘Harlikar’/‘M9-Nic29’, only 60.76% of ‘Harlikar’/‘Qingzhen 2’ and 79.11% of ‘Harlikar’/‘M. baccata’. The transcriptome, weighted gene co-expression network and KEGG enrichment analyses revealed that, compared to ‘Harlikar’/‘M. baccata’, most differentially expressed genes screened from ‘Harlikar’/‘Qingzhen 2’, ‘Harlikar’/‘71-3-150’, and ‘Harlikar’/‘M9-Nic29’ were enriched in hormone signal transduction pathways. Specifically, auxin-repressed protein gene ARP, cytokinin synthesis related genes CKXs and CYP92A6, and brassinosteroid synthesis related gene CYP87A3 were involved in the dwarfing of ‘Harlikar’/‘71-3-150’ and ‘Harlikar’/‘M9-Nic29’. Cytokinin synthesis related gene ARR-A and abscisic acid-responsive element binding factor gene ABF were the key to increased branching in ‘Harlikar’/‘Qingzhen 2’. In addition, acid phosphatase genes ACPs, and serine/threonine-protein kinase genes PBLs were involved in the vegetative growth of scions in ‘Harlikar’/‘Qingzhen 2’ by affecting the absorption and utilization of nutrients. These results provide theoretical guidance for cultivating high-quality ‘Harlikar’ apple trees and elucidate the molecular mechanisms regulating plant height and lateral branch formation in apple. Full article

Hybrid epoxide–acrylate photopolymerization enables the temporal structuring of polymer networks for advanced material properties. The ability to design polymer network architectures and to tune mechanical properties can be realized through the control of the cationic active center propagation reaction (active chain end mechanism) relative to the cationic chain transfer reaction (activated monomer mechanism). Grafted polymer networks (GPNs) can be developed through the covalent bonding of epoxide chains to acrylate chains through hydroxyl substituents, making hydroxyl-containing acrylates a promising class of chain transfer agents. This work demonstrates the formation of these GPNs and explores the physical properties obtained through the control of hydroxyl content and hybrid formulation composition. The GPNs exhibit a lower glass transition temperature than the neat epoxide network and result in a more homogeneous network. Further investigations of hydroxyl-containing acrylates as chain transfer agents will generate a wider range of physical property options for photopolymerized hybrid coatings, sealants, and adhesives. Full article

Scaffolds for tissue engineering are expected to respond to a challenging combination of physical and mechanical requirements, guiding the research towards the development of novel hybrid materials. This study introduces innovative three-dimensional bioresorbable scaffolds, in which a stiff poly(lactic acid) lattice structure is meant to ensure temporary mechanical support, while a bioactive gelatin–chitosan hydrogel is incorporated to provide a better environment for cell adhesion and proliferation. The scaffolds present a core–shell structure, in which the lattice core is realized by additive manufacturing, while the shell is nested throughout the core by grafting and crosslinking a hydrogel forming solution. After subsequent freeze-drying, the hydrogel network forms a highly interconnected porous structure that completely envelops the poly(lactic acid) core. Thanks to this strategy, it is easy to tailor the scaffold properties for a specific target application by properly designing the lattice geometry and the core/shell ratio, which are found to significantly affect the scaffold mechanical performance and its bioresorption. Scaffolds with a higher core/shell ratio exhibit higher mechanical properties, whereas reducing the core/shell ratio results in higher values of bioactive hydrogel content. Hydrogel contents up to 25 wt% could be achieved while maintaining high compression stiffness (>200 MPa) and strength (>5 MPa), overall, within the range of values displayed by human bone tissue. In addition, mechanical properties remain stable after prolonged immersion in water at body temperature for several weeks. On the other hand, the hydrogel undergoes gradual and homogeneous degradation over time, but the core–shell integrity and structural stability are nevertheless maintained during at least 7-week hydrolytic degradation tests. In vitro experiments with human mesenchymal stromal cells reveal that the core–shell scaffolds are biocompatible, and their physical–mechanical properties and architecture are suitable to support cell growth and osteogenic differentiation, as demonstrated by hydroxyapatite formation. These results suggest that the bioresorbable core–shell scaffolds can be considered and further studied, in view of clinically relevant endpoints in bone regenerative medicine. Full article

We present a multi-scale mathematical model and a novel numerical solver to study blood plasma flow and oxygen concentration in a prototype model of an implantable Bioartificial Pancreas (iBAP) that operates under arteriovenous pressure differential without the need for immunosuppressive therapy. The iBAP design consists of a poroelastic cell scaffold containing the healthy transplanted cells, encapsulated between two semi-permeable nano-pore size membranes to prevent the patient’s own immune cells from attacking the transplant. The device is connected to the patient’s vascular system via an anastomosis graft bringing oxygen and nutrients to the transplanted cells of which oxygen is the limiting factor for long-term viability. Mathematically, we propose a (nolinear) fluid–poroelastic structure interaction model to describe the flow of blood plasma through the scaffold containing the cells, and a set of (nonlinear) advection–reaction–diffusion equations defined on moving domains to study oxygen supply to the cells. These macro-scale models are solved using finite element method based solvers. One of the novelties of this work is the design of a novel second-order accurate fluid–poroelastic structure interaction solver, for which we prove that it is unconditionally stable. At the micro/nano-scale, Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH) simulations are used to capture the micro/nano-structure (architecture) of cell scaffolds and obtain macro-scale parameters, such as hydraulic conductivity/permeability, from the micro-scale scaffold-specific architecture. To avoid expensive micro-scale simulations based on SPH simulations for every new scaffold architecture, we use Encoder–Decoder Convolution Neural Networks. Based on our numerical simulations, we propose improvements in the current prototype design. For example, we show that highly elastic scaffolds have a higher capacity for oxygen transfer, which is an important finding considering that scaffold elasticity can be controlled during their fabrication, and that elastic scaffolds improve cell viability. The mathematical and computational approaches developed in this work provide a benchmark tool for computational analysis of not only iBAP, but also, more generally, of cell encapsulation strategies used in the design of devices for cell therapy and bio-artificial organs. Full article

Network layer multicast research is an important field of network research that requires simulators or emulators to support Software-Defined Networking (SDN) as well as to provide a specific structure at the network layer to facilitate packet forwarding, such as a multicast tree. The existing emulation platforms cannot effectively support the emulation of certain key multicast technologies, such as the Grafting Point (GP)-selection method and Rendezvous Point (RP)-selection method, for the following reasons: First, the programmable data plane of the existing emulation platform has many defects, such as the inability to process packet scheduling tasks, the prohibition of dynamic memory allocation and loops with unknown iteration counts, which make it difficult to deploy complex multicast protocols and algorithms. Secondly, at present, no emulation platform integrates network layer multicast emulation functions. As a result, users need to develop the multicast tree construction and maintenance mechanism in advance, which makes experiments laborious. To solve the above problems, based on NS4, we designed a multicast emulation platform, M-Emu. M-Emu presents a Service-Forwarding Architecture, which enables the data plane to deploy arbitrary complex protocols and algorithms. Based on the Service-Forwarding Architecture, M-Emu integrates a Multicast-Emulation Framework, which has a complete multicast tree construction and maintenance mechanism. We explain in detail how the various parts of M-Emu cooperate to complete the multicast emulation with an example and prove that M-Emu is efficient in CPU and memory consumption, etc., through a large number of experiments. Full article

Polylysine is a biocompatible, biodegradable, water soluble polypeptide. Thanks to the pendant primary amines it bears, it is susceptible to modification reactions. In this work Poly(L-lysine) (PLL) was partially modified via the effortless free-catalysed aza-Michael addition reaction at room temperature by grafting N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAm) moieties onto the amines. The resulting PLL-g-NIPAm exhibited LCST-type thermosensitivity. The LCST can be tuned by the NIPAm content incorporated in the macromolecules. Importantly, depending on the NIPAm content, LCST is highly dependent on pH and ionic strength due to ionization capability of the remaining free lysine residues. PLL-g-NIPAm constitutes a novel biodegradable LCST polymer that could be used as “smart” block in block copolymers and/or terpolymers, of any macromolecular architecture, to design pH/Temperature-responsive self-assemblies (nanocarriers and/or networks) for potential bio-applications. Full article

Traffic loading monitoring plays an important role in bridge structural health monitoring, which is helpful in overloading detection, transportation management, and safety evaluation of transportation infrastructures. Bridge weigh-in-motion (BWIM) is a method that treats traffic loading monitoring as an inverse problem, which identifies the traffic loads of the target bridge by analyzing its dynamic strain responses. To achieve accurate prediction of vehicle loads, the configuration of axles and vehicle velocity must be obtained in advance, which is conventionally acquired via additional axle-detecting sensors. However, problems arise from additional sensors such as fragile stability or expensive maintenance costs, which might plague the implementation of BWIM systems in practice. Although data-driven methods such as neural networks can estimate traffic loadings using only strain sensors, the weight data of vehicles crossing the bridge is difficult to obtain. In order to overcome these limitations, a modified encoder-decoder architecture grafted with signal-reconstruction layer is proposed in this paper to identify the properties of moving vehicles (i.e., velocity, wheelbase, and axle weight) using merely the bridge dynamic response. Encoder-decoder is an unsupervised method extracting higher features from original data. The numerical bridge model based on vehicle-bridge coupling vibration theory is established to illustrate the applicability of this new encoder-decoder method. The identification results demonstrate that the proposed approach can predict traffic loadings without using additional sensors and without requiring vehicle weight labels. Parametric studies also show that this new approach achieves better stability and reliability in identifying the properties of moving vehicles, even under the circumstances of large data pollution. Full article