Search Results (1,581)

Addressing the dual challenges of efficient water resource utilization and high construction costs in agricultural production, this study proposes a low-cost sprinkler irrigation system featuring a joint optimized design of water supply facilities and sprinkler layout. Initially, to mitigate water wastage at the field boundaries, an enhanced sprinkler layout is designed. This design strategically adjusts sprinkler spacing to position units along the irrigation area’s perimeter, leveraging their adjustable spray angles for semicircular coverage, thereby achieving superior water conservation compared to traditional honeycomb full coverage layouts. Subsequently, considering the non-linear relationship between pipeline cost and its length and flow rate, a supply network comprising five independent pipelines running perpendicular to the river is constructed. Furthermore, water storage tanks are strategically located at the head of each pipeline near the water source to reduce costs. Finally, constrained by the daily soil moisture levels required for crop survival, an inference-based dimension reduction algorithm is employed to jointly optimize the daily pipeline flow rate and storage tank capacity for each supply line. Specifically, by constructing the functional mapping between flow rate and tank capacity, the complex bivariate optimization problem is reduced to a single-variable extremum problem. Additionally, a calculation method for the feasible region of decision variables is proposed to ensure solution validity. The results demonstrate that the proposed scheme achieves a minimum total construction cost of CNY 2,611,404.00 with a total storage tank capacity of 114,892.40 L, and generates a detailed daily irrigation strategy. This study offers a significant model reference and a technical pathway for developing agricultural irrigation systems that are both economical and efficient. Full article

Urban traffic networks are highly vulnerable to external disturbances such as heavy rainfall, which can induce capacity degradation, non-periodic congestion, and delayed system recovery. To address the limitations of existing perimeter control strategies that primarily focus on demand-side fluctuations and assume fixed network capacity, this study proposes a distributed coordinated perimeter control framework that explicitly incorporates rainfall-induced capacity degradation into system feedback. The proposed framework adopts a two-layer control structure, in which a main controller regulates global network accumulation near the critical macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD) state, while sub-controllers dynamically adjust perimeter control rates in response to localized traffic conditions and water accumulation. A case study based on real taxi trajectory data from Wuhan City, combined with SUMO-based microscopic traffic simulation, is conducted to evaluate the proposed approach under heavy rainfall conditions. The results show that the distributed coordinated control framework reduces peak network accumulation by 39.6%, increases average vehicle speed by 35.28%, and significantly accelerates post-disturbance recovery. These findings indicate that integrating environmental disturbances into distributed perimeter control can effectively enhance the stability and resilience of urban traffic systems under adverse weather conditions. Full article

In many densely populated towns and semi-urban areas, masonry buildings often stand close to busy roads, exposing them to blasts from improvised explosives or other localized sources. Such structures are rarely designed to resist sudden explosive forces, making severe damage or even progressive collapse likely. Even moderate-intensity blasts can weaken walls, endanger occupants, and cause significant property loss. Unlike reinforced concrete, masonry is highly susceptible to explosive impact. Therefore, understanding how these buildings behave under blast loads and developing affordable protection methods is crucial. Low-rise unreinforced masonry (URM) structures, usually up to about 13 m in height (roughly 2–4 stories), common in villages, semi-urban regions, and conflict-prone zones, are particularly at risk. In many areas, these poorly constructed buildings lack proper engineering design and are therefore highly vulnerable to blast damage. Non-load-bearing internal dividers and perimeter enclosures are especially prone to lateral displacement, which can initiate instability and, in severe cases, lead to overall structural failure. This research focuses on reducing catastrophic damage in URM walls when exposed to close-proximity blast forces using concrete-based protective coatings, both with and without embedded steel-welded wire mesh. The study references a previously tested laterally supported clay brick wall built with cement–sand mortar as the baseline model, with its behavior validated against experimental findings from existing literature. Two blast cases were considered corresponding to scaled stand-off distances of 2.19 m/kg^1/3 and 1.83 m/kg^1/3, representing moderate flexural-shear cracking and full structural failure, respectively. To replicate the observed behavior, a comprehensive 3D numerical simulation was developed using the ABAQUS/Explicit 2020 solver. The model’s predictions were benchmarked and verified through comparison with reported test data. While both blast intensities were used to confirm computational accuracy, the effectiveness of UHPC and UHPFRC protective coatings with and without embedded wire mesh was specifically evaluated under the more severe collapse scenario (Z = 1.83 m/kg^1/3). Results indicated that at a scaled distance of 1.83 m/kg^1/3, the uncoated URM wall could not withstand the blast because of poor tensile and bending capacity. In contrast, the UHPC- and UHPFRC-coatings provided improved confinement and better stress distribution. When welded wire mesh was embedded, crack control improved further, the interface bond strengthened, and a larger portion of blast energy was absorbed and dissipated. Full article

Introduction: Hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES) is characterized by a sustained elevation in eosinophil counts in the blood and subsequent eosinophil-mediated tissue or organ damage. While the aortic valve is recognized as a pivotal determinant of central hemodynamics, aortic valve annular (AVA) involvement in a series of HES patients has not yet been investigated. Therefore, this investigation aimed to determine potential abnormalities in the AVA dimensions and dynamics in patients with HES and to assess their associations with function of the left ventricle (LV). Methods: The present retrospective study initially consisted of 17 HES patients; however, one subject was excluded because of the suboptimal image quality. The final group of HES patients comprised 16 cases (mean age: 59.7 ± 12.6 years; 11 males). A group of 21 gender- and age-matched healthy subjects served as the controls (mean age: 54.0 ± 4.9 years; 12 males). Results: Among the 16 HES patients, the end-systolic AVA area was greater than, equal to, or smaller than the end-diastolic AVA area in four (25%), three (19%) and nine (56%) cases, respectively. In the matched control group, these proportions proved to be 12 (57%), one (5%) and eight (38%), respectively. No significant differences were found in the end-systolic and end-diastolic AVA minimum and maximum perimeters, areas or diameters between the HES patients and the matched controls, suggesting that no absolute AVA dilation was observed, despite an altered end-diastolic—end-systolic AVA area distribution. The AVA plane systolic excursion (AAPSE) was significantly decreased in the HES patients (0.91 ± 0.29 cm vs. 1.12 ± 0.24 cm, p = 0.05). Among the basal LV strain parameters, only the LV longitudinal strain (LS) was significantly impaired in the HES patients (−16.63 ± 4.99% vs. −21.62 ± 4.76%, p < 0.05). Conclusions: In HES patients, the AVA is not significantly dilated. However, a greater end-diastolic AVA area is found to be more frequently present compared with age- and gender-matched healthy controls. In addition, AAPSE and basal LV-LS are significantly reduced in HES patients. Full article

Background: Mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD) is a rare systemic autoimmune disease which presents with clinical features that overlap with at least two connective tissue disorders, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), polymyositis (PM), dermatomyositis (DM), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It is characterized by the presence of anti-ribonucleoprotein (anti-U1RNP) antibodies. The mechanism of the vasculopathy associated with MCTD remains largely unknown. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) is a non-invasive imaging method of the microvasculature of the retina and choroid, providing the assessment of retinal perfusion. Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) parameters in patients with mixed connective tissue disease compared to healthy individuals. Methods: In this study, we compared the following parameters between patients with MCTD and healthy subjects: foveal avascular zone (FAZ), FAZ perimeter (PERIM), flow density (FD), choriocapillaris flow area (CCFA), outer retina flow area (ORFA), and foveal and parafoveal mean superficial and deep vessel density. Results: Parafoveal mean superficial vessel density and parafoveal mean deep vessel density were significantly lower in the MCTD group than in controls. The FAZ, FAZ PERIM, and FD values in the patients with MCTD were lower than in the control group and statistically significant for all parameters. Conclusions: The present study’s findings suggest the presence of ocular vascular abnormalities in patients suffering from MCTD. These abnormalities are characterized by decreased retinal vessel density and lower choriocapillaris flow. The results of the study demonstrate the significant role of OCTA in the diagnosis and monitoring of microvascular changes in patients with MCTD. Full article

Precast bridge columns offer efficiency and environmental benefits, yet complex mountainous terrain and limited workspace severely restrict the transportation of large segments. To address this challenge and the limited ductility of traditional connections, this study proposes a multi-segment precast bridge column with hybrid connections (PSC-GSPT) utilizing grouted sleeves and unbonded prestressing tendons. Quasi-static tests and OpenSees simulations compared a three-segment PSC-GSPT specimen with a cast-in-place (CIP) column. Results demonstrate that the hybrid system shifts the plastic hinge above the sleeves due to their high stiffness, ensuring controlled damage. Compared to the CIP specimen, the PSC-GSPT increased peak load by 30.2% and ductility by 20.7%, while exhibiting excellent self-centering capability and 27% higher cumulative energy dissipation. Numerical parametric analysis indicates that a central tendon configuration delays yielding, boosting ductility by over 15% versus perimeter layouts, and an initial prestress level of 30% is recommended to optimize both self-centering and ductility. This study provides a theoretical basis for applying high-performance precast piers in transportation-restricted environments. Full article

This article presents a simple and understandable approach to the automatic assessment of the severity of late blight on tomato leaves. We collect our own dataset of 5245 RGB images of healthy and diseased tomato leaves and determine five ordinal classes: healthy (0%) and four infection levels (0.1–10%, 11–25%, 26–50%, and ≥51% of the affected area). Each image is segmented using the global definition of the Otsu threshold, followed by morphological purification, after which seven textural and geometric characteristics are extracted from the contours of the lesion: contrast, number of contours, average and standard deviation of the contour area, average and standard deviation of the contour perimeter, and average area-to-perimeter ratio. All characteristics are normalized and used as input data for the XGBoost classifier. The dataset is randomly split into 80% training and 20% test images, resulting in an independent test set of 1049 images. In this test set, the proposed model provides an overall accuracy of 0.93 and an F1 macro score of 0.93 points, while for each F1 class, it varies from 0.90 to 0.97. The confusion matrix shows a stable difference between neighboring severity levels, while the analysis of the importance of the features confirms the relevance of contour descriptors for characterizing the size and shape of the lesion. This method only runs on a central processor, requires a small amount of memory, and outputs interpretable output data, making it suitable for use in greenhouses and farms with limited computing resources. We also discuss the limitations associated with the boundaries between neighboring classes and the potential shift in the subject area, and we outline directions for expanding the approach to multi-sheet scenes and explicit ordinal loss functions. Full article

(1) Background: In response to the educational challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, APPE preceptors implemented the Intention/Reflection (I/R) practice as a structured engagement tool. I/R is designed to promote engagement, motivation, metacognitive growth, and self-awareness among student pharmacists with the goal of enhancing learning experiences in diverse APPE settings. This project aimed to assess the impact of I/R strategies on student pharmacist engagement during APPEs in the post-pandemic landscape, with the overarching goal of identifying and advancing best practices in experiential pharmacy education. (2) Methods: This retrospective qualitative study included 20 student pharmacists from two U.S. colleges who participated in APPE elective rotations featuring I/R activities. Student pharmacists’ responses to five structured I/R prompts were collected and thematically analyzed by two independent researchers using qualitative data analysis software. (3) Results: Four themes were identified in the I/R responses: two themes each from the intention and reflection responses. The intention themes “Embracing Discomfort as a Catalyst for Confidence, Engagement, and Leadership Growth” and “Purposeful Precision: Growing into Adaptive Leadership” both illustrate the students’ journeys as they develop greater confidence and resilience in overcoming challenges. The reflection themes “Reflection as a Catalyst for Professional Learning and Engagement” and “Reflection as a Tool for Focused Growth and Self-Awareness” synthesized the evolution of the student pharmacist and forward thinking for future career. (4) Conclusion: Overall, participants perceived the I/R practice as transformative, citing benefits such as sustained learning, increased confidence, and continued professional development. These findings suggest that integrating I/R into experiential pharmacy education can significantly enhance student engagement and contribute to best practices for post-pandemic pharmacy training. Full article

Mitochondria are crucial carriers of maternal effects, and their function is closely related to energy metabolism and disease occurrence. Previous studies have shown that chickens with different mitochondrial haplogroups exhibit differences in production performance, but the underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study investigates the differences in mitochondrial structure and function-related indices between the A and E mitochondrial haplogroups (referred to as A-group and E-group) in recessive white-feathered chickens. It was achieved using in vivo fasting/refeeding models and an in vitro model of treating hepatocytes with nutritional factors (glucose and fatty acids). In vivo study indicated that compared to A-group chicken hepatocytes, E-group hepatocytes had shorter perimeters of mitochondria and shorter lengths of mitochondria associated with the endoplasmic reticulum membrane during refeeding (p < 0.05); mitochondria were more abundant (p = 0.05) but displayed compromised structural integrity during fasting; mitochondrial swelling was more severe during both refeeding and fasting (p < 0.01, p < 0.05); the protein level of mitofusin 2 (MFN2) was lower during fasting (p < 0.05); and there were more vacuoles and lipid accumulation in liver sections during refeeding (p < 0.05). In cultured hepatocytes, compared to A-group cells, E-group cells had higher reactive oxygen species (ROS) level after oleic acid treatments (p < 0.001); the protein level of microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 beta (LC3) was lower after glucose treatment (p < 0.01), and the protein levels of MFN2 and LC3 were lower after oleic acid treatment (p < 0.01, p < 0.05). These findings suggest that mitochondrial haplogroups are associated with mitochondrial structure and function, oxidative stress, autophagy, and lipid metabolism of chicken hepatocytes in response to energy stimulation. The findings may explain how mitochondrial haplogroups affect chicken production performance. Full article

Background: Numerous plant-derived products have shown notable potential in preclinical studies and traditional use for the management of periodontitis, although clinical studies validating their efficacy remain scarce. The present study investigated the efficacy of a polyherbal phytopreparation as an adjunctive therapy to scaling and root planing (SRP) in patients with periodontitis, and further examined its underlying mechanisms of action, pharmacokinetic behavior, and toxicological profile using in silico approaches. Methods: Eighty patients with moderate periodontitis (stage II, grade A) were randomly assigned to two groups: a control group (n = 40) treated with SRP alone, and an experimental group (n = 40) receiving SRP followed by topical phytotherapeutic treatment with the polyherbal Tinctura paradentoica^®. Efficacy was evaluated using the gingival index, periodontal pocket depth, and cytomorphometric analysis of gingival cells before treatment and one month after. The in silico analysis, guided by HPLC profiling, included MolDock-based docking to assess interactions of bioactive compounds with cyclooxygenase isoforms COX-1 and COX-2 as anti-inflammatory targets, and evaluation of their pharmacokinetic and toxicity properties (ADME/Tox) using SwissADME, ProTox-3.0, and pkCSM. Results: Compared with SRP treatment, the experimental treatment significantly reduced the gingival index and periodontal pocket depth (p < 0.05), as well as the assessed cytomorphometric parameters (nuclear area, perimeter, and Feret’s diameter values) (p < 0.001). Rerank analysis revealed van der Waals-driven isoform selectivity: compact phenolic acids and aglycones favored COX-1, whereas bulky glycosides (e.g., rutin, narcissoside) were optimized for COX-2, with luteolin-7-O-glucoside showing near-balanced engagement. The ADME/Tox analysis indicated generally favorable pharmacokinetic and safety characteristics of phenolic compounds from the phytopreparation, including low systemic absorption and no predicted mutagenicity or skin sensitization potential. Conclusions: The topical application of the polyherbal phytopreparation demonstrated significant potential to enhance the efficacy of conventional SRP therapy by promoting the regression of gingival inflammation in patients with moderate periodontitis, further supported by in silico findings. Full article

Traditional macroscopic fundamental diagram (MFD)-based traffic perimeter metering control strategies rely on full knowledge of vehicle accumulation and inter-regional flow dynamics, assumptions that seldom hold in heterogeneous and highly variable real-world networks. Classical data-driven reinforcement learning methods face similar constraints, often converging slowly and exhibiting low sample efficiency when confronted with such complexities. Motivated by these limitations, this paper proposes a Parameterized Deep Q-Network perimeter control (P-DQNPC) scheme designed for multi-region urban road networks. The framework jointly optimizes discrete actions (regional routing choices) and continuous actions (signal-timing or flow-duration regulation) within a model-free learning structure. The approach is first trained and validated on synthetic MFD data to establish stable and interpretable policy behavior under controlled conditions. It is then transferred and further evaluated using real-world measurements from the Performance Measurement System—San Francisco Bay Area (PeMS-SF), a dataset collected from 18,954 loop detectors across the California State Highway System. PeMS-SF is selected due to its high spatial and temporal resolution, broad network coverage, and strong ability to capture realistic and diverse congestion patterns qualities that support both rigorous validation and generalization to other metropolitan regions. Experimental results show that P-DQNPC consistently outperforms state-of-the-art baselines, including deep deterministic policy gradient, deep Q-network, and No-Control schemes. The proposed method achieves superior regulation of regional accumulations and demonstrates enhanced robustness in large, heterogeneous, and uncertain urban traffic environments. Full article

Background/Objectives: Objective and reproducible evaluation of glabellar lines remains challenging, as current clinical assessments rely largely on subjective rating scales and two-dimensional photography, which lack depth information. This study aimed to assess the clinical utility of a laser-based three-dimensional (3D) imaging approach for objective quantitative evaluation of glabellar lines in adults undergoing botulinum toxin treatment. Methods: A laser-based 3D imaging system was used to quantitatively measure glabellar line morphology. System accuracy for area, perimeter, volume, and depth was evaluated using standardized physical models. In a prospective observational study, 31 adults with moderate-to-severe glabellar lines undergoing routine botulinum toxin treatment were assessed at baseline, day 7, and week 4. Quantitative 3D measurements were compared with clinician- and participant-reported severity scores, as well as patient satisfaction and Global Rating of Outcome (GRO) scores. Results: The 3D imaging measurements demonstrated high geometric measurement precision, with errors ≤2% for area, perimeter, and volume, and ≤0.5 mm for depth. Significant reductions in wrinkle depth were observed after treatment. Quantitative 3D measurements showed moderate correlations with clinician-reported scores (r = 0.53–0.54) and participant-reported scores (r = 0.59–0.66). Improvement rates derived from 3D measurements were positively correlated with patient satisfaction and GRO scores. Conclusions: Laser-based 3D imaging provides an objective and quantitative approach for evaluating glabellar lines and treatment response to botulinum toxin. This method may complement conventional clinical assessments and support further validation in larger clinical studies. Full article

The global push to advance smart and digital forestry relies on emerging technologies to support efficient, AI-assisted, and data-driven forest management, but many forest operations occur in remote forests where reliable internet connectivity is unavailable. Low Earth Orbit (LEO) satellite constellations such as Starlink may provide reliable connectivity where cellular networks are unavailable. The performance of LEO-based solutions remains poorly understood under forest canopies, and empirical evaluations linking canopy characteristics to connectivity performance are largely lacking. In this study, the effect of forest vegetation on Starlink performance below the canopy was evaluated by placing a satellite receiver at thirty randomly selected permanent single tree inventory plots on the University of Idaho Experimental Forest and measuring connection success, connection time, and upload and download speeds along 50 m transects in all cardinal directions. LiDAR-derived stand density index (SDI), leaf area index (LAI), rumple index (RI), and vegetation cover (VC) were used to quantify canopy structure. Principal Component Analysis and survival analysis showed that higher values of PC1, primarily driven by SDI, LAI, and RI, reduced the probability of establishing a connection. Linear regression analysis indicated that higher SDI increased connection time, indicating that denser stands slowed or prevented connectivity. Linear mixed-effects models demonstrated that internet speed primarily declined with increasing distance, with download and upload rates dropping beyond 40 m from the router. LAI, RI, and VC did not influence connection time or speed, suggesting that overall stand density rather than leaf area per unit ground area has a greater impact on signal obstruction. Overall, dense forest structure and distance are the main constraints on LEO satellite connectivity and performance, and understanding these limitations supports the development and deployment of satellite-based networking to advance smart forestry operations. These results provide one of the first quantitative assessments of LEO satellite connectivity constraints in operational forest conditions, offering practical guidance for deploying satellite-based networks to support smart forestry applications in remote environments. Full article

Automated production lines are increasingly being expanded with Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices, creating complex Cyber-Physical Systems (CPSs) that connect physical production with control and information infrastructure. However, the convergence of Information Technology (IT) and Operational Technology (OT) layers creates new entry points for attacks targeting communication availability. Most existing studies analyze Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks primarily in simulation or testbed environments, with limited experimental verification of their impact on real-world production systems. This article presents an experimental evaluation of the impact of DDoS and Distributed Reflection Denial of Service (DRDoS) attacks carried out directly on a physical automated production line with integrated IIoT infrastructure during real operation. Three attack scenarios (TCP SYN flood, TCP ACK flood, and ICMP reflected attack) were implemented, targeting Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs), Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) subsystems, and selected IIoT devices. The results showed rapid degradation of deterministic PROFINET communication, disruption of the link between the OT and IT layers, loss of digital product representation, and physical interruption of the production process. Based on the findings, a minimally invasive security solution based on perimeter protection was designed and experimentally verified. The results emphasize the need to design IIoT-based manufacturing systems with an emphasis on network segmentation and architectural separation of the IT and OT layers. Full article

This study presents a sustainable strategy for improving the thermal properties of pine wood through the application of calcium carbonate nanopowder (CCNP) chelated with polycarboxylic acids (citric acid (CA) and tartaric acid (TA)) as coatings. The chelation reaction was confirmed by the detection of carbon dioxide (CO₂) gas. CCNP was characterized using microscopy and particle size analysis. The formation of crystalline calcium citrate and calcium tartrate was verified using FTIR and Raman spectroscopies, and XRD analysis. Wood treatment was conducted using different volumetric ratios of CA and TA. The CA-TA-treated (coated) wood blocks achieved the highest mass gain after treatment of around 89%, while the pure TA treatment exhibited enhanced leaching resistance, maintaining around 69% mass gain after leaching test. TGA conducted under oxidative (air) conditions showed that the coatings promoted char formation and produced inorganic residues from 6.4% to 7.8%, with the control resulting in negligible residual mass. Flame retardancy tests showed that the chelated coatings effectively delayed combustion and inhibited heat transfer, with the TA treatment showing improved flame retardancy performance by limiting the surface temperature to ~200 °C after 60 s of exposure, as compared to >550 °C for the control. Full article