Search Results (81)

Considerable progress has been made in predicting nominal NVH behavior in electric drivetrains, but the acoustic scatter observed across manufactured units remains insufficiently understood. In practice, nominally identical drive units may still exhibit noticeably different tonal behavior because small deviations in gears, shafts, bearings, fits, centering features, or assembly phase modify the excitation, transfer, and radiation mechanisms of the system. This review examines how manufacturing and assembly variability influences NVH performance in electric drive units and e-axles, with particular focus on the rotor–shaft–gear–bearing–housing system. Unlike broader EV NVH reviews, the present work focuses specifically on variability-induced acoustic scatter and its propagation along the drivetrain NVH generation and transmission path. To support transparency and consistency, the literature search and selection process followed a structured, PRISMA-inspired approach across Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and SAE Mobilus for the 2015–2026 period. From 387 identified records, 50 studies were retained after duplicate removal, screening, and full-text assessment. The selected literature was synthesized into eight thematic categories: imbalance; run-out and eccentricity; bearing clearance and preload; spline and pilot centering; thermal effects; phase indexing; transmission error and sidebands; and end-of-line NVH diagnostics. The reviewed literature shows that manufacturing- and assembly-induced deviations can significantly alter transmission error, sideband structure, shaft-order content, and final tonal response, even when individual components remain within nominal tolerance limits. Beyond synthesizing the evidence base, the review organizes existing modeling and diagnostic practices into a structured framework for variability-aware NVH assessment, based on explicit deviation parameterization, hierarchical model fidelity, intermediate excitation metrics, thermal-state awareness, and closer integration with production and measurement data. Overall, the findings support a shift from nominal NVH assessment toward robustness-oriented, production-representative interpretation and future prediction of acoustic scatter in electric drivetrains. Full article

Land-use change associated with scattered (isolated) housing in the countryside remains largely underestimated in conventional European land-use datasets due to spatial resolution and minimum mapping unit constraints. This study quantifies low-density urban sprawl at the building level in Cyprus for the period 1993–2022, both within and outside Special Protection Areas (SPAs) of the Natura 2000 network. Situating the analysis within a broader Mediterranean EU planning context, the paper examines how local spatial patterns reflect wider development trajectories, including tourism-driven growth and second-home demand. Results reveal a fivefold increase in isolated housing outside development planning zones, from 2440 units in 1993 to 12,640 in 2022 (+418%). Significant increases occurred within agricultural zones (Γ: +568%) and even in protection zones (Z1: +438%). Within SPAs, isolated houses rose from 341 to 1556 (+356%), while total building premises within these areas increased from 955 to 3649 (+282%), indicating statistically significant encroachment. Although Natura 2000 designation appears to have moderated development rates compared to the broader countryside, it has not prevented sprawl. The findings demonstrate substantial cumulative impacts on landscapes, ecosystems, and land-use planning objectives, highlighting the urgent need for stricter regulation of dispersed houses and auxiliary buildings both within protected and non-protected rural areas. Full article

Folate receptor alpha is expressed at low levels in normal tissues, but is elevated in aggressive breast cancer types and can be utilized for targeted nanoparticle delivery. Hence, we prepared a hybrid nanocarrier based on in-house synthesized mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) which were further lipid-coated and reinforced with folic acid (FA). Thorough physicochemical evaluation was performed including dynamic light scattering (DLS), powder x-ray diffraction (PXRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and nitrogen physisorption. In vitro dissolution of the model drug doxorubicin was carried out in release media with pH 7.4 and pH 5.5. The cytotoxic potential and cellular uptake were investigated in MCF-7 breast cancer cells via the MTT assay, doxorubicin fluorescence measurement, and microscopy. The potential amelioration of doxorubicin’s cardiotoxicity was evaluated in vitro on the H9c2 cell line. The results showed MSNs with significant pore volume (1.38 cm³/g) and relatively small sizes (98.05 ± 1.34 nm). The lipid coat and FA attachment improved the physicochemical stability and sustained release pattern over 24 h. MSNs were non-toxic, while when doxorubicin-loaded, they caused moderate cytotoxicity. The highest cytotoxic activity was observed with folate-functionalized, doxorubicin-loaded nanoparticles (NPs). Even though non-loaded folate-functionalized NPs exhibited significant cytotoxicity, their physical mixture with doxorubicin was inferior in MCF-7 cytotoxicity as opposed to the corresponding loaded nanocarrier. Fluorescence-based quantification showed a higher intracellular accumulation of doxorubicin when delivered via NPs. These results demonstrate the potential to use folate-functionalized NPs as carriers for doxorubicin delivery in breast cancer cells. Its cardiotoxicity was significantly reduced in the case of loading onto the folic acid-functionalized lipid-coated MSNs. All these findings provide a promising proof-of-concept, although further experimental validation, particularly regarding targeting selectivity and safety, is required. Full article

The British colonial contact with Nigeria was dotted with diverse paradoxes. In the realm of architecture, it was a period punctuated with the importation of prefabricated buildings into many slave and palm oil trading towns, such as Old Calabar in southern Nigeria. Unfortunately, today, many of these prefabricated colonial architectural heritages have gone into extinction, except for a few which are also on the verge of collapse. One of the remaining few on the verge of collapse is the Egbo Egbo Bassey House built between 1883 and 1886 and declared a National Monument of Nigeria in 1959. Currently, there is no literature on the historical and architectural data of this building, besides those scattered over several files in archival records. Therefore, this paper aims at the holistic documentation of the National Monument. Two categories of data were considered in the documentation processes—namely the building historical data and geometrical data. Historical data were collected through archival research and interviews, while the geometrical data were collected through close-range photogrammetry and manual measurements. The result of this paper contributes to the current geographical dearth of literature on British prefabricated architectural heritage, which punctuated a very important period in the architectural history of the world. Full article

Background: The use of optical microscopic techniques has gained increasing attention in recent years for studying the bioavailability (BA) and bioequivalence (BE) of topical drugs. Stimulated Raman scattering (SRS), one type of optical imaging technique, probes chemical-specific information and has excellent spatiotemporal resolution. It uses intrinsic molecular vibrational signatures, and therefore, labeling samples or other treatments is unnecessary to track a molecule. Because of its unique advantages, studies have used SRS for BA evaluations and, more recently, for BE evaluations. In BE evaluation, low data variance within a treatment group is important to ensure sensitivity and specificity in comparing treatment groups. Methods: When measuring forward-direction SRS signals transmitted through skin, the signal intensity is susceptible to variance due to several factors, such as the microscope system’s performance, the different optical features of topical drug products, and the heterogeneity of skin in transmitting light. This work closely investigated the effects of these factors on an SRS signal and developed solutions to reduce their effects on the data variance. Specifically, we constructed a method using a dual-modality detector built in-house, which simultaneously measured both the SRS signal and total light transmission synchronized in time and co-registered in space. Results: We developed equations to normalize SRS signals using the transmission intensity, and the results demonstrated a clear improvement in the SRS signal via a reduction in the signal variance (up to a 9.46% CV value decrease) that is otherwise caused by various factors associated with the use of topical drugs and the composition of the skin. We carried out an exploratory BE study using tretinoin-containing topical products and observed improvements in BE assessment with the developed method (could achieve a reduction of 0.11 in the CI value). Conclusions: This work has led to a better understanding of the factors that affect SRS imaging and has provided an effective method to compensate for these factors in BE assessments. This is a critical initial effort for better practical implementation of SRS in cutaneous pharmacokinetics (cPKs) studies of topical drugs. Full article

Background: Environmental enrichment is a promising strategy to improve the welfare of dairy goats and sheep. However, studies in this field remain scattered, and its effects on productivity are unclear. Objectives: To evaluate the effects of environmental enrichment on behavioral, physiological, and productive parameters in dairy goats and sheep. Data sources: Scopus and Web of Science were searched for studies published from 2010 to 2025. Study eligibility criteria: Experimental or observational peer-reviewed studies comparing enriched vs. non-enriched housing in dairy goats or sheep, reporting on welfare or productivity outcomes. Methods: This review followed PRISMA 2020 guidelines and the PICO framework. Two independent reviewers screened and extracted data. Risk of bias was assessed with the SYRCLE tool. Results: Thirteen studies were included, mostly with goats. Physical, sensory, and social enrichments showed benefits for behavior (e.g., activity, fewer stereotypies) and stress physiology. However, results varied by social rank, enrichment type, and physiological stage. Only three studies assessed productive parameters (weight gain in kids/lambs); none evaluated milk yield or quality. Limitations: Most studies had small samples and short durations. No meta-analysis was conducted due to heterogeneity. Conclusions: Environmental enrichment can benefit the welfare of dairy goats and sheep. However, evidence on productivity is scarce. Long-term studies are needed to evaluate its cost-effectiveness and potential impacts on milk yield and reproductive performance. Full article

In the environment, plastic waste degrades into small particles known as microplastics and nanoplastics (MNPLs), depending on their size. Given the potential harmful effects associated with MNPL exposure, it is crucial to develop environmentally representative particles for hazard assessment. These so-called true-to-life MNPLs are generated through in-house degradation of real-world plastic products. In this study, we produced titanium-doped nanoplastics (NPLs) from opaque polyethylene terephthalate (PET) milk bottles, which contain titanium dioxide as a filler. The resulting PET(Ti)-NPLs were thoroughly characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), mass spectrometry (MS), dynamic light scattering (DLS), ζ-potential measurements, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Human-derived THP-1 monocytes were employed to investigate particle uptake kinetics, dosimetry, and genotoxicity. A combination of flow cytometry and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) enabled the quantification of internalized particles, while the comet assay assessed DNA damage. The results revealed dose- and time-dependent effects of PET(Ti)-NPLs on THP-1 cells, particularly in terms of internalization. Titanium doping facilitated detection and influenced genotoxic outcomes. This study demonstrates the relevance of using environmentally representative nanoplastic models for evaluating human health risks and underscores the importance of further mechanistic research. Full article

This study explores the publication and dissemination of the Pilu Canon 《毗盧藏》, engraved by followers of Bao’en Wanshou Hall in Houshan Village, Fujian, during the Yanyou reign of the Yuan Dynasty. Funded through donations, this canon was part of a broader initiative to republish the four major Buddhist Canons. Its engraving style blends influences from Yan Zhenqing, Ouyang Xun, and Zhao Mengfu, with rounder characters and more spacious layouts compared to earlier Song editions. The project, supported by the White Lotus Society, involved various engravers and resulted in diverse transcription practices. Although no complete set survives, scattered volumes are housed in different institutions. The Pilu Canon provides valuable insights into the evolution of Buddhist scripture layout, the White Lotus Society’s influence, and the interaction between Buddhist texts and secular society in medieval China. Full article

Health disparities among populations across geographic regions, demographic and socio-economic groups are well documented; however, ecological studies which visually demonstrate health disparities associated with structural racism among racialized populations are limited. The purpose of this study was to examine low birthweight (LBW) as a measurable indicator of disproportionate health impacts across three race/ethnicity groups—non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic and non-Hispanic White–in the United States (US) for visualizing ecological manifestation of this disparity attributed to structural racism. We begin by providing the contextual background of structural racism through a literature review, and then more specifically, we examine LBW as a selected health indicator characterized with a socio-biological pathway of structural racism via socio-economic and politico–legal determinants and associated mediating factors to health disparities, from which we synthesized a visualization model with the indicators of structural racism reported in the literature reviewed. To further visualize these impacts, publicly available US County Health Ranking data for LBW, at the county level in two US states, Tennessee and Ohio, were analyzed to uncover area-based ecological health outcome—LBW. Significant correlation and scatter plots provided evidence of LBW as a racially sensitive health indicator associated with impacts of structural racism. These findings were further notable through examination of socio-economic determinants (e.g., race/ethnicity, income, education, and employment) and environmental factors such as housing issues as well as other underlying health conditions. Our case study has opened a window for visualizing disparity across non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic, non-Hispanic White populations as demonstrated by the prevalence of LBW disparity through its determinants and mediating factors at the county level. Potentially important policy implications for reparative change are drawn through our study findings that are salutary and/or reductive for addressing impacts of structural racism. Further studies are needed to fully understand the comprehensive web of area-based ecological factors impacting various health outcomes through the impacts of structural racism. Full article

The research and development of a matrix of Addressable Nanoliter Containers (ANLCs) is the focus of this work. ANLCs introduce a novel approach for cryopreserving single sperm cells. A significant increase in sperm cell mortality was observed after cryopreserving nanoliter-scale cell suspensions, attributed to the diffusion of water from the aqueous droplets into the surrounding oil phase. This process elevated the salt concentration within the droplets. A practical solution was devised by saturating the oil with water, significantly reducing the concentration gradient and, consequently, the diffusion. For ANLCs smaller than a few nanoliters, locating individual sperm cells within the containers became highly feasible. Using saturated oil, the survival rate reached 100%. Optical simulations were conducted to evaluate the impact of ANLCs on light scattering, enabling the selection of designs with minimal scattering. The simulations conclusively demonstrated that a cylindrical container with a flat bottom produced the least light scattering. This device was tested under clinical conditions in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) laboratory, revealing its strong potential as a practical tool for housing individual sperm cells. It enables characterization using interferometric indicators and facilitates the selection of sperm cells for IVF. Full article

The jobs-housing mismatch phenomenon in urban China stems from the combined effects of housing commodification and the improvement of transportation infrastructure. These factors have contributed to the emergence of lengthy commutes and a range of urban challenges. This study examines the issue of jobs-housing mismatch in large cities, focusing on Hangzhou. It utilizes mobile signaling big data, geographically weighted regression, and spatial analysis to investigate the link between land mixed-use and this mismatch. The results reveal that Hangzhou faces a significant residential-employment mismatch, particularly in a ring-like pattern. Central urban areas are relatively balanced, while residential areas band around the center, and employment areas are scattered both centrally and on the outskirts. Land mixed-use impacts this mismatch spatially. In new developments, increased land use mix exacerbates the mismatch, while in ecological green spaces, it has a suppressive effect. Based on these findings, Hangzhou’s main urban area is divided into nine zones, each with tailored suggestions for balancing residential and employment spaces. This study demonstrates that mobile signaling data can precisely capture micro-level characteristics of residential and employment patterns. A multi-dimensional approach to land mixed-use offers a more comprehensive understanding than a single perspective. The zoning strategy helps establish spatial differences and balance residential-employment relations, providing valuable insights for urban renewal and land function optimization. Full article

The difficulty in identifying collapsed houses and damaged structures in synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images after natural disasters represents a significant challenge in the monitoring of urban structural deformation using SAR. SAR image simulation was conducted on a three-dimensional model of a typical wooden building in Japan to analyze the scattering mechanism of the structure in collapsed and uncollapsed states. Based on the physical properties of the buildings, a correlation was established between the simulated SAR image feature signals and the geometric structures of the buildings. The findings indicate that SAR scattering is more uniform for uncollapsed structures, which is predominantly influenced by their geometry. At low incidence angles, single reflections were the predominant phenomenon, whereas at high incidence angles, multiple reflections became more prevalent. The uncollapsed building’s facade formed a dihedral angle, exhibiting bright lines in the SAR image. Multiple reflections occurred at the edges of the building and floor junctions. These findings follow the theoretical predictions. In the case of the collapsed buildings, multiple reflections occurred with greater frequency, and irregular scattering was observed. Notwithstanding the augmented scattering pathways, some walls nevertheless manifested single reflections. The collapsed structures demonstrated a reduced sensitivity to alterations in the angle of incidence. Full article

Plague is a zoonotic disease caused by Yersinia pestis, and it is endemic in Madagascar. The plague cycle involves wild and commensal rodents and their fleas; humans are an accidental host. Madagascar is the country where plague burden is the highest. Plague re-emerged in Mahajanga, the western coast of Madagascar, in the 1990s and infected populations in the popular and insalubrious zones. Sanitation is considered a primary barrier to infection by excluding pathogens from the environment and reservoirs. Poor housing and hygiene and proximity to rodents and fleas in everyday life are major and unchanged risk factors of plague. The aim of this study was to measure the impact of sanitation on Yersinia pestis bacteria in human and small mammal reservoirs and flea vectors. This study was conducted on 282 households within 14 neighborhoods. Two sessions of sampling were conducted in 2013 and 2016. Small mammals were trapped inside and around houses using live traps. Fleas, blood and spleen were sampled to detect Y. pestis infection and antibodies and determine the level of plague circulation before and after the installation of sanitation in order to assess the impact of sanitation improvement on inhabitant health. Two major types of housing can be described, i.e., formal and informal (traditional), scattered in all the suburbs. Among the small mammals captured, 48.5% were Suncus murinus, and 70% of houses were infested. After sanitation, only 30% of houses remained infested, and most of them were located around the market. Fleas were mostly Xenopsylla cheopis. Before and after intervention, the overall prevalence of fleas was the same (index 4.5) across the 14 suburbs. However, the number of houses with fleas drastically decreased, and the flea index increased significantly in rodent-infested houses. Rodent abundance also decreased from 17.4% to 6.1% before and after intervention, respectively. A serology study highlights that plague is still circulating in Mahajanga, suggesting that small mammals maintain enzootic plague transmission in the city. Full article

Based on the principles of biomimicry, evolutionary algorithms (EAs) have been widely applied across diverse domains to tackle practical challenges. However, the inherent limitations of these algorithms call for further refinement to strike a delicate balance between global exploration and local exploitation. Thus, this paper introduces a novel multi-strategy enhanced hybrid algorithm called MHWACO, which integrates a Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) and Ant Colony Optimization (ACO). Initially, MHWACO employs Gaussian perturbation optimization for individual initialization. Subsequently, individuals selectively undertake either localized exploration based on the refined WOA or global prospecting anchored in the Golden Sine Algorithm (Golden-SA), determined by transition probabilities. Inspired by the collaborative behavior of ant colonies, a Flight Ant (FA) strategy is proposed to guide unoptimized individuals toward potential global optimal solutions. Finally, the Gaussian scatter search (GSS) strategy is activated during low population activity, striking a balance between global exploration and local exploitation capabilities. Moreover, the efficacy of Support Vector Regression (SVR) and random forest (RF) as regression models heavily depends on parameter selection. In response, we have devised the MHWACO-SVM and MHWACO-RF models to refine the selection of parameters, applying them to various real-world problems such as stock prediction, housing estimation, disease forecasting, fire prediction, and air quality monitoring. Experimental comparisons against 9 newly proposed intelligent optimization algorithms and 9 enhanced algorithms across 34 benchmark test functions and the CEC2022 benchmark suite, highlight the notable superiority and efficacy of MSWOA in addressing global optimization problems. Finally, the proposed MHWACO-SVM and MHWACO-RF models outperform other regression models across key metrics such as the Mean Bias Error (MBE), Coefficient of Determination ($R^2$), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Explained Variance Score (EVS), and Median Absolute Error (MEAE). Full article

The number of vacant houses in Japan has increased rapidly in recent years due to a declining population. The government has been actively developing measures to solve the vacant house problem and has implemented subsidy programs to support the expansion of vacant house utilization projects. Japan has a particularly high number of vacant houses that are utilized for the purpose of “tourism”. However, vacant house utilization projects are scattered across Japan, and information on such projects is lacking. Moreover, the correlation between different vacant house utilization projects and their location characteristics has not been investigated. In this study, we used a travel information website to extract vacant house utilization facilities from the locations listed and determined the location characteristics of the utilization facilities. We classified the extracted utilization facilities into different categories and used the k-means method to group vacant house utilization facilities according to their categories and regional characteristics. The results obtained in this study can help local governments and businesses implement appropriate location-specific utilization projects. Full article