Search Results (6)

Owing to the high pharmacological relevance and multidimensional quality attributes of Panax spp., accurate authentication and quality evaluation of Panax-derived herbal materials remain challenging within traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) quality control systems. Conventional approaches often face trade-offs among analysis speed and throughput, non-destructive measurement, and analytical accuracy, which can limit their suitability for modern, large-scale quality control. This review summarizes recent advances in vibrational and related analytical techniques—infrared (IR) and near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, hyperspectral imaging (HSI), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR)—for authentication and quality evaluation of Panax materials. We compare the capabilities of each modality in supporting key tasks, including species authentication, geographical origin tracing, age/cultivation-stage discrimination, and quantitative assessment of major chemical markers, with emphasis on the underlying measurement principles. In general, NIR and HSI are well suited to rapid, high-throughput screening of bulk samples, whereas Raman and NMR provide higher chemical specificity for molecular and structural characterization. To mitigate limitations of single-modality analysis, this review discusses a methodological shift from conventional spectral fingerprinting and chemometric approaches toward model-driven, data-enabled sensing strategies for robust quality evaluation. Specifically, we highlight multimodal data fusion frameworks combined with interpretable machine-learning/deep-learning methods to build robust classification and regression models for quality assessment. This perspective aims to support standardized and scalable authentication and quality evaluation of Panax herbal materials and to facilitate the digitization of quality control workflows for Chinese herbal medicines. Full article

Considering the growing demand for modern facility agriculture, it is essential to develop non-destructive technologies for assessing lettuce nutritional status. To overcome the limitations of traditional methods, which are destructive and time-consuming, this study proposes a multimodal non-destructive nitrogen detection method for lettuce based on multi-source imaging. The approach integrates terahertz time-domain spectroscopy (THz-TDS) and near-infrared hyperspectral imaging (NIR-HSI) to achieve rapid and non-invasive nitrogen detection. Spectral imaging data of lettuce samples under different nitrogen gradients (20–150%) were simultaneously acquired using a THz-TDS system (0.2–1.2 THz) and a NIR-HSI system (1000–1600 nm), with image segmentation applied to remove background interference. During data processing, Savitzky–Golay smoothing, MSC (for THz data), and SNV (for NIR data) were employed for combined preprocessing, and sample partitioning was performed using the SPXY algorithm. Subsequently, SCARS/iPLS/IRIV algorithms were applied for THz feature selection, while RF/SPA/ICO methods were used for NIR feature screening, followed by nitrogen content prediction modeling with LS-SVM and KELM. Furthermore, small-sample learning was utilized to fuse crop feature information from the two modalities, providing a more comprehensive and effective detection strategy. The results demonstrated that the THz-based model with SCARS-selected power spectrum features and an RBF-kernel LS-SVM achieved the best predictive performance (R² = 0.96, RMSE = 0.20), while the NIR-based model with ICO features and an RBF-kernel LS-SVM achieved the highest accuracy (R² = 0.967, RMSE = 0.193). The fusion model, combining SCARS and ICO features, exhibited the best overall performance, with training accuracy of 96.25% and prediction accuracy of 95.94%. This dual-spectral technique leverages the complementary responses of nitrogen in molecular vibrations (THz) and organic chemical bonds (NIR), significantly enhancing model performance. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to realize the synergistic application of THz and NIR spectroscopy in nitrogen detection of facility-grown lettuce, providing a high-precision, non-destructive solution for rapid crop nutrition diagnosis. Full article

Lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and its analogs are commonly encountered substances at crime scenes due to their misuse as hallucinogenic compounds. Modern methods have led to synthesizing different LSD analogs with pronounced physiological effects. Theoretical methods can be a valuable tool for predicting the spectra and stability of novel substances, especially when experimental data are partially available. The current work describes the application of theoretical methods in predicting IR, NMR, UV–VIS, and MS spectra of LSD based on the optimized structure at the M05-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory. A suitable functional has been determined by comparison of the theoretically obtained geometrical parameters with the experimental ones based on the crystallographic structure. The MAE values for the structure optimized at M05-2X/6-311++G(d,p) level of theory were 0.0436 Å (bond lengths) and 2.70° (bond angles). The IR spectra of LSD and LSD tartrate have been described in detail, with the prominent bands being well reproduced (the difference between experimental and theoretical C=O stretching vibration wavenumbers was lower than 11 cm⁻¹). Detailed assignment of ¹³C NMR spectra led to a high correlation factor (0.999) and low mean absolute error (2.0 ppm) between experimental and theoretical chemical shifts. Optimizing the ground and excited states allowed for the calculation of the energy difference of 330 nm, which reproduced the observed band position in the UV–VIS spectrum of LSD. The most abundant fragments in the experimental mass spectrum (at 323, 221, 207, 181, and 72 m/z) have been optimized, and their stability has been discussed from the structural point of view. This methodology has been validated by comparison with the experimental GC-MS spectra of sample seized at the crime screen and by structure optimization and computation of NMR spectra of common LSD analogs. The theoretical methods for the structure determination and prediction of spectra show great potential in the fast-developing world of new psychedelics. Full article

Fourier-Transform mid-infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy offers a strong candidate screening tool for rapid, non-destructive and early detection of unauthorized virgin olive oil blends with other edible oils. Potential applications to the official anti-fraud control are supported by dozens of research articles with a “proof-of-concept” study approach through different chemometric workflows for comprehensive spectral analysis. It may also assist non-targeted authenticity testing, an emerging goal for modern food fraud inspection systems. Hence, FTIR-based methods need to be standardized and validated to be accepted by the olive industry and official regulators. Thus far, several literature reviews evaluated the competence of FTIR standalone or compared with other vibrational techniques only in view of the chemometric methodology, regardless of the inherent characteristics of the product spectra or the application scope. Regarding authenticity testing, every step of the methodology workflow, and not only the post-acquisition steps, need thorough validation. In this context, the present review investigates the progress in the research methodology on FTIR-based detection of virgin olive oil adulteration over a period of more than 25 years with the aim to capture the trends, identify gaps or misuses in the existing literature and highlight intriguing topics for future studies. An extensive search in Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, combined with bibliometric analysis, helped to extract qualitative and quantitative information from publication sources. Our findings verified that intercomparison of literature results is often impossible; sampling design, FTIR spectral acquisition and performance evaluation are critical methodological issues that need more specific guidance and criteria for application to product authenticity testing. Full article

The paper presents the results of research on the vibrating motion of a laboratory screen with a rectilinear (segmental) trajectory of vibrations during its start-up and braking. The investigations were carried out on a modernized stand equipped with a system of two vibrating motors applied in newer solutions of industrial screens, which are mounted directly on the riddle. The tests were carried out for three different frequencies using three-axis acceleration sensors. The analysed parameter was the increase in the amplitude of vibrations in transient states compared to the amplitude during the stable operation of the device. The maximum multiplication of the vibration amplitude of the classic drive system during start-up was 9.7 (mm/mm) in the vertical direction and 5.7 (mm/mm) for the new system. During braking, the maximum multiplication of the vibration amplitude of the classic drive system was 6.9 (mm/mm) vertically, while for the drive system with vibration motors, it was 11.4 (mm/mm). The absence of flexible couplings in the drive system reduces the damping of vibrations and increases the value of amplitude during the start-up and free braking of the machine. This does not have a major influence on the correct operation of the machine in a steady state. However, the use of the new drive system resulted in a significant reduction in power demand and shortened the start-up time, which has a positive effect on the operating costs of the machine. Full article

Vibrotactile feedback is a key feature of many modern touch displays, which greatly enhances user experiences when interacting with an onscreen interface. Despite its popularity in small touch screen devices, this haptic feature is absent in most large displays due to a lack of suitable actuators for such applications. Thus, a growing need exists for haptic actuators capable of producing sufficient vibrations in large touch displays. This study proposes and evaluates a novel electrostatic resonant actuator (ERA) with a moving mass and dual electrodes for increased vibration feedback intensity. The dual-electrode ERA was fabricated along with a comparable single-electrode ERA to investigate the effect of the electrode configuration on the maximum vibration intensity. When measured directly on the mass, the maximum vibration intensity of the dual-electrode actuator increased by 73% compared to the single-electrode actuator. When mounted and measured on a mock panel, the maximum vibration intensity of the dual-electrode actuator increased by nearly 65% compared to a similarly mounted single-electrode actuator. These results show that the dual-electrode configuration can significantly increase the vibration intensity when compared to the conventional ERA. This demonstrates a promising potential for the use of the proposed actuator for generating vibrotactile feedback in large touch displays. Full article