Search Results (14,393)

This study introduces a real-time, non-intrusive monitoring system designed to support elderly care through vision-based pose estimation and hand gesture recognition. The proposed framework integrates convolutional neural networks (CNNs), temporal modeling using LSTM networks, and symmetry-aware keypoint analysis to enhance the accuracy and reliability of behavior detection under varied real-world conditions. By leveraging the bilateral symmetry of human anatomy, the system improves the robustness of posture and gesture classification, even in the presence of partial occlusion or variable lighting. A total of 21 hand landmarks and 33 body pose points are used to recognize predefined actions and communication gestures, enabling seamless interaction without wearable devices. Experimental evaluations across four distinct lighting environments confirm a consistent accuracy above 90%, with real-time alerts triggered via IoT messaging platforms. The system’s modular architecture, interpretability, and adaptability make it a scalable solution for intelligent elderly individual monitoring, offering a novel application of spatial symmetry and optimized deep learning in healthcare technology. Full article

This work develops a novel phosphate-functionalized extraction resin (HEHEHP + Cyanex272)/SiO₂-P via the vacuum impregnation method for efficient separation of light rare earth element impurities from lanthanum (La³⁺) in nitric medium through synergistic extraction. Batch experiments have demonstrated superior adsorption selectivity toward impurity ions over La³⁺ in a pH 4 nitric acid solution. Column studies confirmed exceptional performance under ambient conditions, achieving a lanthanum treatment capacity of 120.6 mg/g and over 98% impurity removal, which surpasses most reported values. Notably, this purification process enables direct production of purified La³⁺ solutions through a single-column system without desorption, significantly enhancing efficiency and reducing costs. Mechanistic insights revealed combined ion exchange and coordination interactions between metal ions and P-OH/P=O groups, corroborated by advanced characterization and density functional theory calculations. These findings indicate a higher binding affinity of light rare earth compared with La³⁺. This strategy provides a scalable approach for ultra-high-purity lanthanum compound production in advanced optical and electronic applications. Full article

With the significant increase in solar power generation’s proportion in power systems, the uncertainty of its power output poses increasingly severe challenges to grid operation. In recent years, solar forecasting models have achieved remarkable progress, with various developed models each exhibiting distinct advantages and characteristics. To address complex and variable geographical and meteorological conditions, it is necessary to adopt a multi-model fusion approach to leverage the strengths and adaptability of individual models. This paper proposes a photovoltaic power prediction framework based on multi-stage ensemble learning, which enhances prediction robustness by integrating the complementary advantages of heterogeneous models. The framework employs a three-level optimization architecture: first, a recursive feature elimination (RFE) algorithm based on LightGBM–XGBoost–MLP weighted scoring is used to screen high-discriminative features; second, mutual information and hierarchical clustering are utilized to construct a heterogeneous model pool, enabling competitive intra-group and complementary inter-group model selection; finally, the traditional static weighting strategy is improved by concatenating multi-model prediction results with real-time meteorological data to establish a time-period-based dynamic weight optimization module. The performance of the proposed framework was validated across multiple dimensions—including feature selection, model screening, dynamic integration, and comprehensive performance—using measured data from a 75 MW photovoltaic power plant in Inner Mongolia and the open-source dataset PVOD. Full article

The construction of buildings using shipping containers (SCs) is a way to extend their useful life. They are constructed by modifying the structure, thermal, and acoustic conditioning by improving the envelope and creating openings for lighting and ventilation purposes. This study explores the architectural adaptation of SCs to sustainable residential housing, focusing on structural, thermal, and acoustic performance. The project centers on a case study in Madrid, Spain, transforming four containers into a semi-detached, multilevel dwelling. The design emphasizes modular coordination, spatial flexibility, and structural reinforcement. The retrofit process includes the integration of thermal insulation systems in the ventilated façades and sandwich roof panels to counteract steel’s high thermal conductivity, enhancing energy efficiency. The acoustic performance of the container-based dwelling was assessed through in situ measurements of façade airborne sound insulation and floor impact noisedemonstrating compliance with building code requirements by means of laminated glazing, sealed joints, and floating floors. This represents a novel contribution, given the scarcity of experimental acoustic data for residential buildings made from shipping containers. Results confirm that despite the structure’s low surface mass, appropriate design strategies can achieve the required sound insulation levels, supporting the viability of this lightweight modular construction system. Structural calculations verify the building’s load-bearing capacity post-modification. Overall, the findings support container architecture as a viable and eco-efficient alternative to conventional construction, while highlighting critical design considerations such as thermal performance, sound attenuation, and load redistribution. The results offer valuable data for designers working with container-based systems and contribute to a strategic methodology for the sustainable refurbishment of modular housing. Full article

This paper presents a novel technique for thermally compensating the power output of a DC-DC converter that supplies automotive lighting/signaling systems with multiple LED branches. The method ensures stable bias voltage for the current drivers controlling each branch, maintaining consistent power consumption across a wide temperature range. This issue has been minimally addressed in existing literature, providing few solutions which are too complex for industrial production. The approach proposed is simple and involves incorporating a temperature-sensitive thermistor into the DC-DC converter’s control loop, enabling the output voltage to adjust with ambient temperature. Different control loop configurations are explored, demonstrating that a simple resistor-thermistor network can approximate the desired voltage response under diverse thermal conditions. The power dissipated in the current drivers is kept within a controlled range, improving system efficiency and reducing heat loss. Additionally, it minimizes the need for additional current drivers, lowering the cost of these systems, improving battery life of the DC-DC converter, and decreasing CO₂ emissions. For the case studies analyzed, an optimized configuration with appropriate resistor values and thermistor models achieves a 75% relative reduction in power dissipation by the current driver and a 50% improvement in the relative efficiency of the LED branch system. Full article

Human chorionic gonadotropin (HCG) is an essential biomarker for the evaluation and diagnosis of early pregnancy, multiple pregnancies, and ectopic pregnancies. However, the accuracy of test strip interpretation is often compromised by inconvenient and uncomfortable professional testing, the black-box nature of AI-based detection methods, and variations in image quality caused by mobile photography and lighting conditions. To address these challenges, we propose 2SLOD-HCG, a novel network for test strip concentration detection. Our approach introduces an enhanced spatial pyramid pooling (SPP) module to better integrate multi-scale receptive field information and incorporates an elastic variational cross-FPN structure augmented with lightweight transformer blocks to strengthen global feature perception. Furthermore, a SimAM attention mechanism is applied to highlight critical local features. These improvements collectively enhance the network’s ability to capture both fine-grained and global contextual information. We constructed a dataset of 50,000 augmented test strip images collected under three lighting conditions and four mobile photography scenarios. The results demonstrate that 2SLOD-HCG achieves superior accuracy and robustness compared to existing YOLO-based baselines, particularly in detecting the small color-developing regions of test strips. Full article

Background/Objectives: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the most common metabolic disorders, with a continually increasing population incidence. One of the main therapeutic approaches for this condition involves the inhibition of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase—key enzymes involved in carbohydrate breakdown. Silver nanoparticles have exhibited inhibitory activity against both enzymes, suggesting their potential in regulating postprandial blood glucose levels. This study aimed to evaluate the antidiabetic potential of silver nanoparticles biosynthesized with Stenocereus queretaroensis flower extract. Methods: The flower extract was prepared and, following a qualitative and quantitative phytochemical analysis, was utilized in the reaction to biosynthesize S. queretaroensis flower extract nanoparticles (SAgNPs). The SAgNPs were characterized using UV–visible spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Fourier transform infrared spectrophotometry (FTIR). The antidiabetic potential of the biosynthesized SAgNPs was evaluated in vitro using alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase inhibitory assays, while an animal model was used for postprandial hypoglycemic activity in healthy mice. Results: The phytochemical analyses showed the presence of phenolic compounds and flavonoids like sinapic acid, p-coumaroyl tyrosine, procyanidin dimer β1, and dihydroquercetin in the flower extract. The SAgNPs were found to be rough and spherical in shape, with an average size of 99.5 nm. The inhibition of alpha-amylase and alpha-glucosidase by SAgNPs exhibited an IC₅₀ of 4.92 µg/mL and 0.68 µg/mL, respectively. The animal model results suggested that SAgNPs at 100 mg/kg caused a significant decrease in the postprandial glucose level; this effect is likely attributable to delayed carbohydrate digestion, as supported by the in vitro findings. Conclusions: S. queretaroensis-synthesized silver nanoparticles may constitute a promising option for antidiabetic therapy. Full article

Plants grow, develop, and reproduce within a rhythmic environment. Environmental cues—such as light, temperature, nutrition, water—initiate, sustain, or terminate basic physiological processes within the plant, such as photosynthesis, respiration, nutrient uptake, water management, transpiration, growth, and hormone regulation. Simultaneously, inside the plant, internal “living clocks” are ticking and helping plants to synchronize internal processes with environmental cues and defend themselves against stressful conditions. These clock-regulated processes underlie a variety of plant traits, such as germination capability, growth and development rate, time of flowering, fruiting and yielding, development of plant shape, and size and biomass production. Most of these physiological traits are important attributes of crop plants. In recent years, the growing understanding of environmental rhythms as environmental cues and the mechanisms underlying plant internal clocks has begun to play an increasingly important role in agricultural practices. This is an emerging area of research that integrates insights from chronobiology with practices in plant agriculture. In this review, this new research area is studied and mapped using Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA protocol), and VOSviewer1.6.20 software. The analyses were carried out on 18 July–27 August 2025. For the VOSviewer author keywords co-occurrence analysis, all 1022 documents covering the time range of the last 7.5–2.5 years (2018–July 2025) were included and three maps were generated. Additionally, 59 review documents covering the last 27 years (1988–July 2025) were extracted by relevance using Google Scholar. In this review, recent advances and topics in plant chronobiology were examined. The issue of how these advances respond to key challenges in plant agriculture was explored. The bidirectional influence between chronobiology and practices in plant agriculture were also considered. Full article

Osteoarthritis in dogs is commonly managed with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), nutraceuticals, and other medications aimed at alleviating pain and inflammation. Although NSAIDs are generally considered the most effective option, their use is contraindicated in certain conditions due to adverse side effects. Consequently, there has been growing interest in alternative or complementary therapies, such as acupuncture, laser therapy, and their combination. Laser acupuncture involves stimulating traditional acupuncture points with low-intensity laser light, producing anti-inflammatory, analgesic, anti-edematous, and bio-stimulatory effects. In this study, 19 dogs with osteoarthritis were assigned to two groups: 10 received laser acupuncture treatment (Group T) using a dual-wavelength system delivering continuous and pulsed, synchronized emissions, while 9 served as controls (Group C). After 30 days, only Group T showed significant improvement (p < 0.01), with reduced pain and improved joint mobility. Significant reductions in LDH and CPK were observed in Group T, along with changes in inflammatory markers (IL-6 and IL-10, though not TNF-α) and a significant increase in biological antioxidant potential. These preliminary findings indicate that laser acupuncture, applied according to a standardized protocol and adapted to the site of disease, may represent a viable non-invasive therapeutic option for canine osteoarthritis, particularly in cases where pharmacological treatment is contraindicated or ineffective. Further large-scale, randomized controlled trials are warranted to confirm these results and establish long-term efficacy. Full article

The wide application of light emitting diodes (LEDs) in lighting systems has necessitated the inclusion of spectral tunability by using multi-color LED chips. Since the lighting requirement depends on the specific application, it is very important to have flexibility in terms of the driving conditions. While many applications use single or rather white color, some recent applications require multi-spectral lighting systems especially for agricultural or human-medical treatment applications. These systems are underexplored and pose specific challenges. In this paper, a mixture of red, green, blue, white (RGB-W) LED chips was used to develop a compact light engine specifically for agricultural applications. A computational study was performed to understand the optical distribution. Later, attention was turned into development of prototype light engines followed by experimental validation for both the thermal and optical characteristics. Each LED string was driven separately at different current levels enabling an option for obtaining an infinite number of colors for numerous applications. Each LED string on the developed light engine was driven at 300 mA, 500 mA, 700 mA, and 900 mA current levels, and the optical and thermal parameters were recorded simultaneously. A set of computational models and an experimental study were performed to understand the optical and thermal characteristics simultaneously. Full article

Among different formations, inorganic/inorganic assemblies can be considered “two in one” systems offering collective and/or new physical-chemical properties and substantial activity. Herein, a post-synthetic approach involving the assembly through Van der Waals forces and/or hydrogen bonding of the preformed ZnO@OAm NPs and Ca(OH)₂@OAm NPs of non-uniform sizes (9 nm and 27 nm, respectively), albeit coated with the same surfactant (oleylamine-OAm), is reported. The resulting semiconductor hetero-nanostructure (named CaZnO) has been physicochemically characterized. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) peaks correspond to both ZnO and Ca(OH)₂, confirming the successful formation of a dual-phase system. Field emission scanning electron microscopy coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (FESEM-EDS) of CaZnO indicated the formation of Ca(OH)₂ NPs decorated with irregular-shaped ZnO NPs. The synthesized hetero-nanostructure was evaluated by assessing any negative effects on the photosynthetic function of tomato plants as well as for the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). The impact of the CaZnO hetero-nanostructure on photosystem II (PSII) photochemistry was evaluated under both the growth light intensity (GLI) and a high light intensity (HLI) at a short (90 min) and long (96 h) duration exposure. An enhancement of photosystem II (PSII) function of tomato plants by 15 mg L⁻¹ CaZnO hetero-nanostructure right after 90 min was evidenced, indicating its potential to be used as a photosynthetic biostimulant, improving photosynthetic efficiency and crop yield, but pending further testing across various plant species and cultivation conditions. Full article

The electronic structures and optical properties of Mn-doped, Co-doped, and (Mn,Co)-co-doped Cu₂ZnSnS₄ were calculated and analyzed using the first-principles pseudopotential plane-wave approach. The results indicate that doping with Mn or Co increases the bond population and decreases the bond length of the S-Mn and S-Co bonds, respectively, enhancing their covalent character. The undoped Cu₂ZnSnS₄ exhibits a bandgap of 0.16 eV, whereas doping with Mn or Co introduces impurity levels near the Fermi level, resulting in bandgap narrowing. Within the visible light spectrum, the static dielectric constant ε₁(0) reaches its maximum value of 67.7 under co-doping conditions, and the absorption coefficient also attains its maximum value of 6.7 × 10⁴ cm⁻¹ under co-doping. Doping with Mn and Co induces a redshift (shift towards lower energy) in both the absorption peaks and dielectric function peaks, concomitantly increasing the probability of photon-induced electronic transitions. Conversely, doping shifts the reflectivity peaks towards higher energies (blue-shift), with the most pronounced blue-shift occurring under co-doping; the strongest reflectivity peaks remain below 43%. A prominent conductivity peak is observed at 1.7 eV. Doping shifts this peak position towards lower energies, with the maximum peak intensity reaching 1.6. These findings collectively suggest that Mn and Co doping effectively modulate key optical properties of Cu₂ZnSnS₄, such as its band gap and absorption coefficient, constituting an effective strategy for enhancing its optoelectronic transport characteristics. Full article

Background/Objectives: Following the recent publication of reassuring outcomes from the ARA MED 330 protocol regarding long-term insulin use in pilots, combined with continuous advancements in diabetes technology, European aeromedical examiners are increasingly optimistic about establishing more flexible medical requirements for insulin-treated aviation professionals. These professionals have historically been considered unfit for duty due to hypoglycemic risks. According to current research, hypoglycemia, the primary incapacitation risk for flight crew, is considered virtually non-existent among air traffic controllers (ATCOs). Additionally, stress-induced hyperglycemia also represents a low-frequency risk in these professionals, who are experienced in managing highly stressful operational environments. This study presents a narrative review examining stress and its metabolic effects in healthy individuals, ATCOs, and people with diabetes (PwD). Methods: This narrative review was conducted based on a comprehensive PubMed search performed by two independent reviewers (GAR and AM) spanning January 2023 to January 2025. The search strategy focused on English-language, peer-reviewed studies involving human participants and addressed stress, glucose regulation, and occupational factors in ATCOs and people with diabetes. Additional relevant articles were identified through reference screening. A total of 33 studies met the inclusion criteria. Studies focusing solely on oxidative or molecular mechanisms were excluded from the analysis. Results: Stressful events consistently triggered the expected hyperglycemic reaction in both healthy individuals and PwD. However, the literature indicates ATCOs demonstrate remarkable stress resilience and adaptation to the demanding conditions of their work environment, suggesting a unique occupational profile regarding metabolic stress responses. Conclusions: These findings contribute valuable insights to ongoing discussions regarding aeromedical fitness standards. The evidence suggests that ATCOs may not face the same metabolic risks as flight crews, indicating that current medical certification processes for insulin-treated aviation professionals warrant reconsideration in light of this emerging evidence. This research supports the potential for more individualized, occupation-specific aeromedical standards that better reflect the actual risk profiles of different aviation roles. Full article

Context and Objective: Food quality and shelf life are strongly influenced by the interaction between packaging properties and mass transport processes. This study explored how hurdle technology can be applied to food preservation, focusing on olive oil as a practical case due to its high sensitivity to oxidation and light. Methodology: An analogy was developed between transport phenomena in packaging and the fundamental laws of electricity, providing a simple physical basis for understanding preservation mechanisms. This was supported by parametric simulations and mathematical modeling, which were used to predict how different packaging materials and conditions influence product stability. Main Results: The application to olive oil showed that packaging properties such as resistance to oxygen and light permeation have a direct effect on preservation effectiveness. Model predictions highlighted clear differences in stability depending on the choice of packaging, demonstrating the critical role of material selection. Conclusions: The study presents an integrated framework that links packaging characteristics with food preservation outcomes. By combining physical analogies with modeling tools, it offers a practical basis for designing packaging solutions that extend shelf life and protect sensitive foods such as olive oil. Full article

Photobiomodulation (PBM) harnesses near-infrared (NIR) light to stimulate cellular processes, offering non-invasive treatment options for a range of conditions, including chronic wounds, inflammation, and neurological disorders. NIR light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are emerging as safer and more scalable alternatives to conventional lasers, but optimizing their performance for clinical use remains a challenge. This perspective explores the latest advances in NIR-emitting materials, spanning Group III–V, IV, and II–VI semiconductors, organic small molecules, polymers, and perovskites, with an emphasis on their applicability to PBM. Particular attention is given to the promise of perovskite LEDs, including lead-free and lanthanide-doped variants, for delivering narrowband, tunable NIR emission. Furthermore, we examine photonic and plasmonic engineering strategies that enhance light extraction, spectral precision, and device efficiency. By integrating advances in materials science and nanophotonics, it is increasingly feasible to develop flexible, biocompatible, and high-performance NIR LEDs tailored for next-generation therapeutic applications. Full article