This study examines the global literature that looks at spatial–visual abilities (SVA) while considering the numerous differential studies, methods of evaluation designed over a century, and multiple external influences on its development. The dataset was retrieved from Google Scholar and publisher databases such as Elsevier, Taylor & Francis, Springer, etc. Only factual reports and bibliographic reviews were included in an analysis of a total of 87 documents. Each study of SVA is classified based on information, country, year, and age groupings. SVA has been extensively studied in the areas of “STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) fields”, “demographic factors” and “other activities”. “Spatial visualisation” or “visual ability” is the term employed to refer to the cognitive ability that allows one to comprehend, mentally process, and manipulate three-dimensional visuospatial shapes. One of the most crucial distinct abilities involved is spatial aptitude, which aids in understanding numerous aspects of everyday and academic life. It is especially vital for comprehending scientific concepts, and it has been extensively studied. Nearly all multiple-aptitude assessments include spatial ability. It is determined that over the past two decades, the study of SVA has gained momentum, most likely because of information being digitised. Within the vast reservoir of spatial-cognition research, the majority of the studies examined here originate from the United States of America, with less than a quarter of the studies based in the Asia–Pacific region and the Middle East. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the literature on the assessment of SVA with respect to sector, year, country, age and socio-economic factors. It also offers a detailed examination of the use of spatial interventions in educational environments to integrate spatial abilities with training in architecture and interior design. Full article

In this study, a class of delayed fractional-order predation models with disease and cannibalism in the prey was studied. In addition, we considered the prey stage structure and the refuge effect. A Holling type-II functional response function was used to describe predator–prey interactions. First, the existence and uniform boundedness of the solutions of the systems without delay were proven. The local stability of the equilibrium point was also analyzed. Second, we used the digestion delay of predators as a bifurcation parameter to determine the conditions under which Hopf bifurcation occurs. Finally, a numerical simulation was performed to validate the obtained results. Numerical simulations have shown that cannibalism contributes to the elimination of disease in diseased prey populations. In addition, the size of the bifurcation point ${\tau }_0$ decreased with an increase in the fractional order, and this had a significant effect on the stability of the system. Full article

Self-supervised learning continues to drive advancements in machine learning. However, the absence of unified computational processes for benchmarking and evaluation remains a challenge. This study conducts a comprehensive analysis of state-of-the-art self-supervised learning algorithms, emphasizing their underlying mechanisms and computational intricacies. Building upon this analysis, we introduce a unified model-agnostic computation (UMAC) process, tailored to complement modern self-supervised learning algorithms. UMAC serves as a model-agnostic and global explainable artificial intelligence (XAI) methodology that is capable of systematically integrating and enhancing state-of-the-art algorithms. Through UMAC, we identify key computational mechanisms and craft a unified framework for self-supervised learning evaluation. Leveraging UMAC, we integrate an XAI methodology to enhance transparency and interpretability. Our systematic approach yields a 17.12% increase in improvement in training time complexity and a 13.1% boost in improvement in testing time complexity. Notably, improvements are observed in augmentation, encoder architecture, and auxiliary components within the network classifier. These findings underscore the importance of structured computational processes in enhancing model efficiency and fortifying algorithmic transparency in self-supervised learning, paving the way for more interpretable and efficient AI models. Full article

Nanocomposites based on chlorobutyl rubber (CIIR) have been made using a variety of nanofillers such as carbon black (CB), nanoclay (NC), graphene oxide (GO), and carbon black/nanoclay hybrid filler systems. The hybrid combinations of CB/nanoclay are being employed in the research to examine the additive impacts on the final characteristics of nanocomposites. Atomic force microscopy (AFM), together with resistivity values and mechanical property measurements, have been used to characterise the structural composition of CIIR-based nanocomposites. AFM results indicate that the addition of nanoclay into CIIR increased the surface roughness of the material, which made the material more adhesive. The study found a significant decrease in resistivity in CIIR–nanoclay-based composites and hybrid compositions with nanoclay and CB. The higher resistivity in CB composites, compared to CB/nanoclay, suggests that nanoclay enhances the conductive network of carbon black. However, GO-incorporated composites failed to create conductive networks, which this may have been due to the agglomeration. The study also found that the modulus values at 100%, 200%, and 300% elongation are the highest for clay and CB/clay systems. The findings show that nanocomposites, particularly clay and clay/CB hybrid nanocomposites, may produce polymer nanocomposites with high electrical conductivity. Mechanical properties correlated well with the reinforcement provided by nanoclay. Hybrid nanocomposites with clay/CB had increased mechanical properties because of their enhanced compatibility and higher filler–rubber interaction. Nano-dispersed clay helps prevent fracture growth and enhances mechanical properties even more so than CB. Full article

Acetaminophen (APAP) is a widely used analgesic, especially for children. Its primary mechanism involves inhibiting cyclooxygenase enzymes and activating the endocannabinoid and TRPV1 systems. Though its toxicity is low, it can harm the liver in a dose-dependent manner. Low APAP doses can also increase pollutant-induced liver damage. Little is known about interactions between APAP and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P). This study aimed to assess if co-exposure to non-hepatotoxic doses of B[a]P and APAP causes liver injury in mice, exploring the underlying mechanisms. Female ICR mice received 50 mg/kg B[a]P or a vehicle for three days, followed by 200 mg/kg APAP or a vehicle. Liver injury was assessed through histopathological examination, serum transaminase activity, and gene expression analysis. In the B[a]P/APAP group, several histology changes were observed, including ballooning injury, steatosis, necrosis, inflammation, and apoptosis. Transaminase levels correlated with histopathological scores, and there was an increase in hepatic cytochrome P450 family 1 subfamily a member 1 (Cyp1a1) mRNA levels and a decrease in aryl hydrocarbon receptor (Ahr), cytochrome P450 family 2 subfamily e polypeptide 1 (Cyp2e1), superoxide dismutase 1 (Sod1), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor gamma (Ppar-γ), and caspase 3 (Casp3). This suggests that prior exposure to B[a]P makes mice more susceptible to APAP-induced liver injury, involving changes in gene expression related to metabolism, redox balance, and cell proliferation. Therefore, using therapeutic APAP doses after exposure to B[a]P could lead to liver injury. Full article

Background and Objectives: Cimicifugae Rhizoma, also known as ‘Sheng ma’ in Madeiran, is a widely used Chinese herbal medicine that has several pharmacological qualities, one of which is its antioxidant activity. Isoferulic acid, a prominent phenolic compound found in Cimicifugae Rhizoma, has potent antioxidant properties. This study was aimed to comprehensively analyze the components in Cimicifugae Rhizoma and rat plasma to evaluate the in vitro antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties of Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract and Isoferulic acid as potential candidates for developing herbal formulations targeting podocyte injury in diabetic nephropathy for further clinical utilization. Materials and Methods: UPLC/Q-TOF-MS and HPLC were utilized as analytical tools to identify components of Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract or rat plasma after administrating it. MPC5 cells were cultured with H₂O₂ and high glucose and subjected to oxidative stress injury. The CXCL12/CXCR4 system plays a crucial role at certain stages of multiple kidney diseases’ injury. Apoptosis-related and target CXCL12/CXCR4/mTOR/Caspase-3 and Cask protein levels were assessed, and the levels of inflammatory-related factors, motility, morphology, ROS level, and apoptosis in podocytes were tested. Results: A total of 82 and 39 components were identified in the Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract and plasma, and Isoferulic acid content was determined as 6.52 mg/g in the Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract. The Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract (1 μg/mL) and Isoferulic acid (10, 25, 50 μM) considerably decreased high glucose and oxidative-stress-mediated toxicity, impaired mobility and adhesion and apoptotic changes in MPC5 cells, and reversed inflammation response. Moreover, the Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract and Isoferulic acid down-regulated Cask, mTOR, and Caspase-3, while significantly blocking the overactivation of CXCL12/CXCR4 in podocytes stimulated by oxidative stress and high glucose. Conclusions: These results indicate that the renal protective mechanism of the Cimicifugae Rhizoma extract and Isoferulic acid on simulating H₂O₂-induced podocyte injury involves mainly the of CXCL12/CXCR4 pathways and the inactivation of oxidative-stress-mediated apoptotic pathways after comprehensive qualitative and quantitative research by UPLC/Q-TOF-MS and HPLC. These findings provide an important efficacy and ingredient basis for further study on the clinical utilities of Cimicifugae Rhizoma and Isoferulic acid on podocyte and kidney impairment. Full article

Pholis fangi is a small, bottom-dwelling fish species endemic to the Yellow Sea and Bohai Sea in China. While previous research has focused on its population biology and molecular structure, little is known about the early developmental stages of this species. In this study, larval and juvenile P. fangi specimens were collected from the Sheyang Sea Area, Jiangsu Province, in 2017. Morphological features were examined using microscopy, and DNA barcoding was conducted to confirm species identification. The research documented detailed changes in yolk sac, fin development, and melanophore distribution patterns across larval and juvenile stages of P. fangi. Comparative analysis with other Pholis species revealed that melanophore distribution is a key distinguishing characteristic, allowing effective differentiation between larval and juvenile stages, as well as between Pholis species. This study provides valuable insights into the early life history of P. fangi, contributing to a better understanding of the genus Pholis. The findings demonstrate the utility of combining traditional morphological observation and molecular techniques for accurate species identification, particularly during the critical larval and juvenile developmental phases. Full article

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of supplementing feed with a functional mixture of immunomodulators, including β-glucans, nucleotides, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol, associated with a diet with lower levels of animal protein (11.5%) and higher levels of soybean meal (43.5%), on the zootechnical performance, health, hematological and immunological parameters, intestinal morphology, centesimal composition, and intestinal microbiome of juvenile Nile tilapia (initial weight 1.88 g ± 0.25 g, mean ± standard deviation). Two isocaloric and isoproteic diets (35% crude protein) were formulated, one with the inclusion of the immunostimulant functional mixture (40 kg·t⁻¹), composed of 150 mg·kg⁻¹ of nucleotides, 1000 mg·kg⁻¹ of β-glucans, 1000 mg·kg⁻¹ of ascorbic acid (vitamin C), and 20 mg·kg⁻¹ of alpha-tocopherol (vitamin E), and another without. The combined supplementation of nucleotides, β-glucans, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol resulted in a 59.95% increase in final weight, 64% weight gain, 66% daily gain, a 21.31% decrease in feed conversion rate, and double the retention of body protein. Supplementation also improved intestinal morphology and modulated the intestinal microbiome, increasing Chao-1 diversity. Transmission electron microscopy confirmed that fish fed with both diets exhibited intact intestinal mucosal membranes. Supplementation did not alter the hematological and immunological parameters, suggesting that there was no overstimulation of the fish’s immune system. This work allows us to evaluate the effect of reducing the use of animal protein in the diets of fish, along with the effects of nucleotides, β-glucans, ascorbic acid, and alpha-tocopherol. Together, these compounds can provide fish with the necessary tools to achieve optimal health and growth. Full article

Solid waste sorting is an important pre-treatment in recycling to improve the efficiency of material recovery and reduce costs. Motivated by the PEACOC project on metal recovery from solid wastes, an innovative magnetic density separation (MDS) process has been developed for solid waste sorting. It has intrinsic advantages over conventional gravity separation technologies and the previously industrialized MDS process. The new MDS process applies an inclined planar magnet and a horizontal basin containing a static magnetic fluid as the separation medium. A particle sliding phenomenon is identified as a feature that could help the separation. Experiments have been carried out to demonstrate the role of the MDS in concentrating valuable metals in shredded PCBAs and reducing metallic contaminants in plastic fractions of shredded wires. A pilot scale facility is introduced to show the design to achieve continuous production and to reduce the consumption of ferrofluid. Full article

Graphene has a high specific surface area and high electrical conductivity, and its addition to activated carbon electrodes should theoretically significantly improve the energy storage performance of supercapacitors. Unfortunately, such an ideal outcome is seldom verified in practical commercial supercapacitor design and production. In this paper, the oxygen-containing functional groups in graphene/activated carbon hybrids, which are prone to induce side reactions, are removed in the material synthesis stage by a special process design, and electrodes with high densities and low internal resistances are prepared by a dry process. On this basis, a carbon-coated aluminum foil collector with a full tab structure is designed and assembled with graphene/activated carbon hybrid electrodes to form a commercial supercapacitor in cylindrical configuration. The experimental tests confirmed that such supercapacitors have high capacity density, power density, low internal resistance (about 0.06 mΩ), good high-current charging/discharging characteristics, and a long lifetime, with more than 80% capacity retention after 10 W cycles. Full article

The olive tree is one of the most common type of cultivation in the Mediterranean area, having high economic and social importance. The Alentejo region, Portugal, is an area with a high presence of olive groves, which in 2022 accounted for 201,474 hectares. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between olive pollen, weather data, and olive tree production, between the years 2002 and 2022. Pollen data were obtained from an urban station located in Évora, in the Alentejo region, and were used to calculate several metrics, such as the Pollen Season Duration (PSD), Seasonal Pollen Index (SPIn), peak value, and weekly pollen accumulation values. Monthly minimum, maximum, and mean temperature and precipitation sums were obtained from the E-OBS observational dataset. Considering the relationship between pollen/weather and olive production, mutual information and correlation analyses were conducted. Subsequently, several machine learning algorithms were trained using pollen and weather datasets, and we obtained suitable forecast models for olive tree production after cross-validation. The results showed high variability in pollen concentrations in Évora over the years. Complex associations were found, with certain weeks of pollen accumulation showing significant mutual information with olive production, particularly during June. The analyzed linear correlation coefficients remained generally low, underscoring the challenge of predicting olive production based on linear relationships. Among the machine learning algorithms employed to predict olive production, Decision Trees, Extreme Gradient Boosting, and Gradient Boosting Regressor were the most robust performers (r² > 0.70), while linear models displayed a subpar performance (r² < 0.5), emphasizing the complexity of this approach. These models highlight the roles of maximum and minimum temperatures during March and May and pollen accumulation during the second half of June. The developed models may be used as decision-support tools by growers and stakeholders to further enhance the sustainability of the thriving olive sector in southern Portugal. Full article

High-tunnel production is increasing rapidly in the US due to its effectiveness in extending production seasons. Tomato is considered one of the most profitable crops grown in high tunnels. The elevated soil temperature and constant soil moisture in high tunnels lead to the buildup of root-knot nematodes (RKNs). Growing RKN-resistant tomato cultivars or grafting onto RKN-resistant tomato rootstocks is considered effective in managing RKNs. However, all of the RKN-resistant tomato cultivars or rootstocks carry the same resistance gene, Mi-1. This lack of diversity in resistance has led to the emergence of virulent RKN populations breaking tomato Mi-1 resistance. Here, we identified and characterized a virulent population of Meloidogyne incognita from a high tunnel in Indiana. The M. incognita population was confirmed as being able to infect and reproduce on two resistant tomato cultivars, Better Boy and Early Girl, carrying the Mi-1 gene, under a controlled environment at 24 °C. To our knowledge, this is the first report of a virulent M. incognita population breaking Mi-1 resistance in Indiana. Virulent M. incognita populations overcoming Mi-1 resistance were previously reported in California and Georgia in the US. This work emphasizes the importance of regularly monitoring RKN population virulence to sustainably manage the pest. Full article

Ornamental horticulture and breeding, as well as urban landscape architecture, are facing increasing challenges driven by an intensely changing climate and urbanisation. The expansion of cities should be combined with an overall growth of green spaces, where ornamental plant species and cultivars will have to withstand a diverse range of environmental conditions, whereby they are often exposed to multiple stress factors. One of the most widely used ornamental shrub species Weigela florida ‘Eva Rathke’ was treated with the growth promoters Bistep with humic and fulvic acid, Kelpak^® seaweed extract, and Yeald Plus with a high zinc content to test their applicability in a plant nursery. Bistep decreased the physiological parameters (the transpiration rate by 60%, the evapotranspiration rate by 56.5%, and the proline stress enzyme content level by 82.2%), indicating the stress level of the treated plants. The activity of β-glucosidase decreased with all growth-promoting treatments (11.5% for Kelpak and 9.5% for Yeald Plus), as did β-glucosaminidase (22.1% for Kelpak and 9.8% for Yeald Plus), but Bistep treatment reduced the activity of the enzymes less (9.9% for β-glucosidase and 3.3% for β-glucosaminidase). The measured alkaline phosphatase enzyme activity increased with treatment (by 10.7% for Kelpak, 11.7% for Yeald Plus, and 12.63% for Bistep). Based on the results, it was concluded that Bistep and Yeald Plus may be suitable for use in the studied variety, whereas Kelpak^® may not be suggested in plant nurseries for growing W. florida ‘Eva Rathke’ plants. Full article

Invertases are involved in plant growth, development, and stress adaptation; however, invertase-encoding genes have not yet been reported in Allium species. In this study, we identified 23 invertase izogenes in garlic (Allium sativum L.): 11 encoding putative neutral/alkaline (AsN/AINV1–11) and 12 acid (6 cell-wall—AsCWINV1–6 and 6 vacuolar—AsVINV1–6) enzymes. Among them, AsN/AINV1, 3, 8–10, AsCWINV2–5, and AsVINV2–6 showed significant transcription in garlic organs (roots, bulbs, pseudostems, leaves, sprouts, and reproductive parts) in a tissue-specific manner, whereas the AsN/AINV4–6, 11, AsCWINV1, 6, and AsVINV1 genes had weak or no detectable expression. Gene promoters contained nine, nine, and sixteen hormone-, stress-, and light-responsive cis-regulatory elements, respectively, and fifteen sites related to transcription factor binding and plant development. Expression analysis revealed that 12 invertase genes strongly transcribed in the roots of A. sativum cv. Ershuizao showed differential expression in the roots and leaves of A. sativum cv. Sarmat exposed to abiotic stresses (low temperature, high salinity, and drought) and phytohormones (abscisic acid and methyl jasmonate), which was significantly correlated with glucose, fructose, and sucrose contents. Our results should further functional analysis of invertases from Allium crops and contribute to the breeding of stress-tolerant varieties. Full article

Two experiments were performed to evaluate the effect of a biosynthetic 6-phytase added at 500 phytase unit (FTU)/kg diet on growth performance, bone mineralization, and nutrient digestibility and retention in weaned piglets and growing–finishing pigs. Experiments were performed on 90 weaned male and female piglets with an average initial body weight (BW) at 7.7 ± 0.73 kg, 26 days of age) and 300 male and female growing pigs (initial BW: 21.0 ± 3.44 kg) for 43 and 98 days in experiments 1 and 2, respectively. In each experiment, the animals were assigned to one of three treatments according to a randomized complete block design. The treatments consisted of a positive-control (PC) diet formulated to meet nutrient requirements; a negative-control (NC) diet reduced similarly in calcium (Ca) and digestible P by 0.15 and 0.12% points in phases 1 and 2, respectively, in piglets and by 0.14, 0.11, and 0.10% points, respectively, in phases 1, 2, and 3 in growing–finishing pigs, compared with PC diet; and a NC diet supplemented with the new 6-phytase at 500 FTU/kg diet (PHY). The dietary P and Ca depletion reduced (p < 0.05) the final BW (−11.9%; −7.8%,), average daily gain (ADG, −17.8%; −10.1%), average daily feed intake (ADFI, −9.9%; −6.0%), gain-to-feed (G:F) ratio (−8.9%; −4.6%), and apparent total tract digestibility (ATTD) of P (−7.7% points; −6.7% points) in nursery piglets and growing pigs, respectively. It also decreased (p < 0.001) P and Ca retention by 6.1 and 9.4% points, respectively, in nursery pigs and ash, P, and Ca contents in metacarpal bones by 18.4, 18.4, and 16.8%, respectively, in growing pigs. Compared to animals fed the NC diet, phytase supplementation improved (p < 0.001) the final BW (+7.7%; +11.3%), ADG (+12.5%; +15.0%), G:F ratio (+8.4%; +5.8%), ATTD of Ca (+10.8% points; +7.2% points), and ATTD of P (+18.7% points; +16.6% points) in weaned piglets and growing pigs, respectively. In addition, phytase also increased (p < 0.001) P and Ca retention by 6.1 and 9.4% points, respectively, in nursery pigs and ash, P, and Ca contents in metacarpal bones by 17.7, 15.0, and 15.2%, respectively, in growing pigs. The final BW, ADG, G:F ratio, and bone traits in animals fed the NC diet supplemented with phytase were comparable to animals fed the PC diet. This finding indicates the ability of this novel biosynthetic phytase to restore performance and bone mineralization by improving the availability of P and Ca in piglets and growing pigs fed P- and Ca-deficient diets. Full article

The human heart’s remarkable vitality necessitates a deep understanding of its mechanics, particularly concerning cardiac device leads. This paper presents advancements in finite element modeling for cardiac leads and 3D heart models, leveraging computational simulations to assess lead behavior over time. Through detailed modeling and meshing techniques, we accurately captured the complex interactions between leads and heart tissue. Material properties were assigned based on ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials) standards and in vivo exposure data, ensuring realistic simulations. Our results demonstrate close agreement between experimental and simulated data for silicone insulation in pacemaker leads, with a mean force tolerance of 19.6 N ± 3.6 N, an ultimate tensile strength (UTS) of 6.3 MPa ± 1.15 MPa, and a percentage elongation of 125% ± 18.8%, highlighting the effectiveness of simulation in predicting lead performance. Similarly, for polyurethane insulation in ICD leads, we found a mean force of 65.87 N ± 7.1 N, a UTS of 10.7 MPa ± 1.15 MPa, and a percentage elongation of 259.3% ± 21.4%. Additionally, for polyurethane insulation in CRT leads, we observed a mean force of 53.3 N ± 2.06 N, a UTS of 22.11 MPa ± 0.85 MPa, and a percentage elongation of 251.6% ± 13.2%. Correlation analysis revealed strong relationships between mechanical properties, further validating the simulation models. Classification models constructed using both experimental and simulated data exhibited high discriminative ability, underscoring the reliability of simulation in analyzing lead behavior. These findings contribute to the ongoing efforts to improve cardiac device lead design and optimize patient outcomes. Full article

Background: Efficient inventory management is critical for sustainability in supply chains. However, maintaining adequate inventory levels becomes challenging in the face of unpredictable demand patterns. Furthermore, the need to disseminate demand-related information throughout a company often relies on cloud services. However, this method sometimes encounters issues such as limited bandwidth and increased latency. Methods: To address these challenges, our study introduces a system that incorporates a machine learning algorithm to address inventory-related uncertainties arising from demand fluctuations. Our approach involves the use of an attention mechanism for accurate demand prediction. We combine it with the Newsvendor model to determine optimal inventory levels. The system is integrated with fog computing to facilitate the rapid dissemination of information throughout the company. Results: In experiments, we compare the proposed system with the conventional demand estimation approach based on historical data and observe that the proposed system consistently outperformed the conventional approach. Conclusions: This research introduces an inventory management system based on a novel deep learning architecture that integrates the attention mechanism with cloud computing to address the Newsvendor problem. Experiments demonstrate the better accuracy of this system in comparison to existing methods. More studies should be conducted to explore its applicability to other demand modeling scenarios. Full article

Enzymatically derived selenium-enriched peptides from Cardamine violifolia (CV) can serve as valuable selenium supplements. However, the industrial application of free enzyme is impeded by its limited stability and reusability. Herein, this study explores the application of co-immobilized enzymes (Alcalase and Dispase) on amino resin for hydrolyzing CV proteins to produce selenium-enriched peptides. The successful enzyme immobilization was confirmed through scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray (EDX), and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Co-immobilized enzyme at a mass ratio of 5:1 (Alcalase/Dispase) exhibited the smallest pore size (7.065 nm) and highest activity (41 U/mg), resulting in a high degree of hydrolysis of CV protein (27.2%), which was obviously higher than the case of using free enzymes (20.7%) or immobilized Alcalase (25.8%). In addition, after a month of storage, the co-immobilized enzyme still retained a viability level of 41.93%, showing fairly good stability. Encouragingly, the selenium-enriched peptides from co-immobilized enzyme hydrolysis exhibited uniform distribution of selenium forms, complete amino acid fractions and homogeneous distribution of molecular weight, confirming the practicality of using co-immobilized enzymes for CV protein hydrolysis. Full article

The plant-based food market is rapidly growing, offering innovative options to meet consumer expectations. However, a comprehensive analysis of the nutritional quality of these foods is lacking. We aimed to characterize industrial plant-based food products’ nutritional value and degree of processing. A cross-sectional study was conducted on two market-leading Portuguese food retail chains by assessing the nutritional composition of all the available pre-packaged plant-based food products (n = 407). These products were categorized into meal alternatives, dairy alternatives, and other products containing dairy/meat alternative ingredients including ready meals and desserts. The products’ nutritional quality was assessed according to the cut-offs established by the Portuguese Directorate General of Health [DGS] on total fat, saturated fat, sugar, and salt, and considering the degree of processing using NOVA classification. One-tenth of the products were classified as having a high total fat, saturated fat, sugars, or salt content. In some sub-categories, half of foods were classified as high in saturated fat, and over two-thirds were considered high salt products. Less than one-third exhibit a good nutritional profile based on the national cut-offs. A total of 84.3% of plant-based food products were ultra-processed. These findings emphasize the need to improve the nutritional profile of plant-based options. Full article

Within the myocardium, cardiomyocytes reside in a complex and dynamic extracellular matrix (ECM) consisting of a basement membrane (BM) and interstitial matrix. The interactions between cardiomyocytes and the myocardial ECM play a critical role in maintaining cardiac geometry and function throughout cardiac development and in adult hearts. Understanding how the structural changes of the myocardial ECM affect cardiomyocyte function requires knowledge of pericellular structures. These structures are of a size beyond the resolution of conventional optical microscopy. Here, we demonstrated multi-scale and multi-aspect characterization of the cardiomyocyte microenvironment in myocardial tissue sections using multimodal stimulated emission depletion (STED) microscopy. Second harmonic generation and autofluorescence facilitated multiplexed imaging, enabling the interpretation of protein distribution in 3D. STED imaging modality revealed BM structures of cardiomyocytes and myocardial capillaries at the subdiffractional level. Moreover, meaningful measurements retrieved from acquired images, such as sarcomere length and capillary density, enabled quantitative assessment of myocardial structures. Full article

This research explores novel avenues for optimizing mosquito-catching efficiency using a multifaceted approach. While previous studies have primarily focused on singular parameters, such as light intensity or wind speed, this study delves into the intricate interplay between various factors. Experiment 1 challenges conventional wisdom by revealing a wider light divergence angle. When the reflective plate combined with the airflow board was set to 0 cm in length, the effectiveness of capturing mosquitoes was lower than that of the 3 cm unit, suggesting overlooked variables at play. Experiment 2 introduces a novel perspective by demonstrating the superior efficiency of the 5 cm unit, even with reduced wind speed and luminous area under optimized conditions, showcasing the significance of a holistic approach. Moreover, Experiment 3 uncovers nuanced insights, showcasing the differential performance of units in capturing small insects versus mosquitoes and moths, highlighting the need for tailored strategies. By integrating these findings, the study pioneers the development of two distinct mosquito collection units, emphasizing the critical importance of balancing diverse parameters for optimal results. The innovation lies in the thorough investigation of multifaceted optimization strategies, providing valuable insights to propel advancements in mosquito control technologies. Full article

We report a novel dual-band barrier infrared detector (DBIRD) design using InAs/GaSb type-II superlattices (T2SLs). The DBIRD structure consists of back-to-back barrier diodes: a “blue channel” (BC) diode which has an nBp architecture, an n-type layer of a larger bandgap for absorbing the blue band infrared/barrier/p-type layer, and a “red channel” (RC) diode which has a pBn architecture, a p-type layer of a smaller bandgap for absorbing the red band infrared/barrier/n-type layer. Each has a unipolar barrier using a T2SL lattice matched to a GaSb substrate to impede the flow of majority carriers from the absorbing layer. Each channel in the DBIRD can be independently accessed with a low bias voltage as is preferable for high-speed thermal imaging. The device modeling of DBIRDs and simulation results of the current–voltage characteristics under dark and illuminated conditions are also presented. They predict that the dual-band operation of the DBIRD will produce low dark currents and 45–56% quantum efficiencies for the in-band photons in the BC with ${\lambda }_c$ = 5.58 μm, and a nearly constant 32% in the RC with ${\lambda }_c$ = 8.05 μm. The spectral quantum efficiency of the BC for 500 K blackbody radiation is approximately 50% over the range of $\lambda$ = 3–4.7 μm, while that of the RC has a peak of 42% at 5.9 μm. The DBIRD may provide improved high-speed dual-band imaging in comparison with NBn dual-band detectors. Full article