This study proposes a computational fluid dynamics and computational structure dynamics (CFD/CSD) coupled method for calculating the buffet response of a variant tail wing. The large-scale separated flow in the buffet is simulated by the detached vortex approach, vibration deformation of the tail wing is solved by the dynamic mesh generation technique, and structural modeling is based on the mode method. The aerodynamic elastic coupling is calculated through the cyclic iteration of aerodynamics and the structural solution in the time domain. We verify the correctness of the proposed method through a typical delta wing calculation case, further simulate the buffet response of a variant tail wing in maneuver state, and finally realize buffet mitigation using an active excitation method. Overall, this study can provide an important reference for the design of variant-tailed aircraft. Full article

Utilizing lasers to probe microscopic physical processes is a crucial tool in contemporary physics research, where the influence of laser properties on excitation processes is a focal point for scientists. In this study, we investigated the impact of laser pulses on the quantum yield of electronic wave packets near conical intersections (CIs). To do so, we employed the time non-local quantum master equation to calculate the time-evolution dynamics of wave packets on excited-state potential energy surfaces (PESs) and projected them onto effective reaction coordinates. The waveform of laser pulses was manipulated by varying the relative amplitude, pulse duration, and center wavelengths of Gaussian profiles. Our calculations revealed that the shape of laser pulses has a discernible impact on the dynamic evolution of electrons in excited states. Furthermore, our research indicated that different pulse profiles exhibit a maximum variation of 6.88% in the quantum yields of electronic wave packets near CIs. Our calculations demonstrate the influence of laser pulse waveform on excitation processes, providing a feasible method for exploring the coherent control of wave packets at conical intersections characterized by strong nonadiabatic coupling. Full article

Numerous studies have reported that Dyrk1A, Dyrk1B, and Clk1 are overexpressed in multiple cancers, suggesting a role in malignant disease. Here, we introduce a novel class of group-selective kinase inhibitors targeting Dyrk1A, Dyrk1B, and Clk1. This was achieved by modifying our earlier selective Clk1 inhibitors, which were based on the 5-methoxybenzothiophene-2-carboxamide scaffold. By incorporating a 5-hydroxy group, we increased the potential for additional hydrogen bond interactions that broadened the inhibitory effect to include Dyrk1A and Dyrk1B kinases. Within this series, compounds 12 and 17 emerged as the most potent multi-kinase inhibitors against Dyrk1A, Dyrk1B, and Clk1. Furthermore, when assessed against the most closely related kinases also implicated in cancer, the frontrunner compounds revealed additional inhibitory activity against Haspin and Clk2. Compounds 12 and 17 displayed high potency across various cancer cell lines with minimal effect on non-tumor cells. By examining the effect of these inhibitors on cell cycle distribution, compound 17 retained cells in the G2/M phase and induced apoptosis. Compounds 12 and 17 could also increase levels of cleaved caspase-3 and Bax, while decreasing the expression of the antiapoptotic Bcl-2 protein. These findings support the further study and development of these compounds as novel anticancer therapeutics. Full article

Hydrogel-based interfacial solar-driven evaporation (ISDE) gives full play to the highly adjustable physical and chemical properties of hydrogel, which endows ISDE systems with excellent evaporation performance, anti-pollution properties, and mechanical behavior, making it more promising for applications in seawater desalination and wastewater treatment. This review systematically introduces the latest advances in hydrogel-based ISDE systems from three aspects: the required properties, the preparation methods, and the role played in application scenarios of hydrogels used in ISDE. Additionally, we also discuss the remaining challenges and potential opportunities in hydrogel-based ISDE systems. By summarizing the latest research progress, we hope that researchers in related fields have some insight into the unique advantages of hydrogels in the ISDE field and contribute our efforts so that ISDE technology reaches the finishing line of practical application on the hydrogel track. Full article

Laser-scribed graphene (LSG), a classic three-dimensional porous carbon nanomaterial, is directly fabricated by laser irradiation of substrate materials. Benefiting from its excellent electrical and mechanical properties, along with flexible and simple preparation process, LSG has played a significant role in the field of flexible sensors. This review provides an overview of the critical factors in fabrication, and methods for enhancing the functionality of LSG. It also highlights progress and trends in LSG-based sensors for monitoring physiological indicators, with an emphasis on device fabrication, signal transduction, and sensing characteristics. Finally, we offer insights into the current challenges and future prospects of LSG-based sensors for health monitoring and disease diagnosis. Full article

Breast cancer is the most common cancer among women. Currently, it poses a significant threat to the healthcare system due to the emerging resistance and toxicity of available drug candidates in clinical practice, thus generating an urgent need for the development of new potent and safer anti-breast cancer drug candidates. Coumarin (chromone-2-one) is an elite ring system widely distributed among natural products and possesses a broad range of pharmacological properties. The unique distribution and pharmacological efficacy of coumarins attract natural product hunters, resulting in the identification of numerous natural coumarins from different natural sources in the last three decades, especially those with anti-breast cancer properties. Inspired by this, numerous synthetic derivatives based on coumarins have been developed by medicinal chemists all around the globe, showing promising anti-breast cancer efficacy. This review is primarily focused on the development of coumarin-inspired anti-breast cancer agents in the last three decades, especially highlighting design strategies, mechanistic insights, and their structure–activity relationship. Natural coumarins having anti-breast cancer efficacy are also briefly highlighted. This review will act as a guideline for researchers and medicinal chemists in designing optimum coumarin-based potent and safer anti-breast cancer agents. Full article

In deep layers, the complex geological environment is characterized by high temperature and high stress which causes marked differences in the mechanical properties of granite compared to those of granite in shallow areas. To investigate the mechanical properties of deep granite, this paper utilizes conventional triaxial compression tests to determine the various mechanical properties and failure modes of deep granite under different confining pressures. The findings indicate that the elastic modulus, Poisson’s ratio, and peak strength of deep granite display greater dispersion than those of shallow granite under the influence of confining pressure. Based on the stress-strain curve, various characteristic stresses of deep granite under different confining pressures are calculated, and a distinct exponential function relationship exists between the characteristic stresses and the confining pressure. Furthermore, the finite element numerical simulation software Abaqus is employed to simulate the conventional triaxial compression of granite under different confining pressures, thereby revealing the stress and deformation evolution process of granite during the compression process. This research unveils the mechanical properties of deep granite under gradient-confining pressure, which can offer crucial theoretical evidence and data to support engineering applications in relevant fields. Full article

Modern concepts in irreversible thermodynamics are applied to system transformation and degradation analyses. Phenomenological entropy generation (PEG) theorem is combined with the Degradation-Entropy Generation (DEG) theorem for instantaneous multi-disciplinary, multi-scale, multi-component system characterization. A transformation-PEG theorem and space materialize with system and process defining elements and dimensions. The near-100% accurate, consistent results and features in recent publications demonstrating and applying the new TPEG methods to frictional wear, grease aging, electrochemical power system cycling—including lithium-ion battery thermal runaway—metal fatigue loading and pump flow are collated herein, demonstrating the practicality of the new and universal PEG theorem and the predictive power of models that combine and utilize both theorems. The methodology is useful for design, analysis, prognostics, diagnostics, maintenance and optimization. Full article

Tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA) is a kind of widely used brominated flame retardant (BFR), which is proven to be harmful to ecological systems and public health. It is very important to remove TBBPA from the environment. In our study, a magnetic composite named Fe₃O₄/GO/ZIF-67 was synthesized by a coprecipitation method and applied in the highly efficient adsorption of TBBPA from water. Static adsorption experiments demonstrated that the adsorption capacity could reach 232 mg·g⁻¹ within 120 min, which is much higher than those reported in the other literature. The experimental results show that the adsorption of TBBPA on Fe₃O₄/GO/ZIF-67 followed Langmuir and pseudo-second-order kinetic adsorption models. The main mechanisms for these adsorptions were identified as hydrogen bonds between OH groups in TBBPA and COOHs of Fe₃O₄/GO/ZIF-67, and π-π stacking between Fe₃O₄/GO/ZIF-67 and TBBPA. This study provides a method with great promise for the design and synthesis of better adsorbents for the removal of TBBPA from the water environment. Full article

Background: Repetitive episodes of apnea and hypopnea during sleep in patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) are known to increase the risk of atherosclerosis. Underlying obesity and related disorders, such as insulin resistance, are indirectly related to the development of atherosclerosis. In addition, OSA is independently associated with insulin resistance; however, data regarding this relationship are scarce in Japanese populations. Methods: This study aimed to examine the relationship between the severity of OSA and insulin resistance in a Japanese population. We analyzed the data of consecutive patients who were referred for polysomnography under clinical suspicion of developing OSA and who did not have diabetes mellitus or any cardiovascular disease. Multiple regression analyses were performed to determine the relationship between the severity of OSA and insulin resistance. Results: The data from a total of 483 consecutive patients were analyzed. The median apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) was 40.9/h (interquartile range: 26.5, 59.1) and the median homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) was 2.00 (interquartile range: 1.25, 3.50). Multiple regression analyses revealed that the AHI, the lowest oxyhemoglobin saturation (SO₂), and the percentage of time spent on SO₂ < 90% were independently correlated with HOMA-IR (an adjusted R-squared value of 0.01278821, p = 0.014; an adjusted R-squared value of −0.01481952, p = 0.009; and an adjusted R-squared value of 0.018456581, p = 0.003, respectively). Conclusion: The severity of OSA is associated with insulin resistance assessed by HOMA-IR in a Japanese population. Full article

With the increased push for personalized medicine, researchers and clinicians have begun exploring the use of wearable sensors to track patient activity. These sensors typically prioritize device life over robust onboard analysis, which results in lower accuracies in step count, particularly at lower cadences. To optimize the accuracy of activity-monitoring devices, particularly at slower walking speeds, proven methods must be established to identify suitable settings in a controlled and repeatable manner prior to human validation trials. Currently, there are no methods for optimizing these low-power wearable sensor settings prior to human validation, which requires manual counting for in-laboratory participants and is limited by time and the cadences that can be tested. This article proposes a novel method for determining sensor step counting accuracy prior to human validation trials by using a mechanical camshaft actuator that produces continuous steps. Sensor error was identified across a representative subspace of possible sensor setting combinations at cadences ranging from 30 steps/min to 110 steps/min. These true errors were then used to train a multivariate polynomial regression to model errors across all possible setting combinations and cadences. The resulting model predicted errors with an R² of 0.8 and root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 0.044 across all setting combinations. An optimization algorithm was then used to determine the combinations of settings that produced the lowest RMSE and median error for three ranges of cadence that represent disabled low-mobility ambulators, disabled high-mobility ambulators, and healthy ambulators (30–60, 20–90, and 30–110 steps/min, respectively). The model identified six setting combinations for each range of interest that achieved a ±10% error in cadence prior to human validation. The anticipated range of errors from the optimized settings at lower walking speeds are lower than the reported errors of wearable sensors (±30%), suggesting that pre-human-validation optimization of sensors may decrease errors at lower cadences. This method provides a novel and efficient approach to optimizing the accuracy of wearable activity monitors prior to human validation trials. Full article

Urban planning has, in recent years, been significantly assisted by remote sensing data. The data and techniques that are used are very diverse and are available to government agencies as well as to private companies that are involved in planning urban and peri-urban areas. Synthetic aperture radar data are particularly important since they provide information on the geometric and electrical characteristics of ground objects and, at the same time, are unaffected by sunlight (day–night) and cloud cover. SAR data are usually combined with optical data (fusion) in order to increase the reliability of the terrain information. Most of the existing relative classification methods have been reviewed. New techniques that have been developed use decorrelation and interferometry to record changes on the Earth’s surface. Texture-based features, such as Markov random fields and co-occurrence matrices, are employed, among others, for terrain classification. Furthermore, target geometrical features are used for the same purpose. Among the innovative works presented in this manuscript are those dealing with tomographic SAR imaging for creating digital elevation models in urban areas. Finally, tomographic techniques and digital elevation models can render three-dimensional representations for a much better understanding of the urban region. The above-mentioned sources of information are integrated into geographic information systems, making them more intelligent. In this work, most of the previous techniques and methods are reviewed, and selected papers are highlighted in order for the reader-researcher to have a complete picture of the use of SAR in urban planning. Full article

A fleet of drones is considered in the routing problems with an offshore drone base station, considering the simultaneous movements of drones and ships. A model, entitled meeting model, between a drone and a moving ship is devised, and an extended model is developed based on the vehicle routing problem model. A genetic algorithm based on a sequential insert heuristic (SIH) is designed to solve the model as a holistic framework with two strategies to determine the sequential assignments of ships to drones, namely, the and strategies. The proposed models and solution algorithms are demonstrated and verified by experiments. Numerical studies show that the strategy can overperform the strategy regarding traveling distances. In addition, when considering the simultaneous movement of the ship and drone, improving the drone flying speeds can reduce the flying time of drones rather than optimizing the ship’s moving speed. The managerial implications and possible extensions are discussed based on modeling and experimental studies. Full article

The Kasatura Bay region is one of Türkiye’s Important Plant Areas and plant biodiversity hotspots. In this study, the diversity and gradient of the sand-dune vegetation in Kasatura Bay were studied. Vegetation sampling was carried out by using the Braun-Blanquet method. The vegetation dataset was recorded in the TURBOVEG database management program. For classification, Beta-Flexible clustering (β = −0.25) and the correlation similarity index were used in the PC-ORD program. Diagnostic species of the communities were determined in the JUICE program using the φ-coefficient (higher than 0.30). Detrended Canonical Correspondence analysis was applied to data in the CANOCO program to understand the effect of ecological factors on vegetation diversity. Ellenberg ecological indicator values were used as the ecological variables. As a result, seven different plant communities were identified at the Kasatura Bay sand dunes. A new association of Sileno thymifoliae–Cionuretum erectae ass. nova was identified under the alliance Sileno thymifoliae–Jurineion kilaeae. The sand-dune vegetation represents high diversity, also including endemic plants, some of which are globally threatened. Due to all this diversity, settled on sensitive conditions, conservation strategies need to be developed to protect and ensure the continuity of Kasatura Bay sand-dune vegetation in the face of intense human pressure. Full article

This paper introduces a new four-parameter additive model, named xgamma-Burr XII distribution, by considering two competing risks: the former has the xgamma distribution and the latter has the Burr XII distribution. A graphical description of the xgamma-Burr XII distribution is presented, including plots of the probability density function, hazard rate and reversed hazard rate functions. The xgamma-Burr XII density has different shapes such as decreasing, unimodal, approximately symmetric and decreasing-unimodal. The main statistical properties of the proposed model are studied. The unknown model parameters, reliability, hazard rate and reversed hazard rate functions are estimated via the maximum likelihood method. The asymptotic confidence intervals of the parameters, reliability function, hazard rate function and reversed hazard rate function are also obtained. A simulation study is carried out to evaluate the performance of the maximum likelihood estimates. In addition, three real data are applied to show the superiority of the xgamma-Burr XII distribution over some known distributions in real-life applications. Full article

Pseudomonas aeruginosa (PA) is an opportunistic pathogen frequently isolated from cutaneous chronic wounds. How PA, in the presence of oxidative stress (OS), colonizes chronic wounds and forms a biofilm is still unknown. The purpose of this study is to investigate the changes in gene expression seen when PA is challenged with the high levels of OS present in chronic wounds. We used a biofilm-forming PA strain isolated from the chronic wounds of our murine model (RPA) and performed a qPCR to obtain gene expression patterns as RPA developed a biofilm in vitro in the presence of high levels of OS, and then compared the findings in vivo, in our mouse model of chronic wounds. We found that the planktonic bacteria under OS conditions overexpressed quorum sensing genes that are important for the bacteria to communicate with each other, antioxidant stress genes important to reduce OS in the microenvironment for survival, biofilm formation genes and virulence genes. Additionally, we performed RNAseq in vivo and identified the activation of novel genes/pathways of the Type VI Secretion System (T6SS) involved in RPA pathogenicity. In conclusion, RPA appears to survive the high OS microenvironment in chronic wounds and colonizes these wounds by turning on virulence, biofilm-forming and survival genes. These findings reveal pathways that may be promising targets for new therapies aimed at disrupting PA-containing biofilms immediately after debridement to facilitate the treatment of chronic human wounds. Full article

Numerous extant image dehazing methods based on learning improve performance by increasing the depth or width, the size of the convolution kernel, or using the Transformer structure. However, this will inevitably introduce many parameters and increase the computational overhead. Therefore, we propose a lightweight dehazing framework: Dehaze-UNet, which has excellent dehazing performance and very low computational overhead to be suitable for terminal deployment. To allow Dehaze-UNet to aggregate the features of haze, we design a LAYER module. This module mainly aggregates the haze features of different hazy images through the batch normalization layer, so that Dehaze-UNet can pay more attention to haze. Furthermore, we revisit the use of the physical model in the network. We design an ASMFUN module to operate the feature map of the network, allowing the network to better understand the generation and removal of haze and learn prior knowledge to improve the network’s generalization to real hazy scenes. Extensive experimental results indicate that the lightweight Dehaze-UNet outperforms state-of-the-art methods, especially for hazy images of real scenes. Full article

Overproduction is one of the most significant wastes of Lean that can occur in any manufacturing company. Identifying and prioritizing failures that lead to overproduction are crucial tasks for operational managers and engineers. Therefore, this paper presents a new approach for determining the priority of failures that cause overproduction, based on an intuitionistic fuzzy Multi-Criteria Optimization model and the Failure Mode and Effects Analysis framework. The existing vagueness in the relative importance of risk factors and their values is described using natural language words, which are modeled with trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy numbers. Determining the relative importance of risk factors is defined as a fuzzy group decision-making problem, and the weight vector is obtained by applying the proposed Analytical Hierarchy Process with trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy numbers. The compromise solution, as well as the stability check of the obtained compromise solution, is achieved using the proposed Multi-Criteria Optimization and Compromise Solution with trapezoidal intuitionistic fuzzy numbers. The proposed model was applied to data collected from a process manufacturing company. Full article

In the process of hydraulic fracturing, fracturing fluid invades the formation and reacts with shale. Water-sensitive clay minerals swell when exposed to water. This results in a change in the mechanical properties of shale. However, the influences of a long-term water–shale reaction on mechanical properties are still unclear, and an optimization strategy of the shut-in time is required. In this paper, an optimization strategy for the shut-in time based on a shale long-term hydration experiment is proposed. In this paper, the water–shale reaction is simulated by laboratory experiments under normal temperature and pressure. The experiments are performed based on specimens from a shale outcrop. Clay and mineral composition, Young’s modulus, surface hardness, and tensile strength parameters are measured at 30-day intervals for 90 days. A CT scan was performed for 180 days. The experimental results show that the mass fraction of clay increased by 14.719%. In addition, significant argillaceous shedding occurs during the water–shale reaction period of 3–4 months. By testing the tensile strength, uniaxial compression decreases by 90.481% in three months. The Young’s modulus of mineral points decreases to 40% after reaction for three months. The shale has softened. The softening process is nonlinear and there are inflection points. The diffusion behavior of clay minerals and the expansion behavior of new fractures are observed by CT during 3–4 months of water–shale reaction. The results show that the shale softening and pore fracture structure changes are non-linear and heterogeneous, resulting in critical water–shale reaction time. According to the experimental results, the critical water–shale reaction time can be summarized. In this time, the fracture volume increases significantly, which is conducive to increasing oil and gas production. However, the fracture volume is not significantly increased by prolonging the shut-in time. The experimental results can guide the design of hydraulic fracturing shut-in time of shale reservoirs. Full article

Urbanization exacerbates climate change impacts, making it crucial to develop innovative strategies for adaptation and mitigation. In this context, the “smartness” concept must be seen as the technical capability to forecast and adapt to changing conditions while maintaining livability and safety. This paper investigates the use of Vertical Green Structures (VGSs) as a mitigation strategy. Through a critical review of technology-driven applications, this research identifies key motivations and challenges in VGSs’ technological integration and implementation, governance frameworks, and community engagement. Methodologically, it employs a critical case analysis and categorizes the technologies based on multicriteria; it also explores the potential to implement smart green infrastructure (GI) in cities and the GI urban governance that was developed in previous decades to adopt these systems at an urban scale and increase the community’s awareness of them. The findings reveal diverse motivations driving technology and VGS integration, ranging from economic incentives to environmental sustainability. Additionally, this contribution explores possible future directions for VGSs and highlights three scenarios derived after the multidimensional impacts of climate change with their pros and cons in future cities. Multidisciplinary collaboration emerges as a crucial factor in optimizing technology implementations in VGSs and fostering a transition from nature-based solutions to technology-based solutions in urban sustainability initiatives. Full article

Accurately predicting the thermal characteristics and heat transfer distribution of the rotating detonation engine (RDE) and acquiring a clear understanding of the performance and mechanism of the rotating detonation are of great significance for achieving the safe and reliable long-duration operation of RDEs. Using RP-3 as fuel, a long-duration experimental study is performed on a 220 mm-diameter RDC to investigate the details with respect to the thermal environment. The heat flux at the typical location and the average heat flux of both the inner and outer cylinders are measured, respectively. Meanwhile, the peak pressure of the rotating detonation wave (RDW) and specific thrust are analyzed. When the ER is between 0.5 and 1 (oxidizer 2 kg/s), the stable rotating detonation mode is obtained, and the detonation duration is set as 40 s to accurately calculate the heat released by the detonation combustion. The heat flux in the upstream region of the RDW location ranges from 2.40 × 10⁵ W/m² to 3.17 × 10⁵ W/m², and the heat flux in the downstream area of the RDW location ranges from 1.05 × 10⁶ W/m² to 1.28 × 10⁶ W/m². The results demonstrate the important role of the detonation combustion zone, and the thrust performance of RDC can be improved by making the RDW move forward along the RDC axis, which is the optimal direction of detonation combustion. Through a comparison of average heat flux under different conditions, it is found that the heat released by the RDC is directly related to its thrust. In addition, the average heat flux of the inner cylinder is about three times that of the outer cylinder for the two-phase RDC with a Tesla valve intake structure, indicating that the high-temperature combustion product is closer to the inner wall. Therefore, more thermal protection should be allocated to the inner cylinder, and a more systematic analysis of the two-phase flow field distribution in the annular combustion chamber should be carried out to improve the thrust performance. In this paper, the average heat flux of the inner and outer cylinders of the RDC as well as the typical local heat flux of the outer cylinders is quantitatively measured by means of experiments, which not only deepens the understanding of RDC flow field distribution, but also provides quantitative boundary conditions for the thermal protection design of RDCs. Full article

Luminescent carbon dots (CDs) were locally synthesized in the core of CYTOP fibers using IR femtosecond laser direct writing (FLDW), a one-step simple method serving as a post-treatment of the pristine fiber. This approach enables the creation of several types of modifications such as ellipsoid voids. The CDs and photoluminescence (PL) distribute at the periphery of the voids. The PL spectral properties were studied through the excitation/emission matrix in the visible range and excitation/emission spectra in the UV/visible range. Our findings reveal the presence of at least three distinct luminescent species, facilitating a broad excitation range extending from UV to green, and light emission spanning from blue to red. The average laser power and dose influence the quantity and ratio of these luminescent CD species. Additionally, we measured the spatially resolved lifetime of the luminescence during and after the irradiation. We found longer lifetimes at the periphery of the laser-induced modified regions and shorter ones closer to the center, with a dominant lifetime ~2 ns. Notably, unlike many other luminophores, these laser-induced CDs are insensitive to oxygen, enhancing their potential for display or data storage applications. Full article