This article explores the pictorial representation of the Buddhist hell in Kamakura (1185–1333) Japan, with a focus on a mid-thirteenth century rokudō-e, or Pictures of the Six Realms, preserved at Shōjuraigōji Temple. The examination revolves around how these scroll paintings convey messages of salvation by representing the symbolic architecture of the hell realm, the lowest level within the six realms. By scrutinizing the visual representation of hell landscapes in four hell scrolls in the Shōjuraigōji set, the study unveils the architectural symbolism of boundaries and pathways. A visual analysis of two hell-tearing narrative scrolls further reveals that the key iconography involves the destruction of the architectural symbols of hell. Through tracing the concurrent processes of constructing and destroying the imaginary space of hell, the study demonstrates that the conceptual and visual construction of hell is coupled with an equally pronounced intent for hell-tearing. Lastly, based on the visuality of the hell-escaping narratives, the medium of hanging scrolls, and the centrality of an Enma scroll within the Shōjuraigōji set, the author proposes a spatial arrangement of this set of fifteen scrolls that could systematically convey the visual massage of “escaping from suffering in the six courses”. Full article

The change in extreme precipitation events in the conterminous United States (CONUS) has been of interest to the research communities in recent years for its intensification under environmental and climate change. Previous studies have not yet used sub-hourly precipitation observations to examine convective precipitation change over the CONUS. This study aims to fill the gap by examining convective precipitation, identified by radar reflectivity, in the CONUS using the state-of-the-art Multi-radar Multi-sensor data, operated at the NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory, with an unprecedentedly high spatial (1 km) and temporal (2 min) resolutions. These high-resolution data are expected to better capture the precipitation peak and the precipitation pattern. The results showed that in CONUS, precipitation reflectivity increased both in magnitude and the number of convective days from 2015 to 2021. For example, in 2019, 60% of areas showed an increase in the magnitude of precipitation, and the average number of convective days over CONUS has increased by 19%. Changes in precipitation also vary by season and region. This study highlights the need for continued monitoring and understanding of the evolving pattern of extreme precipitation in the CONUS, especially at sub-hourly frequency, as it exposes significant impacts on various sectors, including agriculture, infrastructure, and human health. Full article

In the realm of intelligent transportation systems, accurately predicting vehicle trajectories is paramount for enhancing road safety and optimizing traffic flow management. Addressing the impacts of complex traffic environments and efficiently modeling the diverse behaviors of vehicles are the key challenges at present. To achieve precise prediction of vehicle trajectories, it is essential to fully consider the dynamic changes in traffic conditions and the long-term dependencies of time-series data. In response to these challenges, we propose the Memory-Enhanced Spatio-Temporal Graph Network (MESTGN), an innovative model that integrates a Spatio-Temporal Graph Convolutional Network (STGCN) with an attention-enhanced Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM)-based sequence to sequence (Seq2Seq) encoder–decoder structure. MESTGN utilizes STGCN to capture the complex spatial dependencies between vehicles and reflects the interactions within the traffic network through road traffic data and network topology, which significantly influences trajectory prediction. Additionally, the model focuses on historical vehicle trajectory data points using an attention-weighted mechanism under a traditional LSTM prediction architecture, calculating the importance of critical trajectory points. Finally, our experiments conducted on the urban traffic dataset ApolloSpace validate the effectiveness of our proposed model. We demonstrate that MESTGN shows a significant performance improvement in vehicle trajectory prediction compared with existing mainstream models, thereby confirming its increased prediction accuracy. Full article

Tension members are key members that maintain stability and improve the strength of structures such as cable-stayed bridges, PSC structures, and slopes. Their application has recently been expanded to new fields such as mooring lines in subsea structures and aerospace fields. However, the tensile strength of the tension members can be abnormal owing to various risk factors that may lead to the collapse of the entire structure. Therefore, continuous tension monitoring is necessary to ensure structural safety. In this study, an improved elasto-magnetic (E/M) sensor was used to monitor tension force using a nondestructive method. General E/M sensors have limitations that make it difficult to apply them to operating tension members owing to their solenoid structure, which requires field winding. To overcome this problem, the magnetization part of the E/M sensor was improved to a yoke-type sensor, which was used in this study. For the development of the sensors, the numerical design and magnetization performance verification of the sensor were performed through eddy current solution-type simulations using ANSYS Maxwell. Using the manufactured yoke-type E/M sensor, the induced voltage signals according to the tension force of the specimen increasing from 0 to 10 tons at 1-ton intervals were repeatedly measured using DAQ with wireless communication. The measured signals were indexed using peak-to-peak value of induced voltages and used to analyze the signal change patterns as the tension increased. Finally, the analyzed results were compared with those of a solenoid-type E/M sensor to confirm the same pattern. Therefore, it was confirmed that the tension force of a tension member can be estimated using the proposed yoke-type E/M sensor. This is expected to become an effective tension monitoring technology through performance optimization and usability verification studies for each target tension member in the future. Full article

Detection of nitro pollutants is an important topic in environmental protection. A total of 3 Cd (II) complexes (1–3) based on 3 soft organic isomers, n-(3,5-dicarboxylato benzyloxy) benzoic acid (n = 2, 3 or 4-H₃DBB), and a linear N-donor ligand, 3-bis(imidazole-l-ylmethyl) benzene (3-bibz), have been synthesized hydrothermally. Structural diversity of Complexes 1–3 displays the architectural 2D or 3D change: Complex 1 exhibits a 2D network featuring tri-nuclear metal units, Complex 2 is a 3D framework based on similar tri-nuclear metal units, and Complex 3 shows a 3D network with binuclear units. Fluorescent sensing properties exhibited in all these complexes have been discovered to detect nitrobenzene (NB) selectively and sensitively. In particular, Complex 3 possesses high sensitivity for NB with the lowest detection limit of 1.15 × 10⁻¹⁰ M. The results of the theoretical calculation verified the fluorescence detection mechanism of NB by these Cd-based complexes. Therefore, these Cd-based complexes might be used as excellent luminescent sensors for NB. Full article

(1) Background: Illness perception (IP) is an important psychological construct for couples dealing with cancer, which impacts health outcomes and the psychological adjustment to cancer. More research is needed to explore the traits of IP and the efforts of couples coping with cancer. Thus, this study was designed to explore the coping experiences and features of the IPs of couples dealing with cancer. (2) Methods: A total of 24 patients with colorectal cancer (CRC) and 20 spousal caregivers (SCs) participated in semi-structured interviews. All interviews were recorded digitally, transcribed, and analyzed by using an inductive thematic analysis. (3) Results: Two themes (individualized and predominant IP; IP sharing and restructuring) were developed. A preliminary framework was formulated to illustrate the relations among subthemes and the relations between themes with an adjustment of a positive IP to CRC. In this framework, based on multiple sources and factors, the natural disparities formed the IPs of the partners of couples and determined the incongruence of IPs. The effects of IP incongruence on lives under the disease guided the three directions of coping approaches (i.e., information and available support, appropriate disclosure and reflection, and leaving the CRC diagnosis behind) which were adopted by couples dealing with CRC to share and restructure the IP with their spouses for effective dyadic coping. (4) Conclusions: This study provides insights to healthcare providers into the experiences of couples dealing with CRC and the development of couple-based IP intervention programs: (a) it initially provides adequate factual knowledge for enhancing beliefs in the ability to control illness, (b) encourages illness-centered conversations and disclosure regarding thoughts and emotions for promoting positive congruence of IP between the partners of couples dealing with a hard dilemma, and (c) guides couples to perceive positive changes and explore the illness’s meaning. Understanding each theme of personalized IP and adopting effective IP coping approaches can help guide couples dealing with CRC to efficiently promote constructive IP and better health outcomes. Full article

The KM3NeT Collaboration is building an underwater neutrino observatory at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea, consisting of two neutrino telescopes, both composed of a three-dimensional array of light detectors, known as digital optical modules. Each digital optical module contains a set of 31 three-inch photomultiplier tubes distributed over the surface of a 0.44 m diameter pressure-resistant glass sphere. The module also includes calibration instruments and electronics for power, readout, and data acquisition. The power board was developed to supply power to all the elements of the digital optical module. The design of the power board began in 2013, and ten prototypes were produced and tested. After an exhaustive validation process in various laboratories within the KM3NeT Collaboration, a mass production batch began, resulting in the construction of over 1200 power boards so far. These boards were integrated in the digital optical modules that have already been produced and deployed, which total 828 as of October 2023. In 2017, an upgrade of the power board, to increase reliability and efficiency, was initiated. The validation of a pre-production series has been completed, and a production batch of 800 upgraded boards is currently underway. This paper describes the design, architecture, upgrade, validation, and production of the power board, including the reliability studies and tests conducted to ensure safe operation at the bottom of the Mediterranean Sea throughout the observatory’s lifespan. Full article

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) presents significant diagnostic challenges due to its complex, heterogeneous nature. This study explores a novel approach to enhance the accuracy and reliability of ASD diagnosis by integrating resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging with demographic data (age, gender, and IQ). This study is based on improving the spectral graph convolutional neural network (GCN). It introduces a multi-view attention fusion module to extract useful information from different views. The graph’s edges are informed by demographic data, wherein an edge-building network computes weights grounded in demographic information, thereby bolstering inter-subject correlation. To tackle the challenges of oversmoothing and neighborhood explosion inherent in deep GCNs, this study introduces DropEdge regularization and residual connections, thus augmenting feature diversity and model generalization. The proposed method is trained and evaluated on the ABIDE-I and ABIDE-II datasets. The experimental results underscore the potential of integrating multi-view and multimodal data to advance the diagnostic capabilities of GCNs for ASD. Full article

The aim of this paper is to compare the power measurement capabilities in millimetre- and sub-millimetre-wave frequency bands of several national metrology institutes and one research institute. The first comparison, in WR-6.5 waveguide (110 GHz to 170 GHz), involved NPL, TUBITAK UME and PTB. The second comparison, in WR-1.5 waveguide (500 GHz to 750 GHz), involved NPL, METAS, TUBITAK UME, LNE, WAT, GUM and VDI. Two types of travelling standards were used for these comparisons: a thermoelectric power sensor in the WR-6.5 band and a calorimetric power sensor in the WR-6.5 and WR-1.5 bands. The thermoelectric power sensor was characterised by the participants against their own standards and a generalised effective efficiency was calculated. The calorimetric power sensor operating in the WR-6.5 band was measured to observe its behaviour during the comparison and was also measured in the WR-1.5 band after being fitted with a suitable waveguide taper and used in conjunction with a frequency multiplier. The participants measured the output of the calorimetric power sensor and their own power sensor standard. A normalised power ratio method was used as a comparison parameter for the WR-1.5 band measurements. In addition, a pyroelectric power standard was used by METAS to measure absolute power, and a frequency of 650 GHz was used as a link between the absolute power and the power ratios. Finally, all but two of the measurement points compared between the participants achieved agreement in terms of $\left|E_n\right|$ scores less than 1. For the first time, an interlaboratory comparison of power measurements at sub-millimetre frequencies has been performed and, overall, good agreement was achieved between the different laboratories. Full article

Visual simultaneous localization and mapping (VSLAM) is a foundational technology that enables robots to achieve fully autonomous locomotion, exploration, inspection, and more within complex environments. Its applicability also extends significantly to agricultural settings. While numerous impressive VSLAM systems have emerged, a majority of them rely on static world assumptions. This reliance constrains their use in real dynamic scenarios and leads to increased instability when applied to agricultural contexts. To address the problem of detecting and eliminating slow dynamic objects in outdoor forest and tea garden agricultural scenarios, this paper presents a dynamic VSLAM innovation called MOLO-SLAM (mask ORB label optimization SLAM). MOLO-SLAM merges the ORBSLAM2 framework with the Mask-RCNN instance segmentation network, utilizing masks and bounding boxes to enhance the accuracy and cleanliness of 3D point clouds. Additionally, we used the BundleFusion reconstruction algorithm for 3D mesh model reconstruction. By comparing our algorithm with various dynamic VSLAM algorithms on the TUM and KITTI datasets, the results demonstrate significant improvements, with enhancements of up to 97.72%, 98.51%, and 28.07% relative to the original ORBSLAM2 on the three datasets. This showcases the outstanding advantages of our algorithm. Full article

This paper presents a novel approach to automated music mixing, focusing on the optimization of loudness control in multi-track recordings. By taking into consideration the complexity and artistic nature of traditional mixing processes, we introduce a personalized multi-track leveling method using two types of approaches: a customized genetic algorithm and a neural network-based method. Our method tackles common challenges encountered by audio professionals during prolonged mixing sessions, where consistency can decrease as a result of fatigue. Our algorithm serves as a ‘virtual assistant’ to consistently uphold the initial mixing objectives, hence assuring consistent quality throughout the process. In addition, our system automates the repetitive elements of the mixing process, resulting in a substantial reduction in production time. This enables engineers to dedicate their attention to more innovative and intricate jobs. Our experimental framework involves 20 diverse songs and 10 sound engineers possessing a wide range of expertise, offering a useful perspective on the adaptability and effectiveness of our method in real-world scenarios. The results demonstrate the capacity of the algorithms to mimic decision-making, achieving an optimal balance in the mix that resonates with the emotional and technical aspects of music production. Full article

Molecular probes with the ability to differentiate between subcellular variations in acidity levels remain important for the investigation of dynamic cellular processes and functions. In this context, a series of cyclic peptide and PEG bio-conjugated dual near-infrared emissive BF₂-azadipyrromethene fluorophores with maxima emissions at 720 nm (at pH > 6) and 790 nm (at pH < 5) have been developed and their aqueous solution photophysical properties determined. Their inter-converting emissions and fluorescence lifetime characteristics were exploited to track their spatial and temporal progression from first contact with the plasma membrane to subcellular locales to their release within extracellular vesicles. A pH-dependent reversible phenolate/phenol interconversion on the fluorophore controlled the dynamic changes in dual emission responses and corresponding lifetime changes. Live-cell confocal microscopy experiments in the metastatic breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 confirmed the usability of the dual emissive properties for imaging over prolonged periods. All three derivatives performed as probes capable of real-time continuous imaging of fundamental cellular processes such as plasma membrane interaction, tracking endocytosis, lysosomal/large acidic vesicle accumulation, and efflux within extracellular vesicles without perturbing cellular function. Furthermore, fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy provided valuable insights regarding fluorophore progression through intracellular microenvironments over time. Overall, the unique photophysical properties of these fluorophores show excellent potential for their use as information-rich probes. Full article

The 5-heterocyclic 2-(2,4-dihydroxyphenyl)-1,3,4-thiadiazoles were obtained as potential biologically active compounds. Lipophilicity is one of the most important physicochemical properties of compounds and was already taken into account during the drug candidates design and development. The lipophilicity of compounds was determined using the computational (log P) and chromatography (log k_w, R_Mw) methods. The experimental ones included the reverse-phase column high performance liquid chromatography RP (HPLC) with C8, C18, phosphatidylcholine (IAM), and cholesterol stationary phases and the thin layer chromatography (RP-HPTLC) with C8 and C18 stationary phases and various organic modifiers under the isocratic conditions. Descriptive statistics, correlation, and PCA analyses were used to compare the obtained results. For lipophilicity estimation of the tested compounds by HPTLC, dioxane and MeOH seem to be particularly beneficial as organic modifiers. The chromatographic lipophilicity parameters log k_w (R_Mw) were well correlated and highly redundant (85%) compared with those calculated. Most compounds possess lipophilicity parameters within the recommended range for drug candidates. Full article

Maritime transportation plays a pivotal role in the global merchandise trade. To improve maritime safety and protect the environment, every state must effectively control ships flying its flag, which is called flag state control (FSC). However, the existing FSC system is so inefficient that it cannot perform its intended function. In this study, we adopt an optimization method to tackle this problem by constructing an integer programming (IP) model to solve the FSC officer routing and scheduling problem, which aims to maximize the total weight of inspected ships with limited budget and human resources. Then we prove that the IP model can be reformulated into a partially relaxed IP model with the guarantee of the result optimality. Finally, we perform a case study using the Hong Kong port as an example. The results show that our model can be solved to optimality within one second at different scales of the problem, with the ship number ranging from 20 to 1000. Furthermore, our study can be extended by considering the arrangement of working timetables with finer granularity and the fatigue level of personnel. Full article

In aquaculture, viral diseases pose a significant threat and can lead to substantial economic losses. The primary defense against viral invasion is the innate immune system, with interferons (IFNs) playing a crucial role in mediating the immune response. With advancements in molecular biology, the role of non-coding RNA (ncRNA), particularly microRNAs (miRNAs), in gene expression has gained increasing attention. While the function of miRNAs in regulating the host immune response has been extensively studied, research on their immunomodulatory effects in teleost fish, including silver carp (Hyphthalmichthys molitrix), is limited. Therefore, this research aimed to investigate the immunomodulatory role of microRNA-30b-5p (miR-30b-5p) in the antiviral immune response of silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) by targeting cytokine receptor family B5 (CRFB5) via the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. In this study, silver carp were stimulated with polyinosinic-polycytidylic acid (poly (I:C)), resulting in the identification of an up-regulated miRNA (miR-30b-5p). Through a dual luciferase assay, it was demonstrated that CRFB5, a receptor shared by fish type I interferon, is a novel target of miR-30b-5p. Furthermore, it was found that miR-30b-5p can suppress post-transcriptional CRFB5 expression. Importantly, this study revealed for the first time that miR-30b-5p negatively regulates the JAK/STAT signaling pathway, thereby mediating the antiviral immune response in silver carp by targeting CRFB5 and maintaining immune system stability. These findings not only contribute to the understanding of how miRNAs act as negative feedback regulators in teleost fish antiviral immunity but also suggest their potential therapeutic measures to prevent an excessive immune response. Full article

Carrier sense allows end devices to improve the communication quality through autonomous decentralization by consuming power. In particular, energy detection-based carrier sense can improve communication quality compared with peak detection-based carrier sense. To improve the trade-off between communication quality and energy consumption in low-power wide-area networks (LPWANs), this study proposes a self-tuning method for the signal detection level of an energy detection-based carrier sense, that is, the carrier sense level in sub-GHz band LPWANs. In the proposed method, the carrier sense level of each end device is determined based on the reception success probability of the acknowledgment packet, such that they become low carrier sense levels for an end device with low probability and high carrier sense levels for an end device with high probability. The proposed method enables autonomous decentralized derivation of the carrier sense level using only existing protocols. Numerical examples show that the proposed method can improve the performance of end devices with a high path loss to a gateway. Full article

This paper presents an overview of cosine and sine Apostol-type Frobenius–Euler–Fibonacci polynomials, as well as several identities that are associated with these polynomials. By applying a partial derivative operator to the generating functions, the authors obtain derivative formulae and finite combinatorial sums involving these polynomials and numbers. Additionally, the paper establishes connections between cosine and sine Apostol-type Frobenius–Euler–Fibonacci polynomials of order $\alpha$ and several other polynomial sequences, such as the Apostol-type Bernoulli–Fibonacci polynomials, the Apostol-type Euler–Fibonacci polynomials, the Apostol-type Genocchi–Fibonacci polynomials, and the Stirling–Fibonacci numbers of the second kind. The authors also provide computational formulae and graphical representations of these polynomials using the Mathematica program. Full article

This study was conducted to efficiently produce virus-like particles (VLPs) of enterovirus 71 (EV71), a causative virus of hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD). The expression level of the P1 precursor, a structural protein of EV71, was modified to increase VLP production, and the optimal expression level and duration of the 3CD protein for P1 cleavage were determined. The expression level and duration of 3CD were controlled by the p10 promoter, which was weakened by repeated burst sequence (BS) applications, as well as the OpIE2 promoter, which was weakened by the insertion of random untranslated region sequences of various lengths. The cleavage and production efficiency of the P1 precursor were compared based on the expression time and level of 3CD, revealing that the p10-BS5 promoter with four repeated BSs was the most effective. When P1 and 3CD were expressed using the hyperexpression vector and the p10-BS5 promoter, high levels of structural protein production and normal HFMD-VLP formation were observed, respectively. This study suggests that the production efficiency of HFMD-VLPs can be significantly enhanced by increasing the expression of the P1 precursor and controlling the amount and duration of 3CD expression. Full article

Chemical communication is an important mode of communication in the courtship and breeding processes of amphibians. In caudates, multiple components of sexual pheromones have been identified and functionally verified. One of these pheromone systems is plethodontid modulating factor (PMF). In anurans, the pheromone called amplexin was found in nuptial pads of ranids and was considered a member of the PMF system, yet its bio-function has not been tested. In this study, we obtained 18 amplexin transcript sequences from nuptial pads of Nidirana pleuraden (Amphibia, Ranidae) by transcriptome sequencing and found that the proteins translated by these transcripts are diversified, hydrophilic, and relatively stable. We also acquired a N. pleuraden amplexin isoform with the highest expression level in the transcriptome analysis through the prokaryotic expression system. Using two different animal behavioral experimental settings, we have tested the bio-function of the recombinant PMF protein (rPMF) in N. pleuraden’s reproduction and found that the rPMF does not attract females but shortens the duration of amplexus significantly. This is the first study to verify the function of the PMF pheromone in Anura, indicating the pervasiveness of chemical communication during breeding in amphibians. Full article

Early childhood is a crucial time for children to develop their fundamental motor skills (FMS), serving as a foundation for engagement in lifelong physical activity (PA). With increasing concerns over the declining levels of PA and motor competence (MC), the aim of this study was to explore the predictors of PA in children in a play-based curriculum. A secondary purpose was to explore levels of PA and MC during the school day. The final aim was to explore whether there were sex differences. Children (N = 94; Mage = 68.96 months, SD = 8.25) in five classes from four different schools in Wales were tested on the TGMD-2, standing long jump, and MABC-2. Levels of PA were measured using ActiGraph GT3X-BT accelerometers, and 85 children met the wear time criteria. Object control (OC) skills, standing long jump, and age significantly predicted the percentage of time spent performing sedentary behaviours F(10,73) = 3.026, p = 0.003, $R^2$ = 0.29 (adj $R^2$ = 0.20) and time spent on MVPA F(10,73) = 3.597, p < 0.001, $R^2$ = 0.33 (adj $R^2$ = 0.24). Children spent an average of 48.7% of the school day performing sedentary behaviours and 9.1% performing moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) and did not achieve 60 min of MVPA. The MABC revealed that 67% were below the 15th percentile. Girls spent more time than boys performing sedentary behaviours (p = 0.014), and boys spent more time than girls on MVPA (p = 0.004). Boys outperformed girls at OC skills (p < 0.001), while girls outperformed boys at locomotor skills (p < 0.001). These findings reinforce the pivotal role teachers and parents play in providing opportunities for children to be PA. OC skills and jump were positively associated with PA, emphasising the importance of developing FMS in early childhood. There were also sex disparities for both PA and MC, along with low levels of MC, highlighting the need for investing in comprehensive programmes and initiatives that prioritise the development of FMS during early childhood. Full article

Under the auspice of further developing 5G mobile communication technology and integrating it with the latest advancements in the field of Industrial Internet-of-Things, this study conducts in-depth research and detailed analysis on the combination of 5G with industrial systems based on composite structures, communication network architectures, wireless application scenarios, and communication protocols. The status quo, development trend, and necessity of 5G mobile communication technology are explored and its potential in industrial applications is analyzed. Based on the current practical development level of 5G technology, by considering different requirements for bandwidth, real-time performance, and reliability in communication networks of industrial systems, this study proposes three feasible paths for the integration between 5G and industrial systems, including the method to use 5G in place of field buses. Finally, by introducing real-world cases, this study has successfully demonstrated the integration of 5G and industrial systems by extending 5G terminals as field bus gateways. This study provides valuable references for research and practice in related fields. Full article