This study aimed to investigate prognosis and survival differences in 82 breast cancer patients with germline pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants (PVs) treated and followed at the Breast Unit of the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología, Colombia (INC-C) between 2018 and 2021. Median age at diagnosis was 46 years, with 62.2% presenting locally advanced tumors, 47.6% histological grade 3, and 35.4% with triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) subtype. Most carriers, 74.4% (61/82), had PVs in known breast cancer susceptibility genes (i.e., “associated gene carriers” group, considered inherited breast cancer cases): BRCA2 (30), BRCA1 (14), BARD1 (4), RAD51D (3), TP53 (2), PALB2 (2), ATM (2), CHEK2 (1), RAD51C (1), NF1 (1), and PTEN (1). BRCA1-2 represented 53.7%, and homologous recombination DNA damage repair (HR-DDR) genes associated with breast cancer risk accounted for 15.9%. Patients with PVs in non-breast-cancer risk genes were combined in a different category (21/82; 25.6%) (i.e., “non-associated gene carriers” group, considered other breast cancer cases). Median follow-up was 38.1 months, and 24% experienced recurrence, with 90% being distant. The 5-year Disease-Free Survival (DFS) for inherited breast cancer cases was 66.5%, and for other breast cancer cases it was 88.2%. In particular, for carriers of PVs in the BRCA2 gene, it was 37.6%. The 5-year Overall Survival (OS) rates ranged from 68.8% for those with PVs in BRCA2 to 100% for those with PVs in other HR-DDR genes. Further studies are crucial for understanding tumor behavior and therapy response differences among Colombian breast cancer patients with germline PVs. Full article

Assessing the regional mass balance of European glaciers presents significant challenges due to limited measurements. While various albedo methods have been explored for individual glaciers, a comprehensive analysis of aggregated albedo methods is lacking. Addressing this gap, in our study, we examined five MODIS aggregated albedos (raw average, minimum average, average minimum, interpolated average, and cumulative) versus the annual mass balance for 12 Austrian and Norwegian glaciers from 2001 to 2020 to establish connections between them. We find that the raw average albedo is strongly correlated with the annual mass balance of Austrian glaciers (r = 0.91), while the interpolated average albedo is significantly correlated with the annual mass balance of Norwegian glaciers (r = 0.90). Moreover, we observe that high-elevation glaciers experience fewer cloud cover days, allowing the raw average albedo to reliably estimate the annual mass balance, whereas low-elevation glaciers are often obscured by clouds, potentially masking the true minimum albedo. Additionally, traditional indicators, such as the equilibrium-line altitude and accumulation area ratio, exhibit significant correlations with the annual mass balance of Norwegian and Austrian glaciers (r = 0.90 and 0.87, respectively), yet albedo demonstrates higher robustness. These findings provide a reference for selecting appropriate aggregation methods to reconstruct glacier mass balance from albedo observations. Full article

Determining whether an audio signal is single compressed (SC) or double compressed (DC) is a crucial task in audio forensics, as it is closely linked to the integrity of the recording. In this paper, we propose the utilization of phase spectrum-based features for detecting DC narrowband and wideband adaptive multi-rate (AMR-NB and AMR-WB) speech. To the best of our knowledge, phase spectrum features have not been previously explored for DC audio detection. In addition to introducing phase spectrum features, we propose a novel parallel LSTM system that simultaneously learns the most representative features from both the magnitude and phase spectrum of the speech signal and integrates both sets of information to further enhance its performance. Analyses demonstrate significant differences between the phase spectra of SC and DC speech signals, suggesting their potential as representative features for DC AMR speech detection. The proposed phase spectrum features are found to perform as well as magnitude spectrum features for the AMR-NB codec, while outperforming the magnitude spectrum in detecting AMR-WB speech. The proposed phase spectrum features yield 8% performance improvement in terms of true positive rate over the magnitude spectrogram features. The proposed parallel LSTM system further improves DC AMR-WB speech detection. Full article

In April 2020, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander COVID-19 Point-of-Care (POC) Testing Program was initiated to improve access to rapid molecular-based SARS-CoV-2 detection in First Nations communities. At capacity, the program reached 105 health services across Australia. An external review estimated the program contributed to averting between 23,000 and 122,000 COVID-19 infections within 40 days of the first infection in a remote community, equating to cost savings of between AU$337 million and AU$1.8 billion. Essential to the quality management of this program, a customised External Quality Assessment (EQA) program was developed with the Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia Quality Assurance Programs (RCPAQAP). From July 2020 to May 2022, SARS-CoV-2 EQA participation ranged from 93 to 100%. Overall concordance of valid EQA results was high (98%), with improved performance following the first survey. These results are consistent with those reported by 12 Australian and 4 New Zealand laboratories for three SARS-CoV-2 RNA EQA surveys in March 2020, demonstrating that SARS-CoV-2 RNA POC testing in primary care settings can be performed to an equivalent laboratory analytical standard. More broadly, this study highlights the value of quality management practices in real-world testing environments and the benefits of ongoing EQA program participation. Full article

The primary nucleation process of α-synuclein (AS) that forms toxic oligomeric species is the early stage of the pathological cause of Parkinson’s disease. It is well-known that copper influences this primary nucleation process. While significant efforts have been made to solve the structures of polymorphic AS fibrils, the structures of AS oligomers and the copper-bound AS oligomers at the molecular level and the effect of copper concentrations on the primary nucleation are elusive. Here, we propose and demonstrate new molecular mechanism pathways of primary nucleation of AS that are tuned by distinct copper concentrations and by a specific copper-binding site. We present the polymorphic AS dimers bound to different copper-binding sites at the atomic resolution in high- and low-copper concentrations, using extensive molecular dynamics simulations. Our results show the complexity of the primary nucleation pathways that rely on the copper concentrations and the copper binding site. From a broader perspective, our study proposes a new strategy to control the primary nucleation of other toxic amyloid oligomers in other neurodegenerative diseases. Full article

In this retrospective study, the relationship between the pN stage of TC and the ultrasound hypoechogenicity of tumour encapsulation and vascular invasion was investigated. The data of a total of 678 TC patients were analysed. The goal of this study was to assess the significance of the pTNM score and preoperative ultrasound features in predicting cancer prognosis and guiding therapeutic decisions in patients with TC. The main research methods included a retrospective analysis of patient data, mainly the pTNM score and presence of tumour encapsulation and vascular invasion obtained from histopathological results and preoperative ultrasound imaging. Patients with well-differentiated TCs (papillary and follicular) were extracted from TC patients to better unify the results because of similar clinical strategies for these TCs. Significant associations were observed between advanced pN stage and the presence of encapsulation and vessel invasion. The majority of pN1a patients exhibited encapsulation (77.71%; p < 0.0001) and vascular invasion (75.30%; p < 0.0001), as did the majority of pN1b patients (100%; p < 0.0001 and 100%; p < 0.0001, respectively). Less than half of the patients with hypoeghogenic patterns presented with encapsulation (43.30%; p < 0.0001) and vascular invasion (43.52%; p < 0.0001), while the vast majority of patients without hypoechogenicity did not present with encapsulation (90.97%; p < 0.0001) or vascular invasion (90.97%; p < 0.0001). Hypoechogenicity was found to be indicative of aggressive tumour behaviour. The results of this study underscore the importance of accurate N staging in TC and suggests the potential use of ultrasound features in predicting tumour behaviour. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore additional prognostic markers to streamline TC management strategies and improve patient outcomes. Full article

Hydrogen is an important component of renewable energy and is essential for sustainable development. The cryogenic energy storage system can solve the problem of hydrogen storage. A packed bed can be applied in a cryogenic energy storage system. It is crucial to understand the cryogenic energy discharging in a packed bed. In the present work, the CFD-DEM coupling method is used to investigate the pore-scale flow and heat transfer characteristics of cryogenic hydrogen flowing through the packed bed. To demonstrate the characteristics of the pore-scale heat transfer of the hydrogen flow in a packed bed, the local radial-averaged and axial-averaged temperatures and velocities are analyzed in detail, depending on the local porosity distribution. The pore-scale radial-averaged velocity distribution is proportional to the local radial porosity distribution, whereas the pore-scale radial-averaged temperature characteristics are inverse. Moreover, for the heat exchange of the cryogenic hydrogen flow in a packed bed, it can be found that the cryogenic hydrogen flow is fully heated at an axial distance of approximately 7 dp. Finally, considering that the thermo-physical properties of cryogenic hydrogen are sensitive to the temperature in a packed bed, the friction factor and Nusselt number in the packed bed are also analyzed under various operating parameters, which are in good agreement with certain classic empirical correlations. Full article

As social robots become more prevalent, they often employ non-speech sounds, in addition to other modes of communication, to communicate emotion and intention in an increasingly complex visual and audio environment. These non-speech sounds are usually tailor-made, and research into the generation of non-speech sounds that can convey emotions has been limited. To enable social robots to use a large amount of non-speech sounds in a natural and dynamic way, while expressing a wide range of emotions effectively, this work proposes an automatic method of sound generation using a genetic algorithm, coupled with a random forest model trained on representative non-speech sounds to validate each produced sound’s ability to express emotion. The sounds were tested in an experiment wherein subjects rated the perceived valence and arousal. Statistically significant clusters of sounds in the valence arousal space corresponded to different emotions, showing that the proposed method generates sounds that can readily be used in social robots. Full article

The Internet of Drones (IoD) is a decentralized network linking drones’ access to controlled airspace, providing high adaptability to complex scenarios and services to various drone applications, such as package delivery, traffic surveillance, and rescue, including navigation services. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), combined with IoD principles, offer numerous strengths, e.g., high mobility, wireless coverage areas, and the ability to reach inaccessible locations, including significant improvements such as reliability, connectivity, throughput, and decreased delay. Additionally, emerging blockchain solutions integrated within the concept of the IoD enable effective outcomes that surpass traditional security approaches, while enabling decentralized features for smart human-centered applications. Nevertheless, the combination of the IoD and blockchain faces many challenges with emerging open issues that require further investigation. In this work, we thoroughly survey the technological concept of the IoD and fundamental aspects of blockchain, while investigating its contribution to current IoD practices, the impact of novel enabling technologies, and their active role in the combination of the corresponding synergy. Moreover, we promote the combination of the two technologies by researching their collaborative functionality through different use cases and application fields that implement decentralized IoD solutions and highlighting their indicative benefits, while discussing important challenges and future directions on open issues. Full article

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is redefining electrocardiogram (ECG) analysis in pre-participation examination (PPE) of athletes, enhancing the detection and monitoring of cardiovascular health. Cardiovascular concerns, including sudden cardiac death, pose significant risks during sports activities. Traditional ECG, essential yet limited, often fails to distinguish between benign cardiac adaptations and serious conditions. This narrative review investigates the application of machine learning (ML) and deep learning (DL) in ECG interpretation, aiming to improve the detection of arrhythmias, channelopathies, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathies. A literature review over the past decade, sourcing from PubMed and Google Scholar, highlights the growing adoption of AI in sports medicine for its precision and predictive capabilities. AI algorithms excel at identifying complex cardiac patterns, potentially overlooked by traditional methods, and are increasingly integrated into wearable technologies for continuous monitoring. Overall, by offering a comprehensive overview of current innovations and outlining future advancements, this review supports sports medicine professionals in merging traditional screening methods with state-of-the-art AI technologies. This approach aims to enhance diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in athlete care, promoting early detection and more effective monitoring through AI-enhanced ECG analysis within athlete PPEs. Full article

This study investigated the relationship between subjective grip strength and physical function in community-dwelling older women. Subjective grip strength was assessed using a questionnaire, and physical function and body composition were compared between groups with strong and weak subjective grip strength. Additionally, the two groups were compared in those with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and those with normal cognitive function, respectively. The results showed significant differences in grip strength (p < 0.001), 30 s chair–stand (CS-30) test (p = 0.039), timed up-and-go (TUG) test (p = 0.027), maximal gait speed (p = 0.029), and skeletal muscle mass (p < 0.001). Older adults with normal cognitive function showed significant differences in grip strength (p < 0.001), quadriceps muscle strength (p < 0.009), one-leg standing time (p = 0.041), CS-30 (p = 0.002), TUG (p = 0.014), gait speed (p = 0.006), and skeletal muscle mass (p = 0.003). Older adults with low subjective grip strength had lower physical function and skeletal muscle mass. However, no items showed significant differences between groups among older adults with MCI. Thus, subjective grip strength is an indicator of an overall decline in physical function and a reduction in skeletal muscle mass in older adults, and cognitive function should be considered when assessing subjective grip strength in older adults. Full article

Streptococcus agalactiae (group B streptococci, GBS) is responsible for severe infections in both neonates and adults. Currently, empiric antimicrobial therapy for sepsis and meningitis is the combined use of penicillin and gentamicin due to the enhanced bactericidal activity. However, high-level gentamicin resistance (HLGR) abrogates the synergism. The rate of HLGR was investigated within a dataset of 433 GBS strains collected from cases of invasive disease in both adults and neonates as well as from pregnant carriers. GBS isolates (n = 20, 4.6%) presented with HLGR (gentamicin MIC breakpoint >1024 mg/L) that was differently diffused between strains from adults or neonates (5.2% vs. 2.8%). Notably, 70% of HLGR GBS strains (14 isolates) were serotype IV. Serotype IV HLGR-GBS isolates were susceptible to all antibiotics tested, exhibited the alpha-C/HvgA/PI-2b virulence string, and belonged to sequence type 1010 (clonal complex (CC) 452). The mobile element that harbored the HLGR aac(6′)-aph(2)″ gene is a novel integrative and conjugative element (ICE) about 45 kb long, derived from GBS 515 ICE tRNA^Lys. The clonal expansion of this HLGR hypervirulent serotype IV GBS CC452 sublineage may pose a threat to the management of infections caused by this strain type. Full article

The assessment of water quality assumes a position of utmost significance as it plays a critical role in upholding ecological balance and safeguarding the well-being of human populations. To achieve these goals, an in-depth consideration of water quality trends is essential, as it offers comprehension into the intricate interplay between various elements within aquatic ecosystems. As a consequence, the proposed work investigates the water quality trends specifically within the Valliyar sub-basin, which encompasses the geographical areas of Kattathurai, Colachal, Thuckalay, and Villukuri. The temporal scope of investigation spans from the year 2000 to 2018 using the dependent variable of water quality parameters with dependent variables of climate data. Recognizing the need for advanced methodologies to tackle the multifaceted nature of water quality dynamics, this research harnesses the power of pioneering machine learning techniques. Two notable approaches, the Radial Bias Function Neural Network (RBFNN) and the DenseNet-121-based Convolutional Neural Network (CNN), are brought into performance. The primary objective is to leverage these techniques to forecast water quality trends for the next twenty-two years. The effectiveness of various machine learning models in predicting water quality is evaluated using the following key performance metrics: the Mean-Square Error (MSE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) and Root-Mean-Square Error (RMSE). Notably, the DenseNet CNN model exhibits accurate prediction among the Artificial Neural Network (ANN), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Deep Learning (DL) models. This research underscores the significance of machine learning techniques, with DenseNet CNN model emerging as a particularly promising tool in this domain. Full article

The preservation of cultural heritage plays a key role in the development of society. To preserve cultural heritage, protection zones are established, which represent an encumbrance on land plots and, therefore, should be taken into account in the valuation process. Currently, there is a problem that mass (cadastral) and individual valuation methods do not necessarily include cultural heritage objects and their zones in cost coefficients. The absence of a mechanism to address their individual characteristics in the real estate valuation system has a significant impact on the value of real estate and leads to unjustifiably inflated market value and, as a consequence, to disputing the results of cadastral valuation. This article is devoted to determining the impact of protection zones of cultural heritage objects on the value of land intended for individual housing construction, using the example of the city of Orenburg. This article considers various methods of identifying patterns of the influence of zones with special conditions of use of the territory on the market value of land and substantiates the use of the method of comparative sales in the conditions of a low-active land market in Orenburg, a statistical analysis of market information, on the basis of which the type of activity of the real estate market in Orenburg was determined. The patterns of the calculation of corrections for the remoteness of the studied land plots from the objects of the transport and social infrastructure of Orenburg were revealed in this work as well. Through the method of paired sales within the framework of an individual assessment of the land plot intended for individual housing construction, the diminishing impact of the zones of protection of cultural heritage objects on the market value of land plots was revealed. This allows for conclusions to be drawn as to whether objects of cultural heritage have an impact on the value of real estate, and as a result, there is a need to modify the applied methods of mass and individual real estate valuation within the boundaries of historical settlements. Full article

Global navigation satellite system (GNSS) array antenna receivers are widely used to suppress wideband interference in navigation countermeasures. However, existing array antenna receivers all adopt a digital array structure and digital beamforming technique, and they have limited analog-front-end (AFE) dynamic range. In strong interference scenarios, AFE saturation will occur, which limits the maximum interference suppression ability of the array receiver. Aiming at this issue, this paper proposes a robust wideband interference suppression method for GNSS array antenna receivers based on a hybrid beamforming technique. Firstly, a novel, fully connected hybrid array receiver structure is proposed. Secondly, the corresponding hybrid beamforming method is proposed at the same time, and it realizes the complete elimination of the strong wideband interference by joint suppression in the analog domain and digital domain. After mathematical simulations, it is verified that, compared to the digital beamforming-based anti-jamming technique, the proposed method can effectively suppress strong wideband interference, and the maximum interference suppression ability is improved by 36 dB. Full article

This study describes the impact of surfactant molecular weights (PEG 2000 and PEG 4000) on the photocatalytic activity of TiO₂ films, deposited via dip-coating from a PEG-stabilized suspension and silver-functionalized photo-fixation of Ag⁺ under UV illumination. The photocatalytic activity of pure and Ag/TiO₂ films is assessed in the aqueous-phase degradation of Malachite green and Methylene blue in distilled and tap water under UV and visible illumination. The results indicate a positive effect of both the higher-molecular-weight non-ionic surfactant and Ag-functionalization yield higher photocatalytic efficiency. Notably, films photo-fixed with 10⁻² M Ag⁺ show the highest degradation percentages in all experimental conditions. A direct correlation between the concentration of Ag⁺ ions and the enhancement of the photocatalytic activity is revealed: pure TiO₂ < Ag, 10⁻⁴/TiO₂ < Ag, 10⁻³/TiO₂ < Ag, 10⁻²/TiO₂. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry is used to study the Ag⁺ leeching from the Ag/TiO₂ films. The structural properties of the nanostructures are investigated through scanning electron microscopy, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Additionally, after three cycles of operation, Ag, 10⁻²/TiO₂ (PEG 4000) films can maintain their photocatalytic activity, suggesting a potential application in the treatment of dye wastewater. Full article

In clinical practice, increased “work of breathing” (WOB) is used to rapidly identify the acutely ill child in need of immediate clinical care, and is commonly used to support a clinical diagnosis of pneumonia. However, this key clinical sign is poorly understood and inconsistently defined. This review discusses the physiology, measurement, and clinical assessment of WOB, highlighting its utility in the recognition of pneumonia in under-resourced settings, where access to diagnostic imaging may be limited. Full article

How local economies can successfully develop remains an important issue for any developing country. One mechanism for promotion of economic development is government-driven policy. The problem is that it is not clear whether public-led economic promotion attracts consumers and which promotion factors are relatively significant for boosting particular goods. This paper examines attributes of green tea products likely influencing consumer preferences, focusing on the Thai Nguyen area in Vietnam as an example. In this area, the “One Commune, One Product” (OCOP) project has been implemented by the local government. This study employs randomized conjoint analysis based on data collected from 450 randomly selected consumers in several local supermarkets. Interestingly, the results show that online style sales have a negative preference for the purchase of green tea products, while transparency, such as the traceability of the product and product information, and reliability, such as certification, enhance the purchase of these products by consumers. However, this finding is not necessarily robust because our results indicate that approximately 90% of consumers tend to choose the default pair, which means that they do not actively prefer the product, possibly implying that this kind of public-led promotion is not yet broadly familiar to all people. Full article

Background and Objectives: Adult T-cell leukemia/lymphoma (ATLL) is a highly aggressive T-cell lymphoproliferative disease associated with the human T-cell lymphotropic virus type I (HTLV-1). ATLL is a rare disease, found more frequently in HTLV-1-endemic areas, Romania being one of them. Despite treatment advances, the prognosis remains dismal. We aimed to describe the clinical, biological, and survival outcome features of Romanian patients with aggressive-type ATLL. Materials and Methods: We report the data of a prospective, observational, and unicentric study of all 20 patients diagnosed with lymphoma and acute types of ATLL at our center over the past 12 years. Data were collected from the patients’ medical records. Results: Lymphoma-type ATLL (60%) was more common than acute-type ATLL (40%). Median age at diagnosis was 40.5 years, and most patients were female. Laboratory data revealed significant differences between acute and lymphoma-type ATLL, namely, higher leukocyte (p = 0.02) and lymphocyte counts (p = 0.02) and higher levels of corrected calcium (p = 0.001) in acute-type ATLL. All patients received chemotherapy, and only two underwent allogeneic stem cell transplantation. Only six patients obtained a complete or partial response to chemotherapy, mostly the lymphoma-type ones. The median survival for all patients was 6.37 months, with higher survival in the lymphoma-type ATLL (8.16 months) than in the acute-type (3.60 months). Normal calcium levels (p = 0.011), uric acid (p = 0.005), BUN score (p = 0.000), JCOG-PI moderate risk (p = 0.038), and obtaining complete or partial response (p = 0.037) were associated with higher survival. Conclusion: Aggressive-type ATLL among Romanian patients presents distinct characteristics, including younger age at diagnosis, female predominance, and higher incidence of lymphoma-type ATLL compared to currently reported data. Survival remains very low, with all subtypes experiencing a median survival of less than one year. Full article

In this paper, a novel input impedance analysis methodology based on Babinet’s principle to broaden bandwidth is proposed, and a broadband multiple-input and multiple-output (MIMO) antenna system is designed, fabricated, and measured for fifth-generation (5G) and Wireless Fidelity (Wi-Fi) 6E/7 mobile applications. By analyzing the input impedance of open-slot antennas and planar monopole antennas using numerical calculations, the characteristics of the input impedance can be obtained. We find that combining the two antenna types in parallel can significantly enhance the bandwidth. Then, the four-dimensional image calculated by MATLAB based on the parallel impedance formula is processed to validate the methodology. Thus, a broad antenna element based on the impedance property analysis methodology is achieved, which operates ranging from 2.6 GHz to 7.46 GHz. Moreover, the equivalent circuit of the antenna element is established to further verify the validity of the methodology. Finally, a broadband MIMO antenna system consisting of eight antenna elements is designed, fabricated, and measured, and the isolation performance is better than 12 dB. Acceptable total efficiency higher than 45% is also obtained with envelope correlation coefficients (ECCs) lower than 0.05. The proposed impedance property analysis methodology innovatively proposes a new way to increase bandwidth, which can be widely applied in various antenna designs. Also, reasonable results show that the proposed MIMO antenna system is a good candidate for 5G and Wi-Fi 6E/7 mobile applications. Full article

Methane (CH₄), a non-polar molecule characterized by a tetrahedral structure, stands as the simplest organic compound. Predominantly constituting conventional natural gas, shale gas, and combustible ice, it plays a pivotal role as a carbon-based resource and a key raw material in the petrochemical industry. In natural formations, CH₄ and H₂O coexist in a synergistic system. This interplay necessitates a thorough examination of the phase equilibrium in the CH₄-H₂O system and CH_4’s solubility under extreme conditions of temperature and pressure, which is crucial for understanding the genesis and development of gas reservoirs. This study synthesizes a comprehensive solubility database by aggregating extensive solubility data of CH₄ in both pure and saline water. Utilizing this database, the study updates and refines the key parameters of Henry’s law. The updated Henry’s law has a prediction error of 22.86% at less than 40 MPa, which is an improvement in prediction accuracy compared to before the update. However, the modified Henry’s law suffers from poor calculation accuracy under certain pressure conditions. To further improve the accuracy of solubility prediction, this work also trains a BP (Back Propagation) neural network model based on the database. In addition, MSE (Mean-Square Error) is used as the model evaluation index, and pressure, temperature, compression coefficient, salinity, and fugacity are preferred as input variables, which finally reduces the mean relative error of the model to 16.32%, and the calculation results are more accurate than the modified Henry’s law. In conclusion, this study provides a novel and more accurate method for predicting CH₄ solubility by comparing modified Henry’s law to neural network modeling. Full article

Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) tagging using silica(SiO₂)@Ag nanoparticles (NPs) is easy to handle and is being studied in various fields, including SERS imaging and immunoassays. This is primarily due to its structural advantages, characterized by high SERS activity. However, the Ag NPs introduced onto the SiO₂ surface may undergo structural transformation owing to the Ostwald ripening phenomenon under various conditions. As a result, the consistency of the SERS signal decreases, reducing their usability as SERS substrates. Until recently, research has been actively conducted to improve the stability of single Ag NPs. However, research on SiO₂@Ag NPs used as a SERS-tagging material is still lacking. In this study, we utilized a Raman labeling compound (RLC) to prevent the structural deformation of SiO₂@Ag NPs under various conditions and proposed excellent SiO₂@Ag@RLC-Pre NPs as a SERS-tagging material. Using various RLCs, we confirmed that 4-mercaptobenzoic acid (4-MBA) is the RLC that maintains the highest stability for 2 months. These results were also observed for the SiO₂@Ag NPs, which were unstable under various pH and temperature conditions. We believe that SERS tags using SiO₂@Ag NPs and 4-MBA can be utilized in various applications on based SERS because of the high stability and consistency of the resulting SERS signal. Full article