Land-use conflicts (LUCs) are pivotal in assessing human–land interaction, reflecting the intricate interplay between natural and anthropogenic drivers. However, existing studies often overlook nuanced non-linear responses and critical threshold recognition, focusing solely on linear correlations between isolated factors and LUCs. This study, situated in Xinjiang, China’s arid and semiarid region, introduces a novel analytical framework and threshold application model for LUCs. Integrating land-use and socioeconomic data, we quantified LUCs using Fragstats, correlation analysis, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) regression. Exploring non-linear dynamics between LUCs and 14 potential drivers, including natural and anthropogenic factors, we identified critical thresholds. LUC zones were delineated using a four-quadrant method, allowing tailored mitigation strategies. Our findings reveal Xinjiang’s distinct LUC spatial pattern, with intense conflicts surrounding mountainous areas and milder conflicts in basin regions, showing marked diminishment from 2000 to 2020. RCS effectively identifies LUC thresholds, indicating persisting severity pre- or post-specific thresholds. Xinjiang’s LUCs are categorized into key control areas, urgent regulation zones, elastic development territories, and moderate optimization regions, each with significant regional disparities. Tailored optimization suggestions mitigate linear analysis limitations, providing a fresh perspective on land zoning optimization. This research supports comprehensive land management and planning in Xinjiang, China. Full article

This paper presents a novel deep-learning network designed to detect intervals of jump discontinuities in single-variable piecewise smooth functions from their noisy samples. Enhancing the accuracy of jump discontinuity estimations can be used to find a more precise overall approximation of the function, as traditional approximation methods often produce significant errors near discontinuities. Detecting intervals of discontinuities is relatively straightforward when working with exact function data, as finite differences in the data can serve as indicators of smoothness. However, these smoothness indicators become unreliable when dealing with highly noisy data. In this paper, we propose a deep-learning network to pinpoint the location of a jump discontinuity even in the presence of substantial noise. Full article

The study aimed to determine the phenolic content and antioxidant capacity of five protein supplements of plant origin. The content and profile of phenolics were determined using the UHPLC-DAD-MS method, while antioxidant capacity (ABTS and DPPH assays) and total phenolic content (TPC) were evaluated using spectrophotometric tests. In the analyzed proteins, twenty-five polyphenols were detected, including eleven phenolic acids, thirteen flavonoids, and one ellagitannin. Hemp protein revealed the highest individual phenolics content and TPC value (1620 μg/g and 1.79 mg GAE/g, respectively). Also, hemp protein showed the highest antioxidant activity determined via ABTS (9.37 μmol TE/g) and DPPH (9.01 μmol TE/g) assays. The contents of p-coumaric acid, m-coumaric acid, kaempferol, rutin, isorhamnetin-3-O-rutinoside, kaempferol-3-O-rutinoside, and TPC value were significantly correlated with antioxidant activity assays. Our findings indicate that plant-based protein supplements are a valuable source of phenols and can also be used in research related to precision medicine, nutrigenetics, and nutrigenomics. This will benefit future health promotion and personalized nutrition in the prevention of chronic diseases. Full article

This paper addresses the following problem: given m potential observations to determine n parameters, $m>n$, what is the best choice of n observations. The problem can be formulated as finding the $n\times n$ submatrix of the complete $m\times n$ observation matrix that has maximum determinant. An algorithm by Gu and Eisenstat for a determining a strongly rank-revealing QR factorisation of a matrix can be adapted to address this latter formulation. The algorithm starts with an initial selection of n rows of the observation matrix and then performs a sequence of row interchanges, with the determinant of the current submatrix strictly increasing at each step until no further improvement can be made. The algorithm implements rank-one updating strategies, which leads to a compact and efficient algorithm. The algorithm does not necessarily determine the global optimum but provides a practical approach to designing an effective measurement strategy. In this paper, we describe how the Gu–Eisenstat algorithm can be adapted to address the problem of optimal experimental design and used with the QR algorithm with column pivoting to provide effective designs. We also describe implementations of sequential algorithms to add further measurements that optimise the information gain at each step. We illustrate performance on several metrology examples. Full article

The purpose of this paper is to explore the influence of using AI chatbots on learning within the context of engineering education. We framed this study on the principles of how learning works in order to describe the contributions and challenges of AI chatbots in five categories: (1) facilitating the acquisition, completion, or activation of prior knowledge and helping organize knowledge and making connections; (2) enhancing student motivation to learn; (3) fostering self-directed learning and the acquisition, practice, and application of the skills and knowledge they acquire; (4) supporting goal-directed practice and feedback; and (5) addressing student diversity and creating a positive classroom environment. To elicit the uses, benefits, and drawbacks of using AI chatbots in students’ learning, we conducted a thematic analysis of qualitative data gathered from surveying 38 student volunteers from 5 different electronic and mechatronic engineering courses at a South American university. Based on a literature review and an evidence-based discussion, we offer practical suggestions for instructors who want to promote the use of AI to enhance their students’ learning. Full article

In this research, we elucidated the species composition of Culicoides biting midges, infection prevalence, and genetic diversity of Leishmania parasites circulating in the affected community in Chiang Rai Province, being the most endemic area in Northern Thailand. A total of 146 parous and gravid females, belonging to at least twelve Culicoides species in five subgenera and one species group, were trapped from three collection sites with an overall Leishmania prevalence of 26.7% (39/146). Leishmania was detected, using ITS1-PCR, in C. mahasarakamense (15), C. guttifer (11), C. (Trithecoides) spp. (8), C. jacobsoni (2), C. oxystoma (2), and C. orientalis (1). The evidence of Leishmania infection in these last five species represents new records in Northern Thailand. Given a high infection rate in cavernicolous specimens, this indicates an increased risk of parasite exposure when visiting the cave. Using the nanopore amplicon sequencing, L. martiniquensis was ubiquitously identified in all positives, and more than half of these were also co-infected with L. orientalis. The genetic diversity analysis revealed 13 and 17 unique haplotypes for L. martiniquensis and L. orientalis, respectively. Higher haplotype diversity and relatively low nucleotide diversity were observed in both parasite populations, suggesting recent population divergence. Neutrality tests (Tajima’s D and Fu and Li’s D) showed to be significantly negative, indicating rapid population growth or a selective sweep. Moreover, dominant haplotypes of both Leishmania species were 100% identical to those in all leishmaniasis patients previously reported from Northern Thailand, strongly supporting the imperative role of Culicoides spp. in disease transmission. Essentially, this research provides the first entomological surveillance data representing the sympatric existence, transmission dynamics, and genetic complexity of two autochthonous Leishmania (Mundinia) parasites in several Culicoides species in the endemic area of Northern Thailand. This would contribute to a more complete understanding of the epidemiology of vector infection and facilitate the development of vector control programs to effectively reduce the transmission of this neglected tropical disease in endemic areas of Northern Thailand. Full article

B cell receptor-associated protein 31 (BAP31) is a transmembrane protein that is widely expressed and primarily located in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). B cells play a crucial role in the immune system, and BAP31 significantly contributes to the functions of various immune cells. However, the specific role of BAP31 in B lymphocytes development remains unknown. In this study, we utilized a mouse model with BAP31 deleted from B cells to investigate its effects. Our findings reveal a block in early B cell development in the bone marrow and a significant decrease in the number of B cells in peripheral lymphoid organs taken from BAP31 B cell conditional knockout (BAP31-BCKO) mice. B cell receptor (BCR) signaling is crucial for the normal development and differentiation of B lymphocytes. BAP31, an endoplasmic reticulum membrane protein, directly regulates the BCR signaling pathway and was shown to be significantly positively correlated with B cell activation and proliferation. These findings establish BAP31 as a crucial regulator of early B cell development. Full article

Studying the hydro-liquefaction kinetics of lignite contributes to optimizing the mild liquefaction process for lignite. In this paper, the direct liquefaction performance of Shengli lignite (SL) was investigated using a H₂/THN system with 4 MPa of initial pressure, and reaction kinetic models were established for the heating-up stage and the isothermal stage. The result showed that the liquefaction performance of the SL was excellent, with a conversion of 62.18% and an oil and gas (O + G) yield of 29.88% at 698.15 K. After one hour of reaction, the conversion and O + G yield were 94.61% and 76.78%, respectively. During the heating-up stage, the easily reactive part of the SL was 50.07%, and it was converted directly into oil, gas, asphaltene (AS), and preasphaltene (PA) simultaneously. There was no significant secondary hydrogenation conversion of the AS and PA products. During the isothermal stage, the hard-to-react part was predominantly converted into AS and PA, while the remaining easily reactive part continue to react completely. The conversion of AS and PA into oil and gas was a rate-controlling step during this stage. The amount of unreacted coal estimated using the model calculated in the isothermal stage was 2.98%, which was significantly consistent with the experimental value of 2.81%. Full article

Starvation is a complex physiological state that induces changes in protein expression to ensure survival. The insect midgut is sensitive to changes in dietary content as it is at the forefront of communicating information about incoming nutrients to the body via hormones. Therefore, a DIA proteomics approach was used to examine starvation physiology and, specifically, the role of midgut neuropeptide hormones in a representative lepidopteran, Manduca sexta. Proteomes were generated from midguts of M. sexta fourth-instar caterpillars, starved for 24 h and 48 h, and compared to fed controls. A total of 3047 proteins were identified, and 854 of these were significantly different in abundance. KEGG analysis revealed that metabolism pathways were less abundant in starved caterpillars, but oxidative phosphorylation proteins were more abundant. In addition, six neuropeptides or related signaling cascade proteins were detected. Particularly, neuropeptide F1 (NPF1) was significantly higher in abundance in starved larvae. A change in juvenile hormone-degrading enzymes was also detected during starvation. Overall, our results provide an exploration of the midgut response to starvation in M. sexta and validate DIA proteomics as a useful tool for quantifying insect midgut neuropeptide hormones. Full article

The aim of our study was to investigate iodine density (ID) and fat fraction (FF) on dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) in patients with acute pancreatitis (AP). This retrospective study included 72 patients with clinically confirmed AP and 62 control subjects with DECT of the abdomen. Two radiologists assessed necrosis and measured attenuation values, ID, and FF in three pancreatic segments. We used receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis to determine the optimal threshold for ID for the differentiation between AP groups. The ID was significantly higher in interstitial edematous AP compared to necrotizing AP and the control group (both p < 0.05). The ROC curve analysis revealed the thresholds of ID for detecting pancreatic necrosis ≤ 2.2, ≤2.3, and ≤2.4 mg/mL (AUC between 0.880 and 0.893, p > 0.05) for the head, body, and tail, respectively. The FF was significantly higher for pancreatitis groups when compared with the control group in the head and body segments (both p < 0.001). In the tail, the difference was significant in necrotizing AP (p = 0.028). The ID values were independent of attenuation values correlated with the FF values in pancreatic tissue. Iodine density values allow for differentiation between morphologic types of AP. Full article

Soil moisture plays a crucial role in determining the yield of winter wheat. The Huang-Huai-Hai (HHH) Plain is the main growing area of winter wheat in China, and frequent occurrence of drought seriously restricts regional agricultural development. Hence, a daily-scale Non-stationary Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (NSPEI), based on winter wheat crop coefficient (Kc), was developed in the present study to evaluate the impact of drought characteristics on winter wheat in different growth stages. Results showed that the water demand for winter wheat decreased with the increase in latitude, and the water shortage was affected by effective precipitation, showing a decreasing trend from the middle to both sides in the HHH Plain. Water demand and water shortage showed an increasing trend at the jointing stage and heading stage, while other growth stages showed a decreasing trend. The spatial distributions of drought duration and intensity were consistent, which were higher in the northern region than in the southern region. Moreover, the water shortage and drought intensity at the jointing stage and heading stage showed an increasing trend. The drought had the greatest impact on winter wheat yield at the tillering stage, jointing stage, and heading stage, and the proportions of drought risk vulnerability in these three stages accounted for 0.25, 0.21, and 0.19, respectively. The high-value areas of winter wheat loss due to drought were mainly distributed in the northeast and south-central regions. Full article

Preeclampsia (PE) is a hypertensive disorder in pregnancy associated with significant fetal and maternal complications. Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is an acquired form of thrombophilia characterized by recurrent venous or arterial thrombosis and obstetric complications that significantly increases morbidity and mortality rates. While preeclampsia may not be the most prevalent obstetric complication in APS, it significantly impacts the long-term health of both mother and child. The treatment of preeclampsia in antiphospholipid syndrome is different from the treatment of preeclampsia as an independent disease. Despite current treatments involving anticoagulants, antiplatelet agents, and antihypertensive drugs, obstetric complications may persist, underscoring the need for cohesive management and effective treatments. The objective of our review is to briefly present knowledge about the physiopathology of preeclampsia and the role of antiphospholipid antibodies in this process. Based on the existing literature, our review aims to identify future directions in molecular pathology toward the discovery of biomarkers and targeted treatments. The application of multidisciplinary approaches and prognostic models, including new biomarkers, could be beneficial in the prediction of PE. Full article

The effectiveness of newborn screening (NBS) for congenital hypothyroidism (CH) relies on timely screening, confirmation of diagnosis, and initiation and ongoing monitoring of treatment. The objective of this study was to ascertain the extent to which infants with CH have received timely and appropriate management within the first 3 years of life, following diagnosis through NBS in Alberta, Canada. Deidentified laboratory data were extracted between 1 April 2014 and 31 March 2019 from Alberta Health administrative databases for infants born in this time frame. Time to lab collection was anchored from date of birth. Timeliness was assessed as the frequency of monitoring of Thyroid Stimulating Hormone (TSH) and appropriateness as the frequency of children maintaining biochemical euthyroidism. Among 160 term infants, 95% had confirmation of diagnosis by 16 days of age. The cohort had a median of 2 (range 0–5) TSH measurements performed in the time interval from 0 to 1 month, 4 (0–12) from 1 to 6 months, 2 (0–10) from 6 to 12 months, and 7 (0–21) from 12 to 36 months. Approximately half were still biochemically hypothyroid (TSH > 7 mU/L) at 1 month of age. After becoming euthyroid, at least some period of hypo- (60%) or hyperthyroidism (TSH < 0.2 mU/L) (39%) was experienced. More work needs to be performed to discern factors contributing to prolonged periods of hypothyroidism or infrequent lab monitoring. Full article

Electroplated diamond wire sawing is widely used as a processing method to cut hard and brittle difficult-to-machine materials. Currently, obtaining the sawing capability of diamond wire saw through the wire bow is still difficult. In this paper, a method for calculating the sawing capability of diamond wire saw in real-time based on the wire bow is proposed. The influence of the renewed length per round trip, crystal orientation of sapphire, wire speed, and feed rate on the wire sawing capability has been revealed via slicing experiments. The results indicate that renewing the diamond wire saw, and reducing the wire speed and feed rate can delay the reduction in sawing capability. Furthermore, controlling the value of renewed length per round trip can make the diamond wire saw enter a stable cutting state, in which the capability of the wire saw no longer decreases. The sawing capability of diamond wire saw cutting in the A-plane of the sapphire is smaller than that of the C-plane, and a suitable feed rate or wire speed within the range of sawing parameters studied in this study can avoid a rapid decrease in the sawing capability of the wire saw during the cutting process. The knowledge obtained in this study provides a theoretical basis for monitoring the performance of the wire saw, and guidance for the wire cutting process in semiconductor manufacturing. In the future, it may even be possible to provide real-time performance parameters of diamond wire saw for the digital twin model of wire sawing. Full article

Cold-pressed moringa, milk thistle, and jujube seed oils were investigated in terms of their characteristic profiles, thermal properties, and oxidative stability. The findings proved that the extracted oils were characterized by high nutritional values, which encourages their use in various fields. Results showed significant differences between the obtained oils. Overall, jujube seed oil exhibited the best quality parameters, with acidity equal to 0.762 versus 1% for the moringa and milk thistle seed oils. Milk thistle seed oil showed absorbance in the UV-C (100–290 nm), UV-B (290–320 nm), and UV-A (320–400 nm) ranges, while the moringa and jujube seed oils showed absorbance only in the UV-B and UV-A ranges. Concerning bioactive compounds, jujube seed oil presented the highest content of polyphenols, which promoted a good scavenging capacity (90% at 10 µg/mL) compared to the moringa and milk thistle seed oils. Assessing the thermal properties of the obtained oils showed the presence of four groups of triglycerides in the moringa and milk thistle seed oils, and two groups of triglycerides in the jujube seed oil. The thermograms were constant at temperatures above 10 °C for milk thistle seed oil, 15 °C for jujube seed oil, and 30 °C for moringa seed oil, which corresponded to complete liquefaction of the oils. The extinction coefficients K₂₃₂ and K₂₇₀, monitored during storage for 60 days at 60 °C, proved that jujube seed oil had the highest polyphenols content and was the most stable against thermal oxidation. Full article

Re-expansion pulmonary edema is a rare and potentially life-threatening complication that can occur after the rapid re-expansion of a collapsed lung due to pneumothorax or pleural effusion. It has a multifactorial pathogenesis, and risk factors for re-expansion pulmonary edema, such as chronic lung collapse, rapid re-expansion, and changes in pulmonary vascular permeability, have been identified. Clinical manifestations vary, ranging from almost asymptomatic to a rapidly fatal condition, and its incidence may be more common and less fatal than previously believed. The literature emphasizes the importance of early recognition and management to ensure favorable outcomes. However, there is ongoing debate regarding the indications for ventilatory support and the timing of non-invasive or invasive ventilation. Herein, we report a case series of three paradigmatic examples of massive re-expansion pulmonary edema occurring over a period of 10 years in our institution among a population of 815 patients with spontaneous pneumothorax. We also conducted a literature review on re-expansion pulmonary edema, with a particular focus on diagnosis and management. In each case, despite initially normal clinical parameters, severe respiratory distress developed following the insertion of a thoracic drainage tube for a massive spontaneous pneumothorax. Two patients required High-Flow Nasal Oxygen, and one was addressed to intensive management, including CPAP. In all cases, the patient’s outcome was optimal. Full article

A proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is an efficient and environmentally friendly power production technology that uses hydrogen energy. The cathodic oxygen reduction electrode is a critical component in the development of PEMFC. Most techniques deposit catalyst nanoparticles in areas that are inaccessible for catalytic processes, reducing platinum utilization. The substrate used in this study was carbon paper (CP) with a self-supporting structure. First, electrochemical acidification technology was employed to modify the CP’s surface, followed by nanoparticle manufacturing and fixation on the CP in a single step by electrodeposition. The Pt/C_0.5V_2.24CP catalyst electrode demonstrated high-quality activity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), with a homogeneous particle dispersion and particle size of around 50 nm. The mass activity and electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) of the Pt/C_0.5V_2.24CP catalyst electrode were 1.74 and 3.98 times higher than those of the Pt/C/CP-1 electrodes made with commercial catalysts, respectively. After 5000 cycles of accelerated durability testing (ADT), the mass activity and ECSA were 1.28 times and 6.16 times more than Pt/C/CP-1. This paper successfully proved the viability of electrodepositing Pt nanoparticles on CP following acidification, and that the electrochemical acidification methods have a positive influence on improving electrode ORR activity. Full article

The expectile-based Value at Risk (EVaR) has gained popularity as it is more sensitive to the magnitude of extreme losses than the conventional quantile-based VaR (QVaR). This paper applies the expectile regression approach to evaluate the EVaR of stock market indices of Australia and Japan. We use an expectile regression model that considers lagged returns and common risk factors to calculate the EVaR for each stock market and to evaluate the interdependence of downside risk between the two markets. Our findings suggest that both Australian and Japanese stock markets are affected by their past development and the international stock markets. Additionally, ASX 200 index has significant impact on Nikkei 225 in terms of downside tail risk, while the impact of Nikkei 225 on ASX is not significant. Full article

(1) Background: Carboplatin (CBP) is a chemotherapeutic drug widely used in the treatment of a variety of cancers. Despite its efficiency, CBP is associated with side effects that greatly limit its clinical use. To mitigate these effects, CBP can be encapsulated in targeted delivery systems, such as liposomes. Ensuring the adequate loading and release of CBP from these carriers requires strict control in pharmaceutical formulation development, demanding modern, rapid, and robust analytical methods. The aim of this study was the development of a sensor for the fast and accurate quantification of CBP and its application on proof-of-concept CBP-loaded nanosomes. (2) Methods: Screen-printed electrodes were obtained in-lab and the electrochemical behavior of CBP was tested on the obtained electrodes. (3) Results: The in-lab screen-printed electrodes demonstrated superior properties compared to commercial ones. The novel sensors demonstrated accurate detection of CBP on a dynamic range from 5 to 500 μg/mL (13.5–1350 μM). The method was successfully applied on CBP loaded and released from nanosomes, with strong correlations with a spectrophotometric method used as control. (4) Conclusions: This study demonstrates the viability of electrochemical techniques as alternative options during the initial phases of pharmaceutical formulation development. Full article

Developing high-performance and low-cost protein purification materials is of great importance to meet the demands for highly purified proteins in biotechnological industries. Herein, a facile strategy was developed to design and construct high-efficiency protein absorption and separation media by combining aerogels’ molding techniques and impregnation processes. Poly (ethylene-co-vinyl alcohol) (EVOH) nanofibrous aerogels (NFAs) were modified by grafting butane tetracarboxylic acid (BTCA) over them in situ. This modification was carried out using polyphosphoric acid as a catalyst. The resulting EVOH/BTCA NFAs exhibited favorable comprehensive properties. Benefiting from the highly interconnected porous structure, good underwater compressive properties, and abundant absorption ligands, the obtained EVOH/BTCA NFAs possessed a high static absorption capacity of 1082.13 mg/g to lysozyme and a short absorption equilibrium time of about 6 h. A high saturated dynamic absorption capacity for lysozyme (716.85 mg/g) was also realized solely by gravity. Furthermore, EVOH/BTCA NFAs displayed excellent reusability, good acid and alkaline resistance, and unique absorption selectivity performance. The successful synthesis of such aerogels can provide a potential candidate for next-generation protein absorbents for bio-separation and purification engineering. Full article

Icing on the blades of wind turbines during winter seasons causes a reduction in power and revenue losses. The prediction of icing before it occurs has the potential to enable mitigating actions to reduce ice accumulation. This paper presents a framework for the prediction of icing on wind turbines based on Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) data without requiring the installation of any additional icing sensors on the turbines. A Temporal Convolutional Network is considered as the model to predict icing from the SCADA data time series. All aspects of the icing prediction framework are described, including the necessary data preprocessing, the labeling of SCADA data for icing conditions, the selection of informative icing features or variables in SCADA data, and the design of a Temporal Convolutional Network as the prediction model. Two performance metrics to evaluate the prediction outcome are presented. Using SCADA data from an actual wind turbine, the model achieves an average prediction accuracy of $77.6\%$ for future times of up to 48 h. Full article

This paper presents a low-power, energy-efficient, 12-bit incremental zoom analog-to-digital converter (ADC) for multi-channel bio-signal acquisitions. The ADC consists of a 7-stage ring voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO)-based incremental ΔΣ modulator (I-ΔΣM) and an 8-bit successive approximation register (SAR) ADC. The proposed VCO-based I-ΔΣM can provide fast phase-alignment of the ring-VCO to reduce the interval settling time; thereby, the I-ΔΣM can accommodate time-division-multiplexed input signals without phase leakage between consecutive measurements. The SAR ADC also adopts splitting unit capacitors that can support V_CM-free tri-level switching and prevent invalid states from the phase frequency detector with minimal logic gates and switches. The proposed ADC has been fabricated in a standard 180 nm standard 1P6M CMOS process, exhibiting a 67-dB peak signal-to-noise ratio, a 74-dB dynamic range, and a Walden figure of merit of 19.12 fJ/c-s, while consuming a power of 3.51 μW with a sampling rate of 100 kS/s. Full article