Search Results (1,513)

Deep eutectic solvents (DES) have emerged as versatile, sustainable media for the synthesis of nanomaterials due to their low toxicity, tunability, and biocompatibility. This study develops a one-step method to modify commercially available screen-printed electrodes (SPE) using laser-induced pyrolysis of DES, consisting of choline chloride and tartaric acid with dissolved nickel acetate and dispersed graphene. The electrodes were patterned using a 532 nm continuous-wave laser for the in situ formation of Ni nanoparticles decorated on graphene sheets directly on the SPE surface (Ni-G/SPE). The synthesis parameters, specifically laser power and graphene concentration, were optimized using the Nelder–Mead method to produce modified Ni-G/SPEs with maximized electrochemical response to dopamine. Electrochemical characterization of the developed sensor by differential pulse voltammetry revealed its broad linear detection range from 0.25 to 100 μM and high sensitivity with a low detection limit of 0.095 μM. These results highlight the potential of laser-assisted DES synthesis to advance electrochemical sensing technologies, particularly for the detection of biogenic amines. Full article

The aging process of bourbon within rickhouses is influenced by various environmental factors, including temperature, humidity, air flow, and air quality. Most rickhouses are not climate-controlled, and natural ventilation is a major contributor to airflow. The corrosion of the steel hoops on bourbon barrels occurs due to the presence of ethyl alcohol vapors and has become an issue for the distilling industry. The loss of a barrel or product is the loss of all of the energy and materials that went into the distillation, as well as the removal of the barrel from the secondary market. Despite the large economic and sustainability impact of barrel losses, there is limited published research with respect to corrective actions. This paper investigates airflow patterns within a bourbon rickhouse using a combination of differential pressure surveys and smoke tracing techniques to understand how natural ventilation impacts the aging process and potential for corrosion. A newly constructed rickhouse was surveyed using a micro-manometer to measure differential pressure and a sheet laser with smoke to visualize airflow. This study revealed significant zones of stagnant air and minimal recirculation within the ricks, which are the structures that hold the bourbon barrels. Airflow was found to primarily enter through windows and ground vents, moving along the walkways before exiting through other openings, with minimal penetration into the ricks. Differential pressure measurements generally indicated a lack of significant airflow, while smoke tracing showed that air entering the side of the building does not circulate into the ricks. This lack of airflow promotes the separation of ethyl alcohol vapor due to density, leading to its accumulation on the floor of the ricks. The findings of this study highlight the need to consider how rickhouse design impacts airflow and the potential for the corrosion of metal hoops on barrels due to the presence of ethyl alcohol vapor, and provide insight into optimizing the ventilation of rickhouses for more efficient and sustainable bourbon maturation. Full article

The Prambanan Temple cluster is a world heritage site that has significant value for humanity, a multiple zone cluster arrangement of highly ornamented towering temples, and a Hindu architectural pattern design. It lies near the Opak Fault, at the foothills of Mount Merapi, on an unstable ground layer, and is surrounded by human activities in Yogyakarta, Indonesia. The site’s vulnerability implies the necessity of 3D digital documentation for its conservation, but its complexity poses difficulties. This work aimed to address this challenge by introducing the utilization of architectural pattern design (APD) to guide multi-sensor line-ups for documentation. First, APDs were established from the literature to derive the associated multiple detail levels; then, multiple sensors and modes of light detection and ranging (Lidar) scanners and photogrammetry were utilized according to their detail requirements and, finally, point cloud data were processed, integrated, assessed, and validated by the proof of the existence of an APD. The internal and external qualities of each sensor result showed the millimeter- to centimeter-range root mean squared error, with the terrestrial laser scanner (TLS) having the best accuracy, followed by aerial close-range and terrestrial-mode photogrammetry and nadiral Lidar and photogrammetry. Two relative cloud distance analyses of every point cloud model to the reference model (TLS) returned the millimeter and centimeter ranges of the mean distance values. Furthermore, visually, every point cloud model from each sensor successfully complemented each other. Therefore, we can conclude that our approach is promising for complex heritage documentation. These results provide a solid foundation for future analyses, particularly in assessing structural vulnerabilities and informing conservation strategies. Full article

The progression of colorectal cancer is strongly influenced by environmental and genetic conditions. One of the key factors is tumor heterogeneity which is extensively studied by cfDNA and bulk sequencing methods; however, we lack knowledge regarding its effects at the single-cell level. Motivated by this, we aimed to employ an end-to-end single-cell sequencing workflow from tissue-derived sample isolation to exome sequencing. Our main goal was to investigate the heterogeneity patterns by laser microdissecting samples from different locations of a tissue slide. Moreover, by studying healthy colon control, tumor-associated normal, and colorectal cancer tissues, we explored tissue-specific heterogeneity motifs. For completeness, we also compared the performance of the whole-exome bulk, cfDNA, and single-cell sequencing methods based on variation at the level of a single nucleotide. Full article

As a type of additive manufacturing technology, SLM has made significant progress in the aerospace sector because of its capacity to swiftly and effectively form metals and their composites. This work investigates the impact of laser power (260, 280, 300, 320, 340 W) on the performance of a 1.0 wt.% CeO₂/Al6061 alloy prepared by SLM, including the forming quality (surface morphology and density), self-corrosion rate (SCR), and electrochemical behavior. The experimental outcomes suggest that as the laser power rises, the surface roughness exhibits an initial decline followed by an increase, whereas the density undergoes an initial increase and subsequently decreases. The SCR demonstrates a pattern of initial decrease followed by an increase as the laser power is incremented. When the laser power increases, the electrochemical activity shows the same trend. When the laser power is 280 W, the density of the sample is 98.63%, and the SCR is 2.243 × 10⁻⁴ g/cm²·min. The induced resistance of the sample caused by hydrogen evolution is small, at 7.827 × 10⁻²⁰ Ω·cm², and the polarization resistance reaches 8.048 × 10⁻¹ Ω·cm², suggesting superior resistance to corrosion on the part of the sample. The laser power affects the SCR and electrochemical performance of the sample by influencing its molding quality. At the laser power of 280 W, the formation quality of the sample is optimal, and the sample exhibits lower SCR and more stable electrochemical activity. Full article

As the face ages, the skin, fat, muscle, and fascia descend, and the underlying bone, cartilage, and teeth may lose mass. Oculofacial aging is a multifactorial process that is influenced by genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors. This review summarizes the patterns of oculofacial aging that are observed across populations, including variations in periorbital hollowing, eyelid ptosis, and skin elasticity. Evidence indicates significant variability in aging patterns between sex- and race-based subgroups. Nonetheless, there remains a paucity of research on the progression of aging in some under-studied demographic groups. Signs of oculofacial aging often become apparent to patients well before these changes reach full maturity in later years, leading many to seek early esthetic interventions. Others may present with more advanced signs of aging, motivating a diverse range of therapeutic options. We discuss minimally invasive esthetic interventions to mitigate the signs of aging, which may include botulinum toxin injections, dermal fillers, applied energy-based treatments (e.g., lasers), and emerging techniques such as micro-focused ultrasound and platelet-rich plasma therapies. We review evidence on outcomes related to patient satisfaction and quality of life following esthetic interventions for oculofacial aging. Finally, we outline ethical considerations and challenges faced with the delivery of esthetic surgery, including treatment complications and the influence of social media. This review provides a comprehensive overview of oculofacial aging patterns, its management, and important considerations for the provision of esthetic oculofacial treatment. Full article

This paper presents a comprehensive numerical investigation to simulate heat transfer and residual stress formation of Ti-6Al-4V alloy during the Laser Powder Bed Fusion process, using a finite element model (FEM). The FEM was developed with a focus on the effects of key process parameters, including laser scanning velocity, laser power, hatch space, and scanning pattern in single-layer scanning. The model was validated against experimental data, demonstrating good agreement in terms of temperature profiles and melt pool dimensions. The study elucidates the significant impact of process parameters on thermal gradients, melt pool characteristics, and residual stress distribution. An increase in laser velocity, from 600 mm/s to 1500 mm/s, resulted in a smaller melt pool area and faster cooling rate. Similarly, the magnitude of residual stress initially decreased and subsequently increased with increasing laser velocity. Higher laser power led to an increase in melt pool size, maximum temperature, and thermal residual stress. Hatch spacing also exhibited an inverse relationship with thermal gradient and residual stress, as maximum residual stress decreased by about 30% by increasing the hatch space from 25 µm to 75 µm. The laser scanning pattern also influenced the thermal gradient and residual stress distribution after the cooling stage. Full article

The tribological behavior of silicon nitride (Si₃N₄) ceramic with textured patterns under water lubrication was investigated in this paper. Different textured patterns were fabricated using laser surface texturing (LST). Surface wettability was characterized by contact angle. The original surface and textured Si₃N₄ ceramic with triangular patterns presented as hydrophobic. However, the textured Si₃N₄ ceramic with hexagonal patterns presented as hydrophilic. Surface wettability and textured patterns were important factors affecting the friction performance of the Si₃N₄ ceramic. Our results indicated that symmetrical textured patterns were more beneficial for decreasing the coefficient of friction (COF) at lower reciprocating frequencies. In contrast, better surface wettability played a more important role in reducing the COF at higher reciprocating frequencies. The most severe damage observed on the untextured Si₃N₄ ceramic led to a higher wear rate. The symmetrical structure of hexagonal patterns was more conducive to decreasing the wear rate than triangular patterns. However, the Si₃N₄ ceramic with triangular patterns was more suitable for use at high-speed frictions due to better lubrication. The textured patterns had the function of storing lubricants and capturing and cutting debris. Thus, friction performance was improved by introducing textured patterns onto the surface of the Si₃N₄ ceramic. The friction and wear mechanisms are also discussed in this study. Full article

Fiber-optic tip sensors offer significant potential in biomedical applications due to their high sensitivity, compact size, and resistance to electromagnetic interference. This study focuses on advancing phase demodulation techniques for ultra-short Fabry–Pérot cavities within limited spectral bandwidths to enhance their application in biomedicine and diagnostics. We propose a novel sparse-sampled white-light interferometry system for respiratory monitoring, utilizing a monolithic integrated semiconductor tunable laser for quasi-continuous frequency scanning across 191.2–196.15 THz at a sampling rate of 5 kHz. A four-step phase-shifting algorithm (PSA) ensures precise phase demodulation, enabling high sensitivity for short-cavity fiber-optic sensors under constrained spectral bandwidth conditions. Humidity sensors fabricated via a self-growing polymerization process further enhance the system’s functionality. The experimental results demonstrate the system’s capability to accurately capture diverse breathing patterns—including normal, rapid, and deep states—with fast response and recovery times. These findings establish the system’s potential for real-time respiratory monitoring in clinical and point-of-care settings. Full article

Displacement measurement is a crucial application, with laser-based methods offering high precision and being well established in commercial settings. However, these methods often come with the drawbacks of significant size and exorbitant costs. We introduce a novel displacement measurement method that utilizes the missing-order Talbot effect. This approach circumvents the need to measure contrast in the Talbot diffraction field, opting instead to leverage the displacement within the missing-order Talbot diffraction pattern. Our method only requires parallel light, an amplitude grating, and a detector to achieve displacement measurement. The measurement dynamic range can be adjusted by altering the grating period and the wavelength of the incident light. Through careful simulation and experimental validation, our method exhibits a correlation coefficient R surpassing $0.999$ across a 30 mm dynamic range and achieves a precision superior to 3 $\mathsf{\mu }$m. Full article

In order to demonstrate the feasibility of the tunable diode laser absorption spectroscopy (TDLAS) technology for monitoring NO_x emissions from inland vessels, an equipment is designed to monitor emissions for inland vessels. The equipment was installed at the Jianbi locks, where experimental measurements were conducted on vessels passing through the locks, with a total of 330 vessels being measured. The detection rate for vessels was 50.3%, with a detection rate of 72.4% for fully loaded vessels and 24.7% for unloaded vessels. In addition, the exhaust emission patterns of inland vessels, the NO_x emission patterns and detection rate of fully loaded and unloaded vessels, and the key parameter of the NO_x emission factor of inland vessels were comprehensively analyzed. The experimental results show that CO₂ and NO_x in the exhaust gas of inland vessels have high signal intensity and good synchronization and can be applied to the regulatory monitoring of NO_x emissions from inland vessels. Furthermore, the ratios of NO/CO₂ and NO₂/CO₂ from fully loaded and unloaded vessels were significantly different. indicating that the NO₂ indicator must be included in the remote monitoring indicators for inland vessel exhaust gases. Otherwise, the remote monitoring results for NO_x may be significantly underestimated. Full article

Consumer sex influences phenotypic differences in digestive functions that may underlie variations in food disintegration. This study used an in vitro digestion model to test the hypothesis that emulsions follow distinct digestive pathways in men and women. Model emulsions were prepared using medium-chain triglycerides stabilized by beta-lactoglobulin, alpha-lactalbumin, or lactoferrin, and by three non-protein emulsifiers: Tween 80, lecithin, and sucrose esters. All emulsions were produced by high-pressure homogenization (0.57 MPa, 5 passes) and then subjected to in vitro digestion under simulated conditions of the male or female gastrointestine. Digesta samples were analyzed via confocal microscopy and laser-based particle sizing, revealing that protein-stabilized emulsions were responsive to physiological differences between males and females, whereas emulsions stabilized by non-protein emulsifiers remained mostly unaffected by sex-based differences. Absolute differential analyses of emulsion droplet size-distribution curves showed that changes in breakdown trajectories for emulsions were pronouncedly noticeable in gastric effluents. Further, SDS-PAGE analysis of digesta showed that breakdown patterns of protein-stabilized emulsions are consistent with prior evidence found for healthy adults; however, results under female gut conditions indicated variations in protein clotting that may alter bioaccessible levels of bioactive peptides. Thus, this study underscores the importance of considering consumer biological sex in food design, especially regarding emulsion-based products for targeted digestive responses. Full article

Laser welding, widely used in industries such as automotive and aerospace, requires precise monitoring to ensure defect-free welds, especially when joining dissimilar metallic thin foils. This study investigates the application of machine learning techniques for defect detection in laser welding using photodiode signal patterns. Supervised models, including Support Vector Machine (SVM), k-Nearest Neighbors (kNN), and Random Forest (RF), were employed to classify weld defects into sound welds (SW), lack of connection (LoC), and over-penetration (OP). SVM achieved the highest accuracy (95.2%) during training, while RF demonstrated superior generalization with 83% accuracy on validation data. The study also proposed an unsupervised learning method using a wavelet scattering one-dimensional convolutional autoencoder (1D-CAE) network for anomaly detection. The proposed network demonstrated its effectiveness in achieving accuracies of 93.3% and 87.5% on training and validation datasets, respectively. Furthermore, distinct signal patterns associated with SW, OP, and LoC were identified, highlighting the ability of photodiode signals to capture welding dynamics. These findings demonstrate the effectiveness of combining supervised and unsupervised methods for laser weld defect detection, paving the way for robust, real-time quality monitoring systems in manufacturing. The results indicated that unsupervised learning could offer significant advantages in identifying anomalies and reducing manufacturing costs. Full article

Zirconia is increasingly favored for dental implants owing to its corrosion resistance, hypoallergenic properties, and superior esthetics, but its biocompatibility remains a challenge. This study explores laser-assisted surface modification to enhance zirconia bioactivity. Zirconia transitions from the monoclinic to the tetragonal phase during sintering, with mixed phases observed in the pre-sintered stage. These transitions are critical for understanding its structural stability and malleability. Grid patterns were imprinted on the green body implant surface using a 1064 nm Nd-YAG laser (Continuum Surelite II, San Jose, CA, USA), with mesh sizes ranging from 7 to 50 µm and depths up to 2 µm, controlled by varying laser fluence, irradiation time, and templates. SEM, AFM, and XRD analyses were used to characterize the surface morphology and crystallography. Protein adsorption studies compared two patterned samples with different surface coverage—the first sample had a patterned area of 0.212 cm² (27%), while the second sample had a patterned area of 0.283 cm² (36%)—to a control sample. Protein adsorption increased by 92% in the first and 169% in the second sample, demonstrating a direct correlation between increased pattern area and bioactivity. Enhanced protein adsorption facilitates cell attachment and growth, which are crucial for improving osseointegration. These results underscore the potential of laser-assisted surface modification to optimize zirconia’s performance as a medical implant material. Full article

Coal fly ash represents a potential resource of some critical elements, including rare earth elements (REEs), which are retained and concentrated during coal combustion. Understanding the distribution and modes of occurrence of REEs within fly ash is vital to developing effective recovery methods and enhancing their economic value. Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) was applied to investigate the in situ elemental constituents of coal fly ash phases, including aluminosilicates, Ca-(Fe)-enriched aluminosilicates, Fe-oxides, and SiO₂/Quartz, in order to explore the distribution of REEs in combustion products. LA-ICP-MS results show that V, Cr, and Nb are mainly enriched in Ca-Ti-enriched aluminosilicates with trace element concentrations referenced to the original fly ash composition. Lithium is primarily enriched in SiO₂ glassy grains, followed by Ca, (Fe)-enriched aluminosilicates. Co, Ni, and Cu present a concomitant distribution in the Fe-enriched phases, such as Fe-oxides and Fe-enriched aluminosilicates. The chondrite normalized REE distribution patterns show characteristics of LREE enrichment and Eu-negative anomalies in most phases, while the REE patterns of SiO₂ glassy grains have a distinct positive anomaly in Sm, Gd, and Dy, coupled with a deficiency in LREEs. Compared to feed coal, elements such as Li, V, Cr, Co, Ni, and Nb and REEs are enriched 2~10 times in various phases of fly ash, with REEs notably concentrated six times higher in aluminosilicates and Ca-Ti-enriched aluminosilicates than the original coal. This study further discusses the feasibility, calibration principles, and advantages of using LA-ICP-MS to determine REE distribution, as well as the economic implications of REE extraction from coal fly ash. Full article