The presented work studies the processes of synthesis of nitrogen-containing structures of ZnO using atmospheric pressure microwave nitrogen plasma and investigates their photocatalytic activity in the processes of degradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol and the antibiotic ciprofloxacin when irradiated with sunlight. The work proposes an effective method for formation of photosensitive ZnO powders. Due to the features of plasma treatment in the open atmosphere of zinc metal microparticles, ZnO structures are formed with sizes from hundreds of nanometers to several micrometers with various micromorphologies. High photoactivity was demonstrated (rate constants 0.036 min-1 and 0.051 min-1) of synthesized ZnO structures during photo-degradation of 2,4-dinitrophenol and ciprofloxacin, respectively, when exposed to solar radiation. Photo-active structures of ZnO synthesized using microwave nitrogen plasma can find application in processes of mineralization of toxic organic compounds.

The results of the study of the influence of the size of cylindrical samples of A5N aluminum on the time and rate of their cooling are presented. According to experimental data, the temperature dependence of the heat transfer coefficient for pure metals is calculated. It revealed that the process of cooling of the aluminium and its alloys has a relaxation behavior. It has found that the main mechanisms of natural air cooling are convection heat transfer and radiation. The characteristic cooling time due to radiation is less than due to convection. The contribution of thermal radiation is noticeable at high temperatures. It was found that the characteristic times of cooling due to radiation and convection increase with increase in volume to area ratio of the sample.

The development of gamma rays mutant rice lines would be a solution for introducing variability in already farmer using varieties. In vitro gamma (60Co) mutagenesis reduces chimeras and allows a faster selection of desired traits but requires laboratory process optimization. The objective of the present work was the in vitro establishment of a recalcitrant rice embryogenic calli, the determination of its sensitivity to gamma radiation (Co-60), sequencing MATK and Rubisco for identification purposes, as well as generation optimization. The radiosensitivity of embryogenic calli resulted in an LD50 of 110Gy, while the 20% lethal dose was 64Gy. All sequenced genes matched perfectly with already reported MATK and Rubisco O. sativa genes with a clear SNP that identifies the local variety related to the southeast Asia Region. Callus induction improves with an MS with 2mg/L 2,4D, and the regeneration was achieved with an MS medium with 3mg/L BAP and 0,5mg/L NAA. The optimized radiation condition was 60Gy with an 83% regeneration in a semisolid medium, allowing a balance between mutation and regeneration. When increased to 80Gy, the regeneration rate falls to 29%. An immersion system (RITA®) of either 60 or 120 seconds every 8hours allowed a systematic and homogeneous total regeneration of the recalcitrant line, in contrast with the semisolid medium that resulted in positive but irregular regeneration. Other well-known recalcitrant cultivars, CR1821, CR1113 also had an improving regeneration in the immersion system, demonstrating its potential use for recalcitrant materials. To our knowledge, this is the first report on using an immersion system to allow regeneration of gamma-ray mutants from recalcitrant rice materials.

The recent rise of deep learning (DL) and its promising capabilities in capturing non-explicit detail from large datasets have attracted substantial research attention in the field of medical image processing. DL provides ground for technology development for computer-aided diagnosis and segmentation in radiology and radiation oncology. Amongst the anatomical locations where recent auto-segmentation algorithms have been employed, the pelvis remains one of the most challenging due to large intra- and inter-patient soft-tissue variabilities. This review provides a comprehensive and clinically-oriented overview of DL-based segmentation studies for bladder, prostate, cervical and rectal cancers, highlighting the key findings, challenges and limitations.

We discuss the topic of the transparency of the Universe in gamma-rays due to the Extragalactic Background Light, and its cosmological and physical implications. Rather than a review, this is a personal account on the development of 30 years of this branch of physical science. Extensive analysis of the currently available information appears to us as revealing a global coherence among the astrophysical, cosmological, and fundamental physics data, or, at least, no evident need so far of substantial modification of our present understanding. Deeper data from future experiments will verify to what extent and in which directions this conclusion should be modified.

The efficiency of microbial inactivation in water is highly dependent on the type of treatment technology used as well as the characteristics of the water to be treated. Wastewater from poultry slaughterhouses carries a significant number of microorganisms posing threat to humans and the environment in general. Therefore, the treatment of poultry slaughterhouse wastewater requires the use of appropriate purification systems with high removal efficiency for microbial agents. In this study, the performance of an integrated treatment plant with electrolysis, ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet radiation as the principal treatment units is investigated in terms of microbial inactivation from poultry slaughterhouse wastewater. In this case, Total microbial number, Total coliform bacteria, Thermo-tolerant coliform bacteria, Pathogenic flora, including Salmonella coliphages, Spores of sulfite-reducing clostridia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus Enterococcus were studied. About 63.95% to 99.83% of the microbes were removed by the EC treatment unit, as well as 99.86% to 100% removal efficiency was achieved after the combined treatment. However, the Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the only microbial agent detected in the final effluent after the combined treatment. The phenomenon suggests that an upgrade to the treatment plant may be required to achieve 100% removal assurance for Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The efficiency of microbial inactivation in water is highly dependent on the type of treatment technology used as well as the characteristics of the water to be treated. Wastewater from poultry slaughterhouses carries a significant number of microorganisms posing threat to humans and the environment in general. Therefore, the treatment of poultry slaughterhouse wastewater requires the use of appropriate purification systems with high removal efficiency for microbial agents. In this study, the performance of an integrated treatment plant with electrolysis, ultrafiltration, and ultraviolet radiation as the principal treatment units is investigated in terms of microbial inactivation from poultry slaughterhouse wastewater. In this case, Total microbial number, Total coliform bacteria, Thermo-tolerant coliform bacteria, Pathogenic flora, including Salmonella coliphages, Spores of sulfite-reducing clostridia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Staphylococcus aureus Enterococcus were studied. About 63.95% to 99.83% of the microbes were removed by the EC treatment unit, as well as 99.86% to 100% removal efficiency was achieved after the combined treatment. However, the Pseudomonas aeruginosa was the only microbial agent detected in the final effluent after the combined treatment. The phenomenon suggests that an upgrade to the treatment plant may be required to achieve 100% removal assurance for Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

Ag/TiO₂ thin films were prepared using the sol-gel spin coating method. The microstructural growth behaviors of the prepared Ag/TiO2 thin films were elucidated using real-time synchrotron radiation imaging, its structure determined using grazing incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), its morphology imaged using the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and its surface topography examined using the atomic force microscope (AFM) in contact mode. Cubical white spots were detected, identified as Ag, while the TiO₂ thin film resembles a porous ring-like structure with each ring coalescing and forming channels. Junction growth is directly proportional with time under continuous heating conditions (annealing), and its growth orientations and patterns were seemingly random.

Azo dyes are the most widely used synthetic dyes in the printing and dyeing process. However, the discharge of untreated azo dyes poses potential threat for human health and aqueous ecosystem. Herein, we fabricated a novel heterogenous catalyst - activated carbon fiber-supported ferric alginate (FeAlg-ACF) . Together with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) and visible light, this photocatalytic oxidation system was used to remove an azo dye - azophloxine. The results indicated that the proposed catalytic oxidation system can remove 100% azophloxine within 24 min, while under the same system, the removal rate was only 92 % and 84 % when ferric alginate was replaced with ferric citrate and ferric oxalate respectively, which showed the superiority of activated carbon fiber-supported ferric alginate. The degradation of azophloxine is achieved by the active radicals (SO4•− and •OH) released from PMS and persistent free radicals from activated carbon fiber. After treating for 24 min, the total organic carbon of azophloxine solution (50 μmol/L) decreased from 1.82 mg/L to 79.3 μg/L and the nitrate concentration of ions increased from 0.3 mg/L to 8.6 mg/L. That is, up to 93.5% azophloxine molecules were completely degraded into inorganic compounds. Consequently, potential secondary contamination by intermediate organic products during catalytic degradation was prohibited. The azophloxine removal ratio was kept almost constant after seven cycles, indicating the recyclability and longevity of this system. Furthermore, the azophloxine removal was still promising at high concentrations of Cl-, HCO3-, CO32-. Therefore, our proposed system is potentially effective to remove dye pollutants from seawater. It provides a feasible method for the development of efficient and environmental friendly PMS activation technology combined with FeAlg-ACF, has significant academic and application value.

The Inverted F Antenna (IFA) with the parasitic element on a finite conducting plane is proposed in the range frequency of 0.1 to 5.5 GHz and its characteristics are analyzed numerically. In this research, the parasitic element and the main IFA are investigated to obtain the resonance frequency for multiband operation purposes. The parasitic element is placed beneath adjusted to the main IFA to derive more frequency bands. The distance between the parasitic element and main horizontal element extremely affects the performance of the IFA. It is found that when the parasitic element is located closer to the conducting plane, this element is coupled by the current on the conducting plane. Consequently, the return loss bandwidth becomes narrower. Therefore, the gain of the proposed IFA becomes a bit higher. The antenna gain is about 8.21 dB at band #3 (λ_1.747), 7.43 dB at band #5 (λ_2.967) and 8.82 dB at band #6 (λ_4.023). This occurs when the calculation condition is antenna height h1 = 23 mm, h2 = 21 mm, horizontal antenna elements L = 173.2 mm, L1 = 140.9 mm and Lp = 152 mm, shorted element Ls = 30.7 mm, the distance between parasitic element and shorted element pyl = 5 mm. While the size of conducting plane is considered pxp+pxm by pyp+pym as 57.5+57.5 mm by 200+50 mm. In the numerical analysis, the electromagnetic simulator WIPL-D based on Method of Moment is used. The results show that the proposed IFA has UHF and SHF channel receiver which are suitable for advanced wireless service (band #3), mobile phones, Bluetooth, maritime service, radiolocation service (band #5) and radars, mobile phones, commercial wireless LAN (band #6).

Fire detection from satellite sensors relies on an accurate estimation of the unperturbed state of a target pixel, from which an anomaly can be isolated. Methods for estimating the radiation budget of a pixel without fire depend upon training data derived from the location's recent history of brightness temperature variation over the diurnal cycle, which can be vulnerable to cloud contamination and the effects of weather. This study proposes a new method that utilises the common solar budget found at a given latitude in conjunction with an area's local solar time to aggregate a broad-area training dataset, which can be used to model the expected diurnal temperature cycle of a location. This training data is then used in a temperature fitting process with the measured brightness temperatures in a pixel, and compared to pixel-derived training data and contextual methods of background temperature determination. Results of this study show similar accuracy between clear-sky medium wave infrared upwelling radiation and the diurnal temperature cycle estimation compared to previous methods, with demonstrable improvements in processing time and training data availability. This method can be used in conjunction with brightness temperature thresholds to provide a baseline for upwelling radiation, from which positive thermal anomalies such as fire can be isolated.

The sustainability of the planet and its inhabitants is in dire danger and is among the highest priorities on global agendas such as the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) of the United Nations (UN). Solar energy -- among other clean, renewable, and sustainable energies -- is seen as essential for environmental, social, and economic sustainability. Predicting solar energy accurately is critical to increasing reliability and stability, and reducing the risks and costs of the energy systems and markets. Researchers have come a long way in developing cutting-edge solar energy forecasting methods. However, these methods are far from optimal in terms of their accuracies, generalizability, benchmarking, and other requirements. Particularly, no single method performs well across all climates and weathers due to the large variations in meteorological data. This paper proposes SENERGY (an acronym for Sustainable Energy), a novel deep learning-based auto-selective approach and tool that, instead of generalising a specific model for all climates, predicts the best performing deep learning model for GHI forecasting in terms of forecasting error. The approach is based on carefully devised deep learning methods and feature sets through an extensive analysis of deep learning forecasting and classification methods using ten meteorological datasets from three continents. We analyse the tool in great detail through a range of metrics and methods for performance analysis, visualization, and comparison of solar forecasting methods. SENERGY outperforms existing methods in all performance metrics including Root Mean Square Error (RMSE), Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE), Forecast Skills (FS), Relative Forecasting Error, and the normalised versions of these metrics. The proposed auto-selective approach can be extended to other research problems such as wind energy forecasting and predict forecasting models based on different criteria (in addition to the minimum forecasting error used in this paper) such as the energy required or speed of model execution, different input features, different optimisations of the same models, or other user preferences.

Background/Objectives: Laryngeal squamous cell carcinoma (LSCC) is the most prevalent form, accounting for nearly 95% of laryngeal cancer. This study evaluates the effectiveness of chemotherapy and radiation therapy combined for treating LSCC, along with exploring miR-449a as a potential biomarker for predicting treatment response and prognosis in LSCC patients. Patients and Methods: The study had 81 patients with advanced laryngeal cancer and 50 healthy controls. Chemotherapy was given for two cycles, followed by an evaluation of the response. Disease progression cases had surgical resection and radiation therapy. Positive responders had radiation therapy after a third cycle. The study also assessed miR-449a expression levels in tumor tissue, normal tissue, and serum samples from control subjects. Results: 31% achieved a complete response, and 49% showed a partial response. 31% of complete response participants maintained laryngeal integrity and vocal function. After radiation therapy, 74% of 65 patients responded completely and preserved laryngeal functions. Lower MiR-449a levels found in LSCC tissues and serum samples were correlated with aggressive tumor behavior, poor prognostic markers, and decreased survival. Conversely, elevated levels were seen in treatment responders. Conclusions: Combined chemo and radiotherapy preserve vocal function and improve outcomes in LSCC. MiR-449a is a promising indicator for diagnosis and treatment efficacy in LSCC.

The research develops and validates new decomposition models for DNI estimations from Southern African data. The results demonstrated improved DNI estimation accuracy compared to the baseline models across all testing and validation datasets. These outcomes suggest that utilising a localised model can significantly enhance DNI estimations for Southern Africa and potentially for developing similar models in diverse geographic regions worldwide. Furthermore, clustered models highlighted the potential advantages of grouping data based on shared geographical and climatic attributes. This clustering approach could enhance decomposition model performance, particularly when local data is limited or data is available from multiple nearby stations. The Southern African decomposition model, which encompasses a wide spectrum of climatic regions and geographic locations, exhibited notable improvements over the baseline models despite occasional overestimation or underestimation. The overall metrics affirm the substantial advancement achieved with the Southern African model. This study focused on validating the model for hourly DNI in Southern Africa within a range of clearness index-intervals from 0.175 to 0.875. Implementing accurate decomposition models in developing countries can accelerate the adoption of renewable energy sources, diminishing reliance on coal and fossil fuels.

Practically important properties of real liquids, including seawater, are their nonlinear properties, which include a nonlinear acoustic parameter, as well as cavitation strength – a rupture of the continuity of a liquid at high intensities in an acoustic wave. The manifestation of nonlinear effects is greatly facilitated by the presence of various nuclei in the liquid – gas bubbles, foreign particles, and other inclusions of various origins. For practical applications, it is important to study the properties of real liquids with inclusions in them. Due to the difficulties of measuring cavitation strength by acoustic methods, other methods are being sought. It is proposed to use an optoacoustic method associated with the use of laser radiation that causes optical breakdown - optical cavitation, that accompanied by a strong sound generation effect. The connection between optical breakdown thresholds and acoustic cavitation thresholds has been established, which can later be used to identify cavitation thresholds at high static pressures (at great depths in the sea), where the use of acoustic emitters is extremely difficult. The paper studies the bubble size distribution function in seawater, combined with studies of the acoustic nonlinearity parameter and cavitation strength at various depths. The interrelation of these characteristics for seawater is shown.

Background: Several environmental factors can strongly influence the accumulation of glucosinolates and plant pigments. This study aimed to evaluate the growth and bioactive compounds production of baby leaf kale on colored reflective growing benches with different wavelengths; Methods: In an greenhouse, five types of growing benches were assessed without and with bright reflective colored materials: control and reflective bright (white, yellow, red, and blue); Results: The growing bench with laminated white reflective material increased the photosynthetically active radiation the most. The use of growing benches with laminated reflective material increased the production of baby leaf kale, in which the white, yellow, red, and blue laminates increased the number of leaves by 35.5, 26, 25, and 20.8%, respectively, and the shoot fresh mass by 132, 112, 112, and 109%, respectively. Using the growing bench reflective bright blue laminate increased the bioactive compounds of baby leaf kale plants, increasing chlorophylls A, B, and total by 72, 67, and 70% respectively, and carotenoids by 55%; Conclusions: The use of reflective materials is an alternative method that provides plants with better conditions for assimilating photosynthetically active radiation, increasing the development, yield, and production of bioactive compounds that promote human health.

Abstract: This study observes the characteristics and influencing factors of carbon fluxes of the Momoge salt marsh ecosystem over four years, which behaves as a CO2 sink. The daily, seasonal, and interannual variations of CO2 fluxes in the Momoge salt marshes were observed using the eddy covariance method and compared with various environmental factors. An overall daily “U” shaped distribution was observed, with uptake during the day (negative values) and release at night (positive values). Annually, the carbon fluxes in the study area roughly exhibit a “V” shape. Carbon fluxes during the non-growing season predominantly showed positive values, indicating the release of CO2 into the atmosphere. Photosynthetically active radiation was the primary influencing factor affecting hourly and daytime variations in net ecosystem exchange (NEE) during the growing season, while temperature was the main factor influencing nighttime NEE dynamics. Air temperature, soil temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, precipitation, and water level all had significant impacts on daily net CO2 exchange. At the monthly scale, larger values of soil temperature, air temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, and aboveground biomass correspond to a stronger carbon absorption capacity of the ecosystem. Overall, temperature remains the primary factor for carbon fluxes in the Momoge wetlands.

This work presents patient radiation dose data for pediatric interventional cardiology procedures in a large hospital in Colombia. The data collection period was from April 2020 to July 2022. The local DRLs were calculated as the 3rd quartile of patient dose data distributions for kerma area-product (Pka) values. The sample of collected clinical procedures (255) was divided into diagnostic and therapeutic procedures and grouped into five weight and five age bands. The Pka differences found between diagnostic and therapeutic procedures were statistically in all weight and age bands, except the group between 1-5 years. The local DRLs were 69 Gy/cm2 (< 5 kg), 3.44 Gy/cm2 (5-<15 kg), 8.87 Gy/cm2 (15-<30 kg), 10.51 Gy/cm2 (30-<50 kg) y 22.61 Gy/cm2 (50-<80 kg), respectively. In conclusion, from comparing our results with other existing DRL values, we are similar to other centers and scope to continue optimizing the radiation dose values. This will contribute to setting national diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) for Colombia in the near future.

Euglenoids are a common component of primary producers in high acidic and organic shallow freshwater systems. They are free-living photosynthetic motile flagellates exhibiting rapid responses to various external stimuli including chemical pollution. The unique combination of diverse physiological processes of Euglena such as photosynthesis, movement, and orientation offers a range of sensitive criteria that respond to aquatic pollutants. This has led to the development of several acute and chronic assay methods to monitor the adverse impacts of potent toxicants in aquatic ecosystems. Euglenoids also reflect the consequences of physical stress factors such as UV radiation. This review summarizes the ecotoxicity studies using euglenoid flagellates as model species and their potential to contribute toward rapid screening of ecological impacts of pollution in the aquatic environment. Factors determining the reliability of Euglena tests are outlined.

The success of boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) depends mainly on sufficient spatial biodistribution of boron (B-10) localized around or within neoplastic cells to produce a high dose gradient between the tumor and healthy tissue. Contrary to what is usual in radiotherapy, BNCT proposes treatment planning directed at the cell rather than the tumor mass. However, it is not yet possible to precisely determine the concentration of B-10 in a specific tissue in real-time using non-invasive methods. Some critical issues still need to be resolved if BNCT is to become a valuable, minimally invasive, and efficient cancer treatment. This review article provides an overview of the funda-mental principles, recent advances, and future directions of BNCT as a cell-targeted cancer therapy. The main emphasis is on topics related to biological dosimetry, methods for assessing boron concentration, mechanisms of action of BNCT, and its physical bases for clinical implementation.

Chromatin is dynamically remodeled to adapt to all DNA-related processes, including DNA damage responses (DDR). This adaptation requires DNA and histone epigenetic modifications, which are mediated by several types of enzymes; among them are lysine methyltransferases (KMTs). Methods: KMT inhibitors, chaetocin and tazemetostat (TZM), were used to study their role in the DDR induced by ionizing radiation or doxorubicin in two human sarcoma cells lines. The effect of these KMT inhibitors was tested by the analysis of chromatin epigenetic modifications, H4K16ac and H4K20me2. DDR was monitored by the formation of γH2AX, MDC1, NBS1 and 53BP1 foci, and the induction of apoptosis. Results: Chaetocin and tazemetostat treatments caused a significant increase of H4K16 acetylation, associated with chromatin relaxation; and increased DNA damage, detected by the labeling of free DNA-ends. These inhibitors significantly reduced H4K20 dimethylation levels in response to DNA damage and impaired the recruitment of 53BP1, but not of MDC1 and NBS1, at DNA damaged sites. This modification of epigenetic marks prevents DNA repair by the NHEJ pathway and leads to cell death. Conclusion: KMT inhibitors can function as sensitizers to DNA damage-based therapies and be used in novel synthetic lethality strategies for sarcoma treatment.

Recent analyses of cosmic microwave background (CMB) maps have been interpreted as demonstrating that the Universe was born without an initial rotation. However, these analyses are based on unrealistic models and do not contain essential ingredients such as quantum effects, the strong, weak and gravitational interactions between the components, their intrinsic spins and magnetic moments, as well as primordial black holes. If the Universe was born spinning these effects would distribute the initial spin angular momentum among its components long before the CMB forms at recombination. A primordial spin would now appear as a nonzero total angular momentum of its components along the direction of the original spin, and a primordial large-scale rotation would no longer be apparent. The existence of a special axis or direction would break a fundamental symmetry assumed in general relativity, cosmic isotropy, and a net angular momentum implies a cosmic parity violation.

The black hole information paradox is one of the most puzzling paradoxes in physics. Black holes trap everything that falls into them, while their mass may leak away through purely thermal Hawking radiation. When a black hole vanishes, all the information locked inside, if any, is just lost, thus challenging the principles of quantum mechanics. However, some information does have a way to escape from inside the black hole, that is, through gravitational waves. Here, a concise extension of this notion is introduced. When a black hole swallows something, whether it is a smaller black hole or an atom, the system emits gravitational waves carrying the information about the “food”. Although most of the signals are too weak to be detected, the information encoded within them will persist in the universe. This speculation provides an explanation for a large part, if not all, of the supposed “information loss” in black holes, and thus reconciles the predictions of general relativity and quantum mechanics.

Currently, data regarding optimal treatment modality, response, and outcome specifically for N3 head and neck cancer are lacking. This study aimed to compare the treatment outcomes between definitive concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT) to the neck and upfront neck dissection followed by adjuvant CCRT. 93 N3 squamous cell carcinoma head and neck cancer patients were included. Primary tumor treatment was divided to definitive CCRT (CCRT group) or curative surgery followed by adjuvant CCRT (surgery group). Neck treatment was also classified into two treatment modalities: definitive CCRT to the neck (CCRT group) or curative neck dissection followed by adjuvant CCRT (neck dissection group). Overall, the 2-year overall survival (OS), local recurrence-free survival (LRFS), regional recurrence-free survival (RRFS), and distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) were 51.8%, 47.3%, 45.6%, and 43.6%, respectively. In both oropharyngeal cancer and nonoropharyngeal cancer patients, in terms of OS, LRFS, RRFS or DMFS no difference was noted regarding primary tumor treatment (CCRT vs. surgery) or neck treatment (CCRT vs. neck dissection). In summary, N3 neck patients treated with definitive CCRT can achieve similar outcomes to those treated with upfront neck dissection followed by adjuvant CCRT. Cautions should be made to avoid overtreatment for this group of patients.

The human casualties from simulated nuclear detonation scenarios in New Delhi, India are analyzed, with a focus on the distribution of casualties in urban environments and the theoretical application of a nuclear-specific triage system. Model estimates of nuclear war casualties employed ESRI's ArcGIS 9.3, blast and prompt radiation were calculated using the Defense Nuclear Agency's WE program, and fallout radiation was calculated using the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA's) Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability (HPAC) V404SP4, as well as custom GIS and database software applications. ESRI ArcGISTM programs were used to calculate affected populations from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's LandScanTM 2007 Global Population Dataset for areas affected by thermal, blast and radiation data. Trauma, thermal burn, and radiation casualties were thus estimated on a geographic basis for New Delhi, India for single and multiple (six) 25 kiloton (kt) detonations and a single 1 megaton (1000kt) detonation. Major issues related to the emergency management of a nuclear incident are discussed with specific recommendations for improvement. The consequences for health management of thermal burn and radiation patients is the worst, as burn patients require enormous resources to treat, and there will be little to no familiarity with the treatment of radiation victims.

This study examined the use of high dosages of ultraviolet germicidal irradiation (UVGI) (253.7 nm) to deal with various concentrations of air pollutants, such as formaldehyde (HCHO), total volatile organic compounds (TVOC), under various conditions of humidity. We also estimated the emission of ozone as a secondary pollutant of UVGI as treatment. A number of irradiation methods were applied for various durations in field studies to examine the efficiency of removing HCHO, TVOC, bacteria, and fungi. The removal efficiency of air pollutants (HCHO and bacteria) through long-term exposure to UVGI appears to increase with time. The effects on TVOC and fungi concentration were insignificant in the first week; however, improvements were observed in the second week. No differences were observed among the various irradiation methods in this study regarding the removal of HCHO and TVOC; however significant differences were observed in the removal of bacteria and fungi.

Distant Retrograde Orbits in the Earth-Moon system are gaining in popularity as stable `parking' orbits for various conceptual missions. To investigate the stability of potential Distant Retrograde Orbits, simulations were executed, with propagation running over a thirty-year period. Initial conditions for the vehicle state were limited such that the position and velocity vectors were in the Earth-Moon orbital plane, with the velocity oriented such that it would produce retrograde motion about Moon. The resulting trajectories were investigated for stability against the eccentric relative orbits of Earth and Moon in an environment that also included gravitational perturbations from Sun, Jupiter, and Venus, and the effects of radiation pressure. The results appear to indicate that stability is enhanced for certain resonant states within the Earth-Moon system.

The spatial resolution measurement limitation of the position-momentum uncertainty principle is shown to mathematically originate from the Bekenstein entropy bound and the associated second law of thermodynamics, as a special case in which a statistical thermodynamic distribution of energies is specialized to a fixed, definite probe energy equal to the average energy of that distribution. This is used in combination with the Wein displacement law to predict an ultraviolet cutoff for Planck blackbody radiation at about ⅛ of the Wein peak. A new UV photon counting experiment is proposed to test for this. A physical understanding of these results may be provided by a UV-complete, intelligible theory of general relativistic quantum mechanics in which the observation of a blackbody spectrum is simply a remote observation of Hawking radiation emitted from black hole fluctuations in the gravitational vacuum.

Media is obtaining a leading role in contemporary strategic communication, the development especially visible in the context of social-political and geopolitical conflicts. This study introduces an interdisciplinary theory of Social Laser and applies it in the analysis of social mobilization around the current militarized situation in Eastern Europe. We analyze quantitatively the content of three Swedish newspapers and qualitatively the related Facebook discussions. As demonstrated, social lasing has been employed as an instrument in information warfare. An “information tsunami” was generated by the Swedish national mass media at the outbreak of military events in March-May 2022. It shaped social dynamics on the related social media platform. The intensity of dissident actions increased when the information pressure subsided.

: Nanotechnology has expanded what can be achieved in our approach to cancer treatment. The ability to produce and engineer functional nanoparticle formulations to elicit higher incidences of tumor cell radiolysis has resulted in substantial improvements in cancer cell eradication while also permitting multi-modal biomedical functionalities. These radiosensitive nanomaterials utilize material characteristics, such as radio- blocking/absorbing high-Z atomic number elements, to mediate localized effects from therapeutic irradiation. These materials thereby allow for subsequent scattered or emitted radiation to produce direct (e.g., damage to genetic materials) or indirect (e.g., protein oxidation, reactive oxygen species formation) damage to tumor cells. Using nanomaterials that activate under certain physiologic conditions such as the tumor micro-environment can selectively target tumor cells. These characteristics combined with biological interactions that can target the tumor environment allow for localized, radio-sensitization while mitigating damage to healthy cells. This review explores the various nanomaterial formulations utilized in cancer radiosensitivity research. Emphasis on inorganic nanomaterials showcase the specific material characteristics that enable higher incidences of radiation while ensuring localized cancer targeting based on tumor micro-environment activation. The aim of this review is to guide future research in cancer radiosensitization using nanomaterial formulations and to detail common approaches to radiosensization, as well their relations to commonly implemented radiotherapy techniques.

The results of electron-beam processing of Mn-Zn ferrite samples using pulsed and continuous electron beams in the forevacuum pressure range (10 Pa) are presented. We find that continuous electron-beam processing leads to surface structuring of the ferrite, changes in elemental composition on the surface, and electrical property modification. The degree of ferrite parameter changes exhibits a threshold behavior. For surface processing temperatures below 900 °C, changes are barely noticeable, while for temperatures over 1100 °C the surface resistance decreases by more than an order of magnitude. Electron-beam processing with millisecond pulse duration and pulse energy density exceeding 15 J/cm² results in the formation of low zinc content melt islands, while the remaining surface area (outside the islands) elemental content and ferrite properties remain largely unchanged. The thickness of the modified layer depends on the processing mode and can be controlled over the range 0.1–0.5 mm. Because of its low resistance, the modified layer can be utilized to enhance the RF-absorbing properties of the ferrite.

Aortic valve stenosis and malignancy frequently coexist and share the same risk factors as atherosclerotic disease. Data reporting the prognosis of patients with severe aortic stenosis and cancer are limited. Tailoring the correct and most optimal care for cancer patients with severe aortic stenosis is complex. Cancer patients may be further disadvantaged by aortic stenosis if it interferes with their treatment by increasing the risk associated with oncologic surgery and compounding the risks associated with cardiotoxicity and heart failure (HF). Nowadays, several therapeutic options are available for aortic valve stenosis (surgical valve replacement , transcatheter valve implantation, balloon valvuloplasty, or medical therapy), but in presence of malignancy, the use of one of these versus the others should be decided on a case-by-case approach, depending on cancer stage and associated treatment, expected outcome, comorbidities and after an accurate physical examination and Doppler-echocardiography which are the key tools for diagnosing and evaluating aortic stenosis. The current review considers the available data on the association between aortic stenosis and cancer, and therapeutic options.

The microwave field is used for drying and disinfection of grain, during pre-sowing seed treat-ment. The use of a microwave field in these installations leads to an increase in their productivity and a decrease in the energy consumed by them. One of the principal problems of microwave field use for treatment of dense grain layers is to insure sufficient distribution uniformity of the field. In this article, waveguide design options have been discussed that serve to introduce microwave radiation into the grain layer. Mathematical simulation of the electromagnetic field distribution was performed with the use of CST Microwave Studio software in order to evaluate and compare horn-type, rectangular and semicircular waveguides. The data on the standing wave ratio and radiation efficiency for these types of waveguides have been reported. Specific features of the microwave electromagnetic field distribution and radiation power in the output of those wave-guides have been described. Results of mathematical simulations enabled to make out that sem-icircular waveguides with slot-type radiators are preferable for processing dense grain layers.

More than twenty-five years ago the Global Solar UV index (UVI) has been introduced as a simple means of visualizing the intensity of ultraviolet radiation and to alert people to the need for sun protection. In our survey among directors of 436 kindergartens in southern Germany we investigated the level of awareness and knowledge about the UVI as well as the practical consequences for sun protection in kindergartens. Less than half of the directors (n=208, 47.7%) had ever heard of the UVI, and only a small minority of them (n=34, 8.7%) used the daily UVI information to adapt sun protective measures in their kindergartens. Detailed knowledge about the UVI was a rarity among the respondents. The proportion of respondents with self-perceived detailed UVI knowledge was five times higher than actual knowledge assessed by an in-depth structured interview using open-ended questions about the UVI (14.2% vs. 2.8%). No clear relationship of UVI awareness, knowledge, and use to directors' age and gender was found. The UVI-related variables also showed no association with directors' knowledge of risk factors for skin cancer and their attitudes towards tanned skin. Overall, the results paint a sobering picture regarding the penetration of the UVI into sun protection policies of German kindergartens. Future public health campaigns should target increasing awareness and understanding of the UVI as well as its importance for sun protection of children.

Conformal radiotherapy is a primary treatment in head and neck cancer, which putative adverse effects depend on relatively low doses of radiation delivered to increased volumes of normal tissues. Systemic effects of such treatment include radiation-induced changes in serum lipid profile, yet dose- and volume-dependence of these changes remain to be established. Here we analyzed levels of choline-containing phospholipids in serum samples collected consecutively during the radiotherapy used as the only treatment modality. The LC-MS approach applied in the study enabled the detection and quantitation of 151 phospholipids, including (lyso)phosphatidylcholines and sphingomyelins. No statistically significant differences were found in the pre-treatment samples from patients with different location and stage of cancer. To compensate for potential differences between schemes of radiotherapy the biologically effective doses were calculated and used in the search of correlations with specific lipid levels. We found that the levels of several phospholipids depended on the maximum dose delivered to the gross tumor volume and total radiation energy absorbed by the patient’s body. Increased doses correlated with increased levels of sphingomyelins and reduced levels of phosphatidylcholines. Noteworthy, serum phospholipid levels were associated mainly with volumes of normal tissues irradiated with relatively low doses (i.e., total accumulated dose 20 Gy), which indicated the importance of such effects on the systemic response of the patient’s organism to IMRT.

Hydroa vacciniforme (HV) is a rare form of photosensitivity disorders in children and is frequently associated with Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) infection, whereas HV-like lymphoproliferative disorders (HVLPD) describe a spectrum of EBV-associated T-cell or NK-cell lymphoproliferations with HV-like cutaneous manifestations, including EBV-positive HV, atypical HV, and HV-like lymphoma. Classic HV occurs in childhood with vesiculopapules on sun-exposed areas, which is usually induced by sunlight and ultraviolet irradiation, and mostly resolves by early adult life. Unlike classic HV, atypical or severe HV manifests itself as recurrent papulovesicular eruptions in sun-exposed and sun-protected areas associated occasionally with facial edema, fever, lymphadenopathy, oculomucosal lesions, gastrointestinal involvement, and hepatosplenomegaly. Notably, atypical or severe HV may progress to EBV-associated systemic T-cell or natural killer (NK)-cell lymphoma after a chronic course. Although rare in the United States and Europe, atypical or severe HV and HV-like lymphoma are predominantly reported in children from Asia and Latin America with high EBV DNA levels, low numbers of NK cells, and T cell clones in the blood. In comparison with the conservative treatment used for patients with classic HV, systemic therapy such as immunomodulatory therapy is recommended as the first-line therapy for patients with atypical or severe HV. This review aims to provide an integrated, overview of current evidence and knowledge of HV and HVLPD to elucidate the pathophysiology, practical issues, environmental factors, and the impact of EBV infection.

Mirrors are a subset of optical components essential for the success of current and future space missions. Most of the telescopes for space programs ranging from Earth Observation to Astrophysics and covering the whole electromagnetic spectrum from X-rays to Far-Infrared are based on reflective optics. Mirrors operate in diverse and harsh environments that range from Low-Earth Orbit, to interplanetary orbits and the deep space. The operational life of space observatories spans from minutes (sounding rockets) to decades (large observatories), and the performance of the mirrors within the mission lifetime is susceptible to degrade, which results in a drop of the instrument throughput, which in turn affects the scientific return. Therefore, the knowledge of potential degradation mechanisms, how they affect mirror performance, and how to prevent them is of paramount importance to ensure the long-term success of space telescopes. In this review we report an overview on current mirror technology for space missions with a focus on the importance of degradation and radiation resistance of the coating materials. A special attention will be given to degradation effects on mirrors for the far and extreme UV as in these ranges the degradation is enhanced by the strong absorption of most contaminants.

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) is characterized by significant heterogeneity in its molecular, genomic, and immunologic characteristics. Methods: Whole transcriptome RNAseq data from The Cancer Genome Atlas of prostate adenocarcinomas (n=496) was utilized. The immune microenvironment was characterized using the CIBERSORTX tool to identify immune cell type composition. Unsupervised hierarchical clustering was performed based on immune cell type content. Analyses of progression-free survival (PFS), distant metastases, and overall survival (OS) were performed using Kaplan-Meier estimates and Cox-regression multivariable analyses. Results: Four immune clusters were identified, largely defined by plasma cell, CD4+ Memory Resting T Cells (CD4 MR), M0 and M2 macrophage content (CD4 MRHighPlasma CellHighM0LowM2Low, CD4 MRLowPlasma CellHighM0LowM2Low, CD4 MRHighPlasma CellLowM0HighM2Low, and CD4 MRHighPlasma CellLowM0LowM2High). The two macrophage-enriched/plasma cell non-enriched clusters (3&4) demonstrated worse PFS (HR 2.24, 95% CI 1.46–3.45, p=0.0002) than the clusters 1&2. No metastatic events occurred in the non-macrophage-enriched clusters. Comparing clusters 3 vs 4, in patients treated by surgery alone, cluster 3 had zero progression events (p<0.0001). However, cluster 3 patients had worse outcomes after post-operative radiotherapy (p=0.018). Conclusion: Distinct tumor immune clusters with a macrophage-enriched phenotype and reduced plasma cell enrichment independently characterize an aggressive phenotype in localized prostate cancer that may differentially respond to treatment.

Efficiently targeted cancer therapy without causing detrimental side effects is necessary for alleviating patient care and improving survival rates. This paper presents observations of morphological changes in H1299 human lung cancer cells following W-band MMW irradiation (75 – 105 GHz) at a non-thermal power density of 0.2 mW/cm², investigated over 14 days of subsequent physiological incubation following exposure. Microscopic analyses of physical parameters measured indicate MMW irradiation induces significant morphological changes characteristic of apoptosis and senescence. The Immediate short-term responses translate into long-term effects, retained over the duration of the experiment(s); reminiscent of the phenomenon of Accelerated Cellular Senescence (ACS) achieving terminal tumorigenic cell growth. Further, results were observed to be treatment-specific in energy (dose) dependent manner and were achieved without the use of chemotherapeutic agents, ionizing radiation or thermal ablation employed in conventional methods; thereby overcoming associated side effects. Adaptation of the experimental parameters of this study for clinical oncology concomitant with current developmental trends of non-invasive medical endoscopy alleviates MMW therapy as an effective treatment procedure for human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Ancient lakes are among the most interesting models for evolution studies, because their biodiversity is the result of a complex combination of migration and speciation. Here, we investigate the origin of single celled planktonic eukaryotes from the oldest lake in the world – Lake Baikal. By using 18S rDNA metabarcoding we recovered 1,427 Operational Taxonomic Units (OTUs) belonging to protists populating surface waters (1-50 meters) and belonging to pico- and nano-plankton size fractions. The recovered communities resembled other lacustrine freshwater assemblages found elsewhere, especially the unclassified protists. However, our results suggest that a fraction of Baikal protists originated evolutionary recently from marine/brackish ancestors. Moreover, our results suggest that rapid radiation may have occurred among some protist taxa, partially mirroring what was already shown for multicellular organisms in Lake Baikal. We found potential species flocks in Stramenopiles, Alveolata, Opisthokonta, Archaeplastida, Rhizaria and Hacrobia. Putative flocks predominated in Chrysophytes, which are highly diverse in Lake Baikal. Some of the species, especially those from these flocks, may be endemic from Lake Baikal, because their 18S rDNA differed > 10% from known DNA. Overall, our study points to novel diversity of planktonic protists in Lake Baikal, some of which may have emerged in situ after evolutionary diversification.

Review of the existing bibliography shows that the direction and magnitude of the long-term trends of UV irradiance, and their main drivers, vary significantly throughout Europe. Analysis of total ozone and spectral UV data recorded at four European stations during 1996 – 2017 reveals that long-term changes in UV are mainly driven by changes in aerosols, cloudiness, and surface albedo, while changes in total ozone play a less significant role. The variability of UV irradiance is large throughout Italy due to the complex topography and large latitudinal extension of the country. Analysis of the spectral UV records of the urban site of Rome, and the alpine site of Aosta reveals that differences between the two sites follow the annual cycle of the differences in cloudiness and surface albedo. Comparisons between the noon UV index measured at the ground at the same stations and the corresponding estimates from the DWD forecast model and OMI/Aura observations reveal differences of up to 6 units between individual measurements, which are likely due to the different spatial resolution of the different datasets, and average differences of 0.5 – 1 unit, possibly related to the use of climatological surface albedo and aerosol optical properties in the retrieval algorithms.

This paper is devoted to investigate charged vector particles tunneling via horizons of a pair of accelerating rotating charged NUT black hole under the influence of quantum gravitational effects. For this purpose, we use the modified Proca equation incorporating generalized uncertainty principle. Using the WKB approximation to the field equation, we obtain a modified tunneling rate and the corresponding corrected Hawking temperature for this black hole. Moreover, we analyze the graphical behavior of corrected Hawking temperature T'_H with respect to the event horizon for the given black hole. By considering quantum gravitational effects on Hawking temperatures, we discuss the stability analysis of this black hole. For a pair of black holes, the temperature T'_H increases with the increase in rotation parameters α and w, correction parameter β, black hole acceleration α and arbitrary parameter k and decreases with the increase in electric e and magnetic charges g.

The aim of the study was the evaluation of the efficiency of selected abiotic elicitors, i.e. silver and cadmium ions, ultrasound, and UV-C irradiation, in the stimulation of triterpenoid biosynthesis, accumulation, and saponin secretion in Calendula officinalis hairy root cultures. Apart from the possible enhancement of triterpenoid production, the relationship between primary and secondary metabolism (represented respectively by sterols and pentacyclic triterpenes), modifications of the sterol compositional profile, and fluctuations in the total triterpenoid content were monitored in the performed experiments. The main phenomenon observed as a response to heavy metal treatment was the stimulation (up to 12-fold) of the secretion of saponins, accompanied by significant changes in sterol composition. Ultrasound stimulated the secretion of saponins (up to 11-fold); however, it exerted diverse influences on the triterpenoid content in hairy root tissue (stimulating or decreasing) depending on the duration of the exposure to the elicitor. UV-C radiation caused a slight increase in the content of both sterols and saponins in hairy root tissue, and stimulated saponin secretion up to 8.5-fold. The expected symptoms of the competition between the biosynthetic pathways of sterols and pentacyclic triterpenoids were less evident in reactions to abiotic stressors than those reported previously for biotic elicitors

It is suggested that physical properties of common elementary particles can be associated with microscopic Primordial Black Holes (PBH) which is inferred to have formed between 10⁻²⁴ to 10⁻²⁰ seconds from Big bang in the early universe. This is also found to be related to the phenomenon of Hawking radiation from these PBH. We have revisited the properties of minimons and maximons introduced by Markov [1] in this context. Planck particles which is inferred to form near Planck time (3.857 ×10⁻⁴³ seconds) are identified as maximons with a mass √πm_p where m_p is the Planck mass. The minimons are associated with a PBH with Hawking temperature identical with the cosmic microwave background temperature of the universe. The mass of the minimons are found to be comparable to that of the lightest neutrinos (0.0185 eV). They also possess highest Compton wavelength (10⁻⁴ m) known for an elementary particle.

With forty years of developments, bio-macromolecule cryo-electron microscopy has met its revolution of resolution and is playing a very important role in structural biology study. According to different specimen states, cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) involves three specific techniques, single particle analysis (SPA), electron tomography and sub-tomogram averaging, and electron diffraction. All these three techniques have not realized their full potentials of solving structures of bio-macromolecules and therefore need to be developed in the future. In this review, the current existing bottlenecks of cryo-EM SPA are discussed with theoretical analysis, which includes air-water interface during specimen cryo-vitrification, bio-macromolecular conformational heterogeneity, focus gradient within thick specimen, and electron radiation damage. Besides, potential solutions of these bottlenecks are proposed and discussed, which are worthy of further investigations in the future.

An oxidation resistant coating on cemented tungsten carbides is characterised in this work. Cemented tungsten carbides (cWCs) are routinely used in mining and manufacturing but are also candidate materials for compact radiation shielding in fusion power generation. In both environments, cWCs will suffer significant degradation due to oxidation at relatively low temperatures. In a recent study, a Si-deposition coating method was demonstrated to improve the oxidation resistance of cWCs by up to a factor of 1,000. This work focusses on the growth kinetics, phase composition, and mechanical properties of these coatings. By combining quantitative X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and nanoindentation, we show that the coating layer has a 20 % higher hardness than the substrate, which was explained on the basis of a previously-unknown presence of a fine distribution of very hard SiC laths. To interpret the coating stability, a coating growth map is developed. The map shows the structure is stable under a broad range of processing temperatures and composite compositions, demonstrating the potential application of these coatings in a variety of nuclear shielding cWCs.

For esophageal cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy (nCRT), restaging using F-18-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography computed tomography (PET-CT) following nCRT can detect interval metastases, including liver metastases, in almost 10% of patients. However, in clinical practice, focal FDG liver uptake, unrelated to liver metastases, is observed after chemoradiotherapy. This radiation-induced liver injury (RILI) can potentially lead to overstaging. Liver radiation damage is also a concern during distal esophageal cancer radiotherapy due to proximity to the left liver lobe, typically included in the radiation field. Post-CRT, if FDG activity appears in the left or caudate liver lobes, thorough investigation is needed to confirm or rule out distant metastases. The increased FDG uptake in liver lobes post-CRT often presents a diagnostic dilemma. Distinguishing between radiation-induced liver disease and metastasis is vital for appropriate patient management, necessitating a combination of imaging techniques and an understanding of the factors influencing radiation response. Diagnosis involves identifying new foci of hepatic FDG avidity on PET/CT scans. Geographic regions of hypoattenuation on CT and well-demarcated regions with specific enhancement patterns on contrast-enhanced CT scan and MRI are characteristic of radiation-induced liver disease (RILD). Lack of mass effect on all three modalities (CT, MRI, PET) indicates RILD. Resolution of abnormalities on subsequent examinations also helps in diagnosing RILD. Moreover, it can also help to rule out occult metastases, thereby excluding those patients from further surgery who will not benefit from esophagectomy with curative intent.

Radio bursts provide important diagnostics of energetic phenomena of the Sun. In particular, bursts in decimetric and metric wavelengths probe the physical conditions and the energy release processes in the low corona as well as their association with heliospheric phenomena. The advent of spectral radio data with high time and high frequency resolution has provided a wealth of information on phenomena of short duration and narrow bandwidth. Of particular value are spectral data combined with imaging observations at specific frequencies. In this work we briefly review the results of a series of observations comprised from high-sensitivity, low-noise dynamic spectra obtained with the acousto-optic analyzer (SAO) of the ARTEMIS-IV/JLS solar radiospectrograph, in conjunction with high time-resolution images from the Nançay Radioheliograph (NRH). Our studies include fine structures embedded in type IV burst continua (mostly narrow-band "spikes" and intermediate drift "fiber" bursts) and spike-like structures detected near the front of type-II bursts. The implications of the observational results to theoretical models are discussed.

We discuss the consequences of the unique symmetry of the de Sitter spacetime. This symmetry leads to the specific thermodynamic properties of the de Sitter vacuum, which produces the thermal bath for matter. The de Sitter spacetime is invariant under the modified translations, ${\bf r}\rightarrow {\bf r} -e^{Ht}{\bf a}$, where $H$ is the Hubble parameter. For $H\rightarrow 0$, this symmetry corresponds to the conventional invariance of Minkowski spacetime under translations ${\bf r}\rightarrow {\bf r} -{\bf a}$. Due to this symmetry, all the comoving observers at any point of the de Sitter space perceive the de Sitter environment as the thermal bath with temperature $T=H/\pi$, which is twice larger than the Gibbons-Hawking temperature of the cosmological horizon. This temperature does not violate the de Sitter symmetry, and thus does not require the preferred reference frame, as distinct from thermal state of matter, which violates the de Sitter symmetry. This leads to the heat exchange between gravity and matter, and to instability of de Sitter state towards the creation of matter, its further heating, and finally to the decay of the de Sitter state. The temperature $T=H/\pi$ determines different processes in the de Sitter environment, which are not possible in the Minkowski vacuum, such as the process of ionization of an atom in the de Sitter environment. This temperature also determines the local entropy of the de Sitter vacuum state, and this allows us to calculate the total entropy inside the cosmological horizon. The result reproduces the Gibbons-Hawking area law, which is related to the cosmological horizon, $S_{\rm hor}=4\pi KA$, where $K=1/16\pi G$. This supports the holographic properties of the cosmological event horizon. We extend the consideration of the local thermodynamics of the de Sitter state using the $f({\cal R})$ gravity. In this thermodynamics, the Ricci scalar curvature ${\cal R}$ and the effective gravitational coupling, $K$, are thermodynamically conjugate variables. The holographic connection between the bulk entropy of the Hubble volume, and the surface entropy of the cosmological horizon remains the same, but with the gravitational coupling $K=df/d{\cal R}$. Such connection takes place only in the $3+1$ spacetime, where there is the special symmetry due to which the variables $K$ and ${\cal R}$ have the same dimensionality. We also consider the lessons from the de Sitter symmetry for the thermodynamics of black and white holes.

The Casimir effect can either work over very short distances or at very low temperatures. At the cosmic scale, we naturally deal with long distances, but at the same time, we encounter extraordinarily low temperatures, namely the CMB (Cosmic Microwave Background) tem- perature. Recently, there has been increased interest in the Casimir effect and its implications in cosmology. Here, we briefly demonstrate that the luminosity and radiation pressure of the CMB is mathematical identical to a theoretical Casimir effect within the Hubble sphere, or actually our solution seems to be valid for any Schwarzschild black hole. The Casimir effect forevery Schwarzschild black hole is identical. This also include the Hubble sphere if we treat it as a Schwarzschild black hole that is related to increased interest in black hole cosmology.

Computed tomography (CT) is a widely employed imaging modality with diverse clinical applications in pediatric and adult populations, offering numerous advantages. Despite several alternatives to imaging modalities with ionising radiation, CT scans have demonstrated persistent global popularity, contributing to a substantial amount of effective radiation doses for patients. This exposure results in hazards, including stochastic effects that amplify the radiation-induced cancer risk proportionally to the radiation dose received. CT-related radiation comprises a substantial portion of cumulative effective doses within diagnostic radiology, specifically impacting younger patient cohorts undergoing repeated investigations for chronic diseases over time. Scientific literature over recent decades has explored various methods to mitigate radiation doses during medical imaging. One notable strategy involves implementing low-dose and ultralow-dose CT protocols, maintaining diagnostic efficacy in acute and non-acute medical and surgical conditions. Utilising innovative image reconstruction algorithms, such as iterative reconstruction and emerging deep-learning algorithms based on artificial intelligence, plays a pivotal role in achieving an approximately 80% reduction in patient radiation compared to standard doses. This review article discusses the significance of low-dose protocols across a spectrum of acute and chronic medical conditions affecting different body systems.

United Nations Scientific Committee on the Effects of 2006 report was the first document released by an abandoned the classical paradigm that ionizing suppressive, considering the idea that at low doses enhances the appearance of antiinflammatory biomarkers [UNSCEAR 2006]. It considers energetic an immune modulation agent due to the multitude the innate immune system, depending on various age, health status, co-morbidities, genetic background, co-stressors [Lumniczky et al.]. Natural background radiation is the most hazardous public health, followed by medical imaging as a close Naturally occurring radionuclides attach to particulate ionizing radiation after inhalation and deposition in the in this article that exposure to particle radioactivity of inflammation. With that purpose, we have done an on common anti-inflammatory biomarkers between cases on COVID-19 elderly patients, and those found low-intensity natural ionizing radiation in locations with hypothesize that radioactivity increases biomarkers of strategy involved the use of databases from PubMed, (e.g., dose response, hormesis, J-shaped, NLRP3 LNT model, etc.). Extrapolating these effects to artificial ionizing radiation drawn conclusions on the over use of X-ray computed images in elderly ICU admitted patients with pulmonary oxygen species (ROS) generation by this action seems inflammation of leucine-rich protein 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, waking up an over cytokine production.

Hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) can be produced by plasma-enhanced chemical vapour deposition (PECVD) of SiH4 (Silane) mixed with Hydrogen. The resulting material shows outstanding radiation resistance properties and can be deposited on a wide variety of different substrates. These devices have been used to detect many different kinds of radiation namely: MIPs, x-rays, neutrons and ions as well as low energy protons and alphas. However, MIP detection using planar diodes has always been difficult due to the unsatisfactory S/N ratio arising from a combination of high leakage current, high capacitance and a limited charge collection efficiency (50% at best for a 30 µm planar diode). To overcome these limitations the 3D-SiAm collaboration proposes to use a 3D detector geometry. The use of vertical electrodes allows for a small collection distance to be maintained while conserving a large detector thickness for charge generation. The depletion voltage in this configuration can be kept below 400 V with consequent reduction in the leakage current. In this paper, following a detailed description of the fabrication process, the results of the tests performed on the planar p-i-n structures made with ion implantation of the dopants and with carrier selective contacts will be illustrated.

Is it possible to quantify in General Relativity, GR, the entropy generated by supermassive black holes, BHs, during its evaporation time, since the intrinsic Hawking radiation in the infinity that, although insignificant, is important in the effects on the thermal quantum atmosphere?The purpose was to develop a formula that allows us to measure the entropy generated during the evaporation time of different types of BHs of: i. remnant BH of the binary black holes’ merger, BBH: GW150914, GW151226 and LTV151012 detected by the Laser Interferometer Gravitational-Wave Observatory (LIGO), and ii. Schwarzschild, Reissner-Nordström, Kerr and Kerr-Newman, and thus quantify in GR the “insignificant” quantum effects involved, in order to contribute to the validity of the generalized second law (GSL) that directly links the laws of black hole mechanics to the ordinary laws of thermodynamics, as a starting point for unifying quantum effects with GR. This formula could have some relationship with the detection of the shadow’s image of the event horizon of a BH.This formula was developed in dimensional analysis, using the constants of nature and the possible evaporation time of a black hole, to quantify the entropy generated during that time. The energy-stress tensor was calculated with the 4 metrics to obtain the material content and apply the proposed formula.The entropy of the evaporation time of BHs proved to be insignificant, its temperature is barely above absolute zero, however, the calculation of this type of entropy allows us to argue about the importance of the quantum effects of Hawking radiation mentioned by authors who have studied the quantum effects with arguments that are fundamentally based on the presence of the surrounding thermal atmosphere of the black hole.

In this paper, we analyze the Hawking radiation phenomenon for types of Banados-Teitelboim-Zanelli-like (BTZ-like) black holes. For this purpose, using the Hamilton-Jacobi method, we consider semi-classical WKB approximation to calculate the tunneling probabilities of massive boson particles. For these particles, we use the equation of motion for the Glashow-Weinberg-Salam model. Using quantum tunneling process of charged massive bossons, we compute the corresponding Hawking temperatures. Furthermore, we discuss the effects of rotation parameter on tunneling probability and temperature.

A focal plane array (FPA) detector was used for hyperspectral imaging in the infrared (IR) spectral region using thermal and synchrotron light sources. FPA Fourier-transform IR (FTIR) imaging microspectroscopy will be able to monitor real time changes at specific absorption bands when combined with high brightness synchrotron source. In this study, several types of samples with unique structural motifs were selected and used for assessing the capability of the FPA-FTIR imaging technique. It was shown that the time required for polariscopy at IR wavelengths can be substantially reduced by the FPA-FTIR imaging approach. By using natural and laser fabricated polymers with sub-wavelength features, alignment of absorbing molecular dipoles was revealed as well as higher order patterns (laser fabricated structures). Micro-spectroscopy of absorber orientation reveals alignment patterns even when they are not spatially resolved.

The formation of solid solution series Cs_1-xM_xGaQ₂-mC64 (M = K, Rb; Q = S, Se; x = 0–1) was studied by X-ray diffraction and spectroscopic methods, revealing a complete miscibility of CsGaQ₂-mC64 with RbGaQ₂ and KGaSe₂, and a large miscibility gap with KGaS₂. All solid solution members exhibit similar Raman spectra, indicating the covalent Ga-Q bonding character. The similar optical band gaps likewise further contribute to this conclusion. Up to a degree of substitution, these solid solutions undergo a phase transition similar to CsGaQ₂-mC64. The influence of the substitution parameter x on phase transition process was investigated in situ using high-temperature X-ray powder diffraction experiments. Phase-pure solid solutions of the high-temperature polymorphs Cs_1-xM_xGaQ₂-mC16 were obtained up to x_max(K) = 0.1 and x_max(Rb) = 0.3. The crystal structures of these new CsGaQ₂-mC16 analogous high-temperature phases were refined from synchrotron diffraction data by Rietveld-refinement.

This compendium presents new mathematical techniques for modeling Point Absorbers. A combined frequency-time domain framework is developed. It is used to simulate the energy generated by the wave farms. With Matlab and Fortran as a base, this leads to obtain physical variables of primary importance, namely position, velocity and power to energy net balance relationships of absorption. Integration of different degrees of freedom with heave as main executable leads in turn to a single buoy motion focus. Acquisition of the needed hydrodynamic coefficients is provided through application of potential field solvers with Boundary Element Methodology background. Initially, this Wave-to-motion model is validated by comparison with previous experimental results for a floating cone cylinder shape (Buldra-FO3). A single, generic, vertical floating cylinder is contemplated then, that responds to the action of the passing regular waves excitation. Later, two equally sized vertical floating cylinders aligned with the incident wave direction are modeled for a variable distance between the bodies. For both unidirectional regular and irregular waves as an input in deep water, we approximate the convolutive radiation force function term through the Prony method. By changing the spatial disposition of the axisymmetric buoys, using for instance triangular or rectangular shaped arrays of three and four bodies respectively, the study delves into motion characteristics for regular waves. The results highlight efficient layouts for maximizing the energy production whilst providing important insights into their performance, revealing displacement amplification- and capture width-ratios, while deriving in possible interpretations of scenarios related to the known park effect. These terms are encompassed by the novelty of a new conceptual Post-Processing methodology in the field, which leads to obtain an optimal distance for the separated bodies with effective energy absorption in a regular wave regime. The main objective is to generate a tendency within the hydrodynamic field of study, which is the Wave to motion perspective. More generally, this computational excursion envisions and depicts potential fields of study, which will surely enhance new connections and link this renewable energy form. Therefore, this research delves first into the historical and technical background on Ocean Wave Energy. Next, it is in the section regarding Materials and Methods, where boundaries and related equations are introduced step by step, together with latter mentioned case scenarios, and their corresponding configuration parameters. A separate section frames then the scope of results, while finally, there is an ensuing discussion and conclusions for evaluation assessment.

This thesis completion works it out to deepen into diverse modeling techniques for Point Absorbers. A combined frequency-time domain model is conceived, designed and developed in Matlab with Fortran as a base, leading to obtain physical variables of primary importance, namely position, velocity and power to energy net balance relationships of absorption. Integration of different degrees of freedom with heave as main executable leads in turn to a single buoy motion focus. Acquisition of the needed hydrodynamic coefficients is provided through application of NEMOH \& BEMIO solvers due to the Boundary Element Methodology. Initially, this Wave-to-motion model is validated by comparison with previous experimental results for a floating cone cylinder shape (Buldra-FO3). A single, generic, vertical floating cylinder is contemplated then, that responds to the action of the passing regular waves excitation. Later, two equally sized vertical floating cylinders aligned with the incident wave direction are modeled for a variable distance between the bodies. For both unidirectional regular and irregular waves as an input in deep water, we approximate the convolutive radiation force function term through the Prony method. By changing the spatial disposition of the axisymmetric buoys, using for instance triangular or rectangular shaped arrays of three and four bodies respectively, the study delves into motion characteristics for regular waves. The results highlight efficient layouts for maximizing the energy production whilst providing important insights into their performance, revealing displacement amplification- and capture width-ratios, while deriving in possible interpretations of scenarios related to the the known park effect. These terms are encompassed by the novelty of a new conceptual Post-Processing methodology in the field, which leads to obtain an optimal distance for the separated bodies with effective energy absorption in a regular wave regime. In conclusion, this computational excursion envisions and proposes potential fields of study, which will surely enhance new connections and link this renewable energy form.

This thesis completion works it out to deepen into diverse modeling techniques for Point Absorbers. A combined frequency-time domain model is conceived, designed and developed in Matlab with FoRtran as a base., leading to obtain physical variables of primary importance, namely position, velocity and power to Energy net balance relationships of absorption. Integration of different degrees of freedom with heave as main executable leads in turn to a single buoy motion focus. Acquisition of the needed hydrodynamic coefficients is provided though application of NEMOH & BEMIO solvers due to the Boundary Element Methodology. Initially, this Wave-to-motion model is validated through comparison with previous experimental results for a floating cone cylinder shape (Buldra-FO3). A single, generic, vertical floating cylinder is contemplated then, that responds to the action of the passing regular waves excitation. Later, two equally sized vertical floating cylinders aligned with the incident wave direction are modeled for a variable distance between the bodies. For both unidirectional regular and irregular waves as an input in deep water, we approximate the convolutive radiation force function term through the Prony method. By changing the spatial disposition of the axisymmetric buoys, using for instance triangular or rectangular shaped arrays of three and four bodies respectively, the study delves into motion characteristics for regular waves. The results highlight efficient layouts for maximizing the energy production whilst providing important insights into their performance, revealing displacement amplification- and capture width-ratios, while deriving in possible interpretations of scenarios related to the the known park effect. These terms are encompassed by the novelty of a new conceptual Post-Processing methodology in the field, which leads to obtain an optimal distance for the separated bodies with effective energy absorption in a regular wave regime. In conclusion, this computational excursion envisions and proposes potentials fields of study, which will surely enhance new connections and link this renewable energy form.

DNA damage causes the mutations that are the principal source of genetic variation. DNA damage detection and repair mechanisms therefore play a determining role in generating the genetic diversity on which natural selection acts. Speciation, it is commonly assumed, occurs at a rate set by the level of standing allelic diversity in a population. The process of speciation is driven by a combination of two evolutionary forces: genetic drift and ecological selection. Genetic drift takes place under conditions of relaxed selection, and results in a balance between rates of mutation and rates of genetic substitution. These two processes, drift and selection, are necessarily mediated by a variety of mechanisms guaranteeing genome stability in any given species. One of the outstanding questions in evolutionary biology concerns the origin of the widely varying phylogenetic distribution of biodiversity across the tree of life, and how the forces of drift and selection contribute to shaping that distribution. The following examines some of the molecular mechanisms underlying genome stability and the adaptive radiations that are associated with biodiversity and the widely varying species richness and evenness in the different eukaryotic lineages.

. In this work, two types of nanoporous alumina membranes were prepared using different acids and were tested. Structural features of the samples were investigated by scanning electron spectroscopy and further by different types of fractal dimension estimation methods. Transmission and scattering of accelerated He+ ions were studied in experiments on ion irradiation of dielectric channels based on porous alumina. Ion accelerator was used as a source of the He+ beam with an energy of 1.7 MeV. A scattering of ions was studied by Rutherford backscattering spectrometry. Helium transition through nanoporous alumina at various angles between the normal to the sample and the beam direction were observed. It is shown that the porous structure of anodic aluminum oxide is excellent as a dielectric matrix of nanocapillaries. Owing to the small angle scattering, it allows the transportation of the accelerated charged particles through the dielectric capillaries, and, as a result, localization of high energy ion irradiation effects. Additionally, according to the transmission UV-Vis spectra the energy gaps of samples obtained were calculated.

Light can interfere like a wave in a multi-path experiment, but it also has particle properties when interacting with matter. In a closer look, the interference pattern is created by many individual detections ("clicks"), which do not all occur simultaneously. An established assumption is therefore that a single light particle is capable of interfering with itself by superimposing all possibilities to get from the source to the detector. This is in stark contrast to our experience with macroscopic objects, which always "decide" in favour of only one of the alternative paths.In 2010, Jin et al. (Ref. 15) described an event-based model which allowed the authors to show that an interference pattern consisting of clicks can arise in a multi-path experiment even if photons, like macroscopic objects, only follow one path. To do this, photons must be able to transmit the information about their travelling duration to the detector and the detector must have a basic memory. A threshold function uses the message of several light quanta to decide whether a single detection is initiated, which is not the evidence for a single photon. In this "proof of principle", the authors do not claim that the detector function is a realistic one.In the present paper, this detector is replaced by a material consisting of ionizable molecules whose interaction with light takes place according to a modified version of Einstein's radiation laws. Based on this, a photon pair interaction mediated by matter takes place, which in a multi-path experiment generates an interference pattern of clicks at the detector, even if an arbitrary amount of time elapses between the individual detections. In the present model an interference pattern with minima that have less than half the intensity of the maxima is the result of a peculiar behaviour of the detector: In this case, the entirety of its electrons must be described as a unit (a “field”) with many equidistant energy levels. The results of a simulation are presented which enable the model to be tested in experiments.

Light can interfere like a wave in a multi-path experiment, but it also has particle properties when interacting with matter. In a closer look, the interference pattern is created by many individual detections ("clicks"), which do not all occur simultaneously. An established assumption is therefore that a single light particle is capable of interfering with itself by superimposing all possibilities to get from the source to the detector. This is in stark contrast to our experience with macroscopic objects, which always "decide" in favour of only one of the alternative paths.In 2010, Jin et al. (Ref. 15) described an event-based model which allowed the authors to show that an interference pattern consisting of clicks can arise in a multi-path experiment even if photons, like macroscopic objects, only follow one path. To do this, photons must be able to transmit the information about their travelling duration to the detector and the detector must have a basic memory. A threshold function uses the message of several light quanta to decide whether a single detection is initiated, which is not the evidence for a single photon. In this "proof of principle", the authors do not claim that the detector function is a realistic one.In the present paper, this detector is replaced by a material consisting of ionizable molecules whose interaction with light takes place according to a modified version of Einstein's radiation laws. Based on this, a photon pair interaction mediated by matter takes place, which in a multi-path experiment generates an interference pattern of clicks at the detector, even if an arbitrary amount of time elapses between the individual detections. In the present model an interference pattern with minima that have less than half the intensity of the maxima is the result of a peculiar behaviour of the detector: In this case, the entirety of its electrons must be described as a unit (a “field”) with many equidistant energy levels. The results of a simulation are presented which enable the model to be tested in experiments.

Extramedullary hematopoiesis is a compensatory response in chronic hemolytic anemia, such as thalassemia, and can lead to spinal cord compression. This case report describes a 36-year-old woman with β-thalassemia who presented with lower extremity motor deficiency, pelvic paresthesia, and bladder dysfunction. The patient had a history of low back pain, bilateral lower limb weakness, and poor compliance with iron chelation therapy. MRI revealed compression of the spinal cord due to extramedullary hematopoiesis. Surgical intervention was not feasible, and the patient underwent hypertransfusion and iron chelation therapy. Neurological symptoms improved, but urinary retention persisted. The patient continues to receive iron chelation treatment and undergoes transfusions. Extramedullary hematopoiesis is a common complication in thalassemia and requires an individualized treatment approach.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent disease and the leading cause of pain, disability, and quality of life deterioration. Our study sought to evaluate the image quality and dose of cone-beam com-puted tomography arthrography (CBCT-A) and compare them to digital radiography (DR) for OA diagnosis. Overall, 32 cases of CBCT-A and DR with OA met inclusion criteria and were prospectively analyzed. The Kellgren and Lawrence classification (KLC) stage, sclerosis, osteo-phytes, erosions, and mean joint width (MJW) were compared between CBCT-A and DR. Image quality was excellent in all CBCT-As, with excellent inter-observer agreement. OA un-der-classification was noticed with DR for MJW (p=0.02), osteophyte detection (<0.0001), and KLC (P<0.0001). The HU values obtained for the CBCT did not correspond to the values for MDCT, with a greater mean deviation obtained with the MDCT HU for MBIR1 than MBIR2. CBCT-A has been found to be more reliable for OA diagnosis than DR as revealed by our results using three-point rating scale for the qualitative image analysis, with higher quality and an ac-ceptable dose. Moreover, the use of this imaging technique permits the preoperative assessment of extremities in OA diagnosis, the upright position and bone microarchitecture analysis being two other advantages of CBCT-A.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are membrane-bound particles released from cells, and their cargo can alter the function of recipient cells. EVs from X-irradiated cells have been shown to play a likely role in non-targeted effects. However, EVs derived from proton irradiated cells have not yet been studied. We aimed to investigate and compare the proteome of EVs and their cell of origin after proton or X-irradiation. The EVs were derived from a human oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cell line exposed to 0, 4, or 8 Gy with either protons or X-rays. The EVs and irradiated OSCC cells underwent liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry for protein identification. Interestingly, we found different protein profiles both in the EVs and in the OSCC cells after proton irradiation compared to X-irradiation. In the EVs, we found that protons cause a downregulation of proteins involved in cell growth and DNA damage response compared to X-rays. In the OSCC cells, proton and X-irradiation induced dissimilar cell death pathways and distinct DNA damage repair systems. These results are of potential importance for understanding how non-targeted effects in normal tissue can be limited and for future implementation of proton therapy in the clinic.

The recent happenings in the world such as flood and wild forest fire were as a result of climate effect as being envisaged by scientists. It is urgent now to adopt a source of energy that will eliminate this effect on our universe. Solar energy is the major energy means that is abundant which could be utilized. In this review, the prospects of solar energy exploration were studied in Nigeria which include assessments, economic viability and hybrid systems. Findings show higher potential in the North as compared to the Southern region. Additionally, potential of offshore solar energy system was simulated by considering 2002, 2003 and 2004 data sets from Era5-land base. Their monthly mean, seasonal changes and annual mean value were estimated. The algebraic annual solar radiance for 2002, 2003 and 2004 were 34,914.732 kWh/m2, 33,898.316 kWh/m2 and 34,338.324 kWh/m2. Suggestions were made due to the present status of solar energy utilization that will enhance its maximum usage and development. One of these is the establishment of a functioning financial scheme and the database for all renewable energy systems. When all these are put in place, the energy supply will increase, climate effect will be reduced, and the economy will be boosted.

This paper focuses on the combination of the method of moments and the wire-grid approximation as an effective computational technique for modeling symmetrical antennas with low computational cost and quite accurate results. The criteria and conditions for the use of wire-grid surface approximation from various sources are presented together with new recommendations for modeling symmetrical antenna structures using the wire-grid approximation. These recommendations are used to calculate the characteristics of biconical and horn antennas at different frequencies. The results obtained using different grid and mesh settings are compared to those obtained analytically. Moreover, the results are compared to those obtained using the finite difference time domain numerical method, as well as the measured ones. All results are shown to be in a good agreement. The used recommendations for building a symmetrical wire-grid of those symmetrical antenna elements provided the most advantageous parameters of the grid and mesh settings and the wire radius, which are able to give a quite accurate results with low computational cost. Additionally, the known equal area rule was modified for a rectangular grid form. The obtained radiation patterns of a conductive plate using both the original rule and the modified one are compared with the electrodynamic analysis results. It is shown that the use of the modified rule is more accurate when using a rectangle grid form.

Radon gas represents the major contributor to human health risk from environmental radiological exposure. In confined spaces radon can accumulate to relatively high levels so that mitigation actions are necessary. The Italian legislation on radiation protection has set a reference value for the activity concentration of radon at 300 Bq/m3. In this study, measurements of the annual radon concentration in 62 bank buildings, spread on Campania region (Southern Italy), were carried out. Using CR-39 solid-state nuclear track detectors, radon level was assessed in 136 confined spaces (127 at underground and 9 at ground floors), frequented by workers and/or the public. The survey parameters considered in the analysis of the results were: floor types, wall cladding materials, number of openings, door/window opening duration for air exchange. Radon levels were found to be between 17 and 680 Bq/m3, with an average value of 130 Bq/m3 and a standard deviation of 120 Bq/m3. About 7% of the results gave a radon activity concentration above 300 Bq/m3. The analysis showed that the floor level and air exchange have the most significant influence. This study highlighted the importance to assess the indoor radon levels, even in particular environments, to protect public and workers by radon-induced effects on health.

Electric and/or magnetic fields are generated by stationary charges, uniformly moving charges and accelerating charges. These field components are described in the literature as static fields, velocity fields (or generalized Coulomb field) and radiation fields (or acceleration fields), respectively. In the literature, the electromagnetic fields generated by lightning return strokes are presented using the field components associated with short dipoles and in this description the one to one association of the electromagnetic field terms with the physical process that gives rise to them is lost. In this paper, we will derive expressions for the electromagnetic fields using field equations associated with accelerating (and moving) charges and separate the resulting fields into static, velocity and radiation fields. The results illustrates how the radiation fields emanating from the lightning channel give rise to field terms varying as inverse of distance and distance squired, the velocity fields generating field terms varying as inverse of distance squired and the static fields generating fields components varying as inverse of distance squired and distance cube. These field components depend explicitly on the speed of propagation of the current pulse. However, the total field does not depend explicitly on the speed of propagation of the current pulse. It is shown that these field components can be combined to generate the field components pertinent to the dipole technique. However, in this conversion process the connection of the field components to the physical process taking place at the source that generate these fields (i.e. static charges, uniformly moving charges and accelerating charges) is lost.

The olfactory system is capable of distinguishing individual odorants from among a virtually unlimited number. Fish, for example, detect changes in the electric field environment induced by prey and other sources. Floral electric fields exhibit variations in pattern and structure, which can be discriminated by bumblebees. We have constructed an electric field sensor, which, in the course of focussing on achieving maximum sensitivity and consistency, ultimately resembles features of the insect sensorium. A “fingerprint” 3D plot ( time, frequency range, voltage amplitude), representing the emitted electric field profile, is presented for each of a variety of odorants and other chemicals. The substance-specific electric-field emission and identification is not impeded by containers or barriers or distance.

This research introduces a pioneering solution to the challenges posed by gastrointestinal tract (GI) cancer in radiation therapy, focusing on the imperative task of precise organ segmentation for minimizing radiation-induced damage. GI imaging has historically used manual demarcation, which is laborious and uncomfortable for patients. We address this by introducing the ResECA-U-Net deep learning model, a novel combination of the UNet and ResNet34 architectures. Furthermore, we further augment its functionality by incorporating the Efficient Channel Attention (ECA-Net) methodology. By utilizing data from the UW-Madison Carbone Cancer Centre, we carefully investigate several image processing techniques designed to capture critical local characteristics. With its foundation in computer vision concepts, the ResECA-U-Net model is excellent at extracting fine details from GI images. Sophisticated metrics such as intersection over union (IoU) and the dice coefficient are used to evaluate performance. Our study's outcomes demonstrate the effectiveness of the suggested method, yielding an impressive 96.27% Dice coefficient and 91.48% IoU. These results highlight the significant contribution that our strategy has made to the advancement of cancer therapy. Beyond its scientific merits, this work has the potential to significantly enhance cancer patients' quality of life and provide better long-term outcomes. Our work is a significant step towards automating and optimizing the segmentation process, which can potentially change how GI cancer is treated completely.

Considered is “time as an interval” including time from the past and from the future, in contrast to time as a moment. Equilibrium as the basis for a description of changing properties in physics is understood to depend on the “mean velocity theorem”, while a “time” of equilibrium resembles a center of weight. This turns out to be a good method to derive properties for any function of time t including space coordinates q(t) and expressions for the time dependent Hamiltonian. Introduced are derivatives depending on time intervals instead of time moments and with these a new relation between the Lagrangian L and the Hamiltonian H. As an application introduced is a step by step method to integrate stationary state “local” time interval measurements to beyond “locality” in General Relativity. Because of limits on the measures of the resulting time intervals and their asymmetry, this allows for a probabilistic interpretation of quantities that have these intervals as time domain in QM. Their asymmetry also questions the time reversal symmetry of GR. Another application of time intervals is the discussion of the measurement of starlight radiation energy and QM wave packet collapse as an example of a time dependent Hamiltonian. Finally a relation between starlight frequency, metric and space- and time intervals is found. Discussed is how finite and asymmetric time intervals correspond to time dependent H and symmetric infinite time intervals to a time independent H. From there, in cosmological perspective, finite time intervals can help to describe how entropy change could relate to dark energy.

A coupled stratospheric chemistry-meteorology model was developed by combining the Canadian operational weather prediction model Global Environmental Multiscale (GEM) with a comprehensive stratospheric photochemistry model from the Belgian Assimilation System for Chemical ObsErvations (BASCOE). The coupled model was called GEM-BACH for GEM-Belgian Atmospheric CHemistry. The coupling was made across a chemical interface that preserves time splitting while being modular, allowing GEM to run with or without chemistry. An evaluation of the coupling was performed by comparing the coupled model, refreshed by meteorological analyses every 6 hours, against the standard offline chemical transport model (CTM) approach. Results show that the dynamical meteorological consistency between meteorological analysis times far outweighs the error created by the jump resulting from the meteorological analysis increments at regular time intervals, irrespective whether a 3D-Var or 4D-Var meteorological analysis is used. GEM-BACH forecast refreshed by meteorological analyses every 6 hours were compared against independent measurements of temperature, long-lived species, ozone and water vapor. The comparison showed a relatively good agreement throughout the stratosphere except for an upper-level warm temperature bias and an ozone deficit of nearly 15%. Arguments in favor of using the same horizontal resolution for chemistry, meteorology, and meteorological analysis increments are also presented. In particular, the coupled model simulation during an ozone hole event gives better ozone concentrations than a 4D-Var chemical assimilation at a lower resolution.

The modern textbook analysis of the thermal state of photons inside a three-dimensional reflective cavity is based on the three quantum numbers that characterize photon’s energy eigenvalues coming out when the boundary conditions are imposed. The crucial passage from the quantum numbers to the continuous frequency is operated by introducing a three dimensional continuous version of the three discrete quantum numbers, that leads to the energy spectral density and to the entropy spectral density. This standard analysis obscures the role of the multiplicity of energy eigenvalues associated to the same eigenfrequency. In this paper we review the past derivations of Bose’s entropy spectral density and present a new analysis of energy spectral density and entropy spectral density based on the multiplicity of energy eigenvalues. Our analysis explicitly defines the eigenfrequency distribution of energy and entropy and uses it as a starting point for the passage from the discrete eigenfrequencies to the continuous frequency.

The distribution and variation of top-of-atmosphere longwave cloud radiative forcing (LCRFTOA) has drawn a significant amout of attention due to its importance in understanding the energy budget. Advancements in sensor and data processing technology, as well as a new generation of geostationary satellites, such as the FengYun-4A (FY-4A), allow for high spatial resolutions that are crucial for real-time radiation monitoring. Nevertheless, there is a distinct lack of official top-of-atmosphere outgoing longwave radiation products under clear-sky conditions (OLRclear). Consequently, this study addresses the challenge of constructing LCRFTOA data with high spatiotemporal resolution over the full disk region of FY-4A. After simulating the influence of atmospheric parameters on OLRclear based on SBDART radiation transfer model (RTM), we developed a model for estimating OLRclear using infrared channels from the advanced geosynchronous radiation imager (AGRI) onboard the FY-4A satellite. The OLRclear results showed an RMSE of 5.05 W/m2 and MBE of 1.59 W/m2 compared to ERA5. Besides, the calculated LCRFTOA results were validated against instantaneous, daily average, and monthly average ERA5 and CERES LCRFTOA products, supporting the validity of the algorithm proposed in this paper. Finally, the changes in LCRFTOA due to variaty cloud heights (high, medium, and low cloud) were analyzed. This study provides the basis for comprehensive studies on the characteristics of top-of atmosphere radiation.

The Universe is treated as an unbound thermodynamic system in which two forces of Nature compete: Attractive gravity loss and repulsive entropic gain. Entropic gain, although not presently considered a force of Nature, is otherwise well known and can be expressed with the gas laws. The Universe at the time of last scattering was all gas. Its instant gain is expressed as gas pressure. When the Gibbs equation is properly applied to this unbound gas, the resulting atomic Hubble parameter is found to be exclusively dependent on baryon density, giving a constant and perpetual two-to-one gain/loss ratio. Instant loss to gravity cannot offset gas pressure in this “thermal equation”. By contrast, the Friedmann equation, a ΛCDM foundation, treats baryon mass as accreted, having little if any entropic gain. These two equations are actually equivalent. Expanding accreted matter at its comoving critical density is herein shown to behave exactly like a freely expanding gas. However, neither equation includes all of today’s Universal kinetic energy, and cannot by themselves fully account for observed stellar movement. The present paper proposes the plausible existence of highly energetic or “suprathermal” free electrons which comprise about half of the intergalactic medium’s kinetic total. It is this suprathermal energy which Λ expresses. The fluid equation, another ΛCDM foundation, eliminates entropic gain from the Gibbs equation. Additionally, rest mass’s Einstein energy E=Mc² is treated as a thermal variable. These two assumptions, isoentropy and energy conflation, led astronomers to populate Λ as they followed the prior art.

The hydrodynamics of plasma formed in the interaction of 100-ns UV KrF laser pulses with foam targets with volume densities from 5 to 500 mg/cm3 was studied. Initial and dynamic transmittance at 248-nm wavelength have been measured. At intensities about 1012 W/cm2, the propagation rates of radiation through foam targets reached 80 km/s, while plasma stream velocities from both front and rear sides of targets were approximately the same ~ 75 km/s, which confirms a volumetric absorption of radiation within the target thickness and the explosive nature of the plasma formation and expansion.

This publication describes the influence of residue monomers in synthesized pressure-sensitive adhesives based on acrylics on main performance such as tack, peel adhesion, shear strength and shrinkage in form of transfer tapes used for joining wooden elements in furniture industry. The discussed carrier-free adhesive tapes are synthesized by photo-crosslinking and photopolymerization with UV radiation of photoreactive prepolymers sandwiched between two adhesive siliconized polyester films. The simultaneous crosslinking and polymerization process under UV lamps carried out under UV lamps placed simultaneously above and below the crosslinked photoreactive polymer layer leads to the production of a carrier-free adhesive film. In this test series it were investigated to what how the intensity of UV radiation and the time of its exposure affect the viscosity of photoreactive compositions, and then the content of unreacted monomers in them and, subsequently, the method of their crosslinking and polymerization, and the concentration of the photoreactive crosslinking compound leading to the obtaining of transfer adhesive tapes, and thus on their tray, peel adhesion, shear strength and shrinkage on the surface of the wood.

Optimum design and accurate control of the internal structure of the laser target materials remain an important goal for various laser physics experiments, especially for generating high flux photon and neutron beams. The low-density material is considered to be one of the most difficult for X-ray study due to its high transparency and imperceptible contrast. To produce clear visualization of foam containing sparse structures we used a high-quality monochromatic X-ray beam of synchrotron radiation source PETRA-III at DESY. The X-ray beam parameters allow tomographic scanning with application of phase contrast retrieval algorithms. A series of 3D images of foam-suspended glass microsphere inside the plastic cylinder were obtained with the quality high enough to observe the internal structure and to visualize uniformity, displacement and surface roughness on both sides of the microsphere. The main object under investigation was a CH-plastic capillary including 10 mg/cc CHO-foam with the centered glass microsphere. The results of this work demonstrate that tomographic visualization based on a high quality X-ray radiation and phase contrast analysis is an effective and useful technique for development of new laser targets containing structured low density materials.

Physicians often label anatomical structure sets in Digital Imaging and Communications in Medicine (DICOM) images with nonstandard names. As these names vary widely, the standardization of the nonstandard names in the Organs at Risk (OARs), Planning Target Volumes (PTVs), and 'Other' organs inside the area of interest is a vital problem. Prior works considered traditional machine learning approaches on structure sets with moderate success. This paper presents integrated deep learning methods applied to structure sets by integrating the multimodal data compiled from the radiotherapy centers administered by the US Veterans Health Administration (VHA) and the Department of Radiation Oncology at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU). The de-identified radiation oncology data collected from VHA and VCU radiotherapy centers have 16,290 prostate structures. Our method integrates the heterogeneous (textual and imaging) multimodal data with Convolutional Neural Network (CNN)-based deep learning approaches like CNN, Visual Geometry Group (VGG) network, and Residual Network (ResNet). Our model presents improved results in prostate (RT) structure name standardization. Evaluation of our methods with macro-averaged F1 Score shows that our deep learning model with single-modal textual data usually performs better than the previous studies. We also experimented with various combinations of multimodal data (masked images, masked dose) besides textual data. The models perform well on the textual data alone, while the addition of imaging data shows that deep neural networks can achieve improved performance using information present in the other modalities. Additionally, using masked images and masked doses along with text leads to an overall performance improvement with the various CNN-based architectures than using all the modalities together. Undersampling the majority class leads to further performance enhancement. The VGG network on the masked image-dose data combined with CNNs on the text data performs the best and establishes the state-of-the-art in this domain.

Current paper reviews applications of luminescence bioassays for monitoring low-intensity factors, namely, radioactivity of different types (alpha, beta and gamma), and bioactive compounds (humic substances and fullerenols). Luminescence intensity is taken as a physiological parameter of luminous organisms. High rates of luminescence response can provide (1) a proper number of experiments under comparable conditions and, therefore, proper statistical processing, with this being highly important for ‘noisy’ low-dose exposures; (2) non-genetic, i.e. biochemical and physicochemical mechanisms of cellular response, in accordance to “exposome” concept. Bioassays based on luminous marine bacteria, their enzymes, and fluorescence coelenteramide-containing proteins were used to compare results of low-intensity exposures at cellular, biochemical and physicochemical levels, respectively. Results of the cellular exposures were discussed in terms of hormesis concept. Bioluminescence time dependence under low-dose radiation exposures corresponded to hormesis or threshold models; no bioluminescence monotonic dependency on intensity of exposure (dose rate, radioactivity, concentration) was found. Bioluminescence activation and absence of its dependency on intensity of exposure can be accepted as features of cellular adaptive response. Changes of biological luminescence were analyzed and discussed for bioassays of lower organization level – enzymes and florescent protein.

Different organisms, cell types, and even similar cell lines can dramatically differ in resistance to genotoxic stress. This testifies to the wide opportunities for genetic and epigenetic regulation of stress resistance. These opportunities could be used to increas the effectiveness of cancer therapy, develop new varieties of plants and animals, and search for new pharmacological targets to enhance human radioresistance, for example, for -manned deep space expeditions. Based on the comparison of transcriptomic studies in cancer cells, in this review we propose that there is a high diversity of genetic mechanisms of development of genotoxic stress resistance. This review focused onpossibilities and limitations of the proposed regulation of the resistance of normal cells whole organisms to genotoxic and oxidative stress by overexpressing of stress-response genes. Moreover, the existing experimental data on the effect of such overexpression on the resistance of cells and organisms to various genotoxic agents has been analyzed and systematized. We suggest that the recent advances in the development of multiplex and highly customizable gene overexpression technology that utilizes the mutant Cas9 protein and the wealth of available data on gene functions and their signal networks open new opportunities for research in this field.

This paper first explains the theory of the origin of force from a new perspective, explaining that the origin of all forces is caused by the "missing of energy in the time dimension" (non-conservation in a certain period of time), and constructs a unified theory of force on this basis. Then, through the unified theory of force, the following phenomena are reinterpreted: (1) The common origin of the inverse square law of gravitation and electromagnetic force; (2) The origin of the repulsive force of electrons and protons at small distances; (3) The mystery of the rotation curve of galaxies and the new explanation of "dark matter"; (4) explain the origin of the magnetic field; (5) Predict that moving magnets have the same radiation effect as charged particles (electron magnetic moments also have radiation effects); (6) Reinterpret Maxwell's displacement current; (7) Reinterpret synchrotron radiation and bremsstrahlung; (8) Explain that the strong and weak forces are short-range forces; (9) Predict the true structure of black holes and the origin of gravitational waves;(10) Possible explanation for the origin of the speed of light.

Novel approaches under the extreme conditions of ultra-high gravity of a super massive black hole allow us to assume that the spacetime degrades into the single dimension of time. A unique interpretation of the non-relativistic Schrödinger equation together with the relativistic Klein-Gordon and Dirac equations is presented by swapping the three dimensional space derivatives with the singular time derivative in the D’Alembertian operator. This apparatus reveals a unique time dependent wave equation that results in some implications such as possible time quantization with the intervals of around 3.36 × 10−21 ? which is in the order of uncertainty in time, ∆? = 1.3 × 10−21 ?, calculated from the energy-time version of the Heisenberg uncertainty principle for electrons. As a result of this, an antisymmetric wave function around the edge of the event-horizon zone appears and indicates that the virtual particle-antiparticle pairs of the electron field split into two real components with the spin-up and down states, reconfirming the Hawking radiation. Energy eigenvalues calculated from the application of the Dirac equation satisfies the preservation of energy and charge. The wave equation invoked in this study reduces into the time dependent Dirac equation within the neighborhood of zero-point, ? = 0, insuring the relevance of the evaluations.

The compilation summarizes results so far gathered in a project that investigates the atom with classical (Newtonian) physics. It posits that the atom’s wave-particle dual nature is real, objective and intrinsic; the wave gives rise to the cosmic vacuum field while the particle, of course, manifests condensed matter. Light’s π radians oscillation manifests, on molar scale, significant radial tension in the vacuum field, the effect, amongst others, causes molecular matter to precipitate out of the vacuum – so-called ‘molecular outflow’. Cosmic vacuum field radial tension relates to molecular mass, in other words, a mass-radius (M-R) relationship is uncovered. It is argued that using the M-R relation it is possible to perform a valid simulation of the cosmic physical reality. The three states of matter are meaningfully accounted for using the atom’s e-m radiation wavelength. It is explained that force, be it of any kind whatsoever, originates in the atomic waveform, i.e., the cosmic vacuum field.

In the literature of Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR), particle tracks in photographic emulsions (and other materials) associated with certain electrical discharges have been reported. Some Russian and French researchers have considered these particles to be magnetic monopoles. These tracks correspond directly to tracks created with a simple uniform exposure to photons without an electrical discharge source. This simpler method of producing tracks supports a comprehensive exploration of particle track properties. Out of 750 exposures with this method, elliptical particle tracks were detected, 22 of which were compared to Bohr-Sommerfeld electron orbits. Ellipses fitted to the tracks were found to have quantized semi-major axis sizes with ratios of ≈n²/α² to corresponding Bohr-Sommerfeld hydrogen ellipses. This prompts inquiry relevant to magnetic monopoles due to the n²/α² force difference between magnetic charge and electric charge using the Schwinger quantization condition. A model using analogy with the electron indicates that the elliptical tracks could be created by a bound magnetically charged particle with mass m_m = 1.45 × 10^-3 eV/c², yet with superluminal velocities. Using a modified extended relativity model, m_m becomes the relativistic mass of a superluminal electron, with m₀ = 5.11 × 10^-3 eV/c², the fine structure constant becomes a mass ratio and charge quantization is the result of two states of the electron.

Unavoidable exposure to radiosensitive normal tissues around cancerous tumor during the radiotherapy can cause side effects such as self-limited acute toxicities, mild chronic symptoms, or severe organ dysfunction. Nevertheless, clinical use of currently available radiation protective agents is limited because of their generic cytotoxicity. A study on radiation protective effect of delphinidin was conducted with proton-beam-exposed human colon cells (CCD-18Co). The measurement in changes of survival fractions of CCD-18Co with/without delphinidin administration at different radiation doses were measured by 3-[4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl]-2,5 diphenyl tetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The changes in expression of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and in activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured by colorimetric assays using pertinent assay kits. The measurement of pro-apoptosis/pro-survival protein expressions using Western blot assay and the measurement of DNA damage using comet assay were also fulfilled to evaluate the molecular level of radiation damages in CCD-18Co cells. The experimental results revealed that the pre-administration of delphinidin regulated antioxidant enzymes, reduced ROS, decreased DNA damage, regulated pro-apoptosis/pro-survival proteins, and eventually reduced apoptosis of CCD-18Co cells. In conclusion, it is claimed that delphinidin is nontoxic natural radiation protective compound, and thus delphinidin can be used to protect normal colon tissues during the proton beam therapy.

Radio loud active galactic nuclei are composed of different spatial features, each one characterized by different spectral properties in the radio band. Among them, blazars are the most common class of sources detected at gamma-rays by \fermi, and their radio emission is dominated by the flat spectrum compact core. In this contribution, we explore the connection between emission at high energy revealed by \fermi\ and at radio frequency. Taking as a reference the strong and very highly significant correlation found between gamma rays and cm-$\lambda$ radio emission, we explore different behaviours found as we change the energy range in gamma rays and in radio, therefore changing the physical parameters of the zones involved in the radiation emission. We find that the correlation weakens when we consider (1) gamma rays of energy above 10 GeV (except for high synchrotron peaked blazars) or (2) low frequency radio data taken by the Murchison Widefield Array; on the other hand, the correlation strengthens when we consider mm-$\lambda$ data taken by ALMA.

QSO B0218+357 is a blazar located at a cosmological redshift of 0.944. The source is gravitationally lensed by a spiral galaxy located at the redshift of 0.68. Strong gravitational lensing splits the signals emitted by the source into two components separated by 10-12 days, as observed in radio and gamma-ray bands. In July 2014 a GeV flare was observed by Fermi-LAT, triggering follow-up observations with the MAGIC telescopes at energies above 100 GeV. The expected time delay between the components allowed us to plan broad band MWL observations before, during and after the trailing component of the emission. The MAGIC observations at the expected time of arrival of the trailing component resulted in the first detection of QSO B0218+357 in Very-High-Energy (VHE, >100 GeV) gamma rays. It is both the farthest known VHE object and one of only a few Flat Spectrum Radio Quasars detected in this energy range. We report here the observed multiwavelength spectral and temporal properties of the emission during the 2014 flare.

Space exploration is an arduous journey, with future explorations extending in duration, increasing the risk for common space-related health issues such as bone density loss due to microgravity, impaired gut microbiota, cardiovascular ailments, and exposure to cosmic radiation. These ailments can be addressed using medicinal plants. Enhancing their efficacy entails employing gene editing to target specific secondary metabolite pathways associated with therapeutic properties. Moreover, gene editing can combine multiple medicinal properties from various plants, culminating in a singular 'superplant' with enhanced therapeutic benefits. This review discusses the current usage of medicinal plants in promoting human health during space travel, the application of gene editing technology in modifying medicinal plants and presents a vision for the utilization of gene-edited medicinal plants in space to mitigate the risk of various space-related health issues.

The paper is devoted to the study of a high-pressure short-arc xenon discharge, which is widely used as a light source. Cathodes of such lamps are often doped with thorium for better cathode operation. As a result, thorium can evaporate into a discharge. The study is based on a model of a short-arc xenon discharge plasma, which includes presence of thorium atoms in the plasma. The data obtained show that thorium atoms strongly affect the characteristics of the plasma, reducing its temperature, changing the ionic composition near the cathode, energy balance and generation of optical radiation. Especially interesting is the case when the discharge electrodes have a different shape of the working surface: the anode has a convex or concave shape; the cathode has a different cone angle. The obtained data make it possible to propose a new way to increase the luminous efficiency of xenon lamps due to the appropriate choice of the electrodes working surface shape, which turned out to be an unexpectedly strong factor of affecting plasma characteristics. This, in turn, allows us to develop xenon lamps with the desired characteristics providing optical radiation in the required range of the spectrum and better use of energy.

A new approach to the treatment of wound lesions, which are complicated by the presence of polyresistant microflora and a possible immunodeficiency background has been proposed. It involves treating the wound surface with high-intensity pulsed optical radiation of a continuous spectrum, continuously covering the entire UV range (from 200 to 400 nm), visible and near infrared region of the spectrum. A pulsed xenon lamp is used as a radiation source. A description of the design and technical characteristics of the developed device for high-intensity optical irradiation "Zarnitsa-A", which implements the proposed medical technology for wound therapy, is represented. The results of preclinical studies of the apparatus in vitro and in vivo are represented hereinafter. The article shows that the apparatus exposure has pronounced bactericidal and wound-healing properties. The apparatus action reliably provides higher rates of wound healing compared to the use of only a typical antibacterial and wound healing agent – “Levomekol” ointment.

In this paper, we study quantum gravity effect on the symmergent black hole which is derived from quadratic-curvature gravity. To do so, we use the Klein-Gordon equation which is modified by generalized uncertainty principle (GUP). After solving the field equations, we examine the symmergent black hole's tunneling and Hawking temperature. We explore the graphs of the temperature through the outer horizon to check the GUP influenced conditions of symmergent black hole stability. We also explain how symmergent black holes behave physically when influenced by quantum gravity. The impacts of thermal fluctuations on the thermodynamics of a symmergent black holes spacetime are examined. We first evaluate the model under consideration's thermodynamic properties, such as its Hawking temperature, angular velocity, entropy, and electric potential. We evaluate the logarithmic correction terms for entropy around the equilibrium state in order to examine the impacts of thermal fluctuations. In the presence of these correction terms, we also examine the viability of the first law of thermodynamics. Finally, we evaluate the system's stability using the Hessian matrix and heat capacity. It is determined that a stable model is generated by logarithmic corrections arising from thermal fluctuations.

Vacuum pump wear is the most prevalent failure mode of the IBA Synthera® automated radiochemistry system. Rebuilding or replacing the pump causes equipment downtime and increases the radiation exposure of the service personnel. We built a dedicated test device to assess new or rebuilt pumps prior to installation, thus reducing downtime and radiation exposure during repairs. The Testbed incorporates a microprocessor that actuates the pump, valves, pressure sensor, and communicates with the user through lights, buttons, and an alphanumeric screen. The Testbed increases productivity and safety in the radiochemistry laboratory.

We explore the deflection angle in the framework of improved Schwarzschild Black hole utilizing the most advance geometrical path adopted by Gibbon-Werner. To investigate deflection angle of the photon ray by weak gravitational lensing for this black hole, we derive the optical curvature and perform the application of Gauss-Bonnet theorem on the optical metric. Moreover, we study the impacts of the plasma medium in context of the weak gravitational lensing in relate to this black hole. Further, we also study the graphical analysis of the deflection angle in both the plasma and non-plasma mediums. Also, we find the rigorous bound base upon the greybody factor for improved Schwarzschild black hole. A while later, we contrast our conclusions about deflection angle with the deflection angles of Schwarzschild black hole within plasma and non-plasma mediums.

According to the Cosmological Principle the Universe is isotropic and no preferred direction would be seen by an observer that might be stationary with respect to the expanding cosmic fluid. However, because of observer’s partaking in the solar system peculiar motion, there would appear in some of the observed properties of the Cosmos a dipole anisotropy, which could in turn be exploited to determine the peculiar motion of the solar system. The dipole anisotropy in the Cosmic Microwave Background Radiation (CMBR) has given a peculiar velocity vector 370 km s−1 along l=264∘,b=48∘. However, some other dipoles, for instance, from the number counts, sky brightness or redshift distributions in large samples of distant Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs), have yielded values of the peculiar velocity many times larger than that from the CMBR, though surprisingly, in all cases the directions agreed with the CMBR dipole. Here we determine our peculiar motion from a sample of 0.28 million AGNs, selected from the Mid Infra Red Active Galactic Nuclei (MIRAGN) sample comprising more than a million sources. From this, we find a peculiar velocity, which is more than four times the CMBR value, although the direction seems to be within ∼2σ of the CMBR dipole. A genuine value of the solar peculiar velocity should be the same irrespective of the data or the technique employed to estimate it. Therefore, such discordant dipole amplitudes, might mean that the explanation for these dipoles, including that of the CMBR, might in fact be something else. But, the observed fact that the direction in all cases, is the same, though obtained from completely independent surveys using different instruments and techniques, by different sets of people employing different computing routines, might nonetheless indicate that these dipoles are not merely due to some systematics, otherwise why would they all be pointing along the same direction. It might instead suggest a preferred direction in the Universe, implying a genuine anisotropy, which would violate the Cosmological Principle, the core of the modern cosmology.

The search for periodic signals from blazars has become an actively pursued field of research in recent years. This is because periodic signals bring us information about the processes occurring near the innermost regions of blazars, which are mostly inaccessible to our direct view. Such signals provide insights into some of the extreme conditions that take place in the vicinity of supermassive black holes that lead to the launch of the relativistic jets. In addition, studies of characteristic timescales in blazar light curves shed light on some of the challenging issues in blazar physics that includes disk-jet connection, strong gravity near fast rotating supermassive black holes and release of gravitational waves from binary supermassive black hole systems. However, a number of issues associated with the search for quasi-periodic oscillations (QPOs) in blazars e.g., red-noise dominance, modest significance of the detection, periodic modulation lasting for only a couple of cycles and their transient nature, make it difficult to estimate the true significance of the detection. Consequently, it also becomes difficult to make meaningful inferences about the nature of the on-going processes. In this proceedings, results of study focused on searching for QPOs in a number of blazar multi-frequency light curves are summarized. The time series analyses of long term observations of the blazars revealed the presence of year-timescale QPOs in the sources including OJ 287 (optical), Mrk 501 (gamma-ray), J1043+2408 (radio) and PKS 0219 -164 (radio). As likely explanations, we discuss a number of scenarios including binary supermassive black hole systems, Lense–Thirring precession, and jet precession.

We performed electronic research for articles published in PubMed, MEDLINE, and ScienceDirect databases from January 2004 to January 2023. The systematic review of twenty (20) peer-reviewed articles about dosimetric parameters and eight (8) articles about clinical outcomes confirmed the dosimetric advantages of ART through better target coverage and Organs at Risk (OARs) sparing, with subsequent benefits on decreased toxicity and improved clinical outcome, specifically local control of the disease. ART replanning is a sustainable strategy for minimizing toxicity by improving normal tissue sparing. Furthermore, it enhances target volume coverage by correctly determining the specific amount of dose to be delivered to the tumor. In conclusion, this review confirms that ART benefits dosimetric, clinical/therapeutic, and toxicity outcomes.