Strain-based biomarkers at the skin surface differentiate asymmetries in soft tissue mobility associated with myofascial pain.

This work explores solutions for addressing challenges in visible light communication (VLC) within 5G networks, particularly for indoor environments and green Internet of Things (IoT) applications, while considering the evolving demands of 6G networks. These demands include higher spectral efficiency (SE), enhanced data rates, reduced complexity, and reliable quality of service (QoS) for users with varying mobility. The proposed solution integrates optical reconfigurable intelligent surfaces (ORIS)-aided multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) technology with a novel non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) transmission system employing discrete Fourier transform spread orthogonal time-frequency space (DFT-s-OTFS) modulation. This framework enhances spatial diversity, optimizes bandwidth, minimizes Peak-to-Average Power Ratio (PAPR), and improves power allocation. By leveraging OTFS modulation, the system supports delay-Doppler (DD) channels and ensures better control over VLC-IoT environments with physical layer security (PLS). A VLC channel model incorporating MIMO technologies for ORIS-aided NOMA-OTFS systems is developed, addressing a capacity maximization problem that considers transceiver parameters, RIS reflections, transmit power, and DD channels. An optimal solution is achieved using a relaxation algorithm. Numerical results show that the proposed ORIS-aided DFT-s-OTFS-based NOMA-MIMO VLC system outperforms the ORIS-assisted OFDM regarding bit error rate (BER), significantly improving channel capacity, SE, and security rates. These findings provide valuable insights for advancing optical RIS-assisted MIMO-VLC technologies.

This paper presents an extension of the "Maximum Front Method" for assessing the spatially varying Bidirectional Reflectance Distribution Function on curved surfaces, specifically the receiver of a Solar Tower. The receiver, which links the solar field and the thermal cycle of a ST, operates under high solar concentrations and temperatures. This method is vital for efficient plant operations, enabling regular assessment of the receiver coating quality, early detection of degradation, and facilitating other measurement techniques. The paper discusses the challenges faced with the far field SVBRDF measurement when dealing with complex surfaces, including the trajectory of the light spot, and dealing with distance dependant reference intensity values. These challenges were addressed through a geometric approach and simulations were carried out using blender® to validate the method, showing its effectiveness on cylindrical and structured surfaces. However, accurately determining each component's spatial position was a persistent challenge for the practical demonstration. The paper suggests future research could consider line overlaps to maintain the evaluated area and develop methods to determine pipe positions directly from captured images. In conclusion, this method provides a foundation for solar tower receiver applications to monitor receiver state and improve robustness and efficiency in solar tower operation.

This work numerically investigates a graphene‐coated D‐shape optical fiber sensor for early detection of vitiligo through refractive index (RI) sensing. A monolayer graphene layer is integrated on the polished fiber surface to exploit its strong optical confinement and surface interaction properties. Finite element method simulations are employed to study mode field profiles, effective RI variations, and confinement loss for analytes with RI values representing healthy and vitiligo‐affected skin tissues. The sensing mechanism relies on the excitation of the evanescent field at the graphene‐sensing layer interface, which exhibits a strong dependence on local RI changes associated with varying analyte concentrations. By judiciously optimizing all the geometrical parameters, the sensor achieves a high sensitivity up to 2000 nm/RIU, which significantly outperforms the uncoated fiber configurations. The study highlights the novelty of 2D‐material‐assisted fiber platforms for compact, noninvasive dermatological diagnostics, demonstrating their potential in real‐time vitiligo detection.

The ever-expanding variety of porous transport layer (PTLs) has left the community grappling with a fundamental question: How do we truly assess the influence of PTL parameters on overall cell performance? In challenging conventional reliance on isolated bulk parameters, this study introduces an integrated index based on the PTL/catalyst layer (CL) contact line length (CLL). CLL is first calculated in this work and we argue it is central to governing electrochemical activity at the interface. Rather than depending on X-ray computed tomography, we employ an optical surface profiler to directly capture the PTL surface in contact with the catalyst. Using Fuji Prescale, our measurements indicate that the pressure within the membrane electrode assembly reaches approximately 20 MPa, inducing a membrane deformation of around 10 μm as predicted by elastic theory. Image processing via ImageJ and Python enabled the calculation of CLL across various nickel-based PTL configurations—including ordered meshes, random felts, and porous plates. It should be noted that non-noble catalysts for anion exchange membrane water electrolysis (AEMWE) suffer from lower electrical conductivity, which constrain the active region dramatically. Our findings reveal a direct correlation between CLL and key electrochemical performance parameters, such as catalyst layer resistance. Moreover, pore network modeling confirms that CLL outperforms traditional bulk parameters in predicting cell performance. Although provocative, these results compel us to question whether the established bulk metrics are truly adequate, suggesting that rethinking PTL evaluation strategies may be essential for advancing AEMWE technology.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of an immune-enhancing vitamin C beverage and natural orange juice on the optical properties and surface roughness of an additively manufactured resin composite fabricated with different print layer thicknesses. Ninety disc-shaped specimens (12 × 2mm) were printed from a resin composite (Bego VarseoSmile TriniQ) at 25-µm, 50-µm, and 100-µm layer thicknesses (n = 10 per subgroup) with a 90° build orientation. Initial relative translucency parameter (RTP), color (T0), and surface roughness (Ra) were measured. Specimens were then immersed for 72h in either a vitamin C beverage (Mucovit C; pH 2.2-2.5), natural orange juice (pH 2.9-4.0), or distilled water. Post-immersion measurements (T1) were compared using two-way ANOVA, Tukey's HSD, one-way ANOVA, and paired t-tests (α = .05). At baseline, RTP was significantly higher for 25-µm compared to 100-µm specimens in the distilled water group (P = .006). After immersion, only the 25-µm group showed a significant RTP reduction (P = .024). Ra increased significantly in the 25-µm group after exposure to both acidic solutions (P < .05). Color change (ΔE₀₀) varied by thickness in orange juice (P = .037) and the vitamin C drink (P = .002), with 50-µm specimens showing the highest discoloration. No significant differences were found in distilled water or between beverage types (P > .05). Thinner print layers enhanced initial translucency, but were more prone to surface roughening and discoloration after acidic exposure, highlighting a trade-off in esthetic durability.

This study develops an optical surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensing platform for non-invasive glucose detection directly in urine and examines how two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials modulate sensing performance. Angular interrogation at 633 nm is modeled using a transfer-matrix framework for Au/Si3N4 stacks capped with graphene, semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (s-SWCNTs), graphene oxide (GO), or reduced graphene oxide (rGO). Urine–glucose (UGLU) refractive indices spanning clinically relevant concentrations are used to evaluate resonance angle shifts and line-shape evolution. Sensor metrics—sensitivity, detection accuracy, figure of merit, quality factor, and limit of detection—are computed to compare architectures and identify thickness windows. Across all designs, increasing glucose concentration produces monotonic angle shifts, while the 2D overlayer governs dip depth and full width at half maximum. Graphene- and s-SWCNT-capped stacks yield the lowest limits of detection and the most favorable figures of merit, particularly at higher concentrations where narrowing improves the quality factor. rGO exhibits a thin, low-loss regime that provides large shifts with acceptable broadening, whereas thicker films degrade detectability; GO offers stable line shapes suited to metrological robustness. These results indicate that nanoscale optical engineering of 2D overlayers can meet practical detectability targets in urine without biochemical amplification, supporting compact, label-free platforms for routine glucose monitoring.

Tuberculosis causes severe health impacts and remains a leading global killer. Delayed diagnosis prolongs infectiousness and worsens patient outcomes, so rapid detection is essential for timely treatment and to curb further spread. This research explores a highly sensitive optical surface plasmon resonance (SPR) biosensor designed for the rapid and accurate detection of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. The sensor structure comprises a multilayered configuration of / /Ag/AlON/BP, optimized for enhanced plasmonic response and biological interaction. Numerical simulations using the transfer matrix method (TMM) demonstrate that the proposed design achieves a maximum angular sensitivity of 615.33 deg./RIU. The finite element technique is used to verify the results of the sensor. Performance metrics such as full width at half maximum (FWHM), quality factor (QF), signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), detection accuracy (DA), and figure of merit (FOM) were systematically evaluated, highlighting the sensor's capability for precise detection within the biological refractive index range of 1.29 to 1.35. The sensor achieves a peak QF of 275.29 RIU , DA of 0.50 deg , SNR of 2.20, FOM of 1206.3 RIU , and a minimum FWHM of 2.66 . A comparative analysis using TMM and finite element method (FEM) was carried out to validate the reflectance results. Compared with previously reported SPR sensors, our design exhibits superior sensitivity and overall performance of the proposed design. These findings highlight the innovation of integrating BP and AlON into a -based prism structure, offering a promising pathway for highly sensitive and non-invasive tuberculosis diagnostics.

Lignocellulosic waste-derived hydrochar@bimetallic composites via hydrothermal carbonization for rapid and reusable removal of cationic and anionic dyes.

Assessment and correction of the respiratory phase misalignment using different signals in 4-dimensional imaging and free-breathing gated radiotherapy.

High-performance atomic-ion layer: A novel magnetorheological polishing fluid for enhanced optical surface quality

A Wavelet-CNN-LSTM framework for edge effect suppression in ultra-precision optical surface polishing

Dual-mode electrochemical fiber optic surface plasmon resonance sensor (EC-FO-SPR) for real-time and sensitive detection of lipopolysaccharide.

Large-aperture optics play a pivotal role in high-performance optical systems, and the presence of micro-defects on their surfaces can significantly degrade system performance and reliability. Traditional methods for detecting these defects face challenges due to their small size, multiplicity, and complexity. This paper proposes an improved Mamba-based defect classification method, DC-Mamba, specifically designed for detecting surface micro-defects on large-aperture optics. DC-Mamba replaces the original model’s scanning mechanism and neck structure with a multi-axis interactive 2D Selective Scan (MISS2D) and a Multi-axis Interactive Feature Pyramid Network (MIFPN), achieving coordinated modeling of positional information, hierarchical structures, spatial relationships, and channel-wise features in the input feature maps. Evaluation on the NEU-DET dataset demonstrates that DC-Mamba, with MACSA, increases the AP from 41.7% to 45.7% and AP50 from 72.2% to 74.7%, compared to the original VMamba model. Furthermore, DC-Mamba achieves an AP of 64.3% on our self-made optic surface micro-defect (OSMD) dataset. By effectively distinguishing micro-defects from interference points, DC-Mamba provides a robust solution for intelligent defect detection on large-aperture optics surfaces.

Abstract This study presents an L-shaped plastic optical fiber-based surface plasmon resonance (POF-SPR) sensor fabricated using thermal imprinting. One arm of the L-shaped structure is coated with an Ag film, serving as the refractive index (RI) sensing channel, while the other arm is coated with an Ag/PDMS film, functioning as the temperature sensing channel, enabling dual-parameter detection of both RI and temperature. Experimental results demonstrate RI and temperature sensitivities of 1790.957 nm/RIU and -0.935 nm/°C within the RI range of 1.333–1.363 and the temperature range of 0–70 °C, respectively. These results significantly outperform most comparable studies. The sensor offers advantages including low cost, simple fabrication, high detection sensitivity, low crosstalk, and a wide temperature detection range, making it suitable for broad applications in biological and pharmaceutical domains.

Modern projection optical systems, such as DUV lithography and high-numerical-aperture objectives, require extremely high surface machining accuracy, making the consideration of mechanical deformations of optical elements particularly critical. This paper presents the results of a computer simulation of the deformation of a 195 mm diameter fused silica biconvex lens under vacuum. The study was performed in CAE (Computer-aided engineering) software suites employing different calculation algorithms. A lens model designed in a CAD (Computer-aided design) system was used. The lens material is fused silica with a Young’s modulus of 72 GPa and a Poisson’s ratio of 0.17. It was established that an operational pressure differential of 15 kPa causes non-uniform deformation of the lens surface, with maximum values ranging from 22.59 to 23.24 nm, depending on the calculation algorithm. The discrepancy between the results was 2.8 %. A linear dependence of deformation on the pressure differential was established: as the pressure differential changes from 0 to 18 kPa, the deformation increases from 0.75 to 27.74 nm. The greatest surface distortion is observed in the central zone of the lens, which is critical for interferometric measurements requiring nanometer-level accuracy. The results underscore the necessity of adjusting vacuum mounting parameters to minimize deformations and improve the quality of optical surface machining.

Particulate contamination requires dust mitigation techniques to provide low-scatter surfaces on sensitive instrumentation in space. We have shown that poly(olefin sulfone)s photodegrade under spacelike conditions: in vacuum and with UV light exposure. We now demonstrate that photodegradable polymers can reduce dust accumulation on optical surfaces for space applications. This investigation shows that the dissociative degradation of poly(olefin sulfone)s significantly decreased the number of dust particles on a dust-coated surface. These results suggest a powerful way to mitigate the collection of extraterrestrial dust on optical surfaces in space, enabling passive removal of particulate contamination without any direct human intervention.

Abstract This paper presents the design, capabilities, and recent experimental outcomes of the EBL2 extreme ultraviolet (EUV) beamline research facility developed at TNO for advanced nanolithography component testing. The facility delivers high-brightness 13.5 nm EUV radiation with pulse powers up to 4.2 W and integrates a suite of in situ metrology tools—including X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), thermal infrared imaging, and EUV photodiodes—within a controlled gas environment. These tools enable real-time, non-destructive characterization of photomasks and pellicles under EUV and EUV-induced plasma exposure. The paper details the system’s architecture and highlights its suitability for accelerated lifetime testing. Recent results include the identification of degradation mechanisms in Ru-Ta absorber materials, EUV-induced oxidation in multilayer mirrors, and the absence of radiation-induced outgassing in SiN pellicles. The combination of ellipsometry and XPS has proven particularly effective in correlating optical and chemical surface changes. These findings support the development of robust materials for next-generation EUV lithography

Successful restorative treatment depends on aesthetic, mechanical, and biological properties. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of Hydrogen Peroxide and Sodium Perborate on surface roughness and stain removal from stained ceramics. Thirty-two discs were prepared of feldspar (diameter 6.4 ± 0.2 mm, thickness 2.2 ± 0.1 mm). and lithium desilicated glass ceramic )diameter 7 ± 0.1 mm, thickness 2.2 ± 0.1 mm). Specimens were divided into four groups, based on the type of porcelain and bleaching agent used (n = 8). All the Specimens were immersed in (tea, yogurt, soda, orange juice, and Mulberry juice) respectively for 30 days. Then Hydrogen Peroxide 30% was applied to specimens for 2 h. Sodium Perborate was applied for 14 days/6 hours per day. CIEDE2000 parameters and surface roughness values were recorded at three times; initial baseline color, post staining, and post bleaching. Data were statistically analyzed using paired t-test and ANOVA. There was no significant difference in color changes (∆E002) and roughness changes values between all groups, but there was a significant increase in surface roughness in each group after staining and after bleaching. Also, the residual color values of all groups were below 1.8, with lithium disilicate ceramic treated with sodium perborate showing better color retrieval. Conclusion the bleaching agents reduced color change caused by discoloring solutions and caused an increase in surface roughness.

Hypothesis: Some types of cleaning methods are not very effective and can actually increase damage to the optical parts being cleaned. As an alternative to these methods, we propose the use of gel-like substances to remove contaminants from optical surfaces. We have developed a method for cleaning optical glass surfaces that uses organogels, which are based on copolymers of methyl methacrylate and methacrylic acid. These organogels are loaded with polyethylene glycol, and aluminum oxide particles (Al2O3), which help to effectively remove contaminants without causing damage to the surface. Experiments: Al2O3 nanoparticles prepared by a Nano Spray Dryer were added to monomer stock solutions, and free-radical polymerization was conducted. Light crowns, heavy phosphate crowns and flints were used as research objects. Solutions of indene-coumarone resin in toluene and nitrocellulose enamel were used as contaminants. Polymer gels were characterized using resistance measurements, the gravimetric method in various solvents, and infrared spectroscopy. Optical microscopy and Atomic Force microscopy were used to observe changes on the glass surfaces. Findings: The advantages of this method include: effectiveness, simplicity, the use of small volumes of liquid solvents and aggressive media, and the ability to clean objects with any curvature or relief. The addition of Al2O3 particles as a reinforcing filler to the gel has made it easier to remove films from cleaned optical glass surfaces.