Radio wave attenuation by a large-scale photonic crystal sculpture.

In this work, we present an artwork that embodies the by far largest photonic crystal ever published, operating at radio frequencies. We demonstrate both theoretically and experimentally the existence of band gaps. While photonic crystals are typically investigated on the nano and micro scale, our aim is to present not only a remarkable example of art with scientific relevance but also to highlight the potential for large-scale applications that have so far been underrated.

Traditional vs. AI-generated meteorological risks for emergency predictions.

This study aims to analyze and examine in-depth the feature selection process using Large Language Models (LLMs) to optimize firefighter prediction performance. Although features from reliable sources are known to significantly aid predictions, their accuracy may be limited in critical situations requiring rigorous prioritization. Therefore, the focus was placed on meteorological risks for a comparative diagnosis between their extraction from Météo France and those generated by LLMs across various dimensions.

Modernizing the Staging of Parkinson Disease Using Digital Health Technology.

Due to the complicated nature of Parkinson disease (PD), a number of subjective considerations (eg, staging schemes, clinical assessment tools, or questionnaires) on how best to assess clinical deficits and monitor clinical progression have been published; however, none of these considerations include a comprehensive, objective assessment of all functional areas of neurocognition affected by PD (eg, motor, memory, speech, language, executive function, autonomic function, sensory function, behavior, and sleep). This paper highlights the increasing use of digital health technology (eg, smartphones, tablets, and wearable devices) for the classification, staging, and monitoring of PD. Furthermore, this Viewpoint proposes a foundation for a new staging schema that builds from multiple clinically implemented scales (eg, Hoehn and Yahr Scale and Berg Balance Scale) for ease and homogeneity, while also implementing digital health technology to expand current staging protocols.

Perineal body and anal sphincter biometrics and stiffness using elastography during labor: a feasibility study.

Objectives: The study aimed to evaluate the biometrics and stiffness of the perineal body and anal sphincter using 2D-mode ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE) during labor and to assess their association with perineal tears.

Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted on pregnant women. The perineal body (PB), the external anal sphincter (EAS), the internal anal sphincter (IAS) and the anal mucosa (AM) biometrics and stiffness were measured during labor using a transperineal 2D-mode ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE), respectively, at rest and during Valsalva maneuvers.

Evaluation of the quality and reliability of YouTube videos on obstetric perineal tears.

Objective: The aim of this study was to assess the quality and reliability of YouTube videos on obstetric perineal tears.

Method: We chose six keywords: "tearing birth", "perineal trauma", "perineal laceration", "perineal tear", "obstetrical anal sphincter injuries (OASIS)" and "vaginal tear". Each video that met the inclusion criteria were analyzed by two independent raters.

Efficacy and safety of repeated synthetic mid-urethral sling for recurrent stress urinary incontinence: A systematic review and metanalysis.

Introduction: There is no clinical consensus concerning the best surgical procedure for recurrent stress urinary incontinence (rSUI) after primary mid-urethral sling (pMUS). The aim of this meta-analysis was to evaluate efficacy and safety of repeated MUS (rMUS) in women previously submitted to pMUS.

Methods: We performed systematic research and meta-analysis from PubMed/MEDLINE and EMBASE, according to PRISMA 2020 guidelines, until 11th of November 2024.

Enhancing the Performance of Vibration Energy Harvesting Based on 2:1:2 Internal Resonance in Magnetically Coupled Oscillators.

An electromagnetic vibration energy harvester with a 2:1:2 internal resonance (IR) is proposed, allowing for the simultaneous activation of two IRs within the system in order to enhance its performance in terms of bandwidth and harvested power. The device consists of three magnetically coupled oscillators separated by an adjustable gap to tune the system eigenfrequencies and achieve a 2:1:2 IR. Numerical investigations are conducted to predict the behavior of the proposed device, and a multi-objective optimization procedure is employed to enhance the harvester's performance by introducing mass perturbations.

Electrochemical deposition of bimetallic sulfides on novel BDD electrode for bifunctional alkaline seawater electrolysis.

Seawater electrolysis is an ideal technology for obtaining clean energy-green hydrogen. Developing efficient bifunctional catalysts is crucial for hydrogen production through direct seawater electrolysis. Currently, metal substrates loaded with active catalysts are widely employed as electrodes for seawater electrolysis.

Enhancing Biomechanical Simulations Based on a Posteriori Error Estimates: The Potential of Dual-Weighted Residual-Driven Adaptive Mesh Refinement.

The finite-element method (FEM) is a well-established procedure for computing approximate solutions to deterministic engineering problems described by partial differential equations. FEM produces discrete approximations of the solution with a discretisation error that can be quantified with a posteriori error estimates. The practical relevance of error estimates for biomechanics problems, especially for soft tissue where the response is governed by large strains, is rarely addressed.

Exploring the influence of perineal biometrics and stiffness measured by elastography during pregnancy on perineal tears : A pilot study.

Objectives: This study aimed to describe the biometrics and elasticity of the perineal body and the anal sphincter in the ninth month of pregnancy and explore their association with the risk of perineal tears during childbirth.

Methods: In this prospective observational study, pregnant women at 36-40 weeks of gestation were included. Using transperineal 2D-mode ultrasound and shear wave elastography (SWE), we measured the biometrics and stiffness of the perineal body (PB), external anal sphincter (EAS), internal anal sphincter (IAS), and anal mucosa (AM) at rest and during Valsalva maneuvers.

Perineal deformation during forceps, vacuum and OdonAssist™ assisted vaginal deliveries: A simulation study based on advanced image processing.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to analyse influence of the fetal head position and the type of instrument used (forceps, vacuum, OdonAssist™) on perineal deformation, during simulated vaginal deliveries monitored by stereophotogrammetry.

Methods: An exploratory study was conducted using mannequins simulating vaginal births. Fifty simulated deliveries were performed with different fetal head positions and instruments: Pajot's forceps, Kiwi-vacuum, and OdonAssist™.

Multiscale Elastic Modulus Characterization of TiFeMn, an Iron-Titanium-Manganese Alloy Dedicated to Hydrogen Storage.

Hydrogen storage in intermetallic compounds, known as solid-state storage, relies on a phase change by the metal alloy. This phenomenon causes a violent change in volume at the crystalline scale, inducing a change of volume for the millimetric particles and, with time, important stresses on the tanks. It is thus necessary to know the mechanical behavior of the material to report these phenomena and improve the tanks' reliability.

Multicriteria assessment of optical coherence tomography using non-raster trajectories.

This article presents a qualitative, quantitative, and experimental analysis of optical coherence tomography (OCT) volumes obtained using different families of non-raster trajectories. We propose a multicriteria analysis to be used in the assessment of scan trajectories used in obtaining OCT volumetric point cloud data. The novel criteria includes exploitation/exploration ratio of the OCT data obtained, smoothness of the scan trajectory and fast preview of the acquired OCT data in addition to conventional criteria; time and quality (expressed as volume similarity rather than slice-by-slice image quality).

Standing Solitons Tuned by Impurities in Damped Nonlinear Lattices under External Excitation.

Periodic chains of nonlinear oscillators are known to support solitonic solutions within a specific range of physical parameters when damping effect is considered. This Letter investigates the dynamics of stationary solitons in damped nonlinear lattices under external excitation, focusing on the influence of impurities related to the natural frequency of the oscillators. We demonstrate experimentally and numerically that incorporating impurities into externally driven periodic lattices can expand the solitonic stability diagram under high-damping areas and near the Hopf bifurcation of periodic structures.

Influence of experimental conditions on some in-vitro biomechanical properties of the sow's perineum.

The aim of this work was to develop an experimental protocol that takes into account the influence of experimental conditions on these perineal tissues, before determining their mechanical properties. Samples of each perineal tissue layer were obtained from the skin, the vagina, the external anal sphincter (EAS), the internal anal sphincter (IAS) and anal mucosa of freshly dead sows. They were tested in quasi-static uniaxial tension using the Mach-1 testing machine.

Emotional contagion to vocal smile revealed by combined pupil reactivity and motor resonance.

The interplay between the different components of emotional contagion (i.e. emotional state and facial motor resonance), both during implicit and explicit appraisal of emotion, remains controversial.

Clinical practices in the management and follow-up of obstetric anal sphincter injuries: a comprehensive review.

Objectives: To review and compare existing guidelines on the intrapartum management and postpartum follow-up of obstetric anal sphincter injuries (OASIS) METHODS: We conducted a systematic review of clinical guidelines related to OASIS management, focusing on intrapartum care and postpartum follow-up. Searches were performed in July 2024 across multiple databases, including PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Guidelines published after 2010 in English were included.

Digestate Improves Stinging Nettle () Growth and Fiber Production at a Chlor-Alkali Site.

Marginal lands have been proposed to produce non-food crop biomass for energy or green materials. For this purpose, the selection, implementation, and growth optimization of plant species on such lands are key elements to investigate to achieve relevant plant yields. Stinging nettle () is a herbaceous perennial that grows spontaneously on contaminated lands and was described as suitable to produce fibers for material applications.

Midterm complications after primary obstetrical anal sphincter injury repair in France.

Background: Incidence of complications following obstetrical anal sphincter injury (OASI) during vaginal delivery are poorly defined. They are only studied in high level maternities, small cohorts, all stages of perineal tear or in low-income countries. The aim of our study was to describe complications after primary OASI repair following a vaginal delivery in all French maternity wards at short and midterm and to assess factors associated with complication occurrence.

Automation of Wilms' tumor segmentation by artificial intelligence.

Background: 3D reconstruction of Wilms' tumor provides several advantages but are not systematically performed because manual segmentation is extremely time-consuming. The objective of our study was to develop an artificial intelligence tool to automate the segmentation of tumors and kidneys in children.

Methods: A manual segmentation was carried out by two experts on 14 CT scans.

Electro-Mechanical Characterization and Modeling of a Broadband Piezoelectric Microgenerator Based on Lithium Niobate.

Vibration energy harvesting based on piezoelectric transducers is an attractive choice to replace single-use batteries in powering Wireless Sensor Nodes (WSNs). As of today, their widespread application is hindered due to low operational bandwidth and the conventional use of lead-based materials. The Restriction of Hazardous Substances legislation (RoHS) implemented in the European Union restricts the use of lead-based piezoelectric materials in future electronic devices.

Impact of white noise in artificial neural networks trained for classification: Performance and noise mitigation strategies.

In recent years, the hardware implementation of neural networks, leveraging physical coupling and analog neurons has substantially increased in relevance. Such nonlinear and complex physical networks provide significant advantages in speed and energy efficiency, but are potentially susceptible to internal noise when compared to digital emulations of such networks. In this work, we consider how additive and multiplicative Gaussian white noise on the neuronal level can affect the accuracy of the network when applied for specific tasks and including a softmax function in the readout layer.

In vitro biomechanical properties of porcine perineal tissues to better understand human perineal tears during delivery.

Introduction: Data concerning the mechanical properties of the perineum during delivery are very limited. In vivo experiments raise ethical issues. The aim of the study was to describe some of the biomechanical properties of each perineal tissue layer collected from sows in order to better understand perineal tears during childbirth.

LiNbO Thin Films through a Sol-Gel/Spin-Coating Approach Using a Novel Heterobimetallic Lithium-Niobium Precursor.

Lithium niobate is a lead-free material which has attracted considerable attention due to its excellent optical, piezoelectric, and ferroelectric properties. This research is devoted to the synthesis through an innovative sol-gel/spin-coating approach of polycrystalline LiNbO films on Si substrates. A novel single-source hetero-bimetallic precursor containing lithium and niobium was synthesized and applied to the sol-gel synthesis.