Browse Articles

Tomato ripeness and stem recognition based on improved YOLOX

Abstract To address the challenges of unbalanced class labels with varying maturity levels of tomato fruits and low recognition accuracy for both fruits and stems in intelligent harvesting, we propose the YOLOX-SE-GIoU model for identifying tomato fruit maturity and stems. The SE focus module was incorporated into YOLOX to improve the identification accuracy, addressing the imbalance in the number of tomato fruits and stems. Additionally, we optimized the loss function to GIoU loss to minimize discrepancies across different scales of fruits and stems. The mean average precision (mAP) of the improved YOLOX-SE-GIoU model reaches 92.17%. Compared to YOLOv4, YOLOv5, YOLOv7, and YOLOX models, the improved model shows an improvement of 1.17–22.21%. The average precision (AP) for unbalanced semi-ripe tomatoes increased by 1.68–26.66%, while the AP for stems increased by 3.78–45.03%. Experimental results demonstrate that the YOLOX-SE-GIoU model exhibits superior overall recognition performance for unbalanced and scale-variant samples compared to the original model and other models in the same series. It effectively reduces false and missed detections during tomato harvesting, improving the identification accuracy of tomato fruits and stems. The findings of this work provide a technical foundation for developing advanced fruit harvesting techniques.

Reply to Lockhart et al.: Advancing the understanding of sex differences in functional brain organization with innovative AI tools

Association of homocysteine and uric acid with type 2 diabetes mellitus: a case-control study

Not so binary or generalizable: Brain sex differences with artificial neural networks

Investigating slope stability of multiple stopes prone to instability in the Ziluoyi iron ore mining site

Author Correction: Mechanical properties and damage characterization of cracked granite after cyclic temperature action

Improved YOLOv8n based helmet wearing inspection method

DNA barcoding of invasive Gambusia holbrooki Girard, 1859 and Atherina boyeri Risso, 1810 inhabiting Upper Euphrates River Basin, Türkiye

Phylogeographic analyses reveal recent dispersal and multiple Wolbachia infections of the bright-eyed ringlet Erebia oeme within the European mountain systems

Abstract The genus Erebia comprises numerous species in Europe. Due to preference of cold environments, most species have disjunct distributions in the European mountain systems. However, their biogeographical patterns may differ significantly. The Bright-eyed ringlet Erebia oeme is widespread in high-altitude grasslands of the European high mountains, hence showing a disjunct distribution pattern. Over its distribution, E. oeme shows high morphological variability indicating pronounced intraspecific differentiation. We analysed two mitochondrial (COI, Cytb) and eight nuclear markers as well as the Wolbachia surface protein-coding gene (WSP). A total of four lineages were identified: two Balkan lineages, one Slovenian lineage as well as one lineage containing all other individuals (Alps, Massif Central, Pyrenees). COI data only indicate a fifth lineage in the southern Carpathians. The region of origin of E. oeme is most likely the western Balkans. From here, E. oeme spread to the eastern Balkan area and further to the southern Carpathians as well as to Slovenia, from where it rapidly crossed the Alps to Massif Central and Pyrenees. Wolbachia was found to be highly prevalent with multiple strains, partly within one population. However, recent Wolbachia impact on the mitochondrial DNA and consequently influence on the intraspecific genetic structure was not detected.

Workflow-driven catalytic modulation from single-atom catalysts to Au–alloy clusters on graphene

Abstract Gold-based (Au) nanostructures are efficient catalysts for CO oxidation, hydrogen evolution (HER), and oxygen evolution (OER) reactions, but stabilizing them on graphene (Gr) is challenging due to weak affinity from delocalized $$p_{z}$$ carbon orbitals. This study investigates forming metal alloys to enhance stability and catalytic performance of Au-based nanocatalysts. Using ab initio density functional theory, we characterize $${\text {M}_{(n-x)}\text {Au}_{x}}$$ sub-nanoclusters (M = Ni, Pd, Pt, Cu, and Ag) with atomicities $$n=1-4$$ , both in gas-phase and supported on Gr. We find that M atoms act as “anchors,” enhancing binding to Gr and modulating catalytic efficiency. Notably, $${\text {Pt}_{(n-x)}\text {Au}_{x}}$$ /Gr shows improved stability, with segregation tendencies mitigated upon adsorption on Gr. The d-band center ( $$\varepsilon _{\text {d}}$$ ) model indicates catalytic potential, correlating an optimal $$\varepsilon _{\text {d}}$$ range of $$-1 \text { to }-2$$ eV for HER and OER catalysts. Incorporating Au into $${\text{M}_n}$$ adjusts $$\varepsilon _{\text {d}}$$ closer to the Fermi level, especially for Group-10 alloys, offering designs with improved stability and efficiency comparable to pure Au nanocatalysts. Our methodology leveraged SimStack, a workflow framework enabling modeling and analysis, enhancing reproducibility, and accelerating discovery. This work demonstrates SimStack’s pivotal role in advancing the understanding of composition-dependent stability and catalytic properties of Au-alloy clusters, providing a systematic approach to optimize metal-support interactions in catalytic applications.

Expression and characterization of exosomal miRNAs in healthy, sub-clinical mastitis and pasteurized milk of buffaloes

IoT-based prediction model for aquaponic fish pond water quality using multiscale feature fusion with convolutional autoencoder and GRU networks

Systemic inflammatory response index improves prognostic predictive value in intensive care unit patients with sepsis

Targeted dual biologic therapy for erythroderma of unknown etiology guided by high-parameter peripheral blood immunophenotyping

Author Correction: 3D hydrogen-like screening effect on excitons in hBN-encapsulated monolayer transition metal dichalcogenides

Liquid flows induced in a rotating drum with different fill ratios

Abstract In the present study, we experimentally investigate the liquid flow induced in a rotating drum (cylindrical tank with a short aspect ratio) aligned horizontally, focusing on the variation in the time-averaged and fluctuating flow structures with different fill ratios. For each fill ratio, controlled by varying the water height, we measure the velocity fields at different cross-sectional planes with particle image velocimetry while varying the rotational speed of the drum. Compared to the condition of a fill ratio of 1.0, in which the liquid inside the drum rotates forming a large-scale (solid-body rotation) organized flow structure, a substantial asymmetric flow structure shows up in partially-filled conditions driven by the imbalance between (i) the momentum diffusion along the radial direction and the centrifugal acceleration, and (ii) the downward (gravitational) flux of the induced flow. In addition to the mean flow structure, we examine the fluctuating velocity fields together with the dynamics of the free surface, and we also briefly discuss the difference between the liquid flow and granular (particle) flow in a partially-filled drum. We think that the present results provide valuable insights on the partially-filled liquid drum toward various engineering applications.

Retraction Note: Thermal cooling efficacy of a solar water pump using Oldroyd-B (aluminum alloy-titanium alloy/engine oil) hybrid nanofluid by applying new version for the model of Buongiorno

Assessment of mechanical properties and durability of compressed mud bricks stabilized with stone dust, wheat straw, and cement

The interaction of <i>Serratia</i> bacteria and harmonine in harlequin ladybird confers an interspecies competitive edge

The harlequin ladybird, Harmonia axyridis , is a predatory beetle used globally to control pests such as aphids and scale insects. Originating from East Asia, this species has become highly invasive since its introduction in the late 19th century to Europe and North America, posing a threat to local biodiversity. Intraguild predation is hypothesized to drive the success of this invasive species, but the underlying mechanisms remain unknown. In this study, a feeding assay revealed that while harlequin ladybirds survive feeding on seven-spotted ladybird eggs, the reverse is not true. However, seven-spotted ladybirds that had fed on harlequin ladybird eggs were able to survive the feeding assay when treated with penicillin. Microbiome sequencing and whole genome analysis of harlequin ladybird eggs revealed a newly discovered pathogenic bacterium strain named Serratia harmoniae. The median lethal concentration (LC50) of S. harmoniae was found to be 2.1 × 10 5 times higher in the harlequin ladybird compared to the seven-spotted ladybird. The high tolerance observed in harlequin ladybirds was attributed to harmonine, specifically produced in the fat body of this species. Silencing three key genes in the harmonine biosynthesis pathway— Spidey , Sca2 , and Desat— reduced the production of the compound, leading to increased S. harmoniae levels and higher mortality. Treating RNAi-altered individuals with penicillin reversed this effect, successfully reducing S. harmoniae presence and increasing insect survival. Taken together, these findings demonstrate that S. harmoniae , a newly identified pathogenic bacterium carried by harlequin ladybirds, interacts with harmonine to confer an interspecies competitive advantage over native ladybird species in nonnative regions.

Dynamic treeline and cryosphere response to pronounced mid-Holocene climatic variability in the US Rocky Mountains

Climate-driven changes in high-elevation forest distribution and reductions in snow and ice cover have major implications for ecosystems and global water security. In the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem of the Rocky Mountains (United States), recent melting of a high-elevation (3,091 m asl) ice patch exposed a mature stand of whitebark pine ( Pinus albicaulis ) trees, located ~180 m in elevation above modern treeline, that date to the mid-Holocene (c. 5,950 to 5,440 cal y BP). Here, we used this subfossil wood record to develop tree-ring-based temperature estimates for the upper-elevation climate conditions that resulted in ancient forest establishment and growth and the subsequent regional ice-patch growth and downslope shift of treeline. Results suggest that mid-Holocene forest establishment and growth occurred under warm-season (May-Oct) mean temperatures of 6.2 °C (±0.2 °C), until a multicentury cooling anomaly suppressed temperatures below 5.8 °C, resulting in stand mortality by c. 5,440 y BP. Transient climate model simulations indicate that regional cooling was driven by changes in summer insolation and Northern Hemisphere volcanism. The initial cooling event was followed centuries later (c. 5,100 y BP) by sustained Icelandic volcanic eruptions that forced a centennial-scale 1.0 °C summer cooling anomaly and led to rapid ice-patch growth and preservation of the trees. With recent warming (c. 2000–2020 CE), warm-season temperatures now equal and will soon exceed those of the mid-Holocene period of high treeline. It is likely that perennial ice cover will again disappear from the region, and treeline may expand upslope so long as plant-available moisture and disturbance are not limiting.