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Brown planthopper (BPH), Nilaparvata lugens (Stal 1854) is a destructive insect pest causing severe yield loss every year in rice (Oryza sativa L.) crop. An experiment was conducted during during kharif (rainy) seasons of 2021 and 2022 at the research farm of ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi to study the effect of transplanting time and crop phenology on brown planthopper (BPH) incidence and spider population in rice. BPH and spider populations were recorded at different phenological stages in early, normal and late transplanted rice. Results showed that a significantly higher mean BPH population was observed in late transplanting in 2021 [54.00±5.31 per hill (nymphs and adults)] and 2022 (40.40±2.62 per hill) compared to normal and early tranplanting. Peak BPH population was observed at the heading (225.60±18.83 per hill) and milking stage (131.00±8.30 per hill) of late transplanted rice in 2021 and 2022, respectively. Likewise, more mean spider population was observed in late transplanting [1.87±0.11 per hill (adults) in 2021 and 2.38±0.08 per hill in 2022]. Two-way ANOVA showed a statistically significant interaction between transplanting time and crop phenology with regard to BPH incidence and spider population in both the years. The highest grain yield was recorded in early transplanted rice (36.08±0.75 q/ha; 35.06±0.49 q/ha) followed by normal (27.53±0.80 q/ha; 28.22±0.75 q/ha) and late transplanted rice crop (17.43±0.82 q/ha; 19.37±0.67 q/ha) respectively during two years. The early transplanted rice crop escaped the peak BPH incidence resulted in increased grain yield. The study demonstrated that both transplanting time and crop phenology influenced the BPH and spider populations.

Cardiac perfusion PET is increasingly used to assess ischemia and cardiovascular risk and can also provide quantitative myocardial blood flow (MBF) and flow reserve (MBFR) values. These have been shown to be prognostic biomarkers of adverse outcomes, yet MBF and MBFR quantification remains underutilized in clinical settings. We compare MBFR to traditional cardiovascular risk factors in a large and diverse clinical population (60% African-American, 35.3% Caucasian) to rank its relative contribution to cardiovascular outcomes. Major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), including unstable angina, non-ST and ST-elevation myocardial infarction, stroke, and death, were assessed for consecutive patients who underwent rest-dipyridamole stress 82Rb PET cardiac imaging from 2012-2015 at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania (n = 1283, mean follow-up 2.3 years). Resting MBF (1.1 ± 0.4 ml/min/g) was associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes. MBFR (2.1 ± 0.8) was independently and inversely associated with MACE. Furthermore, MBFR was more strongly associated with MACE than both traditional cardiovascular risk factors and the presence of perfusion defects in regression analysis. Decision tree analysis identified MBFR as superior to established cardiovascular risk factors in predicting outcomes. Incorporating resting MBF and MBFR in CAD assessment may improve clinical decision making.

The fabrication of metamaterials with inspiration from nature paved the door for the creation of revolutionary passive and active devices. Butterfly wings are one of them, and their multilayered structure motivated nanotechnologists, physicists, and other optoelectronic and photonic engineers to develop photonic crystals, dielectric reflectors, and Bragg reflectors for use in visible light communication, solar cells, and other photonic and optoelectronic applications. We report the sol–gel spin coating of a dielectric reflector on the glass substrate, an optical passive component consisting of titania and silica thin films for infrared radiation reflection. Individual thin films of titania and silica on glass substrates were studied using an x-ray diffractometer, which indicated anatase of titania and the amorphous nature of silica at a Bragg angle of 25° with a sharp and wide peak, respectively. The multilayer structure of titania/silica/titania was further investigated using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, which revealed the presence of Ti–O–Ti and Si–O–Si vibrational bonds at wavenumbers 546 and 973 cm−1, respectively, as well as the presence of Ti–O–Si vibrational bond at 1100 cm−1. The thickness of the multilayer titania/silica/titania was measured using a cross-sectional field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and found to be 160/240/160 nm, respectively. Finally, reflection investigation on the multilayer structure using ultraviolet–visible–near-infrared spectroscopy validated the reflection of the infrared spectrum area by around 70% and showed to be beneficial for temperature shielding applications on glass furnishings.

Background and Objectives: Vertical rhythmic dyskinetic movements that are primarily drug-induced and affect solely the jaw, mouth, and lips without involving the tongue have been historically described as “rabbit” syndrome (RS). Evidence on the unique features and implications of this disorder remains limited. This literature review aims to evaluate the clinical–epidemiological profile, pathological mechanisms, and management of this movement disorder. Materials and Methods: Two reviewers identified and assessed relevant reports in six databases without language restriction published between 1972 and 2024. Results: A total of 85 articles containing 146 cases of RS were found. The mean frequency of RS among adults in psychiatric hospitals was 1.2% (range 0–4.4%). The mean age of affected patients was 49.2 (SD: 17.5), and 63.6% were females. Schizophrenia was the most frequent comorbidity found in 47.6%, followed by bipolar disorder (17.8%), major depressive disorder (10.3%), and obsessive–compulsive disorder (3.7%). Five cases were idiopathic. The most common medications associated with RS were haloperidol (17%), risperidone (14%), aripiprazole (7%), trifluoperazine (5%), and sulpiride (5%). The mean duration of pharmacotherapy before RS was 21.4 weeks (SD: 20.6). RS occurred in association with drug-induced parkinsonism (DIP) in 27.4% and with tardive dyskinesia (TD) in 8.2% of cases. Antipsychotic modification and/or anticholinergic drugs resulted in full or partial recovery in nearly all reported cases in which they were prescribed. Conclusions: RS occurs as a distinct drug-induced syndrome associated primarily but not exclusively with antipsychotics. Distinguishing RS from TD is important because the treatment options for the two disorders are quite different. By contrast, RS may be part of a spectrum of symptoms of DIP with similar course, treatment outcomes, and pathophysiology.

The presence of visible and infrared (IR) radiations available from solar radiation causes the temperature in the atmosphere to rise. Because of the temperature disparity, glass-walled buildings typically utilize air conditioners, increasing the generation of green-house gases in the environment. As a result, the application of reflection coating is required to safeguard the environment and limit the danger of greenhouse emissions. We present here the fabrication of a thermal insulating coating utilizing a multilayer TiO2/SiO2 structure that can reflect visible and infrared light with fewer layers of the aforementioned combination. X-ray diffraction was used to examine the as-fabricated structure on the glass substrate and found the anatase phase of TiO2 with the strongest peak at Bragg angle 25O. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to investigate the presence of TiO2 and SiO2 functional linkages, which were found at 904 cm−1, and 763 cm−1 wavenumbers respectively. Cross-sectional field emission scanning electron microscopy examinations on the fabricated five-layer (TiO2/SiO2/TiO2/SiO2/TiO2) multilayer structure revealed the presence of TiO2 and SiO2 with thicknesses calculated around 186/300/273/218/131 nm respectively. Furthermore, reflectance analysis on the as-fabricated multilayer structure demonstrated 90 % reflectance in the infrared spectral region, and 100 % in the visible region. As a result, developed coatings for glass furnishings were advised in order to not only deflect visible and infrared radiations from the sun spectrum and keep indoor temperatures cool without the use of air conditioners, but also to act as visible light communication boosters.

Asterixis is a subtype of negative myoclonus characterized by brief, arrhythmic lapses of sustained posture due to involuntary pauses in muscle contraction. We performed a narrative review to characterize further asterixis regarding nomenclature, historical aspects, etiology, pathophysiology, classification, diagnosis, and treatment. Asterixis has been classically used as a synonym for negative myoclonus across the literature and in previous articles. However, it is important to distinguish asterixis from other subtypes of negative myoclonus, for example, epileptic negative myoclonus, because management could change. Asterixis is not specific to any pathophysiological process, but it is more commonly reported in hepatic encephalopathy, renal and respiratory failure, cerebrovascular diseases, as well as associated with drugs that could potentially lead to hyperammonemia, such as valproic acid, carbamazepine, and phenytoin. Asterixis is usually asymptomatic and not spontaneously reported by patients. This highlights the importance of actively searching for this sign in the physical exam of encephalopathic patients because it could indicate an underlying toxic or metabolic cause. Asterixis is usually reversible upon treatment of the underlying cause.

A new scheme is proposed for fusing multisensor images in which one image is regarded as the main image and the other the complementary, based on the evaluation of certain characteristics in the images. In effect, the scheme is used to fuse an image pair in which one image is superior to the other for interpretation in terms of higher resolution, better image quality, or having more recognizable features. Feature information is based on local statistical characteristics, which are extracted using the analysis of variance (ANOVA) method [21], in the framework of experimental designs. In effect, feature information from one image is used to influence the corresponding pixel values of the other image. The fused image leads to a better human and/or machine interpretation of the area of interest in the images. Index Terms--ANOVA for edge detection, feature-based data fusion, image fusion.

For active contour modeling (ACM), we propose a novel self-organizing map (SOM)-based approach, called the batch-SOM (BSOM), that attempts to integrate the advantages of SOM- and snake-based ACMs in order to extract the desired contours from images. We employ feature points, in the form of an edge-map (as obtained from a standard edge-detection operation), to guide the contour (as in the case of SOM-based ACMs) along with the gradient and intensity variations in a local region to ensure that the contour does not "leak" into the object boundary in case of faulty feature points (weak or broken edges). In contrast with the snake-based ACMs, however, we do not use an explicit energy functional (based on gradient or intensity) for controlling the contour movement. We extend the BSOM to handle extraction of contours of multiple objects, by splitting a single contour into as many subcontours as the objects in the image. The BSOM and its extended version are tested on synthetic binary and gray-level images with both single and multiple objects. We also demonstrate the efficacy of the BSOM on images of objects having both convex and nonconvex boundaries. The results demonstrate the superiority of the BSOM over others. Finally, we analyze the limitations of the BSOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modification of the linear quadtree [3], the threaded linear hierarchical quadtree (TLHQT), is proposed for the computation of geometric properties of binary images. Since most of the algorithms used in connection with computation of geometric properties require frequent exploration of adjacencies, a structure which keeps permanently in memory some adjacency links is introduced. In this paper, we present some results obtained by using the TLHQT for labeling connected components, evaluating perimeter and Euler's number in a quadtree environment. The algorithms for computing perimeter and Euler number and the first phase of the labeling algorithm are shown to have time complexity O(B), where B is the number of black nodes of the quadtree. The authors determine the adjacency links at the very beginning—namely, when the binary image is mapped from raster scan to the quadtree. Pixel adjacency is, in fact, available during row scanning, and node's adjacency is easy to evaluate locally when performing condensation of nodes into larger quadrants and also while merging partial quadtrees. Although the structure requires space nearly four times as much as the linear quadtree, the requirement is roughly half that for the pointer-based quadtree. Also it appears that for computing geometric properties, the TLHQT offers execution timings better than those obtained by both the linear and pointer-based quadtrees and the graph structure reported in [16]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]