Super-high (x400) magnification dermoscopy (D400) is a new non-invasive imaging technique that has been shown to add information for the differential diagnosis of melanocytic lesions in a pilot study. Our study aimed to confirm if D400 can add details for the discrimination of clinically atypical nevus and melanoma. This is a retrospective observational, multicentric study enrolling patients who received an x20 (D20) and x400 (D400) magnification dermoscopic examination of pigmented skin lesions. Dermoscopic images were retrospectively evaluated by three observers for the presence/absence of nine D20 and twenty D400 dermoscopic features defined in the previous pilot study. Univariate and multivariate analyses were carried out to find predictors of benign and malignant behaviors. At D20 atypical pigment network, blue-whitish veil, atypical vascular pattern, regression, and homogenous pattern were more frequent in melanoma than in nevi (p<0.001). At D400 melanoma showed more frequently than benign lesions melanocytes with an irregular arrangement and irregular in shape and size (p<0.001). Network with edged papillae was more frequent in benign lesions than melanomas (p<0.001). Our study confirms that D400 can identify melanocytes with an irregular arrangement and irregular in shape and size in melanomas, adding information to the conventional D20 examination.

Magnetomotive ultrasound (MMUS) is a promising imaging modality for detecting magnetic nanoparticles. In MMUS, an external oscillating magnetic field induces motion of the injected magnetic nanoparticles within tissue, and phase-based tracking algorithms are used to detect the motion. However, the subwavelength scale of theses displacements (often a few micrometers) makes direct visualization on conventional ultrasound B-mode images impossible. In this work, we adapt the Eulerian motion magnification technique to create a novel ultrasound display mode for identifying the nanoparticle locations, eliminating the need for displacement tracking algorithms. Phantom and in-vivo experiments demonstrate that our technique successfully magnifies magnetomotion and the associated shear wave propagation in ultrasound B-mode imaging and pinpoints the nanoparticle vibration source, even in low-concentration scenarios. Additionally, motion magnification magnified the displacement of nanoparticles, having the potential to improve the localization accuracy of displacement tracking algorithms in MMUS.

Mercury toxicity significantly threatens aquatic ecosystems, particularly impacting fish populations and human well-being. This article exposes the effects of mercury contamination on aquatic life and their habitats. Mercury primarily originates from natural degassing and anthropogenic activities and accumulates in aquatic organisms, most notably in predatory fish, through bio-accumulation and bio-magnification. This bio-accumulation, driven by microbial transformation to methyl-mercury, leads to elevated concentrations in top-level predators. The consequences of mercury exposure on fish physiology are stunted growth, reproductive impairments, and compromised immunity, with potential ramifications for population dynamics and ecosystem resilience. This study delves into specific impacts of mercury on fish, ranging from bone deformities to liver damage, developmental anomalies, neurotoxic effects, and disruptions in reproductive systems. The interplay between ecological, physiological, and human health effects underscores the need for a comprehensive understanding of mercury's underlying mechanisms. Monitoring mercury levels in aquatic systems emerges as a crucial strategy for ensuring fish populations' health and ecosystems' sustainability. Urgent collaborative efforts are imperative to address this global concern, promote harmonious coexistence between human activities and aquatic environments, and secure the availability of safe and nutritious fish for future generations. In conclusion, this article highlights the urgent necessity for targeted interventions and informed decision-making to mitigate the influence of mercury contamination on aquatic ecosystems.

Discovered as an apparent pattern, a universal relation between geometry and information called the holographic principle has yet to be explained. This relation is unfolded in the present paper. As it is demonstrated there, the origin of the holographic principle lies in the fact that a geometry of physical space has only a finite number of points. Furthermore, it is shown that the puzzlement of the holographic principle can be explained by a magnification of grid cells used to discretize geometrical magnitudes such as areas and volumes into sets of points. To wit, when grid cells of the Planck scale are projected from the surface of the observable universe into its interior, they become enlarged. For that reason, the space inside the observable universe is described by the set of points whose cardinality is equal to the number of points that constitute the universe’s surface.

The objective of this research is to develop an experimental-theoretical analysis about the influence of the cooling medium and the geometry of the welding bead profile in fatigue life and associated parameters with structural integrity of welded joints. A welded joint with cruciform geometry is considered using SMAW, plates in structural steel ASTM A36 HR of 8 mm of thickness and E6013 electrode input. A three-dimensional computational model of the cruciform joint was created using the finite element method. For this model, the surface undulation of the cord and differentiation in the mechanical properties of the fusion zone were considered, the heat-affected zone (HAZ) and base material, respectively. In addition, an initial residual stress field which was established experimentally was considered. The results were a set of analytical expressions for the weld magnification factor Mk. It was found that values for the latter decrease markedly in function of the intensity of the cooling medium used in the post welding cooling phase, mainly due to the effect of the residual compressive stresses. The obtained models of behavior of the weld magnification factor are compared with the results from other researchers with some small differences, mainly due to the inclusion of the cooling effect of the post weld and the variation of the leg of the weld bead. The obtained analytical equations in the present research for Mk can be used in management models of life and structural integrity for this type of welded joint.

This paper introduces the improvements in the natural frequency based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) by applying bio-inspired optimization methods and the vision-based monitoring system for the effective damage detection. This paper proposes a natural frequency extraction method using the motion magnification based vision monitoring system with bio-inspired optimization techniques to estimate the damage location and depth in a cantilever beam. The proposed optimization techniques are inspired by natural processes and biological evolution including Genetic Algorithms, Particle Swarm Optimization, Sea Lion Optimization, and Coral Reefs Optimization. To verify the performances of each bio-inspired optimization methods, the eigenvalues of a two-bay truss structure are used for estimating the damaged elements. Then, using the proposed video motion magnification method, the natural frequency for each of undamaged and damaged cantilever beam have been extracted and compared with the LDV sensor to verify the proposed vision-based monitoring system. The performance of each bio-inspired optimizer for the damage detection has been compared. As a result, Coral Reefs Optimization has showed the lowest average error, around 1%, in the damage detection using natural frequency.