In this study, the gamma and X-ray radiation attenuation properties of B4C-TiB2 reference ceramics and those reinforced with 1, 2, and 3 vol% graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) were systematically investigated. The composites were fabricated via Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS), enabling rapid densification and controlled microstructural evolution. B4C is known for its strong thermal neutron absorption due to its high 10B content. In addition, it contributes to gamma radiation attenuation through photon absorption and scattering interactions. The incorporation of TiB2 and GNPs into B4C enhances the composite density thereby increasing the photon interaction probability and improving the overall gamma shielding performance. Radiation attenuation measurements of the composites were conducted using 0.356 MeV (133Ba), 0.662 MeV (137Cs), and 1.173 MeV (60Co) sources, and diagnostic X-ray sources (50-110 kVp). Gamma and X-ray attenuation coefficients were independently calculated through MCNP6.2 Monte Carlo simulations to validate the experimental results. The close agreement between simulated and measured values demonstrates the reliability of the computational methodology and its consistency with established theoretical models of photon interaction cross sections. This consistency further supports the applicability of the approach for accurate evaluation and comparative analysis of photon attenuation performance in composite materials. In this study, key photon interaction parameters including the half value layer (HVL), tenth value layer (TVL), mean free path (MFP), effective atomic number (Zeff), and effective electron density (Neff) were computed. The results indicate that these parameters are significantly dependent on both the photon energy and the chemical composition of the examined composites. Both MCNP and experimental results show that the B4C-TiB2-GNP composites have linear attenuation coefficients (μ) ranging from 0.1468 to 0.2498 cm−1, with the sample with 1 vol% GNP (BT1G) exhibits the highest performance, reaching 0.2498 cm−1 for 133Ba. The results reveal that among all investigated samples, the BT1G composite exhibits the highest shielding efficiency in radiation conditions. GNP-reinforced B4C-TiB2 composites, may serve as a potential alternative to reduce the use of lead in gamma radiation protection.
The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing daily worldwide. DM patients suffer from numerous complications, including the development of chronic wounds that can lead to amputation. These complications necessitate innovative approaches. As part of these innovative approaches, this study synthesized four chalcone derivatives and evaluated their activities in an in vitro diabetic wound model. Several spectroscopic techniques, including 1 H and 13 C NMR and HR-MS, were used to confirm the structures of the newly synthesized compounds. After investigating the inhibition of α-glucosidase in HDF-1 cells treated with D-glucose (50 mM), MTT tests and scratch tests were performed. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), total antioxidant status (TAS), and procollagen type-1 were analyzed using an ELISA kit. Additionally, proliferation (Ki67), inflammatory (Nuclear factor kappa B; NFκB), and growth factor (Platelet-derived growth factor subunit A; PDGFA) markers in fibroblasts were assessed by immunohistochemistry. All compounds exhibited strong α-glucosidase inhibitory activity, with IC₅₀ values ranging from 1.115 to 1.612 µg/mL. Cytotoxicity analysis demonstrated that all compounds were biocompatible, maintaining over 85
Accurately extracting urban impervious surfaces (UIS) from satellite imagery is essential for assessing environmental impacts and supporting sustainable urban planning. This study presents the Multi-Index Impervious Surface (MIIS) index, a proposed method for effectively extracting UIS from PlanetScope and similar satellite imagery with limited spectral bands. By integrating multiple spectral indices through Principal Component Analysis (PCA), the MIIS index enhances the spectral separability of impervious surfaces, which is subsequently evaluated using a consistent Random Forest (RF) classification framework. The method was rigorously evaluated across diverse urban areas, demonstrating robustness and wide applicability. MIIS consistently outperformed traditional indices and classification algorithms, achieving the highest classification accuracy and Kappa coefficients, with overall accuracy (OA) reaching 0.94, exceeding that of the standalone RF classifier. Statistical significance was confirmed using the McNemar test (p < 0.05). Application of the method to Sentinel-2 satellite imagery further demonstrated the applicability of MIIS to other freely available sensors with visible and NIR bands. Separability analysis confirmed MIIS’s superior ability to distinguish various land cover types. These results highlight the MIIS method’s interpretability, applicability across sensors, and minimal training data requirements. These features make it a robust and scalable tool for operational urban monitoring and environmental management worldwide.
LuFeO3 (LFO) is a perovskite oxide with promise for optical and electroceramic applications. In the present study, LFO and Co-substituted compositions (LFO, LuFe0.95Co0.05O3, and LuFe0.90Co0.10O3) were synthesized by a conventional solid-state route and characterized by SEM, Raman spectroscopy, diffuse reflectance, and broadband dielectric/impedance measurements. Co substitution alters the powder microstructure, yielding more irregular agglomerates composed of finer sub-units than undoped LFO. Dielectric spectra showed that the loss tangent (tanδ), the dissipation factor, of investigated samples was below 1 over the studied temperature–frequency window. It was seen that Co substitution decreased dielectric loss in the mid-to-high frequency region but raised low-frequency loss at advanced temperatures. The real part of impedance Z^' declined with both temperature and frequency, and Nyquist plots displayed depressed arcs, indicating non-Debye behavior with distributed grain and grain-boundary contributions. Arrhenius analysis of relaxation maxima yielded activation energies of ∼ 0.32–0.76 eV, consistent with oxygen-vacancy energies. Raman spectra revealed Co-induced lattice perturbations, including mode broadening/attenuation and red-shifts in the 200–600 cm− 1 range, together with a strengthened stretching feature near 600–650 cm− 1. Kubelka–Munk analysis was utilized to determine the band gaps of the studied samples, 2.19 eV (LFO), 2.29 eV (5
This study examines in detail morphological, anatomical, micromorphological, molecular, and phytochemical features of endemic Bupleurum anatolicum and Bupleurum euboeum, of six different Turkish populations. The morphological characters were quantitatively measured and compared with Flora of Turkey, and anatomical root, stem, and leaf features were examined by light microscopy. Pollen and fruit surface were examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), where critical micromorphological differences were noticed: B. anatolicum pollen was perprolate (P/E = 2.18 µm) with psilate ornamentation, whereas B. euboeum pollen was prolate (P/E = 1.45 µm) with identical surface texture. Essential oils, collected by microdistillation and GC/MS-analyzed, separated undecane (42.8
