An approach based on the OpenFOAM library has been developed to solve a high-speed, multicomponent mixture of a reacting, compressible flow. This work presents comprehensive validation of the newly developed solver called compressibleCentralReactingFoam with different supersonic flows, including shocks, expansion waves, and turbulence-combustion interaction. The comparisons of the simulation results with experimental and computational data confirm the fidelity of this solver for problems involving multicomponent high-speed reactive flows. The gas dynamics of turbulence-chemistry interaction are modeled using a partially-stirred reactor formulation and provide promising results to better understand the complex physics involved in supersonic combustors. A time-scale analysis based on local Damköhler numbers reveals different regimes of turbulent combustion. In the core of the jet flow, the Damköhler number is relatively high indicating that the reaction time scale is smaller than the turbulent mixing time scale. This means that the combustion is controlled by turbulent mixing. In the shear layer, where the heat release rate and the scalar dissipation rate have the highest value, the flame is stabilized due to finite rate chemistry with small Damköhler numbers and a high fraction of fine structure. This solver allows three-dimensional gas dynamic simulation of high-speed multicomponent reactive flows relevant to practical combustion applications.

: Cardiac surgery (CS) with extracorporeal circulation (ECC), induces oxidative stress and systemic inflammatory response, which may seriously affect postoperative lung function. We aimed to test if high parenteral (200mg/kg/24h) perioperative (48h) doses of Vitamin C (VitC) may reduce the incidence and severity of postoperative pulmonary complications (PPC) in selected CS patients. Single centered, prospective, randomized, single-blinded, interventional study included 150 patients, assigned to control group A (n=75) and interventional group B (n=75). Group B intraoperatively received 1/4 of the planned daily Vit C dose (200mg/kg/24h), diluted in 10 ml of normal saline, divided into three parts, while Group A received an equal volume of normal saline at the same time frames. After 6 h from the first intraoperative dose, the following regimen was applied: Group B: 200 mg/kg/24h - 30 min i.v. infusion of VitC in 50 ml of normal saline, every 6h, for the next 48h, and Group A: 30 min i.v. infusion of an equal volume of normal saline every 6 hours, for the next 48h. Modified Kroenke’s score was used to determine the incidence and severity of PPC. The overall incidence of PPC was 36.7% and was significantly lower in Group B (13.3% v.s. 60.0%, p<0.001). The severity of PPC was also significantly lower in Group B [1(1) v.s. 3(2), p<0.001]. Besides, patients from Group B had significantly less damaged lungs and better postoperative renal function, shorter ICU stay, fewer ICU re-admissions, and lower hospital mortality. High parenteral daily VitC doses (200mg/kg/24h) given to selected CS patients for 48h after CS are safe and effective in reducing the incidence and severity of PPC. Further multicenter RCT is needed to confirm these results.

Eating Disorders (ED) constitute a serious public health issue affecting predominantly women and appearing typically in adolescence or early adulthood. EDs are extremely difficult to treat as these disorders are ego-syntonic and many patients do not seek treatment. It is vital to focus on the development of successful early-intervention programs for individuals presenting at-risk and are on a trajectory towards developing EDs. This study is a randomized controlled trial evalu-ating an innovative digital gamified Acceptance and Commitment early-intervention program (AcceptME) for young females showing signs and symptoms of an ED and at high-risk for an ED. Participants (N=92; Mage=15.30 years, SD=2.15) received either AcceptME (N=62) or a waitlist control (N=30). Analyses indicated that the AcceptME program effectively reduced weight and shape concerns, with large effects when compared to waitlist controls. Most participants scored below the at-risk cut-off (WCS score<52) in the AcceptME at end-of-intervention (57.1%) com-pared to controls (7.1%) with odds of falling into the at-risk group being 14.5 times higher for participants in the control group. At follow-up, 72% of completers reported scores below the at-risk cut-off in the AcceptME group. The intervention also resulted in a decrease in ED symp-tomatology and increased body image flexibility. Overall, results suggest that the AcceptME program holds promise for early-intervention of young women at-risk for developing an ED.

The high-quality development of urban-rural integration is a vital component of China's economy, serving as a strategic response to the in-depth deployment of new urbanization and rural revitalization strategies. This integration is underscored by the promotion of entrepreneurship in agriculture, rural areas, and among farmers, which acts as a driver for fostering high-quality development in urban-rural areas through market competition. The resulting influx of resources and commodities with similar characteristics plays a crucial role in bridging the urban-rural divide. To maintain objectivity, it is important to adopt a balanced approach and refrain from using biased language. This study delves into the connotation and internal mechanism of the high-quality development of urban-rural integration, centering on the principle of 'quality'. Specifically, it examines the role of entrepreneurship in agriculture, rural areas, and among farmers, and evaluates its direct impact and transmission mechanism. The research employs balanced panel data from 41 cities in the Yangtze River Delta region spanning from 2003 to 2021. The findings reveal that entrepreneurship in agriculture, rural areas, and among farmers serves as a catalyst for promoting high-quality urban-rural development through the construction of a virtuous cycle, whereby resource factors and commodity services are exchanged. Moreover, this deep integration yields diverse effects across economic, spatial, demographic, social, and ecological domains, underscoring the necessity of continued support for entrepreneurship in agriculture, rural areas, and among farmers to facilitate a seamless urban-rural economic cycle and fully realize the benefits of high-quality development.

This study examines the effect of a corporate citizenship-oriented high performance work system (CC-oriented HPWS) and the interactive influence of CC-oriented HPWS and person-organization fit (PO fit) on creativity at the individual level. Our analysis of field data collected from 303 employees in two branch companies with a two-phase collection method provides empirical support for our theoretical model. The results indicate that high performance work system (HPWS) reflecting corporate citizenship (CC) correlates positively with individual creativity. In addition, the moderating effect of PO fit is significant in the relationship between CC-oriented HPWS and creativity at the individual level. On this basis, this paper discusses the theoretical and practical implications of these findings for future research.

Climate change is expected to increase the frequency and severity of abiotic stresses that lead to loss of crop yield. We investigated the effect of salinity (S), short episodes of high temperature (HS) and combination of S+HS at the reproductive phase on dead pericarps properties and yield of the crop plant Brassica juncea. Three intervals of HS resulted in massive seed abortion; seeds from salt-treated plants germinated poorly. Pericarp extracts of salt-treated plants reduced seed germination of B. juncea; all pericarp extracts completely inhibited seed germination of tomato and Arabidopsis; removal of pericarp extracts restored seed germination. HS reduced all metabolites accumulated in dead pericarps, except for upregulation of isomaltose and cellobiose. Salt induced alteration in metabolite levels including increase in proline, reduction in TCA intermediates and changes in phytohormone levels. Proteome analysis revealed hundreds of proteins stored in dead pericarps whose levels and composition were altered under salt stress. The integration of metabolic and proteomic data showed that changes in metabolites were highly correlated with changes in proteins involved in their biosynthetic pathways. Thus, besides providing a physical shield for seed/embryo protection dead pericarps store beneficial substances whose levels, composition and biological function are altered under stress, further highlighting the elaborated function of dead organs enclosing embryos in seed biology and ecology. The detrimental effect of HS on crop production might have implications for global food security in the face of climate change.

Carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP), noted for its outstanding properties including high specific strength and superior fatigue resistance, is increasingly employed in aerospace and other demanding applications. This study investigates the interactions between CFRP composites and high-energy lasers (HEL), with continuous wave laser powers reaching up to 120 kW. A novel automated sample exchange system, operated by a robotic arm, minimizes human exposure while enabling a sequence of targeted laser tests. High-speed imaging captures the rapid expansion of a plume consisting of hot gases and dust particles during the experiment. The research significantly advances empirical models by systematically examining the relationship between laser power, perforation times, and ablation rates. It demonstrates scalable predictions for the effects of high-energy laser radiation. Detailed examination of the damaged samples, both visually and via micro-focused computed X-ray tomography, offers insights into heat distribution and ablation dynamics, highlighting the anisotropic thermal properties of CFRP. Compression-after-impact (CAI) tests further assess the residual strength of the irradiated samples, enhancing the understanding of CFRP’s structural integrity post-irradiation. Collectively, these tests improve the knowledge of the thermal and mechanical behavior of CFRP under extreme irradiation conditions. The findings not only contribute to predictive modeling of CFRP's response to laser irradiation but also enhance the scalability of these models to higher laser powers, providing robust tools for predicting material behavior in high-performance settings.

Tefluthrin (Tef) is categorized as a type-I pyrethroid insecticide, telmisartan (Tel) functions as an angiotensin II receptor blocker, and KB-R7943 was identified as an inhibitor of Na+-Ca2+ exchange process. However, the influence of these compounds on the amplitude and gating properties of voltage-gated Na+ current (INa) in neurons associated with pain signaling remains unclear. In cultured dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons, whole-cell current recordings revealed that Tef or Tel increased the peak amplitude of INa, concomitant with an elevation in the time constant of INa inactivation, particularly in the slow component. Conversely, exposure to KB-R7943 resulted in a depression in INa, coupled with a decrease in the slow component of the inactivation time constant of INa. Theoretical simulations and bifurcation analyses were performed on a modeled interneuron in the spinal dorsal horn. The occurrence of INa inactivation accentuated the subthreshold oscillations (SO) in the membrane potential. With an increase in applied current, SO became more pronounced, accompanied by the emergence of high-frequency spiking (HF) with a frequency of approximately 150 Hz. Moreover, an elevation in INa conductance further intensified both SO and HF. Consequently, through experimental and in silico studies, this work reflects that Tef, Tel, or KB-R7943 significantly impacts the magnitude and gating properties of INa in neurons associated with pain signaling. The alterations in INa magnitude and gating in these neurons suggest a close relationship with pain transmission.

The main aim of this work is to present a step-by-step procedure to model and analyze the power loss distribution of three-level Gallium Nitride (GaN) inverters. It has been applied to three distinct three-phase three-levels voltage source inverters utilized in electric traction drives: Active Neutral Point Clamped, Neutral Point Clamped and T-Type Neutral Point Clamped. The proposed analytical power loss modelling, combined to an equivalent representation of the electrical machine demonstrated to be a viable solution to achieve a time-saving and low computational burden simulation platform, leading to satisfying accuracy results. This has been confirmed by comparing the results carried out from the simulations of a 110kW permanent magnet synchronous motor drive and those determined by considering a simplified circuital representation based on the proposed analytical power loss modelling.

Oxidative stress is one of the primary instigators of the onset of various human ailments, including cancers, cardiovascular diseases, and dementia. Particularly, oxidative stress has a severe effect on low-density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation, leading to several detrimental health effects. Thereof, in this study, the effect of beeswax alcohol (BWA) was evaluated to prevent LDL oxidation, enhancement of paraoxonase 1 (PON-1) activity of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and zebrafish embryo survivability. Furthermore, the implication of BWA consumption on the oxidative plasma variables was assessed by a preliminary clinical study on middle and older human subjects (n=50). Results support BWA augmentation of PON-1 activity in a dose-dependent manner (10-30 μM), which was significantly better them the effect exerted by coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10). Moreover, BWA significantly curtails CuSO4 (final 0.5 μM) evoked LDL/apo-B oxidation and a marked reduction of lipid peroxidation in LDL. The transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed a healing effect of BWA towards the restoration of LDL morphology and size impaired by the exposure of Cu2+ ions (final 0.5 μM). Additionally, BWA counter carboxymethyllysine (CML, 500 ng) induced toxicity and rescued zebrafish embryos from development deformities and apoptotic cell death. A completely randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled preliminary clinical study on middle and older-aged human subjects (n=50) exhibited that 12 weeks of BWA (100 mg/day) supplementation efficiently diminished serum malondialdehyde (MDA), total hydroperoxides, and enhanced total antioxidant status by 25%, 27%, and 22%, respectively, compared to the placebo control and baseline values. Furthermore, the consumption of BWA did not exhibit any noteworthy changes in anthropometric profile, lipid profile, glucose levels, and biomarkers pertinent to kidney and liver function, thus confirming the safety of BWA for consumption. Conclusively, BWA prevents LDL oxidation, enhances PON-1 activity in HDL, and has a positive impact on the oxidative variables of human subjects.

Insulin-like growth factor binding proteins (IGFBPs) are critical modulators of the metabolism. In adults, IGFBPs are associated with obesity and insulin resistance but the association of IGFBPs with metabolic homeostasis in children and adolescents is not fully characterized. In this study we investigated the association of plasma IGFBPs (IGFBP-1, 3 and 7) with weight status, central adiposity and cardiovascular disease markers Hs-CRP and Ox-LDL. A total of 420 adolescents (age 11-14 years) were randomly recruited from public middle schools in Kuwait. IGFBPs were measured using bead-based multiplexing while Hs-CRP and Ox-LDL were measured using ELISA. IGFBP-1 levels were significantly lower in obese and overweight participants compared to normal weight children. Only IGFBP-1 was negatively associated with waist circumference to height (WC/Ht) ratio. IGFBP-1 was negatively correlated with Hs-CRP while IGFBP-3 and IGFBP-7 were negatively correlated with Ox-LDL. These data demonstrate a robust negative association of IGFBP-1, but not IGFBP-3 or -7, with overweight and obesity, and the inflammation marker Hs-CRP. Central adiposity (WC/Ht ratio) was a stronger predictor of IGFBP-1 than BMI-for-age z-score. IGFBP-1 could thus be used as a sensitive predictive diagnostic tool for obesity and its subsequent effects in screening and monitoring of obesity-related metabolic complications in adolescents.

Abstract: Mass spectrometry research laboratories reported multiple probes for ambient ionization in the last years. Combining them with a mechanical moving stage enables automated sampling and imaging applications. We developed a robotic platform, which is based on RepRap 3D-printer components, and therefore easy to reproduce and to adopt for custom prototypes. The minimal step width of the Open LabBot is 12.5 μm, and the sampling dimensions (x, y, z) are 18 × 15 × 20 cm. Adjustable rails in an aluminium frame construction facilitate the mounting of additional parts such as sensors, probes, or optical components. The Open LabBot uses industry-standard G-code for its control. The simple syntax facilitates the programming of the movement. We developed two programs: 1) LABI-Imaging, for direct control via a USB connection and the synchronization with MS data acquisition. 2) RmsiGUI, which integrates all steps of mass spectrometry imaging: The creation of G-code for robot control, the assembly of imzML files from raw data and the analysis of imzML files. We proved the functionality of the system by the automated sampling and classification of essential oils with a PlasmaChip probe. Further, we performed an ambient ionization mass spectrometry imaging (AIMSI) experiment of a lime slice with laser desorption low-temperature plasma (LD-LTP) ionization, demonstrating the integration of the complete workflow in RmsiGUI. The design of the Open LabBot and the software are released under open licenses to promote their use and adoption in the instrument developers’ community.

Helicobacter Pylori (H. Pylori) is a common pathogen with high prevalence of infection in human populations. Diagnosis of H. Pylori infection is critical for its treatment, eradication, and prognosis. Biosensors have been demonstrated to be powerful for rapid onsite detection of pathogens, particularly for point-of-care test (POCT) scenarios. In this work, we propose a novel optical biosensor, based on nanomaterial porous silicon (PSi) and photonic surface state Tamm Plasmon Polariton (TPP), for detection of cytotoxin-associated antigen A (CagA) antigen of H. Pylori bacterium. We fabricated the PSi TPP biosensor, analysed its optical characteristics and demonstrated through experiments towards sensing of CagA antigen, that TPP biosensor has sensitivity of 100 pm/(ng/ml), limit of detection of 0.01 ng/ml, and specificity in terms of positive-to-negative ratio of more than six. From these performance factors, it can be concluded that TPP biosensor can serve as an effective tool for diagnosis of H. Pylori infection, either in analytical labs or in POCT applications.

In crank presses, an important role is played by the presence of actuators with dwell, in which, with continuous movement of the input links, the output working link remains stationary at some part of the work. The use of a high-class structural group (fourth class) expands the functionality of the crank press, including it can ensure the link dwell of the working link on a given section of movement during the required period of time. As a result of the conducted research, four variants of actuators of the crank knee press were designed. Due to the rational choice of the positions of racks and crosshead guide, the best layout of the dimensions of the press mechanism has been achieved, changing the coordinates of the racks accordingly allows to design a mechanism with upper or lower dwells of the working links. When synthesizing (selecting) parameters such as: l_2 and h, it is possible to obtain a height of different duration. All this is shown on the basis of a numerical experiment based on kinematic analysis. In addition, the complex structure of the mechanism makes it possible to ensure the exact link dwell, which cannot be achieved due to the well-known knee presses based on the second-class mechanism [21].

Optical characterization and thermal aging tests are performed on a sputter-deposited coating, consisting of SiO₂/Cr₂O₃/Cr/Cr₂O₃ layers, designed and developed as a selective solar absorber to be used for unconcentrated solar thermal applications. Both measurements are performed by using a home-made apparatus, which mimics a flat plate collector under high vacuum. A Performance Criterion (PC_η(T)), based on absorber efficiency is proposed, and a forecast of service lifetime is obtained. As a result of the thermal aging tests, the selective solar absorber under study appears to be highly efficient at mid temperatures (up to 573 K) and thermally stable at temperatures (up to 690 K).

This research focuses on the effect of trampling on vegetation in high-mountain ecosystems through the electromagnetic spectrum’s interaction with plant pigments, cell structure, water content and other substances that have a direct impact on leaf properties. The most heavily visited part of the High Tatras in Poland was divided into polygons and, after selecting the dominant species within alpine swards, a detailed analysis of trampled and reference patterns was performed. An ASD FieldSpec 3 was used to acquire high-resolution spectral properties of plants, their fluorescence and the leaf chlorophyll content with the ts-ta temperature index and fraction of accumulated radiation in the range of photosynthesis (fAPAR) used as reference data. The results show that, along tourist trails, vegetation adapts to trampling with the impact depending on the species. A lower chlorophyll value was confirmed by a decrease in fluorescence, and the state of cellular structures was degraded in trampled compared to reference species, with a lower leaf reflectance. Also, at the extreme, trampling can eliminate certain species such as Luzula alpino-pilosa.

High average power narrow-linewidth tunable solid-state lasers in the wavelength region between 2 to 3 μm are attractive light sources for many applications. This paper reports a narrow-linewidth widely-tunable laser system based on the polycrystalline Cr2+:ZnSe elements pumped by the repetitively-pulsed 2.1 µm Ho3+:YAG laser operating at the tens of kilohertz pulse rate. An advanced procedure of ZnSe-element doping and surface improvement was applied to increase the laser-induced damage threshold, which resulted in an increase of the output power of the Cr2+:ZnSe laser system. The high-average-power laser system comprised double master-oscillators and power amplifiers: Ho3+:YAG and Cr2+:ZnSe laser oscillators, and Ho3+:YAG and Cr2+:ZnSe power amplifiers. The output wavelength was widely tuned within 2.3-2.7 µm by an acousto-optical tunable filter inside the Cr2+:ZnSe master oscillator cavity. The narrow-linewidth operation at the pulse repetition rate of 20-40 kHz in a high-quality beam with the average output power up to 9.7 W was demonstrated.

Excessive high fat diet (HFD) consumption can induce food addiction which is believed to involve the communication between the hypothalamus and mesolimbic dopaminergic neurons, originating in the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and projecting to the nucleus accumbens (NAc). These brain regions are densely populated with opioid receptors, raising the possibility that these receptors, and particularly mu opioid receptors (MORs), are involved in mediating reward induced by palatable foods. This study sought to investigate the involvement of MORs in high fat diet (HFD)-induced reward and if there is any difference between male and female subjects in this response. We also assessed if exposure to HFD would potentiate the rewarding action of oxycodone, a relatively selective MOR agonist. The place conditioning paradigm was used to determine if conditioning for a short time (STC, 2 h) or long time (LTC, 16 h) with HFD induces reward or alters the rewarding action of oxycodone. Male and female C57BL/6J mice as well as MOR knockout and wildtype mice of both sexes were tested for basal place preference on day 1 and then conditioned with HFD in one chamber and regular chow diet (RCD) in another chamber and tested for place preference again after three sets of STC and again after a set of LTC. Each set consisted of two conditioning with RCD and two conditioning with HFD. Controls were conditioned with RCD in both conditioning chambers. Following the last place preference test, mice were treated with oxycodone and conditioned in the HFD-paired chamber and saline in the RCD-paired chamber for one hour once a day to explore the possibility if the HFD could alter oxycodone reward. The result showed that HFD induced conditioned place preference (CPP) in both male and female subjects following the LTC. This response was further potentiated after oxycodone conditioning. The latter response was mediated via MORs, as it was blunted in MOR knockout mice. However, HFD-induced CPP was observed following LTC in only female MOR knockout mice, suggesting for sexual dimorphism in this response.

COVID-19 (2019-nCoV) is a pandemic disease with an estimated mortality rate of 3.4% (estimated by the WHO as of March 3, 2020). Until now there is no antiviral drug and vaccine for COVID-19. The current overwhelming situation by COVID-19 patients in hospitals is likely to increase in the next few months. About 15 percent of patients with serious disease in COVID-19 require immediate health services. Rather than waiting for new anti-viral drugs or vaccines that take a few months to years to develop and test, several researchers and public health agencies are attempting to repurpose medicines that are already approved for another similar disease and have proved to be fairly effective. This study aims to identify FDA approved drugs that can be used for drug repurposing and identify biomarkers among high- risk and asymptomatic groups. In this study gene-disease association related to COVID-19 reported mild, severe symptoms and clinical outcomes were determined. The high-risk group was studied related to SARS-CoV-2 viral entry and life cycle by using Disgenet and compared with curated COVID-19 gene data sets from the CTD database. The overlapped gene sets were enriched and the selected genes were constructed for protein-protein interaction networks. Through interactome, key genes were identified for COVID-19 and also for high risk and asymptomatic groups. The key hub genes involved in COVID-19 were VEGFA, TNF, IL-6, CXCL8, IL10, CCL2, IL1B, TLR4, ICAM1, MMP9. The identified key genes were used for drug-gene interaction for drug repurposing. The chloroquine, lenalidomide, pentoxifylline, thalidome, sorafenib, pacitaxel, rapamycin, cortisol, statins were proposed to be probable drug repurposing candidates for the treatment of COVID-19. However, these predicted drug candidates need to be validated through randomized clinical trials. Also, a key gene involved in high risk and the asymptomatic group were identified, which can be used as probable biomarkers for early identification.

Using multi-color flow cytometry analysis, we studied the immunophenotypical differences between leukemic blasts/LSCs from patients with AML/MDS and hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells (HSPCs) from patients in complete remission (CR) following their successful treatment. The panel of markers included CD34, CD38, CD45RA, CD123 as representatives for a hierarchical hematopoietic stem and progenitor cell (HSPC) classification as well as programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1). Rather than restricting the evaluation on a 2- or 3-dimensional analysis, we applied a t-distributed stochastic neighbor embedding (t-SNE) approach to get a deeper insight and segregation between leukemic and normal HPSCs. For that purpose, we created a t-SNE map, which resulted in the visualization of 27 cell clusters based on their similarity concerning the composition and intensity of antigen expression. Two of these clusters were “leukemia-related” containing a great proportion of CD34⁺/CD38^- hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) or CD34⁺ cells with a strong coexpression of CD45RA/CD123, respectively. CD34⁺ cells within the latter cluster were also highly positive for PD-L1 reflecting their immunosuppressive capacity. Beyond this proof of principle study, the inclusion of additional markers will be helpful to refine the differentiation between normal HSPCs and leukemic cells, particularly in the context of minimal disease detection and antigen-targeted therapeutic interventions. Furthermore, we suggest a protocol for the assignment of new cell ensembles in quantitative terms, via a numerical value, the Pearson coefficient, based on a similarity comparison of the t-SNE pattern with a reference.

Background: The objectives were to evaluate: the safety and immunogenicity of nonavalent human papillomavirus (nHPV) vaccine in adult Spanish women living with HIV (WLHIV); the prevalence of anal and cervical dysplasia and nHPV vaccine genotypes in anus and cervix; and risk factors for high-risk HPV (HR-HPV) infection in anal mucosa. Methods In this single-center, open-arm, non-randomized clinical trial, nHPV vaccine was administered at 0, 2, and 6 months to WLHIV enrolled between February 2020 and November 2023, measuring vaccine antibody titers pre-vaccination and at 2, 6, and 7 months after the first dose. Cervical and anal cytology and HPV PCR genotyping studies were performed. Women with abnormal cytology and/or anal or cervical HPV infection at baseline underwent high-resolution anoscopy and/or colposcopy. Results: 122 participants were included with mean age of 49.6 years: 52.5% smoked; 10.7% had anal-genital condylomatosis; 38.5% infection by HR-HPV in anus and 25.4% in cervix, most frequently HPV-16; 19.1% had AIN1 and 3.1% CIN1 and CIN2. Vaccine administration did not modify viral-immunological status (CD4 [809±226.8 cells/uL vs. 792.35 ±349.95; p=0.357]) or plasma HIV load (3.38±4.41 vs. 1.62±2.55 cop/uL [log]; p=0.125). Anti-HPV antibodies ([IQR: 0-0] vs. 7.63 nm [IQR: 3.46-19.7]; p=0.0001) and seroconversion rate (8.2% vs. 96.7% [p=0.0001]) were increased at 7 versus 0 months. There were no severe vaccine-related adverse reactions; injection-site pain was reported by around half of participants. HR-HPV infection in anus was solely associated with concomitant cervix infection (HR 5.027; 95% CI: 1.009-25.042). Conclusions: nHPV vaccine in adult WLHIV is immunogenic and safe.

A novel technique suitable for propulsion of small unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) is discussed in this paper. This approach utilizes the rotational energy of airborne gyro rotors and converts it into translational propulsion for the vehicle. The energy conversion is achieved by generating precisely directed centrifugal force pulses through short-duration rotor unbalances. The accurate control of the timing and magnitude of these unbalances is crucial for successful propulsion generation. Our first-order theory of controlled unbalance propulsion (CUP) predicts the potential for achieving high translational accelerations and vehicle velocities up to orbital levels. Power saving levitation of UAVs can be attained. In this paper, we provide traceable evidence that pulsed centrifugal propulsion is based on well-established laws of physics and can be realized using state-of-the-art technologies.

High-content fluorescence microscopy combines the efficiency of high-throughput techniques with the ability to extract quantitative information from biological systems. The planarian community has developed sensitive and robust assays for whole animals, yet cell based assays, despite their practical aspects, have not been explored to the same extent. Here we describe a modular collection of detailed protocols adapted for fixed planarian cells that enable multiplexed measurements of biomarkers in microwell plates. Methods include the detection of RNA transcripts by RNA fluorescent in situ hybridization combined with tyramide signal amplification using hapten-labeled riboprobes. In addition, immunocytochemical protocols for quantifying proliferating cells by the detection of phosphorylated histone H3 as well as 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation into the nuclear genome are described. The assays are compatible with planarians of virtually any size, as the tissue is disaggregated into a single cell suspension before fixation and staining. By sharing many reagents with established planarian whole mount staining protocols, preparation of samples for high-content microscopy adoption requires little additional investment. Recommendations for successful experimental workflows and common sources of errors are discussed.

The critical hypoxia in COVID-19 patients during this pandemic, has taken away many lives all around the globe. The mechanism has been poorly understood and initially, word got around that it was a SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) pneumonia. The atypical images in lung computerized axial tomography (CAT) scans were alarming. This immediately alerted everyone including poor countries to purchase lacking sophisticated ventilator equipment. However, in some countries, even 88% of the patients on ventilators lost their lives. New observations and pathological findings are gradually clarifying the disease. What seems evident is that it is not only one disease but several, with different responses in different countries and different altitudes. The critical hypoxia and «gasping» present in some patients are not totally understood. It was mentioned that it could be like a High-Altitude Pulmonary Edema (HAPE). Hereby, as high-altitude medicine and hypoxia physiology specialists, we compare the pathophysiology with that of high-altitude exposure in order to understand the mechanisms involved. Some differences in lung radiological images along with transmission and viral attack mechanisms are discussed. The oxygen transport triad used at high-altitude can be applied on this pathology in order to propose even the use of erythropoietin (EPO) early in the treatment. The immune system is the most important long-term survival tool, so we suggest a short-term strategy: the use of special Earth open-circuit astronaut-resembling suits with effective outside air filtering re-breathing mechanisms in order to return to work and daily activities, without contamination risk. Thereby, the curve can be flattened without quarantine and the economy could recover.

JBIR-99 is a secondary metabolite of marine fungi that has been shown to possess strong antibiotic activity. An efficient approach using a combination of size exclusion chromatography with a Sephadex LH-20 and high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) has been successfully developed for the isolation and purification of a polyketide from the solid-state fermentation of Meyerozyma guilliermondii. The active compound was isolated with purity >95% by HSCCC using an optimized solvent system composed of petroleum ether–ethyl acetate– 95% ethanol–water (5:3:5:3, v/v/v/v) after size exclusion chromatography. This compound was successfully purified in the quantity of 68 mg from 120 mg of the crude extract. The structure of JBIR-99 was elucidated and assigned by 1D, 2D NMR spectroscopic, and positive HRESITOFMS. Moreover, the relative configuration of compound JBIR-99, displaying a quite complex multi-ring structure, is determined by X-ray crystallography for the first time. The purification method developed for JBIR-99 will facilitate the further investigation and development of this antibiotic agent as a lead compound. Furthermore, it is suggested that the combination of size exclusion chromatography and HSCCC could be more widely applied for the isolation and purification of polyketides from marine fungi.

The composite post insulator composed of a large diameter mandrel and flange pressed by one-time integral pultrusion has high strength and good toughness, widely used in the existing flexible converter valve. For constructing the finite element model of the crimped post insulator, most of the flange surface and the mandrel surface are directly connected, making the simulation model's stiffness deviate from the actual model and the model distortion. Based on this, this study proposes a new finite element simplified model of crimped composite post insulator based on Multi-Point Constraints (MPC), which accurately simulates the crimping area of man-drel and flange in engineering practice. It verifies the model's reliability through static tests and characteristic vibration tests. The results show that the difference between the finite element simulation and test results is within 5 %. The finite element modeling method based on MPC local constraints is very reliable in applying crimped composite post insulators. Based on the proposed model, the influence of flange height and thickness on the mechanical properties of composite post-insulators is further explored. The results show that the influence of flange height on mechanical properties can be ignored when the height of the insulator stiff-ener ( non-press common area ) is constant. Within the allowable thickness range of the flange crimping process, the increase in flange thickness will significantly reduce the maximum bend-ing stress of the insulator and increase its safety margin. It provides a good design idea for the design of crimping composite insulators.

This paper investigates the flexural behavior of unfired and fired one-way slabs constructed from reinforced ferronickel slag-based alkali-activated concrete. The study aims to expand the limited knowledge of large-scale testing of alkali-activated concrete structural elements, with a particular emphasis on their post-fire performance. Four slabs, each measuring 2.1 × 0.9 × 0.18 m³, were produced—two made of alkali-activated concrete and two of conventional concrete incorporating ordinary Portland cement. Both types of concrete exhibited similar compressive strengths. In each group, one slab served as a reference (control specimen—tested under monotonic four-point bending in its original state), while the other was subjected to a standard fire curve on the tensioned side before mechanical testing. The fired slabs were then tested in a cooled condition under ambient conditions. The effect of fire on the alkali-activated concrete was further examined using mercury intrusion porosity and scanning electron microscopy. The results reveal that the load capacity of structural members cast with alkali-activated concrete is only slightly lower than that of their conventional concrete counterparts (6% lower). However, the alkaliactivated slabs retain more of their stiffness and ductility after fire exposure.

In recent years, the High Dynamic Range (HDR) image has gained widespread popularity 1 across various domains such as security, multimedia, and biomedical fields, owing to its ability 2 to deliver an authentic visual experience. However, the extensive dynamic range and rich detail 3 in HDR images present challenges in assessing their quality. Therefore, current efforts involve 4 constructing subjective databases and proposing objective quality assessment metrics to achieve 5 efficient HDR Image Quality Assessment (IQA). Recognizing the absence of a systematic overview 6 of these approaches, this paper provides a comprehensive survey of existing HDR IQA methods. 7 Furthermore, this paper aims to serve as a valuable resource for researchers by discussing the 8 limitations of current methodologies and potential research directions in the future.

The major challenge in the current context of a rising world’s energy demand is to limit the global temperature increase for mitigating climate change. This goal requires a large reduction of CO2 emissions, mainly produced by power generation and industrial processes using fossil fuels. In this study, a novel methodology for K2CO3-doped Li4SiO4 sorbents production for CO2 capture at high temperature was adopted based on the Design of Experiments (DoE). Different synthesis (temperature and K2CO3 content) and adsorption conditions (sorption temperature and CO2 concentration) were systematically tested by Response Surface Methodology (RSM) to obtain predictive models of CO2 uptake and Li4SiO4 conversion. The results of RSM analysis evidenced a maximum adsorption capacity of 196.4 mg/g for a sorbent produced at 600 °C and with 36.9 wt% of K2CO3, tested at 500 °C and 4 vol% of CO2. Whereas at 50 vol% of CO2, the best uptake of 295.6 mg/g was obtained with a sorbent synthesized at 600 °C, containing less K2CO3 (17.1 wt%) and tested at higher temperature (662 °C). The obtained results highlight that K2CO3-doped Li4SiO4 sorbents can be tailored for maximizing CO2 capture at different operating conditions, making them suitable for use in industrial processes.

Abstract Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the potential of multimodal ultrasound techniques in improving the visibility of liver lesions that are indistinct under conventional ultrasound. Specifically, we will explore the application of fusion imaging, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and high-frequency ultrasound in enhancing the visibility of liver masses. These techniques will be utilized to assist in visualizing liver lesions and to accurately localize them for the purpose of performing percutaneous tissue biopsy. Lastly, we will compare the biopsy results with the final diagnosis to assess whether multimodal techniques can enhance the success rate of percutaneous biopsy for liver masses that are not clearly visible under conventional ultrasound. Furthermore, the potential impact of these techniques on the development of personalized treatment strategies for patients was also discussed. Materials and Results: A retrospective analysis was conducted on 144 patients with liver masses who underwent conventional ultrasound examinations at our hospital from October 2018 to January 2024. These patients had poor visibility on conventional ultrasound, but the tumor location was visible on abdominal computerized tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. We excluded 71 patients who did not undergo percutaneous liver tumor biopsy and 8 patients who remained non-visualized under multimodal ultrasound. Finally, 95 patients met the inclusion criteria and their clinical and radiological data were selected for analysis. Computerized tomography or magnetic resonance imaging-ultrasound (CT/MR-US) fusion imaging was performed in 55 patients, CEUS was conducted in 95 patients, and high-frequency ultrasound examination was performed in 21 patients. The visibility of the lesions using these three techniques was evaluated, and the consistency between the biopsy pathology and the final diagnosis was analyzed. Results: In the study, a total of 39 cases were identified as solitary liver lesions, 34 cases as multiple lesions, and an additional 23 cases as diffuse hepatocellular carcinoma. Among them, there were 13 cases (13.7%) of lesions located in the left lobe, 73 cases (76.8%) in the right lobe, and 9 cases (9.4%) at the junction of the left and right lobes. The average maximum diameter of the lesions was 2.7 cm (ranging from 0.7 cm to 10.0 cm). The detection rates of lesions using CT/MR-US fusion imaging, contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), and high-frequency ultrasound examination were 49.1%, 96.8%, and 76.2%, respectively. All patients in the entire cohort underwent percutaneous ultrasound-guided biopsy after confirming the target location of the lesions, including 9 patients underwent percutaneous microwave ablation. No severe complications were observed. The accuracy rate of the biopsies was 91.6%, and the positive concordance rate was 91.1%. The biopsy pathology included 39 cases of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), 16 cases of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC), 22 cases of metastatic adenocarcinoma, 3 cases of hepatic adenoma (HA), 1 case of vascular sarcoma, and 1 case of mixed HCC-ICC. Among the 13 patients with negative pathology findings after biopsy, 8 cases were considered false negatives (based on follow-up laboratory tests and imaging results consistent with malignant tumor characteristics), resulting in a false negative rate of 8.9%. Conclusions: The application of multimodal ultrasound technology can significantly improve the success rate of liver lesion biopsies that are difficult to visualize using conventional ultrasound. Furthermore, it will facilitate the guidance of microwave ablation therapy for lesions using multimodal ultrasound imaging, enabling collaborative precision treatment planning for patients with clinical physicians.

The challenge of missing data in scientific research prompts researchers to decide between imputing incomplete data or discarding observations, where discarding can lead to information loss. Various methods exist, from simple deletion to sophisticated approaches like Multiple Imputation (MI). However, these methods often fall short with high-dimensional datasets. Multiple Imputation by Chained Equations (MICE) and Random Forest (RF) proximity imputation offer promising alternatives. Therefore, in this paper, we propose integrating MICE with Bayesian random forest (BRF) to enhance imputation accuracy and predictive power, particularly in high-dimensional analyses. Our approach combines MICE’s efficiency with BRF’s robustness, offering a comprehensive solution to missing data challenges. By way of example, we provide empirical evaluations to validate its effectiveness using synthetic data of various missing data scenarios. The results from the simulations showed that the combination of BRF and MICE offered a promising strategy for high-dimensional analysis in the presence of missing data.

Background: During the pandemic, Emergency departments were overcrowded with critically ill patients and confronted ethical dilemmas to assign respiratory support to them due to scarce resources. Quick tools to evaluate patients at admission were needed; many scores were used but inaccurate to predict outcomes. The Rox Index is an easy and fast score that reflects the respiratory status in acute respiratory failure patients, this score could predict the outcome of covid 19 patients. Hypothesis: The 24-hour difference in the Rox Index discriminate accurately the mortality and needs for mechanical ventilation of patients with covid-19. Methods: Study design: Prospective analytic study. Population: 204 Patients admitted to the emergency department from May to August 2020. Data were collected from the clinical records. The Rox Index was calculated at admission and 24h later, the difference was used to establish the outcome, a logistic regression model adjusting for age, sex, presence of comorbidities and disease severity to build and perform ROC analysis. Results: Difference in respiratory ROX Index between admission and 24h is a good predictor for death AUC 0.92 and for mechanic ventilation AUC: 0.75. Each decrease in one unit of the difference at 24h had an Odds Ratio for death risk: 1.48 (95%CI: 1.31-1.67) and for mechanic ventilation: 1.16 (95%IC: 1.1-1.23). Conclusion: The 24-hour variation of Rox Index has good predictive value and allows healthcare professionals to identify which patients will benefit from invasive treatment, especially in low resource settings where emergency physicians deal with survival.

Energy distance is used to eigenvalue distributions in this new Wishart distribution study, providing a new perspective on high-dimensional data. Multivariate statistics relies on Wishart distribution to explain covariance matrices. This analysis shows how degrees of freedom and covariance matrix configurations affect eigenvalue dispersion. We use energy distance based on eigenvalue distributions to assess Wishart distribution differences without the "curse of dimensionality" via extensive simulation simulations. This approach improves measurement accuracy and processing efficiency in distribution comparisons and enables new analytical pathways in scientific fields that need data covariance comprehension. Our results show that degrees of freedom and matrix structure considerably affect energy distances, expanding the theoretical framework and practical applications of statistical models.

Experimental investigations were conducted to uncover the impact of cavitation control - through the use of riblets (mesoscale surface structuring) - on cavitating flows around a circular cylinder. First, the dynamics of cavitation in the flow behind a finite cylinder (without riblets) was unveiled by visualizing the cavitation clouds and measuring the lift force fluctuations acting on the cylinder. Second, as a significant step forward, a comprehensive explanation was provided for the mechanism of cavitation control using two bio-inspired riblet morphologies positioned in different orientations and locations on the cylinder. For the first time, the effects of these tiny structures on the flow dynamics and the associated cavitation process were scrutinized. This showed that scalloped riblets, with their curved design, induced secondary vortices near their tips and distorted primary streamwise vortices, and that high velocity gradients near the jagged pattern peaks of sawtooth riblets delayed flow separation, which affected cavitation.

Cavitation resulting from underwater explosions in compressible multiphase or multicomp-onent flows presents significant challenges due to the dynamic nature of shock-cavitation-structure interactions, as well as the complex and discontinuous nature of the involved interfaces. Achieving accurate resolution of interfaces between different phases or components, in the presence of shocks, cavitating regions, and structural interactions, is crucial for modeling such problems. Furthermore, pressure convergence in simulations involving shock-cavitation-structure interactions requires accurate algorithms. In this research paper, we employ the diffuse interface method, also known as the interface capturing scheme, to investigate cavitation in various underwater explosion test cases near different surfaces; free surface and a rigid surface. The simulations are conducted using the Unstructured Compressible Navier-Stokes (UCNS3D) finite volume framework employing central-weighted essentially non-oscillatory (CWENO) reconstruction schemes, utilising the five-equation diffuse interface family of methods. Quantitative comparisons are made between the performance of both models. Additionally, we examine the effects of cavitation as a secondary loading source on structures, and evaluate the ability of the CWENO schemes to accurately capture and resolve material interfaces between fluids with minimal numerical dissipation or smearing. The results are compared with existing high-order methods and experimental data, where possible, to demonstrate the robustness of the CWENO schemes in simulating cavitation bubble dynamics, as well as their limitations within the current implementation of interface capturing.

The superficial quality of the strip is a very important issue in steel production; the profile, flat-ness, and geometry of strip are indicators of supreme quality. Considering the dimensions, the thickness is one of the most important variables in the production of strip. In the present study the elastic curve of Back Up Rolls (BUR) is analyzed, considering them as simply supported beams as well as the effect of rolls on the profile of the strip, specifically in the strip edge pro-ducing edge drop. The analysis is simulated with a model in 3D using a Finite Element Method (FEM) considering +0.039mm crown on Back Up Roll and +0.101mm crown on Work Roll (WR). The results showed that there is an instability zone of 76mm in the strip edge, this geometry is symmetrical in both ends of the strip, it was validated with the results of compact X-ray thick-ness gauge from a 4-high cold mill. This study not only provides a theoretical basis for the edge drop, but also provides the basis for the understanding of deformation on rolls used in rolling mill processes and their effect on the thickness, profile, shape, and dimensional quality of strips.

The aeroelastic response of lightweight low-speed aircraft with slender wings under extreme flow turbulence intensity is not well-understood. Experiments on a commmercial unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) with a 3-meter wingspan and aspect ratio of 13.6 were performed in a large open-return wind tunnel with extreme flow turbulence intensity of T∞≈10%. The structural dynamics of the wing in the bending mode and the flow beneath the wing to capture the effect of aileron deflection was measured using laser displacement sensors and tomographic particle image velocimetry (PIV) techniques. The unsteady lift produced by the wing was also measured using a high-capacity load cell at an angle of attack, α of 2 degrees for three freestream velocities U∞ of 13.4 m/s, 17.9 m/s, and 26.8 m/s representing the UAV’s stall through cruise speed. It was found that high flow turbulence intensity with large integral length scales relative to the wing chord plays a dominant role in the large unsteady lift and wing displacements measured. The power spectral density (PSD) of wing structural vibration shows that flow shedding from the wing and the integral length scales have a significant impact on the overall power inherent in the bending vibration of the wing. Computation of vorticity iso-surfaces in the flow measurement volume surrounding the aileron reveal a striking observation; aileron deflection, δa of 10∘becomes less effective in producing additional spanwise vorticity, which is proportional to circulation and lift, at U∞ of 26.8 m/s because the freestream already has elevated levels of vorticity. A paradigm shift in design is suggested for light aircraft structures with slender wings operating in highly turbulent flow, which is to employ multiple control surfaces in order to respond to this flow and mitigate large bending or torsion displacements and the probability of structural failure.

Bandsaw blades are typical band-shaped cutting tools characterized by a low stiffness and micro-level cutting depth, resulting in distinct wear mechanisms compared to rigid cutting tools. In this study, the evolution of bandsaw tooth wear mechanisms during the bandsawing of Cr12MoV cold-working steel was investigated. The tool life was divided into two stages according to the tooth wear mechanism: a rapid wear stage (Stage I) and a homogeneous wear stage (Stage II). In Stage I, the wear mechanism was dominated by chipping, although multiple wear mechanisms were found because of the relatively poor manufacturing tolerance compared to rigid cutting tools, resulting in remarkable differences between the cutting depths of the individual teeth. In Stage II, abrasive and adhesive wear were the primary wear mechanisms instead of chipping, due to the decreased width and setting magnitude tolerance after Stage I. Furthermore, methods for increasing the bandsaw performance were proposed based on the tooth wear mechanisms.

Carbonization of a biopolymer (lignin) in self-propagating high-temperature synthesis (SHS) led to the production of 2D graphene structures. With the help of modern analytical methods (Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction) and electron microscopy, the resulting product was confirmed to have a few-layer 2D graphene structure. The predicted photovoltaic properties of the resulting few-layer graphene were implemented for laser ignition of a model pyrotechnic composition based on porous silicon. A phenomenological model of the formation mechanism of 2D graphene structures under the conditions of the SHS process is proposed.

Microemulsions with excellent properties have shown significant potential for enhancing oil recovery from tight formations through spontaneous imbibition. This work present a high-temperature-tolerant lower-phase microemulsion (HTLP-ME) using a microemulsion dilution method. The properties and morphological characteristics of HTLP-ME were evaluated and proposed a enhanced spontaneous imbibition oil recovery mechanism using imbibition tests and CT scanning technology. The results show that the optimum concentration of HTLP-ME is 0.2wt% has a superior thermal stability, small particle size, lower IFT, good wettability alteration ability, and minimum adsorption loss. Imbibition and CT experiments showed that the longer the imbibition distance, the better is the effect on spontaneous imbibition oil recovery. Furthermore, the solubilization coefficient and self-driving force were defined and calculated to quantitatively analyze the imbibition mechanisms. The imbibition mechanisms demonstrate that the reduction of oil/solid adhesion is due to the synergistic effect of IFT reduction and wettability alteration, and the ability to increase the imbibition distance through a larger self-driving force.

The incorporation of polycarboxylate ether superplasticizer (PCE) type polymer and silica fume (SF) in high-performance concretes (HPC) leads to the achievement of remarkable rheological and mechanical improvements. In the fresh state, PCEs are adsorbed on cement particles and dispersants, in turn promoting the workability of the concrete. Silica fume enables a very well compacted concrete to be obtained, which is characterized by high mechanical parameters in its hardened state. Some PCEs are incompatible with silica fume, which can result in the loss of slump and in poor rheological behavior. The main objective of the research is the study of the influence of three types of PCEs, which all have a different molecular architecture, on the rheological and mechanical behavior of high-performance concretes containing 10% of SF as a partial replacement of cement. The results show that the carboxylic density of PCE has an influence on its compatibility with SF.

This paper proposes a novel symmetrical active-switched coupled-inductor high-step-up DC/DC converter. A new active-switched coupled inductor is used to allow much higher voltage gain of the proposed converter. The symmetrical circuit structure of the proposed converter evenly divides large input currents and reduce input current ripple by operating in interleaved mode so power density is increased. The switches also have low voltage stress. The operating principle and design considerations for the converter topology are described. The proposed converter with an input voltage of 40 V, an output voltage of 400 V and an output of 1000 W at a switching frequency of 50 kHz is implemented. The simulations and experimental results are thus depicted to verify the theoretical analysis. The highest efficiency is 95.5% at 200 W measured by using a HIOKI 3390. Consequently, the proposed converter is suitable for renewable energy generation systems that require high power, high voltage gain and high efficiency.

High-grade gliomas present a significant challenge in neuro-oncology because of their aggressive nature and resistance to current therapies. Boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT) is a potential treatment method; however, the boron carrier compounds used — such as 4-borono-L-phenylalanine (L-BPA) — have limitations. This study evaluated the use of boron-conjugated 4-iodophenylbutanamide (BC-IP), a novel boron compound in BNCT, for the treatment of glioma. Using in vitro drug exposure experiments and in vivo studies, we compared BC-IP and BPA, with a focus on boron uptake and retention characteristics. The results showed that although BC-IP had a lower boron uptake than BPA, it exhibited superior retention. Furthermore, despite lower boron accumulation in tumors, BC-IP showed significant survival improvement in glioma-bearing rats compared to controls. These results suggest that BC-IP, with its unique properties, may be an alternative boron carrier for BNCT. Further research is required to optimize this potential treatment modality, which could significantly contribute to advancing the treatment of high-grade gliomas.

At present, in the field of aviation industry, titanium alloy is mainly used to manufacture parts such as compressor disc, blade and casing of aircraft engine. When working, titanium alloy parts produce high temperature due to high-speed running friction, which makes the high temperature oxidation resistance and friction resistance of titanium alloy greatly reduced. When their working environment contains salt, titanium alloys are subjected to thermal corrosion, which limits their wider practical applications. This paper introduce the aluminide coating and its preparation methods. The characteristics and functional mechanism of three functional coatings for service environment, such as high temperature resistant alumina-based coating, thermal corrosion resistant alumina-based coating and wear-resistant alumina-based coating are summarized. Finally, the development direction of composite coatings of titanium and titanium alloys for complex service environment is prospected.

Breakage and damage of fiber optic cable fibers seriously affect the normal operation of fiber optic networks and it is important to quickly and accurately determine the type and location of faults when they occur. The advantages of wavelet transform in singular signal detection and signal filtering are used to analyze Optical Time Domain Reflectometer (OTDR) curve signal and the fault detection method of fiber communication link with no relay and large span in high altitude area is given, which realizes the accurate detection and location of optical fiber communication link fault events under strong noise. The theoretical analysis is basically consistent with the experimental data. The accuracy of optical fiber fault location has been greatly improved in performance. The method has been directly applied to the field detection of ultra-long optical fiber links in high altitude areas, which has certain significance for the future real-time monitoring of optical fiber cables.

Multi-level direct networks fueled by the evolving technology of active optical cables and increasing pin-bandwidth achieve reduced diameters and cost, with high-radix switches. These networks, like Dragonfly, are becoming the preferred aspirants for extreme high-performance parallel machines such as exa-scale computing. In this paper, we introduce a Hyper Z-Tree topology, which deploys the Z-Tree, a variant of fat-tree, as a computing node of a Generalized Hypercube (GHC) configuration. The resulting configuration provides higher bisection bandwidth, lower latency for some applications and higher throughput. Furthermore, the levels of the fat tree offer several path diversities across the GHC dimensions, hence conceding a more fault tolerant architecture. To profit from these path diversities, we propose two adaptive routing algorithms, which are extensions to the routing algorithm suggested in HyperX topology. These two algorithms exhibit better latencies and throughput than the HyperX.

High-dimensional measurement error data are becoming more prevalent across various fields. Research on measurement error regression models has gained increasing attention due to the risk of drawing inaccurate conclusions if measurement errors are ignored. When the dimension p is larger than the sample size n, it is challenging to develop statistical inference methods for high-dimensional measurement error regression models due to the existence of bias, nonconvexity of objective function, high computational cost and many other difficulties. Over the past few years, some works have overcome the aforementioned difficulties and proposed several statistical inference methods. This paper mainly reviews the current development on estimation, hypothesis testing and variable screening methods for high-dimensional measurement error regression models and shows the theoretical results of these methods with some directions worthy of exploring for future research.

This paper investigates the use of contactless power ultrasonic excitation to decrease the electrical impedance of the weld in laser welding. The literature extensively documents the impact of em-ploying contact power ultrasonic excitation on the microstructure morphology and refinement of grain in the weld. This study involves characterizing an industrial High Power Ultrasound Transducer (HPUT) by determining the optimal distance and angle for contactless excitation of the fusion zone in the weld, aiming to achieve the maximum amplitude. Subsequently, the transducer is integrated into the laser welding system, resulting in the creation of an ultrasonic-assisted welding system. To find the improvement due to the contactless vibration assistance, the welding area was char-acterised by an impedance ohmmeter device. The results indicate an approximately 6 % im-provement in the welding quality in terms of the impedance value, an important parameter for battery pack welding. In response to the issue of overheating in the industrial transducer during prolonged welding operations, an alternative transducer was proposed to overcome this challenge. Further investigations are carried out by the alternative transducer to find the effect of different wave types, namely, shear and compressional waves, on the welding quality. The contact vibration can excite the plate approximately 50 times higher in acceleration amplitude than contactless ex-citation. Nevertheless, enhancements of 10% and 6% are observed in the impedance value when utilising compressional and shear waves, respectively, as compared to the results obtained with contactless vibration.

Abstract: The high entropy alloy (HEA) of equiatomic composition CrNiFeCoMn and with FCC 11 crystal structure was prepared by either induction melting and additive manufacturing with a se- 12 lective laser melting (SLM) process, starting from mechanically alloyed powders. Unlike induction 13 melting, the as-produced SLM alloy showed fine nitride and Cr-rich s phase precipitates. Mechan- 14 ical spectroscopy measurements were performed on specimens cold worked and/or recrystallized. 15 Young’s modulus values of (140±10) GPa and (90±10) GPa were measured at 300 K for induction 16 melted and SLM samples, respectively. The values increased to (160±10) GPa and (170±10) GPa for 17 recrystallized samples. Damping measurements as a function of temperature showed two peaks 18 which were attributed to dislocations bending and grain boundaries sliding. The peaks were super- 19 posed on a temperature increasing background.

In engineering practice, various types of information data are affected by many factors during the collection process. For example, information data measurement errors are caused by equipment performance and the working environment. During the transmission of detection information, the signal distortion caused by energy loss and signal interference causes unpredictable detection errors in the collected information data. Through the study of fractional calculus theory, it was found that it is suitable for studying nonlinear, non-causal, and non-stationary signals, and has the dual functions of improving detection information and enhancing signal strength. Therefore, under the influence of many factors, we applied the fractional difference algorithm to the field of information data processing. Multi-sensor detection data fusion algorithm based on the fractional partial differential equation was adopted to establish its online detection data. A multi-sensor detection data fusion algorithm based on a fractional partial differential equation is established, which effectively fuses the information data detection errors caused by various influencing factors and greatly improves the detection accuracy of information data. The effectiveness of this method is proved through its application in an experiment.

To create normative scores for all CrossFit® Open (CFO) workouts and compare male and female performances, official scores were collected from the official competition leaderboard for all competitors of the 2011-2022 CFO competitions. Percentiles were calculated in athletes (18 – 54 years) who completed all workouts within a single year ‘as prescribed’ and met minimum scoring thresholds. Independent t-tests revealed significant (p &lt; 0.05) sex differences for 56 of 60 workouts. In workouts scored by repetitions completed, men completed more repetitions in 18 workouts by small-to-large differences (d = 0.22-0.81), whereas women completed more repetitions in 6 workouts by small-to-medium differences (d = 0.36-0.77). When workouts were scored by time-to-completion, men were faster in 10 workouts by small-to-large differences (d = 0.23-1.12), while women were faster in three workouts by small differences (d = 0.46). In three workouts scored by load lifted, men lifted more weight by large differences (d = 2.00-2.98). All other differences were either trivial or not significant. Despite adjusted programming for men and women, the persistence of performances differences across all CFO workouts suggest resultant challenges are not the same. These normative values may be useful to training and research in male and female CrossFit® athletes.

New nanocomposite material was prepared by high pressure processing of starting glass of nominal composition NaFePO$_{4}$. Thermal, structural, electrical and dielectric properties of the prepared samples were studied by differential thermal analysis (DTA), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and broadband dielectric spectroscopy (BDS). It was demonstrated that high pressure – high temperature treatment (HPHT) led to an increase of electrical conductivity of initial glasses by 2 orders of magnitude. It was also shown that the observed effect was stronger than for lithium analogue of this material studied by us earlier. The observed enhancement of conductivity was explained by Mott’s theory of electron hopping, which is more frequent in sample after pressure treatment. The final composite consisted of nanocrystalline NASICON and alluaudite phases, which are electrochemically active in potential cathode materials for Na batteries. Average dimensions of crystallites estimated from XRD studies were between 40 and 90 nm, depending on the phase. Some new aspects of local dielectric relaxations in studied materials were also discussed. It was shown that a combination of high pressures and BDS method is a powerful method to study relaxation processes and molecular movements in solids. It was also pointed out that high-pressure cathode materials may exhibit higher volumetric capacities compared with commercially used cathodes with carbon additions.

Canola is the major oilseed crop of Canada. The de-oiled material is an important by-product due to its rich phenolic profile and high protein content. This co-processing stream from canola is primarily utilized as animal feed but represents an invaluable source of nutraceuticals. Microwave-assisted solvent extraction (MAE), as a green extraction method, has received considerable attention in recent times. The ease of use and application of many solvents at the same time makes the MAE one of the best methods for studying multiple solvents at the same time. The formation of canolol, from sinapine and sinapic acid, is primarily dependant on temperature which favors the decarboxylation reaction. Hence, MAE using green extractants can be used to enhance the yield of canolol. This study examined the effects of different pre-treatment temperature-time combinations of 140, 150, 160, and 170℃ for 5, 10, 15, 20 and 30 minutes on the extraction of canolol and other canola endogenous phenolic compounds. Three antioxidant assays assessed the antioxidant activity of the different extracts obtained by MAE confirming the microwave as a novel and versatile instrument for enhancing the yield of canolol. Improvements in the antioxidant activity of the different extracts further established the efficacy of the current method for isolating important natural phenolic derivatives for utilization by the nutraceutical industry.

Bauxite residue (BR), also known as red mud, is a by-product of the production of alumina via the Bayer process. Because of the high sodium oxide and other impurities content, this material is not used to obtain iron or other iron-containing products. In this paper, the hydro-chemical conversion of goethite (FeOOH) to magnetite (Fe3O4) in high-iron BR from the Friguia alumina refinery (Guinea) by Fe2+ ions in highly concentrated alkaline media was studied. The simultaneous extraction of Al and Na made it possible to obtain a product containing more than 96% Fe3O4. The results show that the magnetization of Al-goethite and Al-hemetite accelerates the dissolution of the Al from the iron mineral solid matrix and from the desilication product (DSP). After ferrous sulfate (FeSO4·7H2O) was added directly at the FeO:Fe2O3 molar ratio of 1:1 at 120 °C for 150 min in the solution with the 360 g L-1 Na2O concentration, the alumina extraction ratio reached 96.27% for the coarse bauxite residue size fraction (Sands) and 87.06% for fine BR obtained from red mud. The grade of iron (total iron in the form of iron element) in the residue can be increased to 69.55% for Sands and 58.31% for BR. The solid residues obtained after leaching were studied by XRD, XRF, TG-DTA, VSM, Mössbauer spectroscopy and SEM to evaluate the conversion and leaching mechanisms and the recovery ratio of Al from different minerals. The iron-rich residues can be used in the steel industry or as a pigment.

The article is devoted to identifying promising research issues on the topic of Digital Industry based on the analysis of bibliometric data from Scopus platform for 2018–2022. The definition of promising issues derived from the titles, additionally abstracts, of highly cited works by authors with high publication activity. Authors' Scopus profiles were used to determine their affiliations, which are important for in-depth analysis of selected promising Digital Industry tasks. Metadata filtering to identify highly cited papers on particular issues was performed by keywords, Subject Areas, affiliations with countries and sponsoring organizations. Additionally, bibliometric metadata were clustered based on the co-occurrence of terms using VOSviewer. Within these clusters, articles of interest were identified for the formulation of promising research issues on the topic of Digital Industry, which will be subjected to in-depth analysis in separate papers.

By drilling periodic thru-holes in a suspended film, the phonon system can be modified. Being motivated by the BCS theory, the technique, so-called phonon engineering, was applied to a niobium sheet. The newly emergent high-T_c superconductivity, however, cannot be accounted for by the BCS theory. Rather, its exposed configuration, namely a square-lattice oxygen network, is reminiscent of the copper--oxygen plane in cuprate high-T_c superconductors. It turns out that its magnetic result is consistent with the principle of giant atom, which was developed by another heroes of superconductivity, Fritz London and John Slater, in the 1930s, several decades earlier than the propagation of BCS theory. The superconducting transition feature is discussed on the basis of a comprehensive theory of the giant atom---the theory of hole superconductivity.

The article is devoted to solving the problem of searching for universal explainable features that can remain explainable for a wide class of objects and phenomena and become an integral part of Explainable AI (XAI). The study is implemented on the example of an applied problem of early diagnostics of plant stress, using Thermal IR (TIR) and HSI, presented by 8 vegetation indices/channels. Each such index was presented by 5 statistical values. A Single-Layer-Perceptron classifier was used as the main instrument. TIR turned out to be the best of the indices in terms of efficiency in the field and sufficient to detect all 7 key days with 100% accuracy. Our study shows also that there are a number of indices, inluding NDVI, and usual color channels Red, Green, Blue, which are close to TIR possibilities in early plant stress detection with 100% accurasy or near, and can be used for wide class of plants and in different conditions their treatment. The stability of the stress classification in our study was maintained when the training set was reduced up to 10% of the dataset volume. The entropy-like feature of (max-min) for any indices/channels have determined as a leadersheep universal high-level explainable feature for the plant stress detection, which used in interaction with some of other statistical features.

Insulin receptors are internalized by endothelial cells; however, the impact of hyperinsulinemia on this process is not known. Thus, the aim of this study is to determine the role of hyperinsulinemia on insulin receptor function and internalization, as well as the potential impact of protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B). To this end, hippocampal microvessels were isolated from male C57Bl/6J mice on either a control or high-fat diet and assessed for insulin receptor signaling. Cell surface insulin receptors in brain microvascular endothelial cells were labelled with biotin to assess the role hyperinsulinemia plays on receptor internalization in response to stimulation, with and without Claramine treatment, a potent PTP1B antagonist. Our results indicated that insulin receptor levels increased in tandem with insulin receptor dysfunction in the high-fat diet mouse hippocampal microvessels. Hyperinsulinemic cell-receptors demonstrate a shift in splice variation towards decreased IR-A/IR-B ratios and demonstrate a higher membrane-localized proportion. This corresponded with decreased autophosphorylation at sites critical for receptor internalization and signaling, however, Claramine restored signaling and receptor internalization in hyperinsulinemic cells. In conclusion, hyperinsulinemia negatively impacts brain microvascular endothelial cell insulin receptor function and internalization, likely through both alternative splicing and increased negative feedback from PTP1B.

Rapid isolation of white blood cells (WBCs) from whole blood is an essential part of any WBC examination platform. However, most conventional cell separation techniques are labor-intensive and low throughput, require large volumes of samples, need extensive cell manipulation, and have low purity. To address these challenges, we report the design and fabrication of a passive, label-free microfluidic device with a unique U-shaped cross-section to separate WBCs from whole blood using hydrodynamic forces that exist in a microchannel with curvilinear geometry. It is shown that the spiral microchannel with a U-shaped cross-section concentrates larger blood cells (e.g., WBCs) in the inner cross-section of the microchannel by moving smaller blood cells (e.g., red blood cells (RBCs) and platelets) to the outer microchannel section and preventing them from returning to the inner microchannel section. Therefore, it overcomes the major limitation of a rectangular cross-section where secondary Dean vortices constantly enforce particles throughout the entire cross-section and decrease its isolation efficiency. Under optimal settings, more than 95% of WBCs can be isolated from whole blood under high-throughput (6 ml/min), high-purity (88%), and high-capacity (180 ml of sample in 1 hour) conditions. High efficiency, fast processing time, and non-invasive WBC isolation from large blood samples without centrifugation, RBC lysis, cell biomarkers, and chemical pre-treatments make this method an ideal choice for downstream cell study platforms.

Farmers and seed companies constantly require high-quality seeds with excellent agronomic performance. However, faced with environmental adversity, limited natural resources and increasing food demand around the globe, more attention has turned to improving crop plant production by implementing efficient strategies. Seed priming technology has shown promising biological improvements leading to suitable agronomic performance in crop plants under adverse environmental conditions. Seeds are subjected to controlled conditions that are conducive to complex physiological, biochemical, and molecular changes, conferring specific stress tolerance to subsequent germination and growth conditions. In this review paper, we aimed to study the recent approaches in the efficiency of hydropriming, osmopriming, chemopriming, hormopriming, nanopriming, matrix priming, biopriming, physical priming and hybrid priming procedures in the production of crop plants under environmental adversity, as well as their biological mechanism changes. All priming methods demonstrated relevant changes in the biological mechanism related to crop plant production by mitigating salinity effects, heavy metals, and flooding stress and enhancing chilling, heat, drought and phytopathogen tolerance. We strongly recommend that researchers combine multiple priming methods, known as hybrid priming, in their investigations to provide novel technologies and additional biological approaches to enhance the knowledge of crop plant science. Thus, the findings shed light on the use of seed priming technology as a key strategy to increase crop plant production under environmental adversity by acquiring stress tolerance and enhancing agronomic traits to meet the global food demand.

This paper proposes a multifractal model, with the aim of providing a possible explanation for the locality phenomenon that appears in the estimation of the Hurst exponent in stationary second order temporal series representing self-similar traffic flows in current high-speed computer networks. It is shown analytically that this phenomenon occurs if the network flow consists of several components with different Hurst exponents.

Tarsal tunnel syndrome is a focal compressive neuropathy of the posterior tibial nerve or one of its associated branches. Brief mention is made in the literature of the use of corticosteroid injections for this condition. The basic technique of hydrodissection is used for other nerve entrapments and includes identifying the region of nerve compression, and the injection of a fluid medium to dissect between structures or fascial planes. We introduce our treatment protocol using a methylprednisolone/sterile water/ropivacaine hydrochloride injectate mix and peripheral nerve stimulation to a perform hydrodissection technique for tarsal tunnel syndrome.

Background and objectives: Induction of labor (IOL) is an event that occurs in up to one-quarter of pregnancies; less is known about the outcomes and safety of IOL in obese pregnant woman; no data is available on misoprostol vaginal insert (MVI) IOL in high-risk pregnancy obese women. Objectives: (1) to evaluate the rate of successful IOL with 200 μg MVI in obese (Body Mass Index - BMI over 30 kg/m2) high-risk pregnant women: late-term pregnancy, hypertension or diabetes, compared to obese non-high-risk ones; (2) to evaluate the safety profile of MVI in high-risk pregnancy obese patients. Study design: We conducted a cross-sectional study in "Filantropia" Clinical Hospital, Bucharest, Romania, from June 2017 to September 2019 (28 months). From a total of 11,096 registered live births, IOL was performed in 206 obese patients; 74 obese high-risk pregnant patients matched the inclusion criteria; of these, 33.8% pregnancies (n=25) were late-term (41 – 41+6 weeks), 43.2% (n=32) had associated pathologies (hypertension and diabetes); labor induction was guided using a standardized protocol. We evaluated the maternal and gestational age, parity, fetal tachysystole, hyper-stimulation, initial cervical status, time from induction to delivery, drug side effects, mode of delivery, and neonatal outcomes. Results: (a) The overall successful labor induction rate, evaluated by the vaginal delivery rate, was 71.6% (n=53), spontaneously or instrumentally assisted; 28.4% (n=21) births were unsuccessful MVI IOL, converted into caesareans. (b) No significant differences were found regarding the maternal outcomes; in terms of perinatal outcomes of safety, four cases of high-risk pregnancies vaginally delivered were associated with neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions and a one-minute Apgar score under seven (5.4%). Most cases with adverse effects of misoprostol have been managed conservatively, except for three emergency C-section cases. Conclusions: Misoprostol vaginal insert is a safe choice in IOL in obese high-risk pregnancies with good maternal and perinatal outcomes.

To improve the voltage gain of step-up converters, cascaded technique is considered as a possible solution in this paper. By considering the concept of cascading two Z-source networks in a conventional boost converter, the converter takes the advantages of both impedance source and cascaded converters. However, by applying some modifications, the proposed converter provides high voltage gain while the voltage stress of switch and diodes are still low. Moreover, the low input current ripple of the converter makes it absolutely appropriate for photovoltaic applications in order to expand the lifetime of PV panels. After analyzing the operation principles of the proposed converter, simulation and experimental results of a 100W prototype are presented to verify the proposed converter performance.

Exploring the biological significance of mutations in SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus, causing the COVID–19 pandemic, has recently become an area of paramount interest for many researchers, who are pouring their tremendous efforts, in cracking the COVID–19 pandemic code. One of many such mutations that have occurred in the viral genome is V483A mutation, which is a part of the receptor-binding motif (RBM), present in the S1 domain of the spike protein. V483A mutant virus is becoming popular in North America with 36 cases so far, due to its frequent occurrences in recent days. In this review, we have assembled all information, currently available on V483A mutation, and have made a critical analysis based on the perspectives of many researchers all around the world. Comparison is made between the wild type and the V483A mutants to analyze certain factors like the type of interaction between the virus and host cell interface, binding affinity, stability, partition energy, hydrophobicity, occurrence rate, and transmissibility. Insilico dynamic analysis shows minimal alteration in the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of V483A mutant protein in free-state and no significant change of mutant tertiary structure of RBM upon binding to the ACE2 receptor. Comprehensive details about infectivity and evasion of the immune system by the virus are discussed. This information can in turn be of monumental importance in the field of vaccine and drug development because the mutants are becoming resistant to the vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.

For our research on droplet deformation and breakup in scaled high-pressure homogenizing units we developed a pressure stable inline droplet generator. It consists of an optically accessible flow channel with a combination of stainless steel and glass capillaries and a 3D printed orifice. The droplet size is determined online by live image analysis. The influence of the orifice diameter, the mass flow of the continuous phase and the mass flow of the disperse phase on the droplet diameter was investigated. Furthermore, the droplet detachment mechanisms were identified. Droplet diameters with small diameter fluctuation between 175 µm and 500 µm could be realized, which allows a precise adjustment of the Ca and We Number in the subsequent scaled high pressure homogenizer disruption unit. The determined influence of geometry and process parameters on the resulting droplet size and droplet detachment mechanism agreed well with literature on microfluidics. Furthermore, droplet trajectories in an exemplary scaled high-pressure homogenizer disruption unit are presented which show that the droplets can be reinjected on a trajectory close to the center axis or close to the wall, which should result in different stresses on the droplets.

Although it is known that the gut microbiota (GM) can be modulated by diet, the efficacy of specific dietary interventions in determining its composition and diversity in obese patients remains to be ascertained. The present work aims to evaluate the impact of a moderately hypocaloric Mediterranean diet on the GM of obese and overweight patients (OB). The GM of 23 OB patients (F/M= 20/3) was compared before (T0) and after 3 months (T3) of the nutritional intervention (NI). Fecal samples were analyzed by Illumina MiSeq sequencing of the 16S rRNA gene. At baseline, the GM characterization confirmed the typical obesity-associated dysbiosis. After 3 months of NI, patients presented a statistically significant reduction of the body weight and fat mass, along with changes in the relative abundance of many microbial patterns. In fact, we observed an increased abundance in several Bacteroidetes taxa (i.e. Sphingobacteriaceae, Sphingobacterium, Bacteroides spp., Prevotella stercorea) and depletion of many Firmicutes taxa (i.e. Lachnospiraceae members, Ruminococcaceae and Ruminococcus, Veillonellaceae, Catenibacterium, Megamonas). In addition, the phylum Proteobacteria showed an increased abundance, while the genus Sutterella, within the same phylum, decreased after the intervention. Metabolic pathways, predicted by bioinformatic analyses, showed a decrease in membrane transport and cell motility after NI. The present study extends our knowledge of the GM profiles in OB, highlighting the potential benefit of a moderate caloric restriction in counteracting the gut dysbiosis.

The cardioprotective effects of volatile anesthetics versus total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) are controversial, especially in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. Using current generation high-sensitivity cardiac troponin (hs-cTn), we aimed to evaluate the effect of anesthetics on the occurrence of myocardial injury after non-cardiac surgery (MINS). From February 2010 to December 2016, 3555 patients without preoperative hs-cTn elevation underwent non-cardiac surgery under general anesthesia. Patients were grouped according to anesthetic agent; 659 patients were classified into a propofol-remifentanil total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) group, and 2896 patients were classified into into a volatile group. To balance the use of remifentanil between groups, a balanced group (n=1622) was generated with patients who received remifentanil infusion in the volatile group, and two separate comparisons were performed (TIVA vs. volatile and TIVA vs. balanced). The primary outcome was occurrence of MINS, defined as rise of hs-cTn I ≥ 0.04 ng/mL within postoperative 48 hours. The secondary outcomes were 30-day mortality, postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI), and adverse events during hospital stay (mortality, type I myocardial infarction (MI), and new-onset arrhythmia). In propensity-matched analyses, the occurrence of MINS was lower in the TIVA group compared to the volatile group (OR 0.642; 95% CI 0.450-0.914; p = 0.014). However, after balancing the use of remifentanil, there was no difference between groups in the risk of MINS (OR 0.832; 95% CI 0.554-1.251; p-value = 0.377). There were no significant associations between the two groups in type 1 MI, new-onset atrial fibrillation, in-hospital and 30-day mortality before and after balancing the use of remifentanil. However, the incidence of postoperative AKI was lower in the TIVA group (OR 0.362; 95% CI 0.194-0.675; p-value = 0.001). After balancing the use of remifentanil, volatile anesthesia and TIVA showed comparable effects on MINS in patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery without preoperative myocardial injury. Further studies are needed on the benefit of remifentanil infusion.

Detection of the region of interest (ROI) is a critical step in laryngeal image analysis for the delineation of glottis contour. The process can improve both computational efficiency and accuracy of the image segmentation task, which will facilitate subsequent analysis and characterization of the vocal fold vibration as it correlates with voice quality and pathology. This study aims to develop machine learning based approaches for automatic detection of ROI for glottis image sequences captured by high-speed video-endoscopy (HSV), a clinical laryngeal imaging modality. In particular, we first applied the supporting vector machine (SVM) method using histogram of oriented gradients (HOG) feature descriptor, and second, trained a convolutional neural network (CNN) model for this task. Comparisons are made for both approaches in terms of accuracy of recognition and computation time.

Tissue engineering is an emerging field of research due to its growing impact on the regeneration of tissue injured from damage and organ failure. Small hydrogel microspheres containing regenerative cells and stimulators can be used as building blocks to regenerate tissue by injecting them into damaged areas; a microneedle is used to minimize the incision and any associated infections. To address the need for production of a large number of microspheres for use in tissue engineering, we developed a 3D coaxial multi-nozzle flow-focusing device fabricated via a simple 3D-printing method that demonstrates a high rate of microsphere production per nozzle. This device has six coaxial microscale nozzles that produce hydrogel microspheres. Two individual parts—the inlet and nozzle—can be made separately by a 3D printer and bonded together using uncured photo-curable resin as glue. The dimensions of the microspheres are between 100 μm and 1200 μm. They are produced by adjusting the flow rate ratio between the dispersed and continuous media. A flow rate ratio of 180 demonstrated the highest microsphere production rate of 2.12e+5 microspheres per sec (0.25 mL/min). This microsphere production rate per nozzle is four times higher than that of currently available devices.

This paper presents an experimental scenario aimed at bridging the gap between the cities we have and the cities we need, not only in the 21^st century but also beyond, using the integrated tools of development control and holistic land development model to achieve a planner-led vision of city sustainability. Due to scathing criticisms against the development control system, the paper contends that planners as development approving officers and public interest specialists are better positioned than allied professionals to increase city sustainability through a holistic development process that benefits from the concept of strong sustainability posited by ecological economists. The paper adopts a seven-stage, 56-cell land development matrix (model) to simulate the development of the typical high-rise residential condominium in Ontario, supported with secondary data and the author’s ground experience as a planner and realtor with condominium customer service experience across Toronto and Mississauga cities between 2008 and 2017. Findings reveal that planners can seize the opportunity of being leaders of the development team to synergize the risks and value creation in land development that are key drivers of strong sustainability. The paper suggests some policy implications for averting disasters like fire hazards and terror attacks in high-rise residential buildings.

Persistent cervical infection with high-risk Human papillomaviruses (hrHPVs) is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition for the development of cervical cancer. Therefore, there are other co-factors facilitating the hrHPV carcinogenic process, one of which is smoking. In order to assess the effect of smoking on high-risk (hr) HPV DNA positivity and on the expression of HPV E7 oncoprotein, as a surrogate of persistent hrHPV infection, we used data from women recruited for the PIPAVIR project, which examined the role of E7 protein detection in cervical cancer screening. Women were tested for hrHPV DNA, using Multiplex Genotyping and E7 protein, using a novel sandwich ELISA method, and gave information on their smoking habits. Among 1473 women, hrHPV prevalence was 19.1%. The odds ratio (OR) for hrHPV positivity of smokers compared to non-smokers was 1.785 (95%CI: 1.365-2.332, p<0.001). The ORs for E7 positivity, concerning hrHPV positive women, ranged from 0.720 to 1.360 depending on the E7 detection assay used, but this was not statistically significant. Smoking increases the probability of hrHPV infection, and smoking intensity is positively associated to this increase. Smoking is not related to an increased probability of E7 protein positivity for hrHPV positive women.

Background: Antiplatelet medications such as aspirin and clopidogrel are used following thrombotic stroke or transient ischemic attack (TIA) to prevent a recurrent stroke. However, the antiplatelet treatments fail frequently, and patients experience recurrent stroke. One approach to lower the rates of recurrence, may be the individualized antiplatelet therapies (antiplatelet therapy modification (ATM)) based on the results of platelet function analysis (PFA). This review was undertaken to gather and analyse the evidence about the effectiveness of such approaches. Methods: We searched Medline, CINAHL, Embase, Web of Science and Cochrane databases to 7 January 2020. Results: Two observational studies involving 1136 patients were included. The overall effects of PFA-based ATM on recurrent strokes (OR 1.05; 95% CI 0.69 to 1.58), any bleeding risk (OR 1.39; 95% CI 0.92 to 2.10) or death hazard from any cause (OR 1.19; 95% CI 0.62 to 2.29) were not significantly different from the standard antiplatelet therapy without ATM. Conclusions: The two studies showed opposite effects of PFA-guided ATM on the recurrent strokes in aspirin non-responders, leading to an insignificant difference in the subgroup meta-analysis (OR 1.59; 95% CI 0.07 to 33.77), while the rates of any bleeding events (OR 1.04; 95% CI 0.49 to 2.17) or death from any cause (OR 1.17; 95% CI 0.41 to 3.35) were not significantly different between aspirin non-responders with ATM and those without ATM. There is a need for large randomized controlled trials which account for potential confounders such as ischemic stroke subtypes, technical variations in the testing protocols, patient adherence to therapy, and pharmacogenetic differences.

A significant challenge encountered in mmWave and Sub-terahertz systems used in 5G and 1 the upcoming 6G networks is the rapid fluctuation in signal quality across various beam directions. Extremely high-frequency waves are highly vulnerable to obstruction, making even slight adjustments in device orientation or the presence of blockers capable of causing substantial fluctuations in link quality along a designated path. This issue poses a major obstacle because numerous applications with low-latency requirements necessitate precise forecasting of network quality from many directions and cells. The method that is proposed in this research demonstrates an avant-garde approach for assessing the quality of multi-directional connections in mmWave systems by utilizing the Liquid Time Constant network (LTC) instead of the conventionally used Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) technique. The method’s validity was tested through an optimistic simulation involving the monitoring of multi-cell connections at 28 GHz in a scenario where humans and various obstructions were moving arbitrarily. The results with LTC are significantly better than those obtained by conventional approaches such as LSTM. The latter resulted in a test Root Mean Squared Error (RMSE) of 3.44 dB, while the former, 0.25 dB, demonstrating a 13-fold improvement. For better interpretability and to illustrate the complexity of prediction, an approximate mathematical expression is also fitted to the simulated signal data using Symbolic Regression.

Nitraria tangutorum Bobrov is a berry shrub with white flowers and red fruits, which grows in the deserts in the Tibetan Plateau, Mongolia, and western China. Its fruit N. tangutorum fruit (NTF) contains various bioactive compounds, with anti-fatigue, anti-inflammatory, and neuroprotective functions. However, the high saccharide content of NTF makes it unsuitable for diabetic patients. In this study, we fermented NTF to obtain N. tangutorum fermented juice (NTJ), and N. tangutorum fermented residue (NTR), which are suitable for diabetics to consume. We characterized the bioactive compounds in NTF, NTR, and NTJ, and found that fermentation increased the diversity of bioactive compounds, and greatly reduced sucrose, glucose, and fructose content while generating trehalose, which has the potential to manage blood glucose levels. Further, NTJ displays anti-diabetic potential due to various compounds anti-diabetic properties. This study provides a basis for further clinical research on NTJ's anti-diabetic function in humans.

The paper is dedicated to the topical problem of examining permafrost state and the processes of its geocryological changes by means of geophysical methods. To monitor the cryolithozone, we propose and scientifically substantiate a new technique of pulsed electromagnetic cross-well sounding. Based on the vector finite-element method, we created a mathematical model of the cross-well sounding process with a pulsed source in a three-dimensional spatially heterogeneous medium. A high-performance parallel computing algorithm was developed and verified. Through realistic geoelectric models of permafrost with a talik under a highway, constructed following the results of electrotomography field data interpretation, we numerically simulated the pulsed sounding on the computing resources of the Siberian Supercomputer Center of SB RAS. The simulation results suggest the proposed system of pulsed electromagnetic cross-well monitoring to be characterized by a high sensitivity to the presence and dimensions of the talik. The devised approach can be oriented to addressing a wide range of issues related to monitoring permafrost rocks under civil and industrial facilities, buildings and constructions.

Administration of crude polysaccharides extract from natural product is a promising gut microbiota-targeted approach to preventing obesity and associated metabolic disorders. Dietary restrictions can change the type and number of gut bacteria, which is an important factor in delaying the onset and burden of diseases. This study aimed to investigate the effects of high-yield crude polysaccharides from Cordyceps militaris (CMP) on high-fat diet (HFD) mice model and the gut microbiota community assembly, and to identify whether selenium (Se) addition would improve CMP action mode during cultivation. We found that the CMP treatment ameliorated adipose and liver pathologic morphology and fat accumulation in obese mice, while, SeCMP intervention was not superior than CMP in body mass gain, but notably decreasing serum triglyceride level increased by HFD. The upregulated expression of gene Cyp7a1 in liver and protein UCP1 in brown adipose tissue (BAT) preliminary indicated that the effect might relate to bile acids (BAs) metabolism pathway and thermogenesis. In addition, CMP showed a drastic decrease in the gut microbes which positively correlated with dyslipidemia parameters. Our result reveals the potential of CMP to be used as functional food in the prevention of diet-induced adipose and liver steatosis, so does SeCMP has outstanding capacity of improving dyslipidemia.

Microarray patches (MAPs) have the potential to be a safer, more acceptable, easier to use, and more cost-effective means for the administration of vaccines than injection by needle and syringe. Here, we report findings from a randomized, partially double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase I trial using the Vaxxas high-density MAP (HD-MAP) to deliver a measles rubella (MR) vaccine. Healthy adults (N = 63, age 18–50 years) were randomly assigned 1:1:1:1 to four groups: uncoated (placebo) HD-MAPs, low-dose MR HD-MAPs (~3,100 median cell-culture infectious dose [CCID50] measles, ~4,300 CCID50 rubella); high dose MR-HD-MAPs (~9,300 CCID50 measles, ~12,900 CCID50 rubella); or a sub-cutaneous (SC) injection of an approved MR vaccine, MR-Vac (≥1,000 CCID50 per virus). The MR vaccines were stable and remained viable on HD-MAPs when stored at 2–8°C for at least 24 months. When MR HD-MAPs stored at 2–8°C for 24 months were transferred to 40°C for 3 days in a controlled temperature excursion, loss of potency was minimal, and MR HD-MAPs still met World Health Organisation (WHO) specifications. MR HD-MAP vaccination was safe and well-tolerated; any systemic or local adverse events (AEs) were mild or moderate. Similar levels of binding and neutralizing antibodies to measles and rubella were induced by low-dose and high-dose MR HD-MAPs and MR-Vac. The neutralizing antibody seroconversion rates at day 28 after vaccination for the low-dose HD-MAP, high-dose HD-MAP and MR-Vac groups were 37.5%, 18.8% and 35.7% respectively for measles and 37.5%, 25.0% and 35.7% respectively for rubella. Most participants were seropositive for measles and rubella antibodies at baseline, which appeared to negatively impact the number of participants that seroconverted to vaccines delivered by either route. The data reported here suggest HD-MAPs could be a valuable means for delivering MR-vaccine to hard-to-reach populations and support further development. Clinical trial registry number: ACTRN12621000820808.

A new approach to the treatment of wound lesions, which are complicated by the presence of polyresistant microflora and a possible immunodeficiency background has been proposed. It involves treating the wound surface with high-intensity pulsed optical radiation of a continuous spectrum, continuously covering the entire UV range (from 200 to 400 nm), visible and near infrared region of the spectrum. A pulsed xenon lamp is used as a radiation source. A description of the design and technical characteristics of the developed device for high-intensity optical irradiation "Zarnitsa-A", which implements the proposed medical technology for wound therapy, is represented. The results of preclinical studies of the apparatus in vitro and in vivo are represented hereinafter. The article shows that the apparatus exposure has pronounced bactericidal and wound-healing properties. The apparatus action reliably provides higher rates of wound healing compared to the use of only a typical antibacterial and wound healing agent – “Levomekol” ointment.

Emerging organic contaminants (EOCs) of anthropogenic origins are ubiquitous in environmental compartments, including aquatic systems. Thus, EOCs have attracted considerable research and public attention due to their potential human and ecological health risks. However, compared to other aquatic environments such as wastewater systems, comprehensive reviews focussing on the occurrence and human health risks of EOCs in drinking water systems are still lacking. Therefore, to address this knowledge gap, the current review posits that drinking water systems harbour a cocktail of toxic EOCs, which pose public health risks via multiple exposure routes. In the present review, global evidence is examined to track EOCs along the source-pathway-receptor-impact-mitigation (SPRIM) continuum. Evidence shows that, various groups of EOCs, including pharmaceuticals and personal care products, solvents, plasticizers, endocrine disrupting compounds, gasoline additives, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), food colourants, artificial sweeteners, and musks and fragrances, have been detected in drinking water systems. The anthropogenic sources of EOCs detected in drinking water systems, including wastewater systems and industrial emissions, are summarized. Further, the behaviour and fate of EOCs in the drinking water systems, including removal processes are discussed. Once in drinking water systems, human exposure to EOCs may occur via ingestion of contaminated drinking water and cooked foods, and possibly dermal contact and inhalation. The high-risk environments, and risk factors and behaviours predisposing humans to EOC exposure are discussed. Evidence on the human health risks of the various EOCs and a critique of the data are presented. Notably, besides inferential data, quantitative epidemiological evidence directly relating the occurrence of EOCs in drinking water systems to specific adverse human health outcomes is still scarce. Lastly, future research directions, including the need for quantitative public health risk assessment, and the application of emerging detection tools are discussed.

Reinventing approved therapeutic proteins for a new dose, a new formulation, a new route of administration, an improved safety profile, a new indication, or a new conjugate with a drug or a radioactive source is a creative approach to benefit from the billions spent on developing new therapeutic proteins. These new opportunities were created only recently with the arrival of AI/ML tools and high throughput screening technologies. Furthermore, the complex nature of proteins offers mining opportunities that are not possible with chemical drugs; bringing in newer therapies without spending billions makes this path highly lucrative financially while serving the dire needs of humanity. This paper analyses several practical reinventing approaches and suggests regulatory strategies to reduce development costs significantly. This should enable the entry of hundreds of new therapies at affordable costs.

Encapsulation is a valuable strategy to protect and deliver anthocyanins (ACNs), phenolic com-pounds with outstanding antioxidant capacity but limited stability. In this study, coacervation was used to encapsulate an ACNs-rich red cabbage extract (RCE). Two agri-food by-products polymers, whey protein isolate (WPI) and apple high-methoxyl pectin (HMP), were blended at pH 4.0 in a specific ratio to induce the formation of nanoparticles (NPs). The process optimisation yielded a monodispersed population (PDI < 0.200) of negatively charged (-17 mV) NPs with an average diameter of 380 nm. RCE concentration influenced size, charge, and antioxidant capacity in a dose-dependent manner. NPs were also sensitive to pH increase from 4 to 7, showing a progressive breakdown. The encapsulation efficiency was 30%, with a retention of ACNs within the polymeric matrix being influenced by their chemical structure: diacylated and/or C3-triglucoside forms were more efficiently encapsulated than monoacylated C3-diglucosides. In conclusion, we report a promising, simple, and sustainable method to produce monodispersed NPs for ACNs encapsu-lation and delivery. Evidence of differential binding of ACNs to NPs, dependent on specific ac-ylation/glycosylation patterns, indicate that care must be taken in the choice of the appropriate NPs formulation for the encapsulation of phenolic compounds.

A multi-strand composite welding wire was applied to join high nitrogen austenitic stainless steel, and microstructures and mechanical properties were investigated. The electrical signals demonstrate that the welding process using a multi-strand composite welding wire is highly stable. The welded joints are composed of columnar austenite and dendritic ferrite and welded joints obtained under high heat input and cooling rate have a noticeable coarse-grained heat-affected zone and larger columnar austenite in weld seam. Compared with welded joints obtained under the high heat input and cooling rate, welded joints have the higher fractions of deformed grains, high angle grain boundaries, Schmid factor and the lower dislocation density under the low heat input and cooling rate, which indicate a lower tensile strength and higher yield strength. The rotated goss (G_RD) orientation of a thin plate and the cube (C) orientation of a thick plate are obvious after welding, but the S orientation at 65° sections of Euler’s space is weak. The δ-ferrite was studied based on the primary ferrite solidification mode. It is observed that low heat input and high cooing rate result in the increasing of δ-ferrite and high dislocation density was obtained in grain boundaries of δ-ferrite. M₂₃C₆ precipitates due to low cooling rate and heat input in weld seam and deteriorates the elongation of welded joints. The engineering stress-strain curves also show the low elongation and tensile strength of welded joints under low heat input and cooling rate, which is mainly caused by the high fraction of δ-ferrite and the precipitation of M₂₃C₆.

Flails are one of the more contentious and misunderstood classes of medieval weaponry, despite their prevalence in popular media: some researchers question their existence entirely and the bulk of historians are sceptical of widespread temporal and geographical prevalence while others, and a significant volume of period evidence, would argue the contrary. While the expansive use of flails in Eastern Europe and Byzantium is familiar, many Central, Western, and Southern European sources are less well-known or largely forgotten, especially those stemming from the later-early and early-high medieval eras (up to 1250). In this work, I collate and discuss the bulk of the available literary references and artistic depictions of flails and their use alongside some of the archaeological finds from Western, Central, and Southern Europe, with an emphasis on the 12^th and 13^th Centuries. The significance of this volume of evidence is examined, and an assessment of flails as a part of medieval culture and warfare is considered. Collectively, this would suggest that knowledge of flails as instruments of war and associated cultural connotations, if not their actual prevalence and use in warfare, was far more widespread across Europe this time period than has been previously estimated.

Biological systems are highly regulated. They are also highly resistant to sudden perturbations enabling them to maintain the dynamic equilibrium essential for sustenance of life. This robustness is conferred by regulatory mechanisms that influence the activity of enzymes/proteins within their cellular context, to adapt to changing environmental conditions. However, the initial rules governing the study of enzyme kinetics were tested and implemented for mostly cytosolic enzyme systems that were easy to isolate and/or recombinantly express. Moreover, these enzymes lacked complex regulatory modalities. Now, with academic labs and pharmaceutical companies turning their attention to more complex systems (for instance, multi-protein complexes, oligomeric assemblies, membrane proteins and post-translationally modified proteins), the initial axioms defined by Michaelis-Menten (MM) kinetics are rendered inadequate and the development of a new kind of kinetic analysis to study these systems is required. The current review strives to present an overview of enzyme kinetic mechanisms that are atypical and, oftentimes, do not conform to the classical MM kinetics. Further, it presents initial ideas on the design and analysis of experiments in early drug-discovery for such systems, to enable effective screening and characterisation of small-molecule inhibitors with desirable physiological outcomes.

Gut microbiota dysfunction is a key factor affecting chronic kidney disease (CKD) susceptibility. Puerariae Lobatae Radix (PLR), a traditional Chinese medicine and food homologous herb, is known to promote gut microbiota homeostasis, however, its role in renoprotection remains unknown. This study aimed to investigate the efficacy and potential mechanism of PLR to alleviate CKD. An 8-week 2% NaCl-feeding murine model was applied to induce CKD and evaluate the therapeutic effect of PLR supplementary. After gavage for 8 weeks, PLR significantly alleviated CKD-associated creatinine, urine protein increasement and nephritic histopathological injury. Moreover, PLR protected kidney from fibrosis by reducing inflammatory response and down-regulating the canonical Wnt / β-catenin pathway. Further, PLR rescued gut microbiota dysbiosis and protected high salt-induced gut barrier dysfunction. We found enrichment of Akkermansia and Bifidobacterium after PLR intervention, the relative abundance of which were in positive correlation with normal maintenance of renal histology and function. Next, fecal microbiota transplantation experiment verified that the positive effect of PLR on CKD was at least partially exerted through gut microbiota reestablishment and down-regulation of the Wnt / β-catenin pathway. Our study provides evidence for new function of PLR on kidney protection and put forward a potential therapeutic strategy target for CKD.

This paper presents a method to detect and classify the high impedance fault that occur in the medium voltage distribution network using discrete wavelet transform (DWT) and adaptive neuro-fuzzy inference system (ANFIS). The network is designed using Matlab software and various faults such as high impedance, symmetrical and unsymmetrical fault have been applied to study the effectiveness of the proposed ANFIS classifier method. This is achieved by training the ANFIS classifier using the features (standard deviation values) extracted from the three phase fault current signal by DWT technique for various cases of fault with different values of fault resistance in the system. The success and discrimination rate obtained for identifying and classifying the high impedance fault from the proffered method is 100% whereas the values are 66.7% and 85% respectively for conventional fuzzy based approach. The results indicate that the proposed method is more efficient to identify and discriminate the high impedance fault accurately from other power system faults in the system.

The rising severity and frequency of wildfires in recent years in the United States have raised numerous concerns regarding the improvement in wildfire emergency response management and decision-making systems, which require operational high temporal and spatial resolution monitoring capabilities. Satellites are one of the tools that can be used for wildfire monitoring. However, none of the currently available satellite systems provide both high temporal and spatial resolution. For example, GOES-17 geostationary satellite fire products have high temporal (1-5 min) but low spatial resolution (2 km), and VIIRS polar orbiter satellite fire products have low temporal (~12 h) but high spatial resolution (375 m). This work aims to leverage currently available satellite data sources, such as GOES and VIIRS, along with Deep Learning (DL) advances to achieve an operational high-resolution, both spatially and temporarily, wildfire monitoring tool. Specifically, this study considers the problem of increasing the spatial resolution of high temporal but low spatial resolution GOES-17 data products using low temporal but high spatial resolution VIIRS data products. The main idea is using an Autoencoder DL model to learn how to map GOES-17 geostationary low spatial resolution satellite images to VIIRS polar orbiter high spatial resolution satellite images. In this context, several loss functions and DL architectures are implemented and tested to predict both the fire area and the corresponding brightness temperature. These models are trained and tested on wildfire sites from 2019 to 2021 in the western U.S. The results indicate that DL models can improve the spatial resolution of GOES-17 images, leading to images that mimic the spatial resolution of VIIRS images. Combined with GOES-17 higher temporal resolution, the DL model can provide high-resolution near-real-time wildfire monitoring capability as well as semi-continuous wildfire progression maps.

This paper presents a robust and efficient fault detection and diagnosis framework for handling small faults and oscillations in synchronous generator (SG) systems. The proposed framework utilizes the Brunovsky form representation of nonlinear systems to mathematically formulate the fault detection problem. A differential-flatness model of SG systems is provided to meet the conditions of the Brunovsky form representation. A combination of high-gain observer and group method of data handling neural network is employed to estimate the trajectory of the system and to learn/ approximate the fault and uncertainties associated functions. The fault detection mechanism is developed based on output residual generation and monitoring so that any unfavourable oscillation and/or fault occurrence can be detected rapidly. Accordingly, an average L1-norm criterion is proposed for rapid decision making of faulty situations. The performance of the proposed framework is investigated for two benchmark scenarios which are actuation fault and fault impact on system dynamics. The simulation results demonstrate the capacity and effectiveness of the proposed solution for rapid fault detection and diagnosis in SG systems in practice, and thus enhancing service maintenance, protection, and life cycle of SGs.

Using an original method for measuring weak radiothermal electromagnetic signals, experimental data were obtained on the analysis of dispersions of noise attractors of the radiobrightness temperature of aqueous solutions of NaCl, Al (NO₃)₃ at dilutions C1 (1:100) – C12 (12:100). The values of dispersions of noise attractors significantly differ from those for the control experiment with water. On the basis of the changed values of the noise attractors of the radiobrightness temperature, the values of the absorption coefficients of the solutions are calculated. The difference between the values of the solutions absorption coefficients and those for water is shown with a successive increase in their values with an increase in the degree of dilution. The difference between the values of the absorption coefficients of solutions of high dilutions and those for water is interpreted as a mechanism of cooperative interaction of ions with water molecules located outside the first hydration shell. A network of water molecules perturbed by ions contributes to the dielectric permittivity was obtained due to new properties at supramolecular interactions on the basis of dispersion interaction.

Recently, “mature” silkworms (MS) of Bombix mori have been considered as a potential nutraceutical, with a number of health benefits reported for steamed and lyophilized MS powder (SMSP). However, no obesity-related effects have been reported for SMSP. In the present study, anti-obesity effects of SMSP were investigated in adult mice in vivo, aged 12 weeks at the onset of drug administration, fed normal diet (ND) and high-fat diet (HFD), respectively, for 12 weeks. SMSP significantly suppressed body weight gain, intra-abdominal adipose tissue, and food efficiency in both ND-fed and HFD-fed adult mice. In addition, SMSP significantly decreased food intake and liver weight in HFD-fed mice, indicating that SMSP suppressed appetite and simultaneously reduced the conversion of feed into body weight in HFD-fed mice. SMSP also significantly lowered serum levels of glucose, triglyceride, total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, asparagine transaminase, alanine transaminase, and alkaline phosphatase. However, SMSP had no significant effect on the weights of kidney, spleen, and thymus and serum levels of blood urea nitrogen and creatinine. Taken together, the above results suggest that SMSP has potent anti-obesity effects and is safe for long-term use as a potential therapeutic and/or nutraceutical in both obese patients and non-obese individuals.

This study propounds a sustainable alternative to petroleum-based polyurethane (PU) foams aiming to curtail this nonrenewable resource's continued and uncontrolled use. Coconut fatty acid distillate (CFAD) and crude glycerol (CG), both wastes from vegetable oil processes, were utilized for bio-based polyol production for rigid PU foam application. The raw materials were subjected to catalyzed glycerolysis with alkaline-alcohol neutralization and bleaching. The resulting polyol possessed properties suitable for rigid foam application with an average OH number of 215 mg KOH/g, acid number of 7.2983 mg KOH/g, and Gardner color value of 18. The polyol was used to prepare rigid PU foam, and its properties were determined using FTIR, TGA/DTA, and UTM. Additionally, the cell foam morphology was investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM) in which most of its structure revealed an open-celled network and quantified at 92.71% open cell content using pycnometric testing. The PU foam thermal and mechanical analysis results showed an average compressive strength of 70.59 kPa, thermal conductivity of 46.50 mWm-1K-1, and density of 32.79 kgm-3. These properties showed its applicability as thermal insulating foam, thus, demonstrating the potential use of CFAD and CG in commercial polyol and PU foam production.

In this work we have critically reviewed the processes in high-temperature sublimation growth of graphene in Ar atmosphere using enclosed graphite crucible. Special focus is put on buffer layer formation and free charge carrier properties of monolayer graphene and quasi-freestanding monolayer garphene on 4H-SiC. We show that by introducing Ar at different temperatures, TAr one can shift to higher temperatures the formation of the buffer layer for both n-type and semi-insulating substrates. A scenario explaining the observed suppresed formation of buffer layer at higher TAr is proposed and discussed. Increased TAr is also shown to reduce the sp3 hybridization content and defect densities in the buffer layer on n-type conductive substrates. Growth on semi-insulating substrates results in ordered buffer layer with significantly improved structural properties, for which TAr plays only a minor role. The free charge density and mobility parameters of monolayer graphene and quasi-freestanding monolayer graphene with different TAr and different environmental treatment conditions are determined by contactless terahertz optical Hall effect. An efficient annealing of donors on and near the SiC surface takes place in intrinsic monolayer graphene grown at 2000∘C, and which is found to be independent of TAr. Higher TAr leads to higher free charge carrier mobility parameters in both intrinsically n-type and ambient p-type doped monolayer graphene. TAr is also found to have a profound effect on the free hole parameters of quasi-freestanding monolayer graphene. These findings are discussed in view of interface and buffer layer properties in order to construct a comprehensive picture of high-temperature sublimation growth and provide guidance for growth parameters optimization depending on the targeted graphene application.

This paper presents a proposal for a non-isolated bidirectional converter (NIBC) controlled by a deep neural network (DNN) to enable vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) and vehicle-to-grid (V2G) charging, which contributes to the development of more efficient and sustainable transportation and energy systems. The DNN controller manages power flow in both directions, making it possible to charge electric vehicles (EVs) and discharge power from EVs to the grid with improved efficiency and performance compared to traditional control methods. The non-isolated topology used in this proposal offers several benefits, including reduced cost, smaller size, and higher efficiency. To train the DNN controller, a large dataset of simulations was used, and the results were validated with a hardware setup. The real-time performance of the DNN controller was compared to a proportional-integral (PI) based controller through simulated results. The findings of the study show that the DNN controller outperforms traditional PI controllers.

In the previous work, the pure fatigue behavior of AM60 magnesium alloy (PF-AM60) was compared with the corrosion fatigue behavior of these specimens (CF-AM60). In this research, in continuation of the previous job, the pure fatigue behaviors of AM60 with polylactic acid (PLA) coating (PF-AM60-PLA) and also, corrosion fatigue behaviors of magnesium alloy with PLA coating (CF-AM60-PLA) were evaluated. Polymer coating was made by fused deposition modeling (FDM) with a 3D printer and attached to standard fatigue test specimens with a glue. Then, they were immersed in the simulated body fluid (SBF) for 27 days. In the end, a high-cycle bending fatigue test was performed on samples. The fracture surface of the samples was also observed using the field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). Due to corrosion, the weight of the specimens redcued by an average of 35%. The corrosion rate decreased in the first 7 days and then increased. PF samples with coating had an average of 49% increase in fatigue lifetime. Regarding the CF samples, despite the use of a 10 times stronger solution, the fatigue lifetime of these samples decreased by only 35%. FESEM results also showed cleavage plates and striations. In addition, the separation of the glue from the coating and Mg was observed. Corrosion products including microcracks and holes were seen on the fracture surface of CF specimens, which caused stress concentration and crack growth. Holes caused by the release of gases were also observed in polymer coatings.

This comprehensive review traces the transformative journey of genomic mapping, ushering in the era of "Genomic Atlas 2.0," characterized by advanced strategies and cutting-edge technologies. Beginning with a historical overview, it highlights the evolution from early linkage analysis to the current landscape shaped by high-throughput sequencing. Key breakthroughs are emphasized, showcasing the pivotal role of platforms such as Illumina and Oxford Nanopore in accelerating the identification of genetic variations. Long-read sequencing technologies, including PacBio and Oxford Nanopore, are explored as transformative elements overcoming limitations associated with short-read sequencing. The review delves into spatial genomics and chromatin conformation capture techniques, revealing the three-dimensional intricacies of the genome, with a particular focus on the revolutionary impact of Hi-C in understanding chromatin interactions. CRISPR technologies emerge as indispensable tools in Genomic Atlas 2.0, enabling targeted genome editing and the generation of precise genetic models. Functional genomics screens, utilizing RNA interference and CRISPR-based techniques, are discussed for their scalable precision in deciphering genome functions. Navigating challenges, the review addresses complexities in data integration and ethical considerations, offering strategies to ensure the robustness and ethical conduct of genetic mapping. Looking optimistically towards the future, it explores opportunities such as improved sequencing accuracy and novel applications of CRISPR technologies. Envisioning the expansion of genomics into personalized medicine, agriculture, and conservation biology, the review serves as a guiding resource for researchers, scientists, and students navigating the intricate terrain of Genomic Atlas 2.0.

Lithium titanates are used in various applications, such as anode materials for lithium intercalation (Li4Ti5O12) or breeding materials in fusion reactors (Li2TiO3). Here, we report the formation of nano-crystalline lithium titanates by a mechanochemical approach and present a deeper insight into their structural characteristics by PXRD and solid-state NMR spectroscopy. The compounds were synthesized in a high energy planetary ball mill with varying milling parameters and different grinding tools. NaCl type Li2TiO3 (α-Li2TiO3) was formed by dry milling of lithium hydroxide with titania (rutile or anatase) and by a milling induced structure transformation of monoclinic β Li2TiO3 or spinel type Li4Ti5O12. Heating of mechanochemical prepared α Li2TiO3 induces a phase transformation to the monoclinic phase similar to hydrothermal reaction products, but a higher thermal stability was observed for the mechanochemical formed product. Microstructure and crystallographic structure were characterized by PXRD via Rietveld analysis. Detailed phase analysis shows the formation of the cubic phase from the various educts. A set of two lattice parameters for α Li2TiO3 was refined, depending on the presence of OH- during the milling process. An average crystallite size of less than 15 nm was observed for the mechanochemical generated products. The local Li environment detected by 6Li SPE MAS NMR revealed Li defects in the form of tetrahedral instead of octahedral site occupation. Subsequent adjustment of the structural model for Rietveld refinement leads to better fits, supporting this interpretation.

This study presents a detailed comparative analysis of Molecular Docking data, focusing on the binding interactions of conventional ligands and natural compounds, Apigenin and Luteolin, with TP-53, pRb, and APOBEC. Utilizing advanced bioinformatics techniques, coupled with Ar-tificial Intelligence software and High-Performance Computing (HPC), we measured and con-trasted the binding energies of these interactions. Additionally, we investigated protein-protein interactions between HPV-16 oncoprotein E6 and tumor suppressors TP-53 and pRb. Our findings demonstrate that the natural compounds Apigenin and Luteolin exhibit significantly higher binding affinities to TP-53, pRb, and APOBEC compared to conventional pharmacological ligands. The binding energies for Apigenin and Luteolin were approximately -6.9 kcal/mol and -6.6 kcal/mol, respectively, indicating their strong potential as therapeutic agents in inhibiting the oncogenic functions of HPV-16. In contrast, conventional ligands showed lower binding affinities, with energies around -4.5 to -5.5 kcal/mol. The study further revealed that the protein-protein interactions between E6 and TP-53, and E6 and pRb, exhibited considerably higher binding en-ergies, approximately -976.7 kcal/mol, due to the multiple interaction sites and the complex nature of protein interfaces. A conversion formula was developed to translate these high-energy inter-actions to a comparable scale for non-protein-protein interactions, highlighting the superior binding potential of natural compounds, which, through the same conversion formula, was shown to be higher than that of interaction between E6 with TP-53 and E6 with pRb. These results underscore the therapeutic promise of Apigenin and Luteolin in preventing HPV-16-related on-cogenesis. By demonstrating their higher binding affinities to crucial tumor suppressors, this study supports the development of natural compound-based therapies. The findings also em-phasize the necessity for further experimental validation to explore these compounds' efficacy in clinical settings. This comprehensive analysis provides a robust framework for understanding the comparative binding interactions and lays the groundwork for innovative therapeutic strategies against HPV-16.

The altitude of the habitat is one of the important regulators of species survival. Kaçkar Mountains National Park is located in the Eastern Black Sea region of Turkey. This is the first study on the benthic diatom flora of the high mountain lakes in Kaçkar Mountains National Park, which is situated between 2782 and 3075 m a.s.l. A total of 84 diatom species were identified from benthic communities of 15 habitats in summer (19 July, 28 August) and autumn (10 September) months of 2020. The genus Pinnularia (13 species) formed the basis of the taxonomic list followed by Eunotia (5 species), Navicula (5 species), and Frustulia (4 species) genera, respectively. The waters in all the studied lakes were fresh, low-saline, with low-alkaline or circumneutral pH and organically uncontaminated as evidenced by prevailed bioindicator groups. Statistical methods and comparative floristic results confirm the role of the lake altitude for the diatom species distribution. Species richness was higher in lakes with lower altitude, but a statistical approach also revealed a tendency for it to increase with altitude if species richness increased. Further studies will be needed to continue exploring this pattern. In the first round of analysis, diatom species groups were categorized according to IUCN categories, revealing one potentially threatened and one rare species. To protect studied high mountain lakes, their ecological conditions must be constantly monitored in the Kaçkar Mountains National Park.

We performed the accuracy assessment of three different Normalized Difference Water Indices (NDWIs) in water bodies during April 2019, a period in which floods occurred in a large proportion of the Southwest of the Buenos Aires Province (Argentina). The accuracy of the estimations using spaceborne medium-resolution multi-spectral imaging, and the reliability of three NDWIs to highlight shallow water features in satellite images, was evaluated using a high resolution airbone imagery as ground-truth. It is shown that these indices computed using Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 imagery are only loosely correlated to the actual flooded area in shallow waters. Indeed, NDWI values vary significantly depending on the satellite mission used and the type of index computed.