Edge computing reduces the response time of real-time services with handling dynamic traffics reliably. Edge servers with limited resources utilize container technology that provides a lightweight execution environment. When deploying containers in edge servers, a container image is required and is downloaded from a remote registry. Therefore, these operations are dependent on network overhead between the container deployment system and the remote registry. Through motivation experiments, we show that container pooling time increases in proportion to physical distance and has characteristics that vary flexibly depending on runtime time. In this study, we define a system model for high-speed registry deployment in this edge system and propose a clustering technique into k groups based on the network overhead and affinity of the regionally distributed edge servers that make up the edge system. Also, considering idle resources, we propose a technique to deploy a registry after electing a leader for each cluster. A simulation experiment is conducted to verify the performance of the proposed technique and shows that performance improvement can be achieved regardless of the number of edge servers and the k value.

The purpose of this study is to explore the effects of dual-task training, including cognitive tasks, on cognitive and bodily functioning and β-amyloid levels in Alzheimer's dementia patients. The subjects were 34 inpatients diagnosed with Alzheimer's dementia at a nursing hospital located in Gyeongsansi, South Korea. The patients were randomly divided into a dual-task group (n = 16) and a single-task group (n = 18). The dual-task group performed cognitive tasks at the same time as exercising tasks, while the single-task group performed only exercise tasks. Each group was trained for 30 minutes three times a week for eight weeks. The Mini-Mental State Examination was used to measure the patients’ cognitive function. Static and dynamic balance were measured to evaluate bodily functioning. Static balance was measured using Biorescue, while dynamic balance was measured using the Berg Balance Scale. Blood analysis was performed to measure levels of β-amyloid, which is known to cause Alzheimer's dementia. Both groups exhibited statistically significant improvements in gait function after the training (p < .05). The dual-task group exhibited statistically significant differences in cognitive function, static and dynamic balance function, and β-amyloid levels after training (p < .05). A significant difference was observed between the two groups (p < .05). Dual-task activities were found to be effective in improving cognitive and bodily functioning and reducing β-amyloid levels in Alzheimer's dementia patients. Therefore, dual-task training is thought to be an effective method of treating and preventing Alzheimer's dementia.

This study presents the comparison of heat transfer capacity and pressure drop characteristics between a basic fin-tube heat exchanger and a modified heat exchanger with the structural change of branch tubes and coiled turbulators. All experiments were carried out using an air-enthalpy type calorimeter based on the method described in ASHRAE standards, under heat exchanger experimental conditions. 14 different kinds of heat exchangers were used for the experiment. Cooling and heating capacities of the turbulator heat exchanger were excellent, compared to the basic one. As the insertion ratio of the coiled turbulator and the number of row increased, the heat transfer performance increased. However, the capacity per unit area was more effective in 4 rows than 6 rows, and the cooling performance of the 6 row turbulator heat exchanger (100% turbulator insert ratio) was down to about 6% than that of 4 row one. As the water flow rate and the turbulator insertion ratio increased, the pressure drop of the water side increased. This trend was more pronounced in 6 rows. In the cooling condition, the pressure drop on the air side was slightly increased due to the generation of condensed water, but was insignificant under the heating condition. The power consumption of the pump was more affected by the water flow rate than the coiled turbulator. The equivalent hydraulic diameter of a tube by the turbulator was reduced and then the heat transfer performance was improved. Thus, the tube diameter was smaller, the heat flux was better.

This study examined the impact of Vibration-Assisted Drilling (VAD) on hole quality and residual stress in Ti-6Al-4V ELI material. Ti-6Al-4V ELI possesses excellent mechanical properties but presents challenges in machining, including chip evacuation, burr formation, and elevated cutting temperatures. VAD, particularly Low-Frequency Vibration-Assisted Drilling (LF-VAD), has been explored as a potential solution to address these issues. The research com-pares LF-VAD with conventional drilling (CD) under various cutting and cooling conditions. LF-VAD exhibits higher maximum cutting forces under specific conditions, which result in accel-erated tool wear. However, it also demonstrates lower RMS (Root Mean Square) forces com-pared to CD, offering better control over chip formation, reduced burr formation, and improved surface roughness within the hole. Furthermore, LF-VAD generates greater compressive residual stresses on the hole's inner surface compared to CD, suggesting enhanced fatigue performance. These findings indicate that LF-VAD holds promise for improving hole quality, fatigue life, and overall component durability in Ti-6Al-4V machining applications.

Resection of malignant lesions in the oral and maxillofacial area causes functional and morphological defects. To recover from these defects, reconstruction surgery is needed such as a primary closure or a flap. There are advantages and disadvantages to the method of using the primary closure and the flap, and the choice of procedure is entirely up to a surgeon. The purpose of this study is to evaluate availability of primary closure in patients. For 10 years from January 2010 to May 2020, patients who recovered using flaps after removing malignant lesions from the oral cavity and those who closed the lesion using primary closure were investigated. The investigation was conducted by searching the database of the hospital. There were 85 patients who removed malignant lesions in the oral and maxillofacial area, and among them 16 patients closed the soft tissue defects using primary closure. Operation time, histologic types, stages, wound status, and period of hospitalization according to the patients' medical records were investigated retrospectively. Between the staging and the primary closure, statistically significant differences were observed between stage I and stage II patients in 13 patients using the primary closure. (P=0.046). Statistically significant differences were identified between operation time and primary closure, with an average of 4.02 hours (P=0.015). The average period of hospitality for patients who underwent primary closure was 13.4 days, compared to 26.7 days for those who underwent flap surgery. This difference was statistically significant (P=0.0003). This study evaluated the use of primary closure in patients who underwent resection of malignant lesions in the oral and maxillofacial area. Although the majority of patients underwent reconstruction with flaps, our results showed that primary closure can be a viable option for certain patients with early-stage lesions. Therefore, oral and maxillofacial surgeons should carefully consider various evaluation criteria and select appropriate reconstruction methods to optimize functional and aesthetic outcomes for each patient.

The Atoyac River crosses the metropolitan area of Puebla, Mexico, and presents a condition of severe degradation that has been poorly studied. The research was conducted in the year 2016 and analyzed the space-time dynamics of the water quality of the river, the increase in pollution in the period 2011–2016, and the water quality of the Atoyac River used for agricultural irrigation and human consumption in the population of Emilio Portes Gil, Ocoyucan, based on official Mexican standards (NOMs). The anoxic state of the river was demonstrated (~1.47 mgO₂/L) and the high organic pollution, particularly in drought, as well as the presence of large populations of coliform bacteria, and 11 enterobacteries of pathogenic importance. The pollution recorded an average increase of 49% in the period 2011-2016, and the values of Fe, Al, Pb, and Cd in variable percentages. It was evidenced that water for irrigation and wells is contaminated with fecal bacteria (104–549 NMP/100 mL), including pathogenic. In wells, the concentration of heavy metals was 5 times higher in drought. These results represent a serious threat for the population of Emilio Portes Gil and the environment in the metropolitan area of Puebla.

To analyze the combined response of ocular cyclotorsion and head tilt during body tilt and to interpret the physiologic role of those movements, each of the three subjects completed six different experiments of body tilt not fixating their head movements using a flight simulator, which consisted of combinations of three tilt angles (30, 45, and 60) and two visual conditions. Head tilt and ocular cyclotorsion of the right eye before, during, and after the tilt maneuver were recorded and analyzed by time sequence. In the active tilting phase, the right eye showed a stepladder pattern of multiple repeats of fast and slow cyclotorsion along with head tilt to obtain maximum visual information. During the stationary tilting phase, there occurred a small amount (mean, 2.3) of ocular cyclotorsion which was reciprocal to that of head tilt. The visual cue of body tilt through the central visual field induced a larger amount of head tilt but affected little ocular cyclotorsion. The maximum degree of ocular cyclotorsion during each experiment was 10.2 on average. In conclusion, the combined response of ocular cyclotorsion and head tilt develops during body tilt and it compromises the conflicting needs between binocular vision and gravitational orientation.

Since 2007, highly pathogenic clade 2.3.2 H5N1 avian influenza A [A(H5N1)] viruses have evolved to clade 2.3.2.1a, b and c, and currently only 2.3.2.1c A(H5N1) viruses circulate in wild birds and poultry. During antigenic evolution, clade 2.3.2.1a and c A(H5N1) viruses acquired both S144N and V223I mutations around the receptor binding site of hemagglutinin (HA), with S144N generating an N-glycosylation sequon. We introduced single or combined reverse mutations, N144S and/or I223V, into the HA gene of clade 2.3.2.1c A(H5N1) virus and generated PR8-derived, 2 + 6 recombinant A(H5N1) viruses. When we compared replication efficiency in embryonated chicken eggs, mammalian cells and mice, the recombinant virus containing both N144S and I223V mutations showed increased replication efficiency in avian and mammalian hosts and pathogenicity in mice. The N144S mutation significantly decreased avian receptor affinity and egg white inhibition, but not all mutations increased mammalian receptor affinity. Interestingly, the combined reverse mutations dramatically increased the thermostability of HA. Therefore, the adaptive mutations possibly acquired to evade avian immunity may decrease viral thermostability as well as mammalian pathogenicity.

This study was conducted to determine whether overcrowding in the emergency department (ED) affects the occurrence of a return visit (RV) within 72 hours. The crowding indicator of index visit was the average number of total patients, patients under observation, and boarding patients during the first 1 and 4 hours from ED arrival time and the last 1 hour before ED departure. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine whether each indicator affects the occurrence of RV and post-RV admission. Of the 87,360 discharged patients, 3,743 (4.3%) returned to the ED within 72 hours. Of the crowding indicators pertaining to total patients, the last 1 hour significantly affected decrease in RV (p=0.0046). Boarding patients were found to increase RV occurrence during the first 1 hour (p=0.0146) and 4 hours (p=0.0326). Crowding indicators that increased the likelihood of admission post-RV were total number of patients during the first 1 hour (p=0.0166) and 4 hours (p=0.0335) and evaluationg patients during the first 1 hour (p=0.0059). Overcrowding in the ED increased the incidence of RV and likelihood of post-RV admission. However, overcrowding at the time of ED departure was related to reduced RV.

Studies on the cutting propagation of plants belonging to the genus Rhododendron are limited to R. mucronulatum and R. yedoense, which are mainly used as ornamental flowering trees, and additional studies on a greater variety of species are required. This study examined the characterisitics of cutting propagation according to treatment with growth regulators indole-3-butyric acid (IBA) and α-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) to generate basic data on the methods of reproducing R. micarnthum Turcz.. The number of roots (r=0.740**), length of root (r=0.844**), and number of leaves (r=0.649**) affected the rooting rate of R. micarnthum Turcz., and the number of roots (r=0.646**), length of roots (r=0.673**), number of leaves (r=0.738**), and chlorophyll content (r=0.710**) affected the survival rate. Further, the rooting and survival rates were highly correlated (r=0.794**). The growth characteristics of underground sections after growth regulator treatment were as follows: the number of formed roots was 7.0 and 7.2, and the length of roots was 6.2 cm and 5.3 cm in 150 mg·L-1 and 250 mg·L-1 NAA treatment groups, respectively. The rooting rate was 60% or above in the growth regulator treatment groups compared to that in the control group. Particularly, the rooting rates of 150 mg·L-1 and 250 mg·L-1 NAA treatment groups were 90% or above, and the latent period before rooting was shorter than other treatment groups at approximately 14 days, which was considered to be effective for root growth. The aboveground growth characteristics after propagating the cuttings showed that groups treated with 150 mg·L-1 and 250 mg·L-1 NAA showed a significantly higher plant length (5.2-5.8 cm), number of leaves (6.2 and 6.9), and leaf-length and leaf-width as compared to other treatment groups. Moreover, the survival rates of 150 mg·L-1 and 250 mg·L-1 NAA treatment groups were 80% or above, and the sound root growth manifested in the tendency of good aboveground growth. Additionally, IBA and NAA were highly correlated to the rooting and survival rates during cutting propagation of R. micarnthum Turcz.. The rooting and survival rates increased with the increase in growth regulator concentration. Particularly, NAA had a higher correlation to the rooting and survival rates than IBA (r=0.7316**, 0.7013**). Thus, R. micarnthum Turcz. could be propagated through cutting. Growth regulator treatment with 150 mg·L-1 and 250 mg·L-1 of NAA was effective for rooting and root growth of cutting, and these treatments were considered appropriate because the effects of aboveground growth were positive.

Despite accumulating evidence for the pro-apoptotic role for X-linked inhibitor of apoptosis-associated factor 1 (XAF1), its involvement in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress response remains undefined. Here, we report that XAF1 enhances cell sensitivity to ER stress and acts as a switch in unfolded protein response (UPR)-mediated cell-fate decisions favoring apoptosis over adaptive autophagy. XAF1 interacts with and destabilizes ER stress sensor GRP78 through the assembly of zinc finger protein 313-mediated destruction complex. Moreover, XAF1 gene transcription is activated by ER stress through PERK-Nrf2 signaling to direct an adaptive to apoptotic switch of stress response by blocking C-terminus of Hsc70-interacting protein (CHIP)-mediated K63-linked ubiquitination and subsequent phosphorylation of inositol-required enzyme-1α (IRE1α). In tumor xenograft assays, XAF1-/- tumors display substantially lower regression compared to XAF1+/+ tumors in response to cytotoxic dose of ER stress inducer. XAF1 and GRP78 expression show an inverse correlation in human cancer cell lines and primary breast carcinomas. Collectively this study uncovers an important role for XAF1 as a linchpin to govern the sensitivity to ER stress and the outcomes of UPR signaling, illuminating the mechanistic consequence of XAF1 inactivation in tumorigenesis.

The aim of this study is to evaluate the optimal conditions of membrane filtration process. Both laboratory test and pilot-scale test were conducted to examine a treated water on blending water. The water sample were prepared by blending a raw water and the effluent water filtered through an organic membrane. The optimal efficiency in the treatment of water quality at the lab-scale test was generated under conditions of flux at 2.0 m³/m²∙day, the blending ratio of 4:1, and the optimal dosage of coagulant at 20 ppm. The pilot-scale test resulted in that the optimal efficiency was obtained under conditions of flux at 2.0 m³/m²∙day and the blending ratio of 6.0:1. However, the different results between lab-scale and pilot-scale tests on the optimal dosage of coagulant implied that it is difficult to achieve the stable condition of process operation at the low level of coagulant. In summary, the results indicated that, in the combination process of organic membrane and ceramic membrane, the recovery efficiency was achieved above the level of 98.4 %. Compared to 92.1 % in a single organic membrane process, the combination process is 6.3 % more efficient than the single one. This combination process of water treatment lead to stable recovery rates by the optimal input of dosage, less pollution load to water, and a stabilized filtration system.

This study investigated a novel radioimmunotherapy strategy for targeting tumor angiogenesis. We developed a radiopharmaceutical complex by labeling an anti-adenosine triphosphate syn-thase (ATPS) monoclonal antibody (mAb) with the radioisotope 177Lu using DOTA as a chelating agent. 177Lu-DOTA-ATPS mAb demonstrated high labeling efficiency (99.0%) and stability in se-rum. MKN-45 cancer cells exhibited the highest cellular uptake, which could be specifically blocked by unlabeled ATPS mAb. In mice, 177Lu-DOTA-ATPS mAb accumulated significantly in tumors, with a tumor uptake of 16.0 ± 1.5%ID/g on day 7. 177Lu-DOTA-ATPS mAb treatment sig-nificantly reduced the viability of MKN-45 cells in a dose-dependent manner. In a xenograft tumor model, this radioimmunotherapy strategy led to substantial tumor growth inhibition (82.8%). Furthermore, combining 177Lu-DOTA-ATPS mAb with sunitinib, an anti-angiogenic drug, en-hanced the therapeutic efficacy of sunitinib in the mouse model. Our study successfully developed 177Lu-DOTA-ATPS mAb, a radioimmunotherapy agent targeting tumor blood vessels. This ap-proach demonstrates significant promise for inhibiting tumor growth, both as a single therapy and in combination with other anti-cancer drugs.

Ransomware constitutes a distinctive category of pernicious software that sequesters a user's digital assets by encryption, holding them hostage until a sum is extorted from the victim. These incursions have escalated to become among the most prevalent and significant threats confronting both individuals and corporate entities. In combatting this virulent program, dynamic analysis has been established as the favored detection modality. Such analyses typically hinge on Windows API calls, the conduits through which programs requisition services from the operating system. Yet, the superfluous and unrelated Windows API calls interjected by adversaries into the execution stream of suspect binaries precipitate an excessively noisy behavioral sequence, which impairs the performance of counter-ransomware mechanisms. The research outlined herein introduces a novel non-signature-based detection paradigm that harnesses efficacious Windows API call sequences through supervised machine learning strategies. An innovative Enhanced Min Max (EmRmR) filter technique is proposed, aiming to purge noisy features and isolate the most indicative feature subset that encapsulates the ransomware's true behavior. The EmRmR method, diverging from the traditional Min Max approach, circumvents the superfluous calculations that are a hallmark of the conventional algorithms, thereby necessitating a reduced number of evaluations. Additionally, a refinement procedure has been integrated to contract the program's call trace volume by discarding those Windows API calls lacking a robust correlation with ransomware's pivotal behavior. Subsequent to rigorous experimental analyses and juxtaposition with extant behavior-based detection methodologies, the proposed strategy has demonstrated its efficacy in differentiating ransomware behavior, delivering high detection precision alongside a diminution in false-positive occurrences.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is diagnosed by the occurrence of fat buildup, inflammation, and fibrotic changes within the liver. NASH has the capacity to proceed to the advancement of decompensated cirrhosis and carcinoma by inflammation and oxidative stress. Although Agrimonia pilosa has traditionally been used medicinal purposes, its effects on the liver remains incompletely elucidated. In this research, we assessed the therapeutic outcomes of Agrimonia pilosa extract (APE) on free fatty acid (FFA)-treated HepG2 cellular hepatic steatosis and in a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet with 0.1% methionine (CDAHFD)-induced NASH mouse model. In FFA-treated cells, APE inhibited intracellular lipid accumulation, and regulated the mRNA and protein expressions of modulators of fatty acid (FA) synthesis as well as FA oxidation proteins, through down-regulation of the AMP-activated protein kinase/sirtuin 1 signaling pathway. In the CDAHFD-induced NASH mouse model, APE significantly enhanced liver histology and serum levels of liver damage. APE also significantly attenuated hepatic expression of mRNA and proteins related to FA synthesis, inflammation, and fibrosis. Furthermore, APE mitigated the expression levels of oxidative stress and endoplasmic reticulum stress. Overall, these discoveries indicate that Agrimonia pilosa has the potential to treat NASH by regulating hepatic lipid metabolism, alleviating inflammation, and mitigating oxidative stress.

The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the premixed ethanol ratio based on the same total heating value in-cylinder on the equivalence ratio distributions and the injected fuel droplet behavior in the cylinder of the RCCI engine. The spray simulation was conducted by dividing two-part. First, the spray validation simulations progressed to find the spray-influenced factor of the test injector. Next, the engine simulations were performed with the spray-influenced factor obtained from spray validation simulations to investigate the effect of the premixed ethanol ratio based on the same total heating value in-cylinder on the injected fuel atomization and the equivalence ratio distributions. The introduced total heating value was fixed at 595J based on the lower heating value of diesel 14mg. The heating value of the premixed ethanol ratio varied from 0% to 40% based on the same total heating value in-cylinder in steps of 10%. It was revealed that when the premixed ethanol ratio based on the same total heating value in-cylinder was increased, the spray tip penetration value was reduced from the time after 4deg of diesel injection start because of the short injection duration by the small amount of diesel fuel. The SMD value was also more enormous up to 32.58% with increasing the premixed ethanol ratio because of the low kinetic energy of the injected fuel by the short injection duration and the slow evaporation of the injected fuel by the low cylinder temperature.

Static and dynamic analysis of website security risks is generally used for website security meas-urements. The website security measurements method recently proposed includes similarity hash-based website security risk analysis and machine learning-based website security risk anal-ysis. In this study, a method that can be performed through information disclosed on the Internet was proposed to measure the risk of a website. DNS information, IP information, and website history information are required to measure the risk of a website. In addition, global traffic rank-ing, malicious code distribution history, and HTTP access status can be checked in the website history information. In this study, information related to the security risk of websites in a total of 2,000 domains was collected and analyzed in 1,000 normal and malicious domains. Through the experiment results, 11 open information collection items were selected to measure the security risk of the website. This study presented the possibility of using public information collection to measure website security risk.

The common dolphin is the second most bycaught species in Korean waters. To provide key information about their habitat boundaries and hotspots for spatial conservation and management, the spatial use of this species was examined using data obtained from sighting and bycatch surveys of cetacean during the past 20 years. The 95% minimum convex polygon and 95% density contour of fixed kernel suggested that the boundary of home range of common dolphins is limited to the coastal region (Busan-Sokcho) of the East Sea/Sea of Japan. From 50% density contours dawn by kernel density estimation, it was suggested that their hotspots are around the cost of Ulsan-Pohang, Doghae, and Sokcho within the home range. Common dolphins are not at all distributed in the Yellow Sea. Hence, shallow waters, such as the coastal region of the Yellow Sea, are not suitable habitats for common dolphins.

In this work, a general framework for the analysis of governance of artificial intelligence is presented. A dashboard is presented for this analysis from the perspective of political theory. The dashboard allows eventual comparisons between democratic and non democratic regimes, useful for countries in the global south and western countries. The dashboard allows us to assess the key features that determine the governance model for artificial intelligence at the national level, for local governments and for other participant actors. The dashboard allows us to appraise aims of AI strategy and aims left aside in alternative strategies. The work shows the theoretical framework could be of use to advance case studies globally, and comparative endeavors. Applying the theoretical dashboard, the case study on China has been undertaken. These are the main points the study tackles in the final discussion, conclusion and further recommendations: 1) the complex reality of AI command and control 2) uncertainties about future society and the polity against AI development and 3) particular cultural values enshrined in countries' AI development.

To date, various chimeric lysins have been developed as efficacious antibiotics against multidrug-resistant bacteria, but direct comparisons of their antibacterial activities have been difficult due to the preparation of multiple recombinant chimeric lysins. Previously, we reported an E. coli cell-free expression method to screen better chimeric lysins against Staphylococcus aureus, but we still needed to increase the amounts of expressed proteins enough to be able to detect them non-isotopically for quantity comparisons. In this study, we improved the previous cell-free expression system by adding a previously reported artificial T7 terminator and reversing the different nucleotides between the T7 promoter and start codon to those of the T7 phage. The new method increased the expressed amount of chimeric lysins enough for us to detect them using Western blotting. Therefore, the qualitative comparison of activity between different chimeric lysins has become possible via the adjustment of the amount variables between samples without protein purification. We applied it to select more active chimeric lysins derived from our previously reported chimeric lysin (ALS2). Finally, we compared the antibacterial activities of our selected chimeric lysins with reported chimeric lysins (ClyC and ClyO) and lysostaphin, and determined the rank orders of antibacterial activities on different S. aureus strains in our experimental conditions.

This paper examines the moral community thesis in the secular context of China. Using multilevel logistic regression, we test (1) whether both individual- (measured by affiliation with institutional religion) and aggregate-level religiosity (measured by the number of religious sites per 10,000 people in province) are inversely related to law and rule violations at the individual level and (2) whether the province-level religiosity enhances the inverse relationship between individual religiosity and the deviant behaviors. Results from analyzing data from the 2010 China General Social Survey and the Spatial Explorer of Religions show that both individual- and aggregate-level religiosity are inversely related to the odds of violating the law and various rules of government, transportation, workplace, and other organizations. However, the cross-level interactions are not significant across models, indicating that the contextual religiosity does not increase the effect of individual-level religiosity on deviance. Implications of findings for the moral community thesis are discussed.

Objective: There are currently no known treatment methods for ensuring complete recovery from facial nerve damage. Thus, various basic and clinical studies continue to be conducted to achieve this end. As part of this research, autophagy is being investigated for its role in nerve regeneration. Here, we review the existing literature regarding the involvement and signifi-cance of autophagy in facial nerve injury and regeneration. Methods: A comprehensive litera-ture review was conducted to assess the induction and role of autophagy in facial nerve injury and subsequent regeneration. Results: Studies conducted on rats and mice have demonstrated activation of autophagy and expression of related factors in facial and sciatic nerves. Among the most studied of these factors in relation to degeneration and regeneration of facial and sciatic nerves are LC3II/I, PI3K, mTOR, Beclin-1, ATG3, ATG5, ATG7, ATG9, and ATG12. Conclusion: This analysis indicates that autophagy is involved in the process of nerve regeneration follow-ing facial and sciatic nerve damage. Inadequate autophagy induction or failure of autophagy re-sponses can result in regeneration issues after facial or sciatic nerve damage. Animal studies suggest that autophagy plays an important role in facial and sciatic nerve degeneration and re-generation.

Intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICCA) is a malignant epithelial neoplasm characterized by biliary differentiation within the liver. ICCA is molecularly heterogeneous and exhibits a broad spectrum of histopathological features. It is a highly aggressive carcinoma with high mortality and poor survival rates. ICCAs are classified into two main subtypes: small duct type and large duct types. These two tumor types have different cell origins and clinicopathological features. ICCAs are characterized by numerous molecular alterations, including mutations in KRAS, TP53, IDH1/2, ARID1A, BAP1, BRAF, SAMD4, and EGFR, and FGFR2 fusion. Two main molecular subtypes–inflammation and proliferation–have been proposed. Recent advances in high-throughput assays using next-generation sequencing have improved our understanding of ICCA pathogenesis and molecular genetics. The diagnosis of ICCA poses a significant challenge for pathologists because of its varied morphologies and phenotypes. Accurate diagnosis of ICCA is essential for effective patient management and prognostic determination. This article provides an updated overview of ICCA pathology, focusing particularly on molecular features, histological subtypes, and diagnostic approaches.

Workplace bullying is a prevalent issue with a significant impact on employees’ mental health. This study aimed to explore the relationship between workplace bullying and the prevalence of depression with a particular focus on the role of gender. A total of 12,344 Korean employees aged 19–65 years were included in the study. They completed questionnaires including the Korean version of the Occupational Stress Scale, the Oldenburg Burnout Inventory, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D). A score of 16 or higher in CES-D indicated depression. The association between workplace bullying and depression was analyzed using logistic regression analyses. The average CES-D scores were higher for both male and female employees who experienced bullying than for those who did not (p &lt; 0.001). The association between the experience of workplace bullying and the prevalence of depression was statistically significant for both genders, with a stronger correlation observed among male employees (p for interaction &lt;0.001). Organizations are urged to address workplace bullying, particularly for male employees, through the implementation of anti-bullying strategies and policies, as well as the provision of mental health resources and support.

The skyrocketing growth in the number of Internet of Things (IoT) devices will certainly pose a huge traffic demand for fifth-generation (5G) wireless networks and beyond. In-band full-duplex (IBFD), which is theoretically expected to double the spectral efficiency of a half-duplex (HD) wireless channel and to connect more devices, has been considered as a promising technology to accelerate the development of IoT. To exploit the full potential of IBFD, the key challenge is how to handle network interference (including self-interference, co-channel interference and multiuser interference) more effectively. In this paper, we propose a simple yet efficient user grouping method, where a base station (BS) serves strong downlink users and weak uplink users and vice versa in different frequency bands, mitigating severe network interference. We aim to maximize a minimum rate among all users subject to bandwidth and power constraints, which is formulated as a highly nonconvex optimization problem. By leveraging inner approximation framework, we develop a very efficient iterative algorithm to solve this problem, which guarantees at least a local optimal solution. Numerical results are provided to show not only the benefit of using full-duplex raido at BS, but also the advantage of the proposed user grouping method.

Highly photoluminescent C-Dots are prepared by hydrothermal reaction of citric acid and piperazine as dual reason in both hydrolysis and surface passivation agent along with the N-doping agent. The resulting C-Dots without external passivation showed PL enhancement by electron transfer from C-Dots-donor to piperazine-acceptor with the maximum emission yields of more than 84%. After mixing the prepared C-Dots with the mixture of EtOH and acetone (1:1 vol %), a novel washing process was performed by centrifugation to remove the precursors and by-products. The resulting C-Dots showed much better stability than dialysis. For evaluating the possible application of the C-Dots as a fluorescent biological probe which possess the wide dosing window and multicolor properties. The C-Dots were localized in perinuclear vacuole-like structures with granular pattern in cytoplasm sparing the nucleus. No signs of any morphological deterioration like nuclear shrinkage were observed.

To investigate the repair mechanism of umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (UC-MSCs) in hydrogel on pancreatic β-cells in diabetes, MIN-6 damaged by streptozotocin (STZ) in vitro was used in co-culture with UC-MSCs in hydrogel (UC-MSCs + hydrogel). It was found that UC-MSCs + hydrogel had a significant repair effect on injured MIN-6 cells, which was better than the use of UC-MSCs alone (without hydrogel). After repair, the expression of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) as well as the total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC) of the repaired MIN-6 cells were increased, effectively reducing the oxidative stress caused by STZ. In addition, UC-MSCs + hydrogel were able to curb the inflammatory response by promoting the expression of anti-inflammatory factor IL-10 and reducing inflammatory factor IL-1β. In addition, the expression of both nuclear antigen Ki67 for cell proliferation and insulin-related genes such as Pdx1 and MafA was increased in the repaired MIN-6 cells by UC-MSCs + hydrogel, suggesting that the repair effect promotes the proliferation of the injured MIN-6 cells. Compared with the use of UC-MSCs alone, UC-MSCs + hydrogel exhibited longer survival time of UC-MSCs, because the porous structure and hydrophilic properties of the hydrogel could affect the growth of cells and slow down their metabolic activities, resulting in a better repair effect on the injured MIN-6 cells.

Oscillometric blood pressure (BP) devices currently estimate a single point but do not identify fluctuations in BP or distinguish them from variations in response to physiological properties. In this paper, to analyze BP normality based on oscillometric measurements, we use statistical approaches including kurtosis, skewness, Kolmogorov-Smirnov, and correlation tests. Then, to mitigate uncertainties, we use a deep neural network (DNN) to determine the confidence limits (CLs) of BP measurements based on their normality. The proposed DNN regression model decreases the standard deviation of error (SDE) of the mean error (ME) and the mean absolute error (MAE) and reduces the uncertainty of the CLs and SDEs of the proposed technique. We validate the normality of the distribution of the BP estimation distribution which fits the Gaussian distribution very well. We use a rank test in the DNN regression model to demonstrate the independence of the artificial SBP and DBP estimations. First, we perform statistical tests to verify the normality of the BP measurements for individual subjects. The proposed methodology provides accurate BP estimations and reduces the uncertainties associated with the CLs and SDEs based on the DNN regression estimator.

Neuroscience has overwhelmingly and understandably focused on the synaptic modality of signal transmission. There is evidence, however, that from an evolutionary perspective, non-synaptic transmission (NST) preceded synaptic signaling. Moreover, in modern nervous systems, NST coexists and extensively interacts with synaptic transmission modifying neuronal dynamics. In fact, NST remains widespread in complex animals, especially within the interoceptive system where the dearth of insulating barriers such as myelin sheaths and the blood-brain barrier enhances the communication between neural and non-neural tissues mediated by NST. We suggest that this physiological arrangement makes a fundamental contribution to interoception¾the process of sensing visceral states¾which is an essential underpinning of the capacity to feel and the foundation of affective processing.

Low volatility ETFs have become popular in recent year because investors are starting to understand the advantages involved in investing in those ETFs compared to traditional index investment. In this research I have examined the performance of six popular low volatility ETFs, four of them invest in U.S stocks and the other two invest in other developed and emerging markets. Results have pointed out that not only five of the low volatility ETFs have exposed their investors to lower risk, four of them have also produced higher returns. The advantage of investing in low volatility ETFs is prominent in the U.S stock market. All three sizes of stocks categories (Large, Mid and Small Capitalization) low volatility ETFs have outperformed their indexes bench marks in terms of risk and returns. For the non U.S stock investing, while no advantage have been found for investing in low volatility ETFs for developed countries, significant lower risk was found for emerging markets.

Load variations in any power system result in losses escalation and voltage drops. With the sensible and optimal allocation of distributed generators (DGs), these problems could be considerably mitigated. It has been seen in the priorly existing methods that ideally allocation of DGs has been carried out during fixed loads and constant power requirements. However, in real scenarios the loads are always variable and allocation of DGs must be done in accordance to the variations of the connected load. Therefore, the current paper addressed the aforementioned problem by distinctive optimal allocation of DGs for each variability of 24hour load horizon. However, the single exclusive solution is considered among all allocations of 24 hours. The min-max regret concept has been utilized in order to deal with such methodology. Altogether, 24 scenarios are analyzed wherein each scenario corresponds to a specific hour of the respective day. The optimal allocation of DGs in terms of their optimal sizing and placement has been carried out by using three algorithms including battle royal optimization (BRO), accelerated particle swarm optimization (APSO) and genetic algorithm (GA). The multi-objective optimization problem is evaluated on the basis of minimum value criterion of the multi-objective index (MO). MO comprises of active and reactive power losses and voltage deviation. Hence, in order to find robustness of proposed technique, Conseil international des grands réseaux electriques (CIGRE’s) MV benchmark model incorporating 14 buses has been considerably used as a test network. In the end the results of three proposed algorithms have been compared.

Intradermal injection of botulinum neurotoxin is a frequently performed procedure in aesthetic dermatology to improve facial skin tone, texture, fine wrinkles, and enlarged pores. In practice, botulinum neurotoxin type A is also used to reduce skin oiliness of the face. There is increasing evidence that acetylcholine plays specific roles in sebum production, suggesting that botulinum neurotoxin type A may reduce sebum production by interfering with cholinergic transmission between sebaceous glands and autonomic nerve terminals. Botulinum neurotoxins can also inhibit several pathogenetic components of acne development, suggesting that botulinum neurotoxins can be used as a safe and effective treatment modality for acne and other skin disorders related to the overactivity of sebaceous glands. This review aims to explore the current evidence behind the treatment of oily skin and acne with botulinum neurotoxin type A.

The runtime environment is an important concern for self-adaptive systems (SASs). Although researchers have proposed many approaches for developing SASs that address the issue of uncertain runtime environments, the understanding of these environments varies depending on the objectives, perspectives, and assumptions of the research. Thus, the current understanding of the environment in SAS development is ambiguous and abstract. To make this understanding more concrete, we describe the landscape in this area through a systematic literature review (SLR). We examined 128 primary studies and 14 unique environment models. We investigated concepts of the environment depicted in the primary studies and the proposed environment models based on their ability to aid in understanding. This illustrates the characteristics of the SAS environment, the associated emerging environmental uncertainties, and what is expressed in the existing environment models. This paper makes explicit the implicit understanding about the environment made by the SAS research community and organizes and visualizes them.

Recent scholarship highlights the significant environmental impact of the expanding hydraulic fracturing industry, necessitating up-to-date, comprehensive, national-scale assessments. Addressing this gap, this literature review provides a thorough analysis of the contamination and induced seismicity associated with shale-gas hydraulic fracturing in the United States. Employing systematic reviews of literature and federal reports up until July 2023, this study reveals multiple areas of concern. Notably, water and soil contamination, seismic activity, and air pollution are identified as significant challenges linked to shale gas extraction. However, ongoing studies are actively exploring remediation strategies, including advancements in monitoring and treatment technologies, aimed at mitigating the impact of contamination. These findings underscore the need for stringent regulations, continuous research, and effective management practices. This work emphasizes the importance of a collaborative approach that leverages field studies, experimental investigations, and computational advancements to ensure the responsible development of shale gas resources.

In this paper, a 100CMM regenerative thermal oxidizer (RTO) system based on a high heating device for low-emission combustion is implemented at a volatile organic compound (VOCs) gas generation workplace. Existing RTO has a structure that repeats the inflow and discharge of VOCs gas into a cylindrical drum-type rotating disk and has excellent energy efficiency with a heat recovery rate of 95% or more. However, when used for a long time, there is a problem that rotation stops or explodes due to the discharge of pollutants due to dust and thermal expansion due to high temperature of 800℃. To overcome this, a RTO based on a high heating device was developed to reduce low-emission combustion emissions and energy use. Through 177 hours of demonstration time, the oxidation efficiency of VOCs was 98.87%; the waste heat recovery rate was reduced by 95.78%, the fuel consumption was reduced by 21.95%, and the nitrogen oxide concentration was 3.9 ppm

This study presents structural analysis and optimization for the lightweight design of a buoyant rotor-type permanent magnet (BRPM) generator, which was first presented in Bang (2010), and compares its structural performances to a conventional generator with a spoke arm-type rotor and stator. The main benefit of a BRPM is that it can be realized as a bearing-less drive system, free from the mechanical failure of rotor bearings, by using a buoyant rotor. Also, the deformation of a generator by blade vibration can be effectively suppressed using joint couplings between the blades and the rotor. For the design optimization, the objective is set as the mass of the rotor and the stator, and the maximum deformation of the airgap clearance between the rotor and the stator by external forces is constrained below 10% of the gap width. The commercial software Optistruct is used for the analysis and optimization. In this investigation, the analysis and optimization are conducted for a 10 MW wind turbine generator. However, the proposed methods can be extended to larger generator designs without requiring considerable modification. The mass of the opti-mized 10MW BRPM generator is 160.7 tons (19.3 tons for the rotor and 141.4 tons for the stator) while that of an optimized conventional spoke arm-type generator is obtained as 325.6 tons.

Juvenile hormones (JH) play crucial roles in insect development, reproduction, and other physi-ological functions. Because JH is specific to arthropods, including insects, it has long been stud-ied for use in pest control. Accordingly, this study aimed to identify the substances that act as JH disruptors from edible plants. Curcuminoids generally exhibit a wide range of biological ac-tivities, such as antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and insecticidal properties, and they exhibit insect growth inhibitory effects. Demethoxycurcumin and bisdemethoxycurcumin, two curcuminoids from the turmeric plant Curcuma longa L. inhibit the formation of a metho-prene-tolerant (Met)–Taiman (Tai) heterodimer complex as shown through in vitro yeast two-hybrid assays. An artificial diet containing 1% (w/v) demethoxycurcumin or bisdemethox-ycurcumin reduced the number of larvae, leading to no pupal development. Building on our re-sults regarding curcuminoids, researchers can use our study as a reference to develop eco-friendly pesticides.

The overhead squat movement engages various bodily structures, and its interaction with three-dimensional elastic resistance along the kinetic chain approach remains insufficiently comprehended. This study aimed to describe the scapular kinematics during an overhead squat with the forearm in a supination exercise against an ER and clarify the therapeutic potential of this exercise on scapular rehabilitation. Using an electromagnetic tracking system, we recorded the three-dimensional shoulder kinematics of 19 male participants across seven humeral elevation positions. These positions were captured at 15-degree intervals, spanning from 30 to 120 degrees. The results indicated notable distinctions in scapular upward rotation [F(1,17)=6.09, p=0.024] and scapular posterior tilt [F(1,17)=6.04, p=0.025] between the phases. Furthermore, the interactions revealed significant differences in resistance and phases during humeral elevation for scapular upward/downward rotation [F(3.77,62.48)=7.99, p&lt;0.001], scapular internal/external rotation [F(2.98, 50.64, p&lt;0.001)], and scapular tilt [F(2.58, 43.81)=4.76, p=0.008]. The findings demonstrated that increasing resistance through elastic resistance played a pivotal role in enhancing scapular stability throughout the humerus elevation motion. This underscores the potential of the overhead squat movement as a valuable tool for both shoulder assessment and treatment.

Histone demethylases, enzymes responsible for removing methyl groups from histone proteins, have emerged as critical players in regulating gene expression and chromatin dynamics, thereby influencing various cellular processes. LSD2 and LSD1 have attracted considerable interest among these demethylases because of their associations with cancer. However, while LSD1 has received significant attention, LSD2 has not been recognized to the same extent. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive comparison between LSD2 and LSD1, with a focus on exploring LSD2's implications. While both share structural similarities, LSD2 possesses unique features. Functionally, LSD2 shows diverse roles, particularly in cancer, with tissue-dependent roles. Additionally, LSD2 extends beyond histone demethylation, impacting DNA methylation and DNA damage repair pathways. This study underscores the distinct roles of LSD2, providing insights into their contributions to cancer and other cellular processes.

This study takes as a starting point the importance and dependence of the media (Ball-Rokeach & DeFleur, 1976) to obtain information about the pandemic. The dependency theory of the media system was developed in the 1970s when mass media were the dominant source of information. Today, at a time when media choices have become abundant, studies are needed to understand the phenomenon of media dependence in light of new dimensions made important by the transformations that have taken place in the social and media fields - where the coexistence of mass media with social media platforms stands out. As large-scale crises rarely occur and the media environment changes rapidly, it is important to analyze how media dependence relates to choose and trust in different media (traditional media vs. social media) in times of crisis. Several questions arise. What is the trust attributed by individuals to social media as sources of information about the COVID-19? How well informed are the individuals who choose these sources as the main sources of information? From a questionnaire administered to 240 individuals in Portugal, during the first week of the state of emergency (March 2020), this research seeks to identify how people gained access to information about the COVID-19, how they acted critically towards the various sources and how they assess the reliability of different media. Finally, it analyzes the association between the type of medium chosen and adherence to misinformation content about the virus. The results reveal the existence of a phenomenon of dependence on the media, with a strong exposure (both active and accidental) to informative content, with conventional media being privileged as the main source, and positively distinguished in terms of confidence. Finally, a statistically significant association of a positive sign was identified between the use of social media as the main source and the acceptance of misinformation.

The low relative humidity (RH) levels in a greenhouse during the daytime in a strawberry (Fragaria × ananassa Duch) cultivation period negatively affect the growth of strawberry related to photo-physiology. Therefore, this study was conducted to confirm an efficient RH management method by analyzing the phenotypic characteristics related to photo-physiology by controlling the RH in a greenhouse during the daytime with a fog system. Strawberry plants were grown respectively in a greenhouse affected by natural RH changes (control) and in a greenhouse with 40% ~ 50% RH adjusted during the daytime using a fog system. In the greenhouse, with controlled RH, the temperature decreased, and the RH was higher in the initial growth stage of strawberry planting than the control. It was observed a significant increase in the survival rate of the strawberry plant, as well as the incidence of powdery mildew, was lowered. In addition, the photosynthetic rate and OJIP chlorophyll a fluorescence transients related to photosystem II efficiency of strawberry leaves were significantly higher in the fog treatment than in the control. In winter, during the day, the number of days on which the temperature dropped below 20℃ has increased, the greenhouse temperature with controlled RH was lower due to the fog system. When the yield per strawberry plant in January and February was investigated, the control was higher than the RH treatment. Therefore, RH management using a fog system must be controlled at a level where a temperature range is adequate for plant growth, in which the efficient control of these parameters increases strawberry productivity.

A real-time flight simulation tool is proposed using a Virtual Reality Head-Mounted Display (VR-HMD) for airships operating in beyond the line-of-sight (BLOS) conditions. Particularly, the VR-HMD is developed for stratospheric airships flying at low/high altitudes. The proposed flight simulation tool uses the corresponding aerodynamics characteristics of the airship, the buoyancy effect, mass balance, added mass, propulsion contributions and ground reactions in the FlightGear Fight Simulator (FGFS). The VR headset has been connected to the FGFS along with the radio controller containing the real-time orientation/state of each button that is also simulated to provide better situational awareness and a Head-Up Display (HUD) that has been developed to provide the required flight data. In this work, a system was developed to connect the FGFS and the VR-capable graphics engine, Unity, to a PC and a wireless VR-HMD in real-time with minimal lag between data transmission. A balance was found for FGFS to write to a CSV file at a period of 0.01s. For Unity, the file was read every frame which translates to around 0.0167s (60 Hz). A test procedure was also conducted with a similar rating technique based on the NASA TLX questionnaire that identifies the pilot’s spare mental capacity when completing an assigned task to assure the comfortability of the proposed VR-HMD. Accordingly, a comparison has been made for the aircraft control using the desktop simulator and the VR-HMD tool. Results, showed that the current iteration of the system is ideal to train pilots on using similar systems in a safe and immersive environment. Furthermore, such an advanced portable system may even increase the situational awareness of pilots and allow them to complete a sizeable portion of actual flight tests with the same data transmission procedures in simulation. The resulting VR-HMD flight simulator is also conceived to express the ground control station (GCS) concept and transmit flight information as well as the point of view (POV) visuals in real-time using the real environment broadcasted using an onboard camera.

(1) The present study investigated the effect of orally administered Limosilactobacillus fermentum HY7302 (HY7302) on the relationship between ocular tissue and the microbiome in the corneal injured dry eye mice model. (2) 0.1% benzalkonium chloride (BAC) was applied to the ocular surface for 14 days to induce corneal injury in male Balb/c mice. During the BAC treatment period, HY7302 (1 × 108 CFU/kg/day or 1 × 109 CFU/kg/day) or omega-3 positive control (200 mg/kg/day) were administered orally (n = 8/group). To examine signaling pathways affected by HY7302 treatment, the in vitro effects of HY7302 on tight junctions and the inflammatory response were investigated in a mouse colon epithelial cell line, CMT-93. (3) BAC exposure decreased tear production, induced ocular inflammation and corneal epithelial detachment, and altered gut microbiota. However, oral administration of HY7302 restored tear secretion and decreased corneal epithelial detachment in BAC-treated corneal injury mice. Further, HY7302 alleviated corneal inflammation via modulation of matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) expression and alterations in gut microbiota composition. (4) These findings suggest that the gut–eye axis interaction between gut microbiota and eye tissue affects disease severity in corneal injury, and that alteration of the microbiota by HY7302 could improve eye health by regulating the inflammatory response.

This study compared condylar volume, length, and articular eminence (AE) characteristics in normal individuals and those with unilateral and bilateral juvenile idiopathic osteoarthritis (JOA). The 116 patients were divided into four groups: control (n=16), affected condyle of unilateral JOA (Aff-Uni) (n=36), non-affected condyle of JOA (NonAff-uni) (n=36), and bilateral JOA (Bi-JOA) (n=28). Volume and length differences in the condyle and AE were analyzed using ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests. The results showed that Bi-JOA had significantly different condylar volume, especially in the condylar head (p&lt;0.01), specifically the middle, anterior, and medial parts (p&lt;0.05). Condylar length also differed among the groups, with differences observed between the control group and the other three groups, as well as between the bilateral group and the other three groups (p&lt;0.01). AE total volume differed between the control group and Aff-Uni. In the detailed comparison, Aff-Uni and NonAff-Uni were smaller than the control group in the posterior, lateral, and medial sections (p&lt;0.05). In conclusion, depending on the involvement of unilateral or bilateral JOA, there were differences in condylar volume and AE compared to the normal control group. Therefore, prognosis should be evaluated by distinguishing between patients with unilateral and bilateral JOA.

The transformation of the states of polarization of electromagnetic waves that interact with polarimetrically linear media can be represented by means of the associated Mueller matrix. A global measure of the ability of a linear medium to modify the states of polarization of incident waves, due to any combination of enpolarizing, depolarizing and retarding properties, is introduced as a distance of the Mueller matrix to the identity matrix. This new descriptor, called the polarizing power, is applicable to any Mueller matrix and can be expressed as a function of the degree of polarimetric purity and the trace of the Mueller matrix. The graphical representation of the feasible values of the polarizing power provides a general view of its main peculiarities and features. The values of the polarizing power for several typical devices are analyzed.

Liver cirrhosis leads to hepatic dysfunction and life-threatening conditions. Though clinical efficacy of autologous bone marrow-drived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSC) transplantation in alcoholic cirrhosis (AC) was demonstrated, the relevant mechanism has not been elucidated. We aimed to identify predictive factors and gene/pathways for responders after autologous BM-MSC transplantation. Fifty-five patients with biopsy-proven AC underwent autologous BM-MSC transplantation. The characteristics of responders who showed improvement in fibrosis score (≥ 1) after transplantation were compared with those of non-responders. BM-MSCs were analyzed with cDNA microarrays to identify genes and pathways that were differentially expressed in responder after transplantation. Thirty-three patients (66%) were responders. In the multivariate analysis, initial high Laennec score (p=0.007, odds ratio 3.73) and performance of BM-MSC transplantation (p=0.033, odds ratio 5.75) were predictive factors for responder. Three genes (olfactory receptor 2L8, microRNA4520-2, and chloride intracellular channel protein 3) were upregulated in responders and 11 metabolic pathways (inositol phosphate, ATP-binding cassette transporters, protein kinase signaling, extracellular matrix-receptor interaction, endocytosis, phagosome, hematopoietic cell lineage, adipocytokine, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor, fat digestion/absorption, and insulin resistance) were upregulated in non-responders (p<0.05). BM-MSC transplantation is warranted treatment for AC patients with high Laennec score. Cell-based therapy utilizing response-relating genes or pathway can be treatment candidate.

In the mold machining process, the cutting tool is worn with machining time, thereby affecting the surface accuracy, leading to poor workpiece dimensions, even fracture. At present, many studies have used multiple sensors to detect the machining conditions of cutting tool and workpiece, including indirect measurement method and direct measurement method. The indirect measurement method, which has been studied widely, mainly uses sensors to capture signals for subsequent data analysis; the direct measurement method mainly analyzes the state of cutting shear zone. Due to the cut-in of cutting tool in the machining process, the workpiece is dislocated rapidly, generating considerable amount of heat, which is transferred to the chips, inducing color change on the surface of chips. Many engineers with machining experience often judge the machining state and tool life according to the chips. The engineers' experience is digitized in this study, and indirect measuring sensors are used to predict the tool life, so as to attain the objective for smart manufacturing, the average percentage error of MAPE using single vibration and voltage eigenvalues as input features is 10%, the voltage signal characteristic values and vibration signal characteristic values are combined. Finally, the chip surface chromaticity eigenvalue is combined with signal characteristic value. The average prediction error of BP-LM method is 7.85%, the average prediction error of GRNN method is 6.59%. Therefore, when the eigenvalue of chip surface chromaticity is added to the prediction result, it can enhance the accuracy of cutting tool wear value prediction more effectively than single sensor signal characteristic value.

We propose a deep learning algorithm that directly compensates for luminance degradation owing to the deterioration of organic light emitting diode (OLED) devices to address the burn-in phenomenon of OLED displays. Conventional compensation circuits are encumbered by a high cost of development and manufacturing processes owing to their complexity. However, given that deep learning algorithms are typically mounted on a system on chip (SoC), the complexity of the circuit design is reduced, and the circuit can be reused by re-learning only the changed characteristics of the new pixel device. The proposed approach comprises deep feature generation and multi-stream self-attention, which decipher the importance of the variables, and the correlation between burn-in-related variables. It also utilizes a deep neural network that identifies the nonlinear relationship between the extracted features and luminance degradation. Thereafter, the luminance degradation is estimated from the burn-in-related variables, and the burn-in phenomenon can be addressed by compensating for the luminance degradation. The experimental results revealed that compensation was successfully achieved within an error range of 4.56%, and demonstrate the potential of a new approach that can mitigate the burn-in phenomenon by directly compensating for pixel-level luminance deviation.

Plant-derived compounds have been historically used for the treatment of various diseases and an important source of several clinically useful anti-cancer agents. The Artemisia annua is known as a medicinal herb that is effective against cancer. Thus, the purpose of this study was to investigate whether ethanol extracts of Artemisia annua could increase an anti-cancer effect against LS174T cells. Our results show that Artemisia annua extracts (AAE) induces apoptosis through the regulation of mitochondria outer membrane potential. We demonstrate that apoptosis is induced by p53-dependent manner when cells were treated with Nutlin-3 (MDM2 inhibitor) and LY294002 (Akt inhibitor). In addition, the apoptotic effect was also observed in the p53-independent manner through pifithrin-α (p53 inhibitor) and celecoxib (COX-2 inhibitor) treatment. As in in vitro, AAE induced apoptotic effects and regulated apoptosis-related proteins in LS174T xenograft model. Taken together, these results suggest that Artemisia annua extracts exerts an anti-cancer effect through p53-independent manner, as well as p53-dependent manner by p53´ translocation in LS174T colon cancer cells.

Prompt removal of misfolded membrane proteins and misassembled membrane protein complexes is essential for membrane homeostasis. However, the elimination of these toxic proteins from the hydrophobic membrane environment has high energetic barriers. Transmembrane FtsH is the only known ATP-dependent protease responsible for this task, unlike other well-studied soluble ATP-dependent proteases. The mechanisms by which FtsH recognizes, unfolds, translocates, and proteolyzes its substrates remain unclear. Here, we report the crystal structures of the Thermotoga maritima FtsH periplasmic domain (PD) in an associative trimeric state at a 1.5-1.95 Å resolution. We also describe the pH-dependent oligomerization states of the isolated PD using dynamic light scattering. These observations help us understand how FtsH recognizes membrane-anchored misfolded proteins.

This paper is a study of a generalization of the quantum Riemannian Hamiltonian evolution, previously analyzed by us in our work [6], in the geometrization of quantum mechanical evolution in a Finsler geometry. We find results with dynamical equations governing the evolution of the trajectories defined by the expectation values of position. The analysis appears to provide an underlying geometry described by a geodesic equation, with connection form with a second term which is an essentially quantum effect. These dynamical equations provide a new geometric approach to the quantum evolution where we suggest a definition for "local instability" in the quantum theory.

Since the discovery of the first reported case with Zinc-deficiency in Iran¹ by Prasad et al. in 1961, the knowledge on Zinc has increased significantly. Zinc is the second most abundant common trace mineral in the human body, responsible for vital biological functions from cell growth and development to cell homeostasis and immune response ^2,3. Up to a fifth of the global population is estimated to suffer from different degrees of Zinc deficiency⁴. In the western world, Zinc deficiency is more prevalent among the geriatric population³, vegans/vegetarians, and people with certain underlying conditions⁴such as liver cirrhosis, inflammatory bowel disease, and various auto-immune disorders^4,5. Zinc and Zinc deficiency has been associated with several infectious diseases ^2,3. Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) which is responsible for the ongoing pandemic belongs to the family of coronaviruses. SARS-CoV-2 has a high genetic similarity to another family member, SARS-CoV, which caused the first major epidemic of the 21^st century^6,7. Currently, there is no evidence linking the anti- SARS-CoV-2 response and the element Zinc. Herein and in light of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, we marshal the evidence associating the element Zinc with the anti-viral and antibacterial immune response as well as the cytokine storm and lung injury. Such a revisit of the precedent evidence may inspire further investigation assessing the relationship between Zincemia status and the anti-viral response in SARS-CoV-2 patients.

A simple approach to enable water-management agencies employing free data to achieve the goal of using a single set of predictive equations for water-quality retrievals with satisfactory accuracy is proposed. Multiple regression-derived equations based on surface reflectance, band ratios, and environmental factors as predictor variables for concentrations of Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Total Nitrogen (TN), and Total Phosphorus (TP) were derived using a hybrid forward-selection method that considers Variance Inflation Factor (VIF) in the forward-selection process. Landsat TM, ETM+, and OLI/TIRS images were jointly utilized with environmental factors, such as wind speed and water surface temperature, to derive the single set of equations. The coefficients of determination of the best-fitting resultant equations varied from 0.62 to 0.79. Among all chosen predictor variables, ratio of reflectance of visible red (Band 3 for Landsat TM and ETM+, or Band 4 for Landsat OLI/TIRS) to visible blue (Band 1 for Landsat TM and ETM+, or Band 2 for Landsat OLI/TIRS) has a strong influence on the predictive power for TSS retrieval. Environmental factors including wind speed, remote sensing-derived water surface temperature, solar altitude, and time difference (in days) between the image acquisition and water sampling were found important in water-quality parameter estimation.

The aim of this study is to investigate transient dynamic flow characteristics of the fluid flow through 5-way electric coolant valve (PCCV : Penta-Control Coolant Valve). To achieve this goal, the present paper attempts the three-dimensional dynamic simulation of the fluid flow through the valve using a commercial CFD solver with moving mesh technique to consider flow inertia and dynamic flow in the opening and closing stages of the ball valve rotating motion. Firstly, dynamic flow characteristics and the thermal mixing inside the PCCV ball valve during the opening and closing stage was analyzed. It is found that the discrepancies between dynamic and steady state simulation is remarkable when fluxes with different levels of enthalpy and momentum flow into the PCCV leads to strong flow interference and flow inertia, while the discrepancies are relatively small at low rotation speed and weak flow interference. Then, the effect of dynamic flow characteristics of the valve on dynamic thermal mixing characteristics at two different ball valve rotational speeds and rotational directions were investigated. It was found that the dynamic flow and thermal mixing characteristics inside the PCCV are greatly affected by the rotation speed, rotation direction, and degree of flow interference between fluxes. It is helpful for the design of the better coolant control strategies and the improvement of the FCEV thermal management system.

In industrial settings, gears play a crucial role by assisting various machinery functions such as speed control, torque manipulation, and altering motion direction.The malfunction or failure of these gear components can have serious repercussions, resulting in production halts and financial losses. As a result, there is an increasing requirement to monitor the state of these components in order to avoid such issues from occurring. To address this need, research efforts have focused on early defect detection in gears in order to reduce the impact of possible failures. This study focused on analyzing vibration and thermal datasets from two extruder machine gearboxes using an autoencoder Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) model. The major goal is to implement an outlier detection approach to detect and classify defects. The results of this study highlighted the extraordinary performance of the Autoencoder LSTM model, which achieved an impressive accuracy rate of 94.42% in recognizing malfunctioning gearboxes within the extruder machine system. Furthermore, the study used a thorough global metrics evaluation methodology to further test the model’s dependability and efficacy, consequently substantiating the proposed approach’s validity.

Burrs form due to plastic deformation of materials during machining processes, such as milling and drilling. Deburring can be very difficult when the burrs are not easily accessible for removal. In this study, abrasive flow machining (AFM) was adopted for deburring the edges of milling specimens. Based on the experimental observations on AL6061 specimens, the deburring performance was characterized in terms of flow speed, the local curvature of the streamline near the burr edge, and shear stress. A new objective function that can predict the extent of deburring is proposed based on these characteristics and validated through experiments. Based on this new objective function, a prediction of deburring performance on the burr edge of the intersecting holes with offset was performed. The results between the predicted and experimental observation results were in reasonable agreement.

Background In this study, we describe our clinical experience with the fifth-generation of a breast implant with a smooth, fine surface from a Korean manufacturer (BellaGel^Ò SmoothFine; HansBiomed Co. Ltd., Seoul, Korea) in Asian women. Methods We analyzed 223 women (mean age=35.28±9.45 years and mean follow-up period=12.03±2.48 months), comprising 118 bilateral cases and 109 unilateral ones, who received breast augmentation using the BellaGel^Ò SmoothFine at our hospital between June 4, 2018 and February 28, 2019. For safety assessment, we analyzed frequencies of postoperative complications and overall survival of the BellaGel^Ò SmoothFine. Results Postoperatively, complications (12 cases, 5.38%) include asymmetry (3 cases, 1.35%), hematoma (2 cases, 0.90%), hypertrophic scars (2 cases, 0.90%), wound disruption (2 cases, 0.90%), rippling (1 case, 0.45%), capsular contracture (1 case, 0.45%), stretch deformities with skin excess (1 case, 0.45%). In addition, time-to-events were calculated as 10.94±0.64 months (95% CI 9.69-12.19) and the survival rate reached 0.290±0.168 (95% CI 0.094-0.901) at 12 months postoperatively. Conclusions Here, we describe our clinical experience with the BellaGel^Ò SmoothFine. Our results are of significance in that this is the first report about the fifth-generation of a breast implant with a smooth, fine surface from a Korean manufacturer in Asian women.

Although chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) have distinct clinical features, both diseases may coexist in a patient because they share similar risk factors such as smoking, male sex, and old age. Patients with both emphysema in upper lung fields and diffuse ILD are diagnosed with combined pulmonary fibrosis and emphysema (CPFE), which causes substantial clinical deterioration. Patients with CPFE have higher mortality compared with patients who have COPD alone, but results have been inconclusive compared with patients who have idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). Poor prognostic factors for CPFE include exacerbation, lung cancer, and pulmonary hypertension. The presence of interstitial lung abnormalities, which may be an early or mild form of ILD, is notable among patients with COPD, and is associated with poor prognosis. Various theories have been proposed regarding the pathophysiology of CPFE. Biomarker analyses have implied that this pathophysiology may be more closely associated with IPF development, rather than COPD or emphysema. Patients with CPFE should be advised to quit smoking and undergo routine lung function tests, and pulmonary rehabilitation may be helpful. Various pharmacologic agents may be beneficial in patients with CPFE, but further studies are needed.

In this brief review, the concepts of quantum tunneling and parity violation are introduced in the context of chiral molecules. A particle moving in a double well potential provides a good model to study the behavior of chiral molecules, where the left well and right well represent the L and R enantiomers, respectively. If the model considers the quantum behavior of matter, the concept of quantum tunneling emerges, giving place to a stereomutation dynamics between left- and right-handed chiral molecules. Parity-violating interactions, like the electroweak one, can be also considered, making possible the existence of an energy difference between the L and R enantiomers, the so-called parity-violating energy difference (PVED). Here we provide a brief account of some theoretical methods usually employed to calculate this PVED, also commenting on relevant experiments devoted to experimentally detect the aforementioned PVED in chiral molecules.

There are complex ethical dilemmas inherent in medicine teaching, particularly in clinical prac-tice involving actual patients. Questions must be raised on fulfilling medical students' training needs while still respecting patients' fundamental rights to autonomy and privacy. We aimed to assess patients' perspectives regarding medical students' involvement in their medical care. An observational, cross-sectional study was developed, and an interview-like questionnaire was ap-plied randomly to patients waiting for a consult/admitted to three distinct departments: General Surgery, Obstetrics/Gynaecology, and Infectious Diseases. Of the 77% interviewed patients who reported previous experiences with medical students, only 59% stated that they were asked for consent for their participation and 28% that students had adequately introduced themselves. Pa-tients from Gynaecology/Obstetrics were the ones who reported lower rates of these practices and were also the ones who were most bothered by students' presence, stating that they would refuse students' participation in the future. Male patients received more explanations than female pa-tients regarding the same matters. 35% of patients stated they would feel more comfortable without the medical students' presence. The study shows a need to pay closer attention to ful-filling patients' fundamental rights.

The influenza virus has been the primary cause of the pandemic, posing a constant threat to human society. Due to its genetic evolution and continuous outbreak, antiviral research currently focuses on exploring a novel lead agent. A comprehensive antiviral screening discovered a marine bacterium whose extract exerted excellent efficacy against influenza viruses. Parerythrobacter sp. M20A3S10, a novel strain under the family Erythrobacteraceae, could produce carotenoids exhibiting antiviral and anticancer activity by enhancing the cellular immune system. Post-treatment of M20A3S10 extract showed outstanding therapeutic indexes: against influenza virus A/PR8 (H1N1) [selectivity index (SI) = 24.0], A/Wisconsin/15/2009 (H3N2) (SI = 30.1) and B/Florida/78/2015 (SI = 38.2). Comparably, the effectiveness was demonstrated against Zika virus (ZIKV) and dengue virus type 2 (DENV2) with an SI of 22.5 and 24.1, respectively, namely broad-spectrum activity. Of note, the antiviral responses resulted from the common replication mechanism between IAV, ZIKV, and DENV2. The stimulation of apoptosis-mediated cellular immunity prevented the viral release and protected the host, suggesting that switching from necroptosis to apoptosis is a novel antiviral target. Although the specific compound affecting the antiviral activity was not identified, its promising efficacy with broad activity will contribute to developing a strategy for preventing future pandemics.

Measuring pulmonary nodules accurately can help with early diagnosis of lung cancer, which can improve a patient’s chances of survival. Many methods for segmenting nodules have been developed, but they all rely on input from radiologists in the form of a 3D volume of interest (VOI) or use a constant region of interest (ROI) and only consider the presence of nodule within the given VOI. These approaches limit the networks’ ability to detect nodules outside the given VOI and can also include unnecessary structures in the VOI, leading to potentially inaccurate segmentation. In this work, we propose a novel approach for 3D lung nodule segmentation by using 2D region of interest (ROI) inputted from radiologist or computer-aided detection (CADe) system. Particularly, we design a dual-encoder-based hard attention network (DEHA-Net) which incorporates the full slice of thoracic computed tomography scan along with the ROI mask to produce an accurate segmentation mask of lung nodule in the given slice. The proposed architecture exploits the adaptive region of interest (A-ROI) algorithm to automatically investigates the penetration of lung nodule into surrounding slices while eliminating the need to drawing separate ROIs in each slice. Further, the framework performs the multi-view analysis, i.e., in sagittal and coronal views, to improve the segmentation performance. The proposed scheme has been rigorously evaluated on the lung image database consortium and image database resource initiative (LIDC/IDRI) dataset and an extensive analysis of results have been performed. The quantitative analysis shows that the proposed method not only improves the existing state-of-the-art in term of dice score but also, significantly robust against the different types, shape and dimensions of lung nodules.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is one of the most oil crop, and its commercial value is contingent upon its agronomic characteristics and oil quality. In this study, 73,226 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) across 95 rapeseed mutant lines derived from gamma rays and their original cultivar (‘Tamra’) obtained from genotyping-by-sequencing (GBS) was investigated gene ontology (GO) analysis and genome-wide association study (GWAS). GWAS was conducted on agronomic (plant height, ear length, thousand seed weight and seed yield) and oil (fatty acid and crude fat) traits. GO analysis showed that many genes displaying SNPs were involved in cellular processes, intracellular anatomical structures and organic cyclic compound binding. A total of 149 significant SNPs were associated with the agronomic traits (76 SNPs) and oil traits (73 SNPs). Bna.A05p02350D (SFGH) and Bna.C02p22490D (MDN1) were selected as novel candid genes for thousand seed weight. In addition, Bna.C03p14350D (EXO70) and Bna.A09p05630D (PI4Kα1) were selected as novel candidate genes for the erucic acid and crude fat content, respectively. These findings could facilitate the identification of optimal genotypes for breeding new cultivars, and association studies represent an economically efficient tool for mutant screening and the selection of elite rapeseed-breeding lines.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by memory impairment and existence of amyloid-β (Aβ) plaques and neuroinflammation. Due to the pivotal role of oxidative damage in AD, natural antioxidative agents, such as polyphenol-rich fungi, have garnered scientific scrutiny. Here, the aqueous extract of mixed medicinal mushroom mycelia (MMMM) - Phellinus linteus, Ganoderma lucidum, and Inonotus obliquus - cultivated on a barley medium, was assessed for its anti-AD effects. A neuron-like PC12 cells, which were subjected to Zn2+, an Aβ aggregator, was employed as an in vitro AD model. The cells pretreated with or without MMMM assayed for Aβ immunofluorescence, cell viability, reactive oxygen species (ROS), apoptosis, and antioxidant enzyme activity. 5XFAD mice were administered with 30 mg/kg/day MMMM for 8 weeks and underwent memory function tests and histologic analyses. In vitro results demonstrated that the cells pretreated with MMMM exhibited attenuation in Aβ immunofluorescence, ROS accumulation, and apoptosis, and increment in cell viability and antioxidant enzyme activity. In vivo results revealed that 5XFAD mice administered with MMMM showed attenuation in memory impairment and histologic deterioration such as Aβ plaques accumulation and neuroinflammation. MMMM might mitigate AD-associated memory impairment and cerebral pathologies, including Aβ plaque accumulation, and neuroinflammation, by impeding Aβ-induced neurotoxicity.

Accurate evaluation of thermo-fluid dynamic characteristics in tank are critically important for designing liquid hydrogen tank of small-scale hydrogen liquefier to minimize heat in-leak into the liquid and ullage. Due to the huge cost, most future liquid hydrogen storage tank designs will have to rely on predictive computational models for storage tank pressurization and heat-leak minimization. Thus, reliable on predictive numerical models to aid design process of tank design have been required. Therefore, in this study, in order to improve the storage efficiency of the small-scale hydrogen liquefier, a three-dimensional CFD model that can predict the boil-off rate and the thermo-fluid characteristics due to heat penetration has been developed. The prediction performance and accuracy of the CFD model is validated on the basis of the comparisons between its results and previous experimental data and a good agreement is obtained. To evaluate insulation performance of polyurethane foam according to thickness, the pressure change and thermo-fluid characteristics in a partially liquid hydrogen tank, subject to fixed ambient temperature and wind velocity, has been investigated numerically. Three different insulation thickness were considered to investigate not only interfacial characteristics between liquid and ullage but thermo-fluid dynamics in hydrogen storage tank for various heat-leak situation. The results indicate that as the insulation thickness becomes thinner and more heat penetration exists, natural convection by buoyancy develops stronger, so strong vortices are created near the interfacial zone by upward flow driven by buoyancy. In particular, as the amount of heat in-leak increased, wider and stronger heat accumulation was found in the top dished head area of the ullage area. In addition, it was confirmed that the CFD model developed in this study could well describe the phenomenon in which the temperature of the tank wall and the insulation mat increased at a faster rate due to faster heat transfer from the vapor and interface. In the future, the numerical model developed in this study will be used for optimizing insulation system of storage tank for small-scale hydrogen which is cost-effective and highly efficient.

The transformation of the state of polarization of a light beam by its linear interaction with a material medium can be modeled through the Stokes-Mueller formalism. The Mueller matrix associated with a given interaction depends on many aspects of the measurement configuration. In particular, different Mueller matrices can be measured for a fixed material sample depending on the spectral profile of the light probe. For a given light probe and a given sample with inhomogeneous spatial behavior, the polarimetric descriptors of the point-to-point Mueller matrices can be mapped leading to respective polarimetric images. The procedure can be repeated sequentially by using light probes with different central frequencies. In addition, the point-to-point Mueller matrices consecutively measured can be combined synthetically through convex sums leading to respective new Mueller matrices, in general with increased polarimetric randomness, thus exhibiting specific values for the associated polarimetric descriptors, including the indices of polarimetric purity, and generating new polarimetric images which are different from those obtained from the original Mueller matrices. In this work, the fundamentals for such synthetic generation of additional polarimetric images are described, providing a new tool that enhances the exploitation of Mueller polarimetry.

Parallel decompositions have proved to be powerful tools for the analysis and interpretation of the physical information provided by Mueller matrices experimentally obtained. In this work, the procedure for the so-called arbitrary decomposition of Mueller matrices is validated through its application to a set of representative experimentally determined Mueller matrices. The covariance and passivity criteria required for the physical realizability of the Mueller matrices involved in the parallel decompositions are integrated in the procedure, which ensures the physical consistency of the results presented.

Landscape changes based on spectral responses allow showing plant cover changes through diversity, composition, and ecological connectivity. The spatial and temporal vegetation dynamics of the Bijagual Massif from 1986 to 2021 were analyzed as a measure of ecological integrity, conservation, and territory. The covers identified were high open forest (Hof), dense grassland of non-wooded mainland (Dgnm), a mosaic of pastures and crops (Mpc), lagoons (Lag), and bare and degraded lands (Bdl). The Bijagual Massif has 8,574.1 ha. In 1986, Dgnm occupied 42.6% of the total area, followed by Mpc (32.8%) and Hof (24.5%); by 2000, Mpc and Hof increased (43.7 and 28.1%, respectively), while Dgnm decreased (28%); by 2021, Dgnm was restricted to the northeastern zone and continued to decrease (25.2%), Mpc occupied 52.9%, Hof 21.7% and Bdl 0.1%. Of the three fractions of the connectivity probability index, only dPCintra and dPCflux contribute to ecological connectivity. Hof and Dgnm show patches with biota habitat quality and availability. Between 1986 and 2021, Dgnm lost 1,489 ha (41%) and Hof 239.5 ha (11%). Mpc replaced various covers (1,722.2 ha; 38%) in 2021. Bijagual has a valuable biodiversity potential limited by Mpc. Territorial planning and sustainable agroecological and ecotourism proposals are required due to the context of the ecosystems.

We generalize the idea of quantum clock time to quantum spacetime reference frame via physical realization of a reference system by quantum rulers and clocks. Omitting the internal degrees of freedom (such as spins) of the physical rulers and clocks, only considering their metric properties, the spacetime reference frame is described by a bosonic non-linear sigma model (NLSM). We study the quantum behavior of the system under approximations, and obtain (1) a cosmological constant valued (2/π)ρ_c0 (ρ_c0 the critical density at near current epoch) which is very close to the observations; (2) an effective Einstein-Hilbert term; (3) the ratio of variance to mean-squared of spacetime interval tends to a universal constant 2/π in the infrared region. This effect is testable by observing a linear dependence between the inherent quantum variance and mean-squared of the redshifts from cosmic distant spectral lines. The proportionality is expected to be the observed percentage of the dark energy. The equivalence principle is also generalized to the quantum level.

Performance of flow through orifices on a perforated distribution pipe between periods with and without partial clogging (submersion of part of the distribution pipe) was compared. The distribution pipe directly receives runoff and delivers it to an underground infiltration bed. Partial clogging appeared in winter but reduced in summer. Performance was defined as flow rate divided by l_eff (h_(d,mean)^0.5) where h_(d,mean) is the mean pressure head that drives flow and l_eff is the effective pipe length (length of water column with pipe water volume and the pipe cross-sectional area). ANCOVA (ANalysis of COVAriance) was adopted to examine the clogging effects with flow rate plotted against l_eff (h_(d,mean)^0.5) . Partial clogging had a significant effect on pipe performance during periods of low or no rainfall. However, if only data during larger storms was considered, little evidence showed that partial clogging had effects on pipe delivery performance. Partial clogging might be caused by leaves accumulated in the lower section of the pipe in winter, and its effect was insignificant when water level rose in the pipe, utilizing significantly more orifices on the distribution pipe, thus the effect from the clogged portion had negligible impact on system performance. Larger storms might also provide the required flow rate to move the debris block thus exposing the orifices. Partial clogging did not increase the tendency of overflow; therefore, current maintenance schedule was sufficient to keep the distribution pipe at satisfactory performance even though partial clogging can exist.

Background: Albumin has a pivotal role in the homeostasis of osmotic pressure and is associated with cardiovascular, nephrotic, hepatic, and nutritional diseases. The detection of hypoalbuminemia is a cornerstone for diagnosis of hidden diseases and patient deterioration. We developed and validated a deep-learning-based model (DLM) for detection of hypoalbuminemia using electrocardiography (ECG). Methods: This historical cohort study included data from consecutive patients from two hospitals. The patient data in one hospital were divided into development (82,499 ECGs from 54,248 patients) and internal validation (20,664 ECGs from 20,664 patients) datasets, whereas the patient data in the other hospital were included in only an external validation (37,421 ECGs from 37,421 patients) dataset. An DLM was developed using a 12-lead ECG signal, age, and sex from the development dataset. The endpoint was hypoalbuminemia, defined by serum albumin concentration below 3.5 g/dL. Results: During the internal and external validations, the areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the DLM for the detection of hypoalbuminemia were 0.887 (0.877–0.897) and 0.888 (0.880–0.896), respectively. Among the 27,400 individuals without hypoalbuminemia at the initial laboratory exam, those identified by the DLM as higher-risk patients had a significantly larger change in developing hypoalbuminemia than those in the low-risk group (7.09% vs. 1.01%, p < 0.001) during 24 months. The sensitivity map showed that the DLM focused on the T wave and QRS complex for the detection of hypoalbuminemia. Conclusions: The DLM exhibited a high accuracy for hypoalbuminemia detection and prediction using 12-, 6-, and single-lead ECGs.

Fe-(9, 19, 28, 37)wt.% Cr alloys were corroded at 700 and 800 ^oC for 70 h under 1 atm of N₂, 1 atm of N₂/3.2%H₂O-mixed gas, and 1 atm of N₂/3.1%H₂O/2.42%H₂S-mixed gas. The corrosion rate of Fe-9Cr alloy increased with the addition of H₂O, and furthermore with the addition of H₂S in N₂ gas. Fe-9Cr alloy was always nonprotective. In contrast, Fe-(19, 28, 37) wt.%Cr alloys were protective in N₂ and N₂/H₂O-mixed gas because of formation of the Cr₂O₃ layer. They were, however, nonprotective in N₂/H₂O/H₂S-mixed gas because sulfidation dominated to form the outer FeS layer and the inner Cr₂S₃ layer containing some FeCr₂S₄.

One of the challenges of deploying Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) at large scale is to operate for prolonged periods of time relying on the limited amounts of energy stored in its nodes. Generally, data communication is the main factor of draining energy. Consequently, reducing the amount of transmitted data by the nodes is of great interest. At the same time, reducing data to be transmitted should not decrease the quality of the deduced information. Solving this problematic is what we call in this article "Ensuring the Quality of Information Service (QoIS)". This document provides a state-of-the-art for the QoIS regarding WSNs. At first, we give a quick overview of the Internet of Things (IoT) paradigm and the WSN technologies in order to understand how data is gathered and used in these networks. Also, we introduce a novel concept: QoIS, in contrast with classic QoS. Then, it is expected a summary of criteria that asses the QoIS in WSNs plus some techniques to improve it. In this article, we will focus on data management techniques. These techniques can improve raw data, information and/or knowledge quality in energy-constrained WSNs. Finally, we give some conclusions and a glimpse about our future work.

Pseudolysimachion nakaianum (Ohwi) T.Yamaz. is an endemic species that is an important species in the forest ecosystems of South Korea. This study aimed to develop an in vitro propagation system for P. nakaianum, to enhance the availability of this rare and endemic plant for commercial horticulture and restoration efforts. We utilized cotyledon explants from in vitro germinated seeds and two types of explants (petiole and leaf) from in vitro seedlings to assess the impact of five different cytokinins on adventitious shoot organogenesis in P. nakaianum. The half-strength Murashige and Skoog (MS) medium, supplemented with 10 µM thidiazuron (TDZ) for both cotyledon and petiole explants, yielded the highest shoot induction rates (61.1 ± 9.6% and 26.7 ± 8.8%, respectively) and the greatest number of shoots (3 ± 0.6 and 4.4 ± 0.5, respectively). Responses from leaf explants were variable, with none showing in vitro regeneration. Successfully acclimatized P. nakaianum plantlets in a greenhouse demonstrated normal growth. This protocol outlines an effective method for the direct in vitro regeneration from cotyledon and petiole explants of P. nakaianum, providing valuable information for the conservation of this species.

This study aims to better understand students who attend the Basic Vocational Training Cycles (FPB) regarding the measures to ensure diversity. This quantitative research project approximates the perception of students concerning their passage through their previous studies and their satisfaction and goals after finishing the school year. The sample con-sists of 352 students from Cordoba (Spain). A questionnaire has been used which follows the CIPP model. After the exploratory factor analysis was completed with the different groups of items and their descriptive analysis, various tests were carried out to consider the hypotheses (Pearson's correlation (r), one-factor analysis of variance and repeated ANOVA measures). The results indicate that the educational interest of the students is ac-ademic and professional. Likewise, there is no relationship detected between the appear-ance of socio-professional goals and average academic levels and the attributions with re-spect to repetitions of previous courses, although these goals vary depending on the satis-faction shown by the students with respect to the cycles. We conclude that the course of the FPB influences the adoption of decisions regarding academic-professional projects.

Since 2017 Cartagena UNESCO World Heritage has threatened to be categorized as "in Danger" by UNESCO. This research analyzes two main critical aspects, Governance and Current state of the Site. Regarding Governance, the study aims to identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and treats in the UNESCO Site. Exemplary heritage management systems are studied to propose an adaptable management approach specifically for Cartagena. On the other hand, a comprehensive analysis is conducted utilizing a photographic report that highlights the major issues arising from inadequate heritage management. Hyperspectral images obtained from a previous study are employed to identify vegetation and asbestos-cement roofs within the cultural heritage Site. The study reveals that the ambiguity surrounding decision-making authority for heritage management, distributed between the Mayor's Office and the Ministry of Culture, is a primary challenge. This fragmentation has resulted in duplicated efforts and a lack of coordinated action, significantly compromising the conservation and protection of the cultural heritage Site. Moreover, twelve current shortcomings of cultural heritage in Cartagena are identified through authors' five-year on-site regular visits, photographic reports and observation. To address the prevailing concerns, a new line of command for cultural heritage management is proposed as the most effective means of tackling these challenges. Additionally, general recommendations are presented to mitigate the existing problems and prevent the classification of Cartagena's heritage as "at risk" by UNESCO in the near future. This research provides a scientific perspective, drawing upon years of experience studying heritage and residing in the city, devoid of political influences or conflicts of interest.

A non-steady state mathematical model of amino acid (phenylalanine (Phe)) and mineral salt (NaCl) solution separation by neutralization dialysis (ND) carried out in a batch mode is proposed. The model takes into account the characteristics of membranes (thickness, ion-exchange capacity and conductivity) and solutions (concentration, composition), as well as the flow rate of the solution in the dialyzer compartments. As compared to previously developed models, the new one considers the local equilibrium of Phe protolysis reactions in solutions and membranes and, also, the transport of all the phenylalanine forms (zwitterionic, positively and negatively charged) through membranes. A series of experiments on ND demineralization of NaCl and Phe mixed solution was carried out. In order to minimize Phe losses, the solution pH in the desalination compartment was controlled by changing the concentrations of the solutions in the acid and alkali compartments of the ND cell. The validity of the model was verified by comparison of simulated and experimental time dependencies of solution electric conductivity and pH, as well as the concentration of Na+, Cl– ions and Phe species in the desalination compartment. Based on the simulation results, the role of Phe transport mechanisms in the losses of this amino acid during ND was discussed.

Human influenza A viruses (IAVs) cause global pandemics and epidemics, which remain serious threats to public health because of the shortage of effective means of control. To combat the surge of viral outbreaks, new treatments are urgently needed. Developing new virus control modalities requires better understanding of virus-host interactions. Here we describe how IAV infection triggers cellular apoptosis, and how this process can be exploited towards development of new therapeutics, which might be more effective than the currently available anti-influenza drugs.

Nurses experience significant stress and emotional exhaustion, leading to burnout and fatigue. This study assessed how the nurses’ mood and fatigue evolves during their shifts, and the lagged and accumulated factors that influence these phenomena. A two-level design with repeated measures was applied to a sample of 113 nurses, performing an ecological momentary assessment of different parameters and multilevel longitudinal two-level modelling of the data. Accordingly, mood appeared to be explained by effort, by the negative lagged effect of reward and by accumulated effort, each following a quadratic trend, and it was influenced by previously executing a direct care task. By contrast, fatigue was explained by the current and lagged effect of effort, by the lagged effect of reward and by accumulated effort, again following quadratic trends. Fatigue was also associated with direct care, and the prior effect of documentation and communication tasks. Mood was also explained by problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, indicative of negative mood, and by support-seeking and refusal coping strategies. Hence, mood and fatigue do not depend on a single factor like workload but rather, on the evolution and distribution of tasks, as well as on the stress during a shift and how it is handled.

Background: Pathologic complete response (pCR) of breast cancer after neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is highly related to molecular subtypes. Patients who achieved tumor pCR after NAC have a better prognosis. However, despite of better prognosis, pCR patients have a potential for recurrence. There is little evidence of risk factors of recurrence in patients with pCR. We aim to analyze factors associated with tumor recurrence in patients who achieved pCR. Methods: This study retrospectively reviewed the data of patients diagnosed with breast cancer who achieved pCR after receiving NAC between January 2009 and December 2018 in Samsung Medical Center. pCR was defined as no residual invasive cancer in the breast and axillary nodes even if there is residual ductal carcinoma in situ (ypT0 or ypTis with ypN0). Breast cancers are classified into 4 subtypes based on hormone receptors (HR) and human epithelial growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) status. Patients who had bilateral breast cancer, inflammatory breast cancer, distant metastasis, unknown subtype, and histologically unique case were excluded from the study. Results: In total 483 patients were included in this study except for patients who corresponded to the exclusion criteria. The median follow-up duration was 59.0 months (range, 0.5-153.3 months). Breast cancer recurred in 4.1% of patients (20 of 483). There was a significant difference in clinical T (p = .004) and clinical N (p = .034) stage in the Kaplan-Meier curve for disease-free survival. Molecular subtypes (p = .573), Ki67 (p = 1.000), and breast surgery type (p = .574) were not associated with tumor recurrence in patients who achieved pCR after NAC. In the clinical T stage and clinical N stage, there was a significant difference between recurrence and no-recurrence groups (clinical T stage; p = .045, clinical N stage; p = .002). Univariable Cox regression revealed statistical significance in the clinical T stage (p = .049) and clinical N stage (p = .010), while multivariable Cox regression demonstrated non-significance in the clinical T stage (p = .320) and clinical N stage (p = .073). Conclusion: Results in this study showed that clinical T, clinical N stage, and molecular subtypes were not statistically significant predictors of recurrence in patients who achieved pCR after NAC. It is hypothesized that a multicenter-based study would lead to the identification of factors as predictors of recurrence after achieving pCR.

This paper studies the evaporative heat transfer characteristics of R744 at low temperatures in a horizontal smooth tube as a cascade refrigeration system (CRS) among hybrid cascade refrigeration systems (HCRSs). There is a lack of research on the low-temperature evaporative heat transfer characteristics of R744 under the operating conditions of evaporators used in actual CRSs used in supermarkets. Therefore, this study aims to provide basic data on the evaporative heat transfer characteristics of R744 in the evaporators of refrigerators used in supermarkets. The tube used in the evaporation experiment conducted herein was a smooth horizontal copper tube with an inner diameter and length of 11.46 mm and 8000 mm, respectively. The experimental pa-rameters were as follows: heat fluxes of 12–21.5 kW/m2, mass fluxes of 75–225 kg/(m2·s), and saturation temperatures of −50–−30 °C. The main results are summarized as follows. (1) When designing the R744 evaporator, the mass and heat fluxes must be maximized within the operating conditions, and the saturation temperature must be designed to be as low as possible. (2) The evaporative heat transfer coefficient of R744 can be predicted well by using the correlation formula of Chen at the evaporation temperature of −40 °C in the CRS.

Currently, peptic ulcers are widely studied as an infectious disease caused by Helicobacter pylori primarily due to 3 supporting evidences, and this etiology may explain the other 3 observations, but cannot confront the challenges of the 15 major characteristics and the other 75 observations/phenomena of peptic ulcers. To address the challenges, a recently published Complex Causal Relationship with its accompanying methodologies was applied to analyze existing data. Peptic ulcers are identified as a psychosomatic disease triggered by psychological stress, where Helicobacter pylori plays a secondary role in only the late phase of ulceration. This new etiology elucidated all the 15 major characteristics and 81 observations/phenomena of peptic ulcers in a series of 6 articles. This sixth article focuses exclusively on the controversies surrounding the role of Helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcers. In-depth analyses find that all the 3 evidences supporting “peptic ulcers are an infectious disease caused by Helicobacter pylori” are deceiving, and 2 of the 3 explainable observations may have been misinterpreted. Meanwhile, the definitions of ‘etiological factor’ and ‘causality’ do not support ‘H. pylori infection is an etiological factor of peptic ulcers’, and existing literatures have presented a controversial view on the role of Helicobacter pylori in peptic ulcers. Interestingly, if “peptic ulcers are an infectious disease caused by Helicobacter pylori” is considered an illusion, all the characteristics of the disease, along with all the clinical, epidemiological, and laboratory observations/phenomena, can be fully understood. This illusion has misguided peptic ulcer research over the past 36 years with little progress in the field, and that may represent a widespread situation in modern medical research, resulting in a direct interference with the true understanding of disease. Evidently, keeping the concept “illusion” in mind may help remove a huge obstacle that impedes medical advance, thereby facilitating the in-depth study of disease.

The development of plant-based meat analogues has become a significant challenge for the food industry in recent years due to the increasing demand for sustainable and healthier proteins in the context of a global protein transition. Plant-based meat analogues imitate the visual, textural, and chemical properties of traditional meat products and are required to closely resemble meat to appeal to consumers. In addition, consumers demand natural, clean-label, and nutritional and healthy products. To address these challenges, the food industry must develop highly healthy, nutritious, and E-number-free meat analogue products. Understanding the functionality of each ingredient and its role in the food matrix is crucial to being a key player in the innovation of the meat analogues market. This review provides updated information on the primary ingredients utilized for the development of plant-based burger meat alternatives and their functionality. The key components of meat analogue burgers are outlined, including plant proteins, binding agents, fats and oils, flavorings, colorings, preservatives, fortificants, and clean-label considerations.

Water resources provided by alpine glaciers are an important pillar for people living in the arid regions in the west of China. In this study, the HBV (Hydrologiska Byrans Vattenavdelning) light model was applied to simulate glacier mass balance and runoff in the Koxkar River Basin (KRB) on the south slope of Mt. Tumur, western Tianshan Mts.. Daily temperature and precipitation were calculated by multiple linear regressions and gradient-inverse distance weighting, respectively, based on in-situ observed data by automatic weather stations (AWSs) in the basin (2007–2009) and at four meteorological stations neighbering the basin (1959–2009). Observed daily air temperature and precipitation were taken as input data for the HBV model, which was calibrated using runoff in 2007/08 and 2009/10, and validated in 2008/09 and 2010/11. Generally, the model could simulate runoff very well. The annual glacier mass balance and runoff were calculated using the HBV model driven by interpolated meteorological data for the period of 1959–2009. The simulated glacier mass balance were reasonable when compared with those observed values at nearby glaciers, indicating a decrease trend of mass balance in the basin with an average value of –370.4 mm a^-1 since 1959. The annual runoff showed a slight increase trend (5.51 mm a^-1). Futher analysis indicated that the runoff is more sensitive to temperature than precipitation amuont in the Koxkar river basin.

Research on piezo-composite actuators has been actively conducted over the past two decades as a response to strong demand for light, compact actuators to replace electro-magnetic motor actuators in micro robots, small flying drones, and compact missile systems. Layered piezo-composite unimorph actuators have been studied to provide active vibration control of thin-walled aerospace structures, control the shapes of aircraft wing airfoils, and control the fins of small missiles, because they require less space and provide better frequency responses than conventional electro-magnetic motor actuator systems. However, based on the limited actuation strains of conventional piezo-composite unimorph actuators with poly-crystalline piezoelectric ceramic layers, they have not been implemented effectively as actuators for small aerospace vehicles. In this study, a lightweight piezo-composite unimorph actuator (LIPCA-S2) was manufactured and analyzed to predict its flexural actuation displacement. It was found that the actuated tip displacement of a piezo-composite cantilever could be predicted accurately using the proposed prediction model based on the nonlinear properties of the piezoelectric strain coefficient and elastic modulus of a piezoelectric single crystal.

We aimed to evaluate the survival benefits of coadministering statins and multityrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service in Korea (2010–2020) were utilized. Statin use (≥28 cumulative defined daily doses) was analyzed, with 1,534 statin users matched to 6,136 non-users (1:4 ratio) using propensity scores. Primary and secondary outcomes were overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS). Statin use significantly improved OS (hazard ratio [HR] 0.77, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.72–0.82, P&lt;0.001) and PFS (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.74–0.84, P&lt;0.001). Continuous or post-TKI statin users had better OS, while discontinuation after TKI use led to poorer OS. Both lipophilic and hydrophilic statins improved OS and PFS, particularly with ≥730 cumulative defined daily doses. In conclusion, combining statins and TKIs in patients with advanced HCC yielded significant survival benefits, influenced by statin dosage and duration. Continuous statin administration post-TKI treatment is crucial for improving outcomes in patients with HCC.

With the rapid spread of carbon trading in the global economy, the interactions of prices between carbon (or clean/renewable energy) and traditional fossil energies such as coal and oil have raised growing attention, but little research have discussed their dynamic volatility spillover and time-varying correlation. The purpose of this study is to investigate these issues, for the weekly data of EUA futures, Biofuel and Brent oil prices from 25 October 2009 to 5 July 2020. We employ the VAR-GARCH model with the BEKK specification. Our results are summarized as follows. At first, we identified the sudden changes and the volatility persistence in the three markets, and also confirmed that the volatility of the markets has changed significantly over time. Secondly, we find that there are a weak volatility spillover effect among the three markets, while a strong spillover effect between the EUA and Brent oil markets. Lastly, in financial markets, the EUA can be used as a hedging portfolio for the Biofuel and Brent oil markets. These results can help investors to well compose their portfolios and manage their investment risks, and help potential pollutant emission sources to join in carbon market in a cost-effective way.

Growth hormone (GH) is a peptide hormone that plays a crucial role in controlling growth, development, and lifespan. Molecular regulation of GH is accomplished via the GH receptor (GHR) gene, which is the main factor influencing human development and is essential to optimal functioning of the GH/IGF-I axis. Two GHR isoforms have been studied, according to the presence (flGHR) or absence (d3GHR) of exon 3. The d3GHR variant, which has recently been related to longevity, is associated with enhanced signal transduction and higher receptor function. Many of these studies indicated that the growth response to GH treatment may be affected. Individuals carrying the d3GHR isoform have higher receptor activity, improved signal transduction, and alterations in the treatment response and efficacy compared with those carrying the WT isoform. Further, studies performed in patients with acromegaly, Prader-Willi syndrome, Turner syndrome, small for gestational age (SGA), and growth hormone deficiency (GHD) suggested that the d3GHR variant may have an impact on the relationship between GH and IGF-I levels, height, weight, BMI, and other variables. Other research, however, revealed inconsistent results, which might have been caused by confounding factors, including limited sample sizes and different experimental methods. In this review, we lay out the complexity of the GHR isoforms and provide an overview of the major pharmacogenetic research conducted on this ongoing and unresolved subject.

This study aimed to learn disturbance information to effectively control multiple small unmanned surface vehicles (USVs) for marine research purposes at sea. The learned disturbance information was used to investigate the control of multiple USV swarms based on the leading–following formation technique. Numerous studies have already been conducted on swarm control using drones in the air; however, there has been a paucity of studies on swarm control in the sea. Contrary to swarm control in aviation, the fluid density of the sea is high, and the environment is constantly changing; thus, a robot system would be significantly affected by disturbances. This ultimately influences the maintenance of swarm formations and the accomplishment of missions [1,2]. Therefore, it is difficult to control numerous moving objects while maintaining a formation at sea by using the existing aerial drone swarm control technology. To solve this problem, we learned a long short-term memory (LSTM) model with time-series marine environmental data to predict maritime disturbances. Thereafter, the model was applied to a mission-based position control algorithm of each USV constituting the swarm to design a marine unmanned floating vessel swarm control system that can be applied to various marine environments. Specifically, to effectively control numerous small USVs for marine research purposes, ocean currents are learned using the LSTM algorithm, and the predicted ocean currents are used to generate a swarm USV control system for USV formations. In this study, a control system model of several small USVs equipped with two rear thrusters and a front lateral thruster was designed. The LSTM algorithm was learned using the previous ocean current data, and the velocity of the following ocean currents was predicted. The predictions were then used as a system disturbance to determine the thrust of the controller. To measure ocean currents in the sea when each USV moves, the velocity, azimuth, and position (latitude, longitude) data from the GPS mounted on the USV were used to measure the velocity and direction of the hull's movement. Further, the flow rate was measured using a flow rate sensor on a small USV. The USV movement and position were controlled using an artificial neural network-PID (ANN-PID) controller. This study entailed a comparative analysis of the designed USV model results and those generated by the simulator, including the behavior control rule of the USV swarm and the path of the actual USV swarm at sea. It was verified that the effectiveness of the USV mathematical model and behavior control rules. By comparing the movement path of the swarm USV with and without the disturbance learning algorithm and ANN-PID control algorithm applied to the designed simulator, the position error and maintenance performance of the swarm formation were analyzed, and the application results were compared.

In this article we compute many topological indices for the family of Möbius ladder. At first we give general closed form of M-polynomial of this family and recover many degree based topological indices out of it. We also compute Zagreb indices and Zagreb polynomials of this family.

Esterases are hydrolases that catalyze the hydrolysis of esters into the corresponding acids and alcohols. The development of fluorescent probes for detecting esterases is of great importance due to their wide spectrum of biological and industrial applications. These probes can provide a rapid and sensitive method for detecting the presence and activity of esterases in various samples, including biological fluids, food products, and environmental samples. Fluorescent probes can also be used for monitoring the effects of drugs and environmental toxins on esterase activity, as well as to study the functions and mechanisms of these enzymes in several biological systems. Additionally, fluorescent probes can be designed to selectively target specific types of esterases, such as those found in pathogenic bacteria or cancer cells. In this review, we summarize the recent fluorescent probes described for the visualization of cell viability and some applications for in vivo imaging. On the other hand, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a nuclear-based molecular imaging modality of great value to study the activity of enzymes in vivo. We provide some examples of PET probes for imaging acetylcholinesterases and butyrylcholinesterases in brain, which are valuable tools for diagnosing dementia and monitoring the effects of anticholinergic drugs on the central nervous system.

Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUVs) are emerging as pivotal tools in underwater applications such as seafloor exploration and the inspection of pipelines or cables. Traditional land-based avoidance methods prove insufficient when applied to the complex underwater environment, largely due to the unique constraints presented by marine environments and the specific dynamics of AUVs. In this study, we introduce an improved stream function-based obstacle avoidance algorithm specifically tailored for autonomous underwater vehicles. The proposed algorithm is based on a stream function that is derived from the stream function. The stream function is characterized by a radial histogram for the cost function. In addition, constraints related to the maximum path curvature are discussed to optimize the utility of the path. Our exhaustive simulation cases validate the robustness and adaptability of the proposed algorithm, demonstrating its ability to produce feasible and optimized avoidance paths in a variety of scenarios.

Cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs), a group of small peptides capable of promoting the transport of molecular cargo across the plasma membrane, have become important tools in promoting the cellular uptake of exogenously delivered macromolecules. GV1001, a peptide derived from a reverse-transcriptase subunit of telomerase (hTERT) and developed as a vaccine against various cancers, reportedly has unexpected CPP properties. Unlike typical CPPs, such as the HIV-1 TAT peptide, GV1001 enabled the cytosolic delivery of macromolecules such as proteins, DNA and siRNA via extracellular heat shock protein 90 (eHSP90) and 70 (eHSP70) complexes. The eHSP-GV1001 interaction may have biological effects in addition to its cytosolic delivery function. GV1001 was originally designed as a MHC class II-binding cancer epitope, but its CPP properties may contribute to its strong anti-cancer immune response relative to other telomerase peptide-based vaccines. Cell signaling via eHSP-GV1001 binding may lead to unexpected biological effects, such as direct anticancer or antiviral effects. In this review, we focus on the CPP effects of GV1001 bound to eHSP90 and ehsp70.

Glioblastoma is a central nervous system cancer type with a poor prognosis. One of its main features is the constant change of metabolism phenotype to support its development and progression. Mitochondria play a critical role in cellular metabolism. Acetylation on lysine residues of mitochondrial enzymes is a mechanism for regulating protein function. This modification negatively affects the mitochondrial proteome function and is counteracted by the enzyme sirtuin 3 (SIRT3). To better understand how SIRT3 regulates mitochondrial metabolism, we inhibited SIRT3 and examined by high-resolution mass spectrometry analysis the proteome and acetylome of two glioblastoma cell lines with different metabolic preferences. Our results indicate that protein synthesis machinery is regulated by lysine acetylation and plays a role in the metabolic phenotype. We also identified new SIRT3 targets not previously associated with specific functions, highlighting their potential as future targets for further study. This study shed light on the role of SIRT3 in mitochondria and its implication for cellular metabolism. We have generated knowledge at the proteome and acetylome levels on the dynamics between two glioblastoma cell lines with opposing metabolic phenotypes. Our results might guide in searching for biomarkers at both proteome and acetylome levels in glioblastoma.

The fermentation of syngas is an attractive technology that can be integrated with gasification of lignocellulosic biomass. The coupling of these two technologies allows for treating a great variety of raw materials. Lignin usually hinders microbial fermentations; thus, the thermal decomposition of the whole material into small molecules allows for the production of fuels and other types of molecules using syngas as substrate, a process performed at mild conditions. Syngas contains mainly hydrogen, carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide in varying proportions. These gases have a low volumetric energy density, resulting more interesting its conversion into higher energy density molecules. Syngas can be transformed by microorganisms, thus avoiding the use of expensive catalysts, which may be subject to poisoning. However, the fermentation is not free of suffering from inhibitory problems. The presence of trace components in syngas may cause a decrease in fermentation yields or cause a complete cessation of bacteria growth. The presence of tar and hydrogen cyanide are just examples of this fermentation's challenges. Syngas cleaning impairs significant restrictions in technology deployment. The technology may seem promising, but it is still far from large-scale application due to several aspects that still need to find a practical solution.

In this work, an embroidered textile moisture sensor is presented. The sensor is based on a capacitive interdigitated structure embroidered on a cotton substrate with an embroidery conductor yarn composed by 99% pure silver plated nylon yarn 140/17 dtex. In order to evaluate the sensor sensitivity, the impedance of the sensor has been measured by means of a LCR meter from 20 Hz to 20 kHz on a climatic chamber with a sweep of the relative humidity from 25% to 65% at 20 ºC. The experimental results show a clear and controllable dependence of the sensor impedance with the relative humidity. Moreover, the reproducibility of the sensor performance subject to the manufacturing process variability and washing process is also evaluated. The results show that the manufacturing variability introduce a moisture measurement error up to 4%. The washing process impact on the sensor behavior after applying the first washing cycle implies a sensitivity reduction higher than 14%. Despite these effect, the textile sensor keeps its functionality and can be reused in standard conditions. Therefore, these properties point out the usefulness of the proposed sensor to develop wearable applications on health and fitness scope including the user needs to have a life cycle longer than one-time use

Ral-interacting protein 76 (RLIP76) is a potential factor with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the corpus luteum and tumor angiogenesis. RLIP76, VEGF, and hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) are proteins that activate angiogenic functions in tumor and endothelial cells. RLIP76 is a main factor in tumor growth, and VEGF is a major endothelial cell protein for angiogenesis. Also, RLIP76 regulates a small GTPase (R-Ras, oncogene) in cell survival, spreading, and migration. HIF-1 is important in the corpus luteum, tumor angiogenesis, and tumor growth. VEGF and HIF-1 regulate the angiogenic function of RLIP76, and RLIP76 controls vascular growth in endothelial and tumor cells. RLIP76, R-Ras, VEGF, and HIF-1 may be useful in the research of corpus luteum and cancer therapy and the study of mechanisms of tumor angiogenesis. This review will help to elucidate the roles of RLIP76/R-Ras and VEGF via HIF-1 in corpus luteum and tumor angiogenesis, tumorigenesis, and the specific regulation of RLIP76 in luteal, tumor, and endothelial cells. Thus, we reviewed the angiogenesis of the corpus luteum and tumor in the ovarian and tumor microenvironment.

This paper deals with the analysis of trends in road accidents on major highways in Brazil. Using updated time series techniques, our results indicate that a low degree of long memory was detected in the series with shocks having transitory effects over time. We further find that the number of accidents taking place in Brazil has been reducing over time, though in the presence of negative shocks, the recovery is not going to be immediate due to the long memory nature of the data. Despite the absence of relevant investment relating to infrastructure expansion, it is worth mentioning the consolidation of a nationwide tolled road system in Brazil involving concessions to private administrators, alongside more severe traffic laws that can impose limitations on driving licences.

(1) Background: Spain launched an official campaign, #EsteVirusLoParamosUnidos, to try and unite the efforts of the entire country through citizen cooperation to combat coronavirus. The research goal is to analyze the Twitter campaign’s repercussion on general citizen feeling. (2) Methods: The research is based on a composite design that triangulates from a theoretical model, a quantitative analysis and a qualitative analysis. (3) Results: Of the 7357 tweets in the sample, 72.32% were found to be retweets. Four content families were extracted: politics, education, messages to society and defense of occupational groups. The feelings expressed ranged along a continuum, from unity, admiration and support at one end to discontent and criticism regarding the health situation at the other. (4) Conclusions: The development of networked sociopolitical and technical measures that enable citizen participation facilitates the development of new patterns of interaction between governments and digital citizens, increasing citizens’ possibilities of influencing the public agenda and therefore strengthening citizen engagement vis-à-vis such situations.

Recent COVID-19 outbreak has come into prominence the pathogenetic mechanisms underlying the Biology and Biochemistry of viral infections. COVID-19 illness is brought about by infection with the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 [1,2], an enveloped positive single stranded RNA virus (ssRNA+). From a lipidomics viewpoint, there is a variety of mechanisms involving virus infection that encompass virus entry, disturbance of host cell lipid metabolism, and the role played by diverse lipids in regard to the infection effectiveness. All these aspects have currently been tackled separately as independent issues and focusing on the function of proteins. Here we review the role of cholesterol and other lipids in in ssRNA+ and SARS-COV-2 infection.