Originally developed to image the shadow region of the central black hole in Sagittarius A* and in the nearby galaxy M87, the Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) provides deep, very high angular resolution data on other AGN sources too. The challenges of working with EHT data have spurred the development of new image reconstruction algorithms. This work briefly reviews the status of the EHT and its utility for observing AGN sources, with emphasis on novel imaging techniques that offer the promise of better reconstructions at 1.3 mm and other wavelengths.

The MAGIC (Major Atmospheric Gamma-ray Imaging Cherenkov) Florian Goebel telescopes are a system of two Cherenkov telescopes located on the Canary island of La Palma (Spain), at the Roque de Los Muchachos Observatory, and operating in stereo mode since 2009. Their low energy threshold (reaching 15 GeV) allows the study of Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs) in the very-high-energy gamma ray range with an impressive sensitivity up to the redshift limit of the existing IACT systems. MAGIC has collected many discoveries and comprehensive studies of different kinds of galaxies and their AGNs, also in a multi-wavelength context, expanding the knowledge of our Universe. Here we report the highlights which have been achieved by the MAGIC collaboration since the beginning of the operations.

Active galactic nuclei (AGNs), either radio-quiet or radio-loud, had never been observed in X-ray polarized light until the advent of the Imaging X-ray Polarimetry Explorer (IXPE [1]) in the end of 2021. This satellite opened a new observational window for studying supermassive black holes and their complex environment. In this regard, radio-quiet AGNs are probably better targets than radio-loud objects to probe accretion processes, due to the lack of synchrotron emission from jets that can dilute the polarized signal from the central engine. Their relatively clean environment not only allows to detect and measure the X-ray polarization originating from the hot corona responsible for X-ray emission, but also to assess the geometry of the media immediately surrounding the supermassive black hole. Such geometrical measurements work just as well for characterizing the corona morphology in pole-on AGNs as it does for determining the three-dimensional shape of the circumnuclear cold obscurer (the so-called torus) in edge-on AGNs. In this review paper, we will return to each of the observations made by IXPE so far in the field of radio-quiet AGNs and highlight the fundamental contribution of X-ray polarimetry to our understanding of how light is emitted and how matter is shaped around supermassive black holes.

Abiotic stress is responsible for significant reduction in crop plant productivity worldwide. Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a natural component of sunlight and a permanent environmental stimulus. This study investigated the distinct responses of young wheat and einkorn plants to excessive UV-B radiation (180 min at λmax 312 nm) following foliar pretreatment with 1 µM synthetic cytokinin 4PU-30. Results demonstrated that UV radiation significantly amplified hydrogen peroxide levels in both wheat and einkorn, with einkorn exhibiting more pronounced increase compared to wheat. This elevation indicated the induction of oxidative stress by UV radiation in the two genotypes. Intensified antioxidant enzyme activities and increased accumulation of typical stress markers and non-enzyme protectants were evidenced. Transcriptional activity of genes encoding key antioxidant enzymes was also investigated aiming to elucidate the genetic regulation of the antioxidant systems in both wheat and einkorn seedlings. Our results suggested a role for POX1 and POX7 genes in the UV-B tolerance of the two wheat species as well as a cytokinin stimulated UV-B stress response in einkorn mediated through upregulation of the tau subfamily gene GSTU6. Based on these findings it could be concluded that 4PU-30 had the potential of alleviating oxidative stress by attenuating the symptoms of superfluous UV-B illumination in the two examined plant species.

In this article, we introduce some multi-messenger studies of blazars. Main contents contain the following parts, 1. the subclasses of blazars and the observational characteristics, 2. emission variabilities from the multi-messenger observations, 3. the physical origin for the multi-messenger studies. Based on mid-IR observations collected from the $WISE$ database, we collect two sources (BZQ J1700+6830 and BZQ J1842+6809) to analyze the mid-IR variabilities. \\ (1) For BZQ J1700+6830, the period is $P\approx$ 42 hr at the four bands ($W1$, $W2$, $W3$, $W4$); for BZQ J1842+6809, the period is $P\approx$ 123 hr at the two bands ($W1$, $W2$). \\ (2) Using the periodicities, we calculate that the central black hole mass ($BH$) should be $M = (5.44\sim33.0)\times10^8M_{\odot}$ for BZQ J1700+6830 and $M = (1.13\sim6.88)\times10^9M_{\odot}$ for BZQ J1842+6809.\\ (3) For the two sources, during the flaring stage, we find anti-clockwise variation trends based on the time-based relations built by the spectral indices ($\alpha$) and flux densities ($F$).\\ (4) We calculate the Doppler factor ($\delta$) when the sources are in the dimming or brightening stages, and find that with the frequency increasing, the Doppler factor become stronger.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of potassium poly-γ-glutamate (PGA-K) on mice fed a high-fat diet consisting of 60% of total calories for a duration of 12 weeks. PGA-K administration reduced the increase in body weight, epididymal fat, and liver weight caused by a high-fat diet compared to the obese group. The triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels, which are blood lipid indicators, were significantly increased in the obese group but were significantly decreased in the PGA-K-treated group. The administration of PGA-K resulted in a significant inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor α and interleukin 6. Moreover, the levels of leptin and insulin, which are insulin resistance indicators, significantly increased in the obese group but were significantly decreased in the PGA-K-treated group. These results suggest that PGA-K exhibits a protective effect against obesity induced by a high-fat diet, underscoring its potential as a candidate for obesity treatment.

Reusing the tactile knowledge of some previously explored objects helps us to easily recognize the tactual properties of new objects. In this paper, we enable a robotic arm equipped with multi-modal artificial skin, like humans, to actively transfer the prior tactile exploratory action experiences when it learns the detailed physical properties of new objects. These experiences, or prior tactile knowledge, are built by the feature observations that the robot perceives from multiple sensory modalities, when it applies the pressing, sliding, and static contact movements on objects with different action parameters. We call our method Active Prior Tactile Knowledge Transfer (APTKT), and systematically evaluated its performance by several experiments. Results show that the robot improved the discrimination accuracy by around 10% when it used only one training sample plus the feature observations of prior objects. By incorporating the auxiliary features, the transfer learning improved the discrimination accuracy by over 20%. The results also show that the proposed method is robust against transferring irrelevant prior tactile knowledge (negative knowledge transfer).

The G2 gas cloud motion data and the scarcity of observations on the event horizon-scale distances have challenged the comprehensiveness of the central supermassive black hole model. In addition, the Planck Legacy 2018 release has preferred a positively curved early Universe with a confidence level higher than 99%. This study investigates the impact of the background curvature and its evolution over the conformal time on the formation and morphological evolution of central compact objects and the consequent effect on their host galaxies. The formation of a galaxy from the collapse of a supermassive gas cloud in the early Universe is modeled based on interaction field equations as a 4D relativistic cloud-world that flows and spins through a 4D conformal bulk of a primordial positive curvature considering the preference of the Planck release. Owing to the curved background, this scenario of galaxy formation reveals that the core of the galaxy undergoes a forced vortex formation with a central event horizon leading to opposite vortices (traversable wormholes) that spatially shrink while evolving in the conformal time. It indicates that the galaxy and its core are formed in the same process whereas the surrounding gas clouds form the spiral arms due to the frame-dragging induced by the fast-rotating core. It demonstrates that the accretion flow onto the central supermassive compact object only occurs at the central event horizon of the two opposite vortices while their other ends eject the relativistic jets. This can elucidate the relativistic jet formation and explain the G2 gas cloud motion if its orbit is around one of the vortices but at a distance from the central event horizon. The gravitational potential of the early curved bulk could contribute to galaxy formation while the present spatial flatness deprives the potential of bulk which could lead to galaxy quenching. The formation of a galaxy and its core simultaneously could explain the growth of the supermassive compact galaxy core to a mass of ~10⁹ M_⊙ at just 6% of the current Universe age.

The direct detection of dark matter constituents, in particular the weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs), is central to particle physics and cosmology. In this paper we develop the formalism for WIMP-Nucleus induced transitions from isomeric nuclear states. We specialize it in the case of the experimentally interesting target 180 Ta

The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical characterization and biological activities of chitosan (CH) based composite films with the incorporation of chestnut flower essential oil (CFEO). The composite films were prepared by casting method and characterized in terms of structural, morphological and mechanical properties via FT-IR, XRD, UV, SEM and TGA. The results proved the significantly increased water vapor permeability (WVP), heat resistance, antibacterial and antioxidant capabilities of CH-CFEO films. The incorporation of CH and CFEO enhanced the UV blocking, which made the film shield almost all UV light. Films with the tensile strength of 6.37 ± 0.41 MPa and elongation at break of 22.57 ± 0.35% were got with 6 mg mL-1 CFEO. Subsequently, the fruit preservation experiments also confirmed that the composite films could effectively extend the shelf life of bananas through their excellent water vapor and oxygen barrier. These desirable performances enable our newly developed composite films to be a remarkable packaging material to solve the fresh fruit preservation dilemma.

Differences between the quantum mechanical and relativistic concepts of time observed in GPS satellites are accounted for by applying the equivalence principle to the transitioning electron of an atomic clock. This allows a differential equation of motion to be derived for the electron in the Minkowski space between electron shells. By applying Hamilton’s principle we transform the differential equation into a relativistically correct integral equation of motion, the time integral of a Lagrangian. This newly derived equation accounts for the abstract mathematics of the more familiar non-relativistic model by means of a physical interpretation. Abstract rotations in Hilbert space are replaced by real rotations of particle field geometries in Minkowki space that describe the electron transition and emission of a photon. Because the properties of energy are universal the same integral equations are able to be used to describe the time evolution of galaxies despite vast differences in lifetime. The comparison of gravitational and electromagnetic energy exchanges by means of radial and transverse fields leads to an alternative to the standard model that is based on a field model. It explains the observed properties of galaxies as a superposition of neutrinos localized within the horizon of a black hole with spins aligned. The particle properties of free neutrinos are accounted by means of a classical field geometry; specifically, a spin that is oriented in space with rotational inertia due to energy. A test of the standard model is proposed based on differing views for flavor oscillation.

In the last decade, we have witnessed an upsurge in nuclei-based studies, particularly coupled with next-generation sequencing. Such studies aim at understanding the molecular states that exist in heterogeneous cell populations by applying increasingly more affordable sequencing approaches, in addition to optimized methodologies developed to isolate and select nuclei. Although these powerful new methods promise unprecedented insights, it is important to understand and critically consider the associated challenges. Here, we provide a comprehensive overview of the rise of nuclei-based studies and elaborate on their advantages and disadvantages. Improved designs and appropriate use of the various experimental strategies will result in acquiring biologically accurate and meaningful information.

Wobbling motion as an exotic collective mode in nuclei without axial symmetry, was intensively discussed during the last few years. The observation of the newly proposed transverse wobbling, first reported in $^{135}$Pr and soon after in nuclei from other mass regions, was considered as a significant discovery in low-spin nuclear structure. However, both the reported experimental results and the proposed theoretical models were lively questioned in a series of works devoted to the investigation of the low-spin wobbling mode in the same nucleus. The electromagnetic properties of the $\Delta I=1$ transitions connecting the one- to zero-phonon and the two- to one-phonon wobbling bands in $^{135}$Pr were recently remeasured, demonstrating their predominant $M1$ magnetic character which is in contradiction with the wobbling motion interpretation. These new experimental observables being well reproduced by both quasiparticle-plus-triaxial-rotor model and interacting boson-fermion model calculations, are against the previously proposed wobbling characteristics of the low-spin bands in $^{135}$Pr. On the other hand, we obtained conclusive experimental evidence for the theoretically suggested transverse wobbling bands at medium spin in $^{136}$Nd. The comparison of the experimental data with calculations utilizing the triaxial projected shell model and a new developed particle-rotor model with frozen orthogonal geometry of the active nucleons, supports the description in terms of transverse wobbling of medium-spin bands in triaxial even-even nuclei.

Railway has been used as one of the most crucial means of transportation in public mobility and economic development. For efficiently operating railways, the electrification system in railway infrastructure, which supplies electric power to trains, is essential facilities for stable train operation. Due to its important role, the electrification system needs to be rigorously and regularly inspected and managed. This paper presents a supervised learning method to classify Mobile Laser Scanning (MLS) data into ten target classes representing overhead wires, movable brackets and poles, which are recognized key objects in the electrification system. In general, the layout of railway electrification system shows a strong regularity of spatial relations among object classes. The proposed classifier is developed based on Conditional Random Field (CRF), which characterizes not only labeling homogeneity at short range, but also the layout compatibility between different object classes at long range in the probabilistic graphical model. This multi-range CRF model consists of a unary term and three pairwise contextual terms. In order to gain computational efficiency, MLS point clouds is converted into a set of line segments where the labeling process is applied. Support Vector Machine (SVM) is used as a local classifier considering only node features for producing the unary potentials of CRF model. As the short-range pairwise contextual term, Potts model is applied to enforce a local smoothness in short-range graph. While, long-range pairwise potentials are designed to enhance spatial regularities of both horizontal and vertical layouts among railway objects. We formulate two long-range pairwise potentials as the log posterior probability obtained by Naïve Bayes classifier. The directional layout compatibilities are characterized in probability look-up tables which represent co-occurrence rate of spatial relations in horizontal and vertical directions. The likelihood function is formulated by multivariate Gaussian distributions. In the proposed multi-range CRF model, the weight parameters to balance four sub-terms are estimated by applying the Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD). The results show that the proposed multi-range CRF can effectively classify detailed railway elements, representing the average recall of 97.66% and the average precision of 97.07% for all classes.

Different notions of entropy can be identified in different communities: (i) the thermodynamic sense, (ii) the information sense, (iii) the statistical sense, (iv) the disorder sense, and (v) the homogeneity sense. Especially the “disorder sense” and the “homogeneity sense” relate to and require the notion of space and time. One of the few prominent examples relating entropy to geometry and to space is the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy of a Black Hole. Although being developed for the description of a physics object—a black hole—having a mass, a momentum, a temperature, a charge etc. absolutely no information about these attributes of this object can eventually be found in the final formula. In contrast, the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy in its dimensionless form is a positive quantity only comprising geometric attributes like an area A—which is the area of the event horizon of the black hole-, a length L_P—which is the Planck length - and a factor ¼. A purely geometric approach towards this formula will be presented. The approach is based on a continuous 3D extension of the Heaviside function, with this extension drawing on the phase-field concept of diffuse interfaces. Entropy enters into the local, statistical description of contrast respectively gradient distributions in the transition region of the extended Heaviside function definition. The structure of the Bekenstein-Hawking formula eventually is derived for a geometric sphere based on mere geometric-statistic considerations.

In this article the galactic rotation curve is analyzed as an effect of an accelerated reference frame. This phenomenon is the strongest evidence for the so called dark matter. We show that a non-inertial reference frame could explain the experimental data. We also show that general relativity is not enough to complete explain that which encouraged alternatives paths such as the MOND approach. Considering the effect of dark matter as a realization of accelerated reference frames is a simple but powerful hypothesis.

Software-based ultrasound imaging systems provide high flexibility that allows easy and fast adoption of newly developed algorithms. However, the extremely high data rate required for data transfer from sensors (e.g., transducers) to the ultrasound imaging systems is a major bottleneck in the software-based architecture, especially in the context of real-time imaging. To overcome this limitation, in this paper, we present a Binary cLuster (BL) code, which yields an improved compression ratio compared to the exponential Golomb code. Owing to the real-time encoding/decoding features without overheads, the universal code is a good solution to reduce the data transfer rate for software-based ultrasound imaging. The performance of the proposed method was evaluated using in vitro and in vivo data sets. It was demonstrated that the BL-beta code has a good stable lossless compression performance of 20 ~ 30% while requiring no auxiliary memory or storage.

A bijective analysis is confirming, the expansion of universal space has never been directly observed, and this assumption is unproven thus far. The measurement of the gravitational redshift, which was confirmed using the Mossbauer experiment, proves only the gravitational redshift and nothing more because there is no causality between the gravitational redshift and hypothetical expansion. Thus, even if the universal space is assumed to expand, the gravitational redshift cannot be assumed to be proof of the expansion. In addition, the Doppler effect was never observed in an expanding space; thus, the claim that the cosmological redshift is partially caused by the Doppler effect, which is caused by the expansion of space, is an unproven assumption. Furthermore, the discovery of cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation simply proves that the radiation is emitted by the entire universal space, but does not prove the existence of a recombination period. In evidence-based cosmology, every element in the model has a corresponding element in physical reality that is observed and measured. The evidence-based cosmology model is related to the real universe by a bijective function of set theory. Supermassive black holes in the centre of galaxies are rejuvenating systems of the universe. They rotate their local superfluid space which is the physical origin of galactic rotation curves.

In the work, the nuclei structure was modeled by a system of shells consisting of combinations of spherical and annular vortices. Having connected the spin and the magnetic moments of the nuclei with the dynamics of the outer shell of the nucleus, we determined its type and carried out a semiempirical calculation of the parameters of its structure for stable and unstable nuclear isotopes in the sequence of the order number Z from 1 to 37. Comparison of the obtained nuclear sizes with the radii of the electron shells of atoms made it possible to reveal a definite correlation. On the basis of it, it was concluded that the periodic law of Mendeleyev can determine the patterns in the change in the structure of the atomic nucleus.

Most fully developed galaxies have vivid spiral structure, but the formation and evolution of spiral structure is still a mystery that is not fully understood in astrophysics. We find that the currently used equations of galactic dynamics contain some unreasonable components. In this paper, the following three working assumptions are introduced to simplify the galactic structural equations. 1. In the research of large-scale structure, the retarded potential of the gravitational field should be taken into account. The propagating time of the gravitational field from center to border is longer than the revolution periods of the stars near the center of galaxy. Newton's gravitational potential is unreasonable for such case, and the weak field and low velocity approximation of Einstein's field equation should be adopted. 2. The stars in a fully developed galaxy should be zero-pressure and inviscid fluid, and the equation of motion is different from that of ordinary continuum mechanics. Stars move along geodesics. 3. The structure of the galaxy is only related to the total mass density distribution. The equation of state of dark halo is different from that of ordinary luminous interstellar matter, so their trajectories are also very different. Dark halo and ordinary matter in galaxy are automatically separated. The total mass density distribution can be presupposed according to the observation data, and then it can be determined by comparing the solution of the equations with the observed data. These assumptions and treatments are supported by theory and observation. The variables of the equations of simplified galactic dynamics are separated from each other, and the equations are well-posed and can be solved according to a definite procedure. Therefore, this simplified dynamic equation system provides a more reasonable and practical framework for the further study of galactic structure, and can solve many practical problems. Besides, it is closely related to the study of dark energy and dark matter.

This article discusses the application of thermal quality control methods for plant tissues. The purpose of the work is to determine the optimal parameters of thermal impact on a spherical-shaped plant control object, ensuring the detection of surface and subsurface defects. The authors of the work proposed mathematical models of the temperature field for a spherical body with defects and a flat sample when exposed to the thermal influence of a pulsed source. As a result of the use of mathematical models, the thermophysical characteristics of plant tissues of varying degrees of disease damage were obtained, which made it possible to simulate the temperature field of the control object and obtain an image of classified tissues. The developed recommendations made it possible to select the optimal parameters of the thermal effect on the test object.

The general theory of relativity (GR) is known to be invariant under smooth coordinate transformations (diffeomorphism). This group has a subgroup known as the Lorentz group of symmetry which is manifested in the weak field approximation to GR. The dominant operator in the weak field equation of GR is thus the d'Alembert (wave) operator which has a retarded potential solution. Galaxies are huge physical systems having dimensions of many tens of thousands of light years. Thus any change at the galactic center will be noticed at the rim only tens of thousands of years later. Those retardation effects are neglected in present day galactic modelling used to calculate rotational velocities of matter in the rims of the galaxy and surrounding gas. The significant differences between the predictions of Newtonian instantaneous action at a distance and observed velocities are usually explained by either assuming dark matter or by modifying the laws of gravity (MOND). In this paper we will show that taking general relativity seriously without neglecting retardation effects one can explain the radial velocities of galactic matter in the M33 galaxy without postulating dark matter.

This paper is an extended version of a previously reported conference paper regarding low power design for NAND Flash. As the number of bits per NAND Flash die increases with cost scaling, IO datapath speed increases to minimize the page access time with scaled CMOS in IOs. The power supply for IO buffers, namely VDDQ, has decreased from 3V to 1.2V, accordingly. In this paper, how a reduction in VDDQ can contribute to power reduction in BL path is discussed and validated. Conventionally, BL voltage of about 0.5V has been supplied from a supply voltage source (VDD) of 3V. BL path power can be reduced by a factor of VDDQ to VDD when BL voltage is supplied from VDDQ. To maintain a sense margin at sense amplifiers, the supply source for BLs is switched from VDDQ to VDD before sensing. As a result, power reduction and equivalent sense margin can be realized at the same time. The overhead of implementing this operation is an increase in BL access time of about 2% for switching the power supply from VDDQ to VDD and an increase in die size of about 0.01% for adding the switching circuit, both of which are not significant in comparison with a significant power reduction in BL path power of NAND die of about 60%. The BL path was designed in 180nm CMOS to validate the design. When the cost for powering SSD becomes quite significant especially for data center, an additional lower voltage supply such as 0.8V dedicated to BL charging for read and program verify operations may be the best option for the future.

In considering the question of machine as artist, the art object can be analytically separated from its making, and its making can be dualistically conceptualized as process on one hand and experience on the other. One of the reasons we value art is that there was an experience of its making. To better understand what is meant by the experience of art-making, this paper presents results from a qualitative, phenomenological study of a group of artists. These results appear in three groups: feeling, intention and lifeworld. Machines cannot experience art-making, at least not in the same way as humans, and thus they cannot create art but only art-like objects. Even so, in the present century, we should not be asking whether machines can be artists, but rather how machines can help more people experience art-making for themselves.

(1) Background: The rapid expansion of 4G and 5G networks has raised public concerns about potential health risks associated with electromagnetic radiation. This study addresses these fears by investigating electromagnetic measurements in crowded squares, where human exposure is heightened. Despite rigorous scientific methodologies showing generally low levels of radiation from these technologies, public apprehension persists; (2) Methods: We conducted 496 measurements in Larissa's major squares, using a portable field strength analyzer and GIS mapping. Squares were categorized by traffic and population density; (3) Results: Low-traffic squares exhibited exposure ratios consistently below ICNIRP limits, with median values of 0.0012 and 0.00173 in non-active and active mobile phone cases, respectively. In high-traffic squares, the median exposure ratio was 0.00335 in non-active mobile phone cases, remaining below recommended limits; (4) Conclusions: These findings indicate no significant risk of electromagnetic radiation in crowded squares in Larissa, emphasizing the importance of factual communication and dispelling public misconceptions.

1) Background: Several studies have shown the benefit of drawing when learning anatomy. Virtual Reality (VR) also appears to be useful to increase the understanding of the location of anatomical structures. This study aims to describe how students in an Operating Room Nursing (OR nursing) master study program perceive the benefit of active learning methods, including drawing and the use of VR. 2) Methods: We combined these two methods in a class of 29 students. 38 half-finished drawings of anatomical structures were made. The students were to complete these during lectures with guidance from the teacher. The students also attended a two-hour VR session where they were to find various anatomical structures. A paper questionnaire was applied to evaluate the teaching program. Data were analyzed statistically. 3) Results: The students highly appreciated these learning methods. They reported that drawing made them work more actively during lectures and increased their learning outcome. They also perceived that the use of VR technology increased their understanding of the location of anatomical structures. 4) Conclusion: The combination of drawing and VR technology may be of benefit to OR Nursing students when learning anatomy by both increasing student activity and learning outcomes.

Accurate classification of objects in 3D point clouds is a significant problem in several applications, such as autonomous navigation and augmented/virtual reality scenarios, which has become a research hot spot. In this paper, we presented a deep learning strategy for 3D object classification in augmented reality. The proposed approach is a combination of the GRU and LSTM. LSTM networks learn longer dependencies well, but due to the number of gates, it takes longer to train; on the other hand, GRU networks have a weaker performance than LSTM, but their training speed is much higher than GRU, which is The speed is due to its fewer gates. The proposed approach used the combination of speed and accuracy of these two networks. The proposed approach achieved an accuracy of 0.99 in the 4,499,0641 points dataset, which includes eight classes (unlabeled, man-made terrain, natural terrain, high vegetation, low vegetation, buildings, hardscape, scanning artifacts, cars). Meanwhile, the traditional machine learning approaches could achieve a maximum accuracy of 0.9489 in the best case.

We emphasize the point that, standard model of cosmology is basically a model of classical general relativity and it seems inevitable to have a revision with reference to quantum model of cosmology. Utmost important point to be noted is that, ‘Spin’ is a basic property of quantum mechanics and ‘rotation’ is a very common experience. In this context, we propose five assumptions in line with Planck mass as the baby universe. We appeal that, 1) Universe can be modeled as a time-reversed black hole (a white hole) with rotation and light speed expansion, and 2) ‘Light speed expanding cosmic space’ can be called as ‘Flat space’. With reference to light speed expansion, if one is willing to re-define cosmic red shift as [z/(1+z)], without considering Lambda cosmology model of matter density fractions, light travel distances can be reproduced with a marginal error of +8.6% at z =1.2, (i.e. traditional light travel distance is 8.6% higher than our estimate), 0% at z = 11.5 and -5.5% at z = 1200.( i.e. traditional light travel distance is 5.5% lower than our estimate). Advantages of our model are, 1) A quantum model of cosmology can be developed with unification of general theory of relativity and quantum mechanics. 2) Tension in estimating the current Hubble parameter can be eliminated via scaled Hawking’s black hole temperature formula with great confidence. 3) Galactic dark matter and visible matter can be studied in a unified manner. 4) Galactic light travel distances can be estimated very easily without matter density fractions. 5) Big Bang and Inflation like non-general relativistic concepts can be relinquished with further study.

The disparity between software design and implementation, especially concerning IoT security and forensics, often lacks clarity and precision. Formal languages, rooted in mathematical rules, logic, and symbols, have proven priceless for expressing specifications and verifying system designs. Various semi-formal and formal languages, such as JSON, XML, predicate logic, and regular expressions, along with formal models like Turing machines, cater to specific domains. This paper introduces a novel formal language, named ObTFL (Object Transaction Formal Language), initially developed for IoT forensics and authentication purposes but later extended to encompass general distributed systems. The paper elucidates the syntax and semantics of ObTFL and presents several case studies showcasing its versatility and effectiveness.

The structural identification (SI) problem of control objects has not been solved. The formalization and interpretation complexity of the structure concept is the main problem. In identification systems, the form of the model (its structure) choice is intuitive and bases on the experience and knowledge of the researcher in most cases. The task of parametric identification is often interpreted as SI. It introduces certain confusion in understanding of the task and decision-making. This is two different areas of research. The structural identification problem is multifaceted and includes many subtasks, and their solution gives the final result. Some tasks have been solved. The purpose of this work is to review existing approaches and methods to the structural identification problem of control objects from a system perspective. It is necessary to give the SI problem statement at the multiple-informational level to reflect the difficulties of formalizing SI. New directions to analyse that were not SI areas until now.

Starting from unidentified objects moving inside a two-dimensional Euclidean manifold, we propose a simple method to detect the topological changes that occur during their reciprocal interactions and shape morphing. This method, which allows the detection of topological holes development and disappearance, makes it possible to solve the uncertainty due to disconnectedness, lack of information and absence of objects’ sharp boundaries, i.e., the three troubling issues which prevent scientists to select the required proper sets/subsets during their experimental assessment of natural and artificial dynamical phenomena, such as fire propagation, wireless sensor networks, migration flows, neural networks’ and cosmic bodies’ analysis.

Cucurbitacin phytonematicides consistently suppress population densities of plant nematodes, but have no effect against bacteria, fungi and insects. This study investigates the mechanism through which cucurbitacin phytonematicides consistently exert nematicidal properties on nematodes. Post 72-h exposure of second-stage juveniles (J2) of Meloidogyne enterolobii to geometric concentration of Nemafric-BL phytonematicide, J2 total proteins were measured using TruspecCHNS Macro. Total proteins versus phytonematicide exhibited a negative quadratic relation (R² = 0.97), with the minimum total proteins achieved at x = 4.9% phytonematicide. Beyond the minimum, total proteins increased gradually, depicting the existence of both isoprenylation (breakdown) and farnesylation (biosynthesis) of total proteins. In conclusion, cucurbitacins and nematode cuticles are both chemically structured, which provides the mechanism through which the test chemicals consistently decrease population densities of plant nematodes.

The Active Distribution Networks (ADNs) are Multi-Input Multi-Output (MIMO) systems with coupled dynamics which cause interactions among the control loops of the Distributed Energy Resources (DERs). This undesired effect lead to performance degradation in the voltage control. To mitigate the effects of these unavoidable coupling, the present paper proposes a systematic design procedure based on the analysis of the interaction's sources. In details, each DER is equipped with a double loop PI to control the active and reactive powers output by the Voltage Source Converter (VSC) which connects the DER to the network's node. Furthermore, to guarantee Ancillary Services (ASs), the two loops are coupled by a simple mechanism of cooperation of the active power to voltage regulation realized by a filtered droop law. To achieve voltage regulation with reduced loop interactions, the PI parameters and the filter's pulse are designed according to a two sequential steps procedure based on the (Internal Model Control) IMC technique. Simulation studies are finally presented to demonstrate that the proposed design method achieves both reduction of the loop interaction and robust voltage control in presence of model parameter uncertainty in the MIMO model.

Since several years there is the discussion about dark matter in the halos of galaxies. This is aconsequence of observation of halo-velocity curves in dependence of distance which don‘t fulfillthe third Kepler-law. Maybe the ansätze are wrong. Shown is a simple physical model in classicalNewton-dynamics which fits qualitative the form of observation curves. Additional Parameters canbe used to fit the curves quantitative exactly without the hypothesis of dark matter.

A spinning gyroscope precesses about the vertical due to a torque acting upon the wheel. The torque is generated by the shift of moment of force by gravity and it points to the vertical instead of the tangential direction of precession. This intuition offers an alternative and straightforward view of precession dynamics in comparison with the literature. It also presumes a dynamic balance of momentum between circular motions of the wheel spin and precession. Accordingly, the gyroscopic dynamics is then applied to the study of galactic motion of the solar system in space and the Galactic mass is calculated with the inclusion of gyroscopic effect of the solar planets. Results indicate that the gyroscopic effect of Mercury orbiting around the Sun can increase the calculated Galactic mass by 23% in comparison with the result obtained by the classic approach.

The dorsal column nuclei complex (DCN-complex) includes the dorsal column nuclei (DCN, referring to the gracile and cuneate nuclei collectively), external cuneate, X, and Z nuclei, and the median accessory nucleus. The DCN are organised by both somatotopy and modality, and have a diverse range of afferent inputs and projection targets. The functional organisation and connectivity of the DCN implicate them in a variety of sensorimotor functions, beyond their commonly accepted role in processing and transmitting somatosensory information to the thalamus, yet this is largely underappreciated in the literature. To consolidate insights into their sensorimotor functions, this review examines the morphology, organisation, and connectivity of the DCN and their associated nuclei. First, we briefly discuss the receptors, afferent fibres, and pathways involved in conveying tactile and proprioceptive information to the DCN. Next, we review the modality and somatotopic arrangements of the remaining constituents of the DCN-complex. Finally, we examine and discuss the functional implications of the myriad of DCN-complex projection targets throughout the diencephalon, midbrain, and hindbrain, in addition to their modulatory inputs from the cortex. The organisation and connectivity of the DCN-complex suggest that these nuclei should be considered a complex integration and distribution hub for sensorimotor information.

The autonomous displacement and displacement measurement functions of the maglev ruler are performed by the mover core. The stability of the four magnetic field in air gaps and the levitation position of the maglev ruler is one of the key factors for the stability of the thrust force on the power core, and it is also one of the key factors for ensuring the precision of the maglev ruler. There is cross-coupling between the two ends of the mover core of the maglev ruler, resulting in a strongly coupled, nonlinear, multi-input and multi-output system for the levitating system of the maglev ruler. This paper establishes a mathematical model for the levitating system of the maglev ruler, and designs a levitating control system for the maglev ruler based on ADRC control algorithm to achieve decoupling and disturbance suppression. Through simulation analysis and experimental testing of the levitating system with starting and disturbance, it is proved that the levitating control system of the maglev ruler has good dynamic characteristics, static characteristics, and robustness.

Propagation of electromagnetic (EM) waves inside and on the surface of the human body is the subject of active research in area of biomedical applications. This research area is the basis for wireless monitoring of biological object parameters and characteristics. Much attention has been paid to radio-frequency identification systems, which are intended for biomedical applications. Solutions to the following problems are crucial to achieve the stated goals in the area of wireless monitoring: EM wave propagation inside regular and multilayer biological media, through the interface between different media, and on-body surface wave propagation. The biological object monitoring is based on a consideration of the followingprocesses: a) propagation of the EM wave in a biological medium considered as the dielectric with a high dielectric permittivity and substantial conductivity; b) penetration of the EM wave through the biological medium–air interface (wave reflection and refraction); c) propagation of the EM wave in a multi-layer biological medium; d) propagation of the EM wave along the plane or curved surface of biological objects.

The article describes a classification solution for amber stones. The problem of classifying amber is known for a long time among jewelers and artisans of amber art. Existing solutions can classify amber pieces according to color, but a need to classify by shape and texture is not satisfied up to now. The proposed solution is capable of classifying the gemstones according to a shape. Amber can be considered as a specific object since the form is difficult to define unambiguously. Data for amber experiments was gathered from amber art craftsmen. In the proposed solution amber form can be classified into 10 different classes (7 classes chosen during the experiment).

In this paper, a high-performance antenna array system model is presented to analyze moving-object-skin-returns and track them in the presence of stationary objects using frequency modulated continuous wave (FMCW). The main features of the paper are bonding the aspects of antenna array and electromagnetic (EM) wave multi-skin-return modeling and simulation (M&S) with the aspects of algorithm and measurement/tracking system architecture. The M&S aspect models both phase and amplitude of the signal waveform from a transmitter to the signal processing in a receiver. In the algorithm aspect, a novel scheme for FMCW signal processing is introduced by combining time- and frequency-domain methods, including a vector moving target indication filter and a vector direct current canceller in time-domain, and a constant false alarm rate detector and a mono-pulse digital beamforming angle tracker in frequency-domain. In addition, unlike previous designs of using M×N fast Fourier transform (FFT) for an M×N array, only four FFTs are used, which tremendously saves time and space in hardware. With the presented model, the detection of the moving-target-skin-return in stationary objects under a noisy environment is feasible. Therefore, to track long range and high-speed objects, the proposed technique is promising. Using a scenario having 1) a target with 17 dBm2 radar cross section (RCS) at about 40 km range with 5.93 Mach speed and 11.6 dB post processing signal to noise ratio, and 2) a strong stationary clutter with 37 dBm2 RCS located at the proximity of the target, it demonstrates that the root-mean-square errors of range, angle and Doppler measurements are about 26 meters, 0.68 degree and 1100 Hz, respectively.

To date, the development of unmanned technologies using autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV) has become an urgent demand for solving the problem of inspection of industrial sub-sea structures. A key issue here is precise localization of AUVs relative to underwater objects. However, the well-known challenges of recognizing and coordinating underwater objects (impossibility to use GPS, undercurrents, etc.) do not allow high-precision navigation if based solely on a standard suite of AUV navigation tools (sonars, etc.). An alternative is a technology of processing of optical images that, at short distances, can provide higher accuracy of AUV navigation compared to a technology of acoustic measurement processing. In this study, in the context of the problem of subsea production system inspection, we propose a method to recognize underwater objects and provide coordinate reference of AUV to them, based on stereo-image processing. Its distinctive features are the use of a non-standard technique for generating a geometric model of an object from its views (foreshortening) taken from positions of a pre-made overview trajectory, the use of various characteristic geometric elements when recognizing objects, and the original algorithms for comparing visual data of the inspection trajectory with an a priori model of the object.

In our recently published papers, considering Planck mass based light speed growing black hole universe and scaled Hawking’s black hole temperature formula, we have developed a simple procedure for estimating the current Hubble parameter and current cosmic mass. In addition to that, without considering galactic dark matter, starting from 10 km/sec to 500 km/sec, we have tried to fit the observed galactic flat rotation speeds with a concept of super gravity of galactic baryonic mass. To estimate the equivalent mass of currently hypothecated galactic dark matter, we have introduced a timely increasing cosmological reference mass unit. Its current magnitude seems to be around 200 million solar masses. In this paper, considering 200 million solar masses as a characteristic representation of cosmic weak interaction mass unit, we have developed a simple formula for its estimation. We would like to appeal that, weak interaction boosts the gravity of galaxies in proportion with their virtual dark mass as (galactic baryonic mass)^3/2 / (200 million solar masses)^1/2. With further study- dark matter existence and physical properties can be understood in a theoretical approach.

We obtain more straightforwardly the main intrinsic features of dark matter distribution in the halos of galaxies by considering the spherically symmetric space-time, which satisfies the flat rotational curve condition, and the geometric equation of state resulting from the modified gravity theory. In order to measure the equation of state for dark matter in the galactic halo, we provide a general formalism taking into account the modified f(X) gravity theories. Here, f(X) is a general function of X∈{R,G,T}, where R,G and T are the Ricci scalar, the Gauss-Bonnet scalar and the torsion scalar, respectively. These theories yield that the flat rotation curves appear as a consequence of the additional geometric structure accommodated by those of modified gravity theories. Constructing a geometric equation of state wX≡pX/ρX and inspiring by some values of the equation of state for the ordinary matter, we infer the properties of dark matter in galactic halos of galaxies.

Conventional models do not fully explain composition of the solar system – for example, the presence of p-nuclei and post-post-Fe-nuclei remains not yet understood (and is one of the great unresolved puzzles of nuclear astrophysics in general); other puzzles exist. We offer a hypothesis which can explain the appearance of non-native elements in the solar system, and a feasible scenario for its implementation. The hypothesis suggests that a nuclear-fission "event" occurred in the inner part of the solar system at the time currently defined as the birth of the system. Conventional models have never considered fission as a contributing nuclei-production mechanism. Upon examination of the existing models and factual data (presented in volumes of publications but never combined into an aggregate), we identified one plausible scenario by which a fission event (not demolishing the entire solar system) could occur: an encounter with a compact super-dense stellar "fragment" (with specific properties) and its "explosion" in fission-cascades. Such scenario also helps resolve other long-standing puzzles of the solar system. For example, it provides that the fission-produced nuclei subsequently transformed into the material that (eventually) accreted into the "rocky" objects in the system (terrestrial planets, asteroids, etc.) and enriched the pre-existed hydrogen-helium objects (the Sun and the gaseous giants) – this offers an explanation for the planets’ inner position and compositional differences within the predominantly hydrogen-helium rest of the solar system. Other implications also follow.

In this paper we explore the known connection among sustainability, resilience, and well-being within the framework of active inference. Initially, we revisit how the notions of well-being and resilience intersect within active inference before defining sustainability. We adopt a holistic concept of sustainability denoting the enduring capacity to meet needs over time without depleting crucial resources. It extends beyond material wealth to encompass community networks, labor, and knowledge. Using the Free Energy Principle, we can emphasize the role of fostering resource renewal, harmonious system-entity exchanges, and practices that encourage self-organization and resilience as pathways to achieving sustainability, both in an agent and in collectives. We start by connecting Active Inference with well-being, building on exsiting work. We then attempt to link resilience with sustainability, asserting that resilience alone is insufficient for sustainable outcomes. While crucial for absorbing shocks and stresses, resilience must be intrinsically linked with sustainability to ensure that adaptive capacities do not merely perpetuate existing vulnerabilities. Rather, it should facilitate transformative processes that address the root causes of unsustainability. Sustainability, therefore, must manifest across extended timescales and all system strata, from individual components to the broader system, to uphold ecological integrity, economic stability, and social well-being. We explain how sustainability manifests at the level of an agent, and then at the level of collectives and systems. To model and quantify the interdependencies between resources and their impact on overall system sustainability, we introduce the application of network theory and dynamical systems theory. We emphasize the optimization of precision or learning rates through the active inference framework, advocating for an approach that fosters the elastic and plastic resilience necessary for long-term sustainability and abundance.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of solution of ethanol extractions of different microalgae species: Spirulina sp., Dunaliella sp. and Chlorella sp. on the accumulation of biologically active compounds in tomato fruits. Ethanol solution as well as treatment with drinking water were used as a control. Tomato cultivar ‘Belle’ F1 (Enza Zaden) was grown in 25 L pots, in peat substrate (pHKCl 5.5, producer Laflora LTd), polycarbonate greenhouse. Chemical composition – total carotenoids, lycopene and β-carotene content, total phenolics and anthocyanins, organic acids, vitamin C as well as dry matter, pH and soluble solids content – was determined in tomato fruits at the stage of full ripen. The influence of tested extracts on biologically active compounds on quality parameters of tomatoes was different, but no negative effect was observed. As only pH values as well as total phenol content and total soluble solids had statistically significant differences, results can be described with genetical stability of the cultivar.

In this paper, we investigate the question of whether the generally accepted interpretation of the supermassive object in M87, investigated by EHT collaboration, is the only possible one. There are grounds for this, in particular, due to the detection of a magnetic field in its vicinity. For this purpose, the stability of self-gravitating objects is investigated based on the correct definition of the energy of gravitation in the framework of the bi-metric approach to the theory.

The angular diameter is the angle subtended by a generic object – an apple or a star – to the eye of an observer, and it describes how large the object appears from a given viewpoint. The angular diameter represents a powerful tool for distance calculations starting from a directly measurable information and it finds application in several contexts varying from cosmography to architecture. In this article, the author proposes a novel equation to calculate the apparent diameter of whatever object. This equation defines the relationship between the object’s apparent diameter with respect to the travelled distance starting from the initial distance R₀ at which the observed object is located. Based on the preliminary tests conducted, the model seems to faithfully portray this relation with respect to measured values, also at the astronomical scale, thus considering the Earth-Moon distance, where, the absolute error detected is about 0.56%. Tests highlight also a dependency between the results accuracy and the measurement conditions suggesting a high level of sensibility linked to the initial magnification effect produced by the retina or the artificial lens employed.

This paper analyses and evaluate the precision and the accuracy the capability of low-cost terrestrial photogrammetry by using many digital cameras to construct a 3D model of an object. To obtain the goal, a building façade has imaged by two inexpensive digital cameras such as Canon and Pentax camera. Bundle adjustment and image processing calculated by using Agisoft PhotScan software. Several factors will be included during this study, different cameras, and control points. Many photogrammetric point clouds will be generated. Their accuracy will be compared with some natural control points which collected by the laser total station of the same building. The cloud to cloud distance will be computed for different comparison 3D models to investigate different variables. The practical field experiment showed a spatial positioning reported by the investigated technique was between 2-4cm in the 3D coordinates of a façade. This accuracy is optimistic since the captured images were processed without any control points.

Retinal vein cannulation involves puncturing an occluded vessel on the micron scale. Even single millinewton force can cause permanent damage. An ophthalmic robot with a piezo-driven injector is precious enough to perform this delicate procedure, but the uncertain viscoelastic characteristics of the vessel makes it difficult to achieve the desired contact force without harming the retina. The paper utilizes a viscoelastic contact model to explain the mechanical characteristics of retinal blood vessels in order to tackle this issue. The uncertainty in the viscoelastic properties is considered an internal disturbance of the contact model, and an active disturbance rejection controller is then proposed to precisely control the contact force. The experimental results show that this method can precisely adjust the contact force at the millinewton level even when the viscoelastic parameters vary significantly (up to 403.8%). The root mean square (RMS) and maximum value of steady-state error are 0.32 mN and 0.41 mN. The response time below 2.51 s with no obvious overshoot.

Background: In our recent publications pertaining to 4G model of final unification and based on strong and electroweak interactions, we have proposed the existence of a weak fermion of rest energy 585 GeV. Objective: To confirm the physical existence of the proposed 585 GeV weak fermion by analyzing weak and strong interactions in a unified approach via 4G model of final unification, super symmetry and string theory. Method: Considering the proposed nuclear charge of 2.95e, proton, electron mass ratio, specific charge ratios of proton and electron, Fermi’s weak coupling constant, Reduced Planck’s constant, nucleon magnetic moments, nuclear stability, nuclear binding energy, nuclear mass and neutron lifetime, it is planned to confirm the physical existence of the proposed 585 GeV weak fermion. Results: All proposed logics and formulae clearly establish the physical existence of 585 GeV weak fermion directly and indirectly. Conclusion: Believing in the physical existence of the proposed 585 GeV weak fermion, there is a scope for observing galactic TeV radiation coming by virtue of annihilation of 585 GeV fermions and radiation associated with various astrophysical acceleration mechanisms of 585 GeV fermions. Appeal: As we are beginners of astrophysics domain, we appeal the science community to see the possibility of considering the proposed 585 GeV weak fermion with a charge of $\pm\left(e\right)$ in place of electron and proton.

The crystallization conditions from the solution play an important role in determining the mor-phology, phase composition, and photovoltaic properties of perovskite films. Post-processing of the obtained films can have a crucial role in increasing the grain size of perovskite and enhancing its crystallinity. It has been shown that the formation of crystal nuclei can be utilized to accelerate crystallization. In this case, crystallization occurs through the growth of seed crystals created in the solution, enabling the formation of relatively large crystals. For the deposition of CH3NH3PbI3 hybrid halide perovskite films from a solution of the perovskite in dimethylformamide the spin coating echnique was employed. Pre-crystallization was achieved by heating films at a temperature of 100 or 110 °C. The dissolution process involved adding a drop of dimethylformamide onto the substrate surface and allowing it to partially dis-solve the perovskite for 30-40 seconds. Subsequently, residual solvent was removed through spin coating. The recrystallization process was carried out by heating films at the temperature range of 80 to 130 °C. The morphological analysis of the perovskite film surfaces after recrystallization at tem-peratures ranging from 80 to 130 °C was performed. The infrared transmission spectra of the obtained perovskite films were investigated, and their light absorption characteristics were studied through transmission spectra. The perovskite structure in the obtained films was con-firmed by the peaks observed in the X-ray diffraction patterns.

An active power dispatch method for a microgrid (MG) with multi-type loads, renewable energy sources (RESs) and distributed energy storage devices (DESDs) is the focus of this paper. The MG operates in a grid-connected model, and distributed power sources contribute to the service for load demands. The outputs of multiple DESDs are controlled to optimize the active power dispatch. Our goal with optimization is to reduce the economic cost under time-of-use (TOU) price, and to adjust the excessively high or low load rate of distributed transformers (DTs) caused by the peak-valley demand and load uncertainties. To simulate a practical environment, the stochastic characteristics of multi-type loads are formulated. The transition matrix of system state is provided. Then, a finite-horizon Markov decision process (FHMDP) model is established to describe the dispatch optimization problem. A learning-based technique is adopted to search the optimal joint control policy of multiple DESDs. Finally, simulation experiments are performed to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method, and the fuzzification analysis of the method is presented.

New furan, thiophene and triazole oximes were synthesized through several-step reaction paths to investigate their potential for development of central nervous systems (CNS)-active and cholinesterase-targeted therapeutics in organophosphorus compound (OP) poisonings. Acute OP poisoning is still a challenge in treating patients despite the development of a large number of oxime compounds that should have the capacity to reactivate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The activity of these two enzymes, crucial for neurotransmission, are blocked by the OP, which has the consequence of disturbing normal cholinergic nerve signal transduction in the peripheral and CNS, leading to cholinergic crisis. Oximes in use have one or two pyridinium rings and cross the brain–blood barrier poorly due to the quaternary nitrogen. Following our recent study on 2-thienostilbene oximes, in this paper we described the synthesis of 63 heterostilbene derivatives out of which 26 oximes were tested as inhibitors and reactivators of AChE and BChE inhibited by OP nerve agents – sarin and cyclosarin. While the majority of oximes were potent inhibitors of both enzymes in micromolar range, we identified several oximes as BChE or AChE selective inhibitors with a potential for drug development. Moreover, even oximes were poor reactivators of AChE, four heterocyclic derivatives reactivated the cyclosarin-inhibited BChE up to 70%, and cis,trans-5 [2-((Z)-2-(5-((E)-(hydroxyimino)methyl)thiophen-2-yl)vinyl)benzonitrile] had comparable reactivation efficacy to the standard oxime HI-6. In silico analysis and molecular docking studies connected the kinetic data to the structural features of these oximes, and confirmed their productive interactions with the active site of the cyclosarin-inhibited BChE. Based on inhibition and reactivation and their ADMET properties regarding lipophilicity, CNS activity, and hepatotoxicity, these compounds could be considered for further development of CNS-active reactivators in OP poisoning as well as cholinesterase-targeted therapeutics in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

Obesity is related to the establishment of chronic inflammation and metabolic diseases, but it can be positively influenced by the regular practice of physical activity. The study aimed to compare the anthropometric, metabolic, and inflammatory parameters of physically active Military Police Officers (MPOs) with those who are less physically active. Sixty male MPOs, low activity (n=28) and physically active (n=32) participated. The following parameters were measured: plasma cytokine levels, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, circulating glucose triglyceride (TAG) and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels, and plasma glutamic oxalacetate transaminase (GOT), glutamic-pyruvate transaminase (GPT), and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) activities. The physically active group presented lower body fat and reduced TAG and IL-8 levels compared to the low activity group. Moreover, a negative correlation between SPE and SBP, DBP, BPM was detected for the physically active group (p<0.05) but not in the low activity group. Furthermore, the physically active group's work time (WT) values were not correlated with the important metabolic markers SBP, DBP, BPM, GLU, TAG (p>0.05) but could be in the low activity group (p<0.05). These findings highlight the fundamental protective role of physical activity in controlling body composition, subclinical inflammation, and cardiovascular risk in MPOs.

Energy harvesting is an emerging topic recently. This harvested energy is used to operate wireless sensors for different industrial monitoring and automation. To maximize the harvested energy in spinning systems, the harvester should vibrate at resonance for different spinning frequencies which can be achieved by active fitting. In this research, a novel methodology was developed by actively customizing the length of vibrating element beam to manipulate its natural frequency according to the spinning frequency. Different models were investigated numerically and experimentally to verify the proposed methodology. COMSOL Multiphysics software V5.1 was used to develop the numerical model, then and tip deformation and voltage difference results were benchmarked. The numerical model was verified experimentally by attaching a piezoelectric MIDE PPA 1021 which its vibrating length was varied by changing the supporting length from 0 mm to 12 mm to a spinning object having variable frequency from 0-200 Hz. It is found that the MIDE PPA 1021 beam vibrated at its resonance throughout the specified spinning frequencies. The proposed harvester can be applied in battery-free sensors being used in automotives, wind-mills blades, and rotating machinery.

This paper proposes an innovative mechatronic piezo-actuated module to control vibrations in modern machine tools. Vibrations represent one of the main issues that compromise seriously the quality of the workpiece. The active vibration control (AVC) device is composed by a host part integrated with sensors and actuators synchronized by a regulator, able to make a self-assessment and adjust to the environmental alteration. This study presents the mechatronic model based on the kinematic and dynamic analysis of the AVC device. To ensure a real time performance, a H2-LQG controller has been developed and validated by simulations involving machine tool, PZT actuator and controller models. The Hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) architecture is adopted to control and attenuate the vibrations. A set of experimental tests has been performed to validate the AVC module on a commercial machine tool. The feasibility of the real time vibration damping is demonstrated and the simulation accuracy is evaluated.

This article aims to analyze the problem of the identity and persistence of objects based on the hylomorphic doctrine, that is, the doctrine according to which objects are mereological compositions of the elements of form and matter. After introducing the contemporary discussion on the problem of identity and persistence and identity of objects, we propose a brief formalism of the logic of the relationship between part and whole or mereology to define the solution to the problem under study that defines a possible solution for it.

In a previous series of papers relating to the Combined Gravitational Action (CGA), we have exclusively studied orbital motion without spin. In the present paper, we apply CGA to any self-rotating material body, i.e., an axially spinning massive object, which itself may be locally seen as a gravito-rotational source because it is capable of generating the gravito-rotational acceleration, which seems to be unknown to previously existing theories of gravity. The consequences of such an acceleration are very interesting, particularly for Compact Stellar Objects. Independently of the equation of state, it is found that the minimum radius of a stable neutron star is three times its gravitational radius, R_min = 3GM_NS/c², and its critical and maximum internal magnetic field strength cannot exceed the value of 3×10¹⁸ G.

We propose a conceptual model for the closeness parameter $\epsilon$, which characterizes exotic compact objects (ECOs). To estimate $\epsilon$, a thin spherical dust shell is considered, which gravitationally contracts from a specific position $r(t_{0})$ to near its gravitational radius $r(t_{2})=r_{s} + \epsilon$, in a finite time $t_{2}$, measured in the frame of a fiducial observer (FIDO). For an external observer, the shell’s kinematics is characterized by two clearly distinguishable phases: one of rapid contraction, where the shell is far away from the gravitational radius, $r(t_{0})\gg r_{s}$, and a second phase quasi-stationary, $r(t)\sim r_{s}$, where all of the shell’s mass is concentrated around the associated horizon, such that for a FIDO, a black hole (BH)is undistinguishable from a shell configured as a black shell (BS). \\ In the semi-classical approximation $E\ll \kappa_{0}l_{p}^{2}$ and tends to zero when the observation time of collapse $t_{2}$, measured by FIDO, tends to infinity; $\kappa_{0}$ and $l_{p}$ are surface gravity and Planck length, respectively. The quantum effects are significant when $\epsilon\ll r(t_{2})$ and $\epsilon$ tends to $\kappa_{0}l_{p}^{2}$. \\ Without knowing details on quantum gravity, parameter $\epsilon$ is calculated, which, in general, allows distinguishing the ECOs from BHs. Specifically, a BS (ECO) is undistinguishable from a BH.

Student-centered active learning (SCAL) shifts the focus from the teacher to the student. Implementing SCAL requires the development of new forms of assessment beyond memorization and comprehension. This paper aims to demonstrate the effectiveness of SCAL by analyzing student performance at different cognitive levels. In flipped classrooms, students completed tasks with varying cognitive demands. The tests measured knowledge (level 1), comprehension (level 2), application (level 3) and analysis (level 4). This approach to assessment assesses not only the acquisition of content, but also skills that are critical to a health science student's future career. The results of expository learning were compared with student-centered collaborative learning in the Anatomy and Embryology I course over three academic years. Student opinions were collected through 326 anonymous Wooclap® surveys. No differences in performance were found for low cognitive level questions. However, SCAL significantly improved performance on higher cognitive level questions that required problem solving and application of knowledge. Despite the benefits of SCAL, it requires more effort from both teachers and students. The current assessment system, which measures the quality of teaching, penalizes this effort and requires teachers to believe strongly in the effectiveness of SCAL.

The pathophysiology of bipolar disorder (BD) remains mostly unclear. Yet, a valid biomarker is necessary to improve early detection of this serious disorder. Patients with manifest BD display reduced volumes of the hippocampal subfields and amygdala nuclei. In this pre-registered analysis, we used structural MRI (N=271, 7 sites), to compare volumes of hippocampus, amygdala, and their subfields/nuclei between help-seeking subjects divided in risk groups for BD as estimated by BPSS-P, BARS and EPIbipolar. We performed between-group comparisons using linear mixed effects models for all three risk assessment tools. Additionally, we aimed to differentiate the risk groups using linear support vector machine. We found no significant volume differences between the risk groups for all limbic structures during the main analysis. However, the SVM could still classify subjects at risk according to BPSS-P criteria with a balanced accuracy of 66.90% (95% CI 59.2– 74.6) for 10-fold cross-validation and 61.9% (95% CI 52.0– 71.9) for leave-one-site-out. Structural altera-tions of hippocampus and amygdala may not be as pronounced in young people at risk, nonetheless, ma-chine learning can predict estimated risk for BD above chance. This suggests that neural changes may not merely be a consequence of BD and may have prognostic clinical value.

Sea cucumber peptides are small molecular peptides with biological function obtained from fresh sea cucumber as feedstock, which were hydrolyzed by protease, separated ,and purified. As the main product of sea cucumber refinement, it more accurately expresses the nutritional effect of sea cucumber and has a wide range of potential applications. It has been demonstrated that sea cucumber has a certain value-added effect on bone mineral density regulation, but the differences in bone mineral density regulation of extracts from different parts of sea cucumber and the techniques contributing to the efficient isolation of bone sea cucumber peptides have not been reported. Firstly, the aim of this study was to reveal the differences in osteogenic activities of enzymatic peptides from three major parts of sea cucumber: the body wall, the egg protein, and the intestinal protein. Then, the bone-enhancing sea cucumber peptides were isolated based on the characteristics of the dif-ferences in molecular weight distribution, hydrophilicity, and ionisation degree of sea cucumber, and to explore the possible mechanisms of their action. The findings indicated that sea cucumber peptides extracted from three distinct sites exhibited a dose-dependent enhancement of osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Upon evaluating the three methods of sea cucumber peptide separation based on molecular weight distribution, hydrophilicity, and ionization, it was observed that the fraction isolated by hydrophobicity and

Underreporting is the main limitation of the spontaneous reporting systems. This study aims to reduce underreporting enhancing public participation in vaccinovigilance through an SMS-based reporting system integrated with electronic immunization registries (IRs). Using the VigiVax software, parents of vaccinated children aged 2 years or younger received a single SMS inquiry about adverse events following immunization (AEFI). Responses were collected, validated by health operators and integrated with the information on IRs. AEFI reports were automatically submitted to the Italian Pharmacovigilance system. Among 254,160 SMS messages sent, corre-sponding to 451,656 administered doses (AD), 71,643 responses were collected (28.2% response rate), 21,231of them (8.3%) reporting an AEFI. After seriousness assessment based on clinical criteria, 50 reports (0,24%) were classified as serious. Among these, causality assessment identi-fied 31 reports at least potentially related to the vaccination (RR: 6.86/100,000 AD). Febrile seizures following MMRV vaccination accounted for 11 of these 31 cases, with an incidence of 32 per 100,000 AD. No fatal outcomes were reported. Our findings support the highly favorable risk profile of pediatric vaccinations and the possibility to improve spontaneous reporting through the integration of digital technologies.

Identifying locations of landslide slip surfaces provides critical information for understanding the volume of landslides and the scale of disasters, which is essential for formulating disaster preparedness and mitigation strategies. Based on hydrogeological survey data from 24 deep-seated landslide-prone sites in Taiwan's mountainous regions, this study first developed the hydraulic conductivity potential index (HCPI) using principal component analysis to quantify hydraulic properties of disturbed rock formation with six geological factors. Then, The regression analysis was performed to construct a permeability estimation model for the geological environment of landslides. Finally, the established model was utilized to develop an identification method for potential slip depths in landslide-prone sites. Results indicated a strong relation between HCPI and hydraulic conductivity with a determination coefficient of 0.895. The relation equation confirmed that its generated data concerning the depths of significant changes in hydraulic conductivity could be used to identify potential slip surfaces. Additionally, this study successfully establishes a rule for identifying potential slip zones by summarizing data concerning the generated hydraulic conductivity profiles, stratigraphic lithology, existing inclinometer slip depth records, and groundwater level of landslide sites. This identification method was then applied to predict potential slip depths for ten landslide sites where slip surfaces have not yet occurred. These findings offer a new alternative to having early information on potential sliding depths for timely disaster management and control implementation.

Electrowetting display (EWD) device is a new type of electrowetting-on-dielectric (EWOD) equipment which can achieve a paper-like display effect under the control of electric field. In this microfluidic system, the stability of grayscale could be affected by various factors, such as the physicochemical properties of materials, device structure, and electric field distribution. To improve the grayscale stability of active matrix electrowetting displays (AM-EWDs), the impact of different polarities of driving voltage on oil backflow was investigated in this study. Based on the driving principles of AM-EWD, an optimized inter-frame bipolar reset driving waveform was designed to overcome oil backflow. The proposed driving waveform maintained the stability of the oil state by periodically and rapidly releasing trapped charges in the dielectric layer through a reverse driving voltage. Additionally, the effect of feed through voltage on the pixel driving voltage was eliminated by compensating for the driving voltage on common electrode. Finally, the performance of the designed driving waveform was evaluated with a 6-inch AM-EWD driving platform. Compared to the conventional unipolar reset driving waveform, the backflow speed decreased by 2.70 a.u./s. The standard deviation of the display luminance was also reduced by 11.24 a.u. Experimental results indicated that both the oil backflow speed and the fluctuation range of luminance were effectively suppressed by the proposed driving waveform.

The paper presents the results of a study of the concept of address fiber Bragg structures in the problem of vibration control. The mathematical model of measuring transformation is presented; the experimental study of a vibration diagnostics system based on Address Fiber Bragg Gratings is carried out; the quantitative and qualitative comparative assessment with electronic accelerometers is made; the gain by an order of magnitude in some parameters is shown.

Galaxies are huge physical systems having dimensions of many tens of thousands of light years. Thus any change at the galactic center will be noticed at the rim only tens of thousands of years later. Those retardation effects seems to be neglected in present day galactic modelling used to calculate rotational velocities of matter in the rims of the galaxy and surrounding gas. The significant differences between the predictions of Newtonian instantaneous action at a distance and observed velocities are usually explained by either assuming dark matter or by modifying the laws of gravity (MOND). In this paper we will show that taking general relativity seriously without neglecting retardation effects one can explain the radial velocities of galactic matter without postulating dark matter. However, this will rely on a temporal change of galactic mass. We will compare two different mechanisms of density change, one is local, that is accretion of matter from the intergalactic medium. The other is global, that is the cosmological decrease of density due to the cosmic expansion. It will be shown that local effects are much more important in this respect.

L-gulonolactone oxidase enzyme (GULO) catalyzes the last step of L-ascorbic acid (vitamin C) biosynthesis. This enzymatic activity is lost in primates. The full-length rat GULO has been previously produced in plants and demonstrated to be active. In this study, we compare activity of two variants of GULO produced in Escheriachia coli cells, full-length rat GULO (fGULO) and its C-terminal catalytic domain (cGULO). The expression and purification of the recombinant proteins were optimised and their biological activity was confirmed by two methods, the GULO activity assay in the protein extracts and the ‘in-gel’ staining for GULO activity. Both variants of recombinant GULO were biologically active in both assays. However, cGULO is more promising than fGULO for ascorbic acid production because it is more efficiently produced by bacteria.

The objective of this study was to carry out the extraction and characterization of chitin and chitosan from the exoskeletons of the Farfantepenaeus californiensis species of shrimp, as well as its application in the formulation of polymeric films plasticized with glycerol used in the process of food packaging. The characterization of the extracted polymer was made by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and physicochemical analysis of chitin and chitosan, resulting in a theoretical performance of 29.33% and 16.46%, respectively. In terms of quality, it was determined that the extracted chitosan had a molecular weight of 1.10 x105 g/mol and a deacetylation degree of 80.23%, which classifies it as a low-molecular weight chitosan, suitable for food packaging. It was shown that the extracted chitosan is fit for the production of the films by using the casting method, presenting a tension resistance of 1 MPa. The Antibacterial analysis was carried out using Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), bacterial models commonly found in food. The results showed an effective inhibition capability of the polymeric materials. Overall, the results for both chitosan and the films indicate a high potential for application in the food packaging sector.

Global warming and climate change have been the major concern for multiple disciplines. Population growth, urbanization, and industrialization are major contributing factors to such a problem by escalating the use of fossil fuels to meet their energy demands. The building sector has the largest share in using the total globally produced energy and emitting tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Emerging eco-friendly technologies such as solar and wind energy harvesting are being extensively explored but still, they are insufficient. Nature-inspired technologies can be the solution to our problem. For instance, algae are microorganisms that use water, light, and CO2 to produce energy and sustain life. Exploiting such characteristics in the built environment is termed algae building technology, a very efficient and green application for a sustainable future. Algae-integrated façades show great versatility through biomass and energy production, wastewater treatment, shading, and thermal and acoustic insulation. In this paper, algae will be introduced as a robust tool toward a greener and more sustainable future, The algae-building technology and its implementation will be demonstrated. Steps for applying this sustainable approach in Egypt will be discussed.

The pharmacological effects of the fruiting body of Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Os) exerted antioxidant, anti-virus, and immunomodulatory, whereas the anti-inflammatory effects and active components of Os mycelial submerged culture (OMSC) are not known. This study aimed to investigate the active compounds in the fermented liquid (FLOS), hot water (WEOS), and 50-95% (EEOS-50, EEOS-95) ethanol extracts of OMSC and their anti-inflammatory effects and potential mechanisms in LPS-stimulated microglial BV2 cells. The results demonstrated that all of the OMSC extracts could inhibit NO production in BV2 cells. EEOS-95 exhibited the strongest inhibitory effects (41 % inhibitory ability at 500 µg/mL), and its ergosterol, GABA, total phenolic, and total flavonoid contents were significantly higher than those of the other extracts (18.60, 18.60, 2.28, and 2.14 mg/g, p &lt; 0.05, respectively). EEOS-95 also has a strong inhibitory ability against IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α with IC50 of 617, 277 and 507 µg/mL, respectively, which is higher than that of 1 mM melatonin. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of EEOS-95 seems to be associated with up-regulation of PPAR-γ/Nrf-2/HO-1 antioxidant-related expression and down-regulation of NF-κB/COX-2/iNOS pro-inflammatory expression signaling. Therefore, we hypothesized that EEOS-95 can prevent neurodegenerative diseases, but the effect on the application in vivo should be further investigated.

In contemporary construction, the prevalence of vibration serviceability issues in lightweight and slender structures has become increasingly common, owing to advancements in building materials and construction methods. While these structures often meet the criteria for ultimate limit states, they can still elicit complaints due to excessive vibrations induced by human activity. To address this challenge, the Integral Resonant Control (IRC) technique has emerged as a favored approach for actively damping vibrations in various systems. This study introduces a fresh perspective on implementing a multi-input multi-output (MIMO) IRC scheme for active vibration control (AVC) specifically tailored for pedestrian structures utilizing inertial mass actuators. Building upon a common framework and design methodology outlined in previous research, this work presents a novel application of MIMO IRC for AVC. The designed controller is rigorously tested and implemented on a laboratory floor structure to validate its efficacy.

Microscopic image segmentation (MIS) plays a pivotal role in various fields such as medical imaging and biology. With the advent of deep learning (DL), numerous methods have emerged for automating and improving the accuracy of this crucial image analysis task. This systematic literature review (SLR) aims to provide an exhaustive overview of the state-of-the-art DL methods employed for the segmentation of microscopic images. In this review, we analyze a diverse array of studies published in the last five years, highlighting their contributions, methodologies, datasets, and performance evaluations. We explore the evolution of DL techniques and their adaptation to specific segmentation challenges, from cell and nucleus segmentation to tissue analysis. This paper, through the integration of existing knowledge, provides valuable perspectives for researchers involved in the field of microscopic image segmentation.

Manipulating cloth-like deformable objects (CDOs) is a long-standing problem in the robotics community. CDOs are flexible (non-rigid) objects that do not show a detectable level of com- pression strength while two points on the article are pushed towards each otherand include objects such as ropes (1D), fabrics (2D) and bags (3D). In general, CDOs’ many degrees of freedom (DoF) introduce severe self-occlusion and complex state-action dynamics as significant obstacles for perception and manipulation systems. These challenges exacerbate existing issues of modern robotic control methods such as imitation learning (IL) and reinforcement learning (RL). This review focuses on the application details of data-driven control methods on four major task families in this domain: cloth-shaping, rope manipulation, dressing and bag manip- ulation. Furthermore, we identify specific inductive biases in these four domains that present challenges for more general IL and RL algorithms, and summarise the future direction for the development of the field.

Laser irradiation of metals is widely used in research and applications. In this work, we study how the material geometry affects electron-phonon coupling in nano-sized gold samples: an ultrathin layer, nano-rod, and two types of gold nanoparticles: cubic and octahedral. We use the combined tight-binding molecular dynamics Boltzmann collision integral method implemented within XTANT-3 code to evaluate the coupling parameter in irradiation targets at high electronic temperatures (up to Te~20,000 K). Our results show that the electron-phonon coupling in all objects with the same fcc atomic structure (bulk, layer, rod, cubic and octahedral nanoparticles) is nearly identical at electronic temperatures above Te~7000 K, independently of geometry and dimensionality. At low electronic temperatures, reducing dimensionality reduces the coupling parameter. Additionally, nano-objects under ultrafast energy deposition experience nonthermal damage due to expansion caused by electronic pressure, in contrast to bulk metal. Nano-object ultrafast expansion leads to ablation/emission of atoms, and disorder inside of the remaining parts. These nonthermal atomic expansion and melting are significantly faster than electron-phonon coupling, forming a dominant effect in nano-sized gold.

No matter where we reside, the issue of greenhouse gas emissions impacts us all. Their influence has a disastrous effect on the earth's climate, producing global warming and many other irreversible environmental impacts, even though it is occasionally invisible to the independent eye. Phase change materials (PCMs) can store and release heat when it is abundant during the day (e.g., from solar radiation), for use at night, or on chilly days when the building needs to be heated. As a consequence, buildings use less energy to heat and cool, which lowers greenhouse gas emissions. Consequently, research on thermally active medium-density fiberboard (MDF) with PCMs is presented in this work. MDF is useful for interior design and furniture manufacturing. The boards were created using pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and spruce (Picea abies L.) fibers, urea-formaldehyde resin, and PCM powder, with a phase transition temperature of 22 oC, density of 785 kg m−3, the latent heat capacity of 160 kJ kg−1, the volumetric heat capacity of 126 MJ m−3, the specific heat capacity of 2.2 kJ kgK−1, the thermal conductivity of 0.18 W mK−1, and a maximum operating temperature of 200 °C. Five variants of MDF with PCM additive were developed: 0%, 5%, 10%, 30%, and 50%. According to the study, scores at the MOR, MOE, IB, and Screw Withdrawal Resistance (SWR) tests decreased when PCM content was added. However, the results of the thickness swelling and water absorption tests indicate that the PCM particles do not exhibit a substantial capacity to absorb water, retaining the dimensional stability of the MDF boards. The panel's thermal characteristics improved with increasing PCM concentration, according to the data. The density profiles of all the variations under consideration had a somewhat U-shaped appearance; however, the version with a 50% PCM content had a flatter form and no obvious layer compaction on the panel surface. Therefore, certain of the mechanical and physical characteristics of the manufactured panels can be enhanced by a well-chosen PCM addition.

Theories of quantum gravity suggest that Lorentz invariance, the fundamental symmetry of the Theory of Relativity, may be broken at the Planck energy scale. While any deviation from conventional Physics must be minuscule in particular at attainable energies, this hypothesis motivates ever more sensitive tests of Lorentz symmetry. In the photon sector, astrophysical observations, in particular polarization measurements, are a very powerful tool because tiny deviations from Lorentz invariance will accumulate as photons propagate over cosmological distances. The Standard-Model Extension (SME) provides a theoretical framework in the form of an effective field theory that describes low-energy effects due to a more fundamental quantum gravity theory by adding additional terms to the Standard Model Lagrangian. These terms can be ordered by the mass dimension d of the corresponding operator and lead to a wavelength, polarization, and direction dependent phase velocity of light. In this paper, we analyze optical polarization measurements from 63 Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) and Gamma-ray Bursts (GRBs) in order to search for Lorentz violating signals. We derive the first set limits on each of the 10 individual birefringent coefficients of the minimal SME with d = 4, with 95% confidence limits on the order of 10⁻³⁴ on the dimensionless coefficients.

A comprehensive multi-jet physics program is anticipated for experiments at future colliders. Key physics processes necessitate detectors that can distinguish signals from W and Z bosons and the recently discovered Higgs boson. Typical examples include channels with W^{+}W^{-} or Z^{o}Z^{o} pairs and processes involving New Physics, in those cases where neutral particles must be disentangled from charged ones due to the presence of W or Z bosons in their final states. Such a physics program demands calorimetric energy resolution at or beyond the limits of traditional calorimetric techniques. Multiple-readout calorimetry, which aims to reduce fluctuations in energy measurements of hadronic showers, is a promising approach. The first part of this article reviews dual and triple readout calorimetry within a mathematical framework describing the underlying compensating mechanism. The second part proposes a potential implementation using an integrally active and total absorption detector. This model serves as the basis for several Monte Carlo studies, illustrating how the response of a multiple-readout calorimeter depends on construction parameters. Among the layouts considered, one configuration operating in triple-readout mode shows the potential to achieve an energy resolution approaching 20\%/\sqrt{E}.

Significant attribute selection in machine learning is one of the key aspects aimed at simplifying the problem and reducing its dimensionality, and consequently speeding up computation. This paper proposes new algorithms for selecting not only relevant features but also for evaluating and selecting a subset of relevant objects in a dataset. Both algorithms are mainly based on the use of a fuzzy approach. The research presented here yielded preliminary results of a new approach to the problem of selecting relevant attributes and objects, and, in fact, to selecting appropriate ranges of their values. Detailed results obtained on the Sonar dataset show the positive effects of this approach. Moreover, the observed results may suggest the effectiveness of the proposed method in terms of identifying a subset of truly relevant attributes from among those identified by traditional feature selection methods.

The LiCl and LiNO₃ water solutions in the presence of small amounts of 3-helium have been investigated by means of multinuclear resonance spectroscopy. The resulting concentration dependences of the ³He, ^6,7Li⁺, ¹⁴NO₃^¯ and ³⁵Cl^¯ resonance radiofrequencies are reported in the infinite limit. This data along with new theoretical corrections of shielding lithium ions was analyzed by a known NMR relationship method. Consequently, the nuclear magnetic moments of ⁶Li and ⁷Li were established against that of the helium-3 dipole moment: μ(⁶Li)=+0.822046(5)μ_N and μ(⁷Li)=+3.256418(20)μ_N. The new results were shown to be very close to the previously obtained values of the (ABMR) atomic beam magnetic resonance method. This experiment proves that our helium method is well suited for establishing dipole moments from NMR measurements performed in water solutions. This technique is especially valuable when gaseous substances of the needed element are not available. All shielding constants of species present in water solutions are consistent with new nuclear magnetic moments and these taken as a reference. Both techniques – NMR and ABMR – give practically the same results providing that all shielding corrections are properly made.

This study explored the incidence of metaphorical virtual classrooms and interactive learning objects in the interaction of students in online mode. The main objective was to analyze how these digital tools, driven by a set of strategies to promote their use, affect the interaction of students in the virtual classroom system and their derived effects. To this end, the latest version of Moodle was implemented in conjunction with gamification plugins and interactive tools in the higher education institution used as a case study. The methodology consisted of data collection through ordinal instruments applied to the teachers and student performance metrics gathered using a plugin developed to extract accurate metrics of each student's usage and performance through direct queries to the Moodle database and its processing through a neural network. This facilitated the collection of standardized data on the actual metrics of each virtual classroom at the end of the teaching of each subject from both the previous LMS and the newly implemented one. This data was then analyzed using advanced statistical techniques, including Mahalanobis distances, confirmatory factor analysis, and the Wilcoxon signed-rank test. These methods provided a compelling comparison between the old and new systems, revealing significant improvements in the metrics and factors evaluated. The results showed a significant improvement in teachers' perceptions of the usability of the virtual classroom system and an increase in students' academic performance, interaction, progress, and time spent learning in virtual contexts. These results provide solid empirical evidence of the added value of these educational tools as effective strategies for improving student interaction, performance, and motivation in online education.

Mixed plastic packaging waste sorting residues (MPO323) were treated by thermal pyrolysis to utilize pyrolysis oil and char. The pyrolysis oil was found to contain aromatic and aliphatic hydrocarbons. Chlorine and bromine contents were up to 40,000 mg/kg and 200 mg/kg, respectively. Additionally, other elements like sulfur, phosphorous, iron, aluminum, and lead were detected, which can be interpreted as impurities regarding the utilization of the oils by means of chemical recycling. The pyrolysis char showed high contents of potentially active species like silicon, calcium, aluminum, iron, and others. To enhance the content of aromatic hydrocarbons and to reduce the level of contaminants, the pyrolysis oil was reformed with the corresponding pyrolysis char to act as an active material in a fixed bed. The temperature of the reactor and the flow rate of the pyrolysis oil feed were varied to gain insights on cracking and reforming reactions as well as on the performance with regard to decontamination.

Rhodiola rosea, a perennial herb from the Crassulaceae family, contains the bioactive compound salidroside, recognized as an adaptogen with significant therapeutic potential for bone metabolism. Salidroside promotes osteoblast proliferation and differentiation by activating critical signaling pathways, including bone morphogenetic protein-2 and adenosine monophosphate-activated protein kinase, essential for bone formation and growth. It enhances osteogenic activity by increasing alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralization markers, while upregulating key transcription factors such as runt-related transcription factor 2 and osterix. Additionally, salidroside facilitates angiogenesis via the hypoxia-inducible factor 1-alpha and vascular endothelial growth factor pathway, crucial for coupling bone formation with vascular support. Its antioxidant properties offer protection against bone loss by reducing oxidative stress and promoting osteogenic differentiation through the nuclear factor erythroid 2–related factor 2 pathway. Salidroside's ability to counteract the negative effects of glucocorticoids on bone cells and prevent steroid-induced osteonecrosis, along with its anti-inflammatory properties, enhances its potential in treating conditions like osteoarthritis. These attributes underscore its multifaceted role in bone metabolism. This article reviews the literature, including in vitro and in vivo studies primarily on rodent models, demonstrating salidroside's efficacy in mitigating bone loss, preserving bone microarchitecture, and accelerating fracture healing. Future research directions to explore salidroside’s applications in bone-related diseases are also highlighted.

Climate change, increasing global food needs, and decreasing global resources brought a new era to human every-day live with a strong turn to circular economy and sustainability. Food packaging and preservation is an important global sector where enchanced research is carried out. New methods such as active packaging and chemical preservatives replacement are of major interest. Many researchers were published studies about active packaging films, replacement of chemical preservatives with natural originated extracts, and novel incorporation procedures. Sequentially to our and other scientists’ previous work, in this paper we present the results of the improvement which was achieved by incorporating the developed nanohybrid of natural-halloysite/carvacrol-extract, the pure natural carvacrol extract and the commonly used low-density-polyethylene. The well known corona-treatment procedure was employed to produced the optimum final film and the results shown that the low-density-polyethylene incorporated with natural-halloysite/carvacrol-extract nanohybrid and coated external with extra carvacrol extract exhibited aproximatelly 100% higher Young-Modulus values, slightly decreased ultimate strength by 20%, and almost stable elonation at break properties. The water-vapor and oxygen barrier increased by 40%. Finally, the antioxidant activity of the corrona-treated film increased by 28% compared to the similar but untreated product because of the lower release rate of the carvacrol.

Object detection often struggles with accurately identifying visually similar parts, a challenge commonly faced in industrial applications. To address this issue, we propose a clustering methodology based on the visual similarity of 3D object models. This approach is particularly effective when integrated with synthetic image generation, as both processes rely on 3D models. In a case study, we observed a 22 % increase in classification performance on a validation dataset when training an object detector on visually similar groups rather than on all classes, suggesting the potential of our method as a baseline for a multi-stage classification scheme.

Verifying the accuracy of a 3D-printed object involves using an image processing system. This system compares images of the CAD model of the object to be printed with its 3D-printed counterparts to identify any discrepancies. It is important to note that the integrity of the accuracy measurement is heavily dependent on the image processing settings chosen. This study focuses on this issue by developing a customized image processing system. The system generates binary images of a given CAD model and its 3D-printed counterparts and then compares them pixel-by-pixel to determine the accuracy. Users can experiment with various image processing settings, such as grayscale to binary image conversion threshold, noise reduction parameters, masking parameters, and pixel-fineness adjustment parameters, to see how they affect accuracy. The study concludes that the grayscale to binary image conversion threshold has the most significant impact on accuracy and that the optimal threshold varies depending on the color of the 3D-printed object. The system can also effectively eliminate noise (filament marks) during image processing, ensuring accurate measurements. Additionally, the system can measure the accuracy of highly complex porous structures where the pores size, depth, and distribution are random. The insights gained from this study can be used to develop intelligent systems for the metrology of additive manufacturing.

Analytical mechanics is the most basic discipline. The basic principles of analytical mechanics should also be applicable to general deformed objects. However, the virtual displacement principle proposed by analytical mechanics is only applicable to particle systems and rigid body systems, but not to general deformed objects. In this paper, the generalized virtual displacement principle of general deformed objects (such as, elastic objects, plastic objects, elasto-platic objects and flexible objects etc ) is derived by the method of analytical mechanics, which is also applicable to particle systems and rigid body systems. First of all, according to the method of analytical mechanics, the external force, internal force, constraint reaction force and elastic recovery force of the deformed object system under the equilibrium state are analyzed, and the concepts of virtual displacement, ideal constraint and virtual work are introduced, and the generalized virtual displacement principle (also called generalized virtual work principle) of deformed objects is proposed; secondly, vector form, coordinate component form and generalized coordinate form of generalized virtual displacement principle of deformed object are given; thirdly, as the application of the principle, the virtual displacement principle of deformed objects in plane polar coordinate system, space cylindrical coordinate system and spherical coordinate system is given; finally, a brief conclusion is drawn. This work unifies the virtual displacement principle of elastic object, plastic, elastoplastic etc deformed object systems and rigid object systems with the basic method of analytical mechanics. It is a basic principle for dealing with the static problems of deformed objects. This work also lays a foundation for the further study of the dynamics of deformed object systems.

Data science is facing the following major challenges: (1) developing scalable cross-disciplinary capabilities, (2) dealing with the increasing data volumes and their inherent complexity, (3) building tools that help to build trust, (4) creating mechanisms to efficiently operate in the domain of scientific assertions, (5) turning data into actionable knowledge units and (6) promoting data interoperability. As a way to overcome these challenges, we further develop the proposals by early Internet pioneers for Digital Objects as encapsulations of data and metadata made accessible by persistent identifiers. In the past decade, this concept was revisited by various groups within the Research Data Alliance and put in the context of the FAIR Guiding Principles for findable, accessible, interoperable and reusable data. The basic components of a FAIR Digital Object (FDO) as a self-contained, typed, machine-actionable data package are explained. A survey of use cases has indicated the growing interest of research communities in FDO solutions. We conclude that the FDO concept has the potential to act as the interoperable federative core of a hyperinfrastructure initiative such as the European Open Science Cloud (EOSC).

Open source software such as OpenDSS has given a lot of help to distribution network researchers and educators. With high penetration of distributed renewable energy resources into distribution network, tradition distribution steady state analysis software such as OpenDSS is faced with difficulty in handling distributed generators. Three-phase distributed generators are often modeled in sequence frame while unbalanced distribution network are usually modeled in phase frame. So a load flow in sequence-phase coupled frame is proposed to handle models described in both frames. Voltage controlled DGs which are difficult to cope with in OpenDSS are handled in proposed program. The steady state analysis platform is programmed with open source Modelica language and the main aim of this paper is to introduce an open source platform for active distribution network steady analysis include load flow and short circuit analysis which can be easily adopted and improved by other educators and researchers.

In the last 20 years, an increasing number of studies have been reported on membrane active peptides, which exert their biological activity by interacting with the cell membrane either to disrupt it and lead to cell lysis or to translocate through it to deliver cargos into the cell and reach their target. These peptides are attractive alternatives to currently used pharmaceuticals. Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) and peptides designed for drug and gene delivery currently in the drug pipeline suggest that these membrane active peptides will soon constitute a significant percentage of the drug market. Here, we focus on two most prominent classes of membrane active peptides; AMPs and cell-penetrating peptides (CPPs). AMPs are a group of membrane active peptides that disrupt the membrane integrity or inhibit the cellular functions of bacteria, virus and fungi. CPPs are another group of membrane active peptides that mainly function as cargo-carriers even though they may also show antimicrobial activity to some extent. Biophysical techniques to understand how they interact with the membrane have shed light on the peptide–membrane interaction at various levels of detail. Structural investigation of membrane active peptides in the presence of the membrane provides important clues on the effect of the membrane environment on peptide conformations. Advances in live imaging techniques have allowed examination of peptide action at a single cell or single molecule level. In addition to these experimental biophysical techniques, molecular dynamics simulations provided clues on the peptide-lipid interactions and dynamics of the cell entry process at atomic detail. In this review, we summarize the recent advances in experimental and computational investigation of membrane active peptides with particular emphasis on two amphipathic membrane active peptides, the AMP melittin and the CPP pVEC.

This paper serves as a seamless continuation of the previous work titled "Special Spirals are Produced by the ROTASE Galactic Spiral Equations with the Sequential Prime Numbers." Upon revisiting the data, a noteworthy observation emerged: the special spirals can be meticulously aligned with the prime spiral on a point-by-point basis through careful scaling and rotation for the parameter ρ remaining a constant greater than one. As ρ increases, both the scaling factor and rotation angle exhibit a corresponding augmentation, albeit with an intriguing caveat—the rotation angle asymptotically approaches its limit of 90°. Notably, the galactic spiral can be perceived as a remarkably close approximation of the Archimedean spiral, with the degree of proximity increasing as ρ grows larger. Furthermore, an intriguing correspondence arises when ρ takes on a value of 1; at this value, the galactic spiral bears a striking resemblance to the Fermat spiral, the space between two consecutive spiral loops undergoes a continuous reduction as the loop's radius expands, yet it never diminishes to zero; simultaneously, the area between two successive loops experiences an augmentation with the value of ρ.

In recent, Chae found that, at weak gravitational acceleration g_N≲10⁻⁹ms⁻², the observed orbit of the wide binary stars is not accordant with current theory of binary star. Here, we present, this finding should be an observational evidence for that Newtonian theory of orbit perturbation is still valid in galactic scale.

Patients with degenerative diseases refer to feeling more pain during the night. However, it is unknown whether spinal nociception can be circadian and how is it controlled. We investigated whether the paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) could exhibit physiological circadian behavior as well as the contribution of the dopaminergic A11 nucleus and the spinal dopamine (DA) receptors (DRs) on the circadian PWT and the spinal clock gene transcription. Results revealed that control rats present a circadian PWT. Injecting 6-hydroxidopamine (6-OHDA) into the dopaminergic A11 nucleus reduced DA tissue content in the lumbar spinal cord, abolished the circadian PWT, induced allodynia, and reduced Period 1 and 2 (Per1 and 2), retinoid-related orphan receptor α (Rorα), Cryptochrome 1 (Cry1), and brain and muscle aryl-hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein (Bmal) mRNA. Likewise, administration of D1-like and D2-like DR antagonists blunted circadian PWT, producing allodynia, and altered the clock genes mRNA. In contrast, administration of D1-like or D2-like DR agonists blocked 6-OHDA-induced allodynia. This study shows that the spinal cord has physiological circadian PWT, which is modulated by the descending dopaminergic A11 through differential activation of the spinal DRs. Also, A11 nuclei and spinal DRs can regulate the clock gene transcription, which can likely modulate the circadian PWT.

Huperzine A is an herbal reversible inhibitor of Acetylcholinesterase (AChE). A molecular docking analysis on Huperzine A molecule has been carried out to understand its structure, conformational flexibility, intermolecular interaction and the binding affinity in the active site of AChE enzyme. Further, the charge density distribution of huperzine A molecule (lifted from the active site of AChE) was determined from the high level quantum chemical calculations coupled with charge density analysis. The binding affinity of Huperzine A towards AChE was calculated from the molecular docking; the lowest docked energy is -8.46 kcal/mol. In the active site, huperzine A molecule interacts with acyl binding pocket-Phe330 of AChE, that is, the bicyclo ring group of huperzine A forms an intermolecular interaction with the oxygen atom of main chain of the amino acid residue Phe330 at the distances 3.02 and 3.25 Å respectively. On the other hand, a gas phase study on huperzine A molecule also performed using HF and DFT (B3LYP) methods with the basis set 6-311G**. The molecular structure, conformation, and the charge density distribution of huperzine A molecule in the gas phase have determined using quantum chemical calculations and the charge density analysis. The comparative studies between the gas phase and the active site forms of huperzine A molecule, explicitly reveals the degree of conformational modification and the charge density redistribution of huperzine A when present in the active site. The dipole moment of the molecule in the active site is 6.85 D, which is slightly higher than its gas phase value (5.91 D). The electrostatic potential (ESP) surface of active site molecule clearly shows the strong electronegative and positive ESP regions of the molecule, which are the expected strong reactive locations of the molecule.

Today, enhancing food preservation and safety in the spirit of the bioeconomy suggests the use of biodegradable polymers such as poly-L-lactic acid (PLA) in food packaging and the replacement of chemical additives with natural antioxidant/antibacterial agents such as essential oils and their derivatives. Herein a novel carvacrol (CV) @ natural zeolite (NZ) nanohybrid was developed by employing a new vacuum adsorption desorption method which results in the adsorption of a high CV amount on NZ equal to 61.7 %wt. This CV@NZ nanohybrid was successfully dispersed in a PLA/triethyl citrate (TEC) matrix via a melt-extrusion process to obtain PLA/TEC/xCV@NZ nanocomposite films with 5, 10 and 15 CV@NZ %wt. content. PLA/TEC/xNZ films were also de-veloped for comparison. The overall study resulted in a biodegradable active film with the fol-lowing properties: 10%wt. CV@NZ content (PLA/TEC/10CV@NZ), self-healable properties, 22% higher tensile strength and 40% higher elongation at break, 45% higher water barrier and 40% higher oxygen barrier than pure PLA/TEC matrix. This film also provides high CV release content, high CV control release rate as well as significant antioxidant activity and antibacterial activity against the food pathogens Staphylococcus aureus and Salmonella enterica spp. enterica serovar Typhimurium. This film not only succeeds in extending the shelf-life of fresh pork minced, as shown by total variable count measurements in four days, but also prevents lipid oxidation of fresh minced pork and maintains the minced meat in higher nutritional conditions, as revealed by the heme iron content determination, and in a much better and acceptable sensory condition than the commercial packaging paper.

The object of study in the article is the auxiliary variable-frequency electric drive onboard of an AC electric locomotive, and more precisely, the structure and parameters of the control system of the active corrector of power factor (ACPF), which is part of the electric drive, as a unit that ensures electromagnetic compatibility of the electric drive with other equipment on board the electric locomotive and catenary and its energy efficiency. The topic of the article's research is the substantiation of the structure of the ACPF control system, the choice of types (transfer functions) of controllers and the calculation of their parameters. The research method chosen was the calculation of the transfer functions of the controllers of the cascaded loops control system, followed by computer simulation using the OrCAD software. The results of simulating a cascaded two loops control system of an ACPF with different types of controllers are presented and analytically compared. It is concluded that it is advisable to use a cascaded two loops control system, containing a voltage control loop and a current control loop. The best results show the simulation when using an aperiodic current controller (A-controller) and a proportional-integral voltage controller (PI-controller). The data obtained serve as the basis for further improvement of the operation of the ACPF by enhancing and optimizing the settings, structure and algorithms of the control system, which, with the selected hardware of power converter unit, will allow the ACPF to perform its functions with a high degree of reliability in an entire range of disturbing and control influences.

Abstract: This article intends to highlight and reconstruct the relationships between humans (harvesters, woodworkers and master artisans) and non-humans (raw materials, tools, places, products, etc.) in the Barniz de Pasto mopa-mopa tradition.1 These are relationships that were lost when the focus came to be primarily on the objects, as happens in most popular art forms world-wide. The text is organised in the form of ethnographic overviews: the home-workshops of the masters of Barniz de Pasto; the workshops of the woodworkers; the montañas-selvas (Andean rain-forest highlands or mountain jungle) and the mopa-mopa harvesters; and the works (objects, products, goods). Unlike a conventional article, it does not end with firm and immutable conclu-sions. Rather, the reflections resulting from ten years of accompanying artisans and harvesters during the process of patrimonialización 2 of the mopa-mopa are to be found in each of the sections, always open for discussion.

This paper introduces PatchFusion, an innovative approach for nonrigid tracking and reconstruction of deformable objects using a single RGB-D sensor. Existing methods face challenges in accurately capturing the rapid deformations of soft and flexible objects, thereby limiting their utility in diverse scenarios. Our approach overcomes this challenge by employing a dynamic patch-based framework that adapts to rapid inter-frame motions. Firstly, patch-wise rigid transformation fields for non-overlapping patches are solved via Iterative Closest Point (ICP) by incorporating geometric features as additional similarity constraints, thereby enhancing robustness and accuracy. Secondly, deformation optimization based on a nonrigid solver is applied to refine the coarse transformation fields. In order to enable simultaneous tracking and reconstruction of deformable objects, the patch-based rigid solver is designed to run in parallel with the nonrigid solver, serving as a plug-and-play module requiring minimal modifications for integration while enabling real-time performance. Following a comprehensive evaluation, PatchFusion showcases superior performance in effectively dealing with rapid inter-frame deformations when compared to existing techniques, rendering it a promising solution with broad applicability across domains such as robotics, computer vision, and human-computer interaction.

Transcription factors (TFs) regulate gene expression by recognizing specific target enhancers in the genome. The DNA-binding and regulatory activity of TFs depend on the presence of additional protein partners, leading to the formation of versatile and dynamic multimeric protein complexes. Visualizing these protein-protein interactions (PPIs) in the nucleus is key for decrypting the molecular cues underlying TF specificity in vivo. Over the last years, Bimolecular Fluorescence Complementation (BiFC) has been developed in several model systems and applied for the analysis of different types of PPIs. In particular, BiFC has been applied for analyzing PPIs with hundreds of TFs in the nucleus of live Drosophila embryos. However, the visualization of PPIs at the level of specific target enhancers or genomic regions of interest awaits the advent of DNA-labelling methods that could be coupled with BiFC. Here, we present a novel experimental strategy that we called BiFOR and that is based on the coupling of BiFC with the bacterial ANCHOR DNA-labelling system. We demonstrate that BiFOR enables to precisely quantify the enrichment of specific dimeric protein complexes on target enhancers in Drosophila salivary gland nuclei. Given its versatility and sensitivity, BiFOR could be applied more largely in other tissues during Drosophila development. Our work set up the experimental basis for these future applications.