The ocean of the planet Earth, which is as thin as a cicada's wings, play a role of catalyst to the evolving of the ancient plates. The ocean and the ancient plates of the planet Earth formed a magic Whirlpool of the Cross “十” shape with double whirl arms. The central core of the Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool is the Hint Black Hole (HBH) located at the Northwestern Pacific Ocean floor which is decorated with invisible geological age distribution of clam shell. The double whirl arms of ancient plates are distinguished to be left and right at Bering Strait and just formed the ring of fire of the Pacific Ocean.The Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool of the planet Earth was born at the equatorial area about 66 Ma ago and is rotating anticlockwise and drifting northward by a mini footprint of spiral at s speed of as slow as a snail moves. Obviously, it would come to an end at the North Pole about 100 Ma in the future. So, the lifespan of the Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool would be about 166 Ma, from birth to death on the planet Earth.What is hidden behind of the evolving of the oceans and the ancient plates is the golden law of geometrical progression of ladder pagoda of attributes evolving of them, which is “1➨2➨4➨2➨1”, including upgrading and downgrading process. It seems to hint that what is happening on the planet Earth, including the top-level species of human race, is actually unique in the Milky Way galaxy in essence.The property roles of expanding and shrinking are existing in the Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool by face to face and the exchange of property roles took place tens of millions of years ago. And that situation would happen again tens of millions of years in the future. It seems a giant circle of evolving of the exchange of property roles would be drawn by the Cross “十” shape Ocean-Plate Whirlpool in her lifetime.

An off-grid solar energy storage system (ESS) in National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) was built and officially operated on Jun. 16th 2022. The system is installed in a 40' general container with PV panels of solar power 8250 W_p on top of the container. The ESS is made by repurposed lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries of 20 kWh capacity, where a battery management system (BMS) is adopted to ensured the safety of the battery system. An energy management system (EMS) is built to receive, process, analyse, store, and output the energy information. In this manuscript, a brief engineering report about the system is given.

Enveloped viruses represent a significant category of pathogens that cause serious diseases in animals. These viruses express envelope glycoproteins that are singularly important during infection of host cells by mediating fusion between the viral envelope and host cell membranes. Despite low homology at protein levels, three classes of viral fusion proteins have, as of yet, been identified based on structural similarities. Their incorporation into viral particles is dependent upon their proper sub-cellular localization after being expressed and folded properly in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). However, viral protein expression can cause stress in the ER, and host cells respond to alleviate the ER stress in the form of the unfolded protein response (UPR); the effects of which have been observed potentiating or inhibiting viral infection. One important arm of UPR is to elevate the capacity of the ER-associated protein degradation (ERAD) pathway, which is comprised of host quality control machinery that ensures proper protein folding. In this review, we provide relevant details regarding viral envelope glycoproteins, UPR, ERAD, and their interactions in host cells.

Interprofessional learning (IPL) is essential to prepare healthcare trainees as the future public health workforce. WHIRL was an innovative IPL intervention that engaged multi-professional teams of volunteer healthcare trainees (n=20) to deliver health checks (n=464), including tailored advice and signposting, to employees in the UK construction industry (across 21 events, 16 sites, 10 organisations) as part of an ongoing research programme called Test@Work. Volunteers undertook a four-part training and support package of trainer-led education, observations of practice, self-directed learning and clinical supervision, together with peer mentoring. In a one-group post-test only design, IPL outcomes were measured using the Inventory of Reflective Vignette - Interprofessional Learning (IRV-IPL), and the psychometric properties of the IRV-IPL tool were tested. WHIRL demonstrably improved healthcare trainees’ interprofessional skills in all five areas of collaboration, coordination, cooperation, communication, and commendation. The IRV-IPL tool was found to be a valid and reliable measure of interprofessional competencies across three scenarios; before and after health promotion activities, and as a predictor of future health promotion competence. This industry-based workplace IPL programme resulted in attainment of health check competencies, and bridged the gap between research, education and clinical practice.

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.

A proxy war, between a coalition of countries, BLUE and a country, RED, is considered. RED wants to increase the size of the RED territory. BLUE wants to involve more regions in trade and other types of cooperation. GREEN is a small and independent nation that wants to become a member of BLUE. RED attacks GREEN and tries to invade. BLUE decides to give optimal arms support to GREEN. This support can help GREEN in the war against RED and simultaneously reduce the military power of RED, which is valuable to BLUE, also outside this proxy war, since RED may confront BLUE also in other regions. The optimal control problem of dynamic arms support, from the BLUE perspective, is defined in general form. The objective function is a weighted sum of the present value of the free GREEN territory and the present value to BLUE of the net loss of military resources in the RED army. The net loss of RED at a particular point in time is a function of the location of the front line and the size of the mobile GREEN forces behind the RED line. First, it is assumed that the expected net loss is proportional to the force ratio behind the red front line. It is proved that the net loss function is a strictly concave quadratic function of x, the location of the front line. It is also proved that the unique maximum of the net loss function occurs at the same front location, also if the net loss function is proportional to the strength ratio behind the RED lines, raised to any strictly positive exponent. From the BLUE perspective, there is an optimal position of the front. This position is a function of the weights in the objective function and all other parameters. Optimal control theory is used to determine the optimal dynamic BLUE strategy, conditional on a RED strategy, which is observed by BLUE military intelligence. The optimal arms support strategy for BLUE is to initially send a large volume of arms support to GREEN, to rapidly move the front to the optimal position. Then, the support should be almost constant during most of the war, keeping the war front location stationary. In the final part of the conflict, when RED will have almost no military resources left and tries to retire from the GREEN territory, BLUE should strongly increase the arms support and make sure that GREEN rapidly can regain the complete territory and end the war

The demand for improved service in mobile networks is always increasing. That means signal transmission with higher capacity is required. To achieve that goal a combined optical and wireless link using double polarization multiplexing has been developed. A high quality signal transmission is achieved by applying high polarization extinction ratio. The new concept is validated by experiments varying the bit rate and fiber length. A signal with 12 Gbit/s bit rate was transmitted over a 25 km long combined link with about 1.10-8 bit error rate. That result is much better than the already published data which were measured on links transmitting information with 2.5 Gbit/s bit rate. The polarization multiplexing technique is very practical for capacity enhancement in a specific section of an existing optical fiber by inserting a new link into it without deploying a new fiber.

The aim of the study is to characterize the U.S. and Lithuanian defense cooperation from 1990–2020 including arms procurements. Findings suggest close defense cooperation between countries at Presidential, Congressional, and Defense Ministry/Secretary levels. The most developed cooperation areas are joint participation in international operations, improvements of the Lithuanian Armed Forces’ capabilities, and an increase of the U.S. military presence in the Baltic region. An analysis of Lithuanian defense procurements between 1990–2020 indicates that the majority of defense armaments were acquired from the U.S. using the Foreign Military Sales venue while other options to obtain armaments were not used.

When we talk about the Defence Industry (DI), arms transfers, and military expenditures we mostly refer to data accumulated by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI). In the SIPRI Top 20 list of largest exporters of major arms for 2019, small states hold consecutive positions: Israel takes 8th place, Switzerland is 13th, and Sweden, Norway, and Belarus place 15th, 17th, and 20th respectively. The author analyses the Swiss DI case due to several reasons; its place in SIPRI Top, its sharp rise of Swiss arms exports in the recent year, its Swiss neutrality strategy, the country’s multilingual society, and its all-government approach to the arms industry, though still contributing to the limited scholarly studies on contemporary Swiss DI. This paper aims to explore Swiss DI and its strategies, to identify the country’s defence and security policy influence towards DI, and to discuss the Swiss DI stance and future perspectives in the context of the global arms trade. At the same time, this paper also highlights Swiss DI successes and failures that could be of significant use to other small states aiming to develop or enhance their relevant DIs.

The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is escalating in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including in Rwanda, most notably in urbanizing areas. The 2019-2020 Rwanda Demographic Health Survey (DHS) revealed 33% of children under 5 are stunted while 42% of women in urban areas are overweight or obese. This coexistence has contributed to a surge in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly in secondary cities. Using the World Health Organization’s (WHOs) “double-duty action” (DDA) concept, this study aims to identify and evaluate interventions with double-duty potential in Rwanda, focusing on the districts of Rusizi and Rubavu. Guided by Hawkes et al.’s conceptual framework for identifying DDA entry points, a desk review of national policies pinpointed 4 programs with DDA potential: early childhood development (ECD) centers, the school feeding program, farmer field schools (FFS), and the provision of nutrition-sensitive direct support. In-person interviews with key stakeholders assessed their implementation and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis informed context-specific recommendations for their improvement. Recommendations include targeting beliefs surrounding nutrition, improving trainings for community educators, enhancing parent – particularly father – involvement, and close follow-up. These findings offer actionable strategies for governments and nutrition stakeholders and may benefit similar interventions in other rapidly urbanizing LMICs.

Leucine is an essential amino acid that cannot be produced endogenously in the human body and therefore needs to be obtained from dietary sources. Leucine plays a pivotal role in stimulating muscle protein synthesis along with isoleucine and valine as the group of branched-chain amino acids making them as one of the most popular dietary supplements for athletes and gym-goers. Individual effects of leucine, however, are not fully clarified, as most of the studies focused on the grouped effects of branched-chain amino acids. In recent years, leucine and its metabolites have been shown to stimulate muscle protein synthesis mainly via mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 signaling pathway, thereby improving muscle atrophy in cancer cachexia. Interestingly, cancer research suggests that leucine may have either anti-cancer or carcinogenic effects. In the current manuscript, we aim to review leucine's roles in muscle protein synthesis, tumor suppression, and tumor progression, specifically summarizing the molecular mechanisms of leucine's action. The role of leucine is controversial in hepatocellular carcinoma, whereas its carcinogenic effects have been demonstrated in breast and pancreatic cancers. In summary, leucine being used as nutritional supplement for athletes needs more attention, as its oncogenic effects may have been identified by recent studies. Anti-cancer or carcinogenic effects of leucine in various cancers should be further investigated to have clear conclusions.

An increased demand for natural products nowadays most specifically probiotics (PRO) is evident since it comes in conjunction with beneficial health effects for the consumers. In this regard, it is well known that encapsulation could affect positively the PRO's viability throughout food manufacturing and long-term storage. This paper aims to analyze and review various multilayer strategies for encapsulation of PRO. Double-layer encapsulation of PRO by electro-hydrodynamic atomization or electrospray technology has been reported along with layer-by-layer assembly and water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) double emulsions to produce multilayer PRO-loaded carriers. Finally, their applications in food products are presented. The resistance (cover material) and viability of (PRO) to mechanical damage, during gastrointestinal transit and shelf life of these trapping systems are also described. The PRO encapsulation in double and multiple-layer coatings combined with other technologies can be examined to increase the opportunities for new functional products with amended functionalities opening a novel horizon in food technology.

With the galaxy J101652.52 as a model galaxy, this paper studied on the temporal duration of optically observed spiral patterns in disc galaxies is based on the finite reservoir of hydrogen available without replenishment following the initial formation of these well-isolated galaxies. The galaxy J101652.52 exhibits a grand design spiral pattern of two wide open spiral arms with perfect central symmetry, has only rear side trail effect, which clearly indicates that there is no corotation circle, therefore, the Density wave theory proposed for the spiral arm formation may not be applicable in this galaxy. The results reveal a gradual decline in observable spiral arms regardless of any spiral arm formation mechanism. This reduction occurs after half-loop rotation (as defined in the paper) as hydrogen reserves deplete, hindering new star formation. Ultimately, spiral patterns may possibly become optically invisible at normal conditions after a full-loop rotation (as defined in the paper) with hydrogen depletion, even if the formation mechanism remains active. The spiral galaxies with spiral arms decoupled from galactic bars or having soft spiral structures shall have similar results as long as that the spiral pattern rotation speed is significant different from the galactic matter rotation speed. Most of observed spiral galaxies have soft spiral structures, their spiral patterns dynamically change constantly. The results of this study support the idea of short-lived spiral patterns compared to the lifespan of the spiral galaxies. The spiral arm formation may occur once like the onetime firework show in a galaxy’s life based on the limited availability of hydrogens. A concise, universally applicable mechanism for spiral arm formation across various galaxies should exist which provides a single mathematical formula to describe the broad range of morphologies of the spiral arms with few adjustable parameters. Some exceptions may be explained within this framework. Furthermore, the observed data on spiral pattern and galactic bar rotation speeds in the Milky Way require rigorous verification, particularly concerning the winding problem.

The use of cardiac implantable electronic devices (CIEDs) has increased considerably, becoming a cornerstone of management for patients with brady- or tachyarrhythmia or for the prevention of sudden cardiac death. On the other hand, tricuspid regurgitation (TR) associated with CIEDs is progressively accepted as a serious clinical issue; prognostic impact of TR is profound, as it is independently associated with increased mortality and a higher risk of heart failure hospitalization. Additionally, management of established CIED-related TR continues to be challenging, with limited options for intervention once significant TR has developed. The balance between the lifesaving benefits of CIEDs and the risk of TR underlines the necessity for cautious patient selection and innovative approaches to device implantation and management. This review highlighting the clinical importance, underlying mechanisms, and challenges associated with lead-related tricuspid regurgitation in patients with CIEDs.

To reduce the cost of small wind turbines, a prototype of a butterfly wind turbine (6.92 m in diameter), a small vertical-axis type, was developed with many parts made of extruded aluminum suitable for mass production. An over-speed control system with movable arms that operated using centrifugal and aerodynamic forces was installed for further cost reduction. Introducing this mechanism eliminates the need for large active brakes and expands the operating wind speed range of the wind turbine. However, although the mechanism involving the use of only bearings is simple, the violent movement of the movable arms can be a challenge. To address this in the present study, dampers were introduced on the movable arm rotation axes to improve the movement of the movable arms. To predict the behavior of a movable arm and the performance of the wind turbine with the mechanism, a simulation method was developed based on the blade element momentum theory and the equation of motion of the movable arm system. Comparison of experiments and predictions with and without dampers demonstrated qualitative agreement. In the case with dampers, measurements confirmed the predicted increase in the rotor rotational speed when the shorter ailerons installed perpendicularly to the movable arms were used to achieve the inclination. The movable arm system with dampers is expected to be a useful device for vertical-axis wind turbines that are difficult to control.

We study theoretically the Josephson diode effect (JDE) realized in a system composed of parallel-coupled double quantum dots (DQDs) sandwiched between two semiconductor nanowires deposited on an s-wave superconductor surface. Due to the combined effects of the proximity-caused superconductivity, strong Rashba spin-orbit interaction and Zeeman splitting inside the nanowires, a pair of Majorana bound states (MBSs) may possibly emerge at opposite ends of each nanowire. Different phase factors arisen from the superconductor substrate can be generated in the coupling amplitudes between the DQDs and MBSs prepared at the left and right nanowires, and will result in the Josephson current. We find that the critical Josephson currents in positive and negative directions are different from each other in amplitude within an oscillation period with respective to the magnetic flux penetrating through the system, a phenomenon known as the JDE. It arises from the quantum interference effect in this double-path device, and can hardly occur in system of one QD coupled to MBSs. Our results also show that the diode efficiency can reach up to 50%, and depends on the overlap amplitude between the MBSs and the energy levels of the DQDs adjustable by gate voltages. The present model is realizable within current nanofabitication technologies and may find practical use in interdisciplinary field of Majorana and Josephson physics.

The changing dynamics in climate is the primary and important determinant of agriculture productivity. The effects of this changing climate on overall productivity in agriculture can be understood when we study the effects of individual components contributing to the changing climate on plants and crops. Elevated CO₂ (eCO₂) and drought due to high variability in rainfall is one of the important manifestations of the changing climate. There is a considerable amount of literature that addresses climate effects on plant systems from molecules to ecosystems. Of particular interest is the effect of increased CO₂ on plants in relation to drought and water stress. As it is known that one of the consistent effects of increased CO₂ in the atmosphere is increased photosynthesis, especially in C₃ plants, it will be interesting to know the effect of drought in relation to elevated CO₂. The potential of elevated CO₂ ameliorating the effects of water deficit stress is evident from literature suggesting that these two are agents are brothers in arms protecting the plant from stress rather than partnering in crime, specifically water deficit when in isolation. The possible mechanisms by which this occurs will be discussed in this minireview. Interpreting the effects of short-term and long-term exposure of plants to elevated CO₂ in the context of ameliorating the negative impacts of drought will show us the possible ways by which there can be effective adaption to crops in the changing climate scenario.

We presented unusual case of double left ventricular false aneurysm complicating late presentation AMI successfully treated with the combination of urgent surgical drainage of tamponade, staged PCI of non-culprit lesion, preventive implantation of ICD-DR, guideline directed heart failure medical therapy and delayed but effective reconstructive operation.

Our recent analysis of empirical limit order flow data in financial markets reveals a power-law distribution in limit order cancellation times. These times are modeled using a discrete probability mass function derived from the Tsallis q-exponential distribution, closely aligned with the second form of the Pareto distribution. We elucidate this distinctive power-law statistical property through the lens of agent heterogeneity in trading activity and asset possession. Our study introduces a novel modeling approach that combines fractional Lévy stable motion for limit order inflow with this power-law distribution for cancellation times, significantly enhancing the prediction of order imbalances. This model not only addresses gaps in current financial market modeling but also extends to broader contexts such as opinion dynamics in social systems, capturing the finite lifespan of opinions. Characterized by stationary increments and a departure from self-similarity, our model provides a unique framework for exploring long-range dependencies in time series. This work paves the way for more precise financial market analyses and offers new insights into the dynamic nature of opinion formation in social systems.

Tissue engineering and regenerative medicine has gradually evolved as a promising therapeutic strategy to the modern healthcare of the aging and diseased population. In this study, we developed a novel nano-fibrous scaffold and verified its application in the critical bone defect regeneration. The metformin-incorporated nano-gelatin/hydroxyapatite fibers (NGF) was produced by electrospinning, cross-linked, and then characterized by XRD and FTIR. Cytotoxicity, cells adhesion, cell differentiation, and quantitative osteogenic gene and protein expression were analyzed by bone marrow stem cells from rat. Rat forearm critical bone defect model was performed for the in vivo study. The nano-gelatin/hydroxyapatite fibers (NGF) were characterized by their porous structures with proper interconnectivity without significant cytotoxic effects; the adhesion of bone marrow stem cells on the nano-gelatin/hydroxyapatite fibers (NGF) could be enhanced. The osteogenic gene and protein expression were upregulated. Post implantation, the new regenerated bone in bone defect was well demonstrated in the NGF samples. We demonstrated that the metformin-incorporated nano-gelatin-hydroxyapatite fibers greatly improved healing potential on the critical sized bone defect. Although metformin-incorporated nano-gelatin/hydroxyapatite fibers had advantageous effectiveness during bone regeneration, further validation is required before it can be applied to clinical applications.

Bangladesh faces significant wheat grain deficiency compared to its demand due to the lengthy process (10-12 years) required to release a variety through a conventional breeding approach. Traditional breeding methods involve several years of various types of crosses between male and female parents and/or progenies, along with recurrent selection-crossing to obtain a homozygous line (F₁ to F₆ generations) with desired traits within almost 10 years. The double haploid (DH) method is also a time-saving, easier, and more reliable technique to achieve the desired traits in homozygous lines within 2-3 years. DH lines were produced by crossing two F₁ hybrids of spring wheat with maize. 0.1% solution of colchicine was applied to produce DH of F₂ progeny of wheat in the study. 80.8% (340) of the 421 pollinated florets from the two F₁ wheat hybrids were produced as green parthenocarpic caryopses (GPCs) (F₂). 35 of the 70 rescued embryos (or 20.6% of the GPCs) germinated. The germinated embryos regenerated 10 haploid green plants (14.3% of total embryos). After being applied colchicine, 8 of the regenerated haploid (H₁) plants made it. Out of the 8 plants that made it through, only one developed homozygous double haploid seed (DH₁ seed). These seeds were multiplied to produce DH₂, used in the preliminary yield in the next year. The results demonstrated the potential of this method to produce a homozygous line within a short period (2-3 years) by doubling the haploid line generated through pollination of spring bread wheat F₁ with maize.

Plant cells' ability to withstand abiotic stress is strongly linked to modifications in their mechanical characteristics. Nevertheless, the lack of a workable method for consistently tracking plant cell mechanical properties severely restricts our comprehension of the mechanical alterations in plant cells under stress. With Polyethylene Glycol (PEG6000), we created a drought-like environment, and we used the Double Resonator Piezoelectric Cytometry (DRPC) method to dynamically and non-invasively track changes in the stress (ΔS) created and viscoelasticity (storage modulus G' and loss modulus G") of protoplasts and suspension cells of rice during drought stress. The findings demonstrate that, rice suspension cells and protoplasts react mechanically differently to 5%–15% PEG6000 stress, implying distinct resistance mechanisms. However, neither of them can withstand 25% PEG6000 stress, they respond mechanically similarly to 25% PEG6000 stress. The results of DRPC are further corroborated by the morphological alterations of rice cells and protoplasts observed under an optical microscope. To sum up, the DRPC technique functions as a precise cellular mechanical sensor and offers novel research tools for the evaluation of plant cell adversity and differentiating between the mechanical reactions of cells and protoplasts under abiotic stress.

A simulation is performed to analyze the forces that arise in a conducting DNA-like double helix in the field of a microwave electromagnetic wave under half-wave resonance conditions. The helix is comprised of twenty-and-a-half turns and has geometric parameters proportional to the size of an actual DNA molecule. The forces acting on the strands of a double helix, both in the central region and at the edges of the helix, are investigated. It has been demonstrated that the afore-mentioned forces induce a change in the shape of the helix, specifically mutual repulsion of the strands, as well as their stretching and twisting in the field of electromagnetic waves. As opposed to a pair of parallel straight conductors, there is a radial repulsion of strands in all regions of a double DNA-like helix, including the center and the edges. This unique interaction of currents in a double DNA-like helix can be attributed to its pitch angle, a characteristic that has been estab-lished through empirical evidence. Consequently, exposure to an electromagnetic wave under half-wave resonance can damage the double helix. Conversely, the impact of electromagnetic waves has the potential to introduce novel avenues for controlling the shape of the double helix. These nonlinear effects must be considered for both actual DNA molecules and double DNA-like helices that serve as components of metamaterials and metasurfaces.

Recent progress in studies of Rydberg double-well electronic energy states of MeNg (Me=12-group atom, Ng=noble gas atom) van der Waals (vdW) molecules is presented and analysed. The presentation covers approaches in experimental studies as well as ab-initio-calculations of potential energy curves (PEC). The analysis is shown in a broader context of Rydberg states of hetero- and homo-diatomic molecules with PECs possessing complex ‘exotic’ structure. Laser induced fluorescence (LIF) excitation spectra and dispersed emission spectra employed in spectroscopical characterization of Rydberg states are presented on the background of diversity of spectroscopic methods of their investigations such as laser vaporization-optical resonance (LV-OR), pump-and-probe methods and polarization labelling spectroscopy. Importance and current state-of-the-art applications of Rydberg states with irregular potentials in photoassociation (PA), vibrational and rotational cooling, molecular clocks, frequency standards and molecular wave-packet interferometry is highlighted.

The Double Diaphragm Forming (DDF) process uses vacuum pressure and heat to pre-shape composite reinforcements between flexible diaphragms. Accurate modelling of heat transfer within DDF requires knowledge of the thermophysical properties of the constituent materials. This study investigates the specific heat and thermal conductivity of silicone diaphragms, carbon fibers (chopped and powdered), thermoplastic veils, and their combinations. Experiments measured the specific heat of each material using differential scanning calorimetry and the thermal conductivity of silicone and carbon fabric preforms using the transient plane source method and modified transient plane source method respectively. The influence of reheating cycles on specific heat of carbon fiber-veil samples and the effect of compaction on thermal conductivity of silicone and carbon fabrics were explored. While silicone exhibited linear specific heat behavior, the thermoplastic veil showed non-linearity due to phase change. The combined carbon fiber-veil samples demonstrated slight non-linear specific heat variations depending on reheating cycles. Thermal conductivity of the fabric preforms decreased with the addition of thermoplastic veil and under vacuum-compaction conditions. The established temperature-dependent property relationships provide valuable data for optimizing DDF preforming parameters and enhancing energy efficiency in composite manufacturing.

The Double U-pipe ground heat exchanger, recognized for its straightforward process, cost-effectiveness, high heat exchange efficiency, and low thermal resistance, stands as the predominant ground heat exchanger type in today's shallow geothermal energy development and utilization. Recent years have seen significant research into the heat transfer influencing factors and heat exchange performance of Double U-pipe ground heat ex-changers via experimental testing methods. Yet, studies integrating numerical simulation with in-situ testing have been less frequent. Drawing on the cylindrical heat source model theory and the outcomes of regional in-situ thermal response tests, this paper develops a Double U-pipe ground heat transfer model by establishing physical, mathematical, and heat transfer geometric models. It assesses the impact of varying inlet temperatures, flow rates, and initial ground temperatures on heat exchange efficiency under heating conditions. The results validate the precision of the double U-pipe ground heat exchanger model based on in-situ testing. They show that enhancing the temperature differential between the inlet and initial temperatures, elevating the initial ground temperature, and moderately increasing the flow rate can boost the system's heat exchange efficiency.

The research on the excavation mechanical properties of underpass tunnels has already had certain results, but fewer of them consider the effects of dynamic and static loads on the excavation mechanical properties of underground tunnels at the same time, especially the lack of research cases of double-line highway tunnels with angled underpasses of existing railway tunnels. In this paper, based on the tunnel project of the new double-line Shiqian Highway Tunnel passing under the Hurong Railway at an oblique angle, the mechanical parameters of the rock body in the cross-tunneling area under the influence of static and dynamic load coupling are obtained by using the disturbance quantification coefficients and the Hoek-Brown criterion based on the method of over-advanced geological prediction and the investigation of the surrounding rock on the palisade face, and the engineering-scale finite element model is constructed and the mechanical characteristics of the excavation in the tunnel of the double-lane highway tunnel passing under the existing railroad under the influence of the static and dynamic loads are analyzed. The results show that: the new tunnel rock movement law for the top of the arch sinking, bottom plate bulging, side wall to move outward, the height and width of the arch and bottom plate arch with the tunnel excavation and increase, the side wall rock displacement effect is smaller; left and right lines of the tunnel disturbed area of the rule of change is similar; the existing tunnel bottom plate displacement is more than the top plate and the left and right side walls by the excavation of the time step influence is larger. Typical profile displacement is mainly determined by the distance from the excavation surface; the new tunnel in the four types of calculation conditions of the rock disturbance angle is the same; the existing tunnel roof and side wall Von Mises stress extreme occurs in the tunnel structure, the bottom plate there are pressure relief and pressure-bearing areas; based on the displacement control criteria, the recommended upper and lower step blasting method.

Sea urchins are long-living invertebrates with a complex immune system which includes extended families of immune receptors. A central immune gene family in the sea urchins encodes for the Transformer (Trf) proteins. The Trf family was so far studied mainly in the purple sea urchin Strongylocentrotus purpuratus. In this study, we explored this protein family in the Mediterranean Sea urchin Paracentrotus lividus. The PlTrf genes and predicted proteins were found to be highly diverse and showed a typical Trf size range and structure. We found that P. lividus coelomocytes and hemolymph contain different PlTrf protein repertoires with a shared subset which specifically bind E. coli bacteria. Using FACS, we identified five different P. lividus coelomocyte sub-populations with cell surface Trf protein expression. The relative abundance of the Trf-positive cells sharply increased following immune challenge with E. coli bacteria, but not following challenge with LPS or sea urchin pathogen V. penaeicida. Finally, we demonstrated that the phagocytosis of E. coli bacteria by P. lividus phagocytes is mediated through the hemolymph and is inhibited by blocking Trf activity with anti-Trf antibodies. Together, our results suggest collaboration between cellular and humoral Trf-mediated effector arms in the P. lividus specific immune response to pathogens.

Weak interaction processes continue to be hot topics in fundamental physics research. In this paper, we briefly review some recent advances in the theoretical study of beta and double-beta decays that include both the nuclear and atomic part of these processes. On the nuclear side, we present a statistical approach for the computation of the nuclear matrix elements (NME) for neutrinoless double-beta (0νββ). A range of NME values, the most probable value for NME, and the associated theoretical uncertainty are given. Correlations with other related observables are shown as well. On the atomic side, we first briefly review the methods used to get the electrons’ wave functions. Further, we use them for the computation of some relevant kinematic quantities such as Fermi functions, electron spectra and angular correlation between the emitted electrons. Then, we present applications of these calculations to the experimental data analysis related to the search of the Lorentz invariance violation in two-neutrino double-beta (2νββ) decay and description of the decay rates and decay rate ratios for allowed and unique forbidden electron capture (EC) processes.

The article shows materials to the question about algebraic features of the genetic code and about the dictatorial influence of the DNA and RNA molecules on the whole organism. Presented results testify in favor that the genetic code is an algebraic code related with a wide class of algebraic codes, which are a basis of noise-immune coding of information in communication technologies. Structural features of the genetic systems are associated with hypercomplex double (or hyperbolic) numbers and with bisymmetric doubly stochastic matrices. The received results confirm that represented matrix approaches are effective for modeling genetic phenomena and revealing the interconnections of structures of biological bodies at various levels of their organization. This allows one to think that living organisms are algebraically encoded entities where structures of genetic molecules have the dictatorial influence on inherited structures of the whole organism. New described algebraic approaches and results are discussed.

Self-healing, stretchable and moldable hydrogels have a great potential application in tissue engineering and soft robotics. Despite great success in reported hydrogels, it is still a great challenge to construct the moldable hydrogels with an ultrafast self-healing performance. Herein, the dynamic double network (DN) composite hydrogels (PBLH) with ultrafast self-healing, stretchable and moldable were successfully constructed by poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA), borate, ε-poly-L-lysine (EPL) and hyaluronic acid (HA) based on an efficient one-pot method. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-Ray diffraction and rheological measurements confirmed the formation of dynamic double networks among PVA, B, EPL and HA through the cross-linking of dynamic borate bonds, electrostatic interaction and hydrogen bonding. Having fabricated the dynamic double network structure, the damage gap of the composite hydrogels can heal within 1 min, presenting an excellent self-healing ability. Simultaneously, the DN hydrogels can be molded to various shapes and the length of the DN hydrogels can be stretched to 15 times than original length. In addition, the DN hydrogels exhibited an excellent antibacterial property against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli). Our results illustrated that the DN composite hydrogels not only retain the advantages of traditional hydrogels, but also possess ultrafast self-healing, outstanding stretchable and antibacterial properties, presenting a prospective candidate for constructing biomedical materials.

Cutaneous melanoma (CM) is a candidate for screening programs, since its prognosis is excellent when diagnosed in an early disease stage. Targeted screening of those at high risk for developing CM, a cost-effective alternative to population-wide screening, requires valid procedures to identify the high-risk group. Self-assessment of the number of nevi has been suggested as a component of such procedures, but its validity has not yet been established. We analyzed the level of agreement between self-assessments and expert assessments of the number of melanocytic nevi in the area between the wrist and the shoulder of both arms based on 4548 study subjects in whom mutually blinded double counting of nevi was performed. Nevus counting followed the IARC protocol. Study subjects received written instructions, photographs, a mirror, and a “nevometer” to support self-assessment of nevi larger than 2 mm. Nevus counts were categorized based on the quintiles of the distribution into five levels defining a nevus score. Cohen’s weighted kappa-coefficient was estimated to measure the level of agreement. In the total sample, agreement between self-assessments and expert-assessments was moderate (raw agreement: 50.29%, weighted κ=0.596). Self-assessed nevus counts were higher than those determined by experts (mean differ-ence: 3.33 nevi). The level of agreement was independent of sociodemographic and cutaneous factors; however, participants’ eye color had a significant impact on the level of agreement. Our findings show that even with comprehensive guidance, only a moderate level of agreement between self-assessed and expert-assessed nevus counts can be achieved. Self-assessed nevus information does not appear to be reliable enough to be used in individual risk assessment to target screening activities.

The substitution of chemical fertilizers by organic manure plays a critical role in sustainable crop production. Nevertheless, organic amendments promote the global warming potential (GWP) in rice paddies due to increased methane (CH4) emissions. Increasing evidence shows that lime application can reduce CH4 emissions from acidic paddy soils, while it is still not clear whether liming can reduce the GWP in rice fields under organic manure substitution. A two-year field experiment was conducted to investigate the impacts of pig manure substitution and lime application on grain yield, CH4 and nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions in a subtropical double-cropped rice field in China. The experiment consisted of three treatments: chemical fertilization (CF, 100% N from urea), 50% of chemical N substituted by pig manure (1/2N + M), and the 1/2N + M treatment plus lime amendment (1/2N + M + L). On average, 1/2N + M reduced rice yield by 5.65% compared to CF, while lime application had no effect on rice yield. Mean cumulative CH4 emissions were 218.8% higher in 1/2N + M than in CF, whereas 1/2N + M + L reduced CH4 emissions by 36.6% compared to 1/2N + M. Neither pig manure substitution nor lime application affected N2O emissions. Consequently, 1/2N + M increased the GWP and greenhouse gas intensity (GHGI) by 214.6% and 228.3%, respectively, compared to CF. In contrast, 1/2N + M + L reduced the GWP and GHGI by 36.4% and 36.5% compared to 1/2N + M. Lime application can mitigate CH4 emissions and GWP induced by pig manure amendment in double-cropped rice fields.

Objectives: To rate the effects of low molecular weight hyaluronic acid (LMWHA) solution and high concentration oxygen (HCO) through a specific medical device (Caress Flow©), compared to topical administration of hyaluronic acid (HA) alone on symptoms of mild and moderate stress and mixed urinary incontinence in women with genitourinary syndrome of menopause (GSM). Methods: A total of 68 postmenopausal women were enrolled (from October 2021 to September 2023). Patients were separated in two groups: one group used therapy with LMWHA solution and HCO combined and the second group used therapy with HA alone. Patient Global Impres-sion of Improvement (PGI-I) as the first outcome was used. As secondary outcomes International Consultation on Incontinence Questionnaire - short form (ICIQ-SF) questionnaire and Internation-al Quality of Life (IQoL) questionnaire were used. Results: Sixty-eight (68) women, 35 (51%) and 33 (49%), were treated with LMWHA solution and HCO combined and HA alone for 10 weeks, respectively. 28 (80%) versus 7 (20%) women reported an improvement (PGI-I score ≤3) of the symptoms in LMWHA solution and HCO com-bined group versus HA alone group. According to the ICIQ-SF, a statistically significant differ-ence was recorded after treatment between the two groups (median, 7 [5-11] vs 10 [8-11]; P = 0.03). According to the IQoL questionnaire, a statistically significantly lower median score was recorded in the LMWHA solution and HCO combined compared with the HA group, before (71 [IQR 55-81] vs 89 [IQR 67-94]; P < 0.01) and after (78 [IQR 65-86] vs 88 [IQR 72-99]; P = 0.04) treatment. Conclusions: LMWHA solution and HCO combined might improve the mild and moderate stress and mixed urinary incontinence in this set of women and that it is superior to HA therapy alone. However, these results need to be confirmed in further studies with a controlled design and a larger population.

Based on the definition of double fuzzy relations, two types of new rough set models are constructed, which are multi-granulation double fuzzy rough sets called optimistic and pessimistic multi-granulation double fuzzy rough sets, and some of their properties were studied. In addition, we study the relationship between optimistic and pessimistic multi-granulation double fuzzy rough sets and double fuzzy rough sets.

The prevalence and incidence of cardiac pro-arrhythmic disorders are often influenced by sex due to specific effects on the QT interval. Androgens shorten QT, which may be protective against acquired long QT syndromes and their related arrhythmias in men such as torsade de pointes (TdP). On the other hand, androgens can potentiate Brugada and early repolarization syndromes, which are most prevalent in men. In this case series, we highlight four male patients with aborted SCD in the setting of abnormal testosterone status; two patients with TdP in a setting of testosterone deprivation (of which one drug-induced) and 2 patients with ventricular fibrillation associated with exogenous androgenic booster (Tribulus terrestris) intake. From this case series, we review the current available literature of the effects of androgen as a double-edged sword on the QTc interval and emphasize the importance of QTc monitoring in this subset of patients.

In the present paper we investigate the conservative conditions in Quadratic Gravity. It is shown explicitly that the Bianchi identities lead to the conservative condition of the left-hand-side of the (gravitational) field equation. Therefore, the total energy-momentum tensor is conservative in the bulk (like in General Relativity). However, in Quadratic Gravity it is possible to have singular hupersurfaces separating the bulk regions with different behavior of the matter energy-momentum tensor or different vacua. They require special consideration. We derived the conservative conditions on such singular hypersurfaces and demonstrated the very possibility of the matter creation. In the remaining part of the paper we considered some applications illustrating the obtained results.

Based on the elasticity theory, this paper deals with the static analysis of a cracked double beam system in presence of a Winkler medium. The double-beam system is also supposed to be constrained at both ends by elastically flexible springs, with transverse and rotational stiffness. Using a variational formulation, the static governing equations are derived and solved by using analytical and numerical approaches. In the first approach, the closed-form solutions for the displacements functions are obtained based on the Euler-Bernoulli beam theory. In the second approach, the Cell-Discretization Method (CDM) is performed, according to which the two beams are reduced to a set of rigid bars linked together by means of elastic constraints, where the bending stiffness of the bars is concentrated. The resulting stiffness matrix is easily deduced, and the governing equations of the static problem can be immediately solved. A comparative analysis is performed in order to verify the accuracy and validity of the proposed method. This study focuses on the effect of various parameters including the crack depth and position, boundary conditions, elastic medium and slenderness. The validity of the proposed analysis is confirmed by comparing the present results with those obtained from the other approach. In particular, the results obtained by closed-form solution and Cell-discretization method (CDM) are compared by Finite element method (FEM). Accuracy of the results has been evaluated by making comparisons with the results in literature and reported in bibliography. It is demonstrated that the proposed algorithm provides a simple and powerful tool in dealing with the static analysis of a double-beam system. Finally, some concluding remarks are made.

Discrete Double Hilbert Exponential sums along polynomials. This is preprint version (not peer reviewed) And we now check the proof of (ii) of Lemma 3.2 whether it is really true.

Layout estimation is a challenge of segmenting a cluttered room image into floor, walls and ceiling. We applied Double refinement network proved to be efficient in the depth estimation to generate heat maps for room key points and edges. Our method is the first not using encoder-decoder architecture for the room layout estimation. ResNet50 was utilized as a backbone for the network instead of VGG16 commonly used for the task, allowing the network to be more compact and faster. We designed a special layout score function and layout ranking algorithm for key points and edges output. Our method achieved the lowest pixel and corner errors on the LSUN data set. The input image resolution is 224*224.

This paper introduces extensions H4,p and X8,p of Horn’s double hypergeometric function H4 and Exton’s triple hypergeometric function X8, taking into account recent extensions of Euler’s beta function, hypergeometric function, and confluent hypergeometric function. Among the numerous extended hypergeometric functions, the primary rationale for choosing H4 and X8 is their comparable extension type. Next, we present various integral representations of Euler and Laplace type, Mellin and inverse Mellin transforms, Laguerre polynomial representation, transformation formulae and a recurrence relation for the extended functions. In particular, we provide a generating function for the X8,p and several bounding inequalities for the H4,p and X8,p.

This paper explores the application of the generalized double reduction method to the (1+1)-dimensional Kaup-Boussinesq (K-B) system, which models nonlinear wave propagation. Double reduction method is a structured and systematic approach in the analysis of partial differential equations (PDEs). We first identify the Lie point symmetries of the K-B system and construct four non-trivial conservation laws using the multiplier method. The association between the Lie point symmetries and the conservation laws is established, and the generalized double reduction method is then applied to transform the B-K system into second-order differential equations or algebraic equations. The reduction process allowed us to derive two exact solutions for the K-B system, illustrating the method’s effectiveness in handling nonlinear systems. This work highlights the effectiveness of the generalized double reduction method in simplifying and solving nonlinear nonlinear systems of PDEs, contributing to a deeper understanding of the systems.

Background: Nowadays vital signs in clinics are electronically monitored excepted for urine output which still requires, manual recording, which is subject to human errors. We, in-vitro, assessed in this study the ability a novel electronic device to measure by a combination of two different methods, the real time flow-output, like urine output. Methods: Flow or urine output was measured by a combination technique of gravimetry using a dynamometer and capacitive sensing to improve precision. Data were obtained in 3 different situations, low, medium, and high flow. Results: Three different situations were tested: full or empty dead space and Pasteur’s chamber. The differences between the injected and measured volume varies from 0 to 5 ml representing a maximal error of 3 % regardless of the volume injected and the flow in ml/hour. The capacitive sensors behave as expected with a parallel curve of the expected and measured flow. Conclusion: We have shown in this in-vitro study that the combination of gravimetry and capacitive sensors analysis allow accurate measurement of volume and flow-output. Clinical trials should be conducted to confirm its usefulness in urine output measurement in the real life.

This article conceptualises the link between firms’ value chains and distribution networks and the requirements for double materiality assessments in contemporary reporting regulations worldwide. The new European Sustainability Reporting Standards (ESRS) and the standards for sustainability reporting issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB), called IFRS S1 and IFRS S2, require companies to report their own direct (scope 1) and indirect (scope 2) greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions as well as GHG emissions in their value chains and distribution networks (both scope 3). However, GHG emissions comprise just one dimension of information that is relevant to understand when assessing, managing and reporting the footprints and impacts of a firm and are, therefore, only a fraction of the key performance indicators (KPIs) related to ESG that should be disclosed. Through a case study, this article demonstrates the connection between the due diligence analysis of firms’ value chains and distribution networks, the analysis of the competitive parameters of the business model, the identified impacts, risks and opportunities, and the double materiality perspective. The double materiality perspective prioritises actions based on probability and significance, creating a natural space to identify KPIs. The article concludes by applying the REGS model and illustrating how it can assist firms in identifying relevant KPIs based on double-materiality assessments.

Two extensions of the generalized double Lomax distribution are introduced - the spliced-scale generalized double Lomax distribution and the exponentiated generalized double Lomax distribution. Their properties are studied. Usefulness of the new distributions is shown by fitting them to stock returns datasets.

In this paper, we focus on variational Bayesian learning deterministic optimization methods for inference in biparametric exponential models where the parameters follow semiparametric regression structures. This combination of data models and algorithms contributes to solving real-world problems and reduces the computation time. This allows both the rapid exploration of many data models and the accurate estimation of the mean and variance functions through the connection between generalized linear models and graph theory. A simulation study was carried out to assess the performance of the deterministic approximation. Finally, herein, we present an application using macroeconomic data to emphasize the benefits of the proposed approach.

This study presents the complexity and sensitivity of chaotic system dynamics in the case of the double pendulum. It applied detailed numerical analyses of the double pendulum in multiple computing platforms in order to demonstrate the complexity in behavior of the system of double pendulums. The equations of motion were derived from the Euler-Lagrange formalism, in order to capture the system's dynamics, which is coupled nonlinearly. These were solved numerically using the efficient Runge-Kutta-Fehlberg method, implemented in Python, R, GNU Octave, and Julia, while runtimes and memory usage were extensively benchmarked across these environments. Time series analyses, including the calculation of Shannon entropy and the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, quantified the system's unpredictability and sensitivity to infinitesimal perturbations of the initial conditions. Phase space diagrams illustrated the intricate trajectories and strange attractors, as further confirmation of the chaotic nature of the double pendulum. All the findings have a clear indication of the importance of accurate measurements of the initial condition in a chaotic system, contributing to an increased understanding of nonlinear dynamics. Future research directions are faster simulations using Numba and GPU computing, stochastic effects, chaotic synchronization, and applications in climate modeling. This work will be useful for understanding chaos theory and efficient computational approaches in complex systems of dynamical nature.

This short review is aimed at giving an overview of catalytic carbonylative double cyclization reactions, which are processes in which suitable organic substrates and carbon monoxide are sequentially activated by a promoting catalyst to afford the formation of two new cycles with concomitant incorporation of carbon monoxide as a carbonyl function into the final product. Paradigmatic examples of this powerful synthetic methodology, which allows the one-step synthesis of complex molecular architectures from simple building blocks using the simplest and readily available C-1 unit (CO) are illustrated and discussed. The review is divided into five sections: 1) Introduction; 2) Functionalized Olefinic Substrates; 3) Functionalized Acetylenic Substrates; 4) Functionalized Halides; 5) Conclusions and Future Perspectives.

We present a new vision on the double-slit experiment (DSE), that does not use any waves or the so-called wave-particle duality. It is based on particles, viewed as localized vibrations. Rather than being illogical, or mysterious, the approach reproduces logically the interference patterns observed externally, using the well-known ``amplification of stimulated emission'' (ASE). The conservation of particle number is not observed. Different particles can present ASE with in-phase or counter-phase behavior, making the patterns observed for electrons, other particles, even atoms. The Law of the Excluded Middle (LEM) is not broken illogically in two-states macroscopically, but broken naturally in three or more states, microscopically, using ASE. Any particle supporting ASE, in-phase or counter-phase, can enter a DSE, and provide an external interference pattern. Frequency plays a role, while amplitude is not considered. This work is important in quantum computing, possibly saving cost, time, and welcoming more participants.

This paper presents the perturbation theory for the double–sine–Gordon equation. We obtain a system of differential equations that shows the amplitude and phase modulation of the approximate solution.. In the particular case λ = 0 we get the well-known perturbation theory for the sine–Gordon equation. For a special value λ=-1/8, we derive a phase-locked solution with the same frequency of the linear case. In general we obtain both coherent (solitary waves, lumps and so on) solutions as well as fractal solutions. We can demonstrate the existence of envelope wobbling solitary waves, because of the phase modulation depending on the solution amplitude and on the position. The main conclusion is that it is too reductive focus only on coherent solutions for the double sine-Gordon equation, because of the very rich behavior for the DSG nonlinear equation, including wobbling chaotic and fractal solutions.

In this paper, we introduce and study the notion of rough I₂-lacunary statistical convergence of double sequences in normed linear spaces. We also introduce the notion of rough I₂-lacunary statistical limit set of a double sequence and discuss about some properties of this set.

In the current study, the failure behavior of retrofitted steel structures was studied experimentally and theoretically with steel/CFRP double strap joints (DSJs) under quasi-static tensile loading. A series of DSJs with different bonding lengths are also considered and examined to experimentally assess the effective bond length. To predict the failure load values of the tested specimens, a new stress-based criterion, namely the point stress (PS) criterion is proposed. Although some theoretical predictive modelling for the strength between steel/CFRP joints under various loading conditions has been presented, in this work by using the new proposed approach, one can calculate rapidly and conveniently the failure loads of the steel/CFRP specimens. Furthermore, to assess the validity of the new proposed criterion, further experimental data on steel/CFRP DSJs available in the open literature are predicted using the PS criterion. Finally, it was found that a good agreement exists between the experimental results and the theoretical predictions based on the PS criterion.

Current treatments for medial meniscus lesions in association with CCL ruptures [1–5] have shown disappointing long-term outcomes [6]. Meniscal suturing may improve the outcome, but their clinical application remains limited [7–9]. This study aims to assess the practicability of a minimally invasive DNT to facilitate meniscal suturing in dogs. Ten stifles of eight client-owned dogs with arthroscopically confirmed CCL disease and medial meniscal tears in the abaxial third of the meniscus were included. The described suture technique was applied under joint distraction using the Titan joint distractor.[8] Surgical stabilization of all stifles was then accomplished through a X-Porous TTA procedure [10]. The DNT allowed for the precise placement of meniscal sutures. Minor intraoperative complications included reduced arthroscopic visibility (n=2) and suture breakage during its passage through the meniscus (n=3). No complications related to the meniscal sutures were noted throughout the six-month follow-up. The described DNT proved to be a viable and effective method for suturing lesions of the caudal horn of the medial meniscus, provided there is adequate visualization during the procedure. Appropriate stifle stabilization postoperatively is mandatory for protecting the suture and avoiding concomitant meniscal lesions due to joint instability.

Advancements in genomics and molecular biology have propelled our understanding of genetic information far beyond the iconic double helix structure of DNA. This comprehensive review delves into the intricate world of DNA and RNA networks, exploring the complexities that extend beyond the classical model. We investigate the dynamic interactions, regulatory mechanisms, and functional implications of the broader genetic landscape, encompassing both coding and non-coding elements. From chromatin architecture to the diverse array of non-coding RNAs, this exploration seeks to provide a holistic perspective on the multifaceted roles played by DNA and RNA in cellular processes. The three-dimensional organization of genetic material within the cell has emerged as a crucial determinant of cellular function. Chromatin architecture, comprising DNA, histones, and other associated proteins, plays a dynamic role in regulating gene expression. We delve into the intricate choreography of chromatin remodeling, deciphering the interplay between transcription factors, epigenetic modifications, and higher-order structures that modulate gene activity. The exploration of chromatin dynamics unveils a nuanced understanding of how the genome responds to environmental cues, cellular signals, and developmental processes. Moreover, the once-dismissed non-coding portion of the genome has emerged as a key regulator of cellular function. Various classes of non-coding RNAs, such as microRNAs, long non-coding RNAs, and circular RNAs, have been implicated in diverse cellular processes, ranging from fine-tuning gene expression to modulating chromatin structure. The review critically examines the functional roles of these non-coding RNAs, shedding light on their involvement in cellular homeostasis, development, and disease. As I traverse this landscape beyond the double helix, our review synthesizes current knowledge on the intricacies of DNA and RNA networks. By exploring the regulatory mechanisms, functional implications, and emerging paradigms, we aim to inspire a deeper appreciation for the molecular choreography that underlies the cellular symphony of life. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of these findings in the context of disease, highlighting potential diagnostic and therapeutic avenues that arise from a comprehensive understanding of DNA and RNA networks. In doing so, this exploration not only broadens our theoretical understanding but also opens new frontiers for translational research in genetics and molecular medicine.

Corrugated board, widely used in the packing industry, is a recyclable and durable material. Its strength and cushioning, influenced by geometry, environmental conditions like humidity and temperature, and paper quality, make it versatile. Double-walled (or five-ply) corrugated board, comprising two flutes and three liners, enhances these properties. This study introduces a novel approach to analyze 5-layered corrugated board, extending a previously published algorithm for single-walled boards. Our method focuses on measuring layer and overall board thickness, flute height, and center lines of each layer. Integrating image processing and genetic algorithms, the research successfully developed an algorithm for precise geometric feature identification of double-walled boards. Images were recorded using a special device with a sophisticated camera and image sensor for detailed corrugated board cross-sections. Demonstrating high accuracy, the method faced limitations only with very deformed or damaged samples. This research contributes significantly to quality control in the packaging industry and paves the way for further automated material analysis using advanced machine learning and image sensors. It emphasizes the importance of sample quality and suggests areas for algorithm refinement to enhance robustness and accuracy.

In the current study, a two-dimensional numerical study is carried out to investigate the performance of a novel Double-chamber Parallel Flexible Valves micropump, which utilized the electrowetting-on-dielectrics (EWOD) effect to drive the microfluid flow. By observing the flow fields, the internal circulations are seen on both the left and right side of the pump. The generation of the backflow is discussed by tracking the movement of the vortices. Only slight flow fluctuation is seen in the micropump. Based on the simulation outcomes, the structural parameters including the width of the inlet/outlet, the width of the pumping channel and the diverging angle in the micropump are analyzed, the influence of these parameters on the pumping volume and the maximum pressure have been discussed. Eventually, a group of optimal parameter combinations is given according to the results to extend the operating potential of the micropump.

Lead halide perovskite has become a promising candidate for high-performance photodetector (PD) applications due to its attractive optical and electrical properties such as high optical absorption coefficient, high carrier mobility, and long carrier diffusion length. However, the presence of highly toxic lead in these devices has limited their practical applications and even hindered their progress toward commercialization. Therefore, the scientific community has been committed to searching for low-toxic and stable perovskite-type alternative materials. Lead-free double perovskite materials, which are still in the preliminary stage of exploration, have achieved inspiring results in recent years. In this review, we mainly focused on two types of lead-free double perovskite based on different Pb substitution strategies, including A2M(I)M(Ⅲ)X6 and A2M(IV)X6. We reviewed the research progress and prospects of lead-free double perovskite photodetectors in the past three years. And more importantly, from the perspective of optimizing inherent defects in materials and improving device performance, we proposed some feasible pathways and made an encouraging perspective for the future development of lead-free double perovskite photodetectors.

This study estimates the effects of double long memory and structural breaks on the persistence level of six major cryptocurrency markets. We apply the Bai and Perron’s structural break test, Inclán and Tiao’s iterated cumulative sum of squares (ICSS) algorithm, and the fractionally integrated generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedasticity (FIGARCH) model with different distributions. The results show that long memory and structural breaks characterize the conditional volatility of cryptocurrency markets and confirm our hypothesis that ignoring structural breaks leads to an underestimation of the persistence of volatility modelling. The ARFIMA-FIGARCH model with structural breaks and a skewed Student–t distribution fits the cryptocurrency market’s price dynamics well.

In contemporary design practices, there is a disconnect between the design techniques used for early-stage design experimentation and performance analysis, and those used for the manufacture and construction. This study addresses the problems in developing an integrated digital design workflow and provides a research framework for integrating environmental performance requirements with robotic manufacturing processes on a construction site. The proposed method enables the user to import a design surface, identify design parameters, set several environmental performance goals, and thereafter simulate and select a robotic building strategy. Based on these inputs, design alternatives are developed and evaluated, considering their robotically simulated constructibility, in terms of their performance criteria. To validate the proposed method, the design is evaluated in an experiment wherein a double-skin facade perforation is generated using the proposed methodology. The results suggest a heuristic feature to improve the simulated robotic constructibility. Moreover, the functionality of the prototype is demonstrated.

This article deals with the conformable double Laplace transforms and their some properties with examples and also the existence Condition for the conformable double Laplace transform is studied. Finally, in order to obtain the solution of nonlinear fractional problems, we present a modified conformable double Laplace that we call conformable double Laplace decomposition methods (CDLDM). Then, we apply it to solve, Regular and singular conformable fractional coupled burgers equation illustrate the effectiveness of our method some examples are given.

Despite notable advancements in immunotherapy in the past decades, allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HCT) remains a promising, potentially curative treatment modality. Only a limited number of studies has performed a direct comparison of two prevalent rabbit anti-thymocyte globulin (r-ATG) formulations — specifically, Thymoglobuline (ATG-T, formerly Genzyme) and Grafalon (ATG-G, formerly Fresenius). The primary objective of our retrospective analysis was to compare the outcomes of adult patients undergoing matched or mismatched unrelated donor (MUD/MMUD) allo-HCT, with a graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) prophylaxis based on either ATG-T or ATG-G. A total of 87 patients undergone allo-HCT between 2012 and 2022 were included. We observed no significant differences between ATG-T and ATG-G concerning the occurrence of acute graft-versus-host disease (aGvHD), regardless of its severity. Conversely, chronic graft-versus-host disease (cGvHD) occurred less frequently in the ATG-T group compared to ATG-G (7.5% vs. 38.3%, p=0.001). Patients treated with ATG-T manifested a higher incidence of cytomegalovirus (CMV) reactivations (70% vs. 31.9%, p&lt;0.001), with a shorter time between transplant and CMV (&lt;61 days, 77.8% vs. 33.3%, p=0.008) and a higher median CMV copy number (1000 vs. 0, p=0.004). Notably, despite a higher occurrence of CMV reactivations in the ATG-T cohort, most patients were asymptomatic compared to ATG-G (85.7% vs. 43.8%, p=0.005). Finally, we observed no significant differences in terms of 5-year overall survival (OS) and 3-year probability of relapse while comparing ATG-T and ATG-G (32.0% vs 40.3%, p=0.423; 63.9% vs 55.7%, p=0.438, respectively).

We compare two methods for creating a microfluidic device from an initial positive master with the same surface relief as the final device. The first method uses urethane or epoxy resin to create an intermediate master for PDMS casting. This method has a very low failure rate but a longer processing time. The second method utilizes PDMS double casting where the intermediate master is passivated PDMS. This method has a higher failure rate but a significantly shorter processing time. Detailed methodology for both methods is included along with a comparison of the strengths and weaknesses of each method. The resin intermediate is a simpler method while PDMS double casting is faster and more scalable. Ultimately it is found that PDMS double casting is preferable in most situations.

This paper presents a comprehensive study and the analysis of a topology of a no isolated DC-DC intituled Double Quadratic Boost converter with high static gain. This converter has the main advantage of high static gain and low voltage stress on its switches. The article will first present the theoretical analysis of the converter operating in an open loop. The objective of the work is the mathematical modeling and the control strategy of the converter, as well as the validation through closed-loop experimental results. Besides, we presented the practice test results to demonstrate the operation of the converter, such as the static gain experimental curve, the practice efficiency of the converter, and the control of the output voltage, as well as the capacitor voltage balance control. The authors designed a prototype for 1 kW, with a switching frequency of fs=50kHz, with FPGA-based command and modulation.

Bootstrapping is a flexible, powerful and well-established statistical approach to quantify the uncertainty of virtually any point estimate. While multiple versions of bootstrap confidence intervals are already available in Stata, dbs implements the double (iterated) bootstrap. Instead of relying on parametric assumptions such as the non-parametric resampling bootstrap confidence interval does, it is more flexible and derives critical values directly from that data. To do so, multiple methods are available (analytic approach, double resampling, jackknife estimation). In a comparative simulation study it is empirically demonstrated that the strengths of the double bootstrap are particularly evident for small samples (n < 100) when heteroscedasticity is present. While all other approaches result in undercoverage, only the double bootstrap reaches the target coverage level and hence avoids incorrect statistical conclusions. The computational burden is not even necessarily larger than for other bootstrap approaches.

In contemporary design practices, there is a disconnect between the design techniques used for early-stage design experimentation and performance analysis, and those used for the manufacture and construction. This study addresses the problems in developing an integrated digital design workflow and provides a research framework for integrating environmental performance requirements with robotic manufacturing processes on a construction site. The proposed method enables the user to import a design surface, identify design parameters, set several environmental performance goals, and thereafter simulate and select a robotic building strategy. Based on these inputs, design alternatives are developed and evaluated, considering their robotically simulated constructibility, in terms of their performance criteria. To validate the proposed method, the design is evaluated in an experiment wherein a double-skin facade perforation is generated using the proposed methodology. Initial results suggest a heuristic feature to improve the simulated robotic constructibility. Moreover, the functionality of the prototype is demonstrated.

Left ventricular noncompaction (LVNC) and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) commonly occur as separate disorders with distinct clinical and pathoanatomical features. However, these cardiomyopathies may have a similar genetic origin with mutations encoding sarcomeric proteins. The described case demonstrates an example, in which phenotypic expression of both diseases occurs in the same patient.

Control And Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems currently monitor and collect a huge among of data from all kind of processes. In practice, due to sensor failures or to communication errors, in the long-time running, some data may be lost. When it happens, given the nature of these failures, information is lost in bursts, that is, sets of consecutive samples, which besides can be very long. Data completion is a critical step, which must be done with the utmost rigour in order to not propagate errors in the rest of the processing chain stages. Some Big Data techniques do not work if the data series are incomplete, due to the loss of some data. When this occurs it is necessary to fill out the gaps of the historical data with a reliable data completion method. This paper presents an ad-hoc method to replenish the data lost by a SCADA system in case of long bursts. The data correspond to levels of drinking water tanks of a Water Network company that present patterns on a daily and a weekly scale. A method based on tensors is used to take advantage of the data structure. A specially designed \textit{tensorization} is employed to deal with bursts of missed data, applying a twice tensor decomposition and a signal continuity correction. Statistical tests are realized, which consist of apply the data reconstruction algorithms, by deliberately removing bursts of data in verified historical database servers, to be able to evaluate the real effectiveness of the tested methods. For this application, the presented approach outperforms the other techniques found in the literature.

A La2FeCrO6 (LFCO) double perovskite powders were synthesized by hydrothermal method, which crystallized in an orthorhombic (Pnma) structure and exhibited a spherical morphology with average particle size of 900 nm. Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy confirmed the octahedral coordination of Fe and Cr ions in the powders. XPS spectra revealed dual oxide states of Fe (Fe2+/Fe3+) and Cr (Cr3+/Cr4+) elements, and oxygen element appeared as lattice oxygen and defect oxygen, respectively. The LFCO powders exhibit ferromagnetic behavior at 5 K with saturation magnetization of 0.31 μB/f.u., coercive field of 8.0 kOe, and Curie temperature of 200 K. Griffiths phase appeared in the powders between 200 K and 223 K. The LFCO ceramics displayed a butterfly-like magnetoresistance (MR)-magnetic field (H) curve at 5 K with MR (5 K, 6 T) value of -4.07%. Temperature dependence of resistivity of the LFCO ceramics demonstrated their semiconducting nature. Electrical transport data were fitted by different conduction models. Strong frequency dispersion dielectric behavior was observed in the LFCO ceramics. A dielectric abnormality observed around 260 K, was ascribed to the jumping of electrons trapped in shallow levels created by oxygen vacancies. The dielectric relaxation behavior exhibited by dielectric loss between 160 K and 260 K, was contributed to the singly-ionized oxygen vacancies.

Semi-supervised consensus clustering is a promising strategy to compensate for the subjectivity of clustering and its sensitivity to design factors, with various techniques being recently proposed to integrate domain knowledge and multiple clustering partitions. In this article we present a new approach that makes double use of domain knowledge, namely to build the initial partitions as well as to combine them. In particular, we show how to model and integrate must-link and cannot-link constraints into the objective function of a generic consensus clustering (??) framework that maximizes the similarity between the consensus partition and the input partitions, which have, in turn, been enriched with the same constraints. In addition, borrowing from the theory of functional dependencies, the integrated framework exploits the notions of deductive closure and minimal cover to take full advantage of the logical implication between constraints. Using standard UCI benchmarks, we found that the resulting algorithm, termed ??? (double-Constrained Consensus Clustering), was more effective than plain ?? at combining base constrained partitions. We then argue that ??? is especially well-suited to profiling counterfeit e-commerce websites, because constraints can be acquired by leveraging specific domain features, and demonstrate its potential for detecting affiliate marketing programs. Taken together, our experiments suggest that ??? makes the process of clustering more robust and able to withstand changes in clustering algorithms, datasets, and features, with a remarkable improvement of average performance.

The neutrino is perhaps the most elusive member of the particle zoo. The questions about its nature, namely: Dirac or Majorana, the value of its mass and the interactions with other particles, the number of its components including sterile species, are long standing ones and still re- main in large extent without conclusive answers. From the side of the nuclear structure and nuclear reactions, both theories and experiments, the need to elucidate these questions have, and still has, prompt crucial developments in the fields of double beta decay, double charge exchange and neutrino induced reactions. The measurements of neutrino flavor os- cillation parameters contribute largely to restrict models with massless neutrinos. From the particle physics side, the possibilities to extent the standard model of electroweak interactions to incorporate a right handed sector of the electroweak lagrangian are directly linked to the adopted neu- trino model. Here, I would like to address another aspect of the problem by asking the question of the neutrino mass mechanism in the cosmological context, and particularly about dark matter.

The crystal structure of quintinite, Mg4Al2(OH)12(CO3)·3H2O, from Jacupiranga alkaline complex (Cajati, São Paulo, Brazil) has been refined for two samples (91002 and C7029) using single-crystal X-ray diffraction data. The mineral crystallizes in the P-3c1 space group, a = 5.246/5.298, c = 15.110/15.199 Å for the samples 91002/C7029. The crystal structure consists of octahedral sheets with Mg and Al ordering according to the 3 × 3 superstructure. The Mg and Al atoms are coordinated by six hydroxylated oxygen atoms each with the average &lt;Mg–O&gt; and &lt;Al–O&gt; bond distances being in the ranges 2.022–2.053 Å and 1.974–1.978 Å, respectively. The interlayer structures are identical (in contradiction to the previous assumptions) and compose from disordered (CO3)2- groups and (H2O)0 molecules. The samples from Jacupiranga can be identified as quintinite-2T that is the second find of the polytype after the Kovdor alkaline complex (Kola peninsula, Russia). The powder X-ray diffraction pattern of quintinite-2T contains weak superstructure reflection at 4.57 Å (010) indicative of Mg and Al ordering. An important crystal-chemical criterion of quintinite is the interlayer distance (d00n-value) of ~ 7.56 Å, which is steady for natural specimens from various findings worldwide.

To achieve the near zero emission of wastewater in the flue gas desulfurization (FGD) system in coal-fired power plant and better utilize the exhaust heat from flue gas, a feasible technology of spraying FGD wastewater in the flue duct for evaporation is discussed in the present study. A full-scale influencing factor investigation on the wastewater droplet evaporation performance is established under the Eulerian-Lagrangian model numerically. The dominant factors, including the characters of wastewater droplets, flue gas and the spray nozzles were analyzed under different conditions, respectively. Considering the multiple factors and conditions in the process, a Least-Square support vector machine (LSSVM) model is introduced to predict the evaporation rate based on the numerical results. Conclusions are made that the flue gas temperature and droplet diameter are of great importance in the evaporation process. The spray direction of droplet parallel with the flue gas flow direction is profitable for the dispersion of droplet, resulting the maximal evaporation rate. A double-nozzle arrangement optimized with relatively small flow rate is recommended. The LSSVM model can accurately predict the evaporation rate using the numerical results with different conditions.

Searching for neutrinoless double beta decay is a top priority in particle and astroparticle physics, being the most sensitive test of lepton number violation and the only suitable process to probe the Majorana nature of neutrinos. In order to increase the experimental sensitivity for this particular search, ton-scale detectors operated at nearly zero-background conditions with a few keV energy resolution are required. In this scenario, cryogenic detectors have proven effective in addressing many of these issues simultaneously. After long technical developments, the CUORE experiment established the possibility to operate large scale detectors based on this technology. Parallel studies pointed out that scintillating cryogenic detectors represent a suitable upgrade for the CUORE design, directed towards higher sensitivities. In this work, we review the recent development of cryogenic detectors, starting from the status of the art and outlying the path toward next-generation experiments.

Acetylcholine (ACh) is the best one characterized neurotransmitter. Its central roles in the cholinergic areas and central nervous system (CNS) and peripheral (PNS) synapses are well known. It was the first molecule identified as a neurotransmitter and appears to be phylogenetically the oldest one signaling molecules. ACh was detected in bacteria, protozoa, fungi, algae and primitive plants, indicating that the cholinergic system was widely distributed in living organisms before its appearance in the nervous system. The autonomous nervous system (ANS) is an integral part animal kingdom history. It determines fight-escape reactions as well as outlining the vital and cognitive functions bio-organization rhythms. The virus (Covid-19) extraneous effects acting on it could help to better understand its functions. The Blast results show some factors like protein that can be implicated such as bungaro-toxins, phospholipase A2 and the similar prothrombin activator protein. A positive correlation with different toxins is obtained and the Covid-19 double pathogenic mechanism theory is proposed. The process allows us to outline the possibility about toxic-like factors presence.

Infections contribute to carcinogenesis through inflammation-related mechanisms. It is well established that H. pylori infection is an etiological factor in gastric carcinogenesis. However, the mechanism through which H. pylori infection contributes to the development of gastric cancer has not been fully elucidated. H. pylori-associated chronic inflammation is linked to genomic instability via reactive oxygen and nitrogen species (RONS). In this article, we summarize the current knowledge of H. pylori-induced double strand breaks (DSBs). Further, we will provide mechanistic insight into how processing of oxidative DNA damage via base excision repair (BER) leads to double strand breaks (DSBs). We review the recent progress how H. pylori infection triggers NF-kB /iNOS versus NF-kB/nucleotide excision repair (NER) axis mediated DSBs to drive genomic instability. Taken together, this review discusses current findings related to DSBs and their implications for the mechanisms of DSB repair.

A novel starch stabilized Mg/Al LDHs material (S-LDH) was prepared in a facile approach and its fluoride ion removal performance was developed. Characterization of S-LDH was employed by using XRD, FTIR and particle size distribution. The adsorption property was studied through the assessment of adsorption isotherms, kinetic models, thermal dynamics and pH influence. The result shows that a low loading of starch of 10 mg onto LDH could obviously improve fluoride removal rate. The S-LDH had 3 times higher adsorption capacity to fluoride than that of Mg/Al LDH to fluoride. The particle size was smaller and the particle size distribution was narrower for S-LDH than that for Mg/Al LDH. Langmuir adsorption isotherm model and pseudo-second-order kinetic model fitted well with the experimental data. In thermodynamic parameters, the enthalpy (△H0) value was 35.63 kJ mol-1 and the entropy (△S0) value was 0.0806 kJ mol-1K-1. The values of △G0 were negative, implying the adsorption process is spontaneous. S-LDH reveals stable adsorption property in a wide pH range from 3 to 9. The mechanism for fluoride adsorption on S-LDH included surface adsorption and interaction ion exchange.

In this article, we first introduced new types of higher separation axioms called (r,s)-GFS-regular and (r,s)-GFS-normal spaces with the help of (r,s)-generalized fuzzy semi-closed sets (briefly, (r,s)-gfsc sets) and discussed some topological properties of them. Thereafter, we defined a stronger form of (r,s)-gfsc sets called (r,s)-g*fsc sets and investigated some of its features. Moreover, we showed that (r,s)-fsc set → (r,s)-g*fsc set → (r,s)-gfsc set, but the converse may not be true. In addition, we explored new types of fuzzy generalized mappings between double fuzzy topological spaces (U, τ, τ*) and (V, η, η*), and the relationships between these classes of mappings were examined with the help of some illustrative examples. Finally, some new types of compactness via (r,s)-gfso sets were defined and the relationships between them were introduced.

The newly developed friction-interlocking armor unit, called ‘Double cube’ (DC), has been designed to improve the performance of the concrete armor unit used in river/marine structures against currents/waves actions. DC unit, is an octagonal-shaped block, made up of two parts: an upper cube set on a lower base that is either square or octagonal in shape. The innovative design aims to provide a good performance in terms of stability, high tolerance placement with various contact points and ease of placement. DC’s shape and placement enhance the stability by bringing the center of gravity closer to the underlayer and providing a large contact surfaces with surrounding blocks that reduce the chance of extraction and limit movements (rocking, lifting) via "keystone" effect. The characteristics of this new unit provides a relatively high hydraulic stability number for the armor layer (NS=2.9), a favorable hydraulic performance due to energy dissipation from turbulence and aeration, as well as a high roughness coefficient (γf≈0.46) helping to reduce the overtopping.

In order to solve the interference of narrowband communication system to ultra-wideband (UWB) system and meet the design requirements of high isolation of multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) antenna, two MIMO antennas with double notch structures are designed. Firstly, a two-element antenna was placed symmetrically in parallel, and two rectangular branches were loaded to improve the isolation. U-shaped slots and inverted U-shaped slots are etched on the radiating patch and feeder to achieve notch characteristics in WIMAX and ITU band, respectively. Then, in order to meet more application scenarios, a four-element MIMO antenna is designed, where each element is placed orthogonally to each other, and the isolation is improved by loading a cross-shaped branches in the middle of elements. Both antenna samples are tested to verify the design. Measured results show that the working bandwidth of the two-element UWB MIMO antenna is 2.45-14.88 GHz, the isolation is greater than 17 dB, the peak gain is 5.7 dB, the maximum radiation efficiency can reach 96%, the envelope correlation coefficient (ECC)is less than 0.02. Meanwhile, the working bandwidth of the four-element antenna is 2.14-14.95 GHz, the isolation is greater than 20 dB, the peak gain is 5.9 dB, the maximum radiation efficiency can reach 95%, the ECC is lower than 0.05. They both are with very good omnidirectional characteristic, and meet the requirements of the UWB application.

Liver fibrosis is based on complex interactions between extracellular matrix-producing hepatic stellate cells and is defined as excessive matrix deposition and an abundance of infiltrating cells in the liver. Studying these processes requires in vitro and in vivo experimental work on animals. In fibrosis research, experimental work in rodents is currently the gold standard for confirming a proposed disease-associated mechanism. Bile duct ligation (BDL) induces obstructive jaundice resulting in cholestasis. BDL is useful for preclinical research studies of liver injury due to extrahepatic cholestasis such as apoptosis and fibrosis. Here we provide a stepwise surgical approach to resect the common bile duct and monitor in situ hepatic metabolism by microdialysis.

In the current pilot study, we attempt to find out how double neurofeedback influences functional hemispheric asymmetry and activity. We examined 30 healthy participants (8 males; 22 females, mean age = 29; SD= 8). To measure functional hemispheric asymmetry and activity, we used computer laterometry in the ‘two-source’ lead-lag dichotic paradigm. Double biofeedback included 8 minutes of EEG oscillation recording with five minutes of basic mode. During the basic mode, the current amplitude of the EEG oscillator gets transformed into feedback sounds while the current amplitude of alpha EEG oscillator is used to modulate the intensity of light signals. Double neurofeedback did not directly influence the asymmetry itself but accelerated individual sound perception characteristics during dichotic listening in the preceding effect paradigm. Further research is needed to investigate the effect of double neurofeedback training on functional brain activity and asymmetry taking into account participants’ age, gender, and motivation.

Obesity in Australia is rapidly rising, and is a major public health concern. Obesity increases risk of breast cancer and worse associated outcomes, yet breast screening participation rates in Australia are suboptimal and can be lower in higher risk, obese women. This study qualitatively explored barriers to breast screening participation in obese women in Australia. In-depth interviews (n=29), were conducted with obese women (BMI 30) and key health stakeholders. A disconnect between stakeholders’ and women’s perceptions was found. For women, low knowledge around a heightened need to screen existed, they reported limited desire to prioritize personal health needs, reluctance to screen due to poor body image and prior negative mammographic experiences due to issues with weight. Stakeholders perceived few issues in screening obese women beyond equipment limitations, and health and safety issues. Overall, weight was a taboo topic among our interviewees, indicating that a lack of discourse around this issue may be putting obese women at increased risk of breast cancer morbidity and mortality. Consideration of breast screening policy in obese women is warranted. Targeted health promotion on increased breast cancer risk in obese women is required as is a need to address body image issues and encourage screening participation.

Double burden of malnutrition (DBM) and anaemia is a growing concern in developing countries. 5,763 mother-child pairs were selected from a cross-sectional study (Bangladesh Demographic Health Survey, 2011) to examine DBM and anaemia in households. Overweight mothers had stunted (24.5%), underweight (19.8%), wasted (9.3%) and anaemic (51.7%) children. Region and drinking water were positively associated with both DBM and anaemia (p < 0.001). Father’s occupation and wealth index were positively associated with DBM (p <0.001) only. More policies and awareness programmes are needed to address the coexistence of child undernutrition and maternal overweight/obesity and anaemia in the same household.

Motivated by the importance of entanglement and correlation indicators in the analysis of quantum systems, we study the equilibrium and the residual entropy in a two-species Bose Hubbard dimer when the spatial phase separation of the two species takes place. We consider both the zero and non-zero-temperature regime. We present different kinds of residual entropies (each one associated to a different way of partitioning the system), and we show that they strictly depend on the specific quantum phase characterizing the two species (supermixed, mixed or demixed) even at finite temperature. To provide a deeper physical insight into the zero-temperature scenario, we apply the fully-analytical variational approach based on su(2) coherent states and provide a considerbly good approximation of the entanglement entropy. Finally, we show that the effectiveness of residual entropy as a critical indicator at non-zero temperature is unchanged when considering a restricted combination of energy eigenstates.

The nickel-chromium-molybdenum alloy 625 exhibits an excellent combination of mechanical properties and corrosion resistance. However, the high temperature plastic deformation process and the heat treatment represent critical aspects and the adoption of non-optimal parameters can result in excessive grain coarsening and loss in mechanical strength. This detrimental behavior is worsened by the presence of a narrow region of temperatures and strain rates for complete recrystallization and the absence of phase transformation temperatures. In this alloy, the presence of sufficient amounts of niobium, titanium and aluminum permits slow age-hardening response upon single-aging treatments. Therefore, when the soft- or solution-annealed condition is associated with insufficient mechanical properties, this potentiality can be exploited to improve the mechanical strength and prevent waste of material and resources. Since the precipitation kinetic of the hardening γ^'' phase can be accelerated by prior nucleation treatment, different time-temperature combinations of double aging at 732 °C and 621 °C are investigated to reduce the overall heat treatment time. However, the simultaneous formation of Cr-rich carbides can dramatically affect the intergranular corrosion resistance. For this reason, a performance map is developed to compare all the tested conditions and identify the best compromise in terms of mechanical strength and corrosion rate.

In this article, we first defined a stronger form of (r,s)-generalized fuzzy semi-closed sets (briefly, (r,s)-gfsc sets) called (r,s)-g*fsc sets and investigated some of its features. Moreover, we showed that (r,s)-fsc set → (r,s)-g*fsc set → (r,s)-gfsc set, but the converse may not be true. In addition, we explored novel types of fuzzy generalized mappings between double fuzzy topological spaces (U, τ, τ*) and (V, η, η*), and the relationships between these classes of mappings were examined with the help of some illustrative examples. Thereafter, we introduced novel types of higher separation axioms called (r,s)-GFS-regular and (r,s)-GFS-normal spaces with the help of (r,s)-gfsc sets and discussed some topological properties of them. Finally, some novel types of compactness via (r,s)-gfso sets were defined and the relationships between them were introduced.

Prior work has suggested that discrimination and immigration-related stress may impede mental health care seeking and utilization among Latinx populations. These effects may be more nuanced as both discrimination and immigration-related stress may increase symptomology, particularly posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. Both symptoms may in turn prompt attempts to seek care. The current study examined the direct effects of discrimination and immigration-related stress on care access, as well as potentially indirect effects with PTSD and depression symptoms as mediators. Interviews and online surveys were completed with 234 Latinx residents of the Midwest assessing everyday discrimination, discrimination in healthcare, PTSD symptoms, depression symptoms, current mental health utilization, and previous unsuccessful attempts to seek care. Direct effects of discrimination and immigration-related stress were largely unrelated to care access variables. Discrimination in healthcare settings predicted both unsuccessful attempts to seek care and current use, but this effect was positive. The indirect effect was largely supported, but only for PTSD symptoms and not depression. Results indicate further investigation is necessary to understand the direct effects of discrimination on care access. Further, discrimination and immigration-related stress may indirectly prompt attempts to seek mental health care.

New hybrid composites based on the inclusion of a vegetal extract, i.e., Boswellia Serrata extract (BSE), rich in boswellic acids, well known as a potent anti-inflammatory natural drug, in a lamellar solid layered double hydroxide (LDH), i.e. a Magnesium Aluminum Carbonate, were developed and characterized in the present work. The adopted LDH exhibits a layered crystal structure, comprised of positively charged hydroxide layers and interlayers composed of carbonate anions and water molecules, thus it was expected to embed negatively charged boswellic acids. In the present case, a calcination process was also adopted on LDH to increase organic acids loading, based on the replacement of original inorganic anions. An accurate investigation was carried out by TGA, PXRD, FT-IR/ATR, XPS and LC-MS to ascertain the nature, interaction, and quantifica-tion of the active molecules of the vegetal extract loaded in the developed hybrid materials. As a result, a significant disruption of the original layered structure was observed in LDH subjected to calcination (LDHc), and this material was able to include a higher amount of organic acids when its composite with BSE was prepared. However, in vitro tests on composites bioactivity, expressed in terms of antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory activity, evidenced LDH-BSE as a better material compared to BSE and to LDHc-BSE, thus suggesting that, though the embedded organic acids amount was lower, they could be more available since not firmly bound to the clay. The composite was able to significantly decrease the number of viable pathogens such as Escherichia Coli and Staphylococcus aureus, as well as the internalization of toxic active species into human cells imposed to oxidative stress in comparison to the BSE.

We present a case of a combination of two rare hereditary disorders: Аdrenal insufficiency, obesity, and red hair syndrome (OBAIRH) and Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) in a boy. Both diseases were diagnosed during the first year of life. OBAIRH was suggested based on the ethnicity and family history of the patient, while DMD – based on an extreme increase in transaminase and CK levels during biochemical analysis of his blood.

In the Formula Student Racing Car, the anti-deformation ability of the frame will affect the four-wheel positioning parameters of the racing car, and then affect the handling and stability performance of the racing car. The quality of the frame directly determines the power and economy of the racing car, so the performance of the frame is very important to the performance of the race. In order to improve the performance of the frame and reduce the total weight of the frame, the research on the lightweight design of the frame is particularly important. In this paper, based on the variable density method, the global topology optimization of the frame is carried out to obtain the distribution of the frame material, realize the efficient use of the material, and improve the torsional stiffness of the frame. Based on the adjoint variable method, the sensitivity analysis of the frame is carried out. According to the sensitivity analysis results, the size of the frame is optimized. The total mass of the frame is reduced by 12.8 %, and the performance of the maximum displacement and maximum stress is improved. The lightweight design of the frame is realized as a whole.

This study investigates via Lie symmetry analysis the Hunter-Saxton equation, an equation relevant to the theoretical analysis of nematic liquid crystals. We employ the multiplier method to obtain conservation laws of the equation derived from first-order multipliers. Conservation laws of the Hunter-Saxton equation, in combination with the Lie point symmetries of the equation, enable us to perform symmetry reductions through employment of the double reduction method. The method exploits the relationship between Lie point symmetries and conservation laws to effectively reduce both the number of variables and the order of the equation. Five nontrivial conservation laws of the Hunter-Saxton equation are derived, four of which are found to have associated Lie point symmetries. Applying the double reduction method to the Hunter-Saxton equation results in a set of first-order ordinary differential equations, the solutions of which represent invariant solutions for the equation.

In recent years, the need to make the built environment more resilient and adaptable to climate change has become increasingly evident. In Europe, this aspect concerns the vast majority of existing buildings, which present several deficiencies from the energy-efficiency point of view, considering they were designed before the introduction of modern energy codes. Nowadays, it is possible to retrofit existing buildings using advanced and high-efficient technologies such as Double Skin Façades (DSFs). The research aims to evaluate the use of properly designed DSFs for the energy restoration of existing buildings. In detail, various DSF configurations are applied to a residential building located in central Italy and investigated under present and future climate conditions, estimated through regional climate models. The results underline that all the analysed Double Skin Façades confirm to be a useful option, and, in particular, the Multi-Storey typology allows drastic energy needs decrement. Moreover, the general increase in temperatures and solar radiations could affect the building energy performance, and the insertion of DSF can mitigate the climate change effects, reducing the predicted energy consumption and ensuring better behaviours than the building in its original state.

Background: Continuous subcutaneous apomorphine infusion (CSAI), levodopa-carbidopa intestinal gel infusion (LCIG), and deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) have markedly changed the treatment landscape of advanced Parkinson’s disease (aPD). Despite a similar outcome of all device-aided therapies (DATs), some patients switch or combine DATs. The aim of this retrospective study was to explore the frequency and reasons for switching between or combining DATs in two movement disorders centres in Slovenia and Israel. Methods: We collected and analysed demographic and clinical data from aPD patients who switched between or combined DATs. Motor and non-motor reasons and their frequency for switching/combining were examined, as was the effect of DAT using the Global Improvement subscale of the Clinical Global Impression Scale. Non-parametric tests were used to analyse the data. Results: Of 505 aPD patients treated with DATs at both centres between January 2009 and June 2021, we identified in total 30 patients (6%), who either switched DAT (N=24: 7 LCIG-to-STN-DBS, 1 LCIG-to-CSAI, 5 CSAI-to STN-DBS, 8 CSAI-to-LCIG, 1 STN-DBS-to-LCIG, 1 LCIG-to-CSAI-to-STN-DBS, and 1 STN-DBS-to-CSAI-to-LCIG) or combined DATs (N=6: 5 STN-DBS+LCIG and 1 STN-DBS+CSAI-to-STN-DBS+LCIG). In most of these patients, inadequate control of motor symptoms was the main reason for switching or combining DATs, but non-motor reasons (related to the disease and/or DAT) were also identified. Conclusions: Switching between and combining DATs is uncommon, but in some patients brings substantial clinical improvement and should be considered in those who have either inadequate symptom control on DAT treatment or have developed DAT related complications.

Determination of the presence in the blood of antibodies specific to the causative agent of a particular disease (serodiagnosis) is an effective approach in medical analytical chemistry. Serodiagnostics performed in the lateral flow immunoassay format (immunochromatography) meet the modern requirements for point-of-care testing and are supported by existing technologies of large-scale diagnostic tests production—thus raising increased attention in a tense epidemiological situation. For traditional lateral flow serodiagnostics formats, a large number of nonspecific immunoglobulins in the sample significantly reduces the degree of detectable binding. To overcome these limitations, an assay based on the formation of immobilized antigen— specific antibody—labeled antigen complexes detection was proposed. However, the requirements for its implementation, providing maximum sensitivity, have not been established. This article describes the mathematical model for the above assay. The influence of the ratio of reagent concentrations on the analysis results is considered. It is noted that the formation of specific antibody complexes with several labeled antigens is the main limiting factor in reducing the detection limit, and methods are proposed to minimize this factor. Recommendations for the choice of the assay conditions, following from the analysis of the model, are confirmed experimentally.

We compare the well known Rayleigh-Ritz variational method (RRVM) with a recently proposed approach based on supersymmetric quantum mechanics and the Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization method (SSQMGS). We apply both procedures to a particular class of double-well harmonic oscillators that had been conveniently chosen for the application of the latter approach. The RRVM eigenvalues converge smoothly from above providing much more accurate results with less computational effort. Present results show that the unproved SSQMGS upper bounds do not hold.

Channel estimation is an important module to enhance the performance of orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems. However, the presence of a large amount of noise in multipath fading time-varying channels significantly affects the channel estimation accuracy and thus the recovery quality of the received signals. Therefore, this paper proposes a double-threshold (DT) channel estimation method based on adaptive frame statistics (AFS). The method first adaptively determines the number of statistical frames based on the temporal correlation of the received signals, and preliminarily detects the channel structure by analyzing the distribution characteristics of multipath sampling points and noise sampling points during adjacent frames. Subsequently, a multi-frame averaging technique is used to expand the distinction between multipath and noise sampling points. Finally, the DT is designed to better recover the channel based on the preliminary detection results. Simulation results show that the proposed adaptive frame statistics-double-threshold (AFS-DT) channel estimation method is effective and has better performance compared with many existing channel estimation methods.

Background and Objectives: The novel double-pigtail catheter (DPC) has an additional pigtail coiling at the mid-shaft with centripetal multiple side holes. The aim of the present study was to investigate the advantages and efficacy of DPC in overcoming the complications of conventional single-pigtail catheters (SPC) used to drain pleural effusion. Materials and Methods: Between July 2018 and December 2019, 382 pleural effusion drainage procedures were reviewed retrospectively (DPC, n = 156; SPC without multiple side holes, n = 110; SPC with multiple side holes [SPC+M], n = 116). All patients showed shifting pleural effusion in the decubitus view of chest radiography. All catheters were 10.2 Fr in diameter. One interventional radiologist performed all procedures and used the same anchoring technique. Complications (dysfunctional retraction, complete dislodgement, blockage, and atraumatic pneumothorax) were compared among the catheters using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Clinical success was defined as improvement in pleural effusion within 3 days without additional procedures. A survival analysis was performed for calculating the indwelling time. Results: The dysfunctional retraction rate of DPC was significantly lower than that of the other catheters (p < .001). Complete dislodgement did not occur in any of the DPC cases. The clinical success rate of DPC (90.1%) was the highest. The estimated indwelling times were nine (95% confidence interval [CI]: 7.3–10.7), eight (95% CI: 6.6–9.4), and seven (95% CI: 6.3–7.7) days for SPC, SPC+M, and DPC, respectively, with DPC showing a significant difference (p < .05). Conclusions: DPC had a lower dysfunctional retraction rate compared to conventional drainage catheters. Furthermore, DPC were efficient for pleural effusion drainage with a shorter indwelling time.

Reliable prediction of sustainable energy consumption is the key to designing environmental friend buildings. In this study, two novel hybrid intelligent methods, namely grasshopper optimization algorithm (GOA), wind-driven optimization (WDO), and biogeography-based optimization (BBO) is employed to optimize the multitarget prediction of heating loads (HLs) and cooling loads (CLs) in heating ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems. Concerning the optimization of applied hybrid algorithms, a series of swarm-based iteration is performed, and the best structure for the abovementioned methods are proposed. Besides, through sensitivity analyzing the relationship between the HLs and CLs and influential factors are highlighted. In other words, the GOA, WDO, and BBO algorithm are mixed with a class of feedforward artificial neural networks (ANN), which called MLP (multi-layer perceptron) to predict the HLs and CLs. According to the provided sensitivity analysis, the WDO with swarm size = 500 proposes the most proper-fitted terms after it has been combined with optimized MLP. The proposed WDO-MLP (training (R2 correlation=0.977 and RMSE error=0.183) and testing (R2 correlation=0.973 and RMSE error=0.190)) provided accurate prediction in the heating load and (training (R2 correlation=0.99 and RMSE error=0.147) and testing (R2 correlation=0.99 and RMSE error=0.148)) presents the most-fit prediction in the cooling load.

The role of the Renin-Angiotensin-Aldosterone System (RAAS) in Corona Virus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) infection has become a controversial topic of discussion. RAAS inhibitors, such as Angiotensin Converting Enzyme (ACE) inhibitors and Angiotensin II receptor blockers (ARBs), which are used to treat cardiovascular diseases, have been implicated in potentially increasing cell surface levels of ACE2. ACE2 is the host receptor for COVID-19 that was discovered in Wuhan, China in December 2019. Since December, COVID-19 has transmitted rapidly across the world and has become a global pandemic. COVID-19 is similar to the Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) with the first case reported in Saudi Arabia in September 2012. COVID-19, also known as severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), is also similar to SARS-CoV, which first infected humans in the Guangdong province of southern China in 2002, and caused an epidemic between November 2002 and July 2003. Both SARS-CoV and COVID-19 use ACE2 to enter host cells. ACE2 is primarily expressed in the mouth, lung, heart, esophagus, kidney, bladder, and intestines, and is a component of RAAS, which serves to maintain vascular tone and blood volume. Inhibition or activation of other components of RAAS has been shown to directly increase or decrease the expression and/or activity of ACE2. Furthermore, RAAS-targeting therapeutics, such as ACE inhibitors and ARBs, have also been shown to regulate the expression and/or activity of ACE2, albeit in animal models. Although these changes in ACE2 have been demonstrated only in animal models, there is no evidence that administration of RAAS-targeting therapeutics to humans for the treatment of hypertension, diabetes, and other cardiovascular diseases (e.g., myocardial infarction and heart failure) causes changes in ACE2 expression. Nor is there clinical evidence that RAAS-targeting therapeutics augment COVID-19 infection, morbidity, or mortality. However, clinical evidence does suggest that ACE2 expression may protect against respiratory distress caused by a variety of noxious agents. This review attempts to provide a balanced overview of the potential role of RAAS in regulating ACE2, and the role of ACE2 during COVID-19 infection. Evidence is provided to show that the expression of ACE2 may mediate both positive and negative outcomes, depending on the timing of ACE2 expression.

DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) are deleterious lesions that are generated in response to ionizing radiation or replication fork collapse that can lead to genomic instability and cancer. Eukaryotes have evolved two major pathways, namely homologous recombination (HR) and non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) to repair DSBs. Whereas the roles of protein-DNA interactions in HR and NHEJ have been fairly well defined, the functions of small and long non-coding RNAs and RNA-DNA hybrids in the DNA damage response is just beginning to be elucidated. This review summarizes recent discoveries on the identification of non-coding RNAs and RNA-mediated regulation of DSB repair