Pretreatment of cells with proteolysis inhibitors diminished intensity and changed shape of DNICs specific EPR signal in a treatment time-dependent manner. The level of DNIC formation was significantly influenced by the presence of protein degradation products. Interestingly, formation of HMWDNICs depended on the availability of LMWDNICs. The extent of glutathione involvement in the in vivo formation of DNICs is minor yet noticeable, aligning with our prior research findings.

This work (in two parts) will review the recently developed predictive modeling methodology called “4th-BERRU-PM” and its applicability to energy systems as exemplified by an illustrative application to the Polyethylene-Reflected Plutonium (acronym: PERP) OECD/NEA reactor physics benchmark. The acronym 4th-BERRU-PM designates the “Fourth-Order Best-Estimate Results with Reduced Uncertainties Predictive Modeling” methodology, which yields best-estimate results with reduced uncertainties for the first fourth-order moments (mean values, covariance, skewness, and kurtosis) of the optimally predicted posterior distribution of model results and calibrated model parameters. The 4th-BERRU-PM uses the Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt) principle to incorporate fourth-order experimental and computational information, including fourth (and higher) order sensitivities of computed model responses to model parameters, thus incorporating, as particular cases, the results previously predicted by the second-order predictive modeling methodology 2nd-BERRU-PM, and vastly generalizing the results produced by extant data assimilation and data adjustment procedures. The 4th-BERRU-PM methodology encompasses the scopes of high-order sensitivity analysis (SA), uncertainty quantification (UQ), data assimilation (DA) and model calibration (MC). The application of the 4th-BERRU-PM methodology to energy systems is illustrated by means of the above-mentioned OECD/NEA reactor physics benchmark, which is modeled using the neutron transport Boltzmann equation involving 21976 imprecisely known parameters, the solution of which is representative of “large-scale computations.” The model result (“response”) of interest is the leakage of neutrons through the outer surface of this spherical benchmark, which can be computed numerically and measured experimentally. Part 1 of this work illustrates the impact of high-order sensitivities, in conjunction with parameter standard deviations of various magnitudes, on the determination of the expected value and variance of the computed response in terms of the first four moments of the distribution of the uncertain model parameters. Part 2 of this work will illustrate the capabilities of the 4th-BERRU-PM methodology for combining computational and experimental information, up to and including forth-order sensitivities and distributional moments, for producing best-estimate values for the predicted responses and model parameters while reducing their accompanying uncertainties.

Depressions containing partially molten rocks were investigated in Quaternary pebbly sedi-ments in Alpine foreland in Bavaria, Germany. Ruins of limekilns from 18-19th centuries are abundant around Seeshaupt. They are usually associated with earthworks for fuel feeding and protection from wind. Depressions contain partially molten stones from furnace walls, with lime and burnt loam remnants. On the surface of pebbles (typically gneisses), green glass formed with chemical composition possibly affected by moderately volatile components of wood biomass, mainly K and Cu. Thermoplastic deformation of pebbles is limited and the sur-face melt deformation points to slow flow. At Emmerting, on the other hand, two walled circu-lar depressions which lack additional earthworks have been identified as possible impact cra-ters. Thermally affected pebbles show much more intense deformation. Colorless to greenish glass, also K and Cu enriched, usually forms only thin surface coatings, in places covered by younger melt extruded from pebble interior. Burnt loam is missing. At Grabenstätt-Kaltenbach, a depression of unclear origin was investigated. Morphologically, it matches craters rather than limekilns, but anthropogenic contamination (brick-like material) is probable. The rare molten samples do not display extreme deformation features. The thermally affected stones, mainly those from Emmerting, have elevated magnetic susceptibility.

In this work, we studied light-output properties, efficiency function as well as PSD capability of p-Terphenyl scintillator. The selected solid cylindrical scintillation detector has a size of (45 x 45) mm with PSD properties. Recently presented studies of light-output functions have been measured only for low neutron energies. Our motivation has been to determine more accurate the light output function for p-Terphenyl scintillator over a wider neutron energy range.

In the last three decades the presence of phospholipids in the nucleus has been shown and thoroughly investigated. A great interest raised about nuclear inositol lipids mainly because of their role in signalling acting. Here we review the main issues of nuclear phospholipid localization and the role of nuclear inositol lipids and their related enzymes in cellular signaling both in physiological and pathological conditions.

Multilayered metallic sheets fabricated by hot metal forming processes are attractive structural components in the aerospace and automobile industry. The strength of the mechanical bond between the different layers is critical to the applicability of such components in load bearing applications. While it is well understood that the process conditions such as temperature, deformation and rate of deformation influence the bond strength, a clear functional relationship between these conditions and the bond strength has yet to be established. The objective of the current study is to investigate the joining of Aluminum-6061 alloy specimens by hot compression bonding. Hot compression tests of beam specimen pairs were conducted at different temperatures (300-500℃), with different strains and strain rates (10-2-10-1 [1sec]). Coupled thermo-mechanical finite element models were utilized to compute the time dependent thermo-mechanical fields that develop along the specimen interface. The computed values were used to map the spatial distribution of a scalar parameter J which is hypothesized to govern bond formation. Mechanical tensile tests were used to determine the bond strength and expose the bonded surfaces. It is demonstrated that the computed J distribution can be correlated well with SEM observations of the debonded surface. It is also shown that the actual bonded area can be predicted from the computations for a certain range of critical J values.

The importance of personalized medicine is growing, since there is an urged need to avoid unnecessary and expensive treatments. In nuclear medicine, the theranostic approach is an established tool for a specific molecular targeting in means of diagnostics and therapy. The visualisation of potential targets can help to predict if a patient would benefit from a particular treatment or not. Thanks to the quick development of radiopharmaceuticals and diagnostic techniques, the use of theranostic agents is constantly rising. In this article important milestones of nuclear therapies and diagnostics in the context of theranostics are highlighted. It begins with the well-known radioiodine therapy in patients with thyroid cancer and then guides through different approaches for the treatment of advanced cancer with targeted therapies. The aim of this review is to provide a summary of background knowledge, current applications and advantages of targeted therapies and imaging in nuclear medicine practice.

Bulk composition, mineralogy and microchemistry of various fractions of the filling of the Crater No. 4 at Emmerting were investigated. Here we present mainly the fine fractions, which, in contrast to pebbles larger than ca. 4 cm, are relatively poor in material affected by melting. A 0.1 mm long meteorite fragment without ablation features was found, and remelted fragments of the same body have been identified. The projectile was dominated by enstatite, also containing forsterite, basic plagioclase, Ni-rich pyrrhotite and troilite, kamacite, silica, and probably merrillite. The molten fragments contain porous Mg-rich glass (indicating temperature > 1500 °C), minor Fe oxides, and occasionally uncommon Ni-rich minerals. The bulk composition and electron microprobe show that the amount of meteoritic material is low (<< 1 %), and it is not unequivocally manifested even in platinum-group elements abundances and osmium isotope ratios (the latter, however, were only measured in two samples). This can be explained by dilution of the filling by particles brought after the crater formation, and by probably achondritic composition of the projectile. Relatively large hollow spheroid Fe oxide particles were observed in thin sections from the magnetic fraction. A Mn oxide hollow spherule has also been found. In magnetically separated filling from the nearby Crater No. 5, bulk chemical composition points to contamination with several metals and metalloids probably due to influence of recent alluvial sediments. Therefore, the extent of meteoritic contamination in this crater may be even smaller.

We present and benchmark FilterNet, a flexible deep learning architecture for time series classification tasks, such as activity recognition via multichannel sensor data. It adapts popular CNN and CNN-LSTM motifs which have excelled in activity recognition benchmarks, implementing them in a many-to-many architecture to markedly improve frame-by-frame accuracy, event segmentation accuracy, model size, and computational efficiency. We propose several model variants, evaluate them alongside other published models using the Opportunity benchmark dataset, demonstrate the effect of model ensembling and of altering key parameters, and quantify the quality of the models’ segmentation of discrete events. We also offer recommendations for use and suggest potential model extensions. FilterNet advances the state of the art in all measured accuracy and speed metrics on the benchmarked dataset, and it can be extensively customized for other applications.

We have repeated the experiment performed recently by Krasznahorkay et al., (Phys. Rev. Lett. 116, 042501 (2016)), which may indicate a new particle called X17 in the literature. In order to get a reliable, and independent result, we used a different type of electron-positron pair spectrometer which have a more simple acceptance/efficiency as a function of the correlation angle, but the other conditions of the experiment were very similar to the published ones. We could confirm the presence of the anomaly measured at the Ex=18.15 MeV resonance, and also confirm their absence at the Ex=17.6 MeV resonance, and at Ep= 800 keV off resonance energies.

The German health authorities' guidelines for medical devices in 2012 highlighted the importance of cleaning ultrasound probes, emphasizing their validation and reliability. In addition to automated and validated options, alternative manual methods such as wipe disinfection have gained traction due to their independence from additional hardware. The study examines the effectiveness of manual disinfection methods, specifically the cleaning process, addressing concerns raised by the Robert Koch Institute regarding the lack of validation for wipe disinfection of semi-critical devices. The EQUINOS colored wipe disinfection kit identified wetting gaps in all cleanings across four probes tested. The results indicate significant challenges in ensuring complete surface wetting, particularly in complex body parts such as clip-on areas and shapes for additional biopsy attachments, suggesting that manual methods alone may not adequately mitigate the risk of infection transmission (p value .001). The study concludes that while manual disinfection methods are a viable alternative to automated reprocessing, there is a critical need for enhanced training and potentially the development of more effective manual disinfection techniques or colored wipes to ensure patient safety and compliance with healthcare hygiene standards.

Nuclear waste is one of the most important environmental problems of nuclear power plants. A novel renewable distillation method has been proposed for an on-site recycling of the spent nuclear fuel and separation of its valuable components from the fissile isotopes, which is especially applicable for reactors using liquid fuels.

A brief (subjective) description of the state of the art of the many-worlds interpretation of quantum mechanics (MWI) is presented. It is argued that the MWI is the only interpretation which removes action at a distance and randomness from quantum theory. Limitations of the MWI regarding questions of probability which can be legitimately asked are specified. The ontological picture of the MWI as a theory of the universal wave function decomposed in a superposition of world wave functions, the important part of which are defined in three-dimensional space, is viewed from the point of view of our particular branch. Some speculations about misconceptions which apparently prevent the MWI to be in the consensus are mentioned.

Rarely has a chemical elicited as much controversy as has dichloroacetate (DCA). DCA was initially considered a dangerous toxic industrial waste product. Then it was a potential treatment for lactic acidosis. However, the main controversies started in 2008 when DCA was found to have anti-cancer effects in experimental animals. These publications showed contradictory results in vivo and in vitro, so that a thorough consideration of this compound in cancer is merited. Despite 50 years of experimentation, DCA’s future in therapeutics is uncertain. Without adequate clinical trials and lack of health authorities’ approval, DCA has been introduced in off -label cancer treatments in alternative medicine clinics in Canada, Germany, and other European countries. The lack of well-planned clinical trials and its use by people without medical training has discouraged consideration by the scientific community. There are limited thorough clinical studies of DCA, and many publications are individual case reports. Case reports of DCA benefits against cancer have been increasing recently. Furthermore, it has been shown that DCA synergizes with conventional treatments and other repurposable drugs. Beyond the classic DCA target, pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase, new target molecules have also been recently discovered. These findings have renewed interest in DCA. This paper explores whether existing evidence justifies further research on DCA for cancer treatment and it explores the role DCA may play in oncology treatment.

We consider an $N$ fermion system at low temperature $T$ in which we encounter special particle number values $N_m$ exhibiting special traits. These values arise in focusing attention upon the degree of mixture (DM) of the pertinent quantum states. Given the coupling constant of the Hamiltonian, the DMs stay constant for all $N$-values, but experience sudden jumps at the $N_m$. For a quantum state described by the matrix $\rho$, its purity is expressed by $Tr \rho^2$ and then the degree of mixture is given by $1 - Tr \rho^2$, a quantity that coincides with the entropy $S_q$ for $q=2$. Thus, Tsallis entropy of index two faithfully represents the degree of mixing of a state, that is, it measures the extent to which the state departs from maximal purity . Macroscopic manifestations of the degree of mixing can be observed through various physical quantities. Our present study is closely related to properties of many-fermion systemsn that are usually manipulated at zero temperature. Here we wish to study the subject at finite temperature. Gibbs' ensemble is appealed to. Some interesting insights are thereby gained.

The redefined vacuum approach, which is frequently employed in the many-body perturbation theory, proved to be a powerful tool for formula derivation. Here, we elaborate this approach within the bound-state QED perturbation theory. In addition to general formulation, we consider the particular example of a single particle (electron or vacancy) excitation with respect to the redefined vacuum. Starting with simple one-electron QED diagrams, we deduce first- and second-order many-electron contributions: screened self-energy, screened vacuum polarization, one-photon exchange, and two-photon exchange. The redefined vacuum approach provides a straightforward and streamlined derivation and facilitates its application to any electronic configuration. Moreover, based on the gauge invariance of the one-electron diagrams, we can identify various gauge-invariant subsets within derived many-electron QED contributions.

Cancer theragnostics is a novel approach that combines diagnostic imaging and radionuclide therapy. It is based on the use of a pair of radiopharmaceuticals, one optimized for positron emission tomography imaging, through linkage to a proper radionuclide, and the other bearing a beta-emitter isotope that can induce significant damage to cancer cells. In recent years, the use of theragnostics in nuclear medicine clinical practice has increased considerably, and thus investigation has focused on the identification of novel radionuclides that can bind to molecular targets which are typically dysregulated in different cancers. The major advantages of the theragnostic approach include elimination of multi-step procedures, reduced adverse effects to normal tissues, early diagnosis, better predicting responses and personalized patient care. This review aims to discuss emerging theragnostic molecules that have been investigated in a series of human malignancies, including gliomas, thyroid cancer, neuroendocrine tumors, cholangiocarcinoma and prostate cancer, as well as potent and recently introduced molecular targets, like cell-surface receptors, kinases, and cell adhesion proteins. Furthermore, special reference has been made to copper radionuclides as theragnostic agents, and their radiopharmaceutical applications since they present promising alternatives to the well-studied gallium-68 and lutetium-177.

With reference to electromagnetic interaction and Abdus Salam’s strong (nuclear) gravity, 1) Square root of ‘reciprocal’ of the strong coupling constant can be considered as the strength of nuclear elementary charge. 2) ‘Reciprocal’ of the strong coupling constant can be considered as the maximum strength of nuclear binding energy. 3) In deuteron, strength of nuclear binding energy is around unity and there exists no strong interaction in between neutron and proton. $G_s\cong 3.32688\times {10}^{28}{\mathrm{m}}^3{\mathrm{kg}}^{-1}{\sec }^{-2}$ being the nuclear gravitational constant, nuclear charge radius can be shown to be, $R_0\cong \frac{2G_s{m}_p}{c^2}\cong 1.24\mathrm{fm}.$ $e_s\cong \left(\frac{G_s{m}_p^2}{\hslash c}\right)e\cong 4.716785\times {10}^{-19}\mathrm{C}$ being the nuclear elementary charge, proton magnetic moment can be shown to be, ${\mu }_p\cong \frac{e_s\hslash }{2m_p}\cong \frac{e{G}_s{m}_p}{2c}\cong 1.48694\times {10}^{-26}\mathrm{J}{.\mathrm{T}}^{-1}.$ ${\alpha }_s\cong {\left(\frac{\hslash c}{G_s{m}_p^2}\right)}^2\cong 0.1153795$ being the strong coupling constant, strong interaction range can be shown to be proportional to $\exp \left(\frac{1}{{\alpha }_s^2}\right).$ Interesting points to be noted are: An increase in the value of ${\alpha }_s$ helps in decreasing the interaction range indicating a more strongly bound nuclear system. A decrease in the value of ${\alpha }_s$ helps in increasing the interaction range indicating a more weakly bound nuclear system. From $Z\cong 30$ onwards, close to stable mass numbers, nuclear binding energy can be addressed with, ${\left(B\right)}_{A_s}\cong Z\times \left\{\left(\frac{1}{{\alpha }_s}+1\right)+\sqrt{\sqrt{30\times 31}}\right\}\left(m_n-m_p\right)c^2\approx Z\times 19.66\mathrm{MeV}.$ With further study, magnitude of the Newtonian gravitational constant can be estimated with nuclear elementary physical constants. One sample relation is, $\left(\frac{G_N}{G_s}\right)\cong \frac{1}{2}{\left(\frac{m_e}{m_p}\right)}^{10}\left[\sqrt{\frac{G_F}{\hslash c}}/\left(\frac{\hslash }{m_{e}c}\right)\right]$ where $G_N$ represents the Newtonian gravitational constant and $G_F$ represents the Fermi’s weak coupling constant. Two interesting coincidences are, ${\left(m_p/m_e\right)}^{10}\cong \exp \left(1/{\alpha }_s^2\right)$ and $2G_s{m}_e/c^2\cong \sqrt{G_F/\hslash c}.$

Following the concept of strong interaction, theoretically, fusion of proton seems to increase the binding energy of final atom by 8.8 MeV. Due to Coulombic repulsion, asymmetry effect, pairing effect and other nuclear effects, final atom is forced to choose a little bit of binding energy less than 8.8 MeV and thus it is able to release left over binding energy in the form of internal kinetic energy or external thermal energy. Thus, in cold fusion, heat release to occur, binding energy difference of final atom and base atom seems to be less than 8.8 MeV. Qualitatively, energy released during cold fusion seems to be approximately equal to 8.8 MeV minus the difference of binding energy of final and base atoms. Based on this idea, under normal conditions, for the case of ₂He⁴, fusion of four protons can liberate (35.2-28.3)=6.9 MeV and it is 3.5 times less than the current estimates. Point to be understood is that, lesser the binding energy of final atom, higher the liberated thermal energy and vice versa. With a suitable catalyst and sufficient hydrogen under suitable pressure, if reactor’s temperature is maintained at (1000 to 1500) ⁰C, there seems a lot of scope for a chain reaction of cold fusion in which light isotopes transform to their next stage with increased proton number or mass number and liberate safe and clean heat energy continuously. By arranging 4 to 6 reactors and charging them periodically in tandem, required thermal energy can be produced continuously. In this new direction, by carefully selecting the base isotope and its corresponding catalyst, experiments can be conducted and ground reality of cold fusion can be understood at various temperature and pressure conditions.

When we are asleep we lose the ability to promptly respond to external stimuli and yet we spend many hours every day in this inherently risky behavioral state. This simple fact strongly suggests that sleep must serve essential functions that rely on the brain going offline, on a daily basis, and for long periods of time. If these functions did not require partial sensory disconnection, it would be difficult to explain why they are not performed during waking. Paradoxically, despite its central role in defining sleep and what sleep does, sensory disconnection during sleep remains a mystery. We have a limited understanding of how it is implemented along the sensory pathways, we do not know whether the same mechanisms apply to all sensory modalities, nor do we know to which extent these mechanisms are shared between non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep and REM sleep. The main goal of this contribution is to review some knowns and unknowns about sensory disconnection during sleep as a first step to fill this gap.

Currently, software development is more associated with families of configurable software rather than the single implementation of a product. Due to the numerous possible combinations in a software product line, testing these families of software product lines (SPLs) is a difficult undertaking (SPL). Moreover, the presence of optional features makes the testing of SPLs impractical. Several features are presented in SPLs, but due to the environment's time and financial constraints, these features are rendered unfeasible. Testing subsets of configured products is thus one approach to solving this issue. In order to reduce testing effort and get better results, alternative methods of testing SPLs are required, such as the combinatorial interaction testing (CIT) technique. Unfortunately CIT method produces unscalable solutions for large size SPLs with excessive constraints. The CIT method costs more because of feature combinations. The optimization of the various conflicting testing objectives, such as reducing the cost and configuration number, have also been considered. In this article, we have proposed a search-based software engineering solution using multi-objective optimization algorithms (MOEAs). In particular, the research is applied to different types of MOEA methods; Indicator-Based Evolutionary Algorithm (IBEA), Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm based on Decomposition (MOEA/D), Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGAII), NSGAIII, and Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm 2 (SPEA2). The results of the algorithms are examined in the context of distinct objectives and two quality indicators. The results revealed how feature model attributes, implementation context and the number of objectives affect the performance of the algorithms.

The atomic nucleus contains protons and neutrons surrounded by a structured electron cloud. Some combinations of protons and neutrons induce the nucleus to behave like a microscopic magnet, possessing a unique magnitude and orientation known as the nuclear magnetic moment (µ). When the numbers of protons and neutrons are both even then µ=0, but otherwise each nu-clide’s nuclear magnetic moment is unique. A second unique nuclear physical property relates to the nucleon binding energy (BE), which can be thought of as the energy between protons and neu-trons bound within the nucleus. The sequence of stable nuclides increases one nucleon at a time through 36Ar. The binding energy associated with the addition of each successive nucleon (∆BE) through this progression is unique. The hypothesis here is that the unique non-zero magnetic mo-ment and ∆ binding energy of each nuclide derive from its respective microscopic nuclear struc-ture, analogous to the way that the atomic physical properties of an element ultimately derive from its unique electron orbital structure. By extension, the identification of nuclear periodic pat-terns might eventually inform a theory of nuclear structure. The light, stable nuclides through 36Ar were arranged in ascending order according to atomic mass, and their nuclear magnetic mo-ments and binding energies were evaluated for periodic patterns. Fixed-period lengths from 4 through 18 nuclides per period were considered. These fixed periods, each of equal length, were stacked one upon the other and analyzed for vertical trends. The best evidence of periodicity in both µ and ∆BE converges precisely at the fixed 12-nuclide period. Implications for nuclear structure are discussed.

With reference to Planck scale Hubble parameter, super luminal expansion speeds, super luminal rotation speeds, Mach’s principle and Holographic principle, we review the current cosmological observations with eight simple assumptions. By understanding Yuri N. Obukhov and V.A. Korotky proposed cosmic rotational effects of polarization of radiation due to massive bodies, to some extent cosmic rotation can be deep-rooted in an observational approach and the ratio of current angular velocity and Hubble parameter can be estimated. It is possible to show that, at H₀ =70 km/sec/Mpc, current cosmic temperature, age, radius, mass, mass density are 2.721 K, 4.41x10¹⁷ sec, 90 billion light years, 1.14654x10⁵⁴ kg, 0.0482 times the current critical density respectively. Clearly speaking, current universe seems to constitute 267 Hubble spheres. Important point to be noted is that, current rotational kinetic energy is 0.6667 times the current critical energy. Based on the estimated current mass density and current rotational kinetic energy, current cosmic dark matter density can be shown to be 0.2851 times the current critical density. These numerical coincidences cast serious doubt on the on the real existence of currently believed ‘dark energy’. Initial and current expansion speeds are 3x10⁸ m/sec and 3.56x10⁹ m/sec respectively. With increasing cosmic age and increasing cosmic expansion speed, current universe is expanding with a speed of 11.885c. By knowing the time to time future cosmic temperatures, future Hubble parameters and corresponding future cosmic expansion speeds can be estimated and thus future expansion speed can be understood. Starting from ‘speed of light’, our model assumes a continuous increase in expansion speed and attains a current radius of 90 billion light years (without inflationary concepts) and casts a serious doubt on the actuality of currently believed ‘inflation’.

In this project, our foremost intention is to analyze the angle of deflection of photon by NED black holes with many horizons in the context of non-linear electrodynamics. For the accomplishment of our intention at first we manipulated the optical metric of the desired black holes for the calculation of Gaussian curvature. After that, the angle of deflection in leading orders is attained from the desired black holes in weak field limit by using the famous Gauss-Bonnet theorem. Moreover, we evince the effect of plasma medium on the angle of deflection. At last, the graphical impact of the angle of deflection for NED black holes with many horizons is examined with respect to black hole charge and impact parameter in both the plasma and non plasma medium. In addition, we discuss the rigorous bound for grey body factor of the desired black hole and also observer its graphical behavior.

The nonlocality of entangled quantum mechanical systems is incompatible with the standard interpretation of special relativity as a single 4D Minkowskian metric spacetime. The difficulty is that the definition of a spacetime interval between any pair of events precludes any form of nonlocal interaction, even the relatively benign non-signaling correlations. By an application of the relativity principle, and the use of the space ←→ time symmetry of the Lorentz boost I propose here a reinterpretation of special relativistic spacetime. This new ontology consists of a set of coexisting 3+1D spaces (‘framespaces’), each containing unique content in the form of a complex density. These spaces are related by the Lorentz boost, and coupled pairwise in a manner dictated by the Lorentz transformation. The inter-space coupling acting on the spacetime content gives rise to a nonlocal wave phenomenon, which is identified as quantum wave mechanics. The interspace coupling strength is then inversely proportional to Planck’s constant. The coexistence of multiple spaces is interpreted as momentum superposition, implying that momentum is the fundamental physical basis of quantum superposition. This new spacetime interpretation of quantum mechanics has many consequences, including explanations of quantum non-locality, the spacetime role of Planck’s constant, quantum measurement as a symmetry-breaking process and the redundancy of description of gauge theory.

A membrane can be represented by an energy landscape that solutes or colloids must cross. A model accounting for the momentum and the mass balances on the membrane energy landscape establishes a new way of writing for the Darcy law. The counter pressure in the Darcy law is no longer written as the result of an osmotic pressure difference but rather as a function of colloid-membrane interactions. The ability of the model to describe the physics of the filtration is discussed in detail. This model is solved on a simplified energy landscape to derive analytical relationships that describe the selectivity and the counter pressure from ab-initio operating conditions. The model shows that the stiffness of the energy landscape has an impact on the process efficiency: a gradual increase in interactions (like with hourglass pore shape) can reduce the separation energetic cost. It allows the introduction of a new paradigm to increase membrane efficiency: the accumulation that is inherent to the separation must be distributed across the membrane. Asymmetric interactions thus lead to direction-dependent transfer properties and the membrane exhibits diode behavior. These new transfer opportunities are discussed.

The peptidyl-prolyl isomerases of the cyclophilin type are distributed throughout human cells, including eight found solely in the nucleus. Nuclear cyclophilins are involved in complexes that regulate chromatin modification, transcription, and pre-mRNA splicing. This review collects what is known about the eight human nuclear cyclophilins: PPIH, PPIE, PPIL1, PPIL2, PPIL3, PPIG, CWC27, and PPWD1. Each “spliceophilin” is evaluated in relation to the spliceosomal complex in which it has been studied, and current work studying the biological roles of these cyclophilins in the nucleus are discussed. All eight of the human splicing complexes available in the PDB are analyzed from the viewpoint of the human spliceophilins. Future directions in structural and cellular biology, and the importance of developing spliceophilin-specific inhibitors, are considered.

Fast Field-Cycling (FFC) Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) relaxometry is a powerful non-destructive magnetic resonance technique that enables, among other things, the investigation of slow molecular dynamics at low magnetic field intensities. FFC-NMR relaxometry measurements provide insight into molecular motion across various timescales within a single experiment. This study focuses on a \textit{model-free} approach, representing the NMRD profile $R_1$ as a linear combination of Lorentzian functions, thereby addressing the challenges of fitting data within an ill-conditioned linear least-squares framework. Tackling this problem, we present a comprehensive review and experimental validation of three regularization approaches to implement the model-free approach to analysing NMRD profiles. These include: (1) \nameUpe, utilizing locally adapted $L_2$ regularization; (2) \nameL, based on $L_1$ penalties; and (3) a hybrid approach combining locally adapted $L_2$ and global $L_1$ penalties. Each method's regularization parameters are determined automatically, according to the Balancing and Uniform Penalty principles. % Our contributions include the implementation and experimental validation of the \nameUpe{} and \nameUp{} algorithms, and the development of a "dispersion analysis" technique to assess the existence range of the estimated parameters. The objective of this work is to delineate the variance in fit quality and correlation time distribution yielded by each algorithm, thus broadening the set of software tools for the analysis of sample structures in FFC-NMR studies. The findings underline the efficacy and applicability of these algorithms in the analysis of NMRD profiles from samples representing different potential scenarios. 1

Telomeres in epithelial tumours are usually maintained by telomerase, however, in the breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell line, polyploid cells, induced by doxorubicin (DOX) were found, after mitotic slippage, transiently shifting to recombinatory alternative telomere lengthening (ALT) in PML bodies (APBs). The involvement of the meiotic recombination proteins was evidenced here by juxta-co-localisation of SPO11, DMC1 and RAD51/γH2AX with APBs in these and melanoma SkMel28-DOX-treated cells. Using sublethal doses of DOX we also observed the formation of the PML dimeric rod tandems linking γH2AX/TRF2 foci into ribbons discontinuously inserted into lamin B1 and circumventing cell nuclei. Next, we link these PML-lamin B1 insertions and peripheral rotation of the tandemly linked telomere repeats with the mobility of the nuclear envelope limited chromatin sheets (ELCS). ELCSs comprise two layers of the criss-crossed ~30 nm granules derived from surface heterochromatin (epichromatin) which contains telomere repeats enriched in GpC, PML, and ALU. ELCS protrude, circumvent, loop, split, fuse, and rejoin polyploid cell nuclei. We propose this gear-wheel-like turnover of telomere repeats to be used for the homology search. Interstitial and end-telomere repeats flanked by fragile ALU-Z flipons become recognised by SPO11 nuclease, attract TRF2, PML, and meiotic recombinases. Subsequently, they perform ALT recombining subtelomeres and telomeres or undergo non-homologous end-joining and chromosome rearrangements with ELCS. This mechanism increases the chance of cell survival and may be involved in chromothripsis.

MicroRNAs are small non-coding RNAs, which contribute to the regulation of many physiolog-ical and pathological processes. Conventionally, miRNAs perform their activity in the cyto-plasm, where they regulate gene expression by interacting in a sequence-specific manner with mature messenger RNAs. Recent studies point to the presence of mature miRNAs in the nucleus. This review summarizes current findings regarding the molecular activities of nuclear miRNAs. These molecules can regulate gene expression at the transcriptional level by directly binding DNA on the promoter or the enhancer of regulated genes. MiRNAs recruit to these regions dif-ferent protein complexes, resulting both in activation or repression of transcription, through a number of molecular mechanisms. Haematopoiesis is presented as a paradigmatic biological process whereby nuclear miRNAs possess a relevant regulatory role. Nuclear miRNAs may af-fect gene expression also acting on nuclear mRNA processing and on the biogenesis of miRNA themselves by regulating pri-miRNA maturation. Overall, nuclear miRNAs are biologically ac-tive molecules that can be critical for the fine tuning of gene expression and deserve further studies in a number of physiological and pathological conditions

Nuclear fusion is essential for the sexual reproduction of various organisms, including plants, animals, and fungi. During the life cycle of flowering plants, nuclear fusion occurs three times: once during female gametogenesis and twice during double fertilization, when two sperm cells fertilize the egg and the central cell. Haploid nuclei migrate in an actin filament-dependent manner to become in close contact, then two nuclei fuse. The nuclear fusion process in plant reproduction is achieved by the sequential nuclear membrane fusion events. Recent molecular genetic analyses using Arabidopsis thaliana showed the conservation of nuclear membrane fusion machinery between plants and the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These include the heat shock protein 70 in the endoplasmic reticulum and conserved nuclear membrane proteins. Analyses of A. thaliana mutants of these components show that completion of the sperm nuclear fusion at fertilization is essential for proper embryo and endosperm development.

Based on three assumptions of our 4G model of final unification, we have developed simple logics for estimating the unified atomic mass unit, atomic electrochemical equivalents, Faraday constant and Avogadro number. We appeal the science community to review the following points. 1) Unified atomic mass or energy unit can be considered as ‘average rest energy of nucleons minus average binding energy per nucleon of all atomic nuclides plus electron rest energy’. 2) Electrochemical equivalent of any atomic ion is nothing but the ratio of its mass to its charge. 3) Faraday charge is nothing but the ratio of elementary charge to unified atomic mass unit. 4) Faraday mass can be considered as the inverse of Faraday charge. 5) Avogadro number is nothing but the inverse of unified atomic mass unit. 6) Number of atoms per kg can be called as Kg-mole and number of atoms per gram can be called as gram-mole. Following our 4G model, starting form A=5 to 340, for isobars, ‘average binding energy per nucleon’ having maximum binding energy can be estimated with a simple relation of the form, BE/A=A^-1[1-(0.5+0.000935A²)-A^1/3]10.1MeV. It needs a review and fine tuning.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats or CRISPR, one of the major technological tools from nature's toolbox, has revolutionized the scientific world with its potential use in humans and plants. CRISPR Cas9 was first known as an adaptive immune system of bacteria. It is a system that cleaves foreign DNA. It has been exploited to be used as a genome editing tool for correcting genetic diseases in humans, for plants to create stress-resistant plants, and for a variety of different purposes. This review provides a basic overview of its applications in different areas of biological research. It has immense potential for a variety of researches, but it's still a mystery for science. It feels like scientists just know a tip of an iceberg.

^{We consider the collective pricing orders in a minimum supply chain that is composed of a monopolistic manufacturer and many retailers that belong to the same chain store firm. The retailers have the freedom to raise or lower the local price. The chain store firm sets up the commercial rules for local retail stores to maximize its total payoff. The monopolistic manufacturer firm controls the total quantity supplied for the market to achieve maximum benefits. We applied the two dimensional Ising model in statistical physics to map the collective distribution of microscopic strategy of local retailers into the macroscopic total payoff of the chain store firm. The local stores choose to raise the price or lower the price based their own mind when the supply in market surpasses the demand. When the supply in market is far less than the demand, the stores synchronously raise prices, even though a local store only have the incomplete information of their nearest neighboring supermarket. We find the critical equation for the balance point between the action of supplier and the action of chain store management based on game theory and statistical physics. The critical equation can identify the Nash equilibrium point of the non-cooperative game between the manufacturer and the chain-store seller, and reveal different levels of collective operations. This statistical physics method also holds for more complicate supply chains and economic systems.}

We review some new approaches to the description of the evolution of states of many-particle quantum systems by means of the correlation operators. Using the de nition of marginal correlation operators within the framework of dynamics of correlations governed by the von Neumann hierarchy, we establish that a sequence of such operators is governed by the nonlinear quantum BBGKY hierarchy. The constructed nonperturbative solution of the Cauchy problem to this hierarchy of nonlinear evolution equations describes the processes of the creation and the propagation of correlations in many-particle quantum systems. Moreover, we consider the problem of the rigorous description of collective behavior of many-particle quantum systems by means of a one-particle (marginal) correlation operator that is a solution of the generalized quantum kinetic equation with initial correlations, in particular, correlations characterizing the condensed states of systems.

With reference to our earlier published views on large nuclear gravitational constant , nuclear elementary charge and strong coupling constant , in this paper, we present simple relations for nuclear stability range, binding energy of isotopes and magic proton numbers.

To get more data concerning the influence of fertilizers (organic and mineral) on different forage plants existing in North-eastern Romanian grassland, the mass fractions of 14 essential, enzymatic, or considerd toxic elements was determined by Instrumental Neutron Activation Analysis together with the amount of crude proteins, ash, fibres as well as ether fact extract. Final results showed a significant variance of the content of analysed elements on organic as well as on mineral fertilized experimental plots, i.e. the content increased in 24% of plots, decreased in 23%, and remained unchanged in 45% while in 8% of plots their content was below the detection limits, as the case of Se. At the same time, an increase content of crude protein and ether extract was evidenced in fertilized grasses for all applied fertilizers while other global indicators such as neutral and acid fibre of sufuric lignin content decreased, suggesting significant higher nutritional values of fertilized forage plant.

I review the solution of QCD in two spacetime dimensions. Following the analysis of Baluni, for a single flavor the model can be analyzed using Abelian bosonization. The theory can be analyzed in strong coupling, when the quarks are much lighter than the gauge coupling. In this limit, the theory is given by a Luttinger liquid.

Nuclear lamins are type V intermediate filament proteins that form a filamentous meshwork beneath the inner nuclear membrane. Additionally, a sub-population of A-type and B-type lamins is localized in the nuclear interior. The nuclear lamina protects the nucleus from mechanical stress and mediates nucleo-cytoskeletal coupling. Lamins form a scaffold that partially tethers chromatin at the nuclear envelope. The nuclear lamina also stabilizes protein-protein interactions involved in gene regulation and DNA repair. The lamin-based protein sub-complexes are implicated in both nuclear and cytoskeletal organization, the mechanical stability of the nucleus, genome organization, transcriptional regulation, genome stability, and cellular differentiation. Here we review recent research in the field of nuclear lamins and their role in modulating various nuclear processes and their impact on cell function.

In this study, using information theory tools, we investigate the quantum degree of mixedness, particle number fluctuations, and temperature variations in the paradigmatic Lipkin model, focusing on the interplay between these factors in a system of many fermions. Our analysis reveals intriguing dependencies of quantum mixedness on the total fermion number, showcasing distinct behaviors at different temperatures. Notably, we find that the degree of quantum mixedness exhibits a strong dependence on the total fermion number, with varying trends observed across different temperature regimes. Remarkably, this dependence remains unaffected by the strength of the fermion-fermion interaction (if it does not vanish, of course), underscoring the robustness of the observed phenomena. Through comprehensive numerical simulations, we provide illustrative graphs that depict these dependencies, offering valuable insights into the fundamental characteristics of many-fermion systems. Our findings shed light on the intricate dynamics of quantum degree of mixedness and particle number fluctuations in fermionic systems, with potential implications for diverse fields ranging from condensed matter physics to quantum information science.

Background: Cloud-native software systems often have a much more decentralized structure and many independently deployable and (horizontally) scalable components, making it more complicated to create a shared and consolidated picture of the overall decentralized system state. Today, observability is often understood as a triad of collecting and processing metrics, distributed tracing data, and logging. The result is often a complex observability system composed of three stovepipes whose data is difficult to correlate. Objective: This study analyzes whether these three historically emerged observability stovepipes of logs, metrics and distributed traces could be handled more integrated and with a more straightforward instrumentation approach. Method: This study applied an action research methodology used mainly in industry-academia collaboration and common in software engineering. The research design utilized iterative action research cycles, including one long-term use case. Results: This study presents a unified logging library for Python and a unified logging architecture that uses the structured logging approach. The evaluation shows that several thousand events per minute are easily processable. Conclusion: The results indicate that a unification of the current observability triad is possible without the necessity to develop utterly new toolchains.

Floral meristems are dynamic systems that generate floral organ primordia at their flanks and, in most species, terminate while giving rise to the gynoecium primordia. However, we find species with floral meristems that generate additional ring meristems repeatedly throughout angiosperm history. Ring meristems produce only stamen primordia, resulting in polystemous flowers (having stamen numbers more than double that of petals or sepals), and act independently of the floral meristem activity. Most of our knowledge on floral meristem regulation is derived from molecular genetic studies of Arabidopsis thaliana, a species with a fixed number of floral organs and as such of only limited value to understand ring meristem function, regulation, and ecological value. This review provides an overview of the main molecular players regulating floral meristem activity in A. thaliana, and summarizes our knowledge of ring primordia morphology and occurrence in dicots. Our work provides a first step towards understanding the significance and molecular genetics of ring meristem regulation and evolution.

Kidneys of mice, rats and humans possess progenitors that maintain daily homeostasis and take part in endogenous regenerative processes following injury, owing to their capacity to proliferate and differentiate. In the glomerular and tubular compartments of the nephron, consistent studies demonstrated that well-characterized, distinct populations of progenitor cells, localized in the parietal epithelium of Bowman capsule and scattered in the proximal and distal tubules, could generate segment-specific cells in physiological conditions and following tissue injury. However, defective or abnormal regenerative responses of these progenitors can contribute to pathologic conditions. The molecular characteristics of renal progenitors have been extensively studied, revealing that numerous classical and evolutionarily conserved pathways, such as Notch or Wnt/β-catenin, play a major role in cell regulation. Others, such as retinoic acid, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, TLR2 (Toll-Like Receptor 2) and leptin, are also important in this process. In this review, we summarize the plethora of molecular mechanisms directing renal progenitor responses during homeostasis and following kidney injury. Finally, we will explore how single cell RNA sequencing could bring the characterization of renal progenitors to the next level, while knowing their molecular signature is gaining relevance in the clinic.

The comparison of group means in item response models constitutes an important issue in empirical research. The present article discusses an extension of Haebara linking by proposing a flexible class of robust linking functions for comparisons of many groups. These robust linking functions are particularly suited to item response data that are generated under partial invariance. In a simulation study, it is shown that the newly proposed robust Haebara linking approach outperforms existing approaches of Haebara linking. In an empirical application using PISA data, it is illustrated that country means can be sensitive to the choice of linking functions.

This paper focuses on the highly radioactive, long-lasting nuclear waste produced by the currently operating fission reactors and on the way to deal with the sensitive issue of spent fuel reprocessing. The review includes a short description of the fission process and a detailed analysis of the more hazardous radioisotopes produced either by secondary reactions occurring in the nuclear installations or by decay of the fission fragments. Also outlined are the strategies presently adopted to minimize the harmfulness of the nuclear waste to be disposed and discussed advanced options and possible solutions proposed for the recycling of the used fuel and for the reusing of some technologicaly relevant radioisotopes.

Computational methods are essential to support and advance nuclear technologies due to the hazards of handling and analysing highly radioactive materials such as spent nuclear fuel (SNF). However, many such methods, including those thatcan predict SNF compositions and decay heat parameters, require expensive, proprietary software, alongside significant programming experience and computational power for utilisation, severely limiting availability of data and hampering research throughput. Although some datasets are available, many are incomplete or only cover certain fuel systems for older reactor types. Research investigating new methods for SNF recycling, for example, requires compositional and decay heat data for fuel systems not covered by extant data, though analogous source data may be available. With this in mind, we have developed a simple, accessible, and flexible method for extrapolation of isotopic, elemental, and decayheat compositions for SNF at discharge and following decay storage before recycling, based on an extant dataset. This semi-empirical method uses physical and mathematical first principles and can be performed using software accessible to all researchers. This provides outputs accurate to within 1% of reference values interpolated within the range of available data for isotopic compositions, with sensible extrapolations at higher burnups beyond those reported, withoverall elemental outputs accurate to within 0.1%of expected totals. In this publication, we present the developmental methodology, some sample data, the present limitations, and options for future development and expansion of functionality.

Many studies of hypervelocity impact craters have described the characteristics of quartz grains shock-metamorphosed at high pressures of > 10 GPa. In contrast, few studies have investigated shock metamorphism at lower shock pressures. In this study, we test the hypothesis that low-pressure shock metamorphism occurs in near-surface nuclear airbursts and that this process shares essential characteristics with crater-forming impact events. To investigate low-grade shock microstructures, we compared quartz grains from Meteor Crater, a 1.2-km-wide impact crater, to those from near-surface nuclear airbursts at the Alamogordo Bombing Range, New Mexico in 1945 and Kazakhstan in 1949/1953. This investigation utilized a comprehensive analytical suite of high-resolution techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Meteor Crater and the nuclear test sites all exhibit quartz grains with closely-spaced, sub-micron-wide fractures that appear to have formed at low shock pressures. Significantly, these micro-fractures are closely associated with Dauphiné twins and are filled with amorphous silica (glass), widely considered a classic indicator of shock metamorphism. Thus, this study confirms that glass-filled shock fractures in quartz form during near-surface nuclear airbursts, as well as crater-forming impact events, and by extension, it suggests that they may form in any near-surface cosmic airbursts in which the shockwave is coupled to Earth’s surface. The robust characterization of such events is crucial because of their potential catastrophic effects on the Earth’s environmental and biotic systems.

Many studies of hypervelocity impact craters have described the characteristics of quartz grains shock-metamorphosed at high pressures of >10 GPa, but in contrast, few studies have investigated shock metamorphism at lower shock pressures. In this study, we test the hypothesis that low-pressure shock metamorphism occurs in near-surface nuclear airbursts and that this process shares important characteristics with impact-cratering events. To investigate low-grade shock microstructures, we compared quartz grains from Meteor Crater, a 1.2-km-wide impact crater, to those from near-surface nuclear airbursts at the Alamogordo Bombing Range, New Mexico in 1945 and Kazakhstan in 1949/1953. This investigation utilized a comprehensive analytical suite of high-resolution techniques, including transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Meteor Crater and the nuclear test sites all exhibit metamorphosed quartz grains with closely-spaced, sub-micron-wide fractures that appear to have formed at low shock pressures. Importantly, these micro-fractures are closely associated with Dauphiné twins and are filled with amorphous silica (glass), widely considered to be a classic indicator of shock metamorphism. Thus, this study confirms that glass-filled shock fractures in quartz form during near-surface nuclear airbursts, as well as crater-forming impact events, and by extension, it suggests they also may form in near-surface cosmic airbursts.

Background: Convectional methods for drug delivery often faces setbacks due to systemic distribution, short half-life and degradation of therapeutics and therefore reduce concentrations of drug available to target tissue. Nanotheranostic provide a novel method for treating and diagnosing diseases Methodology: collection and review of relevant literatureResult: while nanotheranostic offer advantage of personalized medicine and often combines diagnosis and therapy using single molecular approach, nuclear medicine relies on radioactive isotopes to diagnosed and destroys cancer cells. In both cases, nanocarriers such as lipid-based, polymer-based, drug-conjugate, inorganic nanoparticles are used to deliver drugs/probes/isotopes to target site, generating images and thereafter chemotherapy/radiotherapy begins.Conclusion: Nanotheranostic plays important role in diseases diagnostic, therapy, imaging, monitoring of disease progression / response through the use of nanocarriers. This is made possible through nanoparticles/nanocarriers that delivers drug to the target tissues/cells.

At nuclear scale, we present three heuristic relations pertaining to strong and electroweak coupling constants. With these relations, close to beta stability line, it is possible to study nuclear binding energy with a single energy coefficient of magnitude $\left(\frac{1}{{\alpha }_s}\right)\left[\frac{e^2}{4\pi {\epsilon }_0{R}_0}\right]\approx 10.0\text{MeV}\text{.}$ With reference to up and down quark masses, it is also possible to interpret that, nuclear binding energy is proportional to the mean mass of $\left[\left(2m_u+m_d\right)\text{and}\left(m_u+2m_d\right)\right]\approx 10.0\text{MeV}.$

The fundamental theory of nuclear interactions, Quantum Chromodynamics (QCD), operates in terms of quarks and gluons at higher resolution. At low resolution the relevant degrees of freedom are nucleons. Two-nucleon Short-Range Correlations (SRC) help to interconnect these two descriptions. SRCs are temporary fluctuations of strongly interacting close pairs of nucleons. The distance between the two nucleons is comparable to their radii and their relative momenta are larger than the fermi sea level. According to the electron scattering experiments held in the last decade, SRCs have far-reaching impacts on many-body systems, the nucleon-nucleon interactions, and nuclear substructure. The modern experiments with ion beams and cryogenic liquid hydrogen target make it possible to study properties of the nuclear fragments after quasi-elastic knockout of a single nucleon or an SRC pair. The first SRC experiment at BM@N (2018) with a carbon beam has shown that detection of an intact 11B nucleus after interaction selects out the quasi-elastic knockout reaction with minimal contribution of initial- and final-state interactions. Also, 25 events of SRC-breakups showed agreement in SRC properties as knows from electron beam experiments. The analysis of the second measurement of SRC at BM@N held in 2022 with an improved setup is currently ongoing. The SRC project at JINR moved to a new experimental area in 2023, where the next measurement is being planned in terms of experimental setup and physics goals.

Ramsey’s economic theory of saving (RTS) estimates how much of its commodities a nation should save to safeguard the well-being of future generations. Since RTS retains many attractive qualities such as simplicity, strength, breadth and generality, here we ask if it would be useful to investigate biophysical issues. Specifically, we focus on a biological topic that lends itself as a backdrop for the study of the imbalance between intake and expenditure, i.e., the evaluation of the multicellular living organisms’ energetic requirements and constraints. Our problem is to find at each time the optimum distribution and the right balance of the cellular energy budget between consumption and storage: how much must a living organism spare to increase its chances of survival over long periods? Suggesting how to find the optimum allocation of the available energy between expenditure and saving at each time, RTS approaches to biological energy budgets may have a wide range of experimental applications, such as: a) optimization of the long-term survival chances of either immortalized cell cultures, or beneficial bacterial colonies and exogenous probiotic mixtures; b) eradication of detrimental biofilms, such as, e.g., heart valves’ Streptococcus colonies; c) novel anti-stress and anti-ageing strategies.

The Landauer principle asserts that “the information is physical”. In its strict meaning Landauer's principle states that there is a minimum possible amount of energy required to erase one bit of information, known as the Landauer bound W=kBTln2 where T is the temperature of a thermal reservoir used in the process and kB is Boltzmann’s constant. Modern computers use the binary system in which a number expressed in the base-2 numeral system. We demonstrate that the Landauer principle remains valid for the physical computing device based on the ternary and more generally N-based logic. The energy necessary for erasure of one bit of information (the Landauer bound) W=kBTln2 remains untouched for the computing devices exploiting a many-valued logic.

In an attempt to reuse fibrous textile waste and, at the same time, to address dye pollution in textile wastewater, waste cotton-based yarn was utilized as both a cheap and sustainable adsorbent and a precursor for carbon adsorbent production. Cotton and cotton/polyester yarn samples underwent thermal modification through carbonization followed by chemical activation with KOH. Various techniques including nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherms, scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and surface charge determination were employed to analyze the morphological and surface properties of the cotton-based adsorbents. Adsorption properties were evaluated by testing the removal of selected cationic and anionic dyes from water. The impact of temperature, contact time, initial concentration, and pH of the adsorbate solution on adsorption was investigated, with experimental data analyzed using theoretical models. While carbonization alone did not significantly enhance adsorption properties, activated samples exhibited high efficacy in removing both cationic and anionic dyes from water. Despite the negative influence of the polyester component in the carbon precursor on the efficiency of activated samples in removing methyl orange, results indicated that activated cotton and cotton/polyester yarn could be used to prepare highly efficient adsorbents for the rapid removal of methylene blue from real wastewater samples.

The Schwarzschild metric describes a non-rotating and charge-free celestial body, and it results in things stopping at the event horizon of a black hole and spending infinite time across the event horizon by the observer far away from the black hole. The analysis of the particle’s behavior at the event horizon tells us that this solution predicts an un-expanded black hole which violates the astronomical observations and our knowledge about the black hole. Although some alternative metrics have been proposed, the singularity problem is still unsolved. In this research, the degenerate Fermi electron gas is used to reveal that the Fermi electron gas cannot shrink to a point no matter how large energy it obtains, so the singularity exists at the center very unreasonably. In order to avoid these problems, a finite-size nucleus of the black hole is proposed and reasonably explained by the behaviors of the Fermi electron gas and the Fermi neutron gas there. On the other hand, the Kerr-Newman metric is the one describing the rotating and charged black hole and the equation of the light velocity at each space point can be obtained. It tells us that there are two real and non-imaginary solutions for the radial speed of light at the position larger than the Schwarzschild radius.

Baculovirus is a type of virus with a double stranded, circular, and super helical DNA structure, whose transcription, replication and assembly of offspring virus occur in the nucleus of the cell. However, due to the natural barrier of the cellular nuclear membrane, macromolecular substances larger than 40-60 kDa cannot directly penetrate the nuclear membrane. Therefore, baculovirus have evolved various strategies to achieve transmembrane transport of viral proteins. This article attempts to review the recent literature on mechanisms by which the DNA baculoviruses of insects transport proteins into the infected host cell nucleus. In this article, we summarise the studies of nuclear localisation signals(NLSs) in baculovirus, which are involved in the classical nuclear import pathways and review the non-classical nuclear transport pathways independent on NLS derived from baculovirus. Moreover, during the protein nuclear transport process, viruses will regulate the nuclear pathway through protein modifications. Host structure changes and other methods will create a favorable environment for the nuclear transport of viral proteins.

Small-scale facilities play a significant role in the landscape of nuclear physics research in Europe. They address a wide range of fundamental questions and are essential for teaching and training personnel in accelerator technology and science, providing them with diverse skill sets, complementary to large projects. The current status and perspectives of nuclear physics research at small-scale facilities in Europe will be given.

The increased interest in space activities, structural health monitoring, and terrestrial monitoring in hostile and inaccessible zones places a high demand for energy sources for autonomous systems. Conventional electrochemical batteries that could be used are plagued by low energy storage density, short life, disposal of unwanted batteries, and related undesired recharging or replacement maintenance requirements, which endangers the environment. Fuel cells and solar energy sources being exploited to mitigate the adverse effect of environmental threats posed by batteries and fossil fuels are costly to acquire and maintain. The availability of energy sources derived from waste heat from radioactive decay for domestic appliances and industrial equipment will also help alleviate the effects of climate change, which continues to threaten the environment due to fossil fuel energy-based sources that emit harmful carbon monoxide into the atmosphere. A combination of energy from waste heat, harvested via thermoelectricity and existing battery technology to produce a hybrid energy source, can guarantee secured energy for an extended period. Based on the Seebeck effect, thermoelectric energy generation may considerably contribute to sustainable energy development and meet the power demand for spacecraft applications. Modeling of the energy from waste heat, the Li-ion battery, and a hybrid energy source are considered, and their performances are established using the MATLAB/Simulink environment. Results confirmed the comparative advantage of the hybrid energy source over and above the respective electrochemical batteries and waste heat energy sources regarding effectiveness and performance efficiency. Since batteries are required to operate in a constantly changing environment, the effects of temperatures on batteries were investigated. The results show that the performances of batteries decrease with a decrease in ambient temperature and that the higher the maximum operating capacity, the higher the battery's internal temperature.

JmjC-family of lysine demethylases (JMJC-KDMs) plays an essential role controlling gene expression and chromatin structure. In most cases, their function has been attributed to the demethylase activity. However, accumulating evidence demonstrates that these proteins play roles distinct from histone demethylation. This raises the possibility that they might share domains that contribute to their functional outcome. Here, we show that the JMJC-KDMs contain low complexity domains as well as intrinsically disordered regions, which in some cases reached 70% of the protein. Our data revealed that PHF2, KDM2A and KDM4B cluster by phase-separation in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, our molecular analysis demonstrated that these domains are important to regulate transcription, suggesting that clustering via phase -separation is a common feature that JMJC-KDMs utilize, in addition to their catalytic activity, to facilitate their functional responses. Our study uncovers a novel potential function for the JMJC-KDM family that sheds light on the mechanisms to achieve the competent concentration of molecules in time and space within the cell nucleus.

In a search for a solution of the galaxy rotation problem, a novel view on cosmological gravity is developed. In this view, the origin of gravity is traced back to the basic nuclear field of energy, spread by quarks as elementary pointlike sources. This gives a common basis for gravity, electromagnetism, the strong nuclear force and the weak nuclear force. After a review on gravimagnetism and the causality problem of gravity, a hypothetical concept for the gravity field is proposed, which solves the rotation problem without the need to accept dark matter as the deus ex machina.

To clarify the relationships among critical temperature, critical magnetic field, and critical current density, this paper describes many-body interactions of quantum magnetic fluxes (i.e., vortices) and calculates pinning-related critical current density. All calculations are analytically derived, without numerical or fitting methods. Afteralculating a magnetic flux quantum mass, we theoretically obtain the critical temperature in a many-body interaction scenario (which can be handled by our established method). We also derive the critical magnetic field and inherent critical current density at each critical temperature. Finally, we determine the pinning-related critical current density with self-fields. The relationships between the critical magnetic field and critical temperature, inherent critical current density and critical temperature, and pinning critical current density and temperature were consistent with experimental observations. From the critical current density and critical magnetic field, we clarified the magnetic field transition. It appears that a magnetic flux quantum collapses when the lattice of magnetic flux quanta melts. Our results, combined with our previously published papers, provide a comprehensive understanding of the transition points in high-T_c cuprates.

In this work, we analytically describe a superconducting transition in a non-equilibrium state taking into account many-body interactions; the obtained transition temperatures indicate the presence of superconductivity at room temperatures.First, we consider many-body interactions and discuss the case of locally thermal equilibrium with many-body interactions; in this section, we derive statistical equations that describe many-body interactions at locally thermal equilibrium state. Then, the same theory is used to derive a many-body statistical equation that is expanded to include the case of non-equilibrium states; in this case a transition temperature is derived. Moreover, a wave function of an Einstein–Podolsky–Rosen pair (EPR pair) is calculated according to the Lorentz conservation, and a specific condensation is observed and the Meissner effect is found to be present.Furthermore, considering the Lorentz conservations, relativistic energy, and Boltzmann statistics, algorithms are presented to calculate charge density, current density, and internal local energy. We note that these calculations do not require a specific code but instead utilize the software Microsoft Excel.We present plots showing the charge density and current density vs. the applied electric potential, which demonstrate the practical applicability of the theory. Moreover, internal local energy was found to be close to zero for sufficiently large electric potentials at room temperature.In the discussion section, the universally induced superconducting current is derived, which can be employed as the renewable energy.This paper describes non-equilibrium and EPR-pair type superconductivity, with the complete consideration of many-body interactions.

In this article, we have tried to extend the Neumann–Kopp law concerning the heat capacity of solid compounds to other physical observables for materials represented as mixtures of chemical compounds, alloys, and ceramics. The main goal of this study is to find the intervals of external or internal parameters for a solid compound, within which its physical observable - the magnetic transition temperature for this work, can be expressed in terms of the atomic or molar weighted sum of the magnetic transition temperatures of the constituent elements of a compound. Outside these intervals, we tried to figure out the structure of the variable by which the weighted sum should be multiplied. Thus, for USb–x(ThSb) mixtures with a mole fraction x from 0.36 to 0.55, the magnetic transition temperature of this mixture is expressed in term of the molar weighted sum of the temperature of uranium structural transition associated with a change in the magnetic properties of uranium and of the temperature at which the nature of the magnetic susceptibility of antimony changes. For the magnetic Laves phase compounds Er(Fe_0.8–xMn_0.2–yCo_x+y)₂, the Curie temperature of the compound is equal to the weighted sum of the Curie temperatures of all elements of the compound, except for Mn, at x = 0.1, y = 0 and y = 0.1. For the paramagnetic Curie temperature of intercalated dichalcogenides Cr_xМоSe₂, it can be expressed in terms of the weighted Neel temperature of chromium multiplied by a variable depending on x, on the atomic numbers of all elements of the compound, and on a parameter proportional to the derivatives with respect to x of the dichalcogenide’s crystal lattice parameters.

A review on several classical, algebraic models in nuclear structure physics, which use symmetries as an important tool, are presented. After a conceptual introduction to group theory, a selection of models is chosen to illustrate the methods and the power of the usage of symmetries. It enables to describe very involved systems in a greatly simplified manner. Some problems are also discussed, when ignoring basic principles of nature, as the Pauli Exclusion principle. We also show that, nevertheless, occasionally one can rescue these omissions. In a couple of representative models, applications of symmetries are explicitly applied, in order to illustrate how extremely complicate systems can be treated. This contribution is meant bas a review on the use of algebraic models in nuclear physics, leading to a better understanding of the articles in the same special volume.

During embryonic development stem cells undergo the differentiation process so that they can specialise for different functions within the organism. Complex programs of gene transcription are crucial for this process to happen. Epigenetic modifications and the architecture of chromatin in the nucleus, by the formation of specific regions of active as well as inactive chromatin, allow the coordinated regulation of the genes for each cell fate. In this mini review, we discuss the current knowledge regarding the regulation of three-dimensional chromatin structure during neuronal differentiation. We also focus on the role played in neurogenesis by the nuclear lamina that ensures the tethering of the chromatin to the nuclear envelope.

The systems ESTE are running in nuclear crisis centers at various levels of emergency preparedness and response in Slovakia, the Czech Republic, Austria, Bulgaria, and Iran (at NPP monitored by International Atomic Energy Agency, IAEA). ESTE is a decision support system, running 24/7, and serves the crisis staff to propose actions to protect inhabitants against radiation in case of a nuclear accident. ESTE is also applicable as decision support system in case of a malicious act with radioactive dispersal device in an urban or industrial environment. Dispersion models implemented in ESTE are Lagrangean particle model (LPM) and Puff trajectory model (PTM). Described are models approaches as implemented in ESTE. PTM is applied in ESTE for the dispersion calculation near the point of release, up to 100 km from the point of nuclear accident. LPM for general atmospheric transport is applied for short-range, meso-scale and large-scale dispersion, up to dispersion on the global scale. Additionally, a specific micro-scale implementation of LPM is applied for urban scale dispersion modelling too. Dispersion models of ESTE are joined with radiological consequences models to calculate a complete spectrum of radiological parameters - effective doses, committed doses and dose rates by various irradiation pathways and by various radionuclides. Finally, radiation protective measures, like sheltering, iodine prophylaxis, or evacuation, evaluated on the base of predicted radiological impacts are proposed. Dispersion and radiological models of the state-of-the-art ESTE systems are described. Results of specific analyses, like number of particles applied, initial spatial distribution of the source, height of the bottom reference layer, are presented and discussed.

A method is proposed for describing the dynamics of systems of interacting particles in terms of an auxiliary field, which in the static mode is equivalent to given interatomic potentials, and in the dynamic mode is a classical relativistic composite field. It is established that for interatomic potentials, the Fourier transform of which is a rational algebraic function of the wave vector, the auxiliary field is a composition of elementary fields that satisfy the Klein-Gordon equation with complex masses. The interaction between particles carried by the auxiliary field is nonlocal both in space variables and in time. The temporal non-locality is due to the dynamic nature of the auxiliary field and can be described in terms of functional-differential equations of retarded type. Due to the finiteness mass of the auxiliary field, the delay in interactions between particles can be arbitrarily large. A qualitative analysis of the dynamics of few-body and many-body systems with retarded interactions has been carried out, and a non-statistical mechanisms for both the thermodynamic behavior of systems and synergistic effects has been established.

The Azores bullfinch (Pyrrhula murina Godman, 1866) is a rare Passeriformes endemic from the eastern part of São Miguel Island. This bird was almost considered extinct in the first half of the 20th century and, due to recent conservation measures, it has experienced a recovery since the beginning of the 2000s. Despite the attention given to this bird, the size of its population is still controversial, and the most recent studies present significant divergences on this behalf. The pur-pose of the present study is to present data from the long-term monitoring of the Azores bullfinch to update the information about the population size and range of this species. In addition, we performed a literature review to highlight the limitations and advantages of the different ap-proaches for monitoring this species. In this study, we conclude that the most likely size of the Azores bullfinch population is 500 to 800 couples, with a slow population growth tendency, and an area of distribution of 130 Km2.

Nuclear speckles are compartments enriched in splicing factors present in the nucleoplasm of mammalian cells. Their morphology is linked to the transcriptional and splicing activities of the cell through a recruitment mechanism. Speckles have been studied mostly in mammalian culture cells, and few studies are devoted to speckles in tissue cells. In mammals, speckles are present in different tissues and their morphology also depends on the hormonal cycle in rats. In the present work, we explore whether a similar situation is also present in non-mammalian tissue cells dur-ing the reproductive cycle. We studied the speckled pattern in several tissues of a viviparous rep-tile, the lizard Sceloporous torquatus, during two different stages of reproduction. We used immu-nofluorescence staining against splicing factors in hepatocytes and oviduct epithelium cells and fluorescence and confocal microscopy. The distribution of splicing factors in the nucleoplasm of oviductal cells and hepatocytes coincides with the nuclear speckled pattern described in mam-mals. In addition, the morphology of speckles varies in oviduct cells at the two stages of the re-productive cycle analyzed, paralleling the phenomenon observed in the rat. The results show that the morphology of speckles in reptile cells depends upon the reproductive stage as it occurs in mammals.

The global trade and transportation sectors heavily rely on the maritime industry. Still, its dependence on fossil energy sources poses significant environmental challenges and leads to unstable fuel prices that affect the cost of goods transported by sea. This paper aims to evaluate the viability of seaports as energy-intensive entities and explore the feasibility of implementing a Nuclear-Renewable Hybrid Energy System (NRHES). The study presents a case study of the Tanjung Priok Port in Indonesia, focusing on estimating energy consumption, emissions, and the potential impact of carbon taxation on seaport operations. By quantifying these factors, the research provides insights into the energy requirements, environmental effects, and potential costs associated with seaport carbon taxation. A comprehensive analysis of the technical and economic feasibility of implementing an NRHES in the seaport case study is conducted, determining the optimal sizing and composition of components, considering the proportion of nuclear and renewable energy sources. Additionally, the economic analysis considers energy costs, net present cost, cash flow, return on investment, and internal rate of return. The findings aim to inform decision-makers about the benefits and challenges of adopting an NRHES, contributing to a cleaner and more sustainable future for the maritime industry.

Sterile α motif and histidine-aspartate domain–containing protein 1 (SAMHD1) is a multifunctional protein that limits cellular dNTP availability, interacts with specific retroviral proteins to induce degradation. Regulation of dNTP availability is crucial for cell cycle regulation and DNA stability. Demethylating agents such as azacytidine are in clinical use for cancer therapy, and reduce methylation of the SAMHD1 promoter and SAMHD1 gene expression. Here, we evaluated the effect of azacytidine on global DNA methylation in feline lymphocytes, and specifically on the abundance and cellular distribution of phosphorylated and non-phosphorylated SAMHD1. Azacytidine increased cellular and nuclear SAMHD1 but did not increase phosphorylated SAMHD1. Phosphorylation is essential for SAMHD1 stability and function but is unaffected by demethylation. The findings suggest that treatment with azacytidine could increase viral restriction, and they lend support to development of in vivo models utilizing azacytidine to modulate SAMHD1 activity.

This study describes all the properties of high T_c cuprates by introducing rotating holes that are created by angular momentum conservations on a 2D CuO₂ surface, and which have a different mass from that of a normal hole because of the magnetic field energy induced by the rotation. This new particle called a macroscopic Boson describes the doping dependences of pseudo-gap temperature and the transition temperature at which an anomaly metal phase appears and describes the origin of the pseudo-gap. Furthermore, this study introduces a new model to handle many-body interactions, which results in a new statistic equation. This statistic equation describing many-body interactions accurately explains why high T_c cuprates have significantly high critical temperatures. Moreover a partition function of macroscopic Bosons describes all the properties of anomaly metal phase, which sufficiently agree with experiments, using the result from our previous study [1] that analytically describes the doping dependence of T_c. By introducing a macroscopic Boson and the new statistical model for many-body interactions, this study uncovered the mystery of high T_c cuprates, which have been a challenge for many researchers. An important point is that, in this study, pure analytical calculations are consistently conducted, which agree with experimental data well (i.e., they do not use numerical calculations or fitting methods but use many actual physical constants).

The latest experimental measurements of cosmic rays (CRs) have discovered a series of anomalies, including the hardening of the nuclear spectra at R ∼200 GV followed by softening at R ∼10 TV and complicated energy dependence of anisotropy from GeV to PeV. Recent works have demonstrated nearby sources are crucial for these anomalies of spectra and anisotropy. In this work, we analyze the contributions of five nearby sources within 1 kpc around solar system to the spectra and anisotropy, finally find out which source is the best candidate source. In the calculation process, we also introduce the anisotropic diffusion of CRs induced by the local interstellar magnetic field (LIMF) nearby the solar system based on spatial-dependent propagation (SDP) model. As a result, we find Geminga SNR source can simultaneously account for CR spectra and anisotropy, whereas the other sources can not . Measurements of CR anisotropy and spectra by experiments such as LHAASO and HAWC are expected to test this scenario in the near future.

Triatoma infestans (Klug) is an insect recognized as not only an important vector of South-American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) but also a model of specific cellular morphofunctional organization and epigenetic characteristics. The purpose of the present review is to highlight certain cellular processes that are particularly unveiled in T. infestans, such as 1) somatic polyploidy involving nuclear and cell fusions that generate giant nuclei; 2) diversification of nuclear phenotypes in the Malpighian tubules during insect development; 3) heterochromatin compartmentalization into large bodies with specific spatial distribution and presumed mobility in the cell nuclei; 4) chromatin remodeling and co-occurrence of necrosis and apoptosis in the Malpighian tubules under stress conditions; 5) epigenetic markers; 6) unexplained response of heterochromatin to valproic acid, an epidrug that inhibits histone deacetylases and induces DNA demethylation in other cell systems. These cellular processes and epigenetic characteristics emphasize the role of T. infestans as an attractive model for cellular research.

Multinuclear NMR studies of the gaseous mixtures that involve volatile compounds and ³He atoms are featured in this review. Precise analyses of the ³He and other nuclei resonance frequencies show linear dependences on the gas density. Extrapolation of the gas phase results to the zero-pressure limit gives ν₀(³He) and ν₀(ⁿX) resonance frequencies of nuclei in a single 3-helium atom and nuclei in molecules at a given temperature. The NMR frequency comparison method provides an approach for determining different nuclear magnetic moments. Application of quantum chemical shielding calculations which include a more complete and careful theoretical treatment allows the shielding of isolated molecules to be achieved with great accuracy and precision. They are used for evaluation of nuclear moments without shielding impact on bare nuclei: ^10/11B, ¹³C, ¹⁴N, ¹⁷O, ¹⁹F, ²¹Ne, ²⁹Si, ³¹P, ³³S, ^35/37Cl, ³³S , ⁸³Kr, ^129/131Xe, and ¹⁸³W. On the other hand, new results of nuclear moments were used for reevaluation of absolute nuclear magnetic shielding in molecules under study. Additionally, ³He gas in water solutions of lithium and sodium salts was used for measurements of ^6/7Li and ²³Na magnetic moments and reevaluation of shielding parameters of Li⁺ and Na⁺ water solvated cations. In this paper, guest ³He atoms that play a role in probing the electron density in many host macromolecules are presented as well.

The MAP kinase ERK5 contains an N-terminal kinase domain and a unique C-terminal tail including a nuclear localization signal and a transcriptional activation domain. ERK5 is activated in response to growth factors and stresses, and regulates transcription at the nucleus by either phosphorylation or interaction with transcription factors. MEK5-ERK5 pathway plays an important role regulating cancer cell proliferation and survival. Therefore, it is important to define the precise molecular mechanisms implicated in ERK5 nucleo-cytoplasmic shuttling. We previously described that the molecular chaperone Hsp90 stabilizes and anchors ERK5 at the cytosol, and that ERK5 nuclear shuttling requires Hsp90 dissociation. Here, we show that MEK5 or Cdc37 overexpression -mechanisms that induce nuclear ERK5- induced ERK5 SUMO-2 modification at residues Lys6/Lys22 in cancer cells. We also show that overexpression of the SUMO protease SENP2 completely abolished endogenous ERK5 nuclear localization in response to EGF stimulation. Furthermore, mutation of these SUMO sites abolished the ability of ERK5 to translocate to the nucleus and to promote prostatic cancer PC-3 cell proliferation. These results allow us to propose a more precise mechanism: in response to MEK5 activation, ERK5 SUMOylation favors the dissociation of Hsp90 from the complex, allowing ERK5 nuclear shuttling and activation of transcription.

Adaptive radiations occur mostly in response to environmental variation through the evolution of key eco-morphological innovations that allow emerging species to occupy new ecological niches. However, rapid phenotypic evolution and the evolution of key novelties are likely to also occur when a couple or few species are engaged into narrow ecological interactions. To demonstrate coevolution is a difficult task; only elusive evidences confirm that coevolution is a driver of speciation and diversification. Here we propose that the adaptive radiation of the Mediterranean orchid genus Ophrys, which gave rise to ca. 350 species since the apparition of the genus is due to the particular co-evolutionary dynamics between these plants and their pollinators. We suggest that the pollination by sexual swindle used by Ophrys orchids is the main driver of this coevolution. Flowers of each Ophrys species mimic sexually receptive females of one particular insect species, mainly bees. Male bees are attracted by pseudo-pheromones emitted by Ophrys flowers that are similar to the sexual pheromones of their females. Males lured by the flower shape, color and hairiness attempt to copulate with the flower, which glues pollen on their bodies. Pollen is eventually transferred to the stigma of another flower of the same Ophrys species during similar copulation attempts. Three observations led us to propose the scenario of an asymmetric co-evolutionary relationship between Ophrys and their pollinators. Firstly, there is a strong intra-specific competition among Ophrys individuals for the attraction of their species-specific pollinators, which is due to the high learning and memorization abilities of bees that record the pheromone signatures of kin or of previously courted partner to avoid (further) copulation attempts. Mnemonic pollinators induce thus a strong selective pressure for variation in the pseudo-pheromones emitted by individual flowers, which will potentially generate shifts in pollinator species, and hence Ophrys speciation. These pollinator shifts are adaptive for new Ophrys species because they may benefit from a competitor-free space. Secondly, such shifts in pollinator species are due to the random crossing of peaks in the olfactory landscape of the pollinator guild that is syntopic to each particular Ophrys population. This selective process on individual, random variation in pseudo-pheromone bouquets is followed by directional selection on flower phenotypes that will reinforce the attraction of the new pollinator. Thirdly, pollinators use the pseudo-pheromones emitted by Ophrys to locate suitable habitats from a distance within complex landscapes. Pollinators stay fixed for a while in these habitats by the local diversity of pseudo-pheromones, which increases their probability of encounter with a receptive female and hence the reproduction probability of both sexes. Conversely, pollinators disperse out of small suitable habitats once they have memorized the local diversity of sexual pseudo-pheromone bouquet or if fecundated Ophrys flowers repel pollinators, which decreases the probability of geitonogamy (plant advantage) but limit pollinator mating with locally emergent insect females, thus limiting inbreeding and favoring gene flow (pollinator advantage). Finally, we propose several research avenues that emerged according to this scenario of adaptive radiation by assymetric coevolution between Ophrys species and their pollinators.

The nuclear receptor superfamily comprises a large group of proteins with functions essential for cell signaling, survival and proliferation. There are multiple distinctions between nuclear superfamily classes defined by hallmark differences in function, ligand binding, tissue specificity, and DNA binding. In this review, we utilize the initial classification system, which defines subfamilies based on structure and functional difference. The defining feature of the nuclear receptor superfamily is that these proteins function as transcription factors. The loss of transcriptional regulation or gain of functioning of these receptors is a hallmark in numerous diseases. For example, in prostate cancer the androgen receptor is a primary target for current prostate cancer therapies. Targeted cancer therapies for nuclear hormone receptors have been more feasible than others to develop due to ligand availability and cell permeability of hormones. To better target these receptors, it is critical to understand their structural and functional regulation. Given that late-stage cancers often develop hormone insensitivity, we will explore the strengths and pitfalls of targeting other transcription factors outside of the nuclear receptor superfamily such as the signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT).

: Background: Cartilage harvest and transplantation is a common surgery using costal, auricular, and septal cartilage for craniofacial reconstruction. However, absorption and warping of the cartilage grafts can occur due to inflammatory factors associated with wound healing. Transcriptional factor nuclear factor κB (NFκB) is activated by cytokines, such as interleukin-1 (IL-1), and plays a central role in the transactivation of this inflammatory cytokine gene. Inhibition of NFκB may have anti-inflammatory effects. The aim of this study was to explore the potential of an NFκB decoy oligodeoxynucleotide (Decoy) as a chondroprotective agent. Materials and Methods: Evaluation of safe and efficacious concentrations of Decoy were assessed using rabbit nasal septal chondrocytes (rNSCh) and assays for cytotoxicity, proteoglycan (PG) synthesis, and PG turnover. The efficacious concentration of Decoy determined from the rNSCh was then applied to human nasal septal cartilage (hNSC) in vitro and analyzed for PG turnover, the level of inflammatory markers, and catabolic enzymes in explant-conditioned culture medium. Results: Over the range of Decoy conditions and concentrations, no inhibition of PG synthesis or cytotoxicity was observed. Decoy at 10 μM effectively inhibited PG degradation in the hNSC explant, prolonging PG half-life 63% and decreasing matrix metalloprotease 3 (MMP3) by 70.7% (P = 0.027). Conclusions: Decoy may be a novel chondroprotective therapeutic agent in cartilage transplantation due to its ability to inhibit cartilage degradation due to inflammation cytokines.

Nuclear receptors (NRs) constitute a superfamily of ligand-activated transcription factors with a paramount role in ubiquitous physiological functions such as metabolism, growth, and reproduction. Owing to their physiological role and druggability, NRs are deemed attractive and valid targets for medicinal chemists. Pentacyclic triterpenes (PTs) represent one of the most important phytochemical classes present in higher plants, where oleanolic acid (OA) is the most studied PTs representative owing to its multitude of biological activities against cancer, inflammation, diabetes, and liver injury. PTs possess a lipophilic skeleton that imitates the NRs endogenous ligands. Herein, we report a literature overview on the modulation of metabolic NRs by OA and its semi-synthetic derivatives, highlighting their health benefits and potential therapeutic applications. Indeed, OA exhibited varying pharmacological effects on FXR, PPAR, LXR, RXR, PXR, and ROR in a tissue-specific manner. Owing to those NRs modulation, OA exhibited prominent hepatoprotective properties comparable to ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA) in a bile duct ligation mice model and antiatherosclerosis effect as simvastatin in a model of New Zealand white (NZW) rabbits. It also demonstrated a great promise in alleviating non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and liver fibrosis, attenuated alpha-naphthol isothiocyanate (ANIT)-induced cholestatic liver injury, and controlled blood glucose levels, making it a key player in the therapy of metabolic diseases. We also compiled OA semi-synthetic derivatives and explored their synthetic pathways and pharmacological effects on NRs, showcasing their structure-activity relationship (SAR). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first review article to highlight OA activity in terms of NRs modulation.

We investigate the impact of incoming nuclear data on the predictions of the neutron star (NS) stripping model for short gamma-ray bursts. The main area to which we pay attention is the NS crust. We show that the uncertain properties of the NS equation of state can significantly influence the stripping time tstr, the main dynamical parameter of the model. Based on the known time delay (tstr≈1.7s) between the peak of the gravitational wave signal GW170817 and the detection of gamma photons from GRB170817A, we obtain new restrictions on the nuclear matter parameters, in particular, the symmetry energy slope parameter: L<114.5MeV. In addition, we study the process of nucleosynthesis in the outer and inner crusts of a low-mass NS. We show that the nucleosynthesis is strongly influenced by both the incoming nuclear data and the equation of state of the NS matter.

Nuclear vacuoles are specific structures present on the head of the human sperm of fertile and non-fertile men. Human sperm head vacuoles have been previously studied using motile sperm organelle morphology examination (MSOME) and their origin related to ab-normal morphology, abnormal chromatin condensation and DNA fragmentation. How-ever, other evidences argued that human sperm vacuoles are physiological structures and consequently, to date, the nature and origin of the nuclear vacuoles remains to be elucidat-ed. Here, we aim to define the incidence, position, morphology, and molecular content of the human sperm vacuoles using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and immuno-cytochemistry techniques. Results showed that ~50% of the analyzed human sperm cells (n = 1908; 17 normozoospermic human donors) contained vacuoles mainly located (80%) in the anterior head region. A significant positive correlation was also found between the sperm vacuole and nucleus areas. Furthermore, it was confirmed that nuclear vacuoles were invaginations of nuclear envelope containing cytoskeletal proteins and a cytoplas-mic enzyme, discarding a nuclear or acrosomal origin. According to our findings, these human sperm head vacuoles are cellular structures which take the origin from nuclear invaginations and contain perinuclear theca (PT) components, allowing to define a new term of ‘nuclear invaginations’ rather than ‘nuclear vacuoles.

The article continues the search for a general law that describes the physical properties of a solid body, represented as a complex compound, through the physical properties of its elements. For a set of mixtures of metal oxides (actinide oxides), their melting or solidification temperatures were described in terms of the atomic weighted sum of the melting/solidification temperatures of these metals and molecular oxygen, multiplied by a variable which depending on the crystal structure and properties of melt of the compound and on the atomic numbers of the elements that make up the compound.

NMR spin relaxation times have been an instrumental tool in deciphering the local en-vironment of ionic species, the various interactions they engender and the effect of these interactions on their dynamics in conducting media. Of particular importance has been their application in studying the wide range of electrolytes for energy storage, on which this chapter is based. Here we highlight some of the research carried out on electrolytes in recent years using NMR relaxometry techniques. Specifically, studies on liquid electro-lytes, such as ionic liquids and organic solvent; on semi-solid-state electrolytes, such as ionogels and polymer gels, and solid electrolytes such as glasses, glass ceramics and polymers. Although this chapter focuses on a small selection of materials, we believe they demonstrate the breadth of application and the invaluable nature of NMR relaxometry.

Emerin is the inner nuclear membrane protein involved in maintaining the mechanical integrity of the nuclear membrane. Mutations in EMD encoding emerin cause Emery–Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EDMD). There has been accumulating evidence that emerin regulation of specific gene expression is associated with this disease, but the exact function of emerin has still less revealing. Here, we have shown that emerin downregulates Signal transducer and activators of transcription 3 (STAT3) signaling, activated exclusively by Janus-kinase (JAK). Deletion mutation experiments showed that the lamin-binding domain of emerin is essential for the inhibition of STAT3 signaling. Emerin interacted directly and co-localized with STAT3 in the nuclear membrane. Emerin knockdown induced STAT3 target genes Bcl2 and Survivin to increase cell survival signals and suppress hydrogen peroxide-induced apoptosis in HeLa cells. Specifically, downregulation of BAF or lamin A/C increases STAT3 signaling, suggesting that correct-localized emerin by assembling with BAF and lamin A/C acts as an intrinsic inhibitor against STAT3 signaling. In C2C12 cells, emerin knockdown induced STAT3 target gene, Pax7, and activated abnormal myoblast proliferation associated with muscle wasting in skeletal muscle homeostasis. Our results indicate that emerin downregulates STAT3 signaling by inducing retention of STAT3 and delaying STAT3 signaling in the nuclear membrane. This mechanism provides clues to the etiology of emerin-related muscular dystrophy and could be a new therapeutic target for treatment.

Spent nuclear fuel and high-level radioactive waste can be disposed in deep horizontal drillholes in sedimentary, metamorphic, or igneous rocks. Horizontal drillhole disposal has safety, operational, and economic benefits: The repository is deep in the brine-saturated zone far below aquifers in a reducing environment of formations that can be shown to have been isolated from the surface for millions of years; its depth provides safety against inadvertent intrusion, earth¬quakes, and near-surface perturbations; it can be placed close to the reactors and interim storage facilities, minimizing transportation; disposal costs per ton of waste can be kept substantially lower than for mined repositories by its smaller size, reduced infrastructure needs, and staged imple¬mentation; and, if desired, the waste could be retrieved using “fishing” technology. In the proposed disposal concept, corrosion-resistant canisters containing unmodified fuel assemblies from commercial reactors would be placed end-to-end in up to 50 cm diameter horizontal drill¬holes, a configuration that reduces mechanical stresses and keeps the temperatures below the boiling point of the brine. Other high-level wastes, such as capsules containing 137Cs and 90Sr, can be disposed in small-diameter drillholes. We provide an overview of this novel disposal concept and its technology, discuss some of its safety aspects, and compare it to mined repositories and the deep vertical borehole disposal concept.

The human casualties from simulated nuclear detonation scenarios in New Delhi, India are analyzed, with a focus on the distribution of casualties in urban environments and the theoretical application of a nuclear-specific triage system. Model estimates of nuclear war casualties employed ESRI's ArcGIS 9.3, blast and prompt radiation were calculated using the Defense Nuclear Agency's WE program, and fallout radiation was calculated using the Defense Threat Reduction Agency's (DTRA's) Hazard Prediction and Assessment Capability (HPAC) V404SP4, as well as custom GIS and database software applications. ESRI ArcGISTM programs were used to calculate affected populations from the Oak Ridge National Laboratory's LandScanTM 2007 Global Population Dataset for areas affected by thermal, blast and radiation data. Trauma, thermal burn, and radiation casualties were thus estimated on a geographic basis for New Delhi, India for single and multiple (six) 25 kiloton (kt) detonations and a single 1 megaton (1000kt) detonation. Major issues related to the emergency management of a nuclear incident are discussed with specific recommendations for improvement. The consequences for health management of thermal burn and radiation patients is the worst, as burn patients require enormous resources to treat, and there will be little to no familiarity with the treatment of radiation victims.

The saturation properties of symmetric and asymmetric nuclear matter have been computed using the finite range simple effective interaction having Yukawa form-factor. The results of higher order derivatives of the energy per particle and the symmetry energy computed at saturation, namely, Q0, Ksym, Kτ, Qsym, are compared with the corresponding range of values extracted from studies involving theory, experiment and astrophysical observations. The ability of the equations of state computed with this simple effective interaction in predicting the threshold mass for prompt collapse in binary neutron star merger and gravitational redshift have been examined in terms of the compactness of the neutron star and the incompressibility at the central density of the maximum mass star. The correlations existing between neutron star properties with the nuclear matter saturation properties have been analyzed and compared with the predictions of other model calculations.

Nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) techniques are widely used to identify pure substances and probe protein dynamics. Edible oil is a complex mixture composed of hydrocarbons, which have a wide range of molecular size distribution. In this research, low field NMR (LF-NMR) relaxation characteristic data of various sample oils were analyzed. We also suggest a new method for prediction size of edible oil molecules using LF-NMR relaxation time distributions. According to the relative molecular mass, carbon chain length, transverse relaxation time of different sample oils, combined with oil viscosity and other factors, the relationship between carbon chain length and transverse relaxation time rate was analyzed. Various oils and fats in the mixed fluid are displayed, reflecting the composition information of different oils. To study the correlation between the rotation correlation time and molecular information of oil molecules. The molecular composition of the resulting fluid determines its properties, such as viscosity and phase behavior. The results show that low-field NMR can obtain information on the composition, macromolecular aggregation, and molecular dynamics of complex fluids. Measurements of grease in the free fluid state show that the relaxation time can reflect the intrinsic properties of the fluid. It is shown that the composition characteristics and states of complex fluids can be measured by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance.

We present simple relations for nuclear stability and nuclear binding energy with respect to three gravitational constants associated with electroweak, strong and electromagnetic interactions.

Since crystals are made of periodic structures in space, predicting their three period vectors starting from any values based on the inside interactions is a basic theoretical physics problem. For the general situation where crystals are under constant external stress, we derived dynamical equations of the period vectors in the framework of Newtonian dynamics, for pair potentials recently (doi:/10.1139/cjp-2014-0518). The derived dynamical equations show that the period vectors are driven by the imbalance between the internal and external stresses. This presents a physical process where when the external stress changes, the crystal structure changes accordingly, since the original internal stress can not balance the external stress. The internal stress has both a full kinetic energy term and a full interaction term. It is extended to many-body interactions in this paper. As a result, all conclusions in the pair-potential case also apply for many-body potentials.

There are several well-described molecular mechanisms that influence cell growth and are relat-ed to the development of cancer. Chemokines constitute a fundamental element which are not only involved in local growth but also affect angiogenesis, tumor spread and metastatic disease. Among them, the C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) and its specific receptor the chemo-kine C-X-C motif receptor 4 (CXCR4) have been widely studied. The overexpression in cell mem-branes of CXCR4 has been shown to be associated with the development of different kinds of his-tological malignancies, such as adenocarcinomas, epidermoid carcinomas, mesenchymal tumors or neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). The molecular synapsis between CXCL12 and CXCR4 leads to the interaction of G proteins and activation of different intracellular signaling pathways in both gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) and bronchopulmonary (BP) NENs conferring greater ca-pacity for locoregional aggressiveness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the ap-pearance of metastases. Therefore, it has been hypothesized how to design tools that target this receptor. The aim of this review is to focus on current knowledge of the relationship between CXCR4 and NENs, with a special emphasis on diagnostic and therapeutic molecular targets.

The nuclear lamina consists of a dense fibrous meshwork made of nuclear lamins, Type V intermediate filaments, and is ~14 nm thick according to recent cryo-electron tomography studies. Recent advances in light microscopy have extended the resolution to a scale allowing for the fine structure of the lamina to be imaged in the context of the whole nucleus. We review quantitative approaches to analyze the imaging data of the nuclear lamina as acquired by structured illumination microscopy (SIM) and single molecule localization microscopy (SMLM), as well as the requisite cell preparation techniques. In particular, we discuss the application of steerable filters and graph based methods to segment the structure of the four mammalian lamin isoforms (A, C, B1, and B2) and extract quantitative information.

The current generation of nuclear reactors are evolutionary in design, mostly based on the technology originally designed to power submarines, and dominated by Light Water Reactors. The aims of the GenIV consortium are driven by sustainability, safety and reliability, economics, and proliferation resistance. The aims are extended here to encompass the ultimate and universal vision for strategic development of energy production, the ‘perpetuum mobile’ – at least as close as possible. We propose to rethink nuclear reactor design with the mission to develop a system which uses no fresh resources and produces no fresh waste during operation as well as generates power safe and reliably in economic way. The results of the innovative simulations presented here demonstrate that, from a theoretical perspective, it is feasible to fulfil the mission through the reuse of spent nuclear fuel from currently operating reactors as the fuel for a new reactor. The produced waste is less burdensome than current spent nuclear fuel which is used as feed to the system. However, safety, reliability and operational economics will need to be demonstrated to create the basis for the long term success of nuclear reactors as a major carbon free, sustainable, and applied highly reliable energy source.

The social- and self-directed behaviours of two golden lion tamarins (Leontopithecus rosalia) was investigated while having residence in the tropical house of Aalborg Zoo, Denmark. The behaviour of the female had been distinct from the male since 2018. Despite several diagnostic examinations and medicinal treatments, the cause of the aberrant and apparently stereotypical behavioural patterns remained undetermined, which initiated this study. The pair were recorded throughout a predetermined observation period and these recordings were analysed to illuminate the behaviours of the individuals. The results showed that there were differences in the type, frequency, and durations of both social- and self-directed behaviours between the sick female and the healthy male. The female expressed both social- and self-directed behaviours more frequently and for longer durations, while the male were more socially reserved and did not engage in social behaviours as frequently. Furthermore, subsequent necropsy of the female revealed uro-genital disease.

Nuclear technologies have the potential to play a major role in the transition to a global net-zero society. Their primary advantage is the capability to deliver controllable 24/7 energy on demand. However, as a prerequisite for successful worldwide application, significant innovation will be required to create the nuclear systems of the 21st century, the need of the hour. The pros and cons of nuclear are discussed and analysed at different levels – the societal and public recognition as well as the scientific/engineering and economic level – to assure a demand driven development. Based on the analysis of the different challenges a vision for the nuclear system of the 21st century is synthesised consisting of three pillars – unlimited nuclear energy, zero waste nuclear, and accident free nuclear. These three combined visions are then transformed into dedicated and verifiable missions which are discussed in detail regarding challenges and opportunities. In the following a stepwise approach for the development of such a highly innovative nuclear system is described. Essential steps to assure active risk reduction and the delivery of quick progress are derived as answer to the critique on the currently observed extensive construction time and cost overruns on new nuclear plants. The 4-step process consisting of basic studies, experimental zero power reactor, small scale demonstrator, and industrial demonstrator is described. The 4 steps including sub-steps deliver the pathway to a successful implementation of such a ground breaking new nuclear system. The potential sub-steps are discussed with the view not only onto the scientific development challenges, but also as an approach to reduce the regulatory challenges of a novel nuclear technology.

An attempt is made to model the atomic nucleus as a combination of bound and free or unbound nucleons. Due to strong interaction, bound nucleons help in increasing nuclear binding energy and due to electroweak interaction, free or unbound nucleons help in decreasing nuclear binding energy. In this context, with reference to proposed 4G model of final unification and strong interaction, recently we have developed a unified nuclear binding energy scheme with four simple terms, one energy coefficient of 10.1 MeV and two small numbers 0.0016 and 0.0019. In this paper, by eliminating the number 0.0019, we try to fine tune the estimation procedure of number of free or unbound nucleons pertaining to the second term with an energy coefficient of 11.9 MeV. It seems that, some kind of electroweak interaction is playing a strange role in maintaining free or unbound nucleons within the nucleus. It is possible to say that, strong interaction plays a vital role in increasing nuclear binding energy and electroweak interaction plays a vital role in reducing nuclear binding energy. Interesting observation is that, Z can be considered as a characteristic representation of range of number of bound isotopes of Z. For medium, heavy and super heavy atoms, beginning and ending mass numbers pertaining to bound states can be understood with 2Z+0.004Z^2 and 3Z+0.004Z^2 respectively. With further study, neutron drip lines can be understood. Based on this kind of data fitting procedure and by considering the mass ratio of pions and electroweak bosons, existence of our 4G model of electroweak fermion of rest energy 584.725 GeV can be confirmed confidently.

Due to legal regulations, the rise of globalised (online) commerce and the need for public health protection, the analysis of spirits (alcoholic beverages > 15 % vol) is a task with growing importance for governmental and commercial laboratories. In this article a newly developed method using nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy for the simultaneous determination of 15 substances relevant for the quality and authenticity assessment of spirits is described. The new method starts with a simple and rapid sample preparation and does not need an internal standard. For each sample a group of 1H-NMR spectra is recorded, among them a 2D spectrum for analyte identification and 1D spectra with suppression of solvent signals for quantification. Using the Pulse Length Based Concentration Determination (PULCON) method, concentrations are calculated from curve fits of the characteristic signals for each analyte. The optimisation of the spectra, their evaluation and the transfer of the results are done fully automatically. Glucose, fructose, sucrose, acetic acid, citric acid, formic acid, ethyl acetate, ethyl lactate, acetaldehyde, ethanol, methanol, n-propanol, isobutanol, isopentanol, 2-phenylethanol and 5-(hydroxymethyl)furfural (HMF) can be quantified with an overall accuracy better than 8 %. This new NMR-based targeted quantification method enables the simultaneous and efficient quantification of relevant spirits ingredients in their typical concentration ranges in one process with good accuracy. It has proven to be a reliable method for all kinds of spirits in routine food control.

The importance of genome organization at the supranucleosomal scale in the control of gene expression is increasingly recognized today. In mammals, Topologically Associating Domains (TADs) and the active / inactive chromosomal compartments are two of the main nuclear structures that contribute to this organization level. However, recent works reviewed here indicate that, at specific loci, chromatin interactions with nuclear bodies could also be crucial to regulate genome functions, in particular transcription. They moreover suggest that these nuclear bodies are membrane-less organelles dynamically self-assembled and disassembled through mechanisms of phase separation. We have recently developed a novel genome-wide experimental method, High-salt Recovered Sequences sequencing (HRS-seq), which allows the identification of chromatin regions associated with large ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes and nuclear bodies. We argue that the physical nature of such RNP complexes and nuclear bodies appears to be central in their ability to promote efficient interactions between distant genomic regions. The development of novel experimental approaches, including our HRS-seq method, is opening new avenues to understand how self-assembly of phase separated nuclear bodies possibly contributes to mammalian genome organization and gene expression.

The way people in many countries eat today is disconnected to the resources and land locally available. In Europe, for instance, too much meat is eaten, but often cannot be fed by local resources. The percentage of non-local and non-seasonal food is tremendous, exploiting other regions and their water reservoirs. Current diets harm eco systems and people’s health. (Re-)regionalising food systems and aligning diets to planetary boundaries could be one way to reconnect people to the food they eat. Before demanding the (re-)regionalisation of food, it should be analysed whether current consumption patterns can be met at all with the regionally available agricultural land. We looked at the region Hesse in Central Germany, calculated and compared land consumption of current diets with the consumption as recommended by the Planetary Health Diet. Our focus is on livestock because land consumption to produce meat, dairy and eggs is relatively high. Our results show that the region is far from being able to feed the current livestock population, that it does not have the land to support the livestock needed to meet current consumption patterns, but that it could support a smaller livestock population according to the Planetary Health Diet, especially if farmers adopt crop rotation systems and extensive husbandry.