Graphene-based Field-Effect Transistors (FETs) integrated with microstrip patch antennas offer a promising approach for Terahertz signal radiation. In this study, a dual-stage simulation methodology is employed to comprehensively investigate the device’s performance. The initial stage, executed in MATLAB, delves into charge transport dynamics within a FET under asymmetric boundary conditions, employing hydrodynamic equations for electron transport in the graphene channel. Electromagnetic field interactions are modeled via Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) techniques. The second stage, conducted in COMSOL Multiphysics, focuses on the microstrip patch antenna’s radiative characteristics. Notably, analysis of the S11 curve reveals minimal reflections at the FET’s resonant frequency of 1.34672 THz, indicating efficient impedance matching. Examination of the radiation pattern demonstrates the antenna’s favorable directional properties. This research underscores the potential of graphene-based FETs for Terahertz applications, offering tunable impedance matching and high radiation efficiency for future Terahertz devices.

In an historic perspective on the development of the Standard Model of particle physics it is shown how mathematically driven axioms have masked the merits of a physically comprehensible structural view. It is concluded that the difference between the two approaches can be traced back to two major issues. Whereas in the Standard Model the quark is a Dirac particle with a single real dipole moment, the quark in the structural model, in confinement with other quarks, is a Dirac particle with two real dipole moments. The second issue is the view that empty space does not exist, but that space is filled with a polarisable energetic fluid. It is shown how recognition of these two issues pave a road to reconcile particle physics with gravity, in which the quark can be seen as a magnetic electron and in which the gluon, as the strong force carrier, can be seen as a massive photon.

Starting from an overview of neutrino problems and a simplified survey of Fermi’s neutrino theory, it is shown why neutrinos are left-handed and why they seem to show an oscillatory behaviour between their flavours. After addressing the question how to assess the naked mass of the true elementary particles, it is hypothesized that the elementary constituents of the nuclear background energy and the cosmological background energy are the same. This allows to derive the magnitude of the quark’s “naked” mass from the polarization of the vacuum.

In this work, we study gravitational lensing in the weak field limits and the shadow by charged black holes in non-linear electrodynamics corrections. To find the deflection angle in vacuum (non-plasma) up to the leading order terms, we compute the optical Gaussian curvature from optical metric and utilize the Gauss-Bonnet theorem by applying Gibbons and Werner’s technique. Also, we derive the bending angle in plasma and dark matter mediums and observe that the bending angle increases by increasing the effects of these mediums. Further, in vacuum and plasma mediums, we investigate the graphical behavior of the bending angle with respect to the impact parameter u and notice that the bending angle exponentially decreases. Moreover, we calculate the Hawking temperature using the Gauss-Bonnet theorem and compare it with a standard method of computing the Hawking temperature. Furthermore, we investigate the bound of the greybody factor and graphically examine that bound converges to the 1. We relate our obtained results with the results of black holes given in the literature. Finally, we have considered exploring the effect of NLED, plasma, and dark matter on the black hole’s shadow radius to broaden the study’s scope. Results for the shadow indicate that the three parameters give different deviations to the shadow radius. Interestingly, while plasma affects both the photonsphere and shadow, dark matter only influences the shadow.

The steady-state, coupled heat and mass transfer from a fluid flow to a sphere accompanied by an exothermal catalytic chemical reaction on the surface of the sphere is analysed taking into consideration the effect of thermal radiation. The flow past the sphere is considered steady, laminar and incompressible. The radiative transfer is modeled by P₀ and P₁ approximations. The mathematical model equations were discretized by the finite difference method. The discrete equations were solved by the defect correction – multigrid method. The influence of thermal radiation on the sphere surface temperature, concentration and reaction rate was analysed for three parameter sets of the dimensionless reaction parameters. The numerical results show that only for very small values of the Prater number the effect of thermal radiation on the surface reaction is not significant.

The plate embedded with acoustic black hole (ABH) indentations is potential for structural vibration and noise control. This work focuses on the mid- and low-frequency performance of plates embedded with the array of ABH for energy focalization and vibration & noise suppression. Plates embedded with two-dimensional ABHs are modelled with detailed Finite Element (FE) models, and the power flow method is introduced to analyze the energy propagation characteristics arising from ABH effect. Then the distribution of average vibration power density along ABH radius is studied. Next, the energy dissipation effects of the plate model embedded with ABH array with two types of damping layers are investigated. Finally, the sound pressure levels of the ABH structure are calculated and discussed. This work is helpful to understand the characteristics of plates embedded with ABH array in reducing vibration and noise radiation. Results show the tremendous potential of ABH array for vibration and noise control.

Multiple unique environmental factors such as space radiation and microgravity (µG) pose a serious threat to human gene stability during space travel. Recently, we reported that simultaneous exposure of human fibroblasts to simulated µG and radiation results in more chromosomal aberrations than in cells exposed to radiation alone. However, the mechanisms behind this remain unknown. The purpose of this study was thus to obtain comprehensive data on gene expression using a 3D clinostat synchronized to a carbon (C)-ion or X-ray irradiation system. Human fibroblasts (1BR-hTERT) were maintained under standing or rotating conditions for 3 or 24 h after synchronized C-ion or X-ray irradiation at 1 Gy as part of a total culture time of 2 days. Among 57,773 genes analyzed with RNA sequencing, we focused particularly on the expression of 82 cell cycle-related genes after exposure to the radiation and simulated µG. The expression of cell cycle-suppressing genes (ABL1 and CDKN1A) decreased and that of cell cycle-promoting genes (MKI67, KPNA2, CCNB1, STMN1, and MCM4) increased after C-ion irradiation under µG. The cell cycle may pass through the G1/S and G2 checkpoints with DNA damage due to the combined effects of C-ions and µG, suggesting that increased genomic instability might occur in space.

The World Meteorological Organization (WMO) recommends that the most recent 30-year period, i.e. 1991-2020, shall be used to compute climate normals of geophysical variables. A unique aspect this recent 30-year period is that the satellite-based observations of many different essential climate variables are available during this period, thus opening up new possibilities to provide a robust, global basis for the 30-year reference period in order to allow climate monitoring and climate change studies. Here, using the satellite-based climate data record of cloud and radiation properties, CLARA-A3, for the month of January between 1981 to 2020, we illustrate the difference between climate normal, as defined by guidelines from WMO on calculations of 30-yr climate normals, and climatology. It is shown that this difference is strongly dependent on the climate variable in question. We discuss the impacts of the nature and availability of satellite observations, variable definition, retrieval algorithm and programmatic configuration. It is shown that the satellite-based climate data records show enormous promise in providing climate normal for the recent 30-year period (1991-2020) globally. We finally argue that the holistic perspectives from the global satellite community should be increasingly considered while formulating the future WMO guidelines on computing climate normals.

Penile squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) is a rare disease. Treatment options for advanced penile cancer are often limited and prognosis remains poor. We reported a 52-year-old male recurrent and metastatic penile SCC patient with high PD-L1 expression(90%) and TMB(14.4 muts/Mb). He had undergone penectomy, bilateral inguinal lymph node dissection and excision of the abdominal wall mass during two surgeries. Despite cisplatin-based concurrent chemoradiotherapy and sequential chemotherapy with docetaxel plus cisplatin were then carried out, the carcinoma still had progressed. The patient then obtained progression free survival exceeding 32 months with continuous sintilimab, although new onset of ICI-induced diabetes after 24 cycles of sintilimab and required sustained insulin treatment. He didn’t have positive type 1 diabetes associated autoantibodies, but had susceptible HLA genotype DR3-DQ2 haplotype. This is the first patient with radiation and multichemorefractory penile SCC obtained remarkable anti-tumor effect of partial regression exceeding 32 months during continuous sintilimab.

Seeing atomic configuration of single organic nanoparticles at sub-Å spatial resolution by transmission electron microscopy has been so far prevented by the high sensitivity of soft matter to radiation damage. The difficulty is related to the need to irradiate the particle with a total dose of few electrons/Å2, not compatible with the electron beam density necessary to search the low-contrast nanoparticle, to control its drift, to finely adjust the electro-optical conditions and particle orientation, and to finally acquire an effective atomic resolution image. On the other hand, the capability to study individual pristine nanoparticles, such as proteins, active pharmaceutical ingredients, and polymers, with peculiar sensitivity to the variation of the local structure, defects, and strain, would provide advancements in many fields, including materials science, medicine, biology, and pharmacology. Here we report direct sub-ångström resolution imaging at room temperature of pristine unstained crystalline polymer-based nanoparticles. This result is obtained by combining low-dose in-line electron holography and phase-contrast imaging on state-of-the-art equipment, providing an effective tool for the quantitative sub-angstrom imaging of soft matter.

The radiation stability of polymer test objects fabricated by direct laser writing is studied. The two groups of 6 cubes (50×50×50 μm3) were printed on a common silicon substrate. 6 cubes were irradiated with X-rays in the synchrotron radiation beam (12 keV, 1010 photons/mm2/s), the other 6 kept non-irradiated for the reference. In each group, the fabrication parameters (laser power and slicing step) were uniformly varied from cube to cube. Each irradiated cube was exposed with the dose of 1013 X-ray photons. The calibration of this dose in the radiological units (Gy) was carried out using the tissue-equivalent thermoluminescent detectors (TLD-800). The corresponding exposition dose was estimated as 30 kGy for each cube. The radiation effects were evaluated by Raman spectroscopy and by morphological changes observed with the raster electron microscope. The primary radiation effect appears in the essential increase of the polymerization degree with consuming carbon-carbon double bonds in favor of the polymer cross-linking. Only one cube of 6 has changed the size and shape due to this effect, while the others retained the initial shape. Morphological changes are connected with the improper fabrication parameters (laser power and slicing step). Properly fabricated objects withstand the X-rays of the synchrotron radiation beam.

The COVID-19 pandemic is placing unprecedented stress on healthcare systems around the world. Although Radiation Oncology Departments are not at the frontline of fighting this infectious disease, it is important to implement COVID-19 policies to reduce risk of staff and patient exposure, and to limit the risk of department shutdown or downtime. This brief report describes the policy implemented at George Washington University Radiation Oncology to manage the risks of COVID-19. This includes a General Statement related to the priorities of the Radiation Oncology department, a screening procedure for new and follow-up patients, management policies for critical and non-critical patients with COVID-19 or under quarantine, a policy for the management of patients currently under treatment who are diagnosed or placed in quarantine, a clinical escalation action plan, guidelines for staff meetings and travel, and procedure management. This policy was implemented at George Washington University Radiation Oncology after the first case of COVID-19 was reported in Washington DC on March 7, 2020.

The gap in knowledge regarding the radiative effects of aerosols in the UV region of the solar spectrum is large, mainly due to the lack of systematic measurements of the aerosol single scattering albedo (SSA) and absorption optical depth (AAOD). In the present study, spectral UV measurements performed in Thessaloniki, Greece by a double monochromator Brewer spectrophotometer in the period 1998 - 2017 are used for the calculation of the aforementioned optical properties. The main uncertainty factors have been described and there is an effort to quantify the overall uncertainties in SSA and AAOD. Analysis of the results suggests that the absorption by aerosols is much stronger in the UV relative to the visible. SSA follows a clear annual pattern ranging from ~0.7 in winter to ~0.85 in summer at wavelengths 320 – 360 nm, while AAOD peaks in summer and winter. The average AAOD for 2009 – 2011 is ~50% above the 2003 – 2006 average, possibly due to increased emissions of absorbing aerosols related to the economical crisis and the metro-railway construction works in the city center. A detailed analysis of the uncertainties in the retrieval of the SSA and the AAOD from the Brewer spectrophotometer has been also performed.

Abstract: We have filled a 24 mm diameter glass sphere with a transparent polymer-gel that is radio-fluorogenic, i.e. it becomes (permanently) fluorescent when irradiated, with an intensity proportional to the local dose deposited. The gel consists of >99.9% tertiary-butyl acrylate (TBA) pre-polymerized to ~15% conversion, and ~100 ppm maleimido-pyrene (MPy). Its dimensions and physical properties are close to those of the vitreous body of the human eye. We have irradiated the gel with a 3 mm diameter, 200 kVp X-ray beam with a dose rate of ~1 Gy/min. A 3D (video) view of the beam within the gel has been constructed from tomographic images obtained by scanning the sample through a thin sheet of UV light. To minimize optical artifacts, the cell was immersed in a square tank containing a refractive-index-matching medium. The 20%-80% penumbra of the beam was determined to be ~0.4 mm. The research was a preparatory investigation of the possibility of using the method to monitor the millimetre diameter proton pencil beams used in ocular radiotherapy.

In space application, hybrid pixel detectors of the Timepix family have been considered mainly for measurement of radiation levels and radiation dosimetry in low earth orbits. By the example of the Space Application of Timepix Radiation Monitor (SATRAM), we demonstrate the unique capabilities of Timepix-based miniaturized radiation detectors for particle separation. Using a novel method for proton spectrum reconstruction, we were able to measure the spectrum of protons trapped in the inner Van-Allen radiation belt, for the first time with a single-layer detector. We assess the measurement stability and the resiliency of the detector to the space environment demonstrating that, even though degradation is observed, data quality has not been affected significantly over more than 10 years. Based on the SATRAM heritage and the capabilities of the latest-generation Timepix-series chips, we discuss their applicability for use in a compact magnetic spectrometer for deep-space mission or in the high radiation environment of the Jupiter radiation belts, and their capability for use as single-layer X- and γ-ray polarimeter. The latter was supported by measurement of the polarization of scattered radiation in a laboratory experiment, where a modulation of 80% was found.

Introduction: To compare the results of patient-specific absolute dosimetry using homogeneous slab phantom and anthropomorphic heterogeneous female pelvic phantom in cervical cancer patients. Materials and method: Thirty RapidArc plans already planned on treatment planning system (TPS) for cervical cancer patients were exported on both the phantoms viz. RW3 slab phantom and AHFP and dose were calculated using an anisotropic analytic algorithm (AAA). All the plans were delivered by linear accelerator (LA) and the dose for each plan was measured by a 0.6cc ion chamber. The percentage (%) variation between planned and measured doses were calculated and analyzed.Results: In the case of slab phantom, the mean percentage variations between planned and measured doses of all rapid arc QA plans were as 1.4299 and standard deviation 0.768 (t=0.00508, ρ= 0.497982) The result is not significant at p < .05. For the AHFP phantom, the mean percentage variations between planned and measured doses of all rapid arc QA plans were as 6.890 and standard deviation 2.565 (t= 3.21604, ρ= 0.001063 <0.05), the outcome is significant. Discussion: In the case of homogenous slab phantom, there is less than a 3% difference in percentage between planned and measured doses with a standard deviation of 0.7682 (t=0.00508, p= .497982. The result is not significant at p< 0.05). The deviations of planned and measured value of dose in the AHFP phantom were found as 10.67% (maximum value), 2.31% (minimum value) and 6.89% (average value) with standard deviation 2.565 (t=3.21604, p=0.001063. The result is significant at p<0.05). Also, the percentage of variation between homogeneous slab phantoms with AHFP phantom, the t-value is -11.17016. The p-value is < .00001. The result is significant at p<0.05. We can see that the outcomes differ significantly due to the influence of heterogeneous media.Conclusion: AHFP phantom results showed more dose variability than slab homogenous phantom outcomes. Therefore, patient-specific absolute dosimetry should be performed using a heterogeneous phantom that closely resembles the actual human body in terms of both density and design.

In this work, we examine the deflection angle of black hole in effective loop quantum gravity in non-plasma medium via the geometrical technique of Gibbons and Werner in weak field limits. For this, we attain the optical metric and calculate the Gaussian optical curvature and then we apply the Gauss-Bonnet theorem. We also study the influence of the plasma and dark matter mediums on the deflection angle. Further, we obtain the deflection angle by using Keeton and Petters method. We also calculate the Hawking temperature via Gauss-Bonnet theorem. In addition, we determine the fermionic greybody bounds. Moreover, we discuss the graphical behaviour of the bending angle and bounds on the greybody factor. We also examine that the results obtained for the black hole in effective loop quantum gravity are reduces to the Schwarzschild black hole solutions when dimensionless non-negative parameter $A_{\lambda}=0$.

Diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma (DIPG) is an aggressive pediatric brainstem tumor with a 5-year survival of <1%. Up to 80% of DIPG tumors contain a specific K27M mutation in one of two genes encoding histone H3 (H3K27M). Furthermore, p53 mutations found in >70-80% of H3K27M DIPG, and mutant p53 status is associated with a decreased response to radiation treatment and worse overall prognosis. Recent evidence indicates that H3K27M mutation disrupts tri-methylation at H3K27 leading to aberrant gene expression. Jumonji family histone demethylases collaborates with H3K27 mutation in DIPG by erasing H3K27 trimethylation and thus contributing to derepression of genes involved in tumorigenesis. Since the first line treatment for pediatric DIPG is fractionated radiation, we investigated the effects of Jumonji demethylase inhibition with GSK-J4, and mutant p53 targeting/oxidative stress induction with APR-246, on radio-sensitization of human H3K27M DIPG cells. Both APR-246 and GSK-J4 displayed growth inhibitory effects as single agents in H3K27M DIPG cells. Furthermore, both of these agents elicited mild radiosensitizing effects in human DIPG cells (sensitizer enhancement ratios (SERs) of 1.12 and 1.35, respectively; p<0.05). Strikingly, a combination of APR-246 and GSK-J4 displayed a significant enhancement of radiosensitization, with SER of 1.50 (p<0.05) at sub-micro-molar concentrations of the drugs (0.5 μM). The molecular mechanism of the observed radiosensitization appears to involve DNA damage repair deficiency triggered by APR-246/GSK-J4, leading to the induction of apoptotic cell death. Thus, a therapeutic approach of combined targeting of mutant p53, oxidative stress induction, and Jumonji demethylase inhibition with radiation in DIPG warrants further investigation.

Magneto-optic (MO) imaging and sensing are at present the most developed practical applications of thin-film MO garnet materials. However, future component and system-level sensors and imagers technology improvements are still necessary in order to improve sensitivity for a range of established and also the forward-looking applications. These improvements are expected to originate from new material system development. We propose a set of technological modifications for the RF-magnetron sputtering deposition and crystallization annealing of magneto-optic bismuth-substituted iron-garnet films and investigate the improved material properties. Results show that standard crystallization annealing for the as-deposited ultrathin (sputtered 10 nm thick, amorphous phase) films resulted in more than a factor of two loss in the magneto-optical activity of the films in visible spectral region, compared to the liquid-phase grown epitaxial films. Results also show that an additional 10 nm-thick metal-oxide (Bi2O3) protective layer above the amorphous film results in ~2.7 times increase in the magneto-optical quality of crystallized iron-garnet films. On the other hand, the effects of post-deposition oxygen (O2) plasma treatment on the magneto-optical (MO) properties of Bismuth substituted iron garnet thin films material is investigated. Results show that, in the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum (at 532 nm), the O2 treated (up to 3 minutes) garnet films retain higher specific Faraday rotation and figure of merit than those of non-treated garnet films.

This paper proposes a compact planar Wi-Fi antenna with optimized radiation patterns for small uncrewed aerial vehicle (UAV) applications in both urban and open areas. It is suitable for mounting on the outermost side of the non-metallic wing of small UAVs. It has small dimensions of 16.5 mm (L) by 30.3 mm (W) by 1.6 mm (h), and the measured results of its prototype are in agreement with simulated data. Its impedance bandwidths over the two frequency ranges are 2.11 to 2.58 GHz and 5.06 to 7.5 GHz ( ). At 5.8 GHz, it has stronger radiation below the small UAV to reduce interference from rare-use directions. Its maximum radiations, the directions of the maximum radiation in each elevation plane, are below the UAV and between 14° and 29° from the horizontal plane. At 2.4 GHz, it has quasi-omnidirectional radiation to ensure a stable link in all directions, and its maximum radiations are near the horizontal plane. The optimized radiation patterns at 5.8 and 2.4 GHz can provide more antenna gain when the small UAV flies farther in urban and open areas, respectively. In addition, it has good vertically polarized radiation for long-distance applications.

This paper focuses on quantifying the uncertainty in the specific absorption rate values of brain induced by the uncertain positions of the electroencephalography electrodes placed on patient's scalp. To avoid running a large number of simulations, an artificial neural network architecture for uncertainty quantification involving high-dimensional data is proposed in this paper. The proposed method is demonstrated to be an attractive alternative to conventional uncertainty quantification methods because of its considerable advantage in the computational expense and speed.

Electrical properties of the thin films of poly(arylene ether ketone) copolymers (co-PAEKs) with the fraction of phthalide-containing units of 3, 5 and 50 mol% in the main chain were investigated by using radiation induced conductivity (RIC) measurements. Transient current signals and current-voltage (I-V) characteristics were obtained under exposing 20÷25 thick films of the co-PAEKs to monoenergetic electron pulses of the energy ranged from 3 to 50 keV in the electric field ranged from 5 to 40 V/μm. The Rose-Fowler-Vaisberg semi-empirical model based on a multiple trapping formalism was used for an analysis of the RIC data and the parameters of the highly dispersive charge carrier transport were evaluated. The analysis revealed that charge carriers moved in isolation from each other and the applied electric fields were below the threshold field triggering the switching effect (a reversible high-to-low resistivity transition) in the co-PAEK films. It was also found that the co-PAEK films due to the super-linear I-V characteristics are highly resistant to electrostatic discharges arising from the effects of ionizing radiation. This property is important for the development of protective coatings for electronic devices.

Solar concentrator photovoltaic collectors are able to deliver energy at higher temperatures for the same irradiances, since they are related to smaller areas for which heat losses occur. However, to ensure the system reliability, adequate collector geometry and appropriate choice of the materials used for all their components will be crucial. The present study focuses on the re-design of the C-PV collector reflector currently produced by the Swedish company Solarus AB, together with a comparative analysis based on the annual assessment of the solar irradiance in the collector. An open-source ray tracing code (Soltrace) is used to accomplish the modelling of optical systems in concentrating solar power applications. Symmetric parabolic reflector configurations are seen to improve the PV system performance when compared to the conventional structures currently used by Solarus. The parabolic geometries, using either symmetrically or asymmetrically placed receivers inside the collector, achieve both the performance and cost-effectiveness objectives: for almost the same area or costs, the new proposals for the PV system may be in some cases 70 % more effective as far as energy output is concerned.

Background: There is a growing interest in TKA components alignment, especially around the kinematic technique, which aims at reestablishing the alignment of the native knee. However, the practical application of this technique has some limitations; (2) Methods: A series of consecutive full weight-bearing lower limbs radiographs performed in our Hospital without signs of osteoarthritis, post-traumatic deformities, and any previous surgical procedure (e.g. any joint replacement , osteotomy, anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction) were included. Several radiological parameters as the bisector line were measured by three members of our orthopedic unit and were then used to assess the inter-observer reliability.; (3) Results: 110 radiographic images belonging to 59 patients (both legs for 51 patients and one leg for 8 patients) were finally included in the present analysis. The bisector of the trochelar groove was perpendicular to the femoral joint line (mean 89.4°).; (4) Conclusions: The main finding of the current study was that the new anatomic landmark investigated, the bisector of the trochlear groove, was perpendicular to the femoral joint line viewed in the AP weight-bearing radiograph of the entire lower limbs of the healthy knee and therefore could potentially simplify the achievement of the kinematic alignment during a TKA procedure.

To solve the problem of energy constraint and spectrum scarcity for cognitive radio wireless sensor networks (CR-WSNs), an underlay decode-and-forward relaying scheme is considered, where the energy constrained secondary source and relay nodes are capable of harvesting energy from a multi-antenna power beacon (PB) and using that harvested energy to forward the source information to the destination. Based on the time switching receiver architecture, three relaying protocols, namely, hybrid partial relay selection (H-PRS), conventional opportunistic relay selection (C-ORS), and best opportunistic relay selection (B-ORS) protocols are considered to enhance the end-to-end performance under the joint impact of maximal interference constraint and transceiver hardware impairments. For performance evaluation and comparison, we derive exact and asymptotic closed-form expressions of outage probability (OP) and throughput (TP) to provide significant insights into the impact of our proposed protocols on the system performance over Rayleigh fading channel. Finally, simulation results validate the theoretical results.

The research aimed at the ecological assessment of the environment around uranium mining enterprises in the Turkestan region. The authors examined the state of the soil and vegetation for 2021-2023, their chemical composition and the effects of radiation. Excesses of background radiation were detected by alpha and beta studies. To study the structural organization of plant communities, we conducted floristic studies in the areas immediately adjacent to NAC “Kazatomprom” enterprises. The general habitus, size, number and shape of vegetative parts of plants were taken into account as comparison parameters. The flora growing in the study areas of the Suzak district of the region, which is distinguished by its uniqueness and narrow relevance to the ecological conditions of the area, was taken as biological objects of study. To determine the ecological state of the adjacent territories of NAC “Kazatomprom” and for physical, chemical and taxonomic analyses, 78 soil samples and 37 plant samples were obtained. The studied samples were taken near settlements N, B and S, which are closest to the territories of NAC “Kazatomprom”.

Amidst escalating environmental concerns, short natural fiber thermoplastic (SNFT) biocomposites have emerged as sustainable materials for the eco-friendly production of mechanical components. However, their limited durability has prompted research into the experimental evaluation of the deterioration of the mechanical characteristics of SNFT biocomposites, particularly under the influence of ultraviolet rays. However, conducting tests to evaluate the mechanical properties can be time-consuming and expensive. In this study, an artificial neural network (ANN) model was employed to predict the mechanical properties (tensile strength) and the impact performance (resistance and absorbed energy) of polypropylene reinforced with 30 wt.% short flax or wood pine fibers (referred to as PP30-F or PP30-P, respectively). Eight parameters were collected from experimental studies. The ANN input parameters comprised nondestructive test results, including mass, hardness, roughness, and natural frequencies, while the output parameters were the tensile strength, the maximum impact load and absorbed energy. The model was developed using the ANN toolbox in MATLAB. The linear coefficient of correlation and mean squared error were selected as the metrics for evaluating the performance function and accuracy of the ANN model. They calculate the relationship and the average squared difference between the predicted and actual values. The data analysis conducted by the models demonstrated exceptional predictive capability, achieving an accuracy rate exceeding 96%, which was deemed satisfactory. For both the PP30-F and PP30-P biocomposites, the ANN predictions deviated from the experimental data by 3, 5, and 6% about the impact load, absorbed energy, and tensile strength, respectively.

The emission of black carbon (BC) particles, which cause atmospheric warming by affecting radiation budget in the atmosphere, is the result of an incomplete combustion process of organic materials. The recent wildfire event during the summer 2019-2020 in South-Eastern Australia was unprecedented in scale. The wildfires lasted for nearly 3 months over large areas of the two most populated states of New South Wales and Victoria. This study on the emission and dispersion of BC emitted from the biomass burnings of the wildfires using the Weather Research Forecast – Chemistry (WRF-Chem) model is aimed to determine the extent of the BC spatial dispersion and ground concentration distribution and the effect of BC on air quality and radiative transfer at the top of the atmosphere, the atmosphere and on the ground. The predicted aerosol concentration and AOD are compared with the observed data from the New South Wales Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) aethalometer and air quality network and from remote sensing data. The BC concentration as predicted from WRF-Chem model is in general less than the observed data as measured from the aethalometer monitoring network, but the spatial pattern corresponds well, and the correlation is relatively high. The total BC emission into the atmosphere during the event and the effect on radiation budget were also estimated. This study shows that the summer 2019-2020 wildfires affect not only the air quality and health impact on the east coast of Australia but also short-term weather in the region via aerosol interactions with radiation and cloud.

The direct radiative effects of atmospheric aerosols are essential for climate, as well as for other societal areas, like the energy sector. The goal of the present study is to exploit the newly devel-oped ModIs Dust AeroSol (MIDAS) dataset for quantifying the direct effects on the downwelling surface solar irradiance (DSSI), induced by the total and dust aerosols amount, under clear-sky conditions and the associated impacts on solar energy for the broader Mediterranean basin, over the period 2003 – 2017. Aerosol optical depth (AOD) and dust optical depth (DOD) derived by the MIDAS dataset, along with additional aerosol and dust optical properties and atmospheric variables were used as inputs to radiative transfer modeling to simulate DSSI components. A 15-year climatology of AOD, DOD and of clear-sky Global Horizontal Irradiation (GHI) and Direct Normal Irradiation (DNI) was derived. The spatial and temporal variability of the aerosol and dust effects on the different DSSI components was assessed. Aerosol attenuation of annual GHI and DNI range from 1-13% and 5-47%, respectively. Significant attenuation by dust 2-10% and 9-37% was found over North Africa and the Middle East, contributing to 45-90% of the total aero-sol effects. The mean GHI and DNI attenuation during extreme dust episodes reached values up to 12% and 44%, respectively, for different areas. After 2008 a decline of aerosol effects on DSSI was found, attributed mainly to the dust component. Sensitivity analysis using different AOD/DOD inputs from Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service (CAMS) reanalysis dataset, revealed CAMS underestimation of aerosol and dust radiative effects compared to MIDAS, due to slight AOD and stronger DOD underestimation, respectively.

It is commonly believed that exposing Cannabis sativa (cannabis) plants to ultraviolet (UV) radiation can enhance Δ⁹-tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ⁹-THC) concentrations in female inflorescences and associated foliar tissues. However, a lack of published scientific studies has left knowledge-gaps in the effects of UV on cannabis that must be elucidated before UV can be utilized as a horticultural management tool in commercial cannabis production. In this study we investigated the effects of UV exposure level on photosynthesis, growth, inflorescence yield, and secondary metabolite composition of two indoor-grown cannabis cultivars: ‘Low Tide’ (LT) and ‘Breaking Wave’ (BW). After growing vegetatively for 2 weeks under a canopy-level photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of ≈225 μmol·m^–2·s^–1 in an 18-h light/6-h dark photoperiod, plants were grown for 9 weeks in a 12-h light/12-h dark “flowering” photoperiod under a canopy-level PPFD of ≈400 µmol·m^–2·s^–1 and 3.5 h·d^–1 of supplemental UV radiation with UV photon flux densities (UV-PFD) ranging from 0.01 to 0.8 μmol·m^–2·s^–1 provided by light-emitting diodes (LEDs) with a peak wavelength of 287 nm (i.e., biologically-effective UV doses of 0.16 to 13 kJ·m^–2·d^–1). The severity of UV-induced morphology (e.g., whole-plant size and leaf size reductions, leaf malformations, and stigma browning) and physiology (e.g., reduced leaf photosynthetic rate and reduced F_v/F_m) symptoms worsened as UV exposure level increased. While the proportion of dry inflorescence yield that was derived from apical tissues decreased in both cultivars with increasing UV exposure level, total dry inflorescence yield only decreased in LT. The equivalent Δ⁹-THC and cannabidiol (CBD) concentrations also decreased in LT inflorescences with increasing UV exposure level. While the total terpene content in inflorescences decreased with increasing UV exposure level in both cultivars, the relative concentrations of individual terpenes varied by cultivar. The potential for using UV to enhance cannabis quality must still be confirmed before it can be used as a production tool for modern, indoor-grown cannabis cultivars.

The green biomass of horticultural plants contains valuable secondary metabolites (SM) which can potentially be extracted and sold. When exposed to stress, plants accumulate higher amounts of these SMs, making the extraction and commercialization even more attractive. We evaluated the potential for accumulating of the flavones cynaroside and graveobioside A in leaves of two bell pepper cultivars (Mavras and Stayer) when exposed to salt stress (100 mM NaCl), UVA/B excitation (UVA 4-5 W/m²; UVB 10-14 W/m² for 3 hours per day) or a combination of both stressors. HPLC analyses proved the enhanced accumulation of both metabolites under stress conditions. Cynaroside accumulation is effectively triggered by high-UV stress, whereas graveobioside A contents increase under salt stress. Highest contents were observed in plants exposed to combined stress. Effects of stress on overall plant performance differed significantly between treatments, with least negative impact on aboveground biomass found for high-UV stressed plants. The usage of two non-destructive instruments (Dualex and Multiplex) allowed us to gain insights in ontogenetical effects at the leaf level and temporal development of SM contents over time. Indices provided by those devices correlate fairly with amounts detected via HPLC (Cynaroside: R2 = 0.46 – 0.66; Graveobioside A: R2 = 0.51 – 0.71). The concentrations of both metabolites tend to decrease at leaf level during the ontogenetical development even under stress conditions. High-UV stress is a promising tool for enriching plant leaves with valuable SM without major effects on plant biomass. All data is available online [1].

Based on measured astronomical position data of heavenly objects in the Solar System and other planetary systems, all bodies in space seem to move in some kind of elliptical motion with respect to each other, whereas objects follow parabolic escape orbits while moving away from Earth and bodies asserting a gravitational pull, and some comets move in near-hyperbolic orbits when they approach the Sun. In this article, it is first mathematically proven that the “distance between points on any two different circles in three-dimensional space” is equivalent to the “distance of points on a vector ellipse from another fixed or moving point, as in two-dimensional space.” Then, it is further mathematically demonstrated that “distance between points on any two different circles in any number of multiple dimensions” is equivalent to “distance of points on a vector ellipse from another fixed or moving point”. Finally, two special cases when the “distance between points on two different circles in multi-dimensional space” become mathematically equivalent to distances in “parabolic” or “near-hyperbolic” trajectories are investigated. Concepts of “vector ellipse”, “vector hyperbola”, and “vector parabola” are also mathematically defined. The mathematical basis derived in this Article is utilized in the book “Everyhing Is A Circle: A New Model For Orbits Of Bodies In The Universe” in asserting a new Circular Orbital Model for moving bodies in the Universe, leading to further insights in Astrophysics.

In the United States, the Federal Aviation Administration has officially classified flight crew (FC) consisting of commercial pilots, cabin crew or flight attendants as “radiation workers” since 1994 due to the potential for cosmic ionizing radiation (CIR) exposure at cruising altitudes originating from solar activity and galactic sources. Several epidemiological studies have documented elevated incidence and mortality for several cancers in FC, but it has not yet been possible to establish whether this is attributable to CIR. CIR and its constituents are known to cause a myriad of DNA lesions, which can lead to carcinogenesis unless DNA repair mechanisms remove them. But critical knowledge gaps exist with regard to CIR dosimetry, the role of other genotoxic exposures among FC, and possible biological mechanisms underlying higher cancer rates observed in FC exist. This review summarizes our understanding of the role of DNA damage and repair responses relevant to CIR exposure in FC. We aim to stimulate new research directions and provide information that will be useful for guiding regulatory, public health, and medical decision-making to protect and mitigate risks for those who travel by air.

Bromodomain-containing protein 4 (BRD4) is an intracellular protein that regulates expression of various cellular functions. This study investigated whether BRD4 inhibition can alter the immunomodulatory and antitumor effects of radiation therapy (RT). A murine breast cancer cell line was implanted into BALB/c mice. The dual-tumor model was used to evaluate the abscopal effects of RT. A total of 24 Gy was delivered and BRD4 inhibitor was injected intravenously. Tumor size was measured and in vivo imaging was performed to evaluate tumor growth. Flow cytometry and immunohistochemistry were performed to examine immunologic changes upon treatment. The combination of BRD4 inhibitor and RT significantly suppressed tumor growth compared to RT alone. BRD4 inhibitor reduced the size of the unirradiated tumor indicating that it may induce systemic immune responses. Expression of HIF-1α and PD-L1 in tumor was significantly downregulated by the BRD4 inhibitor. Proportion of M1 tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) increased, and proportion of M2 TAMs decreased upon BRD4 inhibition. BRD4 inhibitor expanded CD4+ and CD8+ T cell populations and reduced the population of monocytic myeloid-derived suppressor cells (M-MDSCs). RT-induced splenic M-MDSCs decreased upon addition of BRD4 inhibitor. Therefore, addition of BRD4 inhibition significantly enhanced the systemic antitumor responses of local RT.

The majority of skin cancers are caused by over exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. The effects of UV radiation on the expression of drug transporters expressed in human skin has never been studied. In this the effects of UVA and UVB irradiation on the expression of ATP-binding cassette (ABC) transporters and Solute carrier (SLC) transporters was evaluated in normal human epidermal keratinocytes (NHEK) and normal human dermal fibroblasts (NHDF) in primary culture. First experiments were intended to validate the inflammatory reaction in response to stimulation by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) in NHEK, NHDF and 3D-reconstructed human epidermis (3D-RHE) model. LPS treatment has shown to increase the expression of IL-8 and TNF-alpha in all three in vitro models. Expression of the most expressed ABC and SLC transporters was then measured in NHEK and NHDF after UVA (30 J/m²) and UVB (40 mJ/m²) irradiation. The most striking result was a significant 29-fold increase of the expression of SLCO4A1 in normal human dermal fibroblasts. In summary, this study shows for the first time a significant regulation of the expression of SLCO4A1 in human dermal fibroblasts induced by UVA irradiation. This finding is of particular interest as most of skin cancers are caused by over exposure to ultraviolet radiation and need to be considered in pharmacokinetic evaluation of topical drugs.

Previously we have shown that the combination of radiotherapy with human-umbilical-cord-derived mesenchymal stem-cell therapy significantly reduces the size of the xenotumours in mice, both in the directly irradiated tumour and in the distant non-irradiated tumour or in its metastasis. We have also shown that exosomes secreted from mesenchymal stem-cells pre-irradiated with 2 Gy are quantitatively, functionally and qualitatively different from the exosomes secreted from non-irradiated mesenchymal cells and also that proteins, exosomes and microvesicles secreted by mesenchymal cells suffer a dramatic change when cells are activated or non-activated, with the amount of protein present in the exosomes of the pre-irradiated cells being 1.5-fold times greater compared to those from non-irradiated cells. This finding correlates with a dramatic increase in the anti-tumour activity of the exosomes secreted by pre-irradiated mesenchymal-cells. After the proteomic analysis of the load of the exosomes released from both irradiated and non-irradiated cells, we conclude that annexin A1 is the most important and significant difference between the exosomes released by the cells in either status. Knowing the role of annexin A1 in the control of hypoxia and inflammation which is characteristic of acute-distress-respiratory syndrome, we have designed a hypothetical therapeutic strategy, based on the transplantation of mesenchymal stem cells stimulated with radiation, to alleviate the symptoms of patients who, due to pneumonia caused by COVID-19, require the care of an intensive care unit for patients with life-threatening conditions. With this hypothesis, we would seek to improve the patients’ respiratory capacity and increase the expectations of their cure.

Solar3D is an open-source software application designed to interactively calculate solar irradiation at three-dimensional (3D) surfaces in a virtual environment constructed with combinations of 3D city models, digital elevation models (DEMs), digital surface models (DSMs) and feature layers. The GRASS GIS r.sun solar radiation model computes solar irradiation based on two-dimensional (2D) raster maps for given day, latitude, surface and atmospheric conditions. With the increasing availability of 3D city models and demand for solar energy, there is an urgent need for better tools to computes solar radiation directly with 3D city models. Solar3D extends GRASS GIS r.sun from 2D to 3D by feeding the model with input, including surface slope, aspect and time-resolved shading, that is derived directly from the 3D scene using computer graphics techniques. To summarize, Solar3D offers several new features which, as a whole, distinguish itself from existing 3D solar irradiation tools: (1) the ability to consume massive heterogeneous 3D city models, including massive 3D city models such as oblique airborne photogrammetry-based 3D city models (OAP3Ds or integrated meshes); (2) the ability to perform near real-time pointwise calculation for duration from daily to annual; (3) the ability to integrate and interactively explore large-scale heterogeneous geospatial data. (4) the ability to calculate solar irradiation at arbitrary surface positions including at rooftops, facades and the ground. Solar3D is publicly available at https://github.com/jian9695/Solar3D.

The experiments of Project 8 have been excellent, but the expected goals still difficult to achieve. So much so that some of the results at your fingertips were also missing. In view of this, the focus of this article is to clarify several easy confused concepts. Only in this way, we can reasonably explain the experimental data. The main points are as follows: 1. The value c of the light speed in vacuum and a particle with zero static mass, both of which do not exist in the reality. That is to say, the so-called a photon's static mass is equal to zero but has energy, which is a paradox that confuses two different definitional domains. 2. In the reality, photons are high-speed particles generated by electromagnetic radiation. They must have the characteristics of (static) mass, energy and wave, in order to describe the main body to aim at photons from different angles. 3. After any main body comes into being electromagnetic radiation, its static mass will inevitably decrease accordingly. 4. The charge-mass ratio of an electron is a physical constant, which is the ratio of its charge to the amount of matter, and is not affected by relativistic effects and electromagnetic radiation. 5. The uncertainty of moving electrons is caused by random electromagnetic radiations. Finally, it is pointed out that if the cyclotron frequency of a single electron is measured, and at the same time, its de Broglie wavelength or frequency can also be measured, then its static mass can be obtained. Even so, the expected goals are still difficult to achieve, because random electromagnetic radiations are always taking away continually the matter composition of the single electron being measured. However, this was precisely a result of the research obtained by Project 8, and had universality, which should be reflect on.

Quality control (QC) may be a lengthy and tedious process. As a result, most data users use data from meteorological services without performing data quality checks. The South African Weather Service (SAWS) re-established the national solar radiometric network comprising of 13 new stations within the six climatic zones of the country. This study reports on the performance results of the Baseline Surface Radiation Network (BSRN) QC procedures applied to the solar radiation data within the SAWS radiometric network. The overall percentage performance of the SAWS solar radiation network based on BSRN QC methodology is 97.79%, 93.64%, 91.6% and 92.23% for Long Wave Downward Irradiance (LWD), Global Horizontal Irradiance (GHI), Diffuse Horizontal Irradiance (DHI) and Direct Normal Irradiance (DNI) respectively with operational problems largely dominating the percentage of bad data. The overall average performance of the Surface Solar Radiation Dataset – Heliosat (SARAH) data records for the GHI estimation for all the stations showed a Mean Bias Deviation (MBD) of -8.28 Wm^-2, a Mean Absolute Deviation (MAD) of 9.06 Wm^-2 and the Root Mean Square Deviation (RMSD) of 11.02 Wm^-2. The correlation (quantified by R²) between ground-based and SARAH-derived GHI time series was ~ 0.98. The established network has the potential of providing high quality minute solar radiation data sets (GHI, DHI, DNI and LWD) and auxiliary hourly meteorological parameters vital for scientific and practical applications in renewable energy technologies in South Africa.

Solar energy is derived from photons of light coming from the sun in a form called radiation. Solar energy finds extensive application in air and water heating, solar cooking, as well as electrical power generation, depending on the way of capturing, converting and distribution. To enable such application, it is necessary to analyze the horizontal tilt angle of horizontal surfaces – in order that when the solar energy reaches the earth surface to be completely absorbed. This paper tends to describe the availability of solar radiation for south-facing flat surfaces. The optimal monthly, seasonal, and annual tilt angles have been estimated for Pristina. The solar radiation received by the incident plane is estimated based on isotropic sky analysis models, namely Liu and Jordan model. The annual optimum tilt angle for Pristina was found to be 34.7°. The determination of annual solar energy gains is done by applying the optimal monthly, seasonal and annual tilt angles for an inclined surface compared to a horizontal surface. Monthly, seasonal and annual percentages of solar energy gains have been estimated to be 21.35%, 19.98%, and 14.43%. Losses of solar energy were estimated by 1.13 % when a surface was fixed at a seasonal optimum tilt angle, and when it was fixed at an annual optimum tilt angle, those losses were 5.7%.

Ultraviolet (UV) radiation is a strong environmental carcinogen responsible for the pathogenesis of most skin cancers, such as malignant melanoma (MM) and non-melanoma (keratinocyte) skin cancers. The carcinogenic role of UV was firmly established based on epidemiological evidence and molecular findings of the characteristic mutation signatures which occur during excision repair of cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers and 6,4-photoproducts. The role of UV in the pathogenesis of mycosis fungoides (MF), the most common primary cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, remains controversial. Here, we performed whole exome sequencing of 61 samples of MF cells microdissected from the cutaneous lesions, and compared their mutational signatures to 340 MM. The vast majority of MM mutations had a typical UV mutational signature (SBS 7, SBS 38, DSB 1) underscoring the key role of ultraviolet as a mutagen. In contrast, the SBS 7 signature in MF comprised &lt;5% of all mutations. SBS 7 was higher in the intraepidermal MF cells (when compared to the dermal cells) and in the cells from tumors as compared to early-stage plaques. In conclusion, our data do not support the pathogenic role of UV in the pathogenesis of MF and suggest that the UV mutations are the result of the cumulative, environmental ultraviolet exposure of cutaneous lesions, rather than an early mutagenic event.

Selected glasses with 10 Na₂O + (90-x) P₂O₅ + x BCD where bypass cement dust (BCD) x value =10, 20, 30 in mol% were synthesized by recognizable melting annealing technique. Cooperative characterization of the prepared glasses were carried out through FTIR and SEM analysis before and after immersed in simulated body fluid (SBF) solution for 13 and 23 days at 37 ^oC. After immersion in SBF, apatite layer is produced on the glass surface after 13 day and increase after 23 day, showing good bioactivity after immersion in the SBF especially for bioglass sample with 30% BCD. A porous hydroxy apatite layer produced on the surface of SBF-glass composite and this layer became denser after more soaking time, periods were extended from 13 to 23 days. Atomic absorption spectroscopy explained the early period of soaking that cause release of both Si and Ca ions through the glass beside decreasing of phosphrous ions. Bioglass (BCD-30) is studied as shielding for gamma, protons and alphas by using Phy-X software, SRIM Monte Carlo simulation code and its subroutine TRIM. The gamma shielding parameters, mass stopping power (MSP), range for both proton (H- ions) and alpha (He- ions) in bioglass- BCD-30 and human bone tissue have estimated. Also, comparison between them is calculated in predicting the radiation damage and atomic displacements per atom (dpa).

Purpose: To report the early clinical outcomes of combining intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and intensity‐modulated proton therapy (IMPT) in comparison with IMRT alone in treating the oropharynx cancer (OPC) patients. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 148 OPC patients were retrospectively reviewed, who underwent definitive radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent systemic therapy, from January 2016 till December 2019 at Samsung Medical Center. During the 5.5 weeks’ RT course, the initial 16 (or 18) fractions were delivered by IMRT in all patients, and the subsequent 12 (or 10) fractions were either by IMRT in 81 patients (IMRT only) or by IMPT in 67 (IMRT/IMPT combination), respectively, based on comparison of adaptive re-plan profiles and availability of equipment. Propensity‐score matching (PSM) was done on 76 patients (38 from each group) for comparative analyses. Results: With the median follow‐up of 24.7 months, there was no significant difference in overall survival and progression free survival between groups, both before and after PSM. Before PSM, IMRT/IMPT combination group experienced grade ≥3 acute toxicities less frequently: mucositis in 37.0% and 13.4% (p<0.001); and analgesic quantification algorithm (AQA) in 37.0% and 19.4% (p=0.019), respectively. The same trends were observed after PSM: mucositis in 39.5% and 15.8% (p=0.021); and AQA in 47.4% and 21.1% (p=0.016), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression, grade ≥3 mucositis was significantly less frequent in IMRT/IMPT combination group, both before and after PSM (p=0.027 and 0.024, respectively). AQA score ≥3 was also less frequent in IMRT/IMPT combination group, both before and after PSM (p=0.085 and 0.018, respectively). Conclusions: In treating the OPC patients, with comparable early oncologic outcomes, more favorable acute toxicity profiles were achieved following IMRT/IMPT combination than IMRT alone.

The expanding use of devices emitting Pulsed Telecommunication Signals (PTS) has launched a serious debate over the possible effects of electromagnetic radiation (EMR) on living organisms. Our previous work has indicated that PTS exposure alters Amyloid Precursor Protein (APP) and alpha-synuclein (α-syn) metabolism in human cells of neural origin, providing a possible connection between exposure and neurodegeneration. This investigation aimed to reveal, in vitro in human non-neural cells (HEK293), the aftermath of the same exposure on the processing of APP and α-syn. Data presented here, indicate changes in APP metabolism, acquisition of different cellular topologies of the newly generated APP fragments, changes in monomeric α-syn accumulation and multimerization, indicating that APP and α-syn processing is possibly altered in the periphery by EMR. These effects are accompanied by a substantial increase in the levels of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). Further investigation is required in order to provide insights into the interaction of PTS with non-neural cells affecting the peripheral systemic functional stability. This is necessary because nowadays whole body human exposure from various EMR sources is a fact in normal life with the valid estimation that they may be increased in view of the forthcoming 5G telecommunications network implementation.

The diamondback moth, Plutella xylostella (Linnaeus), is one of the notorious pests causing substantial loses to many cruciferous vegetables across the nations. We have got the result that 200Gy dosage irradiated 6-day male pupae of P. xylostella inducing F1 generation sterile. First, in our research, we detected Oxidase system and stress response mechanism of irradiated pupae, the results displayed that 200Gy irradiation significantly alters the antioxidant enzyme regulation in 6-day male pupae of P. xylostella. The level of SOD, CAT were increased significantly in contrast the level of POD and GST were decreased in 12-24h post-treatment. The heat shock proteins (Hsps) gene expression level was significant increasing, maximum > 2 folds up-regulation of genes were observed in peak. But they also had a trend of gradual recovery with development. Second, in order to explore the irradiated sterility further, we detected the testis LDH and ACP activity found that in male adults testis they increased significantly than control during its development. Thus the present research investigation highlights that the ⁶⁰Co-γ radiation treatments alters the physiological development of diamondback moth. The results showed that 200Gy dosage resulted stress damage to the body and reproductive system of the diamondback moth.

The paper focuses on the application of a multilevel, integrative and territorial approach to the protection of cultural heritage through planning instruments in Serbia. It points out the problems of the sectoral approach and discusses international recommendations that can be integrated into the planning methodology. The case study is the area of Djerdap National Park, which has an already established international and national importance. The research suggests that the cultural heritage in the area, with the exception of the Roman limes, is still recognized at the level of individual localities. The study emphasizes the importance of aligning all levels of governance to safeguard the whole spatial entity rather than focusing solely on its particular areas. The interna-tional and national importance of the planning area contributes to the strengthening of awareness of heritage and its institutional protection. However, the vitality of the area, which is key to its sustainable development, comes from the local level. Planning documents contribute to the inte-gration of local values and local communities into development programs and projects.

Cathepsins (Caths) are lysosomal proteases that participate in various physiological and pathological processes. Accumulating evidence suggests that cathepsins play a multifaceted role in radiotherapy response. Firstly, cathepsins contribute to the remodelling of the tumor microenvironment by degrading extracellular matrix components, promoting angiogenesis, and facilitating tumor invasion and metastasis. Their proteolytic activity influences the tumor's response to radiation by affecting oxygenation, nutrient availability, and immune cell infiltration within the tumor microenvironment. Furthermore, cathepsins have been implicated in DNA damage repair processes, including non-homologous end joining and homologous recombination. Cathepsin-mediated DNA repair mechanisms can promote radioresistance in cancer cells, limiting the efficacy of radiotherapy. Additionally, cathepsins have been associated with the activation of prosurvival signalling pathways, such as PI3K/Akt and NF-κB, which can confer resistance to radiation-induced cell death. Radiotherapy plays a crucial role in the treatment of various malignancies. However, the effectiveness of radiotherapy can be limited by intrinsic or acquired resistance mechanisms in cancer cells. In recent years, there has been growing interest in understanding the role of cathepsins, a family of proteases, in modulating the response of tumor cells to radiotherapy. In this study, we shed light on the regulation and expression of cathepsin B in colon carcinoma cell line (Caco-2) before and after exposure to radiation were investigated. Radiation-induced upregulation of cathepsin B in dose-independent manner. Proteolytic inhibition of cathepsin B by cathepsin B specific inhibitor CA074 has increased the cytotoxic effect of ionizing irradiation in caco-2 cells. Similar results were also obtained after cathepsin B knockout by CRISPR CAS9. These results showed that cathepsin B could contribute to ionizing radiation resistance and abolishing of cathepsin B either by inhibition its proteolytic activity or expression has increased in caco-2 cells susceptibility to ionizing irradiation.

Abstract: Background: Coronary angiography CT scans play a pivotal role in diagnosing cardiovascular diseases, providing crucial information for treatment planning. However, concerns regarding radiation exposure have prompted the need for establishing region-specific diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) to ensure patient safety. This study aims to assess radiation exposure during coronary angiography CT scans in the Northeast Assam population and establish DRLs tailored to this demographic. Methods: A total of 380 patients were referred to the Primus Diagnostic Centre and Heath City Hospital, Guwahati Assam, during the study with coronary artery disturbances. Data on the technical parameters used in CT procedures were taken in 2021-2022. The aim and study's objective was Organ and surface dose to specific radiosensitive organs (Chest) estimation using software imPACT 1.0.4 from National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) SR250 Monte Carlo dataset. Results: The study population (n = 380) comprised 190 men and 190 women with an average age of 29 to 75 years. The Mean ± SD of BMI and ED are 22.42±1.06 and 21.57±4.27 respectively. The mean DLP is 854.67, and the mean ED is 21.57. The effective doses for males (13- 27) mSv were in females (13-29) mSv. The DRL for Male population was found to be 24.26mSv.cm2 whereas for female population it was 24.69mSv.cm2. Conclusions: This study highlights the necessity of establishing tailored diagnostic reference levels for coronary angiography CT scans in the Northeast Assam population. By doing so, healthcare providers can ensure optimal image quality while minimizing radiation exposure, ultimately enhancing patient safety and quality of care. These findings have implications for radiological practice in the region and contribute to the ongoing efforts to standardize radiation doses in medical imaging procedures.

Our understanding of the long-term consequences of chronic ionising radiation for living organisms remains scarce. Modern molecular biology techniques are helpful tools for researching pollutant effects on biota. To reveal the molecular phenotype of plants growing under chronic radiation exposure, we sampled Vicia cracca L. plants in the Chernobyl Exclusion Zone and in areas with normal radiation backgrounds. We performed a detailed analysis of soil and gene expression patterns, and made coordinated multi-omics analyses of plant samples, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics. Chronic exposure to ionising radiation induced complex and multidirectional changes, including significant alterations in the metabolism and gene expression patterns of irradiated plants. We revealed profound changes in carbon metabolism, nitrogen reallocation, and photosynthesis. These plants were characterised by increased DNA damage, redox imbalance, and stress response reactions. The upregulation of histones, chaperones, peroxidases, and secondary metabolism were noted.

In this paper, we present the investigation results of radiation-induced effects in metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) doped with moderate amounts of Zinc Oxide (ZnO) as a potential candidate for space-borne application. The samples were fabricated via the sputtering method at a working pressure of 3mTorr and a deposition temperature of 300oC. The ZnO samples were exposed to 1.25-MeV gamma-ray utilizing Co60 source, and their electronic response was measured at ionizing doses ranging from 10 kGy to 300 kGy. A comparative work was performed through finite element method to simulate the electronic response of the PN junction diode due to ionizing radiation. The results indicate that the ideality factor of the MOS diode increases as the ionizing dose increases, rendering it unsuitable for use as a diode. The degradation of the electrical parameters was also simulated, showing the increase in hole concentration. These findings suggest that the ejection of electrons occurred, which agrees with the gamma radiation effects trend. Furthermore, as the intensity of radiation increases, the spatial charge that arises from the separation of hole-electron pairs results in a substantial reduction of the electric field in the central portion of the n-type region. These findings provide insights into the degradation of electrical parameters in MOS devices under gamma radiation and have implications for their use in space-borne applications.

The photoelectric effect induced by blackbody radiation could be a mechanism to harvest ambient thermal energy at a uniform temperature. Here, I describe (without going too much into mathematical details) the theoretical model I developed starting from 2010 to study that phenomenon, and I summarize the results of the numerical simulations. Simulations tell us that the process must be there. Moreover, at least two experimental tests have been performed in the past years that seem to corroborate, although not definitely, the alleged functioning of the proposed mechanism. Unfortunately, at present, the obtainable power density is extremely low and inadequate for immediate practical applications.

The beneficial effects of solar radiation on human health are well documented. One necessary mechanism triggers the production of vitamin D whose insufficiency has been linked to a variety of disorders like diabetes, hypertension and more recently amyloidosis and Alzheimer disease. However, there are few architectural designs capable on ensuring adequate provision of solar radiation inside buildings. Conventional fenestration is not sufficient to provide for significant doses of sunlight even to prevent seasonal affective disorder (SAD). In this paper we discuss the effect of new design alternatives for skylights, especially in the refurbishment of obsolete facilities. After such complex retrofit is executed, we have analyzed the performance of a building in warm and sunny climates as is the case of southern Spain. It has been considered as a priority the study of the factors that relate sunlight and energy, as well as, to a certain extent, other aspects like ventilation and insulation. Many architectural designs are presented as correct if the thermal requirements alone are met, even at the risk of later energy waste in lighting devices and visual or physical discomfort. On the other hand, large glazed areas allow more daylight into a space, but they may also allow excessive heat gains or losses which increase the air-conditioning cooling or heating load. To avoid these problems, we have considered the combined effect of daylight and energy from the beginning of the skylight design-process. A daylighting software based on configuration factors that we have apply in former researches to study the problems of direct sun over architectural structures have been used. This question cannot be treated adequately with conventional programs for overcast skies. The skylights have already been constructed and on-site measurements in the offices have been taken to complement the computer simulations data. The results show that it is possible to achieve energy saving and high radiation levels in winter without increasing heat loads during the summer. All this is considered beneficial to improve the condition of users with cognitive diseases as Alzheimer’s disease by virtue of adapted spaces.

This paper proposes a radiation pattern synthesis of the almost periodic antenna arrays including mutual coupling effects (that extracted by the Floquet analysis according to our previous work), which principally has a high directivity and large bandwidth. For modeling the given structures, the moment method combined with the Generalized Equivalent Circuit (MoM-GEC) is proposed. The artificial neural network (ANN) as a powerful computational model has been successfully applied to the antenna array pattern synthesis. The results showed that the multilayer feedforward neural networks are rugged and can successfully and efficiently resolve various distinctive complex almost periodic antenna patterns (with different source amplitudes) (in particular, both periodic and randomly aperiodic structures are taken into account). However, the artificial neural network (ANN) is capable of quickly producing the synthesis results using generalization with the early stopping (ES) method. A significant time gain and memory consumption are achieved by using this given method to improve the generalization (called early stopping). To justify this work, several examples are developed and discussed.

Access to reliable, clean, modern cooking enhances life chances. One option is photovoltaic cooking systems. Accurate solar data is needed to ascertain to what extent these can satisfy the needs of local people. This paper investigates how to choose the most accurate satellite derived solar irradiance database for use in Africa. This is necessary because there is a general shortage of ground measurements for Africa. The solar data is needed to model the output of solar cooking systems, for instance, a solar panel, battery and electric pressure cooker. Four easily accessible satellite databases are validated against ground measurements using a range of statistical tests. Results demonstrate the impact of the mathematical measure used and the phenomenon of balancing errors. Fitting of the satellite model to appropriate climate zone and/or nearby measurements improves accuracy, as does higher spatial and temporal resolution of input parameters. That said, all the four databases reviewed were found to be suitable for simulating PV yield in East Africa.

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.

In this paper, we consider the temporal development of the optical density of the H$_\alpha$ spectral line in a hydrogen laser induced plasma. This is achieved by using the so-called duplication method in which the spectral line is re-imaged onto itself and the ratio of the spectral line with it duplication is taken to its measurement without the duplication. We asses the temporal development of the self-absorption of the H$_\alpha$ line by tracking the decay of duplication ratio from its ideal value of 2. We show that when 20% loss is considered along the duplication optical path length, the ratio is 1.8 and decays to a value of 1.25 indicating an optically thin plasma grows in optical density to an optical depth of 1.16 by 400 ns in the plasma decay for plasma initiation conditions using Nd:YAG laser radiation at 120 mJ per pulse in a 1.11$\times10^{5}$ Pa hydrogen/nitrogen gas mixture environment. We also go on to correct the H$_\alpha$ line profiles for the self-absorption impact using two methods. We show that a method in which the optical depth is directly calculated from the duplication ratio is equivalent to standard methods of self-absorption correction when only relative corrections to spectral emissions are needed.

The article presents research results of the γ-ray and fast neutrons impact on various rice species, in order to obtain mutant forms resistant to salinity (NaCl) and drought factors (sorbitol. They are going to be used as initial forms in synthetic selection when creating varieties, adapted to the stressful conditions of, both, soil and climate in the Kazakhstan Aral Sea. The average lethal doses (LD50) of γ-rays and fast neutrons, as well as the average NaCl and sorbitol lethal concentrations were established. Such environment is best suited for clear manifestation of the mutagenic effect of ionizing radiation and the resistance of rice plants to salinity and drought. A distinct dependence in the effect of ionizing radiation and stress factors on the number of induced resistant mutant forms has been related to the initial rice sort. The largest number of mutant forms was obtained from the local variety Syr Suluy, followed by Leader and AyKerim varieties. From all varieties, the number of mutants obtained from exposure to γ-rays was 43 pieces out of 4500 grains, and from the impact of fast neutrons - 115 pieces out of 2700 grains. M1 mutant plants significantly differ from the initial forms in terms of morphological features – plant height, panicle length, grain size Most plants are characterized by short growth and even dwarfism (˂80 cm). They are lodging tolerant, have short and highly sterile panicles, indicating that they are mutants and resistant to salinity, drought, or both.

Ionizing radiation-induced damage in cancer and normal cells leads to apoptosis and cell death, through the intracellular oxidative stress, DNA damage and disorders of their metabolism. Irradiation doses that do not lead to the death of tumor cells can result in the emergence of radioresistant clones of these cells, due to the rearrangement of metabolism and the emergence of new mutations, including those in the genes responsible for DNA repair. The search for the substances capable of modulating the functioning of the tumor cell repair system is an urgent task. Here we analyzed the effect of cerium(III) fluoride nanoparticles (CeF3 NPs) on normal (human mesenchymal stem cells – hMSCs) and cancer (MCF-7 line) human cells after X-ray radiation. CeF3 NPs effectively prevent the formation of hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals in an irradiated aqueous solution, showing pronounced antioxidant properties. CeF3 NPs are able to protect hMSCs from radiation-induced proliferation arrest, increasing their viability and mitochondrial membrane potential, and, conversely, inducing the cell death of MCF-7 cancer cells, causing radiation-induced mitochondrial hyperpolarization. CeF3 NPs provided a significant decrease in the number of double-strand breaks (DSBs) in normal cells, while in MCF-7 cells the number of γ-H2AX foci dramatically increased in the presence of CeF3 4 hours after irradiation. In the presence of CeF3 NPs, there was a tendency to modulate the expression of most analyzed genes associated with the development of intracellular oxidative stress, cell redox status and the DNA repair system after X ray irradiation. Cerium-containing nanoparticles are capable of providing selective protection of normal cells from radiation-induced injuries and are considered as a platform for the development of promising clinical radioprotectors.

A large body of evidence indicates that environmental agents can induce alterations in DNA methylation (DNAm) profiles. Radiofrequency electromagnetic fields (RF-EMFs) are radiations emitted by everyday devices which have been classified as “possibly carcinogenic”, however their biological effects are unclear. As aberrant DNAm of genomic repetitive elements (RE) may promote genomic instability, here we sought to determine whether exposure to RF-EMFs could affect DNAm of different classes of RE, such as long interspersed nuclear element1s (LINE-1), Alu short interspersed nuclear element and ribosomal repeats. To this purpose, we analysed DNAm profiles of cervical cancer and neuroblastoma cell lines (HeLa, BE(2)C and SH-SY5Y) exposed to 900 MHz GSM-modulated RF-EMF through an Illumina-based targeted deep bisulfite sequencing approach. Our findings showed that radiofrequency exposure did not affect DNAm of Alu elements in any of the cell lines analysed. Conversely, it influenced DNAm of LINE1 and ribosomal repeats in terms of both average profiles and organization of methylated and un-methylated CpG sites, in different ways in each of the three cell lines studied.

Embryo stage of oxidation of an epi Ge(001)-2×1 by atomic oxygen and molecular O₂ is studied via synchrotron radiation photoemission. The topmost surface buckled with the up- and down-dimer atoms and the first subsurface layer behave distinctly from the bulk by exhibiting surface core-level shifts in the Ge 3d core-level spectrum. The O₂ molecules become dissociated upon reaching the epi Ge(001)-2×1 surface. One of the O atom removes off the up-dimer atom, and the other bonds with the underneath Ge atom in the subsurface layer. Atomic oxygen adsorbed on the epi Ge(001)-2×1 preferentially in between the up-dimer atoms and the underneath subsurface atoms without affecting the down-dimer atoms. The electronic environment of the O-affiliated Ge up-dimer atoms becomes similar to that of the down-dimer atoms. Both exhibit an enrichment in charge, where the subsurface of the Ge layer is maintained in a charge-deficient state. The dipole moment originally generated in the buckled reconstruction no longer exists, thereby resulting in a decrease in the ionization potential. The down-dimer Ge atoms and the back-bonded subsurface atoms remain inert to atomic O and molecular O₂, a possible cause of low reliability in Ge-related metal-oxide-semiconductor (MOS) devices.

Glycosidic linkage analysis was conducted on the unfractionated polysaccharides in the alcohol-insoluble residues (AIRs) prepared from six red seaweeds (Gracilariopsis sp., Prionitis sp., Mastocarpus papillatus, Callophyllis sp., Mazzaella splendens, and Palmaria palmata) using GC-MS/FID analysis of partially methylated alditol acetates (PMAAs). The cell walls of P. palmata primarily contained mixed-linkage xylans and small amounts of sulfated galactans and cellulose. In contrast, the unfractionated polysaccharides of the other five species were rich in galactans displaying diverse 3,6-anhydro-galactose and galactose linkages with varied sulfation patterns. Different levels of cellulose were also observed. This glycosidic linkage method offers advantages for cellulose analysis over traditional monosaccharide analysis that is known for underrepresenting glucose in crystalline cellulose. Relative linkage compositions calculated from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements showed that anhydro sugar linkages generated more response in the latter detection method. This improved linkage workflow presents a useful tool for studying polysaccharide structural variations across red seaweed species. Furthermore, for the first time, relative linkage compositions from GC-MS and GC-FID measurements, along with normalized FID and total ion current (TIC) chromatograms without peak assignments, were analyzed using principal component analysis (PCA) as a proof-of-concept demonstration of the technique's potential to differentiate various red seaweed species.

Background: Educating college students about the importance of good sleep habits could lead to the adoption of healthier sleep routines, including sufficient sleep duration and sleep quality. The current pre-post study examines the impact of completing a sleep education program called “Sleep 101” on (1) sleep hygiene practices, (2) sleep quality, and (3) weekday and weekend sleep behaviors among college students. “Sleep 101” is an interactive online course developed to educate college students about the importance of sleep by addressing basic sleep physiology, the impact of sleep on mood, academic and physical performance, the interactions between sleep and various substances, and common sleep disorders. Methods: 338 college students were recruited from a midsized public university in the US and invited to participate in “Sleep 101”, of which 25 participants completed the baseline and post-intervention questionnaire. The Sleep Hygiene Index (SHI) was utilized to evaluate sleep hygiene practices, while standard questions were employed to assess weekday and weekend sleep behaviors and overall sleep quality. Results: Those who completed the study demonstrated a significant increase in weekday sleep duration and were less likely to engage in negative prior bedtime activities. In addition, 40% of those who completed baseline and post-intervention assessments noticed improvements in their sleep quality. Conclusion: These findings suggest that a brief online program is beneficial in improving sleep behaviors among college and could be a scalable approach to addressing current sleep issues and preventing future sleep problems in college students.

The profile of secondary metabolites occurring in apple cuticular layer is not only characteristic for particular apple cultivar, but also dynamically reflects various external factors in growing environment. In this study, the possibility to authenticate apple samples based on analysis of their cuticular layer extracts was investigated. Ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled to high resolution tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-HRMS/MS) was employed for obtaining metabolomic fingerprints. In total, 274 authentic apple samples, four cultivars harvested within the seasons 2020 to 2022 in the Czech Republic and Poland were analysed. The generated complex data processed by univariate and multivariate statistical methods enabled to build classification models for discrimination of apple cultivars as well as their geographical origin. The models showed very good performance in differentiation of Czech and Polish samples for three of four cultivars: ‘Gala’, ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Idared’, moreover, the validity of the models was verified over harvest seasons. The diagnostic markers, besides metabolites of triterpene biosynthetic pathway, mainly represented wax esters. ‘Jonagold’, which is known to be susceptible to mutations, was the only cultivar for which the unambiguous classification of geographical origin was not possible.

Strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora is one of the main diseases of strawberry and significantly impacts the yield and quality of strawberry fruit. There are now no effective control techniques available except for fungicide sprays, which may directly impact consumers. Biological control is becoming an alternative method for the control of plant diseases to replace or decrease the application of traditional synthetic chemical fungicides. Trichoderma is widely used as a biological agent for controlling strawberry root rot. In order to provide resources for screening the highly effective biocontrol fungus for controlling strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora, the biocontrol mechanism,the control effects of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 against strawberry root rot and growth-promoting effects on strawberry seedlings were investigated by plate culture, microscopy observation and root drenching methods.The results showed that CMT10 had obvious competitive, antibiotic and hyperparasitism effects on Neopestalotiopsis clavispora CMGF3. The CMT10 could quickly occupy nutritional space, and the inhibition rates of CMT10 against CMGF3 in confrontation culture on 7 d was 65.49%. The inhibition rates of volatile metabolite and fermentation metabolite produced by CMT10 against CMGF3 were 79.67% and 69.84%, respectively. The mycelium of strain CMT10 can act as hyperparasites by making contacting, winding and penetrating hyphae of CMGF3. Pot experiment showed that the biocontrol efficacy of CMT10 on strawberry root rot caused by Neopestalotiopsis clavispora was 63.00%. CMT10 had obvious promotion effect on strawberry growth, the plant height, root length, total fresh weight, root fresh weight, stem fresh weight and root dry weight, with the promotion rates were 20.09%, 22.39%, 87.11%, 101.58%, 79.82% and 72.33%, respectively. Overall, this study showed the ability of Trichoderma asperellum CMT10 to control strawberry root rot and their potential to develop as novel biocontrol agents to replace chemical fungicides for eco-friendly, sustainable agriculture.

Apis mellifera, especially weak ones, are highly vulnerable to Carpoglyphus lactis mites, which can rapidly infest and consume stored pollen, leading to weakened colonies and potentially colony collapse. This study aimed to ascertain and investigate the prevalence of this mite in honeybee colonies across 9 provinces in the Republic of Korea (ROK). A total of 615 honeybee colonies were collected, from 66 apiaries during the spring and 58 apiaries during the summer of 2023. A 1,242 bp segment of the the Cytochrome c oxidase subunit 1 (COI) gene was amplified using the polymerase chain reaction method. The detection levels of C. lactis in the honeybees were compared between winter and summer. Based on the COI sequence analysis, the nucleotide sequence similarity of C. lactis mites isolated in the ROK with those from China (NC048990.1) was found to be 99.5%, and with those from the United Kingdom (KY922482.1) was 99.3%. This study is the first report of C. lactis in Korean apiaries. The findings in this study demonstrate a significantly higher detection rate in winter, which is 4.1 times greater than that in summer (p &lt; 0.001). Furthermore, the results underscore the usefulness of molecular diagnostic techniques for detecting C. lactis mites.

COX II containing a dual core CuA active site is one of the three core subunits of mitochondrial Cco, which plays a significant role in the physiological process. In this report, the full-length cDNA of COXⅡ gene was cloned from Sitophilus zeamais, which had an ORF of 684 bp encoding 227 amino acids residues. The predicted COXⅡ protein had a molecular mass of 26.2 kDa with pI value of 6.37, and multiple sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis indicated that Sitophilus zeamais COXⅡ had high sequence identity 78.51% with the COXⅡ of other insect species, especially similarity to sitophilus oryzae. This gene was subcloned into the prokaryotic expression vector pET-32a, and induced by IPTG in E.coli Transetta (DE3) expression system. Finally the COXⅡ with 6-His tag was purified using affinity chromatography with Ni²⁺-NTA agarose. WB showed the recombinant COXⅡ was about 44 kD, and the concentration of fusion protein was 50μg/mL. UV-spectrophotometer and infrared spectrometer analysis showed that recombinant COXⅡ could catalyze the oxidation of substrate Cytc, and influenced by AITC. It was found that AITC could form a hydrophobic region with COXⅡ protein via molecular docking, besides, a sulfur atom of AITC structure could form a length of 2.9 Å hydrogen bond with Leu-31. These results will provide valuable information for elucidating the role of COXⅡ in Sitophilus zeamais responses to AITC, meanwhile, it will helpful to carry out a point mutation in AITC binding sites for the future research.

The properties of the annual, semiannual and triennial oscillations (AO, SAO and TO) in the middle atmosphere have been investigated using the TIMED/SABER temperature data. The Lomb-Scargle and wavelet spectra were used to determine the dominant oscillations in the background temperature field. The AO is prominent at the mid-latitudes. The AO amplitudes present an asymmetry between the two Hemispheres, being larger in the mesosphere than in the stratosphere. The SAO dominates the tropical regions, with three amplitude maxima at altitudes of 45, 75, and 85 km. The SAOs in the upper mesosphere (75 km) are out of phase with those in the mesopause (85 km) in the tropical regions, which can generate an enhancement of 11 K at each equinox, contributing to the lower mesospheric inversion layer. The TO is significant in the tropical region, with amplitude being maximum at 35, 45 and 85 km. Result shows that there may be potential interaction by the TO with SAO at 85km at the equator. The relation between ENSO and TO has also been discussed. The ENSO signal may modulate the amplitude of the TO, mainly in the lower stratosphere. The real origin of the TO may lie in the wave-mean-flow interaction.

This paper is focused on typical rural settlements in the Stara Planina Mountain area in Serbia. They are distinguished by their authenticity, identity and character, and they have still not been destroyed by inappropriate development as is the case in some other mountain areas in Serbia, where the effects of urbanization, globalization and homogenization are obvious. Consequently, there is a need to prevent these effects in mountain areas where there is a threat of disbalance between development and the inherited natural and cultural values. The paper starts from several important concepts that relate contemporary approaches to cultural heritage preservation, place morphology and planning future development. The concept definitions from recent documents from related fields are used. These concepts are then applied to the area of Stara Planina Mountain and its rural settlements. The necessity for an integrative approach to planning this area with significant natural and anthropogenic potential is pointed out, including its integration into international programs of sustainable development.

Exposure to ionizing radiation, accidental or intentional, may lead to delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE) that manifest as injury to organ systems including kidney, heart, and brain. This study examines the role of activated protein C (APC), a known mitigator of radiation-induced early toxicity, in long-term plasma metabolite and lipid panels that may be associated with DEARE. Male and female cohorts of C57BL/6N wild-type and APCHi transgenic mice were exposed to 9.5 Gy γ-rays with their hind-legs shielded to allow long-term survival that is necessary to monitor DEARE, and plasma was collected at 6 months for LC-MS based metabolomics and lipidomics. We observed significant dyslipidemia, indicative of inflammatory phenotype, upon radiation exposure. Additionally, observance of several other metabolic dysregulations was suggestive of gut damage, perturbations in TCA and urea cycles, and arginine metabolism. We also observed gender and genotype modulated metabolic perturbations post radiation exposure. The APCHi mice showed near normal abundance for several lipids. Moreover, restoration of plasma levels of some metabolites including amino acids, citric acid, and hypoxanthine in APCHi mice are indicative of APC-mediated protection from radiation injuries. With the help of these findings the role of APC in plasma molecular events after acute -radiation exposure in a gender-specific manner can be established for the first time.

Ionizing radiation exposure is known to induce molecular and cellular injury, inflicting a cascade of potentially catastrophic events leading to tissue and organ damage. Metabolomic analysis allows for the identification and quantification of small molecules downstream of genomic changes induced by radiation exposure. We aimed to characterize metabolomic changes that underscore the prefinal stage of lethally irradiated rhesus nonhuman primates (NHPs). Peripheral blood was drawn at baseline, post-exposure as well as at the preterminal stage of NHPs (immediately prior to death in moribund NHPs), which did not survive exposure with 7.2 Gy total-body radiation (LD70/60). Herein, we analyzed global metabolomic changes using ultra-performance liquid chromatography (UPLC) quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (QTOF-MS) in plasma samples of NHPs collected at various timepoints in relation to irradiation. The overall goal was to identify metabolic shifts present immediately prior to death. Our findings, for the first time, show that radiation induced significant time dependent metabolic perturbations when compared to pre-irradiation samples, particularly in the glycerophospholipid metabolism and steroid hormone biosynthesis and metabolism pathways. These findings provide valuable insights for identifying biomarkers for lethality, which may be helpful for triage during a mass casualty scenario.

By conjugating a radioantigen (o-quinone) with a protein - Esherichia coli endotoxin, a stable polyantigen complex-protein-quinoid radioantigen (BChA) - o-quinone imine (C6H10O-NH - protein) was obtained, including haptenic (o-quinone) and protein part of the antigenic complex (Esherichia coli endotoxin). Using the above components (hyperimmune antiradiotoxic serum, ethanol extract of the Vita-Force apiphitopreparation, metabolic products of Bifidobacterium bifidum, Bacillus subtilis and a highly dispersed fraction of bentonite), a polyfunctional composition «Polyapisogen» was compiled, including polyglobulins (500 cm3 per 1 L),500 cm3 of 4% ethanol extract of the Vita-Force apiphitopreparation, in which a highly dispersed fraction of bentonite (20 g), metabolism products (2 g powder) and Bacillus subtilis metabolism products (4 g) are dissolved. The polyfunctional preparation obtained by the above-described technology is used as an activator of the immune system against the background of its imbalance induced by agents of a radiogenic nature. It was found that a single subcutaneous injection of the drug at a dose of 25 mg / kg of live weight (dry matter basis) had a radioprotective effect increasing the survival rate of affected animals upto 75%. The studies carried out can serve as a basis for the creation of polyfunctional radioprotective, immunoprotective and bioprotective agents not only for isolated, but also for combined lesions of the body by agents of radiogenic and non-radiogenic nature using polyglobulins, convalescent serums, bee products, metabolic products of probiotic microorganisms and mineral sorbents.

This paper deals with the quantitative analysis of measured fracture-induced electromagnetic radiation (FEMR) in the vicinity of the Dead Sea Transform using the Angel-M1 instrument, which enables the recording of FEMR signals in a 3D manner. Results show both the possibility of estimating the sizes of micro-fractures that are the sources of the radiation, and of assessing the direction of their location to the measuring device and the range of magnitude Mw of the impending "events" (EQ's) associated with the present FEMR measurements. Moreover, the relation between the measured FEMR activity (the number of FEMR hits per unit time) and the FEMR event magnitudes shows consistency with the Gutenberg-Richter relationship for the region. Such measurements could therefore constitute a preliminary 'field reinforcement' towards an EMR valid method for a real earthquake forecast, which would provide much earlier warnings than the seismic ones. Obviously, the present observed FEMR measurements can only be used as an assessment of the stress concentration and micro-fracturing in the region since they relate to the very initial nucleation phase of a "virtual" (extremely low Richter scale value) earthquake, but they do provide the necessary feasibility test for a prediction method since all lab-measured FEMR features were confirmed also in the field.

TomoBreast hypothesized that hypofractionated 15 fractions/3 weeks image-guided radiation therapy (H-IGRT) can reduce lung-heart toxicity, as compared with normofractionated 25-33 fractions/5-7 weeks conventional radiation therapy (CRT). 123 women with stage I-II operated breast cancer were randomized to receive CRT (N=64) or H-IGRT (N=59). The primary endpoint used a four-items measure of the time to 10% alteration in any of patient self-reported measure, physician clinical evaluation, echocardiography or lung function tests, analyzed by intention-to-treat without exclusion. Results found comparable survivals, but H-IGRT significantly reduced the toxicity measured by lung diffusion capacity and alveolar volume as compared with CRT, G1 in 53% (31/59) versus 72% (44/61) patients, P=0.006; G2, 29% versus 48%, P=0.020. H-IGRT significantly reduced the risk of composite cardio-pulmonary alteration at 5 years, 10.2% versus 26.7%, P=0.024. In conclusion, TomoBreast is a proof-of-concept that image-guided radiation-therapy can improve the overall balance of lung-heart outcomes in breast cancer adjuvant therapy. Furthermore, the significance of the findings supports the efficacy of a small trial size design, which can be critical when clinical research resources are limited.

Abstract: High-dose-rate interstitial brachytherapy (HDR-ISBT) has recently come to be considered one of the most effective treatments for oral cancer. On the other hand, it is important to note that radiation therapy has some side effects. Especially, radiation-induced malignancy is probably the most serious complication affecting long-term survivors. We report a case of a radiation-induced undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma that developed following HDR-ISBT for tongue squamous cell carcinoma (SCC). A 39-year-old woman with right tongue SCC underwent HDR-ISBT (60 Gy, 10 fractions, 8 days) treatment. Five years and one month later, a tumor had developed at the primary site. Surgery was performed for the tumor, which was histopathologically diagnosed as an undifferentiated spindle cell sarcoma. That was distinct from the squamous cell origin of the primary cancer. According to recently established criteria for radiation-induced malignancy, this case was classified as a radiation-induced sarcoma. A search of the literature revealed no previous report of radiation-induced malignancy following HDR-ISBT for tongue cancer.

Previously, we demonstrated that IR triggers the invasion/migration of A549 cells via activation of an EGFR–p38/ERK–STAT3/CREB-1–EMT pathway. Here, we have demonstrated the involvement of a novel intracellular signaling mechanism in γ-ionizing radiation (IR)-induced migration/invasion. Expression of receptor-interacting protein (RIP) 1 was initially increased upon exposure of A549, a non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell line, to IR. IR-induced RIP1 is located downstream of EGFR and involved in the expression/activity of matrix metalloproteases (MMP-2 and MMP-9) and vimentin, suggesting a role in epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Our experiments showed that IR-induced RIP1 sequentially induces Src-STAT3-EMT to promote invasion/migration. Inhibition of RIP1 kinase activity and expression blocked induction of EMT by IR and suppressed the levels and activities of MMP-2, MMP-9, and vimentin. IR-induced RIP1 activation was additionally associated with stimulation of the transcriptional factor NF-κB. Specifically, exposure to IR triggered NF-κB activation and inhibition of NF-κB suppressed IR-induced RIP1 expression followed by a decrease in invasion/migration as well as EMT. Based on the collective results, we propose that IR concomitantly activates EGFR and NF-κB and subsequently triggers the RIP1–Src/STAT3–EMT pathway, ultimately promoting metastasis.

Coal combustion in thermal power plants releases ash. Ash is reported to cause different adverse health hazards in humans and other organisms. Owing to the presence of radionuclides, it is also considered as a potential radiation hazard. In this study, based on the surface radiation measurements and relevant ancillary data, expected radiation risk zones were identified with regard to the human population residing near the Thermal Power Plant. With population density as the risk determining criteria, about 20% of the study area was at ‘High’ risk and another 20% of the study area was at ‘Low’ risk zone. The remaining 60% was under medium risk zone. Based on the findings remedial measures which may be adopted have been suggested.

Although many attempts have been made to improve the efficacy of radiotherapy to treat cancer, radiation resistance is still an obstacle in lung cancer treatment. Oridonin is a natural compound with promising antitumor efficacy that can trigger cancer cell death; however, its direct cellular targets, efficacy as a radiosensitizer, and underlying mechanisms of activity remain unclear. Herein, we report that oridonin exhibits additive cytotoxic and antitumor activity with radiation using H460 non-small cell lung cancer cell lines. We assessed the radiosensitizing effect of oridonin by MTT, clonogenic, reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, DNA damage, and apoptosis assays. In vitro, oridonin enhanced the radiation-induced inhibition of cell growth and clonogenic survival. Oridonin also facilitated radiation-induced ROS production and DNA damage and enhanced apoptotic cell death. In vivo, the combination of oridonin and radiation effectively inhibited H460 xenograft tumor growth, with higher caspase-3 activation and H2A histone family member X (H2AX) phosphorylation compared with that of radiation alone. Our findings suggest that oridonin possesses a novel mechanism to enhance radiation therapeutic responses by increasing DNA damage and apoptosis. In conclusion, oridonin may be a novel small molecule to improve radiotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer.

Ionizing radiation-induced bystander effects (RIBE) encompass a number of effects with potential for a plethora of damages in adjacent non-irradiated tissue. The cascade of molecular events is initiated in response to the exposure to ionizing radiation (IR), something that may occur during diagnostic or therapeutic medical applications. In order to better investigate these complex response mechanisms, we employed a unified framework integrating statistical microarray analysis, signal normalization and translational bioinformatics functional analysis techniques. This approach was applied to several microarray datasets from Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) related to RIBE. The analysis produced lists of differentially expressed genes, contrasting bystander and irradiated samples versus sham-irradiated controls. Furthermore, comparative molecular analysis through BioInfoMiner, which integrates advanced statistical enrichment and prioritization methodologies, revealed discrete biological processes, at the cellular level. For example, negative regulation of growth, cellular response to Zn2+- Cd2+, Wnt and NIK/NF-kappaB signalling, which refine the description of the phenotypic landscape of RIBE. Our results provide a more solid understanding of RIBE cell-specific response patterns, especially in the case of high-LET radiations like α-particles and carbon-ions.

The research reported on this paper was aimed at improving the overall efficiency of a PDO certified artisanal cheese production process. Being a PDO certified foodstuff by the EU, it is considered to have properties and qualities determined by the geographical environment in which is made, with its production taking place in a specific and determined geographical location, in this case the Serra da Estrela region. In that sense, the authors conducted a mapping according to a systemic perspective of the processes involved in the context of manufacturing and distribution of certified Serra da Estrela cheese. Numerous methods were used throughout the process, such as a systemic design analysis, and techniques derived from ethnographic methods, which led to the collection of data in the field and consequently provided the immersion of the researcher in genuine work situations. Critical points were identified and emphasized in the systemic map with the purpose of encouraging initiatives to address and overcome the gaps and inefficiencies detected. The systemic design analysis triggered the development of design work. Observations following an ethnographic approach identified ergonomic risks in cheese making during the process of cutting excess chips, fostering the emergence of musculoskeletal disorders at the wrist. A tool that fits best to the task at hand was developed. A prototype of the new tool enabled collecting feedback from use in the work context, in order to inform product development. The domains of agricultural production and microbiology, considering the specific microorganisms developed trough the ripening process of the cheese, turned out to be aspects of high importance for the issue under focus, contributing to a broader understanding of the ripening process and its risks, simultaneously improving the efficiency and success of cheese production. If it were not for the systemic analysis, which served as a link between the boundaries of distinct domains such as the risk of microorganism contamination, ergonomics, energy efficiency, legislation and regulation policies, transportation challenges and economic viability, approached throughout the research. Simultaneously creating bridges between them, the various problems might not have been detected in the first place, as they are usually addressed in specialized disciplines, predetermined by the restrictions of each specific area of knowledge. As a consequence of the development of this research, which was based on an analysis that sought to establish possible connections between various disciplines and tried to constantly maintain a holistic perspective, making new connections and observing the issues from a new angle, apart from the already established methodologies. All this allowed to lay out the seeds for the development of a plan to tackle the critical points identified by the systemic analysis reported in this paper.

Synchrotron radiation computed tomography (SRCT) allows more accurate calcified plaque and coronary stenosis assessment as a result of its superior spatial resolution, however, typical micro-computed tomography (micro-CT) systems have even higher resolution. The purpose of this study was to compare performance of high-resolution micro-CT with SRCT in the assessment of calcified plaques and a previously published dataset of coronary stenosis assessment. This experimental study involved micro-CT scanning of three-dimensional printed coronary artery models with calcification in situ used in our previously published SRCT study on coronary stenosis assessment. Measurements of coronary stenosis utilizing both modalities were compared using a paired sample t-test. The degrees of stenosis measured on all but one micro-CT dataset were statistically significantly lower than the corresponding SRCT measurements reported in our previous paper (p&lt;0.0005-0.05). This indicates that the superior spatial resolution of micro-CT was able to further reduce over-estimation of stenosis caused by extensive calcification of coronary arteries and hence false positive results. This study shows that high-resolution micro-CT outperforms SRCT in both calcified plaque and coronary stenosis assessment. This finding will become clinically important for cardiovascular event prediction and enable reclassification of individuals with low and intermediate risk into appropriate risk categories when the technical challenges of micro-CT in clinical practice such as the small field of view and demanding on image processing power are addressed.

Background: In trials using normofractionated regimen, the radiation-induced lymphocyte apoptosis (RILA) and the chromosomal damage assays (CDA) have shown prognostic roles of radiation-induced adverse events. The main objectives here were to validate RILA and CDA in extreme and moderate hypofractionation regimens for breast (FAST) and prostate (CHHiP) cancers. Methods: Blood samples were collected from 400 volunteers included in FAST and CHHiP trials. The primary endpoints (PE) were first change in photographic breast appearance and first grade ≥2 RTOG bladder or bowel toxicity (BBT) in FAST and CHHiP, respectively. The secondary endpoints was first grade ≥2 breast clinical changes (BCC) in FAST and BBT using different scales in CHHiP. Results: 103 FAST and 297 CHHiP patients with lab and clinical data were included. In FAST trial, no significant association of RILA with the primary endpoint was observed. A significant association of higher RILA levels with lower risk of any RIAE was found. The risk of developing grade ≥2 RIAE decreased significantly for patients with RILA≥24% compared to those with RILA≤16% with a HR of 0.50 (95%CI 0.25-1.00, p=0.012). Concerning chromosomic aberrations, no significant associations were found with change in photographic breast appearance nor with the secondary endpoint of any RIAE. In CHHiP trial, a decreased risk of grade≥2 RTOG bladder or bowel RIAE was observed for increasing values of RILA (HR 0.97, 95%CI 0.94-1.01, p=0.11) but did not reach statistical significance. Concerning chromosomic aberrations, we found significant association of higher levels of micronuclei per cell with lower risk of gr2+ RTOGAE (p=0.021 for trend test across tertiles; p=0.023 for upper vs lower tertile). Conclusions: This study is the first to evaluate RILA and CDA as predictors of late effects after breast and prostate RT in the “hypofractionation” era. Development of toxicity biomarkers whatever the RT fractionation are urgently needed.

Ferulic acid (FA) is known for its excellent antioxidant properties that can provide a lot of health benefits. One of its drawbacks is being unstable under UVA light that limits its potency. In this study, new peptides LW2 (QNKRFYFRKNQ) and CW2 (a cyclic form of LW2) have been designed based on bovine serum albumin site ⅡA conformation. UVA irradiation experiment was performed to investigate the protective ability of these peptides towards FA against UVA damage. The percentage of FA remaining under UV irradiation by the protection of CW2 and LW2 was 83%, 76% respectively. The results showed the importance of the cationic residues and hydrophobic residues included in the peptide sequences. Moreover, the cyclic rigid structure showed more protecting ability over that of the linear counterpart.

Promoting green development has become an important way to optimize the ecological and economic structure and promote sustainable development. The Yangtze River Economic Belt is an important economic corridor in China, and it remains to be examined whether the implementation of environmental regulations has enhanced the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of cities. This paper calculates the green total factor productivity of 107 cities within the Yangtze River Economic Belt by using the super-efficient SBM model and the GML index with Chinese city panel data from 2007-2019 and measures the intensity of environmental regulations through textual analysis. The bidirectional fixed-effects model constructed in this paper suggests an inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and GTFP, which is confirmed by a series of robustness tests. Green technology innovation and advanced industrial structure play a mechanism role in this. In regions with lower levels of green technology and industrial structure, the inverted U-shaped relationship between environmental regulation and green total factor productivity is more significant. In addition, the phenomenon of GTFP rising and then falling because of environmental regulation is more obvious in cities in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River and outside the urban agglomerations. Therefore, when formulating environmental regulation policies, it is necessary to balance the relationship between economic development and environmental protection and harmonize the environment and economic development of the entire Yangtze River Basin.

The wetlands in northeastern Bangladesh are home to some of the most prolific and valuable ecosystems on the planet, offering a wide range of benefits to both the local and wider communities. A limited number of research on this topic have been carried out in various wetlands in coastal hilsa, but none have been located in the northeastern region of Bangladesh. Thus, the goal of this study was to better understand the most commercially relevant species (anadromous hilsa) in northeastern Bangladesh as well as to assess the wetland ecosystem services more thoroughly with the contribution of their fish genetic resources. In addition to laboratory studies, fieldwork was done in the fishing settlements along the Surma River, Hakaluki Haor, and Tanguar Haor. The study classified 77 fish species into 21 subcategories of ecosystem services, of which 56% were not threatened, 17% were vulnerable, and 10% were highly endangered. The species Hilsa was found to be the most economically significant, accounting for 1% of the GDP overall. The study determined if the hilsa stock of the examined wetlands maintains a single or several subpopulations in comparison to other parts of the country when they migrate from saline water to northeastern Bangladesh (freshwater). But when compared to other groups, the FST score was between 0.000 to 0.017, indicating that the populations are identical and that there is genetic material sharing between them. Additionally, these statistics imply that the Sylhet haor and adjacent river systems contain a single stock of Hilsa fish. Nevertheless, a number of stresses and risks, including overexploitation, illicit and destructive fishing, siltation, and natural disasters like flash floods, have been linked to changes in the supply of hilsa and other ecosystem services. This study also emphasizes the necessity of policy attention and research to address the concerns.

In this paper, we introduce a specialized, fully automated experimental arrangement designed for assessing the effectiveness of augmented and virtual reality technologies in healthcare setting and explore its design principles focusing on depth sensor characterization. The main goal of this project is to establish a robust benchtop platform for the quantitative evaluation of extended reality technologies in a controlled environment, emphasizing the practical assessment of augmented reality head-mounted devices. We outline a design concept and considerations for an experimental configuration aimed at creating a realistic testing environment. This apparatus comprises an observation platform mounted on a three-degree-of-freedom motorized system and a test phantom stage. Focusing on real-case scenarios, we utilized a range of sensors, including readily available range-sensing cameras and commercial augmented reality headsets, such as the Intel RealSense L515 LiDAR camera, mounted on the motion control system. The setup enabled automated data collection and facilitates controlled assessments and validation of various facets of augmented reality technologies, including object, hand, and head tracking, as well as static and dynamic image registration. This paper describes the system architecture, the process of automated data collection, and presents several evaluation studies conducted with this setup, providing insights into the quality and temporal noise associated with static or moving objects or observers in augmented reality applications.

To conduct high-precision and high-resolution numerical simulation of complex flow structures in turbomachinery, a high-order finite volume weighted essentially non-oscillatory (WENO) scheme for the large eddy simulation (LES) is improved and embedded into the three-dimensional viscous unsteady CFD solver NUAA-Turbo. Firstly, the spectral characteristics and unsteady convergence of the improved WENO scheme are studied. Compared with the classical WENO scheme, the improved WENO scheme has better dissipation and dispersion characteristics and faster convergence speed. Then, the coefficient CW of the Wall-Adapting Local Eddy-viscosity (WALE) model is calibrated by decaying homogeneous isotropic turbulence (DHIT) test case. Finally, the scheme is applied to conduct high-precision LES calculations of turbulent boundary layer flow, supersonic compression corner flow, and low-pressure turbine cascade separation flow. The numerical simulation results show that this WENO scheme has excellent shock wave capture ability and turbulence resolution and can capture more flow field details with less mesh size, greatly reducing the computational cost and laying a foundation for large-scale engineering application of LES.

To secure logic circuits against the illegal copying the insertion of the so-called key bit inputs using XOR/XNOR gates has been proposed in . The inserted gates modify (lock) the behavior of the original circuit and only the correct choice of the secret key bits guarantees the equivalent behaviour of the locked circuit to the original circuit. To break this kind of security, i.e. to find the secret key bits, there was a SAT solver based attack proposed in . The aim of this work is to experimentally verify this attack on several locked circuits with various number of primary inputs and outputs and with various number of gates. Except for the random placement of the key gates we evaluate also the positioning with chaining elimination. The obtained and presented results show that we were able to unlock 10 of 11 circuits within few minutes on a common PC.

Intermetallic compounds are increasingly being expected to utilize in tribological environments, but to date the works are hindered by insufficient ductility at low and medium temperature. This paper presents a novel multiphase intermetallic alloy with the chemical composition of Mo-40Ni-13Si (at.%). Microstructure characterization reveals that a certain amount of ductile Mo phases formed during the solidification process of ternary Mo-Ni-Si alloy melt, which is undoubtedly beneficial to the ductility improvement of intermetallic alloy. Tribological properties of the designed alloy, including wear resistance, friction coefficient and metallic tribological compatibility, were evaluated under dry sliding wear test conditions at room temperature. Results suggested that the multiphase alloy possesses an excellent property for room-temperature wear applications, which is attributed to the unique microstructural features and thereby good combination in hardness and ductility. The corresponding wear mechanism is also reported by observing the worn surface, subsurface and wear debris of alloy, which to be found is soft abrasive wear.

With the integrated development of the Internet, wireless sensor technology, cloud computing, and mobile Internet, there has been a lot of attention given to research about and applications of the Internet of Things. A Wireless Sensor Network (WSN) is one of the important information technologies in the Internet of Things; it integrates multi-technology to detect and gather information in a network environment by mutual cooperation, using a variety of methods to process and analyze data, implement awareness, and perform tests. This paper mainly researches the localization algorithm of sensor nodes in a wireless sensor network. Firstly, a multi-granularity region partition is proposed to divide the location region. In the range-based method, the RSSI (Received Signal Strength indicator, RSSI) is used to estimate distance. The optimal RSSI value is computed by the Gaussian fitting method. Furthermore, a Voronoi diagram is characterized by the use of dividing region. Rach anchor node is regarded as the center of each region; the whole position region is divided into several regions and the sub-region of neighboring nodes is combined into triangles while the unknown node is locked in the ultimate area. Secondly, the multi-granularity regional division and Lagrange multiplier method are used to calculate the final coordinates. Because nodes are influenced by many factors in the practical application, two kinds of positioning methods are designed: the unknown node is in the positioning unit or not. When the unknown node is on the side of the positioning unit, we use the method of vector similarity. Moreover, we use the centroid algorithm to calculate the ultimate coordinates of unknown node. When the unknown node is not on the side of the positioning unit, we establish a Lagrange equation containing the constraint condition to calculate the first coordinates. Furthermore, we use the Taylor expansion formula to correct the coordinates of the unknown node. In addition, this localization method has been validated by establishing the real environment.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a record of brain activity. Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology formed by the EEG signal has become one of the hotspots at present. How to extract the feature signal of EEG is the most basic research of BCI technology. In this paper, A new method of recognizing fatigue, conscious, concentrated state of human brain is proposed by the combination of discrete wavelet transform and the neural network based on EEG signal. First of all, the law signal is preprocessed by the wavelet denoising method because the law EEG signal contains a large number of high frequency noise, which is decomposed into multi-layer high frequency signal and low frequency signal. thus, δ wave, θ wave, α wave, β wave are obtained by the wavelet transform. And then, frequency band energy of the different wave is regards as the feature signal of EEG. In the experiment, the feature signal is classified by radial basic function (RBF) and annealed chaotic competitive learning network (ACCLN). RBF and ACCLN networks are trained with 500 sets of sample data and are tested by 100 sets of samples in different mental states. The experimental results show that the average accuracy of RBF network under three conditions are 88.75%, 88.25%, 88.5%, respectively, and the correct rate of ACCLN network is 97%, 98%, 98%, respectively.

Early discharge after childbirth has led to a rise in neonatal readmission, becoming a major concern in recent decades. Our research aimed to identify the risk factors and incidence of neonatal readmission, as well as explore preventive measures. Our study at the Clinical Hospital of Pediatrics in Ploiești, Romania included 108 neonates admitted during the neonatal period. This accounted for 2.06% of all admissions (5226). The most prevalent cases were malnutrition (25%), fever (20.3%) and bronchiolitis (17.5%). Diarrhea and infectious gastroenteritis were also observed (14.8%), along with acute rhinoconjunctivitis (9.2%) and late onset sepsis (3.7%). No deaths were recorded. The most significant characteristics identified were number of children (p&lt;0.001) and age at maternity discharge (p&lt;0.001). By following the prevention rules, malnutrition, feeding errors, and infections can be avoided. This includes practicing proper hand hygiene for both mothers and medical staff, as well as educating and demonstrating to mothers the benefits of breastfeeding. In addition, all newborns discharged from the maternity ward should benefit from follow-up at 7-10 days of life. Our results confirm the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary team and endorse promoting breastfeeding. Implementing quality control measures and regularly evaluating the surveillance program will help improve its effectiveness.

Wearable technology has been proposed as a potential tool to change the way of human life, such as the smart bracelet and the Google Glass. In the wearable technology, the inertial sensor has great significance in tracking the object movements. The paper focused on detecting the movements of user’s finger based on the inertial sensor to give the control signals. Firstly, the attitude matrix, which represented the transformation relation of carrier coordinate system and the navigation coordinate system, was obtained. Secondly, the attitude matrix was expressed based on the quaternions. Thirdly, the finger gesture was processed by the attitude matrix to get the attitude angle. Finally, the robot was controlled by attitude angle to make the moving action. The experimental results showed the detection of the finger movement is effective.

Cancer stem cell (CSC) has paved the way to many fundamental and translational studies. Recent studies have highlighted differentiated breast cancer cells (non-CSCs) switching phenotype to CSCs in response to various stimuli, depicting the existence of cancer stem cell plasticity. Although strategies to reduce the phenotypic plasticity of non-CSCs into CSCs are likely to prevent treatment-resilient cancer cells driving recurrence, most phenotypic plasticity mechanisms involve Notch, Wnt or MAPK signaling pathways. In this study, breast cancer cells were irradiated to identify soluble reprogramming factors. Using conditioned medias, protein arrays analyses, flow cytometry and in cellulo/in vivo functional assays, we demonstrated, for the first time, that radiation-induced chemokine expression, especially CXCL1 and CCL5 and their receptors CXCR2, CCR1 and CCR5, stimulates reprogramming of breast non-CSCs into CSCs. Treatment of non-CSCs with recombinant CXCL1 and CCL5 is sufficient to induce cell reprogramming, while their inhibition can be used to prevent reprogramming and sensitize tumor to radiation. Moreover, analysis of gene expression profiles from 38 public merged databases demonstrated that combined over-expression of CXCL1/CXCR2, CCL5/CCR1 or CCL5/CCR5 has a poorer prognosis in patients treated with radiotherapy, suggesting a promising way for patient stratification, where individuals with elevated cytokine levels could benefit from radiotherapy in conjunction with cytokine inhibitors. Taken together, our findings provide a rationale to consider these axes as potential targets and predictive biomarkers in breast cancer patients.

Man-made chemicals have played an important role in the development of our modern society. They have revolutionized such areas as healthcare and farming and they are essential in the manufacture of a wide range of consumer products. In studying the behavior of radionuclides and metals in the bottom sediment-water system, special attention is paid to identifying the forms of existence of pollutants in terms of substantiating their migration ability and, as a result, the po-tential for their subsequent spread, i.e. secondary pollution. On the example of bottom sediments of the Yenisei River, such radionuclides as K-40, Cs-137 are shown to be present mostly in the undecomposed residue. Eu-252 and Am-241 are associated with the organic component of bottom sediments, consisting of plant and animal remains, as well as soil washed away from the floodplain part of the river bed. The radionuclide Co-60, depending on the mineralogical composition of bottom sediments, can either be almost evenly distributed between the undecomposed residue and organic matter, or dominate in the undecomposed residue. Thus, it is shown that man-made ra-dionuclides can have a high tendency to migrate, both in the thickness of bottom sediments and between such phases as bottom sediments and water.

Two interesting compounds such as quaternary ammonium lignin(QAL) and 2-ethylhexyl phosphoric acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (P507) were synthesized as ionic liquids(QP-ILs) for the extraction of metal ions. The extraction behavior of Co(II) and Ni(II) from chloride solution was compared between QP-ILs and P507. The results showed that the extraction rates of Co(II) and Ni(II) in the two solutions varied with the extraction conditions, but QP-ILs has stronger extractability for cobalt than P507, while Ni is on the contrary. Under the same conditions, the Co/Ni separation performance(βCo/Ni) in QP-ILs is superior to that in p507. At pH4.0, 55℃, concentration of 20%, extraction time of 10 minutes, the βCo/Ni of QP-ILs reached to 2703, while that of P507 was only 164. In conclusion, QP-ILs was more efficient than P507 for separating Co from mixed solutions.

Brain aging causes a wide variety of changes at molecular and cellular levels, leading to the decline of cognitive functions and increased vulnerability to neurodegenerative disorders. The research aimed at understanding the aging of the brain has made much progress in recent decades. Technological innovations such as single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq), proteomic analyses, and spatial transcriptomic analyses have facilitated the research on the dynamic changes occurring within neurons, glia, and other cells along with their impacts on intercellular communication during aging. In this review, we introduce recent trends of how neurons and glia change during aging and discuss the impact of the brain microenvironment such as the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

In this paper, we study the semilinear pseudo-parabolic equations $\displaystyle u_{t} - \triangle_{\mathbb{B}}u - \triangle_{\mathbb{B}}u_{t} = \left|u\right|^{p-1}u$ on a manifold with conical singularity, where $\triangle _{\mathbb{B}}$ is Fuchsian type Laplace operator investigated with totally characteristic degeneracy on the boundary $x_{1} = 0$. Firstly, we discuss the invariant sets and the vacuum isolating behavior of solutions with the help of a family of potential wells. Then, we derive a threshold result of existence and nonexistence of global weak solution: for the low initial energy $J(u_{0})<d$, the solution is global in time with $I(u_{0}) >0$ or $\displaystyle\Vert \nabla_{\mathbb{B}}u_{0}\Vert_{L_{2}^{\frac{n}{2}}(\mathbb{B})} = 0$ and blows up in finite time with $I(u_{0}) < 0$; for the critical initial energy $J(u_{0}) = d$, the solution is global in time with $I(u_{0}) \geq0$ and blows up in finite time with $I(u_{0}) < 0$. The decay estimate of the energy functional for the global solution and the estimates of the lifespan of local solution are also given.

Multimodal remote sensing data classification can enhance the model’s ability to distinguish land features through multimodal data fusion. In this context, how to help models understand the relationship between multimodal data and target tasks is the focus of researchers. Inspired by human feedback learning mechanisms, causal reasoning mechanisms, and knowledge induction mechanisms, this paper integrates causal learning, reinforcement learning, and meta learning into a unified remote sensing data classification framework and proposed the causal meta-reinforcement learning (CMRL). First, based on feedback learning mechanisms, we have overcome the limitations of traditional implicit optimization of fusion features and customized a reinforcement learning environment for multimodal remote sensing data classification tasks. Through feedback interactive learning between agents and the environment, we help them understand the complex relationships between multimodal data and labels, thereby achieving full mining of multimodal complementary information. Second, based on the causal inference mechanism we designed causal distribution prediction action, classification reward, and causal intervention reward, capturing pure causal factors in multimodal data and cutting off false statistical associations between non-causal factors and class labels. Finally, based on the knowledge induction mechanism, we designed a bi-layer optimization mechanism based on meta-learning. By constructing a meta training task and meta validation task simulation model in the generalization scenario of unseen data, we helped the model induce cross-task shared knowledge, thereby improving its generalization ability for unseen multimodal data. The experimental results on multiple sets of multimodal datasets show that the proposed method achieved state-of-the-art performance in multimodal remote sensing data classification tasks.

Moso bamboo is famous for fast growing and biomass accumulation, as well as high annual output for timber and bamboo shoots. These high outputs require high nutrient inputs to maintain and improve stand productivity. Soil nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) are important micronutrients for plant growth and productivity. Due to high variability of soils, analysing spatial patterns of soil N, P and K stocks is necessary for scientific nutrient management in Moso bamboo forests. In this study, soils were sampled from 138 locations across Yong’an City and ordinary kriging was applied for spatial interpolation of soil N, P and K stocks. Soil N stock showed a strong spatial dependence while soil N and P stocks presented a moderate spatial dependence, indicating soil N was mainly controlled by intrinsic factors while soil N and P stocks were controlled by both intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Different spatial patterns were observed for soil N, P and K stocks across the whole study area, indicating that fertilizations with different ratios of N:P:K should be applied for different sites to maintain and improve stand productivity. The total soil N, P and K stocks within 0-60 cm were 0.624, 0.020 and 0.583 Tg, respectively.

With the increasing concern of environment, the energy-efficiency scheduling of manufacturing industry is becoming urgent and popular. In turning processes, both spindle speed and processing time can affect the final energy consumption and thus the spindle speed and scheduling scheme need to be optimized simultaneously. Since the turning workshop can be regarded as the flexible flow shop, this paper formulates a mixed integer linear programming model for energy-efficient scheduling of flexible flow shop. Accordingly, a new decoding method is developed by considering of the optimization of spindle speed and scheduling scheme simultaneously, and an estimation of distribution algorithm adopting the new decoding method is proposed to solve large-size problems. The parameters of this algorithm are determined by statistical technique with a simplified practical case. In order to validate the proposed method, a case from practical factories is studied, in which the makespan can be shortened by 25.22%, and the consumed energy can be saved by 5.48%. These results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed mathematical model and algorithm.