The state detection of power cable is very important to ensure the reliability of power supply. Traditional sensors are mostly based on electric field detection, the operation is complex, and its efficiency needs to be improved. This paper optimizes the design and development of the magnetic field detection sensor for AC power cables. Firstly, through the establishment of the magnetic field sensor model, it is determined that permalloy is the material of the magnetic core, the optimal aspect ratio of the magnetic core is 20, and the ratio of coil length to core length is 0.3. Secondly, the coil simulation model is established, and it is determined that the optimal number of turns of the coil is 11000 turns, the diameter of the enamelled copper wire is 0.08mm, and the equivalent magnetic field noise of the sensor is 0.06pT. Finally, the amplifying circuit based on negative magnetic flux feedback is designed and the sensor is assembled, and the experimental circuit is built for sensitivity test. the results show that the sensitivity of the magnetic field sensor is 327.6mV/μT. The sensor designed in this paper has the advantages of small size, high sensitivity, easy to carry and high reliability.

Single-phase-to-ground fault in non-effectively grounded systems poses serious public safety concern. Along with increasing deployment of low-voltage (LV) sensors, new opportunities and ways are created for solving this traditional problem in distribution systems. A new approach, identifying primary single-phase-to-ground line fault and locating it through measurement data from smart sensors deployed in the secondary side of distribution transformers, is proposed in this paper. When a fault occurs in primary distribution feeder, the transient aerial mode voltage (AMV) of each LV smart sensor is calculated. The fault line can be identified by an abrupt change value of AMV at LV side. Next, by finding the position of the maximum value of this AMV from LV sensors on the fault line, the fault location can be pinpointed to two neighboring distribution transformers. The proposed method has been proven to be efficient and reliable by simulation studies.

The growing attention for plug-in electric vehicles, and the associated high-performance demands, have initiated a development trend towards highly efficient and compact on-board battery chargers. These isolated ac-dc converters are most commonly realized using two conversion stages, combining a non-isolated power factor correction (PFC) rectifier with an isolated dc-dc converter. This, however, involves two loss stages and a relatively high component count, limiting the achievable efficiency and power density and resulting in high costs. In this paper a single-stage converter approach is analyzed to realize a single-phase ac-dc converter, combining all functionalities into one conversion stage and thus enabling a cost-effective efficiency and power density increase. The converter topology consists of a quasi-lossless synchronous rectifier followed by an isolated dual active bridge (DAB) dc-dc converter, putting a small filter capacitor in between. To show the performance potential of this bidirectional, isolated ac-dc converter, a comprehensive design procedure and multi-objective optimization with respect to efficiency and power density is presented, using detailed loss and volume models. The models and procedures are verified by a 3.7 kW hardware demonstrator, interfacing a 400 V dc-bus with the single-phase 230 V, 50 Hz utility grid. Measurement results indicate a state-of-the-art efficiency of 96.1% and power density of 2.2 kW/dm³, confirming the competitiveness of the investigated single-stage DAB ac-dc converter.

We report a preliminary exploration on the low-pressure Ar-O2 plasma generated by low-frequency alternating current (AC) power supply in the low-temperature Plasma Experimental Power Supply (CTP-2000S) for the first time. The electron density 〖(n〗_e), the electron temperature 〖(T〗_e) and the electron energy distribution function (EEDF) are measured by the single Langmuir probe in this experiment. Experimental results show that the ne increases with gas pressure rising, while the ne decreases with the oxygen concentrations rising. And, a plasma density peak is also observed with the AC power supply increase. A comparison between this work and the previous results by RF source suggests that the low-frequency AC power supply may be very fruitful exploration to generate the low-pressure plasma.

The article introduces a new solution approach to grid-connected single-stage three-phase PV inverter whereby a dc-link voltage can successfully achieve the desired performance. As a single-stage, the variable output of perturb and observe maximum power point tracking (P&O based-MPPT) is fully utilized as dc-link voltage reference in inverter control scheme. As a result, it is challenging for the dc-link voltage to preserve energy balance by tracking its variable dc-link voltage reference under unpredictable environmental changes. To overcome this challenge, an adaptive reference proportional-integral (ARPI) controller, self-tuning, is designed and implemented to compel the dc-link voltage tracking its voltage reference to be equal as closely as possible; hence, the capability of the dc-link under abnormal events substantially guarantees the best energy balance and transient performance enhancement. To verify the validity of the method, simulation results for multiple events scenarios on 250 KW single-stage grid-connected PV systems show the effectiveness of the ARPI controller compared with PI controller.

In this research paper, a high gain transformer less inverter modeling which is used for the smart grid technology or as the stand alone for home appliances is proposed. The proposed transformer less topology provides a higher voltage gain, low cost, small size and simple control stand alone transformer less inverter for home appliances. The above inverter is modeled by using software which is known as MATLAB/ Simulimk.

Background: Carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae (CRKP) is a serious public health issue. Aim of the study was to identify the antimicrobial resistance and accessory genes, the clonal relatedness and the evolution dynamics of selected CRKP isolates recovered in an adult and a pediatric intensive care unit of a tertiary hospital in Greece. Methods: Twenty-four CRKP isolates recovered during 2018-2022 were included in the study. Next-generation sequencing was performed using the Ion Torrent PGM Platform. The identification of the plasmid content, MLST and antimicrobial resistance genes, as well as the comparison of multiple genome alignments and the identification of core genome single-nucleotide polymorphism sites, were performed applying various bioinformatics software. Results: The isolates belonged to eight sequence types 11, 15, 30, 35, 39, 307, 323, and 512. A variety of carbapenemases (KPC, VIM, NDM and OXA-48) and resistance genes were detected. CRKP strains shared visually common genomic regions with the reference strain (NTUH-K2044). ST15, ST323, ST39, and ST11 CRKP isolates presented on average 17, 6, 16 and 866 recombined SNPs, respectively. All isolates belonging to ST15, ST323 and ST39 were classified in distinct phylogenetic branches, while ST11 isolates were assigned to a two-subclade branch. For large CRKP sets, the phylogeny seems to change approximately every seven SNPs. Conclusion: The current study provides insight into the genetic characterization of CRKP isolates in the ICUs of a tertiary hospital. Our results indicate clonal dispersion of ST15, ST323, and ST39 and highly diverged ST11 isolates.

A quantum Otto engine with a single ion harmonic oscillator as its working substance is studied for an adiabatic operation at high and low temperature limits. Using the universal optimization method, the heat engine is effectively optimized and found to yield better working conditions in some ranges of temperature ratios. Accordingly, the figure of merit, ψ, is found to be greater than unity in the range: 0<β2β1≤0.12; showing that the heat engine performs better in the optimized condition than in the maximum power working condition. ψ is determined to be less than one in the range 0.12≤β2β1≤0.35 under the same temperature limit ; depicting that the maximum power working condition is preferred to the optimized working condition. On the other hand, in the low temperature limit, the figure of merit, ψ, is found to be greater than unity in the range 3.7<ω1ω2≤18; revealing that optimized working condition is better than the maximum power working condition for the heat engine. In the same temperature limit, ψ is found to be less than one in the range 0≤ω1ω2≤3.7; showing that maximum power working condition is preferred to the optimized one. For the model of heat engine studied, in some ranges of temperature ratio, it is found to work better in the optimized condition, whereas in the other ranges it performs better under the maximum power working condition. So, it is possible to switch the engine between the two conditions depending on one’s need.

Though the energy density of lithium-ion batteries continues to increase, safety issues related with the internal short-circuit and the resulting combustion of highly flammable electrolyte impede the further development of lithium-ion batteries. It has been well-accepted that a thermal stable separator is important to postpone the entire battery short-circuit and thermal-runaway. Traditional methods to improve the thermal stability of separators includes surface modification and/or developing alternate material systems for separators which may always affect the battery performance negatively. Herein, a thermostable and shrink-free separator with little compromise in battery performance is prepared by coaxial electrospinning and tested. The separator consists of core-shell fiber networks where poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) layer serves as shell and polyacrylonitrile (PAN) as the core. This core-shell fiber network exhibits little or even no shrinking/melting at elevated temperature over 250 °C. Meanwhile, it shows excellent electrolyte wettability and can take large amount of liquid electrolyte three times more than that of conventional Celgard 2400 separator. In addition, the half-cell using LiNi1/3Co1/3Mn1/3O2 as cathode and the aforementioned electrospun core-shell fiber network as separator demonstrates superior electrochemical behavior, stably cycling for 200 cycles at 1 C with a reversible capacity of 130 mAh g-1 and little capacity decay.

The structural, electronic and magnetochemical properties of the star-shaped polyoxopalladate [Pd₁₅O₁₀(SeO₃)₁₀]¹⁰⁻ (POPd) and its lanthanide functionalized derivatives have been investigated on the basis of density functional theory followed by a ligand field analysis using the Radial Effective Charge (REC) model. Our study predicts that heteroPOPd is a robust cryptand that enforces D_5h symmetry around the encapsulated Ln³⁺ centers. This rigid coordination environment favors interesting potential magnetic behavior in the Er and Ho derivatives, which may be of interest for molecular spintronics and quantum computing applications.

Over 250 million people are infected chronically with hepatitis B virus (HBV), the leading cause of liver cancer worldwide. HBV persists due in part to its compact, stable minichromosome, the covalently-closed, circular DNA (cccDNA), which resides in the hepatocytes’ nuclei. Current therapies target downstream replication products, however, a true virological cure will require targeting the cccDNA. Finding targets on such a small, compact genome is challenging. For HBV, to remain replication-competent, it needs to maintain nucleotide fidelity in key regions, such as the promoter regions, to ensure that it can continue to utilize the necessary host proteins. HBVdb (HBV database) is a repository of HBV sequences spanning all genotypes (A-H) amplified from clinical samples, and hence implying an extensive collection of replication-competent viruses. Here, we analyzed the HBV sequences from HBVdb using bioinformatics tools to comprehensively assess the HBV core and X promoter regions amongst the nearly 70,000 HBV sequences for highly-conserved nucleotides and variant frequencies. Notably, there is a high degree of nucleotide conservation within specific segments of these promoter regions highlighting their importance in potential host protein-viral interactions and thus the virus’ viability. Such findings may have key implications for designing antivirals to target these areas.

Intratumoral heterogeneity associates with more aggressive disease progression and worse patient outcomes. Understanding the reasons enabling the emergence of such heterogeneity remains incomplete, which restricts our ability to manage it from a therapeutic perspective. Technological advancements such as high-throughput molecular imaging, single-cell omics and spatial transcriptomics now allow recording the patterns of spatiotemporal heterogeneity in a longitudinal manner, thus offering insights into the multi-scale dynamics of its evolution. Here, we review latest technological trends and biological insights from molecular diagnostics as well as spatial transcriptomics, both of which have witnessed a burgeoning growth in recent past in terms of mapping heterogeneity within tumor cell types as well as stromal constitution. We also discuss ongoing challenges, indicating possible ways to integrate insights across these methods to have a systems-level spatiotemporal map of heterogeneity in each tumor, and a more systematic investigation of implications of heterogeneity for the patient outcomes.

Semantic image segmentation has recently witnessed considerable progress by training deep convolutional neural networks (CNNs). The core issue of this technique is the limited capacity of CNNs to depict visual objects. Existing approaches tend to utilize approximate inference in a discrete domain or additional aides and do not have a global optimum guarantee. We propose the use of the multi-label manifold ranking (MR) method in solving the linear objective energy function in a continuous domain to delineate visual objects and solve these problems. We present a novel embedded single stream optimization method based on the manifold ranking (MR) model to avoid approximations without sacrificing expressive power. In addition, we propose a novel network, which we refer to as dual multi-scale manifold ranking (\textbf{DMSMR}) network, that combines the dilated, multi-scale strategies with the single stream MR optimization method in the deep learning architecture to further improve the performance. Experiments on high resolution images, including close-range and remote sensing datasets, demonstrate that the proposed approach can achieve competitive accuracy without additional aides in an end-to-end manner.

Curcumin, a nontoxic and cheap natural medicine, has high therapeutic efficacy for many diseases including diabetes and cancers. Unfortunately, its exceedingly low water-solubility and rapid degradation in the body severely limit its bioavailability. In this work, we prepare a series of biocompatible poly(vinyl anisole)@nonlinear poly(ethylene glycol) (PVAS@PEG) core-shell nanogels with different PEG gel shell thickness to provide high water solubility, good stability, and controllable sustained release of curcumin. The PVAS nanogel core is designed to attract and store curcumin molecules for high drug loading capacity and the hydrophilic nonlinear PEG gel shell is designed to offer water dispersibility and thermo-responsive drug release. The obtained nanogels are monodispersed in spherical shape with clear core-shell morphology. The size and shell thickness of the nanogels can be easily controlled by changing the core-shell precursor feeding ratios. The optimized PVAS@PEG nanogels display a high curcumin loading capacity of 38.0 wt%. The nanogels can stabilize the curcumin from degradation at pH =7.4 and release the curcumin in response to heat in the physiologically important temperature range. The nanogels can enter cells effectively and exhibit negligible cytotoxicity to both the B16F10 and HL-7702 cells at a concentration up to 2.3 mg/mL. Such designed PVAS@PEG nanogels have a great potential to be used for delicate drug delivery.

Single-layer core corrugated sandwich panels generally consist of a corrugated core and two layers of panels, while multi-layer core corrugated sandwich panels are formed by stacking multiple layers of panels with multiple layers of core layers. In this study, integrated multilayer core corrugated sandwich panels with different shapes of corrugated cores (triangular, trapezoidal, and rectangular) and the different number of core layers were fabricated using 3D printing technology, and the mechanical behavior of such multilayer core corrugated sandwich panels under quasi-static three-point bending was investigated using experiments and numerical simulations. The effects of core shape and number of core layers on the bending deformation process, damage mode, load carrying capacity, and bending energy dissipation capacity of multilayer core sandwich panels are discussed. Parametric design of multilayer triangular core corrugated sandwich panels was also carried out by finite element software ABAQUS. It was found that a new multilayer corrugated sandwich panel with a multi-layer core is better than the single core shape multilayer corrugated sandwich panel in terms of bending load capacity, energy dissipation capacity and deformation capacity can be obtained through the combination design of different core shapes.

The authors of the article analyze the existing methods and models of technological preparation of machine-building industries. The structure of a three-level simulation model with network-centric control, the structures of individual elements of the simulation model and the process of simulation modeling are described. The criteria for choosing a rational option for the processing technological route have been determined. During the research, a simulation program was implemented in C++. It allows you to select the optimal scenario for the operation of a production site based on two criteria: time and cost. The volume of implementation is about 2x103 lines of code. A diagram of the modeling algorithm for the implemented program, a description of the classes and their interactions are given in the article. The developed simulation model was tested at a machine-building enterprise using the example of the “Pusher” part, manufactured under single-unit production condi-tions. The technological equipment used for the manufacture of this part was formed in the form of input data of the simulation model. The results of simulation modeling for the selected part are described. For each variant of the technological processing route, the values of variable costs and the duration of the production cycle were determined.

Dance is physically demanding, requiring physical fitness(PF) that includes upper body, lower body, core fitness, and balance for successful performance. Whether PF changes as dancers advance from when they enter(freshmen) to when they graduate from their collegiate program(seniors) is unclear. We prospectively compared collegiate dancers’ freshman-to-senior PF. We recorded PF of the upper body strength-endurance(push-ups, n=number), core strength-endurance(front, left-side, right-side, and extensor plank hold times, s=seconds), lower body power(Single-leg-hop-SLH distances % Height; Leg Symmetry Index: LSI=higher/lower*100, %), and balance(Anterior Reach Balance,%Leg-Length, LL; LSI balance=higher/lower*100, %) in 25 collegiate dancers(23 females, 2 males; freshmen age=18.2±0.6yrs). Paired t-tests(p<.05) compared measures from freshmen-senior years. Across their collegiate programs, dancers’ PF remained unchanged: upper body strength-endurance push-ups numbers(p=.93), core strength-endurance plank times(left:p=.44, right:p = .67, front:p=.60, p=.22), SLH distances(left: p =.44, right:p =.85) and SLH symmetry(p=0.16). Dancers’ right leg balance(p =.08) remained similar, while the left balance(p =.02) improved with better symmetry(p<.001) in senior balance scores. Overall, dancers’ PF did not change across their collegiate programs, except for greater left leg balance scores. Findings suggest that practitioners can use collegiate dancers’ freshmen baseline PF when devising rehabilitation programs and making return to activity decisions post injury throughout their dance programs.

Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate if tests used to assess core stability could be used to determine success in physiological tests applied to assess dynamic balance and agility for a young active population. Methods: Pearson's r correlation coefficient was used to assess the relationship between the core stability tests and the dynamic balance and agility tests. Evaluation of the tests was established using Cronbach's coefficient of variance as part of intra-rater reliability tests. An analysis of 18 active college aged students was conducted (males: n= 13, females: n= 5). The mean ± SD age for males was 19.2 years ± 3.22 years and for females was 19.4 years ± 1.14 years. Conclusion: The results indicate that there is no significant relationship between tests that assess core stability and tests conducted to assess dynamic balance in active young adults. With the exception of the abdominal flexion test, no significant relationship exists between the remaining core stability tests and agility T-Test. Core stability is not a determinant of balance and agility.

Single particle tracking (SPT) is a powerful class of methods for studying the dynamics of biomolecules inside living cells. The techniques reveal the trajectories of individual particles, with a resolution well below the diffraction limit of light, and from them the parameters defining the motion model, such as diffusion coefficients and confinement lengths. Most existing algorithms assume these parameters are constant throughout an experiment. However, it has been demonstrated that they often vary with time as the tracked particles move through different regions in the cell or as conditions inside the cell change in response to stimuli. In this work, we propose an estimation algorithm to determine time-varying parameters of systems that discretely switch between different linear models of motion with Gaussian noise statistics, covering dynamics such as diffusion, directed motion, and Ornstein-Uhlenbeck dynamics. Our algorithm consists of three stages. In the first stage, we use a sliding window approach, combined with Expectation Maximization (EM) to determine maximum likelihood estimates of the parameters as a function of time. These results are only used to roughly estimate the number of model switches that occur in the data to guide the selection of algorithm parameters in the second stage. In the second stage, we use change detection (CD) techniques to identify where the models switch, taking advantage of the off-line nature of the analysis of SPT data to create non-causal algorithms with better precision than a purely causal approach. Finally, we apply EM to each set of data between the change points to determine final parameter estimates. We demonstrate our approach using experimental data generated in the lab under controlled conditions.

In this paper, we consider the behavior of the local energy flow velocity of the fundamental air – core mode at the core – cladding boundary in two types of hollow – core fibers: hollow – core fibers with a negative curvature of the core boundary and single – capillary fibers with similar geometrical parameters. It is demonstrated that the behavior of both axial and radial components of the local energy velocity of the fundamental air – core mode is completely different for these two types of hollow – core fibers. The negative curvature of the core boundary leads to an alternating behavior of the radial projection of the local energy velocity and a decrease by two orders of magnitude compared to the values of this projection for a single capillary. In our opinion, this behavior of the local energy velocity of the fundamental air – core mode is caused by a periodic set of Poynting vector vortices that appear in the cladding capillary walls.

Core-shell particles are heterogenous micro- or nanoparticles with solid, liquid or gas core encapsulated by a protective solid shell. The unique composition of core and shell materials imparts smart properties to the particles. Core-shell particles are gaining increasing attention as tuneable and versatile carriers for pharmaceutical and biomedical applications including targeted drug delivery, controlled drug release, and biosensing. This review first provides an overview of fabrication methods for core-shell particles, followed by a brief discussion on their application and a detailed analysis on manipulation including assembly, sorting, and triggered release. We compile current methodologies employed for manipulation of core-shell particles and demonstrate how existing methods of assembly and sorting micro/nanospheres can be adopted or modified for core-shell particles. Various triggered release approaches for diagnostics and drug delivery are also discussed in detail.

Biological parameters extracted from electrical signals from various body parts have been used for many years to analyze the human body and its behavior. In addition, electrical signals from cancer cell lines, normal cells, and viruses, among others, have been widely used for the detection of various diseases. Single-cell parameters such as cell and cytoplasmic conductivity, relaxation frequency, and membrane capacitance are important. There are many techniques available to characterize biomaterials, such as scanning tunneling microscopy (STM), nanotechnology, microstrip cavity resonance measurement, dielectric impedance measurement (DEPIM), etc. This article reviews the single cell isolation and sorting techniques, summarizes the common single cell operations such as impedance flow cytometry, cell electrical impedance, electrical impedance sensing, and summarizes the current single cell analysis techniques and their applications.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the dosimetric impact of multiple channels compared to a single channel in high dose rate (HDR) vaginal cuff brachytherapy (VCBT). Methods and materials: Sample plans of HDR VCBT from both single and multiple channel cylinders at 2.5, 3.0 and 3.5 cm in diameter were created and analyzed. The doses were prescribed either at the 0.5 cm depth with 5.5 Gy for 4 fractions or at the cylinder surface with 8.8 Gy for 4 frac¬tions, in various treatment lengths ranging from 3 to 8 cm. A 0.5 cm ring target volume called PTV_Eval was contoured for each plan and served as the target volume for dosimetric evaluation. Mean doses and the doses covering 90% (D90), 10% (D10), and 5% (D5) of PTV_Eval were calculated and compared. The same treatment lengths, same prescription regimens, same target volume contouring and same plan evaluation methods were repeated for the similar size single channel and multiple channel cylinders. Results: The mean doses of both regimens with the multi-channel cases (6.3 to 7.1 Gy) were comparable to single channel ones (6.4 and 7.5 Gy). The ranges of D90, D10 and D5 were from 3.654 to 5.04 Gy, 8.44 to 10.08 Gy and 8.84 to 10.86 Gy in the multi-channel cases, but from 5.36 to 5.76 Gy, 7.40 to 9.97 Gy and 8.16 to 11.93 Gy in the single channel cases, respectively. Conclusion: The single channel and multiple-channel cylinder deliver a similar mean dose, but with marked heterogeneity in D90, D5 and D10 for the same prescription dose and target volume. Multi-channel cylinders adequately cover the target volume, but given the heterogeneity, increased treatment time and cost are best suited for asymmetric target volumes.

Practical applications of CsPbX3 nanocrystals (NCs) are limited by their poor stability. The formation of heterojunction between CsPbX3 NCs and oxides is an effective means to protect perovskite from polar solvents and other external factors. Significantly improving the stability and photocatalytic properties of the core/shell perovskite is very important for its application in photoelectric and photocatalytic technology. Here, we report the synthesis of asymmetrical CsPbBr3/TiO2 core-shell heterostructure NCs at single particle level by hot injection liquid phase synthesis and sol-gel method, where each CsPbBr3 NCs is partially covered by titanium dioxide. It is shown that the type II arrangement is generated at the heterogeneous interface, which greatly facilitates the separation of electron-hole pairs and increases the carrier transport efficiency. More crucial, due to the protection of titanium dioxide shell, the product has higher long-term stability in humid air compared with bare CsPbBr3 NCs. The asymmetrical core-shell heterostructure prepared in this study not only improves the stability of CsPbX3 NCs, but also provides some ideas for optoelectronic device applications and TiO2-based photocatalysts.

Hepatitis C virus (HCV) core protein is a multifunctional protein that is involved in proliferation, inflammation and apoptosis mechanism of hepatocytes. HCV core protein genetic variability has been implicated in various outcomes of HCV pathology and treatment. In the present study, we aimed to analyze the role of HCV core protein in tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)-induced death under the viewpoint of HCV genetic variability. Immortalized hepatocytes (IHH), and not the Huh7.5 hepatoma cell line, stably expressing HCV subtype 4a and HCV subtype 4f core proteins showed that only HCV 4a core protein could increase sensitivity to TNFα-induced death. Development of two transgenic mice expressing the two different core proteins under the liver-specific promoter of transthyretin (TTR) allowed for the in vivo assessment of the role of core in TNFα-induced death. Using the TNFα-dependent model of lipopolysaccharide/D-galactosamine (LPS/Dgal) we were able to recapitulate the in vitro results in IHH cells in vivo. Transgenic mice expressing HCV 4a core protein were more susceptible to the LPS/Dgal model while mice expressing HCV 4f core protein had the same susceptibility as their littermate controls. Transcriptome analysis in liver biopsies from these transgenic mice gave insights into HCV core molecular pathogenesis, while linking HCV core protein genetic variability to differential pathology in vivo.

This conceptual review aimed to investigate whether "functional training" (FT) programs are different from traditional strength, power, flexibility, and endurance training programs. A search for the twenty most recent papers published involving FT was performed in the PubMed/Medline database. Definition, concepts, benefits, and the exercises employed in FT programs were analyzed. The main results were: 1) there is no agreement about a universal definition for FT; 2) FT programs aim at developing the same benefits already induced by traditional strength, power, flexibility, and endurance training programs; 3) exercises employed are also the same. The inability to define FT makes differentiation difficult. Physical training programs can be easily described and classified as strength, power, flexibility, endurance, and the specific exercises employed (e.g., traditional resistance training, ballistic exercises, plyometrics and Olympic-style weightlifting, continuous and high-intensity interval training). This proper description and classification may improve communication in sports science and improve interdisciplinary integration. Aiming to avoid confusion and misconceptions, and based on the current evidence, we recommend that the terms FT, high-intensity FT, and functional fitness training no longer describe any physical training program.

We introduce a new generalized inverse (i.e., generalized EP element) which is a natural generalization of EP and *-DMP elements in a Banach *-algebra. We present polar-like characterizations of generalized EP elements. The necessary and sufficient conditions under which the sum of two generalized EP elements is a generalized EP element are investigated. Finally, the generalized core-EP orders for generalized EP elements are characterized.

The main property of tripodal ligands is the predictable type of coordination. Homo- and heteroleptic lanthanide complexes with tripodal ligands are a representative class of compounds. However, despite the fact that many of them are paramagnetic their magnetic behavior is poorly understood. This is because their photophysical and catalytic properties have been more attractive. In the present review, we are trying to summarize the available structural information and extremely few data on magnetic properties in order to draw some conclusions about the prospective of tripods using in the design of quantum molecular magnets based on Ln ions. We would like to draw the reader's attention to the fact that despite the consideration of a large part of the currently known lanthanide compounds with tripodal ligands, this review is not exhaustive. However, our goal was to draw the attention of researchers to the fact that a whole niche of air-stable Ln complexes remained outside the attention of magnetochemists and theoreticians.

We consider the problem of scheduling tasks on a single machine subject to an uncertain breakdown to minimize the flowtime. Assume the machine is unavailable during the breakdown; the starting time of the breakdown is a random variable s with distribution function D(s) and the terminating time of the breakdown has no any other information; jobs are non-resumable. Under the assumptions, starting from the perspective of statistical optimization, we first define the expected competitive ratio of an algorithm to find the optimized solution with the considered problem. Further, we propose and prove a certain result on the expected competitive ratio of the SPT rule. In particular, we show that under a quite loose condition the expected competitive ratio of the SPT rule is no more than 5/4. Meanwhile, we also make some discussions about our studies. What we have done will rich and improve the studying results on the area of scheduling to minimize flowtime and advance the development of online optimization and statistical optimization.

The Polyurethane (PU) mixture is a high−performance engineering material with different dynamic properties compared to a hot−mixed asphalt mixture (HMA). This paper analyzed whether the Kramers−Kronig (K−K) relation and thermo−rheological simple properties were applicable to the PU mixture. Based on the result discussion, the PU mixture exhibited thermo−rheological simple properties within the test conditions. The time−temperature superposition principle (TTSP) was applicable for the PU mixture to construct the dynamic modulus master curve using the standard logistic Sigmoidal (SLS) model, the generalized logistic sigmoidal (GLS) model, and the Havriliak−Negami (HN) model. The Hilbert integral transformed SLS and GLS models for the phase angle can accurately fit the measured phase angle data with newly fitted shift factors and predict the phase angle within the viscoelastic range. The Core−Core and black space diagrams both displayed single continuous smooth curves, which can be utilized to characterize the viscoelastic property of the PU mixture. The K−K relation is applicable for the PU mixture to obtain the phase angle master curve model, storage modulus, and loss modulus from the complex modulus test results. The phase angle of the PU mixture cannot be derived from the dynamic modulus data and currently needs to be derived from the laboratory measurement.

Background: Biological processes are based on complex networks of cells and molecules. Single cell multi-OMICs is a new tool aiming to provide new incites in the complex network of events controlling the functionality of the cell.; Methods: Since single cell technologies provide many sample measurements, they are the ideal environment for the application of deep learning and machine learning approaches. An autoencoder (AE) is composed of an encoder and a decoder sub-model. AE are very powerful in data compression and noise removal. However, the decoder model remains a black box from which is impossible to depict the contribution of the single input elements. We have recently developed a new class of autoencoders, called Sparsely Connected Autoencoders (SCA), which have the advantage of providing a controlled association among the input layer and the decoder module. This new architecture has the benefit that the decoder model is no anymore a black box and it can be used to depict new biologically interesting features from single cell data; Results: In this paper, we show that SCA hidden layer can grab new information usually hidden in single cell data, like as providing clustering on meta-features difficult, i.e. transcription factors expression, or impossible, miRNA expression, to depict in single cell RNAseq data. Furthermore, a SCA representation of cell clusters has the advantage of simulating a conventional bulk RNAseq, which is a data transformation allowing the identification of similarity among independent experiments; Conclusions: In our opinion, SCA represent the bioinformatics version of a “Swiss Army knife” for the extraction of hidden knowledgeable features from single cell OMICs data.

Titanium boride (TiB2) is a material classified as ultra-high temperature ceramics. The TiB2 structure is dominated by covalent bonds, which gives materials based on TiB2 very good mechanical and thermal properties, but also makes them difficult to sinter. Obtaining dense TiB2 polycrystals requires chemical or physical sintering activation. Carbon and molybdenum disilicide (MoSi2) were chosen as sintering activation additives. Three series of samples were made, the first with carbon additives: 0 to 4 wt.%; the second with 2.5, 5 and 10 wt.%. MoSi2 and the third with both additions of 2 wt.% carbon and 2.5, 5 and 10 wt.% MoSi2. MoSi2. On the basis of dilatometric sintering analysis, all additives were found to have a favourable effect on sinterability of TiB2, and it was determined that sintering of TiB2 with carbon addition can be carried at 2100°C and with MoSi2 and both additives at 1800°C. The polycrystals were sintered using the hot pressing technique. On the basis of the studies conducted in this work, it was found that addition of 1 wt.% of carbon allows to obtain single-phase TiB2 polycrystals of high density (>90%). The minimum MoSi2 addition required to obtain dense sinters with a cermet-like microstructure was 5 wt.%. High density was also achieved by materials containing both additives. Samples with higher MoSi2 content, i.e. 5 and 10% showed densities close to 100%. Mechanical properties such; as Young's modulus, hardness and fracture toughness (KIc) of the polycrystals and composites were similar for samples with densities exceeding 95%. The Vickers hardness was 23 to 27 GPa, the fracture toughness (KIC) was 4 to 6 MPa·m0.5 and the Young's modulus was 480 to 540 GPa. The resulting TiB2-based materials showed potential in high-temperature applications.

The research hypothesis states that the impregnation of the honeycomb paper core of lightweight sandwich panels with modified starch, sodium silicate and LiquidWood® resin has a significant effect on the elastic properties of it. In the study, a recycled paper was used in three thicknesses, seven types of cell shapes, including two after numerical optimization and three types of impregnating agents. The method of digital image analysis determined the elastic constants of manufactured paper cores, which were subjected to axial compression in two directions. Based on the experimental results, elastic constants of the cores were calculated and compared with the results of numerical calculations. It has been shown that each of the impregnating solutions used improves the stiffness of the paper core. The best results were obtained for LiquidWood® epoxy resin and modified starch. An important parameter of cell geometry affecting their rigidity is the angle of the cell wall φ, as well as the arrangement of the common cell wall in relation to the direction of load. The numerical models developed were positively verified.

Mercury is a neurotoxin, with certain organic forms of the element being particularly harmful to humans. The Minamata Convention was adopted to reduce the intentional use and emission of mercury. Because mercury is an element, it cannot be decomposed. Mercury-containing products and mercury used for various processes will eventually enter the waste stream, and landfill sites will become a mercury sink. While landfill sites can be a source of mercury pollution, the behavior of mercury in solid waste within a landfill site is still not fully understood. The purpose of this study was to determine the depth profile of mercury, the levels of methyl mercury (MeHg), and the factors controlling methylation in an old landfill site that received waste for over 30 years. Three sampling cores were selected, and boring sampling was conducted to a maximum depth of 18 m, which reached the bottom layer of the landfill. Total mercury (THg) and MeHg were measured in the samples to determine the characteristics of mercury at different depths. Bacterial species were identified by 16S rRNA amplification and sequencing, because the methylation process is promoted by a series of genes. It was found that the THg concentration was 19–975 ng/g, with a geometric mean of 298 ng/g, which was slightly less than the 400 ng/g concentration recorded 30 years previously. In some samples, MeHg accounted for up to 15–20% of THg, which is far greater than the general level in soils and sediments, although the source of MeHg was unclear. The genetic data indicated that hgcA was present mostly in the upper and lower layers of the three cores, merA was almost as much as hgcA, while the level of merB was hundreds of times less than those of the other two genes. A significant correlation was found between THg and MeHg as well as between MeHg and MeHg/THg. In addition a negative correlation was found between THg and merA. The coexistence of the three genes indicated that both methylation and demethylation processes could occur, but the lack of merB was a barrier for demethylation.

Although early work on parental burnout in the 1980s did not link parental burnout to specific parenting situations, the idea that parents affected by specific vulnerability factors were particularly at risk of burnout quickly emerged. Based on the etiological model of parental burnout (i.e., the balance between risks and resources), the objective of this study was to determine if there were specific vulnerability factors that significantly increase the risk of parental burnout. 2,563 parents participated in the study. We compared parents with a child with special needs (n = 25), parents who had adopted a child (n = 130), and single parents (n = 109), to strictly matched control groups of parents. Parents with a child with special needs displayed higher burnout and lower balance between risk and resources than the control group; parents with an adopted child had similar levels of both parental burnout and balance; and single parents had higher parental burnout but similar balance. Parents who combined specific several vulnerability factors were at greater risk of burnout. Single parenthood and adoption do not in themselves trigger a process leading de facto to other risk factors, but having a child with special needs does.

Currently, hepatitis B virus (HBV) core antibody (anti-HBc antibody) and HBV core-related antigen (HBcrAg) are widely used as serum markers for diagnosis based on the HBV core region. While anti-HBc is very significant for clinical diagnosis, the clinical significance of quantitative assay of anti-HBc antibody has been reevaluated with improvements in diagnostic performance, including its association with clinical stage and prediction of carcinogenesis and reactivation. In addition, concerning the new HBcrAg, a high-sensitivity assay method has recently been established, and its diagnostic significance, including the prediction of reactivation, is being reevaluated. On the other hand, the quantitative level of anti-HBc antibody expressed in different units among assay systems, complicating the interpretation of the results. However, it is difficult to standardize assay systems as they vary in advantages, and caution is needed in interpreting the assay results. In this review, the clinical usefulness and remaining problems of anti-HBc antibody and HBcrAg were summarized.

It is necessary to manage the power consumption and use fault-tolerance techniques to meet high reliability in Real-Time Embedded Systems, . Hence, in recent years, this is the main reason for providing an ideal approach to decrease power consumption through the worst-case behavior of instantaneous power management (peak-power management), while observing the Thermal Design Power (TDP). Although the multi-core chips in real-time embedded systems provide great opportunity for implementation of Two-phase Triple modular redundancy to meet high reliability, the energy overhead management of concurrently executing tasks is one of the challenges facing designers. In this article, we propose a scheme named Permanent Fault Aware, Two-Phase Peak-Power Management (PFA-TP3M), for scheduling real-time tasks in multi-core systems to eliminate peak power overlap from concurrent running tasks to maintain peak power consumption at the chip TDP. and through mapping different parts of each task on separate cores, prevents consecutive conflicts on cores, which have faced permanent faults to design the fault-tolerant system. Our simulation results show that our proposed scheme provides up to 700x fault tolerance increase (630x on average) compared to the state-of-the-art power management algorithm, an achievement costs up to 14%. (average 11%) increase the length of the task graph compared to it.

Estuaries are excellent environments of identifying pollution episodes that have affected river basins, as their sediments are the final destination of some of the pollutants. This paper studies the geochemical evolution of five elements (As, Co, Cu, Pb, Zn) in a core extracted from the middle estuary of the Tinto River (SW Spain). Results are based on facies interpretation, ICP Atomic Emission Spectrometry analysis, the application of a regional background to obtain the geoaccumulation index and dating. Four pollution episodes have been detected at ~5.8 cal. kyr BP (acid mine drainage?), 4.7-4.5 kyr BP (first mining activities), the 1850-1960 interval (intensive mining) and the second half of the 20th century (intensive mining and industrial inputs). All episodes show an increase in one or more of these elements, as well as changes in their geochemical classes deduced from the geoaccumulation index.

Fermented bamboo shoots are a distinctive ingredient in Southern cuisine. In this study, headspace solid-phase microextraction (HS-SPME) combined with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS), and 16S rRNA high-throughput sequencing technology (HTS) were employed to investigate the relationship among physicochemical properties, characteristic volatile compounds, and core microbial communities. The results show that the chewiness, fracturability, hardness, and pH decreased, while total acidity increased during 60d-fermentation. The contents of reducing sugar and nitrite reached the peak on the 14th day of fermentation and then decreased. A total of 80 volatile compounds were detected during sour bamboo shoot fermentation, with 2,4-Di-tert-butylphenol having the highest concentration. Among them, 12 volatile compounds (VIP ≥ 1) were identified as characteristic aroma substances of sour bamboo shoots. The dominant bacterial phyla in sour bamboo shoots were Firmicutes and Proteobacteria, while Bacillus and Acinetobacter were the dominant genus. Correlation analysis showed that Firmicutes positive correlation with 3,6-Nonadien-1-ol, (E,Z)-, Oxalic acid, isobutyl hexyl ester ,(-)-O-Acetylmalic anhydride, TA Bacillus was negative correlation with Silanediol, dimethyl-, and Oxime-, methoxy-phenyl-. This study provides a theoretical basis for screening flavor-enhancing microorganisms as fermentation agents in sour bamboo shoots, which can contribute to the improvement of their quality.

Several theories have been proposed on the subject of fundamental psychological human needs. A brief overview was given for some of these major theories. A more recent theory on core emotional needs, derived from the vantage point of schema therapy, was also proposed and comparisons were drawn with the other models, each with different psychological boundaries. Implications and what these psychological needs mean to parents were also discussed covering cultural norms that may inadvertently inflict harm on young children and adolescents.

Recent advances in microscopy imaging and image analysis motivate more and more institutes world-wide to establish dedicated core-facilities for bio-image analysis. To maximize the benefits research groups at these institutes gain from their core-facilities, they should be established to fit well into their respective environment. In this article, we introduce common collaborator requests and corresponding potential services core-facilities can offer. We also discuss potential conflicts of interests between the targeted missions and implementations of services to guide decision makers and core-facility founders to circumvent common pitfalls.

Microorganisms inhabiting subsurface petroleum reservoirs are key players in biochemical transformations. The interactions of microbial communities in these environments are highly complex and still poorly understood. This work aimed to assess publicly available metagenomes from oil reservoirs and implement a robust pipeline of genome-resolved metagenomics to deci-pher metabolic and taxonomic profiles of petroleum reservoirs worldwide. Analysis of 301,2 Gb of metagenomic information derived from heavily flooded petroleum reservoirs in China and Alaska to non-flooded petroleum reservoirs in Brazil enabled us to reconstruct 148 MAGs of high and medium quality. At the phylum level, 74% of MAGs belonged to bacteria and 26% to ar-chaea. The profiles of these MAGs were related to the physicochemical parameters and recovery management applied. The analysis of the potential functional core in the reservoirs showed that the microbiota was specialized for each site, with 31.7% of the total KEGG orthologies annotated as functions (1,690 genes) common to all oil fields, while 18% of the functions were site-specific, i.e., present only in one of the oil fields. The oil reservoirs with lower level of intervention were the most similar to the potential functional core, while the oil fields with longer history of water in-jection had greater variation in functional profile. These results show how key microorganisms and their functions respond to the distinct physicochemical parameters and interventions of the oil field operations such as water injection and expand the knowledge of biogeochemical trans-formations in these ecosystems.

This work is a natural extension of the author’s previous work: “Multiple scattering theory for heterogeneous elastic continua with strong property fluctuation: theoretical fundamentals and applications” (arXiv:1706.09137 [physics.geo-ph]), which established the foundation for developing multiple scattering model for heterogeneous elastic continua with either weak or strong fluctuations in mass density and elastic stiffness. Polycrystalline material is another type of heterogeneous materials that widely exists in nature and extensively used in industry. In this work, the corresponding multiple scattering theory for polycrystalline materials with randomly oriented anisotropic crystallites is developed. To validate the theory, the theoretical results for a series of materials such as OFHC copper, 304 stainless steel, and Inconel 600 are compared to experimental measurements and the numerical results obtained using finite element simulations. Detailed analysis shows that the new theory is capable of predicting the dispersion and attenuation of polycrystals with satisfactory accuracy. The results also show the new model can give an estimate on the average grain size with a relative error equal to or less than ten percent. As applications in ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation, we calculated the dispersion and attenuation coefficient of one of the most important polycrystalline materials in aeronautics engineering: high-temperature titanium alloys. The effects of grain symmetry, grain size, and alloying elements on the dispersion and attenuation behaviors are examined. Key information is obtained which has significant implications for quantitatively evaluating the average grain size, monitoring the phase transition, and even estimating gradual change in chemical composition of titanium components in gas turbine engines. For applications in seismology, the velocities and Q-factors for both hexagonal and cubic polycrystalline iron models for the Earth’s uppermost inner core are obtained in the whole frequency range. Using the realistic material parameters of iron under the high temperature and high-pressure conditions calculated from ab initio simulations, the numerical results show that the Q-factors range from 0.001 to 0.05, which shows good agreement with that inferred from real seismic data. The new model predicts the velocity of longitudinal waves varies between ± 1% to ± 5 % relative to the Voight average velocity, while the velocity of transverse waves varies from ± 10% to ± 20%, which gives promising explanation to the abnormally slow transverse velocity observed in practical measurements. The numerical results support the conjecture that the Earth’s uppermost inner core is a solid polycrystalline medium. The comprehensive numerical examples show the new model is capable of capturing the most important scattering features of both ultrasonic and seismic waves with satisfactory accuracy. This work provides a universal, quantitative model for characterization of a large variety of polycrystalline materials. It also can be extended to incorporate more complicated microstructures, including ellipsoidal grains with or without textures, and even multi-phase polycrystalline materials. The new model demonstrates great potential of applications in ultrasonic nondestructive evaluation and inspection of aerospace and aeronautic structures. It also provides a theoretical framework for quantitative seismic data explanation and inversion for the material composition and structural formations of the Earth’s inner core.

Microbe-plant interactions are linked with the core microbiota, and both the plant and the microbial partners depend on one other to thrive in nature. However, why and how the below-ground core microbiota become established aboveground is poorly understood. We tracked the movement of a probiotic Streptomyces endophyte throughout a managed strawberry ecosystem. Probiotics in the rhizosphere and anthosphere were genetically identical, yet these niches were segregated in space and time. The probiotic in the rhizosphere moved upward via the vascular bundle, relocated to aboveground plant parts, and protected against Botrytis cinerea. It also moved from flowers to roots, and among flowers via pollinators that were protected against pollinator pathogens. Our results reveal a solid evidence in tripartite interaction with Streptomyces exploiting plant and pollinator partners.

In this study, the coating order of two monomers in the shell polymerization process of core–shell nanoparticles was altered to facilitate easy coating and optimize the properties of the coated surface to simplify the additional coating formulation process. To obtain a glass transition temperature suitable for coating, a core was synthesized by the copolymerization of an acryl monomer. A perfluoro monomer and silane monomer were additionally added to synthesize nanoparticles exhibiting both water–oil repellency and anchoring properties. In order to realize various surface properties, the nanoparticles underwent surface modification and cellulose fiber was introduced. Through the various data described in this text, the surface properties improved with the order of introduction of the two monomers.

A simple optimization strategy for the computation of 3D finite-differencing kernels on many-cores architectures is proposed. The 3D finite-differencing computation is split direction-by-direction and exploits two level of parallelism: in-core vectorization and multi-threads shared-memory parallelization. The main application of this method is to accelerate the high-order stencil computations in numerical relativity codes.

The overarching aim of this paper is to investigate the lake ecosystem response to different drivers over a long term period by a paleolimnological study in Lake Narlay (46°64N, 5°91E) located in the Jura Mountains of France. It is a small, hard-water lake with a maximum water depth of 40 m and extended anoxic condition of the bottom water. Previous results on sediments analysis have documented a differential response of the lake to the environmental changes that occurred in AD 1600 when major shift in the trophic reliance on methane of the benthic food web were observed. From 1920 with intensification of modern agriculture, animal farming and the construction of a cheese making facility, the lake become eutrophic, with Oscillatoria rubescens bloom. However, the lake showed pronounced changes in an older period that remained unanswered. In this paper we aim at reconstructing in more detail the limnological conditions of this Lake over the last 1200 yrs. using combined analyses of specific algal carotenoids and subfossil diatom remains. A comparison with other proxies (chironomid, pollen, and instrumental climatic reconstruction) will be used to better identify, between the complex combination of climate and anthropogenic pressure, the driving factors that determined the ecological trajectory of Lake Narlay.

Single-molecule magnets (SMMs) have garnered significant interest in the field of molecular magnetism due to their unique magnetic properties at the nanoscale. These molecular systems exhibit magnetisation behaviour reminiscent of conventional bulk magnets but with distinct advantages such as size-dependent properties and potential applications in quantum computing and high-density data storage. However, challenges remain in harnessing their properties for practical applications, including their susceptibility to degradation and limited control over their assembly and organisation.

This study aimed at investigating the quality statuses of graduates’ sustainable core competences development and the causes behind the identified competence statuses by applying the core competencies’ model. The study employed case study design with thematic analysis involving seven interviewees. This study used tracer study findings and national exit exam results as exhibits. The study revealed “very good” and “excellent” quality statuses for the graduates’ core competence development of College of medicine and Health Sciences (CMHS). Similarly, this study identified “Good +” statuses for the quality of graduates’ core competence development in College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences ( CAES) and College of Science (CS). Furthermore, the study identified "good" - and +” statuses for the quality of graduates’ competence development at the Faculty of Social Sciences (FSS) and Faculty of Humanities (FH). Improved instruction with a balance of theory and practice, task-oriented deans’ leadership behavior with fairness and shared vision- mission identity, handling internal conflicts, and external ethnic-based war influences were the major reasons for the identified higher competence quality statuses in CMHS, CAES, and CS, whereas the opposite direction decline of these factors were the causes for the low statuses of FSS and FH. Sustainable graduates’ core competence development leads to sustainable employability, labor force, and individual to nation-wide holistic sustainable development

The folding of certain proteins (e.g., enzymes) into perfectly defined 3D conformations via multi-orthogonal interactions is critical to their function. Concerning synthetic polymers chains, the “folding” of individual polymer chains at high dilution via intra-chain interactions leads to so-called single-chain nanoparticles (SCNPs). This review article describes the advances carried out in recent years in the folding of single polymer chains into discrete SCNPs via multi-orthogonal interactions using different reactive chemical species where intra-chain bonding only occurs between groups of the same species. First, we summarize results from computer simulations of multi-orthogonally folded SCNPs. Next, we comprehensively review multi-orthogonally folded SCNPs synthesized via either non-covalent bonds or covalent interactions. Finally, we conclude by summarizing recent research about multi-orthogonally folded SCNPs prepared through both reversible (dynamic) and permanent bonds.

ACE2, the putative receptor for the novel coronavirus (2019-nCoV), played an important role in cell entry of 2019-nCoV. However, it is not yet clear what cell types within the human body express ACE2. Here, a systematic analysis was undertaken using published single cell datasets. In total, our study analyzed 229652 cells, from five different organs, derived from 88 donors. The top ACE2 expressing cells include proximal tubule cells in the kidney and enterocytes in the intestine. Other major ACE2 expressing cells in the kidney include podocytes, intercalated cells and endothelial cells. Our results offer a comprehensive atlas of ACE2 expression at the single cell level and unravel the enormous potential targets of 2019-nCoVinfection beyond the lung.

Clean use of photons from light to activate chemical reactions offer many possibilities in different fields, from chemistry and biology to materials science and medicine. This review article describes the advances carried out in last decades toward the phototriggered synthesis of single-chain polymer nanoparticles (SCNPs) as soft nanomaterials with promising applications in enzyme-mimicking catalysis and nanomedicine, among other different uses. First, we summarize different strategies developed to synthesize SCNPs based on photoactivated intrachain homocoupling, phototriggered intrachain heterocoupling and photogenerated collapse induced by external cross-linker. Next, we comprehensively review the emergent topic of photoactivated multifolding applied to SCNP construction. Finally, we conclude by summarizing recent strategies towards phototriggered disassembly of SCNPs.

Two novel core-shell composites SiO2@PMDA-Si-Tb, SiO2@PMDA-Si-Tb-phen with SiO2 as the core and terbium organic complex as the shell, were successfully synthesized. The terbium ion was coordinated with organic ligand forming terbium organic complex in the shell layer. The bi-functional organosilane ((HOOC)2C6H2(CONH(CH2)3Si(OCH2CH3)3)2 (abbreviated as PMDA-Si) was used as the first ligand and phen as the second ligand. Furthermore, the silica-modified SiO2@PMDA-Si-Tb@SiO2, SiO2@PMDA-Si-Tb-phen@SiO2 core-shell-shell composites were also synthesized by sol–gel chemical route. An amorphous silica shell was coated around the SiO2@PMDA-Si-Tb and SiO2@PMDA-Si-Tb-phen core-shell composites. The core-shell and core-shell-shell composites both exhibited excellent luminescence in solid state. The luminescence of core-shell-shell composites was stronger than that of core-shell composites. Meanwhile, an improved luminescence stability property for the core-shell-shell composites was found in the aqueous solution. The core-shell-shell composites exhibited bright luminescence, high stability, long lifetime, and good solubility, which may present potential applications in the field of bio-medical.

Polypyrrole (PPy)-capped caped silver nanowire (Ag NW) nanomaterials (core–shell rod-shaped Ag NW@PPy) were synthesized suing a one–port suspension polymerization technique. The thickness of PPy layer on the 50-nm-thickness/15-μm-length Ag NW was effectively controlled to 10, 40, 50, and 60 nm. Thin films cast from one-dimensional conductive Ag NW@PPy formed a three-dimensional (3-D) conductive porous network structure and provided excellent electrochemical performance. The 3-D Ag NW@PPy network can significantly reduce the internal resistance of the electrode and maintain structural stability. As a result, a high specific capacitance of 625 F/g at a scan rate of 1 mV/s was obtained from the 3-D porous Ag NW@PPy composite film. The cycling performance over a long period exceeding 10,000 cycles was also evaluated. We expect that our core–shell-structured Ag NW@PPy composites and their 3-D porous structure network films can be applied as electrochemical materials for the design and manufacture of supercapacitors and other energy storage devices.

Wide bandgap semiconductors-based photocatalysts are usually limited by their low solar energy conversion efficiency due to their limited absorption solar wavelength, surface’s fast recombination of photoelectron–hole pairs and low charge-carrier mobility. Here we report a new stepwise solution synthesis for making a new photocatalytic core/shell of titanate nanowire/reduced graphene oxide shell (or titanate/rGO) 1D-nanocomposite. The new core/shell nanocomposite maximized the specific surface area, largely reduced the charge transfer resistance and reaction energy barrier, and significantly improved the absorption of the visible light. The core/shell nanocomposites’ large on/off current ratio and rapid photo-responses boosted the photocurrent by 30.0%, the photocatalysis rate by 50.0%, and the specific surface area by 16.4%, when comparing with the pure titanate nanowire core. Our numerical simulations support the effective charge separation on the new core-shell nanostructure, which can help further advance the new photocatalysis.

The advantage of FPGAs lies in the ability to implement a fully hardware solution for interfacing with various input/output (I/O) devices. Each block can work in parallel with all the others, simplifying the satisfaction of timing constraints. However, this hardware utilization consumes FPGA resources that could otherwise be allocated to the primary project. An alternative involves employing a small "soft-core" processor implementing I/O in software. With the goal to design and evaluate a new tiny soft-core processor optimized for FPGA resources in I/O , a novel processor named Baby8 is developed. It is an 8-bit CISC soft-core processor optimized for reduced FPGA resources including program size for 8-bit applications. The number of instructions is not large but any instruction can access arbitrary memory locations. The performance and resource utilization of the newly designed processor are evaluated and compared with a variety of other soft-core processors. The results demonstrate its competitive performance, achieving an average maximum clock frequency of approximately 57 MHz and a power consumption of around 2mW. Furthermore, it conserves nearly half of the FPGA resources in implementation.

Extensive genomic analyses of Enterococcus cecorum isolates from sepsis outbreaks in broilers suggests a polyphyletic origin likely arising from core genome mutations rather than gene acquisition. This species is normal intestinal flora in avian species with particular isolates associated with osteomyelitis. More recently, the species has been associated with sepsis outbreaks affecting broilers during the first 3 weeks post hatch. Understanding the genetic and management basis of this new phenotype is critical for developing strategies to mitigate this emerging problem. Phylogenomic analyses of 227 genomes suggest that sepsis isolates are polyphyletic and closely related to both commensal and osteomyelitis isolate genomes. Pangenome analyses detect no gene acquisitions that distinguish all sepsis isolates. Core genome SNP analyses identify a number of mutations, affecting protein coding sequence, that are enriched in sepsis isolates. Analysis of the protein substitutions supports mutational origins of sepsis isolates.

We successfully fabricated Ag@Cu2O core-shell decorated on reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanocomposites (ACRN) by a simple and convenient in situ substitution method. The properties of these ACRN with heterostructure layers were characterized by scanning and transmission electron microscopies and absorption spectroscopy. We used p-nitrophenol (4-NP) as a probe molecule to determine the chemical catalytic activity of the ACRN. Upon introduction of rGO, a high electron transfer efficiency was achieved; thus, the catalytic activity was improved significantly. Therefore, the ACRN exhibited significantly improved catalytic activity for the reduction of 4-NP and showed the high application value in the removal of toxic and harmful substances from water. In addition, the fabricated ACRN was used for the reduction of organic dyes and explosive pollutants to generate nontoxic products. Furthermore, the high charge redistribution and transfer among Ag, Cu2O and rGO in the ACRN induced the high catalytic reduction of organic pollutants, indicating the excellent potential of these materials for applications in water pollution treatment.

In this study, we presented a simple highly sensitive sensor based on commercially available solid core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for measuring the refractive index (RI) of analytes. The numerical simulation based on the finite element method (FEM) has been examined to compute the optical properties such as confinement loss, power spectrum, and transmission intensity of the sensor. The most sensitive and inert plasmonic materials (gold and silver) have been assumed to be coated inside the fiber with the range of analytes RI from 1.32 to 1.40. The performance of the proposed sensor has been evaluated by tracing the several optical features like wavelength sensitivity, amplitude sensitivity, resolution of the sensor, and figure of merit. As a result, the comparative study between silver and gold elements has been carried out in which the maximum sensitivity received as 1.15 μm/RIU and 1.10 μm/RIU respectively. Whereas, on the base of power spectrum the obtained sensitivity was 513 μm/RIU for the gold layer. Moreover, the effect of other structural parameters (air holes and plasmonic layers thickness) on the sensing performance has been taken into an account. According to the simulation analysis and results, this sensor would have a great potential in various sensing applications of biomedical and liquid refractive index.

In this study, we investigate the magnetization behavior of coaxial nanowires fabricated through the sol-gel electrospinning method. Our analysis uncovers a significant reduction in coercivity for CoFe2O4 nanowires when BaTiO3 is used as the shell material, effectively transforming them from hard to soft magnetic. This intriguing behavior is attributed to the magnetization reversal effect at the interface between ferromagnetic and paramagnetic regions, and it is also observed in NiFe2O4 and Fe2O3 nanowires. Surprisingly, introducing a GdBa2Cu3O7 shell induces a similar effect. Additionally, we employ magnetic impedance measurements on the coaxial nanowires, unveiling their potential for magnetic field sensing applications.

The encapsulation of proteins into core-shell structures is a widely utilised strategy for controlling protein stability, delivery and release. Despite the recognised utility of these microstructures, however, core-shell fabrication routes are often too costly or poorly scalable to allow for industrial translation. Furthermore, many scalable routes rely upon emulsion-techniques implicating denaturing or environmentally harmful organic solvents. Herein, we investigate core-shell protein encapsulation through single-feed, aqueous spray drying: a cheap, industrially ubiquitous particle-formation technology in the absence of organic solvents. We show that an excipient’s preference for the surface of the spray dried particle is well-predicted by its hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) under relevant feed buffer conditions (pH and ionic strength) and that the predictive power of Dh is improved when measured at the spray dryer outlet temperature compared to room temperature (R2 = 0.64 vs. 0.59). Lastly, we leverage these findings to propose an adaptable design framework for fabricating core-shell protein encapsulates by single-feed aqueous spray drying.

Sharing activity is getting higher attention due to increasing popularity in recent years. In the paper, the authors investigated the main elements affecting the sharing activity. (1) Literature review: The theoretical part starts from the revision of definitions of sharing activity; description of the links between sharing and sustainable development, policy recommendations and relevant regulation in the field; later on, the study emphasises the key elements important for sharing. Finally, the authors investigated how the Covid-19 pandemic affected sharing activity; (2) Methods: During empirical research, the authors revised the list of 37 variables. The study uses data for each of the 27 EU countries from 2011 to 2020. The authors investigated correlation between macroeconomics variables to determine key variables for the regression model; (3) Results: The authors constructed a dynamic regression model that can be applied to predict the number of participants visiting sharing platforms in the European Union (EU); (4) Conclusions: The study shows that seeking to forecast the number of visits to sharing platforms it is necessary to use values of main macroeconomic variables such as consumer price index, productivity index, total unemployment rate, the number of users and households connected to the Internet, etc.

Core-shell structured magnetic nanoparticles combine hard and a soft phases to improve energy efficiency. The mutual interaction of the two phases can lead to the exchange spring effect leading to higher magnetic energy. In this regard, synthesis of Nd2Fe14B based core-shell structured powders have proven to be elusive due to the relatively reactive nature of this phase. In this study, a process has been established for successfully coating the surface of Nd2Fe14B powders with FeCo layer using galvanic displacement method. Initially, a binary phase magnetic powder was synthesized containing Nd2Fe14B and Nd2Fe17 phase. Subsequently, the powders were coated using a Co precursor at 303 K. During coating the metastable Nd2Fe17 phase was dissolved and the Fe ions were released into the solution. Subsequently, the Fe ions deposited together with the Co ions on the surface of Nd2Fe14B powder to form a FeCo shell. The deposited layer thickness and composition was confirmed using TEM analysis.

The paper describes model of human affect based on quantum theory of semantics. The model considers emotion as subjective representation of behavioral context relative to a basis binary choice, organized by cyclical process structure and an orthogonal evaluation axis. The resulting spherical space, generalizing well-known circumplex models, accommodates basic emotions in specific angular domains. Predicted process-semantic structure of affect is observed in the word2vec data, as well as in the previously obtained spaces of emotion concepts. The established quantum-theoretic structure of affective space connects emotion science with quantum models of cognition and behavior, opening perspective for synergetic progress in these fields.

Pantoea stewartii subsp. indologenes (Psi) is a causative agent of leafspot of foxtail millet and pearl millet; however, novel strains were recently identified that are pathogenic on onion. Our recent host range evaluation study identified two pathovars; P. stewartii subsp. indologenes pv. cepacicola pv. nov. and P. stewartii subsp. indologenes pv. setariae pv. nov. that are pathogenic on onion and millets or on millets only, respectively. In the current study we developed a pan-genome using the whole genome sequencing of newly identified/classified Psi strains from both pathovars [pv. cepacicola (n= 4) and pv. setariae (n=13)]. The full spectrum of the pan-genome contained 7,030 genes. Among these, 3,546 (present in genomes of all 17 strains) were the core genes that were a subset of 3,682 soft-core genes (present in ≥16 strains). The accessory genome included 1,308 shell genes and 2,040 cloud genes (present in ≤ 2 strains). The pan-genome showed a clear liner progression with >6,000 genes, suggesting the pan-genome of Psi is open. Comparative phylogenetic analysis showed differences in phylogenetic clustering of Pantoea spp. using PAVs/wgMLST approach in comparison to core genome SNP-based phylogeny. Further, we conducted a horizontal gene transfer (HGT) study including four other Pantoea species namely, P. stewartii subsp. stewartii LMG 2715T, P. ananatis LMG 2665T, P. agglomerans LMG L15, and P. allii LMG 24248T. A total of 317 HGT events among four Pantoea species were identified with most gene transfers observed between Psi pv. cepacicola and Psi pv. setariae. Pan-GWAS analysis predicted a total of 154 genes including seven cluster of genes associated with the pathogenicity phenotype on onion. One of the clusters contain 11 genes with known functions and are found to be chromosomally located.

Hybrid microparticles based on an iron core and amphiphilic shell have been prepared to respond simultaneously to external (magnetic and ultrasounds field) and internal (pH) stimuli for delivery of the anticancer drug doxorubicin. The microparticles have been prepared in three main steps; including surface modification of the iron core followed by conjugation with the amphiphilic chitosan and drug loading. The particles demonstrate spherical shape and dimension in the range 1-3 m with tunable surface charge by changing the pH of surrounding environment. The microparticles demonstrate good stability in simulated physiological solutions and able to allocate up to 400 g of drug per mg of bare carrier. The response to ultrasound and the changes in the shell structure when exposed to different pH allows to control the doxorubicin release. In vitro cytotoxicity tests performed on fibloblast NIH/3T3 demonstrate a reduction in the cell viability when doxorubicin was administrated by microparticles compared to the free formulation; in particular when ultrasound were applied. The bare microparticles demonstrate cytocompatibility and hemocompatibility up to 50g/mL and 60 g/mL, respectively.

This study investigated the effects of freeze-thaw cycles on the mechanical properties of hardened self-compacting concrete for varying column heights. A column (100×20×300 cm) was fabricated by C30 self-compacting concrete in the laboratory and 10 cube samples (10x10x10 cm) were taken from fresh concrete as the references. After a period of 28 days, 160 core specimens (Ø67 mm in diameter) were taken from different column heights. Unit weight, water absorption, compressive strength, and freeze-thaw tests were performed on these 170 (10 reference cubic and 160 core) samples. The mechanical properties of the core specimens before freeze-thaw and after 8-56 freeze-thaw cycles were reported for varying column heights. The average compressive strength value of the reference cubic samples was determined as 40.28 MPa, while the compressive strengths of the core specimens before freeze-thaw were ranged from 40.25 MPa to 49.62 MPa, impying an increase in compressive strength values up to 23.18% compared to the reference cubic samples. Compressive strengths of the specimens subjected to 8 and 56 freeze-thaw cycles varied between 38.71‒48.07 MPa and 31.72‒39.11 MPa, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that the compressive strength of the concrete exposed to 56 freeze-thaw cycles was significantly different from that of the other specimens.

This study investigated the effects of freeze-thaw cycles on the mechanical properties of hardened self-compacting concrete for varying column heights. A column (100×20×300 cm) was fabricated by C30 self-compacting concrete in the laboratory and 10 cube samples (10x10x10 cm) were taken from fresh concrete as the references. After a period of 28 days, 160 core specimens (Ø67 mm in diameter) were taken from different column heights. Unit weight, water absorption, compressive strength, and freeze-thaw tests were performed on these 170 (10 reference cubic and 160 core) samples. The mechanical properties of the core specimens before freeze-thaw and after 8-56 freeze-thaw cycles were reported for varying column heights. The average compressive strength value of the reference cubic samples was determined as 40.28 MPa, while the compressive strengths of the core specimens before freeze-thaw were ranged from 40.25 MPa to 49.62 MPa, impying an increase in compressive strength values up to 23.18% compared to the reference cubic samples. Compressive strengths of the specimens subjected to 8 and 56 freeze-thaw cycles varied between 38.71‒48.07 MPa and 31.72‒39.11 MPa, respectively. Statistical analysis revealed that the compressive strength of the concrete exposed to 56 freeze-thaw cycles was significantly different from that of the other specimens.

Background DaVinci Single-Port (SP) robotic surgery offers several benefits compared to traditional multiport laparoscopic or robotic surgeries. One of the main advantages is that it allows for a minimally invasive approach, resulting in a single, smaller incision and reduced trauma to the patient’s body leading to less postoperative pain, faster recovery, and reduced risk of complications. The cosmesis of a single port with minimal visible scarring is also an attractive aspect to the patients; however, many surgeons use an additional port for energy device, stapler use, and drain insertion. Pure single port surgery with one incision is still rare. Here we share our experience of first 10 cases using SP robotic platform in colorectal surgery. Methods From May 2023 to December 2023, colorectal patients who underwent SP-robotic surgery were analyzed. Placement of the incision was umbilicus for 8 patients, and right lower quadrant for 2 patients through which ileostomy maturation was performed. Data including perioperative parameters and postoperative outcomes were analyzed with a median follow-up of 4.6months (range 0.6-7.4months). Results A total number of 10 colorectal patients underwent DaVinci Single-Port robotic colorectal surgery at our institution during this period. Demographics of the patients showed 4 males (40%) and 6 females (60%) with a median age of 63.5years (range 50-75years). Median body mass index (BMI) was 22.89kg/m2 (range 19.92-26.84kg/m2), and 9 patients were diagnosed with colorectal cancer and 1 patient was diagnosed with rectal gastrointestinal tumor. One patient underwent anterior resection and cholecystectomy simultaneously. Mean operation time was 222min (range 142-316min), and mean wound size was 3.25cm (range 2.5-4.5cm). Nine patients underwent surgery with single incision through which single port trocar was inserted, and one patient had one additional port for drain insertion. Mean hospital stay was 6 days (range 4-8 days) with 1 postoperative complication of bleeding requiring transfusion, but there was no re-admission within 30 days. Conclusion Overall, our experience with single-port robotic colorectal surgery has been promising. With only one patient with additional port for drain insertion, all nine patients underwent SP-robotic surgery with single incision for colon as well as rectal surgeries. Compared to an average postoperative length of stay of 6.5-8 days in laparoscopic colorectal surgeries reported in literature, SP-robotic surgery showed faster recovery of 6 days highlighting its benefits in patient recovery and satisfaction.

This study investigated the influence of nutrient inputs and their timing on saffron yield and quality. The study was conducted from 2016 to 2020 and involved the application of eight different fertilization treatments at various stages of saffron growth. These treatments included single doses in Autumn (A), Winter (W), and Spring (S); double doses in Winter-Spring (AW), Autumn-Spring (AS), and Winter-Spring (WS); and a triple dose in Autumn-Winter-Spring (AWS). A control group (C) received no fertilizer. A compound fertilizer with a 15-15-15 composition was applied across all treatments, with nitrogen (N) rates of 67.5 kg/ha for single doses (A, W, S), 135 kg/ha for double doses (AWF, ASF, WSF), and 202.5 kg/ha for the triple dose (AWSF). Similar rates were applied for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The findings demonstrated that fertilization generally enhanced saffron attributes. The triple dose treatment yielded the most effective results. The timing of fertilization also played a crucial role, as split applications during different growth stages led to higher production especially winter fertilization. However, spring fertilization had limited impact due to decreased plant activity and reduced nutrient absorption during that period. Although the yield increased, the qualitative aspects of saffron, including color (crocin), taste (picrocrocin), and aroma (safranal), were not significantly influenced by the fertilization treatments. Nevertheless, these attributes remained within the natural limits defined by ISO-3632, indicating that fertilization practices did not compromise saffron quality. Our study highlights the significance of nutrient inputs and their timing in optimizing saffron yield. It provides valuable insights for developing efficient fertilization programs to enhance saffron production while preserving its quality characteristics.

Background. In the central-eastern region of the Mediterranean island of Sardinia more than two decades ago, a mountain area was identified where the population displays exceptional longevity, especially among men (the longevity Blue Zone, LBZ). This community was thoroughly investigated seeking to understand the underlying factors of this phenomenon. In the present study, 11 genetic markers previously associated with longevity in several long-lived populations were analyzed. Methods. APOE (rs429358 and rs7412), APOE promoter (rs449647, rs769446, and rs405509), ACE1 (rs1799752), IL6 ‒174G/C (rs1800795), TNFα ‒308G/A (rs1800629), FOXO3A (rs2802292), KLOTHO (rs9536314) and G6PD (c.563C→T) were investigated. PCR-based genotyping was performed following genomic DNA extraction from 150 nonagenarians living in the LBZ and 150 controls from a nearby area. Results. No significant deviation of the frequency of the analyzed markers was detected between the two groups except a weak association with the –174G>C gene variant of the IL-6 gene (p=0.040), a major modulator of the inflammatory response. Conclusions. The findings of this study do not support a significant association of known genetic variants on survival in the population of the Sardinian LBZ. Other genetic or epigenetic traits might play a role not yet identified.

Sperm gain fertilization ability and forward movement characteristics during epididymal transport. Sperm maturation is inseparable from the processing of the epididymis. Compared with other reproductive organs, relatively little is known about the epididymis. However, with the development of molecular biology and the improvement of single-cell sequence technology, we gradually realized that we should re-examine the importance of the epididymis for sperm mat-uration and for the entire male reproductive system. Recently, epididymis related reports have tended to be more regionalized and more refined. We can understand cell distribution and gene expression from the perspective of a single cell. It has been reported that different regions of the epididymis have different functions and different cell compositions, which may be determined by gene expression. Here, we comprehensively reviewed the epididymal studies. From the ana-tomical structure of the epididymis to the division of its regions, we focused on the cell compo-sition and region-specific genes differentially expressed in the epididymis. The gene expression of the epididymis extends to a series of biological processes of sperm in the epididymal cavity, and the serious effects of epididymal diseases on reproduction are discussed. Therefore, the importance of the epididymis in male reproduction is emphasized. With the maturity of single-cell spatial transcriptomics, it is hoped that the technology can be applied to epididymal research and bring about the spatiotemporal landscape of the epididymis at the single-cell level.

The strong coupling between individual quantum emitters and resonant optical micro/nanocavities is beneficial to understand light and matter interactions. Here we propose a plasmonic nanoantenna placed on a metal film to achieve an ultra-high electric field enhancement in the nanogap and ultra-small optical mode volume. The strong coupling between a single quantum dot and the designed structure is investigated in detail by both numerical simulations and theoretical calculations. When a single QD is inserted into the nanogap of the silver nanoantenna, scattering spectra show remarkably large spectral splitting and typical anti-crossing behavior of the vacuum Rabi splitting, which can be realized in the scattering spectra by varying the nanoantenna thickness. Our work shows a possible way to enhance light-matter interaction at a single quantum emitter limit, which can be useful for future quantum and nanophotonic applications.

Long-read single-molecule sequencing has revolutionized de novo genome assembly and enabled the automated reconstruction of reference-quality genomes. It also has been widely used to study structural variants, phase haplotypes and more. Here, we introduce the assembler— SMARTdenovo, which is an SMS assembler that follows the overlap-layout-consensus (OLC) paradigm. SMARTdenovo (RRID: SCR_017622) was designed to be a fast assembler that did not require highly accurate raw reads for error correction, unlike other, contemporaneous SMS assemblers. It has performed well for evaluating congeneric assemblers and has been successful for a variety of assembly projects. It is compatible with Canu for assembling high-quality genomes, and several of the assembly strategies in this program have been incorporated into subsequent popular assemblers. The assembler has been in use since 2015, and here we provide information on the development of SMARTdenovo and how to implement its algorithms into current projects.

An experiment was conducted to investigate the role of single nucleotide polymorphisms of the gene RNF34 3′UTR-588 G>A and RNF128 I1-2380C>T with carcass and meat quality traits of Chinese Simmental-cross steers. METHOD: We performed sequencing and restriction enzyme digestion to detect genotypes of RNF34 3′UTR-588 G>A and RNF128 I1-2380C>T. Then, we analyzed the association of novel single nucleotide polymorphisms in intron regions of the RNF128 gene and in the 3′UTR region of RNF34 and meat quality traits of Chinese Simmental-cross steers. RESULTS: Statistical analyses revealed that SNP of RNF128 (I1-2380C>T) was significantly associated with dressed weight, forepaw weight, carcass depth, carcass brisket depth, hind legs length (P<0.05), etc. And RNF34 (3′UTR-588 G>A) were significantly associated with testis weight, kidney weight, tare weight (P<0.05), etc. CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that polymorphisms in RNF34 and RNF128 might be important genetic factors that influence carcass and meat quality in beef cattle. Thus, they might be useful markers for meat quality traits in future marker-assisted selection programs in beef cattle breeding and production.

In mesoscale eddies, chemical properties and biological composition are different from those in surrounding water, due to their unique physical processes. It is unclear how physical-biological coupling occurs in warm-core eddies, particularly since no study has examined the relationship between bacteria and viruses. The purpose of the present study was to examine the influence of anticyclonic warm eddy on the relationship between bacterial and viral abundances as well as viral activity (viral production) in different depths. In the core of warm eddy, bacterial abundance (0.48 to 2.82 ×105 cells mL−1) fluctuated less than that of the outside eddy (1.12 to 7.03×105 cells mL−1). In particular, there was four-folds higher of viral-bacterial abundance ratio (VBR) estimated within the eddy below DCM than the outside eddy. We suggest that prevailing physical forces with downwelling at the center of the anticyclonic warm eddy, viruses can also be transmitted into the deep ocean directly through adsorption on particulate organic matter during sinking. Overall, our findings provide valuable insights into the interaction between bacterial and viral communities and their ecological mechanism within the warm eddy.

The concentration of heavy metals in sediment is an important factor for assessing the quality of the nearshore environment. Geochemical background values are the normal concentrations of heavy metals in the natural environment. The use of different background values results in different evaluation results. Heavy metal (Cu, Pb, Zn, Cr, Cd, As, and Hg) concentration profiles along a sediment core were investigated to obtain background values and assess the depositional processes and contamination levels in Laizhou Bay. Apart from As and Hg, all other metals had similar distribution patterns and could be divided into four stages since marine isotope stage (MIS) 2. The results of the enrichment factor, geoaccumulation index, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, Nemerow pollution index, principal component analysis, and potential ecological risk index showed that element enrichment or contamination in the core sediments was absent and that all heavy metals were mainly naturally sourced. The changes in heavy metals since MIS 2 in the core sediments were predominantly related to the sedimentary environment, sediment sources, and mean grain size. The average values of the heavy metals in the U2 unit formed during the Middle Holocene can be used as reference values for background values.

Polyethyleneimine (PEI) has been reported to have good potential for the adsorption of metal ions. In this work, PEI was covalently bound to NiFe2O4@SiO2 nanoparticles to form the new adsorbent NiFe2O4@SiO2–PEI. The material allowed magnetic separation and was characterized via powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), Fourier-transform IR spectroscopy (FT-IR), and thermogravimetry-differential thermal analysis (TGA-DTA). The adsorption of CrO42‒, Ni2+, and Pb2+ ions from aqueous solutions was studied at different pH, temperatures, metal ion concentration, and adsorbent dosage. Maximum adsorption capacities of 149.23, 156.68, and 161.25 mg/g were obtained for CrO42‒, Ni2+, and Pb2+, respectively under optimum conditions using 0.075 g of the adsorbent material 250 mg/L ion concentration, at pH = 6.5 and room temperature.

Oxygen and hydrogen isotopes (18O and 2H) in polar ice offer strong evidence of both long-term and abrupt climate changes. However, reliably estimating surface air temperatures from past climates has proven difficult because the relationship between 18O and temperature cannot be calibrated. In this study, we investigated the 17O and 18O of modern rain and ice cores using published data. We found that precipitation 17O is influenced by two factors: mass-dependent fractionation (MDF) that occurs during ocean evaporation, and mass-independent fractionation (MIF) that happens in the stratosphere. The MDF contribution remains constant and can be understood from studying tropical rain, as the overall movement of mass in the tropics is upward towards the stratosphere. On the other hand, the MIF effect comes from the mixing of stratospheric air in the troposphere, which is a result of the Brewer-Dobson circulation. This MIF effect on precipitation 17O increases from the tropics towards the poles. Therefore, the relative 17O and 18O composition, denoted as '17O, in modern precipitation can be calibrated with surface air temperature, creating a new, independent tool for estimating past temperatures. We used this calibration along with '17O of Antarctic and Greenland ice cores and our results for past temperatures are in excellent agreement with those from borehole thermometry or gas phase analysis of air trapped in the ice. The 17O method overcomes the problems associated with using 18O for paleothermometry. Our findings align with climate models that suggest a weakening of the Brewer-Dobson circulation during the Last Glacial Maximum. Furthermore, our method could be used to monitor future changes in response to a warming climate caused by increasing greenhouse gases.

Epithelial cells can undergo apoptosis by manipulating the balance between pro-survival and apoptotic signals. In this work, we show that TRAIL-induced apoptosis can be differentially regulated by the expression of α(1,6)fucosyltransferase (FucT-8), the only enzyme in mammals that transfers the (1,6)fucose residue to the pentasaccharide core of complex N-glycans. Specifically, in the cellular model of colorectal cancer (CRC) progression formed using the human syngeneic lines SW480 and SW620, knockdown of the FucT-8-encoding FUT8 gene significantly enhanced TRAIL-induced apoptosis in SW480 cells. However, FUT8 repression did not affect SW620 cells, which suggests that core fucosylation differentiates TRAIL-sensitive premetastatic SW480 cells from TRAIL-resistant metastatic SW620 cells. In this regard, we provide evidence that phosphorylation of ERK1/2 kinases can dynamically regulate TRAIL-dependent apoptosis and that core fucosylation can control the ERK/MAPK pro-survival pathway in which SW480 and SW620 cells participate. Moreover, the depletion of core fucosylation sensitises primary tumour SW480 cells to the combination of TRAIL and low doses of 5-FU, oxaliplatin, irinotecan or mitomycin C. In contrast, combination of TRAIL and oxaliplatin, irinotecan or bevacizumab reinforces resistance of FUT8-knockdown metastatic SW620 cells to apoptosis. Consequently, FucT-8 could be a plausible target for increasing apoptosis and drug response in early CRC.

A highly sensitive strain sensor based on tunable cascaded Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) is proposed and experimentally demonstrated. Cascaded FPIs consist of a sensing FPI and a reference FPI which effectively generate the Vernier Effect (VE). The sensing FPI comprises a hollow core fiber (HCF) segment sandwiched between single-mode fibers (SMFs), and the reference FPI consists of a tunable air reflector, which is constituted by a computer programable fiber holding block to adjust the desired cavity length. Simulation results predict the dispersion characteristics of modes carried by HCF. The sensor’s parameters are designed corresponding to a narrow bandwidth range, i.e., 1530 nm to 1610 nm. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed sensor exhibits optimum strain sensitivity of 23.9 pm/με in the range of 0 to 3000 με which is 13.73 times higher than the single sensing FPI strain sensitivity of 1.74 pm/με. The strain sensitivity of the sensor can be further enhanced by extending the source bandwidth. The proposed sensor exhibits ultra-low temperature sensitivity of 0.49 pm/°C in the wider temperature range of 25 °C to 135 °C, providing good isolation for eliminating cross-talk between strain and temperature. The sensor is very robust, cost-effective, easy to manufacture, repeatable, and shows a highly linear and stable response in the wider range of axial strain. Based on the sensor’s performance, it may suit plenty of practical applications in the real sensing world

This studies the plasmonic properties of the bimetallic quantum dot Ag@Au core-shell nanostructures embedded in the non-absorbent host medium. Local field enhancement factor and coefficient of absorption of Ag-core and Au-shell are primarily studied based on quasi-static approximation of classical electrodynamics for 6-10 nm composite radius. In this quantum dot geometry, two set of plasmonic resonances in visible spectral region are observed: the first resonance associated with inner interface of gold (Ag@Au) and the second resonance associated with outer interface of gold (Au@medium). The two plasmonic resonances are close each other and enhanced when the size of composite decreased for a fixed core size while shifted to in opposite direction and the amplitude of peak decreased when the core size is increased for a fixed composite size. For the optimized size of core/composite or shell thickness and other parameters to the desired values, such type of composites are recommended for various applications like; photocatalysis, biomedical, nano-optoelectronics.

Soils harbor diverse bacteria, and these bacteria play important roles in soil nutrition cycling and carbon storage. Numerous investigations of soil microbiota had been performed, and the core microbiota in different soil or vegetation soil types had been described. However, the complexity of soil environments and relatively limited information of many geographic areas had attracted great attention on comprehensive exploration of soil microbes in enormous types of soil. To reveal the core soil microbiota in Huabei plain, soil samples from metropolis and countryside regions in the Huabei plain were investigated using high-throughput sequencing strategy. The results showed that the most dominant bacteria are Proteobacteria (38.34%), Actinobacteria (20.56%), and Acidobacteria (15.18%). At the genus-level, the most abundant known genera are Gaiella (3.66%), Sphingomonas (3.6%), Acidobacteria Gp6 (2.1%), and Arthrobacter (2%). Moreover, several dominant operational taxanomy units (OTU), such as OTU_3 and OTU_17, were identified to be associated with the soil environment. Microbial distributions of the metropolis samples were different from the countryside samples, which may reflect the environments in the countryside were more diverse than in the metropolis. Microbial diversity and evenness were higher in the metropolis than in the countryside, which might due to the fact that human activity increased the microbial diversity in the metropolis. The soil core microbiota of the Huabei plain were complex, and microbial distributions in the Huabei plain might be mainly affected by the human activity and environmental factors, not by the distance. Our data highlights the soil core microbiota in Huabei Plain, and provides insights for future soil microbiota distribution studies in central China.

In this work, magnetic CuFe₂O₄/Ag nanoparticles activated by porous covalent organic frameworks (COF) was fabricated to evaluate the heterogenous reduction of 4-nitrophenol (4-NP). The core-shell CuFe₂O₄/Ag@COF was successfully prepared by polydopamine reduction of silver ions on CuFe₂O₄ nanoparticles, followed by COF layer condensation. With integrating the intrinsic characteristics of the magnetic CuFe₂O₄/Ag core and COF layer, the obtained nanocomposite exhibited features of high specific surface area (464.21 m² g^-1), ordered mesoporous structure, strong environment stability, as well as fast magnetic response. Accordingly, the CuFe₂O₄/Ag@COF catalyst showed good affinity towards 4-NP via π-π stacking interactions and possessed enhanced catalytic activity compared with CuFe₂O₄/Ag and CuFe₂O₄@COF. The pseudo-first-order rate constant of CuFe₂O₄/Ag@COF (0.77 min^-1) is 3 and 5 times higher than CuFe₂O₄/Ag and CuFe₂O₄@COF, respectively. The characteristics of bi-catalytic CuFe₂O₄/Ag and the porous COF shell of CuFe₂O₄/Ag@COF made a contribution to improve the activity of 4-NP reduction. The present work demonstrated a facile strategy to fabricate COF activated nano-catalysts with enhanced performance in the fields of nitrophenolic wastewater treatment.

Due to the fact that abrasive media can deform flexibly in abrasive flow machining (AFM) making this method easily to polish the complex holes and the curved surface of the hard machining shapes. Although abrasive media dominate the polishing behavior in AFM process, the mechanism of the abrasive media are not easy to understand because of the high viscous gels, therefore, many finishing works need lots of time to design AFM process. Power laws of the abrasive gels is studied here to evaluate the non-Newtonian flow of abrasive gels in complex holes polishing firstly, at the mean time different abrasive gels are utilized to finish the complex holes to follow the results by non-Newtonian flow calculation. Moreover, traditional AFM has difficulty to achieve a uniform roughness of radial distribution in the complex holes polishing because of the non-uniform abrasive forces. So a helical passageway is proposed to create a multiple motion of abrasive medium and to obtain the even surface of the complex holes in AFM process.

The generation of isogenic induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) lines using CRISPR-Cas9 technology is a technically challenging, time-consuming process with variable efficiency. Here we use fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) to sort biallelic CRISPR-Cas9 edited single-cell iPS clones into high-throughput 96-well microtiter plates. We used high-content screening (HCS) technology and generated an in-house developed algorithm to select the correctly edited isogenic clones for continued expansion and validation. In our model we have gene-corrected the iPSCs of a Parkinson’s disease (PD) patient carrying the autosomal dominantly inherited heterozygous c.88G>C mutation in the SNCA gene, which leads to the pathogenic p.A30P form of the alpha-synuclein protein. Undertaking a PCR restriction-digest mediated clonal selection strategy prior to sequencing, we were able to post-sort validate each isogenic clone using a quadruple screening strategy. Subsequent transfection with mRNA encoding excision-only transposase allows for the generation of footprint-free isogenic iPSC lines. These monoclonal isogenic iPSC lines retain a normal molecular genotype, express pluripotency markers and have the ability to differentiate into the three germ layers. This combinatory approach of FACS, HCS and post-sorted restriction digestion facilitates the generation of isogenic cell lines for disease modelling to be scaled-up on an automated platform.

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

We fabricated high-quality MAPbBr3 single crystals (SC) by introducing moderate amount electron-rich poly(propylene glycol bis(2-aminopropyl ether) (PEA) additives with an inverse temperature crystallization (ITC) method. The intramolecular vibrations and defective states of prepared MAPbBr3 single crystals were systemically studied by the in situ variable-temperature Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and the synchrotron-based X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), et al. We infer that the proper amount of PEA additives would prevent the formation of intermediate states and crystal boundaries, passivating the density of defective states. The X-ray detection properties of single-crystal MAPbBr3 crystals were investigated, using both high dose and low dose X-ray photons at 40keV in synchrotron beamlines. The photocurrent of optimized PEA-treated MAPbBr3 single crystals demonstrate better performance compared with the as-prepared single crystals. Meanwhile, the decay time of MAPbBr3 single crystal is decreased from 460 ns to 210 ns by Time-resolved photoluminescence (TRPL) decay measurement, owing to the defect passivation by 0.5wt% PEA additives. The PEA-treated single crystals possess much faster decay time than the commercialized Ce:YAG scintillator (>500ns). These results help elucidate the passivation of defective states and contribute paths to manufacture high-quality single crystal perovskites for next-generation optoelectronic devices.

The first single crystal structure of the homoleptic copper (II) ML2 complex (M=Cu (II), L=curcumin) was obtained and its structure was elucidated by X-ray diffraction showing a square planar geometry. The supramolecular arrangement is supported by C-H···O interactions and the solvent (MeOH) plays an important role in stabilizing the crystal packing. The cytotoxic activity of the complex against six cancer cell lines substantially surpasses that of curcumin itself, and it is particularly selective against leukemia (K562) and human glioblastoma (U251) cell lines with similar antioxidant activity to BHT. This constitutes the first crystal structure of pristine curcumin complexed with a metal ion.

Cancer is a multifactorial disease that continues to increase. Lignans are known to be important anticancer agents. However, due to the structural diversity of lignans, it is difficult to associate anticancer activity with a particular subclass. Therefore, the present study sought to evaluate the association of lignan subclasses with antitumor activity, considering the genetic profile of the variants of the selected targets. For this, predictive models were built against the targets tyrosine-protein kinase ABL (ABL), epider-mal growth factor receptor erbB1 (EGFR), histone deacetylase (HDAC), Serine/threonine-protein kinase mTOR (mTOR) and Poly [ADP-ribose] polymerase-1 (PARP1). Then, mapped single nucleotide polymorphisms and designed target mutations, and performed molecular docking with the lignans with the best predicted biological activity. The results showed more anticancer activity in the dibenzocyclooctadiene, furofuran and aryltetralin subclasses. The lignans with the best predictive values of biological activity showed varying binding energy results in the presence of certain genetic variants.

Atypical hemolytic uremic syndrome (aHUS) is a rare and life-threatening disease characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and acute kidney injury, necessitating differentiation from other thrombotic microangiopathy disorders. Definitive biomarkers for disease diagnosis and activity are currently lacking, and identifying molecular markers is essential. We conducted single-cell sequencing on peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 13 aHUS patients, 3 aHUS family members, and 4 healthy controls. Analysis included clustering, cell type annotation, pseudotime estimation, and cell-cell communication. Immune cell populations differ among aHUS, aHUS families, and healthy controls. Disease activity and treatment influence T, NK, B, and monocyte subpopulations, with increased intermediate monocyte levels distinguishing aHUS from controls and aHUS groups with varying disease activity. Subclustering revealed differential gene expression in patients compared to controls; higher expression of mitochondria-related genes suggests cell metabolism may influence clinical course. Pseudotime trajectory analysis demonstrated unique immune cell differentiation, and cell-cell interaction analysis identified distinct signaling pathways among patients, family members, and controls. This single-cell sequencing study is the first to confirm immune cell dysregulation in aHUS pathogenesis, offering valuable insights into molecular mechanisms and potential new diagnostic and disease activity markers.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary brain tumor in adults, with few available therapies and a 5-year survival rate of 7.2%. Hence, strategies for improving GBM prognosis are urgently needed. The translocator protein 18kDa (TSPO) plays crucial roles in essential mito-chondria-based physiological processes and is a validated biomarker of neuroinflammation, which is implicated in GBM progression. The TSPO gene has a germline single nucleotide pol-ymorphism, rs6971, which is the most common SNP in the Caucasian population. High TSPO gene expression is associated with reduced survival in GBM patients; however, the relation between the most frequent TSPO genetic variant and GBM pathogenesis is not known. The present study ret-rospectively analyzed the correlation of the TSPO polymorphic variant rs6971 with overall and progression-free survival in GBM patients using three independent cohorts. TSPO rs6971 poly-morphism was significantly associated with shorter overall survival and progression-free survival in male GBM patients but not in females in one large cohort of 441 patients. We observed similar trends in two other independent cohorts. These observations suggest that the TSPO rs6971 pol-ymorphism could be a significant predictor of poor prognosis in GBM, with a potential for use as a prognosis biomarker in GBM patients. These results reveal for the first time a biological sex-specific relation between rs6971 TSPO polymorphism and GBM.

“Clickase” single-chain nanoparticles (Ck-SCNPs) are folded, enzyme-mimetic unimolecular polymeric nano-objects containing copper (Cu) ions able to catalyze the azide-alkyne Huisgen cycloaddition reaction in water and/or selected organic solvents, often in the presence of a reductant. Herein, we investigate the effect of morphology on catalytic activity of Ck-SCNPs synthesized by means of two different routes. An amphiphilic random copolymer composed of oligo(ethylene glycol) methyl ether methyl methacrylate (OEGMA) and 2-acetoacetoxy ethyl methacrylate (AEMA) units was used as precursor of these Ck-SCNPs. Folding was promoted through metal complexation between Cu(II) ions and beta-ketoester-containing AEMA moieties. The first route resulted in Ck-SCNPs1 containing Cu ions homogeneously distributed within each nanoparticle, whereas the second one promoted intra-chain clustering of Cu ions inside Ck-SCNPs2. A model fluorogenic “click” reaction between 9-(azidomethyl)anthracene and phenylacetylene, which was catalyzed either by Ck-SCNPs1 or Ck-SCNPs2, was used to unravel the effect of morphology on catalytic activity. This work paves the way to improve the catalytic activity of metallo-folded SCNPs through control of the intra-chain distribution of catalytic sites.

Single cell proteins are the dead dried cells of microorganisms or purified protein isolated from microorganism’s cell culture, used as a food supplement to humans’ food and animals feed. World suffer from malnutrition particularly developing countries, due to rapid increase in population, increased the demand for protein and nutrients requirement. Bacteria is potential microorganism for SCP production due to high protein content, fast generation time, bio-active secondary metabolites production and can grow on various substrates. Actinobacteria species and strain have capability to produce biological active compounds, produced about two-thirds of antibiotics available in the market, actively used as antibiotics, antiprotozoal, antifungal, antiviral, anticancer, anticholesterol, antihelminth and immunosuppressant. Actinomycetes can be used as probiotic as well as single cell protein that will deal with antibiotic as well as protein source.

In this work we demonstrate the proof-of-concept of real-time discrimination between patches of serine or isoleucine monomers in the primary structure of custom-engineered, macro-dipole-like peptides, at uni-molecular level. We employed single-molecule recordings to examine the ionic current through the α-hemolysin (α-HL) nanopore, when hydrophilic serine or hydrophobic isoleucine residues, flanked by segments of oppositely charged arginine and glutamic amino acids functioning as a voltage-dependent ‘molecular brake’ on the peptide, were driven at controllable rates across the nanopore. The observed differences in the ionic currents blockades through the nanopore, visible at time resolutions corresponding to peptide threading through the α-HL’s constriction region, was explained by a simple model of the volumes of electrolyte excluded by either amino acid species, as groups of three serine or isoleucine monomers transiently occupy the α-HL. To provide insights into the conditions ensuring optimal throughput of peptide readout through the nanopore, we probed the sidedness-dependence of peptide association to and dissociation from the electrically and geometrically asymmetric α-HL.

The present study investigates the failure mechanisms of industrial fiber materials, using a custom designed fiber cutting performance test bench. The fracture morphologies of single PA6 fibers are examined by scanning electron microscopy. The analysis reveals that fiber cutting can be distinguished according to four distinct stages of fiber failure represented by shearing, cutting, brittle fracture, and tensile failure, which are the result of different mechanisms active during the processes of crack initiation, extension and fracture. The results of fractographic analysis are further verified by an analysis of the blade assembly speed with respect to time over the entire fracture failure process based on high-speed camera data. The results of fractographic analysis and blade assembly speed are fully consistent.

The primary objective of this current study is to conduct a comprehensive review of existing literature that discusses research on post and core restorations, covering aspects such as their composition, manufacturing methods, and clinical effectiveness. The methodology employed in this review encompasses the implementation of a well-defined search strategy, the establishment of criteria for inclusion and exclusion, and the selection of relevant studies to summarize their findings. To gather relevant literature published between 1993 and 2023, the research team conducted separate searches on PubMed, Scopus, and Embase databases. In total, 165 titles were initially retrieved from these electronic databases. By applying the predefined exclusion criteria, the researchers identified 73 articles that specifically address the conventional and computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) technologies employed in post and core restorations. These restorations are frequently utilized procedures for repairing teeth that have undergone endodontic treatment and subsequently lost dental structure. The development of computerized technology for the creation of customized posts and cores has emerged as a straightforward and efficient alternative to traditional methods. The review encompasses a synthesis of papers discussing the various techniques and materials employed in constructing post and cores using CAD/CAM technology. Notably, different strategies for restoring endodontically treated teeth through CAD/CAM post and cores have been documented, revealing both direct and indirect approaches. The most mentioned materials for these restorations include zirconia, composite resin, and hybrid ceramics. While the available literature on CAD/CAM post and core procedures is somewhat limited, the review underscores the need for further research to explore the long-term outcomes and efficacy of this treatment approach.

Nano- and microparticles are increasingly widely used in biomedical research and applications, particularly as specific labels and targeted delivery vehicles. Silica has long been considered the best material for such vehicles, but it has some disadvantages limiting its potential, such as the proneness of silica-based carriers to spontaneous drug release. Calcium carbonate (CaCO3) is an emerging alternative, being easily available, cost-effective, biocompatible material with high porosity and surface reactivity, which makes it an attractive choice for targeted drug delivery. CaCO3 particles are used in this field in the form of either bare CaCO3 microbeads or core/shell microparticles representing polymer-coated CaCO3 cores. In addition, they serve as removable templates for obtaining hollow polymer microcapsules. Each of these types of particles has its specific advantages in terms of biomedical applications. CaCO3 microbeads are primarily used due to their capacity for carrying pharmaceutics, whereas core/shell systems ensure better protection of the drug-loaded core from the environment. Hollow polymer capsules are particularly attractive because they can encapsulate large amounts of pharmaceutical agents and can be so designed as to release their contents in the target site in response to specific stimuli. This review focuses first on the chemistry of the CaCO3 cores, core/shell microbeads, and polymer microcapsules. Then, systems using these structures for the delivery of therapeutic agents, including drugs, proteins, and DNA, are outlined. The results of systematic analysis of available data are presented. They show that the encapsulation of various therapeutic agents in CaCO3-based microbeads or polymer microcapsules is a promising technique of drug delivery, especially in cancer therapy, enhancing drug bioavailability and specific targeting of cancer cells while reducing side effects. To date, research in CaCO3-based microparticles and polymer microcapsules assembled on CaCO3 templates has mainly dealt with their properties in vitro, whereas their in vivo behavior still remains poorly studied. However, an enormous potential of these highly biocompatible carriers for in vivo applications is undoubted. This last issue is addressed in depth in the Conclusion and Outlook sections of the review.

The technique of optical interferometry has many applications in various fields of knowledge, including astronomy, optical metrology, biology, and chemistry. The visible interference pattern of a conventional single mode fiber (SMF-28) tapered and core-offset structured in-line Mach-Zehnder interferometer has been demonstrated. The white source is generated by an LED, with a wavelength range of 400 nm to 650 nm emission. We analyze the performance of the interference emission with a waist length of 1.8 mm to 6 mm and with a waist diameter of 10 µm to 60 µm for the tapered structure. The achieved visibility is V=0.14 with an FSR of 23 nm. The core-offset structure interferometer is analyzed with different displacements in x and y axis and with a separation length L of 2.5 cm, 4.0 cm and 5.0 cm between two core joints. The output interference emission has a visibility of V= 0.3, V=0.27 and V=0.34 with an FSR of 23 nm, 17 nm and 8 nm, respectively. The sensitivity obtained from the temperature sensor is of 3.53 a.u./°C, with R2 of 0.99769. The proposed MZIs are low cost and can be used for implementation of sensing system in the field as the industry and medical applications.

Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L.) ranks fifth as the most crucial cereal crop globally, yet its seed morphology remains relatively unexplored. This study investigated seed morphology in sorghum based on 115 mini core and 130 Senegalese germplasms. Eight seed morphology traits encompassing size, shape, and color parameters were assessed. Statistical analyses explored potential associations between these traits and resistance to three major sorghum diseases: anthracnose, head smut, and downy mildew. Furthermore, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) were conducted using phenotypic data from over 24,000 seeds and over 290,000 publicly available single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) through the Genome Association and Prediction Integrated Tool (GAPIT) R package. Significant SNPs associated with various seed morphology traits were identified and mapped onto the reference sorghum genome to identify novel candidate defense genes.