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Rising shipping emissions greatly affect greenhouse gas (GHG) levels, so precise fuel consumption forecasting is essential to reduce environmental effects. Precision forecasts using machine learning (ML) could offer sophisticated solutions that increase the fuel efficiency and lower emissions. Indeed, five ML techniques, linear regression (LR), decision tree (DT), random forest (RF), XGBoost, and AdaBoost, were used to develop ship fuel consumption models in this study. It was found that, with an R² of 1, zero mean squared error (MSE), and a negligible mean absolute percentage error (MAPE), the DT model suited the training set perfectly, while R² was 0.8657, the MSE was 56.80, and the MAPE was 16.37% for the DT model testing. More importantly, this study provided Taylor diagrams and violin plots that helped in the identification of the best-performing models. Generally, the employed ML approaches efficiently predicted the data; however, they are black-box methods. Hence, explainable machine learning methods like Shapley additive explanations, the DT structure, and local interpretable model-agnostic explanations (LIME) were employed to comprehend the models and perform feature analysis. LIME offered insights, demonstrating that the major variables impacting predictions were distance (≤450.88 nm) and time (40.70 < hr ≤ 58.05). By stressing the most important aspects, LIME can help one to comprehend the models with ease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a transitory form of diabetes occurring in pregnancy with maternal and neonatal health consequences if left untreated. GDM can, in most instances, be managed non-medically through self-care practices, such as eating healthy or engaging in physical activity. This is especially relevant in a global health context with scarce resources. There is no official definition of "GDM self-care"; hence, the content and delivery modes of such interventions may vary greatly. Therefore, this study aimed to landscape GDM self-care interventions in low- and middle-income countries according to the WHO's three dimensions of health. Methods: PubMed, Embase, Global Health Library, and Web of Science were searched for published intervention studies that compared the effect of a self-care intervention to standard care or had no comparator. Studies that targeted women with GDM that reported maternal health and/or neonatal health outcomes (physical, mental, and social health outcomes) and were conducted in low- and middle-income countries were included in the review. Results: Twenty-nine studies (randomised controlled trials and non-randomised studies) were included in the review. No studies were conducted in low-income countries, and studies were primarily conducted in Asia. Most interventions were complex and contained several interacting elements in relation to content, delivery mode, duration, and modality. Most interventions aimed to improve the physical health dimension (n = 28; 96.6%), whilst the mental health (n = 11; 37.9%) and social health dimensions (n = 9; 31.0%) were addressed to a lesser extent. Conclusions: Current GDM self-care interventions in LMICs are complex, and the content of self-care interventions overlaps with lifestyle and non-pharmaceutical interventions. It is recommended that the scientific community use a standardised terminology for such interventions and that future GDM intervention studies, as a minimum, use the core outcome set for GDM when developing future studies. Systematic review registration: OSF Registries (2 December 2022) [https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/PJZQ3]. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Non-invasive multi-cancer early detection (MCED) tests have shown promise in enhancing early cancer detection. However, their clinical utility across diverse populations remains underexplored, limiting their routine implementation. This study aims to validate the clinical utility of a multimodal non-invasive circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA)-based MCED test, SPOT-MAS (Screening for the Presence Of Tumor by DNA Methylation And Size). Methods: We conducted a multicenter prospective study, K-DETEK (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT05227261), involving 9057 asymptomatic individuals aged 40 years or older across 75 major hospitals and one research institute in Vietnam. Participants were followed for 12 months. Results: Of the 9024 eligible participants, 43 (0.48%) tested positive for ctDNA. Among these, 17 were confirmed with malignant lesions in various primary organs through standard-of-care (SOC) imaging and biopsy, with 9 cases matching our tissue of origin (TOO) predictions. This resulted in a positive predictive value of 39.53% (95%CI 26.37–54.42) and a TOO accuracy of 52.94% (95%CI 30.96–73.83). Among the 8981 participants (99.52%) who tested negative, 8974 were confirmed cancer-free during a 12-month period after testing, yielding a negative predictive value of 99.92% (95% CI 99.84–99.96). The test demonstrated an overall sensitivity of 70.83% (95%CI 50.83–85.09) and a specificity of 99.71% (95% CI 99.58–99.80) for detecting various cancer types, including those without SOC screening options. Conclusions: This study presents a prospective validation of a multi-cancer early detection (MCED) test conducted in a lower middle-income country, demonstrating the potential of SPOT-MAS for early cancer detection. Our findings indicate that MCED tests could be valuable additions to national cancer screening programs, particularly in regions where such initiatives are currently limited. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov ID: NCT05227261. Date of registration: 07/02/2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbapenems are a class of β-lactam antibacterial drugs with a broad antibacterial spectrum and strong activity, commonly used to treat serious bacterial infections. However, improper or excessive use of carbapenems can lead to increased bacterial resistance, which is a significant concern as they are often used as last resort for treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) gram-negative bacteria. Confronted with this challenge, it is crucial to comprehensively understand the mechanism of carbapenem resistance to develop effective therapeutic strategies and innovative drugs. In recent years, emerging research on the glycosylation of bacterial proteins has highlighted the crucial role of glycans in various bacterial processes, including carbapenem resistance. Given the limited understanding of bacterial glycosylation, its role in in carbapenem resistance may be more pivotal than currently acknowledged. In this review, we summarize the direct and multifunctional role of glycosylation in bacterial resistance as well as the classical and recently reported mechanisms of bacterial carbapenem resistance, focusing on illuminating the potential role of glycosylation in carbapenem resistance. We also discuss the potential of leveraging this knowledge to develop more effective strategies for combating clinically resistant bacteria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a comprehensive fabrication process for dielectric ceramic capacitor derived from lead-free Bi0.5(Na0.8K0.2)0.5TiO3 (BNKT) in bulk and powder form, synthesized by sol–gel method. Both the BNKT powder and the bulk ceramic were rigorously analyzed and compared for their crystal structure, morphology, magnetic and optical properties. Through XRD and Raman results, the structure in the form of morphological phase boundary (MPB) was detected. In addition, the morphological structure, grain size evolution and purity of the samples were also confirmed by SEM and EDX. The weak ferromagnetic property of the BNKT powder sample was replaced by the diamagnetic property of the bulk ceramic sample and a decrease in the band gap (Eg) from 3.33 eV to 3.13 eV was also observed in the corresponding samples. At room temperature, the dielectric constant (εr) of the bulk ceramic reached 2193 with a dielectric loss (tanδ) of 0.332 at 1 kHz. It also exhibits typical ferroelectric behavior with slim P–E loop, a recoverable energy density (Wrec) of 12.541 mJ/cm3, and a high energy storage efficiency (η) of 46.44% under a low electric field of 15 kV/cm. Furthermore, the charge–discharge properties of BNKT dielectric ceramic capacitor were also characterized by a time constant (τ) of 8.452 μs. With this simple production process, it is possible to expand large-scale production while still ensuring the quality of ceramic capacitors, contributing to the development of BNKT lead-free material applications in electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractThis paper tests four pre-cracked hybrid GFRP-steel reinforced concrete (HGSRC) beams with CFRP sheets and four intact reference beams under four-point bending to examine the effects of CFRP sheets and steel reinforcement ratios on flexural behavior. The pre-crack width caused by the load is approximately 0.2 mm. The experiments showed that the addition of CFRP sheets transformed the failure mode of the pre-cracked HGSRC beams from shear compression to delamination-plate-end-debonding and resulted in a reduction of up to 54% in their energy ductility index. The incorporation of CFRP sheets significantly enhanced the flexural behavior of pre-damaged HGSRC beams in terms of yielding load and secondary stiffness, while the improvement in their load-carrying capacity was minimal was slight. The addition of CFRP sheets could also delay the development of strains in materials even though the beams were pre-cracked. The analytical models to determine the load-carrying capacity of pre-cracked HGSRC beams strengthened with CFRP sheets are still limited and therefore, a strut-and-tie model (STM) is proposed to fill the gap in this research. The integration of corrected formulas into the strut and tie model for estimating the load-bearing capacity of the pre-cracked strengthened HGSRC beams indicated a strong agreement with the experimental data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite a high theoretical capacity, the practical application of lithium-sulfur batteries has been primarily limited by the migration of long-chained polysulfide species during the charge/discharge processes. One effective approach to address the issues is to design a functional separator or interlayer. Here, we prepared a modified separator with an ultrathin layer of titanium carbide (TiC) using radio-frequency sputtering on a commercial Celgard polypropylene membrane. The 240-nm TiC coating layer can enhance the interfacial properties of Celgard separators in porosity, wettability, roughness, etc. Hence, via experimental and theoretical investigation, we discovered that TiC can efficiently adsorb polysulfides and boost charge transfer via strong covalent C–S bonds. Using a TiC-modified separator can impede the shuttle effect and improve the kinetics of sulfur conversion reactions. Thus, the Li–S batteries with TiC separator deliver excellent electrochemical performances with a good rate capability (717 mAh g−1 at 7.0C) and an ultra-low decay rate of 0.058 % per cycle over 800 cycles at a C-rate of 2.0C. Furthermore, a high areal capacity of 4.3 mAh cm−2 was achieved with a high mass-loading of sulfur cathode up to 7.0 mg cm−2. [Display omitted] • Titanium carbide (TiC)-modified separator was used for lithium-sulfur batteries. • TiC adsorbs and covalently binds with long-chained polysulfide species via C–S bonds. • Li–S battery with TiC-separator achieves a high capacity decay rate of 0.058% for 800 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cirrhosis is associated with chronic cardiovascular dysfunction termed cirrhotic cardiomyopathy (CCM), characterized by myocardial hypertrophy and diastolic dysfunction. Detecting early cardiac changes is crucial, especially in patients undergoing liver transplantation. Objective: This study aims to evaluate left ventricular systolic function in cirrhotic patients undergoing liver transplantation using speckle-tracking echocardiography. Methods: A prospective observational study was conducted involving 54 cirrhotic patients who underwent liver transplantation, along with 28 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Echocardiography, including conventional and two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE), was performed at baseline and one-month post-transplantation. Results: The mean age in the cirrhotic group was 52.2 ± 12.7 years, with no significant difference compared to the control group. Viral hepatitis was the predominant etiology of cirrhosis (68.6%). Conventional echocardiography did not reveal significant differences between groups in LV ejection fraction [62% (56–69) vs. 59% (56–62); p = 0.830]. However, in cirrhotic patients, 2D-STE demonstrated significantly lower LV global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) [17.5 (15.5–19.1) vs 19.0 (18.0–19.7), p = 0.006]. Post-transplantation, conventional echocardiography indices remained unchanged, while 2D-STE showed remarkable improvement in LV function, with increased LV-GLS compared to pre-transplantation value. Conclusions: 2D-STE is a valuable tool for detecting and monitoring left ventricular systolic dysfunction in liver cirrhosis patients, particularly following transplantation. While conventional echocardiography may not detect subtle changes, 2D-STE reveals improvements in LV function post-transplantation, emphasizing its role in assessing cirrhotic cardiomyopathy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of industries has caused severe impacts on the environment and increased the demand of using energy. In this work, reduced graphene oxide-doped water hyacinth carbon aerogels (rGO/WHCA) were synthesized by cross-linking cellulose with poly(vinyl alcohol) as a binder and addition of graphene oxide (GO) as rGO precursors, followed by freeze-drying and pyrolysis techniques. The obtained materials were studied for adsorption of methylene blue (MB) in water and applied as electrodes for the supercapacitor. The impact of GO content on the characteristics, adsorption performance, and electrochemical properties of the rGO/WHCA were investigated. Besides, the concurrent effects of the adsorption time, and MB concentration on the adsorption capacity were evaluated via the response surface methodology according to the Box–Behnken model. The obtained rGO/WHCA materials exhibited ultralow density, high porosity, and an abundance of meso- and micropores structures. Especially, rGO/WHCA materials showed a great ability for removing MB in water with the highest adsorption capacity up to 95.03 mg/g after 420 min with the initial MB concentration of 150 ppm at pH 9 and performed the electrical double-layer capacitors (EDLCs) in a three-electrode system with an outstanding specific capacitance of 272.08 F/g at current density of 0.5 A/g. The obtained results open a potential pathway of using biomass sources, like water hyacinth, for solving environmental issues and the demand for energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are reporting a convenient method for the synthesis of bis(indolyl)methane derivatives from relatively cheap and commercially available chemicals such as indoles and aldehydes in a one‐pot procedure using Ga‐MCM‐41‐SO3H heterogeneous catalyst. Notably, the use of this catalyst has resulted in high yield of products (up to 98 %) under mild conditions, and the catalyst was found to be stable and reusable, retaining its highly catalytic activity even after five runs. Interestingly, two alkaloids Arsindoline A and Turbomycine B were successfully synthesized in the employment of this catalyst. These findings suggest that Ga‐MCM‐41‐SO3H could be a promising alternative to traditional acid homogeneous catalysts in the synthesis of bis(indolyl)methane derivatives, offering several advantages including ease of separation and reuse, high stability, and low toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oil-water two-phase flow atoilfield wellheads is a common occurrence in distribution. This paper proposes using a heat transfer method to accurately measure and monitorthe total fluid volume at the wellhead. To achieve this, thermal sensors of types PT1000 and PT20, which are suitable for measuring oil-water mixed flow, are first designed. The feasibility and linearity of the sensors are simulated and calculated. Secondly, the heat transfercoefficient is computed using experimental methods and a functional relationship between the heat transfer coefficient and the flow rate is derived. Finally, the calculated results demonstrate the feasibility of using the heattransfer method to measure oil-water two-phase flow. If the water-liquid ratio (WLR) is known, the flow rate can be calculated through the functional relationship between the heat transfer coefficient and the flow rate. This method can improve the accuracy of estimating the flow rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare all other specified feeding or eating disorders (OSFED) groups (atypical anorexia nervosa [AN], purging disorder [PD], night eating syndrome [NES], subthreshold bulimia nervosa [sub‐BN], and subthreshold binge‐eating disorder [sub‐BED]) to threshold eating disorders (EDs [AN, BN, and BED]) and control groups (CGs) on measures of eating and general psychopathology. Method: We conducted a comprehensive search in PsycINFO, Medline, Embase, and CINAHL on all published studies from January 2013 to February 2024 using DSM‐5 diagnostic criteria via clinical interviews or well‐established diagnostic tools. We also undertook a quality appraisal using an adapted version of the Downs and Black criteria and registered the review with PROSPERO (ID: CRD42022314495). Results: Overall, our meta‐analyses (n = 33 eligible studies) indicated that the combined OSFED and several specific OSFED subtypes displayed comparable levels of eating psychopathology to full‐threshold EDs. Our systematic review (n = 33 eligible studies) found individuals with OSFED to have comparable levels of eating and general psychopathology to full‐threshold EDs, but higher levels of eating and general psychopathology than CGs. These findings were specifically attributed to atypical AN and NES. There was a lack of evidence available for sub‐BN and sub‐BED. Studies mainly met the quality appraisal criteria. The main limitations identified in the included studies were insufficient reporting of their statistical power (78%) and no adjusting for potential confounding factors (67%). Discussion: Findings support the conceptualization of atypical AN, and NES as clinically significant EDs with similar severity to full‐threshold EDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new Dynamic hAnd gesTurE (DATE) dataset for dynamic hand gestures. The DATE dataset contains 13,500 videos of 22 different subjects. The subjects wear different clothes, have different backgrounds, and are filmed from various camera angles. Two different benchmarks for our self-built DATE dataset are also proposed. The first one is the high accuracy approach, while the second benchmark is the lightweight approach. The operation of our benchmarks has two phases. In the first phase, videos are preprocessed with detection or segmentation tasks. Then, the processed data are classified by customized cutting-edge deep learning models in the second phase. Experimental results showed that our benchmarks obtained high accuracies in both the self-build dataset and a publicly recognized dataset. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our research addresses the gap in investigating how political connections and financial constraints affect asset growth anomalies before and during the Covid-19 pandemic. Our sample includes listed non-financial firms in the Vietnam stock market from 2008 to December 2020. We employ Fama and MacBeth regressions and portfolio sorting methodology to analyze a sample with 34,441 monthly observations, including 478 firms. Our findings indicate a negative relationship between asset growth and subsequent stock returns in all periods. While the asset growth anomaly existed in the Vietnam stock market before the pandemic, it disappeared during the pandemic. The average raw return difference between stocks in the highest and lowest asset growth terciles was −0.26% per month before the pandemic. Our robustness tests show that asset growth anomaly exists in firms with political connections during the pandemic. In addition, the asset growth anomaly only persists in larger firms before the pandemic. Our findings support agency and pecking order theory, behavior, and rational explanations. Finally, this study contributes practical implications for managers and individual investors to prevent adverse impacts of asset growth anomalies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The binding of the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein to the host cell receptor angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) is the first step in human viral infection. Therefore, understanding the mechanism of interaction between RBD and ACE2 at the molecular level is critical for the prevention of COVID-19, as more variants of concern, such as Omicron, appear. Recently, atomic force microscopy has been applied to characterize the free energy landscape of the RBD–ACE2 complex, including estimation of the distance between the transition state and the bound state, xu. Here, using a coarse-grained model and replica-exchange umbrella sampling, we studied the free energy landscape of both the wild type and Omicron subvariants BA.1 and XBB.1.5 interacting with ACE2. In agreement with experiment, we find that the wild type and Omicron subvariants have similar xu values, but Omicron binds ACE2 more strongly than the wild type, having a lower dissociation constant KD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report the development of a novel variant of cavity ringdown polarimetry using a continuous-wave laser operating at 532 nm for highly precise chiroptical activity and magnetometry measurements. The key methodology of the apparatus relies upon the external modulation of the laser frequency at the frequency splitting between non-degenerate left- and right-circularly polarized cavity modes. The method is demonstrated by the evaluation of the Verdet constants of crystalline CeF3 and fused silica, in addition to the observation of gas- and solution-phase optical rotations of selected chiral molecules. Specifically, optical rotations of (i) vapors of α-pinene and R-(+)-limonene, (ii) mutarotating D-glucose in water, and (iii) acidified L-histidine solutions are determined. The detection sensitivities for the gas- and solution-phase chiral activity measurements are ∼ 30 and ∼ 120 μdeg over a 30 s detection period per cavity round trip pass, respectively. Furthermore, the measured optical rotations for R-(+)-limonene are compared with computations performed using the TURBOMOLE quantum chemistry package. The experimentally observed optically rotatory dispersion of this cyclic monoterpene was thus rationalized via a consideration of its room temperature conformer distribution as determined by the aforementioned single-point energy calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geobacter and Shewanella are the most characterized electroactive bacteria genera. Unlike genus Geobacter that is strictly anaerobic, Shewanella can grow under both oxic and anoxic environments and is capable of metabolizing a wider substrate range. In the present study, the use of strain Shewanella baltica 20 in MFC-based biosensor for BOD monitoring is reported. The S. baltica strain 20 was isolated from river sediment in Hungary. The bacterium could form a biofilm, oxidized glucose, and transferred electrons to produce current when they were enriched on the anode in an air cathode microbial fuel cell (MFC). The tested MFC system demonstrated linearity in the current response to glucose from 50 to 300 mg/L. The electrical efficiency was determined from the polarization curve using the method of Varying Circuit Resistance (VCR) with an external load probed from 10 Ω to 220 kΩ. The maximum power production was 1.2 mW/m2 at an external load of 40 kΩ. Studying the effect of external resistors on the MFC performance showed that the MFC reached higher saturation for 500 mg/L of glucose at lower resistances of 100 and 470 Ω, in comparison to 300 mg/L at 1000 Ω. The results show that the response of the MFC can potentially be tuned by adjusting the external load. Our preliminary study suggests that Shewanella baltica strain 20 may be used for online monitoring of BOD (biological oxygen demand) in wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Hearing loss, a major public health issue, affects 1.33 per 1,000 live births worldwide. Genetic factors contribute to over half of congenital cases, with X-linked inheritance accounting for 1–5%. POU3F4 mutations are associated with approximately 50% of X-linked non-syndrome hearing loss cases. POU3F4 plays a critical role in cochlear development by regulating otic mesenchyme cell differentiation. The study investigates the impact of a novel POU3F4 p.E294G mutation on cochlear structure and function using cellular and animal model. Methods: The study utilized immortalized lymphoblastoid cell lines, POU3F4 overexpressed HEK293 cells and generated Pou3f4 knock-in (Pou3f4KI) mice via CRISPR/Cas9 to introduce the p.E294G mutation. Alterations in expression and subcellular localization of POU3F4 were detected at the cellular level. Auditory function was assessed using auditory brainstem response testing. Cochlear structure was analyzed through histology, immunohistochemistry, scanning electron microscopy, and transmission electron microscopy. RNA sequencing, qPCR and Western blot were conducted to evaluate gene expression and mitochondrial function. Results: The transcription of POU3F4 was abnormal and the expression was normal in lymphoblastoid cell lines. Abnormal nuclear localization of POU3F4 p.E294G was found in overexpressed HEK293 cells. Pou3f4KI mice exhibited cochlear malformations, including modiolus hypoplasia and reduced stria vascularis cell populations. Auditory testing revealed progressive hearing loss. Pou3f4 affect mitochondrial protein expression by affecting the expression of TFAM. Mitochondrial dysfunction was evident, with reduced oxidative phosphorylation (OXPHOS) complex assembly and activity, decreased ATP levels. The level of reactive oxygen species, mitochondrial fission and apoptosis in cochlea were elevated. Conclusions: The POU3F4 p.E294G resulted in abnormal nuclear localization. Pou3f4 mutant disrupts cochlear development and function, impairs mitochondrial integrity, induces oxidative stress, and promotes apoptosis, leading to progressive hearing loss. The findings enhance the understanding of POU3F4-related hearing loss mechanisms and highlight the importance of early genetic screening and audiological monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVES: Resources to support dementia carers from ethnically diverse families are limited. We explored carers' and service providers' views on adapting the World Health Organization's iSupport Lite messages to meet their needs. METHODS: Six online workshops were conducted with ethnically diverse family carers and service providers (n = 21) from nine linguistic groups across Australia. Recruitment was via convenience and snowball sampling from existing networks. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. RESULTS: Participants reported that iSupport Lite over-emphasized support from family and friends and made help-seeking sound "too easy". They wanted messages to dispel notions of carers as "superheroes", demonstrate that caring and help-seeking is stressful and time-consuming, and that poor decision-making and relationship breakdown does occur. Feedback was incorporated to co-produce a revised suite of resources. CONCLUSIONS: Beyond language translation, cultural adaptation using co-design provided participants the opportunity to develop more culturally relevant care resources that meet their needs. These resources will be evaluated for clinical and cost-effectiveness in future research. CLINICAL IMPLICATIONS: By design, multilingual resources for carers must incorporate cultural needs to communicate support messages. If this intervention is effective, it could help to reduce dementia care disparities in ethnically diverse populations in Australia and globally. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machining of difficult-to-cut materials such as high-temperature metals is challenging due to their low machinability resulting in reduced productivity and high manufacturing cost. This investigation develops and optimizes the hard self-propelled rotary turning (HSPRT) operation, in which an efficient self-propelled rotary tool is proposed and fabricated. The HSPRT responses (total carbon emission—TC, machined roughness—MR, and noise emission—EN) are minimized using optimal process variables (inclination angle—A, turning depth—D, turning speed—V, and rake angle—R). The TC, MR, and EN models are developed in terms of the HSPRT inputs using the radial basis function network and response surface method, while the weights were computed using the removal effects of criteria, EQUAL, and rank order centroid methods. The improved quantum-behaved particle swarm optimization algorithm and method based on the multi-attributive border approximation area comparison were applied to produce feasible solutions and select the best optimal point. The optimization findings of the V, D, f, and R were 32 deg., 0.2 mm, 137 m/min, and 20 deg., while the TC, MR, and EN were saved by 42.8%, 24.1%, and 20.0%, respectively. The HSPRT performances were primarily affected by the turning depth and speed, respectively. The valuable outcomes could be applied to the practice to boost HSPRT performances, while the developed HSPRT operation could be utilized for machining alloys and hardened steels. The technique could be applied to treat optimization problems for other rotary turning processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidisciplinary pulmonary embolism response teams (PERTs) streamline care of adults with life-threatening pulmonary embolism (PE). Given rarity of pediatric PE, developing a clinical, educational, and research PERT paradigm is a novel and underused concept in pediatrics. Is a PERT feasible in pediatrics, and does it improve PE care? A strategy-to-execution proposal to launch a pediatric PERT was developed for institutional buy-in. Key stakeholders collectively implemented the PERT. Data were collected for the 2-year pre-PERT and post-PERT eras, and outcomes were compared. PERT implementation took 12 months. Our PERT, led by hematology, is composed of pediatric experts in emergency medicine, critical care, interventional cardiology, anesthesiology, and interventional radiology. Data on 30 patients pre-PERT and 31 patients post-PERT were analyzed. Pre-PERT, 10% (3 of 30), 13% (4 of 30), 20% (6 of 30), and 57% (17 of 30), and post-PERT, 3% (1 of 31), 10% (3 of 31), 16% (5 of 31), and 71% (22 of 31) were categorized as high-risk, intermediate-low-risk, intermediate-high-risk, and low-risk PE, respectively. Post-PERT, there were 13 unique PERT activations. PERT was activated on all eligible patients with PE and, additionally, on four low-risk PEs. Time to echocardiogram was shorter post-PERT (4.7 vs 2 hours; P =.0147). Anticoagulation was ordered (90 vs 54 min; P =.003) and given sooner (154 vs 113 min; P =.049) post-PERT. There were no differences in time to reperfusion therapies (12 hours pre-PERT vs 8.7 hours post-PERT, P =.10). Five of six (83.3%) eligible (intermediate-high and high-risk) patients received reperfusion therapies in the post-PERT era compared to three of eight (37.5%) eligible patients in the pre-PERT era (P =.0001). There were no differences in major bleeding, mortality, or length of stay in either era. The pediatric PERT paradigm was successfully created and adopted locally. Our PERT enhanced access to experts, facilitated timely advanced therapies, and held value for low-risk PE. The University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center and Children's Medical Center pediatric PERT may serve as a best practice model for streamlining care for pediatric PE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional concrete can suffer brittle fracture and performance limitations in transportation infrastructure. To over come these issues, a new flexible concrete incorporating rubber particles (RPs), polypropylene fibres (PPFs), bentonite and polymer emulsion was evaluated. An orthogonal test method was used to optimise the mix design. The influence mechanism of the different modifying materials and their content on concrete performance were explored. The key factors and their primary and secondary effects on improving compressive, tensile peak strain and flexural properties were clarified through range and variance analysis. Optimal flexural deformation performance of the new flexible concrete was found for the mix with 12% RPs (to replace fine aggregate), a PPF content of 6 kg/m3, bentonite content (as cement replacement) of 15% and polymer/cement ratio of 6%. Scanning electron microscopy revealed the deformation mechanism of RPs as energy absorbers, the effective containment of microcrack propagation by PPFs and a significant improvement in the structure of the interfacial transition zone due to the addition of bentonite and polymer emulsion, providing a new perspective for understanding and optimising the relationship between the microstructure and macro performance of flexible concrete. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the challenges and methodologies of recommendation unlearning, specifically in filtering frameworks to erase outdated preferences. Topics include the inefficiency and high cost of existing methods, the impact of unlearning on user preference retention, and the proposal of a novel filtering approach to improve efficiency while preserving knowledge.

Background: Potentilla discolor Bunge (PDB) is a plant of the Rosaceae family. A wide range of pharmacological activities, such as antibacterial, hypoglycemic, and others, can be achieved through its chemical components, which include terpenes, steroids, polyphenols, and flavonoids. However, the effects of the herb on the heart are unclear. Objectives: To explore the effect of the main components of PDB on myocardial cell membranes. Materials and Methods: We investigated the role of different concentrations of PDB in cardiomyocytes by evaluating myocardial electrical activity. We used high-performance liquid chromatography to analyze the components. Patch-clamp experiments were conducted to detect the drugs' impact on the ion channels of cardiomyocytes. Results: PDB regulated 14 potential metabolites in mice. Interestingly, quercetin exerts certain effects on the heart by acting on the inositol phosphate metabolism pathway. Quercetin is a monomer compound that can enhance the activity of IK1 on the myocardium membrane. Conclusion: This study showed that monomeric compounds of PDB can significantly enhance IK1 activity and influence ion channels in a concentration-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep inspiration breath-hold (DIBH) has proven effective in minimizing radiation exposure to organs at risk (OARs) in right-sided breast cancer patients requiring regional nodal irradiation (RNI). However, there has been no dosimetric evaluation comparing DIBH techniques to free-breathing (FB) conditions on the TrueBeam (TB) HD linear accelerator (LINAC). To address this gap and accommodate breast cancer patients requiring RNI on the TB HD LINAC, an innovative method involving a 90-degree rotation of the regional lymph nodes' field during treatment planning was devised. The study focused on a 39-year-old woman who underwent right breast-conserving radical surgery and subsequently required postoperative adjuvant radiotherapy. Both noncontrast FB and DIBH computed tomography (CT) scans were performed using a CT simulator. Due to limitations in MLC field length, a 90-degree rotation was employed for planning the regional lymph nodes' field on the TB LINAC. Patient positioning accuracy was ensured by aligning based on body surface under both FB and DIBH conditions, facilitated by an optical surface management system (OSMS). The target volume and OARs were meet the dose limit on the TB HD LINAC. Noteworthy reductions in radiation exposure to the right lung and liver were evident with DIBH. The mean dose reduction rate for the right lung was 11.9%, while the mean dose reduction rate for the liver was 68.9%. Parameters such as V5, V20, V30, and mean dose (Dmean) also demonstrated decreases with DIBH compared to FB. This case report underscores the potential of TB HD LINAC for formulating treatment approaches for breast cancer involving RNI. Furthermore, it emphasizes the effectiveness of DIBH radiotherapy in mitigating doses to OARs when implemented on the TB LINAC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disorder that causes joint damage, including cartilage degradation and bone erosion. Bone morphogenetic protein 9 (BMP9), a member of the TGF-β superfamily, plays a key role in osteogenesis and tissue repair. However, its role in bone erosion and inflammation in RA remains underexplored. This study aims to evaluate BMP9's therapeutic potential in RA, focusing on its effects on bone destruction, osteogenesis, and inflammation. Materials and methods: In this study, BMP9 expression was analyzed in synovial tissues from RA and osteoarthritis patients and in the ankle joints of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) mice using immunohistochemistry, qRT-PCR, and Western blotting. The therapeutic effect of BMP9 on bone destruction was evaluated in a CIA mouse model through micro-CT imaging, histological analysis, and clinical scoring. Osteogenic differentiation was assessed by alkaline phosphatase and Alizarin Red S staining, while osteoclast activity was examined through tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase staining. Fluorescence double-labeling was used to track new bone formation. Data were analyzed using (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) SPSS, and appropriate statistical tests were performed to determine significance. Results: In this study, BMP9 expression was significantly down-regulated in the synovial tissue of RA patients and in the ankle joints of CIA mice. BMP9 treatment in CIA mice ameliorated joint inflammation, as shown by reduced limb swelling, lower arthritis index, and improved tissue morphology. Furthermore, BMP9 significantly alleviated bone loss, as evidenced by increased bone mineral density and trabecular structure. However, BMP9 treatment did not significantly impact osteoclastogenesis or bone resorption. BMP9 also enhanced bone mineralization and formation, as shown by increased mineral apposition rate and bone formation rate. Additionally, BMP9 promoted osteogenic differentiation of synovial cells, enhancing alkaline phosphatase activity and mineral nodule formation. These results suggest that BMP9 has a protective effect on joint inflammation and bone loss in RA, potentially through promoting bone formation without influencing osteoclast activity. Conclusion: Our study concludes that targeting BMP9 alleviates inflammation and promotes osteogenic differentiation in RA, highlighting BMP9 as a promising therapeutic target for addressing bone destruction in RA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bladder cancer (BCa) is the second most common urological malignancy, but the techniques used today to detect and monitor BCa are frequently invasive and/or have inadequate sensitivity and specificity. Therefore, it is imperative to create a noninvasive test that is both sensitive and accurate for diagnosing BCa. This research introduces and validates the diagnostic performance of H4C6/SOX1-OT gene methylation in the diagnosis of BCa based on urine samples by designing two parts of studies: the case-control study and the prospective validation study. In the case-control study, the methylation test of H4C6/SOX1-OT achieved a sensitivity/specificity/positive predictive value (PPV)/negative predictive value (NPV) of 87.9%(95%CI, 79.4%–93.3%)/90.4%(95%CI, 80.7%–95.7%)/92.6%(95%CI, 84.8%–96.7%)/ 84.6%(95%CI, 74.3%–91.5%) (kappa value 77.6%). The sensitivities for low grade, high grade, Ta-T1, and T2-T4 were 85% (17/20), 88.6% (70/79), 85.4% (41/48) and 92.6% (25/27). Statistical analysis showed the diagnostic sensitivity of test was not affected by sex, age, tumor grade or tumor stage (P > 0.05). In the prospective validation study, the H4C6/SOX1-OT methylation test yielded an overall sensitivity/specificity/PPV/NPV of 84.8%(95%CI, 67.3%–94.3%)/90.0%(95%CI, 75.4%–96.7%)/87.5% (95%CI, 70.1%–95.9%)/84.6% (95%CI, 73.0%-95.4%) (kappa value 75.0%), indicating 38.4% of spared cystoscopy. These findings highlight the potential of the H4C6/SOX1-OT methylation in urine DNA as a promising molecular diagnostic tool for detecting BCa, especially for early-stage tumors, which may reduce the need for cystoscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identifying interactions between transcription factors (TFs) and target genes is crucial for understanding the molecular mechanisms involved in biological processes and diseases. Traditional biological experiments used to determine these interactions are often time-consuming, costly, and limited in scale. Current computational methods mainly predict binding sites rather than direct interactions. Although recent studies have achieved high performance in predicting TF–target gene associations, they still face a significant challenge related to constructing a robust dataset of positive and negative samples. Currently, methods do not adequately focus on selecting negative samples, resulting in incomplete coverage of potential TF–target gene relationships. This article proposes a method to select enhanced negative samples to improve the prediction performance of TF–target gene interactions. Experimental results show that the proposed method achieves an average area under the curve (AUC) value of 0.9024 ± 0.0008 through 5-fold cross-validation. These results demonstrate the model's high efficiency and accuracy, confirming its potential application in predicting TF–target gene interactions across various datasets and paving the way for large-scale biomedical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractStarch, a naturally occurring polymer, offers wide availability, affordability, eco-friendliness, and biodegradability. It finds extensive application in food packaging, biomedicine, antimicrobial coatings, and other fields. Developing starch-based antimicrobial materials not only facilitates the high-value reuse and sustainable development of waste biomass materials but also emerges as a prominent direction for future advancements in the chemical industry, pharmaceuticals, and food packaging sectors. By modifying starch and combining it with antimicrobial materials, starch-based materials can acquire antimicrobial properties, improve their comprehensive performance, and then expand the range of applications for starch. Herein, the preparation methods of starch-based antimicrobial materials and their application in antimicrobial materials were summarized. Among them, four main preparation methods of starch-based antimicrobial materials were highlighted, including modification, combination with antibiotic, combination with nanomaterials, and combination with antimicrobial polymers, with their respective advantages and disadvantages analyzed. Then, applications of starch-based antimicrobial materials in the packaging and other fields are discussed. Finally, the future of starch-based antimicrobial materials was proposed to be promising, with a continued focus on developing new eco-friendly options, further demonstrating the development of innovative, green functional starch-based antimicrobial materials as a primary research direction in the packaging materials, wound dressings and other industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Co 0.1 -OMS-2 displayed superior performance for catalytic N 2 O decomposition. • Co was incorporated into the framework of OMS-2 via the sol–gel method. • Appropriate Co doping can form highly active Mn-V O -Co sites. • The increased electron density of Mn-V O -Co helped the adsorption of N 2 O. • The decomposition of N 2 O on Co 0.1 -OMS-2 followed Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Direct catalytic decomposition has shown great promise in controlling the greenhouse gas N 2 O. Herein, we synthesize a series of cobalt-doped cryptomethane (OMS-2) catalysts for N 2 O catalytic decomposition by a mild one-step sol–gel method. The Co 0.1 -OMS-2 exhibits superior catalytic performance with 90% N 2 O conversion at 398 °C, which is attributed to the formation of the Mn-V O -Co structure served as active sites. The increased electron density on oxygen vacancies promotes the electron transfer between oxygen vacancies and N 2 O molecules, in turn facilitating the adsorption and activation of N 2 O. Moreover, Co doping reduces the formation energy of oxygen vacancies. However, excessive Co doping results in the decrease of highly active Mn-V O -Co sites and the formation of Co 3 O 4 , which makes Co 0.3 -OMS-2 exhibit poor catalytic activity. The DFT calculation illustrates that Langmuir-Hinshelwood is the primary reaction mechanism over Co 0.1 -OMS-2. This study broadens the materials applicable for the catalytic decomposition of N 2 O, offering an effective approach to modulate the electronic structure at oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Commercial easy-sintered Al 2 O 3 is typically added with several hundred ppm MgO to facilitate sintering and suppress abnormal grain growth. However, such MgO addition increases slurry viscosity owing to hydration, complicating aqueous Al 2 O 3 processing. Because the surface properties of Al 2 O 3 can be tailored by adjusting processing parameters, this study investigated the effects of various MgO-precursors MgCO 3 , Mg(NO 3) 2 , Mg(OH) 2 , and MgO on the rheological and sintering properties of α-Al 2 O 3 containing 0–3000 ppm MgO. The results revealed that the slurry viscosity, sintered density, and microstructure were significantly influenced by the precursor amount and type, with 1200 ppm MgO addition using Mg(OH) 2 followed by sintering at 1650 °C for 2 h demonstrating optimal sintering properties. The observed variations in rheological and sintering behavior depending on the precursors were attributed to differences in Mg2+ ion distribution and surface chemistry, as evidenced by energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry and Fourier-transform infrared analysis, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABCB1 is a broad-spectrum efflux pump central to cellular drug handling and multidrug resistance in humans. However, how it is able to recognize and transport a wide range of diverse substrates remains poorly understood. Here we present cryo-EM structures of lipid-embedded human ABCB1 in conformationally distinct apo-, substrate-bound, inhibitor-bound, and nucleotide-trapped states at 3.4–3.9 Å resolution, in the absence of stabilizing antibodies or mutations. The substrate-binding site is located within one half of the molecule and, in the apo state, is obstructed by the transmembrane helix (TM) 4. Substrate and inhibitor binding are distinguished by major TM rearrangements and their ligand binding chemistry, with TM4 playing a central role in all conformational transitions. Furthermore, our data identify secondary structure-breaking residues that impart localized TM flexibility and asymmetry between the two transmembrane domains. The resulting structural changes and lipid interactions that are induced by substrate and inhibitor binding can predict substrate-binding profiles and may direct ABCB1 inhibitor design. Synopsis: ABCB1-dependent multidrug resistance is a major cause of reduced efficacy of drug-based therapy. The cryo-EM-derived structures of ABCB1 presented here reveal a previously uncharacterized autoinhibitory mechanism and shed light on how substrates are able to stimulate ATPase activity. Cryo-EM structures of human ABCB1 in four distinct conformations were determined in a lipid environment without using conformationally stabilizing antibodies or mutations. In the Apo state, the autoinhibitory trans-membrane helix 4 (TM4) adopts a kinked conformation, forming a central bundle with TM6 and TM12 that closes off the central cavity. Substrate (Taxol)- and inhibitor (zosuquidar)-bound structures show completely different transmembrane domain (TMD) orientations and binding chemistry, allowing substrate vs inhibitor discrimination. Resolution of an inward-facing closed apo-state points to strategies for the development of ABCB1 inhibitors that could prevent substrate access to the TMD. Novel aspects of the ABCB1 drug transport cycle and its inhibition are illuminated by four structures produced without the aid of extrinsic stabilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The endothelial barrier (EB) is a critical component of the body's homeostatic mechanisms, thus developing effective imaging techniques to visualize its integrity is essential. The EB disruption is accompanied by the alternations in permeability and even the breakdown of tight junctions (TJs), leading to the leakage of albumin; thus, albumin can serve as a biomarker for EB disruption. Herein, we develop an albumin-specific, covalently tagged near-infrared II (NIR-II) dye, with its high selectivity for endogenous albumin, for targeted imaging EB disruption. Our albumin-tagging dye serves as a chromophore to construct NIR-II fluorescent proteins in situ, with substantially improved brightness. Thus, through in situ dye tagging of endogenous albumin as the efficient "targeting agent," we can precisely image disruptions in various endothelial barriers. Unlike the traditional exogenous targeting agents (e.g., dye-labeled antibodies) with enzymatic degradation or immune system capture issues, in situ albumin tagging demonstrates superhigh performance for targeted imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between festival travel motivation, festival destination image, attitude toward festivals in tourism, and travel behavior within the festival tourism context in Vietnam. It also explores the moderating influence of festival identity on these relationships. Grounded in the theory of planned behavior, the study engaged 531 Vietnamese participants to investigate the relationships between various constructs in the context of festival tourism. The findings reveal significant relationships between variables, except festival motivation and festival travel intention. Furthermore, festival identity does moderate the relationships between attitude toward festivals in tourism and festival travel intention, as well as between festival destination image and festival travel intention. These findings contribute to understanding festival tourism in Vietnam and provide insights for stakeholders to enhance festival experiences and promote desired travel behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The Co 0.1 -OMS-2 displayed superior performance for catalytic N 2 O decomposition. • Co was incorporated into the framework of OMS-2 via the sol–gel method. • Appropriate Co doping can form highly active Mn-V O -Co sites. • The increased electron density of Mn-V O -Co helped the adsorption of N 2 O. • The decomposition of N 2 O on Co 0.1 -OMS-2 followed Langmuir-Hinshelwood mechanism. Direct catalytic decomposition has shown great promise in controlling the greenhouse gas N 2 O. Herein, we synthesize a series of cobalt-doped cryptomethane (OMS-2) catalysts for N 2 O catalytic decomposition by a mild one-step sol–gel method. The Co 0.1 -OMS-2 exhibits superior catalytic performance with 90% N 2 O conversion at 398 °C, which is attributed to the formation of the Mn-V O -Co structure served as active sites. The increased electron density on oxygen vacancies promotes the electron transfer between oxygen vacancies and N 2 O molecules, in turn facilitating the adsorption and activation of N 2 O. Moreover, Co doping reduces the formation energy of oxygen vacancies. However, excessive Co doping results in the decrease of highly active Mn-V O -Co sites and the formation of Co 3 O 4 , which makes Co 0.3 -OMS-2 exhibit poor catalytic activity. The DFT calculation illustrates that Langmuir-Hinshelwood is the primary reaction mechanism over Co 0.1 -OMS-2. This study broadens the materials applicable for the catalytic decomposition of N 2 O, offering an effective approach to modulate the electronic structure at oxygen vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Color vision is thought to play a key role in the evolution of animal coloration, while achromatic vision is rarely considered as a mechanism for species recognition. Here we test the hypothesis that brightness vision rather than color vision helps Adelpha fessonia butterflies identify potential mates while their co-mimetic wing coloration is indiscriminable to avian predators. We examine the trichromatic visual system of A. fessonia and characterize its photoreceptors using RNA-seq, eyeshine, epi-microspectrophotometry, and optophysiology. We model the discriminability of its wing color patches in relation to those of its co-mimic, A. basiloides, through A. fessonia and avian eyes. Visual modeling suggests that neither A. fessonia nor avian predators can readily distinguish the co-mimics' coloration using chromatic or achromatic vision under natural conditions. These results suggest that mimetic colors are well-matched to visual systems to maintain mimicry, and that mate avoidance between these two look-alike species relies on other cues. Functional characterization and modeling of a mimetic butterfly's trichromatic visual system sheds light on the cues used for mate detection in the context of mimicry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatoblastoma (HB) is the most common pediatric liver malignancy, with its significant heterogeneity complicating the identification of the most aggressive subtypes and the development of targeted therapies. In this study, we performed transcriptomic analysis of HB samples from the GEO database and identified three distinct molecular subtypes with varying prognostic outcomes. Among them, the proliferative subtype, characterized by enhanced proliferative capacity, poor prognosis, and an immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, was particularly notable. ACSL4 emerged as a critical biomarker of this proliferative subtype, driving HB cell proliferation both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, pharmacological inhibition of ACSL4 using abemaciclib significantly suppressed tumor growth in xenograft models. Mechanistically, ACSL4 was found to promote cell proliferation by downregulating the interferon response signaling pathway which may implicate contribution to immunosuppression in the tumor. These findings underscore the pivotal role of ACSL4 in HB progression and highlight its potential as a therapeutic target for aggressive HB subtypes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The German Studies Institute Partnership (GIP) between Justus Liebig University Giessen and the University of Hanoi, initiated in 2015, was aiming at strengthening the research skills of lecturers and students in the German department in Hanoi. A central element was the development of the Vietnamese learner corpus (VIELKO), which comprises authentic language data from Vietnamese learners of German and serves as the basis for empirical studies. In addition, the GIP supported the curricular reform of the German language course, in particular through the introduction of the vocational specialization „German as a Foreign Language". This article reports on the implementation of the objectives and their results. It will be shown that the GIP has made a significant contribution to the further development of the Vietnamese partner institute, particularly in terms of academic qualification, promotion of young talent and curricular development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiO2@Ag nanocomposite (NC) has been synthesized by the chemical reduction and Stӧber method for Metal-enhanced fluorescence (MEF) of Rhodmine 6G (R6G) and Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) of Malachite green (MG). As-synthesized SiO2@Ag NC indicated SiO2 nanosphere (NS) and Ag nanoparticle (NP) morphologies. The SiO2@Ag NC was high quality with a well-defined crystallite phase with average sizes of 24 nm and 132 nm for Ag NP and SiO2 NC, respectively. By using SiO2@Ag NC, the photoluminescence (PL) intensity of the R6G (at 59.17 ppm) was increased approximately 133 times. The SERS of the MG (at 1.0 ppm) with SiO2@Ag NC as substrate clearly observed vibrational modes in MG dye at 798, 916, 1172, 1394, and 1616 cm−1. As a result, the SERS enhancement factor (EFSERS) at 1172 cm−1 obtained 6.3 × 106. This initial study points to the potential of SiO2@Ag NC as a promising material for MEF and SERS substrates to detect dyes at low concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Five species of Alexandrium (A. affine, A. fraterculus, A. leei, A. pseudogonyaulax, and A. tamiyavanichii) are commonly found in Vietnamese waters. They were distinguished based on their apical pore complex (A.P.C), precingular first plate (1′), ventral pore (Vp), and sulcal platelets. A genetic analysis was conducted using nuclear rDNA sequences of ITS and LSU (D1–D3, D8–D10). The growth rates of A. fraterculus, A. leei, A. tamiyavanichii, and A. pseudogonyaulax were quite similar. Specifically, these four species had the highest growth rates at two temperature levels of 24 °C and 27 °C, at salinities ranging from 25 psu to 35 psu. Furthermore, these species were able to adapt to a low salinity of 20 psu at temperatures from 18 °C to 27 °C. No Paralytic Shellfish Toxins (PSTs) were found in the two Alexandrium affine strains, VINVN01-1 and VINVN01-2. The detection limit for PSTs ranged from 0.45 to 15.5 fg cell−1, depending on the molecular response and available biomass. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As processor performance advances, the cache has become an essential component of computer architecture. Moreover, the rapid digital transformation of daily life has resulted in electronic devices storing greater amounts of sensitive information. Thus, device users are becoming more concerned about the security of their personal information, so improving processor performance is no longer the sole priority. Hardware vulnerabilities are generally more difficult to detect and address compared to software viruses and related threats. A common technique for exploiting hardware vulnerabilities is through side-channel attacks. They can bypass software security to extract personal information directly from hardware components like the cache or registers. This paper introduces a novel architecture for the arithmetic logic unit (ALU) and associated memory controller (MC) based on the RISC-V microarchitecture to mitigate side-channel attacks. The proposed approach employs hardware-generated random numbers and has minimal design costs, negligible impact on the original system structure, seamless integration, and easy modification of internal components. Results are presented that show it is effective against side-channel attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the most important and difficult challenges in the research of molecular evolution is modeling the process of amino acid substitutions. Although single-matrix models, such as the LG model, are popular, their capability to properly capture the heterogeneity of the substitution process across sites is still questioned. Several mixture models with multiple matrices have been introduced and shown to offer advantages over single-matrix models. Current general mixture models assume the reversibility of the evolutionary process, implying that substitution rates between any two amino acids are equal in both forward and backward directions. This assumption is not based on biological properties but rather on computational simplicity. The well-known hypothesis is that more realistic models can yield more accurate evolutionary inferences; therefore, our aim is to estimate more biologically realistic models. To this end, we relax the assumption of reversibility and introduce two new general non-reversible 4-matrix mixture models, called nT4M and nT4X. Using alignments from HSSP and TreeBASE databases as data, our newly estimated models outperformed all single-matrix models and almost all reversible mixture models. Moreover, the new non-reversible mixture models enable us to infer rooted trees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We use principal component analysis to create three indices that measure the economic development of eleven cities in the Guangdong – Hong Kong – Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) over 2010–2019. The indices, composed of sixteen socio-economic indicators spanning five dimensions: macro, openness, consumption, human capital, and diversification, track individual cities and the whole region's performance. The Economic Progress Index indicates that the GBA made great strides in all dimensions. The region went through a structural transformation toward services and became more diversified, as confirmed by the Economic Diversification Index. The Economic Convergence Index shows that the cities became more similar in the human capital and consumption dimensions, which is conducive to labor mobility and risk sharing in the region. A comparison with Yangtze River Delta and Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei confirms a rapid integration in the GBA in these two dimensions and calls for more collaboration to promote trade and FDI in less developed GBA cities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature has ignored the mediating role of uncertainty in the link between monetary policy and bank lending. Using data from commercial banks in Vietnam from 2007 to 2019, this article expands the literature stream on monetary policy transmission by investigating the impact of uncertainty on the bank lending channel. We employ the variability of shocks to bank-specific factors to measure banking uncertainty and a set of interest- and money-supply-based instruments to capture monetary indicators. We reveal that bank loan growth may increase in response to monetary expansion when the regulatory authority lowers interest rates or increases liquidity injection. Further analysis shows that this bank lending channel is less effective with increased uncertainty in the banking sector. Our finding firmly holds with the generalized method of moments (GMM) estimator and the least squares dummy variable corrected (LSDVC) technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the increasing complexity of the distribution network structure, enhancing the efficiency and reliability during fault restoration has become a focal point. Based on the multi-source information collected by traditional sensors, such as CT and PT, and intelligent sensors, such as D-PMU, and the graph calculation model, the fault recovery problem of a multi-objective distribution network is studied. Firstly, a power flow calculation model and operation constraint adaptable to topology changes are proposed under the graph calculation framework. The minimum spanning tree theory is utilized to define the blackout range and recovery path set. Secondly, the intelligent sensor D-PMU is configured to collect fault information to ensure that at least one of any two connected load vertices is configured with D-PMU. Thirdly, a topological evolution model is established that considers repeated primary and secondary transfer in outage areas while exploring possible recovery strategies deeply. Finally, a distribution network in Shaanxi Province is taken as an example to verify the model. The experiment shows that the strategy in this paper dynamically adjusts the recovery strategy through four means—one transfer, one repeat transfer in the outage area, two transfers, and cutting off part of the outage load—and the overall recovery rate is increased by more than 20%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposes a novel approach for predicting the output behaviors of the Pepperl+Fuchs 3RG6232-3JS00-PF ultrasonic sensor. The sensor, integrated into the Festo MPS-PA Didactic System, serves to monitor the water level in a tank, facilitating water extraction to bottles delivered via a conveyor belt. This modeling approach represents the initial phase in the creation of a digital twin of the physical sensor, providing the capability for users to observe the sensor's response and forecast its life cycle for maintenance objectives. This study utilizes the Festo MPS-PA Compact Didactic System and support vector regression (SVR) for data acquisition (DAQ), preprocessing, and model training with hyperparameter optimization. The objective of this modeling approach is to establish a digital framework for transition towards Industry 4.0. It holds the potential for creating a digital counterpart of the entire MPS-PA System when combining the proposed sensor modeling technique with computer-assisted design (CAD) software such as Siemens NX in the future. This would enable users to oversee the entire process in a three-dimensional visualization engine, such as Tecnomatix Plant Simulation. This research significantly contributes to the comprehension and application of digital twins in the realm of mechatronics and sensor systems technology. It also underscores the importance of digital twins in enhancing the efficiency and predictability of sensor systems. The method used in this paper involves predicting the rate of change (RoC) of the water level and then integrating this rate to estimate the actual water level, providing a robust approach for sensor data modeling and digital twin creation. The result shows a promising 6.99 % error percentage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Caenorhabditis elegans is commonly used to assess the neurotoxicity of environmental pollutants, studies that explore the intricate biology of its nervous system, particularly those addressing long-term effects and aging in adult worms, are rare. These models offer significant advantages for understanding the full spectrum of neurobiological impacts. Here, we investigated the effects of silica nanomaterials on the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) neural system in young to middle-aged nematodes and found a unique degeneration pattern characterized by loss of anterior- and posteriormost GABAergic D-type motor neurons. Four-day-old nematodes were identified as a vulnerable age group, where the pollutant-accelerated neurodegeneration that is typically seen in old C. elegans. Proteomics of 4-day-old C. elegans revealed significant alterations of protein abundance, including the downregulation of proteins such as glutamate dehydrogenase (gdh-1) and glutamate oxaloacetate transaminase (got-1.2), which are essentially involved in GABA metabolic pathways. Consistent with these findings, we demonstrated locomotion deficits in C. elegans exposed to nanoscale silica by establishing a semi-automated behavioral arena. Our setup not only visualizes but also automatically quantifies vulnerabilities at the individual worm level. This novel neurodegeneration model now enables the simulation of real-world pollutant mixtures and environmental conditions, capturing the complexity of the exposome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increase in lightweight models based on the YOLO architecture has been a notable trend in recent years. However, most of these models are designed for specific application scenarios, often requiring researchers to redesign lightweight models for different scenarios, thereby increasing development costs. To address this challenge, this paper proposes an efficient lightweight strategy that can be integrated into existing YOLO models, eliminating the need for network architecture redesign. Specifically, the strategy comprises three modules: the lightweight feature extraction module (LFEM), the multi-feature shared convolution module (MSCH), and the feature segmentation and sparse optimization module (LDown). The LFEM module enhances the efficiency of feature extraction in the backbone network by generating potentially redundant feature maps employing standard convolution. The MSCH module reduces the number of parameters in the detection head using shared convolutional layers. The LDown module utilizes feature segmentation for downsampling operations and incorporates the NAM attention mechanism to leverage sparse feature information. To validate the effectiveness of this strategy, we applied it to various YOLO models, including YOLOv5, YOLOv6, YOLOv8, YOLOv10, YOLO-lite, SPDConv, YOLO-Drone, Hyper-YOLO, RCS-YOLO, and ASF-YOLO. We conducted experiments on the DOTA, Pascal VOC2012, and TZ-Plane datasets. The experimental results demonstrate that our proposed lightweight strategy effectively adapts to different models across various target detection scenarios. Moreover, it achieves a substantial reduction in computational complexity while maintaining detection performance. The source code will be made available at . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]