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Photothermal therapy (PTT) has garnered considerable attention as an attractive treatment tool for cancer due to precisely selective treatment and minimal side effects. The primary challenge of PTT, which hinders its widespread application, is the limited therapeutic depth. This limitation arises from optical scattering in biological tissues, causing inadequate heat distribution within the deep tissue. To overcome this challenge, ultrasound‐assisted PTT (ULTRA‐PTT) is proposed that leverages the temporary formation of gas bubbles induced by ultrasound within the light propagation path. These bubbles act as optical clearing agents, effectively reducing optical scattering in biological tissues. To facilitate ULTRA‐PTT, a dedicated handpiece consisting of a ring‐shaped ultrasound transducer and a laser delivery module is developed. In‐vivo experiments show that ULTRA‐PTT statistically outperforms conventional PTT in melanoma treatment, mostly due to its ability to deliver sufficient laser energy to deep‐seated cancer cells. These findings underscore the potential of ULTRA‐PTT to expand the clinical applications of PTT beyond local tumors occurring in superficial tissue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trigeminal neuralgia (TN) is a debilitating condition characterized by sudden, excruciating facial pain due to neurovascular compression of the trigeminal nerve. Stent deployment can change the course of the superior cerebellar artery upwards, possibly releasing the root entry zone of the trigeminal nerve. We developed a novel stent, the Transform stent, for TN treatment, and evaluated its mechanical properties using benchtop and in vitro hemocompatibility tests. We compared the performance of Transform and Enterprise stents in treating TN because they share similar self-expanding closed-cell features in the manufacturing process, are derived from nitinol tubes, and are fabricated through a laser-cutting process, but also because only the safety of Enterprise stents deployed in intracranial arteries has been reported clinically. All benchtop measurements, including radial force, trackability, bending stiffness, and conformability, were performed thrice for each stent model, and their average values are presented. Transform stents showed higher radial forces in vessels of diameters ranging from 1.0 mm than Enterprise stents. The trackability of the Transform stent was better than that of the Enterprise stent in a neurovascular model. Bending stiffness was stronger in the Transform stent whereas conformability was superior in the Enterprise stent. No significant thrombogenic issues were observed in the in vitro hemocompatibility tests. This study demonstrated the Transform stent as a potential option and paved the way for innovative endovascular approaches for the future TN treatment. Namely, the study confirmed that the characteristics of Transform stents at benchtop and in vitro evaluations may be used as a first step for studies such as in vivo pre- and clinical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The similarity in metabolite types of the newly identified metabolites indicates that lysoPC may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD. The selected metabolites are represented by compound ID (annotated name) and RT m/z. gl To evaluate the discriminative ability of the key metabolites in diagnosing AD, we conducted a univariate receiver operating characteristic curve analysis (Figure 1B). The clinical parameters included the severity index of AD (scoring of atopic dermatitis, SCORAD), the total serum IgE (kU/L), specific IgE to I D.f i (kU/L), and eosinophil (%). [Extracted from the article]

This paper proposes a phase compensation in the synchronous frame for applying modulated model predictive control (MMPC) to a high-speed motor. In the conventional MMPC, when future values for the control variable are predicted, it is necessary to assume that the other variables have constant values during one sample period. However, under a high electrical frequency, this assumption provokes a prediction error, which affects the steady state response. Hence, to improve the precision for predicting variables, the phase variation in the synchronous frame is analyzed and compensation methods are proposed. In particular, the instantaneous variance for the back electromotive force during one sampling period is analyzed, and a compensation method for its variance is derived. To validate the effectiveness of the proposed compensation methods, a motor drive system that can be operated at 3000 rpm is built and tested. Simulation and experiments are performed while comparing the transient and steady state responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a silicon carbide (SiC) metal oxide semiconductor field effect transistor (MOSFET) based a solid-state circuit breaker (SSCB) with a desaturation detection method. Since the SiC MOSFET has a higher switching speed than general semiconductors, the SSCB can achieve faster and higher blocking performance. However, protecting SiC MOSFETs from short circuit conditions is not easy, because fault blocking occurs with a large overshoot in the drain-source voltage. Thus, this paper proposes design methods for a snubber circuit and a desaturation detecting method to protect SiC MOSFETs. This design method is based on SSCB blocking operation equations, and a simulation is conducted to verify the equations. In addition, the stray components of the printed circuit board (PCB) are simulated to make an exact comparison with experiments. An SSCB is built based on the equation and tested under fault conditions. The experimental results demonstrate that the proposed SSCB blocks short circuit current of less than 0.9 µs. Finally, a thermal test is conducted at the rated load to validate the heat control performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes the proportional integral (PI) backpropagation neural network (BPNN) algorithm to improve the transient voltage control performance in an LLC resonant converter whose voltage gain is highly nonlinear. In the proposed method, the PI linear controller roughly regulates the operating frequency of the LLC converter according to the voltage gain. Moreover, the BPNN nonlinear controller compensates for the frequency in the transient and steady states. It also improves the dynamics. Compared with traditional artificial neural network algorithms, the proposed BPNN can reduce the computational burden of the digital controller and improve the accuracy of the time-series prediction by reflecting previously predicted results in the learning process. Hence, the proposed method is suitable for real-time applications, such as power electronic converters. The structure and the learning procedure of the proposed PI-BPNN controller are explained in detail, together with the modeling and the control scheme of the LLC converter. A 5.5 kW LLC converter prototype is built and tested to verify the performance of the proposed method. The load step experimental results show that compared with the traditional PI control algorithm, the proposed PI-BPNN reduces the transient response time by up to 25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biosignals from wearable sensors have shown great potential for capturing environmental distress that pedestrians experience from negative stimuli (e.g., abandoned houses, poorly maintained sidewalks, graffiti, and so forth). This physiological monitoring approach in an ambulatory setting can mitigate the subjectivity and reliability concerns of traditional self-reported surveys and field audits. However, to date, most prior work has been conducted in a controlled setting and there has been little investigation into utilizing biosignals captured in real-life settings. This research examines the usability of biosignals (electrodermal activity, gait patterns, and heart rate) acquired from real-life settings to capture the environmental distress experienced by pedestrians. We collected and analyzed geocoded biosignals and self-reported stimuli information in real-life settings. Data was analyzed using spatial methods with statistical and machine learning models. Results show that the machine learning algorithm predicted location-based collective distress of pedestrians with 80% accuracy, showing statistical associations between biosignals and the self-reported stimuli. This method is expected to advance our ability to sense and react to not only built environmental issues but also urban dynamics and emergent events, which together will open valuable new opportunities to integrate human biological and physiological data streams into future built environments and/or walkability assessment applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a fungal metabolite, australifungin possesses an α-diketone and a β-ketoaldehyde moiety on its trans -decalin backbone. Microwave-assisted intramolecular Diels–Alder reaction was used as a key strategy to establish the trans -decalin moiety. Further functionalization of the ring B side chain installed the β-ketoaldehyde, one of the two unique functional groups along with the α-diketone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing Global Path Planning (GPP) algorithms predominantly presume planning in static environments. This assumption immensely limits their applications to Unmanned Surface Vehicles (USVs) that typically navigate in dynamic environments. To address this limitation, we present OkayPlan, a GPP algorithm capable of generating safe and short paths in dynamic scenarios at a real-time executing speed (125 Hz on a desktop-class computer). Specifically, we approach the challenge of dynamic obstacle avoidance by formulating the path planning problem as an Obstacle Kinematics Augmented Optimization Problem (OKAOP), which can be efficiently resolved through a PSO-based optimizer at a real-time speed. Meanwhile, a Dynamic Prioritized Initialization (DPI) mechanism that adaptively initializes potential solutions for the optimization problem is established to further ameliorate the solution quality. Additionally, a relaxation strategy that facilitates the autonomous tuning of OkayPlan's hyperparameters in dynamic environments is devised. Comprehensive experiments, including comparative evaluations, ablation studies, and applications to 3D physical simulation platforms, have been conducted to substantiate the efficacy of our approach. Results indicate that OkayPlan outstrips existing methods in terms of path safety, length optimality, and computational efficiency, establishing it as a potent GPP technique for dynamic environments. The video and code associated with this paper are accessible at https://github.com/XinJingHao/OkayPlan. • An obstacle kinematics augmented path planning problem is formulated. • A dynamic prioritized initialization mechanism is introduced to improve planning. • A relaxation strategy is established to facilitate hyperparameter tuning. • A real-time path planning algorithm for dynamic environments is established. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new high-gain antenna structure is proposed for mmWave 5G and potentially for B5G and 6G applications. The proposed antenna is configured by a planar segmented patch structure that has a radiator size comparable to the conventional patch but achieves more than 3 dB gain enhancement without a help of superstrate stack-up layer. The proposed planar segmented antenna (PSA) induces multiple magnetic currents through multiple segmented conductors, resulting in a strong magnetic field circulation around the conductors. Only one conductor requires an excitation port and each segmented conductor has a shorting pin to synchronize resonance currents. To verify the PSA operation, several prototypes were fabricated at 28 GHz with the identical volume of $1.213\,\,\lambda _{0} \times 1.213\,\,\lambda _{0} \times 0.113\,\,\lambda _{0}$ , including the ground plane. The maximum measured impedance bandwidth of the single PSA was 23.1%. Furthermore, the measured maximum antenna gain was 11.5 dBi, whereas the same sized reference patch antenna showed only 6.3 dBi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cellular senescence is protective against external oncogenic stress, but its accumulation causes aging‐related diseases. Forkhead box O4 (FOXO4) and p53 are human transcription factors known to promote senescence by interacting with each other and activating p21 transcription. Inhibition of the interaction is a strategy for inducing apoptosis of senescent cells, but the binding surfaces that mediate the FOXO4–p53 interaction remain elusive. Here, we investigated two binding sites involved in the interaction between FOXO4 and p53 by NMR spectroscopy. NMR chemical shift perturbation analysis showed that the binding between FOXO4's forkhead domain (FHD) and p53's transactivation domain (TAD), and between FOXO4's C‐terminal transactivation domain (CR3) and p53's DNA‐binding domain (DBD), mediate the FOXO4–p53 interaction. Isothermal titration calorimetry data showed that both interactions have micromolar Kd values, and FOXO4 FHD–p53 TAD interaction has a higher binding affinity. We also showed that the intramolecular CR3‐binding surface of FOXO4 FHD interacts with p53 TAD2, and FOXO4 CR3 interacts with the DNA/p53 TAD‐binding surface of p53 DBD, suggesting a network of potentially competitive and/or coordinated interactions. Based on these results, we propose that a network of intramolecular and intermolecular interactions contributes to the two transcription factors' proper localisation on the p21 promoter and consequently promotes p21 transcription and cell senescence. This work provides structural information at the molecular level that is key to understanding the interplay of two proteins responsible for cellular senescence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) is a pathogen that causes high rates of mortality in salmonid fishes. Therefore, an RNA-seq-based transcriptome analysis was performed in the head kidney of rainbow trout infected with a highly virulent IHNV strain to understand the pathogenesis of and defense strategies for IHNV infection in rainbow trout. The results showed that the numbers of DEGs were 618, 2626, and 774 (control vs. IHNV) on days 1, 3, and 5, respectively. Furthermore, the enrichment analysis of gene ontology (GO) annotations to classify DEGs showed that GO terms considerably associated with DEGs were gluconeogenesis, inflammatory response, and cell adhesion in the Biological Process (BP) category, apical plasma membrane, extracellular matrix (ECM) in the Cellular Component category, and transporter activity, integrin binding, and protein homodimerization activity in the Molecular Function category, on days 1, 3, and 5, respectively. Notably, GO terms in the BP category, including the negative regulation of type I interferon production and positive regulation of interleukin-1β secretion, were commonly identified at all time points. In the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis, complement and coagulation cascades were commonly identified at all time points. Importantly, the widely recognized GO terms and KEGG pathways extensively linked to DEGs were related to energy metabolism on day 1, the immune response on day 3, and cell proliferation on day 5. Furthermore, protein–protein interaction networks and centrality analysis showed that the metabolism and signaling transduction pathways were majorly upregulated. Conclusively, the virulent IHNV infection drives pathogenesis by activating the metabolic energy pathway for energy use for viral replication, facilitating necrosis through autophagy, and causing a shutoff response of the host immune system through the downregulation of type I IFN at the initial stage of infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving worker safety and health is one of the most important managerial points on construction sites, attributed to their poor safety record (e.g., high fatality and injury rates). Extensive research efforts have been made by using wearable physiological technology to measure workers' fatigue and stress levels, monitor their attentional distribution, and better identify safety hazards with the ultimate goal of preventing construction accidents by analyzing physiological responses (e.g., heart rate, brain activity, visual attention, pupillary response). These responses present a unique potential as they contain critical information associated with human perception and cognition as well as the surrounding environmental conditions. While several researchers have attempted to review application areas of wearable physiological technology in the construction safety and health domain, they are limited in providing sufficient details on the advancement of data processing methods (e.g., data preprocessing, feature extraction, statistical models, and prediction algorithms). To fill this gap, this systematic review aims to provide a holistic exploration of the construction safety and health literature to identify application areas and challenges in incorporating wearable physiological technology. The findings from this review will help identify the key processes to shape the technological transformation based on the trends and capabilities of wearable physiological technology, guide future researchers in developing their own studies, and facilitate the future utilization of wearable physiological technology in the construction safety and health domain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The direct ammonia solid oxide fuel cell (DA-SOFC) is a promising energy conversion device that directly utilizes the ammonia as a fuel through the ammonia cracking inside the fuel electrode. However, because given that various operating parameters related to the electrochemical performance and ammonia cracking reaction, which significantly affects the efficiency and performance of DA-SOFCs, have multi-dimensional and complex correlations under multi-physics situations, considerable time, cost, and manpower investments are required to find the optimum operating conditions. Here, we demonstrate the effectiveness of Bayesian optimization (BO), an iterative response-model-based global optimization algorithm, when used for the rapid determination of the optimum operating conditions of DA-SOFCs. First, we compared nine BO-based models with 1,140 collected data sets for the ground truth, with four-dimensional variable conditions, i.e., the temperature, voltage, fuel flow rate, and the ammonia mole fraction. To select the appropriate BO model, we evaluated the performance of each model, which have the surrogate models (Matérn kernel 3/2 and 5/2, and radial basis function) and the acquisition functions (Probability of improvement (PI), Expected improvement, and Lower confidence bound). Among them, the surrogate model consisting of a Matérn kernel 3/2 and the acquisition function of PI exhibits the highest performance with high reliability when tasked with finding the global optimum with ground-truth data. Thereafter, this model is introduced to find the optimum operating conditions without the ground truth. With only four experimental trials, it finds a better operating condition that shows 10–20 % higher current density compared to that under conventionally used conditions. • We proved that BO is effective technique to optimize the DA-SOFC operation. • Performance evaluations of BO models are systematically performed. • BO could rapidly suggest the better operating parameters for the DA-SOFC. • We demonstrated the high universality of BO in the various situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• One-step fabrication of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes enriched with β-Phase is developed. • Electrospun PVDF with near infrared radiation (NIR) exhibit dense and compact porous membranes. • The NIR-treated electrospun PVDF show significant improvements as secondary battery separators. This study reports a one-step fabrication method to prepare polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membranes enriched with electroactive β-Phase in application for secondary battery separator using near infrared radiation (NIR) heated electrospinning techniques. The electrospun PVDF fibrous membranes with NIR heating applied were investigated by various characterizations and measurements. The results present that NIR heating during electrospinning not only increased the β phase content and mechanical strength of the PVDF membranes but also improved the electrochemical performances, suggesting its potential suitability in the battery separator applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Categorizing residential energy demand patterns is a principal task for demand-side management (DSM) and energy-saving strategies. While deep learning (DL)-based clustering offers a promising alternative to conventional machine learning (ML), DL's advantages and disadvantages over ML still remain unclear in identifying energy demand patterns. Moreover, prevalent DL-based clustering can suffer from catastrophic feature distortion when capturing load-shape information from energy-load data, leading to erroneous pattern identification. To address these issues, we propose integrating a load-shape preservation mechanism into representative DL-based clustering and investigate its effectiveness in categorizing energy demand patterns, compared to existing ML and DL. We experiment and compare the three clustering approaches using one-year residential energy-load data. Results show that the proposed DL, equipped with load-shape preservation, outperformed ML quantitatively and closely aligns with the baseline DL's performance. This is particularly significant considering that the baseline DL prioritizes quantitative enhancements, sometimes compromising load-shape precision. Furthermore, the proposed DL discovered more diverse energy demand patterns than the baseline ML and DL, while producing more human-agreeable results. This finding underscores the pivotal role of load-shape preservation in enhancing data clustering and demand pattern recognition in the real-world. These benefits will facilitate personalized DSM interventions and foster residents' energy-saving behaviors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proteins from Sulfolobus solfataricus (S. solfataricus), an extremophile, are active even at high temperatures. The single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) binding protein of S. solfataricus (SsoSSB) is overexpressed to protect ssDNA during DNA metabolism. Although SsoSSB has the potential to be applied in various areas, its structural and ssDNA binding properties at high temperatures have not been studied. We present the solution structure, backbone dynamics, and ssDNA binding properties of SsoSSB at 50 °C. The overall structure is consistent with the structures previously studied at room temperature. However, the loop between the first two β sheets, which is flexible and is expected to undergo conformational change upon ssDNA binding, shows a difference from the ssDNA bound structure. The ssDNA binding ability was maintained at high temperature, but different interactions were observed depending on the temperature. Backbone dynamics at high temperature showed that the rigidity of the structured region was well maintained. The investigation of an N-terminal deletion mutant revealed that it is important for maintaining thermostability, structure, and ssDNA binding ability. The structural and dynamic properties of SsoSSB observed at high temperature can provide information on the behavior of proteins in thermophiles at the molecular level and guide the development of new experimental techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban built environments often include many negative stimuli (e.g., unleashed dogs, dead animals, litter, graffiti, abandoned vehicles) that are linked with stress symptomatology among urban populations. Biosignals (e.g., electrodermal activity, gait patterns, and blood volume pulse) can help assess pedestrian distress levels induced by negative environmental stimuli by overcoming the measurement limitations of traditional self-reporting methods and field observations. Despite their potential, biosignals from naturalistic outdoor environments are often contaminated by uncontrollable extraneous factors (e.g., movement artifacts, physiological reactivity due to unintended stimuli, and individual variability). Thus, more quantitative evidence and novel methodological approaches are required to accurately capture pedestrian environmental distress resulting from negative environmental stimuli. In this context, we investigate the interplay between pedestrians' biosignal data and image-based data (built environment feature information and perceptual distress levels identified from images) in a machine learning model. Results from the statistical model estimated with the biosignal data demonstrated significant physiological responses to the negative environmental stimuli. The use of the features from image-based data increased the prediction accuracy of the computational model. This method can be applied to geospatial intelligence, further advancing built environmental assessments and evidence-based approaches to promote walking and walkable communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a modulated model predictive control (MMPC) of a highly efficient and reliable inverter concept (HERIC) active front end (AFE) converter equipped with an LCL filter. The proposed method is based on the model predictive control (MPC) concept and obtains the optimized duty cycle by using three-level switching states which can be implemented in the HERIC converter. By doing so, the AFE converter achieves fast and precise current control. In addition, the obtained duty cycle is not limited to the polarity of the grid voltage, so it is possible to track the current reference more accurately near the zero-crossing points. The first-order approximation model of the LCL filter is derived to simplify the controller design process with the proposed MMPC. After that, the MMPC algorithm is adopted based on this simplified model in the single-phase system. The switching pattern of the HERIC topology is also proposed considering the MMPC under changing polarity of the duty cycle. To verify the performance of the proposed scheme, a 3 kW HERIC AFE converter was built and tested. Both simulation and experimental results demonstrate that the proposed scheme not only improves total harmonic distortion, but also achieves a fast-tracking performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we present an effective methodology for co-design, co-analysis, and the system-level optimization of chiplet/interposer power delivery network (PDN) in 2.5-D integrated chip (IC) designs. In our methodology, we first generate a commercial-grade heterogeneous 2.5-D IC designs including full signal routing and power delivery. We then perform our PDN co-analysis in frequency and time domains on the entire PDN to evaluate various mechanisms added to our PDN designs. Based on our co-analysis results, we perform the system-level optimization on both interposer and chiplet PDNs with the stable performance of power delivery. Finally, we perform power, performance, and area (PPA) analysis and power integrity (PI) on our 2.5-D designs and discuss tradeoffs in chiplet and interposer levels due to PDN optimization. Our experiments show 27.17% improvement in the overall IR-drop in the optimized 2.5-D IC design by increasing the interposer PDN occupancy by 5.52% and inserting the additional PDN grids in chiplet designs. However, we also observe tradeoffs in terms of PPA and PI. By PDN optimization, the optimized design has an 11.6% increase of the total power, while the area of 2.5-D design remains the same. Moreover, from the perspective of PI, the tradeoffs are shown by 0.6% reduction of power efficiency, 32.6% higher output ripple, and 31.5% higher initial ringing because of an inductive behavior of interposer PDN in the optimized design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we report that the high-performance transparent conductive films based on silver nanowires (AgNWs) can be fabricated in a single-step spin-coating process by simply introducing a biocompatible polymer (alginate, Alg) into an aqueous suspension of AgNWs. The presence of Alg in the aqueous suspension enables AgNWs to be deposited on the substrate at a higher density, and AgNWs are uniformly distributed on the substrate without aggregation. In addition, through the treatment process using CaCl2 aqueous solution, the conductivity of the AgNWs films can be further improved and their adhesion to the substrate is also enhanced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facilitating the separate production of ozone (O3) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) in air discharges without a thermal process is of most merit in diversifying plasma technology; in particular, it is a primary requirement in certain cold, heat-sensitive plasma applications. Here, we propose a new method of nonheating ozone suppression in air discharges. The present work demonstrates that controlling the plasma chemical kinetics by adjusting the duration (width) and/or repetition frequency of the high-voltage DC pulse is effective in suppressing ozone formation in a surface dielectric barrier discharge in static ambient air. The temporal development of each oxygen- and nitrogen-related species in air discharge is complicated and shows different trends in the time range <10 µs; relatively long-lived O3 and NOx are strongly governed by the temporal behavior of short-lived reactive species, such as excited N2(A) and N2(v). To quantify time-varying O3 and NOx, an in situ UV absorption spectroscopy is applied to our gas-tight plasma reactor, which is operated in air at 21 °C. With a fixed frequency at 10 kHz and decreasing pulse duration from 10 μs to 0.18 μs, ozone is quenched faster in the plasma reactor, resulting in an irreversible chemical mode transition from an O3- to NO-rich environment. From a different set of experiment (with a 200 ns pulse duration and a frequency range of 1–10 kHz), we can conclude that the off-pulse period also plays a crucial role in the temporal evolution of O3 and NOx; the larger the applied driving frequency is, the earlier the ozone-free phenomenon appears over the discharge time. Our findings represent a breakthrough in expanding the usage of air discharges and their application in various fields of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This document examines the effects of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on health coverage disparities among Asian American populations. The study focuses on the role of educational attainment within different Asian ethnic groups and how the ACA provisions impacted coverage gaps. The findings suggest that the ACA reduced education-related coverage disparities for most Asian ethnic groups, except for the Japanese. The study emphasizes the need to consider intra-group disparities and educational attainment when addressing health coverage disparities within the Asian American population. However, the study acknowledges limitations in its design and reliance on self-reported data. [Extracted from the article]

The global health crisis caused by the recent pandemic has led to increasing social demand for 'new normal' sanitizing and disinfecting facilities to fit our 'new normal' lives. Here, we introduce an inkjet-printed, thin-film plasma source applicable to dry disinfection processes. In contrast to conventional plasma reactors, the merits of plasma produced on a film include disposability, cost-effectiveness, and applicability to high-dimensional objects such as the human body. The developed flexible plasma film can be applied to a wide variety of shapes via origami—remaining plasma stable even when bent. However, electrode degradation has been a practical issue in the long-term operation of inkjet-printed plasma sources, which is troublesome from application perspectives. We focus on making the inkjet-printed electrode more plasma stress-resistant, thereby increasing its lifespan from a few minutes to two hours of continuous operation with optimal inkjet printing and passivation, thus increasing the practicality of the source. Considering the fact that ozone and nitrogen oxides are selectively produced by plasma, we implement a disposable pouch-type plasma source and examine its usefulness in extending the shelf life of food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development paths of smart cities are highly dependent on urban-specific contextual conditions. To be successful in managing smart city projects, it is important to understand the dynamics of urban development, which involve both controllable enablers (e.g., digital, physical, and human infrastructure) and immutable urban contexts (e.g., geographic, demographic, and structural variables) at the municipal level. Although many studies investigated the management-related dynamics intrinsically associated with the development of smart cities, they less considered the influence of urban contextual elements. Thus, it is still challenging to understand how contextual factors specifically affect the dynamics of smart city developments. To address this issue, the authors build upon structural equation modeling (SEM) to quantify the manageable dynamics of smart cities and to assess the maturity level of enablers and the degree of achievement of performance objectives in 50 smart cities. Then, the research analyzed the evolution trends of these evaluation scores under the influences of urban contextual variables. The results demonstrated the particular effects of economic development, geographical region, density, and size of smart cities on their maturation. This paper presents data-driven specifications that formulate the most favorable smart city developmental conditions to help practitioners to improve the planning of future smart city projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) causes clinical diseases and mortality in a wide variety of salmonid species. Here, we studied transcriptional responses in rainbow trout infected by the IHNV-Nagano strain isolated in Korea. RNA-seq-based transcriptome analysis of head kidney tissues cataloged differentially expressed genes. Enrichment analysis of gene ontology annotations was performed, and a total of fifteen biological process terms were commonly identified at all time points. In the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis, pathogen recognition receptor (PRR) signaling pathways such as the retinoic-acid-inducible gene-I-like receptor signaling pathway and the Toll-like receptor signaling pathway were identified at all time points. The nucleotide-binding oligomerization-domain-like receptor signaling pathway and cytosolic DNA-sensing pathway were identified at days 1 and 3. Protein-protein interaction network and centrality analyses revealed that the immune system, signaling molecules, and interaction pathways were upregulated at days 1 and 3, with the highest centrality of tumor necrosis factor. Cancer, cellular community, and endocrine system pathways were downregulated, with the highest centrality of fibronectin 1 at day 5. STAT1 was upregulated from days 1 to 5 with a high centrality. The reproducibility and repeatability of the transcriptome analysis were validated by RT-qPCR. IHNV-Nagano infection dynamically changed the transcriptome profiles in the head kidney of rainbow trout and induced a defense mechanism by regulating the immune and inflammatory pathways through PRR signaling at an early stage. Downregulated pathways involved in extracellular matrix formation and focal adhesion at day 5 indicated the possible failure of wound healing, which is important in the pathogenesis of IHNV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although endolysin (lysin), a muralytic enzyme of bacteriophages, has emerged as a promising antibacterial agent, its use against Gram-negative bacteria is challenging due to the presence of an outer membrane (OM) that acts as a physical barrier. To overcome this limitation, it is crucial to provide lysins with the ability to penetrate or disrupt the OM to access the target peptidoglycan. Here, we fused a lysin LysC02 from phage ΦC02 with nine different amphipathic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) to enhance its intrinsic bactericidal activity against the notorious opportunistic foodborne Gram-negative pathogen Cronobacter sakazakii. Even without OM permeabilizers, the engineered LysC02 fused at the C-terminus with Cecropin P1, Lactoferricin B, or Thanatin exhibited the most enhanced bactericidal activity against C. sakazakii with ∼3-log reduction within 2 h. The action of LysC02-AMPs, the physical destruction of bacterial cells facilitated by the destabilization of the OM by fused AMPs and the intracellular turgor pressure of the cell, occurred over a wide range of temperatures up to 55 °C and pH from 4 to 10. Not only C. sakazakii but also other Gram-negative pathogens were lysed by LysC02-AMPs. Accordingly, LysC02-AMPs were able to significantly rescue Galleria mellonella larvae infected with C. sakazakii in the in vivo treatment model and significantly reduce C. sakazakii cells in food and food contact surface models. Taken together, LysC02-AMPs could be developed as effective alternative disinfectants and therapeutics to control C. sakazakii. [Display omitted] • Endolysin LysC02 with mild intrinsic bactericidal activity has been characterized. • LysC02 fused to amphipathic antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) showed enhanced activity. • LysC02-AMPs physically destroyed Cronobacter cells with the aid of turgor pressure. • LysC02-AMPs significantly rescued C. sakazakii -infected Galleria mellonella larvae. • LysC02-AMPs reduced C. sakazakii cells in food and food contact surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Membrane reciprocation paired with quorum quenching (QQ) combats fouling. • Service time is boosted six-fold through membrane reciprocation and QQ methods. • Synergy reduces physically reversible resistance, enhancing membrane performance. • QQ curbs biofouling, degrading signal molecules but maintaining microbial community. • The combined approach saves > 80 % of energy and minimizes membrane fouling. Membrane bioreactors (MBRs) play a crucial role in wastewater treatment, but they face considerable challenges due to fouling. To tackle this issue, innovative strategies are needed. This study investigated the effectiveness of membrane reciprocation and quorum quenching (QQ) to control fouling in MBRs. The study compared MBRs using membrane reciprocation (30 rpm) and QQ (injecting media containing 100 or 200 mg/L BH4) with conventional MBRs employing different air-scouring intensities. The results demonstrated that combining membrane reciprocation (30 rpm) with QQ (200 mg/L BH4) significantly extended the service time of MBRs, making it approximately six times longer than conventional methods. Moreover, this approach reduced physically reversible resistance. The reduction in signal molecules related to biofouling due to QQ showcased its critical role in controlling biofouling, even under high shear caused by membrane reciprocation. However, the impact of QQ on microbial community structure appeared relatively insignificant when compared to factors such as operation time, aeration intensity, and membrane reciprocation. By combining membrane reciprocation and QQ, the study achieved a remarkable 81 % energy saving compared to extensive aeration (103 s−1 in velocity gradient), in addition to the extended service time. Importantly, this combined antifouling approach did not negatively affect microbial characteristics and wastewater treatment, emphasizing its effectiveness in MBRs. Overall, the findings of this study offer valuable insights for developing synergistic fouling control strategies in MBRs, significantly improving the energy efficiency of the wastewater treatment process. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• System description and simulation. • Energy and exergy analyses of various MCC systems. • Comparison of various systems in terms of SEC. • Analysis of sensitivity to varying internal and external conditions. In this work, we designed a mobile carbon capture (MCC) system that can effectively capture CO 2 from the exhaust gas of diesel engines for applications in commercial vehicles. We present the results of energy and exergy analyses conducted on this system, which includes an energy recovery unit, a cooling unit, CO 2 adsorption and desorption units, and a CO 2 liquefaction unit. Three processes were considered to capture CO 2 : temperature vacuum swing adsorption (TVSA), vacuum pressure swing adsorption (VPSA), and vacuum swing adsorption (VSA). Energy is produced using turbines and generators, which supply the necessary power to run the MCC system, thus overcoming the limitation of mobile devices, i.e., lack of energy source. The energy requirement for each process was found to be in the order of VPSA > TVSA > VSA. In terms of specific energy consumption (SEC) and exergy efficiency, VSA was the most suitable process. As an MCC system, the VSA process consumes a small amount of energy in the designed system, and CO 2 can be captured, liquefied, and stored by utilizing the energy contained in the exhaust gas. Because the TVSA process is expected to operate with less additional energy input, it can be used as an MCC system to improve the efficiency of each process unit. Our study can serve as a basis for advancing carbon capture technologies that can be implemented in commercial vehicles to reduce the greenhouse effect and help control global warming. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen uptake causes hydride formation, lattice strains and other crystallographic changes in Ti6Al4V. To monitor these changes and understand them better, we developed an in situ hydrogen-charging setup for transmission X-ray diffraction, and employed it at a high-energy synchrotron X-ray source. We observed anisotropic lattice expansion by H ingress, as well as hydride formation induced microstrain evolution in both phases. The hydride phase was also crystallographically characterized, including its orientation relationship with the neighboring phases, employing electron backscattered diffraction analysis. Further applications of the presented methodology to investigate H-microstructure interactions are also discussed. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we describe the mechanistic details on the oxidatively induced reductive elimination of isolated methyl iridium and ruthenium metallacycle complexes. It was demonstrated that the otherwise challenging C─C bond formation is indeed facilitated by external oxidation, being enabled under mild conditions. Computational analyses supported the proposed high‐valent pathway, where the energy barrier for reductive elimination significantly decreases upon the metallic oxidation to facilitate the desired C─C bond formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Burgeoning attention has recently been paid to measuring and assessing the effects of urban built environments on pedestrians' physiological signals (e.g., gait patterns, blood volume pulse, and electrodermal activity). Previous studies have attempted to use physiological signals obtained from naturalistic ambulatory settings to assess negative environmental stimuli (e.g., the presence of broken houses, unstable sidewalks, abandoned cars, etc.), but several unanswered questions remain regarding whether physiological signals, which include various confounding factors (e.g., noise, movement artifacts, and individual variability), can capture the impact of negative environmental stimuli on pedestrians. Additionally, our own previous research proposed a saliency detection method to capture the changes in physiological signals caused by negative environmental stimuli. However, the effect of diverse physiological signal patterns on the proposed saliency detection method is still uncertain and needs further analysis (such as analysis regarding the sensitivity of initial input data for signal segmentation, the validity of aggregation across all subjects' data, etc.). In this context, this paper aims to (1) examine the direct association between pedestrians' physiological signals and an isolated negative environmental stimulus and (2) test the use of the saliency detection method to crowdsource identification of pedestrians' environmental distress by using data sets from naturalistic ambulatory settings. The experimental and statistical results, attained from physiological signals, present distinct physiological responses to negative environmental stimuli, and the saliency detection method is also effectual in capturing prominent local patterns. We envisage that the outcome of this study will provide opportunities for advancing urban built environment assessment, especially in terms of promoting neighborhood walkability, increasing feelings of comfort and satisfaction in the urban space, and augmenting residents' quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Moving object detection (MOD) technology was combined to include detection, tracking and classification which provides information such as the local and global position estimation and velocity from around objects in real time at least 15 fps. To operate an autonomous driving vehicle on real roads, a multi-sensor-based object detection and classification module should carry out simultaneously processing in the autonomous system for safe driving. Additionally, the object detection results must have high-speed processing performance in a limited HW platform for autonomous vehicles. To solve this problem, we used the Redmon in DARKNET-based (https://pjreddie.com/darknet/yolo) deep learning method to modify a detector that obtains the local position estimation in real time. The aim of this study was to get the local position information of a moving object by fusing the information from multi-cameras and one RADAR. Thus, we made a fusion server to synchronize and converse the information of multi-objects from multi-sensors on our autonomous vehicle. In this paper, we introduce a method to solve the local position estimation that recognizes the around view which includes the long-, middle- and short-range view. We also describe a method to solve the problem caused by a steep slope and a curving road condition while driving. Additionally, we introduce the results of our proposed MOD-based detection and tracking estimation to achieve a license for autonomous driving in KOREA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In contrast with pseudo-elasticity, martensite induced by plastic straining is known to exhibit limited further transformability and reversibility. The mechanistic and atomistic nature of a face-centered cubic (FCC)-hexagonal close-packing (HCP)-FCC sequential martensitic transformation pathway is investigated. Both transformations exhibit in the plastic realm and contribute to the observed strain hardening. In-situ electron microscopy and synchrotron diffraction verify that the final FCC-phase demonstrates strain accommodation capability. The random emission of Shockley partials in the HCP-martensite is identified as the most plausible atomistic mechanism for the second transformation, which renders a latent potential to dynamically mitigate stress concentration, enhancing strain hardenability. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We present a new framework for theoretical analysis of the noise power spectrum (NPS) of photon‐counting x‐ray detectors, including simple photon‐counting detectors (SPCDs) and spectroscopic x‐ray detectors (SXDs), the latter of which use multiple energy thresholds to discriminate photon energies. Methods: We show that the NPS of SPCDs and SXDs, including spatio‐energetic noise correlations, is determined by the joint probability density function (PDF) of deposited photon energies, which describes the probability of recording two photons of two different energies in two different elements following a single‐photon interaction. We present an analytic expression for this joint PDF and calculate the presampling and digital NPS of CdTe SPCDs and SXDs. We calibrate our charge sharing model using the energy response of a cadmium zinc telluride (CZT) spectroscopic x‐ray detector and compare theoretical results with Monte Carlo simulations. Results: Our analysis shows that charge sharing increases pixel signal‐to‐noise ratio (SNR), but degrades the zero‐frequency signal‐to‐noise performance of SPCDs and SXDs. In all cases considered, this degradation was greater than 10%. Comparing the presampling NPS with the sampled NPS showed that degradation in zero‐frequency performance is due to zero‐frequency noise aliasing induced by charge sharing. Conclusions: Noise performance, including spatial and energy correlations between elements and energy bins, are described by the joint PDF of deposited energies which provides a method of determining the photon‐counting NPS, including noise‐aliasing effects and spatio‐energetic effects in spectral imaging. Our approach enables separating noise due to x‐ray interactions from that associated with sampling, consistent with cascaded systems analysis of energy‐integrating systems. Our methods can be incorporated into task‐based assessment of image quality for the design and optimization of spectroscopic x‐ray detectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chlorogenic acid (CA), a polyphenolic component of fruits, vegetables, coffee, wine, and olive oil, has beneficial effects on human heath, including antioxidant and anticancer effects. However, its precise effects on glioma have not been examined. Objective: Our study aimed to explore the anticancer effects of CA obtained from Viscum album callus on C6 glioma cell migration and proliferation. Materials and Methods: Anticancer potency was analyzed by the 2,3-bis-(2-methoxy-4-nitro-5-sulfophenyl)-2H-tetrazolium-5-carboxanilide salt assay to assess the ability to inhibit cell growth and proliferation. Cell mobility was investigated based on the Boyden chamber and the scratch wound healing assay. Factors involved in cell cycle progression were evaluated by mRNA and protein expression. Cell death was determined by staining with specific dyes and fluorescence microscopy. Results: CA significantly reduced C6 glioma cell proliferation and migration. Furthermore, it induced reactive oxygen species generation and apoptotic cell death. Treatment with CA also suppressed extracellular signal-regulated kinase ½ (ERK½) phosphorylation and the gene expression of cyclins E and A. Conclusion: Our results show that CA may regulate glioma cell migration and proliferation via modulation of ERK½ phosphorylation and cell cycle regulation. Thus, it might be a potent anticancer agent in preventing progression of glioma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen uptake in titanium alloys leads to the formation of hydride phases, which in-turn cause severe embrittlement upon further deformation. The embrittlement micro-mechanisms are complicated by the distinct hydrogen diffusion and solution characteristics of the α and β phases, which arise from their different crystal structures. To improve the fundamental understanding of the room temperature interplay among hydrogen, the present phases and the hydride that is formed at their interface, we investigated the hydride formation process in Ti–6Al–4V alloy by in situ scanning electron microscopy and electron backscatter diffraction analyses during hydrogen charging, and post-mortem synchrotron diffraction tests. These investigations reveal that the lattice expansion of the hydrogenated β phase introduces a localized stress field near the phase boundary, which, in turn, induces hydrogen confinement therein, eventually facilitating the hydride growth along the boundary. The volumetric expansion of the α-to-hydride transformation extends the local stress field, influencing the work-hardening and damage evolution in the alloy. We discuss these findings and the overall damage initiation and propagation taking place in the hydrogenated alloy, based on the interplay among the present phases and hydrogen. Image, graphical abstract [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quantified-self tools track personal data as well as emotional and psychological scores, in real time, of people who use such tools. Such data have potential uses for initiating interactions to induce personal health-related behavior changes. However, notwithstanding this potential, not much benefit has been derived from the data tracked using various devices such as smartphones and fitness trackers. The main research goal of this study is to investigate how interactions of quantified-self tools should be designed for inducing user perception and behavior change. Particularly, this study uses two message representation formats (MRF) for users to perceive self-tracking tools as companion devices because the MRFs of smartphones and fitness trackers are important to interact with users in conversational interaction. This study developed a message expression algorithm, "Samantha," to deliver personalized-messages automatically in real time about the values tracked by these devices to their users. The study studied the effect of the four message representation formats on the perception of companion and to induce behavior change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, cyclic loading experiments were performed to understand the mechanical characteristics of SPHC (hot-rolled mild steel) H-type shear panel dampers in a stud support-type installation. The specimens evaluated had panel width-to-thickness ratios of 48.9 and 52.5. Constant amplitude deformation loading was performed using shear deformation as a variable. A stable spindle-shaped hysteresis curve was exhibited with strength reduction caused by out-of-plane deformation. Maximum strength was achieved near the second cycle for all specimens and the specimens with the lower width-to-thickness ratio exhibited slightly higher strength increase ratios. Similarly, energy absorption capacity depended on load amplitude and width-to-thickness ratio of the panel part and specimens with a smaller width-to-thickness ratios corresponding to larger accumulative energy dissipation. Based on the Manson–Coffin law, the deformation capacity of the tested specimens was found to be lower throughout the fatigue curve when compared with the relative architectural guidelines. • Cyclic loading tests were conducted on HSPDs made of SPHC steel. • A stable hysteresis behavior was observed. • Out-of-plane deformation caused a decrease in strength. • Cumulative plastic deformation of the HSPD was analyzed. • Fatigue curves were presented based on the Manson–Coffin law. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To realize high-resolution X-ray imaging, this study trains deep neural networks comprising multi-scale encoder/decoder architectures with actual data measured using a low-resolution imaging detector. The network performance is evaluated in the Fourier domain through measurements of the modulation-transfer function (MTF) and noise-power spectrum (NPS), which decompose the contrast and noise power (or variance) in terms of the spatial-frequency components. The designed networks are found to successfully deblur blurry images. The MTF analysis reflects the conventional mean-squared errors and structural similarities within it. Moreover, it indicates the over-regression property of the networks that could not be addressed via the conventional metrics. The NPS analysis reveals that the networks suppressed high-frequency noise. The Fourier analysis shows that the designed networks attempted to match the fidelity between the input and label, while suppressing noise. • Symmetric multi-scale architecture is useful for image deblur. • Supervised U-Net increases data fidelity and reduces noise. • Fourier analysis shows a neural net performance unobserved by SSIM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hafnium oxide thin films were deposited using both the remote-plasma atomic layer deposition (RPALD) and direct-plasma atomic layer deposition (DPALD) methods. Metal-oxide semiconductor (MOS) capacitors and transistors were fabricated with HfO2 gate dielectric to examine their electrical characteristics. The as-deposited RPALD HfO2 layer exhibited an amorphous structure, while the DPALD HfO2 layer exhibited a polycrystalline structure. Medium-energy ion scattering measurement data indicate that the interfacial layer consisted of interfacial SiO2-x and silicate layers. This suggests that the change in stoichiometry with depth could be related to the energetic plasma beam used in the plasma ALD process, resulting in damage to the Si surface and an interaction between Hf and SiO2-x. The as-deposited RPALD HfO2 films had better interfacial layer characteristics, such as an effective fixed oxide charge density (Qf,eff) and interfacial roughness than the DPALD HfO2 films did. A MOS capacitor fabricated using the RPALD method exhibited an equivalent oxide thickness (EOT) of 1.8 nm with a Qf,eff=-4.2×1011 q/cm2 (where q is the elementary charge, 1.6022×10-19 C), whereas a MOS capacitor fabricated using the DPALD method had an EOT=2.0 nm and a Qf,eff=-1.2×1013 q/cm2. At a power=0.6 MV/cm, the RPALD n-type metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (nMOSFET) showed μeff=168 cm2/V s, which was 50% greater than the value of the DPALD nMOSFET (μeff=111 cm2/V s). In the region where Vg-Vt=2.0 V, the RPALD MOSFET drain current was about 30% higher than the DPALD MOSFET drain current. These improvements are believed to be due to the lower effective fixed charge density, and they minimize problems arising from plasma charging damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a vision-based action recognition framework that considers the sequential working patterns of earthmoving excavators for automated cycle time and productivity analysis. The sequential patterns of visual features and operation cycles are incorporated into the action recognition framework, which includes three main processes: excavator detection, excavator tracking, and excavator action recognition. The first process uses a pre-trained detector to localize earthmoving excavators on sites from all of captured images. Next, the detection results are associated and the excavators are tracked by Tracking-Learning-Detection algorithm. Lastly, to recognize the operation types of the excavators, their sequential patterns of visual features and operation cycles are modeled and trained with a hybrid deep learning algorithm, i.e., Convolutional Neural Networks and Double-layer Long Short Term Memory. Three experiments were performed to validate the proposed framework and confirm the positive effects of sequential modeling: (1) an experiment without sequential pattern analysis, (2) an experiment with the sequential pattern analysis of visual features, and (3) an experiment with the sequential pattern analysis of visual features and operation cycles. In the experiments, the research team used a total of 72,365 images collected from actual earthmoving sites. The average accuracies of the excavator action recognition in the three cases were 79.8%, 90.9%, and 93.8% respectively. The results demonstrated the applicability of the proposed framework and the significant positive impacts of sequential pattern modeling on the recognition performance. This research contributed to the identification of critical elements that explain sequential working patterns and to the development of a novel vision-based action recognition framework. In addition, the findings of this study can help to automate cycle time analysis and productivity monitoring of earthmoving excavators. • Vision-based action recognition of earthmoving excavators for automated cycle time and productivity analysis • Modeling and learning sequential working patterns of an excavator • Convolutional Neural Network and Double-layer Long Short Term Memory for sequential pattern analysis • A novel action recognition framework that incorporates sequential patterns of visual features and operation cycles. • Acceptable performance with 90.9% precision and 89.2% recall rate [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(-)-Incarvillateine (INCA) is a natural product that has garnered attention due to its purported analgesic effects and historical use as a pain reliever in China. α-Truxillic acid monoesters (TAMEs) constitute a class of inhibitors targeting fatty acid binding protein 5 (FABP5), whose inhibition produces analgesia in animal models. The structural similarity between INCA and TAMEs motivated us to assess whether INCA exerts its antinociceptive effects via FABP inhibition. We found that, in contrast to TAMEs, INCA did not exhibit meaningful binding affinities toward four human FABP isoforms (FABP3, FABP4, FABP5 and FABP7) in vitro. INCA-TAME, a putative monoester metabolite of INCA that closely resembles TAMEs also lacked affinity for FABPs. Administration of INCA to mice produced potent antinociceptive effects while INCA-TAME was without effect. Surprisingly, INCA also potently suppressed locomotor activity at the same dose that produces antinociception. The motor suppressive effects of INCA were reversed by the adenosine A2 receptor antagonist 3,7-dimethyl-1-propargylxanthine. Collectively, our results indicate that INCA and INCA-TAME do not inhibit FABPs and that INCA exerts potent antinociceptive and motor suppressive effects at equivalent doses. Therefore, the observed antinociceptive effects of INCA should be interpreted with caution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• New pyrrolo[1,2- a ]pyrazine-based chemical space via regiodivergent acetylation/formylation followed by aldol condensation. • Installation of a chalcone unit around the basic pyrrolo[1,2- a ]pyrazine in a different orientation. • Anticancer screening of the synthesized pyrrolo[1,2- a ]pyrazine-chalcone hybrids. • Identification of structural requirement of pyrrolo[1,2- a ]pyrazine-chalcone skeleton to inhibit human lymphoma U937 cells. • Anticancer activity of 6x via the caspase-dependent apoptosis. A pyrrolo[1,2- a ]pyrazine-based chemical territory was expanded via construction of new chemical library with distinctive substitution patterns, which was made possible by regiodivergent electrophilic acylation followed by aldol condensation. Biological screening of the compounds in this class revealed that the viability of human lymphoma U937 cells was strongly inhibited by 6b with a methoxy group at the o -position of the aromatic ring, but not by compounds 6t-w bearing a halogen at the o -position. Furthermore, 6x having a 2,4-dimethoxyphenyl group inhibited the survival of U937 cells more potently than 6b. In contrast, 6y possessing a 2,5-dimethoxyphenyl moiety did not show effective inhibition, implying the importance of orientation of the substituent(s) around the benzene ring. The anticancer action of 6x with safe therapeutic window could be associated with the FTase-p38 signaling axis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract With the growth of interest in walkable neighborhoods, various efforts have been made to investigate to determine what kinds of built environment features induce physical and physiological discomfort in pedestrians in a neighborhood. Traditional evaluation approaches primarily rely on opinion surveys and field observation (e.g., neighborhood surveys and visual inspection) completed by pedestrians and trained auditors respectively, both of which require considerable time and funding. Additionally, visual audit and opinion survey methods are not free from subjectivity concerns. In this paper, we propose and test a novel approach to assess conditions of walkable environment by using body responses. The paper utilizes crowdsourced physiological data from pedestrians (e.g., gait stability, gait acceleration, and relative heart rate) to examine the interaction between built environment features and pedestrians' physical activities in a neighborhood. In an experiment conducted in Havelock neighborhood of Lincoln, Nebraska, subjects were asked to walk a pre-defined path of 1.26 km while bearing a wearable inertial measurement units (IMU) sensor, a wristband-type wearable device, and a smartphone. Additionally, subjects were asked to provide a subjective assessment of subsegments on a scale of 0 to 10. With these data, we investigate the relationship between physiological responses and the existing built environment features encountered by subjects. Our findings indicate that physiological response has a statistically significant relationship with built environment features and subjective ratings. The outcomes of the research will help improve the evaluation methods of built environment features and will promote neighborhood walkability. Highlights • The interaction between built environment and pedestrians' physical activities is examined using crowdsourced data. • Gait stability, gait acceleration, and relative heart rate of pedestrians are collected using wearable devices. • Physiological response has a significant relationship with built environment features and subjective ratings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Mechanically-induced martensitic transformation can be a double-edged sword: depending on composition and processing history it can either lead to various beneficial mechanical effects (e.g. transformation-induced plasticity, transformation-toughening), or induce local brittleness and damage nucleation. While several corresponding guidelines are presented in steels research, controlling microstructure metastability has not drawn sufficient attention in the quick-emerging field of high-entropy alloys. In the present work, we investigated the damage mechanisms of a mechanically metastable Fe 45 Mn 35 Co 10 Cr 10 high-entropy alloy under uniaxial tensile loading. Our integrated in-situ scanning electron microscopy/electron backscatter diffraction experiments revealed a two-fold effect of the highly localized strain, induced by asynchronously transformed martensite, leading to boundary damage nucleation and dissimilarly oriented martensitic variant formation. The latter suppresses slip transfer between adjacent grains, further expediting the growth of the nucleated damage incidents. Based on these experimental observations and corresponding theoretical calculations, we discuss the underlying mechanisms and propose a sequence of micro-events that create the observed phenomena. Graphical abstract Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Despite the tremendous industrial and scientific interest, hydrogen storage and embrittlement studies still suffer from experimental difficulties in studying diffusible hydrogen effects. As a consequence of the small size and high diffusivity of hydrogen atoms, it is challenging to detect and confirm hydrogen presence in material volumes, let alone investigate corresponding effects on microstructure or damage evolution. To address this need, we developed a novel in situ hydrogen-charging setup which can be applied to high vacuum-based systems such as scanning electron microscopes, to enable high-resolution microstructural analysis during electrochemical hydrogen permeation. In this setup, a hydrogen source is isolated from the objective sample surface in order to avoid the contamination problems from the source and enable analyses of the clean surface during hydrogen charging. Moreover, simultaneous microstructural observation and mechanical testing can be performed during hydrogen charging, by using the developed setup with a miniaturized mechanical tester compatible with high vacuum systems. Here, we demonstrate the capabilities of this experimental approach by carrying out three separate investigations on a duplex stainless steel, a α/β titanium alloy and a ferritic stainless steel. These case studies reveal interesting insights regarding hydrogen effects in these materials. Highlights • An in situ hydrogen-charging setup for scanning electron microscopes was developed. • A clean, hydrogen-affected sample surface can be analyzed without any contamination. • Hydrogen-induced microstructure evolution can be directly analyzed employing various electron microscopy based techniques. • The setup also enables micro-mechanical testing to be carried out simultaneously, during hydrogen charging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of hardness on wear loss and wear behavior during fretting was studied. A high-power diode laser was used to achieve the surface hardening of a mold steel (AISI P20-improved) at temperatures of 1000 and 1200 °C. A hardness increment was detected in laser heat-treated specimens, which may be attributed to phase transformation from ferrite to martensite, influencing wear loss and fretting wear behavior. In the fretting test results, smaller wear scars and less wear loss were observed for laser heat-treated specimens in comparison to those of base metal. Moreover, relatively more stable friction coefficient profiles were obtained for the laser heat-treated specimens due to uniform contact characteristics at two contacting surfaces. The effectiveness of the proposed technique was verified by the morphology of the wear scars of the treated specimens, which had a smooth appearance and minor abrasion grooves. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Competitive formation of NO, NO 2 , and O 3 was experimentally demonstrated in a surface dielectric discharge reactor. • The competitive chemical formation was achieved by only changing the gas flow rate. • The selective production of NO, NO 2 , and O 3 with 85%, 99%, and 97% purities, respectively, is achieved. • Zero-dimensional chemical modeling shows a good agreement with our experimental observation. • An accurate in-situ measurement of NO, NO 2 , and O 3 was successfully carried out based on an NNLS algorithm. Beyond ozone (O 3) generation, diverse applications of dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) have been developed. When using ambient air, one of the longstanding challenges of DBD reactors has been the selective production of nitric oxide (NO), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), and O 3. In this work, we report the competitive formation of NO, NO 2 , and O 3 in an air-flowing surface DBD reactor. The temporal evolution of each chemical species was obtained by using in situ optical absorption spectroscopy. The possibility to select the plasma-chemistry mode (i.e., NO–, NO 2 –, or O 3 -dominant conditions) by adjusting the gas flow rate of the reactor was demonstrated with constant temperature and input power. As the flow rate increased from 260 to 1380 standard cubic centimeters per minute, the dominant chemical species changed from NO to NO 2 [the achieved purity of NO 2 /(NO + NO 2 + O 3) was 99%]. With even higher flow rates, O 3 appeared and dominated in the reactor [O 3 /(NO + NO 2 + O 3) was nearly 100%]. The experimental results were compared with zero-dimensional modeling, and the reactions involving NO, NO 2 , and O 3 were analyzed in depth. Our findings will provide great guidance for future studies and for plasma applications of DBD reactors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]