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Background: Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is a rare genetic disorder characterized by resistance to androgens, mainly due to mutations in the androgen receptor (AR) gene. It can manifest as complete AIS, partial AIS and mild AIS. While there have been studies linking specific AR gene mutations to AIS phenotypes, different clinical AIS phenotypes are also reported in patients with the same AR gene mutation. So far, the precise correlations between phenotypes and genotypes remain incompletely understood. Methods: We conducted a thorough investigation involving four patients diagnosed with different types of AIS from a single Chinese family. Clinical manifestations, laboratory examinations, and fertility outcomes were well-documented. Furthermore, we performed genetic sequencing to detect possible pathogenetic variants. Results: Whole exome sequencing identified a hemizygous missense variant (c.2263T > C; p.Phe755Leu) of AR gene in all four affected patients with different degrees of undermasculinisation and heterogeneous spermatogenesis. The proband, diagnosed with partial AIS, opted for treatment with donated sperm due to non-obstructive azoospermia, while their older sibling, diagnosed with complete AIS, was raised as a girl. His two maternal uncles were both diagnosed with mild AIS, the older uncle fathered two girls naturally, whereas the younger uncle utilized assisted reproductive technology to conceive a boy because of severe oligoasthenozoospermia. Conclusion: Our study first identified the same AR variant (c.2263T > C;p.Phe755Leu) in four affected patients displaying highly diverse phenotypes of AIS and fertility outcomes, thereby significantly expanding the phenotypic spectrum of AIS. Notably, we presented a clear insight into different fertility outcomes of AIS patients with identical AR (c.2263T > C;p.Phe755Leu) variant, which provided reliable evidence that males harboring this variant may obtain biological offspring naturally or in combination with assisted reproductive technology. Furthermore, our study underscored the potential role of androgen concentration in shaping the phenotypic diversity of AIS, warranting further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the industrial robots field, efficient and convenient programming methods have been a hot research topic. In recent years, immersive simulation technology has been developing rapidly in many fields, which provides new horizons for the development of industrial robots. This paper presents a HTC VIVE laser scan motion capture and Holohens augmented reality (AR) based interactive Programming by Demonstration (PbD) system for industrial robot. A portable Handheld Teaching Device (HTD) and its calibration algorithm are designed in the system. The portable HTD which is tracked by a laser motion capture system can be viewed as an AR robot end-effector to teach paths. Meanwhile, the AR robot can be simulated in real time during programing. In addition, the robot reproducing the operator's actions at the same position in space is the focus of programming. So, Multi-system registration methods are proposed to determine the relationship between robot systems, motion capture systems and virtual robot systems. Meanwhile, a path planning algorithm is proposed to convert the captured raw path points into robot-executable code. For unskilled operators, they can easily perform complex programming using the HTD. For skilled senior workers, their skills can be quickly learned by robots using the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) resistance is closely associated with altered AR status. Aberrant AR expression is critical for the induction of ADT resistance, necessitating the identification of an anti-PCa target independent of AR expression. Methods: Transcriptomic data and clinical information of PRAD were obtained from TCGA database. Genes with PCa-related and AR expression-independent were screened by bioinformatics, and characterized by PPI and GO functional enrichment analyses. Candidate genes were locked by co-expression correlation and disease-free survival (DFS) analyses. A prognostic gene set was established using LASSO Cox regression algorithm. Cox proportional risk regression was performed to identify a key prognostic gene. Expression of the target protein in PCa tissues was verified by The Human Protein Atlas database. In vitro validation of cellular function and molecular mechanism by knockdown and overexpression of the target gene. Results: Two AR expression-independent genes (SLC43A1 and XRCC3) were available for the optimal prognostic model. This gene set effectively predicted PRAD patients’ DFS at 1-, 3- and 5-year, where XRCC3 and tumor (T) stage were independent risk factors. XRCC3 was higher expressed in PRAD patients with T3-T4 stages and accompanied by poorer DFS. IHC staining also validated its higher expression in high-risk PCa tissues. In vitro experiments demonstrated that silencing XRCC3 significantly inhibited 22Rv1 and DU145 cell proliferation, migration and invasion, while promoted apoptosis. Further, silencing XRCC3 promoted DNA damage-induced p53/Bax signaling pathway activation, which was absent with overexpression. Conclusion: Silencing XRCC3 exerts anti-PCa effects by promoting DNA damage-induced p53/Bax signaling pathway activation in an AR expression-independent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epilepsy surgery for extratemporal lobe epilepsy (ETLE) is challenging, particularly when MRI findings are non-lesional and seizure patterns are complex. Invasive diagnostic techniques are crucial for accurately identifying the epileptogenic zone and its relationship with surrounding functional tissue. Microscope-based augmented reality (AR) support, combined with navigation, may enhance intraoperative orientation, particularly in cases involving subtle or indistinct lesions, thereby improving patient outcomes and safety (e.g., seizure freedom and preservation of neuronal integrity). Therefore, this study was conducted to prove the clinical advantages of microscope-based AR support in ETLE surgery. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data from ten patients with pharmacoresistant ETLE who underwent invasive diagnostics with depth and/or subdural grid electrodes, followed by resective surgery. AR support was provided via the head-up displays of the operative microscope, with navigation based on automatic intraoperative computed tomography (iCT)-based registration. The surgical plan included the suspected epileptogenic lesion, electrode positions, and relevant surrounding functional structures, all of which were visualized intraoperatively. Results: Six patients reported complete seizure freedom following surgery (ILAE 1), one patient was seizure-free at the 2-year follow-up, and one patient experienced only auras (ILAE 2). Two patients developed transient neurological deficits that resolved shortly after surgery. Conclusions: Microscope-based AR support enhanced intraoperative orientation in all cases, contributing to improved patient outcomes and safety. It was highly valued by experienced surgeons and as a training tool for less experienced practitioners. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We explored Trichorhinophalangeal syndrome type 1 (TRPS1) expression in special types of breast carcinoma, and analyzed the correlation between TRPS1 and androgen receptor (AR) expression in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). Methods: TRPS1 expression was analyzed in 801 patients with special types of breast carcinoma. A total of 969 TNBC were used to analyze the correlation between the expression of TRPS1 and AR. TRPS1 expression was evaluated in 1975 cases of breast cancer with different molecular types. Results: A total of 801 special types of breast cancers were stained with TRPS1.TRPS1 was positive in 100% (63/63) of mucinous carcinoma, 100% (7/7) adenoid cystic carcinomas (4 classic adenoid cystic carcinomas and 3 solid-basaloid adenoid cystic carcinomas), 100% (4/4) tubular carcinomas, 100% (2/2) secretory carcinomas, and 99.59% (243/244) invasive lobular carcinomas, 99.26% (267/269) invasive micropapillary carcinomas, 97.44% (38/39) ER-positive neuroendocrine tumors, 94.44% (34/36) metaplastic breast carcinomas (MBCs), 63.73% (65/102) apocrine carcinomas. TRPS1 was negative in all triple-negative neuroendocrine carcinomas (0/7).TRPS1 was positive in 92.86% (26/28) of metastatic special types of breast cancer. TRPS1 and AR expression were analyzed in 969 cases of TNBC. 90.40% were positive for TRPS1, and 42.41% were positive for AR. A significant inverse correlation between TRPS1 and AR expression was shown in TNBC (p <.001). TRPS1 showed a higher positive rate (93.13%) in TNBC compared to GATA binding protein 3 (GATA3), gross cystic disease fluid protein 15 (GCDFP-15) and forkhead box transcription Factor C 1 (FOXC1). Conclusions: In conclusion, our study demonstrated that TRPS1 is a highly sensitive marker for most special types of breast carcinoma. TRPS1 was positive in 63.73% of apocrine carcinomas. TRPS1 and AR expression was inversely correlated in TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: In recent years, there has been significant interest in adopting XR (extended reality) technologies such as VR (virtual reality) and AR (augmented reality), particularly in retail. However, extending activities through reality-mediation is still mostly believed to offer an inferior experience due to their shortcomings in usability, wearability, graphical fidelity, etc. This study aims to address the research gap by experimentally examining the acceptance of metaverse shopping. Design/methodology/approach: This study conducts a 2 (VR: with vs. without) × 2 (AR: with vs. without) between-subjects laboratory experiment involving 157 participants in simulated daily shopping environments. This study builds a physical brick-and-mortar store at the campus and stocked it with approximately 600 products with accompanying product information and pricing. The XR devices and a 3D laser scanner were used in constructing the three XR shopping conditions. Findings: Results indicate that XR can offer an experience comparable to, or even surpassing, traditional shopping in terms of its instrumental and hedonic aspects, regardless of a slightly reduced perception of usability. AR negatively affected perceived ease of use, while VR significantly increased perceived enjoyment. It is surprising that the lower perceived ease of use appeared to be disconnected from the attitude toward metaverse shopping. Originality/value: This study provides important experimental evidence on the acceptance of XR shopping, and the finding that low perceived ease of use may not always be detrimental adds to the theory of technology adoption as a whole. Additionally, it provides an important reference point for future randomized controlled studies exploring the effects of technology on adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Prostate cancer (PCa) patients with elevated level of androgen receptor (AR) correlate with higher metastatic incidence. Protein expression of AR and its target gene prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) are elevated in metastatic prostate tumors as compared to organ‐confined tumors. Androgen treatment or elevation of AR promotes metastasis of PCa in cell culture and murine model. However, under androgen depleted condition, AR suppressed cell mobility and invasiveness of PCa cells. Androgen deprivation therapy in PCa patients is associated with higher risk of cancer metastasis. We therefore investigated the dual roles of AR and miRNAs on PCa metastasis. Methods: The PC‐3AR (PC‐3 cells re‐expressing AR) and LNCaP cells were used as PCa cell model. Transwell migration and invasion assay, wound‐healing assay, zebrafish xenotransplantation assay, and zebrafish vascular exit assay were used to investigate the role of AR and androgen on PCa metastasis. Micro‐Western Array, co‐immunoprecipitation and Immunofluorescence were applied to dissect the molecular mechanism lying underneath. The miRNA array, miRNA inhibitors or plasmid, and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay were used to study the role of miRNAs on PCa metastasis. Results: In the absence of androgen, AR repressed the migration and invasion of PCa cells. When androgen was present, AR stimulated the migration and invasion of PCa cells both in vitro and in zebrafish xenotransplantation model. Androgen increased phospho‐AR Ser81 and yes‐associated protein 1 (YAP), decreased phospho‐YAP Ser217, and altered epithelial‐mesenchymal transition (EMT) proteins in PCa cells. Co‐IP assay demonstrated that androgen augmented the interaction between YAP and AR in nucleus. Knockdown of YAP or treatment with YAP inhibitor abolished the androgen‐induced migration and invasion of PCa cells, while overexpression of YAP showed opposite effects. The miRNA array revealed that androgen decreased hsa‐miR‐5001‐5p but increased hsa‐miR‐203a and hsa‐miR‐210‐3p in PC‐3AR cells but not PC‐3 cells. Treatment with inhibitors targeting hsa‐miR‐203a/hsa‐miR‐210‐3p, or overexpression of hsa‐miR‐5001‐5p decreased YAP expression as well as suppressed the androgen‐induced migration and invasion of PCa cells. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assay demonstrated that AR binds with promoter region of has‐miR‐210‐3p in the presence of androgen. Conclusions: Our observations indicated that miRNAs 203a/210‐3p/5001‐5p regulate the androgen/AR/YAP‐induced PCa metastasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: This research explores how virtual worlds like the Metaverse can improve breast cancer (BC) diagnosis and treatment. The authors aim to show how these virtual platforms can simulate operations, provide patient support, and facilitate research, ultimately making healthcare more efficient and effective. The findings suggest that the Metaverse offers promising opportunities for healthcare professionals to engage with patients, leading to better outcomes and reduced costs. This research could revolutionize how BC is approached, potentially improving patient care and outcomes. BC, affecting both women and men, is a complex disease where early diagnosis plays a crucial role in successful treatment and enhances patient survival rates. The Metaverse, a virtual world, may offer new, personalized approaches to diagnosing and treating BC. Although Artificial Intelligence (AI) is still in its early stages, its rapid advancement indicates potential applications within the healthcare sector, including consolidating patient information in one accessible location. This could provide physicians with more comprehensive insights into disease details. Leveraging the Metaverse could facilitate clinical data analysis and improve the precision of diagnosis, potentially allowing for more tailored treatments for BC patients. However, while this article highlights the possible transformative impacts of virtual technologies on BC treatment, it is important to approach these developments with cautious optimism, recognizing the need for further research and validation to ensure enhanced patient care with greater accuracy and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence of in-hospital seizures for aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) ranges from 3.7% to 15.2%, and seizures remain an important factor affecting patient prognosis. Therefore, the timely identification of patients at a higher risk for aSAH-associated seizures after endovascular treatment is of paramount importance. This study aims to analyze the risk factors for in-hospital seizures after endovascular treatment for aSAH. The study comprised 547 patients at 3 centers from January 2019 to September 2021. In the context of this study, 2 models were utilized: the first model involved no variable adjustment, while the second model included all potential confounders in the multivariate logistic regression analysis. Additionally, the dose-response relationship between biomarkers and seizure occurrence was assessed using restricted cubic spline. Among these patients, 28 (5.1%) developed seizures during hospitalization. In Model 2, the modified Fisher score (adjusted odds ratio [OR]: 3.138, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.226–8.036), body mass index (adjusted OR: 0.852, 95% CI: 0.749–0.970), aspect ratio (adjusted OR: 0.264, 95% CI: 0.115–0.604), and aspartate transaminase (adjusted OR: 1.017, 95% CI: 1.001–1.035) were showed as factors contributing to an increased risk of aSAH-associated seizures. Body mass index, aspartate transaminase, aspect ratio, modified Fisher scores, and Hunt-Hess scores were correlated with the formation of aSAH-associated seizures after endovascular treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study investigates the antibiotic resistance (AR) profiles and genetic determinants in three strains of guaiacol-producing Alicyclobacillus spp. isolated from orchard soil and pears. Their phenotypic characteristics, such as spore formation; resistance to different factors, including drugs or disinfectants; or production of off-flavor compounds, can affect the taste and aroma of spoiled products. Food and beverages are potential vectors for the transfer of antibiotic resistance genes, which is a growing health concern; thus, microorganisms in food and beverages should not be a potential source of drug resistance to consumers. Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was utilized to identify antibiotic resistance genes, metabolic pathways, and elements associated with guaiacol and halophenol production. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) testing revealed that all strains were susceptible to eight out of nine tested antibiotics (ampicillin, gentamycin, kanamycin, streptomycin, clindamycin, tetracycline, chloramphenicol, and vancomycin) but exhibited high resistance to erythromycin. Analysis indicated that the erythromycin resistance gene, ribosomal RNA small subunit methyltransferase A (RsmA), was intrinsic and likely acquired through horizontal gene transfer (HGT). The comprehensive genomic analysis provides insights into the molecular mechanisms of antibiotic resistance in Alicyclobacillus spp., highlighting the potential risk of these bacteria as vectors for antibiotic resistance genes in the food chain. This study expands the understanding of the genetic makeup of these spoilage bacteria and their role in antimicrobial resistance dissemination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Androgen receptor (AR) is a main driver for castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). c-Myc is an oncogene underlying prostate tumorigenesis. Here, we find that the deubiquitinase USP11 targets both AR and c-Myc in prostate cancer (PCa). USP11 expression was up-regulated in metastatic PCa and CRPC. USP11 knockdown (KD) significantly inhibited PCa cell growth. Our RNA-seq studies revealed AR and c-Myc as the top transcription factors altered after USP11 KD. ChIP-seq analysis showed that either USP11 KD or replacement of endogenous USP11 with a catalytic-inactive USP11 mutant significantly decreased chromatin binding by AR and c-Myc. We find that USP11 employs two mechanisms to up-regulate AR and c-Myc levels: namely, deubiquitination of AR and c-Myc proteins to increase their stability and deubiquitination of H2A-K119Ub, a repressive histone mark, on promoters of AR and c-Myc genes to increase their transcription. AR and c-Myc reexpression in USP11-KD PCa cells partly rescued cell growth defects. Thus, our studies reveal a tumor-promoting role for USP11 in aggressive PCa through upregulation of AR and c-Myc activities and support USP11 as a potential target against PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Continued exploration of the androgen receptor (AR) is crucial, as it plays pivotal roles in diverse diseases such as prostate cancer (PCa), serving as a significant therapeutic focus. Therefore, the Department of Urology Dresden hosted an international meeting for scientists and clinical oncologists to discuss the newest advances in AR research. The 2nd International Androgen Receptor Symposium was held in Dresden, Saxony, Germany, from 26–27.04.2024, organised by Dr. Holger H.H. Erb. Following the format of the first meeting, more than 35 scientists from 8 countries attended the event to discuss recent developments, research challenges, and identification of venues in AR research. An important new feature was the involvement of PhD students and young investigators, acknowledging the high scientific quality of their work. The symposium included three covers: new advances from clinical research, basic and translational research, and novel strategies to target AR. Moreover, based on its increasing clinical relevance, a PSMA theranostic mini-symposium was added at the end of the AR symposium to allow the audience to discuss the newest advances in PSMA theranostic. This report focuses on the highlights and discussions of the meeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores how combining virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) with geographic information systems (GIS) revolutionizes data visualization. It traces the historical development of these technologies and highlights key milestones that paved the way for this study's objectives. While existing platforms like Esri's software and Google Earth VR show promise, they lack complete integration for immersive GIS visualization. This gap has led to the need for a dedicated workflow to integrate selected GIS data into a game engine for visualization purposes. This study primarily utilizes QGIS for data preparation and Unreal Engine for immersive visualization. QGIS handles data management, while Unreal Engine offers advanced rendering and interactivity for immersive experiences. To tackle the challenge of handling extensive GIS datasets, this study proposes a workflow involving tiling, digital elevation model generation, and transforming GeoTIFF data into 3D objects. Leveraging QGIS and Three.js streamlines the conversion process for integration into Unreal Engine. The resultant virtual reality application features distinct stations, enabling users to navigate, visualize, compare, and animate GIS data effectively. Each station caters to specific functionalities, ensuring a seamless and informative experience within the VR environment. This study also delves into augmented reality applications, adapting methodologies to address hardware limitations for smoother user experiences. By optimizing textures and implementing augmented reality functionalities through modules Swift, RealityKit, and ARKit, this study extends the immersive GIS experience to iOS devices. In conclusion, this research demonstrates the potential of integrating virtual reality, augmented reality, and GIS, pushing data visualization into new realms. The innovative workflows and applications developed serve as a testament to the evolving landscape of spatial data interpretation and engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article discusses the experiences of six artists participating in a new Australian creative accelerator programme for emerging media documentary. Attending to the processes, perspectives and frames employed by these artists in developing their early-stage projects, the article explores the diverse practice-based methods employed in developing documentary for emerging media formats. The paper argues for the value of attending to process and practice, as key frameworks that set the context for eventual creative outcomes. In doing so, the paper aims to contribute to knowledge about methods to support artists in developing emerging media documentary in a creative accelerator context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endocrine resistance driven by sustained activation of androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway in advanced prostate cancer (PCa) is fatal. Characterization of mechanisms underlying aberrant AR pathway activation to search for potential therapeutic strategy is particularly important. Rac GTPase-activating protein 1 (RACGAP1) is one of the specific GTPase-activating proteins. As a novel tumor proto-oncogene, overexpression of RACGAP1 was related to the occurrence of various tumors. Methods: Bioinformatics methods were used to analyze the relationship of expression level between RACGAP1 and AR as well as AR pathway activation. qRT-PCR and western blotting assays were performed to assess the expression of AR/AR-V7 and RACGAP1 in PCa cells. Immunoprecipitation and immunofluorescence experiments were conducted to detect the interaction and co-localization between RACGAP1 and AR/AR-V7. Gain- and loss-of-function analyses were conducted to investigate the biological roles of RACGAP1 in PCa cells, using MTS and colony formation assays. In vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the effect of RACGAP1 inhibition on the tumor growth. Results: RACGAP1 was a gene activated by AR, which was markedly upregulated in PCa patients with CRPC and enzalutamide resistance. AR transcriptionally activated RACGAP1 expression by binding to its promoter region. Reciprocally, nuclear RACGAP1 bound to the N-terminal domain (NTD) of both AR and AR-V7, blocking their interaction with the E3 ubiquitin ligase MDM2. Consequently, this prevented the degradation of AR/AR-V7 in a ubiquitin-proteasome-dependent pathway. Notably, the positive feedback loop between RACGAP1 and AR/AR-V7 contributed to endocrine therapy resistance of CRPC. Combination of enzalutamide and in vivo cholesterol-conjugated RIG-I siRNA drugs targeting RACGAP1 induced potent inhibition of xenograft tumor growth of PCa. Conclusion: In summary, our results reveal that reciprocal regulation between RACGAP1 and AR/AR-V7 contributes to the endocrine resistance in PCa. These findings highlight the therapeutic potential of combined RACGAP1 inhibition and enzalutamide in treatment of advanced PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Breast cancer is the most commonly occurring malignancy and the leading cause of cancer-related death in women. The most aggressive breast cancer subtype is triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC). It is associated with high recurrence rates, a high incidence of distant metastases and poor overall survival. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PD-L1 (programmed death-ligand 1), EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor) and androgen receptor (AR) expression in TNBC promotion and progression. To that end, we analyzed the immunoexpression of these genes in 125 postoperative samples of TNBC patients and correlated the obtained results with clinicopathological parameters and survival. According to the obtained results, we believe that a concurrent examination of PD-L1, AR, EGFR and Ki67 (in addition) protein expression may be more useful in predicting TNBC clinical course than the analysis of the individual expression of any of these proteins. Specifically, our results showed that a simultaneous low expression of PD-L1, low expression of AR and high expression of EGFR, followed by an elevated expression of Ki67, constitute a 'high risk' profile of TNBC. If we combine these results with our previous findings, which showed that reduced PTEN/high PI3K/high mTOR expression represents an unfavorable condition, we could have a promising formula for better prediction of TNBC outcome and a better starting point for new treatment modalities. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer subtype and is associated with high recurrence rates, a high incidence of distant metastases and poor overall survival. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of PD-L1, EGFR and AR expression in TNBC promotion and progression. To that end, we analyzed the immunohistochemical expression of these genes in 125 TNBC patients and their relation to clinicopathological parameters and survival. An elevated expression of PD-L1 was significantly correlated with higher tumor and nuclear grade, while a low expression was correlated with loco-regional recurrence without any influence on survival. Contrary to this, the expression of AR showed a positive impact on the DFI and a negative association with tumor grade. Furthermore, PD-L1 and AR demonstrated simultaneous expression, and further co-expression analysis revealed that a positive expression of PD-L1/AR notably correlates with tumor and nuclear grade and has a significant impact on a longer DFI and OS, while a negative PD-L1/AR expression is significantly associated with metastases. Therefore, our results suggest that positive PD-L1/AR expression is beneficial for TNBC patients. In addition, an elevated expression of EGFR contributes to metastases and a worse DFI and OS. In conclusion, we think that low PD-L1/low AR/high EGFR expression followed by high Ki67 expression constitutes a 'high risk' profile of TNBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The third generation of the BeiDou navigation satellite system (BDS-3) can transmit five-frequency signals. The real-time satellite clock offset of BDS-3 is typically generated utilizing the B1I/B3I combination with the ambiguity-float solutions. By conducting the ambiguity resolution (AR), the reliability of the satellite clock offset can be improved. However, the performance of BDS-3 ambiguity-fixed real-time satellite clock offset with B1C/B2a signals remains unknown and unrevealed. In this contribution, the performance of the BDS-3 ambiguity-fixed satellite clock offset with the new B1C/B2a signals is investigated. One week of observation data from 85 stations was used to perform ambiguity-fixed satellite clock offset estimation. For B1I/B3I and B1C/B2a signals, the wide-lane (WL) uncalibrated phase delay (UPD) on the satellite end is fairly stable for one day, while the narrow-lane (NL) UPD standard deviation (STD) amounts to 0.122 and 0.081 cycles, respectively. The mean ambiguity fixing rate is 80.7% and 78.0% for these two signal combinations, and the time to first fix (TTFF) for the B1C/B2a signals is remarkably shorter than that of the B1I/B3I signals. The STDs of the ambiguity-float and -fixed satellite clock offsets are 0.033 and 0.026 ns, respectively, for the B1I/B3I combination, and it is reduced to 0.024 and 0.023 ns for B1C/B2a signals, respectively. Using the estimated UPD and clock offset products, the positioning performance of the kinematic Precise Point Positioning (PPP)-AR results amounts to 1.56, 1.23, and 4.46 cm in the east, north, and up directions for B1I/B3I signals, respectively. It is improved to 1.36, 1.16, and 4.25 cm using the products estimated with the B1C/B2a signals, with improvements of 12.8%, 5.7%, and 4.7% in three directions, respectively. The experiments showed that the performances of the ambiguity-fixed satellite clock offsets and the PPP-AR results using B1C/B2a signals are better than those of B1I/B3I. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vergence‐accommodation conflicts (VAC) occur in near‐eye displays when the binocular disparity of the 3D rendered content (vergence) does not match the display focal distance (accommodation). VAC has been shown to reduce perceptual image quality, cognitive performance, and oculomotor coordination. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of VAC on visual performance in augmented reality (AR). Specifically, we quantified the impact of AR VAC on the 'Time to Focus' (TTF); when the user switches focus between real‐world content and world‐locked AR‐rendered content. Our results show that TTF increases exponentially with VAC. The increase is more pronounced at closer vergence distances in displays with a focal distance of 1 D or longer. Finally, we showed that VAC may have a differential effect across age groups; specifically, older users may be affected more in closer focal and longer vergence distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Augmented Reality (AR) is established in a wide range of fields, but a specific area of application is AR content on social media. Because AR content can be a business offering, new opportunities are arising to present products and services to users of social media. AR filters or lenses may be published by companies either as advertising or as generic content on their social media profiles. Our study tested the generic branded AR lenses on the platform Snapchat™ for user experience. We conducted a user test with 27 Snapchat users using 3 different generic branded AR lenses. We recorded participants' experiences using the User Experience Questionnaire (UEQ) and individual short interviews. The latter included questions about personal preferences and the perceived augmentation quality, as augmentation quality has been proven important to the UX of AR. Our analysis of the data shows that AR lenses can achieve a good result in the UEQ scale Novelty and that the Attractiveness is above average. However, the results also indicate that the generic branded AR lenses need improvement in aspects related to usability. Additional interview questions revealed that the augmentation quality of generic branded AR lenses has not always been perceived positively, yet the UX of these lenses should be important to businesses that want to invest in this technology. Poorly implemented AR applications can compromise users' experience and, consequently, negatively impact a company and its brand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sketching is a common way to depict design ideas freely. Augmented reality technology extends the human–computer interaction space from the screen to the real world, providing a new application space for 3D sketching. However, due to the difficulty of depth perception, it is difficult for sketching strokes to maintain good planar and spatial consistency, making drawing 3D sketches in AR challenging. In this article, we propose FMASketch—a method of drawing mid-air sketches similar to building blocks. The auxiliary surfaces can ensure that the strokes drawn by users can always stay on the same plane as drawing in 2D space. Gestures are used to stitch together multiple drawing planes, and the strokes on the planes form a 3D sketch, which is very similar to how 3D modeling is done on the desktop by drawing different views and assembling them. Experiments have verified the effectiveness of the auxiliary surface generation method and gesture operations in this article. The mid-air sketching method is easy to learn and provides a new idea for rapid modeling in AR scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Today, the global prevalence of autism is high and continues to increase dramatically. Effective support and interventions are therefore warranted. Augmented reality (AR), one of the recent modalities of immersive technology, is gaining traction in autism interventions. However, there is currently a lack of reviews on the use of AR in children with autism, and what is more, to the authors' knowledge, no systematic review to date has been carried out to exclusively examine the effects of AR on basic social skills in children with autism. Therefore, an evidence-based systematic review was conducted to fill the gap and answer the specific research question: Can AR support children with an autism diagnosis towards developing or promoting social skills, such as greetings? The initial search yielded a total of 416 records. After excluding duplicate articles and screening the abstract and full text, 13 studies were included for analysis. A narrative approach was employed to synthesise and evaluate the research findings to substantially explore the effects of AR-based social interventions. The favourable role of AR technology in fostering social skills in children diagnosed with autism was widely recognised in the included studies although multiple methodological limitations were identified in relation to the quality of the included studies. Overall, the promising findings may suggest the effectiveness of AR in improving social skills in children with autism. Nonetheless, this field of research still calls for more high-quality studies relying on rigorous methodologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Augmented reality (AR) technologies may provide immersive visual supports that foster active user engagement in activities. However, there is little research examining the use of AR as a visual support to guide its use in research or therapy settings. Aims: To investigate the development and use of AR for delivering visual supports in an immersive environment, using the Microsoft® HoloLens2® and Microsoft® Dynamics 365 Guides® software. Method: In a duo-ethnography, two speech-language pathologists who were novice users of the HoloLens2®, examined the affordances of the device for potential use in future research with people with neurodevelopmental disability. In a proof-of-concept study, an AR application was designed by the first author and used by two researchers in a duo-ethnography. The first and second author tested the AR guide and reflected on opportunities and barriers to further use of AR technology, specifically the HoloLens2®, to support people with disability to participate and be included in meaningful activities. Results: The guide created provided situated visual instructions, video models, and holographic symbols to direct the second author in making of a cup of tea. While a moderate level of technological literacy was needed to establish and install a guide, effective use could be established with minimal training. Discussion & conclusions: AR guides offer a situated and integrated means of providing visual support to people with disabilities. This proof-of-concept study justifies further testing and evaluation of AR as an assistive technology for people with neurodevelopmental disability. Emerging immersive Augmented Reality technology provides new opportunities to create integrated visual supports that function within the user's environment to enable active participation in activities and interactions. Visual supports integrated with the user's environment may better support people with disability to actively engage and attend to objects and to their communication partners. While new and emerging technologies like Augmented Reality are largely untested for disability support, they offer opportunities to enable participation in independent activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Astragalus membranaceus is known to have anti-inflammatory, anti-obesity, and anti-oxidant properties, the underlying apoptotic mechanism of Astragalus membranaceus extract has never been elucidated in prostate cancer. In this paper, the apoptotic mechanism of a water extract from the dried root of Astragalus membranaceus (WAM) was investigated in prostate cancer cells in association with heat shock protein 27 (HSP27)/androgen receptor (AR) signaling. WAM increased cytotoxicity and the sub-G1 population, cleaved poly (ADP-ribose) polymerase (PARP) and cysteine aspartyl-specific protease 3 (caspase 3), and attenuated the expression of B-cell lymphoma 2 (Bcl-2) in LNCaP cells after 24 h of exposure. Consistently, WAM significantly increased the number of terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL)-positive LNCaP cells. WAM decreased the phosphorylation of HSP27 on Ser82 and inhibited the expression of the AR and prostate-specific antigen (PSA), along with reducing the nuclear translocation of p-HSP27 and the AR via the disturbed binding of p-HSP27 with the AR in LNCaP cells. WAM consistently inhibited the expression of the AR and PSA in dihydrotestosterone (DHT)-treated LNCaP cells. WAM also suppressed AR stability, both in the presence and absence of cycloheximide, in LNCaP cells. Taken together, these findings provide evidence that WAM induces apoptosis via the inhibition of HSP27/AR signaling in prostate cancer cells and is a potent anticancer candidate for prostate cancer treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An innovative simple, sensitive, and selective method has been developed and validated for quantification of hazardous Allura red (AR, E129) dye in beverages. Allura red (AR) is a synthetic dye that is commonly used in the food industry to give foods a bright and appealing color. The method is based on microwave-assistant nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N@CQDs) from a very cheap source with a high quantum yield equal to (36.60%). The mechanism of the reaction is based on an ion-pair association complex between AR and nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N@CQDs) at pH 3.2. The reaction between AR and N@CQDs led to a quenching effect of the fluorescence intensity of N@CQDs at 445 nm after excitation at 350 nm. Moreover, the quantum method's linearity covered the range between 0.07 and 10.0 µg mL− 1 with a regression coefficient is 0.9992. The presented work has been validated by ICH criteria. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), X-ray photon spectroscopy (XPS), Zeta potential measurements, fluorescence, UV-VIS, and FTIR spectroscopy have all been used to fully characterize of the N@CQDs. The N@CQDs were successfully utilized in different applications (beverages) with high accuracy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopic vidian neurectomy is expected to provide good therapeutic relief in patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) being refractory to medication therapy or conservative surgery. However, the evidence bases for its benefit remain debatable. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to clarify the therapeutic role of various forms of vidian neurectomy in refractory AR. Method: Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐analyses guidelines were used to conduct a systematic review of primary studies that reported original patient data for endoscopic vidian neurectomy (EVN) and vidian‐branch neurectomy, which includes selective vidian neurectomy (SVN) and posterior nasal neurectomy (PNN). The primary outcome was patient‐reported outcome measures (PROMs), including the Rhinoconjunctivitis Quality of Life Questionnaire (RQLQ) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), to assess an improvement in nasal symptom severity and quality of patient's life. The incidence of surgical complications and other objective outcomes were considered secondary outcomes. Results: This review included 24 clinical studies involving 1677 patients with refractory AR, of which 510 patients in six studies had combined chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) and 95 patients in one study had combined asthma. Postoperative PROMs were significantly better than preoperatively in almost all patients who underwent vidianp (RQLQ: standardized mean difference [SMD] = 2.66, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.40–2.92, p < 0.001; VAS: SMD = 5.15, 95% CI = 4.29–6.02, p < 0.001) or vidian‐branch neurectomy (RQLQ in PNN: SMD = 3.29, 95% CI = 2.45–4.13, p < 0.001; VAS in PNN: SMD = 4.38, 95% CI = 3.41–5.34, p < 0.001), and were generally better than in the conservative treatment group. Dividing with 18 months as the cutoff point, a subgroup analysis of the follow‐up period was conducted, and the results showed that both long‐term and short‐term postoperative patients had considerably reduced symptoms compared to the preoperative period. The two surgical procedures, SVN and PNN, attributed to vidian‐branch neurectomy have extremely few complications. However, EVN is more likely to cause dry eyes and palatal numbness, with no other serious complications. In patients with AR and CRSwNP, vidian or selective vidian neurectomy combined with functional endoscopic sinus surgery (FESS) is more effective than conventional FESS (RQLQ: SMD = 2.17, 95% CI = 1.66–2.69, p < 0.001; VAS: SMD = 6.42, 95% CI = 4.78–8.06, p < 0.001). For patients who have both AR and asthma, SVN with pharyngeal branch excision is a potential treatment option. Conclusion: EVN and vidian‐branch neurectomy (including SVN and PNN) are effective treatments, but the former has a higher risk of complications. Additionally, vidian‐branch neurectomy with FESS is beneficial for patients with mixed CRSwNP. SVN is a potential approach for patients with coexisting AR and asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of the Metaverse is raising important questions in the field of human–machine interaction that must be addressed for a successful implementation of the new paradigm. Therefore, the exploration and integration of both technology and human interaction within this new framework are needed. This paper describes an innovative and technically viable proposal for virtual shopping in the fashion field. Virtual hands directly scanned from the real world have been integrated, after a retopology process, in a virtual environment created for the Metaverse, and have been integrated with digital nails. Human interaction with the Metaverse has been carried out through the acquisition of the real posture of the user's hands using an infrared-based sensor and mapping it in its virtualized version, achieving natural identification. The technique has been successfully tested in an immersive shopping experience with the Meta Quest 2 headset as a pilot project, where a transactions mechanism based on the blockchain technology (non-fungible tokens, NFTs) has allowed for the development of a feasible solution for massive audiences. The consumers' reactions were extremely positive, with a total of 250 in-person participants and 120 remote accesses to the Metaverse. Very interesting technical guidelines are raised in this project, the resolution of which may be useful for future implementations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study delineated the development of an augmented reality (AR+Core) mobile application to enhance computer hardware education. By offering 3D visualizations of computer internals, the application enables students to immerse in hardware-related learning without the need of actual devices. This virtual approach ensures accessibility from anywhere, making tangible components unnecessary. The Multimedia Development Life Cycle (MDLC) informed the design process, while the Hedonic Motivation System Adoption Model (HMSAM) offered insights into technology adoption. Feedback from 7th-grade participants was overwhelmingly positive, with them acknowledging the app’s utility, engagement value, and user-friendliness. Notably, the app scored 85 of 100 for its perceived ease of use, underlining its efficacy for the target age group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditional sports and esports benefit from the development of Information and Communications Technologies (ICT), including gaming, 4D image/video processing, augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), machine learning (ML), artificial intelligence (AI), big data, high-performance computing (HPC), and cloud computing. On the fuzzy border between the areas of physical and modified reality, both types of sports can coexist. The hardware layer of esports includes PC, consoles, smartphones, and peripherals used to interface with computers, including sensors and feedback devices. The IT layer of esports includes algorithms required in the development of games, online platforms, and virtual reality. The esports community includes amateur and professional players, spectators, esports organizers, sponsors, and other stakeholders. Esports and gaming research spans throughout law (intellectual rights, insurance, safety, and age restrictions), administration (teams, clubs, organizations, league regulations, and tournaments) biology (medicine, psychology, addiction, training and education) Olympic and non-Olympic disciplines, ethical issues, game producers, finance, gambling, data acquisition and analysis. Our article aims to presents selected research issues of esports in the ICT virtualization layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the development of users' behavioural intentions to visit sports venues when using AR-based content using the stimulus-organism-response model. The study centred on individuals who had experienced the AR-based content at Gocheuk Sky Dome. This study presents a structural model that illustrates the connections between three attributes of Augmented Reality (AR)-interactivity, vividness, and novelty (stimulus)-and their influence on the flow experience. This, in turn, affects the intention to depend on AR-based content for visiting a sports venue. A survey was conducted to evaluate the model, targeting young visitors in their 20s and 30s who are knowledgeable about AR technology. The study's findings indicate that novelty had the greatest influence on flow, followed by vividness, while interactivity did not show any significant impact. Flow had a significant impact on all four experiences: education, entertainment, aesthetics, and escapism. The positive impact on the intention to visit AR-based sports venues was observed only in relation to entertainment and education experiences. The role of consumer cultural innovativeness was examined as a moderator in the proposed structure model for visiting AR-based sports venues. These insights offer valuable information for the development of AR-based content in countries with culturally significant tourist destinations for sports enthusiasts. They also guide destination marketers in promoting AR in the tourism industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) was known as the common endocrine disease in women, featured as hyperandrogenism, ovulation disorders, etc. Fat mass and obesity-associated protein (FTO), a m6A demethylase, is abnormal in the occurrence of ovarian diseases. However, the mechanism of FTO in the pathogenesis of PCOS is still unclear. The level of FTO in clinical samples, PCOS rat with hyperandrogenism and granulosa cells (GCs) lines effected by DHT were investigated by ELISA, qRT-PCR, WB, and IHC, while m6A RNA methylation level was studied by m6A Colorimetric and androgen level was tested through ELISA. Changes in steroid hormone synthetase and androgen receptor (AR)/prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in vitro were visualized by WB after transient transfection silenced FTO. The effect of DHT combined with FTO inhibitor meclofenamic acid (MA) on FTO, AR/PSA, and AKT phosphorylation were also demonstrated by WB. The co-localization of FTO and AR in KGN cells was analyzed by confocal microscopy, and the physiological interaction between FTO and AR was studied by Co-IP assay. The effect of FTO-specific inhibitor MA, AKT phosphorylation inhibitor LY294002, and the combined them on GCs proliferation and cell cycle were evaluated by drug combination index, EDU assay, and flow cytometry analysis. FTO expression was upregulated in follicular fluid and GCs in PCOS patients clinically. The high FTO expression in patients was negative with the level of m6A, but positive with the level of androgen. The upregulation of FTO was accompanied with a decrease in the level of m6A in PCOS rat with hyperandrogenism. Dihydrotestosterone (DHT) promoted the FTO expression and inhibited m6A content as a dose-dependent way in vitro. In contrast, suppression of FTO with siRNA attenuated the expression of steroid hormone synthetase such as CYP11A1, CYP17A1, HSD11B1, HSD3B2 except CYP19A1 synthetase, ultimately inducing the decrease of androgen level. Suppression of FTO also decreased the biological activity of androgen through downregulation AR/PSA. MA treatment as the specific FTO antagonist decreased cell survival in time- and dose-dependent way in GCs lines. Correspondingly, MA treatment decreased the expression of FTO, AR/PSA expression, and AKT phosphorylation in the presence of DHT stimulation. Additionally, we also speculate there is a potential relation between FTO and AR according to FTO was co-localized and interacted with AR in KGN cells. Compared with AKT phosphorylation inhibitor LY294002 or MA alone, LY294002 combined with MA synergistically inhibited cell survival and increased G2/M phase arrest in GC line. We first evaluated the correlation of FTO and m6A in PCOS clinically, and further explored the mechanism between FTO and hyperandrogenism in PCOS animal and cell models. These findings contributed the potential therapy by targeting the FTO for hyperandrogenism in PCOS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) comprises 10–20% of diagnosed breast cancers. TNBCs are devoid of common biomarkers such as an estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). Research is currently being conducted to determine the androgen receptor's (AR) role in TNBC and determine its ability to be utilized as an effective drug target in the absence of the commonly targeted receptors. Many studies combine anti-androgen drugs with other chemotherapy to decrease tumor growth and proliferation. The further understanding of AR's mechanism in tumor cells can improve drug efficacy as well as the prognoses of patients suffering from TNBC. To assess AR's role in TNBC treatment, various existing and completed clinical trials targeting AR or co-targeting AR with other pertinent signaling molecules were analyzed. Cyclin-dependent kinase 4/6 (CDK4/6), cytochrome P450 17α-hydroxylase/17,20-lyase (CYP17 lyase), and the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K)/protein kinase B (AKT) signaling pathway were some of the most prevalent biomarkers used in combination therapy with AR inhibitors in these trials. Studying how AR functions in tandem with these molecules can have increasing breakthroughs in the treatment options for TNBC. Previous studies have been largely unsuccessful in utilizing AR as the sole drug target for systemic targeted treatment in TNBC. However, there is a lack of other commonly used drug target biomarkers in the treatment of this disease, as well. Thus, analyzing the clinical benefit rate (CBR) within clinical trials that use combination therapy can prove to be imperative to the progression of improving treatment options and prognoses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of the innovative technologies, in particular virtual and augmented reality technologies, can have a significant impact on the training of future doctors. The sample set of the experiment consisted of 211 students from I.M. Sechenov First Moscow State Medical University. The students were divided into 4 age groups: full-time students of the Faculty of Medicine (Institute of Clinical Medicine) (group 1) and students of the Faculty of Postgraduate Education (groups 2, 3 and 4). To diagnose age-related parameters of readiness for learning using virtual technologies, the McVeigh’s questionnaire with 13 items was used. The results of the study revealed that students who studied using virtual reality technologies showed significantly better results than students of the control group. At the same time, differences were noticed in terms of the factors affecting the quality of digital learning among students of different ages. In the future, scientists may pay attention to the possibility of using AI technologies or deep learning to improve the knowledge of medical students. Additionally, researchers may consider gender, demographic and cultural aspects in the analysis of their differences in adaptation to the digital environment of education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The components of EAM are strongly correlated with LOD and play an important role in UT1-UTC and LOD prediction. However, the EAM dataset is prone to be noisy. In this study, we propose a hybrid method to reduce the noise of the EAM data and improve the accuracy of UT1-UTC and LOD predictions. We use the EOP data to denoise the EAM data, and use Kalman filtering to denoise the 1–6 days forecast of EAM. Then, we use the denoised EAM dataset to improve the UT1-UTC and LOD prediction. The denoised EAM dataset improved the prediction of UT1-UTC within 10 days by 20%. In addition, we found that by introducing two additional periodic (23.9 days and 91.3 days) components for the least-squares fitting, the accuracy of UT1-UTC and LOD prediction in the range of 30–80 days is significantly improved. In more than 430 UT1-UTC and LOD prediction experiments conducted during 2021–2022, the improvements in the 1–6 days forecast were significant. For the 6th day, 30th day, and 60th day, the MAE of UT1-UTC was 0.1592, 2.9169, and 6.7857 ms, respectively, corresponding to improvements of 31.35, 12.60, and 12.93%, respectively, when compared to predictions of Bulletin A. The MAE of LOD predictions on the 1st day, 6th day, 30th day, and 90th day was 0.0255, 0.0432, 0.1694, and 0.2505 ms, respectively, which improved by 26.09, 14.29, 6.36, and 3.76% when compared with our second EOPPCC method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of Yupingfeng granules, a well-known traditional Chinese medication, combined with glucocorticoids on eosinophil (EOS) number and inflammatory factors in nasal secretions of patients with allergic rhinitis (AR). 76 patients with AR were randomly divided into controls (nasal inhaled corticosteroids alone) and experimental group (combined with Yupingfeng granules orally). The efficacy, symptoms, number of EOS and levels of inflammatory factors in nasal secretions were compared between the two groups after 2 months of treatment. The results showed that in the experimental group (94.73%, 0.48 ± 0.25 points), the effective rate of treatment was obviously higher and the physical sign score was clearly lower compared with controls (81.57%, 0.97 ± 0.36 points); the EOS count in the experimental group was clearly less than that in the controls; the tumor necrosis factor-D (TNF-D) (0.76 ± 0.44 ng/mL), interleukin-6 (IL-6) (11.83 ± 3.72 pg/mL), and interleukin-8 (IL-8) (17.45 ± 6.53 pg/mL) levels were evidently lower in the experimental group than in the controls (1.48 ± 0.72 ng/mL, 14.62 ± 5.19 pg/mL, 22.86 ± 9.35 pg/mL) (P < 0.05). In summary, compared with nasal inhalation of glucocorticoids alone, combined with oral administration of Yupingfeng granules, it can more significantly improve the symptoms of nasal obstruction and rhinorrhea in AR patients, reduce nasal mucosal edema, reduce the number of EOS in nasal secretions, and reduce the level of inflammatory factors, which is of positive significance for the clinical treatment of AR patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the effect of environment gas and working pressure of laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy from ZnO: Al composite target (AZO) enhanced by an external magnetic field on the magnetized characteristics and emission spectra of plasma were investigated. The plasma was induced by a Q-switched nanosecond Nd: YAG laser at a constant pulse laser energy of 300 mJ at different pressures of 0.08, 0.2, 0.4, and 760 Torr in air and argon gas. The atomic and ionic emission lines increased in intensity directly with the working pressure. The plasma temperature (Te) and electron number density (ne) were determined at the different environmental conditions according to the intensity-ration method, and Stark broadening effect, respectively. Both ne and Te increased with increasing pressure and with the presence of magnetic field as a result of confining effect. The line profile appeared with high broadening at atmospheric pressure compared with vacuumed plasma. The Larmur radius and confinement factor β increased with working pressure. From another hand, using Ar instead of air caused slightly reduced ne at low pressure, while Te has the opposite behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PCa) is one of the most common cancers in men with high mortality rate which is a major concern for men's health. However, the molecular mechanisms remain poorly understood. miR-93 is an important oncogene which may have important function in prostate cancer.So, this study aimed to predict that encomir-93 mimic transfection on the expression of miR-93 and PSA and AR in prostate cancer LNcap cell line. Lymph node carcinoma of the prostate (LNCaP) was cultured and then miR-93 mimics was designed, synthesized and the transfected to LNCaP. The expression level of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and androgen receptor (AR) was determined via Real-time PCR after treated with 15 pmol of miR-93 mimics. miR-93 mimic transfection led to significant increase in PSA and AR expression in comparison with control group (p≤0.05). The miR-93 and its target genes has important role in PCa progression via enhancement in PSA and AR expression. Further research on the function of the miR-93 and its target genes in tumorgenesis and progression PCa could be helpful for the treatment of prostate cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Androgen receptor (AR) expression in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer (BC) correlates with lower tumor grade and a better clinical outcome. Additionally, in normal mammary epithelium or ER+ BC preclinical models, androgens counteract basal/ER-dependent proliferation. Here, we report an additional mechanism, underlining the protective role exerted by AR. Specifically, the activation of intracellular AR upregulates the Bcl-2-family protein BAD, and TCGA database analyses show that in ER+ BC, BAD expression is associated with better disease-free survival. Ligand-activated AR influences its own and BAD cellular compartmentalization by enhancing levels in the nucleus, as well as in mitochondrial fractions. In both compartments, BAD exerts unconventional functions. In the nucleus, BAD and AR physically interact and, upon androgen stimulation, are recruited at the AP-1 and ARE sites within the cyclin D1 promoter region, contributing to explaining the anti-proliferative effect of androgens in BC cells. Androgens cause an enrichment in BAD and AR content in the mitochondria, correlated with a decrease in mitochondrial function. Thus, we have defined a novel mechanism by which androgens modulate BAD expression, its mitochondria localization, and nuclear content to force its ability to act as a cell cycle inhibitor, strengthening the protective role of androgen signaling in estrogen-responsive BCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Androgen insensitivity syndrome (AIS) is a rare X-linked recessive disorder caused by unresponsiveness to androgens because of mutations in the AR gene. Here, we investigated the clinical outcomes and molecular spectrum of AR variants in patients with AIS attending a single academic center. Methods: This study included 19 patients with AIS who were confirmed by molecular analysis of AR. Clinical features and endocrinological findings were retrospectively collected, including presenting features, external genitalia, sex of rearing, timing of gonadectomy, pubertal outcomes, and sex hormone levels. Molecular analysis of AR was performed using Sanger, targeted gene panel, or whole-exome sequencing. Results: Among all 19 patients, 14 (74%) were classified as having complete AIS (CAIS), whereas 5 (26%) had partial AIS (PAIS). All patients with CAIS, and 3 patients with PAIS were reared as female. One patient with CAIS manifested a mixed germ cell tumor at the age of 30 years. Molecular analysis of AR identified 19 sequence variants; 12 (63%) were previously reported, and the remaining 7 (37%) were novel. Missense mutations were the most common type (12 of 19, 63%), followed by small deletions, nonsense mutations, an insertion, and a splice site mutation. Conclusion: Here, we describe the clinical outcomes and molecular characteristics of 19 Korean patients with AIS. Patients with PAIS manifested various degrees of masculinization of the external genitalia. Nonsense and frameshift mutations were frequent in patients with CAIS, whereas patients with PAIS harbored exclusively missense mutations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a common and fatal type of cancer in men. Metastatic PCa (mPCa) is a major factor contributing to its lethality, although the mechanisms remain poorly understood. PTEN is one of the most frequently deleted genes in mPCa. Here we show a frequent genomic co-deletion of PTEN and STAT3 in liquid biopsies of patients with mPCa. Loss of Stat3 in a Pten-null mouse prostate model leads to a reduction of LKB1/pAMPK with simultaneous activation of mTOR/CREB, resulting in metastatic disease. However, constitutive activation of Stat3 led to high LKB1/pAMPK levels and suppressed mTORC1/CREB pathway, preventing mPCa development. Metformin, one of the most widely prescribed therapeutics against type 2 diabetes, inhibits mTORC1 in liver and requires LKB1 to mediate glucose homeostasis. We find that metformin treatment of STAT3/AR-expressing PCa xenografts resulted in significantly reduced tumor growth accompanied by diminished mTORC1/CREB, AR and PSA levels. PCa xenografts with deletion of STAT3/AR nearly completely abrogated mTORC1/CREB inhibition mediated by metformin. Moreover, metformin treatment of PCa patients with high Gleason grade and type 2 diabetes resulted in undetectable mTORC1 levels and upregulated STAT3 expression. Furthermore, PCa patients with high CREB expression have worse clinical outcomes and a significantly increased risk of PCa relapse and metastatic recurrence. In summary, we have shown that STAT3 controls mPCa via LKB1/pAMPK/mTORC1/CREB signaling, which we have identified as a promising novel downstream target for the treatment of lethal mPCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New technologies, such as Augmented Reality (AR) have a high significant future impact and are changing the demands on employees. The open-mindedness of learners towards new technologies must be taken into account for the development of necessary media competencies. In this article the open-mindedness of students towards the medium of AR in a vocational school specializing in home economics is investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) has been the mainstay of prostate cancer (PCa) treatment, with success in developing more effective inhibitors of androgen synthesis and antiandrogens in clinical practice. However, hormone deprivation and AR ablation have caused an increase in ADT-insensitive PCas associated with a poor prognosis. Resistance to ADT arises through various mechanisms, and most castration-resistant PCas still rely on the androgen axis, while others become truly androgen receptor (AR)-independent. Our research identified the human tousled-like kinase 1 (TLK1) as a crucial early mediator of PCa cell adaptation to ADT, promoting androgen-independent growth, inhibiting apoptosis, and facilitating cell motility and metastasis. Although explicit, the growing role of TLK1 biology in PCa has remained underrepresented and elusive. In this review, we aim to highlight the diverse functions of TLK1 in PCa, shed light on the molecular mechanisms underlying the transition from androgen-sensitive (AS) to an androgen-insensitive (AI) disease mediated by TLK1, and explore potential strategies to counteract this process. Targeting TLK1 and its associated signaling could prevent PCa progression to the incurable metastatic castration-resistant PCa (mCRPC) stage and provide a promising approach to treating PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Accumulating studies have highlighted the critical roles of microRNAs in tumorigenesis and cancer treatment responses. Here, we systematically review the scientific publications describing the roles of microRNAs in the development and progression of prostate cancer. Numerous studies have demonstrated that microRNAs target and regulate critical genes involved in prostate cancer aggressiveness and drug resistance. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying microRNA involvement in the advanced and treatment-resistant prostate cancers remain unclear. This review aims to highlight the current understanding and knowledge gap related to the deregulation of microRNAs in prostate cancer diseases. Furthermore, we summarize the promising progress on the development of microRNA-based diagnostic/prognostic biomarkers and therapies for prostate cancer. Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most frequently diagnosed cancer and the second leading cause of cancer deaths among American men. Complex genetic and epigenetic mechanisms are involved in the development and progression of PCa. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are short noncoding RNAs that regulate protein expression at the post-transcriptional level by targeting mRNAs for degradation or inhibiting protein translation. In the past two decades, the field of miRNA research has rapidly expanded, and emerging evidence has revealed miRNA dysfunction to be an important epigenetic mechanism underlying a wide range of diseases, including cancers. This review article focuses on understanding the functional roles and molecular mechanisms of deregulated miRNAs in PCa aggressiveness and drug resistance based on the existing literature. Specifically, the miRNAs differentially expressed (upregulated or downregulated) in PCa vs. normal tissues, advanced vs. low-grade PCa, and treatment-responsive vs. non-responsive PCa are discussed. In particular, the oncogenic and tumor-suppressive miRNAs involved in the regulation of (1) the synthesis of the androgen receptor (AR) and its AR-V7 splice variant, (2) PTEN expression and PTEN-mediated signaling, (3) RNA splicing mechanisms, (4) chemo- and hormone-therapy resistance, and (5) racial disparities in PCa are discussed and summarized. We further provide an overview of the current advances and challenges of miRNA-based biomarkers and therapeutics in clinical practice for PCa diagnosis/prognosis and treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile crowd sensing is a novel large-scale sensing pattern, which applies users' smart devices to analyze social context and human activity, and then learns the intelligent information serving for various innovative services. An augmented reality (AR) system can bring more authentic experience for human life, and more and more scholars are increasingly interested in this technology. However, there are some problems in the previous methods, such as the expensive deployment, low accuracy, and high latency. These problems greatly limit the application of augmented reality systems. In this paper, we design a lightweight augmented reality system, called LAR, which can recognize the target object quickly and precisely by using a feature matching algorithm. In LAR, the target object is shot twice to get the distance between the user and the object, and we take the distance as the feature of the target object. Furthermore, the feature extraction algorithm, named s-SURF, is designed to extract image features. LAR combines the distance with image feature and then matches with these images stored in database. In addition, the flutter-free algorithm is used to denoise and get a clearer image. Finally, we design a prototype system to evaluate LAR performance. The accuracy of LAR is 86%, and the time delay achieves 141 ms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the proposition of the pro‐invasive activity of proteolytic enzymes over 70 years ago, several roles for proteases in cancer progression have been established. About half of the 473 active human proteases are expressed in the prostate and many of the most well‐characterized members of this enzyme family are regulated by androgens, hormones essential for development of prostate cancer. Most notably, several kallikrein‐related peptidases, including KLK3 (prostate‐specific antigen, PSA), the most well‐known prostate cancer marker, and type II transmembrane serine proteases, such as TMPRSS2 and matriptase, have been extensively studied and found to promote prostate cancer progression. Recent findings also suggest a critical role for proteases in the development of advanced and aggressive castration‐resistant prostate cancer (CRPC). Perhaps the most intriguing evidence for this role comes from studies showing that the protease‐activated transmembrane proteins, Notch and CDCP1, are associated with the development of CRPC. Here, we review the roles of proteases in prostate cancer, with a special focus on their regulation by androgens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study aimed to explore the potential mechanisms of KIF23 regulating function in the progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma and pinpoint novel therapeutic targets for the clinical treatment of nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients. Firstly, the mRNA and protein level of KIF23 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma was measured using quantitative real-time PCR and western blot. Then, the influence of KIF23 on tumor metastasis and growth in nasopharyngeal carcinoma was determined through the in vivo and in vitro experiments. Lastly, the regulatory mechanisms of KIF23 in nasopharyngeal carcinoma were illustrated in the chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. KIF23 was first found to be overexpressed in nasopharyngeal carcinoma samples, and its expression was associated with poor prognosis. Then, the nasopharyngeal carcinoma cell’s proliferation, migration, and invasion potential could be improved by inducing KIF23 expression both in vivo and in vitro. Furthermore, androgen receptor (AR) was found to bind to the KIF23 promoter region directly and enhance KIF23 transcription. At last, KIF23 could accelerate nasopharyngeal carcinoma deterioration via activating the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway. AR/KIF23/Wnt/β-catenin pathway promotes nasopharyngeal carcinoma deterioration. Our findings could serve as a new therapeutic strategy for nasopharyngeal carcinoma in the clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of view (FOV) of waveguide display systems based on volume holographic grating (VHG) is primarily constrained by the diffraction response bandwidth, which is currently insufficient to meet the need for AR immersive displays. Through the composite diffraction response bandwidths, red‐responsive and green‐responsive double‐layer VHG structures are proposed to expand the FOV under varied image sources. The influence of several input spectral bandwidths on FOV improvement is also considered, and OLED micro‐display and LCOS micro‐display are selected as image sources. As a consequence, the horizontal FOV of the red‐responsive double‐layer VHG waveguide based on the LCOS micro‐display is 19.5°, and that of the green‐responsive double‐layer VHG waveguide based on the OLED micro‐display is 33.4°. Through the simulation and experiment, we effectively illustrate the effect of the double‐layer VHG and the input spectral bandwidth on the FOV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Students consider that spatial geometry is tough, they require equipped mastery of concepts and visualized 2D object. This study is addressed to develop and evaluate EUCLIDA card integrated with AR using 4D model. The EUCLIDA card was claimed to satisfy the valid standard, because it achieves a percentage of 90%, from the appraisal data of two specialists and one practitioner. Moreover, EUCLIDA card also fulfills the utility aspects, because it obtained a percentage of 93% based on the outcome of learning activities observed and gained 97% from the student feedback survey on operating EUCLIDA card. It can be concluded that the EUCLIDA card is considered valid and useful. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Technological advances have become the concern of researchers in the embodiment of the educational process. Current students have abandoned the old learning method by switching to digital-based learning. Therefore, this study aims to develop Android Augmented Reality (AR) learning media and measure its effect on independent learning outcomes compared to traditional classroom learning. The research method combines research and development (R&D), experiment, and survey methods. The alpha test showed the learning media application of AR functions according to the expected scenario. Meanwhile, the beta test showed most students strongly agree that: AR learning media is easy to use; the content in the AR learning media is exciting and easy to understand. Besides that AR education media helps and facilitates students in learning the basics of car engine systems. The beta test on teachers showed that AR learning media for car engine lubrication and cooling system is useful and suitable for classroom learning. Furthermore, the t-test comparison test shows that the learning outcomes of students who study independently are more successful when compared to the learning outcomes of AR students who study traditionally face-to-face. So the implication is student self-directed learning can replace the teacher's face-to-face classroom teaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is a lipid-driven chronic inflammatory disease that causes cardiovascular diseases (CVD). The association between radiation and atherosclerosis has already been demonstrated; however, the effects of low-dose radiation (LDR) exposure on atherosclerosis have not been reported. Our study aims to propose that LDR may cause atherosclerosis phenotypes by the upregulation of plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1) and downregulation of androgen receptor (AR), which are cytokines secreted from the liver. Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor deficient (Ldlr−/−) mice were irradiated at 50 mGy, 100 mGy, and 1000 mGy. LDR irradiated Ldlr−/− mice serum was analyzed by cytokine array and proteomics with silver staining. Oil Red O staining and BODIPY staining were performed to determine lipid accumulation in Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Foam cell formation and monocyte recruitment were assessed through co-culture system with HUVECs and THP-1 cells. After irradiation with LDR (100 mGy) the mice showed atherosclerotic phenotypes and through analysis results, we selected regulated cytokines, PAI-1 and AR, and found that these were changed in the liver. LDR-regulated cytokines have the potential to be transported to endothelial cells and induce lipid accumulation, inflammation of monocytes, increased oxidized low-density lipoprotein (oxLDL) and foam cells formation, that were series of phenotypes lead to plaque formation in endothelial cells and induces atherosclerosis. As a further aspect of this study, testosterone undecanoate (TU) was found to pharmacologically inhibit a series of atherosclerotic phenotypes exhibited by LDR. This study suggests a role for PAI-1 and AR in regulating the development of atherosclerosis after LDR exposure. Targeting PAI-1 and AR could serve as an attractive strategy for the management of atherosclerosis following LDR exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]