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This methodical paper explores the possibility of estimating the peak electron density of the F2-region of the ionosphere (NmF2) under different conditions, using data on the frequency of spectral bands (harmonics) of the ionospheric Alfvén resonator (IAR) oscillation. We describe a simple technique for tracking the frequency of spectral bands during the day by measuring their position on the plot of the IAR daily dynamic spectrum. Through calculations within the framework of the global ionospheric model IRI-2016, we verify the correctness of the comparison of the frequencies of resonant bands, measured at one point, with data from radio sounding, performed at other points remote from IAR frequency measurement sites at a distance. We propose an algorithm for comparing NmF2, measured by a radiosonde, with frequencies of spectral lines by precalculating the evaluation factor. It is formed on the basis of a nonlinear combination of the frequencies of the three observed harmonics. Then the time series of this factor is compared with the results of radio sounding, and correlation and regression coefficients, as well as estimation errors are calculated. Using the material on rare cases of round-the-clock observation of IAR oscillations in the winter months of 2011–2012, we trace the dependence of the average error in determining the peak electron density on local time. We present the data on the most favorable local time intervals for determining NmF2 from IAR harmonic frequencies depending on season. Some additional factors are discussed which affect the accuracy of estimates and determine the frequency range of IAR oscillations.

Materials based on a rubber-epoxy matrix filled with coal-tar pitch and petroleum coking additive were investigated. The effect of the fillers on the degradation rate of the cured material and the coke residue yield was studied using data of thermogravimetric and differential thermal analyses and differential scanning calorimetry, It was established that the introduction of coal-tar pitches lowers the thermooxidative stability of the polymer matrix, while the introduction of petroleum coking additive raises it. In tests under isothermal and dynamic conditions, the greatest amount of coke residue is formed after annealing of the composite with petroleum coking additive. Burnout of the coke residue of the given material occurs in the widest temperature range. The influence of the nature of the filler and the test temperature on the mechanical properties of the materials was investigated. It was established that at elevated temperature the best deformation and strength properties are possessed by material with the petroleum coking additive. The prospects of using the obtained materials as heat-shielding coatings were assessed. ] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glycosaminoglycans are often deprioritized as targets for synthetic immunotherapy due to the complexity of glyco-epitopes and limited options for obtaining specific subtype binding. Solid tumors express proteoglycans that are modified with oncofetal chondroitin sulfate (CS), a modification normally restricted to the placenta. Here, we report the design and functionality of transient chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cells with selectivity to oncofetal CS. Following expression in T cells, the CAR could be "armed" with recombinant VAR2CSA lectins (rVAR2) to target tumor cells expressing oncofetal CS. While unarmed CAR T cells remained inactive in the presence of target cells, VAR2-armed CAR T cells displayed robust activation and the ability to eliminate diverse tumor cell types in vitro. Cytotoxicity of the CAR T cells was proportional to the concentration of rVAR2 available to the CAR, offering a potential molecular handle to finetune CAR T cell activity. In vivo, armed CAR T cells rapidly targeted bladder tumors and increased the survival of tumor-bearing mice. Thus, our work indicates that cancer-restricted glycosaminoglycans may be exploited as potential targets for CAR T cell therapy., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Using sub-3-cycle pulses from mode-locked Cr:ZnS lasers at λ ≈ 2.4 µm as a driving source, we performed high-resolution dual-frequency-comb spectroscopy in the longwave infrared (LWIR) range. A duo of highly coherent broadband (6.6-11.4 µm) frequency combs were produced via intrapulse difference frequency generation in zinc germanium phosphide (ZGP) crystals. Fast (up to 0.1 s per spectrum) acquisition of 240,000 comb-mode-resolved data points, spaced by 80 MHz and referenced to a Rb clock, was demonstrated, resulting in metrology grade molecular spectra of N 2 O (nitrous oxide) and CH 3 OH (methane). The key to high-speed massive spectral data acquisition was low intensity and phase noise of the LWIR combs and high (7.5%) downconversion efficiency, resulting in a LWIR power of 300 mW for each comb.