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The progress of technology involves the continuous improvement of current machines to attain higher levels of energy efficiency, operational dependability, and effectiveness. Induction heating is a thermal process that involves the heating of materials that possess electrical conductivity, such as metals. This technique finds diverse applications, including induction welding and induction cooking pots. The optimization of the operating point of the inverter discussed in this study necessitated the resolution of a pair of non-convex mathematical models to enhance the energy efficiency of the inverters and mitigate switching losses. In order to determine the most advantageous operational location, a sophisticated surface optimization was conducted, requiring the implementation of a sophisticated optimization methodology, such as the adaptive black widow optimization algorithm. The methodology draws inspiration from the resourceful behavior of female black widow spiders in their quest for nourishment. Its straightforward control variable design and limited computational complexity make it a feasible option for addressing multi-dimensional engineering problems within confined constraints. The primary objective of utilizing the adaptive black widow optimization algorithm in the context of induction heating is to optimize the pertinent process parameters, including power level, frequency, coil design, and material properties, with the ultimate goal of efficiently achieving the desired heating outcomes. The utilization of the adaptive black widow optimization algorithm presents a versatile and robust methodology for addressing optimization problems in the field of induction heating. This is due to its capacity to effectively manage intricate, non-linear, and multi-faceted optimization predicaments. The adaptive black widow optimization algorithm has been modified in order to enhance the optimization process and guarantee the identification of the global optimum. The empirical findings derived from an authentic inverter setup were compared with the hypothetical results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GTP is an important signaling molecule involved in the growth, development, and stress adaptability of plants. The functions are mediated via binding to GTPases which are in turn regulated by GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs). Satellite reports have suggested the positive roles of GAPs in regulating ABA signaling and pathogen resistance in plants. However, the molecular mechanisms that bring forth the pathogen resistance have remained unclear. In this study, we demonstrated that the expression of AtGAP1 was inducible by Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000). The overexpression of AtGAP1 in Arabidopsis promoted the expression of PR1 and the resistance to Pst DC3000. Proteomic analyses revealed the enhanced accumulation of cell-wall-modifying proteins as a result of AtGAP1 overexpression. By microscopic analyses, we showed that the overexpression of AtGAP1 resulted in increased thickness of the mesophyll cell wall and reduced stomatal aperture, which are effective strategies for restricting the entry of foliar pathogens. Altogether, we demonstrated that AtGAP1 increases the resistance to Pst DC3000 in Arabidopsis by promoting cellular strategies that restrict the entry of pathogens into the cells. These results point to a future direction for studying the modes of action of GAPs in regulating plant cell structures and disease resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multidrug and toxic compound extrusion (MATE) transporters are ancient proteins conserved among various kingdoms, from prokaryotes to eukaryotes. In plants, MATEs usually form a large family in the genome. Homologous MATE transporters have different subcellular localizations, substrate specificities, and responses to external stimuli for functional differentiations. The substrates of MATEs in plants include polyphenols, alkaloids, phytohormones, and ion chelators. The accumulation of these substrates is often associated with favorable agronomic traits such as seed and fruit colors, the balance between dormancy and germination, taste, and stress adaptability. In crops, wild germplasms and domesticated germplasms usually have contrasting agronomic traits such as seed color, seed taste, and stress tolerance. MATE transporters are involved in the regulations of these traits. In this review, we discuss the uniqueness and significance of there being such a large family of MATEs in plants, their substrate diversity that enables them to be involved in various agronomic traits, and the allelic forms and the expression patterns of MATE that are associated with favorable agronomic traits in domesticated crops. The understanding on the roles of MATEs in regulating favorable agronomic traits in crops will provide hints for the selection of genes for molecular breeding that improve desirable traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soybean is an important crop as both human food and animal feed. However, the yield of soybean is heavily impacted by biotic stresses including insect attack and pathogen infection. Insect bites usually make the plants vulnerable to pathogen infection, which causes diseases. Fungi, oomycetes, bacteria, viruses, and nematodes are major soybean pathogens. The infection by pathogens and the defenses mounted by soybean are an interactive and dynamic process. Using fungi, oomycetes, and bacteria as examples, we will discuss the recognition of pathogens by soybean at the molecular level. In this review, we will discuss both the secretory peptides for soybean plant infection and those for pathogen inhibition. Pathogenic secretory peptides and peptides secreted by soybean and its associated microbes will be included. We will also explore the possible use of externally applied antimicrobial peptides identical to those secreted by soybean and its associated microbes as biopesticides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A class of proteins that were discovered to bind the immunosuppressant drug FK506, called FK506-binding proteins (FKBPs), are members of a sub-family of immunophilins. Although they were first identified in human, FKBPs exist in all three domains of life. In this report, a rice FKBP12 homolog was first identified as a biotic stress-related gene through suppression subtractive hybridization screening. By ectopically expressing OsFKBP12 in the heterologous model plant system, Arabidopsis thaliana, for functional characterization, OsFKBP12 was found to increase susceptibility of the plant to the pathogen, Pseudomonas syringae pv. tomato DC3000 (Pst DC3000). This negative regulatory role of FKBP12 in biotic stress responses was also demonstrated in the AtFKBP12-knockout mutant, which exhibited higher resistance towards Pst DC3000. Furthermore, this higher-plant FKBP12 homolog was also shown to be a negative regulator of salt tolerance. Using yeast two-hybrid tests, an ancient unconventional G-protein, OsYchF1, was identified as an interacting partner of OsFKBP12. OsYchF1 was previously reported as a negative regulator of both biotic and abiotic stresses. Therefore, OsFKBP12 probably also plays negative regulatory roles at the convergence of biotic and abiotic stress response pathways in higher plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Society is currently facing unprecedented technological advances that simultaneously create opportunities and risks. Technology has the potential to revolutionize rehabilitation and redefine the way we think about disability. As more advanced technology becomes available, impairments and the environmental barriers that engender disability can be significantly mitigated. The opportunity to apply technology to rehabilitation following serious injuries or illnesses is becoming more evident. However, the translation of these innovations into practice remains limited and often inequitable. This situation is exacerbated by the fact that not all relevant parties are involved in the decision-making process. Our solution was to create a sociotechnical system, known as HabITec, where people with disabilities, practitioners, funders, researchers, designers and developers can work together and co-create new solutions. Sociotechnical thinking is collaborative, interdisciplinary, adaptive, problem-solving and focused on a shared set of goals. By applying a sociotechnical approach to the healthcare sector, we aimed to minimize the lag in translating new technologies into rehabilitation practice. This collaborative co-design process supports innovation and ensures that technological solutions are practical and meaningful, ethical, sustainable and contextualized. In this conceptual paper, we presented the HabITec model along with the empirical evidence and theories on which it has been built. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the natural environment, plants are often bombarded by a combination of abiotic (such as drought, salt, heat or cold) and biotic (necrotrophic and biotrophic pathogens) stresses simultaneously. It is critical to understand how the various response pathways to these stresses interact with one another within the plants, and where the points of crosstalk occur which switch the responses from one pathway to another. Calcium sensors are often regarded as the first line of response to external stimuli to trigger downstream signaling. Abscisic acid (ABA) is a major phytohormone regulating stress responses, and it interacts with the jasmonic acid (JA) and salicylic acid (SA) signaling pathways to channel resources into mitigating the effects of abiotic stresses versus defending against pathogens. The signal transduction in these pathways are often carried out via GTP-binding proteins (G-proteins) which comprise of a large group of proteins that are varied in structures and functions. Deciphering the combined actions of these different signaling pathways in plants would greatly enhance the ability of breeders to develop food crops that can thrive in deteriorating environmental conditions under climate change, and that can maintain or even increase crop yield. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]