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The primary source of soil pollution is a complex mixture of numerous inorganic and organic compounds (including chlorinated compounds, nutrients, and heavy metals, etc.). The presence of all of these compounds makes remediation and cleanup difficult. In this study, the phytoremediation ability of Jatropha curcas and Pongamia pinnata was tested to remove nickel (Ni) and Zinc (Zn) from paper mill and municipal landfill contaminated soils, to understand the uptake potential and to estimate the accumulation pattern of Ni and Zn in the vegetative parts of the plant. The experiments were carried out in pots (3 kg capacity) and the different combinations of soil were made by mixing the contaminated soil with a reference soil (forest soil) as T 0 , T 25 , T 50 , T 75 and T 100. The plant biomass, chlorophyll content, proline, nitrate reductase activity and metal removal efficiency (%)were determined after 120 DAS (i.e., the days after sowing). The results of the study showed that with increasing metal stress, there is a reduction in the above-ground biomass content in both the plant species with a slightly less impact on the root biomass. Over a period of 4 months, J. curcas and P. pinnata removed 82–86% and 93-90% Ni, respectively. The removal of Zn was significantly less as compared to Ni as most of the Zn remained in the belowground part (roots) and in the soil. Besides, the phytostabilization capacities of the plants were calculated on the basis of their tolerance index (TI), bioaccumulation factor (BAF) and translocation factor (TF). The low BAF and TF values with increasing heavy metals (HMs) content indicates its higher phytostabilization capacity in the root and rhizospheric region as compared to phytoaccumulation. [Display omitted] • J. curcas and P. pinnata removes 82 - 86 % and 93- 90 % Ni respectively. • High biomass and bioaccumulation factor (BAF) > 1: Suitable for metal phytoextraction. • Low biomass and BAF < 1: Suitable for metal phytostabilization. • Low translocation factor (< 1) indicated the phytostabilization capacity of the plants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Numerous sites contaminated with fiber emissions from pulp and paper industries are found in coastal areas of the Baltic Sea, but there is limited knowledge about the magnitude of dispersal of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) from these anthropogenic, organic-rich sediments called fiberbanks. The aim of this study was to quantify and compare different POP dispersal pathways from such fiberbanks. Dispersal mechanisms studied included abiotic and biotic routes (dissolved in water, particle-bound, and bioaccumulation). Materials and methods: Contaminated fibrous sediments located in Ångermanälven River estuary in north-eastern Sweden were studied in sediment types representing different fiber content (i.e., fiberbanks, fiber-rich sediments, and less fiber impacted sediments). Sediment-to-water fluxes of dissolved contaminants (polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), hexachlorobenzene (HCB), and dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT)) were measured in situ using benthic flux chambers. Particle resuspension was measured by sampling bottom water, before and after disturbing the sediment surface. Benthic biota was collected to determine the body burden of contaminants and to determine biota-pore water accumulation factors (BAFPW) and biota-sediment accumulation factors (BSAFs). In addition, concentrations of dissolved POPs in the water column were measured in field using passive samplers. Instrumental analysis was performed using gas chromatography coupled to a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (GC-MS/MS). Results and discussion: The flux of dissolved Σ20PCBs was approximately two times higher from one of the investigated fiberbanks (3.4 ng m− 2 day− 1) compared to the other. The average particle burden of PCBs was also higher at this fiberbank after artificial disturbance (15 ng g−1 particle), which indicates that larger amounts of contaminants are likely to disperse via particle resuspension from this site compared to the other fiberbank (4.8 ng g− 1 particle). The difference might be associated with a layer of recently settled minerogenic material that covers one of the fiberbanks, which probably functions as a protective barrier. The lack of benthic biota implies that contaminant release by bioturbation is negligible in the studied fiberbanks. However, benthic biota from fiber-rich sediment showed bioaccumulation and biomagnification of contaminants. Conclusions: The importance of diffusive flux from fiberbanks under undisturbed conditions became apparent when the different dispersal pathways were quantified. However, no dispersal pathway could be judged as irrelevant, since even under undisturbed conditions, advective particle transport was significant. Additionally, the uptake by biota and trophic transfer can be considerable. Quantification of dispersal routes and understanding of the relative importance of various pathways is critical for proper risk assessment and management of contaminated sediments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A cornerstone of the management and conservation of archaeological sites is recording their physical characteristics. Documenting and describing the site is an essential step that allows for delineating the components of the site and for collecting and synthesizing information and documentation (Demas, 2012). The information produced by such work assists in the decision-making process for custodians, site managers, public officials, conservators, and other related experts. Rigorous documentation may also serve a broader purpose: over time, it becomes the primary archival and monitoring record. Both scholars and the public use this information and interpret the site, and they can serve as a posterity record in the event of catastrophic or gradual loss of the heritage asset. In May 2018 the Getty Conservation Institute and the Department of Antiquities of Cyprus collaborated with the Carleton Immersive Media Studio in undertaking the documentation of Nea Paphos, a World Heritage site with very important mosaic pavements in the eastern Mediterranean. This contribution outlines the critical components of the documentation project: field study, field measurements, data processing, validation, GIS, and integration of external data. The paper summarizes the digital workflows and procedures used to produce the deliverables, as well as the equipment and technology employed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current applications in the energy sector are based largely on fossil fuels which release greenhouse gas emissions to the atmosphere. To face the issue of global warming, the energy sector has to transfer to and develop sustainable energy solutions that do not release carbon emissions. This is one of the primary motivators for the SDEWES conference as well as for this review, and previous ones, examining the most recent works based on sustainable and green energy production in such fields. The 17th Conference on the Sustainable Development of Energy, Water, and Environment Systems (SDEWES) was held on 6–10 November 2022 in Paphos, Cyprus. The SDEWES conference aims at solving complex and ongoing concerns that approach a long-term perspective and supporting innovative solutions and continuous monitoring and evaluation. This review paper aims at collecting the main presented papers focused on the following hot topics: low-carbon technologies based on renewable and clean-energy systems, including mainly biomass, solar, and wind energy applications; energy storage systems; hydrogen-based systems; energy-saving strategies in buildings; and the adoption of smart management strategies using renewable energy systems. These topics are investigated in order to propose solutions to address the issues of climate change, water scarcity, and energy saving. From the analyzed works, we note that some key issues for sustainable development remain to be further addressed: such as novel and advanced energy storage systems, green hydrogen production, novel low-temperature district heating and cooling networks, novel solar technologies for the simultaneous production of power and high temperature heat, solar desalination for hydrogen production systems, and agrivoltaic systems for the production of power and food. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead telluride and germanium telluride are well-known IV-VI semiconductors, which is now the focus of research due to the perspective of application as thermoelectrics for midrange temperatures. Solid solutions and heterostructures on this basis, obtained by molecular beam epitaxy, are a promising direction for the development of these materials. In this paper, we have focused on the Raman spectra excited by the 514.5 nm laser line (out of resonance) of PbTe, GeTe, (Pb, Ge)Te, and (Pb, Ge, Eu)Te layers grown on BaF2 (111) monocrystalline substrates. The obtained phonon properties are related to the properties of the corresponding bulk materials or can be explained by a model that takes into account the difference in the masses of the constituent elements only, as is the case with the local mode of Ge in PbTe (registered at about 181 cm−1). Multiphonon processes registered for this phonon are a consequence of the change in the electronic structure of PbTe and electron-phonon interaction. An improvement in the quality of thin films due to doping with Eu ions was also registered. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an overview for the Special Issue of Clean Technology and Environmental Policy journal (CTEP), and it includes accepted papers from: 5th South East European Conferences on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) held from May 22–26, 2022, in Vlore, Albania. 3rd Latin American Conferences on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) held from July 24–28, 2022, in Sao Paulo, Brazil. 17th Conferences on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) held from November 6–10, 2022, in Paphos, Cyprus. Considering CTEP's policy of high-quality research papers, guest editors have invited 35 research articles, presented at the SDEWES 2022 conference. After a vigorous review process, 13 papers have been accepted for publication in this special issue. All 13 accepted papers are briefly presented in this overview together with a wider view that presents research efforts within the SDEWES community published through previous SDEWES special issues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the results of ceramic synthesis in the field of a powerful flux of high-energy electrons on powder mixtures. The synthesis is carried out via the direct exposure of the radiation flux to a mixture with high speed (up to 10 g/s) and efficiency without the use of any methods or means for stimulation. These synthesis qualities provide the opportunity to optimize compositions and conditions in a short time while maintaining the purity of the ceramics. The possibility of synthesizing ceramics from powders of metal oxides and fluorides (MgF2, BaF2, WO3, Ga2O3, Al2O3, Y2O3, ZrO2, MgO) and complex compounds from their stoichiometric mixtures (Y3Al3O12, Y3AlxGa(5−x) O12, MgAl2O4, ZnAl2O4, MgWO4, ZnWO4, BaxMg(2−x) F4), including activators, is demonstrated. The ceramics synthesized in the field of high-energy electron flux have a structure and luminescence properties similar to those obtained by other methods, such as thermal methods. The results of studying the processes of energy transfer of the electron beam mixture, quantitative assessments of the distribution of absorbed energy, and the dissipation of this energy are presented. The optimal conditions for beam treatment of the mixture during synthesis are determined. It is shown that the efficiency of radiation synthesis of ceramics depends on the particle dispersion of the initial powders. Powders with particle sizes of 1–10 µm, uniform for the synthesis of ceramics of complex compositions, are optimal. A hypothesis is put forward that ionization processes, resulting in the radiolysis of particles and the exchange of elements in the ion–electron plasma, dominate in the formation of new structural phases during radiation synthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Magazine General Union of Arab Archaeologists is the property of General Union of Arab Archaeologists and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Heavy-atom alkaline earth monofluoride molecules are considered as prospective systems to study spatial parity or spatial parity and time-reversal symmetry violating effects such as the nuclear anapole moment or the electron electric dipole moment. A comprehensive and highly accurate theoretical study of the electronic structure properties and transition energies in such systems can simplify the preparation and interpretation of the experiments. However, almost no attempts to calculate quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects' contribution into characteristics of these neutral heavy-atom molecules have been performed. Recently, we have formulated and implemented such an approach to calculate QED contributions to transition energies of molecules [L. V. Skripnikov, J. Chem. Phys. 154, 201101 (2021)]. In this paper, we perform a benchmark theoretical study of the transition energies in the Ba+ cation and BaF molecule. The deviation of the calculated values from the experimental ones is of the order 10 cm−1 and is more than an order of magnitude better than the "chemical accuracy," 350 cm−1. The achievement of such an agreement has been provided, in particular, by the inclusion of the QED effects. The latter appeared to be not less important than the high-order correlation effects beyond the coupled cluster with single, double, and perturbative triple cluster amplitude level. We compare the role of QED effects for transition energies with heavier molecules—RaF and E120F, where E120 is the superheavy Z = 120 homolog of Ra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Announces that the 15th International Symposium on Contact Dermatitis (ISCD) is will be held in conjunction with the 5th International Symposium on Irritant Contact Dermatitis (ISICD) in Paphos, Cyprus on 6-9 November, 2005. Topics of plenary sessions, symposia and poster sessions; Contact information.

In general, glasses have a random structure, but they can take on unique structures due to bond selectivity. In this paper, we introduce the bond selectivity of oxygen- and fluorine-containing glasses and the formation of glass structures derived from the bond selectivity of each anion. We present the relationship between BaMgBO3F crystals and BaF2-MgO-B2O3 glasses. The crystal is composed of oxide and fluoride layers. The corresponding glass is suggested to have a bicontinuous structure from structural analysis and simulation. The glass has a favorable structure for luminescence and shows higher luminescence efficiency than the corresponding crystal. Such a structure is also favorable for nucleation; the BaF2-ZnO-B2O3 glass precipitated fluoride crystals with a very small particle size distribution at 5 nm upon heat treatment. Various structural analyses suggest that the fluoride sites in the fluoride-rich domain of this glass structure are similar to the crystals. This paper suggests that various functionalities can be developed by utilizing the mixing heterogeneity derived from the selective binding of fluoride and oxide. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the mystery of baryogenesis for isotropic and anisotropic universe models in the context of Rastall's theory of gravity (RTG). In the first part, we utilize the Rastall field equations (FEs) for the flat Friedmann Robertson Walker (FRW) metric to find the solutions of density ρ and Hubble parameter H. Additionally, Rastall parameter plays a crucial role to discuss baryogenesis and fulfilling its criteria on the observational ground. It is found that very large positive/negative values of Rastall parameter like λ ≥ 1 0 5 4 (for ω = 0) and λ ≤ − 1 0 2 2 (for ω = 1) are required to satisfy the observational bounds on baryon asymmetry factor (BAF), see Fig. 1. In the second part, we develop the FEs for RTG using the Locally Rotationally Symmetric (LRS) Bianchi type-1 line-element. Then we find the solutions of the FEs and use them to find the BAF using Rastall parameter as λ ≤ − 1 0 3 7 and anisotropic parameter n ≥ 2 to meet the consistency with the experimental limit, see Fig. 3. For n = 1 , the anisotropic model reduces to the isotropic FRW model, where we have a zero BAF. Finally, we conclude that RTG with both universe models is a good candidate to study baryogenesis in the early universe and the variable λ has a considerable impact on the BAF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A bubble-based acoustofluidic filtration (BAF) microfluidic device, which employs cross-flow filtration (CFF) and acoustic streaming, separates cells with high efficiency for forensic analysis. Forensic samples are typically complex and contain a substantial number of squamous epithelial cells from the female vagina, which tend to have fouling problems during filtration due to their morphological and cell adhesion differences. To overcome this issue, the BAF device utilizes bubble oscillation by bulk acoustic wave (BAW) to generate acoustic streaming, which offers additional hydrodynamic forces for side flushing cleaning and achieves effective removal within a mere 0.5 seconds. Our device is tested with imbalanced cell mixtures of sperm and epithelial cells with large disparity ratios. By concurrently employing CFF and acoustic streaming, the samples with our sperm-enrichment can achieve 91.72–97.78% for the recovery rate and 74.58–89.26% for the purity in the sperm enrichment. They are further subjected to short tandem repeat (STR) profiling, enabling the identification of perpetrators. Notably, even samples with minimal sperm cells demonstrated a significant increase in the male donor DNA ratio, while the peak heights of female alleles became virtually undetectable. The exceptional cell separation capability demonstrated by our BAF device highlights its potential applications in forensic sciences and other areas of cell biology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Er3+ doped TeO 2 -ZnF 2 -BaF 2 -KF-Ta 2 O 5 tellurite glasses with low hydroxyl content (∼0.03 × 10−19 cm−3) were investigated employing both glass composition and glass melting process optimization. The Raman spectra and physical properties were characterized to analyze the structure of the glasses. Under the pumping of 980 nm LD laser, intense up-conversion fluorescence at 1.5 and 2.7 μm of samples and their lifetimes were detected and analyzed, and the related transition mechanisms with gradient-varying Er3+ doping concentrations were discussed. The maximum absorption and emission cross section at 2.7 μm was calculated to be 6.4 × 10−21 cm2 and 6.8 × 10−21 cm2, correspondingly, which were higher than those of traditional tellurite glasses. Using the calculated and measured spectroscopic parameters of bulk tellurite glass, a dual-wavelength pumping model was established to verify the feasibility of mid-infrared laser output in similar tellurite glass fiber. Experimental results support the assertion that the Er3+ doped tellurite glasses hold promise as a candidate laser gain medium for mid-infrared fiber laser systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer development is a complex process involving both genetic and epigenetic changes. The SWI/SNF (switch/sucrose non‐fermentable) chromatin remodelling complex, one of the most studied ATP‐dependent complexes, plays an important role in coordinating chromatin structural stability, gene expression and post‐translational modifications. The SWI/SNF complex can be classified into BAF, PBAF and GBAF according to their constituent subunits. Cancer genome sequencing studies have shown a high incidence of mutations in genes encoding subunits of the SWI/SNF chromatin remodelling complex, with abnormalities in one or more of these genes present in nearly 25% of all cancers, which indicating that stabilizing normal expression of genes encoding subunits in the SWI/SNF complex may prevent tumorigenesis. In this paper, we will review the relationship between the SWI/SNF complex and some clinical tumours and its mechanism of action. The aim is to provide a theoretical basis to guide the diagnosis and treatment of tumours caused by mutations or inactivation of one or more genes encoding subunits of the SWI/SNF complex in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Legal Records / Pravni Zapisi is the property of Union University Law School, Belgrade and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fast and heavy inorganic scintillators with suitable radiation tolerance are required to face the challenges presented at future hadron colliders of high energy and intensity. Up to 5 GGy and 5 × 1018 neq/cm2 of one-MeV-equivalent neutron fluence is expected by the forward calorimeter at the Future Hadron Circular Collider. This paper reports the results of an investigation of proton- and neutron-induced radiation damage in various fast and heavy inorganic scintillators, such as LYSO:Ce crystals, LuAG:Ce ceramics, and BaF2 crystals. The experiments were carried out at the Blue Room with 800 MeV proton fluence up to 3.0 × 1015 p/cm2 and at the East Port with one MeV equivalent neutron fluence up to 9.2 × 1015 neq/cm2, respectively, at the Los Alamos Neutron Science Center. Experiments were also carried out at the CERN PS-IRRAD proton facility with 24 GeV proton fluence up to 8.2 × 1015 p/cm2. Research and development will continue to develop LuAG:Ce ceramics and BaF2:Y crystals with improved optical quality, F/T ratio, and radiation hardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biological aerated filters (BAF) are attached growth aerobic systems used for the treatment of wastewater. This system can establish the physical filtration of solids along with the biological decomposition of organic matter. The performance of the BAF depends on the type of support media and its ability to meet objective of the treatment process. Natural zeolites, with properties such as ion exchange, larger surface area, capability to form biofilm, adsorption, regenerative properties etc., are a promising filter material in BAF systems. This paper investigates and discusses the effect of various factors like hydraulic retention time (HRT), carbon to nitrogen (C/N) ratio, aeration rate, depth of filter and particle size of natural zeolite which influence the performance of BAF. Based on the experimental results and optimization study using response surface methodology, carried out on the BAF system with varying process variables like HRT, C/N ratio, aeration rate and depth of filter, the natural zeolite media with particle size 1-3 mm range showed improved performance as compared to the coarser particles, that is, 3-5 mm and 5-10 mm. On conducting a final run using natural zeolite particle size of 1-3 mm under optimized value of HRT = 3.25 h, C/N = 6.2, aeration rate = 69 L/h, depth of filter = 83 cm, the BAF system observed chemical oxygen demand, biological oxygen demand, NH3-N, turbidity and total dissolved solids removal percentage of 97%, 96%, 99%, 98% and 58%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper concerns the Hellenistic and Early Roman cooking pottery originating from the area of Nea Paphos, Cyprus. Macroscopic examinations conducted on a few thousand local vessels and their fragments provided the detailed characterization of this group of pottery in terms of the appearance of fabric, typology, and chronology. The integration of these data with the results of laboratory analysis of selected samples revealed that the local production of cooking pottery changed through time in terms of clay composition, shapes, surface treatment, and firing techniques. The transformations observed within the local cooking pottery manufacture seem to correlate with political and social changes as well as the development of Nea Paphos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to assess the risk of natural and anthropogenic hazards for cultural heritage in Cyprus by integrating multi-temporal GIS and earth observation analysis, in the area of Paphos District. The work presented here attends to re-evaluate previous results from earth observations and GIS analysis and go a step forward targeting more reliable outcomes for cultural heritage management. The scope of the paper was to develop a more accurate methodology for risk assessment against natural and anthropogenic hazards (e.g., soil erosion; urban expansion), based on homogeneous clustering of the monuments under consideration. The accomplished assessment approach, being lopsided and generic, cannot be applied across the board and undistractedly for cultural heritage management of all types of monuments of the district. Instead, the proposed clustering of monuments based on a variety of parameters is taking into consideration characteristics of their immediate environment, resulting rational local-based outcomes more useful for monuments and sites safeguarding and for prevention measurements. For each one of the five clusters of monuments located in the Paphos District, an analytical hierarchy process (AHP) method was followed in order to address the individual and unique characteristics of the monuments and sites within the same cluster area. Subsequently, the weight factors from these clusters were interpolated to the whole district, prior to the application of the overall AHP risk assessment. Ultimately, the results were compared with the overall AHP method applied for the entire Paphos District, indicating that the proposed methodology can be more accurate and realistic for the different groups of the monuments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ionic redistribution at solid interfaces in ionic materials is the keystone of nanoionics. An experimental master piece has been provided by CaF2-BaF2 heterolayers. Meanwhile this system and the involved heterojunctions are extraordinarily well-understood. The present paper gives an account of this model system by reviewing not only transport experiments and defect-chemical modeling as a function of temperature and spacing of the individual layers, but also transition from semi-infinite to mesoscopic conditions, transition from Mott–Schottky to Gouy–Chapman behavior as well as the impact of ionic redistribution on the electronic minority carriers. Owing to the availability of bulk transport data, the analysis works well for in-plane and out-of-plane measurements with only the space charge potential as fit parameter. Space charge effects are able to provide an interpretation of the annealing behavior, too. The experiments are corroborated by molecular dynamics simulations. Extrapolating the ionic redistribution effects down to the atomic level may even explain homovalent doping effects in non-equilibrium mixtures of the two fluorides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of CEDRUS is the property of Mediterranean Civilisations Research Institute and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Fluorine (F) plays an important role in biology and geology but is hard to analyse and quantify using element-specific techniques. This is related to its high first ionisation potential and analytical methods depending on high energy sources for excitation and/or ionisation of F. In particular ICP-MS was initially found incapable of detecting F; however, recent methodological advances, i.e., the application of Ba as a plasma modifier and the application of tandem mass spectrometry, enabled its analysis by targeting BaF+. In this study, we suggest this approach in conjunction with laser ablation to perform the mapping of F in both biological and geological samples. In a proof of concept, tooth samples as biological samples and a Rhynie chert as a geological sample were analysed. For method development and to evaluate the performance of the developed method, gelatine-based F-standards were prepared and characterised using combustion ion chromatography. Standards were further interrogated to estimate LODs and LOQs. Depending on the required spatial resolution, figures of merit in the upper ng g−1 range and lower μg g−1 range were achievable. This is the first example of F mapping using LA-ICP-MS instrumentation and the developed methods close an important analytical gap by enabling the spatially resolved F analysis at relevant biological and geological concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the tribological performance of Cr3C2–NiCr–Mo–BaF2 composite sliding against a Si3N4 ball at high temperatures. Design/methodology/approach: A Cr3C2–NiCr composite and a Cr3C2–NiCr–Mo–BaF2 composite were prepared using spark plasma sintering. Tribological properties of the composites were investigated using a ball-on-disk type tribotester. The relationships among the microstructure, wear mechanism and tribological performance were determined by analyzing the wear track morphologies and the glaze layer's phase composition. Findings: The wear rate of the Cr3C2–NiCr–Mo–BaF2 composite was approximately one order of magnitude lower than that of the Cr3C2–NiCr composite from 700°C to 900°C when sliding against a Si3N4 ball. The favorable tribological performance of the Cr3C2–NiCr–Mo–BaF2 composite at high temperatures results from the synergistic lubrication of MoOx, BaF2 and BaMoO4. Originality/value: This paper reports a new Cr3C2–NiCr matrix self-lubricating composite with better tribological properties than Cr3C2–NiCr composite at temperatures up to 900°C through Mo and BaF2 addition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberculosis is a widespread disease all over the world. Early diagnosis plays a crucial role in the treatment of patients and can reduce the mortality rate. A new biosensor based on a binary photonic crystal is designed for the detection of mycobacterium tuberculosis bacteria in the blood. The structure air/(A/B)N/(Defect)/(A/B)N/air is employed, where A, B and N are the first and second layers and the number of periods, respectively. Layers A and B are chosen as GaAs and BaF2, respectively. The defect layer is the blood sample. The transfer matrix method (TMM) is utilized to simulate the structure. Some parameters, such as central wavelength, defect layer thickness and incident angle are optimized to maximize the sensitivity. The optimum sensitivity is found 3197.18 nm/RIU, which is extremely high when compared to the most recent papers published in this field. In addition, our sensor has a simple design, tunable fabrication and low cost and can be useful for the detection of many organisms that can exist in the blood. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is the editorial for the virtual special issue (VSI) of Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews (RSER) dedicated to three Sustainable Development of Energy Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) Conferences held in 2022, namely: (i) the 5th South East European Conference SEESDEWES 2022 held from May 22 to 26, 2022 in Vlore, Albania; (ii) the 3rd Latin American LASDEWES 2022 held from July 24 to 28, 2022 in Sao Paulo, Brazil and (iii) the 17th SDEWES 2022 held from November 6 to 10, 2022 in Paphos, Cyprus. The VSI collected both high quality review papers and original research articles presented at these conferences, aligning with the aims and scope of RSER. Following a rigorous peer review process, seventeen articles were accepted and published. These articles explore techniques and technologies essential for advancing feasible Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. Spanning multidisciplinary topics, many of them address almost all the Sustainable Development Goals, offering feasible solutions for much-needed decarbonization pathways. • The VSI SDEWES 2022 presents the ready solutions for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. • Five clusters for presenting the Renewable and Sustainable energy cutting edge solutions. • The positioning in the scientific context of the Renewable and Sustainable Energy Systems. • Feasible solutions for much-needed decarbonization pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the paper is to extend the standard set of ceramic vessels used for thermal processing of food with two forms: jugs and colanders. The paper presents the functional analysis of ceramic jugs and colanders made of cooking ware found in early Roman layers of the residential quarter of ancient Nea Paphos, excavated by the Polish Archaeological Mission of Warsaw University at Kato Paphos. The examination is based on the shape of the vessels, the fabric, as well as on specific traces of use visible on the pots, such as mineral deposit on the inside or soot on the outside surface. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thin-walled cooking pottery of the early to late Roman period originating from the area of Morphou Bay in the northern part of Cyprus, excavated by the Paphos Agora Project of the Jagiellonian University in Kraków, is studied in this paper in order to shed new light on the nature of the supply patterns of this extraordinary class of pottery. The collected data--on the macroscopic characteristic of the ware and shape--and a chronological analysis as well as quantitative study of the assemblage have indicated a continuous presence of this group in Nea Paphos, reflecting perhaps some sort of special social requirements combined with an economic background. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction of protein secondary structure from FTIR spectra usually relies on the absorbance in the amide I–amide II region of the spectrum. It assumes that the absorbance in this spectral region, i.e., roughly 1700–1500 cm−1 is solely arising from amide contributions. Yet, it is accepted that, on the average, about 20% of the absorbance is due to amino acid side chains. The present paper evaluates the contribution of amino acid side chains in this spectral region and the potential to improve secondary structure prediction after correcting for their contribution. We show that the β-sheet content prediction is improved upon subtraction of amino acid side chain contributions in the amide I–amide II spectral range. Improvement is relatively important, for instance, the error of prediction of β-sheet content decreases from 5.42 to 4.97% when evaluated by ascending stepwise regression. Other methods tested such as partial least square regression and support vector machine have also improved accuracy for β-sheet content evaluation. The other structures such as α-helix do not significantly benefit from side chain contribution subtraction, in some cases prediction is even degraded. We show that co-linearity between secondary structure content and amino acid composition is not a main limitation for improving secondary structure prediction. We also show that, even though based on different criteria, secondary structures defined by DSSP and XTLSSTR both arrive at the same conclusion: only the β-sheet structure clearly benefits from side chain subtraction. It must be concluded that side chain contribution subtraction benefit for the evaluation of other secondary structure contents is limited by the very rough description of side chain absorbance which does not take into account the variations related to their environment. The study was performed on a large protein set. To deal with the large number of proteins present, we worked on protein microarrays deposited on BaF2 slides and FTIR spectra were acquired with an imaging system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ever since 2002, when the first Conference on Sustainable Development of Energy, Water and Environment Systems (SDEWES) was held in Dubrovnik, the SDEWES conferences series has been providing a forum for world-wide scientists and those interested in learning about the sustainability of development, to present research progress and to discuss the state of the art, the future directions and priorities in the various areas of sustainable development. One of the main issues of the coming decades is to improve efficiencies by integrating various energy systems, using excess from one, as resource in another in the correct moment. Integrating electricity, heating, cooling, transport, water, buildings, waste, wastewater, industry, forestry and agriculture systems will be pivotal towards sustainable development. SDEWES has maintained high publishing standard as 2408 SDEWES papers were published in special issues of leading scientific journals including "Energy - The International Journal". In 2022, the 17th SDEWES Conference was held during November 6–10 in Paphos, Cyprus, the 5th SEE Conference took place in May 22–26, 2022 in Vlorë, Albania, the 3rd Latin American Conference was held through a virtual platform during July 24–28, 2022. The Energy journal has continued its cooperation with SDEWES launching a special issue dedicated to the 2022 Conferences. The special issue includes papers which traditionally cover a range of energy issues - higher renewables penetration and various technologies and fuels assessments at energy supply side, as well as, energy efficiency in various sectors, buildings, district heating, electric vehicles and demand modelling at energy demand side. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elemental analysis of fluorochemicals has received renewed attention in recent years stemming from the increased use of fluorinated compounds. However, fundamental drawbacks of in-plasma ionization have hindered ICPMS applications in this area. Recently, we have introduced post-ICP chemical ionization for BaF+ formation using Ba-containing reagent ions supplied by nanospray, leading to major improvements in F detection sensitivity. Here, we present further insights into this post-plasma chemical ionization. First, we examine the effect of oxygen introduced into the plasma (a necessity for organic solvent introduction) on BaF+ ion formation. The results indicate that excess plasma oxygen leads to abundant HNO3 in the post-plasma flow, shifting ionization reactions toward BaNO3+ formation and suppressing BaF+ sensitivity. To amend this, we utilize reagent ions with other metal centers to impart selectivity toward F detection. Our investigations show that robustness of F detection in the presence of abundant HNO3 improves in the order Al3+ ≈ Sc3+ > La3+ > Mg2+ > Ba2+ as the metal center in the reagent ions, consistent with the stronger metal–F bond in the series. Sc-based ionization resulting in ScNO3F+ shows the best balance between sensitivity and robustness in the presence of nitric acid. Similarly, this ion shows an improved tolerance relative to BaF+ for a Cl-containing matrix where HCl interferes with ionization. Finally, we demonstrate a unique feature of post-plasma chemical ionization for real-time flagging of matrix effects via monitoring reagent ions. These findings provide significant improvements of post-plasma chemical ionization for elemental F analysis, particularly for online chromatographic detection where solvent gradients are utilized. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2006 UNESCO report has identified soil loss as one of the main threats of climate change with possible impact to natural and cultural heritage. The study illustrated in this paper shows the results from geomatic perspective, applying an interdisciplinary approach undertaken in order to identify major natural hazards affecting cultural landscapes and archaeological heritage in rural areas in Cyprus. In particular, Earth Observation (EO) and ground-based methods were identified and applied for mapping, monitoring and estimation of the possible soil loss caused by soil erosion. Special attention was given to the land use/land cover factor (C) and its impact on the overall estimation of the soil-loss. Cover factor represents the effect of soil-disturbing activities, plants, crop sequence and productivity level, soil cover and subsurface bio-mass on soil erosion. Urban areas have a definite role in retarding the recharge process, leading to increased runoff and soil loss in the broader area. On the other hand, natural vegetation plays a predominant role in reducing water erosion. The land use change was estimated based on the difference of the NDVI value between Landsat 5 TM and Sentinel-2 data for the period between 1980s' until today. Cover factor was then estimated for both periods and significant land use changes were further examined in areas of significant cultural and natural landscape value. The results were then compared in order to study the impact of land use change on the soil erosion and hence on the soil loss rate in the selected areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the first three decades of the 20th century, the British made a substantial effort to upgrade Cyprus agriculture for export purposes. In the above context, silk and flax were of great value to Cypriots and were blooming during the period under study, yet only in the form of home industry. The present paper investigates two agricultural factories operating during the same period of time but very different in every aspect. The Flax Factory in Zodia was the creation of the Department of Agriculture and the present paper gives an overview of the course of the establishment through time and actions from 1923 to 1945. The second factory, the Cyprus Silk Filature in Yeroskipou, Paphos, was a factory established by a British company with the full support of the Cyprus colonial government. Two important aspects of the filature are under study, the working conditions and the company's - cocoon merchant's dispute. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of high quality x%Pr3+:BaF2 (x = 0.6, 1, 2); (1%Pr3+, 2%Na+):BaF2; (1%Pr3+, y%Ca2+):BaF2 (y = 3, 5) and (0.6%Pr3+, 10%R3+):BaF2 (R = Y, Lu, Gd) crystals were grown by temperature gradient technique (TGT). The Raman spectra, absorption spectra, fluorescence spectra, and fluorescence decay lifetime were measured. XRD patterns indicate that the as-synthesized samples are pure BaF2 phase. The absorption cross-section of Pr3+ ions in the BaF2 matrix can be greatly improved by co-doping R3+ ions, while improvement by Na+ and Ca2+ ions is marginal. The fluorescence characteristic of Pr3+ ions can be effectively regulated by co-doping Na+, Ca2+, R3+ (R = Y, Lu, Gd) ions of different valence states. When R3+ ions are introduced, the fluorescence spectra show the strongest orange emission and the CIE chromaticity coordinates of Pr3+ ions are also in the orange region. When single-doped Pr3+ ions and Na+ or Ca2+ ions are introduced, the fluorescence lifetime of the 3P0 level is double exponential decay, and the short lifetime is the main proportion. However, the fluorescence centers tend to homogeneous and stable by R3+ ions co-doping and the fluorescence lifetime exhibits single-exponential decay, which is fitted to 49.7 μs, 47.8 μs and 49.6 μs of (0.6%Pr3+, 10%R3+):BaF2 (R = Y, Lu, Gd), respectively. All the results show that (Pr3+, Gd3+):BaF2 and (Pr3+, Na+):BaF2 are excellent laser gain media for high-efficiency orange and red laser operation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal selenites and tellurites have demonstrated excellent second-harmonic generation (SHG) properties in inorganic solid compounds, such as strong SHG efficiency, a wide transparent range, appropriate birefringence, etc. During the past ten years, important progress has been achieved in this field. The largest SHG efficiency of selenites and tellurites reached 13.5 × KDP (BiFSeO3) and 2 × KTP (CdTeMoO6), respectively. The shortest UV absorption edge of tellurites has been pushed to 205 nm in BaF2TeF2(OH)2 successfully. In terms of the chemical compositions, research studies are no longer concentrated on d0 transition metal compounds only, and the most electronegative fluorine has been used increasingly to widen the optical bandgaps and enrich the structural types of the materials. This paper reviewed the recent developments of selenite and tellurite based SHG materials. Challenges in creating new high powered SHG materials and perspectives for future work are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a research project which integrates technological tools for developing a complete system for monitoring and determining irrigation demand on a systematic basis in Cyprus. Such tools are multi-spectral remotely sensed data dynamic water budget simulation and optimization, crop evapotranspiration (ETc) models and microsensor technology. The main aim is to estimate ETc in Cyprus and, furthermore, to undertake the required measures for an effective irrigation water management in the future. Evapotranspiration is difficult to determine since it combines various meteorological and field parameters while in literature quite many different models for estimating ETc are put forward. The proposed wireless sensor network acts as a monitoring tool for providing measurements of the necessary parameters: meteorological, climatic data and other auxiliary parameters required by the irrigation model in order to determine the irrigation demand. Reflectance is determined directly from satellite images. Finally, using the WaterWare irrigation software, irrigation scheduling is planned for the area of interest in Paphos, Cyprus. This area is located at almost sea level and is characterized by mild micro-climate. The results of the paper refer to year 2009 and show the daily water requirements of the specific crop in study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current paper contributes new evidence to the ongoing discussion of the location and organisation of production of Hellenistic colour-coated ware (CCW), through interdisciplinary investigation of morphological style, technology and provenance of relevant pottery from a Late Hellenistic deposit found in a well in the Agora of Nea Paphos on Cyprus. Through naked eye examination, four major macroscopic groups were identified based on vessel typology and fabrics. Subsequently, 53 representative samples were selected and analysed through a combination of refiring tests, chemical analysis, thin section petrography and scanning electron microscopy. The results indicated that the sheer majority of this pottery, despite some compositional and technological variability, reflects the use of similar raw materials compatible with the geology of Paphos. Therefore, during the Late Hellenistic period, most of the CCW consumed in Paphos were locally produced. The observed variation in the assemblage can be associated with several factors, such as natural diversity of raw materials, a number of co-existing pottery workshops, technological choices made by the potters and to a lesser extent post-depositional processes. This integrated research has a profound impact on studies of production and consumption of the Late Hellenistic pottery on Cyprus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel double‐cladding Ho3+/Tm3+ co‐doped Bi2O3–GeO2–Ga2O3–BaF2 glass fiber, which can be applied to a 2.0‐μm infrared laser, was fabricated by a rod‐tube drawing method. The thermal properties of the glass were studied by differential scanning calorimetry. It showed good thermal stability and matching thermal expansion coefficient for fiber drawing when Tx−Tg > 193°C and the maximum difference of the thermal expansion coefficient is 3.55 × 10−6/°C or less. The 2.0‐μm luminescence characteristics were studied using the central wavelength of 808 nm pump light excitation. The results show that when the concentration ratio of Ho3+/Tm3+ reaches 0.5 mol%:1.0 mol%, the maximum fluorescence intensity was obtained in the core glass, the emission cross section reached 10.09 × 10−21 cm2, and the maximum phonon energy was 751 cm−1. In this paper, a continuous laser output with a maximum power of 0.986 W and a wavelength of 2030 nm was obtained using an erbium‐doped fiber laser as a pump source in a 0.5 m long Ho3+/Tm3+ co‐doped glass fiber. In short, the results show that Ho3+/Tm3+ co‐doped 36Bi2O3–30GeO2–15Ga2O3–10BaF2–9Na2O glass fiber has excellent laser properties, and it is an ideal mid‐infrared fiber material for a 2.0‐μm fiber laser with excellent characteristics [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The effect of protective layer on the performance of smart radiation devices is comprehensively evaluated. • The emission regulation can be enhanced to 0.65, while the solar absorption can be decreased to 0.18. • The performance of the proposed SRD meets the requirement of the spacecraft thermal control devices. • This work provides a theoretical basis for the design of more reasonable spacecraft thermal control devices. With the arrival of the space economy, the miniaturization of spacecraft and their multi-functional trends have put a greater demand on space thermal control systems. Smart radiation devices (SRDs) are gaining attention as a low-cost, light-weight material for the thermal control of spacecraft. Previous works have focused on how to enhance IR emittance tunability of SRDs. In fact, the SRDs performance and lifetime may be affected by the external space environment. Thus, researchers proposed to cover the SRDs with a protective layer to resist oxidation and other problems. However, the influence of protective layer on the performance of SRDs, including IR emittance tunability Δ ε and solar absorption α s , has not been studied systematically yet. In this paper, the impact of protective layer on the performance of SRDs is comprehensively evaluated in theory. Firstly, a three-layer SRD is composed of a vanadium dioxide (VO 2) film, BaF 2 , and a silver (Ag) substrate, which is optimized using the transfer matrix method. The IR emittance tunability and solar absorption can reach 0.64 and 0.29, respectively. Secondly, the smart thermal control device with three protection materials (BaF 2 , Al 2 O 3 and Si) is investigated. The results show that the performance of SRD can be enhanced or deteriorated, depending on the types of protection materials and the thickness. When the protection material is Si, the IR emittance tunability can be enhanced to 0.65, while the solar absorption can be decreased to 0.18. The performance of the proposed SRD meets the requirement of the spacecraft thermal control devices. We believe that this work provides a theoretical basis for the design of more reasonable spacecraft thermal control devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with public areas in ancient residences. These zones, emphasising the social status of the owners of the houses, are analysed in several large residences erected in the Graeco-Roman Period in Nea Paphos, Cyprus: the 'Hellenistic' House, the Villa of Theseus, and the House of Aion. Particularly, the special arrangement of the layout and the architectural decoration of three major public zones were studied: the entrance, the main courtyard, and the main room. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increased applications of fluorochemicals have prompted development of elemental methods for detection and quantitation of these compounds. However, high-sensitivity detection of fluorine is a challenge because of difficulties in excitation and ionization of this element. Recently, a new approach has emerged to detect F as a diatomic ion (BaF+) in inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). However, formation of this species in the high-temperature plasma is inefficient, leading to low sensitivities. Here, we introduce a post-ICP chemical ionization approach to enhance analytical performance for F detection in liquid samples. Solutions of fluorochemicals are introduced into an ICP leading to formation of HF in the afterglow. Subsequently, reagent ions from nanospray of sodium acetate and barium acetate electrolytes are utilized to ionize HF to Na2F+ and BaF+, respectively, via post-plasma ion-neutral reactions. Both ions provide substantially better sensitivities compared to that of BaF+ formed inside the plasma in conventional ICP-MS methods. Notably, post-plasma BaF+ offers a sensitivity of 280 cps ppb−1 for F, near two orders of magnitude higher than that of conventional ICP-MS methods. Compound-independent response for F from structurally diverse organofluorines is confirmed by monitoring BaF+ and a limit of detection (LOD) of 8–11 ng mL−1 F is achieved. Importantly, isobaric interferences are substantially reduced in chemical ionization, leaving F background as the main factor in LOD determination. Insights into BaF+ formation via experimental and computational investigations suggest that BaNO2+ and Ba(H2O)n2+ serve as reagent ions while nonreactive BaCH3CO2+ is the dominant ion produced by nanospray. The facile development of effective post-plasma ionization chemistries using the presented approach offers a path for further improvements in F elemental analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex consists of more than ten component proteins that form a large protein complex of >1 MDa. The catalytic proteins Smarca4 or Smarca2 work in concert with the component proteins to form a chromatin platform suitable for transcriptional regulation. However, the mechanism by which each component protein works synergistically with the catalytic proteins remains largely unknown. Here, we report on the function of Smarce1, a component of the SWI/SNF complex, through the phenotypic analysis of homozygous mutant embryonic stem cells (ESCs). Disruption of Smarce1 induced the dissociation of other complex components from the SWI/SNF complex. Histone binding to DNA was loosened in homozygous mutant ESCs, indicating that disruption of Smarce1 decreased nucleosome stability. Sucrose gradient sedimentation analysis suggested that there was an ectopic genomic distribution of the SWI/SNF complex upon disruption of Smarce1, accounting for the misregulation of chromatin conformations. Unstable nucleosomes remained during ESC differentiation, impairing the heterochromatin formation that is characteristic of the differentiation process. These results suggest that Smarce1 guides the SWI/SNF complex to the appropriate genomic regions to generate chromatin structures adequate for transcriptional regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prior to the next generation sequencing and characterization of the tumor genome landscape, mutations in the SWI/SNF chromatin remodeling complex and the KEAP1-NRF2 signaling pathway were underappreciated. While these two classes of mutations appeared to independently contribute to tumor development, recent reports have demonstrated a mechanistic link between these two regulatory mechanisms in specific cancer types and cell models. In this work, we expand upon these data by exploring the relationship between mutations in BAF and PBAF subunits of the SWI/SNF complex and activation of NRF2 signal transduction across many cancer types. ARID1A/B mutations were strongly associated with NRF2 transcriptional activity in head and neck squamous carcinomas (HNSC). Many additional tumor types showed significant association between NRF2 signaling and mutation of specific components of the SWI/SNF complex. Different effects of BAF and PBAF mutations on the polarity of NRF2 signaling were observed. Overall, our results support a context-dependent functional link between SWI/SNF and NRF2 mutations across human cancers and implicate ARID1A inactivation in HPV-negative HNSC in promoting tumor progression and survival through activation of the KEAP1-NRF2 signaling pathway. The tumor-specific effects of these mutations open a new area of study for how mutations in the KEAP1-NRF2 pathway and the SWI/SNF complex contribute to cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to examine the use of satellite remote sensing for monitoring archaeological and more generally cultural heritage sites. For this purpose, multi-temporal data from Landsat 5 TM, Landsat 7 ETM+ and Quickbird images were applied.The paper also discusses the importance of atmospheric correction at the pre-processing step in order to determine true surface reflectance values by removing these effects from satellite images.Atmospheric correction is arguably the most important part of the pre-processing of satellite remotely sensed data and any omission produces erroneous results. The effects of the atmosphere are more severe where dark targets are shown in the satellite image. In the management of cultural heritage sites, since temporal satellite images are required for monitoring purposes, the effect of the atmosphere must be considered. In-situ spectro-radiometric measurements using the GER1500 field spectro-radiometer have been used to assess the reflectance values found after applying the darkest pixel atmospheric correction to the image data.The study area consist the Amathus archaeological site in Limassol and the Nea Paphos archaeological site area located in Paphos district area in Cyprus. Vegetation Index (NDVI) change detection algorithm has been applied to a series of thirteen Landsat TM/ETM+ images of Amathus archaeological site in Limassol. Classification and extraction algorithms have been applied to Landsat TM and Quickbird high resolution images of Nea Paphos archaeological site area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scintillators, which can emit visible photons under γ- or X-ray excitation, are widely used in radiation detection. Traditional inorganic scintillators usually have some drawbacks, such as hygroscopicity or a high synthesis temperature, and most of them are poisonous. Hence, we report the synthesis of metal iodate scintillators (Eu(IO3)3 and Tb(IO3)3) by a facile hydrothermal reaction that exhibit good radioluminescence (RL) intensity. To further increase the RL intensities, we prepared Eu(IO3)3:xSm and Tb(IO3)3:xGd with stronger RL intensities and higher sensitivities than BaF2 and PbWO4 powders when x = 3%. Furthermore, we obtained scintillating films consisting of Eu(IO3)3:3%Sm and Tb(IO3)3:3%Gd for X-ray imaging. Our Eu(IO3)3:3%Sm and Tb(IO3)3:3%Gd films revealed excellent luminescence under high-energy X-ray excitation and spatial resolutions down to 9 lp mm−1 and 8 lp mm−1, respectively. Thus, these films can be regarded as candidate materials for X-ray imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: Acute lung injury (ALI) is a severe pulmonary disease characterized by damage to the alveoli and pulmonary blood vessels, leading to severe impairment of lung function. Studies on the effect of capsaicin (8-methyl-N-geranyl-6-nonamide, CAP) on lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced ALI in bronchial epithelial cells transformed with Ad12-SV40 2B (BEAS-2B) are still limited. This study aimed to investigate the effect and specific mechanism by which CAP improves LPS-induced ALI.Methods: The present study investigated the effect of CAP and the potential underlying mechanisms in LPS-induced ALI in vitro and vivo via RNA sequencing, Western blotting (WB), quantitative real-time reverse transcription PCR (qRT‒PCR), enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The TRPV1 inhibitor AMG9810 and the AKT agonist SC79 were used to confirm the protective effect of the TRPV1/AKT axis against ALI. The autophagy agonist rapamycin (Rapa) and the autophagy inhibitors 3-methyladenine (3-MA) and bafilomycin A1 (Baf-A1) were used to clarify the characteristics of LPS-induced autophagy.Results: Our findings demonstrated that CAP effectively suppressed inflammation and autophagy in LPS-induced ALI, both in vivo and in vitro. This mechanism involves regulation by the TRPV1/AKT signaling pathway. By activating TRPV1, CAP reduces the expression of P-AKT, thereby exerting its anti-inflammatory and inhibitory effects on pro-death autophagy. Furthermore, prior administration of CAP provided substantial protection to mice against ALI induced by LPS, reduced the lung wet/dry ratio, decreased proinflammatory cytokine expression, and downregulated LC3 expression.Conclusion: Taken together, our results indicate that CAP protects against LPS-induced ALI by inhibiting inflammatory responses and autophagic death through the TRPV1/AKT signaling pathway, presenting a novel strategy for ALI therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ATP-dependent chromatin remodeling SWI/SNF complexes exist in three subcomplexes: canonical BAF (cBAF), polybromo BAF (PBAF), and a newly described non-canonical BAF (ncBAF). While cBAF and PBAF regulate fates of multiple cell types, roles for ncBAF in hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) have not been investigated. Motivated by recent discovery of disrupted expression of BRD9, an essential component of ncBAF, in multiple cancers, including clonal hematopoietic disorders, we evaluate here the role of BRD9 in normal and malignant HSCs. BRD9 loss enhances chromatin accessibility, promoting myeloid lineage skewing while impairing B cell development. BRD9 significantly colocalizes with CTCF, whose chromatin recruitment is augmented by BRD9 loss, leading to altered chromatin state and expression of myeloid-related genes within intact topologically associating domains. These data uncover ncBAF as critical for cell fate specification in HSCs via three-dimensional regulation of gene expression and illuminate roles for ncBAF in normal and malignant hematopoiesis. BRD9 is a core non-canonical BAF component. Here the authors show that BRD9 plays a pivotal role in regulating the disease-related cell fate of hematopoietic stem cells. Its loss promotes myeloid skewing while impairing B cell development by altering CTCF-mediated chromatin states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) is a highly malignant and often lethal childhood cancer. MRTs are genetically defined by bi-allelic inactivating mutations in SMARCB1, a member of the BRG1/BRM-associated factors (BAF) chromatin remodeling complex. Mutations in BAF complex members are common in human cancer, yet their contribution to tumorigenesis remains in many cases poorly understood. Here, we study derailed regulatory landscapes as a consequence of SMARCB1 loss in the context of MRT. Our multi-omics approach on patient-derived MRT organoids reveals a dramatic reshaping of the regulatory landscape upon SMARCB1 reconstitution. Chromosome conformation capture experiments subsequently reveal patient-specific looping of distal enhancer regions with the promoter of the MYC oncogene. This intertumoral heterogeneity in MYC enhancer utilization is also present in patient MRT tissues as shown by combined single-cell RNA-seq and ATAC-seq. We show that loss of SMARCB1 activates patient-specific epigenetic reprogramming underlying MRT tumorigenesis. The regulatory landscape of malignant rhabdoid tumor (MRT) due to SMARCB1 loss remains to be explored. Here, the authors perform multi-omics analysis using patient-derived MRT organoids and characterise the epigenetic reprogramming events underlying SMARCB1 loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]