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This paper evaluates the accuracy of the Hermitian form of the downfolding procedure using the double unitary coupled cluster (DUCC) ansatz on the benchmark systems of linear chains of hydrogen atoms, H6 and H8. The computational infrastructure employs the occupation-number-representation codes to construct the matrix representation of arbitrary second-quantized operators, allowing for the exact representation of exponentials of various operators. The tests demonstrate that external amplitudes from standard single-reference coupled cluster methods that sufficiently describe external (out-of-active-space) correlations reliably parameterize the Hermitian downfolded effective Hamiltonians in the DUCC formalism. The results show that this approach can overcome the problems associated with losing the variational character of corresponding energies in the corresponding SR-CC theories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pointed magnetic elements are introduced as an improvement upon rectangular strips currently employed in composite element magnetic barcodes. The coercivity of these elements, as measured using the magneto-optic Kerr effect, is found to strictly adhere to a single power law relationship with the element width, where the power law exponent is dependent on the length of the pointed region and takes values between − 0.98 and − 0.91. The steeper gradients here, along with the absence of the crossover region seen in rectangular devices, present these structures as a strict improvement in terms of potential device applications. These improvements are found to be present for all structures where the pointed region is as long as, or longer than, the magnetic element is wide. The remanent magnetization configuration, imaged using photo-emission microscopy with contrast from x-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD-PEEM), is compared to the results of micromagnetic simulations. It is found to cant inward in the pointed section of the strip, aligning with the edges of the point, pinning the magnetization and giving a consistent magnetization reversal behavior for all element widths investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are various new-age crime rackets reported with the help of digital technology and such cases are routinely investigated by the police and digital forensics analysts. In the course of investigation of different rackets such as Aadhaar card, ATM card, PAN card, ration card, voter identity card, passport, fake Indian currency note, various electronic gadgets such as mobile phones, laptops, desktops, biometric scanners, GPS devices, SIM cards, portable skimmers and hi-tech printers are usually taken from the fraudsters for digital forensics analysis. In one case, some Aadhaar cards, mobile phones, laptops, SIM cards and memory card were seized from some suspected airline passengers by the law enforcement agency. All the key probe elements were received for digital forensics examination. In this paper, we propose a digital forensics model for decoding a distorted QR code and specialized Android app used in the creation of fake Aadhaar cards. This model comprised a new algorithm to decode QR codes and recovery of background data including resources associated with the QR code. The proposed model was tested with a QR code retrieved from a suspect's laptop and Aadhaar card document. The Android app used for preparation of fake Aadhaar card was analyzed in our model and also checked in a mobile phone to verify data generated through the app. The result of the analysis detects fake Aadhaar cards. Further, examination of mobile phones and laptops revealed various technical data, supporting link evidence for preparing disputed fake Aadhaar cards for ID proof. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the high variability of secondary agricultural teacher background and facility constraints, the instruction of tractor (and similar agricultural machinery) component identification, function, maintenance, and corresponding safety precautions oftentimes prove difficult and/or inconsistent. This study focused on the development and plausible application of quick response codes, commonly referred to as QR codes, placed on a demonstration tractor or machine to be used as a self-guided student learning experience for training the next generation of safe operators. This review documents a novel self-guided instruction methodology utilizing "gamification" learning theory. Content materials were derived from the nationally disseminated, open source, Gearing Up for Safety Production Agriculture Safety Training for Youth curriculum. Specifically, QR code learning modules were recommended to supplement Gearing Up for Safety, Lesson 16: Hands-On Tractor Operation of the youth worker certification component of the Pre-Operational Skills Exam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

DNA-based identification is vital for classifying biological specimens, yet methods to quantify the uncertainty of sequence-based taxonomic assignments are scarce. Challenges arise from noisy reference databases, including mislabelled entries and missing taxa. PROTAX addresses these issues with a probabilistic approach to taxonomic classification, advancing on methods that rely solely on sequence similarity. It provides calibrated probabilistic assignments to a partially populated taxonomic hierarchy, accounting for taxa that lack references and incorrect taxonomic annotation. While effective on smaller scales, global application of PROTAX necessitates substantially larger reference libraries, a goal previously hindered by computational barriers. We introduce PROTAX-GPU, a scalable algorithm capable of leveraging the global Barcode of Life Data System (>14 million specimens) as a reference database. Using graphics processing units (GPU) to accelerate similarity and nearest-neighbour operations and the JAX library for Python integration, we achieve over a 1000 × speedup compared with the central processing unit (CPU)-based implementation without compromising PROTAX's key benefits. PROTAX-GPU marks a significant stride towards real-time DNA barcoding, enabling quicker and more efficient species identification in environmental assessments. This capability opens up new avenues for real-time monitoring and analysis of biodiversity, advancing our ability to understand and respond to ecological dynamics. This article is part of the theme issue 'Towards a toolkit for global insect biodiversity monitoring'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Boron nitride (BN) aerogels, dual interconnecting network of BN nanoscale building blocks, and plenty of air within these nanoscale building blocks, have great potential in many emerging fields. However, fast synthesis and emerging applications, e.g., information encryption, are still challenging for advancing BN aerogels. Herein, intrinsic photoluminescent BN aerogels with programmable patterns are developed via laser ablating of melamine diborate (M2B) aerogel. The obtained BN aerogel exhibited typical hollow‐microsphere structures and blue fluorescence phenomenon, which are totally different from BN aerogels reported elsewhere. This BN aerogel exhibited excellent thermal insulation properties (0.027 W mK−1), transient fluorescence feature (3 ns average radiative lifetime), high quantum yield (18.45%), and excellent weather ability (e.g., resistance to high temperature, solar irradiation, and humidness). By programming the laser moving path, different fluorescent patterns (e.g., various security labels, secret matching keys, quick response codes) of BN aerogels can be processed, which promises excellent information encryption in the field of Internet of Things, etc. The results may inspire researchers to fabricate more aerogels with this fast laser‐ablation strategy and the resulting intrinsic fluorescent BN aerogels may find significant applications in some emerging fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Suppose that $ m, k,t $ m , k , t are integers with $ m,k\geq ~1 $ m , k ≥ 1 and $ 0\leq t $ 0 ≤ t and A is the $ k\times k $ k × k matrix with the $ (i,j) $ (i , j) -entry $ \binom {t+(j-1)m}{i-1} $ ( t + (j − 1) m i − 1 ) . When t = 0 and m = 1, this is the upper triangular Pascal matrix. Here, first we study the properties of this matrix, in particular, we find its determinant and its LDU decomposition and also study its inverse. Then by using this matrix we present a generalization of the Mattson-Solomon transform and a polynomial formulation for its inverse to the case that the sequence length and the characteristic of the base field are not coprime. At the end, we use this generalized Mattson-Solomon transform to present a lower bound on the length of repeated root cyclic codes, which can be seen as a generalization of the BCH bound. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Africans are not accustomed to the dry arid climate and sweltering heat in Saudi Arabia. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to identify the common health conditions pre-Hajj, during the 5 days of Hajj and on return to South Africa from Hajj amongst the 2023 pilgrims. A QR code and a mobile link to a self-administered questionnaire was sent to all 3500 South African pilgrims. Five hundred and seventy-seven pilgrims returned the completed surveys. Mean age of the participants was 48 years (SD 12) with a higher female representation (3:2). Forty eight percent (279) had pre-existing chronic conditions. Forty five percent (259) reported being ill during their stay in the Kingdom, 20% (115) reported having an illness during the main 5 days, whilst 51% (293) reported having an illness within 7 days of returning to South Africa. Only six pilgrims were admitted to hospital after their return home. Respiratory tract linked symptoms were the most frequently reported (95% pre Hajj and 99% post Hajj). Participants who reported having a chronic condition (AOR 1.52 95% CI 1.09–2.11) and engaging in independent exercising prior to Hajj (AOR 1.52–1.07–2.10) were at an increased likelihood of developing an illness within 7 days of returning home. Post travel surveillance swabs to identify potential pathogens that the returning pilgrims are incubating should be explored to guide further interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classification of design codes by the level of complexity of their design was created for the first time. The obtained results are key to understanding the role of the QR code as a full-fledged work of art in the context of modern design. In the future, this will allow us to single out the most noticeable trends in the development of coded information in the conditions of modern visual culture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation of solid macroscopic grains (pebbles) in protoplanetary discs is the first step towards planet formation. We aim to study the distribution of pebbles and the chemical composition of their ice mantles in a young protoplanetary disc. We use the two-dimensional hydrodynamical code feosad in the thin-disc approximation, which is designed to model the global evolution of a self-gravitating viscous protoplanetary disc taking into account dust coagulation and fragmentation, thermal balance, and phase transitions and transport of the main volatiles (H2O, CO2, CH4, and CO), which can reside in the gas, on small dust (⁠|$\lt 1\, \mu\mathrm{ m}$|⁠), on grown dust (⁠|$\gt 1\, \mu\mathrm{ m}$|⁠) and on pebbles. We model the dynamics of the protoplanetary disc from the cloud collapse to the 500 kyr moment. We determine the spatial distribution of pebbles and composition of their ice mantles and estimate the mass of volatiles on pebbles, grown dust, and small dust. We show that pebbles form as early as 50 kyr after the disc formation and exist until the end of simulation (500 kyr), providing prerequisites for planet formation. All pebbles formed in the model are covered by icy mantles. Using a model considering accretion and desorption of volatiles on to dust/pebbles, we find that the ice mantles on pebbles consist mainly of H2O and CO2, and are carbon-depleted compared to gas and ices on small and grown dust, which contain more CO and CH4. This suggests a possible dominance of oxygen in the composition of planets formed from pebbles under these conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many organisms, most notably Drosophila, homologous chromosomes associate in somatic cells, a phenomenon known as somatic pairing, which takes place without double strand breaks or strand invasion, thus requiring some other mechanism for homologs to recognize each other. Several studies have suggested a "specific button" model, in which a series of distinct regions in the genome, known as buttons, can associate with each other, mediated by different proteins that bind to these different regions. Here, we use computational modeling to evaluate an alternative "button barcode" model, in which there is only one type of recognition site or adhesion button, present in many copies in the genome, each of which can associate with any of the others with equal affinity. In this model, buttons are nonuniformly distributed, such that alignment of a chromosome with its correct homolog, compared with a nonhomolog, is energetically favored; since to achieve nonhomologous alignment, chromosomes would be required to mechanically deform in order to bring their buttons into mutual register. By simulating randomly generated nonuniform button distributions, many highly effective button barcodes can be easily found, some of which achieve virtually perfect pairing fidelity. This model is consistent with existing literature on the effect of translocations of different sizes on homolog pairing. We conclude that a button barcode model can attain highly specific homolog recognition, comparable to that seen in actual cells undergoing somatic homolog pairing, without the need for specific interactions. This model may have implications for how meiotic pairing is achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Many resources exist to analyze cancer RNA data, but many of the algorithms and programs can appear as black boxes to non-bioinformaticians. To make RNA data more accessible, we here present modular barcoding, an approach predicated on the idea that cancer type-specific modules derived from high-quality, "gold standard" datasets will also be of high quality. Key to the use of these modules is their direct visualization, which can be done in spreadsheet programs in a color-coded way, essentially creating interactive heatmaps and visual gene set enrichments. We illustrate a variety of uses, including cancer subtype analyses, novel gene–gene and gene–clinical relationships, the inference of novel gene functions, and single-cell RNAseq analysis. Finally, we provide the tools for users to create their own modules, which will further improve their quality over time as single-cell RNAseq resolution advances. Modular barcoding is a user-friendly, tractable, yet powerful approach to make novel transcriptomic discoveries. A challenge with studying cancer transcriptomes is in distilling the wealth of information down into manageable portions of information. In this resource, we develop an approach that creates and assembles cancer type-specific gene expression modules into flexible barcodes, allowing for adaptation to a wide variety of uses. Specifically, we propose that modules derived organically from high-quality gold standards such as The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) can accurately capture and describe functionally related genes that are relevant to specific cancer types. We show that such modules can: (1) uncover novel gene relationships and nominate new functional memberships, (2) improve and speed up analysis of smaller or lower-resolution datasets, (3) re-create and expand known cancer subtyping schemes, (4) act as a "decoder" to bridge seemingly disparate established gene signatures, and (5) efficiently apply single-cell RNA sequencing information to other datasets. Moreover, such modules can be used in conjunction with native spreadsheet program commands to create a powerful and rapid approach to hypothesis generation and testing that is readily accessible to non-bioinformaticians. Finally, we provide tools for users to create and interpret their own modules. Overall, the flexible modular nature of the proposed barcoding provides a user-friendly approach to rapidly decoding transcriptome-wide data for research or, potentially, clinical uses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel dual-message QR code is proposed for carrying two individual messages that can be read by standard QR code readers: one from a close range and the other from a large distance. By exploring the module value determining the rule of typical QR code readers, we designed two-state module blocks that can be recognized as different module values through changing the distance from which the QR code is scanned, and applied them to construct the proposed dual-message QR code. Experiments were conducted to test the readability of the two messages within a dual-message QR code, with the results demonstrating the high feasibility of the proposed method. The dual-message QR code can be applied for designing creative applications. For example, an interactive wedding card that can access the growing film of the groom and that of the bride interchangeably, which bring the viewers a higher-quality experience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we developed a gold nanoparticle (GNP)-mediated barcode qPCR strategy with a sensitivity for a single virus particle per reaction for the detection of influenza virus H3N2. The analysis of the results for pure virus and real virus samples show that GNP-mediated barcode qPCR is ∼16 times more sensitive than conventional qPCR, demonstrating the potential to reduce false negatives and improve early diagnosis of viral infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human leukocyte antigen (HLA) recognizes foreign threats and triggers immune responses by presenting peptides to T cells. Computationally modeling the binding patterns between peptide and HLA is very important for the development of tumor vaccines. However, it is still a big challenge to accurately predict HLA molecules binding peptides. In this paper, we develop a new model TripHLApan for predicting HLA molecules binding peptides by integrating triple coding matrix, BiGRU + Attention models, and transfer learning strategy. We have found the main interaction site regions between HLA molecules and peptides, as well as the correlation between HLA encoding and binding motifs. Based on the discovery, we make the preprocessing and coding closer to the natural biological process. Besides, due to the input being based on multiple types of features and the attention module focused on the BiGRU hidden layer, TripHLApan has learned more sequence level binding information. The application of transfer learning strategies ensures the accuracy of prediction results under special lengths (peptides in length 8) and model scalability with the data explosion. Compared with the current optimal models, TripHLApan exhibits strong predictive performance in various prediction environments with different positive and negative sample ratios. In addition, we validate the superiority and scalability of TripHLApan's predictive performance using additional latest data sets, ablation experiments and binding reconstitution ability in the samples of a melanoma patient. The results show that TripHLApan is a powerful tool for predicting the binding of HLA-I and HLA-II molecular peptides for the synthesis of tumor vaccines. TripHLApan is publicly available at https://github.com/CSUBioGroup/TripHLApan.git. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a three-level static RAM cell with a single BL based on 16 nm BWG CNFET technology is proposed for use in high-performance IoT platforms. The proposed memory structure in a bit-interleaved architecture compatible design consists of a standard triple buffer gate (STB) based on the BWG CN-TGDI method and a pair of transmission gates as an access network. In the STB cell structure, the threshold voltage calibration by the flat band voltage parameter of the CNTs has been used to improve the static noise margin at logic level '1'. In addition, pseudo-resistor and stacked transistor structures have been used to control the single static current path during logic level '1' generation and cell leakage current, respectively. The simulation results based on the Monte Carlo method show that the hardware performance parameters PDP and EDP for the proposed design have been improved by 38.8% and 31%, respectively, compared to the counterpart structure. Moreover, the proposed architecture has shown a more reasonable result in terms of noise immunity than the best-performing design by 1.93 times. Finally, to investigate a real-world application, the triple memory structure has been used to store the colored QR code image with the data content of three values using the proposed hardware algorithm. The obtained results for the quality evaluation metrics, PSNR and MSSIM, emphasize the suitability of the proposed memory architecture for the development of next-generation SoCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let I be the commutative non-unital ring of order 4 defined by generators and relations. I = a , b ∣ 2 a = 2 b = 0 , a 2 = b , a b = 0. Alahmadi et al. have classified QSD codes, Type IV codes (QSD codes with even weights) and quasi-Type IV codes (QSD codes with even torsion code) over I up to lengths n = 6 , and suggested two building-up methods for constructing QSD codes. In this paper, we construct more QSD codes, Type IV codes and quasi-Type IV codes for lengths n = 7 and 8, and describe five new variants of the two building-up construction methods. We find that when n = 8 there is at least one QSD code with minimun distance 4, which attains the highest minimum distance so far, and we give a generator matrix for the code. We also describe some QSD codes, Type IV codes and quasi-Type IV codes with new weight distributions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Australia, checking in while entering venues was a legal requirement during the COVID-19 pandemic to track potential infection sites. This two-wave correlational study used an integrated theory of planned behavior model including moral norms, anticipated regret, and habit to predict check-in compliance in a sample of 181 Victorians (Mean Age = 41.88, 56.4% female) and 162 Queenslanders (Mean Age = 43.26, 47.5% female). Habit and intention predicted behavior, while perceived behavioral control did not. Intention was predicted by baseline habit, attitude, subjective norm, and moral norm in the Victorian sample, while only baseline habit and moral norm predicted intention in the Queensland sample. This study has potential implications for reviewing previous strategies and for future pandemic preparedness, both by identifying the drivers of infection control compliance, and through the discussion of how differences in effects between states may be linked to each state's experience of the pandemic (e.g. infection rates, lockdown length). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The growing need for high-speed services, coupled with data-intensive technologies like the Internet of Things (IoT), is expected to exacerbate congestion within existing Radio Frequency (RF) communication systems. As a result, Free Space Optics (FSO) has emerged as a promising alternative to RF, offering superior data transmission capabilities. Additionally, ensuring security has become a crucial concern to safeguard sensitive information. Accordingly, in this paper, an FSO system is proposed that uses an Identity Column Shift Matrix (ICSM) code for higher and confidential data transformation. The ICSM code is one of the Spectral-Amplitude-Optical-Code-Division-Multiple Access (SAC-OCDMA) codes which is characterized by easy construction due to zero cross-correlation property. Moreover, the effectiveness of clear, haze, fog and rain conditions are considered while examining the proposed model performance in addition to real meteorological data for two cities (Alexandria, Egypt, and Pune, India). Eye diagrams, received power, and Bit Error Rate (BER) are the evaluation parameters used for the proposed model performance. The simulation results reveal that as weather becomes severe, the FSO span decreases, and the performance becomes worst. As for clear weather, an FSO link of 26 km is obtained which is decreased to 1.1 km under the dense level of fog. Regarding the two cities, the distance covered by the information signal during rainy weather in Pune is 6.7 km, which is smaller than that in Alexandria due to Pune's higher attenuation value. These transmission ranges are obtained with an overall capacity of 3 × 10 Gbps, received power < − 22.8 dBm, and BER below 10–5.6. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multilevel encoding (MLE) scheme is an effective method for improving the anticounterfeiting encryption capabilities of physically unclonable functions (PUFs). However, owing to the correlation between encoding layers, the encoding capacity (EC) is difficult to improve by orders of magnitude. Herein, four noncorrelated structures in the diamond crystal structure (carbon–carbon single bond, defect luminescence structures, spin structures, and electron energy distribution structures) are considered for MLE. First, the microdiamonds containing nitrogen‐vacancy (NV) color centers are embedded into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to fabricate PUFs. Using an optical imaging system, four codable images of four noncorrelated structures are read. The noncorrelation of the four‐level encoding structure is verified by calculating the Hamming distance (0.496 ± 0.02). The results show that EC exponentially improves to 24×10 000/(100 pixels)2. Furthermore, the encoding method based on the energy level does not depend on physical structure parameters, such as the size and position of the spin structure. Thus, it is protected from structural modeling attacks, resulting in high security. Moreover, PUF labels based on PDMS flexible substrates can be employed for various flexible applications. In the proposed scheme, the information is encrypted by a four‐level two‐dimensional (2D) barcode and decoded by self‐developed PUF authentication software. The proposed scheme presents a way for developing next‐generation PUFs with super‐high EC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) plays a pivotal role in cutting‐edge display and information technologies. Currently achieving precise color control and dynamic signal regulation in CPL still remains challenging due to the elusory relationship between fluorescence and chirality. Inspired by the natural mechanisms governing color formation and chiral interaction, we proposed an addition‐subtraction principle theory to address this issue. Three fluorene‐based polymers synthesized by Suzuki polycondensation with different electron‐deficient monomers exhibit similar structures and UV/Vis absorption, but distinct fluorescence emissions due to intramolecular charge transfer. Based on this, precise‐color CPL‐active films are obtained through quantitative supramolecular co‐assembly directed by addition principle. Particularly, an ideal white‐emitting CPL film (CIE coordinates: (0.33, 0.33)) is facilely fabricated with a high quantum yield of 80.8 % and a dissymmetry factor (glum) of 1.4×10−2. Structural analysis reveals that the ordered stacking orientation favors higher glum. Furthermore, to address the dynamically regulated challenge, the comparable subtraction principle is proposed, involving a contactless chiral communication between excited and ground states. The representative system consisting of as‐prepared fluorene‐based polymers and chirality‐selective absorption azobenzene (Azo)‐containing polymers is constructed, achieving CPL weakening, reversal, and enhancement. Finally, a switchable quick response code is realized based on trans‐cis isomerization of Azo moiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Circularly polarized luminescence (CPL) plays a pivotal role in cutting‐edge display and information technologies. Currently achieving precise color control and dynamic signal regulation in CPL still remains challenging due to the elusory relationship between fluorescence and chirality. Inspired by the natural mechanisms governing color formation and chiral interaction, we proposed an addition‐subtraction principle theory to address this issue. Three fluorene‐based polymers synthesized by Suzuki polycondensation with different electron‐deficient monomers exhibit similar structures and UV/Vis absorption, but distinct fluorescence emissions due to intramolecular charge transfer. Based on this, precise‐color CPL‐active films are obtained through quantitative supramolecular co‐assembly directed by addition principle. Particularly, an ideal white‐emitting CPL film (CIE coordinates: (0.33, 0.33)) is facilely fabricated with a high quantum yield of 80.8 % and a dissymmetry factor (glum) of 1.4×10−2. Structural analysis reveals that the ordered stacking orientation favors higher glum. Furthermore, to address the dynamically regulated challenge, the comparable subtraction principle is proposed, involving a contactless chiral communication between excited and ground states. The representative system consisting of as‐prepared fluorene‐based polymers and chirality‐selective absorption azobenzene (Azo)‐containing polymers is constructed, achieving CPL weakening, reversal, and enhancement. Finally, a switchable quick response code is realized based on trans‐cis isomerization of Azo moiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Barcodes are useful for identifying objects across time, space, and information modalities. However, materializing and decoding optical and multimodal barcodes on microscopic objects remains difficult despite the increasing need for multiplexed cell analysis. Here, a computational design of randomly combinatorial is presented, yet decodable barcodes in microdroplets. The design is based on a novel Real2Sim2Real framework: it first collects experimental images of optically distinct microparticles, then simulates massive combinatorial images by randomly assembling the imaged particles to train a neural network‐based decoder. It is demonstrated that the decoder, even though trained via simulation, accurately identifies the randomly assembled particles in real hydrogel microdroplets. It also shows that the microdroplets with an additional DNA barcoding functionality are applicable to individually link independently measured microscopic images and transcriptome profiles of pooled single cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Single-cell sequencing techniques are revolutionizing every field of biology by providing the ability to measure the abundance of biological molecules at a single-cell resolution. Although single-cell sequencing approaches have been developed for several molecular modalities, single-cell transcriptome sequencing is the most prevalent and widely applied technique. SPLiT-seq (split-pool ligation-based transcriptome sequencing) is one of these single-cell transcriptome techniques that applies a unique combinatorial-barcoding approach by splitting and pooling cells into multi-well plates containing barcodes. This unique approach required the development of dedicated computational tools to preprocess the data and extract the count matrices. Here we compare eight bioinformatic pipelines (alevin-fry splitp, LR-splitpipe, SCSit, splitpipe, splitpipeline, SPLiTseq-demultiplex, STARsolo and zUMI) that have been developed to process SPLiT-seq data. We provide an overview of the tools, their computational performance, functionality and impact on downstream processing of the single-cell data, which vary greatly depending on the tool used. Results: We show that STARsolo, splitpipe and alevin-fry splitp can all handle large amount of data within reasonable time. In contrast, the other five pipelines are slow when handling large datasets. When using smaller dataset, cell barcode results are similar with the exception of SPLiTseq-demultiplex and splitpipeline. LR-splitpipe that is originally designed for processing long-read sequencing data is the slowest of all pipelines. Alevin-fry produced different down-stream results that are difficult to interpret. STARsolo functions nearly identical to splitpipe and produce results that are highly similar to each other. However, STARsolo lacks the function to collapse random hexamer reads for which some additional coding is required. Conclusion: Our comprehensive comparative analysis aids users in selecting the most suitable analysis tool for efficient SPLiT-seq data processing, while also detailing the specific prerequisites for each of these pipelines. From the available pipelines, we recommend splitpipe or STARSolo for SPLiT-seq data analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: It is known that the misuse and overuse of antimicrobials leads to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Effective communication between dispensers and users is thus crucial in reducing inappropriate antibiotic use. Objective: This study aims to gain a better understanding of communication around the use of antibiotics in the community and seeks potential implementation strategies to change dispenser and user practices in communication aspects. Methods: Qualitative methods were employed, including in-depth interviews with 18 drug suppliers and 16 community members, and eight focus group discussions with key informants. Data were collected in the Kanchanaburi Demographic Health Surveillance System in urban and semi-urban communities in the western region of Thailand. The thematic analysis included communication quality, communication and imbalanced power, and misconceptions and instruction. The OpenCode qualitative software program was employed. Results: The study revealed that the quality of communication was significantly influenced by the interaction of antibiotic dispensing with language and information. This interaction creates communication constraints between those dispensing antibiotics and the recipients, resulting in a less-than-optimal exchange of information. Consequently, users received limited information concerning the proper use of antibiotics. Furthermore, power imbalances and communication dynamics were perpetuated, mainly stemming from varying levels of access to and knowledge about antibiotics. This imbalance in power dynamics became evident between those dispensing antibiotics and the users. Users, as well as dispensers lacking proper qualifications, found themselves in a precarious position due to their inadequate knowledge of antibiotics. Moreover, it is noteworthy that misconceptions often conflicted with antibiotic instructions, leading to challenges in adhering to antibiotic regimens. These challenges primarily arose from misconceptions about antibiotics and concerns about potential side effects, particularly when users started to feel better. Conclusions: The findings highlight the importance of enhancing communication between dispensers and users through future interventions. These interventions should aim to bolster user understanding of antibiotics and provide clear, trustworthy instructions for their proper usage. Investigating innovative communication methods, such as the use of QR codes, presents a promising avenue for consideration. By addressing these communication gaps, we can advocate for the appropriate utilization of antibiotics and mitigate the prevalence of AMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most arthropod species are undescribed and hidden in specimen‐rich samples that are difficult to sort to species using morphological characters. For such samples, sorting to putative species with DNA barcodes is an attractive alternative, but needs cost‐effective techniques that are suitable for use in many laboratories around the world. Barcoding using the portable and inexpensive MinION sequencer produced by Oxford Nanopore Technologies (ONT) could be useful for presorting specimen‐rich samples with DNA barcodes because it requires little space and is inexpensive. However, similarly important is user‐friendly and reliable software for analysis of the ONT data. It is here provided in the form of ONTbarcoder 2.0 that is suitable for all commonly used operating systems and includes a Graphical User Interface (GUI). Compared with an earlier version, ONTbarcoder 2.0 has three key improvements related to the higher read quality obtained with ONT's latest flow cells (R10.4), chemistry (V14 kits) and basecalling model (super‐accuracy model). First, the improved read quality of ONT's latest flow cells (R10.4) allows for the use of primers with shorter indices than those previously needed (9 bp vs. 12–13 bp). This decreases the primer cost and can potentially improve PCR success rates. Second, ONTbarcoder now delivers real‐time barcoding to complement ONT's real‐time sequencing. This means that the first barcodes are obtained within minutes of starting a sequencing run; i.e. flow cell use can be optimized by terminating sequencing runs when most barcodes have already been obtained. The only input needed by ONTbarcoder 2.0 is a demultiplexing sheet and sequencing data (raw or basecalled) generated by either a Mk1B or a Mk1C. Thirdly, we demonstrate that the availability of R10.4 chemistry for the low‐cost Flongle flow cell is an attractive option for users who require only 200–250 barcodes at a time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Kalanchoideae is one of three subfamilies within Crassulaceae and contains four genera. Despite previous efforts, the phylogeny of Kalanchoideae remains inadequately resolved with persistent issues including low support, unstructured topologies and polytomies. This study aimed to address two central objectives: (1) resolving the pending phylogenetic questions within Kalanchoideae by using organelle-scale 'barcodes' (plastomes) and nuclear data; and (2) investigating interspecific diversity patterns among Kalanchoideae plastomes. Methods To explore the plastome evolution in Kalanchoideae, we newly sequenced 38 plastomes representing all four constituent genera (Adromischus , Cotyledon , Kalanchoe and Tylecodon). We performed comparative analyses of plastomic features, including GC and gene contents, gene distributions at the IR (inverted repeat) boundaries, nucleotide divergence, plastomic tRNA (pttRNA) structures and codon aversions. Additionally, phylogenetic inferences were inferred using both the plastomic dataset (79 genes) and nuclear dataset (1054 genes). Key Results Significant heterogeneities were observed in plastome lengths among Kalanchoideae, strongly correlated with LSC (large single copy) lengths. Informative diversities existed in the gene content at SSC/IRa (small single copy/inverted repeat a), with unique patterns individually identified in Adromischus leucophyllus and one major Kalanchoe clade. The ycf1 gene was assessed as a shared hypervariable region among all four genera, containing nine lineage-specific indels. Three pttRNAs exhibited unique structures specific to Kalanchoideae and the genera Adromischus and Kalanchoe. Moreover, 24 coding sequences revealed a total of 41 lineage-specific unused codons across all four constituent genera. The phyloplastomic inferences clearly depicted internal branching patterns in Kalanchoideae. Most notably, by both plastid- and nuclear-based phylogenies, our research offers the first evidence that Kalanchoe section Eukalanchoe is not monophyletic. Conclusions This study conducted comprehensive analyses on 38 newly reported Kalanchoideae plastomes. Importantly, our results not only reconstructed well-resolved phylogenies within Kalanchoideae, but also identified highly informative unique markers at the subfamily, genus and species levels. These findings significantly enhance our understanding of the evolutionary history of Kalanchoideae. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of linear codes over local rings, particularly non-chain rings, imposes difficulties that differ from those encountered in codes over chain rings, and this stems from the fact that local non-chain rings are not principal ideal rings. In this paper, we present and successfully establish a new approach for linear codes of any finite length over local rings that are not necessarily chains. The main focus of this study is to produce generating characters, MacWilliams identities and generator matrices for codes over singleton local Frobenius rings of order 32. To do so, we first start by characterizing all singleton local rings of order 32 up to isomorphism. These rings happen to have strong connections to linear binary codes and Z 4 codes, which play a significant role in coding theory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of DNA barcoding is well established for specimen identification and large‐scale biodiversity discovery, but remains underutilized for time‐sensitive applications such as rapid species discovery in field stations, identifying pests, citizen science projects, and authenticating food. The main reason is that existing express barcoding workflows are either too expensive or can only be used in very well‐equipped laboratories by highly‐trained staff. We here show an alternative workflow combining rapid DNA extraction with HotSHOT, amplicon production with NextGenPCR thermocyclers, and sequencing with low‐cost MinION sequencers. We demonstrate the power of the approach by generating 250 barcodes for 285 specimens within 6 h including specimen identification through BLAST. The workflow required only the following major equipment that easily fits onto a lab bench: Thermocycler, NextGenPCR, microplate sealer, Qubit, and MinION. Based on our results, we argue that simplified barcoding workflows for species‐level sorting are now faster, more accurate, and sufficiently cost‐effective to replace traditional morpho‐species sorting in many projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The era of high throughput sequencing offers new paths to identifying species boundaries that are complementary to traditional morphology-based delimitations. De novo species delimitation using traditional or DNA super-barcodes serve as efficient approaches to recognizing putative species (molecular operational taxonomic units, MOTUs). Tea plants (Camellia sect. Thea) form a group of morphologically similar species with significant economic value, providing the raw material for tea, which is the most popular nonalcoholic caffeine-containing beverage in the world. Taxonomic challenges have arisen from vague species boundaries in this group. Results: Based on the most comprehensive sampling of C. sect. Thea by far (165 individuals of 39 morphospecies), we applied three de novo species delimitation methods (ASAP, PTP, and mPTP) using plastome data to provide an independent evaluation of morphology-based species boundaries in tea plants. Comparing MOTU partitions with morphospecies, we particularly tested the congruence of MOTUs resulting from different methods. We recognized 28 consensus MOTUs within C. sect. Thea, while tentatively suggesting that 11 morphospecies be discarded. Ten of the 28 consensus MOTUs were uncovered as morphospecies complexes in need of further study integrating other evidence. Our results also showed a strong imbalance among the analyzed MOTUs in terms of the number of molecular diagnostic characters. Conclusion: This study serves as a solid step forward for recognizing the underlying species boundaries of tea plants, providing a needed evidence-based framework for the utilization and conservation of this economically important plant group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Medical overuse is defined as health care services that exceed the individual needs of patients and when the potential harms of medical interventions exceed their benefits. It has impacts on patients as well as on health care resources. To address medical overuse, it is important to understand the knowledge and experiences of overuse on the side of patients. Research questions: What is the citizens' understanding of overuse? How do they assess its relevance, causes, consequences and potential solutions? Methods: A quantitative online survey was conducted. The participants were asked to state what they understand by medical overuse. Statements on causes, consequences and possible solutions were evaluated. Recruitment was carried out via a panel of a market research institute (Schlesinger Group). Results: The survey was completed by 406 participants. In terms of age and gender, the sample corresponded to the distribution in the German population. The majority had never heard of medical overuse (58%). About 60% assumed that medical overuse means "too much medicine including overtreatment and overtesting". Medical overuse was mainly suspected for services not covered by the public health insurance system (56%), surgical interventions (45%) and medication prescriptions (37%). Reasons for medical overuse were seen in uncoordinated care and financial incentives, but also in the expectations of patients. The main problem with medical overuse was seen in rising health care costs, while harmful physical and mental consequences for patients were mentioned less often. In order to reduce medical overuse, little importance was attributed to a primary care based system or higher financial contribution of patients. Instead, stricter cost control on the side of physicians and better coordination between care providers were suggested as solutions. Differences in socio-demographic characteristics hardly showed any differences in response behavior. Conclusion: More than half of the respondents had never heard of medical overuse. Overuse was mainly associated with financial causes and consequences. It was not seen that overuse can be harmful for patients directly. The limited awareness of the problem of overuse probably is a barrier to tackling it effectively. Communicating the topic to the public might therefore be an effective start to mitigate medical overuse. Take home message: Many citizens seem not to be familiar with the concept of medical overuse, especially not with the fact that it may directly cause harm to patients. Informing citizens about the harms of medical overuse might be helpful in mitigating it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation The process of analyzing high throughput sequencing data often requires the identification and extraction of specific target sequences. This could include tasks, such as identifying cellular barcodes and UMIs in single-cell data, and specific genetic variants for genotyping. However, existing tools, which perform these functions are often task-specific, such as only demultiplexing barcodes for a dedicated type of experiment, or are not tolerant to noise in the sequencing data. Results To overcome these limitations, we developed Flexiplex, a versatile and fast sequence searching and demultiplexing tool for omics data, which is based on the Levenshtein distance and thus allows imperfect matches. We demonstrate Flexiplex's application on three use cases, identifying cell-line-specific sequences in Illumina short-read single-cell data, and discovering and demultiplexing cellular barcodes from noisy long-read single-cell RNA-seq data. We show that Flexiplex achieves an excellent balance of accuracy and computational efficiency compared to leading task-specific tools. Availability and implementation Flexiplex is available at https://davidsongroup.github.io/flexiplex/. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we explore Quick Response (QR) codes (machine-readable optical labels that link to information) and how, after a period of having fallen out of favor, they have been reactivated and have come to underpin COVID-19 automation and contact-tracing efforts. During the pandemic, they were used especially for "safe entry" and other kinds of check-in to locations to facilitate contact tracing. In this context, QR codes facilitate automated decision-making in relation to infectious disease surveillance and disease outbreak control. However, the use of QR codes for contact-tracing purposes has enjoyed mixed success and its implementation has encountered several challenges, as we illustrate through a case study that explores QR codes and COVID contact tracing in Singapore and Australia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Every ophthalmic surgical supply, including intraocular lenses (IOLs), IOL cartridges, and ophthalmic viscosurgical device syringes, is packaged with instructions for use (IFU). These pamphlets are printed in multiple languages and, in the case of an IOL, significantly increase the size and weight of the packaging. To eliminate this significant and unnecessary source of waste, we recommend that manufacturers move to Quick Response codes that link to online electronic IFU (e-IFU) as a sensible alternative. In addition to reducing carbon emissions and manufacturing costs, e-IFU can be updated more easily and accessed by surgeons in the clinic, where IOL models and powers are selected. Varying and inconsistent IFU requirements between different countries are a barrier to wider adoption of e-IFU by the ophthalmic surgical industry. Regulatory agencies in every country should allow and encourage e-IFU. This position paper has been endorsed by the 3 major societies that sponsor EyeSustain, a consortium of global societies dedicated to advancing sustainability in ophthalmology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter proposes an augmented scheme of LT codes to improve the decoding success rate. The method involves substituting the 1‐s in full‐degree columns of the generator matrix of conventional LT codes with binary extension field elements and simultaneously increasing the ratio of full‐degree columns in the ideal soliton distribution. For non‐full‐degree columns, we retain the nonzero elements as 1‐s in the conventional LT codes generator matrix to preserve computational efficiency. Compared to conventional LT codes, the proposed method enhances the linear independence of the generator matrix, leading to a higher decoding success rate with minimal data packets. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the method at improving the performance of LT codes, with close to 100% decoding success rate achieved with around 5% data redundancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An effective and efficient AC maintenance reporting and monitoring system is very important to ensure the smoothness and reliability of the air conditioning system. The aim of this research is to analyze the current AC maintenance reporting and monitoring system at PT PPA Site SKS. This research uses a qualitative research method with a case study approach. Data collection techniques in this research are observation and document study. The data analysis technique used in this research is qualitative analysis using the grounded theory method. The research results show that the optimization of the reporting and monitoring system for AC maintenance repoers at PT PPA Site SKS is carried out by creating inspection and maintenance schedules periodically, creating AC Number Lists and QR codes on AC units to make it easier for the PIC to input maintenance reports, accessing the AppSheet on the device each PIC is related to AC inspection and maintenance reporting, and can monitor previous maintenance history reports, appoint an Electrical Team PIC related to AC maintenance and maintenance reporting, as well as carry out socialization and coaching to the appointed PIC Admin regarding AC maintenance and maintenance reporting mechanisms via Appsheet. After being evaluated, this effort shows that AC maintenance and upkeep can be monitored 100%, and reporting is more effective (does not require admin input in every AC maintenance and maintenance report). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Cleaning product use has been associated with adverse respiratory health effects such as asthma in cleaning staff and healthcare workers. Research in health effects from cleaning products has largely depended upon collecting exposure information by questionnaires which has limitations such as recall bias and underestimation of exposure. The aim of this study was to develop a Cleaning and Hazardous Products Exposure Logging (CHaPEL) app with a barcode scanner and to test the feasibility of this app with university cleaners. Methods The CHaPEL app was developed to collect information on demographics, individual product information, and exposure information. It also included an ease-of-use survey. A pilot study with university cleaning workers was undertaken in which cleaning workers scanned each product after use and answered the survey. Respiratory hazards of cleaning substances in the scanned cleaning products were screened by safety data sheets, a Quantitative Structure-Activity Relationship model and an asthmagen list established by an expert group in the US. Results Eighteen university cleaners participated in this study over a period of 5 weeks. In total, 77 survey responses and 6 cleaning products were collected and all reported that using the app was easy. The most frequently used product was a multi-surface cleaner followed by a disinfectant. Out of 14 substances in cleaning products, ethanolamine and Alkyl (C12-16) dimethyl benzyl ammonium chloride were found as respiratory hazardous substances. Conclusion The CHaPEL app is a user-friendly immediate way to successfully collect exposure information using the barcodes of cleaning products. This tool could be useful for future epidemiological studies focused on exposure assessment with less interruption to the workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of standardized electronic messages to enhance communication in blood transfusion and transplantation. It explains that the introduction of barcodes on blood product labels in 1976 helped to address the risk of errors in manual recording and transcription of information. However, the rapid growth of automation and divergence between countries led to the development of a new international approach, known as the ISBT 128 Specification. This specification is now widely used and has been expanded to include all medical products of human origin. The article also discusses the alignment of the ISBT 128 and HL7 FHIR standards to support effective electronic communication of medical product information. [Extracted from the article]

In this paper, we propose a construction of quantum codes from Hermitian self-orthogonal matrix product codes over the finite fields. This construction is applied to obtain numerous new quantum codes, and all of them have higher rate than current quantum codes available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the Swedish diversity of the thrips families Aeolothripidae and Melanthripidae. Currently, a total of 12 species in 2 genera of Aeolothripidae occur in Sweden, and 1 in Melanthripidae. The aims of this study include to provide an updated identification key with photographic material and an updated checklist of the country with provincial records. In this study both museum material and new material collected in understudied provinces are included, and a large number of molecular barcodes are produced. The results reveal 26 new provincial records in Sweden, predominantly in northern regions, and 11 provinces in total had new species records. New records of Rhipidothrips brunneus Williams 1913 warranted an examination of distinguishing characters compared to R. niveipennis Reuter, 1899. The original description of R. niveipennis is found to lack sufficient characters to delimit the species, and a redescription based on syntypes is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a novel blockchain-based multilevel security and authentication application is proposed to address the problem of counterfeiting in the medicine supply chain. In this blockchain-enabled application, multiple computers owned by different supply chain organizations collaborate in a distributed fashion to establish a trustworthy network. By adopting a resource-efficient Hyperledger Fabric framework, the proposed system aims to enhance transparency, integrity, and traceability in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Hyperledger Fabric blockchain also adds network security, privacy preservation, real-time tracking, and reliability features to the proposed system. Moreover, the proposed system also incorporates a blockchain-based QR code watermarking layer for authentication and verification. A validation module is designed that empowers buyers to validate the identity and history of serialized medicinal products, and buyer identity validation ensures that only legitimate buyers can access the products. Simulation outcomes and performance measurements demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed system, including location traceability, QR code authentication, and verification. The Caliper tool has been used to measure the performance of the proposed system in terms of execution time, throughput, latency, and resource statistics for up to 100,000 transactions and 20 peers. The highest throughput achieved is 417.5 TPS (transactions per second) with 100,000 transactions and eight peers. The QR code authentication performance is tested under various noisy, cropped, and blurred attacks. We presented simulation outcomes of the implemented supply chain as well as chain code algorithms. The results indicate improved scalability, validation mechanisms, throughput, latency, and resource consumption compared to existing schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the proliferation of high-quality copying devices and the significant profits of counterfeit products, it is critical to establish an effective scheme for detecting and preventing the counterfeiting of goods. At present, most anti-faking schemes leave much to be desired in terms of cost, convenience, and ability to facilitate pre-sale authentication. The paper designs a unique textured pattern and proposes a triple anti-counterfeiting authentication (TACA). First, the textured pattern consists of triple encryptions (the first is that the key area of the QR code is covered, the second includes scale and Arnold transformation, and the third involves replacing the black areas of the pattern with random multi-level grayscales), the abundant details in the texture not only effectively conceal information, but also that their distortion will increase. Second, TACA comprises interpretability analysis (IA), spectral feature analysis (SFA), and spot matching analysis (SMA) in a cascaded way. In further detail, IA mainly exploits the positional transformation of individual pixels and the block features of local regions to restore interpretability. SFA uses the low-frequency subgraph of discrete wavelet transform (DWT) at a specified scale to capture macroscopic structural information. SMA is able to capture the detailed information of the pattern by utilizing SURF to detect the peak region rate positions and employing BRISK to accurately describe them before. Finally, this paper investigates the robustness of the proposed anti-counterfeiting scheme under a variety of copying methods (replicating, scanning-printing), capturing devices (smartphones), and attack scenarios (no attack, cropping, noise, blur). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigated a novelty system known as optical code division multiple access-free space optics (OCDMA-FSO) based on a new two-dimensional successive weight (2D-SW) code. The proposed approach is developed to be employed in incoherent wireless optical networks to improve channel capacity, support a large number of concurrent users, accommodate a high bits rate, and eliminate the effect of electromagnetic and multiple access interferences. A new mathematical analysis for the proposed system has been detailed, including the expression of signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and bit error rate (BER). Accordingly, the numerical outcomes of the mathematical analysis at a total data rate of 260 Gbps revealed that the proposed system enhanced the channel capacity to 2.04, 1.6, 3.32, 1.47, 1.68, 1.33, and 2.29 times than those of the systems based on the two-dimensional codes family including perfect difference (2D-PD), both diluted perfect difference (2D-DPD) and dynamic cyclic shift (2D-DCS), hybrid flexible cross-correlation/modified double weight (FCC/MDW), hybrid zero cross-correlation/multi-diagonal (2D-ZCC/MD), modified prime code (2D-MPC), hybrid prime code (2D-HPC), and one-dimensional successive weight (1D-SW), respectively. It can save − 4.9 dBm, − 2.9 dBm, − 4.3 dBm, and − 2.2 dBm of received power in comparison to both 2D-DPD, 2D-DCS, 2D-ZCC/MD, 2D-MPC, and 2D-HPC codes respectively, and it keeps − 6.2 dBm when moving from 1D-SW to 2D-SW. Moreover, the suggested network is also studied using Optisystem software at 30 Gbps of each channel, where it achieves a low BER value reaching 1.72 × 10 - 33 with a high transmission quality reaching 11.99 at a lengthy range attaining 1.3 km. Consequently, the results demonstrate that the proposed system can satisfy optical communication needs and be implemented in the next generations of wireless optical networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]