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In today’s world, the COVID-19 pandemic has affected many lives and forced the people to take safety precautions like never before. Therefore, designing an environmentally friendly theatre minimizing germ propagation using filtration mechanisms is a valuable project, as it would help struggling businesses, and give people a chance to enjoy a day outside, safely. With safety being the highest priority, the incorporation filtration systems and contactless food delivery networks is essential while providing a fun and lasting memory for the visiting audience. However, to meet the previously listed goals, solutions to major obstacles are necessary. This includes designing a robot with consistent movements while simultaneously avoiding its surrounding obstacles, building an energy environment friendly cooling system, and creating a filtration mechanism to filter the COVID-19 particles. With these overall designs incorporated into the traditional movie theatre, the team presents the “COVID-less Movie Theatre”.

Callose, a β‐1,3‐glucan plant cell wall polymer, regulates symplasmic channel size at plasmodesmata (PD) and plays a crucial role in a variety of plant processes. However, elucidating the molecular mechanism of PD callose homeostasis is limited. We screened and identified an Arabidopsis mutant plant with excessive callose deposition at PD and found that the mutated gene was α1‐COP, a member of the coat protein I (COPI) coatomer complex. We report that loss of function of α1‐COP elevates the callose accumulation at PD by affecting subcellular protein localization of callose degradation enzyme PdBG2. This process is linked to the functions of ERH1, an inositol phosphoryl ceramide synthase, and glucosylceramide synthase through physical interactions with the α1‐COP protein. Additionally, the loss of function of α1‐COP alters the subcellular localization of ERH1 and GCS proteins, resulting in a reduction of GlcCers and GlcHCers molecules, which are key sphingolipid (SL) species for lipid raft formation. Our findings suggest that α1‐COP protein, together with SL modifiers controlling lipid raft compositions, regulates the subcellular localization of GPI‐anchored PDBG2 proteins, and hence the callose turnover at PD and symplasmic movement of biomolecules. Our findings provide the first key clue to link the COPI‐mediated intracellular trafficking pathway to the callose‐mediated intercellular signaling pathway through PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pathogens generate and secrete effector proteins to the host plant cells during pathogenesis to promote virulence and colonization. If the plant carries resistance (R) proteins that recognize pathogen effectors, effector‐triggered immunity (ETI) is activated, resulting in a robust immune response and hypersensitive response (HR). The bipartite effector AvrRps4 from Pseudomonas syringae pv. pisi has been well studied in terms of avirulence function. In planta, AvrRps4 is processed into two parts. The C‐terminal fragment of AvrRps4 (AvrRps4C) induces HR in turnip and is recognized by the paired resistance proteins AtRRS1/AtRPS4 in Arabidopsis. Here, we show that AvrRps4C targets a group of Arabidopsis WRKY, including WRKY46, WRKY53, WRKY54, and WRKY70, to induce its virulence function. Indeed, AvrRps4C suppresses the general binding and transcriptional activities of immune‐positive regulator WRKY54 and WRKY54‐mediated resistance. AvrRps4C interferes with WRKY54's binding activity to target gene SARD1 in vitro, suggesting WRKY54 is sequestered from the SARD1 promoter by AvrRps4C. Through the interaction of AvrRps4C with four WRKYs, AvrRps4 enhances the formation of homo‐/heterotypic complexes of four WRKYs and sequesters them in the cytoplasm, thus inhibiting their function in plant immunity. Together, our results provide a detailed virulence mechanism of AvrRps4 through its C‐terminus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science museums make the effort to create exhibits with amusing explanations. However, existing explanation signs with lengthy text are not appealing, and as such, visitors do not pay attention to them. In contrast, conspicuous comic strips composed of simple drawings and humors can attract science museum visitors. This study attempted to reveal whether comic strips contribute to science exhibitions. More than 20 comic strips were chosen that were associated with exhibits in a science museum. The individual episodes were printed out and placed beside the corresponding exhibits. A questionnaire was administered to museum visitors to evaluate the effects of the comic strips. Most visitors responded that the comic strips were helpful in understanding the exhibits and in familiarizing themselves with the science. Participants also described the comic strips' deficiencies which will be considered for future revisions. Comic strips are likely to enhance interest in and comprehension of science exhibitions. Furthermore, these strips are expected to enrich science museums in various ways such as establishing their uniqueness.

This study aimed to (1) evaluate the effects of an empathy education program, and (2) explore functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) as a potential empathy assessment tool. An empathy enhancement program for premedical students was developed. The Korean version of the Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Student version (JSE-S) and Interpersonal Reactivity Index (K-IRI) were used to measure self-assessed changes in empathy. Clinical vignettes demonstrating empathy tasks were presented to participants undergoing fMRI, to assess regional changes in the brain. Self-reported empathy scores and brain activity signals using fMRI from before and after the program were compared. The JSE-S total and perspective taking scores significantly increased after the program. Data from the fMRI revealed noticeable differences in cognitive regions associated with empathy, namely the right superior medial frontal gyrus and left precentral gyrus. This study results support the prior evidence of positive impact of empathy education. In addition, the authors suggest that brain fMRI might be used in measuring the effectiveness of empathy education.

In the context of high-temperature water vapor treatment, Zn-Mg-Al alloy-coated steel sheets exhibit the emergence of a black surface. This study aims to explore the factors and mechanisms contributing to surface blackening by inducing black surfaces on Zn-Mg-Al alloy-coated steel sheets, which were fabricated through molten coating subjected to water vapor treatment at 150 degrees Celsius. The surface composition was predominantly identified as zinc oxide (ZnO) film validated through X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Morphological analysis of the surface and cross-section post-water vapor treatment revealed a disrupted lamellar structure with diffused features, resulting from the formation of an oxide film. Optical properties analysis demonstrated an increased absorbance and a decreased bandgap energy after water vapor treatment, which is indicative of an augmented blackening effect. Consequently, the high-temperature water vapor treatment led to the formation of oxides on the surface with the highly reactive Mg and Al extracting oxygen from the predominantly present ZnO surface. This process resulted in the creation of an oxygen-deficient oxide, ultimately causing surface blackening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose an elegant method for fabricating mechanically robust and electrically conductive composite textiles for next-generation smart clothing by controlling coating direction of the silicone polymer. A typical additive-type silicon polymer containing conductive fillers was coated on the pristine fabric in the wale and course direction. The conductive textile coated in the wale direction showed better elastic recovery than that coated in the course direction. Moreover, the conductive fabrics coated in the wale direction exhibited small cracks and low electrical resistance due to the deep penetration of conductive silicone polymer, leading to the construction of stable conductive network. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]