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In this paper, the reconstructed growth index γ (z) is updated by jointed combination from Pantheon+ SNe Ia samples, the observed Hubble data points H (z) at the background level, and redshift space distortion measurements of f σ 8 (z) at the linear perturbation level via Gaussian process. The reconstructed results show that the currently available data points suggest a mild time varying growth index at low redshifts within 3 σ regions. No significant deviation from ΛCDM cosmology in GR within 3 σ regions was found, while the growth indices for the f (R) and the Dvali–Gabadadze–Porrati gravity are at the boundaries of 3 σ regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a directivity‐enhanced planar slot antenna (PSA) backed by substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) cavity is proposed to solve the problem of maximum gain direction bias. According to the radiation principle of slot antenna, the reason for maximum gain direction bias is explained and the solution has been given. Ulteriorly, the problem of frequency bias caused by changing the directivity is also explained by resonance modes and solved by introducing the metal via. An example with 5.8 GHz which has the maximum gain of 5.28 dBi and the total thickness less than λ/4 is given. After structural optimization and measurement, the maximum radiation direction of improved antenna is 0° from the normal direction of antenna surface, and it maintains the good radiation performance and small size of the traditional PSA backed by SIW cavity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reversible addition of benzyl alcohol onto heteroarenium salts under basic conditions was studied. Fine-tuning of the nature of the arenium and substituents allowed the discovery of a range of pyrimidinium substrates that can undergo C6-selective alcohol addition. Crossover experiments were also performed to confirm the addition-elimination equilibrium under basic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we present a novel measurement-device-independent quantum protocol for electronic payment (E-payment), which can remove side channel attacks for the detectors. Especially, we use Bell states instead of three or more-qubit entangled states to reduce the complexity of quantum resources. Furthermore, we employ both quantum public-key encryption and blockchain technologies to ensure more perfect security properties. Compared with the previously proposed protocols, our proposed protocol has not only higher security but also better feasibility with current technologies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Creating conjugated macrocycles has attracted extensive research interest because their unique chemical and physical properties, such as conformational flexibility, intrinsic inner cavities and aromaticity/antiaromaticity, make these systems appealing building blocks for functional supramolecular materials. Here, we report the synthesis of four-, six- and eight-membered tetraphenylethylene (TPE)-based macrocycles on Ag(111) via on-surface Ullmann coupling reactions. The as-synthesized macrocycles are spontaneously segregated on the surface and self-assemble as large-area two-dimensional mono-component supramolecular crystals, as characterized by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). We propose that the synthesis benefits from the conformational flexibility of the TPE backbone in distinctive multi-step reaction pathways. This study opens up opportunities for exploring the photophysical properties of TPE-based macrocycles. On-surface synthesis is a useful tool to produce extended macrocyclic structures with atomic precision, with only one type of macrocycle typically formed through on-surface coupling reactions. Here, distinct domains of four-, six- and eight-membered tetraphenylethylene-based macrocycles are synthesized on Ag(111) as segregated large-area mono-component crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. The morbidity and mortality rates for gastric cancer (GC) rank second among all cancers, indicating the serious threat it poses to human health, as well as human life. This study aims to identify the pathways and genes as well as investigate the molecular mechanisms of tumor-related genes in gastric cancer (GC). Method. We compared differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially methylated genes (DMGs) in gastric cancer and normal tissue samples using The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Gene and Genome (KEGG) and the Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis' pathway annotations were conducted on DMGs and DEGs using a clusterProfiler R package to identify the important functions, as well as the biological processes and pathways involved. The intersection of the two was chosen and defined as differentially methylated and expressed genes (DMEGs). For DMEGs, we used the principal component analysis (PCA) to differentiate gastric cancer from adjacent samples. The linear discriminant analysis method was applied to categorize the samples using DMEGs methylation data and DMEGs expression profiles data and was validated using the leave-one-out cross-validation (LOOCV) method. We plotted the ROC curve for the classification and calculated the AUC (area under the ROC curve) value for a more intuitive view of the classification effect. We also used the NetworkAnalyst 3.0 tool to analyze DMEGs, using DrugBank to acquire information on protein-drug interactions and generate a network map of gene-drug interactions. Results. We identified a total of 971 DMGs in 188 PD-1 negative and 187 PD-1 positive gastric cancer samples obtained from TCGA. The KEGG and GO enrichment analysis showed the involvement of the regulation of ion transmembrane transport, collagen-containing extracellular matrix, cell-cell junction, and peptidase regulator activity. We simultaneously obtained 1,189 DEGs, out of which 986 were downregulated, while 203 were upregulated in tumors. The enriched analysis of the GO's and KEGG's pathways indicated that the most significant pathways included an intestinal immune network for IgA production, Staphylococcus aureus infection, cytokine-cytokine receptor interaction, and viral protein interaction with cytokine and cytokine receptor, which have previously been linked with gastric cancer. The compound DB01830 can bind well to the active site of the LCK protein and shows good stability, thus making it a potential inhibitor of the LCK protein. To observe the relationship between DMEGs' expression and prognosis, we observed 10 genes, among which were TRIM29, TSPAN8, EOMES, PPP1R16B, SELL, PCED1B, IYD, JPH1, CEACAM5, and RP11-44K6.2. Their high expressions were related to high risks. Besides, those genes were validated in different internal and external validation sets. Conclusion. These results may provide potential molecular biological therapy for PD-1 negative gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A dissociation model suitable for the formation of gas hydrate in acidic and alkali-containing systems is established. By introducing inertia weight factor, an improved sinusoidal and cosine algorithm is obtained to optimize BP neural network and build ISCABP gas hydrate prediction model. The ISCABP model and other thermodynamic models were used to predict the hydrate formation conditions of four groups of (CH4+CO2+H2S) gas mixtures in acidic system, and the hydrate formation conditions of six groups of gas + liquid phase in alkoxide system. The temperature range is 240.15-308.45 K, and the pressure range is 0.05-82.56 mPa. The concentrations of H2S and CO2 in the mixture were 4.95-27.93% (mol) and 6.79-8.4% (mol), respectively. The results show that ISCABP hydrate model has the best predictive value. The model has strong applicability to gas field production, and can provide a theoretical basis for determining the injection amount of inhibitor and formulating the field safe operation strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Actin is a highly conserved cytoskeletal protein that is present in all eukaryotes. Polymerization of actin to filamentous actin is essential for numerous cellular processes. Abnormal actin dynamics are directly associated with a variety of diseases, including cancer, immunological and neurological disorders. However, the dynamics of actin are not fully understood. In this work, we study the effects of nucleotides and metal ions on conformation of F/G-actin using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. Our results show that different nucleotides and metal ions change the conformation of actin. The state of Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP) binding on F-actin conformation is more stable than G-actin. The D-loop has a large fluctuation when Ca 2 + binds to G-ATP-actin than Mg 2 + binds. Adenosine Diphosphate (ADP) binding leads to a stronger residual correlation on F-actin conformation, while it is opposite on G-actin. In addition, the detailed interactions between nucleotides and adjacent residues are discussed on different states of actin. This work provides a structural basis for understanding how the different nucleotides/metal ions binding influences the conformation of actin. Actin is crucial for cellular processes through its polymerization. Abnormal actin dynamics are linked to diseases, including cancer. This study investigates how nucleotides and metal ions impact F/G-actin conformation, providing a structural basis for understanding their influence on actin dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This letter was to present an attempt of large‐wavelength Gaussian deconvolution phase‐contrast computed tomography (LW‐GD‐PCCT) for promotion of image quality reconstructed in low‐frequency band of terahertz (THz) spectrum at 0.11 THz. The interaction between the imaging samples and the THz Gaussian beam were formulated firstly in this paper, where the unwrapped phase was extracted specifically to portray the spatial structure distribution of the samples. Additionally, a Gaussian deconvolution was employed for the further reduction of spatial distortions. Moreover, an image reconstruction was carried out with the obtained phase sinograms based on phase‐used inverse Radon transform from the different positions on the sample. For an experimental assessment of the concept of LW‐GD‐PCCT, a single ellipsoid reflector‐based THz Gaussian beam generating system was established and samples such as polystyrene (PS) foam cuboid (Sample 1), and cylinder (Sample 2) with hollow defects (air holes and triangles) were prepared carefully in this work. To experimentally evaluate the performance of the contributing to the structural imaging over soft samples. Two‐dimensional topographies of each sample were reconstructed successfully, and the obtained cross root‐mean‐square error (cross‐RMSE), cross peak signal‐to‐noise ratio (cross‐PSNR), and cross structural similarity (cross‐SSIM) were 151.6451, 26.3225, and 0.9616 for Sample 1 with a high dose of 180 projections respectively, as well as 30.3242, 33.3129, and 0.9711 for Sample 2 with a low dose of 36 projections, respectively. The obtained imaging indicators of this work showed a superiority of imaging quality over those of recent works. Furthermore, the investigation of the bearing capacity has shown promise in enhancing image quality even in low‐dose conditions. The presented results suggest that the unwrapped phase combining with Gaussian deconvolution in low‐frequency band of THz imaging would be useful to improve the reconstructed image quality, potential to highly feasible non‐destructive testing of polymer foam via large wavelength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clin Cancer Res; 15: 5216-5223, 2009 21 Cho BC, Kim DW, Bearz A, et al: ASCEND-8: A randomized phase 1 study of ceritinib, 450 mg or 600 mg, taken with a low-fat meal versus 750 mg in fasted state in patients with anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)-rearranged metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). In the era of precision oncology, tumors are increasingly profiled and treated on the basis of their molecular signatures as opposed to the primary site of origin. Arch Pathol Lab Med; 142: 321-346, 2018 66 Marabelle A, Fakih M, Lopez J, et al: Association of tumour mutational burden with outcomes in patients with advanced solid tumours treated with pembrolizumab: Prospective biomarker analysis of the multicohort, open-label, phase 2 KEYNOTE-158 study. Ambrosini et al[44] presents a collection of patients with ALK-positive GI cancers with treatment data associated with carefully annotated clinical data, lending credence to ALK being an important oncogenic driver in GI cancer. [Extracted from the article]

Investigates the integration of an artificial intelligence tool, specifically ChatGPT, in nursing education, addressing its effectiveness in exam preparation and self-assessment. This study aims to evaluate the performance of ChatGPT, one of the most promising artificial intelligence-driven linguistic understanding tools in answering question banks for nursing licensing examination preparation. It further analyzes question characteristics that might impact the accuracy of ChatGPT-generated answers and examines its reliability through human expert reviews. Cross-sectional survey comparing ChatGPT-generated answers and their explanations. 400 questions from Taiwan's 2022 Nursing Licensing Exam. The study analyzed 400 questions from five distinct subjects of Taiwan's 2022 Nursing Licensing Exam using the ChatGPT model which provided answers and in-depth explanations for each question. The impact of various question characteristics, such as type and cognitive level, on the accuracy of the ChatGPT-generated responses was assessed using logistic regression analysis. Additionally, human experts evaluated the explanations for each question, comparing them with the ChatGPT-generated answers to determine consistency. ChatGPT exhibited overall accuracy at 80.75 % for Taiwan's National Nursing Exam, which passes the exam. The accuracy of ChatGPT-generated answers diverged significantly across test subjects, demonstrating a hierarchy ranging from General Medicine at 88.75 %, Medical–Surgical Nursing at 80.0 %, Psychology and Community Nursing at 70.0 %, Obstetrics and Gynecology Nursing at 67.5 %, down to Basic Nursing at 63.0 %. ChatGPT had a higher probability of eliciting incorrect responses for questions with certain characteristics, notably those with clinical vignettes [odds ratio 2.19, 95 % confidence interval 1.24–3.87, P = 0.007] and complex multiple-choice questions [odds ratio 2.37, 95 % confidence interval 1.00–5.60, P = 0.049]. Furthermore, 14.25 % of ChatGPT-generated answers were inconsistent with their explanations, leading to a reduction in the overall accuracy to 74 %. This study reveals the ChatGPT's capabilities and limitations in nursing exam preparation, underscoring its potential as an auxiliary educational tool. It highlights the model's varied performance across different question types and notable inconsistencies between its answers and explanations. The study contributes significantly to the understanding of artificial intelligence in learning environments, guiding the future development of more effective and reliable artificial intelligence-based educational technologies. New study reveals ChatGPT's potential and challenges in nursing education: Achieves 80.75 % accuracy in exam prep but faces hurdles with complex questions and logical consistency. #AIinNursing #AIinEducation #NursingExams #ChatGPT [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We studied SARS-CoV-2-specific T cell responses in 22 subacute MIS-C children enrolled in 2021 and 2022 using peptide pools derived from SARS-CoV-2 spike or nonspike proteins. CD4+ and CD8+ SARS-CoV-2-specific T cells were detected in 5 subjects, CD4+ T helper (Th) responses alone were detected in 12 subjects, and CD8+ cytotoxic T cell (CTL) responses alone were documented in 1 subject. Notably, a sizeable subpopulation of CD4− CD8− double-negative (DN) T cells out of total CD3+ T cells was observed in MIS-C (median: 14.5%; IQR 8.65–25.3) and recognized SARS-CoV-2 peptides. T cells bearing the Vβ21.3 T cell receptor (TcRs), previously reported as pathogenic in the context of MIS-C, were detected in high frequencies, namely, in 2.8% and 3.9% of the CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, respectively. However, Vβ21.3 CD8+ T cells that responded to SARS-CoV-2 peptides were detected in only a single subject, suggesting recognition of nonviral antigens in the majority of subjects. Subjects studied 6–14 months after MIS-C showed T cell epitope spreading, meaning the activation of T cells that recognize more SARS-CoV-2 peptides following the initial expansion of T cells that see immunodominant epitopes. For example, subjects that did not recognize nonspike proteins in the subacute phase of MIS-C showed good Th response to nonspike peptides, and/or CD8+ T cell responses not appreciable before arose over time and could be detected in the 6–14 months' follow-up. The magnitude of the Th and CTL responses also increased over time. In summary, patients with MIS-C associated with acute lymphopenia, a classical feature of MIS-C, showed a physiological response to the virus with a prominent role for virus-specific DN T cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Michael reaction is a conjugate addition and is one of the most powerful methods with which to prepare functional molecules with a β‐stereogenic center. Despite its success in the formation of various asymmetric carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds, enantioselective seleno‐Michael addition remains essentially unexplored. We report here a highly enantioselective Michael addition reaction of alkyl selenols to enones. This method conveniently introduces a Se atom to an electron‐deficient double bond asymmetrically. A chiral bifunctional N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)/thiourea catalyst was developed as a key ingredient that delivers chiral β‐seleno ketones with remarkable selectivity. This new catalyst and its mode of action support broad applications in the catalytic activation of nucleophilic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Michael reaction is a conjugate addition and is one of the most powerful methods with which to prepare functional molecules with a β‐stereogenic center. Despite its success in the formation of various asymmetric carbon–carbon and carbon–heteroatom bonds, enantioselective seleno‐Michael addition remains essentially unexplored. We report here a highly enantioselective Michael addition reaction of alkyl selenols to enones. This method conveniently introduces a Se atom to an electron‐deficient double bond asymmetrically. A chiral bifunctional N‐heterocyclic carbene (NHC)/thiourea catalyst was developed as a key ingredient that delivers chiral β‐seleno ketones with remarkable selectivity. This new catalyst and its mode of action support broad applications in the catalytic activation of nucleophilic reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) is used as an immunomodulatory agent in many inflammatory conditions including Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome-Children (MIS-C) and Kawasaki disease (KD). However, the exact mechanisms underlying its anti-inflammatory action are incompletely characterized. Here, we show that in KD, a pediatric acute vasculitis that affects the coronary arteries, IVIG induces a repertoire of natural Treg that recognize immunodominant peptides in the Fc heavy chain constant region. To address which antigen-presenting cell (APC) populations present Fc peptides to Treg, we studied the uptake of IgG by innate cells in subacute KD patients 2 weeks after IVIG and in children 1.6–14 years after KD. Healthy adults served as controls. IgG at high concentrations was internalized predominantly by two myeloid dendritic cell (DC) lineages, CD14+ cDC2 and ILT-4+ CD4+ tmDC mostly through Fcγ receptor (R) II and to a lesser extent FcγRIII. Following IgG internalization, these two DC lineages secreted IL-10 and presented processed Fc peptides to Treg. The validation of IVIG function in expanding Fc-specific Treg presented by CD14+ cDC2 and ILT-4+ CD4+ tmDC was addressed in a small cohort of patients with MIS-C. Taken together, these results suggest a novel immune regulatory function of IgG in activating tolerogenic innate cells and expanding Treg, which reveals an important anti-inflammatory mechanism of action of IVIG. IVIG has a potent effect in stimulating the immune regulation. IgG are internalized by two tolerogenic myeloid dendritic cell lineages, namely CD14+ cDC2 and ILT-4+ CD4+ tmDC. The heavy constant region (Fc) stimulates IL-10 secretion by these cells that process and present immunodominant Fc peptides to natural regulatory T cells (Treg). These two efferent arms of the innate and adaptive immune response are the main mechanisms of action of IVIG in Kawasaki disease, an acute pediatric vasculitis of the coronary arteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pure gelatin film often exhibits high hydrophilicity and a lack of antibacterial activity, hindering its practical application in the field of food preservation. To address these issues, we incorporated 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl radical (TEMPO)-oxidized bacterial cellulose (TOBC) nanofibers stabilized cinnamon essential oil (CEO) Pickering emulsions into the gelatin matrix to develop active food packaging films. The study revealed that the good distribution of emulsion droplets in the film matrix. While with increasing Pickering emulsion proportion, the microstructures of composite films were more heterogeneous, showing some pores or cavities. In addition, the insertion of TOBC-stabilized CEO emulsions could improve the elongation at break (EAB), water-resistance, UV blocking ability, and antibacterial activity of film, but reduced its tensile strength (TS) and water vapor barrier properties (WVP). Notably, the film prepared with 4 % TOBC-stabilized CEO Pickering emulsion demonstrated enhanced preservation of strawberries. Overall, the as-prepared gelatin-based active composite films have considerable potential for food packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NK-lysins, which are antimicrobial peptide mainly produced by cytotoxic T lymphocytes and natural killer cells, play an important role in immune defense against infection. In this study, using CiNkla gene as template, 2 highly homologs CiNklb and CiNklc were further identified in grass carp. The three NK-lysin transcripts were ubiquitously distributed in various tissues, and CiNkla and CiNklb have the highest transcripts in spleen while CiNklc has the highest transcript in gill. Upon challenge with Aeromonas hydrophila , the transcripts of CiNkla and CiNklb were significantly increased in intestine , whereas transcript of CiNklc increased in liver. The concentration of steady-state CiNkla protein was highest in spleen in healthy fish, while upon challenge with A. hydrophila , highest level of CiNkla protein was detected in head kidney at 6 h post infection (hpi), and in liver at either 24 hpi or 48 hpi. The recombinant CiNkla and CiNklb purified from Pichia pastoris show direct bactericidal activity against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacterial pathogens. The A. hydrophila treated with CiNkla showed morphological change, release of intracellular contents and genome DNA degradation. Supplementation of CiNkla or CiNklb to cultured head kidney derived macrophages (HKDMs) of grass carp changes the transcription of inflammatory factors and chemokines. In vivo stimulation of fish with recombinant CiNkla or CiNklb confirmed both molecules could increase transcription of chemokines and cytokines in tissues, and liver was sensitive to stimulation and induced into an inflammation condition at earlier timepoints. Our results indicate that transcription and expression of NK-lysins are modulated by bacterial infection, and CiNkla and CiNklb could modulate host immune defense. • CiNkla and CiNklb have the highest transcripts in spleen, whereas CiNklc in gill. • Upon challenge, CiNkla and CiNklb significantly transcribe in intestine, CiNklc in liver. • CiNkla protein destroys membrane of A. hydrophila and degrades its genomic DNA. • CiNkla stimulates chemokines in HKDMs, while CiNklb stimulates inflammatory factor. • CiNkla and CiNklb induced significantly increased transcription of all selected genes in liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: International migration has accelerated the HIV-1 spread across national borders, gradually reducing the restrictions on the geographical distribution of HIV-1 subtypes. Subtypes A and G are globally recognized as the third and sixth most dominant HIV-1 genotypes, mainly prevalent in Africa, but rarely detected in China. Here we reported an imported HIV-1 recombinant which was composed of sub-subtypes A1 and A7 of subtype A and subtype G genes in a Chinese female. This virus was the first HIV-1 recombinant including A7 genes reported in the world. Case presentation: The near full-length genome (NFLG) was obtained from the plasma sample of the female in an HIV-1 molecular epidemiological survey with 853 participants in China. Phylogenetic analyses showed that this NFLG sequence contains three A7 segments, four G segments and one A1 segment with seven breakpoints, and all these segments were closely related to HIV-1 references circulating in Africa. The evidence from epidemiological investigation indicated that this female participant had a more-than-two-years heterosexual contact history with a fixed partner from Nigeria, a country in west Africa, which further supported the results of phylogenetic analyses. By the Bayesian phylogenetic analyses, the times of most recent common ancestors (tMRCA) of the partial pol gene (nt2308-3284, A7 region) and full-length vpr-vpu plus partial env gene (nt5534-6858, G region) were estimated around 1989 and 1984, respectively. Conclusions: In this study, by using the NFLG sequencing, we identified an imported HIV-1 A1/A7/G recombinant which was estimated to originate around 1980s in Africa and introduced into China with international migration. This study highlighted the complexity of the global HIV-1 epidemic, the necessity of using genome sequences to determine HIV-1 genotypes and the importance of real-time monitoring of HIV-1 infection among international migrants and travelers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyloid aggregation, formed by aberrant proteins, is a pathological hallmark for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease and Huntington's disease. High-resolution holistic mapping of the fine structures from these aggregates should facilitate our understanding of their pathological roles. Here, we achieved label-free high-resolution imaging of the polyQ and the amyloid-beta (Aβ) aggregates in cells and tissues utilizing a sample-expansion stimulated Raman strategy. We further focused on characterizing the Aβ plaques in 5XFAD mouse brain tissues. 3D volumetric imaging enabled visualization of the whole plaques, resolving both the fine protein filaments and the surrounding components. Coupling our expanded label-free Raman imaging with machine learning, we obtained specific segmentation of aggregate cores, peripheral filaments together with cell nuclei and blood vessels by pre-trained convolutional neural network models. Combining with 2-channel fluorescence imaging, we achieved a 6-color holistic view of the same sample. This ability for precise and multiplex high-resolution imaging of the protein aggregates and their micro-environment without the requirement of labeling would open new biomedical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Multi‐contrast Jones matrix optical coherence tomography (JM‐OCT) can provide quantitative depth‐resolved local optical properties by improving the measurement algorithm. Materials and methods: We examined the relationship between depth‐resolved local optical properties of eye‐corner skin measured by JM‐OCT and corresponding wrinkle morphology of aged women (n = 21; age range, 71.7 ± 1.7 years). Wrinkle morphology was analyzed by measuring the surface topography of three‐dimensional replicas. The same regions were measured three‐dimensionally by JM‐OCT, and the local optical properties at each depth were computed. Results: Birefringence (BR) and mean wrinkle depth correlated significantly at a depth of 88.2‐138.6 µm from the skin surface, and attenuation coefficient (AC) and mean wrinkle depth correlated significantly at a depth of 12.6‐18.9 µm and 189‐459.9 μm from the skin surface, although a degree of polarization uniformity (DOPU) did not. Stepwise multiple regression analysis demonstrated that a significant regression equation (R2 = 0.649, P <.001) for predicting mean wrinkle depth was determined by BR at 107.1 µm depth (BR 107.1 µm), DOPU at 170.1 µm (DOPU 170.1µm), and AC at 252 µm (AC 252 µm) as independent variables and that these standardized beta regression coefficients were −0.860, −0.593, and −0.440, respectively, suggesting that BR, DOPU, and AC sufficiently explained mean wrinkle depth. Conclusion: These results suggest that BR 107.1 µm, DOPU 170.1 µm, and AC 252 µm may indicate collagen‐related structure in the papillary, upper‐reticular dermis, and microstructure or tissue density in reticular dermis, respectively, and may be involved in wrinkle formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safe and robust temperature control strategy is important for Mars spacesuit's thermal control subsystem. This paper presents a fuzzy incremental control strategy using a fuzzy logic for the spacesuit water membrane evaporator (SWME) cooling loop composed of the liquid cooling and ventilation garment (LCVG), the cold plate and the SWME. A thermodynamic model of the SWME cooling loop is developed, in which the SWME model considers the heat and mass transfer of water transmembrane transport. A detailed analysis of the open-loop response under the variation of water flow, Mars' atmospheric pressure and the opening of the backpressure valve in the SWME provides a basis for developing the fuzzy incremental control strategy. This paper also compares the control effect of a fuzzy incremental controller and the optimized proportional-integral-derivative (PID) controller. Numerical simulation results suggest that the proposed control strategy has the advantages of the small overshoot, short response time, and less oscillation period, which will benefit the adaptability of complex systems and expand the application field of fuzzy incremental control. • The thermal control loop of water membrane evaporator is applied to Mars spacesuit. • Thermodynamic model considers water membrane evaporator's heat and mass transfer. • Fuzzy incremental control results in small overshoot and small oscillation period. • Fuzzy incremental control can avoid frequent operation of actuators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gametophyte development is a pre‐requisite for plant reproduction and seed yield; therefore, studies of gametophyte development help us understand fundamental biological questions and have potential applications in agriculture. The biogenesis and dynamics of endomembrane compartments are critical for cell survival, and their regulatory mechanisms are just beginning to be revealed. Here, we report that the Arabidopsis thaliana SNARE (soluble N‐ethylmaleimide sensitive factor attachment protein receptor) protein YKT61 is essential for both male and female gametogenesis. By using clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR‐associated protein 9 (Cas9)‐based genome editing, we demonstrated that male and female gametophytes carrying YKT61 loss‐of‐function alleles do not survive. Specifically, loss of YKT61 function resulted in the arrest of male gametophytic development at pollen mitosis I and the degeneration of female gametophytes. A three‐base‐pair deletion in YKT61 in the ykt61‐3 mutant resulted in a single‐amino acid deletion in the longin domain of YKT61; the resulting mutant protein does not interact with multiple SNAREs and showed substantially reduced membrane association, suggesting that the N‐terminal longin domain of YKT61 plays multiple roles in its function. This study demonstrates that Arabidopsis YKT61 is essential for male and female gametogenesis and sets an example for functional characterization of essential genes with the combination of Cas9‐mediated editing and expression from a Cas9‐resistant transgene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We described a human regulatory T cell (Treg) population activated by IgG+ B cells presenting peptides of the heavy C region (Fc) via processing of the surface IgG underlying a model for B cell-Treg cooperation in the human immune regulation. Functionally, Treg inhibited the polarization of naive T cells toward a proinflammatory phenotype in both a cognate and a noncognate fashion. Their fine specificities were similar in healthy donors and patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a systemic autoimmune disease. Four immunodominant Fc peptides bound multiple HLA class II alleles and were recognized by most subjects in the two cohorts. The presentation of Fc peptides that stimulate Treg through the processing of IgG by dendritic cells (DC) occurred in myeloid DC classical DC 1 and classical DC 2. Different routes of Ag processing of the IgG impacted Treg expansion in rheumatoid arthritis patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tip growth is a special type of polarized growth in which a single and unique polarization site is established and maintained. Rho of Plants (ROP) proteins, which represent the only class of Rho GTPases in plants, regulate tip growth. The dynamic and asymmetric distribution of ROPs is critical for the establishment and maintenance of tip growth, and requires at least one positive feedback loop, which is still elusive. Here, we report a positive feedback circuit essential for tip growth of root hairs, in which ROPs, ROP activators and effectors, and AGC1.5 subfamily kinases are interconnected by sequential oligomerization and phosphorylation. AGC1.5 subfamily kinases interact with and phosphorylate two guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs) of ROPs, RopGEF4 and RopGEF10. They also interact with two ROP effectors, ICR2/RIP3 and MIDD1/RIP4, which bridge active ROPs with AGC1.5. Functional loss of the AGC1.5 subfamily kinases or ICR2 and MIDD1 compromised root hair growth due to reduced ROP signaling. We found that asymmetric targeting of RopGEF4 and RopGEF10 is controlled by AGC1.5-dependent phosphorylation. Interestingly, we discovered that the ROP effectors recruit AGC1.5 to active ROP domains at the plasma membrane during root hair growth and are critical for AGC1.5-dependent phosphorylation of RopGEFs. Given the large number of AGC kinases in plants, this positive feedback circuit may be a universal theme for plant cell polar growth. This study identifies a positive feedback circuit essential for tip growth of root hairs, composed of ROP GTPases, ROP activators and effectors, and AGC1.5 subfamily kinases, interconnected by sequential oligomerization and phosphorylation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The essential technologies of the complex permittivity of microwave dielectric materials are systematically designed, and the complex permittivity of materials is tested nondestructively by the free-space resonance method. A testing system was built by using a mobile surveying platform, and the complex dielectric constant of the material in the X band was nondestructively tested by using the algorithm of variable physical cavity length and constant physical cavity length. Focusing on the impact of variable physical cavity length on the test results, the cavity calibration technology is proposed to reduce the influence on the complex dielectric constant test of materials. The free-space resonance method was used to test the complex permittivity of polytetrafluoroethylene, glass steel plate (fiber reinforced plastics), and corundum plate. The results show that the test results of complex permittivity obtained by the two algorithms are consistent, and the error of complex permittivity is less than 5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In most measurement models of the cylindrical cavity, concentricity between the rod-like sample and cylindrical cavity is a basic premise of an accurate calculation model. Once a sample is randomly placed in the off-axis position in the sample hole of the cavity, the real will not conform to the established calculation model and the off-axis position should be taken into account to the measurement error. In this article, a measurement method to calculate permittivity of the sample placed at the off-axis position in the sample hole is presented. The actual location of the sample in a cylindrical cavity is first obtained in the application of vision measurement. Field distribution in the cavity is calculated by using the mode-matching method. The measured sample in the cavity is divided into finite small elements with arc shapes, and permittivity calculation expression is established by using the perturbation theory. A TM-mode cylindrical cavity that installed two miniature camera probes around the cavity wall is designed and used to measure permittivity of the material. Teflon and fused silica with different off-axis positions are measured and compared with the published results at several resonance frequencies. The maximum permittivity errors of Teflon and fused silica are 1.6% (at around 2 GHz) and 0.68% (at around 10.8 GHz), respectively. The maximum loss tan $\delta $ errors are 5.8e−5 (at around 12.5 GHz) and 1.44e−4 (at around 9.9 GHz), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of strong microwave electric field (SMEF) on the dielectric properties of materials is the result of the joint action of microwave thermal effect and microwave non-thermal effect. Generally, the thermal effect of SMEF is stronger than the non-thermal effect, which makes the non-thermal effect of SMEF difficult to detect. Moreover, it is difficult to distinguish the influence of these two factors from each other. Therefore, the formation mechanism and characteristics of the non-thermal effect of SMEF have not been elucidated so far. In this paper, a separation and extraction model of the non-thermal effect of SMEF on the dielectric property of material is proposed based on the time modulation method and cavity perturbation method. By adjusting the interaction time between SMEF and materials, reducing the influence of microwave thermal effect, and strengthening the proportion of microwave non-thermal effect, the separation and extraction of the non-thermal effect of SMEF is realized. Through the designed re-entrant coaxial cavity, the corresponding test system is constructed and the typical materials are tested. Experimental results show that the proposed research method is feasible. The research method proposed in this paper provides an effective way for the follow-up study on the formation mechanism and characteristics of the non-thermal effect of SMEF on the dielectric properties of materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The geometric configuration of olefin products is often driven by thermodynamic control in synthesis. Methods enabling switching of cis/trans selectivity are rare. Recently, photosensitized approaches have emerged as a powerful tool for accomplishing this task. In this report, we report an in situ isomerization of an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-bound intermediate by a photo-induced energy transfer process that leads to selective access of chiral allylic fluorides with a cis-olefin geometry. In the absence of a photocatalyst or light, the reaction proceeds smoothly to give (E)-olefin products, while the (Z)-isomer can be obtained under photosensitizing conditions. Preliminary mechanistic experiments suggest that an energy transfer process might be operative. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SUMMARY: Root nutation indicates the behavior that roots grow in a waving and skewing way due to unequal growth rates on different sides. Although a few developmental and environmental factors have been reported, genetic pathways mediating this process are obscure. We report here that the Arabidopsis CrRLK1L family member FERONIA (FER) is critical for root nutation. Functional loss of FER resulted in enhanced root waviness on tilted plates or roots forming anti‐clockwise coils on horizontal plates. Suppressing polar auxin transport, either by pharmacological treatment or by introducing mutations at PIN‐FORMED2 (PIN2) or AUXIN RESISTANT1 (AUX1), suppressed the asymmetric root growth (ARG) in fer‐4, a null mutant of FER, indicating that FER suppression of ARG depends on polar auxin transport. We further showed by pharmacological treatments that dynamic microtubule organization and Ca2+ signaling are both critical for FER‐mediated ARG. Results presented here demonstrate a key role of FER in mediating root nutating growth, through PIN2‐ and AUX1‐mediated auxin transport, through dynamic microtubule organization, and through Ca2+ signaling. Significance Statement: Root nutation indicates the behavior that roots grow in a waving and skewing way due to unequal growth rates on different sides, which likely enhances plant fitness by efficiently sampling soil for better growth environments. We report that the Arabidopsis FERONIA (FER) is critical for root nutation. Polar auxin transport, dynamic microtubule organization, and Ca2+ signaling are critical for FER‐mediated root nutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cosmopolitan red algal genus Pyropia sensu lato is the most speciose of the bladed Bangiales genera. In a major revision of the Bangiales, Pyropia was resurrected from Porphyra, although there was evidence at the time that species of Pyropia could be separated into several genera. Subsequent global phylogenetic analyses continued to resolve species assigned to Pyropia into several major clades with strong support, and the latest biogeographic analyses indicated that species distribution was also a pointer to the underlying phylogeny of Pyropia sensu lato. Therefore, in the present study, we have redefined the genus Pyropia, resurrected Porphyrella, and proposed four new genera: Calidia, Neoporphyra, Neopyropia, and Uedaea. Based on a molecular phylogenetic study of the bladed Bangiales of China, a species which did not match any known taxa was resolved in the new genus Calidia. The species, Calidia pseudolobata sp. nov., is described based on both morphological and molecular data. Molecular sequence data for rbcL, 18S, and COI‐5P were amplified for 15 samples in the present study. All the obtained rbcL sequences were identical to each other except for one (LYCN117) with one base pair difference. Two haplotypes of 18S (V9 region) were observed with one base pair difference (C/T30). All the obtained COI‐5P sequences were identical. Morphological comparisons were conducted not only with species in Calidia, but also with generically uncertain species currently assigned to Porphyra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to explore how food or substance consumption (e.g., experiencing hunger, or having consumed alcohol or recreational drugs) could shape consumer impulsive spending on sports betting products. Based on a large online sample of Australian sports bettors, we found that participants with higher hunger level, or having consumed more alcohol or recreational drugs, tended to have increased impulsive bet size. These impulsiveness effects had both direct and indirect effect components. The significant direct effects confirmed that positive relationships directly existed between hunger, alcohol consumption, or recreational drug consumption and impulsive bet size, even when all potential mediators and covariates were statistically controlled. Moreover, results regarding specific indirect effects demonstrated that hunger, alcohol consumption, or recreational drug consumption was also indirectly linked with impulsive bet size, via their relationships with both promotional and financial influences, rather than social influences. Furthermore, participants' Problem Gambling Severity Index score was positively associated with their impulsive bet size. These findings support and complement the literature on impulsivity as well as the research on strategies for staying in control of gambling, and have implications for consumers, regulators, and treatment/help providers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of organ donation and donation technology, the previous indivisibility of the human body becomes divisible, and different human organs form a new life subject. With reference to specific case studies in China, a new life, consisting of donated organs from different bodies by donation, can be called "donated life." Donated life is a win‐win action between altruism and egoism, that is, to save the lives of others and to regenerate the organs of donors or their relatives. Due to the emergence of this kind of life, traditional social ethics theories based on the marriage‐related family find it difficult to difficult to explain the new realities. Thus, new thinking about social ethics is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) using the ambient ionization technique enables a direct chemical investigation of biological samples with minimal sample pretreatment. However, detailed morphological information of the sample is often lost due to its limited spatial resolution. In this study, predictive high-resolution molecular imaging was produced by the fusion of ambient ionization MSI with optical microscopy of routine hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining. Specifically, desorption electrospray ionization (DESI) and nanospray desorption electrospray ionization (nanoDESI) mass spectrometry were employed to visualize lipid and protein species on mice tissue sections. The resulting molecular distributions obtained by ambient ionization MSI-microscopy fusion were verified with matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight (MALDI-TOF) MSI and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. Label-free molecular imaging with 5-μm spatial resolution can be acquired using DESI and nanoDESI, whereas the typical spatial resolution of ambient ionization MSI was ∼100 μm. In this regard, sharpened molecular histology of tissue sections was achieved, providing complementary references to the pathology. Such a multi-modal integration enables the discovery of potential tumor biomarkers. After image fusion, more than a dozen potential biomarkers on a metastatic mouse lung tissue section and Luminal B breast tumor tissue section were identified. Image 1 • 5-μm spatial resolution ambient ionization mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) was achieved. • The fused ambient ionization MSI were verified with MALDI-MSI and immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining. • Higher number of potential tumor biomarkers were able to be discovered after image fusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We adopt a cosmographic approach in order to determine spatial curvature (i.e. Ω K ), combining the latest release of cosmic chronometer (CC) data, the Pantheon sample of Type Ia supernovae observations and baryon acoustic oscillation measurements. We use the expanded transverse comoving distance D M (⁠|$z$|⁠) as a basic function for deriving H (⁠|$z$|⁠) and other cosmic distances. In this scenario, Ω K can be constrained only by CC data. To overcome the convergence issues at high-redshift domains, two methods are applied: the Padé approximants and the Taylor series in terms of the new redshift y  = |$z$| /(1 + |$z$|⁠). Adopting the Bayesian evidence, we find that there is positive evidence for the Padé approximant up to order (2,2) and weak evidence for the Taylor series up to third order against the ΛCDM + Ω K model. The constraint results show that a closed Universe is preferred by present observations under all the approximations used in this study. Also, the tension level of the Hubble constant H 0 has less than 2σ significance between different approximations and the local distance ladder determination. For each assumed approximation, H 0 is anticorrelated with Ω K and the sound horizon at the end of the radiation drag epoch, which indicates that the H 0 tension problem can be slightly relaxed by introducing Ω K or any new physics that can reduce the sound horizon in the early Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2015, the Chinese pharmacologist, Tu Youyou, was awarded the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of artemisinin. Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) was the source of inspiration for Tu's discovery and provides an opportunity for the world to know more about TCM as a source of medical knowledge and practice. In this article, the value of TCM is evaluated from an ethical perspective. The characteristics of 'jian, bian, yan, lian' are explored in the way they promote accessibility and economic efficiency for TCM. The article also examines how the increased use and prevalence of TCM reflects the scientific, cultural, and ethical values of TCM and their increasing attraction in meeting major challenges to medicine and health systems currently and in the future. The article discusses safety issues within TCM, which is a controversial area, and also comments on some shortcomings and challenges which pose difficulties for more widespread and greater uptake of TCM‐derived clinical or therapeutic interventions. The article concludes that TCM is generally safe if it is used according to TCM theory and where such applications are cognizant of the strengths and weaknesses of TCM. TCM has important bioethical values which may inform potential measures for meeting challenges facing global health care systems and the article argues that it can have an increasing role in improving human health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liquid crystals (LCs) have already been widely used in reconfigurable microwave devices as an excellent phase change material for their electric tunable dielectric properties. An accurate value of complex permittivity on a given LCs is the most important parameter on designing microwave devices. In this paper, a novel method is proposed to realise a broadband permittivity measurement. On the basis of the theory of perturbation, it consisted of a double-ridge waveguide cavity and the given vector network analyser. In order to have a broadband measuring range and uniformly distribute operating frequency points, multi-mode double-ridged waveguide cavity is introduced to resonate at 11 operating modes (TE 1 , 0 , 2 n − 1 ,n = 1,2, ..., 11). Meanwhile, to suppress the undesired-modes effectively, several non-radiating slots are applied to keep the operating modes easily recognisable, so as to complete the broadband complex permittivity measurement in 5–40 GHz using only one cavity. Besides, another feature of this method is that the total-required sample is only about 0.02 mL because the sample loading area in the double-ridged waveguide cavity is perfectly designed very small. Therefore, several NLCs are measured, including a certain commercial mixture MM (Merck), and M1~ M7, as developed LC mixtures with large dielectric anisotropy and low microwave losses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thin film is often coated on the dielectric rods used in traveling wave tubes to provide microwave attenuation. The quality of the thin film will affect the performance of the traveling wave tube. To evaluate the quality of the thin-film by measuring the attenuation performance of the dielectric rod, modified parallel strips with a sample hole are designed to provide a relatively reasonable field working environment for the attenuation evaluation. After analyzing the field distribution of the parallel strips, a sample hole is designed on the side of parallel strips, which is tangent with the outer edge of the strip. An arcuate taper is introduced into the parallel strips to reduce the impedance mismatching. Finally, two unqualified and qualified dielectric rods are measured using the modified parallel strips at frequencies 12 GHz and 18 GHz. The measured results indicate that it is feasible to evaluate whether the thin-film coated on the dielectric rod is qualified or not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The broadcast of wagering advertisements during televised sports matches has been associated with various adverse outcomes. In order to counter these effects, legislative bodies require wagering operators to include responsible gambling messages in their advertisements; however, the effectiveness of these messages is unclear. This study sought to examine the extent to which responsible gambling messages are looked at, in the wider context of gambling advertisements. Forty-nine regular sports bettors and 10 non-gamblers viewed a series of sports betting advertisements, while an eye-tracker recorded the number of fixations placed on responsible gambling messages, as well as other text-based wagering content. Responsible gambling messages were, generally, presented in a non-conspicuous manner. Eye-tracking data revealed that significantly fewer fixations were placed on responsible gambling messages, compared to wagering information (p <.001); however, this effect did not differ according to level of gambling risk (p =.169). The number of fixations placed on the different types of responsible gambling messages was found to vary, based on gambling risk (p =.006), as well as, what appears to be, the physical characteristics of these messages. Very few fixations were placed on, or near, responsible gambling messages, compared to other wagering information, meaning that, in their current form, they are unlikely to be effective in protecting against gambling harm. Preliminary evidence shows that presenting messages on a high-contrast/block-color background increases the number of fixations on these. Further research is needed to identify ways of increasing the effectiveness of responsible gambling initiatives in the sports betting context. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the revolution of smart industry, more and more Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT) devices as well as AI algorithms are deployed to achieve industrial intelligence. While applying computation-intensive deep learning on IIoT devices, however, it is challenging to meet the critical latency requirement for industrial manufacturing. Traditional wisdom resorts to the cloud-centric paradigm but still works either inefficiently or ineffectively due to the heavy transmission latency overhead. To address this challenge, we propose Boomerang, an on-demand cooperative DNN inference framework for edge intelligence under the IIoT environment. Boomerang exploits DNN right-sizing and DNN partition to execute DNN inference tasks with low latency as well as high accuracy. DNN right-sizing reshapes the amount of DNN computation via the early-exit mechanism so as to reduce the total runtime of DNN inference. DNN partition adaptively segments DNN computation between the IoT devices and the edge server in order to leverage hybrid computation resources to achieve DNN inference immediacy. Combining these two keys, Boomerang carefully selects the partition point and the exit point to maximize the performance while promising the efficiency requirement. To further reduce the manual overhead of model profiling at the install phase, we develop an advanced version of Boomerang with the DRL model, achieving end-to-end automatic DNN inference plan generation. The prototype implementation and evaluations demonstrate the effectiveness of Boomerang on both versions in achieving efficient edge intelligence for IIoT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fixture for broadband electromagnetic parameters (εr and μr) measurement of sheet material is proposed. The novelty includes splitting the microstrip line in half to move calibration planes to sample fringes. By introducing a connecting strip and ground block and placing the sheet sample between them, a new microstrip line is constituted. Its effective electromagnetic parameters can be determined by the transmission/reflection method and actual electromagnetic parameters of the sheet can be calculated by the conformal mapping principle. The proposed fixture features two advantages over existing techniques, high calibration accuracy and more convenience for the measurement of the conductor-backed sheet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enantioselective β‐Alkylation In article number 2303517, Yong Huang, Jiean Chen, and co‐workers, describe a novel SN2 reaction mode for NHC‐mediated homoenolate chemistry, enabling enantioselective β‐alkylation, allylation and propargylation of enals. By combining with a “transient acyl trap” strategy, a diverse collection of chiral oxindole derivatives could be accessed, offering an efficient synthetic entry to the pyrroloindoline motif frequently encountered in natural products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dye degradation method based on Fenton-like heterogeneous nanostructures has gained significant attention in recent years. We have developed a Copper-Stannum-Polypyrolle-Heterogeneous (Cu–Sn oxide-PPy Heterogeneous, CSPHGs) catalytic system. The system uses a PN junction formed by two oxide semiconductors (Cu 2 O and SnO 2) as the core, which is then coated with polypyrolle (PPy) on the outer layer. Under near-infrared (NIR) light irradiation (500.0 μg ml−1, 1.2w·cm−2), the temperature rapidly reached approximately 45 °C within 5 min, demonstrating excellent photothermal performance. We have overcome the limitation of traditional Fenton reactions that require weak acidic conditions for effective operation. Moreover, we have increased the photostability of Cu 2 O monomers by incorporating them into a three-layer heterostructure. The Rhodamine B (RhB) degradation experiment revealed that the generated reactive oxygen species (·OH), effectively catalyze the decomposition of dyes. Within 120 min, the degradation rate exceeded 99%. This research provides a new option for environmental remediation through the combination of photo-Fenton and photothermal processes. • Bimetallic heterostructure for for catalysts. • Wider pH range for degradation. • Reusable and Non-toxic features for wastewater treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the continuous development of electromagnetic detection systems, the working frequency of radar gradually expands towards the low-frequency band such as P- and L-band, and the low-frequency horn antenna has also attracted more and more attention. Given the problems of miniaturization, lightweight and ultra-wideband design of low-frequency horn antenna, this paper presents the optimal design for the feed balun, ridge curve, back-feed cavity and sidewall of the traditional horn antenna, and proposes a performance-enhanced double-ridged horn antenna covering 0.21-2.3 GHz. In the entire working band, the antenna has stable radiation patterns and good port-matching characteristics; its VSWR is less than 2 and the main lobes of patterns do not split or deteriorate. The proposed horn antenna can be used as a standard calibration or measurement antenna in antenna or material measurement systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to illustrate the new technical demands and reliability challenges to printed circuit board (PCB) designs, materials and processes when the transmission frequency increases from Sub-6 GHz in previous generations to millimeter (mm) wave in fifth-generation (5G) communication technology. Design/methodology/approach: The approach involves theoretical analysis and actual case study by various characterization techniques, such as a stereo microscope, metallographic microscope, scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectroscopy, focused ion beam, high-frequency structure simulator, stripline resonator and mechanical test. Findings: To meet PCB signal integrity demands in mm-wave frequency bands, the improving proposals on copper profile, resin system, reinforcement fabric, filler, electromagnetic interference-reducing design, transmission line as well as via layout, surface treatment, drilling, desmear, laminating and electroplating were discussed. And the failure causes and effects of typical reliability issues, including complex permittivity fluctuation at different frequencies or environments, weakening of peel strength, conductive anodic filament, crack on microvias, the effect of solder joint void on signal transmission performance and soldering anomalies at ball grid array location on high-speed PCBs, were demonstrated. Originality/value: The PCB reliability problem is the leading factor to cause failures of PCB assemblies concluded from statistical results on the failure cases sent to our laboratory. The PCB reliability level is very essential to guarantee the reliability of the entire equipment. In this paper, the summarized technical demands and reliability issues that are rarely reported in existing articles were discussed systematically with new perspectives, which will be very critical to identify potential reliability risks for PCB in 5G mm-wave applications and implement targeted improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractA broad quantitative literature has explored the extent and distribution of gambling-related harm. However, any quantitative measure involves a number of statistical decisions around item selection and weighting that may affect its ability to provide an accurate summary of a gambler’s lived experience. This may especially be an issue with a condition as varied and multifaceted as gambling-related harm. The present research therefore used qualitative methods to validate the categorization of gamblers into four levels of harm via the Gambling Harms Scale (10-items) (GHS-10) through an analysis of 30 semi-structured interviews with gamblers. Results showed that unharmed gamblers saw gambling as just another leisure activity, which relieved stress and brought them closer to other people. Low harm gamblers were similar but could experience emotional stresses over their level of gambling expenditure. Just under half of all moderate harm gamblers experienced occasional severe financial impacts and emotional stresses from their gambling. Finally, all high harm gamblers experienced chronic financial impacts and emotional stresses, which spilled over into relationship problems for three quarters of this group, and negative impacts on health or work/study for around half of this group. These results showed that the severity of participants’ lived experience of gambling increased with their GHS-10 score, providing a qualitative validation for this quantitative self-report measure. This qualitative validation for a quantitative scale is argued to be a promising avenue for future gambling research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myopenia is a condition marked by progressive decline of muscle mass and strength and is associated with aging or obesity. It poses the risk of falling, with potential bone fractures, thereby also increasing the burden on family and society. Skeletal muscle wasting is characterized by a reduced number of myoblasts, impaired muscle regeneration and increased muscle atrophy markers (Atrogin-1, MuRF-1). Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is a potent vasoconstrictor peptide. Increased circulating levels of ET-1 is noted with aging and is associated with muscular fibrosis and decline of strength. However, the regulatory mechanism controlling its effect on myogenesis and atrophy remains unknown. In the present study, the effects of ET-1 on myoblast proliferation, differentiation and development were investigated in C2C12 cells and in ET-1-infused mice. The results show that ET-1, acting via ETB receptors, reduced insulin-stimulated cell proliferation, and also reduced MyoD, MyoG and MyHC expression in the differentiation processes of C2C12 myoblasts. ET-1 inhibited myoblast differentiation through ETB receptors and the p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-dependent pathway. Additionally, ET-1 decreased MyHC expression in differentiated myotubes. Inhibition of proteasome activity by MG132 ameliorated the ET-1-stimulated protein degradation in differentiated C2C12 myotubes. Furthermore, chronic ET-1 infusion caused skeletal muscle atrophy and impaired exercise performance in mice. In conclusion, ET-1 inhibits insulin-induced cell proliferation, impairs myogenesis and induces muscle atrophy via ETB receptors and the p38 MAPK-dependent pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amphibians and reptiles, especially the critically endangered Chinese alligators, are vulnerable to climate change. Historically, the decline in suitable habitats and fragmentation has restricted the distribution of Chinese alligators to a small area in southeast Anhui Province in China. However, the effects of climate change on range‐restricted Chinese alligator habitats are largely unknown. We aimed to predict current and future (2050s and 2070s) Chinese alligator distribution and identify priority conservation areas under climate change. We employed species distribution models, barycenter migration analyses, and the Marxian model to assess current and future Chinese alligator distribution and identify priority conservation areas under climate change. The results showed that the lowest temperature and rainfall seasonality in the coldest month were the two most important factors affecting the distribution of Chinese alligators. Future predictions indicate a reduction (3.39%–98.41%) in suitable habitats and a westward shift in their distribution. Further, the study emphasizes that suitable habitats for Chinese alligators are threatened by climate change. Despite the impact of the Anhui Chinese Alligator National Nature Reserve, protection gaps persist, with 78.27% of the area lacking priority protected area. Our study provides crucial data for Chinese alligator adaptation to climate change and underscores the need for improved conservation strategies. Future research should refine conservation efforts, consider individual plasticity, and address identified limitations to enhance the resilience of Chinese alligator populations in the face of ongoing climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lysyl oxidase-like 2 (LOXL2) is a Cu2+-dependent amine oxidase, and it catalyzes the oxidative deamination of the ε-amino group of Lys residues on elastin and collagen, which is critical for extracellular matrix modeling. Stability is an important property for protein and it directly affects the dynamics and function of protein, which strongly relates to the human health and disease. However, the stability of LOXL2 is not well defined, i.e., which residues are important for its stability is unclear. In this paper, protein stability of LOXL2 was calculated by four methods, viz. mCSM, PremPS, DeepDDG and FoldX. Our results indicate that 95 residues (key residues) are important for the stability of LOXL2, with the amount of 14, 13, 8, 11, 26 in domain 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, respectively, while 23 in the linker between domains. Among these key residues, the types (numbers) are Leu (24), Val (20), Ile (12), Trp (11), Phe (11), Tyr (6), Cys (6), Met (4) and Arg (1). Most of the key residues are hydrophobic (88 in 95), which is consistent with the fact that hydrophobic interaction is the main force in protein folding. Cys residues are paired to constitute disulfide bonds, which play an important role in the structure and function of LOXL2. In the discussion, we compare the results with experimental data, and use the free energy perturbation for verification, which prove the reliability of this work. Thus, this study provides important insight for the research of disease treatment targeting LOXL2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The asymmetric calibration method is a very interesting technology for differential output probes. It has been proven that the asymmetric calibration method (ACM) can broaden the application scenarios of the electromagnetic field dual probe. However, ACM is not verified on a back‐to‐back double‐loop differential magnetic field probing system. This paper calibrates a back‐to‐back double‐loop differential magnetic field probing system by inserting a connector for creating an asymmetry using ACM. The calibration results show that ACM can be used to calibrate an asymmetric back‐to‐back double‐loop differential magnetic field probing system. The calibration results are further verified by measuring the standing wave magnetic field, and the verification results show that the asymmetric calibration method is effective in eliminating the asymmetry of the back‐to‐back double‐loop differential magnetic field probing system and the work frequency band reaches up to 12 GHz. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]