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In order to solve the issues of hard compaction, poor cohesiveness, easy penetration in water and loss of dike sih, in this paper, the polymer polyacrylamide (PAM) was used to improve the silt, the hydraulic characteristics of PAM-improved soil were studied, and the influence law of PAM on the soil-water characteristic curve was found. The results show that PAM has a great influence to the air intake value and residual moisture content of the soil, but has a small effect on the soil dehumidification rate. Under the same substrate suction, the volu metric moisture content and residual moisture content of the improved soil are increased first and then decreased with the increase of PAM content, indicating that the water holding capacity is enhanced. Further analysis of the water stability of the improved soil shows that the disintegration rate of both short and long time improved soil decreases with the increase of PAM content, indicating that PAM has a good effect on the disintegration resistance of silt soil. When the dosage is 1%-1.2%, the modified soil sample does not experience significant disintegration and exhibits relatively strong water stability. The research results are of great significance for the prevention of silt diseases, the safety of levees, the structural safety, protection and utilization of nearby upper historic buildings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sol-gel method was used to prepare nitrogen-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticle using tetrabutyl titanate as the titanium source and urea as the nitrogen source. The structure and properties of the samples were characterized by modern testing methods. The photocatalytic performance of N-doped titanium dioxide nanoparticle was evaluated by taking Polyacrylic amide (PAM) in the wastewater from petroleum extraction as the target degradation product. The results show that, after N-nano TiO2 is calcined at 650 °C, the TiO2 is mainly of anatase type, with a large amount of rutile titanium dioxide nanoparticle between the crystals, and the average grain size decreases from 25.9 nm to 16.8 nm. Under visible light, the removal rate of N-TiO2 on PAM simulated wastewater for 3 h was determined to have been 59% and this is increased to 79.8%. After the photocatalyst was regenerated by ultraviolet irradiation, the removal rate of pollutants still reached 74.2%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PAM (polyacrylamide) had been used to control and prevent soil erosion. In order to explore the best way to apply PAM and pro- mote the application of PAM in soil erosion control practice, conical loessal soil engineering accumulation was set up in the gullied rolling loess area, with no application PAM as the control, according to the application amount of 2.0 g/m², PAM was applied on the surface of loessal soil engineering accumulation by spraying water first and then dry scattering PAM, dry scattering PAM first and then spraying water, and directly spraying PAM solution from May to October 2022, the surface runoff, erosion sediments, rill development, soil moisture and soil bulk density of loessal soil engineering accumulation with different PAM application methods were monitored under natural rainfall conditions. The results show that the application of PAM in three ways can increase the runoff frequency, surface runoff and runoff coefficient, and can reduce the amount of sediment yield, the number of rill development, the amount of rill erosion, the erosion coefficient of rill and the soil water content. Their effects are ranked as directly spraying PAM solution > dry scattering PAM first and then spraying water > spraying water first and then dry scattering PAM. The effect of dry scattering PAM first and then spraying water spraying is equivalent to that of directly spraying PAM solution. Considering the convenience of operation and ensuring the effect, PAM application mode is recommended to be dry scattering PAM first and then spraying water, or according to the weather forecast, directly dry scattering PAM before rainfall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antioxidants are molecules able to neutralize reactive oxygen species with potential applications in the cosmetic or nutraceutical industries. Abiotic stressors, such as light intensity, ultraviolet (UV) radiation, or nutrient availability, can influence their production. In the perspective of optimizing and understanding the antioxidant capacity of microalgae, we investigated the effects of UV-A radiation on growth, and antioxidant and photosynthetic activities on Tetraselmis , a microalga genus known for its high antioxidant capacity. Cultures were exposed to UV-A radiation alongside to photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) in photobioreactors operated in continuous culture. UV-A exposure affects both the photosynthetic and antioxidant activities of Tetraselmis. Photosynthetic parameters suggest that UV-A has a negative effect on photosynthetic efficiency, particularly on the electron transport chain on short-term exposure (1–2 days). However, a resilience of most physiological parameters was observed over the experiment (10 days) suggesting a photochemical adaption over long-term exposure to UV-A radiation. Concerning the antioxidant capacity, UV-A exposure reduced the antioxidant capacity in Tetraselmis suggesting the use of antioxidant molecules to counteract reactive oxygen species production and prevent damage to photosystem II. Finally, the highest antioxidant capacity never observed with a Tetraselmis sp. was measured in cultures without UV addition, with an IC 50 of 2.87 ± 0.24 µg mL−1, a value close to the reference compounds Trolox and α-tocopherol. This study showed the great potential of Tetraselmis as a source of antioxidants under favorable culture condition and without UV-A radiations. Indeed, we discourage the use of UV-A to enhance antioxidant capacity in this species due to its negative impact on it and on the photosynthetic efficiency. • High antioxidant activity of Tetraselmis under favourable culture condition. • The photosynthetic apparatus of Tetraselmis is resilient to UV-A exposure. • UV-A exposure reduce antioxidant activity of Tetraselmis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the process of coal mining, when the mine roadways pass through water rich and structurally developed strata, it is easy to expose water channels and cause water inrush hazards. In order to improve the working performance of cement-based grouting materials in water rich environments, this paper used polyacrylamide (PAM) and water glass as additives to modify ordinary Portland cement. Also, using the molecular dynamics simulation method, an interface model of cement and admixture mixed products was constructed, and the number of interlayer water molecules was adjusted to simulate the different water content environments of hydration products. Furthermore, various microscopic characterization experiments were used to verify the simulation results. The results show that the PAM water glass structure exhibits a good hydrophilicity, and the strong hydrophilicity enables its binding with C–S–H to have strong adhesion, which can better adapt to water rich environments. The variation of debonding energy at the interface of cement − water − PAM − water glass exhibits irregularity. At a moisture content of 6%, the debonding energy at the interface of cement − water − PAM − water glass reaches the maximum critical point of 37 465.715 mJ/m2. At higher moisture contents, water molecules penetrate the pore structure and undergo deeper hydration reactions with the interior of the material, enhancing interface stability. The diffraction peaks in the XRD pattern are consistent with the predicted forms of C–S–H and PAM water glass in the computational simulation, confirming that polyacrylamide and water glass will react with Ca2+ and Si4+ generated during the cement hydration process. The SEM images show that there are a large number of hydration particles and micropores, including needle shaped and spherical crystals, at the interface between cement polyacrylamide and water glass. These hydration particles may be hydration products that enhance the interfacial adhesion formed by polyacrylamide and water glass participating in the cement hydration process. The presence of micropores is the main reason for the changes in interaction energy and debonding work observed in the simulation. Through molecular dynamics simulation and experimental results, it can be proved that the floc structure formed by PAM and water glass has good hydrophilicity. Compared with the traditional cement grouting materials, the floc structure in the PAM-water glass modified cement slurry has stronger adhesion properties with the cement hydration products C–S–H, which effectively locks the water between the layers of hydration products, thus improving the stability of the slurry in the water-rich environment.

Abstract Background CRISPR-Cas systems require a protospacer adjacent motif (PAM), which plays an essential role in self/non-self discrimination in their natural context, to cleave DNA for genome editing. Unfortunately, common genetic variation is distributed throughout genomes, which can block recognition of target sites by Cas proteins. However, little information is available about the distribution of editing sites in model organisms and how often common variation overlaps with those PAM sites. Results Herein, we characterized six representative Cas proteins (Cas9, Cas12a, Cas12b, Cas12i, Cas12j and Cas12l) genomic editing sites in ten model organisms (yeast, flatworms, flies, zebrafish, mice, humans, rice, maize, Arabidopsis and tomato). We demonstrated that there were more than 34 editing sites per kilobase on average in these genomes. In each genome, 91.69–99.83% and 95.4–99.73% of genes had at least one unique editing site in exon and promoter, respectively. Depending on publicly available genomic diversity data, we identified the variations (SNPs and InDels) in editing sites in humans and rice, indicating the risk in the application of CRISPR/Cas technology. Finally, using CCR5 and BCL11A as examples, we revealed variation site was a factor that must be considered when designing sgRNA. Conclusions Our findings not only revealed the distribution characteristics of editing sites of six representative Cas proteins in ten model organism genomes but also shed light on the adverse effect of variation sites on target site recognition. Our current work will serve as a reminder of the risks of CRISPR application.

Abstract Calcium oscillations in primary neuronal cultures and iPSCs have been employed to investigate arrhythmogenicity and epileptogenicity in drug development. Previous studies have demonstrated that Ca2+ influx via NMDA and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) modulates Ca2+ oscillations. Nevertheless, there has been no comprehensive investigation into the impact of ischemia or nAChR-positive allosteric modulators (PAM) drugs on Ca2+ oscillations at a level that would facilitate high-throughput screening. We investigated the effects of ischemia and nAChR subtypes or nAChR PAM agonists on Ca2+ oscillations in high-density 2D and 3D-sphere primary neuronal cultures using 384-well plates with FDSS-7000. Ischemia for 1 and 2 h resulted in an increase in the frequency of Ca2+ oscillations and a decrease in their amplitude in a time-dependent manner. The NMDA and AMPA receptor inhibition significantly suppressed Ca2+ oscillation. Inhibition of NR2A or NR2B had the opposite effect on Ca oscillations. The potentiation of ischemia-induced Ca2+ oscillations was significantly inhibited by the NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801, and the frequency of these oscillations was suppressed by the NR2B inhibitor, Ro-256981. In the 3D-neurosphere, the application of an α7nAChR agonist increased the frequency of Ca2+ oscillations, whereas the activation of α4β2 had no effect. The combination of nicotine and PNU-120596 (type II PAM) affected the frequency and amplitude of Ca2+ oscillations in a manner distinct from that of type I PAM. These systems may be useful not only for detecting epileptogenicity but also in the search for neuroprotective agents against cerebral ischemia.

Abstract Multi‐microphone recording adds spatial information to recorded audio with emerging applications in ecosystem monitoring. Specifically placing sounds in space can improve animal count accuracy, locate illegal activity like logging and poaching, track animals to monitor behaviour and habitat use and allow for ‘beamforming’ to amplify sounds from target directions for downstream classification. Studies have shown many advantages of spatial acoustics, but uptake remains limited as the equipment is often expensive, complicated, inaccessible or only suitable for short‐term deployments. With an emphasis on enhanced uptake and usability, we present a low‐cost, open‐source, six‐channel recorder built entirely from commercially available components which can be integrated into a solar‐powered, online system. The MAARU (Multichannel Acoustic Autonomous Recording Unit) works as an independent node in long‐term autonomous, passive and/or short‐term deployments. Here, we introduce MAARU's hardware and software and present the results of lab and field tests investigating the device's durability and usability. MAARU records multichannel audio with similar costs and power demands to equivalent omnidirectional recorders. MAARU devices have been deployed in the United Kingdom and Brazil, where we have shown MAARUs can accurately localise pure tones up to 6 kHz and bird calls as far as 8 m away (±10° range, 100% and >60% of signals, respectively). Louder calls may have even further detection radii. We also show how beamforming can be used with MAARUs to improve species ID confidence scores. MAARU is an accessible, low‐cost option for those looking to explore spatial acoustics accurately and easily with a single device, and without the formidable expenses and processing complications associated with establishing arrays. Ultimately, the added directional element of the multichannel recording provided by MAARU allows for enhanced recording of sonic environments, further enabling a potential step change in the uptake of spatial acoustics in the wider field.

Epilepsy is characterized by abnormal neuronal firing in the brain. Several therapeutic strategies exist for epilepsy; however, several patients remain poorly treated. Therefore, the development of effective treatments remains a high priority in the field. Neuroactive steroids can potentiate extra-synaptic and synaptic GABAA receptors, thereby providing therapeutic benefits relative to benzodiazepines. This research study investigated the therapeutic effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of LPM682000012, a new synthetic neuroactive steroid-positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of GABAA receptors employed for treating epilepsy. Acute and chronic rat epilepsy models were established to identify the anti-seizure potency of LPM682000012. The dose-dependent sedative effects of LPM682000012 and Ganaxolone in normal rats were evaluated, which revealed that they both dose-dependently alleviated acute epileptic seizure in the pentylenetetrazol (PTZ)-mediated seizure model. Furthermore, LPM682000012 indicated an enhanced safety profile than Ganaxolone. Moreover, LPM682000012 also indicated therapeutic effects in the kainic acid (KA)-induced chronic spontaneous seizure model. Morphologically, LPM682000012 decreased neuronal loss in the hippocampal CA1 and CA3 regions and increased dendritic spine density in the CA1 region. In addition, mechanical analyses, including transcriptomics, Western blot, and proteomics analyses, revealed that the Serpina3n/NF-κB signaling pathway was up-regulated in epileptic rat hippocampal tissue, and LPM682000012 treatment reversed these changes. In summary, this report demonstrated that the novel neurosteroid GABAA PAM LPM682000012 activated the synaptic and extra-synaptic GABAA receptors and alleviated KA-induced neuronal loss and synaptic remodeling, potentially by down-regulating the Serpina3n/NF-κB signaling pathways. The results provide evidence that LPM682000012 is a potential anti-seizure pharmacotherapy candidate for epilepsy and warrants further research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Calcium oscillations in primary neuronal cultures and iPSCs have been employed to investigate arrhythmogenicity and epileptogenicity in drug development. Previous studies have demonstrated that Ca2+ influx via NMDA and nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) modulates Ca2+ oscillations. Nevertheless, there has been no comprehensive investigation into the impact of ischemia or nAChR-positive allosteric modulators (PAM) drugs on Ca2+ oscillations at a level that would facilitate high-throughput screening. We investigated the effects of ischemia and nAChR subtypes or nAChR PAM agonists on Ca2+ oscillations in high-density 2D and 3D-sphere primary neuronal cultures using 384-well plates with FDSS-7000. Ischemia for 1 and 2 h resulted in an increase in the frequency of Ca2+ oscillations and a decrease in their amplitude in a time-dependent manner. The NMDA and AMPA receptor inhibition significantly suppressed Ca2+ oscillation. Inhibition of NR2A or NR2B had the opposite effect on Ca oscillations. The potentiation of ischemia-induced Ca2+ oscillations was significantly inhibited by the NMDA receptor antagonist, MK-801, and the frequency of these oscillations was suppressed by the NR2B inhibitor, Ro-256981. In the 3D-neurosphere, the application of an α7nAChR agonist increased the frequency of Ca2+ oscillations, whereas the activation of α4β2 had no effect. The combination of nicotine and PNU-120596 (type II PAM) affected the frequency and amplitude of Ca2+ oscillations in a manner distinct from that of type I PAM. These systems may be useful not only for detecting epileptogenicity but also in the search for neuroprotective agents against cerebral ischemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activation of metabotropic glutamate 2 (mGlu2) receptors is a potential novel therapeutic approach for the treatment of parkinsonism. Thus, when administered as monotherapy or as adjunct to a low dose of L‐3,4‐dihydroxyphenylalanine (L‐DOPA), the mGlu2 positive allosteric modulator (PAM) LY‐487,379 alleviated parkinsonism in 1‐methyl‐4‐phenyl‐1,2,3,6‐tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)‐lesioned primates. Here, we sought to investigate the effect of biphenyl‐indanone A (BINA), a highly selective mGlu2 PAM whose chemical scaffold is unrelated to LY‐487,379, to determine if a structurally different mGlu2 PAM would also confer anti‐parkinsonian benefit. In monotherapy experiments, MPTP‐lesioned marmosets were injected with either vehicle, L‐DOPA/benserazide (15/3.75 mg/kg, positive control) or BINA (0.1, 1, 10 mg/kg). In adjunct to a low L‐DOPA dose experiments, MPTP‐lesioned marmosets were injected with L‐DOPA/benserazide (7.5/1.875 mg/kg) in combination with vehicle or BINA (0.1, 1, 10 mg/kg). Parkinsonism, dyskinesia and psychosis‐like behaviours (PLBs) were then quantified. When administered alone, BINA 1 and 10 mg/kg decreased parkinsonism severity by ~22% (p < 0.01) and ~47% (p < 0.001), when compared with vehicle, which was comparable with the global effect of a high L‐DOPA dose. When administered in combination with a low L‐DOPA dose, BINA 1 and 10 mg/kg decreased global parkinsonism by ~38% (p < 0.001) and ~53% (p < 0.001). BINA 10 mg/kg decreased global dyskinesia by ~94% (p < 0.01) and global PLBs by ~92% (p < 0.01). Our results provide additional evidence that mGlu2 positive allosteric modulation elicits anti‐parkinsonian effects. That this benefit is not related to a particular chemical scaffold suggests that it may be a class effect rather than the effect of a specific molecule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate soil stratification is crucial for levee safety evaluation, yet limited field sampling often hinders comprehensive analysis. This study applies the Partitioning Around Medoids (PAM, also known as K-Medoids) clustering approach for levee soil stratification using data from multiple probe drilling sites. Focusing on a Yellow River levee section in China as a study case, the PAM clustering approach effectively identifies its distinct soil types and reconstructs its soil stratification by analyzing key soil properties relevant to levee seepage and stability characteristics, including coefficient of permeability, angle of internal friction, and cohesion. The resulting soil stratification, when applied to seepage and stability analyses of the levee section, yields relatively high safety factors, indicating low failure risks under design flood conditions. These analytical results align with recent monitoring records, validating the effectiveness of the approach. A sensitivity analysis on the number of clusters, the key parameter in the PAM clustering approach, demonstrates the typical existence of an optimal value balancing computational accuracy and practical interpretability. A comparison with a hierarchical clustering approach further confirms the robustness of the PAM clustering approach. This study contributes to improving levee soil stratification methodology and enhancing levee safety evaluation, particularly when dealing with limited and spatially distributed sampling data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The RNA‐guided clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/Cas12b system represents the third family of CRISPR‐Cas systems that are harnessed for genome editing. However, only a few nucleases have demonstrated activity in human cells, and their in vivo therapeutic potential remains uncertain. In this study, a green fluorescent protein (GFP)‐activation assay is conducted to screen a panel of 15 Cas12b orthologs, and four of them exhibited editing activity in mammalian cells. Particularly noteworthy is the NiCas12b derived from Nitrospira sp., which recognizes a "TTN" protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) and facilitates efficient genome editing in various cell lines. Importantly, NiCas12b also exhibits a high degree of specificity, rendering it suitable for therapeutic applications. As proof of concept, the adeno‐associated virus (AAV) is employed to introduce NiCas12b to target the cholesterol regulatory gene proprotein convertase subtilisin/ kexin type 9 (Pcsk9) in the mouse liver. After 4 weeks of injections, an impressive is observed over 16.0% insertion/deletion (indel) efficiency, resulting in a significant reduction in serum cholesterol levels. NiCas12b provides a novel option for both basic research and clinical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rechargeable zinc-ion batteries (ZIBs) have grown in popularity due to their low cost and the abundance of resources. However, there has been little research into the development of gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) for high voltage and capacity ZIBs. The use of agricultural waste as a polymer electrolyte (PE) is gradually increasing in order to support a circular economy. This study focuses on the utilization of cellulose derived from coffee silverskin (CS); coffee silverskin is a by-product generated during coffee roasting. We employ a reasonable approach to create the coffee silverskin cellulose (CSC)/polyacrylamide (PAM) GPE, with the goal of achieving good properties and improved battery performance. An investigation was conducted to determine the effect of CSC content in GPEs on ZIB characteristics. The cellulose derived from CS had a crystallinity index (CrI) of 64.60%. The optimal amount of cellulose added to the acrylamide monomer (AM) for the GPE of ZIB was found to be 2.5 mg (CSC/AM/salt weight ratio of 0.01/6/23). This amount resulted in the highest electrochemical stability and a cycling time of approximately 226 h. Furthermore, the PAM/Cellulose 2.5-based GPE exhibited increased Young's modulus and tensile strength compared to the pure PAM. The electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test revealed a diffusion resistance of 27.47 Ω and an ionic conductivity of 9.10 mS/cm at a temperature of 25 °C. Additionally, the use of cellulose in GPEs does not affect the electrochemical window. When the pure PAM-based GPE was compared to the CSC/PAM-based GPE, the biocomposites demonstrated electrochemical stability for a cycle life of over 200 cycles in the ZIB application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban greenbelt soil is currently severely degraded and unable to meet the needs of sponge city construction. Therefore, this study involved adding modified materials, such as decomposed straw, straw biochar, and PAM (polyacrylamide), to greenbelt soil (collected from the Xixian New Area, a pilot city for sponge city construction in China). This study was conducted to explore the effects of adding modified materials on soil physical properties and pollutant adsorption capacity through indoor simulation experiments and dynamic leaching experiments (in the dynamic leaching experiments, the medium thickness was 40 cm, and a water outlet was set every 10 cm to collect the filtrate). In this study, three experimental treatments were set up: (1) soil–sand–decomposed straw + PAM (SSJ), (2) soil–sand–biochar + PAM (SSB), and (3) soil–sand–decomposed straw–biochar + PAM (SSBJ). In the three treatments, the addition amounts of soil, sand, and PAM (0.01 g·mL−1) were constant at 560 kg·m−3, 624 kg·m−3, and 76 L·m−3, respectively. The addition amounts of decomposed straw in the SSJ and SSBJ treatments were 100 kg·m−3 and 50 kg·m−3, respectively. The amounts of added biochar in the SSJ and SSBJ treatments were 32 kg·m−3 and 16 kg·m−3, respectively. The saturated hydraulic conductivity and saturated water content of the different treatments increased by 92.90–107.10% and 19.07–32.17%, respectively, compared with the background values. As the depth increased, the leaching concentrations of N and COD (chemical oxygen demand) at 40 cm in the different treatments increased by 282.66–1374.02% and 435.10–455.84%, respectively, compared with those at 10 cm. However, the leaching concentrations of Cu, Zn, Cd, and P changed little with increasing depth. As the flow load increased, the leaching concentration of the pollutant pattern was not obvious. After the leaching of pollutants stabilized, at 40 cm, the leaching concentrations of N, P, and COD for the SSJ, SSBJ, and SSB treatments were 5.46–56.30 mg·L−1, 0.14–2.06 mg·L−1, and 1034.23–1531.40 mg·L−1, respectively. The retention rates of Cu, Zn, and Cd showed a small trend over time, and the retention rates were all above 86%. Overall, the SSB treatment had a strong ability to intercept N, P, and COD, whereas the SSBJ treatment had a strong ability to intercept Cu, Zn, and Cd. These research results can provide a reference for the improvement of greenbelts in sponge city construction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• This review article highlights the challenge of limited genetic diversity in tomatoes, emphasizing the hurdles it poses to traditional breeding efforts. • The emergence of CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing is described as revolutionary, signaling a transformative shift in the efficiency of tomato breeding. • The variants of CRISPR/Cas9 technology in editing and characterizing a wide range of traits in tomatoes, highlighting its effectiveness in manipulating the tomato genome. • Several innovative techniques within the CRISPR/Cas technology, such as online tools for designing RNA, advanced cloning techniques like Golden Gate cloning, and various Cas9 variants and editing techniques are discussed. • Advancements in CRISPR/Cas technology, including specific constructs, efficient transformation methodologies, and DNA-free protoplast methods, all contributing to enhanced editing capabilities and efficiency in horticultural crops breeding are briefly discussed. The limited genetic diversity in tomatoes presents significant hurdles for traditional breeding efforts. However, the emergence of Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein 9 (CRISPR/Cas9) genome editing has revolutionized the rate and efficiency of tomato breeding. CRISPR/Cas9 technology plays a crucial role in editing and thoroughly characterizing various traits in tomatoes. CRISPR/Cas9 has shown efficacy in transferring novel domestication traits between cultivated tomatoes and their wild relatives and vice versa. A number of notable developments in CRISPR/Cas technology include the utilization of online resources for multiplexing and designing single-guide RNA (sgRNA), as well as utilizing cutting-edge cloning methods such as GoldenBraid, BioBrick, and Golden Gate cloning technology. Furthermore, improved transformation methods, such as Agrobacterium -mediated methods, the development of CRISPR/Cas constructs, and the use of DNA-free protoplasts for Cas9-guide RNA (gRNA) ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complexes, contribute to the advancement of gene editing capabilities. The toolkit for precise genome modification has also been expanded by the application of Cas9 variants, such as Cas9-NG/XNG-Cas9 and protospacer-adjacent motif (PAM) free Cas12a (Cpf1), together with techniques such as base/prime editing using Target- Activation-Induced Cytidine Deaminase (AID) technology and homologous recombination (HR)-based gene knock-in (HKI) mediated by geminivirus replicon. This review focuses on the significant advancements made in current research using CRISPR/Cas technology for fast and successful tomato breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multi‐microphone recording adds spatial information to recorded audio with emerging applications in ecosystem monitoring. Specifically placing sounds in space can improve animal count accuracy, locate illegal activity like logging and poaching, track animals to monitor behaviour and habitat use and allow for 'beamforming' to amplify sounds from target directions for downstream classification. Studies have shown many advantages of spatial acoustics, but uptake remains limited as the equipment is often expensive, complicated, inaccessible or only suitable for short‐term deployments.With an emphasis on enhanced uptake and usability, we present a low‐cost, open‐source, six‐channel recorder built entirely from commercially available components which can be integrated into a solar‐powered, online system. The MAARU (Multichannel Acoustic Autonomous Recording Unit) works as an independent node in long‐term autonomous, passive and/or short‐term deployments. Here, we introduce MAARU's hardware and software and present the results of lab and field tests investigating the device's durability and usability.MAARU records multichannel audio with similar costs and power demands to equivalent omnidirectional recorders. MAARU devices have been deployed in the United Kingdom and Brazil, where we have shown MAARUs can accurately localise pure tones up to 6 kHz and bird calls as far as 8 m away (±10° range, 100% and >60% of signals, respectively). Louder calls may have even further detection radii. We also show how beamforming can be used with MAARUs to improve species ID confidence scores.MAARU is an accessible, low‐cost option for those looking to explore spatial acoustics accurately and easily with a single device, and without the formidable expenses and processing complications associated with establishing arrays. Ultimately, the added directional element of the multichannel recording provided by MAARU allows for enhanced recording of sonic environments, further enabling a potential step change in the uptake of spatial acoustics in the wider field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Protease-activated receptor 1 (PAR1) is expressed in human platelets and can be activated by low concentrations of thrombin. Vorapaxar, a selective antagonist of PAR1, inhibits thrombin-induced calcium mobilization in human platelet, which is associated with an increased risk of bleeding. Conversely, the administration of a positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of PAR1 may pose a substantial risk of thrombosis due to inducing excessive platelet activation. In this study, we discovered a novel PAM of PAR1 and investigated the effect of enhanced PAR1 activation by PAM of PAR1 on platelet activation. Methods: To find PAMs of PAR1, a cell-based screen was performed in HT29 cells, and finally, gestodene, an oral contraceptive drug (OC), was identified as a novel PAM of PAR1. The mechanism of action of gestodene and its effects on platelet activation were investigated in human megakaryocytic leukemia cell line MEG-01 cells and human platelet. Results: Gestodene enhanced both thrombin- and PAR1-activating peptide (AP)- induced intracellular calcium levels in a dose-dependent manner without altering PAR2 and PAR4 activity. Gestodene significantly increased PAR1-AP-induced internalization of PAR1 and phosphorylation of ERK1/2, and the enhancing effects were significantly blocked by vorapaxar. Furthermore, gestodene potently increased PAR1-AP induced morphological changes in MEG-01 cells. Remarkably, in human blood, gestodene exerted a robust augmentation of PAR1-AP-induced platelet aggregation, and vorapaxar effectively attenuated the gestodene-induced enhancement of platelet aggregation mediated by PAR1. Conclusion: Gestodene is a selective PAM of PAR1 and suggest one possible mechanism for the increased risk of venous thromboembolism associated with OCs containing gestodene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stimulation of the M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptor reduces striatal hyperdopaminergia, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target for schizophrenia. Emraclidine (CVL-231) is a novel, highly selective, positive allosteric modulator (PAM) of M4 muscarinic acetylcholine receptors i.e. acts as a modulator that increases the response of these receptors. First, we aimed to further characterize the positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and quantification performance of a recently developed M4 PAM radiotracer, [11C]MK-6884, in non-human primates (NHPs). Second, we applied these results to determine the receptor occupancy of CVL-231 as a function of dose. Using paired baseline-blocking PET scans, we quantified total volume of distribution, binding potential, and receptor occupancy. Both blood-based and reference region-based methods quantified M4 receptor levels across brain regions. The 2-tissue 4-parameter kinetic model best fitted regional [11C]MK-6884-time activity curves. Only the caudate nucleus and putamen displayed statistically significant [11C]MK-6884 uptake and dose-dependent blocking by CVL-231. For binding potential and receptor occupancy quantification, the simplified reference tissue model using the grey cerebellum as a reference region was employed. CVL-231 demonstrated dose-dependent M4 receptor occupancy in the striatum of the NHP brain and shows promise for further development in clinical trials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research aimed to examine the compound effects of polyacrylamide (PAM) and cadmium (Cd) on plant growth subsequent to the mixing of municipal sludge with soil and to explore the potential ecological risks associated with the use of sludge. A pot experiment was performed wherein four gradients (0, 5, 15, and 20 g/[kg dry sludge]) were established corresponding to different PAM concentrations to assess the effects on the physiological and biochemical parameters of Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino and Brassica campestris L. and the effects on Cd and PAM concentrations in soil. The findings indicated that the biomass of both plants increased when the total PAM concentration ranged from 5 g to 15 g/(kg dry sludge). Concurrently, polyacrylamide (PAM) downplayed the uptake of Cd by the plants, reduced phytotoxicity, and increased the activities of antioxidant enzymes such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) in the roots. However, the biomass of Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino and Brassica campestris L. decreased significantly when the total PAM concentration was exceeded 15 g/(kg dry sludge), and the toxic effect of Cd on pants was enhanced to some extent. Especially when the PAM concentration was 20 g/(kg dry sludge), apparent cell damage was observed in root cells. It was further noted that Brassica campestris L. portrayed a higher tolerance towards higher proportions of sludge compared with Brassica campestris L. ssp. chinensis Makino. Sludge holds a wider scale of applicability in landscaping than in agriculture. A fusion of polyacrylamide (PAM) and antioxidant enzymes could potentially counteract the effects of Cd within a specific concentration range, serving as a defense mechanism against stress. The data obtained from this study are crucial for unraveling anti‐stress responses and detoxification mechanisms employed by different plant species under the influence of factors such as PAM, Cd, and others, thus providing novel insights into research related to land use involving sludges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most robot bionic legs are driven by motors, but bionic legs driven by pneumatic artificial muscles (PAM) have the advantages of being lightweight with better bionics and flexibility. In this paper, a new bionic jumping leg driven by PAMs was designed and its jumping performance studied. To address the nonlinearity of the PAM and the joint disturbance of the multi-joint bionic leg, a neural network PID controller was designed to achieve nonlinearity and better dynamic performance. The joint position was planned based on changes in the mass center of the bionic leg. Subsequently, RBF-PID and BP-PID controllers were utilized for joint position control simulation and jumping experiments. Both RBF-PID and BP-PID control achieved a response time of 0.01 s. BP-PID control demonstrated superior position control accuracy over RBF-PID control, and the bionic leg achieved a jumping height of 220 mm. In summary, the new neural network PID controller outperforms the traditional PID controller in the terms of response speed and control accuracy. BP-PID is better than RBF-PID control in terms of position control accuracy, and the leg can reach a jumping height of 220 mm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The parental attribution measure (PAM) is an instrument that assesses the attributions made by parents regarding their children's behavior, for both clinical and community samples. This research has aimed at evaluating the psychometric properties of the PAM in a community sample in Spain. Data were analyzed from several samples of fathers and mothers (N1 = 253; N2 = 458, N3 = 711) who reported on their attributions and level of parental stress on the one hand and on their children's emotional insensitivity traits and behavioral problems on the other. The results did not support the original structure proposed but a unidimensional structure consisting of nine items with good psychometric properties and factorial invariance. The 9‐item PAM exhibited a positive relationship with callous unemotional traits and behavioral problems in children and with parental stress. This study provides important new insights into the psychometric properties of the PAM in a Spanish sample. It represents a significant advance, since so far there have been no other instruments to use in assessing parental attributions about their children's behavioral problems in Spanish. In short, this research is intended to evaluate the psychometric properties of the PAM in a sample of a community in Spain. The results supported a unidimensional structure composed of a 9‐item instrument with good psychometric properties and factorial invariance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Most of the oil reserves have remained unrecovered during primary and secondary recovery scenarios which raise the need for novel and more useful recovery methods to produce the unrecovered oil and increase the recovery factor as an Enhanced oil recovery method. As the most common oil recovery method, the performance of the water injection can be further enhanced by adding polymers to water by the mobility control mechanism. Nanoparticle and nanohybrid flooding are one of those novel methods which can recover oil using wettability alteration and IFT reduction mechanisms. In this study, we synthesized polyacrylamide-based nanohybrids such as graphene oxide (GO)/PAM and carbon nanotube (CNT)/PAM combine the advantages of both nanoparticle and polymer flooding using a novel and simple method. The effect of different mechanisms involved such as wettability alteration, IFT reduction, and mobility control were studied separately in form of contact angle, IFT, and viscosity measurements and in combination with each other in the form of coreflooding tests were studied. The stability of the synthesized nanohybrids against temperature and salinity was investigated using TGA and bulk tests. The effectiveness of these novel nanohybrids was never investigated to this extent. Our investigation showed that GO/PAM nanohybrids had better performance in IFT reduction and mobility control and CNT/PAM in wettability alteration. During coreflooding tests, the GO/PAM showed the highest light and heavy oil recoveries with recovering 63.8% and 28.57%, respectively, in comparison to CNT/PAM with recovery factors of 60.95% and 25.71%. Both of the nanohybrids showed great performance in oil recovery due to wettability alteration and IFT reduction but the GO/PAM showed the best performance because of its higher viscosity which made the mobility control of the injected fluid much better. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a new statistical method for clustering step data, a popular form of health recording data easily obtained from wearable devices. As step data are high-dimensional and zero-inflated, classical methods such as K-means and partitioning around medoid (PAM) cannot be applied directly. The proposed method is a novel combination of newly constructed variables that reflect the inherent features of step data, such as quantity, strength, and pattern, and a multivariate functional principal component analysis that can integrate all the features of the step data for clustering. The proposed method is implemented by applying a conventional clustering method, such as K-means and PAM, to the multivariate functional principal component scores obtained from these variables. Simulation studies and real data analysis demonstrate significant improvement in clustering quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem of low gray level due to the few driving chips developed based on the photoelectric characteristics of electrowetting display, a driving method based on modulation is proposed to double the gray level of electrowetting display. In this method, the driving waveform based on pulse amplitude modulation and pulse width modulation hybrid modulation is designed, and the gray level-luminance curve of the electrowetting display is measured and analyzed. On this basis, the luminance nonlinear correction is carried out, and the improvement of 64 Gy levels to 127 Gy levels is realized by the principle of human visual persistence phenomenon. The experimental results show that the proposed driving scheme can break through the limitation of the driving chip and realize the multiplication of gray levels, in which 96% gray levels increase steadily with an average luminance difference of 0.07, and at the same time enhance the contrast and improve the display effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The RNA‐programmed CRISPR effector protein Cas12a has emerged as a powerful tool for gene editing and molecular diagnostics. However, additional bio‐engineering strategies are required to achieve control over Cas12a activity. Here, we show that Toehold Switch DNA hairpins, presenting a rationally designed locked protospacer adjacent motif (PAM) in the loop, can be used to control Cas12a in response to molecular inputs. Reconfiguring the Toehold Switch DNA from a hairpin to a duplex conformation through a strand displacement reaction provides an effective means to modulate the accessibility of the PAM, thereby controlling the binding and cleavage activities of Cas12a. Through this approach, we showcase the potential to trigger downstream Cas12a activity by leveraging proximity‐based strand displacement reactions in response to target binding. By utilizing the trans‐cleavage activity of Cas12a as a signal transduction method, we demonstrate the versatility of our approach for sensing applications. Our system enables rapid, one‐pot detection of IgG antibodies and small molecules with high sensitivity and specificity even within complex matrices. Besides the bioanalytical applications, the switchable PAM‐engineered Toehold Switches serve as programmable tools capable of regulating Cas12a‐based targeting and DNA processing in response to molecular inputs and hold promise for a wide array of biotechnological applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical compensation (Demura) is a crucial technology in the production process of active‐matrix organic light‐emitting diode (AMOLED). And with the continuous advancement of micro light‐emitting diode (Micro LED) technology, Demura techniques are also employed to enhance the quality of Micro LED products. This article initially applies an AMOLED full grayscale compensation scheme to perform compensation on a 9.38‐inch Micro LED sample. However, the compensation effect falls short of expectations. Subsequently, an analysis and compensation for the display effects of each grayscale level in Micro LED are conducted, highlighting the phenomenon that the Mura morphology and distribution of Micro LED change under different brightness levels. Finally, two methods are employed to carry out full grayscale compensation for Micro LED, achieving a notably effective compensation outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proliferation of small autonomous recorders makes it easier than ever to sample terrestrial acoustic animals and soundscapes. I conducted a comparison of four small recorders to evaluate their performance in a field setting: Wildlife Acoustics Song Meter Mini; Wildlife Acoustics Song Meter Micro; Open Acoustics Audiomoth; and Cornell SwiftOne. I address two questions: (1) How do in-person point counts compare to recorder-based point counts using these small autonomous recorders? (2) How does the quality of the recordings compare across these small autonomous recorders? To evaluate the performance of the recorders in point counts, I conducted in-person and recording-based point counts at ten locations. Each of the recorders performed similarly well at point counts, producing comparable estimates of species richness, although all of the autonomous recorders under-estimated species richness. To evaluate recording quality, I conducted a sound transmission test, broadcasting and rerecording sounds. Recorders varied in their frequency response above 12 kHz, but showed only subtle differences in the frequency response at frequencies below 12 kHz. I conclude that each of these types of small recorders provide bioacousticians with useful tools for conducting point counts, and for passive monitoring of animal sounds, with only subtle differences across the investigated models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

Compared with typical and clay loess, sandy loess has a higher sand content and poor geotechnical engineering properties, and it easily causes geological disasters. Sandy loess reinforced with a mixture of sodium carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) + polyacrylamide (PAM) was proposed to improve the structural stability of sandy loess and reveal the curing mechanism of cellulose curing agents. The variations in the shear strength of sandy loess before and after reinforcement were analyzed through a direct shear test. The effects of the concentration of the CMC + PAM curing agent on the shear strength of sandy loess were examined. Subsequently, the soil mass before and after the reinforcement were analyzed through scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometry, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and Xray diffraction to reveal the micromechanism of sandy loess reinforced by the CMC + PAM curing agent. Results showed that with the increase in curing agent concentration, the shear strength of sandy loess increased considerably and gradually stabilized. When the CMC + PAM curing agent was added to natural sandy loess, the abundant hydrophilic groups in CMC and PAM bonded and adsorbed the sand particles in the soil through intermolecular forces. Large aggregates were formed after compact inlaying in the face-to-face contact mode. The porosity of sandy loess decreased, and its structural stability improved. These research conclusions can provide theoretical references for sandy loess reinforcement by cellulose curing agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of poorly damped low-frequency oscillations (LFOs) is very crucial for maintaining small signal stability in power systems. The Total least square estimation of signal parameters via rotational invariance techniques (TLS-ESPRIT) is a model parameter estimation method, which works efficiently even in noisy conditions. However, the TLS-ESPRIT requires prior information about the number of modes present in the signal. Different techniques are proposed in the literature for model order (MO) estimation of signal, but they consider presumed tolerance value for the selection of probable separation boundary between two subspaces. As tolerance value fluctuates with noise level, these techniques become inefficient and harder to automate for online estimation. So, the main contribution of the proposed work is to design an efficacious MO estimation technique, which will efficiently eliminate the requirements of tolerance value to overcome the aforementioned limitations. So, in this proposed work, a sequential partitioning technique known as Partitioning Around Medoids (PAM) is adopted for the precise estimation of LFOs order of Phasor measurement unit (PMU) data. The MO estimation is done by separating the prominent eigen values of autocorrelation matrix (ACM) iteratively into two components i.e signal subspace and noise subspace. Since the PAM algorithm operates in two layers of clustering and robust towards high variance noise, hence the insignificant eigen values are hindered from getting clustered in the signal subspace. The robustness of the proposed technique is validated by conducting comparative study with Exact Model Order (EMO), modified sequential cumulative sum (modified-SCUSUM) and sequential eigen value contribution (SEVC) methods for synthetic signals, two area test system, practical probing data of Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) system and oscillatory power data of WSCC 9 bus system simulated on Real Time Digital Simulator (RTDS). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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

The inhabitants of Morocco and particularly of the province of Sefrou use traditional medicine based on aromatic and medicinal plants to treat many diseases such as digestive and respiratory problems, and skin burns Unfortunately, there are very few botanical studies on medicinal and aromatic plants used to treat skin burns in Morocco, especially in the province of Sefrou. This study describes the traditional practice of treating skin burns with medicinal plants in six cities of the province of Sefrou for future pharmacological validation. The survey was conducted using a semi-structured questionnaire in the province of Sefrou in the period of September 2020 and October 2022 which contains information on the plant, their family, and the method of preparation, and method of use. It was found that Lamiaceae and Asteraceae were the two most preferred families by the participants surveyed for the treatment of dermatological problems. The most used medicinal plants are Allium cepa, Curcuma longa, Eryngium tricuspidatum, Ricinus communis, Mentha pelugium, Origanum compactum. It was found that the leaves are the most frequently used part of the plant with a percentage of 52%, followed by the whole plant with 26%. In most treatments, the powder is sprinkled directly on the burn. The study has documented the plants that are found in the province of Sefrou use to treat skin burns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]