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Independent roles of autophagy and apoptosis in post-apocrine-secretion cell death of salivary glands during Drosophila metamorphosis
Comparative seismic performance of steel EBF shear links frame designed to IS 18168:2023 using force-based and direct displacement method
Abstract The recent introduction of IS 18168:2023 marks a significant advancement in the seismic design of steel structures in India by providing dedicated provisions for eccentrically braced frames (EBFs). While the code promotes link-controlled energy dissipation, its performance under different design philosophies, particularly in the nonlinear range, remains largely unexplored. This study presents a comprehensive seismic performance evaluation of steel EBF buildings designed as per IS 18168:2023 using conventional Force-Based Design (FBD) and Direct Displacement-Based Design (DDBD) approaches. The nonlinear static pushover analysis, nonlinear time-history analysis, and incremental dynamic analysis are performed for four building heights of 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-storey. In addition, various important response parameters, including inter-storey drift, link rotation, plastic hinge distribution, variability, and collapse-related behaviour, have been systematically examined. Based on the results, it has been confirmed that EBF systems designed according to IS 18,168 exhibit a stable and desirable seismic behaviour, with inelastic deformation pretty much localized in the shear links. With respect to FBD, however, DDBD provides stronger control over nonlinear response due to approximately 20–40% lower median drift demands, 30–50% reduction at critical link rotation in MCE level, and strongly reduced record-to-record variability. Further, the drift escalation in DDBD frames is delayed while collapse robustness is notably improved, particularly for the midand high-rise buildings. Overall, the study brings out that though IS 18,168 provides a robust codal framework in the design of EBF systems, integrating DDBD within this codal context further leads to a more realistic, predictable, and performanceoriented seismic response, especially under strong ground motions.
Genome concatenation enables accurate dual RNA-seq mapping for lignocellulolytic fungi in coculture
Relationship between facet joint osteoarthritis and multifidus fat infiltration in patients with lumbar spondylolisthesis
Ranolazine as an adjunct to standard therapy for angina in myocardial bridging: a randomized clinical trial
Rapid hydrogel micropatterning utilizing CNT-induced thermoresponsive effect
Integration of multi-omics and single-cell analysis reveals ZBP1 as a prognostic biomarker of renal cell carcinoma
Bulk and position-specific isotopic compositions of natural gas in the Permian Jiamuhe Formation, Zhongguai Uplift, Junggar Basin, China
Field survey insights and performance assessment of water-in-glass evacuated tube solar water heaters in Burkina Faso
Abstract Water-in-glass evacuated tube collectors (WiG-ETCs) now dominate Ouagadougou’s solar water-heating market as locally manufactured flat plate collectors (FPCs) continue to decline. This study evaluates the relevance and long-term viability of WiG-ETCs in Burkina Faso by assessing their potential, challenges, and prospects for sustained adoption. A field survey of 31 operational systems in Ouagadougou—24 households and one seminary—was conducted in April 2024, supported by a literature review and market analysis. The inspection covered system functionality, maintenance history, tank material, tilt angle, and visible signs of deterioration. Results show that 94% of systems were operational at the time of the survey. The most frequent issues were malfunctioning float valves (35%) and water leakages (29%). Stainless-steel tanks demonstrated markedly higher durability, with several systems operating for more than 14 years. User satisfaction was high: 97% of respondents reported being satisfied with their investment, and 74% reported year-round hot-water availability. Older or rust-affected systems exhibited greater maintenance needs. Overall, WiG-ETCs demonstrate high operational reliability and strong user satisfaction in Burkina Faso. To secure this potential, key priorities include addressing prevalent float-valve failures and promoting corrosion-resistant stainless-steel tanks to enhance system longevity.
Electrospun bi-layer carboxymethyl cellulose/polyvinyl alcohol/polycaprolactone nanofibers: fabrication, degradation, and phenytoin release kinetics
Surveillance of epidemiological characteristics and temporal trends in antimicrobial resistance of Haemophilus influenzae in pediatric lower respiratory tract infections (2021–2024)
Role of mechanical stress on the electrothermal and OFF state current in scaled FinFET devices
Advancing cardiovascular screening: deep learning-based heart-sound classification using SMOTE and temporal modeling
Abstract Early and reliable detection of cardiac murmurs from phonocardiogram (PCG) recordings is essential for improving cardiovascular screening and supporting diagnosis in primary care. However, automated murmur classification remains challenging due to signal variability, class imbalance, and temporal dependence within heart-sound sequences. This study presents a leakage-safe heart-sound classification framework that combines peak-based segmentation, Mel-Frequency Cepstral Coefficient (MFCC) feature extraction, Synthetic Minority Over-sampling Technique (SMOTE)–based class balancing, and Recurrent Neural Network (RNN)–driven temporal modeling. Segmentation was performed around cardiac onset peaks, and evaluation was conducted using recording-level splits for the PhysioNet 2016 dataset and patient-level splits for the PhysioNet 2022 dataset to prevent segment correlation bias. The proposed model achieved 98.6% accuracy (precision = 98.26%, recall = 98.95%, F1-score = 98.61%) on PhysioNet 2022, and 98.5% accuracy (precision = 98.49%, recall = 98.52%, F1-score = 98.50%) on PhysioNet 2016, demonstrating consistently high performance across datasets with different class distributions. These results indicate that combining temporal modeling with balanced learning improves robustness in murmur detection. The findings highlight the potential of PCG-based deep learning systems to support scalable, non-invasive cardiac screening, particularly in settings with limited access to specialist assessment.
Study on the mechanical response mechanism and constitutive model of black sandstone under uniaxial cyclic loading–unloading with medium–high temperature cycles
Sustainable superhydrophobic coating based on in-situ electrodeposited Ni-Al layered double hydroxide for enhanced corrosion protection of steel
Abstract The development of durable superhydrophobic coatings for corrosion protection remains a significant challenge due to the weak mechanical and chemical stability of most synthetic surfaces. This work presents a highly stable, eco-friendly superhydrophobic coating fabricated on steel via a facile two-step process. Ni-Al layered double hydroxide (LDH) with a unique Micro-nano morphology was first grown in-situ by a one-pot electrodeposition method, creating a rough hierarchical structure. This was subsequently functionalized with stearic acid, a green low-surface-energy material, to achieve superhydrophobicity. Systematic optimization of the electrodeposition parameters revealed that a 15-minute deposition at 40 mA yielded the optimum coating, which exhibited a water contact angle of 161° and a sliding angle of 3°. Extensive characterization, including SEM, AFM, XRD, and XPS, confirmed the successful formation and structure of the coating. Electrochemical tests in a solution of 0.5 M NaCl displayed that the optimized coating significantly enhanced the corrosion resistance of steel, achieving a protection efficiency of 96.5%. Crucially, the coating exhibited exceptional durability, maintaining its superhydrophobicity after 1100 mm of linear abrasion and demonstrating remarkable chemical stability against corrosive media across a wide pH range from 1 to 13. This study not only provides a novel method for constructing environmentally stable LDH-based coatings but also highlights their significant potential for real-world anti-corrosion applications in demanding environments.
Preparation of novel karaya gum derived covalent immobilizers via polyethylene-imine and glutaraldehyde processing
Abstract In this study, novel karaya gum (KG) based covalent immobilizers were developed. Initially, KG was mixed with agar so as to acquire a handle-able hydrogel, which was subsequently processed with polyethylene-imine (PE) and glutaraldehyde (GA). Optimization via Box-Behnken Design (BBD) revealed that the optimal PE/GA processing should be accomplished using a 6.1% PE solution of pH 8.5 and a 5.8% GA solution. The PE/GA processing was monitored via FTIR and SEM. The optimized GA/PE/KG-agar matrix immobilized β-galactosidase (β-GL) with immobilization efficiencies reaching up to 68.73%. The temperature and pH profiles of the GA/PE/KG-agar immobilized β-GL (iβ-GL) were compared with those of the free β-GL. The iβ-GL exhibited improved thermal stability, evidenced by its more escalated t 1/2, D-values, and ΔG values. The iβ-GL also exhibited finer solvent and heavy-metals stabilities than did its free homologue. Furthermore, the iβ-GL provided 95.11% activity during its 23rd reusability cycle and 92.86% activity after 9 weeks storage period. Finally, the GA/PE/KG-agar iβ-GL degraded whey permeate lactose for 6 successive 24 h cycles.
Endogenous protein tagging coupled with a CRISPR screening approach identifies UBE3C as a potential MYC oncogene regulator
Abstract The transcription factor MYC is a key regulator of cellular proliferation and metabolism and is frequently dysregulated in malignancies such as multiple myeloma (MM). Despite its clinical relevance, direct therapeutic targeting of MYC remains limited, emphasizing the need to identify upstream regulators that control endogenous MYC expression. To systematically uncover such regulators, we developed a genome-wide CRISPR-Cas9 loss-of-function screening approach, employing a custom-engineered MM reporter cell line (RPMI8226-F11), in which oncogenic MYC protein was endogenously tagged with EGFP (referred to as GFP). This fluorescent readout enabled a direct, quantitative assessment of endogenous MYC expression levels. A pooled genome-wide sgRNA library was introduced, and cells were sorted based on GFP fluorescent intensity to reflect varying MYC levels. Next-generation sequencing of sgRNA distributions across sorted populations enabled the identification of candidate MYC regulators. Validation of screen hits, including the established MYC activator IRF4 and repressor FBXW7, confirmed the reliability of our system. To further dissect regulatory networks, we performed an overrepresentation analysis of target genes, which revealed the enrichment of Mediator complex subunits among MYC activators and ubiquitin–proteasome pathway components among MYC repressors. Functional validation of prioritized hits—MED30 (Mediator complex) and UBE3C (E3 ubiquitin ligase)—demonstrated a strong impact on endogenous MYC levels. Notably, the knockout of UBE3C markedly increased MYC expression, whereas its paralogs, UBE3A and UBE3B, showed no measurable effect, suggesting a specific regulatory role for UBE3C in MM cells. Together, our study provides a comprehensive CRISPR screen-based resource for the discovery of MYC regulators and highlights UBE3C as a potential therapeutic node for modulating MYC expression in MM.