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Advanced analysis of spatiotemporal behaviors of modal structures and couplings for plasma tomography
Sediment stability is optimized by manipulating planting design during coastal marsh establishment
High frequency monitoring for impact assessment of temperature, oxygen and radiation in floating photovoltaic system
Abstract Floating photovoltaic (FPV) systems are designed for free water surface installations to provide a feasible solution for places with no availability of land areas and to avoid land-use conflicts caused by conventional solar energy farms. However, lakes and reservoirs are essential for ecosystem services like water supply and biodiversity support. In this regard, there was a lack of long-term and high-frequency monitoring data of important parameters influenced by FPV installation such as photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) and dissolved oxygen (DO). Temperature, despite being more reported, there is no consensus on increase or decrease values below the FPV. In this study, we conduct a comprehensive field assessment to accurately quantify temperature variations (at the weather station, modules, between the modules and the water surface and within the water), DO, and PAR of a FPV installed in a water supply reservoir. High-frequency monitoring sensors indicated that despite the 94.7% of radiation reduction below the FPV compared to the lake reference station, slight differences in water temperature and dissolved oxygen were found between measurements in monthly and daily averages in a system that covers less than 1% of the reservoir water surface. In addition, a microclimate due to the module warming is created between the module and water surface with temperature 12% greater than the weather station measurements. The fluctuation throughout the different time frequencies showed that the processes of the reservoirs are influenced by the FPV according to complex interactions among meteorological conditions, FPV configuration, and site-specific factors.
Quantum computers tackle unexplored particle physics
Energy efficient trust aware secure routing algorithm with attribute based encryption for wireless sensor networks
Abstract Attribute-Based Encryption (ABE) is one of the public-key cryptographic techniques which enforces a new method of security through effective control of access on the data which is stored or communicated in encrypted form using a variety of user defined access restrictions. ABE is implemented in a fully-fledged computer system, such as smartphones or embedded devices and it can be also used to enhance the security of network communication. In Attribute-Based Encryption, the encryption key will be associated with a set of attributes and these attributes are useful in the decryption process as well. Encrypting the data for numerous receivers can also be done with ABE, in such a way that only those with the right permissions can decrypt it later. The ABE provides a high level of security due to the wide range of key based qualities that can be defined, and it is also flexible enough to be used in a variety of communication and storage situations. In Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs), the information is transmitted through wireless links from the sensors to a central location called the sink node. The nodes present in WSN are required to carry out the task of monitoring the environments, gather the necessary data through sensing, encrypt them and send them to the sink node. Therefore, security is a major concern for wireless communication since data is transmitted via an open wireless channel that can be accessed by malicious intruders. In order to handle the security problem, we propose a new Attribute-Based Encryption and Trust Based Secure Routing Algorithm (ABE-TBSRA) strategy by combining bilinear pairing and Diffie Hellman encryption scheme with RSA algorithm to encrypt and secure the data at the sender-side itself. In addition, we propose a new trust-based security model that uses three types of trusts namely direct, indirect, and historical trust values for improving the security. The major advantages of this proposed encryption and trust based secure routing algorithm include the enhancements in security level as well as packet delivery ratio, reliability of transaction and also the network throughput with reduced energy consumption and delay.
Thousands of endangered trees preserved for centuries inside Chinese temples
Design of an energy efficient approximate BinDCT module in quantum cellular automata
Islet delta-cell architecture is remodelled in the human pancreas during type 1 diabetes
Abstract Delta cells participate in regulating hormone secretion in adjacent alpha- and beta cells and a general assumption is that cells with a shorter distance to the secreting cell receive a higher concentration of the secretory compounds. Isolated islets obtained from donors with type 1 diabetes have a reduced glucagon secretion during low glucose levels, but adding a somatostatin receptor inhibitor increases the glucagon secretion. Despite this, information regarding the delta-cell architecture during diabetes is sparse. The aim of the current study was to determine intra-islet and extra-islet delta-cell architecture in the pancreas during long-standing type 1 diabetes or type 2 diabetes. Pancreatic tissue from nine donors with long-standing type 1 diabetes, six donors with type 2 diabetes, and 13 donors without diabetes were obtained. Sections co-stained for somatostatin, glucagon, and insulin were manually examined. There was an approximately two-fold higher number of alpha cells directly adherent to delta cells in subjects with type 1 diabetes compared with non-diabetic subjects. The delta cells were more peripherally located within the islets of donors with type 1 diabetes. The density of extra-islet single delta cells in the acinar region was more than three-fold higher in type 1 diabetes compared with non-diabetic subjects. No differences in delta-cell architecture could be determined in type 2 diabetes compared to non-diabetic subjects. In conclusion, the islet delta-cell architecture in human type 1 diabetes is remodelled. The higher number of alpha cells directly adherent to delta cells in type 1 diabetes likely increases the alpha cells’ exposure to somatostatin. This finding may be a link partly explaining the reduced glucagon response to hypoglycemia in type 1 diabetes.
Putative type III effector SkP48 of Bradyrhizobium sp. DOA9 encoding a SUMO protease blocks nodulation in Vigna radiata
Efficient adsorptive removal of hazardous congo red dye using Ce-BTC@microcrystalline cellulose composite
Abstract In this research, we developed a novel composite material, Ce-BTC@MCC, by combining a metal-organic framework (Ce-BTC) with microcrystalline cellulose (MCC), a recyclable natural product. The surface features of the novel Ce-BTC@MCC composite were carefully investigated through infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and N2-adsorption/desorption. The ratio of Ce-BTC to MCC in the composite was systematically optimized based on adsorption performance experiments. The developed Ce-BTC@MCC composite significantly outperformed its individual components (Ce-BTC and MCC) in removing Congo Red (CR) dye from water. This enhanced performance is due to the synergistic effect between Ce-BTC and MCC, which enhances the adsorption capacity of the designed composite. A comprehensive investigation was conducted to assess the impact of various parameters, including contact time, pH, temperature, and initial concentration, on the adsorption process. The experimental adsorption data for CR were well-described by the Langmuir isotherm model. The optimized Ce-BTC@MCC composite (20 wt% Ce-BTC content) demonstrated a remarkable maximum adsorption capacity of 926.3 mg/g for CR. The adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order model (R2 = 0.988), and both intraparticle and boundary layer diffusion influenced the rate-limiting step of the adsorption process. A plausible mechanism for the adsorption of CR onto the Ce-BTC@MCC surface was proposed. The results highlight the effectiveness, selectivity, and reusability of the eco-friendly Ce-BTC@MCC adsorbent for removing CR from different real water samples.
How a mysterious epidemic of kidney disease is killing thousands of young men
Genomic profiling, implications for genotype-based treatment of 131 patients with phenylketonuria and characterization of novel p.Pro416Leu PAH variant
Abstract Phenylketonuria (PKU) is the most common inborn disorder of amino acid metabolism caused by biallelic pathogenic variants in phenylalanine hydroxylase (PAH) gene. This study comprised genomic profiling and phenotypic characterization of 131 Serbian PKU patients along with implications for BH4 therapy. By combining Sanger sequencing, MLPA and WES re-analysis of previously unsolved cases, we identified 38 different disease causing variants in the PAH gene and classified them using ACMG guidelines. The most frequent variant was p.Leu48Ser (30.92%), followed by p.Arg408Trp (12.21%) and p.Ile306Val (8%). We detected one novel variant, p.Pro416Leu, which was classified as pathogenic, based on computational algorithms prediction, with destabilization as the mechanism of the effect upon PAH protein. For patients’ phenotypic classification, we used pre-treatment serum Phe level and Phe tolerance, indicating that 42% of patients had classic PKU, 22% had mild PKU and 32% were classified as MHP (4% remained unclassified). Furthermore, we performed genotype-phenotype correlation study which emphasized the inconsistency of p.Leu48Ser variant. Given that not all PKU patients benefit from genotype-based therapy (Kuvan and sepiapterin), we assessed the potential responsiveness in our patients. We categorized all detected PAH genotypes accordingly and with 39.1% responsive and 44.5% probably responsive found that majority of patients may respond to BH4 therapy. Our study brings the updated spectrum of molecular genetic data, variant classification, characterization of novel p.Pro416Leu variant, detailed phenotypic characteristics and BH4 responsiveness for PKU patients from Serbia, therefore contributing to better understanding of molecular landscape of PKU.
Clinician and patient perspectives on a novel device for measuring urine flow volume and voiding patterns
Influence of the three-body abrasion kinematics on the surface characteristics of an SLS-fabricated tool during machining of ceramics
Abstract Experimental and modeling assessments have been conducted on the surface characteristics of SLS-printed polyamide lapping tools, considering the influence of three-body abrasion kinematics during machining of Al2O3 ceramic materials. Based on the radial axis profile and topography of segments, surface characteristics were assessed using 3D optical profilometers and minimum zone (MZ) techniques. Machining with counter-rotational kinematics exhibited larger surface shape error, resulting in an average maximum height (Wt) of 163.48 µm and pinpointing intense wear at a tool radius of 95 mm. Conversely, the highest wear with co-rotational kinematics resulted at a tool radius of 85 mm. Ceramic materials were improved by 64.74%, enhancing the initial spatial roughness Sa 1.73 µm to Sa 0.61 µm and resulting in near-zero skewness (Ssk) of surface height distribution with co-rotational kinematics. The three-body abrasion with counter-rotational kinematics resulted in 17.14% higher material removal than co-rotational kinematics. The tool-workpiece contact has been modeled considering the influence of the workpiece’s velocity and tangential acceleration along the active surface, and the findings confirmed experimental observations.
Genomic and metabolic network properties in thermophiles and psychrophiles compared to mesophiles
False positives in study of memory-related gene expression
Adverse socioeconomic factors are associated with a widening gap in one-year health-related quality of life after acute myocardial infarction
Abstract Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) has a significant impact on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and is influenced by unfavorable socioeconomic factors. We aimed to evaluate the association between adverse socioeconomic factors including low educational level, low occupational qualification and financial hardship with presenting symptoms and HRQoL in patients hospitalized for an AMI. We hypothesized a detectable effect on a spatial level and therefore assessed the HRQoL in 298 patients with AMI using the EQ-5D-5L generic measure for health status. Sociodemographic characteristics, clinical data, medical history, and prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors were obtained. Self-reported HRQoL was determined upon hospital admission and after 12 months. Patients with lower educational attainment were more likely to report dyspnea at hospital admission, had a worse renal function and more frequently hypertension. One year post-AMI the health state of the cohort worsened in terms of the mobility, activity, pain, and anxiety/depression domains but not the self-care domain. Patients with a lower education level or a poor financial situation reported a worse HRQoL and health state at baseline and follow-up (change in EQ VAS baseline—follow-up − 7.7 and − 11.0, respectively, lowest category). In contrast, the health state of patients with a higher education level or better financial situation improved (change in EQ VAS baseline—follow-up + 4.0 and + 2.6, highest category). Our study demonstrates a substantially widening gap in the health state and HRQoL between patients with lower and higher educational attainment within the first year after AMI, already measurable on a spatial level.