Major concerns of carbon dioxide (CO₂) sequestration in subsurface formations are knowledge of the well injectivity and gas storage capacity of the formation, the CO₂ pressure and saturation plume extensions during and after injection, and the risks associated with CO₂ leakage and fault reactivation. Saline reservoirs are considered as one of the target formations for CO₂ sequestration through structural, residual, dissolution, and mineral trapping mechanisms. The boundary condition of the saline reservoir dictates the pressure and saturation plume extension of the injected supercritical CO₂ that could expand over large distances. This can lead to sources of risk, e.g., leakage and/or fault reactivation due to presence of wells, thief zones, and geological discontinuities. Therefore, there is a critical need to develop a model that describes how risk-related performance metrics (i.e., the CO₂ saturation plume size, the pressure differential plume area, and the pressure differential at specific locations) vary as a function of the size of injection, time following injection, injection operations, and geologic environment. In this study, a systematic reservoir modeling studies of anthropogenic CO₂ sequestration in Citronelle dome, Alabama, was performed where all relevant scenarios and conditions to address the questions of the saturation and pressure plume size in the area of review (AoR) and post-injection site care (PISC) are considered. The objective for this study was firstly to systematically simulate CO₂ sequestration, i.e., saturation dynamics, and pressure behavior over a range of operational and geological conditions and to derive conclusions about the factors influencing saturation and pressure plume size, post-injection behavior, and the risk associated with them, by developing third-generation reduced order models (ROMs) for reservoir behavior. Finally, to assess the uncertainty associated with our studies, Latin Hypercube Sampling (LHS) together with an experimental design technique, i.e., Plackett–Burman design, was used. Application of Pareto charts and respond surfaces enabled us to determine the most important parameters impacting saturation and pressure plume sizes and to quantify the auto- and cross-correlation among different parameters in both history-matched and upscaled models. Full article

In the context of the marketization of carbon trading in the power system, it is of great theoretical and practical significance to study a scientific and effective carbon emission quota allocation strategy. To solve this problem, under the current situation of large-scale access to new energy, considering the limitations of the carbon emissions from different emission subjects plus the construction of a carbon trading model among the emission subjects, a day-ahead optimal scheduling method that takes carbon emission quotas and carbon trading into account is proposed. Firstly, carbon transaction cost models of thermal power and wind power are constructed, respectively, and a carbon emission quota allocation strategy based on the entropy method is proposed to redistribute the weights of baseline emission factors for the regional power grid. Then, considering the additional carbon emissions of conventional thermal power units caused by wind power access, the carbon trading costs of different types of generation units are calculated on the basis of carbon trading price prediction. Thereafter, a day-ahead optimal scheduling model considering carbon emissions trading is constructed with the objective of minimizing the total cost of the system in the scheduling period. The model is solved as an MINLP problem based on MATLAB 2016a software utilizing CPLEX 12.4. Simulation results verify the correctness and effectiveness of the proposed method. Full article

The regulation of flocs derived from polyphenol–protein formation in milk tea has not been fully explored. In this study, the flocculation of milk tea was regulated by adding 10 kinds of stabilizers with different characteristics. The stability coefficient and centrifugal precipitation rate were used as indexes. The optimal concentration ratio of the complex stabilizer was identified using the response surface methodology (RSM), being 0.04% for Arabic gum, 0.02% for β-cyclodextrin and 0.03% for Agar. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to analyze the characteristics of different stabilizers in milk tea, and our findings were as follows: (1) The relative strength of the peaks in different stable systems was different. The absorption peaks were mainly near the wave numbers 3376 cm⁻¹, 2928 cm⁻¹, 1655 cm⁻¹, 1542 cm⁻¹, 1408 cm⁻¹, 1047 cm⁻¹ and 925 cm⁻¹. (2) The milk tea system was an amorphous structure. The diffraction peak of the composite system was observed to be about 20°. The crystallinity of the milk tea in the compound group was 33.16%, which was higher than that of the blank group (9.67%). (3) The compound stabilizer reduced flocculation, and the stabilizing agents improved the surface order of milk tea. These results indicate that the combination of polysaccharide stabilizers (Arabic gum and agar) and oligosaccharide stabilizers (β-CD) in certain proportions can regulate the flocculation of milk tea and improve its stability. The potential research avenues involving polyphenol–protein complex instability systems and their applications in food development are expanded by this work. Full article

As emerging severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) variants (Omicron) continue to outpace and negate combinatorial vaccines and monoclonal antibody therapies targeting the spike protein (S) receptor binding domain (RBD), the appetite for developing similar COVID-19 treatments has significantly diminished, with the attention of the scientific community switching to long COVID treatments. However, treatments that reduce the risk of “post-COVID-19 syndrome” and associated sequelae remain in their infancy, particularly as no established criteria for diagnosis currently exist. Thus, alternative therapies that reduce infection and prevent the broad range of symptoms associated with ‘post-COVID-19 syndrome’ require investigation. This review begins with an overview of the parasitic–diarylamidine connection, followed by the renin-angiotensin system (RAS) and associated angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSSR2) involved in SARS-CoV-2 infection. Subsequently, the ability of diarylamidines to inhibit S-protein binding and various membrane serine proteases associated with SARS-CoV-2 and parasitic infections are discussed. Finally, the roles of diarylamidines (primarily DIZE) in vaccine efficacy, epigenetics, and the potential amelioration of long COVID sequelae are highlighted. Full article

The use of carnivores as experimental models in auditory biology has led to a significant improvement regarding our understanding of the structure and function of the ear. Considering that data regarding the anatomy of the middle ear in the red fox are rare, this study aimed to describe the morphological and morphometrical features of the auditory ossicles in the red fox, as well as to provide their shape characteristics by geometric analysis. Nine adult red foxes were used in the study. The malleus, incus and stapes were extracted from the middle ear, prepared, photographed and measured using the software. For the geometric analysis, 19 landmarks were used. Following Principal Component Analysis (PCA), PC1 was found to explain approximately half of all variance (incus: 49.97%; malleus: 49.93%; stapes: 58.49%). The study demonstrated the similar anatomical organization of the auditory ossicles in line with important morphometric and basic geometric data, which can contribute to this field and add a useful perspective to the literature. Full article

Flavonoids are easily destroyed and their activity lost during gastrointestinal digestion. Protein-based nanocomplexes, a delivery system that promotes nutrient stability and bioactivity, have received increasing attention in recent years. This study investigated the stability, inhibitory activity against α-glucosidase and interaction mechanisms of protein-based nanocomplexes combining whey protein isolate (WPI), soybean protein isolate (SPI) and bovine serum albumin (BSA) with flavonoids (F) from A. keiskei using spectrophotometry, fluorescence spectra and molecular docking approaches. The results show that the flavonoid content of WPI-F (23.17 ± 0.86 mg/g) was higher than those of SPI-F (19.41 ± 0.56 mg/g) and BSA-F (20.15 ± 0.62 mg/g) after simulated digestion in vitro. Furthermore, the inhibition rate of WPI-F (23.63 ± 0.02%) against α-glucosidase was also better than those of SPI-F (18.56 ± 0.02%) and BSA-F (21.62 ± 0.02%). The inhibition rate of WPI-F increased to nearly double that of F alone (12.43 ± 0.02%) (p < 0.05). Molecular docking results indicated that the protein-flavonoids (P-F) binding occurs primarily through hydrophobic forces, hydrogen bonds and ionic bonds. Thermodynamic analysis (ΔH > 0, ΔS > 0) indicated that the P-F interactions are predominantly hydrophobic forces. In addition, the absolute value of ΔG for WPI-F is greater (−30.22 ± 2.69 kJ mol⁻¹), indicating that WPI-F releases more heat energy when synthesized and is more conducive to combination. This paper serves as a valuable reference for the stability and bioactivity of flavonoids from A. keiskei. Full article

This work discusses diatomic molecular spectroscopy of laser-induced plasma and analysis of data records, specifically signatures of cyanide, CN. Line strength data from various databases are compared for simulation of the CN, $B{}^2{\Sigma }^{+}⟶X{}^2{\Sigma }^{+}$, $\Delta \mathrm{v}=0$ sequence. Of interest are recent predictions using an astrophysical database, i.e., ExoMol, a laser-induced fluorescence database, i.e., LIFBASE, and a program for simulating rotational, vibrational, and electronic spectra, i.e., PGOPHER. Cyanide spectra that are predicted from these databases are compared with line-strength data that have been in use by the author for the last three decades in the analysis of laser–plasma emission spectra. Comparisons with experimental laser–plasma records are communicated as well for spectral resolutions of 33 and 110 picometer. The accuracy of the CN line-strength data is better than one picometer. Laboratory experiments utilize 308 nm, 35 picosecond bursts within an overall 1 nanosecond pulse-width, and 1064 nm, 6 ns pulse-width radiation. Experimental results are compared with predictions. Differences of the databases are elaborated for equilibrium of rotational and vibrational modes and at an internal, molecular temperature of the order of 8,000 Kelvin. Applications of accurate CN data include, for example, combustion diagnosis, chemistry, and supersonic and hypersonic expansion diagnosis. The cyanide molecule is also of interest in the study of astrophysical phenomena. Full article

The purpose of this study is to analyze whether the green space generated by river water engineering can promote urban development and the well-being of the elderly in high-risk environments. Firstly, quantitative research methods were used to analyze 750 valid questionnaires, and IBM SPSS Statistics 26.0 statistical software was used for data inspection. We continued to adopt the qualitative research method and collect the opinions of nine respondents according to the results of the questionnaire analysis. The data were then integrated, categorized, summarized, compared, and finally examined by multivariate analysis. The river green land has rich ecological and natural landscape resources and spacious leisure space, creating a comfortable leisure and living environment. This can increase job opportunities, promote community and economic development, and create safe leisure conditions. It can also improve people’s willingness for leisure, increase opportunities for interpersonal communication, and improve the quality of life and happiness of the elderly. If we should strengthen the soil structure of the river, pay attention to ecological conservation, and reduce exhaust gas and noise pollution to provide a more complete leisure space and enhance the contribution of river green space to rural areas and lives of the local elderly. Full article

Recently, aflatoxin exposure especially through maize and groundnuts has been associated with growth impairment in children. Infants and children are considered to be more susceptible to toxins because of their lower body weight, higher metabolic rate, and lower ability to detoxify. On the other hand, for women of reproductive age, aflatoxin exposure may not only affect their health but also that of their foetus in the case of pregnancy. This study focused on investigating AFB₁ contamination in maize and groundnut from respondent households, exposure among women of reproductive age and associations of aflatoxin contamination with growth retardation among children in Mtwara region, Tanzania. The highest maximum AFB₁ contamination levels from all samples obtained were in maize grain (2351.5 μg/kg). From a total of 217 maize samples collected, aflatoxins were above European Union (EU) and East African Community (EAC) tolerable limits in 76.0% and 64.5% of all samples. Specifically, maize grain had the highest proportion of samples contaminated above tolerable limits (80.3% and 71.1% for EU and EAC limits). Groundnut had 54.0% and 37.9% of samples above EU and EAC maximum tolerable limits. The lowest proportion of contaminated samples on the other hand was for bambara nut (37.5% and 29.2% for EU and EAC limits, respectively). Aflatoxin exposure in our surveyed population was much higher than previous observations made in Tanzania and also higher than those observed in Western countries such as Australia and the USA. Among children, AFB₁ concentration was associated with lower weight for height z scores and weight for age z scores in the univariate model (p < 0.05). In summary, these results indicate the seriousness of aflatoxin contamination in foods commonly consumed in the vulnerable population assessed. Strategies both from the health, trade, and nutrition sectors should therefore be designed and implemented to address aflatoxin and mycotoxin contamination in diets. Full article

Multicomponent reactions (MCRs) have emerged as a powerful strategy in synthetic organic chemistry due to their widespread applications in drug discovery and development. MCRs are flexible transformations in which three or more substrates react to form structurally complex products with high atomic efficiency. They are being increasingly appreciated as a highly exploratory and evolutionary tool by the medicinal chemistry community, opening the door to more sustainable, cost-effective and rapid synthesis of biologically active molecules. In recent years, MCR-based synthetic strategies have found extensive application in the field of drug discovery, and several anticancer drugs have been synthesized through MCRs. In this review, we present an overview of representative and recent literature examples documenting different approaches and applications of MCRs in the development of new anticancer drugs. Full article

Scolytinae beetles serve as important regulators of ecosystem integrity. However, some of these species have been identified as important pests. The Guangdong region of China exhibits unique geographic characteristics, but is also subject to substantial anthropogenic disturbances, making it an important region for ecological research. This study was designed to assess the biodiversity and abundance of these Scolytinae beetles in subtropical areas, to define indicators associated with environmental disturbances, and to thereby provide additional valuable information that can support the conservation of the ecosystem and the monitoring and controling of pest species. For these analyses, a two-season survey of Scolytinae communities was performed across three habitats to examine the patterns of variation within these communities. These analyses revealed that environmental disturbances were associated with a drop in Scolytinae beetle population diversity, with Hypothenemus sp.2, Xyleborinus andrewesi, and Xyleborinus artestriatus offering particular value as indicators associated with severe environmental disruptions. Plant diversity and composition also impacted Scolytinae beetle communities through a range of complex mechanisms. Scolytinae beetle diversity was also found to be higher during the rainy season relative to the dry season, with beetle abundance being responsive to average temperatures, but unrelated to average relative humidity levels. Full article

Carnivores with large home ranges are especially vulnerable to habitat fragmentation. As coyotes (Canis latrans) are often found living in highly modified landscapes, it is unclear how urban and suburban development impact gene flow between their populations. This study evaluated gene flow among coyotes inhabiting California sage scrub fragments within the highly developed Pomona Valley, California. We genotyped microsatellites from scat samples collected from four study sites to examine population structure between coyotes separated by a major freeway, coyotes separated by suburban development, and finally, coyotes in contiguous, natural habitat sites over 15 months. Though coyotes from all four sites were genetically distinct, near-complete turnover of individuals in sites and examination of temporal genetic structure and relatedness within one site indicated the movement of family groups through natural fragments over time. Thus, we argue that solely examining spatial genetic structure may create the illusion of genetic barriers among coyote populations where they may not exist, and that incorporating temporal components of genetic variation is critical to understanding gene flow across space and time in highly mobile animals. Understanding how to better study and manage coyotes, an apex predator, is key to the conservation of the endangered California sage scrub ecosystem. Full article

Although the prevalence of leukemia is increasing, the agents responsible for this increase are not definitely known. While ionizing radiation (IR) was classified as a group one carcinogen by the IARC, the IR-induced cancers, including leukemia, are indistinguishable from those that are caused by other factors, so the risk estimation relies on epidemiological data. Several epidemiological studies on atomic bomb survivors and persons undergoing IR exposure during medical investigations or radiotherapy showed an association between radiation and leukemia. IR is also known to induce chromosomal translocations. Specific chromosomal translocations resulting in preleukemic fusion genes (PFGs) are generally accepted to be the first hit in the onset of many leukemias. Several studies indicated that incidence of PFGs in healthy newborns is up to 100-times higher than childhood leukemia with the same chromosomal aberrations. Because of this fact, it has been suggested that PFGs are not able to induce leukemia alone, but secondary mutations are necessary. PFGs also have to occur in specific cell populations of hematopoetic stem cells with higher leukemogenic potential. In this review, we describe the connection between IR, PFGs, and cancer, focusing on recurrent PFGs where an association with IR has been established. Full article

Contemporary megawatt-scale data centers have emerged to meet the increasing demand for online cloud services and big data analytics. However, in such large-scale data centers, servers of different generations are installed gradually year by year, making the data center heterogeneous in computing capability and energy efficiency. Furthermore, due to different processor architectures, complex and diverse load dynamic changing, business coupling, and other reasons, operators pay great attention to processor hardware power consumption and server aggregation energy efficiency. Therefore, the simulation and analysis of the energy efficiency characteristics of data center servers under different processor architectures can help operators understand the energy efficiency characteristics of data centers and make the optimal task scheduling strategy. This is very beneficial for improving the energy efficiency of the production system and the entire data center. The Escope simulator designed in this study can simulate the online quantity (placement strategy) of different types of servers in the data center and the optimal operating range of the servers. The purpose of this is to analyze the energy efficiency characteristics of all servers in the data center and provide data center operators with the energy efficiency and energy proportionality characteristics of different servers, improve server utilization, and perform reasonable scheduling. Through the simulation experiment of Escope, it can be proved that running the server at the highest energy efficiency point or running the server under full load cannot improve the energy efficiency of the entire data center. The simulation algorithm provided by Escope can select the optimal set of servers and their corresponding utilization. Escope can set up a variety of simulation strategies, and data center operators can simulate data center energy efficiency according to their own needs. Escope can also calculate the power cost savings of introducing new servers in the data center, which provides an essential reference for operators to purchase servers and design data centers. Full article

Understanding the creation and development of a supercavitation bubble is essential for the design of supercavitational underwater vehicles and applications. The pressure field of the supercavitation bubble is one of the most significant factors in these processes, and it should be taken into account in the analysis. The underwater vessel is surrounded by a supercavitation bubble which is, in fact, an inhomogeneous fluid containing cavities (also described as microbubbles). The distribution of the cavities in the supercavitation volume dictates the pressure field and thus determines the stresses and forces that act on the vessel and affect its motion and stability. In this research, we suggest a new approach to studying the bubbles’ formation and learning about the cavities’ distribution in the low-pressure volume that envelops the underwater vehicle. We used Logvinovich’s principle to describe a two-dimensional ring of fluid that is created at the front edge of the supercavitation body and moves downstream along the vessel. To describe the distribution of the cavities we used Gillespie’s algorithm ,which is usually used to describe biological and chemical systems. The algorithm succeeded in describing the random movement of the cavities in the cross-section under various conditions and also in describing their distribution and effects on the macroscopic system. A few factors of the physical characteristics of the fluid and the flow conditions were examined (the initial bubble supply, and the rate coefficients of creation and collapse). The results led to the conclusion that with an examination of those factors and using Gillespie’s algorithm, predictions of the distribution and thus the development of supercavitation could be achieved. The main finding of the analysis was that asymmetric development of the bubbles took place, in spite of the symmetry of the physical problem, as observed in high-resolution experiments. Full article

Microalgal biomass represents a very interesting biological feedstock to be converted into several high-value products in a biorefinery approach. In this study, the cyanobacterium Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 was used to obtain different classes of molecules: proteins, carotenoids and lipids by using a cascade approach. In particular, the protein extract showed a selective cytotoxicity towards cancer cells, whereas carotenoids were found to be active as antioxidants both in vitro and on a cell-based model. Finally, for the first time, lipids were recovered from Synechocystis biomass as the last class of molecules and were successfully used as an alternative substrate for the production of polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) by the native PHA producer Pseudomonas resinovorans. Taken together, our results lead to a significant increase in the valorization of Synechocystis sp. PCC6803 biomass, thus allowing a possible offsetting of the process costs. Full article

This article presents the methodology to design a single-fed circularly-polarized antenna with low front-to-back ratio (FBR). A circular-patch (CPatch) antenna has been incorporated within the rectangular-cavity, made of, substrate integrated waveguide (SIW). The size of the CPatch and the SIW cavity has been chosen appropriately, in a manner, that the both resonators dominant mode coincide. This arrangement has been adopted to realize the basic radiating unit with no surface-wave and the significantly lower FBR. The circularly polarization has been excited through shorting the periphery of CPatch radiator to the “one of the two metallic grounds” of this SIW cavity. The patch periphery has been shorted from two distinct points, separated by the quarter wavelength—Over center frequency of working band. The antenna has been designed and manufactured over Rogers RT/Duroid 5880 substrate with dielectric constant (ε_r) of 2.2, loss-tangent (tan δ, at 10 GHz) of 0.0009, and substrate height of 0.508 mm. Southwest^® end launcher (SEL) along with SIW-to-GCPW (Grounded Co-Planar Waveguide) transition has been used here to facilitate the measurement of antenna’s electrical and the radiation performance. The designed antenna’s impedance bandwidth and the 3 dB axial-ratio (AR) bandwidth is 9.5% and the 2.3%, respectively. It’s simulated and the measured peak gain, within working frequency band, is higher than 8.5dBic. The proposed antenna’s FBR is antenna is significantly lower than the conventional circularly-polarized antennas. Through comparative study, with work in open literature, it has been demonstrated that the designed antenna, based on proposed method, can a potential candidate for applicable in satellite and in the other spaceborne communication system’s module—At ground and in the space station. Full article

The discovery and development of new drugs are extremely long and costly processes. Recent progress in artificial intelligence has made a positive impact on the drug development pipeline. Numerous challenges have been addressed with the growing exploitation of drug-related data and the advancement of deep learning technology. Several model frameworks have been proposed to enhance the performance of deep learning algorithms in molecular design. However, only a few have had an immediate impact on drug development since computational results may not be confirmed experimentally. This systematic review aims to summarize the different deep learning architectures used in the drug discovery process and are validated with further in vivo experiments. For each presented study, the proposed molecule or peptide that has been generated or identified by the deep learning model has been biologically evaluated in animal models. These state-of-the-art studies highlight that even if artificial intelligence in drug discovery is still in its infancy, it has great potential to accelerate the drug discovery cycle, reduce the required costs, and contribute to the integration of the 3R (Replacement, Reduction, Refinement) principles. Out of all the reviewed scientific articles, seven algorithms were identified: recurrent neural networks, specifically, long short-term memory (LSTM-RNNs), Autoencoders (AEs) and their Wasserstein Autoencoders (WAEs) and Variational Autoencoders (VAEs) variants; Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs); Direct Message Passing Neural Networks (D-MPNNs); and Multitask Deep Neural Networks (MTDNNs). LSTM-RNNs were the most used architectures with molecules or peptide sequences as inputs. Full article

Biochar (BC), nitrification inhibitors (methyl 3-(4-hydroxyphenyl) propionate, MHPP), and urease inhibitors (n-butyl phosphorothioate triamine, NBPT) have emerged as effective soil greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation strategies in agroecosystems. However, the combined use of BC and inhibitors in karst areas has no available data. Therefore, the combined effects of BC, MHPP, and NBPT on GHG emissions, global warming potential (GWP) and nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in roasted tobacco cropping systems were studied to improve the understanding in climate mitigation. CO₂, CH₄, and N₂O emissions from soils were measured using static chamber-gas chromatography. Results showed that the combined use of BC and inhibitors significantly increased soil total nitrogen, available potassium, electric conductivity, pH, and soil organic matter compared to the control. The combined use of BC and MHPP or NBPT significantly increased cumulative soil CO₂ emissions by 33.95% and 34.25%, respectively. The exponential–exponential function of soil CO₂ fluxes with soil moisture and temperature demonstrated good fit (R²: 0.506–0.836). The combination of BC and NBPT increased the cumulative soil CH₄ emissions by 14.28% but not significantly compared to the fertiliser treatment. However, the combination of BC and MHPP resulted in a significant reduction in cumulative soil CH₄ emissions by 80.26%. In addition, the combined use of BC and MHPP or NBPT significantly reduced the cumulative soil N₂O emissions by 26.55% and 40.67%, respectively. The inhibition effect of NBPT was better than MHPP. Overall, the combined use of BC and inhibitors significantly reduced the yield-scaled GWP, markedly increased crop yield and NUE, and mitigated climate change in the southwest karst region. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic has posed a significant challenge to global public health. In response, the search for specific antiviral drugs that can effectively treat the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has become a priority. While significant progress has been made in this regard, much work remains to address this ongoing crisis effectively. Favipiravir is an antiviral drug initially developed for the treatment of influenza and has received approval for emergency use for COVID-19 in many countries. A better understanding of the biodistribution and pharmacokinetics of Favipiravir in vivo would facilitate the development and translation of clinical antiviral drugs for COVID-19. Herein, we report the evaluation of [¹⁸F]Favipiravir in naive mice, transgenic mice models of Alzheimer’s disease, and nonhuman primates (NHP) with positron emission tomography (PET). The [¹⁸F]Favipiravir was obtained in an overall decay-corrected radiochemical yield of 29% with a molar activity of 25 GBq/µmol at the end of synthesis (EOS). PET imaging in naive mice, transgenic mice models of Alzheimer’s disease, and nonhuman primates revealed a low initial brain uptake, followed by a slow washout of [¹⁸F]Favipiravir in vivo. The [¹⁸F]Favipiravir was eliminated by a combination of hepatobiliary and urinary excretion. The low brain uptake was probably attributed to the low lipophilicity and low passive permeability of the drug. We hope this proof-of-concept study will provide a unique feature to study antiviral drugs using their corresponding isotopologues by PET. Full article

Fascaplysin is a planar structure pentacyclic alkaloid isolated from sponges, which can effectively induce the apoptosis of cancer cells. In addition, fascaplysin has diverse biological activities, such as antibacterial, anti-tumor, anti-plasmodium, etc. Unfortunately, the planar structure of fascaplysin can be inserted into DNA and such interaction also limits the further application of fascaplysin, necessitating its structural modification. In this review, the biological activity, total synthesis and structural modification of fascaplysin will be summarized, which will provide useful information for pharmaceutical researchers interested in the exploration of marine alkaloids and for the betterment of fascaplysin in particular. Full article

The microbiome consists mostly of bacteria, but new evidence and developments in sequencing methods have shown that fungi play an important role in human health and in the stability of the microbiota. Scientific knowledge about the role of commensal fungi in intestinal, oral, vaginal and cutaneous communities has been increasing; however, more studies are still needed to better understand their action in these niches. To date, fungal research focuses primarily on opportunistic diseases caused by fungal species, leaving unclear the possible role of fungi as an integral part of the microbiota. Although they are much less abundant than bacteria, fungi such as species belonging to the genus Candida, Malassezia, Rhodotorula and Cryptococcus are some of the yeasts that have been in the focus of the scientific community because they inhabit various niches. In this review, we have summarized the current information about the yeasts that inhabit the human body, including some of the diseases that they can cause when the microbiota becomes unstable. Full article

As precious cultural heritage sites, the state of preservation of cave temples is closely related to the geological and climatic conditions in which they are located. This paper constructed an analytical method of sized slate stability based on the equivalent support stiffness method. The stability analysis of the roof slab of Yuanjue Cave was carried out by establishing a three-dimensional numerical calculation model. Through comparative analysis of the results of stress and displacement fields under different conditions, the stress and deformation characteristics of the roof slab of Yuanjue Cave were revealed, as well as the study of the main factors affecting the stability of the roof slab of Yuanjue Cave and the key slate to be monitored. The main research results are as follows. The stress deformation of the roof plate of Yuanjue cave is mainly divided into the initial uniform change stage, the medium-term stable change stage or the medium-term accelerated change stage, and the later rapid change stage. With the increase in the number of overhanging and broken slates and the increase in the damage factor of cracked slates, the vertical stress extremum of the stones increases continuously, and the equivalent support stiffness decreases, which aggravates the uneven stress deformation of the roof of the Yuanjue Cave. This study provides a reliable reference basis for the stability analysis and evaluation of the roof slab of a large number of cave temples existing in the Sichuan and Chongqing areas in China. Full article

In this study, galactomannan (GM), including guar gum (GG) or locust bean gum (LG), was incorporated into a κ-carrageenan film to improve barrier properties and reduce the swelling ratio (SR). The effects of that with different concentrations on optical, mechanical, barrier, swelling and thermal properties of the κ-carrageenan-based film were researched. SEM and rheological results showed that both κ-carrageenan/GG and κ-carrageenan/LG had good compatibility and stability. FTIR results showed that LG was easier to form hydrogen bonds with κ-carrageenan. The KC-L exhibited excellent mechanical properties, barrier properties, and SR than KC-G. The film with 15% GM had good light transmittance. Moreover, the thermal stability of the film could be improved by adding GMs. This study reports that the κ-carrageenan–GM film has potential in packaging applications. Full article

North Brazil Current (NBC) rings are believed to play a key role in the Atlantic Ocean circulation and climate. Here, we use a new collection of high-resolution in-situ observations acquired during the EUREC${}^4$A-OA field experiment together with satellite altimetry to define, with unprecedented detail, the structure and evolution of these eddies. In-situ observations reveal a more complex structure than previously documented. In particular, we highlight a measurable impact of the Amazon outflow in creating a barrier layer over a large portion of the eddies. We show that this unprecedented data set allows us to estimate the accuracy of satellite altimetry gridded fields. The geostrophic velocities derived from satellite altimetry turn out to be considerably lower (up to 50% in amplitude) than the values measured by current meters. However, eddy properties as detected by TOEddies, a newly developed algorithm show to be relatively precise. For example, the eddy center and maximum azimuthal velocity contour fall within 25 ± 5 km and 16 ± 9 km, respectively, from the in-situ observed values. We apply TOEddies to 27 years of satellite altimetry to investigate the generic NBC rings behavior. We found a mean generation rate of 4.5 ± 1.1 rings per year, and a strong seasonal cycle in all eddy properties. Full article

The early detection of fatal diseases is crucial for medical diagnostics and treatment, both of which benefit the individual and society. Portable devices, such as thermometers and blood pressure monitors, and large instruments, such as computed tomography (CT) and X-ray scanners, have already been implemented to collect health-related information. However, collecting health information using conventional medical equipment at home or in a hospital can be inefficient and can potentially affect the timeliness of treatment. Therefore, on-time vital signal collection via healthcare monitoring has received increasing attention. As the largest organ of the human body, skin delivers significant signals reflecting our health condition; thus, receiving vital signals directly from the skin offers the opportunity for accessible and versatile non-invasive monitoring. In particular, emerging flexible and stretchable electronics demonstrate the capability of skin-like devices for on-time and continuous long-term health monitoring. Compared to traditional electronic devices, this type of device has better mechanical properties, such as skin conformal attachment, and maintains compatible detectability. This review divides the health information that can be obtained from skin using the sensor aspect’s input energy forms into five categories: thermoelectrical signals, neural electrical signals, photoelectrical signals, electrochemical signals, and mechanical pressure signals. We then summarize current skin-wearable health monitoring devices and provide outlooks on future development. Full article

The transplantation of neural progenitors into a host brain represents a useful tool to evaluate the involvement of cell-autonomous processes and host local cues in the regulation of neuronal differentiation during the development of the mammalian brain. Human brain development starts at the embryonic stages, in utero, with unique properties at its neotenic stages. We analyzed the engraftment and differentiation of human neuronal progenitor cells (hNPCs) transplanted in utero into the mouse brain. The influence of the environment was studied by transplanting human NPCs within the lateral ventricles (LV), compared with the prefrontal cortex (PFC) of immunocompetent mice. We developed a semi-automated method to accurately quantify the number of cell bodies and the distribution of neuronal projections among the different mouse brain structures, at 1 and 3 months post-transplantation (MPT). Our data show that human NPCs can differentiate between immature “juvenile” neurons and more mature pyramidal cells in a reproducible manner. Depending on the injection site, LV vs. PFC, specific fetal local environments could modify the synaptogenesis processes while maintaining human neoteny. The use of immunocompetent mice as host species allows us to investigate further neuropathological conditions making use of all of the engineered mouse models already available. Full article

Peatland restoration has become a common land-use management practice in recent years, with the water table depth (WTD) being one of the key monitoring elements, where it is used as a proxy for various ecosystem functions. Regular, uninterrupted, and spatially representative WTD data in situ can be difficult to collect, and therefore, remotely sensed data offer an attractive alternative for landscape-scale monitoring. In this study, we illustrate the application of Sentinel-1 SAR backscatter for water table depth monitoring in near-natural and restored blanket bogs in the Flow Country of northern Scotland. Among the study sites, the near-natural peatlands presented the smallest fluctuations in the WTD (with depths typically between 0 and 15 cm) and had the most stable radar signal throughout the year (~3 to 4 dB amplitude). Previously drained and afforested peatlands undergoing restoration management were found to have higher WTD fluctuations (depths up to 35 cm), which were also reflected in higher shifts in the radar backscatter (up to a ~6 dB difference within a year). Sites where more advanced restoration methods have been applied, however, were associated with shallower water table depths and smoother surfaces. Three models—simple linear regression, multiple linear regression, and the random forest model—were evaluated for their potential to predict water table dynamics in peatlands using Sentinel-1 SAR backscatter. The random forest model was found to be the most suited, with the highest correlation scores, lowest RMSE values, and overall good temporal fit (R² = 0.66, RMSE = 2.1 cm), and multiple linear regression came in a close second (R² = 0.59, RMSE = 4.5 cm). The impact of standing water, terrain ruggedness, and the ridge and furrow aspect on the model correlation scores was tested but found not to have a statistically significant influence. We propose that this approach, using Sentinel-1 and random forest models to predict the WTD, has strong potential and should be tested in a wider range of peatland sites. Full article