Search Results (121)

This paper introduces a novel hybrid metaheuristic optimization algorithm, combining improved formulations of the Slime Mould Algorithm (SMA) and the Jaya Algorithm (JA) (HSMJA) with online distributed computing (ODC), referred to as HSMJA-ODC. While HSMJA hybridizes the improved versions of SMA and JA formulations to maximize searchability, ODC significantly reduces the computation time of the optimization process. The proposed HSMJA-ODC algorithm is used for the weight minimization of steel space frames under strength, displacement, and geometric size constraints. The optimization results obtained from three steel frames confirm the efficiency and robustness of the proposed HSMJA-ODC algorithm, which consistently converges on competitively optimized designs in comparison to its rivals. Moreover, distributed computing reduces computation time by more than 80% compared to single-computer implementations. Full article

Background/Objectives: Despite recent therapeutic advances, the clinical management of renal cell carcinoma (RCC) remains suboptimal. Current treatments are hindered by limited efficacy, the emergence of acquired drug resistance, suboptimal tolerability, and a lack of tumor-specific targeting. While development of novel agents remains an important avenue, it is often constrained by high costs, long development time, and low success rates. As an alternative approach, drug combinations of approved agents offer a promising strategy. Methods: Using our proprietary drug combination methodology, we identified multidrug combinations in RCC cells representing the clear cell (786O) and sarcomatoid chromophobe (UOK276) histological subtypes of RCC. Results: From an initial panel of 10 drugs, either approved or undergoing clinical trial, the optimized drug combinations (ODCs) contained crizotinib, telaglenastat, U-104, and vismodegib at clinical and subtherapeutic doses. The ODCs were non-toxic in advanced hepatic, renal, and cardiac cellular models. Importantly, their anti-tumor activity, already notable in normoxic (21% O₂) conditions (approx. 50%) was markedly enhanced in tumor-relevant hypoxia (1.5% O₂), reaching up to 77% in 2D and 62% in 3D spheroid 786O models. Moreover, chronic exposure of 786O and UOK276 cells led to durable responses, suggesting a prolonged effect in responders. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate the potential of optimized, non-toxic drug combinations as a highly selective and effective strategy for accelerating the development of precision RCC treatment. Full article

Polyamines (PAs), including putrescine, spermidine, spermine, and thermospermine, play essential roles in plant growth, development, and responses to stress. However, the structure and function of PA biosynthetic genes in pepper remain poorly characterized. This study aimed to identify PA biosynthesis genes in the pepper genome using bioinformatics approaches and to assess their expression under various stress conditions. A total of 16 PA biosynthesis-related genes were identified, representing members of the arginine decarboxylase (ADC), ornithine decarboxylase (ODC), agmatine iminohydrolase (AIH), N-carbamoylputrescine amidohydrolase (CPA), S-adenosylmethionine decarboxylase (SAMDC), spermidine synthase (SPDS), spermine synthase (SPMS), and ACAULIS5 (ACL5) gene families. These genes encode proteins with an average molecular weight of approximately 40 kDa, primarily localized in the mitochondria and cytoplasm. Promoter analysis revealed multiple cis-acting elements associated with stress and phytohormone responsiveness. Gene expression was induced by various abiotic stresses, including saline-alkaline, drought, heat, cold, and hydrogen peroxide, as well as by phytohormones such as abscisic acid, ethylene, salicylic acid, auxin, and gibberellin. Overall, this study provides a comprehensive analysis of PA biosynthesis genes in pepper and highlights their potential roles in stress adaptation and hormone signalling, offering a foundation for further exploration of PA-mediated stress tolerance mechanisms. Full article

The design of robots is highly dependent on their applications. For agricultural robots, terrain, weather, and crop diversity need to be considered, and work efficiency, cost, and reliability must be evaluated. These factors are important to determine the design of agricultural robots. In this study, we identified the constraint factors of agricultural robots from the perspectives of navigation, movement, control, cost, and reliability. The orthogonal defect classification (ODC) method was used to classify and grade these factors and explore the relationships among these factors. Based on the results, the design rules of agricultural robots were created, and an automatic production knowledge base of agricultural robot design was constructed. The results contribute to the automatic generation of the design framework of agricultural robots under specific environments to effectively improve the design level and quality of agricultural robots and popularize agricultural robots. Full article

The Ouarzazate Group in the Anti-Atlas Belt of southern Morocco, part of the West African Craton (WAC), is a significant Proterozoic lithostratigraphic unit formed during the late Ediacaran period. It includes extensive volcanic rocks associated with the early stages of Iapetus Ocean opening. Zircon U-Pb dating and geochemical analyses of the Oued Dar’a Caldera (ODC) volcanic succession in the Saghro Massif reveal two major eruptive cycles corresponding to the lower and upper Ouarzazate Group. The 1st cycle (588–563 Ma) includes pre- and syn-caldera volcanic succession characterized by basaltic andesite to rhyolitic rocks, formed in a volcanic arc setting through lithospheric mantle-derived mafic magmatism and crustal melting. A major caldera-forming eruption occurred approximately 571–562 Ma, with associated rhyolitic dyke swarms indicating a larger caldera extent than previously known. The 2nd cycle (561–543 Ma) features post-caldera bimodal volcanism, with tholeiitic basalts and intraplate felsic magmas, signaling a shift to continental flood basalts and silicic volcanic systems. The entire volcanic activity spans approximately 23–40 million years. This succession is linked to late Ediacaran intracontinental super-eruptions tied to orogenic collapse and continental extension, likely in association with the Central Iapetus Magmatic Province (CIMP), marking a significant transition in the geodynamic evolution of the WAC. Full article

Microscopic cell classification is a fundamental challenge in both clinical diagnosis and biological research. However, existing methods still struggle with the complexity and morphological diversity of cellular images, leading to limited accuracy or high computational costs. To overcome these constraints, we propose an efficient classification method that balances strong feature representation with a lightweight design. Specifically, an Inception-Linear Attention-based Lightweight Vision Transformer (ILViT) model is developed for microscopic cell classification. The ILViT integrates two innovative modules: Dynamic Inception Convolution (DIC) and Contrastive Omni-Kolmogorov Attention (COKA). DIC combines dynamic and Inception-style convolutions to replace large kernels with fewer parameters. COKA integrates Omni-Dimensional Dynamic Convolution (ODC), linear attention, and a Kolmogorov-Arnold Network(KAN) structure to enhance feature learning and model interpretability. With only 1.91 GFLOPs and 8.98 million parameters, ILViT achieves high efficiency. Extensive experiments on four public datasets are conducted to validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. It achieves an accuracy of 97.185% on BioMediTech dataset for classifying retinal pigment epithelial cells, 97.436% on ICPR-HEp-2 dataset for diagnosing autoimmune disorders via HEp-2 cell classification, 90.528% on Hematological Malignancy Bone Marrow Cytology Expert Annotation dataset for categorizing bone marrow cells, and 99.758% on a white blood cell dataset for distinguishing leukocyte subtypes. These results show that ILViT outperforms the state-of-the-art models in both accuracy and efficiency, demonstrating strong generalizability and practical potential for cell image classification. Full article

Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) is the rate-limiting enzyme in the biosynthesis of polyamines and plant alkaloids, including medicinal tropane alkaloids (TAs). Due to its key role, ODC has been utilized as an effective molecular tool in metabolic engineering. However, to date, only a limited number of plant ODCs have been characterized. Among the reported ODCs, Erythroxylum coca ODC (EcODC) exclusively has ODC activity, while Nicotiana glutinosa ODC (NgODC) exhibits dual ODC and lysine decarboxylase (LDC) activities. The potential LDC activity of ODCs from TA-producing plants remains unknown. Here, we characterized AlODC and DsODC from Anisodus luridus and Datura stramonium, along with two previously reported ODCs from Atropa belladonna (AbODC) and Hyoscyamus niger (HnODC), in Escherichia coli to investigate their enzyme kinetics and substrate specificity. Enzymatic assays revealed that both AlODC and DsODC catalyzed the conversion of ornithine to putrescine, confirming their ODC activity, with AlODC exhibiting a higher catalytic efficiency, comparable to established ODCs. Furthermore, all four ODCs also displayed LDC activity, albeit at significantly lower efficiency (<1% of ODC activity). This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the enzyme kinetics of ODCs from TA-producing plants, identifying promising candidate genes for metabolic engineering for the biomanufacturing of putrescine-derived alkaloids. Moreover, this is the first report of LDC activity in ODCs from Solanaceae TA-producing plants, shedding light on the evolutionary relationship between ODC and LDC. Full article

The power take-off (PTO) control strategy plays a crucial role in the heave response and power absorption of wave energy converters (WECs). This paper presents an adaptive damping PTO system to increase the power absorption of an oscillating-float WEC considering irregular wave conditions. A mathematical model of the WEC is established based on linear wave theory and validated by the Co-simulation of AMESIM and STAR-CCM+. The heave response and the power absorption of the WEC are calculated by the mathematical model, and an optimal damping database for the PTO system is constructed. The wavelet transformation is applied to analyze the frequencies distribution versus time history of irregular waves. The proposed optimal damping control (ODC) is employed to optimize the power absorption of the adaptive damping PTO system under two types of irregular waves. The results show that ODC can improve power absorption by allowing the WEC to adapt to different sea states. Compared to constant damping control (CDC), optimal damping control (ODC) increases the power absorption of the float by 62.5% in combined waves and up to 30 W in irregular waves. Full article

The biology literature addresses two puzzles: (i) the increase in specific metabolic rate of organs (SOrMR, W/kg of organ) with a decrease in body mass (M_B) of biological species (BS), and (ii) how the organs recognize they are in a smaller or larger body and adjust metabolic rates of the body (${\dot{q}}_B$) accordingly. These puzzles were answered in the author’s earlier work by linking the field of oxygen-deficient combustion (ODC) of fuel particle clouds (FC) in engineering to the field of oxygen-deficient metabolism (ODM) of cell clouds (CC) in biology. The current work extends the ODM hypothesis to predict the whole-body metabolic rates of 114 BS and demonstrates Kleiber’s power law {${\dot{q}}_B = a {M_B}^b$}. The methodology is based on the postulate of Lindstedt and Schaeffer that “150 ton blue whale. and the 2 g Etruscan shrew.. share the same.. biochemical pathways” and involve the following steps: (i) extension of the effectiveness factor relation, expressed in terms of the dimensionless group number G (=Thiele Modulus²), from engineering to the organs of BS, (ii) modification of G as G_OD for the biology literature as a measure of oxygen deficiency (OD), (iii) collection of data on organ and body masses of 116 species and prediction of SOrMR_k of organ k of 114 BS (from 0.0076 kg Shrew to 6650 kg elephant) using only the SOrMR_k and organ masses of two reference species (Shrew, 0.0076 kg: RS-1; Rat Wistar, 0.390 kg: RS-2), (iv) estimation of ${\dot{q}}_B$ for 114 species versus M_B and demonstration of Kleiber’s law with a = 2.962, b = 0.747, and (v) extension of ODM to predict the allometric law for maximal metabolic rate (under exercise, {${\dot{q}}_{B,MMR} = a_{MMR} {M_B}^{b_{MMR}}$}) and validate the approach for MMR by comparing b_MMR with the literature data. A method of detecting hypoxic condition of an organ as a precursor to cancer is suggested for use by medical personnel Full article

To address the limitation of traditional deep learning algorithms in fully utilizing contextual information in multispectral remote sensing (RS) images, this paper proposes an improved vegetation cover classification algorithm called LO-MLPRNN, which integrates Large Selective Kernel Network (LSK) and Omni-Dimensional Dynamic Convolution (ODC) with a Multi-Layer Perceptron Recurrent Neural Network (MLPRNN). The algorithm employs parallel-connected ODC and LSK modules to adaptively adjust convolution kernel parameters across multiple dimensions and dynamically optimize spatial receptive fields, enabling multi-perspective feature fusion for efficient processing of multispectral band information. The extracted features are mapped to a high-dimensional space through a Gate Recurrent Unit (GRU) and fully connected layers, with nonlinear characteristics enhanced by activation functions, ultimately achieving pixel-level land cover classification. Experiments conducted on GF-2 (0.75 m) and Sentinel-2 (10 m) multispectral RS images from Liucheng County, Liuzhou City, Guangxi Province, demonstrate that LO-MLPRNN achieves overall accuracies of 99.11% and 99.43%, outperforming Vision Transformer (ViT) by 2.61% and 3.98%, respectively. Notably, the classification accuracy for sugarcane reaches 99.70% and 99.67%, showcasing its superior performance. Full article

The European wine industry is embracing sustainability through circular economy principles, particularly by valorizing by-products, such as grape stems. Grape stems are rich in phenolic compounds with recognized health benefits. This study investigates the bioactive potential of molecules extracted from a blend of grape stems (GS blend extract). The GS blend extract was chemically characterized in terms of total phenolic content (TPC), ortho-diphenol content (ODC), and flavonoid content (FC), with key compounds identified via HPLC-MS. The extract’s antioxidant capacity was assessed using ABTS, FRAP, and DPPH assays, while its anti-aging and depigmenting properties were evaluated through elastase and tyrosinase inhibition assays. Additionally, in vitro assays were conducted to assess its effects on skin cells, including morphology, metabolic activity, cell cycle, and cell migration. The GS blend extract was found to be rich in proanthocyanidins and exhibited notable antioxidant and depigmenting properties. In vitro assays demonstrated that the extract had no significant impact on cellular metabolic activity or cell morphology, although a reorganization of the cell monolayer was observed. Furthermore, deviations in cell migration and cell cycle regulation suggest that the GS blend extract may aid in scar formation management. Notably, the extract arrested fibroblasts in the Sub G0-G1 phase and inhibited HaCaT cell migration, supporting its potential application in cosmetic and pharmaceutical formulations aimed at scar modulation and skin health. Full article

The polyamine pathway in Leishmania parasites has emerged as a promising target for therapeutic intervention, yet the functions of polyamines in parasites remain largely unexplored. Ornithine decarboxylase (ODC) and spermidine synthase (SPDSYN) catalyze the sequential conversion of ornithine to putrescine and spermidine. We previously found that Leishmania donovani Δodc and Δspdsyn mutants exhibit markedly reduced growth in vitro and diminished infectivity in mice, with the effect being most pronounced in putrescine-depleted Δodc mutants. Here, we report that, in polyamine-free media, ∆odc mutants arrested proliferation and replication, while ∆spdsyn mutants showed a slow growth and replication phenotype. Starved ∆odc parasites also exhibited a marked reduction in metabolism, which was not observed in the starved ∆spdsyn cells. In contrast, both mutants displayed mitochondrial membrane hyperpolarization. Hallmarks of apoptosis, specifically DNA fragmentation and membrane modifications, were observed in Δodc mutants incubated in polyamine-free media. These results show that putrescine depletion had an immediate detrimental effect on cell growth, replication, and mitochondrial metabolism and caused an apoptosis-like death phenotype. Our findings establish ODC as the most promising therapeutic target within the polyamine biosynthetic pathway for treating leishmaniasis. Full article

Black spot, one of the major diseases of kiwifruit, is caused by Alternaria alternata. A comprehensive investigation into its pathogenicity mechanism is imperative in order to propose a targeted and effective control strategy. The effect of L-arginine on the pathogenicity of A. alternata and the underlying mechanisms were investigated. The results showed that treatment with 5 mM L⁻¹ of L-arginine promoted spore germination and increased the colony diameter and lesion diameter of A. alternata in vivo and in vitro, which were 23.1% and 9.3% higher than that of the control, respectively. Exogenous L-arginine treatment also induced endogenous L-arginine and nitric oxide (NO) accumulation by activating nitric oxide synthase (NOS), arginine decarboxylase (ADC) and ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). In addition, exogenous L-arginine triggered an increase in reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels by activating the activity and inducing gene expression upregulation of NADPH oxidase. The hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and superoxide anion (O₂^.−) levels were 15.9% and 2.2 times higher, respectively, than in the control group on the second day of L-arginine treatment. Meanwhile, antioxidant enzyme activities and gene expression levels were enhanced, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), ascorbate peroxidase (APX), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione reductase (GR). In addition, exogenous L-arginine stimulated cell wall-degrading enzymes in vivo and in vitro by activating gene expression. These results suggested that exogenous L-arginine promoted the pathogenicity of A. alternata by inducing the accumulation of polyamines, NO, and ROS, and by activating systems of antioxidants and cell wall-degrading enzymes. The present study not only revealed the mechanism by which low concentrations of L-arginine increase the pathogenicity of A. alternata, but also provided a theoretical basis for the exclusive and precise targeting of A. alternata in kiwifruit. Full article

Cognitive impairment and dementia are common in patients with chronic kidney disease, including those undergoing hemodialysis. Since magnesium and phosphate play important roles in brain function and aging, alterations in these and other factors related to bone mineral disorder (MBD) may contribute to low cognitive performance in patients on hemodialysis. This cross-sectional study examined the associations between cognitive function and MBD-related factors among 1207 patients on maintenance hemodialysis. Cognitive function was assessed by the Modified Mini-Mental State examination (3MS). The exposure variables of interest were serum magnesium, phosphate, calcium, calcium–phosphate product, intact parathyroid hormone, fetuin-A, T50 calciprotein crystallization test, use of phosphate binders, use of cinacalcet, and use of vitamin D receptor activators. Multivariable-adjusted linear regression models were used to examine the associations between 3MS and each of the exposure variables independent of 13 potential non-mineral confounders. We found that lower 3MS was associated with lower serum magnesium, lower phosphate, lower calcium–phosphate product, and nonuse of phosphate binders. These results suggest that magnesium and phosphate play potentially protective roles against cognitive impairment in this population. Full article

Biofilm formation of clinical isolates of Aeromonas salmonicida subspecies salmonicida was compared using scarce (minimal M9 and ABTG w/o amino acids) and enriched nutrient media (Tryptone Soya broth) at 8 °C, 16 °C, and 25 °C using direct enumeration of viable cells in biofilm (log CFU), crystal violet staining (ODc) of the formed biofilm biomass, and liquid–air border biofilm formation (pellicle test). Whole-genome sequencing (WGS) was performed with the usage of an Oxford nanopore system by Genomics and Transcriptomics Labor Düsseldorf (Heinrich-Heine-Universität Düsseldorf, Germany). A bioinformatic analysis was performed with the usage of Geneious Prime^® 2023.0.4 (Biomatters, Inc., Boston, MA, USA). All data were analyzed using Statistica software version 13.0, and changes in biofilm production in correlation to changes in the type of nutritional medium and temperature were compared between groups using a one-way ANOVA analysis and Tukey’s test. All isolates formed biofilms in minimal M9 at 8 °C and 16 °C, and nine isolates failed to form biofilms in minimal M9 at 25 °C. In an ABTG medium, all isolates produced biofilms at 8 °C; however, three isolates at 16 °C and seven isolates at 25 °C failed to form any biofilms. Significant biofilm formation was observed in TSB at all temperatures. Some strains that formed a good biofilm in solid–liquid interface did not have the ability to form a pellicle (liquid–air border biofilm), and vice versa. In all cases of nutritional medium and temperature changes, there were statistically significant differences in the intensity of biofilm production, especially in the detected number of viable cells inside biofilms (log CFU, p < 0.005). Multiple biofilm-production genes, including polar flagella (filM) LuxR family (transcriptional regulators) and VapA family of histidine-kinase-associated genes, were sequenced from all studied isolates. Genetic differences based on geographical origin were not observed among the isolates. Significant variations in isolates’ ability to form biofilms were observed, possibly due to epigenetic factors. The optimal temperature for biofilm formation of A. salmonicida subspecies salmonicida in scarce media was 8 °C, and the majority of isolates were not capable of biofilm formation at 25 °C without enriched nutrient media. Full article