Search Results (411)

Efficient and reliable transmission of compressed images over noisy channels remains a significant challenge due to the high sensitivity to noise. Quantum communication offers a promising solution by encoding classical information into quantum states; however, these states are still susceptible to noise and quantum decoherence. To address these limitations, we propose a complex-valued orthogonal unitary superposition (COUS) encoding integrated with a three-qubit quantum error correction (QEC) framework for robust and low-complexity quantum image transmission. The COUS encoding preserves both amplitude and phase information, enhancing reconstruction fidelity while maintaining practical scalability. In the proposed system, images are first compressed using either the joint photographic experts group (JPEG) standard or the high-efficiency image file (HEIF) standard and encoded into quantum states. Quantum channel coding is then applied to protect against quantum noise, followed by COUS encoding prior to transmission. At the receiver, the transmitted data undergoes COUS decoding, quantum error correction, quantum decoding, and source decoding to reconstruct the images. Performance improvements are observed across peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity index measure (SSIM), and universal quality index (UQI) metrics. Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed approach outperforms conventional Hadamard encoding-based three-qubit QEC schemes, achieving maximum channel signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) gains of up to 6 dB, and surpasses bandwidth-equivalent classical communication systems employing polar codes, achieving channel SNR gains of up to 12 dB. These results highlight the potential of the proposed method as a practical solution for high-fidelity quantum image communication, overcoming the limitations of existing approaches. Full article

Quantum image transmission over noisy communication channels remains a challenge due to the fragility of quantum states and their susceptibility to channel impairments. Existing quantum encoding schemes often exhibit limited noise resilience, while advanced approaches introduce computational and implementation complexity. To address these limitations, this paper proposes a circular polarization-based quantum encoding framework for image transmission over error-prone channels. In the proposed approach, source images are compressed and source-encoded using standard image coding formats, including the joint photographic experts group (JPEG) standard and the high-efficiency image file format (HEIF), and converted into classical bitstreams. The resulting bitstreams are protected using channel coding and mapped onto quantum states via circular polarization representations, where left- and right-hand circularly polarized states encode binary information. The encoded quantum states are transmitted over noisy quantum channels to model channel impairments. At the receiver, appropriate quantum decoding and channel decoding operations are applied to recover the classical bitstream, followed by source decoding to reconstruct the image. The performance of the proposed framework is evaluated using image quality metrics, including peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), structural similarity index measure (SSIM), and universal quality index (UQI). Simulation results demonstrate that the proposed circular polarization-based encoding scheme outperforms existing quantum image encoding techniques, achieving channel SNR gains of 4 dB over state-of-the-art Hadamard-based encoding and 3 dB over frequency-domain quantum encoding methods under severe noise conditions. These results indicate that circular polarization-based quantum encoding provides improved noise robustness and reconstruction fidelity for practical quantum image transmission systems. Full article

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a cardiovascular disease characterized by diverse etiological factors and complex pathological mechanisms. In recent years, the role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in AS has received increasing attention. Research shows that lncRNAs regulate key biological processes involved in AS, such as vascular endothelial function, proliferation and migration of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs), macrophage polarization, and lipid metabolism, through various mechanisms, including epigenetic modification, transcriptional regulation, and post-transcriptional control. As important components of traditional medicine, Chinese herbal monomers and compounds have been found to modulate the expression of lncRNAs, thereby improving vascular endothelial function, reducing lipid deposition, and inhibiting inflammatory responses, ultimately exerting anti-atherosclerotic effects. This review systematically examines the role of lncRNAs in the disease mechanism of AS and summarizes recent advances in Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) interventions targeting lncRNA expression for the treatment of AS, offering new insights and directions for the prevention and management of AS with Chinese medicine. Full article

This paper proposes an optoelectronic oscillator (OEO)-based scheme for generating frequency-doubled binary phase-coded microwave pulses. The architecture employs a cascaded dual-polarization quadrature phase shift keying modulator (DP-QPSK) and a polarization modulator (PolM) to generate carrier-suppressed ±2nd-order sidebands and an orthogonally polarized optical carrier. By applying opposite phase modulation to the two polarization components and subsequently converting them into the same polarization state using a polarization controller (PC) and a polarizer, frequency-doubled phase-coded microwave pulses are obtained after photodetection. The operating principle of the scheme is theoretically analyzed and experimentally validated. A 5 GHz OEO signal is successfully converted into a 10 GHz phase-coded microwave pulse without the use of an external electronic frequency multiplier or an additional intensity modulator for pulse carving. Binary phase-coded pulses with coding rates of 0.1 Gb/s and 0.25 Gb/s are experimentally demonstrated. The measured temporal waveforms, recovered phase information, and autocorrelation results agree well with theoretical predictions. The proposed scheme provides a structurally simple and frequency-doubling solution for OEO-based phase-coded microwave pulse generation with reduced system complexity. Full article

The investigation aimed to determine if live feedback of team- and player-specific global positioning system (GPS) running performance data between bouts of hurling small-sided games (SSGs) altered the physical and physiological responses during subsequent bouts of SSGs during a 6-week hurling pre-season period. Twenty-four (n = 24) hurling players (age 25.5 ± 3.2 years; height 177.9 ± 3.2 cm; body mass 83.5 ± 4.5 kg) received either feedback or no feedback during hurling-specific SSGs across a 6-week pre-season period. Teams were assigned to two specific groups, a) GPS live feedback or b) no GPS live feedback (control) for each session, with feedback provided during the SSG rest interval. Running performance (10-Hz, STATSports, Apex, Northern Ireland), heart rate (Polar T31 coded, Polar Electro, Finland), and rating of perceived exertion (RPE) were measured. Data was analyzed using linear mixed-effect models with the effect size (Cohen’s d) used to determine the size of the effect between feedback and non-feedback conditions. Trivial-o-small differences at all time points were observed in heart rate and RPE measures during SSGs, respectively. Trivial-to-moderate effects were observed between feedback and non-feedback conditions for total distance (p = 0.04; ES = 0.25; small) high-speed running (p = 0.043; ES = 0.59; moderate), maximal speed (p = 0.345; ES = 0.11; trivial) and accelerations (p = 0.03; ES = 0.55; moderate). The current data suggests that coaches and applied practitioners may use live GPS feedback to alter the running and physiological performance within hurling-specific SSGs during a pre-season period. Full article

As the process node is scaled down, the spin-transfer-torque magnetic random-access memory (STT-MRAM) exhibits higher memory density than the static random-access memory (SRAM), making it one of the more promising successors of the low-level on-chip cache memory. However, the low read margin (RM) of the magnetic tunnel junction (MTJ) in STT-MRAM can limit the achievable read accuracy. We implemented 2-bit channel quantization for error-correcting code (ECC) schemes and explored the trade-offs between improved read accuracy and factors such as circuit area, power consumption, and latency. The proposed quantization scheme consists of a sensing amplifier-based 2-bit quantizer and MTJ resistor-based soft-decision thresholds. Compared to 1-bit channel quantization using the Bose–Chaudhuri–Hocquenghem (BCH) code, the proposed 2-bit quantization architecture achieves a fourfold reduction in frame error rate (FER) from $8.0\times {10}^{-4}$ to $2.0\times {10}^{-4}$ when paired with polar codes and successive cancellation (SC) decoding. Additionally, this approach results in decoding complexity that is only 1/13th of that required for BCH at a 0.7 code rate. Full article

Using the Multiconfiguration Dirac–Hartree–Fock method as implemented in the General Relativistic Atomic Structure Package, the magnetic dipole and electric quadrupole hyperfine structure constants were determined for the ground and first excited levels of ^135,137Ba II isotopes, as well as for ¹³⁷Ba I and ⁸⁷Sr II, to assess the robustness of the developed model. This study builds upon and extends previous investigations by examining the levels involved in resonance lines, with the aim of resolving persistent discrepancies in the hyperfine structure of ¹³⁷Ba II and ⁸⁷Sr II. New code developments such as the use of natural orbitals, as well as the addition of polarization effects and Configuration State Function Generators, as implemented in GRASPG, were tested for these heavy elements. The developed strategy allowed us to achieve encouraging results that satisfactorily agree with experiments for all studied levels but ${}^{2}D_{5/2}$ in the ¹³⁷Ba II isotope. This disagreement was also observed in ¹³⁵Ba II isotope as well as in ⁸⁷Sr II. With two valence electrons, ¹³⁷Ba I is definitely more complex, requiring a multireference approach. Even with the latter, the theory–observation disagreement observed for the hyperfine structure of the low-lying levels remains large in comparison with the alkali-like systems. Possible ongoing developments to remediate this issue are discussed in the conclusions. Full article

This paper addresses the design and performance analysis of nonorthogonal multiple access (NOMA) for ultra-dense networking of the Internet of Things (IoT) based on low-power sensors. The proposed NOMA schemes consist of an $N_r$-antenna access point and K single antenna sensors given $K\gg N_r$. A power allocation technique and forward error correction (FEC) are combined to enable concurrent uplink transmission and the successful separation of all K sensors at the access point. In scenarios where $K\gg N_r$, large dimensional analysis is employed to derive a deterministic expression for the received signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratio (SINR) within the finite blocklength regime. Three distinct Forward Error Correction (FEC) codes—convolutional codes (CCs), polar codes, and low-density parity-check codes (LDPCs)—are assessed. These evaluations indicate that all three codes achieve near-capacity performance while supporting massive connectivity in the finite-blocklength context. Notably, convolutional codes demonstrate comparable performance with reduced complexity, a desirable attribute for prolonging the life cycle of wireless sensor network-based IoT applications. Full article

CubeSats are increasingly adopted for space missions due to their low cost and short development cycles. However, their attitude determination and control systems (ADCS) often suffer from limited verification environments and constrained hardware configurations. This study addresses the development and verification of a flight-ready ADCS for the INHA RoSAT 3U CubeSat under realistic constraints in hardware, software, and test infrastructure. A model-based design (MBD) approach is adopted to construct an integrated development pipeline covering algorithm design, simulation, automatic C code generation, and integration with flight software (FSW). The generated code is embedded into a closed commercial onboard computer framework while preserving consistency across model-in-the-loop (MIL) and processor-in-the-loop (PIL) verification stages. To compensate for the lack of full hardware-in-the-loop (HIL) facilities, a FlatSat-based Sensor-to-Actuator test strategy is introduced to validate critical hardware–software interfaces including signal polarity, unit consistency, mounting orientation, and data flow using actual flight hardware. Furthermore, a fault-aware hierarchical attitude control scheme is defined in which the controller transitions to an alternative controller upon actuator fault indications. The presented approach demonstrates a practical ADCS development and verification strategy suitable for resource-constrained CubeSat missions, providing guidance for teams facing similar limitations in cost, resources, and test infrastructure. Full article

Two marine bacteria, designated strains 4Alg 33^Tand 3Alg 14/1, were isolated from brown (Saccharina japonica) and green (Ulva fenestrata) macroalgae, respectively. These isolates were aerobic Gram-negative rods exhibiting a gliding motility. The 16S rRNA gene phylogenetic analysis clearly showed their belonging to the genus Formosa, the family Flavobacteriaceae, and the phylum Bacteroidota. The closest relatives of the new strains were Formosa undariae KCTC 32328^T (99.05%), Formosa arctica IMCC 9485^T (99.05%) and Formosa agariphila KMM 3901^T (98.96%). The ANI and dDDH values between the two new strains were 97.9% and 85.3%, respectively. The AAI values between 4Alg 33^T and Formosa type strains ranged from 80.1% (Formosa haliotis MA1^T) to 91.4% (F. undariae KCTC 32328^T). The cellular fatty acid and polar lipid profiles of the new isolates were generally similar to those of the type strains of Formosa species. The genomes of 4Alg 33^T and 3Alg 14/1 are represented by a circular chromosome of 4,157,724 bp and 4,316,096 bp in size with 3536 and 3879 protein-coding genes, respectively. They shared a DNA G+C content of 34.3 mol% and comprised four rrn operons. The pangenome of the genus Formosa belongs to the open type and is characterized by an abundance of CAZymes. The proportion of CAZyme genes in novel genomes was more than 5%, with a prevalence of glycoside hydrolase genes, suggesting great potential for utilizing marine-derived polysaccharides. Based on the results of polyphasic characterization, the two algal isolates represent a distinct species lineage within the genus Formosa, for which we propose the name Formosa bonchosmolovskayae sp. nov. with the type strain 4Alg 33^T (= KMM 3963^T = KCTC 72008^T). In addition, we have proposed to transfer Formosa maritima Cao et al. 2020 and Bizionia arctica Li et al. 2015 to the genus Xanthomarina Vaidya et al. 2015 as Xanthomarina maritima comb. nov. and Xanthomarina arctica comb. nov. based on a combination of the genomic and phenotypic characteristics. Full article

Compared to Arikan’s $G_2$ kernel, large-kernel polar codes exhibit higher polarization rates and superior error correction performance. The critical steps of exact successive cancellation (SC) decoding for such codes can be implemented via trellis-based computations to reduce complexity. However, the complexity remains high for large kernels. This paper proposes a permutation-based trellis optimization scheme. The approach builds on the Massey minimal trellis and reorders its time axis to find a permutation that minimizes the number of trellis edges, thereby further reducing the exact SC decoding complexity. For smaller kernels ($G_3$–$G_{12}$), an exhaustive search is conducted to identify the optimal trellis. For larger kernels ($G_{13}$–$G_{16}$), where an exhaustive search becomes infeasible due to the factorial growth of the permutation space, an ant colony optimization (ACO)-based method is employed to find a near-optimal permutation. Simulation results show that the permutation-optimized trellis lowers the direct SC decoding complexity drastically. Furthermore, compared to the $l$-expression, the $W$-formula and original Massey trellis methods, it achieves multiplication operation reductions of up to 99.2%, 58.1%, and 56.5%, respectively. The improvement is particularly beneficial for large kernels, where traditional decoding methods become computationally prohibitive. Full article

This paper outlines the design and testing of a horizontal-axis tidal turbine (HATT) at a scale of 1:20, employing numerical simulations and experimental validation. The design employed an in-house code based on the Blade Element Momentum (BEM) theory. As reliable lift and drag coefficients for this scale are not present in the literature due to the low Reynolds number of the airfoil, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations were conducted to generate accurate polar diagrams for the NACA 4412 airfoil. The turbine was then 3D-printed and the rotor tested in a subsonic wind tunnel at various fixed rotational speeds to determine the power coefficient. Fluid dynamic similarity was achieved by matching the Reynolds number and tip-speed ratio in air to their values in water. Three-dimensional CFD simulations were also performed, yielding turbine efficiency results that agreed fairly well with the experimental data. However, both the experimental and numerical simulation results indicated a higher power coefficient than that predicted by BEM theory. The CFD results revealed the presence of radial velocity components and vortex structures that could reduce flow separation. The BEM model does not capture these phenomena, which explains why the power coefficient detected by experiments and numerical simulations is larger than that predicted by the BEM theory. Full article

Introduction: Many standards, codes of practice, and protocols were issued internationally in order to standardize the methodologies and formalism of the use of ionization chambers for the purposes of evaluating absorbed radiation doses in high-energy photon and electron beams from medical linear accelerators. Methods: Three ion chambers were selected for this study: PTW Semiflex 3D (PTW 31021), PTW Farmer type (PTW 30013), and PTW PinPoint 3D (PTW 31022) ion chambers. Many correction factors and parameters controlling the behavior of ionization chambers were included in the study, such as polarity, ion recombination, and response to high-energy photons for each ion chamber. Results and discussion: The collection efficiencies of each ion chamber were calculated and evaluated numerically. Additionally, the tissue-phantom ratio (TPR_20,10) was used as a beam quality index, and the beam quality correction factors were determined for each chamber for two high-energy photon beams, 6 MV and 10 MV, where the reference beam quality is assumed to be that of Cobalt-60 photon energy. The volume averaging correction factor for each ion chamber was evaluated in order to account for the non-uniformity of the beam and for the two beam qualities. Conclusion: All the studied parameters are of great importance and should be considered for the purposes of radiation metrology. Full article

Numerous valuable information is available on the Internet, and many individuals rely on mass media as their primary source of information. Various views, comments, expressions, and opinions on social networks have been a tremendous source of information. Harvesting free, resourceful information through social media makes text mining a powerful tool for analyzing public opinions on various issues across diverse social networks. Various research projects have implemented text sentiment analysis through machine and deep learning approaches. Social media text often expresses sentiment through complex syntax and negation (e.g., implicit and double negation and nested clauses), which many classifiers mishandle. We propose hybrid negation, a clause-aware approach that combines (i) explicit/implicit/double-negation rules, (ii) dependency-based scope detection, (iii) a TextBlob back-off for phrase polarity, and (iv) an MLP-learned clause-weighting module that aggregates clause-level scores. Across 156,539 tweets (three-class sentiment), we evaluate six negation strategies and 228 model configurations with and without SMOTE (applied strictly within training folds). Hybrid Negation achieves 98.582% accuracy, 98.196% precision, 98.189% recall, and 98.193% F1 with BERT, outperforming rule-only and antonym/synonym baselines. Ablations show each component contributes to the model’s performance, with dependency scope and double negations offering the largest gains. Per-class results, confidence intervals, and paired tests with multiple-comparison control confirm statistically significant improvements. We release code and preprocessing scripts to support reproducibility. Full article

Slow-growing and locally invasive, chordoma is a rare malignant bone tumor, with a reported annual worldwide incidence of 0.08 per 100,000 cases. It accounts for about 3 percent of all bone tumors and about 20 percent of primary spinal tumors. The incidence rates vary between countries and races, with white/Caucasian males in the 5th or 6th decade of life having a higher prevalence. Chordoma poses significant challenges because of its high recurrence rate and resistance to several standard treatment techniques. All cancers, including chordomas, have altered energy metabolism processes that contribute to their unchecked growth and survival. The significance of non-coding RNAs, particularly circular RNAs (circRNAs), as key regulators at the intersection of cellular metabolism and immune function has been highlighted by recent discoveries. By focusing on important glycolytic enzymes in tumor cells and altering metabolic reprogramming pathways, CircRNAs can influence cancer metabolic adaptability. Furthermore, via influencing immune cell functions as immunological checkpoint signaling and macrophage polarization, circRNAs influence immune evasion in the tumor microenvironment. These frequently happen via regulating important pathway signals, like PI3K/AKT/mTOR and NRF2, or by processes like miRNA sponging, creating a tumor microenvironment that is immunosuppressive and metabolically friendly. The translational pathway of circRNA-targeted therapeutics is promoted as a developing pharmacological entity in this review, which also highlights recent information on the control of circRNA-mediated immunometabolism in chordoma and examines numerous important molecular axes. There are promising opportunities to develop novel precision treatments for chordoma by considering circRNAs as dual regulators of immunological and metabolic networks. Full article