Search Results (94)

This paper presents a novel symmetric q-analogue differential operator designed for meromorphic multivalent functions analytic in the punctured open unit disk. Employing this operator, a new family of meromorphic multivalent functions is proposed and examined in this work. A detailed investigation of this newly defined class of meromorphic multivalent functions is presented, highlighting key geometric characteristics, including sufficiency criteria, coefficient inequalities, distortion and growth behavior, as well as the radii of starlikeness and convexity. Full article

Despite significant progress, fabricating two-dimensional (2D) lithium niobate (LN)-based photonic crystal (PhC) cavities integrated with tapered and PhC waveguides remains challenging, due to structural imperfections. Notable, especially, are variations in hole radius (r) and inclination angle (°), which induce bandgap shifts and degrade quality factors (Q-factor). These fabrication errors underscore the critical need to address nanoscale tolerances. Here, we systematically investigate the impacts of key geometric parameters on optical performance and optimize a 2D LN-based cavity integrated with taper and PhC waveguide system. Using a 3D Finite-Difference Time-Domain (FDTD) and varFDTD simulations, we identify stringent fabrication thresholds. The a must exceed 0.72 µm to sustain Q > ${10}^7$; reducing a to 0.69 µm collapses Q-factors below ${10}^4$, due to under-coupled modes and bandgap misalignment, which necessitates ±0.005 µm precision. When an r < 0.22 µm weakens confinement, Q plummets to 2 × ${10}^4$ at r = 0.20 µm (±0.01 µm etching tolerance). Inclination angles < 70° induce 100× Q-factor losses, requiring ±2° alignment for symmetric modes. Air slot width (s) variations shift resonant wavelengths and require optimization in coordination with the inclination angle. By optimizing s and the inclination angle (at 70°), we achieve a record Q-factor of 6.21 ×${10}^6$, with, in addition, C-band compatibility (1502–1581 nm). This work establishes rigorous design–fabrication guidelines, demonstrating the potential for LN-based photonic devices with high nano-fabrication robustness. Full article

This paper introduces a new class of harmonic functions defined through a generalized symmetric q-differential that acts on both the analytic and co-analytic parts of the function. By combining concepts from symmetric q-calculus and geometric function theory, we develop a framework that extends several well-known operators as special cases. The main contributions of this study include new criteria for harmonic univalence, sharp coefficient bounds, distortion theorems, and covering results. Our operator offers increased flexibility in modeling symmetric structures, with potential applications in complex analysis, fractional calculus, and mathematical physics. To support these theoretical developments, we provide concrete examples and highlight potential directions for future research, including extensions to higher-dimensional settings. Full article

There is evidence that the properties of hadrons are modified in a nuclear medium. Information about the medium modifications of the internal structure of hadrons is fundamental for the study of dense nuclear matter and high-energy processes, including heavy-ion and nucleus–nucleus collisions. At the moment, however, empirical information about medium modifications of hadrons is limited; therefore, theoretical studies are essential for progress in the field. In the present work, we review theoretical studies of the electromagnetic and axial form factors of octet baryons in symmetric nuclear matter. The calculations are based on a model that takes into account the degrees of freedom revealed in experimental studies of low and intermediate square transfer momentum $q^2=-Q^2$: valence quarks and meson cloud excitations of baryon cores. The formalism combines a covariant constituent quark model, developed for a free space (vacuum) with the quark–meson coupling model for extension to the nuclear medium. We conclude that the nuclear medium modifies the baryon properties differently according to the flavor content of the baryons and the medium density. The effects of the medium increase with density and are stronger (quenched or enhanced) for light baryons than for heavy baryons. In particular, the in-medium neutrino–nucleon and antineutrino–nucleon cross-sections are reduced compared to the values in free space. The proposed formalism can be extended to densities above the normal nuclear density and applied to neutrino–hyperon and antineutrino–hyperon scattering in dense nuclear matter. Full article

Crohn’s disease is an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) that currently lacks satisfactory treatment options. Therefore, new targets for new drugs are urgently needed to combat this disease. In the present study, we investigated the transcriptomics-based mRNA expression of intestinal biopsies from patients with Crohn’s disease. We compared the mRNA expression profiles of the ileum and colon of patients with those of healthy individuals. A total of 72 genes in the ileum and 33 genes in the colon were differentially regulated. Among these, six genes were overexpressed in both tissues, including IL1B, TCL1A, HCAR3, IGHG1, S100AB, and OSM. We further focused on OSM/oncostatin M. To confirm the responsiveness of intestinal tissues from patients with Crohn’s disease to oncostatin M inhibition, we examined the expression of the oncostatin M using immunohistochemistry in patient biopsies as well as in kindlin-1^−/− and kindlin-2^−/− knockout mice, which exhibit an inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) phenotype, and found strong oncostatin M expression in all samples examined. Next, we conducted a drug-repurposing study using the supercomputer MOGON and bioinformatic methods. A total of 13 candidate compounds out of 1577 FDA-approved drugs were identified by PyRx-based virtual drug screening and AutoDock-based molecular docking. Their lowest binding energies (LBEs) ranged from −10.46 (±0.08) to −8.77 (±0.08) kcal/mol, and their predicted inhibition constants (pK_i) ranged from 21.62 (±2.97) to 373.78 (±36.78) nM. Ecamsule has an interesting stereostructure with two C₂-symmetric enantiomers (1S,4R-1′S,4′R and 1R,4S-1′R,4′S) (1a and 1b) and one meso diastereomer (1S,4R-1′R,4′S) (1c). These three stereoisomers showed strong, albeit differing, binding affinities in molecular docking. As examined by nuclear magnetic resonance and polarimetry, the 1S,4R-1′S,4′R isomer was the stereoisomer present in our commercially available preparations used for microscale thermophoresis. Ecamsule (1a) was chosen for in vitro validation using recombinant oncostatin M and microscale thermophoresis. Considerable dissociation constants were obtained for ecamsule after three repetitions with a K_d value of 11.36 ± 2.83 µM. Subsequently, we evaluated, by qRT-PCR, the efficacy of ecamsule (1a) as a potential drug that could prevent oncostatin M activation by inhibiting downstream inflammatory marker genes (IL6, TNFA, and CXCL11). In conclusion, we have identified oncostatin M as a promising new drug target for Crohn’s disease through transcriptomics and ecamsule as a potential new drug candidate for Crohn’s disease through a drug-repurposing approach both in silico and in vitro. Full article

The material in the mold of the injection-molding machine releases significant latent heat of solidification during the cooling process. The efficient recovery and utilization of this waste heat is crucial for improving energy efficiency. A novel integrated energy management system for mold cooling/heat pump/material preheating is proposed in this paper. Taking the symmetrical thermodynamic performance of the heat pump components as the basis and optimizing the system configurations, four system configurations were investigated: MC/BHP/MPCC, MC/RHP/MPCC, MC/HP/MP-IEMS, and MC/DCHP/MP-IEMS, utilizing EBSILON software. The performance of the systems was evaluated through the coefficient of performance (COP) and whole cycle energy efficiency (η). The T-q, T-s, and P-h diagrams were analyzed. It was found that, under comparative operating conditions, both the MC/HP/MP-IEMS and MC/DCHP/MP-IEMS systems exhibited significantly higher COP and η than the MC/BHP/MPCC and MC/RHP/MPCC systems. MC/HP/MP-IEMS achieves a COP of 13.66 and η of 22.09. Similarly, MC/DCHP/MP-IEMS achieves a COP of 14.00 and η of 22.53. The paper optimizes the other three systems using MC/BHP/MPCC as the comparison condition. Optimal cycle performances are achieved with COP and η values of 9, 16, 16, and 9, 26, 25, respectively. A comparison of the thermodynamic performance of five different refrigerants revealed that R123 and R245fa have superior overall performance. This study provides theoretical support for the engineering implementation of integrated energy management systems for injection-molding machines. Full article

This work addresses closed-form expressions for the distributions $P\left(M\right)$ of the magnetic quantum numbers M and $Q\left(J\right)$ of total angular momentum J for non-equivalent fermions in single-j orbits. Such quantities play an important role in both nuclear and atomic physics, through the shell models. Using irreducible representations of the rotation group, different kinds of formulas are presented, involving multinomial coefficients, generalized Pascal triangle coefficients, or hypergeometric functions. Special cases are discussed, and the connections between $P\left(M\right)$ (and therefore $Q\left(J\right)$) and mathematical functions such as elementary symmetric, cyclotomic, and Jacobi polynomials are outlined. Full article

Background/Objectives: Vasa and PL10 belong to the DEAD-box protein family, which plays crucial roles in various cellular functions, such as DNA replication, DNA repair, and RNA processing. Additionally, DEAD-box family genes have also been identified as being related to gonadal development in many species. However, the function of vasa and PL10 in abalone is poorly understood on a molecular level. Methods: In the present study, we individually isolated and characterized the vasa and PL10 orthologs in Haliotis discus hannai (Hdh-vasa and Hdh-PL10). We also characterized the mRNA distributions of vasa and PL10 in various tissues from adult organisms and different embryonic developmental stages using real-time PCR (RT-qPCR) techniques. Furthermore, spatial and temporal expression of Hdh-vasa and Hdh-PL10 throughout embryonic and larval development was examined by whole-mount in situ hybridization (WMISH). Results: The two predicted amino acid sequences contained all of the conserved motifs characterized by the DEAD-box family. Homology and phylogenetic analyses indicate that they belong to the vasa and PL10 subfamilies. We found that vasa and PL10 mRNA were not solely restricted to gonads but were widely expressed in various tissues. WMISH showed that Hdh-vasa and Hdh-PL10 largely overlapped, with both being maternally expressed and specifically localized to the micromere lineage cells during early cleavage stages. By the gastrulation stage, Hdh-vasa were expressed strongly in two bilaterally symmetrical paraxial clusters, but Hdh-PL10 was dispersed in entire endodermal region. Our results suggest that Hdh-vasa-expressing cells are located as a subpopulation of undifferentiated multipotent cells that express Hdh-PL10. As such, we infer that primordial germ cells are specified from these vasa-expressing cells at some point during development, and inductive signals (epigenesis) play an important role in specifying primordial germ cells (PGCs) in H. discus hannai. Conclusions: This study provides valuable insights into the molecular characteristics and expression patterns of Hdh-vasa and Hdh-PL10, contributing to a better understanding of their roles in germ cell specification and early embryonic development in H. discus hannai. Full article

We propose a new quantum-assisted digital signature (Q-DS) protocol based on the composite of truly random symmetric keys generated by quantum key distribution with secure standardized hash functions, which allows for high parameterization to provide different security levels. The protocol is demonstrated to be secure, it is implemented, and its performance is tested for several system configurations. A comparative evaluation of the results obtained for Q-DS is carried out with 6 pre-quantum and 12 post-quantum digital signature algorithms. The results show that the Q-DS overperforms during the signature generation and verification processes, while its performance is affected by the key generation process. However, using more efficient QKD devices, this process can be highly improved, making the Q-DS protocol comparable to the most efficient post-quantum solution, i.e., CRYSTALS-Dilithium. Full article

In this study, a methodology using probabilistic distribution techniques to determine the parameters of the soil’s effective internal friction angle ($\phi ’$) was proposed. The method was grounded in quantitative survey information extracted from geotechnical reports. Extensive equivalent samples were estimated using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations and probability density functions ($PDFs$). The effective internal friction angle ($\phi ’$) of silty clay layers was probabilistically characterized using the plasticity index ($P_I$), in situ static cone penetration test ($q_c$), and standard penetration test ($N_{SPT}$). A systematic quantitative analysis integrated prior information from different sources was systematically integrated with sampling data. By establishing a Bayesian framework that incorporated the regression relationship and uncertainties associated with the effective internal friction angle ($\phi ’$), the model ensured balance and symmetry in the treatment of prior information and observed data. The model was then transformed into equivalent sample values based on three models, reflecting the symmetrical consideration of different data sources. Further considerations involved correcting the three different analysis methods. A comparison of equivalent sample values with the mean values of the sampling data, along with the parameter optimization updates, was performed by combining the three models. Using three sets of sampling data, a linear relationship model for the new soil parameters was derived. The analysis results demonstrated that the proposed method could obtain equivalent samples for the effective internal friction angle. Full article

Within the framework of Rastall theory, we investigate the impact of charge on the structural development of different types of spherically symmetric anisotropic stars. To do so, we present modified field equations based upon the Finch–Skea metric potentials expressed in terms of three parameters $(A,B,C)$. These constants are determined using suitable matching conditions and observational data for compact objects which include Her X-1, SAX J 1808.4-3658, PSR J038-0842, LMC X-4 and SMC X-1. The equation of state offered by the $\mathbb{MIT}$ bag model for quark–gluon plasma is used to investigate the inner structure and other characteristics of these compact objects. For a fixed bag constant, $\mathcal{B}=60{\mathrm{MeV}/\mathrm{fm}}^3$, and two sets of the Rastall and charge parameters, $\zeta =0.255,0.259$ and $\tilde{\mathcal{Q}}=0.2,0.7$, respectively, we analyze the consistency of the matter variables in the model and other physical parameters such as energy conditions, stellar mass, compactness, and surface redshift. In addition, we assess the stability of the constructed model through two different approaches. It is found that the obtained model is physically viable and stable. Full article

Organic compounds with 1,3-diketone or 3-amino enone functional groups are extremely important as they can be converted into a plethora of carbo- or heterocyclic derivatives or can be used as ligands in the formation of metal complexes. Here, we have achieved the preparation of a series of non-symmetrical β-ketoenamines (O,N,N proligand) of the type (4-MeOC₆H₄)C(=O)CH=C(R)NH(Q) obtained through the Schiff base condensation of 1,3-diketones (1-anisoylacetone, 1-anisyl-3-(4-cyanophenyl)-1,3-propanedione, and 1-anisyl-3-(4,4,4-trifluorotolyl)-1,3-propanedione) functionalized with electron donor and electron-withdrawing substituents and 8-aminoquinoline (R = CH₃, 4-C₆H₄CN, 4-C₆H₄CF₃; Q = C₉H₇N). Schiff base ketoimines with a pendant quinolyl moiety were isolated as single regioisomers in yields of 22–56% and characterized with FT-IR, ¹H NMR, and UV-visible spectroscopy, as well as single-crystal X-ray crystallography, which allowed for the elucidation of the nature of the isolated regioisomers. The regioselectivity of the condensation of electronically unsymmetrical 1,3-diaryl-1,3-diketones with 8-aminoquinoline was studied by ¹H NMR, providing regioisomer ratios of ~3:1 and ~2:1 in the case of CN and CF₃ substituents, respectively. The electronic effects correlate well with the difference between the Hammett σ⁺ coefficients of the two para substituents on the aryl rings. Full article

Background/Objectives: The Mongolian horse, one of the oldest and most genetically diverse breeds, exhibits a wide variety of coat colors and patterns, including both wild-type and unique features. A notable characteristic of dun Mongolian horses is the presence of Bider markings—symmetrical, black-mottled patterns observed on the shoulder blades. These markings are also seen in Przewalski’s horses. The dun coat color, a common wild-type phenotype in domestic horses, is characterized by pigment dilution with distinct dark areas and is regulated by mutations in the TBX3 gene. This study aimed to investigate the role of TBX3 in the development of Bider markings in dun Mongolian horses. Methods: Skin tissue samples were collected from three key anatomical regions of dun Mongolian horses with Bider markings: the croup, dorsal midline, and shoulder. Histological staining was conducted to examine the skin and hair follicle structure and pigment distribution. RT-qPCR was used to measure TBX3 mRNA expression, while immunoblotting and immunohistochemistry were employed to analyze TBX3 protein levels and localization. Results: Hematoxylin and eosin staining revealed the skin and hair follicle structures, including the epidermis, hair shaft, and hair bulb across different stages of the hair growth cycle. Differences in pigmentation were observed across the sampling sites. The croup and the light-colored area of the shoulder showed asymmetrical pigmentation, while the dorsal midline and dark-colored area of the shoulder displayed symmetrical pigmentation. TBX3 mRNA expression levels were significantly higher in the croup compared to the shoulder and dorsal midline; however, corresponding TBX3 protein expression did not show significant differences. Immunohistochemical analysis localized TBX3 protein predominantly in the hair bulb and epidermis. Conclusions: This study demonstrates region-specific differences in TBX3 expression that correlate with pigmentation patterns in dun Mongolian Bider horses. These findings provide valuable insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying Bider markings, offering a deeper understanding of the genetic regulation of coat color and primitive markings in equines. Full article

Non-orthogonal multiple access (NOMA) provides higher spectral efficiency and access to more users than orthogonal multiple access. However, the issue of resource allocation in NOMA is dynamic and produces a high computation burden when using traditional methods. In this paper, a symmetry-aware double deep Q network (DDQN) algorithm in deep reinforcement learning is employed to allocate power to users in NOMA while guaranteeing quality of service for the weakest users. The research process is divided into two parts. Firstly, users in the communication system are grouped using a method that synergistically considers gain difference and similarity, exploiting symmetrical properties within the user groups. Secondly, the DDQN algorithm is used to allocate power to multiple users in a NOMA system, which utilizes the inherent symmetry in the signal-to-interference noise ratio of each user as an objective function. By recognizing and leveraging these symmetrical patterns, the algorithm can dynamically adjust the power allocation to optimize system performance. Finally, the proposed algorithm is compared with conventional NOMA power allocation algorithms and shows significant improvements in system performance. The results of the convergence function show that the algorithm proposed in this paper can converge in approximately 1800 iterations, which effectively solves the problem of large arithmetic and complex processes existing in the traditional method. Full article

A connected graph with p vertices and q edges satisfying $q=p+1$ is referred to as a bicyclic graph. This paper is concerned with an optimal study of the BID (bond incident degree) indices of fixed-size bicyclic graphs with a given matching number. Here, a BID index of a graph G is the number ${\mathcal{BID}}_{\mathfrak{f}}\left(G\right)={\sum }_{vw\in E\left(G\right)}\mathfrak{f}(d_G\left(v\right),d_G\left(w\right))$, where $E\left(G\right)$ represents G’s edge set, $d_G\left(v\right)$ denotes vertex v’s degree, and $\mathfrak{f}$ is a real-valued symmetric function defined on the Cartesian square of the set of all different members of G’s degree sequence. Our results cover several existing indices, including the Sombor index and symmetric division deg index. Full article