Search Results (5,849)

The cooling of a macroscopic mechanical oscillator to its quantum ground state is an important step for achieving coherent control over mechanical quantum states. Here, we theoretically study the cooling of a rotating mirror in a Laguerre–Gaussian (L-G) cavity optorotational system with a nonlinear cross-Kerr (CK) interaction. We discuss the effects of the nonlinear CK coupling strength, the cavity detuning, the power of the input Gaussian beam, the topological charge (TC) of the L-G cavity mode, the mass of the rotating mirror, and the cavity length on the cooling of the rotating mirror. We find that it is only possible to realize the improvement in the cooling of the rotating mirror by the nonlinear CK interaction when the cavity detuning is less than the mechanical frequency. Compared to the case without the nonlinear CK interaction, we find that the cooling of the rotating mirror can be improved by the nonlinear CK interaction at lower laser powers, smaller TCs of the L-G cavity mode, larger masses of a rotating mirror, and longer optorotational cavities. We show that the cooling of the rotating mirror can be enhanced by the nonlinear CK interaction by a factor of about 23.3 compared to that without the nonlinear CK interaction. Full article

Tacrolimus (Tc) is an immunosuppressant used in transplant patients, but its therapeutic range is narrow, making precise dosing essential. This study investigates the association of three single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) (ABCB1 3435C>T, 1236C>T, 2677G>T/A) with Tc levels over time to gain better insights into their role in personalized medicine. We conducted the study over four distinct periods: 1–14 days, 15–30 days, 31–60 days, and beyond 60 days post-transplantation. The analysis included allele, genotype, haplotype, and diplotype frequencies of the three SNPs concerning Tc blood levels. Statistical significance was determined, and false discovery rate (P_FDR) correction was applied where appropriate. Significant associations were found between the C (ABCB1 C1236T), A alleles (ABCB1 G2677T/A), the CAC haplotype and lower Tc levels. The CAC-TGT and TGT-TGT diplotypes significantly influence how patients metabolize the drug. The TGT haplotype and the AA genotype (ABCB1 G2677T/A) were associated with higher Tc levels, suggesting a long-term genetic influence. Genetic factors, specifically certain SNPs and diplotypes, significantly impact Tc blood levels, with their influence varying over time. Full article

Transitioning from petrol or gas vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) poses significant challenges in reducing emissions, lowering operational costs, and improving energy storage. Wireless charging EVs offer promising solutions to wired charging limitations such as restricted travel range and lengthy charging times. This paper presents a comprehensive approach to address the challenges of wireless power transfer (WPT) for EVs by optimizing coupling frequency and coil design to enhance efficiency while minimizing electromagnetic interference (EMI) and heat generation. A novel coil design and adaptive hardware are proposed to improve power transfer efficiency (PTE) by defining the optimal magnetic resonant coupling WPT and mitigating coil misalignment, which is considered a significant barrier to the widespread adoption of WPT for EVs. A new methodology for designing and arranging roadside lanes and facilities for dynamic wireless charging (DWC) of EVs is introduced. This includes the optimization of transmitter coils (TCs), receiving coils (RCs), compensation circuits, and high-frequency inverters/converters using the partial differential equation toolbox (pdetool). The integration of wireless charging systems with smart grid technology is explored to enhance energy distribution and reduce peak load issues. The paper proposes a DWC system with multiple segmented transmitters integrated with adaptive renewable photovoltaic (PV) units and a battery system using the utility main grid as a backup. The design process includes the determination of the required PV array capacity, station battery sizing, and inverters/converters to ensure maximum power point tracking (MPPT). To validate the proposed system, it was tested in two scenarios: charging a single EV at different speeds and simultaneously charging two EVs over a 1 km stretch with a 50 kW system, achieving a total range of 500 km. Experimental validation was performed through real-time simulation and hardware tests using an OPAL-RT platform, demonstrating a power transfer efficiency of 90.7%, thus confirming the scalability and feasibility of the system for future EV infrastructure. Full article

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the risk of cardiovascular death is 50% higher compared to the general population. This increased risk is partly due to the systemic inflammation characteristic of RA and changes in the lipoprotein profiles. This study investigated plasma lipid levels, lipid ratios, and the composition and functionality of high-density lipoprotein (HDL) in control individuals and RA subjects based on the disease’s inflammatory score (DAS28). This study included 50 control (CTR) individuals and 56 subjects with RA, divided into remission/low-activity disease (DAS28 < 3.2; n = 13) and active disease (DAS28 ≥ 3.2; n = 43). Plasma lipids (total cholesterol, TC; triglycerides, TG) and the HDL composition (TC; TG; phospholipids, PL) were determined using enzymatic methods; apolipoprotein B (apoB) and apoA-1 were measured by immunoturbidimetry. HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux and anti-inflammatory activity were assessed in bone marrow-derived macrophages. Comparisons were made using the Mann–Whitney test, and binary logistic regression was used to identify the predictors of active RA. A p-value < 0.05 was considered significant. TC, HDLc, and the TC/apoB ratio were higher in RA subjects compared to the CTR group. Subjects with active disease exhibited higher levels of TG and the TG/HDLc ratio and lower levels of HDLc, the TG/apoB ratio, TC, and apoA-1 in HDL particles compared to those with remission/low-activity RA. Increased levels of HDLc [odds ratio (OR) 0.931, 95% CI = 0.882–0.984], TC/apoB (OR 0.314, 95% CI = 0.126–0.78), HDL content in TC (OR 0.912, 95% CI = 0.853–0.976), PL (OR 0.973, 95% CI = 0.947–1.000), and apoA-1 (OR 0.932, 95% CI = 0.882–0.985) were associated with a decreased risk of active disease, but BMI (OR 1.169, 95% CI = 1.004–1.360) and TG (OR 1.031, 95% CI = 1.005–1.057) were positively associated with active disease. A reduction in HDL-mediated cholesterol efflux increased the OR for active RA by 26.2%. The plasma levels of HDLc, along with the composition and functionality of HDL, influence the inflammatory score in RA and may affect the development of cardiovascular disease. Full article

Background/Objectives: Flow cytometry is a convenient tool in immunophenotyping for monitoring the status of immunological conditions and diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of isolation and cryopreservation by flow cytometric analysis on subpopulations of CD4⁺ T helper (Th), T regulatory (Treg), CD8⁺ T cytotoxic (Tc), CD56⁺ NK, CD19⁺ B and monocytes. Freshly isolated and cryopreserved peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were compared to fresh whole blood. Methods: Peripheral blood was collected from healthy donors and prepared for flow cytometric analysis using the same panels of antibodies throughout the study. Results: Comparisons between fresh (F)- and cryopreserved (C)-PBMCs showed no major differences in percentages of CD4⁺, Th1, Th2 and CD4⁺CD25⁺CD127^low Treg cells. No differences in percentage of CD8⁺ or subpopulations of naive/stem, central or effector memory cells were observed between F- and C-PBMCs. The percentage of CD56⁺ NK cells, CD19⁺ B cells or classical and nonclassical monocytes did not differ between F-and C-PBMCs either. On the contrary, whole blood had lower percentages of Th and NK cells but higher percentages of Th1, Th17, Th1Th17, Tregs, Tc and B cells compared to C-PBMCs, while it had a higher proportion of Tc compared to F-PBMCs. Conclusions: Flow cytometric immunophenotyping minimally differs between freshly isolated and cryopreserved PBMCs. This implies the possibility of cryostorage of cohorts for later analysis. Importantly, care must be taken when comparing results from whole blood with isolated and cryopreserved PBMCs. Collectively, these results can contribute to the standardization of flow cytometric protocols in both clinical and research settings. Full article

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) has emerged as a global health threat, necessitating immediate actions to develop novel antimicrobial strategies and enforce strong stewardship of existing antibiotics to manage the emergence of drug-resistant strains. This issue is particularly concerning when it comes to Gram-negative bacteria, which possess an almost impenetrable outer membrane (OM) that acts as a formidable barrier to existing antimicrobial compounds. This OM is an asymmetric structure, composed of various components that confer stability, fluidity, and integrity to the bacterial cell. The maintenance and restoration of membrane integrity are regulated by envelope stress response systems (ESRs), which monitor its assembly and detect damages caused by external insults. Bacterial communities encounter a wide range of environmental niches to which they must respond and adapt for survival, sustenance, and virulence. ESRs play crucial roles in coordinating the expression of virulence factors, adaptive physiological behaviors, and antibiotic resistance determinants. Given their role in regulating bacterial cell physiology and maintaining membrane homeostasis, ESRs present promising targets for drug development. Considering numerous studies highlighting the involvement of ESRs in virulence, antibiotic resistance, and alternative resistance mechanisms in pathogens, this review aims to present these systems as potential drug targets, thereby encouraging further research in this direction. Full article

The global prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs), including dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis, is rising. While pharmacological treatments for dyslipidemia and associated CVDs exist, not all individuals can afford them, and those who do often experience adverse side effects. Preclinical studies have indicated the potential benefits of Abelmoschus esculentus and its active phytochemicals in addressing dyslipidemia in rodent models of diabetes. However, there is limited clinical evidence on lipid parameters. Thus, this study aimed to assess the potential impact of Abelmoschus esculentus on dyslipidemia. A literature search was performed on PubMed, Scopus, and Cochrane Library for relevant trials published from inception until 11 August 2024. Data analysis was performed using Jamovi software version 2.4.8 and Review Manager (version 5.4), with effect estimates reported as standardized mean differences (SMDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CI). The evidence from eight studies with nine treatment arms showed that Abelmoschus esculentus reduces total cholesterol (TC), SMD = −0.53 (95% CI: −1.00 to −0.07), p = 0.025), compared to placebo. Additionally, triglyceride (TG) was reduced in Abelmoschus esculentus compared to placebo, SMD = −0.24 (95% CI: −0.46 to −0.02), p = 0.035. Furthermore, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) was also reduced, SMD = −0.35 (95% CI: −0.59 to −0.11), p = 0.004 in Abelmoschus esculentus versus placebo. This remedy substantially increased high-density lipoprotein (HDL), SMD = 0.34 (95% CI: 0.07 to 0.61), p = 0.014). Abelmoschus esculentus substantially improved lipid profile in prediabetes, T2D, obesity, and diabetic nephropathy. While the evidence confirms the potential benefits of Abelmoschus esculentus in reducing dyslipidemia, it is important for future clinical studies to standardize the effective dosage for more reliable results. Therefore, future trials should focus on these markers in well-designed trials with sufficient sample sizes. Furthermore, Abelmoschus esculentus can be supplemented to the diet of the relevant populations to alleviate dyslipidemia. Full article

To improve the integrity of vegetation point clouds, the missing vegetation point can be compensated through vegetation point clouds completion technology. Further, it can enhance the accuracy of these point clouds’ applications, particularly in terms of quantitative calculations, such as for the urban living vegetation volume (LVV). However, owing to factors like the mutual occlusion between ground objects, sensor perspective, and penetration ability limitations resulting in missing single tree point clouds’ structures, the existing completion techniques cannot be directly applied to the single tree point clouds’ completion. This study combines the cutting-edge deep learning techniques, for example, the self-supervised and multiscale Encoder (Decoder), to propose a tree completion net (TC-Net) model that is suitable for the single tree structure completion. Being motivated by the attenuation of electromagnetic waves through a uniform medium, this study proposes an uneven density loss pattern. This study uses the local similarity visualization method, which is different from ordinary Chamfer distance (CD) values and can better assist in visually assessing the effects of point cloud completion. Experimental results indicate that the TC-Net model, based on the uneven density loss pattern, effectively identifies and compensates for the missing structures of single tree point clouds in real scenarios, thus reducing the average CD value by above 2.0, with the best result dropping from 23.89 to 13.08. Meanwhile, experiments on a large-scale tree dataset show that TC-Net has the lowest average CD value of 13.28. In the urban LVV estimates, the completed point clouds have reduced the average MAE, RMSE, and MAPE from 9.57, 7.78, and 14.11% to 1.86, 2.84, and 5.23%, respectively, thus demonstrating the effectiveness of TC-Net. Full article

The recent advancements in the field of superconductivity have been significantly driven by the development of nitride superconductors, particularly niobium nitride (NbN). Multicomponent nitrides offer a promising platform for achieving high-temperature superconductivity. Beyond their high superconducting transition temperature (Tc), niobium-based compounds are notable for their superior superconducting and mechanical properties, making them suitable for a wide range of device applications. In this work, machine learning is used to identify ternary and quaternary nitrides, which can surpass the properties of binary NbN. Specifically, Nb_0.35Ta_0.23Ti_0.42N shows an 84.95% improvement in Tc compared to base NbN, while the ternary composition Nb_0.55Ti_0.45N exhibits a 17.29% improvement. This research provides a valuable reference for the further exploration of high-temperature superconductors in diversified ternary and quaternary compositions. Full article

Sparse matrix–matrix multiplication (SpMM) is essential for deep learning models and scientific computing. Recently, Tensor Cores (TCs) on GPUs, originally designed for dense matrix multiplication with mixed precision, have gained prominence. However, utilizing TCs for SpMM is challenging due to irregular memory access patterns and a varying number of non-zero elements in a sparse matrix. To improve data locality, previous studies have proposed reordering sparse matrices before multiplication, but this adds computational overhead. In this paper, we propose Tensor Core-Adapted SpMM (TCA-SpMM), which leverages TCs without requiring matrix reordering and uses the compressed sparse row (CSR) format. To optimize TC usage, the SpMM algorithm’s dot product operation is transformed into a blocked matrix–matrix multiplication. Addressing load imbalance and minimizing data movement are critical to optimizing the SpMM kernel. Our TCA-SpMM dynamically allocates thread blocks to process multiple rows simultaneously and efficiently uses shared memory to reduce data movement. Performance results on sparse matrices from the Deep Learning Matrix Collection public dataset demonstrate that TCA-SpMM achieves up to 29.58× speedup over state-of-the-art SpMM implementations optimized with TCs. Full article

Fat-binding nutraceutical supplements have gained considerable attention as potential cholesterol-lowering strategies to address dyslipidemia in overweight and obese individuals. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a polysaccharide-rich compound containing β-glucan/chitin–chitosan (βGluCnCs) on lipid profiles and lipoprotein function. In a prospective, two-arm clinical trial, 58 overweight and obese individuals were randomized to receive either 3 g/day of βGluCnCs or a placebo (microcrystalline cellulose) for 12 weeks. Serum lipids and lipoprotein functions were assessed at baseline and at 4-week intervals throughout the study. The administration of βGluCnCs led to a significant increase in HDL cholesterol (HDLc) levels and improved HDLc/non-HDLc and HDLc/total cholesterol (TC) ratios, while reducing apolipoprotein B (ApoB) levels (p < 0.05). However, the intervention did not affect HDL particle diameter, particle number, or lipoprotein functionality. Women demonstrated greater sensitivity to changes in HDLc during βGluCnCs supplementation, whereas men exhibited a significant reduction in ApoB levels. When stratified by baseline LDL cholesterol (LDLc) levels (cut-off: 130 mg/dL), the increase in HDLc and the ApoA1/ApoB ratio was found in the low-LDL group. In contrast, the high-LDL group experienced a significant reduction in atherogenic non-LDLc and LDLc, along with an improvement in HDL’s antioxidant capacity after βGluCnCs intervention. These changes were not statistically significant in the placebo group. In conclusion, our study demonstrated that daily supplementation with βGluCnCs significantly improved lipid profiles, with effects that varied based on sex and baseline LDLc levels. Full article

Social networks have become integral to daily life, allowing users to connect and share information. The efficient analysis of social networks benefits fields such as epidemiology, information dissemination, marketing, and sentiment analysis. However, the direct publishing of social networks is vulnerable to privacy attacks such as typical 1-neighborhood attacks. This attack can infer the sensitive information of private users using users’ relationships and identities. To defend against these attacks, the k-anonymity scheme is a widely used method for protecting user privacy by ensuring that each user is indistinguishable from at least $k-1$ other users. However, this approach requires extensive modifications that compromise the utility of the anonymized graph. In addition, it applies uniform privacy protection, ignoring users’ different privacy preferences. To address the above challenges, this paper proposes an anonymity scheme called TC$\alpha$-PIA (Tree Clustering and $\alpha$-Partial Isomorphism Anonymization). Specifically, TC$\alpha$-PIA first constructs a similarity tree to capture subgraph feature information at different levels using a novel clustering method. Then, it extracts the different privacy requirements of each user based on the node cluster. Using the privacy requirements, it employs an $\alpha$-partial isomorphism-based graph structure anonymization method to achieve personalized privacy requirements for each user. Extensive experiments on four public datasets show that TC$\alpha$-PIA outperforms other alternatives in balancing graph privacy and utility. Full article

It is heavily suggested that one IFNL4 gene polymorphism, rs12979860 (T/C), exerts influence on the outcome of HBV infection, with the rs12979860-T allele being classified as a risk predictor, and the rs12979860-C allele being classified as a protective one. This study investigated whether the rs12979860 IFNL4 gene polymorphism presented any association with the clinical severity for HBV carriers in an admixed population in Northern Brazil. A total of 69 samples were investigated from infected people from the city of Belém-Pará. The rs12979860-T allele was positively associated with HBV infection, suggesting a higher risk of chronicity. This research’s importance is that the polymorphism influence was investigated in a population of HBV carriers with a heterogeneous genetic profile, formed through the extensive admixture of different ethnic groups, including Europeans, Africans, and Natives with indigenous heritage. This analysis is particularly important since highly mixed populations do not always follow the same association patterns previously established by studies using populations classified as more genetically homogeneous, due to a different formation process. Full article

This study was conducted to investigate the impacts of the dietary addition of taurine and enzymatic cottonseed protein concentrate (ECPC) in low-fishmeal diet on the growth performance, plasma biochemical indices, hepatic antioxidant capacity, intestinal anti-inflammatory capacity, intestinal microflora, and muscle quality of golden pompano (Trachinotus ovatus). A total of three isonitrogenous diets were given to 225 golden pompanos (5.6 ± 0.14 g). They were randomly divided into nine cages (1.0 m × 1.0 m × 1.5 m; three cages per treatment) with equal stocking numbers of twenty-five fish per cage. The results indicated that the CSM-TC group significantly increased the growth performance of juvenile T. ovatus (p < 0.05). The results indicated that compared with other groups, the addition of 1% ECPC and 0.25% taurine has been found to enhance the WGR (weight gain rate), SGR (specific growth rate), and CF (condition factor). Compared with other groups, the relative expressions of GH, GHR1, GHR2, IGF1, IGF2, and MyoG were significantly higher in fish fed with CSM-TC. The results showed that CSM-TC significantly increased the activities of alkaline phosphatase, complement 3, and complement 4 enzymes (p < 0.05). The results showed that dietary CSM-TC increased the activities of hepatic superoxide dismutase and total antioxidant capacity enzymes. Compared with other groups, the hepatic relative expressions of Nrf2, HO-1, and GSH-Px were significantly higher in fish fed with CSM-TC. The results showed that dietary CSM-TC increased the activities of intestinal chymotrypsin, lipase, and α-amylase enzymes. A CSM-TC diet significantly increased the relative expressions of IL-10, ZO-1, Occludin, Claudin-3, and Claudin-15 (p < 0.05). The results showed that CSM-C significantly increased the index of Ace and Chao1 (p < 0.05). In conclusion, a high-fermented cottonseed meal diet can have detrimental effects on physiological health in golden pompano, while adding 1% ECPC and 0.25% taurine can improve hepatic and intestinal health via attenuating inflammation and oxidative stress. Full article

To study the influence of tip clearance on the working characteristics of high-altitude fans, this paper takes the MIX-140 high-altitude fan as the research object. Five different tip clearance (TC) models are selected. The CFD method is used to analyze the changes in the working characteristics of the fan under different flow rates and TCs in ground and high-altitude environments. The reliability of the numerical method is verified through a fan test bench. The results show that the tip leakage flow caused by the TC will continuously deteriorate the working characteristics of the fan. Under the rated flow rate in the ground environment, for every doubling of the blade’s TC, the static pressure difference will decrease by 5%, the efficiency will decrease by 2%, and the power will decrease by 3%. In a high-altitude environment, the flow rate corresponding to the maximum shaft power point of the fan will continuously increase with an increase in the tip clearance, which will bring about additional energy consumption. For high-altitude fans, the deformation caused by the high-speed rotation of the impeller needs to be taken into account. Undoubtedly, it is advantageous to choose the smallest possible tip clearance value. The results of the analysis and test methods in this paper will provide a basis for designing the tip clearance of high-altitude fans. Full article