Control Levels Research Articles

Tear Proteomics in Children and Adolescents with Type 1 Diabetes: A Promising Approach to Biomarker Identification of Diabetes Pathogenesis and Complications.

The aim of the current study was to investigate the tear proteome in children and adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1D) compared to healthy controls, and to identify differences in the tear proteome of children with T1D depending on different characteristics of the disease. Fifty-six children with T1D at least one year after diagnosis, aged 6-17 years old, and fifty-six healthy age- and sex-matched controls were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The proteomic analysis was based on liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) enabling the identification and quantification of the protein content via Data-Independent Acquisition by Neural Networks (DIA-NN). Data are available via ProteomeXchange with the identifier PXD052994. In total, 3302 proteins were identified from tear samples. Two hundred thirty-nine tear proteins were differentially expressed in children with T1D compared to healthy controls. Most of them were involved in the immune response, tissue homeostasis and inflammation. The presence of diabetic ketoacidosis at diagnosis and the level of glycemic control of children with T1D influenced the tear proteome. Tear proteomics analysis revealed a different proteome pattern in children with T1D compared to healthy controls offering insights on deregulated biological processes underlying the pathogenesis of T1D. Differences within the T1D group could unravel biomarkers for early detection of long-term complications of T1D.

Concomitant Observer-Based Multi-Level Fault-Tolerant Control for Near-Space Vehicles with New Type Dissimilar Redundant Actuation System

This paper presents a concomitant observer-based multi-level fault-tolerant control (FTC) for near-space vehicles (NSVs) with a new type dissimilar redundant actuation system (NT-DRAS). When NSV flight control system faults occur in NT-DRAS and attitude-corresponding sensors, the NSV hybrid output states, including the concomitant observer usable states and the real system states, are applied to solve the FTC gain by using the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) technique. Furthermore, since NT-DRAS is used in NSVs, a multi-level (actuation system level and flight control level) FTC strategy integrating NT-DRAS channel switching and flight control LQR is proposed for complex and worsening fault cases. The most important finding is that though the proposed strategy is applicable for worsening fault cases in NSVs, systematic and accurate criteria for the process being performed are necessary and can improve the FTC efficiency with minimal FTC resources. Additionally, such criteria can improve the NSV’s responsiveness to comprehensive faults, provided that the real-time performance of the fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) scheme can be further optimized. The concomitant observer convergence and the multi-level FTC strategy have been verified by numerical simulations based on the Matlab/Simulink platform.

Correlation analysis of serum Rac1 level with asthma control, airway inflammatory response and lung function in asthmatic children

ObjectiveTo investigate the correlation between serum Rac1 enzyme (Rac1) level with asthma control, airway inflammatory response and lung function in asthmatic children.MethodsA retrospective analysis was performed on 79 children with asthma who were diagnosed and treated in our hospital from June 2020 to January 2023. According to the severity of the disease, the children were divided into mild group (25 cases), moderate group (30 cases) and severe group (24 cases). 36 healthy children who underwent physical examination at the same period in our hospital were selected as the control group. The state of an illness, control level, serum mRNA Rac1, inflammatory factors, and lung function of the children in two groups were compared between the control group and the observation group.ResultsThe Rac1 mRNA levels, forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second/FVC (FEV1/FVC), peak expiratory flow (PEF), and maximum mid-expiratory flow (MMEF) in the observation group were significantly lower than these in the control group (P < 0.05). The tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), interleukin-5 (IL-5), IL-6, and IL-33 in the observation group were markedly higher than these in the control group (P < 0.05). As the state of an illness worsened, the Rac1 mRNA levels, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF, and MMEF gradually reduced (P < 0.05), while the levels of TNF-α, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-33 increased (P < 0.05). As the degree of disease control improved, the Rac1 mRNA levels, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF, and MMEF gradually elevated (P < 0.05), and the levels of TNF- α, IL-5, IL-6, and IL-33 showed the opposite trend (P < 0.05). Rac1 was negatively related to the levels of TNF-α, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-33 (P < 0.05), and positively to the levels of FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF and MMEF (P < 0.001). Rac1 mRNA levels, FVC, FEV1/FVC, PEF and MMEF were protective factors, while TNF-α, IL-5, IL-6 and IL-33 were risk factors for the prognosis of children with asthma (P < 0.05).ConclusionChildren with asthma have obviously lower serum Rac1 mRNA levels, higher inflammatory factor levels and lower lung function. Serum Rac1 mRNA level may be associated with better asthma control, lower airway inflammatory response, better lung function and lower disease severity. It has important reference value for the evaluation of the state of an illness, efficacy and prognosis of children with bronchial asthma.

Effect of controlling residual moisture in atmospheric plasma spray-Y2O3 coatings on random defect generation by halogen-based plasma

The fluorine-based plasma resistance properties of atmospheric plasma spray (APS)-Y2O3 coatings were investigated based on residual moisture control levels. APS-Y2O3 coatings at different moisture levels are exposed to F-poor (Ar, NF3, and O2) and F-rich (NF3 and O2) plasma. Outgassing varies with the residual moisture control level. When the plasma supplies sufficient energy, internal moisture reacts with the coating surface to form Y-OH, accelerating the coating degradation. This confirms the decreasing random defect occurrence in the moisture-controlled coatings. The F radical preferentially binds to Y-OH bonds, which have a lower strength than Y-O bonds in F-poor plasma, and reacts with Y-OH and Y-O bonds to form YOxFy in F-rich plasma. YOxFy formed by Y-OH bonds is vulnerable to plasma owing to its low binding strength, which accelerates the formation of random defects. This study highlights the importance of reducing random defects by effective moisture control.

Long-term changes in phospholipids and free fatty acids and the possible subcellular origins for phospholipid degradation in kainic acid-damaged mouse hippocampus

Kainic acid (KA)-induced excitotoxicity induces acute degradation of phospholipids and release of free fatty acids (FFAs) in rodent hippocampus, but the long-term changes in phospholipids or the subcellular origins of liberated FFAs remain unclarified. Phospholipids and FFAs were determined in KA-damaged mouse hippocampus by enzyme-coupled biochemical assays. The evolution of membrane injuries in the hippocampus was examined by a series of morphological techniques. The levels of phospholipids in the hippocampus decreased shortly after KA injection but recovered close to the control levels at 24 h. The decline in phospholipids was accelerated again from 72 to 120 after KA treatment. The levels of FFAs were negatively related to those of phospholipids, exhibiting a similar but opposite trend of changes. KA treatment caused progressively severe damage to vulnerable neurons, which was accompanied by increased permeability in the cell membrane and increased staining of membrane-bound dyes in the cytoplasm. Double fluorescence staining showed that the latter was partially overlapped with abnormally increased endocytic and autophagic components in damaged neurons. Our results revealed intricate and biphasic changes in phospholipid and FFA levels in KA-damaged hippocampus. Disrupted endomembrane system may be one of the major origins for KA-induced FFA release.

Abstract A078: Functional screen for mediators of onco-mRNA translation specificity in pancreatic cancer

Abstract Oncogenic protein dosage is tightly regulated to enable cancer cells to adapt and survive. In healthy cells, translation initiation of onco-mRNA transcripts encoding oncogenes and growth factors is tightly regulated to maintain accurate protein expression levels. However, this process is broken in cancer cells, which rely on the maintenance of high dosage of oncogenic proteins for their survival and to drive cancer development. Whether this is regulated at the level of translational control and the key factors in cis and trans remain unknown. The Myc oncogene is a central paradigm of an exquisitely regulated oncogene and a major driver of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). While there has been a tremendous effort to target Myc in cancer, clinically relevant Myc inhibition remains a challenge. Therefore, identifying selective promoters of MYC translation may present a novel therapeutic opportunity. Employing a genome-wide CRISPRi screen for modulators of MYC mRNA translation initiation in PDAC cells, we identified regulators of selective MYC translation and validated four RNA binding proteins (RBPs), including epitranscriptome modifiers. We focused on a top hit, a little studied RBP, RBM42, which is highly expressed in PDAC and predicts poor patient survival. We found that RBM42 binds and selectively regulates the translation of MYC and a precise, yet vital suite of pro-oncogenic transcripts, including JUN and EGFR. Mechanistically, employing immunoprecipitation-mass spectrometry analysis, we found that RMB42 is a novel ribosome-associated protein (RAP). Through RNA structure determination and mutagenesis analysis, we showed that RBM42 directly binds and remodels the MYC 5’UTR RNA structure, facilitating the formation of the translation pre-initiation complex and increasing MYC translation. Importantly, we demonstrated that RBM42 is necessary for human PDAC cell growth and fitness and PDAC tumorigenesis in xenograft mouse models in a Myc-dependent manner in vivo. In PDAC patient samples, RBM42 expression is correlated with Myc protein levels and transcriptional activity. This work transforms our understanding of the translational code in cancer and offers a new therapeutic opening to target the expression of oncogenes. Citation Format: Joanna R Kovalski, Goksu Sarioglu, Vishvak Subramanyam, Grace Hernandez, Gilles Rademaker, Juan A Oses-Prieto, Macey Slota, Kwun Wah Wen, Grace E Kim, Alma L Burlingame, Hani Goodarzi, Rushika M Perera, Davide Ruggero. Functional screen for mediators of onco-mRNA translation specificity in pancreatic cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research; 2024 Sep 15-18; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(17 Suppl_2):Abstract nr A078.

유연한 섭식절제가 섭식통제상실에 미치는 영향: 이분법적 사고와 반추의 매개효과(20대 여성을 대상으로)

Objectives This research attempts to subdivide controlled eating and binge eating behavior, and investigate the effects of flexible controlled eating on people’s psychological health. One also presents loss of control eating, a sub-variable of binge eating, as the independent variable to provide evidence on effective interventions when it comes to eating disorders. Methods 301 women in their twenties were surveyed online for data collection. SPSS 23.0 was used for descriptive statistics and correlation analysis, while MPLUS 7.4 was used to test structural modeling and mediation effects. Results First, all of the major variables were significantly positively correlated. Second, flexible control predicted loss of control eating both directly and indirectly. Third, dichotomous thinking did not mediate the relationship between flexible control and loss of control eating. Fourth, rumination mediated the relationship between flexible control and loss of control eating. Fifth, dichotomous thinking and rumination mediated the relationship between flexible control and loss of control eating in such order. Conclusions Such results show that high level of flexible control is associated with high level of dichotomous thinking and rumination, leading to increased loss of control eating. This indicates that women with high levels of flexible control can proceed through dichotomous thinking towards eating and rumination, subjecting them towards uncontrolled eating behaviors. One would conclude that control over eating according to external standards such as eating regulations, not internal hunger, may paradoxically lead to loss of control over eating.

Comparison of complications and degree of correction between the extensile lateral and sinus tarsi approaches in the treatment of calcaneus fractures: a cross-sectional observational retrospective study

Introduction: Calcaneus fractures are a challenge for traumatologists. Their complex anatomy, relative scarcity of surrounding soft tissue, and long learning curve for surgical treatment partly explain the difficulties encountered by surgeons, in addition to contributing to the high rate of complications. Objective: This study aimed to identify the differences in complication rates and degree of correction between extensile lateral access (ELA) and sinus tarsi (STA) approaches by reviewing medical records between 2018 and 2023 of patients who underwent open reduction and internal fixation of calcaneus fractures at a hospital in the interior of São Paulo. Methods: The present study followed a retrospective observational and cross-sectional model (STROBE). The Kolmogorov Smirnov test, Student-t test, Wilcoxon Rank test, Mann-Whitney test, Pearson Chi-Square test, and binary and predictive logistic regression analysis were used, adopting a confidence risk of 0.05. Results and Conclusion: A total of 77 patients were included (52 ELA and 25 STA). It was concluded that no statistical differences were observed after intergroup comparisons (ELA vs. STA). There was also no statistically significant influence of the predictor “age” on the predictors of the responses “Böhler and Gissane angles in degrees” in the final post-procedure phase. In general, STA presented a lower probability of complications with the use of the sinus tarsi route, reaching the same level of joint reduction and control of progression to osteoarthritis. All these results of the present study almost completely confirm the literary findings that appear under discussion.

Protective role of transforming growth factor-Β3 (TGF-Β3) in the formation of radiation-induced capsular contracture around a breast implant: In vivo experimental study

Postmastectomy radiotherapy causes capsular contracture due to fibroproliferation of the capsular tissue around the implant. In fibrosis, unlike normal wound healing, structural and functional disorders are observed in the tissues caused by excessive/irregular accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins. It has been reported that transforming growth factor-β3 (TGF-β3) prevents and reverses fibrosis in various tissues or provides scarless healing with its antifibrotic effect. Additionally, TGF-β3 has been shown to reduce fibrosis in radiotherapy-induced fibrosis syndrome. However, no study in the literature investigates the effects of exogenously applied TGF-β3 on capsular contracture in aesthetic or reconstructive breast implant application. TGF-β3, which has a very short half-life, has low bioavailability with parenteral administration. Within the scope of this study, free TGF-β3 was loaded into the nanoparticles to increase its low bioavailability and extend its duration of action by providing controlled release. The aim of this study is to investigate the preventive/improving effects of radiation induced capsular contracture using chitosan film formulations containing TGF-β3 loaded poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid)-b-poly(ethylene glycol) (PLGA-b-PEG) nanoparticles in implant-based breast reconstruction. In the characterization studies of nanoparticles, the particle size and zeta potential of the TGF-β3-loaded PLGA-b-PEG nanoparticle formulation selected to be used in the treatment group were found to be 123.60 ± 2.09 nm and −34.87 ± 1.42 mV, respectively. The encapsulation efficiency of the formulation was calculated as 99.91 %. A controlled release profile was obtained in in vitro release studies. Chitosan film formulations containing free TGF-β3 or TGF-β3-loaded PLGA-b-PEG nanoparticles were used in in vivo studies. In animal studies, rats were randomly distributed into 6 groups (n = 8) as sham, implant, implant + radiotherapy, implant + radiotherapy + chitosan film containing unloaded nanoparticles, implant + radiotherapy + chitosan film containing free TGF-β3, implant + radiotherapy + chitosan film containing TGF-β3 loaded nanoparticle. In all study groups, a 2 cm incision was made along the posterior axillary line at the thoracic vertebral level in rats to reach the lateral edge of the latissimus dorsi. The fascial attachment to the chest wall was then bluntly dissected to create a pocket for the implants. In the treatment groups, the wound was closed after films were placed on the outer surface of the implants. After administering prophylactic antibiotics, rats were subjected to irradiation with 10 Gy photon beams targeted to each implant site. Each implant and the surrounding excised tissue were subjected to the necessary procedures for histological (capsule thickness, cell density), immunohistochemical, and biochemical (α-SMA, vimentin, collagen type I and type III, TGF-β1 and TGF-β3: expression level/protein level) examinations. It was determined that the levels of TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 collagen type III, which decreased as a result of radiotherapy, were brought to the control level with free TGF-β3 film and TGF-β3 nanoparticle film formulations. Histological analyses, consistent with biochemical analyses, showed that thick collagen and fibrosis, which increased with radiotherapy, were brought to the control level with free TGF-β3 film and TGF-β3 nanoparticle film treatments.In biochemical analyses, the decrease in thick collagen was compatible with the decrease in the collagen type I/type III ratio in the free TGF-β3 film and TGF-β3 nanoparticle film groups. Changes in protein expression show that TGF-β3 loaded nanoparticles are more successful than free TGF-β3 in wound healing. In line with these results and the literature, it is thought that the balance of TGF-β1 and TGF-β3 should be maintained to ensure scarless wound healing with no capsule contracture.

ORPP—An Ontology for Skill-Based Robotic Process Planning in Agile Manufacturing

Ontology plays a significant role in AI (Artificial Intelligence) and robotics by providing structured data, reasoning, action understanding, context awareness, knowledge transfer, and semantic learning. The structured framework created by the ontology for knowledge representation is crucial for enabling intelligent behavior in robots. This paper provides a state-of-the-art analysis on the existing ontology approaches and at the same time consolidates the terms in the robotic task planning domain. The major gap identified in the literature is the need to bridge higher-level robotic process management and lower-level robotic control. This gap makes it difficult for operators/non-robotic experts to integrate robots into their production processes as well as evaluate key performance indicators (KPI) of the processes. To fill the gap, the authors propose an ontology for skill-based robotics process planning (ORPP). ORPP not only provides a standardization in the robotic process planning in the agile manufacturing domain but also enables non-robotic experts to design and plan their production processes using an intuitive Process-Task-Skill-Primitive structure to control low-level robotic actions. On the performance level, this structure provides traceability of the KPIs down to the robot control level.

Seismic performance assessment of pile supported wharves with seismic isolation system considering pile-soil interaction

Pile-Supported Wharves (PSW) are critical for maritime operations but are highly vulnerable to seismic events, which can disrupt port activities. Previous seismic events have highlighted that short free length piles in wharf structures are particularly prone to earthquake damage. This paper aims to mitigate damage between the wharf deck and piles connections by adopting the seismic isolation systems. Conventional Wharf (CW) and Isolated Wharf (IW) structures were comprehensively assessed, focusing on Pile-Soil Interaction (PSI), using the finite element software OpenSees for advanced numerical simulations. Non-Linear Time History Analysis (NLTHA) of CW and IW has been conducted to verify the design under Contingency Level Earthquake (CLE) and Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE) scenarios. The analysis aims to enhance the performance of short free length piles within the IW structure. Comparative analysis of fragility curves between CW and IW structures shows that isolation systems significantly reduce seismic fragility by 49%, 60%, and 67% at the MCE level for minimal damage, control & repairable damage and life safety protection across three performance levels, respectively. These findings indicate that the implementation of isolation measures has significantly enhanced the seismic performance and safety of PSW structures.

Synergistic effect of Pseudomonas putida and endomycorrhizal inoculation on the physiological response of onion (Allium cepa L.) to saline conditions

Salinity stress negatively affects the growth and yield of crops worldwide. Onion (Allium cepa L.) is moderately sensitive to salinity. Beneficial microorganisms can potentially confer salinity tolerance. This study investigated the effects of endomycorrhizal fungi (M), Pseudomonas putida (Ps) and their combination (MPs) on onion growth under control (0 ppm), moderate (2000 ppm) and high (4000 ppm) NaCl salinity levels. A pot experiment was conducted with sandy loam soil and onion cultivar Giza 20. Results showed that salinity reduced growth attributes, leaf pigments, biomass and bulb yield while increasing oxidative stress markers. However, individual or combined inoculations significantly increased plant height, bulb diameter and biomass production compared to uninoculated plants under saline conditions. MPs treatment provided the highest stimulation, followed by Pseudomonas and mycorrhizae alone. Overall, dual microbial inoculation showed synergistic interaction, conferring maximum benefits for onion growth, bulbing through integrated physiological and biochemical processes under salinity. Bulb yield showed 3.5, 36 and 83% increase over control at 0, 2000 and 4000 ppm salinity, respectively. In conclusion, combined application of mycorrhizal-Pseudomonas inoculations (MPs) effectively mitigate salinity stress. This approach serves as a promising biotechnology for ensuring sustainable onion productivity under saline conditions.

Influence of polyethylene-type microplastics on long-term exposure to heavy metals in freshwater phytoplankton

The use of plastic materials has brought about significant social benefits but has also led to negative consequences, particularly their accumulation in aquatic environments. Studies have shown that small plastic particles, known as microplastics (MPs), can carry various harmful pollutants, such as heavy metals (HMs). Therefore, the aim of this research is to investigate the impact of polyethylene-type MPs on the long-term exposure of different HMs on freshwater microalgae Scenedesmus armatus and cyanobacteria Microcystis aeruginosa, in both isolated cultures and phytoplanktonic community conditions. Over a period of 28 days, the strains were subjected to concentrations of Ag+, Cu+2, and Cr+6 corresponding to their respective 72 h-EC10, with or without the presence of MPs. Throughout this period, the growth cell ratio, photosynthetic activity, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) were monitored. The findings indicated a substantial inhibitory impact on cell growth during the initial 7-14 days of exposure, followed by a reduction until reaching values like the controls after 28 days of exposure. There was a disturbance in photosynthetic activity during the first 72 h of exposure, which gradually returned to control levels, mainly significantly affected the respiration phase. Reactive oxygen species (ROS) activity was also affected during the initial 14 days of exposure. The presence or absence of MPs in the culture medium did not significantly alter the observed effects. However, interspecies competition created a more favorable environment for M. aeruginosa over the freshwater microalgae S. armatus. These findings suggest that the formation of MP-HMs complexes may have a limited impact on reducing the adverse effects of HMs in long-term exposures. However, because the impact depends on the specific HM involved, further studies are needed to gain a better understanding of the interaction between these pollutants.

The influence of marine fungal meroterpenoid meroantarctine A toward HaCaT keratinocytes infected with Staphylococcus aureus.

A new biological activity was discovered for marine fungal meroterpenoid meroantarctine A with unique 6/5/6/6 polycyclic system. It was found that meroantarctine A can significantly reduce biofilm formation by Staphylococcus aureus with an IC50 of 9.2 µM via inhibition of sortase A activity. Co-cultivation of HaCaT keratinocytes with a S. aureus suspension was used as an in vitro model of skin infection. Treatment of S. aureus-infected HaCaT cells with meroantarctine A at 10 µM caused a reduction in the production of TNF-α, IL-18, NO, and ROS, as well as LDH release and caspase 1 activation in these cells and, finally, recovered the proliferation and migration of HaCaT cells in an in vitro wound healing assay up to the control level. Thus, meroantarctine A is a new promising antibiofilm compound which can effective against S. aureus caused skin infection.

Health literacy of community leaders in the prevention and control of COVID-19: A cross-sectional study

Community leaders in Thailand play an important role in preventing and controlling infectious diseases, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Hence, risk perception and adequate health literacy among these leaders influence the population. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate the relationships among health literacy, risk perception factors, and the implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control. A self-administered structured questionnaire was administered to 1,338 community leaders in northeast Thailand to assess the level of implementation of COVID-19 prevention and control measures. Multiple logistic regression was performed to identify the influence of risk perceptions and health literacy on the prevention and control of COVID-19. Approximately 64% of the sample was male, and the participants had an average age of 50.51 ± 8.47 years. The factors associated with moderate and high levels of COVID-19 prevention and control among community leaders were moderate and high levels of perceived susceptibility (adjusted odds ratio [ORadj] = 3.01; 95% CI: 2.13–4.25; p-value &lt; 0.001) and perceived severity (ORadj = 1.73; 95% CI: 1.22–2.45; p-value = 0.023) as well as adequate access (ORadj = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.08–2.25; p-value &lt; 0.001) and adequate understanding (ORadj = 2.29; 95% CI: 1.34–3.93; p-value &lt; 0.001), with a level of statistical significance of 0.05. The incorporation of health literacy and risk perception, especially in dimensions such as access, understanding, perceived susceptibility, and perceived severity, is essential for leaders to possess strong skills in community health development, particularly during crises such as the COVID-19 pandemic.

Seriation of Enzyme-Functionalized Multilayers for the Design of Scalable Biomimetic Mineralized Structures.

Biomimetic hydroxyapatites are widely explored for their potential applications in the repair of mineralized tissues, particularly dental enamel, which is acellular and, thus, not naturally reformed after damage. Enamel is formed with a highly-controlled hierarchical structure, which is difficult to replicate up to the macroscale. A biomimetic approach is thus warranted, based on the same principles that drive biomineralization in vivo. Herein, a strategy for the design of enamel-like architectures is described, utilizing enzymes embedded in polyelectrolyte multilayers to generate inorganic phosphate locally, and provide a favorable chemical environment for the nucleation and growth of minerals. Moreover, a method is proposed to build up seriated mineral layers with scalable thicknesses, continuous mineral growth, and tunable morphology. Results show the outstanding growth of cohesive mineral layers, yielding macroscopic standalone fluoride and/or carbonate-substituted hydroxyapatite materials with comparable crystal structure and composition to native human mineralized tissues. This strategy presents a promising path forward for the biomimetic design of biomineral materials, particularly relevant for restorative applications, with an exquisite level of synthetic control over multiple orders of magnitude.

Muscle Atrophy and mRNA-miRNA Network Analysis of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF) in a Mouse Model of Denervation-Induced Disuse.

Skeletal muscle atrophy is frequently caused by the disuse of muscles.It impacts quality of life, especially in aging populations and those with chronic diseases. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying muscle atrophy is crucial for developing effective therapies. To investigate the roles of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and various microRNAs (miRNAs) in muscle atrophy using a mouse model of denervation (DEN)-induced disuse, and to elucidate their interactions and regulatory functions through comprehensive network analysis. The right sciatic nerve of C57BL/6J mice (n=6) was excised to simulate DEN, with the left serving as a sham surgery control (Sham). Following a two-week period, wet muscle weight was measured. Total RNA was extracted from the tibialis anterior muscle for microarray analysis. Significant expression changes were analyzed via Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG)pathway analysis and miRNet for miRNAs. Denervated limbs showed a significant reduction in muscle weight. Over 1,000 genes displayed increased expression, while 527 showed reductions to less than half of control levels. VEGF, along with specific miRNAs such as miR-106a-5p, miR-mir20a-5p, mir93-5p and mir17-5p, occupied central regulatory nodes within the gene network. Functional analysis revealed that these molecules are involved in key biological processes including regulation of cell migration, vasculature development, and regulation of endothelial cell proliferation. The increased miRNAswere subjected to further network analysis that revealed significant regulatory interactions with target mRNAs. VEGF and miRNAs play crucial roles in the progression of skeletal muscle atrophy, offering potential targets for therapeutic interventions aimed at reducing atrophy and enhancing muscle regeneration.

A hierarchical frequency stability control strategy for distributed energy resources based on ADMM

With the large-scale distributed energy resources (DERs) interfaced by power electronic converters connected to the power grid, the traditional synchronous generation is gradually replaced, and the inertia and primary frequency regulation capability of the power system is weakened, which seriously threatens the frequency security of the power grid. In view of the above problems, a hierarchical control strategy by coordinating the distributed wind turbine (WT) and photovoltaic (PV) is presented to improve the transient frequency (TF) and steady-state frequency (SSF). For the system control level, the optimal frequency regulation coefficients of multiple WTs and PVs clustering systems are determined by the optimal control principle with minimum frequency regulation energy, while considering the constraints of TF and SSF. For the WT/PV control level, the frequency regulation coefficients of WTs and PVs are solved by the model predictive controller (MPC) and alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM), with the minimum control cost of WT and PV. It achieves the optimal allocation of frequency regulation power and improves the computing efficiency. Finally, the validity of the proposed method is tested in the modified IEEE 10-machine 39-bus system.

The Potential of Building Information Modeling in Agricultural Operations

Building Information Modeling (BIM) has been widely adopted in the construction industry, providing a virtual representation of physical objects and systems. In the context of agriculture, BIM can be applied to monitor and manage the physical and operational characteristics of farms and agricultural facilities using BIM digital twins. A BIM digital twin is a virtual representation of a physical object or system that is based on data from BIM models and other sources. The integration of sensors is essential in creating a BIM digital twin as they provide real-time data that can be used to update and maintain the virtual representation. The use of BIM digital twins in agriculture has the potential to improve the management of agricultural facilities, reduce environmental pollution, and promote the sustainability of agricultural land. Sensors can be used in agriculture to monitor various parameters such as soil moisture, temperature, and nutrient levels. BIM digital twins can also be used to monitor and manage sources of pollution, such as the use of pesticides and fertilizers, and to develop strategies to minimize their impact on the environment. BIM digital twins provide a comprehensive view of the condition of agricultural land and the factors that influence it, such as weather patterns, industry activities, and human activities. 4D BIM is an extension of traditional 3D BIM that adds a time dimension to the model. In the context of agriculture, 4D BIM can be used to visualize and simulate various processes related to time and soil management, such as planting and harvesting cycles, and to evaluate the impact of different planting strategies on crop yields. 4D BIM can also be used to model the impact of weather patterns on crop growth and to develop contingency plans for weather- related events. The use of BIM in agriculture has the potential to transform the industry by providing a new level of insight and control over agricultural operations. BIM models can be used to simulate and visualize different scenarios for agricultural facilities, such as the use of water, fertilizer, and energy, leading to improved efficiency and reduced waste. By using BIM to optimize operations, agricultural companies can increase their productivity and profitability. The integration of BIM digital twins and 4D BIM in agriculture has the potential to revolutionize the industry by providing new tools for monitoring and managing agricultural operations. The use of BIM digital twins and 4D BIM can help reduce environmental pollution, promote sustainability, and improve the efficiency and productivity of agricultural operations. Testing is needed to fully understand the potential benefits of BIM and BIM digital twins in agriculture and to develop best practices for their implementation.

Coenzyme Q10 Improves the Post-Thaw Sperm Quality in Dwarf Surfclam Mulinia lateralis.

Previous studies have shown that post-thaw sperm performance is affected by multiple stressors during cryopreservation, such as those induced by physical, chemical, mechanical and physiological changes. One of these is the balance disturbance between the antioxidant defense system and reactive oxygen species (ROS) production. This study investigated whether this disturbance could be alleviated by the addition of different antioxidants to cryoprotective solution [8% dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) in 1 µm filtered seawater] optimized for the sperm in dwarf surf clam Mulinia lateralis, the model bivalve species used in many different types of studies. Results showed that the addition of 20 μM coenzyme Q10 (Q10) to 8% DMSO achieved a D-stage larval rate similar to that of the fresh control at a sperm-to-egg ratio at least 50% less than the 8% DMSO treatment alone. The addition of other antioxidants (glycine, melatonin and polyvinylpyrrolidone) did not have any positive effects. The improvement in post-thaw sperm quality by Q10 could be due to its ability to significantly decrease ROS production and lipid peroxidation and significantly increase the motility, plasma membrane integrity, mitochondrial membrane potential, acrosome integrity, DNA integrity and activities of catalase and glutatione. In this study, 37 fatty acids (FAs) were quantified in dwarf surf clam sperm, with 21 FAs being significantly impacted by the cryopreservation with 8% DMSO. Thirteen of these 21 FAs were changed due to the addition of 20 μM Q10 to 8% DMSO, with approximately half of them being improved significantly toward the levels of fresh control, while the remaining half extended further from the trends shown with 8% DMSO treatment. However, no significant difference was found in the percentage of each FA category sum and the ratio of unsaturated/saturated FAs between the two treated groups. In conclusion, the antioxidant Q10 has shown the potential to further improve the sperm cryopreservation technique in bivalves.