Direct Mode Research Articles

Synthetic protein circuits for programmable control of mammalian cell death

Natural cell death pathways such as apoptosis and pyroptosis play dual roles: they eliminate harmful cells and modulate the immune system by dampening or stimulating inflammation. Synthetic protein circuits capable of triggering specific death programs in target cells could similarly remove harmful cells while appropriately modulating immune responses. However, cells actively influence their death modes in response to natural signals, making it challenging to control death modes. Here, we introduce naturally inspired "synpoptosis" circuits that proteolytically regulate engineered executioner proteins and mammalian cell death. These circuits direct cell death modes, respond to combinations of protease inputs, and selectively eliminate target cells. Furthermore, synpoptosis circuits can be transmitted intercellularly, offering a foundation for engineering synthetic killer cells that induce desired death programs in target cells without self-destruction. Together, these results lay the groundwork for programmable control of mammalian cell death.

Elaboration and Characterization of CdS Nanostructures Using Pulse‐Assisted Electrodeposition: Effect of Time‐Off Duration

The presence of metallic cadmium in the electrodeposited cadmium sulfide (CdS) films is a persistent problem that leads to low photoactivity. Changing the deposition mode is a way to address this problem and thus increase the photoelectrochemical performance. Herein, the effect of the deposition mode on the composition of the CdS films prepared under the same deposition parameters is investigated for the first time. In addition, the influence of the time‐off duration on the properties of the electrodeposited thin films is studied. The results of the X‐Ray diffraction, UV–vis spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, and photoelectrochemical characterizations reveal that the pulse‐deposited CdS films show enhanced microstructural, optical, and morphological properties as compared to that of the film deposited under direct mode. The CdS thin film deposited at time‐off duration of 0.5 s is composed of a pure CdS phase following a mixture of cubic and hexagonal lattice structure. This sample shows a smooth surface, high absorption in UV and visible light and an intense photoresponse of 90 μA under visible light.

Multi-information and epidemic coupling propagation considering indirect contact on two-layer networks

This research provides an in-depth examination of the interplay between diverse information propagation and epidemic spread within a two-layer network, placing particular emphasis on the implications of both direct and indirect modes of disease transmission. Individuals are categorized based on their susceptibility to and their capacity for disease propagation, while the influence of varying infection rates on epidemic expansion is investigated. Information is bifurcated into constructive narratives with beneficial outcomes, and detrimental narratives originating from rumors. The method of information dispersion incorporates considerations such as herd behavior, preventative costs, and individual risk perception. Utilizing the Microscopic Markov Chain Approach (MMCA), a dynamic equation is formulated to delineate epidemic propagation and the epidemic threshold for the proposed model is calculated. Results demonstrate that promoting swift dissemination of positive information, concurrently with curbing the spread of negative narratives, can appreciably mitigate epidemic proliferation. The findings also imply that facilitating access to beneficial information, minimizing the consequences of harmful narratives, decreasing prevention-related expenses, and enhancing personal risk perception can significantly reduce the ultimate magnitude of the epidemic. Notably, the study reveals that indirect contact can considerably augment epidemic spread. As the infection rate via indirect contact escalities, the extent of epidemic transmission broadens and the threshold for epidemic transmission diminishes.

A virtual thermometer for ultrahigh-temperature–pressure experiments in a large-volume press

Ultrahigh-temperature–pressure experiments are crucial for understanding the physical and chemical properties of matter. The recent development of boron-doped diamond (BDD) heaters has made such melting experiments possible in large-volume presses. However, estimates of temperatures above 2600 K and of the temperature distributions inside BDD heaters are not well constrained, owing to the lack of a suitable thermometer. Here, we establish a three-dimensional finite element model as a virtual thermometer to estimate the temperature and temperature field above 2600 K. The advantage of this virtual thermometer over those proposed in previous studies is that it considers both alternating and direct current heating modes, the actual sizes of cell assemblies after compression, the effects of the electrode, thermocouple and anvil, and the heat dissipation by the pressure-transmitting medium. The virtual thermometer reproduces the power–temperature relationships of ultrahigh-temperature–pressure experiments below 2600 K at press loads of 2.8–7.9 MN (∼19 to 28 GPa) within experimental uncertainties. The temperatures above 2600 K predicted by our virtual thermometer are within the uncertainty of those extrapolated from power–temperature relationships below 2600 K. Furthermore, our model shows that the temperature distribution inside a BDD heater (19–26 K/mm along the radial direction and <83 K/mm along the longitudinal direction) is more homogeneous than those inside conventional heaters such as graphite or LaCrO3 heaters (100–200 K/mm). Our study thus provides a reliable virtual thermometer for ultrahigh-temperature experiments using BDD heaters in Earth and material sciences.

Direct numerical simulation and mode analysis of turbulent transition flow in a compressor blade channel

The separation and turbulent transition of the flow in a compressor blade channel are investigated through direct numerical simulations (DNS) at a Reynolds number of 1.367 × 105. Based on the original DNS data, both time-averaged statistics and instantaneous vortex structures of the flow field are extensively analyzed. The vortices are visualized and studied by the Liutex method, and the streaming dynamic mode decomposition (SDMD), a low-storage variant of conventional DMD, is applied to the large datasets obtained on both pressure and suction sides. The physical quantity analyzed with SDMD is the Liutex magnitude R. The DNS results indicate that flow separation occurs on both sides of the blade. On the pressure surface, the separation is weak and the flow remains in a natural transition dominated by viscous Tollmien–Schlichting instabilities. In contrast, owing to the presence of a large laminar separation bubble, the flow experiences a separation transition governed by inviscid Kelvin–Helmholtz instabilities on the suction surface. The SDMD results suggest that a broad range of vortex frequencies exist in the transition flow, and the scale of the spatial structures is negatively correlated with the frequency of the mode. On the pressure surface, the extracted SDMD modes are primarily related to Kelvin–Helmholtz rolls, whereas on the suction side, influenced by the separated boundary layer, the modal structures exhibit greater diversity.

Microstructured Cantilever Probe on Optical Fiber Tip for Microforce Sensor

Benefiting from the great advances of the femtosecond laser two-photon polymerization (TPP) technology, customized microcantilever probes can be accurately 3-dimensional (3D) manufactured at the nanoscale size and thus have exhibited considerable potentials in the fields of microforce, micro-vibration, and microforce sensors. In this work, a controllable microstructured cantilever probe on an optical fiber tip for microforce detection is demonstrated both theoretically and experimentally. The static performances of the probe are firstly investigated based on the finite element method (FEM), which provides the basis for the structural design. The proposed cantilever probe is then 3D printed by means of the TPP technology. The experimental results show that the elastic constant k of the proposed cantilever probe can be actively tuned from 2.46 N/m to 62.35 N/m. The force sensitivity is 2.5 nm/µN, the Q-factor is 368.93, and the detection limit is 57.43 nN. Moreover, the mechanical properties of the cantilever probe can be flexibly adjusted by the geometric configuration of the cantilever. Thus, it has an enormous potential for matching the mechanical properties of biological samples in the direct contact mode.

Laser deposited ultra-thin silver nanoparticles on CMC-PVA blend film as sheet for wound dressings

In this study, silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) were synthesized using pulsed laser deposition and deposited on a sheet film composed of Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and AgNPs. These polymeric-based nano-composites were investigated for their potential application in wound healing. The structural properties of the composites were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD) and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Morphological features were observed through field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and roughness characteristics were studied using FESEM micrographs. The CMC-PVA-AgNPs scaffolds with deposition times of 10 and 12.5 min showed minimal deviations in surface structure compared to the composites with longer deposition times, where scattered AgNPs and aggregates were observed. Furthermore, the roughness parameter (Ra) values indicated the potential of silver NPs in creating trapping sites and crystal defects, as evidenced by an increase in Ra from 18.96 nm in the pure CMC-PVA blend to 34.17 nm at a deposition time of 20 min. The optical properties of the composites were investigated by determining the band-gap of direct and indirect transition modes, which exhibited a decreasing trend. The presence of silver NPs was confirmed by the plasmon absorption band observed around 400 nm. The intensity of the plasmon peaks increased with longer laser deposition times, indicating an increase in the silver content over time. Finally, the antibacterial activity of the prepared scaffolds against Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Staphylococcus aureus, and Micrococcusluteus was evaluated, and the results strongly support the potential of the prepared material for biological applications. In conclusion, the synthesized CMC-PVA-AgNPs nano-composites deposited using pulsed laser deposition technique exhibited promising properties for wound healing applications. The comprehensive characterization of the composites, including their structural, morphological, optical, and antibacterial properties, provides valuable insights for further research and development in the field of biomaterials.

TCV-D: An Approach for Path Selection in Vehicular Task Offloading

The vehicular task offloading technology enhances the transportation system by offloading tasks of task-requesting vehicles (TRV) to either vehicular fog nodes (VFN) or road-side units (RSU) using single-hop or multi-hop communication. Due to the limited availability of VFN/RSU within a single-hop of TRV, a multi-hop path is employed for offloading tasks from TRV to VFN/RSU. However, the multi-hop path selection approaches have several issues, such as frequent re-connections due to varying vehicle speed, lower successful offloading when task deadline is missed, increased outage time when no VFN/RSU is within communication range of TRV, and inefficient vehicle selection to offload task leading to longer path lifetime. To address these issues, we have proposed a novel approach called Time-Computation-Variance based deadline sensitive path selection (TCV-D), which considers contextual information from k-hop neighbors. The approach offers four offloading modes: Direct mode, RSU mode, VFN mode, and Search mode, depending on the availability of RSUs/VFNs in single and multi-hop scenarios. To ensure tasks are delivered within deadlines, the proposed approach executes tasks by task forwarding vehicle or neighbor of task forwarding vehicle instead of designated VFN/RSU if delivering the task directly to the destination would exceed the deadline constraint. Extensive result analysis demonstrates substantial improvements compared to the existing k-hop-limited offloading time-based path selection (k-hop-limited-OTS) approach, including a 60% reduction in re-connections, a 35% decrease in path life time, a 30% decrease in outage time, and an 84% increase in successful offloading ratio, approximately.

JWST/NIRCam Imaging of Young Stellar Objects. III. Detailed Imaging of the Nebular Environment around the HL Tau Disk

As part of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) Guaranteed Time Observation program “Direct Imaging of YSOs” (program ID 1179), we use JWST NIRCam’s direct imaging mode in F187N, F200W, F405N, and F410M to perform high-contrast observations of the circumstellar structures surrounding the protostar HL Tau. The data reveal the known stellar envelope, outflow cavity, and streamers, but do not detect any companion candidates. We detect scattered light from an inflowing spiral streamer previously detected in HCO+ by the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array, and part of the structure connected to the c-shaped outflow cavity. For detection limits in planet mass we use BEX evolutionary tracks when M p < 2 M J and AMES-COND evolutionary tracks otherwise, assuming a planet age of 1 Myr (youngest available age). Inside the disk region, due to extended envelope emission, our point-source sensitivities are ∼5 mJy (37 M J) at 40 au in F187N and ∼0.37 mJy (5.2 M J) at 140 au in F405N. Outside the disk region, the deepest limits we can reach are ∼0.01 mJy (0.75 M J) at a projected separation ∼ 525 au.

SIMULATION OF DYNAMIC PROCESSES IN A p - i - n DIODE BY THE METHODS OF PERTURBATION THEORY

In the paper a mathematical model of the dynamic process of the electron-hole plasma formation in the active region ( i - region) of a semiconductor p - i - n - diode in the direct bias mode with a harmonic signal fed on the diode is developed. The basis of the model is a nonlinear nonstationary sin- gularly perturbed boundary value problem for a system of continuity equations of electron-hole currents and Poisson's equation. The algorithm for searching the charge carrier concentration distributions and the potential distribution is based on the asymptotic method of boundary functions and the Fourier method. In the course of the research, a technique for decomposing a nonlinear problem based on the development of perturbation theory me- thods was proposed. The initial nonlinear problem is reduced to a recurrent sequence of linear stationary boundary value problems, solved by classical and partially original analytical-numerical methods. The identification of the boundary functions in the solution of the problem provides, in particular, in contrast to the classical approximation of ambipolar diffusion, an adequate description of the electric field strength behavior in the active region of p - i - n - diodes. The obtained research results shed light on the peculiarities of the formation of the impedance characteristics of p - i - n - structures. The results of the work reveal more deeply the nature of the physical processes in the studied technical system and are aimed at improving the methodology for modeling and designing control semiconductor devices.

Direction-Aware Video Demoiréing with Temporal-Guided Bilateral Learning

Moiré patterns occur when capturing images or videos on screens, severely degrading the quality of the captured images or videos. Despite the recent progresses, existing video demoiréing methods neglect the physical characteristics and formation process of moiré patterns, significantly limiting the effectiveness of video recovery. This paper presents a unified framework, DTNet, a direction-aware and temporal-guided bilateral learning network for video demoiréing. DTNet effectively incorporates the process of moiré pattern removal, alignment, color correction, and detail refinement. Our proposed DTNet comprises two primary stages: Frame-level Direction-aware Demoiréing and Alignment (FDDA) and Tone and Detail Refinement (TDR). In FDDA, we employ multiple directional DCT modes to perform the moiré pattern removal process in the frequency domain, effectively detecting the prominent moiré edges. Then, the coarse and fine-grained alignment is applied on the demoiréd features for facilitating the utilization of neighboring information. In TDR, we propose a temporal-guided bilateral learning pipeline to mitigate the degradation of color and details caused by the moiré patterns while preserving the restored frequency information in FDDA. Guided by the aligned temporal features from FDDA, the affine transformations for the recovery of the ultimate clean frames are learned in TDR. Extensive experiments demonstrate that our video demoiréing method outperforms state-of-the-art approaches by 2.3 dB in PSNR, and also delivers a superior visual experience.

Organization and Construction of Scientific Research Management of the Environmental Monitoring Department

Taking the scientific research management of the environmental monitoring Center as an example, this paper analyzes the nature of scientific research and the main mode of scientific research management of the environmental monitoring department under existing condi- tions, the existing drawbacks and future development tries to find the research direction and management mode of environmental monitoring scientific research through the interpretation of the implementation plan of environmental monitoring network construction and regional plan- ning, and closely combines the characteristics of scientific research management of environmental monitoring system. Put forward the scien- tific research management plan idea and the concrete steps that can be realized.

The Royal Treatment

The Royal Treatment

The effect of direct energy deposition arc mode on the porosity of AA5087 aluminum alloy

The paper evaluates the effect of the welding mode of the CMT-based direct energy deposition arc (DED-Arc) process on the porosity of AA5087 aluminum alloy walls. Three welding modes were used to produce the walls: cold metal transfer (CMT), CMT-Pulse (CMT-P), and CMT Cycle-Step (CMT-CS) with heat inputs of 128.5 J/mm, 150.4 J/mm, and 152 J/mm, respectively. Porosity was assessed with a light microscopy (LM) and computer tomography (CT). The wall produced with the lowest heat input had the lowest average porosity of 0.641 % compared to CMT-P (0.799 %) and CMT-CS (0.766 %). CT results followed the same trend with porosity of 0.21 %, 0.32 %, and 0.27 % for CMT, CMT-P, and CMT-CS, respectively. The porosity level strongly correlates with the hydrogen content. The lowest porosity (CMT) at the lowest hydrogen content (5.29 ppm) is associated with lower hydrogen solubility in a molten pool at lower heat inputs. Most of the detected pores in all modes ranged from 51 to 100 μm in size.

Dinickel enzyme evolved to metabolize the pharmaceutical metformin and its implications for wastewater and human microbiomes

Metformin is the first-line treatment for type II diabetes patients and a pervasive pollutant with more than 180 million kg ingested globally and entering wastewater. The drug's direct mode of action is currently unknown but is linked to effects on gut microbiomes and may involve specific gut microbial reactions to the drug. In wastewater treatment plants, metformin is known to be transformed by microbes to guanylurea, although genes encoding this metabolism had not been elucidated. In the present study, we revealed the function of two genes responsible for metformin decomposition (mfmA and mfmB) found in isolated bacteria from activated sludge. MfmA and MfmB form an active heterocomplex (MfmAB) and are members of the ureohydrolase protein superfamily with binuclear metal-dependent activity. MfmAB is nickel-dependent and catalyzes the hydrolysis of metformin to dimethylamine and guanylurea with a catalytic efficiency (kcat/KM) of 9.6 × 103 M-1s-1 and KM for metformin of 0.82 mM. MfmAB shows preferential activity for metformin, being able to discriminate other close substrates by several orders of magnitude. Crystal structures of MfmAB show coordination of binuclear nickel bound in the active site of the MfmA subunit but not MfmB subunits, indicating that MfmA is the active site for the MfmAB complex. Mutagenesis of residues conserved in the MfmA active site revealed those critical to metformin hydrolase activity and its small substrate binding pocket allowed for modeling of bound metformin. This study characterizes the products of the mfmAB genes identified in wastewater treatment plants on three continents, suggesting that metformin hydrolase is widespread globally in wastewater.

A Complete Assessment of the Emission Performance of an SI Engine Fueled with Methanol, Methane and Hydrogen

This study explores the potentiality of low/zero carbon fuels such as methanol, methane and hydrogen for motor applications to pursue the goal of energy security and environmental sustainability. An experimental investigation was performed on a spark ignition engine equipped with both a port fuel and a direct injection system. Liquid fuels were injected into the intake manifold to benefit from a homogeneous charge formation. Gaseous fuels were injected in direct mode to enhance the efficiency and prevent abnormal combustion. Tests were realized at a fixed indicated mean effective pressure and at three different engine speeds. The experimental results highlighted the reduction of CO and CO2 emissions for the alternative fuels to an extent depending on their properties. Methanol exhibited high THC and low NOx emissions compared to gasoline. Methane and, even more so, hydrogen, allowed for a reduction in THC emissions. With regard to the impact of gaseous fuels on the NOx emissions, this was strongly related to the operating conditions. A surprising result concerns the particle emissions that were affected not only by the fuel characteristics and the engine test point but also by the lubricating oil. The oil contribution was particularly evident for hydrogen fuel, which showed high particle emissions, although they did not contain carbon atoms.

Mixed-Mode Solar Drying and its Effect on Physicochemical and Colorimetric Properties of Zompantle (Erythrina Americana)

A mixed-mode solar drying was developed to evaluate the physicochemical and colorimetric properties of Zompantle (Erythrina americana). A 22-factorial design was used; the operation mode (mesh shade and direct) and airflow (natural convection and forced convection) were established as factors in this design. The initial moisture content in the Zompantle flower was reduced from 89.03% (w.b) to values that ranged from 3.84% to 5.84%; depending on the operation mode of the dryer, the final water activity ranged from 0.25 to 0.33. The Zompantle’s components as proteins (4.28%), antioxidant activity (18.8%), carbohydrates (4.83%), fat (0.92%), fiber (3.71%), ash (0.94%), and total soluble solids (3°Brix) increased as the water was evaporated during the drying. The increment in the Zompantle’s components depends on the operation mode; in direct mode and natural convection, the proteins, antioxidant activity, carbohydrates, fat, fiber, ash, and total soluble solids were 6.99%, 61.69%, 79.05%, 1.20%, 3.84%, 8.70%, and 45 °Brix, respectively. The total drying efficiency was 14.84% with the direct mode and natural convection (DM-NC) and 17.10% with the mesh shade and natural convection (MS-NC). The Hue angle measures the property of the color; the indirect mode and natural convection keep the hue angle close to the initial value (29.2 °). The initial chroma value of the Zompantle flower was 55.07; the indirect mode and natural convection kept high saturation (37.58); these dry conditions ensured a red color in the dehydrated Zompantle. Dehydrated Zompantle’s flowers could have several practical applications, such as an additive in traditional Mexican cuisine.

High efficiency holographic impedance metasurface for dual circular polarized OAM waves

AbstractThis paper proposes a high aperture efficiency (AE) small size tensor holographic impedance metasurface (THIMS), which has the ability to create circular polarized (CP) high purity orbital angular momentum (OAM) multi‐beams with flexibly independent control of the individual beam direction, polarization and OAM mode. The tensor unit cell is a cross‐slotted circular patch. We design a THIMS at 14.6 GHz for dual CP OAM beams: Beam‐I (LHCP, l = 1, θ1 = 30°, φ1 = 0°), Beam‐II (RHCP, l = −1, θ2 = 30°, φ2 = 180°). The developed tensor dual CP THIMS has the following advantages: high purity in xoy plane at z = 9.73 λ (λ wavelength, measured purity 88.4% for Beam‐I, and 93.5% for Beam‐II), high AE 25.1%, and small size 5.986 λ × 5.986 λ × 0.0618 λ. The calculated, simulated and measured results agree well. The generated dual CP OAM beams have potential applications for high‐capacity wireless communication, radar high resolution imaging, and rotation velocity measurement.

Modes of Death in Patients with Cardiogenic Shock in the Cardiac Intensive Care Unit: A Report from the Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network

BackgroundThere are limited data on how patients with cardiogenic shock (CS) die. MethodsThe Critical Care Cardiology Trials Network is a research network of cardiac intensive care units coordinated by the Thrombolysis In Myocardial Infarction (TIMI) Study Group (Boston, MA). Using standardized definitions, site investigators classified direct modes of in-hospital death for CS admissions (October 2021 to September 2022). Mutually exclusive categories included 4 modes of cardiovascular death and 4 modes of noncardiovascular death. Subgroups defined by CS type, preceding cardiac arrest (CA), use of temporary mechanical circulatory support (tMCS), and transition to comfort measures were evaluated. ResultsAmong 1068 CS cases, 337 (31.6%) died during the index hospitalization. Overall, the mode of death was cardiovascular in 82.2%. Persistent CS was the dominant specific mode of death (66.5%), followed by arrhythmia (12.8%), anoxic brain injury (6.2%), and respiratory failure (4.5%). Patients with preceding CA were more likely to die from anoxic brain injury (17.1% vs 0.9%; P < .001) or arrhythmia (21.6% vs 8.4%; P < .001). Patients managed with tMCS were more likely to die from persistent shock (P < .01), both cardiogenic (73.5% vs 62.0%) and noncardiogenic (6.1% vs 2.9%). ConclusionsMost deaths in CS are related to direct cardiovascular causes, particularly persistent CS. However, there is important heterogeneity across subgroups defined by preceding CA and the use of tMCS.

Evaluation of robustness of optimization methods in breast intensity-modulated radiation therapy using TomoTherapy.

Intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) has become a popular choice for breast cancer treatment. We aimed to evaluate and compare the robustness of each optimization method used for breast IMRT using TomoTherapy. A retrospective analysis was performed on 10 patients with left breast cancer. For each optimization method (clipping, virtual bolus, and skin flash), a corresponding 50Gy/25 fr plan was created in the helical and direct TomoTherapy modes. The dose-volume histogram parameters were compared after shifting the patients anteriorly and posteriorly. In the helical mode, when the patient was not shifted, the median D1cc (minimum dose delivered to 1cc of the organ volume) of the breast skin for the clipping and virtual bolus plans was 52.2 (interquartile range: 51.9-52.6) and 50.4 (50.1-50.8) Gy, respectively. After an anterior shift, D1cc of the breast skin for the clipping and virtual bolus plans was 56.0 (55.6-56.8) and 50.9 (50.5-51.3) Gy, respectively. When the direct mode was used without shifting the patient, D1cc of the breast skin for the clipping, virtual bolus, and skin flash plans was 52.6 (51.9-53.1), 53.4 (52.6-53.9), and 52.3 (51.7-53.0) Gy, respectively. After shifting anteriorly, D1cc of the breast skin for the clipping, virtual bolus, and skin flash plans was 55.6 (54.1-56.4), 52.4 (52.0-53.0), and 53.6 (52.6-54.6) Gy, respectively. The clipping method is not sufficient for breast IMRT. The virtual bolus and skin flash methods were more robust optimization methods according to our analyses.