Powerful Defense Research Articles

EXPRESS: Advanced cancer perineural invasion induces profound peripheral neuronal plasticity, pain, and somatosensory mechanical deactivation, unmitigated by the lack of TNFR1. Part. 1: Behavior and single-cell in vivo electrophysiology.

Patients with cancer perineural invasion (PNI) report greater spontaneous pain and mechanical allodynia. Here, we examine the impact of the disease on the peripheral sensory system, the excitability changes induced by PNI at the dorsal root ganglia, and the potential protective role of the absence of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α Receptor 1 (TNFR1). To study these effects, we use a murine model generated by injecting mouse oral cancer squamous cell carcinoma (MOC2) into the sciatic nerve (MOC2-PNI) in both male and female mice. We found that MOC2-PNI induces a profound change in the somatosensory landscape by deactivating/blocking the peripheral inputs while modulating the afferent's sensibility (tactile desensitization with concurrent nociceptive sensitization) and demyelination without inducing spontaneous activity. All these changes caused by MOC2-PNI are unmitigated by the absence of TNFR1. We conclude that MOC2-PNI induces an aberrant neuronal excitability state and triggers extreme gender-specific neuronal plasticity. These data allow us to speculate on the role of such plasticity as a powerful defense mechanism to prevent terminal sensory dysfunction, the rise of chronic pain, and extend animals' survivability.

Ecotoxicological impact of succinate dehydrogenase inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides on non-targeted organisms: a review.

As the global population continues to grow, the use of pesticides to increase food production is projected to escalate. Pesticides are critical in plant protection, offering a powerful defense against fungal diseases such as apple scab, leaf spot, sclerotinia rot, damping off, sheath blight, and root rot, which threaten crops like cereals, corn, cotton, soybean, sugarcane, tuberous vegetables, and ornamentals. Succinate Dehydrogenase Inhibitor (SDHI) fungicides represent a novel class essential for controlling fungal pathogens and bolstering food security. However, the impact of SDHIs on non-target organisms, including freshwater and terrestrial invertebrates, crustaceans, and oligochaetes, remains insufficiently understood. Empirical studies indicate that SDHIs can induce mortality, mitochondrial dysfunction, oxidative stress, and developmental delays in non-target organims. Additionally, the environmental persistence of these compounds raises concerns about their potential for ecological disruption. The effects of SDHIs on pollinating species and the possible transgenerational transmission of harmful effects warrant further investigation. Comprehensive transcriptomic analyses are necessary to elucidate the molecular disturbances and adverse outcome pathways triggered by SDHIs. Furthermore, there are emerging concerns about the endocrine-disrupting potential of SDHIs in aquatic organisms. For the first time, this review aims to synthesize existing knowledge on the ecotoxicological impacts of SDHIs on non-target organisms and identify critical research directions to address the ecological challenges posed by their use.

Chlorella's transport inhibition: A powerful defense against high ammonium stress.

Ammonium (NH₄⁺) is a primary nitrogen source for many species, yet NH₄⁺-rich wastewater presents a substantial risk to environment. Chlorella sorokiniana is widely recognized for wastewater treatment. The development of high NH₄⁺ tolerant strains has the potential to significantly enhance wastewater treatment efficiency and reduce treatment costs. This study reports the identification of a C. sorokiniana strain designated hact (high ammonium concentration tolerance). This strain demonstrates a remarkable tolerance to NH₄⁺ (1000 mg/L). Integrative analyses of physiology, metabolomics, and transcriptomics demonstrated that transport inhibition is the principal resistance mechanism against high NH₄⁺ stress in C. sorokiniana. Notably, under elevated NH₄⁺ conditions, the hact strain maintained robust intracellular homeostasis. In contrast, the wild-type (WT) strain exhibited suppressed metabolic activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS), and an excess of detrimental metabolites such as amines. This research enriches our understanding of microalgal molecular responses to high NH₄⁺ stress, paving the way for the development of engineered optimization strategies for microalgal bioremediation systems treating NH₄⁺-rich wastewater.

Adversarial Machine Learning Challenges in Modern Network Security Systems

Hostile machine learning has network security issues that reduce prediction model accuracy. A full defence against these assaults entails establishing hostile scenarios, strengthening models via strategy training, and applying powerful defences. Small adjustments introduce antagonistic inputs into the research. These teach the model to recognize and withstand deception attempts. The proposed solution competed with Trust Shield, Secure Guard, Defend, and Adversary Block in rigorous performance testing. The recommended strategy has a 95.0% success rate for discovering assaults and a much lower 5.0% false positive rate. This is much superior to conventional approaches. Due to its modest accuracy loss and rapid response, it's effective at fighting assaults. This comprehensive overview demonstrates the wide-scale application of the strategy with minimal resources. Finally, this research emphasizes the need for robust and adaptable AI security. This will assist in creating secure and trustworthy AI solutions to protect sensitive data and ensure prediction model accuracy in an increasingly hostile future.

The Hippo Signaling Pathway Manipulates Cellular Senescence.

The Hippo pathway, a kinase cascade, coordinates with many intracellular signals and mediates the regulation of the activities of various downstream transcription factors and their coactivators to maintain homeostasis. Therefore, the aberrant activation of the Hippo pathway and its associated molecules imposes significant stress on tissues and cells, leading to cancer, immune disorders, and a number of diseases. Cellular senescence, the mechanism by which cells counteract stress, prevents cells from unnecessary damage and leads to sustained cell cycle arrest. It acts as a powerful defense mechanism against normal organ development and aging-related diseases. On the other hand, the accumulation of senescent cells without their proper removal contributes to the development or worsening of cancer and age-related diseases. A correlation was recently reported between the Hippo pathway and cellular senescence, which preserves tissue homeostasis. This review is the first to describe the close relationship between aging and the Hippo pathway, and provides insights into the mechanisms of aging and the development of age-related diseases. In addition, it describes advanced findings that may lead to the development of tissue regeneration therapies and drugs targeting rejuvenation.

Kebebasan berbicara versus pertimbangan keamanan cyber menurut perspektif hukum dan HAM

Freedom of speech is a human right and is also stated in the 1945 Constitution of the Republic of Indonesia Article 28 E Paragraph 3 concerning freedom of association, freedom to express opinions or be given freedom of speech, but this freedom also has other provisions regarding the use of this right. in the regulations regarding cyber security in Republic of Indonesia Law Number 3 of 2002 concerning Defense. The state states that national defense aims to maintain and protect the sovereignty of the country, the territorial integrity of the Unitary State of the Republic of Indonesia (NKRI) and the safety of the entire nation from all forms of threats, both military and non-military threats. Non-military threats, especially in cyber space, have caused the country's capabilities in the field of soft and smart power defense to be improved through strategies for deterring, taking action and restoring cyber defense in order to support the implementation of the national cyber security strategy driven by the Ministry of Communication and Information. Indonesian law also does not provide legal certainty in dealing with cyber attacks such as cyber espionage. Cyber security is not only the responsibility of the government, but also the responsibility of every individual. Awareness about the dangers of cyber espionage needs to be instilled in everyone. The National Police has a role in protecting society from cyber attacks.

Tech wars: Distributional consequences of global tech rivalry

AbstractInternational competition over sophisticated tech is a modern feature of great power rivalry. Yet the automation delivered by this tech is a key source of rising inequality. While policy motivations stem primarily from great power political and defense competition, the automation has consequences for wider economic performance. We examine global economic consequences, using a six‐region global macro model with multiple households, under Rawlsian, Benthamite, capital friendly, or GDP maximizing policy criteria. Tech drives are shown to deliver higher capital returns and more growth, and therefore to represent dominant strategies under all but a Rawlsian criterion, despite their exacerbation of inequality and low‐skilled poverty. We then consider Gini‐reducing fiscal interventions. These are shown to have few international spill‐over effects and to be domestically attractive only under the Rawlsian criterion.

Duality of H2O2 detoxification and immune activation of Ralstonia solanacearum alkyl hydroperoxide reductase C (AhpC) in tobacco

Although microbial pathogens utilize various strategies to evade plant immunity, host plants have evolved powerful defense mechanisms that can be activated in preparation for threat by infective organisms. Here, we identified one 24 kDa alkyl hydroperoxide reductase C (AhpC) from the culture supernatant of Ralstonia solanacearum strain FQY-4 (denoted RsAhpC) in the presence of host roots. RsAhpC contributes to H2O2 detoxification and the pathogenicity of R. solanacearum. However, the introduction of RsAhpC into the apoplast could activate immune defense, leading to suppression of pathogen colonization in both Nicotiana benthamiana and the Honghua Dajinyuan (HD) cultivar of N. tabacum. Consequently, overexpression of RsAhpC in the HD cultivar enhanced the resistance of tobacco to bacterial wilt disease caused by FQY-4. Overall, this study provides insight into the arms race between pathogens and their plant hosts. Specifically, it is firstly reported that plants can sense pathogen-derived AhpC to activate defenses, in addition to the role of AhpC in pathogen ROS detoxification. Therefore, the macromolecule AhpC produced by Ralstonia solanacearum has the ability to enhance plant defense as an elicitor, which provides a practical strategy for disease resistance breeding.

Neutrophil and neutrophil extracellular trap involvement in neutrophilic asthma: A review.

Asthma is a highly prevalent chronic inflammatory disease characterized by variable airflow obstruction and airway hyperresponsiveness. Neutrophilic asthma (NA) is classified as "type 2 low" asthma, defined as 65% or more neutrophils in the total cell count. There is no clear consensus on the pathogenesis of NA, and the accumulation of neutrophils and release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) may be responsible for its development. A NET is a large extracellular meshwork comprising cell membrane and granule proteins. It is a powerful antimicrobial defence system that traps, neutralizes, and kills bacteria, fungi, viruses, and parasites and prevents the spread of microorganisms. However, dysregulation of NETs may lead to chronic airway inflammation, is associated with worsening of asthma, and has been the subject of major research advances in chronic lung diseases in recent years. NA is insensitive to steroids, and there is a need to find effective biomarkers as targets for the treatment of NA to replace steroids. This review analyses the mechanisms of action between asthmatic neutrophil recruitment and NET formation and their impact on NA development. It also discusses their possible therapeutic significance in NA, summarizing the advances made in NA agents and providing strategies for the treatment of NA, provide a theoretical basis for the development of new therapeutic drugs, thereby improving the level of diagnosis and treatment, and promoting the research progress in the field of asthma.

Extensive immune receptor repertoire diversity in disease-resistant rice landraces

Plants have powerful defense mechanisms and extensive immune receptor repertoires, yet crop monocultures are prone to epidemic diseases. Rice (Oryza sativa) is susceptible to many diseases, such as rice blast caused by Magnaporthe oryzae. Varietal resistance of rice to blast relies on intracellular nucleotide binding, leucine-rich repeat (NLR) receptors that recognize specific pathogen molecules and trigger immune responses. In the Yuanyang terraces in southwest China, rice landraces rarely show severe losses to disease whereas commercial inbred lines show pronounced field susceptibility. Here, we investigate within-landrace NLR sequence diversity of nine rice landraces and eleven modern varieties using complexity reduction techniques. We find that NLRs display high sequence diversity in landraces, consistent with balancing selection, and that balancing selection at NLRs is more pervasive in landraces than modern varieties. Notably, modern varieties lack many ancient NLR haplotypes that are retained in some landraces. Our study emphasizes the value of standing genetic variation that is maintained in farmer landraces as a resource to make modern crops and agroecosystems less prone to disease. The conservation of landraces is, therefore, crucial for ensuring food security in the face of dynamic biotic and abiotic threats.

An Intrinsic Host Defense against HSV-1 Relies on the Activation of Xenophagy with the Active Clearance of Autophagic Receptors.

Autophagy engulfs cellular components in double-membrane-bound autophagosomes for clearance and recycling after fusion with lysosomes. Thus, autophagy is a key process for maintaining proteostasis and a powerful cell-intrinsic host defense mechanism, protecting cells against pathogens by targeting them through a specific form of selective autophagy known as xenophagy. In this context, ubiquitination acts as a signal of recognition of the cargoes for autophagic receptors, which direct them towards autophagosomes for subsequent breakdown. Nevertheless, autophagy can carry out a dual role since numerous viruses including members of the Orthoherpesviridae family can either inhibit or exploit autophagy for its own benefit and to replicate within host cells. There is growing evidence that Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1), a highly prevalent human pathogen that infects epidermal keratinocytes and sensitive neurons, is capable of negatively modulating autophagy. Since the effects of HSV-1 infection on autophagic receptors have been poorly explored, this study aims to understand the consequences of HSV-1 productive infection on the levels of the major autophagic receptors involved in xenophagy, key proteins in the recruitment of intracellular pathogens into autophagosomes. We found that productive HSV-1 infection in human neuroglioma cells and keratinocytes causes a reduction in the total levels of Ub conjugates and decreases protein levels of autophagic receptors, including SQSTM1/p62, OPTN1, NBR1, and NDP52, a phenotype that is also accompanied by reduced levels of LC3-I and LC3-II, which interact directly with autophagic receptors. Mechanistically, we show these phenotypes are the result of xenophagy activation in the early stages of productive HSV-1 infection to limit virus replication, thereby reducing progeny HSV-1 yield. Additionally, we found that the removal of the tegument HSV-1 protein US11, a recognized viral factor that counteracts autophagy in host cells, enhances the clearance of autophagic receptors, with a significant reduction in the progeny HSV-1 yield. Moreover, the removal of US11 increases the ubiquitination of SQSTM1/p62, indicating that US11 slows down the autophagy turnover of autophagy receptors. Overall, our findings suggest that xenophagy is a potent host defense against HSV-1 replication and reveals the role of the autophagic receptors in the delivery of HSV-1 to clearance via xenophagy.

Sea Power as National Defence: Has Indonesia implemented it?

The objective is to analyze the role of maritime defense in Indonesia's national strength and alliances, examining modern naval capabilities, regulations, investment, and Mahan's Sea Power principles for strategic readiness and economic integration in the 21st century. The research employs a descriptive qualitative method, focusing on in-depth understanding and data interpretation. Triangulation is used for data validity, and analysis follows an inductive approach without generalization. Additionally, it utilizes sea power theory and defense diplomacy concepts to explore Indonesia's maritime strength and diplomatic efforts. Sea Power is an important issue for all countries in the world. Several maritime conflicts have gotten out of control due to a lack of input regarding naval defence strategies. Such as conflicts over the dynamics of China's militarisation in the South China Sea (LCS) region or the Russia-Ukraine Black Sea conflict. Considering Indonesia as a maritime country that is required to immediately provide national defence in the future, to prevent future conflicts, following the application of sea power, Indonesia is considered to have achieved the criteria in this matter. Therefore, through the application of Alferd Thayer Mahan's "Sea Power" theory, researchers try to adapt this theory to several Indonesian efforts in the 21st Century with an interest in highlighting the Indonesian Navy's efforts and strategies in achieving contemporary sea power in the 21st century. With a focus on research into Indonesia's national interests in achieving sea power and Indonesian naval strategy. With the results, it is hoped that readers will be able to realize the importance of the sea and find out to what extent Indonesia has implemented Mahan's theory by examining the two superpower countries, the US and China, which are countries that have applied this theory to their navies

Reflecting on the Rise and Decline of the South African Defence Industry

The South African Defence Industry has undergone several significant changes during the past six decades, with its current state being deemed unfavourable for continued survivability. To develop a robust understanding of the industry, a review of the scientific literature (and government policies) has been undertaken to chart the trends in the industry through the decades. South African political ideologies in the sixties and seventies resulted in a need for self-sufficiency in defence. By the late eighties, increased military spending resulted in a powerful and capable defence industry, but the end of apartheid and regional conflicts saw an expected sharp drop in the defence budget. The Strategic Defence Package offered some respite in terms of exports, but this has declined in the recent past. The defence budget has remained at a steady low value for two decades, with no real possibility of an increase. To maintain relevance and ensure organisational resilience, the remnants of the South African Defence Industry should use the Defence Industry Strategy as a baseline to develop robust local relationships to drive innovation and foster economic growth, while also strengthening international market share by strengthening unique South African technologies.

Resolving Hermotimus’ Paradox: Reading Lucian’s Hermotimus in Light of Plato’s Republic

Lucian’s Hermotimus, despite its first appearances of being a merely skeptical, even sophistical discrediting of philosophy, is better read as a powerful protreptic defense of the endeavor, whose key ancient intertext is Plato's Republic. To make this case, the paper involves three parts. In part i, we examine the metaphilosophical framing of the Hermotimus’s exchange between the eponymous hero, aged about 60 (§48) and Lucian’s favored interlocutor, Lycinus. We show that Lucian accepts that philosophy is intended to be an elevated way of life cultivating wisdom and virtue, at the same time as he is concerned at how readily this pursuit can devolve into a hybristic, sectarian endeavor, in which pupils identify uncritically with instructors who do not match their words with their deeds. In part ii., we address the central elenchus and the action of the Hermotimus, the patient work by Lycinus to undermine Hermotimus’ dogmatic self-conceit, by refuting the different solutions he offers to the paradox involved in his having chosen a particular philosophical orientation, Stoicism, as a novice without philosophical training. Part iii. excavates the positive vision of philosophy that the action of the dialogue shows, highlighting the five key places in Hermotimus wherein Lycinus offers us entirely unironic visions of what philosophy at it best could be, in contrast to what it has become in Hermotimus or his teachers: or, as Lycinus heralds it, a kind of Ariadne’s thread out of the maze of Hermotimus’ paradox (§68).

Solar microwave fabric paper on the key technology for making our future satellite and skin surfaces for aircraft, eliminating APU’s

Solar-Microwave Fabric (SMF) is a mass-produced, thin, flexible membrane upon which is imprinted various combinations of solar cells, microwave patch antennas, and analog control devices. This is for applications such as solar power collection, power transmission, communication, and defense. It can be folded into a compact volume for transport and then unfurled for its operation. In its most sophisticated form, the SMF features the full complement of printed devices: solar cells, patch antennas, transceivers, and retro-directive phased array capability. This most mature capability can be applied to the Power-Star in section 1.6 (Figure 46) space solar power satellite, and to ground installations for combined solar power and air defense. The SMF has various modes of operation of, Solar Power Collection, Communications, Distribution & Defensive systems. Ultimately the Power/ Comm/Defense has one side printed as an “active” mode of power transmission whereby radiation is broadcast to a non-cooperative target and the return from the target is used as the beacon for the direction of a high-power density beam with focusing (vaporization). This could be applied for both ground-based power collection and air/space defense. World’s 1st exposure to: US Patent 11,251,658, Japan Patent 6,987,935.

The theory of high hazard (HHT) based on grounded theory method and theories integration

PurposeOrganizations working in high-hazard environments contribute significantly to modern society and the economy, not only for the valuable resources they hold but also for the indispensable products and services they provide, such as power generation, transportation and defense weapons. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to develop a framework that outlines future research on systems safety and provides a better understanding of how organizations can effectively manage hazard events.Design/methodology/approachIn this research, we developed the high hazard theory (HHT) and a theoretical framework based on the grounded theory method (GTM) and the integration of three established theoretical perspectives: normal accident theory (NAT), high reliability theory (HRT) and resilience engineering (RE) theory.FindingsWe focused on the temporal aspect of accidents to create a timeline showing the progression of hazard events and the factors contributing to safety and hazards in organizations. Given the limitations of the previous theories in providing a coherent explanation of hazard event escalation in high-hazard organizations (HHOs), we argue that the highlighted theories can be more complementary than contradictory regarding their standpoints on disasters and accident prevention.Practical implicationsA proper appreciation of the hazard nature of organizations can help reduce their susceptibility to failure, prevent outages and breakdowns of systems, identify areas for improvement and develop strategies to enhance performance.Originality/valueBy developing HHT, we contribute to systems safety research by developing a new, refined theory and enrich the theoretical debate. We also expand the understanding of scholars and practitioners about the characteristics of organizations working in high-hazard environments.

Transformation of Modern Chinese Maritime Strategy: A Study on Zheng Guanyings Maritime Defense Thought and Practice

In the mid-19th century, the Qing Dynasty faced continuous internal and external challenges, leading to a severe crisis in governance. Geographically, China is a typical maritime-continental composite country, and its extensive coastline poses a significant challenge to maritime security. However, after several invasions by foreign powers from the sea, the already weak late Qing maritime defense rapidly deteriorated. Numerous intellectuals dedicated themselves to the pursuit of strong maritime power and comprehensive maritime defense, among whom Zheng Guanying was prominent. As one of the pioneers of modernization reforms, Zheng Guanying had a deep understanding of the Qing courts maritime defense work. His long-term engagement in the self-strengthening movement enabled him to absorb various experiences in maritime defense from both domestic and foreign sources, thereby forming a complete and systematic maritime defense ideology through continuous practice. qq It possesses significant relevance even today.

Novel Potential of Rose Essential Oil as a Powerful Plant Defense Potentiator.

Terpenoids, natural compounds released by plants, function to enhance plant defense. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of terpenoid-enriched essential oils (EOs) on tomato plants. From the application of a highly diluted solution of 11 different EOs to potted tomato soil, our study showed that rose essential oil (REO), rich in β-citronellol, played a crucial role in activating defense genes in tomato leaves. As a result, leaf damage caused by herbivores, such as Spodoptera litura and Tetranychus urticae, was significantly reduced. In addition, our results were validated in field trials, providing evidence that REO is an effective biostimulant for enhancing plant defense against pests. Notably, the REO solution also had the added benefit of attracting herbivore predators, such as Phytoseiulus persimilis. Our findings suggest a practical approach to promote organic tomato production that encourages environmentally friendly and sustainable practices.

PECULIARITIES OF LEGAL SUPPORT FOR THE FUNCTIONING OF THE CIVIL PROTECTION SYSTEM IN THE EU COUNTRIES

The article analyses the peculiarities of legal support of the European system of civil protection of population and territories. The author emphasizes that over the years, the EU has developed the main instruments through which all of its civilian security policy objectives are achieved.
 It is proved that building a modern and powerful civil defence system of the population and territories of Ukraine requires even more close cooperation with the relevant European structures, including within the framework of the European Union Civil Protection Mechanism (EU Civil Protection).
 The priorities of the EU's civil protection programs are to enhance cybersecurity and a safer online environment through the development and effective use of the digital capabilities of the European Union and its Member States. Significant attention is paid to supporting data and network protection, which strives for technological sovereignty while respecting privacy and other fundamental human rights. Joint European projects contribute to ensuring the security of services, processes and products, and ensure the formation of reliable digital infrastructures that can withstand and counter cyberattacks and hybrid threats.
 The study of the peculiarities of Ukraine's cooperation with the EU in the field of civil protection allows us to state that Ukraine's accession to the EU Civil Protection Mechanism will allow it to fully use all EU instruments and programs to develop the national civil protection system and attract assistance, and to continue future cooperation within the framework of the new strategic program of the EU Civil Protection Mechanism for 2024-2027.
 The peculiarities of using the experience of the EU countries to develop a system for ensuring public safety and protection of critical facilities during emergencies in Ukraine will be determined by the transformation of the public administration system in the post-war period.

The function of nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) and its role in diseases.

Nicotinamide phosphoribosyl transferase (NAMPT) is a rate-limiting enzyme in the mammalian nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) salvage pathway, and plays a vital role in the regulation of cell metabolic activity, reprogramming, aging and apoptosis. NAMPT synthesizes nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN) through enzymatic action, which is a key protein involved in host defense mechanism and plays an important role in metabolic homeostasis and cell survival. NAMPT is involved in NAD metabolism and maintains intracellular NAD levels. Sirtuins (SIRTs) are a family of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD)-dependent histone deacetylases (HDACs), the members are capable of sensing cellular NAD+ levels. NAMPT-NAD and SIRT constitute a powerful anti-stress defense system. In this paper, the structure, biological function and correlation with diseases of NAMPT are introduced, aiming to provide new ideas for the targeted therapy of related diseases.