Structural Features Research Articles

Multiple criteria decision modeling in social networks: An application to identify opinion leaders in online public opinion events

For online public opinion events, the misconduct of opinion leaders can easily lead to the spread of negative public opinion, which in turn can adversely affect real society. In order to minimize this adverse impact to the greatest extent, this paper uses social network analysis to explore the attributes of individuals, features of network structure, and social relationships between decision makers (DMs). It constructs the structural system of evaluation criteria and a multiple criteria decision model to comprehensively and reasonably identify opinion leaders. It additionally considers the importance of criteria and the interaction among them. The hierarchical structure is combined with the evaluation level to construct a precise structural system of criteria. To handle the interaction, the Choquet integral is applied as the preference model. Based on the disaggregation principle, a generalized hierarchical level dependent Choquet integral is developed to reproduce additional preference information provided by decision analysts (DAs) and aggregate evaluation values of DMs on multiple interacting criteria. Then, the relevant indices of this integral and the preference information are applied to robust ordinal regression to mine rich preference relations among DMs. Furthermore, the hierarchical level dependent Choquet integral-driven multiple criteria decision model is proposed to rank DMs and identify opinion leaders. Finally, a numerical example and two real datasets validate the effectiveness and advantages of the proposed decision model.

Comprehensive DFT investigation of X2MgSe4 (X = Dy, Tm) spinels for opto-spintronic and thermoelectric devices

Herein, a computational technique known as full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) is applied for the analysis of magnetic, structural, optical, electronic, and thermoelectric features of X2MgSe4 (X= Dy, Tm) spinels within the density functional theory (DFT). Structural and thermodynamic stabilities are confirmed through the computation of tolerance factor (0.77) and formation enthalpies (-ve) for both spinels. Dy2MgSe4 behaves as a semiconductor with a 1.5 eV direct bandgap (Eg) in the majority spin state but as a metal in the minority spin state, resulting in its half-metallic ferromagnetic (HMF) nature. While Tm2MgSe4 demonstrated a semi-conducting nature in both spin up/down channels, with Eg of 1.41/1.34 eV, respectively. Absorption spectrum displays linear trend with peaks appearing at 6.10 eV for Dy2MgSe4 and 6.46 eV for Tm2MgSe4. Since peaks are appeared in the Ultraviolet (UV) region making them suitable materials for various optoelectronic application, including optical memory devices, sensors and optical filters. The calculated ZT values are 0.77 (at 800 K) and 0.766 (at 300 K), for Dy2MgSe4 and Tm2MgSe4, correspondingly. Overall, the study of X2MgSe4 (X = Dy, Tm) has shown a great potential for their potential usage in energy harvesting and spintronic applications.

East Barents Basin and Admiralty High Composite Tectono-Sedimentary Elements, Barents Sea

Abstract The East Barents Sea (E Barents Sea) includes two major tectonic elements, the East Barents Basin (EB Basin) and the Admiralty High, which are, in the context of the volume, characterized as composite tectono-sedimentary elements. Whereas they share some stratigraphy, their early history may differ. The EB Basin is a dominant structural feature of the Barents Shelf, and one of the largest and deepest sedimentary basins in the Arctic. Admiralty High rims the EB Basin in the east. The advance in understanding the E Barents Sea geology was achieved during 1980s and 1990s mainly due to a significant amount of multichannel reflection seismic data and a number of drilled deep exploration wells. These wells tested many large anticlinal structures and made several large gas discoveries including a giant Shtokman gas and gas condensate accumulation. In the following decades, many important geological results were published in the international and Russian literature. In this chapter we provide a summary of the geology and petroleum geology of the E Barents Sea based on published results and public-domain geological reports.

Controlling the structural features of tin dioxide nanoparticles embedded reduced graphene oxide on carbon cloth to serve as high stability fast charging anode for Li-ion cells

Tin dioxide or stannic oxide (SnO2) is an n-type semiconductor that has profound applications in gas sensors, solar cells, and energy storage devices like Li-ion batteries. Due to their high theoretical capacity (1494 mAh g−1) affordability, eco-friendliness, and safe operating conditions, SnO2 based anode materials are being extensively studied. Electrochemical capacity and stability for energy storage can be enhanced by embedding facet exposed SnO2 nanoparticles in reduced graphene oxide (rGO). In this study, SnO2 nanoparticles are synthesized and incorporated into rGO network via a simple solvo-thermal method is applied onto a carbon cloth substrate and used as anode for SnO2/rGO based Li-ion cell. The initial discharge capacity is found to be 1415 mAh g−1 and the charge capacity to be 1236 mAh g−1 with an initial Coulombic efficiency of 87 % at a current rate of 0.1 A g−1. The cell also exhibits excellent cycling stability and rate capability, with a discharge capacity of 1034 mAh g−1 and a charge capacity of 998 mAh g−1 at a current rate of 0.3 A g−1. This electrode is stable at a higher current rate of 2C (3 A g−1) and hence offers high prospects as anode material for application in fast-charging rechargeable cells.

Exploring diverse maintenance and repair standards in the container industry: a comparative analysis of criteria and practices

The maintenance and repair standards have always been a problem in the container industry. Due to different preferences of criterias of different parties caused many conflicts. This paper examines the different types of criterias and standards for general purpose containers, and different areas of use of these criterias. The main reason of this paper is to be an explanatory element to define the differences of these criterias. The fundamental structural dimensional basis for an intermodal container is ISO container standards which defines the main structural features. Although it presents dimensional tolerances to a certain degree, it is nearly impossible to use these criterias for the operators and owners in day to day operations. As a result there have been various published maintenance and repair criterias, used by different parties partaking in the container industry. The different organizations and associations published standards suiting their own needs. Although there are lesser implemented criterias like Wind and Water Tight and Cargo Worth, the most known and most implemented criterias around the world are Unified Container Inspection and Repair Criteria, Common Interchange Criteria and IICL publications. While the Wind and Water Tight criteria is generally used for containers which are used as storage, the Cargo Worthy is used for the containers meet the minimum requirements for transport. The Unified Container Inspection Criteria is preferred by the shipping lines and operators, and the Common Interchange Criteria and IICL – 6 are preferred by lessors.

Chimeric systems composed of swapped Tra subunits between distantly-related F plasmids reveal striking plasticity among type IV secretion machines.

Bacterial type IV secretion systems (T4SSs) are a versatile family of macromolecular translocators, collectively able to recruit diverse DNA and protein substrates and deliver them to a wide range of cell types. Presently, there is little understanding of how T4SSs recognize substrate repertoires and form productive contacts with specific target cells. Although T4SSs are composed of a number of conserved subunits and adopt certain conserved structural features, they also display considerable compositional and structural diversity. Here, we explored the structural bases underlying the functional versatility of T4SSs through systematic deletion and subunit swapping between two conjugation systems encoded by the distantly-related IncF plasmids, pED208 and F. We identified several regions of intrinsic flexibility among the encoded T4SSs, as evidenced by partial or complete functionality of chimeric machines. Swapping of VirD4-like TraD type IV coupling proteins (T4CPs) yielded functional chimeras, indicative of relaxed specificity at the substrate-TraD and TraD-T4SS interfaces. Through mutational analyses, we further delineated domains of the TraD T4CPs contributing to recruitment of cognate vs heterologous DNA substrates. Remarkably, swaps of components comprising the outer membrane core complexes, a few F-specific subunits, or the TraA pilins supported DNA transfer in the absence of detectable pilus production. Among sequenced enterobacterial species in the NCBI database, we identified many strains that harbor two or more F-like plasmids and many F plasmids lacking one or more T4SS components required for self-transfer. We confirmed that host cells carrying co-resident, non-selftransmissible variants of pED208 and F elaborate chimeric T4SSs, as evidenced by transmission of both plasmids. We propose that T4SS plasticity enables the facile assembly of functional chimeras, and this intrinsic flexibility at the structural level can account for functional diversification of this superfamily over evolutionary time and, on a more immediate time-scale, to proliferation of transfer-defective MGEs in nature.

Comparative analysis of essential oil oleogels containing beeswax and sunflower wax with petrolatum gels

AbstractIn this study, three different oil (black seed, St. John's Wort, and grape seed oils [GSO]) oleogels, which are especially used in complementary medicine, were produced with natural waxes (sunflower and beeswax [BW]). The physicochemical, textural, thermal, and structural features and volatile composition of the oleogels were determined and compared with commercial petrolatum gels (control sample). The sunflower and BW gels had a higher melting point than the petrolatum gels. Particularly, the firmness values of the fresh sunflower and BW oleogels were close to the petrolatum gels, except for the BW‐based St John's Wort and GSO gels. The firmness and stickiness values of the oleogels and the control samples increased in relation to the storage period. The increase in firmness value was less in the sunflower wax than in the BW and control samples. All sunflower, BW and petrolatum gels exhibited the β′ form. Volatile component data showed that different waxes have different volatile adsorption capacities. As a result, natural wax oleogels produced with various essential oils could be an alternative to similar products used in the cosmetics, pharmacology, and food supplement industries, which are already commercially available.Practical applications: (Oleogels have become a popular technique for structuring oils in recent years. In this way, oleogels are considered an alternative to solid fat such as margarine, butter, and shortening and an oil‐restricting agent against oil leakage in oil‐based foods. Consumers establish a close relationship between their own health and the foods they consume and the cosmetics they use. This situation has led to an increasing interest in natural products. Essential oils (EOs) are used in many fields, ranging from cosmetics to complementary medicine. In this context, essential oleogels produced with natural waxes were compared with the commercial products, revealing their potential for use in both cosmetic and food supplements. EO‐oleogels represent a new approach to the oleogel product range with high commercialization potential for related industries.)

Promoted catalytic performance of sugarcane bagasse ash supported by γ‐alumina as efficient, stable, and ecofriendly catalyst for dehydration of methanol to dimethyl ether

AbstractThe aim of this study was to use different proportions (1% to 20% by weight) of γ‐alumina to modify sugarcane bagasse ash (SCBA) for the production of dimethyl ether (DME) through the dehydration of methyl alcohol. A simple precipitation method was utilized to fabricate (1–20 wt.%) Al2O3/SCBA catalysts. X‐ray fluorescence, X‐ray diffraction, Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and N2 sorption were used to explore the structural, spectroscopic, morphological, and textural features. The XRD pattern of Al2O3/SCBA catalysts showed a new peak that corresponded to the formation of γ‐Al2O3. In addition, the average crystallite sizes of pure SCBA and 10% and 20%Al2O3/SCBA catalysts were calculated and found to be 20.1, 21.6, and 22.6 nm, respectively. To evaluate the acidity of these catalysts, the dehydration of isopropyl alcohol and the chemisorption of basic probe molecules were employed. The acidity test results displayed that these catalysts have weak to moderate acidic sites. The 10% Al2O3/SCBA catalyst calcined at 400°C showed high efficiency for the conversion of methyl alcohol to DME, attaining 89% conversion with 100% selectivity. This observation can be attributed to the even distribution of active sites and the acid–base equilibrium on the surface. Moreover, its catalytic activity and selectivity remain unchanged over a continuous 2‐week operation without coke formation, demonstrating its extremely high stability. A strong correlation was observed between the catalytic activity and both the surface area and acidity of the catalysts.

CeO2 NANOTANECİKLERİNİN SENTEZİ, KARAKTERİZASYONU VE FOTOKATALİTİK AKTİVİTESİ

The discharge of untreated wastewater from unplanned industrial activities using dyes can cause serious environmental pollution and affect the aquatic environment. Semiconductor photocatalysis is a favorable technology widely used for degrading organic dyes in wastewater. This study dealt with the preparation of CeO2 nanoparticles via a simple precipitation technique. Information on the structural and morphological features of the developed CeO2 nanoparticles were determined using Fourier transform infrared with attenuated total reflectance (FTIR-ATR), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) spectroscopic methods. The presence of the characteristic bands of CeO2 in the FTIR spectrum provided evidence of successful CeO2 formation. The calculated crystallite particle size utilizing the Scherrer equation was 10 nm. SEM images revealed that the morphology of CeO2 consisted of almost spherical particles with slight agglomeration. Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) technique was also used to find out the specific surface area of CeO2 nanoparticles (11 m2/g). The efficiency of CeO2 nanoparticles was also confirmed in terms of their photocatalytic activity against Rhodamine B (Rh B) under UV-A light. The results indicated that CeO2 nanoparticles could be a promising catalyst candidate for industrial wastewater treatment.

Computational and experimental approaches into molecular structure mechanism of ZQV coal and the COx gas releases during pyrolysis

Understanding the structural features of coal and its reactive behaviors in thermal processing is the fundamental to achieve high-efficiency utilization of coal. However, the molecular structural features and the evolution characteristics at atomic scales in thermal processing remain unclear in the microscopic views, particularly for the low-rank coals, which usually exhibits high oxygen content with a variety of oxygen-containing organic functional groups and gets lots of CO/CO2 release during pyrolysis. This research provides a comprehensive analysis of the ZaoQuan vitrinite (ZQV) bituminous coal's structural attributes and its pyrolysis-induced reactivity, which is crucial for optimizing the thermal conversion of low-rank coals. The structural parameters characteristics and molecular structures of ZQV have been revealed based on series of materials characterizations and molecular modeling calculations. The single molecular description of ZQV was conceptualized to be C209H132O41N2 under the average molecular approximation, and the particle models with size about 10 nm was also been obtained. Based on the built molecular models, reactive force field molecular dynamics (ReaxFF MD) simulations then provided insights into the dynamic behavior of molecular structures under pyrolysis conditions. Experimental validation corroborates the computational predictions, revealing a strong coherence between observed gas products and those derived from simulation data. Crucially, this study vividly captures the dynamic migration patterns of oxygen-containing groups during coal's thermal decomposition, thus contributing to the understanding of gasification processes. The release mechanisms for CO and CO2 are systematically dissected, proposing three and two distinct pathways respectively. These findings not only consolidate the molecular narrative of coal's structure and pyrolysis reactivity but also serve as a reliable foundation for interpreting the COx evolution of low-rank coals. Our integrated approach propels the scientific comprehension of coal pyrolysis and is anticipated to inform the development of more effective coal utilization pathways and thermal treatment technologies.

Perspective deformation correction for circular pointer meter based on prior indication structure feature

The meter verification and industrial inspection robots often use automatic reading of pointer meters. Due to tilt and rotation of circular pointer meter, the perspective deformation may be induced to the captured image, so it will extremely affect the accuracy of automatic reading algorithm based on machine vision. Some existing deformation correction methods suffer from poor universality or low accuracy. The paper bases on prior indication structure feature of circular pointer meter and presents a new deformation correction method. First, the MobileNetV3-UNet network is used to detect the outer-endpoints of long scale lines in deformed meter as the key points. Second, with the help of prior information, the positions of mapping points in standard image are constructed. Third, according to the one-to-one mapping relationship of key points from deformed and standard images, a perspective transform matrix is calculated. Finally, the deformation and rotation correction are performed through inverse perspective transform. The experimental results show that the proposed method has better precision and robustness and works well under different conditions.

Polysaccharides from fructus corni: Extraction, purification, structural features, and biological activities

Fructus Corni, derived from the dried fruit of Cornus officinalis Sieb. Et Zucc., is widely used as a food source and Chinese herb. Fructus Corni, as an indispensable ingredient in Liuwei Dihuang decoction, tonifies the liver and kidneys. As the main component of water decoctions, Fructus Corni polysaccharides demonstrate multifaceted effects, including hypoglycemic, hypolipidemic, antioxidant, anti-aging, sexual function regulation, and anti-epileptic, The ultrasound-assisted extraction method obtained the highest yields of Fructus Corni polysaccharides. However, it has notable shortcomings and lacks further innovation. The homogeneous polysaccharides obtained from Fructus Corni are mostly neutral polysaccharides with relatively limited structure, and the mechanism of their biological activity needs to be further elucidated. In addition, different extraction, isolation and purification methods may change the molecular weight, monosaccharide composition, and biological activity of polysaccharides. Therefore, this study systematically summarized the extraction, purification, structural features, and biological activities of Fructus Corni polysaccharides. This study aimed to provide support for the ongoing development and application of Fructus Corni polysaccharides.

Structural features of a society in a state of exception: K. Marx, C. Schmitt, G. Agamben

The article focuses on the structural aspect of society in a state of exception, on its interpretation by K. Marx, С. Schmitt and G. Agamben. The goal was to reconstruct the understanding and conceptual description of extraordinariness in their direct statements about the structural elements of this state in their publications. Of course, such fragments are few, so the main difficulty was to read out intuitions from the texts that allow them to extend beyond the sphere that is the defining subject of these authors’ analysis. The final result is a certain list of terms and concepts, a kind of thesaurus of structural features of a society in a state of exclusivity. All of these authorities in various fields of knowledge recognize events, such as revolutions, wars, and epidemics, as an inevitable impulse that modifies the state of society. Something that upsets the circumstances of living together within nation-states is something like a devastating earthquake, which can be predicted but not prevented. It is something that abolishes the rules and regulations that are, or are only imagined to be, normal, actualizing a mode of action called the politics of extraordinary. The authors named above look at and try to understand the organics and mechanics of extreme, unusual, exceptional cases, i. e. , states of exceptionality from different paradigmatic perspectives (extraordinary, extraordinary are synonymous with exception). The vocabulary of structural features, which is distinguished from the works reviewed in this article, forms the core of the concept, which can be the methodological basis for studying the state of exceptionality in Ukraine, which is a consequence of the Russian aggression of February 24, 2022.

Juglans regia L. fruit pellicle extract-based bioreduction of silver nanoparticles: Structural features and in vivo therapeutic effects against ethanol-induced peptic ulcers

Context: Peptic ulcers are a challenging problem. Silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) play a substantial role in bioactivity and have distinct characteristics. There are several biomedical uses for bioreduction nanotechnology. Historically, traditional healthcare has employed Juglans regia L. Aims: To evaluate how well fruit pellicle extract-derived bio-reduced silver nanoparticles (AgNP/FP) can treat peptic ulcers. Methods: Ultraviolet spectra, dynamic light scattering, transmittance electron microscopy, and Fourier transform infrared were used to characterize AgNPs and AgNP/FP. AgNPs and extracts were compared to omeprazole in ethanol-induced stomach ulcers in mice. Six groups of 36 mice were created at random. AgNPs were given orally to the experimental groups, using 300 mg/kg as a dose. The reference proton pump inhibitor, omeprazole, was employed as a control. Results: As evidenced by a falling ulcer index and an increase in the percentage of ulcer inhibition, bio-reduced AgNPs decreased the adverse effect of ethanol-induced stomach injury. Reduced mucosal damage and hemorrhagic lesions, necrobiotic alterations in the stomach epithelium, submucosal edema, and blood vessel congestion were all indicators of substantially reduced ethanol-induced gastric lesions and greater anti-inflammatory results. Conclusions: Fruit pellicle extract-derived bio-reduced silver nanoparticles have an efficacy similar to proton pump inhibitors like omeprazole and a lower incidence of possible side effects, making them a safe herbal therapy for ulcers.

Delineating subbasins of sedimentary rock structure beneath eastern Central Sumatra Basin based on gravity model, seismic profiles, and well-log data: A case study

The Central Sumatra Basin is a vast sedimentary basin that has been proven to produce hydrocarbon. The basin comprises several subbasins that are not sufficiently imaged by conventional seismic reflection profiles and limited well-log data, particularly in the nearshore area to the east. This research aims to delineate sedimentary subbasins, interpret the subsurface geologic model, and identify geologic structures beneath the eastern part of the Central Sumatra Basin using integrated geophysical gravity, seismic profiles, and well-log data. Three-dimensional gravity inversion modeling results indicate that the pre-Tertiary granitic basement is a continental crust with a mass density value of 2.67 gr/cc. The modeling results indicate that the sedimentary rock is composed of Early Oligocene–Middle Miocene sedimentary rock, with a mass density of 2.35 gr/cc, arranged from bottom to top. The residual gravity anomaly model identifies 13 sedimentary subbasins with structural features such as basement height, graben, and fault mapped in a relatively northwest–southeast direction. Moreover, based on the graben pattern and the basement high beneath the eastern Central Sumatra Basin, many structural patterns support the development of petroleum systems similar to that of the western part of the basin, which has already produced hydrocarbon. Our research also revealed the thickness of the Sihapas Formation in the eastern part of the basin, which shows great potential as a hydrocarbon reservoir. The results show that integrated analysis of many geophysical data sets can substantially decrease the uncertainty associated with individual data sets and produce more reliable imaging of subsurface geology.

Easy and Accessible Synthesis of Cannabinoids from CBD.

Cannabidiol (CBD), a prominent phytocannabinoid found in various Cannabis chemotypes, is under extensive investigation for its therapeutic potential. Moreover, because it is nonpsychoactive, it can also be utilized as a functional ingredient in foods and supplements in certain countries, depending on its legal status. From a chemical reactivity point of view, CBD can undergo conversion into different structurally related compounds both during storage and after the consumption of CBD-based products. The analytical determination of these compounds is of paramount concern due to potential toxicity and the risk of losing the active ingredient (CBD) title. Consequently, the complete stereoselective total synthesis of representative CBD-derived compounds has become a matter of great interest. The synthesis of pure CBD-derived compounds, achievable in a few synthetic steps, is essential for preparing analytical standards and facilitating biological studies. This paper details the transformation of the readily available CBD into Δ8-THC, Δ9-THC, Δ8-iso-THC, CBE, HCDN, CBDQ, Δ6-iso-CBD, and 1,8-cineol cannabinoid (CCB). The described protocols were executed without the extensive use of protecting groups, avoiding tedious purifications, and ensuring complete control over the structural features.

Exploring the relationship between environment and brain morphology in anurans: a comparative phylogenetic approach

Abstract The correlation of ecological and behavioural characteristics with morphological features of brain structures has been recurrently corroborated for different vertebrate taxa, such as mammals, birds, and fishes. Here, we asked whether such correlations can also be detected in amphibians, an animal group of great interest due to its great behavioural and ecological diversity. We analysed the shape of two brain regions, cerebellum and optic tectum, of 67 species from 32 families of the order Anura (frogs and toads), applying 2D geometric morphometrics in a phylogenetic context. We found species that share similar environments and daily patterns have a similarly shaped cerebellum and optic tectum, with diurnal and arboreal species with more varied brain shapes. We did not find a correlation between activity mode or lifestyle with shape for both brain regions; however, we found that shared ancestry had an influence in their evolution. Future studies including a higher number of species from each ecological group, and from more families, would help to better clarify whether the patterns found here are a general rule for anurans.

Social structure of Ukrainian society under the influence of full-scale war: conceptual and empirical research

This research is devoted to analyzing the changes that took place in the social-group structure of Ukrainian society during a year and a half of full-scale war. In order to realize this goal, firstly, the author considers the experience and conceptual foundations of the study of the relationship between war and social structure in Western and Ukrainian science and proposes a concept of the impact of total war on the social structure of a society that resists external aggression. Secondly, several preconditions of social-group dynamics were clarified — both destructive (due to which Ukraine quickly acquired characteristic features of the social structure during the martial law), and constructive (which contributed to the reproduction of pre-war social positions of citizens and a high degree of stability of the social system in general). Thirdly, the dynamics of the distribution of social groups and classes was analyzed every six months of the war based on various open official sources and the data of sociological surveys (in particular, the project “Social Inequality: Wartime Monitoring”, which was initiated by the researchers of the Department of Social Structures of the Institute of Sociology, NAS of Ukraine). The author proves that during the year and a half of the full-scale war, significant (both objective and subjective) socio-structural changes took place among the economically active population, though not linear ones, but with certain fluctuations (a rapid and significant transformation in the first six months and a movement towards gradual recovery over the next year). In particular, a significant (three-fold) increase in two groups (members of the armed forces and the unemployed), which were outside economic activity and accounted for almost a third of the working-age population in September 2022, and a quarter — a year later. The most noticeable changes among the employed population were the reduction in the number and restructuring of the working class and the class of owners, including the oligarchs. Fourthly, the author makes a forecast of further social-group dynamics under favorable and unfavorable developments: how will the quantitative distribution and internal structure of the main classes and groups change, as well as the social structure of the country in general.

Self-supervised representation learning of filtration barrier in kidney

While the advance of deep learning has allowed to automate many tasks in bioimage analysis, quantifying key visual features of biological objects in an image, such as cells, organs, or tissues, is still a multi-step and laborious task. It requires image segmentation and definition of features of interest, which often might be image- and problem-specific. This approach requires image labeling and training of the segmentation method as well as manual feature design and implementation of dedicated procedures for their quantification. Here we propose a self-supervised learning (SSL) approach to encoding in microscopy images morphological features of molecular structures that play role in disease phenotype and patient clinical diagnosis. We encode super-resolution images of slit diaphragm (SD)—a specialized membrane between podocyte cells in kidney—in a high-dimensional embedding space in an unsupervised manner, without the need of image segmentation and feature quantification. We inspect the embedding space and demonstrate its relationship to the morphometric parameters of the SD estimated with a previously published method. The SSL-derived image representations additionally reflect the level of albuminuria—a key marker of advancement of kidney disease in a cohort of chronic kidney disease patients. Finally, the embeddings allow for distinguishing mouse model of kidney disease from the healthy subjects with a comparable accuracy to classification based on SD morphometric features. In a one step and label-free manner the SSL approach offers possibility to encode meaningful details in biomedical images and allow for their exploratory, unsupervised analysis as well as further fine-tuning for specialized supervised tasks.

Synthesis and biological profile of 2,3-dihydro[1,3]thiazolo[4,5-b]pyridines, a novel class of acyl-ACP thioesterase inhibitors.

The present work covers novel herbicidal lead structures that contain a 2,3-dihydro[1,3]thiazolo[4,5-b]pyridine scaffold as structural key feature carrying a substituted phenyl side chain. These new compounds show good acyl-ACP thioesterase inhibition in line with strong herbicidal activity against commercially important weeds in broadacre crops, e.g., wheat and corn. The desired substituted 2,3-dihydro[1,3]thiazolo[4,5-b]pyridines were prepared via an optimized BH3-mediated reduction involving tris(pentafluorophenyl)borane as a strong Lewis acid. Remarkably, greenhouse trials showed that some of the target compounds outlined herein display promising control of grass weed species in preemergence application, combined with a dose response window that enables partial selectivity in certain crops.