Bioaerosols and pathogens in indoor workplaces and residential environments are the primary culprits of several infections. Techniques for sanitizing air and surfaces typically involve the use of UV rays or chemical sanitizers, which may release chemical residues harmful to human health. Essential oils, natural substances derived from plants, which exhibit broad antimicrobial properties, could be a viable alternative for air and surface sanitation. The objective of this study has been to investigate the efficacy of thyme essential oil (TEO) in environmental sanitation processes. In Vitro assays through agar well diffusion, disk volatilization and tube dilution methods revealed significant antimicrobial activity of TEO 100% against foodborne and environmental isolates, with both bacteriostatic/fungistatic and bactericidal/fungicidal effects. Therefore, aqueous solutions of TEO 2.5% and 5% were formulated for air sanitation through nebulization and surface disinfection via direct contact. Bioaerosol samples and surface swabs were analyzed before and after sanitation, demonstrating the efficacy of aqueous solutions of TEO in reducing mesophilic and psychrophilic bacteria and environmental fungi levels in both air and on surfaces. The obtained results prove the antimicrobial potential of aqueous solutions of TEO in improving indoor air quality and surface cleanliness, suggesting thyme essential oil as an effective and safe natural sanitizer with minimal environmental impact compared to dangerous chemical disinfectants. Full article

In this research, the adaptive event-triggered neural network controller design problem is investigated for a class of state-constrained pure-feedback fractional-order nonlinear systems (FONSs) with external disturbances, unknown actuator saturation, and input delay. An auxiliary compensation function based on the integral function of the input signal is presented to handle input delay. The barrier Lyapunov function (BLF) is utilized to deal with state constraints, and the event-triggered strategy is applied to overcome the communication burden from the limited communication resources. By the utilization of a backstepping scheme and radial basis function neural network, an adaptive event-triggered neural state-feedback stabilization controller is constructed, in which the fractional-order dynamic surface filters are employed to reduce the computational burden from the recursive procedure. It is proven that with the fractional-order Lyapunov analysis, all the solutions of the closed-loop system are bounded, and the tracking error can converge to a small interval around the zero, while the state constraint is satisfied and the Zeno behavior can be strictly ruled out. Two examples are finally given to show the effectiveness of the proposed control strategy. Full article

Entanglement in commercial fishing gear is one of the main factors inhibiting the recovery of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. Installing low-breaking-strength (LBS) components in the buoy lines and main lines of stationary fishing gear may be a viable solution for some fisheries. But is it an effective solution for deep-water trap fisheries? This study quantified in-line rope tensions observed during fishing operations for snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. We conducted a controlled fishing experiment in which we documented the loads experienced while hauling fleets of traps. The results showed that several factors contributed to the loads observed, including the components of the traps, the presence of crabs, and environmental conditions such as wind direction and wave height. According to the statistical models, the maximum tension from the estimated marginal means was 477.53 kgf in the buoy line and 987.99 kgf in the main line for the baited hauls, which exceeds the safe working load (154 kgf) of the proposed low-breaking-strength components. Our results suggest that LBS components are not a viable solution for this deep-water fishery. Full article

The greater yam (Dioscorea alata), a widely cultivated and nutritious food crop, suffers from widespread yield reduction due to anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum gloeosporioides. Latent infection often occurs before anthracnose phenotypes can be detected, making early prevention difficult and causing significant harm to agricultural production. Through comparative genomic analysis of 60 genomes of 38 species from the Colletotrichum genus, this study identified 17 orthologous gene groups (orthogroups) that were shared by all investigated C. gloeosporioides strains but absent from all other Colletotrichum species. Four of the 17 C. gloeosporioides-specific orthogroups were used as molecular markers for PCR primer designation and C. gloeosporioides detection. All of them can specifically detect C. gloeosporioides out of microbes within and beyond the Colletotrichum genus with different sensitivities. To establish a rapid, portable, and operable anthracnose diagnostic method suitable for field use, specific recombinase polymerase amplification (RPA) primer probe combinations were designed, and a lateral flow (LF)-RPA detection kit for C. gloeosporioides was developed, with the sensitivity reaching the picogram (pg) level. In conclusion, this study identified C. gloeosporioides-specific molecular markers and developed an efficient method for C. gloeosporioides detection, which can be applied to the prevention and control of yam anthracnose as well as anthracnose caused by C. gloeosporioides in other crops. The strategy adopted by this study also serves as a reference for the identification of molecular markers and diagnosis of other plant pathogens. Full article

Spirulina protein (SP) is recognized as a nutritious edible microbial protein and holds potential as a natural emulsifier. Due to the inherent challenges SP faces in stabilizing high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs), ultrasonic techniques were utilized for modification. Noticeable alterations in the structural and functional properties of SP were observed following ultrasonic treatment at various power levels (0, 100, 300, and 500 W). Ultrasound treatment disrupted non-covalent interactions within the protein polymer structure, leading to the unfolding of molecular structures and the exposure of hydrophobic groups. Importantly, the particle size of SP was reduced the most at an ultrasonic power of 300 W, and the three-phase contact angle reached its peak at 84.3°. The HIPEs stabilized by SP modified with 300 W ultrasonication have high apparent viscosity and modulus values and strong storage stability under different environmental conditions. Additionally, the encapsulation of curcumin in HIPEs led to improved retention of curcumin across various settings. The bioavailability increased to 35.36, which is 2.8 times higher than the pure oil. These findings suggest that ultrasound-modified SP is a promising emulsifier for HIPEs, and is expected to encapsulate hydrophobic nutrients such as curcumin more effectively. Full article

This project aimed to explore the influence of the interaction between ovotransferrin fibrils (OTF) and gum arabic (GA) on the formation mechanism, physicochemical properties, and curcumin delivery of the oleogel-in-water Pickering emulsion. Cryo-scanning electron microscopy results showed that OTF—GA complexes effectively adsorbed on the oil–water interface, generating spatial hindrance to inhibit droplet coalescence. The texture analysis also proved that OTF—GA complexes endowed oleogel-in-water Pickering emulsion with preferable springiness (0.49 ± 0.03 mm), chewiness (0.43 ± 0.07 mJ), and adhesion (0.31 ± 0.01 mJ). By exploring the coalescence stability, droplet size, and rheological properties of OTF—GA complexes–stabilized oleogel-in-water Pickering emulsion (OGPE), the higher coagulation stability, larger average droplet size (46.22 ± 0.08 μm), and stronger gel strength were observed. The microrheological results also exhibited stronger attraction between the OGPE droplets, a more pronounced solid-like structure, and a slower speed of movement than OTF-stabilized oleogel-in-water Pickering emulsion (OPE). Meanwhile, OGPE significantly enhanced the extent of lipolysis, stability, and bioaccessibility of curcumin, suggesting that it possessed superior performance as a delivery system for bioactive substances. This project provided adequate theoretical references for protein–polysaccharide complexes–stabilized oleogel-in-water Pickering emulsion, and contributed to expanding the application of oleogel-in-water Pickering emulsion in the food industry. Full article

This study investigates the effect of task demands on the predictive processing of morphosyntactic cues (word class, noun/adjective gender, case, and number) in reading among Heritage Speakers of Russian (N = 29), comparing them with Russian language learners (N = 29) and monolingual Russian speakers (N = 63). Following the utility account of bilingual prediction, we hypothesized that the predictive use of morphosyntactic cues would be more evident in a less-demanding reading cloze task (Experiment 1) than in a more-challenging eye-tracking reading task (Experiment 2), and for cues that RHSs regard as more reliable (word class and number vs. gender and case cues). The results confirmed our predictions: In Experiment 1, Heritage Speakers (and L2 learners) used all cues predictively to generate the upcoming lexical item, with higher accuracy for word class and number cues compared to gender and case cues. In Experiment 2, in contrast to monolingual readers, neither Heritage Speakers nor L2 learners used gender cues on adjectives to anticipate the gender of the upcoming noun. The results are discussed in respect to the interplay between task demands, cue weight, oral fluency, and Russian literacy experience. Full article

After two phases of on-site construction and testing (2010–2013 and 2013–2017), the Shanghai Tianma Radio Telescope (TMRT) can work well, with efficiencies better than 50% from 1.3 to 50.0 GHz, mainly benefiting from its low-noise cryogenic receivers and active surface system. Pulsars were chosen as important targets of research at the TMRT because of their important scientific and applied values. To meet the demands of pulsar-related observations, TMRT is equipped with some necessary backends, including a digital backend system (DIBAS) supporting normal pulsar observation modes, a real-time fast-radio-burst-monitoring backend, and baseband backends for very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations. Utilizing its high sensitivity and simultaneous dual-frequency observation capacity, a sequence of pulsar research endeavors has been undertaken, such as long-term pulsar timing, magnetar monitoring, multi-frequency (or high-frequency) observations, interstellar scintillation, pulsar VLBI, etc. In this paper, we give a short introduction about pulsar observation systems at the TMRT and briefly review the results obtained by these pulsar research projects. Full article

Solar wind is known to have different properties depending on its origin at the Sun. In addition to the differences in plasma and magnetic field parameters, these streams differ due to the properties of turbulent fluctuations involved in the flow. The present study addresses the changes in the turbulence properties in the magnetosheath—the transition region in front of the magnetosphere. This study is based on statistics from the simultaneous measurements of magnetic field fluctuations in the solar wind and in the magnetosheath. Both the dayside and flank magnetosheath regions are focused on to detect the evolution of the turbulent fluctuations during their flow around the magnetosphere. Turbulent cascade is shown to save its properties for fast solar wind streams. Conditions favorable for the preservation of the turbulence properties at the bow shock may correspond to the increased geoefficiency of large-scale solar wind structures. Full article

Subspace predictive control (SPC) is a widely recognized data-driven methodology known for its reliability and convenience. However, effectively applying SPC to complex industrial process systems remains a challenging endeavor. To address this, this paper introduces a nonlinear subspace predictive control approach based on locally weighted projection regression (NSPC-LWPR). By projecting the input space into localized regions, constructing precise local models, and aggregating them through weighted summation, this approach handles the nonlinearity effectively. Additionally, it dynamically adjusts the control strategy based on online process data and model parameters, while eliminating the need for offline process data storage, greatly enhancing the adaptability and efficiency of the approach. The parameter determination criteria and theoretical analysis encompassing feasibility and stability assessments provide a robust foundation for the proposed approach. To illustrate its efficacy and feasibility, the proposed approach is applied to a continuous stirred tank heater (CSTH) benchmark system. Comparative results highlight its superiority over SPC and adaptive subspace predictive control (ASPC) methods, evident in enhanced tracking precision and predictive accuracy. Overall, the proposed NSPC-LWPR approach presents a promising solution for nonlinear control challenges in industrial process systems. Full article

This work presents a configurable Internet of Things architecture for acoustical sensing and analysis for frequent remote respiratory assessments. The proposed system creates a foundation for enabling real-time therapy and patient feedback adjustment in a telemedicine setting. By allowing continuous remote respiratory monitoring, the system has the potential to give clinicians access to assessments from which they could make decisions about modifying therapy in real-time and communicate changes directly to patients. The system comprises a wearable wireless microphone array interfaced with a programmable microcontroller with embedded signal conditioning. Experiments on the phantom model were conducted to demonstrate the feasibility of reconstructing acoustic lung images for detecting obstructions in the airway and provided controlled validation of noise resilience and imaging capabilities. An optimized denoising technique and design innovations provided 7 dB more SNR and 7% more imaging accuracy for the proposed system, benchmarked against digital stethoscopes. While further clinical studies are warranted, initial results suggest potential benefits over single-point digital stethoscopes for internet-enabled remote lung monitoring needing noise immunity and regional specificity. The flexible architecture aims to bridge critical technical gaps in frequent and connected respiratory function at home or in busy clinical settings challenged by ambient noise interference. Full article

Addressing challenges regarding Hybrid Optoelectronic Network-on-Chip systems, such as congestion control, their limited adaptability, and their inability to facilitate optoelectronic co-simulation, this study introduces an adaptive hybrid optoelectronic interconnection shunt structure tailored for reconfigurable array processors. Within this framework, an adaptive shunt routing algorithm and a low-loss non-blocking five-port optical router are developed. Furthermore, an adaptive hybrid optoelectronic interconnection simulation model and a performance statistical model, established using SystemVerilog and Verilog, complement these designs. The experimental results showcase promising enhancements: the designed routing algorithm demonstrates an average 17.5% improvement in mitigating congestion at network edge nodes; substantial reductions in the required number of cross waveguides and micro-ring resonators for optical routers lead to an average path insertion loss of only 0.522 dB. Moreover, the hybrid optoelectronic interconnection performance statistical model supports the design of routing strategies and topology structures, enabling resource usage, power consumption, insertion loss, and other performance metrics to be accurately assessed. Full article

The limits of chip technology are constantly being pushed with the continuous development of integrated circuit manufacturing processes and equipment. Currently, chips contain several billion, and even tens of billions, of transistors, making chip testing increasingly challenging. The verification of very large-scale integrated circuits (VLSI) requires testing on specialized automatic test equipment (ATE), but their cost and size significantly limit their applicability. The current FPGA-based ATE is limited in its scalability and support for few test channels and short test vector lengths. As a result, it is only suitable for testing specific chips in small-scale circuits and cannot be used to test VLSI. This paper proposes a low-cost hardware and software solution for testing digital integrated circuits based on design for testability (DFT) on chips, which enables the functional and performance test of the chip. The solution proposed can effectively use the resources within the FPGA to provide additional test channels. Furthermore, the round-robin data transmission mode can also support test vectors of any length and it can satisfy different types of chip test projects through the dynamic configuration of each test channel. The experiment successfully tested a digital signal processor (DSP) chip with 72 scan test pins (theoretically supporting 160 test pins). Compared to our previous work, the work in this paper increases the number of test channels by four times while reducing resource utilization per channel by 37.5%, demonstrating good scalability and versatility. Full article

Interleukin (IL) 17A has been implicated in preeclampsia, preterm labor, and miscarriage. IL17A production in non-lymphoid tissues is mainly carried out by unconventional γδ17T cells. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) 3, a subgroup of innate lymphocytes, can also be a source of IL17A in the endometrium and are required from implantation to early pregnancy, with their regulation ensuring that pregnancy continues. Herein, we examined the expression of γδ17T cells and ILC3 regulators IL1B, IL23A, and IL17D and IL17A receptors (IL17RA/IL17RC) in human endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs) and cell lines (KC02-44D). Accordingly, quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunoblotting were employed. IL1B, IL23A, and IL17D were significantly upregulated in decidualized EnSCs and KC02-44D cells. A significant augmentation in IL17RA/IL17RC was also observed in decidualization. IL17A stimulation of KC02-44D cells during decidualization suppressed the decidualization marker IGFBP1. The involvement of transcription factor Forkhead box protein O1 (FOXO1) in this repression was reflected by its translocation from the nucleus into the cytoplasm. A role for IkB kinase alpha in FOXO1 phosphorylation-mediated migration was also suggested. Taken together, our findings indicate that the secretion of IL17A by γδ17T and ILC3 cells in the uterus contributes to EnSCs function and may play critical roles in regulating IGFBP1-mediated implantation and fetal growth. Full article

Cellular and humoral immunity exhibit dynamic adaptation to the mutating SARS-CoV-2 virus. It is noteworthy that immune responses differ significantly, influenced by whether a patient has received vaccination or whether there is co-occurrence of naturally acquired and vaccine-induced immunity, known as hybrid immunity. The different immune reactions, conditional on vaccination status and the viral variant involved, bear implications for inflammatory responses, patient outcomes, pathogen transmission rates, and lingering post-COVID conditions. Considering these developments, we have performed a review of recently published literature, aiming to disentangle the intricate relationships among immunological profiles, transmission, the long-term health effects post-COVID infection poses, and the resultant clinical manifestations. This investigation is directed toward understanding the variability in the longevity and potency of cellular and humoral immune responses elicited by immunization and hybrid infection. Full article

In recent years, there has been a paradigm shift in the building sector towards more sustainable, resource efficient, and renewable materials. Bio-based insulation derived from renewable resources, such as plant or animal fibres, is one promising group of such materials. Compared to mineral wool and polystyrene-based insulation materials, these bio-based insulation materials generally have a slightly higher thermal conductivity, and they are significantly more hygroscopic, two factors that need to be considered when using these bio-based insulation materials. This study assesses the hygrothermal properties of three bio-based insulation materials: eelgrass, grass, and wood fibre. All three have the potential to be locally sourced in Sweden. Mineral wool (stone wool) was used as a reference material. Hygrothermal material properties were measured with dynamic vapour sorption (DVS), transient plane source (TPS), and sorption calorimetry. Moisture buffering of the insulation materials was assessed, and their thermal insulation capacity was tested on a building component level in a hot box that exposed the materials to a steady-state climate, simulating in-use conditions in, e.g., an external wall. The tested bio-based insulation materials have significantly different sorption properties to stone wool and have higher thermal conductivity than what the manufacturers declared. The hot-box experiments showed that the insulating capacity of the bio-based insulators cannot be reliably calculated from the measured thermal conductivity alone. The results of this study could be used as input data for numerical simulations and analyses of the thermal and hygroscopic behaviour of these bio-based insulation materials. Full article

In advancing the study of magnetization dynamics in STT-MRAM devices, we employ the spin drift–diffusion model to address the back-hopping effect. This issue manifests as unwanted switching either in the composite free layer or in the reference layer in synthetic antiferromagnets—a challenge that becomes more pronounced with device miniaturization. Although this miniaturization aims to enhance memory density, it inadvertently compromises data integrity. Parallel to this examination, our investigation of the interface exchange coupling within multilayer structures unveils critical insights into the efficacy and dependability of spintronic devices. We particularly scrutinize how exchange coupling, mediated by non-magnetic layers, influences the magnetic interplay between adjacent ferromagnetic layers, thereby affecting their magnetic stability and domain wall movements. This investigation is crucial for understanding the switching behavior in multi-layered structures. Our integrated methodology, which uses both charge and spin currents, demonstrates a comprehensive understanding of MRAM dynamics. It emphasizes the strategic optimization of exchange coupling to improve the performance of multi-layered spintronic devices. Such enhancements are anticipated to encourage improvements in data retention and the write/read speeds of memory devices. This research, thus, marks a significant leap forward in the refinement of high-capacity, high-performance memory technologies. Full article

(1) Background: Herpes zoster (HZ) is a disease caused by the reactivation of the Varicella Zoster Virus (VZV). Clinical reactivation, herpes zoster, takes place in 10–20% of subjects who contracted the primary infection, with a higher risk of developing zoster increasing proportionally with age, especially after 50 years of age. HZ is a common clinical problem, particularly among patients aged over 50 years and immunocompromised patients. Immunocompromised patients and adults could present an atypical and more severe course. In addition, they are at greater risk of complications. For this reason, it is important to understand the real burden of the disease and to identify the subjects who are at higher risk of HZ and its complications, also to direct preventive strategies at the right targets. The aim of the present study is to analyze HZ-related hospitalization trends in Abruzzo in the period of 2015–2021. (2) Methods: Data related to hospital admissions were extracted from the hospital discharge records (HDRs) of the whole region, considering all admissions during the years of 2015–2021. The trends in hospital admissions and length of stay were evaluated and analyzed. (3) Results: A total of 768 hospital discharges with a diagnosis of herpes zoster were registered in Abruzzo during the 7-year study period. During the study period, an increasing trend was observed from the year 2015 to the year 2017, ranging from 8.19 cases/100,000 to 11.5 cases/100,000 (APC (Annual percentage change) +20.8%; 95%CI −2.3; 47.6). After the year 2017, a significantly decreasing trend was observed, reaching 5.46 cases/100,000 in the year 2021 (APC −18.4%; 95%CI −31.5; −12.0). Across the entire study period, an average annual percentage change (AAPC) of −7.0% (95%CI −13.0; −1.3) was observed. (4) Conclusions: Despite the trend of a reduction in hospitalizations, this study highlights that HZ continues to have a great impact on public health. So, it is important to update recommendations for the use of the already available HZ vaccine and to implement new strategies to increase awareness of the prevention of the disease. Full article

Fault detection is very important to improve the reliability of power conversion devices. Faults of power semiconductors can be broadly divided into shorts and opens and are further classified into two types depending on whether there is an internal problem with the switch or anti-parallel diode. In this paper, fault-diagnosis methods for short-circuit and open-circuit states are proposed, respectively. A method of classifying and diagnosing faults by applying a gate signal to each switch is proposed to diagnose short-circuit conditions. This method uses only current magnitude information, which reduces the amount of required information and reduces diagnostic failures due to angle errors and current noise. A method is proposed to detect a faulty switch by applying a voltage vector and comparing the current angle with a lookup table to diagnose an open state. An iterative diagnostic algorithm is proposed to prevent diagnostic failure due to angle error and current noise. The effectiveness of the proposed diagnosis method is verified through experiments and simulations. Full article

Student motivation is an axial variable in the choice of degree, academic performance, and future incorporation into the labor market. In this study, with a descriptive and cross-sectional design, 292 students enrolled in different university degrees of the University of Granada, in the campuses of Ceuta and Melilla; 66.80% (n = 195) women and 33.20% (n = 97) men, with a mean age of 22.03 years (SD = 5.80), were selected by stratified random sampling, in order to determine which type of motivation (extrinsic or intrinsic) was predominant and which population was more motivated. For data collection, a questionnaire was developed to assess students’ motivation according to socio-demographic factors and social competence. The results revealed that students pursuing Educational degrees showed higher adherence than those studying Nursing or Business Administration and Management. The regression model proved to be valid, predicting 81.8% of cases and explaining between 0.201 and 0.309 of the dependent variable, showing that the most intrinsically motivated students were students of Educational Sciences with high social activity. Full article

Connexins (Cxs) are a family of integral membrane proteins, which function as both hexameric hemichannels (HCs) and dodecameric gap junction channels (GJCs), behaving as conduits for the electrical and molecular communication between cells and between cells and the extracellular environment, respectively. Their proper functioning is crucial for many processes, including development, physiology, and response to disease and trauma. Abnormal GJC and HC communication can lead to numerous pathological states including inflammation, skin diseases, deafness, nervous system disorders, and cardiac arrhythmias. Over the last 15 years, high-resolution X-ray and electron cryomicroscopy (cryoEM) structures for seven Cx isoforms have revealed conservation in the four-helix transmembrane (TM) bundle of each subunit; an αβ fold in the disulfide-bonded extracellular loops and inter-subunit hydrogen bonding across the extracellular gap that mediates end-to-end docking to form a tight seal between hexamers in the GJC. Tissue injury is associated with cellular Ca²⁺ overload. Surprisingly, the binding of 12 Ca²⁺ ions in the Cx26 GJC results in a novel electrostatic gating mechanism that blocks cation permeation. In contrast, acidic pH during tissue injury elicits association of the N-terminal (NT) domains that sterically blocks the pore in a “ball-and-chain” fashion. The NT domains under physiologic conditions display multiple conformational states, stabilized by protein–protein and protein–lipid interactions, which may relate to gating mechanisms. The cryoEM maps also revealed putative lipid densities within the pore, intercalated among transmembrane α-helices and between protomers, the functions of which are unknown. For the future, time-resolved cryoEM of isolated Cx channels as well as cryotomography of GJCs and HCs in cells and tissues will yield a deeper insight into the mechanisms for channel regulation. The cytoplasmic loop (CL) and C-terminal (CT) domains are divergent in sequence and length, are likely involved in channel regulation, but are not visualized in the high-resolution X-ray and cryoEM maps presumably due to conformational flexibility. We expect that the integrated use of synergistic physicochemical, spectroscopic, biophysical, and computational methods will reveal conformational dynamics relevant to functional states. We anticipate that such a wealth of results under different pathologic conditions will accelerate drug discovery related to Cx channel modulation. Full article