Psoriasis is a systemic autoimmune/autoinflammatory disease that can be well studied in established mouse models. Skin-resident macrophages are classified into epidermal Langerhans cells and dermal macrophages and are involved in innate immunity, orchestration of adaptive immunity, and maintenance of tissue homeostasis due to their ability to constantly shift their phenotype and adapt to the current microenvironment. Consequently, both macrophage populations play dual roles in psoriasis. In some circumstances, pro-inflammatory activated macrophages and Langerhans cells trigger psoriatic inflammation, while in other cases their anti-inflammatory stimulation results in amelioration of the disease. These features make macrophages interesting candidates for modern therapeutic strategies. Owing to the significant progress in knowledge, our review article summarizes current achievements and indicates future research directions to better understand the function of macrophages in psoriasis. Full article

A hybrid satellite–terrestrial relay network is a simple and flexible solution that can be used to improve the performance of land mobile satellite systems, where the communication links between satellite and mobile terrestrial users can be unstable due to the multipath effect, obstacles, as well as the additional atmospheric losses. Motivated by these facts, in this paper, we analyze a system where the satellite–terrestrial links undergo shadowed Rice fading, and, following this, terrestrial relay applies the selection relaying protocol and forwards the information to the final destination using the communication link subjected to Nakagami-m fading. For the considered relaying protocol, we derive the exact closed-form expressions for the outage probability, outage capacity, and ergodic capacity, presented in polynomial–exponential form for the integer-valued fading parameters. The presented numerical results illustrate the usefulness of the selection relaying for various propagation scenarios and system geometry parameters. The obtained analytical results are corroborated by an independent simulation method, based on the originally developed fading simulator. Full article

Thermal energy storage (TES) is crucial in bridging the gap between energy demand and supply globally. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plants, employing molten salts for thermal storage, stand as an advanced TES technology. However, molten salts have drawbacks like corrosion, solidification at lower temperatures, and high costs. To overcome these limitations, research is focusing on alternative TES materials such as ceramic particles. These solids match molten salts in energy density and can withstand higher temperatures, making them well-suited for CSP systems. This study revolves around subjecting Solar Salt alone and Solar Salt alongside Volcanic Ash (VA) and Electric Arc Furnace Slag (EAFS) to a comprehensive thermal cycling test. This test is designed to assess the compatibility over the thermal cycles of the Solar Salt and the Solar Salt in contact with these solids in a CSP plant with a thermocline configuration. With a final thermal and chemical evaluation, our observations indicate that EAFS and VA demonstrate promising compatibility but an increase in the reduction rate of the Solar Salt due to a catalyst effect from EAFS in contact with the salt. No discernible alterations were detected in the properties of either the solid materials or solar salt when combined. Full article

Previous studies have shown that boletes are abundant and diverse in China, especially in tropical and subtropical regions. In the present study, morphological, ecological, host relationship, and a four-locus (28S, tef1, rpb1, and rpb2) molecular phylogenetic analyses were used to study the family Boletaceae in subtropical and tropical China. Four new bluing species are described from three genera, viz. Boletellus verruculosus (Chinese name疣柄条孢牛肝菌), Xerocomellus tenuis (Chinese name细柄红绒盖牛肝菌), Xer. brunneus (Chinese name褐盖红绒盖牛肝菌), and Xerocomus zhangii (Chinese name张氏绒盖牛肝菌). Moreover, the genus Nigroboletus is treated as a synonym of Xerocomellus, and a new combination, namely Xer. roseonigrescens (Chinese name玫瑰红绒盖牛肝菌), is proposed. Full article

The progress in markerless technologies is providing clinicians with tools to shorten the time of assessment rapidly, but raises questions about the potential trade-off in accuracy compared to traditional marker-based systems. This study evaluated the OpenCap system against a traditional marker-based system—Vicon. Our focus was on its performance in capturing walking both toward and away from two iPhone cameras in the same setting, which allowed capturing the Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. The performance of the OpenCap system was compared to that of a standard marker-based system by comparing spatial-temporal and kinematic parameters in 10 participants. The study focused on identifying potential discrepancies in accuracy and comparing results using correlation analysis. Case examples further explored our results. The OpenCap system demonstrated good accuracy in spatial-temporal parameters but faced challenges in accurately capturing kinematic parameters, especially in the walking direction facing away from the cameras. Notably, the two walking directions observed significant differences in pelvic obliquity, hip abduction, and ankle flexion. Our findings suggest areas for improvement in markerless technologies, highlighting their potential in clinical settings. Full article

Microbial scale-up cultivation is the first step to bioremediating cadmium (Cd)-contaminated soils at the industrial scale. However, the changes in the microbial community as the bioreactor volume expands and their associations with soil Cd removal remain unclear. Herein, a six-stage scale-up cultivation process of mixotrophic acidophiles was conducted, scaling from 0.1 L to 10 m³, to remediate Cd-contaminated soils. The findings showed that bioreactor expansion led to a delay in sulfur and glucose oxidations, resulting in a reduced decline in solution pH and cell density. There were minimal differences observed in bacterial alpha-diversity and community structure as the bioreactor volume increased, except for the 10 m³ scale. However, bioreactor expansion decreased fungal alpha-diversity, changed the community structure, and simplified fungal community compositions. At the family level, Acidithiobacillaceae and Debaryomycetaceae dominated the bacterial and fungal communities throughout the scale-up process, respectively. Correlation analysis indicated that the indirect effect of mixotrophic acidophiles played a significant role in soil Cd removal. Bacterial community shifts, driven by changes in bioreactor volume, decreased the pH value through sulfur oxidation, thereby indirectly enhancing Cd removal efficiency. This study will contribute to the potential industrial application of mixotrophic acidophiles in bioremediating Cd-contaminated soils. Full article

With the development of modern fluid machinery, the energy density of pumps is gradually being improved, and at the same time, higher demands are being placed on the cavitation performance, hence the introduction of the inducer and centrifugal impeller to form a dynamic–dynamic series structure. However, there are strict constraints on the axial size of pumps in fields such as firefighting and aerospace. The traditional empirical formula no longer satisfies the need to fit the axial dimensions between the induced wheel and the impeller at high velocities. Therefore, based on the wave-piercing theory, the drag reduction coefficient is introduced to explore the optimal axial fit size from the perspective of energy characteristics. This paper focuses on the influence of the inducer’s wake on the energy characteristics of downstream impellers, and conducts the following research: by adjusting the axial matching dimensions between the upstream inducer and the centrifugal impeller in the initial model, ten sets of axial distance models with matching dimensions of KD are designed, and the drag reduction coefficient is embedded to determine the optimal axial distance. The results show that the optimal axial distance is 0.2D, which is far lower than the axial distance value of 0.42D obtained from the traditional empirical formula for axial matching dimensions. Meanwhile, this paper uses tangential velocity, the inlet flow angle of the impeller, entropy production theory, and other indicators to analyze the internal energy loss of the high-speed vehicular fire pumps one by one. All of them confirm that the impeller in the high-speed vehicular fire pump has the lowest energy loss and optimal performance at an axial distance of 0.2D. Specifically, at this axial distance, the head can reach 259 m, and the hydraulic efficiency is as high as 83.62%. Thus, the feasibility of determining the axial placement of the impeller using the drag coefficient is validated. This research provides new insights into determining the axial coordination dimensions between the inducer and the impeller. Full article

In recent times, circular economy initiatives in addition to the need for sustainable biomaterials have brought about several attempts at the eco-friendly, eco-sustainable and cost-effective production of asphalt pavements. It is an increasingly common practice in the asphalt industry to improve road pavement performance using additives to enhance the physico-chemical properties of bitumen, which performs the role of the binder in the asphalt mix. This paper evaluated the potential of a bio-based additive derived from olive leaf residue as a modifier and antioxidant agent for bitumen. Samples of neat, aged and doped aged bitumen were analyzed. In this study, the two bio-based additives were characterized in terms of phenol, chlorophyll, lignin and cellulose content, which was correlated with the mechanical properties of the tested samples. The mechanical properties of the neat, modified, aged and unaged samples were evaluated via Dynamic Shear Rheology. The bio-based additives proved to be promising and can improve the properties of bitumen binder and the performance of asphalt pavements in general. Full article

Online mothering is an arising and multifaceted phenomenon as the online world offers unique opportunities and risks in a particularly challenging period. The overall aim of this work is to investigate the features of the hashtag movement #itcouldbeme, which was born after a terrible news event concerning a newborn’s death, specifically concerning (a) the e-activation levels; (b) the emotional arousal; (c) the potential presence of deconstruction of stereotypes concerning intensive mothering. To investigate positioning, reactions, and emotions, a database of 394 online posts gathered from popular Italian social networks was created, manually codified, and analyzed through the chi-square test. The results enabled us to deepen the associations among these variables, thus revealing the opportunities for empowerment offered by the socio-cultural positioning, different emotional pathways, and adhesion to this online movement. Finally, implications for professionals and public health issues are discussed. Full article

The CCT gene family is present in plants and is involved in biological processes such as flowering, circadian rhythm regulation, plant growth and development, and stress resistance. We identified 87, 62, 46, and 40 CCTs at the whole-genome level in B. napus, B. rapa, B. oleracea, and A. thaliana, respectively. The CCTs can be classified into five groups based on evolutionary relationships, and each of these groups can be further subdivided into three subfamilies (COL, CMF, and PRR) based on function. Our analysis of chromosome localization, gene structure, collinearity, cis-acting elements, and expression patterns in B. napus revealed that the distribution of the 87 BnaCCTs on the chromosomes of B. napus was uneven. Analysis of gene structure and conserved motifs revealed that, with the exception of a few genes that may have lost structural domains, the majority of genes within the same group exhibited similar structures and conserved domains. The gene collinearity analysis identified 72 orthologous genes, indicating gene duplication and expansion during the evolution of BnaCCTs. Analysis of cis-acting elements identified several elements related to abiotic and biotic stress, plant hormone response, and plant growth and development in the promoter regions of BnaCCTs. Expression pattern and protein interaction network analysis showed that BnaCCTs are differentially expressed in various tissues and under stress conditions. The PRR subfamily genes have the highest number of interacting proteins, indicating their significant role in the growth, development, and response to abiotic stress of B. napus. Full article

Background: Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) presents a significant challenge in critical care settings, characterized by compromised gas exchange, necessitating in the most severe cases interventions such as veno-venous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (vv-ECMO) when conventional therapies fail. Critically ill ARDS patients on vv-ECMO may experience several complications. Limited data exist comparing complication rates between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 ARDS patients undergoing vv-ECMO. This retrospective observational study aimed to assess and compare complications in these patient cohorts. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of all patients receiving vv-ECMO for ARDS between March 2020 and March 2022. We recorded the baseline characteristics, the disease course and complication (barotrauma, bleeding, thrombosis) before and after ECMO cannulation, and clinical outcomes (mechanical ventilation and ECMO duration, intensive care unit, and hospital lengths of stay and mortalities). Data were compared between COVID-19 and non-COVID-19 patients. In addition, we compared survived and deceased patients. Results: Sixty-four patients were included. COVID-19 patients (n = 25) showed higher rates of pneumothorax (28% vs. 8%, p = 0.039) with subcutaneous emphysema (24% vs. 5%, p = 0.048) and longer non-invasive ventilation duration before vv-ECMO cannulation (2 [1; 4] vs. 0 [0; 1] days, p = <0.001), compared to non-COVID-19 patients (n = 39). However, complication rates and clinical outcomes post-vv-ECMO were similar between groups. Survival analysis revealed no significant differences in pre-vv-ECMO complications, but non-surviving patients had a trend toward higher complication rates and more pleural effusions post-vv-ECMO. Conclusions: COVID-19 patients on vv-ECMO exhibit higher pneumothorax rates with subcutaneous emphysema pre-cannulation; post-cannulation complications are comparable to non-COVID-19 patients. Full article

To address current ecological issues and a lack of historical preservation in Beijing’s waterfront, it has become necessary to establish an urban design project that optimizes these aspects. This study focuses on “Beijing’s Waterfront Overall Urban Design,” a project that integrates government requirements with Beijing’s waterfront urban design characteristics and problems to establish an urban layer system from two dimensions: historical and ecological. It explores how the urban layer system can be applied to Beijing’s overall waterfront urban design, from investigation to evaluation, analysis, visualization, and strategy development. First, an urban layer system for Beijing’s waterfront was established from a historical perspective, based on urban setting and construction stages and space utilization, referring to the literature and field surveys. The evolution of urban layers of waterbodies, the water–city relationship, and water functions was systematically analyzed. Second, an urban layer system was established for the ecological dimension of Beijing’s waterfront based on a literature review, expert interviews, and analytic hierarchy process methods. It included four urban layers: waterbody, greening, shoreline, and ecological function. The quality of the ecological urban design of 54 waterfront reaches in Beijing was evaluated using questionnaires and field surveys. Third, a series of urban layer maps was generated using the mapping method. Finally, urban design strategies were developed based on the combined historical and ecological characteristics and problems of Beijing’s waterfront. The results of this study and the concept of an urban layer system for waterfront urban design can benefit waterfront urban design projects and future studies. Full article

The compressor serves as a crucial component that influences the performance of the gas turbine engine. Researchers have been endeavoring to explore compressor types that possess a high loading level and high-efficiency characteristics concurrently. In this study, tandem blade technology was applied to a transonic ultra-highly loaded axial compressor, and the Baseline single-blade rotor was replaced by a tandem rotor to take into account the loading level and compressor performance. Detailed investigations were carried out to identify the effects on the aerodynamic performance of the ultra-highly loaded stage and the fundamental flow mechanism within the tandem-rotor stage. This paper presents original design maps for the tandem-rotor stage, and the selection criteria for tandem parameters in tandem-rotor stage are refined. The results indicate that the peak efficiency improved by 0.83%, the stall margin increased by 2.16%, and the choke flow rate rose by 0.30% for the optimal tandem-rotor configuration. The meridional division position of the rotor primarily affects the ratio of loading of the front and rear blades, while the circumferential relative position of the tandem rotor mainly influences the channel types formed by the front and rear blades. Larger values for the meridional division position parameter and smaller values for circumferential relative position parameter should be selected for the tandem rotor design to optimize both the isentropic efficiency and total pressure ratio. This investigation offers the theoretical foundation for the design of a transonic ultra-highly loaded tandem-rotor compressor. Full article

Deformation monitoring for mass concrete structures such as high-arch dams is crucial to their safe operation. However, structure deformations are influenced by many complex factors, and deformations at different positions tend to have spatiotemporal correlation and variability, increasing the difficulty of deformation monitoring. A novel deep learning-based monitoring model for high-arch dams considering multifactor influences and spatiotemporal data correlations is proposed in this paper. First, the measurement points are clustered to capture the spatial relationship. Successive multivariate mode decomposition is applied to extract the common mode components among the correlated points as spatial influencing factors. Second, the relationship between various factors and deformation components is extracted using factor screening. Finally, a deep learning prediction model is constructed with stacked components to obtain the final prediction. The model is validated based on practical engineering. In nearly one year of high-arch dam deformation prediction, the root mean square error is 0.344 and the R² is 0.998, showing that the modules within the framework positively contribute to enhancing prediction performance. The prediction results of different measurement points as well as the comparison results with benchmark models show its superiority and generality, providing an advancing and practical approach for engineering structural health monitoring, particularly for high-arch dams. Full article

In chaos control, one usually seeks to stabilize the unstable periodic orbits (UPOs) that densely inhabit the attractors of many chaotic dynamical systems. These orbits collectively play a significant role in determining the dynamics and properties of chaotic systems and are said to form the skeleton of the associated attractors. While UPOs are insightful tools for analysis, they are naturally unstable and, as such, are difficult to find and computationally expensive to stabilize. An alternative to using UPOs is to approximate them using cupolets. Cupolets, a name derived from chaotic, unstable, periodic, orbit-lets, are a relatively new class of waveforms that represent highly accurate approximations to the UPOs of chaotic systems, but which are generated via a particular control scheme that applies tiny perturbations along Poincaré sections. Originally discovered in an application of secure chaotic communications, cupolets have since gone on to play pivotal roles in a number of theoretical and practical applications. These developments include using cupolets as wavelets for image compression, targeting in dynamical systems, a chaotic analog to quantum entanglement, an abstract reducibility classification, a basis for audio and video compression, and, most recently, their detection in a chaotic neuron model. This review will detail the historical development of cupolets, how they are generated, and their successful integration into theoretical and computational science and will also identify some unanswered questions and future directions for this work. Full article

Cryptococcal infection poses a significant global public health challenge, particularly in regions near the equator. In this review, we offer a succinct exploration of the Cryptococcus spp. genome and various molecular typing methods to assess the burden and genetic diversity of cryptococcal pathogens in the environment and clinical isolates. We delve into a detailed discussion on the molecular pathogenesis and diagnosis of immune reconstitution inflammatory syndrome (IRIS) associated with cryptococcosis, with a specific emphasis on cryptococcal meningitis IRIS (CM-IRIS). Our examination includes the recent literature on CM-IRIS, covering host cellulomics, proteomics, transcriptomics, and genomics. Full article

It is widely postulated that the majority of pathologically elevated extracellular or cell-free DNA (cfDNA) in cancer originates from tumor cells; however, evidence has emerged regarding the significant contributions of other cells from the tumor microenvironment. Here, the effect of cfDNA originating from murine B16 melanoma cells and L929 fibroblasts on B16 cells was investigated. It was found that cfDNAL929 increased the viability and migration properties of B16 cells in vitro and their invasiveness in vivo. In contrast, cfDNAB16 exhibited a negative effect on B16 cells, reducing their viability and migration in vitro, which in vivo led to decreased tumor size and metastasis number. It was shown that cell treatment with both cfDNAs resulted in an increase in the expression of genes encoding DNases and the oncogenes Braf, Kras, and Myc. cfDNAL929-treated cells were shown to experience oxidative stress. Gene expression changes in the case of cfDNAB16 treatment are well correlated with the observed decrease in proliferation and migration of B16 cells. The obtained data may indicate the possible involvement of fibroblast DNA in the tumor microenvironment in tumor progression and, potentially, in the formation of new tumor foci due to the transformation of normal cells. Full article

The aim of this work was to study the ability of 28-homobrassinolide (HBL) and 28-homocastasterone (HCS) to increase the resistance of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) plants to drought and to alter their endogenous brassinosteroid status. Germinated barley seeds were treated with 0.1 nM HBL or HCS solutions for two hours. A water deficit was created by stopping the watering of 7-day-old plants for the next two weeks. Plants responded to drought through growth inhibition, impaired water status, increased lipid peroxidation, differential effects on antioxidant enzymes, intense proline accumulation, altered expression of genes involved in metabolism, and decreased endogenous contents of hormones (28-homobrassinolide, B-ketones, and B-lactones). Pretreatment of plants with HBL reduced the inhibitory effect of drought on fresh and dry biomass accumulation and relative water content, whereas HCS partially reversed the negative effect of drought on fresh biomass accumulation, reduced the intensity of lipid peroxidation, and increased the osmotic potential. Compared with drought stress alone, pretreatment of plants with HCS or HBL followed by drought increased superoxide dismutase activity sevenfold or threefold and catalase activity (by 36%). The short-term action of HBL and HCS in subsequent drought conditions partially restored the endogenous B-ketone and B-lactone contents. Thus, the steroidal phytohormones HBL and HCS increased barley plant resistance to subsequent drought, showing some specificity of action. Full article

Background and Objectives: Facial vascular anatomy plays a pivotal role in both physiological context and in surgical intervention. While data exist on the individual course of the facial artery and vein, to date, the spatial relationship of the vasculature has been ill studied. The aim of this study was to assess the course of facial arteries, veins and branches one relative to another. Materials and Methods: In a total of 90 halved viscerocrania, the facial vessels were injected with colored latex. Dissection was carried out, the relation of the facial vessels was studied, and the distance at the lower margin of the mandible was measured. Furthermore, branches including the labial and angular vessels were assessed. Results: At the base of the mandible, the facial artery was located anterior to the facial vein in all cases at a mean distance of 6.2 mm (range 0–15 mm), with three cases of both vessels adjacent. An angular vein was present in all cases, while an angular artery was only present in 34.4% of cases. Conclusions: The main trunk of the facial artery and vein yields a rather independent course, with the facial artery always located anterior to the vein, while their branches, especially the labial vessels, demonstrate a closer relationship. Full article

Wheat landraces are traditional varieties that have evolved over generations in response to local environments and farming practices and therefore exhibit remarkable adaptability to challenging climatic conditions and low-input farming systems. While the suitability of Mediterranean landraces to non-optimal climatic conditions during anthesis and grain ripening stage have been previously assessed, the role of photosynthesis efficiency and stomatal control on this resilience remains unexplored. This study aims to evaluate the relationship between grain yield and the post-anthesis flag leaf gas exchanges of Sicilian wheat landraces under irrigated and rainfed conditions and to compare these traits to modern durum (Triticum turgidum subsp. durum) and bread wheat (T. aestivum) varieties. Results indicate that wheat landraces respond to water availability similarly to modern varieties, reducing stomatal conductance by 26.8% and net photosynthesis by 18.1% under rainfed conditions, resulting in 10.6% lower grain yield compared to irrigated conditions. However, some landraces demonstrate comparable or even higher flag leaf net photosynthesis rates and lower transpiration levels, leading to higher yields in both rainfed and irrigated conditions, confirming their value as a source of gene pool for wheat breeding programs in drought-prone Mediterranean regions. Full article

This article aims to explore, investigate, and determine the prerequisites that learners (students) should possess for participating in and being adequately benefitted from digital (robotics-enabled) K–12 STEM education offered through intuitive human–robot interaction. We selected 23 middle school mathematics and science teachers who received training on how to design, develop, and implement robotics-enabled lessons. The teachers then implemented robotics-enabled lessons in actual classroom settings, and separately responded to a survey based on their training, classroom experiences and observations, and self-brainstorming. We derived a set of prerequisite knowledge, skills, and abilities, including their relative importance for the students by analyzing the survey responses. The results showed that the students should not only possess prerequisite knowledge in the subject matter, but also possess behavioral, social, scientific, cognitive, and intellectual skills and abilities to participate in and receive benefits from robotics-enabled human–robot interactive digital STEM education. Out of the many prerequisites, the computational thinking ability of students was identified as one of the most required prerequisites to participate in robotics-enabled digital STEM education. To validate the derived prerequisites, teachers separately assessed the fulfillment of prerequisites by 38 participating students, and the results showed user acceptance, effectiveness, and suitability of the derived prerequisites set. We also identified a set of limitations of the studies and proposed action plans to enable students to meet the prerequisites. The results presented herein can help determine required instructional efforts and scaffolds before implementing robotics-enabled digital STEM lessons, and thus foster incorporating technology-enhanced (robotics-enabled) digital STEM education into K–12 curricula. Full article

The synthesis of betalain using microorganisms is an innovative developmental technology, and the excavation of microorganisms closely related to betalain can provide certain theoretical and technical support to this technology. In this study, the characteristics of soil microbial community structures and their functions in the rhizospheres of white-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus undatus) and red-fleshed dragon fruit (Hylocereus polyrhizus) were analyzed. The results show that the soil bacterial and fungal compositions in the rhizospheres were shaped differently between H. undatus and H. polyrhizus. Bacterial genera such as Kribbella and TM7a were the unique dominant soil bacterial genera in the rhizospheres of H. undatus, whereas Bradyrhizobium was the unique dominant soil bacterial genus in the rhizospheres of H. polyrhizus. Additionally, Myrothecium was the unique dominant soil fungal genus in the rhizospheres of H. polyrhizus, whereas Apiotrichum and Arachniotus were the unique dominant soil fungal genera in the rhizospheres of H. undatus. Moreover, TM7a, Novibacillus, Cupriavidus, Mesorhizobium, Trechispora, Madurella, Cercophora, and Polyschema were significantly enriched in the rhizospheres of H. undatus, whereas Penicillium, Blastobotrys, Phialemonium, Marasmius, and Pseudogymnoascus were significantly enriched in the rhizospheres of H. polyrhizus. Furthermore, the relative abundances of Ascomycota and Penicillium were significantly higher in the rhizospheres of H. polyrhizus than in those of H. undatus. Full article