Predicting the mesoscale eddies in the ocean is crucial for advancing our understanding of the ocean and climate systems. Establishing spatio-temporal correlation among input data is a significant challenge in mesoscale eddy prediction tasks, especially for deep learning techniques. In this paper, we first present a deep learning solution based on a video prediction model to capture the spatio-temporal correlation and predict future sea surface height data accurately. To enhance the performance of the model, we introduced a novel metadata embedding module that utilizes neural networks to fuse remote sensing metadata with input data, resulting in increased accuracy. To the best of our knowledge, our model outperforms the state-of-the-art method for predicting sea level anomalies. Consequently, a mesoscale eddy detection algorithm will be applied to the predicted sea surface height data to generate mesoscale eddies in future. The proposed solution achieves competitive results, indicating that the prediction error for the eddy center position is 5.6 km for a 3-day prediction and 13.6 km for a 7-day prediction. Full article

Low-density polyethylene (LDPE) mulching films have an important function in crop cultivation; at the end of their life, however, their removal and disposal become both an economic and environmental problem. One possible alternative to low-density polyethylene (LDPE) mulch is provided by certified soil-biodegradable mulch films, such as those produced by Novamont and commercially available under the trade name MaterBi^®. MaterBi is a biodegradable thermoplastic material made with starch and a biodegradable copolyester based on proprietary technology. In this study, we compared two biodegradable MaterBi^®-based films (commercial and experimental films) with bare soil and a low-density polyethylene to evaluate their effect on yield and on a number of qualitative characteristics (organoleptic and nutraceutical composition) of eggplant fruits (cv Mirabelle F1) grown in two different regions in Southern Italy (Sicily and Campania). In our study, the use of biodegradable MaterBi^® films improved not only yield and production parameters, such as the number and average weight of fruits, but also lipophilic and hydrophilic antioxidant activity and phenolic and ascorbic acid content. For many parameters, responses differed according to the cultivation environment and, in particular, the site’s pedoclimatic conditions. Our results suggest that biodegradable MaterBi^®-based mulching films are a potentially valid alternative to traditional LDPEs, providing the production and quality benefits reported above and promoting environmental sustainability, thanks to their positive biodegradable properties. Full article

The TGF-β family is a group of 25 kDa secretory cytokines, in mammals consisting of three dimeric isoforms (TGF-βs 1, 2, and 3), each encoded on a separate gene with unique regulatory elements. Each isoform plays unique, diverse, and pivotal roles in cell growth, survival, immune response, and differentiation. However, many researchers in the TGF-β field often mistakenly assume a uniform functionality among all three isoforms. Although TGF-βs are essential for normal development and many cellular and physiological processes, their dysregulated expression contributes significantly to various diseases. Notably, they drive conditions like fibrosis and tumor metastasis/progression. To counter these pathologies, extensive efforts have been directed towards targeting TGF-βs, resulting in the development of a range of TGF-β inhibitors. Despite some clinical success, these agents have yet to reach their full potential in the treatment of cancers. A significant challenge rests in effectively targeting TGF-βs’ pathological functions while preserving their physiological roles. Many existing approaches collectively target all three isoforms, failing to target just the specific deregulated ones. Additionally, most strategies tackle the entire TGF-β signaling pathway instead of focusing on disease-specific components or preferentially targeting tumors. This review gives a unique historical overview of the TGF-β field often missed in other reviews and provides a current landscape of TGF-β research, emphasizing isoform-specific functions and disease implications. The review then delves into ongoing therapeutic strategies in cancer, stressing the need for more tools that target specific isoforms and disease-related pathway components, advocating mechanism-based and refined approaches to enhance the effectiveness of TGF-β-targeted cancer therapies. Full article

Wildfires significantly threaten ecosystems and human lives, necessitating effective prediction models for the management of this destructive phenomenon. This study integrates Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) and Bidirectional Long Short-Term Memory (BiLSTM) modules to develop a novel deep learning model called CNN-BiLSTM for near-real-time wildfire spread prediction to capture spatial and temporal patterns. This study uses the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) active fire product and a wide range of environmental variables, including topography, land cover, temperature, NDVI, wind informaiton, precipitation, soil moisture, and runoff to train the CNN-BiLSTM model. A comprehensive exploration of parameter configurations and settings was conducted to optimize the model’s performance. The evaluation results and their comparison with benchmark models, such as a Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) and CNN-LSTM models, demonstrate the effectiveness of the CNN-BiLSTM model with IoU of F1 Score of 0.58 and 0.73 for validation and training sets, respectively. This innovative approach offers a promising avenue for enhancing wildfire management efforts through its capacity for near-real-time prediction, marking a significant step forward in mitigating the impact of wildfires. Full article

The mouth of the Tinto River is located on the southwest coast of the Iberian Peninsula in the northwest of the Gulf of Cadiz. The river flows into an estuarine system shared with the Odiel River, commonly known as the “Ría de Huelva”. In the 1960s, a wide area of ancient salt marshes was transformed by a stockpile of industrial wastes of phosphogypsum, reaching a height of 35 m above the level of the salt marsh at its highest point. Two surveys using high-resolution seismic reflection in conjunction with a parametric profiler were carried out in 2016 and 2018. The purpose of these geophysical studies was the realization of a 3D model of the sedimentary units constituting the most recent filling of the estuary. The records present abundant extrusion structures located on the margins of the waste stockpiles, which break the visible stratification of the surficial units of the estuary. In some sectors, these structures have reached the estuarine surface and have, therefore, a morphological expression on the estuarine floor. The origin of these structures is interpreted as a vertical escape of fluidized sediments from lower units caused by overpressure from stacking. Full article

Ocean Bottom Node (OBN) acquisition is a technique for marine seismic survey that has gained increased attention in recent years. The removal of shear wave noise from the vertical component of receivers plays a crucial role in the subsequent processing and interpretation of OBN data. Previous solutions suffer from noise residue or signal impairment for complex noise and signal overlap scenarios. In this work, we present and explore a self-supervised deep learning approach to attenuate shear wave noise in OBN data. It applies a deep neural network (DNN) to perform adaptive subtraction and comprises two steps to remove the noise associated with the two horizontal components of receivers, respectively. The two horizontal components are considered as noise reference and are sequentially fed into the DNN, and the DNN predicts the actual leaked noise from the contaminated vertical components data. The self-supervised method achieves improvements in the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) on a set of synthetic data. The implementation of our method on field data demonstrates that it effectively attenuates the shear wave noise and preserves the valid signal. Full article

The purpose of this research is to examine whether Buddhist ethics can improve the health and well-being of Buddhist practitioners during pandemics like COVID-19. It is hypothesized that diseases are part of suffering, and Buddhist teachings aim to eliminate the suffering of all beings. Buddhism also offers ethical codes of conduct for its practitioners to improve their health and well-being. So, the Buddha’s teaching or Buddhist ethics, when practiced seriously, should be able to improve one’s health, physically and mentally, enhancing the well-being of all Buddhist practitioners during the spread of all pandemics including COVID-19. The present study found that Buddhist ethical practices like the chanting of Buddhist suttas and the development of mindfulness, concentration/meditation, and insight (vipassanā) can improve both physical and mental health, which are important for dealing with any pandemic, tremendously. If the cores of Buddhist ethics (morality, meditation, and wisdom) are perfectly practiced, not only will one live with good physical and mental health but one also will be able to eliminate all the mental defilements that are the root causes of all illnesses and thus enter nibbāna, the state of mind that is beyond all sources of suffering including pandemics/epidemics. More specifically, this paper highlights a set of Buddhist practices, called four bhāvanās (types of development), that can be used to improve health and well-being during any pandemic. Full article

This is an introductory review of modern meteor radar and its application to the measurement of the dynamical parameters of the Mesosphere Lower Thermosphere (MLT) Region within the altitude range of around 70 to 110 km, which is where most meteors are detected. We take a historical approach, following the development of meteor radar for studies of the MLT from the time of their development after the Second World War until the present. The application of the meteor radar technique is closely aligned with their ability to make contributions to Meteor Astronomy in that they can determine meteor radiants, and measure meteoroid velocities and orbits, and so these aspects are noted when required. Meteor radar capabilities now extend to measurements of temperature and density in the MLT region and show potential to be extended to ionospheric studies. New meteor radar networks are commencing operation, and this heralds a new area of investigation as the horizontal spatial variation of the upper-atmosphere wind over an extended area is becoming available for the first time. Full article

The study presents a promising approach to enzymatic kinetics using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) to assess fundamental parameters of modified enteropeptidases. Traditional methods for determining these parameters, while effective, often lack versatility and convenience, especially under varying environmental conditions. The use of EIS provides a novel approach that overcomes these limitations. The enteropeptidase underwent genetic modification through the introduction of single amino acid modifications to assess their effect on enzyme kinetics. However, according to the one-sample t-test results, the difference between the engineered enzymes and hEKL was not statistically significant by conventional criteria. The kinetic parameters were analyzed using fluorescence spectroscopy and EIS, which was found to be an effective tool for the real-time measurement of enzyme kinetics. The results obtained through EIS were not significantly different from those obtained through traditional fluorescence spectroscopy methods (p value >> 0.05). The study validates the use of EIS for measuring enzyme kinetics and provides insight into the effects of specific amino acid changes on enteropeptidase function. These findings have potential applications in biotechnology and biochemical research, suggesting a new method for rapidly assessing enzymatic activity. Full article

Double-wall steel sheet piles (DSSPs) are widely used in large-span cofferdams for docks due to their good performance against wave action during storm surges. This paper describes a study of the dynamic behavior of a DSSP cofferdam under wave action through flume tests and a numerical simulation that combined computational fluid dynamics (CFD) and the finite element method. The influences of the water level and wave height on the DSSP cofferdam were investigated experimentally and numerically. Tall waves in shallow water broke upon and impacted the seaside pile with large dynamic wave pressure, dramatically increasing the stress and displacement of the seaside pile. The overlap of the traveling and reflected waves increased the excess pore water pressure near the seaside pile due to taller overlapped waves and higher wave frequency. The DSSP cofferdam failed under the combined actions of the dynamic wave pressure and erosion of the landside seabed. The leakage and overflow of the breaking waves resulted in significant erosion of the landside seabed and greatly weakened the support of the seabed. The dynamic wave pressure then pushed the DSSP cofferdam until it failed. The simulation with the combined methods of CFD and FEM resulted in trends that were similar to those of the test measurements. Compared to the quasi-static method and pseudo-dynamic method, the results of the simulation via the present method were much closer to the test results because the simulation included the effects of breaking waves. The reinforced measure worked well to prevent the DSSP cofferdam in a sandy seabed foundation from continuous failures of deformation–leakage–erosion–tilting. However, it failed in a clay interlayer seabed foundation due to the large settlement. Full article

Understanding the capillary imbibition laws of brackish water in rocks is necessary to reveal the mechanism of fluid, salt, and ion transport. In this study, we investigated the capillary imbibition laws of a Na₂SO₄ solution of different concentrations in sandstone by measuring the parameters of water absorption mass, water migration front height, nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) T₂ spectra, and stratified moisture distribution. The results indicate the following: (1) With an increase in the salt solution concentration, the water absorption rate of samples increases, specifically manifested in an increase in the rate of absorption mass and a rising rate of the absorption front. (2) With an increase in the salt solution concentration, the total NMR signals in samples measured at the end of water absorption decreases; that is, the total amount of water absorption decreases. (3) When the solution concentration exceeds 0.50 g/L, variations in the NMR signal of samples and the absorbed water mass over time are not synchronic and are even opposite at some stages. Based on the capillary dynamic theories of liquid, the influence of salts on solution properties and the modification of the pore structure by crystallization are considered when discussing the underlying mechanism of capillary imbibition in sandstone. By calculating the physical properties such as the density, viscosity, surface tension, and contact angle of solutions with different concentrations, the imbibition process does not exhibit any significant variation with the difference in the properties of the liquid. The equivalent capillary radii of the samples at varying salt concentrations are obtained by fitting the capillary dynamics curves with the theoretically calculated values. The equivalent capillary radii of samples in higher salt concentrations are larger,i.e., the difference in capillary imbibition laws introduced by the salt concentration should be attributed to modifications to the pore structure caused by salt crystallization. Full article

Background: Intensive-care-acquired weakness resulting in functional impairment is common in critical care survivors. This study aims to evaluate the feasibility of a combined early functional training with endurance and resistance training and its effect on the functional outcome. Methods: It is a pilot study performed in a 39-bed Medical and Surgical Intensive Care Unit (ICU). Patients who were premorbidly independent and were mechanically ventilated for ≥24 h were recruited to receive functional mobilisation (sit out of bed, ambulation), endurance (bed cycling), and resistance training (selected upper and lower limb muscle training using weights). The primary outcomes were feasibility of training, muscle strength, handgrip strength, quadricep strength, and Functional Status Score-Intensive Care Unit (FSS-ICU) collected at the first assessment in the ICU, at the ICU discharge, and at hospital discharge. Secondary outcomes were functional capacity (6-Minute Walk Distance) and quality of life measures, EQ-5D, at hospital discharge and at 3 months. Results: Out of the 11 patients, 6 (54.54%) patients achieved level 2 functional mobilisation, 2 (18.18%) patients achieved level 2 resistance training, and 1 (9.09%) patient achieved level 2 endurance training. There were no significant differences in the medical research council (MRC) score, quadricep strength, and handgrip strength between the first assessment in the ICU, at the ICU discharge, and at hospital discharge. However, there was a significant difference in FSS_ICU (p < 0.008) from the first assessment in the ICU up to hospital discharge. EQ-5D visual analogue scale also showed a change of 8.5% at 3-month follow-up. 6MWD showed significant difference (p < 0.043) at 3-month follow-up compared to that at hospital discharge. Conclusions: The study found low compliance to resistance and endurance training in patients with mechanical ventilation. However, functional mobilisation in terms of sit out of bed was possible in more than half of the recruited patients. Full article

Cysteine dioxygenase type 1 (Cdo1) is a tumor suppressor gene. It regulates the metabolism of cysteine, thereby influencing the cellular antioxidative capacity. This function puts Cdo1 in a prominent position to promote ferroptosis and apoptosis. Cdo1 promotes ferroptosis mainly by decreasing the amounts of antioxidants, leading to autoperoxidation of the cell membrane through Fenton reaction. Cdo1 promotes apoptosis mainly through the product of cysteine metabolism, taurine, and low level of antioxidants. Many cancers exhibit altered function of Cdo1, underscoring its crucial role in cancer cell survival. Genetic and epigenetic alterations have been found, with methylation of Cdo1 promoter as the most common mutation. The fact that no cancer was found to be caused by altered Cdo1 function alone indicates that the tumor suppressor role of Cdo1 is mild. By compiling the current knowledge about apoptosis, ferroptosis, and the role of Cdo1, this review suggests possibilities for how the mild anticancer role of Cdo1 could be harnessed in new cancer therapies. Here, developing drugs targeting Cdo1 is considered meaningful in neoadjuvant therapies, for example, helping against the development of anti-cancer drug resistance in tumor cells. Full article

This study explores the critical issue of understanding the potential impacts of climate change on the habitat suitability of the highly endangered forest-dwelling Mangshan pit viper (Protobothrops mangshanensis) in China. Through the application of the MaxEnt model, high-resolution bioclimatic datasets, and species occurrence data, the research aims to elucidate the spatial and temporal dynamics of P. mangshanensis distribution from the present to the years 2050 and 2070. Through the integration of three climate models from the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) and exploring different shared socioeconomic pathway (SSP) scenarios (SSP126, SSP370, and SSP585), the study seeks to provide comprehensive insights into the potential variations in habitat suitability under diverse future climate conditions. The methodology employed involves the construction of the MaxEnt model utilizing the BioClim dataset and 83 species occurrence points. The SSP scenarios mentioned above represent future climate change scenarios, and the accuracy of the model is evaluated using the area under the receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC). Key findings reveal that the MaxEnt model exhibits high accuracy (AUC = 0.998), pinpointing the current suitable habitat for P. mangshanensis to be confined to the Mangshan area within the Nanling Mountains, covering an approximate area of 1023.12 km². However, projections based on future climate scenarios suggest notable shifts in habitat suitability dynamics. While potential suitable habitats may emerge in the northwest of the current range, the existing suitable habitats are anticipated to undergo significant reduction or even complete disappearance. Notably, precipitation during the driest month emerges as a critical determinant influencing the distribution of the species. In conclusion, the study underscores the exacerbating impact of climate change on habitat deterioration and survival risks for P. mangshanensis, emphasizing the urgent need for conservation measures to safeguard the remaining suitable habitats for this endangered species. The implications of these findings are far-reaching, with the anticipated contraction of the snake’s range potentially leading to its disappearance and increased habitat fragmentation. By shedding light on the potential distributional changes of P. mangshanensis in Mangshan, the research provides valuable insights for informing targeted conservation strategies and policy interventions aimed at mitigating the adverse effects of climate change on endangered species. Full article

High flow oxygen (HFO) therapy is a well-established treatment in respiratory disease. Concurrent aerosol delivery can greatly expediate their recovery. The aim of this work was to complete a comprehensive characterisation of one such HFO therapy system, the Airvo2^TM, used in combination with the Aerogen Solo^TM vibrating mesh nebuliser. Representative adult, infant, and paediatric head models were connected to a breathing simulator via a collection filter placed at the level of the trachea. A tracheostomy interface and nasal cannulas were used to deliver the aerosol. Cannula size and gas flow rate were varied across the full operating range recommended by the manufacturer. The tracheal and emitted doses were quantified via UV-spectrophotometry. The aerosol droplet diameter at the exit of the nares and tracheal interface was measured via cascade impaction. High gas flow rates resulted in low emitted and tracheal doses (%). Nasal cannula size had no significant effect on the tracheal dose (%) available in infant and paediatric models. Higher gas flow rates resulted in smaller aerosol droplets at the exit of the nares and tracheostomy interface. Gas flow rate was found to be the primary parameter affecting aerosol delivery. Thus, gas flow rates should be kept low and where possible, delivered using larger nasal cannulas to maximise aerosol delivery. Full article

Background: Here, we introduce a comprehensive treatment algorithm for posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI) of the elbow, a condition affecting elbow mobility. We outline a diagnostic approach and a novel surgical management plan through the arthroscopic surgeon’s point of view. Methods: The central focus of this management approach is the integrity of common extensor origin (CEO). High clinical suspicion must be evident to diagnose PLRI. Special clinical and imaging tests can confirm PLRI but sometimes the final confirmation is established during the arthroscopic treatment. The most appropriate treatment is determined by the degree of CEO integrity. Results: The treatment strategy varies with the CEO’s condition: intact or minor tears require arthroscopic lateral collateral ligament imbrication, while extensive tears may need plication reinforced with imbrication or, in cases of retraction, a triceps tendon autograft reconstruction of the lateral ulnar collateral ligament alongside CEO repair. These approaches aim to manage residual instability and are complemented using a tailored rehabilitation protocol to optimize functional outcomes. Conclusion: PLRI is a unique clinical condition and should be treated likewise. This algorithm offers valuable insights for diagnosing and treating PLRI, enhancing therapeutic decision-making. Full article

The introduction of minimally invasive surgery ushered in a new era of spine surgery by minimizing the undue iatrogenic injury, recovery time, and blood loss, among other complications, of traditional open procedures. Over time, technological advancements have further refined the care of the operative minimally invasive spine patient. Moreover, pre-, and postoperative care have also undergone significant change by way of artificial intelligence risk stratification, advanced imaging for surgical planning and patient selection, postoperative recovery pathways, and digital health solutions. Despite these advancements, challenges persist necessitating ongoing research and collaboration to further optimize patient care in minimally invasive spine surgery. Full article

Conventional fertilizer management can destroy the structure of soil. Replacing chemical fertilizers with organic fertilizers can improve soil quality and nitrogen use efficiency. We aimed to study the effects of organic fertilizer substitutions for chemical nitrogen fertilizer on soil fertility and nitrogen use efficiency in order to clarify the effectiveness of the available nutrient management measures in improving soil quality and increasing foxtail millet yield. A field experiment was carried out over two consecutive years, and a total of six treatments were set up: no fertilizer (CK), chemical nitrogen fertilizer alone (N), the substitution of 25% of chemical nitrogen fertilizer with bio-organic fertilizer (N25A1), the substitution of 25% of chemical nitrogen fertilizer with fermented mealworm manure (N25B1), the substitution of 50% of chemical nitrogen fertilizer with bio-organic fertilizer (N50A2), and the substitution of 50% of chemical nitrogen fertilizer with fermented mealworm manure (N50B2). The results of this study show the following: (1) Compared with chemical nitrogen fertilizer, the substitution of organic fertilizer for nitrogen fertilizer reduced the bulk density and solid phase of the soil, and it increased the total porosity, water content, liquid phase, and gas phase of the soil. (2) Compared with nitrogen fertilizer, the use of an organic fertilizer increased the contents of nitrate nitrogen, ammonium nitrogen, and total nitrogen in the soil by 13.59~52.56%, 4.47~18.27%, and 4.40~12.09%, respectively. The content of alkaline nitrogen increased by 1.70~32.37%, and the contents of soil available potassium, available phosphorus, and organic matter also increased. (3) The activities of sucrase, urease, glutaminase, and asparaginase were improved by replacing chemical nitrogen fertilizer with organic fertilizer. The N25 treatments performed better than the N50 treatments, and fermented mealworm manure performed better than biological organic fertilizer. (4) A moderate application of organic fertilizer (N25) can increase the grain yield, ear weight, grain weight, and 1000-grain weight of foxtail millet, whereas excessive application of organic fertilizer (N50) can reduce foxtail millet yield. (5) Replacing chemical nitrogen fertilizer with organic fertilizer can improve the agronomic use efficiency, physiological efficiency, biased productivity, harvest index, and apparent use efficiency of nitrogen fertilizer. In this study, the substitution of 25% of chemical nitrogen fertilizer with fermented mealworm manure was the best combination for restoring crop productivity and soil quality. Full article

Improving the estimation of origin–destination (O-D) travel times poses a formidable challenge due to the intricate nature of transportation dynamics. Current deep learning models often require an overwhelming amount of data, both in terms of data points and variables, thereby limiting their applicability. Furthermore, there is a scarcity of models capable of predicting travel times with basic trip information such as origin, destination, and starting time. This paper introduces novel models rooted in the k-nearest neighbor (KNN) algorithm to tackle O-D travel time estimation with limited data. These models represent innovative adaptations of weighted KNN techniques, integrating the haversine distance of neighboring trips and incorporating correction factors to mitigate prediction biases, thereby enhancing the accuracy of travel time estimations for a given trip. Moreover, our models incorporate an adaptive heuristic to partition the time of day, identifying time blocks characterized by similar travel-time observations. These time blocks facilitate a more nuanced understanding of traffic patterns, enabling more precise predictions. To validate the effectiveness of our proposed models, extensive testing was conducted utilizing a comprehensive taxi trip dataset sourced from Santiago, Chile. The results demonstrate substantial improvements over existing state-of-the-art models (e.g., MAPE between 35 to 37% compared to 49 to 60% in other methods), underscoring the efficacy of our approach. Additionally, our models unveil previously unrecognized patterns in city traffic across various time blocks, shedding light on the underlying dynamics of urban mobility. Full article

The NASICON-structured Na₃MnZr(PO₄)₃ compound is a promising high-voltage cathode material for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). In this study, an easy and scalable electrospinning approach was used to synthesize self-standing cathodes based on Na₃MnZr(PO₄)₃ loaded into carbon nanofibers (CNFs). Different strategies were applied to load the active material. All the employed characterization techniques (X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA), and Raman spectroscopy) confirmed the successful loading. Compared to an appositely prepared tape-cast electrode, Na₃MnZr(PO₄)₃/CNF self-standing cathodes demonstrated an enhanced specific capacity, especially at high C-rates, thanks to the porous conducive carbon nanofiber matrix. Among the strategies applied to load Na₃MnZr(PO₄)₃ into the CNFs, the electrospinning (vertical setting) of the polymeric solution containing pre-synthesized Na₃MnZr(PO₄)₃ powders resulted effective in obtaining the quantitative loading of the active material and a homogeneous distribution through the sheet thickness. Notably, Na₃MnZr(PO₄)₃ aggregates connected to the CNFs, covered their surface, and were also embedded, as demonstrated by TEM and EDS. Compared to the self-standing cathodes prepared with the horizontal setting or dip–drop coating methods, the vertical binder-free electrode exhibited the highest capacity values of 78.2, 55.7, 38.8, 22.2, 16.2, 12.8, 10.3, 9.0, and 8.5 mAh/g at C-rates of 0.05C, 0.1C, 0.2C, 0.5C, 1C, 2C, 5C, 10C, and 20C, respectively, with complete capacity retention at the end of the measurements. It also exhibited a good cycling life, compared to its tape-cast counterpart: it displayed higher capacity retention at 0.2C and 1C, and, after cycling 1000 cycles at 1C, it could be further cycled at 5C, 10C, and 20C. Full article

A deficiency in the shortest dystrophin-gene product, Dp71, is a pivotal aggravating factor for intellectual disabilities in Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). Recent advances in preclinical research have achieved some success in compensating both muscle and brain dysfunctions associated with DMD, notably using exon skipping strategies. However, this has not been studied for distal mutations in the DMD gene leading to Dp71 loss. In this study, we aimed to restore brain Dp71 expression in the Dp71-null transgenic mouse using an adeno-associated virus (AAV) administrated either by intracardiac injections at P4 (ICP4) or by bilateral intracerebroventricular (ICV) injections in adults. ICP4 delivery of the AAV9-Dp71 vector enabled the expression of 2 to 14% of brain Dp71, while ICV delivery enabled the overexpression of Dp71 in the hippocampus and cortex of adult mice, with anecdotal expression in the cerebellum. The restoration of Dp71 was mostly located in the glial endfeet that surround capillaries, and it was associated with partial localization of Dp71-associated proteins, α1-syntrophin and AQP4 water channels, suggesting proper restoration of a scaffold of proteins involved in blood–brain barrier function and water homeostasis. However, this did not result in significant improvements in behavioral disturbances displayed by Dp71-null mice. The potential and limitations of this AAV-mediated strategy are discussed. This proof-of-concept study identifies key molecular markers to estimate the efficiencies of Dp71 rescue strategies and opens new avenues for enhancing gene therapy targeting cognitive disorders associated with a subgroup of severely affected DMD patients. Full article

The increase in satellite instruments sounding the atmosphere will increase the frequency of several instruments simultaneously measuring either the same vertical profile or vertical profiles related to nearby geo-locations, and users will consult fused products rather than individual measurements. Therefore, the retrieval products should be optimized for use in data fusion operations, rather than for the representation of the profile. This change in paradigm raises the question of whether a more functional representation of the retrieval products exists. New variables for the retrieval products are proposed that have several advantages with respect to the standard retrieval products. These variables, in the linear approximation of the forward model, are independent of the a priori information used in the retrieval, allow us to represent the profile with any a priori information and can be used directly to perform the data fusion of a set of measurements. Furthermore, the use of these variables allows us to reduce the stored data to about one third of its volume with respect to the use of standard retrieval products. Full article