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The fixation of CO2 into high-value chemicals has emerged as a critical research priority, attracting considerable interest from both academia and industry. The synthesis of cyclic carbonates via the cycloaddition of CO2 with epoxides, a process exhibiting 100% atom economy, exemplifies a highly desirable reaction aligned with the principles of “green chemistry” and “atomic economy”. Cyclic carbonates find widespread applications in lithium-ion batteries, pharmaceutical manufacturing, and various fine chemical industries. This review provides a comprehensive overview of recent advances, challenges, and perspectives in the field of CO2 cycloaddition reactions. Initially, various reaction pathways (CO2 activation, epoxides activation and dual activation) are elucidated, followed by an in-depth analysis of both homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts. Then, the paper evaluates the suitability of batch reactors, continuous flow reactors, and micro-pass reactors for this reaction. Finally, the paper highlights the importance of developing a green catalyst capable of selectively capturing low-concentration CO2 from industrial exhaust gas or air at room temperature and pressure, and converting it into cyclic carbonates in site. The insights presented in this paper offer a valuable framework and roadmap for future research endeavors in this field.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) as an attractive metal-free heterogeneous photocatalysts have become a powerful platform. This work, we designed and got a novel dual-pore COF, anthraquinone-porphyrin-based two-dimensional (2D) COF, AQ-Por-COF, in which the porphyrin amine (Por-NH2) and anthraquinone bridging aldehyde (AQ-CHO) were introduced into the structure. AQ-Por-COF was characterized using FT-IR, PXRD, UV-vis light adsorption spectra, TGA, SEM and XPS. In addition, the photocatalytic performances and stability of AQ-Por-COF was appraised with the light-induced selective oxidation of amines. The photooxidation reactions attained high conversions and produced aldehydes having predictable selectivities with ambient air as the oxidant under optimal conditions. And the activities of light LEDs was found to be lying in the following order: blue > purple > white > red. The experiments also indicated that the conjugation of Por-NH2 and AQ-CHO is necessary for the enhanced catalytic activity. Furthermore, AQ-Por-COF displayed strong photo-response abilities and suitable photocatalysis potentials, enabling the activation of O2 to superoxide anions (O2•−), the main active oxygen species, which was generated from the activation of oxygen by the separated photogenerated electrons under light irradiation. Finally, the results demonstrated that the insoluble photocatalyst, AQ-Por-COF, exhibited excellent photocatalytic activity, high selective, good recyclability and reusability.

Majority of the proteome is constituted by oligomers and their function is governed by underlying protein-protein interactions. Interfacial residues, namely residues right at the interface of two protein chains, are known to confer stability and specificity in dimers. However, other interactions play a significant role in the formation and maintenance of oligomers in protein assemblies as well. Inter-protein bifurcated interactions are those where one residue simultaneously interacts with two residues belonging to two neighbouring protein chains. The characteristic features for such higher order interactions remain largely unexplored and unknown. In this study, we focused on r esidues specifically involved in b ifurcated i nteractions (referred as RBI). We examine the bifurcated inter-protein interactions by assembling a dataset of protein assemblies of known 3D structures. We have characterized the type of interactions and the residues involved in the interactions using parameters like energy contributions and conservation score. We find that the residues participating in bifurcated inter-protein interactions contribute more to the stability of the complex than other interfacial residues. Furthermore, we have presented examples where mutation of a residue involved in a bifurcated interaction results in detrimental outcomes. This study highlights the significance of inter-protein bifurcated interactions that contribute to the stability of multiple interfaces in protein oligomers and hence contribute to the expansion of the understanding of protein assemblies.

This work proposes a finite element scheme with P1 and P2 basis functions using an Euler-Taylor-Galerkin method for a nonlinear model that describes the behavior of a new chemo-fluidic oscillator. This model is expressed through the coupling of an ordinary differential equation describing the hydrogel dynamics, a nonlinear transport equation, and an auxiliary equation determining the flow volume. The numerical solution is constructed by taking a semi-discretization in time of the transport equation using forward Taylor series expansions that include second and third-order time derivatives to avoid instability issues. In this semi-discrete equation, the spatial variable is approximated using a Galerkin finite element formulation. Several simulations are performed with different initial conditions for the hydrogel concentration. Additionally, the performance of the Euler-Taylor-Galerkin method is compared with other popular numerical methods, such as the Finite Volume Method and the Finite Difference Method, in terms of stability, accuracy, and computational efficiency. The results of this comparison demonstrate the advantages of the Euler-Taylor-Galerkin method in terms of stability and accuracy for problems with complex geometries and significant nonlinearities. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis is conducted to evaluate how changes in system parameters (such as initial alcohol concentration, temperature, etc.) affect the oscillator’s behavior, helping to understand the system’s robustness against external perturbations. This analysis shows that the chemo-fluidic oscillator is robust against moderate variations in system parameters, although significant perturbations can drastically affect its behavior. The numerical results describe the oscillatory behavior of the system, and Matlab tools are used for simulations, providing robust validation of the proposed model.

Researchers have been extensively exploring unique avenues to identify novel chemotherapeutics, crucial for the advance- ment of oncology research. The current study delves into the unexplored realm of tRNA-Encoded Peptides (tREPs), which have recently emerged as a potential source of anticancer peptides (ACPs). By leveraging computational methods and verified data sources, this study utilizes in silico approaches to explore the tRNA-peptide space for identification of po- tential anticancer peptides. 2,284 peptides were screened using the ACPred tool and 224 potential anticancer peptides were identified based on physicochemical properties, which were then further filtered for ADMET properties, molecular docking and molecular dynamics studies (150 ns), followed by estimation of binding free energy, with cancer target pro- teins AF9 (PDB-ID:2N4Q), SPOP- Substrate (PDB-ID:3IVV) and Myosin-IXb (PDB-ID:5C5S). Two peptides, (Pep1: DWIAWRHH- NDIVSWLTCGPRFKSWS) and (Pep2 :GFIAWWSRHLELAQTR- FKSWWS), were identified as potential anticancer agents. Abbreviations: tREPs, tRNA-Encoded Peptides; tREACP, tRNA-Encoded Anticancer Peptides. Peptide1 exhibited a favorable binding energy with a dock- ing score of -105.1+/-1.0 and an RMSD value of 0.2 nm, in- dicating strong stability, and a strong binding free energy of -65.49 kcal/mol when interacting with the target AF9. Pep- tide 2 displayed a good binding energy with docking score of -123.0+/-12.4, an RMSD of 0.3 nm, and binding free en- ergies of -53.15 kcal/mol when binding to the SPOP- Sub- strate Complex. Therefore, this study suggests that Peptides 1 and 2, have the potential to function as anticancer tREPs and could serve as promising therapeutic candidates against the AF9 and SPOP Substrate cancer targets.

It is common practice in PV system simulation to use the De Soto model, which describes how to use the 1-diode equivalent circuit model for modules. De Soto’s model scales the shunt with irradiance, making it disappear towards zero W/m 2. Also, the commercial software PVsyst uses a parameterization that reduces the shunt effect when the irradiance goes down. However, the Si solar cells that make up a module typically do not have an illumination dependent shunt. We therefore investigate the origin of the intensity dependent apparent shunt in modules. We show that this apparent shunt (derived from the slope of the quasi-linear region from I SC onwards) is a misinterpretation and has little to do with a shunt conductance. Instead, the module I- V curve slope of the quasi-linear region from I SC onwards stems from I SC mismatches between the cells. Such mismatch can occur from small illumination inhomogeneity or cell production variation. Abandoning the practice of using the I- V curve slope to determine the shunt value for equivalent circuit models of modules (and the corresponding shunt scaling in the De Soto model or PVsyst), contributes to physically more meaningful I- V curve parameterizations and possibly also more accurate PV system energy yield prediction.

Background: Neuroblastoma is the most common extracranial solid tumor in children, with about half of cases classified as high risk. Treatment varies by risk level, with high-risk patients undergoing aggressive multimodal therapy. Long-term survival has improved, but survivors face significant risks of late treatment effects, including adrenal insufficiency. This study investigates the incidence of adrenal insufficiency among neuroblastoma patients, focusing on high-risk versus non-high-risk cases. Procedure: This retrospective cohort study at a single tertiary children’s hospital reviewed records from 1998 to 2021, identifying 370 neuroblastoma patients, of which 137 had complete risk stratification. The primary outcome was the incidence of adrenal insufficiency, diagnosed based on clinical evaluation and response to hydrocortisone therapy. Demographic and clinical data were collected, and statistical analyses were performed to compare high-risk and non-high-risk groups. Results: Among 137 neuroblastoma patients, 9 (12.0%) high-risk and 3 (4.9%) non-high-risk patients were diagnosed with adrenal insufficiency. The cumulative incidence of adrenal insufficiency was 16.6% in high-risk and 3.5% in non-high-risk patients. High-risk patients with adrenal insufficiency had a median time of 10.2 months from neuroblastoma diagnosis to adrenal insufficiency diagnosis, with all cases occurring in patients with adrenal primary tumors. There were no significant differences in demographic or clinical characteristics between high-risk patients with and without adrenal insufficiency. Conclusions: The study found a higher cumulative incidence of adrenal insufficiency in high-risk neuroblastoma patients, particularly those with adrenal primary tumors. Despite the lack of significant prevalence difference between risk groups, the findings underscore the need for vigilant monitoring and screening for adrenal insufficiency in neuroblastoma patients during and after treatment. Future research should include larger, multi-institutional cohorts to better understand risk factors and optimize screening protocols.

To improve the performance of inverted perovskite solar cells, we introduce a novel approach to enhance the devices’ efficiency notably. Our novel strategy incorporates a cutting-edge metasurface-based reflector featuring TiO 2 nanodiscs within a MoSe 2 layer, employed as an electron transport layer (ETL). Demonstrating a substantial improvement in light reflection from the lower part of the structure, the TiO 2 nanodiscs as a metasurface-based reflector enhance electron transfer. Notably, the metasurface-based perfect reflector, incorporating TiO 2 nanodiscs, outperforms other TiO 2 nanocube variations with an impressive light reflectance of 97.95%. Exploring different materials for electron transport layers (ETLs) and hole transfer layers (HTLs), we identify MoSe 2 as a potent secondary absorbent material, featuring a smaller bandgap than the primary absorbent MAPbI 3, thereby intensifying the electric field within the active layer and improving Power Conversion Efficiency (PCE). In the final evaluation, our inverted metasurface-based device structure (ITO/Cu 2O (HTL)/MAPbI 3/TiO 2 nanodiscs and MoSe 2 (ETL)/aluminum/SiO 2) significantly enhances the solar cell’s electrical characteristics compared to the planar reference structure (ITO/CuSCN/MAPbI 3/TiO 2/aluminum), with noteworthy increases in J sc, V oc, and PCE values from 17.98 mA/cm 2 to 21.91 mA/cm 2, 1.03 V to 1.07 V, and 15.33% to 19.17%, respectively. Our proposed inverted metasurface-based device structure represents a promising potential in the construction of high-performance perovskite solar cells.

With an increasing share of the electricity grid relying on wind to provide generating capacity and energy, there is an expanding global need for historically accurate high-resolution wind data. Conventional downscaling methods for generating these data based on numerical weather prediction have a high computational burden and require extensive tuning for historical accuracy. In this work, we present a novel deep learning-based spatiotemporal downscaling method, using generative adversarial networks (GANs), for generating historically accurate high-resolution wind resource data from the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting Reanalysis version 5 data (ERA5). We show that by training a GAN model with ERA5 low-resolution input and Wind Integration National Dataset Toolkit (WTK; [[1]](#ref-0001)) data as the high-resolution target, we achieved results comparable in historical accuracy and spatiotemporal variability to conventional dynamical downscaling. This GAN-based downscaling method additionally reduces computational costs over dynamical downscaling by two orders of magnitude. GANs are trained on data sampled from the contiguous United States (CONUS), selected to provide a diverse sampling of terrain conditions, and validated on data held out from training, as well as observational data. This cross-validation shows low error and high correlations with observations and excellent agreement with holdout data across distributions of physical metrics. We additionally downscaled the members of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting Ensemble of Data Assimilations (EDA) for 2012–2015 and 2019–2023 to estimate uncertainty over the period for which we have observational data. We applied this approach to downscale 30-km hourly ERA5 data to 2-km 5-minute wind data for January 2000 through December 2023 at multiple hub heights over Ukraine, Moldova, and part of Romania. The geographic extent was motivated by the urgent need for planners in Ukraine to rebuild and decentralize the grid, which has been severely damaged by the conflict between Russia and Ukraine. Comparisons against observational data from the Meteorological Assimilation Data Ingest System (MADIS) and multiple wind farms show comparable performance to the CONUS validation. This 24-year data record is the first member of the super resolution for renewable energy resource data with wind from reanalysis data dataset (Sup3rWind).

With the use of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors (ICIs) and targeted therapies, the clinical outcomes of metastatic melanoma have drastically improved. The current scenario has reduced the use of chemotherapy as a first-line treatment. However, in a resource-limited setting, where access to ICIs and targeted therapies is not feasible, and in patients who fail to tolerate these therapies, chemotherapy continues to remain effective. The median survival and response rates with chemotherapy alone are dismally low. Here, we report a case in which a patient with stage IV anorectal melanoma was able to achieve a complete metabolic response and sustain it for 3 years and continue to do so with the first-line single-agent temozolomide.

Title: Oh Groin: What to do with thou?Author: Gautam Sandeepgautamsa@health.missouri.eduUniversity of Missouri School of Medicine, Division of Cardiovascular MedicineThe field (art?) of electrophysiology (EP) has progressed exponentially over the last 3 decades. The delivery of ablative energy through transvenous catheters has revolutionized our ability to treat cardiac arrhythmia. At the time that this text is being put on paper, there are 3 remaining challenges in our field, namely, durable ablation for atrial fibrillation, ablation of non-focal non-ischemic ventricular tachycardia, and last but not the least, management of the pesky inguinal access region. The oral history of electrophysiology trainees is riddled with the litany of post-operative complaints from both patients and nurses, prolonged repeated compressions and late-night vascular imaging. Those of our ilk who have been unfortunate enough to deal with pseudoaneurysms and arteriovenous fistulae can never forget the resultant prolonged patient agony and depression. Thankfully, these have decreased significantly with the advent of ultrasound-guided vascular access.The ideal modality of post-ablation venous hemostasis should have each of the following characteristics: simple, fast, 100% effective, allow rapid patient mobility, and above all, cheap. This combination, however, has been surprisingly elusive. As opposed to the multitude of arterial closure options for our interventional colleagues, the electrophysiology field for long relied upon the old and non-tested method of plain manual compression (MC). As most of us have experienced, MC is unreliable and messy especially in procedures on uninterrupted anticoagulation. The degree and efficiency of MC is almost completely operator dependent. Luckily, the femoral veins are easily compressible and usually quite forgiving in the majority of cases. However, as we started to recognize the advantage of both uninterrupted anticoagulation and deep sedation (preferably general anesthesia) in left atrial ablation procedures, particularly atrial fibrillation (AF), MC became even more unreliable in ensuring venous haemostasis.The Figure-of-Eight (Fo8) suture was a handy replacement for MC. The goal of Fo8 is simple: create a compression zone of subcutaneous fat to allow healing of the venous puncture track. Fo8 seems to work well for all venous access procedures, allowing haemostasis even for large venous sheaths such as cryoablation, left atrial appendage closure systems and leadless pacemaker delivery sheaths. The Fo8 was a particular godsend for electrophysiologists without the luxury of MC by willing trainees or reliable lab staff. We and others also showed that it resulted in shorter lab recovery time after AF ablation and was reliable in presence of systemic anticoagulation. However, there remained a few drawbacks. The ideal duration of suture compression remains unknown and is variable by practice, from 2 to 4 hours, sometimes longer for larger or multiple sheaths. The degree of venous compression is lesser compared with MC, as evidenced by persistent oozing in some patients after Fo8 removal necessitating prolonged compression or administration of subcutaneous Lidocaine with Epinephrine. The requirement for ‘suture cutting’ also meant that nursing staff were uncomfortable removing it. The last and greatest drawback was that Fo8 is irreversible, that is, the suture could not be reapplied when cut, for patients with persistent oozing.The above drawbacks led to the development of the stopcock (SC) technique. This was being used by some vascular surgeons, called the ‘Woggle technique’ for suture closure of hemodialysis access catheterization sites (1). Sam Aznaurov first described this technique on ‘X’ (then Twitter) for femoral venous haemostasis (2). I and others tried it on a few patients and were impressed by the ease and sophistication of the technique. We published the first detailed description of this technique in 2018 showing it to be equivalent to Fo8 in achieving access site haemostasis in AF ablation patients (3). The SC technique, which is essentially using a simple 3-way stopcock to lock a tightened 0-Ethibond or 0-silk suture, has 2 major advantages over Fo8. It is easier to teach and apply, can be removed by nursing personnel and can be reapplied (the stopcock can simply be locked again) if haemostasis is incomplete. The technique is also inexpensive, as the stopcocks can simply be cut from the side arm of the venous sheaths. We also further showed that Heparin reversal with Protamine was not required for haemostasis with SC.As expected, Fo8 and SC have been widely taken up in EP labs around the world. In other centers, MC remains king. Many centers in the US have graduated to specialized venous closure devices which afford faster ambulation but are considerably more expensive. The time is ripe for the SC system to be commercialized and a few of these are being tested now in the EP community.In the present use of JCE, Katapadi and colleagues present a single-center retrospective observational analysis of 102 patient who underwent venous hemostasis with the LockeT vascular compression device (4). They report complete hemostasis in 97.8% of vascular access without major complications, mean time to ambulation 3.93 ± 1.10 hrs. The LockeT device is a commercial apparatus which uses a screw with 90 degrees rotation to lock or unlock the suture, with a flat round endplate (base) to provide uniform compression. Theoretically, the flat base would avoid one prior complaint with SC, namely skin pressure/ ulceration. Truly speaking, operators have long developed methods to avoid skin ulceration, including shorter SC retention times, use of an intervening gauze roll, and gentler compression in non-obese individuals. In this relatively small study, the authors have shown 98% complete hemostasis (likely prolonged compression in 2 patients), a stable mean ambulation time of 4 hours and mean time to discharge 8 hours (which could potentially be shortened with increased operator experience). The study has the usual drawbacks of retrospective observational studies, as acknowledged by the authors, as well as the lack of any comparative analysis to SC technique. We also do not have information about the financial implications of adding to the technical costs of EP studies or appendage closure. In the current reimbursement climate, especially with steadily rising healthcare costs, this would be important information.The LockeT device and other similar commercial devices that duplicate SC would be potentially useful if a) they add negligible incremental cost to the EP procedure and b) if they lead to further shortening of bedrest and time to discharge which would offset the device expenditure. One might argue against their use for simple EP procedures without systemic anticoagulation where MC has historically been simple and effective. These methods would be expected to hold an advantage over invasive venous closure devices of not requiring multiple devices (one for each access site), thus being less expensive, especially if the patient could be discharged within 2 hours as practiced by some operators with the venous closure devices. We need more larger volume studies on these issues to convince the greater the EP community.We could thus be finally reaching closer to a solution of the waxing problem: what to do with the groin?References:Simons ME, Rajan DK, Clark TW. The Woggle technique for suture closure of hemodialysis access catheterization sites. Journal of vascular and interventional radiology: JVIR 2003;14:485-8.https://x.com/epTicTocDoc/status/917473407524134914Payne J, Aznaurov S, Gautam S. Three-way stopcock suture technique for hemostasis after ablation for atrial fibrillation. J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol. 2018;29(12):1724-1727.(Attach reference for the LockeT manuscript )

The Translator Microphone for Public Speech represents a ground breaking innovation designed to transcend language barriers in real-time public speaking scenarios. This device integrates advanced translation algorithms with high-fidelity audio technology, enabling speakers to communicate seamlessly across diverse linguistic audiences. This paper delves into the technological underpinnings, design considerations, and potential impacts of this novel invention on global communication and accessibility.

Achene morphology of section Mesocentron was examined in detail with scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and stereo microscopy (STE). A total of 24 characters were utilized, comprising 19 for achenes and five for the pappus. Achene length ranges from 1.853 to 4.191 mm, achene width from 0.888 to 1.636 mm, achene perimeter from 5.283 to 10.434 mm, and achene surface area from 1.465 to 4.626 mm 2. Achene color is dark brown or light brown; indumentum is glabrous or pubescent; ornamentation is undulate, smooth, or imbricate; boundaries are straight, thin, slightly raised or grooved, and centers are irregularly raised, almost flat, or slightly grooved. Pappus length ranges from 2.249 to 4.507 mm, its type is barbellate, and its color is whitish or straw. Achene color, indumentum, length, perimeter, surface area, ornamentation, and pappus length contribute to the differentiation of taxa, while achene and cell shapes (obovoid and elongated) and pappus type (barbellate) did not make a difference. This study marks the first examination of achene surface area and perimeter within the genus Centaurea. Moreover, ’imbricate’ surface ornamentation on achenes has been documented for the first time in any Centaurea species. Three of the four taxa analyzed have undergone micromorphological analysis for the first time.

The unique ecosystem and biodiversity of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau are particularly sensitive to global climate change. In recent years, as global warming intensifies, the climate of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has been trending towards warmer and more humid conditions, exacerbating the invasion of non-native fish species in Tibet. Based on considerations of representativeness, data availability, and ecological impact, our study selected Carassius auratus as a model species to explore the adaptive changes in life history traits of invasive fish from plains to plateaus. We elucidated the mechanisms of rapid population establishment and invasion of C.auratus in Tibet. Based on the characteristics of its population's ability to withstand pressure and poor long-term stability, governance suggestions were proposed. Additionally, we used the MaxEnt species distribution model to predict changes in invasion risk zones for C.auratus under the SSP2.6, SSP4.5, SSP7.0, and SSP8.5 climate scenarios by incorporating 19 climatic factors and population data. We also assessed the impact of population density and hydropower station construction on the potential suitable habitats for invasive fish on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Our findings indicate that climate change will facilitate the spread of C.auratus on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and that the intensity of reproductive activities and invasion risks of invasive fish on the plateau will continue to increase in the future. In the next step, we plan to actively address the invasion of non-native fish species on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau through global cooperation and integrated management. Our goal is to effectively reduce the negative impacts of climate change and biological invasions on the plateau, thereby protecting global biodiversity.

BACKGROUND: Intervention by hoof care professionals is critical for a functioning equine hoof. Pressure distribution provides information on loading, however information on the effects of such interventions on pressure distribution is lacking OBJECTIVES: To describe the pressure changes of equine fore feet following trimming. STUDY DESIGN: Cross-sectional cohort study METHODS: 50 sound horses were recruited through convenience sampling. 18 external hoof measures of the dorsal, lateral, medial and solar aspects were obtained before and after trimming from 94 fore feet. Horses were walked over a pressure mat before and after trimming and pressure maps of the solar surface created. Percentage change in hoof measures were assessed. Factors associated with an increase in pressure in the frog region after trimming were entered into a forward likelihood ratio logistic regression model. Odd ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and area under the curve receiver operator characteristics (AUROC) were calculated. Sensitivity and specificity were calculated at a cut-off value of P=0.5. RESULTS: Trimming resulted in a significant increase in pressure, topographically mapped to the frog region, in 12/94 feet. Percentage difference in bearing border length (OR 0.66 95% CI 0.51; 0.86), heel buttress to centre of pressure distance (OR 1.30 95% CI 1.10; 1.53), heel angle (from the lateral side) (OR 1.11 95% CI 1.04; 1.19) and heel length (from the medial side) (OR 0.92 95% CI 0.85; 0.99) were retained in the final model associated with increased pressure in the frog region following trimming. AUROC was excellent (0.94 95% CI 0.88; 0.99) with fair sensitivity (58%) and excellent specificity (98%) at P=0.5. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Subjective lameness exam only. CONCLUSIONS: Measuring pressure changes over the solar surface of the equine fore foot after trimming identified that an increased pressure in the frog region was linked to specific changes in hoof shape.

To the Editor,

In Singapore, one in three newborns out of citizens was born in a cross-national family with a foreign-born parent. Most cross-national marriages involve lower socioeconomic-status Singaporean men marrying female marriage migrants from less developed Asian regions. We use data from a nationally representative study – the Singapore Longitudinal Early Development Study (SG-LEADS) – to examine the impact of a mother’s migration status on behavioral problems of children aged 3 to 7, focusing on family stress and parenting practices. Results show that compared to children living with two native-born parents, children living in cross-national families with a foreign-born mother had significantly more externalizing behavioral problems. However, the significant differences are fully mediated by adverse family dynamics such as maternal psychological distress, family conflict, greater parenting stress, and punitive parenting practices. The greater externalizing behavioral problems from cross-national families with a foreign-born mother are not directly due to the mother’s migration status. Policy interventions should focus on reducing economic hardship and maternal psychological distress, as well as promoting positive family dynamics and parenting practices, to support the well-being of children in cross-national families.

This research explores the desorption mechanism and thermal stability of octadecyl trichlorosilane (OTS, CH3(CH2)17SiCl3) coating on quartz slides and in alkali-metal vapor cells. We measured systematically the morphological thermal-changes, energy dissipation diversity and anti-relaxation characteristic of OTS coatings before and after exposure to Cs atoms by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), water contact angle measurement, atomic force microscopy (AFM) imaging, collision energy dissipation analysis, and free induction decay (FID) of Cs atoms. The results show that the OTS coatings exhibit the best thermal stability under the specific process conditions, and the homogeneous and dense structure makes the adsorption of alkali metal atoms more stable, which effectively reduces surface energy dissipation and prolongs the relaxation time of Cs atoms. The study provides certain reference for efficient anti-relaxation coating fabrication and coated cell application.

Water resource management is of paramount importance for nations, playing a critical role in sustaining ecosystems and supporting diverse economic sectors. However, it comes with challenges such as escalating demand, climate change, and water scarcity. Artificial intelligence (AI) has emerged as a promising tool to address these challenges and enhance water resource management practices. Yet, predicting and understanding water resource behaviour for national decision-making requires a specialized methodology beyond the study of natural phenomena. This research introduces a comprehensive methodology that surpasses traditional approaches and applies to water resource problems. We applied the methodology to aid the decision-making in the Syrian Ministry of Water Resources by predict the Euphrates River’s inflow, entails collaboration with experts from data collection initiation to model application. It ensures accurate feature selection, preventing the model from being purely theoretical and making it practical. The model considers a wide range of factors, including economic and political conditions represented by oil prices, alongside natural factors like temperature, precipitation, and seasonality. The methodology uses three classification algorithms (OneR, Naïve Bayes, and Random Tree) with four data splitting techniques (80/20 split, 66/34 split, K-Fold Cross-Validation and Random Splitting with 10 Iterations approach) during training and testing phases for a more comprehensive evaluation. The results shows that Naïve Bayes algorithm achieved the highest classification accuracy in the K-fold approach, reaching 84.52%. On the other hand, the convergence in the results ranging from 79.77% to 86.12% underscores the methodology’s practicality, aligning predictions with expert knowledge and emphasizing its reliability for effective water resource management.

IL-2 agonists significantly modulate T cell regulation, impacting activation, proliferation, differentiation, and immune homeostasis. Interleukin-2 (IL-2) is crucial for T cell growth and function, binding to the IL-2 receptor to trigger signaling pathways that balance immune responses. IL-2 promotes the expansion of effector T cells and enhances regulatory T cells (Tregs), preventing autoimmune responses. This review examines the mechanisms of IL-2 agonists on T cell regulation, including their roles in cytotoxic T cells and Tregs proliferation, and immune homeostasis. Clinically, IL-2 agonists show promise in treating autoimmune diseases by boosting Treg function and in cancer immunotherapy by enhancing cytotoxic T cell activity. Optimizing IL-2 therapies to balance these effects is ongoing. IL-2 agonists are pivotal in modulating T cell responses with significant therapeutic potential for autoimmunity and cancer. Understanding IL-2 signaling is crucial for developing targeted treatments leveraging this cytokine’s benefits.

Pneumonia is a leading cause of death among children under five years of age (U5s), causing roughly 1.6 million deaths per year. Pneumonia deaths could be averted if caretakers recognized early the symptoms and danger signs. Machine learning is a promising technology for the early detection of pneumonia in children. However, existing models require a lot of datasets for training, which is scarce, especially in health settings. Few-shot learning models have been used to address that challenge but they have issues with computational complexity and are difficult to train. This study proposes a model that leverages the strengths of transfer learning and Siamese networks in few-shot pneumonia detection and classification. Experimental results revealed that the proposed model had an accuracy of 92.04%, recall of 90.32%, and F1 score of 90.09%. Also, different values of the learning rate were recorded and the model performed at its best with the learning rate of 0.000004. The proposed model also performed well with triplet loss. The results revealed that the proposed model was robust to overfitting which is a major limitation with few shot learning models, and was also easy to train. For future studies, we recommend an ensemble of the Siamese networks and traditional neural networks such as convolutional neural networks in the automated detection of pneumonia.

The single transmitter and multiple receivers (STMR) mobile radar system is a special distributed radar system, which has stronger detection and survival capabilities. However, the high-speed movement of the radar platforms easily produce the across-range cell migration (RCM) of radar echo signal, which cause envelope shift effects within the coherent processing interval (CPI). In this paper, we proposed a motion compensation method for the STMR mobile radar system in the sea environment, to solve the problem of RCM. Firstly, the target points and clutter points with the same Doppler velocity are obtained by the radon Fourier transform (RFT) method. Secondly, using the range / Doppler difference between clutter and target under multi-radar views, the target and clutter points are separated by the spatial range mapping. The simulation results show that the method can effectively improve the coherent accumulation effect of the target in the sea environment with low signal-to-clutter ratio (SCR).

Quantum communication is expected to become the cornerstone of global communication systems, addressing critical issues of classical communication while providing unprecedented security and efficiency. A crucial aspect of advancing this field is quantum channel coding, which ensures data integrity by detecting and correcting errors specific to quantum systems. This research evaluates the performance of the three-qubit error correction code, the fundamental and simplest technique in quantum channel coding, for image transmission over error-prone channels. JPEG and HEIF format images are encoded using the three-qubit error correction method and compared to the 1/3 rate polar codes. Our results demonstrate that the three-qubit error correction code significantly outperforms advanced classical polar codes in both classical and quantum domains, achieving a maximum PSNR of 61.5 dB (SSIM = 0.9997) in HEIF and 58.3 dB (SSIM = 0.9994) in JPEG. This showcases its potential as a robust solution for quantum communication.