Historic Costume Simulation and its Application

This study highlights the potential of new technology as a means to provide new possibility for costumes in fragile condition to be utilised. The aim of this study is to create accurate digital duplicates of costumes from historical sources, and to explore the possibility of developing them as an exhibitory and educational method applying 3D apparel CAD and new media. To achieve this, three attributes for qualities of effective digital costumes were suggested: faithful reproduction, virtual fabrication, and interactive and stereographic appreciation. Based on these qualities, digital costumes and a PC application were produced and evaluated

Immobilization of Saccharomyces Cerevisiae in Rice Hulls for Ethanol Production

The whole cell immobilization in ethanol fermentation can be done by using natural carriers or through synthetic carriers. All of these methods have the same purpose of retaining high cell concentrations within a certain defined region of space which leads to higher ethanol productivity. Lignocellulosic plant substance represents one of highly potential sources in ethanol production. Some studies have found that cellulosic substances substances can also be used as a natural carrier in cell immobilization by re-circulating pre-culture medium into a reactor. In this experiment, ricehulls without any treatment were used to immobilize Saccharomyces cerevisiae through semi solid state incubation combined with re-circulating pre-culture medium. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures of the carrier show that the yeast cells are absorbed and embedded to the rice hull pore. In liquid batch fermentation system with an initial sugar concentration of 50 g/L, nearly 100% total sugar was consumed after 48 hours. This resulted in an ethanol yield of 0.32 g ethanol/g glucose, which is 62.7% of the theoretical value. Ethanol productivity of 0.59 g/(L.h) is 2.3 fold higher than that of free cells which is 0.26 g/(L.h). An effort to reuse the immobilized cells in liquid fermentation system showed poor results due to cell desorption in the first batch which led to high sugar concentration inhibitory effect in the second batch fermentation. This might be solved by using semi solid fermentation process in the future work

Menisporopsis aquatica sp. nov. (Sordariomycetes, Chaetosphaeriales, Chaetosphaeriaceae), from freshwater habitat in China

Freshwater fungi are an integral part of freshwater ecosystems. They promote the carbon cycle of the ecosystem by decomposing wood substrates. Menisporopsis is a fungal genus of Chaetosphaeriales in Sordariomycetes, which has been commonly collected from aquatic and marine environments. Most species of this genus are saprophytes.Here, a new freshwater hyphomycetous fungus, Menisporopsis aquatica, reported from submerged rotten wood samples collected in a stream in Zhejiang Province, south-eastern China. The new species is characterised by hyaline conidia appendiculate with 1-2 setulae at each end and synnematous conidiophores growing closely around a black central seta. Molecular phylogeny of Menisporopsis was studied using a combined two-loci dataset, including the internal transcribed spacer sequences (ITS) and the nuclear ribosomal large subunit gene sequences (nrLSU). The new species is illustrated and a synopsis of the Menisporopsis species is presented in this paper

IMMOBILIZATION OF Saccharomyces cerevisiae IN RICE HULLS FOR ETHANOL PRODUCTION

The whole cell immobilization in ethanol fermentation can be done by using natural carriers or through synthetic carriers. All of these methods have the same purpose of retaining high cell concentrations within a certain defined region of space which leads to higher ethanol productivity. Lignocellulosic plant substance represents one of highly potential sources in ethanol production. Some studies have found that cellulosic substances substances can also be used as a natural carrier in cell immobilization by re-circulating pre-culture medium into a reactor. In this experiment, ricehulls without any treatment were used to immobilize Saccharomyces cerevisiae through semi solid state incubation combined with re-circulating pre-culture medium. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) pictures of the carrier show that the yeast cells are absorbed and embedded to the rice hull pore. In liquid batch fermentation system with an initial sugar concentration of 50 g/L, nearly 100% total sugar was consumed after 48 hours. This resulted in an ethanol yield of 0.32 g ethanol/g glucose, which is 62.7% of the theoretical value. Ethanol productivity of 0.59 g/(L.h) is 2.3 fold higher than that of free cells which is 0.26 g/(L.h). An effort to reuse the immobilized cells in liquid fermentation system showed poor results due to cell desorption in the first batch which led to high sugar concentration inhibitory effect in the second batch fermentation. This might be solved by using semi solid fermentation process in the future work.Keywords: ethanol, fermentation, immobilization, rice hulls, yeast cell

Multi-Level Variational Spectroscopy using a Programmable Quantum Simulator

Energy spectroscopy is a powerful tool with diverse applications across various disciplines. The advent of programmable digital quantum simulators opens new possibilities for conducting spectroscopy on various models using a single device. Variational quantum-classical algorithms have emerged as a promising approach for achieving such tasks on near-term quantum simulators, despite facing significant quantum and classical resource overheads. Here, we experimentally demonstrate multi-level variational spectroscopy for fundamental many-body Hamiltonians using a superconducting programmable digital quantum simulator. By exploiting symmetries, we effectively reduce circuit depth and optimization parameters allowing us to go beyond the ground state. Combined with the subspace search method, we achieve full spectroscopy for a 4-qubit Heisenberg spin chain, yielding an average deviation of 0.13 between experimental and theoretical energies, assuming unity coupling strength. Our method, when extended to 8-qubit Heisenberg and transverse-field Ising Hamiltonians, successfully determines the three lowest energy levels. In achieving the above, we introduce a circuit-agnostic waveform compilation method that enhances the robustness of our simulator against signal crosstalk. Our study highlights symmetry-assisted resource efficiency in variational quantum algorithms and lays the foundation for practical spectroscopy on near-term quantum simulators, with potential applications in quantum chemistry and condensed matter physics

Structure of cryptophyte photosystem II-light-harvesting antennae supercomplex.

Cryptophytes are ancestral photosynthetic organisms evolved from red algae through secondary endosymbiosis. They have developed alloxanthin-chlorophyll a/c2-binding proteins (ACPs) as light-harvesting complexes (LHCs). The distinctive properties of cryptophytes contribute to efficient oxygenic photosynthesis and underscore the evolutionary relationships of red-lineage plastids. Here we present the cryo-electron microscopy structure of the Photosystem II (PSII)-ACPII supercomplex from the cryptophyte Chroomonas placoidea. The structure includes a PSII dimer and twelve ACPII monomers forming four linear trimers. These trimers structurally resemble red algae LHCs and cryptophyte ACPI trimers that associate with Photosystem I (PSI), suggesting their close evolutionary links. We also determine a Chl a-binding subunit, Psb-γ, essential for stabilizing PSII-ACPII association. Furthermore, computational calculation provides insights into the excitation energy transfer pathways. Our study lays a solid structural foundation for understanding the light-energy capture and transfer in cryptophyte PSII-ACPII, evolutionary variations in PSII-LHCII, and the origin of red-lineage LHCIIs

REUL Is a Novel E3 Ubiquitin Ligase and Stimulator of Retinoic-Acid-Inducible Gene-I

RIG-I and MDA5 are cytoplasmic sensors that recognize different species of viral RNAs, leads to activation of the transcription factors IRF3 and NF-κB, which collaborate to induce type I interferons. In this study, we identified REUL, a RING-finger protein, as a specific RIG-I-interacting protein. REUL was associated with RIG-I, but not MDA5, through its PRY and SPRY domains. Overexpression of REUL potently potentiated RIG-I-, but not MDA5-mediated downstream signalling and antiviral activity. In contrast, the RING domain deletion mutant of REUL suppressed Sendai virus (SV)-induced, but not cytoplasmic polyI:C-induced activation of IFN-β promoter. Knockdown of endogenous REUL by RNAi inhibited SV-triggered IFN-β expression, and also increased VSV replication. Full-length RIG-I, but not the CARD domain deletion mutant of RIG-I, underwent ubiquitination induced by REUL. The Lys 154, 164, and 172 residues of the RIG-I CARD domain were critical for efficient REUL-mediated ubiquitination, as well as the ability of RIG-I to induce activation of IFN-β promoter. These findings suggest that REUL is an E3 ubiquitin ligase of RIG-I and specifically stimulates RIG-I-mediated innate antiviral activity

Impact of genital warts on health related quality of life in men and women in mainland China: a multicenter hospital-based cross-sectional study

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Information on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with genital warts (GW) in populations in mainland China is still limited. The aim of the study was to use a generic instrument to measure the impact of genital warts on HRQoL in men and women in this setting.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>A multi-centre hospital-based cross-sectional study across 18 centers in China was conducted to interview patients using the European quality of life-5 dimension (EQ-5D) instrument; respondents' demographic and clinical data were also collected.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>A total of 1,358 GW patients (612 men, 746 women) were included in the analysis, with a mean age of 32.0 ± 10.6 years. 56.4% of the patients reported some problems in the dimension of Anxiety/Depression (highest), followed by Pain/Discomfort (24.7%) and Mobility (3.5%). The overall visual analogue scale (VAS) score of the study population was found to be 65.2 ± 22.0, and the EQ-5D index score was found to be 0.843 ± 0.129 using Japanese preference weights (the Chinese preference was unavailable yet). Patients with lower VAS means and EQ-5D index scores were more often female, living in urban area, and suffering multiple GW (all p values < 0.05), but the values did not differ notably by age (p values > 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusions</p> <p>The HRQoL of patients with GW was substantially lower, compared to a national representative general population in China (VAS = ~80); the findings of different subgroups are informative for future GW prevention and control efforts.</p

Treatment efficacy and acceptability of pharmacotherapies for dementia with lewy bodies: a systematic review and network meta-analysis

Introduction We investigated the efficacy and acceptability of pharmacotherapy for dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) while simultaneously considering the neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS), cognitive function, motor symptoms, and acceptability. Methods Electronic databases were searched from inception through June 5, 2019, for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and open-label trials (OLTs) in patients with DLB. We performed a pairwise conventional meta-analysis (PWMA) and network meta-analysis (NMA) within a frequentist framework. The main outcomes were mean change scores in NPS, general cognition, motor symptoms and acceptability. The effect sizes and odds ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated. This study was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42018096996). Results In total, we included 29 studies (9 RCTs and 20 OLTs). In the NMA with 9 RCTs, both high- (mean difference [MD] 2.00, 95% CIs, 0.69 to 3.31) and low-dose (1.86, 0.58 to 3.15) donepezil were associated with a greater cognitive improvement than placebo. High-dose zonisamide was associated with greater motor symptom improvement ( -4.10, -7.03 to -1.17]). No medications reached statistical significance regarding improving neuropsychiatric symptoms or developing intolerable adverse effects as compared to placebo. In the second NMA, with 29 studies as an exploratory analysis, aripiprazole and yokukansan may be effective for neuropsychiatric symptoms, while levodopa may be associated with cognitive impairment. Conclusions We report the most comprehensive evidence for the selection of pharmacotherapy for treating different clusters of DLB-related symptoms. Due to the limited availability of RCTs on DLB, more well-conducted RCTs are needed for MMA to warrant clinical efficacy in the future