Multi-frequency RCS Reduction Characteristics of Shape Stealth with MLFMA with Improved MMN

AbstractThree new control factors are presented for calculating the multipole mode number (MMN) efficiently and precisely. The effects of these control factors on the number of integral samples and the precision of multilevel fast multipole algorithm (MLFMA) are investigated. A new approach based on control factors which is proven to be able to improve the computational efficiency and reduce the needed memory significantly as well as ensuring the proper precision. For three aircraft models, the improved MLFMA is employed to analyze their multi-frequency scattering characteristics. It is found that aircraft shape can influence radar cross section (RCS) in different frequency zones. Both the multi-frequency RCS reduction characteristics of shape stealth aircraft and the conventional aircraft with stealth design taken into account are investigated, and the results show that shape stealth exhibits significant RCS reduction in the resonance and high-frequency zones, and with a weaker influence in the Rayleigh zone. Compared with radar absorbing material (RAM), shape stealth yields a wider multi-frequency RCS reduction. The above-mentioned results can be applied to stealth design for multiple frequencies or even for all frequencies

Ketogenic essential amino acids replacement diet ameliorated hepatosteatosis with altering autophagy-associated molecules

AbstractKetogenic amino acid (KAA) replacement diet has been shown to cure hepatic steatosis, a serious liver disease associated with diverse metabolic defects. In this study, we investigated the effects of KAA replacement diet on nutrition sensing signaling pathway and analyzed whether induction of hepatic autophagy was involved. Mice are fed with high fat diet (HFD) or KAA replacement in high-fat diet (30% fat in food; HFD)-fed (HFDKAAR) and sacrificed at 8, 12, 16weeks after initiation of experimental food. Hepatic autophagy was analyzed in protein expression of several autophagy-associated molecules and in light chain-3 green fluorescent protein (LC-3 GFP) transgenic mice. HFDKAAR showed increased AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) phosphorylation and enhanced liver kinase B1 (LKB1) expression compared to control HFD-fed mice. The KAA-HFD-induced activation of AMPK was associated with an increased protein expression of sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), decreased forkhead box protein O3a (Foxo3a) level, and suppression of mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) phosphorylation compared with the HFD-fed mice. The intervention study revealed that a KAA-replacement diet also ameliorated all the established metabolic and autophagy defects in the HFD-fed mice, suggesting that a KAA-replacement diet can be used therapeutically in established diseases. These results indicate that KAA replacement in food could be a novel strategy to combat hepatic steatosis and metabolic abnormalities likely involvement of an induction of autophagy

Nutrient Profiling of Japanese Dishes: The Development of a Novel Ajinomoto Group Nutrient Profiling System

Government agencies and private companies have supported the development of nutrient profiling (NP) systems to facilitate the selection of nutrient-dense foods by consumers, promote nutritious food development, and limit excessive advertising of products with low nutritional value. While most NP models were developed to assess individual foods, the Ajinomoto Group Nutrient Profiling System (ANPS) was developed to assess the overall nutritional value of cooked dishes that are culturally specific to Japan. Based on the national dietary recommendations and nutritional surveys, target values were created for 13 dish categories, while considering the combinations of meal units. For the ANPS, the four evaluating elements were protein and vegetables, which should be encouraged, and sodium and saturated fatty acids, which should be limited. The ANPS algorithm for dishes was the sum of the scores of individual elements, with a maximum of 10 points per serving. The sum of scores was then multiplied by 2.5 to convert to the 100-point scale. Convergent validity was tested using the nutrient-rich food index (NRF) score of 6.3. In total, 1,089 popular Japanese dishes were evaluated using the ANPS, and the median score of ANPS was 70.0 points (interquartile range, 55–78.8), and the average score was 67.7 (standard deviation, 16.5) points. Since salt intake is a major health risk in Japan, this tool was designed to evaluate sodium content with high sensitivity, and low-salt dishes significantly improved sodium and ANPS scores compared with regular dishes. The Pearson’s correlation coefficient between the total score of NRF 6.3 and ANPS in 1,089 dishes was r = 0.452 (p < 0.0001). This newly developed ANPS could be used to evaluate culture-specific cooked dishes per serving size. It can determine the nutritional values of dishes, with a high sensitivity to sodium content, a major Japanese nutritional issue. Further research is needed to determine the accuracy and usefulness of the ANPS as a system that would lead to changes in eating behavior nationwide

Decreased circulating branched-chain amino acids are associated with development of Alzheimer’s disease in elderly individuals with mild cognitive impairment

BackgroundNutritional epidemiology has shown that inadequate dietary protein intake is associated with poor brain function in the elderly population. The plasma free amino acid (PFAA) profile reflects nutritional status and may have the potential to predict future changes in cognitive function. Here, we report the results of a 2-year interim analysis of a 3-year longitudinal study following mild cognitive impairment (MCI) participants.MethodIn a multicenter prospective cohort design, MCI participants were recruited, and fasting plasma samples were collected. Based on clinical assessment of cognitive function up to 2 years after blood collection, MCI participants were divided into two groups: remained with MCI or reverted to cognitively normal (“MCI-stable,” N = 87) and converted to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) (“AD-convert,” N = 68). The baseline PFAA profile was compared between the two groups. Stratified analysis based on apolipoprotein E ε4 (APOE ε4) allele possession was also conducted.ResultsPlasma concentrations of all nine essential amino acids (EAAs) were lower in the AD-convert group. Among EAAs, three branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), valine, leucine and isoleucine, and histidine (His) exhibited significant differences even in the logistic regression model adjusted for potential confounding factors such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and APOE ε4 possession (p < 0.05). In the stratified analysis, differences in plasma concentrations of these four EAAs were more pronounced in the APOE ε4-negative group.ConclusionThe PFAA profile, especially decreases in BCAAs and His, is associated with development of AD in MCI participants, and the difference was larger in the APOE ε4-negative population, suggesting that the PFAA profile is an independent risk indicator for AD development. Measuring the PFAA profile may have importance in assessing the risk of AD conversion in the MCI population, possibly reflecting nutritional status.Clinical trial registration[https://center6.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000025322], identifier [UMIN000021965]

An Optically Transparent Metamaterial Absorber with Tunable Absorption Bandwidth and Low Infrared Emissivity

A transparent metamaterial absorber (MMA) with both tunable absorption bandwidth and low infrared (IR) emissivity is proposed in this paper. The MMA is hierarchical, which consists of an infrared shielding layer (IRSL), two radar-absorption layers (RALs), an air/water layer, and an indium–tin–oxide (ITO) backplane from the top downwards. The IRSL and the RALs are made of ITO patterns etched on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates. By changing the thickness of the water, the 90% absorption bandwidth can be tuned from 6.4–11.3 GHz to 12.7–20.6 GHz, while retaining good polarization and angular stability. An equivalent circuit model (ECM) is present, to reveal the physical mechanism of absorption. The proposed MMA has a low theoretical IR emissivity of about 0.24. A sample was fabricated and measured, and the experimental results are consistent with the simulation results, showing its potential applications in stealth glass and multifunctional radome