Ready-To-Use Microwave Sensor Modified by Antibody-AuNPs Nanoconjugate for Highly Sensitive and Selective Detection of the SARS-CoV-2 Virus.

The COVID-19 outbreak has led to notable developments in point-of-care (POC) diagnostic devices, as they can be valuable resources in identifying and managing the spread of the pandemic. Currently, the majority of techniques demand advanced laboratory equipment and professionals to execute precise, efficient, accurate, and sensitive testing. In this work, we report a new method to significantly enhance the sensitivity of microwave sensing of the SARS-CoV-2 virus by functionalizing the sensor surface using anti-SARS-CoV-2 spike antibody-gold nanoparticle (AuNPs) conjugates.

Effects of two warm-up protocols on isokinetic knee strength, jumping ability and sprint swimming performance in competitive swimmers.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of different dryland warm-up protocols on knee isokinetic strength, vertical jumping, and sprint performance in competitive swimmers. Twenty-four male swimmers were randomly assigned to the FIFA 11 + group (n = 12) or the post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) group (n = 12). The FIFA 11 + group performed the FIFA 11 + warm-up program three times per week for 6 weeks, whereas the PAPE group consisted of performing general activities and three sets of five drop jumps.

Research on the effect of post-activation potentiation under different velocity loss thresholds on boxer's punching ability.

This study was conducted in accordance with the principles of velocity-based training theory, with the objective of investigating the effects of post-activation potentiation (PAP) induced by different velocity loss (VL) thresholds (10% vs. 20%) on the punching ability of boxers. In addition, the aim was to determine the velocity loss thresholds and time nodes that produced the optimal activation effect.

The effect of optimal load training on punching ability in elite female boxers.

Optimal load training is a method of training that aims to maximize power output. This is achieved by arranging optimal loads (optimal ratios of load intensity and load volume) during strength training. The fixed load intensity and number of repetitions employed in traditional strength training.

Relationship between visual ability assessment and punch performance in competition in male amateur boxers.

Sport visual ability plays an important role in the performance of elite athletes in competition. However, its relationship with boxers' performance has not been fully understood. This study investigated the relationship between sports visual abilities and in-competition punching performance in 26 highly trained male amateur boxers.

An L-Shaped Three-Level and Single Common Element Sparse Sensor Array for 2-D DOA Estimation.

The degree of freedom (DOF) is an important performance metric for evaluating the design of a sparse array structure. Designing novel sparse arrays with higher degrees of freedom, while ensuring that the array structure can be mathematically represented, is a crucial research direction in the field of direction of arrival (DOA) estimation. In this paper, we propose a novel L-shaped sparse sensor array by adjusting the physical placement of the sensors in the sparse array.

A Mixed-Field Circular and Non-Circular Source Localization Algorithm Based on Exact Spatial Propagation Geometry.

In passive localization techniques, as the scale of the array of the sensors used increases, the source distribution may be a coexistence of near-field (NF) and far-field (FF) sources. Most of the existing algorithms dedicated to the localization of mixed-field sources are based on a simplified model, which has model errors and cannot make good use of non-circular properties when non-circular signals are present in the sources. In this paper, we present a mixed-field circular and non-circular source localization algorithm based on exact spatial propagation geometry.

Spatial Multi-Source Information Fusion Localization Algorithm in Non-Line-of-Sight Environments.

In this paper, a high-accuracy localization problem under a complex non-line-of-sight (NLOS) condition is addressed by a new method that utilizes multiple NLOS paths to improve localization accuracy, as opposed to the traditional method of suppressing them. The spatial multi-path array fusion localization model is presented and analyzed, followed by an angle-of-arrival (AOA) and time-of-arrival (TOA) algorithm based on spatial multi-information fusion that seeks to improve localization accuracy. Multi-path of spatial signals, measurement of the multi-element antenna, and geographic environment information are integrated into the proposed method for localization optimization.

Comparative Analyses of the Fecal Microbiome of Five Wild Black-Billed Capercaillie () Flocks.

Black-billed capercaillie () was listed as a first-class state-protected animal because it was endangered in China (Category I). This study is the first to examine the diversity and composition of gut microbiome in the wild. We collected fecal samples from five black-billed capercaillie flock roosting sites (each 20 km apart) in one day.

The heterogeneous effects of environmental regulation on industrial carbon emission efficiency in China using a panel quantile regression.

In order to verify how environmental regulation affects the improvement of urban industrial carbon emission efficiency, this study first measures the balanced panel data of industrial carbon emission efficiency of 282 cities in China from 2003 to 2019, and evaluates the direct and regulating impact of environmental regulation on China's urban industrial carbon emission efficiency. Meanwhile, in order to investigate the potential heterogeneity and asymmetry, the panel quantile regression method is used. The empirical results show that (1) during the period 2003-2016, China's overall industrial carbon emission efficiency showed a upward trend, with a decreasing spatial pattern from the east-central-west-northeast region.

Joint Estimation for Time Delay and Direction of Arrival in Reconfigurable Intelligent Surface with OFDM.

Recently, the joint estimation for time delay (TD) and direction of arrival (DOA) has suffered from the high complexity of processing multi-dimensional signal models and the ineffectiveness of correlated/coherent signals. In order to improve this situation, a joint estimation method using orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) and a uniform planar array composed of reconfigurable intelligent surface (RIS) is proposed. First, the time-domain coding function of the RIS is combined with the multi-carrier characteristic of the OFDM signal to construct the coded channel frequency response in tensor form.

Null Broadening Robust Adaptive Beamforming Algorithm Based on Power Estimation.

In order to solve the problem of severely decreased performance under the situation of rapid moving sources and unstable array platforms, a null broadening robust adaptive beamforming algorithm based on power estimation is proposed in this paper. First of all, we estimate the interference signal power according to the characteristic subspace theory. Then, the correspondence between the signal power and steering vector (SV) is obtained based on the orthogonal property, and the interference covariance matrix (ICM) is reconstructed.

Spatial Evolutionary Characteristics and Influencing Factors of Urban Industrial Carbon Emission in China.

Climate warming caused by carbon emissions is a hot topic in the international community. Research on urban industrial carbon emissions in China is of great significance for promoting the low-carbon transformation and spatial layout optimization of Chinese industry. Based on ArcGIS spatial analysis, Markov matrix and other methods, this paper calculates and analyzes the temporal and spatial evolution characteristics of industrial carbon emissions in 282 cities in China from 2003 to 2016.

Lower extremity isokinetic strength characteristics of amateur boxers.

Sufficient strength and dynamic stability of the lower limbs are essential for improving punching force and preventing injury in amateur boxers. However, there are still no comprehensive reports on the isokinetic knee strength of boxers with different performance levels. The current study aimed to profile the isokinetic muscle strength of flexion and extension of the knee in boxers, as well as bilateral, unilateral, and functional ratios, and investigate the variation in these muscle strength characteristics associated with different performance levels.

Acute effects of ballistic versus heavy-resistance exercises on countermovement jump and rear-hand straight punch performance in amateur boxers.

Background: Ballistic and heavy-resistance exercises may potentially enhance lower body power, which is paramount for the punching performance of amateur boxers. This study aimed to determine the acute effects of ballistic exercise (BE) and heavy-resistance exercise (HRE) on countermovement jump (CMJ) and rear-hand straight punch performance in amateur boxers.

Methods: Ten amateur boxers performed two conditioning exercises in a randomized and counterbalanced order as follows: squat jump with 4 sets × 8 repetitions at 30% one-repetition maximum (1RM) for BE and squat with 3 sets × 5 repetitions at 80% 1RM for HRE.

Reagent free detection of SARS-CoV-2 using an antibody-based microwave sensor in a microfluidic platform.

The global COVID-19 pandemic caused by SARS-CoV-2 has resulted in an unprecedented economic and societal impact. Developing simple and accurate testing methods for point-of-care (POC) diagnosis is crucial not only for the control of COVID-19, but also for better response to similar outbreaks in the future. In this work, we present a novel proof-of-concept of a microfluidic microwave sensing method for POC diagnosis of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Microwave Heating Induced On-Demand Droplet Generation in Microfluidic Systems.

In this note, we report a simple, new method for droplet generation in microfluidic systems using integrated microwave heating. This method enables droplet generation on-demand by using microwave heating to induce Laplace pressure change at the interface of the two fluids. The distance between the interface and junction and microwave excitation power have been found to influence droplet generation.

Functional Control of Peptide Amphiphile Assemblies via Modulation of Internal Cohesion and Surface Chemistry Switch.

Understanding the impacts of the internal cohesion and surface chemistry of supramolecular systems on the collective behaviors in the contacts between the systems and biomolecules can greatly expand the functional diversity and adaptivity of supramolecular nanostructures. Here we show how the tuned molecular interactions modulate the morphologies and internal cohesion of peptide amphiphile (PA) self-assemblies and their resultant functions. Circular dichroism spectroscopy, fluorescence probing, atomic force and electron microscopy, along with molecular dynamics simulations, revealed that the PA self-assembly formed compact long fibers when surface charge repulsion was screened, but formed loose short fibers or micelle-like assemblies when hydrogen bonding was disrupted or hydrophobic core was enhanced.

Association between Twist and multidrug resistance gene-associated proteins in Taxol-resistant MCF-7 cells and a 293 cell model of Twist overexpression.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) severely limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy. Previous studies have identified Twist as a key factor of acquired MDR in breast, gastric and prostate cancer. However, the underlying mechanisms of action of Twist in MDR remain unclear.

Two-Dimensional DOA Estimation for Coherently Distributed Sources with Symmetric Properties in Crossed Arrays.

In this paper, a novel algorithm is proposed for the two-dimensional (2D) central direction-of-arrival (DOA) estimation of coherently distributed (CD) sources. Specifically, we focus on a centro-symmetric crossed array consisting of two uniform linear arrays (ULAs). Unlike the conventional low-complexity methods using the one-order Taylor series approximation to obtain the approximate rotational invariance relation, we first prove the symmetric property of angular signal distributed weight vectors of the CD source for an arbitrary centrosymmetric array, and then use this property to establish two generalized rotational invariance relations inside the array manifolds in the two ULAs.

[Detection of APC gene germline mutation in Chinese familial adenomatous polyposis by direct sequencing in combination with multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification].

Objective: To investigate the characteristics of APC gene germline mutation in Chinese patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

Methods: The genomic DNA was extracted from peripheral venous blood drawn from probands of 14 Chinese FAP families from Beijing, Hebei, Henan, Anhui, Inner Mongolia, Shanxi and Fujian. The APC gene was amplified by PCR and underwent direct sequencing.

APC gene mutations in Chinese familial adenomatous polyposis patients.

Aim: To study the characteristics of APC (adenomatous polyposis coli) gene germline mutation in Chinese patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP).

Methods: APC gene from 14 FAP families was amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and underwent direct sequencing to determine the micromutation type. For the samples without micromutation, the large fragment deletion of APC gene was examined by multiplex ligation-dependent probe amplification (MLPA).

[Study on the basic characteristics of Bohai Sea ice reflectance spectra].

For monitoring sea ice in Bohai Sea, the present paper performed a field observation experiment on sea ice reflectance spectrum in Bohai Sea by control experiment. In the experiment, three groups of sea ice samples from the Bayuquan in Liaodong Gulf were collected, which were clean even ice of different thickness, sea ice covered by melt snow layer and sea ice with sands. According to the series of observation data during the two years, the reflectance spectrum curve of clean even ice has double peaks (a big one and a small one) when the ice thickness is less than 30 cm.