Uncovering the impact of alcohol on internal organs and reproductive health:Exploring TLR4/NF-kB and CYP2E1/ROS/Nrf2 pathways

This review delves into the detrimental impact of alcohol consumption on internal organs and reproductive health,elucidating the underlying mechanisms involving the Toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/Nuclear factor kappa light chain enhancer of activated B cells(NF-kB)pathway and the Cytochrome P4502E1(CYP2E1)/reactive oxygen spe-cies(ROS)/nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2)pathways.The TLR4/NF-kB pathway,crucial for inflammatory and immune responses,triggers the production of pro-inflammatory agents and type-1 interferon,disrupting the balance between inflammatory and antioxidant responses when tissues are chronically exposed to al-cohol.Alcohol-induced dysbiosis in gut microbes heightens gut wall permeability to pathogen-associated molecular patterns(PAMPs),leading to liver cell infection and subsequent inflammation.Concurrently,CYP2E1-mediated alcohol metabolism gen-erates ROS,causing oxidative stress and damaging cells,lipids,proteins,and deoxy-ribonucleic acid(DNA).To counteract this inflammatory imbalance,Nrf2 regulates gene expression,inhibiting inflammatory progression and promoting antioxidant re-sponses.Excessive alcohol intake results in elevated liver enzymes(ADH,CYP2E1,and catalase),ROS,NADH,acetaldehyde,and acetate,leading to damage in vital organs such as the heart,brain,and lungs.Moreover,alcohol negatively affects reproduc-tive health by inhibiting the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis,causing infertility in both men and women.These findings underscore the profound health concerns associated with alcohol-induced damage,emphasizing the need for public awareness regarding the intricate interplay between immune responses and the multi-organ im-pacts of alcohol consumption.

Physical property improvement of fluid shortening using peanut oil-based diacylglycerols and their applications in sponge cake

Fluid shortening is an important ingredient in the production of sponge cake. Peanut oil with 0, 43% and 85% of diacylglycerol content was used as the base oil. Different emulsifiers, such as glycerol monostearate, soy lecithin and sucrose ester, and their respective amounts, were investigated. It was found that the addition of emulsifiers had a positive effect on water-absorbing capacity, air-absorbing capacity and viscosity of the oils. Glycerol monostearate was the preferred emulsifier for fluid shortening with a recommended addition of 1.5%. The effects of different diacylglycerol content on fluid shortening and their impact on sponge cake production was also investigated. The onset oxidation temperature of the oil could be increased from 253.21 ℃ for PO-TAG-based fluid shortening to 263.70 ℃ for PO-DAG85-based fluid shortening. And the increase in diacylglycerol content leading to a lower specific gravity of the batter, which was 1.06 g/mL, 1.02 g/mL and 0.98 g/mL prepared by PO-DAG, PO-DAG43 and PO-DAG85 shortening, respectively. The results showed that diacylglycerols can be used as base oils in fluid shortening to improve the crystal network and stability of fluid shortenings, thereby reducing the specific gravity of the batter and improving the structural properties of the cake. This will extend the potential applications of diacylglycerols and increase the variety of base oils available for fluid shortening preparation.

Autophagy and mitophagy as potential therapeutic targets in diabetic heart condition:Harnessing the power of nanotheranostics

Autophagy and mitophagy pose unresolved challenges in understanding the pathology of diabetic heart condition(DHC),which encompasses a complex range of cardiovascular issues linked to diabetes and associated cardiomyopathies.Despite significant progress in reducing mortality rates from cardiovascular diseases(CVDs),heart failure remains a major cause of increased morbidity among diabetic patients.These cellular processes are essential for maintaining cellular balance and removing damaged or dysfunctional components,and their involvement in the development of diabetic heart disease makes them attractive targets for diagnosis and treatment.While a variety of conventional diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are available,DHC continues to present a significant challenge.Point-of-care diagnostics,supported by nanobiosensing techniques,offer a promising alternative for these complex scenarios.Although conventional medications have been widely used in DHC patients,they raise several concerns regarding various physiological aspects.Modern medicine places great emphasis on the application of nanotechnology to target autophagy and mitophagy in DHC,offering a promising approach to deliver drugs beyond the limitations of traditional therapies.This article aims to explore the potential connections between autophagy,mitophagy and DHC,while also discussing the promise of nanotechnology-based theranostic interventions that specifically target these molecular pathways.

汽车自适应巡航的电机控制系统设计

自适应巡航系统(ACC)利用汽车周围的雷达来检测该汽车周围的情况,对车前某一区域的车速与距离进行判定,自动对车辆速度与跟车距离进行调节。本设计从MATLAB仿真软件出发,对汽车自适应巡航系统的上层控制器和驱动电机进行设计,在Simulink中得到了稳定性强,抗干扰性能高的电机模型;在MATLAB的模糊推理系统中得到了输入Dr(两车距离),Vr(两车速度)与输出加速度a-ses的三维数学模型,从MATLAB的三维模型中可知,该上层控制器曲面光滑程度较好,表明输出接近连续;曲面的起伏较为平缓,表明性能优良,符合设计应用需求。

On complete and micropolar-based incomplete strain gradient theories for periodic lattice structures

The micropolar(MP) and strain gradient(SG) continua have been generally adopted to investigate the relations between the macroscopic elastic constants and the microstructural geometric parameters. Owing to the fact that the microrotation in the MP theory can be expressed in terms of the displacement gradient components, we may regard the MP theory as a particular incomplete SG theory called the MPSG theory,compared with the existing SG theories which are deemed complete since all the SGs are included. Taking the triangular lattice comprising zigzag beams as an example, it is found that as the angle of the zigzag beams increases, the bending of the beams plays a more important role in the total strain energy, and the difference between the results by the two theories gradually decreases. Finally, the models are verified with the pure bending and simple shear of lattices by comparing with the results obtained by the finite element method(FEM)-based structure analyses.

Robust Fingerprint Construction Based on Multiple Path Loss Model (M-PLM) for Indoor Localization

A robust radio map is essential in implementing a fingerprint-based indoor positioning system(IPS).However,the offline site survey to manually construct the radio map is time-consuming and labour-intensive.Various interpolation techniques have been proposed to infer the virtual fingerprints to reduce the time and effort required for offline site surveys.This paper presents a novel fingerprint interpolator using a multi-path loss model(MPLM)to create the virtual fingerprints from the collected sample data based on different signal paths from different access points(APs).Based on the historical signal data,the poor signal paths are identified using their standard deviations.The proposed method reduces the positioning errors by smoothing out the wireless signal fluctuations and stabilizing the signals for those poor signal paths.By consideringmultipath signal propagations from different APs,the inherent noise from these signal paths can be alleviated.Firstly,locations of the signal data with standard deviations higher than the threshold are identified.The new fingerprints are then generated at these locations based on the proposed M-PLM interpolation function to replace the old fingerprints.The proposed technique interpolates virtual fingerprints based on good signal paths with more stable signals to improve the positioning performance.Experimental results show that the proposed scheme enhances the positioning accuracy by up to 44%compared to the conventional interpolation techniques such as the Inverse DistanceWeighting,Kriging,and single Path LossModel.As a result,we can overcome the site survey problems for IPS by building an accurate radio map with more reliable signals to improve indoor positioning performance.

Transdermal drug delivery systems in diabetes management: A review

Diabetes mellitus is a chronic disease in which there is an insufficient production of insulin by the pancreas, or the insulin produced is unable to be utilized effectively by the body. Diabetes affects more than 415 million people globally and is estimated to strike about 642 million people in 2040. The WHO reported that diabetes will become the seventh biggest cause of mortality in 2030. Insulin injection and oral hypoglycemic agents remain the primary treatments in diabetes management. These often present with poor patient compliance. However, over the last decade, transdermal systems in diabetes management have gained increasing attention and emerged as a potential hope in diabetes management owing to the advantages that they offer as compared to invasive injection and oral dosage forms. This review presents the recent advances and developments in transdermal research to achieve better diabetes management. Different technologies and approaches have been explored and applied to the transdermal systems to optimize diabetes management. Studies have shown that these transdermal systems demonstrate higher bioavailability compared to oral administration due to the avoidance of first-pass hepatic metabolism and a sustained drug release pattern. Besides that, transdermal systems have the advantage of reducing dosing frequency as drugs are released at a predetermined rate and control blood glucose level over a prolonged time, contributing to better patient compliance. In summary, the transdermal system is a field worth exploring due to its significant advantages over oral route in administration of antidiabetic drugs and biosensing of blood glucose level to ensure better clinical outcomes in diabetes management.

On band gaps of nonlocal acoustic lattice metamaterials:a robust strain gradient model

We have proposed an"exact"strain gradient(SG)continuum model to properly predict the dispersive characteristics of diatomic lattice metamaterials with local and nonlocal interactions.The key enhancement is proposing a wavelength-dependent Taylor expansion to obtain a satisfactory accuracy when the wavelength gets close to the lattice spacing.Such a wavelength-dependent Taylor expansion is applied to the displacement field of the diatomic lattice,resulting in a novel SG model.For various kinds of diatomic lattices,the dispersion diagrams given by the proposed SG model always agree well with those given by the discrete model throughout the first Brillouin zone,manifesting the robustness of the present model.Based on this SG model,we have conducted the following discussions.(Ⅰ)Both mass and stiffness ratios affect the band gap structures of diatomic lattice metamaterials,which is very helpful for the design of metamaterials.(Ⅱ)The increase in the SG order can enhance the model performance if the modified Taylor expansion is adopted.Without doing so,the higher-order continuum model can suffer from a stronger instability issue and does not necessarily have a better accuracy.The proposed SG continuum model with the eighth-order truncation is found to be enough to capture the dispersion behaviors all over the first Brillouin zone.(Ⅲ)The effects of the nonlocal interactions are analyzed.The nonlocal interactions reduce the workable range of the well-known long-wave approximation,causing more local extrema in the dispersive diagrams.The present model can serve as a satisfactory continuum theory when the wavelength gets close to the lattice spacing,i.e.,when the long-wave approximation is no longer valid.For the convenience of band gap designs,we have also provided the design space from which one can easily obtain the proper mass and stiffness ratios corresponding to a requested band gap width.

Exploratory and Confirmatory Factor Analyses for Testing Validity and Reliability of the Malay Language Questionnaire for Urinary Incontinence Diagnosis (QUID)

This study examines the construct validity and reliability of the Malay language questionnaire for urinary incontinence diagnosis (QUID) in women. Study Design: Random sampling design was used in this cross-sectional survey. Materials and Methods: The Americanized English language questionnaire was translated to the Malay language and distributed to community-dwelling Malaysian women living in various locations in Selangor. The construct validity was tested using exploratory factor analysis (EFA) followed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The reliability was determined using Cronbach’s α. Results: A total of 111 women completed the Malay language QUID in this pilot study. The Keiser-Meyer-Olkin (KMO) measure of sampling adequacy of 0.675 and Bartlett’s test of sphericity (χ2 = 284.633, df = 15, p = 0.001) indicated that the EFA was possible. The total variance and the scree plot identified two factors above the initial eigenvalue of 1 while a third factor was just below it (0.758). The CFA output showed a recursive model with the solution being not admissible because two unobserved and exogenous variables had negative variance estimates. The following values of absolute fit indices showed an acceptable level of fit: 1) Chi-square test with χ2 = 4.997, df = 5, p = 0.416, indicated a smaller difference between the expected and observed covariance matrices;2) GFI = 0.986, AGFI = 0.939, RMR = 0.021 and CMIN/DF = 1.0 indicated acceptable level of fit;3) The baseline comparison values of NFI = 0.983 and CFI = 1.0 also indicated a good fit to the data;4) RMSEA = 0.000 was considered a perfect fit indicating that the hypothesized model was a good fit to the observed data. Under the hypothesis of “close fit”, the probability of getting a sample RMSEA as large as 0.000 was 0.567. The Cronbach’s α coefficient of 0.823 indicated good reliability. Conclusion: The Malay language QUID is a valid and reliable instrument for diagnosing female urinary incontinence in the Malaysian population.

Application of chitosan-based nanoparticles in skin wound healing

The rising prevalence of impaired wound healing and the consequential healthcare burdens have gained increased attention over recent years.This has prompted research into the development of novel wound dressings with augmented wound healing functions.Nanoparticle(NP)-based delivery systems have become attractive candidates in constructing such wound dressings due to their various favourable attributes.The non-toxicity,biocompatibility and bioactivity of chitosan(CS)-based NPs make them ideal candidates for wound applications.This review focusses on the application of CS-based NP systems for use in wound treatment.An overview of the wound healing process was presented,followed by discussion on the properties and suitability of CS and its NPs in wound healing.The wound healing mechanisms exerted by CS-based NPs were then critically analysed and discussed in sections,namely haemostasis,infection prevention,inflammatory response,oxidative stress,angiogenesis,collagen deposition,and wound closure time.The results of the studieswere thoroughly reviewed,and contradicting findings were identified and discussed.Based on the literature,the gap in research and future prospects in this research area were identified and highlighted.Current evidence shows that CS-based NPs possess superior wound healing effects either used on their own,or as drug delivery vehicles to encapsulate wound healing agents.It is concluded that great opportunities and potentials exist surrounding the use of CSNPs in wound healing.

Identification of commonly regulated protein targets and molecular pathways in PC-3 and DU145 androgen-independent human prostate cancer cells treated with the curcumin analogue 1,5-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4-pentadiene-3-one

Objective: To identify mutually regulated proteins in PC-3 and DU145 androgen-independent prostate cancer cell lines treated with 1,5-bis(2-hydroxyphenyl)-1,4-pentadiene-3-one(MS17), and to study the molecular pathways that contributed to the anticancer activity of MS17.Methods: PC-3 and DU145 cells were treated with 3 × EC_(50)(15 μM) concentration of MS17 for 24 h and were subjected to protein expression profiling using two-dimensional gel electrophoresis and protein identification by mass spectrometry.Selected differentially expressed proteins with significant P-value of P<0.05 and fold change over 1.5-folds were filtered through and ontologically classified.Mutually regulated proteins were ranked by fold change and identified as common protein targets of MS17.Results: Profiling data revealed that, the mutually down-regulated proteins included ACTB and ACTG associated with structural molecule activity, ACTN1 with cell cycle, ACTN4 with cell migration, HNRPK with apoptosis, PLST with morphogenesis and TERA with proteolysis.However, the expressions of CH60 and HS71 A respectively associated with response to unfolded protein demonstrated opposing regulation in PC-3 and DU145 cells.Pathway analysis of the differentially expressed proteins in PC-3 cells demonstrated the modulation of top pathways associated with cell-cell adhesion and cytoskeletal organization while in DU145 cells the pathways were associated with proteosomal degradation, regulation of electrolytes and water, regulation control of germ cells and organization of filament assembly/disassembly.Conclusions: The findings of the present study provide an understanding on the anti-tumorigenic activity of MS17 at the proteome level and warrant further research for its potential application for the management and treatment of androgen-independent prostate cancer.

Multifunctional, Sustainable, and Biological Non-Ureolytic Self-Healing Systems for Cement-Based Materials

Microbially induced calcium carbonate(CaCO_(3))precipitation(MICP)has been investigated as a sustain-able alternative to conventional concrete remediation methods for improving the mechanical properties and durability of concrete structures.To date,urea-dependent MICP is the most widely employed MICP pathway in biological self-healing concrete research as its use has resulted in efficient CaCO_(3) precipita-tion rates.NH_(3) is a byproduct of ureolysis,and can be hazardous to cementitious structures and the health of various species.Accordingly,non-ureolytic bacterial concrete self-healing systems have been developed as eco-friendly alternatives to urea-dependent self-healing systems.Non-ureolytic pathways can improve the physical properties of concrete samples and incorporate the use of waste materials;they have the potential to be cost-effective and sustainable.Moreover,they can be applied in terrestrial and marine environments.To date,research on non-ureolytic concrete self-healing systems has been scarce compared to that on ureolytic systems.This article discusses the advances and challenges in non-ureolytic bacterial concrete self-healing studies and highlights the directions for future research.

Convalescent plasma: A potential therapeutic option for COVID-19 patients

The new coronavirus disease(COVID-19)outbreak has challenged us to take unprecedented steps to bring this pandemic under control.In view of the urgency of this situation,convalescent plasma which was used in previous coronavirus outbreaks has emerged as one of the treatment options in this current pandemic.This is mainly due to the fact that convalescent plasma has been studied in a few case series with promising outcomes.In addition,on-going large clinical trials aimed to further evaluate the effectiveness,safety,and optimal dosage,duration and timing of administration of convalescent plasma are indeed revealing a certain level of promising results.Therefore,this article aims to provide an overview of possible mechanisms of actions of convalescent plasma,its benefits and its level of usage safeness by summarizing the existing evidence on the use of convalescent plasma in COVID-19 patients.

Beta-blocker use and risk of symptomatic bradyarrhythmias： a hospital-based case-control study

Objective To investigate the risk factors of symptomatic bradyarrhythrnias in relation to β-blockers use. Methods A hospital-based case-control study [228 patients： 108 with symptomatic bradyarrhythmias （cases） and 120 controls] was conducted in Sultanah Aminah Hospital, Malaysia between January 2011 and January 2014. Results The mean age was 61.1 ~ 13.3 years with a majority of men （68.9%）. Cases were likely than control to be older, hypertensive, lower body mass index and concomitant use of rate-controlling drugs （such as digoxin, verapamil, diltiazem, ivabradine or amiodarone）. Significantly higher level of serum potassium, urea, creatinine and lower level of estimated glomerular filtration rate （eGFR） were observed among cases as compared to controls. On univariate analysis among patients on β-blockers, older age （crude OR： 1.07; 95% CI： 1.03-1.11, P = 0.000）, hypertension （crude OR： 5.6; 95% CI： 1.51-20.72, P = 0.010）, lower sodium （crude OR： 0.04; 95% CI： 0.81-0.99, P = 0.036）, higher potassium （crude OR： 2.36; 95% CI： 1.31-4.26, P = 0.004） and higher urea （crude OR： 1.23; 95% CI： 1.11-1.38, P = 0.000） were associated with increased risk of symptomatic bradyarrhythmias; eGFR was inversely and significantly associated with symptomatic bradyarrhythmias in both ＇β-blockers＇ （crude OR： 0.97; 95% CI： 0.964）.98, P = 0.000） and ＇non-β-blockers＇ （crude OR： 0.99; 95% CI： 0.97-0.99, P = 0.023） arms. However, eGFR was not significantly associated with symptomatic bradyarrhythmias in the final model of both ＇β-blockers＇ （adjusted OR： 0.98; 95% CI： 0.96-0.98, P = 0.103） and ＇non-p-blockers＇ （adjusted OR： 0.99; 95% CI： 0.97-1.01, P = 0.328） arms. Importantly, older age was a significant predictor of symptomatic bradyarrhythmias in the ＇β-blockers＇ as compared to the ＇non-β-blockers＇ arms （adjusted OR： 1.09; 95% CI： 1.03-1.15, P = 0.003 vs. adjusted OR： 1.03; 95% CI： 0.98-1.09, P = 0.232, respectively）. Conclusion Older age was a significant predictor of symptomatic bradyarrhythmias in patients on β-blockers than those without β-blockers.

Preparation and optimization of tocotrienol rich fraction(TRF)-loaded niosomes

Vesicular delivery systems have gainedmuch attention as pharmaceutical entities since their discovery.Niosomes occupy the general structure of bilayer vesicles,having a hydrophilic core shielded from one or multiple hydrophobic lipid bilayer.This unique structure enables them to both accommodate oilsoluble compounds as well as to encapsulate water-soluble drugs[1].The anticancer effects of tocotrienol were first discovered in the early 1990s when Nesaretnam et al.reported that palm oil stripped of vitamin E-promoted tumorigenesis in rats[2].

Novel Inhibitory Effects of Glycyrrhizic Acid on the Accumulation of Advanced Glycation End Product and Its Receptor Expression

Beneficial effects of glycyrrhizic acid(GA),a bioactive extract of licorice root,in the prevention of metabolic syndrome have been consistently reported while advanced glycation end products(AGE)and receptor for advanced glycation end product(RAGE)are the leading factors in the development of diabetes mellitus.The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of GA on the AGE-RAGE axis using high-fat/high-sucrose(HF/HS)diet-induced metabolic syndrome rat models.Twenty four male Sprague–Dawley rats were randomly assigned into three groups for 4 weeks:(1)Group A,normal diet with standard rat chow;(2)Group B,HF/HS diet;(3)Group C,HF/HS diet and oral administration of 100 mg/kg GA per day.The results showed that HF/HS diet elevated the fasting blood glucose level and insulin resistance index which was prevented by GA supplementation.GA treatment significantly lowered the circulating AGE independent of its glucose-lowering effect.HF/HS diet also triggered RAGE upregulation in the abdominal muscles while GA administration downregulated RAGE expression in the abdominal muscles,aorta and subcutaneous adipose tissues.In conclusion,HF/HS diet could cause glucose intolerance,insulin resistance and upregulation of RAGE expression while GA ameliorated the metabolic dysregulation besides exhibiting inhibitory effects on the AGE-RAGE axis.

A trigger-tube tracer dilution technique for determining Darcy and apparent velocities of groundwater in dug wells: A case study on phreatic aquiferous formation in Bamenda-Cameroon

The need to understand flow within aquiferous formations for a complete evaluation of groundwater resource and quality control prompts the determination of groundwater velocities through well dilution technique. Well dilution techniques utilize tracer solutions after establishing an initial homogenous condition to monitor the flow rate of ambient groundwater into the wells. Application of dilution techniques in wells makes it feasible to determine the velocities of groundwater in the aquiferous formation surrounding the well. In this study, a simple trigger-tube tracer dilution technique was employed to determine the Darcy and apparent velocities of groundwater in the phreatic aquiferous formation in Bamenda, Cameroon. Eighteen (18) hand dug-wells at different locations within Bamenda were sampled by utilizing sodium chloride (NaCl) as the conservative tracer. Field estimates of groundwater flow velocities in the phreatic aquiferous formation in Bamenda reveal Darcy's groundwater velocity in the range of 0.39 m/d at Nacho to 130.64 m/d at Foncha Street and apparent velocity in the range of 0.78 m/d at Nacho to 277.86 m/d at Foncha Street. The immense variations in the velocities of groundwater indicate that the groundwater flows at different rates and directions within the aquiferous formation in Bamenda, possibly due to variations in their hydraulic conductivities. Moreover, the spatial variations in the formation types, facies changes, thickness, and layering of the aquiferous formation also contribute to the variation of velocities. Areas with low groundwater velocities are associated with a lower contaminant transport rate when compared to areas with high groundwater velocities. The findings of this study are important for assessing the rates of pollutant movement in the subsurface, as well as the effectiveness and efficacy of the trigger-tube technique in evaluating the hydraulic properties of aquiferous formations.

Health resource utilization and the economic burden of patients with wet age-related macular degeneration in Thailand

AIM: To determine healthcare resource utilization and the economic burden associated with wet age-related macular degeneration(AMD) in Thailand ·METHODS: This study included patients diagnosed with wet AMD that were 60 years old or older,and had best corrected visual acuity(BCVA) measured at least two times during the follow-up period. We excluded patients having other eye diseases. Two separate sub-studies were conducted. The first sub-study was a retrospective cohort study; electronic medical charts were reviewed to estimate the direct medical costs. The second sub-study was a cross-sectional survey estimating the direct non-medical costs based on face-to-face interviews using a structured questionnaire. For the first sub-study,direct medical costs,including the cost of drugs,laboratory,procedures,and other treatments were obtained. For the second sub-study,direct non-medical costs,e.g. transportation,food,accessories,home renovation,and caregiver costs,were obtained from face-to-face interviews with patients and/ or caregivers. ·RESULTS: For the first sub-study,sixty-four medical records were reviewed. The annual average number of medical visits was 11.1 ±6.0. The average direct medical costs were $3 604 ±4 530 per year. No statistically-significant differences of the average direct medical costs among the BCVA groups were detected(P =0.98). Drug costs accounted for 77% of total direct medical costs. For direct non-medical costs,67 patients were included. Forty-eight patients(71.6%) required the accompaniment of a person during the out-patient visit. Seventeen patients(25.4%) required a caregiver at home. The average direct non-medical cost was $2 927 ±6 560 per year. There were no statistically-significant differences in the average costs among the BCVA groups(P =0.74). Care-giver cost accounted for 87% of direct non-medical costs.·CONCLUSION: Our study indicates that wet AMD is associated with a substantial economic burden,especially concerning drug and care-giver costs.

A Secure Communication Protocol for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles

Mavlink is a lightweight and most widely used open-source communication protocol used for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles.Multiple UAVs and autopilot systems support it,and it provides bi-directional communication between the UAV and Ground Control Station.The communications contain critical information about the UAV status and basic control commands sent from GCS to UAV and UAV to GCS.In order to increase the transfer speed and efficiency,the Mavlink does not encrypt the messages.As a result,the protocol is vulnerable to various security attacks such as Eavesdropping,GPS Spoofing,and DDoS.In this study,we tackle the problem and secure the Mavlink communication protocol.By leveraging the Mavlink packet’s vulnerabilities,this research work introduces an experiment in which,first,the Mavlink packets are compromised in terms of security requirements based on our threat model.The results show that the protocol is insecure and the attacks carried out are successful.To overcomeMavlink security,an additional security layer is added to encrypt and secure the protocol.An encryption technique is proposed that makes the communication between the UAV and GCS secure.The results show that the Mavlink packets are encrypted using our technique without affecting the performance and efficiency.The results are validated in terms of transfer speed,performance,and efficiency compared to the literature solutions such as MAVSec and benchmarked with the original Mavlink protocol.Our achieved results have significant improvement over the literature and Mavlink in terms of security.

Protein Expression of STAT3, pSTAT3, MMP-7 and VEGF in Colorectal Adenocarcinoma: An Immunohistochemical Study

Background: The purpose of the present study is to investigate the expression levels of STAT3, pSTAT3, MMP-7 and VEGF in colorectal adenocarcinoma, and also to determine association with the clinico-pathological parameters and?co-expression of these genes. Methods: An immunohistochemical method was used to evaluate the expression of MMP-7 and VEGF genes in 93 archival tissues whereas STAT3 and pSTAT3 expression was determined in 75 cases. Results: Overexpression of STAT3 was detected in 26.7% (20/75), pSTAT3 in 13.4% (10/75), MMP-7 in 38.8% (36/93) and VEGF in 59.2% (55/93) of the colorectal carcinomas. STAT3, MMP-7 and VEGF immunopositivity were significantly correlated with poorly-differentiated tumors (P = 0.004;P = 0.03;P = 0.002, respectively) but not with other parameters. However, pSTAT3 immunostaining was not significantly associated with the clinico-pathological characteristics. Significant relationship was noted between overexpression of pSTAT3 and STAT3 (P < 0.001), pSTAT3 and VEGF (P = 0.044), pSTAT3 and MMP-7 (P = 0.003), and STAT3 and VEGF (P = 0.037) but marginal association was detected between STAT3 and MMP-7 (P = 0.057), and MMP-7 and VEGF (P = 0.052). Conclusion:?Our data suggest that expression of these genes?may have an important role in tumor dedifferentiation and?may be useful as indicators of biologic aggressiveness. Co-expression of the biomarkers by cancer cells?may have important implications in colorectal cancer biology and?could be useful biological markers of the malignant phenotype.