This study re-introduces a protein-free rapid test method for nucleic acids on paper based lateral flow assays utilizing special multichannel nitrocellulose membranes and DNA-Gold conjugates, achieving significantly enhanced sensitivity, easier protocols, reduced time of detection, reduced costs of pro-duction and advanced multiplexing possibilities. It is shown for the first time a protein-free nucleic acid based lateral flow assay (NALFA) with a limit of detection of 1 pmol of DNA. The total production duration of such an assay was successfully reduced from the currently known several days to just a few hours. The simplification and acceleration of the protocol make the method more accessible and practical for various applications. The developed method supports multiplexing, enabling the sim-ultaneous detection of up to six DNA targets. This multiplexing capability is a significant improve-ment over traditional line tests and offers more comprehensive diagnostic potential in a single assay. The approach significantly reduces the run time compared to traditional line tests, which enhances the efficiency of diagnostic procedures. The protein-free aspect of this assay minimizes the prevalent complications of cross-reactivity in immunoassays especially in cases of multiplexing. It is also demonstrated that the NALFA developed in this study is amplification-free and hence does not rely on specialized technicians, nor does it involve labour-intensive steps like DNA extraction and PCR processes. Overall, this study presents a robust, efficient, and highly sensitive platform for DNA or RNA detection, addressing several limitations of current methods documented in the literature. The advancements in sensitivity, cost reduction, production time, and multiplexing capabilities mark a substantial improvement, holding great potential for various applications in diagnostics, forensics, and molecular biology.

Dopaminergic replacement therapy remains the mainstay of symptomatic treatment for Parkinson’s disease (PD), but many unmet needs and gaps remain. Device based treatments or device-aided non-oral therapies are typically used in the advanced stages of PD, ranging from stereotactic deep brain stimulation to levodopa or apomorphine infusion therapies but there are concerns due to a number of procedural, hardware, or long-term treatment-related side effects of these treatments, and limited nonmotor benefit in PD. Therefore, there is an urgent unmet need for low risk adjuvants or standalone therapies which can address the range of burdensome motor and nonmotor symptoms that occur in PD. Recent studies suggest that non-invasive neurostimulation of the vestibular system may be able to address these gaps with stimulation of the vestibular brainstem sensory network which extensively innervates brain regions regulating both motor and a range of nonmotor functions. Therapeutic non-invasive vestibular stimulation is a relatively modern concept that may potentially improve a broad range of motor and nonmotor symptoms of PD, even at early stages of the disease. Here we review previous studies supporting the therapeutic potential of vestibular stimulation for the treatment of PD and discuss ongoing clinical trials and potential areas for future investigations.

Over the last decades, in addition to the improvement of pathophysiological knowledge regarding the role and mechanisms of action of Vitamin D, there has been a progressive advancement in analytical technologies for its determination, as well as in methodological standardization. A significant number of scientific works, meta-analyses, and guidelines have been published on the importance of Vitamin D and the need for supplementation in deficient individuals. However, it appears necessary to clarify the fundamental elements related to the determination of Vitamin D (both at the strictly analytical and post-analytical levels) and the scientific evidence related to the efficacy/safety of supplementation. Additionally, given the important interrelations between Vitamin D, parathyroid hormone (PTH), and fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF23), the analytical issues and clinical utility of these biomarkers will be discussed.

Recent studies have suggested significant antimicrobial properties of some metallic nanoparticles during the height of antibiotic resistance. The silver nanoparticle (AgNPs) is one of the most prominent candidates due to its noble nature and better tolerance profile in humans. The synthesis of AgNPs was carried out using silver nitrate using five different chemical reduction methods and comparing their activity with silver nitrate, also known to possess antimicrobial properties. AgNPs have been synthesized with varying combination of reducing agents, and subsequently characterized by UV-visible spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS). Chemical reduction with both trisodium citrate and sodium borohydride provided better particle size and controlled uniformity, whereas hydrogen peroxide was used as a stabilizer to increase the stability of AgNPs. The minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) for all AgNP formulations was determined against gram-negative E. coli, and AgNPs synthesized with only trisodium citrate were found to be the most effective. The synthesized AgNPs were tested against the resistant strains of E. coli, Salmonella, Klebsiella, Bacillus, and Staphylococcus by the well diffusion method to evaluate and compare their inhibition zones and AgNPs synthesized with polyethylene glycol and polyvinyl pyrrolidine were found to be the most efficient.

Transfer RNA (tRNA) modifications are essential for the temperature adaptation of thermophilic and psychrophilic organisms, as they control the rigidity and flexibility of transcripts. To further understand how specific tRNA modifications are adjusted to maintain functionality in response to temperature fluctuations, we investigated whether tRNA modifications represent an adaptation of bacteria to different growth temperatures (minimal, optimal, and maximal), focusing on closely related psychrophilic (P. halocryophilus and E. sibiricum), mesophilic (B. subtilis), and thermophilic (G. stearothermophilus) Bacillales. Utilizing an RNA sequencing approach combined with chemical pre-treatment of tRNA samples, we systematically profiled dihydrouridine (D), 4-thiouridine (s4U), 7-methyl-guanosine (m7G), and pseudouridine (Ψ) modifications at single-nucleotide resolution. Despite their close relation, each bacterium exhibited a unique tRNA modification profile. Our findings revealed increased tRNA modifications in the thermophilic bacteria at higher temperatures, particularly showing elevated levels of s4U8 and Ψ55 modifications compared to non-thermophilic bacteria, indicating a temperature-dependent regulation that may contribute to thermotolerance. Furthermore, we observed higher levels of D modifications in psychrophilic and mesophilic bacteria indicating an adaptive strategy for cold environments by enhancing local flexibility in tRNAs. Our method demonstrated high effectiveness in identifying tRNA modifications compared to an established tool, highlighting its potential for precise tRNA profiling studies.

PFAS are a variety of ecologically persistent compounds of anthropogenic origin loosely included in many industrial products, in which the carbon chain can be fully (perfluoroalkyl substances) or partially (polyfluoroalkyl substances) fluorinated. Their ubiquitous presence in many environmental compartments over the years, and highly long-lasting nature, arose concern because of the possible adverse effects of PFAS on ecosystem and human health. Between the remediation technologies, adsorption has been demonstrated to be a maneageble and cost-effective method for the removal of PFAS in aqueous media. This study tested two novel and eco-friendly adsorbents (pinewood and date seeds biochar) on 6 different PFAS (PFOS, GenX, PFHxA, PFOA, PFDA, PFTeDA). Batch sorption tests (24 hours) were carried out to evaluate the removal efficiency of each PFAS substance in relation to the two biochars. All samples of liquid phase were analysed by a developed and then well-established method: i) pre-treatment (centrifugation and filtration); ii) determination by high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS). Results evidenced a comparable adsorption capacity of both materials, but greater for the long-chain PFAS. Such findings may lead to a promising path for the use of waste origin materials in the PFAS remediation field.

Background: Recent studies have found forward head posture (FHP) to be associated with altered physiology, however, there is a lack of research into whether FHP is associated with altered gait parameters when cognitively challenged. The current study was undertaken to investigate the changes in gait parameters in asymptomatic individuals with FHP when a cognitive dual task is introduced during walking. Methods: Ninety asymptomatic participants were recruited, 45 having FHP defined as having a craniovertebral angle (CVA) < 50, and 45 sex and age-matched controls having normal head posture (NHP) defined as CVA > 55. All participants walked along a 10 meter platform under a control condition (no cognitive load) with 3 consecutive trials while an optical motion-capture system consisting of 8 infrared cameras was used to assess gait kinematics. Secondly, participants were assessed under a dual task cognitive load condition (3 trials while performing simple addition, counting backwards, and answering yes or no questions) to identify the impact on gait kinematics compared to the control condition. Results: Under the single task condition, there were no significant differences for any gait parameter, however, under the dual task condition, 12/13 gait parameters were significantly altered for the FHP group compared to the NHP group (p < .01). A calculation of dual task cost (DTC) percentage showed significant increases in all gait parameters in participants with FHP (p < .02). Correlations between the CVA and gait parameters were not significant for the single task condition, but all gait parameters were correlated to CVA for the dual task condition (p < .01). The correlation between CVA and DTC for all gait variables were also significant (p < .04). Conclusions: This study demonstrates that FHP significantly increases the cognitive cost during walking, highlighting the importance of proper postural alignment for maintaining cognitive function under a dual task condition. Addressing FHP through targeted interventions could improve both physical and cognitive health, enhancing overall well-being and daily functioning.

(1) Background: The purpose of this study was to assess the external load demands in futsal, con-sidering both home and away matches and their outcomes, in order to plan microcycles throughout the season based on the external load of each match. (2) Methods: The external load of 10 players from a First Division team in the Spanish Futsal League was recorded. The total dura-tion of player involvement with the clock stopped was 18.15 ±7.04 minutes. The players' external load was monitored using OLIVER devices. To analyse the influence of the match outcome and location on the external load, a univariate general linear model (GLM) analysis was conducted. (3) Results: There are no differences between the variables, except for accelerations of 2 to 3 m/s² (m) per minute and the number of accelerations of 2 to 3 m/s² per minute. Despite not showing significant differences, there is a trend indicating a higher demand for external loads in away matches as well as in matches won. (4) Conclusions: These findings are important for planning microcycles and providing the appropriate dosage to each player to achieve optimal performance in matches.

Buckwheat is important not only as a crop that improves soil quality and reduces erosion, but its excellent nutritional profile for usage in functional foods. This study aimed to investigate how long-term storage (3, 6, and 9 months) affects Novosadska variety buckwheat's chemical, nutritional, and antioxidative properties, phenolic acids and bioflavonoids profiles. Standard traditional methods were used for quality determinations, and instrumental (spectrophotometry, reverse-phase high performance liquid chromatography) for antioxidant activity and bioactive compounds determination. One-way ANOVA, and Tukey’s HSD post-hoc were performed for statistical data processing. Throughout the storage period, proximate composition and starch content significantly decreased (p<0.05), while total carbohydrates, β-glucan, and energy value significantly increased (p<0.05). Significant decrease in pH and alcoholic acidity of 0.55 pH units, and 0.33% DM, were observed. Total phenol content and antioxidant activity decrease to 5.57 mg GAE/g DM TPC, 22.20 μmol Fe2+/g DM FRAP and 8.12 μmol TE/g DM DPPH, during the storage (p<0.05). Of fifteen phytochemical compounds, gallic, p-coumaric, trans-cinnamic acids, and epicatechin were in high abundance, with a notable decrease in epicatechin (38%). To the authors' knowledge, dihydrocaffeic and phloretic acids, daidzein, naringin, and naringenin were quantified in buckwheat flour for the first time. Easy adaptability to the environment, ability to attract various insects, speedy short-season growing plant for food, many nutritional and health benefits, gives buckwheat potential to be sustainable and biodiversity-friendly crops.

This work aims to shed light on the differential diagnosis of Complex Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (cPTSD), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), and Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) within the context of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV), which represents an extremely inno-vative field of clinical research. To this end, a critical review of the literature was conducted to identify and compare the clinical patterns and symptomatic overlaps among cPTSD, PTSD, and BPD, with an emphasis on their manifestation in both victims and offenders. The results show that despite some symptomatic similarities, cPTSD, PTSD and BPD have distinct clinical patterns in IPV. Disturbances in Self-Organization (DSO), are more commonly in offenders, while the di-agnosis of cPTSD is more aligned with the victims. In addition, cPTSD and characteristics of BPD, such as fear of rejection and instability of identity, constitute risk factors for IPV victimiza-tion. cPTSD is a predisposing factor not only for victims but also for offenders, while PTSD emerges as a consequential factor. The specific pathways linking PTSD, cPTSD, and BPD with IPV have significant implications for clinical practice. Further research is needed to understand these profiles and the mechanisms linking trauma-related features to IPV, which is crucial for imple-menting effective violence prevention programs.

Combined hepatocellular cholangiocarcinoma (cHCC-ICC) is a rare malignancy that involves a combination of features of hepatocellular carcinoma and intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). cHCC-ICC is generally considered to exhibit a more aggressive clinical course compared to ICC; however, its risk factors and outcomes remain largely undefined. A single-center retrospective study of 82 patients diagnosed with ICC or cHCC-ICC from June 2011 and January 2023, all of whom underwent surgical resection. Our analysis included 70 patients with resected ICC and 12 with resected cHCC-ICC. The overall survival (OS) for the entire cohort was 21.6 months, with a recurrence-free survival (RFS) of 11.8 months. The cHCC-ICC group had significantly higher levels of AST and ALT (AST median 206 vs. 46; ALT median 165.5 vs. 48; p=0.012 and p=0.013, respectively), whereas the ICC group had higher alkaline phosphatase (median 66 vs. 104; p=0.03). CA 19-9 values (p=0.02) were higher in the ICC group, while AFP values were higher in the cHCC-ICC group (p=0.0004). The cHCC-ICC group had a significantly higher rate of recurrence (83% vs. 47%, p=0.028) with a significantly decreased RFS (4.7 months vs. 12.4 months; log-rank p=0.007). cHCC-ICC is a rare entity that needs to be further studied to improve patient outcomes. Our study showed that RFS is lower in the cHCC-ICC group as compared to ICC patients alone. Further studies are warranted and possibly suggest the need for more aggressive initial treatment strategies in patients diagnosed with cHCC-ICC.

The success of composite materials is attributed to the nature of bonding at the nanoscale and the resulting structure-related properties. This study reports the interaction, electronic, and optical properties of diamond nanothread/polymers (cellulose and epoxy) and boron nitride nanotube/calcium silicate hydrate composites using density functional theory modeling. Our findings indicate that the interaction between the nanothread and polymer is due to van der Waals-type bonding. Minor modifications in the electronic structures and absorption spectra are noticed. Conversely, the boron nitride nanotube and calcium silicate hydrate composite display an electron-shared type of interaction. The electronic structure and optical absorption spectra of the diamond nanothread and boron nitride nanotube in all configurations studied in the aforementioned composite systems are well maintained. Our findings offer an electronic-level perspective into the bonding characteristics and electronic-optical properties of diamond nanothread/polymer and boron nitride nanotube/calcium silicate hydrate composites for developing next-generation materials.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the control of HIV-1 infection. Here, we performed RNAseq profilings of miRNAs and mRNAs expressed in CD4+ T-lymphocytes upon HIV-1 infection. Our results reveal significant alterations of miRNAs and mRNAs expression profiles in infected relative to uninfected cells. One of the miRNAs markedly downregulated in infected cells is miRNA-26a. Among the putative targets of miRNA-26a are CD59 receptor transcripts, which are significantly upregulated in infected CD4+ T-cells. Addition of miRNA-26a mimics to CD4+ T-cells reduces CD59 at both mRNA and surface protein levels, validating CD59 as a miRNA-26a target. Consistent with the reported inhibitory role of CD59 in complement-mediated lysis (CML), knocking-out CD59 in CD4+ T-cells renders both HIV-1 infected cells and progeny virions more prone to antibody-dependent CML (ADCML). Addition of miRNA-26a mimics to infected cells leads to enhanced sensitivity of progeny virions to ADCML, a condition linked to a reduction of CD59 packaging into released virions. Lastly, HIV-1-mediated downregulation of miRNA-26a expression is shown to be dependent on integrated HIV-1 expression but does not involve viral accessory proteins. Overall, these results highlight a novel mechanism by which HIV-1 limits ADCML by upregulating CD59 expression via miRNA-26a downmodulation.

Using data from the Swedish National Diabetes Register, this study examines the gender disparity among patients with type I diabetes who have experienced a specific cardiovascular complication, while exploring the association between weight variability, age group, and gender. Fourteen cardiovascular complications have been considered. This analysis is conducted by using three-way correspondence analysis (CA) which allows for the partitioning and decomposition of Pearson’s three-way chi-squared statistic. The dataset comprises of information organized in a data cube, detailing how weight variability among these patients correlates with a cardiovascular complication, age group and gender. The three-way CA method presented in this paper allows for one to assess the statistical significance of the association between these variables and to visualize this association, highlighting the gender gap among these patients. It is worth noting that the association between weight variability, age group, and gender varies among different types of cardiovascular complications.

Rabies is a viral zoonotic disease caused by the lyssavirus and endemic to most tropical and sub-tropical areas of the world. This study reports on the occurrence of rabies in dogs and relates the results to the vaccination status of the dogs. A total of each of the 50 brain and 50 saliva samples from 100 dogs were tested for Lyssavirus using RT-PCR and visualized using gel electrophoresis. Additionally, a histopathological diagnosis of rabies was made on the brain samples. A lyssavirus positivity of 34 % was realized with 29/50 from brain and 5/50 from saliva being positive for rabies. Statistical significance was associated with vaccination (p=0.011) and health (p=0.0) statuses and attack by a stray dog prior to exhibition of signs of rabies (p=0.002). The rabid positive dogs had bitten at least 15 humans and a dog before their demise. This study confirms vaccination as an effective tool for the prevention of rabies. However, elimination of the disease is possible if there is an established and effective collaboration between veterinary and human medicine through one health.

Background and Aim: It is generally accepted that oxidative stress mediators play an important role in ischemia-reperfusion injury(I/R), although the exact mechanism is not fully elucidated. While the impact of silymarin on I/R injury in several tissues, including the myocardial, cerebral, gastric and liver tissue, has been examined, the present state of research on this topic remains insufficient to provide a widely accepted understanding. For this purpose, our objective was to examine the effect of silymarin on muscle tissue in rats subjected to lower extremity I/R injury. Method: After ethics committee approval, 18 male Wistar albino rats weighing between 225-275 g were used. The rats were divided into three groups containing six mice each, Control,Ischemia-Reperfusion and Silymarin-Ischemia/Reperfusion groups. Silymarin was administered intraperitoneally 30 minutes before the procedure.( 100 mg/kg-1 ) In the I/R groups, an atraumatic microvascular clamp was placed in the infrarenal abdominal aorta. After 120 minutes, the clamp was removed and reperfusion was achieved for 120 minutes. In muscle tissue samples taken at the end of the reperfusion period; Malondialdehyde (MDA) levels, catalase (CAT) enzyme activity levels and histopathological parameters were compared. Results: In the histopathological examination, no degeneration was observed in the muscle fibers in the control group, while findings of striated muscle damage such as muscle atrophy hypertrophy, muscle degeneration-congestion, internal of the muscle nucleus-oval-central nucleus, fragmentation-hyalinization and leukocyte cell infiltration were observed in the I/R group. In the S-I/R group, muscle atrophy hypertrophy, internal of the muscle nucleus-oval-central nucleus, fragmentation-hyalinization and leukocyte cell infiltration were observed to improve these damaged areas compared to the I/R group. MDA levels in the I/R group were found to be significantly higher than in the control and S-I/R groups. CAT enzyme activity was found to be significantly higher in the I/R group than in the control group. Conclusion:Our study revealed that the administration of silymarin at a dosage of 100 mg/kg-1 by intraperitoneal injection 30 minutes before ischemia in rats effectively decreased lipid peroxidation and oxidative stress. Additionally, it successfully reduced the injury caused by ischemia/reperfusion in muscle histology.

Cartilage degeneration is a characteristic of osteoarthritis (OA) which is often observed in aging populations. This degeneration is due to the breakdown of articular cartilage (AC) mechanical and tribological properties, primarily attributed to lubrication failure. Understanding the reasons behind these failures and identifying potential solutions could have significant economic and societal implications, ultimately enhancing the quality of life. This review provides an overview of developments in the field of AC, focusing on its mechanical and tribological properties. The emphasis is on the role of lubrication in degraded AC, offering insights into its structure and function relationship. Further it explores the fundamental connection between AC mechano-tribological properties and the advancement of its degradation and puts forth recommendations for strategies to boost its lubrication efficiency.

The European Green Deal poses a two-pronged challenge for the automotive industry: migrating to solutions based in light structures, requiring light weight concepts and light materials, while at the same time avoiding dependence towards the importation of these advanced materials. Aluminium alloys are lightweight and cost-effective materials that can successfully cover the requirements of many structural applications, however their production requires from bauxite and other Critical Raw Materials (CRM), such as Si and Mg. Aluminium alloys are fully recyclable, but scrap is usually contaminated and its use is related to an increment of impurities, tramp element and undesired inclusions. Traditionally, the use of secondary alloys has been restricted to low performance applications. The present work analyses the effect that the use of scrap has in the quantity of inclusions present in the alloy and in other properties relevant for the material processing. The study was carried out for common alloys belonging to 3 of the most common aluminium processes used in the car manufacturing industry: High Pressure Die Casting (HPDC) (EN AC-43500), extrusion (6063) and sheet metal forming (5754 and 6181). Reference alloy were mixed with different level of scrap (0, 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100%) trying to keep the chemical composition as unaffected as possible. The inclusions level of the alloy was characterized with the Prefil Foot-printer® test. In addition, the obtained materials, after being cast in an open mould, were subjected to metallographic characterization. Relevant properties to assess the formability quality of the alloys for the corresponding transforming process, were obtained: flowability test for HPDC alloy and high temperature compression for extrusion alloys. The results obtained suggest that the number of inclusions present in the melt highly increase with the amount of scrap used to produce the alloy. These inclusions are also related with an important lost of flowability, but do not have a noticeable impact on microstructure.

The paper presents a new type of hydraulic clutch operating with magnetorheological (MR) fluids and the results achieved from both theoretical analysis and experimental measurement. The hy-draulic clutch system of its own design with MR working fluid and a rotating magnetic field lo-cated is designed. The principle of this clutch is to use a rotating magnetic field created by an al-ternating current electromagnet to set the MR fluid in motion. In the tests of the hydraulic clutch with a rotating magnetic field, MR fluid produced on their own, consisting of solid iron particles of various diameters mixed with a silicone oil, are used as working fluids. The rheological properties of MR fluids are assessed on the basis of tests carried out with a Brookfield DV2T rheometer equipped with a magnetic device for generating the magnetic field of its own design. The char-acteristics of the hydraulic clutch with MR working fluid and the rotating magnetic field are tested on a specially built test stand. As a result of the research, it has been found that the torque transmitted by the clutch is the greater, the higher the rotational speed of the magnetic field and the lower the rotational speed of the beaker in which the working fluid is placed, and that the greatest torque occurs for the working fluid with the highest iron content. Based on the analysis of the structure and characteristics of the clutch in which the magnetic field is used, it has been shown that the design of the developed clutch is similar to that of an induction clutch, and its characteristics correspond to the characteristics of the eddy current clutch. Therefore, the proposed new clutch working with MR fluid and the rotating magnetic field can be applied to stationary power transmission system similarly to an eddy current clutch.

This study finds that in northern Jordan, breeder indicators present challenges to the sustainability and growth of sheep and goat farming, while economic indicators suggest a combination of financial stability alongside hurdles related to profitability and resource ownership. Breeder age plays a role in the management of livestock herds, due to factors such as experience, resources, or adherence to traditional practices. Experience significantly affects breeders' decisions on male insemination replacements, likely due to skill. Crop cultivation influences breeders' returns by reducing feeding costs, while strategic lamb sales management boosts individual animal profitability. Winter raises animal mortality due to cold stress. Other animals in herds increase kid mortality by spreading diseases. Breeder experience significantly affects lamb survival, stressing its role in care. Increasing sheep proportion enhances lamb production and reduces lamb mortality while managing rams and selling lambs positively affects herd health and productivity. A larger goat herd proportion positively correlates with kids sold but inversely with breeding males and overall kids, implying trade-offs affecting herd productivity and mortality rates. Sheep herds (92.5%) show slightly better reproductive success than goats (90.6%), implying superior long-term viability. Flock excels in birth, survival, and sales, but low sheep and lamb%. Improvement is needed for sustainability, and the potential is high. Goat breeding shines in birth, sales, and overall success, but needs attention to kid survival and other sustainability issues. In conclusion, despite challenges, there are promising opportunities to enhance sheep and goat farming in Jordan. Effective management, informed by breeders' experience and economics, is crucial. Empowering small-scale herders and implementing targeted interventions like winter mortality solutions and selective breeding is vital for sustainable growth.

Background. Escalating global plastic production, expected to reach 34,000 million tons by 2050, poses a significant threat to human and environmental well-being, particularly in aquatic ecosystems. Microplastics (MP) and nanoplastics (NP), which originate from the degradation of plastics, are of concern due to their potential bioaccumulation and uptake of pollutants. This study addresses identification methods and focuses on insect meal, a raw material for aquaculture feed. Methods. By using different techniques, the study was able to detect MP and NP in insect meal samples. Chemical digestion with KOH at 60°C efficiently removed organic matter without affecting the synthetic polymer polyethylene (PE). Filtration, confocal Raman microscopy, SEM and TEM were used for comprehensive analysis and integrity tests on PE films were performed using Raman and FTIR spectroscopy. The results showed the presence of PE microplastic particles in the insect meal, which was confirmed by correlative Raman and SEM mapping on a positively charged surface. In addition, the increased resolution of the Raman microscope identified submicrometric PE NP (800 nm). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) confirmed plastic-like structures in the insect meal, highlighting the presence of PE plastics characterized by irregular shapes and some agglomeration. The higher carbon concentration in the EDX analysis supported the plastic nature, which was also confirmed by Raman spectroscopy. Conclusions. The study provides a robust method for the detection of MP and NP in insect meal and provides valuable insight into the possible presence of plastics in insect-based aquafeeds. The combination of different analytical methods increases the reliability of the results and sets the stage for future investigations that could focus on the quantification of NP and the assessment of their potential environmental impact.

This study addresses the critical challenge of Speech Enhancement (SE) in noisy environments, where the deployment of Deep Neural Networksolutions on microcontrollers is hindered by their extensive computational demands. Focusing on this gap, our research introduces a novel SE method optimized for MCUs, employing a 2-layer GRU model that capitalizes on perceptual speech properties and innovative training methodologies. By incorporating self-reference signals and a dual strategy of compression and recovery based on the Mel scale, we develop an efficient model tailored for low-latency applications. Our GRU-2L-128 model demonstrates a significant reduction in size and computational requirements, achieving a 14.2× decrease in model size and a 409.1× reduction in operations compared to traditional DNN methods like DCCRN, without compromising performance. This advancement offers a promising solution for enhancing speech intelligibility in resource-constrained devices, marking a pivotal step in SE research and application.

This paper investigates the effect of Fe contamination on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-7Si-0.7Mg-Fe2.5 alloy processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and heat treated in two different conditions: (1) Solution Heat Treatment (SHT) at 520 °C, followed by artificial ageing at 160 °C (T6), and (2) Direct Artificial Ageing of the as-printed material at 160 °C (DAA). Microstructural characterization was carried out by Optical Microscopy (OM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Mechanical characterization was carried out by tensile tests at room temperature. The formation of fine AlSiFe phases such as α-AlFeSi, β-AlFeSi, and π-Al8Si6Mg3Fe had no deleterious effect on the mechanical properties compared to previous studies for AlSIMg alloys without Fe. However, compared to the as-printed condition, the T6 heat treatment decreased the ultimate tensile strain significantly, while the elongation to the fracture presented a slight improvement.

In this study, the degradation characteristics of radio-frequency (RF) low-noise amplifier (LNA) based on silicon-germanium (SiGe) heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) due to total ionizing dose (TID) are investigated. The small-signal equivalent model of a SiGe HBT is utilized to analyze circuit-level performance including the input and the output matching and noise figure (NF). As a target circuit, an LNA with a cascode common-emitter stage with emitter degeneration is studied and the equation of each performance parameter is derived. The RF LNA fabricated using commercial 350 nm SiGe technology was exposed to X-ray irradiation with the total dose up to 3 Mrad (SiO2). The experimental results exhibit that modeled device parameters estimate the degraded circuit performance. In addition, the relative impact of each parameter on the circuit metrics is revealed, which is expected from the derived design equations. The key device parameters for modeling TID-induced circuit degradations include the base resistance, the transconductance, and the base-to-emitter capacitance.

Background: While the clinical factors of the post-COVID-19 condition (PCC) are becoming clearer, the economic implications remain uncertain, posing a challenge to healthcare professionals in terms of understanding and managing this emerging phenomenon. This article aims to investigate the demographic and clinical characteristics of PCC patients and quantify the economic impact of their healthcare resource utilisation. Methods: A retrospective and case-control observational study was conducted, comparing the case group of PCC population before and after diagnosis with a control group. Demographic and clinical variables were analysed with the objective of describing the population. Economic analysis was performed to evaluate the resource costs in procedures and primary, secondary (both outpatient and inpatient) and emergency care. Findings: PCC patients (N=341) exhibited older age and elevated cardiovascular risk factors compared to controls (N=49,078). There were differences in the socio-economic distribution between male and female patients in the PCC patients. Hypertension and diabetes mellitus type 2 were the most common chronic diseases observed among the case patients. Economic analysis revealed that PCC patients were approximately four times as costly as control patients, with increased utilisation of healthcare resources. However, post-diagnosis PCC patients showed a reduction in costs, primarily driven by decreased primary care visits and hospitalisations. Conclusion: Coordinated care management for PCC patients is associated with reduced costs and improved healthcare resource utilisation. Further research is warranted to investigate long-term health outcomes and establish causal relationships between COVID-19 sequelae and healthcare resource utilisation.

It is important to realize the transformation behavior of wüstite because it greatly affects the final structure of the oxide layer and the surface quality of the steel products. In the present study, the transformation behaviors of the wüstite layer are examined under nearly-oxygen-free conditions, to simulate the cooling processes after the hot rolled strip is coiled. As the single phase wüstite was prepared at 950˚C, the 460˚C transformed oxide layer was composed of a mixture of iron and magnetite formed through eutectoid reactions. For the 750˚C-fabricated wüstite, only magnetite was observed after transformation, without iron precipitates and residual wüstite. It is speculated that the unusual transformation behavior of the low-temperature-made wüstite results from the pseudo-structural intermediate phase transformation between wüstite and magnetite. This pseudo-structure is a pre-transformed wüstite and of various concentration of ferrous ion, which is determined by the fabrication conditions. During the hot strip mill process, the so-called wet scale, wüstite, is produced continuously from finish mill to laminar flow sections and ended at 570˚C. Consequently, the final eutectoid transformation below 570˚C is dominantly controlled by the surface temperature ranged from 750˚C to 950˚C for low carbon steel.

Outbreaks of the crown-of-thorns seastar (CoTS) represent a major cause of coral loss on the Great Barrier Reef. Outbreaks might be explained by enhanced larval survival supported by higher phytoplankton availability after flood events, yet little is known about CoTS larvae feeding behaviour, in particular their potential for selective feeding. Here, single- and mixed-species feeding experiments were conducted on CoTS bipinnaria larvae using five algae (Phaeodactylum tricornutum, Pavlova lutheri, Tisochrysis lutea , Dunaliella sp. and Chaetoceros sp.) and two algal concentrations (1000 and 2500 algae mL^-1). Cell counts using flow-cytometry at the beginning and end of each incubation experiment allowed us to calculate the filtration and ingestion rates of each species by CoTS larvae. In line with previous studies, CoTS larvae ingested more algae when initial algal concentration was higher. We found evidence for the selective ingestion of some species (Chaetoceros sp., Dunaliella sp.) over others (P. lutheri, P. tricornutum). The preferred algal species had the highest energy content, suggesting that CoTS selectively ingested the most energetic algae. Ultimately, combining these results with spatio-temporal patterns in phytoplankton communities will help elucidate the role of larval feeding behaviour in determining the frequency and magnitude of CoTS outbreaks.

Polo-Like Kinase-1 (PLK1) is a key regulator of the G2/M cell cycle and has been linked to treatment resistance in prostate cancer (PCa). This study aimed to explore the correlation between PLK1 expression, determined through RNA-seq analysis, and clinical outcomes in PCa patients. We analyzed tumor samples from 452 patients diagnosed with prostate adenocarcinoma between 2014 and 2020, sourced from nine institutions affiliated with the Oncology Research Information Exchange Network (ORIEN). PLK1 expression levels were determined using RNA-seq data and stratified into high (≥75th percentile) vs. low (<75th percentile) expression. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models compared overall survival between patients with low vs. high PLK1 expression, adjusting for age, race, PSA, and stage. Of the 452 tumors, 241 (53.3%) had high PLK1 and 211 (46.7%) had low PLK1 expression. Median follow-up was 2.74 years for low PLK1 and 2.71 years for high PLK1. No significant difference in overall survival was observed between low and high PLK1 groups in univariate (p=0.86; HR 1.09) or multivariate (p=1.0; HR 0.99) analyses. This study found no association between RNA-seq-based PLK1 expression and prognosis in PCa. PLK1 expression is not a prognostic marker for prostate cancer.

Understanding the interplay between infections and severe acute malnutrition is critical in attaining good clinical outcomes in managing malnourished children. However, review studies describing the profile of the associated pathogens in the malnourished African pediatric population are sparse in the literature. We aimed to identify the spectrum of pathogens from studies reporting infections in malnourished African children, as well as the antibiotic resistance pattern and clinical outcomes. A systematic literature of the PubMed database was conducted following PRISMA guidelines from January 2001 to June 2024. The search algorithm was ((marasmus) OR (kwashiorkor) OR (severe acute malnutrition) OR (protein energy malnutrition)) AND (Africa). For a more comprehensive retrieval, an additional search algorithm was deployed: (HIV OR tuberculosis) AND (severe acute malnutrition). We included 67 studies conducted between 2001 and 2024. Most of the studies were from East Africa (n=53, 79.1%) and Southern Africa (n=5, 7.4%). A total of 7,056 pathogens were identified comprising 3,030 Viruses, 2,381 bacteria, 1,452 parasites and 193 fungal pathogens. The predominant pathogens were HIV, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and malaria parasites accounting for 42.5%, 25.2%, and 17.1% respectively. Antibiotic susceptibility testing was documented in only three studies. Fatality rates were reported in 49 studies and ranged from 2% to 56% regardless of the category of pathogen. This review affirms the deleterious effect of infections in malnourished patients and suggests a gross underdiagnosis as studies were found from only 17 (31.5%) African countries. Moreover, data on fungal infections in malnourished African children was nearly absent despite being at risk. There is also a need to prioritize research investigating African children with severe acute malnutrition for fungal infections besides other opportunistic pathogens and improve the availability of diagnostic tools and the optimized usage of antibiotics through the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship programmes.

This comprehensive overview of the historical milestones in cell culture underscores key breakthroughs that have shaped the field over time. It begins with Wilhelm Roux's seminal experiments in the 1880s, followed by the pioneering efforts of Ross Granville Harrison, who initiated groundbreaking experiments that fundamentally shaped the landscape of cell culture in the early 20th century. Carrel's influential contributions, notably the immortalization of chicken heart cells, mark a significant advancement in cell culture techniques. Holtfreter, Moscona, and Leighton introduced innovations such as 3D cell culture, laying the groundwork for further exploration. The advent of induced pluripotent stem cells by Takahashi and Yamanaka in 2006 was revolutionary, enabling the reprogramming of differentiated cells into a pluripotent state. Since then, recent innovations include spheroids, organoids, and organ-on-a-chip technologies, aiming to mimic the structure and function of tissues and organs in vitro, pushing the boundaries of biological modeling and disease understanding. In this review, we overview the history of cell culture shedding light on the main discoveries, pitfalls and hurdles that were overcome during the transition from 2D to 3D cell culture techniques. Finally, we discussed the future directions for cell culture research that may accelerate the development of more effective and personalized treatments.

Natural cytokinins are a promising group of cytoprotective and anti-tumor agents. In this research, we synthesized a set of novel cytokinin analogs with alkyl substituents at various positions of the aromatic moiety, as well as with oxygen-containing groups, and tested their antiproliferative activity in MDA-MB-231, A-375, and U-87 MG cell lines, and cytoprotective properties in H2O2 and CoCl2 models. Two amino-linked compounds were anti-proliferative with the ability to act synergistically with doxorubicin, and two carbamate-based ones were cytoprotective. According to the molecular docking data, anti-proliferation was based on the A2AR and APRT inhibition and cytoprotection on the CDK2 inhibition. The obtained results are promising for the development of novel anti-cancer therapeutics.

With the rapid growth of the global mask market, consumers have put forward higher requirements for the functionality and ingredients of mask products. Conventional facial masks generally use ordinary non-woven fabrics as the mask base fabric, are frequently used with essence and contain preservatives. At the same time, they are susceptible to the influence of the external environment and are easily oxidized, which will cause the mask to deteriorate and skin allergic reactions. In addition, conventional facial masks exhibit poor skin fit, limited breathability, inadequate absorption of nutrient solutions, and easy to drip. The nanofiber mask prepared by electrospinning technology has a high specific surface area and high porosity, which enabling improved nutrient absorption by the skin, superior skin fit, and exceptional breathability. Nanofiber facial mask products can effectively solve consumer pain points and promote the high-end development of facial mask products. Therefore, this research combines needleless electrospinning technology to develop a novel solid-state, preservative-free, and quick-dissolving nanofiber facial mask that can be prepared on a large scale. Based on needleless electrospinning technology, this research deeply explores the process parameters and influencing mechanisms of quick-dissolving nanofiber facial masks, ultimately achieving the consistent production of nanofiber facial masks with optimal morphology. Comprehensive and evaluation of the structure and performance of nanofiber facial masks from micro and macro perspectives. The experimental results show that the mask morphology is optimal under the process conditions of using a spinning liquid of 20% collagen peptide solution, a spinning voltage of 30kV, a collection distance of 19cm, and a liquid supply speed of 130ml/h.

The new hybrid composite materials for PEM fuel cell were synthesized by UV-polymerization of acrylic monomers (acrylonitrile (AN), acrylic acid (AA), ethylene glycol dimethacrylate (EGDMA)) and sulfo aromatic monomer – sodium styrene sulfonate (SSS), and tetraethoxysilane/3-methacryloxypropyltrimethoxysilane (TEOS/MAPTMS)-based sol-gel system. By means of X-ray spectroscopy fractal structure of the obtained materials was characterized. Proton conductivity and viscoelastic properties of the materials were investigated depending on the content of inorganic component in nanocomposites. On the basis of impedance studies, an equivalent scheme is proposed that successfully describes the proton conductivity in the synthesized composite electrolyte membranes.

Epithelial barrier damage plays a central role in the development and maintenance of allergic inflammation. The rise in airways epithelial barrier permeability alters the tissue homeostasis and allows the allergen and other external agents penetration. Different factors contribute to barrier impairment, such as eosinophilic infiltrate and allergens proteases action: the eosinophilic cationic proteins and the allergens' proteolytic activity have a central role in contributing to epithelial damage. In the airways, the allergens proteases degrade the epithelial junctional proteins allowing the allergen penetration and the uptake by dendritic cells. The increase in allergen-immune system interactions induce the release of the alarmins and the activation of type 2 inflammatory pathways causing, or worsening, the main symptoms at skin, bowel and respiratory levels. We aim to highlight the molecular mechanisms underlying allergenic proteases-induced epithelial barrier damage and the role of immune response in allergic asthma onset, maintenance and progression. We further will explore clinical and radiological potential biomarkers of airways remodeling in allergic asthma patients.

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) may be linked to various factors that narrow the upper airways, such as obesity, adenotonsillar hypertrophy and craniofacial abnormalities. Hypothyroidism has also been described as a risk factor for OSA. However, the implication of goiter independently of thyroid function in the occurrence of OSA remains unclear. We present the case of a 66-year-old patient, with a large compressive multinodular goiter for whom total thyroidectomy was indicated. During the preoperative assessment, the patient showed a body mass index (BMI) of 37.8 kg/m2 with symptoms of OSA. Respiratory polygraphy confirmed the diagnosis of severe OSA (apnea hypopnea index: AHI=32) and treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) was initiated prior to thyroid surgery. Surprisingly, after total thyroidectomy, OSA symptoms disappeared and the patient abandoned CPAP therapy. Subsequent respiratory polygraphy after thyroidectomy showed a decrease in AHI to a normal value (AHI < 5). Interestingly, there was no change in BMI or other factors explaining the resolution of OSA, except for thyroidectomy. This case report suggests that goiter can be considered a risk factor for OSA. However, prospective studies are needed to accurately assess the effects of goiter on occurrence of OSA according to its dimensions and local extension.

Silybin is a natural compound extensively studied for its hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and anti-cancer properties. Envisioning the enhancement of silybin potential by suitable modifications in its chemical structure, here, a series of new 7-O alkyl silybins derivatives were synthesized by Mitsunobu reaction starting from the silybins and tyrosol-based phenols, such as tyrosol (TYR, 3), 3-methoxytyrosol (MTYR, 4) and 3-hydroxytyrosol (HTYR, 5). This research sought to explore the antioxidant and anticancer properties of new eighteen derivatives and their mechanisms. In particular, the antioxidant properties of new derivatives outlined by DPPH assay, showed a very pronounced activity depending on the tyrosyl moiety (HTYR&gt;MTYR&gt;&gt;TYR). A significant contribution of the HTYR moiety was observed for silybins and 2,3-dehydro-silybin based derivatives. According to the very potent antioxidant activity, 2,3-dehydro-silybin derivatives 15ab, 15a and 15b exerted the most potent anticancer activity in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis for cell cycle and apoptosis revealed that 15ab, 15a and 15b induce strong G1 phase arrest and increase late apoptotic population in PC-3 cells. Additionally, western blotting for apoptotic marker cleaved caspase-3 confirmed apoptosis induction by these silybin derivatives in PC-3 cells. These findings hold significant importance in the investigation of anticancer properties of silybin derivatives and strongly encourage swift investigation in pre-clinical models and clinical trials.

Estimating ground surface PM2.5 with fine spatiotemporal resolution is a critical technique for exposure assessments in epidemiological studies of its health risks. Previous studies have utilized monitoring, satellite remote sensing or air quality modeling data to evaluate the spatiotemporal variations of PM2.5 concentrations, but such studies rarely combined these data simultaneously. We develop a three-stage model to fuse PM2.5 monitoring data, satellite-derived aerosol optical depth (AOD) and community multi-scale air quality (CMAQ) simulations together and apply it to estimate daily PM2.5 at a spatial resolution of 0.1˚ over China. Performance of the three-stage model is evaluated using a cross-validation (CV) method step by step. CV results show that the finally fused estimator of PM2.5 is in good agreement with the observational data (RMSE = 23.00 μg/m^3 and R2 = 0.72) and outperforms either AOD-retrieved PM2.5 (R2 = 0.62) or CMAQ simulations (R2 = 0.51). According to step-specific CVs, in data fusion, AOD-retrieved PM2.5 plays a key role to reduce mean bias, whereas CMAQ provides all-spacetime-covered predictions, which avoids sampling bias caused by non-random incompleteness in satellite-derived AOD. Our fused products are more capable than either CMAQ simulations or AOD-based estimates in characterizing the polluting procedure during haze episodes and thus can support both chronic and acute exposure assessments of ambient PM2.5. Based on the products, averaged concentration of annual exposure to PM2.5 was 55.75 μg/m3, while averaged count of polluted days (PM2.5 > 75 μg/m3) was 81, across China during 2014. Fused estimates will be publicly available for future health-related studies.

Glucocorticoids (GC) are widely used in the treatment of hematological malignancies; however, the long-term treatment lead to atrophic and metabolic adverse effects. Selective glucocorticoid receptor agonists (SEGRA) with reduced side effects could be the better GC alternative. More than 30 SEGRA were described but none of them reached clinical trials as anticancer treatment. In the present work, we proposed the novel approach to broaden the list of potential SEGRA by synthesis of derivatives of synephrine, the molecule of natural origin. We synthesized 26 compounds from the class of synephrine derivatives, and studied their anticancer effect in vitro in leukemia and lymphoma cells with MTT assay as well as their potential affinity to glucocorticoid receptor (GR) in silico using molecular docking approach. Novel derivative 1-[4-(benzyloxy)phenyl]-2-(hexylamino)ethanol (10S-E2) with the highest GR affinity in silico revealed the micromolar range cytotoxicity in lymphoma and leukemia cells after 24 h of treatment. The other compound, 2-(hexylamino)-1-(4-nitrophenyl)ethanol (13S-G2) with high GR affinity demonstrated cytotoxicity in the range of 50-70 µM. Overall, our results provide the rationale for the development and further investigation of synephrine derivatives as SEGRA with anticancer activity.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide, including in Croatia. Since most patients have multiple disorders and diseases caused largely by the same risk factors, and as it is essential to approach each patient as a person with all disorders, today we are talking about a new paradigm - cardio-renal-metabolic (CKM) syndrome and cardio-renal-metabolic health, which necessarily includes brain health. Elevated systolic blood pressure, LDL cholesterol, smoking, obesity, diabetes, impaired renal function or chronic kidney disease, which all stem from insufficient physical activity, unhealthy diet with excessive intake of table salt, and air pollution, are the leading causes of overall morbidity and mortality from CKM diseases, especially mortality from CVD. Experts from various fields key to CKM health have written this document with the aim of integrating it as part of the national plan for the prevention of chronic non-communicable diseases with a focus on CVD, which should become mandatory and be based on the existing guidelines of professional societies.

Background: Malnutrition commonly affects patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which contributes to worsening prognosis. Moreover, specific strategies for diagnosing and managing malnutrition in OSCC are lacking. Methods: This retrospective study included 52 consecutive patients with OSCC who underwent surgery at the University Hospital of Palermo (I) from Jan 2020 to May 2023. In-hospital nutritional support was provided by a dedicated team. The patients were compared with a historical control group of 11 patients. The nutritional treatment consisted of standard oral (ON) or artificial nutrition (AN). Traditional measurements, including bioimpedance-derived body composition and volumetric reconstruction of the posterior paraspinal muscles at the C3 level based on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI-C3), were obtained in 16 patients to investigate sarcopenia. Results: The patients were categorized according to TNM stage: groups A (TNM stages I-III) and B (IVa-IVc). The prevalence of group A patients was 59.6% in the case group and 90.9% in the control group (P

Neuroblastoma (NB) is a childhood cancer with heterogeneous characteristics, posing challenges to effective treatment. NBs express somatostatin receptors that facilitates the use of somatostatin analogs (SSTAs) as tumor-seeking agents for diagnosis and therapy. High-risk (HR) NBs often have gain-of-function mutations in the receptor tyrosine kinase anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK). Despite intensive multimodal treatment, survival rates remain below 40% for children with HR-NB. The aim of this work was to investigate the combined effect of the SSTA 177Lu-octreotide with the ALK inhibitor lorlatinib. Mice bearing human HR-NB CLB-BAR tumors were treated with lorlatinib, 177Lu-octreotide, combination of these pharmaceuticals or saline (control). Tumor volume was monitored and tumor samples were evaluated for cleaved caspase-3 and expression of 84 human genes involved in apoptosis. Combination treatment with 177Lu-octreotide and lorlatinib demonstrated synergistic antitumor effects. Increased number of cleaved caspase 3-positive cells was observed in tumors from mice treated with 177Lu-octreotide alone and in combination with lorlatinib. Modulation of Bcl-2 family gene expression was observed only in the presence of both 177Lu-octreotide and lorlatinib, with BID downregulated and HRK upregulated on days 2 and 7, respectively. The data suggests that ALK signaling pathway inhibition may contribute to radiosensitization in radionuclide therapy with 177Lu-octreotide.

Molecular analysis of growing teratoma syndrome has not been extensively studied. Here, we report a 14-year-old boy with a growing mass during treatment for a mixed germ cell tumor of the pineal region. Tumor markers were negative; thus, growing teratoma syndrome was suspected. A radical resection via the occipital transtentorial approach was performed, and histopathological examination revealed a teratoma with malignant features. Methylation classifier analysis confirmed the diagnosis of teratoma, and DMRT1 loss and 12p gain were identified by copy number variation analysis, potentially elucidating the cause of growth and malignant transformation of the teratoma. The patient remains in remission after intense chemoradiation treatment as a high-risk germ cell tumor.

Abstract Background andAims: During liver transplantation, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence remains a critical challenge for patient survival. Targeted therapies, such as Sorafenib and Regorafenib, have been utilized to manage relapsed HCC in this unique setting. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of Sorafenib and Regorafenib in patients with HCC who experienced recurrence after liver transplantation. We focused on survival outcomes, treatment responses, and the management of side effects in this patient group. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 73 patients who experienced HCC recurrence post-liver transplantation between 2012 and 2022, across 11oncology centers in Turkey. Patients were categorised according to Child-Pugh classification and treated with Sorafenib as first-line therapy and Regorafenib in case of progression. Survival rates were analysed by Kaplan-Meier method and risk factors were evaluated by Cox regression analysis. Results: Of the 73 patients included in the study, 62 were male (84,9%) and 11 were female (15,1%) with a mean age of 61,5 ± 10,9 years. All patients received sorafenib as first-line treatment. Among patients who experienced progression with sorafenib or discontinued treatment due to toxicity, 45,2% (n=33) continued treatment with regorafenib. The median progression-free survival (PFS1) time with Sorafenib was 5,6 months and the one-year survival rate was 24,3%. The median progression-free survival (PFS2) time with Regorafenib, which was administered as second-line treatment, was also calculated as 5,9 months. Overall survival (OS) duration was determined as 35,9 months. The most common side effects associated with both drugs included fatigue, hand-foot syndrome and hypertension. Significantly better survival outcomes were shown in the Child-Pugh A group compared to other patients. Conclusion: These results suggest that Sorafenib and Regorafenib treatments offer a survival advantage in patients with relapsed HCC post-transplantation. However, individualized treatment strategies and close follow-up are crucial for optimizing outcomes. Further studies are needed to refine therapeutic protocols and enhance the care of this specific patient group.

Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy has been established as a viable treatment option for inoperable early-stage Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer or secondary lesions mainly in oligoprogressive/oligometastatic scenarios. Treating lesions in the so-called “no flight zone” has always been challenging and conflicting data never cleared how to safely treat these lesions. This is truer considering ultra-central lesions, i.e. directly abutting or whose PTV is overlapping critical mediastinal organs. While historical retrospective data is abundant but mostly heterogenous in terms of definition of ultra-central lesions, dosing regimens and outcomes, prospective data remains scarce, even though recently published studies have given new encouraging results for such delicate treatment scenarios. For this reason, we aimed to review and summarize current knowledge on stereotactic radiation treatment for ultra-central thoracic lesions, highlighting the most recent advances and the messages that can be taken from them. Lastly, we propose a workflow of the necessary steps to identify and treat such patients, therefore helping in elucidating them with advantages and caveats of such treatment option.

The global meat industry has grown substantially, producing 357.39 million tons in 2021, with poultry and pork comprising nearly 73% of this total. However, contamination by mycotoxins, such as zearalenone (ZEA) and fumonisin B1 (FB1), presents a major issue, as these toxins resist common preservation methods. This study explores the potential of bioprotective microorganisms in mycotoxin degradation and fungal control within the animal food production chain, a sector facing significant challenges due to fungal contamination. In this study, 23 bacterial and yeast strains were tested for their ability to degrade ZEA and FB1, and to inhibit mycotoxigenic fungi. Four bacterial strains were highly effective in degrading ZEA: Bacillus amyloliquefaciens MLB3, Bacillus subtilis MLB2, Bacillus velezensis CL197, and Streptomyces griseus CECT 3276. However, no strain achieved satisfactory FB1 degradation. The strains also displayed antifungal activity, inhibiting up to 100% of fungi growth in solid media co-culture tests. Simulated swine and poultry digestion demonstrated complete ZEA degradation after 2 hours of incubation. Metabolite analysis revealed that low-toxicity conjugates were formed. These findings suggest that these bacteria hold significant promise for biotechnological applications in animal production, helping to reduce mycotoxin contamination, improve food safety, and protect both animal and human health.

An outbreak of esophagitis and ingluvitis caused by Salmonella Typhimurium in passerines seized from illegal wildlife trafficking is described. This illegal activity causes stress and leads to lowered immunity in the birds. Additionally, inadequate hygiene conditions predispose the birds to diseases such as salmonellosis. Few studies report the occurrence of Salmonella-induced lesions in the esophagus and crop of wild birds; thus, this study aimed to describe the disease in these species, investigate its presence in the environment, and determine the antimicrobial resistance profile. Three birds of the genus Sporophila were necropsied. In the esophagus and crop, yellowish plaques corresponding to necrosis with bacterial aggregates were observed. Salmonella spp. was isolated from these lesions, with genus confirmation via MALDI-TOF. Environmental samples were collected from the enclosures and cages where the animals were quarantined, and the same bacterium was isolated. In two birds, the serotype S. Typhimurium was identified. Antibiograms performed on the strains from the birds and the environment revealed resistance to antibiotics in the classes of Penicillins, Sulfonamides, Aminoglycosides, Monobactams, Tetracyclines, and first and third-generation Cephalosporins. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of this agent causing death in Sporophila due to esophagitis and ingluvitis. It is also the first report of salmonellosis in three species of passerines in Brazil. The study underscores the importance of understanding the pathogens circulating in wild animals, especially within the context of One Health.

Cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE) is a highly all-important material renowned for its exceptional physical and chemical properties, and it is extensively utilized in various industries such as con-struction, piping, cable insulation and medical equipment. The cross-linking process of polyethylene involves chemical or physical bonding of polymer chains to enhance its resistance to heat, chemicals and mechanical stress. This study offers a comprehensive overview of recent research and potential advancements in this field, with a particular focus on the development of efficient techniques and environmentally sustainable cross-linking systems. It evaluates the opportunities and challenges faced by cross-linked polyethylene materials across diverse applications, providing valuable insights for future research in this area.

Chikungunya (CHIKV) and Mayaro (MAYV) viruses are arthritogenic alphaviruses that promote an incapacitating and long-lasting inflammatory muscle-articular disease. Despite studies pointing out the importance of skeletal muscle (SkM) in viral pathogenesis, the long-term consequences on its physiology after acute injury and the mechanism of persistence of symptoms are still poorly understood. Combining molecular, morphological, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and histological analysis, we conduct a temporal investigation of CHIKV and MAYV replication in a wild-type mice model, focusing on the impact on SkM composition, structure, and repair in the acute and late phases of infection. We found that viral replication and induced-inflammation promote fast loss of muscle mass and reduction of fibers cross sectional area, by inducing muscle-specific E3 ubiquitin ligases MuRF1 and Atrogin expression, that trigger protein breakdown, resulting in acute SkM fibers atrophy. After temporal reduction of inflammation and clearance of infectious viral particles, SkM atrophy persists until the late phase of infection. The genomic CHIKV and MAYV RNAs were still detected in SkM at the late phase, along with increased levels of chemokines and anti-inflammatory cytokines expression. In agreement with the involvement of inflammatory mediators on induced atrophy, neutralization of TNF and the reduction of oxidative stress using monomethyl fumarate, an agonist of Nrf2, decreases atrogens expression and atrophic fibers, while increasing weight gain in treated mice. Taken together, these data indicate that arthritogenic alphavirus infection could chronically impact body SkM composition and also harm repair machinery, contributing to a better understanding of mechanisms of arthritogenic alphaviruses pathogenesis and with description of potentially new targets of therapeutic intervention.

Zoo conditions are unique for reindeer, since even domestic reindeer are not kept in captive facilities like cattle. In the zoo, reindeer are usually surrounded by many different animals they would never encounter naturally. Thus they might pick up some new helminths. Numerous petting zoos raise an issue of safety of tactile communications for human visitors. Out study is the first large-scale one. Qualitative and quantitative fecal analysis was carried out for 233 reindeer distributed over 50 Russian zoos according to National Standard of the Russian Federation (GOST R 54627-2011) Ruminant animals—Methods of Laboratory Helminthological Diagnostics. Where possible, DNA analyses of helminths were performed targeting internal transcribed spacer region. In result, F. hepatica, Paramphistomum sp., Moniezia sp. (including M. expansa), gastrointestinal strongylids (including Nematodirus spp.), Dictyocaulus sp., E. rangiferi, Trichuris sp., and Capillaria sp. were found in 106 (45%) zoo reindeer. All these helminths were previously reported for reindeer and pose no direct danger for humans. Intensity of invasions was mostly low. Fecal examination might be considered as an indirect method for mange diagnostics, as Chorioptes and Demodex mites were found in reindeer fecal samples. The latter may represent a novel species of mite specific for reindeer.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a public health problem exacerbated by the overuse and misuse of antibiotics and an inadequate capacity of laboratories to conduct AMR surveillance. This study assessed the capacity of laboratories in seven faith-based hospitals to conduct bacteriology, AMR testing and surveillance in Zambia. This multi-facility, cross-sectional exploratory study was conducted from February 2024 to April 2024. We collected and analysed data using the self-scoring Laboratory Assessment of Antibiotic Resistance Testing Capacity (LAARC) tool. This study found an overall score of 39%, indicating a low capacity of laboratories to conduct AMR surveillance. The highest capacity score was 47%, while the lowest was 25%. Only one hospital had full capacity (100%) to utilise a Laboratory Information System (LIS). Three hospitals had good capacity to perform data management with scores of 83%, 85%, and 95%. Only one hospital had full capacity (100%) to process specimens, and only one hospital had good safety requirements for a microbiology laboratory, with a score of 89%. This study demonstrates that all the assessed hospitals have a low capacity to conduct AMR surveillance. Therefore, there is an urgent need to strengthen the microbiology capacity of laboratories to enhance surveillance in faith-based hospitals in Zambia.

Background and Objective: Patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) treated with a dis-ease-modifying therapy (DMT) are often classified as responders or non-responders based on at-tainment of a specific improvement threshold on validated functional scales. This categorization may significantly impact treatment reimbursement in some countries. The aim of this research is to evaluate the perception of treatment benefit by patients considered as responder or non-responder. Methods: In this non-commercial multicenter study, 99 post-symptomatically treated SMA type I-III patients with a median age of 11.2 (0.39-57.4) years at treatment initiation were stratified into three groups based on their treatment outcomes, i.e. those exhibiting clinically significant improvement (N=41), those with non-clinically significant improvement (N=18), or those show-ing no improvement (N=40). Fifteen months after treatment initiation patients or patients’ care-givers were assessed using a patient-rated scoring system based on the Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC) scale, comprising 22 questions targeting important aspects and tasks in the daily life of patients with SMA. Results: We found no statistical difference in patient perception of treatment benefit in 17 out of 22 domains across patient groups. Conclusion: Our results suggest that functional motor scales do not recapitulate patients and pa-tients’ caregivers experience about the effect of nusinersen treatment in SMA.

Environmental degradation leads to a totally unsustainable food system. In addition to this is-sue, the consumption of foods that improve people's health and well-being is recommend-ed. These guidelines create new challenges and the demand for alternatives to meet these needs in the short term. One of the alternatives is undoubtedly the use of by-products of winemaking, namely in the form of grape pomace flour (GPF), which is obtained in a totally sustainable way, requires no further water consumption or agricultural land, and is an ingredient that boasts all the characteristics that meet the circular economy and has colossal potential in promoting nutrition and healthy eating. To verify the benefits of using the Touriga Nacional and Arinto (Vitis vinifera L.) flour varieties, analytical determinations were made to identify and quantify different components, such as nitrogen and extractable phosphorus, ash, moisture, proteins, fats, dietary fibers, total sugars, and phenolic content. GPF could become a valuable ingredient due to its nutritional quality and high content in various polyphenols namely flavonoids and pyranoanthocyanins.

Naturally fermented dairy products are an important component of the human diet. They are a valuable source of nutrients as well as vitamins and minerals. Their importance as a source of probiotic bacterial strains should not be overlooked. A number of studies highlights the positive effects of species of the Lactobacillacea on the intestinal microbiota, the overall homeostasis of the body, as well as a complementary treatment for some diseases. However, data on the effects on intestinal epithelial cells of postmetabolites released by bacteria are incomplete. This is likely due to the fact that these effects are species and strain specific. In the present study, we investigated the effects of postmetabolites produced by a pre-selected candidate probiotic strain Limosilactobacillus fermentum on HT-29 intestinal epithelial cells. Our data showed a pronounced proliferative effect, evaluated by flow cytometry, quantification of cell population, and determination of mitotic index. This was accompanied by stabilization of the cell monolayer, measured by increase of TEER (trans epithelial electric resistance) and reorganization of actin filaments. The data obtained are a clear indication of the positive effects, that the products secreted by L. fermentum strain 53 have on the intestinal epithelial cells.

.Citizen or community science (CS) projects in the marine environment rarely consider carbon footprint and sustainability. In this case study, we assessed the effectiveness of ten CS methods used by tourists in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park (GBRMP) and Coral Sea Marine Park (CSMP). We also assessed baseline coral reef knowledge of the tourists, observations of marine species and the communication of our results to the public. Specifically, the tourists utilised up to ten methods: iNaturalist, CoralWatch, Great Barrier Reef Census, Eye on the Reef (EoR), environ-mental DNA (eDNA) testing kits, photogrammetry, social surveys, and Red Map, as well as ma-rine debris and marine vegetation collections. A total of 10,421 data points were collected across 14 days, including 5,390 records (52 % of the total) uploaded to iNaturalist, comprising 640 plant animal species. Public awareness of the CS expedition reached over 700,000 people based on estimates from advertising, media, social media, family and friends, and conference presenta-tions. We estimated the total carbon footprint for the expedition as 268.7 tonnes of CO2 or 4.47 tonnes of CO2 per person, equivalent to $112 AUD needed to offset this input. Based on these re-sults, our recommendations to leverage CS methods include governmental review strategies, temporal replication to allow the measurement of changes through time, integrating sustainabil-ity into CS ecotourism platforms, and encouraging broad participation.

Background/Objectives: Alcohol consumption during pregnancy poses notable risks to maternal and foetal health, yet its prevalence and impact in Nigeria remain understudied. This commentary article aims to review the current state of alcohol intake by expectant mothers in Nigeria and provide an overview of Foetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder (FASD) and recommendations for addressing this public health issue. Methods: Drawing on existing literature, we highlight the prevalence of alcohol intake by expectant mothers in Nigeria and explore the socio-cultural factors influencing drinking behaviours during pregnancy. Results: Despite limited empirical evidence, anecdotal reports suggest that alcohol consumption during pregnancy is not uncommon in Nigeria, driven by factors such as social norms, lack of awareness, and limited access to prenatal care and education. The implications of prenatal alcohol exposure for maternal and child health are substantial, with potential consequences including FASD, birth defects, and mortality. Conclusions: We provide recommendations for policymakers, healthcare providers, and community stakeholders to enhance awareness, prevention, and support systems for pregnant women and their families. Key recommendations include implementing public health campaigns to raise awareness concerning the dangers of alcohol use by expectant mothers, integrating alcohol screening and counselling into routine prenatal care services, strengthening regulations on alcohol advertising and availability, and providing support services for women struggling with alcohol use disorders during pregnancy. By addressing the gaps in knowledge and practice surrounding alcohol consumption during pregnancy, Nigeria can take meaningful steps toward promoting maternal and child health and preventing the lifelong consequences of FASD and related conditions.

We describe a method of determining three-body and four-body Laplace-like phase angles with the potential to librate about a mean value in multiplanet extrasolar systems. Unlike in past searches of N-body results, this method relies on global mean-motion resonances (MMRs) and takes into consideration the location of the most massive planet which defines the 1:1 global MMR in each (sub)system. We compile lists of potentially librating phase angles and prevalent MMRs in 35 real multibody systems, and we discuss their properties in conjunction with recent investigations of librations discovered in sophisticated N-body simulations. We hope that our results will facilitate systematic libration searches in dynamical models of compact systems with three or more orbiting bodies.

Objectives: The Implicit Prosody Hypothesis (IPH) posits that individuals generate internal prosodic representations during silent reading, mirroring those produced in spoken language. While converging behavioral evidence supports the IPH, the underlying neurocognitive mechanisms remain largely unknown. Therefore, this study investigated the neurophysiological markers of sensitivity to speech rhythm cues during silent word reading. Methods: EEG was recorded while participants silently read four-word sequences, each composed of either trochaic words (stressed on the first syllable) or iambic words (stressed on the second syllable). Each sequence was followed by a target word that was either metrically congruent or incongruent with the preceding rhythmic pattern. Results: Single-trial event-related potentials (ERPs) and time-frequency representations (TFRs) triggered by the target words were examined using a hierarchical mass univariate general linear modeling approach to investigate the effects of metrical expectancy and stress type. ERP findings revealed significant differences based on expectancy, with words carrying unexpected stress eliciting larger negativities between 240-628 ms after word onset. TFRs further revealed that different frequency bands were sensitive to distinct aspects of rhythmic structure in language. Alpha activity, linked to attention, reflected expectations about the rhythmic pattern. Theta and beta activity, associated with processing rhythm and timing, were sensitive to both the expected rhythm and the specific location of stressed syllables within words. Conclusions: These findings highlight comparable neurophysiological responses to both implicit and explicit speech rhythm, further supporting the IPH and emphasizing the role of prosody in silent reading.

Bacterial keratitis caused by Pseudomonas aeruginosa is indeed a serious concern due to its potential to cause blindness and its resistance to antibiotics, partly attributed to biofilm formation and cytotoxicity to the cornea. The present study uses meta-analysis of transcriptomics dataset to identify important genes and pathways in biofilm formation of P. aeruginosa induced keratitis. By combining data from several studies, meta-analysis can enhance statistical power and robustness, enabling the identification of 83 differentially expressed candidate genes including fis that could serve as therapeutic targets. The approach of combining meta-analysis with virtual screening and in vitro methods provides a comprehensive strategy for identifying potential target genes and pathway crucial for bacterial biofilm formation and development anti-biofilm medications against P. aeruginosa infections. The study identified 83 candidate genes that exhibited differential expression in the biofilm state, with fis proposed as an ideal target for therapy for P. aeruginosa biofilm formation. These techniques, meta-analysis, virtual screening, and in-vitro methods were used in combination to diagnostically identify these genes which play a significant role in biofilms. This finding has highlighted a hallmark target list for P. aeruginosa anti-biofilm potential treatments.

The maritime environment is the setting for a variety of economic activities, such as offshore wind energy, aquaculture, salt extraction, and oil and gas platforms. While some of these activities have a long-term presence, others require decarbonisation as they head towards their demise. In this context, the aim of this study is to develop a methodology to replace the electrical energy from high-emission industrial processes offshore with clean electricity generated by offshore wind energy. The proposal is structured in three phases: Initiation, which involves the collection of quantitative, technical and geospatial information of the study area; Indicators, where the main indicators are calculated and the best alternative is selected using multi-criteria evaluation methods; and finally, short, medium and long-term scenarios are proposed. The methodology is evaluated in Spain, the best alternative with a nominal power of 225 MW, is capable of avoiding up to 1.44 MtCO₂ by 2050.

Crouch gait is one of the most common gait abnormalities. In the literature, there are few works related to the crouch gait recognition. In this work, we aim at the integration of a framework for multiclass crouch gait recognition using synthetic eight-DoF model gait data in anatomical space. The main contribution of our study is the joint function generator algorithm, which could be used to generate other physiological signals; and the gait data validation stage. In addition, we use a feature selection method and a body region segmentation approach to improve classification performance. We generated a gait dataset containing 25 join functions of each DoF for each gait class (4 crouched and normal). The algorithms that we evaluated for classification were: K-nearest neighbors (kNN), Naive Bayes (NB), discriminant analysis (DA), decision trees (DT), and an artificial neural network (ANN). We calculated the metrics: accuracy (Acc), recall (R), specificity (SP), precision (P) and the F-measure (FM) to asses the classification performance. In general, for this work, the best algorithms were discriminant analysis and artificial neural networks. The main results of the proposed recognition framework provide evidence that can be used in real clinical settings to diagnose and make decisions about treatments related to crouch gait diseases.

AI-driven applications are rapidly growing, and more applications are joining the market competition. As a result, the AI-as-a-Service (AIaaS) model is experiencing rapid growth. Many of these AIaas-based applications are not properly optimized initially. Once they start experiencing a large volume of traffic, different challenges start revealing themselves. One of these challenges is maintaining a profit margin for the sustainability of the AIaaS application-based business model, which depends on the proper utilization of computing resources. This paper introduces the Resource Award Predictive (RAP) model for AIaaS cost optimization called RAP-Optimizer. It is developed by combining a Deep Neural Network (DNN) with the simulated annealing optimization algorithm. It is designed to reduce resource underutilization and minimize the number of active hosts in cloud environments. It dynamically allocates resources and handles API requests efficiently. The RAP-Optimizer reduces the number of active physical hosts by an average of 5 per day, leading to a 45% decrease in server costs. The impact of the RAP-Optimizer has been observed over a 12-month period. The observational data show a significant improvement in resource utilization. It effectively reduces operational costs from $2,600 to $1,250 per month. Furthermore, the RAP-Optimizer increases the profit margin by 179%, from $600 to $1,675 per month. The inclusion of the Dynamic Dropout Control (DDC) algorithm in the DNN training process mitigates overfitting, achieving a 97.48% validation accuracy and a validation loss of 2.82%. These results indicate that the RAP-Optimizer effectively enhances resource management and cost-efficiency in AIaaS application, making it a valuable solution for modern cloud environments.

This paper starts with an assumption, that there are strong strategic benefits in having boards with members of different backgrounds, experience, and particularly gender, which is reflected in better corporate governance. The central research question of this paper is: To what extent have Estonian listed companies complied with the requirements of the EU law on Gender Balance on Boards compared to other Nordic countries? In the case of Estonia, all listed companies on the Tallinn Stock Exchange are included in our sample. The authors purposely focus on developing ownership strategies to improve diversity on the boards of corporations with concentrated ownership structures, without regard to arguments that emphasize equal rights or a feminist agenda. The methodology part of the study analyses corporate governance in Estonia, followed by a comparative analysis of Nordic countries (Finland, Sweden, Norway) that have successfully increased female representation on boards, providing valuable insights for Estonia’s efforts to enhance gender diversity. The results of the current research are a valuable analytical resource for the Estonian business community, as well as for policymakers.

The consumption of contaminated water contributes to the global burden of diarrhea and other water-borne diseases, especially among young children. While the decentralized solar water disinfection treatment system remains a viable option to have safe drinking water, our understanding of the effects of household water treatment before use on willingness to accept and adopt a decentralized solar water disinfection treatment system is limited. In this study, a complementary log-log regression analysis of the compositional and contextual factors that systematically vary with willingness to accept and adopt a decentralized solar water disinfection treatment system in the Sawla-Tuna-Kalba (STK) district of Ghana was carried out. Based on our findings, a greater proportion of households’ (97%) are willing to accept and adopt a decentralized solar water disinfection treatment system. Compositional and contextual factors such as age, marital status, education, religion, and geographical location significantly contribute to households’ willingness to accept and adopt a decentralized solar water disinfection treatment system in the STK district of Ghana. Households that treat their water before use (66%, P&lt;0.05) are more likely to accept and adopt a solar water disinfection treatment system compared to those that do not treat their water before use. The findings therefore suggest that scaling up solar water disinfection systems in the STK district is sacrosanct, and highlight the necessity to analyze compositional and contextual factors influencing willingness to accept and adopt solar water disinfection systems. Our findings will inform policies and programs aimed at implementing solar water disinfection systems in the study area to improve the health of communities that must rely on poor quality drinking water sources.

In the present paper and inspired with a similar construction on Hermite functions, we construct two series of Gelfand triplets each one spanned by Laguerre-Gauss functions with a fixed positive value of one of their parameters, considered as the fundamental one. We prove the continuity of different types of ladder operators on these triplets. Laguerre-Gauss functions with negative value of the fundamental parameter are proven to be continuous functionals on one of these triplets. Different sorts of coherent states are considered and proven to be in some spaces of test functions corresponding to Gelfand triplets.

Background: Upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) presents significant challenges in prognostication due to its rarity and complex anatomy. This study introduces a novel approach integrating perirenal fat (PRF) radiomics with clinical factors to enhance prognostic accuracy in UTUC. Methods: The study retrospectively analysed 103 UTUC patients who underwent radical nephroureterectomy. PRF radiomics features were extracted from preoperative CT scans using a semi-automated segmentation method. Three prognostic models were developed: clinical, ra-diomics, and combined. Model performance was assessed using concordance index (C-index), time-dependent Area Under the Curve (AUC), and integrated Brier score. Results: The combined model demonstrated superior performance (C-index: 0.784, 95% CI: 0.707-0.861) compared to the radiomics (0.759, 95% CI: 0.678-0.840) and clinical (0.653, 95% CI: 0.547-0.759) models. Time-dependent AUC analysis revealed the radiomics model's particular strength in short-term prognosis (12-month AUC: 0.9281), while the combined model excelled in long-term predictions (60-month AUC: 0.8403). Key PRF radiomics features showed stronger prognostic value than traditional clinical factors. Conclusions: Integration of PRF radiomics with clinical data significantly improves prognostic accuracy in UTUC. This approach offers a more nuanced analysis of the tumour microenvironment, potentially capturing early signs of tumour invasion not visible through conventional imaging. The semi-automated PRF segmentation method presents advantages in reproducibility and ease of use, facilitating potential clinical implementation.

The RSA cryptosystem has long been a fundamental component of contemporary public key in- frastructure. However, recent developments in quantum computing and mathematical theory have introduced signicant challenges to its security. A fully operational quantum computer would allow for the application of Shor's algorithm, enabling the ecient factoring of large integers, thereby com- promising the integrity of RSA and other cryptographic methods dependent on discrete logarithms. Although Grover's algorithm poses a comparatively smaller threat to symmetric encryption systems, it still presents a vulnerability by accelerating key search processes. The looming threat from quan- tum technologies has driven a surge in research aimed at developing quantum-resistant cryptography. These eorts focus on cryptographic techniques grounded in error-correcting codes, lattice structures, and multivariate public key systems, all of which leverage the complexity of NP-hard problemssuch as solving multivariate quadratic equationsto preserve security in a post-quantum world. This pa- per reviews the current progress in quantum-resistant encryption methods, particularly emphasizing the role of robust trapdoor functions. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive analysis of critical multivariate cryptosystem frameworks, such as Matsumoto-Imai, Oil and Vinegar, and Polly Cracker schemes. It also examines advances in lattice-based systems like Kyber and Crystals-Dilithium, which are undergoing assessment by NIST for potential standardization. As quantum computing continues to evolve, the demand for cutting-edge cryptographic solutions to safeguard digital communications grows increasingly pressing.

The EXO+ hip protector was developed to minimize the risk of hip fractures in seniors following falls. This study evaluated its usability in a Singapore nursing home from the perspective of staff, focusing on Learnability, Efficiency, and Satisfaction. A mixed-method design was employed, with nursing home residents wearing the EXO+ daily for 8 weeks. Quantitative data on wear time was collected alongside qualitative insights from four repeated focus group discussions with care staff. In total, 15 residents (including 8 residents with cognitive impairments) and 9 staff participated. The analysis revealed six themes and fourteen subthemes related to EXO+’s usability. Residents wore the device for an average of 1.54 hours per day, with those having cognitive impairments showing increased wear times, especially in the mornings and on weekdays. Findings indicated that the EXO+ was learnable and satisfactory for nursing home use, provided there are adequate supporting features. The efficiency of the EXO+ was not fully measured since no falls were reported during the study period. The study offers valuable insights for potential design modifications and workflow adaptations to enhance the implementation of hip protectors in healthcare settings, highlighting facilitators and barriers to support device uptake.

This paper employs the Finite Element Method (FEM) to simulate and analyze the effects of corrosion defect parameters on the stress and failure pressure of pipelines. It investigates how the boundary conditions of the pipeline model influence stress and examines the sensitivity of failure pressure to corrosion defect parameters. A nonlinear regression equation has been developed from a dataset obtained through simulation experiments to predict the failure pressure of corroded pipelines. To validate the effects of corrosion defect parameters on failure pressure, a hydrostatic test platform for an API 5L X65 pipeline with corrosion defects was established to measure stress levels and failure pressures across varying corrosion defects. The study reveals that failure pressure is negatively correlated with corrosion length and depth, while positively correlated with corrosion width. Among these parameters, corrosion depth exerts a more significant influence on the pipeline's failure pressure than corrosion length and width. Within the range of corrosion defect parameters examined, the maximum deviation of the prediction equation's results from the simulation results is 8.71%, with an average deviation of 5.81%. The standard deviation of the fitted residuals is 0.01837. Additionally, the maximum deviation between the predicted results and experimental measurements is 8.39%, with an average deviation of 7.77%. The strong agreement between the predicted results from the equation and the actual measured data underscores the effectiveness of the nonlinear regression equation.

Ensuring adequate food supplies has become a critical issue with a rapidly growing global population and increasing demand for protein-rich foods. In Baghlan province, Afghanistan, many poultry farms have been forced to cease operations due to insufficient infrastructure and resources, leaving a significant gap in meeting the region's growing demand for poultry products. This study aims to identify the key factors affecting the sustainability and development of broiler farms in Baghlan province as perceived by farm owners. The primary research tool was a researcher-developed questionnaire, whose validity and reliability were confirmed. The study population comprised all broiler farm owners in Baghlan Province, from which a sample of 91 was selected using the Morgan table and complete enumeration sampling method. The findings revealed that approximately 54% of respondents expressed moderate satisfaction with their farms. Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) was conducted to assess the relative importance and performance of various factors affecting the development and sustainability of the farms. The results indicated that having a qualified expert, the farmer's educational level, the poultry house ventilation system, and being a local resident were considered highly important factors for farm success but were underperforming. Based on limited existing research in the region, these findings provide valuable insights for enhancing poultry farm development and food security in Baghlan province and throughout Afghanistan. The study offers specific recommendations for addressing the identified challenges and improving the sustainability of poultry farming in the region.

Objective: The article presents a methodology for the design and validation of two assessment instruments: one focused on competency development and the other on knowledge acquisition on sustainability, aimed at nutrition students from a Mexican university. Method: These instruments were adapted using the triangulation methodology and administered to a group of 45 students after receiving an intervention based on the systemic approach to nutrition. Following the intervention, an analysis of the results was carried out to validate the reliability and validity of the instruments, and to evaluate the impact of the intervention compared to a control group. Results: The findings indicated that the dimensions used in the instrument are suitable for evaluating competency development, additionally, it was found that both instruments are reliable tools for assessing competency development and knowledge in sustainability among nutrition students, concluding that they have the potential to be used for evaluating education in sustainability. Furthermore, the results reveal that the application of an intervention based on the systemic approach to nutrition has a positive impact on the development and acquisition of sustainable nutrition education. The students who received the intervention achieved significantly higher scores in all sustainability sub-competencies (W=100, p=0.019), as well as in the total percentage of sustainable knowledge (w=53, n=0.01). Conclusions: The results of this study pave the way for the operationalization of competency and knowledge dimensions in food sustainability, which can contribute to the evaluation of sustainability education and its impact on the training of nutrition students committed to sustainability.

The permeability, heat conductivity and reaction rate will be varied with the change of natural gas hydrate saturation, when thermal fluid injected into the natural gas hydrate reservoirs. In order to characterize the variation of physical field parameters with hydrate saturation, DDF-LBM was applied to simulate the hydrate dissolving process by thermal fluid injection under pore scale modelling. Based on the forced conjugate heat transfer case, the relaxation frequency of the thermal lattice in the pores is corrected. Based on the P-T phase equilibrium relationship of hydrates and considering the heat absorbed by the hydrate reaction, the solid-liquid state of the hydrate lattice is judged in real time, and the dynamic simulation of the heat flow solidification multi-physics field is realized. The simulation results show that the dissolution rate of hydrates by thermal fluid injection was higher than that by heating the hydrate surface alone, and was positively correlated with the hydrate saturation. On the basis of the above results, this paper provided exponential fitting equations between different hydrate saturations and average permeability, effective thermal conductivity, and inherent reaction rate. The fitting results show that saturation has a negative correlation with relative permeability and effective thermal conductivity, and a positive correlation with the inherent reaction rate. The above results can provide a reference basis for accurately describing the heat and mass transfer of natural gas hydrate under macro-scale.

Reticular and cluster materials often feature complex formulas, making a comprehensive overview challenging due to the need to consult various resources. While datasets have been collected for metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), covalent organic frameworks (COFs), and zeolites, among others, there remains a gap in systematically organized information for polyoxometalates. This paper introduces a carefully curated dataset of 1984 polyoxometalate (POM) and related cluster metal oxide formula instances, currently connecting over 2,500 POM material instances. These POM instances incorporate 75 different chemical elements, with compositions ranging from binary to octonary element clusters. This dataset not only enhances accessibility to polyoxometalate data but also aims to facilitate further research and development in the study of these complex inorganic compounds.

Nanopore raw read accuracy has improved to over 99%, making it a potential tool for metabarcoding. For broad adoption, guidelines on quality filtering are needed to ensure reliable taxonomic unit recovery. This study aims to provide those guidelines for a fungal metabarcoding context and to apply them to a case-study of ectomycorrhizae in decaying bark of Fagus sylvatica.We introduce the eNano pipeline to test two standard metabarcoding approaches: (1) reference-based mapping leveraging the UNITE’s species hypothesis system (SH-approach) and (2) constructing 98% OTUs (OTU-approach). We evaluate these approaches using a mock and natural community. Our results demonstrate that both approaches are effective with Nanopore data. When using a reference database, we recommend strict mapping criteria rather than Phred-based filtering. For 98% OTUs, filtering reads at ≥Q25 is recommended. Our case-study reveals that the decay gradient is a primary determinant of community composition, and that specific mycorrhizal fungi colonize decaying bark. Complementing our metabarcoding results with root tip morphotypification, we identify Laccaria amethystina and Tomentella sublilacina as key ectomycorrhizae of saplings on decaying logs. These findings demonstrate that Nanopore sequencing can provide valuable ecological insights and support its broader use in fungal metabarcoding as read quality continues to improve.

Purpose: This pilot ex-vivo study and first clinical experience in Italy evaluate the impact of using pre-implantation crosslinking on all-femtosecond laser-cut corneal allogenic intracorneal ring segments (AFXL CAIRS). Methods: Six human donor eye-bank corneas were used for the preclinical ex-vivo human study. Three corneas were used for AFXL CAIRS. First, they were prepared (D) with the IntraLase™ femtosecond laser (Johnson & Johnson, USA). The allogenic tissue rings were crosslinked before implantation with Riboflavin -UV-A accelerated crosslinking protocol (ACXL) with a 0.1% HPMC Riboflavin isotonic solution (Vibex Rapid, Glaukos-Avedro, USA) and the new KXL UV-A emitter (Glaukos-Avedro, USA). Three corneas were used as recipients (R) of the AFXL CAIRS. After completing the ex-vivo phase, the first two Italian patients were treated. A single ACXL CAIRS was implanted in a 51-year-old male with 53.53 D K steep, 363 m minimum corneal thickness (MCT) and a double ACXL CAIRS was implanted in a 46-year-old male patient with 58.30 D K steep and 443 m MCT. The follow-up was at three months. Results: Crosslinking of the segments enhanced tissue strength and grip, facilitating manipulation and CAIRS insertion into the recipient tunnels and the yellowish color of the crosslinked segments improved visibility. The segment’s thickness and volume remained unaltered during the follow-up. Both patients improved UDVA and BSCVA. K steep and HOAs were reduced and MCT increased. Conclusions Pre-implantation ACXL facilitated CAIRS insertion by increasing the viscoelastic consistency without altering physical characteristics and volume during the follow-up, rendering this important step a promising candidate in method standardization. Functional data and MCT improved significantly without adverse events.

Signal approximation, is the basic idea of signal processing and mathematical analysis where complex signals can be represented with simpler ones. This paper explores unifying two mathematical fundamentals, Dirichlet-type problems, and hyperbolic series identities, into signal approximation. In this paper, we address a well-known classic topic in mathematical analysis - the Dirichlet problem - to improve (the approximation of) signal using Fourier series. We also discuss using hyperbolic series representations to increase signal modeling flexibility. In this way, we hope to create new links that span some distance along this dimension and result in a somewhat theoretical view of signal behavior - present with the mathematical rigor needed for speculation but absent from an understanding capable of appropriately handling real-world complexity. This paper provides a theoretical investigation of the mechanics at play and reveals by analogy how these mathematical tools can potentially advance signal processing techniques and understanding. This paper illustrates Fourier series and fuzzy logic methods by two case studies on signal processing, satellite communication and financial risk measurement. The first case study performs signal approximation using the Fourier series and hyperbolic function identities to provide insight into how signals behave and are modeled. The second case study deals with applying fuzzy logic for risk evaluation of investment portfolios, emphasizing the utility in evasion systems solving uncertainty and imprecision problems related to financial decisions.

In developing nations, such as Ekiti State, Nigeria, the use of remote sensing data, especially satellite and UAV imagery, remains significantly underutilized in land administration. This limits the potential of multi-resolution imagery in land governance and socio-economic development. This study examines factors influencing UAV adoption for land administration in Nigeria, mapping six distinct rural, peri-urban, and urban sites, and creating orthomosaics with resolutions ranging from 2.2cm to 3.39cm. Boundaries were manually delineated from multi-resolution orthomosaics to acquire coordinates, and parcel areas were calculated. Using 0.05m UAV imagery as the reference, the Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) was computed to evaluate 0.1, 0.5, and 1m orthomosaics' accuracy for boundary delineation across the six geographical contexts. The Normalized Parcel Area Error (NPAE) was also calculated to determine how the multi-resolution imageries affected the property areas. Results showed a consistent increase in error with increasing resolution (0.1m to 1m) in formal areas (Igedora, Maryland, Okebola) with physical demarcations, from 0.117m to 1.747m RMSE. In contrast, informal settlements exhibited inconsistent error values, indicating a differing impact of resolution on error between formal and informal areas. The research demonstrates the role of physical demarcations in facilitating cadastral mapping, with formal settlements demonstrating the highest suitability. This study recommends the use of imagery resolution specific to each context, offering guidance for improved land governance. Implications and recommendations include promoting awareness of settlement typologies in aerial imagery use for cadastral mapping, leveraging UAVs for high-resolution aerial imagery, and addressing regulatory challenges to promote UAV adoption. Finally, the RMSE and NPAE values can serve as metrics for assessing different resolution images’ fitness for cadastral mapping.

It seems that natural compounds with bioactivity are the food constituents, present in the diets, that may provide protective effects on health due to their biochemical effects. The main benefits appear to be decline in oxidative stress and inflammation that are crucial in the pathogenesis of obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Apart from anti-inflammatory activity, these molecules also possess antifungal, and anti-infective preventative effects. Further evidence indicate that these bioactive molecules are the constituents, which are known to increase function of the foods. This review aims to emphasize that plant based diet is rich in phytochemicals such as antioxidants, vitamins, minerals, polyphenolics and flavonoids, amino acids and fatty acids, that are able to cause benefits via these compounds. These bioactive molecules can target mechanisms of oxidative stress and inflammation that are crucial in the management of metabolic syndrome. These antioxidant compounds appear to be essential component of plant based diets and are crucial for healthiness. Most investigators have proposed that bioactive compounds act as nutraceuticals which are able to regulate certain patho-physiological mechanisms responsible for metabolic diseases. The bioactive compoundspresent in the plant based diets are primary and secondary metabolites of nutritive and non-nutritive natural components generating health benefits by preventing or managing chronic disease or its symptoms. The bioactive compounds are known for their beneficial effects to health. Despite their small quantity in the diets, these bioactive compounds may trigger certain mechanisms that may cause alteration with improvement in health. It seems that most of the bioactive compounds co-existing in the plant-based diets, may be extremely healthful. However, if they are taken in excess, they can cause toxic effects. There is an urgent need to evaluate each bioactive compound to establish a beneficial quantity and a threshold of toxicity, while treating metabolic syndrome.

The bi- or multi-nucleated Reed-Sternberg cell (RS) is the diagnostic cornerstone of EBV-positive and EBV-negative classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL). cHL is a germinal center (GC) derived B-cell disease. Hodgkin cells (H) are the mononuclear precursors of RS. An experimental model has to fulfill three conditions to qualify as common pathogenic denominator: i) to be of germinal center-derived B-cell origin, ii) to be EBV-negative to avoid EBV latency III expression, and iii) to support permanent LMP1 expression upon induction. These conditions are unified in the EBV-, Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) cell line BJAB-tTA-LMP1. 3D reconstuctive nanotechnology revealed spatial, quantititive and qualitative disturbance of telomere/shelterin interactions in mononuclear H-like cells, further progression during transition to RS-like cells, including progressive complexity of the karytotype with every mitotic cycle, due to BBF (breakage/bridge/fusion) events. The findings of this model were confirmed on diagnostic patient samples and correlate with clincal outcome. Moreover, in vitro signficant disturbance of the lamin AC/telomere interaction progressively occured. In summary, our research over the past three decades identifed cHL as the first lymphoid maligancy driven by a disturbed telomere/shelterin/lamin AC interaction, generating the diagnostic RS. Our findings may act as trailblazer for tailored therapies in refractory cHL.

The medical research field has been tremendously galvanized to improve the prediction of therapy efficacy by the revolution in artificial intelligence (AI). An earnest desire to find better ways to predict the effectiveness of therapy with the use of AI has propelled the evolution of new models in which it can become more applicable in clinical settings such as breast cancer detection. However, in some instances, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration was obliged to back some previously approved inaccurate models for AI-based prognostic models because they eventually produce inaccurate prognoses for specific patients who might be at risk of heart failure. In light of instances in which the medical research community has often evolved some unrealistic expectations regarding the advances in AI and its potential use for medical purposes, implementing standard procedures for AI-based cancer models is critical. Specifically, models would have to meet some general parameters for standardization, transparency of their logistic modules, and avoidance of algorithm biases. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge about AI-based prognostic methods and describe how they may be used in the future for predicting antibody-drug conjugate efficacy in cancer patients. We also summarize findings of recent late-phase clinical trials using these conjugates for cancer therapy.

A cross-sectional study was organised to investigate the range, prevalence, and associated factors for occupational health problems related to dental practice among Cambodian dentists; Participants underwent a face-to-face interview to explore dentists work-related health problems; 106 Cambodian dentists participated in this study, 68.9% were male. Ages ranged from 29 to 71 years, averaging 36.1 years, with the majority (77.4%) in the 29-40 age group. They had 5 to 18 years of practice experience, and worked an average of 52.2 hours per week. Commonly reported health issues included back pain (88.7%), headaches (81.1%), shoulder pain (78.3%), arm/hand pain (57.5%), and eye problems (48.1%). 38.7% of participants felt stressed and 19.8% depressed. Some reported suicidal thoughts and taking medication for depression. Despite these challenges, 91.5% enjoyed practicing dentistry; Findings highlight the need for interventions and strategies to address the physical and mental well-being of Cambodian dentists. By addressing these issues, steps can be taken to enhance the working conditions and professional satisfaction of dental professionals, ultimately benefiting both the practitioners and their patients.

By using the method of high-temperature solid-phase reaction, the new piezoceramic SrBi2Nb2-2xWxSnxO9 was obtained, in which partial substitution of niobium (Nb) atoms with Sn4+ and W6+ atoms in the compound SrBi2Nb2O9 took place in the octahedra of the perovskite layer (B-position). X-ray diffraction studies have shown that these compounds are single-phase SrBi2Nb2-2xWxSnxO9 (x = 0.1, 0.2) and two-phase SrBi2Nb2-2xWxSnxO9 (x = 0.3, 0.4), but they all had the structure of Aurivillius – Smolensky phases (ASPs) with similar parameters of orthorhombic elementary cells, corresponding to the spatial group A21am. The dependences on temperature of the relative permittivity ε/ε0 and the tangent of the loss angle tan d at different frequencies were measured.

(1) Background: Impaired colonic motility is common in patients with ulcerative colitis. The patients often complain the symptoms related to colonic motility dysfunction such as loose stools or diarrhea and these symptoms make therapy more challenging; (2) Methods: This study aimed to examine the movement of the colon in mice with ulcerative colitis and determine if the glial-derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) may enhance aberrant colonic motility through Connexin 43 (Cx43).A model of ulcerative colitis was created using 32 male C57BL/6 mice. Colonic transit time was measured in all mice, and colon tissues were examined using hematoxylin-eosin staining (HE) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The levels of GDNF and Cx43 were determined via immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence, and RT-PCR techniques. The levels of C-reactive protein (CRP),TNF-α, IL-1β, and IL-6 were quantified using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA); (3) Results: 1) The UC models were effectively established by administering dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) water. Mice with ulcerative colitis exhibited a delay in colonic transit time. 2) GDNF can improve the delayed movement of the colon in mice with UC by activating the Cx43 protein; (4) Conclusions: GDNF can ameliorate impaired colonic motility in mice with ulcerative colitis, and its mechanism is related to the activity of Cx43. GDNF could potentially be utilized as a therapeutic option for addressing aberrant colonic motility in patients.

Human-robot collaboration is a new trend in modern manufacture. The safety or human protection is of great significance due to the share of the same workshop between humans and robots. To achieve effective protection, in this paper, a contact force sensor based on the 8-shaped wound polymer optical fiber is proposed. The 8-shaped wound structure can convert the normal contact force to the shrinkage of the 8-shaped optical fiber ring. The macro-bending loss of the optical fiber is used to detect the contact force. Compared with conventional sensors, the proposed scheme has the advantage of high flexibility, low cost, fast response, high repeatability, which shows the great promise on actively alarming collision and passively reducing the hurt.

Introduction Delayed intra-operative neuro-monitoring (IOM) events can be defined as loss of responses, after baseline traces were present upon completion of instrumentation and deformity correction. This study reports this subgroup of events, assesses their incidence and evaluates potential causative factors. Methods We reviewed 1881 consecutive patients who underwent spinal deformity correction between 2011 and 2021. Surgeries were performed using a standardised anaesthetic regimen and multimodal IOM protocol. Results 44 patients (2.4%) had an IOM event. 9 patients (6F:3M) had a true positive delayed event after posterior segmental pedicle screw instrumentation. Mean age was 12.5 (2-17) years with mean thoracic Cobb angle of 78° (51-94°). Mean estimated blood loss was 28%. Titanium beam shaped rods were utilised in 3 patients and 5.5mm titanium rods in 5 patients. Motor evoked potentials were lost on average 18 (10-30) minutes after completion of instrumentation. 7 patients had bilateral loss and 2 patients had unilateral loss of MEP traces. Sensory evoked potential amplitude was preserved in all cases. There was a transient latency shift in one patient. MEPs returned within 20 minutes of rod release. The rod was re-contoured to incorporate more scoliosis in 1 patient. 2 patients had beam rods exchanged to 5.5mm titanium rods. 6 patients had rod removal with retention of pedicle screws and staged completion of instrumentation at mean 5 (1-7) days later. No patients had a postoperative neurological deficit. Conclusion Delayed IOM loss represented 15% of all events. Increased cord tension and hypo-perfusion were considered likely mechanisms. Rod release restored MEPs in all cases. The timing of events emphasises the importance of continued monitoring for minimum 30 minutes after completion of spinal instrumentation or until wound closure.

The amplified production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) or reduced oxidant protection is described as oxidative stress, which contributes to the increase in several disorders, notably obesity and neurodegenerative diseases. Flavonoids are polyphenol compounds found in a variety of foods of plant origin, such as berries, with a basic chemical structure consisting of an aromatic ring linked to a benzene ring and a pyran ring. Flavonoids have neuroprotective activity and promote synaptogenesis and neurogenesis and are also capable of inhibiting oxidative stress and neuroinflammation. Anthocyanins are water-soluble natural pigments that belong to the flavonoid class and have antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, helping to reduce chronic inflammation associated with various health conditions, including obesity. In addition, flavonoids and anthocyanins can modulate the expression of genes involved in lipid metabolism, promoting the oxidation of fatty acids and the reduction of lipid synthesis, contributing to the reduction of body fat accumulation. One of the most abundant flavonoids in the natural environment, quercetin, is found mainly in the form of O-glycoside derivatives and rarely as an aglycone. Quercetin has antioxidant properties, against diseases such as cancer; It also acts to combat allergic reactions, inflammatory processes, platelet disorders, obesity, hypertension and atherosclerotic and hypercholesterolemic disorders. Anthocyanins can activate intracellular signaling pathways, such as the AMPK (AMP-activated protein kinase) pathway, which has a crucial role in regulating energy metabolism and glycemic homeostasis. Activation of this pathway increases glucose uptake and fatty acid oxidation, favoring weight loss and improving insulin sensitivity. This review article aims to analyze the effects of using berries in controlling obesity and its role as a reducing factor for mild cognitive decline. A systematic review will be carried out following the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyze. We will search the following electronic databases: PubMed (Medline), Science Direct, Scopus and Web of Science.

Sialyllactose (SL) is a functional human milk oligosaccharide essential for immune support, brain development, intestinal maturation, and antiviral defense. However, despite its established health benefits, the effect of SL on exercise performance and muscle mass in mice remains unknown. Here, we aimed to investigate, for the first time, the effects of 6′-SL on muscle functions. Seven-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were administered 100 mg/kg 6′-SL for 12 weeks, after which exhaustive treadmill performance, muscle strength, and muscle phenotype were examined. The administration of 6′-SL significantly improved exhaustive treadmill performance metrics, including distance and exhaustion time. Grip strength was also increased by 6′-SL administration. Additionally, 6′-SL increased muscle mass in both the gastrocnemius (GAS) and soleus. 6′-SL administration led to an increase in the minimum Feret’s diameter and the protein expression of total myosin heavy chain in the GAS muscle. In conclusion, 6′-SL administration in vivo led to increased running distance and time by increasing muscle mass and strength. These findings collectively indicate that 6′-SL is a potential agent for improving muscle health and exercise performance.

In this article, we consider a class of nonsmooth interval-valued multiobjective semi-infinite programming problems with vanishing constraints (in short, NIMSIPVC). We introduce the VC-Abadie constraint qualification (in short, VC-ACQ) for NIMSIPVC and employ it to establish Karush-Kuhn-Tucker (in short, KKT)-type necessary optimality conditions. Related to NIMSIPVC, we formulate interval-valued vector Lagrange type dual and scalarized Lagrange type dual problems. Subsequently, we establish weak, strong, and converse duality results relating NIMSIPVC and corresponding dual problems. In addition, we introduce the notions of saddle points for interval-valued vector Lagrangian and scalarized Lagrangian of NIMSIPVC. Moreover, we establish the saddle point optimality criteria for NIMSIPVC. Various non-trivial examples are provided to demonstrate the validity of established results. To the best of our knowledge, optimality conditions, Lagrange type duality, and saddle point optimality criteria for NIMSIPVC have not been investigated yet via Clarke subdifferentials.

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an important global clinical issue, requiring not only prevention but also effective treatment. Following TBI, diverse parallel and intertwined pathological mechanisms affecting biochemical, neurochemical, and inflammatory pathways can have severe impact on the patient’s quality of life. The current review summarizes evidence for utility of amantadine in TBI in connection to its mechanism of action. Amantadine combining multiple mechanisms of action may offer both neuroprotective and neuroactivating effects in TBI patients. Indeed, use of amantadine in TBI has been encouraged by several clinical practice guidelines/recommendations. Amantadine is also available as infusion which may be of particular benefit in unconscious patients with TBI, due to immediate delivery to the central nervous system and the possibility of precise dosing. In other situations, orally administered amantadine may be used. There are several questions that remain to be addressed: Can amantadine be effective in disorders of consciousness requiring long-term treatment and in combination with drugs approved for treatment of TBI? Do the observed beneficial effects of amantadine extend to disorders of consciousness due to factors other than TBI? Well controlled clinical studies are warranted to ultimately confirm its utility in the TBI and provide answers these questions.

Investigation of functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data with machine learning (ML) techniques, including also deep learning (DL) methods, have been widely used to study Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This disorder is characterized by symptoms that affect the individual’s behavioral aspects and social relationships. Early diagnosis is crucial for intervention, but the complexity of ASD poses challenges for treatment development. This study compares traditional ML techniques with deep learning (DL) methods in the analysis of functional connectivity measures obtained from the time series of multicentric ABIDE dataset. Specifically, Support Vector Machines (SVM) classifiers, with both linear and Radial Basis Function (RBF) kernels, as well as eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) classifiers, are compared against the TabNet classifier, which is a DL architecture customized for tabular data analysis and a Multi Layer Perceptron (MLP). The findings suggest that DL classifiers may not be optimal for the type of data analyzed, as their performance trails behind that of standard classifiers. SVMs achieve performances, in terms of AUC, around 75%, compared to the best TabNet and MLP results, which are 65% and 71%, respectively. Additionally, this work investigates the brain regions that contribute most to the classification task, which are found to be those primarily responsible for sensory and spatial perception, as well as attention modulation, known to be altered in ASD.

This study evaluates the effectiveness of Darknet53 and VGG16 pretrained models to develop a hybrid ensemble model named HybridPlantNet23 deep learning model for effective plant disease classification, using the publicly available dataset ‘A Dataset of Leaf Images’ from Mendeley webpage. The preprocessing of the dataset involved resizing the images to the respective requirements of the pretrained models to develop a combined datastore which served as the input. All experiments were conducted using MATLAB R2023b deep network designer interface. Model performances were evaluated based on the conventional accuracy, precision, recall, and F1-score. VGG16 achieved the highest accuracy (97.25%), precision (96.30%), recall (96.96%), and F1-score (96.55%), outperforming both Darknet53 and the ensemble HybridPlantNet23 model. Despite the advanced architecture of the ensemble model, its performance (accuracy: 95.37%, precision: 93.56%, recall: 94.20%, F1-score: 93.74%) was not significantly superior, thus highlighting scientific reasons behind this development. Recommendations for future works were provided accordingly.

Wolfram syndrome 1 (WS1) is an uncommon autosomal recessive neurological disorder that is characterized by diabetes insipidus, early-onset non-autoimmune diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness (DIDMOAD). Other clinical manifestations are neuropsychiatric symptoms, urinary tract alterations, and endocrinological disorders. The rapid clinical course of WS1 results in death by the age of 30. Severe brain atrophy leads to central respiratory failure, which is the main cause of death in WS1 patients. Mutations in the WFS1 gene, located on chromosome 4p16, account for approximately 90% of WS1 cases. The gene produces wolframin, a transmembrane glycoprotein widely distributed and highly expressed in retinal, neural, and muscular tissues. Wolframin plays a crucial role in the regulation of apoptosis, insulin signaling, and ER calcium homeostasis, as well as the ER stress response. WS1 has been designated as a neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorder due to the numerous abnormalities in the ER stress-mediated system. WS1 is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that affects patients and their families. Early diagnosis and recognition of the initial clinical signs may slow the disease's progression and improve symptomatology. Moreover, it is critical to provide genetic counseling to the patient's relatives in order to reduce the risk of transmitting WS1. Regrettably, there are currently no specific drugs for the therapy of this fatal disease. A better understanding of the etiology of WS1 will make possible the development of new therapeutic approaches that may enhance the life expectancy of patients. This review will examine the pathogenetic mechanisms, development, and progression of neuropsychiatric diseases commonly associated with WS1. A thorough understanding of WS1's neurophysiopathology is critical for achieving the goal of improving patients' quality of life and life expectancy.

Hypoxia contributes to tumor progression and metastasis, and hypoxically dysregulated RNA molecules may thus be implicated in poor outcomes. Canine oral melanoma (COM) has a par-ticularly poor prognosis, and some hypoxia-mediated miRNAs are known to exist in this cancer; however, equivalent data on hypoxically dysregulated other non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are lacking. Accordingly, we aimed to elucidate non-miRNA ncRNAs that may be mediated by hy-poxia, targeting primary-site and metastatic COM cell lines and clinical COM tissue samples in next generation sequencing (NGS), with subsequent qPCR validation and quantification in COM primary and metastatic cells, plasma and extracellular vesicles (EVs) for any identified ncRNA of interest. Findings suggested that a number of non-miRNA ncRNA species are hypoxically up- or downregulated in COM. We identified one ncRNA, the long ncRNA fragment EN-SCAFT00000084705.1, as a molecule of interest due to its consistent downregulation in COM tissues, hypoxically and normoxically cultured primary and metastatic cell lines, when compared to the oral tissues from healthy dogs. However, this molecule was undetectable in plasma and plasma EVs, suggesting that its expression may be tumor tissue-specific and it has little potential as a biomarker. Here, we provide evidence of hypoxic transcriptional dysregulation for ncRNAs other than miRNA in COM for the first time, and suggest that ncRNA ENSCAFT00000084705.1 is a molecule of interest for future research on the role of the transcriptome in hypoxia-mediated progression of this aggressive cancer.

A field study was conducted at the Eastern Mediterranean Agricultural Research Institute, Adana, Turkey, during the 2022/23 cropping seasons to examine the impact of Mepiquat chloride dosage applied at different intervals to optimize growth, yield characteristics enhancement and improve fiber quality attributes of cotton. The study employed a split-split plot design with three replications. The results revealed that differences among treatments were not statistically significant for most parameters investigated. The observed discrepancies indicated that all treatments tested in 2012 delayed cotton development, whereas in 2023, they led to premium fibers. In 2023, the fiber percentage was highest in the control treatment, and in 2022, it was highest at 400 mL·ha-1. Across all years, the Selin variety exhibited the highest fiber percentage when Mepiquat chloride was applied at the bolling stage. The shoot-root ratio was highest at 400 mL·ha-1 during harvest in 2022 and at 0 mL·ha-1 during the reproductive stage in 2023. Overall, the results demonstrated that the application of Mepiquat chloride altered the physiological characteristics of the cotton plants, leading to bottom-up effects on cotton performance. This implies that the effectiveness of Mepiquat chloride in cotton production to alleviate drought stress is influenced by weather-related conditions.

Due to the manufacturing process of Additive Manufacturing (AM) Parts the mechanical properties cannot be predicted. The scope of the present work is to propose a predictive tool for the mechanical properties of AM parts through the use of Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). The Adaptive Neuro-Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS) combines neural networks with fuzzy logic to generate a mapping between the inputs and the output. Real data experiments from different AM technologies and materials compose the initial dataset so a detailed investigation is conducted to gain knowledge of how different parameters affect the UTS, the elongation and the Young modulus of each experiment. Experimental data were also use to train, check and verify the methodology. The method is tested for FFF technology, PLA material and 3 point bending stress, with interesting results.

High entropy alloys have excellent wear resistance, so they have great application prospects in the fields of wear resistance and surface protection. In this study, the wear resistance of FeNiCrCoCu high entropy alloy coating was systematically analyzed by molecular dynamics method. FeNiCrCoCu high entropy alloy was used as a coating material to adhere to the surface of Cu matrix. The friction and nano indentation simulation of this coating material were carried out by controlling the ambient temperature. The influence of temperature on its friction properties was analyzed from five aspects: lattice structure, dislocation evolution, friction coefficient, hardness and elastic modulus. The results show that with the increase of temperature, the disorder of the lattice structure increases, which leads to the increase of the tangential force and the friction coefficient in the friction process. At 300K and 600K, the ordered lattice structure of the high entropy alloy coating material is basically the same, and thus their hardness is basically the same. However, the dislocation density at 600K is significantly reduced compared with that at 300K, resulting in the increase of the elastic modulus of the material from 173GPa to 219GPa. At the temperatures of 900K and 1200k, lattice disorder take place rapidly, and dislocation density also decreases significantly, resulting in a significant decrease in the hardness and elastic modulus of the material. When the temperature reaches 900K, the wear resistance of the FeNiCrCoCu high entropy alloy coating decreases sharply. This work is of great value to the analysis of wear resistance of high entropy alloy at high temperature.

Diffuse type of gastric cancer (GC) has an increasing prevalence worldwide, especially in Western countries, is usually diagnosed at advanced stages, and has no efficacious treatment options. Epidemiological studies have reported an increased mortality from GC after occupational exposure to well-studied pro-carcinogen that are metabolically activated by Cyp P450 enzymes through aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Substantial studies support the involvement of AhR in gastric carcinogenesis. However, little is known about the role of AhR in diffuse GC, as compared to intestinal GC. In a cohort of 29 gastric tumors, we described a significantly increased AhR protein and mRNA expression levels in GCs, independently of subtypes and clinical parameters. AhR and RhoA mRNA expression were correlated in diffuse GC. Further, our study characterized how AhR affects gene expression in diffuse GC. Using qRT-PCR, we compared the expression levels of AhR, Cyp1A1 and Cyp1B1 to the expression of genes in a panel previously described. In diffuse GC, Cyp1A1 expression correlated with genes involved in IGF signalling, EMT (VIM), migration (MMP2). In an in vitro assay using the poorly differentiated KATOIII epithelial cell line, two well-known ligands for AhR (TCDD and BaP) induced mRNA expression of CYP1A1, IL1b, as well as UGT1, NQO1 and AhRR to a lower extent. We also observed a strong increase in Cyp1B1 expression in diffuse GC, along with a lower TCDD-increased Cyp1B1 expression as compared to Cyp1A1 in KATOIII cells, and immunostaining in stromal cells. In intestinal GC, Cyp1B1 inversely correlated with several genes including IDO1 (generating endogenous kynurenin-e AhR ligand). Our data provide evidence for a major role of AhR in GC, as an environmental xenobiotics receptor, through different mechanisms and pathways in diffuse and intestinal GC. Our results support continued efforts to clarify the identities of exogenous AhR ligands in diffuse GC in order to define new therapeutic strategies.

Drought stress severely affects the normal growth and development of wheat, leading to reduced yields and quality. To address the lag and limitations of traditional drought monitoring methods, this paper proposes a drought stress monitoring model for winter wheat during critical growth stages based on deep learning. By acquiring drought stress images of winter wheat during three critical growth stages: rise-jointing, heading-flowering and flowering-maturity, a dataset correlating these images with soil moisture monitoring data was established. The DenseNet121 network model was selected as the base network to extract phenotypic features of winter wheat under drought stress. Variables such as the model's training approach, changes in learning rate, and whether an attention mechanism was included, were used to conduct eight sets of model training and optimization strategy experiments. A drought stress monitoring model for winter wheat during critical growth stages based on an improved DenseNet-121 was constructed. The results showed that the average recognition accuracy of the eighth group in the test set reached 94.67%, indicating good application prospects in the recognition of drought stress levels during critical growth stages of wheat.

Mesoscale eddies wield a significant influence on primary productivity in marine ecosystems by regulating nutrient availability, vertical mixing, and phytoplankton growth dynamics. In this study, we tracked and analyzed the effects of mesoscale eddies on net primary productivity (NPP) across the Bay of Bengal (BoB) using remote sensing data. Dividing the Bay into six zones based on mesoscale eddy frequency and distribution, our analysis identified 1880 anticyclonic eddies and 1972 cyclonic eddies during January 2010–March 2020 monitoring period. Cyclonic eddies predominantly occurred in the western part of the bay - along the east coast of the Indian Peninsula; while anticyclonic eddies were also observed, albeit in lesser proportions. Among eddies lasting one-week, anticyclonic eddies comprised approximately 48.81%, while cyclonic eddies constituted approximately 51.19% of the total. Analysis of the NPP distribution across the months revealed intriguing patterns. Mean values of NPP fluctuated throughout the year, with the highest value observed in August (748.51 mg C/m2/day) and the lowest in May (519.26 mg C/m2/day). The findings indicate a complex relationship between eddy distribution and NPP, with Zones 1 and 2 exhibiting a higher occurrence of cyclonic eddies, correlating with greater NPP and its variability. Conversely, Zones 3 and 5 display increased eddy activity despite fewer cyclonic eddies and lower NPP levels. Zone 6 shows reduced eddy activity and NPP, while Zone 4 presents moderate eddy activity alongside lower NPP. In contrast, Zones 3 to 5 exhibit lower NPP levels despite exhibiting heightened eddy activity. This study contributes valuable insights into the dynamics of ocean circulation and the impacts of eddies on NPP, which can inform fisheries management strategies, advances climate resilience measures, expands scientific knowledge, and guides policies related to conservation and sustainable resource utilization.

The severest form of muscular dystrophy (MD) termed Duchenne MD (DMD) remains to this day an incurable disease, hence the continued effort to further develop supportive therapies. Perturbation of autophagy, a degradative yet protective mechanism activated when tissues face severe and persistent stress, is critically involved in DMD, consequently, treatments harnessing autophagic capacities represent an amenable therapeutic strategy. We studied the effects of the protective osmolyte ectoine in the standard mouse model of DMD, the MDX, zooming in on the autophagy-related proteome. From birth, mice were treated with ectoine in the drinking water (150mg/kg) or through daily intraperitoneal injection (177mg/kg) until 5 weeks old. Hind limb muscles were dissected, performing western blotting for protein quantification and immunofluorescence to investigate tissue distribution. We report significant alterations of total levels of autophagy related 5 (ATG5), Ser366 phosphorylated sequestosome 1 (SQSTM1) and heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and of activated microtubule-associated protein 1A/1B-light chain 3 (LC3 II) in mitochondrial fractions. Ectoine tends to restore the shifted balance between LC3 II and SQSTM1 levels observed in MDX muscle, and LC3 II upregulation was most pronounced on muscle fibers of MDX treated with ectoine in the drinking water. Findings from this explorative study support a possible beneficial effect of ectoine on the autophagic deficit in the MDX, which warrants its further exploration as a therapeutic supplement for DMD.

Background: Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder that affects both patients and their caregivers, particularly parents who often become informal caregivers. Caring for someone with PD is linked to increased psychiatric morbidity and persistent anxiety-depressive distress. Methods: This study investigates the burden on caregivers of PD patients using multi-dimensional scales and identifies the personological and environmental factors contributing to this burden. Results: 20.6% of participants reported a severe burden according to the Caregiver Burden Inventory (CBI), while 13.8% had a moderate to severe burden according to the Zarit Caregiver Burden Inventory (ZBI). The Family Strain Questionnaire Short Form (FSQ-SF) high-lighted a minority of caregivers needing psychological support, with some cases requiring ur-gent attention, particularly in stress-related symptoms (SR) and urgent support (U). The Depres-sion Anxiety Stress Scales Short Version (DASS-21) results showed a higher prevalence of stress-related symptoms compared to anxiety and depression. Retired caregivers reported higher ZBI scores and lower life satisfaction levels compared to working caregivers. Additionally, years of schooling negatively correlated with the ZBI score. T-test analysis indicated that caregivers of patients with cognitive impairment were at greater risk compared to caregivers of patients with-out cognitive impairment. Conclusions: The results underscore the need for early recognition of risky situations and adequate support for caregivers.