Idiopathic acute pancreatitis (IAP) presents a diagnostic challenge and refers to cases where the cause of acute pancreatitis remains uncertain despite a comprehensive diagnostic evalua-tion. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) has emerged as a valuable tool in the diagnostic workup of IAP. This review explores the pivotal role of EUS in detecting the actual cause of IAP, as-sessing its accuracy, timing, safety, and future technological improvement. Following PRISMA guidelines, 60 pertinent studies were selected and analysed. EUS emerges as a cru-cial diagnostic tool, particularly when conventional imaging fails. It can offer intricate visu-alization of the pancreas, biliary system, and adjacent structures. High accuracy of EUS is evident in detecting the actual causes of IAP such as microlithiasis, small bile duct stones, pancreas divisum, and small pancreatic tumors. Optimal timing for EUS is post-resolution of the acute phase of the disease. EUS, when conducted by experienced endoscopists, it boasts minimal safety concerns, and is crucial to prevent complications. EUS-guided interventions, including fine-needle aspiration, collection drainage, and biopsies, aid in cytological analy-sis. With high diagnostic accuracy, safety, and therapeutic potential, EUS is able to improve patient outcomes when managing IAP. Further refinement of EUS techniques and cost-effectiveness assessment of EUS-guided approaches need to be explored in multicenter prospective studies. This review underscores EUS as a transformative tool in unraveling IAP's enigma and advancing diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.

Chromosomal instability (CIN), defined by variations in the number or structure of chromosomes from cell to cell, is recognized as a distinctive characteristic of cancer, associated with the ability of tumors to adapt to challenging environments. CIN has been recognized as a source of genetic variation that leads to clonal heterogeneity (CH). Recent findings suggest a potential association between CIN and CH with the prognosis of BC patients, particularly in tumors expressing the epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2+). In fact, information on the role of CIN in other BC subtypes, including luminal B BC, is limited. Additionally, it remains unknown whether CIN in luminal B BC tumors, above a specific threshold, could have a detrimental effect on the growth of human tumors, or if low or intermediate CIN levels could be linked to a more favorable BC patient prognosis when contrasted with elevated levels. Clarifying these relationships could have a substantial impact on risk stratification and the development of future therapeutic strategies aimed at targeting CIN in BC. This study aimed to assess CIN and CH in tumor tissue samples from ten patients with luminal B BC, and compared them with established clinicopathological parameters. The results of our study show that luminal B BC patients exhibit intermediate CIN and stable aneuploidy, both of which correlated with lymphovascular invasion. These findings suggest that evaluating CIN, CH and aneuploidy could improve risk stratification, the prediction of clinical outcomes and future therapeutic approaches in luminal B BC patients.

The advent of social commerce (SC) has transformed the landscape of online consumer behavior, emphasizing the significance of customer-to-customer relations in shaping sustainable relation-ships with customers. This research investigated the intricate relationships between social com-merce dimensions, particularly suggestions and recommendations, forums and communities, and ratings and reviews, and their influence on customer-to-customer value co-creation (C2CVCC) and sustainable customer relationships (SCRs). A questionnaire was designed and administered to 635 respondents. We examined the psychometric properties of the measurements and subse-quently applied Partial Least Squares as a Structural Equation Modeling method (PLS-SEM) for hypothesis testing. The findings reveal that the dimensions of SC significantly impact C2CVCC, with ratings and reviews playing a pivotal role. Furthermore, C2CVCC emerges as a substantial mediator in the path between SC and SCRs. The empirical analysis showcases strong support for the proposed model, with robust path coefficients (β) and p-values confirming direct and indirect effects. These findings offer valuable insights for businesses seeking to leverage SC and customer interactions to enhance SCRs in the digital era. Understanding the dynamics of C2CVCC within the context of SC has become essential for marketers and businesses aiming to thrive in today's competitive online marketplace.

Geopolitical situations, such as the Ukraine–Russia war, the Israel–Hamas war, and pandemics, can disrupt supply chains, such as the rerouting of oil tankers via South Africa to avoid the impact of the Israel–Hamas conflict. These events will probably occur again, but they are black swan events and difficult to predict. How can firms manage these events to minimise disruption to their supply chains? This paper proposes that a blockchain architecture has the potential to build resilience in supply chains and give them the flexibility to withstand the challenges of black swan events. The decentralisation ability of blockchain technology enables separation of the discrete elements of a sustainable supply chain so contagion does not impact the overall sustainable supply chain. To achieve flexibility in a sustainable supply chain ecosystem requires governance, leadership, and management. Also, artificial intelligence (AI), in conjunction with blockchain, is a technology that can enhance the flexibility and resilience of the supply chain. Thus, AI can act as a controller, co-ordinator, and an integrator in sustainable supply chain systems.

Pancreatic cancer is a refractory cancer with limited treatment options. Various cancer types are resistant to the tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL). Eugenol, the main component of clove oil, exhibits anticancer, anti-inflammatory, and antioxidant effects. However, no studies have reported that eugenol increases TRAIL sensitivity by upregulating death receptor (DR) expression. Here, we aimed to investigate eugenol as a potent TRAIL sensitizer. Increased apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation was observed in pancreatic cancer cells treated with eugenol and TRAIL compared with those treated with eugenol alone. Eugenol upregulated the expression of DR5, inhibited FLICE-inhibitory protein (FLIP), an anti-apoptotic protein, and increased p53, a tumor suppressor protein. In addition, eugenol induced the generation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and caused endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress. C/EBP-homologous protein (CHOP) knockdown using siRNA decreased the expression of DR5 and reduced the combined effects of eugenol and TRAIL. These results demonstrate that eugenol enhances TRAIL-induced apoptosis by upregulating DR5 through the ROS-mediated ER stress-CHOP pathway, enhancing ER stress by inducing p53 and downregulating FLIP expression. This suggests that eugenol has the potential to treat pancreatic cancer by increasing cell sensitivity to TRAIL.

The present work consisted of an exploratory study aiming to evaluate in vitro the potential of AuNPs during Radiation Therapy (RT) in human pancreatic adenocarcinoma cells. AuNPs coated with hyaluronic and oleic acids (HAOA-AuNPs) or with bombesin peptides (BBN-AuNPs) were used. AuNPs were characterized by Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) and Dynamic Light Scattering. BxPC-3 tumour cells were irradiated with a 6 MV X-rays beam, in the absence or presence of AuNPs. AFM showed that HAOA-AuNPs and BBN-AuNPs are spherical with a mean size of 83+-20 nm and 49+-12 nm, respectively. For RT alone, a reduction in cell viability of up to 33+-12% was obtained compared to the control (p ≤ 0.0001). HAOA-AuNPs alone at 200 and 400 μM showed a reduction in cell viability of 20+-4% and 35+-4%, respectively, while for BBN-AuNPs, at 50 and 200 μM, a reduction in cell viability of 25+-3% and 37+-3% was obtained, respectively, compared to the control (p < 0.0001). At 72 h post-irradiation, a decrease in cell viability of 26+-3% and 22+-2% between RT+HAOA-AuNPs at 400 μM and RT+BBN-AuNPs at 50 μM, compared to RT alone, was obtained (p < 0.004). The combination of RT with AuNPs led to a significant decrease in cell viability compared to the control, or RT alone, thus representing an improved effect.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the predictive value of serum trypsin and Trypsinogen Activation Peptide (TAP) for the severity of AP by means of a single center cohort study as well as a systematic review of the current literature. METHODS: The literature search was conducted using Medline (PubMed), EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register. A total of 142 patients with acute pancreatitis (AP) were included in the cohort study and parameters of the revised Atlanta criteria of 2012 and the APACHE II were assessed. RESULTS: The review showed promising results for the predictive value of serum trypsinogen-2, but conflicting results for serum TAP and trypsin. In the cohort study, patients were observed for 4 days after diagnosis of AP: 9 patients had severe AP, 35 patients had moderate AP and 81 patients had mild AP. The ratio of the geometric mean of severe vs mild AP for trypsin was 0.72 (95% CI: 0.51-1.00), p=0.053 and for TAP 0.74 (95% CI: 0.54-1.01), p=0.055 respectively. CONCLUSION: The cohort study showed an inverse correlation of serum levels of TAP and trypsin with severity of AP. Serum TAP and trypsin have an inferior predictive value of severity of AP compared to the clinical APACHE II score.

Background: The NOL system (PMD-200™ Nociception Monitor; Medasense Ltd, Israel) is used for real-time detection of physiological nociception in anesthetized patients by assessing varia-bles indicative of sympathetic activity, such as photoplethysmography, skin conductance, pe-ripheral temperature, and accelerometry, which are quantified into a "NOL" index. This index is more sensitive than traditional clinical parameters in estimating pain and stress responses. While its effectiveness in general anesthesia is well-documented, its efficacy in epidural anes-thesia needs investigation. Methods: This retrospective study analyzed NOL index dynamics compared to conventional pa-rameters after epidural administration of a local anesthetic during abdominal surgeries. After Ethics Committee approval and DRKS registration, 119 NOL measurements were retrospectively analyzed following thoracic epidural catheter administration. NOL values were assessed at 0, 1, 3, and 5 minutes post-application and compared to heart rate, blood pressure, and bispectral in-dex dynamics. Results: This studys showed a significant decrease in NOL values post-local anesthetic admin-istration, unlike classical clinical parameters. Higher doses of local anesthetics led to a signifi-cant, dose-dependent decrease in NOL index. Conclusions: This study is the first to demonstrate the NOL-Index's effectiveness in assessing nociceptive effects post-epidural administration, showing its superiority over conventional pa-rameters and sensitivity to dose variations.

Acellular bacterial ghosts (BGs) are empty non-living bacterial cell envelopes, commonly generated by controlled expression of the cloned lysis gene E of bacteriophage PhiX174. In this study, Vibrio parahaemolyticus ghosts (VPGs) were generated by chemically induced lysis and the method is based on minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of sodium hydroxide (NaOH), acetic acid, boric acid, citric acid, maleic acid, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. The MIC values of the respective chemicals were 3.125, 6.25, < 50.0, 25.0, 6.25, 1.56 and 0.781 mg/ml. Except boric acid, the lysis efficiency was reached more than 99.99% at 5 min after treatment of all chemicals. Among those chemicals, NaOH-induced VPGs showed completely DNA-free that was confirmed by quantitative real-time PCR. Besides, lipopolysaccharides (LPS) extracted from the NaOH-induced VPGs showed no distinctive band on SDS-PAGE gel after silver staining. On the other hand, LPS extracted from wild-type bacterial cells as well as the organic acids-induced VPGs showed triple major bands and LPS extracted from the inorganic acids-induced VPGs showed double bands. It suggests that some surface structures in LPS of the NaOH-induced VPGs may be lost, weakened or modified by the MIC of NaOH. Nevertheless, Limulus amoebocyte lysate assay revealed that there is no significant difference in endotoxic activity between the NaOH-induced VPGs and wild-type bacterial cells. Macrophages exposed to the NaOH-induced VPGs at 0.5 × 106 CFU/mL showed cell viability of 97.9%, however the MIC of NaOH did not reduce the cytotoxic effect of wild-type bacterial cells. Like Escherichia coli LPS, the NaOH-induced VPGs are an excellent activator of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β and iNOS), anti-inflammatory cytokine (IL-10) and dual activities (IL-6) in the stimulated macrophage cells. On the other hand, the induction of TNF-α mRNA was remarkable in the macrophages exposed with wild-type cells. Scanning electron microscopy showed the formation of trans-membrane lysis tunnel structures in the NaOH-induced VPGs. SDS-PAGE and agarose gel electrophoresis also confirmed that cytoplasmic proteins and genomic DNA released from the VPGs to culture medium through the lysis tunnel structures. Taken together, all these results indicated that the NaOH-induced VPGs show the potency of safe, economical and effective inactivated bacterial vaccine candidate.

This study explores the potential to reach a circular economy for post-consumer recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) packaging and bottles by using it as a distributed recycling for additive manufacturing (DRAM) feedstock. Specifically, rPET is processed using only an open source toolchain with fused particle fabrication (FPF) or fused granular fabrication (FGF) processing. In this study, first the impact of granulation, sifting and heating (and their combination) is quantified on the shape and size distribution of the rPET flakes. Then feeding studies were performed to see if they could be printed through an external feeder or needed to be direct printed with a hopper using two Gigabot X machines, one with extended part cooling and one without. Print settings were optimized based on thermal characterization and for the latter which was shown to print rPET directly from shredded water bottles mechanical testing is performed. The results showed that geometry was important for extended feeding tubes and direct printed using a hopper. Further there is a wide disparity in the physical properties of rPET from water bottles depending on source and the history of the material. Future work is needed to enable water bottles to be used as a widespread DRAM feedstock.

This paper investigates the safety profile of the Shingrix vaccine, focusing particularly on persistent adverse events post-vaccination. Shingrix, crucial for preventing shingles caused by the varicella-zoster virus, has shown efficacy in clinical trials but is associated with varying degrees of adverse reactions. This retrospective, cross-sectional survey-based study, spanning two years and involving 77 respondents who experienced severe adverse events after vaccination, reveals a spectrum of symptoms ranging from mild to severe, including reports of Guillain-Barré syndrome and neuropathy. These findings underscore the need for ongoing vigilance in vaccine safety monitoring and highlight the importance of personalized care approaches for managing post-vaccination adverse effects. The study aims to contribute to informed decision-making regarding shingles vaccination strategies and calls for continued research into the long-term safety and efficacy of Shingrix.

Heteroresistance (HR) to colistin is especially concerning in settings where multi-drug resistant (MDR) K. pneumoniae are prevalent and empiric use of colistin might lead to treatment failures. This study aimed to assess the frequency of occurrence of colistin HR (CHR) among (MDR) K. pneumoniae (n=676) isolated from patients hospitalized in 13 intensive care units (ICUs) in 6 European countries in a clinical trial assessing the impact of decolonization strategies. All isolates were whole-genome-sequenced and studied for in vitro colistin susceptibility. Majority were colistin-susceptible (CS) (n=597, MIC 2 µg/ml). 288 CS isolates were randomly selected for population analysis profiling (PAP) to assess CHR prevalence. CHR was detected in 108/288 CS K. pneumoniae. No significant association was found between the occurrence of CHR and country, MIC-value, K-antigen type and O-antigen type. Overall, 92% (618/671) of the K. pneumoniae were MDR with high prevalence among CS (540/592) and CR (98.7%, 78/79) isolates. In contrast, proportion of carbapenemase-producing K. pneumoniae (CP-Kpn) was higher among CR (72.2%, 57/79) than CS isolates (29.1%, 173/594). Proportions of MDR and CP-Kpn were similar among CHR (MDR: 85%, 91/107; CP-Kpn: 29.9%, 32/107) and CS isolates (MDR: 91%, 539/592; CP-Kpn: 29.1%, 153/59). WGS analysis of PAP isolates showed diverse insertion elements in mgrB or even among technical replicates underscoring the stochasticity of the CHR phenotype. CHR isolates showed high ST diversity (Simpson’s diversity index, SDI: 0.97, in 52 of the 85 STs tested). CR (SDI: 0.85) isolates were highly associated with specific STs (ST101, ST147, ST258/ST512, P ≤ 0.003). The widespread nature of CHR among MDR K. pneumoniae in our study urge the development of rapid HR detection methods to inform on the need for combination regimens.

We present our experience with the implantation of flow diverter stents (FDSs) for the management of intern carotid artery (ICA) dissections in tortuous tonsillar loop segments. 16 patients (10 women, 62.5%; mean age 39±8 years; median baseline NIHSS 13; median ASPECTS 8.5) with acute ischemic stroke due to ICA dissection in a tortuous tonsillar loop segment, with/without large intracranial vessel thrombotic occlusion, from 6/2015−2/2022 were included in this retrospective study under a waiver of informed consent. An FDS device was deployed from the petrous ICA toward the upper cervical ICA, completely covering the tonsillar loop. Stentriever-assisted thrombectomy was performed when indicated. A dual antiplatelet regimen was used during and after the procedure. Thrombocyte inhibition levels were evaluated before, during, and after the intervention. The ICA occlusion/near occlusion was successfully recanalized in all 16 patients with postangioplasty residual stenosis of 34±14% (range 0−50%). Stent-assisted embolectomy was performed in 15/16 patients (93.7%), achieving revascularization (TICI 2b−3) in all. There were no procedural complications and no intraprocedural embolic events; one asymptomatic petechial hemorrhage was detected. At 3-month follow-up, mRS 0−2 was seen in all patients. This report provides pilot data for a subsequent study on the use of flow diverter stents for ischemic cerebrovascular conditions. Our encouraging preliminary results await confirmation from further experience and prospective randomized studies.

The aim of this research is to investigate the influence of model height employed in the deep drawing of orthodontic aligner sheets on force transmission and aligner thickness. Forty sheets (Zendura FLX) were thermoformed over four models of varying heights (15, 20, 25, and 30 mm). Normal contact force generated on the facial surface of the upper right central incisor (Tooth 11) was measured using pressure-sensitive films. Aligner thickness around Tooth 11 was measured at five points. A digital caliper and a micro-computed tomography (µ-CT) were employed for thickness measurements. The normal contact force exhibited an uneven distribution across the facial surface of Tooth 11. Model 15 displayed the highest force (88.9±23.2 N), while Model 30 exhibited the lowest (45.7±15.8 N). The force distribution was more favorable for bodily movement with Model 15. Thickness measurements, conducted using a digital caliper and µ-CT, revealed substantial thinning of the aligner after thermoforming. This thinning was most pronounced at the incisal edge (50% of the original thickness) and least at the gingivo-facial part (85%). Additionally, there was a progressive reduction in aligner thickness with increasing model height, which was most significant on the facial tooth surfaces. We conclude that the thermoplastic aligner sheets undergo substantial thinning during the thermoforming process, which becomes more pronounced as the height of the model increases. As a result, there is a decrease in both overall and localized force transmission, which could lead to increased tipping by the aligner and a diminished ability to achieve bodily movement.

The usage of classic segmentation methods has drastically decreased recently. Implementation of convolutional neural networks and their modifications leads to significantly improved results. With the help of U-net, you can perform automatic segmentation. However, this requires significantly more hardware and software resources. The use of cloud computing now provides a wide range of possibilities, which allows processing and sharing the obtained experience and results to improve the quality of diagnosis. This article presents an approach to implementing MLOPS for automatic image segmentation using U-net technology. The approach's key feature is the developed software block that allows the creation of a dataset based on given rules. The infrastructure also supports automatically deploying the necessary environment on the cloud, particularly on DigitalOcean.

Background: Road safety improvement is a governmental priority due to driver-caused accidents. Driving styles variation affects safety, with emotional regulation being pivotal. However, functional Near-Infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) studies show inconsistent prefrontal cortex activity during emotion processing. This study examines prefrontal cortex response to negative emotional stimuli, particularly traffic accident images, across diverse drivers in age and gender. Method: The study involved 118 healthy males (44.38 ± 12.98 years) and 84 females (38.89 ± 10.60 years). The Multidimensional Driving Styles Inventory (MDSI) was used to assess driving behaviour alongside fNIRS recordings. Participants viewed traffic accident and neutral images while prefrontal oxygenation was monitored. Results: Women rated traffic accidents (t-test = 2.43; p < .016) and neutral images (t-test = 2.19; p < .030) lower in valence than men. Arousal differences were significant for traffic accident images (t-test = -3.06; p < .002). Correlational analysis found an inverse relationship between Dissociative scale scores and oxygenation (all p-values ≤ .013). Greater prefrontal oxygenation occurred with neutral images compared to traffic accidents. Left hemisphere differences (t-test = 3.23; p < .001) exceeded right hemisphere differences (t-test = 2.46; p < .015). Subgroup analysis showed male participants to be driving these disparities. Among adaptive drivers, significant oxygenation differences between neutral and accident images were evident in both hemispheres (left : t-test = 2.72, p < .009; right: t-test = 2.22, p < .030). Conclusion: Male drivers with maladaptive driving styles, particularly dissociative ones, exhibit reduced prefrontal oxygenation when exposed to neutral and traffic accident images. This response was absent in female drivers, with no notable age-related differences.

The recently approved maternal vaccination against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) can reduce its burden among infants. Vaccine hesitancy/resistance can undermine the beneficial impact of RSV vaccination. The aim of this study was to assess the willingness of pregnant women in Jordan to receive RSV vaccination and its associated determinants. Face-to-face interviews were conducted in obstetrics/gynecology clinics in Jordan during January-February 2024, with convenience sampling. Attitude to RSV vaccination was assessed using the previously validated ABCDEF scale. A total of 404 pregnant women participated in the study with a mean age of 30 years. A majority of the participants showed willingness to receive RSV vaccination (n=313, 77.5%), with hesitancy among 25 participants (6.2%), and resistance among 66 participants (16.3%). Variables that were significantly associated with a higher RSV vaccine acceptance in multivariate analysis were: age <30 years (aOR: 2.45, p=0.010), undergraduates (aOR: 3.27, p=0.026), being a healthcare worker (aOR: 4.50, p=0.036), and the history of previous COVID-19/influenza vaccine uptake (aOR: 2.47, p=0.045). Two out of the six ABCDEF constructs were significantly associated with RSV vaccine acceptance, namely the “Advice” construct (aOR: 10.38, p<0.001) and the “Fear” construct (aOR: 21.49, p<0.001). This study highlighted the multifaceted nature of attitude towards maternal RSV vaccination among pregnant women. The study showed the role of demographic variables, prior vaccination experience, trust in credible health institutions and vaccine safety, and fear of RSV disease consequences in infants in shaping maternal attitude to RSV vaccination. Addressing these factors can help to effectively promote RSV vaccine uptake, subsequently helping to protect infants from the significant RSV disease burden.

Unmanned delivery technology using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has the potential to solve issues such as traffic congestion and labor shortages. We investigated a method to construct a route between the source and destination nodes in a wireless multi-hop network by installing a radio terminal in each house. If the relay functions of all nodes in the network are in operation, the number of control messages for route construction increases, and the message relay forwarding load of each node increases. Keeping all node pairs multi-hop connectivity, we establish a method to operate the relay function with as few nodes as possible. End nodes that have not activated the relay function connect to the relay node with the closest physical distance. In this paper, we propose methods for selecting nodes to operate the relay function. Specifically, one method is based on random selection, another method is based on the number of adjacent nodes, and a third method is based on the Multipoint Relay (MPR) of the Optimized Link State Routing Protocol (OLSR). For each method, we evaluate whether the route construction is available, the number of relay nodes, the total distance of constructed routes, and the distance in population-dense regions. We clarify the characteristics of each method, and the method based on MPR is the best for constructing a network suitable for UAV navigation routes. In addition, the smaller the number of relay nodes, the more unexpected collisions on the links due to route conflicts. We clarify the minimum node density required to apply the MPR method which reduces the number of relay nodes suppressing route conflicts.

The purpose of this review is to provide an overview of brain arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) and focus on their management. The therapeutic options differ in each case depending on the location, size, and adjacent anatomical content of the AVM. The surgical resection by microsurgery is the preferred therapeutic option for a small and superficial AVM not related to an eloquent area (e.g., Spetzler-Martin grades I and II). On the other hand, when facing a very large AVM (e.g., Spetzler-Martin grades IV and V), the conservative and symptomatic treatment remains the most common management option due to the high risk-benefit ratio of any intervention. The management of AVMs with features between these two extremes (e.g., Spetzler-Martin grade III) remains less stablished. Stereotactic radiosurgery usually is the option for deep and small AVMs. Embolization has been usually considered before surgery for occlusion of deep arterial supplies of an AVM or to decrease its nidus size. Young patients and AVMs with compact nidus are features that weight in favor of a surgical approach. For the minority of cases that have the AVM diagnosed before bleeding the most common recommendation is to treat conservatively and particularly to avoid embolization. In summary, surgery is the gold-standard approach to cure an AVM and the choice for small AVMs located in non-eloquent area and with superficial venous drainage; large AVMs are mostly treated conservatively; the treatment of AVM with intermediate features is tailored, chosen with the guidance of classification systems, and encompasses radiosurgery and pre-operative embolization.

Sri Lanka's vulnerability to climate change-induced natural disasters, particularly floods, under-scores the urgent need for an integrated approach to disaster risk management (DRM) that ad-dresses the interconnected challenges within the water-food-land-energy nexus. The Deduru Oya basin, located in the north-western region, exemplifies this vulnerability, with its predominantly intermediate climatic zone susceptible to flooding. While the focus has traditionally been on flood risk reduction, it is imperative to recognize the broader implications of floods on water, food, land, and energy systems. This study aims to strengthen data acquisition and management efforts to better understand rainfall trends and their impact on the water-food-land-energy nexus in the Deduru Oya basin. By compiling 60 years of rainfall data and conducting time series analysis, we observed a decreasing trend in monthly rainfall, particularly during the South-West Monsoon, Second Inter Monsoon, and North-East Monsoon seasons. These findings have significant implica-tions for water availability, agricultural productivity, land use patterns, and energy generation in the basin. Moreover, the malfunction of stakeholders' responsibilities for local-level flood risk management exacerbates the challenges faced by communities living in flood-prone areas. By in-tegrating insights from this study into flood risk management strategies, stakeholders can develop holistic approaches that not only mitigate flood risk but also enhance resilience across the water-food-land-energy nexus. This interdisciplinary approach will inform policymakers, flood manag-ers, practitioners, and the community in formulating effective strategies to address the multifacet-ed challenges posed by floods in the Deduru Oya basin and beyond.

In this study, we investigated the role of Giardia EVs in cellular communication and their potential as vaccine candidates. Our findings revealed that Giardia EVs activate pro-inflammatory signalling cascades, including SAPK/JNK and ERK1/ERK2, as well as the NF-kB pathway, resulting in IκB-α degradation and p65 translocation to the nucleus, in mouse macrophages. Moreover, Giardia EVs increased the expression of genes encoding pro-inflammatory molecules, such as Il1β, Il6, Il4, Ptgs2, Nos2, and Tnf. Interestingly, Giardia EVs enhanced the maturation status of human Mo-DCs and significantly increased T-cell proliferation with a Th1 profile. Immunization studies demonstrated that Giardia EVs elicited antigen-specific antibodies, with IgG subclasses indicating a balance Th1/ Th2 response. Mass spectrometry analysis identified EV proteins (22 KDa and 50 KDa) that bind to serum antibodies of immunized mice including elongation factor 1-alpha, Alpha-7.3 giardin, tubulin, and Variant Surface Proteins (VSP), known antigenic proteins in Giardia infections. Overall, our results indicated that Giardia EVs modulate innate immune cells in vitro, induce antibody-based immune response in vivo, and contain conserved immunogenic proteins. Consequently, Giardia EVs hold promise as a cell-free vaccine candidate for giardiasis.

Livestock management is challenging for resource-poor (R-P) farmers due to unavailability of quality feed, limited professional advice and rumor-spreading about animal health condition in a herd. This research seeks to improve animal health in southern Africa by promoting sericea lespedeza (Lespedeza cuneata), a nutraceutical fodder legume. An automated geospatial model for precision agriculture (PA) can identify suitable locations for its cultivation. Additionally, a novel approach of radio frequency identifier (RFID) supported telemetry technology can track animal movement, and the analyses of data using artificial intelligence can determine sickness of small ruminants. This RFID-based system is being connected to a smartphone app (under construction) to alert farmers of potential livestock health issues in real-time so they can take immediate corrective measures. An accompanying Decision Support System (DSS) site is being developed for R-P farmers to obtain all possible support on livestock production, including the designed PA and RFID-based DSS.

This study delves into the intricate social dynamics beneath South Kalimantan's traditional diamond mines, revealing a potential for conflict amidst the promise of economic uplift. Going beyond conventional economic and environmental perspectives, the research employs Galtung's Conflict Theory, examining the interplay of attitudes, behaviours, norms, values, and political influences. By adopting this nuanced approach, the study unveils hidden fault lines within these communities, providing a comprehensive understanding of how diverse factors converge to create discord. The consequences of unaddressed conflict include shattered livelihoods, environmental degradation, and fractured communities. The study employs rigorous quantitative methods to empower stakeholders in proactive conflict management, including questionnaires and Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) with data from 400 respondents. The findings underscore the significant roles of behaviours, attitudes, norms, and politics in fueling tension, with values demonstrating surprisingly less direct influence. This insight is a roadmap for conflict prevention and sustainable development, allowing stakeholders to tailor interventions based on specific conflict-driving factors. The study urges a shift from reactive to proactive measures, envisioning a future where prosperity continues to glimmer and communities thrive in harmony, free from conflict.

The apparel manufacturing industry's growth over recent decades has heightened concerns about its environmental impact, including resource use, energy and water consumption, waste generation, chemical disposal, and greenhouse gas emissions. Companies have responded by initiating environmental actions and enhancing legitimacy through environmental disclosures. This study examines the nature of these disclosures among Sri Lankan apparel manufacturing companies to understand corporate priorities and identify areas for reporting improvement. Publicly available data from web pages and standalone reports were analyzed using content analysis. Findings indicate that only 23% of registered companies disclose environmental performance, while 60% of key industry players provide higher levels of transparency. Disclosures cover greenhouse gas emissions, carbon footprint, renewable energy, energy and water use, waste management, biodiversity, and environmental certifications. Key players offer detailed information on specific areas like carbon footprint, energy use, and waste management. This study highlights the need for more comprehensive and transparent environmental reporting to promote sustainable practices within the Sri Lankan apparel industry.

Depression is one of the most prevalent mental disorders worldwide. This study examined the effect of a spiritual connectivity intervention on individuals with depression in a randomized waitlist control trial. Fifty-seven participants with mild or moderate depressive symptoms were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=28) or the waitlist control group (n=29). The intervention comprised eight weekly sessions focusing on divine connection, forgiveness and freedom, suffering and transcendence, hope, gratitude, and relapse prevention. The outcome measures included depressive symptoms, anxiety, hope, meaning in life, self-esteem, and social support. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires at baseline (week 0), post-intervention (week 8), and at a 3-month follow-up (week 20). Repeated-measures ANOVA and one-way ANCOVA were used to compare the within-group and between-group differences in the changes in outcome variables. Participants in the intervention group showed significant improvements in depression, anxiety, spiritual experience, hope, self-esteem, and perceived social support after the intervention. Effect size statistics showed small to large differences (Cohen’s d, 0.308 to -1.452). Moreover, 85.71% of participants in the intervention group also experienced clinically significant reductions in PHQ-9 scores from baseline to immediate post-intervention. This study highlights the effectiveness of a low-cost, accessible intervention suitable for community implementation by clergy and faith-based organizations.

Two new species of free-living nematode, Metachromadora parobscura sp. nov. and Molgolaimus longicaudatus sp. nov., from mangrove wetlands of Beihai, Guangxi province in China, are described. Metachromadora parobscura sp. nov. is characterized by eight longitudinal rows of somatic setae arranged from the posterior part of the body, loop-shaped amphidial foveae with an open top and double contours, pharynx with bipartite cuticularized internal cavity, spicules with well-developed capitulum, gubernaculum extended ventrally to support spicule, 6-8 precloacal tubular supplements, and short, conical tail with two protuberances. Molgolaimus longicaudatus sp. nov. is characterized by short cephalic setae, relatively small amphidial fovea, ventrally bent spicules with pronounced hamose curved proximal terminus, two undulate precloacal supplements, and relatively long conico-cylindrical tail. Nearly full-length SSU sequences of the two species were provided, and phylogenetic tree based on maximum likelihood analyses supported the taxonomic position of the two new species. Combined use of traditional morphology-based taxonomy and molecular technology would be a good choice for identification of free-living nematodes.

While digital libraries offer essential benefits for the digital age such as constant availability and accessibility, they often fail in providing a similarly enjoyable browsing experience that benefits engagement and serendipitous exploration inherent to traditional library experiences. In this paper, we propose a virtual reality (VR) library environment that emulates a traditional library promoting an engaging browsing experience that benefits browsing enjoyment and serendipity. The implemented system uses procedural content generation to dynamically generate a library-like environment, wherein each room corresponds to a specific category of the digital library. To assess the usability of the implemented system, we conducted an A/B study comparing the VR environment with the web interface of Project Gutenberg. The results of the study suggest that while the physical demand for using the VR environment is higher, the system can significantly benefit the browsing experience and entice users’ curiosity. Furthermore, the study suggests that the system can increase user engagement and users generally felt that using the system was rewarding.

The bulk planetary compositions are thought to be linked to the chemical abundances of their host stars. The abundances of 8 key rock-forming elements and the key planetary abundance ratios in G– and F–type main sequence stars located in the Solar neighborhood within 50 pc were statistically analyzed. The averaged C/O, Mg/Si, and Fe/Si elemental ratios of the planetary systems have a crucial role in the chemical composition and the mineralogy of a rocky planet's interior. We also studied the variation of the calculated Ca/Si, Al/Si, Na/Si and Fe/Si ratios in the samples of the examined stars using the Ca, Al, Na, and Fe abundances from the catalog and then attempt to constitute plausible occurrence trends of the analyzed abundance ratios for the rocky planet population in the near – solar galactocentric distances. Considering these results, we provide simple predictions for the most likely bulk compositions of the potential rocky planets. We further apply our results to compare them to the solar averaged abundance ratios, finding that the key elemental ratios for rocky planet composition in the Solar System are not typical amongst most of the studied stellar samples.

Traditional Romanian food products are an integral part of local culture and spirituality. These food traditions have been formed over the centuries and represent a particularly important part for the development of a circular economy in rural areas. In order to contribute to the development of this sector of activity; we conducted a study on consumer perception of traditional Romanian food products. The purpose of this work was to identify the structure of the studies and the future directions of research related to the image of traditional food products through the bibliometric study as well as the identification of consumer trends of these products through a survey based on the questionnaire. The results obtained indicate that traditional Romanian food products are consumed by the majority of respondents participating in the survey and that this sector of activity has continuity in its development and presents a clear interest among citizens.

Health care is currently showing a fall in heart failure (HF) prevalence and incidence particularly in developed countries, but with only a subset receiving appropriate therapy to protect the heart against maladaptive processes such as fibrosis and hypertrophy. Appropriate markers of advanced HF are still needed, which should help choosing the most suitable therapy and avoid major compliance problems. Speckle tracking echocardiography (STE) is a good choice, being a non-invasive imaging technique and is able to assess cardiac deformation in a variety of conditions. Several multicenter studies and meta-analyses have demonstrated its clinical applications and accuracy in early and late stages of HF, as well as its association with both left ventricular (LV) filling pressures and myocardial oxygen consumption, the two are important parameters in the evaluation of HF patients. Also, STE assists in assessing right ventricular free-wall longitudinal strain (RVFWLS) which is a solid predictor of right ventricle failure (RVF) following LV assist device (LVAD) implantation. Despite its limitations, STE plays an essential role in the clinical evaluation of patients with HF, early and advanced, in explaining symptoms and signs and also as an accurate prognosticator. The aim of this review is to examine the advantages of STE in early evaluation of myocardial dysfunction and their correlation with right heart catheterization (RHC) parameters, which should have a significant clinical relevance in the management of HF patients.

Tidal notches, long regarded as reliable indicators of mean sea level, have been extensively studied along carbonate coasts in the central Mediterranean Sea. Previous studies revealed a correlation between the genesis of tidal notches and tidal range, lithology, cliff foot depth and wave energy. In the 2020 Geoswim campaign at Lampedusa, the southernmost island of the Pelagie archipelago (Italy), 'anomalous' tidal notches were identified. Unlike normal notches observed elsewhere, those in Lampedusa's southern bays exhibited a particular behavior —constantly deepening in the inner part of the bays, reaching a maximum depth of approximately 30 cm below sea level and narrowing inwards. Similar phenomena were previously observed by [1] near Marseille (France) and in Gozo Island (Malta). Time-lapse images, alongside measurements of morphometric param-eters, were collected during the survey. Despite the rapid morphological changes of the notches within the bay, the tectonic stability of the studied areas was confirmed by literature and data. Our hypothesis indicates that a combination of marine factors, influenced by local meteomarine conditions driven by the local morphology of the small bays exposed to southern quadrants con-tribute to the formation of these unique landforms. The latter manifest higher lowering erosion rates slightly below mean sea level in sheltered areas, challenging conventional notions about tidal notch formation.

Gold nanohole arrays are periodic metastructures gathering huge interest for biosensing applica-tions. The grating-like structure defines their plasmonic mode features and their angular disper-sion can be used to highlight efficiently their interaction with the fluorescence emission of a properly tuned fluorophore. Resorting to a properly tuned/engineered/optimised plasmonic na-nohole array and a commercial organic dye, we performed an accurate resolved angle-resolved optical characterization. The plasmonic fingerprints was consequently identified as a modification of the dye photoluminescence signal in terms of both spectral redistribution and enhancement. Interestingly, by analyzing the results, an advantageous measurement configuration can be iden-tified to better engineer a suitable platform for efficiency maximization in plasmon-enhanced flu-orescence-based applications. Therefore, the coupling mechanism with the plasmonic modes, and nanostructure properties can be carefully co-optimized.

This paper proposes a novel formulation of the fuzzy newsvendor problem for inventory management applications. This new formulation allows the use of any profit function. A new credibility estimation is proposed to explore the neighborhood around the most impactful demand scenarios. Further, a simulation procedure was designed for the different demand scenarios, which allows the comparison of the proposed approach with probabilistic demand curves. The fuzzy newsvendor problem is solved using a modified genetic algorithm (GA), where an initialization mechanism with null values is proposed. The new formulation of the fuzzy newsvendor problem together with the modified GA have shown to improve the average profit up to 55% in problems with low-budget scenarios.

This comprehensive review explores recent advancements in heavy metal remediation techniques, focusing on the utilization of cellulose-silica composites and tailored surface modification techniques. We examine the synthesis strategies and properties of cellulose-silica adsorbents, highlighting their enhanced adsorption capacities and structural robustness for removing heavy metal pollutants from aqueous environments. The review investigates various surface modification approaches, including thiol-functionalization, amino acid grafting, and silane coupling agents, for optimizing the surface chemistry and morphology of cellulose-silica composites. Mechanistic insights into the adsorption processes and kinetics of modified adsorbents are discussed, along with considerations for optimizing adsorption performance under different environmental conditions. This review provides valuable perspectives on the development of effective adsorbent materials for sustainable heavy metal remediation applications.

By installing FBG sensors on the geogrids, smart geogrids can both reinforce and monitor the stability for geogrid-reinforced slopes. In this paper, a geogrid-reinforced sand slope model test was conducted in the laboratory and fiber Bragg grating (FBG) sensing technology is used to measure the strain distribution of the geogrid. Based on the model test, the performance of the reinforced soil slope is simulated by finite element software Midas-GTS, and the stability of the reinforced soil slope is analyzed by strength reduction method. The relationship between the geogrid strain and safety factor is set up. The results indicate that the measured strain and calculated results agree very well. The geogrid strain measured by FBG sensor can be applied to evaluate the stability of geogrid-reinforced sand slopes.

In the recent concrete industry, high fluidity concrete is being widely used for the pouring of dense reinforced concrete. Normally, in the case of high fluidity concrete, it includes high binder contents, so it is necessary to replace part of the cement through admixtures such as fly ash to procure economic feasibility and durability. This study shows the mechanical properties and field applicability of high fluidity concrete that using mass of fly ash as alternative materials of cement. The high fluidity concrete mixed with 50% fly ash was measured to manufacture concrete that applies low water/binder ratio to measure the mechanical characteristics as compressive strength and elastic modulus. Also, in order to evaluate the field applicability, high fluidity concrete containing high volume fly ash was evaluated that fluidity, compressive strength, heat of hydration and drying shrinkage of concrete.

The lack of application of management models that allow strategies to be converted into action and then measure their results in order to apply improvement actions to meet the objectives in small and medium-sized companies (SMEs); they generate problems in their management causing the closure of their operations unexpectedly; To mitigate the risks of closure and bankruptcy with the support of ICT, an alternative was presented considering that risk management is important in decision making at a strategic, tactical and operational level. The objective is to design a prototype to mitigate risks and prevent threats to avoid the closure of this type of company. Through the analysis of related articles, applying sequences of methodological steps; It was determined that the proposed results are aimed at how to identify and mitigate the risks and threats that cause their bankruptcy and closure. Prototypes resulted that allow mitigating risks, preventing threats and minimizing vulnerabilities in the management of SMEs. It was concluded that the proposed prototype to detect threats and vulnerabilities provides an optimal security model for small and medium-sized companies; As a result of the simulations, a security percentage of 77.92% was established, which means that the greater the number of risks and threats, the greater the probability that a small and medium-sized company will close.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) with KRAS mutation is prone to develop metachronous metastasis. However, effective measures for prediction and prevention of such clinical issue are currently unavailable. In this study, we confirmed that KRAS mutation is a risk factor for CRC metachronous metastasis through meta-analysis and public database analysis. Based on the ICGC-AGRO database, we have constructed a risk scoring model for predicting metachronous metastasis in KRAS-mutant CRC using machine learning, which was validated in public datasets. Furthermore, we discovered that KRAS inhibitors can effectively suppress the migration and invasion capabilities of high risk CRC cells by wound healing assay and transwell experiment, which was validated ex vivo and in vivo using organoids and splenic liver metastatic mouse model. Finally, RNA sequencing, RT-qPCR, and western blots have proven that KRAS inhibitors can suppress the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) signaling pathway in CRC. Collectively, our study suggests that KRAS inhibitors may inhibit the metastatic ability of CRC by suppressing EMT and the TGF-beta pathway, suggesting their potential for the prevention of metachronous metastasis in CRC with KRAS mutation.

The deposition of dust particles on solar panel modules constitutes a significant challenge, leading to a potential reduction in solar cell performance. This work tackles this issue by investigating the surface modification of a layer of transparent indium tin oxide (ITO), with a detailed analysis of the influence of its characteristics via different annealing conditions/processing. The ITO layer has been studied to enhance its characteristics for dust removal applications. Of particular note is that the developed ITO layer can be applied to dust removal using electrostatic or magnetic-based approaches. Thus, the correlation between annealing gas (using Argon, Oxygen, and Nitrogen), annealing temperature, and annealing ramping rate is explored with the obtained surface topography, as well as electrical and optical properties. The developed ITO layers annealed in the Argon medium at 600°C with an annealing ramping rate of 50°C/s showed smooth surface roughness, the highest electrical conductivity, and a relatively low refractive index. Such findings can play a crucial role in the future implementation of using the enhanced ITO layer for dust mitigation in solar panels, thus improving their long-term performance.

Developing a dependable gas and condensate value chain is vital for the ongoing prosperity of the oil and gas industries. To achieve this, NNPC is enhancing its production facilities by employing process modeling and simulation with the assistance of Symmetry iCON®. As a part of this initiative, a simulation model was created using the Symmetry iCON® pipe plexus solver to simulate the dynamic environment of the gas and condensate pipeline network in the Nigerian Southern region. To validate the model, data from a single month, specifically December 2022, was utilized. Furthermore, the algorithm was utilized to generate projections for the month of January 2023, providing valuable insights into its effectiveness. The study also highlighted the significance of accurately estimating the characteristics and properties of a pseudo component of C6+ in relation to thermodynamics and material properties, which was a particularly insightful finding. he assessment of this property has transitioned from being relatively unimportant to becoming critically important, primarily due to the lack of condensate data monitoring at specific terminals. However, it's worth noting that the model currently has an error margin of 4-6% when predicting the data. As more information becomes available in the future, the model can be easily fine-tuned to better align with the actual conditions, allowing for more accurate predictions.

Background: Pediatric neurological disorders include neurodegenerative disease causing cognitive impairment, vision loss to mention a few. They are one of the important causes of morbidity and mortality in children with diverse etiology. Diagnosis is difficult in spite of genetic work and in only 60% of cases final diagnosis can be achieved. Case presentation: We explore three cases of pediatric neurological diseases, viz. Arthrogryposis, congenital bilateral cataract and Autism by analyzing clinical exomes. In this work, we attempted to understand rare neurological disorders in an Indian pediatric cohort using exome studies. Conclusions: We used our benchmarked CONVEX pipeline for screening consensus variants, wherein EIF2B2 was found to be inherently pathogenic. We map the association of variants and genes, disease correlation to neuroleptic malignant syndrome which is a matching phenotype to the cases.

Global growth and sustainability highly depend upon the output of industries, corporations, governments, and non-governmental organisations requiring comprehensive energy transition in the face of a worldwide crisis demanding carbon neutralisation. The carbon neutralisation challenges required for energy transition could be overcome by detailed surveying, recording and the analysis of the carbon dioxide emissions. It is crucial to study innovative materials like metal-organic frameworks for their transdisciplinary applications towards carbon capture to have a sustainable strategy to capture harmful emissions. In addition, the CO₂ solubility, adsorption and absorption capacity, and several reinforcing characteristics and factors for carbon dioxide capture using MOFs are discussed in detail. Further, for various multidisciplinary applications towards commercialisation, MOFs solubility, adsorption and absorption parameters were considered. Moreover, the essential organic qualities of MOFs and their organo-derivatives are considerably elaborated. Overall, to align with the current sustainable development goals, it is significant that carbon dioxide emissions must be reduced along with its capture in a scientific manner. Relevant projections for carbon capture through MOFs have been reviewed industrially and universally in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs).

The Atlantic Canada Together Enhancing Acute Stroke Treatment (ACTEAST) project is a Modified Quality Improvement Collaborative (mQIC) designed to improve ischemic stroke treatment rates and time-based efficiency in Atlantic Canada. This study specifically evaluates the implementation of the mQIC in Nova Scotia using qualitative methods. The mQIC spanned six months and included two Learning Sessions, multiple webinars, and a per-site virtual visit. Each session was followed by an action planning period to guide implementation efforts over the following 2-4 months. The Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research (CFIR) was utilized to develop a pre-tested, semi-structured interview guide, which aimed to uncover barriers and facilitators to mQIC implementation. Interviews were conducted with 14 healthcare professionals, generating 454 references that were coded into 28 CFIR constructs. Notably, 84% of these references were positively framed as facilitators. Despite this, significant barriers were identified, including resource availability, competing priorities, communication challenges, and difficulties engaging key stakeholders. Some barriers were particularly prominent during specific phases of implementation. The study findings offer valuable insights into the implementation of quality improvement initiatives in stroke care. They underscore the importance of recognizing and addressing context-specific barriers, while also leveraging identified facilitators to drive successful implementation and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

It is unclear whether delayed access to treatment/health assessment impacted psychological distress for these populations. This study aimed to fill this literature gap by using a cross-sectional survey, which aimed to evaluate the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on Chinese immigrants in North America during the second wave of the pandemic. The study focused on Chinese immigrants aged 16 or older in Canada. Covariates included sociodemographic variables, delayed access to treatment/health assessment, and other COVID-19 related variables. We used logistic LASSO regression for model selection and multivariate logistic regression models to evaluate the association between delayed access to treatment/health assessment and psychological distress outcome. Missing data were handled using multiple imputation. Our study included 746 respondents, with 47.18% normal CPDI group and 36.82% mild to severe CPDI group. Most respondents were originally from Mainland China and residing in Ontario. Over half have stayed in Canada for at least 15 years. The multivariate logistic regression models unveiled a significantly positive association between psychological distress and delayed access to treatment/health assessment (OR=1.362, 95% CI: 1.078–1.720, p= 0.0095), fear of COVID-19 (OR=1.604, 95% CI: 1.293–1.989, p<.0001), social loneliness (OR=1.408, 95%CI: 1.314–1.508, p<.0001). Sociodemographic variables and other COVID-19 related-variates did not significantly impact the study’s outcome. Reliable health information, mental health supports, and virtual care tailored to immigrants should be considered to mitigate this impact and optimize overall health and well-being.

In this work, we consider the properties of the two-term Machin-like formula and develop an algorithm for computing digits of π by using its rational approximation. In this approximation, both terms are constructed by using a representation of 1/π in the binary form. This approach provides the squared convergence in computing digits of π without any trigonometric functions and surd numbers. The Mathematica codes showing some examples are presented.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) have garnered significant attention in recent years due to their unique properties and promising applications in various fields such as electronics, optoelectronics, bioimaging, and sensing. The synthesis of GQDs is a critical step in harnessing their potential, and numerous methods have been developed to produce GQDs with specific properties. This review provides an overview of the different techniques employed for synthesizing GQDs, including top-down and bottom-up approaches. Furthermore, it discusses the advantages, limitations, and potential applications of each method, offering insights into the future direction of GQD synthesis research.

Formidable and often seemingly insurmountable conceptual, technical, and methodological challenges hamper the measurement of oxidative stress in humans. For instance, fraught and flawed methods, such as the thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assay kits for lipid peroxidation, rate-limit progress. To advance translational redox research, we present ten comprehensive “cheat codes” for measuring oxidative stress in humans. The cheat codes include analytical approaches to assess reactive oxygen species, antioxidants, biomarkers of oxidative damage and redox regulation. They provide essential conceptual, technical, and methodological information inclusive of curated “do” and “don’t” guidelines. Given the biochemical complexity of oxidative stress, we present a research question-grounded decision tree guide for selecting the most appropriate cheat code (s) to implement in a prospective human experiment. Worked examples demonstrate the benefits of the decision tree-based cheat code selection tool. The ten cheat codes define an invaluable resource for measuring oxidative stress in humans.

An important issue concerning the inspection of the technical condition of electrical power components and systems is thermal imaging investigation. This paper presents how the thermograms obtained from these measurements should be interpreted correctly according different standards and how operators should react when a specific anomaly is detected. It is also a review article in which all currently applicable international standards are referred to. The motivation of the article relates to the fact that these standards seems to be too general and not cover all practical situations even though in many countries thermal imaging diagnostics of overhead lines or overhead outdoor and indoor power stations has been used for years on the basis of industry standards or good practices. The purpose of writing this article is precisely to encourage and provoke the global community of metrologists, scientists and engineers involved in thermographic measurements to discuss, strengthen efforts and establish relevant international standards for the interpretation of thermograms containing the relevant temperature anomalies.

Network centrality analyses have proven successful in identifying important nodes in diverse host-pathogen interactomes. The current study presents a comprehensive investigation of the human interactome and SARS-CoV-2 host targets. We first constructed a comprehensive human interactome by compiling experimentally validated protein-protein interactions (PPIs) from eight distinct sources. Additionally, we compiled a comprehensive list of 1,449 SARS-CoV-2 host proteins and analyzed their interactions within the human interactome, which identified enriched biological processes and pathways. Seven diverse topological features were employed to reveal the enrichment of SARS-CoV-2 targets in the human interactome, with Load centrality emerging as the most effective metric. Furthermore, a novel approach called CentralityCosDist was employed to predict SARS-CoV-2 targets, which proved effective in expanding the pool of predicted targets. Pathway enrichment analyses further elucidated the functional roles and potential mechanisms associated with predicted targets. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the complex interplay between SARS-CoV-2 and the host cellular machinery, contributing to a deeper understanding of viral infection and immune response modulation.

The aim of the study was to examine the long-term prognostic value of changes in cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) within a year after coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Methods. Patients with coronary artery disease (n = 251) in whom cardio-ankle vascular index (CAVI) was assessed using the VaSera VS-1000 device before and in a year after CABG. Groups with improved CAVI (CAVI decreased from pathological value to normal or the index remained within normal values) or worsened CAVI (persistent pathological index value or an increase in CAVI to pathological values or an increase of 1 unit or more) were identified. The groups were compared for the following events at 10-year follow-up: death from all causes, myocardial infarction, stroke/transient ischemic attack, and the combined endpoint. Results. A year after CABG surgery, 45% of patients showed positive dynamics or stable normal CAVI values. Death from all causes was significantly more common in the group with CAVI progression - 32 (27.6%) than in the group with CAVI improvement - 14 (14.8%; p = 0.029). Patients with CAVI progression were more likely to have MACE (death, MI, stroke/TIA) in 49 (42.2%) cases, compared with patients with CAVI improvement - in 23 (24.5%; p=0.008). Negative dynamics of CAVI (p = 0.024), number of shunts (p = 0.006), and the presence of carotid stenosis more than 30% (p = 0.051) were independent predictors of death from all causes at 10-year follow-up after CABG. The presence of carotid stenosis more than 30% (p = 0.002) and the group with negative dynamics of CAVI after a year (p = 0.008) were independent predictors of the development of the combined endpoint during long-term follow-up. Conclusions. Patients with negative dynamics of CAVI one year after CABG were more likely to experience death from all causes and combined endpoint in the long-term follow-up than patients with normal CAVI. In further studies, it is advisable to evaluate the dynamics of CAVI and, based on this, identify the most effective interventions to improve the prognosis of patients after CABG.

Among natural disasters, earthquakes have a considerable impact and are among the ten deadliest, with an extreme impact on the healthcare sector. This study aimed to analyze best practices in nursing care for earthquake victims. An in-depth analysis was carried out by using a scoping review, a method used in accordance with the PRISMA-ScR recommendations to identify best nursing practice in these circumstances based on searches of eight databases: MEDLINE via PubMed; Cochrane Library; Embase; VHL; PDQ-Evidence; Scopus; ProQuest; Google Scholar. Twenty-one studies were selected. The nursing practices identified were grouped into two distinct dimensions, each subdivided into four subcategories: (i) care practices: a) immediate care, b) intermediate care, psychosocial care and d) ethical care; (ii) care management and coordination practices, which cover (a) care coordination, (b) victim care network organization, (c) teamwork and (d) training. By analyzing these nursing practices during care and relief operations for earthquake victims, this study identified the various actions carried out, the nursing skills to be developed and the reinforcement of these advanced practices through the systematization of nurses’ skills, in order to promote victims’ rehabilitation, minimize their suffering and improving their quality of life during and after an earthquake.

Inherent in every Active Magnetic Bearing (AMB) are differences between the expected geometric axes and the actual magnetic axes due to a combination of discrepancies, including physical variation from manufacturing tolerances and misalignment from mechanical assembly, fringing and leakage effects, as well as variations in magnetic material properties within a single AMB. A method is presented here for locating the magnetic axes of an AMB that will facilitate the accurate characterization of the bearing air gaps for potential improvement in field tuning, performance analyses and certain shaft force measurement techniques. This paper presents an extension of the application of the bias current perturbation method for the determination of the magnetic center [4] to the determination of magnetic axes for the further development of accurate current-based force measurement techniques [1].

Predicting electricity prices is a very important issue in modern society, because the associated decision process under uncertainty requires accurate forecasts for the economic agents involved. In this paper, we apply the decision tree extension of Random Forests to the prediction of electricity prices in Spain, but with the novelty of modeling prices jointly with demand, with the purpose of achieving greater accuracy than with univariate response Random Forests, particularly in price prediction, as well as understanding the effect of the input variables (lagged values of price and demand, current production levels of available energy sources) on the joint of the two outputs. The results are very encouraging, providing significant increase in price prediction accuracy. Also, interesting methodological challenges appear as far as the appropriate choice of the relative weights of price and demand in the joint modeling is concerned and a new procedure to provide the importance variable ranking is proposed. The partykit (package of R software) library allowing for multivariate Random Forests has been used.

Bangladesh's railway system mostly uses typical manual railway crossing technique or boom gates through its 2,955.53 km rail route all over the country. The accidents are frequently happening in the railway crossings due to not having obstacle detectable and quickly operating gate systems, and also for fewer safety measures in the railway crossing. Currently, there are very few automatic railway crossing systems (without obstacle detectors) available, however, all of them are dependent on the national power grid without a backup plan for any emergency cases. Bangladesh is still running a bit behind in the power generation of its consumption, hence it is not possible to have a continuous power supply at all times all over the countryside. We aim to design and develop a smart railway crossing system with an obstacle detector to prevent common types of accidents in the railway crossing points. We design to use two infrared (IR) sensors to operate the railway crossing systems which will be controlled by the Arduino Uno. This newly designed level crossing system will be run with the help of sustainable renewable energy which is cost-effective, eco-friendly, and apply under the national green energy policy towards achieving sustainable development in Bangladesh as a part of the global sustainable goal to face climate change challenges. We have summarized the simulated results of several renewable energy sources including a hybrid system and optimized the Levelized Cost of Energy (LCOE), and the payback periods.

Human Papillomavirus (HPV) self-sampling has the potential to increase cervical cancer screening (CCS) and reduce the cervical cancer burden in Medically Underserved Women (MUW). However, interventions promoting self-sampling are limited. We examined the effectiveness of an intervention study in increasing CCS among MUW. We conducted a quasi-experimental intervention study. Face-to-face verbal approach was to recruit MUW (n=85, mean age 48.57±11.02) living in a small city in the US. Behavioral intervention based on reframing, reprioritizing, and reforming (3R model) was used to educate the women about CCS in a group format. The women completed pre-and post-intervention assessments and followed-up interviews. The primary outcome was CCS uptake. Mixed methods analyses were conducted using a t-test for the primary outcome, PROCESS for mediation analysis, and NVivo for interview data. Majority of women (75%) completed self-testing. High-risk HPV prevalent among the women was 11%, and of those, 57% followed-up with physicians for care. We found that the significant increase in the women’s post-intervention screening behaviors was mediated by the increase in knowledge (Indirect Effect [IE] = .1314; 95% CI, .0104, .4079) and attitude (IE = .2167; 95% CI, .0291, .6050) scores, (p&lt;0.001). Interview analyses offered further explanations (see the explanations in parenthesis) why MUW found the intervention messages acceptable (encourages proactive behavior), feasible (simple and easy to understand), and appropriate (helpful and informative). Barriers including lack of trust and fear of results were identified. The findings suggest that an intervention that combines the 3R model and self-sampling may increase CCS among MUW.

With reference to Planck scale Hubble parameter, super luminal expansion speeds, super luminal rotation speeds, Mach’s principle and Holographic principle, we review the current cosmological observations with eight simple assumptions. By understanding Yuri N. Obukhov and V.A. Korotky proposed cosmic rotational effects of polarization of radiation due to massive bodies, to some extent cosmic rotation can be deep-rooted in an observational approach and the ratio of current angular velocity and Hubble parameter can be estimated. It is possible to show that, at H₀ =70 km/sec/Mpc, current cosmic temperature, age, radius, mass, mass density are 2.721 K, 4.41x10¹⁷ sec, 90 billion light years, 1.14654x10⁵⁴ kg, 0.0482 times the current critical density respectively. Clearly speaking, current universe seems to constitute 267 Hubble spheres. Important point to be noted is that, current rotational kinetic energy is 0.6667 times the current critical energy. Based on the estimated current mass density and current rotational kinetic energy, current cosmic dark matter density can be shown to be 0.2851 times the current critical density. These numerical coincidences cast serious doubt on the on the real existence of currently believed ‘dark energy’. Initial and current expansion speeds are 3x10⁸ m/sec and 3.56x10⁹ m/sec respectively. With increasing cosmic age and increasing cosmic expansion speed, current universe is expanding with a speed of 11.885c. By knowing the time to time future cosmic temperatures, future Hubble parameters and corresponding future cosmic expansion speeds can be estimated and thus future expansion speed can be understood. Starting from ‘speed of light’, our model assumes a continuous increase in expansion speed and attains a current radius of 90 billion light years (without inflationary concepts) and casts a serious doubt on the actuality of currently believed ‘inflation’.

Temporal changes of population densities and species richness of three main pollinator groups: moths and butterflies (Lepidoptera), bees, wasps and sawflies (Hymenoptera) and hoverflies, horse-flies, tachninids and bee flies (Diptera) were investigated in the Carpathian Basin. Maintaining pollinator divesrity is a crucial factor for preserving our biodiversity and ecosystems, furthermore several pollinator species has strong economic role in maintaning crop and fruit cultures. Our conclusions are based on our three or four decades of faunistic surveys in various regions of the Carpathian Basin. Analysing and comparing our data with the historical data of the last 50 years, we concluded, densities of some pollinators were declined during the past decade and the half (Symphyta, hoverflies), although populations of several species of Mediterranean-origin were grown (Aculeata) and even new species were migrated from the warmer regions. In numerous cases, this decrease was dramatic: more than 90% decrease of certain butterfly species were detected. On the other hand, the composition of pollinator fauna significantly changed due to the disappearance of some montaneous or mesophyle species. The main reason of decrease of pollinator communities is partly the climatic change and partly anthropogenic factors. Our conclusion: in our region, the pollinator crisis is present, but moderate; however, there is clear sign of the gradual transition of our pollinator fauna towards the Mediterranean type.

This research seeks to solve the multi-faceted problem of waste disposal by analyzing the application of waste plastic and tyre material within non-structural concrete to ensure more sustainability and less environmental degradation. Study focusses on material properties including specific gravity, water absorption and bulk density and characteristics of the concrete that is produced by the utilization of the above waste aggregates including workability, compressive strength, flexural strength and tensile strength. This paper employs secondary data collection and MATLAB in the analysis of the findings pointing to the fact that the mechanical properties reduce with the level of waste content yet emphasizing the green aspect of such materials. Thus, a complex and diverse effect is demonstrated by the life cycle assessments (LCA) for global warming, ozone depletion, terrestrial ecotoxicity, and acidification. Furthermore, the utilization of waste materials decreases the compressive, flexural, and tensile strength, but it provides distinct ecological benefits which prove the importance of proper mix proportions for concrete performance. The outcomes of this research will be useful for further investigation in the application of the concept as well as to call for the development of new ideas for the improvement of bonding of wastes to aggregates in concrete.

Aiming at the problem of small size of some spots on apple leaves and the difficulty of accurate detection of spot targets brought by the complex background of the orchard, this paper takes the alternaria leaf spot, rust, brown spot, grey spot and frog eye leaf spot on apple leaves as the research object, and proposes a high-accuracy detection model YOLOv5-Res and lightweight detection model YOLOv5-Res4 are proposed. Firstly, a multiscale feature extraction module ResBlock is designed by combining the Inception multi-branch structure and ResNet residual idea. Secondly, a lightweight feature fusion module C4 is designed to reduce the number of model parameters while improving the detection ability of small targets. Finally, a parameter streamlining strategy based on optimized model architecture is proposed. The experimental results show that the performance of YOLOv5-Res model and YOLOv5-Res4 model is significantly improved, the [email protected] value is improved by 2.8% and 2.2% compared with YOLOv5s model and YOLOv5n model, respectively, and the size of YOLOv5-Res model and YOLOv5-Res4 model is only 10.8MB and 2.4MB, and the number of model parameters is reduced compared with YOLOv5s model and YOLOv5n model. counts are reduced by 22% and 38.3% compared to the YOLOv5s model and YOLOv5n model.

This study aims to analyze various types of pellet fuels used as energy sources in Bulgaria, focusing on their energy characteristics and the consumer preferences. Both standard and specialized methods such as thermogravimetry (TG) and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) are used for the analyses. The results from TG and DSC indicate that during the drying of the samples, moisture is evaporated from their surface, along with the release of volatile substances. The processes during the analysis are accompanied by energy absorption, with the main stage being combustion, where the primary amount of heat is generated. Standard analysis methods show that wood pellets usually contain about 7.31% moisture, 0.72% ash and have a calorific value of 18.33 kJ/kg, while sunflower pellets contain about 7.62% moisture, 2.42% ash and have a calorific value of 19.63 kJ/kg. Mixed pellets contain about 7.07% moisture, up to 0.69% ash and have a calorific value of 18.05 kJ/kg. A specialized marketing research was conducted to investigate consumer attitudes and preferences toward purchasing different types of solid biomass fuels on Bulgarian market. This study provides information on the quality of pellets as fuel by offering a detailed analysis of their fuel properties and ensuring their effective utilization as an energy source.

(1) E-governance is defined as the application of electronic means in the interaction between government and citizens and government and business, as well as in internal government operations to simplify and improve democratic, governmental, and business aspects of governance. Thus, e-governance is built from a paradigmatic dimension such as e-democracy (relationship between government and citizens) and an operational one such as e-government. The objective was to design and validate an instrument to measure e-governance based on three factors: a) e-administration, b) e-services, and c) e-democracy; (2) Methods: Based on the level of importance given to each factor (sample of 2042 Latin American citizens), as well as the relationships between them, an analysis of the importance of each factor is carried out; (3) Results: After the confirmatory analysis, the definitive instrument with which e-governance can be measured by other researchers and future research is obtained, considering the three selection factors, namely: e-administration, e-services and e-democracy; (4) Conclusions: This research contributes to political science through the design and validation of an instrument consisting of 39 items that can be used to measure e-governance according to the dimensions proposed by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.

The viticulture sector, spanning over 7.3 million hectares worldwide, plays a crucial economic role but faces challenges such as labor shortages, rising production costs, market competition, and climate change stresses. Addressing these issues requires monitoring the spatial and temporal variability in vineyard productivity. Traditional ground-based observations, though accurate, are time-consuming and limited in scope. Precision viticulture, leveraging technologies like GPS, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence, offers efficient, non-destructive monitoring tools. This study aims to develop and test a technological workflow using the mobile app Digivit, integrated with the AgroSat platform, to estimate yield variability in vineyards. The workflow was performed during the 2023 growing season in a series of vineyards near Siena (Italy) and involved two main steps: spatial variability characterization using AgroSat and yield estimation using the mobile Digivit app. AgroSat processed Sentinel-2 NDVI data to identify homogeneous zones, while Digivit used smartphone images of grape clusters to estimate yields. The field campaign, performed three weeks before harvest, involved monitoring representative vines within identified zones and uploading georeferenced images for cluster segmentation analysis. Yield estimates were validated against measured weights, showing a strong linear correlation (R²=0.85, RMSE=43.74g). Excluding one outlier improved correlation to R²=0.95, RMSE=14.58g. Vineyard-level yield predictions were compared with harvest data, achieving an overall error of approximately 7%, in agreement with other methods in the literature. The study demonstrates that the Digivit app provides accurate, timely yield prediction, supporting farmers in harvest planning and winemaking management. The user-friendly mobile app approach facilitates a broader adoption of precision viticulture technologies among farmers, overcoming barriers related to technical expertise.

Tourism is the main economic sector in the Balearic Islands (Spain) and hotel housekeepers (HHs) are a large occupational group, in which stress is becoming a major issue. This study aims at exploring in-depth factors perceived as stressors by HHs and key-informants, and their effects on work-life balance (WLB). A qualitative design with phenomenological approach was used, conducting six focus groups with 34 HHs and 10 individual interviews with key-informants. Results were analyzed adopting the job demands-resources model and a gender perspective. High demands –e.g work overload, time pressure, physical burden...-, lack of enough resources and little control –derived from role conflict, unexpected events...- were the most important factors explaining HHs’ stress. Additionally, this imbalance was perceived as leading to health problems –mainly musculoskeletal disorders-. Working schedule was mentioned as a facilitator to WLB, whereas an imbalance between job demands and resources led to work-home conflict –preventing them from enjoying leisure time-. Multiple roles at work and at home increased their stress. HHs experienced their job as invisible and unrecognised. Regarding practical implications, our recommendations for hotel organization include reducing workload and increasing resources, which would improve the job demands-resource balance, diminish negative mental and physical outcomes and improve WLB.

Background and Objective: To examine the effect of ordered subset expectation maximization (OSEM) parameters on the quantitative image quality of cardiac SPECT images in two different frequently used SPECT cameras and determine the optimal settings for producing images of best diagnostic quality. Another objective was to assess if different cameras produced a significant change in optimal parameters and levels of detectability. Methods: The optimization of OSEM iterative reconstruction algorithm was carried out by comparing image quality metrics, namely, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) and defect contrast across 12 OSEM subset-iteration combinations to find the best choice for cardiac perfusion SPECT images. Eight frames were reconstructed using the SIMIND Monte Carlo Simulation package. An activity of 370 MBq (10mCi) and projection acquisition interval of 20 seconds per projection were used. Attenuation (AC) and scatter corrections (SC) were performed in this study for all images. Results: The 16-2 subset-iteration combination yielded the highest CNR and defect contrast values for both cameras. The difference between CNR values for two cameras was found to be around 5% only. Conclusions: Monte Carlo simulations can be useful to investigate how quantitative image quality behaves with respect to reconstruction parameters and correction algorithms in a controlled environment. The found optimum is similar to values reported in previous findings. In this study, the use of different camera brands did not affect the optimum. The quantitative detectability measures were also very similar.

A prime number is a natural number with no divisors other than itself and the number 1. There are many unsolved problems related to prime numbers. One such problem is finding a general method for identifying prime numbers. Although it is known that all prime numbers fall under the categories of 2, 3, or 6n±1 (where n≥1), a formalized method for eliminating composite numbers (non-prime numbers) from these categories has yet to be developed. This paper aims to explore a possible method for such elimination, which involves checking whether there exists an n that satisfies n = 6km+k+m or n = 6km+k-m (where k and m are non-zero integers). This method is expected to be a major step forward in the derivation of prime numbers.

For the World Health Organization, and specifically for the International Coordination Committee, the need to bring forward discussions on non-clinical trials in human models, such as vaccine trials in pregnant women, with the aim of demonstrating immunity in newborns, has been addressed. This literature review seeks to investigate the relationship between mothers and newborns in terms of the transfer of IgG antibodies against SARS-CoV-2. Most of the literary evidence shows that the substantial transfer of transplacental and lactational antibodies to infants confers protection even when the baby is exposed to the disease. However, accurate and conclusive evidence on the safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccines during pregnancy will be a key factor in facilitating the decision-making process for pregnant women to ensure the safety of mother and baby.

This study investigates the impact of integrating ChatGPT on the academic writing performance and engagement of English as a Foreign Language (EFL) undergraduate students in Delhi, India, during the first semester of the academic year 2024/2025. It addresses the challenges within the Indian education system by exploring the effectiveness of AI-driven writing tools in enhancing writing skills and motivation among EFL learners. Employing a mixed-methods approach, the research evaluates ChatGPT's influence on 32 EFL Indian undergraduate students through draft revisions, questionnaires, and interviews. The findings highlight ChatGPT's positive impact on writing quality, engagement levels, and immediate feedback appreciation, emphasizing its potential in improving writing instruction and student outcomes in EFL contexts. Recommendations are provided for practitioners to integrate ChatGPT in writing exercises and for researchers to conduct longitudinal studies and explore ethical considerations in AI use for educational purposes, ultimately contributing to enhanced EFL education and technology-mediated learning.

Spatiotemporal variations of sediments transported along rivers play a crucial role in a wide spectrum of uses, such as navigation, recreation, habitats or hydropower production. The advancement in technology has made it possible to use various indirect techniques to study and evaluate the transport of suspended sediment in fluvial environments. To investigate large-scale phenomena, remote sensing is becoming a largely utilized approach, as it allows to combine spatially-distributed and local information. Dam-induced sediment reduction occurs in large and small rivers worldwide, having profound implications on the fluvial systems. However, the systematic change of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and its dynamic processes are not well known, and generally investigated only at the very local scale using field information. In this work, SSC maps were created by combining satellite images with local monitoring SSC data, using the Zhijiang -Chenglingji reach of the Changjiang River (China) as a case study, and analyzing how SSC dynamics changed over the period 2017-2022 in correspondence of extreme events. Multiple relationships between measured SSC and bands reflectance were tested, showing the potential of the best-performing one (R2=0.43) in mapping SSC spatiotemporal variations over an extent of dozens of kilometres, eventually providing new insights into the SSC dynamics at hotspots of the river systems, such as confluence zones, barriers, and reservoirs.

Premalignant lesions in the bronchial epithelium represent early stages of squamous cell lung carcinoma, challenging to detect with conventional methods. While previous studies have focused on gene expression, here we examine transcriptomic alterations associated with lesion development with the emphasis on protein-coding transcripts. We reanalyzed publicly available RNAseq dataset on airway epithelial cells from 82 smokers with and without premalignant lesions. Transcript abundances were quantified using kallisto, and differential expression and transcript usage analysis was conducted using the sleuth and RATs packages. Functional characterization included overrepresentation analysis (clusterProfiler), weighted co-expression network analysis (WGCNA), and network analysis (Enrichr-KG). We detected 5,906 differentially expressed transcripts, with significant enrichment in pathways related to oxidative phosphorylation and mitochondrial function. Transcript-level WGCNA identified single module correlated with dysplasia status, enriched in cilium-related biological processes. Analysis of hubs within this module highlighted key genes including RABL2B, DNAH1, EFHC1 and VWA3A, and revealed transcription factors such as FOXJ1 and ZNF474 as potential regulators. Our findings underscore the value of transcript-level analysis in uncovering novel insights into premalignant lesion biology. By examining transcripts rather than genes, we identified potential biomarkers associated with early lung carcinogenesis.

Immune-cell reprogramming driven by mitochondria-derived reactive electrophilic immunometabolites (mt-REMs—e.g., fumarate, itaconate) is an emerging phenomenon of major biomedical importance. Despite their localized production, mt-REMs elicit significantly-large local and global footprints within and across cells, through mechanisms involving electrophile signaling. Burgeoning efforts are being put into profiling mt-REMs’ potential protein-targets and phenotypic mapping of their multifaceted inflammatory behaviors. Yet, precision indexing of mt-REMs’ first-responders with spatiotemporal intelligence and locale-specific function assignments remains elusive. Highlighting the latest advances and overarching challenges, this perspective aims to stimulate thoughts and spur interdisciplinary innovations to address these unmet chemical-biotechnological needs at therapeutic immuno-signaling frontiers.

The rise in both the frequency of natural disasters and the ubiquity of artificial intelligence has led to novel applications of new technologies in improving disaster response processes, such as the labor-intensive assessment of disaster damages. Assessment of residential and commercial structure damages, a precursory step to government agencies being able to provide most of their financial assistance, has benefited from aerial and satellite imagery-based computer vision models; however, limitations of using such imagery include the ground structures being obscured by clouds or smoke, as well as the lack of resolution to distinguish individual structures from others. Using a different data source, we propose a damage severity classification model using ground-level imagery, focusing on residential structures damaged by wildfires. This classifier, a Vision Transformer (ViT) model trained on over 18,000 professionally labeled images of damaged homes from the 2020-2022 California wildfires, has achieved an accuracy score of over 95%. Further, we have open sourced the training dataset–the first of its kind and scale–as well as built a publicly available web application prototype, which we demoed to and received feedback from disaster response officials, both of which further contribute to the broader literature beyond the proposed model.

The primary objective of this study is to examine the extent of financial integration between Latin American and US financial markets, particularly in light of recent efforts to foster integration through trade agreements. Spanning from January 1, 1990, to December 31, 2019, the sample focuses on major market indices and key sectors. Financial integration is quantified using a DCC multivariate GARCH model, incorporating a smooth transition model, structural breaks, and regression-based approaches. Results indicate increased comovement with the US for main market indices in Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and Peru, while Brazil shows a decrease. Similar trends are observed in sectoral analyses. The study also reveals heightened correlation post-trade agreements. Structural break analysis highlights significant shifts in dynamic correlations for countries with US free trade agreements. These findings support the argument of increased financial integration, bearing significance for portfolio diversification and international policy formulation.

Background: Patients with allergic rhinitis (AR) have bothersome symptoms that may assess using the visual analog scale (VAS). Asthma frequently is associated with AR. The present study investigated the role of VAS in children with newly-diagnosed AR. Methods: Parameters were VAS for nasal and asthma symptoms, and doctor’s perception of these diseases, medication use, and asthma comorbidity. Results: 67% of AR children had asthma. Severity of perceived nasal symptoms was associated with more intense asthma symptoms and doctor’s perception of disease severity (p<0.001 and p=0.02, re-spectively. Conclusions: Allergic rhinitis frequently is associated with asthma in child-hood. Symptom perception assessment using VAS is a simple tool for assessing their intensity. Moreover, the severity of nasal symptoms is associated with asthma symptom severity. Therefore, asthma should be carefully considered in AR children and require appropriate symptom perception assessment.

The problem addressed in this article consists of the motion control of a quadrotor, comprising model disturbances and uncertainties. In order to tackle model uncertainty, adaptive control based on reinforcement learning is used. The distinctive feature of this article, in comparison with other works on quadrotor control using reinforcement learning is the exploration of the underlying optimal control problem in which a quadratic cost and a linear dynamics allow an algorithm that runs in real time. Instead of identifying a plant model, adaptation is obtained by approximating the performance index given by the Q-function using directional forgetting recursive least squares that rely on a linear regressor build from quadratic functions of input/output data. The adaptive algorithm proposed is tested in simulation in a cascade control structure that drives a quadrotor. Simulations show the improvement in performance that results when the proposed algorithm is turned on.

Abstract: Patient blood samples are invaluable in clinical omics databases, yet current methodologies often fail to fully uncover the molecular mechanisms driving patient pathology. While Genome-scale Metabolic Models (GEMs) show promise in systems medicine by integrating various omics data, having only exometabolomic data remains a limiting factor. To address this gap, we introduce a comprehensive pipeline integrating GEMs with patient plasma metabolome. This pipeline constructs case-specific GEMs using literature-based and patient-specific metabolomic data. Novel computational methods, including adaptive sampling and an in-house developed algorithm for the rational exploration of the sampled space of solutions, enhance integration accuracy while improving computational performance. Model characterization involves task analysis in combination with clustering methods to identify critical cellular functions. The new pipeline was applied to a cohort of trauma patients to investigates shock-induced endotheliopathy using patient plasma metabolome data. By analyzing endothelial cell metabolism comprehensively, the pipeline identified critical substrates and contributed to the development of targeted therapeutic strategies. Our study demonstrates the efficacy of integrating patient plasma metabolome data into computational models to analyze endothelial cell metabolism in disease contexts. This approach offers a deeper understanding of metabolic dysregulations and provides insights into diseases with metabolic components and potential treatments.

The Internet of Things (IoT) has a growing presence in society's daily lives. These lightweight devices can be easily deployed and maintained, enabling extensive adoption in different environments. Furthermore, one of the most promising areas for using IoT devices is healthcare, comprising devices referred to as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT). Several examples of healthcare services are supported by IoMT devices, e.g., continuous health monitoring. Conversely, there is an increasing concern with the cybersecurity aspects of these devices, and several attacks against IoT infrastructures have been launched in the past few years. These cybersecurity concerns also apply to healthcare applications, where the tradeoff between the benefits and security of IoMT devices must be observed. Given the complexity and amount of data IoMT network traffic generates, advanced methods become especially useful in these environments. Although Machine Learning (ML) brings various techniques and solutions to improve cyberattack detection, prevention, and mitigation, essential features are not addressed in the current state-of-the-art benchmark dataset contributions. Thereupon, the main goal of this research is to propose a realistic benchmark dataset to enable the development and evaluation of IoMT security solutions. In order to accomplish this, 18 attacks were executed against an IoMT testbed composed of 40 IoMT devices (25 real devices and 15 simulated devices), considering the plurality of protocols used in healthcare (e.g., Wi-Fi, MQTT, and Bluetooth). These attacks are categorized into five classes: DDoS, DoS, Recon, MQTT, and spoofing. This effort aims to establish a baseline complementary to the state-of-the-art contributions. The outcome supports researchers in investigating and developing new solutions to make healthcare systems more secure using different mechanisms (e.g., machine learning - ML). This research goes beyond merely conducting attacks on IoMT devices. We also attempt to capture the lifecycle of these devices in different vital phases, from the moment they join the network until they leave, which is called profiling. Profiling allows the different classifiers to identify anomalies of each device individually in the healthcare network. The CICIoMT2024 dataset has been published on CIC's dataset page, making it available for other researchers to use.

The practice of teaching and scientific research on cadaveric material remains crucial for medical education, especially in surgical disciplines. However, in Italy, this practice has been neglected due to legislative insufficiency and financial constraints. Although innovative methods and tools like simulators and e-learning have been adopted, direct hands-on experience with human cadavers remains irreplaceable for medical and surgical education. The absence of clear legislation governing cadaveric dissection has limited availability for teaching and research, resulting in economic burdens for universities and individuals seeking proper surgical training. To address this issue, the Law No. 10/2020 and the recent implementing decree were introduced in Italy, providing detailed legislation on the donation of bodies for educational and research purposes. The law emphasizes the importance of respecting the donor's specific choices and aligns with constitutional principles promoting culture, research, and health protection. However, some critical issues related to consent procedures, duration of body availability, and preservation of anatomical parts remain. Additionally, the law's dissemination among the population needs improvement. Future optimization could include allowing donors to choose the timing of body donation and considering different timeframes for body availability. Furthermore, the implementation of consent procedures could be simplified to increase donations. The law should also address the need for appropriate reception centers and allocate resources for effective dissemination. Despite these challenges, Law No. 10/2020 represents a significant step forward in enhancing medical-surgical training, scientific research, and the overall quality of patient care in Italy.

ERI and SSZ-13 were subjected to post-synthetic treatments (depending on the zeolite topology) to create micro-/mesoporous materials. The results of NH3-SCR-DeNOx show that the applied treatments improved the catalytic activity of the Cu-containing ERI-based materials; however, the NO conversion does not vary for the different materials treated with NaOH or NaOH/HNO3. For the micro-/mesoporous Cu-containing SSZ-13, a lower NO conversion in NH3-SCR-DeNOx is observed. Thus, our findings challenge the current paradigm of enhanced activity of micro-/mesoporous catalysts in NH3-SCR-DeNOx. The modification of the supports results in the presence of different amounts and kinds of copper species (especially isolated Cu2+ and aggregated Cu species) in the case of ERI- and SSZ-13-based samples. The present copper species further differentiate the formation of reactive reaction intermediates. Our studies approved that besides the -2,2-peroxo dicopper(II) complexes (verified by in situ DR UV-Vis spectroscopy), also copper nitrates (evidenced by in situ FT-IR spectroscopy) act as reactive intermediates in these catalytic systems.

Diagnosis and treatment of Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in women remain insufficient. Fluctuations of reproductive hormones during the premenstrual period, postpartum period and (peri)menopause are neglected, even though they impact ADHD symptoms and as-sociated mood disorders [1]. Therefore, we created a female-specific treatment group for women with ADHD and premenstrual worsening of ADHD and/or mood symptoms. We describe the group programme and underlying rationale, offering a qualitative analysis of the participants’ evaluation. The 7 two-weekly sessions foreground the menstrual cycle and address several ADHD-specific topics in relation to this cyclical pattern: emotional regulation; impulsivity; setting boundaries, and triggers. Concurrently, women track their menstrual cycle and (fluctuating) ADHD and mood symptoms with an adjusted premenstrual calendar. In total, 18 women (25-47yrs) participated in three consecutive groups. We analysed the evaluation of the last group. Participants experienced the group as a safe and welcoming space. Recognition was valued by all. The topics discussed were deemed valuable and the structure suited them well. Completing the premenstrual calendar augmented awareness and recognition of individual cyclical symptoms. Discussing ADHD throughout the lifespan increased self-understanding. Participants took their menstrual cycle more seriously, prioritising self-acceptance and self-care in the luteal phase of the cycle. Exploring a cyclical approach in a group setting seems to be a positive addition to treatment for female ADHD.

Leptospira, which are known to be important disease-causing agents transmitted between animals and humans, results in significant illness and, in some cases, significant death in human populations. This study aims to examine the genomic structure of Leptospira interrogans serovar Copenhageni strain FDAARGOS_203 to identify the specific genetic factors that contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and defense against phages. The genome, consisting of two contigs totaling 4,630,574 base pairs, underwent thorough examination for protein-coding sequences, transfer RNA genes, and ribosomal RNA genes. A total of twenty-two antibiotic resistance genes that specifically target essential cellular processes such as cell wall synthesis, DNA replication, and protein synthesis have been identified. Significant among these were gidB, GdpD, and PgsA, each involved in separate aspects of antibiotic resistance. In addition, the investigation explored the defense mechanisms of bacteriophages, revealing the presence of defense islands that contain a range of anti-phage systems, including RM_Type_IV, PrrC, Borvo, CAS_Class1-Subtype-IC, and CAS_Class1-Subtype-IB. This comprehensive genomic analysis enhances our understanding of the molecular mechanisms that determine Leptospira's ability to adapt to various environments. The identified genetic factors linked to AMR and defense against phages not only enhance our scientific comprehension but also provide a basis for focused interventions to reduce the impact of leptospirosis.

The growing demand for phycobiliproteins from microalgae generates a significant volume of by-products, such as extraction cakes. These cakes are enriched with products of interest for the cosmetic market, namely free fatty acids, particularly polyunsaturated (PUFA). In this work, two cakes, one of spirulina and one of Porphyridium cruentum, were valorized using innovative natural hydrophobic deep eutectic solvents (NaDES) based on alkanediols. The most promising NaDES, as determined by physicochemical properties and screening, are mixtures of alkanediol and fatty acid. These include the mixture of 1,3-propanediol and octanoic acid (1:5, mol/mol) and 1,3-propanediol and octanoic and decanoic acid (1:3:1, mol/mol). Two extractive processes were implemented: ul-trasound-assisted extraction and an innovative mechanical process by dual asymmetric centrifu-gation. The second process resulted in the production of extracts significantly enriched in PUFA, ranging from 65 to 220 mg/g dry matter with the two cakes. The extracts and NaDES demonstrated good safety with respect to epidermal keratinocyte viability. The study of their impact on com-mensal and pathogenic cutaneous bacteria demonstrated significant effects on viability of Staphy-lococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis while preserving Corynebacterium xerosis and Cuti-bacterium acnes. These results highlight the potential of valorizing these co-products using al-kanediol-based NaDES, in a strategy combining an active vector (NaDES) and a growth regulator extract, for the management of cutaneous dysbiosis involving staphylococci.

S5 0716+714 is a well known BL-Lac object, one of the brightest and most active blazars. The discovery in the Very High Energy band (VHE, E > 100 GeV) by MAGIC happened in 2008. In January 2015 the source went through the brightest optical state ever observed, triggering MAGIC follow-up and a VHE detection with ~ sigma significance (ATel #6999). Rich multi-wavelength coverage of the flare allowed us to construct the broad-band spectral energy distribution of S5 0716+714 during its brightest outburst. In this work we will present the preliminary analysis of MAGIC and Fermi-LAT data of the flaring activity in January and February 2015 for the HE and VHE band, together with radio (Metsahovi, OVRO, VLBA, Effelsberg), sub-millimeter (SMA), optical (Tuorla, Perkins, Steward, AZT-8+ST7, LX-200, Kanata), X-ray and UV (Swift-XRT and UVOT), in the same time-window and discuss the time variability of the MWL light curves during this impressive outburst.

Gelephu, located in the Himalayan region, has experienced one of the strongest development activities due to the suitable topography and geographic location, which has led to rapid urbanization. The main objective of the study is to perform land use land cover (LULC) mapping for Gelephu for 2016 and 2023 by a Random Forest (RF) classifier, using the Semi-automatic Classification Plugin (SCP) in QGIS and identify LULC changes. Furthermore, the study assessed the vegetation change dynamics within the study area by analysing the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) for 2016 and 2023. Additionally, the study characterized the resulting LULC change for Gelephu Thromde, a sub-administrative municipal entity, as a result of the notable intensity of the infrastructure development activities. The current study used a framework to collect Sentiniel-2 satellite data, which was then used for pre- and post-processing to create LULC and NDVI maps. The classification model achieved high accuracy, with an area under the curve (AUC) of up to 0.89. The corresponding LULC and NDVI statistics were analysed to determine the current status of the LULC and vegetation indices, respectively. The LULC change analysis reveals urban growth of 5.65% and 15.05% for Gelephu and Gelephu Thromde, respectively. The NDVI assessment shows significant deterioration in vegetation health with a 75.11% loss of healthy vegetation in Gelephu between 2016 and 2023. This research provides the first version of LULC and NDVI maps of Gelephu. The analysis results indicate possible future implications on sustainable development management in Gelephu Bhutan.

Global warming leads in general to a reduction in precipitations and non-rainfall water contributions such as dew. The present study, carried out in Gujarat (India) for 17 years between 2005 and 2021, shows however a rare increase of the rain falls and dew condensation, the latter related to an increase in relative humidity and a decrease in wind amplitudes. Rain was obtained from meteo stations. Dew was calculated from an energy model and meteo data from 15 meteo stations (14 in India and 1 in Pakistan) and compared to early and dedicated measurements in 13 sites. Maps of dew, rain and their relative contributions during the period are provided. They show that, while rain mainly occurs during the monsoon (June to September), dew forms during the dry season (October to April). This water resource was mapped over the Gujarat state of India by using a kriging process. According to the site, the dew/rain ratios can represent between 4.6% (Ahmedabad) to 37.2% (Jamnagar) on the whole period of 17 years. This positive evolution, which is observed since 2015-2017, is likely to continue in the future.

Standard ANNs lack flexibility when handling corrupted input due to their fixed structure. Spiking Neural Networks (SNNs) can utilize biological temporal coding features, such as noise-induced stochastic resonance and dynamical synapses to increase a model’s performance when its parameters are not optimized for a given input. Using the analog XOR task as a simplified Convolutional Neural Network analog, this paper demonstrates two key results: (1) SNNs solve the problem linearly inseparable in ANN with over 10% improvement in the optimal setting, and (2) in SNNs, the synaptic noise and dynamical synapses compensate for non-optimal parameters, achieving near-optimal results.

Quantum chemical topology addresses the study of the chemical structure by applying the tools of differential topology to scalar and vector fields obtained by quantum mechanics. Here the magnetically induced isotropically averaged Lorentz force density has been computed and topologically analysed for 11 small molecules. Critical points (attractors, repellers and saddles) have been determined and trajectories connecting the attractors have been computed. It is shown that kinds and numbers of the critical points are rather transferable in similar molecules. CC bonds of different order are endowed with critical points of different kind close to their centre. The long range behaviour of the force allows understanding the value of the sum of topological indices of the isolated critical points.

In this study the distribution of heavy metal in the agricultural soils in the vicinity of 3 large mine-landfills around Kizhnica mine in Kosovo was investigated. The mining sector is one of the most important sectors of the economic development of Kosovo. The Kizhnica mine is one of the main ore producers in Kosovo. In addition to the positive aspects of production development it has its own side effects such as: industrial waste and the possibility of contamination of sur-rounding areas including the agricultural lands in the surrounding region. Ten sampling sites close to the Kizhnica mining complex were selected. These sampling sites have been characterized and evaluated as the most critical points, due to the anthropogenic influences of the discharge of industrial water from mining flotation and open tailing dumps in the Kizhnica. Concentration of Pb, Zn, Cu, As, Cd, Ni, Mn and Sb in selected samples was carried out by inductively coupled plasma–optical emission spectrometry (ICP–OES). Obtained data were used in order to generate geochemical maps and for calculatation the contamination factor (CF), pollution load index (PLI) and geo-accumulation index (Igeo). The statistical clustering analysis (CA), Pearson correlation coefficient (r) and air spatial distribution patterns using AERMOD View-Gaussian air dispersion model are used to perform evaluation within the area. The results demonstrated higher contents of the heavy metals in the vicinity of the mining area. It may be concluded that the heavy metal contents are impacted by anthropogenic nature of the contamination that confirms a current eco-logical threat of the mining activities in the region. Finally, a paper proposes the potential reas-signment of the deposed waste material into different combinations in construction in order to enhance the waste management and reduce the continued risk to: residents, lands and all living beings in the region.

High-Level Synthesis (HLS) tools have revolutionized FPGA application development by providing a more efficient and streamlined approach, significantly impacting digital design methodologies. Despite the capability of FPGAs to customize numerical representations in data paths, most HLS projects have focused on fixed-point precision, while floating-point representations remain limited to vendor-provided single, double, and half-precision formats. This paper proposes a customized floating-point library compatible with HLS to address these limitations. This library allows programmers to define the number of exponent and mantissa bits at compile time, providing greater flexibility and enabling the use of mixed precision. Moreover, this library includes optimized implementations of common components such as vector summation (VSUM), dot-product (DP), and matrix-vector multiplication (MVM). Results demonstrate that the proposed library reduces latency and resource utilization compared to vendor IP blocks, particularly in VSUM, DP, and MVM operations. For example, the MVM operation involving a 32x32 matrix, using vendor IP requires 22 clock cycles, whereas CuFP completes the same task in just 7 clock cycles, using approximately 60% fewer DSPs, 10% fewer LUTs, and 60% fewer FFs.

This study investigated the magnitude and direction of inter-limb asymmetry in 21 professional female sepak takraw players across several task-specific tests. Five inter-limb asymmetry assessments were employed: unilateral countermovement jump (Uni-CMJ), bilateral countermovement jump (Bi-CMJ), single leg hop (SLH), triple hop test (THOP), and isokinetic concentric peak torque of the knee flexors and extensors at 60 deg/sec-1, 120 deg/sec-1 and 180 deg/sec-1 angular velocities. A “true” inter-limb asymmetry was only observed for Uni-CMJ jump height (16.62%) and THOP distance (6.09%). Kappa coefficients demonstrated fair agreement in the direction of asymmetry between the Uni-CMJ and Bi-CMJ tests for jump height (Kappa = 26.67), but only slight agreement for peak force (Kappa = 0.11), propulsive impulse (Kappa = -0.12) and eccentric impulse (Kappa = -0.14), respectively. Fair agreement was observed between the SLH and THOP (Kappa = 0.32). Slight to moderate agreement was found for concentric peak torque across angular velocities for the knee extensors (Kappa = 0.08 to 0.48) while fair to nearly perfect agreement was noted for the knee flexors (Kappa = 0.31 to 1). The Uni-CMJ and THOP are most sensitive to detect between-limb asymmetries in female sepak takraw players. However, given the inconsistency in asymmetry direction across tests, monitoring asymmetry direction is crucial for conditioning.

Many advanced technologies have been employed in the high performance active matrix displays including liquid crystal displays, organic light emitting diode displays, and micro light emitting diode displays. On the other side, there have existed the strong demand on the cost reduction and it is one of low cost schemes to integrate the driver circuit in a panel based on thin film transistor technologies. This paper reviews overall concept, operation principles, and various circuit approaches in shift registers for the scanning pulse generation. In addition, it deals with the implementation of additional functionalities in gate drivers to support pixel compensation, multi-line driving, in-cell capacitive touch screen, pixel sensing, and adaptive scanning region control.

Salmonella sp. is a globally prevalent organism responsible for causing salmonellosis, a foodborne illness. Salmonella Typhimurium represents a type of Salmonella sp. not associated with typhoid fever but capable of causing stomach and intestinal inflammation or severe infection. In the present study, 150 uncharacterized proteins of S. Typhimurium were randomly selected from UniProtKB and analyzed using TMHMM, PROSITE, STRING, DEG, and BLASTp. Results indicated that 32 uncharacterized proteins (21%) were predicted to be transmembrane proteins involved in various biological pathways. Among them, 30 transmembrane proteins were predicted to be essential and non-host homologous. This study's findings suggest their potential as drug targets against salmonellosis.

Paracetamol, also known as acetaminophen, is one of the most widely used over-the-counter analgesics and antipyretics globally. While generally considered safe when used as directed, excessive or prolonged use of paracetamol can lead to adverse effects on various organ systems within the human body. This comprehensive review explores the physiological mechanisms underlying paracetamol toxicity, its effects on different organs, risk factors for overdose, diagnostic methods, and potential management strategies.

The widespread availability of tools to collect and share spatial data enables us to produce a large amount of geographic information on a daily basis. This enormous production of spatial data requires scalable data management systems. Geospatial architectures have changed from clusters to cloud architectures and more parallel and distributed processing platforms to be able to tackle these challenges. Peer-to-peer (P2P) systems as a backbone of distributed systems have been established in several application areas such as web3, blockchains, and crypto-currencies. Unlike centralized systems, data storage in P2P networks is distributed across network nodes, providing scalability and no single point of failure. However, managing and processing queries on these networks has always been challenging. In this work, we propose a spatio-temporal indexing data structure, DSTree. DSTree does not require additional Distributed Hash Trees (DHT) to perform multi-dimensional range queries. Inserting a piece of new geographic information updates only a portion of the tree structure and does not impact the entire graph of the data. For example, for time-series data, such as storing sensor data, the DSTree performs better. Despite the advantages of our proposed framework, challenges remain. We conclude that more significant research effort from GIScience and related fields in developing decentralized applications is needed. The need for the standardization of different geographic information when sharing data on the IPFS network is one of the requirements.

The present study aims at deposition of zinc phosphate coatings with the incorporation of nano Titanium dioxide particles by chemical phosphating method. Zinc phosphate coatings were developed on low carbon steel by using nano TiO2 in the standard phosphating bath. The Coated low carbon steel samples were assessed for corrosion studies using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and potentiodynamic polarisation techniques in 3.5% NaCl solution. Chemical composition of the coatings was analysed by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Significant variations in the coating weight, porosity and corrosion resistance were observed with the addition of nano TiO2 in the phosphating bath. Corrosion rate of nano TiO2 incorporated chemical phosphate coated samples was found to be 3.5 mpy which was 4 times less than the bare uncoated low carbon steel (~14 mpy). Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies revels in the reduction of porosity in nano TiO2 phosphate coated samples. It was found that nano TiO2 particles in the phosphating solution yielded phosphate coatings of higher coating weight, greater surface coverage and enhanced corrosion resistance than the normal zinc phosphate coatings (developed using normal phosphating bath).

In this research paper, design and development of pyramidal horn antenna for J-band application is reported. It is particularly designed for 17 dB gain and half beam width about 25 degrees at 6.93 GHz. Horn aperture, horn axial length and distance from the throat of the antenna to aperture are the main design constraints which are calculated and used for the antenna design and simulation. Beam width in E-plane and H-plane horn is calculated and it is 19.18 dB and 22.86 dB respectively. The reported antenna design shows good performance for J-band in radiometry, satellite, and radar applications.

Introduction. “Vein definition” for locally advanced pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (LA PDAC) assumes portal-to-superior mesenteric vein (PV/SMV) unreconstructability due to tumor involvement or occlusion. Radical pancreatectomies with SMV resection without PV/SMV reconstruction are scarcely discussed in the literature. Retrospective analysis of 19 radical pancreatectomies for “low” LA PDAC with SMV and all its tributaries resection without PV/SMV reconstruction has shown zero mortality, overall morbidity – 56%, Dindo-Clavien – 3-10,5%, R0- rate – 82%, mean operative procedure time – 355±154 min, mean blood loss – 330±170 ml, delayed gastric emptying– 25%, clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula – 8%. In three cases surgery was associated with superior mesenteric (n2) and common hepatic artery (n1) resection. Surgery was completed without vein reconstruction (n13) and with inferior mesenteric-to-splenic anastomosis (n6). There were no cases of liver, gastric, or intestinal ischemia. A specific complication of the SMV resection without reconstruction was 2-3 days-long intestinal edema (48%). Median overall survival – 25 months, median progression-free survival – 18 months. All the relapses, except two, were distant. The possibility of successful SMV resection without PV/SMV reconstruction can be predicted before surgery by CT-based reconstructions. The mandatory anatomical conditions for the procedure were: 1) preserved SMV-SV confluence; 2) occluded SMV for any reason (tumor or thrombus); 3) well-developed inferior mesenteric vein collaterals with dilated intestinal veins; 4) no right-sided vein collaterals, and 5) no varices in the upper abdomen. Conclusion: “Low” LA PDACs involving SMV with all its tributaries can be radically and safely resected in highly and specifically selected cases without PV/SMV reconstruction with an acceptable survival rate.

The German wine sector has encountered new challenges in water management recently. To manage water resources responsibly, it is necessary to understand the relationship between the input of water and the output of wine, in terms of quantity and quality. The objectives of this study are to examine water use at the farm scale at three German wineries, and to develop and apply, for the first time, a quality-based indicator. Water use is analyzed in terms of wine production and wine-making over three years. After the spatial and temporal boundaries of the wineries and the water flows are defined, the farm water productivity indicator is calculated to assess water use at the winery scale. Farm water productivity is calculated using the AgroHyd Farmmodel modeling software. Average productivity on a quantity basis is 3.91 L wine per m3 of water. Productivity on a quality basis is 329.24 °Oechsle per m3 of water. Water input from transpiration for wine production accounts for 99.4–99.7% of total water input in the wineries, and, because irrigation is not used, precipitation is the sole source of transpired water. Future studies should use both quality-based and mass-based indicators of productivity.

We prove that the probability of “A OR B”, where A and B are events or hypotheses that are recursively dependent (OR is the logico-probabilistic operator) is given by a "Hyperbolic Sum Rule” (HSR) relation isomorphic to the hyperbolic-tangent double-angle formula, and that this HSR is Maximum Entropy (MaxEnt). The possibility of recursive probabilities is excluded by the “Conventional Sum Rule” (CSR) which we also prove MaxEnt (within its narrower domain of applicability). The concatenation property of the HSR is exploited to enable analytical, consistent and scalable calculations for multiple recursive hypotheses: such calculations are not conveniently available for the CSR, and are also intrinsic to current artificial intelligence and machine learning architectures presently considered intractable to analytical study and methodological validation. We also show that it is as reasonable to state that “probability is physical” (it is not merely a mathematical construct) as it is to state that “information is physical” (now recognised as a truism of communications network engineering). We relate this treatment to the physics of Quantitative Geometrical Thermodynamics which is defined in complex hyperbolic (Minkowski) spacetime, and show how the HSR is isomorphic to other physical quantities including certain components important for digital signal processing.

A key component of nanomaterials, carbon dots (CDs) are zero-dimensional solids, smaller than 10 nm in size that include carbon as their backbone structure. Herbal medicine carbon dots (HM-CDs) are nanoparticles developed from medicinal plants. Owing to their advantageous properties, they are extensively employed in biological domains such as drug administration, bio-imaging, biosensors, and DNA interactions. It's interesting to note that, carbon dots pro-duced from herbal medicines as a raw material have surfaced as the most recent addition to the CD family. This article provides an overview of the several sources of green precursor, preparation tech-niques, characterization, and applications of CDs. It reviews recent advancements in synthe-sizing CDs made from green carbon materials and their potential uses as bioimaging, catalysts and sensing. Furthermore, several difficult issues and future directions for this potent and amazing content are also covered.

In this exploratory work, we have examined the impact of an external static electric field on the H2 storage capacity of clathrate hydrates. To this end, we have chosen the 512 clathrate hydrate and examined the encapsulation of 1 - 4 H2 molecules within it. Results suggest that with the help of moderate electric fields (±0.10 to ±0.31V/Å), the encapsulation of 1 H2 molecule within the 512 clathrate hydrate becomes thermodynamically more favorable. In the cases of 4H2@512 and 2H2@512, however, the concerned processes become thermodynamically more favorable only when the field is applied along a specific direction. No favorable outcome could be observed in the case of 3H2@512, irrespective of the direction of the applied field. It appears from the results obtained herein that it might be possible to design a suitable external electric field to facilitate the hydrogen storage capacity of clathrate hydrates at ambient conditions, at least in certain cases.