Rescaling of rainfall requires measurements of rainfall rates over many dimensions. This paper develops one approach using 10 m vertical spatial observations of the Doppler spectra of falling rain every 10 seconds over intervals varying from 15 up to 41minutes in two different locations and in two different years using two different Micro-Rain Radars (MRR). The transformation of the temporal domain into spatial observations uses the Taylor ‘frozen’ turbulence hypothesis to estimate an average advection speed over an entire observation interval. Thus, when no other advection estimates are possible, this paper offers a new approach for estimating the appropriate frozen turbulence advection speed by minimizing power spectral differences between the ensemble of purely spatial radial power spectra observed at all times in the vertical and those using the ensemble of temporal spectra at all heights to yield statistically reliable scaling relations. Thus, it is likely that, MRR and other vertically pointing Doppler radars may often help to obviate the need for expensive and immobile large networks of instruments in order to determine such scaling relations, but not the need of those radars for surveillance.

This research introduces Genus-Physiognomy-Ecosystem (GPE) mapping at a prefecture level through machine learning of multi-spectral and multi-temporal satellite images at 10m spatial resolution, and later integration of prefecture wise maps into country scale for dealing with 88 GPE types to be classified from a large size of training data involved in the research effectively. This research was made possible by harnessing entire archives of Level-2A product, Bottom of Atmosphere reflectance images collected by MultiSpectral Instruments onboard a constellation of two polar-orbiting Sentinel-2 mission satellites. The satellite images were pre-processed for cloud masking and monthly median composite images consisting of 10 multi-spectral bands and 7 spectral indexes were generated. The ground truth labels were extracted from extant vegetation survey maps by implementing systematic stratified sampling approach and noisy labels were dropped out for preparing a reliable ground truth database. Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) implementation of Gradient Boosting Decision Trees (GBDT) classifier was employed for classification of 88 GPE types from 204 satellite features. The classification accuracy computed with 25% test data varied from 65-81% in terms of F1-score across 48 prefectural regions. This research produced seamless maps of 88 GPE types first time at a country scale with an average 72% F1-score. In addition, mapping of solar panels and vegetation disturbance are added.

The three-armed cluster-randomized trial ARena (Sustainable reduction of antibiotic-induced antimicrobial resistance) aimed to foster appropriate antibiotic use and reduce overprescribing in German ambulatory care to counter antibiotic resistance. Multi-faceted interventions targeted primary care physicians, teams and patients. This study examined effectiveness of the implementation program. ARena was conducted in 14 primary care networks with 196 practices. All arms received data-based feedback on antibiotics prescribing and quality circles. Arms II and III received different add-on components each. Primary outcome examined is the prescribing rate for systemic antibiotics for cases with non-complicated acute infections (upper respiratory tract, bronchitis, sinusitis, tonsillitis, otitis media). Secondary outcomes refer to prescribing of quinolones and guideline-recommended antibiotics. Based on pseudonymized quarterly claims data, mixed logistic regression models examined pre-post intervention antibiotic prescribing rate changes and compared to matched standard care. A significant rate reduction (arm I 11.7%; arm II 9.9%; arm III 12.7%) and significantly lower prescribing rates were observed for all arms (20.1%, 18.9% and 23.6%) compared to matched standard care (29.4%). Fluoroquinolone prescribing was reduced in all intervention arms and rates for recommended substances generally increased. No significant post-interventional difference between intervention arms was detected. Findings indicate implementation program impact compared to standard care. Trial registration: ISRCTN, ISRCTN58150046

Visceral Leishmaniasis is a neglected tropical disease affecting 12 million people annually. Even in the second decade of the 21st century, it has remained without an effective vaccine for human use. In the current study, we have designed three multiepitope vaccine candidates by the selection of multiple IFN-γ inducing MHC-I and MHC-II binder T-cell specific epitopes from 3 previously identified antigen genes of Leishmania donovani from our lab, by immune-informatic approach using IFNepiotpe, NET-MHC-1 and NET MHC-2 webservers. We have tested the protective potential of these three multiepitope proteins as vaccine in a hamster model of visceral leishmaniasis. The immunization data revealed that the vaccine candidates induced a very high level of Th-1 biased protective immune response in-vivo in a hamster model of experimental visceral Leishmaniasis, with one of the candidates inducing a sterile immunity. The vaccinated animals displayed highly activated monocyte macrophages with the capability of clearing intracellular parasites due to increased respiratory burst. Additionally, these proteins induced activation of polyfunctional T cells secreting INF-γ, TNF-α, and IL-2 in ex-vivo stimulation of human peripheral blood mononuclear cells, further supporting the protective nature of designed candidates.

Introduction:The concept of same-day discharge has garnered increasing significance within orthopedic surgery, particularly in hip and knee procedures. Despite initial concerns surrounding the absence of prolonged hospital care, a burgeoning body of evidence highlights numerous advantages associated with same-day discharge, ranging from mitigating in-hospital infections to offering substantial financial and psychosocial benefits for both patients and healthcare providers. In this study, we aim to scrutinize the trends in same-day discharge specifically within the realm of total hip arthroplasties. Method:This retrospective analysis delves into the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (ACS NSQIP) database spanning from 2016 to 2021. Result:In this study, same-day hip patients skewed younger, comprising 48.3%females compared to 55.6% in hospitalized hip patients. Operatively, same-day hip surgeries boasted shorter durations, averaging 83.9 minutes, in contrast to the 92.3minutes for hospitalized hip procedures. Postoperatively, same-day hip patients exhibited significantly diminished rates of 30-day readmissions (1.7%vs. 3.5%), procedure-related readmissions (1.0%vs.2.1%), reoperations (1.1%vs.1.9%), and mortality (0.02% vs. 0.04%). In addition, we found that that unplanned readmissions in the same-day group are significantly predicted by being over 65 years old (OR: 2.0), having hypertension (OR: 1.6), chronic steroid usage (OR: 2.2), and severe COPD (OR: 2.0), while gender, emergent surgery indication, and smoking were not significant predictors. Moreover, the prevalence of the same-day discharge concept experienced a remarkable ascent from 2016 to 2021, with rates escalating from 1.5% to 25.6% of all total hip arthroplasties over a span of just six years. Conclusion:In conclusion, same-day discharge is a feasible and safe option for selected THA patients, improving healthcare efficiency and patient satisfaction.

Background: While it is established that intravenous catheter placement duration is strongly linked to the risk of catheter colonization and bloodstream infections, there are still substantial knowledge gaps concerning the varying durations of PICC placement that lead to either infection or colonization by common pathogens, particularly MDR pathogens. The present study aims to compare the dwell time required for MDR pathogens to colonize with the time required to cause Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs) in critically ill patients with PICCs and compares it with non-MDR pathogens, shedding light on the significance of preventive procedures to control MDR infections in clinical settings. Methods: Data from critically ill patients with PICCs admitted consecutively to «Metropolitan» Hospital in Athens, Greece, from May 2017 to May 2020 were retrospectively analysed. Results: In this study, 86 hospitalized patients, consisting of 56 (65.1%) males and 30 (34.9%) females, with a mean age of 55.67±21.1 years (range 16-91 years), presented with both CLABSIs and colonization following PICC placements. Specifically, 42 (48.8%) of them presented with CLABSIs, while 44 (51.2%) presented with colonization. Among the total participants, an MDR pathogen was isolated from 26 (30.2%) PICCs, while other pathogens were isolated from 60 (69.8%). The mean duration of catheter dwell time for all participants was 20.94±14.22 days (range 3-72 days). When analysed separately for each group, the dwell time for PICCs with CLABSIs was 25.73±16.19 days and 16.36±10.28 days for those with colonization (T test, p=0.002). Additionally, the mean dwell time for PICCs infected by non-MDROs was 22.48±15.64 days whereas for PICCs with MDROs, it was 17.38±9.5 days (T test, p=0.005). In PICCs with CLABSIs, the mean indwelling time for MDR pathogens was 21.50±12.31 days, while for non-MDROs, it was 27.73±16.98 days (T test, p=0.417). In PICCs with colonization, the mean dwell time for MDR pathogens was 15.55±7.73 days, while for non-MDROs, it was 16.92±11.85 days (T test, p=0.124). Among PICCs with MDR pathogens (n=26), the mean duration in CLABSIs events (n=18) was 21.5±12.31 days and in colonization events 15.55±7.73 days, (n=8) (T test, p=0.146). Conclusions: The present study reveals that colonization of PICCs exhibited a shorter dwell time compared to those with CLABSIs. Moreover, PICCs infected by MDROs had a shorter mean dwell time than those with non-MDROs. These findings underscore the importance of considering infection status and microbial resistance patterns when evaluating PICC dwell times.

Probiotic feed additives have attracted considerable research interest in recent years because the effectiveness of probiotics can differ across microbial strains and the supplemented macroorganisms. The present study was conducted on 16 lambs divided into two groups (C - control and E - experimental). The examined lambs were aged 11 days at the beginning of the experiment and 40 days at the end of the experiment. The diet of group E lambs was supplemented with a multi-strain probiotic formulation (Lactobacillus plantarum AMT14, Lactobacillus plantarum AMT4, Lactobacillus rhamnosus AMT15, and Bifidobacterium animalis AMT30), whereas group C lambs did not receive the probiotic additive. At the beginning of the experiment (day 0) and on experimental days 15 and 30, blood was sampled from the jugular vein to determine and compare: phagocytic activity (PHAGOTEST) and oxidative metabolism (PHAGOBURST) of peripheral blood granulocytes and monocytes by flow cytometry. An analysis of the phagocytic activity of granulocytes and monocytes revealed significantly higher levels of phagocytic activity (expressed as the percentage of phagocytic cells and mean fluorescence intensity) in lambs administered the multi-strain probiotic formulation than in the control group. The probiotic feed additive also exerted a positive effect on the oxidative metabolism of both granulocytes and monocytes (expressed as the percentage of oxidative metabolism and mean fluorescence intensity) after stimulation with Escherichia coli bacteria and with PMA (4-phorbol-12-β-myristate-13-acetate).

The continental shale layers are more complex in matrix pore-microfracture interactions and connectivity characteristics under the influence of tuff devitrification, which limits the explicit understanding of the coupling relationship between wettability and pore structure, as well as hydrocarbon flow behavior. Therefore, the influence of tuffaceous components on the reservoir formation mechanism and oil-rich effect of the continental shale formation system is a critical issue to be solved. The Upper Triassic Yanchang Formation tuffaceous shale in Ordos Basin and the Middle Permian Jingjingzigou Formation tuffaceous shale in the southern margin of Junggar Basin is taken as the research objects, using whole-rock mineral composition analysis, FE-SEM observation and digital image processing and extraction, as well as wettability angle determination and spontaneous imbibition experiments to illustrate the influence of the difference of devitrification extent on reservoir pore connectivity and interfacial wettability in two different environments of freshwater and saline lacustrine basins, and summarize the reservoir formation differential pattern under the influence of devitrification. The results show that the saline lacustrine is significantly modified by devitrification. The pore plane porosity of the devitrified tuffaceous shales in the saline lacustrine is higher than that of the tuffaceous shales in the freshwater; the oleophilic of the saline lacustrine tuffaceous shales is better than that of the tuffaceous shales in the freshwater, moreover, the pore connectivity of the saline lacustrine tuffaceous shales is better than that of the tuffaceous shales in the freshwater. Wettability and connectivity control the storage performance of shale oil in the tuffaceous shales formation system. The more oleophilic the reservoir wettability is, the better the pore connectivity is, and the better the reservoir of tuffaceous shale formation system is. According to the different extents of devitrification, two different reservoir formation models of freshwater and saline lacustrine are established, which are of great theoretical and practical significance to enrich the theory of shale oil enrichment and reservoir formation in the continental shale formation system and to guide the exploration of continental shale oil benefits.

The goal of the current study was to discover a novel potential probiotic strain of Lactobacillus spp. with anti-Escherichia coli activity from locally produced yogurt in Tongi, Gazipur, Bangladesh, compare its antagonistic activity with a commercial probiotic mixture of several strains, and approve a novel method for confirming the viability and relative abundance of the microbial community in a probiotic mixer. We carried out 16S sequencing, 16S metagenomics, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis, and other in vitro laboratory experiments to reach this objective. The strain TY-11 was identified as Lactobacillus delbrueckii subsp. indicus (16S sequence accession number OQ652026). It was gram-positive, anaerobic, lactose fermenting, and round-ended rod that typically measured 0.7 to 1.3 µm by 2.2 to 9 µm. In addition to having seven probiotic characteristics, it also showed an antagonistic impact on six different pathogens, but what's more noteworthy is that E. coli was the pathogen it inhibited most strongly (inhibition zone diameter was 18.88±0.18 mm). The most important and ground-breaking finding of this work was determining the probiotic features of a new probiotic strain, TY-11, whose antibacterial activity was virtually as effective as that of the probiotic combination with three different strains. Furthermore, the results of 16S high throughput sequencing and the conventional plate count method demonstrated a strong correlation (0.999) at the genus level, indicating that the use of both of these approaches in combination may be a practical way to assess the relative abundance of the microbial community and their viability in commercially available probiotic blends.

The botanical species Ceratonia siliqua L., commonly referred to as the Carob tree, and locally as “L’Kharrûb”, holds significance as an agro-sylvo-pastoral species, and is traditionally utilized in Morocco for treating a variety of ailments. This current investigation aims to ascertain the antioxidant, antimicrobial, and cytotoxic properties of the ethanolic extract of C. siliqua leaves (CSEE). Initially, we analyzed the chemical composition of CSEE through high-performance liquid chromatography with Diode-Array Detection (HPLC-DAD). Subsequently, we conducted various assessments, including DPPH scavenging capacity, β-carotene bleaching assay, ABTS scavenging, and total antioxidant capacity assays, to evaluate the antioxidant activity of the extract. In this study, we investigated the antimicrobial properties of CSEE against five bacterial strains (two gram-positive, Staphylococcus aureus, and Enterococcus faecalis; and three gram-negative bacteria, Escherichia coli, Escherichia vekanda, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa) and two fungi (Candida albicans, and Geotrichum candidum). Additionally, we evaluated the cytotoxicity of CSEE on three human breast cancer cell lines (MCF-7, MDA-MB-231, and MDA-MB-436) and assessed the potential genotoxicity of the extract using the comet assay. Through HPLC-DAD analysis, we determined that phenolic acids and flavonoids were the primary constituents of the CSEE extract. The results of the DPPH test indicated a potent scavenging capacity of the extract with an IC50 of 302.78 ± 7.55 µg/mL, which was comparable to that of ascorbic acid with an IC50 of 260.24 ± 6.45 µg/mL. Similarly, the β-carotene test demonstrated an IC50 of 352.06 ± 12.16 µg/mL, signifying the extract's potential to inhibit oxidative damage. The ABTS assay revealed IC50 values of 48.13 ± 3.66 TE µmol/mL, indicating a strong ability of CSEE to scavenge ABTS radicals, and the TAC assay demonstrated an IC50 value of 165 ± 7.66 µg AAE/mg. The results suggest that the CSEE extract had potent antioxidant activity. Regarding its antimicrobial activity, the CSEE extract was effective against all five tested bacterial strains, indicating its broad-spectrum antibacterial properties. However, it only showed moderate activity against the two tested fungal strains, suggesting it may not be as effective against fungi. The CSEE exhibited a noteworthy dose-dependent inhibitory activity against all the tested tumor cell lines in vitro. The extract did not induce DNA damage at the concentrations of 6.25, 12.5, 25, and 50 µg/ml, as assessed by the comet assay. However, the 100 µg/ml concentration of CSEE resulted in a significant genotoxic effect compared to the negative control. A computational analysis was conducted to determine the physicochemical and pharmacokinetic characteristics of the constituent molecules present in the extract. The Prediction of Activity Spectra of Substances (PASS) test was employed to forecast the potential biological activities of these molecules. Additionally, the toxicity of the molecules was evaluated using the Protox II webserver.

Background: The global prevalence of anxiety and depressive symptoms in adolescents has increased considerably during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mental health problems may compromise glycemic control in young people with type 1 diabetes; however, evidence of improved glycemic control in adolescents with T1D appeared early during the pandemic. This qualitative study aimed to provide a more in-depth understanding of how the COVID-19 pandemic affected adolescents with type 1 diabetes routines, experiences, T1D management, behaviors, and mental health. Methods: 24 adolescents, aged 15-18 years, with DM1, joined the discussion of focus groups in the context of the summer camp for diabetes. Word frequency and thematic analysis were conducted on adolescents’ narratives. Results: The word Frequency Analysis identified 'friends', 'family', and 'home' as the most frequent terms. Seven themes were identified: (1) COVID-19 and T1D; (2) emotional reactions to the COVID-19 pandemic; (3) changes in daily life; (4) feelings of loss; (5) coping with the COVID-19 pandemic; (6) the COVID-19 pandemic as an opportunity; (7) return to (new) normality. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic may have represented a more stressful condition for adolescents with DM1, facing additional challenges compared to their healthy peers. The results offer directions to the diabetes care team for a customized intervention while the consequences of the pandemic on adolescents’ health continue.

Background: Clean cookstove interventions can theoretically reduce exposure to household air pollution and benefit health, but this requires near-exclusive use of the stoves, with simultaneous disuse of traditional stoves. Previous cookstove trials have reported low adoption of new stoves and/or extensive continued traditional stove use. Methods: The Household Air Pollution Intervention Network (HAPIN) trial randomized 3195 pregnant women in Guatemala, India, Peru, and Rwanda either to a liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) stove and fuel intervention (n = 1590) or to control (n = 1605). The intervention consisted of an LPG stove and two initial cylinders of LPG, free fuel refills delivered to the home, and regular behavioral messaging. We assessed intervention fidelity (delivery of the intervention as intended) and adherence (intervention use) through the end of gestation, as relevant to the first primary health outcome of the trial: infant birth weight. Fidelity and adherence were evaluated using stove and fuel delivery records, questionnaires, visual observations, and temperature-logging stove use monitors (SUMs). Results: 1585 women received the intervention, at a median (interquartile range) of 8.0 (5.0–15.0) days post-randomization and gestational age of 17.9 (15.4–20.6) weeks. Over 96% reported cooking exclusively with LPG at two follow-up visits during pregnancy. Less than 4% reported ever running out of LPG. Complete abandonment of traditional stove cooking was observed in over 67% of intervention households. 31.4% removed their traditional stoves upon receipt of the intervention, and among those who retained traditional stoves, the majority did not use them: traditional stove use was detected via SUMs on a median (interquartile range) of 0.0% (0.0%, 1.6%) of follow-up days (median follow-up = 134 days). Conclusions: Fidelity of the HAPIN intervention, as measured by stove installation, timely ongoing fuel deliveries, and behavioral reinforcement as needed, was high. Exclusive use of the intervention during pregnancy was also high.

The use of multi-gene panels for germline testing in breast cancer enables the estimation of cancer risk and guides risk-reducing management options for tested individuals and their family members. We performed an analysis in our clinical database to identify breast cancer patients undergoing genetic testing with positive reports. We reviewed positive results with respect to the different levels of information provided in the reports; risk estimation and management, cascade family testing, information from secondary findings and actionable information for treatment decision-making. A total of 415 positive test reports were identified with 57.1%, 18.1%, 10.8% and 13.5% of individuals having pathogenic/likely pathogenic variants in high (BRCA1, BRCA2, PALB2, PTEN, TP53), moderate (ATM, CHEK2, NBN), low (BARD1, BRIP1, CHEK2, MLH1, MSH2, MSH6, NF1, RAD51C) and with insufficient evidence for breast cancer risk genes (FANCA, FANCM, NBN, MRE11, PMS2, RAD50, RAD51B, XRCC2, MUTYH), respectively. 6.7% of individuals were double heterozygotes with two pathogenic variants. Germline findings in 92% of individuals are linked to evidence-based treatment information and receive risk estimates for predisposition to breast and/or other cancer types. The use of germline findings for treatment decision making expands the indication of genetic testing to include individuals that could benefit from targeted treatments.

To our best knowledge this is the first study to assess and compare lower limb biomechanics and gait pattern between patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty with use of fixed-bearing medial-pivot and multi-radius design implants. Results of this study show that there were no statistical differences between both types of implants and even though there was significant improvement in patient-reported outcome and gait pattern, those parameters still differ significantly in comparison to healthy volunteers. The problem with dissatisfaction after operative treatment may not lay in the procedure itself, but many different factors may contribute to it. Next studies comparing other designs of implants, as well as proper rehabilitation protocol should be performed

Subsurface drainage systems remove excess water from the soil profile thereby improving crop yields in poorly drained farmland. Knowledge of the position of the buried drain lines is important: 1) to improve understanding of leaching and offsite release of nutrients and pesticides, and 2) for the installation of a new set of drain lines between the old ones for enhanced soil water removal efficiency. Traditional methods of drainage mapping involve the use of tile probes and trenching equipment. While these can be effective, they are also time-consuming, labor-intensive, and invasive, thereby entailing an inherent risk of damaging the drainpipes. Non-invasive geophysical soil sensors provide a potential alternative solution. Previous research has focused on the use of time-domain ground penetrating radar (GPR), with variable success depending on local soil and hydrological conditions and the central frequency of the specific equipment employed. The objectives of this study were 1) to test the use of a stepped-frequency continuous wave (SFCW) 3D-GPR (GeoScope Mk IV 3D-Radar with DXG1820 antenna array) for subsurface drainage mapping, and 2) to evaluate the performance of a 3D-GPR with the use of a single-frequency multi-receiver electromagnetic induction (EMI) sensor (DUALEM) in-combination. The 3D-GPR system offers more flexibility for application to different (sub)surface conditions due to the coverage of wide frequency bandwidth. The EMI sensor simultaneously provides information about the apparent electrical conductivity (EC_a) for different soil volumes, corresponding to different depths. This sensor combination was evaluated on twelve different study sites with various soil types with textures ranging from sand to clay till. While the 3-D GPR showed a high success rate in finding the drainpipes at five sites (sandy, sandy loam, loamy sand, and organic topsoils), the results at the other seven sites were less successful due to limited penetration depth (PD) of the 3D-GPR signal. The results suggest that the electrical conductivity estimates produced by the inversion of EC_a data measured by the DUALEM sensor could be a useful proxy to explain the success achieved by the 3D-GPR in finding the drain lines. The high attenuation of electromagnetic waves in highly conductive media limiting the PD of the 3D-GPR can explain the findings obtained in this research.

In December 2019 a novel human-infecting coronavirus, named SARS-CoV-2 has been recognized to cause a pneumonia epidemic outbreak with different degree of severity in Wuhan, Hubei Province in China. Since then this epidemic spread worldwide an in the last week Europe and Italy also have been involved. Effective preventive and therapeutic strategies are absolutely required to block this serious public health concern. Unfortunately, SARS-CoV-2 has been isolated only recently, therefore a few studies concerning its immunopathogenesis and tretament are available. Therefore, on the basis of the assumption that the SARS-CoV-2 is genetically related to SARS-CoV (about 82% of genome homology) and that its characteristics, like the modality of transmission, the route of infection, the organ localization, the type of the immune response it may stimulate, the morbidity and the mortality rates are still poor-known, a literature search was performed to identify the reports assessing these elements in patients with SARS-CoV-induced infection. Therefore, we have analysed: 1) the structure of SARS CoV-2 and SARS CoV; 2) the clinical signs and symptoms and pathogenic mechanisms observed during the development of acute respiratory syndrome and the Cytokine Release Syndrome; 3) the modification of the cell microRNome and of the immune response in patients with SARS infection; 4) the possible role of some liposoluble compounds (such as vitamin A, D and E) in modulating directly or indirectly the replication ability of SARS-CoV-2 and host immune response.

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is one of the major risk factors for COVID-19 complications as it is one of the chronic immune-compromising conditions especially if patients have uncontrolled diabetes, poor HbA1c &/or irregular blood glucose levels. Diabetic patient’s mortality rates with COVID-19 are higher than cardiovascular or cancer patients. Recently Bacillus Calmette–Guérin (BCG) has shown successful results in reversing diabetes in both rats and clinical trials based on different mechanisms from aerobic glycolysis to Beta cells regeneration. BCG is a multi-face vaccine that has been used extensively in protection from TB and leprosy and has been repositioned for treatment of bladder cancer, diabetes & multiple sclerosis. Recently, the COVID-19 epidemiological study confirmed that universal BCG vaccination reduced morbidity and mortality in certain geographical areas. Countries without universal policies of BCG vaccination (Italy, Nederland, USA) have been more severely affected compared to countries with universal and long-standing BCG policies that have shown low numbers of reported COVID-19 cases. Some countries have started clinical trials that included a single dose BCG vaccine as prophylaxis from COVID-19 or an attempt to minimize its side effects. This proposed research aims to use BCG vaccine as a double-edged weapon countering both COVID-19 & diabetes, not only as protection but also as therapeutic vaccination. The work includes a case study of regenerated pancreatic beta cells based on improved C-peptide & PCPRI laboratory findings after BCG vaccination for a 9 years’ patient. The patient was re-vaccinated based on a negative tuberculin test & no scar at the site of injection of the 1st BCG vaccination at birth. Furthermore, the authors in the present article described a prospective BCG multi-dose clinical study in full details that they will apply in case of acceptance of their submitted grant & the ethical committee approval. The aim of the clinical study is to check if double dose BCG (4 weeks apart) will show a significant difference in the protection of health care professionals in Egypt. The authors suggest and invite the scientific community to take into consideration the concept of direct BCG re-vaccination (after 4 weeks) because of the reported gene expressions & exaggerated innate immunity consequently. As the diabetic MODY-5 patient (mutation of HNF1B, Val2Leu) was on low dose Riomet® while eliminating insulin gradually, a simple analytical method for metformin assay was recommended to ensure its concentration before use as it is not approved yet by the Egyptian QC labs.

Smoking during pregnancy remains one of the most significant risk factors for poor birth outcomes. The Loma Linda University Health Comprehensive Tobacco Treatment Program (CTTP) is the largest maternal tobacco cessation program in San Bernardino County – the largest county in the contiguous US. CTTP is an eight week, incentivized, behavioral intervention for tobacco cessation for pregnant smokers. As part of program evaluation, we used a retrospective cohort design to assess smoking abstinence and to identify predictors of relapse/smoking after enrollment. Among CTTP cohort enrollees (n=233) from 2012-2013 we found: 1) a 28.4% 8 week point prevalence abstinence (PPA), and at a median of 9 months of follow-up after the PPA, 81.6% continued to indicate tobacco cessation, and 2) a high rate of relapse or loss to follow-up (56%). Our modeling of relapse/smoking after enrollment indicated that this was higher in young mothers, non-Hispanic mothers (White, Black), first/third trimester mothers, and rural mothers. The evaluation identified efficacy of the behavioral model at 8 weeks, but that relapse/smoking was occurring in disparity populations. Formative research is needed to expand the programmatic outreach and enrollment of mothers wanting to quit smoking.

This is the second of a two-paper series describing a multi-scale modeling approach developed to simulate crack sensing in polymer fibrous composites by exploiting interruption of electrically conductive carbon nanotube (CNT) networks. The approach is based on the finite element (FE) method. FE models at three different scales, namely the micro-scale, the meso-scale and the macro-scale, have been developed using the ANSYS PDL environment. In the present paper, the meso- and macro-scale analyses are described. In the meso-scale, a two-dimensional model of the CNT/polymer matrix reinforced by carbon fibers is used to develop a crack sensing methodology from a parametric study which relates the crack position and length with the reduction of current flow. In the meso-model, the effective electrical conductivity of the CNT/polymer computed from the micro-scale is used as input. In the macro-scale, the final implementation of the crack sensing methodology is performed on a CNT/polymer/carbon fiber composite volume using as input the electrical response of the cracked CNT/polymer derived at the micro-scale and the crack sensing methodology. Analyses have been performed for cracks of two different lengths. In both cases, the numerical model predicts with good accuracy both the length and position of the crack. These results highlight the prospect of conductive CNT networks to be used as a localized structural health monitoring technique.

Inherited cardiomyopathies are a diverse group of heart muscle diseases caused by genetic mutations that result in structural and functional abnormalities of the myocardium. Understanding genotype-phenotype correlations in these conditions is vital for personalized cardiac medicine, enabling targeted therapeutic strategies and predictive diagnostics. This review explores the major types of inherited cardiomyopathies—hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM), arrhythmogenic right ventricular cardiomyopathy (ARVC), and restrictive cardiomyopathy (RCM)—and provides detailed insights into how different genetic mutations manifest as clinical features. The integration of multi-omics approaches and advanced disease modeling techniques has enhanced our ability to dissect these correlations. The review also discusses the implications of these findings for personalized medicine, including tailored therapeutic strategies, predictive diagnostics, and future research directions.

Air quality is a topic of growing relevance on the global agenda. Two key indicators of air quali-ty, nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and carbon monoxide (CO), represent significant hazards to human health and the environment putting the sustainability of natural resources at risk. Therefore, it is imperative to regularly monitor and reduce atmospheric pollutant concentrations to mitigate their harmful consequences. This study presents an analysis of NO2 total and CO emissions in Argentina, utilizing remote sensing data. The research aims to determine the spatiotemporal distribution of NO2 and CO emissions in Argentina from 2019 to 2021. Subsequently, it seeks to establish the influence of land uses and land cover on the emission of NO2 and CO through dif-ferent climatic, anthropic, and natural indicators. The study was carried out in Argentina during the period 2019-2021, where random points were placed for the different land covers with a total of 800 points surveyed. The year with the highest CO concentration (mol/m-2) was 2020. The values were highest for tree covers and herbaceous wetland coverage in the northern part of the country. For total NO2, the highest concentrations were reached during the years 2020 and 2021. Regarding its distribution, throughout the evaluated period, the highest concentrations of total NO2 were found in the built-up and cropland coverages, with the capital of the country and the northern region of the Buenos Aires province being the most affected areas. In addition, the concentration of CO was influenced by climatic variables (atmospheric pressure, wind speed, maximum environment temperature, Palmer index), natural (height, humidity, NDVI), and ur-ban variables (distances to mining extraction, airports, power plants, urban index) for the differ-ent uses and land covers. Finally, the concentrations of total NO2 were influenced by climatic variables (Palmer index and wind speed), natural (height and NDVI), and urban variables (dis-tance to airports, power plants, industries, service stations, and open dumpsites) for the differ-ent uses and land cover. This study contributes to sustainable environmental management, ena-bling the formulation of effective strategies for mitigating emissions and promoting the long-term health and well-being of communities.

Research on mental health and psychosocial support (MHPSS) interventions with displaced communities has increasingly focused on evaluating implementation, including identifying strategies to promote retention in services. This study examines the relationship between participant characteristics, study setting, and reasons for intervention noncompletion using data from the Entre Nosotras feasibility trial, a community-based MHPSS intervention targeting displaced and host community women in Ecuador and Panama that aimed to promote psychosocial wellbeing. Among 225 enrolled women, approximately half completed the intervention, with varying completion rates and reasons for nonattendance across study sites. Participants who were older, had migrated for family reasons, had spent more time in the study community, and were living in Panamá (vs. Ecuador) were more likely to complete the intervention. The findings suggest the need to adapt MHPSS interventions to consider the duration of access to the target population and explore different delivery modalities including the role of technology and cellular devices as reliable or unreliable source for engaging with participants. Engaging younger, newly arrived women is crucial, as they showed lower completion rates. Strategies such as consulting scheduling preferences, providing on-site childcare, and integrating MHPSS interventions with other programs could enhance intervention attendance.

Flood disasters have become an annual occurrence along the East Coast of North Sumatra (ECNS) and Medan City. Numerous studies have examined the causal factors flood disasters in this area, such as changes in land use, drainage issues, and population growth, but the intensity of flood disasters continues to rise. In this research, we focused on evaluating the unexplored factors of land subsidence and rising sea levels in this region. Our investigation uses multi-sensor satellite data and field surveys to conduct an assessment of the rate of land subsidence and sea level rise and assess their implications on flood disasters. This study highlights the potential of multi-sensor satellite data as a primary resource for assessing flood disasters in coastal areas and densely populated large cities. Furthermore, we propose a solution to reduce the negative impact of flood disasters by by engaging local communities and environmental enthusiasts in mangrove reforestation along the coastline.

Background: Upper extremities’ function impairments (UEFI) and gait impairment are frequently reported even in the early stages of Multiple Sclerosis (MS) disease. These motor deficits can negatively affect the quality of life (QOL) in MS patient. Exercise has been repeatedly introduced as a beneficial adjuvant therapy for MS, attenuating a wide range of physical and psychological symptoms without any side effects or increased risks of relapse or exacerbation in disease symptoms.Aim: This paper investigates the effect of multi-function swing suspension training (MFSST) program on upper and lower extremities’ function (ULEF), and QOL in MS women according to expanded disability status scale (EDSS) score.Design: Experimental method with a pre-test and post-test design with control group. Setting: The department of Sports Injuries and Corrective Exercise at the Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman.Population: Forty-seven MS women.Methods: Eligible subjects who matched the selection criteria were randomly assigned into three groups as follow: i. Intervention group A (EDSS of 2 – 4), ii. Intervention group B (EDSS of 4.5 – 6.5), and iii. Control group (EDSS of 2 – 6.5). The intervention groups have been trained by the SET program for a duration of 8 weeks. At baseline and after the intervention, the upper extremities’ function (UEF) and the lower extremities’ function (LEF) were assessed by 9-hole peg test (9HPT) and the timed 25-foot walk (T25FW) test, respectively. Moreover, participants’ QOL was measured using the Short Form questionnaire (SF-36).Results: A significant difference was found between the pre-test and post-test variables of walking speed and upper extremity endurance in intervention groups, and between the intervention groups and control group (P < 0.05). Compared to control group, both intervention groups showed improvements in all subscales of QOL, except emotional role limitation score.Conclusions: In summary, these results show that the present protocol of MFSST could be effective in improving ULEF and QOL in MS patients, showing the improvements after 4^th week. Moreover, this protocol was more useful for patients with an EDSS score of more than 4.5. Therefore, it seems that exercise therapy should be considered as a beneficial clinical intervention approach to improve ULEF and QOL in MS patients.

Forest carbon sequestration is a widely accepted natural climate solution, however, methods to determine net carbon offsets are limited to commercial carbon proxies and CO2 eddy covariance research. Non-CO2 greenhouse gases (GHG) (e.g., CH4, N2O) receive less attention in the context of forests, in part, due to emphasis on CO2 and the operational requirements and cost for three-gas eddy covariance platforms. In this study, Howland forest flux tower (CO2, CH4) and soil flux data (CO2, CH4, N2O), representing net emission reductions, are linked to their respective social costs to estimate commercial revenue if sold as a GHG social cost forest offset product (GHG-SCF). Estimated annual revenue for GHG-SCF products, applicable to realization of a Green New Deal, range from 120,000 covering the site area of 557 acres in 2021, to 12,000,000 for extrapolation to 40,000 acres in 2040, assuming a 3% discount rate. The Howland Forest CO2 flux record for two adjacent towers is compared to California Air Resources Board forest carbon proxy data for compliance sequestration offsets, the only project site where these approaches overlap. Overcrediting, incomplete carbon accounting with annual errors of up to 2,256%, inadequate third-party verification, and limited application to non-CO2 GHG’s are established. In contrast, direct measurement of one or more GHG’s offers new forest products and revenue incentives to restore and conserve forests worldwide.

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot pain; in a significant percentage it is also associated with bone edema of the heel. A prospective randomized clinical trial was designed, in which 48 patients suffering from plantar fasciitis, with or without bone edema, were treated with temperature controlled high energy adjustable multi-mode emission laser and exercises (laser group) or with exercises only (control group). Patients were evaluated at recruitment (T0), at 2 (T1) and 6 months (T2), monitoring pain (with Visual Analogue Scale), functionality (with Foot Function Index) and perception of improvement (with Roles and Maudsley Score) and fascia thickness (with ultrasound examination). In both groups there was a significant improvement in pain, functional recovery, perception of remission and a reduction in plantar fascia thickness at T1 and T2. The laser group presented statistically better values at T2 for the Roles and Maudsley Score (z: 2.21; 0.027). Regression analysis showed that a greater reduction in fascia thickness occurred in the laser group (p-value: 0.047). In conclusion, the two conservative treatments were effective in patients suffering from plantar fasciitis, even in the presence of bone edema, but with lesser results.

This article presents the suitability analysis of onshore wind farm sites using an AHP (Hierarchical Analysis Process) multi-criteria decision-making (MCDM) approach based on geographic information system modeling (GIS). This analysis is based on different technical aspects (wind speed, elevation, slope), economic (proximity to the electricity network, proximity to roads) and social (proximity to residential areas, population density). The introduction of the factor “population density” and the constraint “required area” rarely used in previous studies makes it possible to refine the results. The data is classified into several categories in a gradual manner, namely unsuitable (0); less suitable (1); suitable (2); highly suitable (3) and most suitable (4). The results of the study show us that the largest percentage relating to spatial coverage is observed in the “suitable” range with 50.89% and the corresponding TWPP (theoretical wind power potential) is 1377.926 GW; it is followed by “highly suitable” 5.67% and a TWPP of 153.652 GW; then “less suitable” with 1.04% and a TWPP of 28.163GW. No areas were identified in “most suitable” and finally the “unsuitable” range with 42.4%. The results show that the most favorable areas are located in the part of the far north of the country corresponding to the strong wind zone. The sensitivity analysis was carried out based on scenario tests (technical, economic and equal-weight) in order to give greater visibility of choice to the different stakeholders who would like to invest in onshore wind energy in Cameroon. This study is useful in more than one way because the results obtained can help investors, the government and other stakeholders to identify potential areas for the deployment of wind energy systems in Cameroon. Furthermore, a study of hybrid solar-wind systems could improve the efficiency of electricity parks in Cameroon.

Early stable deep molecular response (DMR) of nilotinib is associated with goal of treatment-free remission (TFR) for patients with chronic-phase chronic myeloid leukemia (CML-CP). It is significant to early distinguish patients who can obtain DMR and fit for TFR. We performed a multicenter study to explore early cumulative MR4.5 rate by 18 months with nilotinib in patients with newly diagnosed CML-CP (ND-CML-CP) in China. From 29 institutes, 106 ND-CML-CP patients received nilotinib (300mg BID). The cumulative MR4.5 rate of nilotinib by 18 months was 69.8% (74/106). The cumulative MMR and MR4.0 rates of nilotinib by 18 months were 94.3% (100/106) and 84.9% (90/106), respectively. Patients with ultra-early molecular response (u-EMR) at 6 weeks were not significantly different to obtain DMR or MMR by 24 months compared to those without u-EMR (P=0.7584, P=0.9543, respectively). Our study demonstrated that treatment with nilotinib in patients with ND-CML-CP contributed to obtain high early MR4.5.

: The significance of heating load (HL) accurate approximation is the primary motivation of this research to distinguish the most efficient predictive model among several neural-metaheuristic models. The proposed models are through synthesizing multi-layer perceptron network (MLP) with ant lion optimization (ALO), biogeography-based optimization (BBO), dragonfly algorithm (DA), evolutionary strategy (ES), invasive weed optimization (IWO), and league champion optimization (LCA) hybrid algorithms. Each ensemble is optimized in terms of the operating population. Accordingly, the ALO-MLP, BBO-MLP, DA-MLP, ES-MLP, IWO-MLP, and LCA-MLP presented their best performance for population sizes of 350, 400, 200, 500, 50, and 300, respectively. The comparison was carried out by implementing a ranking system. Based on the obtained overall scores (OSs), the BBO (OS = 36) featured as the most capable optimization technique, followed by ALO (OS = 27) and ES (OS = 20). Due to the efficient performance of these algorithms, the corresponding MLPs can be promising substitutes for traditional methods used for HL analysis.

As non-operative management (NOM) of esophageal and rectal cancer is becoming more prevalent, blood-biomarkers such as circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) may provide clinical information in addition to endoscopy and imaging to aid in treatment decisions following chemotherapy and radiation therapy. In this feasibility study, we prospectively collected plasma samples from locally advanced esophageal (n=3) and rectal cancer (n=2) patients undergoing multimodal neoadjuvant therapy to assess the feasibility of serial ctDNA monitoring throughout neoadjuvant therapy. Using the DIDA-Seq error-correction method, we serially interrogated plasma cell-free DNA at 28-41 tumor-specific genomic loci throughout therapy and in surveillance with an average limit of detection of 0.016% mutant allele frequency. In both rectal cancer patients, ctDNA levels were persistently elevated following total neoadjuvant therapy with eventual detection of clinical recurrence prior to salvage surgery. Among the esophageal cancer patients, ctDNA levels closely correlated with tumor burden throughout and following neoadjuvant therapy, which was associated with a pathologic complete response in one patient. In this feasibility study, patient and tumor-specific ctDNA levels correlated with clinical outcomes throughout multi-modality therapy suggesting that serial monitoring of patient ctDNA has the potential to serve as a highly sensitive and specific biomarker to risk-stratify esophageal and rectal cancer patients eligible for NOM. Further prospective investigation is warranted.

The considerable biological and medicinal activities of pyridazines has stimulated considerable research on efficient syntheses of these derivatives. In the last decade, microwave irradiation has generally been used for the energy source. As demonstrated in recent studies, pressure reactor “Q-tubes” may be used to accelerate several of these reactions in a more optimal and safer manner (compared to microwaves). In these studies there has been postulated a pathway for the formation of pyridazino[5,4,3-de][1,6]naphthyridine derivatives . In this paper we consider this pathway, and an alternate pathway, for several reactions. Contrary to the suggestion in these studies the pathway in which initial dimerization of malononitrile was postulated could be excluded based on chemical evidence. The reactions performed were the reaction of arylhydrazonals 1a,b with benzylidinemalononitrile which afforded in Q-tube the 3-acyl-4-aryl-1-phenyl-6-amino-1,4-dihydropyridazines, and the reaction of arylhydrazonals 1a,b, malononitrile 9 and aromatic aldehydes 10a-g in Q-tubes which afforded the tricyclic systems 12a-n whose structure could be established by X-ray crystal structure determination. In conclusion, we have added to the work of the recent studies by excluding a reaction pathway for one of their reaction products.

COVID-19 pandemic has the potential to adversely affect the mental health of healthcare workers (HCWs). The public healthcare system in Greece was already facing serious challenges at the outset of the outbreak following years of austerity and an escalating refugee crisis. The multi-center, cross-sectional study aims to assess the levels and associated risk factors of anxiety, depression, traumatic stress and burnout of frontline staff in Greece. A total of 464 HCWs in six reference hospitals completed a self-administered questionnaire comprising of sociodemographic and work-related information and psychometric scales. The proportion of HCWs with symptoms of moderate/severe depression, anxiety and traumatic stress were 30%, 25% and 33% respectively. Burnout levels were particularly high with 65% of respondents scoring moderate/severe in Emotional Exhaustion, 92% severe in Depersonalization and 51% low/moderate in Personal Accomplishment. Predictive factors of adverse psychological outcomes included fear, perceived stress, risk of infection, lack of protective equipment and low social support. The psychological burden associated with Covid-19 in healthcare professionals in Greece is considerable with more than half experiencing at least mild mental health difficulties. Findings signal the need for immediate organizational and individually tailored interventions to enhance resilience and support wellbeing under pandemic conditions.

Children’s beneficial relationships with animals are well known. Companion animals, particularly dogs have become an integral part of family life and children’s material culture. Aside the proven physiological benefits there is little research about what children say about their relationships with animals and how they describe them. In this paper we bring together both horse-human and dog-human interactions, finding common ground for understanding the complexity of human development, well-being and flourishing. Dogs in schools are fast becoming a trend in helping support and enhance children’s learning as well as their social and emotional well-being. Studies have shown that the very presence of a dog can increase children’s concentration, executive function and behavior. Also, equine therapy is gaining momentum and empirical studies are showing noteworthy benefits to children and young people. However, the lack of children’s voices means that the mechanisms for these benefits are somewhat unknown and unclear. In seeking to explore this, the authors utilize a visual, sensory and diffractive ethnographic approach to illuminate and illustrate, experiment and re-enact, how the children relate, share spaces and multiple subjectivities with their classroom canine, “Ted” and companion horse “Henry”. ”Henry” is part of a programme in which youngsters care for and engage in activities with horses.

Building a new-type power system is the key core of the green and low-carbon development of energy, the restructuring of the power system will inevitably have a linked impact on the coordinated development of the economy-energy-environment (3E) system. This paper constructs a "Dual-Triangle" theoretical framework consisting of the “Energy Trilemma” and the "Sustainable Development Triangle", by combining historical statistical analysis with scenario predictive analysis, analyzes the historical characteristics of the "Dual Triangle" and future development trends under different scenarios, and studies the coupled interaction relationship of the "Dual-Triangle" to explore the optimal transformation path of the power system that is most beneficial to the coordinated development of the 3E system. The conclusions are as follows: (1) The energy system gradually inclined towards economy and cleanliness from 2010 to 2022, the level of coordinated development of the 3E system fluctuated upwards, and the operation status of the "Dual Triangle" was stable. (2) Positive coupling relationship between "Dual Triangle" of scenario S1 is close, which can be regarded as the preferred path for the reconstruction of the power system. Due to phased development has clear development priorities, scenario S2 will artificially break the balance of the “Energy Trilemma”, which is a development model that dynamically mitigates the challenges of the “Energy Trilemma”.(3)The contradiction between economy and cleanliness is continuously weakened, and security has become the core contradiction of the "Impossible Triangle". The combination of renewable energy and energy storage is the key to resolving this contradiction. This paper conducts an integrated and innovative application of the "Dual-Triangle" theory, and the results provide a case basis for how to achieve the coupled interaction of the "Dual-Triangle", promote high-quality energy development, and support the sustainable development of the economy and society.

Multidrug resistance (MDR) among gram-negative bacteria is a global public health threat because it has exhausted all standard therapeutic options. This has necessitated clinicians to reconsider colistin, an “old sort” antibiotic which was deemed toxic for clinical use. Unfortunately, swift resistance towards colistin by K. pneumoniae has been reported in different parts of the world. The study aimed at investigating the genetic determinants of colistin resistance in K. pneumoniae isolated from patients admitted in a tertiary care hospital in Kampala, Uganda. 31 archived multidrug resistant K. pneumoniae isolates obtained from rectal swabs of patients admitted to the Mulago Hospital ICU were retrieved. From this collection, we selected 7 colistin resistant K. pneumoniae isolates for whole genome sequencing and molecular profile analysis. In silico sequence data analyses were performed using established web-based bioinformatics tools. The sequence analysis of the genes involved in colistin resistance revealed several non-synonymous mutations in nucleotide sequences of pmrA, pmrB, phoP, phoQ and mgrB genes. Insertion transposase genes for the insertion sequences IS1 and IS5 which are highly implicated in colistin resistance via modification or inactivation of mgrB gene were identified in all isolates and were located in the chromosomal DNA at different genomic positions. No plasmid-borne mcr genes were detected. More so, the strains harbored numerous multidrug resistant genes. This study underscores the need of genomic surveillance of K. pneumoniae strains to limit further spread of colistin resistance genes to avert the potential risk of pandrug resistance. And high throughput sequencing is imperative.

Novel pH responsive semi-interpenetrating polymer hydrogels based on tamarind gum-co-poly(acrylamidoglycolic acid) (TMGA) polymers have been synthesized using simple free radical polymerization in the presence of bis[2-(methacryloyloxy)ethyl] phosphate as a crosslinker and potassium persulfate as a initiator. In addition, these hydrogels have been used as templates for green synthesis of silver nanoparticles (13.4±3.6 nm in diameter, TMGA-Ag) by using leaf extract of Teminalia bellirica as reducing agent. Swelling kinetics and equilibrium swelling behavior of the TMGA hydrogels have been investigated in various pH environment the maxium % equilibrium swelling behavior observed i.e., 2882±1.2. The synthesized hydrogels and silver nanocomposites have been characterized by the UV, FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM. TMGA and TMGA-Ag hydrogels have been investigated to study the characteristics of drug delivery and antimicrobial study. Doxorubicin hydrochloride, a chemotherapeutic agent successfully encapsulated with maximum encapulstaion efficiency i.e., 69.20±1.2 and performed in vitro release studies in pH physiological and gastric environment at 37 ℃. The drug release behavior is examined with kinetic models such as zero order, first order, Higuchi, Hixson Crowell, Korsmeyer-Peppas. These release data was the best fitted with the Korsemeyer-Peppas transport mechanism with n=0.91. Treatment effect on HCT116 Cell, human colon cancer cells were assessed with cell viability and cell cycle analysis. Antimicrobial activity of TMGA-Ag hydrogels is studied against to Staphylococcus aureus and Klebsiella pneumonia. Finally, the results demonstrate that TMGA and TMGA-Ag are promising candidates for anti-cancer drug delivery and inactivation of pathogenic bacteria, respectively.

We describe the innate and adaptive immune system trajectory in Multi-system inflammatory syndrome of childhood (MIS-C), at acute(within 72 hours of hospitalization), resolution (at clinical improvement) and convalescent phase. In our cohort, in the acute phase, 68% of the children were SARS-CoV-2 seropositive, with hypercytokinenemia (high interleukin(IL)-1beta,IL-6,IL-8,IL-10,IL-17, interferon gamma), procoagulant state, myocardial dysfunction, activated neutrophils and monocytes; differential T and B cell subset lymphopenia; activated chemokine receptor type-7 positive and gamma-delta T cell subsets; antigen presenting cells had reduced HLA-DR expression; and B-cell class-switch responses occurred with illness resolution. MIS-C is an immunopathogenic illness associated with SARS-CoV-2 infections in children.

The German government's ambitious goal of achieving CO2-neutrality by 2045 has prompted a focus on improving building insulation as a vital step toward energy efficiency. However, in this process, existing radiators and boilers are often left unchanged, leading to inefficiencies due to oversized heating systems. This paper presents various approaches to reduce the required radiator inlet temperature, drawing on data from 100 multifamily buildings. The approaches include heat reserve reduction, heat power shifting, uniform radiator usage, and heat requirement analysis. These approaches collectively aim to lower flow temperatures and decrease peak heat loads, reducing energy consumption, and minimizing waste in compliance with the user comfort temperature. The findings reveal that the application of these methods can lead to substantial temperature reductions, with an average decrease of 20.82 K and 7.28 K for the highest necessary flow temperature in the provided example. Furthermore, peak load reductions of 21.07% and 13.65% were achieved, demonstrating the potential to enhance energy efficiency. While each approach can be applied individually, their synergistic implementation can highly increase the efficiency of water to x heat pumps, due to the lower required flow temperatures.

The objective of the present study is to isolate phages targeting multidrug resistant (MDR), extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) positive clinical isolate of E. coli ( U1007), sequence and analyze the phage genome and use machine learning tools to predict host cell surface receptor and finally evaluate the efficiency of monophage and phage cocktail in vitro and in vivo in a zebrafish model. Phage specific for E. coli U1007 was isolated from Ganges River (designated as U1G), Cuoom River (designated as CR) and Hospital waste water (designated as M phage). The obtained phages were triple purified and enriched. U1G phages had a greater burst size of 124 PFU/cell and a latent time of 25 min.M phage had a burst size of 150 PFU/cell with a shortlatent time of 20min. Similarly CR phage has a short latent 20 min and a burst size of 115 PFU/cell. Based on capsid architecture, U1G phage resembles Podoviridae, CR phage is structurally similar to Myoviridae and M phage has morphology that resembles Siphoviridae. Genome sequencing and analysis revealed that the size of the U1G phage genome is 73275 bp Whereas that of CR phage and M phage are 45236 bp and 45294 bp, respectively. All three genomes were marked by the absence of genes encoding tRNA sequence, antibiotic resistant or virulent genes. A machine learning (ML) based multi-class classification model using algorithms such as Random Forest, Logistic Regression, and Decision Tree were employed to predict the host receptor targeted by all 3 phages and the best performing algorithm Random Forest predicted LPS O antigen , LamB or OmpC for U1G FhuA, OmpC for CR phage and FhuA, LamB, TonB or OmpF for the M phage as the host receptor targeted by the receptor binding protein (RBP) of the phages. In vitro time kill assay showed that treatment with monophages alone and along with colistin resulted in regrowth whereas phage combinations significantly reduced the regrowth and by 24h the phage cocktail along with colistin produced a significant 3 log declinein cell counts relative to the untreated control. In vivo intramuscular infection study in zebrafish showed that phages were non toxic and a cocktail of dual (U1G +M) phage along with colsitin resulted in a significant 3.5 log decline in cell counts whereas triple phage combination along with colistin resulted in 3 log decline in cell counts probably due to host receptor competition. Our study highlights the potential of phage cocktail therapy in mitigating MDR clinical isolate of E. coli in vitro and in vivo.

An increase in plant-sourced (PS) nutrient intake is promoted in support of a sustainable diet. PS dietary minerals and proteins have bioactive properties that can affect bone health and the risk of fracture. In a group randomised, cross-over, design, this study evaluated the post-ingestion, temporal pattern of change in arterialised ionised calcium (iCa), parathyroid hormone (PTH), C-terminal crosslinked telopeptide of type I collagen (CTX) and procollagen type 1 amino-terminal propeptide (P1NP) for 4 hours following ingestion of a novel supplement (SUPP) containing a PS marine multi-mineral + PS protein isolate. A diurnally matched intake of mineral water was used as a control (CON). Compared to baseline, the change in iCa concentration was 0.022 (95%CI, 0.006 to 0.038, p = 0.011) mmol/l greater in SUPP than CON, resulting in a -4.214 (95%CI, -8.244 to -.183, p = 0.042) pg/mL mean reduction in PTH, a -0.64 (95%CI, -0.199 to -0.008, p = .029) ng/mL decrease in the biomarker of bone resorption, CTX, and no change in biomarker of bone formation, P1NP. Used as a dietary supplement, or by incorporation into a food matrix, the promotion of PS marine multi-mineral and PS protein isolates may contribute to a more sustainable diet and overall bone health.

The multidimensionality of chronic pain forces us to look beyond isolated pain assessment such as pain intensity, which does not consider multiple key parameters, particularly in patients suffering from post-operative Persistent Spinal Pain Syndrome (PSPS-T2). Our ambition was to provide a novel Multi-dimensional Clinical Response Index (MCRI), including not only pain intensity but also functional capacity, anxiety-depression, quality of life and objective quantitative pain mapping assessments, the objective being to capture patient condition instantaneously, using machine learning techniques. Two hundred PSPS-T2 patients were enrolled in a real-life observational prospective PREDIBACK study with 12-month follow-up and received various treatments. From a multitude of questionnaires/scores, specific items were combined using exploratory factor analyses to create an optimally accurate MCRI; as a single composite index, using pairwise correlations between measurements, it appeared to better represent all pain dimensions than any other classical score. It appeared to be the best compromise among all existing indexes, showing the highest sensitivity/specificity related to Patient Global Impression of Change (PGIC). Novel composite indexes could help to refine pain assessment by changing the physician’s perception of patient condition on the basis of objective and holistic metrics, and by providing new insights to therapy efficacy/patient outcome assessments, before ultimately being adapted to other pathologies.

Gastroesophageal cancers, are among the most prevalent cancers globally and represent the third leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. Surgical resection remains the primary curative approach for localized and locally advanced stages, but its effectiveness is limited for locally advanced diseases, evidenced by a low 5-year survival rate of around 25%. High relapse rates post-surgery, particularly in western populations, necessitate the use of neoadjuvant, adjuvant, or perioperative strategies involving chemotherapy and radiation to improve surgical outcomes. Neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy has demonstrated a significant improvement in overall survival. Recent advances have identified several target genes and pathways involved in the pathogenesis and progression of these cancers, leading to the development of targeted drugs, including immunotherapy, anti-HER-2 antibodies, and anti-VEGFR antibodies. These targeted therapies are emerging as promising interventions for better patient outcomes and personalized treatment approaches and therefore could eventually evolve into a novel therapeutic regimen for gastroesophageal cancer.

This article explores the specific impact of artificial intelligence (AI) -driven data visualisation technologies in the user experience of the Internet industry. Through the introduction of machine learning and data mining technologies, AI has significantly improved the intelligence and automation of data visualization tools, promoting innovation in visualization methods and improving the quality and efficiency of data cleaning, processing, and analysis. In addition, AI has also promoted the development of personalised data visualization, providing users with a richer and more intuitive way to present data. This paper analyses the applications of AI-driven data visualization in machine learning, natural language processing, and computer vision. It demonstrates the positive effects of AI data visualization on user understanding and optimisation of models through practical feedback from Yellowbrick tools.

Climate disruption has serious impact on the entire agricultural production system at global scale. Research and development efforts as well as innovations may be necessary to offset the negative impact of climate change. Adaptation to climate change has remained a major socio-ecological issue in the Northern Region of Cameroon for three decades. Several agricultural innovations have been promoted in this region by international organizations and NGO, within the framework of different projects and programs, with a strong potential for adaptation to climate change. However, little is still known about agricultural innovations that have evolved over time in response to climatic factors. Therefore, research aiming at identifying adaptation strategies and practices at the local level is still limited. Also, rural communities and households do not always have access to these agricultural innovations because of lack of efficient innovation support service for agriculture. Through surveys and focus group discussions carried out in several villages in the Northern Cameroon Region, this study provides empirical data on emerging agricultural innovations in contrasting socio-economic, agricultural and ecological contexts. The study demonstrated that the process of adaptation at the village level using agricultural innovations is the result of various forms of support provided by a diversity of actors. However, heads of household (83%) are more involved in innovative initiatives to the detriment of other social strata, resulting in an imbalance in access and proximity to agricultural innovations. Also, support for agricultural innovations is segmented over time and weakens the sustainable transformation of adaptation due to the lack of coordination and the very low visibility of permanent structures dedicated to supporting agricultural innovations.

The Sustainable Development Center of the University of Brasilia is one of the modernist buildings that make up the Darcy Ribeiro campus. The architectural project contains several recommendations for the execution of the flat roof waterproofing system, as well as details for rainwater runoff and drainage, which reveals a certain concern with watertightness. The research seeks to identify the relationship between the pathological manifestations recognized on the roof and the semicircular shape of the building, assessing the state of conservation through the use of damage maps as an analysis tool. The article is based on a field survey using aerophotogrammetry with a drone, the application of vector drawing software for graphic representation and discussion of the possible causes, agents and mechanisms of degradation at work. The results show the importance of mechanical protection for the good performance of the waterproofing system, as well as the need for correct sizing of expansion joints in order to absorb and relieve the stresses caused by hygrothermal variations. The methodology incorporated proved to be effective and economical in diagnosing and monitoring pathological manifestations, making it possible to plan maintenance actions that extend the useful life and preserve the intrinsic characteristics of building systems.

A single paragraph of about 200 words maximum. For research articles, abstracts should give a pertinent overview of the work. We strongly encourage authors to use the following style of structured abstracts, but without headings: (1) Background: Place the question addressed in a broad context and highlight the purpose of the study; (2) Methods: briefly describe the main methods or treatments applied; (3) Results: summarize the article’s main findings; (4) Conclusions: indicate the main conclusions or interpretations. The abstract should be an objective representation of the article, and it must not contain results that are not presented and substantiated in the main text and should not exaggerate the main conclusions. Python, a versatile programming language, holds vast potential for Sentiment Analysis (SA). Leveraging the Requests and TextBlob libraries, we have crafted a user-friendly code that enables Industrial Engineers (IE) and managers, particularly those who are new to Python, to extract and analyze sentiment efficiently. We aim to provide IE/managers in service companies requiring SA capabilities with a simple yet effective Python solution. While machine learning resources like PyTorch/TensorFlow are commonly utilized in SA, offering pre-built algorithms and tools for training, and implementing machine learning models, we sought to exploit Python's versatility by integrating additional web-scraping libraries. Thus, by using a lexicon-based approach, we intend to deliver an informative and practical article. The code in this article is twofold; firstly, it can be easily adapted by IE/managers possessing basic Python skills; secondly, we aim to inspire junior IE/managers to develop their own customized coding solutions tailored to specific organizational needs.

Flexible electrochemical sensors can adhere to any bendable surface with conformal contact, enabling continuous data monitoring without compromising the surface's dynamics. Among various materials that have been explored for flexible electronics, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) exhibit dynamic responses to physical and chemical signals, offering new opportunities for flexible electrochemical sensing technologies. This review aims to explore the role of electrocatalysis in MOF films specifically designed for flexible electrochemical sensing applications, with a focus on their design, fabrication techniques, and applications. We systematically categorize the design and fabrication techniques used in preparing MOF films, including in-situ growth, layer-by-layer assembly, and polymer-assisted strategies. The implications of MOF-based flexible electrochemical sensors are examined in the context of wearable devices, environmental monitoring, and healthcare diagnostics. Future research is anticipated to shift from traditional microcrystalline powder synthesis to MOF thin-film deposition, which is expected to not only enhance the performance of MOFs in flexible electronics but also improve sensing efficiency and reliability, paving the way for more robust and versatile sensor technologies.

Recent advancements in molecular diagnostics have highlighted the potential of circulating cell-free DNA (ccfDNA) as a biomarker in various diseases. This study aims to explore the role of ccfDNA in the early diagnosis, prognosis, and therapeutic monitoring of diseases, with a focus on oncology. We conducted a comprehensive review and analysis of current literature, combined with experimental approaches involving advanced genomic sequencing and bioinformatics techniques. Our research systematically characterizes the molecular composition of ccfDNA, including its origins, size distribution, and methylation patterns, across different disease states. Furthermore, we investigate the dynamics of ccfDNA release and clearance in the bloodstream, elucidating mechanisms that could influence its diagnostic accuracy. In the context of cancer, we analyze the correlation between tumor-derived ccfDNA and disease progression, response to therapy, and overall survival. Our findings indicate that ccfDNA holds promise as a non-invasive biomarker for early disease detection, real-time monitoring of treatment efficacy, and potentially, predicting relapse. This study contributes to the growing field of liquid biopsies and opens new avenues for personalized medicine, emphasizing the need for standardized protocols in ccfDNA analysis to maximize its clinical utility. The implications of our findings extend beyond oncology, suggesting potential applications of ccfDNA in other pathological conditions.

Background: An outbreak of Mpox disease caused by a mutant clade 1b virus (MPXV) in Kamituga area, South Kivu Province, DRC has rapidly grown to involve neighboring countries in this region. This now has the authorities worried, due to the limited supply of Mpox vaccines with emergence use licensure (EUL) available. As an emergency local response to this challenge, we set out to identify epitopes of clade 1b MPXV surface proteins as targets for the rapid research and development (R & D) of Mpox medical countermeasures. Methods: The H3L (OPG108–heparin binding protein) and A17L (OPG143–myristylated protein) were selected by virtue of their surface localization, stability and known role in MPXV host cell fusion entry. Within the immune epitope database analysis resource (IEDB-AR), surface accessibility, antigenicity and 3-D localisation (DiscoTope) we examined to identify > 9-nomer epitopes Results: Three (3) and six(6) candidate >9-nomer epitopes were derived for H3L and A17L surface fusion protein. Across all parameters, the two best identified epitopes were as follows:—H3L (28-HINDQKFDDVKDNEVMQEKR-47 and 236-YVEHDPRLVAEH-247) and A17L (104-QNEVTPEYIKDLKYATDYIA-123;) 270-KKDYLLGDSDSVAKCCSKTNTKHCPKIFNNNYKTEHC-290). Conclusions: These epitopes— alone, multiplexed (say as a nano-spiked virus-like particles, VLPs) or fused as a chimeric recombinants form immunogens for the rapid production of protein sub-unit vaccines. Inversely, derivative monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from the same are precursors for therapeutic cocktails and or antigen, rapid diagnostic tests (RDT).

Antiviral therapy such as Oseltamivir has been recommended for hospitalized children with suspected and confirmed influenza for almost 20 years. The therapy is officially authorized for newborns two weeks of age or older, however, questions about its safety and effectiveness still surround it. Our goal was to assess the epidemiological features of two consecutive seasonal in-fluenza cases in children following the COVID-19 pandemic and also to observe the clinical ef-fectiveness and tolerability of oseltamivir in hospitalized children who were not vaccinated against influenza and who had different influenza subtypes, including A (H1N1), A (H3N2), and influenza B, and to identify specific comorbidities associated with influenza in children. We performed an observational study on 1300 children, enrolled between 1st October 2022 and 30th May 2023 and 1st October 2023-4th of May 2024, to the IX Pediatric Infectious Diseases Clinical Section of the National Institute of Infectious Diseases "Prof. Dr. Matei Balș". During the 2022-2023 influenza sea-son, 791 pediatric patients tested positive for influenza and received Oseltamivir. Of these, 89% (704/791) had influenza A, with 86.4% subtypes A(H1N1) and 13.6% of cases had A(H3N2), and influ-enza B 11%(87/791) pediatric patients. Of the total group, 59% were male, and the median age was 2,4 years (1.02-9.28). For the 2023-2024 influenza season, 509 pediatric patients tested positive for influen-za, 56.9% were male gender and were treated with Oseltamivir. 81.6 % had Influenza A, and 18.4% had influenza B. Treatment with neuraminidase inhibitors like Oseltamivir, 2mg/kg/dose twice daily for 5 days, was well tolerated by the children, and we recorded no deaths. The duration of fever hospitaliza-tion after the Oseltamivir administration was significantly longer for patients with A(H1N1) infection than A(H3N2), during both seasons. We identified more complications in the 2022-2023 season and a decreasing number of Influenza B for the 2023-2024 season. Among children with comorbidities, the most common were asthma, gastrointestinal disorders, and metabolic and endocrine diseases. In terms of effectiveness, oseltamivir significantly reduced the intensity of influenza symptoms, thus reducing the number of days of hospitalization (p=0.001) as well as post-infection complications (p=0.005) in both groups. Oseltamivir was less effective in Influenza A (H1N1) than A(H3N2), (p=0.0035). In this study, we evaluated the clinical effectiveness of oseltamivir therapy for all influenza types/subtypes in children, and the length of hospitalization. We identified comorbidities associated with prolonged dura-tion of hospitalisation. Influenza vaccination should be the main tool in the prevention of influenza and its complications in children, especially with comorbidities

Since the turn of the millennium, many individuals and groups, including Diane Moore (2007), Stephen Prothero (2007), the American Academy of Religion (2010), and The National Council for the Social Studies (2014, 2017, 2021), have advocated for better religious literacy education (RLE) in K-12 curriculum and public schools. Despite these calls, RLE has yet to make significant inroads in K-12 curriculum and public schools. This paper aims to define religious literacy and RLE, provide current rationales for its inclusion in K-12 curriculum and public schools, identify barriers to RLE, and explore the potential of global competence in promoting RLE.

The Polynomial coefficient function, from the complex hyperspace Cⁿ in itself, is the function Fⁿ that provides the coefficients of the polynomial (x - a₁)(x - a₂)... (x-a_n). A proof of the fundamental theorem of algebra is given where the surjectivity of this function is obtained from a Recurrent Coefficient Equation.

Clockwork fermions represent a novel theoretical construct in high-energy physics, addressing such fundamental issues as mass hierarchies and dark matter. This review provides an examination of the theoretical underpinnings of clockwork fermions, their implications for particle physics, and the current state of experimental validations. Clockwork fermions represent a paradigm in particle physics, elegantly addressing the hierarchy problem and offering insights into the generation of small neutrino masses. We provide an analysis of the clockwork mechanism, emphasizing its theoretical innovation and the unique mass hierarchies it produces. We examine recent experimental efforts, including collider searches and direct detection experiments, that place constraints on clockwork models, while also exploring their potential cosmological implications.

This research paper is divided into two aspects: first part describes the modelling techniques which are referred for handling infectious diseases in public health domain, second part describes the modelling techniques which are referred for building epidemiology cases in public health domain. To illustrate further, first part helps in understanding various modeling ordinary differential equations have been defined to develop the definition, described to know the terminologies involved in developing the equations and henceforth established to understand the end-to-end process. Second part helps in understanding various aspects of epidemiology in public health domain and how they help in addressing the public health domain policy-making.

The potassium-chloride cotransporter KCC2 is the main extruder of Cl- in neurons. It plays a fundamental role in the activity of the inhibitory neurotransmitters (GABA and glycine) since low levels of KCC2 promote intracellular Cl- accumulation leading to a depolarizing activity of GABA and glycine. Downregulation of this cotransporter occurs in neurological disorders characterized by hyperexcitability, such as epilepsy, neuropathic pain and spasticity. KCC2 is also downregulated after axotomy. If muscle reinnervation is allowed, KCC2 levels recover in motoneurons. Therefore, we argued that target-derived neurotrophic factors might be involved in the regulation of KCC2 expression. For this purpose, we performed the axotomy of extraocular motoneurons by monocular enucleation of adult rats, and a pellet containing either VEGF or BDNF was chronically implanted in the orbit. Double confocal immunofluorescence of ChAT and KCC2 was carried out in brainstem sections. Axotomy led to a KCC2 decrease in the neuropil and soma of extraocular motoneurons, peaking at 15 days post-lesion, with the exception of abducens motoneuron somata. VEGF administration prevented the axotomy-induced KCC2 downregulation. By contrast, BDNF either maintained or reduced KCC2 levels following axotomy suggesting BDNF is involved in the axotomy-induced KCC2 downregulation in extraocular motoneurons. The finding that VEGF prevents KCC2 decrease opens new possibilities for the treatment of neurological disorders coursing with neuronal hyperactivity due to KCC2 downregulation.

In this study, we evaluate the nonlinear dynamics of convection flow using the thermodynamic variational principle, focusing on scenarios where multiple external forces, such as a thermal gradient and rotational field, are applied to a shallow annular pool. We observed that with the increase in the thermal gradient, the flow changed from an axial flow to a rotational oscillatory flow with the wave amplitudes aligned. Further increasing the temperature difference led to a rotational oscillatory flow characterized by alternating wave generation and annihilation. Our analysis of the flow, considering heat fluxes orthogonal to the thermal gradient, allowed us to describe the flow state as a phase at equilibrium. The state transition of the flow was accompanied by a discontinuous jump in the heat flux, which occurred at the intersection of the entropy production curves.

I present the first complete theory of ADHD. ADHD occurs when the organism adapts to try to maintain higher glucose levels than normal. The main mechanism via which this is done is by faster opening of KATP channels, mainly Kir6.2/SUR1, which increases the cell's intrinsic \xtblty. I show that this induces all of the symptoms of ADHD. The optimal treatment for ADHD already exists, since drugs of the sulfonylurea family close KATP channels and have been used for safely treating people for dozens of years.

With the significant annual increase in the market demand for biopesticides, the industrial production demand for predatory mites, which hold the largest market share among biopesticides, has also been rising.To achieve efficient and low energy consumption control of predatory mite breeding environmental parameters, accurate estimation of breeding environmental parameters is necessary. This paper collects and pre-processing hourly time-series data of temperature and humidity from industrial breeding environments. Time series prediction models such as SVR, LSTM, GRU, and LSTNet are applied to model and predict historical data of the breeding environment. Experiments validate that the LSTNet model is more suitable for such environmental modeling. To further improve prediction accuracy, the training data for the LSTNet model is enhanced using hierarchical clustering of time-series features. After augmentation, the root mean square error (RMSE) of temperature prediction decreased by 27.3%, and the RMSE of humidity prediction decreased by 32.8%, significantly improving the accuracy of multi-step predictions and providing substantial industrial application value.

Breakthrough Sparsity Theorem, derived independently by Donoho and Elad \textit{[Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA, 2003]}, Gribonval and Nielson \textit{[IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, 2003]} and Fuchs \textit{[IEEE Trans. Inform. Theory, 2004]} says that unique sparse solution to NP-Hard $\ell_0$-minimization problem can be obtained using unique solution of P-Type $\ell_1$-minimization problem. In this paper, we derive noncommutative version of their result using frames for Hilbert C*-modules.

S6K1 (ribosomal protein S6 kinase beta-1) is a critical serine/threonine kinase involved in the regulation of various cellular processes, including protein synthesis, gene expression, and metabolic homeostasis. The structural complexity of S6K1, with its multiple isoforms and unique kinase domain, allows for diverse functionality across different cellular contexts. In this review, we report the intricate structure of S6K1, highlighting the significance of its kinase domain. Additionally, we explored the tissue-specific expression and subcellular localization of S6K1 isoforms, emphasizing their distinct roles in cellular processes. The regulation of S6K1 extends beyond transcriptional control, with post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation and acetylation playing crucial roles in its activity and stability. The physiological implications of S6K1 are vast, influencing processes from cell growth and protein synthesis to immune responses and muscle hypertrophy. However, dysregulation of S6K1 is implicated in numerous pathological conditions, including cancer Studies reveal that altered S6K1 activity, particularly in its phosphorylation state, can lead to reduced neuronal viability, contributing to the progression of diseases such as Parkinson's. This manuscript synthesizes current knowledge on S6K1, offering insights into its multifaceted roles and highlighting its potential as a therapeutic target in various disease contexts.

The digital transformation of the global economy presents new challenges and opportunities for businesses and nations. With the growing role of digital technologies and the dynamic changes in the structure of the economy, there is a need for a better understanding of the processes shaping contemporary enterprises. This article analyzes the impact of digital transformation on businesses and the global economy, identifying key areas where these changes are most evident. As part of this discussion, a modification of the “9 Pillars of Industry 4.0” concept is proposed, incorporating solutions that have emerged since its inception. The resulting model, “11 Pillars of Industry 4.0,” enabled the analysis of the “born digital” and “born global” concepts, highlighting their numerous common features in the context of the digital transformation of economies. This became the basis for proposing a new concept: “born digibal” — enterprises that from the outset operate in multiple markets, with their main sphere of activity based on digital solutions.The conclusions of the article provide an assessment of the changes occurring in businesses and the global economy in the digital age. They suggest that the dynamics of globalization in the 21st century will be shaped by complex interactions between digital transformation and the actions of businesses and nations, requiring flexibility and innovation in adapting to new economic realities.

Abstract Objectives: The aim of this study is to understand the rationale for the lack of interest to perform regular opportunistic oral cancer screening (OCS) by primary care providers (PCPs) and the challenges they have in incorporating OCS into their annual examination protocol. Method: Sequential exploratory mixed methods were used. Both qualitative and quantitative data from PCPs working at Nebraska Medicine were obtained. One-on-one in-depth interviews were performed to identify PCP's perceptions and challenges in performing OCS. The themes identified in the qualitative study were used as a guide in the development of survey questionnaires. The survey was emailed to all the PCPs (N=100), whose information was available on the Nebraska Medicine publicly accessible website. Results: The response rate was 34%. Approximately 60% of the participants mentioned that they currently perform oral cancer screening, but only 3.8% of the providers answered that they were performing comprehensive oral cancer screening every time. Forty-eight percent of the providers identified time as the biggest challenge. Over 35.3% of the providers answered that they perform screenings for patients with a history of tobacco (i.e., smoking) or alcohol use. Conclusion: Around half of the participants identified lack of time as their primary challenge in performing OCS and lack of knowledge as their second main obstacle. Very few provided comprehensive OCS and visual examination of the oral cavity is the only step performed often. Keywords: Oral cancer screening - Primary care providers - Oropharyngeal cancer-early detection of cancer-cancer screening-care providers-Health care professionals, health care providers

This paper explores the influence of GenAI chatbot (ChatGPT) and AI-based simulation (SimVenture) on the start-up intention through the mediating roles of entrepreneurship educational outcomes; entrepreneurship cognition, entrepreneurship competencies, and innovation spirit of students in higher education institutions in the Middle East. The proposed conceptual framework was empirically tested with partial least squares structural equation modeling using 166 survey responses from fourth-year undergraduate students enrolled in business administration programs in four higher education institutions in the Middle East region. The findings reveal that ChatGPT significantly promotes start-up intention, while ChatGPT has insignificant influence on entrepreneurship educational outcomes. Conversely, the SimVenture platform negatively influences start-up intention. Additionally, the SimVenture platform significantly improves entrepreneurship educational outcomes; thereby entrepreneurship educational outcomes directly influence start-up intention. Furthermore, the mediation paths show ChatGPT has an insignificant indirect influence on start-up intention through the mediating roles of entrepreneurship educational outcomes, while the SimVenture platform exhibits a notable indirect influence on startup intentions through improved entrepreneurship educational outcomes. These findings seek to provide insights for higher education institutions in the Middle East region in leveraging GenAI chatbot (ChatGPT) and AI-based simulation (SimVenture) to enhance entrepreneurial knowledge, awareness, competencies, and the spirit of innovation, which leads to promoting students’ intentions to start their businesses. Theoretically, the study contributes to filling the gap in the existing literature between AI tools and entrepreneurship education. This study is among the first to empirically explore the influences of GenAI chatbot (ChatGPT) and AI-based simulation (SimVenture) on entrepreneurship educational outcomes and the intention of students to embark on entrepreneurial ventures. It highlights the need for understanding AI technologies as distinct pedagogical tools.

Kiwifruit (Actinidia chinensis) cultivation is expanding worldwide being China, New Zealand and Italy the major producing countries. Halyomorpha halys, the brown marmorated stink bug, has been raising serious concerns to kiwifruit cultivation both in China and Italy. This study aimed at improving the chemical control efficacy against this pest by comparing two insecticide spray techniques (a conventional ray atomizer and a trumpet-modified atomizer adapted for localized spray application in kiwifruit). In fact, kiwifruit is often grown with a ‘pergola’ training system, which may reduce the effectiveness of insecticide penetration into the canopy. Experiments have been performed in naturally infested orchards of both Actinidia chinensis var. chinensis ‘Jintao’ and A. chinensis var. deliciosa ‘Hayward’ during two consecutive seasons. Furthermore, mesh cages, each containing three H. halys adults, were deployed in the orchards to assess the insects’ mortality at 1, 3, 7 and 10 days after the insecticide application with the two spray techniques. In the cultivar 'Jintao', the two systems performed similarly, while in the cultivar 'Hayward', an overall significantly higher insect mortality was recorded with the trumpet atomizer. The crop damage was also evaluated on both cultivars, simulating the grower insecticide applications with the two spray techniques. At harvest, no difference emerged between the spray techniques, which provided a significantly better protection compared to the untreated control. Further investigations in this direction are needed also considering the restriction of insecticidal active substances ongoing in European Union and the need to maximize the efficacy of the available tools.

Integrated photovoltaic-fuel cell (IPVFC) systems have the potential to contribute to sustainable energy production for grid and off-grid applications. While there are studies focusing on fundamental science and designs for IPVFC systems, there are scarcely studies that have focused on the manufacturability of IPVFC systems, which is certainly the pathway for commercialisation of the systems. This study explores manufacturing strategies that can be considered for exploiting a family of eleven IPVFC systems. A survey and systems thinking were used to investigate the potential modularisation and supply chain management to achieve optimal lean and agile manufacturing strategy. Results show that the Photovoltaic-Thermal-Separate Converter/Inverter-Battery System received 25% of the responses. The optimal manufacturing strategy depends on the overall business strategy of the firm. Although 17% preference for System 1 is significant compared to four members of the family of IPVFC systems (Systems 2, 6, 8 and 9) that received only 2% of the responses, it indicates that there is a likelihood that the demand for System 1 will be among the top 42% of the total demand. Overall, this study provides new insights on how the family of IPVFC systems can contribute to realising greater access to clean energy, by extension contributing to the net-zero efforts using solar energy and solar hydrogen.

Polar auxin transport (PAT) and auxin efflux carriers are known components controlling leaf complexity and venation patterns in some model plant species. Evidence indicates that PAT generates auxin converge points (CPs) that in turn lead to local leaf formation and internally into major vein formation. However, the role of PAT in more diverse leaf arrangements and vein patterns is largely unknown. We used pharmacological inhibition of PAT in developing pinnate tomato, trifoliate clover, palmate lupin, and bipinnate carrot leaves and observed dosage-dependent reduction to simple leaves in these eudicots. Leaf venation patterns changed from craspedodromous (clover, carrot), semi-craspedodromous (tomato) and brochidodromous (lupin) to more parallel patterning with PAT inhibition. The visualization of auxin responses in transgenic tomato plants showed that discrete and separate CPs in control plants were replaced by diffuse convergence areas near the margin. These effects indicate that PAT plays a universal role in the formation of different leaf and vein patterns in eudicot species via a mechanism that depends on the generation as well as separation of auxin CPs. Computer simulations indicate that variations in PAT can alter the number of CPs, corresponding leaf lobe formation and position of major leaf veins along the leaf margin in support of experimental results.

The basic idea is to expand the completed zeta function $\xi(s)$ in MacLaurin series (infinite polynomial), which can be further expressed as infinite product (Hadamard product) by conjugate complex roots. Finally, the functional equation $\xi(s)=\xi(1-s)$ leads to $(s-\alpha_i)^2 = (1-s-\alpha_i)^2, i \in \mathbb{N}$ with solution $\alpha_i= \frac{1}{2}, i \in \mathbb{N}$, where $\alpha_i$ are the real parts of the zeros of $\xi(s)$, i.e., $s_i =\alpha_i\pm j\beta_i, i\in \mathbb{N}$. Therefore, a proof of the Riemann Hypothesis is achieved.

Aspergillosis is a fungal disease caused by the inhalation of fungal spores of the genus Aspergillus spp. This fungus mainly affects the lungs but can spread and infect the maxillofacial region through the bloodstream. The disease has nonspecific clinical manifestations, which hinders early diagnosis. Even though the Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) technique holds promising potential to aid in diagnosing aspergillosis, anatomopathological analysis services have not yet routinely adopted the method. Therefore, the present study aims to evaluate the applicability and standardize the techniques of preparation of biological samples and PCR for the detection of the species Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus fumigatus and Aspergillus flavus. Six samples of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue (FFPE), with histopathological diagnosis suggestive of aspergillosis, were investigated by PCR. Five of the six samples evaluated were positive for the fungus Aspergillus spp, 2/5 of which were co-infected by A. fumigatus and A. flavus species, and the others were positive for A. flavus species. The findings of this study suggest that PCR may be an auxiliary method in diagnosing aspergillosis. However, the expansion of the sample size and the evaluation of PCR in comparison with other diagnostic tests for aspergillosis is essential to determine the accuracy of the method.

Early diagnosis of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) could suggest patients to receive timely interventions in clinical practice. Various PAF onset prediction algorithms might benefit from accurate heart rate variability (HRV) analysis and machine learning classification but to be challenged in real-time monitoring scenarios. The aim of this study is to present an end-to-end deep learning based PAFNet model that integrates a sliding window technique on raw R-R interval of electrocardiogram (ECG) segments to achieve a real-time prediction of PAF onsets. This integration enable the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to be customized as a light-weight architecture that accommodates the size of sliding windows simply by altering the input layer, specifically its effectiveness in making a new prediction with each new heartbeat. Catering to potential influence of input sizes, three CNN models were trained using 50, 100, and 200 R-R intervals, respectively. For each model, the performance of automated algorithms was evaluated for PAF prediction using a ten-fold cross-validation. As a results, a total of 56,381 PAFN-type and 56,900 N-type R-R interval segments was collected from publicly accessible ECG databases, and a promising prediction performance of the automated algorithm with a 100 R-R intervals was achieved in terms of the sensitivity of 97.12%, the specificity of 97.77%, and the accuracy of 97.45%, respectively. Importantly, the automated algorithm with a sliding windows step of 1 could process one sample in only 23.1 milliseconds and identify the onset of PAF at least 45 minutes in advance. The present results suggest that the sliding window technique on raw R-R interval sequences along by deep learning based algorithms may offers the possibility of providing an accurate, real-time, and end-to-end clinical tool for mass monitoring of PAF.

In the study of algebraic structures related to logical systems, Ideals and filters have different meanings and they are algebraic notions related to logical provable formulas. Unlike the classical Boolean lattice theory, ideals and filters are not dual notions in residuated lattices. An interesting subclass of residuated lattices is the class of triangle algebras, which is an equational representation of interval-valued residuated lattices that provides an algebraic framework for using closed intervals as truth values in fuzzy logic. The main aim of this article is to introduce and study the concept of ideals in triangle algebras and investigate the connection between ideals and filters. We first point out that the construction procedure for the filter generated by a subset of a triangle algebra established by Zahiri et al. is incorrect, and we proceed to give an alternative characterization.

Keywords: Phosphatidylserine (PS), brain micrometastases, vascular endothelial cells, blood-tumor-barrier (BTB), imaging.

At 8000 m and above, a ‘death zone’ reputation afforded protection for the fragile ecosystems of the Himalaya and Korakoram ranges for thousands of years. After decades of high-altitude mountaineering, environmental impacts have been documented such as associated carbon-intensive air travel and contamination from waste. Despite the growing popularity, high-risk and fragile context of the sport, the behaviour, perspectives and experiences of high-altitude mountaineers, and the social and economic consequences have not been researched. Following an interpretive paradigm and using purposive sampling, this qualitative study conducted in-depth interviews and open-ended survey questions to collect the experiences of sixteen high-altitude mountaineers. Analysis of the qualitative data was informed by Grounded Theory with the coding process leading to the overarching category of ‘leave no trace’. The results show how the high risks to life, and growing popularity of the activity influence mountaineer’s ability to act sustainably and increase unsustainable behaviour despite a desire to ‘leave no trace’ on the mountain. Meanwhile, climate change has already and will increasingly have profound impacts on the risks associated with 8000m mountaineering. Allowing more time for acclimation would help to address the root causes of unsustainable behaviours along with better enforcement of regulations.

Amazon Web Services (AWS) instances provide a convenient way to run training on complex ’omics data analysis workflows without requiring participants to install software packages or store large data volumes locally. However, efficiently managing dozens of instances is challenging for training providers. We present a set of Bash scripts that make it quick and easy to manage Linux AWS instances pre-configured with all the software analysis tools and data needed for a course, and accessible using encrypted login keys and optional domain names. Creating over 30 instances takes 10-15 minutes. A comprehensive online tutorial describes how to set up and use an AWS account and the scripts, and how to customise AWS instance templates with other software tools and data. We anticipate that others offering similar training may benefit from using the scripts regardless of the analyses being taught.

Background: Bioaerosol can represent a danger to the health. During SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, portable devices were used in different environments and considered a valuable prevention tool. This study has evaluated the effectiveness of the air treatment device "AEROK 1.0" in reducing microbial, particulate and pollen airborne contamination indoors, during normal activity. Methods: In an administrative room, airborne microbial contamination was measured using active (DUOSAS 360 and MD8) and passive sampling; a particle counter was used to evaluate particle concentrations; a Hirst-type pollen trap was used to assess airborne pollen and Alternaria spores. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 26.0; p values

Keywords: parent or family involvement; children with disabilities; school, parent-teacher relationships, education, COM-B model

This study investigated the effect of partially replacing fish meal with krill and copepod meals in inert diets, co-fed with shrimp, on the growth and nutrient digestibility of long-snout seahorse (Hippocampus guttulatus). A control diet (Diet 1) using raw starch and four experimental diets with similar protein (≈44.8%) and energy (≈15.1 MJ/kg) levels were tested. Diet 2 used fish meal as the sole protein source, while in Diets 3-5, krill and copepod meals replaced 44% of the fish meal. Seahorses fed Shrimp + Diets 2-5 showed significantly higher growth rates (P &lt; 0.05) than those fed Shrimp + Diet 1, though there were no significant growth differences among Diets 2-5. Digestibility of dry matter (46.1% to 72.2%), lipids (73.3% to 85.5%), crude protein (89.8% to 95.8%), energy (82% to 92.2%), and phosphorus (28.7% to 64.4%) varied with diet, being consistently lower in seahorses fed Shrimp + Diet 1. As an agastric species, H. guttulatus did not exhibit impaired digestibility for any of the tested nutrients, minerals, or energy. This study suggests that crustacean meals can effectively substitute fish meal in inert diets for this species, contributing to the sustainability and optimization of captive seahorse husbandry practices.

Financial technologies (Fintech) have become an indispensable part of most of the business infrastructure around the world. The Fintech ecosystem provides this solution by providing a suitable environment for all financial techno services to synergize. The objective of this paper is two folds; first, it aims to investigate &amp; summarize Fintech programs products, and services in Saudi Arabia. Second, it maps the sustainable development goals (SDG) and indicators of the Fintech programs in Saudi Arabia. Secondary data was collected from published reports, institutional &amp; governmental websites, official portals, and research papers focusing on the companies operating in Saudi Arabia. In the second step, the content analysis method was employed to investigate the features and characteristics of each program to map it to the sustainable development goals (SDGs). It was found that Fintech in Saudi Arabia is addressing SDGs goals 1, 2, 5 8 &amp; 17. The paper also attempted to map further the SDG indicators with the products and services which Fintech companies are offering. This study will be beneficial for the institutions and policymakers of the Fintech industry to fill the gaps in addressing SDG goals which is a global agenda for eradicating poverty and offering sustainable development opportunities.

Deep brain stimulation of the subthalamic nucleus (STN-DBS) is a recognized treatment in Parkinson’s disease (PD), but knowledge is still limited regarding its possible impact on patients with behavioral addiction (BA) who undergo surgery. To assess this effect of STN-DBS, we prospectively studied the follow-up from 3-months pre-surgery to 12-months post-surgery of 12 PD patients with pre-existing BA (9 with pathological gambling disorder, 2 with hypersexual disorder, and 1 with compulsive shopping disorder) in a multicenter study. Patients were assessed for BA, for mental status with anxiety, depression, mania, emotional process and for PD, using the Unified Parkinson’s Disease Rating Scale motor examination (UPDRS3) and cumulative daily L-dopa equivalent daily dose (LEDD). Mean 6 and 12-month post-surgery scores were compared to baseline. After one year of STN-DBS, our results indicated that the treatment remained generally effective and stable. There was no effect on mania state or negative impact on motor signs. A significant improvement of the anxiety score was also observed. The STN is an interesting target for new therapeutic stimulation in BA and works to investigate the precise target in this neurobiological architecture should be performed in the future.

{In two previous articles, the extended $(k, t)$--Fibonacci numbers were presented and some of their properties were studied, both in general and particularizing them for the Leonardo numbers. In a second article we study the sum of the extended $(k, t)$--Fibonacci numbers as well as the sums of these odd and even numbers.\\ In this article we study the sum of the squares of these numbers with their properties as well as the generating function, the recurrence relation and the Binet formula.\\ Finally we particularize these results for the generalized $t$--Leonardo numbers

Soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase (sPPase), a pyrophosphate hydrolase, has been shown to play an important role in several physiological processes such as plant growth and development, metabolic activities, and response to abiotic stresses, but sPPase has been less studied in woody plants. In order to preliminarily verify whether the soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase in Eucommia ulmoides Oliver (E. ulmoides) has a role in resistance to drought stress, we amplified the EuSIP5 (E. ulmoides soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase 5) cDNA sequence from E. ulmoides by RT-PCR. In order to study the drought resistance of the Eucommia ulmoides soluble inorganic pyrophosphatase 5 (EuSIP5) gene, the cDNA sequence of the EuSIP5 gene was amplified from Eucommia ulmoides Oliver by RT-PCR. Bioinformatic analysis indicated that EuSIP5 might be an unstable amphipathic protein, mainly located in the cytoplasm. E. ulmoides, the highest expression of the EuSIP5 gene was found in male leaves and pericarp from April to October, and in leaves of E. ulmoides in July and September. During drought, the expression of EuSIP5 in seedling E. ulmoides leaves was significantly higher than that of the control. An overexpression vector harboring the EuSIP5 was constructed and introduced into the tobacco (Nicotiana tabacum cv. Xanthi). We found that during drought stress, the appearance of wilting was delayed by 4 days in transgenic tobacco plants (OE) compared with wild type plants (WT), and the expression of drought-related genes DET2, CYP85A1, P5CS, ERF1 and F-box was found to be increased in transgenic tobacco leaves, as well as the enzyme activities of the protective enzymes: peroxidase (POD), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) were significantly higher than those of the WT, and the malondialdehyde (MDA) content was lower than the WT. These results indicated that the introduction of EuSIP5 gene into tobacco increased the expression of drought-related genes, enhanced the anti-membrane oxidation ability of tobacco, and reduced the oxidative stress damage, thus improving the drought resistance of tobacco.

Our decisions today are part of an economic thinking which aims to fix problems and increase the efficiency of capital markets. Our economy is still largely approached as a system which is unre-lated to our environment or social returns like community well-being, social cohesion, equitable distribution of resources, etc. To fully incorporate sustainability into cost-benefit analysis, busi-nesses need to change their financial approach, showcasing how long-term thinking impacts prof-its. Money's value is not static and evolves with time and technology. We propose to introduce a variation of cost/benefit and present value calculations. Precise calculations reveal the benefits of long-term strategies over short-term profit focus. As financial systems evolve and technology advances, the accurate calculation of money's time value will continue to play a crucial role in shaping economic landscapes and guiding financial choices. In this article, we demonstrate that updated calculations could be a key enabler to visualize the benefits of long-term thinking or “patient finance” as compared to a short-term focus on profit. We introduce the concept and calculation of a Present Future Value (PFV).

This paper investigates the effects that rain drop erosion has on the integrity of wind turbine materials. This research involves analysis of impact models and theoretical equations to simulate the impact phenomena when a raindrop collides with a wind turbine blade at high speed. Impact phenomena that occur when a raindrop impacts with a wind turbine blade were evaluated. Additionally, the use of various types of software was considered to simulate this impact event. The model results of the raindrop impact with respect to a comparison of the governing equations and impact behaviour are addressed. Future work is outlined including adding variables to the erosion modelling algorithms.

Aortic stenosis (AS) is a prevalent valvular disorder that often requires surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) to alleviate symptoms and improve survival. However, the selection of an appropriate prosthetic valve size is crucial to avoid patient-prosthesis mismatch (PPM), which can lead to suboptimal hemodynamic outcomes. Von Willebrand factor (VWF), a key component of hemostasis, has been shown to be altered in AS patients and may contribute to the hemostatic imbalance observed following valve replacement. This prospective study aimed to investigate the impact of PPM on postprocedural VWF levels in patients undergoing SAVR for severe AS. The study included 31 consecutive patients diagnosed with severe AS who underwent SAVR. By focusing on the relationship between PPM and VWF dynamics, this study sought to provide valuable insights into the potential role of VWF as a marker for hemostatic changes associated with PPM, ultimately informing strategies for optimal valve selection and perioperative management to minimize complications.

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) such as smartphones has been attracting attention to prevent elderly people from becoming isolated. For this reason, recent research has proposed training methods for acquiring smartphone functions. However, since the types of smartphone functions required vary from person to person, a one-size-fits-all method will not attract everyone's interest and the results will be limited. On the other hand, with a view to social implementation, it is necessary to clarify a method that is sufficiently effective in terms of cost and time. Previous research suggests that self-efficacy and social capital are the keys to acquiring smartphone skills among elderly people. Therefore, in this review, while looking back at previous research, we propose a study to demonstrate that by providing careful individual instruction by an experienced instructor to elderly people with little experience in smartphones, and then having them take turns teaching other participants after the instruction, their self-efficacy and social capital can be increased, and a positive spiral effect can be achieved to maximize the improvement of smartphone skills widely.

The article addresses manufacturing structures made of biodegradable materials that can be successfully used as energy-absorbing liner of sports helmets of all kinds, replacing the previously used expanded polystyrene. The paper is focused on injection technological tests and tensile tests (in quasi-static and dynamic conditions) of several composites based on a PLA matrix with the addition of other biodegradable softening agents, such as PBAT and TPS. Next, the thin-walled elements (dimensions of 55 x 55 x 20 mm) were manufactured and evaluated using a spring-loaded drop hammer. The 60J impact energy was tested according to EN 1078 standard. The dynamic crushing testing included checking the influence of the materials temperature (-20, 0, 20, and 40 °C) and the impact velocity. The PLA15PBAT85 blend was selected as the most effective material in terms of its use as energy-absorbing liner for sport helmets.

Wheat is used for making many food products due to its diverse quality profile found among different wheat classes. Since laboratory analysis of these end-use quality traits is costly and time-consuming, genetic dissection of the traits is preferential. This study used a genome-wide association study (GWAS) of 10 end-use quality traits, including kernel protein, flour protein, flour yield, softness equivalence, solvent’s retention capacity, cookie diameter, and top-grain, in soft red winter wheat (SRWW) adapted to US southeast. The GWAS study included 266 SRWW genotypes that were evaluated in two locations over two years (2020-2022). A total of 27,466 single nucleotide markers were used and a total of 80 significant marker-trait associations were identified. There were 13 major effect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) explaining &gt; 10% phenotypic variance out of which 12 were considered as novel. Five of the major effect QTLs were found to be stably expressed across multiple datasets, and four showed associations with multiple traits. Candidate genes were identified for eight of the major-effect QTLs including genes associated with starch biosynthesis and nutritional homeostasis in plants. These findings increase genetic comprehension of these end-use quality traits and could potentially be used for improving the quality of SRWW.

Context: The compartmental description, well-known from the description of infection diseases and epidemics, is applied to describe the temporal evolution of the baryonic matter in interstellar gas and stars. The introduction of gaseous and stellar fractions of the total baryonic matter as the basic dynamical variables is advantageous because it allows to apply the description to a variety of astrophysical systems. Aims: The competition of spontaneous star formation, stellar feedback and stellar evolution is theoretically investigated to understand the baryonic matter cycle including luminous baryonic matter in main-sequence stars and weakly luminous matter in white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes (referred to as locked-in matter). Of particular interest is the understanding of the cosmic star formation history and the present-day gas fraction with compartmental models. Methods: For stationary rates of spontaneous star formation, continuous stellar feedback and stellar evolution exact analytical solutions of the time evolution of the fractions of gaseous, luminous stellar and locked-in stellar matter are derived. The accuracy of the analytical solutions is proven by the favorite comparison with the exact numerical solutions of the dynamical equations. Results: The observed cosmological star formation rate and the integrated stellar density as a function of redshift are reasonably well explained by the compartmental model without triggered star formation by the competition of spontaneous star formation and stellar evolution whereas the influence of stellar feedback is less important. The action of stellar evolution provides a significant redshift dependent reduction factor when calculating the integrated stellar density from the star formation rate. Without stellar evolution the observations cannot be reproduced very well. Then the fits to the observation allow us conclusions on the relative importance of spontaneous star formation, stellar evolution and feedback in the early universe after the recombination era until today. The gas, luminous star and locked-in stellar matter fractions indicate that the vast majority of the baryons in the present-day universe resides in the form of locked-in stellar matter in white dwarfs, neutron stars and black holes.

The pervasive use of plastic for milk packaging has raised significant health concerns, despite its advantages in terms of cost-effectiveness, convenience, and durability. The potential correlation between cancer and plastic packaging is one of these concerns. This mini-review examines the health implications of plastic materials used in milk packaging, with a particular emphasis on their carcinogenic hazards. This work endeavors to summarize the current state of knowledge regarding the influence of plastic components on human health and underscore the importance of ongoing research in this field by utilizing insights from a comprehensive review article. Harmful chemicals have been observed to leach into milk from plastics used in milk packaging, including high-density polyethylene (HDPE), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET), particularly under conditions of protracted storage and heat. Bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, and styrene are among the most prevalent leachates. These chemicals have been associated with a variety of health issues, such as an elevated risk of cancer, and are recognized for their endocrine-disrupting properties. BPA and phthalates, in particular, have the potential to disrupt hormone function, which may result in breast cancer, prostate cancer, and other hormone-related malignancies.This review emphasizes the significance of comprehending the precise components of plastics utilized in milk packaging and their potential health consequences. It advocates for more rigorous research to completely elucidate the long-term health impacts of these materials by emphasizing the current state of knowledge and regulatory initiatives. Additionally, it underscores the necessity of innovative packaging technologies to guarantee consumer protection and mitigate the risk of exposure to carcinogenic substances.

: The activated carbons (ACs) derived from okara powder waste with high surface areas were modified with ammonia aqueous solution impregnation in an autoclave to enhance their CO2 adsorption properties toward CO2. The impregnated ACs were characterized in which surface chemical composition and properties of the ACs were analyzed by SEM-EDX, FTIR. Activated carbons were functionalized with ammonia aqueous solution (25%) through a hydrothermal process within 24; 48, and 72 hours. The adsorption performance of CO2 onto carbon samples was experimentally evaluated through a TPD CO2 measurement. FTIR spectra confirm the N-containing in N-modified activated carbons and the presence of the –C = O stretch and N-H groups. CO2 uptakes of N-modified activated carbons are 0.24; 1.78; 2.24 and 1.26 mmol/g, which are relatively comparable with those of activated carbons studied in in the literature.

Inflammation and insulin resistance are recognized as central features in the pathology of psoriasis, profoundly affecting the lives of those affected by this condition. The relationship between lifestyle choices and psoriasis is well-documented, highlighting the potential benefits of dietary modifications and physical activity in managing the condition during exacerbations. Furthermore, growing evidence emphasizes the significant impact of nutritional interventions on various skin disorders, particularly those characterized by inflammation and insulin dysregulation. Notably, the role of dietary fats is of particular interest, with their influence on inflammation and insulin resistance in psoriasis garnering increasing attention. Moreover, the association between excessive adiposity and heightened psoriatic severity underscores the importance of weight management strategies in disease management. This review explores the intricate relationship between specific dietary fats and inflammation in psoriasis, offering a comprehensive analysis of their implications for disease progression and management.

The mosquito-borne zoonotic nematode parasites, Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens, primarily affect dogs. In recent years, their distribution has expanded due to various factors influencing vector-borne pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the comparative prevalence of infection in dogs and humans within a hyperenzootic region of Europe and to estimate the proportional relationship between infection prevalence in dogs and humans, in the concept of “One Health”. To this end, 604 blood samples from dogs and 625 serum samples from humans living in the Thrace region of northeastern Greece were collected. Dog samples were examined using Kott’s test for Dirofilaria spp. microfilariae and a commercial serological test for D. immitis antigen. Human sera were analysed by western blot for both parasites. The overall prevalence of infection in dogs was 177 (29.3%), with 173 (28.6%) testing positive for D. immitis and 7 (1.3%) for D. repens, including 6 (1%) cases of mixed infection. Specific IgG antibodies were detected in 42 (6.7%) human samples, with 24 (3.8%) positive for D. immitis and 18 (2.9%) for D. repens. The infection proportion in humans was 23.4% of the corresponding canine infection, indicating a high risk of human infection in this hyperenzootic region.

Land transportation is contributing to global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions significantly. Switching from gasoline-powered vehicles to electric vehicles (EVs) is the most practical way to decarbonize land transportation. Some regions of the world have seen significant advancements in the adoption of electric vehicles, largely due to government policies through subsidies and other rules and laws that globally made the cost of acquisition and ownership more advantageous for EV owners compared to their internal combustion engine (ICE) counterparts. The success of EV adoption in Norway, China, the United States of America (USA), the European Union (EU), and India has been linked to the favorable government policies. At present, China is the largest EV market in the world, enjoying a better advantage than any other market. It also has the highest manufacturing capacity and the largest number of EVs in operation. Norway has the highest EV penetration rate, with over 90% of newly registered cars, and one of the lowest costs of ownership globally. In this review, we present the current state of EV technology and performance, together with consumer perspectives and barriers, EV regulations in the regions with the highest penetration rates, and the decarbonization of land transportation. China is competing with the USA for leadership in manufacturing and technology, especially in the areas of artificial intelligence (AI) and batteries. In order to achieve the goal of decarbonizing road transportation, we proposed that a number of factors, including government energy policies and regulatory standard development, necessary infrastructure investments and developments, AI incorporation in EVs, innovation in EV and battery technologies, and consumer perspectives, play a crucial role.

Herein, we have reported the synthesis and characterization [single crystal X-ray diffraction technique, spectroscopic etc.] of two new Ni(II) and Zn(II) coordination compounds viz. [Ni(2,6-PDC)2]2[Ni(en)2(H2O)2]2[Ni(en)(H2O)4]·4H2O (1) and [Zn(2,6-PDC)(Hdmpz)2] (2) (where, 2,6-PDC = 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylate, en = ethylene-1,2-diamine, Hdmpz = 3,5-dimethyl pyrazole). Compound 1 is found to crystallize as a multicomponent Ni(II) compound with five discrete complex moieties; whereas, compound 2 is a mononuclear compound of Zn(II). Deep analysis of the crystal structure of compound 1 unfolds unusual dual enclathration of guest complex cationic moieties within the supramolecular host cavity stabilized by anion‒π, π-stacking, N‒H⋯O, C‒H⋯O and O‒H⋯O hydrogen bonding interactions. Interestingly, further enclathration of a complex cationic moiety is observed within another supramolecular host cavity formed involving anionic complex moieties and lattice water molecules in 1. Again, the crystal structure of compound 2 is stabilized by the presence of unconventional C‒H⋯π(chelate ring) interactions along with C‒H⋯O, C‒H⋯N hydrogen bonding, π-stacking, C‒H⋯π(pyridyl) interactions. These non-covalent interactions have been further studied theoretically using density functional theory (DFT) calculations, molecular electrostatic potential (MEP) surfaces, non-covalent interaction (NCI) plot index and quantum theory of atoms in molecules (QTAIM) computational tools. The computational study displays that π-stacking or H-bonds greatly tune the directionality of compound 1 although non-directional electrostatic forces dominate energetically. For compound 2, combined QTAIM/NCI plot analysis confirms the presence of unconventional C‒H⋯π(chelate ring) interaction along with other weak interactions obtained from the crystal structure analysis. Further, the individual energy contributions of these weak yet significant non-covalent interactions have also been determined computationally.

Abstract: A simple protocol for preparation of O-acylated enol form - (R/S)-ethyl-2-acetoxy-4-phenyl-4H-chromene-3-carboxylate 5 was presented. The compound was characterized by 1H-, 13C-and DEPT135 NMR spectra, including {1H,1H} COSY, {1H,13C} HSQC, {1H,13C} HMBC and 2D-NOESY spectra. The preferred regioselectivity for O-acylation of 3,4-dihydrocoumarin 5 in the presence of substituent in 4-th position in the chroman ring and accounting the steric hindrance of the ester group in 3-th place was confirmed.

A presentation is provided of a structural approach for the concurrent teaching of introductory propositional calculus and set theory. The existence of isomorphism is shown between each law (or tautology) of propositional calculus and the form of a corresponding set which is equal to the universal set U considered.

Localizing faults in a software is a tedious process. The manual approach is becoming impractical because of the large size and complexity of contemporary computer systems as well as their logs, which are often the primary source of information about the fault. Log-based Fault Localization (LBFL) is a popular method applied for this purpose. However, in real-world scenarios, this method is vulnerable to a large number of previously unseen log lines. In this paper, we propose a novel method that can guide programmers to the location of a fault by creating a hierarchy of log lines with the highest rank, selected by the traditional LBFL method. We use the intuition that the symptoms of faults are in the context of normal behavior, whereas suspicious log lines grouped together are from new or additional functionalities turned on during faulty execution. To obtain this context, we used unsupervised log sequence segmentation, which has been previously used to segment log sequences into meaningful segments. Experiments on real-life examples show that our method reduces the effort to find the most crucial logs by up to 64% compared to the traditional timestamp approach. We demonstrated that context is highly useful in advancing fault localization, showing the possibility of further speeding up the process.

The increasing demand for large-scale, high-frequency environmental monitoring has driven the adoption of satellite-based technologies for effective forest management, especially in the context of climate change. This study explores the potential of SAR for estimating the mass of harvesting residues, a significant component of forest ecosystems that impacts nutrient cycling, fire risk, and bioenergy production. The research hypothesizes that while the spatial distribution of residues remains stable, changes in moisture content—reflected in variations in the dielectric properties of the woody material—can be detected through SAR techniques. Two models, generalized linear model (GLM) and random forest (RF), were used to predict the mass of residues using interfer-ometric variables (phase, amplitude and coherence) as well as the backscatter signal from several acquisition pairs. The models provided encouraging results (R2 of 0.48 for GLM and 0.13 for RF), with acceptable bias and RMSE. We concluded that SAR data are feasible to predict the mass of harvesting residues and the findings could lead to improved monitoring and management of forest residues, contributing to sustainable forestry practices and enhanced bioenergy resource utilization.

The scientific community has explored new packaging materials due to environmental challenges and pollution from plastic waste. Bacterial cellulose (BC), produced by bacteria like Gluconaceto-bacter xylinus, shows high potential for food preservation due to its exceptional mechanical strength, high crystallinity, and effective barrier properties against gases and moisture, making it a promising alternative to conventional plastics. This review highlights recent advances in BC production, particularly agro-industrial residues, which reduce costs and enhance environmental sustainability. Incorporating antimicrobial agents into BC matrices has also led to active packaging solutions that extend food shelf life and improve safety. A bibliometric analysis reveals a significant increase in research on BC over the last decade, reflecting growing global interest. Key research themes include the development of BC-based composites and the exploration of their antimicrobial properties. Critical areas for future research include improving BC production's scalability and economic via-bility and its integration with other biopolymers. These developments emphasize BC's potential as a sustainable packaging material and its role in the circular economy through waste valorization.

Thyroidectomy has been post-operatively managed by hormone replacement therapy in order to satisfy the reference ranges of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) levels. While medication and standardized reference ranges have proven to be effective, many patients continue to report unintentional weight gain despite adequate amounts of treatment and levels of TSH and T4. Physicians, over the years, have become complacent to these “normal” ranges, and have ignored the metabolic consequences that are affecting thyroidectomy patients. This paper aims to redefine the approach to post-thyroidectomy clinical care by: challenging the current standardized hormonal range values, exploring the gaps in thyroid hormone conversion, investigating the metabolic pathways of T3, considering the influence of inflammatory markers, and proposing the future for patient-centered management.

Technology-based approaches for upper limb (UL) motor rehabilitation after stroke are designed mostly for severely affected patients to increase their recovery chances. However, the available randomised controlled trials (RCTs) focused on efficacy of technology-based interventions often include patients with a wide range of motor impairment. This scoping review aims at overviewing the actual severity of stroke patients enrolled in RCTs which claim to specifically address UL severe motor impairment. The literature search was conducted on Scopus and PubMed databases and included articles from 2008 to May 2024, specifically RCTs investigating the impact of technology-based interventions on UL motor functional recovery after stroke. Forty-eight studies were selected. They showed that upon patients’ enrolment the values of the UL Fugl-Meyer Assessment and Action Research Arm Test covered the whole range of both scales, thus revealing the non-selective inclusion of severe impaired patients. Heterogeneity in terms of numerosity, characteristics of enrolled patients, trial design, implementation, and reporting were present across studies. No clear difference in the severity of the included patients according to the intervention type was found. Patient stratification upon enrolment is crucial to best direct resources to those patients who will benefit the most from a given technology-assisted approach (personalised rehabilitation).