Background: The uptake of COVID-19 booster vaccines has been significantly low. Therefore, it is questionable whether combining the COVID-19 booster vaccines with Influenza vaccines can increase the population's interest in taking such vaccines and manage the health pandemic effectively. Methodology: In this systematic review and meta-analysis, a synthesis of the findings and summary of a total of 30 research articles based on the topic, ‘combining influenza and COVID-19 booster vaccination strategy’ was undertaken. The research articles were identified from three databases, namely, PubMed, Cochran Library, and Google Scholar using specific keywords and inclusion criteria. However, research articles that were not peer-reviewed and not published in English were excluded from the systematic review and meta-analysis. The average risk ratio of the included articles was 0.78% based on a 95% CI. On the other hand, the heterogeneity between such studies was I² = 35%, while the statistical significance of their findings occurred at p < 0.05. The average p-value of the included research studies was p = 0.62, implying that the null hypothesis was not rejected in almost all the studies. Results: A synthesis of the chosen research articles revealed that when influenza and COVID-19 booster vaccines are combined, there is potential for an increase in the uptake of the latter, mainly because many populations have already been accustomed to taking influenza vaccines on an annual basis. Conclusions: In this way, through such findings, medical health experts can make informed decisions to increase the population's willingness to receive the COVID-19 booster vaccines.

Intensive care nurses are highly prone to occupational stress and burnout, affecting their physical and mental health. The occurrence of the pandemic and related events increased nurses’ workload and exacerbated stress and burnout. We conducted a prospective longitudinal mixed-methods study with a cohort of nurses working in a medical ICU (COVID unit; n = 14) and cardiovascular ICU (non-COVID unit; n = 5). Each participant was followed for six 12-hour shifts. Validated questionnaires measured occupational stress and burnout prevalence. Wrist-worn wearable technologies recorded physiological indices of stress. Participants elaborated on the contributors to stress via post-study questionnaire. Data were analyzed using statistical and qualitative methods. Participants who cared for COVID patients at the COVID unit were 3.71 times more likely to experience stress (p &lt; .001) in comparison to non-COVID unit participants. No differences in stress levels were found when the same participants worked with COVID and non-COVID patients at different shifts at the COVID unit. The cohorts expressed similar contributors to stress including communication tasks, patient acuity, clinical procedures, admission processes, proning, labs, and assisting coworkers. Nurses in COVID units, irrespective of whether they care for a COVID patient, may experience high occupational stress and burnout.

The study evaluated the association between nutrient patterns and body fat and regional adiposity in middle-aged black South African (SA) men and women and determined if this differed by sex. Body fat and regional adiposity (dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), and dietary intake (7-day quantified food frequency questionnaire) were measured in black SA men (n=414) and women (n=346). Using principal component analysis, nutrient patterns were computed from 25 nutrients in the combined sample. Four nutrient patterns were extracted, explaining 67% of the variance in nutrient intake. Animal and fat, as well as the vitamin C, sugar and potassium driven patterns, were positively associated with total adiposity. In contrast, the retinol and vitamin B12 pattern was associated with the centralisation of fat. Notably, the strength of the association between the animal-driven nutrient pattern and BMI was greater in men (1.14 kg/m2, 95%CI (0.63-1.66)) than women (0.81 kg/m2, 95%CI (0.25-1.36)) (Pint=0.017). In contrast, the plant driven pattern was associated with higher abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) in women (44 cm2, 95%CI (22-67)) but not men (Pint =1.54 x 10-4). These interactions suggest that although men and women have similar nutrient patterns, the associations with the whole body and regional body fat are different.

Religious and spiritual struggles are typically assessed by self-report scales using closed-ended items, yet nascent research suggests that using open-ended items may complement and advance assessment. In the current study, undergraduate participants (N = 976) completed open-ended descriptions of their religious and spiritual struggles, the Religious and Spiritual Struggles Scale (RSS), and a standardized measures of religious belief salience. Qualitative coding showed that the themes emerging from open-ended descriptions generally fell within the broad domains of the RSS though some descriptions reflected more contextualized struggles. Scores derived from the open-ended responses to assess RSS domains achieved evidence of reliability as well as convergent and discriminant validity with the RSS . Correlations revealed a mix of similar and divergent associations between methods of assessing religious and spiritual struggles and religious belief salience. Open-ended descriptions of religious and spiritual struggles may yield reliable and valid information that is related to but distinct from assessments relying on closed-ended items.

L-17 is a thiadiazine derivative with putative anti-inflammatory, neuroprotective, and antidepressant-like properties. In this study, we applied combined in silico and in vivo electrophysiology techniques to reveal the potential mechanism of action of L-17. PASS 10.4 Professional Extended software suggested that L-17 might have pro-cognitive, antidepressant, and antipsychotic effects. Docking energy assessment with AutoDockVina predicted that the binding affinities of L-17 to the serotonin transporter (SERT) and serotonin receptors 3 and 1A (5-HT3 and 5-HT1A) are compatible to the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor (SSRI) fluoxetine and selective antagonists of 5-HT3 and 5-HT1A receptors, granisetron and WAY100135, respectively. However, while the binding mechanisms of L-17 to the SERT and 5-HT1A receptor were similar to fluoxetine and WAY100135, its interacting with 5-HT3 receptor might be substantially different from this of granisetron. Acute administration of L-17 led to dose-dependent inhibition of firing activity of 5-HT neurons of the dorsal raphe nucleus. This inhibition was partially reversed by subsequent administration of WAY100135. Based on both in silico and in vivo electrophysiology assessments, we suggest that L-17 is a potent 5-HT reuptake inhibitor and a putative partial agonist of 5-HT1A receptors. As such, L-17 in particular and thiadiazine derivatives, in general, might be a representative of a new class of antidepressant drugs. Since L-17 also possesses neuro- and cardioprotective properties, it can be useful in affective illness developing due to the general medical condition, such as post-stroke and post-myocardial infarction (MI) depression.

The approach towards myalgic encephalomyelitis / chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS) remains in a permanent state of crisis with fierce competition between the psychosocial school, which attributes ME/CFS to the perception of effort, and the medical approach (Maes and Twisk, BMC Med, 2010,8,35). The aim of this paper is to review how to construct a nomothetic model of ME/CFS using Partial Least Squares (PLS) path analysis and ensembling causome (bacterial translocation as assessed with IgM/IgA responses to LPS), protectome (lowered coenzyme Q10), adverse outcome pathways (AOP) including increased lysozyme, CD38+ T cell activation, cell-mediated immune activation (CMI), and IgM responses to oxidative specific epitopes and NO-adducts (IgM OSENO). Using PLS, we trained, tested and validated this knowledge- and data-driven causal ME/CFS model, which showed adequate convergence, construct and replicability validity. This bottom-up explicit data model of ME/CFS objectivates the descriptive narratives of the ME/CFS phenome, using causome-protectome-AOP data, whereby the abstract concept ME/CFS is translated into pathways, thereby securing the reification of the ME/CFS phenome. We found that 31.6% of the variance in the physiosomatic symptom dimension of ME/CFS was explained by the cumulative effects of CMI and CD38+ activation, IgM OSENO, IgA LPS, lysozyme (all positive) and coenzyme Q10 (inversely). Cluster analysis performed on the PLS-generated latent vector scores of all feature sets exposed three distinct immune groups of ME/CFS, namely one with increased lysozyme, one with increased CMI + CD38 activation + depressive symptoms, and another with increased bacterial translocation + autoimmune responses to OSENO.

Biochar has a carbon-based porous structure that is advantageous for adsorbing air pollutants. The pore structure of biochar ranges from several tens to hundreds of m²/g depending on the production temperature. We compared the pore characteristics of biochar with its NOx and SOx adsorption performances to evaluate its adsorbing potential. Biochar was produced from cypress biomass via slow pyrolysis in a fixed-bed reactor and CO2 partial gasification. Slow pyrolysis experiments at 500–700°C were conducted to produce biochar, followed by yield, proximate, elemental, and surface area analyses. CO2 partial gasification activated the biochar produced by slow pyrolysis at the same temperature, and similar analyses were performed. NO and SO2 adsorption experiments were conducted separately and together for biochar produced under each condition. Biochar produced at 600°C showed the highest specific surface area. CO2 partial gasification increased the surface area at each temperature, reaching 680.3 m²/g at 700°C. In single adsorption experiments, N2 carbonized biochar showed NO and SO2 adsorption efficiencies of 84–90% and 88.2–91.4%, respectively, with similar trends in simultaneous adsorption experiments. CO2 activated biochar exhibited higher adsorption efficiencies due to its increased surface area, with NO and SO2 adsorption at 89.8–93.9% and 92–98.9%, respectively. Biochar activated at 700°C simultaneously adsorbed approximately 99% NO and SO2. The NO adsorption efficiency increased with increasing surface area of the small pores, whereas the SO2 adsorption efficiency improved with the development of both small and large pores.

Diseases pose a significant and pressing concern for the sustainable development of the aquaculture sector, particularly as their impact continues to grow due to climatic shifts such as rising water temperatures. While various approaches, ranging from biosecurity measures to vaccines, have been devised to combat infectious diseases, their efficacy is disease- and species-specific and contingent upon a multitude of factors. The field of genetics and genomics offer effective tools to control and prevent disease outbreaks in aquatic animal species. In this study, we present the key findings from our recent research, focusing on the genetic resistance to three specific diseases: White Spot Syndrome Virus WSSV) in white shrimp, Bacterial Necrotic Pancreatitis (BNP) in striped catfish and skin fluke (a parasitic ailment) in yellowtail kingfish. Our investigations reveal that all three species possess substantial heritable genetic components for disease resistant traits, indicating their potential responsiveness to artificial selection in genetic improvement programs tailored to combat these diseases. Also, we observed a high genetic association between disease traits and survival rates. Through selective breeding aimed at enhancing resistance to these pathogens, we achieved substantial genetic gains, averaging 10% per generation. These selection programs also contributed positively to the overall production performance and productivity of these species. Although the effects of selection on immunological traits or immune responses were not significant in white shrimp, they yielded favourable results in striped catfish. Furthermore, our genomic analyses, including shallow genome sequencing of pedigreed populations, enriched our understanding of the genomic architecture underlying disease resistance traits. These traits are primarily governed by a polygenic nature, with numerous genes or genetic variants, each with small effects. Leveraging a range of advanced statistical methods, from mixed models to machine and deep learning, we developed prediction models that demonstrated moderate to high levels of accuracy in forecasting these disease-related traits. In addition to genomics, our RNA-seq experiments identified several genes that undergo upregulation in response to infection or viral loads within the populations. Preliminary microbiome data, while offering limited predictive accuracy for disease traits in one of our studied species, underscore the potential for combining such data with genome sequence information to enhance predictive power for disease traits in our populations. Lastly, this paper briefly discusses the roles of precision agriculture systems, AI algorithms, and outlines the path for future research to expedite the development of disease-resistant genetic lines tailored to our target species. In conclusion, our study underscores the critical role of genetics and genomics in fortifying the aquaculture sector against the threats posed by diseases, paving the way for more sustainable and resilient aquaculture development.

By combining general relativity and CPT symmetry, the theory of CPT gravity predicts gravitational repulsion between matter and CPT-transformed matter, i.e. antimatter inhabiting an inverted space-time. Such repulsive gravity turned out to be an excellent candidate for explaining the accelerated expansion of the Universe, without the need for dark energy. The recent results of the ALPHA-g experiment, which show gravitational attraction between antihydrogen atoms and the Earth, seem to undermine this success in the cosmological field. Analyzing the above theory, we find two solutions that can be consistent with the experimental results, while preserving the large-scale gravitational repulsion. The first highlights how repulsive gravity can be the result of the interaction with an inverted space-time, but occupied by matter and not antimatter, and therefore the antimatter present in our space-time has no reason to exhibit gravitational repulsion. The second retains the original CPT transformation, resulting in repulsive gravity between matter and antimatter, but with the caveat that antimatter immersed in our space-time cannot exhibit the PT transformation which is the cause of the repulsion. Finally, it is shown that, in a Newtonian approximation of the geodesic equation, time reversal is not a necessary operation for repulsive gravity, therefore opening the possibility of an expanding cosmos with a single time direction.

It is well established the complex exponential and logarithm are multivalued functions, both failing to maintain most identities originally valid over the positive integers domain. Moreover the general case of complex logarithm, with a complex base, is hardly mentionned in mathematic litterature. We study the exponentiation and logarithm as binary operations where all operands are complex. In a redefined complex number system using an extension of the C field, hereafter named E, we prove both operations always produce single value results and maintain the validity of identities such as log_u (w v) = log_u (w) + log_u (v) where u, v, w in E. There is a cost as some algebraic properties of the addition and subtraction will be diminished, though remaining valid to a certain extent. In order to handle formulas in a C and E dual number system, we introduce the notion of set precision and set truncation. We show complex numbers as defined in C are insufficiently precise to grasp all subtleties of some complex operations, as a result multivaluation, identity failures and, in specific cases, wrong results are obtained when computing exclusively in C. A geometric representation of the new complex number system is proposed, in which the complex plane appears as an orthogonal projection, and where the complex logarithm and exponentiation can be simply represented. Finally we attempt an algebraic formalization of E.

Gifted students are usually known as students who have exceptional cognitive and learning abilities. This can be made clear through their learning performance or test scores. However, there are other students who have been identified as gifted and talented, yet have some learning and /or physical disabilities, and these are called twice-exceptional students. Identifying this population of gifted students is usually problematic because their disabilities and difficulties may mask their abilities and vice versa. It has been suggested that twice-exceptional students’ skills and abilities cannot be improved simply by working harder. Instead, these students need teachers to understand their strengths and weaknesses, use teaching strategies that fit their disabilities and serve their needs, and include their parents and educators in their learning process. Thus, this conceptual paper provides an extensive overview of the needs, challenges, and teaching strategies related to twice-exceptional students.

The correlation and comorbidity between depression and chronic pain have been observed for a long time. Generally, it is considered that the two conditions reinforce each other, whereas the causal relationship between them is not clear. However, some evidence suggested that chronic pain may reverse the progression of depression in some cases. This article presents a selective review of clinical and pharmacological relationship between depression and pain, and their interactions at neurochemical and neurobiological levels. In addition, we open a discussion on a recent case report of repeated success of using short but continuous pain (SCP) during meditation as the only treatment for depression, compared to initial success but no remission with other conventional antidepressants on the same patient. Together this review proposes an updated model for depression and its various treatments that is based on synaptic and system homeostasis. More importantly, it suggests that SCP may benefit depression recovery through its properties that are different from either acute or chronic pain and represents a novel research area that has been largely neglected to date.

Abstract: Female pelvic floor dysfunction (FPFD) is a series of conditions caused by the displacement or dysfunction of the patient's pelvic organs due to defects, injuries, and deterioration of the pelvic floor supportive structures, with stress urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse being the most common. The mechanism of pelvic floor dysfunction is complex and not yet fully understood, and is often related to one or more functional abnormalities of muscles, connective tissues, fascia, nerves and blood vessels. Specialized clinicians are often unable to cover the comprehensive medical professional information of various specialties such as gynecology and obstetrics, urology, anus and intestines, imaging, etc., and the systematic and comprehensive diagnosis and treatment of the disease will be limited. The application of artificial intelligence concepts in the medical field not only improves the diagnostic efficiency of physicians, but also provides reference and basis for the development of comprehensive treatment programs. This article follows and draws on the diagnosis and treatment process of pelvic floor dysfunction recommended in various guidelines, incorporates physical therapy techniques into the conventional non-surgical treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, provides guidance for the diagnosis and treatment of pelvic floor dysfunction, and briefly introduces the clinical application and value of pelvic floor intelligent diagnosis and treatment in pelvic floor dysfunction.

In the paper, we measure the digital financial inclusion index of 31 provinces in China from 2011 to 2020 based on three dimensions: coverage breadth, depth of use and digitalization degree. By means of weighted Dagum Gini coefficient and quantile standardization, we explored the degree of imbalance and insufficiency of the development of digital inclusive finance in China and four major regions and its structural causes. Using Kernel density estimation method and Markov chain analysis method, we further investigates the evolution trend of imbalance and insufficiency. The study finds that (1) the Digital Inclusive Financial Index in China and the four major regions rise significantly, with the COVID-19 epidemic reducing its growth rate. Of these, the eastern region has the highest development level. (2) The imbalance level of digital inclusive finance development obviously has reduced. The level of imbalance is highest within the eastern region, and the development gap between the eastern and western regions is the widest. The imbalance of overall development is mainly due to the regional imbalance. The imbalance of coverage breadth and depth of use is the main structural cause of unbalanced development in the four major regions. There is a trend of bipolarization or multipolarization in China and the other three major regions, with the exception of the central region. (3) The western region is the least developed. The development shortcoming of digital inclusive finance in China and the four major regions is the breadth of coverage. There are "Club Convergence" and "Matthew Effect" in the eastern, central and western regions.

Rapid progress in gene editing based on clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) has revolutionized the study of gene and genome function and genetic disease correction. While numerous genetically modified cellular and animal models have been created to understand biological processes, the clinical application of CRISPR/Cas tools has been impeded by off-targeting and delivery problems. It is generally accepted that the delivery of CRISPR in the form of a ribonucleoprotein complex (RNP) substantially reduces the time of DNA exposure to the effector nuclease, minimizing off-target effects and facilitating clinical usage. This review focuses on CRISPR/Cas RNP delivery with retro/lentiviral particles and exosomes, whose parallel production by cells transfected with viral vectors is underestimated. We critically evaluate specific mechanisms of extracellular particle formation and loading with CRISPR/Cas for each system. Additionally, the details of Cas-nanoparticle entry and uncoating, previously unappreciated in the context of gene editing efficiency, are discussed. Based on existing knowledge about the consequences of intervention in retroviral assembly, entry, or exosome formation, we outline the potential problems with CRISPR/Cas delivery using extracellular nanoparticles and ways to address them.

This paper summarizes the estimates of the total changes in sales, expenses, and income of participants of the horticulture research and extension programs at the Mississippi State University - Coastal Research and Extension Center for the past five years. Major items outline the estimation procedures for the past five years. The average annual values were used in estimating the total economic impacts of added gross sales, expenses, and incomes of participants in horticulture events. The cumulative total impacts reach $8.7 million in sales, 76 jobs, $1.4 million in labor income, $2.4 million in value-added, and $0.4 million in local, state, and federal taxes. In addition, the total willingness to pay for the horticulture program by the adult participants reached $1.8 million. In comparison, the annual public spending on the horticulture program averaged $1.4 million, creating additional substantial economic impacts to the region.

The integration of navigation technologies into spine surgery has improved precision and safety, yet traditional free-hand techniques are still widely used in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). This study uses the National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database to compare free-hand ver-sus navigation-guided ACDF, analyzing complications, costs, mortality, and hospital stay. Data from 2016 to 2019 identified 85,085 ACDF patients, including 560 navigation-guided surgeries. Propensity score matching balanced the cohorts for demographics and comorbidities. Navigation-guided surgeries showed higher total costs (p

Adverse medical events not only harm patients and families, but also cause significant negative impact on healthcare providers, with potential to compromise future professional functioning. These “second victims” may need organizational support and rehabilitation to return to functionality. We analyzed the validity of an adapted tool, the Second Victim Experience and Support Tool (SVEST), to a population in Israel, H-SVEST. The H-SVEST was completed by 172 nurse participants working in a variety of patient care settings. The H-SVEST was assessed for content validity, internal consistency, and construct validity with confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The CFA run on the initial model with 10 factors and 36 items did not meet criteria for goodness of fit. After removing five items based on their low factor loadings and the correlation, The model fit significantly improved with acceptable CFI, TLI, RMSEA, and SRMR; χ2(389) =626.939, p<.001; χ2/df=1.61; TLI=0.901; CFI=0.917; RMSEA [90% CI]=0.060 [0.051, 0.068]; SRMR=0.064. The final version included 31 items and 10 factors with Cronbach α values ranging from 0.66 to 0.94. The H-SVEST demonstrates robust psychometric properties and valuable insights into the second victim experience in the Israeli context. Comparative analysis with other versions highlights potential cultural influences and areas for further investigation. Implementing this tool and developing evidence-based interventions based on its results can significantly improve well-being and resilience of healthcare providers in Israel and other countries with diverse cultural populations. This study was not registered.

Drought and salinity are among the most important abiotic stress factors that limit the productivity in economically important plants. Although genes from wild relatives or unadapted germplasm have often been used for stress tolerance breeding, only few studies have examined wild relatives to understand the genetic and molecular basis of stress tolerance. In this study, we monitored the changes in gene expression profiles of leaf and root tissues of two wild barleys (Hordeum spontaneum L.) accessions from Israel after treatment with salt (NaCl) and drought (PEG) stress. We identified a total of 641 differentially expressed genes across 24 conditions (2 accessions, 2 stress conditions, 2 tissues and 3 time points). Our gene expression analyses revealed large numbers of differentially expressed genes in different accessions by different stress treatments. In addition, the number of genes altered in the leaves of stress-exposed plants of both genotypes was higher than those altered in the roots. Interestingly, there was a relatively little overlap between the leaf and the root stress-responsive gene expression patterns, suggesting that different stress-associated processes might be operating in these tissues during stress adaptation. Overall, our results revealed a number of candidate genes and plant processes associated with stress tolerance in wild barley. Wild barley would be a useful source of new genetic variation for drought and salt stress tolerance. Our results could provide new insights into the mechanisms of drought and salt stress tolerance in wild barley and should be useful for genetic improvement of salt-drought tolerance in cultivated barley.

The use of plant-based and microorganism-based biological inputs is a sustainable agricultural practice, promoting a suitable and better utilization of non-renewable resources in the environment. The benefits of using microorganisms are associated with both direct and indirect mechanisms, primarily related to improvements in nutrient absorption and availability, as well as plant growth. The main benefits of using biochemical pesticides are the promotion of sustainability and the management of resistance. Although the use of microorganisms and botanical metabolites is a promising agricultural alternative, it is still primarily concentrated in grain crops. However, due to the wide range of mechanisms of action of plant-based and microorganism-based biological inputs, there is an opportunity to expand their use in agriculture. In the Brazilian biological inputs market, various terminologies have been used to characterize biological-based products, with many of these terms being employed incorrectly and sometimes conflicting with the country’s legislation. Therefore, this review presents the classes of biological inputs and the application and evolution of the plant-based and microbiological-based product market in different crops in Brazil.

Background: Micronutrients has roles in strengthening and maintaining immune function, but its supplementation and/or deficiency effects on respiratory tract infections are inconclusive. This review aims to systematically assess the associations between micronutrient supplementation or deficiency, with novel coronavirus incidence and disease severity. Methods: Systematic literature searches conducted in 5 electronic databases identified 751 unique studies, of which 33 studies (5 supplementation studies, 1 supplementation and deficiency study, and 27 deficiency studies) were eventually included in this review. Proportions of incidence and severity outcomes in each group, and adjusted summary statistics with their relevant 95% confidence intervaIs (CI) were extracted. Data from 19 studies were pooled in meta-analysis using the generic inverse variance method. Findings: A total of 360,346 patients across 16 countries, with a mean age between 32 and 87.7 years, were involved across 33 studies. All studies were on COVID-19 infections. In individuals without micronutrient deficiency, there was a significant reduction on odds of COVID-19 incidence (pooled OR: 0.37, 95% CI: 0.18, 0.78), and ICU admissions or severe/critical disease onset (pooled OR: 0.26, 95% CI: 0.08, 0.89). Insignificant protective effects were observed on other outcome measures – mortality, ICU admission, progression to respiratory-related complications, severe/critical disease onset or requiring respiratory support and hospitalization rate. Conclusion: The absence of micronutrient deficiency significantly reduced COVID-19 incidence and clinical deterioration in hospitalized patients. Usage of micronutrients as prophylaxis and complementary supplement in therapeutic management of COVID-19 patients may be a promising and cost-effective approach warranting in-depth investigation.

Repetitive nature of the ribosomal DNA (rDNA) gene makes the sequencing of hundreds copies of mammalian 45S rDNA (about 45-kb per copy) extremely difficult and its assembly is often excluded. Increasing evidence shows that 45S rDNA variations (copy number or single nucleotide), structural ribosomal RNA (rRNA) transcript variants, and non-structural rRNA transcripts (sense and anti-sense long noncoding rRNAs that include promoter rRNAs, and rRNA-derived fragments) play essential roles in mammalian development and diseases. Complete pictures of the hundreds copies of 45S rDNA and their rRNA transcripts require further innovation in sequencing techniques that include bioinformatics. The advancements in mammalian rDNA and rRNA sequencings and the discoveries of novel functions of the rDNA variants and rRNA transcripts are discussed here.

Among the array of structurally and toxicologically diverse mycotoxins, aflatoxins have attracted the most interest of scientific research due to their high toxicity and incidence in foods and feeds. Despite the undeniable progress made in various aspects related to aflatoxins, the ultimate goal consisting of reducing the associated public health risks worldwide is far from being reached due to multiplicity of social, political, economic, geographic, climatic, and development factors. However, a reasonable degree of health protection is attained in industrialized countries owing to their scientific, administrative, and financial capacities allowing them to use high-tech agricultural management systems. Less fortunate situation exists in equatorial and sub-equatorial developing countries mainly practicing traditional agriculture managed by smallholders for subsistence, and where the climate is suitable for mould growth and aflatoxin production. A situation that worsens by the climatic change being increasingly suitable for aflatoxigenic mold growth and toxin production. Accordingly, it is difficult to harmonize the regulatory standards of aflatoxins worldwide, which prevents agri-foods of developing countries from access to the market of industrialized countries. To tackle the multi-facetted aflatoxin problems, actions should be taken collectively by the international community involving scientific research, technological and social development, environment protection, awareness promotion, etc. International cooperation should foster technology transfer and exchange of pertinent technical information. This review presents the main historical discoveries leading to our present knowledge on aflatoxins and the challenges that should be addressed presently and in the future at various levels to ensure higher health protection for everybody. In short, it aims to elucidate where we come from and where we should go in terms of aflatoxin research/development.

Winter rapeseed (Brassica rapa) has good chilling and freezing tolerance. INDUCER OF CBF EXPRESSION1 (ICE) plays a crucial role in cold signaling in plant; however, its role in B. rapa remains unclear. In this study, we identified 41 ICE1 homologous genes from 6 widely cultivated Brassica species. These genes exhibited high conservation, with evolutionary complexity between diploid and allotetraploid species. Cold stress induced ICE1 homolog expression, with differences between strong and weak cold-tolerant varieties. Two novel ICE1 paralogs, BrICE1 and BrICE2 were cloned from B. rapa Longyou 6. Subcellular localization assays showed that they localized to the nucleus, and low temperature did not affect their nuclear localization. Overexpression of BrICE1 and BrICE2 increased cold tolerance in transgenic Arabidopsis, and enhanced reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenging ability. Furthermore, our data demonstrate that overexpression of BrICE1 and BrICE2 inhibited root growth in Arabidopsis, and low temperatures could induce the degradation of BrICE1 and BrICE2 via the 26S-proteasome pathway. In summary, ICE1 ho-mologous genes exhibit complex evolutionary relationships in Brassica species, and are involved in the CBF pathway, and ROS scavenging mechanism in response to cold stress; these regulating mechanisms might be also responsible for balancing the development and cold defense of B. rapa.

Recently perovskite solar cells have been paying attention of researchers. This comes from their high efficiency and stability. In this work, the change of some Optical and Electrical Properties of BaxFe(1-x)TiO4 thin films due to the change of the nanocrystal spacing and size were studied. A simple theoretical model based on the string theory was utilized to explain some of these empirical relations. The empirical results obtained indicated that an increase in the efficiency of the nano solar cell requires the energy gap to be narrow. Decreasing the nanocrystal size and spacing caused the energy gap to become narrower. The energy gap decreases also upon increasing the absorption coefficient and decreasing the transmission. This also requires increasing the conductivity and the magnetic permeability. The increase of the nanocrystal spacing decreases the absorption coefficient, electrical conductivity, and magnetic permeability, while it causes the transmission to increase. All these changes are explained using a simple string model beside Newton's laws. The capability of the string theory to explain this Nano quantum behavior comes from the fact that the string theory, like quantum theory, recognizes both the particle and the wave nature of the Nano system.

Background: The exacerbation of psychosocial problems among children and adolescents during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic necessitates an assessment of the long-term mental health impact of pandemic interventions. Focusing on both pandemic-related factors and demographic variables, such as gender and daily habits, an analysis was conducted to under-stand how these elements continue to affect young populations in the post-pandemic era. Methods: In April 2023, a comprehensive online survey was administered to families in South Tyrol, Italy, with children aged 7–19 years, to ensure age and gender representation. The survey included par-ent ratings and adolescent (11–19 years) self-reports using standardized instruments to measure the symptoms of mental health problems (Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire, SDQ), anxiety (Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, SCARED), and depression (Patient Health Questionnaire-2, PHQ-2). Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and unadjusted odds ratios (ORs). Results: Of the 4,525 valid responses, 1,831 were self-reported by adolescents. Notable gender differences in mental health outcomes were identified, along with significant demographic predictors, such as age, single parenthood, parental mental health problems, and immigrant background. Negative effects were associated with reduced family climate and increased screen time, whereas physical activity showed beneficial effects. Proxy reports overestimated adolescents' mental health problems, whereas self-report tended to underestimate them. Conclusions: Persistent mental health problems and gender disparities high-light the need for a public health approach. This should include accessible support services, resili-ence building, targeted support for vulnerable families and gender-specific interventions.

This study investigated whether export performance is correlated with innovation. We explicitly considered five types of innovation: a) process innovation; b) product innovation; c) process and product innovation; d) product innovation new to the firm; and e) product innovation new to the market. We en-larged the findings of R&D-export and R&D-investment relations using a vast sample of cross-European firms. We considered innovation as endogenous and determined by R&D through a process characterized by the role of the regional technological environment. Our analysis enabled us to propose an integrated model incorporating R&D, innovation and export, in a framework of simultaneous equations which consider their mutual correlations. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first in recent years to empirically compute the relation between R&D and tangible investment at the micro level. Econometric results showed that product and process innovation are positively linked to the export intensity of European manufacturing firms. The results also showed complementarity effects between the two kinds of innovation. The av-erage effect on export intensity from carrying out process innovation is larger than that found for product innovation, except in cases where the product is new to the market. When both types of innovation have been carried out, a larger effect results than that found for product or process innovation alone. Furthermore, the average marginal effect on export intensity from innovations of any kind among those studied here is highly positive and significant.

The endocannabinoid system (eCB) began to be studied from the identification of the molecular structures present in the cannabis sativa plant. The ECS is constituted of cannabinoid receptors, endogenous ligands and all the associated enzymatic apparatus responsible for maintaining homeostasis. Several physiological effects of cannabinoids are exerted through interaction with various receptors such as CB1 and CB2 receptors, vanilloid receptors, and the recently discovered [GPCRs (GPR55, GPR3, GPR6, GPR12 and GPR19). Endogenous ligands such anandamide and 2-arachidonoylglycerol might modulate these receptors. eCB has proved to play a critical role in some human diseases and has been extensively studied due to its wide therapeutic potential and because it is a promising target for the development of new drugs. Phytocannabinoids and synthetic cannabinoids have shown varied affinities to eCB, which are relevant to the treatment of various diseases. They may also have potential as lead compounds in the development of cannabinoid-based pharmaceuticals for a variety of diseases. Furthermore, Integrative and Complementary Health Practices (ICHP) appear to influence the endocannabinoid system through modulation. This review will show a description of ECS components and discuss how phytocannabinoids, other exogenous compounds, and PICS may operate the eCB balance.

The connection between a prefabricated reinforced concrete column and a pocket foundation is a case treated from a general perspective in the European Standard named EN 1992-1-1, and when the structural engineer deals with the dimensioning or verification of the connection, he tackles several unknowns. The present work aims to fill in the missing information by presenting detailed calculation models based on the strut-and-tie method for 4 of the widely used pocket foundations: pedestal pocket foundation with smooth, rough or keyed internal walls, and pad foundation with pocket possessing keyed internal walls. Additionally, detailed design prescriptions applicable to seismic areas are given. Afterwards, as a case study, a pocket foundation is designed in all 4 variations, having the structural design particularities, similitudes and differences pointed out. Finally, to conclude the advantages and disadvantages are mentioned for pocket foundations in respect to the type of internal wall surface used. Quantifiable data based on the case study undertaken is available.

Antimicrobial resistance is a major public health concern. Rodents and shrews live in closer proximity to humans and animals and serve as reservoirs for the transmission of several diseases, including AMR pathogens. There is no data available from India on surveillance of AMR bacteria in rodents and shrews. In this study, bacterial pathogens viz, Staphylococcus sp, Escherichia coli and Salmonella sp were isolated from rodents and shrews and genetic elements conferring antimicrobial resistance in the pathogens were screened by PCR. Bacterial pathogens in the oropharyngeal and anal swabs collected from the rodents and shrews trapped (n=100) were cultured on selective media such as Mannitol salt, Mac Conkey and Xylose lysine deoxycholate media to isolate Staphylococcus sp., E. coli and Salmonella sp. respectively. A total of 76 (80%) S. aureus and 19 (20%) Staphylococcus non aureus were isolated. E. coli was isolated in 89 samples and among the Salmonella sp (n=59), 16 (27%) were S. enteritidis and 29 (49.1%) were S. typhimurium. In S. aureus isolates, mec A and mec C (MRSA) were detected in 40 (52.6%) and 6 (7.9%) isolates respectively. Also, 7 (36.84%) and 1 (5.3%) Staphylococcus non aureus isolates were tested to harbour mec A and mec C genes. A total of 77 (86.5%) E. coli isolates had genes encoding ESBL [TEM in 21 (23.59%), SHV in 45 (50.6%) and CTXM in 11 (12.4%)]. Among the 45 pathogenic Salmonella sp, 44 (97.78%) harboured AMR genes [tet in 13 (28.9%), sul3 & sul4 in 20 (44.4%) and qnrA in 11 (24.4%)]. Thirty-eight animals harboured more than one zoonotic pathogen and 21 with multi-drug resistant genes. Our findings signify that these rodents and shrews may serve as sentinels to screen environment spillover of AMR pathogens and also act as reservoir to transmit MRSA, ESBL, Salmonella sp. human/animals. Also these animals aid in the transfer of antimicrobial resistance genetic elements to non-pathogenic organisms.

The goal of VAR or BVAR is the characterization of the dynamics and endogenous relationships among time series. Also the VAR models are known for their applications to forecasting and policy analysis. This paper compare the performance of VAR and Sims-Zha Bayesian VAR models when the multiple time series are jointly influenced by different levels of collinearity and autocorrelation in the short term (T=16, 32, 64 and 128). Five levels (-0.9,-0.5, 0,+0.5,+0.9) of collinearity and autocorrelation were considered and the results from the simulation study revealed that VAR(2) model dominated for no and moderate levels of autocorrelation (-0.5, 0, +0.5) irrespective of the collinearity level except in few cases when T=16. While the BVAR models dominated for high autocorrelation levels (-0.9 and +0.9) irrespective of the collinearity level except in few cases when T=128. The performance of the models varies at different levels of the collinearity and autocorrelated error, and also varies with the short term periods. Furthermore, the values of the RMSE and MAE criteria decrease as a result of increase in the time series length. In conclusion, the performance of the forecasting models depend on the time series data structure and the time series length. It is therefore recommended that the data structure and series length should be considered in using an appropriate model for forecasting.

Keywords: Lightning; Land Cover and Land Use; Topographic Effects, Itacaiúnas River Hydrographic Basin

Higher salt (sodium) intake has been associated with a higher blood pressure (BP). The association degree may be influenced by factors such as age, origin and dietary components. This study aimed to evaluate the 24-hours urinary sodium (Na) and potassium (K) excretion in normotensive and hypertensive Dominicans adults and estimate their salt intake. 163 volunteers (18-45, 46-80 years) participated in a cross-sectional study. 24-hours Na and K urinary excretion were measured using an ion selective electrode technique. Na and K urinary excretion (99.4±46.5 and 35.0±17.5 mmol/24h) did not correlated with BP, except in the normotensive group in which K correlated with SBP (0.249, p=0.019). Na and K excretion were similar for normo- and hypertensive subjects. Na-to-K molar ratio (3.1±1.3) was higher in younger subjects (p=0.040). Na-to-K ratio was associated with DBP in the total group (r=0.153, p=0.052), in the hypertensive group (r=0.395, p<0.001) and in the older group with SBP (0.350, p=0.002) and DBP (0.373, p<0.001). In the older group, Na-to-K ratio and DBP correlated after controlling for subjects with hypertension controlled by treatment (r=0.236, p=0.041). The Na-to-K ratio correlated, when salt intake was over 5g/d (52.2%), with SBP (rho=0.219, p=0.044) and DBP (rho=0.259, p=0.017). Determinants of BP were age-dependent and in younger subjects were: sex (SBP, beta: 14.02±2.87, p<0.001) and body mass index (BMI) (beta:-12.07±3.72, p=0.001, beta:9.44±2.87, p=0.001, for SBP and DBP, respectively) and, in the olders, the Na-to-K ratio, for SBP (beta:6.7±2.4, p=0.005) and DBP (beta:3.8±1.1, p<0.001). The mean Na and salt intakes (2.3 and 5.8 g/d) were slightly higher and K intake lower (1.4 g/d) than WHO recommendations.

Employing numerical methods to simulate manufacturing processes and study their influential factors is increasing. The development of computers and engineering software has increased the ability and accuracy of numerical methods in simulating various aspects of different processes. One of the manufacturing processes that has been considered by many industries in recent years to join metals in solid-state with unique properties is called friction stir welding. It is challenging and, in some cases, impossible to experimentally study the various aspects of this process, such as temperature distribution, stress distribution, and material flow, due to severe plastic deformation in the weld zone. In this case, numerical methods are used to investigate these parameters and better understand the process. This study first investigates various numerical methods researchers use to simulate the process. The ability, pros, and cons of these methods to simulate the process are also examined. Then, the applications of numerical models in simulating the temperature distribution during the process as well as the effects of input parameters on the temperature history of the process, are deeply considered. Next, the application of numerical methods in material flow modeling during the process is investigated. Finally, the modeling of the microstructure of the welding zone is investigated using numerical methods that help significantly in predicting the weld microstructure.

In most world’s countries, scholarship evaluation for tenure and promotion continues to rely on conventional criteria of publications in journals of high impact factor and grant funding. Continuing to hire and promote scholars for their achievements in research and in securing research funds exposes universities at risk because students, directly and indirectly through government funds, are the main source of revenues for academic institutions, whereas talented young researchers are those who actually carry out most of the published research. Purposeful scholarship evaluation needs to include all three areas of scholarly activity: research, teaching and mentoring, and service to society. Young scholars seeking tenure and promotion benefit from the practice of open science because it provides better and more impactful results with respect to each of the three areas of scholarship.

Objectives: Our objective was to assess employer preparedness to protect their employees’ health and safety and promote their well-being in the face of potential disasters in a sample of Northeast United States employers. We developed survey instrument and index based on our model of Total Worker Health® (TWH) Employer Preparedness.Methods: We conducted a 40-question on-line survey with the membership of the Northeast Human Resources Association (US). Human resource managers reported their perceptions of their employers’ preparedness in seven domains: planning, human resources policies, hazard reduction, training, staffing, communications, and resources for resilience. Respondents were categorized by size, sector and reach and their responses scored.Results: Seventy-six individuals representing a diverse group of employers responded to the survey. Mean preparedness was “moderate,” with almost an equal number reporting a high level of preparedness as no preparedness. Employers were most prepared for severe weather events and least prepared for acts of violence. There were no significant differences by sector, size, or reach, although the healthcare sector was more prepared than others.Conclusions: There is a range of TWH® Employer Preparedness among Northeast US employers. The survey and model are important tools that can aid employers in the face of growing threats to “business as usual.”

Autonomous aerial refueling technology is an effective solution to extend flight duration of unmanned aerial vehicles, and also a great challenge due to its high risk. For autonomous probe-and-drogue refueling tasks, relative navigation to provide relative position between the receiver aircraft and the refueling drogue is the first and essential step, and vision-based method is the most frequently used. A new monocular vision navigation sensor with image processing strategy consisting of the drogue detection method and the tracking method is developed for autonomous aerial refueling in this paper. In the drogue detection method, thresholding and mathematical morphology method are adopted to eliminate image interference, and contours extraction method is applied to obtain all contours, which are then subsequently checked to achieve target contour of drogue. In the tracking method, a rectangle of interest (ROI) of current frame image is determined by positioning results of last frame, and then processed by the previous drogue detection method. Finally, the proposed image processing strategy in monocular vision navigation sensor is validated using real flight images, which are captured from an autonomous aerial refueling testbed using a micro six-rotor aircraft as receiver aircraft.

Workplace exercise programs are imperative for improving employee health and wellbeing. Employee cognition and productivity can also benefit from such programs; however, the practical application of interventions to influence these outcomes is poorly understood. This research aimed to assess the suitability of a university Staff Fitness Program for improving employee productivity and cognition. Forty-seven participants were included in the study, comprising 27 Staff Fitness participants and 20 control group participants. A two (groups) x three (time-points) between-subjects/within-subjects design was employed over 14 weeks, comprising ten weeks of once-weekly exercise intervention for Staff Fitness participants. All participants completed the Victoria Stroop Colour and Word Test and the Health and Work Questionnaire at each time-point, to assess cognition and productivity, respectively. Participants also completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short form) at time-point one, three and during training weeks (excluding week one) to measure physical activity. Appropriate T-tests and non-parametric equivalents were used to assess group differences in outcome measures and across time-points. There were no significant between group or longitudinal differences indicative of improved productivity or cognition. The Staff Fitness group demonstrated a non-significant improvement (Z = 73.00, p = .055) in physical activity from time-point one (M = 1540.93 MET-min-week, SD = 1083.74) to three (M = 2077.32 MET-min-week, SD = 1401.48) with a large effect size (d = 0.97), while control group physical activity significantly decreased (Z = 10.00, p = .013). The present Staff Fitness Program benefited employees by improving physical activity, despite no improvements in productivity or cognition. Future research should further explore the application of workplace exercise programs and the manipulation of exercise parameters to show improvements in employee productivity and cognition.

Tigrai region is one of the potential beekeeping areas in Ethiopia, which is endowed with diversified honeybee plant species. However, its honeybee plants are deforested and degraded due to natural and anthropogenic pressures. Area exclosures (AEs) has been practicing for the last three decades restore degraded habitats of the plant species in Ethiopia. Empirical data on the effectiveness of AE is still limited for restoration of honey bee plant species; this study was conducted to assess the roles of AE for species composition, density, and diversity and regeneration status of honeybee floras. Sixty quadrats were installed, 36 in AE and 24 in CGL (communal grazing lands) using a systematic sampling method. The study showed that a total of 42 honey bee plant species belonging to 23 families in AE and 33 species belonging to 17 families in CGL were recorded. The study also indicated a significant increase in the abundance, diversity, regeneration and the structure of the honey bee plant species was found in the AEs. The list presented herein provides a guide to stakeholders in establishing of AE for the foraging resource of honeybee in order to enhance the abundance, diversity and regeneration and structure. Thus, AE has made a significant contribution to solving the shortage of honeybee forages in the beekeeping industry. Therefore, the development of beekeeping is integrated with conservation of natural resources.

Antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) are essential components of the innate immune system, present across a spectrum of organisms. Their versatility lies in their ability to effectively inhibit a wide range of pathogens including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and viruses. As the challenge of antibiotic resistance escalates and concerns surrounding antibiotic use grow, AMPs have emerged as promising alternatives. Their applications span diverse domains such as medicine, agriculture, food production, animal husbandry, and aquaculture, primarily due to their efficacy against resistant pathogens, signifying their crucial role in combating infections. Beyond their antimicrobial properties, research illuminates their intricate involvement in the immune response network. These peptides impact crucial processes including cytokine release, chemotaxis, wound healing, angiogenesis and the activation of the adaptive immune system. This comprehensive review delves into the multifaceted realm of AMPs, encompassing their classification, varied applications across industries and notably, their significance in diverse disease conditions like infections, skin diseases, cancer, oral diseases, lung diseases and cardiovascular ailments. Special attention is directed towards current advancements in clinical applications of peptide-based therapeutics, offering invaluable insights into their potential future integration within clinical settings.

In recent decades, there have been significant problems worldwide related to global warming and the intensification of extreme temperature and rainfall events. This research evaluated daily temperature and rainfall indices trends to identify whether warming signals have occurred in South Australia over the past fifty years. Extreme cold, hot, and rainfall events were calculated using climatic data from 37 weather stations. A Mann-Kendall test was used for trend analysis with Sen's estimator. As a result, we determined that for the 1970-2021 period, the maximum and minimum temperatures increased by 1.1 and 0.7 °C, respectively, while precipitation had a negative trend (-52.2 mm/period). Since statistical significance was found in analysing extreme cold and hot events, we find that warming signals have several impacts on South Australia. In the case of rainfall events, we identified a heterogeneous pattern characterised by a reduction in the annual amount, and an increase in extreme rainfall events. The findings enable us to conclude that the area shows signs of global warming that could affect the intensity and magnitude of droughts. This information is essential for continuing with current management strategies to adapt and mitigate the effects of global warming in South Australia.

The aim of the study was to verify whether a 20 and 40% reduction of nitrogen (N) fertilization rate will be sufficient to maintain soil basic chemical features, fertility, and yielding in monoculture maize cultivation in the no-tillage (NT) system versus the traditional plowing (PL) system. In addition, it was examined which tillage system (PL, NT) allows reduction of fertilization while maintaining good yields of the tested soils. Two fields (10 ha each) were established for PL and NT maize cultivation and soils (0-20 cm) were sampled two times per year - in spring (before maize sowing) and in autumn (after maize harvesting). A broad range of chemical and biological parameters (i.e. pH, forms of nitrogen, phosphorus and carbon, content of selected macronutrients and humic substances, respiration activity) were monitored during the experiment. It was evidenced that the 20% reduction in N fertilization does not have an adverse effect on the chemical and biological characteristics of soils. In turn, the maize yield was mainly the result of both the tillage system and the N rate, i.e. it was significantly higher in the PL system.

The escalating environmental challenges that stem from urban residential waste in densely populated areas have become increasingly prominent in recent times. As a result, the waste management sector has experienced significant growth nationwide. However, due to the predominantly manual nature of these processes, their effectiveness falls short of meeting the current demand. Addressing these issues requires process enhancement. In this context, Industry 4.0, particularly the concept of Digital Twins, emerges as a potential avenue for refining processes. To tackle both current and future industry challenges, it is imperative to create a comprehensive methodology capable of generating effective solutions within the waste management sector. This paper provides an explanation of digital twins, outlines the methodological framework comprising an architectural structure and layered model, and details a series of sequential methodical stages for implementing digital twins based on the specific scope determined by the end-user. A noteworthy aspect is the transformative potential of digital twins in enhancing efficiency and precision within waste management practices. By providing a virtual real-time representation of the waste management system, digital twins empower simulations and experimentation to fine-tune processes. Furthermore, they facilitate informed decision-making by offering a detailed visualization of the complete system, simplifying the identification of challenges and opportunities for improvement. that this article derives from the presentation titled "Digital Twin application methodology for the improvement of production and service systems. Application to waste management processes" at the "Sustainable Smart Cities and Territories International Conference" held in the city of Manizales, Colombia, from 21st to 23rd June 2023.

In this work, we studies the principle of ground electrode current field through ground communication technology, signal design, and optimal working mode of excitation source, so as to adapt the working mode, working frequency, and transmission medium condition of signal transmission. Through waveform design, energy is concentrated in the main conduction direction, which is beneficial for signal filtering at the receiving end and achieving high reliability data transmission; On this basis, on-site environmental testing was conducted to verify the detection and recognition technology of weak signals. Signal design and detection recognition are a very important part of the grounding electrode current field through ground communication technology. The grounding electrode current field through ground communication technology is mainly applied to solve the problem of communication between rescue personnel and trapped personnel before and during tunnel engineering collapse and rescue.

Lipofuscin is indigestible garbage that accumulates in the autophagic vesicles and cytosol of post-mitotic cells with age. Drs. Brunk and Terman postulated that lipofuscin accumulation is the main or at least a major driving factor in aging. They even posited that the evolution of memory is the reason why we get lipofuscin at all, as stable synaptic connections must be maintained over time, meaning that the somas of neurons must also remain in the same locale. In other words, they cannot dilute out their garbage over time through cell division. Mechanistically, their position certainly makes sense given that rendering a large percentage of a post-mitotic cell’s lysosomes useless must almost certainly negatively affect that cell and the surrounding microenvironment. Here, I explore the possibility that the accumulation of lipofuscin to some extent underlies all other categories of age-related damage as defined by Dr. Aubrey de Grey. I do not think that lipofuscin removal will reverse/prevent all forms of aging, just the major component facing us currently. In this piece, I will review what is known about lipofuscin accumulation from evolutionary and mechanistic standpoints and discuss ways of removing it from non-dividing (or slowly-dividing) cells.

The urgent need for effective, safe and equitably accessible vaccines to tackle the ongoing spread of COVID-19 led researchers to generate vaccine candidates targeting varieties of immunogens of SARS-CoV-2. Because of its crucial role in mediating binding and entry to host cell and its proven safety profile, the subunit 1 (S1) of the spike protein represents an attractive immunogen for vaccine development. Here, we developed and assessed the immunogenicity of a DNA vaccine encoding the SARS-CoV-2 S1. Following in vitro confirmation and characterization, the humoral and cellular immune responses of our vaccine candidate (pVAX-S1) was evaluated in BALB/c mice using two different doses, 25 µg and 50 µg. Our data showed high levels of SARS-CoV-2 specific IgG and neutralizing antibodies in mice immunized with three doses of pVAX-S1. Analysis of the induced IgG subclasses showed a Th1-polarized immune response as demonstrated by the significant elevation of spike-specific IgG2a and IgG2b compared to IgG1. Furthermore, we found that immunization of mice with three doses of 50 µg of pVAX-S1 could elicit significant memory CD4+ and CD8+ T cell responses. Taken together, our data indicates that pVAX-S1 is immunogenic and safe in mice and is worthy of further preclinical and clinical evaluation.

COVID-19 manifests regarding extreme acute respiratory conditions caused by a novel beta coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) which is reported to be the seventh coronavirus to infect humans. Like other SARS-CoVs it has a large positive-stranded RNA genome. But specific furin site in the spike protein, mutation prone and phylogenetically mess Orf1ab separates SARS-CoV-2 from other RNA viruses. Since, the outbreak (February - March 2020) which originated in China, researchers, scientists, and medical professionals are inspecting all possible facts from every possible aspect including its replication, detection, and prevention strategies. This led to the prompt identification of its basic biology, genome characterization, structural based functional information of proteins, and strategies to prevent its spread. Due to the rapid mutation rate, the functional characterization of a few proteins is still lagging. This review summarizes the recent updates on the basic molecular biology of SARS-CoV-2 and prevention strategies undertaken worldwide to tackle COVID-19. This recent information can be implemented for the development and designing of therapeutics against SARS-CoV-2.

This work addresses the analysis and characterization of deadlocks in discrete-event systems modeled by labeled Petri nets (LPNs) with undistinguishable and unobservable transitions. To provide a solution for the notorious problem, it is essential to present an effective characterization such that deadlock control and synthesis are technically and methodologically possible. To this end, we introduce the notion of dangerous implicit vectors (DIVs) which implicitly threaten the system deadlock-freedom. The set of dead markings is divided into two subsets: dead basis markings (DBMs) and dangerous implicit markings (DIMs). An algorithm is designed to compute the sets of DIVs and DIMs at a given basis state of a system. Moreover, by virtue of linear algebraic equations, we formulate sufficient conditions to identify the existence of blocking markings in an LPN. Finally, an algorithm is developed to construct an observed graph that is a compact representation of the reachability graph of a Petri net with respect to the existence of dead reaches. At the end of this paper, experiment results that illustrate the correctness and effectiveness of the reported solution are presented.

β₂-m, β₂-microglobulin; CAF, cancer associated fibroblast; CSC, cancer stem cell; CTL, cytotoxic T lymphocyte; DC, dendritic cell; ECM, extracellular matrix; EGF-R, epidermal growth factor receptor; ER, endoplasmic reticulum; FDA, Food and Drug Administration; HLA, human leukocyte antigen; HNSCC, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma; HPV, human papilloma virus; ICP immune checkpoint; ICPi, immune checkpoint inhibitor; IFN, interferon; LMP, low molecular weight protein; mAb, monoclonal antibody; MDSC, myeloid-derived suppressor cell; mTOR, mammalian target of rapamycin; MSI, multispectral imaging; NK, natural killer; OS, overall survival; PBL, peripheral blood lymphocytes; PBMNC, peripheral blood mononuclear cells; PD1, programmed death receptor 1; PD-L1, programmed death ligand 1; PFS, progression-free survival; PI3K, phosphatidyl-linositol-3-kinase; R/M, recurrence and or metastatic; STAT, signal transducer and activator of transcription; TAA, tumor-associated antigen; TAM, tumor associated macrophages; TAP, transporter associated with antigen processing; TCR, T cell receptor; TIL, tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte; TLS, tertiary lymphoid structure; TME, tumor microenvironment; Treg, regulatory T cell; TSA, tumor-specific antigen; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGF-R, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor.

Abstract: Background: The gut microbiota, a diverse community of microorganisms in the gastrointestinal tract, is essential for human health, primarily through nutrient metabolism and production of anti-inflammatory short-chain fatty acids. Dysbiosis, a disruption in microbial composition, is linked to diseases like inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer, obesity, diabetes, asthma, and allergies. Dietary habits significantly influence gut microbiota diversity, with balanced diets crucial for maintaining microbial equilibrium. Culinary herbs and spices, known for their antioxidant and antimicrobial properties, may positively modulate the gut microbiota by inhibiting inflammation, stimulating beneficial bacteria, and exhibiting prebiotic effects. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted using the PubMed database to identify relevant research articles on the impact of culinary spices on the gut microbiome. The search terms included "culinary spices," "gut microbiome," "gut modulation," "gut dysbiosis," "common spices," and "gut health." Thirty-five articles published between 2016 and 2024 were reviewed, with eight directly addressing the effects of culinary spices on gut microbiome modulation. Priority was given to peer-reviewed journals and reputable scientific sources. Results: Studies demonstrate that mixed spices and individual spices like ginger, turmeric, and chili can induce favorable changes in gut microflora, promoting beneficial probiotics and inhibiting pathogenic bacteria. Spices such as turmeric and curcumin exhibit potent anti-inflammatory properties, contributing to their protective effects against chronic diseases like colon cancer and metabolic disorders. Conclusions: Incorporating culinary spices into dietary interventions is important for overall well-being. Further research is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of action and optimize the therapeutic applications of spices in clinical settings.

Taxanes, particularly docetaxel (DTX), has been widely used for combination therapy of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). For locally advanced unresectable HNSCC, DTX combined with cisplatin and 5-fluorouracil as a revolutionary treatment revealed an advantage in improvement of patient outcome. In addition. DTX plus immune check inhibitors (ICIs) showed low toxicity and increased response of patients with recurrent or metastatic HNSCC (R/M HNSCC). Accumulating data indicate that taxanes not only function as antimitotics but also impair diverse oncogenic signalings including angiogenesis, inflammatory response, ROS production, and apoptosis induction. However, despite an initial response, development of resistance remains a major obstacle to treatment response. Taxane resistance could result from intrinsic mechanisms such as enhanced DNA/RNA damage repair, increased drug efflux, and apoptosis inhibition, and extrinsic effects such as angiogenesis and interactions between tumor cells and immune cells. This review provides an overview of taxanes therapy applied in different stages of HNSCC and describe the mechanisms of taxane resistance in HNSCC. Through a detailed understanding the mechanisms of resistance may help developing the potential therapeutic methods and the effective combination strategies to overcome drug resistance.

Rice canopy height and density are directly usable crop phenotypic traits for the direct estimation of crop biomass. Therefore, it is crucial to rapidly and accurately estimate rice canopy phenotypic parameters. To achieve non-destructive detection and estimation of essential phenotypic parameters in rice, a platform based on LiDAR point cloud data for rice phenotypic parameter detection was established. Data collection of rice canopy layers was performed across multiple plots. The LiDAR-detected canopy top point clouds were selected using a method based on the highest percentile, and the rice canopy surface model was calculated. Canopy height estimation was the difference between ground elevation and percentile value. To determine the optimal percentile defining the rice canopy top, testing was conducted incrementally from 0.8 to 1 with an increment of 0.005. The optimal percentile value was found to be 0.975. The root mean square error (RMSE) between LiDAR-detected canopy height and manually measured canopy height was calculated. The prediction model based on canopy height (R2=0.941, RMSE=0.019) exhibited a strong correlation with actual canopy height. Linear regression analysis was conducted between gap fraction of different plots and manually detected average Leaf Area Index (LAI) of rice canopy. Prediction models for canopy LAI based on ground return counts (R2=0.24, RMSE=0.1) and ground return intensity (R2=0.28, RMSE=0.09) showed strong correlations but had lower correlation with rice canopy LAI. Regression analysis was performed between LiDAR-detected canopy height and manually measured rice canopy LAI. The results indicated that the prediction model based on canopy height (R2=0.77, RMSE=0.03) was more accurate.

This study proposes an image recognition method to assist swine farm managers in collecting health data related to pig feeding and excretion. Analyzing the correlation between sow health data and indoor air quality in the pigsties revealed significant influences of air quality indicators on sow health. Increased levels of TVOC, CO2, and temperature were found to negatively affect feeding health, while increased temperature, humidity, and PM10 were found to negatively impact excretion health. These findings provide a basis for evaluating variables when constructing future sow disease prediction models. Analyzing the correlation between pig health status and air quality can help swine farm managers improve sow production environments, reduce disease risks, enhance production efficiency, and provide valuable insights for future research on disease prediction models.

Waste management is an unavoidable technological operation in the process of raw material extraction. The main characteristic of this technological operation is the handling of large quantities of waste material, which can amount to several hundred million cubic metres. Working with this amount of material usually requires high-capacity systems for excavation and loading, a large fleet of trucks for haulage, construction, and maintenance of a complex roads network, use of a significant area of land in order to achieve the required capacities, etc. At the same time, this operation must comply with all administrative and environmental standards. Therefore, optimising waste rock management (particularly haulage and dumping) has the potential to significantly improve the overall value of the project. This paper presents a hybrid model for the optimisation of waste dump design and site selection. The model is based on different mathematical methods (genetic algorithm, analytic hierarchy process and heuristic methods) adapted to different aspects of the problem. The main objective of the model is to provide a solution (in analytical and graphical form) for the draft waste dump design, on the basis of which the final waste dump design can be defined.

This article explores the behavioral geography of the Hajj pilgrimage, focusing on the impact of the physical environment on pilgrims' behavior. Using qualitative research and analyzing religious literature and online publications, the study reveals significant findings. The spatial arrangement of the Grand Mosque, including the central courtyard and pillars, influences pilgrims' behavior during the Tawaf ritual. Environmental factors such as crowds and noise affect pilgrims' experiences, evoking anxiety while enhancing the ceremony's spiritual significance. Cultural and religious beliefs also shape pilgrims' behavior during the circumambulation. This study provides valuable insights into the multifaceted factors shaping pilgrims' behavior during the Hajj, including spatial organization, cultural influences, and social interactions. The findings can inform improvements in infrastructure, crowd management, and services to enhance the overall pilgrimage experience.

When the minimal length approach emerging from noncommutative Heisenberg algebra, generalized uncertainty principle (GUP), and thereby integrating gravitational fields to this fundamental theory of quantum mechanics (QM) is thoughtfully extended to Einstein field equations, the possible deformation of the metric tensor could be suggested. This is a complementary term combining the effects of QM and general relativity (GR) and comprising noncommutative algebra together with maximal spacelike four–acceleration. This deformation compiles with GR as curvature in relativistic eight–dimensional spacetime tangent bundle, generalization of Riemannian spacetime, is the recipe applied to derive the deformed metric tensor. This dictates how the affine connection on Riemannian manifold is straightforwardly deformed. We have discussed the symmetric property of deformed metric tensor and affine connection. Also, we have evaluated the dependence of a parallel transported tangent vector on the spacelike four–acceleration given in units of L, where L = rℏcG3 is a universal constant, c is speed of light, and ℏ is Planck constant, and G is Newton’s gravitational constant.

The main objective of this work is to study the effects of carbon nanotubes (CNT) on the strength and electrical properties of cement mortar. Molecular dynamic simulations (MDS) were carried out for the mechanical and electrical properties of the cementitious composite and the associated mechanisms. To model the atomic structure of the Calcium-Silicate-Hydrates (C-S-H) gel, tobermorite 11Å was chosen. Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) embedded in tobermorite structure were tested numerically. In particular, the effect of the concentration of CNT in cement paste was studied. An innovative experiment of electrical characterization of a cementitious composite of carbon nanotubes has been developed.

Over the years, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has seen a steady progress in development and evolution that can aid many sectors. Today, AI plays an essential role in the Fourth Industrial Revolution, and it is making its way into the military sector as well. Many countries are actively looking into AI military technology. Some of these innovations include image recognition, text analysis, Self-driving vehicles (SDV), gaming, robotic process automation (RPA) & Robotic and Autonomous Systems (RAS), and Autonomous Weapons Systems (AWS). In this research, we discuss the advantages of each innovation mentioned and analyze the many different cybersecurity threats that awaken due to military artificial intelligence systems. We then discuss the open research areas to better improve the current state of military artificial intelligence applications in terms of ethics, system security, proper strategy plan, accepted responsibility matrix, and introduction of relevant laws.

Pakistan is under developing country and it has an unpredictable market nature of shareholder-investors observe the company’s performance. This research could help to companies in understanding financial behavior, attitude and investors’ satisfaction in stock trade. Financial behavior is comparatively new subject in Pakistan therefore; this study has examined the financial behavior and attitude of investors. The behavioral finance that has been attempted to understand the positive experiences influences investors’ financial behavior. This study has find out that investor satisfaction is strongest in influence of positive financial behavior of investor and trader in stock trading; positive experience and brokers suggestions are strengthens the investment decision of investors and increases behavior loyalty to prefer over competitor. The main purpose of research to determine the effect of financial behavior on investors’ attitude and behavioral loyalty and investors’ satisfaction to preference over competitor. The research framework links with experiences in stock trade for positive (negative) experiences, attitude and financial behavior is developed. The research framework is measured data from sample of Karachi and Karachi Stock Exchange; the data is analyzed in smart PLS based on PLS-SEM. This study focused on trading experience with company’s active investors and traders in banking industry in Pakistan. The future research could be research in other sectors with inter-related issue of investors and traders (brokers) in stock trade. This is the first study in this research area; this study will be determine the experiences with positive (negative) financial behavior, attitude, satisfaction and behavioral loyalty of investors and traders in stock trade. Therefore, adding in this area of study which will help understanding the investors and traders attitude, preference and financial behavior in financial market.

The risk factors associated with COVID-19 related severity, morbidity, and mortality, i.e., obesity (often associated with NAFLD), hyperglycemia, hypertension and dyslipidemia all cluster together as metabolic syndrome (MetS). Instead of studying association of these risk factors with COVID-19, it makes sense studying the association between MetS on one hand and COVID-19 on the other. This study explores a molecular basis underpinning the above association. Severity of COVID-19 patients with MetS could be due to functional alterations of host proteins due to their interactions with viral proteins. We collected data from Enrichr (https://amp.pharm.mssm.edu/Enrichr/), DisGeNET (https://www.disgenet.org/) and others and carried out enrichment analysis using Enrichr. Various biological processes and pathways associated with viral protein interacting partners are known to involve in metabolic diseases. The molecular pathways underlying insulin resistance, insulin signaling and insulin secretion are not only involved in diabetes but also in CVD and obesity (associated with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease; NAFLD). Lipid metabolism/lipogenesis, fatty acid oxidation and inflammation are associated with MetS. Viral interacting host proteins are associated and enriched with terms like hyperglycemia, coronary artery disease, hypertensive disease related to CVD and liver diseases in DisGeNET. Association of viral interacting proteins with disease-relevant biological processes, pathways and disease-related terms suggests that altered host protein function following interaction with viral proteins might contribute to frequent occurrence and/or severity of COVID-19 in subjects with MetS. Such analysis not only provides a molecular basis of comorbidity but also incriminates host proteins in viral replication, growth and identifies possible drug targets for intervention.

Patient derived model systems are important tools for studying novel anti-cancer therapies. Patient derived xenografts (PDXs) have gained favor over the last 10 years as newer mouse strains have improved the success rate of establishing PDXs from patient biopsies. PDXs can be engrafted from head and neck cancer (HNC) samples across a wide range of cancer stages, retain the genetic features of their human source, and can be treated with both chemotherapy and radiation, allowing for clinically relevant studies. Not only do PDXs allow for study of patient tissues in an in vivo model, they can also provide a renewable source of cancer cells for organoid cultures. Herein, we review the uses of HNC patient derived models for radiation research including approaches to establishing both orthotopic and heterotopic PDXs, approaches and potential pitfalls to delivering chemotherapy and radiation to these animal models, biological advantages and limitations, and alternatives to animal studies that still use patient-derived tissues.

Bisphenols are widely used in the synthesis of polycarbonate plastics, epoxy resins and thermal paper, which are used in manufacturing items of daily use. Packaged foods and drinks are the main sources of exposure to bisphenols. These chemicals affect humans and animals by disrupting the estrogen, androgen, progesterone, thyroid, and aryl hydrocarbon receptor functions. Bisphenols exert numerous harmful effects because of their interaction with receptors, ROS formation, lipid peroxidation, mitochondrial dysfunction, and cell signal alterations. Both cohort and case-control studies have determined an association between bisphenol exposure and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases, neurological disorders, reproductive abnormalities, obesity, and diabetes. Prenatal exposure to bisphenol results in developmental disorders in animals. These chemicals also affect the immune cells and play a significant role in initiating the inflammatory response. Exposure to bisphenols exhibit age, gender, and dose-dependent effects. Even at low concentrations, bisphenols exert toxicity, and hence deserve a critical assessment for their uses. Since bisphenols have a global influence on human health, the need to discover the underlying pathways involved in all disease conditions is essential. Furthermore, it is important to promote the use of alternatives for bisphenols, thereby restricting their uses.

Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa are opportunistic pathogens commonly associated with burn wound infections. These bacteria can form biofilm and contribute a high-level drug resistance to available antibiotics. This study focused on the bacteriolytic activity of phages vB_SAnS_SADP1 and vB_PAnP_PADP4 on 24 h old single or dual-species biofilms of Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa in alone and in combination. Scanning and confocal laser scanning microscopic studies confirmed the structural organization of biofilms in single or dual-species combinations in in-vitro conditions. Single species biofilms are more robust and densely packed at 24 h of incubation. In contrast, dual-species biofilms (0.67± 0.02) are weakly associated due to their inter-species competition and are easily affected by phage cocktails (0.16 ± 0.02). In Invitro conditions, dual-species biofilms were more easily affected by phage cocktail than single phage. Scanning electron microscopic studies revealed the complete diminishment of biofilm formation by four h treatment with single phage or phage cocktails on single species or dual-species biofilms. Confocal laser scanning microscopic images with stains Syto®9 and propidium iodide revealed that phage treatment showed significant uptake of propidium iodide, indicating massive cell death mediated by respective phage or phage cocktail.

Considering the importance of assessing the impacts resulting from a sport career, this study aimed at developing and validating a semi-structure interview guide suitable for quantifying the socio-demographic and epidemiological profile of former professional football players. Based on the theoretical frameworks and several methodological procedures, an interview guide was de-veloped, consisting of 3 areas of conceptual organization (A1. Biographical data; A2. Career data; and A3. Post-Career Transition data) and 8 data collection categories (C1. Personal data; C2. Pro-fessional data; C3. Socio-demographic pathway in the post-career; epidemiological pathway; C4. Epidemiological pathway; C5. Moment of leaving the career; C6. Socio-demographic pathway in post-career; C7. Epidemiological pathway in the post-career; and C8. Perceptions on post-career planning). The construction and validation of the interview guide following 4 steps: Ad hoc con-struction of the interview guide (step 1); Review of the interview guide by a panel of experts (step 2); Definition of procedures and protocol for the application of the interview (step 3); Application of the pilot study for face validation of the interview guide (step 4). Thus, in procedural terms, four stages were considered for the construction and validation of the interview guide, namely the Ad hoc construction of the interview guide (i), the review of the in-terview guide by a panel of experts (ii), definition of procedures and protocol for the application of the interview (iii), and the application of the pilot study for the face validation of the interview guide (iv). The results showed that the interview guide for the study of the impacts of the sports careers on the quality of life of Portuguese former football players shows reliability for the collec-tion of qualitative and quantitative information from the respective content analysis. The use of the interview guide characterizes the path of former player, providing information and knowledge on the socio-demographic and epidemiological impact factors resulting from their post-career (sports retirement).

Abstract: Background: Intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT) is still a standard of care for radiotherapy in locally advanced head and neck cancer (LA-HNSCC). Simultaneous integrated boost (SIB) and moderate hypofractionation offer an opportunity for individual dose painting and a reduction in overall treatment time. We present retrospective data on toxicity and locore-gional control of a patient cohort with LA-HNSCC treated with an IMRT-SIB concept in compar-ison to normofractionated 3D-conformal radiotherapy (3D-RT) after a long-term follow-up. Methods: Between 2012 and 2014, n=67 patients with HNSCC (stages III/IV without distant me-tastases) were treated with IMRT-SIB either definitively (single/total doses: 2.2/66 Gy, 2.08/62.4 Gy, 1.8/54 Gy in 30 fractions) or in the postoperative setting (2.08/62.4 Gy, 1.92/57.6 Gy, 1.8/54 Gy). These patients' clinical courses were matched (for sex, primary, and treatment concept) as part of a matched-pair analysis with patients treated before mid-2012 with normofractionated 3D-CRT (definitive: 2/50 Gy followed by a sequential boost up to 70 Gy; postoperative: 2/60-64 Gy). Chemotherapy/ immunotherapy was given concomitantly in both groups in the definitive situation (postoperative dependent on risk factors). The primary endpoints were acute and late toxicity; the secondary endpoint was locoregional control (LRC). Results: Sixty-seven patients treated with IMRT-SIB (n = 20 definitive, n = 47 adjuvant) were matched with 67 patients treated with 3D-RT. There were minor imbalances between the groups concerning nonmatching variables such as extracapsular extension (ECE) and chemotherapy in IMRT-SIB. Significantly less toxicity was found in favor of IMRT-SIB concerning dysphagia, ra-diation dermatitis, xerostomia, fibrosis, and lymphedema. After a median follow-up of 63 months, the median LRC was not reached (IMRT-SIB) vs. 69.5 months (3D-RT) (p=0.63). Conclusions: This moderately hypofractionated IMRT-SIB concept was shown to be feasible with less toxicity than conventional 3D-RT in this long-term follow-up observation.

In the following article, we analyzed a variable present in the ISTAT-BES dataset, namely "People You Can Count On"-PYCC for the Italian regions. Following an analysis of the time series aimed at highlighting the trends of the regions, we created a clustering with a k-Means algorithm optimized with the Silhouette coefficient. The data shows the presence of two clusters. We then present an econometric model aimed at estimating the value of PYCC based on a set of socio-economic variables. The results are also discussed in light of the economic policy implications.

The paper presents data from a monthly campaign for the elemental composition of PM10 in a specific receptor Kotórz Mały (Opole Voivodeship) located in the vicinity of a moderately inhabited rural area, measured in one-hour samples with the use of the PX-375 analyzer by the Horiba company. The hourly variability of SO2, NO, NO2, CO, O3 concentrations as well as the variability of meteorological parameters were also determined. On average, during the entire measurement period, the elements related to PM10 can be arranged in the following order: As<V<Ni<Pb<Cr<Mn<Cu<Ti<Zn<K<Fe<Ca<Al<Si<S. Trace elements, including toxic elements, such as As, V, Ni, Pb, Cr, Mn, were present in low concentrations, not exceeding 10 ng/m3 (average daily value). These elements had fairly even concentrations, daily and hourly. The concentrations of the main elements in the PM10 in the receptor are subject to strong hourly changes related not only to changes in the structure of the sources identified in the statistical analysis but mainly to wind speed and direction changes (soil and sand particles pick-up and inflow of pollutants from coal combustion). It has been shown that the transport emission in the receptor can have an intense effect on PM10 in the afternoon.

There is a general lack of research involving older lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer/questioning (LGBTQ) people. This systematic review aimed to synthesize Japanese and Swedish qualitative research on LGBTQ people aged 60 years or older. PRISMA guidelines were followed. Japanese and Swedish articles, published in English-language journals, were searched across PsychINFO, Medline, CINAHL, and Sociological Abstracts databases. Additional searches were carried out to include studies written in Japanese or Swedish. There were no papers from Japan, and five from Sweden were reviewed. Four articles were included, including 48 participants aged 60–94 years. We summarized the findings using a deductive thematic synthesis. Two major themes emerged: (a) quality of life, minority joy, and resilience (positive aspects), and (b) experiences of discrimination, stigmatization, and minority stress (negative aspects). The participants described a wish to be acknowledged for their own assets and unique life histories, and to be treated as everyone else. They emphasized the importance of knowledge of LGBTQ issues among nursing staff, so that older LGBTQ people are treated in a competent and affirmative way. The study revealed several important topics for understanding older LGBTQ people’s life circumstances and the severe lack of qualitative studies in Japan and Sweden.

In this study, we report a detailed experimental and theoretical investigation of three glycols, namely ethane-1,2-diol, 2-methoxyethan-1-ol and 1,2-dimethoxy ethane. For the first time, the X-Ray spectra of the latter two liquids was measured at room temperature, and they were compared with the newly measured spectrum of ethane-1,2-diol. The experimental diffraction patterns were interpreted very satisfactorily with molecular dynamics calculations, and suggest that in liquid ethane-1,2-diol most molecules are found in gauche conformation, with intramolecular hydrogen bond between the two hydroxyl groups. Intramolecular H-bonds are established in the mono-alkylated diol, but the interaction is weaker. The EDXD study also evidences strong intermolecular hydrogen-bond interactions, with short O···O correlations in both systems, while longer methyl-methyl interactions are found in 1,2-dimethoxy ethane. X-Ray studies are complemented by micro Raman investigations at room temperature and at 80°C, that confirm the conformational analysis predicted by X-Ray experiments and simulations.

Information is the currency of life, but the origin of prebiotic information remains a mystery. We propose transitional pathways from the cosmic building blocks of life to the complex prebiotic organic chemistry that led to the origin of information systems. The prebiotic information system, specifically the genetic code, is segregated, linear, and digital and probably appeared during biogenesis four billion years ago. In the peptide/RNA world, lipid membranes randomly encapsulated amino acids, RNA, and protein molecules, drawn from the prebiotic soup, to initiate a molecular symbiosis inside the protocells. This endosymbiosis led to the hierarchical emergence of several requisite components of the translation machine: tRNAs, aaRS, mRNAs, and ribosomes. When assembled in the right order, the translation machine created biosynthetic polypeptides, a process that transferred information from mRNAs to proteins. This was the beginning of the prebiotic information age. The molecular attraction between tRNA and amino acids led to different stages of the translation machines and the genetic code. tRNA is an ancient molecule that designed and built mRNA for storing the information of its cognate amino acid. Each mRNA strand became the storage device for the genetic information that encoded the amino acid sequences in triplet nucleotides. As information appeared in the digital languages of the codon within mRNA, and the genetic code for protein synthesis evolved, the prebiotic chemistry then became more organized and directional. The origin of the genetic code is enigmatic; herein we propose an evolutionary explanation: the demand for a wide range of specific enzymes in the peptide/RNA world was the main selective pressure for the origin of information-directed protein synthesis. We review three main concepts on the origin and evolution of the genetic code: the stereochemical theory, the coevolution theory, and the adaptive theory. These three theories are compatible with our coevolution model of the translation machines and the genetic code. We suggest biosynthetic pathways as the origin of the specific translation machines which provided the framework for the origin of the genetic code. During translation, the genetic code developed in three stages coincident with the refinement of the translation machines: GNC code developed by the pre-tRNA/pre-aaRS /pre-mRNA machine, SNS code by the tRNA/aaRS/mRNA machine, and finally the universal genetic code by the tRNA/aaRS/mRNA/ribosome machine. Our hypothesis provides the logical and incremental steps for the origin of the programmed protein synthesis. In order to understand the prebiotic information system better, we converted letter codons into numerical codons in the Universal Genetic Code Table. We have developed a software called CATI (Codon-Amino Acid-Translator-Imitator) to translate randomly chosen numerical codons into corresponding amino acids and vice versa. This conversion has granted us insight into how the translation might have worked in the peptide/RNA world. There is great potential in the application of numerical codons to bioinformatics such as barcoding, DNA mining, or DNA fingerprinting. We constructed the likely biochemical pathways for the origin of translation and the genetic code using the Model-View-Controller (MVC) software framework, and the translation machinery step-by-step. Using AnyLogic software we were able to simulate and visualize the entire evolution of the translation machines and the genetic code. The results indicate that the emergence of the information age from the peptide/RNA world was a watershed event in the origin of life about four billion years ago.

(1) Background: Adolescent well-being is a multifaceted construct embedded in family, school, and peer socialization contexts. By adopting a social-psychological perspective we test the association between three sources of support (parents, teachers, peers) and specific components of subjective well-being (cognitive, affective, global-and-domain-specific) to determine whether there is a functional specialization of the role that these crucial socialization agents play for adolescents to attain well-being in specific life domains. (2) Methods: Cross-sectional Albanian data from Wave 3 of the Children’s Worlds International Survey (www.isciweb.org) were used, including 2,339 adolescents (age range 9-13; girls = 49.3%). A structural equation model (SEM) was employed to explore associations between supportive relationships with parents, teachers, and peers and adolescent well-being. (3) Results: Findings support a functional specialization hypothesis as parental support was significantly related to global cognitive and affective well-being; teacher support was significantly related with school satisfaction; and significant relations were found between peer support and almost all well-being variables (context-free, domain-based life satisfaction and affective subjective well-being). (4) Conclusions: Findings contribute to a more nuanced understanding of the role of supportive relationships with adults and peers in adolescents’ proximal socialization contexts (family, school, peer groups) and specific components of subjective well-being.

Earth Observation (EO) techniques have significantly evolved over time, covering a wide range of applications in different domains. The scope of this study is to review the research conducted on EO in the Eastern Mediterranean, Middle East, and North Africa (EMMENA) region and to identify the main knowledge gaps. We searched through the Web of Science database for papers published between 2018 and 2022 for EO studies in the EMMENA. We categorized the papers in the following thematic areas: Atmosphere, Water, Agriculture, Land, Disaster Risk Reduction (DRR), Cultural Heritage, Energy, Marine Safety and Security (MSS) and Big Earth Data (BED); 6647 papers were found with the highest number of publications in the thematic areas of BED (27%) and Land (22%). Most of the EMMENA countries are surrounded by sea, yet there was a very small number of studies on MSS (0.9% of total number of papers). This study detected a gap in fundamental research in the BED thematic area. Other future needs identified by this study are the limited availability of very high resolution and near real time remote sensing data, the lack of harmonized methodologies and the need for further development of models, algorithms, early warning systems and services.

Waste biogenic materials from seafood exploitation are valuable resources of new compounds exploitation within the blue bioeconomy concept. Here, we describe the effectiveness of Raman technology implementation as an in-line tool for demineralization process control of crustaceans or gastropods. We produced transparent chitin polymer foils from three waste crustacean shells (C. sapidus, S. mantis and M. squinado) using a slow, green chemical approach employing acetic acid, and showed the progressive process of biogenic carbonate dissolution and increasing the Raman characteristic signal of chitin, in a time dependence manner. It turned that chitin foils obtaining is species-specific, and the demineralization bath of waste shell mixture can be effectively tracked by Raman spectroscopy, for solvent control and the recovery of the calcium acetate as valuable by-product. Comparatively, calcium acetate drug, a compound widely used in kidney failure diseases, or as additive in nutraceuticals and food industry, has been obtained here, following a green demineralization path of the sea snail Rapana venosa intact shell, assisted by Raman tech-nology, using 9% acetic acid (vinegar) solution for 14 days. To validate the final products identity and quality, The process of waste shells demineralization and the final products of the treatment were investigated using various Raman techniques and technologies, cross-validating the results with FT-IR, XRD and SEM-EDX techniques. NIR Raman spectroscopy revealed chitin bands in a time-dependent manner, while Resonance Raman spectroscopy showed the preservation of ca-rotenoids after two weeks of acetic acid treatment. A hand-held flexible TacticID Raman system with a 1064 nm excitation demonstrated its effectiveness as a rapid, in-line decision making tool during process control and revealed excellent reproducibility of the lab-based instrument signal, suitable for in situ evaluation of the demineralization status and solvent saturation control. The calcium acetate recovered from residual treatment solutions was assessed regarding its hydration status, purity, and suitability as recrystallized material for further use as pharmaceutical product or ingredient in complex formulations.

Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a hyperglycemia state that is typically diagnosed by an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), which is unpleasant, time-consuming, poorly reproducible, and tardy. The machine learning (ML) predictive models that have been proposed to improve GDM diagnosis are usually based on instrumental methods that take hours to get a result. Near-infrared (NIR) spectroscopy, a simple, fast and low-cost analytical technique has never been assessed for the prediction of GDM. This study aims to develop ML predictive models for GDM based on NIR spectroscopy, and to evaluate their potential as early detection or alternative screening tools according to their predictive power and time of analysis. Serum samples from the first (before GDM diagnosis) and the second (at the time of GDM diagnosis) trimester of pregnancy were analyzed by NIR spectroscopy. Four spectral ranges were considered, and 80 pretreatments were tested for each. NIR data-based models were built with single- and multi-block ML techniques. Every model was subjected to double cross-validation. The best first and second trimester models got areas under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.5768 ± 0.0635 and 0.8836 ± 0.0259, respectively. This is the first study reporting NIR spectroscopy-based methods for the prediction of GDM. The developed methods allow to predict GDM from 10 µL of serum in only 32 minutes. They are simple and fast, and have a great potential to be applied in clinical practice, especially as alternative screening tools to the OGTT at the time of GDM diagnosis.

HIV diagnosis and poor HIV management have various detrimental impacts on the lives of people living with HIV (PLHIV). As part of a large qualitative study investigating HIV risk factors and impacts, with the suicide topic not being a focus, this paper describes factors contributing to suicidal ideation and attempts that arose naturally in the stories of women living with HIV (WLHIV) in Yogyakarta and Belu districts, Indonesia. The participants were recruited using the snowball sampling technique. Guided by a qualitative data analysis framework, the data were thematically analysed. Findings indicated participants experienced immense psychological challenges due to the infection, spousal transmission, fear of mother-to-child transmission, and losing a child due to AIDS, which triggered suicidal ideation and attempts. The women’s lack of awareness of HIV management strategies resulted in them feeling trapped and overwhelmed. Associated negative thoughts and the anticipation and experience of stigma relating to their HIV status were influencing factors for thoughts of suicide among participants. Lack of social support from family and friends during the early stage of HIV diagnosis, compounded with pre-existing financial difficulties, lack of income, unemployment, and feeling overburdened, also triggered the women’s thoughts of suicide. Other influencing factors for suicidal ideation and attempts among the women were family breakdown following HIV diagnosis and this was reflected in family disputes, husband-wife separation or divorce, mother-child separation by other family members, reported concern about future relationships, and fear of being rejected or abandoned by their partner due to their HIV positive status. The findings indicate the need for a nuanced approach to counselling within HIV care interventions for couples to support the acceptance of each other’s HIV status whilst maintaining psychological wellbeing. Additionally, the findings indicate the importance of HIV education and awareness among community members for the de-stigmatisation of HIV and to increase the acceptance of PLHIV within families and communities.

The purpose of this study is to analyse the ways of visualization of hidden violence through a map of the city of violence called La Manada City, in its transformation from defensive to artistic strategies. For this analysis, firstly we propose the contextualization of the artwork and its authorship, and later, the research about the artistic and visual resources of the 257 items that make up the map and its guide street, in a sort of rustic hypertext of the emotions linked to the violence in the territory. The main findings of this study demonstrate the strength of the strategy used as a survival method in cases of bullying. As a conclusion, in spite of the therapeutic effects, this work cannot be understood as Art Therapy, but as combat art: it provides an understanding of the emotional city, of the disadvantaged groups that inhabit it, from the most local (as a transcript of the city of Seville) to global and universal effects on community life.

This study looked into how financial knowledge and entrepreneurial proficiency affected the performance of small, sustainable businesses. In parallel, we looked at how business resilience mediated the relationship between entrepreneurial proficiency and financial knowledge and long-term company success. Using an offline questionnaire, we employed a quantitative approach to gather data from 275 Indian small company owners. PLS-SEM was used to analyse the data that had been gathered. The findings show that resilience and entrepreneurial ability are very positively impacted by financial knowledge. The business resilience and sustainable performance of Indian SMEs are significantly enhanced by entrepreneurial competencies. Moreover, it was shown that business resilience moderated the influence of financial knowledge and proficiency on sustainable performance among Indian SMEs, while concurrently having a significant impact on sustainable performance. In keeping with India Vision of Viksit Bharat@2047: Crystal Gazing Through MSME Sector, which places a strong emphasis on entrepreneurship and the growth of a financially independent entrepreneurial community, this study helps to open up business options for regional business owners who oversee small businesses. According to the most recent figures (2021–2022) from the Ministry of Statistics & Programme Implementation, MSMEs make up a startling 29.15% of India’s GDP. This indicates their critical significance in the development of the country as it equates to a sizeable portion of the economic pie. In addition to adding to the corpus of knowledge, this research can help policymakers develop relevant plans to motivate SMEs that have been most negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic to operate sustainably. There are also several other ramifications for financial institutions and business owners.

Soil tillage intensity influences the distribution of nutrients, and soil’s physical and me-chanical properties, as well as gas flows. The impact of reduced tillage on these indices in spring barley cultivation is still insufficient and requires more analysis on a global scale. This study was carried out at Vytautas Magnus University, Agriculture Academy (Lithu-ania) in 2022–2023. The aim of the investigation was to determine the effect of the tillage systems on the soil temperature, moisture content, CO2 respiration and concentration in spring barley cultivation limited by the semi-humid subarctic climate. Based on a long-term tillage experiment, five tillage systems were tested: deep and shallow mold-board ploughing, deep cultivation-chiselling, shallow cultivation-chiselling, and no-tillage. Shallow ploughing technology was found to be better at conserving soil moisture and maintaining a higher temperature. Deep cultivation had a lower moisture content and lower soil temperature. Shallow cultivation fields in most cases increased CO2 emissions and CO2 concentration. The results show that in direct sowing fields, most cases had a positive effect on crop density. Direct sowing fields resulted in significantly lower grain yields of spring barley in the years studied.

Botanical living collections within botanical gardens represent a crucial global asset for plant diversity. Particular emphasis should be given to dendrological collections, considering their key role in contribution to biodiversity conservation, support scientific inquiry, enhance educational initiatives and support on involvement of the public. The introduction of plants, especially woody plants, is one of the important problems in botanical science, solved in botanical gardens and arboretums. Establishment and development of the Dendrological collections in Botanical gardens is a way to have a comprehensive representation of diverse plant species from different biogeographical regions and continents. Current paper first time presents establishment, development, current status and future perspective of dendrological collections of Yerevan Botanical Garden in the linkage to introduction of woody plants in Armenia.

Transitional vertebra has been reported along of the spine in many researches focused especially on carnivores. The current study had the objectives to identify the presence of transitional lumbosacral and sacrocaudal vertebra in domestic mammals, to realize a comparative analysis of the localization and conformation of this abnormal condition. For this purpose the researches included animals belonging to next species: cow – 29 specimens, sheep – 32 specimens, horse – 31 specimens, pig – 26 specimens, rabbit – 33 specimens, dog – 89 specimens and cat – 57 specimens. The most of the animals, respectively their spine were analysed post mortem, after the dissection performed in the anatomy laboratory, except the dogs and 48 cats that were examined radiologically. The investigations revealed the presence of transitional vertebra in all species as follow: in cows – 3 cases (8,7%), all being about the lumbarization of first sacral vertebra (S1); in sheep – 3 cases (9,37%), two lumbarization cases of S1 and one caudalisation of S4 (the last sacral vertebra); in horses – 4 cases (12,9%), all about the sacralisation of Cd1 (first caudal vertebra); in pigs – 3 cases (11,53%), two lumbarisation cases of S1 and one sacralisation of Cd1; in rabbits – 3 cases (9,09%), a lumbar supernumerary vertebra (L8) and two cases of caudalisation of S4; in dogs – 4 cases (4,49%), a lumbar supernumerary vertebra (L8) and 3 cases of sacralisation of last lumbar vertebra (L7 or L8); in cats – 3 cases (5,26%), two sacralisation cases of last lumbar vertebra and one caudalisation of last sacral vertebra (S3). A strong lumbarization process was observed in ruminants (especially in cows), then in pigs, the sacralisation being prevalent in carnivores. The sacrocaudal transitional vertebrae was predominant in horses, but occurred as an ossification process especially in old animals.

The success of any tsetse control programs depends on the knowledge of their behaviour. This study assessed the host choice and feeding behaviours of Glossina morsitans’ siblings whose parents were bloodfed on Rabbits, Guinea pigs, Rodents and Squirrels. Individual host was placed in a screen cage which allowed flies to enter through openings on each side. The groups of flies (20 per replicate) colour-marked differently basing on their parents’ bloodmeal hosts, were released from the centre of large semi-field cage. Released flies were aspirated after 24 hours, then, sorted basing on the location, feeding status and parents’ bloodmeal. A total of 213 flies (72.95% of the recovered) were attracted to the hosts. The number of flies attracted to different hosts varied significantly (χ²4= 33.685, p= 0.0001); Rodent (n=80, p=0.006), Rabbit (n=59, p=0.331), Guinea pig (n=49, p=0.057) and squirrel (n=25, p=0.005). The number of flies attracted to their parent’s blood meal source varied significantly (χ²12 = 56.476, p&lt;0.001); rabbits (n= 35, 59.32%, p&lt;0.001), rodent (n=25, 31.25%, p=0.043) and guinea pig (n= 19, 38.78%, p=0.45). But, only 39 flies (18.31% of total attracted) bloodfed on the hosts; Guinea pigs (n=10, 25.64%), Rodents (n=23, 58.97%), Rabbits (n=6, 15.38%) and Squirrels (n=0,0.0%). There was significant variation in number of flies that fed successively across hosts (χ²4=49.478, p&lt;0.001). The findings from this study confirms the presence of the hosts’ differential attractiveness to flies but failed to explain observed behaviours with reference to genetic inheritance. Therefore, the study attracts the need for detailed investigation on the influence of bloodmeal sources on tsetsefly siblings’ behaviours across filial generations using small mammals.

The dairy industry relies heavily on milk pasteurization to ensure the safety and quality of milk products. Pasteurization is a process that involves heating milk to a specific temperature for a set period of time to kill harmful bacteria and other pathogens while preserving its nutritional value. recent years, newer techniques such as High Temperature Short Time (HTST) pasteurization have gained popularity due to their efficiency and effectiveness. HTST pasteurization involves rapidly heating milk to a high temperature for a short duration of time, followed by rapid cooling. This process helps to minimize the loss of flavor and nutrients in milk while ensuring its safety. However, there is still a need in the market for a compact and remotely controlled process plant for milk pasteurization. The proposed work aims to address this need by designing a process plant that is not only compact but also remotely controlled, allowing for efficient and convenient operation. can control the process plant remotely, allowing for flexibility and convenience in monitoring and managing the pasteurization process from anywhere with an internet connection

This study analyzes the potential response of the seasonal cycle of heatwave (HWDI), dry (CDD) and wet (CWD) spells indices over West Africa for the near (2031-2060) and the far (2071-2100) future periods, under RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios using CORDEX simulations. Although some relative biases during the historical period (1976-2005), the CORDEX simulations and their ensemble mean outperform the seasonal variability of the above indices over three defined sub-regions of West Africa (i.e., Guinea gulf, west and east Sahel). They have shown significant correlation coefficients and less RMSE. They project an increase in heatwave days for both near and far future periods over whole west Africa region under both RCP scenarios. In addition, the Sahel regions will face to a decrease in wet spells days from March to November, whereas, the Gulf of Guinea will face to a decrease during all the year, except CCCLM simulation which indicates an increase during the retreat phase of the monsoon (October to December). The results also have shown an increase in dry spells over Sahel regions, more pronounced during March-November period, whereas, over Guinea gulf, the increase is observed over the entire year. On the other hand, the months of increasing dry spells and decreasing wet spells coincide, suggesting that countries in these regions could be exposed simultaneously to dry season associated with a high risk of drought and heatwave under future climate conditions.

The premutation of the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene is characterized by an expansion of the CGG trinucleotide repeats (55 to 200 CGGs) in the 5' untranslated region, and increased levels of FMR1 mRNA. Molecular mechanisms leading to fragile X premutation-associated conditions (FXPAC) include co-transcriptional R loop formations, FMR1 mRNA toxicity through both RNA gelation into nuclear foci, and sequestration of various CGG re-peat-binding proteins, and repeat-associated non-AUG (RAN) initiated translation of potentially toxic proteins. Such molecular mechanisms contribute to subsequent consequences, including mitochondrial dysfunction and neuronal death. Clinically, premutation carriers may exhibit a wide range of symptoms and phenotypes. Any of the problems associated with the premutation, can appropriately be called FXPAC. Fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS), fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI), and fragile X-associated neuropsychiatric disorders (FXAND) can fall under FXPAC. Understanding the molecular and clinical aspects of the premutation of the FMR1 gene is crucial for accurate diagnosis, genetic counseling, and appropriate management of affected individuals and families. This paper summarizes all the known problems associated with the premutation and documents the presentations and discussions that occurred at the International Premutation Conference, which took place in New Zealand in 2023.

Controlling CD4+ immune cells infiltration of the brain is a leading aim in designing therapeutic strategies for a range of neuropathological disorders such as; multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer and depression. CD4+ T cells are a highly heterogeneous and reprogrammable family, that includes various distinctive cell types such as Th17, Th1, and Tregs. Interestingly Th17 and Tregs share a related transcriptomic profile, where the TGFβ-SMADS pathway plays a fundamental role in regulating the differentiation of both of these cell types. However, Th17 could be highly pathogenic and was shown to promote inflammation in various neuropathological disorders. Conversely, Treg is anti-inflammatory and is known to inhibit Th17. It could be noticed that Th17 frequencies of infiltration of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) in various neurological disorders are significantly upregulated. However, Treg infiltration numbers are significantly low. The reasons behind these contradicting observations are still unknown. In this perspective, we propose that the difference in the TCR repertoire diversity, diapedesis pathways, chemokine expression and mechanical properties of these two cell types could be contributing to answering this intriguing question.

This study investigated the ability of a HYDRUS 1D model for predicting the vertical distribution of potassium iodine (200 ppm) in soil columns after amendment with five different common remediation materials (gypsum, lime, fly ash, charcoal and sawdust) at a rate of 2.5% (w/w), relative to an unamended control soil. Results shows that relative to the unamended soil, iodine leaching was decreased by all amendments but that the magnitude of the decreases varied with the soil amendment applied. Iodine content was highest in the upper layer of the soil columns and decreased progressively with soil depth. The model was evaluated via comparison of the model simulated values with measured values from the soil column studies. The results showed that the HYDRUS 1D model efficiency was near to 1, indicating that the stimulated results were near to the measured values. Therefore, this study showed that iodine leaching through a soil could be ascertained well using a HYDRUS 1D model. The model over predicted iodine leaching, resulting to a weak correspondence between the simulated and the measured results for iodine leaching. This suggests that the HYDRUS-1D model does not explain accurately different organic and inorganic amended soil and the preferential flow that occurs in these columns. This may be due to the fact that Freundlich isotherm, which is part of the transport equations, does not sufficiently describe the mechanism of iodine adsorption onto the soil particles. This study would help to select amendments for an effective management strategy to reduce exogenous iodine losses from agro-ecosystems. This would also improve understanding of iodine transport in soil profile.

This work probes the combined effects of magnetic field and viscous dissipation on heat field and examine the second law analysis (entropy generation) in an electrically conducting fluid under the effect of wall mass transfer over continuous stretched non-isothermal surface with variable viscosity. The viscosity of the fluid is assumed to be an inverse linear function of temperature. The governing equation for the problem are changed to dimensionless ordinary differential equations by using similarity transformation and solved numerically by using Rung Kutta and Shooting technique. Velocity, concentration and temperature distribution are obtained and used to compute the entropy generation and the Bejan number in the flow field. The effect of variable viscosity, Schmidt number, Hartman and Reynolds number on the velocity, concentration, temperature, entropy generation and Bejan number are studied and discussed.

It is currently difficult to obtain accurate fine dust information in residential areas due to the insufficient number of air quality monitoring systems and spatial imbalances. Therefore, a detailed particulate matter dispersion model including factors such as land use and meteorological information was developed in this study and used to create fine dust concentration distribution maps. The fine dust concentration distribution maps currently available to citizens were compared with those obtained by dispersion modeling, and population distribution data were employed to compare the populations exposed to fine dust according to the two methods. The results of the existing method and the developed particulate matter dispersion model differed significantly. For instance, the PM2.5 concentrations in Daejeon, South Korea, on February 17, 2018, were 56% “Good” and 44% “Moderate,” according to the existing method, while they were 31% “Good,” 26% “Moderate,” 28% “Unhealthy,” and 15% “Very Unhealthy,” according to the dispersion model. Furthermore, the existing method indicated that no portion of the population was exposed to poor fine dust concentrations, while the proposed model revealed that over 170 thousand people were exposed to such concentrations. These results on fine dust distributions will contribute to sustainable urban and environmental planning.

Cancer immunobiology is one of the hot topics of discussion amongst researchers today, and immunotherapeutic modalities are among the selected few emerging approaches to cancer treatment that have exhibited a promising outlook. However, immunotherapy is not a new kid on the block; it has been around for centuries. The origin of cancer immunotherapy in modern medicine can be traced back to the initial reports of spontaneous regression of malignant tumors in some patients following an acute febrile infection, at the turn of the twentieth century. This review briefly revisits the historical accounts of immunotherapy, highlighting some of the significant developments in the field of cancer immunobiology, that have been instrumental in bringing back the immunotherapeutic approaches to the forefront of cancer research. Some of the topics covered are: Coley's toxin - the first immunotherapeutic; the genesis of the theory of immune surveillance; discovery of T-lymphocytes and dendritic cells and their roles; the role of tumor antigens; relevance of tumor microenvironment; anti-tumor (therapeutic) ability of Bacillus Calmette Guerin; Melacine - the first therapeutic vaccine engineered; theories of immunoediting and immunophenotyping of cancer; and Provenge – the first FDA approved therapeutic vaccine. In this review, head and neck cancer has been taken as the reference tumor, for narrating the progression of cancer immunobiology, particularly, for highlighting the advent of immunotherapuetic agents.

Centimeter-level localization and rotation angle estimation of flatbed trucks are major problems in unmanned forklift automated loading scenes. To solve it, this study proposes a method for high-precision positioning and rotation angle estimation of flatbed trucks based on BeiDou and vision. First, an unmanned forklift equipped with a ToF camera and double antenna mobile receiver for BeiDou positioning collects depth images and localization data near the front and rear endpoints of the flatbed. Then DDRNet-23-slim was used to segment the flatbed from the depth image and extract the straight lines at the edges of the flatbed using the Hough transform and compute the set of intersection points of the lines. A neighborhood feature vector was designed to locate the endpoint of a flatbed from a set of intersection points by feature screening. Finally, the relative coordinates of the endpoints were converted to a customized forklift navigation coordinate system by BeiDou positioning, and rotation angle estimation was performed by the front and rear endpoints. Experiments showed that the endpoint positioning error was less than 3 cm and the rotation angle estimation error was less than 0.1°. The precision of the method meets the demand for automated flatbed truck loading by unmanned forklifts.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the horizontal force and contribution of shoulder horizontal adductor and elbow extensor muscles activity during wide and narrow grip bench press (BP) in various conditions, such as resistance trained/non-trained, concentric/eccentric and muscle fatigue/non-fatigue.　We measured the horizontal force on the bar and the electromyographic (EMG) muscle activity of pectoralis major (PM) and triceps brachii (TB) during 10RM BP with wide grip (81cm) and narrow grip (40cm)　in 7　resistance trained men and 7 non-trained men. The all-reps average of the horizontal to vertical force ratio both in resistance trained and non-trained subjects was about 30% outward for the wide grip, and about 10% inward for the narrow grip. The EMG contribution ratio PM/TB shows no significant differences between narrow and wide grip in all evaluated conditions except in non-trained subjects muscle fatigue eccentric phase. Both resistance trained and non-trained subjects did not push the bar straight upward, and the EMG PM/TB was almost unchanged by hand width. The direction adjustment of the force on the bar that achieves almost the same muscle activity degree of the shoulder and elbow joints might be optimal BP kinetics.

Natural carotenoids are secondary metabolites that exhibit antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and anti-cancer properties. These types of compounds are in high demand by pharmaceutical, cosmetic, textile and food industries, leading to the search for new natural sources of carotenoids. In recent years, the production of carotenoids from bacteria has become of great interest for industrial applications. In addition to carotenoids with C40-skeletons, some bacteria have the ability to synthesize characteristic carotenoids with C30-skeletons. In this regard, a great variety of methodologies for the extraction and identification of bacterial carotenoids has been reported and this is the first review that condenses much of this information. To understand the diversity of these carotenoids, we present their biosynthetic origin in order to focus on the methodologies employed in their extraction and characterization. Special emphasis has been made on high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS) for the analysis and identification of bacterial carotenoids. We end up this review showing their potential commercial use of bacterial carotenoids. This review is proposed as a guide for the identification of these metabolites, which are frequently reported in new bacteria strains.

Selective laser melting (SLM) is a commonly used laser powder bed technique where the final properties are influenced by many different powder related properties, such as particle size distribution, chemical composition and flowability. In applications where high hardness, wear resistance, strength and good heat properties are required, high speed steels (HSS) are widely used today. HSS has high carbon content and are therefore considered as unweldable. The rapidly growing implementation of AM technologies has led to a growing range of new applications and demands for new alloys and properties. The interest in being able to manufacture HSS by SLM without cracking is therefore increasing. In SLM, it is possible to preheat the base plate to a few hundred degrees Celsius which has been used for HSS and proved successful due to reduced thermal gradients. In this study, the properties of SLM produced high speed steel PEARL Micro®2012 with a carbon content of 0.61 wt.-% have been investigated and compared to those of a forged and rolled PM-HIP counterpart ASP®2012.

One of the important features of polymethine (cyanine) dyes is isomerization around one of C–C bonds of the polymethine chain. In this review, spectral properties of the isomers, photoisomerization and thermal back isomerization of carbocyanine dyes, mostly meso-substituted carbocyanine dyes, are considered. meso-Alkyl-substituted thiacarbocyanine dyes are present in polar solvents mainly as cis isomers and, hence, exhibit no photoisomerization, whereas in nonpolar solvents, in which the dyes are in the trans form, photoisomerization takes place. In contrast, the meso-substituted dyes 3,3′-dimethyl-9-phenylthiacarbocyanine and 3,3′-diethyl-9-(2-hydroxy-4-methoxyphenyl)thiacarbocyanine occur as trans isomers and exhibit photoisomerization in both polar and nonpolar solvents. The behavior of these dyes may be explained by the fact that the phenyl ring of the substituent in their molecules can be twisted at some angle, removing the substituent from the plane of the molecule and reducing its steric effect on the conformation of the trans isomer. In some cases, photoisomerization of cis isomers of meso-substituted carbocyanine dyes is also observed (for some meso-alkyl-substituted dyes complexed with DNA and chondroitin-4-sulfate; for 3,3′-diethyl-9-methoxythiacarbocyanine in moderate polarity solvents). The cycle photoisomerization–thermal back isomerization of cyanine dyes can be used in various systems of information storage and deserves further investigation using modern research methods.

The conversion of caatinga vegetation areas into pastures in the Brazilian semiarid region has depleted soil fertility due to degradation. The natural regeneration of the caatinga has been the alternative adopted to restore soil fertility. However, the real effectiveness of this practice in re-covering organic carbon (SOC) and nutrient stocks is unknown. This work evaluated the effect of natural regeneration of the caatinga vegetation on the restoration of levels and stocks of SOC, N, and P as a strategy to maintain the sustainability of the environment. We collected soil samples every 5 cm, up to 20 cm deep, in areas of degraded pasture, caatinga in regeneration (10 years), and regenerated caatinga (35 years) to evaluate the levels and stocks of SOC, N, and P. The depth sig-nificantly affects the levels and stocks of SOC, N, and P. Stocks and levels of SOC, N, and P were higher in regenerated caatinga > regenerating caatinga > degraded pasture. The regenerated caatinga increased SOC, N, and P stocks by 115%, 110%, and 117%, respectively, compared to the degraded pasture. Although 35 years of regeneration of the caatinga has improved soil fertility, the levels and stocks of SOC, N, and P remain low.

Background: Approximately 75% of all head and neck cancer patients are treated with radiotherapy (RT). RT to the oral cavity results in acute and late adverse events which can be severe and detrimental to a patient’s quality of life and function. The purpose of this study was to explore associations between RT dose to a defined oral cavity organ at risk (OAR) avoidance structure, provider and patient reported outcomes (PROs), opioid use, and hospitalization. Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively obtained outcomes using multivariable modeling. The study included 196 patients treated with RT involving the oral cavity for a head and neck tumor. A defined oral cavity OAR avoidance structure was used in all patients for RT treatment planning. Validated PROs were collected prospectively. Opioid use and hospitalization were abstracted electronically from medical records. Results: Multivariable modeling revealed the mean dose to the oral cavity OAR was significantly associated with opioid use (p=0.0082) and hospitalization (p=0.0356) during and within 30 days of completing RT. Conclusion: The findings of this study may be valuable in RT treatment planning for patients with tumors of the head and neck region to reduce the need for opioid use and hospitalization during treatment.

The volatile fatty acids (VFAs) productions, as well as particulate organics decomposition, soluble chemical oxygen demand (SCOD) yield, and the VFAs production pathways, of mesophilic and thermophilic anaerobic fermentation were investigated. Batch experiments showed that the decomposition rate of volatile suspended solids (VSS), particulate carbohydrate (P-C) and particulate protein (P-P) followed the first-order kinetic model at different temperature. However, the intermediates， accumulated in the process of protein or carbohydrate digestion had a more significant inhibitory effect on the production of VFAs during the mesophilic anaerobic acidification process. Thermophilic fermentation led to more accumulation of VFAs compared to mesophilic fermentation. Then 13C stable isotope labeling experiment demonstrated that, acetic (HAc), propionic (HPr) and butyric (HBu) could be produced from carbohydrate and protein digestion, but valeric (HVa) was only generated from the degradation of protein. Finally, the possible pathway of HVa synthesis was proposed.

Copper, the highly toxicity micronutrient, plays two essential roles: it is a catalytic and structural cofactor for Cu-dependent enzymes, and it acts as a secondary messenger. In the cells, copper is imported by CTR1, a transmembrane high-affinity copper importer, and DMT1 (divalent metal transporter). In cytosol, enzyme-specific chaperones receive copper from CTR1 C-terminus and deliver it to their apoenzymes. DMT1 cannot be a donor of catalytic copper because it does not have cytosol domain which is required for copper transfer to the Cu-chaperons and following to cuproenzymes. Here we assume that DMT1 can mediate copper way required for regulatory copper pool. To verify this thought, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to generate H1299 cell line with CTR1 or DMT1 single knockout (KO) and CTR1/DMT1 double knockout (DKO). To confirm KOs of the genes qRT-PCR were used. Two independent clones for each gene were selected for further studies. In CTR1-KO cells, expression of the DMT1 gene was significantly increased. In subcellular compartments, copper concentration decreased dramatically in DKO cells. CTR1-KO cells, but not DMT1-KO, demonstrated reduced sensitivity to cisplatin and silver ions, agents that enter the cell through CTR1. The expression of genes, whose protein products require copper: HIF1α, XIAP, COMMD1, CCS, Cp, but not SOD1 and NF-kB, changed their level. Perhaps these data will help to understand how the disturbances of copper homeodynamics lead to the development of neurodegenerative and oncological disorders. Possibility of using CTR1 KO and DMT1 KO cells to study homeodynamics of catalytic and signaling copper selectively is discussed.

Teledermatology, the dermatological consultation and diagnosis via digital communication technologies, has become increasingly important in modern healthcare. The integration of teledermatology into clinical practice has gained significant interest, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Numerous studies have shown the effectiveness and reliability of teledermatology, with high levels of patient satisfaction and diagnostic accuracy. Pathpoint® eDerma is a cloud-based dermatology platform that aims to streamline the documentation and management of dermatological conditions. It offers several clinical benefits, including faster diagnosis, reduced unnecessary procedures, improved access to care, and cost savings. The platform follows a comprehensive risk management plan and complies with safety regulations. It undergoes regular recertification and reviews to ensure its safety and effectiveness. The clinical evaluation of eDerma confirms its ability to deliver significant clinical benefits while effectively mitigating risks. The benefit-risk ratio of eDerma is highly acceptable, supporting its use in clinical settings to enhance dermatological care.

Obstetric Violence refers to dehumanized or derogative treatment of women in their pregnancy, childbirth or postpartum periods and may be manifested through the attitudes of health professionals or the performance of unjustified or outdated practices without maternal consent. Currently, there is no tool validated in Spain to measure women’s perception of obstetric violence. The objective of this study was to carry out the cultural adaption and validation of an existing 14-item Obstetric Violence Scale to the Spanish context, and to evaluate its psychometric properties. The research was conducted in two phases: first, a methodological study designed to evaluate content validity, through assessments by 8 experts (calculating the Aiken V coefficient) and face validity in a sample of 20 women; second, a cross-sectional study to evaluate construct validity (through confirmatory factor analysis and Rasch analysis), divergent validity against a scale of birth satisfaction, known groups validity and reliability. In Phase 1, Aiken V values higher than 0.71 were obtained for all items. Phase 2 was conducted on a sample of 256 women and the fit values for the unidimensional model were RMSEA: 0.070 [95%CI: 0.059-0.105] and GFI: 0.982 [95%CI: 0.823-0.990]. The Rasch analysis indicated poor performance of item 2, which was removed. The Omega and Cronbach's Alpha coefficients were 0.863 and 0.860, respectively. A final 13-item version of the Obstetric Violence scale was produced, with total score ranging from 0 (no obstetric violence perception) to 52 (maximum obstetric violence perception). The Obstetric Violence Scale is a reliable and useful tool to measure women's perception of obstetric violence.