Hazelnut shells (HS), scientifically known as Corylus avellana L. shells, are a waste produced in companies that process nuts. The main objective of this study was to find an efficient way to maximize the chemical potential of HS by solubilizing the hemicelluloses, which could then be used to recover sugars and at the same time increase the lignin content of this material in order to produce adhesives or high strength foams. In order to optimize the pre-hydrolysis process, two different temperatures (160 and 170 C) and times varying from 15 to 180 min were tested. All the remaining solid materials were then liquefied by polyalcohols with acid catalysis. The chemical composition of hazelnut shells was determined before and after the pre-hydrolysis. All the process was monitored by FTIR-ATR by determining the spectra of solids and liquids after pre-hydrolisis and liquefactions steps. The highest solubilization of hazelnut shells was found for 170 C and 180 min, resulting in a 25.8% solubilization. Chemical analysis after the hydrolysis process showed a gradual increase in the solubilization of hemicelluloses as both the temperature and time of the reactor were increased. Simultaneously, the percentages of α-cellulose and lignin in the material also increased with rises in temperature and duration. FTIR-ATR allowed for the detection of significant spectral changes in the hazelnut shells from their initial state to the solid residue and further into the liquefied phase. This confirmed that pre-hydrolysis was effective in enhancing the chemical composition of the material, making it more suitable for the production of adhesives or polyurethane foams with enhanced mechanical strength.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the genetic effects involved on pepper fruit post-harvest water loss, and correlated to morphology traits. Fruits of eight landraces of C. baccatum, and their 28 hybrids, were evaluated in a randomized complete block design. Analysis of variance, diallel analysis, phenotypic and genotypic correlation were performed to compare fruit water loss (WL), width (FW), length (FL), total soluble solids (TSS), dry matter content (DMC), pericarp thickness (PT), cuticle thickness (CT), and exocarp thickness (ET). WL varied from 14 to 68% during storage. Non-additive effects played more important role than additive, including CT, EP and TSS. Effective strategies to reduce WL should be achieved by repeated backcrosses followed by selection in segregating populations (SP). Therefore, the selection of hybrids should follow high specific combining ability traits. Selecting fruits with higher CT and lower TSS values are indirectly selecting fruits with lower WL. Varieties with low WL can be breed using landraces 04 and 58 as parents or by the hybrid 04 x 44 in open lines in SP. Brazilian C. baccatum landraces are a source of genetic variability, and the SP emerging from crossing lines with reduced WL should develop new ways for conventional breeding.

Traditional Medicine (TM) is a culturally-rooted healthcare practice, and its use, including for treating illnesses among children, has been reported in many countries. Despite the cultural significance of TM in managing children’s illnesses, evidence suggests that child mortality remains high in many settings. This indicates that the sole use of TM within families and communities might act as a barrier to using biomedical services, contributing to avoidable deaths. Globally, Indonesia is in the top 10 countries with the highest child mortality rates. In addition, Belu is a district in East Nusa Tenggara province, Indonesia that exhibits a high number of child deaths within the last three years. However, the use of TM for the treatment of illnesses among children in Indonesia has received minimal academic attention. This study aimed to understand parental beliefs, knowledge, views, and perceptions of TM and the impact on the use of TM and biomedical services in the treatment of illnesses among their children in Belu district, Indonesia. The participants (n=25) were parents with the real-life experiences of using TM for treating their children’s illnesses. They were recruited using the snowballing sampling technique. Data were collected using in-depth qualitative interviews. A thematic data analysis was performed and guided by a qualitative data analysis framework. The findings were grouped into four main themes: (i) parental beliefs, knowledge, views, and perceptions of TM, (ii) the influence of these factors on parental use of TM and biomedical services for the treatment of children’s illnesses, (iii) social and cultural influences on the use of TM and biomedical services among their children, and (iv) the impact of the sole use of TM or late medical diagnosis on the health condition and the death of children. The findings show that the use of TM is a common practice within families and communities in Belu, however evidence suggests that child mortality remains high in the setting, indicating less effectiveness of the sole use of TM. Thus, there is a need for the development of collaborative models of healthcare programs and service delivery fostering mutual respect and understanding between traditional healers and healthcare professionals, which could significantly contribute to improving parental use of biomedical services for the treatment of their children’s illnesses.

Background: Nutritional status and oxidative stress have been implicated in the pathogenesis and persistence of long COVID, but data in patients undergoing hemodialysis (HD) are limited. The present study aimed to investigate the association between pre-infection nutritional status, oxidative stress, and one-year long COVID persistence in HD patients. Methods: This prospective observational cohort study enrolled 115 HD patients with confirmed COVID-19. Nutritional status was assessed using the Controlling Nutritional Status (CONUT) score twice: before infection and three months post-infection. Oxidative markers included malondialdehyde (MDAs), ceruloplasmin, transferrin, and sulfhydryl groups. The endpoint was one-year long COVID persistence. Results: Moderate pre-infection CONUT scores were associated with heightened severe undernutrition risk (p < 0.0001), elevated MDAs (p < 0.0001), and reduced ceruloplasmin levels (p = 0.0009) at three months post-COVID-19 compared to light CONUT scores. Pre-infection CONUT score independently predicted post-COVID oxidative damage [OR 2.3 (95%CI 1.2; 4.6), p < 0.0001] and one-year long COVID persistence [HR 4.6 (95%CI 1.4; 9.9), p < 0.0001], even after adjusting for potential confounders. Conclusion: Moderate pre-infection undernutrition in patients undergoing HD associated with increased post-COVID oxidative stress intensity and heightened risk of one-year long COVID persistence.

The blood counts of α thalassemia carriers (α-thal) are similar to those of β thalassemia carriers, except for Hgb A2 that is not elevated. The objective of this study was to determine whether mathematical formulas are effective for detecting suspected α-thal. The data were obtained from the database of the prevention program for detecting couples at risk for having a child with hemoglobinopathy. RBC indices were analyzed using mathematical formulas and the sensitivity and negative predictive value (NPV) calculated. Among 1334 blood counts suspected α-thal analyzed, only the Shine&Lal and the Support Vector Machine formulas revealed high sensitivity and NPV. Sensitivity was 85.54 and 99.33% and NPV 98.93 and 99.93%, respectively. Molecular defects were found in 291, 81 had normal α genes. Molecular analysis was not performed in 962. Based on these results, mathematical formulas incorporating one of these reliable formulas for detecting suspected α or β thalassemia carriers in the program of the automatic analyzers can flag these results and increase the awareness of the primary physicians about the carrier risk and send an alert with a recommendation for further testing.

Analyzing BRCA1/2 tumor pathogenic variants (TPVs) in epithelial tubal/ovarian cancers (EOC) has become an essential part of the diagnostic workflow in many centers to guide treatment options and genetic cascade testing. However, there is no standardization of testing procedures, including techniques, gene assays, or sequencers used, and data on the execution of tumor tests remains scarce. Therefore, we evaluated characteristics of BRCA1/2 tumor testing in advanced-stage EOC with real-world national data. Pathology reports of patients diagnosed with EOC in 2019 in the Netherlands were obtained from the Dutch Pathology Registry (PALGA), and data regarding histological subtype and BRCA1/2 tumor tests were extracted. A total of 999 patients with advanced-stage EOC were included. Tumor tests were performed for 502 patients (50.2%) and BRCA1/2 TPVs were detected in 14.7%. Of all tests, 48.6% used hybrid capture techniques and 26.5% used PCR-based techniques. More than half of the tests (55.0%) analyzed other genes in addition to BRCA1/2. Overall, this study highlights the heterogeneity in the execution of BRCA1/2 tumor tests. Despite a lack of evidence of quality differences, we emphasize that adequate reporting and internal and external quality monitors are essential for high-quality implementation and execution of reliable BRCA1/2 tumor testing, which is crucial for identifying all patients with BRCA1/2 TPVs.

Sarcopenia is associated with clinical complications, which increase mortality. Effective sarcopenia risk screening in the elderly should be grounded in a comprehensive assessment, encompassing both nutritional status and medication use. Current screening tools, while emphasizing muscular per-formance, exhibit limited sensitivity in identifying elderly individuals at risk of sarcopenia. This cross-sectional study aimed to develop a sarcopenia risk screening tool, named Sarc-Global, with enhanced sensitivity, incorporating factors pertinent to the overall health of the elderly. Utilizing the criteria established by EWGSOP2 for diagnosing sarcopenia, we evaluated 395 communi-ty-dwelling elderly individuals. This evaluation served as a reference for assessing the efficacy of two validated questionnaires, Sarc-F and Sarc-CalF, and our newly developed Sarc-Global. Con-structed through multiple logistic regression, Sarc-Global integrates variables such as sex, age, medication use, body mass index, arm circumference, and handgrip strength – all significantly associated with sarcopenia (p

Unmanned vehicles (UVs) have become increasingly important in various scenarios of civil and military operations. The present work aims at the conceptual design of a modular Amphibious Unmanned Ground Vehicle (A-UGV), that can be easily adapted for different types of land and/or water missions, with low monetary cost (<5k€, without sensors). Basing the design on the needs highlighted in the 2021 review of the Strategic Directive of the Portuguese Navy, the necessary specifications and requirements are established for two mission scenarios. Then a market research analysis focused on vehicles currently available, and their technological advances, is conducted to identify existing UVs solutions and respective characteristics/capabilities of interest to the current work. To study and define the geometry of the hull and the configuration of the A-UGV itself, preliminary computational structural and fluid analyses are carried out to ensure it complies with the specifications initially established. As a result, one obtains a fully electric vehicle, with approximate dimensions of 1050×670×450mm (length-width-height), enabled with 6×6 traction capable of reaching 20km/h in land, possesses amphibious capabilities of independent propulsion in water up to 8kts, and with an estimated autonomy of over 60 minutes.

Berberis vulgaris L. (Berberidaceae) is a shrub that has been widely used in European folk medicine as an anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial agent. The purpose of our study was to elucidate the mechanisms of antiproliferative action of the plant’s methanolic root extract (BVR) against colon cancer cells. Cytotoxicity and pro-apoptotic activity were determined in human colon adenocarcinoma cell lines (LS180 and HT-29) and control colon epithelial CCD841 CoN cells. According to the MTT assay, after 48 h of cell exposure, the IC50 values were as follows: 4.3; 46.1 and 50.2 µg/mL for LS180, HT-29, and CCD841 CoN cells, respectively, showing the greater sensitivity of cancer cells to BVR. The Cell Death Detection ELISAPLUS kit demonstrated that BVR induced programmed cell death only against HT-29 cells. RT-qPCR with relative quantification method showed significant changes in the expression of genes related to apoptosis in both colon cancer cell lines. The genes BCL2L1 (126.84-366.66%), BCL2L2 (277.08-330.12%), CASP3 (180.36-261.36%) and CASP9 (158.08-213.46%) had significantly elevated expression, while BCL2 (23.08-52.06%) had reduced expression. Furthermore, in a panel of antioxidant tests, BVR showed positive effects (63.93±0.01, 122.92±0.01, and 220.29±0.02 mg Trolox equivalents (TE)/g in the DPPH•, ABTS•+ and ORAC assays, respectively). In the lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibition test, BVR revealed 62,60±0.87% of enzyme inhibition. The chemical composition of BVR was determined using UHPLC-UV-CAD-MS/MS analysis and confirmed the presence of several known alkaloids, including berberine, as well as other alkaloids and two derivatives of hydroxycinnamic acid (ferulic and sinapic acid hexosides). This is the first such extensive assessment of the biological activity of BVR. The results are very promising and encourage for the use of BVR as a comprehensive chemopreventive agent (anti-inflammatory, antioxidant, and pro-apoptotic) in colorectal cancer.

How hands-on gardening impacts behaviors including healthy eating and physical activity during early childhood can be of critical importance for preventing early onsets of obesity. This research investigates how participating in hands-on gardening impacts preschoolers’ (3-5 years old) physical activity (measured by accelerometers) in childcare centers in the Semi-Arid Climate Zone. The research was conducted in eight licensed childcare centers located in West Texas with 149 children (n=149). Four childcare centers in the experimental group received hands-on garden interventions; the other four in the control group did not. In both experimental (intervention) and control (non-intervention) centers, children wore Actigraph GT3X+ accelerometers continuously for 5 days before and for 5 days after intervention (a total of 10 days). Results show that the duration of sedentary behavior of children in the experimental (intervention) group significantly decreased compared to children in the control (non-intervention) group. The finding suggests that the positive effects of childcare hands-on gardening on physical activity extend to semi-arid climate zones where gardening is challenging due to high temperatures and lack of annual rainfall. The research emphasizes the critical need to incorporate hands-on gardening in childcare centers as an obesity prevention strategy nationally in the U.S. and beyond.

Protein tyrosine phosphatase receptor type E (PTPRE) is a member of the “classical” protein tyrosine phosphatase subfamily and regulates a variety of cellular processes in a tissue-specific manner by antagonizing the function of protein tyrosine kinases. PTPRE plays a tumorigenic role in different human cancer cells, but its role in retinoblastoma (RB), the most common malignant eye cancer in children, remains to be elucidated. Etoposide resistant RB cell lines and RB patients display significant higher PTPRE expression levels compared to chemosensitive counterparts and the healthy human retina, respectively. PTPRE promotor methylation analyses revealed that PTPRE expression in RB is not regulated via this mechanism. Lentiviral PTPRE knockdown (KD) induced a significant decrease in growth kinetics, cell viability, and anchorage independent growth of etoposide resistant Y79 and WERI RB cells. Caspase-dependent apoptosis rates were significantly increased and a re-sensitization for etoposide could be observed after PTPRE depletion. In vivo chicken chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) assays revealed decreased tumor formation capacity as well as reduced tumor size and weight following PTPRE KD. Expression levels of miR631 were significantly downregulated in etoposide resistant RB cells and patients. Transient miR631 overexpression resulted in significantly decreased PTPRE levels and concomitantly decreased proliferation and increased apoptosis levels in etoposide resistant RB cells, impacts mirroring PTPRE KD effects and indicating PTPRE regulation via this miR. Additionally, PTPRE KD led to altered phosphorylation of protein kinase SGK3 and - dependent on the cell line - also AKT and ERK1/2, suggesting potential PTPRE downstream signaling pathways. In summary, these results indicate an oncogenic role of PTPRE in chemoresistant retinoblastoma.

: The crystallization conditions from the solution play an important role in determining the mor-phology, phase composition, and photovoltaic properties of perovskite films. Post-processing of the obtained films can have a crucial role in increasing the grain size of perovskite and enhancing its crystallinity. It has been shown that the formation of crystal nuclei can be utilized to accelerate crystallization. In this case, crystallization occurs through the growth of seed crystals created in the solution, enabling the formation of relatively large crystals. For the deposition of CH3NH3PbI3 hybrid halide perovskite films from a solution of the perovskite in dimethylformamide the spin coating technique was employed. Pre-crystallization was achieved by annealing the films at a temperature of 100 or 110 °C. The dissolution process involved adding a drop of dimethylformamide onto the substrate surface and allowing it to partially dissolve the perovskite film. Subsequently, residual solvent was removed through spin coating. The mor-phological analysis of the perovskite film surface after recrystallization at temperatures ranging from 80 to 130 °C was performed. The infrared transmission spectra of the obtained perovskite films were investigated, and their light absorption characteristics were studied through transmission spectra. The perovskite structure in the obtained films was confirmed by the peaks observed in the X-ray diffraction patterns.

Background: Peripheral Ossifying Fibroma (POF) is a benign gingival tumor generally presenting as a slow-growing mass, usually not ulcerated, and without bleeding. Histopathological exam shows fibrous connective tissue with spots or extensive areas of intralesional calcifications, which can also be detectable on radiograms. Methods and case presentation: We present the case of a 4-year-old male with a retro-incisive swelling of the hard palate, associated with speaking and feeding difficulties. On CT scans, a small intralesional calcification was detected. After conscious sedation, the patient was subjected to diode laser excision (910 nm, 2W, CW, 300 m fiber) with-out post-operative complications. A review was conducted by searching the words “peripheral ossifying fibroma” AND “children” OR “infant” and including manuscripts of the last 15 years. Results: POF is an uncommon lesion of the oral mucosa and may sporadically affect the palatal mucosa in children. Considering its epidemiology and conventional clinical presentation as epu-lis, the pre-operative diagnosis may be relatively difficult. Risk factors could be represented by plaque, calculus, or trauma, all supporting a possible reactive pathogenesis, but a certain etiology is still missing. The main problem of POF is the recurrence rate, which is particularly high (8-20%), thus suggesting that a deep excision is recommended with full extension to the hard tis-sue of bone and to the adjacent periodontal ligament. Diode laser surgery may be recommended for such treatments, especially in pediatric patients, associated with intraoperative conscious se-dation. Data emerging from the relevant literature on POF management in children have been collected and discussed. Conclusions: The authors suggest the use of diode laser for the complete excision of POF, especially in less-compliant patients as children, with a low grade of comorbidi-ties and good outcomes, giving the surgeon a viable alternative to conventional surgery.

Leishmaniasis are neglected diseases that affect regions such as South Asia, South Africa and Latin America, less developed regions. Current treatment, for cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniosis, which are the main forms of the disease, is based on the administration of pentavalent antimonial and amphotericin B. However, these drugs have low efficacy and high toxicity. For this reason, the search for new treatments for this disease is necessary, based on studies of new molecules and their conformations. The research proposed the conformational study of brominated guanidine compounds with potential antileishmanial activity using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The present study involves the bro-minated molecules, LQOF-G2, LQOF-G30, LQOF-G35 and LQOF-G35-Br. The later was synthesized by the reaction of LQOF-G35 with NBS under IR irradiation at 120 Watts of potency and dichloro-methane as solvent by 12-h of exposition. The obtained results demonstrated the efficiency of the bromination method, since two bromines atoms entered the molecule. Furthermore, NMR analysis showed the occurrence of a conformational change from Z to E when compound LQOF-G35 was brominated to LQOF-G35-Br. This feature was well confirmed by comparative DRX study of the LQOF-G35 and LQOF-G35-Br compounds. The antileishmanial activity of LQOF-G2 e LQOF-G35 motivated the synthesis of new brominated compounds LQOF-G30 e LQOF-G35-Br.

The 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF) is a six-carbon heterocyclic organic compound with two substituents an aldehyde group and an alcohol group. It is formed from saccharides as a result of two reactions: the Maillard reaction and the caramelization of saccharides. It has both a negative and a positive effect on the human body, which makes it, even more, an attractive research object. The objective of the study was to determine HMF content in honey samples available on the Polish market using three varied methods and compare the results obtained. The methodology used included: two spectrophotometric methods (by White and Winkler) and the HMF determination method based on the LC-MS/MS technique developed uniquely for this study. The determined HMF content in all tested honey samples did not exceed the applicable standard. All results are within the scope of the European Council Directive 2001/110/EC of 20 December 2001, i.e. they do not exceed HMF content in honey, which is 40 mg/kg.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infections, in particular biofilm-organized bacteria, remain a clinical challenge and a serious health problem. Rifabutin (RFB), an antibiotic of the rifamycins class, has shown in previous work excellent anti-staphylococcal activity. Here, we proposed to load RFB in liposomes aiming to promote the accumulation of RFB at infected sites and consequently enhancing the therapeutic potency. Two clinical isolates of MRSA, MRSA-C1 and MRSA-C2, were used to test the developed formulations, as well as the positive control, vancomycin (VCM). RFB in free and liposomal forms displayed high antibacterial activity, with minimal inhibitory concentrations (MIC) ranging from 0.009-0.013 μg/mL and MBIC50 values ranging from 0.008-0.012 μg/mL, in planktonic and biofilm bacteria, respectively. Confocal microscopy studies demonstrated the rapid internalization of unloaded and RFB-loaded liposomes in the bacterial biofilm matrix. In murine models of systemic MRSA-C1 infection, Balb/c mice were treated with RFB formulations and VCM at 20 and 40 mg/kg of body weight, respectively. Obtained data proved the superior therapeutic effectiveness of RFB formulations compared to Control and VCM groups even using a two-fold lower therapeutic dose as demonstrated by significantly reduced bacterial burden and growth index values in major organs. In addition, RFB formulations were the only formulations associated with 100% survival. Globally, this study emphasizes the potential of RFB nanoformulations as an effective and safe approach against MRSA infections.

Proteins play a pivotal role in supporting athletes by promoting muscle hypertrophy and minimizing protein catabolism during exercise. They stimulate muscle protein synthesis, aiding in the repair of exercise-induced muscle damage and serving as an energy source, particularly for post-exercise glycogen replenishment. In individuals with phenylketonuria (PKU), for whom protein intake is limited to essential phenylalanine (Phe), supplementation with Phe-free amino acids or glycomacropeptides is necessary. Tailored for macronutrient and micronutrient content, these protein substitutes fulfill most protein requirements, but lack Phe, unlike dietary sources of protein. Protein requirements for athletes with PKU exceed general recommendations due to limited availability in supplements and potential catabolism mitigation. Various factors influence tolerated dietary Phe in PKU, including protein substitute quantity, distribution, pharmacological treatment, age, growth rate, pregnancy, catabolic states, and physical activity. While general protein requirements for PKU surpass those of the general population, adherence to supplement regimens is crucial for athletes and patients with PKU. Strategically timed protein substitutes enhance muscle protein synthesis, body composition, and sports performance within safety limits. Individualized intake is essential for optimal outcomes, as proteins have a multifaceted role in optimizing athletic performance and addressing challenges in PKU.

After UV excitation, gas phase thymine returns to ground state in 5 to 7 ps, showing multiple time constants. There is no consensus on the assignment of these processes, with a dispute between models claiming that thymine is trapped either in the first (S1) or in the second (S2) excited states. In the present study, nonadiabatic dynamics simulation of thymine is performed on the basis of ADC(2) surfaces, to understand the role of dynamic electron correlation on the deactivation pathways. The results show that trapping in S2 is strongly reduced in comparison to previous simulations considering only non-dynamic electron correlation on CASSCF surfaces. The reason for the difference is traced back to the energetic cost for formation of a CO p bond in S2.

Introduction: In Ethiopia, maternal undernutrition is a major public health concern. However, comprehensive evidence is lacking in the southern part of Ethiopia, specifically the household and community-level related determinants of undernutrition. Besides, the evidence about the prevalence and determinants of undernutrition is not yet documented in the current study setting. Thus, this study aimed to determine the prevalence of undernutrition and identify its determinants among pregnant women in Hawela Lida district of the Sidama region, Ethiopia.Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 515 pregnant women from June 1–25, 2024. A multi-stage sampling method was utilized to select eligible pregnant women. We collected data using the Open Data Kit smart phone device and exported it to Stata version 17 for further processing and analysis. A multi-level mixed-effects modified Poisson regression analysis with robust variance was used to account for between and with cluster effects.Result: The prevalence of undernutrition among pregnant women was 41.7% (95% CI: 37.3–45.6). The prevalence of undernutrition was associated with planned pregnancy (adjusted prevalence ratio [APR]: 0.80; 95% CI: 0.66-0.98), household food insecurity (APR: 1.64; 95% CI: 1.26-2.13), inadequate dietary diversity (APR: 1.79; 95% CI: 1.43-2.25), and women’s poor knowledge of nutrition (APR: 1.68; 95% CI: 1.32-2.12) at individual levels. The identified determinants of undernutrition at the community level were low community literacy rates (APR: 4.62; 95% CI: 1.13–18.79) and low community wealth status (APR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.10–3.31).Conclusion: Two in five pregnant women had an undernutrition problem in the study setting. Individual and community-level determinants contributed to the high prevalence of undernutrition. Thus, any prevention and control approaches to undernutrition should consider inter-sectorial collaboration to account for determinants at various levels. Besides, any program must emphasize the delivery of nutrition education about dietary diversity, particularly targeting pregnant mothers who have poor knowledge of nutrition and unplanned pregnancy at the individual level. Moreover, creating a small business reform for the community with low wealth status using agricultural extension workers must be considered.

Efficiency serves as a crucial metric in assessing the advancement of scientific research for universities. Reasonable inputs of human resources, finances, materials, and other resources, along with high-quality research output, are important guarantees for the research efficiency of Chinese universities. This study delves into the patterns of changes of research efficiency among universities across the 31 provinces and municipalities of China from 2012 to 2022. By scrutinizing input-output perspectives and utilizing data sourced from the China Statistical Yearbook, the analysis unveils prevailing scenarios of input redundancy and output insufficiency in research efficiency across universities. The static and dynamic trends in research efficiency were further investigated by employing a static non-parametric Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA)-BCC model and a dynamic Malmquist index. Key findings from the analysis from 2012 to 2022 include: (1) notable growth in investments in teaching, research equipment assets, and research and development funds among nationwide universities; (2) a steady increase in the mean value of technical efficiency (TE) from 0.97 to 0.99, indicating continuous enhancement in overall efficiency in research input resource allocation across the provinces; (3) the mean Malmquist productivity index of 1.285, with an average annual increase of 28.5%, signifying a consistent improvement in university research efficiency throughout the study period; and (4) the provinces experiencing varying degrees of input redundancy or output insufficiency were selected to suggest the need for tailored strategies in resource allocation. The study underscores the importance of a holistic evaluation system involving stakeholders from government, universities, and society to optimize research efficiency and promote scientific innovation and social development.

This work presents the mathematical framework of the Second-Order Comprehensive Adjoint Sensitivity Analysis Methodology for Response-Coupled Forward/Adjoint Linear Systems (abbreviated as “2nd-CASAM-L”), which enables the most efficient computation of exactly obtained mathematical expressions of first- and second-order sensitivities of a generic system response with respect to functions (“features”) of model parameters. Subsequently, the first- and second-order sensitivities with respect to the model’s uncertain parameters, boundaries, and internal interfaces are obtained analytically and exactly, without needing large-scale computations. Within the 2nd-FASAM-L methodology, the number of large-scale computations is proportional to the number of model features (defined as functions of model parameters), as opposed to being proportional to the number of model parameters, which are considerably more than the number of features, being incomparably more efficient and more accurate than any other methods (statistical, finite differences, etc.) for computing exact expressions of response sensitivities (of any order) with respect to the model’s features and/or primary uncertain parameters, boundaries, and internal interfaces. The application of the 2nd-CASAM-L methodology is illustrated using a simplified energy-dependent neutron transport model of fundamental significance in nuclear reactor physics.

(1) Background: Mobile health (mHealth) solutions can become means of improving functional recovery and reducing the peri-operative burden and costs associated with arthroplasty procedures. Aim of this study is to explore the objectives, functionalities, and outcomes of a platform designed to provide personalized surgical experiences to qualified patients, along with the associated problems and opportunities. (2) Methods: A survey-based analysis was conducted on patients who were prescribed the use of a specific care management platform and underwent primary Robotic total knee arthroplasty (rTKA) between January 2021 and February 2023. (3) Results: Patients registered on the platform who have undergone primary Robotic TKA (rTKA) were considered. The mean age of registered patients is 68,6 years. The male (M) / female (F) ratio is 45.1% / 54.9%. The patients interviewed were at an average distance of 485 days from the intervention, with a standard deviation of 187.5. The survey highlighted appreciation for the App and its features but limits in its use and in its perception from the patients. All these data were evaluated according to the Wald principles and strategies to improve patient recruitment, enhance adherence, and create a comprehensive patient journey for optimized surgical experiences were analyzed. (4) Conclusions: This patient care platform may have the potential to impact surgical experiences by increasing patient engagement, facilitating remote monitoring, and providing personalized care. There is the need to emphasizes the importance of integrating the recruiting process, improving adherence strategies, and creating a comprehensive patient journey within the platform

This article aims at investigating the complex relationship between the local population and its natural and urban environment. The study of area which, is previously dominated by cereal cultivation, facing profitability challenges due to climate change, water scarcity Rapid urban expansion and overexploitation of aquifers, influenced by changes in agricultural practices, are disrupting the local ecosystem. The study relies on three interconnected indicators: population growth, climate change effects on agriculture, and the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) reveal the impact of these factors on agricultural practices. Google Earth Engine was employed to determine urbanization and greenness indices using scripts. Key findings include a shift towards intensive and protected agriculture, driven by individual and collective choices of official and unofficial actors, deviating from government directives. Additionally, the study highlights the unsustainability of this new agricultural direction, as the available water re-sources cannot meet the demands, potentially leading to recurrent agricultural shortages. The study underscores the importance of incorporating agricultural production into future urban planning and development programs to maintain a renewed balance between built environ-ments and agriculture on the outskirts of cities.

Background: The high prevalence of learning disabilities among children confirm that learning disabilities are surprisingly common. In absence of routine screening, many children still go undetected with a huge individual and family burden, while at the same time existing interventions are conflicting. The purpose of the study is to report on the design, implementation and evaluation of an innovative pilot intervention aiming to improve the quality of life of the family of students with specific learning disabilities. Method: For the purposes of this study, we used an experimental research design, using two groups (intervention and control). The intervention included four meetings with parents of children from the intervention group. To assess the quality of life of the students' family and the parenting style, the following measuring tools were used. They conducted at times and locations convenient to each participant. The instruments used to measure outcomes were two standard weighted questionnaires, the parenting style questionnaire and the family quality of life questionnaire. Findings: The results showed that the intervention program had significantly positive effects on both parenting style and children’s quality of life. Specifically, a decrease in parental authoritarianism and an increase in parental support were observed. Also, an increase in child-parent interaction, emotional and general well-being was found. Conclusion: The intervention program did improve the quality of life of the children by increasing all the variables related to the measurement of their quality of life.

Hydration and fluids detected with bioimpdance can be confounderdby ecw expansion and overload. to estimates with sufficient accuracy body fat A confrontation with imaging and dxa is confirmatory

In Brazil, sucrose-rich broths (cane juice and/or molasses) are used to produce billions of liters of both fuel ethanol and cachaça per year using selected Saccharomyces cerevisiae industrial strains. Aiming to improve this disaccharide fermentation, we have first determined the genetic characteristics, by array comparative genomic hybridization, of a group of 8 fuel ethanol and 5 cachaça industrial yeasts that tend to dominate the fermentors during the production season. The widespread presence of SUC genes encoding invertase at multiple telomeres has been shown to be a common feature of both baker’s and distillers’ yeast strains and is postulated to be an adaptation to sucrose-rich broths. Our results show that only two strains (one fuel ethanol and one cachaça yeast) have amplification of the SUC genes, with high invertase activity. The other industrial yeast strains had a single SUC locus (SUC2) in their genome, with different patterns of invertase activity. These results indicate that invertase activity probably does not limit sucrose fermentation during fuel ethanol and cachaça production by these industrial strains. Using this knowledge, we changed the mode of sucrose metabolism of an industrial strain by avoiding extracellular invertase activity, overexpressing the intracellular invertase, and increasing its transport through the AGT1 permease. This approach allowed higher ethanol production from sucrose by the modified industrial yeast when compared to its parental strain.

Asthma is the most prevalent cause of chronic respiratory diseases. Herein, we evaluate asthma burden in Mexico based on results from the Global Burden of Disease (GBD 2019) study 2019. Using data from the GBD 2019, we estimated asthma prevalence, incidence, mortality, and disability-adjusted lived years (DALYs) counts and crude and age-standardized rates per 100,000 people with a 95% uncertainty interval (UI) by sex and age at the national and subnational levels in Mexico from 1990 to 2019. At the national level, asthma affected 3.35 million (95% UI, 2.59-4.37) people, with 606.0 thousand (433.0-811.1) new incident cases and 1,655 (3-1,931) deaths during 2019. Asthma caused a slightly higher burden in females and affected mainly age groups between 1 and 14 years of age. The burden of asthma gradually decreased from 1990 to 2010. However, during the last decade (2010-2019), prevalence increased by 8.2%, as did incidence by 11.3%, whereas mortality and DALYs decreased by 23.3 and 1.6%, respectively. Finally, the burden of asthma displayed a heterogeneous pattern of disease at the subnational level. In conclusion, asthma causes a significant health loss in Mexico that differentially affects the population distributed among the states of the country, thus causing health disparities that should be addressed to provide sustainable asthma diagnosis and control to reduce its burden, especially at early stages of life.

Mutations in the Neuroligin-3 (Nlgn3) gene are implicated in autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and gastrointestinal (GI) dysfunction but cellular Nlgn3 expression in the enteric nervous system remains to be characterised. We combined RNAScope in situ hybridization for Nlgn3 mRNA and immunofluorescence for cholinergic and VIP-expressing submucosal neurons, nitrergic and calretinin-containing myenteric neurons and glial cells. We measured Nlgn3 mRNA neuronal and glial expression via quantitative 3-dimensional image analysis. To validate dual RNAScope/immunofluorescence data, we interrogated available single cell RNA sequencing (scRNASeq) data to assess for Nlgn3, Nlgn1, Nlgn2 and their binding partners, Nrxn1-3, MGDA1 and MGDA2, in enteric neural subsets. Most submucosal and myenteric neurons expressed Nlgn3 mRNA. In contrast to other Nlgns and binding partners, Nlgn3 was strongly expressed in enteric glia, suggesting a role for Neuroligin-3 in mediating enteric neuron-glia interactions. The autism-associated R451C mutation reduces Nlgn3 mRNA expression in cholinergic but not VIPergic submucosal neurons. In the myenteric plexus, Nlgn3 mRNA levels are reduced in calretinin and NOS labelled neurons and S100ß labelled glia. We provide a comprehensive cellular profile for neuroligin-3 expression in ileal neuronal subpopulations of mice expressing the R451C autism-associated mutation in Nlgn3, which may contribute to the understanding of the pathophysiology of GI dysfunction in ASD.

Introduction: SARS-CoV-2 infection was first reported in 2019 and has since spread throughout the world. This is a cross-sectional study in cooperation with 118 Department of Pre-Hospital and Territorial Emergency (118 SET) of Taranto City and the University of Bari, Aldo Moro, and the School of Medicine from Italy. We conducted a study on how the COVID-19 epidemics evolved and how it was contained by different countermeasures by taking into account data showing socio-demographic and that older persons, as well as individuals with comorbidities and poor metabolic health, and people coming from economically depressed areas with lower quality of life in general, are more likely to develop severe COVID-19 infection. Objective: Examine the association between county-level socio-demographic risk factors and COVID-19 incidence and mortality, determining the possible emo-biological markers, ferritin, and lymphocytes, that could be indicative of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Methods: Descriptive cross-sectional study on 600 patients examined and treated at general hospital Ninh Thuan from January to September 2022. Results: 33/600 patients were confirmed to be infected with SARS-CoV-2 (5.5%), males 4.8% and females 5.8%, the median age of infected patients is 36 years. Most infections were mild (75.8%). Our results revealed that the structure and the spatial arrangement of socio-demographic arrangements are important either as epidemiological determinants or as disease markers. Conclusion: Approximately 5.5% of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 come to examination and treatment at the hospital, these findings suggested that possible infection rate in the burden of the COVID-19 pandemic, the sociodemographic risk factors, and their root causes must be addressed. In addition, lab results obtained from affected patients showed that lymphocytes and ferritin could be considered traits of mild COVID-19 infection.

The detection and quantification of protein–protein interactions (PPIs) is a crucial technique that often involves the use of recombinant proteins with fusion-protein tags, such as maltose-binding protein (MBP) and glutathione-S-transferase (GST). In this study, we improved the cohesive and sticky properties of gelatinized starch by supplementing it with agarose, resulting in a harder gel that could coat the bottom of a microtiter plate. The resulting gelatinized starch/agarose mixture allowed for the efficient immobilization of MBP-tagged proteins on the coated plates, enabling the use of indirect ELISA-like PPI assays. By using the enzymatic activity of GST as an indicator, we succeeded in determining the dissociation constants between MBP-tagged and GST-tagged proteins on 96-well microtiter plates and a microplate reader without any expensive specialized equipment.

This paper presents results of the experiments performed on a nonconventional and extremely interesting in regard to evolution, creature, the European river lamprey Lampetra fluviatilis (Petromyzontiformes, Cyclostomata), one of the oldest taxa of vertebrates. We present detailed immunocytochemical and electron microscopy analyses of chromosome synapsis, the transcription process, and chromatin dynamics in lamprey prophase I, which is the first time for science. We found that not all chromosomes complete synapsis. Rounded structures were detected in chromatin and in some synaptonemal complexes but their nature could not be determined conclusively. An analysis of RNA polymerase II distribution led to the conclusion that transcriptional reactivation in lamprey prophase I is not associated with the completion of chromosome synapsis. Monomethylated histone H3K4 is localized to meiotic chromatin throughout prophase I, and this pattern has not been previously detected in the animals. Thus, the findings made it possible to identify synaptic and epigenetic patterns specific for this group, and to add new pieces of the puzzle to the discussions of the scientific issues under study. The research on lamprey meiotic chromatin and chromosomal dynamics raises many questions leading to new discoveries.

This article identifies promising research areas on the PETROLEUM SCIENCE topic via bibliometric analysis of the 2018-2021 publications in the highly cited Journal of Petroleum Science and Engineering, which is included in the Journal Citation Reports Section: ENERGY & FUELS — Q2 Quartile, ENGINEERING, PETROLEUM — Q1 Quartile. Bibliometric metadata from Web of Science were used for 866 articles in 2018, 1,142 — in 2019, 1,138 — in 2020, and 1,832 in 2021. The clustering of articles was performed using the texts of the Title, Abstract, Keywords, and Keywords Plus fields. The demo version of the Lingo3G algorithm was used. For the two major clusters, the most promising research topics were determined by comparing the titles of the 350 most cited and 350 least cited articles for each year. The hypothesis that low-cited papers often have the same subject matter as high-cited papers of previous years is discussed.

Capirona (Calycophyllum spruceanum Benth.) belongs to subfamily Ixoroideae, one of de major lineages in the Rubiaceae family, and is an important timber tree, with origin in the Amazon Basin and has widespread distribution in Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, and Brazil. In this study, we obtained the first complete chloroplast (cp) genome of capirona from department of Madre de Dios located in the Peruvian Amazon. High-quality genomic DNA was used to construct librar-ies. Pair-end clean reads were obtained by PE 150 library and the Illumina HiSeq 2500 platform. The complete cp genome of C. spruceanum has a 154,480 bp in length with typical quadripartite structure, containing a large single copy (LSC) region (84,813 bp) and a small single-copy (SSC) region (18,101 bp), separated by two inverted repeat (IR) regions (25,783 bp). The annotation of C. spruceanum cp genome predicted 87 protein-coding genes (CDS), 8 ribosomal RNA (rRNA) genes, 37 transfer RNA (tRNA) genes and 01 pseudogene. A total of 41 simple sequence repeats (SSR) of this cp genome were divided into mononucleotides (29), dinucleotides (5), trinucleotides (3), and tetranucleotide (4). Most of these repeats were distributed in the noncoding regions. Whole chloroplast genome comparison with the other six Ixoroideae species revealed that the small single copy and large single copy regions showed more divergence than invert regions. Finally, phylogenetic analysis resolved that C. spruceanum is a sister species to Emmenopterys henryi, and confirms its position within the subfamily Ixoroideae. This study reports for the first time the genome organization, gene content, and structural features of the chloroplast genome of C. spruceanum, providing valuable information for genetic and evolutionary studies in the genus Calycophyllum and beyond.

The present study has been done using the Survey Research. The research sample scale equals 400 people, besides its statistical population is included the 15-year population and most of the city of Kerman in 2020. The method of multistage-cluster-stratified sampling was used in five districts of the city of Kerman, moreover the results have been analyzed by SPSS and AMOSS16 software, and only is one model fitted with reality among five models of designed path. The results of analysis of path diagram indicate that other coefficients of the path all of them are significant except the direct impact of one's image of the body on sport-based cultural capital and social class on the tendency toward the public sport. Other results of the study suggest that sport-based socio-economic capital leaves an indirect effect on sport-based cultural capital by which the tendency of citizens toward the sport grows up. At that showing athletic advertisements in the media are effective on the tendency of citizens to public sport.

The high transmissibility and replication of SARS-CoV-2 have been attributed to enhanced protein functions which are dependent on protein folding. Our in silico study endeavored to scrutinize SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab by analyzing the conserved folding patterns of its transcribed proteins. Accordingly, the findings indicated that SARS-CoV-2 ORF1ab shares domain-specific fold-fingerprints with a spectrum of unrelated organisms. Closer observation revealed slight changes in folding patterns engendered with small variation in the intrinsic amino acid sequence. By correlating with the evolvability-potential of RNA-viruses and COVID-19 pandemic, we hypothesize that SARS-CoV-2 could undergo fast recombination with the host, SARS-CoV-2 minor variants and other viral species resulting in a reservoir of SARS-CoV-2 quasispecies. It is highly possible that natural selection will cause a future emergence of evolved SARS-CoV-2-descendants. Nonetheless, we hope that this insightful study will assist in elucidating SARS-CoV-2 protein functionalities, development of vaccines, and the possibility and nature of future emergence.

Evidence has recently emerged on the influence of gender on the immune system. In this systematic review and meta-analysis of phase III randomized clinical trials (RCTs), we explored the impact of gender on survival in patients with advanced cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs). We performed a comprehensive search of the literature updated to April 2018, including the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, PubMed, and EMBASE. We extracted data on study characteristics and risk of bias in duplicate. Of 423 unique citations, 21 RCTs were included, inherently to 12,635 patients. Both males and females showed reduced risk of death associated with ICIs use (HR 0.73, p<0.001 and HR 0.77, p<0.001, respectively). Subgroup analyses by specific ICI showed similar OS in both genders for anti-PD-1/PDL-1. Anti-CTLA-4 use was associated with longer OS in men only (HR 0.77, p<0.012), with the exception of melanoma (in women, HR 0.80, p=0.006). PFS was longer in men than in women (HR 0.67, p<0.001 and HR 0.77, p=0.100, respectively). Conclusively, ICIs use was associated with more favorable outcomes in men, particularly for anti-CTLA-4 agents. In melanoma, not gender-related factors may influence the anti-tumor immune response evoked by ICIs.

The present study set out to explore the option of developing food portion size for nutritional labelling purposes using two European Union (EU) dietary surveys. The surveys were selected as they differed in (a) methodologies (food diary v food frequency questionnaire), (b) populations (Irish National Adult Nutrition Survey: NANS) versus a seven-country based on the pan EU study Food4Me), (c) food quantification (multiple options v, solely photographic album) and (d) duration (4 consecutive days v recent month). Using data from these studies, portion size was determined for 15 test foods, where portion size was defined as the median intake of a target food when consumed. The median values of the portion sizes derived from both the NANS and Food4Me surveys were correlated (r = 0.823; P<0.00) and the mean of the two survey data sets were compared to US values from the Recognized as Customarily Consumed (RACC) database. There was very strong agreement across all food categories between the averaged EU and the US portion size (r = 0.947; P<0.00). It is concluded that notwithstanding the variety of approaches used for dietary survey data in the EU, the present data supports using a standardized approach to food portion size quantification for food labelling in the EU.

This paper reports a novel fabric phase sorptive extraction-high performance liquid chromatography-ultra violet detection (FPSE-HPLC-UV) method for the simultaneous extraction and analysis of four phenyltin derivatives that include triphenyltin hydroxide, triphenyltin acetate, triphenyltin chloride and tetraphenyltin in environmental water (agricultural waste water and municipal waste water) and canned food samples. The selected analytes were well resolved by Waters Nova pack C18 column (3.9 x 150 mm, 4 µm particle size) in isocratic elution mode within 15 minutes. The new microextraction media has been analytically evaluated using phenyltin derivatives as model compounds. The factors affecting the extraction efficiency of FPSE have been evaluated and the optimum extraction conditions were determined. Under these optimum conditions, the limits of detection (LODs) for sol-gel C18 coated fabric phase sorptive extraction (FPSE) media in combination with HPLC-UV for the analysis of the phenyltin derivatives were in the range of 10-100 ng/mL with high precision (low relative standard deviation) at 10 ng/mL concentration with good absolute recoveries. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first FPSE extraction procedure applied to environmental water and canned food samples for the simultaneous determination of phenyltin derivatives and could be readily adopted as a rapid and robust green analytical tool for routine environmental and food analytical laboratories.

Introduction: Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and multiple myeloma (MM) are susceptible to viral infections, including varicella-zoster virus (VZV) reactivation due to both disease-related and treatment-induced immunosuppression. The recombinant adjuvanted herpes zoster vaccine (RZV) has shown high efficacy in immunocompetent adults, but immunogenicity data in CLL and MM patients is limited. This study evaluates the immunogenicity and safety of RZV in this population. Methods: Patients with CLL and MM vaccinated with RZV (administered in two doses at least one month apart) were included in the study. Pre- and post-vaccination anti-VZV IgM and IgG antibody levels were measured to assess immunogenicity, and adverse events (AEs) were captured for safety evaluation. Results: Seventy-eight patients received both vaccine doses, and 71 had post-vaccination samples. Most of the patients were IgM seronegative and IgG seropositive before vaccination. Pre-vaccination IgG levels were higher in CLL compared to MM patients (p=0.001), while post-vaccination IgG levels significantly increased in both CLL (p<0.0001) and MM (p<0.0001) patients. In actively treated CLL patients, the pre-vaccination IgG levels were significantly lower than in not actively treated patients (p=0.002). Post-vaccination IgG levels were lower in MM patients receiving antiviral prophylaxis concurrently with the vaccination (p=0.013). AEs were reported in 49.4% after the first dose and 48.7% after the second dose, mostly mild (local or low-grade systemic). One case of immune thrombocytopenia was noted. Conclusion: RZV demonstrated strong immunogenicity and acceptable safety in CLL and MM patients, significantly boosting IgG levels, even in actively treated or heavily pretreated patients.

Breast cancer (BC) is a prevalent malignancy with various subtypes, each presenting unique diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which comprises 12-17% of breast cancers, is particularly aggressive due to its lack of estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and HER2 expression. This case report details the management of a 64-year-old woman with TNBC. Initially presenting with a left breast nodule, she underwent a biopsy that confirmed triple-negative infiltrating ductal carcinoma. Despite negative BRCA genetic testing, her significant family history of cancer and a newly detected right breast lesion led to a bilateral mastectomy. Post-surgery imaging revealed multiple hypodense nodules and a spiculated pulmonary nodule, prompting further investigation. An endoscopic lung biopsy identified a primary pulmonary carcinoma with histological features similar to the breast cancer, indicating the lung as the primary source. This case underscores the complexity of TNBC, the importance of comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, and the need for considering extramammary origins in metastatic cases. The findings emphasize the role of multidisciplinary teams in managing such rare and challenging cases and highlight the necessity for thorough and repeated evaluations in atypical BC presentations.

This survey is part of a Hungarian Research OTKA project that examines the vegetation of sandy grasslands along the Danube. During this study, two grass species, Festuca wagneri and Festuca tomanii, were identified as potentially suitable for urban planting and turf establishment based on preliminary research. Our aim was to determine the germination success of seeds from aesthetically selected individuals and to identify the soil types on which they germinate most effectively. This information could be crucial for future cultivation efforts. From the collected Festuca individuals, were analyzed 30 specimens of each taxon under garden conditions and selected the indi-viduals for germination. The Festuca tomanii individuals were uniform, so we selected only 5 individuals. The Festuca wagneri individuals were categorized into three groups: upright, spreading, and low types. It was assumed that Festuca species seeds would germinate better in sandy soils. To test this, seeds from ten Festuca wagneri and five Festuca tomanii individuals, selected based on aesthetic criteria, were sown in six different substrates: a sand-peat mixture, sand, coconut fiber, peat, a coconut fiber-sand mixture, and native sandy soil. Contrary to expectations, the growth and germination rates of seeds sown in peat and coconut fiber substrates were higher than those in native sandy soil. These results suggest that Festuca seeds germinate better on substrates resembling dead plant debris with a peat-like structure or on the surface of live mosses, rather than on bare sand. Among the examined individuals, the seeds from the spreading Festuca wagneri group exhibited the highest germination rate, making this group particularly suitable for urban environments. Addi-tionally, one of the upright Festuca wagneri individuals showed the highest growth rate and should also be considered for urban planting. In contrast, despite their uniform appearance, the Festuca tomanii individuals did not demonstrate similar germination trends. In fact, the seeds from two clumps did not germinate at all, indicating that further selection is necessary.

Cystic artery bleeding (CAB), a relatively uncommon entity, can arise from both traumatic and non-traumatic etiologies. This pictorial essay aims to elucidate the computed tomography (CT) findings associated with CAB in these distinct contexts. In traumatic CAB, particularly blunt or penetrating trauma, a cystic artery lesion is the culprit behind the hemoperitoneum characteristically located within the gallbladder fossa. Prompt diagnosis is crucial. Fortunately, trans-arterial embolization offers a successful treatment option for traumatic cystic artery lesions, especially in settings where non-operative management is preferred. Non-traumatic CAB, on the other hand, often stems from inflammation in the hepatobiliary and pancreatic system, gallbladder tumours, or iatrogenic injuries. The underlying mechanism typically involves cystic artery wall damage, either due to inflammation or procedural complications, leading to the formation of a cystic artery pseudoaneurysm (CAP). Notably, CAP bleeding can manifest long after the causative event, posing a diagnostic challenge with a variable clinical presentation. This pictorial essay serves to illustrate the CT signs and features of CAB in both traumatic and non-traumatic scenarios. Additionally, it will delve into the characteristic CT appearance of CAP.

The present article describes the synthesis of an isonicotinate-derived meso-arylporphyrin, that has been fully characterized by spectroscopic methods (including fluorescence spectroscopy), as well as by elemental analysis and by HR-MS. The structure of a n-hexane monosolvate has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The radical scavenging activity of this new porphyrin against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DDPH) radical has been measured. Its antifungal activity against three yeast strains (C. albicans ATCC 90028, C. glabrata ATCC 64677 and C. tropicalis ATCC 64677) has been tested, using the disk diffusion and the microdilution methods. Whereas the measured antioxidant activity was low, the porphyrin showed moderate but encouraging antifungal activity. Finally, a study of its effect on the germination of lentil seeds revealed interesting allelopathic properties.

The application of deep learning algorithms to predict the molecular profiles of various cancers from digital images of hematoxylin and eosin (H&E)-stained slides has been reported in recent years, mainly in gastric and colon cancers. In this study, we investigated the potential use of H&E-stained endometrial cancer slide images to predict the associated mismatch repair (MMR) status. H&E-stained slide images were collected from 127 cases of the primary lesion of endometrial cancer. After digitization using a Nanozoomer virtual slide scanner (Hamamatsu Photonics), we segmented the scanned images into 5,397 tiles of 512 × 512 pixels. The MMR proteins (PMS2, MSH6) were immunohistochemically stained, classified into MMR proficient/deficient, and annotated for each case and tile. We trained several neural networks, including convolutional and attention-based networks, using tiles annotated with the MMR status. Among the tested networks, ResNet50 exhibited the highest area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0.91 for predicting the MMR status. The constructed prediction algorithm may be applicable to other molecular profiles and useful for pre-screening before implementing other, more costly genetic profiling tests.

A time-sequential working, spatially multiplexed autostereoscopic 3D display design consisting of a fast switchable RGB-color filter array is presented. The wavelength-selective filter barrier emits the light from a display over a larger active area than common autostereoscopic barrier displays. An optical modelling of wavelength-selective barriers has been used for instance to calculate the light ray distribution properties of that arrangement. To find well working display designs, automated searches by simulation and computational evaluation has been proceeded. Wavelength-selective filter barrier arrangements exhibit characteristics different from common barrier displays with similar barrier pitch and ascent. In particular, these constructions show strong angular luminance dependency under barrier inclination specified by correspondent slant angle. In time-sequential implementation it is important to avoid that quick eye or eyelid movement lead to visible color artifacts. In the millisecond regime tunable liquid crystal Fabry-Pérot color filters for the colors red, green and blue are presented. They consist of a sub-micrometer thick nematic layer sandwiched between dielectric mirrors and ITO-electrodes. These cells shall switch narrow-banding light of red, green or blue. An array for a glasses-free 3D display has to be equipped with several thousand switchable filter elements having different color apertures. The newly introduced design is usable as a multi user display as well as a single user system with user adaptive control.

Inspired by the phenomenology of high-critical-temperature superconducting cuprates, we investigate the effect of an anisotropic scattering rate on the magnetoresistance of a metal, relying on Chambers’ solution to the Boltzmann equation. We find that if the scattering rate is enhanced near points of the Fermi surface with a locally higher density of states, an extended regime is found magnetoresistance that varies linearly with the magnetic field. We then apply our results to fit the experimental magnetoresistence of La1.6-xNd0.4SrxCuO4 and speculate about the possible source of anisotropic scattering.

(1) Background: Adolescent girls have increasingly faced mental health challenges. We examined prevalence trends and associated risk factors for depression among adolescent girls. (2) Methods: Data for girls aged 12 to 17 years (N=4346) from the 2021 cross-sectional National Survey on Drug Use and Health were analyzed. Factors associated with depression were examined using multiple regression analysis. (3) Results: Rates of severe depression were significantly higher (p&lt;.001) in older girls (adjusted odds ratio [AOR]: 1.63, 1.61, those who did not have authoritative parents (AOR: 3.40), and those with negative school experiences (AOR: 4.03). Black and Asian/Native Hawaiian or other Pacific Islanders were less likely to report severe depression than white girls. As previously reported, non-White girls were significantly less likely to receive treatment for depression (p&lt;.05). Parents’ characteristics and school experiences had no effect on the likelihood of receiving mental health treatment. (4) Conclusion: Depression has become increasingly common among American adolescent girls, who are now three times as likely as adolescent boys to have had recent experiences with depression. Our results show that family structure, parenting style, and negative school experiences significantly contribute to the rate of depression and that treatment disparities exist with regard to race and ethnicity. The results of our research could be valuable for policymakers, healthcare professionals, and educators in developing specific preventative initiatives and support networks that effectively address these unique challenges.

Ewing sarcoma (ES) is an aggressive bone and soft-tissue pediatric cancer. High vitronectin (VN) expression has been associated with poor prognosis in other cancers, and we aimed to determine the utility of this extracellular matrix glycoprotein as a biomarker of aggressiveness in ES. Silk-fibroin plus gelatin-tyramine hydrogels (HGs) were fabricated with and without cross-linked VN and cultivated with A673 and PDX73 ES cell lines for two and three weeks. VN secretion to culture media was assessed using ELISA. Morphometric analysis was applied for phenotypic characterization. VN release to culture media was higher in 3D-models than in monolayer cultures, and intracellular, intercellular and pericluster presence was also observed. A673-HGs showed lower density of clusters but a proportion of larger clusters than PDX73-HGs, which presented low cluster circularity. The cluster density of A673-HGs without added VN was higher than with added VN, and slightly lower in the case of PDX73-HGs. Furthermore, a culture time of three weeks provided no benefits in cluster growth compared to two weeks, especially in A673 -HGs. These advances in 3D modeling and digital quantification pave the way for future studies in ES and other cancers to deepen understanding about intra- and intercellular heterogeneity and anti-adhesion VN therapies.

Electricity price signal is a direct reflection of the attributes of electric power commodities, but due to the influence of market supply and demand, power producers' offer, line capacity and other factors, electricity price signals often show a variety of abnormal forms. The identification and traceability of abnormal tariff signals is an important daily work of power trading centers at all levels. However, at present, it is common to rely on manual experience to analyze the causes of abnormal tariffs, which is inefficient and difficult to ensure the objective and scientific traceability of abnormal tariff causes. Since different types of abnormal tariff signals are caused by different dominant factors, if the key features of abnormal tariffs can be classified and matched, the identification efficiency can be effectively improved. For this reason, this paper proposes a traceability method of abnormal tariffs based on the comparison analysis of key features. First of all, based on the characteristics of historical tariff data, this paper completes the classification of tariff spike magnitude anomaly and tariff mean value anomaly, further establishes the key features of each type of abnormal tariff signal based on principal component analysis, and finally calculates the influence degree of each element within the key features one by one based on alternative algorithms, and then realizes the screening and traceability of the causes of abnormal tariffs based on the importance of the degree of influence ordering. The effectiveness of the proposed method has been verified in a large number of examples constructed based on the actual data of the electricity market, and the average correctness rate of the proposed method for the traceability of the causes of the average value and spike anomalies of the electricity price reaches more than 85%, which can reduce the labor cost in the process of the traceability of the causes of the anomalous electricity price.

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

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

In this paper we report the possibility of using the X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) technique to detect the gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHB) as its sodium salt in different beverages but because it is not possible to freely buy them, beta-hydroxybutyric acid (BHB) and its sodium salt (NaBHB) were used as a model to fine tune an X-ray diffraction method for the qualitative analysis of the sodium salt of GHB. The method requires a small quantity of beverage, and an easy sample preparation, that consists only in the NaOH addition to the drink and a subsequent drying step. The dry residue obtained can be easily analyzed with XRPD using a single crystal X-ray diffractometer to exploit its high sensitivity that allows very fast patterns collection. Several beverages with different NaBHB:NaOH molar ratios were tested and the results show that NaBHB is detected in all drinks analyzed when NaBHB:NaOH molar ratio is 1:50 using characteristic peak at very low 2θ values that permits to detect its presence also in complex beverage matrices. Moreover, depending on the NaOH amount added, shifting and/or splitting of the characteristic peak of the NaBHB salt was observed, and the origin of this behavior was investigated.

This paper explores factors affecting Out-of-Pocket payments for healthcare expenditures in SAARC countries. The specific objectives of the paper were to compare healthcare expenditure patterns amongst the SAARC countries and explore the macroeconomic, demographic and social factors influencing OOP payments for healthcare these countries. The model selection tests suggest that the fixed effect model is the most appropriate for the data, though the random effect model also provides valuable insights. Fixed effect model result showed that a 1 per cent change in GDP per capita, consumer price index, population aged 65 years and above causes change in out-of-pocket payments for healthcare by 1.08 per cent (p< 0.01), 0.09 per cent (p< 0.05), 1.20 per cent (p

Inherited retinal diseases (IRDs) are extremely heterogeneous with at least 350 causative genes, complicating the process of genetic diagnosis. We analyzed samples of 252 index cases with IRDs using the Blueprint Genetics panel for “Retinal Dystrophy” that includes 351 genes. The cause of disease could be identified in 55% of cases. A clear difference was obtained between newly-recruited cases (74% solved) and cases that were previously analyzed by panels or whole exome sequencing (26% solved). As for the mode of inheritance, 75% of solved cases were autosomal recessive (AR), 10% were X-linked, 8% were autosomal dominant, and 7% were mitochondrial. Interestingly, in 12% of solved cases, structural variants (SVs) were identified as the cause of disease. The most commonly identified genes were ABCA4, EYS and USH2A, and the most common mutations were MAK-c.1297_1298ins353 and FAM161A- c.1355_1356del. In line with our previous IRD carrier analysis, we identified heterozygous AR mutations that are not the cause of disease in 36% of cases. The studied IRD panel was found to be efficient in gene identification. Some variants were mis-interpreted by the pipeline and therefore multiple analysis tools are recommended to obtain more accurate annotation of potential disease-causing variant.

In this study, a Traveling-Wave Mach-Zehnder intensity Modulator (TW-MZM) was designed and optimized for six different electro-optical (EO) crystals: Lithium Niobate (LNB), Potassium Niobate (KNB), Lithium Titanate (LTO), Beta Barium Borate (BBO), Cadmium Telluride (CdTe), and Indium phosphide (InP). The performance of each EO crystal, including optical and radio frequency (RF) loss, applied voltage, and modulation bandwidth, was estimated and compared. The results suggested that, in theory, KNB, LTO, BBO, and CdTe have the potential to outperform LNB. However, it should be noted that the loss associated with KNB and LTO is comparable to that of LNB. The findings demonstrated that BBO and CdTe exhibit a modulation bandwidth exceeding 100 GHz and demonstrate the lowest loss among the considered crystals based on the assumed geometry.

Lung adenocarcinoma is the most prevalent form of lung cancer, and drug resistance is a significant obstacle in its treatment. This study aimed to investigate the overexpression of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) as a mechanism that promotes intrinsic resistance in tumor cells from the onset of treatment. Drug-tolerant persister cells (DTP) are a subset of cancer cells that survive and proliferate after exposure to therapeutic drugs, making them an essential object of study for cancer treatment. The molecular mechanisms underlying DTP cell survival are not fully understood; however, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been proposed to play a crucial role. DTP cells from lung adenocarcinoma cell lines were obtained after a single exposure to tyrosine kinase inhibitor TKIs (erlotinib or osimertinib). After establishing DTPs, RNA sequencing was performed to investigate the differential expression of the lncRNAs. Some lncRNAs and one mRNA were found to be overexpressed in DTP cells. The clinical relevance of lncRNAs was evaluated in a cohort of patients with lung adenocarcinoma from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). RT-qPCR validated the overexpression of lncRNAs and mRNA in residual DTP cells and LUAD biopsies. Knockdown of these lncRNAs increases the sensitivity of DTP cells to therapeutic drugs. This study provides an opportunity to investigate the involvement of lncRNAs in the genetic and epigenetic mechanisms underlying intrinsic resistance. The identified lncRNAs and CD74 mRNA may serve as potential prognostic markers or therapeutic targets to improve the overall survival of patients with lung cancer.

We analyze whether the central banks of a selected sample of emerging economies respond to exchange rate movements. We use economies that are inflation targters and exporters of a limited number of commodities. The latter renders them vulnerable to terms of trade shocks. The sample comprises Brazil, the Czech Republic, India, Indonesia, Russia and South Africa. We also investigate the role played by the terms of trade in explaining their business cycles. We estimate, for each economy separately and using Bayesian techniques, a regime switching open new Keynesian model. This model allows the parameters of the policy rule and the structural shocks to switch between periods of low and high regimes. We perform posterior simulation and find that, when compared to a constant parameters model, the regime switching fits the data better. The results indicate that, in some periods, the different economies respond strongly to exchange rate, while in others, some respond weakly. A terms of trade improvement leads to a currency appreciation. However, this is reversed for those economies that respond strongly to exchange rate movements. This leads to a rise in output and inflation even for economies that do not respond strongly but play a major role in international trade. This is the case of Russia. The terms of trade are found to play a major rule in explaining business cycles in emerging economies. Thus, although these economies follow an inflation targeting framework, they may set their respective policy rate in a manner to take into account exchange rate developments. This insulates themselves against adverse terms of trade shocks.

The underperforming state of agricultural sector especially in Sub Saharan Africa, Nigeria inclusive is largely due to gender inequities in opportunities which undermine the sustainable and inclusive agricultural development. Agricultural value chain development requires equity in opportunities among men and women along the value chain, and this can only be done through interventions recommended by gender equity studies. The study analyzed gender equity opportunities, and youth engagement in rice value chains in southeast Nigeria. The multistage sampling technique was used in selecting the sample. The sample size consists of 476 youth rice value chain actors randomly selected from 48 villages across three states in South-East Nigeria. The data were analyzed using Modified Gender Equity Index (MGEI), and value addition models. The results from MGEI show that the level of gender equity opportunities for youth rice producers, processors and marketers were -0.21, -0.21 and -0.04 respectively, indicating inequity against the female youth. The overall value-added per ton by the male youth actors was ₦52,281 and ₦52,229 for female youth actors. The share of the value-added by male youth producers, processors and marketers were 51.65%, 49.41% and 47.78% while the share for female youth were 48.38%, 50.59% and 52.22%, respectively. The major constraints to youth engagement in rice value chain include lack of capital to start up, lack of access to credit, drought, lack of access to better technology, high cost of hiring machines, lack of technical skills, and stressful nature of rice value chain. It was recommended that Policies and interventions that ensure equal access to resources, opportunities, and decision-making power for both male and female youth actors should be implemented through targeted training programmes, awareness campaigns and capacity-building initiatives that promote gender equality.

Steel damper columns (SDCs) are energy-dissipating members that are suitable for reinforced concrete (RC) buildings and are often used for multistory housing. The evaluation of the peak deformation and hysteretic dissipated energy of such building structures is essential for the rational seismic design of RC buildings with SDCs. In a previous study, the authors proposed an energy-based prediction procedure for the peak and cumulative response of an RC frame building with SDCs. In this procedure, the accuracy of the equivalent velocity of the maximum momentary input energy (V_ΔE1^*)–peak equivalent displacement (D₁^*_max) relationship is essential for high quality predictions. In this article, the V_ΔE1^*–D₁^*_max relationships of RC moment-resisting frames with and without SDCs are invested using a critical pseudo-double impulse (PDI) analysis based on a study by Takewaki and coauthors. The results show that the V_ΔE1^*–D₁^*_max relationship obtained from the critical PDI analysis agrees well with that calculated from the equations proposed in the previous study.

The present article investigates the threshold analysis of yielding in a variable thickness rotating disk based on the Tresca criterion. The analysis is conducted on a Functionally Graded Material (FGM) constructed from tailored materials, following the theory of small deformations and for the case of plane stress. The elasticity modulus, density, and yield stress are assumed to be power functions of the radial coordinate. Poisson’s ratio is considered constant due to small variations in different materials. Additionally, the governing equation for the rotating disk is solved analytically. Besides the material type, another factor affecting the distribution of effective stress magnitudes is the cross-sectional shape (profile) of the disk. The thickness of the cross-sectional disk varies radially as a power function. In the current analysis, different conditions for the onset of yielding and the evolution of plastic flow are considered. For evaluation and validation, the obtained results are compared and validated against similar results for specific cases (homogeneous disk and constant thickness graded disk) available in previous references. The results indicate that considering variable thickness for the disk section significantly affects the stresses and the location of the initiation of yielding

(1) Background: Most patients with atrial fibrillation, on warfarin therapy, are at higher risk of morbidity and mortality. However, data targeting patients with atrial fibrillation, who take warfarin therapy, are limited in Jordan. This study aimed to provide in-depth analysis of a cohort of patients with atrial fibrillation on warfarin regarding patients’ characteristics, atrial fibrillation related symptoms, interventions, comorbidities, and 12-months outcomes. (2) Methods: The study enrolled 645 patients with atrial fibrillation, on warfarin, from 28 health settings across Jordan. Standardized clinical data form was utilized to collect data upon enrollment, at one, six, and 12 months post initial assessment. Descriptive statistics were used for the description of variables. (3) Results: The most commonly reported symptoms were palpitation (41.4%) shortness of breath (39.1%) and fatigue (26.2%). The prevalent comorbidities associated with atrial fibrillation were congestive heart failure (22.5%), valvular heart diseases (16.6%), and cerebral vascular accident (16.3%). The embolic (32.4%) and thrombotic cerebral vascular accident (16.2%) were the most common type. Major bleeding associated with hospitalization was the most frequent type of bleeding (10 out of 24). (4) Conclusions: Jordanians, using anticoagulation, need to be constantly monitored in terms of their characteristics, symptoms, and any potential complications, to ensure its optimal therapeutic dose and prevent any potential health complications.

The energy crisis is currently a major topic in scientific and managerial discussions in the building and construction industry. While employing low-cost strategies for reducing energy usage is beneficial for principals and decision-makers, the primary purpose of this study is to recommend the use of phase change materials (PCM) to improve cooling and heating load management in buildings. In order to accomplish this, the study applies design-builder simulations to a developing country case study. The results indicate that integrating PCM in buildings can reduce energy usage by around 6 percent. Although this value may be lower than other techniques, it is nevertheless important for reaching green building goals in both developed and developing nations. The case study, which takes place in a four-season region, demonstrates the significant potential of the PCM system for both cooling and heating energy management. In addition, the reciprocal performance improvement of PCMs is a remarkable characteristic, especially when contrasted to some conventional systems that focus on a single energy management objective in buildings. Lastly, it should be underlined that the suggested platform is consistent with Sustainable Development Goal 7 (Affordable and Clean Energy Targets).

In a Water-Cooled Lithium-Lead (WCLL) Breeding Blanket (BB), the heat generated by the plasma thermal radiation and nuclear reactions is removed mainly by two components; namely, the First Wall (FW) and the Breeding Zone (BZ). The FW faces the neutrons and charged particles fluxes generated by the fusion reactions and the thermal radiation coming from the plasma. The present work takes into account the FW cooling system inspired by the WCLL BB 2018 design of DEMO 2017 baseline. Unlike the baseline where a Pressurized-Water Reactor (PWR) setup is used for the coolant, various setup between the Boiling Water Reactor (BWR) and the High-Pressure (HP) BWR are studied in the present work operating in the Two-Phase Flow (TPF) regime. The 3D model of the FW in the WCLL BB 2018 design is simplified into a 1D model and a steady state analysis is carried out to optimize the mass flow rate of the water and the number of parallel channels at the BB cells at different poloidal locations of the reactor, which helps not only in reducing the used coolant but also in improving the Tritium Breeding Ratio (TBR). The present work takes into account forced convection in the liquid only region, the subcooled boiling region, and the saturated boiling region using suitable empirical or semi-empirical models from the literature. The results are validated against the existing results in the literature. In the end, related conclusions are made regarding the pros and cons of the studied operating conditions.

Streptococcus thermophilus is widely used as a starter culture in the dairy industry and has garnered attention as a beneficial bacterium owing to its health-promoting functionalities in humans. In this study, the probiotic potential of S. thermophilus MCC0200, isolated from a dairy product, was investigated through a combinatorial approach of in-vitro and in-silico studies. MCC0200 demonstrated the ability to survive harsh gastro-intestinal transit (GIT), adhere to intestinal mucosa and exert health-promoting traits in in-vitro studies. These findings were corroborated with in-silico evidence, wherein MCC0200 genome harboured genes associated with tolerance to GIT conditions, intestinal adhesion and colonization. Genome mapping also highlighted the ability of MCC0200 to produce compounds advantageous for host (folate, bacteriocins), to release enzymes that can reinforce the host ability (antioxidative enzymes), to metabolize food components that can be harmful to sensitive people (lactose). MCC0200 also demonstrated a positive effect on reducing cholesterol levels, proving to be a potential candidate for food and pharmaceutical applications. Absence of transmissible antibiotic resistance genes and virulence genes underscored the GRAS nature of MCC0200. This study explored the potential of Streptococcus thermophilus for its probable applications as a probiotic beyond the dairy industry.

This paper analyzes low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellite downlinks when an airborne interference source moves parallel to the satellite trajectory by considering the relative angle differences be-tween the satellites and the interference sources. To make the experimental interference situations more like actual environments, the LEO trajectories are obtained from two-line element set (TLE) data. Airborne interference sources with various altitudes move parallel to the LEO trajectories, and the jamming to signal (J/S) ratio is calculated based on the relative angle differences between the ground station, the LEO satellite, and the interference source. In order to calculate the relative angle difference psi, the coordinates of the satellite and the interference source are converted from the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS84) to the ground station-centered east-north-up (ENU) system. By applying the relative angle difference psi, we can obtain the sidelobe gain of the ground station antenna in the direction from which the interference comes. The results of the study confirm that, from a J/S ratio perspective, the distances between the ground station, LEO satellite, and airborne interference source are important, and in particular, the relative angle difference psi between the interference source and the satellite is more critical factor.

Neisseria meningitidis (N. meningitidis) serogroup B (MenB) is the leading cause of invasive meningococcal disease worldwide. The pathogen has a wide range of virulence factors, which are potential vaccine components. Studying the genetic variability of antigens within a population, especially their long-term persistence, is necessary to develop new vaccines and predict the effectiveness of existing ones. The multicomponent 4CMenB vaccine (Bexsero), used since 2014, contains three major genome-derived recombinant proteins: factor H-binding protein (fHbp), Neisserial Heparin-Binding Antigen (NHBA) and Neisserial adhesin A (NadA). Here, we assessed the prevalence and sequence variations of these vaccine antigens in a panel of 5667 meningococcal isolates collected worldwide over the past 10 years and deposited in the PubMLST database. Using multiple amino acid sequence alignments and machine learning methods, we estimated the potential strain coverage by fHbp and NHBA vaccine variants (51 and about 30%, respectively); the NadA antigen sequence was found in only 17.8% of MenB genomes analyzed, but cross-reactive variants were present in less than 1% of isolates. Based on our findings, we proposed various strategies to improve the 4CMenB vaccine and broaden coverage of N. meningitidis strains.

Background: Appendicitis is a common cause of emergency department visits and appendectomies in the US, with 250,000 appendectomies performed annually. Current diagnostic methods, such as clinical findings, lead to inaccuracies and missed diagnoses, increasing morbidity and mortality. The only solution is surgery, but current hematological tests are not reliable and may lead to unnecessary surgery if the underlying etiology is self-limiting or requires medical treatment. This study explores the role of MRI as a diagnostic modality that can replace US/CT and supplement traditional clinical diagnostic signs while avoiding ionizing radiation and intravenous contrast medium. The purpose of this meta-analysis is to determine the accuracy of MRI as a diagnostic modality in diagnosing appendicitis, addressing concerns about diagnostic modalities and their adverse effects, and addressing the necessity and success of relevant interventions. Methods: Medical literature was comprehensively searched and reviewed without restrictions to particular study designs, or publication dates using PubMed, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar databases for all relevant literature formulated in English. The extraction of necessary data proceeded after specific inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied. Meta Analysis was performed for 5206 patients, with 35 RCTs being selected. Analysis was done using the QualSyst tool, wherein two writers independently assessed the caliber of each study as well as the use of the Cochrane tool for bias risk apprehension. The statistical software packages RevMan (Review Manager, version 5.3), SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences, version 20), and Excel in Stata 14 were used to perform the statistical analyses along with other analytical software. Results: MRI had an overall sensitivity of over 95%, an overall specificity of 94.2% with a PPV of 0.875 in comparison to CT scan in the diagnosis and intervention regarding appendicitis. Conclusion: These findings strongly suggest that MRI is a reasonable alternative to CT for the diagnosis of appendicitis in hospitals with appropriate access to this technology for reasons about accuracy, reliability, and reproducibility as well as addressing safety concerns.

This study investigates why young adults live with their parents in Sweden. As young adults’ living arrangements affect decisions about marriage, education, childbirth, and participation in the workforce, more knowledge for policy makers is crucial to implementing effective policies to support young adults and promote financial independence and well-being. Using a data set from 1998 to 2021 at the municipal level in Sweden, we used a spatial autoregressive panel data model to examine the proportion of young adults living at home and regional disparities. The study uncovers intraregional variations, illustrating how different municipalities within Sweden exhibit different patterns of young adults living at home. Our findings reveal that economic factors, such as unemployment, significantly impact this pattern. The dynamics of the housing market, demographic factors, cultural differences, and location-specific characteristics also play an essential role in explaining this pattern. The findings suggest that the key drivers are the lack of rental housing, high unemployment rates, a high degree of urbanisation, interregional migration, and lack of social capital.

Since the photocatalytic reaction is a surface reaction, enhancing the gas movement around photocatalyst would promote photocatalytic CO₂ reduction performance. A new approach to enhance the gas movement around the photocatalyst by the natural thermosiphon movement of gasses around photocatalyst using black body material was proposed and confirmed experimentally, but the heat transfer mechanism on the phenomena was not clarified yet. The purpose of this study is to clarify the heat transfer mechanism of it. This study calculated the temperature of mixed gases of CO₂ and NH₃ around P₄O₁₀/TiO₂ photocatalyst by the heat transfer formula. It is revealed that there was no difference between the increase temperature (T_g) from the temperature at the beginning of the CO₂ reduction experiment (T_ini) and the temperature of mixed gases of CO₂ and NH₃ measured by thermocouple in the experiment (T_e) under the illumination condition with a visible light (VIS) + an infrared light (IR) and IR only. The heat transfer model proposed by this study has predicted T_g well under the illumination condition with VIS + IR and IR only well. On the other hand, it is revealed that the difference between T_g and T_e was as large as 10 ℃ under the illumination condition with an ultra violet light (UV) + VIS + IR.

The transition of the energy system to renewable sources means the cheap energy storage in fossil fuels must be replaced by other options. A large part of the demand for useful energy is heat and cold, often produced from electric energy by a resistance heater, compression heat pump or cooler. The question is then to store the initial electric energy by electric energy storage (EES) or the useful energy by thermal energy storage (TES). In a desktop study both options were compared, by the choice made in existing applications, and also generally analyzing current technology data. For the latter, cost, round-trip efficiencies, life cycles and life time of EES, specifically for batteries, and of TES, specifically for hot and cold water, ice and other PCM were collected. Applications studied are heating and cooling in buildings and in industry. Application-typical conversion efficiencies were also collected and taken into account. The results show that in many existing installations TES, incl. by PCM, is already preferred, and that TES is advantageous in most investigated applications economically, in addition to technical advantages. Thus, TES has a large potential in the transition of the energy system to stabilize the electricity grid by demand side management.

In this paper, existence and stability results of non-local integro-differential equation with Hilfer derivative of order ω∈(1,2) have been investigated. In this derivative is applied in RLC circuit equation of various fractional order. To proposed problem the existence solutions are derived using Schaefer’s fixed point theorem and the Banach contraction principle is using for uniqueness results. To demonstrate the effectiveness and applicability of our theoretical conclusions and two-step Lagrange polynomial interpolation were used to solve four numerical results.

At the beginning of 2019, the petroleum crisis impacted many economies dependent on this industry. The Mexican government started programs to identify points and government officials involved in the gasoline stealing from PEMEX (Petróleos Mexicanos), the country’s leading government petroleum company. The programs consisted of supervising and monitoring the Mexican country network of gasoline ducts to detect points where gasoline was being stolen. Consequently, large urban regions faced a lack and shortage of gasoline. This situation generated several reactions in social media and many open data in news media. Although the government provided open data about stealing gasoline locations related to crimes, it did not analyze the collected data to identify patterns, insights, and the spatio-temporal characterization of this phenomenon. This paper presents a study to deal with the regional semantics described in the social media locations of gasoline stealing. Thus, a framework to discover the trends that emerge from social media and how it is correlated with the government’s open data is also presented—the proposed methodology used machine learning techniques based on linguistic and semantic technologies. The analysis was applied to a dataset of 24,317 geo-referenced tweets. The obtained results reflected the Mexican thinking opinion regarding discovered social topics, polarization maps, and regional insights. According to discovered trends, there were long fuel lines between 1.5 and 5 kilometers (on average) at fuel stations in different Mexican states.

The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury in the knee is one of the most frequent injuries in the biomechanical environment during jumping exercises; however, repeated jumping, like jumping rope, has not been reported to have a significant impact on the ACL injury. Because of this, this study aimed to compare and examine any potential biomechanical risk factors that can arise during various jumping rope activities, including the basic bounce (BB), forward-backward jump (FB), side-to-side jump (SS), and high knee jump (HK). Thirty participants were recruited. A motion capture system was used to obtain synchronized kinematic and kinetic data for four different jumping rope techniques. The OpenSim modeling system was used to determine the biome-chanical knee factors. The paired samples t-test was used to compare the mean difference in each jumping rope technique of initial contact (IC) and maximum knee flexion (MKF), and a one-way ANOVA was used to compare the mean difference between four different jumping rope techniques in the IC-MKF phase. Between IC and MKF, knee flexion angle, moment, joint ground reaction forces (GRF), and muscle forces of four jumping rope techniques were significantly different (p <.05). Also, in the IC-MKF phase, knee flexion angle and knee extension moment; HK was lower than others; vertical GRF; HK and FB were higher than others; anteroposterior, mediolateral GRF, and muscle forces; SS was higher than others (p <.05). Depending on the jumping rope techniques, the lower knee flexion angle in HK, the higher knee vertical GRF in HK and FB, the higher knee extension moment, anteroposterior, mediolateral GRF, and muscle forces on SS could be a pos-sibility of ACL injury risk compared to others. Therefore, it is recommended that SS be used in risk assessment of ACL in future studies, and BB will be suitable for normal people in daily exercises or will be the alternative intervention program for knee rehabilitation with the lowest risk of injury.

Women's empowerment represents a process in which they are recognized as subjects of rights. Despite advances in women's rights, inequalities persist in various areas. This study aims to validate a psychometric scale of 31 items in seven factors: Participatory Empowerment, Temerity, External Influences, Independence, Social Satisfaction and Equality. The objective is to measure the empowerment of women in the university context. The research was carried out in a transversal and non-experimental manner, with the participants' voluntary collaboration, including the participation of 1,478 university students from four Higher Education Institutions in Zone 4 of Ecuador. The data was analyzed through inferential statistics, including exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis. The results indicated that the instrument for measuring empowerment can be made up of 24 items grouped into six factors, and this model showed a good fit.

The increasing prevalence of periprosthetic femoral fractures, specifically in the vicinity of the hip, has emerged as a significant issue in recent times. Consequently, there is a need for a thorough examination to enhance the effectiveness of management and treatment approaches. The findings emphasized a significant disparity in the occurrence and characteristics of these fractures, as multiple studies have highlighted the efficacy of various treatment strategies, such as open reduction and internal fixation, as well as the utilization of cortical strut allografts. Furthermore, the research has identified potential risk factors that have an impact on the characteristics of fractures, providing valuable insights that could be crucial in the development of preventive strategies. This research provides a thorough examination of periprosthetic femoral fractures, highlighting the importance of a cohesive treatment algorithm to improve the handling of such fractures. Moreover, it promotes the need for a collaborative endeavor in conducting research in this field, cultivating a more profound comprehension that has the potential to drive progress in therapeutic approaches, ultimately enhancing patient results over an extended period of time. It is crucial that forthcoming research endeavors persist in expanding upon these discoveries, striving towards a unified methodology in tackling this substantial clinical obstacle.

In the realm of power delivery to end-users, transformers are indispensable, with their malfunctions leading to substantial economic, safety, and environmental repercussions. The need for persistent surveillance is accentuated for in-situ oil-filled transformers, given the potential degradation of oil and the emergence of related ageing by-products. As the focus tilts towards online detection methodologies for transformer oil ageing, bypassing challenges associated with traditional offline methods such as sample contamination and misinterpretation, fiber optic sensors are gaining trac-tion due to their compact nature, cost-effectiveness, and resilience to electromagnetic disturbances typical in high-voltage environments. This work delves into the sensitivity analysis of intensi-ty-modulated plastic optical fiber sensors. The investigation encompasses key determinants such as the influence of optical source wavelengths, noise response dynamics, ramifications of varying sensing lengths, and repeatability assessments. Findings underscore that elongating the sensing length detrimentally affects both the linearity response and repeatability, largely attributed to the diminished resistance to external noise. Additionally, the choice of the optical source wavelength proved to be a critical variable in assessing sensor sensitivity.

Chenopodium quinoa Willd (quinoa), a member of the Amaranthaceae family, is an allotetraploid annual plant, endemic to South America. The plant of C. quinoa presents significant ecological plasticity with exceptional adaptability to several environmental stresses, including salinity. The resilience of quinoa to several abiotic stresses, as well as its nutritional attributes have led to significant shifts in quinoa cultivation worldwide over the past century. This work first defines germination sensu stricto in quinoa where the breakage of the pericarp and the testa is followed by endosperm rupture (ER). Transcriptomic changes in early seed germination stages lead to unstable expression levels in commonly used reference genes that are typically stable in vegetative tissues. Noteworthy, no suitable reference genes have been previously identified specifically for quinoa seed germination under salt stress conditions. This work aims to identify these genes as a prerequisite step for normalizing qPCR data. To this end, germinating seeds from UDEC2 and UDEC4 accessions, with different tolerance to salt, have been analyzed under conditions of absence (0 mM NaCl) and in the presence (250 mM NaCl) of sodium chloride. Based on relevant literature, six candidate reference genes: Glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), Monensin sensitivity1 (MON1), Polypyrimidine tract-binding protein (PTBP), Actin-7 (ACT7), Ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (UBC), and 18S ribosomal RNA (18S), were selected and assessed for stability using the RefFinder Tool encompassing the statistical algorithms geNorm, NormFinder, BestKeeper, and ΔCt in the evaluation. The data presented supports the suitability of CqACT7 and CqUBC as reference genes for normalizing gene expression during seed germination under salinity stress. These recommended reference genes can be valuable tools for consistent qPCR studies in quinoa seeds.

Graphyne is a material that has unique mechanical properties, but little is known about how these properties change when the material has holes. In this work, the effect of hole geometry, considering circular, triangle, and rhombus hole configurations, on the mechanical nonlinear response of γ-graphyne structures is studied. Graphyne, graphdiyne, graphyne-3, and graphyne-4 structures are under investigation. An efficient nonlinear finite element analysis (FEA) method is adequately implemented under large deformations for this purpose. The study varied the size and shape of the holes to understand how these changes affect the nanostructure's mechanical response. The results indicate that the hole geometry significantly impacts the mechanical nonlinear response of γ-graphyne structures. The holes' size and shape affect the structures' elastic behavior, deformation, and strength. The findings can be used to optimize the design of γ-graphyne structures for specific mechanical applications. The study highlights the importance of considering the hole geometries in the design and fabrication of these materials.

Pregnant women with diabetes often present impaired fetal growth, which is less common if maternal diabetes is well-controlled. However, developing strategies to estimate fetal body composition beyond fetal growth that could better predict metabolic complications later in life is essential. This study aimed to evaluate subcutaneous fat tissue (femur and humerus) in fetuses with normal growth among pregnant women with well-controlled diabetes using a reproducible 3D-ultrasound tool and offline TUI (Tomographic Ultrasound Imaging) analysis. Additionally, three artificial intelligence classifier models were trained and validated to assess the clinical utility of the fetal subcutaneous fat measurement. A significantly larger subcutaneous fat area was found in three-femur and two-humerus selected segments of fetuses from women with diabetes compared to the healthy pregnant control group. The full classifier model that includes subcutaneous fat measure, gestational age, fetal weight, fetal abdominal circumference, maternal body mass index, and fetal weight percentile as variables, showed the best performance, with a detection rate of 70%, considering a false positive rate of 10%, and a positive predictive value of 82%. These findings provide valuable insights into the impact of maternal diabetes on fetal subcutaneous fat tissue as a variable independent of fetal growth.

In this study, we presented a simple highly sensitive sensor based on commercially available solid core photonic crystal fiber (PCF) and surface plasmon resonance (SPR) for measuring the refractive index (RI) of analytes. The numerical simulation based on the finite element method (FEM) has been examined to compute the optical properties such as confinement loss, power spectrum, and transmission intensity of the sensor. The most sensitive and inert plasmonic materials (gold and silver) have been assumed to be coated inside the fiber with the range of analytes RI from 1.32 to 1.40. The performance of the proposed sensor has been evaluated by tracing the several optical features like wavelength sensitivity, amplitude sensitivity, resolution of the sensor, and figure of merit. As a result, the comparative study between silver and gold elements has been carried out in which the maximum sensitivity received as 1.15 μm/RIU and 1.10 μm/RIU respectively. Whereas, on the base of power spectrum the obtained sensitivity was 513 μm/RIU for the gold layer. Moreover, the effect of other structural parameters (air holes and plasmonic layers thickness) on the sensing performance has been taken into an account. According to the simulation analysis and results, this sensor would have a great potential in various sensing applications of biomedical and liquid refractive index.

One of the most critical aspects in introral impression is the detection of the finish line, in particular in case of subgingival preparations. The aim of these in vitro study was to evaluate the accuracy among four different IntraOral Scanners (IOSs) in scanning a subgingival vertical margins preparation (VP). A reference maxillary typodont (MT) was fabricated with a VP for full crown on #16 and #21. The MT was scanned with a laboratory scanner (Aadva lab scanner, GC, Tokyo, Japan) to obtain a digital MT (dMT) in .stl format file. A group of 40 digital casts (dIOC) were obtained by scanning the MT 10 times with four different IOSs (Trios 3, 3Shape A/S), ( I700, Medit), (Vivascan, Ivoclar), (Experimental IOS, GC). All the obtained dIOCs were imported into an inspection software program (Geomagic Control X; 3D SYSTEMS) to be superimposed to the dMT, to calculate trueness. Therefore, in order to calculate precision all the scans of the same scanner group were superimposed onto the cast that obtained the best result of trueness. Results were collected as root mean square value (RMS) on #16 and #21 abutment surfaces and on a marginal area positioned 1 mm above and below the gingival margin. A nonparametric analysis Kruskal-Wallis test was performed to compare the RMS values obtained in the different iOS groups for trueness and precision. Statistically significance was set at 0.05. The trueness on #16 abutment, did not statistically differ in between the IOS, while on #21 abutment, Vivascan (56.0 ±12.1) and Experimental IOS, GC (59.2±2.7) performed statistically better than the others. Regarding precision Experimental IOS, GC and Trios 3 were significantly better than I700 and Vivascan both in the #16 (10.7±2,1; 15.8 ± 2,7) and in the #21 area (16.9±13.8 ; 18.0±2.7). At marginal level for both #16 and #21 all the IOS reported reduced accuracy compared to clinical acceptance.

Artemia (brine shrimp), holds significant value as a live feed for larval fish and crustaceans, owing to their distinctive dietary requirements. However, it is vital to acknowledge that Artemia also carries potential risk as a vector of infection. We conducted a metagenomic analysis to explore the virome present in Artemia cysts collected from inland salt lakes across four distinct regions in Kazakhstan. The study identified the presence of dsDNA phages and RNA virus sequences, with a predominant representation from the Reoviridae, Nodaviridae, Dicistroviridae, Picornaviridae, Astroviridae, Tombusviridae, and Solemoviridae families. In general, this study has significantly enhanced our understanding of the virome of Artemia cysts in the saline lakes of Kazakhstan. It has also furnished crucial insights for the identification, surveillance, and management of viral infections that impact brine shrimp and fish species populations.

At present, countries around the world adopt digital strategy, so that enterprises apply digital technology, digital supply chain, blockchain, and a series of digital measures to enhance their competitiveness. By analyzing the relationship between digital transformation of manufacturing export enterprises, and their business performance and export performance, this paper focused on the current situation and existing problems of digital transformation of manufacturing export enterprises in China. Based on the Resource Based View theory and Trade theory, the impact of digital transformation of enterprises performance, proposing hypotheses, and building regression models were explored. With the samples of 1007 listed companies in Shanghai and Shenzhen Stock markets from 2012 to 2019, the regression analysis, intermediate effect test, robustness test, stage lag, and heterogeneity analysis were conducted. The results shew that: (1) Listed manufacturing export enterprises carried out digital transformation, which had a significantly positive effect on enterprise performance; (2) It was found that digital transformation could improve enterprise performance by reducing costs, improving R&amp;D intensity and improving human resources etc. (3) According to the fractal analysis, non-state-owned enterprises had more positive effects on enterprise performance, and digital transformation of manufacturing export enterprises in developed areas had a more significant impact on enterprise performance. Finally, according to the empirical results, relevant suggestions for digital transformation were provided.

As the human-body controls depend on the brain neuro current, here assay is related to thinking nerve detection. For this purpose, the brain current was analyzed by electrochemical three-electrode systems using 0.1-mm micro wire in vivo probe, which probe was made by using carbon nanotube paste coated needle type. Here working electrode was inserted in the rat brain’s muscle core with a 0.3-mm-diameter needle type Ag/AgCl Cl-coated Ag wire reference, and counter electrode of 0.1-mm-diameter Pt micro needle was inserted 5 mm deep into the in vivo muscle skin, under anesthesia with 2.0 ~ -2.0 V potential windows, 50 mv/s cyclic scan and 1.0x10-5A chrono amperometric sensitivity on the body systems. Under the optimum conditions, diagnostic application was performed to such as smell signal, muscular strength, five sense assay and thinking neuro current.

This study presents a comprehensive investigation of entropy generation during natural convection in a porous medium with Casson fluid. The governing equations, including the momentum, energy, and entropy balance equations, are solved numerically using finite element method. Through the analysis, various parameters affecting entropy generation are investigated, such as the Casson fluid parameter, Radiation, Prandtl number, and Rayleigh number. The results indicate that the Casson fluid parameter significantly influences the flow and heat transfer characteristics, while the Darcy number and Rayleigh number control the intensity of natural convection. Moreover, the Prandtl number determines the relative significance of heat transfer compared to viscous effects.

Long Covid is a term used for patients who have recovered from COVID-19 but exhibit persistent cognitive dysfunction, including mental confusion, difficulties in attention, impairment in executive functions and slow movements, among other common symptoms. A study was conducted with 65 patients who had a positive RT-PCR diagnosis and reported symptoms of cognitive impairment, such as memory loss and attention difficulties after recovery. The patients underwent neuropsychological evaluation and completed questionnaires on cognition, mood, and quality of life. During the cognitive screening, 71% of the patients showed alterations, with deficits in visual memory (69%), language (54%), visuospatial construction (49%), verbal episodic memory (37%), executive functions (36%), attentional abilities (34%), and premorbid intelligence (12%). It is important to highlight the need for treatments and further studies to understand the long-term side effects of this disease.

In the overall context of national eco-conservation civilization development and considering the hills in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei-Shanxi region, the local forest coverage rate is gradually on the rise, and so is the risk of forest fire. Every year, satellites can monitor and detect hundreds of fire spots on average. In recent years, serious fire took place for several times, leading to loss of life and personal injury. Then the fire-fighting work consumed huge amount of labor and material resources, exerting negative social impacts in many ways. Thus, the analysis of fire climate background in this region and the forecast based on fire weather indexes constitute an important part in the forest fire risk management. Located in the tropical monsoon climate zone, four provinces and municipalities of Beijing, Tianjin, Hebei and Shanxi are similar in terms of climate characteristics. This study tries to analyze the characteristics about fire spots under satellite monitoring, fire climate and fire weather index. The probability distribution analysis of weather index about fire spots in history and key meteorological observation stations as well as the weather index analysis in the early stage of typical fire indicate that the Fine Fuel Moisture Content (FFMC) and the Initial Spread Index (ISI) in the Fire Weather Index (FWI) system is applicable to the fire risk analysis in the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei-Shanxi region, which can also effectively indicate the fuel moisture and spread conditions. As regards to the average level in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei-Shanxi, when the FFMC is smaller than 93.5 and the ISI is also smaller than 5.0, there is a low risk of fire; when the FFMC is above 94 and the ISI is larger than 10.0, there is a high risk of fire; and the fire risk will be extremely high if the FFMC is over 96 and the ISI is above 13.0. In the practical fire-fighting management, the fire danger class can be released in reference to the ISI classes and threshold values of key meteorological observation stations under analysis provided by this study.

In the broad field of Inverse Analysis and Structural Identification, it is nowadays of a large interest the study of Gaussian Processes, as a reliable and efficient optimisation method, particularly helpful toward the identification of a global optimum point, under the conditions of complicated functions to be optimised. In the present contribution, a specific case study is considered, focusing on a historical road reinforced concrete arched bridge, located in Northern Italy, employing dynamic modal properties, deciphered from in-situ measurements, previously acquired under operational traffic conditions, by a standard wired accelerometer system, placed at the deck level. Aiming at the identification and diagnosis of the bridge structure, three main methodological steps are herein considered: the adoption of a FEM model of the structure (in the linear dynamic framework), the definition of an appropriate discrepancy function, based on measured and numerically computed quantities (natural frequencies and mode shapes of the bridge), and the investigation of such a discrepancy function, toward a consistent selection of an optimisation strategy for the identification of sought parameters (Young’s moduli and mass densities of diverse elements of the structure). The presented developments, within the framework of methodological optimisation approach by Gaussian Processes, and achieved results display a rather efficient perspective, with reference to the considered case study, toward inverse analysis for structural diagnosis, in the context of strategic (historical) infrastructures.

Purpose: This study evaluates the performance of the Early Intervention Physiotherapist Framework (EIPF) for injured workers. This study provides a proper follow-up period (3 years) to examine the impacts of the EIPF program on injury outcomes such as return to work (RTW) and time to RTW. This study also identifies the factors influencing the outcomes. Methods: The study was conducted on data collected from compensation claims of people who were injured at work in Victoria, Australia. Injured workers who commenced their compensation claims after the first of January 2010 and had their initial physiotherapy consultation after the first of August 2014 are included. To conduct the comparison, we divided the injured workers into two groups: physiotherapy services provided by EIPF-trained physiotherapists (EP) and regular physiotherapists (RP) over the three-year intervention period. We used three different statistical analysis methods to evaluate the performance of the EIPF program. We used descriptive statistics to compare two groups based on physiotherapy services and injury outcomes. We also completed survival analysis using Kaplan-Meier curves in terms of time to RTW. We developed univariate and multivariate regression models to investigate whether the difference in outcomes achieved after adjusting for significantly associated variables. Results: The results showed that physiotherapists in the EP group on average dealt with more claims (over twice as many) than those in the RP group. Time to RTW for the injured workers treated by the EP group was significantly lower than for those who were treated by the RP group, indicated by descriptive, survival and regression analyses. Earlier intervention by physiotherapists led to earlier RTW. Conclusion: This evaluation showed that the EIPF program achieved successful injury outcomes three years after implementation. Motivating physiotherapists to intervene earlier in the recovery process of injured workers by initial consultation helps to improve injury outcomes.

This study aimed to explore the feasibility of using airborne acoustic emission in laser beam butt welding for the development of an automated classification system based on neural networks. The focus was on monitoring the formation of joint gaps during the welding process. To simulate various sizes of butt joint gaps, controlled welding experiments were conducted, and the emitted acoustic signals were captured using audible to ultrasonic microphones. To implement an automated monitoring system, a method based on short-time Fourier transformation was developed to extract audio features, and a convolutional neural network architecture with data augmentation was utilized. The results demonstrated that this non-destructive and non-invasive approach was highly effective in detecting joint gap formations, achieving an accuracy of 98%. Furthermore, the system exhibited promising potential for low latency monitoring of the welding process. The classification accuracy for various gap sizes reached up to 90%, providing valuable insights for characterizing and categorizing joint gaps accurately. Additionally, increasing the quantity of training data with quality annotations could potentially improve the classifier model's performance further. This suggests that there is room for future enhancements in the study.

eDNA extracted from the gut contents of filter feeders with unique feeding habits can be used to identify biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we used eDNA from the gut contents of the clam Corbicula fluminea to examine estuarine ecosystem biodiversity. The field survey was conducted at three study sites in the Nakdong River Estuary, which is characterised by closed estuarine features resulting from the presence of an estuarine barrage. The collected C. fluminea samples were dissected to separate the gut contents, and the extracted eDNA was amplified using the 18S V9 primer targeting all eukaryotes. The amplified DNA was sequenced using next generation sequencing (NGS) techniques, and BLASTn was performed based on the NCBI database. We obtained 21 unique operational taxonomic units (OTUs), including fish (approximately 9.52%), copepods (approximately 14.29%), and green algae (approximately 23.81%), which represented a wide range of habitats such as marine, brackish, freshwater, and terrestrial environments. These results suggest that various organisms living in aquatic ecosystems can be identified through eDNA from the gut contents of C. fluminea and support the potential application of bivalves as eDNA samplers in diverse aquatic ecosystems.

Based on the daily observation data of 2254 meteorological stations in China from 1961 to 2021 after homogenization and correction, the extreme value analysis method that combines relative threshold and absolute threshold was used to identify extreme climate events in the mainland of China, namely extreme high temperature, extreme low temperature, extreme drought, extreme precipitation and extreme typhoon events. The frequency and linear variation trends of individual extreme events in the past 60 years were investigated. On this basis, the multi extreme events composite risk grade index (MXCI) was constructed, which can objectively reflect the comprehensive characteristics of multi extreme climate events in different regions. The results show that the high value areas of MXCI were mainly located in Southeast China and Southwest China. The MXCI presented a decreasing trend in most of the western and southeastern regions of China, while an increasing trend from Southwest China to the south of Northeast China, due to the frequent occurrence of extreme high temperature, extreme drought and other extreme events in these regions.

Background: Craniofacial injuries are thought to be commonly associated with traumatic brain injury (TBI), but there is conflicting evidence in the literature. The objective of this retrospective cohort study is to evaluate the incidence of TBI in patients with craniofacial trauma. Methods: The study included 2982 consecutive patients with either solitary or concurrent diagnoses of TBI and facial fractures, seen and evaluated at a single level II trauma center between January 1, 2010 and December 31, 2020. Continuous variables were compared against whether the patient had one or both diagnoses.Results: Of the target population, 55.8% had a solitary diagnosis of TBI, 30.28% had a solitary diagnosis of facial fractures, and 13.92% had concurrent diagnoses of both TBI and facial fractures. Patients with concurrent diagnoses had a significantly longer mean length of stay (LOS) compared to those with solitary diagnoses (9.92 ± 16.33 days vs. 6.21 ± 10.96 days, p&lt;0.01), but age (p=0.68) and ICU LOS (p=0.09) did not differ significantly between the two groups. Conclusions: Trauma to the face should be given special attention due to the close relationship between facial bones and the brain. Patients with concurrent diagnoses of TBI and facial fractures had worse hospital outcomes than those with solitary diagnoses of either TBI or facial trauma.

Caseous lymphadenitis (CL) is a chronic contagious disease that affects small ruminants and is characterized by the formation of pyogranulomas in lymph nodes and other organs. However, the pathogenesis of this disease and the response of the host genome to infection are not yet fully understood. This study aimed to investigate the whole blood transcriptome and evaluate differential gene expression during the later stages of CL in naturally infected ewes. The study included diseased, serologically positive (EP), exposed, serologically negative (EN) ewes from the same infected flock and healthy ewes (CN) from a different flock. RNA sequencing was performed using the Illumina NextSeq system, and differential gene expression was estimated using DESeq2 and Edge R approaches. The analysis identified 191 annotated differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in the EP group (102 upregulated and 89 downregulated) and 256 DEGs in the EN group (106 upregulated and 150 downregulated). Infection influenced numerous immunoregulatory interactions between lymphoid and nonlymphoid cells in both EP and EN ewes. Immune DEGs were preferentially assigned to antigen presentation through the MHC complex, T-lymphocyte mediated immunity, and extracellular matrix interactions. Furthermore, the EP group showed altered regulation of cytokine and chemokine signalling and activation and recombination of B-cell receptors. Conversely, NF-kappa B signalling, apoptosis, and stress response were the main processes influenced in the EN group. In addition, statistically significant enrichment of the essential immune pathways of Binding and Uptake of Ligands by Scavenger Receptors in EP and p53 signalling in the EN group was found. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into the disease course and host‒pathogen interaction in naturally CL-infected sheep by investigating the blood transcriptome.

It is believed that fetal hemoglobin (HbF) expression in adults is largely genetically regulated. The increased expression of HbF in pregnancy has been reported in a small number of articles. Different mechanisms have been proposed, but the description of HbF expression during pregnancy remains unclear. The objectives of this study were to document HbF expression during peri and postpartum periods, confirm its maternal origin, and assess clinical and biochemical parameters potentially associated with HbF modulation. In this observational prospective study, 345 pregnant women were followed. At baseline, 169 had HbF expression (≥1% of total hemoglobin) and 176 did not have HbF expression. Women were followed at the obstetric clinic during their pregnancy. Clinical and biochemical parameters were measured at each visit. Analyses were made to determine which parameters had a significant correlation to HbF expression. Results show that HbF expression of ≥ 1% during peri and postpartum periods in pregnant women without influencing comorbidities is at its highest peak during the first trimester. In all women, it was proven that HbF was of maternal origin. A significant positive correlation between HbF expression, β-HCG, and HbA1C was present. A significant negative association between HbF expression and total hemoglobin was found. HbF expression induction during pregnancy is probably associated with increase in β-HCG and HbA1C, and decrease of total hemoglobin, which could temporarily reactivate the fetal erythropoietic system.

The aim of this study was to analyze glucosinolates (GSLs) in germplasms that are currently conserved at the RDA-Genebank. The analysis focused on the glucosinolate diversity among the analyzed germplasms, with the goal of identifying those that would be most useful for future breeding efforts to produce nutritionally rich Choy sum plants..Twenty-three accessions of Choy sum which possessed ample background passport information were selected. By analyzing the glucosinolate content for 17 different glucosinolates, we observed aliphatic GSLs to be the most common. We identified one accession, IT228140 to synthesize high quantities of glucobrassi-canapin and progoitrin which have been reported to contain several therapeutic applications. Overall, this study highlights the importance of conserving and analyzing plant genetic re-sources, such as those held in national genebanks, for the purpose of developing new varieties of crops that are both nutritious and beneficial for human health. The identification of excellent germplasms for breeding material and the confirmation of the anticancer effects of glucosin-olates are significant contributions to the field of agricultural research and have the potential to positively impact public health.

Seasonal changes and varying degree of corneal hydration has been linked to excimer laser corneal ablation rates. Use of PMMA as calibration material in refractive lasers is well established. However, PMMA ablation may be equally affected by seasonal variations in temperature and humidity, intern affecting the calibration process. Aim of this work is to analyze the effect of seasonal changes in PMMA Performance using SCHWIND AMARIS laser system. PET and PMMA ablations conducted in climate-controlled environment with 826 consecutive AMARIS systems manufactured over 6 years were retrospectively analyzed. Lasers were stratified depending on seasons and months of the year. Metrics like Single laser pulse fluence, nominal number of laser pulses, mean performance, standard deviation, and technical performance of system were compared to global average values. Cyclic winter-summer variation was confirmed with seasons winter and summer showing statistically significant variations with respect to global values. Metric technical performance showed deeper PMMA ablation performance in summertime, with maximum seasonal deviation of 6%. Results were consistently confirmed in seasonal as well as monthly analyses. These findings could help minimize variance among laser systems by implementing compensation factors depending on seasons such that laser systems installed worldwide follow the same trend line of variation.

Several studies have shown that tapering or stopping disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in sustained remission is feasible. However, tapering/stopping bears the risk of decline in physical function as some patients may relapse and face increased disease activity. Here we analysed the impact of tapering or stopping DMARD treatment on the physical function of RA patients. The study was a posthoc analysis of physical functional worsening for 282 patients with RA in sustained remission tapering and stopping DMARD treatment in the prospective randomized RETRO study. HAQ and DAS-28 scores were determined in baseline samples of patients continuing DMARD (arm 1), tapering their dose by 50% (arm 2), or stopping after tapering (arm 3). Patients were followed over 1 year, and HAQ and DAS-28 scores were evaluated every 3 months. The effect of treatment reduction strategy on functional worsening was assessed in a recurrent-event Cox regression model with a study-group (control, taper, taper/stop) as the predictor. 282 patients were analysed. In 58 patients, functional worsening was observed. The incidences suggest a higher probability of functional worsening in patients tapering and/or stopping DMARDs, which is likely due to higher relapse rates in these individuals. At the end of the study, however, functional worsening was similar among the groups. Point estimates and survival curves show that functional decline after tapering or stopping DMARDs in RA patients with stable remission is small and related to relapses but to on overall functional decline.

Abstract The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) was first identified in people in the city of Wuhan at the end of December 2019, and it has since spread to all continents. Global interest has been focused on discovering a treatment and developing a successful coronavirus vaccine as a result of the emergence of this new coronavirus. In this research, we sequenced the whole genome of the SARS-COV-2 virus that were isolated from 40 patients in Duhok, Iraq. 95 different mutations were identified in our isolation when such the whole genome sequence of the SARS-COV-2 isolated from the city of Wuhan, China (Accession number: NC 045512.2) was matched to the virus's sequence using Sequencing technology (Illumina , USA ) and Assembly method (iVar 1.3.1). Sequence analysis revealed that 38 mutations were found at spike glycoprotein (S), 30 of which were found in the ORF1b , 11 mutations were found in ORF1b ,7,3,2,1 mutations were found in ( N,M,ORF6 ,ORF9 /E ) genes which had been linked to structural changes at various places. The conclusion that the cases in Iraq were of different origins of infections and had a close relationship with the isolates from different country and state were further confirmed by phylogenetic analysis and transmission. The whole genome sequence of the SARS-CoV-2 , which were identified from the Iraqi Kurdistan region, and reported as a first study in Kurdistan region.

The population growth, economic development and urbanization of the city of Douala in Cameroon are facing great challenges, particularly environmental and economic problems. However, there is an evolution of the road transport sector that has led to an excessive increase in the consumption of fossil fuels and over the last decades to an increase in greenhouse gases in the road transport sector. From this observation, no real policy has yet been put in place with a view to improving the energy efficiency of the transport sector. This work aim at analyzing the driving force factors of energy consumption in road transport in the city of Douala. In this study, a decomposition analysis through the Logarithmic Mean Divisa Index (LMDI) method is used during the period 2010-2019 to quantify their respective contributions in energy consumption. We have broken down road transport energy consumption into four main factors as main determinants such as: vehicle energy intensity, vehicle intensity, Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita and population. The results show that vehicle energy intensity, vehicle intensity, GDP per capita and population effect all have a positive impact on energy consumption and therefore main responsible for the increase in fuel consumption energy contributing respectively to 13.06%, 31.30%, 12.85% and 42.76% of the total variation of energy consumption. It is therefore necessary to implement several energy saving strategies in order to achieve a rationalization of energy consumption for a reduction of road transport energy. Political decision-makers must take such a study into account to better integrate the notion of sustainable transport.