EuAP2 genes are famous for their role in flower development. A legacy of the founding member of this subfamily of transcription factor, whose mutants lacked petals in Arabidopsis. However, studies of other euAP2 genes in several species have accumulated evidence highlighting the diverse roles of euAP2 genes in other aspects of plant development. Here, we emphasize other developmental roles of euAP2 genes in various species and suggest a shift from regarding euAP2 genes as just flowering genes to consider the global role they may be playing in plant development. We hypothesize that their almost universal expression profile and pleiotropic effects of their mutation suggest their involvement in fundamental plant development processes.

Cadmium (Cd) is a heavy metal that suppresses plant growth; however, application of endophytic bacteria can increase resistance of plants against Cd, as well as improve plant growth. Two bacterial endophytic strains were isolated from Solanum nigrum and were identified as Serratia sp. AI001 and Enterobacter sp. AI002 by 16S DNA sequencing. Strains AI001 and AI002, tolerated up to 25 mg/mL Cd in broth culture and showed phosphate solubilization potential in Pikovskaya agar medium. AI001 and AI002 produced indole-3-acetic acid, which was confirmed by gas spectrometry-mass chromatography. Brassica plants stressed with 0, 5, 15, and 25 mg/L Cd showed significant decrease in plant growth, chlorophyll content and biomass, and significant increase in Cd dose-dependent electrolyte leakage. Inoculation of strain AI001 or AI002 significantly enhanced the plant growth attributes of shoot length, root length, chlorophyll content, and biomass as compared to those in uninoculated plants. Reduced glutathione contents in plants stressed with different concentrations of Cd also increased with inoculation of AI001 and AI002. The reason of Cd resistance enhancement in plants by inocula could be due to their greater plant growth promoting activities as well as their antioxidative response.

This study aims to determine the optimal configuration (position and operation duration) for wall mounted mechanical mixers based on the comparison of three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modelling results and physical data collected from the treatment plant. A three-dimensional model of anoxic zone 1, 2 and 3 of Northern Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP) located at Cairns Regional Council, Cairns, Queensland, Australia was developed and validated. The model was used to simulate the flow pattern of the WWTP and the simulation results are in good agreement with the physical data varying between 0% to 15% in key locations. The anoxic zones were subject to velocities less than the desired 0.3 metres per second however results for suspended solids concentration indicate that good mixing is being achieved. Results for suspended solids concentrations suggest that the anoxic zones are towards the upper limits recommended by literature for specific power dissipation. The duration for operation of mechanical mixers was investigated and identified that the duration could be reduced from 900 seconds down to 150 seconds. Alternative mixer positioning was also investigated and identified positioning which would increase the average flow velocity with decreased duration (150 seconds). The study identified that Council may achieve savings of $24,000 per year through optimisation of the mechanical mixers.

Among the plant nutrients potassium (K) is one of the vital elements required for plant growth and physiology. Potassium is not only a constituent of plant structure but also plays regulatory function in several biochemical processes related to protein synthesis, carbohydrate metabolism, enzyme activation. There are several physiological processes like stomatal regulation and photosynthesis are dependent on K. In the recent decades K was found to provide abiotic stress tolerance. Under salt stress, K helps in maintaining ion homeostasis and regulation of osmotic balance. Under drought stress condition K regulates the stomatal opening and makes the plants adaptive to water deficit. Many reports provided the notion that K enhances the antioxidant defense in plants and therefore, protects the plants from oxidative stress under various environmental adversities. Also, it provides some cellular signaling alone or in association with other signaling molecules and phytohormones. Although a considerable progress in understanding K-induced abiotic stress tolerance in plants has been achieved the exact molecular mechanisms of such protections are still under research. In this review, we summarized the recent literature on the biological functions of K, its uptake, and translocation and its role in plant abiotic stress tolerance.

Rosavin, a phenylpropanoid in Rhodiola rosea's rhizome, an adaptogen, is known for enhancing the body's response to environmental stress. It significantly affects cellular metabolism in health and many diseases, particularly influencing bone tissue metabolism. In vitro, rosavin inhibits osteoclastogenesis, disrupts F-actin rings formation, and lowers osteoclastogenesis-related gene expression (cathepsin K, CTR, TRAF6, TRAP, MMP-9). It also impedes NFATc1, c-Fos, NF-κB, and MAPK signaling pathways, and blocks phosphorylation processes crucial for bone resorption. Moreover, rosavin promotes osteogenesis, osteoblast differentiation and increases Runx2 and OCN expression. In vivo studies show its effectiveness in enhancing BMD in PMOP mice, re-straining osteoclast maturation, and increasing active osteoblast percentage in bone tissue. It modulates mRNA expressions (increasing EEF2 and decreasing HDAC1, thereby activating os-teoprotective epigenetic mechanisms) and alters various serum markers, including decrease of CTX-1, TRAcp5b, RANKL, M-CSF, TRAP, and increase of ALP and OCN. Additionally, when combined with zinc and probiotics, it reduces pro-osteoporotic MMP-3, IL-6, TNF-α, and en-hances anti-osteoporotic IL-10 and TIMP3 expressions. This paper aims to systematically review rosavin's impact on bone tissue metabolism, exploring its potential in osteoporosis prevention and treatment, and suggesting future research directions.

This review explores the transformative impact of sensor technologies in early disease detection. It highlights recent advancements in nanotechnology-based sensors, particularly focusing on their applications in identifying disease biomarkers at early stages. The integration of these sensors with artificial intelligence for predictive analytics in healthcare is also discussed. Applications in cancer, infectious diseases, and chronic disease management underscore their diverse utility. Challenges in sensor technology adoption and future directions, including multiplexed sensors and wearable devices, are examined. This review underscores sensors' potential in enhancing disease management and patient outcomes.

Energy demand has exponentially increased with the increase in the world population and ur-banization. Renewable energy is clean, renewable, and environmentally friendly. Hydrogen production through Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) electrolyzer is an efficient way to produce renewable energy. The efficiency and energy consumption of the PEM electrolyzer depends on the feed water quality. In this report, we study the effect of pH, TDS, and conductivity on hydrogen production as well as energy consumption during the process. pH values (3, 7, 9), TDS values (300ppm, 600ppm, 900ppm), and conductivity values (30mS/cm, 70mS/cm, 100mS/cm) were studied to understand and optimize the hydrogen production using PEM electrolyzer. The in-vestigations showed that hydrogen production is significantly affected by pH, total dissolved solids, and conductivity, and the best levels of each variable were identified by extensive testing. The findings show both the scientific significance of proton exchange electrolysis in meeting the growing energy demands of society as well as the importance of knowing the influence that di-verse conditions have on the creation of hydrogen. Our research, in general, contributes to the expanding body of scientific knowledge on the topic of the effective production of hydrogen and offers useful insights for the continuation of investigation in this field.

The article is aimed at a brief comparison and analysis of the results of queries to IEEE Xplore and the leading abstract databases Scopus and Web of Science to identify research trends. Some errors in the Author Keywords in Web of Science have been revealed. Therefore, a more detailed analysis was conducted by comparing different types of key terms for IEEE Xplore and Scopus platforms only. I used IEEE Access journal metadata as indexed on both platforms. The sample match for IEEE Xplore and Scopus was achieved by comparing DOI. The IEEE Xplore metadata contains more types of key terms, which provides an advantage in analyzing research trends. Using NSPEC Controlled Terms from expert-compiled vocabulary provides a more stable data, which gives an advantage when considering the change of terms over time. Apriori, an algorithm for finding association rules, has been used to compare co-occurrence of terms for a more detailed description of sample subjects on both platforms. VOSviewer was used to analyze trends in scientific research based on IEEE Xplore data. The 2011-2021 ten-year period was divided into two sub-intervals for comparing the occurrence of Author Keywords, IEEE Terms, and NSPEC Controlled Terms. Using the IEEE conference proceedings bibliometric data, I illustrated the importance of context in estimating the rate of growth of publishing activity on a topic of interest.

Intravitreal injection is the gold standard therapeutic option for posterior segment pathologies, and long-lasting release is necessary to avoid reinjections. There is no effective intravitreal treatment for glaucoma or other optic neuropathies in daily practice, nor is there a non-invasive method to monitor drug levels in the vitreous. Here we show that a glaucoma treatment combining a hypotensive and neuroprotective intravitreal formulation (IF) of brimonidine-Laponite (BRI/LAP) can be monitored non-invasively using vitreous imaging captured with optical coherence tomography (OCT) over 24 weeks of follow-up. Qualitative and quantitative characterization was achieved by analysing the changes in vitreous (VIT) signal intensity, expressed as a ratio of retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) intensity. Vitreous hyperreflective aggregates mixed in the vitreous and tended to settle on the retinal surface. Relative intensity and aggregate size progressively decreased over 24 weeks in treated rat eyes as the BRI/LAP IF degraded. VIT/RPE relative intensity and total aggregate area correlated with brimonidine levels measured in the eye. The OCT-derived VIT/RPE relative intensity may be a useful and objective marker for non-invasive monitoring of BRI/LAP IF.

Background: to analyze the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on characteristics and management of uveal melanoma (UM) in National Referral Center in Poland. Materials and Methods: the retrospective analysis of 1336 patients who were newly diagnosed with UM at Department of Ophthalmology and Ophthalmic Oncology, Jagiellonian University Collegium Medicum Krakow, Poland between January 1, 2018 and December 31, 2021. The demographic and clinical data were compiled including localization, size and treatment methods of tumors. Results: In total, 728 patients with UM were included before COVID-19 pandemic in years 2018-2019 and 608 were included during COVID-19 pandemic in years 2020-2021. Fixed-base dynamics indicators for the incidence of uveal melanoma (base year 2018) in the national referral center in Poland were 80.22% and 86.81% in year 2020 and 2021, respectively. UMs were statistically significantly larger and more frequently localized anterior to the equator of the eye globe in year 2021 than in year 2018 (Chi^2 Pearson test p= 0.0001 and p= 0.0077, respectively). The rate of patients treated with enucleation increased from 15.94% in year 2018 to 26.90% in year 2021 (Chi^2 Pearson test p=0.0005). Conclusions: statistically significant differences were found in the management of uveal melanoma in National Referral Center in Poland during COVID-19 pandemic with tumors being larger, more frequently localized anterior to the equator of the eye globe and more often enucleated.

The growing attention for plug-in electric vehicles, and the associated high-performance demands, have initiated a development trend towards highly efficient and compact on-board battery chargers. These isolated ac-dc converters are most commonly realized using two conversion stages, combining a non-isolated power factor correction (PFC) rectifier with an isolated dc-dc converter. This, however, involves two loss stages and a relatively high component count, limiting the achievable efficiency and power density and resulting in high costs. In this paper a single-stage converter approach is analyzed to realize a single-phase ac-dc converter, combining all functionalities into one conversion stage and thus enabling a cost-effective efficiency and power density increase. The converter topology consists of a quasi-lossless synchronous rectifier followed by an isolated dual active bridge (DAB) dc-dc converter, putting a small filter capacitor in between. To show the performance potential of this bidirectional, isolated ac-dc converter, a comprehensive design procedure and multi-objective optimization with respect to efficiency and power density is presented, using detailed loss and volume models. The models and procedures are verified by a 3.7 kW hardware demonstrator, interfacing a 400 V dc-bus with the single-phase 230 V, 50 Hz utility grid. Measurement results indicate a state-of-the-art efficiency of 96.1% and power density of 2.2 kW/dm³, confirming the competitiveness of the investigated single-stage DAB ac-dc converter.

Besides the increase in global energy demand, access to clean energy, reduction in greenhouse gas emissions caused by conventional power generation sources, energy security, and availability of electricity in remote villages in emerging nations are some of the factors that foster the use of renewable energy sources (RESs) in generating electricity. One of the aims of initiating microgrids (MGs) is to maximize the benefits of RES and alleviate the associated grid integration issues. Microgrids are made up of RES connected to electrical loads within clearly delineated electrical limits that operate as individual controllable units on the electrical network. It can operate in-dependently as well as in connection with the grid. The paper presents an overview of microgrids and investigates the system's performance when connected to and disconnected from the grid. Furthermore, in both modes of operation, the functioning and behavior of system components such as the bidirectional DC-DC converter and energy storage system (ESS) were evaluated. The architecture of the proposed microgrid consists of a small hydropower plant, a wind farm, and a battery energy storage system (BESS). The microgrid under investigation is modeled and simu-lated using MATLAB and Simulink.

Due to the genotype-dependent effects of water deficit (WD) on coffee physiology, climate change raises the risk of coffee yield. The aim of the study was to assess the effect of WD on physiological and growth traits in arabica coffee (Coffea arabica L.). Water status, photosynthetic response to in-tercellular concentration of CO2 (A/Ci curves) and growth parameters were evaluated in seedlings of four genotypes (Catimor ECU 02, Cavimor ECU, red Caturra and Sarchimor 4260). Most of the physiological traits evaluated differed significantly among genotypes. Between control and WD plants, there were significant differences in A/Ci parameters, showing a wide range of values for photosynthetic rate, stomatal conductance, and water use efficiency, with decreases ranging from 4 to 74%. Maximum rate of carboxylation by RuBisCO, maximum electron transport rate through photosystem II, and triose phosphate utilization rate were all strongly reduced by WD 61 % (red Caturra and Sarchimor 4260), followed by Cavimor ECU (35 %) and 24 % in Catimor ECU 02. Differences in response to WD among genotypes suggest possible genotypic differences in toler-ance. The results indicated that Catimor ECU 02 and Cavimor ECU were less sensitive to WD, while red Caturra and Sarchimor 4260 were the most susceptible.

Vaccine-induced immune thrombotic thrombocytopenia (VITT) is a rare but severe adverse event that was first observed during the global vaccination campaign against SARS-CoV-2 infection, specifically in those receiving adenoviral vector-based vaccines for Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). VITT develops 4 to 42 days post-vaccination and is characterized by the development of platelet-activating anti-platelet factor 4 (PF4) antibodies, leading to thrombocytopenia and thrombosis at unusual sites. The rise in awareness and subsequent prompt recognition of VITT was paramount in reducing mortality. Moreover, as vaccination campaigns around the world continue, a better understanding of VITT not only has important clinical implications but is also crucial for future vaccine development. In this review, we summarize the clinical features, pathophysiology, and incidence rates of VITT as well as highlight other anti-PF4 antibody-mediated disorders of growing clinical significance.

The severe acquired respiratory coronavirus–2 (SARS–CoV-2) infection has initiated both acute and chronic COVID–19 disease between 2020 and 2023, currently evolving with other homologous prior coronavirus strains of the Nidoviridae order, which encompasses other prevalent alpha/ beta coronaviruses, but also the Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and SARS-CoV-1, with recent SARS–CoV–2 variants, increasing demands for effective immunogens and therapeutic approaches that will reduce global disease burden and further infection from SARS–CoV-2 affected individuals that may experience post acute sequelae (PASC) or “Long COVID”. Following a worldwide programme of prophylactic vaccination, there is still a dilemma in the efforts to find prophylactic and early therapeutic approaches that would treat novel SARS-CoV-2 variants and prevent future epidemics or pandemics within host human and animal populations, where zoonotic or cross species transfer naturally occurs. Concerns about viral immune escape intersect at a specific point; a gained evolutionary ability of several viruses to co–infect and compete against previous scientific advances since 1796 that remain undetected or asymptomatic during the early stages of infection progressing to symptomatic and severe disease via the double methylation of the 5' end of eukaryotic DNA or RNA-based viral genomes, the 7-MeGpppA2’-O-Me cap, and its double methylation capping process is performed by the activated viral 2’ - O - Methyltransferase (MTase) enzyme, a complex of two viral non-structural proteins (NSPs) joined together through an activation process (NSP10/16) and by N7-Methyltransferase (N7-MTase/NSP14), respectively. Moreover, it was discovered that polymorphic viruses translate NSP1, which prevents the activation of various Pattern Recognition Receptors (PRRs), and consequently, detection of Pathogen-Associated Molecular Patterns (PAMPs) and Damage-Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs) alike. NSP1 also silences important interferon-encoding genes (INGs) and interferon-stimulated genes (ISGs), is signalled in a paracrine manner to neighbouring cells, and that induces the apoptosis of host cells, inducing an effect of “trace erase” effect and making the viral infection as immunologically “invisible” as possible during the initial, key stages of viral replication and distribution, all such mechanisms occurring independently of the viruses in cause. Another important viral NSP is NSP14, as it plays two functional roles that are independent of each other; to produce new viral genetic material for the purpose of maintaining the validity of the viral genome as well, and not just transfer a methyl group to the 5’ end of the viral genome. Other viral NSPs share a role with NSP1, 10, 14 and 16 in directly suppressing the activation of PRRs and ISGs, and all such viral proteins help the virus in its process of self-camouflaging against first- and second-line immunity, thereby often severely impacting the quality of the produced adaptive immune responses. The outcome of all such phenomena is the sharp decrease in the host Type I and Type III interferons' (IFNs) rate of synthesis by the host cells, that would usually occur and affect homeostatic cellular pathways, resulting in further viral replication and induced apoptosis. Nonetheless, effects of microbial immune evasion during the development of other viral or carcinogenic pathologies are not widely known. In short, polymorphic viruses developed a proportionate evolutionary response against developed adaptive immune responses, by currently relying on gaps mostly situated in the natural immune system in their process of molecular self-camouflaging. Scientists developed numerous approaches of early treatment that generally showed good success rates and fewer risks of adverse events, and the still early present stages of COVID-19 research should also be taken into consideration whilst filtering for the most appropriate solutions. For example, the administration of recombinant human interferons I and III into the nasal mucosa cellular layer, as key mediators of anti–viral activity, can simulate intracellular infection and stimulate cellular activity in a timely manner, training the innate and adaptive immune system cells to develop and appropriately stimulate an adequate immune response through B and T cells. Another example could involve the treatment of natural and adaptive lymphocytes with a low dose of IFNs I and possibly III, prior to their insertion into the host lymphatic system, possibly alongside additional recruitment of plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) as further interferon “factories”, all with the purpose of early infection management. It might be that focusing on directly offering the immune system the information about the genetics and protein structure of the pathogen, rather than training its first-line mechanisms to develop faster, excessively increases its specificity, making it reach a level that brings the virus the opportunity to evolve and escape previously-developed host immune mechanisms. It is until the scientific community realises this potentially crucial aspect that large proportions of the world population will probably continue to face serious epidemics and pandemics of respiratory diseases over the coming several decades, evidenced with dengue fever and more recently, monkeypox and possibly avian flu. Of note, it has been indicated that IFN I and / or III display significant immunising, early therapeutic and clinical disease onset-attenuating effects for many other microbial evoked diseases, as well as for a number of oncological diseases.

The Covid-19 pandemic has rapidly evolved in December 2019 and to prevent its spread, effective vaccines has been produced and made available to the population. Despite their availability so far in Cameroon, the vaccination coverage remains low. This study aimed at describing the epidemiology of the acceptance of vaccines against Covid-19 in some urban and rural areas of Cameroon. A cross-sectional, descriptive and analytical survey was conducted from March 2021 to August 2021 targeting unvaccinated individuals from urban and rural area. After getting appropriate administrative authorizations and an ethical clearance from the Institutional Review Board (or Ethics Committee) of Douala University (N° 3070CEI-Udo/05/2022/M), a cluster sampling at many degrees was performed and a language adapted questionnaire was filled by each consenting participant. Data were analyzed using Epi info version 7.2.2.6 software and for P-values ˂ 0.05, the difference was considered as statistically significant. Out of 1053 individuals, 58.02% (611/1053) participants were residing in urban and 41.98% (442/1053) in rural areas. Good knowledge relative to Covid-19 was significantly higher in urban areas as compared to rural areas (97.55%vs.85.07, P<0.000). The proportion of respondents who intended to accept the anti Covid-19 vaccine was significantly higher in urban areas than rural areas (42.55%vs.33.26, p=0.0047). Conversely, the proportion of anti Covid-19 reluctant respondents thinking that the vaccine can induce a disease was significantly higher in rural areas than urban areas (54 (35.07 vs 8.84, P<0.0001). The significant determinants of anti-COVID-19 acceptance were the level of education (p=0.0001) and profession in the rural areas (p=<0.0001), and only the profession (p=0.0046) in the urban areas. This study globally shows that anti-COVID-19 vaccination remains a major challenge in urban as well as rural area in Cameroon. We should keep sensitizing and educate population about vaccine importance in preventing the COVID-19 spread.

Tick-borne encephalitis virus (TBEV) is one of the most threatening pathogens which affects the human central nervous system (CNS). TBEV circulates widely in Northern Eurasia. According to ECDC the number of TBE cases increase annually. There is no specific treatment for the TBEV infection, thus vaccination is the main preventive measure. Despite the existence of several inactivated vaccines currently being licensed, the development of new TBEV vaccines remains a leading priority in countries endemic to this pathogen. Here we report new recombinant virus made by infectious subgenomic amplicon (ISA) approach using TBEV and yellow fever virus vaccine strain (YF17DD-UN) as a genetic backbone. The recombinant virus is capable of effective replication in mammalian cells and induce TBEV-neutralizing antibodies in mice. Unlike the original vector based on the yellow fever vaccine strain chimeric virus became neuroinvasive in doses of 107-106 PFU and can be used as a model of Flavivirus neuroinvasiveness, neurotropism and neurovirulence. These properties of hybrid structures are the main factors limiting their practical use as vaccines platforms.

Dracunculiasis (also known as Guinea worm disease) is caused by Dracunculus medinensis parasite and it spreads by drinking water containing Larvae of Guinea worm. The lack of safe water facilities, preventions and treatments resulted in highly dangerous consequences in its endemic regions. The economy of the affected regions totally falls down due to less production which is the result of agricultural field worker’s bad health. In this study, a multi epitope vaccine was designed against Dracunculus medinensis by using immune-informatics. The vaccine was designed by using T-Cell and B-Cell epitopes derived from Dracunculus medinensis proteins (Lactamase-B domain-containing protein, G-Domain containing protein and Ferrochelatase) in addition to Adjuvants and Linkers. The tertiary structure, physiochemical properties and immunogenic elements of vaccine were achieved. The validation of tertiary structure was accessed, and quality was achieved. In addition, the world coverage of parasite’s CTL and HTL epitopes is 95.61%. The stability of the chimeric vaccine was achieved through disulfide engineering. The molecular docking with Toll Like Receptor 4 (TLR-4) of vaccine showed its binding efficiency followed by Molecular Dynamic Simulation. The immune simulation suggested the mediated cell immunity and repeated antigen clearance. At the end, the optimized codon was used in in silico cloning to ensure vaccine’s higher exposure in bacterium E. coli strain K12. With further assessments, it is believed that the proposed multi epitope vaccine has strong immunogen to control Dracunculus medinensis which may result in better social and economic conditions of endemic regions.

High-quality and large-size single crystals of lead-free Na0.5Bi0.5TiO3 were grown using the Czo-chralski technique. The crystals had pure perovskite structure with rhombohedral symmetry and were translucent in the visible and near infrared spectral ranges recorded in the interval 350-1050 nm. The energy gaps determined from the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and optical measurements were approximately 2.92 eV. The current-voltage characteristics, depolarization current, dc (σdc) and ac (σac) electrical conductivity, and Seebeck coefficient of the crystals were investigated. The frequency/temperature-dependent electrical properties were also measured and analyzed through complex impedance spectroscopy. An overlapping reversible insulator-metal transition (resistive switching) on nanoscales, caused by the electric field, was detected. This was the first time that most of these investigations were performed for this material. The following conductivity mechanisms of NBT single crystals were identified: (i) quasi-free electron and hole conduction and hopping-charges mechanism at low temperatures, (ii) small polaron conductivity in the middle temperature range, and (iii) a significant contribution of the oxygen vacancies to conductivity in the high temperature range. The activation energy values determined from the conductivity data, the imaginary part of the electric impedance and the modulus indicate that the relaxation process in the high-temperature range is attributable to both single and double ionized oxygen vacancies, in combination with the hopping of electrons between Ti4+ and Ti3+. P-type electrical conductivity was also found. These discoveries create new possibilities of reducing the electrical conductivity of NBT and improving the process of effectively poling this material. The density of the electronic states was investigated using an ab initio method. The energy gap cal-culated for NBT (R3c) was 2.8 eV, and is well comparable to those determined from XPS and optical measurements. Our results indicate the possibility of tuning material properties by inten-tionally creating non-stoichiometry/structural defects (oxygen vacancies, cation excess and cation deficiency).

Due to failure of the continuum hypothesis for higher Knudsen numbers, rarefied gases and microflows of gases are particularly difficult to model. Macroscopic transport equations compete with particle methods, such as DSMC to find accurate solutions in the rarefied gas regime. Due to growing interest in micro flow applications, such as micro fuel cells, it is important to model and understand evaporation in this flow regime. Here, evaporation boundary conditions for the R13 equations, which are macroscopic transport equations with applicability in the rarefied gas regime, are derived. The new equations utilize Onsager relations, linear relations between thermodynamic fluxes and forces, with constant coefficients, that need to be determined. For this, the boundary conditions are fitted to DSMC data and compared to other R13 boundary conditions from kinetic theory and Navier-Stokes-Fourier (NSF) solutions for two one-dimensional steady-state problems. Overall, the suggested fittings of the new phenomenological boundary conditions show better agreement to DSMC than the alternative kinetic theory evaporation boundary conditions for R13. Furthermore, the new evaporation boundary conditions for R13 are implemented in a code for the numerical solution of complex, two-dimensional geometries and compared to NSF solutions. Different flow patterns between R13 and NSF for higher Knudsen numbers are observed.

Elevated circulating triglyceride levels have been linked to an increased risk of diabetes, although the precise mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to investigate whether low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, homeostatic model assessment (HOMA) for insulin resistance, and C-reactive protein served as mediators in this association across a sample of 18,435 US adults. Mediation analysis was conducted using the PROCESS Version 4.3 Macro for SPSS. Simple medi-ation analysis revealed that all three potential mediators played a role in mediating the associa-tion. However, in the parallel mediation analysis, where all three mediators were simultaneously included, HOMA for insulin resistance remained a significant mediator (indirect effect coefficient, 0.47; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.43—0.52; p < 0.05) after adjusting for all tested confounding factors. Conversely, LDL cholesterol (indirect effect coefficient, -0.13; 95% CI, -0.31—0.05; p > 0.05) and C-reactive protein (indirect effect coefficient, 0.01; 95% CI, -0.003—0.02; p > 0.05) ceased to be significant mediators. HOMA for insulin resistance accounted for 49% of the association between triglycerides and diabetes. In conclusion, HOMA for insulin resistance was the dominant mediator underlying the association between triglycerides and diabetes. Therefore, reducing triglyceride levels may hold promise for improving insulin sensitivity in diabetic patients.

A proportion of osteoarthritis (OA) patients are unsatisfied with post-operative outcomes following total joint replacement surgery (TJR), with insufficient pain relief or poor functional improvement. Predicting those will have poor outcomes would be beneficial for patients and clinicians. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between baseline anthropometric data and the concentration of pre-operative serum and peri-operative synovial fluid (SF) cytokines with 7-month post-operative outcomes in a cohort of knee and hip OA patients. 160 OA patients were recruited who were scheduled for TJR. The concentration of 24 cytokines were measured in blood and SF by multiplex assay. EQ5Dindex health status was assessed pre-operatively and at 7-months post-operatively. 13% of patients were identified as non-responders based on EQ5Dindex. Compared to responders, non-responders were of higher BMI, had greater waist and hip circumference and had higher levels of SF leptin but lower levels of SF Resistin (p&lt;0.05). Linear regression analysis found a significant relationship between pre-operative body weight and post-operative response (ΔEQ5Dindex; r=0.222, p=0.049). The combination of body weight with SF amphiregulin and SF IL-6 provided an improved predictive model of post-operative response (r=0.470, p=0.035).

In this study we were interested in the behaviors of individuals who preserve the social and organizational environment by ensuring sustainability. More specifically we are interested in allegiants behaviors. Numerous studies have highlighted the normative character of allegiance. To confer an object the status of social norm means to assign value (in terms of desirability and utility) to that object. Therefore we questioned the value attributed to allegiance. 170 employees were questioned on the desirability and utility they attribute to a future work colleague (future peer or future subordinate) starting from the answers the latter was supposed to have given to a questionnaire on allegiance. It was observed that desirability and utility make reference to two independent dimensions, utility being often more important. It was also noted there is greater severity assigned to endo-group targets (future peers) than to exo-group targets (future subordinates). Finally, it was noted there was not so much a valuation of allegiant targets, but rather a rejection of rebel targets, which raises the question of the bi-dimensionality of the valuation-devaluation process.

The medicinal plant Abrus precatorius L. was traditionally used in Siddha and Ayurvedic systems of medicine in India. The Indian centre of origin holds vast variability for its seed color. The objective of this study was to assess the total monomeric anthocyanin, flavonol, antioxidative potential, protein content and ash content among the accessions. A total of 99 accessions conserved in the Indian National Genebank were used in this study. The method used for the estimation of total monomeric anthocyanin, flavonol, antioxidative potential, protein content and ash content was pH differential method, Oomah method, Ferric Reducing Antioxidant Potential, Dumas method and gravimetric method respectively. The completely black colored accession was recorded with highest total monomeric anthocyanin (51.95 mg / 100 g of cyanidin 3-glucoside equivalent) and flavonol content (66.41 mg/g of quercetin equivalent). Red + black colored accessions have recorded the maximum value with respect to antioxidants (14.18 mg/g of gallic acid equivalent). Highest amount of protein content was found in a completely white colored accession (20.67%) and maximum ash content was recorded in red + black seed colored accession (4.01%). The promising accessions identified can be used by pharmaceutical companies in drug development and in curing degenerative diseases.

Substantial studies have focused on early detection of Alzheimer's disease (AD). Cerebral amyloid beta (Aβ), is hallmark of AD, can be observed in vivo via positron emission tomography imaging using amyloid tracer or cerebrospinal fluid assessment, but costly expensive. The current study aims to identify and compared predictability in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) markers and neuropsychological markers to predict cerebral Aβ status in AD cohort using machine learning (ML) approaches. The predictability in candidate markers for cerebral Aβ status was examined by analyzing 724 participants from the ADNI-2 cohort. Demographic variables, structural MRI markers, and neuropsychological test scores were used as input in several ML algorithms to predict cerebral Aβ positivity. Out of five combination of candidate markers, neuropsychological markers with demographics showed the most cost-efficient result. A feature selection model could distinguish abnormal levels of Aβ with the predictability of 0.85, indicating the same performance with MRI-based models. The result has first to identified the predictability in MRI markers using ML approaches, and secondary to demonstrate the neuropsychological model with demographics could predict Aβ positivity, suggesting a more cost-efficient method for detecting cerebral Aβ status compared to MRI markers.

Considering the unquestionable role of education in economic development, it has an impact at a macroeconomic level—contributing to enhancing productivity and innovation, reducing poverty and promoting social cohesion—and at a personal level—ensuring the improvement of knowledge, skills and individual capabilities and promoting social values like empowerment and equality. Notably, quality education is recognized as one of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), which, jointly with other behaviors and attitudes, could impact the development of societies in other fields like health and well-being, cultural preservation, environmental sustainability and even peace and stability—all of them also listed as SDGs. However, the capacity, or not, to reach higher levels of compliance with quality in education (SDG 4) varies from country to country, according to the 2023 Sustainable Development Report results. Thus, the present study used a fuzzy set qualitative comparative analysis to assess the conditions for attaining higher levels of quality education based on the different indicators used to measure SDG 4. The analysis will allow comparisons of results among different countries and provide information about the initiatives that could be relevant to increasing quality education worldwide and for policymakers.

Timber-concrete composite (TCC) systems join the positive aspects of engineered wood products (good seismic behaviour, low thermal conductivity, environmental sustainability, good behaviour under fire if appropriately designed) with those of concrete (high thermal inertia, durability, excellent fire resistance). TCC facades are typically composed by an internal insulated timber-frame wall and an external concrete slab, separated by a ventilated air cavity. However, there is very limited knowledge concerning the performance of TCC facades, especially for what concerns their thermal behaviour. The present paper deals with the development and optimisation of a 2D CFD model for the analysis of TCC ventilated façades thermal behaviour. The model is calibrated and validated against the experimental data collected during the annual monitoring of a real TCC ventilated envelope in the north of Italy. Also, a new solver algorithm is developed to significantly speed up the simulation. The final model can be used for the time-efficient analysis and optimisation of the thermal performance of TCC ventilated facades, as well as other ventilated facades with external massive cladding, avoiding the expensive and time-consuming construction of mock-ups, or the use of comparably slow (conventional) CFD solvers that are less suitable for optimization studies.

Zika virus (ZIKV) impacts the developing brain. Here a technique was applied to define, in 3D, developmental changes in the brain of ZIKV-infected mice. Postnatal day 1 mice were uninfected or ZIKV-infected, then analysed by iodine staining and micro-CT scanning (diffusible iodine contrast enhanced micro-CT; diceCT) at 3-, 6- and 10-days post infection (dpi). Multiple brain regions were visualised using diceCT; olfactory bulb, cerebrum, hippocampus, midbrain, interbrain, and cerebellum, along with the lens and retina of the eye. Brain regions were computationally segmented and quantitated, with increased brain volumes with developmental time in uninfected mice. Conversely, in ZIKV-infected mice, no quantitative differences were seen at 3 or 6 dpi, when there are no clinical signs, but qualitatively, diverse visual defects were identified at 6-10 dpi. By 10 dpi, ZIKV-infected mice had significantly lower body weight and reduced volume of brain regions compared to 10 dpi-uninfected or 6dpi ZIKV-infected mice. Nissl and immunofluorescent Iba1 staining on post-diceCT tissue were successful, but RNA extraction was not. Thus, diceCT shows utility for detecting both 3D qualitative and quantitative changes in the developing brain of ZIKV-infected mice, with the benefit, post-diceCT, of retaining the ability to apply traditional histology and immunofluorescent analysis to tissue.

At the end of 2023 the Whole Mouse Brain Atlas was announced, revealing that there are about 5,300 molecularly defined neuronal types in the mouse brain. We ask whether brain models exist that contemplate how this is possible. The conventional columnar model, implicitly used by the authors of the Atlas, is incapable of doing so with only 20 brain columns (5 brain vesicles with 4 columns each). We argue that definition of some 1,250 distinct progenitor microzones, each producing over time minimally 4-5 neuronal types, may be sufficient. This is nearly achieved presently by the prosomeric model amplified by secondary dorsoventral and anteroposterior microzonation of progenitor areas, plus clonal variation of cell types produced on average by each of them.

One of the G protein-coupled receptors, C-C chemokine receptor 5 (CCR5), is an important regulator for the activation of T and B lymphocytes, dendritic cells, natural killer cells, and macrophages. Upon binding to the ligands, CCR5 activates downstream signaling, which plays critical roles in the innate and adaptive immune response through the promotion of lymphocyte migration and the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines. Anti-CCR5 monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) have been developed and evaluated in clinical trials for tumors and inflammatory diseases. In this study, we developed novel mAbs for mouse CCR5 (mCCR5) using the N-terminal peptide immunization. Among the established anti-mCCR5 mAbs, C₅Mab-4 (rat IgG_2a, kappa) and C₅Mab-8 (rat IgG₁, kappa), recognized mCCR5-overexpressed Chinese hamster ovary-K1 (CHO/mCCR5) and an endogenously mCCR5-expressing cell line (L1210) by flow cytometry. The dissociation constant (K_D) values of C₅Mab-4 and C₅Mab-8 for CHO/mCCR5 were determined as 3.5 × 10⁻⁸ M and 7.3 × 10⁻⁹ M, respectively. Furthermore, both C₅Mab-4 and C₅Mab-8 could detect mCCR5 by western blotting. These results indicated that C₅Mab-4 and C₅Mab-8 are useful for detecting mCCR5 by flow cytometry and western blotting and provide a possibility to obtain the proof of concept in preclinical studies.

The cyclin dependent kinase inhibitor P21 CDKN1A has been shown to be upregulated during differentiation and after DNA damage in somatic cells. We examined the expression of P21 CDKN1A and of γ-H2AX during the differentiation of germ cells in normal mouse testis. P21 CDKN1A was normally expressed in in a variable mode in different cell types (spermatogonia, spermatocytes, spermatids, Sertoli cell) located since the basal till the lumen of the seminiferous tubules. Moreover, in agreement with γ-H2AX expression, P21 maybe involved in different cell cycle checkpoints in spermatocytes such as a pre-replication, XY body inactivation, a mid-pachytene and a metaphase I checkpoints. Finally, in comparison to control, the p21 deficient mouse testis show elevated numbers of apoptosis of elongated spermatids within stages VIII-IX but any difference in the number of spermatogonia mitosis.These results suggest that P21 also may take part in the regulation of the differentiation of the male germ cells and may have a role in spermatogonia not related with a mitotic checkpoint.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the full mutation in the FMR1 gene on the Xq27.3 chromosome region. It is the most common monogenic cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and inherited intellectual disability (ID). Besides ASD, ID and other issues, individuals with FXS may exhibit sleep problems and impairment of circadian rhythm (CR). The Drosophila melanogaster models of FXS, such as dFMR1B55, present excellent model for research in the FXS field. During this study, sleep pattern and CR in dFMR1B55 mutants were analyzed, using a new platform based on continuous high-resolution videography in integration with a highly-customized version of software. This methodology provides more sensitive results, which could be crucial for all further research in this model of fruit flies. The study revealed that dFMR1 B55 male mutants can be considered weak rhythmic flies rather than totally arrhythmic, and present a good alternative animal model of genetic disorder, which includes impairment of CR and sleep behavior. The combination of videography and software used in the current study should be recommended as a gold-standard methodology for such further research.

The study of the impact of polyQ expansion driven proteotoxicity on cell metabolism has evi-denced NAD molecule as a central player in regulating metabolic response and cell repair in neurodegeneration. The decline in NAD intracellular levels represents a hallmark of ageing aris-ing from a dysregulation between NAD-consuming and biosynthetic enzymatic reactions in which NMNAT plays a key role. By an integrated bioanalytical and proteomic experimental design, the derangement of NAD metabolism deriving from the accumulation of polyQ-Htt protein has been analysed in Saccha-romices cerevisiae harbouring a 103Q-Htt and compared with wild-type Htt, in absence and in presence of a phenolic extract from EVOO, as a source of antioxidant bioactive compounds. Quantification of NAD and its precursors and proteomic analysis of the differential protein ex-pression has been performed by LC-DAD-MS. Chronological lifespan and NAD homeostasis was strongly impaired by proteotoxic polyQ-Htt, eliciting a depletion of NAD levels and accumulation of NaMN. In parallel a downregulation of Sirt2 expression levels has been observed. Phenolic extract administration had no meaningful ef-fects on NAD replenishment to prevent proteotoxicity. NaMN can represent a biomarker of accel-erated aging, and/or a signaling molecule for cell repair.

With worsening environmental degradation and increasing international demand for human health, plant cell based technology will be more important. The aim of this review is to give an overview regarding key points of current progress and development trend of nature medical and edible plants from the framework of whole plant cell engineering including cell cultures, cell fusion and cell splitting derived biotechnology. Here we sum up three main application trends of medical plants cell cultures covering industrial output, technology upgrading and potential resource development. We also provide classification and typification insights to summarize the development of somatic hybridization in cereal, vegetables crops and other medicinal and edible plants as well as application of artificial polyploidy induction in major medicinal herbs. Development medicinal and edible homologous plants based on modern plant cell engineering will bring us a promising future.

The soil and groundwater of Bhagobangola I block of Murshidabad district, West Bengal, India is severely arsenic contaminated. A bacterium was isolated from the garden soil of Mahishasthali village, which could tolerate 36.49 mM arsenic (III), 280.44 mM arsenic (V) and 63 mM chromium (III), which makes it arsenic (III & V) and chromium (III) hyper-tolerant bacterium. The growth pattern of this bacterium does not show much alteration in presence of 10 mM arsenic (III) and chromium (III), emphasizing its resistance to these heavy metals. Scanning electron microscopy depicted the size of this bacterium to be ~1.45 µm. 16S rDNA sequencing followed by subsequent phylogenetic analysis established the identity of this bacterium as Microbacterium paraoxydans. The bacterium is capable of bioremediation of arsenic and showed 30.8% & 22.6%, and 35.2% and 30.5% of bioremediation over a period of 24 and 48 hours in 1 mM and 4 mM arsenite, respectively. Microbacterium paraoxydans also exhibit plant growth promoting properties like nitrogen fixation, phosphate solubilization, indole-3-acetic acid production and production of siderophores. Therefore, the heavy metal resistance, bioremediation potential and plant growth promoting potential of the bacterium could be utilized not only for reduction of arsenic toxicity in soil and groundwater but also for plant growth promotion by using it as a biofertilizer.

Membrane transporters (MTs) are mainly localized at the plasma membrane (PM), tonoplast and vacuolar membrane (VM) of cells in all plant organs. Their work is to maintain the cellular homeostasis by controlling ionic movements across PM channels from roots to upper plant parts, xylem loading and remobilization of sugar molecules from photosynthesis tissues in the leaf (source) to roots, stem and seeds (sink) via phloem loading. The plant’s whole source-to-sink relationship is regulated by multiple transporting proteins in a highly sophisticated manner and driven based on different stages of plant growth and development (PG&D), and environmental changes. The MTs play a pivotal role in PG&D in terms of increased plant height, branches/tiller numbers, enhanced numbers, length and filled panicles per plant, seed yield and grain quality. Dynamic climatic changes disturbed the ionic balance (salt, drought and heavy metals) and sugar supply (cold and heat stress). Due to poor selectivity, some of the MTs also uptake toxic elements in the roots that negatively impact on PG&D, later on also exported to upper parts and then deteriorate the grain quality. As an adaptive strategy, in response to salt and HMs plants activated PM and VM localized MTs that export toxic elements into vacuole, and also translocate in the root’s tips and shoot. However, in case of drought, cold and heat stresses, MTs increased the water and sugar supply to all organs. In this review, we mainly reviewed recent literature from Arabidopsis, halophytes, and major field crops such as rice, wheat, maize and oilseed rape to argue on the global role of MTs in PG&D and abiotic stress tolerance. We also discussed the gene expression level changes and genomic variations within a species as well as within a family in response to developmental and environmental cues.

Copper-containing materials are attracting attention as self-desinfecting surfaces, suitable for helping healthcare settings in reducing healthcare associated infections. However, the impact of repeated exposure to disinfectants frequently used in biocleaning protocols on their antibacterial activity remains insufficiently characterized. This study aimed at evaluating the antibacterial effi-ciency of copper (positive control), a brass alloy (AB+®) and stainless steel (negative control) after repeated exposure to a quaternary ammonium compound and/or a mix of peracetic acid/hydrogen peroxide routinely used in healthcare settings. A panel of 6 antibiotic-resistant strains (clinical isolates) was selected for this assessment. After a short (5 min) exposure time, the copper and brass materials retained significantly better antibacterial efficiencies than stainless steel, whatever the bacterial strain or disinfectant treatment considered. Moreover, post-treatment with both disinfectant products, copper-containing materials still reached similar levels of antibacterial efficiency as those obtained before treatment. Antibiotic resistance mechanisms such as efflux pump overexpression did not impair the antibacterial efficiency of copper-containing materials, neither did the presence of one or several genes related to copper homeostasis/resistance. In light of those results, surfaces made out of copper and brass remain interesting tools in the fight against dissemination of antibiotic-resistant strains that might cause healthcare associated infections.

De novo regeneration of Cannabis sativa L. (cannabis) using tissue culture techniques remains unreliable and infrequent. Conventional methods for the regeneration and transformation of cannabis have not achieved the reliability and replicability needed to be integrated into research and breeding programs. Protoplast systems are effective for gene expression studies, transformation and genome editing technologies, and opens the possibility of somatic hybridization to create interspecific hybrids. To date, leaf-derived protoplast have been isolated for transient gene expression studies, but attempts at protoplast-to-plant regeneration have not been reported. The present study aims to test the efficacy of using a callus culture system, as an abundant source for protoplast isolation and lays the groundwork for a protoplast-to-plant regeneration system. Using hypocotyl-derived callus cultures, which are known to have relatively greater regenerative potential, the efficacy of protoplast isolation and initial cell division were assessed. In this study, the effect of 2-aminoindane-2-phosphonic acid (AIP) in callus culture media and the effect of subculture frequency on protoplast yield were assessed. This study found that inclusion of AIP at 1 mM resulted in a 334% increase in protoplast yield compared with AIP-free medium, representing the first known use of AIP in cannabis tissue culture. Inclusion of AIP led to a 28% decrease in total soluble phenolics and 52% decrease in tissue browning compared to the control medium. Lastly, a two-phase culture system for protoplast regeneration was tested. At a concentration of 2.0×10^5 protoplasts per mL, division was observed, providing the first know report of cell division from cannabis protoplasts and setting the stage for future development of a protoplast-to-plant regeneration system.

Introduction The authors reviewed the published evidence on the presence of oligosaccharides in human milk (HMO) and their benefits in in vitro and in vivo studies, as well as to evaluate published data on the addition of some of HMOs to infant formula. Method PubMed was searched from inception to April 2018 Results The presence of HMOs is a dynamic process, determined by many factors such as duration of lactation, environmental and genetic factors. HMOs may support immune function development and provide protection against infectious diseases directly through the interaction of the gut epithelial cells or indirectly through the modulation of the gut microbiota, including the stimulation of the bifidobacteria. Only a few of the many HMOs can be made industrially, and are added to infant formula. They have been shown to be safe and well tolerated, including normal growth and a trend towards health benefit. Conclusions HMOs are one of the major differences between cow’s milk and human milk , and evidence indicates that these components do have a health promoting benefit. The addition of one or two of these components to infant formula is safe, and brings infant formula closer to human milk.

SARS-CoV-2 can induce vascular dysfunction and thrombotic events in patients with severe COVID-19; however, the cellular and molecular mechanisms behind these effects remain largely unknown. In this study, we used a combination of experimental and in silico approaches to explore the mechanisms behind the vascular and thrombotic events in COVID-19. Single-cell RNA-sequencing data from patients with COVID-19 and healthy subjects were obtained from the publicly available Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) repository. In addition, HUVECs were treated with inactivated protein C before exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection or a severe COVID-19 serum. An RT-qPCR array containing 84 related genes was used, and the candidate genes obtained were evaluated. Activated protein C levels were measured using an ELISA kit. We identified at the single-cell level the expression of several pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulation genes in endothelial cells from the patients with COVID-19. Furthermore, we demonstrated that exposure to SARS-CoV-2 promoted transcriptional changes in HUVECs that were partly reversed by the activated protein C pretreatment. We also observed that the serum of severe COVID-19 had a significant amount of activated protein C that could protect endothelial cells from serum-induced activation. In conclusion, activated protein C protects endothelial cells from pro-inflammatory and pro-coagulant effects during exposure to the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

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

β-Lactams are pharmacologically important compounds because of their various biological uses, including antibiotic and so on. β-Lactams were synthesized from benzylidene-inden derivatives and acetoxyacetyl chloride. The inhibitory effect of these compounds was also examined for human carbonic anhydrase I and II (hCA I, and II) and acetylcholinesterase (AChE). The results reveal that β-lactams are inhibitors of hCA I, II and AChE. The K_i values of β-lactams (2a-k) were 0.44-6.29 nM against hCA I, 0.93-8.34 nM against hCA II, and 0.25-1.13 nM against AChE. Our findings indicate that β-lactams (2a-k) inhibit both CA isoenzymes and AChE at low nanomolar concentrations.

Bulk composition, mineralogy and microchemistry of various fractions of the filling of the Crater No. 4 at Emmerting were investigated. Here we present mainly the fine fractions, which, in contrast to pebbles larger than ca. 4 cm, are relatively poor in material affected by melting. A 0.1 mm long meteorite fragment without ablation features was found, and remelted fragments of the same body have been identified. The projectile was dominated by enstatite, also containing forsterite, basic plagioclase, Ni-rich pyrrhotite and troilite, kamacite, silica, and probably merrillite. The molten fragments contain porous Mg-rich glass (indicating temperature &gt; 1500 °C), minor Fe oxides, and occasionally uncommon Ni-rich minerals. The bulk composition and electron microprobe show that the amount of meteoritic material is low (&lt;&lt; 1 %), and it is not unequivocally manifested even in platinum-group elements abundances and osmium isotope ratios (the latter, however, were only measured in two samples). This can be explained by dilution of the filling by particles brought after the crater formation, and by probably achondritic composition of the projectile. Relatively large hollow spheroid Fe oxide particles were observed in thin sections from the magnetic fraction. A Mn oxide hollow spherule has also been found. In magnetically separated filling from the nearby Crater No. 5, bulk chemical composition points to contamination with several metals and metalloids probably due to influence of recent alluvial sediments. Therefore, the extent of meteoritic contamination in this crater may be even smaller.

Keywords: glycerin; Ni-based catalyst; lanthanum; semi-industrial scale; hydrogen production; biorefinery; monitoring.

The effects of ELICE16INDURES, a well-known plant conditioner developed by the Research Institute for Medicinal Plants and Herbs Ltd. Budakalasz, Hungary, were studied in a soybean population. The active ingredients of the compound have been selected to help elicit general immunity in plants without pathogenic damage, thereby roborizing the healthy plant population and preparing it for possible future biotic stressors. Here we have analyzed changes in the expression levels of genes encoding enzymes involved in the catalysis of metabolic pathways that induce and regulate PAMP-triggered immunity (PTI) at two different time points and treatments. Twenty-three different enzymes were analyzed that catalyze different metabolic pathways, such as the biosyntheses of jasmonic acid, salicylic acid, ethylene, phenylpropanoid, flavonoid, and phytoalexin biosynthesis and cellular detoxification processes. Bioinformatical softwares werw used to analyze the results. It has been found that some of the primary defense mechanisms (e.g., Mitogen-Activated-Protein Kinase (MAPK) cascade, jasmonic acid biosynthesis, flavonoid and phytoalexin biosynthesis, etc.) that intensify following the attack of pathogens can be activated without the intrusion of the actual pathogen by an immunochemical. Thus, we proved that plant resistance can be artificially conditioned.

Biosensors are indispensable tools to follow plant’s immunity as its spatiotemporal dimension is key in withstanding the complex plant immune signaling. The diversity of genetically encoded biosensors in plants is expanding, covering new analytes with ever higher sensitivity and robustness, but their assortment is limited in some aspects, such as their use to follow biotic stress response, employing more than one biosensor in the same chassis and their implementation into crops. In this review, we focused on the available biosensors that encompass these aspects. We show that in vivo imaging of calcium and reactive oxygen species is satisfactorily covered with the available genetically encoded biosensors, while on the other hand they are still underrepresented when it comes to imaging of the main three hormonal players of the immune response, salicylic acid, ethylene and jasmonic acid. Following more than one analyte in the same chassis, upon one or more conditions has so far been possible by using the most advanced genetically encoded biosensors in plants which allow to monitor calcium and two main hormonal pathways involved in plant development, auxin and cytokinin. These kinds of biosensors are also the most evolved in crops. In the last section, we gathered the challenges in the use of the biosensors and showed some strategies to overcome them.

Conventional plant breeding has contributed enormously towards feeding the world and has played crucial roles in the development of modern society. The conventional method creates variation by transferring genes between or within the species. In general, these methods are more expensive and takes more time, to overcome these limitations, new technology is required. Genome editing is a powerful tool for biotechnology applications, with the capacity to alter the function of any gene. With the availability of gene information for the majority of the traits, genome editing emerged as a potential to create a new variation with the introduction of any transgene. The important genome editing tools used nowadays are ZFNs, TALEN, Pentatricopeptide repeats protein, adenine base editor, RNA interference, and CRISPR/Cas9. These tools have opened a new era for crop improvement. Due to the complex genetic architecture of most traits, it is challenging to edit genes controlling them. To overcome these challenges, genome editing provides a broader perspective. Among the above-mentioned tools, CRISPR/Cas9 is the most powerful tool for gene editing. These technologies are being used to create abiotic and biotic resistance crop varieties.

Fast growing woody crops are currently a very important source for the generation of energy biomass. As short-rotation woody crops, the genus Paulownia has already attracted growing attention. These trees are used to produce biomass and reduce the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere. Most projects for biomass production, however, may affect soil properties and status. For this reason, it is important to know the effects of Paulownia plantations on the microbiological properties of the soils on agricultural areas in Poland. This article provides information on plant parasitic nematodes inhabiting the root zone of Paulownia tomentosa L. in Poland. The only report of Meloidogyne hapla Chitwood, 1949 shows the potential pathogenicity of the root-knot nematodes. Furthermore, nothing is known about plant parasitic nematodes inhabiting the root zone of Paulownia tomentosa L.in Poland. Determining the trophic group of plant parasitic nematodes was undertaken by a process of centrifugation. Measurements showed a decrease in the population reproduction factor (Pf/Pi) which reached a value of 0.1. Paulownia tomentosa L. taken from seven different locations in Poland revealed the presence of M. hapla.

Plants produce a diverse portfolio of sesquiterpenes that are important in their response to herbivores and the interaction with other plants. Their biosynthesis from farnesyl diphosphate depends on the sesquiterpene synthases. Here, we investigate to what extent metabolic pathways can be reconstructed just from knowledge of the final product and the reaction mechanisms catalyzed by sesquiterpene synthases. We use the software package MedØlDatschgerl (MØD) to generate chemical networks and elucidate pathways contained in them. As examples, we successfully consider the reachability of the important plant sesquiterpenes β-caryophyllene, α-humulene, and β-farnesene. We also introduce a graph database to integrate simulation results with experimental biological evidence for selected predicted sesquiterpenes biosynthesis.

Proteases are integral enzymes of the plant immune system. Multiple aspects of defence are regulated by proteases, including the hypersensitive response, pathogen recognition, priming and peptide hormone release. These processes are regulated by unrelated proteases residing at different subcellular locations. In this review we discuss ten prominent plant proteases contributing to the plant immune system, highlighting the diversity of roles they perform in plant defence.

In this study, the probabilistic exergoeconomic analysis was performed for four industrial gas turbine (GT) units comprising of two (GT16 and GT19) units of 100MW GE engine and two (GT8 and GT12) units of 25MW Hitachi engine at Transcorp Power Limited, Ughelli. These four industrial GT engine units were modelled and simulated using natural gas as fuel. The design point (DP) simulation results of the modelled GT engines were validated with the available DP thermodynamic data from original equipment manufacturer (OEM). This was done before the off-design point (ODP) simulation was carried out which represents the plant operations. The results obtained from exergy analysis at full load operation show that the turbine has the highest exergy efficiency followed by compressor and combustion having the least. For turbines these were 96.13% for GT8 unit, 98.02% for GT12 unit, 96.26% for GT16 unit, and 96.30% for GT19 unit. Moreover, the combustion chamber has the highest exergy destruction efficiency of 55.16% GT8 unit, 56.58% GT12 unit, 43.90% GT16 unit, and 43.30% GT19 unit respectively. The exergy analysis results obtained from the four units show that the combustion chamber (CC) is the most significant exergy destruction with lowest exergy efficiency and highest exergy destruction efficiency of plant components. The exergoeconomic analysis results from four units showed combustion chamber energy destruction cost of 531.08 $/h GT8 unit, 584.53 $/h GT12 unit, 2351.81$/h GT16, and 2315.93$/h GT19 unit. The probabilistic results analysis based on the input parameters distributions evaluated and discussed.

The medium-voltage DC (MVDC) technology has gained increasing interests in recent years. Power electronics devices dominate those grids. Accurate simulation of such a grid, with detailed models of switching semiconductors, can quickly became very time-consuming, according to the number of connected devices to be simulated. A simulation approach based on interactions on a continuous time model can be very interesting, especially for developing a system level control model of such a modern MVDC distribution grid. Aim of this paper is to present all the steps required for obtaining a continuous time modelling of a +/- 10 kV MVDC grid case study, including Solid State Transformer (SST) and Modular Multilevel Converter (MMC) based Active Front End (AFE). Additional aim of this paper is to supply an educational content about the use of the continuous time simulation approach, thanks to a detailed description of the various devices modelled into the presented MVDC grid. The results of a certain number of simulation scenarios are eventually presented.

The goal of newborn screening is to improve health outcomes by identifying and treating affected newborns. This manuscript provides an overview of a data tool to facilitate the longitudinal collection of health information on newborns diagnosed with a condition through NBS. The Newborn Screening Translational Research Network (NBSTRN) developed the Longitudinal Pediatric Data Resource (LPDR) to capture, store, analyze, visualize, and share genomic and phenotypic data over the lifespan of NBS identified newborns to facilitate understanding of genetic disease, and to assess the impact of early identification and treatment. NBSTRN developed a consensus-based process using clinical care experts to create, maintain, and evolve question and answer sets organized into common data elements (CDEs). The LPDR contains 24,172 core and disease-specific CDEs for 118 rare genetic diseases, and the CDEs are being made available through the NIH CDE Repository. The number of CDEs for each condition average of 2,200 with a range from 69 to 7,944. The LPDR is used by state NBS programs, clinical researchers, and community-based organizations. Case level, de-identified data sets are available for secondary research and data mining. The development of the LPDR for longitudinal data gathering, sharing, and analysis supports research and facilitates the translation of new discoveries into clinical practice.

Development of mucosal vaccines has been limited and could be aided by a systems vaccinology approach to identify platforms and adjuvant strategies that induce protective immune responses. Induction of local immune responses by mucosal-delivered vaccines has been difficult to evaluate from peripheral samples as systemic responses often do not correlate with the mucosal response. Here we utilized transcriptomics in combination with Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) to assess innate immune activation by an oral probiotic Lactobacillus acidophilus-based vaccine platform in mice. The goal was to explore the earliest immune responses elicited after oral immunization at the Peyer’s patch. Twenty-four hours after oral delivery of the L. acidophilus vaccine platform, we found an overabundance of L. acidophilus at Peyer’s patches and detected expression of the vaccine viral proteins and adjuvants confirming in vivo vaccine delivery. Compared to mice orally dosed with buffer or wild-type L. acidophilus, we identified enhanced response in immune pathways related to cytokine and gene signaling, T and B cell activation, phagocytosis, and humoral responses. While more work is needed to correlate these pathways with protection from infection and/or disease, they indicate this method’s potential to evaluate and aid in the iterative development of next-generation mucosal vaccines.

This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of the SEIRS COVID-19 pandemic model with saturated incidence rate. By modifying the existing model and proposing a new simplified version, we investigate the dynamics of disease transmission, including the impact of saturation terms on disease spread. Through stability analysis at disease-free and endemic equilibria, we aim to enhance understanding of the spread of COVID-19 and inform effective control strategies. Drawing on mathematical models and epidemiological insights, this study contributes to the ongoing efforts to combat the global pandemic.

Influenza is well-known to have a considerable influence on healthcare system, therefore, vaccination plays a significant role in dealing with severe consequences. Close attention is paid to the development of tetravalent adjuvanted vaccines, containing antigens of two influenza A subtypes (H1N1, H3N2) and two influenza B subtypes (Victoria, Yamagata) to increase the effectiveness of influenza prevention. In this work we present the results of pre-clinical study of innovative subunit tetravalent candidate influenza vaccine, with addition of betulin as adjuvant, TetraFluBet. The study was conducted using female BALB/c mice, male and female mongrel rats and guinea pigs. TetraFluBet and commercially available vaccines were injected intraperitoneally twice in a 14-day interval after intranasal infection with 5LD50 and 10LD50. Chronic toxicity was assessed by immunohistochemistry of extracted organs and by hematological and biochemical blood parameters. Protectivity and immunogenicity were evaluated using hemagglutination inhibition and microneutralization with MDCK assays. Chronic toxicity study did not reveal any side effects of candidate TetraFluBet vaccine on both rats and guinea pigs. One vaccination dose of TetraFluBet provided 100% protectivity against all 4 influenza subtypes and significantly increased neutralizing antibody activity in response to immunization of influenza subtypes. Pre-clinical candidate vaccine TetraFluBet confirmed its safety along with specific activity, showed high immunogenicity and can be recommended for further clinical studies.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne illness in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Borrelia burgdorferi, a spirochete bacterium transmitted by the tick vector Ixodes scapularis, causes Lyme disease in the U.S. If untreated, Lyme arthritis, carditis, and meningitis will occur. Given the absence of a human Lyme disease vaccine, we developed a vaccine using the rabies virus vaccine vector, BNSP333, and an outer surface borrelial protein BBI39. To incorporate BBI39 into the RABV virion, we generated a chimeric BBI39 antigen, BBI39RVG, by fusing it with the final amino acids of the RABV glycoprotein. Here we demonstrated that BBI39RVG antigen was incorporated into the RABV virion, and mice vaccinated with our RABV-BBI39RVG vaccine induced high amounts of BBI39-specific antibodies which are maintained long-term. The BBI39 antibodies neutralized Borrelia in vaccinated mice when challenged with Borrelia burgdorferi by either syringe injection or infected ticks, and reduced Lyme disease pathology.

AI-based approaches are increasingly being used to revolutionize vaccine development for COVID-19. Small molecules, peptides, and epitopes are being collected for therapy discovery, which could also direct AI-based models, screening, or generation [1]. AI-based models are being used for drug discovery and vaccine development, and pre-existing data is being leveraged through machine learning approaches for COVID-19 drug discovery and vaccine development [1]. The best candidate targets for future treatment development are being identified and evaluated using AI-based models [1]. AI-based approaches can be used to overcome challenges in manufacturing, storage, logistics, and safety and efficacy issues related to different vaccine candidates for COVID-19 [2]. AI algorithms can help identify the best vaccine candidates for COVID-19 while considering the efficiency of antigenic peptides for immune response generation [2]. The presentation of antigenic peptides by major histocompatibility complex (MHC) class II molecules is the first step after COVID-19 vaccine administration for any vaccine-induced immune response [2]. Thus, AI-based models are being used to identify the best vaccine candidates for COVID-19 and to ensure that the vaccine-induced immune response is efficient and safe. The utilization of AI-based methods to address logistical, manufacturing, storage, safety, and efficacy issues regarding several COVID-19 vaccine candidates will be examined in this study. Additionally, while considering the effectiveness of antigenic peptides for the induction of an immune response, we will determine the best potential targets for the next treatment development and assess how AI-based models can help discover the best vaccine candidates for COVID-19. This research ultimately intends to offer insights into how AI-based techniques can transform COVID-19 vaccine development and how they can be applied to address vaccine development issues. In this paper, we focus on recent advances in using artificial intelligence to develop COVID-19 drugs and vaccines, as well as the potential of intelligent training in discovering COVID-19 therapeutics, highlighting potential challenges and solutions.

Studies evaluating candidate tick-derived proteins as anti-tick vaccines in natural hosts have been limited due to high costs. To overcome this problem, animal models are used in immunization tests. The aim of this article was to review the use of rabbits as an experimental model for the evaluation of tick-derived proteins as vaccines. A total of 57 tick proteins have been tested for their immunogenic potential using rabbit as model for vaccination. The most commonly used rabbit breeds were New Zealand (73.8%), Japanese white (19%), Californians (4.8%) and Flemish lop-eared rabbit (2.4%). Anti-tick vaccines efficacy resulted in up to 99.9%. Haemaphysalis longicornis (17.9%) and Ornithodoros moubata (12.8%) were the most common tick model in vaccination trials. Experiments in rabbits have revealed that some proteins (CoAQP, OeAQP, OeAQP1, Bm86, GST-Hl, 64TRP, serpins and voraxin) can induce immune responses against various tick species. In addition, in some cases it was possible to determine that the vaccine efficacy in rabbits was similar to experiments performed in natural hosts (e.g. Bm86, IrFER2, RmFER2, serpins and serine protease inhibitor). In conclusion, results have shown that prior to performing anti-tick vaccination trials using natural hosts, rabbits can be used as suitable experimental models for these studies

In light of the recent pandemic, several COVID-19 vaccines were developed, tested and approved in a very short time, a process that otherwise takes many years. Above all, these efforts have also unmistakably revealed the capacity limits and potential for improvement in vaccine production. This review aims to emphasize recent approaches for targeted rapid adaptation and production of vaccines from an interdisciplinary multifaceted perspective. Using literature research, stakeholder analysis and a value proposition canvas, we reviewed technological innovations on the pharmacological level, formulation, validation and resilient vaccine production to supply bottlenecks and logistic networks. We identified four main drivers to accelerate the vaccine product life cycle: computerized candidate screening, modular production, digitized quality management and a resilient business model with corresponding transparent supply chains. In summary, the results presented here can serve as a guide and implementation tool for flexible, scalable vaccine production to respond swiftly to pandemic situations in the future.

Early experience with Covid-19 shows that vaccines can be the most effective way of preventing the spread of infection. However, vaccine hesitancy is among the most significant hurdles in preventing the spread of novel infections. Monkeypox (MPX) has already been declared a global health emergency by WHO. Thus, there is an urgent need to understand the MPX vaccine willingness in various population groups. In this cross-sectional study, an online survey was conducted among Saudi healthcare workers (HCWs) to understand the monkeypox vaccine willingness in healthcare workers in Saudi Arabia. Saudi has already confirmed multiple MPX cases, and thus it is essential to initiate timely protective measures, including vaccination. The study had 743 respondents. The study found that among Saudi HCWs, 52.7% were willing to receive the MPX vaccine. The study found that sociodemographic factors had a small impact on vaccine willingness. However, early experience with vaccination had a significant impact. Thus, more than 70% who had influenza or COVID-19 vaccine were willing to receive the MPX vaccine. Some of the most significant concerns influencing vaccine acceptability were the safety and efficacy of the vaccine. Hence, it is strongly recommended to focus on disseminating information regarding the safety and efficacy of the MPX vaccine.

Vaccination is one of the most effective methods for preventing morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. Vaccine hesitancy has led to a decrease in vaccine uptake; driven by misinformation, fear, and perceptions of vaccine safety. Whole inactivated vaccines have been used in one-fifth of the vaccine recipients in Africa, however there is limited real-world data on their safety. We evaluated the reported side effects and factors associated with reported side effects following vaccination with whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines - BBiBP-CorV (Sinopharm) and CoronaVac (Sinovac). A quantitative survey evaluating attitudes and side effects from vaccination was administered to 1016 adults presenting at vaccination centers. Two follow-up telephone interviews were conducted to determine side effects after the first and second vaccination dose. Overall, the vaccine was well tolerated; 26.0% and 14.4% reported side effects after the first and second dose respectively. The most frequent local and systemic side effects were pain at the injection site and headaches respectively. Most symptoms were mild, and no participants re-quired hospitalization. Participants who perceived COVID-19 vaccines as safe or had a personal COVID-19 experience were significantly less likely to report side effects. Our findings provide data on the safety and tolerability of whole inactivated COVID-19 vaccines in an African population, providing the necessary data to create effective strategies to increase vaccination and support vaccination campaigns.

Mosquito-borne viral disease dengue is a global public health problem causing a wide spectrum of clinical manifestations ranging from mild dengue fever to severe dengue with plasma leakage and bleeding which are often associated to fatality. To date, there are no specific medications to treat dengue and prevent the risk of hemorrhage. Dengue is caused by one of the four related antigenically distinct serotypes, DENV-1 to DENV-4. The growing burden that represents the four DENV serotypes has intensified both basic and applied researches to better understand the dengue physiopathology. It has been proposed a significant role for the secreted soluble DENV nonstructural protein 1 (sNS1) glycoprotein in the pathogenesis of severe dengue. Here, we provided an overview on current knowledge about the role of sNS1 in the immunopathogenesis of dengue disease. The reasons for the consideration of sNS1 in the design of future dengue vaccine candidates will be discussed.

Rapid online surveys are an important tool in tracking the public’s knowledge and perceptions during infectious disease outbreaks. In June 2020, during the early phases of COVID-19 vaccines development, a survey had been conducted, aimed at assessing attitudes and opinions about vaccination of 885 Italian adults, in addition to their vaccine literacy levels (i.e. skills of finding, understanding and using information about vaccines). In January 2021, the same questionnaire has been administered to a similar population (n=160). Interactive vaccine literacy was significantly higher than in June 2020 (mean score 3.38 vs 3.27 respectively, P=.0021). The percentage of participants willing to be vaccinated against COVID-19 was assessed by the means of either-or questions, and was equally high in both surveys (>90%), which is quite reassuring, despite metrics based on categorical scales cannot identify hesitant subjects.

Our investigations show that electrochemical corrosion of copper is faster than electrochemical corrosion of aluminium at temperatures below 100oC. Literature data analysis shows that the Al atoms diffuse faster than the Cu atoms at temperatures higher than 475oC, Al rich intermetallic compounds (IMCs) are formed faster in the Cu-Al system, and the Kirkendall plane shifts toward Al side. Electrochemical corrosion occurs due to electric current and due to diffusion. An electronic devise working time, for example, depends on initial copper cover thickness on aluminium wire, connected to the electronic devise, temperature, and volume and dislocation pipe diffusion coefficients, so copper, iron, and aluminium electrochemical corrosion rates are investigated experimentally at room temperature and at temperature 100oC. Intrinsic diffusivities ratios of copper and aluminium at different temperatures and diffusion activation energies in the Cu-Al system are calculated by proposed here methods using literature experimental data. Dislocation pipe and volume diffusion activation energies of pure iron are calculated separately by earlier proposed method using literature experimental data. Aluminium dissolved into NaCl solution as the Al3+ ions at room temperature and at temperature 100oC, iron dissolved into NaCl solution as the Fe2+ (not Fe3+) ions at room temperature and at temperature 100oC, copper dissolved into NaCl solution as the Cu+ ions at room temperature and as the Cu+ and the Cu2+ ions at temperature 100oC. It is founded experimentally that copper corrosion is higher than aluminium corrosion, and ratio of electrochemical corrosion rates, kCu/kAl>1, decreases with temperature increasing, although iron electrochemical corrosion rate doesn’t depend on temperature below 100oC. It is obvious, because melting point of iron is more higher then melting point of copper or aluminium. It is calculated that copper electrochemical corrosion rate is approximately equal to aluminium electrochemical corrosion at temperature about 300oC, so copper can dissolve into NaCl solution mostly as the Cu2+ ions at temperature about 300oC. Ratio of intrinsic diffusivities, DCu/DAl <1, increases with temperature increasing, and intrinsic diffusivity of aluminium could be approximately equal to intrinsic diffusivity of copper at temperature about 460oC.

Preventing or treating infections at implantation sites where the risk of bacterial contamination is high requires the development of intelligent drug delivery systems. In this work, honeycomb structures as a potential drug carrier were obtained for the first time in a fast, one-step anodization process of titanium grade 4, lasting only 60 seconds. Fourth generation oxide nanotube layers were obtained from an aqueous solution of 0.5% AgNO3 in the voltage range from 50 to 80 at 15(1) °C. The FE-SEM method showed the length of the oxide nanotubes from 1.02(2) µm at 50 V to 230(8) nm at 80 V. The EDS analysis revealed that during anodizing, silver particles are deposited on the Ti G4 up to 2.2(5) wt.%. Electrochemical measurements by open circuit potential and anodic polarization curves methods proved the improvement of in vitro corrosion resistance as a result of Ti G4 anodizing. Assessment of the anodized Ti G4 as gentamicin sulfate carrier carried out using ATR-FTIR and UV-VIS absorption spectroscopy revealed that the obtained oxide nanotube layers can be used for application of drugs directly to the tissue around the implant. This method of application allows full use of the therapeutic dose of the antibiotic used.

Cystic echinococcosis (CE), caused by the larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus, is significantly underreported in Mongolia due to geographical remoteness, lack of early diagnostics, and poor clinical management. This study aimed to provide a more accurate estimate of CE in Mongolia by comparing data of surgical (reported) and diagnosed (unreported) cases, and assessing the challenges faced by rural doctors in disease management and surveillance. We collected data on surgical cases hospitalized between 2006-2016 and newly diagnosed CE cases in 2016 from eight provinces. Using a quasi-Poisson regression model of the collected data, we used extrapolation to estimate the number of diagnosed cases for the entire country. Additionally, fourty health professionals from all 21 provinces rated local clinical management for CE through a questionnaire. Results reveal that surgical cases (2.2 per year) represent only one-eighth of diagnosed cases (15.9 per year). The laboratory facilities, disease reporting, and cyst classification usage scored below 2. These results highlight the significant underreporting of CE in Mongolia and urges human and animal health experts, along with policymakers, to invest into combating CE, particularly in remote provincial areas. It also emphasizes the need for standard clinical management involving cyst classification according to WHO-IWGE, seamless integration of CE reporting and monitoring mechanisms, which can significantly contribute to the national and global burden estimation of CE.

Spent coffee grounds (SCG) have great potential as a useful, value-added biological material. In this context, activated carbon (AC) was prepared from SCG by an activation process using H3PO4 at 600°C in air and used as an adsorbent for the azo dye AO7, a model molecule for dye colorants found in textile industry effluents. X-ray diffraction, SEM and BET revealed that the AC was predominantly amorphous, consisting of a powder of 20-100 µm particles with mesopores averaging 5.5 nm in pore size. Adsorption kinetics followed a pseudo-second-order law, while the Langmuir model best fitted experimental isotherm data (maximum capacity of 119.5 mg AO7 per AC g). Thermodynamic parameters revealed that adsorption was endothermic and spontaneous. All the characterizations indicated that adsorption occurred by physisorption via mainly - interactions. The best experimental removal efficiency optimized by means of a Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology was 98% for an initial AO7 concentration of 20 mg.L-1 at pH 7.5 with a dose of 0.285 g.L-1 of AC and a contact time of 40 min. These results clearly show that activated carbon prepared from SCG can be a useful material for efficiently removing organic matter from aqueous solutions.

Introduction and Purpose: Nurses are expected to be competent in practice based on the domain of standards and interpersonal soft skills (ISS). Nurses are faced with inadequate physical assessment 28%, formulating diagnoses 56%, plans 34%, implementation 31%, evaluation 37,5%, and communication skills 41%. Aims to develop an ISS learning model based on transformative learning theory and digitalization (TLTD) to improve nurses’ competencies. Method: Used Explanatory cross-sectional involved 190 practitioner nurses. Variables of individual characters (X1), facilities (X2), Social environment support/SES (X3), TLTD (X4), ISS (X5), and nursing competencies (Y) were measured. Data was collected using a checklist questionnaire, conducted on 6 June to 10 August 2022 at Dili, Baucau, and Maliana hospitals. Used descriptive and inferential analysis with SEM-PLS. Result: Five of the 11 hypotheses of statistical p-value < 0,05 and T-Test > 1,96, including X2>X4, X3>X5, X4>X5, and X5>y, to form ISS learning model. The characteristic of respondents were 81,8% young adults, 67,9% women, 57,8% undergraduates, judging the previous training 35% was unsuccessful, and 45,8% did not meet expectations. Learning facilities that are still lacking include policies 23,7%, curriculum 23,4%, guideline 22,7%, modules 27,9%, infrastructure 20,3%, social environment support 24,2% low, organizational support, 30,0% low peer support and 26,3% low family support. The average TLTD is 25,3% to 34,2%, ISS 22,1% to 30,5%, and nurse competence 25,3% to 30,5%.Suggestion: Result of the study become base to improve nurse’s competencies. Conclusion: Learning model was formed by facilities, SES, TLTD, ISS, and nurses’ competencies.

Cercospora beticola Sacc. is an ascomycete pathogen that causes Cercospora leaf spot in sugar beets (Beta vulgaris L.) and other related crops. The disease symptoms are characterized by circular lesions with an ash-gray centre and dark brown to purple margins on the leaves. It can lead to significant yield losses if not effectively managed. This study aims to characterize and assess the impact of bacterial biological control agents against C. beticola. Following a dual-culture screening, 18 bacteria exhibiting over 50% inhibition were selected, with six of them demonstrating more than 80% control. Identification of the bacteria was carried out through sequencing of the16S rDNA, revealing potentially 12 species belonging to six genera including Bacillus which was represented by four species. Additionally, the bacteria underwent in-depth characterization of biochemical and molecular properties, as well as plant-growth promotion. PCR detection of genes responsible for producing antifungal metabolites revealed that 83%, 78%, 89%, and 56% of the selected bacteria possessed the bacillomycin, iturin, fengycin, and surfactin encoding genes, respectively. Infrared spectroscopy analysis confirmed the presence of lipopeptide structure in the bacteria supernatant filtrate. Subsequently, the bacteria were assessed for their effect on sugar beet plants in controlled conditions. The bacteria exhibited notable capabilities, promoting growth in both roots and shoots, resulting in significant increases in root length, weight, and shoot length. The field experiment with four bacterial candidates demonstrated good performance against C. beticola compared to difenoconazole fungicide. These bacteria played a significant role in disease control, achieving a maximum efficacy of 77.42%, slightly below the 88.51% efficacy attained by difenoconazole. Additional field trials are necessary to verify the protective and growth-promoting effects of these candidates, whether applied individually, combined in consortia, or integrated with chemical inputs in sugar beet crop production.

The flavonoid silymarin (SMN) has been widely used in preclinical and clinical studies to treat various types of cancer, either alone or in combination with chemotherapy agents. Herein, we investigated the therapeutic efficacy of SMN and its combination with capecitabine (CAP) and irinotecan (IRI) in a mouse model of colon cancer. A modified diet supplemented with SMN (2500 ppm) with mono- and combined therapy of CAP and IRI were used following 1, 2 dimethylhydrazine (DMH)-induced colon cancer. The lipid profile, liver function tests, and cytokine levels were measured. Additionally, the lipid peroxidation and inflammation indices as well as the antioxidant activities were examined. Eventually, western blotting analysis for colonic BAX and Bcl-2 levels and histopathological examination of colon sections were carried out. SMN alone and in combination with the chemotherapeutic agents could attenuate the DMH-induced hyperlipidemia and elevated liver function enzyme levels. SMN supplementation with chemotherapy agents could also improve antioxidant activity and reverse the elevated levels of lipid peroxidation and inflammatory markers. Furthermore, significant upregulation of BAX and downregulation of Bcl-2 were observed. Besides, carcinogen-induced polyp multiplicity, dysplastic, and inflammatory changes were ameliorated considerably by treatment regimens. Our results showed that the potential anticancer properties of SMN could enhance the therapeutic effects of chemotherapy agents and reduce hepatotoxicity.

This study focuses on mimicking constitutive phosphorylation in the N-terminus of the myosin regulatory light chain (S15D-RLC) as a rescue strategy for the mutation-induced cardiac dysfunction in transgenic (Tg) models of restrictive (RCM) and dilated (DCM) cardiomyopathy caused by mutations in myosin essential (ELC) or regulatory (RLC) light chains. S15D-RLC phosphomimetic was reconstituted in left ventricular papillary muscle (LVPM) fibers from two mouse models of cardiomyopathy, RCM-E143K ELC and DCM-D94A RLC, along with their corresponding Tg-ELC and Tg-RLC wild type (WT) mice. The beneficial effects of S15D-RLC in rescuing cardiac function were manifested by S15D-RLC-induced destabilization of the super-relaxed (SRX) state that was observed in both models of cardiomyopathy. S15D-RLC promoted a shift from the SRX state to the disordered relaxed (DRX) state, increasing the number of heads readily available to interact with actin and produce force. Additionally, S15D-RLC reconstituted fibers demonstrated significantly higher maximal isometric force per cross-section of muscle compared with reconstitution with WT-RLC protein. The effects of the phosphomimetic S15D-RLC were compared to those observed for Omecamtiv Mecarbil (OM), a myosin activator shown to bind to the catalytic site of cardiac myosin and increase myocardial contractility. A similar SRX↔DRX equilibrium shift was observed in OM=treated fibers as in S15D-RLC-reconstituted preparations. Additionally, treatment with OM resulted in significantly higher maximal pCa 4 force per cross-section of muscle fibers in both cardiomyopathy models. Our results suggest that both treatments with S15D-RLC and OM may improve the function of myosin motors and cardiac muscle contraction in RCM-ELC and DCM-RLC mice.

BACKGROUND. Two sequelae of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), ESLD and HCC, have become the leading causes for liver transplantation in the Western. The present study aims to approach the cellular metabolic disturbances involved in NASH progression that are associated with microbiota community changes. METHODS. Metabolic effects and microbiota community changes were explored in the murine with NASH progression by blocking the Na/K-ATPase/Src/reactive oxygen amplification loop using the synthetic targeting peptide pNaKtide. DNA from the terminal ileum microbiota habitat was obtained and amplified by PCR to develop DNA bacterial phylogenic sequence analysis of wild type and treated animals at 12, 24 and 48 weeks. Induced changes by pSrc normalization at 24 weeks were correlated with liver morphological changes, intestinal CD4+/CD8+ ratio, and liver macrophage CD14+ expression. Differences among groups were evaluated by ANOVA/t-test and Principal Component Analysis (PCA). RESULTS. Microbiota communities varied significantly at all time points (12, 24 and 48 weeks), with an increase of Verrucomicrobia and a decrease of Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in the HFD group. Microbiota community changes regressed to their wild-type state at 24 weeks on treated animals, and those changes were associated with a decrease in liver inflammation and senescence, lower ileum CD4+/CD8+ T cells and higher liver CD14+ cells (p<0.05). Concomitantly, the metabolic disturbances in our diet-induced NASH model were normalized by NKA/Src signaling blockage and exercise with a paucity of apoptotic activity, mitigation of cell senescence, and regression of liver fibrosis (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS. pSrc inhibition at caveolar α1-Na/K-ATPase rescinded NASH-related metabolic disturbances establishing resident physiological microbiota communities with concomitant paucity on apoptotic activity and regression of liver fibrosis; effects that were associated with both gut and liver T-lymphocyte responses.

The Mouse Grimace Scale (MGS) was developed 10 years ago to assess pain through characterisation of changes in five facial features or action units. The strength of the technique is that it is proposed to be a measure of spontaneous or non-evoked pain. A comprehensive scoping review of the academic literature was performed. The MGS has been employed mainly in evaluation of acute pain, particularly in the pain and neuroscience research fields. There has however been use of the technique in a wide range of fields, and based on limited study it does appear to have utility for pain assessment across a spectrum of animal models. Use of the method does allow detection of pain of a longer duration, up to a month post-initial insult. There has been less use of the technique using real-time methods and this is an area in need of further research.

Non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) is the main DNA repair mechanism for the repair of double strand breaks (DSBs) throughout the course of the cell cycle. DSBs are generated in developing B and T lymphocytes during V(D)J recombination to increase the repertoire of B and T cell receptors. DSBs are also generated during the class switch recombination (CSR) process in mature B lymphocytes, providing distinct effector functions of antibody heavy chain constant regions. Thus, NHEJ is important for both V(D)J recombination and CSR. NHEJ comprises core Ku70 and Ku80 subunits that form the Ku heterodimer, which binds DSBs and promotes the recruitment of accessory factors (e.g., DNA-PKcs, Artemis, PAXX, Mri) and downstream core factors (XLF, Lig4 and XRCC4). In recent decades, new NHEJ proteins have been reported, increasing complexity of this molecular pathway. Numerous in vivo mouse models have been generated and characterized to identify the interplay of NHEJ factors and their role in development of adaptive immune system. This review summarizes the currently available mouse models lacking one or several NHEJ factors, with a particular focus on early B cell development. We also underline genetic interactions and redundancy in the NHEJ pathway in mice.

Research on healthy ageing shows that lifespan reductions are often caused by mitochondrial dysfunction. Thus, it is very interesting that the deletion of mitochondrial matrix peptidase LonP1 was observed to abolish embryogenesis, while deletion of the mitochondrial matrix peptidase ClpP prolonged survival. To unveil the targets of each enzyme, we documented the global proteome of LonP1^+/- mouse embryonal fibroblasts (MEF), for comparison with ClpP^-/- depletion. Proteomic profiles of LonP1^+/- MEF generated by label-free mass spectrometry were further processed with the STRING webserver Heidelberg for protein interactions. ClpP was previously reported to degrade Eral1 as a chaperone involved in mitoribosome assembly, so ClpP deficiency triggers accumulation of mitoribosomal subunits and inefficient translation. LonP1^+/- MEF also showed Eral1 accumulation, but no systematic effect on mitoribosomal subunits. In contrast to ClpP^-/- profiles, several components of the respiratory complex I membrane arm were accumulated, whereas the upregulation of numerous innate immune defense components was similar. Overall, LonP1 as opposed to ClpP appears to have no effect on translational machinery, instead it shows enhanced respiratory dysfunction; this agrees with reports on the human CODAS syndrome caused by LonP1 mutations.

Adult neurogenesis involves generation of functional neurons from neural progenitor cells, which have the potential to complement and restore damaged neurons and neural circuits. Therefore, the development of drugs that stimulate neurogenesis represents a promising strategy in stem cell therapy and neural regeneration, greatly facilitating the reconstruction of neural circuits in cases of neurodegeneration and brain injury. Our study reveals that compound A5, previously designed and synthesized by our team, exhibits remarkable neuritogenic activities, effectively inducing neurogenesis in neural stem/progenitor cells (NSPCs). Subsequently, transcriptome analysis using high-throughput Illumina RNA-seq technology was performed to further elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms by which compound A5 promotes neurogenesis. Notably, comparative transcriptome analysis showed that the up-regulated genes were mainly associated with neurogenesis and the down-regulated genes were mainly concerned with cell cycle progression. Furthermore, we confirmed that compound A5 significantly affected the expression of transcription factors related to neurogenesis and cell cycle regulatory proteins. Collectively, these findings identify a new compound with neurogenic activity and may provide insights into drug discovery for neural repair and regeneration.

Kamchatka berries (Lonicera caerulea L.) are known for their high content of phenolic compounds or vitamins, which is reflected in their antibacterial, detoxifying and anti-inflammatory properties. They are used in the production of jams, juices, wines and as natural dye. A bioferment was prepared from the pomace of the Kamchatka berry varieties Aurora and Indigo Gem and the strains Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Lacticaseibacillus paracasei, which was used to prepare a cosmetic preparation with a concentration of 5% in accordance with the guidelines of the COSMOS certification body. Conducted physico-chemical and organoleptic analyses and bioactive profile characterisation (UHPLC-DAD and UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS). The results showed that the presence of caffeic acid 4.47 ± 0.07 mg/100g was detected after fermentation of Kamchatka berry pomace. Vitamin C content increased by 141% after fermentation of Kamchatka berry pomace. The results of stability tests showed that in the process of physicochemical analysis of cosmetic preparation with bioferment of Kamchatka berry pomace the pH should oscillate in the range of 4.38-4.76 ± 0.01. Stability tests showed that the cosmetic should be protected from high temperatures and UV radiation and proved that the product is stable under changing conditions, resulting in lower transport and storage costs.

In this study we have investigated the effect of the addition of Nb2O5 (up to 5 mol%) on the structure and luminescent properties of ZnO-B2O3 glass doped with 0.5 mol % Eu2O3 by using of infrared (IR), Raman and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Physical properties as molar volume, oxygen packing density and glass transition temperature were determined using the results of differential thermal analyisis (DTA) and Archimedes principle for density. IR and Raman spectra revealed that niobium ions incorporate into the base zinc borate glass as NbO4 trtraherda and NbO6 octahedra. A strong red emission from the 5D0 level of Eu3+ ions was registered under near UV (392 nm) excitation using the sharp 7F0 - 5L6 transition of Eu3+. The integrated fluorescence intensity ratio R (5D0 → 7F2/5D0 → 7F1) was calculated to estimate the degree of asymmetry around the active ion, suggesting a location of Eu3+ in non-centrosymmetric sites. The higher Еu3+ luminescence emission observed in zinc borate glasses containing 1÷5 mol% Nb2O5 compared to the Nb2O5-free zinc borate glass evidences that Nb2O5 is suitable component for modification of host glass structure and improving the emission intensity.

Poly(vinyl acetate) (PVAC) is a ubiquitous polymer in various industrial applications, including paints and adhesives. While extensive research has focused on understanding the degradation mechanisms of PVAC-based paint, under different environmental conditions, limited attention has been paid to the long-term stability of PVAC-based white glues, especially when used in artworks. This study investigates the accelerated degradation of a commercial PVAC-based white glue considered as representive of this class of materials as used in contemporary artworks, to predict its durability and assess its behavior in art objects. Through accelerated aging experiments and comparison with natural aging observed in artworks, the study reveals the formation of chromophores and the release of plasticizer as key degradation processes. Despite minimal structural modifications in PVAC, the loss of plasticizer leads to an increase in glass transition temperature, affecting the adhesive's cohesive strength and contributing to detachment of materials in artworks. The findings underscore the importance of preventive conservation measures to mitigate degradation issues in PVAC-based artworks.

In the text, the synthesis and characteristics of the novel ONS-type vanadium(V) complexes with thioanilide derivatives of amino acids are described. They have shown inhibition of human protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP1B, LAR, SHP1 and SHP2) in the submicromolar range, as well as inhibition of non-tyrosine phosphatases (CDC25A and PPA2) similar to bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV)(BMOV). The ONS complexes increased [14C]-deoxy-D-glucose transport into C2C12 myocytes, and one of them, VC070, also enhanced this transport in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These complexes inhibited gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes HepG2, but none of them decreased lipid accumulation in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease model using the same cells. Compared to the tested ONO-type vanadium complexes with 5-bromosalicylaldehyde and substituted benzhydrazides as Schiff base ligand components, the ONS complexes revealed stronger inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases, but the ONO complexes showed greater activity in the cell models in general. Moreover, the majority of the active complexes from both groups showed better effects than VOSO4 and BMOV. Complexes from both groups activated AKT and ERK signaling pathways in hepatocytes to a comparable extent. One of the ONO complexes, VC068, showed activity in all of the above models, also including glucose utilization in the myocytes and glucose transport in insulin-resistant hepatocytes. The discussion section explicates the results within the wider scope of the knowledge about vanadium complexes.

Commercial protein supplements are the main sources for the sports nutrition. Nowadays, those protein supplements mainly differ in the ingredients and formulations, possibly affecting the digestion behavior and protein absorption during gastrointestinal digestion. Herein, this work aimed to investigate the gastric digestion behavior and protein hydrolysis of commercial protein supplements by using an in vitro dynamic digestion model. Five commercial protein supplements were selected, including three protein powders and two liquid protein beverages. The results indicated that liquid protein beverages had smaller particle size than protein powder dispersions, and one of the protein powders existed as the microcapsules. During gastric digestion, all samples tended to form aggregates as the pH decreased, and the degree of aggregation was more pronounced in liquid protein beverages than in protein powders, where the intact structure of the microcapsules was gradually disrupted. Protein hydrolysis degree in liquid protein beverages was higher than that in protein powders. One of the liquid products (M20) had the highest protein hydrolysis degree of around 35.74% after 120 min gastric digestion and a half-empty time of 37.82 min. These findings suggest that the formulation and ingredients of commercial protein supplements will affect their digestion behavior, resulting in varying degree of protein hydrolysis. Hence, sports supplements should be carefully designed to provide precise nutrition for the athletes and exercisers.

We consider the thermodynamic and stability problem of Kerr black holes arising from the nonextensive/nonadditive nature of the Bekenstein-Hawking entropy formula. Nonadditive thermodynamics is often criticized by asserting that the zeroth law cannot be compatible with nonadditive composition rules, so in this work we follow the so-called formal logarithm method to derive an additive entropy function for Kerr black holes satisfying also the zeroth law's requirement. Starting from the most general, equilibrium compatible, nonadditive entropy composition rule of Abe, we consider the simplest, non-parametric approach that is generated by the explicit nonadditive form of the Bekenstein-Hawking formula. This analysis extends our previous results on the Schwarzschild case and shows that the zeroth law compatible temperature function in the model is independent of the mass-energy parameter of the black hole. By applying the Poincaré turning point method we also study the thermodynamic stability problem in the system.

Ovarian cancer is among the most common causes of female mortality. Despite improvements in diagnostic methods, non-specific symptoms and delayed gynecological exams can lead to late-stage ovarian tumor discovery. In this study, the effect of an anti-cancer compound, 3-amino-N-(3-chloro-2-methylphenyl)-5-oxo-5,6,7,8-tetrahydrothieno[2,3-b]quinoline-2-carboxamide (Compound 1) was examined. Cytotoxicity, apoptosis, and metabolomic changes in ovarian cancer cell lines SK-OV-3 and OVCAR-3, as well as glycosphingolipid (GSL) expression, both on cancer stem cells (CSCs), marked as CD49f+ and non-CSCs (CD49f-) were explored. Treatment with Compound 1 reduced the percentage of CSCs compared to non-treated cells (P &lt; 0.001). The expression of eight GSLs on CSCs and non-CSCs was examined using flow cytometry. Both cell lines showed a change in the glycophenotype of the cells, either up or down of its expression, after the treatment. These findings raise the possibility of specifically targeting CSCs in ovarian cancer therapy. Additionally, treatment of Compound 1 resulted in a statistically significant increase in both early and late apoptosis (P&lt;0.001) suggesting a pivotal role in initiating programmed cell death by the apoptotic pathway. The metabolic analysis revealed that the treated cancer cells showed reduced metabolic activity compared to the control group (P &lt; 0.001)

This study critically explores the legislative frameworks and national regulations of Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia concerning the engagement, training, and responsibilities of search and rescue dogs and their handlers. The goal is to offer a thorough understanding of how these dogs and their handlers are engaged, trained, and managed in each country. By carefully analyzing the legal foundations, the study aims to clarify the rights, duties, and responsibilities of all parties involved, ensuring that search and rescue dog deployments are conducted within a structured and lawful framework. Such an understanding is crucial for improving disaster management and ensuring a coordinated response to various emergencies. The findings reveal that although each country has strong legal provisions for deploying search and rescue dogs, there are significant differences in the detail and scope of these regulations. Slovenia is notable for its detailed guidelines, regular evaluations, and licensing processes, setting a high standard. Croatia benefits from strong institutional support and active international collaboration, which greatly enhances its disaster response capabilities. On the other hand, Serbia, despite having a solid foundational framework, could improve by better coordinating with non-governmental organizations and aligning more closely with international standards. Key areas for improvement include harmonizing standards, enhancing training programs, increasing public awareness, better resource allocation, and adopting new technologies. By addressing these issues, Serbia, Croatia, and Slovenia can further strengthen their legal and institutional frameworks, ensuring their search and rescue teams are better prepared for disasters. This study emphasizes the need for continuous improvement through collaboration, standardization, and innovation to maximize the effectiveness of search and rescue operations involving dogs.

Multivariate statistical approaches (MSA), such as principal components analysis and multidimensional scaling, seek to uncover meaningful patterns within datasets by considering multiple response variables in a concerted fashion. Although these techniques are readily used by ecologists to visualize and explain differences between study sites, they could theoretically be employed to differentiate organisms within an experimental framework while simultaneously identifying response variables that drive documented experimental differences. Therefore, MSA were used herein to attempt to understand the response of the common, Indo-Pacific reef coral Seriatopora hystrix to temperature changes using data from laboratory-based temperature challenge studies performed in Southern Taiwan. Gene expression and physiological data partitioned experimental specimens by time of sampling, treatment temperature, and site of origin upon employing MSA, signifying that S. hystrix and its dinoflagellate endosymbionts display physiological and molecular signatures that are characteristic of sampling time, site of colony origin, and/or temperature regime. These findings promote the utility of MSA for documenting biologically meaningful shifts in the physiological and/or sub-cellular response of marine invertebrates exposed to environmental change.

The purpose of the evaluation of the Peruvian energy generation system is to project the electricity generation and demand until the year 2050. To achieve this, three alternative scenarios have been defined and analyzed using the LEAP (Long-range Energy Alternatives Planning) software. The scenarios are as follows: the first one, Business-as-Usual scenario, based on normal trends according to historical data and referencing projections made by Peruvian state entities; the second one is focused on Energy Efficiency, the highlighted characteristic is taking into consideration the efficient conditions in transmission and distribution of electric energy; and the third one, centered on Geothermal Energy, focused on the development of this type of energy source and prioritizing it. The primary purpose of this analysis is to identity advantages and disadvantages inherent in each scenario in order to get the best of each one. In this way, the intention is to propose solutions based on Peru’s national reality or possible uses of the country’s energy potential to supply its energy demand. Currently, Peru’s energy demand relies on fossil fuels, hydraulic, and thermal energy. However, there is the possibility of transforming this system into a sustainable one, by strengthening existing and growing energy sources such as solar and wind energy, and new technologies for hydraulic and thermal energy, in addition to considering geothermal energy as the main energy source in the third scenario. The new system mentioned satisfactorily indicate that the CO2 equivalent emissions decrease significantly in the third scenario, with a 15.8% reduction compared to the first scenario and a 9.7% reduction in comparison to the second. On the other hand, the second scenario shows a 5.6% decrease in CO2 emissions compared to the first, resulting from improvements in technology and energy efficiency without requiring significant modifications or considerable investments, as in the third scenario.

Diagnosis of neonatal sepsis is difficult as signs and symptoms are nonspecific. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a promising marker for neonatal sepsis. We aimed to test the accuracy of IL-6 in term and preterm infants after 72 hours of life (late-onset sepsis-LOS). We searched for IL-6 diagnostic accuracy studies between 1990 and 2020 using the PubMed database. Study selection was performed. The range of reported IL-6 sensitivities and specificities was 68% to 100% and 28% to 100%, respectively, the median values were 85.7% and 82% from 15 studies including 1306 infants. Subgroup analysis was performed. Sensitivity (87% vs 82%), but not specificity (both 86%), was better in preterm infants than in preterm and term infants. Early sample collection had the highest sensitivity (84%), but the lowest specificity (86%). To assess quality we used a STARD checklist adapted for septic neonates. Limitation of this review include the heterogeneous group of studies on the one side and the small number of studies on the other side that analyzed different combinations of biomarker. We concluded that IL-6 had a good performance especially in the preterm infant population and best results are achieved by measurements at the time of LOS suspicion.

Plant activators have emerged as promising alternatives to conventional pesticides for crop disease manage-ment due to their unique mode of action. By priming the plant's innate immune system, these compounds can induce systemic acquired resistance against a broad spectrum of pathogens without directly inhibiting their proliferation. Key advantages of plant activators include prolonged defense activity, lower effective dosages, and negligible risk of developing pathogen resistance. Among the various defensive pathways tar-geted, the salicylic acid (SA) signaling cascade has been extensively explored, leading to the successful devel-opment of commercial activators like benzothiadiazole for widespread application in crop protection. While the action sites of many SA-targeting activators have been preliminarily mapped to different steps along the pathway, a comprehensive understanding of their precise mechanisms remains elusive. This review provides a historical perspective on plant activator development and outlines diverse screening strategies employed across multiple levels, from whole-plant bioassays to molecular and transgenic approaches. We expound on the intricate components, biological relevance, and regulatory circuits governing the SA pathway, while criti-cally examining the structural features, bioactivities, and proposed modes of action of classical activators such as benzothiadiazole derivatives, salicylic acid analogs, and other small molecules. Insights from field trials as-sessing their practical applicability are also discussed. Furthermore, we highlight the current status, challenges, and future prospects in the realm of SA-targeting activator development globally, with a focus on recent en-deavors in China. Collectively, this comprehensive review aims to synthesize existing knowledge and provide a roadmap for future research toward developing more potent and mechanistically understood plant activa-tors that fortify crop immunity against disease.

Due to the adverse effect of prolonged drought stress on plants, accurate detection is essential for water use efficiency and maintaining productivity. Hyperspectral imaging is frequently used for non-invasive plant phenotyping, allowing for the long-term monitoring of crop health due to its sensitivity to subtle changes in leaf constituents. The broad spectrum of hyperspectral data enables the development of multiple vegetation indices (Vis) derived from the different spectral regions to estimate plant biophysical and biochemical traits. However, the known VIs often do not generalize well and perform poorly for multiple plant stresses. This study proposes new VIs combined with machine learning models to identify drought stress in wheat species under different nitrogen (N) levels. A wheat experiment was set up in the glasshouse with four treatments: well-watered high-N (WWHN), well-watered low-N (WWLN), drought-stress high N and drought-stress low-N. In addition to ensuring that plants were watered according to the experiment design, photosynthetic rate (Pn) and stomatal conductance (gs) were taken regularly, serving as the ground truth data for this study. Sensitive spectral features were selected using a custom-designed ensemble modelling technique. New drought VIs are proposed using different combinations of the selected features. Three classification models (support vector machines, random forest and deep neural network) were developed and trained using four sets of data: known VIs, proposed VIs, combined VIs (from the known and proposed VIs) and PCA-transformed features (over the whole spectral data). From the results, the proposed VIs outperformed the known VIs, yielding &gt; 0.94 accuracies for all three models, and the performance improved when they were trained with the combined VIs. The combined VIs were used to train three regression models to predict the stomatal conductances and photosynthetic rates of plants. The random forest regression model performed best, suggesting that it could be used as a stand-alone tool to forecast gs and Pn and track drought stress in wheat.

Plant-microbe interactions are essential for ecosystem health and agricultural productivity. Metabolomics has revolutionized our understanding of these interactions by providing powerful methods to decipher the complex chemical signals involved. This review highlights the various metabolomics techniques used to study plant-microbe interactions, such as mass spectrometry, nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, and advanced imaging technologies. We also discuss the role of contemporary bioinformatics tools, extensive databases, and the increasing influence of artificial intelligence and machine learning in the analysis of metabolomics data. Integrating metabolomics with other omics fields, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metagenomics, allows for a comprehensive understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying plant-microbe interactions. The review emphasizes the significance of fluxomics in elucidating the dynamic nature of metabolic networks. While there are challenges in data analysis, integration, and interpretation, metabolomics has profoundly expanded our knowledge of the role metabolites play in shaping plant-microbe interactions. As metabolomics technologies advance and integrate further with other omics approaches, we anticipate groundbreaking discoveries that will provide deeper insights into these complex interactions, ultimately leading to innovative strategies for sustainable agriculture and biotechnology.

Viral diseases pose a significant threat to tomato crops (Solanum lycopersicum L.), one of the world's most economically important vegetable crops. The limited genetic diversity of cultivated tomatoes contributes to their high susceptibility to viral infections. To address this challenge, tomato breeding programs must harness the genetic resources found in native populations and wild relatives. Breeding efforts may aim to develop broad-spectrum resistance against the virome. To identify the viruses naturally infecting 19 advanced lines, derived from native tomatoes, high-throughput sequencing (HTS) of small RNAs and validation by PCR and RT-PCR were used. Single and mixed infections with Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV), Tomato golden mosaic virus (ToGMoV), and Pepper huasteco yellow vein virus (PHYVV) were detected. The complete consensus genomes of three variants of Mexican ToMV isolates were reconstructed, potentially forming a new ToMV clade with a distinct 3' UTR. The absence of reported mutations associated with resistance-breaking to ToMV suggests that the Tm-1, Tm-2, and Tm-22 genes could theoretically be used to confer resistance. However, the high mutation rates and a 63 nucleotide insertion in the 3' UTR of Mexican ToMV isolates suggest the need to evaluate known resistance genes against these viral variants. The precise identification and characterization of viruses that naturally infect tomato germplasm could be used as a strategy for selecting the appropriate disease management and guiding breeding efforts.

Qualtra, an innovative 10 MW geothermal power plant proposal, employs a closed-loop design to mitigate emissions, ensuring no direct release into the atmosphere. A thorough assessment utilizing energy and exergy analysis, Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), Exergo-economic and Exergo Environmental Analysis (EevA) was conducted. The LCA results, utilizing the ReCiPe 2016 midpoint methodology, encompass all the spectrum of environmental indicators provided. The technology implemented makes it possible to totally avoid direct atmospheric emissions from the Qualtra plant, so the environmental impact is mainly due to indirect emissions over the life cycle. The results obtained for the Global Warming Potential indicator is about 6.6 g CO2/kWh, notably lower compared to other conventional systems. Contribution analysis reveals that the construction phase dominates, accounting for over 90% of the impact in all LCA MidPoint categories. At the component level, a single score calculation incorporating normalization and weighting was executed. The resulting single score is then used into Exergo-Environmental Analysis (EEvA), highlighting the well system as the most impactful contributor, constituting approximately 45% of the total impact. Other substantial contributions to the environmental impact include the condenser (21%), the turbine (17%), and the HEGeo (14%). The Exergo-Economic analysis assesses cost distribution across major plant components, projecting an electricity cost of about 8.3 c€/kWh.

Abstract: This comprehensive review seeks to deepen our comprehension of the African plant Momordica balsamina L. by elucidating its therapeutically important molecules and micronutrient composition. Commonly referred to as the balsam apple, this plant species is extensively harnessed for its diverse therapeutic potentials across its various organs including leaves, fruits, roots, and stems. Numerous bioactive molecules have been isolated or identified within this plant, notably encompassing polyphenols, flavonoids, terpenes, and carotenoids. These compounds exhibit a wide array of biological activities, ranging from antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, anti-diabetic, anti-carcinogenic, to anti-malarial properties, among others. Furthermore, the leaves of Momordica balsamina L. stand out for their abundant micronutrients, proteins, and amino acids. This investigation aims to shed light not only on the botanical characteristics of the Momordica balsamina plant and its potential applications in traditional medicine, but also on its chemical composition, biological functionalities, and physicochemical attributes, thus accentuating its nutritional advantages. Nonetheless, an intriguing avenue presents itself for the exploration of strategies to conserve this species, delve deeper into its potential within the cosmetics industry, and innovate methodologies for the synthesis or biosynthesis of these bioactive molecules.

Antibiotics are released into the environment either directly in an unchanged form or in a partially metabolized form. The discharge is usually through untreated waste or industrial treatment effluents. The potential concern is the uptake of these antibiotics by crops irrigated by treated wastewater. This study collected wastewater from eight points at the Pagla, Kadamtali, Dhaka treatment plant. Here we consider three crucial antibiotics, Doxycycline, Ciprofloxacin, and Tetracycline, used mainly during the last two years of the pandemic. A PDA detector was used in high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) analysis to determine the raw and processed effluent antibiotics. The most frequently seen antibiotics in natural wastewater were Doxycycline and Ciprofloxacin, with the highest concentration of 0.23µgL-1and 0.20 µgL-1(raw water), respectively. Tetracycline was not detected in natural water. Contrarily, Doxycycline was discovered in the Pagla plant's completed water and had the highest concentration (0.12 gL-1), whereas Ciprofloxacin and Tetracycline were not found in the dead water. The findings of this study showed that Doxycycline was still present in both the raw and processed effluent. Both natural and finished wastewater was subjected to a microbial-resistant test in the presence of all three antibiotics. The results revealed that the samples detected both heterotrophic bacteria and total coliform. The viable aerobic heterotrophic bacteria ranged between 5.421 and 4.754 log cfu/ml. Total bacteria load gradually decreased in the finished wastewater.

Agroforestry homegardens are integrated arrangements of common vegetable plants in areas close to residences, which follow a structure similar to that of tropical forests, with the cultivation of multiple species to meet the basic needs of families, such as the provision of food and medicine, as well as ensuring an environment for other family activities. Considering the importance of these environments, this work aimed to address the composition and use of plant species in agroforestry homegardens, in order to support society initiatives and government policies to strengthen the management of natural resources and individual and collective well-being in the region. For this, 119 homegardens were studied in the municipalities of Belterra, Mojuí dos Campos and Santarém, in the state of Pará, in the Brazilian Amazonia, comprising five different zones (peri-urban, urban, floodplain, indigenous land and tourist land), obtaining the data via questionnaires and guided visitation by the residents. A total of 5,323 vegetal individual plants were surveyed, distributed in 188 species and 62 botanical families. The data showed that 80.5% of the individual plants are concentrated in 18.6% of the species, with no significant difference in the average of species per homegarden in the five zones. The predominance of species for food use, primarily fruit-bearing, stands out, showing a possible direction for incentive actions and/or for the ordering of public policies and programs aimed at these spaces. Most homegardens have up to 17 plant species; less than half of homegardens have species intended for medicinal use; and there is percentage parity between native plant species and those of exotic origin, where native plants stand out for shading. Agroforestry homegardens play a crucial role in the conservation and cultivation of species for food purposes, with the cultivation or maintenance of plants based on their various purposes, showing distinct profiles of distribution and choice of species, evidencing their socioeconomic and environmental importance. Thus, it is important that these land use systems are valued, investing financial resources in actions and projects aimed at maintaining and enhancing their benefits for the region.

Fructan, a fructose polymer, is used as carbohydrate reserve in many plants. The nutritional and therapeutic benefits of fructans have attracted increasing interest by consumers and food industry. In the course of evolution, many plants have developed the ability of regulating plant frunctan metabolism genes to produce different structures and chain length fructans, which are strongly correlated with their survival in harsh environments. De nevo domestication of fructan-rich plants based on genome editing is a viable and promising approach to improve human dietary quality and reduce the risk of chronic disease. These advances will greatly facilitate breeding and production of tailor-made fructans as a healthy food ingredient from wild plants such as polygonati rhizoma. The purpose of this review is to broaden our knowledge on plant fructan biosynthesis, evolution and beneficial applications for human health.

Plant pathogenic fungi are the largest group of disease-causing agents on crop plants and represent a persistent and significant threat to agriculture worldwide. Conventional approaches based on the use of pesticides raise social concern for the impact on the environment and human health and alternative control methods are urgently needed. The rapid improvement and extensive implementation of RNAi technology for various model and non-model organisms has provided the initial framework to adapt this post-transcriptional gene silencing technology for the management of fungal pathogens. In this review, we describe exogenous RNAi involved in plant pathogenic fungi and discuss small RNA production, formulation, and RNAi delivery methods. We explore some challenges with possible solutions. Furthermore, exogenous RNAi holds great potential for RNAi-mediated plant pathogenic fungal disease control.

Many studies have found that future predicted CO2 levels (< 800 ppm) can increase plant mass but dilute N content in leaves, impacting antiherbivore compounds. Nitrogen-fixing plants may balance leaf C:N ratio under elevated CO2, counteracting this dilution effect. The aim of this study was to look at how nitrogen-fixing plants grow and respond to herbivore damage at different CO2 levels. Alnus incana ssp. rugosa was grown at 400, 800, or 1600 ppm CO2 in soil collected from the field, inoculated with Frankia and exposed to herbivores (Orgyia leucostigma). Elevated CO2 increased nodulated plant biomass and stimulated the nitrogen fixation rate in the early growth stage. However, nitrogen-fixing plants were not able to balance the C:N ratio under elevated CO2 after grown 19 weeks. When plant were grown at 400 and 1600 ppm CO2, herbivores preferred to feed on leaves of nodulated plants. At 800 ppm CO2, nodulated plants accumulated more total phenolic compounds in response to herbivore damage than plants in the non-Frankia and non-herbivore treatments. Our results suggest that plant leaf defence, not leaf nutritional content, is the dominant driver of herbivory and nitrogen fixing plants have limited ability to balance C:N ratios at elevated CO2 in natural soil.

The responses of the aromatic and medicinal plant Salvia sclarea (clary sage) to 900 µM Zn exposure for 8 days in a hydroponic culture were investigated. The tolerance mechanisms under excess Zn exposure were assessed by changes in nutrient uptake, photosynthetic characteristics and leaf structure. The uptake and the distribution of Zn, as well as some essential nutrient elements such as: Ca, Mg, Fe, Mn and Cu, were examined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). The results revealed that Salvia sclarea is a Zn accumulator plant that tolerates significantly high toxic levels of Zn in the leaves by increasing the leaf content of Fe, Ca and Mn ions to protect the photosynthetic function and even stimulate photosystem I (PSI) and photosystem II (PSII) activities. Additionally, the leaf photosynthetic pigments and the total phenolic and anthocyanin content were also studied. Data showed that the exposure to excess Zn significantly increases the synthesis of phenolic compounds in the leaves which plays an important role in the Zn detoxification and protection against oxidative stress. Lipid peroxidation and electrolyte leakage in leaves used as clear indicators for heavy metal damage were slightly increased. All these data highlight that Salvia sclarea is an economically interesting plant for phytoextraction and/or phytostabilization of Zn contaminated soils.