“Blue carbon”, apart from marine humus, includes the carbon (C) stock of coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, marshes, and seagrass meadows, which have been overlooked until recently. Information about the role of coastal wetlands in C sequestration and providing other ecosystem services is still insufficient. In the present study, we assessed the C reserves of soils and vegetation biomass in two complex coastal landscapes (tombolos) located on the coasts of the White and Baltic seas. The soil and plant C stocks were slightly higher at the plot at the Baltic Sea (93.4 ± 46.7 Mg C·ha-1 and 5.22 ± 2.51 Mg C·ha-1, respectively) than at the plot on the White Sea (71.4 ± 38.2 Mg C·ha-1 and 3.95 ± 2.42 Mg C·ha-1, respectively). We attributed the higher values of the C reserved to a warmer climate and less saline water at the plot on the Baltic Sea. Both soil and plant C showed high heterogeneity due to geomorphological complexity and differences in vegetative communities. The Phragmites australis community showed the highest plant biomass and, in some places, high soil C reserves. Allochthonous C contributed to the soil C stock at the site on the White Sea. Though P. australis sequestered more C than other communities, its effect on ecosystem services was mostly negative because the invasion of reeds reduced the biological diversity of the marshes.

Background: The biofilm-forming bacteria Porphyromonas gingivalis (P. gingivalis) is primarily responsible for periodontal disorders, which continue to be a global health issue. Despite the widespread use of antibiotics like metronidazole, other potent therapeutic a crucial quorum sensing molecule implicated in the formation of P. gingivalis biofilm. Approaches are now being explored due to the growing challenge of antibiotic resistance. Objective: In particular, chemicals from Symphytum Officinale (S) and Panax Ginseng (G) plants will be examined in this study to assess if they have the ability to inhibit biofilm and to prevent the development of acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs), a quorum sensing molecule. Materials and Methods: With Metronidazole serving as a control, the antibacterial effects of these substances (Symphytum Officinale and Panax Ginseng) were examined against a standard strain and a clinical isolate of P. gingivalis. Dilutions of these plant extracts were used either alone (G+S) or in conjunction with metronidazole (G+S+F), to assess their antibacterial activity using antibacterial susceptibility test (inhibition zone), biofilm inhibition and disruption assay (optical density) and quorum sensing inhibition assay (AHL). Results: The combinations of Symphytum officinale, Panax Ginseng and metronidazole (S+G+F) showed the maximum effectiveness with highest zone of inhibition (25.000±0.001 mm) and biofilm inhibition (98.46%), and were comparable to G+S (inhibition zone of 24.341±0.593 mm and biofilm inhibition of 97.76%), and significantly different in the degree of biofilm inhibition with different treatment scenarios. Additionally, the plant's extracts and combinations are specific concentrations had a significant effect on the suppression of the generation of AHL (p < 0.05). Conclusion: According to preliminary research, these plant-derived substances, especially when paired with metronidazole, significantly inhibited the growth of P. gingivalis biofilm providing valuable information for the development of innovative therapeutic approaches for periodontitis and other biofilm-associated illnesses.

Development and implementation of safe natural alternatives to synthetic pesticides are urgent needs that will provide ecological solutions for control of plant diseases, bacteria, viruses, nematodes, pests, and weeds, to ensure economic stability of the farmers and food security as well as protection of the environment and human health. Unambiguously, production of botanical pesticides will allow sustainable and efficient use of natural resources and finally decrease the use of chemical inputs and burden. This is underlined by the strict regulations on pesticide residues in agricultural products and harmonized with the Farm to Fork strategy aimed to reduce pesticide use by 55%, by 2030. Recognizing the urgent need for natural pesticides development, this work is an overview of the current research on the valorization of Mediterranean plants as potential source of biopesticides. More specifically, the extraction methods, the chemical composition, the biopesticidal activity, the commonly used assays for evaluating the antimicrobial, the pesticidal, the repellant and the herbicidal activity of plant extracts as well as toxicological and safety aspects of biopesticides formulation are discussed in detail. Finally, the aspects that have not yet been investigated or are under- investigated and future perspectives are highlighted.

Fungal plant diseases are a major threat to food security worldwide. Current efforts to identify and list loci involved in different biological processes are more complicated than originally thought, even when complete genome assemblies are available. Despite numerous experimental and computational efforts to characterize gene functions in plants, about ~ 40% of protein-coding genes in the model plant A. thaliana are still not categorized in the Gene Ontology Biological Process (BP) annotation. In non-model organisms, such as sunflower (Helianthus annuus), the number of BP term annotation is far fewer, ~22%. In the current study we performed gene co-expression network analysis using eight terabytes of public transcriptome datasets and performed expression-based functional prediction to categorize and identify loci involved in the response to fungal pathogens. We were able to construct a reference gene network of healthy green tissue (GreenGCN) and a gene network of healthy and stressed root tissues (RootGCN). Both networks achieved robust high quality scores on the metrics of guilt-by-association and selective constraints versus gene connectivity. We were able to identify eight modules enriched in defense functions, of which, two out of the three modules in the RootGCN were also conserved in the GreenGCN, suggesting similar defense-related expression patterns. We identified 16 WRKY genes involved in defense related functions and 65 previously uncharacterized loci now linked to defense response. In addition, we identified and classified 122 loci previously identified within QTL or near candidate loci reported in GWAS studies of disease resistance in sunflower linked to defense response. In all, we have implemented a valuable strategy to better describe genes within specific biological processes.

Endophytic microbes are a ubiquitous group of plant-associated communities that colonize the intercellular or intracellular host tissues while giving numerous beneficial effects to the plants. All the plant species are thought to be associated with endophytes, majorly constituted with bacteria and fungi. During the last two decades, there has been a considerable movement toward the study of endophytes associated with coffee plants. In this review, the main consideration is given to address the coffee-associated endophytic bacteria and fungi, particularly their action on plant growth promotion and the biocontrol of pests. In addition, we sought to identify and analyze the gaps in available research. Additionally, the potential of endophytes to improve the quality of coffee seeds is briefly discussed. Even though there are limited studies on the subject, it has been well recognized the potentiality of coffee endophytes in plant growth promotion through enhancing nitrogen fixation, availability of minerals, nutrient absorption, secretion of phytohormones, and other bioactive metabolites. Further, the antagonistic effect against various coffee pathogenic bacteria, fungi, nematodes, and also insect pests lead to the protection of the crop. Furthermore, it is recognized that endophytes enhance the sensory characteristics of coffee as a new field of study.

In order to harmonize supply and demand of green energy, new future-proof technologies are needed. Here, hydrogen plays a key role. Within the current framework conditions, the production of green hydrogen is not yet economically viable. The use of the oxygen produced and the possible increase in efficiency associated with it mostly remains unconsidered. The aim is to demonstrate that the economic efficiency of a power-to-gas (PtG) project can be increased by using the by-product oxygen. In this research project, a water electrolyser connected to grid is powered to supply hydrogen to a hydrogen refuelling station. By utilising the by-product oxygen from water electrolysis for a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), it is shown that the net present value (NPV) of the project can be improved by up to 13 % compared to the initial scenario. If a photovoltaic (PV) system is used in addition to grid electricity for higher green hydrogen production, the NPV can be further improved by up to 58 %. The levelized cost of hydrogen (LCOH) is calculated for different scenarios with and without oxygen configuration. A sensitivity analysis is then performed to find important parameters.

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

Classification and mapping of plant communities is an essential step for conservation and management of ecosystems and biodiversity. We adopt the Genus-Physiognomy-Ecosystem (GPE) system developed in previous study for satellite-based classification of plant communities. This paper assesses the potential of multi-spectral and multi-temporal images collected by Sentinel-2 satellites. This research was conducted in five representative study sites in a temperate region. It consists of 44 types of plant communities including a few land cover types as well. The plant community types were enumerated in the study sites and ground truth data were prepared with reference to extant vegetation surveys, visual interpretation of high-resolution images, and onsite field observations. We acquired all Sentinel-2 Level-1C product images available for the study sites between 2017-2019 and generated monthly median composite images consisting of ten spectral and twelve spectral-indices. Gradient Boosting Decision Trees (GBDT) classifier was employed as an efficient and distributed gradient boosting technique for the supervised classification of big datasets involved in the research. The cross-validation accuracy in terms of kappa coefficient varied from 87% in Oze site with 41 land cover and plant community types to 95% in Hakkoda site with 19 land cover and plant community types; with average performance of 91% across all sites. In addition, the resulting maps demonstrated a clear distribution of plant community types involved in all sites, highlighting the potential of Sentinel-2 multi-spectral and multi-temporal images with GPE classification system for operational and broad-scale mapping of land cover and plant communities.

Introduction. Bacterial resistance to antibiotics is estimated to cause the major number of deaths by 2050 if we do not find strategies to slow down the rise of drug resistance [1]. Reviews on Mediterranean Wild Edible Plants (MWEPs) with antimicrobial properties are scarce in the mean databases (Pubmed, Scopus and WoS). Hence, we proceeded to a new review of the studies on MWEPs. Methods. We used Wild Edible Plant and Antimicrobial as keywords. We only included the Mediterranean plants, and studies in non-Mediterranean countries, but for plants growing in Mediterranean basin. Exclusion criteria were the document type, studies not concerning plant, plants not edible, not antimicrobial properties, or totally out of topic. Results. Finally, the number of studies reviewed, starting from one hundred and ninety-two, was thirty-eight (19,8%), concerning the antimicrobial properties of seventy-four MWEPs species, be-longing to twenty-five Families. Fifty-seven (77%) out of seventy-four species, proved to be antimicrobial with a stringent threshold selection. Conclusions. The studies are still very heterogeneous. We still know too little about MWEPs properties, but what we already know seriously recommends continuing.

In the last decades, intensive crop management has involved excessive use of pesticides or fertilizers, compromising environmental integrity and public health. Accordingly, there has been worldwide pressure to find an eco-friendly and safe strategy to ensure agricultural productivity. Recently, Plant Growth-Promoting (PGP) rhizobacteria are receiving increasing attention as suitable biocontrol agents against agricultural pests. In the present study, 22 spore-forming bacteria were selected among a salt-pan rhizobacteria collection for their PGP traits and their antagonistic activity against the plant pathogen fungus Macrophomina phaseolina. Based on the higher antifungal activity, strain RHFS10, identified as Bacillus vallismortis, was furtherly examined and cell-free supernatants assays, column purification, and tandem mass spectrometry employed to purify and preliminarily identify the antifungal metabolites. Interestingly, the minimum inhibitory concentration assessed for the fractions active against M. phaseolina, resulted 10 times lower and more stable than the one estimated for the commercial fungicide pentachloronitrobenzene. These results suggest the use of B. vallismortis strain RHFS10 as a potential Plant Growth Promoting Rhizobacteria to efficiently control phytopathogenic fungus M. phaseolina, in alternative to chemical pesticides.

Knowledge of the agricultural soil microbiota, of the microbial consortia that comprise it, and the promotion of agricultural practices that maintain and encourage them, is a promising way to improve soil quality for sustainable agriculture and to provide food security. Although numerous studies have demonstrated the positive effects of beneficial soil microorganisms on crop yields and quality, the use of microbial consortia in agriculture remains low. Microbial consortia have more properties than an individual microbial inoculum, due to the synergy of the microorganisms that make them up. This review describes the main characteristics, ecosystem functions, crop benefits and biotechnological applications of microbial consortia composed of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, plant growth promoting bacteria and actinobacteria, to promote the restoration of agricultural soils and, consequently, the quality and health of agricultural crops. The aim is to provide knowledge that will contribute to the development of sustainable and sufficiently productive agriculture, which will adapt in a good way to the pace of the growing human population and to climate change.

Barley mlo mutants are well known for their profound resistance against powdery mildew disease. Recently, mlo mutant plants were generated in hexaploid bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) with the help of transgenic (transcription-activator-like nuclease, TALEN) and non-transgenic (targeted induced local lesions in genomes, TILLING) biotechnological approaches. While full gene knockouts in the three wheat Mlo (TaMlo) homoeologs, created via TALEN, confer full resistance to the wheat powdery mildew pathogen (Blumeria graminis f.sp. tritici), the currently available TILLING-derived Tamlo missense mutants provide only partial protection against powdery mildew attack. Here we studied the infection phenotypes of TALEN- and TILLING-derived Tamlo plants to the two hemibiotrophic pathogens Zymoseptoria tritici, causing Septoria leaf blotch in wheat, and Magnaporthe oryzae pv. Triticum (MoT), the causal agent of wheat blast disease. While Tamlo plants showed unaltered outcomes upon challenge with Z. tritici, we found allele-specific levels of enhanced susceptibility to MoT, with stronger powdery mildew resistance correlated with more invasive growth by the blast pathogen. Surprisingly, unlike barley mlo mutants, young wheat mlo mutant plants do not show undesired pleiotropic phenotypes such as spontaneous callose deposits in leaf mesophyll cells or signs of early leaf senescence. In conclusion, our study provides evidence for allele-specific levels of enhanced susceptibility of Tamlo plants to the hemibiotrophic wheat pathogen MoT.

Cost-effective and functionalized scaffolds are in high demand for stem-cell-based regenerative medicine to treat refractory bone defects in craniofacial abnormalities and injuries. One potential strategy is to utilize pharmacological and cost-effective plant polyphenols and biocompatible proteins, such as gelatin. Nevertheless, the use of chemically modified proteins with plant polyphenols in this strategy has not been standardized. Here, we demonstrated that gelatin chemically modified with epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), the major catechin isolated from green tea, can be a useful material for dedifferentiated fat cells and adipose-derived stem cells and can induce bone regeneration in a rat congenial cleft-jaw model in vivo. Vacuum-heated gelatin sponge modified with EGCG (vhEGCG-GS) induced superior osteogenesis from these two cell types compared with vacuum-heated gelatin sponge (vhGS). The EGCG-modification converted the water wettability of vhGS to a hydrophilic property (contact angle: 110° to 3.8°) and the zeta potential to a negative surface charge; the modification enhanced the cell adhesion property and promoted calcium phosphate precipitation. These results suggest that the EGCG-modification with chemical synthesis can be a useful platform to modify the physicochemical property of gelatin. This alteration is likely to provide a preferable microenvironment for multipotent progenitor cells, inducing superior bone formation in vivo.

The persistent issue of bacterial and fungal colonization of artificial implantable materials and decreasing efficacy of conventional systemic antibiotics used to treat implant-associated infections has led to the development of a wide range of antifouling and antibacterial strategies. This article reviews one such strategy where inherently biologically active renewable resources, i.e. secondary plant metabolites (SPMs) and their naturally occurring combinations (i.e. essential oils) are used for surface functionalization and synthesis of polymer thin films. With a distinct mode of antibacterial activity, broad spectrum of action and diversity of available chemistries, secondary plant metabolites present an attractive alternative to conventional antibiotics. However, their conversion from liquid to solid phase without significant loss of activity is not trivial. Using select examples, this article shows how plasma techniques provide a sufficiently flexible and chemically reactive environment to enable the synthesis of biologically-active polymer-coatings from volatile renewable resources.

Nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) in maize (Zea mays L.) is an important trait to maximize yield with minimal input of nitrogen (N) fertilizer. Expired Plant Variety Protection (ex-PVP) Act-certified germplasm may be an important genetic resource for public breeding sectors. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the genetic variation of N-use traits and to characterize maize ex-PVP inbreds adapted to the U.S. Corn Belt for NUE performance. Eighty-nine ex-PVP inbreds [36 stiff stalk synthetic (SSS), and 53 non-stiff stalk synthetic (NSSS)] were genotyped using 26,769 single-nucleotide polymorphisms, then 263 single-cross maize hybrids derived from these inbreds were grown in eight environments from 2011 to 2015 at two N fertilizer rates (0 and 252 kg N ha⁻¹) and three replications. Genetic utilization and the yield response to N fertilizer were stable across environments and were highly correlated with yield under low and high N conditions, respectively. Cluster analysis identified inbreds with desirable NUE performance. However, only one inbred (PHK56) was ranked in the top 10% for yield under both N-stress and high N conditions. Broad-sense heritability across 12 different N-use traits ranged from 0.11 to 0.77, but was not associated with breeding value accuracy. Nitrogen-stress tolerance was negatively correlated with the yield increase from N fertilizer.

The discharge of industrial effluents containing toxic heavy metals in water sources has serious consequences for human health and the environment, and biosorption appears to be an environmental-friendly and cost-effective alternative that can be used for wastewater treatment. The use of different types of agricultural waste as biosorbents for the removal of toxic heavy metals, although an alternative, is quite difficult to apply in practice because these wastes have many other uses. Based on these considerations, in this study, soybean biomass (SB), soybean waste biomass obtained from oil extraction (SBW) and biochar obtained from soybean waste pyrolysis (BC-SBW) were testes as biosorbents form the removal of Pb(II) and Cd(II) ions, in batch systems. Under optimal conditions (pH = 5.4, 4.0 g biosorbent/L, room temperature (25 ± 1 C), contact time = 180 min), the biosorption capacity increase in the order: SB < SBW < BC-SBW for both metal ions, indicating that BC-SBW has the highest efficiency in removing toxic heavy metals. In addition, experiments on wastewater samples have shown that, in addition to significant reducing the content of heavy metals, BC-SBW also significant improved other quality indicators (such as: pH, TSM, CCO-Cr, CBO5), compared to the other biosorbents (SB and SBW). Quantitative evaluation of the biosorptive performance of each biosorbent (SB, SBW and BC-SBW) shows that BC-SBW has a real chance of being used on an industrial scale for wastewater treatment. All these aspects allowed the development of a circular approach for the use of soybean biomass in the removal processes of toxic heavy metals. This approach minimizes the shortcomings of using biomass as a biosorbent and increase the chance of using these materials in industrial practice.

With the increasing use of automatic transmissions in passenger vehicles, there is a growing need for improved gear shifting control strategies that aim to enhance performance and fuel efficiency. This paper introduces a knowledge-based fuzzy control system designed specifically for automatic transmissions in light vehicles. The proposed system utilizes a fuzzy inference system as the controller, enabling the emulation of the driver’s perceptions during the gear shifting process. Consequently, the input signal consists of variables that are either sensitive to or observable by the driver, while the output represents the selected gear. The paper evaluates three distinct control strategies, each based on different inputs. These inputs include the longitudinal velocity of the vehicle, the angular velocity of the engine, or a combination of both, along with the time-derivative of the throttle valve opening. Through the evaluation, it is observed that the combination of inputs yields significantly improved performance. Therefore, the methodology presented in this paper demonstrates that the combined input approach is more effective for gear shifting control.

According to current forecasts, global heating is likely to exceed 2,8°C by the end of the century. This makes substantial adaptation measures necessary to secure a broad basis for livelihoods provision and the conservation of biodiversity. While the implementation of top-down and technocratic adaptation efforts is the majority, related adaptation shortcomings of socio-economic and ecological nature are becoming more and more apparent. Community-based adaptation (CBA) with its participatory, inclusive and needs-based bottom-up approach offers a promising and powerful alternative. This article uses a semi-systematic literature review approach to screen the current literature and identify core issues of CBA. Linking communality, locality, multidimensionality, power imbalances, transformative potential, localisation, the triad of adaptation metrics and adaptation with nature to corresponding potential actions for practical implementations provides a more holistic conceptualisation and broadens the horizons for further learnings, research and improved application.

The Gulf of Mannar, a UNESCO World Biosphere Reserve, faces severe overfishing and habitat degradation threats. In this study, we investigate the pivotal role of ecosystem services in sustaining local livelihoods and overall well-being. By conducting a comprehensive survey of 480 respondents across two districts, we gathered extensive data on demographics, livelihoods, fishing practices, reliance on ecosystem services, and community management participation. The analysis reveals a critical dependence on the Gulf's resources (income, food security, traditions) with gender disparities (men fish, women in pre/post-harvest), but fishing is only allowed in the 10km buffer zone (not the core zone). The findings emphasize the promise of community-based strategies, such as Marine Protected Areas and reviving co-management committees, for achieving sustainable fisheries management. However, we also identify gaps, including the need for more nuanced well-being indicators and improved models for community management participation. To address these challenges, we advocate for sustainable fishing practices, tackling social inequities, especially gender disparities in resource access and decision-making, and investing in healthcare, education, and social safety nets for fishing communities. Promoting alternative livelihoods can alleviate pressure on fish stocks, and empowering local communities through capacity building and community-based management initiatives is crucial for ensuring the long-term sustainability of both the Gulf of Mannar ecosystem and the well-being of its dependent communities. This multifaceted approach holds significant promise for balancing ecological health with human prosperity.

Wastewater genomic surveillance is an efficient and economic approach to track infectious diseases and can help detect unusual epidemiological events. The current study uses this approach for the first time in Morocco to monitor the epidemiology of SARS-CoV-2 and Influenza A, B and RSV virus infections during the third wave of COVID-19 caused by the Omicron variant. The virome was concentrated from wastewater collected from two sewer sheds of two cities, Agadir and Inezgane, using the PEG/NaCl method. The viral copy number was determined using qRT-PCR. All 26 samples in both cities were tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 at various viral loads. For Influenza A virus, two samples were tested positive in Inezgane. The estimated SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA copy numbers observed were then used to estimate the number of infected individuals using the SEIR model. The number of viral copies of SARS-CoV-2 for Agadir and Inezgane varied from 82932 ± 15479 to 507865 ± 58759 copies/L and 61244 ± 8552 to 497506 ± 18061 copies/L, respectively. The estimated number of cases correlates positively with the number of reported cases. Next Generation Sequencing showed that samples contain the following two variants: BA.1 and BA.2 that have been detected in clinical samples. This study demonstrates the effectiveness and feasibility of wastewater genomic surveillance in monitoring pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 in Morocco.

This paper honours the importance of creative practice as a way of staying in touch with the affective dimensions of human situations and experience. Drawing on observations, field notes, and documentation of artistic practice, the author explores the transfer of ‘felt’ experience through an emergent ‘body’ of artwork made in response to experiences and observations in/of a neurorehabilitation day service in the context of an art-based doctoral enquiry (Michaels 2022).[i] Broadening the scope of response art to the performative nature of ‘making’, the ‘work’ of art amplifies the resonance of emotional and sensory affect. This brings an ethics of care to the fore, giving voice to aspects of organisational culture that might easily be lost, as well as the need for time and space to mourn lost parts.

This study proposes and validates a novel combustion control system for Oil-Fired Boilers aimed at reducing air pollutant emissions through flame image prediction. The proposed system is easily applicable to existing ships. Traditional proportional combustion control systems supply fuel and air at fixed ratios according to the set steam load, without considering the emission of air pollutants. To address this, a stable and immediate control system is proposed, which adjusts the air supply to modify the combustion state. The combustion control system utilizes oxygen concentration predictions from flame images via SEF+SVM as control inputs, and applies Internal Model Control (IMC)-based Proportional-Integral (PI) control for real-time combustion control. Due to the complexity of modeling the image-based system, IMC parameter tuning through experimentation is essential for achieving effective control performance. Experiments conducted on a 3000 kg/h marine oil-fired boiler in actual operation optimized the controller parameters for stability and responsiveness, and validated their effectiveness. The results demonstrate the potential of the proposed system to improve combustion efficiency and reduce emissions of air pollutants. This study provides a feasible and effective solution for enhancing the environmental performance of marine oil-fired boilers. Given its ease of application to existing ships, it is expected to contribute to sustainable air pollution reduction across the maritime environment.

Evaluating flood risk though numerical simulations in areas where hydrometric and bathymetric data are scarcely available is a challenge. This is however of paramount importance, particularly in urban areas, where huge losses of human life and extensive damage can occur. This paper focuses on the June 2-3, 2023 event at Léogâne in Haiti, where the Rouyonne River partly flooded the city. Water depths in the river were recorded since April 2022 and a few discharges were measured manually but it was not sufficient to produce a reliable rating curve. Using a uniform flow assumption combined with the BaRatin method (Bayesian rating curve), it was possible to extrapolate the existing data to higher discharges. From there, a rainfall-runoff relation was developed for the site using the AtHyS distributed hydrological model, which allowed to determine the discharge of the June 2023 event, which was estimated as twice the maximum conveying capacity of the river in the measurement section. Bathymetric data were obtained using drone-based photogrammetry and two-dimensional simulations were carried out using the WATLAB computational environment to represent the flooded area and the associated water depths. By comparing the water depths of 21 measured high-water marks with the simulation results, we obtain KGE and NSE criteria of, respectively, 0.890 and 0.882. This allows us to conclude that the model is sufficiently accurate and could be used by flood managers and decision-makers to assess flood risk and vulnerability in Haiti.

The emergence of drug resistance inducing mutations in Hepatitis C virus (HCV) coupled with genotypic heterogeneity has made targeting NS3/4A serine protease difficult. In this work, we investigated the mutagenic variations in the binding pocket of Genotype 3 (G3) HCV NS3/4A and evaluated ligands for efficacious inhibition. We report mutations at 14 positions within the ligand-binding residues of HCV NS3/4A including H57R and S139P within the catalytic triad. We then modeled each mutational variant for pharmacophore-based virtual screening (PBVS) followed by covalent docking towards identifying a potential covalent inhibitor, i.e. cpd-217. The binding stability of cpd-217 was then supported by molecular dynamic simulation followed by MM/GBSA binding free energy calculation. The free energy decomposition analysis indicated that the resistant mutants alter the HCV NS3/4A-ligand interaction, resulting in an unbalanced energy distribution within the binding site leading to drug resistance. cpd-217 was identified to interact with all NS3/4A G3 variants with significant covalent docking scores. In conclusion, cpd-217 emerges as a potential inhibitor of HCV NS3/4A G3 variants that warrants further in vitro and in vivo studies. The study will pave the way for drug design and development of HCV G3 NS3/4A.

This paper introduces the improvements in the natural frequency based Structural Health Monitoring (SHM) by applying bio-inspired optimization methods and the vision-based monitoring system for the effective damage detection. This paper proposes a natural frequency extraction method using the motion magnification based vision monitoring system with bio-inspired optimization techniques to estimate the damage location and depth in a cantilever beam. The proposed optimization techniques are inspired by natural processes and biological evolution including Genetic Algorithms, Particle Swarm Optimization, Sea Lion Optimization, and Coral Reefs Optimization. To verify the performances of each bio-inspired optimization methods, the eigenvalues of a two-bay truss structure are used for estimating the damaged elements. Then, using the proposed video motion magnification method, the natural frequency for each of undamaged and damaged cantilever beam have been extracted and compared with the LDV sensor to verify the proposed vision-based monitoring system. The performance of each bio-inspired optimizer for the damage detection has been compared. As a result, Coral Reefs Optimization has showed the lowest average error, around 1%, in the damage detection using natural frequency.

The emerging and promising paradigm of the Internet of Vehicles (IoV) employ vehicle-to-everything communication for facilitating vehicles to not only communicate with one another but also with the supporting roadside infrastructure, vulnerable pedestrians, and the backbone network in a bid to primarily address a number of safety-critical vehicular applications. Nevertheless, owing to the inherent characteristics of IoV networks, in particular, of being (a) highly dynamic in nature and which results in a continual change in the network topology and (b) non-deterministic owing to the intricate nature of its entities and their interrelationships, they are susceptible to a number of malicious attacks. Such sort of attacks, if and when materializes, jeopardizes the entire IoV network, thereby putting the human lives at risk. Whilst the cryptographic-based mechanisms are capable of mitigating the external attacks, the internal attacks are extremely hard to tackle. Trust, therefore, is an indispensable tool since it facilitates in the timely identification and eradication of malicious entities responsible for launching internal attacks in an IoV network. To date, there is no dataset pertinent to trust management in the context of IoV networks and the same has proven to be a bottleneck for conducting an in-depth research in this domain. The manuscript-at-hand, accordingly, presents a first of its kind trust-based IoV dataset encompassing 96,707 interactions amongst 79 vehicles at different time instances. The dataset involves 9 salient trust parameters, i.e., packet delivery ratio, similarity, external similarity, internal similarity, familiarity, external familiarity, internal familiarity, reward / punishment, and context, which play a considerable role for ascertaining the trust of a vehicle within an IoV network.

In computer vision, human action recognition is a hot topic, popularized by the development of deep learning. Current models have achieved high accuracy results on public datasets. Despite this success, they require significant computational resources for training. Given that transfer learning based techniques allow reusing what other models have already learned and training models with less computational resources, in this work we propose using a transfer learning based approach for action recognition in videos. We describe a methodology for human action recognition using transfer learning techniques in a custom dataset. The proposed method consists of four stages: 1) human detection and tracking, 2) video preprocessing, 3) feature extraction (using pretrained models with ImageNet), and 4) action recognition using a two-stream model consisting of TCNs, LSTMs, and CNNs layers. The custom dataset is imbalanced with 189, 390, 490, 854, and 890 videos per class, respectively. For feature extraction, we analyzed the performance of seven pretrained models: Inception-v3, MobileNet-v2, MobileNet-v3-L, VGG-16, VGG-19, Xception, and ConvNeXt-L. We show that the best results were obtained with the last one. Finally, using pretrained models for feature extraction allowed training in a PC with a single GPU with an accuracy of 94.9%.

The challenging terrain and deep ravines characteristic of mountainous regions often result in slower path planning and suboptimal flight paths for Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) when traditional meta-heuristic optimization algorithms are employed. This study investigates the application of an Improved Enhanced Snake Optimizer (IESO) for three-dimensional path planning in a simulated rugged mountainous terrain. The initialization process in the enhanced snake optimizer is refined by integrating the Chebyshev chaotic map. Additionally, a non-monotonic factor is introduced to modulate the "temperature," and a boundary condition is incorporated into the dynamic opposition learning mechanism. These modifications collectively reduce the likelihood of population convergence to local optima during optimization. The feasibility of IESO is validated through time complexity and global convergence analyses. Comparative simulation experiments benchmarked IESO against five state-of-the-art optimization algorithms across test functions and path-planning simulated scenarios. The experimental results indicate that the enhanced algorithm achieves superior optimization precision, faster convergence speeds, and improved quality in the planned trajectories by 30%.

Fiber-reinforced mycelium (FRM) composites offer an innovative and sustainable approach to construction materials for architectural structures. Mycelium, the root structure of fungi, can be combined with various natural fibers (NF) to create a strong and lightweight material with environmental benefits. Incorporating NF like hemp, jute, or bamboo into the mycelium matrix enhances mechanical properties. This combination results in a composite that boasts enhanced strength, flexibility, and durability. Natural FRM composites offer sustainability through the utilization of agricultural waste, reducing the carbon footprint compared to conventional construction materials. Additionally, the lightweight yet strong nature of the resulting material makes it versatile for various construction applications, while its inherent insulation properties contribute to improved energy efficiency in buildings. Developing and adopting natural FRM composites showcase a promising step towards sustainable and eco-friendly construction materials. Ongoing research and collaboration between scientists, engineers, and the construction industry will likely lead to further improvements and expanded applications. This article provides a comprehensive analysis of the current research and applications of natural FRM composite for innovative and sustainable construction materials. Additionally, the paper reviews the mechanical properties and potential impacts of these natural FRM composites in the context of sustainable architectural construction practices. Recently, the relevance of mycelium-based materials has extended beyond their original fields of microbiology and mycology to architecture.

Dendritic cell (DC) cancer vaccines are a promising therapeutic approach, leveraging the immune system to fight tumors. These vaccines utilize DCs' ability to present tumor-associated antigens to T cells, triggering a robust immune response. DC vaccine development has progressed through three generations. The first generation involved priming DCs with tumor-associated antigens or messenger RNA outside the body, showing limited clinical success. The second generation improved efficacy by using cytokine mixtures and specialized DC subsets to enhance immunogenicity. The third generation uses blood-derived DCs to elicit a stronger immune response. Clinical trials indicate that cancer vaccines have lower toxicity than traditional cytotoxic treatments. However, achieving significant clinical responses with DC immunotherapy remains challenging. Combining DC vaccines with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) such as anti-cytotoxic T-lymphocyte Antigen 4 and anti-programmed Death-1 antibodies has shown promise by enhancing T cell responses and improving clinical outcomes. These combinations can transform non-inflamed tumors into inflamed ones, boosting ICIs' efficacy. Current research is exploring new checkpoint targets like LAG-3, TIM-3, and TIGIT, considering their potential with DC vaccines. Additionally, engineering T cells with chimeric antigen receptors or T cell receptors could further augment the anti-tumor response. This comprehensive strategy aims to enhance cancer immunotherapy, focusing on increased efficacy and improved patient survival rates.

Electric propulsion systems have emerged as a disruptive technological approach towards achieving sustainable and climate-neutral aviation. To expand the operational envelope of such propulsion units in terms of altitude and velocity, an enclosing duct and counter-rotating rotors to enhance efficiency can be utilized. In this study, an iterative CFD-based design tool developed for these novel propulsion systems is utilized to design a reference engine. A substantial reduction in discrepancies between initial specifications, subsequent CFD simulations, and experimental investigations compared to conventional design tools relying on empirical formulations can be demonstrated using a classic rotor-stator configuration. This allows the CFD-based tool to be validated for designing scalable counter-rotating fan engines. Furthermore, to facilitate the transferability of research on such propulsion systems, a validated manufacturing process for composite blades is presented. This effort aims to make state-of-the-art technology accessible to smaller research projects, promoting the widespread adoption of electric propulsion technology in the aviation sector.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) are vital for their optical and electrical properties, with lead-based PSCs reaching a remarkable efficiency of 26.1%, while tin-based counterparts achieve 18.71%. Due to lead's toxicity, there's a push for alternatives like tin. However, tin-based PSCs suffer from stability issues and high defect density states, necessitating the development of cost-effective, high-performance, and eco-friendly alternatives. In this study, we designed a hetero-junction architecture using MASnI3-based Perovskite, opti-mized with SCAPs-1D. After exhaustive analysis, our device achieved a power conversion efficiency of 24.18%, with enhanced parameters including Voc of 0.09323V, Jsc of 30.8360 mA/cm2, and FF of 84.10%. Recombination rates, particularly Shockley-Read Hall recom-bination, were significantly reduced. Parametric analyses, encompassing absorber layer thickness, band gap, defect density, doping concentration, and operating temperature, in-dicate potential efficiency enhancements. This underscores the viability of Sn-based PSCs as a cost-effective, efficient, and environmentally benevolent alternative to lead-based counterparts, promising advancements in future research and development efforts.

Timely and accurate acquisition of information on distribution of the crop planting structure in Loess Plateau of eastern Gansu Province, one of the most important agricultural areas in western China, is crucial for promoting fine management of agriculture and ensuring food security. In this study, the Object-Based Image Classification (OBIC), the Random Forest (RF) and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) models were employed to classify the crop planting structure of four representative test areas in Qingyang City in a precise manner. Firstly, different optimal segmentation scales for various crops were selected using the Estimation of Scale Parameter 2 (ESP2) tool and the Ratio of Mean Difference to Neighbors(ABS) to Standard Deviation (RMAS)model. The images were then segmented through multiresolution segmentation combined with the Canny Edge Detection algorithm. Secondly, the L1 regularized logistic regression model was utilized to select and optimize 39 spatial feature factors including spectral, textural, geometric, and index features, in conjunction with phenological factors. Lastly, under the multi-level classification framework, the Random Forest (RF) classifier and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model, combined with object-based multiresolution segmentation, was used to classify the crop planting structure. The findings show that: Thanks to the Canny Edge Detection algorithm, we can obtain a more complete boundary of the segmented objects and improve the separability. The optimal segmentation scales for corn, vegetables, and buckwheat were found to be 55, 70, and 35, respectively, while wheat and apple had optimal segmentation scales of 65. In addition to phenological characteristics, the number of selected spatial features for corn, vegetables, buckwheat, wheat, and apple were 9, 7, 16, 12, and 10, respectively. The CNN model demonstrated high consistency with the RF model in the classification results, but the accuracy of RF model is higher than that of CNN model on the whole. The overall accuracy of classification using RF model in four test areas registered 91.93%, 94.92%, 89.37% and 90.68%, respectively. This paper introduced crop phenological factors, effectively improving the extraction precision of shattered agricultural planting structure in the Loess Plateau of eastern Gansu Province. Its findings have important application value in crop monitoring, management, food security and other related fields.

This study examines HIV/AIDS-associated knowledge and attitudes towards treating disadvantaged communities among predoctoral dental students in U.S. dental schools who had not yet commenced their Community-Based Dental Education (CBDE) training. It also compares the difference in knowledge and attitudes between students with reported community engagement with PLWHA, and those without. Our study comprised 89 predoctoral dental students within their D1-D3 years of dental school who had not yet initiated their Community-Based Dental Education (referred to as pre-CBDE dental students). Responses were collected via an online survey. Participants were 68% females, 94% heterosexual, of mean age (years): 25.9 ± 3.5 SD. The majority (62%) were in their first (D1) and second (D2) years of dental education. Of the thirty knowledge questions, only five received a minimum of 90% correct responses. Similarly, we found no statistical differences in most of the knowledge/attitude sections, between those with and without prior PLWHA exposure. Encouragingly, 90% of our participants reported prior experience working with disadvantaged communities. Early community engagement fosters a sense of professional responsibility towards administering dental care to disadvantaged communities and we propose that it must be encouraged among aspiring dental school students.

The decarbonization of the built environment, both in new construction and renovation, is crucial to mitigate its relevant impact on climate change and achieve the Paris agreement goals. This study presents a systematic LCA-based methodology to assess the whole life carbon emissions of buildings, applied to a proposal for the regeneration of one of Milan’s disused railway yards. As an entry for the 2020 Reinventing Cities competition, Scalo Lambrate is a project for a mainly residential neighborhood with a public park. Strategies to reduce carbon emissions deriving both from the operational energy and construction and maintenance were evaluated and their effects compared to a reference scenario over a time horizon of 100 years. The results show that, while the opportunities to reduce carbon emissions during the use phase are somehow limited due to the already stringent performance requirements for new builds, the use of fast-growing biogenic materials for construction materials, even if mixed with more traditional ones, can provide a significant reduction of the global warming potential over the whole life cycle, with a reduction of 70% over the baseline. The remaining emissions can be offset with afforestation initiatives that, however, must be assessed against land use issues.

Machine Learning deals with creating algorithms capable of learning from the provided data. These systems have a wide range of applications and can also be a valuable tool for scientific research which in recent years has been focused on finding new diagnostic techniques for particle accelerator beams. In this context SPARC_LAB is positioned, a facility located at the Frascati National Laboratories of INFN, where the progress of beam diagnostics is one of the main developments of the entire project. With this in mind, you aim to present the design of two neural networks aimed at predicting the spot size of the electron beam of the plasma-based accelerator at SPARC_LAB, which powers an undulator for the generation of x-ray Free Electron Laser (XFEL). Data-driven algorithms use two different data preprocessing techniques, namely autoencoder neural network and PCA. With both approaches, the predicted measurements can be obtained with an acceptable margin of error and most importantly without activating the accelerator, thus saving time, even compared to a simulator that can produce the same result but much more slowly. The goal is to lay the groundwork for creating a digital twin of linac and conducting virtualized diagnostics using an innovative approach.

This paper investigates the theoretical foundation for developing renewable geothermal resources locally. For this reason, we pay attention to the role of communities in geothermal development. This study presents arguments for a framework that approaches the geothermal resources as an endogenous factor of community development. To analyse it, we create a model that explains the local economic characters of the geothermal exploitation beyond its geological conditions. It aims to conceptualise a community based geothermal development standard referring to the endogeneity principle. Geothermal energy is given attention since the characteristics of this resource determine its use locally. We argue that the role of communities in geothermal exploitation is pivotal in the process of green growth for further expansion of geothermal energy use.

This paper investigates the effect of Fe contamination on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-7Si-0.7Mg-Fe2.5 alloy processed by Laser Powder Bed Fusion (LPBF) and heat treated in two different conditions: (1) Solution Heat Treatment (SHT) at 520 °C, followed by artificial ageing at 160 °C (T6), and (2) Direct Artificial Ageing of the as-printed material at 160 °C (DAA). Microstructural characterization was carried out by Optical Microscopy (OM), X-Ray Diffraction (XRD), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Transmission Electron Microscope (TEM). Mechanical characterization was carried out by tensile tests at room temperature. The formation of fine AlSiFe phases such as α-AlFeSi, β-AlFeSi, and π-Al8Si6Mg3Fe had no deleterious effect on the mechanical properties compared to previous studies for AlSIMg alloys without Fe. However, compared to the as-printed condition, the T6 heat treatment decreased the ultimate tensile strain significantly, while the elongation to the fracture presented a slight improvement.

Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) has emerged as a key method for continuous monitoring of COVID-19 prevalence including circulating SARS-CoV-2 lineages. WBE addresses limitations of traditional clinical COVID-19 surveillance such as clinical test availability, fluctuating testing rates and increased reliance on rapid antigen tests. Our study in Perth, Western Australia, found a significant positive correlation between SARS-CoV-2 concentrations in wastewater and clinical PCR positivity rates (rs = 0.772; p < 0.001) over an 18-month period that included four successive COVID-19 waves. A strong positive correlation was apparent between the proportions of SARS-CoV-2 lineages in wastewater and clinical cases within the same region (rs = 0.728; p < 0.001), including earlier detection of Omicron and recombinant lineages in wastewater before clinical case confirmation. The successful integration of WBE with healthcare data underscores its critical role in enhancing public health decision-making and pandemic management. This approach not only demonstrates the value of WBE in current global health surveillance efforts but also highlights the potential of WBE to address future public health challenges, as a comprehensive disease monitoring and response approach.

This paper introduces an Agent-Based Model (ABM) for investigating the dynamics of the Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem, specifically focusing on dynamic coalition formation among IoT Service Providers (SPs). Extending our prior work in 5G network modeling, the ABM captures intricate interactions among device, network operator, SP, and customer agents, offering a versatile framework for studying IoT ecosystem dynamics. The simulation portrays the adaptive nature of collaborations, providing insights into the role of dynamic coalition formation in shaping the collaborative landscape of IoT.

Predicting human trajectories poses a significant challenge due to the complex interplay of pedestrian behavior, which is influenced by environmental layout and interpersonal dynamics. This complexity is further compounded by variations in scene density. To address this, we introduce a novel dataset from the Festival of Lights in Lyon 2022, characterized by a wide range of densities (0.2-2.2 ped/m2). Our analysis demonstrates that density-based classification of data can significantly enhance the accuracy of predictive algorithms. We propose an innovative two-stage processing approach, surpassing current state-of-the-art methods in performance. Additionally, we utilize a collision-based error metric to better account for collisions in trajectory predictions. Our findings indicate that the effectiveness of this error metric is density-dependent, offering prediction insights. This study not only advances our understanding of human trajectory prediction in dense environments but also presents a methodological framework for integrating density considerations into predictive modeling, thereby improving algorithmic performance and collision avoidance.

Before December 2020, Antarctica had remained free of Covid-19 cases. The main concern during the pandemic was the limited health facilities available at Antarctic stations to deal with the disease, as well as the potential impact of SARS-CoV-2 on Antarctic wildlife through reverse zoonosis. In December 2020, 60 cases emerged in Chilean Antarctic stations, disrupting the summer campaign with ongoing isolation needs. The SARS-CoV-2 RNA was detected in the wastewater of several scientific stations. In Antarctica, treated wastewater is discharged directly into the seawater. No studies currently address recovery of infectious virus particles from treated wastewater, but their presence raises the risk of infecting wildlife and initiating new replication cycles. This study highlights the initial virus detection in wastewater from Antarctic stations, identifying viral RNA via RT-qPCR targeting various genomic regions. The virus's RNA was found in effluent from two wastewater plants at Maxwell Bay and O’Higgins Station on King George Island and the Antarctic Peninsula, respectively. This study explores the potential for reverse zoonotic transmission of SARS-CoV-2 from humans to Antarctic wildlife due to the direct release of viral particles into seawater. The implications of such transmission underscore the need for continued vigilance and research.

Keywords: Innovation ecosystems, Economic sustainability, Hydrocarbon-based economies, Economic diversification, Qualitative approach

The Thailand automotive industry grapples with complex challenges in service parts management, demanding a strategic approach for post-sales operations. This research unveils a tailored methodology, leveraging historical sales data, refined part classifications, and strategic decision rules. A high-level overview of the automotive supply chain emphasizes interconnected stakeholders. The systematic methodology delves into part categorization, decision rules, and data analysis. Decision rule outcomes, exceptions, and contingency solutions showcase efficacy. A cost impact assessment highlights substantial savings. Visualization tools offer nuanced perspectives. Optimized service parts classification, robust stocking decision rules, and cost-effective strategies emerge. Support Vector Regression excels in forecasting, with recommendations for dynamic stocking. Implications extend to the broader industry, offering efficiency and service quality blueprints. Acknowledging limitations and suggesting future research, this study contributes a valuable framework for Thai automotive service parts management.

The field of program classification, a critical aspect of software engineering, facilitates understanding and categorization of code across various applications, including anomaly detection, and code quality assessment. The advancement of cross-language program classification opens up avenues for efficient code translation among different programming languages, significantly aiding developers in rapid coding and reducing development cycles. Existing research primarily focuses on semantic code analysis, with limited emphasis on cross-linguistic challenges. To address this, we introduce an innovative neural network model, CodeSemanticsNN, which leverages a refined Syntax Structure (SS) approach. This model consists of two integral mechanisms: first, it adopts a novel SS representation that combines sequential and graph-based SS structures, enhancing semantic feature capture. Second, it employs a 'unified vocabulary' strategy to bridge the gap between diverse programming languages, facilitating efficient cross-language classification. Additionally, we have compiled a comprehensive dataset of 20,000 files spanning five programming languages, serving as a benchmark for cross-language classification. Our experiments on this dataset demonstrate that CodeSemanticsNN surpasses existing models in four key metrics: Precision, Recall, F1-score, and Accuracy.

The expedited development of drugs targeting gene products associated with insulin resistance holds the potential to enhance our comprehension of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). The virtual screening based on a three-dimensional (3D) protein structure has been expected as potential technique to accelerate a development of molecular target drugs. Among the targets implicated in insulin resistance, genetic characterization and protein function of Grb14 have been clarified without contradiction. The Grb14 gene displays notable variations in T2DM, and its gene product known to inhibit the function of the insulin receptor (IR) by directly binding to the tyrosine kinase domain. In the present study, a virtual screening, based on 3D structure of IR tyrosine kinase domain (IRβ) in complex with part of Grb14, was conducted to find compounds that can disrupt the complex formation between Grb14 and IRβ. First, ten compounds were selected from 154,118 compounds via hierarchical in silico structure-based drug screening, composed of grid docking-based and genetic algorithm-based programs. The experimental validations suggested that the one compound can affect blood glucose level. The molecular dynamics simulations and co-immunoprecipitation analysis showed that the compound did not completely suppress the protein–protein interaction between Grb14 and IR, though competitively bound to IR with the tyrosine kinase pseudosubstrate region in Grb14.

Thermostatically controlled loads have great potential to make a significant contribution to improving energy efficiency in the building sector, which is responsible for 40% of greenhouse gas emissions in the EU. This, in addition to the environmental damage, represents a huge expense in the electricity bill. Therefore, it is very important to train engineers on how to design energy management systems for TCLs. With this goal in mind, it would be very useful to have a simulation-based educational tool (SBET) to understand thermostatically controlled loads, their characteristics and possibilities in energy efficiency. In addition, it would be very useful if this tool could be introduced in engineering curricula to help students to be better trained and enter the labor market with more opportunities. Based on the shortcomings detected, this work develops a SBET specifically designed to teach about TCLs (SBET-TCLs), both about their intrinsic characteristics and their better management. To verify the developed SBET-TCL, it has been tested in a real scenario: A survey was carried out among the students of the subject 'Alternative Energy Sources' of the degrees of Industrial Engineering. The results show that the use of SBET-TCL has very positive effects on the learning process.

Face swapping is an intriguing and intricate task in the field of computer vision. Currently, most mainstream face swapping methods employ face recognition models to extract identity features and inject them into the generation process. Nonetheless, such methods often struggle to effectively transfer identity information, result in generated results failing to achieve a high identity similarity with the source face. Furthermore, if we can accurately disentangle identity information, we can achieve controllable face swapping, thereby providing more choices to users. In pursuit of this goal, we propose a new face swapping framework (ControlFace) based on the disentanglement of identity information. We disentangle the structure and texture of the source face, encoding and characterizing them in the form of feature embeddings separately. According to the semantic level of each feature representation, we inject them into the corresponding feature mapper and fuse them adequately in the latent space of StyleGAN. Owing to such disentanglement of structure and texture, we are able to controllablely transfer parts of the identity features. Extensive experiments and comparisons with state-of-the-art face swapping methods demonstrate the superiority of our face swapping framework in terms of transferring identity information, producing high-quality face images and controllable face swapping.

This comprehensive review elucidates the profound relationship between the human microbiome and breast cancer managrement. Recent findings highlight the significance of microbial alterations in tissues, such as the gut and the breast, and their role in influencing breast cancer risk, development, progression, and treatment outcomes. We delve into how the gut microbiome can modulate systemic inflammatory responses and estrogen levels, thereby impacting cancer initiation and therapeutic drug efficacy. Furthermore, we explore the unique microbial diversity within breast tissue, indicating potential imbalances brought about by cancer and highlighting specific microbes as promising therapeutic targets. Emphasizing a holistic One Health approach, this review underscores the importance of integrating insights from human, animal, and environmental health to gain a deeper understanding of the complex microbe-cancer interplay. As the field advances, strategic manipulation of the microbiome and its metabolites presents innovative prospects for enhancing cancer diagnostics and therapeutics. However, rigorous clinical trials remain essential to confirm the potential of microbiota-based interventions in breast cancer management.

With the rapid development of Earth observation and information technology, people are increasingly able to access geospatial models. Geospatial models, based on principles of geography, utilize mathematical, statistical, as well as computer science methods to interpret and predict geographic phenomena. These models can be applied in the fields such as urban planning, environmental protection, traffic management to help decision-makers solve geography-related problems. However, integrating different geospatial models to collaboratively solve complex geographic problems still faces significant obstacles due to heterogeneity in model structure, dependencies, and running modes. In this study, we propose a containerized service-based integration framework for heterogeneous geospatial models (GeoCSIF). GeoCSIF consists of three main components: (1) Model encapsulation. It breaks down complicated geospatial models into independently manageable model units, and builds as unified service packages with a templated constraint method. (2) Model orchestration. It achieves an optimal combination of large-scale models with complex dependencies using a prioritization-based orchestration method. (3) Model publication. It incorporates heuristics into the model scheduling process, which can provide adaptive deployment for different model runs. Finally, a prototype system was developed to validate the effectiveness and progressiveness of GeoCSIF by the integrating process of heterogeneous flood disaster models.

Urbanization and climate change have increased the need for stormwater management and nature-based solutions. Decisions made at project level impact the emergence of systemic traits of the stormwater network and the functionality of the catchment areas in urban planning. To that end, it is vital to introduce the decision-making tools for analyzing both the utilities and amenities of nature-based solutions (NBS) to increase their adoption to reduce the peak loads in the stormwater system, and to that end, mitigate the impacts of climate change. This paper demonstrates a workflow using drone-based photogrammetry, 3D modeling, and simulation software to generate visual and functional models assisting in informed decision-making in the design of stormwater systems as functional landscape architecture. Using aerial data from drones and modeled design solutions, the proposed workflow simulates rain events, infiltration, evaporation, water flow, and accumulation of stormwater in a way that allows the visual and quantified analysis of detailed landscape architecture designs. The paper provides an example of a rooftop site simulation demonstrating the infiltration and flow of water to the drainage. The visual decision-making method provided can aid in investment decisions for functional landscape design in support of stormwater management.

Introduction: The serological support to early diagnosis and differential diagnosis of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) is actually very limited. In this study we evaluated the performance of a promising multiparametric method including either well established and newly developed biomarkers. Methods: This multicenter retrospective observational study finally enrolled 156 patients with IBD, 100 affected by Crohn’s disease (CD) and 56 by ulcerative colitis (UC) recruited at the Gastroenterology Units of Udine (Italy), Rijeka (Croatia) and Belgrade (Serbia). Twently age-sex matched blood donors (BD) were included as controls. Autoantibody profiles were determined using a mosaic cell and tissue-based indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) method simultaneously investigating: anti-saccharomyces cerevisiae antibodies (ASCA), anti-atypical perinuclear neutrophilic antibodies (P-ANCA), anti-pancreatic antigens antibodies (PAB) and anti-goblet cells antibodies (GAB). Results: PAB (anti-CUZD1 and/or anti-GP2 antibodies) were present in 24 CD patients versus none of UC patients or BD (24% sensitivity, 100% specificity). As regards CD patients, combined positivity of PAB and ASCA (sensitivity 84%, specificity 71.4%) performed better than ASCA alone. Colon involvement (87.5% vs. 60.5%; p=0.014), deep mucosal lesions (58.3% vs. 25.0%; p=0.002) and need for biologic therapies (79.2% vs. 46.1%; p=0.005) were significantly more prevalent in PAB-positive than in PAB-negative CD patients. Multivariate analysis identified PAB positivity (OR=3.67; 95%CI=1.29-10.46) and anti-CUZD1 in particular (OR=3.54; 95%CI=1.08-11.63) as significant risk factors for deep mucosal lesions development in CD. Conclusion: A multiparametric diagnostic approach appears very useful to better characterize IBD patients. PAB, isolated or combined with other autoantibodies, may support both differential diagnosis and selection of CD patients at risk for more severe disease.

Cardiovascular and cerebrovascular disease incidence has risen mainly due to poor control of preventable risk factors and still constitutes a significant financial and health burden worldwide. ChatGPT is an artificial intelligence language-based model developed by OpenAI. Due to the model’s unique cognitive capabilities beyond data processing and the production of high-quality text, there has been a surge of research interest concerning its role in the scientific community and contemporary clinical practice. To fully exploit ChatGPT's potential benefits and reduce its possi-ble misuse, extreme caution must be taken to ensure its implications ethically and equitably. In this article, we explore the language model's possible applications and limitations while empha-sizing its potential value for diagnosing, managing, and prognosis cardiovascular and cerebro-vascular disease.

Experimental methodologies for fatigue lifetime prediction are time-intensive and susceptible to environmental variables. While the cohesive zone model is popular for predicting adhesive fatigue lifetime, entropy-based methods have also shown promise. This study aims to provide an understanding of the durability characteristics of CFRP adhesive joints by incorporating an entropy damage model within the context of the finite element method (FEM), examined the effects of different adhesive layer thicknesses on SLS models. As the adhesive layer increased in thickness, DAMAGE VARIABLES initially rose and then declined, peaking at 0.3mm. This finding provides crucial understanding into the stress behavior at the resin-CFRP interface and the resin's fatigue mechanisms.

When using meta-heuristic optimization approaches for optimization, a large number of samples are required. In particular, when generating subgeneration, the utilization of existing samples is low and the number of individuals is high. Therefore, surrogate-based optimization has been developed, which greatly reduces the number of individuals in the subgeneration and the cost of optimization. In complex air supply scenarios, single-objective optimization results may not be comprehensive; therefore, this paper developed a double-objective air supply optimization method based on the Kriging surrogate model and Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithms-II. And proposed the infill criteria based on clustering to advance the Pareto Frontier. The method was validated by an inverse prediction case, and in particular, the problems when based on 3D steady-state simulations were analyzed. The results showed that the method can quickly achieve an approximate prediction of the boundary conditions (when prediction were made based on experimental data, the number of simulations was 82 and the average error was 6.8%). Finally, the method was used to optimize the air supply parameters of a dual-aisle, single-row cabin. The Pareto set suggested that an airflow organization with dual circulation may be optimal.

There has been growing interest in using permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) for pumping applications to improve energy efficiency. One promising approach for powering these motors in variable speed applications is using modular multilevel cascaded converters based on a Triple-Star Bridge Cell (M3C) due to their inherent fault tolerance capability. However, M3C converters require a more complex control system than simpler converters. For instance, A basic M3C control system for power transmission requires seventeen (17) PI controllers, whose adjustment depends on the M3C’s dynamical model parameters’ value knowledge needing extensive and time-consuming testing to obtain them. To solve this control system issue, we propose an adaptive M3C control system for variable speed drives powering multiple PMSM-driven centrifugal pumps that reduces the number of controllers to six (6). Furthermore, the proposal does not require knowledge of the converter, motor, or load parameters, making it more practical and versatile. The proposal introduces an ad-hoc hybrid passivity-based model reference adaptive controller in cascade with a passivity-based control. It has been validated through theoretical stability proof and comparative simulation results with a basic control system under normal and fault operations. As a result, the proposal effectively follows the required rotor speed while enhancing performance by decreasing the current consumption and recovering from a 10% input phase imbalance, a cell short circuit, and an open cell.

Millions of tons of wool waste are produced yearly by textile industries, which may become a serious environmental hazard in the near future. Given this concern, it is crucial to explore strategies to reduce the amount of wool waste generated worldwide and adopt more sustainable practices for dissolving and regenerating wool keratin (WK) from textile waste. Most traditional methods involve the use of expensive, toxic, harmful, and poorly biodegradable compounds. To overcome these limitations and facilitate the reuse of wool waste through a cascade valorization strategy, researchers have started testing the use of deep eutectic solvents (DES) as a more sus-tainable and eco-friendlier alternative for WK dissolution and regeneration. In this study, the potential of two different DES mixtures, Choline chloride (ChCl): Urea and L-Cysteine (L-Cys): Lactic acid (LA), was explored for dissolving wool waste. Subsequently, the obtained gels based on DES-WK were blended with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) in different ratios to produce nanofibers using the electrospinning technique. The effect of pH and the properties of the electrospinning solutions, namely electrical conductivity and viscosity, on the morphology of the gel solutions were evaluated. Moreover, the morphological features of the produced gel-based electrospun PVA/DES-WK nanofibrous membranes were analyzed using scanning electron mi-croscopy (SEM). Additionally, the PVA/L-Cys: LA DES-WK, which proved to be the most effective DES mixture for fabricating WK gel-based nanofibers, were characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and tensile tests. Furthermore, their antioxidant and an-timicrobial abilities were evaluated. The results obtained revealed that this approach to valorize textile waste offers a unique avenue for the development of sustainable functional materials with potential applications in various biomedical and industrial fields.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus has inflicted significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. Continuous virus mutations have led to the emergence of new variants. The Omicron BA.1 sub-lineage prevailed as the dominant variant globally at the beginning of 2022 but was subsequently replaced by BA.2 in numerous countries. Wastewater-based epidemiology (WBE) offers an efficient tool for capturing viral shedding from infected individuals, enabling early detection of potential pandemic outbreaks without relying solely on community cooperation and clinical testing resources. This study integrated RT-qPCR assays for detecting general SARS-CoV-2 and its variants levels in wastewater into a modified triple susceptible-infected-recovered-susceptible (SIRS) model. The emergence of the Omicron-BA.1 variant was observed, replacing the presence of its predecessor, the Delta variant. Comparative analysis between the wastewater data and the modified SIRS model effectively described the BA.1 and subsequent BA.2 waves, with the decline of the Delta variant aligning with its diminished presence below the detection threshold in wastewater. This study demonstrates the potential of WBE as a valuable tool for future pandemics. Furthermore, by analyzing the sensitivity of different variants to model parameters, we are able to deduce real-life values of cross-variant immunity probabilities, emphasizing the asymmetry in their strength.

Digital-based differential amplifiers (DDA) are particularly suitable to low voltage digital integrated circuit technologies. This paper presents an exhaustive analysis of the digital-based analog amplifiers to take advantage of today's high-performance digital technologies and of computer-aided design (CAD) commonly employed to design integrated circuits. The operating principle and the main mathematical relations of the digital-based differential amplifiers are discussed along with an exhaustive explanation of its operating regions and of the corresponding power consumption. Finally, a detailed description of the design procedure of in UMC 180nm standard CMOS technology is shown.

Li-rich manganese-based cathode materials (LRMs) are considered one of the most promising cathode materials for the next generation lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) because of their high energy density. However, there are problems such as capacity decay, poor rate performance, and continuous voltage drop, which seriously limit their large-scale commercial applications. In this work, Li1.2Mn0.54Co0.13Ni0.13O2 coated with Li2MoO4 with unique spinel structure was prepared by wet chemistry method and the subsequent calcination process. The Li2MoO4 coating layer with spinel structure can provide a 3D Li+ transport channel, which is beneficial for improving rate performance, while protecting LRMs from electrolyte corrosion, suppressing interface side reactions, and improving cycling stability. The capacity retention rate of LRMs coated with 3wt% Li2MoO4 increased from 69.25% to 81.85% after 100 cycles at 1C, and the voltage attenuation decreased from 7.06 to 4.98 mV per cycle. The lower Rct also exhibits improved magnification performance. The results indicate that the Li2MoO4 coating effectively improves the cyclic stability and electrochemical performance of LRMs.

Currently, software development is more associated with families of configurable software rather than the single implementation of a product. Due to the numerous possible combinations in a software product line, testing these families of software product lines (SPLs) is a difficult undertaking (SPL). Moreover, the presence of optional features makes the testing of SPLs impractical. Several features are presented in SPLs, but due to the environment's time and financial constraints, these features are rendered unfeasible. Testing subsets of configured products is thus one approach to solving this issue. In order to reduce testing effort and get better results, alternative methods of testing SPLs are required, such as the combinatorial interaction testing (CIT) technique. Unfortunately CIT method produces unscalable solutions for large size SPLs with excessive constraints. The CIT method costs more because of feature combinations. The optimization of the various conflicting testing objectives, such as reducing the cost and configuration number, have also been considered. In this article, we have proposed a search-based software engineering solution using multi-objective optimization algorithms (MOEAs). In particular, the research is applied to different types of MOEA methods; Indicator-Based Evolutionary Algorithm (IBEA), Multi-objective Evolutionary Algorithm based on Decomposition (MOEA/D), Non-Dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm II (NSGAII), NSGAIII, and Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm 2 (SPEA2). The results of the algorithms are examined in the context of distinct objectives and two quality indicators. The results revealed how feature model attributes, implementation context and the number of objectives affect the performance of the algorithms.

Climate change affects water resources through the decrease of rainfall and the increase in temperatures and evapotranspiration. An indirect impact of climate change is also the increase of water uses by human activities. In this review, 320 papers were retrieved, of which 134 spanning five continents impacts and solutions to be used to better understand the effects of climate change on water resources, ecosystems, human health, security and socio-economic aspects were selected. Here, suggestions and proposals by scientists from around the world towards solutions, tips and ideas to deal with climate change and the best solutions for future water management were presented. The main solutions highlighted concern integrated water resources management, political direction, policies, increase in knowledge and new technologies. Furthermore, most of the papers analyzed underline that water resources management needs to incorporate protection and restoration of ecosystems and their services. Nature-based solutions need to be the starting point of new scientific and innovative ways to deal with climate change and towards future climate adaptation. In this complex evolution of the water resource, where is the management of the water resource in Italy going?

Since the beginning of the mass immunization with COVID-19 vaccines of patients with multiple sclerosis, many data on the efficacy and safety of these vaccines have been produced. Considering that MS is an autoimmune disease whose pathology can be explained by an altered immune system and that some DMTs seem to be able to decrease the antibody response against COVID-19 vaccines, we carried out this retrospective study with the aim to evaluate the safety in terms of AEFIs occurrence and the antibody response after the third dose of COVID-19 vaccines in people with MS. Third doses were administered from October 2021 to January 2022. Two hundred and ten patients (64.8% female; mean age: 46 years) received the third dose of the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccine and were included in the study. The majority of patients (n=193) were diagnosed with RRMS and EDSS values were ≤3.0 in 72.4% of them. DMTs most commonly used by included patients were interferon Beta 1-a, dimethyl fumarate, natalizumab and fingolimod. Overall, 160 patients (68.8% female) experienced 294 AEFIs, of which about 90% were classified as short-term, while 9.2% were classified as long-term. The most commonly reported following the booster dose were pain at the injection site, flu-like symptoms, headache, fever and fatigue. Regarding the immune response, consistently with literature data, we found that patients receiving ocrelizumab and fingolimod had lower IgG titer than patients receiving other DMTs.

Bridging the gap between traditional education and matching the pace of education with the rest of the world, Govt. of India implemented a new education policy this year which was much awaited for a long time. The new education policy is a big step to change India's overall education scenario by changing the examination pattern. However, this new type of decision-making process seeks to ensure that it achieves great benefits covering all uncovered elements while keeping technology as a parameter, so this new policy in the previous education system is also missing some key issues that must be addressed in the next amendments. Making it an example of impact, this paper describes salient issues where new educational policies are silent or those grey areas have been only superficially touched upon.

Badminton tactics refer to the techniques and strategies employed by players to win a match. Analyzing these tactics can help players improve their performance and outsmart their opponents. To study the tactics of top players, we use a gaming tree to analyze matches between two of the most powerful badminton players in history: Lin and Lee. By employing the Nash Equilibrium, we can discover the most beneficial strategies for both players, which reflect their most powerful techniques. Additionally, with the help of this gaming tree, we can precisely predict how players will implement their tactics. Empirical experimental results demonstrate that our proposed method not only evaluates and identifies each player's weaknesses and strengths but also has powerful capabilities to predict their tactics.

Bridge load testing is crucial in evaluating bridge load-carrying capacity and construction quality. However, conventional techniques have many limitations such as the need for direct contact and low acquisition frequency. This study provides a comprehensive examination of the static and dynamic load tests of a multi-span cable-stayed bridge utilizing a ground-based radar inter-ferometer (GB-radar). The case study was conducted at the Fifth Nanjing Yangtze River Bridge (FNYRB), which is recognized as the world's first lightweight steel-concrete composite cable-stayed bridge, with two spans measuring 600 m. To enhance measurement accuracy, a method was proposed to detect and recover radar phase jumps caused by vehicle motion. Furthermore, precise geometry projection was employed to acquire vertical displacements from GB-radar which were taken along the line-of-sight (LOS) direction. Moreover, during the static load test, a continuous deformation was observed with a maximum pace of 0.31 mm/min, indicating a post-construction settlement caused by soft soil consolidation. This case study highlights the high sampling frequency, high measurement accuracy, and exceptional weatherproof ability of GB-radar, thereby demonstrating its potential to be an alternative to the structural health monitoring (SHM) system.

The current work investigates the auxetic tensile deformation behavior of the inversehoneycomb structure with 5 × 5 cells made of biodegradable poly(butylene adipate-coterephthalate) (PBAT). Fused deposition modeling, an additive manufacturing method, produced such specimens. Residual stress (RS) and warpage, more or less, always exist in such specimens due to layer-by-layer fabrication, i.e., repeated heating and cooling. The RS influences the auxetic deformation behavior, but its measurement is challenging due to the very fine structure. Instead, the finite-element(FE)-based process simulation realized by an ABAQUS plug-in numerically predicts the RS and warpage. The predicted warpage shows a negligible slight deviation compared to the design topology. This process simulation also delivers the temperature evolution of a small volume material, revealing the local cyclic heating and cooling. The achieved RS serves as the initial condition for the FE model used to investigate the auxetic tensile behavior. With the outcomes from FE calculation without considering RS at hand, the effect of the RS on the deformation behavior is discussed for the global force-displacement curve, the structural Poisson’s ratio evolution, the deformed structural status, the stress distribution, and evolution, where the first three and the warpage are also compared with experimental results. Furthermore, the FE simulation can easily provide the global stress-strain flow curve with the total stress calculated from the elemental ones.

City zones have become increasingly overcrowded as a result of the extensive population widening ratio and the swift relocation of people from villages. The traffic monitoring process is a major issue in these areas due to the massive traffic flow on the roads. This research proposed a cluster-based improved authentication and communication scheme for an Intelligent Transportation System in Vehicular AdHoc Networks (VANETs). Our primary objective is to optimize resource sharing in vehicular communication. We enhanced the reliability, scalability, and stability of fast-moving VANETs by introducing cluster-based routing schemes for Vehicle-to-Vehicle (V2V) and Vehicle-to-Infrastructure (V2I) communications. We used a third-party certification authority for vehicle authentication to address security and privacy concerns. Our proposed schemes support minimizing the end-to-end (E2E) delay and route request, in addition to reducing link failure. Our schemes’ leading yield includes throughput enhancement, TCP Socket Initialization time minimization, TCP handshake response speedup, and DNS lookup improvement. The schemes are centred on short-range peer-to-peer (P2P) wireless communication in a 400-meter radius cluster. This includes innovative P2P wireless communications on VANET using minimized resources. The proposed schemes deliver a secure authentication mechanism with a securely generated vehicle authentication key provided by a certification authority. Furthermore, we have developed RESTful APIs in vehicular communication for implementation purposes, and also offered and implemented algorithms for resource sharing regarding V2V and V2I communication. Ultimately, we evaluated the performance of our experiments.

Background: A plethora of data supports HPV-based screening to be the preferred strategy for cervical cancer prevention. The shift to a more sensitive firstline test brings the need of effective triage up for discussion. Currently, most algorithms apply cytology as triage of HPV-DNA positive women. This study compared the performance of a 7-type HPV-mRNA test to cytology. Methods: From 2019-01-01, until 2021-12-31, cervical samples from 58,029 women were examined at the University Hospital of North Norway. 30.5% (17,684/58,029) fulfilled the criteria for HPV-DNA primary screening. All positive samples were triaged by cytology and followed-up according to national guidelines through 2022. Additionally, a 7-type HPV-mRNA test was applied. Study endpoint was histologically confirmed high grade lesion (CIN2+). Results: 5.6% (990/17,684) had positive HPV-DNA test, 97.2% (962/990) with valid HPV-mRNA results. 55.5% (534/962) had abnormal cytology (ASC-US+) and 35.1% (338/962) had positive HPV-mRNA test. 13.9% (134/962) had CIN2+. Sensitivity (CIN2+) of cytology versus the HPV-mRNA test was 76.1% (102/134)) versus 73.1% (98/134)), p=0.67. The specificity was 47.8% (396/828) versus 71.0% (588/624), p<0.001. PPV was 19.1% (102/534) and 29.0% (98/338), p<0.001 respectively. The number of colposcopies per CIN2+ detected by cytology and HPV-mRNA test was 5.2 and 3.1. Conclusion: The 7-type HPV mRNA test was significant more specific than cervical cytology in triage of HPV-DNA positive women. Using this biomarker as threshold for colposcopy may better balance the benefits and harms of screening.

With the rise of powerful computational technologies, healthcare systems are going through a paradigm shift to the era of healthcare 5.0, also known as" smart healthcare". This new-age healthcare system not only enhances the life of patients but also aims to reduce healthcare costs significantly. People's health data collected through various means, including various Internet of Things (IoT) devices, is too sensitive to be regulated by particular organisations owing to increasing privacy and security threats. The sheer size of data makes it difficult for centralised bodies to regulate, due to which third-party involvement is introduced, which again poses threats to the privacy of the data holder. Motivated by the abovementioned gaps, we propose a decentralised approach using Ethereum blockchain technology and Oasis protocol. The patient-driven solution approach effectively solves the privacy problem by providing complete control of data to the owner. Along with this, byproducts such as fine-grained access control and on-chain data processing capabilities are also obtained.

Urinary cytology is a useful, essential diagnostic method in routine urological clinical practice. Liquid-based cytology (LBC) for urothelial carcinoma screening is commonly used in the routine clinical cytodiagnosis because of its high cell collection rate. Since conventional screening processes by cytoscreeners and cytopathologists using microscopes is limited in terms of human resources, it is important to integrate new deep learning methods that can automatically and rapidly diagnose a large amount of specimens without delay. The goal of this study was to investigate the use of deep learning models for the classification of urine LBC whole-slide images (WSIs) into neoplastic and non-neoplastic (negative). We trained deep learning models using 786 WSIs by transfer learning, fully supervised, and weakly supervised learning approaches. We evaluated the trained models on two test sets (equal and clinical balance) with a combined total of 750 WSIs, achieving ROC-AUCs for WSI diagnosis in the range of 0.984-0.990 by the best model, demonstrating the promising potential use of our model for aiding urine cytodiagnostic processes.

Recent results have shown that the human malaria-resistant hemoglobin S mutation originates de novo more frequently in the gene and in the population where it is of adaptive significance, namely, in the hemoglobin subunit beta gene compared to the non-resistant but otherwise identical 20A>T mutation in the hemoglobin subunit delta gene, and in sub-Saharan Africans, who have been subject to intense malarial pressure for many generations, compared to Northern Europeans, who have not. This finding raises a fundamental challenge to the traditional notion of accidental mutation. Here we address this finding with the replacement hypothesis, according to which pre-existing genetic interactions can lead directly and mechanistically to mutations that simplify and replace them. Thus, a gradual evolutionary process under selection can hone in on interactions of importance for the currently evolving adaptations, from which large-effect mutations follow that are relevant to these adaptations. We exemplify this hypothesis using multiple types of mutation, including gene fusion mutations, gene duplication mutations, A>G mutations in RNA-edited sites and transcription-associated mutations, and place it in the broader context of a system-level view of mutation origination called Interaction-based Evolution. Potential consequences include that similarity of mutation pressures may contribute to parallel evolution in genetically related species, that the evolution of genome organization may be driven by mutational mechanisms, that transposable element movements may also be explained by replacement, and that long-term directional mutational responses to specific environmental pressures are possible. Such responses need to be further tested by future studies in natural and artificial settings.

The computer network world is changing and the NetDevOps approach has brought the dynamics of applications and systems into the field of communication infrastructure. Businesses are changing and businesses are faced with difficulties related to the diversity of hardware and software that make up those infrastructures. The "Intent-Based Networking - Concepts and Definitions" document describes the different parts of the ecosystem that could be involved in NetDevOps. The recognize, generate intent, translate and refine features need a new way to implement algorithms. This is where artificial intelligence comes in.

Abstract Issue Addressed: Men’s Sheds (‘Sheds’) have been identified as inherently health promoting and as potential settings to engage ‘hard-to-reach’ men in more structured health promotion initiatives. However, little is known about the sociodemographic or health and wellbeing characteristics of Shed members (‘Shedders’) on which such initiatives might be based. This study captures a baseline cross sectional analysis of Shedders (n=384) who participated in ‘Sheds for Life’, a health promotion initiative tailored to Sheds. Methods: Objective health measure, (body composition, blood pressure, blood lipids) captured via health screening as well as sociodemographic and health and wellbeing measures (physical activity, subjective wellbeing, mental health, social capital, cooking and diet) via questionnaires were assessed. Results: Participants were mostly over 65 years, retired with limited educational attainment. The majority were in the ‘at-risk’ categories for objective health measures, with most being referred to their GP following health screening. Older Shedders were also more likely to meet physical activity guidelines. Mental wellbeing was positively correlated with life satisfaction and increased social capital and these were also positively correlated with physical activity. Conclusions: Findings highlight the potential of Sheds in reaching a ‘hard-to-reach’ and ‘at-risk’ cohort of men. Despite a high prevalence of ‘at-risk’ objective health measures, participants report their health in positive terms. Future health promotion initiatives should capitalise on the inherent health promoting properties of Sheds. So what? Findings raise important implications for prioritising and designing health promotion initiatives in Shed settings.

Manual visual inspections typically conducted after an earthquake are high-risk, subjective, and time-consuming. Delays from inspections often exacerbate the social and economic impact of the disaster on affected communities. Rapid and autonomous inspection using images acquired from unmanned aerial vehicles offer the potential to reduce such delays. Indeed, a vast amount of re-search has been conducted toward developing automated vision-based methods to assess the health of infrastructure at the component and structure level. Most proposed methods typically rely on images of the damaged structure, but seldom consider how the images were acquired. To achieve autonomous inspections, methods must be evaluated in a comprehensive end-to-end manner, incorporating both data acquisition and data processing. In this paper, we leverage recent advances in computer generated imagery (CGI) to construct a 3D synthetic environment for simulation of post-earthquake inspections that allows for comprehensive evaluation and valida-tion of autonomous inspection strategies. A critical issue is how to simulate and subsequently render the damage in the structure after an earthquake. To this end, a high-fidelity nonlinear finite element model is incorporated in the synthetic environment to provide a representation of earthquake-induced damage; this finite element model, combined with photo-realistic rendering of the damage, is termed herein a physics-based graphics models (PBGM). The 3D synthetic en-vironment with PBGMs provide a comprehensive end-to-end approach for development and validation of autonomous post-earthquake strategies using UAVs, including: (i) simulation of path planning of virtual UAVs and image capture under different environmental conditions; (ii) au-tomatic labeling of captured images, potentially providing an infinite amount of data for training deep neural networks; (iii) availability of the ground truth damage state from the results of the finite-element simulation; and (iv) direct comparison of different approaches to autonomous as-sessments. Moreover, the synthetic data generated has the potential to be used to augment field datasets. To demonstrate the efficacy of PBGMs, models of reinforced concrete moment-frame buildings with masonry infill walls are examined. The 3D synthetic environment employing PBGMs is shown to provide an effective testbed for development and validation of autonomous vision-based post-earthquake inspections that can serve as an important building block for ad-vancing autonomous data to decision frameworks.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a major public health threat globally, especially in sub-Saharan Africa. Both human and Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTBC) genetic variation affect TB outcomes, but few studies have examined if and how the two genomes interact to affect disease. We hypothesize that long-term coexistence between human genomes and MTBC lineages modulate disease to affect its severity. We examined this hypothesis in our TB household contact study in Kampala, Uganda, in which we identified 3 MTBC lineages of which one, L4.6-Uganda, is clearly derived and hence recent. We quantified TB severity using the Bandim TBscore and examined the interaction between MTBC lineage and human single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) genome-wide, in two independent cohorts of TB cases (N=149 and N=127). We found a significant interaction between a SNP in PPIAP2 and the Uganda lineage (combined p=4x10-8). PPIAP2 is a pseudogene that is highly expressed in immune cells. Pathway and eQTL analyses indicated potential roles between coevolving SNPs and cellular replication and metabolism as well as platelet aggregation and coagulation. This finding provides further evidence that host-pathogen interactions affect clinical presentation differently than host and pathogen genetic variation independently, and that human-MTBC coevolution is likely to explain patterns of disease severity.

In March 2020, several mass gathering events were related to the Falles festival in Borriana (Spain), resulting in a 536 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases outbreak among participants. Our objective was to estimate anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies persistence six months after and factors associated with antibody response. A prospective population-based cohort study was carried out by the Public Health Center of Castellon and the Emergency and Clinical Analysis and Microbiology Services of Hospital de la Plana in Vila-real. In October 2020, sero-epidemiologic study to estimate the persistence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies by a electrochemiluminescence immunoassay (ECLIA) was implemented. We enrolled 484 (90.2%) of the 536 members of the initial outbreak cohort and detected persistent antibodies in 479 (99%) without re-infection episodes. Five participants had a negative antibody test. Factors associated with a negative result were a lower body mass index (BMI), and less contact with other COVID-19 cases. Among the 469 participants with two ECLIA tests, 96 (20.5%) had an increase of antibodies and 373 (79.5%) a decline. Increased antibodies were associated with older age, higher BMI, more severe illness, and low current smokers. After a COVID-19 infection, a high proportion of cases maintained detectable anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies.

High costs for the repair of concrete structures can be prevented if damage at an early stage of degradation is detected and precautionary maintenance measures are applied. To this end, we use numerical wave propagation simulations to identify simulated damage in concrete using convolutional neural networks (CNN). Damage in concrete subjected to compression is modeled at the mesoscale using the discrete element method. Ultrasonic wave propagation simulation on the damaged concrete specimens are performed using the rotated staggered finite-difference grid method. The simulated ultrasonic signals are used to train a CNN based classifier capable of classifying three different damage stages (microcrack initiation, microcrack growth and microcrack coalescence leading to macrocracks). The performance of the classifier is improved by refining the dataset via an analysis of the averaged envelope of the signal. The classifier using the refined dataset has an overall accuracy of 90%.

Offshore wind farms are increasingly built in the North Sea and the number of HVDC systems transmitting the wind power to shore increases as well. To connect offshore wind farms to adjacent AC transmission systems, onshore and offshore modular multilevel converters transform the transmitted power from AC to DC and vice versa. Besides, modern wind farms mainly use wind turbines connected to the offshore point of common coupling via voltage source converters. However, converters and their control systems can cause unwanted interactions, referred to as converter-driven stability problems. The resulting instabilities can be predicted by applying an impedance-based analysis in the frequency domain. Considering that the converter models and system data are often confidential and cannot be exchanged in real systems, this paper proposes an enhanced impedance measurement method suitable for black-box applications to investigate the interactions. The proposed method is applied to assess an offshore HVDC system’s converter-driven stability, using impedance measurements of laboratory converters and a wind turbine converter controller replica. The results show that the onshore modular multilevel converter’s interactions with AC grids of moderate short-circuit ratios can lead to instabilities. The offshore system analysis reveals that considering the offshore grid topology is crucial for assessing interactions between the wind turbine controllers and the offshore modular multilevel converter. It is shown that different stability margins result from varying offshore grid layouts.

Instead of tissue-based detection, blood-based tumor mutation burden (bTMB) is becoming an alternative promising alternate to predict the response of immune checkpoint inhibitor in cancers, especially non-small-cell lung cancer. Although bTMB is more convenient and less invasive, many evidences identified its limited predictive ability and less accurate discrimination of candidates to receive immunotherapy. Several ways of adjustments have been applied to improve the clinical usefulness of bTMB, such as setting restriction for threshold of allele frequency to exclude some unwanted mutations. But many questions remained to be explored such as the number and the type of mutations that should be incorporated into the bTMB estimation. This viewpoint summarized the current attempts to modify bTMB and provided granular aspects that have implications for further enhancement of bTMB’s predictive capability.

This article describes techniques employed in the production of a synthetic dataset of driver telematics emulated from a similar real insurance dataset. The synthetic dataset generated has 100,000 policies that included observations about driver’s claims experience together with associated classical risk variables and telematics-related variables. This work is aimed to produce a resource that can be used to advance models to assess risks for usage-based insurance. It follows a three-stage process using machine learning algorithms. The first stage is simulating values for the number of claims as multiple binary classifications applying feedforward neural networks. The second stage is simulating values for aggregated amount of claims as regression using feedforward neural networks, with number of claims included in the set of feature variables. In the final stage, a synthetic portfolio of the space of feature variables is generated applying an extended SMOTE algorithm. The resulting dataset is evaluated by comparing the synthetic and real datasets when Poisson and gamma regression models are fitted to the respective data. Other visualization and data summarization produce remarkable similar statistics between the two datasets. We hope that researchers interested in obtaining telematics datasets to calibrate models or learning algorithms will find our work valuable.

Although traditional automotive development has mainly focused on functional safety, as the number of automotive hacking cases has increased due to the growing Internet connectivity of automotive control systems, security is also becoming more important. Accordingly, various international organizations are preparing cybersecurity regulations or standards to ensure security in automotive development by emphasizing the concept of security-by-design(i.e. security engineering) which emphasizes trustworthiness from the beginning of development. The problem, however, is that no specific methodology has been suggested. In this paper, we propose a specific security-by-design methodology for automotive development based on Secure System Development Life Cycle (secure SDLC) standards and evidence-based standards. Our methodology could be easily used in the actual field as it is more general and detailed than existing secure SDLC standards and research. Also, since it satisfies all requirements of United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE) regulation, automobile manufacturers could respond to the upcoming cybersecurity regulation with our methodology.

Green Infrastructure promotes the use of natural functions and processes as potential solutions to reduce negative effects derived from anthropocentric interventions such as urbanization. In cities of Latin America, for example, the need for more nature-sound infrastructure is evident due to its degree of urbanization and degradation of ecosystems, as well as the alteration of the local water cycle. In this study, an experimental approach for implementation of a prototype is presented. The experiment took place in a highly urbanized watershed located in the Metropolitan Area of Costa Rica. Initially, understanding the characteristics of the study area at different scales was achieved by applying the Urban Water System Transition Framework to identify the existing level of development of the urban water infrastructure, and potential future stages. Subsequently, preferences related to spatial locations and technologies were identified from different local decision-makers. Those insights were adopted to identify a potential area for implementation of the prototype. The experiment consisted on an adaptation of the local sewer to act as a temporal reservoir to reduce the effects derived from rapid generation of stormwater runoff. Unexpected events, not considered initially in the design, are reported in this study as a means to identify necessary adaptations of the methodology. Our study shows from an experimental learning-experience that the relation between different actors advocating for such technologies influences the implementation and operation of non-conventional technologies. Furthermore, the perception of security associated to green spaces was found as a key driver to increase the willingness of residents to modify their urban environments. In consequence, those aspects should be carefully considered as factors of designs of engineering elements when they are related to complex socio-ecological urban systems.

As part of the efforts to reduce the environmental impacts caused by the aviation sector, the use of bio-based instead of fossil-based materials has been assessed as a possible mitigation option. Natural Fibre Polymer Composites have proven to have a higher environmental performance in the automotive sector and are emerging as an option for weight reduction in aircraft. This study quantifies, though Life Cycle Assessment, the environmental performance of specific flax-based composite panels intended for aircrafts as interior fitting elements (i.e. partition panels, tray tables, baggage compartments) compared to a glass fibre/epoxy composite with a honeycomb core. Through system expansion, the fate of co-products issued from the production of the flax fibre technical textile used as reinforcement in the biocomposite material were considered in the assessment. Results showed that for an application in the aeronautics sector, the weight of the panels is the upmost critical parameter shaping the overall environmental performance of panels. Focusing on the panel production only, the biocomposite panel showed a higher environmental performance in the categories of climate change and marine eutrophication compared to the conventional panel, and the fire suppressant agent was identified as the main contributor to the environmental impacts of the bio-based panel. Yet these gains were negligible when considering the full life cycle of the panels, due to the higher weight (14%) of the bio-based panels; which is linked to the bio-based panel being at a prototype stage.In order to improve the environmental performance of the biocomposite panel and thus reduce its weight, it was shown relevant to optimize geometry of the panel itself, especially its core, so less resin could be used.

In this paper, we introduce a non-invasive approach for monitoring bridge infrastructure with ground-based interferometric radar. This approach is called the mirror mode, since it utilises the flat surface of the bridge underside as a mirror to reflect the signal to a corner reflector on the ground placed opposite of the radar sensor. For proving the feasibility of this approach, a measurement campaign has been carried out at an exemplary bridge in Karlsruhe (Germany) including a radar sensor in mirror mode, a second radar sensor in the default mode and a laser profile scanner. We investigate the potential of this approach to monitor the bridge displacement in vertical direction and compare the results with the two other sensors. The derived results reveal the potential for monitoring bridge infrastructure. Finally, we propose further research aspects of this approach to analyse its capabilities and limitation in the context of non-invasive infrastructure monitoring.

Streptococcus mutans is well known for having virulence factors associated with its cariogenic role, such as glucosyltransferases, which have been used as targets for the virtual screening of molecules with inhibitory capacity. The Antigen I/II of S. mutans is involved in the adhesion to the surface of the tooth and the bacterial co-aggregation in the biofilm formation, despite that, this protein has not been used as a target in a virtual strategy search for inhibitors. In this study we identified in silico and evaluated in vitro molecules with adhesion inhibitory potential on S. mutans Ag I/II. A virtual screening of 883,551 molecules was conducted, cytotoxicity analysis on fibroblast cells, S. mutans adhesion studies, scanning electron microscopy analysis for bacterial integrity, and molecular dynamics simulation were also performed. We have found three molecules (ZI-187, ZI-939, ZI-906) that were not cytotoxic and inhibited the adhesion of S. mutans to polystyrene microplates. Molecular dynamic simulation by 300 nanoseconds showed stability of the interaction between ZI-187 and Ag I/II (PDB: 3IPK). This work provides three new molecules that targets Ag I/II and have the capacity to inhibit in vitro the S. mutans adhesion on polystyrene microplates and provides a new computational line for the search and selection of safe inhibitory molecules against different pathogens.

In this paper, the stability control of the inverted pendulum on a cart with a disturbance forces has been done using observer based and full state feedback H2 controllers. The Lagrangian equation has been used to model the system equation of motions and linearized the system to the unstable upward position. Comparison of the system stability has been simulated by comparing the proposed controllers using Matlab/Scripts and a promising results has been analyzed successfully.

Inclusions in steels and alloys are known as factors that could lower deformation, mechanical, corrosion and other properties. Study of inclusions in nickel based alloys is important since these materials could suffer from corrosion degradation in harsh operational conditions, where inclusions could lead to a pitting initiation. For estimation of a harmful effect of different inclusions on corrosion resistance of Ni-based alloys, inclusion characteristics (such as composition, morphology, size, number and location) on film filter and dissolution of metal matrix around different inclusions on surfaces of metal samples after electrolytic extraction (EE) were investigated in two samples of industrial Ni-based alloys (alloy 718 and EP718). It was found that both Ni-based alloys have various inclusions: carbides (large size NbTi-C and small multicomponent carbides), nitrides TiNb-N and sulfides (TiNb-S in EP718 alloy). The higher harmful effect on corrosion resistance of metal was detected around sulfides and small carbides containing Mo, W, Cr. Dissolution effect was also observed around large carbides and nitrides, especially around inclusions having size more than 10 µm. Moreover, the dissolution of metal matrix around inclusions and clusters located on the grain boundaries is 2.1-2.7 times larger compared to that for those inclusions inside of grains of the given alloy samples.

The COVID-19 pandemic has revealed many knowledge gaps with implications toward the speed and nature of our response to contain, assess and mitigate risk. The routine discharge of treated and untreated wastewater into rivers and coastal waters has placed SARS-CoV-2 viability in wastewater at the centre of an emerging hazard and potential risk to water industry workers and the public who come into contact with sewage-impacted water. Here we provide a review of the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome coronavirus primary literature that presents the evidence base pertaining to the key questions of whether the SARS-CoV-1 and SARS-CoV-2 is shed in stool and urine, is recoverable, and infectious in wastewater. We discuss the challenges posed by the current literature base and the extent to which the current evidence is fit for the purpose of informing robust human and environmental risk assessments.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) was first described in December 2019 in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China; and produced by a novel coronavirus designed as the acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). Covid-19 has become a pandemic reaching over 1.3 million confirmed cases and 73,000 deaths. Several efforts have been done to identify pharmacological agents that can be used to treat patients and protect healthcare professionals. The sequencing of the virus genome not only has offered the possibility to develop a vaccine, but also to identified and characterize the virus proteins. Among these proteins, main protease (M^pro) has been identified as a potential therapeutic target, since it is essential for the processing other viral proteins. Crystal structures of SARS-CoV-2 M^pro and inhibitors has been described during the last months. To describe additional compounds that can inhibit SARS-CoV-2 M^pro, in this study we performed a molecular docking-based virtual screening against a library of experimental and approved drugs. Top 10 hits included Pictilisib, Nimorazole, Ergoloid mesylates, Lumacaftor, Cefuroxime, Cepharanhine, and Nilotinib. These compounds were predicted to have higher binding affinity for SARS-CoV-2 M^pro than previously reported inhibitors for this protein, suggesting a higher potential to inhibit virus replication. Since the identified drugs have both pre-clinical and clinical information, we consider that these results may contribute to the identification of treatment alternative for Covid-19. Nevertheless, in vitro and in vivo confirmation should be performed before these compounds could be translated to the clinic.

Virus-infected Flu is a common disease. To date, no specific drugs are available to manage the symptoms of cough, headache and sputum production. An alternative Chinese herb medicine is introduced for virus-infected Flu or similar infection. Before hospitalization, some of patients may scare for cross-infection with mild symptoms or hardly go to hospital if encountered a temporary lockdown or quarantine. Some Chinese practice self-treatment of cough, headache and sputum production by inhalation of volatile chemicals from onion and garlic. Author used to take the same alternative approach of inhalation of onion, garlic or scallions for self-treatment when suffered virus caused flu with cough, headache and sputum production at onset disease. In this article, the biomedical effects of onion and garlic are reviewed. To help patients with mild symptoms of virus infected Flu, a simple home-based treatment was suggested to self-treatment because of temporary isolation and hardly going to hospitalization. The alternative approach may also suggest for some mild virus infected respiratory diseases caused by virus at onset disease.

A 'little brother' of pain, itch is an unpleasant sensation that creates a specific urge to scratch. To date, various machine-learning based image classifiers (MBICs) have been proposed for quantitative analysis of itch-induced scratch behaviour of laboratory animals in an automated, non-invasive, inexpensive and real-time manner. In spite of MBICs' advantages, the overall performances (accuracy, sensitivity and specificity) of current MBIC approaches remains inconsistent, with their values varying from ~50% to ~99%, for which the reasons underlying have yet to be investigated further, both computationally and experimentally. To look into the variation of the performance of MBICs in automated detection of itch-induced scratch, this article focuses on the experimental data recording step, and reports here for the first time that MBICs' overall performance is inextricably linked to the sharpness of experimentally recorded video of laboratory animal scratch behaviour. This article furthermore demonstrates for the first time that a linearly correlated relationship exists between video sharpness and overall performance (accuracy and specificity, but not sensitivity) of MBICs, and highlight the primary role of experimental data recording in rapid, accurate and consistent quantitative assessment of laboratory animal itch.

Invasion ecology has a long tradition of searching for traits distinguishing alien invasive and non-invasive plants. Surprisingly, this approach has been so far poorly used to understand why some arable weeds are abundant and widespread while others are rare and narrowly distributed. In the present study, we focused on the characteristics of successful weeds occurring in maize fields, one of the most import crop worldwide. Two national weed surveys conducted in France were used to identify increasing and decreasing species based on 175 and 484 surveyed fields in the 1970s and the 2000s, respectively. Weed trait values related to regional frequency, local abundance and specialization to maize were identified with Phylogenetic Generalized Least-Squares (PGLS). We found a positive relationship between regional frequency and local abundance, i.e. the most widespread weeds were also locally more abundant. We highlighted that weeds with the C4 photosynthetic pathway and summer emergence were more abundant, more frequent and more specialized to maize crops. More generally, we highlighted two successful strategies: on the one hand, traits related to a general weediness syndrome with rapid resource acquisition (high SLA and Ellenberg-N) and high colonization capacity (seed longevity, fecundity and wind dispersal), on the other hand, traits related to specific adaptation to spring cultivation (thermophilous species with summer emergence, late flowering and C4 photosynthetic pathway). Deviations from the abundancy-frequency relationships also indicated that species of the Panicoideae sub-family, species with Triazine-resistant populations and neophyte species were more abundant than expected by their regional frequency. To some extent, it is therefore possible to predict which species can be troublesome in maize crops and use this information in weed risk assessment tools to prevent new introductions or favor early detection and eradication. This study showed how tools developed in functional and macro-ecology can be used to improve our understanding of weed ecology and to develop more preventive management strategies.

This work presents a linear smoothing scheme over high-order triangular elements in the framework of a cell-based strain smoothed finite element method for two-dimensional nonlinear problems. The main idea behind the proposed linear smoothing scheme for strain-smoothed finite element method (S-FEM) is no subdivision of finite element cells to sub-cells while the classical S-FEM needs sub-cells. Since the linear smoothing function is employed, S-FEM is able to use quadratic triangular or quadrilateral elements. The modified smoothed matrix obtained node-wise is evaluated. In the same manner with the computation of the strain-displacement matrix, the smoothed stiffness matrix and deformation graident are obtained over smoothing domains. A series of benchmark tests are investigated to demonstrate validity and stability of the proposed scheme. The validity and accuracy are confirmed by comparing the obtained numerical results with the standard FEM using 2nd-order triangular element and the exact solutions.

Globally 30% of landslides occur in the northeastern part of India [1]. One of the major earthquake events in Sikkim, India occurred on 18th September 2011 (Mw 6.9) led to over 300 landslides and 122 human deaths [2]. These landslides not only controlled by natural disasters but initiated due to human activities. The present study considered Lungchok landslide occurred in south district of Sikkim due to 2011 seismic event. The study focused on the failure mechanism of the landslide based on finite element analysis by adopting eight different cases. The deformation characteristic was investigated for dry and saturated slope conditions under static and dynamic behavior considering vehicle loads using GeoStudio software. The FEM analysis has been carried out using load deformation and linear elastic. The analysis shows that the failure of the slope was not sudden due to the 2011 earthquake event, but progressive failure was observed with time and construction activity. The paper demonstrates that, an increase in infrastructure development including construction by hill cutting increased the initiation of landslide with soil erosion. The cracks developed after 2011 earthquake event led to further deformations during future disasters required effective stabilization measures.

Abstract：Commuting of residents in big city often brings tidal traffic pressure or congestions. Understanding the causes behind this phenomenon is of great significance for urban space optimization. Various spatial big data make possible the fine description of urban residents travel behaviors, and bring new approaches to related studies. The present study focuses on two aspects: one is to obtain relatively accurate features of commuting behaviors by using mobile phone data, and the other is to simulate commuting behaviors of residents through the agent-based model and inducing backward the causes of congestion. Taking the Baishazhou area of Wuhan, a local area of a mega city in China, as a case study, travel behaviors of commuters are simulated: the spatial context of the model is set up using the existing urban road network and by dividing the area into travel units; then using the mobile phone call detail records (CDR) of a month, statistics of residents' travel during the four time slots in working day mornings are acquired and then used to generated the OD matrix of travels at different time slots; and then the data are imported into the model for simulation. By the preset rules of congestion, the agent-based model can effectively simulate the traffic conditions of each traffic intersection, and can also induce backward the causes of traffic congestion using the simulation results and the OD matrix. Finally, the model is used for the evaluation of road network optimization, which shows evident effects of the optimizing measures adopted in relieving congestion, and thus also proves the value of this method in urban studies.

This paper presents a brief account and rationale for implementation of competency-based learning in any form of management and leadership development programmes in South Africa. The fact that competency-based learning (CBL), also known as outcomes-based learning has been scrapped from the schooling system in South Africa is unfortunate as this method enhances critical thinking skills and practical problem-solving skills. This paper presents CBL as a model of meta-cognitive approach to learning that integrates both theory and practice into experiential learning through six dimensions, namely, active learning, constructive learning, cumulative learning, goal-oriented learning, learner-centred and curriculum design strategies. In the advent of the fast-paced global economy, managers and leaders need to seek those business schools that value real-time practical approach to curriculum for relevance and to maximize shareholder value through human resource development. This brief presentation ends by recommending an approach through CBL that fosters three critical pillars of leadership development, namely: intellectual, behavioural and emotional agenda.

Hang-ju was one of five officinal varieties of Flos chrysanthemum for its edible and potable usage. Besides Flos Chrysanthemum (FL), there were also Bud Chrysanthemum (BC) and Fetal Chrysanthemum (FC) at the early and late stage of buds, respectively, in the consumption market of Hang-ju with higher prices. Whether the quality and efficiency of BC and FC was superior to FL or merely consumption misunderstandings? Three commercial products of Hongxinju, a representive cultivar of Hang-ju were studied with a GC-MS based metabolomics approach, complemented with morphology, contents of moisture and protein and the anti-oxidant activity, to reveal the metabolic alterations of violate components in Hongxinju in different flowering stage and at different processing periods. It revealed that most of the violate components were increased from fresh FC to FL, and the low-boiling fractions, inflammatory methyl arachidonate and air-polluting component of ethylbenzene were declined while the representative components with pungent flavor and cool nature of a-curcumene and (Z,Z,Z)-9,12,15-octadecatrienoic acid, vision improving carotenol of rhodopin and high-boiling fractions were elevated after processed in final FL compared with that in BC and/or FC. Though the content of protein and anti-oxidative capacity of final BC and FC were nearly equal to those of FL, in comprehensive consideration of the representative components related with the efficiency in heat cooling and vision improving, as well as the representative components related with inflammation and air-pollution, final FL was recommended other than BC and FC in the practice of medicine with the yield and quality integrated into account.

Objective: The aim of the current study was to examine whether and to what extent mood disorders, comprising major depression and bipolar disorder, are accompanied by structural changes in the brain as measured using voxel-based morphometry (VBM). Methods: We have performed a VBM study using a 3Т MRI system (GE Discovery 750w) in patients with mood disorders (n=50), namely 39 with major depression and 11 with bipolar disorder, compared to 42 age, sex and education matched healthy controls. Results: Our results show that depression was associated with significant decreases in grey matter (GM) volume restricted to regions located in medial frontal and anterior cingulate cortex on the left side and middle frontal gyrus, medial orbital gyrus, inferior frontal gyrus (triangular and orbital parts), and middle temporal gyrus (extending to the superior temporal gyrus) on the right side. When the patient group was separated into bipolar disorder and major depression the reductions remained significant only for the patients with major depressive disorder. Conclusions: Using VBM the present study was able to replicate decreases in GM volume restricted to frontal and temporal regions in patients with mood disorders mainly major depression, as compared with healthy controls.

Most of the municipalities in the Gulf region are facing performance related issues in their municipal solid waste management (MSWM) systems. They lack to possess a deliberate inter-municipality benchmarking processes. Instead of identifying the performance gaps for their key components (e.g., personnel productivity, operational reliability, etc.) and adopt proactive measures, the municipalities primarily rely on an efficient emergency response. A novel hierarchical modeling framework, based on deductive reasoning, is developed for performance assessment of MSWM systems. Fuzzy rule based modeling using Simulink-MATLAB was used for performance inferencing at different levels, i.e., component, sub-components, etc. The model is capable of handling the inherent uncertainties due to limited data and imprecise knowledge base. The model’s outcomes can exclusively assist the managers working at different levels of organizational hierarchy for effective decision-making. Performance of the key component, assists the senior management to assess the overall compliance level of performance objectives. Subsequently, operation management can hone in the sub-components to acquire useful information for intra-municipality performance management. While, individual indicators are useful for inter-municipality benchmarking. The model has been implemented on two municipalities operating in Qassim Region, Saudi Arabia. The results demonstrate the model’s pragmatism for continuous performance improvement of MSWM systems in the country and elsewhere.