Background: medical devices are designed, tested and placed on the market in a highly regulated environment. Wearable sensors are crucial components of various medical devices: design and validation of wearable sensors, if managed according to international standards, can foster innovation while respecting regulatory requirements. Material and methods: the purpose of this paper is to take into consideration the upcoming EU Medical Device Regulation 2017/245 and the current and future IEC and ISO standards that set methods for design and validation of medical devices, with a focus on wearable sensors. Risk classification according to the regulation is described. The international standards IEC 62304, IEC 60601, ISO 14971 and ISO 13485 are reviewed to define regulatory restrictions during design, pre-clinical validation and clinical validation of devices that include wearable sensors as crucial components. Results: current and future regulatory restrictions are described, and an integrated method for design planning, validation and clinical testing is described Discussion: application of this method to design wearable sensors should be evaluated in the future in order to assess its potentially positive impact to fostering innovation and to the time-to-market of the device.

This study aimed to investigate Coll-I, III, IV and elastin in canine normal prostate and PC, using Picrosirius red (PSR) and Immunohistochemical (IHC) analysis. Eight normal prostates and 10 PC from formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded samples were used. Collagen fibers area was analyzed with ImageJ software. The distribution of Coll-I and Coll-III was approximately 80% around prostatic ducts and acini, 15% among smooth muscle and 5% surrounding blood vessels, in both normal prostate and PC. There was a higher median area of Coll-III in PC, when compared to normal prostatic tissue (p=0.001 for PSR and p= 0.05 for IHC). Immunostaining for Coll-IV was observed in the basal membrane of prostate acini, smooth muscle, blood vessels, and nerve fibers of normal and PC samples. Although there was no difference in Coll-IV area between normal tissue and PC, tumors with Gleason score 10 showed absence of Coll-IV, when compared to scores 6 and 8 (p=0.0095). Elastic fibers were found in the septa dividing the lobules and around the prostatic acini of normal samples, and was statistically higher in PC, compared to normal tissue (p=0.00229). Investigation of ECM components brings new information and should be correlated with prognosis in future studies.

For decades, compounds present in foods and beverages have been implicated in the etiology of human cancers. The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) continues to classify such agents regarding their potential carcinogenicity in humans based on new evidence from animal and human studies. Furfuryl alcohol and β-myrcene belong to these potential human carcinogens due to be evaluated. The major source of furfuryl alcohol in foods is thermal processing and ageing of alcoholic beverages while β-myrcene occurs naturally as a constituent of essential oils of plants such as hops, lemongrass and derived products. This study aimed to summarize the occurrence of furfuryl alcohol and β-myrcene in foods and beverages using data from own nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) analysis and literature review. The highest content of furfuryl alcohol was found in coffee beans (>100 mg/kg) and in some fish products (about 10 mg/kg) while among beverages, wines contained between 1–10 mg/L with 8 mg/L in pineapple juice. The content of β-myrcene was highest in hops. In conclusion, the data about the occurrence of the two agents is either very old or based on single sample analysis, and currently judged as insufficient for exposure and risk assessment. The results of this study point out the food and beverage groups that may be considered for future monitoring of furfuryl alcohol and β-myrcene.

The terrestrial subsurface harbors unique microbial communities that play important biogeochemical roles and allows studying a yet unknown fraction of the Earth’s biodiversity. The Saint-Leonard cave in Montreal city (Canada) is of glaciotectonic origin. Its speleogenesis traces back to the withdrawal of the Laurentide Ice Sheet, 13 000 years ago, during which the moving glacier dislocated the sedimentary rock layers. Our study is the first to investigate the microbial communities of the cave. By using amplicon sequencing, we analyzed the taxonomic diversity and composition of bacterial, archaeal and eukaryotes communities living in the groundwater (0.1µm- and 0.2µm-filtered water), in the sediments and in surface soils. We identified a microbial biodiversity typical of cave ecosystems. Communities were mainly shaped by habitat type and harbored taxa associated with a wide variety of lifestyles and of metabolic capacities. Although we found evidence of a geochemical connection between the above soils and the cave’s galleries, our results suggest that the community assembly dynamics are driven by habitat selection rather than dispersal. Furthermore, we found that the cave’s groundwater, in addition to being generally richer in microbial taxa than sediments, contained a considerable diversity of ultra-small bacteria and archaea.

Background: The electroretinogram is a clinical test used to assess the function of the photoreceptors and retinal circuits of various cells in the eye, with the recorded waveform being the result of the summated response of neural generators across the retina. Methods: The present investigation involved an analysis of the electroretinogram waveform in both the time and time-frequency domain through the utilization of the discrete wavelet transform and continuous wavelet transform techniques. The primary aim of this study was to monitor and evaluate the effects of treatment in a New Zealand rabbit model of endophthalmitis via electroretinogram waveform analysis and to compare these with normal human electroretinograms Results: The wavelet scalograms were analyzed using various mother wavelets, including the Daubechies, Ricker, Wavelet Biorthogonal 3.1 (bior3.1), Morlet, Haar, and Gaussian wavelets. Distinctive variances were identified in the wavelet scalograms between rabbit and human electroretinograms. The wavelet scalograms in the rabbit model of endophthalmitis showed recovery with treatment in parallel with the time -domain features. Conclusions: The study compared Adult, Child, and Rabbit electroretinogram responses using DWT and CWT, finding that Adult signals had higher power than Child signals, and Rabbit signals showed differences in a-wave and b-wave depending on the type of response tested, while Haar Wavelet was found to be superior in visualizing frequency components in electrophysiological signals in following the treatment of endophthalmitis and may give additional outcome measures for the management of retinal disease.

The effects of 0.4wt.% Sc addition on a typical Al-Si10-Mg alloy were systematically investigated in the present research. Samples with and without Sc produced refined dendritic arranged microstructures with sensitivity to the aging treatment after solidification, particularly in the case of the alloy without Sc. After being exposed to 300°C for 90 minutes, the dendritic spacing nearly doubled in the Al-10wt.%Si-0.45wt.%Mg samples. The rapidly solidified microstructures were constituted by the -Al dendritic phase surrounded by eutectic phases/intermetallics such as Si, Mg2Si and Al3Sc (in the case of the alloy containing Sc). 255°C and 300°C were deemed most appropriate temperatures for aging treatments, with four exposure times of up to 120 minutes tested for each alloy. The heat treatments allowed the Vickers hardness profiles to be plotted and compared. Moreover, in order to detect both Sc- and Mg- precipitates after aging, specific samples have been prepared for either SEM or TEM analyses. At first, the results pointed to a strong precipitate-related hardening effect formed as a result of the Sc addition to the alloy. All samples containing Sc showed a higher hardness value when compared to their respective treated samples without Sc. Secondly, when comparing the Al-10Si-Mg-Sc alloy samples among themselves after being treated at different conditions, high temperatures and excessive treatment times can become detrimental to the hardness. This was due to the growth of larger Sc-bearing precipitates of approximately 1 µm in size under such conditions, having less pronounced hardening effect. The best condition (255°C for 60 min) for as centrifuged samples in Cu-mold produced very fine dispersion of Mg- and Sc- intermetallics (~200 nm in size) with a peak hardness of 110 HV.

OBJECTIVE: Although 3D-printed anatomic models are not new to medicine, the high costs and lengthy production times entailed have limited their application. Our goal was developing a new and less costly 3D modeling method to depict organ-tumor relations at faster printing speeds. METHODS: We have devised a method of 3D modeling using DICOM images. Coordinates are extracted at a specified interval, connecting them to create mesh-work replicas. Adjacent constructs are depicted by density variations, showing anatomic targets (ie, tumors) in contrasting color. RESULTS: An array of organ solid-tumor models were printed via Fused Deposition Modeling 3D printer at significantly less cost ($0.05/cm3) and time expenditure (1.73 min/cm3; both, p<.001). Printed models helped promote visual appreciation of organ-tumor anatomy and adjacent tissues. Our mesh-work 3D thyroidal prototype reproduced glangular size/contour and tumor location, readily approximating the surgical specimen. CONCLUSIONS: This newly devised mesh-type 3D printing method may facilitate anatomic modeling for personalized care and improve patient awareness during informed surgical consent.

China's "Going Out" strategy and the "Belt and Road" initiative have significantly propelled the expansion of overseas contractual engagements, with a pronounced impact in the Engineering, Procurement, and Construction (EPC) sector. EPC contracting is increasingly recognized for its superior resource allocation and integration efficiency. Within the EPC framework, procurement is pivotal, exerting a direct influence on project cost, schedule, and quality parameters. This paper argues that the incorporation of supply chain management into the procurement processes of international EPC projects can optimize efficiency and mitigate costs. Through forging collaborative partnerships with suppliers and stakeholders, EPC contractors may realize enhanced project outcomes. While the integration of supply chains has been efficaciously realized in the manufacturing domain, its transposition to the construction industry is nascent and predominantly resides within the ambit of scholarly inquiry. The present discourse endeavors to elucidate the imperatives and methodologies for supply chain integration within the procurement management of international EPC ventures, thereby furnishing both theoretical and pragmatic guidance for principal contractors. An extensive literature review and bibliometric analysis conducted herein delineate extant research lacunae and articulate prospective trajectories for scholarly exploration in the procurement management sphere of international EPC projects. The advocated integrative modality seeks to deliver a systemic and holistic solution framework conducive to the triumphant execution of EPC projects, engendering viable avenues and opportunities for the advancement and symbiosis within the pertinent industrial sectors. The integration of supply chain management in EPC projects is a burgeoning field that holds significant potential for advancing sustainability in construction. As the industry moves toward greener practices, the role of EPC contractors in driving sustainable procurement and project management becomes increasingly vital.

As telecommunication networks continue to grow, the volume, variety, and velocity of such `big data' poses an immense challenge for security and service analysts. A primary data format in such networks are Call Detail Records (CDRs), and more recently, eXtended Detail Records (XDRs), that capture a variety of information such as caller, receiver, duration, carrier, datetime, amongst other attributes. In this short paper, we investigate the current research trends and challenges that exist within this data-rich domain. As part of this, we look at the domain-specific tasks that analysts will seek to address, we look at how machine learning has been utilised to date within this domain, and we present our current findings on open research problems that are ripe for further investigation.

Circadian rhythm disruptions are a hallmark feature of mood disorders. Patients experiencing acute depressive episodes report noticeable changes in their sleep-wake cycles. This research explains the association between depression and various circadian rhythm metrics, explicitly focusing on adolescents diagnosed with depressive disorders. Adolescence is a critical period marked by significant physiological and psychological changes, making it imperative to understand how mood disorders manifest during this phase. However, there have been minimal specific studies in pediatric populations to determine whether circadian rhythm changes differ between adolescents with first- and multiple-recurrent depressive episodes. Our study involved a group of 61 adolescents aged between 13 and 18. We performed a cross-sectional study of a clinical popu-lation of patients presenting to a child and adolescent psychiatry clinic diagnosed with depression. Participants were asked to complete self-report evaluations using several tools: The Korean ver-sion of the Biological Rhythms Interview of Assessment in Neuropsychiatry (K-BRIAN), the Korean Translation of Composite Scale to Measure Morningness-Eveningness (KtCS), and the Seasonal Pattern Assessment Questionnaire (SPAQ). Tools such as the Children's Depression In-ventory (CDI), State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), and K-Mood Disorder Questionnaire (K-MDQ) were employed for the assessment of clinical characteristics of depression. Based on the frequency of their depressive episodes, participants were bifurcated into two distinct groups: those experi-encing their first episode (n=22, mean age: 15.09±1.44 years) and those with recurrent episodes (n=39, mean age: 15.95±1.26 years). At first, the two groups' data revealed no significant differences regarding mood or circadian rhythm metrics (CDI: first-episode 26.18±10.54 and recurrent episode 25.90±10.59, STAI-S: first-episode 56.91±12.12 and recurrent episode 57.49±11.93, STAI-T: first-episode 60.36±11.63 and recurrent episode 59.09±12.10, SPAQ-total: first-episode 6.59±4.86 and recurrent episode 6.77±5.23, KtCS: first-episode 30.32±5.83 and recurrent episode 28.13±7.36). However, we observed significant correlations between circadian rhythm disruptions and depression scales (CDI with SPAQ-weight (r=0.26), KtCS (r=-0.48), K-BRIAN-sleep (r=0.58), K-BRIAN-activity (r=0.64), K-BRIAN-social (r=0.71) and K-BRIAN-eating (r=0.40)). These correlations were especially pronounced in the recurrent episode group, suggesting that with the progression and chronicity of depression, the relationship between circadian rhythms and depression becomes more intertwined and evident. In conclusion, especially in adolescents, as the severity and chronicity of depression increase, the interplay between circadian rhythms and mood disorders becomes more pronounced, warranting further research and clinical attention.

The present work was performed to evaluate the levels of phytochemical constituents and the antioxidant and antibacterial properties of marine red seaweed (Kappaphycus alvarezii) and seagrass (Cymodocea serrulata). Quantitative phytochemical analysis, antioxidant activity and antimicrobial activity against 5 potential pathogenic bacteria was investigated. In both cases were found presence of flavonoids, tannins, phenolic compounds, glycosides, steroids, carbohydrates and ashes. Alkaloids were only found in K. alvarezii, buy not in C. serrulata. The antimicrobial properties of both K. alvarezii and C. serrulata chloroform extracts were found to be antagonis-tically effective against the gram-positive bacterium Bacillus subtilis and the gram-negative bacterium Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Vibrio alginolyticus, Vibrio harveyi and Klebsiella pneu-moniae. GC‒MS analysis revealed the presence of 94 bioactive compounds in K. alvarezii and 104 C. serrulata, including phenol, decane, dodecane, hexadecane, vanillin, heptadecane, diphenyla-mine, benzophenone, octadecanoic acid, dotriaconate, benzene, phytol, butanoic acid, and 2-hydroxyl-ethyl ether, which played a vital role in antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Thus, in view of the results, both K. alvarezii and C. serrulata could be considered as sources of ingre-dients with appreciable nutritional and medicinal value.

The aims of the study are: a) Describe the reactogenicity of WHO-approved two mRNA (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna) and two non-RNA vaccines (Oxford-AstraZeneca, Sinovac) among lactating mother and baby pairs; and b) compare and contrast the reactogenicity between mRNA and non-mRNA vaccines. A cross-sectional, self-reported survey was conducted amongst 1784 lactating women who received COVID-19 vaccinations. The most common maternal adverse reaction was a local reaction at the injection site; the largest minority of respondents, 43.7% (780/1784), reported experiencing worse symptoms when receiving the second dose compared to the first dose. There were no major reported adverse effects or behavioural changes in the breastfed infants. Among the respondents who received non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccinations, a majority reported no change in lactation but those who did more commonly reported an increase in milk supply, decrease in milk supply and pain in the breast. The more commonly reported lactation changes (fluctuations in breastmilk supply and pain in the breast) for the non-mRNA vaccines were similar to that of respondents who received mRNA vaccines. Our study, with a large cohort and wide geographical and racial mix, further augments earlier reported findings that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for breastfeeding mothers and her children.

The consumption of sweet beverages, including sugar-sweetened beverages (SSB), artificially sweetened beverages (ASB) and fruit juices (FJ) is associated with the risk of different cardiometabolic diseases and probably with some tumors as well. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies aimed at evaluating the association between sweet beverage intake and different types of cancer risk. Suitable papers published up to June 2020 were searched through PubMed, Web of Science and SCOPUS databases, using relevant keywords. Overall, 64 studies were identified for the systematic review, of which 27 were selected for the meta-analysis. This was performed by analyzing the multivariable-adjusted OR, RR or HR of the highest compared with the lowest sweet beverage intake categories. Random effects showed significant positive association between SSBs intake and breast (RR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.01 – 1.30) and prostate cancer risk (RR: 1.18, 95% CI: 1.10 – 1.27), also between FJs and prostate cancer risk (RR: 1.03, 95% CI: 1.01 – 1.05). Associations between SSBs and colorectal and pancreatic cancer risk, FJs and breast, colorectal and pancreatic cancer risk, ASBs and pancreatic cancer risk tended to be positive but did not reach the statistically significant threshold. This study supports the recommendation to limit the consumption of SSBs and FJs for cancer prevention and proposes to further investigate the potential harmful role of ASBs intake in cancer risk.

There is a growing body of research exploring Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for the overall population; however, few studies have examined the effectiveness and applications of CAM practices in the paediatric population. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), parent's prevalence using CAM in their dependents is estimated to be as high as 80%. This literature review identified broad, heterogeneous, and inconclusive evidence regarding CAM applications and effectiveness caused mainly by variances in sociodemographic factors and national healthcare systems differences. Additionally, a lack of consensus and polarised positions among mainstream professionals regarding the CAM mechanism of action, applications, and effectiveness were identified. This narrative review shows debatable results for most CAM therapies and their applications. However, some evidence suggests that acupuncture, Yoga, Tai Chi, and massage might benefit users' physical and mental health. Additionally, meditation's available evidence indicates that it might be only helpful in the enhancement of mental health, whereas Reiki only displays an effect on patients' perceptions of comfort. Lastly, herbal medicine was observed to have non-specific evidence to support its claim, given the diverse nature and complexity of herbal compounds and procedures. This comprehensive narrative review might offer health professionals a reference to guide their health practices towards a personalised approach, taking into account the patient's values and beliefs, both important aspects of integrated, evidence-based practice, aiming to improve the quality of the offered health services and patients' satisfaction.

The undoped and tungsten (W)-doped vanadium dioxide (VO₂) thin films were prepared by electron beam evaporation associated with ion-beam assisted deposition (IAD). The influence of different W-doped contents (3%-5%) on the optical, electrical, structural, and thermos-mechanical properties of VO₂ thin films was investigated experimentally. Spectral transmittance results showed that with the increase of W-doped contents, the transmittance in the visible light range (400-750 nm) decreases from 60.2% to 53.9%, and the transmittance in the infrared wavelength range (2.5 μm to 5.5 μm) drops from 55.8% to 15.4%. As the W-doped content increases, the residual stress in the VO₂ thin film decreases from -0.276 GPa to -0.238 GPa, but the surface roughness increases. For temperature-dependent spectroscopic measurements, heating the VO2 thin films from 30°C to 100°C showed the most significant change in transmittance for the 5% W-doped VO₂ thin film. When the heating temperature exceeds 55°C, the optical transmittance drops significantly, and the visible light transmittance drops by about 11%. Finally, X-ray Diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM) were used to evaluate the microstructure characteristics of VO₂ thin films.

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.

In this work we present a versatile, rapid, and low-cost manufacturing technique to develop bioceramic scaffolds that could enhance bone tissue regeneration via microwave preparation using a commercial microwave oven. The scaffolds were prepared combining hydroxyapatite and water glass (sodium trisilicate solution), foamed by using a microwaves oven and then characterized by means of SEM-EDS, mechanical properties, infrared spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR), density and stability test in water. Furthermore, in vitro tests were performed to verify the affinity of osteoclast cells versus the so prepared scaffold. The morphology of the samples showed interconnected pores suitable for promoting tissue regeneration and vascularization while specific mechanical properties were preserved. The physicochemical characterization and the in vitro tests presented promising results for bone regenerative applications.

Despite their anti-icing ability, hydrophobic coatings have the disadvantages of easy falling off and poor wear resistance, resulting in insufficient durability of ice/snow melting. To improve the surface stability and durability of superhydrophobic coatings, nanoparticle/epoxy coatings were prepared with three types of nanoparticles, two types of dispersion methods, three types of application methods and two types of introduction methods of epoxy resin. Water contact angles, ice adhesion force and icing rate of asphalt concrete coated with hydrophobic coatings were tested. The molecular structures of coatings were analyzed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. The surface morphology of hydrophobic coatings was observed using Scanning electron microscopy. Results indicated that nano-ZnO, TiO2 and SiO2 particles can be modified into hydrophobicity by stearic acid. The hydrophobic coating could improve the hydrophobicity of concrete, reduce the adhesion strength of ice and asphalt concrete and delay the beginning icing time. Moreover, The dosages of stearic acid, nanoparticle and epoxy resin need to be in a certain range to ensure the best hydrophobicity and durability of coatings.

Solid oxide cells are capable of efficiently converting various chemical energy carriers to electricity and vice versa. The urgent challenge nowadays is the faster degradation rate compared with other fuel cell/electrolyzer technologies. To understand the degradation mechanisms, simulation of a solid oxide cell is helpful. Since most previous research developed models using commercial software, such as COMSOL and ANSYS Fluent, a gap for knowledge transfer is being gradually formed between academia and industry due to licensing issues. This paper introduces a multiphysics model, developed by a computational code, openFuelCell2. The code is implemented with an open-source library, OpenFOAM. It accounts for momentum transfer, mass transfer, electrochemical reactions and metal interconnect oxidation. The model can precisely predict I-V curves under different temperatures, fuel humidity and operation modes. Comparison between OpenFOAM and COMSOL simulations shows good agreement. The metal interconnect oxidation is modelled, which can predict the thickness of the oxide scale under different protective coatings. Simulations are conducted by assuming an ultra-thin film resistance on the rib surface. It is revealed that coatings fabricated by atmospheric plasma spraying can efficiently prevent metal interconnect oxidation, with a contribution of only 0.53 \% to the total degradation rate.

Contamination with Arsenic, a toxic metalloid, is increasing in the marine environment. Additionally, global warming can alter metalloids toxicity. Polychaetes are key species in marine environments. By mobilizing sediments, they play vital roles in nutrient and element (including contaminants) cycles. Most studies with marine invertebrates focused on the effects of metalloids on either adults or larvae. Here we bring information on the effects of temperature increase and arsenic contamination on the polychaete Hediste diversicolor in different growth stages and water temperatures. Feeding activity and biochemical responses – neurotransmission, indicators of cell damage, antioxidant and biotransformation enzymes and metabolic capacity - were evaluated. Temperature rise combined with As imposed alterations on feeding activity and biochemical endpoints at different growth stages. Small organisms have their antioxidant enzymes increased, avoiding lipid damage. However, larger organisms are the most affected class due to inhibition of superoxide dismutase, which resulted in protein damage. Oxidative damage was observed on smaller and larger organisms exposed to As and 21 °C, demonstrating higher sensibility to the combination of temperature rise and As. The observed alterations may have ecological consequences, affecting the cycle of nutrients, sediment oxygenation and the food chain that depend on the bioturbation of this polychaete.

A lightweight image encryption algorithm based on chaos induction via a 5-dimensional hyperjerk oscillator (5DHO) is presented. First, the dynamics of our 5DHO network is investigated and shown to exhibit up to five coexisting hidden attractors in the state space that depend exclusively on the system’s initial values. Further, a simple implementation of the circuit was used to validate its ability to exhibit chaotic dynamical properties. Second, an Arduino UNO platform is used to confirm the usability of our oscillator in digital implementation of the system. Finally, an efficient image encryption application is executed using the proposed chaotic networks based on the use of permutation-substitution sequences. The superior qualities of the proposed strategy are traced to the dynamic set of keys used in the substitution process which heralds the generation of the final ciphered image. Based on the results obtained from the entropy analysis (7.9976), NPCR values (99.62), UACI tests (33.69) and encryption execution time for 512x512 images (0.1179 sec), the proposed algorithm is adjudged to be fast and robust to differential and statistical attacks relative to similar approaches.

This work emphasizes to use silver decorative method to enhance the antibacterial activity of TiO₂ and ZnO nanoparticles. These silver decorated nanoparticles (hybrid nanoparticles) were synthesized by using sodium borohydride as a reducing agent, with the weight ratio of Ag precursors: oxide nanoparticles = 1: 30. The morphology and optical property of these hybrid nanoparticles were investigated using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV–vis spectroscopy. The agar-well diffusion method was used to evaluate their antibacterial activity against both Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli bacteria, with or without light irradiation. The TEM images indicated clearly that silver nanoparticles (AgNPs, 5-10 nm) were well deposited on the surface of nano-TiO₂ particles (30-60 nm). Besides, smaller AgNPs (< 2 nm) were dispersed on the surface of nano-ZnO particles (20-50 nm). UV-vis spectra confirmed that the hybridization of Ag and oxide nanoparticles led to shift the absorption edge of oxide nanoparticles to the lower energy region (visible region). The antibacterial tests indicated that both oxide pure nanoparticles did not exhibit inhibitory against bacteria, with or without light irradiation. However, the presence of AgNPs in their hybrids, even at low content (< 40 mg/mL) leads to a good antibacterial activity and the higher inhibition zones under light irradiation as compared to that in dark was observed.

Excess salt and inadequate potassium intakes are associated with high cardiovascular disease (CVD). In Montenegro, CVD is the leading cause of death and disability. There is no survey that has directly measured salt and potassium consumption in Montenegro. The aim is to estimate population salt and potassium intakes and explore knowledge, attitudes and behaviour (KAB), amongst the adult population of Podgorica. Random samples of adults were obtained from primary care centres. Participants attended a screening including demographic, anthropometric and physical measurements. Dietary salt and potassium intakes were assessed by 24h urinary sodium (UNa) and potassium (UK) excretions. Creatinine was measured. KAB was collected by questionnaire. Six hundred and thirty-nine (285 men, 25-65 years) were included in the analysis (response rate 63%). Mean UNa was 186.5 (SD 90.3) mmol/day, equivalent to 11.6g of salt/day, and potassium excretion 62.5 (26.2) mmol/day, equivalent to 3.2g/day. Only 7% of them had a salt intake below the WHO recommended target of 5g/day, and 13% ate enough potassium (>90 mmol/day). The majority (86%) knew that high salt causes ill-health. However, only 44% thought it would be useful to reduce consumption. Salt consumption is high, and potassium consumption is low, in men and women living in Podgorica.

Aims: A community-based multi-component intervention (increasing awareness of the importance of physical activity in chronic illness management through reading comic books, training regarding warm-up stretching exercises, identifying facilitators and barriers to exercise through photosharing, supporting self-reflection and development of action plans) was developed to promote physical activity (PA) among patients with diabetes and hypertension. This study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of this intervention on health behaviour (walking) and health outcomes. Design: A non-randomized controlled trial with waitlisted control and pre- and post-measures. Setting: Community centres for the elderly. Participants: A total of 204 older adults with diabetes and/or hypertension were recruited. They were assigned to either the intervention group (IG) or waitlisted to the control group (CG). Intervention: Under the supervision of a nurse, six weekly group meetings were arranged in community centres for the elderly in which the participants freely exchanged their views regarding the barriers and facilitators of regular physical activity. Participants were encouraged to take photos in their neighbourhood or at home and brought these photos to share at the group meetings. The photos showed both the barriers and the facilitators to PA. In the last meeting, each participant worked out a plan to perform PA in the coming four weeks. Measures: PA referred to the number of steps taken per day and it was measured by a Garmin Accelerometer at baseline, Week 6 and Week 10. Other measures included the nine-item Self-Efficacy Scale for Exercise - Chinese version (SEE-C), the 23-item Chinese Barriers to Exercise Scale and Senior Fitness Tests. Generalised Estimating Equations (GEE) models compared the outcomes over time between IG and CG. Results: A statistically significant difference in the changes in the average number of steps taken daily between the two groups at Week 10 (mean difference = 965.4; 95% confidence interval: 92.2, 1838.6, p = 0.030) was observed, although the difference at Week 6 was non-significant (mean difference = 777.6; 95% confidence interval: −35.3, 1590.5, p = 0.061). IG participants also showed significant improvements in lower body strength (mean difference = 0.967; 95% confidence interval: 0.029, 1.904, p = 0.043) and lower limb flexibility (mean difference = 2.068; 95% confidence interval: 0.404, 3.731, p = 0.015) at Week 10 compared to CG participants. Conclusion: This multi-component intervention improved the participants’ physical activity level and physical fitness, particularly in lower limb flexibility and body strength.

A recent breakthrough in preparation of immobilized enzyme based biocatalysts achieving highly enhanced enzymatic activities and stabilities has become a great alternative to conventional immobilization techniques. The functional hybrid nanobiocatalysts (FHNs) fabricated in this immobilization composed of organic components (amino acid, peptide, protein, enzyme and plant extract) and inorganic components (various metal ions) give flower-like morphology with narrow size distribution and porous structure. The enzyme incorporated FHNs exhibite greatly enhanced catalytic activities and stabilities compared to free and conventionally immobilized enzymes under various experimental conditions. In addition to that, the FHNs consisting of other organic components act as Fenton-like reagents and show peroxidase-like activity owing to presence of metal ions and porous structure in the FHNs. This report basically focuses on preparation, characterization, and bioanalytical applications of the FHNs and explain mechanism of the FHNs formation and thier enhanced activities and stabilities.

In this study, we investigated the effects of Akebia quinata ethanol extract (AE), Akebia quinata sikhye (AS), and Akebia quinata water extract (AW) on alcohol-induced liver injury in rats. The hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, and antioxidant effects of AE, AS, and AW were examined. Experimental animals were randomly divided into five groups: normal, ethanol, AE (10 mL/kg), AS (10 mL/kg), and AW (10 mL/kg). Each group was administered the respective treatment orally once per day for 21 days. CYP2E1 mRNA expression was significantly lower in the AE, AS, and AW groups than that in the ethanol group. Pro-inflammatory cytokines including cyclooxygenase-2, IL-6, and TNF-α increased significantly in the ethanol group but these increases were ameliorated with AE, AS, and AW treatment. Moreover, the expression of the apoptosis-associated proteins Bax, p53, procaspase-3, and PARP decreased after treatment with AE, AS, and AW. The expression of antioxidant enzymes including BCL-2, SOD, and GST slightly decreased in the ethanol group, but AE, AS, and AW treatment augmented their activities. AQ extracts and AS attenuated ethanol-induced increases in the levels of phosphorylated p-AKT, p-ERK, and p-JNK. These results demonstrate that AQ is a competence indicator for inhibiting alcoholic liver injury.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis remains a relevant problem in the field of healthcare with an unfavorable prognosis for patients due to progressive fibrous remodeling of the pulmonary parenchyma. Starting with the reactions damaging the epithelial lining of alveoli, pulmonary fibrosis is implemented through a cascade of complex mechanisms, the crucial of which is the TGF-β/SMAD mediated pathway, involving various cell populations. Considering that a number of the available drugs (pirfenidone and Nintedanib) have only limited effectiveness in slowing the progression of fibrosis, the search and justification of application of other approaches aimed at regulating the immune response, cellular aging processes, programmed cell death and transdifferentiation of cell populations remains relevant. This literature review presents the key modern concepts concerning molecular genetics and cellular mechanisms of lung fibrosis development, based mainly on in vitro and in vivo studies in experimental models of bleomycin-induced pulmonary fibrosis, as well as the latest data on metabolic features, potential application points and effects of vitamin D and its metabolites.

By using a two-stage physiologically based extraction test (PBET) and (W-PBET), the authors of this paper have estimated the bioaccessibility of metals (Pb and Fe) and their compounds in the GI tract of waterfowl and mammals. It has been shown that the metals (Pb and Fe) have low bioaccessibility; combined with the short time of shot exposition at the GI tract, this eliminates the risk of toxic effects in the case of shot ingestion by waterfowl. It has also been discovered that there is a significant difference in the bioaccessibility of metals and their compounds. A model was proposed and tested to predict the toxic effects of lead on biological objects depending on the threshold mass of consumption. This model takes into account data on the bioavailability of lead and regulatory values indicating dangerous concentrations of lead.

Enteric viruses are the major cause of gastroenteritis and enteric hepatitis worldwide, but in some areas like Saudi Arabia little data is known about their presence in water sources. The available information from clinical samples is not enough to figure their actual prevalence. The aim of this study was to gather information for the first time in Saudi Arabia on the presence of Norovirus (NoV) genogroup GI and GII, hepatitis A virus (HAV) and hepatitis E virus (HEV) in water. For this purpose, thirteen monthly samples were collected in lake Wadi Hanifa and surrounding wells from December 2014 to November 2015. Viruses were detected and quantified by Real-time RT-qPCR. Despite HEV findings were anecdotic, our results highlight interesting behaviors of the other viruses. There was a higher prevalence of noroviruses in Wadi Hanifa samples than in well water samples (46.43% vs12.5% of NoV GI; 66.67% vs8.33% of NoV GII). On the contrary, similar levels of HAV positivity were observed (40.48% in surface water vs 43.06% in well water). Also, a strong influence of flooding events on HAV and NoV GI occurrence was observed in both surface and well water samples, being NoV GII apparently not affected.

In the last two decades many detailed full transcriptomic studies on complex biological samples have been published and included in large gene expression repositories. These studies primarily provide bulk expression signal for each sample, including multiple cell-types mixed within the global signal. The cellular heterogeneity in these mixtures does not allow the activity of specific genes in specific cell types to be identified. Therefore, inferring relative cellular composition is a very powerful tool to achieve a more accurate molecular profiling of complex biological samples. In recent decades, computational techniques have been developed to solve this problem by applying cell deconvolution methods, designed to decompose cell mixtures into their cellular components and calculate the relative proportions of these elements. Some of them, only calculate the cell proportions (supervised methods), while other deconvolution algorithms can also identify the gene signatures specific for each cell type (unsupervised methods). In these work, five deconvolution methods (CIBERSORT, FARDEEP, DECONICA, LINSEED and ABIS) were implemented and used to analyze blood and immune cells, and also cancer cells, in complex mixture samples (using three bulk expression datasets). Our study provides three analytical tools (corrplots, cell-signature plots and bar-mixture plots) that allow a thorough comparative analysis of the cell mixture data. The work indicates that CIBERSORT is a robust method optimized for the identification of immune cell-types, but not as efficient in the identification of cancer cells. We also observed that LINSEED is a very powerful unsupervised method that provides precise and specific gene signatures for each of the five main immune cell-types analyzed: neutrophils and monocytes (in the myeloid lineage), B-cells, NK cells and T-cells (in the lymphoid lineage).

Fogo (Fogo island, Cape Verde Republic) is the youngest and most active volcano of the archipelago. The last eruption occurred in 2014–2015. Aiming at studying dust emissions and transport during the eruption period and assessing their impact on air quality and human health, a mineralogical and chemical characterization was undertaken in outdoor dust from all over the island, as well as in the lava resulting from this event. Air quality monitors were used to obtain concentrations of atmospheric particulate matter (PM) and gaseous pollutants. The mineralogical constitution of the samples was analysed by X-ray diffraction and Electron Microprobe, while the chemical characterization was performed through X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometry and ICP-MS. The volcanic rock was found to be tephritic to basanitic, with high potassium content. Several minerals were identified, such as titanian augite with ilmenite, basaltic hornblendes, pyrrhotites, apatites, pyroxenes, basaltic hornblendes and hematites. Concentrations of the particulate matter inhalable fraction (PM10) exceeded the 24-hour mean of 50 µg/m3 recommended by the World Health Organization. Nevertheless, total volatile organic compounds (TVOCs) showed levels lower than the worrying range. The highest levels of CO2 were recorded in more populated villages and farthest from the volcano. The Pollution Load Index (PLI) for outdoor dust collected on rooftops was always above 1, suggesting enrichment, with higher values in the dust size fraction < 63 µm. In the same way, the Contamination Factor pointed to high enrichment of As, Ni and Pb, and very high enrichment of Cd in the same size fraction. The Non-carcinogenic Hazard Quotient and Hazard Index estimated for Children suggest that health problems may arise. The Carcinogenic Risk, for all size fractions, was above the target risk. The element that most contributed to the global risk was As, followed by Pb and Co. Ingestion was the main exposure route for all size fractions. The dust size fraction that represented the highest risk was < 63 µm, mostly due to the As concentration.

UV-A (ca. 365 nm wavelength, a.k.a. 'black light') photocatalysis has been investigated to comprehensively mitigate odor and selected air pollutants in the livestock environment. This study was conducted to confirm the performance of UV-A photocatalysis on the swine farm. The objectives of this research were to (1) scale-up of the UV-A photocatalysis treatment, (2) evaluate the mitigation of odorous gases from swine slurry pit, and (3) test different UV sources, (4) evaluate the effect of suspended particulate matter (PM), and (5) conduct preliminary economic analyses. We tested UV-A photocatalysis at a mobile laboratory-scale capable of treating ~0.2 - 0.8 m3·s-1 of barn exhaust air. The targeted gaseous emissions of barn exhaust air were significantly mitigated (p < 0.05) up to 40% reduction of measured odor; 63%, 44%, 32%, 40%, 66%, and 49% reduction of dimethyl disulfide, isobutyric acid, butanoic acid, p-cresol, indole, and skatole, respectively; 40% reduction of H2S; 100% reduction of O3; and 13% reduction of N2O. The PM mitigation effect was not significant. Formaldehyde levels did not change, and a 21% generation of CO2 was observed. The percent reduction of targeted gases decreased as the airborne PM increased. Simultaneous chemical and sensory analysis confirmed that UV-A treatment changed the overall nuisance odor character of swine barn emissions into weaker manure odor with 'toothpaste and 'mint' notes. The smell of benzoic acid generated in UV-A treatment was likely one of the compounds responsible for the less-offensive overall odor character of the UV-treated emissions. Results are needed to inform the design of a farm-scale trial, where the interior barn walls can be treated with the photocatalyst, and foul air will be passively treated as it moves through the barn.

Background: The COVID 19 pandemic and associated public health measures have disrupted the lives of people around the world. It is already evident that the direct and indirect psychological and social effects of the COVID 19 pandemic are insidious and affect the mental health of young children and adolescents now and will in the future. The aim and objectives of this knowledge-synthesis study were to identify the impact of the pandemic on children’s and adolescent’s mental health and to evaluate the effectiveness of different interventions employed during previous and the current pandemic to promote children’s and adolescent’s mental health. Methodology: We conducted the systematic review according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines and included experimental randomized, nonrandomized controlled trials; observational studies; and qualitative studies. Results: Of the 5,828 articles that we retrieved, 18 articles met the inclusion criteria. We thematically analyzed and put up the major findings under the thematic areas of impact of pandemic on children and adolescent’s mental health. These studies reported that pandemics cause stress, worry, helplessness, and social and risky behavioral problems among children and adolescents (e.g., substance abuse, suicide, relationship problems, academic issues, absenteeism from work). Interventions such as art-based programs, support services, and clinician-led mental health and psychosocial services effectively decrease mental health issues among children and adolescents. Conclusion: Children and adolescents are more likely to experience high rates of depression and anxiety during and after a pandemic. It is critical that future researchers explore effective mental health strategies that are tailored to the needs of children and adolescents. Explorations of effective channels regarding the development and delivery of evidence-based, age-appropriate services are vital to lessen the effects and improve long-term capacities for mental health services for children and adolescents.

Business Intelligence, defined by [1] as "the ability to understand the interrelations of the facts that are presented in such a way that it can guide the action towards achieving a desired goal", has been used since 1958 for the transformation of data into information, and of information into knowledge, to be used when making decisions in a business environment. But, what would happen if we took the same principles of business intelligence and applied them to the academic environment? The answer would be the creation of Academic Analytics, a term defined by [2] as the process of evaluating and analyzing organizational information from university systems for reporting and making decisions, whose characteristics allow it to be used more and more in institutions, since the information they accumulate about their students and teachers gathers data such as academic performance, student success, persistence, and retention [5]. Academic Analytics enables an analysis of data that is very important for making decisions in the educational institutional environment, aggregating valuable information in the academic research activity and providing easy to use business intelligence tools. This article shows a proposal for creating an information system based on Academic Analytics, using ASP.Net technology and trusting storage in the database engine Microsoft SQL Server, designing a model that is supported by Academic Analytics for the collection and analysis of data from the information systems of educational institutions. The idea that was conceived proposes a system that is capable of displaying statistics on the historical data of students and teachers taken over academic periods, without having direct access to institutional databases, with the purpose of gathering the information that the director, the teacher, and finally the student need for making decisions. The model was validated with information taken from students and teachers during the last five years, and the export format of the data was pdf, csv, and xls files. The findings allow us to state that it is extremely important to analyze the data that is in the information systems of the educational institutions for making decisions. After the validation of the model, it was established that it is a must for students to know the reports of their academic performance in order to carry out a process of self-evaluation, as well as for teachers to be able to see the results of the data obtained in order to carry out processes of self-evaluation, and adaptation of content and dynamics in the classrooms, and finally for the head of the program to make decisions.

The use of pain relief during castration and dehorning of calves on commercial beef operations can be limited by constraints associated with the delivery of analgesic agents. As topical anaesthetic (TA) and buccal meloxicam (MEL) are now available in Australia, offering practical analgesic treatments for concurrent castration and dehorning of beef calves, a study was conducted to determine their efficacy in providing pain relief when applied alone or in combination. Weaner calves were randomly allocated to; (1) no castration and dehorning / positive control (CONP); (2) castration and dehorning / negative control (CONN); (3) castration and dehorning with buccal meloxicam (BM); (4) castration and dehorning with topical anaesthetic (TA); and (5) castration and dehorning with buccal meloxicam and topical anaesthetic (BMTA). Weight gain, paddock utilisation, lying activity and behaviour following treatment were measured. CONP and BMTA calves had significantly greater weight gain than CONN calves (P < 0.001). CONN calves spent less time lying compared to BMTA calves on all days (P < 0.001). All dehorned and castrated calves spent more time walking (P = 0.024) and less time eating (P < 0.001) compared to CONP calves. There was a trend for CONP calves to spend the most time standing and CONN calves to spend the least time standing (P = 0.059). There were also trends for the frequency of head turns to be lowest in CONP and BMTA calves (P = 0.098) and tail flicks to be highest in CONN and BM calves (P = 0.061). The findings of this study suggest that TA and MEL can improve welfare and production of calves following surgical castration and amputation dehorning.

Trait anxiety, emotion regulation strategies, and metacognitive beliefs influence executive functions (EF) and academic achievement. This study examines their interplay and impact on academic success. In total, 275 adolescents (10-17 years) and parents completed an online questionnaire assessing trait anxiety, emotion regulation strategies, metacognition, parent-reported behaviors related to executive functioning, and overall school average. Preliminary analyses confirmed consistency with existing literature for each variable and their interaction. Furthermore, we conducted a network analysis among the main variables. This analysis supports the need to pay more attention to reflective variables - maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and metacognitive beliefs about worry - when studying trait anxiety. These variables were linked to problematic executive functioning in adolescents. These latter had a negative link to academic achievement. This study offers innovative insights by investigating less-explored relationships in the scientific literature. It reveals high and significant correlations between metacognitive beliefs, maladaptive emotion regulation strategies and trait anxiety (r &gt; .500, p &lt; .001) but also between these variables and both executive functioning and academic achievement. These findings offer new perspectives for research and underscore the importance of holistically examining psychological factors related to academic success.

The concept of artisanal products has been largely discussed mainly due to concerns about the inappropriate use of the term that may cause confusion for the consumers. Cheeses are important food models to evaluate consumers’ and producers’ perception about artisanal foods worldwide. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the perception of consumers and cheesemakers towards artisan foods, focusing on artisanal cheeses. For this purpose, two focus group were performed either with cheese producers and with consumers to discuss the topic. Colonial and Serrano cheeses, traditional and cultural dairy products in Brazil, were used as food model for the discussion. Producers and consumers related artisan foods to small scale of production, handicraft and freshness. Affective memories were also an important issue related to artisanal cheeses. For cheesemakers, artisan cheeses must be produced with unpasteurized milk, which was not cited by consumers. Consumers disclosed the intention of pay a premium price for food products that present artisan seals on front-package-label, mainly due to the guarantee of acquiring a quality product. The confusion about artisanal and traditional food concepts were observed, which is a subject to be deeply evaluated further. The findings provide useful implications to policy makers and institutions that can influence citizens’ attitudes and consumption patterns of artisanal products.

Voids in face-centered cubic (fcc) metals are commonly assumed to form by the aggregation of vacancies; however, the mechanisms of vacancy clustering and diffusion are not fully understood. In this study, we use computational modeling to provide a detailed insight into the structures and formation energies of primary vacancy clusters, mechanisms and barriers for their migration in bulk copper, and how these properties are affected at simple grain boundaries. The calculations were carried out using Embedded Atom Method (EAM) potentials and Density Functional Theory (DFT) and employed the Site-Occupation Disorder code (SOD), the Activation Relaxation Technique nouveau (ARTn) and the Knowledge Led Master Code (KLMC). We investigate stable structures and migration paths and barriers for clusters of up to six vacancies. Migration of vacancy clusters occurs via hops of individual constituent vacancies with di-vacancies having a significantly smaller migration barrier than mono-vacancies and other clusters. This barrier is further reduced when di-vacancies interact with grain boundaries. This interaction leads to the formation of self-interstitial atoms and introduces significant changes into the boundary structure. Tetra-, penta-, and hexa-vacancy clusters exhibit increasingly complex migration paths and higher barriers than smaller clusters. Finally, the direct comparison with the DFT results shows that EAM can accurately describe the vacancy-induced relaxation effects in the Cu bulk and in grain boundaries. Significant discrepancies between the two methods were found in structures with a higher number of low-coordinated atoms, such as penta-vacancies and di-vacancy absortion by grain boundary. These results will be useful for modeling the mechanisms of diffusion of complex defect structures and provide further insights into the structural evolution of metal films under thermal and mechanical stress.

Fruits are commonly used, fresh or processed, to prepare different industrial products with superior nutritional and health-promoting properties. Currently, the demand for processed fruit products has motivated the rapid growth of the fruit processing industries, persuading them to produce an enormous amount of by-products with less utilization. Furthermore, people's shifting dietary habits and lack of awareness of nutritional properties result in an avoidable load of fruit by-products. The knowledge of the value of by-products urges exploration with proper documentation, emphasizing the health benefits of some such products. Hence, this review is prepared by carefully analyzing the recent literature on industrial applications of fruit by-products and their nutritional and health-promoting properties. The use of fruit by-products in food industries for various purposes has been reported in the past and has been reviewed and described here. Fruit by-products are a good source of nutrients and bioactive components, including polyphenols, dietary fibers, and vitamins, implying that they could have an important role for novel, value-added functional food properties. Furthermore, fruit by-products are used as the substrate for the production of organic acids, essential oils, enzymes, fuel, biodegradable packaging materials, and preservatives.

Seaports are well known as the medium that has evolved into the central link between sea and land for complex marine activities. The growth in maritime logistics especially necessitates a large volume of energy supply to maintain the operation of sea trade, resulting in an imbalance between the generation and demand sides. Future projections for three major concerns show an increase in load demand, cost of operation, and environmental issues. In order to overcome these problems, integrating microgrids as an innovative technology in the seaport power system appears to be a vital strategy. It is believed that microgrids enhance the seaport operation by providing sustainable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective energy. Despite the fact that microgrids are well established and widely used in a variety of operations on land, their incorporation into the seaport is still limited. The involvement of a variety of heavy loads such as all-electric ships, cranes, cold ironing, and buildings infrastructure makes it a complicated arrangement task in several aspects, which necessitate further research and leave space for improvement. In this paper, an overview of the seaport microgrids in terms of their concepts, requirements, and operation management is presented. It provides the perspectives of integrating the microgrid concept into a seaport from both shore side and seaside as a smart initiative for the green ports vision. Future research directions are discussed towards the development of more efficient marine power system.

Risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD), common in childhood cancer survivors (CCSs), may be affected by diet. We assessed sodium (Na) and potassium (K) intake, estimated from food frequency questionnaires (FFQs) and morning urine spots, and its associations with cardiovascular risk in CCSs. We stratified CCS into three risk profiles based on A) personal history (CVD, CVD risk factors, or CVD risk free), B) body mass index (obese, overweight, or normal/underweight), and C) cardiotoxic treatment (anthracyclines and/or chest irradiation, or neither). We obtained a FFQ from 802, and sent a spot urine sample collection kit to 212, of which 111 (52%) returned. We estimated Na intake 2.9 g/day based on spot urine and 2.8 g/day based on FFQ; estimated K intake was 1.6 g/day (spot urine) and 2.7 g/day (FFQ). CCSs with CVD risk factors had a slightly higher Na intake (3.3 g/day), than CCSs risk free (2.9 g/day) or with CVD (2.7 g/day, p = 0.017), and obese participants had higher Na intake (4.2 g/day) than normal/underweight CCSs (2.7 g/day, p<0.001). Daily Na intake was above, and daily K intake below national recommended levels. Adult survivors of childhood cancer need dietary assistance to reduce Na and increase K intake.

Fungal endophytes are the most ubiquitous plant symbionts on earth and are phylogenetically diverse. Studies on the fungal endophytes in tobacco have shown that they are widely distributed in the leaves, stems, and roots, and play important roles in the composition of the microbial ecosystem of tobacco. Herein, we analyzed and quantified the endophytic fungi of healthy tobacco leaves at the seedling (SS), resettling growth (RGS), fast-growing (FGS), and maturing (MS) stages at three altitudes [600 (L), 1000 (M), and 1300 m (H)]. We sequenced the ITS region of fungal samples to delimit operational taxonomic units (OTUs) and phylogenetically characterize the communities. The result showed the number of clustering OTUs at SS, RGS, FGS and MS were greater than 170, 245, 140, and 164, respectively. At the phylum level, species in Ascomycota and Basidiomycota had absolute predominance, representing 97.8% and 2.0 % of the total number of species. We also found the number of unique fungi at the RGS and FGS stages were higher than those in the other two stages. Additionally, OTU richness was determined by calculating the Observed Species, Shannon, Simpson, Chao1, ACE, Goods coverage and PD_whole_tree indices based on the total number of species. Our results showed RGS samples had the highest diversity indices. Furthermore, we found that the diversity of fungal communities tended to decrease with increasing tobacco growth altitude. The results from this study indicated that the tobacco harbors an abundant and diverse endophytic fungal population, which provides new opportunities for exploration their potential utilization.

Introduction: Suicide is the second leading cause of death among 15 to 19-years-olds in Europe. From the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic, literature confirms a significant increase in mental health disease in children and adolescents. At Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital emergency department (Rome, Italy) there was a dramatic increase of suicidal attempts, and particularly a rise of suicidal jumpers. Many of these patients presented vertebral fractures. Material and Methods: This retrospective study includes all suicidal jumpers with vertebral fractures treated at our Pediatric Hospital from April 1, 2017 to March 31, 2023. We collected and compared data from three years before to three years after pandemic spreading analyzing vertebral fractures. Results: From April 1 2019 to March 31, 2020 141 cases of suicide attempt arrived at Bambino Gesù Pediatric Hospital emergency department. Five of these patients were suicidal jumpers but none had a vertebral fracture. From April 1, 2020 to March 31, 2023, 362 cases of suicide attempts arrived in the same emergency department and 19 were suicidal jumpers; 12 reported vertebral fractures and were included in this study. Mean age was 14 years. Most common level of fracture was L1. Four patients presented with preoperative neurologic impairment and two cases recovered completely. There was a transforaminal sacral fracture, a spinopelvic dissociation and an Anderson-D’Alonso C2 type II fracture. Two cases with thoracolumbar vertebral fractures were conservatively treated. Seven patients were treated by percutaneous pedicle fixation to achieve an indirect decompression and to restore a better sagittal balance. Only three patients needed an open spinal surgery by posterior approach and in two cases a posterior decompression was performed. One case with cervical fractures was treated by Halo-Vest. Conclusions: Recent literature highlights concern about the consequences of COVID-19 pandemic on pediatric population mental health. This is the first report that shows a significant increase in vertebral body fractures due to suicide jumping attempt. The comparison between three years pre and post pandemic is sufficient to demonstrate a sharp increase of these cases. This could be a new epidemiological phenomenon that could persist or even increase over time because of COVID-19 pandemic.

Sleep timing is one of the dimensions of sleep that refers to the time of day when sleep occurs. It was included in sleep-related research because of the potential associations between overweight and consumption of meals and snacks. This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate associations between sleep timing, meal and snack consumption, and weight status in 1333 schoolchildren aged 7-14 years. The midpoint of sleep was used as a sleep timing measure obtained by the midpoint between bedtime and wake-up time and classify as Early, intermediate, and Late. Schoolchildren in the Early group were less likely to be overweight (OR: 0.83, 95% CI 0.69; 0.99), had higher odds of mid-morning snack consumption (OR: 1.95, 95%CI 1.56; 2.44) and lower probability to consume the evening snack (OR: 0.75, 95%CI 0.59; 0.94) compared with the Intermediate group. The Late group had lower odds of mid-morning snack consumption (OR: 0.67, 95%CI 0.55, 0.80) than the Intermediate group. The consumption of mid-morning and evening snacks was associated with the Early and the Late midpoint of sleep. These results suggest that bedtime and wake-up time are relevant to consuming meals and snacks and may also be related to a greater probability of being overweight in children and adolescents.

The increasing amount of municipal sludge in China requires safe and effective management to protect human health and ensure environmental sustainability. Pyrolysis is a thermochemical process that that decompose organic matter at elevated temperature and under anaerobic conditions, and it has attracted an increasing attention in sludge treatment in the recent years. However, comprehensive environmental and economic assessment of sludge pyrolysis in China's context is rare, due to the small quantities of full-scale sludge pyrolysis plant. In this paper, we applied our design and operation parameters of full-scale sludge pyrolysis plants to generate the material and energy consumptions of the pyrolysis system under various of conditions, including sludge organic content and moisture content, system size, system energy distribution, and whether or not heat substitution is applied. Life cycle assessment and techno-economic assessment were then applied to investigate the environmental and economic performance of the system Our results demonstrate the significant environmental and economic impacts associated with sludge properties and system size. Generally, sludge with higher organic content and lower moisture content requires less natural gas consumption, which leads to a simultaneous improvement of the system environmental and economic performance. The system economic performance is more sensitive to the system size, and centralized sludge handling using a larger pyrolysis is more economic favorable. In the most ideal case, the average global warming potential and minimum sludge handling price of sludge pyrolysis could be as low as -32.5 kg CO₂-Eq/t DS and 188.8 $/t DS, respectively. Based on these results, we discussed the pathways that could be taken to further optimize the environmental and economic performances of the pyrolysis system.

In this review, we covered the recent advances in synthesis of gold nanoparticles and their uses in degradation of dyes. This study provides framework to develop a low cost, ecofriendly and highly efficient synthesis of gold nanoparticles. These synthetic methods do not produce any toxic byproduct. The present study is focus on removal of dyes by Au-NPs because gold nanoparticles act as good absorbent for dyes in short time. Synthesis of Au-NPs from plant extract e.g. marine alga, Scutellarin Barbata, A.nigra, Fruit peels, Bacillus marisflavi from raw silk cocoons, amylopectin and poly acrylic acid, L.asparagine, Grephene oxide, IPEI coated Au-NPs. The synthesizes Au-NPs were used further for removal of dyes like methylene blue (MB), Rhodamine B (RB) Degradation, methylene orange, acid red degradation, Congo red.

Children and adolescents (C&A) with congenital heart defects (CHD) have decreased functional capacity and executive functioning (EF) due to brain abnormalities and decreased oxygen saturation. Exercise may improve EF via increased cognitive demands and cerebral blood supply. The purpose of this review was to identify current evidence describing the impact of physical activity (PA) interventions on EF in C&A with CHD. The following databases were searched from 2014-present: MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL, Scopus, CENTRAL, and PsycInfo. Article inclusion criteria consisted of participants from birth to 18 years with CHD, interventions related to PA, and EF as an outcome. Articles were excluded if: adults were included, translation to English was impossible, and full access was unavailable. As a result of the review, 431 studies were screened. Three articles underwent full analyzation and only one met all criteria and this study found that with exercise there were significant improvements on self-reported cognitive functioning and parent-reported social functioning. Despite theoretical benefits, only one published study has investigated the role that PA interventions have on EF in C&A with CHD. Further investigation of the effect PA interventions have on EF in C&A with CHD is needed.

Macroautophagy/autophagy plays an important role in cellular copper clearance. The means by which the copper metabolism and autophagy pathways interact mechanistically is vastly unexplored. Dysfunctional ATP7B, a copper-transporting ATPase, is involved in the development of monogenic Wilson disease, a disorder characterized by disturbed copper transport. Using in silico prediction, we found that ATP7B contains a number of potential binding sites for LC3, a central protein in autophagy pathway, so-called LC3 interaction regions (LIRs). The conserved LIR3, located at the C-terminal end of ATP7B, was found to directly interact with LC3B in vitro. Replacing the two conserved hydrophobic residues W1452 and L1455 of LIR3 significantly reduced interaction. Furthermore, autophagy was induced in normal human hepatocellular carcinoma cells (HepG2) leading to enhanced colocalization of ATP7B and LC3B on the autophagosome membranes. By contrast, HepG2 cells deficient of ATP7B (HepG2 ATP7B-/-) showed autophagy deficiency at elevated copper condition. This phenotype was complemented by heterologous ATP7B expression. These findings suggest a cooperative role of ATP7B and LC3B in autophagy-mediated copper clearance.

There is a need to search for new antifungals, especially for the treatment of the invasive Candida infections, caused mainly by C. albicans. These infections are steadily increasing at an alarming rate, mostly among immunocompromised patients. The newly synthesized compounds (3a-3k) were characterized by physico-chemical parameters and investigated for antimicrobial activity using the microdilution broth method to estimate minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). Additionally, their antibiofilm activity and mode of action together with the effect on the membrane permeability in C. albicans were investigated. Biofilm biomass and its metabolic activity were quantitatively measured using crystal violet (CV) staining and tetrazolium salt (XTT) reduction assay. The cytotoxic effect on normal human lung fibroblasts and hemolytic effect were also evaluated. The results showed differential activity of the compounds against yeasts (MIC = 0.24-500 µg/mL) and bacteria (MIC = 125-1000 µg/mL). Most compounds possessed strong antifungal activity (MIC = 0.24-7.81 µg/mL). The compounds 3b, 3c, and 3e, showed no inhibitory (at 1/2 MIC) and eradication (at 8 x MIC) effect on C. albicans biofilm. Only slight decrease in the biofilm metabolic activity was observed for compound 3b. Moreover, the studied compounds increased the permeability of the membrane/cell wall of C. albicans and their mode of action may be related to action within the fungal cell wall structure and/or within the cell membrane. It is worth noting that the compounds had no cytotoxicity effect on pulmonary fibroblasts and erythrocytes at concentrations showing anticandidal activity. The present studies in vitro confirm that these derivatives appear to be a very promising group of antifungals for further preclinical studies.

Mechanisms for somatic chromosomal mosaicism (SCM) and chromosomal instability (CIN) are incompletely understood. During SNP-array molecular karyotyping and bioinformatic analyses of children with neurodevelopmental disorders and congenital malformations (n=612), we observed colocalizaion of regular chromosomal imbalances or copy number variations (CNV) with mosaic ones (n=47 or 7.7%). Analyzing molecular karyotyping data and pathways affected by CNV burdens, we proposed a mechanism for SCM/CIN, which had been designated as “chromohelkosis” (from the Greek chromosome ulceration/open wound). Briefly, structural chromosomal imbalances are likely to cause local instability (“wreckage”) at the breakpoints, which results either to partial/whole chromosome loss (e.g. aneuploidy) or elongation of duplicated regions. Accordingly, a function for classical/alpha satellite DNA (protection from the wreckage towards the centromere) has been hypothesized. Since SCM and CIN are ubiquitously involved in development, homeostasis and disease (e.g. prenatal development, cancer, brain diseases, aging), we have metaphorically (ironically) designate the system explaining chromohelkosis contribution to SCM/CIN as the cytogenomic “theory of everything” like the homonymous theory in physics inasmuch as it might explain numerous phenomena in chromosome biology. Recognizing possible empirical and theoretical weaknesses of this “theory”, we nevertheless believe that studies of chromohelkosis-like processes are required to understand structural variability and flexibility of the genome.

Bovine tuberculosis surveillance in Northern Ireland includes Multiple-Locus Variable number tandem repeat Analysis (MLVA) to determine the Mycobacterium bovis genetic type present in both cattle, and the predominant wildlife host, the European badger (Meles meles). These data are informative for investigating clusters of infection and understanding the scale at which interspecific transmission may occur. We utilised a comprehensive dataset of routinely sampled isolates from infected cattle and from badgers killed in road-traffic accidents to investigate the spatial co-location of MLVA types in, and between, the badger and cattle populations. Furthermore, we investigate the hypothesis that the farming enterprise type might explain some variation in this relationship. MLVA types were spatially co-localised in cattle and RTA badger hosts, indicative of a shared epidemic. Dairy herds were more likely to have at least one MLVA type in common with nearby RTA badgers, compared to non-dairy herd types. Marginally more MLVA spatial clustering was observed in non-dairy herds, which may be a consequence relatively more between-herd movements. For the cattle population, local transmission mechanisms such as infection from contiguous herds, infectious wildlife and short-range between-herd cattle movements appear primarily to drive the epidemic: there appears to be a more limited role for long-range movements. Animal management practices are likely the driving force behind this observation, as beef rearing is associated with elevated numbers of animal movements compared to dairy herds.

Background: This study aimed to describe the frequency and duration of sedentary bouts and assess the bidirectional cross-sectional associations between these characteristics and adiposity in elderly women. Methods: Data from 314 elderly community-dwelling women (mean age 66.6±6.5 years) from Czech Republic, Poland, and Slovakia were analyzed. Measures were collected in 2008–2017. Fat mass percentage (FM%) was used as an indicator of adiposity. The patterns of sedentary behaviour were monitored using an accelerometer, and ≥5, ≥10, ≥20, ≥30, ≥40, and ≥60 minute bouts were analyzed. The exponent alpha was also calculated to express the accumulation of sedentary time in bouts. We performed a multiple linear regression analysis to assess the bidirectional causal association between variables. Results: There was a significant association of FM% with time spent in bouts with a duration ≥5, ≥10, ≥20min (β ranging 0.11–0.28, p≤0.01) and the frequency of bouts with a length ≥5, ≥10, ≥20, and ≥30min (β ranging 0.03–0.74, p≤0.05) in fully-adjusted models. In contrast, a strong negative association was observed between FM% and alpha (bout distribution) in both directions (p≤0.001). Conclusions: Our results suggest that the sedentary characteristics such as bout duration, bout frequency, and distribution (alpha) are bidirectionally associated with adiposity and they should be considered in further research in older adults.

Misuse and poor handling of chemical pesticides in agriculture is hazardous to the health of farmers, consumers and the environment. We studied the pest and disease management practices and the type of pesticides used in four root, tuber and banana (RTB) crops in Burundi and Rwanda through in-depth interviews with a total of 811 smallholder farmers. No chemical pesticides were used in banana in either Rwanda and Burundi, whereas the use of insecticides and fungicides in potato is quite frequent. Nearly all insecticides and about one third of the fungicides used are moderately hazardous. Personal protective equipment is used by less than a half of the interviewed farmers in both countries. Reported cases of death due to self- or accidental poisoning among humans and domestic animals in the previous 12 months were substantial in both countries. Training of farmers and agrochemical retailers in safe use of pesticide and handling, and use of integrated pest management approaches to reduce pest and disease damage is recommended.

In the human organism various carotenoids are present of which, some are retinoid precursors. The bioactive derivatives of these retinoids are the retinoic acids, which can potently activate nuclear hormone receptors like the retinoic acid receptor and the retinoid X receptor. In our study using an HPLC analytical approach we aimed to assess how plasma carotenoid and retinoid concentrations along with the ratio of their isomers are altered in atopic dermatitis (AD) patients (n=20) compared to healthy volunteers (HV, n=20). We found that plasma levels of the carotenoids lutein (HV 198 ± 68 ng/ml, AD 158 ± 57 ng/ml), zeaxanthin (HV 350 ± 142 ng/ml, AD 236 ± 85) as well as the retinoids retinol (HV 216 ± 89 ng/ml, AD 167 ± 76 ng/ml) and all-trans-retinoic acid (HV 1.1 ± 0.6 ng/ml, AD 0.7 ± 0.5 ng/ml) were significantly lower in AD-patients, while lycopene, α-carotene and β-carotene levels were comparable. In addition the ratios of 13-cis vs. all-trans lycopene as well as 13-cis vs. all-trans retinoic acid were increased in the plasma of AD-patients indicating an AD-specific 13C-isomerisation. A positive correlation with SCORRAD was calculated with 13-cis vs. all-trans lycopene ratio, while a negative correlation was observed with zeaxanthin plasma levels. Based on our results we conclude that in the plasma of AD-patients various carotenoids and retinoids are at lower levels, while the ratio of lycopene isomers was also altered. The higher rate of lycopene and retinoic acid isomerisation products might be a consequence of AD or might result in an altered activation of nuclear hormone receptor signaling pathways and thus maybe partly be responsible for the AD-phenotype and additionally may represent a good plasma marker for AD.

Recently, selection in pigs has been focused on improving the lean meat content in carcasses; this focus has been most evident in breeds constituting a paternal component in breeding. Such sire-breeds are used to improve the meat quantity of cross-breed pig lines. However, even in one breed, a significant variation in the meatiness level can be observed. In the present study, the comprehensive analysis of genes and microRNA expression profiles in porcine muscle tissue was applied to identify the genetic background of meat content. The comparison was performed between whole gene expression and miRNA profiles of muscle tissue collected from two sire-line pig breeds (Piertain, Hampshire). The RNA-seq approach allowed the identification of 627 and 416 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) between pig groups differing in terms of loin weight between Pietrain and Hampshire breeds, respectively. The comparison of miRNA profiles showed differential expression of 57 microRNAs for Hampshire and 34 miRNAs for Pietrain pigs. Next, 43 genes and 18 miRNAs were selected as differentially expressed in both breeds and potentially related to muscle development. According to Gene Ontology analysis, identified DEGs and microRNAs were involved in the regulation of the cell cycle, fatty acid biosynthesis and regulation of the actin cytoskeleton. The most deregulated pathways dependent on muscle mass were the Hippo signalling pathway connected with the TGF-beta signalling pathway and controlling organ size via the regulation of ubiquitin-mediated proteolysis, cell proliferation and apoptosis. The identified target genes were also involved in pathways such as the FoxO signalling pathway, signalling pathways regulating pluripotency of stem cells and the PI3K-Akt signalling pathway. The obtained results indicate molecular mechanisms controlling porcine muscle growth and development. Identified genes (SOX2, SIRT1, KLF4, PAX6 and genes belonging to the transforming growth factor beta superfamily) could be considered candidate genes for determining muscle mass in pigs.

This study aimed at characterizing the composition and performing chemical speciation modelling to determine species that are abundant in the coal fly ash (CFA) and soil samples sourced from Hendrina Power station located in Mpumalanga Province. All CFA samples were alkaline in nature with pH values ranging between 8.11 ± 0.07 and 8.60 ± 0.03 with an electrical conductivity (EC) ranging between 301.70 and 1515.00 µS/cm while EC of control soil was 103.10 µS/cm. The control soil pH was found to be 6.24 ± 0.13 and total organic carbon values ranged between 2.68 and 85.82 mg/kg and some percentage organic carbon values of CFAs were found to be greater than 8%, which is above the permissible limits of hazardous waste dumping. Oxidation-reduction potential values were negative in all CFA samples and positive in soil. The speciation modelling showed that the potential for a trace metal to have hazardous effects in soil systems depends on its concentration, specific form and interactions with other constituents in CFA. The slow release of metals from CFA to soil was assessed by looking at how a given metal is distributed throughout its several possible chemical forms. The presence of divalent cations (Pb2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, etc.) in CFAs might pose a threat to soil quality. In the competition for binding sites on ferric hydroxides, dissolved metal ions faced off against other metals. Protons (H+) were seen to be in competition with Pb, Cu and Zn for the ability to bind to hydroxyl (OH-) groups and this is due to chemical precipitation and surface complexation.

Abstract Background andAims: During liver transplantation, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) recurrence remains a critical challenge for patient survival. Targeted therapies, such as Sorafenib and Regorafenib, have been utilized to manage relapsed HCC in this unique setting. This study aimed to assess the efficacy of Sorafenib and Regorafenib in patients with HCC who experienced recurrence after liver transplantation. We focused on survival outcomes, treatment responses, and the management of side effects in this patient group. Methods: We conducted a retrospective analysis of 73 patients who experienced HCC recurrence post-liver transplantation between 2012 and 2022, across 11oncology centers in Turkey. Patients were categorised according to Child-Pugh classification and treated with Sorafenib as first-line therapy and Regorafenib in case of progression. Survival rates were analysed by Kaplan-Meier method and risk factors were evaluated by Cox regression analysis. Results: Of the 73 patients included in the study, 62 were male (84,9%) and 11 were female (15,1%) with a mean age of 61,5 ± 10,9 years. All patients received sorafenib as first-line treatment. Among patients who experienced progression with sorafenib or discontinued treatment due to toxicity, 45,2% (n=33) continued treatment with regorafenib. The median progression-free survival (PFS1) time with Sorafenib was 5,6 months and the one-year survival rate was 24,3%. The median progression-free survival (PFS2) time with Regorafenib, which was administered as second-line treatment, was also calculated as 5,9 months. Overall survival (OS) duration was determined as 35,9 months. The most common side effects associated with both drugs included fatigue, hand-foot syndrome and hypertension. Significantly better survival outcomes were shown in the Child-Pugh A group compared to other patients. Conclusion: These results suggest that Sorafenib and Regorafenib treatments offer a survival advantage in patients with relapsed HCC post-transplantation. However, individualized treatment strategies and close follow-up are crucial for optimizing outcomes. Further studies are needed to refine therapeutic protocols and enhance the care of this specific patient group.

Traditional asexual propagation of hops limits its phytosanitary quality and the concomitant plant availability. This scenario worsens with the global climate change. In this study we develop protocols for in vitro propagation of Humulus lupulus var. mapuche. Two explant types were evaluated: shoot tips, from field material collected in Río Negro province (Argentina), and nodal segments, from vitroplants. Different growth regulator, such as 6-Benzylaminopurine, gibberellic acid, indole-3-butyric acid and indole-3-acetic acid, was used to induce desired morphogenic responses. Additionally, the impact of abscisic acid application on acclimatization was assessed, and resulted in robust growth and reduced plant stress symptoms during ex vitro adaptation. Also, the study develops a protocol for synthetic seeds production, with storage at 4°C to enhance conservation and plant material transport, ensuring a constant supply of female plants. This comprehensive approach addresses current producer demands and emerging climate challenges. The findings highlight the fundamental role of in vitro multiplication of hops in improving plant material availability and quality, with significant implications for the brewing industry and related sectors.

The neurobiology of depression establishes a close relationship between this psychiatric disorder and alterations in neuroplasticity associated with neuronal atrophy and a reduction in dendritic arborization in the prefrontal cortex and hippocampus. In this sense, the therapeutic effect of antidepressants is associated with changes in the brain associated with neuroplasticity, neurogenesis and synaptogenesis through the activation of intracellular signaling pathways associated with changes at the neurochemical and behavioral level in animal models used to study depression. Antidepressants increase the synaptic availability of monoamines (monoaminergic hypothesis) such as serotonin, noradrenaline and GABA by inhibiting their reuptake or degradation and activating intracellular signaling pathways such as the cAMP-CREB cascade, which regulates the expression of genes related to neuroplasticity and neurogenesis in various brain structures associated with depression. Although acute treatment alters the number of receptors, the therapeutic effect lasts 3-4 weeks and depends on the increase in the density of dendritic spines and the expression of proteins such as BDNF and GAP-43 in the hippocampus and cerebral cortex. This review focuses on the effects of acute and chronic treatment with monoaminergic antidepressants and new drugs and other pharmacological alternatives in preclinical studies with the aim of demonstrating their mechanism of action and relationship to neuroplasticity.

Spatial and temporal variation of the free electron concentration in the ionosphere affects SAR interferograms, in particular at low radar frequencies. In this work the identification, estimation and compensation of ionospheric path delay phases in PALSAR-3 and NISAR-L interferograms is discussed. Both these L-band sensors acquire simultaneously SAR data in a main spectral band and in an additional, spectrally separated, narrower second band to support the mitigation of ionospheric path delays. The methods presented permit separating the dispersive and the non-dispersive phase terms based on the double-difference interferogram between the two available spectral bands and the differential interferogram of the main band. The applicability of the proposed methods is demonstrated using PALSAR-3-like data that was simulated based on PALSAR-2 SM1 mode data.

Introduction. This retrospective study aimed to compare the risk factors for vascular calcification (VC) between pre-hemodialysis (HD) and prevalent HD adult patients while investigating associations with calcification biomarkers. Methods. Baseline data from 30 pre-HD and 85 HD patients were analyzed, including iPTH, vitamin D, FGF23, fetuinA, sclerostin, and VC scores (Adragao method). Multivariable linear regression identified VC predictors. Results: The prevalence of VC was similar in both groups, but HD patients had more pronounced VC scores ≥6. Pre-HD patients were older, with higher prevalence of Balkan endemic nephropathy, hypertension, and less frequent use of calcium phosphate binders. Both groups exhibited similar patterns of hyperphosphatemia, low vitamin D, and iPTH levels. In HD group normal phosphate was significantly common in patients with VC, whereas hyperphosphatemia was significantly common in patients without VC. Fetuin-A levels were higher in pre-HD patients, while FGF23 was elevated in HD patients. In pre-HD patients, male gender was associated with reduced VC risk, while in HD patients, malignancies and serum phosphate levels were negative VC predictors. Conclusion: Effective monitoring and tailored treatment of VC in CKD are still focused on phosphate regulation. Besides, mineral disturbances, hormones and biomarkers regulation, and patient-specific variables need to be considered.

The negative impact of drought on plant growth may be modified by different availability of mineral nutrients and by their adaptation to different local habitat conditions. In this study, we examine the impact of drought, fertilization with phosphorus and provenance, as well as their interactions, on the growth and allometric growth relationships between belowground and aboveground organs of common beech (Fagus sylvatica) and sessile oak (Quercus petraea). The research was conducted on saplings originating from two mature mixed stands (dry and wet provenances) dominated by these species. In the common garden experiment, saplings were exposed to regular watering and drought in interaction with moderate and high phosphorus concentrations in the growing substrate (achieved by phosphorus fertilization). Obtained results indicate negative impact of drought and phosphorus fertilization on the growth of both species. In common beech, phosphorus fertilization had a negative impact on its adaptive capacity to drought, because of the unfavourable ratios between fine root mass and mass of other organs. The sessile oak provenances under the impact of drought showed a different root collar diameter/stem height increment ratio, which indicates its different phenotypic plasticity as a consequence of adaptation to different frequencies of dry periods in their natural habitats.

Cancer cells show an increased glutamine consumption. The glutaminase (GLS) enzyme controls a limiting step in the glutamine catabolism. Breast tumors, especially the triple negative subtype, have a high expression of GLS. Our recent study demonstrated that GLS activity and ammonia production are inhibited by Sirtuin 5 (SIRT5). We have developed MC3138, a selective SIRT5 activator. Treatment with MC3138 mimicked the deacetylation effect mediated by SIRT5 overexpression. Moreover, GLS activity is regulated by inorganic phosphate (Pi). Considering the interconnected role of GLS, SIRT5 and Pi for cancer growth, our hypothesis is that activation of SIRT5 and reduction of Pi could represent a valid anti-tumoral strategy. Treating cells with MC3138 and lanthanum acetate, a Pi chelator, decreased cell viability and clonogenicity. We also observed a modulation of LC3 and ULK1 with MC3138 and lanthanum acetate. Interestingly, inhibition of mitophagy marker BNIP3 was observed only in the presence of MC3138. Such autophagy and mitophagy modulation was accompanied by an increase of cytosolic and mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS). In conclusion, our results show how SIRT5 activation and/or Pi binding can represent a valid strategy to inhibit cell proliferation by reducing glutamine metabolism and mitophagy leading to a deleterious accumulation of ROS.

The article presents the results of the γ-ray and fast neutrons impact on various rice species, in order to obtain mutant forms resistant to salinity (NaCl) and drought factors (sorbite). They are going to be used as initial forms in synthetic selection when creating varieties, adapted to the stressful conditions of, both, soil and climate in the Kazakhstan Aral Sea. The average lethal doses (LD50) of γ-rays and fast neutrons, as well as, the average NaCl and sorbite lethal concentrations were established. A distinct dependence on the effect of ionizing radiation and stress factors on the number of induced resistant mutant forms has been related to the initial rice variety. The largest number of mutant forms was obtained from the local variety Syr Suluy, followed by Leader and Aikerim varieties. Out of all varieties, only 1% of the initially irradiated by γ-rays seeds survived, while after fast neutron irradiation – 4,3%. M1 mutant plants significantly differ from the initial forms in terms of morphological features – plant height, panicle length, and grain size. They are tolerant to lodging, and have short and highly sterile panicles, indicating that they are mutants.

We report the development of in vitro propagation protocols through adventitious shoot induction pathway for a rare and medicinal Scutellaria havanensis. In vitro propagation studies using nodal explants showed MS medium supplemented with 10µM 6-Benzylaminopurine induced highest number of adventitious shoots in a time dependent manner. A ten - day incubation was optimum for shoot bud induction as longer exposures resulted in hyperhydricity of the explants and shoots induced. We also report preliminary evidence of Agrobacterium tumefaciens EHA105 - mediated gene transfer transiently expressing of green fluorescent protein in this species. Transformation studies exhibited amenability of various explant tissues, internode being the most receptive. As the plant has medicinal value, research was carried out to evaluate its potential antioxidant capacity and the efficacy of methanolic leaf extracts in curbing the viability of human colorectal cancer cell line HCT116. Comparative total polyphenol, and flavonoid content measurement of fresh and air dried leaf extract revealed that the fresh leaf extracts contain higher total polyphenol and flavonoid content. The HCT 116 cell viability assessed by colorimetric assay using a 3-(4, 5-dimethyl-thiazol-2-yl)-2, 5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide, showed a steady growth inhibition after 24 hours of incubation. Scanning Electron Microscopy of leaf surface revealed high density of glandular and non-glandular trichomes. This research provides basis for the conservation of this rare plant and future phytochemical screening and clinical research.

Reverse water gas shift reaction (RWGS) is an important process which plays a vital role in many CO2 utilization related reactions. Noble metals are the most active catalysts in RWGS, but the high price and low reserve strangled their applications. In the present work, we reported a non-transition-metal MgAl2O4 catalyst which showed outstanding activity and stability at high temperatures in the RWGS reaction and improved performance after doping of single atomic Nin+. The catalyst can obtain 46% of CO2 conversion in durability test of 75 h at 800 °C under high weight hourly space velocities (225 000 ml g-1 h-1). The adsorption sites, possible reaction route, and effects of Nin+ single atoms on the (111) surface of MgAl2O4 for RWGS were investigated by in situ DRIFTS and DFT calculations. The results indicated that the rate determining reaction step of RWGS on MgAl2O4 and Ni (SA)/MgAl2O4 were both the reaction of OH* + H* → H2O* + *, but the energy barrier was significantly reduced after introducing single atomic Nin+. Nin+ atoms can increase the hydroxyl coverage on the surface of catalyst and Al3+ sites near the Nin+ ion are considered as the predominant active sites for RWGS reactions.

Background: Empathy and assertiveness are two essential soft skills for health professionals such as nurses or physiotherapists. Both professions are characterised by their contribution to preserving and improving health and human care, and for their vocation of service. One of the achievements of the training is the voluntary, conscious, and individually inspired career choice; Objetives: This study aimed to evaluate the empathy, assertiveness, and care vocational levels among undergraduate students enrolled in the Nursing and Physiotherapy Degree programmes and to investigate the relationship between these soft skills and the care vocation; Methods: A cross-sectional study of nursing and physiotherapy students was conducted in the 2022/2023 academic year. The Interpersonal Reactivity Index scales for empathy, the Rathus test for assertiveness, and the “Vocation of Service for Human Care” questionnaire were used as study tools. Finally, 226 students participated in the study; Results: The empathy, assertiveness and vocation of service for human care of the students was found to be acceptable. Significant differences were also observed according to the gender variable or career in the students, with female students presenting better results in empathy subscales or vocation (p < 0.05). Students who are working or have clinical experience in other professions score lower on the empathy personal distress subscale (p < 0.05); Conclusions: Both nursing and physiotherapy students demonstrate satisfactory levels of empathy, assertiveness and vocation for human care. However, gender and previous work experience do notably influence these scores. It would be beneficial to conduct long-term studies with educational interventions to train and develop empathy, assertiveness and vocation for human care.

Several studies have shown that non-pharmacologic treatments such as photobiomodulation (PBMT) and swimming (SW) have been increasingly used as adjuncts to clinical practice. The aim of this work is to evaluate whether SW associated or not with PBMT has its effects potentialized on different kind of pain and motor aspects in a model of chronic constriction injury and if the treatments have any improvement on morphometry of the skeletal striated muscle. Our results have demonstrated a beneficial effect on pain and motor response for animals treated with the therapies isolated, and an even better response when we associate them. Regarding muscle tissue, we observed an improvement in inflammatory cells quantification and on the collagen expression on the muscle after each isolated treatment or in combination. These findings contribute to enhancing for individuals suffering from neuropathic pain conditions, offering a promising avenue for integrated care approaches that prioritize both symptom alleviation and functional recovery. Such insights are crucial for advancing treatment strategies in pain management since the currently available treatments are not completely effective to treat all the pain and also promotes several side effects on the patients’ health.

Growth monitoring of crops is a crucial aspect of precision agriculture, essential for optimal yield prediction and resource allocation. Traditional crop growth monitoring methods are labor-intensive and prone to errors. This study introduces an automated segmentation pipeline utilizing multi-date aerial images and ortho-mosaics to monitor the growth of cauliflower crops (Brassica Oleracea var. Botrytis) using an object-based image analysis approach. The methodology employs YOLOv8, Grounding Detection Transformer with Improved Denoising Anchor Boxes (DINO), and the Segment Anything Model (SAM) for automatic annotation and segmentation. The YOLOv8 model was trained using aerial image datasets, which then facilitated the training of the Grounded Segment Anything Model framework. This approach generated automatic annotations and segmentation masks, classifying crop rows for temporal monitoring and growth estimation. The study’s findings utilized a multi-modal monitoring approach to highlight the efficiency of this automated system in providing accurate crop growth analysis, promoting informed decision-making in crop management and sustainable agricultural practices. Results indicate consistent and comparable growth patterns between aerial images and ortho-mosaics, with significant periods of rapid expansion and minor fluctuations over time. The results also indicated a correlation between the both the time and method of observation which paves a future possibility of integration of such techniques aimed at increasing the accuracy in crop growth monitoring based on automatically derived temporal crop row segmentation masks.

The present study identified the influence of green advertising and eco-labels on the attitude and environmental awareness of millennials who purchase ecological products in shopping centers in Ecuador. The research was quantitative, correlational and with a cross-sectional design. A total of 430 millennials participated in the study. A 20-question survey was applied in person outside the shopping centers of Quito and Guayaquil - Ecuador. The convergent and discriminant validity of the research model was verified using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) and Structural Equation Models (SEM). SPSS 20 and AMOS 24 programs were used for statistical analysis. The results show that green advertising influences environmental attitudes (β: 0,245) and awareness (β: 0,110) and specifically influences purchasing behaviour (β: 0,154) for green products. Although eco-labels do not directly influence purchasing behaviour (β: 0,128), they influence the attitudes (β: 0,406) and ecological awareness (β: 0,277) of millennials who buy organic products. This article is one of the first studies to identify the relationship between green advertising elements and green product purchasing behaviors among millennials in a developing country, concluding that marketing strategies based on green advertising and eco-labels have an impact on the attitude and environmental awareness of millennials, but only advertising directly affects purchasing behaviour while eco-labels do not. This research has social implications since it corroborates that millennials are concerned about environmental problems and are willing to contribute to sustainability.

Herpes B virus (BV) is a zoonotic virus which can be transmitted from macaques to humans, which is often associated with high mortality rates. Because macaques often exhibit asymptomatic infections, individuals who come into contact with these animals face unexpected risks of BV infections. Serological test is widely performed to investigate BV infections. However, the assay’s sensitivity and specificity appeared to be inadequate, and it does not necessarily indicate ongoing viral shedding. Here, we developed LAMP and qPCR assays aiming to detect BVs with high sensitivity and specificity in various macaque species and validated them using oral swab samples collected from 97 wild cynomolgus macaques living in Thailand. Our LAMP and qPCR assays detected more than 50 and 10 copies of the target sequences per reaction, respectively. The LAMP assay could detect BV within 25 min, indicating its advantages for the rapid detection of BV. Collectively, our findings indicated that both assays developed in this study exhibit advantages and usefulness for BV surveillance and diagnosis of BV infections in macaques. Furthermore, for the first time, we determined the partial genome sequences of BVs detected in cynomolgus macaques in Thailand. Phylogenetic analysis revealed the species-specific evolution of BV within macaques.

Intra-abdominal pressure (IAP) elevation during capnoperitoneum can cause adverse cardiovascular and respiratory effects. This study aimed to determine if a sequentially increased IAP affects cardiovascular and respiratory variables in anesthetized dogs and evaluate the effects of constant rate infusion of dexmedetomidine (Dex) on cardiovascular and respiratory variables with increased IAP. Five dogs were anesthetized, instrumented, and the Veress needle was equipped to adjust the IAP using a carbonic anhydrase insufflator. Stabilization was conducted for 1 h, and physiological variables were measured in IAPs of 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20 mmHg and after desufflation. After the washout period, the dogs underwent similar procedures along with constant rate infusion of dexmedetomidine. Cardiovascular effects of increased IAP up to 20 mmHg were not significant in healthy beagle dogs and those administered with dexmedetomidine. In the control group, the arterial pressure slightly increased, but not statistically significant, at an IAP of 20 mmHg compared with that at baseline (mean arterial blood pressure, p = 0.399; systolic arterial blood pressure, p = 0.293; diastolic arterial blood pressure, p = 0.141). When comparing the control and dexmedetomidine groups, overall significant effects of dexmedetomidine were noted on heart rate, cardiac output, and systemic vascular resistance during the experiment. Respiratory effects were not affected by abdominal insufflation when compared between different IAPs and between the two groups. Overall, an increased IAP of until 20 mmHg did not significantly affect cardiovascular and respiratory variables in both control and dexmedetomidine groups. This study suggests that dexmedetomidine infusion administration is applicable in laparoscopic procedures in healthy dogs.

BMAP-27 peptide known to exert cytotoxic effects against cancer cells by membrane integrity disruption. In the current investigation, we aimed to study the role of the BMAP-27 peptide in reducing colon cancer cell proliferation and inducing apoptosis. This study utilized both primary and metastatic colon cancer cell lines (SW480 and SW620). Proliferation was measured using CCK-8, and cellular damage was analyzed by lactate dehydrogenase assay. The study assessed apoptosis, cell cycle, and proliferation by measuring the expression of CASPASE3, BAX, BCL-2, TP53, CDK-6, PCNA, Wnt11, AXIN1, and CTNNB1. Additionally, in-silico studies were conducted to determine the binding affinities of BMAP-27 with APC and β-catenin proteins. BMAP-27 peptide reduced colon cancer cell proliferation, upregulated CASPASE3, BAX, TP53, AXIN1 expression, and downregulated BCL-2, CDK-6, PCNA, WNT11, CTNNB1 in both colon cancer cell lines, however, demonstrated higher activity in primary than metastatic colon cancer cells. The molecular dynamic simulation revealed substantial binding affinity of the peptide to adenomatous polyposis coli and β-catenin proteins.BMAP-27 peptide effectively inhibited the proliferation and enhanced apoptosis in the primary than in metastatic colon cancer cells. In-silico findings suggest that BMAP-27 exhibits a strong binding affinity with APC and β-catenin, highlighting its potential role as an anti-colon cancer agent.

Grain shape and chalkiness are important appearance quality traits of rice, which also affect the yield and milling quality. In this study, 190 F2 families derived from the cross between Hua 5178S and Hua 611 were sequenced to construct a genetic linkage map. Combined with F2 and F2:3 generations grain shape and chalkiness phenotype, a total of 15 QTL were detected. There are 8 grain shape QTL distributed on chromosomes 2, 5, 6, 8, and 10; 7 chalkiness QTL distributed on chromosomes 2, 3, and 6. A QTL cluster affecting multiple chalkiness traits was found on chromosome 6, qWBR6.1, qWCR6 and qCR6 were selected for genetic effect verification. It was found that qWBR6.1, qWCR6 and qCR6 explained 13% and 24%, and 29% of the phenotypic variations respectively, and qWCR6 and qCR6 were co-mapped. This study laid a foundation for further cloning of rice appearance quality genes.

Previous studies have shown that agricultural works bear a disproportionately higher burden of HIV, which is the highest HIV prevalence ever reported in any working population in South Africa. This study aimed to assess HIV knowledge, attitudes and practices of agricultural workers, as a precarious and vulnerable workforce. A cross-sectional study design was employed. A pre-piloted paper-based questionnaire was administered to a consenting sample of agricultural workers. Descriptive and inferential statistics were performed using stata version 16.1 software, 0.05 level was used as a measure of significance. The majority of agricultural workers had adequate knowledge level (72.1%) regarding HIV/AIDS. Knowledge was significantly associated with having some level of education,) secondary education (AOR: 1.46, 95% CI:1.01-2.12), and post-matric qualification (AOR: 3.07, 95% CI: 1.61-5.83). The attitudes level of workers towards HIV was good (88.1%). Attitude was negatively associated with residing in informal settlements (AOR: 0.64, 95% CI 0.43-0.97). Majority of participants exhibited poor prevention practices regarding HIV (60.9%). Half of participants reported low condom usage (50.9%) and multiple sexual partners (50.6%). The portrayed risky sexual behavior establishes agricultural workers as an HIV high-risk population. Strategizing non-conventional approaches to HIV prevention and behavior change communication targeting agricultural workers is recommended.

Oral immunization with the choleric toxin (CT) elicits a high level of protection against its enterotoxin activities and can control cholera in endemic settings. However, the complete B-cell epitope map of the CT responsible for protection remains to be clarified. Here, we have mapped the B-cell linear epitopes of the three chains of the CT protein (CTP) prepared by Spot synthesis. The immunoreactivity of sera from mice immunized with an oral, inactivated vaccine (Schankol†™) was measured against membrane-bound peptides for mapping. Results: Eighteen IgG epitopes were identified; eight in the CTA, three in the CTB, and seven in the protein P. Three epitopes, TQTGFVRHDDGYVST (aa 66-77, Vc/TxA-3), KNGAIFQVE VPGSQN (aa 64-78, Vc/TxB-11), and LNDEHK (aa 90-95, Vc/TxP-16), were chosen to synthesize a multiple antigen peptide that was used to coat ELISA plates to screen immunized mouse sera as a test for an in vitro diagnostics for cholera. Conclusion: Vaccination with inactive CT-generated antibodies against multiple linear epitopes and the selected epitopes can be used to construct immunological reagents for rapid serological diagnosis of cholera with high sensitivity and specificity.

Sleep is of vital necessity for health, it has a restorative and protective function for children and adolescents with chronic conditions and their families. The purpose was to identify the scientific production on sleep patterns in children and adolescents with chronic conditions and their families. This integrative review was developed in March and June 2022, of the MEDLINE, Web of Science, CINAHL and PSYCInfo. The articles included were original papers published be-tween January 2007 and mid-2022. Excluded were review studies that did not evaluate sleep and whose participants did not have chronic conditions or were not children, adolescents and/or their families. The searches returned 814 abstracts. After exclusions, 47 studies were selected to be read in full; of these, 29 were selected and were grouped empirically into four categories: major alterations in sleep patterns of children and adolescents with chronic conditions; the relationship between sleep disorders and symptoms in children and adolescents with chronic conditions; impaired sleep patterns of families of children and adolescents with chronic conditions; sleep alterations and their relationship with other problems in families of children and adolescents with chronic conditions. All studies showed sleep pattern impairment in children and adolescents with chronic conditions and their families.

A three-year survey was conducted to estimate the incidence of grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) in Greece and identify fungi associated with the disease complex. In total, 310 vineyards in different geographical regions in northern, central, and southern Greece were surveyed, and 533 fungal strains were isolated from diseased vines. Morphological, physiological and molecular (5.8S rRNA gene-ITS sequencing) analyses revealed that isolates belonged to 35 distinct fungal genera, including well-known (e.g. Botryosphaeria sp, Diaporthe spp., Eutypa sp., Diplodia sp., Fomitiporia sp., Phaeoacremonium spp., Phaeomoniella sp.) and lesser-known (e.g. Neosetophoma sp., Seimatosporium sp., Didymosphaeria sp., Kalmusia sp.) grapevine wood inhabitants. GTDs-inducing population structure differed significantly among the discrete geographical zones. Phaeomoniella chlamydospora (26.62%, n=70), Diaporthe spp. (18.25%, n=48) and F. mediterranea (10.27%, n=27) were the most prevalent in Heraklion, whereas D. seriata, Alternaria spp., P. chlamydospora and Fusarium spp. were predominant in Nemea (central Greece). In Amyntaio and Kavala (northern Greece), D. seriata was the most frequently isolated species (&gt;50% frequency). Multi-genes (rDNA-ITS, LSU, tef1-α, tub2, act) sequencing of selected isolates, followed by pathogenicity tests revealed that Neosetophoma italica, Seimatosporium vitis, Didymosphaeria variabile and Kalmusia variispora caused wood infection with the former being the most virulent. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of N. italica associated with GTDs worldwide. This is also the first record of K. variispora, S. vitis and D. variabile associated with wood infection of grapevine in Greece. The potential associations of disease indices with vine age, cultivar, GTD-associated population structure and the prevailed meteorological conditions in different viticultural zones in Greece are presented and discussed.

Ryegrass is one such cereal that has been underutilized in human nutrition despite its high nutritional and functional value due to the presence of phytochemicals and dietary fibers It is a viable option, especially for countries that do not produce wheat, as it is easily adaptable and overgrows, making it economically viable. This study evaluated the nutritional impact, bioactive compounds, and physicochemical and technological properties of partially substituting maize flour (MF) with sprouted whole ryegrass flour (SR) in developing extrusion-cooked breakfast cereals. A completely randomized design with substitutions ranging from 0 to 20 % of MF with SR was employed as the experimental strategy (P < 0.05). Partial incorporation of SR increased the bioavailability of γ-aminobutyric acid and total soluble phenolic compounds. Using sprouted grains can adversely affect the technological quality of extruded foods, but ryegrass, with its high dietary fiber and low lipid content, mitigates these negative effects. Consequently, breakfast cereals containing 4 and 8 % SR exhibited better physicochemical properties, such as reduced hardness and increased crispness. These results are promising for ryegrass and suggest combining the age-old germination process with extrusion can enhance cereal-based breakfast products' nutritional quality and bioactive compound content.

CO2, CH4 and CO are the most critical atmospheric gases in terms of their impact on the radiative system, air quality and health. This work provides information on the direction of source areas and potential sources of emissions and shows many aspects of these gases by a statistical analysis using bivariate polar diagrams and local weather conditions (e.g., temperature, wind speed and wind direction) recorded at the Lamto station (LTO, 6°31N and 5°02W) in Côte d’Ivoire over the 2014-2018 period. The results show that the main regions contributing to the high concentrations of CH4 (> 1925 ppb) and CO2 (> 420 ppm) in the GSS, GSP, PSS and PSP seasons are the North and Northwest sectors of Lamto. In these directions, CH4 and CO2 concentrations are associated with wind speeds less than 6 m.s-1, due to the influences of local sources as emissions resulting from the degradation of organic matter submerged during the impoundment of the Taabo dam, and/nor human activities linked to the practice of intensive agriculture. In addition, the high concentrations of CO (> 350 ppb) are observed in GSS in the North, North-West, North-East and East sectors for wind speeds less than or equal to 9 m.s-1, due to the influences of both local and distant sources. The correlation coefficients between CH4 and CO, and between CH4 and CO2 are positive and significant in all sectors. However, those calculated between CO2 and CO have showed both low and high values in all seasons.

An increase in Spodoptera species was reported in Bt soybean fields expressing Cry1Ac insecticidal proteins in Brazil, requiring additional management with chemical insecticides. Here, we evaluated the dose effects of flubendiamide and thiodicarb on Spodoptera cosmioides (Walker, 1858), Spodoptera eridania (Stoll, 1782), Spodoptera albula (Walker, 1857) and Spodoptera frugiperda (J. E. Smith, 1797) (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) that survived on MON 87751 × MON 87708 × MON 87701 × MON 89788, expressing Cry1A.105, Cry2Ab2 and Cry1Ac; MON 87701 × MON 89788 soybean, expressing Cry1Ac; and non-Bt soybean. On unsprayed Cry1A.105/Cry2Ab2/Cry1Ac soybean, only S. frugiperda showed ~60% mortality after 10 d, whereas S. cosmioides, S. eridania and S. albula showed >81% mortality. Surviving larvae of all species on this Bt soybean showed &gt;80% mortality when exposed to the field label dose of flubendiamide (70 mL/ha) or thiodicarb (400 g/ha) or at 50% of these doses. In contrast, all four species had <25% and <19% mortality on Cry1Ac and non-Bt soybean, respectively. Surviving S. cosmioides, S. eridania and S. albula on these soybean types presented >83% mortality post-exposure to both dose levels of flubendiamide and thiodicarb. Some S. frugiperda larvae surviving on Cry1Ac and non-Bt soybean sprayed with a 50% dose of either insecticide developed into adults. However, L1 larvae developing on Cry1Ac soybean leaves sprayed with flubendiamide and L2 larvae on this soybean sprayed with thiodicarb had a prolonged immature stage, and females lower fecundity, which are likely to impact its population growth on soybean.

Background: Patients in the postoperative period following bariatric surgery are at risk of developing eating disorders. This study aims to analyse the relation between bariatric surgery and the development and recurrence of eating disorders. Material and methods: Literature review was done on 15th November 2020. Fourteen studies that met the eligibility criteria were included for qualitative synthesis, and 7 studies for meta-analysis. Results: The prevalence of eating disorders in the postoperative period was 7.83%, based on the 7 studies in the meta-analysis. Binge eating disorder alone was 3.81%, which was the most significant factor, and addressed in 6 of these studies. Conclusion: The investigated studies have significant methodological limitations in assessing the relation between bariatric surgery and eating disorders, since they mostly present data on prevalence. PROSPERO CRD42019135614.

The rapid evolution of Next Generation Sequencing in clinical settings and the resulting challenge of variants interpretation in the light of constantly updated information, requires robust data management systems and organized approaches to variant reinterpretation. In this paper, we present iVar: a freely available and highly customizable tool provided with a user-friendly web interface. It represents a platform for the unified management of variants identified by different sequencing technologies. iVar accepts, as input, VCF files and text annotation files and elaborates them, optimizing data organization and avoiding redundancies. Updated annotations can be periodically re-uploaded and associated to variants as historicize attributes. Data can be visualized through variant-centered and sample-centered interfaces. A customizable search functionality can be exploited to periodically check if pathogenicity related data of a variant are changed over time. Patient recontacting ensuing from variant reinterpretation is made easier by iVar through the effective identification of all patients present in the database and carrying a specific variant. We tested iVar by uploading 4171 VCF files and 1463 annotation files, obtaining a database of 4166 samples and 22569 unique variants. iVar has proven to be a useful tool with good performances for collecting and managing data from medium-throughput

Heavy load carrying of water, firewood, and sand/stones is a ubiquitous activity for women living in developing countries. Although the intra-abdominal pressure associated with heavy load carrying is hypothesized to increase the risk of pelvic organ prolapse (POP) among women, relevant epidemiologic data are lacking. We conducted a comparative study involving two exploratory cross-sectional studies among convenience samples of women carrying heavy loads, with different characteristics: (1) as part of their activities for daily living, in Shinyanga region, Tanzania; and (2) working as sand miners in Pokhara, Nepal. Women were categorized has having “low” or “high” load-carrying exposures based on the measured weights of the loads being carried at the time of the survey, as well as on self-reported duration and frequency of load carrying. A summary score for lower abdominal discomfort suggestive of POP was generated using questions from the Pelvic Organ Prolapse Distress Inventory (POPDI-6). Women with higher load carrying exposures had on average higher discomfort scores in both Tanzania (adjusted prevalence difference (PDa)=3.7; 95% CI: -3.8-11.3; p=0.33) and Nepal (PDa=9.3; 95% CI: -4.9-23.6; p=0.18). We identified trends suggestive of an association between increasing heavy load carrying exposures and symptoms of lower abdominal discomfort. Our findings underscore the need for larger epidemiologic studies of the potential adverse reproductive health effects of heavy load carrying activities on women in developing countries.

Antibiotics (ABs) are common medications used for treating infections. In cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), concomitant exposure to ABs may impair the efficacy of ICIs and lead to a poorer outcome compared to AB non-users. We report here the results of a meta-analysis evaluating the effects of ABs on the outcome of patients with solid tumors treated with ICIs. PubMed, the Cochrane Library, and Embase were searched from inception until September 2019 for observational or prospective studies reporting prognosis of adult patients with cancer treated with ICIs and with or without ABs. Overall survival (OS) was the primary endpoint, and progression-free survival (PFS) was the secondary endpoint. The effect size was reported as hazard ratios (HRs) with a 95% confidence interval (CI), and an HR > 1 associated with a worse outcome in ABs users compared to no-ABs users. Fifteen publications were retrieved for a total of 2363 patients. In the main analysis (n = 15 studies reporting data), OS was reduced in patients exposed to ABs before or during treatment with ICIs (HR = 2.07, 95%CI 1.51–2.84; P<.01). Similarly, PFS was inferior in ABs users in n = 13 studies with data available (HR = 1.53, 95%CI 1.22–1.93; p<.01). In cancer patients treated with ICIs, AB use significantly reduces OS and PFS. Short duration/course of ABs may be considered in clinical situations in which they are strictly needed.

Recent pollinator declines have focused efforts on their conservation which require clear estimates of pollination value to agriculture. Our socio-economic producer surveys and agronomic field research data were used to present a new way of estimating ecosystem service value of native pollinators. Using two regionally important U.S.A. crops, Maine wild blueberry and Massachusetts cranberry as models, we present perceived values of native bee pollinators from both consumer and producers. Wild blueberry’s Replacement Cost (RC) was greater than Attributable Net Income (ANI), since greater rented honey bee stocking densities are required. Attributable Net Income for native bees were similar for wild blueberry ($613/ha) and cranberry ($689/ha). Marginal Net Farm Income (MNFI) from incrementally adding more hives per ha was greater from stocking a third/fourth hive per ha for cranberry ($6,206) than stocking a ninth/tenth hive per ha for wild blueberry ($556), given greater responsiveness of yield, revenue, and profit to using rented honey bee hives in cranberry compared to wild blueberry. Both crops’ producers were only willing to annually invest $140–188/ha in native pollination enhancements on their farms, justifying government support. Consumers are willing to pay ~6.7 times more to support native bees than producers, supporting market-based support for invertebrate conservation.

Background and objectives: sickle cell disease is the most common hemoglobinopathy in the world. It is considered to be a real public health problem. Sickle cell patients are subjected to several factors causing inflammation such as iron metabolism. The study aimed to look for inflammation in children with sickle cell disease in Cameroon, identify the factors associated with inflammation, and raise the consequences for the patient including the iron profile and the profile of the hemogram. Materials and methods: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study for 03 months. The sickle cell disease patients coming and/or followed at the Hematology Department of the Regional Hospital of Bafoussam and the Central Hospital of Yaoundé have been recruited. The exploration of inflammation was made by determining CRP, IL6, and ferritin concentrations. The hematological parameters and iron profile were evaluated using standard methods. Statistical analysis of the data was performed; Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses allowed to identification of factors associated with inflammation in patients, using the statistical tool R version 4.1.1.. The proportions were compared with the chi-square test when the expected numbers were greater than 5 and the Fisher test when not. Results: The frequency of inflammation in the population was 42.3%. Hyperferritinemia was significantly greater (p<0.001) in patients with inflammation compared to the non-inflammatory patients (96.8% and 76.7% respectively). Patients with inflammation showed a significant elevation of iron parameters (p<0.05). In addition, ferritin and IL6 elevation were associated with inflammation during sickle cell disease respectively (Or = 4.96; 95% CI [1.15-36.42]; p=0.056) and (Or =6.23; 95% CI [1.43-45.96]; p=0.030). Conclusions: The elevated iron in plasma is an effect of inflammation in sickle cell patients. Hence the need of controlling inflammation and iron in the latter is necessary.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a role in several inflammatory diseases and is capable of inducing the release of inflammatory mediators in several cell types. The objective was to investigate the potential of Ang II to induce mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators by cultured primary human periodontal cells. A synergistic effect of a co-treatment with Ang II and IL1β on mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was also explored. Primary cultures of human fibroblast-like cells isolated from gingival and periodontal ligament tissues from 3 subjects were established using explant techniques. Immunophenotyping of STRO-1, Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and Ang II type 2 receptor (AT2R) was performed by flow cytometry analysis. Cell cultures were challenged with Ang II (1M) for 3, 6 and 24h with or without a co-treatment with IL1β (0.1ng/mL) for 24h. mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was performed by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). We present, for the first time, a precise quantification for AT1R and AT2R on human gingival and periodontal fibroblast-like cell types; the percentage of positive immunostaining compared to the total population of cells varied from 3.35% through 5.29% for AT1R and 2.97% through 4.57% for AT2R. Ang II slightly upregulated mRNA expression of IL6 and CCL2/MCP1 in gingival cells and IL8 and PTGS2/COX2 in periodontal ligament cells. IL1β induced upregulation of IL8, IL6 CCL2/MCP1, PTGS2/COX2 and IL1β mRNA in both cell types. Co-treatment with Ang II and IL1β did not show a synergistic effect under these experimental conditions. Ang II shows a low potential to induce mRNA upregulation of inflammatory mediators in cultured primary human gingival and periodontal ligament cells, most likely due to the low percentage of Ang II receptors in such cells, and no synergistic effect with the co-treatment with IL1β.

This study investigated the mechanical properties and fatigue behavior of FH36 steel plate rolled in different directions. By adopting a sequential rolling process in the rolling direction (RD) and transverse direction (TD), the differences in properties between RD and TD were eliminated, resulting in nearly identical tensile properties. The steel plate exhibited a yield strength of approximately 420 MPa, a tensile strength of approximately 506 MPa, and an elongation of approximately 25%. Fatigue tests conducted at room temperature and -60℃ showed a fatigue limit of the maximum stress of 488 MPa at room temperature and 500 MPa at -60℃, indicating improved low-temperature fatigue performance. The fracture surfaces displayed distinct characteristics, such as oblique shearing fractures for high-cycle fatigue and cup-cone shape fractures for low-cycle fatigue. The fatigue source zone were both on the surface of the specimens. As the maximum stress increased, the area of the crack propagation zone for high-cycle fatigue decreased, while the area of the final fracture zone, the number of dimples and the proportion of the LAGBs increased.

Angiotensin II (Ang II) plays a role in several inflammatory diseases and is capable of inducing the release of inflammatory mediators in several cell types. The objective was to investigate the potential of Ang II to induce mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators by cultured primary human periodontal cells. A synergistic effect of a co-treatment with Ang II and IL1β on mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was also explored. Primary cultures of human fibroblast-like cells isolated from gingival and periodontal ligament tissues from 3 subjects were established using explant techniques. Immunophenotyping of STRO-1, AT1 and AT2 receptors was performed by flow cytometry analysis. Cell cultures were challenged with Ang II (1M) for 3, 6 and 24h with or without a co-treatment with IL1β (0.1ng/mL) for 24h. mRNA expression of inflammatory mediators was performed by real time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR). We present, for the first time, a precise quantification for AT1 and AT2 receptors on human gingival and periodontal fibroblast-like cell types; the percentage of positive immunostaining compared to the total population of cells varied from 3.35% through 5.29% for AT1 and 2.97% through 4.57% for AT2. Ang II slightly upregulated mRNA expression of IL6 and CCL2/MCP1 in gingival cells and IL8 and PTGS2/COX2 in periodontal ligament cells. IL1β induced upregulation of IL8, IL6 CCL2/MCP1, PTGS2/COX2 and IL1β mRNA in both cell types. Co-treatment with Ang II and IL1β did not show a synergistic effect under these experimental conditions. Ang II shows a low potential to induce mRNA upregulation of inflammatory mediators in cultured primary human gingival and periodontal ligament cells, most likely due to the low percentage of Ang II receptors in such cells, and no synergistic effect with the co-treatment with IL1β.

Development of targeted therapies for triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an unmet medical need. Cisplatin has demonstrated its promising potential for the treatment of TNBC in clinical trials; however, cisplatin treatment is associated with hypoxia that in turn promotes cancer stem cell (CSC) enrichment and drug resistance. Therapeutic approaches to attenuate this may lead to increased cisplatin efficacy in the clinic for the treatment of TNBC. In this report, we analyzed clinical dataset of TNBC and found that TNBC patients possessed higher levels of EGFR and hypoxia gene expression. A similar expression pattern was also observed in cisplatin-resistant ovarian cancer cells. We thus developed a new therapeutic approach to inhibit EGFR and hypoxia by combination of metformin and gefitinib that sensitized TNBC cells to cisplatin and led to the inhibition of both CD44+/CD24- and ALDH+ CSCs. We demonstrated a similar inhibition efficacy on organotypic cultures of TNBC patient samples ex vivo. Since these drugs have already been used frequently in the clinic, this study illustrates a novel, clinically translatable therapeutic approach to treat patients with TNBC.

EZH2 overexpression is associated with tumor proliferation, metastasis, and poor prognosis. Targeting and inhibiting EZH2 may be an effective therapeutic strategy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). We previously analyzed EZH2 mRNA expression in a well-characterized dataset of 230 (110 original and 120 validation cohorts) human head and neck cancer samples. This study aimed to investigate the effects of inhibiting EZH2, either via RNA interference or via pharmacotherapy, on HNSCC growth. EZH2 upregulation was significantly correlated with recurrence (P < 0.001) and the methylation index of tumor suppressor genes (P < 0.05). DNMT3A was significantly upregulated upon EZH2 upregulation (P = 0.043). Univariate analysis revealed that EZH2 upregulation was associated with poor disease-free survival (log-rank test, P < 0.001). In multivariate analysis, EZH2 upregulation was evaluated as a significant independent prognostic factor of disease-free survival (hazard ratio: 2.085, 95% confidence interval: 1.390–3.127; P < 0.001). Cells treated with RNA interference and DZNep, an EZH2 inhibitor, showed the most dramatic changes in expression, accompanied with a reduction in the growth and survival of FaDu cells. These findings suggest that EZH2 upregulation is correlated with tumor aggressiveness and adverse patient outcomes in HNSCC. Evaluation of EZH2 expression might help predict the prognosis of HNSCC patients.

In the age of digital revolution technology is being used more and more in education around the world to improve student learning. By enabling ongoing skill development and knowledge acquisition through digital platforms e-learning has become a crucial tool. Through E-Learning online learning is becoming increasingly popular and effective in addition to traditional methods of instruction as highlighted by the latest statistics from Badan Pusat Statistik Indonesia (BPS). In order to address the issues of scalability, interactivity and security in e-learning platforms. This study introduces a web-based learning environment that is focused on teaching programming. Leveraging the MERN stack, while also integrating TypeScript for improved code reliability, Next.js for accelerated React.js functionality, Tailwind CSS for responsive design. Backend features include media management with Cloudinary, secure video streaming with VdoCipher, data storage with MongoDB, and caching with Redis. Iterative development will be following agile methodology. In order to create a vibrant and encouraging learning environment the platform includes interactive course pages multimedia content real-time feedback mechanisms and community-building tools. Despite some early difficulties the implementation phase effectively achieved development goals. To further support international online learning initiatives further efforts will be directed toward improving platform security and functionality.

Study of alterations in Osteoarthritis (OA) of Glypicans 1 to 6 (GPCs) and Notum in plasma, bone marrow mesenchymal stromal cells (BM-MSCs) and osteoblasts. Plasma levels of GPCs and Notum were measured of 25 patients and 24 healthy subjects. In addition, BM-MSCs from eight OA patients and eight healthy donors were cultured during 21 days with culture me-dium and osteogenic medium. Protein and gene expression levels of GPCs and Notum were de-termined by ELISA and qPCR at 0, 7 ,14 and 21 days. GPC5 and Notum have been found de-creased in OA patients’ plasma. OA BM-MSCs showed downexpression of GPC6 and upregula-tion of Notum. A decrease in GPC5 and Notum proteins and an increase in GPC3 were found. During osteogenic differentiation, elevated GPC2, 4, 5, 6 and Notum mRNA levels and decreased GPC3 were observed in OA. Furthermore, the protein levels of GPC2, GPC5 and Notum de-creased and GPC3 increased. Glypicans and Notum are altered in BM-MSCs and during osteo-genic differentiation from patients with OA. Furthermore, GPC5 and Notum can be proposed as new biomarkers of the pathology. The alterations found indicate that Notum could be a prom-ising therapeutic strategy for Osteoarthritis.

Abstract: Background: Adolescents frequently self-report pain, according to epidemiological research. The knee is one of the sites where the pain is most common. One of the main factors contributing to the number of years people spend disabled and having substantial personal, societal, and economic burdens globally is musculoskeletal disorders. Insidious, slowly building onset that neither the adolescent nor the parent is aware of [5]. Patellofemoral Pain (PFP) is a clinical knee pain commonly affecting adolescents. In the present study, the authors aimed to estimate the frequency of knee pain in Saudi adolescents. Methods: This cross-sectional survey carried out from June to November 2022 included 676 adolescents, ages 10 to 18. The data are presented as frequencies and percentages for categorical variables. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare means between groups, while the chi-square test was used for the comparison of categorical variables. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. Results: Adolescents were invited to take part in the study; 57.5% were female and 42.5% were male, and 68.8% were aged between 15 and 18. The prevalence of knee pain was considerably high among females (26%), while it was 19.2% among males. Moreover, age was a significant predictor for knee pain, and BMI was as well. We also found a significant difference between BMI classification and stiffness of the knee (p = 0.008). There is a difference between adolescents who do physical activities in leisure and difficulty bending (p = 0.03). Conclusion: Our study noted a high rate of knee pain among adolescents, so we need to raise awareness about risk factors. Adolescent knee pain can be prevented with conservative methods and some minor lifestyle/activity modifications.

Pathologies of the blood brain barrier (BBB) have been linked to a multitude of CNS disorders whose pathology is poorly understood. Cortical spreading depression (CSD) has long been postulated to be involved in the underlying mechanisms of these disease states, yet full understanding remains elusive. This study utilized an in vitro model of the BBB with b.End3 murine endothelial cells to investigate the role of CSD in BBB pathology by characterizing effects of the release of major pronociceptive substances on BBB functional integrity using TEER screening, transcellular uptake, and immunoreactive methods in concert with global proteome and phospho-proteomic approaches. Findings demonstrated relocalization and functional alteration to proteins associated with the cytoskeleton and endothelial tight junctions. Pathologic mechanisms induced by individual substances released during CSD were found to have unique phosphorylation signatures in phospho-proteome analysis, identifying Zona Occludens 1 as a possible pathologic “checkpoint” of the BBB. Utilizing these phosphorylation signatures, possible novel diagnostic methods may be developed for neurological diseases and warrants further investigation.

This study presents a world review as well as new additional data in form of submerged speleothems that are used for paleo sea level reconstructions. Speleothems significantly contributed to the understanding of the global and regional sea level variations during the Middle and Late Quaternary. The studied speleothems cover the last 1.4 Myr and are focused mainly on Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 1, 2, 3, 5.1, 5.3, 5.5, 7.1, 7.2, 7.3 and 7.5. Results reveal that submerged speleothems represent extraordinary archives providing detailed information on former sea level changes. We present also new results from stalactites collected in central Mediterranean sea, at Favignana and Ustica islands (Sicily, Italy), both characterized by continental, phreatic or marine layers. The study and analysis of the latter speleothems provide results of great interest for relative sea level changes over the last 1000 years.

The severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic has provoked major stresses on the health care systems of several countries, and caused the death of more than a quarter of a million people globally, mainly in the elderly population with pre-existing pathologies. Previous studies with coronavirus (SARS-CoV) point to gender differences in infection and disease progression with increased susceptibility in male patients, indicating that estrogens may be associated with physiological protection against the coronavirus. Therefore, the objectives of this work are threefold. First, we aim to summarize the SARS-CoV-2 infection pathway and the roles both the virus and patient play in COVID-19 (Coronavirus disease 2019) progression, clinical symptomology, and mortality. Second, we detail the effect estrogen has on viral infection and host infection response, including its role in both the regulation of key viral receptor expression and the mediation of inflammatory activity. Finally, we describe how ERs (estrogen receptors) and RAGE (receptor for advanced glycation end-products) play a critical role in metabolic pathways, which we envisage could maintain a close interplay with SARS-CoV and COVID-19 mortality rates, despite a current lack of research directly determining how. Taken together, we present the current state of the field regarding SARS-CoV-2 research and illuminate where research is needed to better define the role both estrogen and metabolic comorbidities have in the COVID-19 disease state, which can be key in screening potential therapeutic options as the search for effective treatments continue.

Loss of function of the hippocampus or frontal cortex is associated with reduced performance on memory tasks in which subjects are incidentally exposed to cues at specific places in the environment and are subsequently asked to recollect the location at which the cue was experienced. Here, we examined the roles of the rodent hippocampus and frontal cortex in cue-directed attention during encoding of memory for the location of a single incidentally experienced cue. During a spatial sensory preconditioning task, rats explored an elevated platform while an auditory cue was incidentally presented at one corner. The opposite corner acted as an unpaired control location. The rats demonstrated recollection of location by avoiding the paired corner after the auditory cue was in turn paired with shock. Damage to either the dorsal hippocampus or the frontal cortex impaired this memory ability. However, we also found that hippocampal lesions enhanced attention directed towards the cue during the encoding phase while frontal cortical lesions reduced cue-directed attention. These results suggest that the deficit in spatial sensory preconditioning caused by frontal cortical damage may be mediated by inattention to the location of cues during the latent encoding phase, while deficits following hippocampal damage must be related to other mechanisms such as generation of neural plasticity.

Child malnutrition is a critical public health concern that significantly hampers children's physical and mental development and has serious economic repercussions. The World Health Organization (WHO) attributes half of all deaths among children under five to malnutrition, with long-term consequences such as lower educational achievement, decreased productivity, and deepened poverty. The economic impact of child malnutrition extends beyond public health, imposing substantial costs on health systems, households, and the broader economy. This study estimated the burden of child malnutrition in Colombia among children up to four years old using a Markov chain model from a societal perspective. The model simulated six health states, integrating direct and indirect costs, with epidemiological data and international literature guiding the transition probabilities. Surveys were conducted with caregivers to assess indirect costs. Results indicated that malnutrition accounted for 419.84 Disability-Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) per 1,000 inhabitants. The total cost of malnutrition over four years was approximately USD 243.58 million, with an annual average cost of USD 60.89 million, with 65% of the burden falling on households. The findings emphasize the significant economic and health burden of child malnutrition, underscoring the importance of early and comprehensive interventions. Investing in child nutrition can improve health outcomes, reduce economic strain, and enhance productivity, making it a crucial priority in health and economic development agendas.