The TROPOMI XCH4 data product requires rigorous cloud filtering to achieve a product accuracy of <1%. To this end, the operational XCH4 data processing has been based on SUOMI-NPP VIIRS cloud observations. However, SUOMI-NPP is nearing at the end of its operational life and has encountered malfunctions in 2022 and 2023. In this study, we introduce a novel machine learning cloud clearing approach based on a random forest classifier (RFC). The RFC is trained on collocated TROPOMI and SUOMI-NPP VIIRS data to emulate VIIRS-like cloud clearing. After training, cloud masking requires only TROPOMI data, and so becomes operationally independent of SUOMI-NPP. We demonstrate the RFC approach by applying cloud clearing to operational TROPOMI XCH4 data for August 2022, a period in which VIIRS was not operational. For validation, we analyze the TROPOMI XCH4 data at 12 TCCON stations. Comparison of cloud clearing using the RFC and the original VIIRS method reveals excellent agreement with a similar station-to-station bias (-7.4 ppb versus -5.6 ppb), a similar standard deviation of the station-to-station bias (11.6 ppb versus 12 ppb), and the same Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.9. Remarkably, the RFC cloud clearing provides a slightly higher volume of data (2182 versus 2035 daily means) and appears to have fewer outliers. Since November 21, 2023, the RFC approach is part of ESA’s operational processing chain. For now the default practice is to utilize SNPP-VIIRS when accessible. Only in cases where VIIRS data is unavailable do we resort to the RFC cloud mask.

Colorectal cancer is the third most common malignancy and the second most lethal malignancy of the general population. Right sided colon cancer is less common than left sided, occurring more frequently in females, and associated with an older age and poor prognosis. Intraabdominal abscess formation is a rare complication from colorectal cancer. Thus, we present a case of a 66-year-old male who presented to the emergency department with 4 days of sudden onset, intractable right lower quadrant abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting. After further evaluation, he was diagnosed with right sided colon adenocarcinoma complicated by peri-colonic abscess formation. He was treated with hemicolectomy without immunotherapy. Considering the scarcity of data concerning colonic abscess formation and colorectal adenocarcinoma, more research is needed on this dual presentation. These authors reinforce that in older patients presenting with acute abdomen, colorectal cancer should be noted as a differential

Dirofilaria immitis infection is one of the most severe parasitic diseases of dogs. Prevention is achieved by the administration of drugs containing macrocyclic lactones (MLs). These products are very safe and highly effective, targeting the third and fourth larval stages (L3, L4) of the parasite. Until 2011, claims of ineffectiveness of MLs, reported as “Lack of Efficacy” (LOE), were generally attributed to owners’ non-compliance, or other reason for inadequate preventative coverage. There was solid argumentation that a resistance problem is not likely to occur because of i) the great extent of refugia, ii) the complexity of resistance development to MLs, and iii) the possible big number of genes involved in resistance selection. Nevertheless, today it is unequivocally proven that ML resistant D. immitis strains exist, at least in the Lower Mississippi region, USA. Accordingly, tools have been developed, to evaluate and confirm the susceptibility status of D. immitis strains. A simple, in-clinic, microfilariae suppression test, 14-28 days after ML administration, and a “decision tree” (algorithm), including compliance and preventatives’ purchase history, and testing gaps, may be applied for assessing any resistant nature of the parasite. On the molecular level, specific SNPs may be used as markers of ML resistance, offering a basis for validation of clinically suspected resistant strains. In Europe, no LOE/resistance claims have been reported so far, and the existing conditions (stray dogs, rich wildlife, majority of owned dogs not on preventive MLs treatment) do not favor selection pressure on the parasites. Considering the genetic basis of resistance and the epizootiological characteristics of D. immitis, ML resistance neither establishes easily nor spreads quickly, a fact confirmed by the current known dispersion of the problem, which is limited. Nevertheless, ML resistance may propagate from an initial geographical point, via animal and vector mobility, to other regions, while it can also emerge as an independent evolutionary process in a new area. For these reasons and considering the current chemoprophylaxis recommendations and increasing use of ML endectoparasiticides as a potential selection pressure, it is important to remain vigilant for timely detection of any ML LOE/resistance, in all continents where D. immitis is enzootic.

In this paper, we introduce a new class of $(p,q)$-analogue type of Fubini numbers and polynomials and investigate some properties of these polynomials. We establish summation formulas of these polynomials by summation techniques series. Furthermore, we consider some relationships for $(p,q)$-Fubini polynomials associated with $(p,q)$-Bernoulli polynomials, $(p,q)$-Euler polynomials and $(p,q)$-Genocchi polynomials and $(p,q)$-Stirling numbers of the second kind.

Non-invasive continuous health monitoring has become feasible with the advancement of biosensors. While monitoring certain biomarkers such as heart rate or skin temperature are now at certain maturity, monitoring molecular biomarkers is still challenging. Progress has been shown in sampling, measurement and interpretation of data towards non-invasive molecular sensors that can be integrated in daily wearable items. Towards this goal, this paper explores the potential of embroidered interdigitated transducer (IDT)-based sensors for non-invasive, continuous monitoring of human biomarkers, particularly glucose levels, in human sweat. The study employs innovative embroidery techniques to create flexible fabric-based sensors with gold-coated IDTs. In controlled experiments, we have shown the variation of glucose concentration in water can be wirelessly detected by tracking the resonant frequency of the embroidered sensors. The current sensors operate at 1.8GHz–2GHz and respond to the change of glucose concentration with a sensitivity of 0.17 MHz/(mg/dl). The embroidered IDT-based sensors with wireless sensing will be a new measurement modality for molecular wearable sensors. The establishment of a wireless sensing mechanism for embroidered IDT-based sensors will be followed by investigation of sweat for molecular detection. This will require adding functionalities for sampling and interpretation of acquired data. We envisage the embroidered IDT-based sensors offer a unique approach for seamless integration into clothing, paving the way for personalised, continuous health data capture.

This work proposes a hollow-core photonic crystal fiber-based edible oil sensor in the terahertz (THz) range (e.g., 1.0THz ≤ f ≤ 3.0THz) and different sensing characteristics are numerically analyzed. The suggested sensor’s performance was assessed by means of COMSOL Multiphysics, a commercial program that uses the finite element approach. The computational results indicate that the relative sensitivity is 85.591%, 84.648%, 82.625%, 82.683%, and 79.161%, respectively, at f = 2.2 THz, for several types of sunflower oil, mustard oil, coconut oil, olive oil and palm oil; and the corresponding effective areas are 7.22×10-8 um2, 7.09×10-8 um2, 6.83×10-8 um2,7.09×10-8 um2, 6.5231 ×10-8 um2. In addition, the effective material loss for sunflower oil, muster oil, coconut oil, olive oil, and palm oil has been found to be 0.02561 cm-1, 0.027054 cm-1, 0.030322 cm-1, 0.028854 cm-1 ,0.035427cm-1 respectively. Moreover, the proposed sensor also has low confinement loss are 1.55×10-8 dB/m, 1.63×10-8 dB/m, 1.31×10-8 dB/m, 1.99×10-8 dB/m, 4.0345×10-8 dB/m.This proposed sensor can be fabricated using extrusion and 3D-printing technologies, and due to its augmented detecting capabilities, it can be a vital part of oil sensing devices implemented in real life such as industry fields.

There are several well-described molecular mechanisms that influence cell growth and are relat-ed to the development of cancer. Chemokines constitute a fundamental element which are not only involved in local growth but also affect angiogenesis, tumor spread and metastatic disease. Among them, the C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) and its specific receptor the chemo-kine C-X-C motif receptor 4 (CXCR4) have been widely studied. The overexpression in cell mem-branes of CXCR4 has been shown to be associated with the development of different kinds of his-tological malignancies, such as adenocarcinomas, epidermoid carcinomas, mesenchymal tumors or neuroendocrine neoplasms (NENs). The molecular synapsis between CXCL12 and CXCR4 leads to the interaction of G proteins and activation of different intracellular signaling pathways in both gastroenteropancreatic (GEP) and bronchopulmonary (BP) NENs conferring greater ca-pacity for locoregional aggressiveness, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and the ap-pearance of metastases. Therefore, it has been hypothesized how to design tools that target this receptor. The aim of this review is to focus on current knowledge of the relationship between CXCR4 and NENs, with a special emphasis on diagnostic and therapeutic molecular targets.

Melatonin is a crucial regulator of plant growth and development as well as stress tolerance. However, we only have a limited understanding of the functions of endogenous melatonin. Tryp-tophan decarboxylase (TDC) serves as the initial rate-limiting enzyme in the melatonin synthesis pathway. Unfortunately, no cucumber TDC gene has been cloned and characterized. In this study, we identified two TDC genes (CsTDC1 and CsTDC2) in the cucumber genome. The subcellular localization analysis indicated CsTDC1 and CsTDC2 are predominantly localized in the cyto-plasm and plasma membrane. Tissue-specific expression analyses revealed that CsTDC1 and CsTDC2 are expressed in both vegetative and reproductive organs. Many cis-elements related to stress, hormone, and light responses as well as development were identified in the CsTDC pro-moter regions. Furthermore, the expression of CsTDC1 and CsTDC2 was strongly induced by treatments with various abiotic stresses and exogenous hormones. The transient overexpression of CsTDC1 and CsTDC2 in tobacco leaves resulted in increases in the TDC activity and melatonin content, which may be related to the enhanced ability of tobacco leaves to tolerate salt, drought, and low-temperature stresses. Notably, the overexpression of CsTDC2 had a more pronounced effect than the overexpression of CsTDC1. Accordingly, both CsTDC genes, but especially CsTDC2, may be important for regulating cucumber growth, development, and stress tolerance. The study findings provide a theoretical basis for future functional analyses of endogenous melatonin in cucumber.

The emergence of prosumers, who actively participate in designing and producing goods, has generated interest in domestically manufactured products. Factors such as innovation, design methods, component reuse, prototyping, and digital fabrication empower prosumer designers to realize their ideas and enhance products to meet their specific design requirements. This article presents a case that combines bioinspired design methods with prosumer characteristics from the perspective of a designer who uses biological research results acting as a prosumer. By analyzing prosumer needs, bioinspired design, and domestic fabrication requirements, designers define the methods that best suit their possibilities. As a result of using biological information, the geometry of Samara seeds, propeller sizing, wind tunnel tests, and subsequent improvements, the custom design of a bioinspired microgenerator has been refined to the final design of a bicycle flashlight. The aim is to popularize a working approach that facilitates the interaction of design methods and reinforces domestic manufacturing processes. Implementing bioinspired design methods within the prosumer context offers a methodological alternative to transform the current economic model, promoting systemic sustainability and the development of proprietary technologies.

In our previous papers, we demonstrated that inflammation and aging are the common roots of cancer and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In both diseases, there is an inhibition of the mitochondria. In cancer, the alkaline intracellular pH (pHi) is associated with cell proliferation; acidic pHi causes apoptosis in AD. This difference is because cancer feeds on chemically neutral glucose, while neurons feed on acidic lactic acid. Increased uptake of lactic acid is responsible for acidic pH and cell death. Similarly, to AD, inflammation is responsible for metabolic shifts in age-related macular degeneration (AMD). In AD, there is hyperosmolarity responsible for increased lactic secretion by glial cells. Increased lactic secretion will cause neo-angiogenesis and neural cell death. Drugs increasing hyperosmolarity (Polyethylene Glycol) cause neo-angiogenesis and drusen-like structures in rodents. The link between AMD and inflammation is reinforced by the fact that treatments aiming at restoring mitochondrial activity, such as lipoic acid and/or methylene blue, have been experimentally shown to be effective in each set of diseases. The role of osmolarity has been demonstrated in the pathologies of the anterior segment of the eye, such as dry eye, corneal ulceration, cataracts, and glaucoma. The role of increased osmolarity in age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been largely overlooked. We herein suggest that metabolic shift, inflammation, and hyperosmolarity are key players in the pathogenesis of AMD.

Staphylococcus aureus and coagulase-negative staphylococci account for about 80% of infections associated with medical devices and are associated with increased virulence due to their ability to form biofilm. In this study, we aimed to construct a comprehensive reference map followed by significant pathway analysis in the proteome of S. aureus biofilm grown for 3-days as compared with 24 h planktonic using a high-resolution TMT based MS. We identified proteins associated with secondary metabolites, ABC transporters, biosynthesis of amino acids, response to stress, and amino sugar and nucleotide sugar metabolism were significantly upregulated in the 3-day biofilm. In contrast, proteins associated with virulence factors, microbial metabolism in diverse environments, translation, and energy metabolism were significantly downregulated. GO functional annotation indicated that more proteins are involved in metabolic processes, catalytic activity, and binding in biofilm, respectively. Among the significantly dysregulated proteins, hyaluronidase (hysA) in conjunction with chitinase may play a significant role in the elimination and/or prevention of biofilm development. This study advances the current S. aureus subproteomes, identified potential pathways significant to biofilm biology and helped to understand their potential role in S. aureus which may shed light on developing new therapeutic regimes including antibiofilm agents in the treatment of biofilm-infections related with implantable medical devices.

A decanter centrifuge has been employed to successfully separated phosphoric acid and rare-earth-element (REE)-containing particles from phosphoric acid sludge with concentrations ranging from 1,000 to 2,200 ppm REEs. Operating efficiently with up to 35 wt.% solids, the centrifuge was demonstrated to achieve approximately 95% phosphoric acid recovery and 90% REEs recovery in a single pass, eliminating the need for additional processing steps. This breakthrough supports a proposed REEs oxide recovery process integrating phosphoric acid (PA), elemental phosphorus (P4), and REEs into two potential pathways: PA-REO and PA-P4-REO. These processes aim to reintroduce recovered phosphoric acid into the main product to significantly increase output and revenue. Post-separation, phosphorus-rich particles can be converted to P4, while REEs-containing solids undergo further treatment including acid leaching, extraction/stripping, precipitation, and calcination to produce a marketable rare-earth oxide (REO) material. Techno-economic analysis indicates promising profitability, with the PA-REO process showing a delta net present value (∆NPV) of $441.8 million and an expected return within a year of construction, while the PA-P4-REO process yields a ∆NPV of $178.7 million over a 12-year return period. Both pathways offer robust financial prospects and demonstrate the feasibility of commercial-scale REEs recovery from phosphoric acid sludge.

Passion fruit is a valued tropical fruit crop that faces environment-related growth strains. TCP genes are important for both growth modulation and stress prevention in plants. Herein, we systematically analyzed the TCP gene family in passion fruit, recognizing 30 members. Genes exhibiting closer phylogenetic relationships exhibited similar protein and gene structures. Gene members of the TCP family showed developmental stage or tissue-specific expression profiles during the passion fruit life cycle. Transcriptome data also demonstrated that many PeTCPs showed induced expression in response to hormonal treatments and cold, heat, and salt stress. Based on transcriptomics data, eight candidate genes were chosen for preferential gene expression confirmation under cold stress conditions. Additionally, four TCP genes exhibited in silico binding with cold stress-related miRNA319s. This study will aid in the establishment of novel germplasm, as well as the further investigation of the roles of PeTCPs and their cold stress resistance characteristics.

Poikilodermatous plaque-like hemangioma (PPH) is a recently described clinical and pathological entity, with only 18 cases reported in the literature. Although uncommon, this benign condition presents consistent clinical and histological findings. We present a new case of PPH in an 81-year-old male and review the existing literature. The persistence over time and the need to distinguish PPH from more significant lesions underscore the importance of its clinical and pathological recognition.

The present work aims to characterize the mechanical behavior of a new composite material for the conservation and development of the vast historical and architectural heritage that is particularly vulnerable to environmental and seismic actions. The new composite consists of natural hydraulic lime (NHL) -based mortar, reinforced by sisal short fibers randomly oriented in the mortar matrix. The NHL-based mortar ensures the chemical-physical compatibility with the original feature of the historical masonry structures (mostly in stone and clay) aiming to pursue both the effectiveness and durability of the intervention. The use of vegetable fibers (i.e. the sisal one) is an exciting challenge for the construction industry since they require a lower degree of industrialization for their processing, and therefore, their costs are also low, as compared to the most common synthetic/metal fibers. Beams of sisal-composite sizing 160x40x40 mm3 with a central notch are tested in three-point bending, aiming to evaluate both their bending strength and fracture energy. Also, tensile tests and compressive tests were performed on the composite samples, while water retention test and slump test were performed on the fresh mix. Finally, the tensile tests on the Sisal strand were carried out to evaluate the tensile strength of both strand and wire. A final comparison with unreinforced mortar specimens shows that the proposed composite ensures great workability and good performances in term of ductility and strength and it can be considered a promising alternative to the classic fiber-reinforcing systems.

Laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) is the gold standard in the surgical correction of refractive errors on the cornea. It entails the creation of a superficial hinged corneal flap by a femtosecond laser, ablation of the underlying stromal bed by an excimer laser, and reposition of the flap. The corneal flap can be build in a 2-dimension (2D) fashion with tapered edges, or in a 3-dimension (3D) fashion, with angled sidecut. The latter reduces the risk of flap dislocation and infiltration of epithelial cells. This retrospective study compares with optical coherence tomography 3D and 2D flaps, and respective intra- and early post-operative complications. Four hundred consecutive eyes were included, 200 for each group. In the 3D group, the mean edge angle was 92°. The procedure was in average 5.2 seconds slower in the 3D group (p=0). Non visually significant flap folds were found in 13 eyes of the 2D group and in 7 eyes of the 3D group (p= 0.17). An intracorneal opaque bubble layer induced by laser photodisruption was more commonly observed in the 3D group (9 eyes vs. 2; p=0.03). In conclusion, the creation of a LASIK flap by a 3D-femtosecond laser cut was safe and effective.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, the circulation of non–SARS-CoV-2 respiratory viruses changed throughout the world. This study aimed to analyze the effect of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), metapneumovirus (MPV), rhinovirus (RV), and parainfluenza (PIV)-3 single infection, dual co-infection, and viral load on cytokine and chemokine expression in 300 Mexican patients with ARIs negative for SARS-CoV-2. Molecular detection and viral load were performed by RT-qPCR. Cytokine and chemokine expression was determined in samples positive for single RSV, MPV, RV, or PIV-3 infection, and in the most frequent dual co-infections, by a cytokine panel using a magnetic-bead-based multiplex immunoassay. Of the patients positive for viral infection, 91.7% had a single infection and 8.3% had dual co-infections. In this study, RSV was the respiratory virus with the highest prevalence, and the most common dual co-infection was RV+RSV. On the other hand, RV infections had the highest viral loads compared to the other viruses detected. FGF basic, MIP-1α IL-8, IP-10, MCP-1, IFN-γ, and RANTES showed differential expression between single infections and dual co-infections compared to healthy patients. We report, for the first time, the circulation of non-SARS-CoV-2 viruses in the south of Mexico and the cytokine and chemokine profiles associated with these viruses.

Introduction- The dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 shedding and replication in humans remain incompletely understood. Methods- We analyzed SARS-CoV-2 shedding from multiple sites in individuals with an acute COVID-19 infection by weekly sampling for five weeks in 98 immunocompetent and 25 immunosuppressed individuals. Samples and culture supernatants were tested by RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 to determine viral clearance rates and in vitro replication. Results- A total of 2447 clinical specimens were evaluated, including 557 nasopharyngeal swabs, 527 saliva samples, 464 urine specimens, 437 anal swabs and 462 blood samples. The SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences at each site were classified as belonging to the B.1.128 (ancestral strain) or Gamma lineage. SARS CoV-2 detection was highest in nasopharyngeal swabs regardless of the virus strain involved or the immune status of infected individuals. The duration of viral shedding varied between clinical specimens and individual patients. Prolonged shedding of potentially infectious virus varied from 10 days up to 191 days, and primarily occurred in immunosuppressed individuals. Virus was isolated in culture from 18 nasal swab or saliva samples collected 10 or more days after onset of disease. Conclusions-Our findings indicate that persistent SARS-CoV-2 shedding may occur in both competent or immunosuppressed individuals, at multiple clinical sites and in a minority of subjects is capable of in vitro replication.

Over the last decade, a significant literature has emerged that advocates the potential of different Additive manufacturing (AM) technologies and printable polymeric materials. Nevertheless, large scale printing and complex geometric shapes, with curvatures and non-planar layer deposition, are a challenging process for the traditional gantry-based machine. The 3 degrees of freedom cartesian configuration restricted their capability to planar layered printing and restricted part dimensions. To date, many researchers have used industrial robots to overcomes this limitation. This review gives the reader a good overview of the FDM technique due to its scalability, cost efficiency and a wide range of material printability. A strong emphasis is laid on the PLA and PLA-based composites as promising materials for the FDM process applications. The second part of this paper links the successful use of these materials in the traditional printing process to large scale printing using the robot-based FDM process. This survey presents representative setups for robot-based AM and works that have been used these setups for non-planar material deposition. Finally, we conclude this paper by identifying opportunities for realizing new functional capabilities by exploiting robot-based AM, and we also present the future trends in this area.

Abstract: We present a technological analysis of the architectonic complex associated with a firing structure (locally named fogón) on top of the Pirámide Mayor, the largest pyramid in Caral. This Archaic Period society flourished between ca 2,700 and 2,000 cal B.C. and was located near the Pacific Ocean on the north-central coast of present-day Peru. All approaches employed in this study demonstrated that the corridor with antechamber and duct on top of Pirámide Mayor of Caral was a sophisticated ventilation system capable of providing between 3,000 and 18,000 liters of air per minute for combustion in the attached fogón. The analysis indicates that ventilating the fogón must have been a major consideration in deciding a) the construction of the pyramid, b) locating the structure at the edge of a natural alluvial terrace, and c) orientating the pyramid towards the then contemporary prevailing winds. Results from the analysis of this fogón support practical decisions made by the builders and challenge the assumption that religion or politics were the only considerations in American pyramid building. It also indicates that a complex device, capable to delivering the considerable airflows reported in this study was within the reach of an archaic society in ancient Peru. The application of this structure to the production of a remarkably high thermal output and its implications on the knowledge of ancient Americans will be discussed in a following companion article.

Based upon 30-years of research by the author a new approach to hospital bed planning and international benchmarking is proposed. The number of hospital beds per 1000 population is commonly used to compare international bed numbers. This method is flawed because it does not consider population age structure or the effect of nearness-to-death on hospital utilization. Deaths are also serving as a proxy for wider bed demand arising from undetected outbreaks of 3000 species of human pathogens. To remedy this problem a new approach to bed modelling has been developed which plots beds per 1000 deaths against deaths per 1000 population. Lines of equivalence can be drawn on the plot to delineate countries with higher or lower bed supply. This method is extended to attempt to define the optimum region for bed supply in an effective health care system. England is used as an example of a health system descending into operational chaos due to too few beds and manpower. The former Soviet bloc countries represent a health system overly dependent on hospital beds. Several countries also show evidence for over-utilization of hospital beds. The new method is used to define a potential range for bed supply and manpower where the current most effective health systems currently reside. The method is applied to total curative beds, medical beds, psychiatric beds, critical care, geriatric care, etc., and can also be used to compare different types of healthcare staff, i.e., nurses, physicians, surgeons. Issues surrounding the optimum hospital size and the optimum average occupancy will also be discussed. The role of poor policy in the English NHS is used to show how the NHS has been led into a bed crisis. The method is also extended beyond international benchmarking to illustrate how it can be applied at a local or regional level in the process of long-term bed planning. Issues regarding the volatility in hospital admissions are also addressed to explain the need for surge capacity and why an adequate average bed occupancy margin is required for an optimally functioning hospital.

This study investigated clinical nurses’ knowledge and visual differentiation ability of the pressure injury classification system (PICS) and incontinence-associated dermatitis (IAD), additionally analyzing possible influencing factors. A convenience sample of 248 nurses took the PICS and IAD knowledge test (KT) and completed the visual differentiation ability test (VDAT), consisting of 21 photographs with clinical information. The overall mean score for correct answers was 12.65±2.90 points in PICS & IAD KT and 11.43±4.57 points in VDAT. Incorrect responses were most common for statements related to stage Ⅱ, Ⅲ, IAD for PICS & IAD KT, and deep tissue pressure injury (DTPI), unstageable, and stage Ⅲ for VDAT. Significant correlations were found between PICS & IAD KT and VDAT (r=.252, p<.001). Factors affecting scores for VDAT were the scores of PICS & IAD KT, debridement experience in nursing patients with PI, and the management frequency of PI and IAD. Results indicate that nurses have an overall understanding of PICS and IAD, but low visual differentiation ability regarding stage Ⅲ, DTPI, and unstageable PI. Continuing education is needed to further improve knowledge and visual differentiation ability for PICS and IAD.

Background: Alfalfa, the most economically important forage legume worldwide, features modest genetic progress due to long selection cycles and large extent of non-additive genetic variance associated with its autotetraploid genome. Methods: To improve the efficiency of genomic selection in alfalfa, we explored the effects of genome parametrization (as autotetraploid and diploid dosage, plus allele ratios) and SNP marker subsetting (all available SNPs; only genic regions; only non-genic regions) on genomic regressions, together with various levels of filtering on reading depth and missing rates. We used Genotyping by Sequencing-generated data and focused on traits of different genetic complexity, i.e., dry biomass yield in moisture-favorable (FE) and drought stress (SE) environments, leaf size, and onset of flowering, assessed on 143 genotyped plants from a genetically-broad European reference population and their phenotyped half-sib progenies. Results: On average, allele ratio improved the predictive ability compared with other genome parametrizations (+7.9% vs. tetraploid dosage, +12.6% vs. diploid dosage), SNP subsetting offered an advantage compared with any tested subsettings (+3.7% vs. genic regions, +7.6% vs. non-genic regions). However, when focusing on specific traits, different combinations of genome parametrization and subsetting reached better performances. We also released Legpipe2, a SNP calling pipeline tailored for reduced representation (GBS, RAD) medium-sized genotyping experiments.

Coronary no-reflow (CNR) is a frequent phenomenon that develops in patients with ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) following reperfusion therapy. CNR is highly dynamic and develops gradually (over hours) and persists for days to weeks after reperfusion. Microvascular obstruction (MVO) developing as a consequence of myocardial ischemia, distal embolization and reperfusion-related injury is the main pathophysiological mechanism of CNR. The frequency of CNR or MVO after primary PCI differs widely depending on the sensitivity of the tools used for diagnosis and timing of examination. Coronary angiography is readily available and most convenient to diagnose CNR but it is highly conservative and underestimates the true frequency of CNR. Cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging is the most sensitive method to diagnose MVO and CNR that provides information on the presence, localization and extent of MVO. CMR imaging detects intramyocardial hemorrhage and accurately estimates the infract size. MVO and CNR markedly negate the benefits of reperfusion therapy and contribute to poor clinical outcomes including adverse remodeling of left ventricle, worsening or new congestive heart failure and reduced survival. Despite extensive research and the use of therapies that target almost all known pathophysiological mechanisms of CNR, no therapy has been found that prevents or reverses CNR and provides consistent clinical benefit in patients with STEMI undergoing reperfusion. Currently the prevention or alleviation of MVO and CNR remain unmet goals in the therapy of STEMI that continue to be under intense research.

The double burden of malnutrition (DBM) is escalating in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), including in Rwanda, most notably in urbanizing areas. The 2019-2020 Rwanda Demographic Health Survey (DHS) revealed 33% of children under 5 are stunted while 42% of women in urban areas are overweight or obese. This coexistence has contributed to a surge in non-communicable diseases (NCDs), particularly in secondary cities. Using the World Health Organization’s (WHOs) “double-duty action” (DDA) concept, this study aims to identify and evaluate interventions with double-duty potential in Rwanda, focusing on the districts of Rusizi and Rubavu. Guided by Hawkes et al.’s conceptual framework for identifying DDA entry points, a desk review of national policies pinpointed 4 programs with DDA potential: early childhood development (ECD) centers, the school feeding program, farmer field schools (FFS), and the provision of nutrition-sensitive direct support. In-person interviews with key stakeholders assessed their implementation and a Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats (SWOT) analysis informed context-specific recommendations for their improvement. Recommendations include targeting beliefs surrounding nutrition, improving trainings for community educators, enhancing parent – particularly father – involvement, and close follow-up. These findings offer actionable strategies for governments and nutrition stakeholders and may benefit similar interventions in other rapidly urbanizing LMICs.

Wave propagation in buildings analyzed from its response to earthquakes can be applied for tracking the dynamic characteristics changes based on impulse response functions. The velocity of traveling shear-waves and intrinsic attenuation in buildings can be retrieved for buildings. It is an approach of importance for system identification. The Factor Building at the University of California, Los Angeles campus (henceforth referred as the UCLA Factor Building), an instrumented 15-story steel-moment frame structure, are selected for dynamic response characteristics identification. They are inferred from wave propagation using seismic interferometry for recorded motions. The deconvolved waves are used to compute shear wave travel time and wave attenuation. The natural logarithm for the envelopes of the waveforms deconvolved with the signal at the basement constrains the attenuation. The waveforms from deconvolution with the motion at the basement suggest the fundamental mode of the building. The frequency and decay with time constrain the shear velocity and attenuation as well. The velocity are measured using arrival times picked from these deconvolved waves and the average velocity is 147.1 m/s. The quality factor is equal to 10.8 with the damping ratio at 5%. The shear wave velocity and damping ratio estimated from the deconvolved waves have a good match with these inferred from the waveforms deconvolved with the basement recording. This consistency suggests that wave deconvolution can be applied to extract the building response from the excitation and ground coupling. Based on the resonant frequencies and damping ratio, the finite element model of the building is updated. This study implies that wave deconvolution is powerful to extract the building dynamic characteristics. It helps to better the understanding of the dynamic response of buildings to earthquakes.

This paper presents the development of an analytical model of Microelectromechanical Systems (MEMS) internal vibrating ring gyroscope. The internal ring structure consists of eight semicircular beams that are attached to the externally placed anchors. The research work analyses the vibrating ring gyroscope inplane displacement behavior and the resulting elliptical vibrational modes. The elliptical vibrational modes appear as pairs with the same resonance frequency due to the symmetric structure of the design. The analysis commences by conceptualizing the ring as a geometric structure with a circular shape, possessing specific dimensions such as thickness, height, and radius. We construct a linear model that characterizes the vibrational dynamics of the internal vibrating ring. The analysis develops a comprehensive mathematical formulation for the radial and tangential displacements in local polar coordinates, considering the inextensional displacement of the ring structure. By utilizing the derived motion equations, we highlight the underlying relationships driving the vibrational characteristics of the MEMS vibrating ring gyroscope. These dynamic vibrational relationships are essential in enabling the vibrating ring gyroscope's future utilization in accurate navigation and motion sensing technologies.

Acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM) is an inflammatory demyelinating disorder of the white matter. Pathophysiology is thought to be immune mediated as in most cases the condition follows an infection or triggering incident. More recent literature has demonstrated that there may be a link between autoimmune conditions and ADEM. Here we present a case of ADEM in a middle-aged woman with systemic lupus erythematosus that recovered well after treatment with corticosteroids and Rituximab.

This study aims to explore the E-marketing orientations and relationship management constructs in Jordanian startup enterprises to examine their influence on brand visibility and loyalty in the context of the digital market . The sample consists of 161 managers in startup companies, and structural equation modeling is used to study the relationships between the constructs of e-marketing orientation, capabilities, E-relationship management, brand visibility, and loyalty. The results illustrate that the realization of e-marketing orientation is directly achieved by capabilities and visibility, thereby stressing the importance of a formulated digital market approach and that the realization of effective e-relationship management directly expression by e-marketing capabilities, demonstrating the significance of the digital market concept’s approach. The results further demonstrate that e-marketing capabilities and visibility serve as mediators between the realization of e-marketing orientations and loyalty, Two explanations may be drawn, one from the R resource-Based View theory, and another derived from R elationship M arketing T heory Thus, the study has theoretical implications in terms of R esource-Based V iew and R elationship M arketing T heory. The study offers essential managerial insights for practitioners into the entrepreneurship domain concerned with the necessity of e-marketing capabilities and E-RM attitudes at a customer-centered approach and the strategic application of digital channels to enhance visibility in the intense competition context. Therefore, the empirical results have contributions as essential insights for both stakeholders and account for practical, theoretical, and managerial perspectives in the entrepreneurship domain.

A flat-plate unglazed solar water heater (SWH) with polymer thermal absorber was developed and tested. Polymer thermal absorber as a viable alternative to metal thermal absorber that is found in most SWH systems. The performance of this polymer SWH system is measured based on inlet and outlet water temperature, water flowrate, ambient air temperature and solar irradiance. The polymer thermal absorbers are hollow Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipes with 20mm external diameter and 3 mm thick, painted in black to enhance radiation absorption. The pipes are arranged in a rectangular spiral inward-outward opposing-flow (RSioof). The collector pipes are placed in a 1 m2 square enclosure with bottom insulation and reflective surface for better radiation capture. Water circulation is a closed loop with a 16-liter uninsulated storage tank, driven by a pump and controlled by valves to maintain a mass flow rate of 0.00031 to 0.00034 kg/s. The test was conducted under partially clouded sky from 9 am to 5 pm, with solar irradiance between 105 and 1003 W/m2 and 27-36oC ambient air temperature. The SHW produced outlet hot water at 65oC by mid-day and maintained the storage temperature at 63oC until the end of test duration. Photo-thermal energy conversion was recorded with 23% maximum value. Results indicate that a flat plate solar water heater with polymer thermal absorber in RSioof design can be an effective alternative to the metal thermal absorber solar water heater and can be further optimized with glazing and tube sizing.

This study advances the field of infectious disease forecasting by introducing a novel approach to micro-level contact modeling, leveraging human movement patterns to generate realistic temporal dynamic networks. Through the incorporation of human mobility models and parameter tuning, this research presents an innovative method for simulating micro-level encounters that closely mirror infection dynamics within confined spaces. Central to our methodology is the application of Bayesian optimization for parameter selection, which refines our models to emulate both the properties of real-world infection curves and the characteristics of network properties. By focusing on the distinct aspects of infection propagation within confined spaces, our approach significantly improves the realism of temporal-dynamic contact networks, offering a powerful tool for assessing the impact of specific locations on pandemic dynamics. The resulting models shed light on the role of spatial encounters in disease spread and strengthen the capability to forecast and respond to infectious disease outbreaks. This work not only contributes to the scientific understanding of micro-level transmission patterns but also offers practical insights for public health strategies and digital contact tracing efforts, aiming at more effective intervention and containment measures during pandemics.

Recently, the composite materials consisting of ionic liquids (ILs) and metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted a great of attention due to their fantastic properties. Many theoretical studies have been performed towards its special structures and applications. Yet, the mechanism for the diffusion of ILs inside MOFs channels still remain unclear. Here, the DFT calculations together with frontier orbital analysis, natural charge analysis, and energy decomposition analysis were performed to investigate the diffusion behavior of a typical IL, [C4mim][PF6], into the ZIF-8 SOD cage. The potential energy surface (PES) profiles indicate that it is quite difficult for the cation [C4min]+ to diffuse into the cage of ZIF-8 through the pristine pores because of its large imidazole steric hindrance. Moreover, the PES reveals that a success diffusion could be obtained by the thermal contributions, by which the pore size is enlarged through the swing effects at a higher temperature. Subsequently, electronic structure analyses reveal that the main interactions between [PF6]-or [C4mim]+ and ZIF-8 is the steric repulsion interactions. Finally, the effects of amounts of [C4mim][PF6]on the ZIF-8 were investigated, and the results show that two pairs of [C4mim][PF6] per SOD cage is more reasonable in terms of interaction energies and structural changes.

Surface roughness prediction is a pivotal aspect of the manufacturing industry, as it directly influences product quality and process optimization. This study introduces a predictive model for surface roughness in the turning of complex-structured workpieces, utilizing Gaussian Process Regression (GPR) informed by vibration signals. The model captures parameters from both the time and frequency domains of the turning tool, encompassing the mean, median, standard deviation (STD), and root mean square (RMS) values. The signal is from the time to frequency domain is executed using Welch's method, complemented by time-frequency domain analysis employing three levels of Daubechies Wavelet Packet Transform (WPT). The selected features are then utilized as inputs for the GPR model to forecast surface roughness. Empirical evidence indicates that the GPR model can accurately predict the surface roughness of turned complex-structured workpieces. This predictive strategy has the potential to improve product quality, streamline manufacturing processes, and minimize waste within the industry.

Supervised land-use/land-cover (LULC) classifications are typically conducted using class assignment rules derived from a set of multiclass training samples. Consequently, classification accuracy varies with the training data set and is thus associated with uncertainty. In this study, we propose a bootstrap resampling and reclassification approach that can be applied for assessing not only the uncertainty in classification results of the bootstrap-training data sets, but also the classification uncertainty of individual pixels in the study area. Two measures of pixel-specific classification uncertainty, namely the maximum class probability and Shannon entropy, were derived from the class probability vector of individual pixels and used for the identification of unclassified pixels. Unclassified pixels that are identified using the traditional chi-square threshold technique represent outliers of individual LULC classes, but they are not necessarily associated with higher classification uncertainty. By contrast, unclassified pixels identified using the equal-likelihood technique are associated with higher classification uncertainty and they mostly occur on or near the borders of different land-cover.

An abundance of natural resources is both an opportunity and a challenge for developing countries. Several resource-rich, low-income countries receive amounts of foreign aid that are similar to or larger than their actual or potential revenues from natural resources. In such countries, the donors may have an opportunity to help a government to use its resource revenues productively and minimize the magnitude of risks created by resource rents. Development of aid instruments tailored for such purposes might be helped by model-based analysis of the effects of foreign aid on resource-rich, low-income economies and its interactions with the flows of natural resource revenues. This paper develops a growth model à la Barro in which the government receives windfalls (from natural resources and foreign aid) and rent-seeking agents contest for public funds. The key conclusion is that making aid countercyclical helps to achieve higher economic growth, and so does conditioning disbursements on enhancement of public capital. Introducing elements of insurance in the design of both aid products financing investments in infrastructure and social services and supporting policy and institutional reforms may help to achieve both of these objectives.

Phelipanche ramosa is a root parasitic plant fully dependent on host plants for nutrition and development. Once germinated, the parasitic seedling develops inside of the infected roots a specific organ, the haustorium, thanks to notably cell wall degrading enzymes of haustorial intrusive cells and induced modifications in host’s cell walls. The model plant Arabidopsis thaliana is susceptible to P. ramosa, thus mutants in cell wall metabolism, notably in pectin remodeling like Atpme3-1, are of interest in studying the involvement of cell wall degrading host’s enzymes in establishment of the plant-plant interaction. Host-parasite co-cultures in mini-rhizotrons systems revealed that parasite attachments are twice more numerous and tubercle growth is quicker on Atpme3-1 roots than on WT roots. When compared to the WT, increase in susceptibility in the mutant is associated to reduction in PME activity in roots and to lowering in the degree of pectin methylation at the host-parasite interface, as detected immunohistochemically in infected roots. In addition, both WT and Atpme3-1 responded to infestation by modulations in expression of PAE and PME encoding genes and in global related enzymes activities in roots, before and after parasite attachment. However, modulations differ in WT and Atpme3-1 and this may contribute to different pectin remodeling in roots and contrasted susceptibility to P. ramosa. By this integrative study, we could define a model of the cell wall response to this particular biotic stress and indicate for the first time the role of PME3 in this parasitic plant-plant interaction.

Community engagement in climate action and adaptation planning is an essential prerequisite for overcoming existing and projected environmental injustices associated with the negative impacts of climate change. Diversity and inclusion of stakeholders are crucial for addressing equity both in the development and implementation of local climate plans. Our study attempts to evaluate and compare consideration of equity in climate action and climate adaptation plans of Michigan cities and its association with a diversity of stakeholders involved in the planning process. Data analysis is based on the content of eight municipal climate action and/or climate adaptation plans, related documents, and interviews with city planners along with community activists. Data derived from climate action and adaptation plans were also compared to the strategies outlined in the Tribal Climate Adaptation Menu, which integrates climate science and indigenous knowledge. The study concludes that municipalities that engage more diverse groups of stakeholders appear to be more attentive to social equity and more likely to offer specific climate action and adaptation measures focusing on vulnerable groups. Integration of indigenous knowledge could provide valuable insights for municipalities through collaboration with tribal communities and climate adaptation experts.

This article presents research on selected materials with the aim of determining their rare earth element (REE) content and attempting to intensify it. The test material was coal slurry, which is a waste product from the operation of a preparation plant of a closed coal mine. Research on REE concentration intensification tests was carried out using magnetic separation. Laboratory analyses determining the REE content in the samples obtained, were carried out using the inductively coupled plasma ionisation mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique. Carrying out this research by the KOMAG Institute of Mining Technology, is a continuation of work related to making mining waste economically useful and determining a new source of REE recovery. Previous research and development work showed REE content (scandium 40.49 ppm) in the coal slurries studied. The result of the work carried out is the determination of the economic utility of REE recovery from the studied waste.

Facade elements are known to represent a building component with multiple performance parameters to satisfy. Among others, “advanced facades” take advantage of hybrid solutions, like the assemblage of laminated materials. In addition to enhanced mechanical properties that are typical of optimally composed hybrid structural components, these systems are energy-efficient, durable, and offer lightening comfort and optimal thermal performance. This is the case of the structural solution developed in joint research efforts of the University of Zagreb and the University of Ljubljana, within the Croatian Science Foundation VETROLIGNUM project. The design concept involves the mechanical interaction of timber and glass load-bearing members, without sealing or bonded glass-to-timber surfaces. Laminated glass infilled timber frames are recognized as a new generation of structural members with relevant load-carrying capacity (and especially the enhancement of earthquake resistance of framed systems), but also energy-efficient and cost-effective solutions.

In order to study the effects of irradiation on the physicochemical properties and digestion behavior of chickpea protein, chickpea protein concentrate (CPC) was treated with electron beam irradiation (EBI) at doses of 5, 10, 15 and 20 kGy, respectively. After irradiation, protein solubility first increased at 10 kGy and 15 kGy, and then decreased at higher dose of 20 kGy. This was supported by SDS-PAGE where the intensity of major protein bands first increased and then decreased. Increased does of EBI generally led to greater oxidative modification of proteins in CPC, indicated by reduced sulfhydryls and increased carbonyls. In addition, protein structure was modified by EBI shown by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy analysis where α-helix generally decreased and β-sheet increased. Although the protein digestibility was not significantly affected by EBI, the peptidomic analysis of the digests revealed significant difference among CPC irradiated with varying doses. A total of 337 peptides were identified from CPC irradiated with 0 kGy, 10 kGy and 20 kGy, respectively, with 18 overlapping peptides and 60, 29 and 40 peptides specific to the groups of 0, 10 and 20 kGy respectively. Theoretical calculation showed that the distribution of peptide length, hydrophobicity, net charge, and C-terminal residues were affected by irradiation. The 2, 2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) radical scavenging activity showed a marginal decrease with increasing dose of irradiation. In conclusion, EBI led to oxidative modification and structural changes of the chickpea protein, which subsequently affected the physicochemical properties of peptides obtained from in-vitro digestion of CPC despite of similar digestibility.

Background. Moral distress (MD) and Burnout of Health Care Personnel (HCP) were extensively studied during the pandemic. However, little information is available about their prevalence after its decline. This study assesses the prevalence of MD, and burnout after the decline of the pandemic. Methods. The British Medical Association questionnaire referring to MD and the Maslach Burnout questionnaire were addressed to the hospital’s personnel. Results. 516 valid questionnaires were included in the study. Nurses’ participation rate was 67% and doctors 41%. MD was identical among doctors and nurses 73,8%, and in decremental order factors contributing to MD are insufficient staff, mental fatigue, and physical fatigue. Participants believe that more staff, less bureaucracy, and greater emotional support would alleviate MD. Doctors score higher than nurses for lack of time to give sufficient support to patients and public health decisions affecting communities. To alleviate MD, doctors ask for more ethical and legal support, more funding and working fewer hours. Nurses score high on emotional exhaustion and depersonalization. Conclusions. MD and burnout persist among HCP after the decline of the pandemic. Participants believe that institutional and public health decisions would help alleviate MD. Leaders and institutions must provide more supportive environments to moderate MD.

Patients with Multiple Myeloma have an increased susceptibility to severe infections due to several various factors, especially the high tumor burden. The use of the anti-CD38 monoclonal antibodies-based therapies has changed the frequency and epidemiology of infections. We report herein the safety profile of the pivotal clinical trials conducted with anti-CD38 mAbs (daratumumab and isatuximab) and anti-SLAMF7 mAbs (elotuzumab) that led to the approval of regimens employed today in NDMM and RRMM patients.

Pediatric interventional cardiology procedures are essential in diagnosing and treating congenital heart disease in children; however, they raise concerns about potential radiation exposure. Managing radiation doses and assessing image quality in angiographs becomes imperative for safe and effective interventions. This systematic review aims to comprehensively analyze the current understanding of physical image quality metrics relevant for characterizing X-ray systems used in fluoroscopy-guided pediatric cardiac interventional procedures, considering the main factors reported in the literature that influence this outcome. A search in Scopus and Web of Science, using relevant keywords and inclusion/exclusion criteria, yielded fourteen relevant articles published between 2000 and 2022. The physical image quality metrics reported were noise, signal-to-noise ratio, contrast, contrast-to-noise ratio, and high contrast spatial resolution. Various factors influencing image quality were investigated, such as polymethyl methacrylate thickness (often used to simulate water equivalent tissue thickness), operation mode, anti-scatter grid presence and tube voltage. Objective evaluations using these metrics ensure impartial assessments for main factors affecting image quality, improving in the characterization fluoroscopic X-ray systems, and aiding informed decisions to safeguard pediatric patients during procedures.

X-ray fluorescence is largely employed in the measurement of the thickness of coatings. Despite of its diffusion, the task is not straightforward because of the complex physics involved that results in high dependence on matrix effects. Thickness quantification is in practice accomplished using the Fundamental Parameters approach, adjusted with empirical measurements of standards with known composition and thickness. This approach has two major drawbacks: i) there are no standards for any possible coating and coating architecture and ii) even relying on standards, the quantification of unknown samples requires the precise knowledge of the matrix nature (e.g., in case of multilayer coatings the thickness and the composition of each underlayer). In this work, we describe a semiquantitative approach to coatings thickness measurement based on the construction of calibration curves through simulated XRF spectra built with Monte Carlo simulations. Simulations have been performed with the freeware software XMI-MSIM. We have assessed the accuracy of the methods by comparing the results with those obtained by i) XRF thickness determination with standards and ii) FIB-SEM cross-sectioning. Then we evaluated which parameters are critical in this kind of indirect thickness measurements.

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of malignant tumors worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. According to the latest report from the World Health Organization, breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer, becoming the most diagnosed cancer globally. Herein, a systematic, quantitative, and visual analysis of the scientific achievements in natural products research and development for breast cancer over the past 30 years is presented. The study utilizes bibliometric and knowledge graph visualization techniques to analyze the trends, co-occurrence of keywords, cooperative networks, cited literature, and research hotspots in the field. The analysis shows that breast cancer natural drug development involves mutual cooperation between multiple countries, with China, the United States, and India being the most active players. Pharmacology is the discipline with the largest number of articles published in nearly 30 years. The study also reveals that the extraction of drugs from organisms and their metabolites is an important direction in the current development of anticancer drugs. The development of natural medicines for breast cancer together with the mining of genetic knowledge play an important role in treating human breast cancer. The research presented here provides insights into the current state of natural product research and development for breast cancer, and highlights the need for strengthening mutual communication and cooperation between countries and scientific research institutions to enhance the development of breast cancer treatment technologies and natural medicines.

Lung cancer (LC) is the second most common cancer and the leading cause of cancer deaths in the U.S. Insulin therapy, a key treatment for managing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM), may increase LC risk. The impact of non-insulin antidiabetic drugs, particularly GLP-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs), on LC risk is not well understood. This study evaluated LC risk in T2DM patients comparing seven non-insulin antidiabetic agents to insulin. Using the TriNetX Analytics platform, we analyzed de-identified electronic health records of 1,040,341 T2DM patients treated between 2005-2019, excluding those with prior antidiabetic use or LC diagnoses. We calculated hazard ratios and confidence intervals for LC risk and used propensity score matching to control for confounding factors. All non-insulin antidiabetic drugs, except alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, significantly reduced LC risk compared to insulin, with GLP-1RAs showing the greatest reduction (HR: 0.49, 95% CI: 0.41, 0.59). GLP-1RAs were consistently associated with lowered LC risk across all histological types, races, genders, and smoking statuses. These findings suggest that non-insulin antidiabetic drugs, particularly GLP-1RAs, may be preferable for managing T2DM while reducing LC risk.

Green products have excellent potential for discovering and producing new medicinal products. In recent years, there is a growing interest towards the green synthesis of metal nanoparticles, particularly from plants sources. This eco-friendly approach was used in the recent research to biosynthesize zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO NPs) from Cissus antractica plant. The present study aims to examine the cell cytotoxicity, cell death, and pathways of apoptosis in lung cancer cells (A549) and inflammation properties treated with biosynthesized ZnO NPs. Additionally, synthe-sized ZnO nanoparticles were characterized using UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). The XRD and TEM analyses exhibited 31 nm as the size of synthesized nanoparticles, the pure crystal form of ZnO NPs, and the shape of the NPs as nearly spherical and hexagonal quartzite. The MTT assay used for cytotoxicity evaluation de-picted the significant toxic effect of CA-ZnONPs against the A549 lung cancer cells at concentra-tions up to 20 µg/mL than non-cancerous cells. Furthermore, we observed an elevated ROS level in cancer cells. These NPs also demonstrated dose-dependent ability to suppress colony for-mation and cell migration, which increases their potential as a lung cancer treatment. Further-more, The NPs formulation's ability to induce apoptosis in cancer cells was further supported by Hoechst and propidium iodide dye. Further, CA ZnO NPs increased the gene expression of BAX, Cyto-c, Caspase 3 and 9, but decreased the expression of Bcl-2, indicating that the nanoformulation triggered mitochondrial-mediated apoptosis. Besides, this study showed that NPs suppressed in-flammatory responses by subsequently decreasing reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation, downregulating the expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokines TNF-α, iNOS, COX-2, IL-6, IL-8, and NO. Moreover, the study's findings imply that Cissus antractica are a potential source with biosynthesize nanoparticles that can might be further investigated for the progress of an-ti-inflammatory and anti-cancer drugs with further study.

Wastewater surveillance for SARS-CoV-2 has garnered extensive public attention during the COVID-19 pandemic as a proposed complement to existing disease surveillance systems. Over the past year, methods for detection and quantification of SARS-CoV-2 viral RNA in untreated sewage have advanced, and concentrations in wastewater have been shown to correlate with trends in reported cases. Despite the promise of wastewater surveillance, for these measurements to translate into useful public health tools, it is necessary to bridge the communication and knowledge gaps between researchers and public health responders. Here we describe the key uses, barriers, and applicability of SARS-CoV-2 wastewater surveillance for supporting public health decisions and actions, including establishing ethical consideration for monitoring. Overall, while wastewater surveillance to assess community infections is not a new idea, by addressing these barriers, the COVID-19 pandemic may be the initiating event that turns this emerging public health tool into a sustainable nationwide surveillance system.

Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by a novel coronavirus named Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome - Coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), emerged in early December 2019 in China and attained a pandemic situation worldwide by its rapid spread to nearly 167 countries with 287.239 confirmed cases and 11.921 human deaths with a case fatality rate (CFR) of around 4 per cent. Bats were considered as the reservoir host, and the search of a probable intermediate host is still going on. Animals have anticipated culprit of SARS-CoV-2 as of now. The disease is mainly manifested by pneumonia and related respiratory signs and symptoms, but the involvement of the gastrointestinal system and nervous system is also suggested. The severe form of the disease associated with death is mainly reported in older and immune-compromised patients with pre-existing disease history. Death in severe cases is attributed to respiratory failure associated with hyperinflammation. Cytokine storm syndrome associated with rampant inflammation in response to SARS-CoV-2 infection is considered as the leading killer of COVID-19 patients. COVID-19 patients were reported with higher levels of many pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines like IFN-g, IL-1b, IP-10, and MCP-1. Furthermore, severe cases of COVID-19 revealed higher levels of TNF-α, G-CSF, and MIP-1A. Blood profile of the COVID-19 patients exhibits lymphopenia, leucopenia, thrombocytopenia and RNAaemia along with increased levels of aspartate aminotransferase. SARS-CoV-2 infection in pregnant women does not lead to fetus mortalities unlike other zoonotic coronaviruses like SARS-CoV and MERS-CoV, with no evidence of intrauterine transmission to neonates. Rapid and confirmatory diagnostics have been developed, and high efforts are being made to develop effective vaccines and therapeutics. In the absence of any virus-specific therapeutic, internationally health care authorities are recommending adoption of effective prevention and control measures to counter and contain this pandemic virus. This paper is an overview of this virus and the disease with a particular focus on SARS-COV-2 / COVID-19 clinical pathology, pathogenesis and immunopathology along with a few recent research developments.

Abstract: Due to sever land degradation throughout Ethiopia, the government has been implementing massive soil and water conservation works at the watershed scale since 2010 to conserve soil and water resources. However, most of the rivers in Ethiopia carry huge amount of sediment in rainy season and streams dried up in the dry period. Planned research was conducted on two paired micro-catchments Mt.Yewel with the main objective of evaluating the impact of soil and water conservation measures on base flow modification. Stream flow and rainfall data were collected from 22/11/2020 to 8/11/2022 on both micro-catchments at their outlets and center respectively. Base flow separation was done using Sp. Hydro base flow separation tool and SPSS Ver.21 statistical software was employed for data analysis. Flow duration curve (FDC) for both watersheds were developed. The FDC indicated that the base flow from treated micro-catchment ishigher and sustained in the dry season while it is low and un-sustained in untreated micro-catchment. From statistical analysis, there is a significant difference in base flow enhancement between the treated and untreated micro-catchment (P<0.001). Hence, catchment treatment contributed to improve groundwater recharge and sustain base flow in the dry season by reduce surface runoff during rainy season.

Natural gas hydrate, also known as combustible ice and mainly composed of methane, it is identified as the potential clean energy in the 21th century. Due to its large reserves, gas hydrate can ease problems caused by energy resource shortage and has gained attention around the world. In this paper, we focus on the exploration and development of gas hydrate as well as discussing its status and future development trend in China and abroad, then we analyze its opportunities and challenges in China from four aspects: resource, technology, economy and police with five forces model and PEST method. The results show, China has abundance gas hydrate resource; however the backward technologies and inadequate investment has seriously hindered the future development of gas hydrate, so China should establish relevant cooperation framework and intuitional arrangement to attract more investment as well as breaking through technical difficulties to make gas hydrate commercialization as soon as possible.

Most quantum gravity theories endow space-time with a discreet nature by space quantization on the order of Planck length (lp ). This discreetness could be demonstrated by confirmation of Lorentz invariance violations (LIV) manifested at length scales proportional to lp. In this paper, space-time line elements compatible with the uncertainty principle are calculated for a homogeneous, isotropic expanding Universe represented by the Friedmann-Lemaitre-Robertson-Walker solution to General Relativity (FLRW or FRW metric). To achieve this, the covariant geometric uncertainty principle (GeUP) is applied as a constraint over geodesics in FRW geometries. A generic expression for the quadratic proper space-time line element is derived, proportional to Planck length-squared and dependent on two contributions. The first is associated to the energy-time uncertainty, and the second depends on the Hubble function. The results are in agreement with space-time quantization on the expected length orders, according to quantum gravity theories and experimental constraints on LIV.

Overweight and Obesity are global health and economic concerns. According to the World Health Organization, the number of individuals with obesity has nearly tripled since 1975. This health issue is currently considered an epidemic, affecting over 1.9 billion adults and 340 million children and adolescents. It contributes to more than 5 million deaths each year and has a global economic burden that will reach $4.32 trillion annually by 2035, according to the World Obesity Federation. This disease can affect every system of the human body and can lead to complications such as metabolic syndrome, diabetes, cancer, dyslipidemia, cardiovascular diseases, and hypertension, among others. Treatment may sometimes include diet, exercise, drugs, and bariatric surgery. Nonetheless, not all people have access to these treatments, and public health strategies consider prevention the most important factor. In this regard, recent investigations are aiming to find alternatives and adjuvants for the treatment of obesity, its prevention, and the reversion of some of its complications, using natural sources of anti-obesogenic compounds like polyphenols, terpenes, alkaloids, saponins, among others. In this review, we gather the most current information using PubMed, Google Scholar, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science. We present and discuss the current information about natural products that have shown anti-obesogenic effects at a molecular level. We also consider the impact of dietary habits and lifestyle in preventing overweight and obesity due to the evidence of the benefits of certain foods and compounds consumed regularly. We discuss mechanisms, pathways, and receptors involved in the modulation of obesity, especially those related to inflammation and oxidative stress linked to this disease, due to the relevance of these two aspects in developing complications.

Dry intrusion is an important mid-latitude atmosphere phenomenon within the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. It is always found to be related to the cyclogenesis, rainstorm, as well as convection generation and precipitation enhancement. Since the atmosphere environment for any of these above-mentioned weather is terribly complicated, those preexisting popular schemes which takes no account of water vapor may not suitable for detecting the dry intrusion related to these weathers. With regard to the merits and demerits of the current preexisting schemes, a new scheme based on Fengyun-2E geo-stationary satellite data is presented in this study to detect the atmospheric dry intrusion. The scheme is set up based on the statistical relationship between water vapor at high level troposphere, the general moist potential vorticity, ozone concentration and upper-level jet. After using the total amount of ozone and ozone profile operational products retrieved by Fengyun-3 Polar Orbiting Meteorological Satellites and the potential vorticity calculated by ECMWF Interim data for validation, this scheme is applied to analyze two typical middle-latitude weather processes. One is the famous Beijing extreme rainfall of 21 July 2012 and the other is a hailstorm occurred on the eastern China during March 19, 2014. A good application effect in both cases suggests that our new method of detecting dry intrusion is feasible and can be helpful in middle-latitude disastrous weather monitoring and forecasting.

Abstract: Severe land degradation is the principal environmental problem in Ethiopian highlands in the form of soil erosion, and soil fertility loss, which is caused by human intervention for food, shelter, and energy demands. Soil erosion contributes to the loss of precious soil and water resources which are the basis of agricultural production and provide numerous other eco-system services. The Ethiopian highlands are one of the most degraded regions in the world. To combat such problems, the government of Ethiopia has been implementing massive soil and water conservation works at the watershed scale since 2010 to conserve soil and water resources. Mount Yewel is one of the highlands in Northeastern Ethiopia where intensive soil and water conserva-tion has been implemented. Despite the massive investment in soil and water conservation measures, most of the rivers in the highlands of Ethiopia carry huge amounts of sediment with high flood risks in the wet season and streams are dried up in the dry period. Nonetheless, the impact of soil and water conservation measures on flood reduction and dry season flow en-hancement has not yet been quantified and evaluated. This research was then conducted on paired micro-catchments of Mount Yewel with the main objective of evaluating the impact of soil and water conservation measures on base flow modification. Stream flow and rainfall data were col-lected from 22/11/2020 to 8/11/2022 on paired micro-catchments of Mount Yewel at their outlets and centers respectively. Base flow separation was done from the stream hydrograph using Sp. Hydro base flow separation tool and SPSS Ver.21 statistical software were employed for data analysis. Flow duration curves (FDC) for both watersheds were developed to compare the stream flow patterns between treated and untreated micro-catchments of Mount Yewel. The FDC indi-cated that the base flow from treated micro-catchment is higher and sustained in the dry season while it is low and unsustained in untreated micro-catchment. From statistical analysis, there is a significant (P

Background: Military pilots show high visuo-spatial skills. Previous studies demonstrate that they are better in mental rotating a target, in taking different perspectives, in estimating distances, in travel planning and in topographic memory. Here, we compared navigational cognitive styles between military pilots and people without flight experience. Pilots were expected to be more survey users than non-pilots, showing higher navigational strategies. Method: 106 jet military pilots of Italian Air Force and 92 non-pilots were enrolled in order to investigate group differences in navigational styles. Participants were asked to perform a reduced version of the Spatial Cognitive Style Test – SCST, consisting of six tasks that allow to distinguish individuals in landmark (people orient themselves by using a figurative memory for environmental objects), route (people use an egocentric representation of the space) and survey (people have a map-like representation of the space) users. Results: In line with our hypothesis, military pilots mainly adopt a survey style, whereas non-pilots mainly adopt the route style. In addition, pilots outperformed non pilots in both the 3D-Rotation task and Map Description Task. Conclusion: Military flight expertise influences some aspects of the spatial ability, leading to enhance human navigation. Although, it must be considered that they are a population whose navigational skills were already high at the time of selection at the academy before formal training began.

Quantitative and qualitative fuzzy measures have been proposed to hesitant fuzzy sets (HFSs) from different points. However, few of the existing HFSs fuzzy measures refer to the grey relational analysis (GRA) theory. Actually, the GRA theory is very useful in the fuzzy measure domain, which has been developed for such the intuitionistic fuzzy sets. Therefore, in this paper, we apply the GRA theory to the HFSs and interval-valued hesitant fuzzy sets (IVHFS) domain. We propose the HFSs grey relational degree, HFSs slope grey relational degree, HFSs synthetic grey relational degree and IVHFSs grey relational degree, which describe the closeness, the variation tendency and both the closeness and variation tendency of HFSs and closeness of IVHFSs, respectively, greatly enriching the fuzzy measures of HFSs. Furthermore, with the help of the TOPSIS method, we develop the grey relational based MADM methodology to solve the HFSs and IVHFSs MADM problems. Finally, combined with two practical MADM examples about energy policy selection with HFSs information and emergency management evaluation with IVHFSs information, we obtain the most desirable decision results, and compared with the previous methods, the validity, effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed grey relational degree for HFSs and IVHFSs are demonstrated in detail.

Graphene-based composites have been widely explored for electrode and electrocatalyst materials for electrochemical energy systems. In this paper, a novel composite material of the reduced graphene oxide nanosheets (rGON) with gold nanoparticles (NPs) (rGON-AuNP) is synthesized, and its morphology, structure and composition are characterized by SEM, HRTEM, XRD, EDX, FTIR, Raman, and UV-Vis techniques. To confirm this material’s electrochemical activity, a glucose oxidase (GOD) is chosen as the target reagent to modify the rGON-AuNP layer to form GOD/rGON-AuNP/glassy carbon (GC) electrode. Two pairs of distinguishable redox peaks, corresponding to the redox processes of two different conformational GOD on AuNP, are observed on the cyclic voltammograms of GOD/rGON-AuNP/GC electrode. Both cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are employed to study the mechanism of direct electron transfer from GOD to GC electrode on the rGON-AuNP layer. In addition, this GOD/rGON-AuNP/GC electrode shows catalytic activity toward glucose oxidation reaction.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the most common type of primary liver cancer and is highly invasive and easily recurs. For HCC, chemotherapy shows a limited effect. The gold standard for HCC treatment includes curative surgical resection or liver transplantation. However, the recur-rence rate at 5 years after liver resection is estimated at approximately 70% and even at 5 years after liver transplantation, it is 20%. Therefore, improving survival outcomes after curative surgi-cal resection of liver cancer is crucial. This review highlights the importance of identifying risk factors for HCC recurrence following radical surgical resection and adjuvant therapy options that may reduce the recurrence risk and improve overall survival, including local adjuvant therapy (e.g., transcatheter arterial chemoembolization and radiotherapy), adjuvant systemic therapy (e.g., small molecule targeted therapy and immunotherapy), and other adjuvant therapies (e.g., chem-otherapy). However, further research is needed to refine the use of these therapies and optimize their effectiveness in preventing HCC recurrence.

Leukemia cutis (LC) is defined as leukemic infiltration of the epidermis, the dermis, and the subcutaneous tissue. Leukemia cutis may follow or occur simultaneously with the diagnosis of systemic leukemia. However, cutaneous lesions are occasionally diagnosed as the primary manifestation of leukemia. Leukemic skin infiltrations demonstrate considerable variation regarding number of changes, distribution, and morphology. The highest incidence of LC is observed in chronic lymphocytic leukemia, monocytic and myelomonocytic acute myeloid leukemia, and in T-cell lineage leukemia. Although the pathogenic mechanism of the invasion of leukemic cells into the skin is not well understood, chemokine receptors and adhesion molecules as well as genetic characteristics of leukemia are thought to play a role. Leukemic skin lesions may be localized or disseminated and may occur alone or in combination on any site of the skin, most frequently in the trunk and extremities. The most common clinical presentations of leukemia cutis are papules, nodules, macules, plaques, and ulcers. In most patients, complete or partial resolution of cutaneous infiltrations occurs simultaneously with hematologic remission. However, in patients with resistant disease or recurrent skin infiltration, local radiotherapy can be used. This review presents recent data on the pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of leukemic skin involvement in different types of leukemia

We present a summary of the main results within the Scale Invariant Vacuum (SIV) paradigm as related to the Weyl Integrable Geometry. After a brief review of the mathematical framework, we will highlight the main results related to inflation within the SIV [9], the growth of the density fluctuations [8], and the application of the SIV to scale-invariant dynamics of Galaxies, MOND, Dark Matter, and the Dwarf Spheroidals [7]. The connection of the weak-field SIV results to the un-proper time parametrization within the reparametrization paradigm is also discussed [14].

Fungi critically impact the health and function of global ecosystems and economies. In Canada, fungal researchers often work within silos defined by sub-discipline and institutional type, complicating the collaborations necessary to understand the impacts fungi have on the environment, economy, and plant and animal health. Here, we announce the establishment of the Canadian Fungal Research Network (CanFunNet, https://fungalresearch.ca) whose mission is to strengthen and promote fungal research in Canada by facilitating dialogue among scientists. We summarize the challenges and opportunities for Canadian fungal research that were discussed at CanFunNet’s inaugural meeting in 2019, and identify four priorities for our community: 1) increasing collaboration among scientists; 2) studying diversity in the context of ecological disturbance; 3) preserving culture collections in the absence of sustained funding; and 4) leveraging diverse expertise to attract trainees. We have gathered additional information to support our recommendations, including a survey identifying underrepresentation of fungal-related courses at Canadian universities, a list of Canadian fungaria and culture collections, and a case study of a human fungal pathogen outbreak. We anticipate that these discussions will help prioritize fungal research in Canada, and we welcome all researchers to join this nationwide effort to enhance knowledge dissemination and funding advocacy.

Background: Public misconception and demand for the indication of antibiotics could lead to inappropriate prescribing and consumption. Successful treatment can only be achieved when the public and industrial users have knowledge on antibiotic use and resistance. This survey is aimed to assess antibiotic usage and knowledge regarding antibiotics and antimicrobial resistance (AMR) among undergraduate students of Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD), public university located in Brunei Darussalam. Methods: A cross-sectional study was performed using a self-administered questionnaire. The questionnaire was adapted from the World Health Organization (WHO) Antibiotic Resistance, Multi-country public awareness survey distributed online. Students at UBD were invited to participate in the online survey through internal email. The questionnaire consisted of 5 sections: demographic information, antibiotic usage, knowledge on antibiotics, antibiotic resistance (AMR) and use of antibiotics in agriculture. Data were analyzed descriptively and appropriate inferential statistics was used accordingly. Cronbach’s alpha was also done to determine the internal consistency. The section on antibiotic use and knowledge showed good internal consistency of Cronbach’s alpha 0.66 and 0.86 respectively. Research ethics approval was obtained from the PAPRSB Institute of Health Sciences, Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD). Results: A total of 145 students returned the complete questionnaire. The result of the study found that 50% of the students had good level of knowledge of antibiotic and antimicrobial resistance with a mean total knowledge score of 11.4 out of 14. Respondents reported the use of antibiotic in the past (69%). Many of the students could identify the use of antibiotics for the treatment of bacterial infection. However, there were also students who incorrectly thought that antibiotics can be used for cold and flu (43%) and fever (41%). Moreover, 76% of the respondents mistakenly believed that antibiotic resistance is the result of the body becoming resistant to antibiotics. Only 12% of the respondents were found to have poor knowledge in the study. Conclusions: Misconceptions in regards to the use of antibiotics for conditions related to viral illnesses was noticed among the respondents in our study. Thus, improving knowledge on antibiotics is crucial to address those beliefs.

The traditional Agriculture Knowledge is epic information, was created by the forefathers in the past civilizations. The forefathers practiced traditional agriculture information during Harappa civilizations, Vedic and Iron Age civilizations. The present Small and Marginal farmer utilizes traditional information in the crop production & management, crop protection, farm machinery & tools, soil & water management, medicinal & aromatic plants for diseases diagnosis, animal husbandry, stored grain pests’ management, weed management and value added food product and transfers in the youth. The utilizing traditional informations in the agriculture practices are collected from the different geographical states of India. The informations are practiced in the specific activities by the farmers. The farmer utilizes compositions of natural resource in the geographical states for the crop husbandry and farm linked activities. The traditional information is more practiced by the Southern and North-Eastern Geographical zone. The farmer applies specific informations in the crop production & management, crop protection, farm machinery & tools, soil & water management, medicinal & aromatic plants for diseases diagnosis, animal husbandry, stored grain pests’ management, weed management and value added food product. The farmer preserves and transfers the information in the rural community. The farmer transmits information in the present generation for creating mobilization. The traditional agriculture information transforms agriculture resources, maintains biodiversity ethics and enlightens historical and practical approaches to the present generations.

In 2020 the world experienced the threat of the COVID-19 epidemic, as seniors and chronic disease patients typically try to reduce their exercise and social activities to avoid increasing the risk of infection, which could lead to increased loneliness and even many diseases. This research combining golf croquet games with AIoT companion robots constructs a home-based intelligent exercise system thus uses the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), deduces users’ intention to use this system based on perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use, and adds the needs of love and belonging, esteem, cognitive, aesthetic, and self-actualization in Maslow’s needs theory to conduct system needs analysis. The analysis results show that participants have a high level of acceptance of this system, believing that it is easy to learn and operate, can increase interaction with others, also found that this system can improve self-confirmation, satisfying the third for knowledge, feeling happy, and self-actualization needs are easier to fulfill. In the future, we shall collect and record the seniors in the process of use, so as to find out their health problems as soon as possible, expand their daily life through this exercise, and achieve the goal of happy living and health care.

Owing to the rising demand for vegetable soybean products, there is an increasing need for high-yield soybean varieties to raise the output. However, complex correlation patterns among quantitative traits with genetic interactions bring a challenge for vegetable soybean breeding. Here, a genome-wide association study (GWAS) was applied for six yield-related traits with 188 vegetable soybean accessions. A total of 81 SNPs were identified for pod length, plant height, pods number, pod thickness, pod width, and seed weight per plant by Blink model. Among these significant SNPs, 79 were novel SNPs, while 2 overlapped with previously reported SNPs. A total of 220 genes were found in 100 kb upstream and downstream regions of significant SNPs, of which 17 genes were functional proteins. Among these function proteins, four candidate genes, Glyma.13G109100, Glyma.03G183200, Glyma.09G102200, and Glyma.09G102300 were analyzed as significant haplotype variations, which encode MYB-related transcription factor, auxin-responsive family protein, F-box protein and CYP450, respectively. In addition, the relative expression with four candidate genes in the V030 and V071 (Among them, the plant height, pod number and fresh pod weight of V030 were lower than V071 strains) vegetable soybean were significantly different and these genes could be involved in plant growth and development via various pathways. Therefore, we proposed four genes from vegetable soybean germplasm that could be the key candidate genes for pod yield and plant height and these studies will accelerate the process of high-yield vegetable soybean breeding.

Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) is a thermoplastic high-performance polymer in high demand for biomedicine, ship and machine building, anthropomorphic robots and smart prostheses. Highly oriented UHMWPE fibers possess record specific strength and may also be used for the fabrication of self-reinforced PE-PE composites (SRPEC). The temperature evolution study of the small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) signature of the supramolecular structure of UHMWPE can help reveal their important role in the mechanism of the shape memory effect in SRPEC. The laboratory SAXS–WAXS beamline XEUSS 3.0 was used for in situ studies of the nanostructure parameters in unidirectional SRPEC. Namely, the radius of gyration and the dimensionality factor were extracted from 2D SAXS patterns using several fitting algorithms. Significant changes of these parameters occurred in temperature ranges that correspond to the initiation of the shape memory effect and melting. The relationship between the material anisotropy and 2D SAXS patterns are discussed in the context of the supramolecular structure evolution.

This review highlights the potential and limitations of mRNA vaccines with a particular focus on mucosal delivery as an alternative to parenteral administration. The strengths of mRNA vaccines are: a) Versatility: they can be adapted to target a wide range of pathogens; b) Faster development: designed and produced more quickly than traditional vaccines; c) High efficacy: effective in preventing severe disease, as demonstrated during the COVID-19 pandemic. Current challenges: a) Delivery: current methods (mainly intramuscular injection) may not be optimal for inducing mucosal immunity; b) Stability: mRNA is fragile and needs to be protected from degradation; c) Safety: potential side effects, including myocarditis, blood clotting, allergic reactions need further investigation. Mucosal delivery could be more effective in preventing the transmission of pathogens and is generally better accepted by the population. Pros: offers the potential to induce local immunity at the site of pathogen entry, potentially providing broader protection; Cons: developing effective delivery systems and adjuvants for mucosal delivery is difficult. Extracellular vesicles as a mucosal delivery system are promising and offer a potentially safe, scalable, and needle-free approach. Future directions: a) Optimizing mRNA constructs: strategies like codon optimization and self-amplifying RNA can improve stability and translation efficiency; b) Rigorous pre-clinical studies are essential before human trials.

Plants of the genus Monochoria have long been utilized in food, cosmetics, and traditional herbal treatment. Thailand has the highest species diversity of this genus and a new member, Monochoria angustifolia (G. X. Wang) Boonkerd & Tungmunnithum has been recently described. This plant is called “Siam Violet Pearl” as a common name or “ไข่มุกสีม่วงแห่งสยาม” as its vernacular name in the same meaning in Thai language. Despite their importance, few researches on Monochoria species have been conducted. This study, thus, provided the results to fill in this gap by: i) determining flavonoids phytochemical profiles of 25 natural populations of M. angustifolia covering the whole floristic regions in Thailand, and ii) determining antioxidant activity using various antioxidant assays to investigate the probable mechanism. The results revealed that M. angustifolia presented a higher flavonoid content than the outgroup, M. hastata. Our results also revealed that flavonoids might be used to investigate Monochoria evolutionary connections and for botanical authentication. The various antioxidant assays revealed that M. angustifolia extracts preferentially act through a hydrogen atom transfer antioxidant mechanism. Pearson correlation analysis indicated significant correlations emphasizing that the antioxidant capacity is most probably the result of a complex phytochemical combinations rather than of a single molecule. Altogether, these results showed that this new species provide an attractive alternative starting material with phytochemical variety and antioxidant potential for the phytopharmaceutical industry.

In this article, the usual factorials and binomial coefficients have been generalized and extended to the negative integers. Basing on this generalization and extension, a new kind of polynomials has been proposed, which led directly to the non-classical hypergeometric orthogonal polynomials and the non-classical second-order hypergeometric linear DEs. The resulting polynomials can be used in non-relativistic and relativistic QM, particularly, in the case of the Schrödinger equation, and Dirac equations for an electron in a Coulomb potential field.

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT) commonly known as sleeping sickness, is a neglected tropical vector borne disease caused by trypanosome protozoa. It is transmitted by bites of infected tsetse fly. In this paper we first present the vector-host model which describes the general transmission dynamics of HAT. In the tsetse fly population, the HAT is modelled by three compartments while in the human population, the HAT is modelled by four compartments. The next generation matrix approach is used to derive the basic reproduction number, R₀, and also it is proved that if R₀ ≤ 1 the disease free equilibrium is globally asymptotically stable, which means the disease dies out. The disease persist in the population if the value of R₀ > 1. Furthermore, the optimal control model is determined by using the Pontryagin’s maximum principle with control measures such as education, treatment and insecticides used to optimize the objective function. The model simulations confirm that the use of the three control measures are very efficient and effective to eliminate HAT in Africa.

In this study, a mixed rule of degree of precision nine has been developed and implemented in the field of electrical sciences to obtain the instantaneous current in the RLC- circuit for particular value .The linearity has been performed with the Volterra’s integral equation of second kind with particular kernel . Then the definite integral has been evaluated through the mixed quadrature to obtain the numerical result which is very effective. A polynomial has been used to evaluate Volterra’s integral equation in the place of unknown functions. The accuracy of the proposed method has been tested taking different electromotive force in the circuit and absolute error has been estimated.

The predictability of wind information in a given location is essential for the evaluation of a wind power project. Predicting wind speed accurately improves the planning of wind power generation, reducing costs and improving the use of resources. This paper seeks to predict the mean hourly wind speed in anemometric towers (at a height of 50 meters) at two locations: a coastal region and one with complex terrain characteristics. To this end, the Holt-Winters (HW), Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) and Hybrid time-series models were used. Observational data evaluated by the Modern-Era Retrospective analysis for Research and Applications-Version 2 (MERRA-2) reanalysis at the same height of the towers. The results show that the hybrid model had a better performance in relation to the others, including when compared to the evaluation with MERRA-2. For example, in terms of statistical residuals, RMSE and MAE were 0.91 and 0.62 m/s, respectively. As such, the hybrid models are a good method to forecast wind speed data for wind generation.

The use of biolubricants as an alternative for petroleum-based products has played an important role in the last decade. Thus, due to the encouragement of global policies, which mainly support green chemistry and circular economy, there has been an increasing interest in bio-based products, including biolubricants, from scientific and industrial points of view. Due to the different applications of biolubricants for a wide range of practical uses, the raw materials, production, and characteristics might vary, making this field a continuously changing subject of study by researchers. The aim of this research work was to focus on biolubricant production from vegetable oil crops in a bio-refinery perspective, paying attention to the main raw materials used, the corresponding production methods (with special focus on double transesterification), the role of catalysts and techno-economic studies. Thus, the main factors affecting quality parameters such as viscosity or oxidative stability have been covered, including catalyst addition, reaction temperature or the use of raw materials, reagents or additives were also analyzed. The latest research trends were included, updating previous studies about this matter, considering current conclusions and future research.

In Brazil, malaria transmission is mostly confined to the Amazon, where substantial progress has been achieved towards disease control in the past decade. Vector control has been historically considered a fundamental part of the main malaria control programs implemented in Brazil. However, the conventional vector-control tools have been insufficient to eliminate local vector populations due to the complexity of the Amazonian rainforest environment and ecological features of malaria vector species in the Amazon, especially Anopheles darlingi. Malaria elimination in Brazil and worldwide eradication will require a combination of conventional and new approaches that takes into account the regional specificities of vector populations and malaria transmission dynamics. Here we present an overview on both conventional and novel promising vector-focused tools to curb malaria transmission in the Brazilian Amazon. If well designed and employed, these new vector-based approaches may improve the implementation of malaria-control programs, particularly in remote or difficult-to-access areas and in regions where existing interventions have been unable to eliminate disease transmission. However, much effort still has to be put on research expanding the knowledge of neotropical malaria vectors to set the steppingstones for the development of such innovative tools.

In this research work, we present a mathematical model for novel coronavirus -19 (NCOVID-19) which is consisted on three different compartments susceptible, infected and recovered classes abbreviated as under convex incident rate involving and emigration rate. We first derive the formulation of the model. Also, we give some qualitative aspects for the model including existence of equilibriums and its stability results by using various tools of nonlinear analysis. Then by mean of nonstandard finite difference scheme (NSFD), we simulate the results against the data of Wuhan city for the sixty days. By means of simulation, we show how protection, exposure, emigration, death and cure rates affect the susceptible, infected and recovered population with the passage of time involving emigration. On the basis of simulation, we observe the dynamical behavior due to emigration of susceptible and infected classes or one of these two.

The known three-component reaction-diffusion system modeling competition and co-existence of different language speakers is under study. A modification of this system is proposed, which is examined by Lie symmetry method; furthermore exact solutions in the form of traveling fronts are constructed and their properties are identified. Plots of the traveling fronts are presented and the relevant interpretation describing the language shift occurred in Ukraine during the Soviet times is suggested

This research aims to explore the integration method of deep learning and large language models in speech recognition to improve the system’s recognition accuracy and ability to handle complex contexts. Deep neural network (DNN), convolutional neural network (CNN), long short-term memory network (LSTM) and Transformer-based large language model are used to build an integrated acoustic and language model framework. Experiments on TIMIT, LibriSpeech and Common Voice datasets show that the ensemble model shows significant improvements in both word error rate (WER) and real-time factor (RTF) compared to traditional models. Especially in terms of adaptability to multiple languages and accent changes, the model shows superior performance. The conclusion shows that through technology integration, the performance of the speech recognition system in complex environments can be effectively improved, providing a new direction for the future development of speech recognition technology.

La integration (at various nominal contents) in SBA-15 prepared under acidic medium was intended from corresponding direct nitrate addition during mesoporous silica formation. Materials were impregnated with Pt (1.5 w%) and studied through several textural (N2 physisorption), structural (XRD, TG-DTG) and surface (FTIR, STEM-HAADF, SEM-EDS, NH3 and CO2 TPD) instrumental techniques. Pt-impregnated solids were tested in phenol hydrodeoxygenation (HDO, T=250 °C, 3.2 MPa, batch reactor, n-decane as solvent). Catalytic activity (in pseudo first order kinetic constant, kHDO basis) was related to Pt dispersion which was, however, not determined by nominal rare earth content. Determining actual composition of modified SBA-15 materials is crucial in reaching sound conclusions regarding their physicochemical properties, especially when La modifier is directly added during mesoporous matrices formation where efficient interaction among constituents could be difficult to get. Otherwise, results from some characterization techniques (N2 physisorption and FTIR, for instance) could be misleading and even contradictory. Indeed, extant modifier precursors when under SBA-15 synthesis conditions could affect the properties of prepared materials even though they were absent in obtained| formulations. Performing a simple compositional analysis could eliminate uncertainties regarding the role of various modifiers on characteristics of final catalysts. However, several groups have failed in doing so.

The Amazon region has the most incredible diversity of freshwater stingrays; however, there are still places where information about this group is scarce. The present work aims to record the occurrence of freshwater stingrays in the Uatumã river basin, Amazonas, Brazil. For this, collections were carried out in three municipalities bathed by the Uatumã River, Presidente Figueiredo, Itapiranga and São Sebastião do Uatumã. The rays were collected through fishing using a hand net and, after capture, were identified through the pattern of the dorsal and ventral color of the disc, the absence or presence of the labial groove and the organization of the row of spines on the tail, too were also measured, weighed and sexed. In total, 69 specimens of Potamotrygonines were captured, 59 of which were from the genus Potamotrygon and ten individuals from the genus Paratrygon. The present study provides preliminary information on the characteristics of freshwater stingray species that may occur in the Uatumã River. Furthermore, new research is necessary to improve the identification of specimens to determine the diversity and elucidate aspects related to the biology of elasmobranchs in the Uatumã River Basin, Brazil.

Physical inactivity, highly dependent on community and environmental conditions, is the fourth leading cause of death worldwide. The objective of Every Walk You Take initiative was to co-design and test a mHealth intervention prototype (mobile app) to promote active living, and to identify barriers and facilitators for active living in individuals older than 55 years. Community stakeholders that included citizen scientists, teachers, researchers, health professionals and policy makers, familiar with the social and economic burden of aging in developed societies, codesigned the prototype. The app functionalities included recommendations on healthy routes in the city (parks, pedestrian lanes and streets) according to environmental variables (air quality and climate) and personal preferences (route difficulty, distance and geolocalization); and the collection of ecological momentary assessments (pictures and voice notes) to identify the barriers and facilitators to perform the routes. The prototype was tested in a pilot study in two deprived neighbourhoods of Barcelona. A total of 21 citizen scientists [mean age=67 (standard deviation=7)], 86% of them female collected, during two 7-day cycles, 112 comments and 48 pictures describing the barriers and facilitators for active living. The negative impact of dirty or damaged roads on citizen scientists’ motivation to engage in physical activity was highly reported as a barrier indicating that city infrastructure directly influences the public's inclination towards adopting active lifestyles. However, citizen scientists highlighted murals and urban green spaces they encountered, which made their walks more enjoyable and stimulating, as facilitators for active living. Every Walk You Take initiative constitutes the foundation for the development of novel models of health surveillance to address gaps in the current research landscape of active living. Moreover, the increased health literacy of the individuals ensures that they are more conscious about the role of physical activity in healthy ageing.

In Thailand, thousands of children living with perinatal HIV have been exposed to HIV-related stigma/discrimination but its frequency and expressions have been little studied. Our objective was to assess stigma/discrimination prevalence, associated risks factors and its expressions among adolescents. All caregivers of adolescents aged 12-19 years living with perinatal HIV and receiving antiretrovirals in 20 hospitals throughout Thailand were invited to complete a face-to-face questionnaire on their adolescent’s life and medical history. Of the 572 adolescents living in family settings, 464 had their HIV-status known in the community. The overall stigma/discrimination prevalence was 46%. Factors associated included living in the north-east region (OR: 2.80, 95%CI: 1.19-4.96), having a low intellectual ability (OR:2.68, 95%CI: 1.45-5.16), a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) (OR BMI &gt; 18.5: 0.61, 95%CI: 0.37-0.98), conflicts with caregivers (OR: 1.86, 95%CI: 1.26-2.76) and caregivers being members of a support group (OR: 2.34, 95%CI: 1.58-3.48). Expressions of stigma/discrimination included bullying, social isolation, behavioral discrimination and public disclosure. The prevalence of stigma/discrimination among adolescents living with perinatal HIV is high. Despite existing policies, stigma eradication remains necessary to normalize their life as they grow into adulthood.

Rural women in developing nations are especially vulnerable to higher health risks due to environmental pollution exposure and are more likely to experience poorer health outcomes. Using data from the 2013 China General Social Survey CGSS2013, this study empirically examined the relationship among environmental knowledge (EK), pollution, health investment, and health status of women residing in rural regions in China. We employed a nationally representative sample of 1,930 female individuals for our analysis. Our results showed that the level of EK for women in rural China significantly impacted their self-reported physical and mental health. In order to account for potential endogeneity due to mutual causality, this study employed television usage and network usage as two instrument variables (IVs) of EK. We performed an IV-probit method to correct the estimated errors due to endogeneity. Additionally, to assess the reliability and robustness of our results, we re-estimated our model by replacing health status with the variable Body Mass Index (BMI). The results were consistent, providing evidence of robustness. Additionally, we examined the relationship between health investment (holding and purchasing a public health insurance policy, engaging in frequent physical activity, and acquiring commercial insurance) and health status. Our results indicate that the level of EK had no significant impact on participating in the new rural cooperative medical system. However, the preference of purchasing commercial insurance was positively impacted by EK, though it does not have a direct impact on the health condition. Conversely, an increase in EK and pollution is associated with a greater likelihood of engaging in physical exercise, which could, in turn, improve overall mental health.

In the present paper, Co-B/SiC composite coatings were obtained via electrodeposition from colloidal suspensions with different concentrations of SiC particles and subsequent heat treatments at 350 °C. The composition, morphology and structure of the Co-B/SiC composite coatings were analyzed using glow discharge spectrometry (GDS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with energy-dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Hardness and tribological properties were also studied. The results showed that an increase in the SiC concentration in the colloidal suspensions resulted in both an increase in the SiC content and a decrease in the B content in the obtained Co-B/SiC coatings. The Co-B/SiC coatings were adherent, glossy and soft and exhibited a homogeneous composition in all thicknesses. By contrast, an increase in the SiC particle content of the Co-B/SiC composite coating from 0 to 2.56 at.% SiC reduced the hardness of the film from 680 to 360 HV and decreased the wear volume values from 1180 to 23 mm³ N^-1 m^-1, respectively (that is, the wear resistance increased). Moreover, when the Co-B/SiC coatings with SiC content ranging from 0 to 2.56 at.% SiC were subjected to a heat treatment process, the obtained coating hardness values were in the range of 1200 to 1500 HV and the wear volume values were in the range of 382 to 19 mm³ N^-1 m^-1.

Although the APOBEC3 family of single-stranded DNA cytosine deaminases are well-known as antiviral factors, these enzymes are rapidly gaining attention as prominent sources of mutation in cancer. APOBEC3 signature single base substitutions, C-to-T and C-to-G in TCA and TCT motifs, are evident in over 70% of human malignancies and dominate the mutational landscape of numerous individual tumors. Recent murine studies have established cause-and-effect relationships, with both human APOBEC3A and APOBEC3B proving capable of promoting tumor formation in vivo. Here, we investigate the molecular mechanism of APOBEC3A-driven tumor development using the murine Fah liver complementation and regeneration system. First, we show that APOBEC3A alone is capable of driving tumor development (without Tp53 knockdown as in prior studies). Second, we show that the catalytic glutamic acid residue of APOBEC3A (E72) is required for tumor formation. Third, we show that an APOBEC3A separation-of-function mutant with compromised DNA deamination activity and wildtype RNA editing activity is defective in promoting tumor formation. Collectively, these results indicate that APOBEC3A is a “master driver” that fuels tumor formation through a DNA deamination-dependent mechanism.

Understanding HCPs COVID-19 vaccine concerns can provide critical insights to optimize success of the vaccine rollout program as they are a trusted source of health information to patients and the general population. We sought to understand reasons for health care providers’ COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Kenyatta National teaching and referral Hospital. From April to July 2021, we interviewed 60 HCPs purposively sampled from the Infectious Disease Unit (IDU) (n=20) and other departments (n=40). We analyzed data using inductive and deductive approaches to understand reasons for COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy. The HCPs had a median age of 37 years, (Interquartile range: [IQR 20.0-58.0]), 57% were female, 30% nurses among other cadres. Most HCPs cited low confidence in the vaccine such as mistrust in healthcare system and government, vaccine safety and efficacy concerns. Constraints such as uncertainty about the second vaccine dose availability, and misinformation caused hesitancy. Further, few were reluctant receiving the vaccine because of perceived herd immunity from a recent COVID-19 infection, and the need for more information before deciding. The study highlights the need to address any misinformation about vaccines safety and efficacy, and ensure accurate information is easily accessible to HCPs which can translate to higher vaccine uptake.

Sleep-related eating disorder (SRED) is a non-REM parasomnia with potentially significant negative effects on general health (dangerous activities during night eating episodes, obesity, or metabolic syndrome, for example). Although the history of SRED encompasses more than six decades, public awareness and even the awareness of the mental health specialists of this disorder is very limited, a phenomenon that hinders the development of research in this field. Therefore, an updated review, based on a narrative methodology, explored the available evidence for SRED found in four electronic databases (PubMed, Cochrane Collaboration, Google Scholar, and Clarivate/Web of Science). A number of 94 primary and secondary reports were retrieved, investigating aspects regarding the risk factors, epidemiology, clinical data and differential diagnosis, epidemiology, structured evaluation, and treatment of SRED. Based on the results of these reports, Z-drugs, but also certain benzodiazepines, antidepressants, antipsychotics, and psychostimulants may trigger the onset of SRED. Psychiatric and neurologic disorders have also been associated with SRED, either as risk factors or comorbid conditions. Cerebral glucose metabolism dysfunctions, neurotransmitter dysfunctions, and genetic factors have been invoked as pathogenetic contributors. Structured assessment of SRED is possible, but there is a dearth of instruments dedicated to this purpose. Data on the prevalence and treatment of SRED exist, but good-quality epidemiological studies and clinical trials are still missing. In conclusion, future research is expected to address the shortcomings of SRED exploration by creating the conditions for better quality and larger group clinical research. The need for such investigation is granted by the importance of this pathology and its negative functional consequences.

Three-phase motors are commonly adopted in several industrial contexts and their failures can result in costly downtime causing undesired service outages; this way, motor diagnostics is an issue that assumes great importance. To prevent their failures and timely face the considered service outages, a non-invasive method to identify electrical and mechanical faults in three-phase asynchronous electric motors is proposed in the paper. In particular, a measurement strategy along with a machine learning algorithm based on Artificial Neural Network is exploited to properly classify failures. In particular, digitized current samples of each motor phase are first processed by means of FFT and PSD in order to estimate the associated spectrum. Suitable features (in terms of frequency and amplitude of the spectral components) are then singled out to either train or feed a neural network acting as a classifier. The method is preliminary validated on a set of 28 electric motors, and its performance is compared with common state-of-art machine learning techniques. The obtained results show that the proposed methodology is able to reach accuracy levels greater than 98\% in identifying anomalous conditions of three-phase asynchronous motors.

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

The inherited ‘EIA’ process at Brexit is based on a ‘Project’ period from Inception tothe start of construction works. The ‘Incompleteness’ of the process covers andidentifies stages that will impact on the environmental cycle: construction period,operational life, de-commissioning and a return to acceptable environmental footprint.A master environment structure-plan framework is required to commence with theupgrading of the complete ‘EIA’ process, embracing separate limbs for the UK’spriority environmental targets for climate change, and other major adverse effectswhich result in serious ‘harm’ to the UK environment. The identification of the processfor ‘incompleteness’ requires effective sustainability, and inclusion of effectivemanagement tools, for the essential ‘monitoring/control/recording’ proceduresthroughout the project life and the natural environmental cycle. This will allow theopportunity for a new approach to a structured ‘Suite of EIAR Directives’, to enable a‘EIAR’ regime that ‘will remain fit and proper for UK purpose’.

Expansion tube is ideal energy absorber which dissipates kinetic energy through plastic deformation and friction. There is an urgent need to understand the influence of key parameter, e.g. semi angle, tube material, and friction coefficient, on the mechanical response and energy absorption characteristics of expansion tube. In the present work, the material properties of the tubes were tested under quasi-static loading condition, and the numerical simulations were carried out by using commercial software ABAQUS. Based on the validated finite element simulation, all the semi angle, tube material, and friction have significant effects on the energy absorption capacity of expansion tube. The expansion tube with high tensile stress of parent material have high energy absorption capacity, while the specific energy absorption is linear with the tensile stress/density of tube material. This work would give a guidance to the structural design and parent materials selection for expansion tubes.

: For decades the city has created food models by requiring the countryside to meet the growing demand with increasingly more homologated crop reconversions and increasingly vast and competitive farms. The current acceleration of the land concentration process and the dramatic experience of the COVID 19 pandemic have, however, forced us to redefine the city-country relationship, which has been called into question for some years now in various FAO and EU documents. Based on the GECOAGRI-LANDITALY survey itinerary, a proven tool for reading local peculiarities, the AAs show how easy it is to recognize which farmlands can best fulfil the role of guaranteeing food safety and protecting the quality and typicality of traditional foods. The final proposal is to start a new agri-food policy that no longer starts from the demand formulated by the city but, reversing the direction of the old relationship, it starts from the availability of products offered by the countryside to re-educate consumption and promote the sustainability of agricultural practices.

This study comprehensively evaluates the DNA/RNA Defend Pro (DRDP) sample collection buffer designed to inactivate and stabilize patient samples. The primary objectives encompassed assessing DRDP's efficacy in ensuring sample stability, facilitating extraction-free polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and ensuring compatibility with rapid antigen testing.Ninety-five diagnostic nasopharyngeal swab samples tested for influenza A/B, RSV A/B, and/or SARS-CoV-2 were diluted 1/10 with DRDP and anonymized. Stability testing involved incubating 31 positive samples at 4 °C, 20 °C, and 37 °C for 7 days, with regular extraction-free nucleic acid amplification testing (NAAT).Results demonstrated that DRDP guaranteed viral RNA stability at all temperatures for influenza, SARS-CoV-2 and RSV showing stability up to 7 days at 4 °C. DRDP-diluted samples exhibited robust compatibility with direct PCR, as 72 out of 88 samples positive for cobas Liat also tested positive for direct PCR. Non-concordant results could be explained by the 200-fold lower input in the extraction-free NAAT.Compared to NAAT, rapid antigen testing demonstrated lower sensitivity, as expected, while maintaining perfect specificity. Clear cutoffs between positive and negative rapid antigen testing results were observed in both cobas Liat and direct PCR analyses, validating DRDP's compatibility with these techniques. In conclusion, DRDP is an effective stabilizing medium compatible with direct PCR and rapid antigen testing and shows great potential for optimizing diagnostic processes, particularly in resource-limited or time-sensitive scenarios.

Enhancing the Efficiency of Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) Extraction and Fractionation Trains: An Integrated Approach of Simulation Analysis, Advanced Modifications, and Technological Advancements. Through comprehensive research, innovative solutions such as the heat pump aided distillation (HPAD) system and self-heat recuperation technology (SHRT) have been developed to significantly reduce the energy consumption associated with conventional distillation systems. To identify a practical system for NGL fractionation trains, this study extensively examined and compared various HPAD and SHRT options to retrofit a single column. The objective was to find the most suitable and efficient solution for the fractionation process of natural gas liquids (NGLs). The retrofit options analyzed in this study encompassed a range of techniques, including vapor compression (VC), mechanical vapor re-compression (MVR), thermal vapor re-compression (TVR), bottom flashing (BF), side heat exchanger (SHE), intermediate heating and cooling (IHC), self-heat recuperative (SHR), and modified self-heat recuperative (MSHR) distillation. These methods were carefully examined to determine their suitability and effectiveness in improving the performance of NGL fractionation trains.In this study, a depropanizer column, typically employed in conventional NGL plants, was selected as a case study. The simulation software Aspen HYSYS V7.3 was employed to model and analyze eight retrofit designs based on predefined criteria. The simulation data was carefully evaluated to identify the most efficient design for minimizing energy consumption. Among the retrofit options, the mechanical vapor re-compression (MVR) technique demonstrated the most significant energy cost reduction, with a remarkable 68.11 percent improvement compared to the base case conventional column. These findings highlight the potential of MVR as an effective solution for lowering energy costs in NGL fractionation trains.Following the MVR retrofit option, the study found that vapor compression (VC) achieved a considerable energy cost reduction of 66.65 percent, closely followed by modified self-heat recuperative (MSHR) at 64.02 percent, bottom flashing (BF) at 62.88 percent, self-heat recuperative (SHR) at 55.85 percent, side heat exchanger (SHE) at 54.23 percent, intermediate heating and cooling (IHC) at 39.54 percent, and thermal vapor re-compression (TVR) also at 39.54 percent. These findings highlight the significant potential for energy savings offered by these retrofit options, with VC being the most popular choice, closely followed by MSHR, BF, SHR, SHE, IHC, and TVR.

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) poses a significant economic and clinical burden. Clinical inertia is defined as the failure of healthcare providers to modify therapy in the presence of clear indications. This study aimed to identify patient opinions on insulin to understand the barriers preventing type 2 diabetes patients from initiating insulin treatment when recommended by their physician. This cross-sectional observational study included 671 individuals with poorly controlled T2DM and HbA1c levels exceeding 10%. These patients required either the initiation or escalation of their existing insulin therapy. The participants were referred to Thi-Qar Specialized Diabetes Endocrine and Metabolism Center (TDEMC) for consultation between January 2022 and July 2022.Results: During discussions between the researcher (clinician) and the inadequately controlled T2DM patients, the primary reasons for refusing insulin therapy were identified. These reasons included fear of injections, the belief that insulin induces dependence and is a last resort, concerns about hypoglycemia and complications, cost, difficulty in computing doses, social stigma, inconvenience and disruption to life and work, storage challenges, fear of weight gain, dependence on others, and lack of confidence.The study concludes that the clinical barriers faced by individuals who refuse the initiation of insulin therapy are diverse. The most common belief among the patients was that insulin leads to dependence (38%), while the smallest percentage cited a lack of confidence in insulin as an effective treatment for lowering hyperglycemia.

The pathogenesis of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is associated with a hyperinflammatory response. The mechanisms of SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammation are scantly known. Methylglyoxal (MG) is a glycolysis-derived by-product, endowed with a potent glycating action, leading to the formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs), the major of which is MG-H1. MG-H1 exerts strong pro-inflammatory effects, frequently mediated by the receptor for AGEs (RAGE). Here, we investigated the involvement of MG-H1/RAGE axis as a potential novel mechanism in SARS-CoV-2-induced inflammation by resorting to human bronchial (BEAS-2B) and alveolar (A549) epithelial cells, expressing different levels of ACE2 receptor (R), exposed to SARS-CoV-2 spike protein 1 (S1). Interestingly, we found in BEAS-2B cells that do not express ACE2-R, that S1 exerted a pro-inflammatory action through a novel MG-H1/RAGE-based pathway. RAGE expression levels in nasopharyngeal swabs from SARS-Cov-2 positive and negative individuals, as well as glyoxalase 1 expression, the major scavenging enzyme of MG, seem to support the results obtained in vitro. Altogether, our findings reveal a novel mechanism involved in the inflammation triggered by S1, paving the way to the study of MG-H1/RAGE inflammatory axis in SARS-CoV-2 infection as a potential therapeutic target to mitigate COVID-19 associated pathogenic inflammation.

Background: Identifying a specific threshold level of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies that confers protection in immunocompromised patients has been very challenging. The aim was to assess the threshold of 264 binding antibody units (BAU)/ml using four different SARS-CoV-2 antibody assays (Abbott, Beckman, Roche, and Siemens) and to establish a new optimal threshold of protection for each of the four antibody assays. Methods: This study was performed on data retrieved from 69 individuals, who received at least one dose of the Pfizer/BioNTech BNT162b2 or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine (Spikevax) at the Alphabio Laboratory in Marseille, France (European Hospital, Alphabio – Biogroup). The results were compared to the percent inhibition calculated using a functional surrogate of a standardized virus neutralization test (Genscript). Results: Samples from 69 patients were analyzed. For a reference cutoff of 264 BAU/ml, assays showed moderate to good overall concordance with Genscript: 87% concordance for Abbott, 78% for Beckman, 75% for Roche, and 88% for Siemens. Overall concordance increased consistently after applying new thresholds, i.e., 148 BAU/ml (Abbott), 48 (Beckman), 559 (Roche), and 270 (Siemens). Conclusion: We suggest specific adjusted thresholds (BAU/ml) for the four commercial antibody assays that are used to assess pre-exposure prophylaxis in immunocompromised patients.

Abstract: Background: epileptic encephalopathies (EE) are characterized by severe drug-resistant seizures, early-onset, and unfavorable developmental outcome. We describe a cohort of pediatric patients with EE who underwent intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) pulse therapy to examine its efficacy/tolerability. Methods: This is a retrospective study from 2020 to 2023. Inclusion criteria were: ≤18 years at the time of IVMP pulse therapy and at least 6 months of follow-up. Efficacy and outcome, defined as seizure reduction >50% (responder rate), were evaluated at 6 and 9 months of therapy, and 6 months after therapy suspension; quality of Life (QoL) was also assessed. Variables predicting positive post-IVMP outcomes were identified using statistical analysis. Results: Twenty-one patients were included. The responding rate was 85.7% at 6 and 9 months of therapy, and 80.9% at 6 months after therapy suspension. Genetic etiology and encephalopathy related to status epilepticus during NREM sleep (ESES) were predictive of efficacy (p=0.0475). The fourth month of therapy was the minimum time point to establish the effectiveness of the treatment. All patients showed improvements in QoL, EEG tracing and postural-motor development. No relevant adverse events were observed. Conclusions: Our study confirms the efficacy and tolerability of pulse IVMP treatment in pediatric patients with EE, especially with genetic etiology and ESES. The fourth month of therapy was the minimum time point to establish its effectiveness. QoL, EEG and postural-motor development also showed improvement.

Introduction: To indentify the most effective actors(authors, countries, and journals) about composite resin restorations in the period 2000-2020.Material and Methods: An electronis research was conducted in the Scopus database by selecting the words ‘composite resin’ and ‘restoration and English language, article and review types, dentistry field. Their bibliometric data including publication title, authorship, citation count, citation dentistry, year of publication, country and institution of origin, journal of publication, study design, and keywords were extracted and analyzed.Results and Discussion: To our knowledge, this is the first bibliometric article on composite resin restorations. This study provides information about authors, institutions and countries that contribute to significant improvements in composite resin restorations. From 2000 to 2020, there were 7118 articles published from 99 countries.Articles originate primarily from the USA and Brazil. Results indicate that the USA, Brazil, Germany, Turkey, the United Kingdom, Japan, Swtizerland, Italy, Netherlands and India are the leading countries in composite resin restoration research and account for 51.8% of the total number of publications. The total number of citations are 158.404, corresponding to 22 citations per paper publication. During the time period examined, 776 hot articles and 228 classic articles on composite resin restorations were found.The journal with the most publications is ‘Operative Dentistry’. The publishing houses of the top 10 journals are from 4 countries: USA(6),Netherlands(2),Germany(1),Japan(1). The most cited article within the boundaires of this study is Ferracane’s article titled ‘Resin composite-State of the art’, which was published in Dental Materials in 2011 and received 913 citations.

Density Functional Theory (DFT) full potential linearized augmented plane wave (FP-LAPW) method with the Modified Becke-Johnson (mBJ) approximation is used to perform spin polarised calculations of the transition metal perovskites MoScO₃ and WScO₃. Both depict half metallic behaviour with semiconducting and metallic in the minority and majority spins respectively. MoScO₃ and WScO₃ have indirect R− Γ band gaps in the minority spin channels of 3.61 and 3.82eV respectively. Moreover, they both show substantial magnetic moments of 2.99μ_B. In addition, we calculate the dielectric function, optical conductivity and the optical constants, namely, the refractive index, the reflectivity, the extinction and absorption coefficients.