There is no doubt that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly affected the higher education sector in South Africa. However, academics and students’ preparedness and competencies have been considered a major conundrum concerning the integration of online learning in the classroom. The purpose of this paper is to examine the academics’ perspectives on a blend of a metaverse in the higher education sector in the post-COVID-19 era at one of the South African rural-based universities. A survey was administered in 2022 to ten (10) academics and the reports were consulted from four (4) E-learning practitioners to solicit their perceptions regarding the use of online learning and contact classes in the post-pandemic era. A qualitative research approach was employed to comprehend the challenges encountered in a historically disadvantaged rural-based university in Limpopo Province. The findings of this study show that there are major issues and challenges impeding the establishment of effective e-learning education. Consequently, technological continuity as a new normal in the post-COVID-19 era appears to be unattainable due to the challenges encountered by the students and lecturers. The use of Learning Management Systems among academics seems to have deteriorated due to the adjustments in COVID-19 rules and regulations. Furthermore, the findings revealed that most academics believed that contact learning remains irreplaceable throughout generations and ages as some are technophilic. This paper recommends that the incompetence and technological resistance and reluctance in adopting transformative pedagogies may not be used as a stumbling block to consider e-learning as a viable option to discontinue online education.

Using agronomic measures to remediate heavy metals on farmland is the main measure to achieve the safe utilization of crops. Investigating the effects of applying different fertilizers on the uptake, and translocation of Chromium (Cr) in maize and on the effectiveness of Cr in soil under Cr contamination of farmland is of great theoretical and practical significance to achieve the safe utilization of arable land and safe production of agricultural products. Under field trial conditions, different fertilizer types were set up, including ammonium sulfite, calcium-magnesium phosphate, and diammonium phosphate. locally formulated fertilizers (urea-ammonium phosphate-potassium chloride) serving as the control, with Biochar and conditioner PX5B were chosen to compare the impacts of each. To study the effects of different fertilizer types on maize yield, Cr content in the plant, bioconcentration factor, translocation factor and available content of Cr in the soil. The results showed that Compared with the formulated fertilizer, all treatments could improve pH, soil organic matter (SOM） and reduce the effective state of Cr content in the soil by 15.05% to 42.66%. While the Cr content of maize grains treated with biochar and conditioner PX5B was 0.80 mg·kg-1 and 0.88 mg·kg-1 with reduction rates of 39.95% and 33.83%, respectively. The Cr content of maize grains treated with various fertilizer treatments ranged from 0.82 to 1.32 mg·kg-1 with reduction rates of 0.75% to 38.19%. The Cr content of maize grains could be brought down to below the national food safety standards of China(1.0 mg·kg-1) using urea – calcium magnesium phosphate - potassium chloride, urea - diammonium phosphate - potassium chloride, ammonium sulfite – calcium magnesium phosphate - potassium chloride and ammonium sulfite, urea – calcium magnesium phosphate - potassium chloride and the two conditioner treatments. Among the different fertilizer treatments, the best fertilizer treatment for reducing the effective state Cr content of soil and the Cr content of maize grains was ammonium sulfite-calcium-magnesium-phosphate fertilizer-potassium chloride, which could achieve similar reductions as the two conditioners, while it also had a certain reduction effect on the Cr content in maize roots and straws and on the aboveground bioconcentration factor（BCF） and the root-to-straw translocation factor（PTF） of maize for Cr. Therefore, the combination of ammonium sulfite and calcium magnesium phosphate is the best fertilizer combination to block the absorption of Cr by maize and has some implications for the fertilization of farmland under acidic soil conditions of Cr contamination.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is one of the most frequent cancers in humans, characterised by high resistance to conventional chemotherapy, late diagnosis, and high mortality rate. It is necessary to elucidate the molecular mechanisms involved in hepatocarcinogenesis to improve diagnosis and treatment outcomes. The Runt-related (RUNX) family of transcription factors (RUNX1, RUNX2, and RUNX3) participates in cardinal biological processes and play paramount roles in the pathogenesis of numerous human malignancies. Their role is often controversial as they can act as oncogenes or tumour suppressors, dependent on cellular context. Evidence shows that deregulated RUNX genes may be involved in hepatocarcinogenesis from the earliest to the latest stages. In this review, we summarise the topical evidence on the roles of RUNX gene family members in HCC. We discuss their possible application as non-invasive molecular markers for early diagnosis, prognosis, and development of novel treatment strategies in HCC patients.

Due to the growing demand for Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (PAMs), environmental risks associated with overexploitation and inadequate waste management are increasing. Since MAPs residues have a notable potential to be valorised, the implementation of Circular Economy solutions can play a central role in transforming waste management problems into economic opportunities and in responding to the growing demand for MAPs. Circular economy is viewed as a solution for fostering a sustainable system planet and positively contributes to the economy and society. A systematic review was conducted aiming to identify potential applications for the valorisation of MAP, under a sustainable waste management and circular economy approach. A total number of 47 studies were analysed and it was verified that MAPs residues can be valorised for energy purposes, crop management and applications in chemical, food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic industries, among others. Despite the wide range of possible applications, to promote a progressive implementation of circular economy strategies by the industry, further investigation is needed regarding the development of more efficient techniques and technology to develop value-added products and the assessment of sustainable performance in empirical investigations, considering both economic and environmental indicators.

Febuxostat (FBX), a selective xanthine oxidase inhibitor, belongs to BCS class II showing low solubility and high permeability with a moderate F value (< 49%). Recently, FBX/L-pyroglutamic acid cocrystal (FBX-PG) was developed with improving 4-fold increase of the FBX solubility. Nevertheless, in vivo pharmacokinetic property of FBX-PG has not been evaluated yet. Therefore, the pharmacokinetic feasibility of FBX in FBX and FBX-PG-treated rats and mice was compared in this study. The results showed that the F values of FBX were 210% and 159% in FBX-PG rats and mice, respectively. The 2.10-fold greater AUC of FBX was due to the increased absorption (i.e., 2.60-fold higher Cmax,1 at 15 min) and entero-hepatic circulation of FBX (i.e., 1.68-fold higher Cmax,2 at 600 min) in FBX-PG rats compared to the FBX rats. The 1.59-fold greater AUC of FBX was due to a 1.65-fold higher Cmax,1 at 5 min, and 1.15-fold higher Cmax,2 at 720 min of FBX in FBX-PG mice than those in FBX mice. FBX was highly distributed in the liver, stomach, small intestine, and lungs in both groups of mice, and the FBX distributions to the liver and lungs were increased in FBX-PG mice compared to FBX mice. The results suggest the FBX-PG has a suitable pharmacokinetic profile of FBX for improving its oral F value.

Finishing coatings used in the wood-based composites industry play a key role in the final appearance of the finished product. However, the use of such coatings is not only for aesthetic purposes but also to protect the product against surface damage and moisture or minimize the emission of harmful substances. The latter is an extremely important factor in terms of safety for both the manufacturer and the user, which is why the emissivity test is one of the most important tests in the case of finishing coatings. Such a role can be played by carbon-rich materials, such as those remaining from the extraction of birch bark. In this article, an attempt was made to create coatings in the form of a film by combining a biopolymer with suberinic acid residues (SAR). There were two types of biopolymers used – polylactide (PLA) and polycaprolactone (PCL), in various polymer-SAR ratios. SAR as a residue, is a material that bounds CO2 from the atmosphere and creates a possibility of further use. As part of this study, the obtained coatings were tested in terms of resistance to scratch, relative hardness, cold liquids, total volatile organic compounds (TVOC) and formaldehyde emission, surface absorption etc. Differences in the polymers used and the effect of the SAR additive on selected surface properties were demonstrated. The addition of carbon-rich SAR significantly improves the gas barrier properties of the surface finishing materials based on PLA and PCL. The relative hardness and scratch resistance has also increased with raising SAR content. However, the increasing content of SAR filler act as a limiter in the depth of penetration of deposited surface finishing materials onto the wood surface.

(1) Background: Inflammatory breast cancer (IBC) is a rare and aggressive form of breast cancer that poses unique management challenges. This review aims to synthesize the current literature on IBC, focusing on diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis, while highlighting recent advances and ongoing issues in patient management.; (2) Methods: We outline the typical clinical presentation and diagnostic criteria of IBC. Additionally, we detail the main therapeutic strategies, including neoadjuvant chemotherapy, surgery, radiation therapy, targeted therapies, hormonal therapies, and emerging treatments such as immunotherapy. The review is based on a comprehensive analysis of the existing literature.; (3) Results: Despite advancements in systemic therapy and a better understanding of IBC biology, the prognosis for patients with IBC remains poor. The overall survival rate has shown only marginal improvement over the past few decades. Future research directions, including the identification of novel biomarkers for early detection and personalized medicine strategies, are identified. The need for more high-quality clinical trials to address the challenges in IBC management is emphasized.; (4) Conclusions: Managing IBC is a complex task that necessitates multidisciplinary care and patient-centered communication. This review provides clinicians and researchers with a comprehensive overview of the current challenges and future directions in IBC management. The goal is to guide treatment decisions and inform further research, ultimately improving patient outcomes and prognosis.

The participation of civil society is essential for environmental health policies to be effective. The objective of this study was to know the perceptions of government officials, members of civil society, and academics about environmental health problems and its governance in Bucaramanga Metropolitan Area, Colombia. In the region there is a strong citizen movement that defends the moorland ecosystem (paramo) as source of drinking water, of large-scale mining projects. A multi-method study was carried out including the review of newspaper and scientific articles, a citizen survey, and interviews and focus groups with identified key stakeholders. The findings indicate that government officials prioritize their actions on issues related to air and water pollution and environmental education. In contrast, citizens prioritize water availability from the moorland ecosystem. There are some advances in the management of environmental health, mainly related to greater citizen awareness. The participation of civil society in the environmental health governance must be enforced to broaden the issues of interest and prioritize the activities in the short- and long-term policy planning. An experience between high school students and the academy that measures air pollutants can be the first meeting point with government officials in the pathway to improve the environmental governance in the territory.

Background: The validation of measuring instruments in health is a requirement to be able to use them safely and reliably. The Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) tool is an instrument widely used in the clinic and validated in numerous countries and languages and for different populations. The objective of this research was to determine the psychometric properties of SPPB for a sample composed of institutionalized Spanish older adults. Methods: Multicenter study of the psychometric properties of the Short Physical Performance Battery tool with a convenience sample of 194 institutionalized older adults. Reliability (internal consistency), validity (construct validity and convergent validity) tests were performed. Results: The results show a very good internal consistency, construct validity and convergent validity. In addition, the factorial structure of the SPPB is provided, which reflects that it is a unidimensional scale. Conclusions: In conclusion, the Short Physical Performance Battery is a valid and reliable tool for use with institutionalized older adults. Its use is recommended as part of the Comprehensive Geriatric Assessment for the evaluation of the physical or functional sphere. Authors should include one of the following statements about the registration status of the manuscript here: This study was prospectively registered and approved by the Ethics Committee of the University of Burgos (IR 11/2018).

One of the hallmarks of microgravity-induced effects in several cellular models is represented by the alteration of oxidative balance with the consequent accumulation of Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS). It is well known that male germ cells are sensitive to oxidative stress and to changes of gravitational force even if published data on germ cell models are scarce. To gain more insights into the mechanisms of male germ cell response to altered gravity, a 3D cell culture model has been established from TCam-2 cells, a seminoma-derived cell line considered the only human cell line available to study in vitro mitotically active human male germ cells. TCam-2 cell spheroids were cultured for 24 hours under unitary gravity (Ctr) or simulated microgravity (s-microgravity) conditions, these last ones were obtained using the Random Positioning Machine (RPM). A significant increase in intracellular ROS and mitochondria superoxide anion levels has been observed after RPM exposure. In line with these results a trend of protein and lipid oxidation increase, and increased pCAMKII expression levels were observed after RPM exposure. The ultrastructural analysis by Transmission Electron Microscopy revealed that RPM-exposed mitochondria appeared enlarged and, even if seldom, disrupted. Notably, even the expression of the main enzymes involved in the redox homeostasis appears modulated by RPM exposure in a compensatory way, being GPX1, NCF1, and CYBB downregulated, whereas NOX4 and HMOX1 upregulated. Interestingly, HMOX1 is involved in the heme catabolism of mitochondria cytochromes, and therefore the positive modulation of this marker can be associated to the observed mitochondria alteration. All together, these data demonstrate TCam-2 spheroid sensitivity to acute SM exposure and indicate the capability of these cells to trigger compensatory mechanisms that allow to overcome the exposure to altered gravitational force.

Clinical outcomes of dental restorations depends primarily on the choice of materials used and their fabrication processes. The spectrum of dental CAD-CAM (Computer-Aided Design Computer-Aided Manufacturing) materials presents a wide range of variables on what may be the most suitable material for the clinical case. This narrative review focuses on CAD-CAM dental materials based on their mechanical properties and in relation to their clinical applications. A literature review was performed on PubMed, Scopus, Web of Knowledge, and Cochrane Library. Articles addressing at least one of the following topics regarding dental materials for CAD-CAM systems: manufacturers, mechanical features, materials ’composition optical properties, clinical indications and / or outcomes were included in the review. A flowchart was performed as de-scribed in the PRISMA guidelines. Among the 564 articles found, 63 were analyzed and evaluated. Within the limitation of this narrative review, it can be concluded that all CAD-CAM materials presents a wide range of clinical applications due to their improved mechanical properties. Specifically, in addition to materials that have been in use for a long time (such as feldspathic ceramics), resin block composites can also be used for permanent restorations.

Using the fluorescent method in the modification of Krasnoyarsk State University, we study development (as chlorophyll content, ∑CHL) and photosynthetic activity of phytoplankton in seven large flat reservoir of the Volga River cascade (Russia) in August 2915–2017. In period of maximal warming of water, average ∑CHL varied in limits of 19.4–33.7 μg L–1 in the Upper Volga, 8.5–27.8 μg L–1 in the Middle Volga, and 5.2–11.3 μg L–1 in the Lower Volga. Photosynthetic activity coefficient (PhAC) varied mostly in limits of 0.12–0.59 with average of 0.22–0.38 and only in 2017 decreased to minimal <0.10 and average <0.20. The average PhAC values shows the normal physiological state of the phytoplankton of the Upper Volga during all periods of observation, occasional decrease of PhAC in the Middle Volga, and low photosynthetic activity in the Lower Volga. A decrease in the average ∑Chl and PhAC in 2017 was under cyclonic windy weather with a large amount of precipitation, low solar radiation, and large volume of flow. Trend towards a decrease in ∑CHL, like decrease in PhAC from the Upper Volga to the Lower Volga is explained by increasing in the flow rate and volume of runoff downstream the Volga River.

The key enzyme, 1-hydroxy-2-methyl-2-(E)-butenyl-4-pyrophosphate reductase HDR, responsible for the final step in the MEP pathway, was successfully cloned from the petals of Narcissus tazetta var. chinensis, herein referred to as NtHDR (accession number OQ739816). NtHDR exhibits a full-length coding sequence spanning 1380 base pairs, encoding a total of 460 amino acids. Through phylogenetic tree analysis, it has been determined that NtHDR shared the closest evolutionary relationship with monocotyledons, specifically Asparagus officinalis and Zingiber officinale. Utilizing quantitative real-time PCR analysis, it was observed that NtHDR exhibited significant expression in both petals and corona, with expression levels varying throughout the flowering process of Narcissus. Specifically, in petals, NtHDR expression demonstrated a pattern of initial increase followed by subsequent decrease, while in corona, it consistently increased. Subsequent subcellular localization experiments indicated that NtHDR was localized within the chloroplasts. To investigate the functional impact of NtHDR, stable transformation was performed, where NtHDR was introduced into Nicotiana benthamiana. The resulting transgenic N. benthamiana flowers were analyzed using solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (SPME-GC-MS) to characterize their volatile components. The analysis revealed the presence of the monoterpene compound linalool, as well as the phenylpropanoids benzyl alcohol and phenylethanol, within the floral fragrance components of the transgenic N.benthamiana plants. However, these compounds were absent in the floral fragrance components of wild-type tobacco plants, thus highlighting the impact of NtHDR transformation on the floral scent profile.

Background and Objectives:: Hip osteoarthritis is the main cause physical disability, also has a serious impact on the efficiency and independence of older people. The aim of the study was to analyze the relationship between hip osteoarthritis and the risk of sarcopenia. Our main hypothesis was whether the risk of sarcopenia, as measured by the SARC F questionnaire , is related to the physical fitness of older people with hip osteoarthritis. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted with the participation of 177 people of aged 65 or more, diagnosed hip osteoarthritis. The subjects were assessed using the SARC F questionnaire, the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB) and Timed Up and Go (TUG) test. The subjects were divided into two groups depending on the result they obtained in the SARC F questionnaire (group 1- SARC F &lt;4, group 2 - SARC F ≥ 4). Results: There was a significant correlation between the results in the SARC F and the results of the TUG (p&lt;0.001) and the SPPB test, both the SPPB total score (p&lt;0.001)and its elements: SBBP chair stand test (p&lt;0.001), SPPB balance test (p&lt;0.001), SPPB gait speed test (p&lt;0.001). Logistic regression of the SPPB and TUG predictors showed that in SARC F more than 4 predicted worse SPPB and TUG outcomes. In the SARC group, F above 4 increases the odds of poorer scores in SPPB OR=1.097; CI 95% 1.053-1.146 and TUG, OR=1.096; CI 95% 1.104-1.266. Conclusion: The study showed that the results obtained in the SARC F questionnaire correlate with the possibilities of physical functioning in patients with hip osteoarthritis SARC F is an inexpensive method that can be used to assess the risk of sarcopenia. Healthcare professionals, especially in primary care, should consider assessing the risk of sarcopenia especially in people with hip osteoarthritis.

Important first phases in the process of implementing CO2 subsurface and ocean storage projects include selecting of best possible location(s) for CO2 storage, site selection evaluation. Sites must fulfil a number of criteria that boil down to the following basics: they must be able to accept the desired volume of CO2 at the rate at which it is supplied from the CO2 source(s); they must as well be safe and reliable; and must comply with regulatory and other societal requirements. They also must have at least public acceptance and be based on sound financial analysis. Site geology; hydrogeological, pressure, and geothermal regimes; land features; location, climate, and access, etc. can all be refined from these basic criteria. In addition to aiding in site selection, site characterization is essential for other purposes, such as foreseeing the fate and impacts of the injected CO2, and informing subsequent phases of site development, including design, permitting, operation, monitoring, and eventual abandonment. According to data from the IEA, in 2022, emissions from Africa and Asia's emerging markets and developing economies, excluding China's, increased by 4.2%, which is equivalent to 206 million tonnes of CO2 and were higher than those from developed economies. Coal-fired power generation was responsible for more than half of the rise in emissions that were recorded in the region. The difficulty of achieving sustainable socio-economic progress in the developing countries is entwined with the work of reducing CO2 emissions, which is a demanding project for the economy. Organisations from developing countries, such as Bangladesh, Cameroon, India, and Nigeria, have formed partnerships with organisations in other countries for lessons learn and investment within the climate change arena. The basaltic rocks, coal seams, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, soils, deep saline aquifers, and sedimentary basins that developing countries (Bangladesh, Cameroon, India, and Nigeria etc) possesses all contribute to the individual country's significant geological sequestration potential. There are limited or no carbon capture and storage or clean development mechanism projects running in these countries at this time. The site selection and characterization procedure are not complete without an estimate of the storage capacity of a storage location. Estimating storage capacity relies on volumetric estimates because a site must accept the planned volume of CO2 during the active injection period. As more and more applications make use of site characterization, so too does the body of written material on the topic. As the science of CO2 storage develops, regulatory requirements are implemented, field experience grows, and the economics of CO2 capture and storage improve, so too will site selection and characterisation change.

Reconfigurable chiral metasurfaces with dynamic polarization manipulation capability are highly required in optical integrated systems. In this paper, we simultaneously realized giant and large-range switchable asymmetric transmission (AT) and circular conversion dichroism (CCD) in a vanadium dioxide (VO2) based metasurface. The AT and CCD of the insulator VO2 based metasurface reach 0.95 and 0.92, respectively. Utilizing the insulator-to-metallic phase transition of VO2, the AT and CCD could be continuously switched to near zero. Furthermore, the physics mechanism of the giant and switchable AT and CCD are analyzed. The proposed metasurface with large-range switchable AT and CCD is promising in the applications of biochemistry detection, chiral imaging and biosensing.

Waste-to-Hydrogen (Wahh) is a process of converting waste into hydrogen gas through various methods such as thermal conversion, biological conversion, and chemical conversion. This process not only helps in managing waste but also provides a clean source of energy as hydrogen is a renewable energy source that produces zero greenhouse gas emissions during combustion. Wahh has the potential to provide a sustainable solution for energy generation and waste management in the current scenario of globally increasing energy demands. This study aims to examine the properties and energy efficiencies of various renewable fuels including fuelwood, biogas, biomethane, and biohydrogen with a specific focus on differentiating the characteristics of biohydrogen. The paper explores the emerging concepts of waste-to-hydrogen microgrids, biohydrogen refineries, biohydrogen prosumer networks, and a biohydrogen circular economy, as well as Public-Private-People Partnerships (4Ps) and the hydrogen-centric renewable energy revolution, which are taking shape in industrialized countries. The study presents a comprehensive feasibility analysis of these concepts in the context of Nepal. The results of this research will provide valuable insights into the potential for adopting these innovative technologies in Nepal and will contribute to the development of a sustainable and efficient energy system.

Due to the high specific surface area of titanium aluminide powders, significant and unavoidable surface oxidation takes place during processing. The resulting oxides disrupt the conventional powder metallurgical process route (pressing and sintering) by reducing green strength and sintered properties. Oxide-free particle surfaces offer the potential to significantly increase particle bond strength and enable the processing of difficult-to-press material powders. In this work, the effect of milling titanium aluminide powder in a silane-doped atmosphere on the component properties after pressing and subsequent sintering was investigated. Ball milling was used to break up the oxide layers and create bare metal surfaces on the particles. With the help of silane-doped inert gas, the oxygen partial pressure was greatly reduced during machining. It was investigated whether oxide-free surfaces could be produced and maintained by milling in silane-doped at-mospheres. Furthermore, the resulting material properties after pressing and sintering were an-alyzed using density measurements, hardness tests, EDX-measurements and micrographs. It was concluded, that ball milling in a silane-doped atmosphere produces and maintains oxide-free particle surfaces. These oxide-free surfaces and smaller particle sizes improve the component properties after pressing and sintering.

— Printing electronics incorporates several significant technologies, such as semiconductor devices produced by various printing techniques on flexible substrates. With growing interest in printed electronic devices, new technologies have been developed to make novel devices with inexpensive and large-area printing techniques. This review article focuses on the most recent developments in printed photonic devices. Photonics and optoelectronic systems may now be built utilizing materials with specific optical properties and 3D designs achieved through additive printing. Optical and architected materials that can be printed in their entirety are among the most promising future research topics, as are platforms for multi-material processing and printing technologies that can print enormous volumes at high resolution while also maintaining high throughput. Significant advances in innovative printable materials create new opportunities for functional devices to act efficiently, such as wearable sensors, integrated optoelectronics, and consumer electronics. This article provides an overview of printable materials, printing methods, and uses of printed electronic devices.

The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) is a vulnerable specie from Central and South America and is considered extinct in Belize, Guatemala, El Salvador, and Uruguay. Therefore, studies describing the reproductive characteristics of this species are pivotal for its conservation. Thus, this study aimed to provide a morphological description of their female reproductive tissues. We collected tissue samples from six female giant anteaters, and performed gross, morphological, and histochemical analyses. Five adult and one young subjects were enrolled in the study. In the ovary, classifications were made according to the follicle and oocyte sizes: primordial, primary, secondary, early antral, or antral. Typical follicles with a single oocyte surrounded by a simple or stratified layer of cubic epithelium, atretic follicles, corpora lutea, corpora albicans, and ovarian cysts were also observed. No ovarian lesions were observed. By contrast, endometritis, metritis, mucometra, and endometrial cysts were identified in the uterus. Uterine alterations in these subjects were frequent and could affect reproduction.

Rare-earth tetraborides RB4 are of great interest due to the occurrence of geometric magnetic frustration and corresponding unusual magnetic properties. While the Gd3+ spins in GdB4 align along the ab plane, Er3+ spins in the isomorphic ErB4 are confined to the c–axis. The magnetization in the latter exhibits a plateau at the midpoint of the saturation magnetization. Therefore, solid solutions of (Gd, Er)B4 provide an excellent playground for exploring the intricate magnetic behavior in these compounds. Single crystals of Gd(1-x)Erx B4 (x = 0, 0.2, and 0.4) were grown in aluminum flux. X-ray diffraction scans revealed single phase materials, and a drop in the unit cell volume with increasing Er content, suggesting the partial substitution of Er at the Gd sites. Heat capacity measurements indicated a systematic decrease of the Néel temperature (TN) with increasing Er content. The effective magnetic moment determined from the magnetization measurement agreed with the calculated free-ion values for Gd3+ and Er3+, providing further evidence for the successful substitution of Er for Gd. The partial substitution resulted in an anomalous ferromagnetic phase below TN, exhibiting significant anisotropy, predominantly along the c-axis. This intriguing behavior merits further studies of the magnetism in the Gd(1-x)ErxB4 borides.

The aim of this study was to assess the differences in motor coordination (MC) of primary school students based on sex, age, and physical activity participation (PAP), as well as investigation the binary and triple interactions of these variables on MC. In addition, ıt is aim to determine the validation and reliability of the KTK3+ test for Turkish schoolchildren aged 6-9. The sample consisted of 848 students from public primary schools, aged between 6-9 years, including 412 boys and 436 girls. Anthropometric characteristics such as height and body weight were meas-ured, and Body Mass Index (BMI) was calculated. The Körperkoordinationstest für Kinder (KTK3+) test battery was utilized to evaluate the levels of MC of the students. One-way multi-variate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was used to determine the binary and triple interactions of sex, age and PAP variables on the MC parameters of the participants. The study revealed that boys had higher scores than girls on eye-hand coordination (EHC) (p < 0.05). No significant dif-ference was found balancing backwards (BB), jumping sideways (JS) and moving sideways (MS) (p > 0.05). When the subtests of the KTK3+ were compared by age levels, a significant difference was determined between the groups in all subtests (p < 0.05). With respect to PAP, students who PAP had a significant advantage in all subtests of the KTK3+ (p < 0.05). It was determined that none of the interaction terms between sex, age, and PAP created a significant difference in any KTK (p= 0.294; 0.680; 0.471; 0.970, p > 0.05, respectively). The results that the boys aged 6-9 per-formed better than girls in EHC, but girls Furthermore, an increase in age level and PAP result-ed in higher scores in all subtests. This study presents evidence supporting sex differences in the motor skills of children within this age range and highlights the potential impact of age and physical activity on motor development.

This article should examine ideas of how a chatbot can support decision making processes by col-lecting general opinion about the certain topics. The ChatGPT is tested in this article in respect of natural gas security of supply of the Republic of Serbia in the context of the current political situation in the world. The author first describes its own stance on the topic and then the ChatGPT is asked for its opinion (which most probably collects and compiles phrases from English speaking sources to build a text in a smart way). The topic is ort only about security of gas supply of Serbia but also political and highly sensitive, so it is examined if the ChatGPT can be useful tool to reach a balance between less on more favorable options in the process of policy making.

Transitioning towards net zero emissions is critical in the chemical and process industries to combat climate change and ensure environmental sustainability. Key focus areas of this review include the reduction of carbon emissions, the efficient utilization of energy resources, and the adoption of sustainable practices. Cutting-edge technologies such as biomass utilization, biotechnology applications, and waste management strategies are crucial in achieving this transition. Industries, including cement production, encounter unique challenges in their quest for sustainability and must actively seek innovative solutions to mitigate their carbon footprint effectively. The role of hydrogen as a clean fuel and its potential to revolutionize the chemical and process sectors is also discussed. The European Green Deal and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are significant for the chemical industry. They provide a clear roadmap and framework for promoting sustainability, driving innovation, and reducing the industry's environmental impact. By aligning with these initiatives, the chemical industry can enhance its competitiveness, contribute to societal well-being, and foster collaboration across sectors to achieve shared sustainability objectives.

Currently, large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung (LCNEC) is classified as a rare lung cancer subtype, but given the high incidence of lung cancer, the overall number of cases is considerable. The pathologic diagnosis is based on the microscopic appearance of the tumor cells, the amount of intra-tumoral necrosis, the mitotic rate, and the presence of positive neuroendocrine markers identified by immunohistochemistry. Recently, a subdivision into two main categories was proposed based on mutation signatures involving the RB1, TP53, KRAS, and STK11/LKB1 genes, into SCLC-like (small cell lung cancer-like) and NSCLC-like (non-small cell lung cancer-like) LCNEC. In terms of treatment, surgery remains the best option for resectable, stage I–IIIA cases. Chemotherapy and radiotherapy have conflicting evidence. Etoposide/platinum remains the standard chemotherapy regimen. However, based on the newly proposed LCNEC subtypes, some retrospective series report better outcomes using a pathology-driven chemotherapy approach. Encouraging outcomes have also been reported for immunotherapy and targeted therapy, but the real impact of these strategies is still being determined in the absence of adequate prospective clinical trials. The current paper scrutinizes the epidemiology, reviews the reliability of pathologic diagnosis, discusses the need for molecular subtyping, and reviews the heterogeneity of treatment algorithms in LCNEC.

Since Hydrogen Sulfide (H2S) was recognized as a gas transmitter, its detection and quantifica-tion have become a hot research topic among chemists and biologists. In this area. fluorescent probes have shown great advantages: fast and strong responds, low detection limit and easy ma-nipulation. Here we developed a new fluorescent probe that detected H2S selectively among various bioactive and inorganic salts. This probe was based on the core structure of fluorescein and reacted with H2S through azide-reduction. Great linearity was achieved correlating fluores-cence intensity and H2S concentrations in solution. The detection of H2S in cancer cells was also achieved.

Offshore electricity production, mainly by wind turbines, and eventually floating PV in the future, will contribute to increase renewable energy production, as well as their dispatchability. The need for that energy evacuation and the implementation of the hydrogen economy are challenges that arise the evaluation of such energy facilities for the direct production of hydrogen. The analysis of the alternatives for the evacuation of offshore renewable electricity for the production of hydrogen is presented. The analysis includes discussion about the current state of the art of hydrogen pipelines and subsea cables, as well as the storage and bunkering system that is needed on shore. The main options for energy evacuation will be via an electric subsea cable to produce hydrogen onshore, or by pipeline, depending on the capacity of the offshore plant. For low capacity, an electric subsea cable is the best option. For high capacity renewable offshore plants, pipelines start to be competitive for distances above aprox. 450 miles.

Conventional sensors used to measure properties such as deformation or pressure, etc. often make use of metals, ceramics, piezos, and other materials. Many of those materials are very hard, so if they are used as sensors, when the object is deformed, or when the pressure on the object changes from time to time, it is necessary to prepare a variety of sensors with different properties. In this experiment, a dielectric elastomer (DE) pressure sensor was fabricated using a hydrogenated nitrile rubber (HNBR) film with improved hardness and elongation. With this, even very thin film (0.2mm) can be measured at any pressure between 1gf and 20kgf. Previously developed film was harder and less stretchy than the current one, with a pressure detection width from 4 kgf to 120 kgf. This time, however, the pressure sensitivity of the finger has been made more sensitive, making it possible to measure even smaller values. A DE stretch sensor was also developed using single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) electrodes with larger stretchability and flexibility, utilizing this HNBR. This greatly improved the mechanical flexibility and stretchability of the DES. Using this stretch sensor, it became possible to sense the motion of the robot's fingers, and to sense the force (pressure) when the fingertip touched the target object with the DE pressure sensor. In addition, it was confirmed that the sensation of the robot's finger touching an object can be fed back to a human finger by using a small diaphragm type vibrator DE actuator.

Weeds can have both positive and negative effects on agricultural environments. However, despite the growing interest in the ecology of weed communities in agricultural areas, few studies have been carried out in the northern region of the Andes of Colombia, where urban and agricultural expansion have gen-erated highly disturbed scenarios. The aim of this study is to analyze the diversity of vegetation and weed seed banks in three agricultural production systems and a forest ecosystem in the northern Andes of Colombia. Hill numbers were used to compare diversity, Beta diversity to assess changes in composition, and range-abundance-dominance curves at different sites. Likewise, indicator species were analyzed to find species associations to each system. The results revealed differences in the composition of weeds between the forest ecosystem and the agricultural production systems, with higher equitability in the forest ecosystem and higher dominance in agricultural systems. A higher differentiation was observed in the dominant species of each agricultural system, highlighting those considered pests due to their life history traits, giving them greater success against various anthropogenic selection pressures. These findings highlight the impact of anthropogenic disturbances on the ecological dynamics of weed com-munities in different ecosystems, which should be considered when planning integrated weed manage-ment techniques.

Spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) are the only primitive spermatogonial cells in males that can naturally transmit genetic information to their offspring and replicate throughout their lives. Phospholipase D family member 6 (PLD6) has recently been found to be a surface marker for SSCs in mice and boars; however, it has not been validated in cattle. The results of RT-PCR and qRT-PCR found that the relative expression of PLD6 gene in the testicular tissues of 2-year-old Simmental calves was significantly higher than that of 6-month-old calves. Immunofluorescent staining further verified the expression of PLD6 protein in bovine spermatogenic cells like germ cell marker VASA. Based on multiple bioinformatic databases, PLD6 is a conservative protein which has high homology with mouse Q5SWZ9 protein. It is closely involved in the normal functioning of the reproductive system. Molecular dynamics simulation analyzed the binding of PLD6 as a phospholipase to cardiolipin (CL), and PLD6-CL complex showed high stability. The protein interaction network analysis showed that there is a significant relationship between PLD6 and piRNA binding protein. PLD6 acts as an endonuclease and participates in piRNA production. In addition, PLD6 in bovine and mouse testes has a similar expression pattern with the spermatogonium-related genes VASA and PIWIL2. In conclusion, these analyses imply that PLD6 has a relatively high expression in bovine testes and could be used as a biomarker for spermatogenic cells including SSCs.

Heart transplantation (HT) represents the mainstream therapy of end-stage heart failure for selected patients with a median survival of more than 10 years after surgery and substantial improvement in quality of life. Current guidelines suggest a variety of examinations including invasive (coronary angiography and endomyocardial biopsy (EBM) and non-invasive methods (echocardiography, stress echocardiography, computed tomography, PET and MRI) to monitor HT patients. Guidelines do not specify the timing of echocardiographic evaluations and do not recommend echocardiography as an alternative to serial EMB in rejection monitoring [2]. They still recommend as gold standard coronary angiography to be done 1 year after surgery and every 2 years after. In this review we will discuss the advantages of non-invasive techniques over the invasive ones for an adequate follow-up of HT patients.

Abstract: To compare the use of variable mechanical ventilation with conventional mechanical ventilation in porcine model of ARDS. Methods: Animals were divided into two groups (n = 6), conventional ventilation and variable ventilation with bi-oscillatory PEEP. For induction of ARDS, intravenous oleic acid was used until a P/F ratio of 200 to 300 mmHg. The animals were ventilated with pressure control, FiO2 1.0, inspiration-expiration ratio = 1:2, tidal volume 6 ml/kg with the initial respiratory rate adjusted to maintain an end tidal CO2 tension of 35 to 45 mmHg. Variable ventilation was characterized by the oscillation of PEEP from 5 to 10 cmH2O every 4 respiratory cycles, in convencional ventilation group PEEP was set from 5 cmH2O. Ventilatory, hemodynamic parameters, oxidative stress, antioxidant enzymes, Interleukin 8 (IL8) and 17-a (IL17a) and histological analyzes were evaluated; Results: The use of BiPEEP demonstrated improvement in lung compliance and PaO2 in relation to control. The levels of oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes showed no significant difference. There was no difference in IL17a between groups. In IL8 there was a significant increase in the lung base of control in relation to BiPEEP, and a reduction in the apex of BiPEEP in relation to control. The control group showed changes in lung morphology characterized by cellular infiltrates, a thickening of the alveolar septae and atelectasis, which were attenuated in BiPEEP group; (4) Conclusions: The use of variable ventilation with bi-oscillatory level of PEEP demonstrates a potential ventilatory strategy in an experimental model of ARDS.

Fibrosis is a prevalent and detrimental condition associated with various diseases with a high impact on global morbidity and mortality rates. Despite its diverse causes and affected organs, common underlying mechanisms drive the development and progression of the disease. These mechanisms include an exaggerated inflammatory response, excessive activation of fibroblasts, and abnormal tissue remodeling following severe or repetitive tissue injury. Although significant advancements have been achieved to enhance our understanding of fibrosis, there is still a gap between identifying potential antifibrotic targets and successfully translating them into effective clinical interventions. Novel approaches that target specific cellular and molecular processes involved in fibrosis hold promise for reducing the pathological consequences of the disease. Understanding the pathogenesis and clinical implications of fibrotic diseases is crucial for developing effective therapeutic strategies and improving patient outcomes. In this review, we introduce the concept of fibrosis, discuss the mechanisms by which it arises, and explore existing and emerging therapeutic approaches in development.

Glacial meltwater has been lifeline of agriculture in Gilgit-Baltistan for centuries which is being effected by the climatic changes and associated challenges. The government line institutions and development agencies have been investing to sustain and further extend the cultivated areas by leveraging the available glacial meltwater source. However, approximately 13% arable land, laying mainly along river banks, has limited access to glacial meltwater. Moreover, already cultivated areas also need alternate and sustainable irrigation water supplies to insurefood security. Hence, there is need to explore more potential options to address these challenges and bringing arable land under irrigation for regional prosperity and environmental gains. The International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) and its partners piloted solutions for aforementioned issues in Gojal, District Hunza. These solutions included river water lifting through solar and Hydraulic Ram Pumps, uphill water storages and application through drip irrigation systems. In order to assess the technical and economical viabilities of these piloted systems, a semi-structured questionnaire survey, field observation visits to collect data and economic assessment studies were carried out in Morkhun and Khyber. Both piloted systems have been proven as climate resilient, adaptable, environment friendly and economically viable. The cost to benefit ratio for solar powered drip irrigation and Hydraulic Ram Pump drip irrigation systems are 2.96 and 4.21 respectively, with payback period of 9.21 and 8.25 years respectively. The drip irrigation systems at Khyber and Morkhun sites have exhibited excellent hydraulic performance with Coefficient of Uniformity 92.61 and 93 % respectively. However, the field application efficiency of drip irrigation systems estimated for Khyber and Morkhun sites are 85.24 and 88.88% which are lower than the optimal value mainly due to lesser water holding capacity. The Hydraulic Ram Pump can lift four times more water to greater height, while comparing to solar pump of approximately similar capacity and higher capital costs. Both water lifting systems have some limitations and requires local customization for sustainable use.

Water deficit is one of the factors that most influence plant growth and yield. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of silicon and salicylic acid application and water deficit on the growth and photosynthetic and osmoregulatory metabolism of Talisia esculenta Radlk seedlings and their recovery potential after the resumption of irrigation. Six treatments were performed: irrigation, irrigation suspension, irrigation suspension + silicon at 0.5 g L−1, irrigation suspension + silicon at 1.0 g L−1, irrigation suspension + salicylic acid at 50 mg L−1, and irrigation suspension + salicylic acid at 100 mg L−1. The evaluations were carried out at the beginning of the experiment (T0), at 10 and 15 (DIS) days after irrigation suspension, when the seedlings showed a photosynthetic rate close to zero, and at recovery (REC). The plants were submitted to water restriction for up to 15 days, being then re-irrigated until the recovery point, which was monitored based on the photosynthetic rate. Silicon application attenuated the harmful effects of water deficit on gas exchange, initial fluorescence, promoted proline accumulation in the leaf and root, and provided higher seedling quality. Salicylic acid application contributed to the maintenance of the relative water content of leaves during the water deficit period. Silicon and salicylic acid applications can attenuate the harmful effects of water stress, with silicon being the most effective agent in maintaining its growth and metabolism.

Cervi cornu has been extensively used in traditional medicine as an antioxidant and for the treatment of various disorders, including osteoporosis. However, since it is not easy to separate the active ingredient, absorption is not performed well. In this study, we extracted the low molecular weight (843Da) collagen NP-2007 from cervi cornu by enzyme hydrolyzation, and evaluated the therapeutic effect in a monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced rat osteoarthritis model, and identified their molecular mechanisms. NP-2007 was orally administered at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg for 21 d. Efficacy was evaluated based on serum parameters, inflammatory mediators, and mor-phological and histopathological analyses of knee joints. Production of matrix metalloproteinases, including MMP-2, MMP-3, and MMP-9, in the serum was higher in MIA-treated rats; however, these levels decreased after NP-2007 treatment. Serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, and prostaglandin E2 were lower in the NP-2007 group than in the MIA group. Furthermore, the administration of NP-2007 resulted in effective preservation of both the synovial membrane and knee cartilage, and significantly decreased the transformation of fibrous tissue. This study indicates that NP-2007 can prevent and alleviate symptoms of osteoarthritis and have applications as a novel arthritis treatment.

Dogs play an important role in the transmission of Leishmania infantum but epidemiologic and clinical studies of canine tegumentary leishmaniasis (CTL) are scarce. In an endemic area of human American Tegumentary Leishmaniasis (ATL) caused by Leishmania braziliensis, we determine the prevalence and incidence of both CTL and subclinical (SC) L. braziliensis infection in dogs and evaluated if the presence of dogs with the CTL or the SC L. braziliensis infection is associated with the occurrence of human ATL. SC infection in healthy animals and CTL in animals with ulcers was determined by PCR on biopsied healthy skin or on the ulcer or detecting antibodies against soluble leishmania antigen. We compared the occurrence of human ATL in homes with dogs with CTL or SC infection with control homes without dogs or with dogs without CTL or SC infection. The prevalence of SC infection was 35% and of CTL 31%. The incidence of SC infection in dogs was 4.6% and of CTL was 9.3%. The frequency of ATL in humans was 50% in homes with infected dogs and 13% in homes without L. braziliensis infection in dogs. CTL and SC infection is highly prevalent, and dogs may participate in the transmission chain of L. braziliensis.

This study aimed to investigate the relationship between weight-bias internalization and eat-ing-disorder psychopathology in treatment-seeking patients with severe obesity using a network approach. Two thousand, one hundred and thirteen patients with obesity consecutively admitted to a specialist clinical unit for obesity were recruited from January 2016 to February 2023. Body mass index was measured, and each patient completed the Weight Bias Internalization Scale (WBSI) and the Eating Disorder Examination Interview (EDE). Network analysis showed that the most central and highly interconnected nodes in the network were related to the EDE items exposure avoidance, dissatisfaction with shape, and wanting an empty stomach. Bridge nodes were found, but the bootstrap difference test on expected bridge influence indicated non-significant centrality differences. Nevertheless, the eating-disorder psychopathology and weight-bias internalization network structure in patients seeking treatment for obesity indicate the prominent role of body dissatisfaction and control of eating and weight in these psychological constructs. This finding, if replicated, could pave the way for a new understanding of the psychological mechanisms operating in patients with obesity.

Gastrointestinal diseases caused by parasites are frequently diagnosed in the clinical routine of domestic animals, especially dogs and cats. In general, they trigger factors that can affect individual health due to zoonoses. Therefore, this study aims to identify the main intestinal parasites obtained from the fecal samples of dogs and cats in the municipality of Jata, Brazil, and their associated risk factors. Between October 2020 and March 2022, fecal samples were collected from 359 dogs and 55 cats through spontaneous defecation and subsequently subjected to coproparasitological analyses using the Willis fluctuation and Hoffman spontaneous sedimentation techniques. The following parasitic species were identified: Ancylostoma, Toxocara, Trichuris vulpis, Dipylidium caninum; Giardia, Entamoeba, Cystoisospora, and Platynosomum fastosum. The risk factors associated with parasitism include age, average income of owners, access to garbage, sewage, waste, outdated deworming, and contact with animals. The results demonstrate the need to establish public policies and implement preventive and control measures to reduce the occurrence of parasites in animals and the exposure of humans to pathogenic agents.

The study follows the interaction between the individual and the social context regarding the development of adolescents protected in residential houses from the child protection system in Iasi County, Romania. Starting from the evidence that in situations of providing relatively identical material and social resources, the results obtained by these children vary greatly, we examine how the meaning (understood mainly as purpose and mattering) can constitute a developmental resource. Considering theoretical models and previous research, the study aims to describe, through a qualitative approach, how these young people see themselves and the external environment (family and residential care), how they project their future (their purpose and objectives), and how these constructions and perceptions can influence their quality of life and social integration. We conducted three focus groups with 35 adolescents and young people (the ages 13-21) protected in and for different periods in residential houses (period 1-20 years). The results highlighted that a specific meaning is reconfigured as compensatory when affected by a trauma or adverse external event and thus can be a resource for resilience. On the other hand, the research highlighted that only the existence of goals alone is insufficient to generate action, and the unrealistic meanings given to own persons, experiences, and resources can be dangerous.

The burden of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) continues to pose a significant global health problem. Several systemic therapies have recently been shown to improve survival for patients with unresectable disease. However, evidence is limited to support the use of neoadjuvant or adjuvant systemic therapies in patients with resectable disease, despite the high risk of recurrence. Neoadjuvant and adjuvant systemic therapies are being investigated for their potential to reduce recurrence after resection and improve overall survival. Our review identified various early-phase clinical trials showing impressive preliminary signals of pathologic complete response in resectable disease and others suggesting neoadjuvant therapies, particularly when combined with adjuvant strategies, may convert unresectable disease to resectable and cause significant tumor necrosis, potentially decreasing recurrence rates. The role of adjuvant therapies alone may also have a role in the management of these patients, particularly in reducing recurrence rates. Heterogeneity in trial design, therapies used, patient selection, and a scarcity of randomized phase III trials necessitate the cautious implementation of these treatment strategies. Future research is required to identify predictive biomarkers, optimize the timing and type of therapeutic combinations, and minimize treatment-related adverse effects, thereby personalizing and enhancing treatment strategies for patients with resectable and borderline resectable HCC.

Resilient urban water infrastructure (UWI) is essential to maintaining public health and safety in urban areas and preventing consistent disruptions. However, UWI is vulnerable to a wide range of shocks and stresses due to the complex nature and interdependency of its components. The primary objective of this study is to evaluate the advances in resilience assessment of UWI comprising water supply, stormwater, and wastewater systems. This assessment involves examining bibliometric analysis, developed frameworks to understand resilience concepts for infrastructure and society, strategies for improving resilience, and resilience indicators. The study findings indicate that resilience assessment has primarily been conducted in developed countries, highlighting the macroeconomic importance of UWI. Three major areas were identified for analysing resilience in UWI: system design, development of resilience concepts, and implementation of green infrastructure. It was also found that while resilience is commonly defined based on technical approaches, a more thorough understanding of resilience can be obtained through holistic approach. While strategies such as system upgrade, decentralisation, digitalisation, and nature-based solutions can enhance resilience in UWI, they may be insufficient to achieve all resilience indicators. To address the issue of proper comparison of different resilience options, comprehensive and qualified indicators and metrics should be extensively examined in future.

Due to the progression of antimicrobial resistance, Photodynamic (aPDT) and Sonodynamic (SDT) Therapies arose as promising approaches for microbial control. Recently, the combination of both therapies, called Sonophotodynamic Therapy (SPDT), have shown greater effects than the single treatments. This study evaluated the effects of aPDT, SDT and SPDT mediated by curcumin on the metabolism, adhesion capacity, biofilm formation ability and structural alteration in the Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. Moreover, possible antimicrobial mechanisms involved, such as the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the degradation spectrum of curcumin by light, ultrasound and light+ultrasound, were measured. SPDT was more effective to inactivate the biofilm than aPDT and SDT. All treatments reduced the adhesion ability of the bacteria and it is probably related to the metabolism cell reduction. Regarding to the biofilm formation ability, all treatments reduced the total biomass. One possible mechanism involved in the inactivation is the ROS production observed. Curcumin had a significantly decay in its absorbance with the application of light, and a slighter one caused by the ultrasound. Finally, all treatments impacted the biofilm components and structure, reducing the cells and matrix. In conclusion, SPDT was more effective in the inactivation, and all treatments had the same effect in the virulence factors evaluated.

This article focuses on developing a continuous authentication system using behavioral biometrics to recognize users accessing computing devices. The user’s distinct behavioral biometric is captured through keystroke dynamics, and reward-based reinforcement learning (RL) ideas are applied to recognize them throughout the session. The suggested system adds an extra layer of security to traditional authentication methods, forming a robust continuous authentication system that can be added to static authentication systems. The methodology involves training a RL model to detect unusual user typing patterns and flag suspicious activity. Each user has an agent trained on their historical data, which is preprocessed and used to create episodes for the agent to learn from. The environment involves fetching observations and randomly corrupting them to learn out-of-order behavior. The observation vector includes both running features and summary features. The re-ward function is binary and minimalistic. The Principal Component Analysis (PCA) model is used to encode the running features, and the Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN) algorithm with a fully connected neural network is used as the policy net. The evaluation achieved an average training accuracy and EER (equal error rate) of 94.7% and 0.0126 and test accuracy and ERR of 81.06% and 0.0323 for all users when the number of encoder features was increased. Therefore, it is concluded that by continuously learning and adapting to changing behavior patterns, this approach can provide more secure and personalized authentication, lowering the possibility of unauthorized access and cyberattacks. Overall, the use of reinforcement learning and behavioral biometrics for continuous authentication has the potential to significantly enhance security in the digital age and are effective in identifying each user.

Background: The intrauterine and early extrauterine development represents a “window of opportunity” in the immunological development. The underlying mechanisms are still poorly understood. The aim of this study was to provide reference values B cell subpopulations in cord blood of term newborns, juveniles and in adults to find the spectrum of their physiological age-related variation. Methods: In this study, we used flow cytometry to evaluate human B lymphocytes and subpopulations in cord blood (n = 10), in peripheral blood from healthy juveniles aged 1 to 17 years (n=20) and from donors aged 24 to 62 years (n = 10). Results: Our findings showed increasing frequencies of IgM memory B cells, class-switched memory B cells, marginal zone B cells and plasmablasts, from cord blood to peripheral blood of juveniles and adults. In con-trast, the percentage of naïve B cells was higher in newborns than in juveniles and adults. The frequencies of were similar in cord blood and peripheral blood of adults. Interestingly, transitional B cells frequencies were similar in cord blood and adults but significantly lower in juveniles. Conclusions: The frequencies of circulating B cell subpopulation are subject to considerable changes during on-togeny, reflecting overlying effects of maturation and of the acquisition of an adaptive immune memory.

Keywords: Deep mining; Drill bit structural parameters; Fidelity coring; Abaqus simulation and analysis.

The objective of this study is to assess the hepatic/renal and splenic/renal echointensity ratios in ultrasonography in patients with and without diabetic nephropathy. This retrospective study included patients with diabetes mellitus who underwent ultrasound examinations at our hospital between January 2023 and May 2023. Ultrasound examinations done with renal cortical echogenicity and cortico-medullary differentiation by using B-mode ultrasonography. The hepatic/renal and splenic/renal echo intensity ratios were compared among study groups (diabetic patients with diabetic nephropathy and without nephropathy). The diabetic nephropathy group exhibited significantly higher right renal echointensity and left renal echointensity compared to the non-nephropathic group. Additionally, the splenic/renal echointensity ratio and hepatic/renal echointensity ratio were significantly lower in the diabetic nephropathy group. Urinary microalbumin levels was significantly correlated with Right renal echointensity (r=0.65, p&lt;0.001) and Left renal echointensity (r=0.69, p&lt;0.001). There was also a significant inverse correlation between urinary albumin and splenic/renal echointensity ratio (r=-0.58, p&lt;0.001). Ultrasonography, specifically the assessment of hepatic/renal and splenic/renal echointensity ratios, shows promise as a non-invasive and cost-effective method for evaluating morphological changes in the kidneys in patients with diabetic nephropathy. These findings suggest that ultrasonography can be a valuable tool for monitoring the progression of diabetic nephropathy and contributing to its early detection and management.

Background: Cord blood represents a link between intrauterine and early extrauterine development. Cord blood cells map an important time frame in human immune imprinting processes. It is unknown whether sex of the newborn affects the lymphocyte subpopulations in cord blood. Methods: 9 B and 21 T cell subpopulations were characterized by flow cytometry in human cord blood from 16 male and 21 female newborns, respectively. Results: Except for marginal zone B cells and transitional B cells, B cell count in all subsets was higher in cord blood of male newborns than in female newborns. Frequency of naive thymus negative Th cells was significantly higher in male cord blood whereas the remaining T cell subpopulations showed a higher count in cord blood of female newborns. Conclusion: Our study is the first revealing sex differences in B and T cell subpopulations of human cord blood. These results indicate that sex might have a higher impact for the developing immune system urging the need to expand research in this area.

The use of hydrogen fuel cells as a mobile source of electricity might prove to be a keystone in future decarbonization of heavy duty road and marine transport. Due to complex interplay of various physicochemical processes in the fuel cells, further development of these devices will rely on concerted effort of researchers from various fields, e.g. chemistry, physics, electric and mechanical engineering. This results in knowledge gaps which are filled by the information, dispersed in wide range of literature, but rarely covered in a short and condensed form. To address this issue and with the aim of providing a concise and simple explanation of fuel cell operation, we propose a simple educational model of the most relevant processes in the fuel cell, aimed at proper description of causal relations. The derivation of model equations provides an intuitive understanding of electric potentials acting on protons on the microscopic level and relates this knowledge to the common terminology in fuel cell research community, such as catalyst electric overpotential and internal membrane resistance. The results of the model fit well with experimental data, indicating that a simple description, provided in the paper, is sufficient for intuitive understanding of fuel cell operation.

The blackening of cut carrots decreases their shelf life and causes severe economic losses but the molecular and metabolic mechanisms that underpin this phenomenon remain poorly characterized. Studies were therefore undertaken to determine the molecular and metabolic causes of the blackening. The susceptibility of blackening was dependent on the period of time that the crop was stored underground prior to harvest. The structure of the cell walls in the black regions was substantially changed compared to the orange regions. The black regions of carrot batons had decreased immunodetection of xyloglucan, HG-pectin, RG-I pectin, galactan and arabinan but had higher levels of lignin and phenolic compounds compared to the orange regions. Transcript profiling analysis revealed that phytohormone signalling processes were activated in the black regions. Transcripts associated with auxin signalling and ethylene-responsive transcription factors were increased in the black regions. In contrast, the levels of transcripts encoding proteins associated with secondary metabolism were decreased in the black regions. These findings implicate ethylene and auxin-related processes in the control of the primary to secondary metabolism shift that results in lignification and cell wall disruption that underpin the blackening process.

We aimed to investigate the mechanism underlying social stress (SS)-induced erectile dysfunction (ED) and evaluate the effects of a single sub-anesthetic dose of ketamine on SS-related ED. Male FVB mice were exposed to retired male C57BL/6 mice for 60 minutes daily over a 4-week period. In the third week, SS mice received intraperitoneal injections of either saline (SSS group) or ketamine (SSK group). Erectile function was assessed by measuring intra-cavernosal pressure (ICP) during electrical stimulation at the major pelvic ganglia. Corpus cavernosum (CC) strips were utilized for wire myography to assess their reactivity. Both SSS and SSK mice exhibited significantly lower ICP in response to electrical stimulation than control. SS mice showed increased contractility of CC induced by phenylephrine. Acetylcholine-induced relaxation was significantly reduced in SSS and SSK mice. Sodium nitroprusside-induced relaxation was higher in SSS mice compared to control and SSK mice. Nicotine-induced neurogenic and nitric oxide (NO)-dependent relaxation was significantly impaired in both SSS and SSK mice. Immunohistochemically analysis revealed co-localization of tyrosine hydroxylase and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS)-immunoreactive fibers in the CC. These findings highlight the complex nature of SS-related ED and suggest the limited efficacy of ketamine as a therapeutic intervention in this condition.

The use of anti-microbial drugs and coccidiostats in poultry farming is widespread, with a significant proportion of these drugs being excreted and released into the environment. The residues of such drugs in poultry litter (PL) can result in the development of antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The impact of different biotic treatments (aerobic, anaerobic, and stacking) on broiler litter (BL) before use as animal feed has not been studied extensively, nor have the differences between antimicrobial-dependent and independent broiler farms been investigated. This study aimed to determine the resistant bacteria in BL used as ruminant feed before and after litter treatment. The results showed that the most resistant bacteria before BL treatment were Enterococcus species. The study also found that the quantity of amoxicillin-resistant Enterococcus detected in samples from antimicrobial-dependent farms was significantly higher than in those from antimicrobial-independent farms. Additionally, 14% of bacteria were multi-resistant to tetracycline, sulfafurazole, and erythromycin in antimicrobial-independent farm litters, significantly lower than those measured in antimicrobial-dependent broiler farm litter. This study highlights the importance of better understanding, regulating, managing, and using animal waste appropriately to reduce the number of antibiotic-resistant bacteria and minimize the use of antimicrobials that carry high risks for animals, humans, and the environment

Ultrasonography is a relevant diagnostic tool extensively used andrology of human and do-mestic animals, including dogs. The present review aimed to describe all the technologies based on ultrasound, starting with the basic B-Mode ultrasonography to the recent contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) and the ultrasound elastography, available to assess the testicle of the dog. The principles of the different technologies and the relevant findings in normal and ab-normal testicular conditions were described and discussed. B-mode ultrasonography aims at the examination of the testis detecting focal lesions but lacks objectivization. Other technologies, such as Doppler ultrasonography, B-Flow, and CEUS allow the definition of vascular patterns, that could be measured with specific applications, such as spectral Doppler or quantitative CEUS. Finally, ultrasound elastography allows the estimation of parenchyma stiffness, in both qualitatively and quantitatively manner. Ultrasound-based technologies assist the andrology in the evaluation of the testicular function and integrity, offering valuable information to define pathological conditions that could have an impact on the health and life quality of the male dog.

Climate change, one of the severest environmental threats to humankind, disproportionately affects low-income developing countries in the global South. Having no feasible mitigation alternatives, these countries resort to adaptation efforts in addressing the climate perturbations. Climate change adaptation (or resilience) is primarily a localized course of action that depends on individuals, social networks, economies, ecologies, political structures, and the capabilities of all those to work collectively to absorb, learn from and transform in the face of new realities. With a view to controlling the floods that shattered the life and economy of the then East Pakistan, which is Bangladesh now, during the mid-twentieth century, the coastal embankment project (CEP) was instituted as an adaptation strategy to natural disasters in southwestern Bangladesh. Based on the qualitative analysis of primary and secondary data, this paper seeks to critically evaluate the efficacy of the CEP in terms of the space for feasible action and ecological modernization. The findings of this research indicate that the CEP has become an unrealistic venture that hinders the growing economic activity of shrimp aquaculture in the area. This paper is expected to contribute to generate further theoretical and empirical discourse on evaluating similar development projects around the globe.

FACTS devices provide significance to enhance the functioning of both static and dynamic power systems. The type, size, and location of FACTS devices determine how well they achieve the goals of enhancing voltage stability, loadability, and loss minimization simultaneously. The aim of the function in this study includes voltage stability, line loadings, and loss minimization, which are expected to obtain the most benefits from their installation and other weights allocated to them. It has been determined how installing TCSC, and SVC will improve loadability under situations of continuously increasing load. In this study, a novel optimization technique known as differential evolution invasive weed optimization (DEIWO) is utilized to locate the optimal location for FACTS devices within the IEEE 14 bus system by considering valve point effects. DEIWO was a recently developed, dominant, and simple metaheuristic algorithm for genuine parameter optimization. DEIWO was inspired by the natural process of weed colonization and dissemination, and it is highly effective at addressing broad multi-dimensional, linear and nonlinear optimization problems. The proposed method was implemented in the IEEE 14 bus testing system. Different methods from the research papers have been used to compare and analyze the results. The results demonstrate the DEIWO algorithm's capability and show how it may be used in practice to locate FACTS devices in deregulated electricity networks in the most advantageous place. A comparison of the proposed process to existing algorithms found in the literature and implemented using traditional techniques reveals that it performs better in terms of precision and convergence

Methane (CH4), produced endogenously in animals and plants, has recently been suggested to play a role in cellular physiology, potentially influencing the signaling pathways and regulatory mechanisms involved in nitrosative and oxidative stress responses. In addition, it has been proposed that supplementation of CH4 to organisms may be beneficial for the treatment of several diseases, including ischemia, reperfusion injury, and inflammation. However, it is still unclear if and how CH4 is produced in mammalian cells without the help of microorganisms, and how CH4 might be involved in physiological processes in humans. In this study, we provide first proof of the principle that CH4 is formed non-microbially in the human body by applying isotopically labeled methylated sulfur compounds, such as dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) and methionine, as carbon precursors to confirm cellular CH4 formation. A volunteer applied isotopically labeled (2H and 13C) DMSO on the skin, orally, and to blood samples. Monitoring of stable isotope values of CH4 convincingly showed the conversion of the methyl groups, as isotopically labeled CH4 was formed during all experiments. Based on these results, we consider several hypotheses about endogenously formed CH4 in humans, including physiological aspects and stress responses involving reactive oxygen species (ROS). While further and broader validation studies are needed, the results may unambiguously serve as a proof of concept for the endoge-nous formation of CH4 in humans by a radical-driven process. Furthermore, these results might encourage follow up studies to decipher the potential physiological role of CH4 and its bioactiv-ity in humans in more detail. Of particular importance is the potential to monitor CH4 as an ox-idative stress biomarker if the observed large variability of CH4 in breath air is an indicator for physiological stress responses and immune reactions. Finally, the potential role of DMSO as a radical scavenger to counteract oxidative stress caused by ROS might be considered in the health sciences. DMSO has already been investigated for many years, but its potential positive role for medical use remained highly uncertain.

Disasters related to climate change on our water resources are on the rise in terms of scale and severity. Therefore, predicting groundwater levels (GWL) is a crucial means to aid adaptive capacity towards disasters related to climate change in our water resources. In this study Gradient Boosting (GB) regression modelling approach for GWL prediction as a function of rainfall and antecedent GWL is used. Firstly, we sought to demonstrate the effects of rainfall changes on our groundwater resources through a Mann-Kendall trend analysis. Secondly, we evaluated the relationship between the input and response variables and determined the optimal lag times between the variables using autocorrelations and cross-correlations. Lastly a predictive model was developed for eight groundwater stations in the Upper Crocodile. 50 % of the groundwater stations revealed declining trends, while 25% had no trends and the other 25% showed an increasing trend. Generally low cross-correlation maximum (CCmax) were obtained, with the highest CCmax being 0.299 at an optimal lag of 2-month. While the highest autocorrelation was 0.969 at a 1-month lag. The best groundwater predictive model had R2 and MSE of 0.66 and 0.06, respectively. The stations that generally performed better had both high autocorrelation and cross-correlation coefficients. GB model performed satisfactorily in predicting GWL for most of the stations in the study area. Therefore, GB can be used for GWL prediction in the Upper Crocodile.

In this study, we focus on the effects of fuel bed representation and fire heat and smoke distribution in a coupled fire-atmosphere simulation platform for two landscape-scale fires: the 2018 Camp Fire and the 2021 Caldor Fire. The fuel bed representation in the coupled fire-atmosphere simulation platform WRF-Fire currently includes only surface fuels. Thus, we enhance the model by adding canopy fuel characteristics and heat release, for which a method to calculate the heat generated from canopy fuel consumption is developed and implemented in WRF-Fire. Furthermore, the current WRF-Fire heat and smoke distribution in the atmosphere is replaced with a heat-conserving Truncated Gaussian (TG) function and its effects are evaluated. The simulated fire perimeters of case studies are validated against semi-continuous, high-resolution fire perimeters derived from NEXRAD radar observations. Furthermore, simulated plumes of the two fire cases are compared to NEXRAD radar reflectivity observations followed by buoyancy analysis using simulated temperature and vertical velocity fields. The results show that while the improved fuel bed and the TG heat release scheme have small effects on the simulated fire perimeters of the wind-driven Camp Fire, they affect the propagation direction of the plume-driven Caldor Fire, leading to better-matching fire perimeters with the observations. However, the improved fuel bed representation together with the TG heat smoke release scheme leads to more realistic plume structure in comparison to the observations in both fires. The buoyancy analysis also depicts more realistic fire-induced temperature anomalies and atmospheric circulation when the fuel bed is improved.

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with high heterogeneity and has a prevalence of 0.7% to 3.2% in children. Gut microbiota are a collection of microorganisms that inhabit in human guts, which can produce various metabolites that affect the homeostasis and functions of nervous and endocrine systems. There are many studies on the relationship between various gut microbiota and ASD, but the alteration pattern of microbial profiles in ASD children is not conclusive. In order to more robustly describe the deregulations of gut microbiota compositions in ASD, a meta-analysis was performed. The related investigations from PubMed, Embase and Web of Science were collected and manually reviewed. By procedure, 26 eligible studies until 2023, with a total of 1021 ASD and 951 typically developed children and adolescents, were included for the meta-analysis. RevMan5.4 was used to assess the overall effect of 8 microbes at the phylum level and 19 microbes at the genus level. Results demonstrated relatively up-regulated abundance of Bacteroidetes, Verrucomicrobia, Bacteroides, Clostridium, Dorea and Sutterella, and down-regulated abundance of Proteobacteria, Bifidobacterium, Coprococcus, and Akkermansia in ASD children, indicating partly agreement in the ASD-associated microbes, albeit the heterogeneity of ASD.

The channels from the superfamily of transient receptor potential (TRP) activated by reactive oxygen species (ROS) are defined as redox channels. Those with the best exposure of the cysteine residues and hence the most sensitive to oxidative stress are TRPC4, TRPC5, TRPV1, TRPV4, and TRPA1, while others, such as TRPM2 and TRPM7 are indirectly activated by ROS. Activation by ROS has different effects on the tumorigenic process: some TRP channels may, upon activation, stimulate proliferation, apoptosis, or migration of cancer cells, while others inhibit these processes, depending on the cancer type, tumoral microenvironment and finally on the methods used for evaluation. Therefore, the use of these polymodal proteins as therapeutic targets is still an unmet need, despite their draggability and modulation by simple and mostly unharmful compounds. In this review, we intend to create some cellular models of the interaction between oxidative stress, TRP channels, and inflammation. Although the crosstalk between the three actors is rather theoretical, we intended to gather the recently published data and proposed pathways of cancer inhibition using modulators of TRP proteins, hoping that the experimental data corroborated with clinical information may finally bring the results from the bench to the bedside.

The development of mobile internet technology has enabled companies to use social media for E-commerce. Some companies use personified images and languages to communicate with consumers in this context. How does personified communication affect consumer behavior in social commerce? Are consumers willing to accept this new form of communication under social commerce? To answer these questions, this paper explores consumers' willingness to take per-sonified communication in the context of social commerce. It investigates the role of cognitive needs in regulating the internal mechanism and proposes some suggestions for enterprises to improve social media communication. Specifically, this paper presents an improved model based on the TAM model. In our model, perceived interaction is introduced as a new independent variable, and cognitive need is added as a regulatory variable, which is more suitable for social commerce. We conduct a questionnaire survey on the Internet and analyze data using AMOS and SPSS. The results show that perceived usefulness and perceived interaction positively im-pact attitude, which influences consumers' willingness to purchase. Furthermore, the cognitive need as the regulatory variable significantly affects the influencing path from perceived use-fulness to attitude and purchase intention.

Introdução: Os fatores de risco vasculares são decisivos na evolução da doença aterosclerótica e a ecografia Doppler carotídea e vertebral permite acompanhar o seu aparecimento e evolução. A medida do espessamento da parede arterial permite o diagnóstico precoce da doença potencializando seu tratamento e controle dos fatores de risco vasculares. Objetivo: Analisar a presença de doença ateromatosa em indivíduos com idade > 65 anos e compreender sua transformação com fatores de risco vascular. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo observacional transversal, em indivíduos com idade > 65 anos manifestados ao ecoDoppler carotídeo entre 1º de janeiro de 2012 e 31 de dezembro de 2021. Foi calculado o índice médio-intimal, a presença de placas ateromatosas, sua repercussão hemodinâmica e fatores de risco vascular foram registrados. Resultados: Obteve-se uma amostra de 5885 indivíduos, sendo 41,8% do sexo feminino e 58,2% do sexo masculino. A média de idade foi de 76,59 anos, variando entre 65 e 98 anos (+6,69). A hipertensão arterial foi a mais prevalente 81,3%. Houve relação positiva significativa entre índice médio-intimal, idade e história pessoal de doenças cardiovasculares e cerebrovasculares (p=0,001). Na presença de placas, sexo masculino, hipertensão arterial, diabetes, dislipidemia, tabagismo e história pessoal de doenças cardiovasculares e cerebrovasculares apresentadas de forma positiva. Conclusões: Nesta amostra, fatores de risco vascular não modificáveis ​​parecem ser determinantes na presença de aumento da espessura da parede arterial. Na presença de sinais de um estágio mais avançado da doença aterosclerótica, os fatores de risco vascular modificáveis ​​​​são decisivos,

Immune checkpoint blockade (ICB) has revolutionized the prognosis of several advanced-stage solid tumors. However, its success has been far more limited in hematological malignancies and is mostly restricted to classical Hodgkin lymphoma (cHL) and primary mediastinal B cell lymphoma (PMBCL). In patients with non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), response to PD-1/PD-L1 ICB monotherapy has been relatively limited, although some subtypes are more sensitive than others. Numerous predictive biomarkers have been investigated in solid malignancies, such as PD-L1 expression, tumor mutational burden (TMB) and microsatellite instability (MSI), among others. This case-illustrated review aims to appraise the current knowledge on PD-1/PD-L1 ICB efficacy in lymphoid malignancies, when used either as monotherapy or combined with other agents, and describes potential biomarkers of response in this specific setting.

The intrinsic non-linearity and complexity of suspended sediment dynamics, which are impacted by the geographical variability of basin parameters and temporal climatic patterns, make it difficult to estimate suspended sediment concentration (SSC) accurately in hydrological processes. Deep neural networks (DNNs), a cutting-edge modeling method that can capture the innate non-linearity in hydrological systems, have emerged as a solution to this problem. Using primary data on discharge, SSC, and turbidity, the long short-term memory method of DNNs was employed in this study to simulate the discharge-suspended sediment connection for the Esopus Creek, NY, USA as the first objective. To develop effective modeling strategies, multiple scenarios of feature selection, including combinations of discharge, turbidity and SSC for preceding days, were considered. Secondly, the variations in SSC and discharge between the three USGS gages along Esopus Creek that were upper stream, lower stream, and downstream, adjacent to the pourpoint were analyzed. Statistical metrics and scenarios of feature importance were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the DNN-based models. The study shows that among 24 DNN approaches feature selection is crucial in simulating the daily SSC, and discharge and presenting novel research directions for utilizing machine learning algorithms in water quality.

Ferroptosis is a unique variety of non-apoptotic cell death, driven by massive lipid oxidation in an iron-dependent manner. Since Ferroptosis was introduced as a concept in 2012, it was shown it's essential role in the pathogenesis in neurodegenerative diseases and an important role in therapy-resistant cancer cells. Thus, a detailed molecular understanding of both canonical and alternative ferroptosis pathways are required. There is a set of widely used chemical agents to modulate ferroptosis using different pathway targets: Erastin blocks cystine-glutamate antiporter, system xc-; ML210 directly inactivate GPX4; L-buthionine sulfoximine (BSO) inhibits γ-glutamylcysteine synthetase, an essential enzyme for glutathione synthesis de novo. Most studies were focused on lipidomic profiling of model systems undergoing death in a ferroptotic modality.

We aimed to evaluate the magnesium content in human cirrhotic liver and its correlation with serum AST levels, expression of hepatocellular injury, and MELDNa prognostic score. In liver biopsies obtained at liver transplantation we measured the magnesium content in liver tissue in 27 cirrhotic patients (CIRs) and 16 deceased donors with healthy liver (CTRLs) by atomic absorption spectrometry and within hepatocytes in 15 CIRs using synchrotron-based X-ray Fluorescence Microscopy. In 31 CIRs and 10 CTRLs we evaluated the immunohistochemical expression in hepatocytes of the transient receptor potential melastatin 7 (TRPM7), a magnesium influx chanzyme also involved in inflammation. CIRs showed a lower hepatic magnesium content [117.2 (IQR 110.5-132.9) vs 162.8 (IQR 155.9-169.8) μg/g; p&lt;0.001] and a higher percentage of TRPM7 positive hepatocytes [53.0 (IQR 36.8-62.0) vs 20.7 (10.7-32.8) %; p&lt;0.001) than CTRLs. In CIRs, MELDNa and serum AST at transplant correlated: a) inversely with the magnesium content both in liver tissue and hepatocytes; b) directly with the percentage of hepatocytes stained intensely for TRPM7. The latter also directly correlated with worsening of MELDNa at transplant compared to waitlisting. Magnesium depletion and overexpression of its influx chanzyme TRPM7 in hepatocytes are associated with severity of hepatocyte injury and prognosis in cirrhosis. These data represent the pathophysiological basis for a possible beneficial effect of magnesium supplementation in cirrhotic patients.

In the first part of this article, we discuss and generalize the complete convergence introduced by Hsu and Robbins (1947) to the r-complete convergence introduced by Tartakovsky (1998). We also establish its relation to the r-quick convergence first introduced by Strassen (1967) and extensively studied by Lai (1976). Our work is motivated by various statistical problems, mostly in sequential analysis. As we show in the second part, generalizing and studying these convergence modes is important not only in probability theory but also to solve challenging statistical problems in hypothesis testing and changepoint detection for general stochastic non-i.i.d. models.

This study aimed to investigate the ability of lactic acid bacteria to remove cholesterol in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. The findings showed that the amount of cholesterol removed was dependent on the biomass, viability, and bacterial strain. Additionally, some cholesterol binding was stable and not released during gastrointestinal transit. The presence of cholesterol affected the fatty acid profile of bacterial cells, which could potentially influence their metabolism and functioning. However, adding cholesterol did not significantly impact the survival of lactic acid bacteria during gastrointestinal transit. Moreover, the study did not find significant effects of storage time, passage, or bacterial culture type on the cholesterol content of fermented dairy products. The researchers observed differences in cell survival among lactic acid bacteria strains in simulated gastric and intestinal fluids, depending on the environment. Furthermore, dry matter content, such as high milk protein, was more protective of bacterial cells during gastrointestinal transit than fat content. Future research should aim to better understand the impact of cholesterol on lactic acid bacteria metabolism and identify potential health benefits or risks.

The search for growth and sustainability in any organization largely depends on its ability to carry out digital transformation and agility processes. These processes are essential to adapt to an increasingly changing and competitive business environment, allowing companies to be more efficient and effective in creating an unbreakable bond with their customers. This manuscript addresses the importance of detecting and eliminating anti-patterns in organizational culture for a successful digital and agile transformation. During the early stages of the transformation process, prejudices and paradigms rooted in the organization can become an obstacle to change. The goal of this writing is to offer a practical guide for leaders and teams in organizations seeking successful cultural transformation. Effective strategies are proposed to overcome the challenges faced by organizations during this early stage. In summary, the key steps to be followed in the initial stages of digital transformation with agility are described, including the importance of establishing strong leadership, defining a clear vision and scope of the transformational process, among others. A set of recommendations will be provided to overcome recurring anti-patterns, such as lack of stakeholder participation and commitment, lack of proper planning, and confusion of roles and responsibilities.

There is a fast-growing interest in the use of selective laser melting (SLM) for metal/alloy additive manufacturing. Our current knowledge of SLM printed 316 stainless steel (SS316) is limited and sometimes appears sporadic, presumably due to the complex interdependent effects of a large number of process variables of the SLM processing. This is reflected from the discrepant findings in the crystallographic textures and microstructures in this investigation with those reported in the literatures, which also vary itself. The as-printed material is macroscopically asymmetric in both the structures and crystallographic textures. The <101> and <111> crystallographic directions align parallel with the SLM scanning direction (SD) and build direction (BD), respectively. Like-wise, some characteristic low angle boundary features are reported crystallographic, while this investigation unequivocally proves them non-crystallographic since they always maintain an identical alignment with the SLM laser scanning direction irrespective of the matrix material’s crystal orientation. There is also 500±200 nm columnar or cellular features, depending on the cross-section, generally found all over the sample. These columnar or cellular features are formed with walls made of dense packing of dislocations entangled with Mn, Si and O enriched amorphous inclusions. They remain stable after the ASM solution treatments at 1050 °C temperatures, and therefore, are capable of hindering boundary migration events of recrystallization and grain growth. Thus, the nanoscale structures can be retained at high temperatures. Large 2-4 µm inclusions form during the solution treatment, within which the chemical and phase distribution are heterogeneous.

Nowadays, the Internet of Things (IoT) concept plays a pivotal role in society and brings new capabilities to different industries. The number IoT solutions in areas such as transportation and healthcare is increasing and new services are under development. In the last decade, society has experienced a drastic increase in IoT connections. In fact, IoT connections will increase in the next few years across different areas. Conversely, despite these benefits, several challenges still need to be faced to enable efficient and secure operations (e.g., interoperability, security, standards, and server technologies). Furthermore, although efforts have been made to produce datasets composed of attacks against IoT devices, several possible attacks are not considered. Most existing efforts do not consider an extensive network topology with real IoT devices. The main goal of this research is to propose a novel and extensive IoT attack dataset to foster the development of security analytics applications in real IoT operations. To accomplish this, 33 attacks are executed in an IoT topology composed of 105 devices. These attacks are classified into seven categories, namely DDoS, DoS, Recon, Web-based, Brute Force, Spoofing, and Mirai. Finally, all attacks are executed by malicious IoT devices targeting other IoT devices.

The digital twin (DT) research field is experiencing rapid expansion, yet the research in industrial practices in this area remains poorly understood. This paper aims to address this knowledge gap by sharing feedback and future requirements from the manufacturing industry. The methodology employed in this study involves an examination of a survey that received 99 responses and interviews with 14 experts from 10 prominent UK organisations, most of which are in the defence industry in the UK. The survey and interviews explored topics such as DT design, return on investment, drivers, inhibitors, and future directions for DT development in manufacturing. The study findings indicate that DTs should possess characteristics such as adaptability, scalability, interoperability, and the ability to support assets throughout their entire life cycle. On average, completed DT projects reach the break-even point in less than two years. The primary motivators behind DT development were identified to be autonomy, customer satisfaction, safety, awareness, optimisation, and sustainability. Meanwhile, the main obstacles include a lack of expertise, funding, and interoperability. The study concludes that the federation of twins and a paradigm shift in industrial thinking are essential components for the future of DT development.

Silicon-based thin-films and nanostructures are of paramount importance in a wide range of applications, including microelectronics, photovoltaics, large area sensors, as well as biomedicine. The wide accessibility of silicon and its relatively low cost have driven a continuous improvement of the technology based on this element. Plasma technology has been widely used for the synthesis of coatings and nanostructures based on silicon. Moreover, it has given a fundamental contribution for continuously improving the control of the physicochemical properties of silicon-based materials, and for allowing the synthesis of nanometric structures with well-defined shape and morphology. In this work, we have reviewed the most interesting developments of plasma-assisted processed for the synthesis of Si-based materials, both inorganic and organic, in the last five years. A special attention has been given to the new techniques, or modifications of already existing ones, that open new possibilities for the synthesis of materials with new properties, as well as nanostructures with novel characteristics.

The Gulong shale oil reservoir is formed in freshwater to slightly saline lacustrine basins, mainly consisting of pure shale geological structure, which is quite different from other shale reservoirs around the world. Currently, the development of Gulong shale oil mainly relies on hydraulic fracturing, while the subsequent shut-in period for imbibition has been proven to be an effective method for enhancing shale oil recovery. To clarify the characteristics of fluid occurrence space and the variation of fluid occurrence during saltwater imbibition in Gulong shale, this paper carried out porosity and permeability tests on Gulong shale cores, and analyzed the fluid occurrence space characteristics and imbibition oil recovery based on nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). In the porosity and permeability tests, the porosity measured by saturation method was calibrated using NMR T2 spectra. Combined with the identification of fractures in shale cores using micro-CT and the analysis of porosity and permeability parameters, it was found that the permeability of shale cores was related to the development of fractures in shale cores. Through the testing and analysis of NMR T1-T2 two-dimensional spectra of the shale cores before and after saturation with oil, it was found that the shale mainly contains heavy oil, light oil, and clay-bound water, and they were distributed in different positions in the T1-T2 spectrum. Finally, the T1-T2 two-dimensional spectra of the shale core at different imbibition stages were analyzed, and it was found that the saltwater mainly entered the minuscule inorganic pores of clay minerals during the imbibition process, and squeezed the larger-sized inorganic pores containing light oil through the hydration expansion effect, thus expelling the light oil from the shale core and achieving the purpose of enhanced oil recovery.

A rapid and efficient method using an alkyl functionalized magnetic nanoparticles-based extraction technique combined with Ultra-High Performance Liquid Chromatography was developed for the detection of trace amounts of polycystic aromatic hydrocarbons in tea leaves. As a popular coating for chromatographic column packing materials, C18-alkyl has been demonstrated to be effective in separating polycystic aromatic hydrocarbons. And the magnetism of the nanomaterials accelerates the extraction process while their high surface ratio enables desirable dispersity in the sample matrix. Meanwhile, the adsorbents can be washed and reused 30 times without compromise on recovery, which greatly reduced the budget. The effects of various parameters were investigated and optimized, and the recoveries for five analytes were in the range of 84.8–103.7%. The reproducibility rate of intra-day and inter-day were below 7.1% and 11.3% respectively. The limits of detection and limits of quantification ranged from 1.69–9.97 ng g-1 and 5.12–30.21 ng g-1, indicating satisfactory sensitivity. Thus, the proposed methodology is rapid, highly efficient, and economical, and it expands the application of magnetic cleanup approaches in complex food matrices.

Fermented food matrices, including beverages, can be defined as the result of the activity of complex microbial ecosystems where different microorganisms interact according to different biotic and abiotic factors. Certainly, in industrial production the technological processes aim to control the fermentation to place safe foods on the market. Therefore, if food safety is the essential prerogative, consumers are increasingly oriented towards a healthy and conscious diet driving the production and consequently the applied research towards natural processes. In this regard, the aim to guarantee safety, quality and diversify of products should be reached limiting or avoiding the addition of antimicrobials or synthetic additives using the biological approach. In this paper, following the recent re-evaluation of non-Saccharomyces yeasts (NSYs) has been re-viewed the bio-protectant and biocontrol activity with a particular focus on their antimicrobial power, probiotic features and promoting functional aspects. In this review, the authors would underline the contribution of NSYs in all food production chain and its role in the technological and fermentative features for their practical and useful use as biocontrol agent in food preparations.

Broadband reverse saturable absorption is systematically investigated via Z-scan, transient absorption spectrum (TAS). The excited state absorption and negative refraction of Orange IV are observed in the Z-scan experiment at 532 nm. Meanwhile, two-photon induced excited-state absorption and pure two-photon absorption are observed at 600 nm and 700 nm with the pulse width of 190 fs, respectively. An ultrafast broadband absorption in visible wavelength region is observed via TAS. The different nonlinear absorption mechanism at multiple wavelengths is discussed and interpreted from the results of TAS. In addition, the ultrafast dynamics of negative refraction in the excited state of Orange IV is investigated via degenerate phase object pump probe, from which the weak long-lived excited state is extracted. All studies indicate that Orange IV has the potential to be further optimized into a superior broadband reverse saturable absorption material and also has certain reference significance for the study of optical nonlinearity in organic molecules containing azobenzene groups.

Botswana, Eswatini and Lesotho are three Southern African countries which make use of re-turn-of-service (RoS) schemes to increase human resources for health in their countries. These initiatives bind beneficiaries to a pre-defined period of service upon completion of their studies based on the length of funding support received. We aim to review the history of these policies to understand the conceptualisation, intent and implementation of these schemes. We used a mul-ti-methods research design which consisted of a literature review, policy review and semi-structured interviews with policymakers and implementors. All three governments have a combination of grant-loan schemes and full bursaries or scholarships. The policies have all been operating for over 20-years, with Eswatini’s pre-service being the oldest since it was introduced in 1977 followed by Lesotho’s 1978 policy and Botswana’s 1995 pre-service policy. These policies have never been reviewed or updated. RoS schemes in these countries were introduced to ad-dress critical skills shortages, improve employability prospects for citizens, to have competent public sector employees by global standards, and to aid career progress of government employ-ees. Ministries of Health are passive role players. However, these schemes can only be efficient if there is clear cooperation and coordination between all stakeholders.

Oral mucositis (OM) is inflammation of the mouth caused by damage to the mucous membranes that line the mouth and throat. It is a side effect of cancer treatment, particularly in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) who undergo radiotherapy, chemotherapy, and/or immunotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors. The etiology and pathogenic mechanisms of OM is complex and multifaceted, involving cytotoxicity (cell death), inflammation, infection, change in microbiome, and immune-mediated cytotoxicity. We summarize the literature about attempts to use various omics methodologies (genomics, transcriptomics, microbiomics and metabolomics) to elucidate the biological pathways associated with the development or the severity of OM. Integrating different omics into multi-omics approaches carries the potential to discover links among host factors (genomics), host responses (transcriptomics, metabolomics), and local environment (microbiomics).

Semantic jokes involve resolving an incongruity emerging from wordplay or from violation of world knowledge. Research has shown individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) demonstrate lower performance on humor tasks involving social situations, but less is known about their semantic joke comprehension. This study examined semantic joke comprehension among adolescents with ASD, and its possible relationship to vocabulary size, theory of mind (ToM), and idiom comprehension. Thirty-two adolescents with ASD and 32 typically developed (TD) peers participated. Semantic joke comprehension was assessed via multiple-choice questionnaire and time-limited computer program. Vocabulary, ToM abilities, and idiom comprehension were also tested. Results revealed that adolescents with ASD were as fast in processing semantic jokes as their age- and vocabulary-matched TD peers but less accurate. Age and idiom comprehension contributed significantly to semantic joke comprehension among both groups. As semantic joke comprehension is based on incongruity resolution, the greater difficulties in comprehension among the adolescents with ASD may be due to deficits in simultaneously retaining two alternative interpretations and selecting the relevant one. Like the TD group, semantic joke comprehension among the ASD group appeared more developed with age. Future neuroimaging studies should test semantic brain region involvement in semantic joke comprehension in ASD.

Studies on the neurobiological causes of anxiety disorders suggest that the GABA system in-creases synaptic concentration and enhances the affinity of GABAA (type A) receptors for ben-zo-diazepine ligands. Flumazenil antagonizes the benzodiazepine binding site of the GABA (γ-aminobutyric acid) type /benzodiazepine receptor (BZR) complex in the central nervous sys-tem (CNS). The integration of the metabolites of flumazenil by LC-tandem mass spectrometry will complete understanding of the in vivo metabolism of flumazenil and accelerate radio-pharmaceutical inspection and registration. The main goal of our study was to investigate using reversed-phase HPLC (PR-HPLC) coupled with electrospray ionization triple quadrupole tan-dem mass spectrometry (ESI-QqQ MS) for the identification of flumazenil and its metabolites in a hepatic matrix. And a carrier-free nucleophilic fluorination with automatic synthesizer for [18F]flumazenil which applied to in vivo nano-positron emission tomography (Nano-PET)/computed tomography (CT) imaging and ex vivo bio-distribution used to analyze in normal rats. The study showed that 50% of the flumazenil was bio-transformed at 60 min by the rat liver homogenate, while one metabolite (M1) was a methyl transesterification product of flumazenil. In a rat liver microsomes system, two metabolites were identified (M2 and M3) as its carboxylic acid and hydroxylated ethylester forms, respectively. [18F]flumazenil in vivo nanoPET/CT imag-ing and ex vivo bio-distribution assay also showed significant effects on GABAA receptor availa-bility in the amygdala, prefrontal cortex, cortex, and hippocampus in the rat brain, worriless about the formation of metabolites. We showed completion of the bio-transformed course of flumazenil by the hepatic system; and [18F]flumazenil can be a good ligand and serve as a PET agent for determination of GABAA/BZR complex for multiplex neurological syndromes in the clinical stage.

Clarifying the response of plant phenology to drought duration is helpful for accurately interpreting and predicting carbon sinks in ecosystems. Based on the response of different phenological periods of the dominant species Stipa krylovii to monthly, seasonal and semiannual time scale drought in the typical steppe of Inner Mongolia from 1983 to 2018, the results revealed that (1) the start of the growing season (SOS) was characterized by an advance-delay-advance pattern, and the heading stage (HOS), flowering stage (FOS) and end of the growing season (EOS) all showed consistent advanced trends, which provided additional insight into the conclusions of previous studies that found the SOS was advanced in arid and semiarid regions. (2) The response mechanism of the SOS to the timing of drought was not consistent. Among the response mechanism, the SOS was delayed because of January-February drought at different time scales, but advanced because of April drought at different time scales. The HOS/FOS was delayed by June-July drought at different time scales, and the EOS was advanced by August-September drought at different time scales. (3) More importantly, the SOS, HOS, FOS and EOS were affected by predrought and its persistence, and the effects were greater the closer to the phenological periods that drought occurred. (4) At the monthly scale, droughts in January, June and August were the critical drought periods affecting the SOS, HOS/FOS and EOS, while seasonal and semiannual scale droughts in February, June-July and September were the critical periods affecting the SOS, HOS/FOS and EOS. The results of this study enrich our understanding of how drought at different time scales affects different phenological periods, providing a basis for improving plant phenological models.

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), locally known as Khaliji, is a group of six Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern in the GCC region, but the research that synthesized the trend has received scant attention. The present narrative review examines existing research on the prevalence and frequency of IPV among Khaliji women in GCC nations. This review synthesized studies on physical violence, sexual violence, emotional abuse, and controlling behaviors perpetrated by an intimate partner. The prevalence rates of IPV among Khaliji women are observed to be high: women reported facing different types of abuse from their partners, namely physical (7% - 71%), sexual (3.7% - 81%), financial (21.3% - 26%) and psychological (7.5% - 89%), which is a culmination of controlling behavior (36.8%), emotional (22% - 69%) and social violence (34%). The extant studies in the GCC suggest that the most endorsed IPV was psychological abuse (89%) followed by sexual violence (81%). Qualitative content analysis of the associated factors resulted in four meaningful descriptors such as demographics of the victim, sociocultural factors, socioeconomic, and perpetrator-related issues. The study on IPV is still nascent and few. The way forward will require developing culturally appropriate interventions that address unique risk factors for IPV among Khaliji populations, strengthening institutional responses, and increasing awareness and social support for the victim of IPV.

In recent years, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease/steatohepatitis (NAFLD/NASH) has become a leading worldwide disease, and its therapies are facing many complexities. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors (PPARs) are ligand-activated transcription factors that belong to the nuclear receptor (NR) superfamily and have three subtypes: PPARα (NR1C1), PPARβ/δ (NR1C2), and PPARγ (NR1C3). They have been identified to be essential in the regulation of lipid metabolism by controlling the transcription of genes related to fatty acids, bile acids, and cholesterol metabolism. Many PPAR agonists have been reported, such as natural agonists (fatty acids, eicosanoids, and phospholipids) and synthetic ligands (fibrates, thiazolidinediones, glitazars, and elafibranor). PPAR-based chemicals have a breakthrough in the innovation of therapy for fatty liver disease. This review will provide an overview of how PPARα and PPARγ play roles in lipid homeostasis, discussing the consideration of their agonists as potential therapeutic agents for NAFLD/NASH.

Ageing is the strongest known risk factor for many of the neurodegenerative diseases causing cognitive decline and dementia. Identification of cognitive impairment may be a prelude to appropriate treatment, hopefully disease-modifying. Use of cognitive screening instruments may be an equitable way to identify cognitive impairment. This study examined the use of two such instruments, Free-Cog and Mini-Addenbrooke’s Cognitive Examination (MACE), in patient cohorts referred to a dedicated cognitive disorders clinic based at a tertiary neurosciences centre. Results showed that: (1) specificity and positive predictive value increased with patient age for both tests with some loss of sensitivity and negative predictive value. (2) In the oldest age groups (≥75 and ≥70 years respectively) where specificity was at maximum, a positive test result (i.e. below the specified test cut-off) rules in the diagnosis of cognitive impairment. (3) Values of an “Efficiency Index” for each test indicated qualitatively a moderate change in the probability of correct diagnosis and quantitatively an approximately 15-25% increase in the probability of correct diagnosis. These findings show that both Free-Cog and MACE may be used with confidence for the identification of cognitive impairment and dementia in older patient cohorts. These findings may have implications for public health policies directed to case-finding in clinical practice as opposed to population-based screening.

The Lin28B gene is involved in the initiation of puberty, but its regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to study the regulatory mechanism of the Lin28B promoter by cloning the Lin28B proximal promoter for bioinformatics analysis. Next, a series of deletion vectors were constructed based on the bioinformatics analysis results for dual-fluorescein activity detection. The transcriptional regulation mechanism of the Lin28B promoter region was analyzed by detecting mutations in transcription factor-binding sites and overexpression of transcription factors. The dual-luciferase assay showed that the Lin28B promoter region -837 to -338 bp had the highest transcriptional activity, and the transcriptional activity of the Lin28B transcriptional regulatory region decreased significantly after Egr1 and SP1 mutations. Overexpression of the Egr1 transcription factor significantly enhanced the transcription of Lin28B, and the results indicated that Egr1 and SP1 play an important role in regulating Lin28B. These results provide a theoretical basis for further research on the transcriptional regulation of sheep Lin28B during puberty initiation.

We estimate the value of Research and Development Expenditures as a percentage of GDP-RDE in the context of Environmental, Social and Governance-ESG model. We use the ESG World Bank database. We analyze data from193 countries in the period 2011-2020. We apply a set of econometric techniques i.e. Pooled Ordinary Least Squares-OLS, Panel Data with Random Effects, Panel Data with Fixed Effects, Weighted Least Squares-WLS. We found that the level of RDE is positively associated, among others, to “Nitrous Oxide Emissions” and “Scientific and Technical Journal Articles”, and negatively associated, among others to “Heat Index 35”, “Maximum 5-day Rainfall”. Furthermore, we perform a cluster analysis with the application of the k-Means algorithm optimized with the Elbow Method. The results show the presence of four clusters. Finally, we confront eight different machine-learning algorithms to predict the future value of RDE. We find that Linear Regression is the best predictive algorithms. RDE is expected to growth on average of 0.07% for the analysed countries.

Objective: Physical inactivity is linked to chronic illnesses and disabilities among workers, especially those in high demanding jobs like teachers. Despite the global prominence of sedentary behaviour research, studies drawing the relationships between physical inactivity and multimorbidity among working teacher populations in low-and middle-countries remain untapped. This study assessed the sedentariness and health status of primary school teachers in Cape Coast Metropolis in Ghana. Method: This cross-sectional survey employed 1109 primary school teachers from the Cape Coast Metropolis in the Central Region of Ghana, using convenient sampling method. Results: Generally, the teachers were highly sedentary and reported poor health status. Other results showed no difference in sedentariness across gender, t (1107) = -0.32, p > .05. However, female teachers suffer more pain and discomfort, [t (1103.51) = - 3.07, p < .05, anxiety and depression, [t (1099.56) = - 2.85, p < .000,)], and poor health status [t (1107) = 2.14, p < .05, than their male counterparts. Also, pain and discomfort, anxiety and depression, health status and years of work significantly predicted sedentariness among the teachers, F (4, 1104) = 5.966, p=.00, R = .145, R2 = .029, adjusted R2 = .018. Conclusion: The findings suggest that individualized or personalized interventions are urgently needed to promote regular physical activity to improve the health status and reduce associated complications on the health and well-being, especially among the female primary school teachers. Given the health risks of sedentary lifestyle, behavioral interventions at the person-level (i.e., individualized- routine weekly physical activity programmes) and built environmental restructuring (e.g., creation of walkways to encourage regular walking) could be done to physical activity behavior among teachers within the Cape Coast Metropolis, and perhaps beyond.

Background: Articles published in scholarly journals form part of the scientific evidence base. It is the responsibility of the scientific community to maintain its integrity. In 2011 the BMJ commissioned a feature article to draw attention to an article that had appeared in another journal- The Lancet 13 years previously. The Lancet had already retracted the article. These actions exemplify the best traditions of scientific record-keeping. Objective: This submission examines whether the main claims summary made in the BMJ were factual. Method: We examine what was published in the Lancet against what was published in the BMJ and verify against the findings in the GMC hearings transcripts and verdict of the UK High Court. Results: The 6 points highlighted in BMJ had errors and need to be corrected. Conclusions: There are significant differences between what was reported in the Lancet paper and what was alleged to be there by the BMJ. This article aims only to point to errors in the BMJ article, to set the record straight. It does not show there was a causal association between MMR vaccination and autism.

Species dispersal from a territorial zone is a complex process. The reasons for species dispersal are determined by both natural and human factors. The purpose of this study is to develop a cost surface for a hypothetical landscape that accounts for various species dispersion features. With tigers (Panthera Tigris Tigris) as the focal species, a model for a hypothetical landscape has been built to predict the dispersion patterns of the species' individuals from one habitat patch to another. Initially, four major factors influencing tiger dispersal are explored. Following that, Game Theory assigns a score to each grid in the landscape matrix based on the landscape features in the focal landscape. Specific predefined ratings are also utilized for scenarios that are very complex and may change depending on variables, such as the interaction of the dispersing tiger with co-predators. The two scores mentioned above are combined to create a cost matrix that is shown across a landscape complex to estimate the impact of each landscape component on tiger dispersal. This approach helps wildlife managers develop conservation plans by recognizing important characteristics in the landscape. The results of the model like the one described in this work might be beneficial for a wide range of wildlife management activities such as corridor management, smart patrols, and so on. A cost surface over any focal landscape may serve as a basis for policy and purpose design based on current landscape conditions.

This article explores the results of a study on the improvement of the swiftlet house business with the goal of making appropriate legal measures for it. Area surveys, focus groups, and in-depth semi-structured interviews were among the data collection methods used. Swiftlet house entrepreneurs; central and local government officials; and citizens surrounding swiftlet houses significantly contributed to the research. Currently, the swiftlet house business is still illegal in Thailand because swiftlets are considered protected wildlife – protected by the Wildlife Preservation and Protection Act B. E. 2562 (2019). Additionally, it is not permitted to collect, damage, or occupy swiftlet nests without appropriate legal authority to do so. Moreover, there is still no legislation that specifically applies to the swiftlet house business. This study can guide the Thai Government and local governments to develop appropriate laws to govern the swiftlet house industry in Thailand.

Background: The SARS-CoV-2 laboratory PCR tests were generally reported only as binary positive or negative outcomes. Instead test positivity, these results contain a great deal of epidemiological information related to viral transmission patterns in populations. These transmission patterns during India’s SARS-CoV-2 viral waves remain largely undocumented. Methods: We analysed 2.7 million real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing records collected in Mumbai, a bellwether for other Indian cities. We used the inverse of cycle threshold (Ct) values to determine community-level viral load. We quantified wave-specific differences by age, sex and slum population density. Results: Overall PCR positivity was 3.4% during non-outbreak periods, rising to 23.2% and 42.8% during the Aleph (June-November 2020) and Omicron waves (January 2022), respectively, but only 9.9% during the Delta wave (March-June 2021). The community-level median Ct values fell and rose ~7-14 days prior to PCR positivity rates. Viral loads were 4-fold higher during the Delta and Omicron waves than during non-outbreak months. The Delta wave had high viral loads at older ages, in women and in areas of higher slum density. During the Omicron wave, differences in viral load by sex and for slum density had disappeared, but older adults continued to show higher viral load. Conclusions: Mumbai’s viral waves had markedly high viral loads representing an early signal of pandemic trajectory. Continue the vaccination in elderly Indians could reduce viral load in subsequent waves. Ct values are practicable monitoring tools.

Hepatocellular carcinoma is the most common primary malignant hepatic tumor and occurs most often in the setting of chronic liver disease. Liver transplantation is a curative treatment option and is an ideal solution because it solves the chronic underlying liver disorder while removing the malignant lesion. Because of organ shortages this treatment can only be applied to carefully selected patients according to clinical guidelines to minimize risk of recurrence. Artificial intelligence is an emerging technology with multiple applications in medicine with a predilection for domains that work with medical imaging like radiology. With the help of these technologies laborious tasks like segmentation can be automated and workflow in radiology departments can be improved. Other roles include in depth pixel-wise analysis of lesions by radiomics or deep learning in order to find new imaging criteria that allow better prediction of treatment response or risk of recurrence. Liver transplant is an ideal treatment for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma in the setting of chronic liver disease and artificial intelligence could provide solutions for improving the management of liver transplant candidates to improve survival.

The neural crest, a unique cell population originating from the primitive neural field, has a multi-systemic and structural contribution to vertebrate development. At the cephalic level, the neural crest generates most of the skeletal tissues encasing the developing forebrain and provides the prosencephalon with functional vasculature and meninges. Over the last decade, we have demonstrated that the cephalic neural crest (CNC) exerts an autonomous and prominent control on forebrain and sense organs development. The present paper reviews the primary mechanisms by which CNC can orchestrate vertebrate encephalization. Demonstrating the role of the CNC as an exogenous source of patterning for the forebrain provides a novel conceptual framework with profound implications for understanding neurodevelopment. From a biomedical standpoint, these data suggest that the spectrum of neurocristopathies is broader than expected and that some neurological disorders may stem from CNC dysfunctions.

Background Cancer is one of the most concerning public health issues in the world. One of cancer hallmarks wildly accepted is sustaining proliferative signaling, which involved most of the cell cycle biological activities. Centromeric histone, Centromere Protein A (CENPA), a variant of canonical histone H3, plays an essential role in selective chromosome segregation in the cell cycle. However, so far, a systematic pan-cancer bioinformatic analysis has not been done yet. Methods We accessed genome, transcriptome, and clinical information from open databases. The genetic alteration, mRNA expression, functional enrichment, stemness, mutation association, expression in cell populations and cellular locations, cell cycle association, survival association of CENPA, and immune association were analyzed. A prognostic model for glioma patients was constructed as an example application of CENPA as a biomarker. Drugs targeting CENPA in cancer cells were also screened and predicted by the CENPA correlation of drug sensitivity and protein-ligand docking. Results CENPA had low gene mutation in cancers. CENPA was overexpressed in almost all cancer types in TCGA compared to their normal control. CENPA was highly expressed in the nucleus of malignant cells. CENPA was associated with the cell cycle of cancer cells. CENPA is a biomarker for the cell cycle G2 phase in cancer cells. CENPA was a diagnostic and prognostic biomarker across multiple cancer types. The prognosis of glioma with CENPA was reliable and can be applied with other prognostic factors. CENPA was associated with the immune microenvironment. Drugs CD-437, 3-Cl-AHPC, Trametinib, BI-2536, and GSK461364 were predicted to target CENPA in cancer cells. Conclusion CENPA was a cell cycle biomarker in cancers with diagnostic and prognostic value.

This study is the first report of the successful cultivation of Dinophysis norvegica isolated from Japanese coastal waters (7 of 48 isolated cells were established as the clonal cultures, 14.5%) and their toxin content and production. The strains were maintained at relatively high abundance (>2,000 cells mL-1) for more than one year when fed on Mesodinium rubrum with the addition of Teleaulax amphioxeia. At the end of the one-month incubation, the total amounts of pectenotoxin-2 (PTX2), dinophysistoxin-1 (DTX1) and okadaic acid (OA) were 132.0-375.0 ng mL-1 (n = 7), 0.7-3.6 ng mL-1 (n = 3) and trace level OA (n = 1), respectively. Similarly, the cell quota of PTX2 and DTX1 were 60.6-152.4 pg cell-1 (n = 7) and 0.5-1.2 pg cell-1 (n = 3), respectively. These data indicated that toxin production varies depending on the strains in this species. In the growth experiment, D. norvegica grew, but it was very slow first 12 days. However, after that they grew exponentially with the maximum growth rate of 0.56 divisions day-1 (during Day 24-27), reaching a maximum concentration of 3,000 cells mL-1 at the end of incubation (Day 36), suggesting that they have a long lag phase. In the toxin production, OA was not at a detectable level (≤ 0.010 ng mL-1) during the 36 days of incubation except for Day 6. The concentration of DTX1 and PTX2 showed similar patterns as described for vegetative growth, but the toxin production still increased on Day 36 (1.3 ng mL-1 and 154.7 ng mL-1 in DTX1 and PTX2, respectively). The findings of this study provide novel information on the toxin content and production in D. norvegica as well as details on the culturing and maintenance of the species.

Objectives: Hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels play an important role in the diagnosis, screening, and monitoring of treatment in diabetes. The aim of our study is to determine whether there is a relationship between HbA1c levels and age and gender in Turkish adults who have not been diagnosed with diabetes.Materials and Methods: This retrospective study included 6776 Turkish adults without diabetes. Cross-sectional analyzes of A1C levels were performed between different age and gender categories. In statistical analysis, t-test, linear regression analysis, one-way ANOVA analysis, and LSD post hoc were used.Results: HbA1c levels in the individuals examined by dividing into different age groups increased with age in all groups. In our study, HbA1c levels were significantly higher in males than females (p < 0.001) in all groups, especially between the ages of 30-49, and were positively associated with age for males and females. There was a positive correlation between HbA1c and age in both men and women aged 30-49 years (P < 0.05). In the HbA1c ≥ 6.5 group, HbA1c levels gradually decreased with age in both genders, and no significant effect of age on Hb1Ac level was detected (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Our results showed that it is important to evaluate the effects of age and gender when using HbA1c levels in the diagnosis, screening, and treatment of diabetes, especially in the young and middle-aged population. Applying this situation to daily practice may reduce the misdiagnosis of diabetes in elderly patients, overtreatment of diabetes, and its associated risks.K

Mpox (monkeypox) is a zoonotic disease that has been endemic in African countries for decades, with a recent outbreak in several countries around the world. A 39-year-old male with HIV-HBV coinfection and poor adherence to antiretroviral treatment, who was severely immunocompromised and had a concurrent diagnosis of Mpox infection, presented to our hospital with disseminated dermatosis (over 350 lesions), perianal ulcers, odynophagia, oral intolerance, diarrhea, and soft-tissue bacterial superinfection of the lower extremities. Laboratory results were consistent with HBV infection, with an absolute CD4 cell count of 40 cells/uL and a positive PCR result for Mpox. An abdominopelvic CT scan showed evidence of severe proctitis and perineal soft-tissue infection. After 65 days of Mpox PCR, new lesions in the vesicular stage continued to appear, eventually developing hemodynamic instability and sepsis, resulting in a fatal outcome. Our case highlights the importance of intentionally looking for risk factors such as HIV/HBV coinfection and evaluating immune status (CD4 cell count) in patients with severe Mpox infection because it could be related to higher mortality.

The cost to train a basic qualified U.S. Navy fighter aircraft pilot is nearly $10M. The training includes primary, intermediate, and advanced stages, with the advanced stage involving extensive flight training and being very expensive as a result. Despite the screening tests in place and early-stage attrition taking place, 4.5% of aviators undergo attrition in this most expensive stage. Key reasons for aviator attrition include poor flight scores, voluntary withdrawals, and medical causes. Reduction in late-stage attrition offers several financial and operational benefits to the U.S. Navy. To that end, this research leverages feature extraction and machine-learning techniques on the very sparse flight test grades of student aviators to identify those with a high risk of attrition early in training. Using about 10 years of historical U.S. Navy pilot training data, trained models accurately predicted 50% of attrition with a 4% false positive rate. Such models could help the U.S. Navy save nearly $20M a year in attrition costs. In addition, machine-learning models were trained that can recommend a suitable training aircraft type for each student aviator. These capabilities could help better answer the need for pilots and reduce the time and cost to train them.

Liver fibrosis is based on complex interactions between extracellular matrix-producing hepatic stellate cells and is defined as excessive matrix deposition and an abundance of infiltrating cells in the liver. Studying these processes requires in vitro and in vivo experimental work on animals. In fibrosis research, experimental work in rodents is currently the gold standard for confirming a proposed disease-associated mechanism. Bile duct ligation (BDL) induces obstructive jaundice resulting in cholestasis. BDL is useful for preclinical research studies of liver injury due to extrahepatic cholestasis such as apoptosis and fibrosis. Here we provide a stepwise surgical approach to resect the common bile duct and monitor in situ hepatic metabolism by microdialysis.