In recent years, Lassa fever has been announced as an infectious disease in the world, a few imported cases have been accounted for in various pieces of the world and there are developing worries of the possibilities of Lassa fever Virus as an organic weapon. Regardless of its assaulting impact, no substantial arrangement has been created to reduce the hazard of the ailment, about a large portion of 10 years after identifying it. A Review based on the documents from the literature search on PubMed, Scopus, Goggle Scholar and Science direct. Out of these, the final 16 articles that met the criteria were selected. Relevant information on epidemiology, the burden of management and control were obtained. Timely and effective containment of the Lassa fever disease in Lassa village four decades ago could have minimized the devastating effect and threats posed by this illness in the West African sub-region and indeed the entire globe. That was a hard lesson calling for much more proactive measures towards the eradication of the illness at primary, secondary, and tertiary levels of health care. Hence, the paper is aimed at appraising the threats associated with Lassa fever disease; its demands on curtailing the menace of the epidemic, and recommendations on important focal points.

Both lung adenocarcinoma and SARS-CoV-2 infection could cause pulmonary inflammation. Angiotensin-converting enzyme 2, not only as the functional receptor of SARS-CoV-2 but also play key role in lung adenocarcinoma. To study the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in lung adenocarcinoma patients, mRNA and miRNA profiles were obtained from TCGA and GEO databases followed by bioinformatics analysis. A regulatory network which regards angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 as the center would be structured. In addition, via immunological analysis about key factors in lung adenocarcinoma patients, to explore the essential reasons for the susceptibility of SARS-CoV-2. Compared with normal tissue, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 was increased in lung adenocarcinoma patients. Furthermore, a total of 7 differently expressed correlated mRNAs (ACE2, CXCL9, MMP12, IL6, AZU1, FCN3, HYAL1 and IRAK3) and 5 differently expressed correlated miRNAs (miR-125b-5p, miR-9-5p, miR-130b-5p, miR-381-3p and miR-421) were screened followed by enrichment analysis. Interestingly, toll-like receptor signaling pathway with the most frequent occurrence was enriched by mRNA (IL6) and miRNA (miR-125b-5p) sets simultaneously. Finally through comprehensive analysis, it was assumed that miR-125b-5p-ACE2-IL6 axis in the structured regulatory network could alter risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection in lung adenocarcinoma patients.

In the case that ship operators may not be aware of the potential risks of environmental factors in situation of high causation probability during the initial stage of the geometric probability analysis process, it is likely that higher-grade collision accident measures will not be taken. However, if any risks is told to the ship operators, more effective and intentional measures can be taken in time. Moreover, if the causation probability corresponding to environmental factors is no less than the risk early warning critical value calculated based on historical collision accident data, there would be a high-risk level that a collision may occur. A new method is put forward based on quantitative analysis of environmental factors and previous collision statistics to provide early warning of any accident risk, and a risk early-warning critical value (REWCV) can be obtained based on this simple but highly operational and practical method. A case study of Three Gorges Reservoir in China indicates that the range of environmental factors where the probability of collision accident grows rapidly is consistent with environmental limits defined by Chinese maritime standards. In addition, the relationship between the risk early-warning critical value and the number of previous collision accident is also clarified.

Stroke is one of the most prevalent cardiovascular diseases worldwide, both in high-income countries and in medium and low-medium income countries. The WHO report on non-communicable diseases (NCDs) indicates that the highest behavioral risk in NCDs is attributable to incorrect nutrition. The objective of our work is to present an overview of meta-analyses that have investigated the impact of different foods and / or drinks in relationship with the risk of stroke events (ischemic/ hemorrhagic). The papers to be included in the overview were sought in the MEDLINE, EMBASE, Scopus, Clinicaltrials.gov, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library and were selected according to PRIMA flow chart. Quality assessment were made according to AMSTAR scale. This overview shows that all primary studies came from countries with high income level. This evidence shows that many countries are not represented. Therefore, different lifestyles, ethnic groups, potentially harmful or virtuous eating habits are not reported. It is important to underline how the choose of foods may help reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases and stroke in particular.

Stemming from the urgency of the actual situation, commercial banks need an effective credit risk management tool to limit risks. The authors went to survey, study and propose a set of factors affecting the ability of debt repayment of individual customers and conducting surveys. The topic uses data sets including 240 observation samples. Using the SPSS software to clean data and run the model based on Maddala's Binary logistics regression published in 1984 to find out the impact of each individual element of customers affecting their ability to repay such debts. Come on. The authors also specify the order of influence of each factor determining the ability to repay individual customers, thereby helping bank managers have a better visual view to make decisions for borrowing accurately, limiting risks.

In this paper we analyze the relationship between bankruptcy risk and the corporate life cycle in Pakistan from 2005 to 2014. For this purpose, we run a Hierarchical Linear Mixed Model (HLM) for a sample of 301 non-financial listed firms in 12 different sectors. The empirical outcomes reveal that firms during introduction, growth and, decline stages (mature stage) of life-cycle experience higher (lower) bankruptcy risk. Moreover, in juxtaposition with growth stage, bankruptcy risk is higher at the introduction stage of life-cycle. These findings suggest that financial managers should be cautious about the financial fragility of the firm at each stage of corporate life-cycle. The results also entail that Pakistani firms do not follow a sequential pattern in their life-cycle rather they have the tendency to revert to a previous stage or jump to the next stage of life-cycle. This is the first study that empirically examines the association between firm life-cycle stage and corresponding bankruptcy risk and asserts that managers must incorporate the life-cycle effects into their financial planning and decision making for sustainable working of an enterprise.

The objective of the research was to examine the determinants that determine farmer participation and shallot farming development in search of effective farm management practices. The study used Structural Equation Modeling data analysis. The primary data was collected from direct-structural interviews with 150 randomly chosen shallot farmers in Bantaeng Regency, Indonesia. It was found that the physical attributes of the land, the economic framework of the community, and the political system of the agricultural community were fundamental factors that exerted a positive and significant influence on farmer participation. Therefore, improvements in the physical aspects of land, the economic framework, and the political structure of agricultural communities could promote farmer participation. Furthermore, the farmers’ participation and the political structure of agricultural communities have a positive and significant impact on the development of shallot farming. Thus, by increasing the influence of government officials and community leaders, shallot farming can be promoted. The farmers can then enhance their participation in the shallot farming plan's formulation and implementation, providing the continued development of shallot farming. The findings of this study contribute significantly to the body of knowledge by validating previous research and proposing different ways to improve effective farm management practices in shallot farming.

This research evaluates the mineral ions and their concentrations in formation water from five well samples of the Bibi Hakimeh oil field. The study reveals the presence of calcium (Ca2+), so-dium (Na+), and magnesium (Mg2+) cations, as well as sulfate (SO42-), bicarbonate (HCO3-), and chloride (Cl-) anions, which are soluble in water within the Bibi Hakimeh oil formation. Fur-thermore, mineral deposits of CaSO4, CaSO4.2H2O, CaCO3, and MgCO3 are investigated. The findings highlight the significant formation of calcium sulfate and calcium carbonate mineral deposits under the operating conditions of the Bibi Hakimeh oil well. Additionally, the study examines the interaction between rock and water of the Bibi Hakimeh formation, revealing a notable correlation between the concentration of calcium and magnesium ions and the water-rock reaction in this field

The purpose of this article is to investigate and analyze the practices of scientific management within the County Departments of Sports and Youth (CDYS) in Romania. Conducted through a comprehensive research endeavor spanning from January to June 2022, the study utilized a standardized questionnaire as its primary instrument for data collection, distributed among CDYS directors. A notable finding from the study indicates that a significant proportion of respondents (44.9%) perceive notable disparities in the normative-functional elements governing the National Sports System in Romania compared to international standards. Moreover, the majority (51%) consistently adhere to regulatory acts, while a substantial portion (69.4%) underscore the importance of strict adherence to internal regulations in strategy formulation. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority (88.9%) acknowledge the substantial influence of available resources on strategy development, with collaboration with authorities primarily occurring through direct communication channels. Respondents prioritize multiple objectives (44.9%), affirm the necessity of various competencies (53.1%), and identify a lack of human and financial resources (59.2%) as the most significant obstacle. Notable achievements highlighted in the study include the improvement of the county's sports performance (53.1%). Respondents also believe that setting clear and realistic objectives (38.8%) is pivotal to enhancing CDYS management, while considerations in formulating strategies emphasize trends in the sports domain (42.9%) and the specific needs of the local sports community (42.9%). Overall, this research contributes to the understanding and promotion of more efficient practices in managing sports and youth departments within Romania's counties.

Global concerns of decreasing water availability and food security are being exacerbated by the increasing demand for food, water quality degradation, and climate change impacts. Rice is an essential crop for food security with paddy rice cultivation largely practiced using traditional flooding conditions. Water regimes and components of the soil water balance in paddy rice catchments affect uptake of water by rice roots. Paddy management, especially puddling, significantly affects soil hydrological properties, such as hydraulic conductivity, percolation, and seepage in the paddy rhizosphere. Improved knowledge of these interactions is vital for developing sustainable water management strategies in paddy fields. Alternate Wetting and Drying (AWD) practice contributes to sustainable water management, but little is known about effects of soil wetting and drying duration on gravitational soil water flow, moisture dynamics, and hydraulic conductivity in the rice paddy rhizosphere. These factors depend on soil type, rice variety, rooting conditions, and environmental factors, such as solar radiation and temperature. Here we examine the paddy cultivation environment and soil properties under traditional continuous flooding and AWD practice. Some studies indicate that the duration and frequency of wetting and soil drying under AWD practice in paddy fields affects soil hydraulic conductivity that alters the next cycle of water application. During droughts and short rainy seasons, rainfall, soil properties, and atmospheric conditions control soil moisture dynamics in paddy fields. Limitations and challenges of applying AWD in paddy soils, including the variation of hydrological properties and the need for frequent field manual monitoring of water level (WL) head, are discussed. Implications of AWD practice on yield, water use efficiency, soil hydrology, and reduction of methane emissions, are outlined along with opportunities to improve AWD integration within government policies, irrigation schemes, and adoption by farmers. Coupled crop models can provide important insights for sustainable agricultural water management.

Earnings management and financial distress are two critical facets of financial management in corporations that have lately been the focus of thorough research from both scholars and practitioners. The purpose of the research is to evaluate the influence of financial distress on the earnings management of companies listed at the NSE during the pre- and post-COVID eras. Multiple linear regression was applied in this study to examine the causal association between earnings management and financial distress. To assess the effect of financial distress on earnings management, the study analyzed data from 37 listed companies during the pre-COVID and post-COVID periods. The methodology also takes into account control factors like firm size, GDP, and inflation. The pre-COVID research indicates a significant positive correlation between financial strain and earnings management. In contrast, the correlation between financial distress and earnings management is not statistically significant in the post-COVID analysis. However, research shows that firm size has a statistically significant negative influence on managing earnings. The results of this study show that smaller firms are more inclined to engage in earnings management during the post-COVID era than bigger ones.

Accurately diagnosing specific variants of alopecia remains challenging for pathologists, potentially delaying appropriate therapeutic decisions by dermatologists. Issues such as limited knowledge on optimal biopsy types and processing methods add complexity. Understanding the normal histology of hair follicles and their changes throughout the follicular cycle further complicates microscopic evaluation. This paper aims to summarize these characteristics and highlight essential diagnostic clues for pathologists to confidently suggest a diagnosis, therefore playing a key role in alopecia diagnosis. Ongoing education, collaboration with dermatologists, and staying updated on advancements is crucial for accurate diagnosis and effective management of different types of alopecia.

Background: Skin and soft tissue infections (SSTI) are common presentations to the emergency department. However, this is less common after contact with contaminated water, both salt or fresh. This review presents the diagnosis and the management of water-related soft tissue sepsis in this vulnerable and difficult to treat subgroup of necrotizing soft tissue sepsis. Methods: A summative literature overview regarding bacterial and fungal SSTI after contact with contaminated water, with practical diagnostic and management aspects addressed. Results: The literature indicates that these remain difficult to treat wounds and organisms. An approach using appropriate diagnostic tools with both medical and surgical management strategies is provided. Conclusion: SSTI due to water contamination of wounds involve unusual organisms with unusual resistance patterns and require a nuanced and directed diagnostic approach with adaptation of the normal antibiotic or antifungal selection to achieve cure, along with aggressive debridement and wound care.

Job satisfaction has a strong impact on the intention to stay which is an important aspect to counter skills shortage in academic medicine. In an interview study combining qualitative and quantitative methods we investigated how the mental representation of working conditions influences job satisfaction and its impact on the intention to stay. In a first study chief physicians participated in interviews about job satisfaction in academic hospitals. Answers were segmented into statements, ordered by topics and rated according to their valence. In a second study assistant physicians (residents) during and after their training period talked about strength, weaknesses and potential improvements of working conditions. Again, answers were segmented, ordered, rated and used to develop a ‘job satisfaction scale’. In a third study, assistant physicians participated in a computer-led repertory grid procedure composing ‘mental maps’ of job satisfaction factors, filled in the job satisfaction scale and rated if they would recommend work and training in their clinic as well as their intention to stay. Comparing the interview results with recommendation rates and intention to stay show that a negative attitude is linked to high workload and poor career perspectives. A positive attitude towards work environment and high intention to stay are linked to sufficient personnel and technical capacities, reliable duty scheduling and fair salaries. The third study using repertory grids showed that the perception of current teamwork and future developments concerning work environment were the main aspects to improve job satisfaction and the intention to stay. The results of the interview studies were used to develop an array of adaptive improvement measure. The results support prior findings that job dissatisfaction is mostly based on generally known “hygiene factors” and whereas job satisfaction is due to individual aspects.

There has been a growing call for reform of the U.S. biomedical community in recent years. As a community, we face a growing list of issues including excessive waste, reproducibility, bias, inadequate training, and the absence of sustainable long-term planning that detract from the overall goal of advancing human health. In response to this debate, biomedical stakeholders have taken positive steps forward to remedy these issues. However, we must continually improve upon these steps to promote the long-term stability of the biomedical enterprise. Given the widespread interest of the scientific community in addressing these issues, there exists a unique opportunity to come together and create a new era of biomedical discovery. The completion of this exciting task requires reflection on our view and management of the system, and what the best route to sustainable change may be. Importantly, a coordinated approach that considers the collective make-up of the biomedical system and how processes and people influence collective output and create value for patients is needed. Here, these three areas and the concepts of systems theory, total quality management, and organizational development and their contribution to the management and effectiveness of biomedical discovery are discussed. Importantly recommendations are made concerning overall management strategy, process efficiency and quality research, administrative tasks, organizational cultural challenges, individual and team development, and funding strategy.

(1) Background: Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of diseases that affect the morphology and function of neutrophils. Rapid diagnosis of MDS is crucial for the initiation of treatment that can vastly improve disease outcome. (2) methods: In this work, we present a new approach for detecting morphological differences between neutrophils isolated from blood samples of high risk MDS patients and that for patients and blood bank donors (BBDs). First, using fluorescent flow cytometry CD66b positive cells were stained with 2′,7′-dichlorofluorescin diacetate (DCF) and Hoechst. Secondly, we imaged the cells using interferometric phase microscopy (IPM) without utilizing cell staining. (3) Results: flow cytometry results show MDS patients present different dispersion patterns compared to BBDs. BBDs present two distinct subpopulations (one of these are the H cells constituting 16% for neutrophils) whereas MDS patients present only 4% of this subpopulation. IPM results are consistent with this pattern: ~20% of BBDs neutrophils were characterized as H cells and whereas MDS patients present only ~4% of these cells. (5) Conclusion- IPM can be utilized for diagnosis of complex hematological pathologies such as MDS.

This study aimed to examine the association of blood triglyceride levels with fasting blood glucose levels and type 2 diabetes (T2D) prevalence in Chinese adults with normal triglyceride levels (<1.7 mmol/L), using linear regression and binary logistic regression, respectively. This cross-sectional study included 16,706 Chinese adults, among which 1,067 had T2D. Triglycerides were positively associated with fasting plasma glucose after multivariate adjustment (β=0.034, P<0.001). One natural log unit increase in blood triglycerides was associated with a 61% higher multivari-ate-adjusted risk of T2D (odds ratio [OR], 1.61; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19-2.17; P=0.002). The positive associations remained when participants who were treated with lipid-lowering or an-ti-diabetic drugs were excluded. The optimal cut-off of triglycerides for T2D was 1.09 mmol/L (obtained using Receiver Operating Characteristic curve analysis). Participants with triglycerides of ≥1.09 mmol/L had a 28% higher risk of T2D (OR, 1.28; 95% CI, 1.07-1.53; P=0.006) compared to those with triglycerides below the cut-off. In conclusion, this study showed that, in people with normal triglyceride levels, triglycerides at the upper normal range correlated with increased T2D diagnosis risk, with an optimal cut-off of 1.09 mmol/L. Therefore, adults with high “normal” triglyceride levels (1.09-1.69 mmol/L) may need to be closely monitored for the development of T2D.

In modern automobiles, Infotainment High-Performance Computing (HPC) systems play a vital role in enhancing the capabilities of drivers and passengers by providing advanced features consisting of music, navigation, communication, entertainment, etc. However, as the use of information technology in vehicles increases, it results in cybersecurity threats such as data breaches and the loss of sensitive information. To improve the security of the infotainment system in automotive vehicles, the research conducted threat modeling at the component level using Microsoft’s STRIDE tool and performed risk assessment by using SAHARA (Safety-Aware Hazard Analysis and Risk Assessment) and DREAD methodologies to evaluate associated risks. It provides a systematic representation of threats, associated risks, and generic mitigation strategies to counter cybersecurity attacks. Through the threat modeling process, 34 potential security threats were identified. The study also provided a comparative analysis to calculate the risk values of the threats to prioritize for treatment. These identified threats and associated risks need to be considered to avoid potential cyberattacks, before deploying the infotainment HPC system in real-world automotive vehicles.

The past is an important lesson for facing the future with greater awareness. In this context, school plays a key role to spread knowledge on natural phenomena and to promote behavior change. Together with researchers, teachers can be strong allies to build more resilient future citizens. The Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) school training activities provide tools to get ready for the next earthquake and/or tsunamis. About 5000 students from both Middle schools (ISCED 2) and High schools (ISCED 3) were involved in active learning activities based on a flipped-up approach during special online scientific events in the Pandemic. Online lab activities were conducted respectively during the European Researchers’ Night (“Earthquakes: history teaches us the future: researchers for a day with experimentation in didactics for ESL”) and during the World Water Day 2021 and the World Earth Day 2021 (“Tsunamis: history teaches us the future researchers for a day with experimentation in didactics for ESL”). These two Episodes of Situated Learning (ELS) experiences triggered students’ interest, favoring remote learning, developing life skills, focusing on historical seismic studies of both past earthquakes and tsunamis.

Background and Objectives: Treatment for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV) must deal with immunosuppression as well as infections associated with compromised immune system, such as tuberculosis (TB). Our aim was to overcome the gap in the literature concerning the risk of incidental TB after diagnosis of AAV. Materials and Methods: This retrospective population-based cohort study was based on the data from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. We used a novel algorithm to identify patients with newly diagnosed granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA) or microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2012. The primary outcome was risk of incidental TB. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate the association between AAV and incidental TB. Results: A total of 2,257 patients with AAV and a propensity-score matched cohort of 9,028 patients were studied. Overall, patients with AAV were at a 1.48x higher risk of contracting incidental TB than were patients in the matched cohort (adjusted HR 1.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.02-2.15). Note that the highest risk of contracting incidental TB was in the first two years following a diagnosis of AAV, with a nearly 1-fold increase in risk (adjusted HR, 1.91; 95% CI, 1.01-3.60). Female AAV patients were 3.24x more likely than females without AAV to develop TB (adjusted HR 3.24; 95%CI, 1.85-5.67). Conclusion: Patients with AAV face an elevated risk of contracting incidental TB, particularly within the first two years after AAV diagnosis. The risk of contracting TB is higher among female AAV patients than among females without AAV.

Conducting computational stress-strain analysis using finite element methods (FEM) is a common approach when dealing with the complex geometries of atherosclerosis, which is a leading cause of global mortality and complex cardiovascular disease. The considerable expense linked to FEM analysis encourages the substitution of FEM with a considerably faster data-driven machine learning (ML) approach. This study investigated the potential of end-to-end deep learning tools as a more effective substitute for FEM in predicting stress-strain fields within 2D cross sections of arterial wall. We first proposed a U-Net based fully convolutional neural network (CNN) to predict the von Mises stress and strain distribution based on the spatial arrangement of calcification within arterial wall cross-sections. Further, we developed a conditional generative adversarial network (cGAN) to enhance, particularly from the perceptual perspective, the prediction accuracy of stress and strain field maps for arterial walls with various calcification quantities and spatial configurations. On top of U-Net and cGAN, we also proposed their ensemble approaches to further improve the prediction accuracy of field maps. Our dataset, consisting of input and output images, was generated by implementing boundary conditions and extracting stress-strain field maps. The trained U-Net models can accurately predict von Mises stress and strain fields, with structural similarity index scores (SSIM) of 0.854 and 0.830 and mean squared errors of 0.017 and 0.018 for stress and strain, respectively, on a reserved test set. Meanwhile, the cGAN models in a combination of ensemble and transfer learning techniques demonstrate high accuracy in predicting von Mises stress and strain fields, as evidenced by SSIM scores of 0.890 for stress and 0.803 for strain. Additionally, mean squared errors of 0.008 for stress and 0.017 for strain further support the model's performance on a designated test set. Overall, this study developed a surrogate model for finite element analysis, which can accurately and efficiently predict stress-strain fields of arterial walls regardless of complex geometries and boundary conditions.

For a long time, the transition to adulthood was seen as a troubled period where good development was synonymous with the absence of problems. Positive Youth Development (PYD) emerged as a holistic and strength-based perspective that focuses on the fact that young people may have the internal and external resources for healthy and successful development through five dimensions (5C’s) that empower them: Perceived Competence, Confidence, Character, Connection, and Caring. The aim of this study was to examine the relationship between the global PYD factor (and the 5C’s) and risk behaviors, in addition to analyzing gender differences. This study showed the results of a cross-sectional study of 1044 emerging adults from 11 Spanish universities in 2021. Data collection was performed by applying an online self-report measure. The results showed that the Character was protective against substance abuse, mainly in women, while the connection was related to the participation of betting money and online betting in men. Caring was protective against money bets in the men’s sample. However, controversial results were found regarding Perceived competence, which had a positive association with substance abuse, money bets, and drunk driving. It seems that high levels of Perceived competence, rather than objective competence, were associated with engagement in various risk behaviors, especially in the absence of other C´s. These results are discussed regarding the promotion of PYD to improve successful development and may suggest the need to foster healthy lifestyles and prevent risky behaviors in youth through the 5C's promotion programs within the university context.

Aim: To improve risk stratification in early-stage endometrial cancer (EC), we performed mo-lecular classification, and L1CAM immunohistochemistry (IHC) for additional risk assessment. Method: We analyzed archival tumor tissue from 247 early-stage EC patients. POLE mutations were detected using a Droplet digital polymerase chain reaction assay and Sanger sequencing, while the mismatch repair (MMR) status was determined by MMR protein IHC and MSI test. Additionally, we conducted IHC of p53 and L1CAM. Results: The 247 ECs were categorized into four subgroups: POLE-mutated (13.0%), MMR-deficient (27.9%), p53-abnormal (8.5%), and non-specific molecular profile (NSMP, 50.6%). We further subcategorized NSMP subgroup into NSMP-L1CAMneg (44.9%) and NSMP-L1CAMpos (5.7%), which we refer to as the molecu-lar-L1CAM classification. The molecular-L1CAM classification was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence-free survival (RFS) and overall survival (OS) (p <0.001, each). Similarly, the simplified L1CAM-p53 categorization, for practical use, remained an independent prognostic factor for RFS and OS (p <0.001, p =0.003, respectively). Conclusion: Integrating the molecu-lar-L1CAM classification or the simplified L1CAM/p53 categorization can enhance risk stratifi-cation in early-stage EC, providing valuable prognostic information to guide treatment deci-sions and improve patient outcomes.

The change of habitat pattern is one of the key factors affecting the survival of moose population. The study of habitat landscape pattern is the key to protect Chinese cold temperate forest moose population and monitor the global distribution of moose. By means of MaxEnt model, landscape index calculation and ecological risk assessment model, combined with field survey and infrared camera monitoring data from April 2014 to January 2023, the author evaluated the habitat suitability of moose population in Nanwenghe National Nature Reserve of the Great Khingan Mountains, and divided the range of moose habitat based on the logical threshold of the model. The landscape pattern index of moose habitat was calculated by Fragstats software and a landscape ecological risk assessment model was established to analyze the landscape pattern and ecological risk dynamic changes of moose habitat in 2015 and 2020. The results showed that under the premise of global warming, the habitat landscape contagion index decreased by 4.53 and the split index increased by 4.86 from 2015 to 2020. In terms of ecological risk: the area of low ecological risk areas increased by 0.88%; the area of medium ecological risk areas decreased by 1.11%; and the area of higher ecological risk areas increased by 0.23%. The fragmentation risk of landscape pattern of moose habitat tends to increase, the preferred patch type is dispersed, the degree of aggregation is low, and the risk of patch type transformation increases. And the middle and high ecological risk areas are mainly concentrated in the river area and its nearby forests, showing a fine and scattered distribution. Under the interference of global warming and human activities, the fragmenta-tion trend of moose habitat in the study area is increasing, and the habitat quality is declining, which is likely to cause moose population migration. For this reason, the author believes that the whole cold temperate forest is likely to face the risk of increasing the transformation trend of dominant patch types in the cold temperate coniferous forest region mainly caused by global warming, resulting in an in-crease in the risk of habitat fragmentation. While the distribution range of moose is reduced, it has a significant impact on the diversity and ecological integrity of the whole cold temperate forest ecosystem. This study is helpful for human beings to strengthen their awareness of forest and river protection, avoid further intervention in more human activities, and formulate a reasonable plan for forest protec-tion and sustainable development in cold temperate zones. to provide theoretical reference for effective monitoring and protection of cold temperate forest and moose population dynamics.

This paper presents a limited scope dynamic probabilistic risk assessment (D-PRA) on the survivability of commercial of the shelf (COTS) drones tasked with surveilling areas with varying radiation levels after a nuclear accident. The D-PRA is based on a discrete-dynamic event tree (D-DET) approach, which couples with the OpenEPL error propagation framework to model sequences leading to Loss of Mission (LOM) scenarios due to component failures in the drone’s navigation system. Radiation effects are simulated by calculating the total ionizing dose (TID) against the permissible limit per component, and errors are propagated within the electronic hardware and software blocks to quantify navigation system availability per radiation zone. The proposed methods are integrated into the traditional event tree/fault tree approach and the most vulnerable components are radiation-hardened (RAD-HARD) to the extent specified by a predefined mission success criterion. The results demonstrate the usefulness of the proposed approach in performing trade studies for incorporating COTS components into RAD-HARD drone designs.

The study aimed to identify football players at high risk (HR) for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury via a four-test battery and assess possible factors affecting classification. Ninety-one professional and semi-professional athletes participated in a field-based preseason screening. Aknowledged inter-limb asymmetry limits for quadriceps and hamstrings isometric strength, and Single Leg Triple Hop for distance, in addition to the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS) comprised the test-battery. Additional assessment of hip adductors and core stability completed the global functional profile of the players. Sixty-one players were identified as HR and 30 as low-risk (LR) for ACL injury. Test-battery classified adequately 78,0% of them (Chi-square= 27,485 p=,000), identifying only 4 misclassified cases in the LR group, this low number being important for avoiding improper treatment of injury-prone athletes. All partcipants were considered healthy, and history of a previously rehabilitated injury did not interfere with the results. LESS seems to be the optimal criterion for classification and also the best predictor of both the initial grouping and the secondary one with the wrong vs correct classification cases. The proposed test-battery provides a promising option for field-based preseason ACL-risk assessment of football players and needs to be studied prospectively.

(1) Background: the use of force by Public and Private Security Forces is currently an issue of great relevance because of the potential injuries that any excessive use of force by either the active or passive subjects or a deficit in the real mastery of the appropriate Physical Intervention Techniques (PIT) may cause. For this reason, certain traditionally used Physical Intervention Techniques have been questioned by scientific research studies and punished by justice. On the other hand, certain media have dealt with this matter in a biased and unfair manner by broadcasting videos where the use of force by police officer is displayed out of context. As a consequence, this problem has been brought under the spotlight, causing general uneasiness of the communities and rapidly spreading over social networks while favoring all sorts of parallel judgments. (2) Research method: A suit equipped with 19 Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and a Biomechanics of Bodies software application for the Marras’ analysis of the data collected on trajectory, trunk twisting velocity, its sagittal angle, load, nature and severity of the injuries associated to the different intervention techniques that have been examined. (3) Results: according to the data registered, the implementation of Operational Tactical Procedures (OTP) reduces the probability of injuries and leads to a more satisfactory outcome. (4) Conclusions: the implementation of Operational Tactical Procedures, to-gether with the awareness on the risks associated to the excessive use of force by Public and Private Security Forces and Bodies, could reduce the risk of injuries suffered by both officers and citizens.

Background: Malaria remains a serious public health concern worldwide, particularly in tropical and subtropical regions, and the leading causes of mortality and morbidity in children especially among those aged under five in developing countries. Malaria can be fatal if not promptly and accurately diagnosed, especially in children.This study was carried out to determine the level of malaria infection and its associated risk factors among febrile children.Methods: Blood samples were collected and analyzed from two- hundred (200) systematically selected febrile children aged 1-10 years old. assay of samples collected were carried out using standard methods.data were collected using a pretested structured questionnaire. Results: Results obtained from study subjects shows that, of the eighty-seven (87) infected subjects, 34 (39.1%) were aged 1-5 years, while 52 (59.8%) were within the range of 6 years and above.severity of infection showed 48 (55.2%) with scanty parasitic infection while 25 (28.7%) showed moderate infection, and 13 (14.9%) showed heavy infection.The association of age and level of parasitemia showed that 34 (58.8% ) subjects below 5 years, recorded scanty malaria compared to 14.7% with severe malaria within the age range.Considering gender, of the 33 infected female subjects, 45.5% had scanty malaria, 36.4% showed moderate malaria, while 18.2% had severe malaria, compared to the males subjects.Conclusion: This study reveals the prevalence of malaria infection with some level of severity among children at our study location.The need for prompt diagnosis and improved access to all malaria interventions becomes relevant,with a special focus on the high risk group.

This study analysed through the perspective of networks the association between physical activity (PA), sedentary behaviour (SB), and cardiovascular risk factors in overweight low-income schoolchildren from the perspective of complex systems. Methods: The sample consisted of 41 overweight children between 6 and 10 years old (56% girls). PA and SB were analysed by accelerometer, and the measures of cardiovascular factor risk were: anthropometric and hemodynamic measurements, body fat, lipid profile and glucose, cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF), left ven-tricular mass (LVM), and Sokolov-Lyon. Network analysis with Boot-strap-1000 was performed to analyze the association between PA, SB and the cardiovascular risk factors. Results: Moderate to vigorous PA was positive related with Waist circumference (WC; 0.499), HDL-C (0.307), and CRF (0.276), and negatively associated with BMI (-0.251) and Fat (-0.341). For SB, positive associations were seen with WC (0.326), CRF (0.296), LVM (0.250) and Sokolov (0.215). Adicionalment, the centrality indicators highlighted WC as the most important variable in the network. Conclu-sion: Interventions that aim to mitigate the harmful effects of obesity on cardiovascular risk factors in overweight children should consider WC as an important variable in of system.

Teacher burnout has been shown to be one of the most common negative consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study aimed to identify distinct psychological resources and burnout risk profiles of teachers and examine their association with Kolb’s educator roles and their professional experience. Methods: The survey data were collected from 330 preschool and primary school (84 males, Mage = 38.3, SD = 9.14) teachers using a convenience sampling method. Results: The two-step cluster analysis revealed two distinct profiles. The first profile, “high psychological resources, no burnout risk,” was characterized by absent symptoms of burnout and increased levels of well-being, self-control, and positive emotionality. The second profile, “moderate psychological resources, mild burnout,” was associated with medium levels of well-being, self-control, and positive emotionality accompanied by mild burnout. Our findings highlighted that cluster one had a significantly higher score for the facilitator role and cluster two for the expert and coach roles. Additionally, teachers with less professional experience were more likely to belong to cluster one, considering their adequate skills in digital literacy. Conclusions: These findings provide new insights into the explanation of teacher burnout and the design of intervention programs.

Proximal Junctional Kyphosis (PJK) as one of the most discussed problems after corrective surgery in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS), is still not fully clarified and seems to be multifactorial. Biome-chanical and few clinical studies have shown the influence of destruction of posterior ligaments by re-section of spinous processes and some parameters concerning rod contouring as risk factors for PJK. To verify these results 192 patients with AIS and corrective surgery via posterior approach between 2009 and 2017 were included. Radiographic parameters were analyzed preoperatively (preOP), postoperatively (postOP), and with a mean follow up (FU) of 27 months. The participants were divided into two groups (PJK group and non-PJK group). The incidence of PJK was 15.6%. Contrary to the results of biomechanical studies, we could not find any significant influence of the spinous process resection. However, the PJK group had significantly larger preOP T4-T12 kyphosis (31.1°±13.93° vs. 23.3°±14.93°, p=.016). Furthermore, the PJK group showed a significantly larger rod contour angle (RCA) (8.0°±4.44° vs. 5.9°±3.28°, p=.003) and mismatch of postOP proximal junctional angle (PJA) and RCA (3.5°±5.72° vs. 0.9°±4.86°, p=.010) compared to the non-PJK group. An increase of the mismatch of postOP PJA and RCA (OR=1.14, p=.008) and a high RCA are risk factors for PJK and need to be focused on by surgeons.

Cesarean Section (CS) is one of the most frequently executed surgical procedures in gynecology and obstetrics. After a cesarean section, surgical site infection (SSI) increases hospital stay, lengthens maternal morbidity, and upsurges treatment costs. The current study determines the prevalence and risk factors for surgical site infection following cesarean section in China. A retrospective study was conducted on 23 cases of pregnant women who underwent cesarean section and incision severe infection and detection from March 2017 to January 2020 at Wuhan Maternal and Child Healthcare Hospital in China as the study group, and 20 cases of uninfected cesarean section during the same period were selected as the control group. Data were compared with the controls based on study variables and the presence of SSI. The mean age was 31±2.6. High fever and blood loss were observed in serous SSI-infected patients. The incidence rate of severe surgical site infection was 0.15 %. SSI was observed to be expected in pregnant women who had premature rupture of membrane before surgery (p < 0.001), who underwent postoperative antibiotic therapy (p < 0.001), and the patients who had gestational diabetes mellitus (p <0.001) and hematoma (p < 0.001) during surgery. Hence, following a cesarean section, surgical site infection is common. This research discovered several modifiable risk factors. SSI is associated with multifactorial rather than a single one. The development and strict implementation of a procedure by all health care practitioners can successfully reduce and prevent infection rates following cesarean section.

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) was first reported in the U.S. on December 29, 2019 and has spread rapidly throughout the country, affecting individuals with varying severity due to their risk status. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, it is estimated that 45.4% of US adults are at higher risk for complications from coronavirus disease because of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, respiratory disease, hypertension, or cancer. In this study, we developed a mathematical model to assess the impact of a COVID-19 vaccine among low and high risk groups. Numerical simulations shows vaccinating both low and high risk groups simultaneously, rather than prioritizing the vaccine on high risk group only, further reduces the daily mortality. The result supports the need for an aggressive vaccination program, regardless of whether individuals are within the low or high risk population.

This paper provides a framework for the assessment of household-level risk, incorporating both a individual social risk perspective and a location-based perspective. We use this framework as a heuristic to explore the effect of social reintegration choices individuals face, which are not be addressed by current policies. For example, we explore how integrating extended family households during COVID-19 without social distancing may affect household and community risk. The goal is to aid individual decision makers, who are seeking to maintain quality-of-life while navigating local policy, with nuance relating to location-specific behavior and disease prevalence.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is characterized by motor deficits and a wide variety of non-motor symptoms. The age of onset, rate of disease progression and the precise profile of motor and non-motor symptoms display considerable individual variation. Neuropathologically, the loss of substantia nigra dopaminergic neurons is a key feature of PD. The vast majority of PD patients exhibit alpha-synuclein aggregates in several brain regions, but there is also great variability in the neuropathology between individuals. While the dopamine replacement therapies can reduce motor symptoms, current therapies do not modify the disease progression. Numerous clinical trials using a wide variety of approaches have failed to achieve disease modification. It has been suggested that the heterogeneity of PD is a major contributing factor to the failure of disease modification trials, and that it is unlikely that a single treatment will be effective in all patients. Precision medicine, using drugs designed to target the pathophysiology in a manner that is specific to each individual with PD, has been suggested as a way forward. PD patients can be stratified according to whether they carry one of the risk variants associated with elevated PD risk. In this review we assess current clinical trials targeting two enzymes, leucine-rich repeat kinase 2 (LRRK2) and glucocerebrosidase (GBA), which are encoded by two most common PD risk genes. Because the details of the pathogenic processes coupled to the different LRRK2and GBA risk variants are not fully understood, we ask if these precision medicine-based intervention strategies will prove “precise“ or “personalized“ enough to modify the disease process in PD patients. We also consider at what phases of the disease that such strategies might be effective, in light of the genes being primarily associated with the risk of developing disease in the first place, and less clearly linked to the rate of disease progression. Finally, we critically evaluate the notion that therapies targeting LRRK2 and GBA might be relevant to a wider segment of PD patients, beyond those that actually carry risk variants of these genes.

An effective behavior changes program is the first-line of prevention for youth obesity. However, effectiveness in prevention of adolescent obesity requires several approaches, with special attention paid to disordered eating behaviors and psychological support among other environmental factors. The aim of this systematic review was to compare the impact of two types of obesity prevention programs, inclusive of behavior change components on weight outcomes. Energy-balance studies were aimed at reducing calories from high-energy sources and increasing PA levels, while “shared risk factors for obesity and eating disorders” focused on reducing disordered eating behaviors to promote a positive relationship with food and eating. A systematic search of ProQuest, PubMed, PsycInfo, SciELO, and Web of Science identified 8825 articles. Twenty were considered “energy-balance” and fifteen “shared-risk factors for obesity and eating disorders”. Overall, energy-balance studies were unable to support a maintenance weight status, diet, and PA over time. Shared risk factors programs also did not result in significant differences in weight status over time. However, the majority of shared risk factors studies demonstrated reduced body dissatisfaction, dieting, and weight-control behaviors. More research is needed to examine how a shared risk factor approach can address both obesity and eating disorder.

Health care workers (HCWs), specifically dentists, are at the front line for acquiring blood-borne virus infections. The highest proportion of occupational transmission is through percutaneous injuries via hollow-bore needles. Several studies around the world have reported that hepatitis viruses and human immunodeficiency virus are the main pathogens for most cases of occupationally acquired blood-borne infection. We aim to investigate the prevalence of hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), hepatitis E virus (HEV), and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among Mexican dentists. Methods. We included 159 dentists who attended the annual meeting at the Medica Sur Clinic & Foundation held in Mexico City in May 2016. A survey was applied in order to obtain data of occupational exposure to blood-borne viruses (BBV). Serum samples were screened serologically using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Results. Two dentists (1.2%) were positive for antibodies against HCV antigen, one (0.6%) was positive for antibodies against HBV antigen and three (1.8%) were positive for the detection of IgG antibodies against HEV. Two cases (1.2%) were positive for antibodies against HIV. Conclusions. The infection by HEV was the most prevalent among dentists. However, the prevalence of BBV in dentists was similar to that in the general population.

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) has been recently shown to be co-present with high-risk human papillomaviruses (HPVs) in human cervical cancer; thus, these oncoviruses play an important role in the initiation and/or progression of this cancer. Accordingly, our group has recently viewed the presence and genotyping distribution of high-risk HPVs in cervical cancer in Syrian women; our data pointed out that HPVs are present in 95.45% of our samples. Herein, we aim to explore the co-prevalence of EBV and high-risk HPVs in 44 cervical cancer tissues from Syrian women using polymerase chain reaction (PCR), immunohistochemistry (IHC) and tissue microarray (TMA) analyses. We found that EBV and high-risk HPVs are co-present in 15/44 (34%) of the samples. Additionally, we report that the co-expression of LMP1 and E6 genes of EBV and high-risk HPVs, respectively, is associated with poorly differentiated squamous cell carcinomas phenotype; this is accompanied by a strong and diffused Id-1 overexpression, which is an important regulator of cell invasion and metastasis. These data imply that EBV and HPVs are co-present in cervical cancer in the Middle East area including Syria and their co-presence is associated with a more aggressive cancer phenotype. Future investigations are needed to elucidate the exact role of EBV and HPVs cooperation in cervical carcinogenesis.

Climate change is increasing the occurrence of disastrous events in the world, but several disparities in population vulnerability are being registered. One of the causes of these variances is different public risk perception also due to the degree of education and knowledge of the population. In this study, some of the results obtained in a risk perception survey are presented. The survey was carried out in an area of Calabria (Southern Italy) hit by geo-hydrological events that have occurred in recent years with damage to roads, tourism facilities and private houses. A statistical interpretation of the results highlights the importance of education and knowledge to risk perception on the part of the population investigated.

This study integrated coastal-watershed models and combined a risk assessment method to develop a methodology to investigate the impact resulting from coastal disasters under climate change. The mid-western coast of Taiwan suffering from land subsidence was selected as the demonstrative area for the vulnerability analysis based on prediction of sea level rise (SLR), wave run-up, overtopping, and coastal flooding under the scenarios of 2020 to 2039. Database from tidal gauges and satellite images were used to analyze sea level rise using EEMD (Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition). Extreme wave condition and storm surge were estimated by numerical simulation using WWM (Wind Wave Model) and POM (Princeton Ocean Model). Coastal inundation was then simulated via WASH123D watershed model. The risk map of study areas based on the analyses of vulnerability and disaster were established using the AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) technique. Predictions of sea level rise, the maximum wave condition and storm surge under the scenarios of 2020 to 2039 are presented. The results indicate that the sea level at the mid-western coast of Taiwan will rise in an average of 5.8 cm, equivalent to a rising velocity of 2.8 mm/year. The analysis indicates that Wuqi, Lukang, Mailiao, and Taixi townships are susceptive, low resistant and low resilient, and reaches the high risk level. The assessment provides that important information for making adaption policy in the mid-western coast of Taiwan.

the intermittency and variability of these permeated Distributed Generators (DGs) could critically cause many security and economy risks to distribution systems. This paper applied a certain mathematical distribution to imitate the output variability and uncertainty of DGs. And then, four risk indices EENS, PLC, EFLC and SI were established to reflect the system risk level of distribution system. For the certain mathematical distribution of the DGs' output power, a developed PEM (point estimate method)-based method was proposed to calculate these four system risk indices. In this developed PEM-based method, enumeration method was used to list the states of distribution systems, an improved PEM was presented to deal with the uncertainties of DGs and the value of load curtailment in distribution systems was calculated by an optimal power flow algorithm. Finally, the effectiveness and advantages of this proposed PEM-based method for distribution system assessment were verified by the tests of a modified IEEE 30-bus system. Simulation results have shown that this proposed PEM-based method has a high computational accuracy and highly reduced computational costs compared with other risk assessment methods and is very effective for risk assessments.

Emission trading schemes (ETSs) have become vital tools in striving toward global emission reduction objectives and promoting a sustainable economy. This paper empirically investigates the impact of market conditions on interconnectedness within precious metals, clean energy, green bonds, and carbon markets, focusing on China and the EU ETSs as the study subjects. A TVP-VAR-based asymmetric connectedness approach is adopted to capture the evolving relationships between the variables of interest in the time–frequency domain. The empirical findings reveal that: First, time-varying asymmetric connectedness and spillover effects among clean energy, precious metals, green bonds, and carbon markets are identified in both time and frequency domains under diverse market conditions, with long-term connectedness asymmetry being particularly sensitive, although spillovers exhibit variations. Second, the role and intensity of net transmitters or receivers vary across market conditions and frequency domains, indicating the complex and nuanced nature of market interactions. The EU ETS demonstrates a higher level of connectivity with global markets for clean energy, precious metals, and green bonds when compared to the Chinese ETS. However, it also shows greater susceptibility to fluctuations in market conditions. These results have significant implications for both investors striving to build sustainable diversified portfolios and regulators endeavoring to craft effective policies for risk regulation and sustainable development.

Several evidences suggest that the positive association between meat intake and colorectal adenoma (CRA) and cancer (CRC) risk is mediated by mutagenic compounds generated during cooking at high temperature. A number of epidemiological studies have estimated the effect of meat-related mutagens intake on CRC/CRA risk with contradictory and sometime inconsistent results. A literature search was carried out (PubMed, Web of Science and Scopus) to identify articles reporting the relationship between the intake of meat-related mutagens (2-amino-1-methyl-6-phenylimidazo[4,5-b]pyridine: PhIP, 2-amino-3,8-dimethylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoxaline: MeIQx, 2-amino-3,4,8-trimethylimidazo[4,5-f] quinoxaline: DiMeIQx, benzo(a) pyrene: (B(a)P) and “meat derived mutagenic activity”: MDM) and CRC/CRA risk. A random-effect model was used to calculate the risk association. Thirty-nine studies were included in the systematic review and meta-analysis. Polled CRA risk (15229 cases) was significantly increased by intake of PhIP (OR=1.20; 95%CI:1.13,1.28; p<0.001), MeIQx (OR=1.14; 95%CI:1.05,1.23; p=0.001), DiMeIQx (OR=1.13; 95%CI:1.05,1.21; p=0.001), B(a)P (OR=1.10; 95%CI:1.02,1.19; p=0.017) and MDM (OR=1.17; 95%CI:1.07,1.28; p=0.001). A linear and curvilinear trend was observed in dose-response meta-analisis between CRA risk in association with PhIP and MDM, MeIQx, respectively. CRC risk (21344 cases) was increased by uptake of MeIQx (OR=1.14; 95%CI:1.04,1.25; p=0.004), DiMeIQx (OR=1.12; 95%CI:1.02,1.22; p=0.014) and MDM (OR=1.12; 95%CI:1.06,1.19; p<0.001). No publication bias could be detected whereas heterogeneity was in some cases rather high. Mutagenic compounds formed during cooking of meat at high temperature may be responsible of its carcinogenicity.

This paper is a further development of our “Proposal of a new double-nozzle technique for in-gas-jet laser resonance ionization spectroscopy” published in journal Atoms earlier in this year. Here, we propose to equip the proposed double-nozzle technique with the RF-only funnel and RF-buncher placed in the gas-jet chamber at 70 mm distance downstream the double-nozzle exit. It allows for highly effective extraction into vacuum heavy ion beams, produced in two-steps laser resonance ionization in the argon supersonic jet. We explored the operation of this new full version of the double-nozzle technique through detailed gas dynamic and then Monte Carlo trajectory simulations, which results are presented and discussed. In particularly, we have shown by calculations that more than 80% of all nobelium-254 neutral atoms, extracted by argon flow from the gas stopping cell through the double-nozzle into the supersonic jet can be extracted into vacuum in a form of pulsed ion beam having low transverse and longitudinal emittance.s dynamic and Monte Carlo simulations

Medication adherence is a vexing challenge with nonadherence at 50% or greater among US adults. With most medications self-administered by patients in the home, home medication management practices, especially where patients store medication in the home and receptivity to guidance from healthcare providers, need to be better understood to improve adherence. We designed and deployed a survey to investigate home medication management. The 1,673 survey respondents reported that the most common home storage locations for medications were nightstand drawers (28%) and atop nightstands (27%). Kitchen cabinets and bathroom vanities were significantly associated with increased odds of having ever forgotten to take a medication. Desks, dining room tables, and nightstand drawers were associated with the greatest statistically significant decrease in odds of having ever forgotten to take a medication. Almost all (96%) respondents were receptive to guidance on medication storage from a healthcare provider. Patients are largely on their own to devise home medication management practices, yet some home storage locations are significantly associated with decreased odds of having forgotten to take a medication. Knowing which practices are associated with adherence may lead to better guidance for patients from healthcare providers and to innovation in the design of medication adherence interventions.

This study constructs a comprehensive line loss management evaluation knowledge graph, considering the impact of various factors such as power grid structure characteristics, equipment's physical parameters, power grid operation characteristics, electricity consumption features, and natural conditions. It establishes the association between line loss characteristics and line loss retrieval and configures the data source for line loss management evaluation indicators. Based on Principal Component Analysis (PCA), this study selects comprehensive evaluation indicators for line loss management, verifies the rationality of the indicators, and proposes an integrated evaluation method for municipal power grid line loss management. A full-process composite evaluation method based on DEMATEL-Entropy Weight-TOPSIS is constructed, and the accuracy of the evaluation method is verified through ablation experiments. The TOPSIS analysis method is applied to empirical research on cross-sectional data from a city in Guangxi from 2012 to 2022 to validate the evaluation system's effectiveness, scientific nature, and objectivity. The case analysis shows that the line loss evaluation index system established in this paper effectively reduces the redundancy of line loss data and can objectively and rationally reflect the actual status of line loss management work, serving as a basis for decision-making in future line loss management evaluations.

The adoption of cloud-based supply chain management (SCM) solutions represents a transformative shift in how organizations manage their supply chains, offering significant advantages in terms of cost efficiency, flexibility, real-time data access, and the integration of advanced technologies. This study explores the multifaceted impacts of cloud-based SCM systems, focusing on both their benefits and the challenges encountered during their implementation. Through an in-depth analysis of interview and case study data, the research reveals that cloud-based solutions enable organizations to reduce capital and operational expenditures substantially while providing the scalability necessary to adapt to fluctuating demands. Real-time access to data enhances visibility and decision-making, and the incorporation of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning improves predictive analytics and process optimization. However, the study also identifies several critical challenges associated with the adoption of cloud-based SCM solutions. Key issues include data security concerns, integration difficulties with legacy systems, and the complexities of managing organizational change. Effective implementation requires meticulous planning, comprehensive training, and strategic vendor management to address these challenges successfully. The research highlights the importance of robust security measures, thorough integration strategies, and effective change management practices in overcoming these obstacles. The strategic outcomes of adopting cloud-based SCM solutions include improved operational efficiency, enhanced inventory management, and increased customer satisfaction. Additionally, organizations gain a competitive edge through better supplier coordination and greater responsiveness to market changes. Overall, the study demonstrates that while cloud-based SCM solutions offer substantial benefits, their successful adoption hinges on effectively managing associated challenges and leveraging their transformative potential.

This study investigates the adoption of blockchain technology in supply chain management, focusing on its transformative potential, challenges, and strategic implications. Blockchain, characterized by its decentralized and immutable ledger, offers significant benefits in enhancing transparency, efficiency, and trust among supply chain stakeholders. It enables accurate tracking of products, verification of provenance, and streamlined processes through smart contracts, which reduce the need for intermediaries and minimize operational costs. The research explores various sectors, highlighting how blockchain can address issues of counterfeiting, compliance, and sustainability by providing verifiable information about products' origins and handling. However, the adoption of blockchain is not without challenges. The technological complexity involved in integrating blockchain with existing systems, the need for specialized skills, and concerns over data privacy and security pose significant barriers. Additionally, the lack of regulatory clarity and the high initial costs associated with blockchain infrastructure present further obstacles, particularly for small and medium-sized enterprises. The study emphasizes the necessity of a cultural shift towards greater openness and collaboration among stakeholders to fully leverage the potential of blockchain. Furthermore, it discusses the environmental impact of blockchain technologies, particularly their energy consumption, and the need for sustainable solutions. The findings suggest that while blockchain holds great promise for transforming supply chain management, careful consideration of the associated challenges is crucial. Future research and industry dialogue will be essential in overcoming these hurdles and achieving widespread blockchain adoption.

Camping offers invaluable experiences in nature exploration, but the expense of acquiring camping gear can deter potential enthusiasts. To mitigate this, camping gear rental services emerge as a practical solution, promoting accessibility and reducing financial barriers. However, existing rental systems often encounter issues such as limited payment options, inconvenient pickup/return processes, and opaque management. In response, this paper introduces "Rent-n-Play," a web-based camping gear rental platform built on Laravel framework. It enables cashless transactions, offers pickup/delivery services, and employs a real-time admin system for transparent management. User feedback guided platform enhancements, including review systems and responsive support. The "Rent-n-Play" platform enhances user experience, fosters trust, and promotes sustainable camping practices, thus contributing to a more accessible and enjoyable camping culture.

With the ever-growing emphasis on global decarbonization and rapid increases in the power density of electronics equipment in recent years, new methods and lightweight materials have been developed to manage heat load as well as interfacial stresses associated with Coefficient of Thermal Expansion (CTE) mismatch between components. The Al-Si system provides an attractive combination of CTE performance and high thermal conductivity whilst being a very lightweight option. Such materials are of interest to industries where thermal management is a key design criterion, such as aerospace, automotive, consumer electronics, defense, EV and space. This paper will describe the development and manufacture of a family of high-performance hypereutectic Al-Si alloys (AyontEX™) by a powder metallurgy method. These alloys are of particular interest for structural heat sink applications that require high reliability under thermal cycling (CTE of 17μm/(m·°C)) as well as reflective optics and instrument assemblies that require good thermal and mechanical stability (CTE of 13μm/(m·°C)). Critical performance relationships are presented, coupled with the microstructure, physical and mechanical properties of these Al-Si alloys.

The results shown in this paper extend our research group's previous work, which presents the theoretically achievable hydrogen engine-out NOx (H2-NOx) Pareto front of a hydrogen hybrid electric vehicle (H2-HEV). While the Pareto front is calculated offline, which requires significant computing power and time, this work presents an online-capable algorithm to tackle the energy management of a H2-HEV with explicit consideration of the H2-NOx trade-off. Through the inclusion of realistic predictive data on the upcoming driving mission, a model predictive control algorithm (MPC) is utilized to effectively tackle the conflicting goal of achieving low hydrogen consumption while simultaneously minimizing the NOx. In a case study it is shown that the MPC is able to satisfy user-defined NOx limits over the course of various driving missions. Moreover, a comparison to the optimal Pareto front highlights the MPC's ability to achieve close-to-optimal fuel-performance for any desired cumulated NOx target on four realistic routes for passenger cars.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant global health challenge. Notably, the risk of CRC escalates with age, with the majority of cases occurring in those above the age of 65. Despite recent progress in tailoring treatments for early and advanced CRC, there is a lack of prospective data to guide the management of older patients, who are frequently underrepresented in clinical trials. This article reviews the contemporary landscape of managing older individuals with CRC, highlighting recent advancements and persisting challenges. The role of comprehensive geriatric assessment is explored. Opportunities for treatment escalation/de-escalation, with consideration of the older adult’s fitness level are reviewed in the neoadjuvant, surgical, adjuvant and metastatic settings of colon and rectal cancers. Immunotherapy is shown as an effective option treatment in older adults that have CRC with microsatellite instability. Promising new technologies such as circulating tumor DNA and recent phase III trials adding later line systemic therapy options are discussed. Clinical recommendations based on the data available are summarized. We conclude that deliberate efforts to include older individuals in future colorectal cancer trials are essential to better guide the management of these patients in this rapidly evolving field.

The paper's objectives are to identify the main benefits, limitations, and challenges facing using Blockchain technology in the Supply Chain Management (SCM). To explore the factors that affect the adoption and application of Blockchain technology in SCM. The study uses a systematic literature review methodology to analyze and compare selected related articles published between 2016 and 2022 on the usage of Blockchain technology in the SCM. Several studies showed that there are many benefits to using Blockchain technology in SCM such as enhanced security, confidentiality, traceability, transparency, data accuracy, privacy, efficiency, accountability, and trust. At the same time, there are many limitations and challenges like scalability, interoperability, legal (regulatory) issues, high implementation and maintenance costs, standardization and information, lack of trust in technology, high energy consumption, limited awareness, integration with current systems, and privacy. Blockchain technology has the potential to revolutionize various industries, but there are still several issues that need to be addressed to fully realize its potential. Understanding the benefits and difficulties of applying Blockchain technology in different industries, including the SCM, is essential in determining its effectiveness and the different strategies needed to assess its application and implementation.

The “red code” (RD) represents the highest levels of emergency in the emergency department (ED). The study retrospectively analyzed RDs in the Regina Margherita Children’s Hospital ED, a regional referral center in north Italy, between 1 July 2020 and 30 June 2023. The aim was to describe RD characteristics and to identify significant correlations between presenting complaints and clinical management. The study includes 934 RDs (0.9% of overall ED admissions); 64% were assigned based on the Pediatric Assessment Triangle alteration. Most patients, 86.5%, followed the medical pathway, while 13.5% were surgical cases. Admission complaints were respiratory (46.9%), neuropsychiatric (26.7%), traumatic (11.8%), cardiologic (9.3%), metabolic (3.8%), and surgical (1.5%). Seventy-six per cent of patients received vascular access, and intraosseous access was obtained in 2.2% of them. In one-third of RDs, an urgent critical care evaluation was necessary, and 19% of cases required admission to the intensive care unit. The overall mortality rate was 3.4% (0.4% in ED setting). The study identified six distinct diagnostic pathways, each associated with specific characteristics in clinical presentation, management, therapeutic interventions, and outcomes: this underscored the significance of a systematic approach in improving outcomes in pediatric RD management.

This paper proposes a novel formulation of the fuzzy newsvendor problem for inventory management applications. This new formulation allows the use of any profit function. A new credibility estimation is proposed to explore the neighborhood around the most impactful demand scenarios. Further, a simulation procedure was designed for the different demand scenarios, which allows the comparison of the proposed approach with probabilistic demand curves. The fuzzy newsvendor problem is solved using a modified genetic algorithm (GA), where an initialization mechanism with null values is proposed. The new formulation of the fuzzy newsvendor problem together with the modified GA have shown to improve the average profit up to 55% in problems with low-budget scenarios.

This review explores the application of the conservative management model for pain to sports-related concussions (SRCs), framing concussions as a distinct form of pain syndrome with a pathophysiological foundation in central sensitization. Drawing parallels with proven pain management models, we underscore the significance of a proactive approach to concussion management. Recognizing concussions as a pain syndrome allows for the tailoring of interventions in alignment with conservative principles. This review first covers the epidemiology and controversies surrounding prolonged concussion recovery and persistent post-concussion symptoms (PPCS). Next, the pathophysiology of concussions is presented within the central sensitization framework, emphasizing the need for early intervention to mitigate the neuroplastic changes that lead to heightened pain sensitivity. Five components of the central sensitization process specific to concussion injuries are highlighted as targets for conservative interventions in the acute period: peripheral sensitization, cerebral metabolic dysfunction, neuroinflammation, glymphatic system dysfunction, and pain catastrophizing. These proactive interventions are emphasized as pivotal in accelerating concussion recovery and reducing the risk of prolonged symptoms and PPCS, in line with the philosophy of conservative management.

Building Information Modelling (BIM) is increasingly adopted in supporting Facility Management (FM). However, in the future perspective of efficiently encouraging the management of building estates, e.g. owned by public authorities or institutions, providing an effective integration between Building Information Models and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) becomes also essential. This contribution is therefore aimed at presenting a methodological framework integrating BIM and GIS environments by mainly taking advantage of open-source tools (e.g. QGIS and Dynamo) and non-proprietary data exchange formats like the COBie (Construction-Operations Building Information Exchange) international standard. Unlike what has been mainly proposed in the literature concerning BIM-GIS integration so far, the methodology presented in this paper does not provide for an integral transfer of BIM data to the GIS platform. The work led instead to the development of an effective bidirectional integration between the two informative systems, by properly relating them and allowing for an easy switch from one system database to the other. This integrated framework is intended to enable facility managers to easily visualize in the GIS platform, through queryable 2D and 3D maps, some relevant information from BIM to efficiently manage workspaces. At the same time, this hybrid informative system allows BIM practitioners to access and manage more detailed information stored in Building Information Models. The findings of experimental applications of the proposed methodological approach to the ex-Macciotta pediatric hospital, a healthcare building owned by the University of Cagliari, are finally presented and discussed.

The number of people affected by eye conditions is growing every year, due to the popularity of electronic devices and an aging population. In the world of medicine, accomplishing eye medication administration has always been a difficult task. Despite the fact that there are many eye drops on the market, most of them have important limitations due to quick clearance mechanisms and ocular barriers. One solution with tremendous potential is the contact lens used as medication delivery vehicle to bypass this constraint. Therapeutic contact lenses for ocular medication delivery have attracted a lot of attention because they have the potential to improve ocular bioavailability, patient compliance, and reduce side effects. However, it is essential not to compromise essential features such as water content, optical transparency, and modulus in order to target successful in vitro and in vivo sustained drug delivery profile from impregnated contact lenses. Aside from difficulties like drug stability and burst release, the changing of lens physical and chemical properties caused by therapeutic or non-therapeutic components can limit the commercialization potential of pharmaceutical-loaded lenses. Research has progressed towards bioinspired techniques and smart materials to improve the efficacy of drug-eluting contact lenses. The bioinspired method uses bioinspired polymeric materials to improve biocompatibility, a specialized molecule recognition technique called molecular imprinting, or a stimuli-responsive system to improve biocompatibility and support drug delivery efficacy of drug-eluting contact lenses. This review encompasses strategies of material design, lens manufacturing and drug impregnation under the current auspices in ophthalmic therapies and projects an outlook onto future opportunities in the field of eye conditions management by means of active principles-eluting contact lens.

The purpose of this article is to highlight the new advancements in molecular and diagnostic genetic testing as well as properly classify all ovarian cancers. In this article we address statistics, histopathological classification, molecular pathways implicated in ovarian cancer, genetic screening panels and details about the genes, and also candidate genes. We hope to bring new information in the medical field as to better prevent and diagnose ovarian cancer.

This article aims at presenting the results that were found in the design and implementation of a new management model of Critical Success Factors for improving the effects of research projects. The model was based on the theory of structural equations derived from factor analyses and multiple linear regression models. For achieving the purpose, the authors developed an empirical evidence analysis founded on a literature review in the knowledge area of project management. Afterwards, the process of identification of the CSFs was carried out for a group of research projects launched in Colombia as a result of the application and measurement of an instrument. They were the basis for the development of a structural relationship modeling. Also, this contributed to determine the CSFs that explain the generation of effects of research projects, and the project management execution process from which it can be carried out based on said measurement indicators.

There are two purposes for this article. The first purpose is to perform a reiew of previous research on global supply chain management (GSCM) principles that can adapt and survive adversity, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The second purpose is to put forth a conceptual framework for the GSCM that is sustainable in the event of future turbulence similar to that experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic. With regard to the issues raised, the article posits the following questions. Is there, perhaps, a sustainable post-COVID-19 pandemic GSCM? Can the COVID-19 pandemic-related international logistics system (GSC) turbulences be predicted with certainty using these sustainable post-COVID-19 pandemic GSCM concepts? Putting it all together, the paper concludes that, while debatable, sustainable GSCM is feasible and can be accomplished utilizing JIT, supply chain mitigation, and supply chain visibility, as demonstrated by the manufacturing firms referenced in the article.

This article examines how digitalisation is impacting the management of IT. Phase 1 of the re-search focuses on the German automotive industry, and adopts a qualitative inductive approach, based on feedback from 19 semi-structured interviews with IT managers and professionals. Five key aspects of digitalisation are identified, and a new model for the management of IT is devel-oped. Phase 2 then reviews the deployment of digital technologies in eight organisations from other industry sectors and assesses the overall impact on the management of IT. The results suggest that the transition to new IT management structures in the German automotive industry may be the forerunner of a change process that will impact more widely in other industries, in particular where digital technologies are now embedded in an organisation’s products or services. The results also provide some new perspectives on the conceptualisation of digitalisation and digital transformation, and represent a contribution to the developing theory around new tech-nology deployment and IT management in the digital era.

In Burkina Faso, the infant flours produced are intended for weaning-age and malnourished children. This study was to evaluate the management of infant flour production in Ouagadougou. A survey was conducted among the production units to determine the raw materials used in the production of infant flours, the production processes, the methods of conservation of raw materials and infant flours, the types of infant flours produced as well as their packaging. The results showed that 45.45% of the production units surveyed were of the semi-industrial type against 54.54% from the artisanal and CREN types. Among the raw materials, the most used cereals were millet, sorghum and maize. As for legumes, peanuts and soybeans were the most used at respectively 35% and 31%. For the conservation of raw materials, 85.71% of infant flour producers had storage warehouses and 66% used storage pesticides. These flours produced were intended for children of wean age (37.14%) and children in nutritional recovery (62.86%). Flours were stored in an airy (94.29%), dry area/environment (88.57%) and in the presence of light (91.43%). All the results of this survey reflect that efforts are still expected to further improve the nutritional and sanitary quality of the infant flours produced.

The problem of blood delivery has been a critical concern in past decades. However, the unsteady behavior of blood donors, along with the uncertainties associated with demands in a crisis imposes several challenges for resource management. In this research work, we analyze the blood delivery behavior in a crisis modeled by coupled queues of patients and blood sources. Using Markovian modeling and results associated with G-network, we derive two critical probabilities, namely lack of unit of blood (unit of donations) or not having any storage capacity left to accept new donors' blood. We propose a closed-form solution to calculate the optimal blood storage size, and also we suggest sufficient conditions that guarantee the feasibility of the model. Finally, we conduct a sensitivity analysis to investigate the impact of model parameters on storage size and the proportion of time that storage is full.

This paper sheds light on how crisis management affects post-disaster re-covery. Based on the study of the management of a major environmental disaster, hurricane IRMA, we consider how post-disaster recovery is impacted by crisis management strategies. The perspectives of local stakeholders from the islands of St Martin and St Barthélémy will be shared. We analyze how territories exposed to the same natural phenomena have different outcomes and consider some of the possible reasons. This study reveals underlying risk drivers, to address governance reorganization with a view to better managing socio-economic recovery.

The Aviation industry in Malaysia is categorized as highly regulated and dominated by Government Linked Companies (GLCs) via monopolistic concessions due to its nature of strategic national importance and security. Connectivity is an essential component of economic activity and a catalyst for business growth. Since the invention of aircraft, air connectivity has expanded businesses and markets, facilitating trade, encouraging Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and enabling tourism. This case study aims to provide a holistic analysis of the Malaysia Airport Holdings Berhad (MAHB) strategic planning framework and discuss its effectiveness towards its strategy formulation to address its market dynamics, both domestically and abroad. From military superiority to economic connectivity, aviation, one of humanity's greatest inventions, has advanced human civilization over the past 150 years. With the emergence of low-cost carriers, air travel patterns have shifted dramatically, with the increase of travel and trade, due to its time efficiency. With the trend of globalization and the liberation of airspace in recent decades, aviation enables the movement of people and goods that foster a borderless marketplace at an exponential growth rate. With technological innovation, pressure over climate change and the shift in travelers' behavior and patterns, strategic planning becomes more crucial and complex for aerodrome operators to create a sustainable competitive advantage among their regional rivals. However, strategic planning is dependent on several critical success factors. The role of management leadership and an inclusive strategy to adapt to the changes in market dynamics are essential for survival in business competition.

BackgroundGood management behavior in patients with diabetes mellitus can reduce disease complications and improve quality of life. This philosophical problem is very important for nurses who are able to provide management care for diabetic patients. The purpose of this literature review is to describe the concept, model or theory that can be used in improving the management of diabetes mellitus patients.MethodsThe method used is by searching several studies published through the Scopus database, PubMed, CINAHL, SpingerLink, and web of science (WOS). The search strategy uses a combination of the terms MeSH Terms. The research questions were designed using the principles of the PICOS framework. Selected studies were published from 2017-2022.ResultsA total of 15 studies were included, with 12 using quantitative methodology and 3 were qualitative. The studies were conducted across various countries. The majority of articles used the concept of self-management intervention based on digital-based development and e-health (n=6), Dorothea Orem's self-care deficit nursing theory n=2) and the transtheoretical model (n=2). These concepts, models and theories are able to improve good self-management through lifestyle changes, psychosocial, cultural acculturation and increase in spiritual values (n=6).ConclusionTransitional change focuses on changing the modifiable factors found in the concepts, models and theories of the articles obtained. Future research can be developed to assess the existence of elaborations and modifications based on the philosophy that people with diabetes are responsible for their own health.

This paper focuses on the comparative analysis of lithium-ion batteries (LIB) thermal management with aim to maintain working temperature in the range 15 ℃ – 35 ℃. This is to prevent thermal runaway and high temperature gradients. The proposed approach is to employ the biodiesel, situated inside the diesel/LIB powered hybrid electric vehicle, to supply as fuel and coolant. A 3S2P LIB module is simulated using Ansys-Fluent CFD software tool. The system without a coolant shows that LIB has exceeded the optimum maximum temperature, which leads to shortened life-cycle and poor performance. Four fatty acid methyl ester biodiesels are used as coolants, namely palm, karanja, jatropha, and mahua oils. When compared with conventional methods of cooling, using air and 3M Novec liquid, the palm biodiesel coolant proves to be the best option to maintain LIB temperature within the optimum working range. With the use of palm biodiesel, the system is estimated to lightweight the BTMS by 43%, compared to the case when 3M Novec is used to maintain the same temperature range.

Quality of Experience (QoE) metrics can be used to assess user perception and satisfaction in data services applications delivered over the Internet. End-to-end metrics are formed because QoE is dependent on both the users’ perception and the service used. Traditionally, network optimization has focused on improving network properties such as the QoS. In this paper we examine the Adaptive streaming over a software defined network environment. We aimed to evaluate and study the media streams, aspects affecting the stream, and network. This was done to eventually reach a stage of analysing the network’s features and their direct relationship with the perceived QoE. We then use machine learning to build a prediction model based on subjective user experiments. This will help to eliminate future physical experiments and automate the process of predicting QoE.

Orbital fractures are a common finding in facial trauma and serious complications may arise when orbital reconstruction is not done properly. The virtual planning can be used to manufacture patient-specific titanium orbital implants (PSI) through the process of selective laser melting. This method is currently considered the most accurate technique for orbital reconstruction. Even with the most accurate tehniques of bone reconstruction, there are still situations where enophthalmos is present after reconstruction which may be produced by intraorbital soft tissue atrophy. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the orbital soft tissue after postraumatic reconstruction of the orbital walls fractures. 10 patients diagnosed with unilateral orbital fractures were included in this study. A CT scan of the head region with thin slices (0.6mm) and soft and bone tissue windows was done. After data processing, the STL files were exported and the intraorbital fat tissue volume and the muscular tissue volume were masured. The volumes of affected orbit tissues were compared with the volumes of the healthy orbit tissues for each patient. Our findings conclude that a higher or a lower grade of fat and muscular tissue loss is present in all cases of reconstructed orbital fractures.

Objective: The purpose of the present study was to analyze the management of dental extractions in patients affected by coagulation disorders in order to prevent bleeding intraoperative and postoperative complications. Subjects and Methods: This study included 17 patients with a diagnosis of a coagulation disorder, who had been subjected to a single or multiple dental extraction. Recombinant activated Factor VII was administered in those patients who were affected by a deficit of factor VII ranged between 10,5% and 21%. The other patients were treated locally with tranexamic acid. Results: A total of 50 teeth were extracted, 7 by surgical extraction and 43 by simple extraction. Of the 17 patients included 9 of them suffering from factor VII deficiency, 5 from factor V deficiency, 1 from Glanzmann's thrombasthenia and 2 from Haemophilia A. Pretreatment with recombinant activated factor VII was performed on a total of 8 patients with factor VII deficiency; the remaining 9 patients underwent tranexamic acid treatment. 1 hemorragic postoperative complication was observed. Conclusions: Surgical and no surgical extractions appear to be a safe procedure for patients affected by coagulation disorders when appropriate prophylaxis is adopted.

Lung cancer (LC) is one of the leading causes of cancer occurrence and mortality worldwide. Treatment of patients with advanced and metastatic LC presents a significant challenge as malignant cells use different mechanisms to resist chemotherapy. Drug resistance (DR) is a complex process that occurs due to a variety of genetic and acquired factors. Identifying the mechanisms underlying DR in LC patients and possible therapeutic alternatives for more efficient therapy is a central goal of LC research. Advances in nanotechnology resulted in the development of targeted and multifunctional nanoscale drug constructs. The possible modulation of the components of nanomedicine, their surface functionalization, and encapsulation of various active therapeutics provide promising tools to bypass crucial biological barriers. These attributes enhance the delivery of multiple therapeutic agents directly to the tumor microenvironment (TME), resulting in reversal of LC resistance to anticancer treatment. This review provides a broad framework for understanding the different molecular mechanisms of DR in lung cancer; presents novel nanomedicine therapeutics aimed to improve the efficacy of treatment of various forms of resistant LC; outlines current challenges in using nanotechnology for reversing DR; and discusses the future directions for clinical application of nanomedicine in management of LC resistance.

Keywords: free radicals; oxidative stress; hepatocellular carcinoma; anti-oxidants; kaempferol

Cloud computing nowadays is not an emerging topic, and virtualization is an indispensable technology to expedite cloud computing to become the next sign of the coming Internet revolution. In real life, scientists never stop at exploring the possibilities from such technology by investigating millions of experiments and applications to enhance the quality of virtual services. However, isolated construction for the virtual machine doesn’t save the technology from unwanted data volumes or insensitive processing time. Containers are created to address such problems, by distributing applications without initiating the entire virtual machine. Docker, as an important player in this game, is an open-source application of the container family. The management tool from Docker containers, Swamskit, does not take heterogeneities in either virtualized containers or physical nodes. There are different nodes in the cluster, and each node is different in configurations, resource availability, or concerning resource, etc. Furthermore, the requirements initiated by different services change all the time. The demand might be CPU-intensive (e.g. Clustering services) and also memory-intensive (e.g. Web services), or completely at the opposite. In this paper, we focus on exploring the Docker container cluster and designing, DRAPS, a resource-aware placement scheme, to improve the system performance in a heterogeneous cluster.

Head injury is among the most devastating types of injury, specifically called Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). There is need to diminish the morbidity related with TBI and to improve the outcome of patients suffering TBI. Among the improvements on the treatment of TBI, neuroprotection is one of the upcoming improvements. Citicoline has been used in the management of brain ischemia related disorders, such as TBI. Citicoline has biochemical, pharmacological, and pharmacokinetic characteristics that make it a potentially useful neuroprotective drug for the management of TBI. A short review of these characteristics is included in this paper. Also, a narrative review of almost all the published or communicated studies performed with this drug in the management of patients with head injury is included. Based on the results obtained in these clinical studies, it is possible to conclude that citicoline was able to accelerate recovery of consciousness and to improve the outcome of this kind of patients, with an excellent safety profile. Thus, citicoline could have a potential role in the management of TBI.

Adrenal crisis (AC) is an unexpected and possibly lethal situation of stressful interventions in patients with Addison’s disease (AD). Despite being rare in dentistry, it is to be noted that evidence indicates that 5-8% of patients with AD necessitate emergency glucocorticoid administration to treat AC annually. For that, dentists must be aware of this condition and be prepared when the clinical signs and symptoms occur.

Chronic diseases are characterised by cell’s autophagy and proteins disarrangement resulting in sarcopenia, hypoalbuminemia and hypo-haemoglobinaemia. Hypo-haemoglobinaemia couses worse prognosis independentely of the principal disease. Currently, the cornerstone of therapy of anaemia is iron supplementation, with or without erythropoietin for the stimulation of hematopoiesis. However, treatment strategies should incorporate the addition of heme, the principal biochemical constituent of haemoglobin. Heme synthesis follows a complex biochemical pathway. The limiting step of heme synthesis is D-ALA availability which, for its synthesis, requires Glycine and Succinil-CoA. Consequently, treatment of anaemia should not be based only on iron availability, but also on the availability of the molecules fundamental for heme synthesis. Therefore, an adequate clinical therapeutic strategy should integrate the standard iron infusion and the supply of essential amino acids and vitamins involved in the heme synthesis. We report preliminary data in selected elderly anaemic patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) and catabolic disarrangement, who, in addition to standard iron therapy, received personalized therapy with essential-AAs and vitamins involved in the maintenance of heme. Notably, such individualized therapy resulted in a significant increase in the serum concentration of haemoglobin after 30 days of treatment compared to standard iron therapy.

Light management in single nanowires (NWs) is of great importance for photovoltaic applications. However, square NWs (SNWs) can limit their light-trapping ability due to high geometrical symmetry. In this work, we present a detailed study of light management in single silicon NWs with a rectangular cross-section (RNWs). We demonstrate that the RNWs exhibit significantly enhanced light-harvesting compared with the SNWs, which can be attributed to the symmetry-broken structure that can orthogonalize the direction of light illumination and the leaky mode resonances (LMRs). That is, the rectangular cross-section can simultaneously increase the light path length by increasing the vertical side and reshape the LMR modes by decreasing the horizontal side. We found that the light absorption can be engineered via tuning the horizontal and vertical sides, the photocurrent is significantly enhanced by 276.5% or 82.9% in comparison with that of the SNWs with the same side length as the horizontal side of 100 nm or the vertical side of 1000 nm, respectively. This work advances our understanding of how to improve light-harvesting based on the symmetry breaking from the SNWs to RNWs and provides an effective way for designing high-efficiency single NW photovoltaic devices.

The explosion of data has transformed the world since much more information is available for collection and analysis than ever before. To extract valuable information from the data in different dimensions, various deep learning models have been developed in the past years. Although these models have demonstrated their strong capability on improving products and services in various applications, training them is still a time-consuming and resource-intensive process. Presently, cloud, one of the most powerful computing infrastructures, has been used for the training. However, how to manage cloud computing resources and to perform the training efficiently is still challenging current techniques. For example, general resource scheduling approaches, such as spread priority and balanced resource schedulers, actually do not work well with deep learning workloads. Besides, the resource allocation problem on a cluster can be divide into two subproblems: (1) local resource optimization: improve resource configuration for a single machine; (2) global resource optimization: improve the cluster-wide resource allocation. In this thesis, we propose two novel container schedulers, FlowCon and SpeCon, that are designed to address these two subproblems respectively and specifically to optimize performance of short-lived deep learning applications in the cloud. FlowCon focuses on resource configuration of single-node in a cluster, as show that it efficiently improves deep learning tasks completion time and resource utilization, and reduces the completion time of a specific job by up to 42.06\% without sacrificing the overall system time. SpeCon targets on cluster-wide resource configuration that speculatively migrate slow-growing models to release resources for fast-growing ones. Based on our experiments, SpeCon improves makespan for up to 24.7\%, compared to current approaches.

The dynamics involving market competition and the challenges of dealing with empowered customers, means that creating and delivering relevant customer experience (CX) of service, is as important as creating product or services. Several studies have treated customer experience as though a front-desk, sales-point affair with the customer in the retailing environment, negating the critical role of organization-wide efforts in the overall customer experience management sequence. This review, however, adopts customer-centricity, as a theoretical lens to underscore the [re]configuration of organizational-level factors that are critical to adopting a high customer-experienced centred organization. Based on the review, we highlight conditions for adopting high customer experience management organization: (1) developing an integrated CX strategy, (2) CX-based knowledge management, (3) organizational re-design that supports CX-management, (4) top management commitment, (5) integrated CX IT systems, and (6) CX-oriented HR policies. These practices are only necessary conditions, but not sufficient, for creating, delivering, relevant and sustainable customer experience. However, more robust empirical studies are needed to advance the application of organization-wide customer experience management, which vary across industry, products/services, and sector.

The recent outbreak and spread of the COVID-19 virus infection across the world has seen a massive global system-wide shutdown of human social and economic activity. Both developed and developing nations have been forced to contain and isolate their citizens as much as possible. However, the continuous rising cases in both categories of nations, especially those with poor or nonexistent testing facilities and healthcare systems pose a hidden danger. The seemingly lack of and access to a truly global concerted research effort in both temporary but effective symptom mitigation may lead to more deaths in infected cases. We propose that a fusion of both technological and home-grown solutions can be utilized effectively to manage symptoms. This would add to the preventive methods of social distancing, isolation, quarantine and frequent handwashing to halt the impact of the disease. We also hope to spur further research in such drug/non-drug combination therapy-based methods with emphasis on effectiveness based on quality of nutrient sources.

This paper describes a novel methodology of data management in materials characterisation, which has as starting point the creation and usage of Data Management Plan (DMP) for scientific data in the field of materials science and engineering, followed by the development and exploitation of ontologies for the harnessing of data created through experimental techniques. The case study that is discussed here is nanoindentation, a widely used method for the determination and/or modelling of mechanical properties on a small scale.The same methodology can be applicable to a large number of techniques that produce big amount of raw data, while at the same time it can be invaluable tool for big data analysis and for the creation of an open innovation environment, where data can be accessed freely and efficiently.Aspects covered include the taxonomy and curation of data, the creation of ontology and classification about characterization techniques, the harnessing of data in open innovation environments via database construction along with the retrieval of information via algorithms. The issues of harmonization and standardization of such novel approaches are also critically discussed.Finally, the possible implications for nanomaterial design and the potential industrial impact of the new approach are described and a critical outlook is given.

The prevalence of autism in children in the world is estimated as one per 62 children, higher levels reported in some countries. These children experience significant problems with the development of social, behavioural and verbal and non-verbal communication skills. The skills impairment levels varies from an individual to another and that made teaching autistics a challenge for caregivers such as teachers and relatives. Hence, there are quite a number of frameworks of a software learning systems which focus on gaining the children’s attention using representational visual illustration as a learning method instead of the textual form. However, majority of these tools are lacking the personalisation ability to suite everyone in the spectrum. Assistive technology offers an alternative way to attract children with autism to use. Therefore, this research is proposing Autism Content Management Learning System (ACMLS) Framework to assist caregivers to produce, design and fine-tune or customise the learning materials appropriately so that the system interface and the materials are suitable for every individual in the spectrum according to each child personal profile aiming to make learning attractive and to contribute in improving their social, communication and behavioural skills and nonetheless, their attention level to the delivered educational topics. The ACMLS framework design adopts four main components which are: (1) Design component: which covers the visual design, design principles and the mental model of the children with autism. (2) Technology component: which covers the assistive technology tools and the architecture of the ACMLS system. (3) Education component: Which covers the learning objectives, styles, strategies, methods and the cognitive model. (4) Participants component: which covers the main participants who’re playing a role in the ACMLS framework such as: caregivers and children with autism.

Premature ovarian insufficiency (POI) is a highly prevalent disorder, characterized by the development of menopause before age of 40. Most cases are idiopathic; however, in some women the cause of this condition (e.g. anticancer treatment, genetic disorders, and enzymatic defects) may be identified. Although hormone replacement therapy, the principal therapeutic approach for POI, helps to alleviate the related symptoms, this does not effectively solve the issue of fertility. Assisted reproductive techniques also lack efficacy in these women. Thus, the effective approach to manage the patients with POI is highly warranted. Several mechanisms, associated with POI, have been identified, including lack of FSH receptor functioning, alterations in the apoptosis control, mutations in Sal-like 4 genes, thymulin or basonuclin-1 deficiency etc. The above-mentioned may be good targets for gene therapy in order to correct defects, leading to POI. The goal of this review is to summarize the current experience on the POI studies, that employed gene therapy, and to discuss the possible future directions in this field.

Mexico is an exceptional setting for ethnomycology since human cultures have interacted with fungi for thousands of years; the state of Michoacán is particularly important since nearly 11% of the fungi species recorded in Mexico occur there, 139 species being edible. This study aimed to analyze the taxonomic diversity and use forms of fungi, their position in worldview of people, and the management forms practiced on edible fungi in the Purépecha communities of Cherán and Pichátaro and the environmental problems in relationship with fungi management. We conducted semi-structured interviews during visits to regional markets, participant observations in harvesting areas, workshops, and presentation of results to the communities and communal authorities. We recorded ethnoecological information for 21 edible fungi species. The words jongo and terekua correspond to useful fungi in Purépecha, while jeramba refers to not edible fungi. In Cherán people identify different vegetation types where mushrooms occur; they recognize the “pinadas forest” dominated by Pinus leiophylla, “encineras” (dominated by Quercus crassipes), “tepamu forest” (dominated by Alnus acuminata), “sharhari forest” (Quercus aff. laeta), and grasslands, all of them sites where mushrooms grow. Fungi handlers identified environmental problems like land use changes, illegal extraction of forest resources, deforestation, unplanned urban growth, uncontrolled fires, livestock raising, and agricultural intensification, which affect fungi communities. In turn, these factors have secondary consequences like soil erosion, reduction of native vegetation and reduction of rainwater retention that directly disturb diversity, distribution, and abundance of fungi. Information from this study and workshops conducted with the community helped to design strategies for conservation of both forests and fungi.

Decision tables have been used for many years in data processing and business applications to simulate complex rule sets. Several computer languages have been developed based on rule systems and they are easily programmed in several current languages. Land management and river-reservoir models simulate complex land management operations and reservoir management in highly regulated river systems. Decision tables are a precise yet compact way to model the rule sets and corresponding actions found in these models. In this study, we discuss the suitability of decision tables to simulate management in the river basin scale Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT+) model. Decision tables are developed to simulate automated irrigation and reservoir releases. A simple auto irrigation application of decision tables was developed using plant water stress as a condition for irrigating corn in Texas. Sensitivity of the water stress trigger and irrigation application amounts were shown on soil moisture and corn yields. In addition, the Grapevine Reservoir near Dallas, Texas was used to illustrate the use of decision tables to simulate reservoir releases. The releases were conditioned on reservoir volumes and flood season. The release rules as implemented by the decision table realistically simulated flood releases as evidenced by a daily NSE (Nash-Sutcliffe Efficiency) of 0.52 and a percent bias of -1.1%. Using decision tables to simulate management in land, river and reservoir models was shown to have several advantages over current approaches including: 1) mature technology with considerable literature and applications, 2) ability to accurately represent complex, real world decision making, 3) code that is efficient, modular and easy to maintain, and 4) tables that are easy to maintain, support, and modify.

We introduce and analyse a simple formal thought experiment designed to reflect a qualitative decision dilemma humanity might currently face in view of climate change. In it, each generation can choose between just two options, either setting humanity on a pathway to certain high wellbeing after one generation of suffering, or leaving the next generation in the same state as this one with the same options, but facing a continuous risk of permanent collapse. We analyse this abstract setup regarding the question of what the right choice would be both in a rationality-based framework including optimal control, welfare economics and game theory, and by means of other approaches based on the notions of responsibility, safe operating spaces, and sustainability paradigms. Despite the simplicity of the setup, we find a large diversity and disagreement of assessments both between and within these different approaches.

To date, several different approaches are available to study sediment dynamics at reach or watershed scale, based on very different hypothesis. One of such assumptions, the so-called “morphodynamic equilibrium hypothesis” is becoming little unpopular for its embedded simplifications. The aim of this work is to demonstrate how this approach proves yet effective in modelling landscape morphodynamics at the watershed scale, for what concerns the longitudinal profile of a river and the sedimentary aspects. The application of a 1-D model based on the equilibrium hypothesis has been implemented for several large rivers worldwide. Geomorphological parameters have been analysed, which describe the evolution of longitudinal profile (concavity) and sediments characteristics (aggrading and fining), and the results show a reasonably good correspondence with qualitative estimation of the same parameters. At the scale of analysis and for the chosen systems, which show high inertia to geomorphological changes likely owing to their longitudinal extension, the model can detect where the present conditions reflect a big disturbance to the “natural equilibrium” thus allowing water managers to identify present issues to be addressed.

This study investigates the use of geopolymer technology as an alternative for the management of mine tailings, which is a serious environmental problem in mining environments including that of Arequipa region of Peru. In this study, the mixture of stabilized mine tailings with different percentages of binders (metakaolin and pumice) and their impact on the mechanical, microstructural, and toxicological properties of the synthesized geopolymers were analyzed. The ratios of mine tailings to binder material varied between 100/0 and 0/100. The activation was carried out with an alkaline solution of sodium hydroxide (10M) and sodium silicate (modulus 2.5). 50 mm cubic specimens were fabricated, and 7 mixtures with 3 replicates each were evaluated. The evaluations included compressive strength at 7, 14, 28, and 56 days of curing, chemical analysis by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FT-IR), microstructural characterization by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM/EDS), thermal behavior by thermogravimetry and differential thermal analysis (TGA/DTA) between 40°C and 1000°C, and toxicological tests by the Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP, EPA 1311) to determine the efficiency of immobilization of toxic metals. The results showed good mechanical strength, reaching 25 MPa at 7 days of curing, high microstructural stability with an average pore size of 7.21 μm, and good efficiency in the immobilization of heavy metals in geopolymers composed of 60% - 40% and 70% - 30% of the mine tailings - binders ratio, as the concentrations of As, Cd, Pb, Hg were below the established thresholds, acquiring the classification of non-hazardous materials. Geopolymers with 30 to 50% binder showed good mechanical behavior, microstructural stability, and high efficiency in the immobilization of heavy metals, complying with current regulations. Therefore, these geopolymers are suitable for various applications and in different environmental conditions.

Soil naturally contains fluorine, but concerns arise when its levels or bioavailability are increased by human activities or specific compounds. South Korea faces challenges in regulating soil fluorine pollution despite implementing stricter total fluorine standards than many developed countries. Moreover, these regulations can be economically unfeasible because of the naturally high background levels of fluorine in the soil in Korea. This review explores the global landscape of soil fluorine management strategies and examines potential solutions that reconcile environmental protection with economic concerns. We recommend a shift towards regulating specific and hazardous fluorine compounds rather than total content, and prioritizing remediation efforts based on assessments of bioavailable fluorine. This approach may help Korea establish a more effective and sustainable strategy for managing soil fluorine pollution.

Energy management, especially in communities, is attracting growing interest, but is often marred by confusion between the terms "Energy Information System" (EIS) and "Energy Man-agement System" (EMS). This ambiguity hinders understanding of their use and role in improv-ing energy performance. Our objective is to clarify these terms and their contribution to energy management. We used a mixed qualitative and quantitative approach to evaluate and compare the criteria of definition, objective, functionality, role, as well as correlated elements such as or-ganizational structure, responsibilities, planning and policy, according to the requirements of ISO 50001, in addition to criteria specific to the two systems. The study reveals differences in the roles of the EIS and the SME, with a complementarity of 40% between the two systems, depend-ing on the positioning of the EIS in relation to the elements of the SME process. The EIS plays a crucial role in facilitating the implementation of the EMS according to ISO 50001. This clarifica-tion contributes to a better understanding of the respective roles of these systems in energy management, thus helping communities to improve their energy performance in an effective manner.

Cow’s Milk (CM) is a healthy food consumed worldwide by individuals of all ages. Unfortunately, 'lactase deficient' individuals cannot digest milk's carbohydrate lactose depriving themselves of highly beneficial milk proteins like casein, lactoalbumin and lactoglobulin, due to lactose intolerance (LI), while other individuals develop cow milk allergy specifically against these proteins (CMPA). The management of these conditions is distinctly different and an inappropriate diagnosis or treatment may have significant implications for the patients, especially if they are infants or very young children, resulting in unnecessary dietary restriction or avoidable adverse reactions. Omics technologies play a pivotal role in elucidating the intricate interactions between nutrients and the human body, spanning from genetic factors to the microbiota profile and metabolites. This comprehensive approach enables the precise delineation and identification of distinct cohorts of individuals with specific dietary requirements, so that tailored nutrition strategies can be developed. This is what is called personalized nutrition or precision nutrition (PN), the area of nutrition that focuses on the effects of the nutrients over the genome, proteome and metabolome, promoting well-being and health, preventing diseases, reducing chronic disease incidence, and so increasing life expectancy. Here, we report the scientific community opinion proposing to replace the approach “one size fits all” with tailor-made nutrition programs, designed by integrating nutrigenomic data together with clinical parameters and microbiota profiles, taking into account the individual lactose tolerance threshold and needs in terms of specific nutrients intake. This customized approach could help LI patients to improve their quality of life, overcoming depression or anxiety, often resulting from the individual perception of this condition as different from a normal state.

Stroke is a global leading cause of death and disability. Knowledge of related guidelines is crucial for Emergency Department (ED) staff, influencing early diagnosis and timely treatment. We investigated Greek-Cypriot ED healthcare professionals' (nurses and physicians) knowledge in recognizing and managing stroke. A descriptive cross-sectional study spanned November 2019 to April 2020, encompassing four private and seven public EDs in the Republic of Cyprus. The data were collected through a self-reported questionnaire developed by the research team, consisting of 37 questions. Eight questions focused on sociodemographic and employment characteristics, 28 assessed knowledge in stroke recognition and management (each item was equally weighted without deliberate prioritization), and one question addressed self-assessment of knowledge in stroke care. 255 nurses [Response Rate (RR): 74.1%] and 26 physicians (RR: 47.3%) completed the questionnaire. The average correct response rate was 12.9 out of 28 statements (SD: 4.2), with nurses and physicians scoring 12.6 (SD: 4.1) and 15.7 (SD: 4), respectively. Work experience significantly influenced stroke knowledge, with all groups demonstrating superiority over those with less than one year of experience. Participants with previous training scored an average of 1.45 additional correct answers while educational attainment did not significantly influence stroke knowledge. Investigating stroke knowledge among Emergency Department nurses and physicians in the Republic of Cyprus revealed significant deficits. The study stresses targeted interventions, including, education, yearly examinations, workshops with hands-on training, and repeated training, to address these gaps and enhance the overall stroke care capabilities of the healthcare professionals.

Managing severe bleeding, particularly in soft tissues and visceral injuries, remains a significant challenge in trauma and surgical care. Traditional hemostatic methods often fall short in wet and dynamic environments. This study addresses the critical issue of severe bleeding in soft tissues, proposing an innovative solution using a Polyethylene Glycol (PEG)-based hydrogel combined with zinc oxide (ZnO). The developed hydrogel forms a dual-network structure through amide bonds and metal ion chelation, resulting in enhanced mechanical properties and adhesion strength. The hydrogel, exhibiting excellent biocompatibility, is designed to release zinc ions, promoting coagulation and accelerating hemostasis. Comprehensive characterization, including gelation time, rheological properties, microstructure analysis, and swelling behavior, demon-strates the superior performance of the PEG/ZnO hydrogel compared to traditional PEG hydro-gels. Mechanical tests confirm increased compression strength and adhesive properties, crucial for withstanding tissue dynamics. In vitro assessments reveal excellent biocompatibility and en-hanced procoagulant ability attributed to ZnO. Moreover, in vivo experiments using rat liver and tail bleeding models demonstrate the remarkable hemostatic performance of the PEG/ZnO hy-drogel, showcasing its potential for acute bleeding treatment in both visceral and peripheral sce-narios.

Information and telecommunications technology (ITT) have expanded into many aspects of modern life and have positively affected human life even in the most remote areas of developing countries. The rapid growth in ITT has led to an improvement in the capacity of computers but simultaneously to a decrease in the product’s lifetime as a result of which increasingly large quantities of e-waste are generated annually. It contains hazardous components that if it is not properly managed, can have adverse environmental and health effects. The management of e-waste poses significant challenges in developing countries. Due to the lack of adequate infrastructure, e-waste is burned or dumped in open areas. Informal and inefficient recycling practices are generally employed which further exacerbate pollution and health risks. So, the implementation of e-waste management, adequate recycling, and waste disposal facilities have become crucial concerns. This article reviews the concept of e-waste generation, challenges, disposal, and its impact on human health & environment in detail.

The prevalent use of synthetic chemical rodenticides (both 1st or 2nd generation anticoagulants and acute rodenticides) is the primary method for managing rodents in sub-Saharan Africa. However, this practice poses substantial health and environmental risks and often fails to yield significant, sustainable reductions in rodent pest populations. In this paper, the second one of a two-part series, we advocate for a more responsible and sustainable approach to rodent management in urban and agricultural settings in sub-Saharan Africa. We propose a shift towards environmentally friendly rodent management strategies, specifically emphasizing the adoption of Ecologically-Based Rodent Management (EBRM) as a viable alternative to synthetic chemical rodenticides. EBRM relies on a comprehensive understanding of pest rodent biology, ecology, and behavior, along with the implementation of a range of community-based interventions. These actions are designed to ensure the consistent reduction of rodent pest populations to economically and hygienically acceptable levels. By embracing EBRM, we not only anticipate a reduction in the social impacts of pest rodents in a cost-effective manner but also a significant decrease in the risks posed by rodents and synthetic chemical rodenticides to human health and the environment. This paradigm shift towards EBRM promises a more sustainable and responsible approach to rodent management in sub-Saharan Africa.

This paper constitutes a comprehensive literature review within the field of cultural tourism, with a particular focus on the concept of the cultural route as a tourist-cultural product. Within this framework, the paper offers an overview of contemporary technological challenges, concerns, and limitations. It thoroughly explores cutting-edge technologies pertaining to the promotion of cultural heritage, both in general and in the specific context of realizing the concept of the cultural route, a tourist-cultural service enriched by the utilization of new media. Additionally, it extensively references the latest techniques and models for enhancing the user experience of digital cultural tourism products. Moreover, the paper showcases existing digital platforms and tools that encapsulate and emphasize the notion of cultural tourism. It assesses the respective methodologies, technologies, and techniques employed in each case, accompanied by illustrative instances of their applications.

The rapid adoption of hydrogen as an eco-friendly energy source has necessitated the development of intelligent power management systems capable of efficiently utilizing hydrogen resources. However, guaranteeing the security and integrity of hydrogen-related data has become a significant challenge. This paper proposes a pioneering approach to ensure secure hydrogen data analysis through the integration of blockchain technology, enhancing trust, transparency, and privacy in handling hydrogen-related information. By combining blockchain with intelligent power management systems, the efficient utilization of hydrogen resources becomes feasible. The utilization of smart contracts and distributed ledger technology facilitates secure data analysis, real-time monitoring, prediction, and optimization of hydrogen-based power systems. The effectiveness and performance of the proposed approach are demonstrated through comprehensive case studies and simulations. Notably, our prediction models, including ABiLSTM, ALSTM, and ARNN, consistently delivered high accuracy with MAE values of approximately 0.154, 0.151, and 0.151, respectively, enhancing the security and efficiency of hydrogen consumption forecasts. The blockchain-based solution offers enhanced security, integrity, and privacy for hydrogen data analysis, thus contributing to the advancement of clean and sustainable energy systems. Additionally, the research identifies existing challenges and outlines potential future directions for further enhancing the proposed system. This study adds to the growing body of research on blockchain applications in the energy sector, with a specific focus on secure hydrogen data analysis and intelligent power management systems.

The escalating environmental challenges that stem from urban residential waste in densely populated areas have become increasingly prominent in recent times. As a result, the waste management sector has experienced significant growth nationwide. However, due to the predominantly manual nature of these processes, their effectiveness falls short of meeting the current demand. Addressing these issues requires process enhancement. In this context, Industry 4.0, particularly the concept of Digital Twins, emerges as a potential avenue for refining processes. To tackle both current and future industry challenges, it is imperative to create a comprehensive methodology capable of generating effective solutions within the waste management sector. This paper provides an explanation of digital twins, outlines the methodological framework comprising an architectural structure and layered model, and details a series of sequential methodical stages for implementing digital twins based on the specific scope determined by the end-user. A noteworthy aspect is the transformative potential of digital twins in enhancing efficiency and precision within waste management practices. By providing a virtual real-time representation of the waste management system, digital twins empower simulations and experimentation to fine-tune processes. Furthermore, they facilitate informed decision-making by offering a detailed visualization of the complete system, simplifying the identification of challenges and opportunities for improvement. that this article derives from the presentation titled "Digital Twin application methodology for the improvement of production and service systems. Application to waste management processes" at the "Sustainable Smart Cities and Territories International Conference" held in the city of Manizales, Colombia, from 21st to 23rd June 2023.

Puberty identifies the transition from childhood to adulthood. It normally lasts from 3 to 5 years and begins from 9 years in males and 8 years in females, although with differences related to familiarity and geographical origin. Precocious puberty is the onset of signs of pubertal development before age 8 in girls and before age 9 in boys, it has an incidence of 1/5000–1/10.000 with an F:M ratio ranging from 3:1 to 20:1. Based on the mechanism that triggers puberty, precocious puberty can be classified as central, also known as gonadotropin-dependent precocious puberty or true precocious puberty, and peripheral, also known as gonadotropin-independent precocious puberty or precocious pseudopuberty. Thus, the main aim of this narrative report is to describe the standard clinical management and therapy of precocious puberty according to the experience and expertise of pediatricians and pediatric endocrinologists at Policlinico Umberto I, Sapienza University of Rome, Italy. In the suspicion of early sexual maturation, it is important to collect information regarding the age of onset, the speed of maturation of secondary sexual characteristics, exposure to exogenous sex steroids and the presence of neurological symptoms. The objective examination, in addition to the evaluation of secondary sexual characteristics, must also include the evaluation of auxological parameters. Initial laboratory investigations should include serum gonadotropin levels (LH and FSH) and serum levels of the sex steroids. Brain MRI should be performed as indicated by the 2009 Consensus Statement in all boys regardless of chronological age and in all girls with onset of pubertal signs before 6 years of age. The gold standard in the treatment of central precocious puberty is represented by GnRH analogs, whereas as far as peripheral forms are concerned, the triggering cause must be identified and treated. At the moment there are no reliable data establishing the criteria for discontinuation of GnRH analogs therapy. However, numerous pieces of evidence suggest that the therapy should be suspended at the physiological age at which puberty occurs.