Men of African ancestry suffer disproportionately from prostate cancer (PCa) than other racial groups in South Africa. Equally concerning is that black South African men generally present later with higher stage and grade of the disease than their non-black counterparts. Despite this, South African black men continue to have little uptake in PCa screening behaviors. The objective of the study was to explore knowledge and beliefs of PCa among black South African survivors. A sample of 20 prostate cancer survivors, with ages ranging from 67 to 85 years (meanage = 76yrs; SD = 5.3) were selected through purposive sampling and requested to participate in the study. Data were collected through in-depth, semi-structured individual interviews, and analysed using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA). The findings demonstrated that black South African men had poor knowledge of PCa and that this may create an unfortunate system that preclude this population group from taking part in life-saving PCa screening services. The results highlight a need to elevate knowledge and awareness of PCa among black South African men and ultimately enhance screening practices.

Green spaces localized in cities create favourable environmental conditions for Ixodes ricinus, the most widespread and important vector of tick-borne pathogens in Central Europe. In this study, we described the prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi s.l. and Babesia species found in mono- and double infections among I. ricinus ticks occurring in urban areas of the city of Poznań, west-central Poland. Two tick groups were examined: (i) a group of 1,029 host-seeking ticks (460 nymphs, 289 females, and 280 males and (ii) a group of 1,268 engorged female ticks removed from 1,115 tick-infested animals, dogs and cats. The overall prevalence of B. burgdorferi s.l. found in host-seeking ticks was almost two-fold higher in comparison to ticks derived from pets (8.7 vs. 4.7%, respectively, χ2 test, P = 0.001). Borrelia afzelii and B. garinii were the most prevalent species both in ticks from vegetation (3.7% and 3.7%, respectively) and from pets (3.7% and 0.6%, respectively). Babesia infections were slightly more common in feeding ticks compared to those from vegetation (6.0 vs. 4.7%, respectively), however, the difference was not significant. Three Babesia species including Ba. microti, Ba. venatorum and Ba. canis were identified. Babesia canis and Ba. microti were the most prevalent in host-seeking (2.6% and 1.4%, respectively) and feeding ticks (2.8% and 2.2%, respectively), whereas Ba. venatorum was the rarest piroplasm. All Ba microti obtained sequences (n=42) were identical to Ba. microti genotype "Jena/Germany" that is considered as pathogenic to humans. Furthermore, the sequences of Ba. venatorum (n=17) were identical with those isolated from patients in Italy, Austria and Poland. Altogether, out of 121 Babesia-positive ticks, 19.8% were simultaneously infected with B. burgdorferi s.l. spirochetes. We found similar prevalences of co-infections in host-seeking (1.1%) as well as in feeding ticks (1.0%). In the first group, Ba. canis prevailed in coinfections (73%), mostly with B. afzelii and B. garinii, in the second group, Babesia microti dominated with B. afzelii (92.7%). This is the first finding documenting the co-occurrence of both pathogens in ticks from companion animals. The detection of Ba. microti and Ba. venatorum sequences identical to strains pathogenic to humans as well as predominance of LB spirochetes, B. afzelii and B. garinii in I. ricinus from vegetation and animals indicates that there is a potential risk of acquiring human babesiosis and/or Lyme borreliosis in urban areas of the city of Poznań. Although, the overall risk of encountering a Ba. microti and B. burgdorferi s.l. co-infected tick was low (1.0%), the potential for more severe clinical symptoms and complications deserves notice. A relatively high infection rates of Ba. canis in dog-derived ticks (3.2%) and in host-seeking ticks (2.6%), suggests that I. ricinus could potentially be involved in the circulation of this piroplasm in areas, where the competent vector, Dermacentor reticulatus is absent or rare.

We describe the development and validation of a HPLC-MS/MS method to assess the pharmacokinetics and tumour distribution of ZST316, an arginine analogue with inhibitory activity towards dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolase 1 (DDAH1) and vasculogenic mimicry, and its active metabolite L-257 in a xenograft model of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC). The method proved to be reproducible, precise, and highly accurate for the measurement of both compounds in plasma and tumour tissue following acute and chronic (five days) intraperitoneal administration of ZST316 (30mg/Kg daily) in six-week-old SCID mice inoculated with MDA-MB-231 TNBC cells. ZST316 was detected in tumour tissue and plasma after 1 hour (6.47 and 9.01M, respectively) and 24 hours (0.13 and 0.16M, respectively) following acute administration, without accumulation during chronic treatment. Similarly, the metabolite L-257 was found in tumour tissue and plasma after 1 hour (15.06 and 8.72M, respectively) and 24 hours (0.17 and 0.17M, respectively) following acute administration of ZST316, without accumulation during chronic treatment. The half-live after acute and chronic treatment ranged between 4.4-7.1hrs (plasma) and 4.5-5.0hrs (tumour) for ZST316, and 4.2-5.3hrs (plasma) and 3.6-4.9hrs (tumour) for L-257. The results of our study demonstrate the a) capacity to accurately measure ZST316 and L-257 concentrations in plasma and tumour tissue in mice using the newly developed HPLC-MS/MS method, b) rapid conversion of ZST316 into L-257, c) good intra-tumour penetration of both compounds, and d) lack of accumulation of both ZST316 and L-257 in plasma and tumour tissue during chronic administration. The new HPLC-MS/MS method is useful to investigate the in vivo effects of ZST316 and L-257 on vasculogenic mimicry, tumour mass, and metastatic burden in xenograft models of TNBC.

The purpose of the study is to analyse and to identify specific structural characteristics of melanocytic nevi, to youth pacients. Using the optical microscope, could be possible a proper describtion related melanocytic nevi. In this study play a significant role, different factors, such as genetic, epigenetic, microbiomic and proteomic factors. Future directions refers to preventive and prophylactic methods. Disease diagnostic and management directions are also important key points.

Changing the symmetry of spin from SU(2) to the quaternion group, $Q_8$, has a number of ramifications. In this paper we first summarize the properties of Q-spin and then discuss some of those resulting changes. Many are counter to well-established ideas which change our view of the microscopic.

Artificial intelligence (AI) apps, such as ChatGPT, Gemini, and Siri, have taken society and higher education institutions by storm. Yet, there is a paucity of empirical studies recording and analysing university social sciences students’ attitudes toward AI. Hence, the present study draws upon a sample of 190 university students (82.45% female) from a Greek social sciences department to query what are the students’ attitudes toward AI in education and future employment and what factors correlated with these attitudes. Descriptive statistics revealed that students’ attitudes toward AI were mostly positive. A principal components analysis confirmed a three-component solution of attitudes toward AI, comprising cognitive, behavioural, and emotional dimensions. Comparative analysis of the three components indicated that the emotional dimension was the highest ranked, followed by the cognitive and behavioural dimensions. Pairwise correlation analyses revealed that the strongest correlate of cognitive, behavioural, and emotional components of attitudes toward AI was the future frequency of AI use, followed by general feelings of safety with technology. In conclusion, students display more emotional and cognitive favourable dispositions toward AI. The social background of the students and the prospective future use of AI play a key role in the formulation of attitudes toward AI. University educators need to provide more teaching and learning about AI to improve students’ attitudes toward AI and future AI use.

The use of Hyperspectral (HS) and LiDAR acquisitions has a great potential to enhance mapping and monitoring practices of endangered grasslands habitats, beyond conventional botanical field surveys. In this study we assess the potentiality of Recursive Feature Elimination (RFE) in combination with Random Forest (RF) classification in extracting the main HS and LiDAR features needed to map selected Natura 2000 grasslands along Polish lowland river valleys, in particular alluvial meadows 6440, lowland hay meadows 6510 and xeric and calcareous grasslands 6120. We developed an automated RFE-RF system capable to combine the potentials of both techniques and applied it to multiple acquisitions. Several LiDAR-based products and different Spectral Indexes (SI) were computed and used as input in the system, with the aim of shedding light on the best-to-use features. Results showed a remarkable increase in classification accuracy when LiDAR and SI products are added to the HS dataset, strengthening in particular the importance of employing LiDAR in combination with HS. Using only the 24 optimal features selection generalized over the three study areas, strongly linked to the highly heterogeneous characteristics of the habitats and landscapes investigated, it was possible to achieve rather high classification results (K around 0.7-0.77 and habitats F1 accuracy around 0.8-0.85), indicating that the selected Natura 2000 meadows and dry grasslands habitats can be automatically mapped by airborne HS and LiDAR data. Similar approaches might be considered for future monitoring activities in the context of habitats protection and conservation

Enzymatic degradation of organic pollutants is a new and promising remediation approach. Peroxidases are one of the most commonly used classes of enzymes to degrade organic pollutants. However, it is generally assumed that all peroxidases behave similarly and produce similar degradation products. In this study, we conducted detailed studies of the degradation of a model aromatic pollutant, Sulforhodamine B dye (SRB dye), using two peroxidases—soybean peroxidase (SBP) and chloroperoxidase (CPO). Our results show that these two related enzymes had different optimum conditions (pH, temperature, H₂O₂ concentration...etc.) for efficiently degrading SRB dye. High-performance liquid chromatography and LC-mass spectrometry analyses confirmed that both SBP and CPO transformed the SRB dye into low molecular weight intermediates. While most of the intermediates produced by the two enzymes were the same, the CPO treatment produced at least one different intermediate. Furthermore, toxicological evaluation using lettuce (Lactuca sativa) seeds demonstrated that the SBP-based treatment was able to eliminate the phytotoxicity of SRB dye, but the CPO-based treatment did not. Our results show, for the first time, that while both of these related enzymes can be used to efficiently degrade organic pollutants, they have different optimum reaction conditions and may not be equally efficient in detoxification of organic pollutants.

It is important to realize the transformation behavior of wüstite because it greatly affects the final structure of the oxide layer and the surface quality of the steel products. In the present study, the transformation behaviors of the wüstite layer are examined under nearly-oxygen-free conditions, to simulate the cooling processes after the hot rolled strip is coiled. As the single phase wüstite was prepared at 950˚C, the 460˚C transformed oxide layer was composed of a mixture of iron and magnetite formed through eutectoid reactions. For the 750˚C-fabricated wüstite, only magnetite was observed after transformation, without iron precipitates and residual wüstite. It is speculated that the unusual transformation behavior of the low-temperature-made wüstite results from the pseudo-structural intermediate phase transformation between wüstite and magnetite. This pseudo-structure is a pre-transformed wüstite and of various concentration of ferrous ion, which is determined by the fabrication conditions. During the hot strip mill process, the so-called wet scale, wüstite, is produced continuously from finish mill to laminar flow sections and ended at 570˚C. Consequently, the final eutectoid transformation below 570˚C is dominantly controlled by the surface temperature ranged from 750˚C to 950˚C for low carbon steel.

Over the past several years there has been much debate with regards to the prognostic and clinical significance of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) with lymph nodes metastasis. The PDAC gene-expression knowledge and the biologic alterations underlying the lymph node involvement convey a clinical implication in dealing with the theranostic window.To this end, we provide an original bioinformatic dissection of the gene-expression differences of PDAC according to the nodal involvement from a large public available dataset. Comprehensive transcriptomic analysis from 143 RNA-seq patient’s derived samples indicated that WNT increased activation and a peculiar immune-microenvironment identify subjects with nodal involvement.In frame of this thinking, we validated the WNT pathway role in increasing the likelihood of lymphatic dissemination in vitro. Moreover, we demonstrated for the first time in a PDAC model the potential therapeutic window that XAV-939, a specific WNT pathway inhibitor, has in re-educating a tumour permissive immune system. Finally, we outline the potential implication on bystander molecular drivers exerted by WNT molecular inhibition, providing a picture of the proteomic oncogenic landscape changes elicited by XAV-939 on PDAC cells and their clinical implication. Our findings hold the promise to identify novel immune-based therapeutic strategies targeting WNT to enhance PDAC cytotoxicity and restore anti-PDAC immunity in nodes-positive disease.

: This study explores the perceptions of Chinese learners in Spain regarding the use of social networks for informal Spanish language learning. The objective is to identify the challenges and benefits of using social networks to address the real needs of students in learning Spanish. A qualitative phenomenological approach was adopted, focusing on participants’ perceptions before and after using social networks. Eight Chinese students were selected for the study. The study was conducted in Valencia and Barcelona, Spain, from 1 September 2023 to 20 March 2024, and three commonly used social media networks were compared. The results indicate positive perceptions towards social media as a tool for learning Spanish, highlighting its usefulness in improving language skills and enhancing cultural awareness. Additionally, Xiaohongshu and Bilibili emerged as the most popular platforms for Spanish language learning among Chinese students. This study concludes that social media effectively meets the authentic needs of Chinese students learning Spanish in Spain, enhancing both language skills and cultural adaptation. This multifaceted approach reflects the complexity of learning Spanish in the digital age, combining personal passion, professional aspirations, and cultural adaptation needs.

Modernizing the retail sector is essential to societal progress toward creating a smart city. The retail sector is crucial to the development of a smart city because of its adaptability and capacity for innovation. However, due to their perishability, supermarkets throw away a lot of fruits and vegetables. This article discusses the design of a sub-optimal process for processing sorted fruits using a reverse logistics approach, demonstrating how productivity can be increased despite constraints on processing capacity. This paper presents the results of a case study conducted in a Qatari supermarket that offers a variety of regular fruit processing techniques. In order to maximize output and cut down on waste, this project aimed to develop a reverse logistics system for imperfect fruit.

(1) In an era where sustainable behavior is increasingly crucial, understanding the discrepancy between individuals' sustainability-oriented values and their actual behaviors, known as the inner-outer gap, is vital. This study explores the potential of the Tripartite Structure of Sustainability (TSS) framework to address this gap within the context of sustainable education. By reviewing literature from the databases APA, ERIC, and Web of Science, we systematically examined factors influencing sustainable actions. (2) Employing a qualitative content analysis approach, we analyzed 56 articles over a 15-year period, identifying 83 factors that either bridge or reinforce the inner-outer gap. These factors were categorized within the TSS framework, which segments sustainability-oriented actions into individual, social, and self-transcendent domains, alongside their activation points: stable, situational, or automated. (3) Our analysis revealed that self-focused factors often reinforce the gap, suggesting a hindrance to sustainable behavior. Conversely, self-transcendent factors consistently bridged the gap, promoting sustainability. Social factors showed variable impacts based on the ethical and sustainable context they were placed in, suggesting that the social environment's orientation significantly influences sustainable behavior. (4) The study concludes that the TSS framework offers a promising approach to advancing sustainability in education by facilitating a paradigm shift towards holistic and interconnected perspectives. This shift is critical for fostering sustainable behaviors, thereby contributing to the field of educational psychology and offering practical implications for educators aiming to nurture a sustainable future.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) often causes severe viral pneumonia, especially among older individuals and those with underlying health conditions. The C57BL/6 mouse is widely used to develop mouse models of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and immune disorders, conditions that are associated with increased risk of severe COVID-19. Although many studies using these mouse models have examined the pathogenicity of SARS-CoV-2, COVID-19 pathogenesis remains poorly understood. In vivo imaging analysis using two-photon excitation microscopy is useful for elucidating the pathology of COVID-19, providing pathological insights that are not available from conventional histological analysis. However, there is no reporter SARS-CoV-2 that demonstrates pathogenicity in C57BL/6 mice and emits sufficient light intensity for two-photon in vivo imaging. Here, we generated SARS-CoV-2 expressing the fluorescent protein Venus to facilitate in vivo pathological studies using C57BL/6 mouse models. We generated a mouse-adapted strain of SARS-CoV-2, by performing sequential lung-to-lung passages in BALB/c mice, followed by in C57BL/6 mice. We observed that the C57BL/6-adapted SARS-CoV-2 (named MASCV2-p25) replicated efficiently in the lungs of C57BL/6 mice, causing fatal pneumonia. Histopathologic analysis revealed severe inflammation and infiltration of immune cells in the lungs of MASCV2-p25-infected C57BL/6J mice, not unlike that observed in COVID-19 patients with severe pneumonia. Subsequently, we generated a mouse-adapted reporter SARS-CoV-2 (named MASCV-Venus-p9) by inserting the fluorescent gene Venus into MASCV2-p25, and sequential lung-to-lung passages in C57BL/6 mice. C57BL/6 mice infected with MASCV2-Venus-p9 exhibited severe pneumonia similar to that induced by MASCV2-p25. In addition, two-photon excitation microscopy of the lungs of the infected C57BL/6J mice showed that the infected cells emitted sufficient levels of fluorescence for easy observation. These findings suggest that MASCV2-Venus-p9 will be useful for two photon in vivo imaging studies of the pathogenesis of severe COVID-19 and for the development of therapeutic agents for severe pneumonia.

Many buildings built before the energy performance regulations are in a situation of thermal discomfort and energy inefficiency. The creation of intelligent environments advances towards new opportunities, based on real-time monitoring and on the development of sensors and technologies. Furthermore, the standards for building automation and electronic systems enable interoperability and interconnection between control devices and systems. The application of soft computing has significantly improved the energy efficiency, however, requires prior assessment to design the automation functions. Temperature, humidity, air quality, occupancy and energy consumption are the most common measured parameters, but the relationship with other operational variables such as occupancy or some building states remains as a research challenge. This article presents a methodology to develop the automatization of an existing large public building. The methodology consists of three stages: 1. Assessment and diagnosis to set appropriate actions using EN ISO 52120-1. 2. EN 50090 for open communication networks, and EN ISO 52120-1 to assign the technical building management. 3. System control deploying of low-cost and low-consumption input and output devices. It has been proved that it is possible to effectively automate an obsolete building with a low cost, open source system that can be easily applied in other buildings.

A claim management office (CMO) is a new intra-organisation fit based on an organisational project management (OPM) approach and deals specifically with improving claim performance. However, CMO is either misunderstood or often overlooked in construction companies, mainly due to ignorance of the OPM context but further exacerbated by a lack of real case study research on how to adopt CMO in these organisations. This study addresses this prevailing knowledge gap by investigating the nature of the construction industry from the CMO viewpoint and developing an extensive framework through which to improve organisational claims performance. Organisational ambidexterity theory integrated with X-inefficiency theory is adopted for claims performance outcomes, due to organisation intra-firm irrational decisions when managing such claims. Data was obtained and analysed from a international large construction company (which used CMOs) and its internal focus group discussion (as a multi-method approach). The reference framework provides new perspectives on how construction-related companies can adopt a CMO structure, which enables them to improve claims performance by planning in three interrelated activities viz. function-, process- and performance-based-. Furthermore, findings contribute to researchers and practitioners by providing a true understanding of the CMO-related mechanism and plausible roadmap for future work.

Landslide risk mitigation is limited by data scarcity. This could be improved using continuous landslide detection systems. In order to investigate which image types and machine learning (ML) models are most useful for landslide detection in a Norwegian setting, we compared the performance of five different ML models, for the Jølster case study (30-July-2019), in Western Norway. These included three globally pre-trained models; i) the Continuous Change Detection and Classification (CCDC) algorithm, ii) a combined k-means clustering and Random Forest classification model, and iii) a convolutional neural network (CNN), and two locally-trained models, including; iv) Classification and Regression Trees and v) a U-net CNN model. Images used included Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, digital elevation model (DEM) and slope. The globally-trained models performed poorly in shadowed areas, and were all outperformed by the locally-trained models. A maximum Matthew’s correlation coefficient (MCC) score of 89% was achieved with model v, using combined Sentinel-1 and -2 images as input. This is one of the first attempts to apply deep-learning to detect landslides with both Sentinel-1 and -2 images. Using Sentinel-1 images only, the locally-trained deep-learning model significantly outperformed the conventional ML model. These findings contribute towards developing a national continuous monitoring system for landslides.

The management of urban water has evolved from single-function systems to more sustainable designs promoting society and nature as inputs to engineer novel infrastructure. In transdisciplinary research, co-design refers to a design thinking strategy in which people jointly frame a problem-solution. This article presents a conceptual framework to assess a case study focusing on the process of co-design and implementation of green infrastructure as a prototype for stormwater management. The evaluation is carried out from a self-reflective post-implementation perspective. Research activities are translated into the framework to evaluate conditions shaping the trajectory of the prototype. As a result, key aspects driving the research regarding levels of stakeholder participation and dimensions of power are identified. Planning resilient co-design strategies to retrofit urban spaces is necessary to avoid unintended consequences, especially at the initial experimental stages. This study aims to contribute to the continuous improvement of pilot strategies in urban spaces by providing a framework for a structured evaluation of research experiences.

A Twi-English parallel corpus is certainly an important resource for Machine Translation of Twi (ISO 639-3), a Low-Resource African Language (LRAL) which is mainly spoken in Ghana and Ivory Coast. Currently large-scale multi-domain Twi-English parallel corpus is still unavailable partly due to the difficulties and the arduous efforts required in its design. In this paper, we present TWIENG: a large-scale multi-domain Twi-English parallel corpus. We crawled the sentences from the web using web crawlers, translated, aligned, tokenized and compiled to create the corpus. We crawled English sentences from Ghanaian indigenous electronic news portals, Ghanaian Parliamentary Hansards, Twi Bible and crowdsourcing via google forms. The sentences were translated by professional translators and linguists, they were then aligned, tokenized and compiled. The corpus was curated using the sketch engine, a corpus manager and analysis software developed by Lexical Computing Limited. The corpus was manually evaluated by Twi professional linguists. The Corpus has 5,419 parallel sentences.

Recent times have witnessed an increasing number of countries and private firms pledging carbon neutrality by mid-century. Whilst representing a significant improvement in intentions to tackle climate change, such pledges lack substance and structure. For instance, individual pledges lack coordination and aggregation among peers, while strategies and measures to achieve ambitious targets are largely absent. Moreover, current disagreements obstructing progress in international climate change negotiations further undermine the reliability of carbon neutrality objectives. Effective international policies are needed to foster aggregate mitigation ambitions and the creation of adequate supporting mechanisms. This theoretical paper describes a governance innovation aimed at overcoming such shortfalls and disagreements through a unifying yet customizable pathway towards carbon neutrality. It does so by first outlining a political governance framework based on a climate club interpretation of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement. Secondly, it proposes carbon emission mitigation effort sharing on a per capita basis to ensure efficiency, equity and political feasibility. Thirdly, this paper describes how the supply of certified mitigations of carbon emissions required to satisfy effort sharing-based demand can be assetized as carbon credits by operationalizing Article 6 as a joint certification mechanism. The resulting governance architecture for managing demand and supply of mitigations shifts efforts to tackle climate change from a ‘problem-driven’ cost approach to ‘opportunity-driven’ value creation pathways towards carbon neutrality.

Abstract: This study aims to set up a system to evaluate nursing competencies in disaster preparedness for undergraduates and influencing factors in China. The evaluation system was established by using the modified Delphi. There were 3 phases in this study: 1) an environmental scan; 2) setting framework; 3) adjusting indicators based on the modified Delphi. The questionnaire for these undergraduates lied in their basic information and assessment of nursing competencies in disaster preparedness. Based on the survey, the average score of nursing competencies in disaster preparedness for undergraduate nursing students surveyed was 3.10 (out of 5). In addition, gender, grade, inhabitation, and disaster drills of the students were four factors affecting nursing competencies of undergraduates. This study indicates that the present nursing competencies in disaster preparedness for undergraduates are weak, and it is essential to strengthen nursing education in disaster preparedness for undergraduates.

A low calcium intake is associated with an increased fracture risk. We assessed the dietary calcium intake in a cohort of Italian individuals evaluated for low bone mineral density (BMD). A 7-day food-frequency questionnaire was administered to 1793 individuals consecutively referred at a Centre of the Italian Society for Osteoporosis, Mineral Metabolism and Skeletal Diseases for low BMD. In 30.3% (544/1793) and 20.9% (374/1793) of subjects the calcium intake was inadequate ( <700 mg/day) and adequate (>1200 mg/day), respectively. Patients with calcium intake <700 mg/day showed a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus, idiopathic hypercalciuria and food allergy/intolerance (8.1%, 5.1%, 7.2%, respectively) than patients with calcium intake >700 mg/day (5.3%, 3.0%, 4.1%, respectively, p<0.04 for all comparisons), also after adjusting for age, gender and BMI. In 30.3% of fractured subjects the calcium intake was <700 mg/day. In Italy, a low calcium intake is highly prevalent in individuals at risk for low BMD. Importantly, an inadequate calcium intake is highly prevalent even in patients with history of fragility fractures. Only about a fifth of patients at risk for low BMD reported an adequate calcium intake

Abundant of preparatory works have recognized that fluorescent sensors based on 8-aminoquinoline are popular tools to detect Zn2+ ions in environmental and biological applications. Along with these studies, researchers started to introduce a variety of carboxamido group into an 8-aminoquinoline molecule in forming 8-amidoquinoline derivatives. Therefore, this systematic review aims to introduce a general overview of the fluorophore 8-aminoquinoline as Zn2+ receptors and to provide comparisons of collected studies that related to 8-amidoquinoline derivatives as fluorophore probe of the sensor. According to PRISMA systematic searches strategy, 13 articles were analyzed for trends, research designs, results and discussion, subject samples, and remarks or conclusions. We found cross-sectional studies with four aspects in zinc sensing that have been targeted; binding studies via titration, detection's limit, interferences studies, and validation of the study. Hence, this paper also included assessments of those criteria and the trends of development of 8-amidoquinoline derivatives based-zinc fluorescent chemosensor. It also showed that most of the researches conducted in China. In conclusion, this study identified various research designs of fluorescent chemosensors based on 8-amidoquinoline prolong with the effectiveness and potential as a recognition probe to assist the detection of zinc. Hence, elucidation of those derivatives essential to be explored because more studies are needed to improve the sensing criteria of the zinc sensor

Hepatic encephalopathy is a complex life-threatening neuropsychiatric syndrome, which can be associated with acute inflammation. It can be found in cases of acute liver failure caused by a viral infection. Reports of patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 have described hepatic encephalopathy. Therapy with immunomodulators can be an effective choice for this clinical condition. CIGB-258 is an immunomodulatory peptide with anti-inflammatory properties derived from cellular stress protein 60 (HSP60). We report a case of a 55-years-old woman diagnosed with COVID-19 and hepatic encephalopathy characterized by episodes of anxiety, delirium, confusion and seizure, according to her clinical history, laboratory and radiological data. Levels of aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase , plasma ammonia and alkaline phosphatase were increased and inflammatory biomarkers such as interleukin 6 and 10 were over the normal range. The patient received an intravenous administration of 1 mg of CIGB-258, every 12 hours during four days, followed by 1 mg daily for another three days without adverse reactions. Neurological symptoms disappeared completely at by the fourth days after starting therapy, and inflammatory biomarkers noticeably decreased, but not all of them reach the normal values. This case highlights the outcomes of a severe COVID-19 patient with hepatic encephalopathy, treated with CIGB-258. The patient recovered successfully and the liver enzymes, plasma ammonia and biomarkers associated with hyperinflammation were reduced. These results support clinical investigations of CIGB-258 as a therapeutic agent in COVID-19.TRIAL REGISTRATION: RPCEC00000313

This research paper presents a new application of electroactive polyimide doped with gold nanoparticles (PI/AuNPs) as a chemiresistor sensor for detecting hydrogen sulfide gas. The synthesis of PI/AuNPs was done in a simple 3-step process of polymerization using the as prepared amine-capped aniline trimer (ACAT), followed by imidization, and doping. Spectral analyses via FTIR, LC-MS and ¹H-NMR confirmed the formation of amine-capped aniline trimer with a MW of 288 g mol^-1. Comparison of ACAT, BSAA, and PI FTIR spectra showed successful polymerization of the last, while XRD validated the incorporation of metal nanoparticles onto the polymer matrix showing characteristic diffraction peaks corresponding to gold. Furthermore, TEM, and FE-SEM revealed the presence of well-dispersed Au nanoparticles with an average diameter of about 60nm. The electroactive PI/AuNPs-based sensor showed a sensitivity of 0.29% ppm^-1 H₂S at a linear concentration range of 50 to 300 ppm H₂S (r = 0.9777). The theoretical limit of detection was found at 0.142 ppm or 142 ppb H₂S gas. The sensor provided a stable response reading at an average response time of 43±5 seconds, which was easily recovered after an average time of 99±5 seconds. The sensor response was highly repeatable and reversible with RSD values of 8.88%, and 8.60%, respectively. Compared with the performance of the conventional conducting polyaniline also doped with gold nanoparticles (PANI/AuNPs), the fabricated electroactive PI/AuNPs exhibited improved sensing performance making it a potential candidate in monitoring H₂S in the environment and for work-related safety.

The growth of demand for metallic minerals has faced with the need for new techniques and improving technologies for all mine life cycle operations. Nowadays, the exploitation of old tailings and mine wastes facilities could represent a solution to this demand, with economic and environmental advantages. W-Sn Panasqueira Mine has been operating for more than 100 years. Its first processing plant “Rio” was located near Zêrere river being the mineral processing residues deposited on the top hillside on the margin of this river in Cabeço do Pião tailings dam. The lack of maintenance and monitoring of this enormous structure in the last twenty years represents high risks to the environment and population of the surrounding region. The re-mining of the tailings by hydrometallurgical methods was considered, in order to satisfy these two enounced conditions - metals demand and environmental risk, aiming for the sale of the metal to pay the environmental intervention. Field samples campaign allowed collecting data and results from laboratory tests driving to use regression optimization. The re-mining solution was studied, taking into account the technical, economic, social, and environmental aspects.

The power of movement in plants” by Charles Darwin details many examples of oscillatory growth exemplified more recently at the single cell level by pollen tube tip oscillations and associated ion fluxes, particularly Ca²⁺and H⁺. That implies an underlying growth oscillator based on the recent discovery that classical AGPs bind Ca²⁺ at the cell surface. The juxtaposition of AGPs with three other components embedded in the plasma membrane is evidence of a Ca²⁺ cycle that generates cytosolic Ca²⁺. It involves Ca²⁺ channels, auxin efflux “PIN” proteins and an auxin-activated proton pump that dissociates AGP-Ca²⁺ on demand. While the apparent simplicity of this system satisfies Occam’s Razor its hypothetical role as a global growth oscillator demands rigorous experimental appraisal. The wide ramifications extend from pollen tubes to stomatal guard cells. Stomata act as crucial components of a water hypercycle that contributes to homeostasis of a warming planet by regulating evaporative cooling, reflective cloud cover generated by vast forests and the high albedo of snow-capped mountains including polar ice-caps . The Gaia hypothesis of James Lovelock and Lynn Margulis is a brilliant metaphor.

It is a significant task to assess the safety of the aging offshore jacket platform in order to extend the service life. This paper analyzes the multiple risk factors of an aging jacket platform in Bohai Bay, China and builds the safety evaluation index system, which includes three levels, namely, the target layer, the first-grade indicators layer and the second-grade indicators layer. The target layer consists of three first-grade indicators: ocean environments, structure status, and human and organizational factors. Each first-grade indicator is divided into three second-grade indicators. The weight of each indicator is calculated by analytic hierarchy process to weaken subjective effect. Grey clustering method is applied to estimate the failure risk of the platform in Bohai Bay qualitatively and quantitatively. The assessment standard is divided into five grades and the whitening function of each grey cluster is determined by the assessment scheme. The grey evaluation weight vector of each second-grade indicator is calculated by the table dispatching method. Through layer by layer calculation, the grey assessment value of the target layer is finally estimated by making the grey assessment weight vector single-value and the grey grade is determined according to the maximum principle. The evaluation results show quantitatively that the failure risk grade of the jacket platform in Bohai Bay is medium and the safety assessment method is reasonable and feasible.

Older adults in low-and middle-income countries experience a disproportionate burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Unintentional injuries are among the major NCDs, and falls are the second leading cause of these injuries and deaths worldwide, including in Thailand. We aimed to culturally adapt the CDC’s Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths, and Injuries (STEADI) for Thai older adults and explore the feasibility, appropriateness, and acceptability of using STEADI in primary care via trained community health workers (CHWs) and care managers (CMs). STEADI takes a coordinated care approach that consists of three steps: screening, assessing, and intervening. In Step a, CHWs screened fall risk in 20 community-dwelling older adults using three key questions and found that all of them had fall risk, then CHWs screened with a Stay Independent questionnaire (range 0-14) and found that 100% have high fall risk (total scores 9.7± 2.4). In Step b, CMs assessed balance, vision, footwear, postural hypotension, medications, and CHWs assessed home hazards. They found that 50% had poor balance, 70% took 4+ medications,75% fell on the walkway, and 70% had no bathroom modifications. In Step c, individual participants received fall prevention interventions to mitigate their specific fall risk factors. CHWs and CMs indicated high acceptability (19.20±.1.31 of 20 total), appropriateness (18.80± 1.79 of 20 total), and feasibility (18.60±1.67 of 20 total) of the Thai-STEADI intervention. Our study showed that the community-based multifactorial Thai-STEADI delivered by CHWs and CMs is feasible and acceptable to prevent falls in older adults with limited access to health care.

In this study, carbon-quantum-dot (CQD)-decorated TiO2 was prepared using an ultrasonic doping method and applied in the photocatalytic degradation of naphthalene under sunlight irradiation. The CQDs were synthesized from a typical macroalgae via diluted sulfuric acid pretreatment and hydrothermal synthesis using an optimal design, i.e., 3 wt% and 200 oC, respectively. The CQD/TiO2 composite remarkably enhanced the photocatalytic activity. The degradation of naphthalene under a visible light environment indicated that there is a synergistic mechanism between CQDs and TiO2, in which the generation of reactive oxygen species is significantly triggered; in addition, the N that originated from the macroalgae accelerated the photocatalytic efficiency. Kinetic analysis showed that the photo-catalytic behavior of the CQD/TiO2 composite followed a pseudo-first-order equation. Consequently, our combined experimental approach not only provides a facile pretreatment process for bio-CQDs synthesis, but also delivers a suitable TiO2 photocatalyst for up-conversion, along with critical insights into the development of harmful macroalgae resources.

: Optical coherence tomography is a non-invasive imaging technique that provides three-dimensional visualization of subsurface tissue structures. OCT has been proposed and explored in literature as a tool to assess oral cancer status, select biopsy sites, or identify surgical margins. Our endoscopic OCT device can generate widefield (centimeters long) imaging of lesions at any location in the oral cavity – but it is challenging for raters to quantitatively assess and score large volumes of data. Leveraging a previously developed epithelial segmentation network, this work develops quantifiable biomarkers that provide direct measurements of tissue properties in three-dimensions. We hypothesize that features related to morphology, tissue attenuation, and contrast between tissue layers will be able to provide a quantitative assessment of disease status (dysplasia through carcinoma). This work retrospectively assesses seven biomarkers on a lesion-contralateral matched OCT dataset of lateral and ventral tongue (40 patients, 70 sites). Epithelial depth and loss of epithelial-stromal boundary visualization provide the strongest discrimination between disease states. The stroma optical attenuation coefficient provides distinction of benign lesions from dysplasia and carcinoma. The stratification biomarkers visualize subsurface changes which provides potential for future utility in biopsy site selection or treatment margin delineation.

Background: Shorter leukocyte telomere length (LTL) is observed in multiple age-related diseases, which are also associated with vitamin D deficiency (i.e., osteosarcopenia, neurocognitive disorders, cancer, osteoarthritis, etc.), which suggests a close association. In this study, we examined the relationship between vitamin D levels and LTL in older participants of the UK Biobank. Methods: Data were collected from the UK Biobank. Participants aged 60 and older (n=148,321) were included. Baseline LTL was measured using a multiplex qPCR technique and expressed as the ratio of the telomere amplification product (T) to that of a single-copy gene (S) (T/S ratio). Se-rum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25OHD) was stratified by z score and linked to LTL in a linear regression model adjusting for covariates. Results: Compared to the medium level, a low (in the range of 16.6 nmol/L, 29.7 nmol/L) or extremely low (≤ 16.6 nmol/L) level of serum 25OHD was associated with shorter LTL: 0.018 SD (standardized β= -0.018, 95% CI -0.033 to -0.003, P=0.022) and 0.048 SD (standardized β= -0.048, 95% CI -0.083 to -0.014, P=0.006), respectively. Additionally, the high serum 25OHD groups (> 95.9 nmol/L) had 0.038 SD (standardized β= -0.038, 95% CI -0.072 to -0.004, P=0.030) shorter mean LTL than the group with medium 25OHD levels. The associations above were adjusted for multiple variables. Conclusion: In this population-based study, we identified an inverted U-shape relationship between LTL and vitamin D status. Whether high or low vitamin D-associated shorter LTL is mechanistically related to age-related conditions remains to be elucidated.

Photosynthesis is a pivotal process that determines the synthesis of carbohydrates required for sustaining growth under normal or stress situation. Stress exposure reduces the photosynthetic potential owing to the excess synthesis of reactive oxygen species that disturb the proper functioning of photosynthetic apparatus. This decreased photosynthesis is associated with disturbances in carbohydrate metabolism resulting in reduced growth under stress. We evaluated the importance of melatonin in reducing heat stress-induced severity in wheat plants (Triticum aestivum L.). The plants were subjected to 25 ˚C (optimum temperature) or 40 ˚C (heat stress) for 15 days at 6 hours time duration and then developed the plants for 30 days. Heat stress led to oxidative stress with increased production of TBARS and H2O2 content and reduced accrual of total soluble sugars, starch and carbohydrate metabolism enzymes which are reflected in reduced photosynthesis. Application of melatonin not only reduced oxidative stress through lowering TBARS and H2O2 content, through augmenting the activity of antioxidative enzymes but also increased the photosynthesis in plant and carbohydrate metabolism that is needed to provide energy and carbon skeleton to the developing plant under stress. However, the increase in these parameters with melatonin was mediated via hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as the inhibition of H2S by hypotaurine (HT; H2S inhibitor) reversed the ameliorative effect of melatonin. This suggests a crosstalk of melatonin and H2S in protecting heat stress-induced photosynthetic inhibition via regulation of carbohydrate metabolism.

We discuss the electrodeposition of two-dimensional (2D) Pt-nanostructures on HOPG achieved under constant applied potential versus a Pt counter electrode (Eappl = ca. - 2.2 V vs RHE). The deposition conditions are discussed in terms of the electrochemical behavior of the electrodeposition precursor (H2PtCl6). We performed cyclic voltammetry (CV) of the electrochemical Pt deposit on HOPG and on Pt substrates to study the relevant phenomena that affect the morphology of Pt deposition. Under conditions where the Pt deposition occurs and H2 evolution is occurring at the diffusion-limited rate (- 0.3 V vs RHE), Pt forms larger structures on the surface of HOPG, and the electrodeposition of Pt is not limited by diffusion. This indicates the need for large overpotentials to direct the 2D growth of Pt. Investigation of the possible effect of Cl- showed that Cl- deposits on the surface of Pt at low overpotentials, but strips from the surface at potentials more positive than the electrodeposition potential. The CV of Pt on HOPG is a strong function of the nature of the surface. We propose that during immersion of HOPG in the electrodeposition solution (3 mM H2PtCl6, 0.5 M NaCl, pH 2.3) Pt islands are formed spontaneously, and these islands drive the growth of the 2D nanostructures.

Momordica charantia is a plant of the Cucurbitaceae family which is known as bitter gourd and grows widely in tropical and subtropical regions of the world. The various properties of bitter gourd are closely related to the substances or compounds they contain. Bitter gourd contains many secondary metabolites including alkaloids, terpenoids, steroids and flavonoids. These chemical compounds are spread in several parts of the plant such as roots, stems, leaves, and fruit. Apart from containing several organic compounds, bitter melon also contains the phytohormone gibberellin which is quite potential and useful as a biostimulant. The aim of the research was to isolate, purify, and determine the content of gibberellin (GA-3) contained in bitter gourd (M. charantia), and to determine its effect on the vegetative and generative growth of soybean plants, as well as the effect of GA-3 application on the nutritional content of soybean seeds. resulting from. Apart from that, it was also observed the effect of GA-3 application on the chlorophyll content of soybean plants, as well as the activity of the alpha-amylase enzyme in treated soybean seeds. The process of isolation and purification of GA-3 was carried out by thin layer chromatography and adsorption column chromatography on Silica Gel G-60. Characterization of GA-3 was carried out by Reversed-Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (RP-HPLC), Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR), and Mass Spectroscopy (MS). RP-HPLC and FTIR results from gibberellin GA-3 isolates showed retention times and wave numbers that were relatively the same as GA-3 standards. From the results of the study it was found that the content of the gibberellin GA-3 hormone in bitter gourd was 4.12 mg/g dry weight. The GA-3 isolate had a significant effect on the growth of soybean plants in both the vegetative and generative phases for each parameter observed compared to the control and 1% NPK fertilizer. The protein content in soybean seeds was 38.17%. The chlorophyll content at the end of the vegetative and generative phases were 33.34 and 11.5 CCI, respectively. The addition of GA-3 isolate increased the activity of the α-amylase enzyme in soybean seeds compared to the control with an average of 271.65 U/mL.

The study focused on the technical and scale efficiency of smallholder pineapple farmers in the Central Region of Ghana. The input-oriented Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) was used to estimate technical, pure and scale efficiencies of the smallholder pineapple farmers, of which a random sampling procedure was used to select 320 respondents. The study revealed that the farmers were technically inefficient with mean technical efficiency under Constant Returns to Scale (CRS), pure efficiency under Variable Returns to Scale (VRS) and the Scale Efficiency levels of 0.505, 0.641 and 0.772, respectively, due to farmers’ inability to exploit fully the available technology while experiencing evident post-harvest losses resulting from low adoption of post-harvest technologies. Such findings are meaningful and could help the farming communities and relevant policymakers to understand the issues in farming production and hence undertake necessary actions to potentially improve farmers’ technical and scale efficiencies in the study area.

The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel transfer learning regularization method based on knowledge distillation. Recently, transfer learning methods have been used in various fields. However, the problems such as knowledge loss still occur during the process of transfer learning to a new target dataset. To solve these problems, there are various regularization methods based on knowledge distillation techniques. In this paper, we propose a transfer learning regularization method based on feature map alignment used in the field of knowledge distillation. The proposed method is composed of two attention based submodules: self-pixel attention (SPA) and global channel attention (GCA). The self-pixel attention submodule utilizes both the feature maps of the source and target models, so that it provides an opportunity to jointly consider the features of the target and the knowledge of the source. The global channel attention submodule determines the importance of channels through all layers, unlike the existing methods that calculate these only within a single layer. Accordingly, transfer learning regularization is performed by considering both the internal of each single layer and the depth of the entire layer. Consequently, the proposed method using both of these submodules showed overall improved classification accuracy than the existing methods in classification experiments on commonly used dataset.

Competition between cotton, winter, and summer crops is the greatest obstacle for plant breeders in Egypt. Breeders are thus seeking early maturing, high-yielding cultivars that are suited for planting following winter crops. This study was conducted during the 2016 and 2018 growing seasons at the Sakha agriculture research station, Egypt's agricultural research facility. This research used breeding material from the F2, F3, and F4 generations that resulted from crossing Giza 94 and Uzbekistan. During the 2016 growing season, the F2 population was cultivated, and the top 5% of the F2 population (75 plants) were chosen based on the selection criteria. In the summer of 2017, the F3 families were cultivated, and 5% of the superior F3 families were chosen to become the F4 fam-ilies, which were planted in the summer of 2018 at the single plant and bulk studies in a randomised full block design with three replications. The average performance of the characteristics boll weight, seed cotton yield, lint percentage, and lint index increased as generations passed from F2 to F4. In the meanwhile, the characteristic value of the first flower to open decreased, showing the accu-mulation of advantageous alleles. For all examined characteristics, the phenotypic coefficient of variance was greater than the genotypic coefficient of variation. In addition, the data demonstrated that heritability in a broad sense was greater in F4 populations than in F3 and F2 populations. With a few exceptions, the phenotypic and genotypic associations for all investigated characteristics were positive and very significant. According to the data, initial opening flowering and boll weight had a substantial impact on seed cotton output per feddan. In general, five superior families No. 9, 13, 18, 19, and 20 were chosen from the F4 population, which were more significant for yield and yield component than the commercial variety, and these genotypes may be promising for the breeding programme to develop new genotypes with superior yield.

Background: Wilms tumor (WT) is the main renal tumor in children. SIOP-UMBRELLA Guidelines admit Nephron sparing surgery (NSS) in syndromic patients, and in small (&lt;300 ml) nonsyndromic unilateral WTs, without lymph node involvement, and with a substantial expected remnant renal function, after neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We report our prechemotherapy transperitoneal robot-assisted partial nephrectomy (RAPN) in a unilateral non-syndromic Wilms tumor. Methods: A 6-year-old-child showed an exophytic 3.6 cm diameter solid rounding mass involving the upper right renal pole at an incidental abdominal echotomography. CT-scan and abdominal MRI proved no local infiltration neither lymph node involvement was appreciated, suggesting an exophytic mass easily resectable through a NSS robotic approach, with a low risk of rupture and no subverted renal anatomy. The preoperative imaging was not suggestive for WT. A virtual 3D reconstruction of the tumor was performed. Results: the oncologic board approved a robot-assisted partial nephrectomy with the intraperitoneal approach. The histopathologic analysis displayed a WT. The patient underwent 10 vincristine-doses adjuvant chemotherapy. 28-months follow-up showed no tumor recurrence. Conclusions: Intraperitoneal RAPN can represent an opportunity for WT and needs to be assessed as a challenging possibility. This case suggests a potential role of prechemotherapy RAPN in the near future for highly selected patients.

Background: Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women globally despite being a largely treatable and preventable malignancy. Developing countries account for over 80% of all new cases of cervical cancer. Women residing in low-resource settings such as those residing in slums have a higher risk of cervical cancer, and lower uptake of cervical cancer screening. Diverse barriers influence the uptake of cervical cancer screening among women in low-resource settings. Objectives: This qualitative study was carried out prior to a cervical cancer screening program and explored women’s knowledge about cervical cancer, and their perceived barriers and recommendations for the program.Method: Four focus group discussions (FGD) were conducted among 35 women between the ages of 21 – 65 years residing in two urban slums in Lagos, Nigeria. Each FGD was limited to 8-10 participants of women of similar ages. Voice recordings were transcribed verbatim and analysis was done using thematic analysis.Results: Most of the women were not aware of cervical cancer and none knew the symptoms or risk factors of cervical cancer. The participants felt that the cervical cancer screening program would be well accepted in the community, however, they expressed concerns about the cost of the screening test and the sex of the person performing the test. The recommendations proffered for a successful cervical cancer screening program include; reducing the cost of the test or providing the test free of charge, having people that speak the local language as part of the team, using female health care providers, using a private location within the community or nearby PHC, and publicizing the program with the use of SMS, phone calls, town crier, and health talks. It was recommended that organizing health education sessions would help improve women’s poorly perceived susceptibility to cervical cancer.Conclusion: Interventions to increase uptake of cervical cancer screening among women in low resource settings need to improve knowledge and understanding of cervical cancer and address the barriers to cervical cancer screening such as cost, distance, and as much as possible, sex of the healthcare provider should be considered.

In the next decade, further digitalisation of the entire wind energy project lifecycle is expected to be a major driver for reducing project costs and risks. In this paper, a literature review on the challenges related to implementation of digitalisation in the wind energy industry is first carried out, showing that there is a strong need for new solutions that enable co-innovation within and between organisations. Therefore, a new collaboration method called the WeDoWind Ecosystem is developed and demonstrated. The method is centred around specific "challenges", which are defined by "challenge providers" within a topical "space" and made available to participants via a digital platform. The data required in order to solve a particular "challenge" is provided by the "challenge providers" under the confidentiality conditions they specify. The method is demonstrated via a case study, the EDP Wind Turbine Fault Detection Challenge. Six submitted solutions using diverse approaches are evaluated. Two of the methods perform significantly better than EDP’s existing method in terms of Total Prediction Costs (saving up to €120,000). The WeDoWind Ecosystem is found to be a promising solution for enabling co-innovation in wind energy, providing a number of tangible benefits for both challenge and solution providers.

The brain's unique characteristics make it exceptionally susceptible to oxidative stress, which arises from an imbalance between reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, reactive nitrogen species (RNS) production, and antioxidant defense mechanisms. This review explores the factors contributing to the brain vascular tone vulnerability in the presence of oxidative damage, which can be of clinical interest in critically ill patients or presenting acute brain injuries. The brain's high metabolic rate and inefficient electron transport chain in mitochondria lead to significant ROS generation. Moreover, non-replicating neuronal cells and low repair capacity increase susceptibility to oxidative insult. ROS can influence cerebral vascular tone and permeability, with a potential impact on cerebral autoregulation. Different ROS species, including superoxide and hydrogen peroxide, exhibit vasodilatory or vasoconstrictive effects on cerebral blood vessels. Reactive nitrogen species (RNS), particularly NO and peroxynitrite, also exert vasoactive effects. This review further investigates the neuroprotective effects of antioxidants, including superoxide dismutase (SOD), vitamin C, vitamin E, and the glutathione redox system. Various studies suggest that these antioxidants could be used as adjunct therapies to protect the cerebral vascular tone during high oxidative stress conditions. Nevertheless, more extensive research is required to comprehensively grasp the relationship between oxidative stress and cerebrovascular tone, as well as to explore the potential benefits of antioxidants as adjunctive therapies in critical illnesses and acute brain injuries.

The purpose of this manuscript is to examine the extent to which Polish SMEs use digital marketing tools in the context of their impact on economic performance. The choice of the objective is due to the research gap related to the lack of studies on the impact of the use of digital marketing tools on economic performance by SME companies in Poland. In order to achieve the objective, a two-stage approach was used. The first stage identified the degree of use of digital marketing tools by Polish SMEs compared to EU countries based on secondary data. The second stage analyzed the impact of the use of selected digital marketing and sales communication tools on the economic performance of Polish SMEs. The analysis was based on primary data, which were the results of surveys conducted on a sample of 574 Polish SMEs in the industrial sector. The analysis used statistical methods such as difference significance tests (Mann-Whitney U test, ANOVA Kruskal-Wallis test and Dunn's post-hoc tests), Kendall's rank correlation coefficient and Multivariate Adaptive Regression Splines (MARSplines). The results obtained have theoretical and practical values. The theoretical implications are the enrichment of the marketing concept of customer value creation taking into account the digital customer, which is also the originality of the research. Practical implications refer to indicating to SME managers the need for, as well as ways of implementing and financing digital technologies within the framework of various EU programs for digital transformation of member states.

This paper adopts a systems firm-centered perspective on the environmental assessment of recyclable glass and PET soft drink containers. We employ LCA and discrete-event simulation modelling for the environmental assessment of the two soft drinks packaging alternatives in operational terms, over the entire supply chain, over a period of three years. The assessment is based on real data collected from a large soft-drinks producer and its suppliers. The research and practice contribution of the paper is twofold: first, it introduces a methodological framework for environmental assessment of companies’ packaging environmental impact under different product and operations strategies, and secondly, it provides a holistic environmental assessment of the two packaging materials (PET and glass) taking into account specific operational issues, such as product mix and recycling and reuse options, and activity interdependences and stochasticity. The results of the simulation experiments confirm at system level, for glass, the importance for sustainability, to increase the number of reuse cycles and the percentage of used bottles collected for refilling, whereas for PET, to increase the percentage of recycled PET in new bottles.

Between 2019 and 2023, sixteen universities increased their research output by more than fifteen times the global average, alongside significant changes in authorship dynamics (e.g., decreased first authorship, increased numbers of hyperprolific authors, increased numbers of multiaffiliations, and increased numbers of authors per publication). Using bibliometric methods, this study detected patterns suggesting a reliance on unconventional authorship practices, such as gift, honorary, and sold authorship, to inflate publication metrics. This study underscores the need for reforms by universities, policymakers, funding agencies, ranking agencies, accreditation bodies, scholarly publishers, and researchers to maintain academic integrity and ensure the reliability of global ranking systems.

The production of concrete and the manufacturing process of cement results in a significant carbon footprint, contributing to a large portion of global emissions in structures such as buildings, bridges, roads, and tunnels. Although concrete is an ideal building material that is durable and long-lasting, it can be susceptible to micro-cracks. These micro-cracks in concrete can allow water and chlorine ions to penetrate the structure, leading to the degradation of concrete and corrosion of the reinforcement, posing an unacceptable level of structural risk. Self-healing concrete is not a new material in the construction industry but can be characterized by the capability of concrete to repair its cracks autogenously or autonomously. Recent advancements in concrete research and technology have given us a better understanding of concrete's healing properties. Self-healing concrete combines durability with sustainability while offsetting the high carbon output of concrete manufacturing and production and associated life-cycle costs. Technologies such as microbially-induced calcite (calcium carbonate) precipitation (MICP), shape memory polymers, encapsulation methods, hydration, and swelling agents can potentially reduce carbon emissions while enhancing resilience and longevity. This paper examines these technologies and their applications in the construction industry by comprehensively reviewing the literature and available case studies. The study concluded that there are promising advancements and innovations in concrete, particularly when improving upon the autogenous healing properties. The recommendations for future research include exploring more ways to bring the concrete industry and cement manufacturing toward net zero carbon emissions.

Aims: This study aims to evaluate the impact of family-centered empowerment on Jordanian adolescents with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), focusing on their HbA1c levels, self-efficacy, and quality of life (QOL). Background: Poor glycemic management in adolescents with type 1 diabetes increases complications. Improved control is linked to various variables, but few studies focus on Middle Eastern populations. Methods: An experimental study involved 68 adolescents with T1DM visiting Jordanian Royal Medical Services' clinics. Two sets of participants were created: control (n = 34) and intervention (n = 34). Data was collected through face-to-face interviews and medical records. Results: The study found significant differences in self-efficacy scores between the intervention and control groups, with the intervention group experiencing a significant decrease in HbA1c readings and a significant difference in QOL between pre-program and post-program phases. Discussion: Family empowerment can significantly improve the lives of Jordanian teenagers with type 1 diabetes. This strategy leads to improved glycemic management, increased self-efficacy, and improved quality of life. Future treatments and health policies should recognize and value the critical role families play in the care of this population. Conclusion: The study suggests that patients with T1DM should receive continuous care education sessions, including self-care training, to improve their health. Nurses should also incorporate these training into treatment plans and educational programs for adolescents to enhance their QOL.

This study compared condylar volume, length, and articular eminence (AE) characteristics in normal individuals and those with unilateral and bilateral juvenile idiopathic osteoarthritis (JOA). The 116 patients were divided into four groups: control (n=16), affected condyle of unilateral JOA (Aff-Uni) (n=36), non-affected condyle of JOA (NonAff-uni) (n=36), and bilateral JOA (Bi-JOA) (n=28). Volume and length differences in the condyle and AE were analyzed using ANOVA and Bonferroni post hoc tests. The results showed that Bi-JOA had significantly different condylar volume, especially in the condylar head (p&lt;0.01), specifically the middle, anterior, and medial parts (p&lt;0.05). Condylar length also differed among the groups, with differences observed between the control group and the other three groups, as well as between the bilateral group and the other three groups (p&lt;0.01). AE total volume differed between the control group and Aff-Uni. In the detailed comparison, Aff-Uni and NonAff-Uni were smaller than the control group in the posterior, lateral, and medial sections (p&lt;0.05). In conclusion, depending on the involvement of unilateral or bilateral JOA, there were differences in condylar volume and AE compared to the normal control group. Therefore, prognosis should be evaluated by distinguishing between patients with unilateral and bilateral JOA.

The high spatial complexities of soil temperature modelling over semiarid land have challenged the calibration—predication framework, whose composited objective lacks comprehensive evaluation. Therefore, this study, based on the Noah land surface model and its full parameter table, utilizes two global searching algorithms and eight kinds of objective with dimensional—varied metrics, combined with dense site soil moisture and temperature observations of central Tibet, to explore different metrics’ performances on the spatial heterogeneity and uncertainty of regional land surface parameters, calibration efficiency and effectiveness, as well as spatiotemporal complexities in surface forecasting. Results have shown that metrics’ diversity has shown greater influence on the calibration—predication framework than the global searching algorithms themselves. Besides being significantly better than other metrics, the enhanced multi objective metric (EMO) and the enhanced Kling-Gupta efficiency (EKGE) have their own advantages and disadvantages in simulations and parameters respectively. Especially, EMO that composited with four metrics as correlated coefficient, root mean square error, mean absolute error, and Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency, has shown relatively balanced performance in surface forecasting when compared to EKGE. In general, the calibration—predication framework that benefited from EMO could greatly reduce the spatial complexities in soil temperature modelling of the semiarid land.

This paper identifies a criterion for choosing the largest set of rejected hypotheses in high-dimensional data analysis where Multiple Hypothesis testing is used in exploratory research to identify significant associations among many variables. The method neither requires predetermined thresholds for level of significance, nor uses presumed thresholds for false discovery rate. The upper limit for number of rejected hypotheses is determined by finding maximum difference between expected true hypotheses and false hypotheses among all possible sets of rejected hypotheses. Methods of choosing a reasonable number of rejected hypotheses and application to non-parametric analysis of ordinal survey data are presented.

Simple Summary: 200 words Will biology, including humans, benefit or harm from new developments in information such as artificial intelligence (AI). First, are biology and information different? Life is an ordered form that can reproduce, maybe with variation; and any ordered arrangement, biological or not, potentially contains information. There have been ordered forms since earth was just a ball of chemicals, and some such chemicals can reproduce. So biological and non-biological information might be components of a unified process, ‘PanEvolution’ or ‘Pan-Evo’, based on the same four operations for living or non-living entities - Innovation; Transmission and replication; Adaptation; and Movement. This can produce separate groups called ‘species’. In a current Panspeciation event, information held in biology - especially our brains - is moving into its own environment. Harm to biology might be minimal if humans and AI both behave intelligently, because vastly different environments are optimal for humans and machines containing AI. This would be the first speciation-like event involving humans for millennia, but will not be particularly hostile to humans, if humans learn how to evaluate information and cooperate, to minimize the effect of both human stupidity and artificial simulated stupidity (ASS – a failure of AI). Abstract: 200 words Many people wonder whether biology, including humans, will benefit or harm from new developments in information such as artificial intelligence (AI). Biological and non-biological information might be components of a unified process, ‘Pan-Evolution’ or ‘Pan-Evo’, based on four basic operations – Innovation, Transmission, Adaptation, and Movement. Pan-Evo contains many types of variable objects, from molecules to ecosystems. Biological innovation includes mutations and behavioural changes; non-biological innovation includes naturally-occuring physical innovations, and innovation in software. Replication is commonplace in and outside biology, including autocatalytic chemicals, and autonomous software replication. Adaptation includes biological selection, autocatalytic chemicals and ‘evolutionary programming’ used in AI. Extension of biological speciation to non-biological information, creates a concept called ‘Panspeciation’. Panevolution might benefit or harm biology, but harm might be minimal if AI and the humans behave intelligently, because humans, and the machines in which AI resides, might split to the vastly different environments that suit them. That is a possible example of panspeciation, and would be the first speciation event involving humans for thousands of years. This event will not be particularly hostile to humans, if humans learn to evaluate information and cooperate better, to minimize both human stupidity and artificial simulated stupidity (ASS – a failure of AI).

Tobamovirus species represent a threat to solanaceous crops worldwide, due to their extreme stability and being seed-borne. In particular, recent outbreaks of tomato brown rugose fruit virus in tomato and pepper crops led to the establishment of prompt control measures, and the need for reliable diagnosis was urged. Another member of the genus, tomato mottle mosaic virus, has recently risen attention due to reports in different continents and its common features with tomato brown rugose fruit virus. In this study, a new real-time RT-PCR detection system was developed for tomato brown rugose fruit virus and tomato mottle mosaic virus on tomato leaves and seeds using TaqMan chemistry. This test was designed to detect tomato mottle mosaic virus by amplifying the movement protein gene in a duplex assay with tomato brown rugose fruit virus target on the CP-3’NTR region, which was already validated as a single assay. The performance of this tests was evaluated, displaying analytical sensitivity 10-5-10-6-fold dilution for seeds and leaves, respectively, and good analytical specificity, repeatability, and reproducibility. Using the newly developed and validated test, tomato brown rugose fruit virus detection was 100% concordant with previously performed analyses on 106 official samples collected in 2021 from different continents.

Abstract: (1) Background: The occurrence of youth aggression has aroused widespread concern, and we would like to explore the reasons for it from both the family and individual sides of the youth. This study constructed a chain mediation model based on Bandura's Social Learning Theory to explore the mechanism of internet gaming disorder and avatar identification in it; (2) Methods: We conducted a randomized survey involving 973 adolescents from various middle schools in China. We used the Harsh Parenting Scale, the Online Gaming Disorder Scale, the Incarnate Identity Scale, and the Buss-Perry Aggression Scale to conduct a randomized survey. Empirical analyses were conducted using SPSS 25.0 and Amos 24.0 software to examine the mediating role of online gaming barriers and avatar identity; (3) Results: There was a two-by-two significant positive correlation between harsh parenting, internet gaming disorder, avatar identification and aggression. The me-diation model between harsh parenting, internet gaming disorder, avatar identification and ag-gression was well fitted ( χ2/df=7.268, GFI=0.961, AGFI=0.923, IFI=0.970, CFI=0.970, TLI=0.951, RMSEA=0.080).; (4) Conclusions: Parental harsh parenting affects adolescent aggression not only through the separate mediating roles of internet gaming disorder and avatar identification, but also through the chain mediating roles of internet gaming disorder and avatar identification.

Background/Objectives: Congenital Myasthenic Syndromes (CMS) are caused by variants in >30 genes with increasing numbers of variants of unknown significance (VUS) discovered by next generation sequencing. Establishing VUS pathogenicity requires in vitro studies that slow diagno-sis and treatment initiation. Recent protein structure prediction softwares, AlphaFold2/ColabFold, have revolutionised structural biology; such predictions have also been leveraged in AlphaM-issense which predicts ClinVar variant pathogenicity with 90% accuracy. Few reports, however, have tested these tools on rigorously-characterised clinical data. We therefore assessed ColabFold and AlphaMissense as diagnostic aids for CMS, using variants of the CHRN genes that encode the nicotinic acetylcholine receptor (nAChR). Methods: Utilising a dataset of 61 clinically-validated CHRN variants, (1) we evaluated the pos-sibility of a ColabFold metric (either predicted structural disruption, prediction confidence, and prediction quality), that distinguishes variant pathogenicity. (2) We assessed AlphaMissenses’ ability to differentiate variant pathogenicity. (3) We compared AlphaMissense to existing patho-genicity prediction programmes, AlamutVP and EVE. Results: Analysing variant effects on ColabFold CHRN structure prediction, prediction confi-dence, and prediction quality, doesn’t yield any pathogenicity-indicative metric. However, Al-phaMissense predicts variant pathogenicity with 63.93% accuracy on our dataset – a much greater proportion than AlamutVP (27.87%) and EVE (28.33%). Conclusions: Emerging in silico tools can revolutionise genetic disease diagnosis – however, im-provement, refinement, and clinical validation is imperative prior to practical acquisition.

Leaky-wave antennas (LWAs) represent a recent class of radiating systems, first appeared in the second half of the past century. Initially treated with a certain dose of skepticism due to the apparent non-physical nature of supported wave solutions, LWAs have so far deeply evolved from the original configuration of slotted metallic lossy waveguide and adapted to a huge number of practical application fields, from microwave to millimeter waves and even up to the terahertz frequency range. Due to physics of relevant working principle, LWAs are often found in planar and low-profile configurations, being critically required in many cutting-edge applications, where device miniaturization, scaling and integration are required. Here we propose a review of some of the most recent and perspective array-fed 2-D LWAs, selecting two of most widespread categories in applications, Fabry–Perot Cavity Antennas (FPCAs) and Bull’s-Eye Antennas (BEAs), discussing and illustrating some advanced features recently proposed.

Background: This longitudinal study aimed to investigate the relationship between self-reported chewing status and increases in waist circumference (WC) after 1 year in 10,870 Japanese adults who had received health checkups. Subsequently, 8,068 participants were included in the final analysis at follow-up. Methods: Chewing status was evaluated using a self-reported questionnaire at baseline; 1,080 (13%) respondents were diagnosed as having poor chewing status. We defined an increase in WC of ≥ 5 cm after 1 year as an unhealthy increase; in total, 613 (7.5%) respondents met this criterion. Results: After adjusting for age, gender, WC, body mass index (BMI), and chewing status, an increase in WC ≥ 5 cm was found to be positively associated with gender (females: odds ratios [ORs]: 1.206; 95% confidence intervals [CIs]: 1.008–1.443), WC (ORs: 0.967; 95% CIs: 0.954–0.981), BMI (≥ 25 kg/m2; ORs: 2.194; 95% CIs: 1.715–2.808), and chewing status (poor; ORs: 1.356; 95% CIs: 1.084–1.697). Conclusions: These findings suggest that self-reported poor chewing status is associated with increases in WC after 1 year in Japanese adults.

Background: We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of postnatal ultrasonography in determining congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract in term infants with or without a history of congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract in the prenatal period. Methods: In this retrospective cohort study, the records of term infants aged between six weeks and three months undergoing urinary system ultrasonography during routine child care were examined. Results: Congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract was determined in 121 (4.62%) of the 2620 cases included in the study. The most common anomaly was hydronephrosis (in 69.4% of the congenital anomalies of the kidney and urinary tract cases and 3.21% of all cases). Thirty-two of the 84 (38.1%) hydronephrosis cases detected by postnatal ultrasonography, three of the nine (33.3%) renal agenesis cases, four of the seven (57.1%) horseshoe kidneys cases, one of the four (25%) multicystic dysplastic kidney cases and two of the two (100%) duplex system cases could not be detected by prenatal ultrasonography. On the other hand, hydronephrosis was not detected at postnatal ultrasonography in 29 (1.1%) cases which detected mild or moderate hydronephrosis by prenatal ultrasonography scanning. Conclusions: In our study, it was observed that approximately one-third of the cases of hydronephrosis, unilateral renal agenesis, duplex system, horseshoe kidney, and ectopic kidney could not be detected at prenatal ultrasonography screening. We therefore believe that, in addition to prenatal ultrasonography screening, postnatal ultrasonography screening of all children for urinary tract anomalies would be beneficial.

Music has been proposed for a long time as a treatment for mental disorders. However, some special types of music or stimulating sounds might induce negative emotions. Herein, 8-week-old male mice were exposed to two specific genres of music, hip-hop (HH) and heavy metal (HM), and construction noise (CN), and a series of behavioral experiments were performed to evaluate the impact of these music or sounds on the emotion of mice. The experiment lasted 1 week in which 8-week-old male mice were used as animal models. We found that long term exposure HM, HH, and CN induced depressive symptoms with a decrease in dopamine receptor 1 and BDNF in the mixture of hippocampus and frontal cortex of mice. Our results have highly addressed that certain special types of sound or music might induce negative emotions and loss of dopaminergic neurons in mice, and it is necessary to intervene in adolescences who are exposed to these music or sounds for a long time.

This study delves into the transformative growth of private higher education in China, highlighting the rapid and diverse expansion following the COVID-19 pandemic. Although previous studies have reported expansion and difficulties, a thorough examination of the relationship between institutional adaptation and the development of human capital remains unexplored. This study examines how private higher education institutions modify their job-related courses to suit the demands of the job market, evaluates the effect on the employability of graduates, and investigates ways to control costs without sacrificing academic quality. This study analyzes data from the Ministry of Education, Wind Information, and Shenwan Hongyuan Research to gain insights into the impact of human capital theory and institutional theory on private higher education in China. Enrollment trends, program alignment, financial sustainability, and quality enhancement activities are all examined using detailed analysis. Private higher education institutions play a critical role in developing a skilled labor force by filling skill gaps and meeting the demands of an evolving job market. The findings also emphasize the importance of quality assurance procedures, strategic program development, and collaborations with businesses. In conclusion, the study emphasizes the imperative for more research and policy action. This is crucial to securing the lasting effectiveness and influence of private higher education institutions on China's socioeconomic progress and human capital development in the post-pandemic era.

Recent studies have shown that the endogenous cannabinoid system (ECS) of the brain is essentially involved in the pathogenesis of Parkinson's disease (PD), influencing its symptoms by regulating the level of endogenous cannabinoids and altering the activation of cannabinoid receptors (CBR). Therefore, modulation of ECS with new drugs developed for this purpose may prove to be a promising strategy in the treatment of PD. However, fine regulation of ECS is quite a challenge due to the functional diversity of CBR in the basal ganglia. Our review analyses the effects of ECS modulators on experimental PD models and in patients with PD, as well as presents the outlooks for the development of new cannabinoid drugs for the treatment of motor and non-motor symptoms in PD.

Tegucigalpa, the capital city of Honduras, has the highest number of landslides recorded in the country. In a previous study, landslides were found to be mainly concentrated in areas with colluvium and residual soils. The present study focused on assessing the physical vulnerability of houses and the risk linked to landslides in these types of soils. As an input for this assessment, the study generated landslide risk vulnerability functions based on empirical data. The study's findings suggest that the estimated Annual Average Losses associated with landslides in this region is USD 7.26 million. Moreover, the study developed a novel approach for the spatial and temporal estimation of landslide hazard probability, which overcomes some of the limitations identified in previous landslide risk assessment studies.

Education 4.0 arises to provide citizens with the technical/digital competencies and cognitive/interpersonal skills demanded by Industry 4.0. New technologies drive this change, though time-independent learning remains a challenge, because students might face a lack of support, advice and surveillance when teachers are unavailable. This study proposes complementing presential lessons with online learning driven by ChatGPT, applied as an educational tool able to mentor K-12 students learning science at home. First, ChatGPT’s performance in the field of K-12 science is evaluated, scoring A (9.3/10 in 2023, and 9.7/10 in 2024) and providing detailed, analytic, meaningful, and human-like answers. Then, an empirical interventional study is performed to assess the impact of using ChatGPT as a virtual mentor on real K-12 students. After the intervention, the grades of students in the experimental group improved 30%, and 70% of students stated a positive perception of the AI, suggesting a positive impact of the proposed educational approach. After discussion, the study concludes ChatGPT might be a useful educational tool able to provide K-12 students learning science with the functional and social/emotional support they might require, democratizing a higher level of knowledge acquisition and promoting students’ autonomy, security and self-efficacy. The results probe ChatGPT’s remarkable capacity (and immense potential) to assist teachers in their mentoring tasks, laying the foundations of virtual mentoring and paving the way for future research aimed at obtaining a more realistic view of the AI impact on education.

Wind-solar power generating and hybrid battery-supercapacitor energy storage complex is used for autonomous power supply of consumers in remote areas. This work uses passivity-based control (PBC) for this complex in accordance with the accepted energy management strategy (EMS). Structural and parametric synthesis of the overall PBC system was carried out that was accompanied by a significant amount of research. In order to simplify this synthesis, a structural decomposition of the overall dynamic system of the object, which was described by a system of differential equations of the seventh order, into three subsystems was applied. These subsystems are a wind turbine, a PV plant and a hybrid battery-supercapacitor system. For each of the subsystems, it is quite simple to synthesize the control influence formers, which locally perform the tasks set by the EMS. The results obtained by computer simulation of the overall and decomposed systems demonstrate the effectiveness of this approach in simplifying synthesis and debugging procedures of complex multiphysical systems.

Tunnel-interchange connecting sections pose significant safety challenges on mountainous expressways due to their high incidence of accidents. Improving road safety necessitates a comprehensive understanding of driver behavior in such areas. This study explores the influences of road characteristics, signage information volume, and traffic conditions on drivers' car-following and lane-changing behavior in tunnel-interchange diverging areas. Utilizing driving data from 25 subjects of 72 simulated road models, driving performance is assessed using Friedman rank test and multivariate variance analysis. The results highlight the significant influence of both connection distance and signage information load on driving behavior. In tunnel-interchange scenarios, the reduction of velocity increased by 62.61%, and speed variability surged by 61.11%, indicating potential adverse effects on driving stability due to the environmental transitions. Decreased connection distances are associated with reduced lane-changing durations, larger steering angles, and increased failure rates. Furthermore, every two units increase in signage information leads to a 13.16% rise in maximum deceleration and a 5% increase in time headway. Notably, the signage information volume shows a significant interaction with connection distance (F=1.60, P=0.045) for most car-following indicators. Hence, the study recommends a maximum connection distance of 700 m and signage information not exceeding nine units for optimal safety and stability.

The research experimentally examines the viability of biodiesel obtained from pork fat (BP) as a sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) when mixed with kerosene (Ke) - Jet-A aviation fuel + 5% Aeroshell 500 oil. Various blends of biodiesel and kerosene (10, 20 and 30% vol. of BP added in Ke) were subjected to testing in an aviation micro turbo-engine under different operational states: idle, cruise, and maximum power. During the tests, monitoring of engine parameters such as burning temperature, fuel consumption, and thrust force was conducted. The study also encompassed the calculation of crucial performance indicators like burning efficiency, thermal efficiency, and specific consumption for all fuel blends under maximum power conditions. Physical-chemical properties of the blends, encompassing density, viscosity, flash point, and calorific power, were determined. Furthermore, elemental analysis and FTIR were used for chemical composition determination. The research delved into analyzing the air requirements for stoichiometric combustion and computed resulting emissions of CO2 and H2O. Experimental assessments were performed on the Jet Cat P80® micro-turbo-engine, covering aspects such as starting procedures, sudden acceleration, sudden deceleration, and emissions of pollutants (NOx, CO and SO2) during several engine operational phases. The outcomes reveal that the examined fuel blends exhibited stable engine performance across all tested conditions. This indicates that these blends hold promise as sustainable aviation fuels for micro turbo-engines, presenting benefits in terms of diminished pollution and a more ecologically sound raw material base for fuel production.

Bio-based packaging materials and efficient drug delivery systems are gaining attention, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) is one of the most soluble cellulose derivatives, is a good candidate material due to its biocompatibility, biodegradability, and reproducibility. However, CMC-based films are lack of sufficient mechanical properties, limiting its widespread application. In this paper, the molecular interactions between CMC and additives with different molecular structures have been studied with rheological method. The additives are chitosan and cellulose derivatives including O-carboxymethylated chitosan (O-CMCh), N-2-hydroxypropyl-3-trimethylammonium-O-carboxymethyl chitosan (HTCMCh), hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan (HACC), cellulose nanofibers (CNC), and cellulose nanofibers (CNF). The influencing factors, such as molecular structure, concentration of additives and temperature on the rheological properties were studied, which results revealed the information intermolecular interactions. Based on the rheological properties, several systems were selected to prepare films, which show very good transparency, wettability, mechanical properties, biodegradability, and cytotoxicity. These good characteristics of the selected films also proved the good biocompatibility of CMC and chitosan and cellulose derivatives. This work will provide an idea to prepare CMC-based food packaging and effective drug delivery materials with specific properties.

The influence of linear and nonlinear modes of ADC driver on the operational amplifier (Op-Amp), which has different values of maximum output voltage slew rate, on the effective number of bits of ADC is considered. It is shown that the effective number of bits of ADC when op-amps on bipolar transistors with input signal amplitudes exceeding 50-100 mV is determined by the nonlinear modes of its input differential stage.

Malaria is one of the leading causes of illnesses and deaths in Africa at large and Nigeria in particular, especially amongst pregnant women and children under the age of five years. Our research revealed that though the government has deployed so many intervention systems to contend with this death-causing vector—the mosquitoes, malaria related deaths (MRDs) have continued to increase. This is because people have not sufficiently adopted those intervention systems to protect themselves. Further enquiries into the ineffective compliance of the people to the intervention systems revealed that the interventions are passive in nature. Based on these, we set up three measurable research outcomes to enable us to determine the appropriateness of persuasive technology in solving the malaria problem. We technically avoided a one-size-fits-all design approach and adopted Participatory System Design (PSD) and User-Centered Design (UCD) approaches in our system design methodologies. Well-structured questionnaires were used to extract information from the participants. The data obtained from the research survey was used in modeling the intervention system. The research was conducted in three phases: baseline, development and deployment of an intervention system—the Malaria Prevention and Control Support System (MPCSS), and an evaluation study to determine the performance of the intervention system. The research led to the following achievements: (1) encouraged an increase in the number of people who participated in malaria prevention and control activities by lowering the rate of malaria cases from 96.9% to 68.5% and increasing ownership of mosquito nets from 54% to 85.5%; (2) demonstrated that persuasive technology could be used to increase public awareness and knowledge of a given subject as noted in our evaluation result; and (3) demonstrated that persuasive technology is a veritable active intervention to combat malaria.

The growth of social media has changed the face of many aspects of marketing such as online, digital, etc. It also has changed the way modern human communicates and connects with others. Moreover, the behavior on this platform could not and should not be justified with strategies of other marketing channels and media. Due to the nature of social media, they are rich in precise and lean data, but processing these data and extracting knowledge and insights from them are problematic. Evaluating the effectiveness of a marketing endeavor is also a task related to these data. The current research attempts to assess the effectiveness of an advertising campaign on Instagram via advertising cost and sentiment classification of audience opinion regarding the campaign. The methodology used in this research is the standard process of data mining, i.e., CRISP-DM. Furthermore, multiple machine learning models and approaches were studied to train a prediction model based on data. In order to find the most accurate algorithm, grid search was used among the trained models and different algorithms with different combinations of hyper-parameters. The obtained results revealed that although the number of not profitable advertising media was higher than the profitable media, the overall status of the campaign was profitable, both in the cost-effectiveness approach and sentiment analysis approach. The other valued outcome of this research was important general and specific insights which can be used to shape a better-performing and effective advertising campaign on Instagram.

The pandemic history of pathogenic SARS-CoV-2 associated COVID-19 infection began in December 2019, with its emergence in Wuhan, China. Pertaining to its high transmissibility and wide host adaptability, this new and unique human coronavirus spread across the planet affecting almost every country, inflicting 91 million people and causing 1.9 million deaths (as of January 17th, 2021). Limited or negligible pre-existing immunity to multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants has resulted in severe morbidity and mortality worldwide, as well as a record-breaking surge in the use of medical-surgical supplies and personal protective equipments. In response to the global need for effective sterilization techniques, this study evaluated the virucidal efficacy of FATHHOME’s self-contained, ozone-based dry-sanitizing device, by dose and time response assessment. We tested inactivation of human coronavirus, HCoV-OC43, a close genetic model of SARS-CoV-2, on porous (N95 filtering facepiece respirator/FFR) and nonporous (glass) surfaces. We started our assays with 20 ppm of ozone for 10 min exposure, which was able to effectively reduce, 99.8% and 99.9% of virus from glass and N95 FFR surfaces, respectively. Importantly, the virus was completely inactivated, below the detection limit (over 6-log10 reduction) with 25 ppm ozone for 15 mins on both tested surfaces. As expected, a higher ozone concentration (50 ppm) resulted in faster inactivation of HCoV-OC43 with 100% inactivation in 10 mins from both the surfaces, with no residual ozone present after completion of the 5-minute post exposure recapture cycle and no measurable increase in ambient ozone levels. These results confirmed that FATHHOME’s device may provide a safe and viable solution for rapid decontamination of SARS-CoV-2- from worn items, frequently touched items, and PPE including N95 FFRs, face shields and other personal items.

Initial water content significantly affects the efficiency of soil stabilization. In this study, the effects of initial water content on the compressibility, strength, microstructure and composition of a lean clay soil stabilized by compound calcium-based stabilizer were investigated by static compaction test, unconfined compression test, optical microscope observations, environment scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction spectroscopy. The results indicate that as the initial water content increases in the range studied, both the compaction energy and the maximum compaction force decrease linearly and there are less soil aggregates or agglomerations, and smaller proportion of large pores in the compacted mixture structure. In addition, for specimens cured with or without external water supply and under different compaction degrees, the variation law of the unconfined compressive strength with initial water content is different and the highest strength value is obtained at various initial water contents. With the increase of initial water content, the percentage of oxygen element tends to increase in the reaction products of the calcium-based stabilizer, whereas the crystalline mineral of the soil did not change obviously.

In order to better realize rural revitalization, this paper analyzes the spatial and temporal char-acteristics and influencing factors of agricultural surface source pollution in the Yangtze River Economic Belt from the three perspectives of government, enterprise and agriculture by using the spatial Durbin model and the dynamic GMM method in the period of 2006-2021, and further re-searches the threshold characteristics of the distortion of the factor market on the agricultural surface source pollution under the different strengths of environmental regulation. The results show that there is a positive spatial correlation between agricultural surface pollution in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, and government environmental regulation, input factor market distortion and labor force transfer all have a significant impact on agricultural surface pollution. Among them, factor market distortion has a significant spatial spillover effect on agricultural surface pollution in the Yangtze River Economic Zone, and has a significant single-threshold ef-fect on environmental regulation. Accordingly, the government should strengthen environmental regulation, continuously improve the agricultural factor market mechanism, and pay attention to the construction of talents to provide support for rural revitalization.

This study aims to evaluate the performance of a concrete bridge located near the earthen dam of Masjed Soleiman County. The proximity of bridges to large water structures such as dams can affect their structural integrity due to environmental factors and the dynamic loads imposed by fluctuating water levels and soil movements. This paper analyzes the structural behavior of the concrete bridge using advanced modeling techniques, including finite element analysis and site-specific data. The methodology involves evaluating the bridge’s load-carrying capacity, durability under environmental stresses, and possible degradation due to soil settlement and moisture penetration from the nearby dam.Field tests and simulations were conducted to assess the bridge’s stability and performance under different loading conditions, including traffic loads and external factors like changes in water pressure from the dam. Results indicate that while the concrete bridge remains structurally sound, there are signs of minor degradation in certain areas, such as cracks and moisture-related issues. These findings highlight the importance of regular maintenance and monitoring, especially in structures located near large water bodies or dams.Recommendations for improving the bridge’s performance include applying advanced waterproofing methods, strengthening concrete components in critical zones, and implementing a routine inspection schedule. The results from this case study provide valuable insights into the interaction between bridges and surrounding hydraulic infrastructure, serving as a reference for similar projects in regions prone to environmental and structural stresses.This research contributes to the body of knowledge by offering practical solutions for maintaining and enhancing the durability of concrete bridges in close proximity to dams, emphasizing the need for proactive strategies to extend the lifespan of such critical infrastructure.

Beyond plasma glucose-lowering in patients with type 2 diabetes, sodium- glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) significantly reduced the hospitalization for heart failure (HF) and retarded the progression of chronic kidney disease (CKD). Endothelial dysfunction is not only involved in the development and progression of cardiovascular disease (CVD), and is also associated with the progression of CKD. In patients with type 2 diabetes, hyperglycemia, insulin resistance, hyperinsulinemia and dyslipidemia induce the development of endothelial dysfunction. SGLT2i have shown an improvement in endothelial dysfunction, as assessed by flow-mediated vasodila-tion, in individuals at high risk for CVD. Along with an improvement of endothelial dysfunction, SGLT2i showed improvements in oxidative stress, inflammation, mitochondrial dysfunction, glucotoxicity such as advanced glycation end products signaling and nitric oxide bioavailability. The improvements in endothelial dysfunc-tion and such endothelium-derived factors may play an important role in preventing the development of coronary artery disease, coronary microvascular dysfunction and diabetic cardiomyopathy which cause HF and in retarding CKD. The suppression of the development of HF and the progression of CKD achieved by SGLT2i might have been largely induced by the improvement of vascular endothelial function by SGLT2i.

The Internet-of-Things (IoT) enables enterprises to obtain profits from data but triggers data protection questions and new types of cyber risk. Cyber risk regulations for the IoT however do not exist. The IoT risk is not included in the cyber security assessment standards, hence, often not visible to cyber security experts. This is concerning, because companies integrating IoT devices and services need to perform a self-assessment of its IoT cyber security posture. The outcome of such self-assessment needs to define a current and target state, prior to creating a transformation roadmap outlining tasks to achieve the stated target state. In this article, a comparative empirical analysis is performed of multiple cyber risk assessment approaches, to define a high-level potential target state for company integrating IoT devices and/or services. Defining a high-level potential target state represent is followed by a high-level transformation roadmap, describing how company can achieve their target state, based on their current state. The transformation roadmap is used to adapt IoT risk impact assessment with a Goal-Oriented Approach and the Internet of Things Micro Mart model.

Previous literature has linked working for pay while attending university with negative academic and health outcomes, yet working students are often resilient when experiencing such adverse circumstances. This makes it crucial to explore potential psychological mechanisms which transform adverse experiences into sources of motivation and persistence for working students. We explore one mechanism – social identification – and its different foci – identifying as a student, employee, working student, or as a student of one’s discipline of study – as potential predictors of important academic (academic self-efficacy, approaches to learning, and academic achievement) and social (status in society) outcomes in three cross-sectional studies. In Study 1, part-time working hours (but not identification processes) were associated with academic self-efficacy. In Study 2, discipline identification and part-time working hours were associated with using deep approaches to learning. In Study 3, student identification was associated with increased status in society. Overall, discipline identification may be solely linked to academic outcomes, yet student identification should be explored further as a potential enhancer of social and graduate outcomes. We discuss additional mechanisms which can help to transform working students’ experiences through their social identities and suggest boundary conditions which can affect the link between these identities and important outcomes.

Whole body electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) is frequently presented as a safe and attractive training technology, however evidence for this description is vague. Thus, the present study aimed to provide an overview of different aspects related to safety and attractiveness of WB-EMS in non-athletic cohorts. A systematic review of the literature according to PRISMA searched five electronic databases, two study registers and google scholar without language restrictions. Briefly, WB-EMS studies that reported adverse effects, loss to follow, withdrawal or attendance rates in non-athletic cohorts were included. Finally, 58 eligible studies were eligible. All studies applied low-frequency WB-EMS predominately 1-2x 20-25 min/week. Seventeen studies provided a superimposed protocol. While no study (n=56) reported serious adverse effects, four studies observed abnormal laboratory findings, albeit without clinical relevance. Loss to follow-up (10±11%) and withdrawal rate (5±6%) of WB-EMS trials were low, but did not differ from data for the non-training (10±12% and 4±6%) or exercise control groups (12±11% and 7±8%). In parallel, we observed high attendance rates (94±7%) in the WB-EMS groups that again did not relevantly vary from findings for the exercising control groups (n=20; 91±7%). WB-EMS can indeed be considered as a safe and attractive training technology for non-athletic cohorts, be it with or without health problems.

Stroke represents one of the neurological diseases most responsible for death and permanent disability in the world. Different factors, such as thrombus, emboli and atherosclerosis, take part in the intricate pathophysiology of stroke. Comprehending the molecular processes involved in this mechanism is crucial to developing new, specific and efficient treatments. Some common mechanisms are excitotoxicity and calcium overload, oxidative stress, and neuroinflammation. Furthermore, non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs) are critical in pathophysiology and recovery after cerebral ischaemia. ncRNAs, particularly microRNAs, and the long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are essential for angiogenesis and neuroprotection, and they have been suggested to be therapeutic, diagnostic and prognostic tools in cerebrovascular diseases, including stroke. This review summarizes the intricate molecular mechanisms underlying ischemic and hemorrhagic stroke and delves into the function of miRNAs in the development of brain damage. Furthermore, we will analyze new perspectives on treatment based on molecular mechanisms in addition to traditional stroke therapies.

Compared to agonists, radiolabeled somatostatin receptor (SSTR) antagonists have advantages in neuroendocrine tumors (NETs). Articles on radiolabeled somatostatin receptor agonists or antagonists in NETs were included by searching the Web of Science (WoS) database. The included literature has been subjected to data collection and bibliometric study. A detailed analysis of the included clinical articles was also performed. 123 publications were identified for biblio-metric analysis. The number of publications on radiolabeled somatostatin receptor agonists and antagonists in the theranostics of NETs has increased significantly after 2014, with Germany publishing the most papers (39), followed by the United States (33) and Switzerland (28). The Swiss paper was cited the most, with 1783 quotations, followed by the USA (1338) and Germany (1330). The most common keywords were NETs (89), Peptide receptor-mediated radionuclide therapy (PRRT) (62), and antagonists (53). Antagonists had lower uptake in normal tissue and higher uptake in tumor tissue compared to agonists, with a high tumor-to-liver ratio. Research on radiolabeled somatostatin receptor agonists and antagonists in theranostics of NETs is increasing, with significant contributions from Europe and the United States. Radiolabeled somatostatin receptor antagonists are likely to be a hot topic in NETs theranostics.

Lagerstroemia is a genus of deciduous and evergreen shrubs and trees belonging to the family Lythraceae. Due to the attention paid to environmental and health issues, Lagerstroemia has become increasingly important in ecological environment protection, drug development, genetic resource protection, and application research. In order to gain an in-depth understanding of the current status and cutting-edge trends of Lagerstroemia research in the world, and objectively reflect the scientific capabilities and influence of relevant research countries, institutions, authors, and journals in this field. Using the visual analysis software VOSviewer and CiteSpace, a statistical analysis of the literature on Lagerstroemia in the Web of Science database was performed from 2002 to 2022. The results showed that the number of articles published on Lagerstromia in the world was increasing. Four of the five articles with the highest citation frequency were from the United States, and the number of articles published in Hortscience was the highest. In terms of subject distribution, the most frequently published subjects were plant sciences, pharmacology and pharmacy. These two disciplines focused on the cultivation of Lagerstroemia species and medicinal research on Lagerstroemia extracts. In terms of categories, science accounted for 41% of the top 10 subjects. Technical science accounted for a relatively large proportion. However, the amount of relevant literature in engineering science needs to be improved. India, the United States, and China were the main research forces in this field. In terms of international cooperation, China had close collaborations with many countries such as the United States, Japan, India, Russia, and the United Kingdom. Beijing Forestry University ranked first in terms of total number of publications, and the Chinese Academy of Sciences had the highest total citations and average citations. Meanwhile, most of the authors at the top of the list were Chinese scholars. Cluster analysis showed that the research of keywords such as “oxidative stress”, “protein” and “corosolic acid” were the research hotspots in recent years. Research on the chemical components and pharmacological effects of Lagerstroemia will be the focus of the research on Lagerstroemia.

Geopolymer is an emerging material alternative to Portland cement and has potential as a refractory material. Adding filler in geopolymer material is a strategy to increase the advantages of its physical and mechanical properties. It has been previously reported that adding nanoparticles can increase the compressive strength value, but there is no reported interaction between nanoparticles and geopolymer during the geopolymerization process. This study aims to study the effect of adding nano-zirconia fillers on the physical and mechanical changes of metakaolin-based geopolymers with nano-zirconia fillers. The geopolymer samples were made with 100 g of metakaolin as the base material and nano-zirconia in amounts of 2 gr, 5 gr, 10 gr, and 15 gr. Further characterization was carried out by XRD, FTIR, and SEM-EDX. This study showed that the compressive strength of the MZr05 sample increased significantly by 58.7% compared to the control sample. The test results of the structure and functional groups did not lead to any new compounds formed in the geopolymerization reaction. Therefore, the interaction of metakaolin geopolymer with nano-zirconia only creates an interfacial bonding.

This paper explores the Wilsonian renormalization group of probe-D-branes, focusing on the Dirac-Born-Infeld (DBI) action. The analysis involves deriving the constant of motion and formulating the Wilsonian renormalization group equation. The study extends to the infrared regime, considering both zero and non-zero temperatures. Additionally, thermodynamic aspects related to the functional form of the grand potential are discussed. The investigation provides insights into the renormalization of probe-D-branes and their thermodynamic properties.

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare the immediate and long-term complications that are associated with the utilized techniques for the insertion of indwelling central venous catheters, that is the open surgical technique, the ultrasound-guided technique and the transcutaneous technique based on external anatomical landmarks in the right internal jugular vein, to a pediatric population. Methods: This was a prospective randomized trial based on a pediatric patient population, under 16 years of age, of a tertiary pediatric-oncological hospital. Procedure was performed by a medical team with varying experience regarding the percutaneous and open insertion methods. We studied the outcome of our procedure, based on the immediate and delayed complication rate, as well as the needed time in order to complete the procedure and mean duration of line use. Results: The patients that were inserted in our protocol were divided into three subgroups, based on the selected technique for the insertion of the central venous catheter. A total number of 88 insertions (25.4%) (out of 346) were based on the technique that was using external anatomical landmarks, 121 insertions were based on the ultrasound-guided transcutaneous technique (34,9%), whereas in 137 cases (39.5%) the open surgical technique was preferred. All cases that were related to catheter re-insertion were excluded from our study. We performed a statistical analysis regarding the catheter dwell time between the three subgroups of patients and no significant difference was recorded. Moreover, the development of thrombosis was investigated, and we mentioned that the higher percentage of this complication was related with the transcutaneous external landmark and open surgical technique. Also, the incidence of infection was taken into consideration, which manifested an increased incidence when the transcutaneous technique based on external landmarks was used. Conclusions: Ultrasound guided percutaneous insertion was considered to be a safe and effective technique for the insertion of central venous catheters. Our study also demonstrated a decrease in operating times, when performed by operators with increasing expertise, increased preservation of the diameter of the venous lumen, and no increase in complication rates when the ultrasound-guided technique was selected.

Flapping wing aircraft represents a new frontier in biomimetic aviation. Researchers have developed various flapping wing aircraft intending to harness their high aerodynamic efficiency to enhance flight performance. However, current flapping wing designs still have differences in morphology and structure forms compared to real bird wings. These differences may contribute to the key problem of low lift generation in flapping wing aircraft while hovering. Hence, this paper aims to find the influence of morphology and to overcome the aerodynamic efficiency problems. By using fluid-structure interaction analysis, this study investigates the influence of variation in wing area, and aspect ratio. The results show that increasing the wing area will promote the flexible deformation and passive twist of the flapping wing, resulting in a 173.7% increase in lift coefficient. However, this also leads to increased structural stress that must be taken into consideration. Additionally, as the aspect ratio increases, total deformation and tip deformation also increase; lower aspect ratios result in a more pronounced passive twist on the wing surface (84.4% higher). Moreover, this study has designed different wing structure layouts. With different rib distributions, the passive twist, stress concentration between ribs and at rib joints, maximum stress values at the root of the wing spar, and fluctuations in stress curves are influenced. Based on the result of wing parameters and structure layout, this study proposed a flapping wing structure design with efficient aerodynamic performance. The results highlight the influence of the key parameters of wing design and lay the theoretical groundwork for future research endeavors.

The main goal of the Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS) mission over land surfaces is the production of global maps of soil moisture (SM) and vegetation optical depth (τ) based on multi-angular brightness temperature (TB) measurements at L-band. The operational SMOS Level 2 and Level 3 soil moisture algorithms account for different surface effects, such as vegetation opacity and soil roughness at 4 km resolution, in order to produce global retrievals of SM and τ. In this study, we present an alternative SMOS product which was developed by INRA (Institut National de la Recherche Agronomique) and CESBIO (Centre d’Etudes Spatiales de la BIOsphère). This SMOS-INRA-CESBIO (SMOS-IC) product provides daily SM and τ at the global scale and differs from the operational SMOS Level 3 (SMOSL3) product in the treatment of retrievals over heterogeneous pixels. Specifically, SMOS-IC is much simpler and does not account for corrections associated to the antenna pattern and the complex SMOS viewing angle geometry. It considers pixels as homogeneous to avoid uncertainties and errors linked to inconsistent auxiliary data sets which are used to characterize the pixel heterogeneity in the SMOS L3 algorithm. SMOS-IC also differs from the current SMOSL3 product (Version 300, V300) in the values of the effective vegetation scattering albedo (ω) and soil roughness parameters. An inter-comparison is presented in this study based on the use of ECMWF (European Center for Medium range Weather Forecasting) SM outputs and NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) from MODIS (Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer). A 6 year (2010-2015) inter-comparison of the SMOS products SMOS-IC and SMOSL3 SM (V300) with ECMWF SM yielded higher correlations and lower ubRMSD (unbiased root mean square difference) for SMOS-IC over most of the pixels. In terms of τ, SMOS-IC τ was found to be better correlated to MODIS NDVI in most regions of the globe, with the exception of the Amazonian basin and of the northern mid-latitudes.

The importance of small urban green areas has increased in the context of rapid urbanization and densification of the urban tissue. The analysis of these areas through remote sensing has been limited due to the low spatial resolution of freely available satellite images. We propose a timeseries analysis on 3 m resolution Planet images, using GEOBIA and vegetation indices, with the aim of extracting and assessing the quality of small urban green areas in two different climatic and biogeographical regions – temperate (Bucharest, Romania) and mediterranean (Athens, Greece). Our results have shown high accuracy (over 91%) regarding the extraction of small urban green areas in both cities, across all analysed images. The timeseries analysis showed consistency in location for around 55% of the identified surfaces throughout the entire period. The vegetation indices registered higher values in the temperate region, due to the vegetation characteristics and the planning of the two cities. For the same reasons, the increase in vegetation density and quality, as a result of the distance from the city centre and the decrease in the density of built-up areas is more obvious in Athens. The proposed method provides valuable insights in the distribution and quality of small urban green areas at city level and can represent the ground basis for many analyses, currently limited by poor spatial resolution.

One characteristic of mammalian species is their capacity to produce and secrete milk from their mammary glands to feed and provide vital nutrients for the growth of their offspring. Even though mammary glands provide the same function in different species, their development, shape, and structure can vary according to their reproductive and ecological adaptations. Reproduction studies are important for cetacean conservation because they provide essential information to assess the dynamics of populations and species, particularly in relation to the management of animals under human care. A vast majority of literature on the female cetacean reproductive anatomy and physiology has focused on the ovaries, which can be used to infer life history characteristics, or genital diseases and anomalies. However, literature regarding the morphology, physiology, and developmental pattern of their mammary glands is scarce, with few anatomical and histological descriptions in species such as baleen whales; and more recently it has been assessed with the use of ultrasound in finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis). The aim of this review is to describe the current diagnostic tools applied in human and veterinary medicine to assess the mammary glands and how marine mammal medicine could benefit from these tools to evaluate the mammary glands in free-ranging and captive cetaceans. With the use of imaging techniques such as B-mode ultrasound, non-invasive studies could be performed to assess the mammary tissues, as what has been done to characterize the morphology of other organs in cetaceans, such as the reproductive tract of Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins under human care. By understanding and revising the current diagnostic tools to assess the mammary gland of humans and domestic animals, such as ultrasonography, it might be possible to determine which techniques could be applied by marine mammal veterinarians to enhance the evaluation of the cetacean mammary gland morphology and physiology.

The aim of this work is to study the phase transformations, microstructures and mechanical properties of the martensitic stainless steel (MSS) 410 deposits produced by laser powder-directed energy deposition (LP-DED) additive manufacturing. The LP-DED MSS 410 deposits underwent the post heat treatment in austenitizing at 980℃ for 3hrs and followed by different tempering treatment at the temperatures of 250, 600, and 750℃ for 5hrs, respectively. The analyses of phase transformations and microstructural evolutions of LP-DED MSS 410 were carried out using X-ray diffraction, SEM-EDS, and EBSD. Vickers hardness and tensile strength properties were also measured to analyze the effects of the different tempering heat treatments. It reveals that as-built MSS 410 has very fine lath martensite and high hardness of about 480HV1.0 and tensile strength of about 1280 MPa, but elongation was very lower than the post heat treated ones. Precipitations of chromium carbide (Cr23C6) were most commonly observed at the grain boundaries and the entire matrix at the tempering temperatures of 600℃ and 750℃. In general, the tensile strengths de-creased from 1381MPa to 688MPa as tempering temperatures increased up to 750℃ from 250℃. Additionally, as the tempering temperature increased, the chromium carbide and tempered mar-tensite structures became coarser.

Background/Objectives: Intervertebral disc degeneration is the most common cause of low back pain (LBP) and lumbosciatica is a major challenge to healthcare systems worldwide. For years, ozone therapy has been used with excellent results in intervertebral disc disease and in patients with LBP. In vitro studies have demonstrated the positive action of porcine collagen in extracellular matrix remodeling and homeostasis. These tissue changes, associated with LBP, may suggest an indication for combined ozone/collagen treatment in patients with LBP. However, no studies have been reported regarding this combination of treatments. Methods: The present work compared, retrospective data of two treatment groups (each of 10 LBP patients): A) Oxygen-Ozone Therapy (OOT) vs. B) OOT plus porcine collagen type 1 injections (COL I). Pain intensity and physiological function were assessed by the numerical rating scale (NSR) method. The Roland-Morrison questionnaire was used to assess disability. Patient data were acquired before, during and at six months of follow-up. Significant differences were assessed by ANOVA and T-Student test. Results: The analyses revealed significant statistical differences comparing the two arms, where, the OOT COL I treatment demonstrated a booster efficacy in pain, while the questionnaire revealed a reduction in disability. Conclusions: Therefore, this combination therapy might be a promising approach for the management of patients with LBP.

Salinity is a known factor which shapes population dynamics and community structure through direct and indirect effects towards aquatic ecosystems. The responses of Moina macrocopa (Cladocera) collected from Setiu Wetland lagoon (Terengganu) were evaluated through manipulative laboratory experiments to understand the ability of M. macrocopa to tolerate under high salinity stress. Specifically, the fatty acid composition, growth, survival and reproduction of this cladocerans species were examined. Sodium chloride (NaCl) were used in the treatments water with the concentration 0, 4, 6, 8, 12, and 15psu. Fatty acid levels were determined using Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrophotometry (GC-MS). Results clearly indicate that normal conditions give the highest content of fatty acid, especially the polyunsaturated fatty acid content like EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), ALA (alpha-linoleic acid), ARA (arachidonic acid) and DHA (docosahexaenoic acid). Furthermore, M. macrocopa survival also was best at 0psu, with percentage reached 98%, whereas the opposite occurred at 15psu, with approximately 9% of viable animals survived. On other aspects, M. macrocopa also showed the highest reproduction rate at 0psu (e.g. average initial age of reproduction, 4.33±0.58 days) compared with other salinities level. Interestingly, the difference in terms of growth at different salinities was unapparent, an unexpected outcome when adverse effects such as osmoregulation pressure on the organism are considered. Based on the results, we conclude that M. macrocopa can only tolerate salinity below 8psu and, is unable to withstand stressful environmental condition engendered with salinities above 8psu.

This paper analyzes the causal effect between domestic private investment, public investment, foreign direct investment and economic growth in Tanzania during the 1970-2014 period. The modified neo-classical growth model is used to estimate the ieffect of investment on economic growth. Also, the economic growth models based on Phetsavong and Ichihashi (2012) [1], and Le and Suruga (2005) [2]are used to estimate the crowding out effect of public investment on domestic private investment on one hand and foreign direct investment on the other hand. In the same way, the crowding out effect of foreign direct investment on domestic private investment is estimated. A correlation test is applied to check the correlation among independent variables, and the results show that there is very low correlation suggesting that multicollinearity is not a serious problem. Moreover, the diagnostic tests including RESET regression errors specification test, Breusch-Godfrey serial correlation LM test, Jacque-Bera-normality test and white heteroskedasticity test reveal that the model has no signs of misspecification and that, the residuals are serially uncorrelated, normally distributed and homoskedastic. Broadly, the empirical results show that the domestic private investment and foreign direct investment play an important role in economic growth in Tanzania. Besides, a revealed negative, albeit weak, association between public and private investment suggests that the positive effect of domestic private investment on economic growth becomes smaller when public investment-to-GDP ratio exceeds 8-10 percent. Similarly, foreign direct investment tends to marginally reduce the impact of domestic private investment on growth. These results suggest that public investment and foreign direct investment need to be considered carefully in order to avoid a reduced positive impact of domestic private investment on growth. Domestic saving may be promoted to encourage domestic investment for economic growth.

Propagation of human cytomegalovirus (CMV) in cultured cells results in genetic adaptations that confer improved growth in vitro and significant attenuation in vivo. Mutations in RL13 arise quickly during cell culture passage, while mutations in the UL128-131A locus emerge later during fibroblast passage and disrupt expression of a glycoprotein complex that is important for entry into epithelial and endothelial cells. As in vivo CMV replicates in the context of host antibodies, we reasoned that antibodies might mitigate the accumulation of adaptive mutations during cell culture passage. To test this, CMV in infant urine was used to infect replicate fibroblast cultures. One lineage was passaged in the absence of CMV-hyperimmuneglobulin (HIG) while the other was passaged with HIG in the culture medium. The former lost epithelial tropism and aquired mutations disrupting RL13 and UL131A expression, whereas the latter retained epithelial tropism and both gene loci remained intact after 22 passages. An epitheliotropic RL13+/ UL131A+ virus was isolated by limiting-dilution in the presence of HIG and expanded to produce a working stock sufficient to conduct cell tropism experiments. Thus, culture in the presence of antibodies may facilitate in vitro experiments using viruses that are genetically more authentic than has been previously possible.

The increasing frequency of urban flooding, driven by global climate change, poses significant threats to the safety and resilience of urban rail transit systems. This study systematically examines the cascading failure processes and resilience of these networks under flood conditions, with a specific focus on the Shanghai Metro. A comprehensive resilience evaluation model was developed by integrating geographic information, static network characteristics, and dynamic passenger flow indicators. This study employs an improved Coupled Map Lattice (CML) model to simulate cascading failures, considering the coupling effects of station centrality, geographic elevation, and passenger flow dynamics. Results indicate that stations with higher degree centrality are more likely to trigger rapid cascading failures across the network. However, incorporating dynamic passenger flow and geographic elevation data helps mitigate these effects, emphasizing the need for multi-dimensional resilience strategies. The findings provide valuable insights for urban transit management, offering a scientific foundation for developing targeted disaster response strategies to enhance network resilience against floods. This study advances the understanding of the vulnerability of urban rail transit systems and offers practical guidance for improving disaster preparedness in urban transportation infrastructure.

This study assessed vaccination coverage and associated factors among children aged 12-23 months in the pastoralist Ethiopia. It was conducted in three woredas of the Afar region using a community-based cross-sectional mixed methods design with quantitative and qualitative methods. A total of 413 mothers with children aged 12-23 months participated in the quantitative study via a simple random sampling technique. Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with vaccination, and thematic analysis techniques were used for qualitative data. The percentage of patients who received full vaccination was 25%. Based on vaccination card observations, the dropout rate from Pentavalent-1 to Pentavalent-3 was found to be 2.9%. Logistic regression analysis revealed significant associations between mothers and caretakers with formal education, those who owned mobile phones, had antenatal care (ANC) visits and birthed at a health faciltiy with full vacination. The overall proportion of full immunization is lower than the target set by the World Health Organization (WHO). The findings suggest that programs and policy makers should prioritize improving access and enrolment of women and caretakers, promoting mobile phone ownership, and encouraging ANC visits, and promotion of health facility deliveries, as these are are associated with higher rates of immunization

Institutionalized older adults often face complex medication regimens, increasing their risk of adverse drug events due to polypharmacy, overprescribing, medication interactions or the use of Potentially Inappropriate Medications (PIM). However, data on medication use and associated risks in this population remain scarce. This pilot study aimed to characterize the sociodemographic, clinical and pharmacotherapeutic profiles and the use of PIM among institutionalized elders residing in Residential Structures for Elderly People (ERPI) in the Faro municipality, located in the Portuguese region of the Algarve. We conducted a cross-sectional study in a non-randomized sample of 96 participants (mean age: 86.6 ±7.86 years) where trained researchers reviewed medication profiles and identified potentially inappropriate medications using the EU(7)-PIM list. Over 90% of participants exhibited polypharmacy (≥5 medications), with an average of 9.1 ± 4.15 medications per person. About 92% had potential drug interactions, including major and moderate interactions. More than 86% used at least one potentially inappropriate medication, most commonly central nervous system drugs. This pilot study demonstrates that institutionalized older adults may be at high risk of potential medication-related problems. Implementing comprehensive medication review programs and promoting adapted prescribing practices are crucial to optimize medication use and improve the well-being of this vulnerable population.

In this study, we provide the Lie symmetries and a classification of plane symmetric static space-times. Based on the invariance of the Lagrange equations of plane symmetries static space-time systems under the transformation Lie group, we provide the Lie symmetry determination equation, Lie symmetry theorem, and the conserved quantity of the systems; by utilizing the Lie symmetry method to solute the system, we give complete classification of the plane symmetric static space-times systems. The research results indicate that using the Lie symmetry method to study plane symmetric static spacetime can identify a series of conserved quantities that exist in the system; Discovered 5 basic Lie symmetries in the system; When the metric parameters of the system are appropriately selected, the plane symmetric static spacetime can have 6, 7, 8, 9, 11, and 17 Lie symmetric symmetries and conserved quantities.

In this study, the complex interactions between the well-known Mittag-Leffler functions with two, three, and four parameters are explored. We first study the integral forms of the Mittag-Leffler function $\mathsf{E}_{\alpha, \beta}^{\rho,\kappa}(z)$ with the goal of clarifying its mathematical behaviours and features. Moreover, we create relations between these functions and generalised hypergeometric functions and Fox-Wright functions, expanding the range of their use and comprehension. We explore a number of unique situations by in-depth examination, providing insight into the subtle characteristics of these functions. This investigation advances our theoretical knowledge and opens up possibilities for future applications in a number of scientific fields. As such, this study adds to the current conversation in mathematical analysis and is an important tool for both practitioners and researchers.

Background: Health expenditure in Japan is rising due to an ageing society while simultaneously pressure is mounting to increase spending in other areas such as defense, all in the context of a stagnating economy. Easing pressures on the health care sector through smoking-related cost reductions could thus be a cornerstone to mitigate the looming fiscal threat. Public health policy has encouraged cessation, but this approach has seen limited success. Focusing on cessation alone therefore may not be a sustainable policy strategy and other, new solutions need to be found to reduce smoking-related costs. Methods: Using a status-quo simulation based on hospital resources data derived from the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, we examine the impact of heated tobacco products (HTPs) on the prevalence of four smoking attributable diseases (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), ischemic heart disease (IHD), stroke and lung cancer) and related direct health care costs. Base case scenario assumes a switching rate from combustible smokers to HTPs of 50%. A risk reduction rate of 70% was applied. A sensitivity analysis was performed to determine the impact of parameter changes on output. Results: Our results indicate that 50% of smokers switching to use HTPs instead of combustible tobacco products could reduce the number of patients of the four smoking attributable diseases considered by 12 million cases equivalent to 454 billion JPY in savings. Prefectures located in the north and south of Japan would benefit most. Conclusion: Considering the heterogeneous prevalence rates across population groups and prefectures, a one-size-fits-all, centralized approach to tobacco control is not effective. Health authorities should strategically use multiple interventions to address smoking related health risks and costs. Switching to HTPs should be encouraged in parallel to smoking cessation, and educational efforts should aim to increase the awareness on health risks, especially among younger people.

A supply chain management (SCM) system is a strategic cooperative that organically integrates all supply chains to improve the performance of a company. The greatest critical success factor of SCM is partnership. Without cooperation between companies, SCM performance is limited. Does this imply, therefore, that companies within the supply chain can achieve mutual transactions equally? If the power between companies is unequal, how does this affect their partnership? The focus of this study is to assess whether power types enhance SCM performance through partnerships. We categorize power types as mediated and non-mediated. Mediated power is categorized based on coercion, reward, and legitimate, while non-mediated power is categorized based on information, expert, and reference. Therefore, this study examines how power types form a causal partnership relationship within the supply chain, and performs an empirical investigation on how the partnerships influence SCM performance.

Evidence of the efficacy and safety of colorectal stent placement for palliation remains insufficient. This single-arm, prospective, multicenter study with WallFlex enteral colonic stent included 200 consecutive patients with malignant large bowl obstruction in the palliation cohort. The technical and clinical success, as well as stent patency and complications as short-term (≤ 7 days) and long-term (&gt; 7days) outcomes, of high axial force self-expandable metal stent (SEMS) placement was evaluated. The technical and clinical success rates were 98.5% and 94.5%, respectively. Non recurrent colorectal obstruction at 1 year was 63.9%, and 71.2% of the patients remained free of recurrent colorectal obstruction until death or the last follow-up. Fifty-six patients (28.0 %) received chemotherapy and five patients were administered bevacizumab after stent placement. The overall complication rate was 47%, including four (2.0%) early-onset and ten (5.0%) late-onset perforations, mostly due to stent-edge injury. Only the use of a long SEMS was a risk factor for perforation. In conclusion, endoscopic colorectal stenting using high axial force SEMS is an effective and safe procedure for palliation in patients with malignant colorectal obstruction. However, care should be taken to avoid perforation at the stent edge when using a long SEMS.