This paper studies a multihop amplify-and-forward (AF) simultaneous wireless information and power transfer (SWIPT) relaying system. Each relaying node harvests energy using power splitting (PS) scheme from a part of its received signal to amplify and forward the rest the received signal to the next relay. Based on this system model and signal flow, we derived and solved the convex energy minimization problem with optimal PS ratio. The influence of processing cost was then investigated for the AF-SWIPT system with the decode-and-forward SWIPT as benchmark, where AF-SWIPT was found to be superior.

Trehalose is a non-reducing disaccharide and participates in physiological activities such as or-gan formation, energy metabolism, and stress resistance of insects. In the present study, phylo-genetic analysis divided 21 Bmtret1 orthologs into three clades. These genes are equally distrib-uted on the nine chromosomes. Cis-elements in the promoter regions of Bmtret1s indicated the possible function of Bmtret1s in response to hormones and environmental stimulus. The qPCR analysis showed the significantly different expression levels of Bmtret1s in different tissues and organs, indicating possible functional divergence. In addition, most Bmtret1s showed disturbed expression levels in response to BmNPV stresses. Our results provide a foundation for further functional dissection of Tret1s in Bombyx mori and implicate them as potential regulators for an-tiviral responses.

Reducing meat consumption is better for the environment. Unfortunately, commercial plant-based meat substitutes are often more expensive than meat and thus have not seen widespread adoption. This paper analyzes commercially-available spirulina, soy, pea, and brown rice protein isolates characteristics to provide data for non-meat protein cost reductions. Thermal and rheological properties, viscosity, density, and particle size distribution are analyzed for further study on alternative protein-based food processing. Differential scanning calorimetry analysis produced dry amorphous-shaped curves and paste curves with a more distinct endothermic peak. Extracted linear temperature ranges for processing in food production for spirulina was 70-90ºC; soy protein was 87-116ºC; pea protein was 67-77ºC; and brown rice protein was 87-97ºC. Viscosity analysis determined each protein material was shear-thinning and that viscosity increased with decreased water concentration, with rice being an exception to the latter trend. The obtained viscosity range for spirulina was 15,100-78,000cP; soy protein was 3,200-80,000cP; pea protein was 1,400-32,700cP; and brown rice protein was 600-3,500cP. The results indicate that extrusion is a viable method for further processing of the protein isolates as this technique has a large temperature operating range and variable screw speed. Data provided here can be used to make single or multi-component protein substitutes.

Osteoporosis, often linked to increased osteoclast activity due to menopause or aging, was the focus. In this study, the inhibitory effects of Salicornia europaea L. (SE) water extract of desalted SE (WSE) were investigated on osteoclast differentiation and bone loss in ovariectomized mice. The findings revealed that WSE effectively inhibited RANKL-induced osteoclast differentiation, as evidenced by TRAP staining, and also suppressed bone resorption and F-actin ring formation in a dose-dependent manner. Gene expressions related to osteoclast differentiation, including NFATc1, TRAP, cathepsin K, and DC-STAMP, were downregulated by WSE. Oral administration of WSE improved bone density and structural parameters in ovariectomized mice. Dicaffeoyl quinic acids (DCQAs) and saponins in WSE were detected, with 3,4-, 3,5-, and 4,5-DCQA isolated and identified. All tested DCQAs, including the aforementioned types, inhibited osteoclast differentiation, bone resorption, and the expression of osteoclast-related genes. Furthermore, WSE and DCQAs reduced ROS production mediated by RANKL. These results indicate the potential of WSE and its components, DCQA, as preventive or therapeutic agents against osteoporosis and related conditions.

.Celiac disease (CeD) is a chronic, autoimmune disorder triggered by the ingestion of gluten, affecting around 1% of the global population. It is a multifactorial disease involving both genetics and environ-mental factors. Nowadays, the only available treatment for CeD is a life-long gluten-free diet (GFD), which can cause a significant burden for patients, since symptoms and mucosal injury can persist de-spite apparent compliance with a GFD. That could also lead to psychological consequences and affect the quality of life of these patients. Thankfully, recent advances in understanding the pathogenesis of CeD and the availability of various targets have made it feasible to explore pharmaceutical treatments specific to CeD. Recently, the FDA has highlighted the unmet needs of adult patients on GFD who expe-rience ongoing symptoms attributed to CeD and also show persistent duodenal villous atrophy. This re-view will outline the limitations of a GFD, describe the targets of potential novel treatment of CeD and provide an overview of the primary clinical trials involving oral and injectable agents for a non-dietary treatment of CeD.

Intrauterine adhesions (IUA) has become one of the main causes of female infertility, how to effectively prevent postoperative re-adhesion has been a clinical challenge. In this study, a mussel-inspired dual-network hydrogel was proposed for postoperative anti-adhesion of IUA. First, calcium alginate/polyacrylamide (CA-PAM) hydrogel was prepared by covalent and Ca2+ cross-linking. Benefiting from abundant phenolic hydroxyl groups, polydopamine (PDA) was introduced to further enhance the adhesion ability and biocompatibility. This CA-PAM hydrogel immersed in 10 mg/mL dopamine solution possessed remarkable mechanical strength (elastic modulus > 5 kPa) and super stretchability (with a breaking elongation of 720%). At the same time, it shown excellent adhesion more than 6 kPa. Surprisingly, the coagulation index of the hydrogel was 27.27 ± 4.91, demonstrating attractive coagulation performance in vitro and the potential for rapid hemostasis after surgery.

(1) Background: Spontaneous isolated intramural hematoma of the superior mesenteric artery (SIHSMA) is a rare entity often considered as a subset of spontaneous isolated dissection of the superior mesenteric artery (SIDSMA). It is characterized by a completely thrombosed false lumen with or without ulcer-like projection with computed tomography (CT) imaging. The recent literature describes few reports with a relatively short-term follow-up. The natural course, prognosis, and treatment options for SIHSMA still lack consensus. We present two cases of acute abdominal pain in a young man due to IMH of the superior mesenteric artery with an extensive literature review. (2) Case report: A 46-year-old male patient was submitted to an urgent CTA for acute abdominal pain, showing the presence of an isolated dissection of the superior mesenteric artery, determining significant stenosis of the vessel with collateral vessel patency. The patient referred to a recent COVID-19 infection, whose course was paucisymptomatic. He was treated conservatively with antiplatelet therapy and corticosteroid treatments, and, after a few days, the symptomatology completely regressed; also, 2-month- control CTA showed the complete IMH regression and the absence of any signs of residual stenosis. The second patient is a 61-year-old male patient who was submitted to an urgent CTA for acute abdominal pain, showing the presence of an isolated dissection of the superior mesenteric artery, not determining significant vessel stenosis. He was treated conservatively with antiplatelet therapy and corticosteroid treatment, and after a few days, the symptomatology completely regressed, and the radiological control showed a complete dissection regression. (3) Conclusion: SISHSMA is a rare entity of vascular pathology, and conservative management represents the best medical strategy. We propose corticosteroid treatment as one of the most appropriate tools in the conservative treatment of SISHSMA.

We establish a new Gagliardo-Nirenberg inequality characterized by radial symmetry and involving potentials exhibiting pure power polynomial behaviour. As an application of our result, we investigate the existence of extremals for this inequality, which also correspond to stationary solutions for the nonlinear Schrödinger equation with inhomogeneous nonlinearity, competing with Hs-subcritical nonlinearities, either of local or non-local nature.

This study investigated the influence of nutrient inputs and their timing on saffron yield and quality. The study was conducted from 2016 to 2020 and involved the application of eight different fertilization treatments at various stages of saffron growth. These treatments included single doses in Autumn (A), Winter (W), and Spring (S); double doses in Winter-Spring (AW), Autumn-Spring (AS), and Winter-Spring (WS); and a triple dose in Autumn-Winter-Spring (AWS). A control group (C) received no fertilizer. A compound fertilizer with a 15-15-15 composition was applied across all treatments, with nitrogen (N) rates of 67.5 kg/ha for single doses (A, W, S), 135 kg/ha for double doses (AWF, ASF, WSF), and 202.5 kg/ha for the triple dose (AWSF). Similar rates were applied for phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The findings demonstrated that fertilization generally enhanced saffron attributes. The triple dose treatment yielded the most effective results. The timing of fertilization also played a crucial role, as split applications during different growth stages led to higher production especially winter fertilization. However, spring fertilization had limited impact due to decreased plant activity and reduced nutrient absorption during that period. Although the yield increased, the qualitative aspects of saffron, including color (crocin), taste (picrocrocin), and aroma (safranal), were not significantly influenced by the fertilization treatments. Nevertheless, these attributes remained within the natural limits defined by ISO-3632, indicating that fertilization practices did not compromise saffron quality. Our study highlights the significance of nutrient inputs and their timing in optimizing saffron yield. It provides valuable insights for developing efficient fertilization programs to enhance saffron production while preserving its quality characteristics.

Background: This study delves into the examination of racial and ethnic disparities in the distribution of the Monkeypox (MPOX) virus vaccine within the United States, offering a critical healthcare perspective on an emerging public health concern. It particularly focuses on the demographic patterns associated with MPOX transmission and the allocation of vaccines. Methods: A comprehensive analysis was conducted, drawing on a wide array of data sources to understand the vaccine distribution and demographic trends in the United States. The study scrutinized three main aspects: MPOX cases by race and ethnicity, vaccine administration across different racial and gender categories, and the potential disparities therein. Results: The findings reveal significant disparities in the distribution of vaccine doses, with males, particularly gay, bisexual, and other Men who have sex with men (MSM), receiving the majority of doses. Moreover, substantial variations in MPOX cases are observed among different racial and ethnic groups, emphasizing the need for culturally sensitive public health strategies. Conclusions: The study underscores the urgent need for targeted public health interventions to address disparities and safeguard the well-being of those at higher risk, particularly MSM. It highlights the importance of equity in vaccine distribution and culturally sensitive approaches, and serves as a foundation for shaping effective public health policies and strategies to mitigate the spread of MPOX. This research advances our understanding of healthcare disparities in the context of an emerging viral infection, providing valuable insights for future public health initiatives.

The HSP70 and HSP90 family members belong to molecular chaperones that exhibit protective functions during the cellular response to stressful agents. We investigated whether the exposure of rats to chronic mild stress (CMS), a validated model of depression, affects the expression of HSP70 and HSP90 in the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hippocampus (HIP) and thalamus (Thal). Male Wistar rats were exposed to CMS for 3 or 8 weeks. The antidepressant imipramine (IMI, 10 mg/kg, i.p., daily) was introduced in the last five weeks of the long-term CMS procedure. Depressive-like behavior was verified by the sucrose consumption test. The expression of mRNA and protein was quantified by real-time PCR and Western blot, respectively. In the 8-week CMS model, stress alone elevated HSP72 and HSP90B mRNA expression in the HIP. HSP72 mRNA was increased in the PFC and HIP of rats not responding to IMI treatment vs. IMI responders. The CMS exposure increased HSP72 protein expression in the cytosolic fraction of the PFC and HIP, and this effect was diminished by IMI treatment. Our results suggest that elevated levels of HSP72 may serve as an important indicator of neuronal stress reactions accompanying depression pathology and could be a potential target for antidepressant strategy.

There is currently no cure for HIV infection although adherence to effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) suppresses replication of the virus in blood, increases CD4+ T-cell counts, reverses immunodeficiency, and increases life expectancy. Despite these substantial advances, ART is a lifelong treatment for people with HIV (PWH) and upon cessation or interruption, the virus quickly rebounds in plasma and anatomic sites including the central nervous system (CNS), resulting in disease progression. With recent advances in quantifying viral burden, detection of genetically intact viral genomes, and isolation of replication-competent virus from brain tissues of PWH receiving ART, it has become apparent that the CNS viral reservoir (largely comprised of macrophage type cells) poses a substantial challenge for HIV cure strategies. Other obstacles impacting the cure of HIV include ageing populations, substance use, comorbidities, limited antiretroviral drug efficacy in CNS cells and ART-associated neurotoxicity. Herein, we review recent findings including studies of the proviral integration sites, reservoir decay rates, and new treatment/prevention strategies in the context of the CNS, together with highlighting the next steps for investigations of the CNS as a viral reservoir.

Multispectral image (MSI) and hyperspectral image (HSI) fusion (MHIF) aims to address the challenge of acquiring high-resolution (HR) HSI images. This field combines a low-resolution (LR) HSI with an HR-MSI to reconstruct HR-HSI. Existing methods directly utilize transformers to perform feature extraction and fusion. Despite the demonstrated success, there exist two limitations: 1) Employing the entire transformer model for feature extraction and fusion fails to fully harness the transformer’s potential in integrating the spectral of the HSI and spatial information of the MSI. 2) HSI has a strong spectral correlation and exhibits sparsity in the spatial domain. Existing transformer-based models do not optimize this physical property, which makes their methods prone to spectral distortion. To accomplish these issues, this paper introduces a novel framework for MHIF called Sparse Mix-Attention Transformer (SAMformer). Specifically, to fully harness the advantages of the Transformer architecture, we propose a Spectral Mix Attention Block (SMAB), which concatenates the keys and values extracted from LR-HSI and HR-MSI to create a new multi-head attention module. This design facilitates the extraction of detailed long-range information across spatial and spectral dimensions. Besides, to address the spatial sparsity inherent in HSI, we incorporated a sparse mechanism within the core of SMAB called Sparse Spectral Mix Attention Block (SSMAB). In the SSMAB, we compute attention maps from queries and keys and select the K highly correlated values as the sparse attention map. This approach enables us to achieve a sparse representation of spatial information while eliminating spatially disruptive noise. Extensive experiments conducted on three benchmark datasets, namely Cave, Harvard, and Pavia Center, demonstrate the SMAformer method outperforms state-of-the-art methods.

In this work, backscattering signatures of snow-covered lake ice and sea ice from X- and Ku-band synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data are investigated. The SAR data were acquired with the ESA airborne SnowSAR sensor in winter 2012 over Lake Orajärvi in northern Finland and over landfast ice in the Bay of Bothnia of the Baltic Sea. Co-incident with the SnowSAR acquisitions in-situ snow and ice data were measured. In addition, time series of TerraSAR-X images and ice mass balance buoy data were acquired for the Lake Orajärvi in 2011-12. The main objective of our study was to investigate relationships between SAR backscattering signatures and snow depth over lake and sea ice, with the ultimate objective of assessing the feasibility of retrieval of snow characteristics using X- and Ku-band dual-polarisation (VV and VH) SAR over freshwater or sea ice. This study constitutes the first comprehensive survey of snow backscattering signatures at these two combined frequencies over both lake and sea ice. For lake ice, we show that X-band VH-polarized backscattering coefficient (σo) and the Ku-band VV/VH-ratio exhibited the highest sensitivity to the snow depth. For sea ice, the highest sensitivity to the snow depth was found from the Ku-band VV-polarised σo and the Ku-band VV/VH-ratio. However, the observed relations were relatively weak, indicating that at least for the prevailing snow conditions, obtaining reliable estimates of snow depth over lake and sea ice would be challenging using only X- and Ku-band backscattering information.

Escherichia coli causes several infections like intestinal diarrhea, urinary tract infections, and pneumonia, which are difficult to treat due to the emergence of antimicrobial resistance. The World Health Organisation (WHO) declared carbapenem-resistant E. coli a critical pathogen and called for the development of new antimicrobial agents. Phage therapy, a century-old technique, has been revitalised recently with many successful applications against multi-drug resistant infections. As such, phage therapy is considered one of the most effective alternatives or adjuvants to antibiotics and is also effective in treating multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacterial infections. However, few phages that can kill pathogenic E. coli strains from Southeast Asia have been studied at a molecular level, although the burden of MDR, particularly carbapenem resistance, is high in this region. In this study, three closely related obligately virulent Escherichia phages (øEc_Makalu_001, øEc_Makalu_002, and øEc_Makalu_003) that could infect uropathogenic E. coli were isolated from sewage samples and characterized using morphological as well as sequence-based analysis. Further, a comparative genomic and phylogenetic analysis was done to predict the functional genes and evolutionary relationships. Electron microscopy and genome-based classification revealed that all three phages belonged Krischvirus genus of Straboviridae family. One-step growth curve showed that the latent period of the phages ranged from 15-20 min, the outbreak period was about 50 min, and the burst size ranged between 74-127 PFU/bacterium. Moreover, the phages could tolerate a pH range of 6 to 9 and a temperature range of 25-37°C for up to 180 minutes without significant loss of phage viability. Spotting the purified phages in different clinical isolates showed a broad host-range of isolated Escherichia phages and could lyse up to 30% of the tested pathogenic clinical isolates, including an intra-genus isolate of Klebsiella pneumoniae. The genome organization of all three phages was almost identical and similar to T4-like phage with a full-length genome of ~163 kb. Around 284 coding sequences (CDS) were predicted in each phage, of which only 40% were functional with an average gene length of 951 bp. The coding density in all phages was approximately 95%, while the gene density was 1.73 gene/kbp. Putative lysin, holin, endolysin, and spanin genes were found in the genomes of all three phages, resembling that of T4-like phages implying their phylogenetic relatedness. Furthermore, various in silico sequence analysis tools confirmed that all three phages were strictly virulent with functional lysis modules but devoid of any known virulence or toxin genes, integron-associated genes and antimicrobial-resistance (AMR) genes. In summary, pre-clinical experimental analysis and exploration of genomic features suggest that all three phages may be suitable candidates for therapeutic applications against uropathogenic E. coli.

Accurate weight measurement is pivotal for monitoring the growth and well-being of cattle. However, the conventional weighing process, which involves physically placing cattle on scales, is labor-intensive and distressing for the animals. Hence, the development of automated cattle weight prediction techniques assumes critical significance. This study proposes a weight prediction approach for Korean cattle using 3D segmentation-based feature extraction and regression machine learning techniques from incomplete 3D shapes acquired from real farm environments. In the initial phase, we generated mesh data of 3D Korean cattle shapes using a multiple-camera system. Subsequently, deep learning-based 3D segmentation with the PointNet network model was employed to segment two dominant parts of the cattle. From these segmented parts, three crucial dimensions of Korean cattle were extracted. Finally, we implemented five regression machine learning models (CatBoost regression, LightGBM, Polynomial regression, Random Forest regression, and XGBoost regression) for weight prediction. To validate our approach, we captured 270 Korean cattle in various poses, totaling 1190 poses of 270 cattle. The best result was achieved with mean absolute error (MAE) of 25.2 kg and mean absolute percent error (MAPE) of 5.81% using the random forest regression model.

This work presents the synthesis and self-organization of the calamitic fluorinated mesogen, 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-2-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-4-iodobutoxy)ethanesulfonic acid, a potential model for perfluorosulfonic acid membranes (PFSA). The compound is derived in three steps from 1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-2-(1,1,2,2-tetrafluoro-2-iodoethoxy)ethanesulfonyl fluoride, achieving an 78% overall yield. The resulting compound exhibits intricate thermal behavior. At 150 °C, a crystal-to-crystal transition is observed due to the partial disordering of calamitic molecules, which is followed by isotropization at 218 °C. Upon cooling, sample ordering occurs through the formation of large smectic liquid crystalline phase domains. This thermotropic state transforms into a layered crystal phase at lower temperatures, characterized by alternating hydrophilic and hydrophobic layers. Using X-ray diffraction, crystalline unit cell models at both room temperature and 170 °C were proposed. Computer simulations of the molecule across varying temperatures support the idea that thermal transitions correlate with a loss of molecular orientation. Importantly, the study underscores the pivotal role of precursor self-organization in aligning channels during membrane fabrication, ensuring controlled and oriented positioning.

This paper presents a new low-voltage versatile mixed-mode filter which uses a multi-ple-input/output differential difference transconductance amplifier (MIMO-DDTA). The multi-ple-input of the DDTA is realized using a multiple-input bulk-driven MOS transistor (MI-BD-MOST) technique to maintain a single differential pair, thereby achieving simple structure with minimal power consumption. In a single topology, the proposed filter can provide five standard filtering functions (low-pass, high-pass, band-pass, band-stop, and all-pass) in four modes: voltage (VM), current (CM), transadmittance (TAM), and transimpedance (TIM). This provides the full capability of a mixed mode filter (i.e., twenty filter functions). Moreover, the VM filter offers high-input and low-output impedances and the CM filter offers high-output impedance; therefore, no buffer circuit is needed. The natural frequency of all filtering functions can be electronically controlled by a setting current. The voltage supply is 0.5 V and for a 4 nA setting current, the power consumption of the filter was 281 nW. The filter is suitable for low-frequency biomedical and sensor applications that require extremely low supply voltages and nano-watt power consumption. For the VM low-pass filter, the dynamic range was 58.23 dB @ 1 % total harmonic distortion. The proposed filter was designed and simulated in the Cadence Virtuoso System Design Platform using the 0.18 µm TSMC CMOS technology.

In different fields in our life, like physics, coding theory and computer science, graph labeling dramas an vital role and appears in many applications. A labeling of a graph is a map which assign each element in with a positive integer number. An edge irregular total -labeling is a function such that where and are weights for any two distinct edges. In this case, has total edge irregularity strength (TEIS) if is minimum. In our paper, we defined a new type of graphs called a triple star snake graph and star snake graph . Also, we investigated TEIS for a triple star snake graph . After that, we generalized the results for star snake graph .

Recent research has unveiled intriguing insights suggesting that the body's immune system may be implicated in Parkinson's disease (PD) development. Studies have observed disparities in pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory markers between PD patients and healthy individuals. This finding underscores the potential influence of immune system dysfunction in the genesis of this condition. A dysfunctional immune system can serve as a primary catalyst for systemic in-flammation in the body, which may contribute to the emergence of various brain disorders. The identification of several genes associated with PD, as well as their connection to neuroinflamma-tion, raises the likelihood of disease susceptibility. Moreover, advancing age and mitochondrial dysfunction can weaken the immune system, potentially implicating them in the onset of the dis-ease, particularly among older individuals. Compromised integrity of the blood-brain barrier could facilitate the immune system's access to brain tissue. This exposure may lead to encounters with native antigens or infections, potentially triggering an autoimmune response. Furthermore, there is mounting evidence supporting the notion that gut dysbiosis might represent an initial trigger for brain inflammation, ultimately promoting neurodegeneration. In this comprehensive review, we will delve into the numerous hypotheses surrounding the role of both innate and adaptive immunity in PD.

Auckland Island pigs represent an inbred population of feral pigs isolated on the subantarctic island for over 100 years. The animals have been maintained under pathogen-free conditions in New Zealand, they are well characterized virologically and have been used as donor sources in first clinical trials of porcine neonatal islet cell transplantation for the treatment of human diabetes patients. The animals do not carry any of the xenotransplantation-relevant viruses and in the first clinical trials no porcine viruses including porcine endogenous retroviruses (PERVs) have been transmitted to the human recipients. PERVs pose a special risk in xenotransplantation since they are part of the pig genome. When the copy number of PERVs in these animals was analyzed using droplet digital PCR and primers binding to a conserved region of the polymerase gene (PERVpol), a copy number typical for Western pigs was found, confirming previous phylogenetic analyses of microsatellites and mitochondrial analyses showing a closer relationship to European pigs than to Chinese pigs. When kidney cells from very young piglets were analyzed, only around 20 PERVpol copies were detected. Using these cells as donors in somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), animals were born showing a PERVpol copy numbers between 35 and 56. This data indicates that Auckland Is-land pigs have a similar copy number in comparison with other Western pig breeds and that the copy number is higher in adult animals compared with cells from young piglets. Most im-portantly, PERV-C free animals were selected and the absence of additional eight porcine viruses was demonstrated.

The decline in assisted reproductive technology (ART) success among older women, attributed to decreased oocyte quantity and quality, poses a significant challenge. Currently, no consensus ex-ists on the optimal ovarian stimulation protocol for older women undergoing IVF. This retrospec-tive registered cohort study aimed to compare cumulative live birth rates (CLBR), time to live birth (TTLB), and cost-effectiveness in women over 35 years using gonadotropin-releasing hor-mone agonist (GnRHa) or clomiphene-primed ovarian stimulation (CPOS). We performed pro-pensity score matching (PSM) on 2,871 IVF cycles in women over 35 who received either GnRHa or CPOS protocols, resulting in 375 cycles in each group to compare treatment outcomes. Addition-ally, a decision tree model was utilized to assess the cost-effectiveness of the two protocols. Fol-lowing PSM, both groups showed similar baseline characteristics. The CPOS protocol exhibited a higher cycle cancellation rate (13.07% vs 8.00%, p=0.032), yet maintained comparable fertilization and embryo quality. While CLBRs per initial cycle (41.07% vs. 45.33%, p=0.269) and delivery out-comes were similar between the groups after a 24-month follow-up, TTLB was longer in the CPOS group. Notably, the average cost per live birth in the CPOS group was 21.27% less than that in the GnRHa group (￥32,301.42 vs ￥39,174.22). In conclusion, for women over 35 undergoing IVF, the CPOS protocol demonstrated similar CLBR to GnRHa but with lower costs, suggesting its potential as a viable and cost-efficient ovarian stimulation option.

Monoclonal antibody (mAb) therapy has revolutionized the treatment of various diseases, including cancer and autoimmune disorders. However, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants, as well as other pathogenic variants, poses challenges in maintaining the therapeutic efficacy of mAbs. In this mini review article, we aim to explore the strategies to overcome variants resistance in mAb therapy against viral infections. Firstly, we discuss the mechanisms through which variants can evade the neutralizing effects of mAbs. Understanding these mechanisms is crucial in developing targeted approaches to combat resistance. Next, we delve into the strategies being pursued to address variants resistance. These include developing new mAbs or antibody cocktails that target multiple epitopes, engineering mAbs with improved binding affinities or enhanced neutralizing capabilities, and exploring alternative therapeutic modalities such as bispecific antibodies or antibody-drug conjugates. Furthermore, we highlight the role of computational modeling and artificial intelligence in predicting variant escape mutations and aiding in the design of more effective mAbs. Additionally, we examine the importance of continuous surveillance and monitoring of emerging variants to inform treatment strategies. This article emphasizes the urgent need for proactive approaches to tackle variants resistance in mAb therapy. By combining innovative design strategies, computational modeling, and vigilant surveillance, we can maintain the therapeutic effectiveness of mAbs and stay ahead in the battle against evolving pathogens and viral infections.

The Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturing Network coordinated a multi-laboratory study funded by the US National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals to assess the performance of the Pertussis Serological Potency Test (PSPT) in the laboratories of seven whole-cell pertussis vaccine (wP) manufacturers and three National Control Laboratories based in Southeast Asian countries. To this end, common protocols for the immunization of mice and serological testing by ELISA were shared with all laboratories. Each laboratory used their own wP vaccines and the reference vaccine routinely used in the regulatory required mouse protection test (MPT) and assayed the products both in the MPT and PSPT. Whereas in all laboratories the PSPT showed decreased serum IgG levels after immunization with sub-potent compared to potent final batches, some issues were encountered during execution of the assay, which prevented drawing of definitive conclusions on assay performance. Nevertheless, the study provided the participants with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the PSPT protocols and revealed the next steps to be addressed for implementation of the method.

This research investigates the implementation of complex exponential-based neurons in FPGA, which can pave the way for implementing bio-inspired spiking neural networks to compensate for the existing computational constraints in conventional artificial neural networks. The increasing use of extensive neural networks and the complexity of models in handling big data lead to higher power consumption and delays. Hence, finding solutions to reduce computational complexity is crucial for addressing power consumption challenges. The complex exponential form effectively encodes oscillating features like frequency, amplitude, and phase shift, streamlining the demanding calculations typical of conventional artificial neurons through levering simple phase addition of complex exponential functions. The article implements such a two-neuron and a multi-neuron neural model using Xilinx system generator and Vivado design suite, employing 8-bit, 16-bit, and 32-bit fixed-point data format representations. The study evaluates the accuracy of the proposed neuron model across different FPGA implementations while also providing a detailed analysis of operating frequency, power consumption, and resource usage for the hardware implementations. BRAM-based Vivado designs outperformed Simulink regarding speed, power, and resource efficiency. Specifically, the Vivado BRAM-based approach supported up to 128 neurons, showcasing optimal LUT and FF resource utilization. Such outcomes accommodate choosing the optimal design procedure for implementing spiking neural networks on FPGAs.

The concept of supply chain leadership strategy has garnered increasing interest from policymakers and experts, because it is among the most dependable practices to sustainable innovation and competitiveness for large firms across developing economies. Effective implementation of supply chain leadership strategic actions at each level in the company can create sustainable innovative and competitiveness. The study collected statistical data using an online Survey- Monkey questionnaire from 46 of top 100 JSE-listed companies with the intention to discover supply chain leadership strategic actions that drive sustainable innovation and competitiveness in the company. The findings expose a significant empirical insight for companies to understand and leverage supply chain leadership strategic actions to influence sustainable innovative position in a developing economy. These results suggest that firms operating within emerging markets should embrace and acknowledge the importance of sustainable innovation in business practices in the provision of goods and services. This study therefore delivers major contributions to the literature to assist in planning sustainable innovation and supply chain practices in a developing economy to survive in a competitive global environment. The paper also offers a vigorous awareness and knowledge of the common characteristics and strategies for supply chain management that needs to be prioritized by the JSE-listed companies.

Poa crymophila is a perennial, cold-tolerant, native grass species, widely distributed to the Qing-hai-Tibet Plateau. However, the molecular mechanism behind the cold stress tolerance and role of key regulatory genes and pathways of P. crymophila are poorly understood yet. Therefore, the present study investigated the physiological and transcriptome responses of P. crymophila’s roots, stems, and leaves under cold stress to explore the molecular mechanism of cold tolerance. Results of the present study suggested that cold stress significantly changed the physiologic characteristics of roots, stems, and leaves of P. crymophila. In addition, the transcriptome results showed that 4434, 8793, and 14942 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified in roots, stems, and leaves, respectively; however, 464 DEGs were commonly identified in these three tissues. The Gene On-tology (GO) results showed that a large numbers of DEGs were significantly enriched in the pho-tosynthetic related categories in leaves. In addition, the “response to stimulus” category was sig-nificantly enriched in roots and stems. The Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) results showed that DEGs involved in “phenylpropanoid biosynthesis” were significantly enriched in roots, “photosynthesis” and “circadian rhythm-plant” pathways significantly enriched in stems and leaves, starch and sucrose metabolism, and galactose metabolism were pathways significantly enriched in three tissues. Weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA) identified Hub genes involved in P. crymophila cold response. This study provides new insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying the cold tolerance of P. crymophila belowground and aboveground tissues. In addition, specific genes involved in Ca2+ signaling, ROS scavenging system, hormones, circadian clock, photosynthesis, and transcription factors (TFs) were identified in P. crymophila. The identi-fication of key genes may provide valuable resources for further functional genomic and breeding studies.

The present paper is aimed at presenting an updated review of prediction methods for the aerodynamic noise of ducted rotor-stator stages. Indeed, ducted rotating-blade technologies are in continuous evolution and increasingly used, for both aeronautical propulsion units, power generation and air conditioning systems. Different needs are faced, from the early design stage to the final definition of a machine. Fast-running, approximate analytical approaches and high-fidelity numerical simulations are considered as the best suited tools for each, respectively. Recent advances are discussed, with emphasis on their pros and cons.

This paper presents various procedures for determining the optimal control law for a wing section in compressible flow. The flow regime includes subsonic as well as supersonic flows. For the evolution of the system in the Laplace plane the present method makes use of the exact unsteady aerodynamic forces in the Laplace plane once the control law is established. This is a great advantage against other results previously published, where the unsteady aerodynamics in the Laplace plane are just approximations of the curve-fitted values in the frequency domain (imaginary axis). Different control techniques are investigated like pole-placement, LQR and H-infinity norm. Among these, the H-infinity norm emerges as the optimal choice, exhibiting a norm magnitude approximately two orders of magnitude lower than the LQR case. Furthermore, the H-infinity controller demonstrates lower pole values that those of the pole placement and LQR compensator, showing the advantage of the H-infinity controller in terms of economic efficiency.

This study involved a comprehensive examination of sensory attributes in Bísaro dry-cured loins, including odor, androsterone, scatol, color, fat color, hardness, juiciness, chewiness, flavor intensity, and flavor persistence. Analysis of 40 samples revealed a wide variation in these attributes, ensuring a robust margin for multivariate calibration purposes. The respective near-infrared (NIR) spectra unveil distinct peaks associated with significant components such as protein, lipid, and water. Support Vector Regression (SVR) models were methodically calibrated for all sensory attributes, with optimal results using multiplicative scattering correction pre-treatment, MinMax normalization, and radial base kernel (non-linear SVR model). The predictive models exhibited acceptable results, characterized by R-squared values close to 1 (0.9616 - 0.9955) and low RMSE values (0.0400 – 0.1031). The prediction set's relative standard deviation (RSD) remained under 5%. Comparisons with prior research revealed significant improvements in prediction accuracy, particularly when considering attributes like pig aroma, hardness, fat color, and flavor intensity. This research underscores the potential of advanced analytical techniques to improve the precision of sensory evaluations in food quality assessment.

In this note we consolidate and give a brief description of several recently published results in ring theory having disproof. These results have been published during 2016 to 2021 in the so called non-predatory reputed mathematical journals indexed in the well known database like Scopus. We have considered results on rings in which each element is a sum of two idempotents appeared in Canad. Math. Bull. (2016), weakly tripotent rings appeared in Bull. Korean Math. Soc. (2018) and Rendiconti Sem. Mat. Univ. Pol. Torino (2021), involution t-clean rings appeared in Eur. J. Pure Appl. Math (2022) and strongly 2-nil clean rings with units of order two appeared in Eur. J. Pure Appl. Math (2023).

Product Development Process is widely known among industry and automobile companies. With the advance of technology and the need to improve product efficiency, many companies have been applying Lean Thinking principles. Their benefits lead those companies to implement their concepts and tools, like Value Stream Design in Indirect Areas, Obeya, Just-in-time (JIT) which is based on the production control system developed and implemented by Toyota. This article describes the case study of the implementation of Lean Product & Process Development (LPPD) on the current Product Development Process (PDP) in an automotive company. The PDP was created by the organization and adapted from Advanced Product Quality Planning (APQP). The main findings were a Value Stream Design model of an improved PDP as a useful and successfully contribution for the company. These improvements reduced the product development lead time from 700 days to 369 days. The process efficiency increased from 68% to 85%. The communication and transparency between the cross-functional team (CFT) was improved and show promise for achieving a successful launch of new products.

The COVID-19 pandemic stimulated attention to the medicinal applications of messenger RNA (mRNA). mRNA is expected to be applied not only to vaccines but also to regenerative medicines. The purity of mRNA is important for its medicinal application. However, the current mRNA synthesis techniques have problems, e.g., contamination of undesired 5’-uncapped mRNA and double-stranded RNAs. Recently, our group developed a completely capped mRNA synthesis technology that contributed to the progress of mRNA research. The introduction of chemically modified nucleosides, e.g., N1-methylpseudouridine and 5-methylcytidine, have been demonstrated by Dr. Karikó and Dr. Weissman which opened the practical application of mRNA for vaccines and regenerative medicines. Dr. Yamanaka reported the production of Induced Pluripotent Stem Cells (iPSCs) by the introduction of 4 types of genes using a retrovirus vector. iPSCs are widely used for research about regenerative medicines and the preparation of disease models to screen new drug candidates. Of the Yamanaka factors, Klf4 and c-Myc are oncogenes, and there is a tumor development risk if these are integrated into genomic DNA. Therefore, regenerative medicines using mRNA, which has no risk of genome insertion, have attracted attention. In this review, we summarized the synthesis of mRNA and its application for regenerative medicine.

As renewable energy generation prediction systems have been introduced into the energy trading market, accurate prediction of solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generation has become a crucial challenge for ensuring stable trade of variable energy. Therefore, it is essential to quantitatively investigate and analyze current prediction technology and develop more advanced prediction systems. In this study, three models for predicting PV energy generation were investigated. Multiple regression, random forest, and gradient boosting machine (GBM) models were con-structed for 15 utility-scale power plants throughout South Korea. Model performance was evaluated in terms of root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE). The multiple regression-based model had an RMSE of 12.00% and MAE of 9.06%. The random forest model had an RMSE of 11.69% and MAE of 8.61%. The GBM model had an RMSE of 11.34% and MAE of 8.18%, indicating its superior accuracy among the three models in predicting PV energy generation. These findings provide valuable insights that may contribute to the development of advanced PV energy generation models and their application in grid operations.

Traditional graphene-based films normally possess high thermal conductivity (TC) only along single direction, which is not suitable for thermal interface materials (TIMs). Here, a graphene film with excellent bidirectional TC and mechanical properties was prepared by hot-pressing super-elastic graphene aerogel (SEGA). Thermal annealing at 1800℃ improves the further restacking of graphene sheets, bring the SEGA high structure stability for enduring the hot-pressing process. The junctions and nodes between the graphene layers in the hot-pressed SEGA (HPSEGA) film provide bidirectional heat transport paths. The in-plane TC and through-plane TC of HPSEGA film with thickness of 101μm reach 740 Wm-1K-1 and 42.5 Wm-1K-1, respectively. In addition, HPSEGA film with higher thickness still maintains excellent thermal transport properties due to the interconnected structure reducing the effect of the defects. The infrared thermal images visually manifest the excellent thermal-transfer capability and thermal dissipation efficiency of the HPSEGA films, indicating the great potential as advanced bidirectional TIMs.

This paper delves into the essential role of local communities in mitigating climate change in the post-pandemic landscape, with a specific focus on Barangay Acmac, Iligan City, Philippines. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study integrates in-depth literature reviews, informal interviews with participants (B-Part 1 to B-Part 20), meticulous observations, and thematic analysis. The research has uncovered crucial insights, including variations in community climate change awareness that emphasize the necessity of comprehensive education and awareness campaigns. It highlights the significance of community-driven initiatives, adaptation, and resilience as key elements in addressing climate change. Collaborative efforts between local government officials and the community are showcased as effective instruments of climate change mitigation, yet challenges persist, including addressing the perceived powerlessness of some community members. The methodology, participants, and theoretical framework offer a robust foundation for exploring community responses to climate change. Drawing from a diverse theoretical framework, this study presents a comprehensive understanding of the climate change and pandemic intersection. The findings firmly establish that local communities are pivotal players in the global endeavor to mitigate climate change, underscoring the need for collective action, extensive education, and shared responsibility. The post-pandemic era presents a unique opportunity for local communities, policymakers, barangay officials, and residents to champion climate education, foster community-driven initiatives, and empower individuals to enact change at the grassroots level. The collaborative spirit observed in Barangay Acmac in 2022 serves as a model for communities worldwide, offering a blueprint for addressing similar challenges. Overall, this paper concludes with a resounding call to action, advocating for the recognition of local communities as the driving force in climate change mitigation, stressing that the power to combat climate change resides within these communities. The time for action is now, and local communities are the catalysts of this essential mission.

Consumer IoT (CIoT) manufacturers seek customer feedback to enhance their products and services, creating a smart ecosystem like a smart home. Due to security and privacy concerns, Blockchain-based federated learning (BCFL) ecosystems can let CIoT manufacturers update their Machine Learning (ML) model using end-user data. FL uses privacy-preserving ML techniques to forecast customers' needs and consumption habits, and blockchain replaces the centralised aggregator to safeguard the ecosystem. However, Blockchain technology (BCT) struggles with scalability and quick ledger expansion. In BCFL, local model generation and secure aggregation are other issues. This research contributes a novel architecture emphasising Gateway Peer (GWP) in blockchain network to resolve scalability, ledger optimisation and secure model transmission issues. In the architecture we replace the centralised aggregator by the blockchain network, while GWP restricts the number of local transactions to execute in BCN. Considering the security and privacy of FL processes, we have added differential privacy and advanced normalisation techniques to ML processes. The approaches strengthen end-users' cyber security and encourage the adoption of technological innovation standards by service providers. The proposed approach has been tested extensively using a well-respected Stanford Cars dataset. We experimentally demonstrate that the proposed architecture makes the network scalable and optimises the ledger significantly. In addition, the normalisation technique outperforms batch normalisation when features are under DP protection.

Presenting a case report about an occurrence of duodeno-duodenal intussusception in a 17-year-old female patient. Intussusception is typically observed in children. The patient has a history of recurrent pain and vomiting for four days. During the examination tenderness in the epigastric area worsened when the legs were elevated. An initial X-ray of the abdomen was done and the findings were normal. Subsequent ultrasound and abdominal CECT scans of the abdomen revealed intussusception involving the 2^nd, 3^rd, and 4^th part of the duodenum ampulla of Vater and pancreas without any identifiable cause for this condition. There was no abnormal thickening of the wall. This case shows how using radiological imaging and surgical management helps to prevent severe complications in cases like duodeno-duodenal intussusception in adults.

Addressing nautical bottlenecks is crucial to optimize the utilization of inland waterways and maximize economic benefits of transports. To maximize economic benefits, a study was conducted to validate a Key Performance Indicator (KPI)-based framework. This framework offers a structured approach to assess the impact of resolved nautical bottlenecks on the economic benefits of inland waterway transport (IWT). To validate the applicability of the KPI framework, interviews with eleven experts were conducted. The goal was to prioritize each KPI based on their insights. The results of the interviews shed light on the relevance and coherence of both the individual KPIs and the overall KPI framework. The experts confirmed the importance of measures related to transportation efficiency, such as reduced transit times, increased vessel throughput, and enhanced reliability. The validated KPI-based framework serves as a valuable tool for policymakers, industry stakeholders, and researchers. It enables the assessment of the effects of resolving nautical bottlenecks in inland waterway systems. Future research should focus on quantifying the multifaceted impacts, making this framework even more useful for decision-making processes concerning investments in infrastructure upgrades and maintenance.

Chatbots are increasingly used as tools for disseminating knowledge and information across various sectors of business, without the need for human intervention. With the continuous advancement of technology and the internet, the field of cybersecurity is also expanding, leading to the development of newer and more sophisticated systems to counter emerging threats. However, a fundamental question arises: how can one determine what to look for, where to acquire the necessary knowledge, and how to initiate this process? Recognizing the need for more effective tools in the market to educate individuals about online threats and self-protection, this paper aims to bridge the gap in the existing literature. The Artificial Intelligence-based Cybersecurity Chatbot (AICyberSec) has been developed to provide a versatile cybersecurity knowledge resource. This initiative is in response to the absence of a comprehensive solution in the market that effectively informs individuals about online threats and offers guidance on how to safeguard themselves. Furthermore, this chatbot serves as a valuable application for identifying potential hazards in cyberspace and can also function as an educational tool to facilitate the learning process.

Definitive surgical resection is the preferred treatment for early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Research into genetic alterations, including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation, in early stage NSCLC remains insufficient. Here, we investigated the prevalence of genetic alterations in early-stage NSCLC and the association between EGFR mutation and recurrence after complete resection. Between January 2019 and December 2021, 659 patients with NSCLC who underwent curative surgical resection at a single regional cancer center were recruited. We compared the clinical and pathological data between the recurrence and non-recurrence groups. Multivariate logistic regression was used to predict the risk factors for recurrence. Among the 659 enrolled cases, the most common histology was adenocarcinoma (74.5%), followed by squamous cell carcinoma (21.7%). The prevalence of EGFR mutation was 43% (194/451). Among them, L858R point mutation and exon 19 deletion was 52.3% and 42%, respectively. ALK rearrangement was found at 5.7% (26/453), and ROS1 fusion was found at 1.6% (7/441). The recurrence rate of the entire population was 19.7%. In multivariate analysis, the presence of EGFR mutation, stage II or III (vs. stage I), and pathologic subtype (presence of solid type) were associated with recurrence. Among the recurred group, 86.5% of the patients with EGFR mutation experienced distant recurrence compared to only 66.7% of wild-type (p = 0.016), with no significant difference in median disease-free survival (p = 0.983). In conclusion, the prevalence of EGFR mutation, ALK rearrangement, and ROS1 fusion was 43.0%, 5.7%, and 1.6%, respectively in patients with early-stage NSCLC who underwent curative resection. Along with stage II/III and solid pathologic subtype, EGFR mutation was an independent risk factor for recurrence. In the recurrence group, the rate of distant metastasis was higher in patients with EGFR mutation than in those with wild-type.

Machine learning (ML) systems that use sensors obtain observations from sensors and use them to recognize and interpret the current situation. These systems are susceptible to sensor-based adversarial example attacks (AEs); if some sensors are vulnerable and can be compromised by an attacker, the attacker can change the output of the system by changing the values of the sensors. The detection of compromised sensors is important to defend the system against sensor-based AEs, because we can check the sensors and replace them by detecting the sensors used by the attacker. In this paper, we propose a method to detect the sensors used in sensor-based AEs by utilizing the features of the attack that cannot be avoided. In this method, we introduced a model called the feature-removable model (FRM), which allows us to select the features used as inputs into the model. Our method detects the sensors used in sensor-based AEs by finding the inconsistencies between the outputs of the FRM obtained by changing the selected features. We evaluated our method using a human activity recognition model with sensors attached to the user’s chest, wrist, and ankle. We demonstrate that our method can accurately detect sensors used by the attacker and achieves an average Recall of Detection of 0.92, and the average Precision of Detection is 0.72.

Gout is at least 3 times more prevalent in men than in women. However, concurrent with rising total gout prevalence, complex factors, including comorbidities, diet and lifestyle, and aging, have promoted higher gout prevalence in females. This narrative review focuses on summarizing recent developments in the landscape of gout in women, and mechanisms involved. New knowledge on sex hormone effects on both urate-excreting and urate-reabsorbing transporters, and higher hypertension and chronic kidney disease prevalence in women compared to men, may help explain why gout incidence rises robustly after menopause in women to approach that in men. Racial and ethnic factors, risk profiles based on heritable genetic polymorphisms of urate transporters, and diet, body mass index, and lifestyle factors differ according to sex. In addition, sex differences in clinical phenotypes and outcomes of gout and non-gout illnesses include more frequent comorbidities, more pain and disability during gout flare, different perceptions of disease burden, and more frequent severe cutaneous hypersensitivity reaction to allopurinol in women. Significantly, women with gout also have poorer COVID-19 outcomes than do men. Collectively, such findings support the potential clinical benefits of tailoring gout and hyperuricemia treatment according to sex.

Abstract: Botnets pose a grave cybersecurity threat, enabling widescale malicious activities through networks of compromised devices. Detecting botnets is challenging given their frequent use of evasion techniques like encryption. Traditional signature-based methods fail against modern botnets capable of zero-day attacks. This paper surveys recent advances applying machine learning for botnet detection based on analysis of network traffic payloads, flows, DNS data, and hybrid feature fusion. Core machine learning models include support vector machines, neural networks, random forests, and deep learning architectures, which extract patterns to separate benign and botnet behaviors automatically. Results demonstrate machine learning's capabilities in identifying heterogeneous botnets using artefacts in network streams. However, challenges remain around limited labeled data, real-time streaming, adversarial evasion, and model interpretability. Promising directions involve semi-supervised learning, adversarial training, scalable analytics, and explainable AI to address these gaps. Beyond the technical aspects, responsible development and deployment of botnet detection systems raise ethical considerations around privacy, transparency, and accountability. With diligent cross-disciplinary collaboration, machine learning promises enhanced, generalizable, and trustworthy techniques to combat the serious threat posed by continuously evolving botnets across the digital ecosystem.

Accurate pathogenic detection in wastewater is critical for safeguarding public health and the environment. However, the presence of free nucleic acids in wastewater samples poses significant challenges to molecular detection accuracy. This comprehensive review explores the current status and future potential of pretreatment methods to remove free nucleic acids from wastewater samples. The study contributes a comprehensive analysis of the mechanisms, strengths, and limitations of various pretreatment approaches, including physical, chemical, and enzymatic processes. The effect of various factors on the removal efficiency of these pretreatment methods is also discussed. This review enhances our comprehension of pretreatment techniques and their vital role in achieving precise pathogenic detection in complex wastewater matrices. Furthermore, it outlines future perspectives and developments for improving the speed and effectiveness of pathogenic detection, contributing significantly to disease surveillance, early warning systems, and environmental protection.

We present a differential-calculus-based method which allows one to derive more identities from {\it any} given Fibonacci-Lucas identity containing a finite number of terms and having at least one free index. The strength of our method is that no additional information is required about the given original identity. The method readily extends to a generalized Fibonacci sequence.

Traumatic myiasis is a parasitic infestation resulting from feeding fly larvae in traumatic lesions in the cutaneous tissues of vertebrate hosts. Species that cause traumatic myiasis are found in the families Calliphoridae and Sarcophagidae. This study evaluated the traumatic myiasis cases detected during examining animals brought to Dicle University Wildlife Rescue, Rehabilitation, Training, Practice, and Research Center with wound complaints between 2020-2022. Species determinations of the larvae collected from traumatic myiasis cases were detected in five different animals were made as morphological and molecular, and four species were detected, including Lucilia sericata, Wohlfahrtia magnifica, Calliphora vicina, and Calliphora vomitria. We report a case of traumatic myiasis in the Euphrates softshell turtle and Wild goat for the first time. In order to reduce the exposure of wild animals to traumatic myiasis, new strategies for fly control need to be developed.

This comprehensive review delves into the intricate relationship between Sodium-GlucoseCo-Transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors and AF, highlighting the multifaceted actions of thesedrugs and their significant cardiovascular benefits. Mechanisms: SGLT2 inhibitors inducesubstantial hemodynamic changes, impacting blood pressure, adipose tissue function, andinflammation. They enhance glycemic control while potentially reducing oxidative stress andinflammation, and they modulate atrial electrophysiology, collectively contributing to the reductionof AF risk. Clinical Evidence: This review synthesizes a wealth of clinical evidence,drawing from observational studies and randomized controlled trials, consistently demonstratinga correlation between SGLT2 inhibitors, particularly dapagliflozin and empagliflozin, anda decreased risk of AF. This protective effect is most pronounced in patients with type 2 diabetesand heart failure, underscoring their potential as therapeutic agents for high-risk populations.Potential Benefits: SGLT2 inhibitors offer a spectrum of potential benefits, includingsubstantial reductions in AF risk, particularly in patients with type 2 diabetes and heart failure.These drugs have consistently demonstrated benefits in reducing heart failure hospitalizations,cardiovascular mortality, and stroke risk, which indirectly contribute to better AF management.Furthermore, SGLT2 inhibitors exhibit renoprotective properties by slowing theprogression of chronic kidney disease and reducing albuminuria, offering substantial benefitsfor AF patients with comorbid kidney disease. Metabolic improvements involving weight loss,blood pressure reduction, and favorable changes in lipid profiles contribute to enhanced cardiovascular health and reduced AF risk. Originally designed for diabetes management, thesemedications offer a holistic approach to AF risk reduction, particularly in patients with type 2diabetes and heart failure.

With the growing demand for personal protective equipment (PPE) in the face of the pandemic events caused by SARS-COV-2, the opportunity arises for the development of materials with characteristics such as antimicrobial, antiviral, antifungal activity, etc. The use of polymeric nanocomposites based on polyester/copper offers an alternative of great interest due to the versatility of the raw material and the high efficiency of copper as an antimicrobial additive. In this study, textile fibers prototypes with different Cu nanoparticles (CuNP) content were produced using melt-spinning to obtain bi-component multifilament fibers, and melt-blowing to obtain non-woven fabrics. The prototypes were tested against different pathogenic microorganisms such as S. aureus, E. coli, and C. albicans. It was shown that bi-component fibers offer more excellent protection against pathogens, while non-woven fabric only shows activity against E. coli. It was possible to identify that the CuNP were confined exclusively in the outer cover of the bi-component fibers, using different analytical techniques, which may be associated with the increase in antimicrobial activity, compared to the fibers present in the non-woven fabric, even when they present the same CuNP content.

The field of human microbiome and gut microbial diversity research has witnessed a profound transformation, driven by advances in omics technologies. These advancements have unveiled essential connections between microbiome alterations and severe conditions, spurring the development of new frameworks through epidemiological studies. Traditionally, each individual was thought to harbor unique microbial communities acquired early in life, but recent research challenges this belief. The neonatal microbiome's onset, influenced by factors like delivery mode and maternal health, remains a subject of intense debate, hinting at potential intrauterine microbial processes. In-depth research reveals associations between microbiome profiles and specific health outcomes, ranging from obesity to neurodevelopmental disorders. Understanding these diverse microbiome profiles is essential for unraveling the intricate relationships between the microbiome and health outcomes.

Grouting materials with good insulation and reinforcement performance are key factors in solving the temperature control problem of high temperature tunnels using curtain grouting, while existing grouting materials cannot balance their working performance and insulation performance in high-temperature environments. In response to the above issues, this article uses red mud to prepare high ground temperature red mud based grouting materials (RMGS), and conducts tests on the working performance (viscosity, setting time, compressive strength) and insulation performance (thermal conductivity, specific heat capacity) of grouting materials at different temperatures (20, 40, 60, and 80 ℃), and analyzes the variation patterns and micro mechanisms of various characteristics with temperature. The results indicate that an increase in temperature will accelerate the viscosity development and condensation of the grouting material, and lead to a decrease in thermal conductivity and specific heat capacity. In addition, an appropriate temperature can also improve the compressive strength of the material. The increase in temperature will accelerate the hydration reaction rate of the grouting material and the development of internal pores, which is the reason why temperature affects the performance of the grouting material. In engineering applications, cement slurry is suitable for static water grouting, cement-sodium silicate slurry is suitable for dynamic water grouting, and RMGS is suitable for high-temperature tunnel grouting.

The coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic limitations may negatively affect children and youth in terms of health behaviors, and it might be especially challenging for children who are diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders such as children and youth diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). The present study assessed alterations in physical activity, screen time, and sleep duration of ASD children and the prevalence of meeting the 24-hour movement guidelines during the COVID-19 outbreak. Forty-six Arab Israeli mothers of children with ASD were surveyed by an online cross-sectional survey. As reported by the mothers, the results show a significant decrease in physical activity, a significant increase in screen time, and a significant increase in sleep duration during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, the proportion of the sample who gained the physical activity and screen time recommendations lessened while the percentage of children who met the sleep duration guidelines increased. The prevalence of ASD children who achieved the overall 24-hour movement guidelines was very small during the COVID-19 outbreak. The outcomes extend the body of knowledge regarding the negative effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on children diagnosed with neurodevelopmental disorders and highlight the need for instant healthcare and interventions and programs for children with ASD.

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), formerly known as Wegener’s granulomatosis, is a rare form of necrotizing granulomatous inflammation that predominantly affects medium and small size vessels. Generally respiratory tracts and kidneys are the most affected organs. Neurological manifestations of GPA usually involve the peripheral nervous system causing mononeuritis multiplex or and cranial nerve palsies. Central nervous system (CNS) involvement is rare and characterized by cerebral vasculitis, meningeal inflammation, or mass lesions. The CNS involvement is often linked to Ear Nose Throat (ENT) system disease. In this report, we present two cases of patients diagnosed with GPA who exhibit CNS involvement as first symptom. In the first one with an ischemic stroke while in the second with an atypical headache. In the first patient, a positive medical history indicating involvement of the Ear, Nose, and Throat (ENT) facilitated a precise diagnosis through the prompt execution of autoimmune screening. This, in turn, enabled a timely commencement of treatment, resulting in neurological improvement. In the second case, the significance of ENT involvement was initially overlooked in the context of pathological definition, leading to a substantial delay in diagnosis and an ultimately grim prognosis for the patient. The ENT involvement could be an easy marker to suspect GPA in patient with atypical CNS presentation and could help to make a prompt diagnosis.

Coordination of activities between nuclei and organelles in plant cells involves information exchange, in which phytohormones may play an essential role. Therefore, dissection of the mechanisms of hormone-related integration between phytohormones and mitochondria is an important and challenging task. Here, we found that inputs from multiple hormones may cause changes in transcript accumulation of mitochondrial-encoded genes and nuclear genes encoding mitochondrial (mt) proteins. In particular, treatments with exogenous hormones induced changes in GUS expression in the reporter line possessing a 5'-deletion fragment of the RPOTmp promoter. These changes corresponded in part to up- or downregulation of RPOTmp in wild-type plants, which affected the transcription of mt-encoded genes, implying that promoter fragments of the RPOTmp gene are functionally involved in responses to IAA (indole-3-acetic acid), ACC (1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid), and ABA (abscisic acid). Hormone-dependent modulations in the expression of mt-encoded genes can also be mediated through mitochondrial transcription termination factors 15, 17, and 18 of the mTERF family and genes for tetratricopeptide repeat proteins that are coexpressed with mTERF genes, in addition to SWIB5 encoding a mitochondrial SWI/SNF (nucleosome remodelling) complex B protein. These genes specifically responded to hormone treatment, displaying both negative and positive regulation in a context-dependent manner. According to bioinformatic resources, their promoter regions possess putative cis-acting elements involved in responses to phytohormones. Alternatively, hormone-related transcriptional activity of these genes may be modulated indirectly, which is especially relevant for brassinosteroids (BS). In general, the results of the study indicate that hormones are essential mediators that are able to cause alterations in the transcript accumulation of mt-related nuclear genes, which in turn trigger the expression of mt genes.

Applications of gradient method for nonlinear optimization in development of Gradient Neural Network (GNN) and Zhang Neural Network (ZNN) are investigated. Particularly, the solution of the matrix equation AXB=D which changes over time is studied using the novel GNN model, termed as GGNN(A,B,D). The GGNN model is developed applying GNN dynamics on the gradient of the error matrix used in the development of the GNN model. The convergence analysis shows that the neural state matrix of the GGNN(A,B,D) design converges asymptotically to the solution of the matrix equation AXB=D, for any initial state matrix. It is also shown that the convergence result is the least square solution which is defined depending on the selected initial matrix. A hybridization of GGNN with analogous modification GZNN of the ZNN dynamics is considered. The Simulink implementation of presented GGNN models is carried out on the set of real matrices.

A scientific investigation into visual preferences of rural recreation path landscapes is crucial for enhancing visual qualities and visitors' experience. Taking Baofeng, a representative traditional village in Yunlong, as an example, this study analyzed the visual preference of three typical linear recreational paths with different landscape attributes. We used eye-tracking technology to collect eye movement data and conducted a subjective semantic differential evaluation. Our findings manifest a general inclination amongst individuals to favor closer views and paths with clear trajectories and rich elevation changes while walking, despite preference differences on different types of paths. Regarding group diversity, more inclusive design should be made to meet the sensory needs of different groups. Moreover, despite the limited level of correlation between subjective and objective evaluation methods, combining these two approaches remains indispensable. This synthesis advances prior quantitative landscape evaluation with a specific focus on rural path landscapes and upholds the integrity of results by combining objectivity with subjectivity. It also provides relevant design suggestions for further rural renewal and path planning of Baofeng village.

The paper presents a method for estimating the inertia tensor components of a spacecraft that has expired its active life using measurement data of the Earth's magnetic field induction vector components. The implementation of this estimation method is supposed to be carried out when cleaning up space debris in the form of a clapped-out spacecraft with the help of a space tug. It is assumed that a three-component magnetometer and a transmitting device are attached on space debris. With the help of this measuring system, the parameters for the rotational motion of space debris are estimated. Then the known controlled action from the space tug is transferred to the space debris. Next, measurements for the rotational motion parameters are carried out once again. Based on the available measurement data and parameters of the controlled action, the space debris inertia tensor components are estimated. It is assumed that the measurements of the Earth's magnetic field induction vector components are made in a coordinate system which axes are parallel to the corresponding axes of the main body axis system. Such an estimation makes it possible to effectively solve the problem of cleaning up space debris, to calculate the costs of the space tug working body and the parameters of the space debris removal orbit. Examples of numerical simulation using the measurement data of the Earth's magnetic field induction vector components on the Aist-2D small spacecraft are given. The results of the work can be used in the development and implementation of missions to clean up space debris in the form of clapped-out spacecraft.

Regenerative Medicine and Tissue Engineering are interdisciplinary fields that combine cell biology, material science, and bioengineering to develop therapies for tissue repair and regeneration. This field has made significant advances in recent years, particularly in the use of stem cells and biomaterials. Advancements in cell-based therapies have involved the use of cells to repair or replace damaged tissues and organs. Tissue engineering involves using scaffolds and growth factors to promote tissue regeneration. However, a major challenge in this field is the formation of adhesions, which can cause complications, such as intestinal obstruction and chronic pain. Adhesion barriers are used to prevent adhesion of tissues and organs during recovery, thereby reducing the risk of complications. Anti-adhesion materials, such as polysaccharides, proteins, and synthetic polymers, are used to create a physical barrier between tissues and prevent adhesion. These materials can be used alone or in combination, but their effectiveness varies.

Toxicological studies have shown that the cockroach Periplaneta americana is a classical model for studying the mode of action of commonly used insecticides. In a previous study, we demonstrated that thiamethoxam and clothianidin decreased locomotor activity and decreased the locomotor activity in an open-field-like apparatus. Here, we tested the effect of the neonicotinoid acetamiprid when applied orally, topically, or injected into the haemolymph. We found that acetamiprid decreased locomotor activity in the open-field-like apparatus. When treated with acetamiprid, a strong alteration in locomotor activity was observed 1 h, 24 h and 48 h after haemolymph and topical applications. Oral application of acetamiprid demonstrated that it impaired locomotor activity at 24 h and 48 h. A comparison of the present data with our previously published results showed that neonicotinoids were more active when injected into the haemolymph compared to oral and topical applications. These findings increased our understanding of the effect of neonicotinoid insecticides on insect locomotor activity, and demonstrated that the cyano-substituted neonicotinoid, acetamiprid, was able to alter cockroach locomotor activity.

IIt is important that Master’s Degree students in psychology, regardless of their future specialisa-tion, know about Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD). The aim is evaluate and an-alyse the ADHD-related knowledge held by students of Early Childhood Education and Primary Education. The findings that were obtained in this study (on the chronicity of the disorder, changes in manifestations throughout the life cycle, and the importance of early and multidisci-plinary intervention) have clear implications in relation to the specific training in ADHD for fu-ture teachers. It is essential to broaden the specific training in relation to ADHD in studies for the Master’s Degrees in Early Childhood Education and Primary Education and through contin-uous training.

(1) Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between the serum levels of soluble transferrin receptor (sTfR) and interleukin 4 (IL-4), and disease activity and organ mani-festations in SLE patients. (2) Methods: We studied 200 SLE patients and 50 controls. We analyzed disease activity, organ involvement, serum sTfR, IL-4, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, and antinu-clear and antiphospholipid antibody profiles. (3) Results: The median serum levels of sTfR (p>0.000001) and IL-4 (p<0.00001) were higher in the study group than in the controls. SLE patients, compared to the controls, had significantly lower HGB levels (p<0.0001), a lower iron concentration (p=0.008), a lower value of total iron-binding capacity (TIBC) (p=0.03), and lower counts of RBC (p=0.004), HCT (p=0.0004), PLT (p=0.04), neutrophil (p=0.04), and lymphocyte (p<0.0001). Serum sTfR levels were negatively correlated with lymphocyte (p=0.0005), HGB (p=0.0001) and HCT (p=0.008), and positively correlated with IL-4 (p=0.01). Elevated serum sTfR >2.14 mg/dL was associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (OR: 10.6 95 CI 2.71–464.78; p=0.001), ischemic heart disease (OR: 3.25 95 CI 1.02–10.40; p=0.04), lung manifestations (OR: 4.48 95 CI 1.44–13.94; p=0.01), and hematological manifestations (OR: 2.07 95 CI 1.13–3.79; p=0.01), and with a reduced risk of neuropsychiatric manifestations (OR: 0.42 95 CI 0.22–0.80; p=0.008). Serum IL-4 was negatively correlated with CRP (p=0.003), and elevated serum IL-4 levels > 0.17 mg/l were associated with a reduced risk of mucocutaneous manifestations (OR: 0.48 95 CI 0.26–0.90; p=0.02). (4) Conclusions: In SLE patients, elevated serum levels of sTfR were associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular, pulmonary, and hematological manifestations, and with a decreased risk of neuropsychiatric manifestations. In contrast, elevated serum IL-4 levels were associated with a decreased risk of mucocutaneous manifestations.

Human serum albumin (HSA) is multifunctional protein, known to be a natural carrier for a number of endogenous and exogenous compounds, including drugs. Formulating anticancer drugs with HSA is a clinically validated approach to improve the pharmacological properties and provide targeted delivery (passive and active) of cytotoxic payload to the tumor (such as in Abraxane). A number of receptors facilitating HSA uptake from systemic circulation have been characterized. What is interesting, such uptake may differ depending on the nature and quantity of ligands bound to HSA. Based on this, one might like to modify the HSA in a way that its distribution is more favorable for certain therapeutic purposes, thus ensuring more efficient delivery of the therapeutic cargo to disease site. E.g. Levofloxacin (LV), broad spectrum antibiotic drug, could benefit from extended systemic exposure, and stronger interaction with plasma proteins could be useful for this purpose. We have engrafted monomeric or polymeric CDs on the surface of HSA molecules to strengthen the LV adsorption (CD-LV dissociation constant is three orders of magnitude lower than that for HSA-LF). We have found that (HSA-HPolS)conj+LV exhibited the highest activity against E. coli, whereas (HSA-HPCD)conj+LV was the most effective against B. subtilis; and both HSA conjugates were more potent than LV alone or LV with HSA. Further fine-tuning of HSA could yield an improvement in biodistribution, and thus a more favorable risk/benefit ratio.

On-chip integration of two-dimensional (2D) materials with unique structures and distinctive properties endow integrated devices with new functionalities and improved performance. With a high flexibility in modifying its properties and a strong compatibility with various integrated platforms, graphene oxide (GO) becomes an attractive 2D material for implementing functional hybrid integrated devices. Here, we demonstrate novel functionalities that go beyond the capabilities of conventional photonic integrated circuits, by harnessing the photo-thermal effects in 2D GO films integrated onto them. These include all-optical control and switching, optical power limiting, and non-reciprocal light transmission. The 2D layered GO films are on-chip integrated with precise control of their thicknesses and sizes. Benefitting from the broadband response of 2D GO films, all the three functionalities feature a very wide operational bandwidth. By fitting the experimental results with theory, we also extract the changes in material properties induced by the photo-thermal effects, which reveal interesting insights about 2D GO films. These results highlight the versatility of 2D GO films in implementing functional integrated photonic devices for a range of applications.

A number of accidents at sea are primarily caused by low visibility due to sea fog therefore, it is important to estimate sea fog intensity and visibility in real-time in the ocean environment. However, the existing estimation systems have significant costs so that it is not viable to install them at various locations, such as small vessels, minor ports, and a number of buoys. Therefore, this paper proposes an algorithm called RDCP (Reduced Dark Channel Prior) which provides the estimation at a low complexity and a low cost. For the estimation, the RDCP algorithm firstly acquires dark channels from an ocean image, then applies an optimized threshold value to the dark channels, and crops out the sky region in the ocean image. For the estimation performance evaluation, 320 raw images captured from cameras at four different ports in South Korea are used rather than artificially composed images. Considering facilities in oceans which are usually operated in the power limited environment, the processing time performance of PDCP are also examined. The experiments demonstrate that the RDCP algorithm provides reliable estimation performance in real-time.

In this paper, intrusion detection systems are thoroughly investigated utilizing the CSE-CIC-IDS-2018 dataset. The research is divided into three key phases: first, applying Data Cleaning, Exploratory Data Analysis, and Data Normalization techniques (min-max and z-score) for preparing data across distinct classifiers. Second, feature importance is reduced using a combination of Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Random Forest (RF), with the goal of improving processing speed and decreasing model complexity. This stage comprises a comparison with the entire dataset. Finally, machine learning algorithms (XGBoost, CART, DT, KNN, MLP, RF, LR, and Bayes) are applied to specific features and preprocessing approaches. Surprisingly, the XGBoost, DT, and RF models outperform in both ROC values and CPU runtime. Following evaluation, which includes PCA and RF feature selection, an optimal set is produced.

ABSTRACT: Waterlogging is a common abiotic stress in global maize production. Maize flowering stage (from tasseling to silking) is more fragile to environmental stresses among different growth stages. The effects of waterlogging at flowering stage on the grain yield and starch quality of waxy maize were studied using Suyunuo5 (SYN5) and Yunuo7 (YN7). The grain yield and starch concentration of both hybrids were reduced by waterlogging. The size of starch granules and proportion of small-molecule amylopectin increased in SYN5 and decreased in YN7 when plants suffered waterlogging at flowering, in contrast to the change trend of relative crystallinity. The pasting viscosities and gelatinization temperatures were reduced, whereas the gelatinization enthalpy was unaffected by waterlogging in both hybrids. Our study indicated that waterlogging at flowering reduced the grain yield, restricted starch deposition, and deteriorated the pasting property of waxy maize. Between the two hybrids, YN7 and high pasting viscosities and low retrogradation percentage than SYN5, indicated its advantages on produce starch for viscous and less retrograde food. Results provide information for utilization of waxy maize grain in food production.

Background: Assessing body image and personalized rehabilitation in lower limb amputation is essential to measure impact on an individual’s quality of life and psychosocial wellbeing. The aim of this study was to develop a Spanish version of the Amputee Body Image Scale (ABIS-E) for Spanish-speaking lower limb amputee. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted including amputee patients in local in Madrid, Spain. Clinical outcomes about body image (Amputee Body Image Scale, ABIS), health-related quality of life (EuroQol-5D-5L), depression and anxiety (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, HADS), pain (Brief Pain Inventory-Short Form, BPI-SF) and functional capacity (Prosthesis Evaluation Questionnaire, PEQ) were collected. Results: Seventy-three participants were assessed. Excellent test-retest reliability (ICC=0.847) and good internal consistency (Cronbach's alpha=0.753) were obtained. Three factors were extracted in the factor analyses. Convergent validity with Pearson's and Spearman's correlation coefficients were calculated for the depression and anxiety questionnaires (HADS) (values between .57 and .67), functional capacity (PEQ) (values between -.35 and .71) and quality of life (EQ-5D-5L) (values between -.37 and .61). Conclusions: The ABIS-E is a reliable and valid tool for measuring body image in the Spanish population with a lower limb amputation, potentially useful in primary care to identify psychosocial problems.

To date, most research on amyloid aggregation has focused on describing the structure of amyloids and the kinetics of their formation, while the conformational stability of fibrils remain insufficiently explored. The aim of this work was to investigate the effect of amino acid substitutions on the stability of apomyoglobin (ApoMb) amyloids. Study of amyloid unfolding of ApoMb and its six mutant variants by urea has been carried out. Changes in the structural features of aggregates during unfolding were recorded by the far UV CD and native electrophoresis. It was shown that during the initial stage of denaturation, amyloid's secondary structure partially unfolds. Then, the fibrils undergo dissociation and form intermediate aggregates weighing approximately 1 MDa, which at the last stage of unfolding decompose into 18 kDa monomeic unfolded molecules. The results of unfolding transitions allow concluding that the stability of studied amyloids relative to the intermediate aggregates and of the latter relative to unfolded monomers is higher for ApoMb variants with substitutions that increase the hydrophobicity of the residues. The results presented provide a new insight into the mechanism of stabilization of protein aggregates and can serve as a base for further investigations of the amyloids stability.

The incidence of articular injury, particularly osteochondral fractures (OCF), has seen a notable increase in recent years. Regardless of their location, fragments might be overlooked by plain radiographs which might lead to osteoarthritis in the long run. Diagnostic imaging has a pivotal role in the assessment and classification of the fracture severity, as well as the presence of any associated dislocations. These fractures require surgical intervention for the restoration of joint function and the reduction of long-term complications. The paper aims to present the surgical correction and post-operative treatment of osteochondral fractures with absorbable implants in three children. Affected areas are discussed as follows: lateral condyle of the femur, patella, and radial head. Utilising absorbable implants for the management of OCFs provides numerous advantages, including the elimination of the need for reanaesthesia and reoperation, reducing complications, and enabling early rehabilitation. This approach also minimises the period of hospitalisation and proved effective in pediatric OCF treatment.

Background: Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a common reproductive and endocrinological disease characterized by ovulatory dysfunction, polycystic ovaries, and hyperandrogenism. Adipokines are believed to contribute to developing PCOS and its accompanying metabolic complications such as dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and cardiovascular diseases. Oncostatin M (OSM), a novel adipokine, plays a role in oogenesis, lipogenesis, and inflammation and may contribute to PCOS pathogenesis and its related metabolic problems. Methods: In this case-control study, the patients were grouped in a 1:1 ratio into either the PCOS (n = 32) or the control group (n = 32). Blood samples were obtained between the 3rd and 5th days of the menstrual cycle. Serum levels of fasting glucose, insulin, C-reactive protein (CRP), low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein, triglyceride, white blood cell count, thyroid-stimulating hormone, luteinizing hormone, follicle-stimulating hormone, total testosterone, prolactin estradiol, and OSM were analyzed. Results: OSM levels were significantly lower, but CRP levels were substantially higher in the PCOS group than in the control group (p = .002, p = .001, respectively). OSM was inversely correlated with total cholesterol, non-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, fasting glucose, and the luteinizing hormone/follicle-stimulating hormone ratio (ρ = .329, p = .017; ρ = .386, p = .005; ρ = .440, p = .001; ρ = .316, p = .023, respectively). Conversely, there was no correlation between OSM and total testosterone level (ρ = .220; p = .118). In the context of inflammation and metabolic parameters, OSM was inversely correlated with CRP, Homeostatic Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance score (HOMA-IR), and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL) (ρ = .353, p = .019; ρ = .275, p = .048; ρ = .470, p &lt; .001, respectively). The performance of Oncostatin M for diagnosing PCOS showed 50% sensitivity, 75% specificity, and 63% accuracy (p = .009) in ROC curve analysis. Conclusions: Plasma OSM levels were considerably lower in patients with PCOS than in the control group, and this was inversely correlated with the hormonal and metabolic parameters of PCOS. Thus, OSM may be a novel therapeutic target for PCOS and metabolic complications.

The future of intelligent manufacturing machines involves autonomous selection of process parameters to maximize productivity while maintaining quality within specified constraints. To effectively optimize process parameters, these machines need to adapt to existing uncertainties in the physical system. This paper proposes a novel framework and methodology for feedrate optimization that is based on a physics-informed data-driven digital twin with quantified uncertainty. The servo dynamics are modeled using a digital twin, which incorporates the known uncertainty in the physics-based models and predicts the distribution of contour error using a data-driven model that learns the unknown uncertainty on-the-fly by sensor measurements. Using the quantified uncertainty, the proposed feedrate optimization maximizes productivity while maintaining quality under desired servo error constraints and stringency (i.e., the tolerance for constraint violation under uncertainty) using a model predictive control framework. Experimental results obtained using a 3-axis desktop CNC machine tool and a desktop 3D printer demonstrate significant cycle time reductions of up to 38% and 17% respectively, while staying close to the error tolerances compared to the existing methods.

Reproductive coercion and abuse is a hidden and poorly recognised form of violence against women. It refers broadly to behaviours that interfere with or undermine a person’s reproductive autonomy, specifically to promote or prevent pregnancy. Reproductive coercion and abuse can involve physical, sexual, financial or psychological abuse in order to achieve these aims, and is overwhelmingly perpetrated by men against women. As an emerging field of scholarship, conceptual understanding of reproductive coercion and abuse is still in its infancy; however, it is often described as being linked to coercive control. In this article, we seek to highlight the complexity of this relationship through qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 30 victim/survivors in Australia recruited from the community, focusing on their perceptions of the perpetrator’s motivations. Our analysis suggests that perpetrator motivations can range from entitlement and self-interest to a deep desire for domination and entrapment. Pregnancy preventing behaviour was more likely to be linked with entitlement and self-interest, whereas pregnancy promoting behaviour tended to be described by participants in relationships where there was a broader pattern of ongoing control and entrapment. Thus, we suggest that coercive control is a motivating factor for some, but not all men who perpetrate reproductive coercion and abuse. A greater understanding perpetrator motivations may be important for practitioners, particularly those working in sexual and reproductive health services, since it could be relevant to women’s level of risk for coercive controlling behaviour or more extreme forms of physical or sexual violence.

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is considered to be a useful therapeutic agent for degenerative cartilage diseases, although its mechanism is not clear. We previously found that polyamines stimulate expression of differentiated phenotype of chondrocytes. We also found that cellular communication network factor 2 (CCN2) played a huge role in the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes. Therefore, we hypothesized that polyamines and CCN2 could be involved in the chondroprotective action of SAM. In this study, we initially found that exogenous SAM enhanced proteoglycan production but not cell proliferation in human chondrocyte-like cell line-2/8 (HCS-2/8) cells. Moreover, SAM enhanced gene expression of cartilage-specific matrix (aggrecan and type II collagen), Sry-Box transcription factor 9 (SOX9), CCN2 and chondroitin sulfate biosynthetic enzymes. Blockade of the methionine adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A) enzyme catalyzing intracellular SAM biosynthesis restrained the effect of SAM on chondrocytes. The polyamine level in chondrocytes was higher in SAM-treated culture than control culture. Additionally, alcian blue staining and RT-qPCR indicated that the effects of SAM on the production and gene expression of aggrecan were reduced by the inhibition of polyamine synthesis. These results suggest that the stimulation of polyamine synthesis and gene expression of chondrogenic differentiation factors, such as CCN2, account for the mechanism underlying the action of SAM on chondrocytes.

Fossil body parts of the two cold-adapted ground beetle species, Elaphrus lapponicus and Diacheila polita, were found from a deposit dated in the late Last Glacial period in Hokkaido, Japan. The paleoenvironment was estimated from their modern distribution and habitat, along with the results of the paleobotanical studies at the site. The temperature was at least 6 degrees lower than modern in summer, and the area around the site was mostly covered with forest tundra, which can currently be seen in areas further north of Hokkaido.

Febrile seizures in early childhood can lead to developmental disorders in the CNS. However, the specific mechanisms behind the impact of febrile seizures on the developing brain are not well-understood. To address this gap in knowledge, we employed a hyperthermic model of febrile seizures in 10-day-old rats and tracked their development over two months. Our objective was to determine the degree to which the properties of the hippocampal glutamatergic system are modified. We analyzed whether pyramidal glutamatergic neurons in the hippocampus die after febrile seizures. Our findings indicate that there is a reduction in the number of neurons in various regions of the hippocampus in the first two days after seizures. The CA1 field showed the greatest susceptibility, and the reduction in the number of neurons in post-FS rats in this area appeared to be long-lasting. Electrophysiological studies indicate that febrile seizures cause a reduction in glutamatergic transmission, leading to decreased local field potential am-plitude. This impairment could be attributable to diminished glutamate release probability as evidenced by decreases in frequency of miniature excitatory postsynaptic currents and increases in pair-pulse ratio of synaptic responses. We also found higher threshold current causing hindlimb extension in the maximal electroshock seizure threshold test of rats 2 months after febrile seizures compared to control animals. Our research suggests that febrile seizures can impair glutamatergic transmission, which may protect against future seizures.

Abstract: The population issue has been increasingly urgent in China in recent years. Fertility desire is an essential component of fertility research. Studies on fertility desire mainly contain two aspects: socio-economic structure and individual family[1]. The psychological structure of individuals in individual families is the primary factor of fertility desire. Based on the parasocial relationship theory, this study analyzed the changes in real behavioral intention achieved by players through the identification and attachment to avatars while constructing parasocial relationships[2]. The results indicate that character attachment can significantly enhance the variables of game concentration and player self-identity, actively mediates parasocial emotions and parasocial cognition, and ultimately increases fertility desire. As a theoretical contribution, this study provides a comprehensive interpretation of the psychology of Chinese players in a Simulation Game and explores the theoretical connections among role attachment, role identity, and parasocial relationships in virtual game players.

Psoriasis is a common chronic immune-mediated disease with many comorbidities and impacts on quality of life. Among the treatment options for psoriasis, phosphodiesterase-4 (PDE4) inhibi-tors are emerging with expanding options. PDE4 inhibitors play a pivotal role in the inflamma-tory cascade by degrading cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP), contributing to pro-inflammatory mediator production. Apremilast, an oral PDE4 inhibitor, is an approved class for psoriasis. While effective, its adverse effects can limit its utility. Roflumilast, a topical PDE4 inhibitor, was recently also approved for psoriasis and shows promise in clinical trials. Crisaborole, approved for atopic dermatitis, has also been studied in psoriasis. This updated re-view summarizes evidence from randomized clinical trials regarding the efficacy and safety of PDE4 inhibitors in psoriasis treatment. By highlighting their potential benefits and limitations, this review provides valuable insights for clinicians and researchers aiming to optimize psoriasis therapy.

Studies suggest that chronic psychological stress can lead to oral health deterioration, alter the immune response, and possibly contribute to increased inflammation, which can impact the physiological healing of periodontal tissues. This cross-sectional study seeks to assess and improve clinical understanding regarding the relationship between perceived stress, mindfulness, and periodontal health. A total of 203 people were analysed from December 2022 to June 2023. The Periodontal Screening and Recording (PSR), score and Bleeding Index (GBI), and Plaque Control Record (PCR) of every patient were registered. Subsequently, participants completed the Sheldon Cohen Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Mind-fulness Awareness Attention Scale (MAAS) questionnaires. The collected data was analysed statistically, and correlations and dependencies were evaluated. The p-value was 0.004265 in Welch's t-test to assess the relationship between MAAS and the variable's presence or absence of periodontitis, highlighting that patients with periodontitis have significantly different MAAS scores compared to patients unaffected by periodontitis. The Pearson correlations between GBI and perceived stress, PCR and perceived stress, and PCR and MAAS resulted in p-values of 2.2-16, 3.925-8, and 2.468-8, respectively, indicating a statistically significant correlation in this case. Despite the limitations, the findings of this study suggest a significant relationship between psychological stress, mindfulness and periodontal tissue health. Clinical trials are necessary to incorporate the assessment of a patient’s psychological status as a new valuable tool in the management of periodontal health.

: Healthcare workers are affected by mental health issues, burnout and turnover, and this burden is even greater during epidemics and pandemics, such as COVID-19. The purpose of this research is to provide an overview of the measures introduced or supported in the institutions of Quebec’s health and social services network during the COVID-19 pandemic with the aim of protecting healthcare workers’ mental health. An online questionnaire survey was administered in 2021 among human resources department personnel in health and social services network institutions involved in workplace mental health in Quebec. A total of 223 key informants representing 31 of the 34 public health and social services institutions in the province of Quebec in Canada responded to the questionnaire. Measures that focus on the needs of staff, involve all levels of authority and the ones that provide flexibility, support and recognition at work were more successful, according to the advisors surveyed. Future research into whether the same measures are considered effective or ineffective outside of a pandemic context is needed.

Drought is a powerful natural hazard that has significant effects on ecosystems amid the constant threats posed by climate change. This study investigates agricultural drought in a semi-arid Mediterranean basin through the interconnections of four indices: precipitation (meteorological reanalysis), vegetation development, thermal stress, and soil water deficit (remote sensing observations). The study focuses on the determination of agricultural drought periods. Firstly, the temporal connections between the various indices at different spatial scales and in different parts of the basin are investigated. Thereafter, a modified run-theory approach based on normality and dryness thresholds is applied. The Pearson correlations at different spatial scales showed a medium to low level of agreement between the indices, which was explained by the geographical heterogeneity and the climatic variability between the agrosystems within the basin. It is also shown that the cascade of impacts expected from lower precipitations is revealed by the cross-correlation analysis. The connection between precipitation deficit and vegetation remains significant for at least one month for most pairs of indices, especially during drought events, suggesting that agricultural drought spells can be connected in time through the three or four selected indices. Short-, mid-, and long-term impacts of precipitation deficiencies on soil moisture, vegetation, and temperature were revealed. As expected, the more instantaneous variables of soil moisture and surface temperature showed no lag with precipitation. Vegetation anomalies at the monthly time step showed a two-month lag with a preceding effect of vegetation to precipitation. Finally, the determination of drought events and stages with varying thresholds on the run-theory showed the large variability of duration, magnitude, and intensity according to the choice of both normality and dryness thresholds.

Colorectal cancer is a high-incidence tumor that has a high mortality rate due to its frequent metastasis to the liver. The difference in genes, proteins, and immune microenvironment between the primary and metastatic sites causes them to show different responses to treatment. Colorectal cancer liver metastasis patients also tend to show poorer treatment response and prognosis. Therefore, in this paper, we summarize the heterogeneity exhibited after colorectal cancer liver metastasis from five aspects (gene, transcriptome, protein, metabolism, and immunity), and we found that except for the genetic heterogeneity, the other four aspects exhibite significant heterogeneity, which might serve as a new therapeutic direction and a prognostic marker for patients with liver metastasis. Finally, the therapeutic modalities regarding tumors are rapidly evolving, and we have also summarize the new clinical therapeutic modalities currently proposed based on these heterogeneities, aiming to provide new therapeutic ideas for the clinical treatment of patients with colorectal cancer liver metastases.

In this study, we focus on an abstract form of summation equations, which can be regarded as a particular class of nonlinear difference equations. We investigate sufficient conditions for the existence of discrete almost automorphic solutions by appealing to the fixed point theory and establish a linkage between the existence of discrete almost automorphic solutions and the existence of bounded solutions for the nonlinear difference equations in the spotlight. Consequentially, we propose a discrete counterpart of the Bohr-Neugebauer theorem for the qualitative theory of difference equations.

Cancer is currently the second leading cause of death worldwide, second only to ischemic heart disease, with approximately 8.97 million estimated deaths. However, projections indicate that it is expected to surpass heart disease and become the leading cause of death by 2060. Lung, liver, and stomach cancer are the deadliest malignancies in the general population, while lung and breast cancer predominate as the primary causes of cancer-related death in men and women, respectively. Apart from conventional treatments, there is a growing interest in exploring plant-based drugs for cancer management. Elaeagnus angustifolia, a medicinal plant with a history of traditional use in various cultures for its therapeutic properties, has recently garnered attention as a potential cancer treatment due to its reported anti-cancer effects. This review article aims to comprehensively summarize the current research on Elaeagnus angustifolia and its therapeutic applications in cancer. It delves into in vitro studies investigating the plant's interactions with cancer cells, uncovering mechanisms such as apoptosis induction, cell cycle arrest, and modulation of signalling pathways. In addition to in vitro research, the review evaluates in vivo and preclinical studies assessing the safety and efficacy of Elaeagnus angustifolia in animal models, emphasizing the promising outcomes and underscoring the need for well-designed clinical trials to validate its potential benefits in human cancer patients. The review provides valuable insights into the current research on Elaeagnus angustifolia's role in cancer treatment. It underscores the necessity for further investigations, including clinical trials, to establish its safety, efficacy, and optimal use in cancer management.

This study aims to clarify the influence of photographic environments under different light sources on image-based SPAD value prediction. Radish leaf patches of 1.5 cm diameter were photographed under halogen or LED light. The input variables for the SPAD value prediction using random forests were RGB values, HSL values, and HSV values. Additionally, the light color temperature (LCT) and illuminance (ILL) were used as the input variables. Model performance was assessed using Pearson’s correlation coefficient (COR), Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), and root mean squared error (RMSE). SPAD value prediction resulted in high accuracy in a stable light environment; CORRGB+ILL+LCT and CORHSL+ILL+LCT were 0.929 and 0.922, respectively. Image-based SPAD value prediction was effective under halogen light with a similar color temperature at dusk; CORRGB+ILL and CORHSL+ILL were 0.895 and 0.876, respectively. The HSL value under LED could be used to predict the SPAD value with high accuracy; COR, NSE, and RMSE were 0.972, 0.944, and 2.07, respectively. The partial dependence plots of the H value indicate a change from blue to green with increasing SPAD values. Further studies are required to examine this method under outdoor conditions in spatiotemporally dynamic light environments.

Biodegradable and renewable plastic films have been regarded as promising alternative green materials to achieve the substitution polythene (PE)films to reduce plastic pollution. Poly (butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT) is a kind of biodegradable polyester, which is widely used in the production of biodegradable mulching films. However, the high cost of PBAT limited it applications. Thus, lignin, one of the most abundant biomass resources was incorporated into PBAT matrix in the present work. A series of Lignin/PBAT biodegradable plastics films with different Lignin/PBAT weight ratios (0.00 %-5.00 %) were successfully fabricated using twin screw and twin roll extruders. The chemical compositions, morphologies, thermal stabilities, mechanical properties, and barrier properties of samples were characterized by XRD, FTIR, TG/DSC, mechanical testing machine, and WVTR, respectively. Results show that the corporation of lignin into PBAT matrix could lead to improved thermal stabilities, mechanical properties and barrier properties of films even after Xenon lamp aging process, especially when Lignin/PBAT weight ratio is 1.00 % in the present work. This work provides a very promising approach for fabrication of biodegradable plastics films with low cost, enhanced mechanical properties and barrier properties, the as-prepared samples may have potential applications in agricultural or food packaging materials.

In recent years, computer-aided analysis techniques have emerged as valuable tools in assisting dermatologists by providing objective and efficient analysis of skin cancer images. This paper utilizes the combination of the Contourlet Transform (CT) and Local Binary Pattern (LBP) techniques for accurately recognizing borders, contrast changes, and shapes of skin cancer images. These results often contain many features, leading to high computational costs and potential over-fitting issues. Hence, we applied Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) to select the most informative and discriminating features, reducing the dimensionality while retaining important information for accurate classification. After reducing the feature set with PSO, we applied these sets to Machine learning classification algorithms: Support Vector Machine (SVM), Random Forest (RF), and Neural Networks (NN). The results show that SVM has the lowest time complexity of 0.0458 seconds, followed by the Neural Network at 0.08730 seconds, and the Random Forest model has the highest time complexity of 0.1622 seconds. The SVM and Neural Network models are faster to train than the Random Forest model, making them more suitable for real-time or latency-sensitive applications. We also compared our proposed model with the state-of-the-art models and obtained the accuracy of 86.9%, which is the highest among the models.

Background: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between breastfeeding duration and adenoid size, snoring and acute otitis media (AOM). Methods: We analyzed the medical history, reported symptoms, ear, nose and throat (ENT) examination, and flexible nasopharyngoscopy examination of 145 children aged 3-5 years. Results: Breastfeeding duration of 3 and 6 months or more had a significant effect on the reduction of snoring (p = 0.021; p = 0.039). However, it had no effect on the adenoid size, mucus coverage and sleeping with an open mouth. Snoring was correlated with open mouth sleeping (p &lt; 0.001), adenoid size with a 75% A/C ratio or more (p &lt; 0.001), and adenoid mucus coverage in the Mucus of Adenoid Scale by Nasopharyngoscopy Assessment - MASNA scale (p = 0.009). Children who were breastfed for less than 3 months had more than a 4-fold greater risk of snoring. There was a statistically significant correlation between AOM and gender (p = 0.033), breastfeeding duration in groups fed 1, 3 or 6 months or more (p = 0.018; p = 0.004; p = 0.004) and those fed with mother’s breast milk 3 or 6 months or more (p = 0.009; p = 0.010). Moreover, a correlation was found between adenoid size and mucus coverage, tympanogram, and open-mouth sleeping (p &lt; 0.001). Independent factors of snoring in 3- to 5-year-old children were breastfeeding duration of less than 3 months (p = 0.032), adenoid size with an A/C ratio of 75% or more (p = 0.023) and open mouth sleeping (p = 0.001). Conclusion: Children breastfed for 3 and 6 months or more exhibited reduced rates of snoring. There was no effect of breastfeeding duration on adenoid size in children aged 3 to 5 years, suggesting that the link between breastfeeding duration and snoring is primarily associated with craniofacial development and muscle tone stimulation. A breastfeeding duration of 1 month or more plays a key role in reducing the rate of AOM. The mother’s milk plays a protective role against AOM. The presence of mucus might be responsible for snoring in preschool children. A medical history of breastfeeding should be taken into consideration when snoring children are suspected of adenoid hypertrophy.

Droughts are a common occurrence in various climates and are primarily caused by a prolonged decrease in rainfall. Several factors contribute to droughts, including temperature, wind speed, relative humidity, rainfall timing, amount, and intensity during the growing season. The objective of this study is to establish a new index, named soil moisture and evapotranspiration revealed drought index (SERDI), for displaying dry and wet conditions based on combining both soil moisture and evapotranspiration (Penman-Monteith) to improve drought early warning and its severity globally. For validation of the SERDI with other indices such as LST, VHI, NDVI, and NDWI, different ways used such as R-square, RMSE, MAPE, and P-value to estimate the accuracy, variability of data, the forecast conditions, and how the significance of data. The results showed that the low RMSE and high r² were found between SERDI with LST and VHI. In contrast, the low R- square and high RMSE were between SERDI with NDVI and NDWI in most of the semi-arid areas. Furthermore, most of the semi-arid areas from Iran, Iraq, Syria, Jordan, and Israel experienced moderate and severe dry conditions, except some parts of these regions had normal conditions in Iran and Syria. The SERDI analysis revealed a strong correlation between (LST) and a moderate correlation with (VHI) across all study areas. However, the relationship between other indices, like (NDWI) and (NDVI), varied depending on the regions. To conclude, SERDI can be used globally for detecting drought based on soil moisture and evapotranspiration.

The brick manufacturing sector in Bangladesh is experiencing rapid growth, leading to notable environmental and health concerns. The primary objective of this research is to examine the Savar Upazila, a region of significant economic significance owing to its favorable brick manufacturing conditions and proximity to Dhaka city. Brick kilns, among other sources, constitute significant contributors to air pollution. The study utilized primary and secondary data to examine brick kiln emissions' effects on the surrounding area's environment and public health. The collection of primary data was conducted in multiple zones within Savar Upazila, which is home to a significant number of brick kilns. The utilization of secondary data provided valuable insights regarding the toxic pollutants discharged by these kilns and the corresponding health risks they pose. The participants provided accounts of various health ailments, such as dermatological conditions, optical difficulty, and respiratory complications, further aggravated by brick kilns' incidents. The prevalence of crop losses, soil degradation, and reduced agricultural yields was confirmed by 74% of the respondents. The trees and crops in the surrounding area experienced adverse effects due to the deposition of dust particles. During periods of inactivity, the concentrations of sulfur oxide (SOx) were between 6 and 9 times lower compared to periods of operation. Similarly, nitrogen oxide (NOx) levels were observed to be 4 to 6 times lower during non-operational phases. The degradation of water quality in adjacent bodies has been attributed to the deposition of dust and ash originating from brickfields, resulting in substantial repercussions on aquaculture. A significant proportion of participants indicated experiencing diverse health issues, notwithstanding the employment prospects generated by brick kilns, thereby underscoring the adverse consequences on both the environment and the local economy.

Meningiomas are the most prevalent primary intracranial tumors. The majority are benign but can undergo dedifferentiation into advanced grades classified by World Health Organization (WHO) into Grades 1 to 3. Meningiomas tremendous variability in tumor behavior and slow growth rates complicate their diagnosis and treatment. A deeper comprehension of the molecular pathways and cellular microenvironment factors implicated in meningioma survival and pathology is needed. This review summarizes the known genetic and epigenetic aberrations involved in meningioma, with a focus on Neurofibromatosis type 2 (NF2) and non-NF2 mutations. Novel potential biomarkers for meningioma diagnosis and prognosis are also discussed, including epigenetic-, RNA-, metabolomics, and protein-based markers. Finally, the landscape of available meningioma-specific animal models is overviewed. Use of these animal models can enable planning of adjuvant treatment, potentially assisting in preoperative and postoperative decision-making. Discovery of novel biomarkers will allow, in combination with WHO grading, more precise meningioma grading, including meningioma identification, subtype determination, and prediction of metastasis, recurrence, and response to therapy. Moreover, these biomarkers may be exploited in the development of personalized targeted therapies that can distinguish between the 15 diverse meningioma subtypes.

Innovation has emerged as a critical driver of economic growth in the digital era, revolutionizing industries and reshaping economies worldwide. As traditional funding avenues continue to be dominated by risk-averse lenders and investors, entrepreneurs are increasingly turning to alternative funding mechanisms to fuel their innovative ideas and ventures. This article delves into the evolving landscape of financing innovation in the digital era, with a primary focus on the role of alternative funding mechanisms. By drawing on a comprehensive review of existing literature and empirical evidence, we aim to provide a conceptual framework that elucidates the interplay between alternative finance platforms, innovation ecosystems, and entrepreneurial activities. Moreover, this article examines the unique characteristics and challenges associated with financing innovation through crowdfunding, venture capital, and angel investing. The insights from this research contribute to a better understanding of how these alternative funding mechanisms can effectively support and catalyze innovation across industries and economies.

Infectious diseases are one of the leading causes of death among children under the age of 5 with 60% of those deaths preventable with prophylaxis. Vaccinations prove to be the most succesfull and effective public health tool of infectious dieases preventions. Poland first implemented a program of mandatory childhood vaccinations in 1960. The program is updated each year and provides parents with a clear schedule to follow. The program includes vaccinations against 12 diseases (tuberculosis, hepatitis B, rotaviral disease, diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus, Haemophilus influenzae, Streptococcus pneumoniae, poliomyelitis, measles, mumps and rubella) mandatory for all children and funded by the government. It also includes recommended vaccinations which costs are covered by a patient. Immunization rates are monitored nationwide and reported to the Chief Sanitary Inspector. With recent outbreaks of infectious diseases among young children the obligation lies on the government to provide childhood immunizations, and largely on the physicians to provide reliable education about infectious diseases in children and safety of vaccinations to the parents.

In recent decades, low-yielding seismic devices based on the use of friction dampers have emerged as an excellent solution for the development of building structures with improved reparability and resilience. Achieving an optimal design for such low-yielding seismic devices requires precise control of bolt preloading levels and predictability of the friction coefficient (CoF) between the damper interfaces. While various types of friction devices exist, capable of providing significant energy dissipation, ongoing research is focused on the development of novel friction materials that exhibit a stable hysteretic response, high CoF values, minimal differences between static and dynamic CoF, and predictable slip resistance. In this context, an experimental campaign was conducted at the STRENGTH Laboratory of the University of Salerno to evaluate the behaviour of new friction shims employing specially developed metal alloys. Specifically, the influence of the characteristics of the contact surfaces in the sliding area on the behaviour and performance of the friction device was analysed. The tests followed the loading protocol recommended by EN12159 for seismic device qualification. Monitored parameters included preloading force values and the evolution of slip resistance. The friction value was determined, along with its degradation over time. Finally, the material's performance in terms of hysteretic behaviour was assessed, providing a comparison of the tested specimens in terms of slip force degradation and energy dissipation capacity.

The need for cross-modal retrieval (CMR) among users is growing because of the swift advancements in computer vision and natural language processing. Promoting home operating systems is greatly aided by the openKylin home operating system. It is focused on enhancing the functionality of the operating system with safe and dependable operating technologies. Practical implications abound for integrating computer vision research into home operating systems. A multimodal retrieval approach based on openKylin is presented to improve the usability of text search graphs, audio, and video. The overview of pertinent domestic and international research is the main topic of this article. This technological advancement. It then offers details on the design, implementation procedure, and final implementation outcomes for demonstration. The works of natural operations show that this strategy has excellent accuracy and performance.

This study investigates how a range of economic, environmental, and social indicators have influenced the concept of inclusive growth in 19 member countries of the Asian Cooperation Dialogue over the period spanning from 1995 to 2021. To analyze these relationships, the research employs the Driscoll Kraay's Standard Errors regression technique, designed to account for factors such as cross-sectional dependence, hetero-scedasticity, and autocorrelation within the data. Furthermore, various preliminary tests were conducted to assess the data for cross-sectional dependence, slope heterogeneity, heteroscedasticity, and autocorrelation. Additionally, the Westerlund cointegration test was employed to evaluate the potential long-term equilibrium relationships among the variables. The findings reveal that the influence of independent variables on the dependent variable, which in this case is the level of inclusive growth (ING), differs significantly among three distinct income categories: lower-middle-income countries (LMYCs), upper-middle-income countries (UMYCs), and high-income countries (HYCs). Notably, the results underscore the overall statistical significance and robust fit of the regression model for all three income groups. One of the primary contribu-tions of this research is the provision of empirical evidence concerning the role played by fishery and aquaculture production in fostering inclu-sive growth in the Asian context. This research also highlights the trade-offs between economic development and environmental sustainability in terms of trade openness, agriculture, forestry and fishing, ecological footprint, and renewable energy utilization. Enhancing inclusive growth in Asia requires improving fishery and aquaculture management, diversifying economic activities, reducing ecological footprint, and increasing renewable energy utilization. The paper suggests some future work directions for extending the analysis to other regions and indicators, as well as incorporating dynamic panel data models and causality tests. The paper also suggests some policy implications for fostering inclusive growth in Asia through regional cooperation, capacity building, technology transfer and green financing.

A single-crystal of ytterbium-doped “mixed” yttrium-lutetium aluminium garnet with a stoichiometric composition of (Y0.601Lu0.233Yb0.166)3Al5O12 was grown by the Czochralski method and its structure, vibronic, spectroscopic and laser properties were studied. The stimulated-emission cross-section for Yb3+ ions was maximized to 2.53×10-20 cm2 at 1031 nm, the emission bandwidth is ~8 nm and the reabsorption-free luminescence lifetime of the 2F5/2 state is 1.063 ms. Pumped at 941 nm, the Yb-laser generated a maximum output power of 1.04 W at 1.03 and 1.05 μm with a high slope efficiency of 76.4% and a laser threshold of 76 mW. A continuous wavelength tuning over a range of 51.6 nm (1026.4 - 1078.0 nm) was also achieved. Power scaling is achieved using a 969 nm-diode pumped microchip cavity. A maximum output power of ~9 W is obtained at 1.05 μm with a slope efficiency of 76% and with an almost circular laser beam profile.

Background and Aims: The impact of antibody response after direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy in hepatitis C virus (HCV)-infected recipients before and after liver transplantation (LT) is still undetermined. Methods: In this observational cohort study, we aimed to explore the association of changes in anti-HCV antibody titers after pre-LT DAA therapy with allograft injury, including biliary complications (BCs) and acute cellular rejection (ACR). Results: A total of 153 cases were enrolled from January 2015 to February 2021. Serum anti-HCV antibody titers were assessed before and after (day 30) LT. Among all recipients, 31/153 (20.3%) had pre-LT DAA therapy (DAA group) and 122/153 (79.7%) did not undergo pre-LT DAA therapy (DAA-naïve group). Higher incidence of post-LT BCs was observed in the DAA group (P = 0.028). Compared with the DAA-naïve group, the DAA group had a significantly higher mean level of anti-HCV titer upregulation (P = 0.0024); furthermore, among the recipients with BCs (n = 28) and ACR (n = 41), those in the DAA group exhibited significantly higher mean levels of anti-HCV antibody titer upregulation (P < 0.005). Conclusion: In conclusion, we speculated that anti-HCV antibody titer upregulation, which might have been induced by restoration of HCV-specific immune responses with pre-LT DAA therapy, were associated with post-LT allograft injury.

In addition to nucleic acids, various viral proteins are involved in the assembly of virion. If it is possible to create a biologically active agent that leads to the degradation of one of the key proteins for virus assembly and/or destroys the viral factory, then this agent will effectively cope with virus replication. One of these key proteins for the SARS-CoV-2 virus is the nucleocapsid protein (N-protein). As such a bioactive agent, we offer a modular nanotransporter (MNT) developed by us, which, in addition to an antibody mimetic to the N-protein, contains an amino acid sequence for the attraction of the Keap1 E3 ubiquitin ligase. This should lead to the subsequent degradation of the N-protein. We have shown that functional properties of modules within the MNT permit its internalization into target cells, endosome escape into the cytosol, and binding to the N-protein. Using flow cytometry and Western blot, it was demonstrated that significant degradation of N-protein is observed when A549 and A431 cells transformed with N-protein are incubated with the developed MNTs. The proposed MNTs open up a new approach for the treatment of viral diseases.

The devastating effects of COVID-19 permeates virtually all aspects of life across geographic boundaries. As the lockdown is eased, and reinstated, across many parts of the world, attention is now shifting towards how to navigate the ‘now normal’ rather than the ‘next normal,’ of doing business with a view to achieving sustainable development. This study highlights some of the challenges and opportunities for micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in times of crisis such as COVID-19. Conceptual by orientation, the study provides a broad overview of trends in crises times, drawing upon a range of qualitative accounts. The overarching message is the current direction of travel for MSMEs in sustaining their bottom-line, not after the crisis, but at this particular moment in time. The study highlights some implications for ‘pivoting,’ in order to cushion the impact of the pandemic on efforts to capacitate MSMEs in leveraging value co-creation with the consumers. The implications of the here and now are discussed.

Grain supply is the lifeblood of a country, and the stability of the supply chain is a crucial prerequisite for ensuring national grain security. This paper draws on the definition of resilience in physics and economics. It takes supply chain fracture resilience, impact resilience, and synergy resilience as the secondary indicators. It constructs a comprehensive evaluation indicator system of the grain supply chain resilience, measures the resilience indicator of China's grain supply chain from 1996 to 2021, and analyzes the role of supply, cost, exchange rate, and other external shocks in influencing the resilience of China's grain supply chain on this basis. The study found that the overall level of China's total grain supply chain resilience has been growing year by year and can be divided into three stages: low-level stabilization stage, continuous growth stage, and high-level stabilization stage. Grain supply chain fracture resilience has been growing steadily, grain supply chain impact resilience fluctuation is more obvious, and grain supply chain synergy resilience has been changing more gently. In the inquiry of the impact of external shocks on the resilience of China's grain supply chain, it was found that world grain exports and the RMB exchange rate have a significant positive impact on China's grain supply chain resilience level, while the international oil price has a significant negative impact. Based on this, the paper puts forward suggestions for ensuring stable production and supply in the grain market, improving the structure of foreign trade in grain, and actively coping with international commodity price shocks.