The Sharing Economy (SE) has dawn great attention from several stakeholders in society in the last five years. While business actors are interested in financial opportunities to meet consumer needs, new business models, the academia and governmental organizations are concerned with potential unintended effects on the society and environment. In the process of making a clearer comprehension of the SE phenomenon, researchers have identified that, despite its notable global growth, there still persists a lack of a more solid ground in understanding its origins and respective mechanisms under which it has been evolving over time as a category. In this research, we address the problematics of the origins and ascendency of the SE by examining the process by which the SE is arising as a new category, searching for conceptual clarification and pinpointing the legitimacy granted by key stakeholders. Our guiding research questions are: (1) how the SE was formed and evolved as a market category; and (2), as a market category, is the SE legitimate? Additionally, we attempt to identify the nature of the SE as a category. To answer these questions, we conducted an historical analysis of the expression SE and its equivalents. This paper deepens the discussion about the nature of the SE by providing evidence that (i) the SE has predominantly been formed by emergence processes, comprising social movement, similarity clustering and truce components. It is the combination of all these aforementioned processes that renders the SE a special case of market category formation, which, in turn, has been allowing communication, entrepreneurship, regulation and research about what really is the SE, and despite the evident lack of agreements regarding both the label and its content; (ii) there is a generalized legitimacy granted to the SE by a vast number of stakeholders, even though still lacking on the consolidation of socio-political legitimation, and (iii) the nature of the SE seems to fall in a metaphorical approach, particularly, the notion of radial categories.

Integrated disaster risk reduction in schools represents a key component of safety strategies within the educational sector of every country. In this study, a series of 850 face-to-face interviews (650 with students and 200 with teachers) were conducted throughout 2023 in 10 out of the total 18 municipalities in the Western Morava Basin of the Republic of Serbia. The paper proposes two central hypotheses regarding school-based disaster risk reduction. Firstly, it suggests that gender, age, parent's employment, academic achievement, living situation, paternal and maternal education levels, and engagement with social media collectively influence students' perspectives on this matter. Secondly, it posits that gender, age, marital status, parenthood, and educational background significantly impact teachers' viewpoints on school-based disaster risk reduction. Multivariate linear regression was used to explore predictors of students' and teachers' insights on school-based disaster risk reduction. Various statistical tests including Chi-square, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, and Pearson's correlation were employed to investigate the influence of demographic and socioeconomic factors on these insights. The results of multivariate regression analyses indicate that age, gender and marital emerge as the primary predictors across various facets of students' and teachers' insights on school-based disaster risk reduction (awareness of disasters, disaster education activities, attitudes on disaster risk reduction education, enhancement of disaster information accessibility, etc). The results of this study provide insight into the key factors influencing students' and teachers' perceptions of disaster risk reduction in schools. As such, they can serve as a basis for improving educational programs, developing policies and strategies, normative educational frameworks, teacher training, and further research in disaster education.

The impact of long-term soil and crop management practices on soil biological and chemical properties in oilseed brassica-based production systems were deliberated for holistic soil health improvement in the present study. Different tillage, crop residue re-cycling and cropping systems were studied for 5-years in 0-15 and 15-30 cm soil profiles. No-till permanent beds with crop residue (PB+R) noticeably improved soil organic carbon (SOC), microbial biomass carbon (MBC), enzymes [dehydrogenase (DHA) and alkaline phosphatase (AlP)], nitrogen fractions (available, nitrate and total), and available phosphorus and potassium content in both the soil layers compared to conventional tillage without crop residues. Though, the plow soil layer (0-15 cm) showed higher concentration of soil carbon, enzymes, N fractions and available P than in the sub soil (15-30 cm). The dynamic soil biological and chemical properties were also varied with the crop stage, and recorded higher MBC at 30 days, SOC and enzymatic activities at 60 days, and N fractions and available P and K at harvest of mustard crop. Green gram-mustard rotation showed higher values of biological and chemical parameters. Thus, the legume-based mustard crop rotation following no-till permanent beds and residue re-cycling found holistic in improving soil health, and nutrient cycling.

Scrub typhus is a neglected tropical disease predominantly occurring in Asia. The causative agent is a bacterium transmitted by the larval stage of mites found in rural vegetation in endemic regions. Cases of scrub typhus frequently present as acute undifferentiated febrile illness, and without early diagnosis and treatment, the disease can develop fatal complications. We retrospectively reviewed de-identified data from a 23-year-old woman who presented to an emergency department with complaints of worsening abdominal pain. On presentation, she appeared jaundiced and toxic-looking. Other positive findings on abdominal examination were a positive Murphey’s sign, abdominal guarding and hepatosplenomegaly. Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography demonstrated acalculous cholecystitis. Additional findings included eschar on the medial aspect of the left thigh with inguinal regional lymphadenopathy. Further, positive results were obtained for immunoglobulins M and G, confirming scrub typhus. Workups for other infectious causes of acute acalculous cholecystitis detected human herpesvirus 4 (Epstein-Barr virus). Whether that represented acute infection or re-activation of the Epstein-Barr virus could not be determined. As other reports have described acute acalculous cholecystitis in adult scrub typhus patients, we recommend doxycycline to treat acute acalculous cholecystitis in endemic regions while awaiting serological confirmation.

Objective: To highlight opportunities for future nutrition intervention research within early childhood and education care (ECEC) settings, with a focus on generating evidence that has applicability to real-world policy and practice. Methods: An overview of opportunities to progress the field was developed by authors using a collaborative writing approach and informed by recent research in the field. The group developed a list of recommendations aligned with the reach, effectiveness, adoption, implementation and maintenance (RE-AIM) framework. Pairs of authors drafted individual sections of the manuscript, which was then reviewed by a separate pair. The first and senior author consolidated all sections of the manuscript and sought critical input on draft iterations of the manuscript. Results: Interventions that employ digital platforms (Reach) in ECEC settings, as well as research in the family day care setting (Effectiveness) were identified as areas of opportunities. Research understanding the determinants of and effective strategies for dissemination (Adoption), implementation of nutrition programs, in addition to de-implementation (Implementation) of inappropriate nutrition practices, is warranted. For maintenance, there is a need to better understand sustainability and sustainment of interventions, in addition to undertaking policy-relevant research. Conclusions: The ECEC setting is prime for innovative and practical nutrition intervention research.

In light of the urgency raised by the COVID-19 pandemic, global investment in wildlife virology is likely to increase, and new surveillance programs will identify hundreds of novel viruses that might someday pose a threat to humans. Our capacity to identify which viruses are capable of zoonotic emergence depends on the existence of a technology—a machine learning model or other informatic system—that leverages available data on known zoonoses to identify which animal pathogens could someday pose a threat to global health. We synthesize the findings of an interdisciplinary workshop on zoonotic risk technologies to answer the following questions: What are the prerequisites, in terms of open data, equity, and interdisciplinary collaboration, to the development and application of those tools? What effect could the technology have on global health? Who would control that technology, who would have access to it, and who would benefit from it? Would it improve pandemic prevention? Could it create new challenges?

In this paper we present an argument in favor of the possibility of an artificial intelligence above human intelligence. AI technology has shown a stepwise increase in its capacity and complexity. The last step took place several years ago, due to increased progress in deep neural network technology. Each such step goes hand in hand with our understanding of ourselves, understanding human cognition. Indeed, AI was always about the question of understanding human nature. AI percolates into our lives, step by step, changing our environment. We believe the next few steps in AI technology, and in our understanding of human behavior, will bring about a much more powerful machines, flexible enough to resemble human behavior. In this context, there are two research fields: Artificial Social Intelligence (ASI) and General Artificial Intelligence (AGI). On the ground of ASI and AGI we present an evolutionary argument which uses research in artificial life simulations, showing an increase in complexity due to an emergent property coming out of lower complexity constituents. The whole process is driven by an evolutionary force. What could such an evolutionary force be? We suggest a social communicative driving force. We end the discussion demonstrating a way to overcome our fears of singularity, harnessing value alignment.

With the targets of petroleum exploration transferred to the deep and ancient strata, abundant oil and gas resources have been found in the Lower Paleozoic and older strata in central and western China. Due to complex evolutionary processes including multiple episodes of hydrocarbon accumulation and ubiquitously accompanied by secondary alterations, significant uncertainties were remained for the generation time and accumulation processes of these revealed petroleum. In this paper, relative pure Re and Os elements existing in the asphaltene fractions of Lower Cambrian solid bitumen collected from the Guangyuan area, western Sichuan Basin, SW China and another Middle–Lower Ordovician heavy oils in the Aiding area of the Tahe oilfield in the Tarim Basin, NW China were successfully obtained by the sample pre-treatments, and Re–Os isotopic analysis was subsequently carried out for the dating of these two petroleum. The Re–Os isotopic composition indicates a generation time of Guangyuan bitumen to locate between 572 Ma and 559 Ma, corresponding to the late Sinian period of Neoproterozoic era. By the means of Re–Os isochron ages, initial 187Os/188Os ratios, and carbon isotopic compositions, the Lower Cambrian bitumen is supposed to be originated from source rocks of the Doushantuo Formation in the Sinian strata and subsequently migrated into the reservoirs of Dengying Formation. These previously reserved petroleum had been transformed to present bitumen by the destruction of reservoirs caused by tectonic uplift. The Re–Os dating results of Middle–Lower Ordovician heavy oil of Tarim Basin supposed that it was formed between 450 Ma to 436 Ma, corresponding to the Late Ordovician–Early Silurian system, and the generated petroleum is likely to migrate into the Middle–Lower Ordovician karst reservoirs to form early oil reservoirs. With tectonic uplift, these oil reservoirs were degraded and reformed to be present heavy oil reservoirs.

Many complex behaviours in biological systems emerge from large populations of interacting molecules or cells, generating functions that go beyond the capabilities of the individual parts. Such collective phenomena are of great interest to bioengineers due to their robustness and scalability. However, engineering emergent collective functions is difficult because they arise as a consequence of complex multi-level feedback, which often spans multiple length-scales. Here, we present a perspective on how some of these challenges could be overcome by using multi-agent modelling as a design framework within synthetic biology. Using case studies covering the construction of synthetic ecologies to biological computation and synthetic cellularity, we show how multi-agent modelling can capture the core features of complex multi-scale systems and provide novel insights into the underlying mechanisms which guide emergent functionalities across scales. The ability to unravel design rules underpinning these behaviours offers a means to take synthetic biology beyond single molecules or cells and towards the creation of systems with functions that can only emerge from collectives at multiple scales.

Background: After the increasingly common anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) procedure in competitive athletes, rehabilitation is crucial for facilitating a timely return to sports (RTS) and preventing re-injury. This pilot study investigates the biomechanical and psychological outcomes of postoperative rehabilitation in competitive athletes, comparing supervised rehabilita-tion (SVR) and home-based rehabilitation (HBR). Methods: After ACLR, 60 (out of 74 screened) athletes were recruited and equally divided into 2 groups using non-probability convenience sam-pling: 30 HBR and 30 SVR (each group comprising 15 males and 15 females). Rehabilitation out-comes in respective groups were evaluated at 8 months using measures (Tegner-Activity-Scale [TAS], International Knee Documentation Committee subjective knee form [IKDC-SKF], ACL Return to Sport after Injury [ACL-RSI]) and objective parameters (isometric muscle strength, hamstring/quadriceps asymmetry). RTS was evaluated at 9 months; with ACL re-injury rates rec-orded approximately 6 months post-RTS. Results: Both groups exhibited decreased TAS scores (HBR: 8 to 6, SVR: 8 to 7), with the SVR group demonstrating superior post-operative IKDC-SKF scores (81.82 vs. 68.43) and lower ACL-RSI scores (49.46 vs. 55.25). Isometric and isokinetic mus-cle strength, along with asymmetry values, favored the SVR group 8 months post-ACLR (p

Astronauts in space are subject to a continuous bombardment of ionizing radiation. The Earth's magnetic field and the ISS shield some biologically damaging particles traveling through. Still, travel beyond low-Earth orbit and extravehicular activities are exceedingly more dangerous and there is a concern for the acute and late-occurring adverse health effects befalling astronauts. So, it is vital to consider the current tools and models used to describe and study the organic consequences of ionizing radiation exposure. It is equally important to see where these models may improve. This article reviews the historical development and current state of knowledge of radiation effects impacting astronauts in orbit. We explain the space radiation environment, cellular microenvironment, and how these may be incorporated in radiobiological models to aid in our understanding of the influence space travel may have on astronaut health. The topics discussed in this paper include a review of DNA damage and repair mechanisms and the numerical models that aim to explain the biological effects resulting from ionizing radiation damage. Historically, radiobiological models focused on how radiation damages nuclear DNA, built upon the hypotheses of Crowther and Lea in the 1940s and 1960s, and neglected other sub-cellular targets outside of nuclear DNA.

A graphene-containing LDH was prepared by re-hydration of the oxides produced by the calcination of an organic LDH. While the memory effect is a widely recognized effect on oxides produced by inorganic LDHs, it is unprecedented from the calcination/re-hydration of organic ones. Different temperatures (400, 600 and 1100 °C) were tested, on the basis of thermogravimetric data. Water instead of a carbonate solution was used for the re-hydration, with CO₂ available from water itself and/or air to induce a slower process with an easier and better intercalation of the carbonaceous species within the layers. The samples were characterized by X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD), IR and Raman spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). XRPD indicate the presence of carbonate LDH mixed with a layered phase with a larger d-spacing. IR confirmed that the prevailing anion is carbonate, coming from the water used for the re-hydration and/or air. Raman data indicated the presence of low-ordered graphenic species moieties and SEM the absence of separated graphene of graphitic sheets, suggesting an intimate mixing of the carbonaceous phase with reconstructed LDH. Organic LDHs gave better memory effect after calcination at 400 °C. Conversely, the graphenic species are observed after rehydration of the sample calcined at 600 °C with a reduced memory effect, demonstrating the interference of the carbonaceous phase with LDH reconstruction and the bonding with LDH layers to form a graphene-LDH nanocomposite.

Treatment of tendinopathies with multipotent mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) is a promising option in equine and human medicine. However, conclusive clinical evidence is lacking. The purpose of this study was to gain insight into clinical treatment efficacy and to identify suitable outcome measures for larger clinical studies. Fifteen horses with early naturally occurring tendon disease were assigned to intralesional treatment with allogeneic adipose-derived MSCs suspended in serum or with serum alone by block randomization (dosage adapted to lesion size). Clinicians and horse owners remained blinded to the treatment during 12 months (7 horses per group) and 18 months (7 MSC- and 5 control-group horses) of follow-up including clinical examinations and diagnostic imaging. Clinical inflammation-, lameness- and ultrasonography scores improved more over time in the MSC-group. The lameness score difference significantly improved in the MSC- compared to the control-group after 6 months. In the MSC-group, 5 out of 7 horses were free of re-injuries and back to training until 12 and 18 months. In the control-group, 3 out of 7 horses were free of re-injuries until 12 months. These results suggest that MSCs are effective for treatment of early phase tendon disease and provide a basis for a larger controlled study.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect individuals across the globe, with some individuals experiencing more severe disease than others. The relatively high frequency of re-infections and breakthrough infections observed with SARS-CoV-2 highlights the importance of extending our understanding of immunity to COVID-19. Here we aim to shed light on the importance of antibody titers and epitope utilization in protection from re-infection. Health care workers are highly exposed to COVID-19 and are therefore also more likely to become re-infected. We utilized quantitative, multi-antigen, multi-epitope SARS-CoV-2 protein microarrays to measure IgG and IgA titers against various domains of the nucleocapsid and spike proteins. Potential re-infections in a large, diverse health care worker cohort (N=300) during the second wave of the pandemic were identified by assessing the IgG anti-N titers before and after the second wave. We assessed epitope coverage and antibody titers between the 'single infection’ and ‘re-infection’ groups. Clear differences were observed in the breadth of the anti-N response before the second wave, with the epitope coverage for both IgG (p=0.019) and IgA (p=0.015) being significantly increased in those who did not become re-infected compared to those who did. Additionally, the IgG anti-N (p=0.004) and anti-S titers (p=0.018) were significantly higher in those not re-infected. These results highlight the importance of the breadth of elicited antibody epitope coverage following natural infection in protection from re-infection and disease in the COVID-19 pandemic.

Heat stress due to climate warming can significantly affect the synthesis of sex hormones in male adolescents, which can impair the ability of the hypothalamus to secrete gonadotropin-releasing hormone on the hypothalamic-pituitary-gonadal axis, which leads to a decrease in luteinizing hormone and follicle-stimulating hormone, which ultimately negatively affects spermatogenesis and testosterone synthesis. For optimal spermatogenesis, the testicular temperature should be 2–6°C lower than body temperature. Heat stress directly affects the testes, damaging them and re-ducing testosterone synthesis. Additionally, chronic heat stress abnormally increases the level of aromatase in Leydig cells, which increases estradiol synthesis while decreasing testosterone, lead-ing to an imbalance of sex hormones and spermatogenesis failure. Low levels of testosterone in male adolescents lead to delayed puberty and incomplete sexual maturation, negatively affect height growth and bone mineral density, and can lead to a decrease in lean body mass and an in-crease in fat mass. In order for male adolescents to acquire healthy reproductive capacity, it is recommended to provide sufficient nutrition and energy, avoid exposure to heat stress, and pro-vide foods and supplements to prevent or repair testosterone reduction, germ cell damage, and sperm count reduction caused by heat stress so that they can enter a healthy adulthood.

Ménière's disease (MD) has an unclear cause. The microvascular dysregulation of the inner ear has been increasingly pointed as a potential contributor. This study investigates the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in MD patients compared to those with posterior circulation cerebral infarction (POCI). CVRFs like hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, obesity, coronary heart disease, and smoking were assessed in both MD and POCI patients. Brain MRI identified POCI etiology as "small vessel occlusion" (SVO) or "other etiology" (OE). The study included 64 MD and 84 POCI patients. Compared to MD, POCI OE showed a higher prevalence of CVRFs across various age groups, including hypertension, diabetes, dyslipidemia, and smoking. Notably, the odds of having POCI OE were significantly higher for individuals with hypertension and smoking. On the other hand, POCI SVO showed similar prevalence of CVRFs compared to MD. This study reveals no significant difference in CVRF prevalence between MD and smaller vessel POCI. However, a clear distinction emerges when comparing MD to POCI with involvement of larger blood vessels. Further research is needed to confirm these findings and explore potential shared risk factors between POCI (SVO) and MD.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is a major cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide, with a rising incidence observed over the years. The androgen receptor (AR) signaling pathway plays a pivotal role in male development and maintaining masculine characteristics. Dysregulation of AR signaling in prostate cancer can lead to disease progression and resistance to standard therapies. Understanding the intricate regulation and function of AR in both healthy and diseased states is crucial for developing effective treatment strategies. This review comprehensively explores the role of androgen receptors in prostate cancer susceptibility, disease progression, and treatment response by analyzing recent literature. An extensive search of peer-reviewed publications in major databases, including PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science, was conducted using specific keywords related to androgen receptor, prostate cancer, disease progression, and treatment resistance. Relevant conference abstracts and clinical trial reports were also included. The review presents an overview of the role of androgen receptors in prostate cancer initiation, progression, and treatment resistance. It highlights emerging biomarkers associated with AR signaling dysregulation and their potential utility for early detection and personalized treatment approaches. Additionally, recent advances in targeting the AR pathway for novel therapeutic strategies to improve patient outcomes and overcome treatment resistance in advanced prostate cancer are discussed. The findings contribute to a comprehensive understanding of the AR signaling pathway in prostate cancer and offer insights into its multifaceted role in disease development and treatment response. They may pave the way for innovative therapeutic interventions and precision medicine approaches based on specific AR signaling profiles, enhancing patient care and reducing the burden of this lethal disease.

An evaluation of emerging issues in One Health (OH) in Sub-Saharan Africa was undertaken to map the existing OH initiatives in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries. Desk review, expert opinions survey, limited interviews and wider consultations with selected OH stakeholders were conducted. The strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats to OH initiatives were identified. OH influence, interest and impacts were evaluated. One Health is transiting from multidisciplinary to transdisciplinary concepts and OH viewpoint should move from ‘proxy for zoonoses’, to include issues of climate change, nutrition and food safety, social sciences, geography, policy and planning, economics, welfare and well-being, antimicrobial resistance (AMR), vector-borne diseases, toxicosis and pesticides issues. While the identified major strengths should be boosted, the weaknesses should be addressed.OH Networks in SSA were spatially and temporally spread across SSA and stakeholders were classified as key, latent, marginal and OH defenders. Imbalance in stakeholders’ representation led to hesitation in buying-in from stakeholders who are outside the main networks. Theory of change, monitoring and evaluation frameworks, and tools to standardized evaluation of OH policies is needed for sustained future of OH and the future OH engagement should be outputs and outcomes-driven and not activity-driven.National roadmap for OH implementation and institutionalization is necessary and proofs of concepts in OH should be verified and scaled-up. Dependence on external funding is unsustainable and must be addressed. Necessary policy and legal instrument to support OH nationally and sub-nationally should be implemented taking cognizance of contemporary issues like urbanization, endemic poverty and other emerging issues. Utilizing current technologies and OH approach to address ongoing pandemic of COVID-19 and other emerging diseases is desirable. Finally, OH implementation should be anticipatory and not reactive to significantly benefit budgeting and contain disease outbreaks in animal sources before the risk of spillover to human can be envisaged.

The outstanding occurrences of red wood ant nests (RWA; Formica rufa-group) at two study sites in the Oberpfalz, NE Bavaria, Germany, could be confirmed by the 2023 re-inventory (a total of 5,393 nests and an increase by ≈8 %). RWA nests preferred mature and medium mature pine-dominated forests. Standing and downed dead wood do not negatively influence nests. Nest counts with woodpecker cavities and the diversity of the herb layer increased. The highly clustered nests in NW-SE direction suggests a strong interaction between nests distributions and the tectonic environment. Our developed (re-)inventory approach in combination with the comprehensive photo database is a valuable tool for a) monitoring the entire forest habitat including woodpecker cavities and dead wood in, at and around nests, and b) identifying GeoBio-Interactions. Such a comprehensive approach leads to more accurate and realistic counts of RWA nests during (re-)inventories and provides scientific evidence of the status quo of RWA occurrence. Our results disproved the unfounded and scientifically unsubstantiated blanket statement by laymen of the ASW Landesverband Bayern e.V. that RWA nest numbers in the Oberpfalz or even in the entire Bavaria are in sharp decline. We suggest seven to eight years as a suitable time interval for re-inventories.

The space shuttle, a revolutionary spacecraft that has played a significant role in human space exploration, was composed of various advanced materials that were carefully selected to meet the extreme demands of spaceflight. This review paper provides a comprehensive examination of the materials historically employed in the construction of space shuttles and explores the latest trends shaping the field. The evolution of space shuttle materials is traced from the inception of the space program to contemporary missions, highlighting key milestones, challenges, and breakthroughs. Emphasis is placed on the critical role that materials play in the overall performance, safety, and sustainability of space shuttles. The paper begins by elucidating the diverse requirements that materials must fulfill in the harsh and complex environment of space, encompassing extreme temperatures, radiation exposure, and mechanical stresses. A detailed analysis of the materials utilized in the fabrication of various shuttle components, such as thermal protection systems, structural elements, and propulsion systems, is presented. Special attention is given to the challenges posed by re-entry and the strategies employed to mitigate heat-related issues. Furthermore, the review explores recent innovations and emerging materials that are reshaping the landscape of space shuttle design. Advancements in nanotechnology, composite materials, and additive manufacturing are discussed in the context of their potential applications for enhancing shuttle performance and reducing mission costs. The paper also addresses the importance of sustainability in space exploration, exploring materials with lower environmental impact and improved recyclability. The review concludes with a forward-looking perspective on the future of materials, considering ongoing research, development, and the potential incorporation of cutting-edge technologies. Insights are provided into how the evolving landscape of materials science may influence the design and manufacturing processes of the next generation of space vehicles. This paper provides an overview of the materials used in the construction of the space shuttle, including their properties, applications, and challenges. The materials used in the space shuttle are critical in ensuring the safety, performance, and longevity of the spacecraft, and understanding their characteristics and performance in space is crucial for the advancement of aerospace engineering.

(1) Background: Co-morbidities such as hypertension and cardiovascular disease are major risk factors for severe COVID-19. The renin-angiotensin-system (RAS) is critically involved in their pathophysiology and is counterbalanced by both angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2), the functional receptor of SARS-CoV-2, and the kallikrein-kinin-system (KKS). Considerable research interest with respect to COVID-19 treatment is, thus, currently directed towards the components of these systems. In an earlier study, we noticed significantly reduced carboxypeptidase N (CPN, KKS member) activity and partially excessive angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE, RAS member) activity in the sera of both hospitalized (HoP) COVID-19 patients and a sub-group of covalescent patients, while in the majority of the probands recovering from the disease these values had returned to normal. The data had been obtained using bradykinin (BK) as a reporter peptide, which is a target of both CPN and ACE, and they were supplemented by serum proteomics of the same patient cohort. We hypothesized that the data could be indicative of Long COVID, which had not been fully appreciated at the time of our study.; (2) Methods: The data were re-evaluated in the light of Long COVID. The recent literature on the RAS in COVID-19, antihypertensiva, and Long COVID was briefly reviewed.; (3) Results: While the levels of the BK serum degradation products should return to normal concentrations during convalescence, this was not true for some patients. This could be due to persisting liver problems, because CPN is synthesized there, but also to a dysregulated RAS. This was not reflected in the levels of selected RAS/KKS serum proteins like angiotensinogen (AGT), although AGT correlated with disease severity in HoP. However, standard tests in routine patient care in Long COVID often come back normal, and it may be that BK degradation is specific in some pathophysiologies. Moreover, the HoP group was sub-divided based on the serum protein profiles and COVID-19 severity.; (4) Conclusions: We point out two insights: 1) Sensitive technology such as omics methods might provide unexpected significant differences within the pre-defined patient groups of a clinical study. Those can only be explored, if the cohorts are large enough and properly matched with respect to the parameters known beforehand (e.g., age, gender, co-morbidities). 2) Results of the BK-reporter serum protease activity assay could be indicative of persisting liver problems and/or potentially of Long COVID. Clinical studies are required to test this hypothesis.

Ever since Varela and Maturana proposed the concept of autopoiesis as the minimal requirement for life, there has been a focus on cellular systems that erect topological boundaries to separate themselves from their surrounding environment. Here we reconsider whether the existence of such a spatial boundary is strictly necessary for self-producing entities. This work presents a novel computational model of a minimal autopoietic system inspired by dendrites and molecular dynamics simulations in three-dimensional space. A series of simulation experiments where the metabolic pathways of a particular autocatalytic set are successively inhibited until autocatalytic entities that could be considered autopoietic are produced. These entities maintain their distinctness in an environment containing multiple identical instances of the entities without the existence of a topological boundary. This gives rise to the concept of a metabolic boundary which manifests as emergent self-selection criteria for the processes of self-production without any need for unique identifiers. However, the adoption of such a boundary comes at a cost, as these autopoietic entities are less suited to their simulated environment than their autocatalytic counterparts. Finally, this work showcases a generalized metabolism-centered approach to the study of autopoiesis that can be applied to both physical and abstract systems alike.

The epistemology of the traditional risk assessment examined has a taxonomy based upon deterministic, behaviouristic and compatibilist methodologies which are likely driven by neo-liberal market related requirements for bigger, faster cheaper wind-turbines. Analysis of available risk assessments suggested that there is no conscious effort to deceive the reader although the intended audience is unclear. The language, and scoring mechanisms utilized indicates the presence of conformity bias, confirmation bias, and numerical inconsistency leading to data ossification. By reverse engineering risk assessment content, Pragmatic and Social Psychological aspects can be investigated, and the adequacy of the document can be evaluated using evidence-based models.

In recent years, pedestrian re-identification has gained a lot of interest due to its importance for many purposes such as security and safety. Many types of solutions have been proposed to solve this problem, where the majority are based on a features extraction such Convolution Neural Networks (CNNs). These approaches assume that only the identities that are in the training data can be recognized. The pedestrians in the training data are called In distribution (ID). However, in real world scenarios, new pedestrians and objects can appear in the scene and the model should detect them as Out Of Distribution (OOD). In our previous study , we proposed a pedestrian re-identification based on von-Mises Fisher (vMF) distribution. Each identity is embedded in the unit sphere as a compact vMF distribution far from other identities distributions. The embedding is done through a base CNN. Recently, proposed a framework called Virtual Outlier Synthetic (VOS), that detects OOD based on synthesising virtual outlier in the embedding space in an online manner. Their approach assumes that the samples from the same object maps to a compact space. This assumption aligns with the vMF based approach. Therefore, in this paper, we revisited the vMF approach and merged with VOS in order to detect OOD data points. We present our approach to merge both frameworks. We conducted several experiments to evaluate our proposed framework. Results showed that our framework was able to detect new pedestrian that do not exist in the training data in the inference phase. It also slightly helped to improve the re-identification performance.

We re-inventoried red wood ant nests (RWA) in 12 study sites (≈1281 ha) in the Westeifel Volcanic Field, Germany, in an area-wide and integrated ecosystem approach after 12 years. Combined with the re-identification of previously mapped nests using a photo database, this approach leads to more accurate nest counts in (re)inventories. A total increase of nests from 1144 (2009) to 1252 (2021), and a dramatic one for the Heidberg site by 52-fold (2009) and 85-fold (2021) compared to a 1984 inventory was observed, contrasting with earlier postulations of a decline in RWA. Early to medium mature (41-80 years) and mature (³81–140 years) spruce forests were the preferred habitat. Large increase in small nest sizes suggests an increase in new nest settlements also in clearings, despite climate-induced forest dieback over the past decade. A decline in biodiversity in the herbaceous layer was observed; highly proliferating blackberries had no negative impact on RWA nests. Monitoring of woodpecker cavities in RWA nests is suggested as an indirect indicator tool for evaluating populations in forests. Positive ground movement rates caused by the Eifel plume are suggested another factor favoring nest settlements. This study contributes to the urgent update of statistically valid data required to a) effectively substantiate the status-quo of RWA occurrences, b) protect RWA as ecosystem engineers, c) advance understanding of Geo-Bio-Interactions in the wake of climate change, and c) contribute to the German government's Insect Conservation Action Program.

A model of space-time is presented, whose origin is set before the appearance of any universe. It uses concepts of previous work, a central one being that the information about the laws of nature is stored locally everywhere in space such that all physical processes obey them. Since information storage is bound to matter or energy, space is assumed to consist of dark energy (DE), which thus assumes an importance far beyond its function as a stopgap for an energy deficit in our universe ( U ). The primordial state (PS) is a timeless and relatively large space of 3 dimensions described by a Wheeler DeWitt (WDW) equation, whose solution is interpreted as an arrangement of very many space quanta and possesses properties that remind of the time-honored concept of the unmoved mover. The comparison of WDW solutions belonging to different mass densities of the DE favors one in which the space quanta are mini black holes. This allows the space quanta to be imagined as mass points which are kept at a distance compatible with the quantum volume by the Pauli principle or something equivalent. Triggered by a dramatic increase in probability, the PS is followed by a time-controlled sequence of quantized expansion states (ES i ). The concomitant emergence of time occurs in a lightning huge crash, consuming almost all DE of the PS. The subsequent quantized ES i emerge from a WDW equation, novelly derived from a solution of the modified cosmic momentum equation, which classically describes an exponential space expansion (CS). The huge volme of the ES i is also used as size of the PS. Information is assumed to be geometrically stored in arrangements of space quanta similar to how genetic information is stored in DNA molecules. During the CS information must be transferred from already existing "information quanta" to new ones. This requires time, slows down the expansion and is taken into account by a friction term in the cosmological momentum equation thus modified. Since the Friedmann-Lemaître (FL) equation remains fully valid, the model is widely based on recognized equations, so that some results may be understood as interpretations.

I propose a new strategy to suppress human cancer completely with two entirely new drug compounds exploiting cancer's Warburg effect characterized by a defective mitochondrial aerobic respiration, substituted for by cytosolic aerobic fermentation/glycolysis of D-(+)-glucose into L-(+)-lactic acid. The two essentially new drugs compound 1 [P(op)T(est)162] and compound 3 (PT167) represent new highly symmetric, four-bladed propeller-shaped polyammonium cations. The in vitro antineoplastic highly efficacious drug compound 3 represents a covalent combination of compound 1 and compound 2 (PT166). The intermediate drug compound 2 is an entirely new colchic(in)oid derivative synthesized from colchicine. Compound 2's structure was determined by X-ray crystallography. Compound 1 and compound 3 were active in vitro versus 60 human cancer cell lines of the National Cancer Institute (NCI) Developmental Therapeutics Program (DTP) 60-cancer cell testing. Compound 1 and compound 3 both not only stop the growth of cancer cells to ±0% (cancerostatic effect), but completely kill nearly all 60 cancer cells to a level of almost −100% (tumoricidal effect). Compound 1 and compound 3 induce mitochondrial apoptosis (under cytochrome c release) in all cancer cells tested by (re)activating (in most cancers impaired) p53 function which results in a decrease of cancer's dysregulated cyclin D1 and an induction of the cell cycle-halting cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21^Waf1/p21^Cip1.

The lexical analysis of seminal policy-to-diplomacy documents from the socio-environmental discourse of the last fifty year agendas allowed examining the evolution of five themes: resources/waste, pollution, social and economic development, justice, and health. Contextual affinities were strongest between resources, pollution, and health and are linked to societal trends and pressures. On those grounds, the central role of resource stewardship according to nature’s physical limits is highlighted, and dedicated concepts, analytical frameworks, and methodologies with different degrees of sustainability are analyzed. To reframe the identified social and economic problems, the work proposes criteria and choices that (1) allow to compare the dynamics of socioecological states across the planet, (2) help matching the pace of socioecological change by addressing path dependencies through participation and engagement of communities, and (3) enable stakeholders to make trade-offs and take decisions in specific social, economic, political, and cultural contexts. The prioritization of resource justice and responsibility becomes a societal project : from Wellfare State to commonfare communities.

The efficiency of data sorting algorithms is the key aspect which determines the speed of data processing and searching. The best known efficiency of sorting algorithm has been Log (N) if there are N terms. All of the well-known sorting algorithms use various techniques to sort data. The basis for most of these are comparing the data terms with each other. In this manuscript, we are introducing a new approach for sorting data. This method is postulated to have the highest efficiency ever achieved by any of the sorting algorithms. We achieve this by sorting data without comparing the data terms. Or achieving results of data comparison without comparing the terms explicitly.

Newly characterising 245 Italian and Albanian HCV-2 NS5B sequences collected between 2001 and 2016 was used to reconstruct the origin and dispersion pathways of HCV-2c. The tree of a subset of these sequences aligned with 247 publicly available sequences was reconstructed in spatio-temporal scale using the Bayesian approach, and the effective replication number (Re) was estimated using the birth-death model. Our findings show that HCV-2c was the most prevalent subtype in Italy and Albania, and that GT2 originated in Guinea Bissau in the XVI century and spread to Europe in the XX century. The HCV-2c subtype had two internal nodes respectively dating back to the 1930s and 1950s having as most probable locations Ghana and Italy, respectively. Phylodynamic analysis revealed an exponential increase in the effective number of infections and Re in both Italy between the 1950s and 1980s, and Albania between the 1990s and the early 2000s. It seems very likely that HCV-2c reached Italy from Africa at the time of the second Italian colonisation (1936-1941), but did not reach Albania until the period of dramatic migration to Italy in the 1990s.

According to the current European and Italian scenario related to urban re-generation, cultural and landscape heritage, valorisation is being also enhanced by the activation of innovative processes. These involve the development of methodologies and tools that are able to address decision-making processes among low entropy economy, complex values and creative practices. In this perspective, the research aims to investigate the possibilities of developing a Cultural Heritage Low Entropy Enhancement (CHLEE) approach by considering how the complex values of cultural heritage can vary not only through a physical transformation of spaces but also through a program of uses and activities able to produce new values, where the human experience is essential. This type of model modifies the objectives that characterise the valorisation of cultural heritage and landscape, recognising that the fruition is no longer “consumerist” but “experiential”. A crucial role is represented by the heterogeneity of creative practices that contribute to the identificationidentifying and implementation ofimplementing innovative management and governance models. The present paper explores the components of creative regenerative processes, based upon the ex-post evaluation of some Italian experiments, across the PROMETHEE-GAIA multi-criteria method, to understand how creative experiences are building innovation ecosystem thanks to low entropy economy and improve the ex-ante evaluation for new strategies and policies.

The oral mucosa represents a defense between the external environment and the rest of the body and encompasses several antimicrobial and antiviral mechanisms. Oral mucosal cells are constantly bathed in hypotonic saliva (normally one-third tonicity compared to plasma) and are repeatedly exposed to environmental stresses of tonicity, temperature and pH by the drinks we imbibe (e.g. hypotonic: water, tea, coffee; hypertonic: assorted fruit juices, red wines), as well as of diverse microbial and viral flora. In the mouth, the broad-spectrum antiviral mediator MxA (a dynamin-family large GTPase) is constitutively expressed in healthy periodontal tissues, and also induced by Type III interferons (e.g. IFN-λ1). Endogenously induced human MxA and exogenously expressed human GFP-MxA formed membraneless biomolecular condensates in the cytoplasm of oral carcinoma cells (OECM1 cell line). These condensates likely represent storage granules in equilibrium with antivirally active dispersed MxA. Remarkably, cytoplasmic MxA condensates were exquisitely sensitive sensors of hypotonicity – the condensates in oral epithelium disassembled within 1-2 min of exposure of cells to saliva-like one-third hypotonicity, and spontaneously reassembled in the next 4-7 min. OECM1 cells preloaded with calcein-AM (a reporter of cytosolic “macromolecular crowding”) confirmed unquenching and then requenching of calcein fluorescence during this process. Hypertonicity had little effect on MxA condensates. The spontaneous reassembly of GFP-MxA condensates in oral epithelial cells even under continuous saliva-like hypotonicity was slowed by the protein phosphatase inhibitor cyclosporin A (CsA) and by the K-channel blocker tetraethylammonium chloride (TEA) suggestive of the involvement of the volume-sensitive WNK kinase-protein phosphatase (PTP)-K-Cl cotransporter (KCC) pathway in the regulated volume decrease (RVD) during condensate reassembly in oral cells. Thus, physiologically, hypotonic drinks (water, tea, coffee) trigger a rapid deployment of antiviral MxA throughout the cytoplasm of oral epithelial cells, with subsequent salvage of MxA back into storage granules/condensates.

The transition from the Peptide/RNA world to the Protein/RNA world in the hydrothermal vent environment was a major event in the history of life. The advent of proteins utterly changed the conditions of emerging life, representing a watershed in its development. During subsequent translation various protein enzymes emerged driving protocells into a more complex and interconnected system. With their astonishing versatility, the protein enzymes catalyzed crucial biochemical reactions within protocells into more complex biomolecules in diverse metabolic pathways, whereas structural proteins provided strength and permeability in the cell membrane. Four major events followed after availability of various kinds of protein molecules during prebiotic synthesis. These are: (1) the modification of the phospholipid membrane into the plasma membrane; (2) the origin of primitive cytoplasm; (3) the beginnings of the virus world; and (4) the advent of DNA. The first innovation mediated by proteins was the improvement of the cell membrane. The phospholipid membrane was initially evolved in a vent environment from the gradual modification of a fatty acid membrane via an intermediate phosphatidate acid by non-enzymatic reactions. The phospholipid is then synthesized from phosphatidate acid by a series of enzymes. To make the phospholipid membrane more permeable, various protein molecules interacted with the cell membrane. Proteins not only stabilized the wall membrane, but also acted as pumps, preventing some molecules from the protocells from crossing the membrane barriers, while permitting other selected molecules and ions to enter and leave the protocell. The second modification led by proteins is the gradual conversion of the interior of the protocell from a water-like medium into a gel-like cytoplasm, which became the storehouse of a wide range of biomolecules including amino acids, proteins, nucleic acids, ribosomes, as well as salt and water. The third innovation utilizing the newly synthesized proteins was the emergence of the ancient virus world. In the milieu of different kinds of mRNAs in the prebiotic soup, jelly-roll capsid genes originated de novo within genomes of nonviral mRNAs by overprinting. These fragile capsid genes were possibly coated by proteins on the mineral substrate for stability and durability, transforming them into ancient viral particles. These protein coats were random and were not encoded by encased genes. Some protocells might have engulfed these viral particles, when the capsid genes utilized the ribosomes of the host to translate into the appropriate capsid proteins. These capsid proteins then coated the viral genes to make new copies of primordial viruses inside the protocell. Since then, viruses became capsid-encoding organisms. These primordial mRNA viruses parasitized RNA-based protocells, manipulating them to make new copies of themselves. This was the beginning of a relentless war between viruses and their protocellular hosts. The next stage in viral evolution was the emergence of a primitive retrovirus (pre-retrovirus) with a new kind of replicative strategy in a sense that it could turn its RNA into DNA using its own reverse transcriptase enzyme. This is the beginning of the Retro world that facilitated the transition from RNA to DNA genomes. The infection of RNA protocells with pre-retroviruses progressively transferred the RNA genome to a viral DNA genome by retro-transcription. The advent of DNA by the pre-retrovirus marks the fourth innovation, when a number of enzymes had already developed and were utilized by pre-retroviruses. With continued infection, DNA viruses slowly transferred not only their core replication enzymes, such as helicase, primase, and DNA polymerase, to RNA protocells, but also to their DNAs as well. Thus, began the DNA world, when DNA replaced RNA as the major genome of the protocells. With the advent of DNA, replication of information was entirely dissociated from its expression. Because DNA is much more stable than mRNA with more storage capacity, it is a superb archive for information systems in the form of base sequences. DNA progressively took over the replicative storage function of mRNA, leaving the latter for protein synthesis. The new protocell with the DNA genome will diversify into large populations of DNA protocells that will outcompete populations of RNA protocells. Genetic information began to flow from DNA to mRNA to protein in a two-step process involving transcription and translation. In the biological stage, DNA replication was central to the binary fission of the first cell, orchestrated by the duplication of genomes and then the division of the parent cell into two identical daughter cells. It was carried out by a set of enzymes that formed a Z-ring at the site of replication. With the onset of binary fission, the population of primitive cells grew rapidly in the hydrothermal vent environment, undergoing Darwinian evolution and diversification. These primordial hyperthermophiles, presumably the first life, obtained food and energy directly from the vent environment. However, such a situation was self-limiting, so the early cells evolved their own mechanisms for generating metabolic energy and synthesizing the molecules necessary for their reproduction. The earliest fossil record (≥ 3.5 Ga) of biotic activity is preserved in the Archean hydrothermal and sedimentary rocks of the Nuvvuagittuq Craton of Canada, the Isua Craton of Greenland, the Pilbara Craton of Australia, the Kaapvaal Craton of South Africa, and the Singhbhum Craton of India in the form of the carbonaceous remains of microbial cells, cellular microfossils, and stromatolites. These microscopic fossils provide crucial evidence of the origin and early evolution of prokaryotic cells, beginning with hyperthermophiles. Molecular phylogenetic analysis suggests that both domains of life ¬– Bacteria and Archaea probably split from the last universal common ancestor (LUCA), a hyperthermophilic organism. In the younger sequences of these Archean cratons, two kinds of photosynthetic bacteria, anoxygenic green sulfur bacteria, and oxygenic cyanobacteria, appeared in quick succession from the thermophilic ancestor, indicating a shift of niche from a benthic to a planktonic, with reduced thermotolerance. The development of anoxygenic and oxygenic photosynthesis would have allowed life to escape the hydrothermal setting and invade a newly evolved habitat—broad continental shelves to tap solar energy. Cyanobacteria invaded the global ocean, turned it into blue and green, produced oxygen for the first time, and left their signatures in the carbonates and stromatolites.

The emergence of proteins in the prebiotic world was a watershed event at the origin of life. With their astonishing versatility, the protein enzymes catalyzed crucial biochemical reactions within protocells into more complex biomolecules in diverse metabolic pathways, whereas structural proteins provided strength and permeability in the cell membrane. Five major biochemical innovations followed in succession after availability of various kinds of protein molecules during decoding and translation of mRNAs. These are: (1) the modification of the phospholipid membrane into the plasma membrane; (2) the origin of primitive cytoplasm; (3) primitive gene regulation; (4) the beginnings of the virus world; and (5) the advent of DNA. The creative role of viruses during prebiotic synthesis led to the origin of the DNA world, when DNA replaced mRNA as the major genome of the protocells. With the advent of DNA, replication of information was entirely dissociated from its expression. Because DNA is much more stable than mRNA with more storage capacity, it is a superb archive for information systems in the form of base sequences. DNA progressively took over the replicative storage function of mRNA, leaving the latter for protein synthesis. Genetic information began to flow from DNA to mRNA to protein in a two-step process involving transcription and translation. In the biological stage, DNA replication was central to the binary fission of the first cell, orchestrated by the duplication of genomes and then the division of the parent cell into two identical daughter cells. With the onset of binary fission, the population of primitive cells grew rapidly in the hydrothermal vent environment, undergoing Darwinian evolution and diversification by mutation. The habitat of the earliest fossil record (≥ 3.5 Ga) from the Archean sedimentary rocks of Canada, Greenland, Australia, South Africa, and India offers a new window on the early radiation of microbial life. The development of anoxygenic and then oxygenic photosynthesis from early hyperthermophiles would have allowed life to escape the hydrothermal setting to the mesophilic global ocean.

As a result of decades of austerity, the economies of the Eurozone are experiencing under-investment and crumbling infrastructures in an era of extremely severe emergencies as the cli-mate change and aggressive global competition. The private savings glut of the rich and the strict fiscal rules suggest a crowding-in approach in partnership with big finance in a new age of in-fra-structures. If governments mint public infrastructures into investable assets, they can gen-erate steady returns for investors and asset managers who look after pensions and insurances schemes and unlock trillions now devoted to welfare state. For the big finance to accept to be partner, however, governments must take the task of de-risking returns. Innovation technology and macro-financial literacy can synergically act to enhance this new de-risking role to address in a financially sustainable way the intense phenomena of Natural Hazards (NHs) that can severely compromise economic growth. This is precisely the aim of our Public-Private Partnership (PPP) among the Department of Economics, Management and Institutions of the University of Naples and a Knowledge Transfert Management, the Department of Engineering and the Aca-demic Spin-Off “STRAIN”, of the University of Campania. Our PPP has been contributing to the eval-uation and mitigation of NHs such as floods, landslides and earthquakes since 2012. The ex-tremely advanced results of this multi-stakeholder partnership ensure a better knowledge of NHs which, as evidenced in the paper, is the fundamental input for the desired Public-Private In-surance Programmes (PIPPs).