Respiratory infections with RSV account for an important part of hospital admissions for acute respiratory infections. Nirsevimab has been developed to reduce the hospital burden RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) infections: Compared with the product previously used, it has a stronger binding capacity to RSV F protein and a high affinity for FcRn (neonatal receptor for the Fc fragment of IgG), which extends its lifespan. Nirsevimab has been shown to be highly effective in reducing hospitalization rates for RSV infections but a large or unknown number of treated subjects have been excluded in clinical and post-marketing studies. However, analysis of these studies cannot exclude that in rare cases, nirsevimab facilitates and worsens RSV infection (or other respiratory infections). This could be attributable to ADE (antibody-dependent-enhancement) which has been observed with RSV F-protein antibodies in inactivated vaccine trials. This risk has been incompletely assessed in preclinical and clinical trials (incomplete exploration of nirsevimab effector functions and pharmacokinetics). ADE by disruption of the immune system (not studied and due to FcRn binding) could explain there is no reduction in all-cause hospital admissions in treated age groups. Given the high price of nirsevimab, the cost-effectiveness of mass immunization campaigns may therefore be debated from an economic as well as a scientific point of view.

Renal uric acid (UA) reabsorption is mainly mediated by urate transporter 1 (URAT1) and glucose transporter 9 (GLUT9). Dotinurad selectively inhibits URAT1 and do not inhibit other UA transporters such as GLUT9, ATP-binding cassette transporter G2 (ABCG2) and organic anion transporter1/3 (OAT1/3). We discovered that dotinurad improved metabolic parameters and renal function in hyperuricemic patients. We consider a significance of high selectivity in inhibiting URAT1 by dotinurad for metabolic syndrome, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Dotinurad inhibits selectively URAT1 and increases UA in the proximal tubules, and UA may compete with glucose for GLUT9, reducing glucose reabsorption. The inhibition of UA entry via URAT1 to liver and adipose tissues by dotinurad increased energy expenditure and decrease lipid synthesis and inflammation in rats. The inhibition of URAT1 in kidney, liver and adipose tissues improve metabolic parameters. CKD patients accumulate uremic toxins such as indoxyl sulfate (IS) in the body. ABCG2 regulates renal and intestinal excretion of IS which strongly affects CKD. OAT1/3 inhibitors suppress IS uptake into kidney, increasing plasma IS, which produces oxidative stress, inducing vascular endothelial dysfunction in CKD patients. The high-selective inhibition of URAT1 by dotinurad may be beneficial for metabolic syndrome, CKD and CVD.

Brittle fracture of iron and steel above twinning temperatures are caused by cementite grain boundary wall cracks. These were revealed by an Atomic Force Microscope. At temperatures below the Ductile-Brittle Transition, cracks must propagate longitudinally within the cementite walls until the stress is sufficient high for the cracks to propagate across ferrite grains. Calculations using these concepts correctly predict the stress and temperature at the Ductile-Brittle Transition required for fracture to occur. At temperatures above the Ductile-Brittle Transition for hypoeutectoid ferritic steels, dislocations must fracture these walls transversely for plastic deformation to continue. This is responsible for the upper yield point at the elastic limit in these steels followed by a large drop in stress to the lower yield point. Here the walls surround completely all of the grains. Where the walls are segmented such as in iron, dislocations can pass around the walls resulting in a gradual change from elastic to plastic deformation. The Cottrell atmosphere theory of yielding is not supported experimentally. It was the best available until later experiments including those using the Atomic Force Microscope were obtained. Methods are presented here giving yield strength versus temperature and also the parameters for the Hall-Petch and Griffith equations.

Seawater contamination is a global challenge due to its hazardous effects on marine organisms and human health. Twenty-three surface seawater samples were collected from Al Lith intertidal area along the Saudi Red Sea coast to evaluate the ecological risks and document the potential sources of Cr, Cd, Fe, Zn, and Pb. Contamination factor (CF), contamination degree (Cd), water quality index (WQI), and heavy metal pollution index (HPI), as well as multivariate tools were applied. The averages of HMs (μg/L) had the following order: Zn (6.616) > Pb (0.284) > Cd and Cr (0.268) > Fe (0.197). Results of CF showed moderate contamination of seawater with Cd and low contamination for Cr, Fe, Zn, and Pb. However, 26.09% of the samples showed considerable contamination for Cd. Average Cd values revealed low contamination for HMs, while 17.39% of the samples showed moderate contamination. HPI average values indicated medium pollution for Al Lith seawater, meanwhile 13 samples reported high pollution. The higher HPI values were reported in samples characterized by higher concentration of HMs, particularly Cd and Zn. Correlation matrix and principal component analysis suggested anthropogenic sources for Pb and Zn, mostly from industrial and agricultural effluents, landfilling and domestic wastewaters, apart from their natural sources.

This paper critically reviews the correlation between the built environment and sociology as it pertains to residential segregation and social housing policy in Iran. The objective is to identify design strategies that minimize the risk of social isolation, promote social interaction, and foster a sense of community within affordable housing zones. The literature review includes existing research on urban segregation and social sustainability, with a focus on architectural solutions. Case studies are utilized to exemplify both positive and negative social outcomes related to urban segregation and identify effective design elements. The findings highlight the complex nature of residential segregation and its impact on social isolation, social capital, and social exclusion. The built environment contributes to the problem by facilitating the creation of isolated communities, and architects have a crucial role in addressing them. The results suggest that a comprehensive social housing policy is necessary to improve the quality of social housing and reduce residential segregation in Iran. Finally, the paper provides practical design strategies to promote social interaction, enhance accessibility and mobility, create mixed-use developments, and incorporate sustainable design features in social housing policy. By using design strategies that support social sustainability and inclusiveness, architects can create thriving and sustainable urban environments that prioritize the needs of marginalized communities.

This study explores how young people’s mental health was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic using artwork and semi-structured interviews. This is important to understand so that policy and practice professionals can support those affected, prepare, and respond to future crises, and support young people who are isolated and restricted in other contexts. Co-designed participatory art workshops and interviews were conducted with 16–18-year-olds (N = 21) from the London-based Longitudinal cohort Study of Cognition, Adolescents and Mobile Phones (SCAMP). Artworks and interview transcripts were qualitatively co-analysed with young people. From interviews, six themes were identified: adaptation, restriction, change, challenges, overcoming adversity, and lockdown life. From artwork, four themes were identified; trapped, negative mental wellbeing, positive emotions, and technology. Everyday factors such as home environment, relationships, hobbies, habits, and education or work were key determinants of how challenged and restricted participants felt, and their capacity to overcome this. This implies that young people’s mental health services should collaborate with other sectors to address wider life determinants in a holistic way, and that clearer guidance and support in these areas could mitigate the negative mental health impacts of major environmental changes on young people.

The present study aims to unravel the mechanisms of salicylic acid and rehydration and the physiological benefits in pepper plants grown under water deficit. 3x4 factorial scheme adopted, with three water regimes (irrigated, dry and rehydration) and four SA concentrations, namely: 0 (control), 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mM. Evaluated leaf moisture percentage, leaf water potential, chlorophylls (a and b), carotenoids, stomatal conductance, chlorophyll a fluorescence and H2O2 concentration at different times throughout the day and water conditions (irrigated, dry and rehydration) and SA applications (without the addition of the regulator (0) and with SA addition at concentrations equal to 0.5, 1 and 1.5 mM). Exogenous SA application favored stomatal conductance responses(gs) and modified fluorescence parameters (Fm, Fo, Fm', Fo', Fv/Fm, qP, ETR and NPQ) of sweet pepper plants subjected to drought followed by rehydration. SA concentration of 0.5 mM allowed a more expressive recovery of gs indices, effective quantum yield of photosystem II, with emphasis on excess energy (E) and maximum quantum yield (FV/FM) over time in plants subjected to drought and rehydration. We discovered that the use of SA, especially in association with rehydration, by modulating the variables gs and chlorophyll a fluorescence, prevents damage to membranes and consequently mitigates water deficit in pepper plants.

Time and space are fundamental concepts for characterizing and understanding our world. Despite of continuous curiosity and extensive studies, the nature of time and space remains elusive, and the underlying quantum structure is unclear. Here we propose a molecular model based on energy space decomposition to incorporate time and space synthetically in a unified framework. In the proposed model, the multipole expansion of action mapped to energy modules in scalar, vector, and matrix forms, results in the generators of time, space, and a material framework, cloud. And the invariance of time, space and cloud transformation corresponds to the conservation of energy, momentum, and mass, respectively. The classification of energy modules reveals a periodicity of energy elements, which constructs a hierarchical world in a molecular framework with dynamics represented by energy transformations. Here the role of time and space could switch from each other, and motion is attributed to the coupling of particle with intermediate bosons, corresponding to energy transformations among different energy modules. The application on Bohr model demonstrates that this picture provides a consistent classical interpretation to the foundation of quantum mechanics, and suggests an atomic model for gravitation.

This work is devoted to consideration and analysis of the application of molecular dynamics simulation (MDS) methods to the study of nanosized polymer polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) thin ferroelectric films (two-dimensional ferroelectrics) and their composites with graphene layers: 1) to study and calculations of the polarization switching time depending on the electric field and PVDF film thickness; 2) to study and calculations of the polarization switching time depending changes of the PVDF on PVDF-TrFE film; 3) to study the polarization switching time in PVDF under influence of graphene layers. All calculations at each MDS step were carried out using quantum semi-empirical methods PM3. A comparison and analysis of the results of these calculations and the kinetics of polarization switching within the framework of the Landau-Ginzburg-Devonshire theory for homogeneous switching in ferroelectric polymer films is carried out. The study of the composite heterostructures of the “graphene-PVDF” type and calculations of their polarization switching times were presented too. It is shown that replacing PVDF with PVDF-TrFE significantly changes the polarization switching times in these thin polymer films, and that introducing various graphene layers into the PVDF layered structure leads to both an increase and a decrease in the polarization switching time. Here everything also depends on the position and displacement of the ferroelectric coercive field depending on the system damping parameters.

OBJECTIVE: Cervical cancer is a major cause of cancer-related mortality, necessitating effective screening and diagnostic methods. This study aimed to assess the performance of cervicovaginal smear (CVS) and Human papilloma virus (HPV)-DNA cotest. STUDY DESIGN: The pathology results of 225 female patients who underwent HPV-DNA testing with CVS between 2014 and 2022 and were subsequently diagnosed by colposcopic cervical biopsy or second CVS were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: CVS samples showed Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance (ASCUS), Low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (LSIL), High-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) and cervical cancer. Concordance between the first and second diagnoses demonstrated moderate agreement for LSIL. ASCUS cases exhibited a significant correlation with HPV-DNA positivity and higher-grade cervical lesions. In biopsy, sensitivity and specificity for CIN 2 were 67.8% and 67.9%, respectively, while for CIN 3, they were 81.8% and 58.5%. HPV testing showed significant correlation with histopathologic results. In women over 40 years, more intraepithelial lesions were diagnosed compared to younger women (p<0.005). The conventional smear technique proved reliable in detecting high-grade lesions. CONCLUSION: Despite the limitations of our study, our results emphasize the value of HPV-DNA testing to avoid unnecessary interventions and to establish appropriate follow-up strategies.

This study describes the seasonal course of denitrifying and nitrate reducing bacteria in a dimictic mesotrophic lake (Lake Scharmützelsee, Brandenburg, Germany) within a three-year period from 2011 to 2013. The bacterial cell numbers were quantified by fluorescence microscopy, most probable number (MPN) and PCR dependent quantification of the chromosomal 16S rDNA and of the nirS and nirK gene copy number. The highest seasonal differences (up to three orders of magnitudes) has been measured by MPN in the epilimnion. This variation was not reflected by PCR dependent approaches or direct microscopical enumeration. At adverse conditions (low temperature and/or low nitrate concentrations), the differences between MPN and gene copy numbers increased up to five orders of magnitudes and decreased to one magnitude at favorable environmental conditions. These results can be explained best by an increasing ratio of viable but not cultivable (VBNC) cells or dead cells at impairing conditions. In the hypolimnion, the courses of MPN and nir gene copy numbers were similar. This can be explained by higher feeding pressure and therefore smaller amounts of dormant cells. In the pelagial in general, the total cell numbers enumerated by either microscopical or molecular approaches were similar. In the sediment, more than 99 % of the DNA was obviously not related to viable bacteria but was rather “dead DNA” in dead cells or adsorbed to particle surfaces.

This study investigated the impact of chitosan (CH, 1%) and aloe vera gel (AL, 30%) edible coatings on the preservation of blue honeysuckle quality during a 28-day storage at -1°C. Coating with CH, AL, and CH+AL led to notable enhancements in several key attributes. These included increased firmness, total soluble solids, acidity, pH, and antioxidant capacity (measured through DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP assays), as well as the preservation of primary (ascorbic acid) and secondary metabolites (TPC, TAC, and TFC). These coatings also resulted in reduced weight loss, respiration rate, color, abscisic acid, ethylene production, and malondialdehyde content. Notably, the CH+AL treatment excelled in preserving secondary metabolites and elevating FRAP-reducing power, demonstrating a remarkable 1.43-fold increase compared to the control after 28 days. Overall, CH+AL exhibited superior effects compared to CH or AL treatment alone, offering a promising strategy for extending shelf life and preserving quality of blue honeysuckle during storage.

Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is thought to have beneficial effects on human health and well-being. GABA enrichment by lactic acid bacteria (LAB) could be used in the development of functional fermented foods. In this work, four GABA-producing strains each of Lactococcus lactis and Streptococcus thermophilus were isolated from cowʼs milk, and their phenotypic, technological, and safety profiles were determined. Genome analysis provided genetic support for the majority of the analyzed traits. The operon harboring the glutamate decarboxylase gene (gadB) was chromosomally encoded in all strains and showed the same gene content and gene order as that reported, respectively, for L. lactis and S. thermophilus. In the latter species, the operon was flanked (as in most strains of this species) by complete or truncated copies of insertion sequences (IS), suggesting recent acquisition by horizontal gene transfer. The genomes of three L. lactis and two S. thermophilus strains showed a gene encoding a caseinolytic proteinase (PrtP in L. lactis and PrtS in S. thermophilus). These strains grew in milk forming a coagulum of good appearance and an appealing acidic flavor and taste. They also produced GABA from monosodium glutamate in this medium. Two L. lactis strains were identified as belonging to the biovar. diacetylactis, utilized citrate from milk and produced significant amounts of acetoin. None of the strains showed any noticeable antibiotic resistance, nor did their genomes harbor transferable antibiotic resistance genes, genes involved in toxicity, virulence, or pathogenicity. Altogether these results suggest all eight strains may be considered candidates for use as starter or components of mixed LAB cultures for the manufacture of GABA-enriched fermented dairy products.

Malnutrition problems are related to diets that lack one or more essential elements, which it is extremely important to food enrichment to improve the content of compounds effective for health. The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of the addition of Ca2+, K+ and Mg2+ on the induction of nutraceutical quality in grafted tomatoes grown in the NFT (Nutrient Film Technique) system. In the experiment, two factors were evaluated: plants with and without grafting and the foliar application of 10 ml L−1 Ca2+, 4 ml L−1 K+ and 10 ml L−1 Mg2+ cations separately for each case, in addition to the control. The treatments were evaluated using a completely randomized design, with 5 repetitions per treatment. The interactive effects between grafting and foliar application of Ca2+ induced a greater content lycopene, β-carotene and total flavonoids in fruits of tomato. The interactive effects between the graft and the Mg2+ foliar applications obtained the best results in the phenol content. As regards, capacity DPPH and ABTS, the graft decreased concentration, increasing the content of these through foliar applications of calcium. Regarding the enzymatic variables, graft factor increased activity catalase, glutathione peroxidase and phenylalanine ammonium lyase, obtained the best results graft interaction and foliar application of calcium and magnesium. The results obtained demonstrate the influence of the use of grafts and foliar applications of cal-cium and magnesium as tools that could improve the nutraceutical quality content of tomato crop

The role of initial state (ISI) and final state (FSI) ion–ion interactions in heavy ion double charge exchange (DCE) reactions A(Z,N)→A(Z±2,N∓2) are studied in the context of double single charge exchange (DSCE) reactions given by sequential actions of the isovector nucleon–nucleon (NN) T–matrix. The second order DSCE reaction amplitude is investigated in momentum representation in a formulation, focused on the extraction of nuclear matrix elements under the conditions of strong initial state (ISI) and final state (FSI) interactions. In closure approximation and using the momentum representation, the reaction amplitude is finally separated into ISI/FSI distortion coefficients and reaction kernels and nuclear matrix elements. The ISI/FSI reaction kernels emerge as the result of the repeated scattering on the avoided volume, introduced by the imaginary parts of the ion–ion optical potential and acting as sinks for the quantal probability current. The closure approximation allows derive a set of induced effective two–body isotensor interactions, given by products of spin–scalar, spin–vector central and rank–2 spin–tensor interactions. The intermediate propagator plays a key role in establishing correlation between the DCE transitions in the projectile and target nucleus. The presented approach emphasizes the special features of DSCE reaction dynamics as proceeding like a system of two coupled isospin dipoles whose strengths are determined by the momentum-space form factors of the NN isovector interaction. The properties of the DSCE interaction form factors are investigated and the approach is applied to data.

This investigation aimed to knowledge of the presence of Brucella spp .in the samples from Babylon province and the relationship with environmental factors. The seasonal collection of animal soil samples for various villages in the middle, south, and north of Babylon province, Hilla City, Iraq, with physicochemical parameters (air and soil temperature, pH, EC, TDS, salinity, TOC), as well as heavy metals (Fe, Cu, Cd, and Pb). The results showed the presence of Brucella species in some of soil samples and its percentage varies according to the four seasons, where the highest percentage of Brucella spp. was in summer season and the lowest in winter season and these percentages were related to seasonal environmental indicators. After sending the positive bacterial samples isolated from the soil for sequencing analysis, it was found that the bacterial samples isolated from the soil have new strains recorded in Genbank as following: five strains for Brucella intermedia and one strain for Brucella rhizosphaerae, Also, phylogenetic analysis was for the drawing of phylogenetic tree and the determination of phylogenetic relationship for Knowledge the degree of convergence between species and their source. Through our research, we concluded that proportion of Brucella spp. presence in summer was high and also environmental factors which included (Air and Soil temperature, pH, EC, TDS and Salinity) were high, except TOC was lower in summer season whereas heavy metals for Cu, Fe, Cd were lower in summer except Pb was high. This indicated that differences of seasons affect to Brucella ratio in soil. The findings of sequencing for the bacterial samples from soil demonstrated that B. intermedia was found in both the spring and fall seasons while B.rhizosphaerae found in the spring season , These types of Brucella had genetic variations. Also concluded that during phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA sequences indicated that B.intermedia was nearest to Pakistan and other strain of B.intermedia was nearest to Russia while B.rhizosphaerae was nearest to Ukraine and Pakistan.

The three-component reaction of enaminones, benzaldehyde and hydrazine-HCl or four-component reaction of enaminones, benzaldehyde, hydrazine–HCl and ethyl cyanoacetate in water in the presence of catalytic amount of ammonium acetate has been devised as a straightforward , sustainable approach for the synthesis of 1-H-pyrazole, N-aminopyridine and pyrazol[3,4-b]pyridine derivatives . The key benefits of this approach is simple experimental procedure associated with cost effective and environmentally friendly techniques.

Environmental responsibility and economic benefits have promoted the development of closed-loop supply chain (CLSC), and shortages and channels are considered to be two important issues in CLSC. This paper explores ordering and channel decisions in CLSC with new and differentiated remanufactured products, and considers the price and sales effort-dependent demands, as well as the proportion of emergency orders determined by emergency order costs and backorder losses, and establishes an integrated and decentralized CLSC game models. We introduce a stochastic sales effort, which affects two types of products. Numerical results show that sales effort and the order quantity of new and remanufactured products exhibit concave and convex functions, respectively. Wherein, the upper limit of sales effort has a greater impact on supply chain decisions. High sales efforts can serve as a means of coordinating dispersed supply chains. Moreover, in different cases, decisions of integrated channel are better than those of decentralized channel. Finally, whether the supply chain adopts an emergency order strategy depends on the relative cost of emergency orders and out of stock costs. According to the research in this article, some management insights are also provided.

Serine is widely involved in antioxidant synthesis, immune response, and fat metabolism. However, it remains unclear whether dietary serine supplementation affects fat deposition in the skeletal muscles of pigs. Thus, we explored the effects of dietary serine supplementation on growth performance, meat quality, and composition of gut microbes and their metabolites in growing-finishing pigs. Forty-eight boars weighing approximately 20 kg were fed either a basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 0.15% serine. The results showed that dietary serine increased the daily weight gain and improved the antioxidant ability of pigs, as indicated by the decreased malondialdehyde content and increased glutathione and superoxide dismutase content. Pigs supplemented with serine had better meat quality, as shown by the lower drip loss and higher IMF content. Furthermore, dietary serine increased the relative abundance of Streptococcus and Lactobacillus and decreased the relative abundance of Clostridium_sensu_stricto_1 and Terrisporobacter. Differential microbial metabolites were mostly enriched in metabolic pathways related to lipid synthesis, such as alpha-linolenic acid metabolism and steroid hormone biosynthesis. Correlation analysis showed that the altered metabolites were closely related to the intestinal microbiota. In conclusion, our results suggested that serine serves as a potential additive for improving meat quality in growing-finishing pigs.

Organic horticulture is a holistic management system which follows good production practices and should be considered as the cornerstone of mitigating climate change and to produce healthier fruits and vegetables. This agroecosystem practice not only benefits the green economy but promotes and enhances soil biological activity, biodiversity, and other biological cycles in the sphere. The last decade has observed a rise in the production and consumption of organically certified agricultural products due to their higher nutritional value, lowered risk of exposure to harmful chemicals and improved organoleptic properties. The aim of this review was to demonstrate the considerable impact of organic horticulture on mitigating climate change and simultaneously satisfy consumer needs. The outcome of this review demonstrates that there are still numerous research studies required to evaluate how different farming systems and pedoclimatic conditions can contribute to more efficient horticultural practices.

This work presents the design, construction and performance evaluation of a photovoltaic greenhouse as an energy hub (EH) in modern agriculture that integrates battery energy storage (BES) and an electric vehicle charging station (EV). The greenhouse is composed of 48 semi-transparent PV panels with nominal transparency of 20% and 110 W capacity. The control of the PV greenhouse as EH was approached as an optimization problem with the aim of minimizing the cost of the energy used from the grid. Simulation results indicate that the integrated BES is capable of balancing power transactions within the microgrid. In addition, it was found that the case of slow charging of the EV at night was less demanding on the BES than fast charging during the day in terms of abrupt power transitions and average depletion of BES SOC (61% vs 53%). Empirical results also demonstrated the negative impact of dust generated by agricultural activity on the performance of solar panels. For a period analyzed of three years, an average yearly production loss of 6.8% was calculated.

About half of the world's population is at risk of dengue infection. Epidemics of dengue fever caused an increased risk of morbidity and mortality in recent years, which led to the exploration of vaccines as a preventive measure. This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to evaluate the efficacy, immune response, and safety of dengue vaccines in children by analyzing clinical trials. The review followed standard procedures for data extraction using PRISMA guidelines, and searching multiple databases including PubMed, CINAHL, Medline, Health Source, Science Direct, and Academic Search Premiere. Eligible studies involved children (0-17 years). Cochrane Collaboration criteria were used for quality assessment, with thematic data synthesis and meta-analysis. Among 38 selected studies, dengue vaccines showed varying efficacy against all four serotypes. CYD-TDV (Dengvaxia®), and Tekade (TAK-003) vaccines demonstrated strong protection against severe dengue, but their long-term efficacy varied. Vaccines triggered satisfactory immune responses, notably in those previously exposed to dengue. Safety profiles were mostly favorable, noting mild adverse events post-vaccination. Meta-analysis supported vaccine efficacy and immune response, but safety concerns warrant further exploration. In conclusion, dengue vaccines demonstrated promising efficacy and immune response, particularly against severe manifestations.

The host glycosylation mechanism synthesizes the carbohydrates of glycoproteins of viral envelopes. Due to the loss of the Cytidine Monophospho-N-Acetylneuraminic Acid Hydroxylase gene by some mammalian species, including humans (negative-CMAH), Neu5Gc is no longer synthesized. Uptake of Neu5Gc by negative-CMAH species, through the intake of food products derived from positive-CMAH mammals, leads to incorporating Neu5Gc-glycans in the glycocalyx (xenosialylation). Neu5Gc, being a Mammalian-associated Carbohydrate Antigen (MCA), acts as a non-self-antigen, inducing an inflammatory reaction (Xenosialitis), and triggering the production of circulating antiNeu5Gc antibodies to attack/remove all incorporated Neu5Gc. In the state of Xenosialitis, the virus-neutralizing antibodies produced by a heavily xenosialylated patient following exposure to viral infection (including SarsCoV2) or anti SarsCoV2 vaccination cross-react against all incorporated non-self Neu5Gc-MCA glycans due to their resemblance with viral envelope antigens synthesized by the host glycosylation mechanism. In addition, the circulating anti-XeSias antibodies determine the massive removal of the circulating neutralizing FC-xeno-contaminated antibodies by the serum, living only the hyper-inflammatory agalattosylated antiviral IgG antibodies. Therefore, we hypothesize that the combination of antibody cross-reaction against non-self Neu5Gc-MCA glycans and the massive removal of the xeno-contaminated newly formed neutralizing antibodies in favor of hyper reactive antibodies, could be the cause of the massive inflammatory reaction (cytokine storm, coagulopathies, neuropathies) observed in Covid 19 patients or after anti-SarsCoV2 vaccination. This analysis is an invitation to investigate the post-infectious and/or post-vaccination adverse phenomena in the light of xenosialization as a key to understanding the severe post viral and post vaccine complications, including SARS-CoV2 infection or related vaccination.

Plants have developed unique mechanisms to cope with the harsh environmental conditions to compensate for their lack of mobility. A key part of their coping mechanisms is the synthesis of secondary metabolites. In addition to their role in plants’ defense against pathogens, they also possess therapeutic properties against diseases, and their use by humans predates written history. Viruses are a unique class of submicroscopic agents, incapable of independent existence outside a living host. Pathogenic viruses continue to pose a significant threat on global health, leading to unprecedented fatalities on a yearly basis. The use of medicinal plants as a natural source for an-tiviral agents has been widely reported in literature in the past decades. Metabolomics is a powerful research tool for the identification of plant metabolites with antiviral potentials and can be used to isolate compounds with antiviral activities in plants and study the biosynthetic pathways involved in viral disease progression. This review discusses the use of medicinal plants as antiviral agents, with a special focus on the metabolomics evidence supporting their efficacy. Additionally, suggestions are made for the optimization of various metabolomics methods for characterizing the bio-active compounds in plants and subsequent understanding of the mechanism of their operation.

A cross-flow ultrafiltration harvesting system of a pre-concentrated microalgae culture was tested in an innovative anaerobic-based WRRF. The microalgae culture was cultivated in a membrane photobioreactor fed with the effluent from an anaerobic membrane bioreactor treating sewage. These harvested microalgae biomass was then anaerobically co-digested with primary and secondary sludge from the water line. Depending on the needs of this anaerobic co-digestion, the filtration harvesting process was evaluated intermittently over a period of 212 days for different operating conditions, mainly the total amount of microalgae biomass harvested and the desired final total solids concentration (up to 15.9 g·L1 with an average of 9.7 g·L1). Concentration ratios of 15-27 were obtained with average transmembrane fluxes ranged from 5 to 28 L·m2·h1. Regarding membrane cleaning, both backflushing and chemical cleaning resulted in transmembrane flux recoveries that were, on average, 21% higher than those achieved with backflushing alone. The carbon footprint assessment shows promising results as the GHG emissions associated with the cross-flow ultrafiltration harvesting process could be less than the emissions savings associated with the energy recovered from the biogas production from the anaerobic valorisation of the harvested microalgae.

Glial cells provide physical and chemical support and protection for neurons. Secreted neurotrophic factors, scaffolds and vesicles regulate in addition to normal homeostasis, repair following neural tissue injury or degeneration. We previously demonstrated that human CNS glia have revascularization capacity by inducing endothelial cell sprouting and microchanneling driven by glial cell secreted components. The clinical potential of using secreted factors and vesicles generated by glial cells in conditioned media was shown by their re-normalization of pathological blood vessels and 3D tissue wound healing and remodeling capacity. To identify secreted components of glial cells and how CNS and PNS glial cells differentially regulate neural tissue homeostasis, disease and injury response, we developed a novel culture method for various types of glial cells that allow for isolating and characterizing secreted glial components, free of animal factors and contaminants normally associated with serum-based culture conditions. Our culture method will enable to identify secreted components using ultrasensitive RNA, glycoconjugate and protein analysis technologies. The characterization of glial secreted factors involved microchanneling may help in development of new clinical therapies for glial and neural cells or axons to migrate and reform connections.

Grapevine trunk diseases (GTDs) attack the vine's wood, devastating vineyards worldwide. Chile is the world's fourth largest wine exporter, and Cabernet Sauvignon leads the red wine varieties. Botryosphaeria dieback is an important GTDs and Diplodia seriata is one of the main pathogenic species. Biocontrol studies of these pathogens are commonly carried out at different incubation times but at a single temperature. This study aimed to evaluate the biocontrol effect of native Chilean bacteria against D. seriata isolates at different temperatures. We analyzed the biocontrol effects of Pseudomonas sp. GcR15a, Pseudomonas sp. AMCR2b and Rhodococcus sp. PU4, with three D. seriata isolates (PUCV 2120, PUCV 2142 and PUCV 2183) at 8, 22 and 35°C. Agar plug diffusion and double plate methods were used to evaluate the effect of diffusible and volatile organic compounds (DOC and VOC), and an in vivo test was performed with Cabernet Sauvignon cuttings. Pseudomonas strains showed the most significant inhibition in the DOC assay, and a demelanizing activity was observed. Rhodococcus sp. PU4 showed VOC biocontrol potential at high temperatures (35°C). In vivo, a biocontrol effect was observed against two D. seriata isolates, while the PUCV 2142 isolate proved to be more resistant to being controlled. The biocontrol ability at low temperatures is promising for effective control in the field, where infections occur primarily in winter.

Eruca sativa is a commonly used edible plant in Italian cuisine. E. sativa 70% ethanol extract (ES) was fractionated with five organic solvents. Ethyl acetate fraction(EEA) had the highest antioxidant activity, which was correlated with the total polyphenol and flavonoid content. ES and EEA acted as PPAR-α ligands by PPAR-α competitive binding assay. EEA significantly increased cornified envelope formation as a keratinocyte terminal differentiation marker in HaCaT cells. Further, it significantly reduced nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines in lipopolysaccharide-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. The main flavonol forms detected in high amounts from EEA are mono-, and di-glycoside of each aglycone. Flavonol mono-glycosides were shown to be a potent PPAR-α ligand using molecular docking simulation and showed the inhibition of nitric oxide. These results suggest that E. sativa is suitable for use in improving skin barrier function and inflammation in skin disorders, such as atopic dermatitis.

The structure characterization of two new polysaccharides from Agrocybe aegerita (AA-P) and Hygrophorus olivaceoalbus (HO-P) by HPGPC, GC-MS, NMR and FT-IR indicated that AA-P was composed of Galactose, Glucose and Arabinose, in the ratio of 3:2:1. Its skeleton structure was consisted of (1→4)-Arap, (1→4,6)-Glup and (1→6)-Galp with one branched chain. The HO-P was consisted of mannose, galactose and glucose in a ratio of 1:1:2. Its skeleton structure was consisted of (1→6)-Galactose residues, (→1)-glucose residues, (1→4)-glucose residues and (1→4,6)-D-mannose residues. There were two branched chains connected to the main chain. AA-P and HO-P had the best stimulation effect on B cells and RAW264.7 cells, respectively, and could both mainly by impacting and reducing G0/G1 phase which lead to a significant proliferation of B cells, T cells and RAW264.7 cells. In addition, AA-P and HO-P could significantly promote the secretion of TNF-α from T cells, the secretion of IgA, IgD, IgE, IgG and IgM from B cells, and the secretion of TNF-α from RAW264.7 cells, but neither of them could impact the secretion of IL-1β from RAW264.7 cells.

In view of the problem of charging and hydrogen filling facilities construction in the transition from fuel vehicles to electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, in order to meet the electric energy demand of electric vehicles and hydrogen energy demand of hydrogen fuel cell vehicles at the same time, this paper puts forward a method of siting and capacity determination of electric-hydrogen refueling integrated station (EHRIS) based on Voronoi diagram and particle swarm algorithm based on calculating the demand of charging and filling of hydrogen in vehicles. Firstly, OD pair(Origin-Destination) is used to represent the starting point and end point of the car to portray the travel demand of the car, and on the basis of the traffic network model, the shortest driving path of the new energy car is determined by Dijkstra algorithm, and Monte Carlo simulation is used to get the electric-hydrogen energy demand of the car; secondly, the Voronoi diagram is introduced to classify the service scope of the electric-hydrogen charging station to determine the equipment capacity of the electric-hydrogen charging station, while taking into account the electric-hydrogen charging and refueling capacity. Secondly, a Voronoi diagram is introduced to divide the service scope of the EHRIS, determine the capacity of the equipment in the EHRIS, and consider the distance constraints between the sites of EHRIS, so as to make the division of the site and service scope more reasonable. Finally, a dynamic optimal current model framework for distribution networks based on second-order cone relaxation is established, and each element of the active distribution network is planned, so that the distribution network can operate safely and stably after being connected to the EHRIS. With the objective of minimizing the total social cost of EHRIS and considering the constraints of the charging equipment and hydrogen production and injection equipment of the EHRIS, a siting and capacity model to meet the electric-hydrogen energy demand of electric and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles is developed, and solved by a particle swarm algorithm. Finally, the simulation planning is carried out with Sioux Falls city and IEEE33 network, which ensures the stable operation of the power grid while meeting the energy demand of automobiles, and the results verify the effectiveness and feasibility of the proposed method.

Saliva is a promising matrix with several purposes. Our aim is to verify if salivary anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibody determination is suitable for monitoring immune response. One-hundred eighty-seven subjects were enrolled at University-Hospital Padova: 105 females (56.1%) and 82 males (43.9%), 95 (50.8%) children and 92 (49.2%) adults. Subjects self-collected saliva using Salivette; nineteen subjects collected three different samples within the day. A serum sample was obtained for all individuals. The N/S anti-SARS-CoV-2 salivary IgG (sal-IgG) and serum anti-SARS-CoV-2 S-RBD IgG (ser-IgG) were used for determining anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies. The mean (min-max) of age was 9.0 (1–18) for children and 42.5 (20–61) for adults. Of 187 samples, 63 were negative for sal-IgG (33.7%), while 7 were negative for ser-IgG (3.7%). Spearman’s correlation was 0.56 (p&lt;0.001). Sal-IgG and ser-IgG levels were correlated with age, but not with gender, comorbidities, prolonged therapy, previous SARS-CoV-2 infection or time from last COVID-19 infection/vaccination. The repeatability ranged from 23.8% (7.4kAU/L) to 4.0% (3.77kAU/L). Linearity of the assay missed in 4/6 samples. No significant intra-subject differences were observed in sal-IgG across samples collected at different time points. Sal-IgG have a good agreement with ser-IgG. Non-invasive saliva collection represents an alternative method for antibody measurement, especially in children.

Chest X-ray (CXR) is the first tool globally employed to detect cardiopulmonary pathologies. These acquisitions are highly affected by scattered photons due to the large field-of-view required. Scatter in CXRs introduces background in the images, which reduces their contrast. We developed three deep learning-based models to estimate and correct the scatter contribution to CXRs. We used a Monte Carlo (MC) ray-tracing model to simulate CXRs from human models obtained from CT scans using different configurations (depending on the availability of dual-energy acquisitions). The simulated CXRs contained the separated contribution of direct and scattered X-rays in the detector. These simulated datasets were then used as the reference for the supervised training of several NN. Three NN models (single and dual energy) were trained with the MultiResUNet architecture. The performance of the NN models was evaluated on CXRs obtained with the MC code from chest CTs of patients affected by COVID-19. The results showed that the NN models were able to estimate and correct the scatter contribution to CXRs with an error &lt;5%, being robust to variations in the simulation setup and improving the contrast in soft tissue. The single-energy model was tested with real CXRs, providing robust estimations of the scatter-corrected CXRs.

Blood testing is a crucial application in the field of clinical studies for disease diagnosis and screening, biomarkers discovery, organ function assessment, and personalized medication. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to collect precise data in a short time. In this study, we utilized Raman spectroscopy to analyze blood samples and extracted comprehensive biological information, including the primary components and compositions present in the blood. We conducted short-wavelength (532 nm green light) Raman scattering spectroscopy on blood samples, plasma, and serum, and subsequently analyzed the biological characteristics detected in each sample type. Our results indicated that whole blood had high hemoglobin content, which suggests that hemoglobin is a major component of blood. The characteristic Raman peaks of hemoglobin were observed at 690, 989, 1015, 1182, 1233, 1315, and 1562–1649 cm−1. Analysis of plasma and serum samples indicated the presence of β-carotene, which exhibited characteristic peaks at 1013, 1172, and 1526 cm−1. Additionally, in the field of medical blood testing, the novel 3D Silicon micro-channel device technology holds immense potential. It can serve as a substrate and helps to detect various diseases and biomarkers, providing real-time data to help medical professionals and patients better understand their health conditions. Changes in biological data collected in this manner could potentially be used to diagnose clinical diseases.

Gelidium jelly was traditionally made by boiling processed Gelidium seaweed and allowing the filtrate to congeal into jelly. The processing of Gelidium seaweed was very complicate involved the repeated procedures of water washing and sun drying for 7 times, and the seaweed was originally purple-red in color turned into yellow after the repeated wash and sun drying. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of halogen lamp drying methods in replace of sun drying on the physical-chemical qualities of Gelidium jellies. Properties included the agar yield, gelling temperature, hardness, springiness, rheological parameters, sensory attributes, color, and volatile compounds were investigated. The results demonstrated halogen lamp drying method required 12 times of washing and drying processes to achieve the similar jelly properties compared to sun drying for 7 times in the experimental conditions. Volatiles including heptanal, β-ionone, and (E)-2-decenal could be used as indicators to monitor the washing and drying processing. Halogen lamp was found could be an alternative processing method for seaweed drying, especially at rainy days.

Keywords: Lightning; Land Cover and Land Use; Topographic Effects, Itacaiúnas River Hydrographic Basin

The lack of adequate knowledge of the culinary and sensory properties of most indigenous and wild foods hampers their promotion in human diets and the market. In the present study, 80 Burkinabe volunteers evaluated the sensory appeal and attributes of three selected Senegalia seed species (Zamnè, pseudoZamnè or Kumatiya, and S. erythrocalyx) and their food formulas (traditionally cooked, harvested as green and fresh legumes, and fermented as tempeh) using the 9-point hedonic scale and check-all-that-apply questionnaire. They found that the traditionally cooked Zamnè, pseudoZamnè or Kumatiya, and derived tempeh had good sensory appeal (scoring between 5-7) and subtle alkaline and nutty tastes, which will facilitate their blending in cuisines. Yet, an appreciable number (32%) of the participants, as unaccustomed to tempeh, scored all the tempeh products very low (2.5-3.4), suggesting food neophobia. In contrast, the traditionally cooked seeds of Senegalia erythrocalyx and the green and fresh Zamnè evoked bitter and sour off-tastes, respectively, and were not much appreciated (scoring 4). The present study provides unprecedented insight into consumers’ non-sensory perceptions and the culinary and sensory properties of Senegalia seed foods – which will be essential for their valorization, branding, and marketing.

This study is based on the fatty acid and amino acid profile of 7 edible insect species: Acheta domesticus, Alphitobius diaperinus, Blaptica dubia, Galleria mellonella, Locusta migratoria, Tenebrio molitor and Zophobas morio. The fatty acid distribution within lipid classes (neutral lipids, glycolipids and phospholipids) was studied, while the amino acid profile was used to calculate the species-specific nitrogen-protein conversion factor (Kp). The profiles were used to evaluate the nutritional quality of the lipids and proteins. Oleic acid was the predominant fatty acid in all insects except for A. domesticus, in which a larger percentage of linoleic acid was found. The majority of the lipids were neutral lipids. L. migratoria showed a remarkably high content of α-linolenic acid in its phospholipid fraction, while T. molitor phospholipids were the only fraction in which a measurable amount of docosahexaenoic acid was found. Overall, in most insects, the phospholipid fraction had the highest polyunsaturated fatty acid content compared to the other classes, which may be protective in terms of autoxidative stability. Kp values in the range of 4.17 to 6.43 were obtained. Within the nutritional quality indices, all insects showed healthy fatty acid and high quality amino acid profiles.

Ethiopia has been known for its recurrent droughts and poverty due to extreme climate change and variability affecting agricultural production. This study was, therefore, conducted to analyze the seasonal and inter-annual variability in rainfall and temperature v over the past three decades in western Tigray. The study consisted of 34 years of temperature and rainfall data from nine stations in two administrative zones in the western part of Tigray. The climate data was obtained from the National Aeronautic Space Administration (NASA) from 1983 to 2016. Total rainfall, simple daily intensity index, Rx1day and Rx5day, and maximum and minimum temperature, tropical nights, diurnal temperature range, cold spell and warm spell duration indicator values, cold days and cold nights, warm days, and warm nights were analyzed. RClimDex software was employed to analyze the trends and quality control of the extreme rainfall and temperature indices; in addition, the Mann-Kendall test was also used to detect the changes and variability of the variables. The trend analysis showed that there was significant (p&lt;0.05) variability in extreme temperatures, with maximum and minimum temperatures varying from 0.04 to 0.051 0C, and 0.022 to 0.031 0C, respectively. The results also revealed that there was a negative trend in extreme rainfall, with no uniform pattern. The highest and smallest reduction in the annual rainfall was 14.6 mm and 8.4 mm, which were observed at Maygaba and Adigoshu, respectively. More than 60% of the total rainfall was received in July and August throughout the study areas, with the maximum monthly rainfall of 294.2 mm observed at Adiremets. Finally, this study demonstrated that areas in the northwestern and western zones of Tigray were significantly affected by extreme rainfall and temperature variability, which subsequently affected crop yield, natural resources, food security, and the livelihood of the community during the last three decades.

The highly adaptable parasite Trypanosoma cruzi undergoes complex developmental stages to exploit host organisms effectively. Each stage involves the expression of specific proteins and precise intracellular structural organization. These morphological changes depend on key structures that control intracellular components’ growth and redistribution. In trypanosomatids, the flagellar attachment zone (FAZ) connects the flagellum to the cell body and plays a pivotal role in cell expansion and structural rearrangement. While FAZ proteins are well-studied in other trypanosomatids, there is limited knowledge about specific components, organization, and function in T. cruzi. This study employed the CRISPR/Cas9 system to label endogenous genes and conduct deletions to characterize FAZ-specific proteins during epimastigote cell division and metacyclogenesis. In T. cruzi, these proteins exhibited distinct organization compared to counterparts in T. brucei. TcGP72 is anchored to the flagellar membrane, while TcFLA-1BP is anchored to the membrane lining the cell body. We identified unique features in the organization and function of the FAZ in T. cruzi compared to other trypanosomatids. Deleting these proteins had varying effects on intracellular structures, cytokinesis, and metacyclogenesis. This study reveals specific variations that directly impact the success of cell division and differentiation of this parasite.

Patients with excessive gingival display (EGD) are treated with lip repositioning surgeries (LRS). This study used a questionnaire to analyze and evaluate how patients who received LRS with modified and traditional techniques perceived their own oral and facial aesthetics at various timelines after their surgeries. An orofacial esthetic questionnaire (OEQ) was used in this cross-sectional study. The participants were patients who underwent LRS for treatment of their EGD were divided into control (n=100) and test (n=100) groups. For control group, LRS were performed using traditional/conventional technique and for test group, LRS were performed by modified approach. OEQ was used to record responses. The scale comprised of eight questions targeted to capture participating patient’s perceptions about their own oral and facial aesthetics at four timelines (Baseline; 1 Month; 6 Months &amp; 1 Year). Patients responded to each question on a 10 point Likert scale (Range: 0=very dissatisfied to 10= very satisfied). Data was analyzed by independent samples T-tests, using SPSS software. 7 (3.5%) out of the total (200) patients were unable to take part in the study's OEQ. At a one-year follow-up, the mean and standard deviation for the test group's GD were 2.48+0.86mm and 3.77+1.76mm, respectively, and comparisons revealed that the test group's GD was significantly lower (p=0.000) than the control group. Results from the participant responses to OEQ using the Likert scale at the 1-year follow-up revealed significant differences between control and test groups for all questions, except Q5 (P=0.06) as shape of the teeth will not be affected by LRS. Test group patients who underwent the LRS with modified approach were having high level of satisfaction (satisfaction-score&gt;9). Patients in control group scored their satisfaction less favorably, with certain questions (Q3) receiving scores as low as 0.31. The test group's perception of oral and facial esthetics, was significantly higher for test group at different time points. At the 1-year follow-up, the mean difference was 4.46, which was the greatest (P=0.000). The EGD improved significantly at one year with the modified lip repositioning technique. The satisfaction level of the patients with outcomes of modified lip repositioning was significantly higher as compared to conventional technique.

Today, given the paramount importance of food safety to human health, mycotoxins are considered especially important contaminants of foodstuffs. Among the mycotoxins, aflatoxins are potent food contaminants which are present in maize and wheat. Invasions of toxigenic fungi in the field and during storage are directly affected by climate and other environmental factors. A total of 129 samples of maize and grain harvested in 2022 were surveyed for mycological contamination. Aflatoxin B1 contamination was investigated using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) method.Our study revealed the presence of fungi from five genera: Aspergillus, Fusarium, Penicillium, Alternaria, and Cladosporium. We also found that maize was more frequently contaminated than wheat. Fungi of the Penicillium genus were the most abundant (77.89%), followed by Fusarium (74.73%) and Aspergillus (72.63%). Samples originating from the Korça region (10⁴ units) exhibited a higher fungal load on the three genera. AFB1 contamination is a more critical issue in maize than wheat. The incidence of AFB1 in maize was 88.23%, with a maximum concentration of 69.12 μg/kg; in contrast, the incidence of AFB1 in wheat was only 4.91%. In wheat, no samples had AFB1 concentrations above the EU Maximum Residue Level (MRL) of 2 μg/kg; in maize, 41.18% of samples exceeded the AFB1 MRL of 5 μg/kg for human food, and 32.25% exceeded the MRL for animal feed. These findings, together with other research results from the last decade, suggest that relevant information should be made available to farmers, and good agriculture practices encouraged, as a matter of priority.

With rising rates of human obesity, the study aimed to determine the relationship between maternal diet-induced obesity and offspring morphometrics and behaviour in mice. Pregnant and lactating female mice fed a diet high in fat and sugar (HFHS) commonly consumed by human populations showed decreased food, calorie, and protein intake but increased adiposity at the expense of lean mass. The pre-weaning body weight of HFHS offspring was reduced for the first postnatal week but not thereafter with HFHS female offspring having higher body weights by weaning, due to continuing higher fractional growth rates. Post-weaning, there were minor differences in offspring food and protein intake. Maternal diet, however, affected fractional growth rate and total body fat content of male but not female HFHS offspring. Maternal diet did not affect offspring locomotor activity or social behaviour in either sex. Both male and female HFHS offspring displayed reduced anxiety-related behaviours with sex differences in particular aspects of the elevated plus maze task. In the novel object recognition task, performance was impaired in male but not female HFHS offspring. Collectively, the findings demonstrate that maternal obesity alters the growth, adiposity, and behaviour of male and female offspring, with sex-specific differences.

Soil erosion is the major factor that has contributed to the reduction of soil fertility in the highlands of Ethiopia. This factor was reduced by soil and water conservation (SWC) practices. Hence, the study evaluated the effects of SWC practices and slope gradient on soil physicochemical properties in the Agemi watershed of northwestern Ethiopia. Farmland treated by SWC such as stone-faced soil bund (SFSB) and soil bund (SB), untreated farmland and slope gradient were identified in the study area. About 27 soil samples were collected from the treated farmland and untreated farmland with three slope classes, including lower (5-10%), middle (10-15%) and upper slopes (>15%). The soil physicochemical properties were analyzed by two ways analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS 9.2. The results of the study showed that the content of sand, clay, total porosity, pH, soil organic matter (SOM), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus (AP), exchangeable cations such as Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺ and cation exchange capacity (CEC) were significantly affected (p<0.01) by SWC practices and untreated farmland with slope gradients. However, the content of silt, percent of base saturation (PBS) and exchangeable Na were statistically insignificant (p>0.05). Farmland treated with SFSB confirmed higher mean values of soil physicochemical properties than SB and untreated farmland. Moreover, the lower total porosity (TP) and higher bulk density (BD) were recorded on untreated farmland and upper slopes. This study concludes that farmland treated with SFSB improved soil physicochemical properties than farmland treated with SB followed by untreated farmland. Therefore, SFSB should be implemented on farmland to improve soil fertility in the study area.

Due to the broadening of services from industrial enterprises to customers, the industrial network has gained more significance than what is really thought. As a part of this revolution, this paper tried to introduce the best suitable routing option for the healthcare, banking and internet services industries to optimize the routing department of their enterprises. RIP is not associated with this study, being out of favor in the industries due to hop count limitation. The idea behind doing such a thing is to avoid improper implantation of routing inside the enterprises which causes lack of optimization in routing department. The method which is selected for this paper is qualitative case study of banking, healthcare and internet services industries with unstructured interviews of IT experts of the respected industries in an open-ended questions fashion. The results were illustrated based on the stories and the discussion of the stories is the main contributor to the result of the study. The evaluation results of the stories have illustrated, that EIGRP is a suitable routing option for health care and banking, while OSPF can be suitable for the internet services industry. The implication of the study can be optimized network of industries such as healthcare, banking and internet services and it introduces the best suitable routing option for the demanded industries with the case study method and narrative analysis of the stories, which start from load balancing type and ends to demanded routing protocol, while reaching to demanded routing protocol, it introduces the best suitable routing option of that industry

Colletotrichum higginsianum is a major pathogen causing anthracnose in Chinese flowering cabbage (Brassica parachinensis), posing a significant threat to the Chinese flowering cabbage industry. The conidia of C. higginsianum germinate and form melanized infection structures called appressoria, which enable penetration of the host plant's epidermal cells. However, the molecular mechanism underlying melanin biosynthesis in C. higginsianum remains poorly understood. In this study, we identified two enzymes related to DHN-melanin biosynthesis in C. higginsianum: ChPks and ChThr1. Our results demonstrate that the expression levels of genes ChPKS and ChTHR1 were significantly up-regulated during hyphal and appressorial melanization processes. Furthermore, knockout of the gene ChPKS resulted in a blocked DHN-melanin biosynthetic pathway in hyphae and appressoria, leading to increased sensitivity of the ChpksΔ mutant to cell wall interfering agents as well as decreased turgor pressure and pathogenicity. It should be noted that although the Chthr1Δ mutant still exhibited melanin accumulation in colonies and appressoria, its sensitivity to cell wall interfering agents and turgor pressure decreased compared to wild-type strains; however, complete loss of pathogenicity was not observed. In conclusion, our results indicate that DHN-melanin plays an essential role in both pathogenicity and cell wall integrity in C. higginsianum. Specifically, ChPks is crucial for DHN-melanin biosynthesis while deficiency of ChThr1 does not completely blocked melanin production.

The evolutionary conserved STING-cGAS pathway represents one of the most important cytosolic DNA sensing systems that is activated in response to viral invasion and/or damaged integrity of the nuclear envelope. The key outcome of this pathway is the production of IFN, which subsequently stimulates hundreds of genes. In oncology, the situation is a complex one since this pathway may serve either anti- or pro-oncogenic roles in a context-dependent fashion. The prevailing understanding is that when the innate immune response is activated by sensing cytosolic DNA, such as from ruptured micronuclei, it results in the production of interferon which attracts cytotoxic cells to destroy tumors. However, in tumor cells that have adjusted to significant chromosomal instability, particularly in relapsed, treatment-resistant cancers, the cGAS–STING pathway often supports cancer progression. In these cells, the pathway initiates a non-canonical nuclear factor κB transcriptional response, fostering the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Here, we review this intricate pathway in conjunction with cancer progression and development of new treatment modalities.

: Early and accurate detection of infectious diseases is a key step for surveillance, epidemiology, and control, notably timely disease diagnosis, patient management and follow-up. In this study, we aimed to develop hand-held ultra-fast duplex PCR assays coupled to amplicon detection by lateral flow (LF) immunoassay to deliver a rapid, and simple molecular diagnostic test for con-comitant detection and identification of the main Leishmania parasites encountered in Tunisia and the Old World. We selected two DNA targets to amplify L. major/L. tropica and L. infantum/L. tropica group of species DNAs, respectively. We optimized the experimental conditions of a du-plex ultra-fast PCR. The amplification is performed by a portable Palm convection PCR machine within 18 min and the products are detected by a LF cassette within 10 minutes. The test allows the identification of the infecting species according to the position and number of test lines re-vealed. Tested on a selection of DNAs of representative Leishmania strains of the three studied species (N=37), the ultra-fast duplex PCR-LF showed consistent, stable, and reproducible results. The analytical limit of detection of the test was 0.4pg for L. major, 4pg for L. infantum and 40pg for L. tropica.

This article reports a protocol on the application of Amp-TB2 (single-amphibole ther-mobarometry; [1]) based on detailed electron microprobe analyses performed on homogeneous natural standards and synthetic glasses, and amphibole crystals (mostly phenocrysts) of volcanic products erupted by Bezymianny volcano during its activity through time. The application of this protocol is facilitated by a new version of the model (Amp-TB2.1.xlsx) including an equation to identify heterogeneous domains (disequilibrium; not suitable for thermobarometric constraints) and homogenous (equilibrium) zones within amphibole crystals, which can be used to quantify the physico-chemical parameters (i.e., pressure, P; temperature, T; volatile content in the melt, H2Omelt; oxygen fugacity, fO2) of “steady-state” magmatic crystallization. Application examples of the protocol, showing detailed core-rim microprobe data and physico-chemical parameter variations in representative amphibole phenocrysts of Bezymianny are also reported. The depth (and P) estimated by Amp-TB2.1 for this volcano are compared to seismic tomography results. Amp-TB2.1 results mainly shows (1) that Bezymianny is characterized by a very dynamic feeding system where the magma is stored at shallow crustal levels before recent activity periods characterized by climatic events and (2) that the pre-eruptive depth of magma storage generally increases with the age of the investigated products.

A Gem-quality rubies and sapphires are often commercially heat treated at about 800°C or higher temperatures to enhance their colour and clarity, and hence quality. For this study, selected corundum samples containing diaspore- and goethite inclusions were heated step-by-step to a maximum of 1000 °C with the aim to monitor the dehydration and phase transformation of these oxyhydroxides to corundum and hematite during heating. Based on our experiments and in agreement with literature, the dehydration of diaspore in corundum occurs between 525 to 550 °C, whereas goethite transforms to hematite already between 300 and 325 °C. As both, diaspore and goethite are common inclusions in rubies, sapphires, and other corundum varieties, these dehydration reactions and phase transformations can be considered important criteria to separate unheated stones from heated ones, specifically in cases in which other methods (e.g. microscopy, FTIR) are unsuccessful.

Zinc oxide (ZnO) as a semiconductor in its crystalline or amorphous form is still a promised material, especially under isobaric and isothermal ensembles. In this work, Parallel and Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics and DL_POLY_4 software are employed to predict the relationship between the behavior of ZnO chemical bonds and the phase transition literatures, using correlation function g(r) of Zn-Zn, Zn-O, and O-O pairs. Our system is composed of 5832 atoms of ZnO rocksalt structure (2916 atoms of Zn2+ and 2916 atoms of O2-), under the temperature of 300 (K) and the range of pressure 0-400 (GPa). The lengths of ZnO bonds, the standard error, standard deviation, the maximum of g(r), and the percentage of the variation of the bonds are analyzed. The interatomic interactions are modeled by the potential of Buckingham for short-range and Coulomb for long-range interactions. The calculations were run on the RAVEN Supercomputer of Cardiff University (UK). Our data are mostly in the vicinity of available information of bonds lengths; the rest can be deduced from the pressure of phase transition to use it as a new approach of phase transition confirmation. However, the rest of our results are still a prediction because of no results under extended pressure used in this work.

Biochars are often proposed as a strategy for long-term carbon sequestration. Nevertheless, application of pyrolysed feedstock, particularly along with exogenous organic matter, may affect carbon dynamics in soil through introduction of labile carbon pools and stimulation of extracellular enzymes activity. The main aim of this research was to evaluate the influence of biochars and unprocessed organic amendments addition in two agricultural soils on the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content and activity of three enzymes involved in carbon turnover. In the incubation experiment, activity of dehydrogenase, β-glucosidase, cellulase and DOC content were measured on day 30, 60, 90, 180 and 360. Addition of biochars stimulated the activity of dehydrogenase and β-glucosidase, while cellulase was suppressed. Fresh biomass amendment enhanced activity of the enzymes through priming effect. DOC content tended to be the highest in treatments with high enzyme activity, suggesting that DOC introduced with amendments acted as a source of energy for microbes. Our findings support the hypothesis that biochar properties and presence of exogenous organic matter affect microbial response in soil, what might be crucial for carbon sequestration potential of biochar. However, long-term studies are recommended to fully understand the mechanisms that determine response of soil biota to biochar addition.

Morphological study of lakes defines the sensitivity of their watershed. Moreover, it plays important role in safeguarding the lake’s ecosystem services through proper planning and utilization of the lakes’ resources. In the last few decades, the morphology of lakes in Ethiopian and Kenyan Rift (EKR) valley are experiencing contradicting morphological changes. Being in the same system, some are shrinking and others are expanding beyond their natural boundaries. The objective of this review is to shed light on the trends in spatio-temporal water level fluctuation and their contributing factors for lakes to the academia and decision makers. Peer reviewed article journals, conference proceedings, thesis, and book chapters collected from online sources and supplied by authors on request formed a database of 346 documents where 226 are critically assessed. The review indicated that lakes in Ethiopian rift are shrinking and expanding, while Kenyan lakes are expanding. The en-dorheic lakes suffered the most fluctuations due to anthropogenic factors at the expense of loss of forest and woodlands in their watershed. While the lakes’ water quality related to the morphological changes are given less attention, the predicted 12 m drop of Lake Turkana due to projects in the Omo catchment did not materialize.

In this paper, we investigate the structural, microstructural, dielectric, and energy storage properties of Nd and Mn co-doped Ba0.7Sr0.3TiO3 [(Ba0.7Sr0.3)1-xNdxTi1-yMnyO3 (BSNTM) ceramics (x = 0, 0.005, and y = 0, 0.0025, 0.005, and 0.01)] via a defect dipole engineering method. The complex defect dipoles (MnTi"-VO∙∙)∙ and (MnTi"-VO∙∙) between acceptor ions and oxygen vacancies capture electrons, enhancing the breakdown electric field and energy storage performances. XRD, Raman spectroscopy, and microscopic investigations of BSNTM ceramics revealed the formation of a tetragonal phase, increased oxygen vacancies, and reduced grain size with Mn dopant, respectively. The BSNTM ceramics with x=0.005 and y=0 exhibit a high dielectric constant of 2058 and a dielectric loss of 0.026 at 1 kHz. These values gradually decreased to 1876 and 0.019 for x=0.005 and y=0.01 due to the Mn2+ ions at Ti4+-site, which facilitates the formation of oxygen vacancies, and prevents the decrease of Ti4+. In addition, the defect dipoles act as a driving force for depolarization to tailor the domain formation energy and domain wall energy, which provides a high difference between the maximum polarization of Pmax and remnant polarization of Pr (ΔP=10.39 µC/cm2). Moreover, the complex defect dipoles with optimum oxygen vacancies in BSNTM ceramics can provide not only a high ΔP but also reduce grain size, which together improve the breakdown strength from 60.4 to 110.6 kV/cm, giving rise to a high energy storage density of 0.41 J/cm3 and high efficiency of 84.6% for x=0.005 and y=0.01. These findings demonstrate that defect dipoles engineering is an effective method to enhance the energy storage performance of dielectrics for capacitor applications.

The COVID-19 pandemic caused many enduring changes in everyday life of families with negative effects on parents’ and children well-being. However, literature lacks of studies exploring emotional reactions and coping strategies of both mothers and children of different ages. Furthermore, most studies used only self-reports. This study aimed to identify the emotions and coping strategies of children, adolescents and their mothers and to verify the association between maternal and children well-being. A mixed-method design using interviews and questionnaires was applied to collect information on well-being (emotional reactions, behavioral/emotional problems) and coping strategies of both mothers (n=65), and their children (n=35, 8-10 year; n=30, 11-13 year) during the second wave of the pandemic (December 2020). No differences between the groups emerged concerning the emotional reactions reported. In contrast, mothers and children of different ages reported different self-regulation and other-regulation strategies. Moreover, maternal strategies had different effects on children well-being. The integration of qualitative and quantitative results was informative to understand how families adapted to the radical changes of everyday life caused by the pandemic. Implications for developing interventions in such similar stressful situations to promote family well-being are discussed.

Tyrosinases (TYR) play an important role in oxidizing phenols and catechols, leading to the formation of catechols and ortho-quinones, respectively. In mammals, TYR catalyzes the conversion of L-Tyrosine to quinone, a pivotal step in melanogenesis, which generates melanin pigments responsible for protecting against UV radiation and oxidative stress. Given TYR's importance in melanin-related disorders and cosmetic applications, the inhibition of TYR has garnered attention for controlling melanin production. However, current inhibitors like hydroquinone, arbutin, and kojic acid (KA) have limitations in terms of side effects and effectiveness. A novel class of TYR inhibitors featuring arylpiperidine and arylpiperazine components has demonstrated potent inhibitory activity. This study presents a computational analysis of these inhibitors using molecular docking, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, and the Linear Interaction Energy (LIE) method was used to estimate binding free energies. The arylpiperidine and arylpiperazine inhibitors exhibit remarkable stability within the TYR active site during simulations. The van der Waals interactions are notably sustained, indicating effective inhibition mechanisms. The results from LIE calculations closely align with experimental binding affinities. In summary, these results contribute to the understanding of TYR inhibition and underscore the potential of arylpiperidine and arylpiperazine derivatives as effective agents for modulating melanin production in both cosmetic and pharmaceutical applications. Overall, this study sheds light on the intricate interactions between inhibitors and TYR, opening avenues for the development of novel therapies and interventions.

Rapeseed (Brassica napus L.) is one of the most important oil crops in China. Improving oil production of rapeseed is an important way to ensure the safety of edible oil in China. Oil production is an important index to reflect the quality of rapeseed and is determined by oil content and yield. Applying nitrogen is an important way to ensure a high yield. However, increasing nitrogen application would decrease oil content. Thus, it is critical to screen elite germplasm resources with stable or improved oil content under high nitrogen and to investigate the molecular mechanisms of nitrogen regulation of oil accumulation. In this paper, we review the effects of nitrogen levels on rapeseed yields and oil content, aiming to reveal the mechanisms of nitrogen regulation in oil accumulation and thereby provide a theoretical basis for breeding varieties with high oil content.

Acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) is the most common childhood cancer. Although prognosis continually improved along years, a significant proportion of patients still relapse from the disease due to leukemia resistance to therapy. Methotrexate (MTX), a folic acid antagonist, is a chemotherapy agent commonly used against ALL and a immune-system suppressant for rheumatoid arthritis, that presents multiple and complex mechanisms of action and resistance. Previous studies have shown that MTX modulates the nuclear factor kappa B (NF-κB) pathway, an important family of transcription factors involved in inflammation, immunity, cell survival, and proliferation, frequently hyperactivated in ALL. Using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA) on publicly available gene expression data from 161 newly diagnosed pediatric ALL patients, we found “TNF-α signaling pathway” to be the most enriched Cancer Hallmark in MTX poor responder patients. Transcriptomic analysis in a panel of ALL cell lines (6 BCP-ALL and 7 T-ALL) also identified the same pathway as differentially enriched among MTX resistant cell lines, as well as in slowly dividing cells. To better understand the crosstalk between NF-κB activity and MTX resistance, we genetically modified the cell lines to express luciferase under a NF-κB biding site promoter. We observed that the fold change in NF-κB activity triggered by TNF-α (but not MTX) treatment correlated with MTX resistance and proliferation across the lines. At the individual gene level, NFKB1 expression was directly associated with a poorer clinical response to MTX, and with both an increased TNF-α-triggered NF-κB activation and MTX resistance in the cell lines. Despite these results, pharmacological inhibition (with BAY 11-7082 and parthenolide) or stimulation (with exogenous TNF-α supplementation) of the NF-κB pathway did not alter MTX resistance of the cell lines significantly, evidencing a complex interplay between MTX and NF-κB in ALL.

The Douro Demarcated Region (DDR) has peculiar edaphoclimatic characteristics that provide a suitable terroir for premium wine production. As climate change effects continue to emerge, ensuring productivity and quality becomes increasingly important for viticulturists, as those directly determine their profits. Cultural approaches, such as the use of biostimulants, are actively being developed to mitigate abiotic stress. The main objective of this work was to assess the effect of foliar sprays of a seaweed (Ascophyllum nodosum) based extract (ANE) and glycine betaine (GB) on grape berry quality, bioactive compounds, and antioxidant activity. A trial was installed in a commercial vineyard (cv. Touriga Franca) in the Douro Superior (Upper Douro) sub-region of the Douro Demarcated Region. In 2020, a total of three foliar sprayings were performed during the growing season, namely at pea-size, bunch closure, and veraison. There was a positive effect of both biostimulants (ANE and GB) on the physiological and biochemical performance of cv. Touriga Franca exposed to summer stress. In general, the GB 0.2% spraying was the most promising treatment for this grape cultivar, as it increased berry quality, the concentration of bioactive compounds (total phenolics, flavonoids and ortho-diphenols), and the antioxidant activities. These results revealed the efficacy of biostimulants sprayings as sustainable viticultural practice, improving berry quality under summer stress conditions.

The aimed of this study was to explore the current state of knowledge of agrobiodiversity to improve nutrition and health. The study focused on wild mushrooms commonly consumed in North-Eastern of Thailand in term of ecology, cooking and preservation method and folk remedies. The monosaccharide, sugar alcohol, glucans and carbohydrate polymer content and the glycemic index of these wild mushrooms was determined using Enzymatic method. The mushrooms collected were belong to three biological groups and mostly saprotrophic and symbiotic. The most abundant mushrooms are Amanita, Boletus and Russula and followed by Calostoma sp., Astraeus asiaticus C. Phosri and Astraeus odoratus C. Phosri. Wild edible mushrooms can be used include food and medicinal purpose. Cooking methods utilized in the area are steaming, boiling and grilling. The carbohydrate profiles results showed that glucose is the major monosaccharide detected in mushroom samples. Xylitol and inositol was found in all mushroom sample while mannitol and arabitol was detected in some samples. Glucan was presented in all mushroom samples ranged from 8.03-31.1 mg/g DW. All mushrooms are classified as low GI food. Therefore, this finding provide important information that may be adopted to enhance and promote the utilization of wild mushroom to improve nutrition security and sustainability.

Plant-based extracts have been recently employed as sustainable tools to improve biotic and abiotic stress tolerance and increase grape quality. However, knowledge about the effect of these extracts on secondary metabolism compounds, that are fundamental for grape and wine quality, is still scarce. In this study, a trial was installed in an experimental vineyard with the variety Touriga Franca located at University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Baixo Corgo sub-region of the Douro Demarcated Region, in two growing seasons: 2019 and 2020. Foliar sprayings with the natural products, nettle extract (NE) and Japanese knotweed extract (JKE), were tested to evaluate their effect on downy mildew incidence and severity, on grapevines bioactive compounds contents and antioxidant activity, at veraison and harvest. NE and JKE have stimulated an improvement in the concentration of total carotenoids in leaves and the concentration of total phenolics in berries along with an improved concentration of total phenolics and flavonoids in leaves and berries. Thus, it was verified that these extracts enhance grapevines bioactive compounds and antioxidant capacity and, consequently, the physiological performance of the plant and the quality of the berries. Considering the challenges posed by climate change in the Mediterranean basin viticulture sector, the use of plant extracts might represent a sustainable tool to mitigate the increasing severity of drought, often associated to heatwaves and high irradiation. Moreover, downy mildew incidence results suggest that an integrated disease management approach combining conventional control with alternative fungicides can be used in the future for a more sustainable viticulture.

Chinese pepper rust is a live parasitic fungal disease caused by Coleosporium zanthoxyli, which seriously affects the cultivation and industrial development of Z. armatum. Cultivating and planting resistant cultivars is considered the most economical and environmentally friendly strategy to control this disease. Therefore, the mining of excellent genes for rust resistance and analysis of the mechanism of rust resistance are the key strategies to achieve the targeted breeding of rust resistance. However, there is no relevant report on pepper rust resistance at present. The aim of the present study was to further explore the resistance mechanism of pepper by screening the rust-resistant germplasm resources in the early stage. Combined with the analysis of plant pathology, transcriptomics, and metabolomics, we found that the genes and metabolites related to phenylpropanoid metabolism were highly enriched in resistant varieties after pathogen infection, which indicated that phenylpropanoid metabolism might mediate the resistance of Z. armatum. This finding was further confirmed by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction analysis, which revealed that the expression levels of core genes involved in phenylpropane metabolism in disease-resistant varieties were high. In addition, the difference in flavonoid content in the leaves between resistant and susceptible varieties further supported the conclusion that the flavonoid pathway is one of the main pathways involved in resistance formation in Chinese pepper, and MeJA is involved in the formation of resistance. Our research results not only help to better understand the resistance mechanism of Z. armatum rust but also contribute to the breeding and utilization of resistant varieties.

The rapid development in industries manufacturing plastic bags is taking serious consideration to save the environment and human health, one way or the other. This study examines the composition of degradable and non-degradable plastic bags collected from the markets of different sectors of Islamabad. Hundred samples of both Degradable and non-degradable plastic bags were collected from the open market. The concentrations, proportion, and patterns of different heavy metals (additives) were used in the production of both degradable and non-degradable plastic bags by using the standard method with the help of Hands Held X-Ray Fluorescent (HHXRF) instrument. Samples results of the study showed Titanium, Calcium and Copper used in massive amounts, some of the toxic metals i.e., Arsenic, Lead, Cadmium, Chromium and Mercury were also detected. This study also reveals that degradable plastic bags might be more hazardous than non-degradable plastic bags because due to the Photolytic properties of additives used in degradable plastic bags when the chains of polymers break, the heavy metals are released in environment and become the part of it. So, concern department like Ministry of climate change and Pakistan Environmental Protection Agency should take serious step to control these serious issues.

This study analyzes the effect of economic growth and income distribution on health inequality using data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). A panel analysis was conducted by combining 21 years of data (from 2000 to 2020) from 38 OECD countries. Life expectancy and avoidable mortality were set as the dependent variables; gross domestic product and poverty gap were set as the independent variables; body mass index, consumption, smoking rate, healthcare personnel, number of beds in health service facilities, national medical expenses, and unemployment were set as control variables. First, economic growth and poverty gap significantly affect life expectancy and avoidable mortality. It has been confirmed that to resolve health inequality, growth during growth and distribution must be prioritized. Second, it has been confirmed that as the poverty gap increases, life expectancy increases and the avoidable mortality rate decreases. A mechanism different from the existence of a medical security system targeting the lowest class or an increase in the welfare of society worked. In conclusion, as a policy proposal to alleviate health inequality, this study suggests that policy intervention is necessary to block or alleviate the negative impact of income inequality in health care policies.

Environmental monitoring systems play a crucial role in assessing environmental quality, detecting limits exceedances, and predicting potential ecological episodes. These systems rely on the measurement of various variables at specific locations and time intervals over an extended period. The concept of environmental monitoring encompasses the assessment of health and safety issues for public and environmental health purposes. Pollution of the atmosphere and water, climate change, and natural disasters are among the consequences of continuous industrial and municipal development and human interference in natural ecosystems. To address these challenges and to protect human lives and the environment, with a special concern on mitigating the ecological effects of industrial development, advanced technical solutions, including the technologies associated with artificial intelligence (artificial neural networks ANNs, machine learning ML) have been developed. These technologies offer powerful tools for analysing the vast amount of data collected by monitoring systems and extracting valuable insights. By applying ANNs and machine learning algorithms, environmental monitoring systems can effectively process and interpret the measured variables to assess environmental quality. Despite challenges and limitations, such as data quality and interpretability of AI models, ongoing research and interdisciplinary collaboration are paving the way for the successful implementation of AI in environmental monitoring, ultimately supporting informed decision-making and sustainable resource management.While several review papers have explored the theory of artificial intelligence (AI), here I aim to review the application of ANNs and ML, in environmental aspects, specifically in automotive and industrial emissions toxicity measurements, as well as atmospheric pollution prevention. By examining the potential of AI in these domains, the paper contributes to understanding the role of advanced technologies in environmental monitoring and protection.

COVID-19 is a highly infectious respiratory illness caused by SARS-CoV-2, and acute lung injury (ALI) is the major cause of COVID-19. The challenge in studying SARS-CoV-2 pathogenicity is the limited availability of animal models. Therefore, it is necessary to establish animal models that can reproduce multiple characteristics of ALI to study therapeutic applications. The present study established a mouse model that has features of ALI that are similar to COVID-19 syndrome to investigate the role of ACE2 and the administration of the Chinese herbal prescription NRICM101 in ALI. Mice with genetic modifications, including overexpression of human ACE2 (K18-hACE2 TG) and absence of ACE2 (mACE2 KO), were intratracheally instillated with hydrochloric acid. The acid intratracheal instillation induced severe immune cell infiltration, cytokine storms, and pulmonary disease in mice. Compared with K18-hACE2 TG mice, mACE2 KO mice exhibited dramatically increased levels of multiple inflammatory cytokines (IL-6, TNF-α, and TGF-β1) in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid, histological evidence of lung injury, and dysregulation of MAPK and MMP activation. In mACE2 KO mice, NRICM101 could ameliorate the disease progression of acid-induced ALI. In conclusion, the established mouse model provided an effective platform for researchers to investigate pathological mechanisms and develop therapeutic strategies for ALI, including COVID-19-related ALI.

Entrepreneurship education has become increasingly relevant. For some years now, the business environment for starting a new company in the Dominican Republic has been considered very propitious. This has generated that many universities have incorporated training in entrepreneurship in their study plans. This study aims to analyse whether the cognitive and affective components, the country's business environment, university training in entrepreneurship and attitudes towards entrepreneurship are antecedents of the entrepreneurial intention of university students. It also seeks to investigate the relationship between entrepreneurial intention and entrepreneurial behaviour of students. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire from a sample of 523 students who had taken courses on entrepreneurship. The data have been analysed through the SPSS and Smart-PLS programs. The results of this research highlight the importance of the affective component and attitudes towards entrepreneurship in the formation of students' entrepreneurial intentions. This reinforces the importance of cultivating positive attitudes through educational interventions. These results contribute to the understanding of the factors that drive entrepreneurial intentions among university students and provide a foundation for future research.

Eating disorders are a global burden and present personal, family, and societal costs. Most evidence in the literature is based on the relationship between a poor family environment and eating disorders, and the evidence of gender interaction in eating disorders is inconsistent. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between family functioning and disordered eating patterns, the mediating role of negative automatic thoughts, and the moderating role of gender. A sample of 440 (70.9% females, aged 18–21) participated in this study. They completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Automatic Thoughts Questionnaire (ATQ negative), and the Brief Family Relationship Scale (BFRS). PROCESS MACRO was used to study these relationships. The main findings revealed that family functioning was negatively associated with eating disorders, and that this relationship was negatively mediated by automatic thoughts. Moreover, gender moderated those relationships, and more intensely in females. The results of this study postulate that the prevention of eating disorders should be directed at training individuals to challenge negative thoughts and encourage healthy individuals to be gender mindful.

The aim of this study was to create a novel machine learning (ML) algorithm for predicting the post-pubertal mandibular length and Y-axis in females. Cephalometric data from 176 females with Angle Class I occlusion were used to train and test 7 ML algorithms. For all ML methods tested, the mean absolute errors (MAEs) for the 2-year prediction ranged from 2.78-5.40 mm and 0.88-1.48 degrees, respectively. For the 4-year prediction, MAEs of mandibular length and Y-axis ranged from 3.21-4.00 mm and 1.19-5.12 degrees, respectively. The most predictive factors for post-pubertal mandibular length were mandibular length at previous timepoints, age, sagittal positions of the maxillary and mandibular skeletal bases, mandibular plane angle, and anterior and posterior face heights. The most predictive factors for post-pubertal Y-axis were Y-axis at previous timepoints, mandibular plane angle, and sagittal positions of the maxillary and mandibular skeletal bases. ML methods were identified as capable of predicting mandibular length within 3 mm, and Y-axis within 1 degree. Compared to each other, all of the ML algorithms were similarly accurate, with the exception of MLP regressor.

Curcumin (CUR) is a phytochemical with potent anticancer activities as demonstrated by both preclinical and clinical studies. CUR bioformulations, including loading in biodegradable polymers, have been explored to increase CUR’s solubility and chemical stability, control its release, and improve its delivery to cancer cells. In this study, copolymers comprising poly (L-lactide)-poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (L-lactide) (PLA-PEG-PLA) and poly (ethylene glycol)-poly (L-lactide)-poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG-PLA-PEG) were designed and synthesized to assess and compare their curcumin delivery capacity and inhibitory potency on MCF-7 breast cancer cells. Molecular dynamics simulations indicated that PLA-PEG-PLA has a higher propensity to interact with the cell membrane and more negative free energy, suggesting it is the better carrier for cell membrane penetration. Our characterization indicated that the microsphere copolymers were synthesized successfully. Of the two formulations, PLA-PEG-PLA experimentally exhibited better results, with an initial burst release of 17.5%, followed by a slow, constant release of the encapsulated drug up to 80%. PLA-PEG-PLA-curcumin showed a significant increase in cell death in MCF-7 cancer cells (IC50 = 23.01 ± 0.85 µM) based on the MTT assay. These data were consistent with gene expression studies of Bax, Bcl2, and hTERT which showed that PLA-PEG-PLA-CUR induced apoptosis more efficiently in these cells. Our study integrates in vitro and in silico approaches to identify an optimal co-polymer for the delivery of CUR to cancer cells.

Many factors affect the quality of red meat. The aim of the study, carried out on 44 Polish Merino lambs, was analysis of physicochemical traits (pH, meat color, expressed juice, content of moisture, protein, fat, total collagen and fatty acid ) and content of carnosine, taurine, L-carnitine on fresh and meat aged for 7 and 14 d in the longissimus lumborum (LL) and gluteus medius (GM) muscles., Higher (p&lt;0.05) redness value (a*), lower yellowness (b*) were recorded in meat after of aging in gluteus medius muscle. A lower value (p&lt;0.05) of expressed juice was found in both LL and GM after 7 days of aging. The increase (p&lt;0.05) in protein and fat content in both muscle and collagen content in LL was observed in aged meat. There was no difference in fatty acid groups and C18:2 c9, t11 content between GM and LL muscle and fresh and aging meat. A higher TBARS content (p&lt;0.05) was recorded in meat after aging in both GM and LL. The meat aging process increased (p&lt;0.05) the content of carnitine and taurine, while the content of carnosine decreased. In summary the processes that turn muscles into meat in different types of muscles affect the physicochemical characteristics and the content of bioactive ingredients.

Habitat loss and fragmentation are of concern to conservation biologists worldwide. However, not all organisms are affected equally by these processes, thus it is important to study the effects of living in fragmented habitats on species that differ in lifestyle and habitat requirements. In this study we examined dispersal and connectivity patterns of rodents, one endemic (Eliurus myoxinus) and one invasive (Rattus rattus), in two landscapes containing forest fragments and adjacent continuous forest patches in northwestern Madagascar. We generated genomic (RADseq) data for 66 E. myoxinus and 81 R. rattus individuals to evaluate differences in genetic diversity as well as inbreeding and connectivity in two landscapes. We found higher levels of inbreeding and lower levels of genetic diversity in E. myoxinus compared with R. rattus. We observed related dyads both within and between habitat patches and positive spatial autocorrelation at lower distance classes for both species, with a stronger pattern of spatial autocorrelation in R. rattus. Across each site we identified contrasting migration rates for each species, but these did not correspond to habitat-matrix dichotomies. The relatively low genetic diversity in the endemic E. myoxinus suggests ecological constraints that require further investigation.

Many techniques have been and are being made to find alternatives to water-saving practices. Among them, Partial root drying (PRD), one of the effective approaches, plays a major role in reducing the harmful effects of water deficit stress. An experiment was carried out using irrigation strategies [I1 (100% full irrigation “FI”), I2 (75%FI), I3 (50%FI), and I4 (PRD (50%FI)] and soil organic mulch [L0 (Zero layer organic soil mulch” control”), L1 (Single layer organic soil mulch), L2 (Two layers of organic soil mulch), and L3 (Three layers of organic soil mulch)] to inspect the impact of those treatments for increasing yield, water productivity and saving energy under arid region conditions. To meet the study's objective, two field experiments were carried out at a private farm. Our results demonstrated a general decrease in water stress and salt accumulation inside root-zone area with PRD with L3. The PRD strategy increased fruit yields by 3.7 and 7.3% and water productivity by 51.9 and 53.1% compared with I1 during 2020/2021 and 2021/2022, respectively, while reducing the applied irrigation water by 50 %. The PRD strategy showed superior results in increasing mango yield and water productivity. In general, PRD can be used as good technique to save water and energy up to 50% and enhance productivity along with using organic mulching, ultimately improving mango yield under arid climatic regions. It may prove a good adaptation strategy for current and future water shortage scenarios of climate change.

Hydrological connectivity plays a major role in solving water resource and eco-environmental problems. However, this phenomenon has not been afforded the attention it deserves. Detailed analysis of connectivity in river systems could provide considerable insight into structural and functional attributes of riverine landscapes. The current study used graph theory approach and associated connectivity indicators to explore the characteristics and evolution of river systems and hydrological connectivity in a large catchment (Poyang Lake, China). The results revealed that the structure of the river system tended to be complex during 1990-2020, characterized by a dynamic evolution of tributaries in certain northern areas. Both river density and complexity exhibited an increasing trend by up to 15%, with the change rate after 2000 approximately twice as high as that of the preceding period. Overall, human activities across the catchment are more likely to play a key role in leading to significant changes in the quantity, morphometric, and structure characteristics of the river system. Additionally, the functional connectivity analysis indicated that the index of connectivity (IC) in the downstream catchment is stronger than that of the upstream vegetation areas, suggesting a strong contribution to the runoff-sediment transport (r=0.6-0.7). This study highlights the spatial and temporal evolution of both the structural and functional connectivity in the large Poyang Lake catchment. The findings of this work will bene-fit future water resource management and applications by providing a strategy for protecting the surface hydrology and mass transport of large river basins under climate and land-use changes.

To compare concentrations of endogenous N-acylethanolamines (NAEs) lipid mediators pal-mitoylethanolamide (PEA), oleoylethanolamide (OEA), and anandamide (AEA) in fresh, decon-taminated, cryopreserved and freeze-dried amniotic membrane (AM) allografts. Thereby deter-mining whether AM's analgesic and anti-inflammatory efficiency related to NAEs persists during storage. The concentrations of NAEs were measured using ultra-high-performance liquid chro-matography-tandem mass spectrometry. Indirect fluorescent immunohistochemistry was used to detect the PEA PPARα receptor. The concentrations of PEA, OEA, and AEA were significantly higher after decontamination. A significant decrease was found in cryopreserved AM compared to decontaminated tissue for PEA but not for OEA and AEA. However, significantly higher val-ues for all NAEs were detected in cryopreserved samples compared to fresh tissue before decon-tamination. The freeze-dried AM had similar values to decontaminated AM with no statistically significant difference. The nuclear staining of PPARα receptor was clearly visible in all specimens. The stability of NAEs in AM after cryopreservation was demonstrated under tissue bank storage conditions. However, a significant decrease, but still higher concentration of PEA compared to fresh not decontaminated tissue was found in cryopreserved, but not frieze-dried AM. Results in-dicate that NAEs persist during storage in levels sufficient for the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of AM allografts.

Liability to prevent consequences of an unhealthy situation due to accumulating toxic and hazardous emissions caused by open dumping of municipal solid waste with increasing urbanization has necessitated a renewed thinking on waste disposal. Grate fired incineration systems were adopted by urban managements in past and present but with criticisms due to formation of air borne emissions. Improved combustion methods like fluidized bed are now propagated because of current requirements like efficient energy recovery potential, stricter emission norms, adaptability with urban growth, adaptability to co-firing with other waste like biomass, edible oil wastes or industrial effluent and integration with conventional energy generation. Such a comprehensive and futuristic approach is more sustainable for the community. Multi-criteria decision-making tool is used to identify the best technology option among grate combustion and fluidized bed combustion for disposing and energy recovery from waste. Ten different collection and disposal options involving two combustion methods, namely, grate combustion and fluidized bed method are considered. Utilization of the energy is done for three end uses, namely, power generation, water distillation and district cooling. Two different regions in Saudi Arabia are considered for this study under two types of scenario, namely with recycling and without recycling. The different options are prioritized based on their overall ranking using five major performance factors.

The COVID-19 pandemic has affected millions of people globally, with respiratory organs being strongly affected in individuals with comorbidities. Medical imaging-based diagnosis and prognosis have become increasingly popular in clinical settings to detect COVID-19 lung infections. Among various medical imaging modalities, ultrasound stands out as low-cost, mobile, and radiation-safe imaging technology. In this comprehensive review, we focus on ultrasound-based AI studies for COVID-19 detection that use public or private lung ultrasound datasets. We surveyed articles that used publicly available lung ultrasound datasets for COVID-19 and reviewed publicly available datasets and organize ultrasound-based AI studies per dataset. We analyzed and tabulated studies in several dimensions, such as data preprocessing, AI models, cross-validation, and evaluation criteria. In total, we reviewed 42 articles, where 28 articles used public datasets, and the rest used private data. Our findings suggest that ultrasound-based AI studies for the detection of COVID-19 have great potential for clinical use, especially for children and pregnant women. Our review also provides a useful summary for future researchers and clinicians who may be interested in the field.

Prosocial behavior is vital for positive social development among adolescents, contributing to improved peer relationships, emotional well-being, and social competence. Gratitude, a positive emotion arising from recognizing and appreciating benefits received from others, has been identified as a potential contributor to adolescent prosocial behavior. This study aimed to investigate the mediating roles of social support and basic psychological needs in the relationship between gratitude and prosocial behavior among adolescents. A total of 390 middle school students participated in a longitudinal study, completing questionnaires assessing gratitude, social support, basic psychological needs, and prosocial behavior at two time points with a six-month interval. The results indicated that gratitude positively correlated with social support, basic psychological needs, and prosocial behavior. Structural equation modeling revealed that social support and basic psychological needs partially mediated the relationship between gratitude and adolescent prosocial behavior. Moreover, a chain-like mediation effect was observed, wherein social support influenced basic psychological needs, which in turn predicted prosocial behavior. These findings emphasize the importance of gratitude in fostering prosocial behavior among adolescents and highlight the mediating roles of social support and basic psychological needs in this relationship.

Prunus tenella is a rare and precious relict plant in China. It is an important genetic resource for almond improvement and an indispensable material in ecological protection and landscaping. However, the research of molecular breeding and genetic evolution has been severely restricted, due to the lack of genome information. In this investigation, we created a chromosome-level genomic pattern of P. tenella, 231Mb in length with a contig N50 of 18.1 Mb by Hi-C techniques and high-accuracy PacBio HiFi sequencing. The present assembly predicted 32088 protein-coding genes, and an examination of the genome assembly indicated that 94.7% among all assembled transcripts were alignable to the genome assembly; most (97.24%) were functionally annotated. By phylogenomic genome comparison, we found that P. tenella is an ancient group that diverged approximately 13.4 million years ago (Mya) from 13 additional closely related species and about 6.5 Mya from the cultivated almond. Collinearity analysis revealed that P. tenella is highly syntenic and has high sequence conservation with almond and peach. However, this species also exhibit many presence/absence variants. Moreover, a large inversion at the 7,588 kb position of chromosome 5 was observed, which may have a significant association with phenotypic traits. Lastly, population genetic structure analysis in eight different populations indicated a high genetic differentiation among the natural distribution of P. tenella. This high-quality genome assembly provides critical clues and comprehensive information for the systematic evolution, genetic characteristics, and functional gene research of P. tenella. Moreover, it provides a valuable genomic resource for in-depth study in protecting, developing, and utilizing P. tenella germplasm resources.

In recent years, the interest in increasingly sustainable agriculture has also turned attention towards new crops which could enter the food chain as new protein and oil sources or that can be used as new cover crops. In this scenario, Camelina sativa is a perfect crop to study. Camelina is an annual herbaceous plant belonging to the Brassicaceae which is interesting for its oil content, since the seeds contain about 40% of oils, with a high level of polyunsaturated fatty acids (30-40% alpha linolenic acid, 15-25 % linoleic acid, 15% oleic acid and about 15% eicosenoic acid). It is a hexaploid species (2n = 40, genome size ~782 Mb) characterized by rapid growth, short life cycle (85-100 days for spring varieties, 190-210 for autumn varieties) and low input cultivation needs. All these traits make it suitable for use in marginal areas. However, its use in feed and food is limited by the presence of glucosinolates (GLS). GLS are sulfur molecules involved in plant defense. In recent years, they have been studied not only as anti-nutritionals, but also for their anti-carcinogenic effects against chronic inflammatory and heart diseases and for their use as natural pesticides. Given the recent interest in camelina and its highly nutritious oil, eight pure lines and a synthetic population were compared in two different growing periods, spring and winter. In this work, the genetic materials were characterized for different phenotypic traits, yields and yield components, bromatological and glucosinolate content. The results confirmed that in North Italy camelina has higher yields if cultivated in the autumn-winter period (about 2 t/ha vs 0.6 t/ha), furthermore, a negative correlation was found between spring and winter yields, indicating that varieties that produce more in winter cultivation produce less in spring cultivation. Moreover, to our knowledge, it is the first work in which a synthetic population of Camelina sativa has been tested and proved to be a valid solution for use in various environments both for its adaptability and for the low content of glucosinolates (about 17 mmol/ kg).

Despite empirical findings that prosociality can prevent children and adolescents from developing psychological maladjustment, little is known about the underlying mechanisms. The goal of the present study was to examine the mediating effects of peer preference and self-perceived social competence on the associations between prosociality and psychological maladjustment (i.e., depressive symptoms and loneliness). Participants were 951 students (Mage = 11 years, 442 girls) in Grades 3~7 from Shanghai, China. They completed peer nominations of prosociality and peer preference, and self-report measures of self-perceived social competence, depressive symptoms, and loneliness. Multiple mediation analyses revealed that: (a) both peer preference and self-perceived social competence mediated the relations between prosociality and psychological maladjustment; and (b) a serial indirect pathway (i.e., prosociality  →  peer preference  →  self-perceived social competence →  psychological maladjustment) emerged when controlling for grade and gender. These findings point to potential targets in the prevention and intervention of adolescent internalizing problems.

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

As two commonly-used non-selective herbicides, glyphosate (GP) and diquat (DQ) are easily co-resided in lateritic paddy soil due to the rich iron/aluminum oxides, nevertheless there is limited information on their co-impact on microbial diversity and community structure in this type soil. In this study, the short-term effects of combined GP and DQ on soil microbial diversity and community structure shifts were investigated in lateritic paddy soil from a tropical agricultural region (Hainan, China) based on 16S rRNA and ITS high-throughput sequencing technology. The results showed that mixed herbicides promoted the abundance of Streptomyces in bacteria (0.45-1.84%) and Curvularia in fungi (0.01-5.85%), while GP and DQ had inhibitory effects on the abundance of Streptomyces (0.13-2.21%) and Curvularia (0.03-1.13%), which were significantly different with their single exposure (p < 0.05); the combined application of the two herbicides aggravate the adverse effect on the diversity of soil fungal community (p < 0.05), although their mixture did not have a greater impact on the soil bacteria abundance/diversity and fungi abundance (p > 0.05). Results suggested that the combined application of GP and DQ affected the fungal diversity although they did not cause other significant negative effects on soil microorganisms, hinting that more attention should be paid to the mixed effect caused by GP and DQ on specific fungal populations in lateritic paddy soil.

Olive mill wastewater (OMW) has serious environmental problems considering its high organic matter, especially its phenolic compounds. The OMW application in crop protection is an alternative environmentally eco-friendly method reducing the chemicals pesticides impact on human health and environment. The present work aimed to study the antifungal activity of fresh and stored OMW and its ethyl acetate extract against phytopathogenic fungi: Syncephalastrum racemosum (S. racemosum), Paramyrothecium roridum (P. roridum), Fusarium oxysporum (F. oxysporum) and Verticilium dahlia (V. dahlia). The OMW was stored at 25 and 45 °C for 3 months. Fresh and stored OMW were used non-sterile, sterile and centrifuged. Phenolic and flavonoid compounds were extracted and identified by HPLC analysis. High inhibition of studied fungi was shown by fresh OMW and its derivative compounds, while OMW storage, sterilization, and centrifugation increased mycelium growth of studied fungi, especially S. racemosum that showed a relative resistance against stored OMW effect and its ethyl acetate extract. Under storage conditions, some phenolic and flavonoid compounds disappeared (resorcinol and vanillic acid), while the concentration of other compounds increased (gallic acid, chlorogenic acid and quercetin). This work highlighted the ability to use fresh OMW as a bio-agent to protect plants from fungi diseases.

Background: Studies exploring the possible protective effect of coffee and tea consumption on dementia showed inconsistent results so far. We aimed to investigate whether consumption of tea and different types of coffee at midlife are associated with dementia later in life and, whether sex or ApoE4 influence such association. Methods: We included 7381 participants from the Norwegian HUNT Study. Self-reported questionnaires assessed daily consumption of coffee and tea at baseline. After 22 years, individuals 70 years or older were screened on cognitive impairment. Results: General coffee consumption and tea consumption was not associated with dementia risk. Compared to daily consumption of 0-1 cups of coffee, daily consumption of ≥8 cups of boiled coffee was associated with increased dementia risk in women (OR:1.83, 95% CI: 1.10-3.04, p-value for trend=0.03) and daily consumption of 4-5 cups of other types of coffee was associated with a decrease in dementia risk in only men (OR 0.48, 95% CI: 0.32-0.72, p-value for trend =0.05). Furthermore, the association between boiled coffee and increased dementia risk was only found in ApoE4 non-carriers. Differences by sex or ApoE4 carrier status were not supported by strong statistical evidence for interaction. Conclusion: Type of coffee may play a role in the direction of the association between coffee-drinking habits and dementia later in life.

Hormones act as master ripening regulators. In non-climacteric fruit ABA plays a key role in ripening. Recently we confirmed in Fragaria chiloensis fruit that in response to ABA treatment the fruit induces ripening associated changes such as softening and color development. In consequence with these phenotypic changes, transcriptional variations associated with cell wall disassembly and anthocyanins biosynthesis were reported. As ABA stimulates ripening of F. chiloensis fruit, the molecular network involved in ABA metabolism was analyzed. Therefore, the expression level of genes involved in ABA biosynthesis and ABA perception were quantified during development of the fruit. Four NCED/CCDs and 6 PYR/PYLs family members were identified in F. chiloensis. Bioinformatics analyses confirmed the existence of key domains related to functional properties. Through RT-qPCR analyses the level of transcripts were quantified. FcNCED1 codifies a protein that displays crucial functional domains and the level of transcripts increased as the fruit develops and ripens, in parallel with the increment in ABA. In addition, FcPYL4 codifies for a functional ABA receptor and its expression follows an incremental pattern during ripening. The study concludes that FcNCED1 is involved in ABA biosynthesis, meanwhile FcPYL4 participates in ABA perception during ripening of F. chiloensis fruit.

Ferns and fern-allies, now known as Monylophytes, have received scant molecular attention, in relation to angiosperm group. The advent of high-throughput technologies allows to advance towards a greater knowledge of their elusive genome. In this work, samples of apogamous and sexual heart-shaped gametophytes from two ferns: the apomictic species Dryopteris affinis ssp. af-finisand its sexual relative Dryopteris oreades were extracted and identified. In total, a set of 218 proteins shared by these gametophytes were analysed by using the STRING database, and the proteome associated to metabolism, genetic information processing and responses to abitotic stress is discussed. Specifically, there are reported proteins involved in metabolism of carbohy-drates and lipids, biosynthesis of amino acids, metabolism of nucleotides, energy, and secondary compounds, oxido-reduction, transcription, translation, folding, sorting, and degradation, and response to abiotic stress. Some homologs of proteins found are MACCI-BOU (MAB1), MOSAIC DEATH 1 (MOD1), MAINTENANCE OF PHOTOSYSTEM II UNDER HIGH LIGHT 2 (MPH2), TRANSPARENT TESTA 5 (TT5), ALBINO OR GLASSY YELLOW 1 (AGY1), LEUCYL AMINOPEP-TIDASE 1 and 3 (LAP1 and LAP3), or LOW EXPRESSION OF OSMOTICALLY RESPONSIVE GENES 1 (LOS1). The interactome of the set of proteins was also studied, being the most common interac-tions database and textmining. All these data about the interactions that exist between the stud-ied proteins of the ferns D. affinis and D. oreades, together with the description of their biological function, might contribute to better understand the functioning and development of ferns as well as to fulfil gaps of knowledge in plant evolution.

Background: In schizophrenia (SZ), social cognition mediates the relationship between neurocognition and social functioning. Although people with major depressive disorder (MDD) also exhibit cognitive impairments, which are often prolonged, little is known about the role of social cognition in MDD. Methods: Using data obtained through an internet survey, 210 patients with SZ or MDD were selected using propensity score matching based on their demographic information and illness duration. Social cognition, neurocognition, and social functioning were evaluated using the Self-Assessment of Social Cognition Impairments, Perceived Deficits Questionnaire, and Social Functioning Scale, respectively. The mediation effects of social cognition on the relationship between neurocognition and social functioning were examined in each disease group. Invariances of the mediation model across the two groups were then analyzed. Results: The SZ and MDD groups had mean ages of 44.49 and 45.35 years, contained 42.0% and 42.8% women, and had mean illness durations of 10.76 and 10.45 years, respectively. In both groups, social cognition had significant mediation effects. Configural, measurement, and structural invariances across the groups were established. Conclusion: The role of social cognition in patients with chronic depression was similar to that in schizophrenia. Social cognition could be a common endophenotype for various psychiatric disorders.

Carotenoids are essential pigments that play a vital role in the photosynthetic process of algae and are important for human health and nutrition. Despite their potential value, algal carotenoids are being neglected by biofuel industries. Recent research is aimed at producing microalgal lipids and carotenoids simultaneously under abiotic stresses. In this study, the effect of different abiotic stress factors such as Nitrogen (N), Potassium (K), Phosphorous (P), Sulphur (S), light intensity, and photoperiod on biomass, lipid, and carotenoids synthesis in Monoraphidium sp. (MP) were explored utilizing a statistical method. In addition, 2, 7-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCF-DA) mediated spectrofluorimetry was employed to detect the ele-vation in ROS level. The results revealed that variations in nutrients and light con-ditions are the key factors in the up-regulation of biomolecules lipids and carote-noids in the algae. The carotenoids profiling was done by Ultra Performance Liquid Chromatography Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectroscopy (UPLC-Q-ToF-MS). Among consisting carotenoids violaxanthin, astaxanthin, and beta-carotene were enhanced by 1.3 folds, 1.19 folds, 1.08 folds, while lutein was declined by 1.32 folds under stressed condition compared to control. The identified carotenoids are rec-ognized for their importance in the pharmaceutical and nutraceutical industries, highlighting the significant role of MP in these sectors.

For consciousness to exist, an entity must have prerequisite characteristics and attributes to give rise to it. We explore these “building blocks” of consciousness in detail in this paper, which range from perceptive to computational to higher-order characteristics of an entity’s cognitive architecture. We show how each cognitive attribute is strictly necessary for the emergence of consciousness, and how the building blocks are collectively sufficient for any entity to be classified as being conscious. The list of building blocks is not limited to human or organic consciousness and may be used to classify artificial and organisational conscious entities. We further explore a list of attributes that seem intuitively necessary for consciousness, but on further investigation, are neither required nor sufficient. The building blocks do not represent a theory of consciousness but rather a meta-theory on the emergence and classification of consciousness.

Chicory, a horticultural crop cultivated worldwide, presents many botanical varieties and local biotypes. Among these, Italian radicchio group cultivars of pure Cichorium intybus L. and interspecific hybrids with Cichorium endivia L., as the “Red of Chioggia” biotype which in turn includes several phenotypes. This study deals with a pipeline for the marker-assisted breeding of F1 hybrids: it presents the genotyping-by-sequencing results of four elite inbred lines using a RADseq approach and an original molecular assay based on CAPS markers for screening mutants with nuclear male-sterility in radicchio of Chioggia. Two thousand nine hundred fifty-three SNP-carrying RADtags were identified and used to compute the actual estimates of homozygosity, and overall genetic similarity and uniformity of the populations, as well as to determine their genetic distinctiveness and differentiation. Molecular data were further used to investigate the genomic distribution of the RADtags among the two Cichorium species, allowing their mapping in 1,131 and 1,071 coding sequences in chicory and endive, respectively. In parallel, an assay to screen the genotype at the male-sterility locus Cims-1 was developed to discriminate wild-type and mutant alleles of the causative gene myb80-like. Moreover, a RADtag mapped close to this genomic region proved the potential application of this method for future marker-assisted selection tools. Finally, combining the genotype information of the core collection, the best ten individuals from each inbred line were selected to compute the observed genetic similarity as a measure of uniformity as well as the expected homozygosity and heterozygosity estimates scorable by the putative progenies derived from selfing (pollen parent) and full-sibling (seed parent) or pair-wise crossing (F1 hybrids). This predictive approach was conducted as a pilot study for understanding the potential application of RADseq in improving molecular breeding strategies aimed at the development of inbred lines and F1 hybrids in leaf chicory.

Titanium dioxide (TiO2) thin films have been widely used in transparent optoelectronic devices owing to their excellent optical properties also is used in photocatalysis, cosmetics, and many other biomedical applications. However, a lack of studies was published on microstructure and adherence comparison of the TiO2 deposited on both AISI substrates. In this work, TiO2 thin films were deposited onto AISI 304 and AISI 316L stainless steel (SS) substrates via atomic layer deposition. Its heterostructure, morphology, and adhesion were compared in both substrates looking for synergistic and multifunctional properties. Raman spectroscopy mapping and X-ray diffraction using the Rietveld refinement method showed that the films are composed of anatase and rutile phases in different percentages. Scratching tests were used to analyze the film adher-ence and friction between a diamond tip and TiO2 film, showing well adhered in both substrates.

User experience and user requirements are two independent approaches. User requirements address the customer's requirements and expectations for the solution, whereas user experience encompasses all aspects of how the user interacts with and uses the software. The software product should be easy to use and has usable features. Moreover, the additional value for the software is if the product has an attractive design or working environment that is in line with user behaviors, it can occur if integrate software requirements and user experience. Integration escalates developer productivity by focusing on features that meet the user's needs and expectations. That integration improves efficiency in software development by identifying and addressing problems that may arise during the development process, saving developer time and effort in developing software. The usage context of integration of user experience and user requirements in UX Journey contributes increase developer productivity and self-efficacy in developing software by focusing development on features that match the user needs, as well as increasing efficiency in overcoming problems that arise during the development process. UX Journey makes developers feel more confident in their ability to develop quality software.

A new variant of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 virus has displaced all previous variants of the virus around the world. Preliminary assessment of the effectiveness of drugs for the prevention and treatment of COVID-19 requires the availability of infection models in animals. In this study, we characterize the infection model SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.5 and its progeny sublineage BE.1 in hACE2-transgenic mice and in Syrian hamsters. Both sublineages turned out to be pathogenic for animals – the challenged animals showed weight loss, a high level of viral load and acute inflammation in the lungs. Part of BA.5-infected mice died after virus challenge, indicating that this virus variant is more pathogenic than the previous BA.1 variant but less pathogenic than Wuhan variant.

Hydrogels can provide instant relief to pain and facilitate the fast recovery of wounds. Currently the incorporation of medicinal herbs/plants in polymer matrix is being investigated due to their anti-bacterial and wound healing properties. Herein, we investigated the novel combination of chitosan (CS), chondroitin sulfate (CHI) and garlic (Gar) to synthesize hydrogels through freeze gelation process for faster wound healing and resistance to microbial growth at the wound surface. The synthesized hydrogels were characterized via Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), which confirmed the presence of relevant functional groups. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images exhibited the porous structure of the hydrogels, which is useful for the sustained release of Gar from the hydrogels. The synthesized hydrogels showed significant inhibition zones against Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). Furthermore, cell culture studies confirmed the cyto-compatibility of the synthesized hydrogels. Thus, the novel hydrogels presented in this study can offer antibacterial effect during wound healing and promote tissue regeneration.

In order to improve the operation performance of the multi-stage double-suction centrifugal pump and reduce the internal energy loss of the pump, this paper proposes a single-objective optimization design method based on non-hierarchical response surface model (RSM) and the multi-island genetic algorithm (MIGA). Nine parameters, such as the blade outlet width and blade wrap angle, were used as design variables, and the optimization objective was the efficiency under design conditions. In total, 149 sets of valid data were obtained under the latin hypercube sampling method (LHS), the corresponding thresholds were set for efficiency and head, and 99 sets of valid data were obtained. A cross-validation analysis of the sieved data was carried out based on non-hierarchical RSM, global optimization of the efficiency was carried out using MIGA, and numerical verification was carried out via CFD. The research results show that compared with hierarchical RSM, non-hierarchical RSM can approximate the nonlinear relationship between the objective function and the design variables with higher accuracy, and the model fitting R2 value was 0.919. The efficiency was improved by 3.717% after optimization. The overall prewhirl of the impeller inlet after optimization decreased, the internal speed of the volute significantly improved, the large-area vortex at the volute and the outlet pipe was eliminated, the impact loss at the volute separating tongue disappeared, and the overall hydraulic performance of the pump was improved. The total entropy output value of the optimized pump was reduced by 4.79 (W/K), mainly concentrated in the reduction in the entropy output value of the double volute, and the overall energy dissipation of the pump was reduced.

The study examines n-balls, regular n-simplices, and n-orthoplices in real dimensions using novel recurrence relations that removed indefiniteness present in known formulas. They show that in the negative, integer dimensions volumes of n-balls are zero if n is even, positive if n = -4k - 1, and negative if n = -4k - 3, for natural k. Volumes and surfaces of n-cubes inscribed in n-balls in negative dimensions are complex, wherein for negative, integer dimensions they are associated with integral powers of the imaginary unit. The relations are continuous for n Î ℝ and show that the constant of π is absent for 0 ≤ n < 2. For n < -1 self-dual n-simplices are undefined in the negative, integer dimensions, and their volumes and surfaces are imaginary in the negative, fractional ones, and divergent with decreasing n. In negative, integer dimensions n-orthoplices reduce to the empty set, and their real volumes and imaginary surfaces are divergent in negative, fractional ones with decreasing n. Out of three regular, convex polytopes present in all natural dimensions, only n-orthoplices, n-cubes (and n-balls) are defined in the negative, integer dimensions.

Kaposi’s sarcoma-associated herpesvirus (KSHV) is the etiologic agent of Kaposi’s sarcoma, primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) and multicentric Castleman’s disease. During KSHV lytic infection, lytic-related genes, categorized as immediate-early, early, and late genes, are expressed in a temporal manner. The transcription of late genes requires the virus-specific pre-initiation complex (vPIC), which consists of viral transcription factors. However, the characterization of the protein-protein interactions of the vPIC factors has not been completely elucidated. KSHV ORF18 is one of the vPIC factors, and its interaction with other viral factors has not been sufficiently revealed. Here, we analyzed the interaction between ORF18 and another vPIC factor, ORF30, in living cells using the bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) assay. We identified four amino-acid residues (Leu29, Gln36, His41 and Trp170) on ORF18 that were responsible for its interaction with ORF30. The artificial intelligence (AI) system AlphaFold2 predicted that identified four residues are exposed to the surface of ORF18 and located in proximity to each other in the surface of ORF18. Thus, AI-predicted model supports the importance of four residues for binding of ORF18 to ORF30. Our results indicated that wet experiments in combination with AI may enhance the structural characterization of vPIC protein-protein interactions.

Magnesium transporters (MGTs) play a prominent role in the absorption, transport and storage of magnesium in plant cells. In the present study, MGT gene family members were identified and characterized in two species of cucurbitaceae, including C. sativus and C. lanatus. 20, 19, and 20 MGT genes were recognized in C. lanatus, C. sativus, and C. melo, respectively. According to physicochemical properties, the members of each sub-class of MGTs in the species of cucurbitaceae showed the close relationship. Proteins from NIPA were identified as hydrophilic proteins with high stability. Based on phylogenetic analysis, MGT family members were classified into three groups, and NIPAs showed more diversity. Besides, duplication events were not identified between the MGT members in C. lanatus, and C. sativus. According to pocket analysis, residues such as L, V, S, I, and A were frequently observed in the binding sites of MGT proteins in both species. The prediction of post-translation modifications revealed that MSR2 proteins have high phosphorylation potential than other sub-classes in both studied plants. The expression profile of MGTs showed that MGTs are more expressed in root tissues. In addition, MGTs showed differential expression in response to abiotic/biotic stresses as well as hormone application and NIPAs were more induced in response to stimuli in watermelon. The results of this study, as the primary work of MGT gene family, can be used in programs related to cucurbitaceae breeding.

This prospective cohort study aimed to evaluate the efficacy of COVID-19 vaccine schemes, ho-mologous versus heterologous vaccine strategies, and vaccine-induced anti-S-RBD-IgG antibody response in preventing COVID-19 among 942 healthcare workers one year after vaccination with the inactivated and/or mRNA vaccines. All participants received the first two primary doses of vaccines, 13.6% of them lacked the dose-3, 50.5% the dose-4, and 90.3% the dose-5. Antibody lev-els increased with the increase in number of vaccine doses and also in heterologous vaccine regi-mens. In both inactive and mRNA vaccines, infection rates were significantly higher in 2-dose-receivers, but lower in 4- or 5-dose receivers and increasing the total number of vaccine doses resulted in more protection against infection: the 3-dose regimen yielded 4.71 times more protection, the 4-dose 11.76 times and 5-dose 38.46 times more protection from COVID-19 infec-tion, compared to any 2-dose vaccination regimens. Antibody levels at the end of the first year of 4- or 5-dose-receivers were significantly higher than 2- or 3-dose-receivers. To conclude; increased number of total vaccine doses and anti-S-RBD antibody levels increased the protection from COVID-19 infection. Therefore, four or more doses are recommended in one year, for effective protection, especially in risk groups.

This review is devoted to present the history of CARDIOSIM© software simulator platform, which was developed in Italy to simulate the human cardiovascular and respiratory system. The first version of CARDIOSIM© was developed at the Institute of Biomedical Technologies of the National Research Council in Rome. The first platform version published in 1991 ran on PC with disk operating system (MS-DOS) and was developed using the Turbo Basic language. The last version runs on PC with Microsoft Windows 10 operating system; it is implemented in Visual Basic and C++ languages. The platform has a modular structure consisting of seven different general sections, which can be assembled to reproduce different pathophysiological conditions. The software simulator can reproduce the most important circulatory phenomena in terms of pressure and volume relationships. It represents the whole circulation using a lumped-parameter model and enables the simulation of different cardiovascular conditions according to Starling’s law of the heart and a modified time-varying elastance model. Different mechanical ventilatory and circulatory devices have been implemented in the platform including thoracic artificial lung, ECMO, IABP, pulsatile and continuous right and left ventricular assist devices, biventricular pacemaker and biventricular assist devices. CARDIOSIM© is used in clinical and educational environment.