Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is a prevalent condition characterized by manifestations that can influence self-image and potentially result in psychological distress; however, data from literature on sexual function (SF) in PCOS women are contradictory. We aimed to evaluate sexual dysfunction (SD) in PCOS women by carrying out a systematic review and meta-analysis, using the gold-standard assessment tool SD-diagnosis (Female Sexual Function Index:FSFI). Seven databases were analyzed until August-2023; study quality was assessed by risk of bias and Newcastle Ottawa Scale. Our analysis encompassed 25 case-control studies (9933 women). PCOS group presented significantly lower scores in arousal (MD= -0.36 CI95%-0.60;-0.11), lubrication (MD= -0.52 CI95%-0.75;-0.28), orgasm (MD= -0.39 CI95%-0.57;-0.20), satisfaction (MD= -0.32 CI95%-0.50;-0.14) and pain subdomains (MD= -0.46 CI95%-0.75;-0.16), as in overall FSFI score (MD= -2.27 CI95%-3.23;-1.31). Overweight/obese (OW/O) patients exhibited significantly higher overall FSFI than OW/O controls (MD=1.98 CI95%0.68;3.27), particularly in lubrication (MD= -0.34), orgasm (MD= -0.26) and satisfaction (MD= -0.25) subdomains. These findings offer insights regarding SD in PCOS women and emphasize the need to incorporate SF assessment into multidisciplinary care. By this way, PCOS can be also considered a gateway diagnosis to other long-term consequences. Further research should focus on controlling variables, as ethnicity, culture, religion and economic disparities.

Instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) training is critical in clinical practice of occupational therapy (OT) for stroke patients. In the conventional approaches, the therapists simulate various occupational tasks in their healthcare settings or reach their nearby real circumstances for the training. As an alternative technology, immersive virtual reality (IVR) has been used widely in stroke rehabilitation for years; however, limited research has compared occupational performances between virtual and real environments. Our team has established a novel IVR shopping training system for stroke rehabilitation. We recruited 10 stroke patients from our department to test the system. All patients attempted to implement shopping tasks in the virtual and real environments respectively. The Wilcoxon test showed no significant differences between virtual and real environments in memory capacity and time-consuming for implementing tasks, and memory capacities in virtual and real environments presented excellent correlations with the IADL assessment. This study suggests that IVR shopping tasks can be used as an alternative approach in rehabilitation when there is limited resource for implementing shopping training in a real environment, while the psychometric property, clinical effect and the effect transferred to the real environment induced by virtual training require further study.

The creation of mitochondria-targeted vector systems is a new tool for the treatment of socially significant diseases. Phosphonium groups provide targeted delivery of drugs through biological barriers to organelles. For this purpose, a new class of alkyl(diethylamino)(phenyl) phosphonium iodides (bromides) 1 containing one, two, or three diethylamino groups were obtained by the reaction of alkyl iodides (bromides) with (diethylamino)(phenyl)phosphines under mild conditions and high yields. The structure of compounds 1 was established by NMR and XRD. In vitro a high cytotoxicity against the lines M-Hela, HuTu 80, PC3, DU-145, PANC-1 and MCF-7 was found. Selectivity index are in the range of 0.06-4.0 M (SI 17-277) for the most active compounds. ROS production, mitochondrial localization and the process of cellular apoptosis were investigated. Decorated by 1 of lipid systems (liposomes and solid lipid nanoparticles) improve the cytotoxicity and a decrease in toxicity against normal cell lines. Compounds 1 induce apoptosis proceeding along the mitochondrial pathway. Aminophosphonium salts 1 also exhibit a high selective activity against the Gram-positive bacteria strains S. aureus 209P, B. segeus 8035, including methicillin-resistant strains of S. aureus (MRSA-1, MRSA-2), comparable to the activity of the fluoroquinolone antibiotic norfloxacin. A moderate in vivo toxicity in CD-1 mice was established for the lead compounds.

Fungal pathogens pose a major threat to food production worldwide. Traditionally, chemical fungicides have been the primary means of controlling these pathogens, but many of these fungicides have recently come under increased scrutiny due to their negative effects on the health of humans, animals, and the environment. However, the use of fungicides with less of an environmental impact tends to result in the development of resistance in populations of phytopathogenic fungi. Therefore, new environmentally friendly alternatives that provide adequate levels of disease control are needed to replace chemical fungicides—if not completely, at least partially. A number of alternatives to conventional chemical fungicides have been developed, including plant defence elicitors (PDEs), biological control agents (fungi, bacteria and mycoviruses), biofungicides, RNA interference (RNAi) methods, and resistance breeding. This article reviews the conventional and alternative methods available to manage fungal pathogens, discusses their strengths and weaknesses, and identifies potential areas for future research.

The 1,2,3-triazole derivative 2-(4-chlorophenyl)-5-(pyrrolidin-1-yl)-2H-1,2,3-triazole-4-carboxylic acid with potential anticancer activity was used as a ligand in complex formation with the lan-thanum(III) ion. The molecular structure and vibrational spectra of the complex were optimized at three DFT levels and the scaled IR and Raman spectra were compared to the experimental ones. Several scaling procedures were used. Through a detailed analysis, the structure predicted for the newly synthetized La(III) complex was confirmed by the good accordance of the calculat-ed-experimental IR and Raman spectra. The best DFT method appears to be M06-2X with the Lanl2mb basis set, followed closely by Lanl2dz. The effect of the lanthanide atom on the molecular structure and atomic charge distribution of the triazole ring was evaluated. Potential free radical scavenging activity of both, ligand and complex, was investigated in several radical-generating model systems. Potential mechanisms of antioxidant action (hydrogen atom transfer – HAT and single electron transfer - SET) were elucidated.

Spinal muscular atrophy is a neuromuscular disorder caused by mutationsin both copies of the survival motor neuron gene 1 (SMN1) which lead to reduction in the production of the SMN protein. Currently, there are several therapies that have been approved for SMA, with much more undergoing active research. While various biomarkers have been proposed for assessing the effectiveness of SMA treatment, a universally accepted one still hasnot been identified. This study aimed to investigate whether the number of gems in cell nuclei could serve as a potential biomarker for SMA. To gain insight into whether the number of gems in cell nuclei varies based on their SMN genotype and whether the increase in gems number is associated with therapeutic response, we utilized fibroblast cell cultures obtained from a patient with SMA type II and from healthy individual. We have discovered a remarkable difference in the number of gems found in the nuclei of these cells, specifically when counting gems per 100 nuclei. Then the SMA fibroblasts were treated with antisense oligonucleotides the beneficial effects in correcting the abnormal splicing of SMN2 exon 7 have been demonstrated. It was observed that there was a significant increase in the number of gems in the treated cells compared to the intact SMA cells. The results obtained significantly correlate with an increase of full-length SMN transcripts share. Based on our findings, it is evident that the quantity of gems can be regarded as a reliable biomarker for SMA drugs development.

The term neurodegeneration with brain iron accumulation (NBIA) brings together a broad set of progressive and disabling neurological genetic disorders in which iron is deposited preferentially in certain areas of the brain. Among NBIA disorders, the most frequent subtype is pantothenate kinase-associated neurodegeneration (PKAN) caused by pathologic variants in the PANK2 gene codifying the enzyme pantothenate kinase 2 (PANK2). Nowadays, there are no effective treatments to stop the progression of these diseases. This review discusses the utility of patient-derived cell models as a valuable tool for the identification of commercial pharmacological or natural compounds for implementing polytarget precision medicine in PKAN. In the last years, several studies have described that PKAN patient-derived fibroblasts manifest the main pathological changes associated with the disease including intracellular iron overload. Interestingly, treatment of mutant cell cultures with various supplements such as pantothenate, pantethine, thiamine, L-carnitine, vitamin E, omega 3, and -lipoic acid improved all pathophysiological alterations in PKAN fibroblasts with residual expression of the PANK2 enzyme. The information provided by pharmacological screenings in patient-derived cellular models can help to optimize therapeutic strategies in individual PKAN patients.

This study deals with two different aspects of the high-strength low-alloyed 1100 MC steel. The first is associated with the remarkable heterogeneity in the surface state produced during sheet rolling with respect to the sheet width. The variable-thickness surface layer exhibits a microstructure different from that of the deeper bulk. Variation of the thickness of the thermally softened near-surface region strongly affects Barkhausen noise, as well. This technique can be considered a reliable tool for monitoring the aforementioned heterogeneity. It can also be reported that the opposite sides of the sheet are different with respect to the surface state, heterogeneity distribution, and corresponding Barkhausen noise. These aspects indicate the different conditions during hot rolling followed by rapid quenching on the upper and lower rollers. The second aspect is related to the remarkable asymmetry of Barkhausen noise emission with respect to two consecutive bursts. This asymmetry is due to the presence of remnant magnetisation in the sheet produced during manufacturing. The remnant magnetisation is coupled to the magnetic field produced by the excitation coil of the Barkhausen noise sensor and strongly contributes to the aforementioned asymmetry. As soon as sufficient removal of this remnant magnetisation is carried out in the vanishing magnetic field (demagnetisation), the aforementioned remarkable asymmetry is fully lost.

The relationship between workplace well-being, seniority, workplace bullying, and employee performance was explored in the context of the Mangkutana district office. Data was collected through direct surveys and questionnaires distributed to respondents. The impact of these variables on employee performance was assessed using multiple linear regression analysis. The results unveiled significant insights. Firstly, a positive correlation was observed between favorable workplace well-being factors and employee performance. Feeling valued, supported, and satisfied in the work environment was linked to higher motivation and productivity. Interestingly, seniority exhibited an unexpected negative impact on employee performance. Longer-tenured employees might face complacency or adaptability challenges, leading to decreased performance. Furthermore, the research emphasized the detrimental impacts of workplace bullying on employee performance. Instances of bullying led to the emergence of stress, anxiety, and decreased job satisfaction, collectively leading to a decline in overall performance and well-being. In summation, this study accentuates the significance of fostering a positive work environment that places a premium on employee well-being and concurrently deals with matters related to seniority and workplace bullying. By recognizing and mitigating these factors, organizations can enhance employee performance, productivity, and job satisfaction, fostering a healthier and more successful work environment.

Microsoft has implemented several measures to defend against macro viruses, including the use of Anti-malware Scan Interface (AMSI) and automatic macro blocking. Nevertheless, evidence shows that threat actors have found ways to bypass these mechanisms. As a result, phishing emails continue to apply malicious macros as their essential attack vector. In this paper, we analyze 77 obfuscation features from the attacker’s point of view and extract 46 suspicious keywords in macro. We first combine the above two types of features to train machine learning models on a public dataset. Then, we carry out the same experiment on self-constructed dataset, a collection of newly discovered samples, to see if our proposed method could discover the unseen malicious macros. Experimental results demonstrate that, comparing with the existing researches, our proposed method has a higher detection rate and better consistency. Furthermore, ensemble multi-classifiers with distinct feature selection further improve the detection performance.

As the world faces unprecedented environmental challenges and the rapid advancements of artificial intelligence (AI), it is crucial for universities to adapt their chemistry education to remain relevant and contribute to sustainability and the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This report offers critical insights into the development of university chemistry education over the next 10-20 years, forecasts its development over the next 10-20 years, and offers recommendations for the Ministry of Education and universities to ensure the continued relevance of chemistry programs in the face of AI.

In order to reduce the vibration of the transporter and improve the stability of the transporter, the vibration characteristics and key structure optimization research of the mountain orchard transporter are carried out. In this paper, the vibration of electric monorail transporters under different working conditions is tested, and the causes of vibration generated by monorail transporter during operation are explored. The three-dimensional model of the trailer and transmission box is established using Solidworks, and the modal vibration modes of the structure are analyzed theoretically. The modal test system is used for modal test analysis of trailers and transmission boxes. By comparing the results of finite element and experimental modal analysis, the second-order frequency of the trailer is close to the motor's rotating excitation frequency of 50 Hz at rated speed, which is easy to generate resonance. By optimizing the structure of the trailer, the second and third natural frequencies are increased to 54.79 Hz and 58.35 Hz respectively, which avoid the resonance of the trailer during operation and effectively reduce the vibration generated during the transportation of the trailer. Through vibration testing of the optimized electric monorail transporter, the results of vibration testing before and after structural optimization are compared and analyzed, and it is found that the vibration amplitudes of the transporter in X, Y and Z directions are reduced by 0.308m/s², 0.351m/s² and 0.334m/s² respectively, the running stability of the conveyer is improved.

The present work sets out the evaluation of composite laminates through optimization objective functions. Genetic Algorithms (GA), as well as Simulated Annealing (SA), were performed in order to determine the optimal ply orientations of a fiber-reinforced polymer laminate for three given load cases: 1) in-plane loads, 2) combined moments, and 3) in-plane loads and combined moments. It searches the optimal orientation layup, which fulfills at the same time both the maximum strain criterion and the Tsai-Wu failure criterion. Construction of an objective function based on the strains and the stresses involves a minimization process to deformations and a maximization of the safety factor. For the first load case, the initial solution is [±45/0/90/±45]s, and the best solution is [(45/135)2/452]s. For the second load case, [-45/45/45/-45/0/90]s is the initial layup sequence, then the best solution obtained is [(45/-45)2/452]s, where plies at 0° and 90º are not necessary even when axial loads are applied. For the third study case, the original layup sequence is [0/45/-45/45/0/90]s; meanwhile, the best solution calculated is [21/24/145/140/45/49]s. An interesting observation is that each pair of layers has a 5º gap. The simulations show that the qualitative results from the GA are better than the SA, but with a significantly higher computational cost. These kinds of computational tools are expected to be used as a reference guide for an optimal fiber configuration with respect to the common orientations used when composite laminates are designed for a structural application.

The enhancement of physical and sports literacy in school setting are prerogatives and development aim for the physical education (PE) teachers. Therefore, as part of the teaching of motor activities, the proposal of motor tasks through different organizational modes (individual tasks, in pairs, in small groups, circuits, relay, paths, team games, etc.) is functional to the achievement of the educational objectives set in the didactic learning units. The present study aims to assess PE teachers’ perception about the use of teaching styles during curricular lessons. The sample involved a total of 83 PE teachers (M= 41, F= 42, main age= 43,74±10,76) divided according to years of service (0-4 = 36%, 5-10 = 34%, and over 10 = 30%) and academic training (ISEF= 44% and master’s degree= 56%). Teachers complete a digitalized version of a self-produced questionnaire to assess how many times they use each teaching styles during the last month. Results can be summarized as follows: (a) academic training is significantly associated with the command, inclusion, and guided-discovery styles in PE; (b) command and practice Styles are often used by PE teachers, regardless of years of service and academic training, and (c) guided discovery and convergent/divergent Discovery Styles are most frequently used by graduate teachers, regardless of years of service. The preliminary results of the analysis of PE teachers’ perception of teaching styles reveals the prevalence of the use of some styles over others, and this presuppose not only a different (but similar) teacher’s behavior, but also limits children’s way of learning a certain motor task. Future research and analysis will investigate the perception of different teaching styles according to seniority, school grade and academic training to design training courses for teachers adapted to children’s needs.

To maintain a healthy lifestyle, adults rely on their ability to walk while simultaneously managing multiple tasks that challenge their coordination. This study investigates the impact of cognitive dual-task on lower limb muscle activities in 21 healthy young adults during both gait initiation and steady-state gait. We utilized wireless electromyography sensors to measure muscle activities, along with a 3D motion capture system and force plates to detect the phases of gait initiation and steady-state gait. Participants were asked to walk at their self-selected pace, and we compared single-task and dual-task conditions. We analyzed mean muscle activation and co-contraction in the biceps femoris, vastus lateralis, gastrocnemius, and tibialis anterior muscles. The findings revealed that during gait initiation with the dual-task condition, there was a decrease in mean muscle activation and an increase in mean muscle c-contraction between the swing and stance limb compared to the single-task condition. In steady-state gait, there was also a decrease in mean muscle activation in the dual-task condition compared to the single-task condition. When participants performed dual-task activities during gait initiation, early indicators of reduced balance capability were observed. Additionally, during dual-task steady-state gait, knee stabilizer muscles exhibited signs of altered activation, contributing to balance instability.

This hypothesis demonstrates that the efficiency of Loop-Mediated Isothermal Amplification (LAMP) for nucleic acid detection can be positively influenced by preconcentration of microbial cells onto hydrophobic paper surfaces. The mechanism of this model is based on the high attraction of microbes towards hydrophobic surfaces. Extensive studies have demonstrated that hydrophobic surfaces exhibit enhanced bacterial and fungal adhesion. The preconcentration approach by exploiting this inherent affinity of hydrophobic paper substrates enables the adherence of a greater number of target cells, resulting in a higher concentration of target templates for amplification directly from urine samples. In contrast to conventional methods, which often involve complex procedures, this approach offers a simpler, cost-effective, and user-friendly alternative. Moreover, the integration of cell adhesion, LAMP amplification, and signal readout within paper origami-based devices can provide a portable, robust, and highly efficient platform for rapid nucleic acid detection. This innovative hypothesis holds significant potential for point-of-care (POC) diagnostics and field surveillance applications. Further research and development in this field will advance the implementation of this technology, contributing to improved healthcare systems and public health outcomes.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the leading cause of death across the globe, hence, establishing strategies to counteract CVD are imperative to reduce mortality and the burden on health systems. Dietary modification is an effective primary prevention strategy against CVD. Research regarding dietary supplementation has become increasingly popular. This review focuses on the current in vivo, in vitro, and epidemiological studies associated with that of omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 PUFA) and polar lipids (PLs) and how they play a role against CVD. Furthermore, this review focuses on the results of several major clinical trials examining n-3 PUFA regarding both primary and secondary prevention of CVD. Notably, we place a lens on the REDUCE-IT and STRENGTH trials. Finally, supplementation of PLs has recently been suggested as a potential alternative avenue for the reduction of CVD incidence versus neutral forms of n-3 PUFA. However, the clinical evidence for this argument is currently rather limited. Therefore, we draw on the current literature to suggest future clinical trials for PL supplementation. We conclude that despite conflicting evidence, future human trials must be completed to confirm whether PL supplementation may be more effective than n-3 PUFA supplementation to reduce cardiovascular risk.

Artificial intelligence (AI)-based models hold the potential to transform higher education if adopted properly and ethically. A prime example is ChatGPT with earlier studies indicating its widespread adoption in academia and by university students. The current study aimed to identify the factors influencing the attitude towards ChatGPT and its usage among university students in Arab countries. A previous survey instrument termed Technology Acceptance Model Edited to Assess ChatGPT Adoption (TAME-ChatGPT) was administered online using a convenience-based approach among the contacts of the authors. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for the survey constructs was done using root mean square error of approximation (RMSEA), standardized root mean square residual (SRMR), comparative fit index (CFI), and Tucker-Lewis index (TLI). The final study sample comprised a total of 2240 participant divided as follows: Iraq (n=736, 32.9%), Kuwait (n=582, 26.0%), Egypt (n=417, 18.6%), Lebanon (n=263, 11.7%), and Jordan (n=242, 10.8%). A total of 1048 respondents heard of ChatGPT before the study (46.8%), of which 551 used ChatGPT (52.6%). The mean scores of TAME-ChatGPT constructs showed that the ease of ChatGPT use, positive attitude towards technology and social influence, higher perceived usefulness, the influence of behavioral/cognitive factors, low perceived risks and low anxiety were the determinants of positive attitude to ChatGPT and its use. For both the attitude and usage scales of TAME-ChatGPT, CFA collectively yielded satisfactory fit indices as indicated by low RMSEA and SRMR together with high CFI and TLI. Multivariate analysis showed that attitude to ChatGPT use was significantly influenced by country of residence, age, university type, and the latest grade point average of the students. The current study confirmed the validity of TAME-ChatGPT as a survey instrument to assess the possible determinants of ChatGPT use among university students in Arab countries. The study findings highlighted that successful adoption of ChatGPT in higher education could be dependent on perceived ease of use, usefulness, positive attitudes to technology, social influence, behavioral/cognitive factors, lower anxiety, and minimal perceived risks. The utility of ChatGPT in higher education requires policies that should be tailored for various settings, considering the differences observed in attitude towards ChatGPT among participating students in this study.

RBF networks are used in a variety of real-world applications such as medical data or signal processing problems. The success of these parametric models lies in the successful adaptation of their parameters using efficient computational techniques. In the current work, a method of adjusting the parameters of these networks using Grammatical Evolution is presented. Grammatical Evolution will be used to successfully discover the most promising range of parameter values and then the training of the parameter set will be achieved using a Genetic Algorithm. The new method was applied to a wide range of data fitting and classification problems, and the results were more than promising.

Background: Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma is the most common type of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Due to the variety of clinical manifestations, accurate diagnosis can be challenging. Here, we present a case of DLBCL that was initially misdiagnosed as a hematoma, highlighting the importance of considering malignancy in the setting of non-responsive soft tissue swelling. Methods: A 76-year-old man presented to the emergency department with right periorbital swelling and ecchymosis. The symptoms first appeared after an injury and did not resolve spontaneously. The patient was taking warfarin for atrial fibrillation. A facial bone CT revealed a large irregular homogeneous mass. An extraconal hematoma was suspected based on clinical history and radiologic findings. Incision and drainage were performed, resulting in evacuation of old blood. Despite continued drainage, the patient's symptoms worsened. A comparison with the previous CT revealed an increase in the size of the lesion. As a result, a surgical excisional biopsy was performed. Results: Biopsy of the mass showed a diffuse infiltrate of lymphocytes around the tissue. The diagnosis of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma was confirmed pathologically. The patient was referred to hematology for further management. Conclusions: DLBCL is a rare disease associated with a poor prognosis. Due to the previous injury and the use of anticoagulants, the patient was initially misdiagnosed as having a hematoma. This delayed the prompt diagnosis and affected the timing of treatment initiation. We must be aware that a malignant mass is a potential cause of unresponsive soft tissue swelling.

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a hematological neoplasm characterized by monocytosis, splenomegaly, thrombocytopenia and anemia. Moreover, it is associ-ated with SRSF2 mutations and rarely with CSF3R variants. The presented case is an 84-year-old patient with persistent anemia and monocytosis. Due to the presence of dysmorphic granulocytes, monocyte atypia and myeloid precursors in peripheral blood, the patient was submitted to bone marrow examination. The diagnosis was consistent with CMML type 2. Hemocoagulative test showed an increase of fibrinolysis markers. Next generation targeted sequencing showed TET2 and SRSF2 mutations, along with an unexpected CSF3R germline missense variant, rarely encountered in CMML. The pa-tient started Azacitidine treatment reaching normal hemostatic process values. In con-clusion, we identified a heterozygous germline mutation that, cooperating with TET2 and SRSF2 variants, have been responsible for the hemorrhagic manifestation.

The present study was conducted to explore the floristic composition, life form, and leaf size spectrum of vegetation, seasonality, and habitat condition of the Sultan Khail valley, Hindu Kush range, Pakistan. Regular trips were arranged during 2017–2019 to collect plant specimens and prepare a checklist of the flora of the area. The life form and leaf size spectrum of vegetation were determined. The plant species were also classified based on their habitat. The area is home to 332 species belonging to 234 genera and 96 families. Asteraceae (32 species) was the dominant family in the area, followed by Rosaceae (28 species) and Lamiaceae (21 species). Therophytes were found to be dominant in the area, followed by phanerophytes, while microphylls were the dominant leaf size class, followed by nanophylls. Seasonal variation in life forms showed that the spring, autumn, and winter seasons' flora was dominated by phanerophytes, while therophytes were dominant in the summer season. Seasonal variation in leaf size spectra showed that microphylls were dominant in the spring and summer, while in the autumn and winter seasons, nanophylls were dominant. The highest numbers of species were found in dry places, followed by forests. The flora of the study area is diverse. The habitat condition of the area is dry. The area's phytoclimate is thero-phanerophytic. The flora of the area is subjected to severe anthropogenic stress and needs proper conservation.

This paper presents the concept of a novel adaptable sensing solution currently being developed under the EU Commission founded PHOTONGATE project. This concept will allow to quantify multiple analytes of the same or different nature (chemicals, metals, bacteria, etc.) in a single test with levels of sensitivity and selectivity at/or over those offered by current solutions. PHOTONGATE relies on two core technologies: a bio-chemical technology (molecular gates) which will confer the specificity and, therefore, the capability to be adaptable to the analyte of interest, and which combined with porous substrates will increase the sensitivity, and a photonic technology based on Local Surface Plasmonic Resonance (LSPR) structures serves as transducer for light interaction. Both technologies are in the micron range, facilitating the integration of multiple sensors within a small area (mm²). The concept will be developed for its application in health diagnosis and food safety sectors. It is thought as an easy-to-use modular concept, which will consist of the sensing module, mainly of a microfluidics cartridge that will house the photonic sensor, and a platform for fluidic handling, optical interrogation, and signal processing. The platform will include a new optical concept, fully Europe Union Made, avoiding optical fibers and expensive optical components.

Various 4-aminotetrahydropyridinylidene salts were treated with aldehydes in alkaline medium. Their conversion to 5-substituted -hydroxyketones in a one-step reaction succeeded only with an aliphatic aldehyde. Instead, aromatic aldehydes gave 5-substituted -aminoketones or a single -diketone. The new compounds were characterized by spectroscopic methods and a single crystal structure analysis. Some of them showed anticancer and antibacterial properties.

Textile industry is one of the major industries responsible for environmental pollution globally. This is mainly due to the use of synthetic dyes, toxic ingredients and solvents for dy-ing/treatments/protocols of textiles. Replacement of those non ecofriendly ingredients would be a very challenging target to develop novel sustainable textile dying strategies. Using biobased and bioactive pigments, antibacterial ingredients and especially natural solvents are recently pointed out as substances to included in the related formulations. In this study the dyeing ability of the crude gel prodigiosin produced by non-pathogenic bacteria Serratia plymuthica as a natural pigment was investigated on various multifiber fabrics at different condition (temperature and pH) and by using salts (NaOH and Na2S2O4) and alternative mordants (a conventional: FeSO4 and a new bio-mordant: L-Cysteine (L-Cys)) in the recipes with different compositions and especially replacing of organic solvent with a new type of gel-based Choline chloride (ChCl) : Lactic acid (LA) (1 : 2) deep eutectic solvents (DES) as a dyeing medium. For determination of the dying process performances, the color strength (K/S value) of dyed fabric and the dyeing equalization (dE) parameters were evaluated. The fastness properties of the dyed fabrics which displayed as a higher K/S value and good dE were evaluated. The nylon fabrics dyed with 3.0% owf L-Cys at pH = 8.3 improved the color fastness to washing, while the gel-based ChCl : LA (1 : 2) DES dyebath provided a better color fastness to light. Moreover, the nylon fabrics under these conditions exhibited remarkable anti-microbial activity against Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa). As conclusion, the use of the crude gel prodigiosin pigment revealed an advantageous ability to dye the textile materials, responding to consumers' demand for more ecological and sustainable products. Furthermore, the natural reducing agent L-Cys, never tested before as a bio-mordant, and the use of gel-based DES as a dyeing medium demonstrated enhanced colorimetric and antibacterial properties on dyed nylon with crude gel prodigiosin pigment.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI), in particular large language models such as ChatGPT have reached public consciousness with a wide-ranging discussion of their capabilities and suitability for various professions. Following the printing press and internet, generative AI language models are the third transformative technological invention with truly cross-sectoral impact on knowledge transmission. While the printing press allowed for the transmission of knowledge that is independent of the physical presence of the knowledge holder with publishers acting as gatekeepers, the internet added levels of democratization allowing anyone to publish, along with global immediacy. The development of social media resulted in an increased fragmentation and tribalization of on-line communities on their ways of knowing, resulting in alternative truths propagated in echo chambers. It is against this background that generative AI language models have entered public consciousness. Using strategic foresight methodology, this paper will examine the polemic proposition that the age of generative AI will emerge as an age of public ignorance.

Alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a chronic and relapsing biopsychosocial condition that leads to a wide range of medical, psychological, social, economic, and personal issues. The study investigated the predictors of quality of life (QoL) among male patients seeking treatment for AUD based on attention, cognitive instability, motor impulsiveness, perseverance, and self-control dimensions of trait impulsivity. The study also investigated the potential mediating effect of anxiety and alcohol use severity in this relationship. After an initial assessment, participants underwent comprehensive evaluations, including sociodemographic data, clinical history, and QoL domains. Evaluations also covered AUD severity, impulsivity dimensions, cognitive functions, craving intensity, depression, anxiety and self-efficacy. Multiple linear regressions were employed to identify associations between independent variables and QoL. Attention dimension of impulsivity and anxiety symptoms significantly predicted physical health QoL. Self-control dimension and severity of alcohol use disorder predicted psychological QoL. Indirect effect of attention dimension on physical health was significant [effect =-1.082,95% CI (-2.008, -0.3598)].The significance of impulsivity in influencing QoL for individuals with AUD has profound clinical implications. These findings underscore the importance of addressing anxiety and impulsivity in managing AUD, given their considerable impact, particularly on QoL, ultimately shaping treatment outcomes.

In 1937,German mathematician L.Collatz proposed the following conjeture:for any positive integer,if it is even,divide it by 2,if it is odd,multiply it by 3 and add 1 to get an even number.Continuing with the above rule, the final result will be 1.This paper gives a proof of this conjecture.

We evaluated epidemiological evolution and economic impact of COVID-19 pandemic in the European Union (EU) and worldwide, and the effects of control strategies on them. We collected incidence, mortality, and gross domestic product (GDP) data between the first quarter of 2020 and of 2023. Then, we reviewed the effectiveness of the mitigation and zero-COVID control strategies. The statistical analysis was done calculating the incidence rate ratio (IRR) of two rates and its 95% confidence interval (CI). In the EU, COVID-19 presented six epidemic waves. The sixth one at the beginning of 2022 was the biggest. Globally, the biggest wave occurred at the beginning of 2023. Highest mortality rates were observed in the EU during 2020-2021 and globally at the beginning of 2021. In mitigation countries, mortality was much higher than in zero-COVID countries (IRR= 6.82; CI:6.14-7.60; p<0.001). A GDP reduction was observed worldwide, except in Asia. None of the eight zero-COVID countries presented a GDP growth percentage lower than the EU percentage in 2020, and 3/8 in 2022 (p=0.054). COVID-19 pandemic caused epidemic waves with high mortality rates and a negative impact on GDP. The zero-COVID strategy was more effective in avoiding mortality and potentially had less impact on GDP.

Background and Objectives: Similar to diabetes, the presence of left ventricular (LV) diastolic function (DD) has been reported in various studies which were conducted with people with a diagnosis of impaired fasting blood glucose (FBG). The study aimed to examine the effects of fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels on left atrial strain (LAS) estimated by two-dimensional echocardiography speckle tracking analyses in patients without known diabetes. Material and Methods: The study included 148 participants (74 female and 74 male) without a history of diabetes mellitus or chronic disease. The patients were divided into two groups as follows: individuals with FBG <100 mg/dl and those with FBG between 100-125 mg/dl after at least 8 hours of overnight fasting and according to these FBG levels STE measures were compared. Results: There was a significant decrease in the LA reservoir (52.3±15 vs. 44.5±10.7; p=0.001) and conduit strain (36.9±11.7 vs. 28.4±9.7; p=0.001) in the impaired FBG group. When the STE findings of both ventricles were compared, no significant difference was observed between the groups in right and LV strain imaging. Conclusion: In the earliest stage of LVDD, changes in atrial functional parameters become particularly evident. Echocardiographic analyses of these parameters can help to diagnose and determine the degree of LVDD while the morphological parameters are still normal. The addition of LAS imaging to the routine TTE study in patients with impaired FBG but without a DM diagnosis may be helpful in demonstrating subclinical LVDD or identifying patients at risk for LVDD in this patient group.

In the current study, a two-dimensional numerical study is carried out to investigate the performance of a novel Double-chamber Parallel Flexible Valves micropump, which utilized the electrowetting-on-dielectrics (EWOD) effect to drive the microfluid flow. By observing the flow fields, the internal circulations are seen on both the left and right side of the pump. The generation of the backflow is discussed by tracking the movement of the vortices. Only slight flow fluctuation is seen in the micropump. Based on the simulation outcomes, the structural parameters including the width of the inlet/outlet, the width of the pumping channel and the diverging angle in the micropump are analyzed, the influence of these parameters on the pumping volume and the maximum pressure have been discussed. Eventually, a group of optimal parameter combinations is given according to the results to extend the operating potential of the micropump.

We present results of the detected voltage distribution of a quantum random number generator based on the photonic integration of semiconductor laser, delay interferometer and photodetector. We find that the integrated system behaves as expected for random number generation from gain-switched laser sources. The biggest advantage is that only electrical connections are needed to operate the system without the need for tricky and expensive optical alignment to external circuitry. We supply results showing that random bit stream created from the random numbers passes the NISTS statistical test suite tests; thus demonstrating the feasibility to generate random number via quantum means at gigabit/s rates from a single photonic integrated circuit. The results are backed by numerical simulations.

Hu7691 represents a novel Pan-Akt kinase inhibitor, demonstrating excellent selectivity towards non-AGC kinase families and pronounced inhibitory effects on the proliferation of multiple tumor cell lines. However, there is currently a notable absence of in vivo toxicological research evidence concerning Hu7691. This study represents the first investigation into the 14-day repeated dose toxicity of Hu7691 in male and female Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Male rats were administered daily doses of 12.5, 50, 100, and 150 mg/kg, while female rats received doses of 12.5, 25, 50, and 75 mg/kg for 14 consecutive days. Hematological assessments, organ weights, and histopathological examinations revealed corresponding alterations, suggesting potential target organs for toxicity including the spleen, thymus, and gastrointestinal tract. It is worth noting that the test substance may also impact the liver, kidneys, heart, and ovaries. The No Observed Effect Level (NOAEL) was determined to be no greater than 12.5 mg/kg. Based on the observed gender-related toxicity differences in preliminary trials, it is recommended that the high dose reference dose for male animals in formal experiments should not be less than 100 mg/kg, while for female animals, it should be less than 50 mg/kg.

A biofilm is any syntrophic consortium of microorganisms in which cells adhere to one another and, in some cases, to a surface. These adherent cells become encased in a slimy extracellular matrix made up of extracellular polymeric substances (EPSs). Until now, the use of commercial disinfectants remains the main strategy to control biofilm-mediated problems. This mini review summarizes common antibiofilm mode of actions taken by disinfectants and how water channels in microbial biofilms contribute to disinfectant resistance.

Despite the expansion of financial institutions and proliferation of mobile financial services, reaching the unbanked and bringing them under formal financial services has become a policy concern in many developing countries. Due to the lack of financial accounts, unbanked people prefer informal, risky, and inconvenient mechanisms for receiving, sending and transferring money. Previous studies rely much on common intervention like no account maintenance and opening fees, easy documentation processes and money subsidies for opening financial accounts. This study aims to examine the impact of the motivational workshop on opening savings accounts through causality among the unbanked people in a setting where the respondents are unbanked despite having all the requirements and many institutional offers for opening savings accounts. We encouraged the unbanked people through a one-hour-long motivational workshop to open saving account. Based on our cross-sectional data and randomized controlled trial experiment among 505 unbanked Village Defense Party (VDP) members at Dhubil Union under Sirajganj in Bangladesh, we have the evidence that motivational workshop positively impacts opening ac-counts by 32.33 percent. However, the account opening rate differs in terms of respondent’s pref-erence for financial institutions. Our study also finds that unbanked people have the highest pref-erence for mobile financial services for opening accounts resulting in 15.33 percent. The result of the study has some policy implications for adopting effective strategies of financial access in many developing countries.

Mining activities often generate important amounts of extractive waste, and as a consequence, environmental impacts that affects all factors to a greater or lesser extent. Depending on a variety of variables, the impact can be permanent or temporary, reversible or irreversible, negative or positive. This study conducted research on the status of closure and remediation processes of mining areas in Romania, specifically in the counties of Maramureș, Suceava, Harghita, Alba, Hunedoara, and Caraș-Severin. Furthermore, based on the type and level of pollution, the degree of application of remediation techniques for water and soil pollution in the investigated mining areas was studied. From the analysed information, it is evident that although the closure and remediation process started in Romania over 20 years ago, unfortunately, to this day, the technical projects, technical assistance, and execution of closure and remediation works have not yet completely solved the complex environmental issues in the mining sector. Most of the tailing ponds and waste piles of former mines continue to pose permanent specific risk to the environment and the population. This study concludes that the mining sector in Romania, although it has the necessary techniques and technologies for the ecological rehabilitation of degraded lands related to the Extractive Waste Facilities and the elimination of negative impacts on the environment and public health, has not yet been able to fully concretize its remediation efforts.

Maxillofacial fractures are a prevalent occurrence, and the widespread use of miniplates to stabilize and secure these fractures during surgery is common. However, the post-surgical fate of these miniplates remains a subject of contention among surgeons. Some advocate for their removal, while others suggest leaving them in place. This study aims to perform an extensive meta-analysis of pertinent studies to ascertain the destiny of miniplates employed in maxillofacial surgery and discuss the consequences of either their extraction or retention. To execute this meta-analysis, an exhaustive search was conducted across multiple databases, encompassing PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar. Keywords such as "titanium miniplates," "screws," "maxillofacial surgery," "complications," and "removal" were utilized to identify pertinent studies. The search was constrained to studies published between 1989 and 2022. The analysis encompassed only studies reporting outcomes related to miniplates in maxillofacial surgery, including complication rates and removal frequencies. Eleven studies conformed to the inclusion criteria and were incorporated into the meta-analysis, encompassing a total of 2240 patients. All the studies had a retrospective design, with the largest study involving 800 patients. The overall complication rate was determined to be 13.3%. The most prevalent reasons for miniplate removal included patient preference, tooth extraction, and infections. The average time span for miniplate removal was 10.7 months, with the most prolonged reported duration being 24 years. These findings imply that immediate removal might not be imperative in the majority of instances. In conclusion, our meta-analysis underscores the necessity of removing miniplates in cases where hardware leads to a variety of complications and physical discomfort. Principal factors driving plate removal included patient requests, tooth extractions, and infections. Ordinarily, plate removal took place within the span of 6 to 12 months, with the mandible being the most frequent site for removal. These findings accentuate the significance of extended monitoring to assess the trajectory of miniplates in maxillofacial surgery and provide valuable insights for future clinical decisions. To validate these conclusions and gain deeper insights into the factors influencing plate removal in maxillofacial surgery, further research with larger participant cohorts and standardized outcome reporting is imperative.

Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death in the globally. Morbidity and disability related to non-fatal events are increasing exponentially. There are several symptoms that may arise after invasive therapeutic approaches such as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG), including chronic pain in anatomical areas connected to the mediastinum; these pains can be found not only initially after surgery, but also years later. We present a case where non-specific neck pain (NNP), in a patient undergoing CABG five years earlier, was approached with an osteopathic technique, working the pericardial area. To the knowledge of the Authors, it is the first case report where osteopathy is associated with a gentle treatment on the pericardial area to resolve a NNP.

Canine mammary tumors represent one of the leading malignant pathology in female dogs, displaying the importance of efficient therapeutic findings, beside the golden standard surgery, able to limit the development of the disease. Studies in human cancers demonstrated that Doxorubicin presents a good effect in different biological processes like apoptosis, autophagy, cell cycle, cell invasion and epithelial to mesenchymal transition. Our study following the effects of Doxorubicin on two canine mammary cancer cell lines P114 and CMT-U27, showing an inhibitory effect in cell proliferation and an expression alteration of the EMT related genes.

This paper considers the possibility that abstract thinking and advanced synthesis skills might be selection criteria for extraterrestrial civilizations to accept communication with mankind on Earth. For this purpose, a notation not relying upon the use of alphabet and numbers is proposed, in order to denote just some basic structures of current physical theories: vector fields, 1-form fields, and tensor fields of arbitrary order. An advanced civilization might appreciate the way here proposed to achieve a concise description of electromagnetism and general relativity, and hence it might accept the challenge of responding to our signals. The abstract symbols introduced in this paper to describe the basic structures of physical theories are encoded into black and white bitmap images that can be easily converted into short bit sequences and modulated on a carrier wave for radio transmission.

Legumes play a significant role in the alleviation of food insecurity, maintaining soil fertility and achieving sustainable crop production under adverse environmental conditions. The increased demand in legume production contemplates that attention on the genetic improvement of these crops through various means such as genetic engineering and mutation breeding should take a centre stage in global agriculture. Therefore, this paper provides succinct analysis of currently available literature on morphological and physiological traits in polyploidised leguminous plants to counter the adverse effects of drought stress. The effects of colchicine on various morphological and physiological traits of polyploidised legumes compared to their diploid counterparts were examined. Numerous reports revealed variations in these traits such as improved root and shoot growth, plant biomass, chloroplastidic content, protein, RNA and DNA. The differences observed were also associated with the strong relationship between plant ploidy-induction and colchicine application. Furthermore, the analysis indicated that polyploidisation remains dose-dependent, and may be achievable at a shorter space of time as this antimitotic chemical interferes with chromosome separations in somatic plant cells. The efficiency of this process also depends on the advancement of treatment conditions (in vitro, in vivo or ex vitro) and successful regeneration of polyploidised plants for adaptation under drought stress conditions. As such, the improvement in metabolite profile and other essential growth characteristics serves as a clear indication that induced polyploidy needs to be further explored to confer resilience to environmental stress, and improve crop yield under drought stress conditions in leguminous plants.

Abstract: The widespread and popular use of TADs for orthodontic anchoring has become a daily routine in clinical orthodontic treatment. However, as there have been many accidents over the past decade, safety action is needed to help reduce these accidents. We have advocated using the surgical guide and developed a procedure that can benefit patients and orthodontists. The first part of this paper is about the rationale for making the surgical guide for various implant placements that were observed. Due to their anatomical structure, some placements may require particular attention, which is focused on and discussed in length. The second part deals with fabricating the surgical guide in the laboratory procedure. The data from the intraoral SLT acquisition was extracted, and with the DICOM data from CBCT and in a 3-Shapes software, the guidance was designed. The detailed and step-by-step laboratory procedure, CAD/CAM, and 3D printers to make the surgical guide for TADs are explained. The procedure is performed in an easy-to-understand manner to make using the surgical guide possible for the daily practice of orthodontics (Pubmed).

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a common inherited cardiac disorder characterized by marked clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Ethnic groups underrepresented in studies may have distinctive characteristics. We sought to evaluate the clinical and genetic landscape of Russian HCM patients. A total of 193 patients (52% male; 95% Eastern Slavic origin; median age 56 years) were clinically evaluated, including genetic testing, and prospectively followed to document outcomes. As a result, 48% had obstructive HCM, 25% had HCM in family, 21% were asymptomatic, and 68% had comorbidities. During 2.8 years of follow-up, the all-cause mortality rate was 2.86%/year. A total of 5.7% received an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), 21% septal reduction therapy. Sequencing analysis of 176 probands identified 64 causative variants in 66 patients (38%); recurrent variants were MYBPC3 p.Q1233* (8), MYBPC3 p.R346H (2), MYH7 p.A729P (2), TPM1 p.Q210R (3) and FLNC p.H1834Y (2); 10 were multiple variant carriers (5.7%); 5 had non-sarcomeric HCM, ALPK3, TRIM63 and FLNC; thin filament variant carriers had a worse prognosis for heart failure (HR = 7.9, p=0.007). In conclusion, in the Russian HCM population, the low use of ICD and relatively high mortality should be noted by clinicians; some distinct recurrent variants are suspected to have a founder effect; family studies on some rare variants enriched the worldwide knowledge in HCM.

The software design of autonomous vehicles (AVs) incorporates artificial intelligence (AI) characteristics to enhance their safety and overall driving performance. Central to vehicle’s operation is the ability to reason effectively in complex and uncertain environments. However, traditional logical systems, such as monotonic logic, often struggle to handle the inherent uncertainties and exceptions encountered in real-world scenarios. This paper proposes the utilization of non-monotonic logic in order to enhance the reasoning capabilities of autonomous vehicles. By incorporating non-monotonic reasoning, vehicles can navigate intricate traffic scenarios, make plausible inferences, and adapt their decisions when faced with conflicting information. This research aims to provide a comprehensive review of non-monotonic logic's application in autonomous vehicles, highlighting its advantages over traditional logical systems and its potential impact on safety and performance. Additionally, through this research, we seek to contribute to the advancement of autonomous driving technology by enhancing the reasoning capabilities of vehicles in various scenarios, such as car- following related to critical safety events. The personalized cognitive agent is proposed in driving behavior to consider particularly in their assumptions of homogeneous drivers. The personalized cognitive agent is incorporating heterogeneous driving behaviors, based on individual user preferences, characteristics, and needs. Driving behavior is a complex interplay of various factors, encompassing both human and external elements. Human factors, including age, experience, and gender, contribute significantly to how individuals navigate the roads. These factors influence decisions, reactions, and risk-taking tendencies on the part of drivers. Additionally, external factors such as weather conditions further compound this intricate dynamic, requiring drivers to adapt their behavior to the prevailing environment. The goal of a personalized cognitive agent is to provide tailored and customized experiences to cognitive vehicles, taking into account the unique requirements and individual preferences of occupants inside autonomous vehicles.

The mortar’s composition, porosity, mechanical properties, entryways’ orientation, and condi-tioning status of the tunnels made by the Najdian Termite, Microtermes najdensis located at Hada Al-Sham village, Makkah Province, Saudi Arabia were studied. The most prevalent infected tim-ber trees by this pest were Tamarix aphylla, Pithecellobium duce, Zizyphus spina christi, Leucaena leu-cocephala, Ficus infectoria, and Phoenix dactylifera. Climate, soil, healthy wood (Wh), and termite nest skeleton (TNS) were the four components of the termite system that were investigated physi-cally, chemically, spectroscopically, and by FTIR, XRD, SEM, and TEM. It was noticed that the entryways of the termite nests are located at the southwest direction for all the infected trees studied at Hada Al-Sham village that promotes better ventilation. Concerning to the air-conditioning status within the their nest, the internal temperature (IT) was found to be milder than that for its analogous value for the outer temperature (OT) in which the IT was wormer than OT during cold durations, while it was colder than the hottest OT in hot days and vice versa. The IT’s trend had more constantancy with minor fluctuations compared to that for the OT. Moreo-ver, the IT was found to be tended to the upper OT’s limit otherwise its colder one. This finding means that these termite species prefer the hotter atmospheres comparing the colder circumstanc-es. Lignin is the prominent tracer of the organic matter used as a binder for the TNS due to its gluing ability, resistance to enzymatic degradation by the termites and their accompanied fungal community habituating the nests. The presence of both microcrystalline cellulose (MCC) and nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) was discovered for the first time in the nest mortar reinforcing Klason lignin as the main binder. Their presence was proved by FTIR, XRD, SEM and TEM anal-yses and we satisfied that they were naturally-synthesized by the action of enzymatic hydrolysis excreted by the termites and their accompanied fungal community habituating the nests. The gross heat of combustion (GHCs) of the Wh and TNS were studied to try to find an important uti-lization of the infected woods as renewable energy resources instead of disposal them without economic benefits. These findings may be used for interpreting the durability of the termite nests to the different environmental stresses. Biomimicry of the termites’ nest from the perspective of its magic mortar with a suitable permeability, the entryways’ orientation, and the air-conditioning status can lead to modify the current construction’s designs to be more green and ecofriendly.

The phytophagous insect pests were vectors and could transmit the majority of the phytoviruses to their host plants. The orders of Hemiptera and Thysanoptera were the most common vectors of phytoviruses. The orders Orthoptera, Dermaptera, Coleoptera, Lepidoptera, Diptera, Thysanoptera, and Hemiptera were also the vectors of phytoviruses. Furthermore, aphids, whiteflies, cicadas, spittlebugs, leafhoppers, planthoppers, assassin bugs, plant bugs, stink bugs, lygaeid bugs, and thrips were among the most phytophagous insects that vector and transmit phytoviruses to healthy plants. The occurrence of a single species of these phytophagous insects resulted in one or more phytoviruses in general, and the Hemipteran order, in particular, vectored a lot of phytoviruses species. This review manuscript is focused on vectors of phytoviruses, techniques for their detection, and future directions. It will play a vital role in exploring scientific information concerning the interactions of phytoviruses and vector insects, the effect of phytoviruses on host behavior, mediators of phytoviruses transmission, persistent phytoviruses, some other insect vectors of the phytopathogen, mechanisms of host plant resistance against phytoviruses, and techniques of phytoviruses detection, as well as some important points to be considered in the future sustainably.

Abstract: Background: Coronary angiography CT scans play a pivotal role in diagnosing cardiovascular diseases, providing crucial information for treatment planning. However, concerns regarding radiation exposure have prompted the need for establishing region-specific diagnostic reference levels (DRLs) to ensure patient safety. This study aims to assess radiation exposure during coronary angiography CT scans in the Northeast Assam population and establish DRLs tailored to this demographic. Methods: A total of 380 patients were referred to the Primus Diagnostic Centre and Heath City Hospital, Guwahati Assam, during the study with coronary artery disturbances. Data on the technical parameters used in CT procedures were taken in 2021-2022. The aim and study's objective was Organ and surface dose to specific radiosensitive organs (Chest) estimation using software imPACT 1.0.4 from National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) SR250 Monte Carlo dataset. Results: The study population (n = 380) comprised 190 men and 190 women with an average age of 29 to 75 years. The Mean ± SD of BMI and ED are 22.42±1.06 and 21.57±4.27 respectively. The mean DLP is 854.67, and the mean ED is 21.57. The effective doses for males (13- 27) mSv were in females (13-29) mSv. The DRL for Male population was found to be 24.26mSv.cm2 whereas for female population it was 24.69mSv.cm2. Conclusions: This study highlights the necessity of establishing tailored diagnostic reference levels for coronary angiography CT scans in the Northeast Assam population. By doing so, healthcare providers can ensure optimal image quality while minimizing radiation exposure, ultimately enhancing patient safety and quality of care. These findings have implications for radiological practice in the region and contribute to the ongoing efforts to standardize radiation doses in medical imaging procedures.

Postpartum depression (PPD) is a disorder that impairs the formation of the relationship between mother and child, and reduces the quality of life for affected women to a functionally significant degree. Studying markers associated with PPD can help in early detection, prevention, or monitoring treatment. The purpose of this paper is to review biomarkers linked to PPD and to present selected theories on the pathogenesis of the disease based on data from biomarker studies. The complex etiology of the disorder reduces the specificity and sensitivity of markers, but they remain a valuable source of information to help clinicians. The biggest challenge of the future will be to translate high-tech methods for detecting markers associated with postpartum depression into more readily available and less costly ones. Population-based studies are needed to test the utility of potential PPD markers.

Hundreds of thousands of kilometers of communication and power (umbilical) cables and flowlines lie undersea worldwide. Most of these offshore cables and flowlines have reached or will soon be nearing the end of their service life, necessitating the need for a viable recycling approach to recover some valuable material, e.g., copper. However, separation into constituent materials has proven very challenging due to the highly robust design of the composite cables (and flowlines) to withstand service conditions and the tough external plastic sheaths that protect against seawater corrosion. Here, we summarize the findings of the cryogenic comminution of subsea cables and flowlines for an effective separation and recovery of component materials. Heat transfer analyses of complex multilayer flowlines and umbilicals were conducted to evaluate the time required for these structures to reach their respective critical brittle-transition temperatures. Subsequently, the time was used as a guide to crush the flowline and umbilical cables under cryogenic conditions. The results show that the flowlines and umbilical cables will reach the brittle-transition temperature after approximately 1000s (i.e., 17 min) of submergence in liquid nitrogen (LN). Comminution of the materials at temperatures near the brittle-transition temperature was proven relatively efficient compared to room-temperature processing. The present evaluation of heat transfer and lab-scale crushing will afford accurate process modelling and design of a pilot cryogenic comminution of decommissioned flowlines in an LN-doped atmosphere.

We confidently approach current issues in Green Finance (GF) from the perspective of an international organization, where the first author has previous experience as a support assistant. In fact, the economy of the EU (European Union) is deeply involved in the changing needs related to the dramatic consequences of climate change and environmental degradation, which has placed the needs of a more sustainable economy at the top of the international agenda. The environmental, social and governance (ESG) aspects are marginally addressed to arouse a major interest in questions raised by green financial products which require long-term profit expectations, and which above all contain a margin of risk that is difficult to calculate in the landscape of traditional financial instruments. Through a careful approach akin to artificial intelligence research methods, we attempt to “materialize” at least the most visible clues of this fashionable economic shift through what we call SMC (sustainable material culture) objects. The presented SMC objects serve as tangible representations of sustainable practices and can promote awareness and action incorporating into everyday life and business practices a powerful reminder and catalyst for a shift towards more sustainable investment and consumption patterns.

The coastal zone of Bangladesh covers an area of 47,201 square km, 32% of the country, around 35 million people are living coastal zone, where about 15 million are women (Ahmad, 2019). Though the women of this area have a significant contribution in aquaculture, food production and economic growth of Bangladesh, still the health issues of women remain ignored, especially sexual and reproductive health issue. Women and girls experience heightened vulnerabilities to reproductive health problems in coastal areas. In aiming to investigate the prevalence of vaginal problems in coastal area the study has been designed. The study followed retrospective cohort study as a study design and use percentile and regression analysis to draw the result of the study. The study found that 94% of women are experiencing vaginal problems in coastal villages in Bangladesh. This number is about 05 times higher than the non-coastal villages and it also found water use for hygiene practice as a significant role for high rate of vaginal diseases in coastal areas of Bangladesh

Background: The current review was conducted to determine the effectiveness of atenolol on all-cause mortality rate among Asian patients with chronic progressive diseases, mainly diabetes mellitus, primary hypertension, and coronary artery disease. Methods: We searched the COCHRANE, MEDLINE, TRIP, and EMBASE databases for published articles up to 31 March 2023. Studies that compared all-cause mortality rates among Asian patients who were on atenolol or other medications were included. Results: The review included 79603 Asian patients from three cohort studies. Out of the studied patients, 36046 were atenolol users and 43557 were non-atenolol users. The review revealed that atenolol users recorded lower all-cause mortality rates compared to non-users with a significant difference (OR= 0.57, CI= 0.44-0.75, P<0.001). The pooled estimate of the all-cause mortality rate was also lower among atenolol users (7.02%) compared to metoprolol tartrate users (13.15%) with a significant difference (OR= 0.50, CI= 0.47-0.53, p < 0.0001). Although the included studies were categorized as having a low risk of bias for most of the studied domains, significant heterogeneity was recorded across these studies (I2 =88%, P=0.001). Conclusion: This review found that atenolol when compared to a control or metoprolol tartrate, has a significant effect in reducing the all-cause mortality rate among Asian patients with chronic progressive disease.

Nanoparticle-assisted polymerase chain reaction (nanoPCR) is a novel method for rapid detection of pathogens. A sensitive and specific multiple nanoPCR assay was developed for simultaneous detection of three subgroups avian leucosis virus (ALV). In this study, three pairs of primers that were designed based on gp85 gene sequences of subgroup A, B and J, optimizations were carried out for better performance of the nanoPCR assay and remarkably improved the detection limit of the assay. The detection limit of the assay was 101copies/μl, which was 100-fold more sensitive than conventional PCR assays. The nanoPCR assay amplified the specific 336 bp, 625 bp and 167 bp fragments of ALV-A, -B and –J respectively and no cross-reactivity were found with the genomic DNA or cDNA of Newcastle disease virus, avian infectious laryngotracheitis virus, Marek's disease virus, infectious bronchitis vaccine, infectious bursal disease virus and avian encephalomyelitis Virus. To evaluate the detection ability of the assay, 186 clinical samples were detected by nanoPCR and the detection results were further confirmed by sequencing. The sequencing results were 100% in coincidence with the nanoPCR detection results, suggesting the possibility of clinical application of the newly developed nanoPCR assay. Taking all the results together, a highly specific and sensitive nanoPCR was successfully developed, which could be useful for rapid diagnosis of ALV in poultry farming.

Kratom (Mitragyna speciosa Korth. Havil) has been considered a narcotic drug for years, barred by the law in many parts of the world, while extensive research over the past few decades proves its several beneficial effects some of which are still in ambiguity. In many countries, including Thailand, the indiscriminate use and abuse of Kratom have led to the loss of life. Nonetheless, researchers have isolated almost fifty pure compounds from Krat-om, most of which are alkaloids. The most prevalent compounds, mitragynine and 7-hydroxy mitragynine, are reported to display agonist morphine-like effects on human μ-opioid receptors and antagonists at κ- and δ-opioid receptors with multimodal effects at oth-er central receptors. Mitragynine is also credited to be one of the modulatory molecules for the Keap1-Nrf2 pathway and SOD, CAT, GST, and associated gene’s upregulatory cascades leading to play a pivotal role in neuroprotective actions while its long-high dose is evident to cause the neuronal disorder. Additionally, the anti-inflammatory, antioxidative, antibac-terial, and gastroprotective effects are well-cited. In this context, this review focuses on the research gap to resolve the ambiguities about the neuronal effects of kratom to demonstrate its prospects as a therapeutic target for neurodisorders connecting with other pharmacologi-cal effects.

This research delves into the intricate dynamics underlying the impact of investments on global output, em-ploying the Leontief matrix as a robust analytical framework. Investments wield a profound influence on economies worldwide, with varying effects contingent upon investment types, development levels of coun-tries, and external factors such as trade conflicts and global shocks. The diverse range of investment forms, including physical capital, human capital, R&D, and technological investments, engenders distinct implica-tions for productivity, innovation, and efficiency. Developing and developed economies navigate unique tra-jectories, with investments playing a pivotal role in bridging infrastructure gaps, improving technology, and spurring growth. However, external disruptions, such as trade wars and global shocks, introduce an element of complexity, reshaping investment patterns and altering global output trajectories. This study centers on harnessing the Leontief matrix's prowess to evaluate the interplay of investments and global output, focusing on the Romanian economy. By analyzing input-output tables, encompassing 105 branches aggregated into 10 sectors, the research captures the intricate connections between economic segments. No-tably, the Romanian context reveals the volatility of the matrix coefficients', an outcome of ongoing transi-tional processes, technological advancements, and fluctuating relative prices. In unraveling the intricate threads weaving investments and global output, this study contributes to a nuanced comprehension of these multifaceted interactions. The findings underscore the significance of tailoring investment strategies to specific economic contexts and advocate for robust frameworks, such as the Leontief matrix, to inform pol-icy decisions and drive sustainable growth in an increasingly complex global economy.

This case report presents a critical clinical scenario involving a 55-year-old patient who developed severe Plasmodium falciparum malaria with renal complications despite receiving doxycycline prophylaxis while travelling in a malaria-endemic region. The case emphasizes the potential failure of doxycycline prophylaxis and highlights the importance of considering malaria in patients with a history of travel to endemic areas, even if they have adhered to prophylactic treatment. The patient's clinical presentation included fever, extreme fatigue, and loss of consciousness, leading to hospitalization. Laboratory findings revealed severe anaemia, elevated liver enzymes, and impaired renal function, consistent with the criteria for severe malaria. The diagnosis was confirmed by the presence of Plasmodium falciparum parasites on blood smears. Due to limited access to parenteral antimalarial medications, the patient received oral artemether-lumefantrine, resulting in clinical improvement. Supportive care and dialysis played a vital role in the patient's recovery. This case report underscores the need for increased awareness of prophylaxis failure, the challenges of managing severe malaria in non-endemic countries, and the importance of timely and appropriate interventions to improve outcomes in severe malaria cases, particularly those with renal involvement. Further research is warranted to evaluate alternative preventive strategies in regions with drug-resistant malaria strains.

The aim of the study is to evaluate the predictive factors of response to induction chemotherapy in patients with resectable NSCLC, treated at the unit of Thoracic Surgery of Siena University Hospital with radical surgery. From January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2020, 78 patients were recruited. We analyzed the outcomes in terms of 5-years OS based on the Estimated Regression Rate, N2 downstaging and age; two patients’ subgroups were created by age (Group A: age &lt;66 years-old; Group B: age &gt;66 years-old). No 5-year OS difference was observed based on age, while it was observed in patients with N2 downstaging (p=0.031). Bewtween patients with N2 downstaging, only patients in Group A had a significantly increased 5-year OS (p=0.019), while this was not observed in Group B (p=0-321); the same result was observed with the Estimated Regression Rate &gt; 50% (Group A p=0.005; Group B p=0.391). The percentage of disease regression and the N2 down-staging after induction chemotherapy have great value on the survival, although this advantage seems to be observed mostly in younger patients. A multidisciplinary oncologic discussion of clinical cases could provide support in the careful selection of the ideal patients to undergo neoadjuvant treatment before radical surgery.

This article examines evolution of trans-regional Ethio-Djibouti railway corridor and its impact on urbanization. Exploratory and descriptive research methods were employed to examine the impact of this railway corridor. Case study also applied to examine eight selected intermediate cities. The article points out that, the Ethio-Djibouti railway corridor conceived different kinds of linear urban centers ranging from small towns to intermediate cities around stations. Those urban centers have been attracting industries along their fringes that leads to rural urban continuum ribbon urbanization. As the old railway line deteriorated, these linear urban centers on the railway corridor had also been declining from time to time. In 2011 new project was started to construct the Ethi-Djibouti standard gauge railway parallel to the old railway line. This new standard gauge railway infrastructure adopts ‘peripheral station’ development approach, which provides a room for width expansion for station based urban centers. It also attracts industries in a form of special economic zones, which causes for labour migration from rural and nearby small urban centers that caused rural-urban continuum of ribbon settlement; strengthen trade gate way for the landlocked Ethiopia that caused trans-regional integration.

Disrupted lipid metabolism is a characteristic of gliomas. This study utilizes an ultrastructural approach to characterize the prevalence and distribution of lipids within gliomas. This study made use of tissue from IDH1 wild type (IDH1-wt) glioblastoma (n=18) and IDH1 mutant (IDH1-mt) astrocytoma (n=12) tumors. We uncover a prevalent and intriguing surplus of lipids. The bulk of the lipids manifested as sizable cytoplasmic inclusions and extracellular deposits in the tumor microenvironment (TME); in some tumors the lipids were stored in the classical mem-braneless spheroidal lipid droplets (LDs). Frequently, lipids accumulated inside mitochondria, suggesting possible dysfunction of the beta-oxidation pathway. Additionally, the tumor vascula-ture are shown to have lipid deposits in their lumen and vessel walls; this lipid could have shifted in from the tumor microenvironment or have been produced by the vessel-invading tumor cells. Overproduction of lipids by the tumor is suspected to be due to a combination of two processes: i) dysfunctional oxidative phosphorylation in mitochondria that causes metabolic backup and ac-cumulation of acetyl-CoA, as well as ii) the overproduction of pyruvate due to the tumor cell reli-ance on overactive glycolysis. Tumor cells use lipids for structural components but cannot use them for energy if their oxidative phosphorylation is dysfunctional, which seems to be the case in the tumor cells we examined. This lipid-rich environment, however, offers tumor cells certain advantages: protection from the immune system, non-lipophilic drugs, and oxidative stress. Our research highlights the significant presence of lipid overproduction in both IDH1-wild type glio-blastoma and IDH1-mutant astrocytoma tumors, leading to diverse lipid accumulations in var-ious cellular compartments and structures. This lipid excess stems from disrupted beta-oxidation and dysfunctional oxidative phosphorylation pathways. The implications of this lipid-driven environment include structural support for the tumor cells and protection against immune re-sponses, non-lipophilic drugs, and free radicals.

The blood-brain barrier (BBB) acts as a specialized structure separating the brain from peripheral blood circulation and plays an important role in brain function. Following an ischaemic stroke or cerebral ischaemia, the BBB is damaged leading to degraded proteins being released into blood circulation. However, little is known about cerebral ischaemia and reperfusion (I/R) induced BBB damage and changes in circulatory biomarkers. This study aims to use both immunohistochemistry and western blotting (WB) to examine neuronal death, glial cell alterations and changes in BBB tight junction (TJ) proteins such as zonula occludens-1 (ZO-1), Occludin and Claudin-5 in the hippocampus in a murine model of cerebral I/R. The changes in these proteins in the blood serum of this model were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. The results showed neuronal death and a significant increase in glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP), a protein primarily expressed in astrocytes and a significant decrease in TJ proteins, ZO-1, Occludin and Claudin-5 in the hippocampus of occluded mice as compared to sham-operated mice. These changes are associated with an increased level of these proteins in blood serum in ischaemic mice, suggesting that these proteins can be used as potential biomarkers for determining ischaemic stroke.

Breast cancer remains one of the most deadly non-communicable diseases in the world. The incidence of breast cancer in South Africa is increasing, with rural African women presenting with advanced stages of the disease. In this study, we aim to explore sociocultural factors influencing breast cancer screening practices among rural African women. A qualitative exploratory study was conducted using semi-structured interviews with 22 rural African women selected by purposive sampling. Thematic analysis was used to analyze the data. In this study, four sociocultural factors were identified as influencing breast cancer screening practices among rural African women. These factors included psychological factors, habits, beliefs, and healthcare perception. Women in rural African communities have deep-rooted traditional beliefs and practices regarding breast cancer. Consequently, this influences women's preventative health behaviours regarding breast cancer screening. To increase the number of women participating in breast cancer screenings, it is vital to develop culturally sensitive health education programs. Engaging community healers will also help to increase the number of women participating in breast cancer screening.

Polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) is increasingly being viewed as an evolutionary mismatch disorder that manifests in women after exposure to a range of lifestyle and environmental factors. Although there is ongoing debate regarding the pathogenesis, international guidelines recommend lifestyle treatment, with diet and exercise, as the first line of management in all women with PCOS. In addition, accumulating evidence suggests that environmental factors such as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC) may be involved in the pathogenesis of PCOS due to their known hormonal and metabolic effects. As a result, international professional bodies have recommended that all pregnant women be advised of the risks of EDC and that education programs be developed to inform health professionals. Microparticulate air pollution (MAP) is also a significant environmental exposure that has been associated with a variety of chronic diseases, including PCOS. We performed a systematic review of studies examining the relationship between MAP and PCOS using the PRISMA methodology. The review identified 214 records from PubMed, Cochrane, and Scopus databases, and 4 studies that met the inclusion criteria for qualitative assessment. Preliminary data suggest that MAP may contribute to the pathogenesis of PCOS via a number of mechanisms. This review highlights the need for greater awareness and further research on the effects of MAP in women with PCOS.

Faced with difficulties stemming from the complex interactions between tight gas sand bodies and fractures when describing and identifying reservoirs, a composite reservoir model was established. By setting the supply boundary to characterize the superposition characteristics of sand bodies, a mathematical model of unstable seepage in fractured vertical wells in tight sandstone gas reservoirs was constructed considering the factors such as stress sensitivity, fracture density and fracture symmetry. The seepage law and pressure response characteristics of gas well in tight sandstone discontinuous reservoir with stress sensitivity, semi-permeable supply boundary and complex fracture topology were determined, and the reliability of the model was verified. The research results more accurately depict the pressure characteristic curve of the superposed sand body complex fracture vertical well, and provide a more comprehensive model for tight gas production dynamic analysis and well test data analysis, which can more accurately guide the dynamic inversion of reservoir and fracture parameters.

Our knowledge of biology and mast cell (MC) function, as well as disorders associated with the pathologic activation of MCs has been evolving over the last few decades. Anaphylaxis, mast cell activation syndrome (MCAS) and mastocytosis are interrelated yet distinct conditions within the spectrum of mast cell activation disorders. Nevertheless, all three conditions can co-exist in one and same patient, as pathologic MC activation is the key finding in all three. When mediator release is excessive and involves multiple systems, anaphylaxis and MCAS may occur. Furthermore, mastocytosis is a clonal disorder of MCs and often presents with anaphylaxis and MCAS. Nevertheless, in some cases even proliferative and accumulative features of MCs in mastocytosis can account for symptoms and disease progression. In each case, diagnosis can be only made when diagnostic consensus criteria are fulfilled. The current article aims to provide a concise clinical update and pinpoint main difficulties in diagnosing these puzzling disorders of MCs in medical practice.

In a 1.5°C warmer world, the Northeastern (NE) South America’s ecosystems will experience more severe droughts, associated with decreasing rainfall. The severity of flash drought events based on vegetation and surface soil moisture has not been identified over the Caatinga ecosys-tem. This study aimed to characterize the impact of flash drought events on vegetation response via soil moisture over NE South America during the first two decades of the 2000s. Three drought indices were used to characterize flash droughts: the Standardized Difference Vegetation Index (SDVI) derived from Meteosat Second Generation (MSG), the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) from ground-data, and the Surface Soil Moisture (SSM) product-based Soil Moisture and Ocean Salinity (SMOS). Results revealed dramatic impacts of flash drought events on vegetation dynamics that caused abrupt changes in the regional vegetation phenology. The regional patterns of flash drought events in 2012 over NE South America were identified and had a severe impact on its Caatinga-like vegetation-dependent moisture response. In 2012, anomalously long dry spells with negative rainfall anomalies in the non-rainy season and persistent on vege-tation greenness and rapidly decreased soil moisture were prominent, thus identifying NE South America to the impacts of flash drought events. Additionally, the results from the trends analysis of radiance fluxes estimated from the MSG satellites over 18 years revealed that an overall drying trend in the NE South America semiarid ecosystem during the last two decades. Here, flash drought events were identified as the conse-quent rainfall deficiency at SPI-3< −1 for a period of five consecutive weeks or more, which the soil moisture content dropping from the 40th percentile to below the 20th percentile, with the NDVI lower than 0.30 unit. These results could be useful to guide flash-droughts early warning systems in NE South America.

The violence against women is a theme that extrapolates health issues, since after a victim seek for a health care, there is the notification of the act [1]. In Brazil, many times, these women are first assisted by mobile urgency services (SAMU/SIATE) and, as far as we have concern, there are no other studies with specific data about these assistance. The present paper aimed to analyze SAMU/SIATE assistance to abused women. Qualitative and retrospective epidemiological study of assistance to assaulted women carried out by SIATE and SAMU Maringá/Norte Novo between 2011 and 2020. Women between 20 and 39 years old, non-pregnant, were the main victims, and 19,52% of them have used some kind of drug. The (ex)partner figured as the perpetrator in 17,35%, but there were no information about this variable in 73,75% of the records. The Qui-square test shows a mortality rate superior to 70% among the severe traumatized victims. This is one of the first studies to analyze this kind of care provided by SAMU/SIATE, and reveals some gaps in its “modus-operandi” that can limitate an extrapolation of the results to bigger spheres. More researches in mobile urgency care services, in other provinces also, are needed to propose strategies to fight against this epidemic.

B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia (B-CLL) is the most common type of leukemia in the Western world. Mutations in different genes, such as TP53 and ATM, and deletions in specific chromosomal regions, including 11q or 17p, have been associated with a worse prognosis for the disease. Recent research from our group has demonstrated that, contrary to the usual cancer development process through missense mutations, B-CLL is driven by the overexpression of the small GTPase RRAS2 in its wild-type form, without activating mutations. While some mouse models of this disease have been developed to date and are commonly used in B-CLL research, they come with various disadvantages, such as a long waiting period until the leukemia fully develops, the need for cell engraftment, or, in some cases, a failure to replicate the alterations found in human patients. We have recently introduced Rosa26-RRAS2fl/flxmb1-Cre as a new mouse model of B-CLL with full disease penetrance. In this work, we have validated this mouse model as a novel tool for the development of new therapies for B-CLL by testing two of the most widely applied targeted agents: ibrutinib and venetoclax. This also paves the way for the development of new targeted agents against R-RAS2 itself, an approach that has not yet been explored in clinical practice.

The resonance spectrum of surface resistance derivative in quasi-two dimensional layered organic conductors has been calculated numerically for the out-of-plane and in-plane magnetic field. Not all but some of the resonances in a given series of transitions are present in the spectra. They are observed at the positions corresponding to the maxima in the surface resistance derivative curve and are in a good agreement with previously calculated magnetic field resonance positions. For tilted magnetic fields, there are more resonances present in the spectrum than in the case of a non-tilted field. Apart from the resonances corresponding to the transitions between the adjacent surface states there also appear resonances involving the transitions between the more distant surface states. This is correlated with the specific topology of Fermi surface of the organic conductors. The presented calculations will allow correct interpretation of the experimental curves for the resonance spectrum, and also to obtain information on the surface properties of these materials for their possible implementation in fabrication of devices based on organic molecular conductors.

Biomass storage is an essential requirement in the supply chain of bio-refineries and power plants. This research aims to evaluate the influence of long-term outdoor storage (1 year) of baled rockrose (Cistus laurifolius L.) shrub biomass on biofuel´s quality, pre-treatment processes and on combustion emissions in an industrial boiler. The raw material was obtained from different rockrose shrublands in North-center Spain. 233 tWM (tones of wet matter) of biomass were used to produce biofuels (30 mm milled biomass and Ø 8 mm pellets) in the pre-treatment pilot plants at CEDER-CIEMAT. The combustion tests were conducted in an industrial moving grate boiler with a thermal power of 50 MWth, in a 17 MWe power plant. Outdoor storage improved some quality biofuels parameters, mainly the reduction in ash content, what allowed to classify 30 mm milled material as class I1 (ISO 17225-9:2022) and pellets as class I3 (ISO 17225-2-2021). No significant differences were observed in the total specific mass flow and energy consumptions in the pre-treatment processes. The combustion tests had similar results, being the emissions below the limits established in the Directive (EU) 2015/2193. The results obtained indicated that 1-year outdoor store of rockrose-baled biomass under Mediterranean conditions was feasible for its subsequent use as biofuel.

Hybrid biomaterials were engineered using the electrospinning technique, incorporating the dipeptide Boc-L-phenylalanyl-L-Isoleucine into microfibers composed of biocompatible polymers. The examination by scanning electron microscopy affirmed the morphology of the microfibers, exhibiting diameters ranging between 0.9 to 1.8 µm. The dipeptide self-assemblies into spheres with a hydrodynamic size between 0.18 to 1.26 µm. The dielectric properties of these microfibers were characterized through impedance spectroscopy, where variations in both temperature and frequency were systematically studied. The investigation revealed a noteworthy rise in the dielectric constant and AC electric conductivity with increasing temperature, attributable to augmented charge mobility within the material. The successful integration of the dipeptide was substantiated through the observation of Maxwell-Wagner interfacial polarization, affirming the uniform dispersion within the microfibers. In-depth insights into electric permittivity and activation energies were garnered using the Havriliak-Negami model and the AC conductivity behavior. Very importantly, these engineered fibers exhibited pronounced pyroelectric and piezoelectric responses, with Boc-Phe-Ile@PLLA microfibers standing out with the highest piezoelectric coefficient, calculated to be 56 pC/N. These discoveries help us understand how dipeptide nanostructures embedded into electrospun nano/microfibers can greatly affect their pyroelectric and piezoelectric properties. They also point out that polymer fibers could be used as highly efficient piezoelectric energy harvesters, with promising applications in portable and wearable devices.

This research explores a novel encapsulating agent for establishing a synbiotic relationship with Bacillus (B.) coagulans by combining different ratios of wall materials, including skim milk powder (S), maltodextrin (M), and cellulose acetate phthalate (C). The ratio options are represented as SMC1 (1:2:1), SMC3 (3:2:1), SMC5 (5:2:1), and SMC7 (7:2:1). These wall materials are incorporated with 5% inulin (a prebiotic). The results show that these agents effectively protect B. coagulans spores during spray-drying, resulting in spore vitality exceeding 6 log cfu/g; SMC5 and SMC7 yielded the highest spore viability values. Furthermore, SMC5 demonstrated the highest levels of antioxidant activity, encompassing the scavenging of DPPH, hydroxy radicals, and superoxide radicals. Additionally, it displayed notable antidiabetic effects, including inhibitions of α-amylase and α-glucosidase. In comparison, SMC7 exhibited the most potent antidiabetic activity by inhibiting DPP-IV. Subsequently, after simulated gastrointestinal digestion, SMC5 and SMC7 showed a slight decrease in spore viability during the 6-hour simulation. Therefore, the most suitable condition for synbiotic production was found to be SMC5, which can potentially protect B. coagulans spores and exhibit bioactive activities after microencapsulation and passage through gastrointestinal digestion. This innovative product can be utilized as an advanced food delivery system and as a functional ingredient in functional food products.

The purpose of this work was to investigate whether two-months supplementation with 100% sea buckthorn juice (SBJ) would modify blood lipids, LDL subfractions and other markers of cardiovascular risk in hypercholesterolemic women. A group of 28 hypercholesterolemic non-medicated adult women with a mean age of 50.58 ± 5.76 years consumed 50 mL of 100% SBJ daily for two-months. We observed a significant reduction of body weight (BW; p < 0.05), body mass index (BMI; p < 0.05), body fat mass (BFM; p < 0.001) and visceral fat area (VFA; p < 0.001), on the contrary, a significant increase of skeletal muscle mass (SMM; p < 0.05) and fat-free mass (FFM; p < 0.05). Supplementation with 100% SBJ significantly increased the level of high-density lipoprotein (HDL; p < 0.05), reduced the level of low-density lipoprotein (LDL; p < 0.05), atherogenic LDL subfractions (LDL3–7; p < 0.05) and improved LDL/HDL ratio (p < 0.001). After the SBJ consumption, significant reduction of C-reactive protein (CRP; p < 0.001), orosomucoid (ORM; p < 0.001) and interleukin 6 (IL-6; p < 0.05) were found. In conclusion, consumption of SBJ showed an indication of beneficial effects on cardiovascular risk factors in hypercholesterolemic women.

The benchmarking of hotel energy use comprehensively identifies the controllable and uncontrollable factors affecting energy performance, including building characteristics, management strategies, operations, and maintenance systems. Other factors include climatic conditions, floor areas, operating hours, occupancy rates, and guest populations. A benchmarking study on energy consumption patterns in significant hotels (each with less than 100 rooms and an average staff strength of 40 employees), situated in the university town of Nsukka (longitude 70 23' E, latitude 60 52' N), Nigeria, was performed using the data envelopment analysis (DEA) methodology. DEA, a linear programming technique that measures the relative performances of units, was chosen as a benchmarking methodology due to its ability to handle multiple inputs and outputs. Following a correlation test, energy use intensity, diesel consumption, and the number of employees were selected as the analysis inputs, while the occupancy rate was chosen as the output variable. Data on these variables spanning 12 months were collected using questionnaires, interviews, site visits, and oral conversations with hotel managers to ensure validity. Grid-supplied electricity accounted for most of the hotels' energy needs, followed by diesel used in generators. More than 70% of the electricity use was for HVAC. From the DEA, Hotel 3 (DMU H3) had a technical efficiency score of 1, whereas adjustments were recommended for improving the efficiency scores of the other hotels, which were deemed inefficient. DMU H7 had the lowest efficiency score (0.474) and the highest identified savings for electricity and diesel. The analysis also revealed that occupancy rates were generally low in the months of June and July, coinciding with the high rainfall season with its accompanying decline in outdoor activities. Consistent with this, electricity consumption was highest in the Christmas and Easter holiday months of December, January, and April following increased travel-related activities.

Background: Cardiovascular disease (CVD) increases the risk of mortality and morbidity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Patients with RA have a 50-60% increased risk for CVD compared with the general population. Cardiovascular risk is commonly meas-ured using the Systemic Coronary Risk Estimation 2 calculator modified for patients with RA. Traditional modifiable risk factors for CVD include arterial hypertension, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, diabetes, cigarette smoking, and low physical activity. In this study, we analyzed the effects of smoking and the risk of CVD in patients with RA. Methods: This was a prospective, clinical, cohort study with an eight-year follow-up pe-riod. A total of 201 patients, 124 with RA (study group) and 77 with osteoarthritis (OA) (control group), were included in this study. However, only 137 patients (82 with RA and 55 with OA) completed the study. Fifty-eight patients (41 with RA and 17 with OA) died during the study period. We compared the prevalence of smoking and its association with the risk for CVD and RA. Results: The prevalence of smoking in the RA group was higher than that in the OA group (p<0.0001). Trends in the prevalence of smoking in both groups did not change signifi-cantly during the follow-up period. In the RA group, smoking was associated with the in-cidence of CVD in current smokers (p=0.028) and in patients with a history of smoking (p=0.016). These results suggest that smokers have an increased risk for RA. The trend of continued smoking in patients with RA may be attributed to attempts to reduce stress caused by RA symptoms. Conclusions: Previous studies have shown that current and former smokers with RA have more severe symptoms, more joint damage, and poorer response to therapy than those who have never smoked. However, the reason underlying the trend of continued cigarette smoking in patients with RA remains unclear. Further studies are needed to clarify the trend of continued smoking in patients with RA.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and vascular dementia (VaD) together contribute to almost 90% of all dementia cases leading to major health challenges of our time with a substantial global socioeconomic burden. While in Alzheimer’s disease, the improved understanding of Amyloid beta (Aß) mismetabolism and tau hyperphosphorylation as pathophysiological hallmarks has led to significant clinical breakthroughs, similar advances in VaD are lacking. We thus highlight here the importance of shared pathomechanisms found in AD and VaD: Endothelial damage, blood brain barrier (BBB) breakdown and hypoperfusion inducing oxidative stress, inflammation and demyelination and thus trophic uncoupling in the neurovascular unit. A dysfunctional endothelium and BBB lead to the accumulation of neurotoxic molecules and Aß through impaired clearance, which in turn leads to neurodegeneration. In this context we discuss possible neuropathological parameters, which might serve as biomarkers and thus improve diagnostic accuracy or reveal targets for novel therapeutic strategies for both forms of dementia.

BACKGROUND: Head and Neck Sarcomas (HNSs) are rare malignant tumors derived from mesenchymal cells characterized by rapid growth, local aggressive behavior, and multiple re-lapses. The Rhabdomyosarcoma (RMS) and the Osteosarcoma (OS) are the more frequent HNS. The present study aims to evaluate the clinical impact of multimodal treatment in patients diagnosed with HNS. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of medical records from patients diagnosed with HNS multimodal treated, four groups were formed: a) surgery and chemotherapy (CTX); b) surgery, CTX, and RT; c) surgery and RT; d) CTX and RT exclusively. The overall survival (OSS), disease-free survival (DFS) and progression-free survival (PFS) rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier test. RESULTS: Among 39 patients, 23.1% were diagnosed with RMS , 66.7% with OS and 10.3% with other subtypes of HNS. Moreover, 59% showed initial clinical staging (T1/T2) and of those 35.9% were T1. Surgery was performed in 87.2% patients, RT in 35.9% and CTX in 84.7%. RT performed showed not statistically significant clinical role regarding OSS (p=0.74), DFS (p=0.09) and PFS (p=0.90) rates independent of histological subtype. Finally, OSS (p=0.89), DFS (p=0.13) and PFS (p=0.50) rates were not statistically different for patients treated with monotherapy or multimodal therapy. CONCLUSION: RT has not showed a clinically important role referred to improve OSS, DFS and PFS rates in patients with HNS, regardless of the histological subtype of the primary tumor. Multimodal treatment could influence in survival rates and locoregional control of the disease; however, longitudinal studies such as randomized clinical trials must be conducted.

The microbiota–gut–brain axis has garnered increasing attention in recent years for its role in various health conditions, including neuroinflammatory disorders like complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS). CRPS is a debilitating condition characterized by chronic neuropathic pain, and its etiology and pathophysiology remain elusive. Emerging research suggests that alterations in the gut microbiota composition and function could play a significant role in CRPS development and progression. Our paper explores the implications of microbiota in CRPS and the potential therapeutic role of boron (B). Studies have demonstrated that individuals with CRPS often exhibit dysbiosis, with imbalances in beneficial and pathogenic gut bacteria. Dysbiosis can lead to increased gut permeability and systemic inflammation, contributing to the chronic pain experienced in CRPS. B, an essential trace element, has shown promise in modulating the gut microbiome positively and exerting anti-inflammatory effects. Recent preclinical and clinical studies suggest that B supplementation may alleviate neuropathic pain and improve CRPS symptoms by restoring microbiota balance and reducing inflammation. Our review highlights the complex interplay between microbiota, inflammation, and neuropathic pain in CRPS and underscores the potential of B as a novel therapeutic approach to target the microbiota–gut–brain axis, offering hope for improved management of this challenging condition.

The sharing of genome sequences in online data repositories, allows for large scale analyses of specific genes or gene families. This can result in the detection of novel gene subtypes as well as development of improved detection methods. Here we used publicly available WGS data to detect a novel Stx subtype, Stx2n in two clinical E. coli strains isolated in the USA. During this process, additional Stx2 subtypes were detected; six Stx2j one Stx2m strain and one Stx2o, all were analyzed for variability from the originally described subtypes [1,2]. Complete genome sequences were assembled from short or long read sequencing and analyzed for serotype, and ST types. The stx2n and Stx2o WGS were further analyzed for virulence genes pro-phage analysis and phage insertion sites. Nucleotide and amino acid maximum parsimony trees showed expected clustering of the previously described subtypes and a clear separation of the novel Stx2n subtype. WGS data was used to design OMNI PCR primers for the detection of all known Stx1 (283 bp amplicon), Stx2 (400 bp amplicon), eae (222bp amplicon) and Stx2f (438 bp amplicon) subtypes. These primers were tested in three different laboratories, using standard reference strains. Analysis of complete genome sequence showed variability in serogroup, virulence genes, ST type, and Stx2 pro-pages showed variability in size, gene composition, and phage insertion sites. The isolates with Stx2n and Stx2o in this study demonstrated toxicity for Vero cells. The Stx2n strain were induced when grown with sub-inhibitory concentrations of Cip, and toxicity was detected. Taken together, these data highlight the need to reinforce genomic surveillance to identify the emergence of potential new Stx2 or Stx1 variants. The importance of this surveillance has a paramount impact in public health. Per our description in this study, we suggest that 2017C-4317 be designated as the Stx2n type-strain.

A novel verifiable privacy preservation scheme for outsourcing medical image to cloud through ROI based crypto-watermarking is proposed in the paper. In the proposed scheme, data owner firstly carries out substitution of S-box for the region of interest (ROI) of medical image, and then separates the image into 4 most significant bits (MSBs) plane and 4 least significant bits (LSBs) plane images. Secondly, the hash value of ROI is embedded into the two separated bit plane images using reversible watermarking algorithm. Lastly, some selected hash values are transformed into the initial parameters of chaotic maps, and the two sharing secrets, which are produced through chaos based encryption algorithm, are finally outsourced to two different cloud servers. For authorized users, they can get shares from different cloud servers, and then can losslessly recover the original medical image through a series of decryption operations and extraction of watermarking. Furthermore, the users can verify whether the original image is completely reconstructed or not, they even can locate the tampered parts inside ROI if anyone of the sharing secrets is damaged. Some experiments analyses and comparisons are given to show the security and effectiveness of proposed scheme.

Nuclear fusion is essential for the sexual reproduction of various organisms, including plants, animals, and fungi. During the life cycle of flowering plants, nuclear fusion occurs three times: once during female gametogenesis and twice during double fertilization, when two sperm cells fertilize the egg and the central cell. Haploid nuclei migrate in an actin filament-dependent manner to become in close contact, then two nuclei fuse. The nuclear fusion process in plant reproduction is achieved by the sequential nuclear membrane fusion events. Recent molecular genetic analyses using Arabidopsis thaliana showed the conservation of nuclear membrane fusion machinery between plants and the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. These include the heat shock protein 70 in the endoplasmic reticulum and conserved nuclear membrane proteins. Analyses of A. thaliana mutants of these components show that completion of the sperm nuclear fusion at fertilization is essential for proper embryo and endosperm development.

Vaccine hesitancy substantially impacts global vaccination rates. During the COVID-19 pandem-ic in Germany, vaccination uptake exhibited considerable regional disparities. To assess the fac-tors contributing to this variation, we examined the influence of sociodemographic variables on COVID-19, COVID-19 booster, and influenza vaccinations within a cohort of 37,078 participants from 13 German federal states in the digital health cohort study, DigiHero. Our findings re-vealed variations in vaccination rates based on sociodemographic factors. However, these fac-tors had limited explanatory power regarding regional differences in vaccine uptake. In contrast, we found substantial correlations between regional support of specific parties during last local elections and the vaccination uptake at Landkreis-level. In conclusion, sociodemographic factors alone did not suffice to explain the regional disparities in vaccine uptake. Political stances can play a major role, but the current investigation did not assess the individual political orienta-tion, but used only ecological approach.

Studies on the long-term stability of meat analogs stored under frozen conditions are lacking. Here, we aimed to assess the storage stability of vegetable oil-supplemented meat analogs and analyze the effects of temperature and storage period on their physiochemical characteristics. The meat analogs were prepared by adding 30 g castor oil, orange oil, palm oil, shortening, or margarine vegetable oil based on 100 g of textured vegetable protein. They were then stored at −18 or −60 °C for 6 months and analyzed at one-month intervals. The meat analog supplemented with orange oil had the highest water content, liquid-holding capacity, hardness, and antioxidant activity. During frozen storage, temperature barely affected the meat quality. The storage stability of all meat analog samples was maintained for 6 months, although the quality was slightly reduced with an increase in storage duration. Coliform group bacteria were not detected regardless of the storage condition. Orange oil improved the juiciness of meat analogs, and the quality of samples was maintained for at least 6 months under frozen storage. The findings of this study are relevant to the development and promotion of vegetable meat as an alternative to animal meat.

Anterior-tooth (ANT) contacts induce short latency reflex inhibition of human jaw-closing muscles. The jaw is a rigid class 1 lever for pinpoint-targeting muscle force into a single bite-point, the pivoting food particle. See-saw reflex movements around the food particle fulcrum multiply the food-crushing force. Unpredictable jolts of reaction force caused by food-crushing are subjected to the rostral ANT and caudally to the two articulate ends of the jaw triangle. Compression/distraction strains of food-crushing must be monitored and inhibited by withdrawal reflexes. The mesencephalic ganglion (Vmes), neural myelin sheath, and muscle stretch receptors evolved subsequently to the advent of jaws to improve the velocity of proprioceptive and withdrawal reflexes. In mammalians, the spindles of the taut motor units, stretched by the food-fulcrum send excitatory monosynaptic feedback for the efferent neurons of the respective ipsilateral muscle units, via Vmes. In the Vmes, the spindle-input-mediating afferent neurons are coupled with another source of afferent feedback, which is also excitatory, from the back-tooth (BAT) mechanoreceptors. The two sources of excitatory pulses are summated and targeted for the efferent neurons to boost the stretched and taut motor units. Likewise, the afferent feedback from ANT mechanoreceptors is also coupled in the Vmes with concomitant feedback from spindles. The ANT output, however, is inhibitory to negate the excitatory feedback from the stretched jaw-muscle units. The inhibitory feed from ANT temporarily blocks the excitatory potential of masticatory motor efferent neurons to protect the ANT and jaw-joints from inadvertent strains. The inhibitory inputs from ANT alternate with the excitatory inputs from BAT to determine which jaw-closing muscle units are activated or inhibited at any given instant of food-crushing. The Vmes exists in all jawed vertebrates, and its’ evolution was probably motivated by demands for the control of bite force. The monosynaptic unilateral food-crushing excitatory and inhibitory reflexes (UFCR) override the coexisting bilaterally executed feed for jaw muscles from the central nervous system. Hypothesis: The Vmes-mediated UFCR combine neural inputs from tooth contacts with concomitant feedback from muscle stretch receptors for the control of mammalian food-crushing bite force.

The development of mineral resources in China has gradually entered the stage of deep mining. Rock burst, collapse and other ground pressure disasters caused by deep high stress have become major hidden dangers restricting mine safety production. Microseismic monitoring technology is an important means of ground pressure risk prediction. In this paper, the wavelet coefficient threshold denoising method in time-frequency domain, STA/LTA method, AIC method, Skew and Kurtosis method are studied, and the automatic P-phase onset time picking model based on noise reduction and multiple detection indexes is established. Through the effect analysis of microseismic signals collected by microseismic monitoring system of coral Tungsten Mine in Guangxi, automatic P-phase onset time picking is realized. the reliability of the P-phase onset time picking method proposed in this paper based on noise reduction and multiple detection indexes is verified. The picking accuracy can still be guaranteed under the severe signal interference of background noise, power frequency interference and manual activity underground mine, Which is of great significance to the data processing and analysis of microseismic monitoring.

The objective of the study was to apply the principles of analytical quality by design (AQbD) to the analytical method for the determination of the radiochemical purity (PQR) of the radiopharmaceutical sodium iodide 131I oral solution, by means of thin layer chromatography (TLC) with a Radio-TLC scanner, the same one that allows to evaluate the quality of the product. For the AQbD, the analytical objective profile (ATP), critical quality attributes (CQA), risk management, the method operable design region (MODR) were defined through the response surface methodology for method optimization using the MINITAB ® software, Control Strategy and the validation of the method where the parameters of selectivity, linearity, precision, robustness, detection limit, quantification limit, range and stability of the sample solution were evaluated. Under the experimental conditions, the conditions of the method were demonstrated by TLC-Scanner and optimization was carried out for an injection volume of 3 µL, radioactive concentration of 10 mCi/mL and carrier volume of 40 µL. It was statistically demonstrated that the method is selective for the 131I iodide band Rf of 0,8 and for the radiochemical impurity IO₃⁻ Rf of 0.6, linearity from 6,0 to 22.0 mCi/mL, intermediate precision with Global RSD of 0,624%, robustness with global RSD 0,101%, detection limit of 0,09 mCi/mL, quantification limit of 0.53 Ci/mL, conforming range, and stability of the sample solution evaluated over time 0, 2 and 20 hours with a global RSD of 0,362%, obtaining consistent results. The development of the method based on AQbD allowed the generation of a design space and an operational space with knowledge of all the characteristics and limitations of the method, likewise in all the operations the conformity of the tests to the acceptance criteria was verified. The validity of our method is concluded under the established conditions, suitable for use in the manufacturing process of sodium iodide 131I and application in nuclear medicine services.

In this study, we considered the structural stability, electronic properties, and phonon dispersion of the cubic (c-ZrO₂), tetragonal (t-ZrO₂), and monoclinic (m-ZrO₂) phases of ZrO₂. We found that the monoclinic phase of zirconium dioxide is the most stable among the three phases in terms of total energy, lowest enthalpy, highest entropy, and other thermodynamic properties. The smallest negative modes were found for m-ZrO₂. Our analysis of the electronic properties showed that during the m–t phase transformation of ZrO₂, the Fermi level first shifts by 0.125 eV toward higher energies and then decreases by 0.08 eV in the t–c cross-section. The band gaps for c-ZrO₂, t-ZrO₂, and m-ZrO₂ are 5.140 eV, 5.898 eV, and 5.288 eV, respectively. Calculations based on the analysis of the influence of doping 3.23, 6.67, 10.35, and 16.15 mol. %Y₂O₃ onto the m-ZrO₂ structure showed that the enthalpy of m-YSZ decreases linearly, which accompanies further stabilization of monoclinic ZrO₂ and an increase in its defectiveness. A doping-induced and concentration-dependent phase transition in ZrO₂ under the influence of Y₂O₃ was discovered, due to which the position of the Fermi level changes and the energy gap decreases. It has been established that, not only for pure systems but including those doped with Y₂O₃, the main contribution to the formation of the conduction band is made by the p-states of electrons. The t-ZrO₂ (101) and t-YSZ (101) surface models were selected as optimal surfaces for water adsorption based on a comparison of their surface energies. An analysis of the mechanism of water adsorption on the surface of t-ZrO₂ (101) and t-YSZ (101) showed that H₂O on unstabilized t-ZrO₂ (101) is adsorbed dissociatively with an energy of -1.22 eV, as well as by the method of molecular chemisorption with an energy of - 0.69 eV and the formation of a hydrogen bond with a bond length of 1.01 Å. In the case of t-YSZ (101), water is molecularly adsorbed onto the surface with an energy of -1.84 eV. Dissociative adsorption of water occurs at an energy of -1.23 eV, near the yttrium atom. The results show that ab initio approaches are able to describe the mechanism of doping-induced phase transitions in (ZrO₂+Y₂O₃)-like systems, based on which it can be assumed that DFT calculations can also flawlessly evaluate other physical and chemical properties of YSZ, which have not yet been studied quantum chemical research. The obtained results complement the database of research works carried out in the field of the application of biocompatible zirconium dioxide crystals and ceramics in green energy generation and can be used in designing humidity-to-electricity converters and creating solid oxide fuel cells based on ZrO₂.

Cobalt (Co) is a transition metal and is classified as a beneficial metal for plants, but its benefits for plants remain obscure. Cobalt has been reported to negatively affect plant physiochemical processes both at higher (toxic) and lower (deficient) applied levels. High concentrations of cobalt in plant organs cause irreversible changes to the plant cells, mainly via enhanced production of reactive radicals. Moreover, Co and its compound play an essential role in humans as they are the central atoms of cobalamin, a co-enzyme precursor whose absence causes anemia. Hence, the optimum Co supply to plants is critical for customary plant metabolic workings. Henceforth, monitoring Co behavior in the soil-plant-human system is highly imperative. This review highlighted the latest literature on (i) Co in soil and plants; (ii) its mobility and phyto-availability in soil; (iii) phytouptake and translocation towards shoot tissues; (iv) toxic and deficient effects of Co on plants; (v) plant detoxification mechanisms under increased Co levels inside plants; and (v) its role in the human body. For this purpose, 1026 plant observations from literature data were analyzed related to Co biogeochemical behavior in the soil-plant system. The data analysis revealed an overall increase in 567 observations and a decrease in 381 observations. However, these general trends in plant responses vary significantly for different types of plant species and physiological attributes. Overall, the current review delineates an updated and critical representation of the biogeochemical behavior of Co in the soil-plant-human system, supported by up-to-date 9 main tables, 14 supporting tables, and 3 figures. The authors believe that the literature presented here can be of great interest to scientists, researchers, policymakers, and graduate-level students.

In order to accurately identify the external economic situation in China and analyze the situation of economic development in Northeast China, based on the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT) analysis framework, this article analyses the economy in Northeast China from the four factors of SWOT. To solve the lack of quantitative analysis in SWOT analysis, this article applies Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to the analysis, and finally forms a complete system framework with the combination of qualitative and quantitative factors, through the analysis of the important degree of various factors and the consistency test, the key factors influencing the economic development in Northeast China are analyzed, and constructive countermeasures are proposed.

Solar geoengineering (SG) solutions have many advantages compared to the difficulty of carbon removal (CR): SG produces fast results, is shown here to have much higher efficiency than CR, is not related to fossil fuel legislation, and is something we all can participate in brightening the Earth with cool roofs, and roads. SG requirements detailed previously to mitigate global warming (GW) have been concerning primarily because of overwhelming goals and climate circulation issues. In this paper, the advantages of annual solar geoengineering (ASG) to mitigate yearly global warming increases are explored and detailed as it provides higher feasibility in geoengineering applications. ASG area modification requirements found here are generally 50 to possibly higher than 150 times less compared to the challenge of full SG GW mitigation reducing circulation concerns. Results indicate that there are mixed technologies that can help meet annual mitigation Earth brightening goals. As well, results show much higher feasibility for L1 space shading compared to prior literature estimates for full GW mitigation. However, stratosphere injections appear challenging in the annual approach. Because ASG earth brightening area requirements are much smaller than those required for full mitigation, we have concerns that worldwide negative SG would interfere with making positive advances for several reasons. Negative SG currently dominates yearly practices with the application of dark asphalt roads and roofs. This issue is discussed.

Drone navigation is critical, particularly during the initial and final phases, such as the initial ascension, where pilots may fail due to strong external disturbances that could lead to a crash. In this ongoing work, a drone has been successfully trained to perform an ascent of up to 6 meters with external disturbances simulating wind pushing it up to 24 mph, with the DQN algorithm managing external forces affecting the system. It has been demonstrated that the system can control its height, position, and stability in all three axes (roll, pitch, and yaw) throughout the process. The learning process is carried out in the Gazebo simulator, which emulates interferences, while ROS is used to communicate with the agent.

Abstract: Like other plants, every PV power plant will one day reach the end of its service life. Calculations show that 20,400 tons of PV waste will be generated worldwide by 2030 and 60.2 million tons by 2050, not including the mass of the support structure. Such large amounts of waste pose a potential threat to the environment and people if not properly managed. The paper analysed the options for dealing with PV waste, namely reuse, recycling and landfilling. For recycling as the best option in terms of environmental protection and circular economy, an overview of recycling technologies and the percentage of achievable recycling for the materials contained in each PV system component is given. In addition, the current situation of legislation and recycling of PV modules in Europe was examined with special reference to the Balkan countries. There are a small number of factories for recycling PV modules in Europe, but none in the Balkan countries. The main reason for this is the small amount of PV waste in these countries and consequently the economic unprofitability. For this reason, PV modules (after dismantling the aluminum frame and cables) are mostly disposed of as non-hazardous waste in landfills in these countries. Finally, the main barriers to faster implementation of PV module reuse and recycling are listed, along with guidelines for their removal. The cost of recycling Si modules is about ten times higher than the cost of disposal. To change this ratio in favor of recycling, cheaper recycling methods need to be developed and taxes on landfill disposal need to be increased.

Abstract:The objects of fine-grained image categories(e.g., bird species) are various subclass under different categories. Because the differences between subclass are very subtle and most of them are concentrated in multiple local areas, the task of fine-grained image recognition is very challenging. At the same time, some fine-grained networks tend to focus on a certain region when judging the target category, resulting in the lack of other auxiliary regional features. To this end, Inception V3 is used as the backbone network, and an enhanced and complementary fine-grained image classification network is designed. While adopting the method of reinforcement learning to obtain more detailed fine grain image features, the complementary network can obtain the complementary discriminant area of the target through the method of attention erasure to increase the network's perception of the overall target. Finally, experiments are conducted on CUB-200-2011, FGVC Aircraft and Stanford dogs three open datasets. The experimental results show that the proposed model has better performance.

The present distribution examines the effects of nozzle diameter, inlet mass rate, and channel geometry on the fuel distribution in annular combustion chambers of micro gas turbines, taking into account the importance of more uniform fuel distribution in the nozzles connected to the fuel supply channels. A comparison has been made between the numerically calculated pressure drop between the inlet and outlet of the fuel supply nozzle and the experimental value obtained. All fuel supply nozzles with a diameter of 500 micrometers are considered for the micro gas turbine. A more uniform distribution results in better combustion and higher efficiency. A geometrical change in the design of the fuel supply nozzle improved the uniformity of the flow distribution without increasing the pressure drop.

The article justifies the need to involve the technogenic deposits (off-balance ore and wastes) into the economic circulation of mining enterprises when there is natural resources depletion. It could be considered as one of the tools of the circular economy. The authors analyze global trends in the copper deposits development, global demand for copper, and design recommendations for possible alternative options for the copper production. The authors use a case of Erdenet Mining Corporation SOE based in Mongolia to develop the approach for economic, social and environmental problem-solving. The millions of mining dumps are proposed to develop as technogenic resources for recycled materials, prolonging profitable activities of the mine. The Hierarchy analysis method is used to obtain optimum order of the mining dumps development to get economic, social and environmental effect.

Although Sn has been intensively studied as one of the most promising anode materials to replace commercialized graphite, its cycling performance and rate performance are still unsatisfactory owing to insufficient control of its large volume change during cycling and poor electrochemical kinetics. Herein, we propose a Sn-TiO2-C ternary composite as a promising anode material to overcome these limitations. The hybrid TiO2-C matrix synthesized via two-step high-energy ball milling effectively regulated the irreversible lithiation/delithiation of the active Sn electrode and facilitated Li-ion diffusion. At the appropriate C concentration, Sn-TiO2-C exhibited significantly enhanced cycling performance and rate capability compared to its counterparts (Sn-TiO2 and Sn-C). Sn-TiO2-C delivers good reversible specific capacities (669 mAh g-1 after 100 cycles at 200 mA g-1 and 651 mAh g-1 after 500 cycles at 500 mA g-1) and rate performance (446 mAh g-1 at 3000 mA g-1). The superiority of Sn-TiO2-C over Sn-TiO2 and Sn-C was corroborated by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, which revealed faster Li-ion diffusion kinetics in the presence of the hybrid TiO2-C matrix than in the presence of TiO2 or C alone. Therefore, Sn-TiO2-C is a potential anode for next-generation Li-ion batteries.

Endurance triathlons impose substantial physiological stress, yet effects of short-course formats remain relatively unexplored. In this preliminary study, we assessed proteinuria and hydration levels in 27 well-trained triathletes (41.9 [7.4] years) who completed a sprint triathlon consisting of a 1500-m swim, 26-km cycle, and 8-km run. Urine samples were collected before and after the race. The results showed an increase in cases of post-race proteinuria from four to nine (p=0.03). Also, one case of urobilinuria and ketoacidosis was observed after the race. Pre-race glucosuria, which was present in nine cases, decreased to three cases post-race. Although hematuria cases decreased from six to two (p=0.13), pre-race leukocyturia (found in two cases) resolved post-race. There was a significant increase in urine specific gravity (from 1.018 to 1.023, p=0.03), indicating dehydration. In conclusion, short-course triathlons were found to induce post-race proteinuria, urobilinuria, and dehydration without exacerbating pre-race glucosuria, hematuria, or leukocyturia. These preliminary findings contribute to our understanding of medical guidelines for sprint triathlons, an area of endurance sports that has received limited research attention. Further investigation, both mechanistic and longitudinal, is warranted in this regard.

Outbreaks of the desert locust Schistocerca gregaria affect some of the poorest parts of Africa, causing devastating catastrophes. Key to understanding and dealing with this problematic adaptation to environmental changes is comparing locusts that are gregarious (associated with outbreak states) and solitarious (associated with non-outbreak states) either in nature or after experimental treatments in laboratories. Categorising locusts and detecting changes in their phase status is key to such comparisons. Such comparisons are hitherto based on applying mathematical models that use behavioural parameters and that each laboratory has to build a new for each experiment. All such models used thus far for research on locusts are different from each other. That implies differences in the tools used for the different experiments and by the different laboratories and, thus, potential noise in the scientific results and interpretations too. Standardizing the way how we categorise locusts between laboratories and experiments is needed if we want to reduce noise and errors. It is even a must if we are to make the results and interpretations transferable and comparable between experiments and laboratories that work in such an important research area. Here, we use samples from independent S. gregaria population in order to further test the two models that were suggested earlier as standardizing tools for S. gregaria categorization. The outcomes of both models were largely replicated and reproducible. We report on how successful the two models were at categorizing solitarious, intermediate (transient) and gregarious nymph and adult samples. We highlight shortcomings and make more specific recommendations on the use of these models based on the differences they show as to their precision when categorizing the solitarious and gregarious S. gregaria nymph and adult samples.

Fly ash cement has rarely been used in Japan, mainly because its strength development is slower than ordinary Portland cement. In this research, the effect of the new fly ash cement with both high alite (C3S) cement and fly ash modified by electrostatic belt separation method on cracking resistance of precast concrete prepared by steam curing was studied. The mechanical and shrinkage properties of the proposed fly ash concrete were compared with those of concrete made using OPC cement without fly ash. In order to study the cracking tendency of precast concrete with the proposed fly ash cement, thermal stress analysis was conducted taking into consideration of the experimental data of concrete properties with the different concrete mix proportions. A standard precast concrete box culvert model was used in this 3D FEM analysis and the distribution of temperature and relative humidity in cross section and induced restraint stress during and after steam curing were discussed. Steam-cured concrete with fly ash and high alite cement developed higher compressive strength on the first day of age than concrete with OPC. The proposed fly ash concrete developed high cracking resistance in the early days. On the other hand, the results showed that the drying shrinkage at later ages was the main cause of cracking.

Cellular organisms possess intricate DNA damage repair and tolerance pathways to manage various DNA lesions arising from endogenous or exogenous sources. Dysregulation of these pathways is associated with cancer development and progression. Synthetic lethality (SL), a promising cancer therapy concept, involves exploiting the simultaneous functional loss of two genes for selective cell death. PARP inhibitors (PARPis) have demonstrated success in BRCA-deficient tumors. Cisplatin (CPT), a widely used chemotherapy agent, forms DNA adducts and crosslinks, rendering it effective against various cancers but less so for prostate cancer (PCa) due to resistance and toxicity. Here, we explore the therapeutic potential of TLK1, a kinase upregulated in androgen-insensitive PCa cells, as a target for enhancing CPT-based therapy. TLK1 phosphorylates key homologous recombination repair (HRR) proteins RAD54L and RAD54B, critical for HRR alongside RAD51. The combination of CPT with TLK1 inhibitor J54 exhibits SL in androgen-insensitive PCa cells. The formation of double-strand break intermediates during inter-strand crosslink processing necessitates HRR for effective repair. Therefore, targeting TLK1 with J54 enhances the SL of CPT by impeding HRR, leading to increased sensitivity in PCa cells. These findings suggest a promising approach for improving CPT-based therapies in PCa, particularly in androgen-insensitive cases. By elucidating the role of TLK1 in CPT resistance, this study provides valuable insights into potential therapeutic targets to overcome PCa resistance to CPT chemotherapy. Further investigations into TLK1 inhibition in combination with other DNA-damaging agents may pave the way for more effective and targeted treatments for PCa and other cancers that exhibit resistance to traditional chemotherapy agents.

Halloysite and kaolinite are dioctahedral TO phyllosilicates that drive the interest of scientists for formulating environmental friendly materials, and consequently in the field of ceramics. The main scope of this study was the understanding of the texture evolution upon the dehydroxylation reaction and the influence of the presence of halloysite. In situ synchrotron (002) and (111) poles figures were recorded on the DiffAbs beamline at SOLEIL Synchrotron, from room temperature to 1000°C, on kaolinite and/or halloysite-rich samples shaped by tape casting. Commercial kaolins and halloysite provided by Imerys company were used. The samples were labeled KRG100, KCS100, H100, KRG50H50 and KRG59H50 in relation with the wt. % of kaolin (KRG, KCS) or halloysite (H) clays. In samples KCS100 and KRG100, a strong texture was observed until in situ annealing at 700°C, with respect to the c-axis of kaolinite. One the contrary, the texture with respect to the c-axis of halloysite for the sample H100 was weak whatever the temperature was. Moreover, this weak texture disappeared before the complete dehydroxylation of halloysite. This is due to the opening of some halloysite tubes. When considering the samples KRG50H50 and KCS50H50, a significant texture was observed with the c-axis preferentially oriented perpendicular to the sample surface . The presence of kaolinite platelets predominated onto the alignment of halloysites tubes. Furthermore, it was noted that the halloysite influenced the (002) diffracted intensity into the temperature range 20 °C and 400 °C. Above 400°C, the behavior obtained for the (002) reflection in samples KRG50H50 and KCS50H50 was similar to the behavior noticed for pure kaolins KRG100 and KCS100 respectively. The dehydroxylation temperature range appeared to be relevant with combined effect of kaolinite and halloysite transformations arising from KRG100 or KCS100 and H100 samples. Therefore, the onset point of dehydroxylation is 550 °C ± 25 °C for KRG100, KCS100 KRG50H50 and KCS50H50. For the pure halloysite H100 sample, the dehydroxylation starts at lower temperature 475°C. It was also noted that during the dehydroxylation of kaolinite, the characteristic portion of ring related to the diffracted intensity of the (111) reflection located at χ = 45 ° tended to disappear above 550 °C and led to the formation of a new transitory phase with a (111) reflection with perpendicular alignment to the c-axis. Indeed, an epitaxial relationship with the (111) kaolinite reflection could be assumed. Further X-ray scattering experiments allowed highlighting the effective offset temperature of the dehydroxylation, which was identified as close to 720 °C. The metakaolinite obtained undergone structural transformation to another transitory phase at 1000°C.