Inula viscosa is a widely used plant in traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern medicine for various illnesses. I. viscosa has been shown to have anticancerous effects against various cancers, but its effects against lung cancer have been under limited investigation. At the same time, I. viscosa is rich in terpenoids whose anti-lung cancer effects have been poorly investigated. This study aimed to examine the potential anticancerous properties of methanolic and aqueous extracts of stems and leaves of I. viscosa and its terpenoid-rich fraction against human lung cancer A549 cells. Results showed a high radical scavenging capacity and polyphenol and flavonoid contents of I. viscosa methanolic rather than aqueous extracts. In addition, leaves methanolic extracts (IVLM) showed the highest reduction in viability of A549 cells among all the extracts. IVLM also reduced the viability of human ovarian SK-OV-3, breast MCF-7, liver HepG2, and colorectal HCT116 cancer cells. A terpenoid-rich I. viscosa fraction (IVL DCM), prepared by liquid-liquid separation of IVLM in dichloromethane (DCM), displayed a substantial reduction in the viability of A549 cells (IC₅₀= 27.8 ± 1.5 µg/mL at 48 h) and the panel of tested cancerous cell lines but was not cytotoxic to normal human embryonic fibroblasts (HDFn). The assessment of IVL DCM phytochemical constituents using GC-MS analysis revealed 21 metabolites, highlighting an enrichment in terpenoids, such as lupeol and its derivatives, caryophyllene oxide, betulin, and isopulegol, known to exhibit proapoptotic, and antimetastatic functions. IVL DCM also showed robust antioxidant capacity and decent polyphenol and flavonoid contents. Furthermore, Western blotting analysis indicated that IVL DCM reduced proliferation (reduction of proliferation marker Ki67 and induction of proliferation inhibitor proteins P21 and P27), contaminant with P38 MAP kinase activation, and induced the intrinsic apoptotic pathway (P53/BCL2/BAX/ Caspase3/PARP) in A549 cells. IVL DCM also reduced the migration of A549 cells, potentially by reducing FAK activation. Future identification of anticancer metabolites of IVL DCM, especially terpenoids, is recommended. These data place I. viscosa as a new resource of herbal anticancer agents.

Breast cancer mortality rates vary across ethnic groups in Israel, where protective factors such as high fertility and breastfeeding rates may be moderated by socioeconomic factors and mammography rates. We aim to investigate disparities in breast cancer mortality between Jewish and Muslim Arab women in Israel and examine how sociodemographic variables and number of children are associated with mortality. Our retrospective follow-up study uses data from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics and multivariable Cox regression models, adjusting for age, number of children, country of origin, locality size, and socioeconomic status. Compared to Jewish women, Muslim Arab women exhibited lower breast cancer mortality rates. However, after adjusting for multiple sociodemographic variables, no significant differences persisted between Jewish and Muslim Arab women. Having more than three children was associated with lower mortality among Muslim Arab women, but not among Jewish women. European/American origin, larger localities, and medium socioeconomic status were associated with higher mortality. Sociodemographic factors may therefore explain the disparities in breast cancer mortality between Jewish and Muslim Arab women in Israel. Targeted intervention programs considering unique characteristics and risk factors of different ethnic groups are needed to reduce disparities and improve outcomes.

We have been encouraging practicing gynecologists to adopt molecular diagnostics tests, PCR, and cancer biomarkers, as an alternative enabled by these platforms to traditional Papanicolaou and colposcopy tests, respectively. An aliquot of liquid-based cytology was used for the molecular test [high-risk HPV types, (HR HPV)], another for the PAP test and still one more for the p16/Ki67 dual stain cytology. A total of 4,499 laboratory samples were evaluated, and we found that 25.1% of low-grade samples and 47.9% of high-grade samples after PAP testing had a negative HR HPV-PCR result. In those cases, reported as Pap-negative, 22.1% got a positive HR HPV-PCR result. Dual staining with the p16/Ki67 biomarkers in samples was positive for HR HPV, and 31.7% were also positive for these markers. Of the PCR results positive for any of these high-risk HPV subtypes, n 68.3% we did not to find evidence for the presence of cancerous cells, highlighting the importance of performing dual staining with p16/Ki67 after PCR, to avoid unnecessary colposcopies. Encountered challenges are a deep-rooted social reluctance in Mexico to abandon traditional Pap smears and the opinion of many specialists, we still believe that colposcopy continues to be a preferred procedure over dual staining protocol.

Background: This study investigated how the expression of heat shock protein 27 (HSP27), cellular FLICE-like inhibitory protein (cFLIP) and clusterin (CLU) affects the progression of cancer cells and their susceptibility to doxazosin-induced apoptosis. By silencing each of these genes individually, their effect on prostate cancer cell viability after doxazosin treatment was investigated. Methods: PC-3 prostate cancer cells were cultured and then subjected to gene silencing using siRNA targeting HSP27, cFLIP, and CLU, either individually, in pairs, or all together. Cells were then treated with doxazosin at various concentrations and their viability was assessed by MTT assay. Results: The study found that silencing the CLU gene in PC-3 cells significantly reduced cell viability after treatment with 25 µM doxazosin. In addition, dual silencing of cFLIP and CLU decreased cell viability at 10 µM doxazosin. Notably, silencing all three genes of HSP27, cFLIP, CLU was most effective and reduced cell viability even at a lower doxazosin concentration of 1 µM. Conclusions: Taken together, these findings suggest that simultaneous silencing of HSP27, cFLIP, and CLU genes may be a potential strategy to promote apoptosis in prostate cancer cells, which could inform future research on treatments for malignant prostate cancer.

Although lymphoma is the most frequent malignancy in common variable immunodeficiency (CVID), solid tumors, especially under influence of oncogenic viruses, are not considered. Furthermore, in vitro genetic studies and cell cultures are not adequate for immune system and HBV interaction. We adopted previously introduced clinical model of host-virus interaction (i.e. infectious process in immunodeficiency) for analysis of B cells and specific IgG role (observational study of a CVID patient who received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG)) Suddenly, the patient deteriorated with positive result of HBs, HBV-DNA (369x106copies). In spite of lamivudine therapy and IVIG escalation (from 0.3 to 0.4g/kg), CT showed 11cm intrahepatic tumor (hepatocellular carcinoma). Anti-HBs had been positive in time-lapse analysis (range 111-220 IU/ml). Replacement therapy intensification was complicated by immune complex disease with renal failure. The fulminant HCC in CVID and the development of the tumor as the first sign is interesting. Unfortunately, treatment with hepatitis B immune globulins (HBIG) plays a major role in posttransplant maintenance therapy. Anti-HBs substitution has not been proven to be effective, oncoprotective nor safe. Therefore, immunosuppression in HBV-infected recipients should be carefully minimized, patient selection more precise with the exclusion of HBV-positive donors. Our clinical model show HCC pathway with important humoral host factors, contrary to epidemiological/cohort studies highlighting risk factors only (e.g. chronic hepatitis). Lack of cell cooperation, B cell deficiency observed in CVID plays a crucial role in high HBV replication, especially in carcinogenesis.

The new diprotic ligand 3,5-di-tert-butylsalicylaldehyde 4-ethyl-3-thiosemicarbazone, abbreviated H2(3,5-t-Bu2)-sal4eT, exists as the thio-keto tautomer and adopts the E-configuration with respect to the imine double bond as evidenced by single-crystal X-ray analysis and corroborated by spectroscopic characterisation. Upon treatment with Cu(OAc)2·H2O in the presence of either 2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (2,9-Me2-phen) or 1,10-phenanthroline (phen) as a co-ligand in MeOH, this thiosemicarbazone undergoes conformational transformation (relative donor-atom orientations: syn,anti → syn,syn) concomitantly with tautomerization and double deprotonation to afford the ternary copper(II) complexes [Cu{(3,5-t-Bu2)-sal4eT}(2,9-Me2-phen)] (1) and [Cu2{3,5-t-Bu2)-sal4eT}2(phen)] (2). Crystallographic elucidation has revealed that complex 1 is a centrosymmetric dimer of mononuclear copper(II) complex molecules brought about by intermolecular H-bonding. The coordination geometry at the copper(II) centre is best described as distorted square pyramidal in accord with the trigonality index (τ = 0.14). The co-ligand adopts an axial-equatorial coordination mode; hence there is a disparity between its two Cu–N coordinate bonds arising from weakening of the apical one as a consequence of the tetragonal distortion. The axial X-band ESR spectrum of complex 1 is consistent with retention of this structure in solution. Complex 2 is a centrosymmetric dimer of dinuclear copper(II) complex molecules exhibiting intermolecular H-bonding and π-π-stacking interactions. The two copper(II) centres, which are 4.8067(18) Å apart and bridged by the thio-enolate nitrogen of the quadridentate thiosemicarbazonate ligand, display two different coordination geometries, one distorted square planar (τ4 = 0.082) and the other distorted square pyramidal (τ5 = 0.33). Such dinuclear copper(II) thiosemicarbazone complexes, which are crystallographically characterised, are extremely rare. In vitro, complexes 1 and 2 outperform cisplatin as antiproliferative agents in terms of potency and selectivity towards HeLa and MCF-7 cancer cell lines.

Breast cancer (BC) affects millions of women; it is the leading cause of death by neoplasia in wom-en worldwide, with at least 500 thousand deaths each year, 70% of which occur in developing countries. Elastography evaluates tissue stiffness, making this a promising non-invasive real-time technique. BI-RADS is recognized as a standard and helpful technique for establishing BC risk. This study aimed to determine, by strain elastography (SE), the fat-to-lesion index (F/L index), sen-sitivity, specificity, and optimal cut-off to diagnose BC. This prospective study included 216 wom-en who underwent SE, ultrasound, mammography, and breast biopsy; according to mammogra-phy, we recruited BI-RADS category 2 (n= 5), category 3 (n=29), category 4 (n= 94), category 5 (n= 71) and category 6 (n=17); after biopsy, 108 women were classified as negative, and 108 were pos-itive for BC. Three expert BC radiologists performed all imaging interpretations and biopsies. Our results show mean values of the F/L index for negative biopsies of 3.70±2.57 and positive biopsies of 18.10±17.01; we developed two models for the prediction of BC, a logistic regression model with an AUC of 0.893 and a neural network with an AUC of 0.902. The Youden index yielded a F/L index cut-off >5.76, with a sensitivity and specificity of 84.26%. Positive Spearman's Rho cor-relation coefficient was observed between the F/L index and BI-RADS, r=.073 (p< 0.001). ANOVA test showed a difference between F/L index vs. molecular subtypes (p=0.002). SE is helpful as a di-agnostic complement to mammography, or in cases where the latter is contraindicated, elas-tography has an adequate predictive capacity and is a fast and minimally invasive procedure.

We present a surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor array for microRNA (miRNA) detection that utilizes photocatalytic silver staining on titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanoparticles as a signal enhancement technique for high sensitivity with an internal reference sensor for high reproducibility. A sandwich hybridization was performed on working sensors of the SAW sensor array that could simultaneously capture and detect three miRNAs (miRNA-21, miRNA-106b, and miRNA-155) known to be upregulated in cancer. Sensor responses due to signal amplification varied depending on the concentration of synthetic miRNAs. It was confirmed that normalization (a ratio of working sensor response to reference sensor response) screened out background interferences by manipulating data and minimized non-uniformity in the photocatalytic silver staining step by suppressing disturbances to both working sensor signal and reference sensor signal. Finally, we were able to successfully detect target miRNAs in cancer cell-derived exosomal miRNAs with performance comparable to the detection of synthetic miRNAs.

The frequency of concurrent thyroid cancer in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (pHPT) varies. While the pathological association between thyroid and parathyroid disorders is frequently noted, the co-occurrence of parathyroid adenoma and papillary thyroid cancer is exceptionally rare. Furthermore, the occurrence of an ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the retropharyngeal space is exceedingly rare. Ectopic parathyroid glands present considerable complexities in both diagnosis and surgical management, especially within the realm of surgical intervention. The potential inability to accurately identify and excise ectopic parathyroid adenomas during the initial surgery may lead to an increased morbidity and recurrence, requiring high-risk reoperations. Therfore, the evaluation of anatomical variations through the utilization of relevant diagnostic tools plays a crucial role in guiding decisions pertaining to clinical manifestations, diagnostic methods, surgical interventions, and operative strategies for parathyroid tumors. We present the case of a 51-year-old female patient with papillary thyroid carcinoma in the right thyroid lobe and an ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the retropharyngeal space confirmed through surgical intervention. This case sheds light on the unusual occurrence of an ectopic parathyroid adenoma in the retropharyngeal region within a thyroid cancer patient, providing valuable insights within the realm of thyroid malignancies.

Background and Objectives: Previous studies revealed anti-angiogenic, antiproliferative and anti-inflammatory effects of Vitamin D on cancer cells. Although this body of evidence supported the correlation of high Vitamin D levels with reduced incidence rates for various malignancies, contradictory results were reported regarding non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Aim of this overview was to summarize the available evidence from the existing pool of systematic reviews and meta-analyses, focusing on Vitamin D serum status, dietary intake, and Vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms in correlation to NMSC incidence. Materials and Methods: A literature search in electronic databases was conducted from inception to January 2023. Inclusion criteria were systematic reviews and meta-analyses published in peer-reviewed journals, evaluating Vitamin D serum levels, dietary and/or supplementary intake, or VDR gene polymorphisms, and reporting data on NMSC. Results: A total of 10 studies were included in the data analysis models. A positive association between Vitamin D serum levels and NMSC is highlighted. However, dietary/supplementation of Vitamin D doesn’t exhibit a likewise strong linkage to NMSC. Despite the contradictory findings, VDR polymorphisms may play a crucial role in the intricate NMSC pathogenesis. Conclusions: This umbrella review showed that high Vitamin D levels are associated with increased NMSC incidence, potentially due to its direct correlation with increased sun exposure. Further research on VDR polymorphisms is suggested to explore their true effect size on NMSC risk.

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

Natural products, especially biologically active compounds derived from plants, have been and continue to be invaluable in anticancer research and therapeutic discoveries. Rice bran arabinoxylan compound (RBAC) is a heteropolysaccharide extract of defatted rice bran obtained through enzymatic treatment with Lentinus Edodes mycelium. RBAC exhibited antitumour properties by arresting in vivo tumour growth in several murine models. In vitro experiments showed RBAC to promote apoptosis in cancer cells by increasing the susceptibility of CD95 (Fas/APO-1) ligands and downregulating Bcl-2 proteins to trigger the permeabilisation of the mitochondrial membrane. RBAC may restore immune dysfunction in cancer patients, most notably by upregulating natural killer cell activity and modulating cytokine production to enhance inflammatory and cytotoxic responses. As such, RBAC acts on the immune system to enhance chemopreventative activity and block tumourigenesis. In treatment, RBAC works synergistically with other natural products and chemotherapeutic agents, such as daunorubicin and paclitaxel, by enhancing drug transport to increase DNA damage in tumours and reduce proliferation. In a clinical trial, combining RBAC with chemoembolization in treating liver cancer showed improved response, reduced recurrence, and prolonged survival time. RBAC has been shown to augment the endogenous antioxidant system to prevent oxidative stress and thus protect against the harmful side effects of radiation therapy. RBAC also has chemoprotective effects, with animal and human studies showing reduced toxicity and side effects from chemotherapy, leading to improved health-related quality of life. Meta-analysing the best available evidence indicates that RBAC treatment increases the odds of survival among cancer patients by 4.02 times (95% CI: 1.67, 9.69) in the first year and 2.89 (95% CI: 1.56, 5.35) times in the second year after commencing treatment, compared to those not treated with RBAC. Notwithstanding, additional research is needed to characterise, quantify, and standardise the active ingredients in RBAC responsible for the anticancer effects. More well-designed, large-scale clinical trials are required to further substantiate the treatment efficacies.

(1) Background: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of ETS homologous factor (EHF) in malignant breast cancer cells. (2) Methods: Overexpression and knockdown of the EHF gene in human and mouse breast cancer cells were performed, and the TCGA dataset and Q-omics were analyzed. (3) Results: We found that the tumor suppressor NDRG2 is correlated with EHF gene expression in triple-negative breast cancer cells, that EHF overexpression results in reduced cell proliferation and that apoptosis is promoted by chemotherapeutic reagent treatment of EHF-overexpressing cells. By EHF overexpression, senescence-associated β-galactosidase activity and p21WAF1/CIP1 expression were increased, suggesting that EHF may induce cellular senescence. In addition, overexpression of EHF reduced the migratory ability and inhibited epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT). Furthermore, EHF inhibited the phosphorylation of STAT3. Overexpression of EHF also reduced tumor size, and lung metastasis in vivo. At the tumor site, β-galactosidase activity was increased by EHF. Finally, Kaplan-Meier-plotter analysis showed that TNBC patients with high expression of EHF had a longer relapse-free survival rate. (4) Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that EHF inhibits breast tumor progression by inducing senescence and regulating EMT in TNBC cells.

The present studies were undertaken to address the role of fetuin-A in the growth and invasion potential in a triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) cell line, MDA-MB-468. Basal like TNBC that express high levels of ectopic fetuin-A have poorer prognosis for the patients compared to those that express low levels of the protein. We overexpressed fetuin-A in MDA-MB-468 and then determined the invasive potential of fetuin-A overexpressing cells vs controls transfected with empty vector. We also determined the adhesion and growth potential of the cells in the presence of only fetuin-A in serum free medium and also in complete medium. Our data suggest that fetuin-A overexpression significantly enhances the invasive potential of the cells and also the expression of Toll like receptor 4 (TLR4) on these cells. More importantly, the cells rely on fetuin-A-TLR4 signaling network for growth and invasion because the specific TLR4 inhibitor CLI-095 (resatorvid) abrogates fetuin-A mediated growth and invasion. Taken together, the data suggest that fetuin-A-TLR4 signaling network plays a significant role in the growth and invasion potential of TNBC.

The BNT162b2 vaccine is globally used for preventing morbidity and mortality related to COVID-19. Cancer patients have had priority for receiving the vaccine due to their diminished immunity. This study reports the response of administering the 3rd and 4th vaccine doses to can-cer patients receiving active anti-neoplastic treatment. 142 patients have received two doses of the mRNA-based BNT162b2 COVID-19 vaccine, while 76 and 25 patients have received three and four doses, respectively. The efficacy of the humoral response following two vaccine doses was diminished in cancer patients, especially in the group of patients receiving chemotherapy. In a multivariate analysis, patients after three and four BNT162b2 vaccine doses were more likely to have antibody titers in the upper tertile compared to patients after two doses of the vaccine (odds ratio (OR) 7.62 (95% CI 1.38-42.12), p=0.02 and 17.15 (95% CI 5.01-58.7), p<0.01, respective-ly). Unlike the response after two doses, the 3rd and 4th BNT162b2 vaccine booster doses, had an increased efficacy of 95-100% in cancer patients while on active treatment. This result could be explained by different mechanisms including the development of memory B cells.

(1) Background: Colon cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer morbidity and mortality globally. It is a multi-step process that involves genetic and epigenetic modifications leading to histological and morphological changes. Several complementary therapeutic options have been analyzed, shedding light on plant-based medication as a potential treatment for colon cancer. Flavonoids such as quercetin are known to have anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory properties. This in vitro study examines quercetin's anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, anti-angiogenesis effects and antioxidant properties in colon cancer cells. (2) Methods: The antioxidant capacity of quercetin-treated cells was investigated using biochemical assays, and angiogenesis and cytokine levels were assessed using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The epigenetic modulation and differential expression of aging, apoptotic, and proliferation genes, and Histone deacetylases (HDACs) were also investigated. (3) Results: In this study, the quercetin-treated group significantly reduced the antioxidant enzymes, cytokines, and VEGF levels, altering the expression of epigenetic factors. Quercetin also induced significant senescence in colon cancer cells. Moreover, a considerable increase was observed in the apoptotic and hTERT genes. In contrast, a decrease in p53, proliferation genes, and HDACs was observed, providing a basis for the clinical use of quercetin in cancer treatment. (4) Conclusion: In vitro studies showed that quercetin treatment efficiently induces senescence and apoptosis in colon cancer cells. We also found that quercetin effectively modulated the expression of p53, Wnt1, CTNNB1, and HDACs, indicating that it could be used to treat colon cancer.

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common malignancy and the second cause of cancer specific death in women from high-income countries. More than 70% of all breast cancer are hormone receptor-positive BC, and elevated estrogen circulating in blood has been proved to be a strong risk for BC development. This is due to its contribution to enhance proliferation of cancerous cells, angiogenesis and metastasis stimulation and therapy resistance. The estrogen (E) metabolism–gut microbiome axis is functional with underlying individual variations in E levels. It is reasonable that the estrobolome (bacterial genes whose products are capable of metabolizing E) could contribute to the risk of hormone-driven malignancies including BC and may serve as a potential biomarker and target. Gut microbial β -glucuronidase (GUS) enzymes have been suggested to be involved in the estrobolome. Furthermore, bacterial GUS enzymes within the gastrointestinal tract have been postulated to contribute to hormone breast cancer. In this review, we discuss the recent knowledge about the role of GUS enzyme in the pathogenesis of breast cancer. We focus on the role of GUS in (i)-the microbioma and estrogen metabolism, (ii) diet, estrobolome, and the BC development, (iii) other activities of the bacterial β-glucuronidase, and (iv) the new molecular target for BC therapeutic application.

Breast cancer is one of the most common types of malignant tumors worldwide and the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in women. According to the latest report from the World Health Organization, breast cancer has surpassed lung cancer, becoming the most diagnosed cancer globally. Herein, a systematic, quantitative, and visual analysis of the scientific achievements in natural products research and development for breast cancer over the past 30 years is presented. The study utilizes bibliometric and knowledge graph visualization techniques to analyze the trends, co-occurrence of keywords, cooperative networks, cited literature, and research hotspots in the field. The analysis shows that breast cancer natural drug development involves mutual cooperation between multiple countries, with China, the United States, and India being the most active players. Pharmacology is the discipline with the largest number of articles published in nearly 30 years. The study also reveals that the extraction of drugs from organisms and their metabolites is an important direction in the current development of anticancer drugs. The development of natural medicines for breast cancer together with the mining of genetic knowledge play an important role in treating human breast cancer. The research presented here provides insights into the current state of natural product research and development for breast cancer, and highlights the need for strengthening mutual communication and cooperation between countries and scientific research institutions to enhance the development of breast cancer treatment technologies and natural medicines.

The effect of the antioxidant vitamin C in cancer has been studied for over 30 years with conflict-ing results ranging from total absence of effect, to possible protective effect, to potential therapeutic effect when administered in high doses. The aim of the study was to define the effect of vitamin C in breast cancer and the possible involvement of sphingomyelin metabolism. Therefore, the effect of low and high dose of vitamin C on cells reproducing luminal A type (MCF7) and triple negative type (MB231) of breast cancer was analyzed. The results showed that high dose of vitamin C produced effects only in MCF7 cells such as decreased cell viability, modulation of cell cycle re-lated genes, unexpected change in cell phenotype due to estrogen receptor downregulation, catabo-lism of sphingomyelin with a large increase in ceramide. In conclusion, we demonstrated that high doses of VitC on the one hand reduce the growth of lu-minal A type breast cancer cells and on the other hand induce their phenotypic change towards hormone therapy resistant cells. The effect of vitamin C on therapeutic treatment failure of luminal A breast cancer and the possible involvement of high ceramide levels were discussed.

Malignant growth is the most widely recognized repulsive infections winning around the world, and the patients with disease are saved just when the malignant growth is distinguished at the beginning phase. Each kind of disease is interesting, with its own arrangement of development properties and hereditary changes. This paper presents the lung knob division and disease characterization by proposing an enhancement calculation. The general technique of the created approach includes four stages, such as pre-processing, division, highlight extraction, and the order. From the outset, the CT picture of the lung is taken care of to the division. When the division is done, the highlights are extricated through morphological and measurable and surface highlights like LOOP and LGP. At long last, the extricated highlights are given to the order step. Here, the characterization is done dependent on the Deep Belief Network (DBN) which is prepared by utilizing the proposed Chicken-Sine Cosine Algorithm (CSCA) which distinguish the lung tumor, giving two classes in particular, knob or non-knob. The presentation assessment of lung knob division and malignant growth grouping dependent on CSCA is figured utilizing three measurements to be specific, precision, affectability, and the explicitness.

The incidence and mortality rates of cervical cancer are rising among young women in Japan. In November 2021, the Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare reinstated the active recommendation for the human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine, which was discontinued in June 2013 due to reports of adverse reactions, including chronic pain and motor dysfunction, following vaccination. However, vaccine hesitancy among the younger generation remains, and it is essential to identify the barriers in vaccination uptake. Therefore, we aim to conduct a randomized study using different methods of providing educational contents to improve health literacy regarding cervical cancer and HPV vaccination among female students in Japan. Here, we present the results of our preliminary report and discuss current topics related to HPV vaccination in Japan. Data were collected from 27 female students—divided into three groups: no intervention, print-based intervention, and SNS-based intervention—using the Health Literacy Scale and Communicative and Critical Health Literacy scale. Our primary results indicate that participants’ knowledge and health literacy improved post intervention. Therefore, medical professionals must provide accurate scientific knowledge regarding routine HPV vaccination and the risk of cervical cancer to young women to improve their health literacy and subsequently increase the HPV vaccination rates.

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is characterized by an active immune response. We evalu-ated intratumoral interrelation between FOXP3+ tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes and other cy-tokines in TNBC. Network analysis refined cytokines significantly correlate with FOPX3 in TNBC. Treatment response and prognosis imformation of patients and survival data from the TGCA and METABRIC databases were analyzed according to refined cytokines. Interleukin (IL)-33 was sig-nificantly expressed by TNBC cell lines than luminal cell lines (log2 fold change: 5.31, p <0.001) and IL-33 and TGFB2 showed a strong correlation with FOXP3 in the TNBC cell line. Immunohisto-chemistry demonstrated IL-33 high group was a significant predictor of complete response of neoadjuvant chemotherapy (odds ratio (OR) 4.12, p<0.05) and a favorable survival compared to IL-33 low group (OR 6.48, p<0.05) in TNBC. Survival data from TGCA and METABRIC revealed that FOXP3 was a significantly favorable marker in IL-33 high group com-pared to the low IL-33 low group (hazard ratio (HR) 2.1, p=0.02), and IL-33 high/TGFB2 high subgroup showed significant favorable prognosis in the FOXP3 high group compared to the FOPX3 low group in TNBC (HR 3.5, p=0.01). IL-33 and TGFB2 were key cytokines of intratumoral interrelation among FOXP3 in TNBC.

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) exon-19 deletion is one of the most common mutations detected in lung cancer patients. Although exon-19 deletion is frequently detected in adenocarcinoma, observing this mutation in germline cells is very rare. Besides, the co-occurrence of homozygous and heterozygous mutations in dual primary cancers in a person is very uncommon. This article presents a 53-year-old Iranian woman with no history of smoking who was diagnose with two primary cancers; invasive ductal carcinoma, and primary pulmonary lung adenocarcinoma. The case reported a history of breast cancer in her sister and a history of lung cancer in her father. To select the best choice of treatment the EGFR gene was analyzed with Sanger’s sequencing method from DNA extracted from the patient’s lung tissue sample. Observing two primary cancers in this patient and considering her family pedigree, germline cells were also analyzed using samples recruited from the patient’s peripheral blood to investigate any EGFR mutations in her germline cells. The obtained data revealed that the lung tissue of the patient carried a homozygous form of EGFR exon-19 deletion while her peripheral blood contained a heterozygous form of this mutation, which is exceptionally rare.

Telehealth is the delivery of many health care services and technologies to individuals at different geographical areas and is categorized as asynchronously or synchronously. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused major disruptions in health care delivery to breast cancer (BCa) patients and there is increasing demand for telehealth services. Globally, telehealth has become an essential means of communication between patient and health care provider. The application of telehealth to the treatment of BCa patients is evolving and increasingly research has demonstrated its feasibility and effectiveness in improving clinical, psychological and social outcomes. Two areas of telehealth that have significantly grown in the past decade and particularly since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic are telerehabilitation and teleoncology. There two technological systems provides opportunities at every stage of the cancer care continuum for BCa patients. We conducted a systematic literature review that examined the use of telehealth services via its various modes of delivery among BCa patients particularly in areas of screening, diagnosis, treatment modalities, as well as satisfaction among patients and health care professionals. The advantages of telehealth models of service and delivery challenges in delivery to patients in remote arears are discussed.

Colonization of distant organs by tumor cells is a critical step of cancer progression. The initial avascular stage of this process (micrometastasis) remains almost inaccessible to study due to the lack of relevant experimental approaches. Here, we introduce an in vitro/in vivo model of organ-specific micrometastases of triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) that is fully implemented in a cost-efficient chick embryo (CE) experimental platform. The model is built as three-dimensional (3D) tissue engineering constructs (TECs) combining human MDA-MB-231 cells and decellular-ized CE organ-specific scaffolds. TNBC cells colonized CE organ-specific scaffolds in 2-3 weeks, forming tissue-like structures. The feasibility of this methodology for basic cancer research, drug development and nanomedicine was demonstrated on a model of hepatic micrometastasis of TNBC. We revealed that MDA-MB-231 differentially colonize parenchymal and stromal com-partments of the liver-specific extracellular matrix (LS-ECM) and become more resistant to the treatment with molecular Doxorubicin (Dox) and Dox-loaded mesoporous silica nanoparticles than in monolayer cultures. When grafted on CE chorioallantoic membrane, LS-ECM-based TECs induced angiogenic switch. These findings may have important implications for the diag-nosis and treatment of TNBC. The methodology established here is scalable and adaptable for pharmacological testing and cancer biology research of various metastatic and primary tumors.

Background: Breast cancer is the second type of cancer diagnosed in women and is the first cancer in women worldwide. Breast cancer also causes high morbidity and mortality in women and becomes a heavy burden due to the incidence of disability due to the disease. Purpose: This literature review aims to examine how social support affects anxiety, depression and quality of life in breast cancer sufferers. Method: The data were obtained by searching for reputable and trustworthy journals. have high quality criteria, namely Scopus, Proquest, Science Direct, Elsevier, Pubmed. Journals or articles used in this review literature are searched using keywords and Boolean operators (AND, OR NOT, or AND NOT). Keywords in this review literature are as follows: social support OR family support, quality of life OR Quality, anxiety OR depression, AND Cancer OR cancer treatment OR Chronic disease. Results: The results of this literature review show that there is a significant influence between the social support received by breast cancer patients on the improvement of their quality of life. The social support provided is also able to reduce anxiety and depression in breast cancer sufferersConclusion: Social support given to breast cancer patients is proven to have an effect on improving the quality of life, reducing anxiety and depression.

Fagonia indica is a perennial plant grown in arid climates and utilised in traditional medicine as a treatment for cancer. Previous research has highlighted potential antineoplastic effects of Fagonia indica against breast cancer cell lines. Despite this, there has been little research demonstrating the potential of an aqueous extract of Fagonia indica against colon cancer. Colon cancer is a leading cause of cancer-related mortality, with drug resistance remaining a barrier to treatment. The aim of the present study was to investigate the cytotoxic mechanisms of Fagonia indica in colon cancer cells, including pathways related to proliferation, angiogenesis and inflammation, and ABC membrane transporters. Treatment with Fagonia indica caused a reduction in cell viability in wild-type and chemotherapy resistant colon cancer. Results indicated a role for Akt/ MAPK signalling as a mechanism of Fagonia indica induced cell death, alongside a reduction in the expression of VEG-F, NK-κB and ICAM-1. RT-PCR demonstrated a reduction in expression of ABCG2/ABCC4 in resistant colon cancers, after treatment with Fagonia indica extract. Further research is required to isolate bioactive compounds of Fagonia indica for use against colon cancer.

Purpose: To report the early clinical outcomes of combining intensity‐modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and intensity‐modulated proton therapy (IMPT) in comparison with IMRT alone in treating the oropharynx cancer (OPC) patients. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 148 OPC patients were retrospectively reviewed, who underwent definitive radiotherapy (RT) with concurrent systemic therapy, from January 2016 till December 2019 at Samsung Medical Center. During the 5.5 weeks’ RT course, the initial 16 (or 18) fractions were delivered by IMRT in all patients, and the subsequent 12 (or 10) fractions were either by IMRT in 81 patients (IMRT only) or by IMPT in 67 (IMRT/IMPT combination), respectively, based on comparison of adaptive re-plan profiles and availability of equipment. Propensity‐score matching (PSM) was done on 76 patients (38 from each group) for comparative analyses. Results: With the median follow‐up of 24.7 months, there was no significant difference in overall survival and progression free survival between groups, both before and after PSM. Before PSM, IMRT/IMPT combination group experienced grade ≥3 acute toxicities less frequently: mucositis in 37.0% and 13.4% (p<0.001); and analgesic quantification algorithm (AQA) in 37.0% and 19.4% (p=0.019), respectively. The same trends were observed after PSM: mucositis in 39.5% and 15.8% (p=0.021); and AQA in 47.4% and 21.1% (p=0.016), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression, grade ≥3 mucositis was significantly less frequent in IMRT/IMPT combination group, both before and after PSM (p=0.027 and 0.024, respectively). AQA score ≥3 was also less frequent in IMRT/IMPT combination group, both before and after PSM (p=0.085 and 0.018, respectively). Conclusions: In treating the OPC patients, with comparable early oncologic outcomes, more favorable acute toxicity profiles were achieved following IMRT/IMPT combination than IMRT alone.

Effective biomarkers are essential to the early diagnosis of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Herein, a retrospective study of 49 newly diagnosed and recurrent NSCLC patients, 31 patients with benign pulmonary disease and 24 healthy volunteers was conducted, to evaluate the diagnostic value of circulating rare cells for NSCLC. The expression of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor-derived endothelial cells (CTECs) in peripheral blood were measured by subtraction enrichment-immunostaining-fluorescence in situ hybridization (SE-iFISH). The level of CTCs (P＜0.001) and CTECs (P＜0.001) was significantly higher in NSCLC group than that in benign pulmonary disease group. The proportion of small CTCs (P＜0.001) and CTECs (P＜0.0001) significantly increased from benign lung disease individuals to NSCLC patients. The AUC of ROC curves of total CTCs and CTECs were 0.815 (95%CI: 0.722~0.907), 0.739 (95%CI: 0.618~0.860), respectively. The cut-off values for discriminating NSCLC with benign lung disease patients were total CTCs 11.5 units/6ml and total CTECs 10.5 units/6ml, with sensitivity and specificity being 67.3% and 83.9%, 77.6% and 77.4%, respectively. When CTCs and CTECs were combined, predictive value significantly increased to 82.6% as measured by the area under the curve. Small CTCs and triploid CTCs had high positive predictive value (PPV) and positive likelihood ratio (LR+) of the diagnosis of NSCLC in early stage. CTCs and CTECs can not only be used as new biomarkers for the diagnosis of NSCLC, but can also improve diagnostic performance of the early stage NSCLC. Moreover, the combined examination of CTCs and CTECs is be superior to the single.

Fibroblasts, the most abundant cells in the connective tissue, are key modulators of the extracellular matrix (ECM) composition. These spindle-shaped cells are capable of synthesizing various extracellular matrix proteins and collagen. They also provide the structural framework (stroma) for tissues and play a pivotal role in the wound healing process. While they are maintainers of the ECM turnover and regulate several physiological processes, they can also undergo transformations responding to certain stimuli and display aggressive phenotypes that contribute to disease pathophysiology. In this review, we focus on the metabolic pathways of glucose and highlight metabolic reprogramming as a critical event that contributes to the transition of fibroblasts from quiescent to activated and aggressive cells. We also cover the emerging evidence that allows us to draw parallels between fibroblasts in autoimmune disorders and more specifically in rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. We link the metabolic changes of fibroblasts to the toxic environment created by the disease condition and discuss how targeting of metabolic reprogramming could be employed in the treatment of such diseases. Lastly, we discuss Systems Biology approaches, and more specifically, computational modelling, as a means to elucidate pathogenetic mechanisms and accelerate the identification of novel therapeutic targets.

Breast cancer (BC) is among the leading causes of mortality from cancer in women. Many of the available anticancer drugs have various side effects. Therefore, researchers are seeking novel anticancer agents particularly from natural compounds and in this regard, snake venom is still one of the main sources of drug discovery. Previous studies showed potential anticancer effects of Cytotoxin II (CTII) from Naja naja oxiana against the different types of cancers. In this study, a pET-SUMO-CTII vector was transformed into SHuffle® T7 Express, an Escherichia coli strain, for recombinant protein expression (rCTII) and the cytotoxic effects of this protein was assessed in MCF-7 cells. The flow cytometry assay was applied to measure the apoptosis and cell cycle. Also, mRNA levels of the Bax, Bcl2, P53, caspase-3, caspase-8, caspase-9, caspase-10, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-3, and MMP-9 were analyzed by quantitative real-time PCR to determine the underlying cellular pathways affected by rCTII. The results of this study showed that treatment with 4 µg mL-1 of rCTII enhanced apoptosis through the intrinsic and extrinsic pathways. Also, the increase of the cells' proportion in the sub-G1 phase as well as a reduction in S phase was observed. In addition, the expression of MMP-3 and MMP-9 was decreased in the treated group in comparison to the control group that may contribute to the reduced migratory ability of tumor cells. These experimental results indicate that rCTII has anti-proliferative potential, and so this protein could be a potential drug for BC therapy in combination with other drugs.

Evidence of familial inheritance in non-medullary thyroid cancer (NMTC) has accumulated over the last few decades. However, known variants account for a very small percentage of the genetic burden. Here, we focused on the identification of common pathways and networks enriched in NMTC families to better understand its pathogenesis with the final aim of identifying one novel high/moderate-penetrance germline predisposition variant segregating with the disease in each studied family. We performed whole genome sequencing on 23 affected and 3 unaffected family members from five NMTC-prone families and prioritized the identified variants using our Familial Cancer Variant Prioritization Pipeline (FCVPPv2). In total, 31 coding variants and 39 variants located in upstream, downstream, 5′ or 3′ untranslated regions passed FCVPPv2 filtering. Altogether, 210 genes affected by variants that passed the first three steps of the FCVPPv2 were analyzed using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software. These genes were enriched in tumorigenic signaling pathways mediated by receptor tyrosine kinases and G-protein coupled receptors, implicating a central role of PI3K/AKT and MAPK/ERK signaling in familial NMTC. Our approach can facilitate the identification and functional validation of causal variants in each family as well as the screening and genetic counseling of other individuals at risk of developing NMTC.

We previously found a novel a new sirtuin (SIRT) inhibitor MHY2256 that exerts anticancer activity through p53 acetylation in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. Here, we investigated the anticancer activity of MHY2256 against hormone-related cancer, which is an endometrial cancer with poor prognosis. We found that MHY2256 markedly reduced cellular proliferation at low concentrations against Ishikawa endometrial cancer cells. The IC50 values of MHY2256 were much lower than that of salermide. Furthermore, MHY2256 significantly reduced the protein expression and activities of SIRT1, 2, and 3 with similar effects as salermide, a well-known SIRT inhibitor. Particularly, MHY2256 markedly inhibited tumor growth in a tumor xenograft mouse model of Ishikawa cancer cells. During the experimental period, there was no significant change in the body weight of mice treated with MHY2256. Detailed analysis of the sensitization mechanisms of Ishikawa cells revealed that late apoptosis was largely increased by MHY2256. Additionally, MHY2256 increased G1 arrest and reduced cell cyclic-related proteins, suggesting that apoptosis by MHY2256 was achieved by cellular arrest. Particularly, p21 was greatly increased by MHY225656, suggesting that cell cycle arrest by p21 is a major factor in MHY2256 sensitization in Ishikawa cells. We also detected a significant increase in acetylated p53, a target protein of SIRT1, in Ishikawa cells after MHY2256 treatment. In a mouse xenograft model, MHY2256 significantly reduced tumor growth and weight without apparent side effects. These results suggest that MHY2256 exerts its anticancer activity through p53 acetylation in endometrial cancer and can be used for targeting hormone-related cancers.

Specific foods and nutrients help prevent the progression from persistent high-risk human papillomavirus (hrHPV) infection to cervical cancer (CC). We aimed to focus on dietary patterns which may be associated with hrHPV status and risk of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+). Overall, 539 eligible women, including 127 CIN2+, were enrolled in a cross-sectional study, and tested for hrHPV infection. Food intakes were estimated using a food frequency questionnaire. Logistic regression models were applied. Using the Mediterranean Diet Score, we demonstrated that, among 252 women with normal cervical epithelium, medium adherence to Mediterranean diet decreased odds of hrHPV infection when compared to low adherence (adjOR=0.40, 95%CI=0.22-0.73). Using principle component analysis, we also identified two dietary patterns which explained 14.31% of variance. Women in the 3^rd and 4^th quartiles of the “western pattern” had higher odds of hrHPV infection when compared with 1^st quartile (adjOR=1.77, 95%CI=1.04-3.54 and adjOR=1.97, 95%CI=1.14-4.18, respectively). Adjusting for hrHPV status and age, women in the 3^rd quartile of the “prudent pattern” had lower odds of CIN2+ when compared with 1^st quartile (OR=0.50, 95%CI=0.26-0.98). Our study is the first to demonstrate the association of dietary patterns with hrHPV infection and CC, discouraging unhealthy habits in favour of Mediterranean-like diet.

A quantum hybrid (QH) intelligent approach that blends the adaptive search capability of the quantum-behaved particle swarm optimisation (QPSO) method with the intuitionistic rationality of traditional fuzzy k-nearest neighbours (Fuzzy k-NN) algorithm (known simply as the Q-Fuzzy approach) is proposed for efficient feature selection and classification of cells in cervical smeared (CS) images. From an initial multitude of seventeen (17) features describing the geometry, colour, and texture of the CS images, the QPSO stage of our proposed technique is used to select the best subset features (i.e. global best particles) that represent a pruned down collection of seven (7) features. Using a dataset of almost 1000 images, performance evaluation of our proposed Q-Fuzzy approach assesses the impact of our feature selection on classification accuracy by way of three experimental scenarios that are compared alongside two other approaches: The All-features (i.e. classification without prior feature selection) and another hybrid technique combining the standard PSO algorithm with the Fuzzy k-NN technique (P-Fuzzy approach). In the first and second scenarios, we further divided the assessment criteria in terms of classification accuracy based on the choice of best features and those in terms of the different categories of the cervical cells. In the third scenario, we introduced new QH hybrid techniques, i.e. QPSO combined with other supervised learning methods, and compared the classification accuracy alongside our proposed Q-Fuzzy approach. Furthermore, we employed statistical approaches to establish qualitative agreement with regards to the feature selection in scenarios 1 and 3. The synergy between the QPSO and Fuzzy k-NN in the proposed Q-Fuzzy approach marginally improves classification accuracy as manifest in the reduction in number cell features, which is crucial for effective cervical cancer detection and diagnosis.

Almost 6% of cancers worldwide are attributable to alcohol consumption. Approximately half of them occur in tissues highly exposed to ethanol, such as the oral cavity, pharynx, upper larynx and esophagus. However, since ethanol is not mutagenic and the carcinogenic metabolite of ethanol (acetaldehyde) is mainly produced in the liver, it is unclear why alcohol consumption preferentially causes a local carcinogenic effect. We recently hypothesized that the cytotoxic activity of ethanol could explain the high risk of these cancers in alcohol users. Here we report that short-term exposures (2-3 seconds) to ethanol concentrations between 10% and 15% start to cause a marked cytotoxic effect on human epithelial keratinocytes in a concentration-dependent manner. After discussing new evidence that cancer is the end-result of the accumulation of cell divisions in stem cells, we explain why regular alcohol consumption imposes a high risk of cancer on these tissues. Briefly, the cytotoxicity of ethanol reduces the lifespan of the cells lining these tissues. The stem cells located in deeper layers need to divide more often than usual to renew the damaged epithelia. The accumulation of cell divisions in stem cells leads to the accumulation of cancer-promoting errors (e.g., mutations arising during DNA replication) that increase their risk of malignant transformation. Cell division also exposes the DNA of the stem cells to the genotoxic activity of acetaldehyde and tobacco carcinogens. We propose that choosing alcoholic beverages containing non-cytotoxic concentrations of ethanol, or diluting ethanol to non-cytotoxic concentrations, is a simple way to reduce the risk of cancer of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx and esophagus in alcohol users. This preventive strategy may also abolish the known synergistic effect of alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking on the risk of these cancers.

In this study, a novel oral formulation of berberine hydrochloride (BBH) hydrogel was successfully synthesized through physical cross-linking using chitosan (CS) and carboxymethyl-β-cyclodextrin (CMCD). The characterization results confirmed the successful synthesis of CS/CMCD hydrogel and the subsequent loading of BBH into this composite (CS/CMCD/BBH) was effectively accomplished. BBH was used as a model drug and the resulting hydrogel demonstrated a sustained drug release profile. In addition to its improved solubility and sustained release characteristics, the hydrogel exhibited excellent antibacterial activity against common pathogens such as Escherichia coli (E. coli), Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), and Candida albicans (C. albicans). Additionally, in vitro studies indicated that the hydrogel was not cytotoxic to NIH3T3 and HaCaT cells, suggesting its safety for biomedical applications. This lack of cytotoxic effects, combined with the mechanical strength, solubility improvements, and antibacterial properties of the hydrogel, positions the CS/CMCD/BBH hydrogel as a promising candidate for effective oral delivery of BBH. By addressing the solubility and delivery challenges of BBH, this hydrogel offers a viable solution for the oral administration of berberine hydrochloride, with potential applications in various biomedical fields.

The importance of contact with nature for human health was confirmed by numerous research. One of the sometimes neglected fields is the landscape design of hospital premises. This study focuses on the perception and preferences of prospective patients regarding the hospital site design. The methodology included anonymous survey with images and lists of adjectives. The online questionnaire was distributed using e-mails and social media from 4th May to 8th July 2024. The objective was to include all age groups. The results confirm previous studies and demonstrate the importance of landscape architecture design of hospital premises for the well-being of patients. The findings may inform the design of hospital sites.

A low cost, scalable and robust process has been proposed as innovative method for coating solar mirrors with a self-cleaning, transparent in the full solar range and versatile material based on auxetic aluminium nitrides, previously obtained on the laboratory scale. This work presents the scaling-up of fabrication process from laboratory to prototypal scale and pre-liminary results of outdoor self-cleaning solar mirror prototypes testing in the demonstrative CSP plant ENEASHIP located in Casaccia (Rome) ENEA research centre. Prototypes 50x40cm have shown stability in external conditions: no degradation occurs during the test campaign. Their washing restores the initial reflectance affected by soiling and the self-cleaning performance allows the utilization of a reduced quantity of water for cleaning operations with respect to uncoated glass of back surface mirrors. A similar self-cleaning AlN coating could be utilized on other solar components affected by soiling, such as glass envelopes of heat collecting elements, PV panels and everywhere are required self-cleaning performance combined to optical ones.

Researches on the runoff and sediment reduction effects of soil and water conservation measures are being on the rise, which is of great significance for carrying out strategic on soil and water conservation in the Yellow River Basin. Through the analysis of various soil and water conserva-tion measures, runoff, sediment, and rainfall datas in the Sanchuan River Basin from 1960 to 2019, we use the lagrange multiplier method to determining the threshold year of soil and water con-servation measures on runoff and sediment processes. The preliminary conclusion is as follows: The trend of flood season rainfall and annual rainfall in the Sanchuan River Basin is consistent. The 10-year average rainfall in each periods indicates that before 2000, it gradually decreased and then significantly increased. The 10-year average runoff showed a gradual decrease before 2010, followed by a sudden increase, while the 10-year average sediment has shown a decreasing trend years by years, especially after the centralized treatment period. Terrace and dam measures show a trend of first decreasing, then increasing, and then approaching stability during different treat-ment periods, while the trend of forest and grass measures is slightly decreasing and then in-creasing rapidly. The runoff and sediment reduction effects of various soil and water conservation measures during different treatment periods indicate that the runoff reduction effect reached its peak in 2005, while the sediment reduction benefit reached its best in 2015. Based on the compre-hensive benefits of runoff and sediment regulation, 2015 are considered as the threshold year for various soil and water conservation measures, with each measure areas being 4.86 × 104, 17.91 × 104, 1.20 × 104, and 0.83 × 104hm2, respectively. The research results will have certain reference significance for the high-quality development of soil and water conservation in the Yellow River Basin.

Although a lot of research has been carried out on hand sanitizer as an effort to prevent Covid-19, there is still limited research on non-alcoholic hand sanitizer lotion from the brown algae Scytosiphon lomentaria (S. lomentaria) as a raw material that provides antibacterial effects and maintains healthy skin. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze microbial inhibitory ability, physical and chemical characteristics of hand sanitizer lotion made from S. lomentaria algae. S. lomentaria powder was tested for phytochemicals, total phenolic content, free radical scavenging activity (IC50), and antibacterial tests. S. lomentaria slurry was prepared by adding distilled water (1:1) for lotion preparations in four treatment groups, such as normal control (lotion base without adding algae), lotion with the addition of algae 20%, 30%, and 40%. The lotion preparations for each treatment group were tested for antibacterial activity of Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli, phytochemicals, pH, adhesion, spreadability, homogeneity, emulsion type, and hedonic. S. lomentaria powder contains bioactive polyphenolic compounds with a total phenolic content of 117.70±1.40 mg GAE/g dry weight and an IC50 value of 455±3.4 ppm, while lotion with the addition of S. lomentaria contains polyphenols and saponins The best treatment was shown by 40% S. lomentaria hand sanitizer lotion with inhibition of 6.30 ± 0.64 mm E. coli, 6.85 ± 1.12 mm S. aureus, hedonic test for color, texture and absorption with likes to likes very much level, neutral pH, greenish-white color, O/W emulsion type, high adhesion, homogeneous, and easily absorbed by the skin. This research can be an alternative reference in making non-alcoholic hand sanitizer lotion that is safe for the skin.

Non-Vitamin K Oral Anticoagulants (NOACs) have revolutionized anticoagulant therapy, offering improved safety and efficacy over traditional agents like warfarin. This review comprehensively examines the dual roles of NOACs—Apixaban, Rivaroxaban, Edoxaban, and Dabigatran—not only as anticoagulants but also as modulators of inflammation via Protease-Activated Receptor (PAR) signaling. We highlight the unique pharmacotherapeutic properties of each NOAC, supported by key clinical trials demonstrating their effectiveness in preventing thromboembolic events. Beyond their established anticoagulant roles, emerging research suggests that NOACs influence inflammation through PAR signaling pathways, implicating factors such as FXa and Thrombin in the modulation of inflammatory responses. This review synthesizes current evidence on the anti-inflammatory potential of NOACs, exploring their impact on inflammatory markers and conditions like atherosclerosis and diabetes. By delineating the mechanisms by which NOACs mediate anti-inflammatory effects, this work aims to expand their therapeutic utility, offering new perspectives for managing inflammatory diseases. Our findings underscore the broader clinical implications of NOACs, advocating for their consideration in therapeutic strategies aimed at addressing inflammation-related pathologies. This comprehensive synthesis not only enhances understanding of NOACs' multifaceted roles but also paves the way for future research and clinical applications in inflammation and cardiovascular health

Questions：SAP in mountainous cities of China serve as crucial carriers for species and wild food, constituting potential green infrastructure. These patches should be recognized as locally specific resources. This study investigates the transformation characteristics of the landscape patterns of SAP, along with their elements, across urban-rural gradients, providing foundational support for the planning of conservation and utilization strategies. Location: Yongchuan area of Chongqing in southwest China. Methods: The study investigated urban-rural gradient-based transformation of SAP. A four-direction transect space was selected and divided into uniform sample squares. Fragstats 4.3 calculated the landscape index of SAP, and Spearman correlation coefficients in SPSS were used to evaluate the influence of landform and artificial factors on agroforestry patch transformation. Results: 1) Patch area (PA), Plaque density (PD), and CLUMPY of SAP systematically transform, showing increased SAP areas and higher connectivity with greater distance from the city, resulting in reduced patch fragmentation. However, Edge density (ED) and Largest plaque index (LPI) exhibit irregular transformation patterns. 2) With increased distance from the city, woodland patch area and connectivity increase, leading to decreased fragmentation, dispersal, and lower fractal dimensions. Conversely, Cultivated land follows the opposite trend. garden land patch area, fractal dimension, fragmentation, and dispersal all increase, while connectivity decreases. 3) Landscape pattern transformations of SPA are significantly influenced by artificial factors. Woodland patches are influenced similarly by landform and artificial factors. In contrast, cultivated land and garden land patches are more significantly impacted by artificial factors. Conclusions: SAP exhibit differentiated conservation and utilization measures across urban-rural gradients. Small patches located far from urban centers may benefit from systematic conservation measures to prevent further fragmentation and erosion in peri-urban areas.

While the role of safe riding behavior as a safety contributor for cyclists has been increasingly studied in recent years, there have been few studies analysing cycling behavior in relation to crash-related outcomes in Baltic countries. Indeed, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first time this issue has been addressed in the case of Latvia. Aim: The objective of this study was to assess the relationships among self-repotted cyclists’ behavior, traffic safety literacy, and their cycling crash involvement rates. Method: A total of 299 cyclists aged M=32.8 from across Latvia (42% females) participated in an online survey, which comprised questions regarding respondents’ demographics, frequency of riding, and the number of crashes in the past five years. The Cycling Behavior Questionnaire (CBQ) and the Cyclist Risk Perception and Regulation Scale (RPRS) were applied to assess cyclists' behavior patterns and traffic safety literacy. Results: According to the findings, it can be inferred that cyclists frequently engage in riding errors and traffic violations while cycling. Those who exhibit more antisocial behavior patterns are also more likely to be involved in road crashes. Conversely, cyclists with greater positive behavior rates more often also tend to possess better knowledge of traffic rules and exhibit a heightened risk perception, indicating a greater awareness of road traffic safety. Conclusion: All in sum, this study underscores key age differences, with older individuals significantly less involved in riding crashes, exhibiting fewer driving errors and a higher level of risk perception, which serves as a crucial factor in road safety. At the practical level, these results stress the need to address both traffic safety literacy and protective cycling factors of cyclists, in a manner to improve overall road safety and promote active transport modes in Latvia.

Proper Post-Activation Performance Enhancement helps to improve athletic performance. This study aimed to investigate the effects of two different velocity loss (VL), 10%VL and 20%VL, on post-activation performance enhancement (PAPE) in 20m sprint performance among sprint athletes. Twenty-four male sprint athletes (100m sprint time: 10.96±0.15 s) were recruited. A randomized crossover experimental design was used for traditional group (TG), 10%VL, and 20%VL interventions. Sprint tests were conducted at the 4th, 8th, 12th, and 16th minutes after the intervention. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA revealed an interaction effect between group and time on 20m sprint performance (F=2.817, p=0.037, partial η²=0.585). Simple effect analyses showed significant differences compared to baseline at the 4th minute for the 20%VL group (P&lt;0.05). Cohen's d values indicated improvement in 10m sprint times at the 8th minute of the rest interval for all three intervention groups (TG: ES=-0.270, 10%VL: ES=-0.038, 20%VL: ES=-0.279). Improvement in 20m sprint times was observed at the 4th minute for the 20%VL group (ES=-0.296) and at the 16th minute for the 10%VL group (ES=-0.276). Compared to traditional PAPE schemes based on 1RM, PAPE schemes based on velocity loss (20%VL) can better induce PAPE effects in sprint athletes.

Students have historically fared poorly on the West African Examinations Council’s (WAEC) mathematics exam. This study investigated senior high school students’ difficulties with studying Geometry in the Cape Coast Metropolis, Central Region, Ghana. Using the descriptive survey design, data were collected from 300 Senior High School Two (SHS 2) students using simple random sampling. Students responded to the questionnaire and a 30-item multiple-choice achievement test on geometry. Four geometry concepts students perceived difficult to study are Circle theorems, Perpendicularity of Tangent and radius of a circle, Angle between Tangent and a chord and Tangents from an external point. The reasons for the difficulty in studying geometry topics are the unavailability of instructional materials, the geometry topics being complex, and teachers not teaching geometry concepts to the students’ understanding. Students’ gender did not influence the learning of concepts in geometry at a 0.05 level of significance. There was an insignificantly weak positive correlation between the students’ performance and their perceived difficult geometry concepts. It was concluded that the Ministry of Education does not provide relevant instructional materials to the various schools to teach geometry concepts. Schools do not organise workshops and seminars for teachers on effectively teaching geometry concepts in mathematics.

In recent years, the rapid development of computer-aided planning and design technology has provided a new perspective for the study of complex problems such as the generation of architectural complex forms. This study focuses on how to apply parameterization technology to analyze and articulate traditional spatial form composition rules, aiming to minimize reliance on subjective human judgment in the protection and renewal design of the historical style of traditional villages. It aims to establish digital generative design tools to address the challenges of accurately inheriting and innovatively utilizing historical and cultural information in traditional settlements. It introduces how to rely on parameterization technology to analyze the spatial form composition rules, parameter extraction rules, and spatial reconstruction rules of traditional villages, facilitating the complete process from spatial features to parameterization rules, and then to the application of computational methods to deduce spatial features. It also includes case studies demonstrating the application of parameterization technology tools for village protection and explores the role of generative design tools in preserving the spatial style of these settlements.

In this paper, we present a method for estimating GPS signals from visual information captured by a monocular camera mounted on a fixed-wing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle. The main challenge in visual odometry from aerial images is the computation of scale due to irregularities in the elevation of the terrain. That is, it is not possible to accurately convert from pixels in the image to meters in space, and the error accumulates. The contribution of this work is to reduce the accumulated error by comparing the images from the camera with satellite images. The algorithm has been tested in real-time experiments, and the results show that it is possible to eliminate the accumulated error using satellite images.

To decrease privacy risks, consumers may choose to misrepresent when they are asked to offer personal information. This paper examines the impact of consumer misrepresentation on a monopolistic firm and consumers with an economic model. The results show that consumer misrepresentation may benefit the firm but hurt consumers. In addition, consumers misrepresentation may encourage the firm to provide higher personalized service level in certain scenarios, such as, when the unit cost of personalized service is low. Thirdly, when consumers misrepresent, and the firm only covers part of the market, a greater unit value of consumer’s privacy information will reduce the firm’s profit, but a greater unit cost of personalized service increases the firm’s profit.

With the development of organizational biology and forced from the EU Cosmetic Regulation (EU/1223/2009) with the complete ban of animal testing for cosmetic purposes, 3D skin models have been widely developed due to their similar physiological structure and metabolic function to native human tissue. 3D skin models for in vitro cosmetic evaluation are still promising alternative methods for evaluating phototoxicity, corrosivity and irritation. These models have been used for early screening and later validation of toxicity and efficacy evaluation by many well-known cosmetic companies. 3D skin models have become an important tool in cosmetic evaluation research. This article reviews the development of 3D skin models and their application in cosmetic evaluation. An outlook on the current application and future technological development directions in the cosmetic field is also presented.

The concept of a Social License to Operate (SLO) has become increasingly important in the sustainability literature in recent years. Having its origins in the business discourse of the mining industry with respect to limiting opposition to mining projects, the notion of a social contract above and beyond legal requirements has since become applied across a number of different industries. Despite the concepts adoption confusion exists over the practices and outcomes of SLO, and particularly the nature of engagement. Given this situation it is surprising that not more attention to the role of marketing, and social marketing in particular, in operationalizing the concept. The paper discusses the potential of social marketing to contribute to SLO. Economic, political and social relations are complex in SLO and exchange is intricate in such relational environments. A community-based social marketing orientation is proposed as a means to improve exchange relations and enhance engagement. Seven models of SLO related social marketing models are discussed with community-based social marketing and adaptive co-marketing models being regarded as the most positive for the achievement of an SLO. Potential barriers to adoption of these approaches are noted.

As the most active plateau on the Earth, the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau has a complex crust-mantle structure. Knowledge of the distribution of such a structure provides information for understanding the underlying geodynamic processes. We obtains a three-dimensional density model of crustal and upper mantle beneath Qinghai-Tibet plateau and its surrounding areas from the residual geoid anomalies using the Earth Gravitational Model (EGM) 2008. We estimate a refined density model by iterations, using an initial density contrast model. We confirm that the EGM2008 mission products can be used to constrain the crust-mantle density structures. Our major findings are: (1). At 300-400 km depth, high-D anomalies terminate around Jinsha River Suture (JRS) in the central TP, suggesting that the Indian plate has been reached over the Bangong Nujiang Suture (BNS) and almost reach to the JRS. (2). On the eastern TP, low-D anomalies at the depth of 0-300 km together with high-D anomalies at 400-670 km further verified the current eastward subduction of Indian plate. The ongoing subduction provides forces to the occurrences of frequent earthquakes and volcano. (3). At 600 km depth, low-D anomalies inside the TP illustrate the existence of hot weak material beneath there, contributing to the external material inward-thrusting.

This study aims to investigate the interfacial tension, emulsion stability, and the impact on oil displacement effectiveness of mixed systems containing nonionic surfactants and amphoteric surfactants at different ratios. To achieve this, three different emulsion stability formulations were prepared by mixing betaine and nonionic surfactants in ratios of 1:1, 3:2, and 3:1 respectively. By adjusting the proportions of betaine and nonionic surfactants, variations in interfacial tension and emulsion formation among the three mixed systems were studied to analyze the mechanism of interaction between betaine and nonionic surfactants and evaluate their effects on crude oil displacement and enhanced oil recovery in reservoirs. Subsequently, microscopic and macroscopic oil displacement experiments were conducted on the three mixed systems, along with experiments on emulsion flow resistance. The aim was to verify the oil displacement effectiveness of different mixed systems and further understand their potential applications in reservoirs. By comprehensively analyzing the experimental results, optimal ratios and conditions for the mixed systems were determined. The experimental results indicate that the emulsification system formed by mixing betaine and nonionic surfactants at a ratio of 3:1 achieves molecular synergies through electrostatic interactions and mixed adsorption with betaine, resulting in a compact arrangement of interface membranes and demonstrating a synergistic effect in reducing interfacial tension to an ultra-low value of 10 -4 mN/m. Additionally, as the proportion of betaine surfactant increases, the viscosity of the aqueous phase liquid film increases, the rate of thinning of the liquid film slows down, the rate of water release slows down, and the stability of the emulsion increases. Microscopic oil displacement experiments verified that the three mixed systems increase oil washing efficiency through low interfacial tension and emulsification stripping action, thereby increasing the oil displacement mechanism's coefficient. Emulsion flow resistance experiments demonstrated that as the proportion of betaine surfactant increases, the system exhibits better plugging ability. However, macroscopic oil displacement experiments revealed differences in compatibility between different emulsion stability solutions and rocks with different permeabilities. The mixed system of betaine and nonionic surfactants at a ratio of 3:1 exhibits the best emulsification plugging ability in rocks with a permeability of 109mD, while the 1:1 mixed system performs best in rocks with a permeability of 12mD. This holds significant theoretical and practical significance for reservoir development and enhanced production.

This article explores the cutting-edge advancement of gypsum and cement building boards infused with shape-stabilized n-octadecane, an organic phase change material (PCM). The primary focus is on improving energy efficiency and providing electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capabilities for contemporary buildings. The research investigates the integration of these materials into construction materials, using red-mud Carbon Foam as a stabilizer for n-octadecane (OD@CCF). Various analyses, including microstructural examination, porosity assessment, and additive dispersion, were conducted using X-ray microtomography and density measurements. Thermal conductivity measurements demonstrated the enhancement of composite boards as the OD@CCF content increased, while mechanical tests indicated an optimal additive content of up to 20%. The thermal-regulated capabilities of these advanced panels were evaluated in a custom-designed room model equipped with a homemade environmental chamber, illustrating a consistent temperature environment during heating and cooling cycles. The incorporation of OD@CCF into cement boards exhibited improved thermal energy storage properties. Moreover, the examined composite boards displayed efficient electromagnetic shielding performance within the frequency range of 3.2–7.0 GHz, achieving EMI values of approximately 18 and 19.5 dB for gypsum and cement boards, respectively, meeting the entry-level value required for commercial applications.

Frequent and excessive consumption of alcohol, be it episodic or sustained misuse, ranks among the top causes of mortality globally. This comprehensive analysis seeks to elucidate how alcohol misuse precipitates death, with a particular focus on associated cardiac anomalies. Notably, the phenomenon of "Holiday Heart Syndrome," linked to binge drinking, is recognized for inducing potentially fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Moreover, persistent alcohol consumption is implicated in the development of alcoholic cardiomyopathy, a condition that underlies heart failure and arrhythmic disturbances of the heart. Additionally, individuals undergoing withdrawal from alcohol frequently exhibit disruptions in normal heart rhythm, posing a risk of death. This review further delves into additional alcohol-related mortality factors, including the heightened likelihood of hypertension, cerebrovascular accidents (strokes), and the connection between excessive alcohol use and Takotsubo syndrome.

Nowadays, the identification and characterization of grapevine cultivars resilient to climate and water stress while preserving quality traits is crucial for the wine industry. Therefore, the objective of this work was to characterize according to their aromatic potential 9 white and 6 red minority cultivars recently recovered from Castilla-La Mancha region (Spain), subjected at two different water deficit regimes: rainfed, with subsistence irrigation, and irrigated. For this, the varietal aromatic potential index (IPAv) and the detailed aromatic composition were analyzed by HS-SBSE-GC/MS, in extracts of two different ph. For IPAv values, red varieties did not show a clear trend with respect to irrigation. However, in white minority varieties, higher values were obtained under irrigation conditions. Thus, a clear differentiation of the minority varieties in comparison to the references was observed, primarily attributed to the content of esters and acids, in both white and red varieties. A notable contrast was observed at different pH, indicating a greater extractability of certain compounds like linalool, under more acidic conditions. This suggests that some recovered minority cultivars could be promising for cultivation in semi-arid regions with limited water, contributing to the wine sector sustainability in the future.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) development is associated with altered modifications in DNA methylation, changing transcriptional regulation. Emerging evidence indicates that DNA methyltransferase 1 (DNMT1) plays a key role in carcinogenesis process. This study aimed to investigate how pirfenidone (PFD) modifies this pathway and the effect generated by the association between c-Myc expression and DNMT1 activation. Rats F344 were used for HCC development using 50 mg/kg of diethylnitrosamine (DEN) and 25 mg/kg of 2-aminofluorene (2-AAF). HCC/PFD group received simultaneous doses of 300 mg/kg of PFD. All treatments lasted 12 weeks. On the other hand, HepG2 cells were used to evaluate the effects of PFD in restoring DNA methylation in the presence of the inhibitor 5-Aza. Histopathological, biochemical, immunohistochemical, and western blot analysis were carried out and our findings showed that PFD treatment reduced the amount and size of tumors along with decreased Glipican-3, β-catenin, and c-Myc expression in nuclear fractions. Also, this treatment improved lipid metabolism by modulating PPARγ and SREBP1 signaling. Interestingly, PFD augmented DNMT1 and DNMT3a protein expression, which restores global methylation, both in our in vivo and in vitro models. In conclusion, our results suggest that PFD could slow down HCC development by controlling DNA methylation.

Keywords: knowledge; behaviour; ergonomics; posture; musculoskeletal; pain; university; students; survey.

LCK, a member of the Scr kinase family, is a non-receptor tyrosine kinase involved in immune cell activation, antigen recognition, tumor growth, and cytotoxic response. The enzyme has usually been linked to T lymphocyte activation upon antigen recognition. Lck activation is central to CD4, CD8, and NK activation. However, recently, it has become clearer that activating the enzyme in CD8 cells can be independent of antigen presentation and enhance cytotoxic response. The role of Lck in NK cytotoxic function has been controversial in a similar fashion as the role of the enzyme in CAR T cells. Inhibition of Lck has been mainly to treat hematologic malignancies with a high rate of success. They may be useful in treating other tumor types, and they may be useful to prevent cell exhaustion. New, more selective inhibitors have been documented, and they have shown inter-esting activities not only in tumor growth but in the treatment of autoimmune diseases, asthma, and graft vs host disease. Drug repurposing and bioinformatics can aid in solving several unsolved is-sues on the role of Lck in cancer. In summary, the role of Lck in immune response and tumor growth is not a simple event and requires more research.

Introduction: Vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency (TD) after metabolic and bariatric surgery (MBS) is often insidious and, if unrecognized, can lead to irreversible damage or death. As TD symptoms are vague and overlap with other disorders, we aim to identify predictors of recurrent TD and failure to collect B1 labs. Methods: We analyzed a large sample of data from patients with MBS (n=878) to identify potential predictors of TD risk. We modeled recurrent TD and failure to collect B1 labs using classical statistical and machine learning (ML) techniques. Results: We identified clusters of labs associated with increased risk of recurrent TD: micronutrient deficiencies, abnormal blood indices, malnutrition, and fluctuating electrolyte levels (aIRR range: 1.62-4.68). Additionally, demographic variables associated with lower socioeconomic status were predictive of recurrent TD. ML models predicting characteristics associated with failure to collect B1 labs achieved 75-81% accuracy, indicating that clinicians may fail to match symptoms with the underlying condition. Conclusion: Our analysis suggests that both clinical and social factors can increase the risk of life-threatening TD episodes in some MBS patients. Identifying these indicators can help with diagnosis and treatment.

Rapid urbanization has profoundly impacted regional ecosystem services. However, few studies have comprehensively examined the spatiotemporal relationship between multi-dimensional urbanization processes and ecosystem services. This study investigated the spatiotemporal dynamics of urbanization and ecosystem services value (ESV) in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) region, China, from 2010 to 2020. We measured urbanization levels from two dimensions: Urbanization I (demographic, economic, and land urbanization) and Urbanization II (social and cultural urbanization). The ESV was quantified using the equivalent factor method. The results showed that: (1) The level of Urbanization I increased steadily, while Urbanization II, despite a lower level, exhibited a faster growth rate, especially after 2017; (2) The total ESV declined, with regulating services decreasing the most. The spatial distribution of ESV showed significant heterogeneity; (3) Urbanization had a significant negative correlation with ESV, with Urbanization I exerting a greater negative impact than Urbanization II; (4) The eastern region was dominated by high urbanization-low ESV clusters, while the western region was characterized by low urbanization-high ESV clusters. The findings provide important implications for regional sustainable development and can serve as a reference for related studies in other rapidly urbanizing areas around the world.

This research focuses on examining the responses of interest groups listed in the European Transparency Register to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Its aim is to investigate the nuanced reactions of 2,579 commercial and business associations and 2,957 companies and groups to the conflict, as expressed through their X (Twitter) activities. Utilizing advanced text mining, NLP and LDA techniques, this study conducts a comprehensive analysis encompassing language dynamics, thematic shifts, sentiment variations, and activity levels exhibited by these entities both before and after the outbreak of the war. The results obtained reflect a progressive decreasing in negative emotions regarding the conflict over time. Likewise, multiple forms of outside lobbying are identified in the communication strategies of interest groups. All in all, this empirical inquiry into how interest groups adapt their messaging in response to complex geopolitical events holds the potential to provide invaluable insights into the multifaceted role of lobbying in shaping public policies.

Longitudinal cutting is a most common process in steel structure manufacturing, and the man-hours of the process provide an important basis for enterprises to generate production schedules.However, currently the man-hours in factories are mainly estimated by experts, and the accuracy of this method is relatively low.In this study,we propose a system that predicts man-hours with history data in the manufacturing process and that can be applied in practical structural steel fabrication.The system addresses the data inconsistency problem by one-hot encoding and data normalization techniques,Pearson correlation coefficient for feature selection,and the Random Forest Regression(RFR) for prediction.Compared with the other three Machine Learning(ML) algorithms, the Random Forest algorithm has the best performance.The results demonstrate that the proposed system outperforms the conventional approach and has better forecast accuracy, so that it is suitable for man-hours prediction.

Present study on land use land cover analysis and taluka wise combination of cropped area, carried out in Beed district of Maharashtra state in India and studied 11 talukas of the district. Secondary data on land use land cover and area in various crops has been collected, compiled and analyzed from various secondary sources. Simple descriptive statistics used to examine the agricultural land use land cover and J.C. Weaver’s crop combination technique was used for taluka wise analysis of crop combinations and on the basis of highest to smallest area engaged in particular crop, crops have been ranked. The study showed that, in the district as a whole, percentage of uncultivated land other than fallow was about 46 percent as compare to net sown area is only 35 percent in total geographical area (1063855ha) of Beed district. The study further revealed that about 42 percent area engaged in food crops and about 58 percent area occupied by nonfood crops, which includes cereals (25%), cotton (19%), pulses (13%), oilseed (12%), sugarcane (5%) and fruits and vegetables (3%). Results of Weaver’s crop combination technique showed that the Wadwani taluka demarcated as most diversified taluka by means of maximum number (sixteen) of crops combinations with the lowest variance value (14) found in the present investigation. Further, the study revealed that the high crop diversity found in Dharur taluka with eighteen crop combinations and the taluka has given first rank amongst others. To derive the crop diversity ranking, taluka wise maximum to minimum number of crop combinations derived in different talukas and given ranks accordingly. The study concluded that, agricultural land use analysis is essential for solving and optimizing the land use problem, maintaining socio-ecological balance, best utilization of scarce resources. The authors enlightened that the rational use of agricultural land has important for food security and biodiversity which increase the productivity and profitability of the agriculture sector and it indicates the decision making ability of farmers in study area.

Soil organic matter (SOM) is important for the global carbon cycle, and hyperspectral remote sensing has proven a promising method for fast SOM content estimation. However, soil physical properties significantly affect the sensitivity of satellite hyperspectral imaging to SOM, leading to poor generalization ability of the estimation model. This study aims to improve the spatiotemporal transferability of the SOM prediction model by alleviating the coupling effect of soil physical properties on the spectra. Based on satellite hyperspectral images and soil physical variables, including soil moisture (SM), soil surface roughness (root mean squared height, RMSH), and soil bulk weight (SBW), a soil spectral correction strategy was established based on the information unmixing method. Two important grain-producing areas in Northeast China were selected as study areas to verify the performance and transferability of the spectral correction model and SOM content prediction model. The results showed that soil spectral corrections based on fourth-order polynomials and the XG-Boost algorithm had excellent accuracy and generalization ability, with residual predictive deviations (RPD) exceeding 1.4 in almost all bands. In addition, when the soil spectral correction strategy was adopted, the accuracy of the SOM prediction model and the generalization ability after model migration were significantly improved. The SOM prediction accuracy based on the XG-Boost corrected spectrum was the highest, with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.76, root mean square error (RMSE) of 5.74 g/kg, and RPD of 1.68. The prediction accuracy, R2, RMSE, and RPD of the model after migration were 0.72, 6.71 g/kg, and 1.53, respectively. Compared with the direct migration prediction of the model, adopting the soil spectral correction strategy based on fourth-order polynomials and XG-Boost reduced the RMSE of the SOM prediction results by 57.90% and 60.27%, respectively. The performance comparison highlighted the advantages of considering soil physical properties in regional-scale SOM prediction.

With the increasing interest in CM as a potential source of nutrients and bioactive compounds, there arises a necessity to delve into methods for its processing and drying. Over recent decades, a significant amount of research has been conducted on the chemical composition of CM and its potential health benefits. Consequently, this study is directed towards examining CM drying technology, including an analysis of the influence of different drying methods on its chemical composition and nutri-tional properties. The objective of this review is to systematically summarize the available literature on CM drying processes and their impact on its chemical composition. Special attention is devoted to comparing various drying methods such as freeze-drying, spray drying, and freeze-drying, as well as investigating factors affecting the quality of dried CM. To achieve this goal, we scrutinize a series of studies published between 2003 and 2022 to identify optimal drying methods that promote the maximum preservation of CM's nutritional components and bioactive compounds. Additionally, we explore possibilities for reducing drying time to enhance production efficiency. This research is grounded in the analysis of data from diverse scientific research databases, including Scopus and Google Scholar, encompassing a systematic review of scientific literature and a comparative analysis of the obtained results.

This article proposes a particular strategy to proceed with a progressive electrification of public transport systems in cities. Starting from a bus operation model, the possible electrification of two routes is analysed, one urban and another extra-urban in the city of Pisa. An estimate is made of the energy uses associated with certain operating modes. The maximum level of consumption is estimated at approximately 280 kWh per day per bus for the urban route and excluding some special days, less than 215 kWh per day for the extra-urban route, for which a hybrid bus is proposed. Starting from an estimate of the daily consumption for the management of the two routes, the sizing of a photovoltaic system distributed on some modular shelters which serves to power the same routes is carried out. The resulting system has a power of the order of 190-200 kW. The modular solution is also outlined, and an installation is proposed. The analyzed case lends itself to being easily replicated.

In recent decades, as eutrophication in inland and coastal waters (ICWs) has increased due to anthropogenic activities and global warming, so has the need for timely monitoring. Compared with traditional sampling and laboratory analysis methods, satellite remote sensing technology can provide macro-scale, low-cost, and near real-time water quality monitoring services. The Geostationary Ocean Color Imager (GOCI), integrated onboard the Communication Ocean and Meteorological Satellite (COMS) from the Republic of Korea, was the first geostationary ocean color observation satellite and was operational from April 1, 2011 to March 31, 2021. Over ten years, GOCI has observed oceans, coastal waters, and inland waters within its 2,500 km×2,500 km target area centered on the Korean Peninsula. The most attractive feature of GOCI, compared with other commonly used watercolor sensors, was its high temporal resolution (1h, eight times daily from 0 UTC to 7 UTC), providing the opportunity to monitor the quality of ICWs, where optical properties can change rapidly throughout the day. This systematic review aims to comprehensively review GOCI features and applications in ICWs, analyzing progress in atmospheric correction algorithms and water quality monitoring. Analyzing 123 articles from the Web of Science and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) through a bibliometric quantitative approach, we examined GOCI’s strength and performance with different processing methods. These articles reveal that GOCI played an essential role in monitoring the ecological health of ICWs in its observation area in East Asia. GOCI has led the way to a new era of geostationary ocean satellites, providing new technical means for monitoring water quality in oceans, coastal zones, and inland lakes. We also discuss the challenges encountered by geostationary satellites in monitoring water quality and provide suggestions for improvements.

Background: The Liver Imaging Reporting and Data System (LI-RADS) combines standardized terminology with a classification system for imaging findings in patients with HCC, therefore rendering diagnostic biopsy unnecessary in many cases. This retrospective study included 23 patients with a biopsy diagnosis of HCC, performed either before or after local interventional procedures, in order to evaluate the histopathologic changes induced by previous procedures and their potential influence on the response to immune therapy. Material and Methods: The study encompassed a cohort of patients diagnosed with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Diagnosis was established through contrast-enhanced computer tomography or magnetic resonance imaging that identified LI-RADS-5 nodules in conjunction with historical liver disease and elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels, or through histological examination confirming positivity for glypican3, heat shock protein70, and glutamine synthetase. The study detailed the liver disease etiology, LI-RADS scores, characteristics and dimensions of HCC nodules, serum AFP concentrations, Edmondson-Steiner grading, and the expression of programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) in the tumor cells. Results: Among the study's cohort of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC) patients, a portion had not received any prior treatments, while the remainder experienced local HCC recurrence following trans-arterial chemoembolization or radiofrequency ablation. Observations indicated elevated alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) levels in those who had not undergone any previous interventions, showing statistical significance. The Edmondson-Steiner classification predominantly identified grade III differentiation across patients, irrespective of their treatment history. Furthermore, an increase in intra-tumoral programmed cell death ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression was noted in patients who had not been subjected to previous therapies. Conclusion: Liver biopsy offers valuable insights for patients with Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC), assisting in the tailoring of immune therapy strategies, particularly in cases of recurrence following prior local interventions.

It has been shown that Human papillomavirus (HPV) infection is associated with several forms of cancer. Additionally, although there are more than 100 types of HPV, more than ten types of it, including types 16 and 18, are considered high-risk. The two proteins that make up the viral capsid of HPV 16 are L1, the major capsid protein, and L2, the minor capsid protein. FDA (The Food and Drug Administration) approved HPV vaccines mostly target L1 and L2 capsid proteins, which facilitate intracellular entry during infection. In this study, it was set out to analyze the creation of phylogenetic relations of L1 nucleic acid sequences of viral isolates. This study also analyzed sequences of three key elements within the amino acid sequences of HPV 16 L1: loops critical for structural stability, nuclear localization signal sequences, and residues implicated in viral attachment. As highlighted by the literature, these elements represent pivotal aspects of viral function. Furthermore, the report highlighted the particular inter-sequence variability within the HPV 16 L1 protein sequences. Overall analysis revealed clustering of sequences primarily due to geographical and characterized by more phylogenetic relatedness within location-specific clusters.

Multi-rotor drones, a kind of unmanned equipment which is widely used in military, commercial consumption and other fields, has been developed very rapidly in recent years. However, their short flight time has hindered the expansion of their application range. This can be addressed by utilizing hydrogen fuel cells, which exhibit high energy density, strong adaptability to ambient temperature, and no pollution emissions, as the power source. Accordingly, the application of hydrogen fuel cells as the power source in multi-rotor drones is a promising technology that has attracted significant research attention. This paper summarizes the development process of hydrogen fuel cell mul-ti-rotor drones and analyzes the key obstacles that need to be addressed for the further development of hydrogen fuel cell multi-rotor drones, including structural lightweight, hydrogen storage methods, energy management strategies. Additionally, prospects for the future development of hydrogen fuel cell multi-rotor drones are presented.

This paper describes the first results of an Image Recognition Based Location (IRBL) for mobile application focusing on the procedure to generate a Database of range images (RGB-D). In an indoor environment, to estimate the camera position and orientation, a prior spatial knowledge of the surrounding is needed. In order to achieve this objective a complete 3D survey of two different environment (Bangbae metro station of Seoul and E.T.R.I. building in Daejeon – Republic of Korea) was performed using LiDAR (Light Detection And Ranging) instrument and the obtained scans were processed in order to obtain a spatial model of the environments. From this, two databases of reference images were generated using a specific software realized by the Geomatics group of Politecnico di Torino (ScanToRGBDImage). This tool allow to generate synthetically different RGB-D images) centered in the each scan position in the environment. Later, the external parameters (X, Y, Z, ω, φ, κ) and the range information extracted from the DB images retrieved, are used as reference information for pose estimation of a set of acquired mobile pictures in the IRBL procedure. In this paper the survey operations, the approach for generating the RGB-D images and the IRB strategy are reported. Finally the analysis of the results and the validation test are described.

The oscillating heat pipe (OHP) is a new member in the family of heat pipes, and it has great potential applications in energy conservation. However, the fluid flow and heat transfer in the OHP as well as the fundamental effects of inner diameter on them have not been fully understood, which are essential to the design and optimization of the OHP in real applications. Therefore, by combining the high-speed visualization method and infrared thermal imaging technique, the fluid flow and thermal performance in the OHPs with inner diameters of 1, 2 and 3 mm are presented and analyzed. The results indicate that three fluid flow motions, including small oscillation, bulk oscillation and circulation, coexist or, respectively, exist alone with the increasing heating load under different inner diameters, with three flow patterns occurring in the OHPs, viz. bubbly flow, slug flow and annular flow. These fluid flow motions are closely correlated with the heat and mass transfer performance in the OHPs, which can be reflected by the characteristics of infrared thermal images of condensers. The decrease in the inner diameter increases the frictional flow resistance and capillary instability while restricting the nucleate boiling in OHPs, which leads to a smaller proportion of bubbly flow, a larger proportion of short slug flow, a poorer thermal performance, and easier dry-out of working fluid. In addition, when compared with the 2 mm OHP, the increasing role of gravity induces the thermosyphon effect and weakens the 'bubble pumping' action, which results in a little smaller and bigger thermal resistances of 3 mm OHP under small and bulk oscillation of working fluid, respectively.

: In this paper we present an optimization of the planar manufacturing scheme for stretch-free, shape induced metal interconnects to simplify the fabrication with the aim of maximizing the flexibility in the structure regarding to stress and strain. The Formation of trenches between silicon islands are actively used in the lithographic process to create arc shape structures by spin coating resist into the trenches. The resulting resist form is used as a template for the metal lines, which are structured on top. Because this arc shape is beneficial for the flexibility of these bridges. The trench depth as a key parameter for the stress distribution is investigated by applying numerical simulations. The simulated results show that the increase in penetration depth of the metal bridge into the trench increases the tensile load which is converted into a shear Force Q(x), that usually leads to increased strains the structure can generate. For the fabrication the filling of the trenches with resist is optimized by varying the spin speed. Compared to the theoretical resistance, the current-voltage measurements of the metal bridges show a similar behavior and almost every structural variation is capable of functioning as a flexible electrical interconnect in a complete island-bridge array.

Background: Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are widely used, with pharmacies accounting for a significant share of the distribution market. Despite their popularity, many CAMs lack scientific evidence for effectiveness, and some can cause adverse health effects. Limited research exists on CAM-related adverse events and the effectiveness of CAM labels in conveying crucial information. Methods: This cross-sectional study aimed to investigate CAM utilization, consumer perspectives, and the influence of labels on CAM usage in Melbourne, Australia. Data were collected through an online questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, MANOVA, and regression analyses. Results: The study enrolled 125 current CAM users, primarily recruited from pharmacy and supermarket customers (age: predominantly 31-50; gender: 20.8% male, 79.2% female). Participants' perceptions of effectiveness and safety were positively correlated. Label warnings prompted information-seeking, but consultation with healthcare professionals (HCPs), particularly pharmacists, was infrequent (24%). Adverse reactions were reported by 18.5% of participants, with 8.3% experiencing severe reactions. The analysis revealed relationships between CAM usage and demographics. Ordinal logistic regression showed a significant association between calcium consumption and higher age groups (coefficient = 1.658, p = 0.006), while binary logistic regression identified higher iron consumption among females (coefficient = 2.177, p = 0.007). Conclusions: Label warnings significantly prompted consumers to seek more information about CAMs. However, a limited engagement of HCPs, especially pharmacists, suggests an opportunity for improved consumer education and pharmacist involvement in CAMs-related discussions. The findings highlight demographic influences on CAM usage being essential for developing targeted health interventions and policies. Addressing these aspects may lead to safer CAM practices and informed consumer decision-making.

Human serum albumin (HSA) corona formation at polymer microparticles of a spheroidal shape was studied using dynamic light scattering and laser Doppler velocimetry (LDV). Physicochemical characteristics of the albumin comprising, the zeta potential and the isoelectric point were determined as a function of pH for various ionic strengths. Analogous characteristics of the polymer particles were carried out. The adsorption of albumin on the particles was monitored by electrophoretic mobility measurements (LDV). The stability of the HSA functionalized particle suspensions under various pHs and their electrokinetic properties were determined. The deposition kinetics of the particles on mica, silica and gold sensors were determined in situ by optical microscopy, AFM and by the quartz microbalance (QCM) under diffusion and flow conditions. The obtained results were interpreted in terms of the coarse-grained random sequential adsorption model that allowed to estimate the range of applicability of QCM for determining deposition kinetics of virus and bacteria at abiotic surfaces.

Hyperspectral images (HSI) contain abundant spectral information. Efficient extraction and utilization of this information for image classification remain prominent research topics. Previously, hyperspectral classification techniques primarily relied on statistical attributes and mathematical models of spectral data. Deep learning classification techniques have recently been extensively utilized for hyperspectral data classification, yielding promising outcomes. This study proposes a deep learning approach that uses polarization feature maps for classification. Initially, the polar coordinate transformation method is employed to convert the spectral information of all pixels in the image into spectral feature maps. Subsequently, the proposed Deep Context Feature Fusion Network (DCFF-NET) is utilized to classify these feature maps. The model is validated using three open-source hyperspectral datasets: Indian Pines, Pavia University, and Salinas. The experimental results indicated that DCFF-NET achieves excellent classification performance. Experimental results on three public HSI datasets demonstrate that the proposed method accurately recognizes different objects with an overall accuracy (OA) of 86.68%, 94.73%, and 95.14% based on the pixel method, and 98.15%, 99.86%, and 99.98% based on the pixel-patch method.

The Atmospheric Dynamics Mission ADM-Aeolus was successfully launched in August 2018 by the European Space Agency (ESA). The Aeolus mission carried a single instrument, the first-ever Doppler Wind Lidar (DWL) in space, called Atmospheric LAser Doppler INstrument (ALADIN). Aeolus circled the Earth in a polar sun-synchronous orbit at about 320 km altitude with a repeat cycle of 7 days, providing vertical profiles of horizontal line-of-sight (HLOS) winds on a global scale. Exceeding scientific expectations, Aeolus, initially designed for a 3-year lifetime, provided global coverage of wind profiles for almost five years. In this long-term validation study, we assessed the accuracy of the Level 2B (L2B) Rayleigh-clear and Mie-cloudy wind products by collecting radiosonde data from three stations in the Brazilian Amazon: Cruzeiro do Sul (7.62° S, 72.67° W), Porto Velho (8.76° S, 63.91° W), and Rio Branco (10.00° S, 67.80° W). Statistical validation was conducted by comparing Aeolus L2B wind products and radiosonde data, launched daily at 12:00 UTC from October 2018 to March 2023. Considering all data collected during the mission period, Pearson’s coefficient (R) of 0.73 was observed in Rayleigh-clear and 0.85 in Mie-cloudy, revealing a strong correlation between Aeolus and radiosonde winds. No significant biases were detected, with values of -0.14 m/s for Rayleigh-clear and -0.40 m/s for Mie-cloud, fulfilling the mission requirement of having absolute biases below 0.7 m/s. However, when analyzed annually, in 2022, the bias for Rayleigh-clear was -0.95 m/s, exceeding the mission requirements.

In the intersection of the Internet of Things (IoT) and Machine Learning (ML), the choice between high-level and low-level programming libraries presents a significant dilemma for developers, impacting not only the efficiency and effectiveness of ML models but also their environmental footprint. We have proposed a comprehensive framework to aid in this decision-making process, underpinned by a detailed comparative analysis of both types of libraries on one of the key IoT ML task; image classification. We have introduced a novel algorithm designed to calculate the green footprint of ML model training, factoring in execution time, memory utilization, power consumption, and CPU temperature, addressing the urgent need for sustainable ML practices. Through an empirical evaluation of popular libraries such as PyTorch for high-level and Libtorch for low-level development, we have assessed their performance, development efficiency, and hardware compatibility. The culmination of our research is a decision support system that synthesizes the experimental findings to guide developers toward choices that harmonize model performance with environmental sustainability.

(1) Background: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders often experience psychological distress, which can affect the quality of childcare they provide. It is crucial to screen for psychiatric symptoms among these parents. The Core Symptom Index (CSI) is a widely used tool for assessing general symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms, with demonstrated validity and reliability across various populations. However, there is limited research on the validity and reliability of the CSI in the general Chinese population. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the CSI among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). (2) Methods: A total of 794 Chinese parents raising children with autism participated in this study. All completed the CSI, along with the social inhibition subscale of the Interpersonal Problems Inventory and the Couple Satisfaction Index. Factorial validity was assessed using CFA to determine how well the bifactor three-factor model fits the data. Various structural models were compared using model fit indices. Convergent and discriminant validity were examined by exploring correlations with the social inhibition subscale and the Couple Satisfaction Index. Invariance testing of the CSI was conducted across multiple groups based on gender, age, and education using CFA. The reliability of the CSI was evaluated using McDonald’s omega coefficients. (3) Results: The bifactor model emerged as the best-fitting model for the data, suggesting that the total score of the CSI adequately represents overall psychiatric symptoms. The CSI exhibited significant correlations with the social inhibition subscale (r = 0.41, p &lt; 0.01) and smaller correlation coefficients with the Couple Satisfaction Index (r = -0.16, p &lt; 0.05), indicating both convergent and discriminant validity. Invariant tests supported scalar invariance levels based on gender and age but only partial invariance for education. The Chinese version of the CSI demonstrated high consistency, with McDonald's omega coefficients ranging between 0.86 and 0.95. (4) Conclusions: The bifactor model of the Chinese version of the CSI is validated, making it a suitable tool for measuring depression, anxiety, and somatization symptoms among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders. Further research on other Chinese populations is encouraged.

Improvement of hydrophysical properties and corrosion resistance of self-compacting concrete to the effects of alternate freezing-thawing and aggressive soils of southern and central Kazakhstan is of interest to a wide range of researchers from the side of practical application of the obtained results in construction practice. It is proposed to form a spatially reinforced fine crystalline structure of cement matrix with maximum dense packing by using a complex modifier (Hyperplasticiser + Polymer + Microsilica + Fibro fibers) in the composition of self-compacting concretes (SCC). The introduction of the calculated amount of the above additives increases the operational reliability of the current SCC compositions, increasing the water resistance to W16, frost resistance to F=500, increasing the compressive strength by 20%, reducing the mass loss of samples during corrosion leaching to 50%. It has been experimentally established that the proposed addition of complex modifier (Hyperplasticiser + Polymer + Microsilica + Fiber fibers) to the SCC composition allows obtaining self-compacting concrete of high quality with improved performance characteristics (compressive strength, water resistance, frost resistance and corrosion resistance). Studies have shown that the complex modifier-modified SCC compositions have a high degree of resistance in aggressive environments and leaching corrosion. Based on the results of the conducted tests, it is possible to recommend the obtained SCC compositions for production of building products working in the zone of alternating freezing-thawing and aggressive soils.

Vertical-axis wind turbines (VAWTs) are receiving more and more attention as they involve simple design, cope better with turbulence and are insensitive to wind direction which has a huge impact on the cost since the yaw mechanism is not needed. However, VAWTs still suffer from low conversion efficiency. As a results tremendous efforts are exerted to improve its efficiency which mainly focus on two methods regardless of whether the study is a CFD simulation or a field test or lab test experiment. An active approach which involves the modification of the rotor itself such as the blade design, angle, trailing and leading edges, inner blades, chord thickness, contra-rotating rotor, etc. While the second approach involves passive techniques where the flow is directed to optimally face the downwind rotor by mounting a guiding vane such as a diffuser or other shapes at the upwind position of the rotor. Among all techniques undertaken, the CRWT rotor technique seems to be the most effective with an output even comparable to that of Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWT), while the Savonius rotor received more attention compared to other designs of VAWTs. Apart from technological issues, it was also suggested that geographical issues such as proper site siting of the wind turbine rotor at a particular location where a uniform flow could be guaranteed is of paramount importance to ensure an effective conversion capacity of wind turbines.

In current transportation hubs, it is a common phenomenon that passengers travel with necessary wheeled-luggage or suitcases. Due to the fact that most luggage occupies certain space within dense passenger crowds with giant mass inertia, its abnormal motions, such as drifting, frequently trig unavoidable local disturbances and turbulence in surrounding pedestrian flows, further increasing security risk. While, current researches primarily concentrate on examining the impact of luggage on crowd evacuation efficiency through scenario-based experiments and analyzing the spatial characteristics of crowd distribution in surveillance videos. There still lacks of the dynamic disturbance mechanisms and crowd stability associated with the combined motion of passengers and luggage. Therefore, this study considers the luggage-laden passenger as a deformable particle, the resulting disturbance on surrounding non-luggage passengers is analyzed and quantified into a nonlinear pressure term. Subsequently, the disturbance propagation model of passenger-luggage is developed by adapting the classical Aw-Rascle traffic flow model with incorporation of the pressure term. Simulation experiments of disturbances caused by luggage drifting and retrograding validate that the proposed propagation model aligns with real-world situations in transportation hubs. Quantitively, when luggage-laden passenger drifted left, the disturbing force of left side crowd can reach a peak of 238N in the passenger density of 3.0 p/m2, and the maximum difference between the left and right sides disturbing force can reach 153N. Furthermore, it is recommended that the proposed model can be applied to crowd flow analysis and risk assessment.

Biological neural network (BNN) is the core brain for creature to accomplish its intelligent behaviors through unique network structure and mechanisms. It also inspires controlling human-designed autonomous agents including robots to generate more advanced intelligent behaviors by mimicking the neural control mechanism of creatures at a deeper and more interactive level. Here, we constructed a whole-brain neural network model of Caenorhabditis elegans (C. elegans), which characterizes the electrochemical processes at the level of cellular synapse. The neural network simulation integrates computational programming and visualization of neurons and synapse connections of C. elegans, containing the specific controllable circuits summarization with their dynamic characteristics within the whole network. To illustrate its particular intelligent control capability in terms of robotics, we introduce the first innovative methodology for applying the BNN model to a 12-legged robot’s movement control based on the established numerical simulation platforms. We accomplished and designed two methods and corresponding encoding processes, one involving orientation control and the other involving locomotion generation, to demonstrate the intelligent control performance of BNN. Both simulation and experiment results indicate that the robot exhibits stronger autonomy and more intelligent moving performance under the control of BNN. We then summarized the contributions for digitalizing the C. elegans’ whole-brain neural network in real-time and utilizing it to control robot in a closed loop to validate its advanced intelligence control ability in terms of a scientific robot.

Sunflower is one of the oil crops and its planting areas was listed behind Soybean, peanut and rapeseeds in China. It will encounter different kind of diseases during planting, thus limited the seeds yield. Fusarium species are the major threat to different crops nowadays, it is very important to identify the species caused diseases on different hosts, so that the potential control measures may be explored. In Inner mongolia, Sunflower Disk Rot (SDR) was found in different sunflower planting field, the average infection ratio around 8.50%, typically in some verieties, its infection ratio reach to 11.67%. The diseased receptacle were collected from different locations and Koch’s postulate was conducted. The results showed that Fusarium verticillioides was the main causal agent caused SDR. Fungicide toxicity tests shown that Fludioxonil and Flutolanil were screened out from six fungicides for controlling F. verticillioides, with EC50 values of 0.05 µg/mL (R = 0.9825) and 0.96 µg/mL (R = 0.9964) , respectively. This is the first report of SDR caused by F. verticillioides, and it will alert sunflower reseachers to include SDR in the disease list, so as to control sunflower diseases with integrated management strategy successfully.

In the case of a Cu-Mo-W polymetallic ore, the wastewater from the scheelite cleaning flowsheet contains large amounts of residual flocculants and metal ions, and the separation of chalcopyrite and molybdenite require a large number of environmentally harmful depressants. Therefore, it is necessary to find new methods to reduce the environmental and cost pressures of wastewater treatment and the use of depressants. In this work, the flotation wastewater from scheelite cleaning flowsheet for the separation of chalcopyrite and molybdenite by selective surface passivation was investigated for the first time. Flotations of single minerals and artificially mixed minerals with or without immersion pretreatment in the presence and absence of aeration were performed. The results showed that pulp pH had no effect on the flotation of either mineral, and a molybdenite recovery of 93.22% with chalcopyrite recovery of 10.77% was achieved under the conditions of 10 days of immersion pretreatment with aeration, 350 mg/L of kerosene, and 100 mg/L of MIBC. By combining the electrochemical cyclic voltammetry analysis and characterization by XRD and SEM, the selective surface passivation mechanism of chalcopyrite was discussed, which could be due to the coverage of the insoluble oxidation products, especially jarosite. This work has simultaneously achieved the depressant-free flotation separation of molybdenite and chalcopyrite and the reuse of scheelite flotation wastewater, which is of great significance for environmental protection and cost saving.

There is evidence that kidney involvement is frequently observed in COVID-19 patients, and can manifest as mild proteinuria to advancing acute kidney injury (AKI). One of the mechanisms is microvascular and macrovascular thrombosis caused by the hypercoagulation phase of the disease. Thromboelastography (TEG) is a valuable examination to detect significant hemostatic abnormalities, including the hypercoagulable state. This study analyzed the coagulation profiles, including TEG parameters, in COVID-19 patients who developed AKI compared to those who did not during their intensive care unit (ICU) stay, to identify predictors of AKI. Our single-center cohort retrospective study involved adult patients of COVID-19 in the ICU of Sardjito Hospital in Yogyakarta, Indonesia between May and September 2021. Patients were divided into two groups of AKI and non-AKI based on 2012 KDIGO definition and the elaboration by Indonesian Society of Nephrology. Variables showing a significant difference in the two groups were then analyzed using univariate and multivariate binary logistic regression. A total of 60 COVID-19 patients were included in the study, and 35% of them developed AKI. Compared to non-AKI patients, those with AKI exhibited a greater prevalence of diabetes mellitus (66.7% versus 35.9%, P = 0.023), higher D-Dimer levels (970 versus 685 ng/mL, P = 0.045), and higher values in TEG parameters of maximum amplitude/MA (74.6 versus 65.9 mm, P = 0.001) and coagulation index/CI (2.3 versus 1.0, P = 0.033). TEG parameter of MA emerged as the sole significant predictor for the development of AKI (OR, 6.33; 95% CI, 1.56 to 25.64). Our study validated the kidney involvement of COVID-19 infection, and showed that diabetes mellitus, high D-Dimer levels, and hypercoagulability serve as prominent risk factors in the development of AKI. Furthermore, TEG parameter of MA exceeding 70 mm is the single independent significant predictor of AKI.

Ambulatory heart rate (HR) monitors that acquire electrocardiogram (ECG) or/and photoplethysmographm (PPG) signals from the torso, wrists, or ears are notably less accurate in tasks associated with high levels of movement compared to clinical measurements. However, reliable estimation of HR can be obtained through data fusion from different sensors. These methods are especially suitable for multimodal hearable devices, where heart rate can be tracked from different modalities, including electrical ECG, optical PPG, and sounds (heart tones). Combined information from different modalities can compensate for single source limitations. In this paper, we evaluate the possible application of data fusion methods in hearables. We assess data fusion for heart rate estimation from simultaneous in-ear ECG and in-ear PPG, recorded on eight subjects while performing 5-minute sitting and walking tasks. Our findings show that data fusion methods provide a similar level of mean absolute error as the best single-source heart rate estimation but with much lower intra-subject variability, especially during walking activities. We conclude that data fusion methods provide more robust HR estimation than a single cardiovascular signal. These methods can enhance the performance of wearable devices, especially multimodal hearables, in heart rate tracking during physical activity.

Surface initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) is one of the most versatile technique to modify the surface properties of material. Recent developed metal free SI-ATRP makes such technique more widely applicable. Herein photo-induced metal-free SI-ATRP of methacrylates, such as methyl methacrylate, N-isopropanyl acrylamide, and N,N- dimethylaminoethyl methacrylate, on the surface of SBA-15 was reported to fabricate organic-inorganic hybrid materials. SBA-15 based polymeric composite with adjustable graft ratio was obtained. The structure evolution during the SI-ATRP modification of SBA-15 was monitored and verified by FT-IR, XPS, TGA, BET, and TEM. The obtained polymeric composite showed enhanced adsorption ability for the model compound toluene in aqueous. This procedure provides a low cost, ready availability, and facile modification way to synthesize the polymeric composites without the contamination of metal.

In eastern part of Ethiopia groundnut is very commonly intercropped with sorghum. Even though intercropping of sorghum with groundnut is practiced in the eastern part of Ethiopia the population density at what ratio should not be known. Therefore determining the population ratio is found to be crucial to draw management options. The study was conducted at two locations at Fadis (on station) and Babile (sub- station). Sorghum variety (Teshale) and groundnut (Fetene) were used as planting materials. All agronomic data were collected and analyzed by using GenStat software. Significant different were obtained among the treatments. The research result showed that, there were significance difference for both sorghum and ground nut yield per hectare in the years (2014 and 2015) among treatments. The result over time(in 2014 and 2015) at Fadis and Erer showed that the highest sorghum and groundnut yield per hectare were obtained/harvested from the intra row spacing of 25cmx20cm and 30cmx20cm intercropping sorghum with ground nut system with (1.27 and 1.31) respectively. The highest LER (1.31) and highest GMV (10218.00 ETBr/ha) were obtained from the intercropping of 30cmx20cm (Sorghum & groundnut). Clearly showed that, with intercropping of sorghum and Groundnut, it is possible to produce additional yield of sorghum without significant reduction in groundnut yield. As a result of this, the intra spacing of the main crop (sorghum) 25cm and 30cm and for the subsidiary crop (groundnut) 20cm was recommended for further production in the study areas of eastern Harerghe zone and similar agro-ecologies.

Laser Photoacoustic Spectrometers (LPAS), which provide photoacoustic spectra for detecting food frauds or adulteration, and fluorescence-based systems for recognition of contamination by heavy metal ions in water are two important families of sensors for health and environmental purposes. Both sensor families require one or more low-frequency Lock-In Amplifiers (LIAs) to extract the signal of interest from background noise. In the cited applications, the required LIA frequency is quite low (up to 1kHz), and this leads to a simplification of the hardware with consequent good results in portability, economy, reduced size, weight and low-cost characteristics. The present system, called ENEA DSP Box Due, is based on a very inexpensive microcontroller proto-board and can replace four commercial LIAs, resulting in significant savings in both cost and space. Furthermore, it incorporates a dual-channel oscilloscope and a sinusoidal function generator. This article outlines the architecture of the ENEA DSP Box Due, its electrical characterization and its applications within a project concerning laser techniques for food and water safety.

Dengue virus is a global health problem most prevalent in tropical and subtropical regions. However, after the approval of two vaccines, Dengvaxia, TV003/TV005 of Takeda, for its prevention, problems were reported, like enhanced risks of infection or less efficiency of protection. Since then, more struggles have been in demand for the development of better vaccines. Here, we conducted a new design through an in-silico strategy. Initially, epitopes were chosen based on their antigenicity, immunogenicity, and binding affinity with MHC molecule, while excluded with allergenicity, toxicity and potential risk of antibody dependent enhancement. Subsequently, a core antigen was constructed with selected epitopes and linked with distinct adjuvant proteins to achieve three candidate vaccines, PSDV-1~3. PSDV-2 was chosen for further validation based on their advantage in physicochemical and structural properties. With a panel of simulations, this artificial protein showed tight binding with pattern recognition receptors, good stability, robust immune induction, and ultimately was confirmed as a high quality vaccine candidate. The plasmid for its recombinant expression was then designed accordingly. With our new design, one more choice was obtained for the effective protection from Dengue virus. Further experimental validations are still require to confirm it protection capacity and safety.

In this work, dry and hydrothermal carbonization (DC and HTC) of RDF pellets were conducted to evaluate the physical, chemical, and fuel properties of the produced chars. In the dry carbonization tests, biomass sawdust was incorporated in different proportions on the samples to minimize agglomeration caused by the melting of the plastic fraction. The experiments were carried out in a temperature of 400°C (DC) and 250-300°C (HTC), in a residence time of 30 minutes. The respective chars and hydrochars were characterized according to their mass yield, apparent density, proximate, elemental, and mineral composition, chlorine content, high heating value, thermogravimetric profile, and surface functional groups. The results showed that dry carbonization of RDF pellets with biomass incorporation, followed by a washing step, resulted in the production of chars with improved properties such as higher fixed carbon and HHV (25-26 MJ/kg) and lower ash and chlorine content. Additionally, the HTC experiments demonstrated that hydrochars showed improved properties without the need for biomass addition and washing, however, with no significant difference in the HHV (20-21 MJ/kg). Therefore, DC of RDF pellets with 10% biomass incorporation seems to be a promising option to overcome the constraints of RDF utilization as an alternative fuel.

(1) Background: Several chronic respiratory diseases could be a risk factor for acquiring SARS-CoV-2 infection: among them, Primary Ciliary Dyskinesia (PCD) is a rare (about 1:10.000) inherited ciliopathy (MIM 242650) characterized by recurrent upper and lower respiratory tract infections due to a dysfunctioning of the respiratory cilia; We aimed to investigate if some polymorphisms of the TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor correlate with an increased prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection and severity of symptoms in a cohort of PCD subjects; (2) Methods: Patients answered several questions about possible SARS-CoV-2 infection, experienced symptoms and vaccinations; in case of infection, they also filled out a SNOT-22 and ARTIQ questionnaires; (3) Results: Forty PCD adult patients (mean age 36.6 ± 16.7 years, 23 females) participated to the study, out of which 30 % had tested positive for COVID-19 during the last four years; most of them reported a mildly symptomatic disease. We found no differences in age or sex, but a statistic significant difference (p=0.03) was observed in body mass index (BMI), that was higher in the COVID-acquired group (23.2 ± 3.3 vs 20.1 ± 4.1 kg/m2). Genotyping for TAS2R38 polymorphisms showed a prevalence of 28.6% PAV/PAV, 48.6% PAV/AVI and 22.8% AVI/AVI individuals in our cohort. In contrast to our hypothesis, we did not observe a protective role of PAV allele towards SARS-CoV-2 infection; (4) Conclusions: Our findings suggest that subjects with PCD may not be at increased risk of severe outcomes from COVID-19 and the TAS2R38 bitter taste receptor genotype type does not affect SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) accounts for approximately 90-95% of all kidney cancers in adults, with the clear cell RCC (ccRCC) the most frequently identified subtype. RCC is known for its responsiveness to immunotherapy, making it an area of significant research interest. Immune checkpoint (IC) molecules, which regulate immune surveillance, are established therapeutic targets in RCC. The aim of this study was to analyze the influence of polymorphisms in genes HVEM and CD160 on susceptibility to ccRCC and patient overall survival (OS) with over a ten-year period of observation. We genotyped three HVEM single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs): rs1886730, rs2234167, and rs8725, and two CD160 SNPs: rs744877 and rs2231375, in 238 ccRCC patients and 521 controls. Our findings indicated that heterozygosity within rs2231375 and/or rs2234167 increases ccRCC risk. Furthermore, in women, heterozygosity within additional HVEM SNPs, rs8725 and rs1886730, is associated with an increased ccRCC risk. The presence of a minor allele for rs1886730, rs2234167, rs8725, and rs2231375 was also correlated with certain clinical features of the disease. Moreover, the rs1886730 SNP was found to be associated with patients' OS. In conclusion, our study highlights an association between HVEM and CD160 polymorphisms and the risk of developing ccRCC as well as patient’s OS.

Clinical and laboratory diagnostics are particularly important in monitoring the internal homeostasis of the body in high-yielding animals, especially in dairy cows, whose metabolism is under constant pressure to obtain high parameters of milk production and reproduction. Knowledge of laboratory test results and relationships based on significant correlations between various milk and blood parameters may be very useful in veterinary diagnostics and helpful in cattle practice in order to protect animal health and the quality of milk production. The aim of the study was to analyze the correlation between selected hematological biomarkers such as white blood corpuscles (WBC), red blood corpuscles (RBC), hemoglobin concentration (HGB), hematocrit (HCT), platelets (PLT), erythrocyte mean corpuscular volume (MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin content (MHC), mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration (MCHC) and selected quantitative-qualitative parameters of cow’s milk such as current milk production, somatic cells count (SCC), colony of bacteria forming units (CFU), milk fat (MF), milk protein (MP), milk lactose (ML), milk solids (S), solids non-fat in milk (SNF), daily milk production. Samples were collected three times at daily intervals from 11 clinically healthy late-lactation dairy cows obtaining 33 sets of test results. This repeated study of cows allowed for obtaining a homogeneous group in order to determine statistical correlations between selected blood and milk parameters. Many significant correlations were found between the examined parameters. In cows, significant positive correlations were recorded between milk production and HGB, HCT, MCV or MHC. Significant negative correlations were also found between SCC and HGB, SCC and HCT, SNF and MCV, SNF and MHC, and between MF and RBC.

This study describes a novel method for grading pathological sections of gliomas. Our own integrated hyperspectral imaging system was employed to characterize 270 bands of cancerous tissue samples from microarray slides of gliomas. These samples were then classified according to the guidelines developed by the World Health Organization, which define the subtypes and grades of diffuse gliomas. We explored a hyperspectral feature extraction model called SMLME-Resnet using microscopic hyperspectral images of brain gliomas of different malignancy grades. The model combines the channel attention mechanism and multi-scale image features to automatically learn the pathological organization of gliomas and obtain hierarchical feature representations, effectively removing the interference of redundant information. It also completes multi-modal, multi-scale spatial and spectral feature extraction to improve the automatic classification of glioma subtypes. The proposed classification method demonstrated high average classification accuracy (>97.3\%) and Kappa coefficient (0.954), indicating its effectiveness in improving the automatic classification of hyperspectral gliomas. The method is readily applicable in a wide range of clinical settings, offering valuable assistance in alleviating the workload of clinical pathologists. Furthermore, the study contributes to the development of more personalized and refined treatment plans, as well as subsequent follow-up and adjustment of treatment, by providing physicians with insights into the underlying pathological organization of gliomas.

Immunosuppressed individuals, such as people living with HIV (PLWH), remain vulnerable to severe COVID-19. We analyzed the persistence of specific SARS-CoV-2 humoral and cellular immune responses in a retrospective, cross-sectional study in PLWH on antiretroviral therapy. Among 104 participants, 70.2% had anti-S IgG antibodies and 55.8% had significant neutralizing activity against the Omicron variant in a surrogate virus neutralization test. Only 38.5% were vaccinated (8.76 ± 4.1 months prior), all displaying anti-S IgG, 75% with neutralizing antibodies and anti-S IgA. 29.8% had no SARS-CoV-2 serologic markers and displayed significantly lower CD4 counts and HIV viral load. Severe immunosuppression (present in 12.5% of participants) was linked to lower levels of detectable anti-S IgG (0.0003), anti-S IgA (p &lt; 0.0001) and lack of neutralizing activity against Omicron variant (p &lt; 0.0001). T-cell responses were present in 86.7% of tested participants, even in those lacking serological markers. In PLWH without severe immunosuppression, neutralizing antibodies and T-cell responses persisted for up to 9 months post-infection or vaccination. Advanced immunosuppression led to diminished humoral immunity, but retained cellular immune.

Omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (ɷ-3 PUFAs) offer diverse health benefits, such as supporting cardiovascular health, improving cognitive function, promoting joint and musculoskeletal health, and contributing to healthy aging. Despite their advantages, challenges like oxidation susceptibility, low bioavailability, and potential adverse effects at high doses persist. Nanoparticle encapsulation emerges as a promising avenue to address these limitations while preserving stability, enhanced bioavailability, and controlled release. This comprehensive review explores the therapeutic roles of omega-3 fatty acids, critically appraising their shortcomings and delving into modern encapsulation strategies. Furthermore, it explores the potential advantages of Metal-organic framework nanoparticles (MOF NPs) compared to other commonly utilized nanoparticles in improving the therapeutic effectiveness of omega-3 fatty acids within drug delivery systems (DDS). Additionally, it outlines future research directions to fully exploit the therapeutic benefits of these encapsulated omega-3 formulations for cardiovascular disease treatment.

One of the industries with the fastest rate of growth is healthcare, and this industry's enormous data requires extensive cloud storage. The cloud may offer some protection, but there is no assurance that data owners can rely on it for refuge and privacy amenities. Therefore, it is essential to offer security and privacy protection. Increased customer satisfaction with security and privacy preservation is crucial since healthcare big data and its sources are stored in the cloud and contain increasingly private and sensitive information. However, maintaining privacy and security in an untrusted green cloud environment is difficult, thus the data owner should have complete data control. A new work SecPri-BGMPOP(security and privacy of Boost graph Convolutional Network -Pinpointing-Optimization Performance) is suggested that can offer a solution that involves several different steps in order to handle the numerous problems relating to security and protecting privacy. Initially Boost Graph Convolutional Network Clustering (BGCNC) algorithm, which reduces computational complexity in terms of time and memory measurements, is first applied to the input dataset to begin the clustering process. Second, enlarge by employing a piece of the magnifying bit string to generate a safe key, pinpointing based encryption avoids amplify leakage even if a rival or attacker decrypts the key or asymmetric encryption. Finally, to determine the accuracy of the method, an optimal key was created using a meta-heuristic algorithmic framework called Hybrid fragment horde bland lobo Optimization (HFHBLO). Our proposed method currently kept in a cloud environment, allowing analytics users to utilize it without risking their privacy or security.