Nanoscale imaging with the ability to identify cellular organelles and protein complexes has been a highly challenging subject in secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) of biological samples. This is because only a few isotopic tags can be used successfully to target specific proteins or organelles. To address this, we have generated gold-nanoprobes, in which gold nanoparticles are conjugated to nanobodies. The nanoprobes were well suited for specific molecular imaging using NanoSIMS at subcellular resolution. They demonstrated to be highly selective to different proteins of interest, and sufficiently sensitive for SIMS detection. The nanoprobes offer the possibility of correlating the investigation of cellular isotopic turnover to the positions of specific proteins and organelles, thereby enabling an understanding of functional and structural relations that are currently obscure.

To date, theoretical analyses have provided several useful methods/algorithms for studying transition states and non-covalent interactions. Potential Energy Scan (PES) is one such method that has found wide application in the physicochemical community. Analyzing the PES profiles of the catalytic system of FeBr3 in Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution (EAS) with molecular halogens, one can notice an obvious difference from the modern textbook mechanisms proposed in this area of study. Moreover, the newly presented Graphic Methodology (GM) allows a simple and reliable transition state determination even for very weakly bound charge transfer complexes using second-order derivatives as an efficient tool in the graphical analysis. Relative errors that can be reduced to a few parts per thousand in transition state estimation make this method a potentially very useful tool in further graphical studies of non-covalent interactions. Studies performed using high-precision semiempirical methods suggest that the process of halonium ion quenching proceeds along a completely different pathway, suggesting a possible novel transition metal-nonmetal catalytic system involved in the EAS electrophilic quenching step. The results presented here strongly suggest a future GM application that is widely used and the introduction of pseudo and pre-transition states as new terms in the description of non-covalent interactions.

We have proposed a data-driven approach for designing mesoscale porous structures of Li-ion battery electrode with three-dimensional virtual structures and machine learning techniques. Over 2,000 artificial 3D structures assuming positive electrode composed of random packed spheres as active material particles are generated, and charge/discharge resistance has been evaluated using simplified Physico-chemical model. In this model, resistance from Li diffusion in active material particles (diffusion resistance), transfer resistance of Li+ in electrolyte (electrolyte resistance) and reaction resistance on the interface between active material and electrolyte are simulated based on mass balance of Li, Ohm’s law in and linearized Butler-Volmer equation, respectively. Using these simulation results, regression models via Artificial Neural Network (ANN) have been created in order to predict charge/discharge resistance from porous structure features. In this study, porosity, active material particle size and volume fraction, pressure in the compaction process, electrolyte conductivity, and binder volume fraction are adopted as features, associated with controllable process parameters for manufacturing battery electrode. As results, the predicted electrode resistance by ANN regression model is good agreement with the simulated values. Furthermore, sensitivity analysis and optimization of the process parameters have been carried out. The proposed data-driven approach could be a solution as a guiding principle for manufacturing battery electrode.

Infrared spectroscopy is an effective method for the determination of compositions and concentrations of liquids, with advantages of fast response, no-sampling, flexible in use and is able for on-line monitoring. However, for trace substances in drinking water, such as nitrates and heavy metals, infrared spectroscopy is not sensitive enough for the quantitative and qualitative measurement. In this study, we improved the sensitivity of infrared spectroscopy for nitrite determination by developing an ion-exchange-enhanced diffuse reflectance spectroscopy, which consist of an accessory based on ion-exchange resin for enrichment and a FTIR spectrometer for measurement. Using this method, the limit of detection for nitrate is 1.7 mg/L, which is enough for drinking water sensing. We also verified the quantitative measurement ability of the method. Furthermore, the limit of detection and quantitative measuring range could be adjusted by changing the mass of resin and adsorption time. This study demonstrated the method can be used to detect trace nitrites in drinking water, can be applied in the field, and is sensitive, rapid, and inexpensive with a wide dynamic range.

In this paper the application of recycled Li-ion batteries spent cathode (LIB-SC) combined with NaHCO₃/H₂O₂ system is presented for the first time in the literature as an alternative for degradation of potentially toxic organic molecules. The model pollutant choice was methylene blue molecule. The spent cathode composition corresponds to LiCoO₂, which was proved by the XRD and EDX. Regarding the decolorization of methylene blue solution, the addition of NaHCO₃ in comparison with only H₂O₂ reduces the complete decolorization time in 96%. This reduction occurs because the radical CO₃ is more stable than OH. In this way, the application the system proposed in this article is aimed at solving two major global problems: the disposal of cell phone batteries and the pollution of liquid effluents.

Sharing confidential information is a critical concern in today’s world. Secret sharing schemes facilitate the sharing of secrets in a way that ensures only authorized participants (shareholders) can access the secret using their allocated shares. Hierarchical secret sharing schemes (HSSSs) build upon Shamir’s scheme by organizing participants into different levels based on priority. Within HSSS, participants at each level can reconstruct the secret if a specified number, denoted as the threshold value (t), or more of them are present. Each level has a predetermined threshold value. If the number of participants falls below the threshold at any level, higher-level participants must be involved in reconstructing the secret at lower levels. Our paper proposes schemes that implement hierarchical access structures and enable the sharing of multiple secrets. Additionally, our proposed scheme includes share verification. We have analyzed potential attacks and demonstrated the scheme’s resistance against them. Through security analysis and comparison with existing schemes, we highlight the novelty and superiority of our proposed approach, contributing to advancements in secure information sharing practices.

One-third of approximately 10 million deaths due to sepsis in a year are due to acute lung injury, and there is no effective treatment yet. Due to its high phenol content, Punica granatum L. bark extract exhibits high antioxidant activity. Amifostine is a free radical scavenger that converts into active thiol in tissues. This study aimed to investigate the antioxidative and anti-inflammatory effects of 2 different doses of PG peel extract and amifostine in sepsis-related acute lung injury. Fifty rats were randomly allocated into 5 groups. Group 1 served as the control group with no sepsis. The remaining groups 2-5 served as the cecal-ligation-puncture (CLP) groups. Group 3 was administered 200 mg/kg amifostine intraperitoneally (ip) 15 minutes before sepsis induction. Groups 4 and 5 received, respectively, 250 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg PG peel extract by oral gavage 9 days before and 30 minutes after the CLP procedure, with a total of 10 doses. MMP-2 and MMP-9 were investigated by immunohistochemical methods. MMP-2 and MMP-9 concentrations significantly increased in the sepsis group compared to the other 4 groups. This study provides evidence that Amifostine and Punica granatum pericarp benefit lung tissue in a rat model of sepsis induced by cecal-ligation puncture.

Effects of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) on immunological factors in a 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB)-induced atopic dermatitis (AD) model were investigated. Hairless mice were randomly assigned to control, acetone and olive oil solution-treated (AOO), PEMF 15 Hz, PEMF 75 Hz, and sham groups (n=5 each). AOO solution was used to dissolve DNCB. Both PEMF and sham groups were exposed to similar DNCB doses, causing similar AD symptoms. After AD induction for five weeks, only the PEMF group was exposed to PEMF stimulations (15 Hz, 75 Hz, and 15 mT) for two weeks inside the solenoid coil. In both groups, splenomegaly was observed, as AD was induced by hyperimmune reactions caused by DNCB sensitization. However, splenomegaly did not occur in the PEMF-exposed groups, and spleen weight decreased similarly to that of the control. Hence, the total splenocytes in the PEMF group were similar to those in the control group, whereas the sham group showed thrice the number of splenocytes compared to the PEMF group. The serum immunoglobulin E levels did not significantly change in the PEMF group; however, they increased more than fourfold in the sham group. These results demonstrate that PEMF stimulation ameliorates the abnormal symptoms caused by hyperimmune reactions.

Huge effort has been devoted to developing drugs targeting integrins over 30 years, because of the primary roles of integrins in the cell-matrix milieu. Five αv-containing integrins, in the 24 family members, have been a central target of fibrosis. Currently, a small molecule against αvβ1 is undergoing a clinical trial for NASH-associated fibrosis as a rare reagent aiming at fibrogenesis. Latent TGFβ activation, a distinct talent of αv-integrins, has been intriguing as therapeutic target. None of the αv-integrin inhibitors, however, has been in the clinical market. αv-integrins commonly recognize an Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) sequence, and thus the pharmacophore of inhibitors for the 5-integrins is based on the same RGD structure. The RGD preference of the integrins, at the same time, dilutes ligand specificity, as the 5-integrins share ligands containing RGD sequence such as fibronectin. With the inherent little specificity in both drugs and targets, “disease specificity” has become less important for the inhibitors than blocking as many αv-integrins. In fact, an almighty inhibitor for αv-integrins, pan-αv, was in a clinical trial. On the contrary, approved integrin inhibitors are all specific to target integrins, which are expressed in cell-type specific manner: αIIbβ3 on platelets, α4β1, α4β7 and αLβ2 on leukocytes. Herein, “disease specific” integrins would serve as attractive targets. α8β1 and α11β1 are selectively expressed in hepatic stellate cells (HSCs) and distinctively induced upon culture activation. The exceptional specificity to activated HSCs reflects rather “pathology specific” nature of these new integrins. The monoclonal antibodies against α8β1 and α11β1 in preclinical examinations may illuminate the road to the first medical reagents.

The wide use of cadmium (Cd) in industry causes great environmental health problems to humans and animals. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects of Xylopia aethiopica fruit ethanol extract (XAFEE) on cadmium-induced inflammation and dyslipidemia in male albino rats. Thirty albino rats weighing 120–180 g were randomly selected into six groups (n = 5): control rats (administered distilled water only), Cd alone group (10 mg/ kg bw), Cd + 150 mg/kgbw XAFEE, Cd + 300 mg/kgbw XAFEE, 150 mg/kgbw XAFEE and 300 mg /kgbw XAFEE groups after 2-week acclimatization. The experiment lasted for 21 days, after which blood sample was collected by cardiac puncture. Changes in tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α), interleukin 10 (IL-10), total cholesterol (TC), triacylglycerol (TAG), phospholipids, free fatty acids (FFAs) and HDL-TAG concentrations in serum were determined. The results of the present study indicated that Cd exposure remarkably increased (p < 0.05) the TC, TAG, phospholipids, FFAs, HDL-TAG, TNF-α concentrations, and significantly decreased IL-10 concentration (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that inflammatory changes and alterations n lipid metabolism might be one of the mechanisms underlying the subtle effects of Cd toxicity, “dyslipidemia.” XAFEE expressed protective role against toxic influence of Cd on affected parameters in rats. The results raised the possibility of Xylopia aethiopica fruit being considered as a condiment in soup, local drinks, supplements or herbs preparations in areas where there are chances ofCd exposure, occupationally or environmentally.

We assessed if there were any sex-related differences in the ability of nicotine to increase plasma corticosterone secretion after single or repeated nicotine administration. For single-dose studies, male and female mice were habituated to the test room for 1 h and injected with saline or nicotine (0.25 or 1 mg/kg, s.c.). In repeated-dosing studies, mice were injected with saline or nicotine (1 mg/kg, s.c.) once daily for six days, and, on day 7, received nicotine (1 mg/kg, s.c.). The mice were euthanized 15 min later, and trunk blood was collected for the measurement of corticosterone, nicotine, and cotinine. Our results showed that saline or nicotine each significantly increased plasma corticosterone levels in both male and female mice, with a greater response in female mice. Plasma corticosterone levels were increased in male but not female mice after repeated compared to single nicotine administration. The level of cotinine, a biomarker of nicotine use, was significantly higher in female than in male mice. Taken together, these novel findings suggest that female mice responded to nicotine and stress of handling more than male mice and provide for the first-time quantitative data on the male-female differences in nicotine-induced elevations of corticosterone and of cotinine.

The increased consumption of high fat-containing foods has been linked to the prevalence of obesity and abnormal metabolic syndromes. Rhizopus oligosporus, a fungus in the family Mucoraceae, is widely used as a starter for homemade tempeh. Although R. oligosporus can prevent the growth of other microorganisms, it grows well with lactic acid bacteria (LAB). Lactobacillus plantarum can produce β-glucosidase, which catalyzes the hydrolysis of glucoside isoflavones into aglycones (with greater bioavailability). Therefore, the development of a soybean-based functional food by the co-inoculation of R. oligosporus and L. plantarum is a promising approach to increase the bioactivity of tempeh. In this study, the ameliorative effect of L. plantarum in soy tempeh on abnormal carbohydrate metabolism in high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hyperglycemic rats was evaluated. The co-incubation of L. plantarum with R. oligosporus during soy tempeh fermentation reduced the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, HbA1c, serum glucose, total cholesterol, triglyceride, free fatty acid, insulin, and low-density lipoprotein contents and significantly increased the high-density lipoprotein content in HFD rats. It also increased the LAB counts as well as the bile acid, cholesterol, triglyceride, and short-chain fatty acid contents in the feces of HFD rats. Our results suggested that the modulation of serum glucose and lipid levels by LAB occurs via alterations in the internal microbiota, leading to the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis and promotion of lipolysis. Tempeh, produced with both L. plantarum and R. oligosporus, may be a beneficial dietary supplement for individuals with abnormal carbohydrate metabolism.

Apoptosis and cell cycle arrest induction are targeted in the strategy of cancer therapy. Furthermore, bacterial toxin such as shiga-like toxin producing Escherichia coli has been suggested to be used as novel therapeutic agent against tumor malignancies either as independent anti-neoplastic agents or in combination treatment with chemo or radiotherapy. The aim of study was to investigate the potency of shiga-like toxin originated from local strains of E. coli O157:H7 as a new cancer therapy. As many as 10 culture cells T47D cell line were subjected by crude extract Shiga like toxin originated from five local isolates of E. coli O157:H7 i.e. KL-48(2), SM-25(1), SM-7(1), DS-21(4), and one isolate ATCC 43894 as a control with IC50 doses, respectively. The treatment was observed for 24 h, with two replications. An FITC-Annexin V and PI assay was used to observe apoptosis and necrosis effect, and simultaneously with cell cycle analysis using propidium iodide (PI) staining. Results of study showed T47D cell treated with Shiga-like toxin from local strain KL-48 (2) show the lowest viable cell, followed by SM 7(1), ATCC 43894, SM-25(1), DS-21(4) and contrary with control with each percentages as 15.20, 16.36, 22.17, 22.64, 33.86, and 94.36%, respectively. The results were also confirmed by the induction of the cell cycle arrest in phase G0-G1 as inactive phase, i.e. 66.41, 63.37, 61.52, 55.36 and 47.28% for T47D cell treated with toxin of KL-48(2), ATCC 43894, SM 25(1), SM 7(1), and DS 21(4), respectively. These results show tendency deleterious effect of Shiga-like toxin from local isolates on T47D cell, so that concluded they have potency as a good anticancer drug in Gb3-expressing breast cancer.

The information about the BCoV receptors, co/receptors that might be involved in the BCoV entry to the host cells is inconceivable. In addition to that, the roles of other host cell proteases, such as Furin and TMPRSS2, have not yet been well studied during BCoV replication. The current study’s main objectives are to identify some novel BCoV receptors and host cell proteases that might fine-tune the BCoV replication, tissue tropism, and molecular pathogenesis. We used a combination of some in silico prediction, molecular docking, and gene expression profile tools to predict some new BCoV receptors out of some known other coronavirus receptors and some host cell enzymes that are potentially involved in BCoV replication. To achieve these goals, we applied the in-silico prediction tools to check the potential interactions between eh BCoV/S glycoprotein and some known coronaviruses receptors (ACE2, APN1, NPR1, CECAM-1, AXL, and DPP4). We also established some potential models for the interaction between the BCoV/S and some common host cell proteases proved to play important roles in other coronavirus replication cycle (Furin, TMPRRS2, and Cathepsin-L). To confirm our prediction models, we assessed the gene expression profiles of these potential receptors and proteases in some bovine cell lines infected with BCoV using the next generation sequencing and the qRT-PCR assay. Our results show that the NPR1, AXL1 and the ACE2 have the strongest and firm binding affinities to the BCoV-S protein. Our prediction models and gene expression profiles show the potential bindings of the Furin and TMPRSS2 to the BCoV-S polybasic cleavage site (RRSRR|A). Notably, high expression of the host cell Furin was observed in response to both BCoV/Ent and BCoV/Resp infection, whereas TMPRSS2 expression was upregulated in the case of the BCoV/Ent infection, positioning Furin as a common receptor for different BCoV isolates. Further research is needed to study the roles of these top-ranked receptors and host cell proteases in molecular pathogenesis, and tissue tropism.

Climate change is impacting the spread/intensity of vector-borne diseases, including malaria, and accelerating evolutionary/adaptive changes in vector species. These changes including chromoso-mal inversions and overexpression and/or changes in allele frequencies of thermotoler-ance-associated genes, may facilitate insecticide resistance through pleiotropy. This study investi-gated the impact of thermotolerance on pyrethroid resistance in four populations of malaria vector An. gambiae, from savanna/sub-Sahel of northern Nigeria. Anopheles coluzzii and An. gambiae were the only malaria vectors found, sympatric in all the sites, with the former species predominant. High thermotolerance was observed, with no mortality at 38°C, and LT50 of ~44°C. Significantly high permethrin resistance was observed (mortality <50%) in heat-hardened (44°C) larvae from two sites, BUK and Pantami, compared with control, and heat-hardened adult females from Auyo (mortality = 3.00%±1.20, χ2 = 5.83, p<0.01) compared with control (12.00%±4.65). The 2La chromosomal inver-sion was detected at ~50% in larvae and 58% in adult females. Significant association was observed (OR = 7.2, p<0.03) between permethrin resistance and 2La/+a rearrangement compared with 2L+a/+a, in BUK larvae. For all sites permethrin resistance correlated with 2La/a homozygosity in adult fe-males [OR = 5.02, p=0.01). qRT-PCR identified 6 genes commonly induced/overexpressed, including heat shock protein 70 (AGAP004581) which was 2468x and 5x overexpressed in heat-hardened and permethrin-resistant females, respectively, trehalose-6-phosphate synthase (AGAP008227), and ionotropic glutamate receptor genes, IR25a (AGAP010272) and IR21a (AGAP008511). This study highlights challenges associated with insecticide-based malaria vector control, and the epidemiological significance of taking climate variables into account for design/choice of control measures.

Background: Aging impacts semantic abilities, therefore semantic exercises might be a valuable tool for cognitive stimulation in healthy older adults. However, programs in this area are limited. Methods: In the current paper, we adapted the BOX linguistic semantic program for online use via the CerUp platform. Our goal was to prepare the optimization future experience of CerUp users, including potential changes in task structure, level of difficulty and instructions, and participants’ adherence, engagement, performance accuracy, perceived difficulty, and adequacy ratings assigned to the instructions we provided that might guide future changes. Additionally, we created a map of hypothesized task-specific features that may guide tailor-made uses of the program. Results: To that end, we present preliminary results on the usability of CerUp. By analyzing task-specific usability data alongside the hypothesized map of task-specific features, we also tested the validity of the latter. Conclusions: These preliminary results on the usability of the CerUp platform highlight the potential of programs for semantic stimulation. Such findings can inform future optimizations of the program, tailored to users’ needs and effectively supporting overall language skills and general cognition.

The current research investigates the effects of material and riblets on cavitation-induced erosion morphology, depth, and cross-sectional area through experimental approaches. To achieve these aims, the erosion of pure aluminum (1xxxAl or Al) and alpha brass (CuZn37 or CZ108) in the presence and absence of bio-inspired sawtooth riblets was examined after exposure to multiple collapses of single cavitation bubbles with a wall distance of 1.8. The results indicate that the erosion morphology resembles a rounded cone with a circular cross-section. Brass provides 21.6% more erosion resistance compared to Al in terms of material properties. Furthermore, the erosion for both Al (depth by 3.8% and width by 18.3%) and brass (depth by 7.9% and width by 27.4%) decreases in the presence of riblets compared to flat surfaces. The greater erosion resistance of brass compared to Al is attributed to the superior mechanical stability of brass, making it a potentially suitable alloy for propellers and hulls. In sum, the results reveal that riblet-provided materials with high mechanical durability are promising erosion-resistant materials for the shipping industry. However, the potential for chemical reactions in a cathodic environment should be addressed to provide a comprehensive perspective on reducing corrosion intensity.

In this paper, we synthesized MC(BeA-co-MMA) copolymer microcapsules through suspension polymerization. The pendent n-behenyl group of BeA is highly crystalline, and it acts as the side-chain in the structure of BeA-co-MMA copolymer. The highly crystalline n-behenyl side-chain provides BeA-co-MMA copolymer thermal-energy-storage capacity. In order to investigate the correlation between thermal properties and crystal structure of BeA-co-MMA copolymer, the effects of monomer ratio, temperature changing and changing rate, as well as synthesis method were discussed. The monomer ratio influenced crystal transition behavior and thermal properties greatly. The DSC results proved that when the monomer ratio of BeA and MMA was 3:1, MC(BeA-co-MMA)3 showed the highest average phase change enthalpy ΔH (105.1 J·g–1). It indicated that the n-behenyl side-chain formed relatively perfect crystal region, which ensured a high energy storage capacity of copolymer. All the DSC and SAXS results proved that the amount of BeA had a strong effect on the thermal-energy-storage capacity of copolymer and the long spacing of crystals, but barely on the crystal lamella. It was found that MMA units worked like defects in the n-behenyl side-chain crystal structure of BeA-co-MMA copolymer. Therefore, a lower fraction of MMA, that is, a higher fraction of BeA contributed to a higher crystallinity of BeA-co-MMA copolymer for providing a better energy storage capacity and thermoregulation property. ST(BeA-co-MMA) copolymer sheets with the same ingredients as microcapsules were also prepared through light-induced polymerization aiming at clarifying the effect of synthesis method. The results proved that synthesis method mainly influenced the copolymer chemical component, but lightly on the crystal packing of n-behenyl side-chain.

(1) Background: Grapes and their associated by-products (as grape pomace, GP) stand out for their polyphenol content, which makes them a source of bioactive compounds with antioxidant capacity. The aim of this research was to determine if the inclusion of 50 g/kg of GP in the diet of hens could enrich egg with antioxidants and to study its effect on internal and external egg quality parameters. (2) Methods: A trial was conducted with two genetic lines of hens, which were fed either a control diet or a diet containing 50 g/kg of GP. Performance, internal and external egg quality, and egg yolk content of vitamins E and A, and gallic acid were determined; (3) Results: In eggs laid by hens fed GP diet, Haugh units and yolk colour score were enhanced, and eggshell became thinner, but without affecting the breaking strength. No dietary effect was observed on vitamin contents in yolk. Higher gallic acid content was observed in yolk of eggs laid by hens fed the GP diet, suggesting that some dietary phenolic compounds could be transferred to the eggs. Hen genetics influenced egg weight, albumen Haugh units, shell thickness and α- and γ-tocopherol concentration in yolks; (4) Conclusions: Dietary inclusion of GP improved the internal quality of eggs, enriching yolks with a phenolic compound, but reduced shell thickness.

Biomechanics is a branch of biophysics that deals with mechanics applied to biology. The biomechanics of the cornea plays a significant role in managing patients with glaucoma. While evidence suggests a higher risk of glaucoma in patients with thin and stiffer corneas, it also affects the measurement of intraocular pressure (IOP). We reviewed the pertinent literature to help the understanding of corneal biomechanics and how it can help optimize clinical and surgical treatments and a better approach to diagnosing and managing patients with glaucoma.

The onset of the thermal instability is investigated in a porous channel with plane parallel boundaries saturated by a non–Newtonian shear–thinning fluid and subject to a horizontal throughflow. The Ellis model is adopted to describe the fluid rheology. Both horizontal boundaries are assumed to be impermeable. A uniform heat flux is supplied through the lower boundary, while the upper boundary is kept at a uniform temperature. Such an asymmetric setup of the thermal boundary conditions is analysed via a numerical solution of the linear stability eigenvalue problem. The linear stability analysis is developed for three–dimensional normal modes of perturbation showing that the transverse modes are the most unstable. The destabilising effect of the non-Newtonian shear–thinning character of the fluid is also demonstrated as compared to the behaviour displayed, for the same flow configuration, by a Newtonian fluid.

Pancreatic cancer (PC) is one of the most lethal forms of cancers with 5-year mean survival rate of less than 10%. Most of the PC associated deaths are due to metastasis to secondary sites. Calcium (Ca²⁺) signaling plays a critical role in regulating hallmarks of cancer progression including cell proliferation, migration and apoptotic resistance. Store operated Ca²⁺ entry (SOCE) mediated by Orai1/2/3 channels is a highly regulated and ubiquitous pathway responsible for Ca²⁺ influx into non-excitable cells. In this study, we performed extensive bioinformatic analysis of publicly available datasets and observed that Orai3 expression is inversely associated with the mean survival time of PC patients. Orai3 expression analysis in a battery of PC cell lines corroborated its differential expression profile. We then carried out thorough Ca²⁺ imaging experiments in 6 PC cell lines and found that Orai3 forms a functional SOCE in PC cells. Our in vitro functional assays show that Orai3 regulates PC cell cycle progression, apoptosis and migration. Most importantly, our in vivo xenograft studies demonstrate a critical role of Orai3 in PC tumor growth and secondary metastasis. Mechanistically, Orai3 controls G₁ phase progression, matrix metalloproteinase expression and epithelial-mesenchymal transition in PC cells. Taken together, this study for the first time reports that Orai3 drives aggressive phenotypes of PC cells i.e. migration in vitro and metastasis in vivo. Considering that Orai3 expression is inversely associated with the PC patients survival time, it appears to be a highly attractive therapeutic target.

Abstract The last mile has to deliver the goods at the right time and at the right cost for business logistics services to enhance the customer service experience. The objective of this paper is to examine the challenges of retail omni-channel distribution influencing the effective last mile fulfilment operations processes in the apparel group (organisation phase). It further establishes the extent of how the last mile for demand-driven store replenishment influences the level of retailers’ order fulfilment (in full and on time) (environment phase). This paper, persistently assesses the contribution of integrated information systems on brick and mortar and virtual omni-channel distribution networks to improve timeousness, order accuracy and fill rate (technology phase). The mixed method has triangulated the methods from both quantitative methodology using frequencies and binomial testing and subjective thematic analysis of qualitative data from interviewees. The sample of 175 questionnaires were received with a response rate is 85 per cent (148 responses). The main findings of the paper revealed that the current order fulfilment process aligned with the last mile is effective on the basis of the fill rate, lead time and order condition of orders delivered via store economy and store express.

A linear stability analysis of the parallel uniform flow in a horizontal channel with open upper boundary is carried out. The lower boundary is considered as an impermeable isothermal wall, while the open upper boundary is subject to a uniform heat flux and it is exposed to an external horizontal fluid stream driving the flow. An eigenvalue problem is obtained for the two-dimensional transverse modes of perturbation. The study of the analytical dispersion relation leads to the conditions for the onset of convective instability as well as to the determination of the parametric threshold for the transition to absolute instability. The results are generalised to the case of three-dimensional perturbations.

Psoriasis is a chronic recurrent inflammatory autoimmune pathology, with a major genetic component and several interferences of immunological cells and their cytokines. The complex orchestration of psoriasis pathogenesis is related to the synergic effect of immune cells, polygenic alterations, the presence of autoantigens and several external factors. The major act of IL-23/IL-17 axis, strongly influencing the inflammatory pattern established during the disease activity, is visible as a continuous perpetuation of the pro-inflammatory response and keratinocyte activation and proliferation leading to the development of psoriatic lesions. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) along offered a better view of psoriasis pathogenic pathways, with approximately one third of psoriasis genetic impact on psoriasis development is associated to MHC region, with genetic loci located on chromosome 6. The most eloquent genetic factor of psoriasis, PSORS1, was identified in the MHC I site. Between the several factors involved in its complex etiology, dysbiosis, due to genetic or external stimulus, exhibiting less variety and the involvement of pathogenic bacteria, cand induce a burst of proinflammatory consequences, both cutaneous and gut microbiome being involved in psoriasis pathogenic process. A complex understanding of the major pathways that interplay in order to initiate and perpetuate psoriatic diseases and its associated comorbidities can help the current clinical practice by properly evaluating completely and individualized each patient and establish the proper therapeutic management.

The paper proposes a mechanism for the impact of changes in the key rate on the volume of newly issued loans. The volume depends on the price (interest rates on loans), and the price depends on the key rate and the actual consumption of loans in the previous period (generalized cobweb cycle). The model was estimated by a Kalman filter, adequacy was confirmed by simulation. It is possible to forecast the average rate on loans for a month in advance according to the information published by the Central Bank of the Russian Federation (CB). By playing various scenarios for changing the key rate, it was found that in quiet periods of economic development, the usual laws of supply and demand operate in the loan market and by raising the key rate, you can reduce inflation. In the turbulent (overheated) state of the economy, an increase in the key rate can, on the contrary, provoke an increase in the issuance of loans and unconventional manipulations with the key rate are required.

Several plant species produce mixtures of odorous and volatile compounds known as essential oils (EOs). These mixtures play important roles in nature and have been utilized by man for pharmaceutical and agrochemical purposes. There are more than 3000 EOs reported in the literature with approximately 300 having commercial use, including the oils from Eucalyptus species. Such oils are rich in monoterpenes and have found applications as pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, food flavorants and in the perfume industry. Such applications are related to their diverse biological and organoleptic properties. In view of their importance, we review in this article up to date information concerning chemical composition and biological activities of essential oils from different species of Eucalyptus. Among the 900 species and subspecies of the Eucalyptus genus¸ we examined 68 species. The studies associated with these species were conducted in 27 countries. We have focused on the antimicrobial, acaricide, insecticide and herbicide activities, hoping that such information will contribute in the advances of the research in this field. It is also intended that the information herein described can be useful in the rationalization of the use of Eucalyptus EOs as components for new pharmaceutical and agrochemical applications as well as food preservatives and flavorants.

Background: Alzheimer's disease causes great changes, with the prefrontal cortex be-ing frequently damaged zones, affecting physical and cognitive behavioural and compromising autonomy and quality of life. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of feedback-based tech-nology on the improvement of physical-cognitive capacities in Alzheimer. Methods: Forty pa-tients with Alzheimer were recruited from the Santa Elena Alzheimer's Association, Seville, of which 15 ended up being pilot participants, divided randomly into controls (8) and experi-mental (7). They were evaluated with: Cognitive Mini-Examination Scale, Oddball Test and At-tention Network, Berg Scale, Tinetti, Timed up and Go and Geriatric Deterioration Scale. The experimental group was treated with feedback-based technology under the supervision of physiotherapists, during 16 thirty-minute sessions, twice a week. The control group performed their usual care. Result: A significant improvement was observed in the experimental group (Cognitive Mini-Examination and Tinetti). In the group of control, a worsening of physical and motor skills was evidenced because of the degenerative disease. Discussion/Conclusion: This treatment could be a strategy to keep the patient in early stages for longer, and improve quali-ty of life delaying dependency. It creates intergenerational bonds and use at home to promote treatment adherence.

The Eucalyptus genus is the most planted forest crop in the world, with Brazil being one of the countries with the greatest productive potential. However, the occurrence of weeds can cause losses in productivity. Chemical control is widely used, but the efficiency of herbicides depends on factors such as the presence of straw in the soil and the occurrence of rainfall. Due to the scarcity of results regarding the interaction between herbicide, straw, and water depth in the forest sector, the objective of this study is to evaluate the efficiency of S-metolachlor + glyphosate in the control of grasses in different densities of eucalyptus straw and with simulated rain after the application of the product. The experiment was conducted in DBC, factorial 3×3×2, with four replications. The first factor represented 0, 50 and 100% of the commercial dose of S-metolachlor + glyphosate, the second 0, 5, and 10 ton ha-2 of straw, and the third 25 and 50mm of water depth applied in soil with a mix of grasses previously sowed. The rainfall simulation was performed 24 hours after herbicide application on each straw volume. The fresh mass of the aerial part of the grasses was collected 43 days after sowing and dried in an oven to determine the dry mass. Visual analyzes of the percentage of control were performed with scales ranging from 0 to 100, where 0 represents no control and 100 efficient control. The fresh and dry mass and the grasses' dry mass/water ratio decreased with increasing herbicide dosage and straw density. The dosage of 2.12 + 1.59 kg i.a. ha-1 of S-metolachlor + glyphosate resulted in greater control of grasses, and the treatments without straw and with the application of the herbicide had the highest percentages of control. Applying different water depths (25 mm or 50 mm) did not influence the control. Despite the control of grasses, the efficiency of the herbicide mixture was affected by the presence of vegetation cover.

This article presents the integration of lean 6S methodologies and hazard analysis and critical control points (HACCP) in the food production sector. Through the study, it is seen that non-food industrial production is not very different from that of food and, in many cases, it assimilates protocols and ideas that are already working in the food industry; Such is the case of risk analysis, critical control points or hygiene, which are part of the food production protocol and, increasingly, of the industry in general. After the integrative analysis, the article proposes a common lean 6S - HACCP model, which can be used both in food production and in non-food industrial production.

Adaptive Sliceable-Bandwidth Variable Transceivers (S-BVTs) are key enabler for future optical networks. In particular, those based on Discrete MultiTone (DMT) modulation and Direct Detection (DD) can be considered a flexible solution suitable to address the cost efficiency requirement of optical metro networks. In this paper, we propose to use this cost-effective S-BVT option/implementation in optical metro networks adopting switching nodes based on Semiconductor Optical Amplifier (SOA) technology. Bit loading (BL) and power loading (PL) algorithms are applied to the Digital Signal Processing (DSP) modules, to maximize the performance and/or the capacity as well as enhance the flexibility and adaptability of the system. Our analysis considers switching nodes based on SOAs with and without filtering elements and fiber spans of 25 km. We present the results up to 100 km, with and without SOA-based nodes. Firstly, we analyze the adaptive BVT transmission using the Margin Adaptive (MA) BL/PL algorithm at a fixed bit rate of 28 Gb/s. The possibility of controlling the SOAs current is a key factor to face the transmission impairments due to the fiber and the filtering elements. We also analyze the system considering Rate Adaptive (RA) transmission at a fixed target BER of 3.8·10⁻³, showing that a maximum capacity above 34 Gb/s can be achieved for a single span of 25 km. Although the cascading of filtering elements still constitutes a limiting factor, we show that an improvement of the net bit rate performance can be obtained thanks to the combined use of S-BVT and SOA technology at the switching nodes, resulting in a promising approach for designing future optical metro networks.

The objective of this study was to carry out the extraction and characterization of chitin and chitosan from the exoskeletons of the Farfantepenaeus californiensis species of shrimp, as well as its application in the formulation of polymeric films plasticized with glycerol used in the process of food packaging. The characterization of the extracted polymer was made by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and physicochemical analysis of chitin and chitosan, resulting in a theoretical performance of 29.33% and 16.46%, respectively. In terms of quality, it was determined that the extracted chitosan had a molecular weight of 1.10 x105 g/mol and a deacetylation degree of 80.23%, which classifies it as a low-molecular weight chitosan, suitable for food packaging. It was shown that the extracted chitosan is fit for the production of the films by using the casting method, presenting a tension resistance of 1 MPa. The Antibacterial analysis was carried out using Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) and Escherichia coli (E. coli), bacterial models commonly found in food. The results showed an effective inhibition capability of the polymeric materials. Overall, the results for both chitosan and the films indicate a high potential for application in the food packaging sector.

An off-grid solar energy storage system (ESS) in National Pingtung University of Science and Technology (NPUST) was built and officially operated on Jun. 16th 2022. The system is installed in a 40' general container with PV panels of solar power 8250 W_p on top of the container. The ESS is made by repurposed lithium iron phosphate (LFP) batteries of 20 kWh capacity, where a battery management system (BMS) is adopted to ensured the safety of the battery system. An energy management system (EMS) is built to receive, process, analyse, store, and output the energy information. In this manuscript, a brief engineering report about the system is given.

The development of hybrid unmanned aerial underwater vehicles (HAUVs) compatible with the advantages of the aerial vehicles and the underwater vehicles is of great significance. This paper presents the first study on a new HAUV layout using four rotors to realize the medium crossing motion of a transverse slender body similar to the fuselage of a missile or a submarine, that is the hybrid aerial underwater quadrotor (HAUQ). Then a robust control strategy is proposed for the take-off HAUQ on the water in the presence of unknown disturbances and complex model dynamic uncertainties. As a semi-submersible HAUQ rises straightly from the water, the inside of the slender fuselage placed horizontally is filled with water. The center of the mass, the moment of inertia, and the arm of force of the HAUQ will change rapidly in the takeoff phase from the water since the rapid non-uniform change of mass caused by the passive fast drainage. It is difficult to establish a accurate mathematical model of the complex dynamic changes caused by the multi-media dynamics, the fast changing buoyancy, and the added mass crossing air–water surface. Therefore, an uncertain kinematic and dynamic model is established through the passive fast nonuniform change and the complex dynamics are considered as the unknown terms, and the external disturbances of gust and other factors are assumed as the bounded disturbance input. A robust design approach is introduced to deal with the fast time-varying mass disturbance based on the input-to-state stability (ISS) theorem. The complex dynamics are estimated using the basis function and the unknown weight parameters, and the adaptive laws are adopted for the on-line estimation of the unknown weight parameters. Consider the residual disturbance of the uncertain nonlinear system as a total disturbance term, a disturbance observer is introduced for disturbance observation. The numerical simulation shows the feasibility and robustness of the proposed algorithm.

The application potential of cellulosic materials in natural composites and other fields needs to be explored to develop innovative, sustainable, lightweight, functional biomass materials that are also environmentally friendly. This study investigated Typha augostifolia (Typha sp.) as a potential new raw material for extracting cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) for application in wastewater treatment composites. Alkaline treatments and bleaching were used to remove cellulose from the stem fibers. The CNCs were then isolated from the recovered cellulose using acid hydrolysis. The study showed a few distinct functional groups (O-H, -C-H, =C-H and C-O, and C-O-C) in the Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) revealed the smooth surface of CPC and CNCs that resulted from removing lignin and hemicellulose from powdered Typha augostifolia. Based on the crystalline index, the powdered Typha augostifolia, CPC, and CNCs were 42.86%, 66.94% and 77.41%. The loss of the amorphous section of the Typha sp. fiber resulted in a decrease in particle size. It may be inferred from the features of a Typha sp. CNC that CNCs may be employed as reinforcement in composites for wastewater treatment.

Isolation of new plant-derived lactic acid bacteria (LAB) is highly prioritized in developing novel starter cultures for plant-based fermentation. This study explores the diversity of LAB in Danish flowers and their potential use for plant-based food fermentation. 46 flower samples under 34 genera were collected for LAB isolation. By introducing an enrichment step, in total of 61 LAB strains were isolated and identified by using MALDI-TOF and 16S rRNA sequencing. These strains represent 24 species across 9 genera, predominantly Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Fructobacillus fructosus, Apilactobacillus ozensis, and Apilactobacillus kunkeei. Phenotypic screening for exo-cellular polysaccharide production revealed that 40 strains exhibited sliminess or ropiness on sucrose containing agar plate. HPLC analysis confirmed that all isolates produced exo-cellular polysaccharides containing glucose, fructose or galactose as sugar monomer. Therefore, the strains were glucan, fructan and galactan producers. The suitability of these strains for plant-based fermentations was characterized by using almond, oat and soy milk. The results showed successful acidification in all three types of plant-based matrices but only observed texture development in soy by Leuconostoc, Weissella, Lactococcus, Apilactobacillus, and Fructobacillus. The findings highlight the potential of flower-derived LAB strains for texture development in soy-based dairy alternatives.

In the frame of our diversity-oriented research on multitarget small molecule anticancer agents, utilizing convergent synthetic sequences terminated by Sonogashira coupling reactions, a preliminary selection of representative alkyne-tethered vindoline hybrids was synthesized. The novel hybrids with additional pharmacophoric fragments of well-documented anticancer agents, including FDA-approved tyrosine-kinase inhibitors (imatinib and erlotinib) or ferrocene or chalcone units, were evaluated for their antiproliferative activity on malignant cell lines MDA-MB-231 (triple negative breast cancer), A2780 (ovarian cancer), HeLa (human cervical cancer) and SH-SY5Y (neuroblastoma) as well as human embryonal lung fibroblast MRC-5 served as reference non-malignant cell line for the assessment of the therapeutic window of the tested hybrids. The biological assays identified a trimethoxyphenyl-containing chalcone-vindoline hybrid (36) as a promising lead compound exhibiting submicromolar activity on A2780 cells with a marked therapeutic window. These results suggest that ovarian cancer might be considered as a prioritized target of treatment with 36.

The mortality rate of women during the gestation period or after delivery is very high worldwide. ToRCH pathogens [Toxoplasma gondii (T.gondii), Rubella Virus (RV), Cytomegalovirus (CMV), and Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV)] are transmitted vertically and are associated with mortality and complications both in the mother and the fetus or children. Therefore, this study is designed to investigate the ToRCH pathogen-induced histopathological changes in placental tissues and associated post-obstetric complications in Pakistani women. Women (N = 68) included in this study were divided into Group A (women with current abortion and bad obstetric history-BOH) and Group B (women with normal delivery and BOH). The venous blood collected was analyzed for ToRCH antibodies through ELISA. A small piece of placenta tissue taken after delivery or abortion was subjected to nucleic acid (NA) detection through PCR using ToRCH pathogen-specific primers. The placental tissue was analyzed for histopathological changes under a microscope. The data obtained were analyzed using percentages and the Chi square test. Overall ToRCH antibody positivity was 64.70% (44/68). Of these, IgM (Immunoglobulin M) was found in 17.65% (12/68), IgG (Immunoglobulin G) in 45.59% (31/68), and one case (1.47%) was seropositive for both IgM and IgG. The NA was detected in 66.18% (45/68) of the placental tissues of the study population. The higher prevalence of antibodies for T.gondii and RV (23.53% each) and NA for RV, CMV, and HSV (17.99% each) was observed in the study population. The ToRCH infection (antibodies and NA) with BOH complications was statistically found to be non-significant (p> 0.05). Overall discrepancies in ToRCH antibodies and NA positivity were found in 86.76% (59/68) of cases, especially for RV (26.47%). Chorionic villitis (CV) in placental tissues was observed in 20.59% (14/68), i.e., 13.23% of Group A and 7.35% of Group B. Of the total, four women with T.gondii, six with RV, and three each with CMV and HSV infection were found with CV. The most common BOH complications observed were recurrent spontaneous abortions (RSAs) (47.05%, 32/68), stillbirth (22.05%, 15/68), congenital abnormalities (14.70%, 10/68), etc. It was observed that RSAs were associated with CV (10.29%) in the study population. The BOH complication and CV were found to be statistically non-significant (p> 0.05). It is concluded that ToRCH pathogens are prevalent in the study population, and CV was the only histopathological change found and associated with BOH complications.

Corticosterone, an end product of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, is a crucial stress hormone. Dysregulated HPA axis and corticosterone release play pivotal roles in the onset and persistence of symptoms of stress-related psychiatric disorders such as anxiety. The intake of nutrients, probiotics, and prebiotic supplements decreases blood corticosterone levels. The dipeptide L-carnosine is composed of beta-alanine and L-histidine and is commercially available as a nutritional supplement for recovery from fatigue. L-carnosine is involved in stress-induced corticosterone responses and anxiety behaviors in rodents. Here, we assessed the effect of L-carnosine in CD157 knockout (KO) mice, a murine model of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The uptake of L-carnosine suppressed the increase in plasma corticosterone levels in response to acute stress and attenuated anxiety-like behaviors in CD157 KO mice. These results suggest that L-carnosine supplementation may relieve anxiety by suppressing excessive stress responses in individuals with ASD.

Stress is a critical factor in the development of mental disorders such as addiction, underscoring the importance of stress resilience strategies. While the ketogenic diet (KD) has shown efficacy in reducing alcohol consumption in male mice without cognitive impairment, its impact on the stress response and addiction development, especially in females, remains unclear. This study examined the KD's effect on increasing ethanol intake due to vicarious social defeat (VSD) in female mice. Sixty-four female OF1 mice were divided into two dietary groups: standard diet (n=32) and KD (n=32). These were further split based on exposure to four VSD or exploration sessions, creating four groups: EXP-STD (n=16), VSD-STD (n=16), EXP-KD (n=16), and VSD-KD (n=16). KD-fed mice maintained ketosis from adolescence until the fourth VSD/EXP session, after which they switched to a standard diet. The Social Interaction Test was performed 24 hours after the last VSD session. Three weeks post-VSD, the Drinking in the Dark test and Oral Ethanol Self-Administration assessed ethanol consumption. The results showed that KD blocked the increase in ethanol consumption induced by VSD in females. Moreover, among other changes, KD increased the expression of the ADORA1 and CNR1 genes, which are associated with mechanisms modulating neurotransmission. Our results pointed to KD as a useful tool to increase resilience to social stress in female mice.

Black hole X-ray binary systems consist of a black hole accreting mass from its binary companion, forming an accretion disk. As a result, twin relativistic plasma ejections (jets) are launched towards opposite and perpendicular directions. Moreover, multiple broadband emission observations from X-ray binary systems range from radio to high-energy gamma-rays. The emission mechanisms exhibit thermal origins from the disk, stellar companion, and non-thermal jet-related components (i.e., synchrotron emission, inverse comptonization of less energetic photons, etc.). In many attempts at fitting the emitted spectra, a static black hole is often assumed regarding the accretion disk modeling, ignoring the Kerr metric properties that significantly impact the geometry around the usually rotating black hole. In this work, we study the possible implications of the spin inclusion in predictions of the X-ray binary spectrum. We mainly focus on the most significant aspect inserted by the Kerr geometry, the innermost stable circular orbit radius dictating the disk’s inner boundary. The outcome suggests a higher-peaked and hardened X-ray spectrum from the accretion disk and a substantial increase in the inverse compton component of disk-originated photons. Jet-photon absorption is also heavily affected at higher energy regimes dominated by hadron-induced emission mechanisms. Nevertheless, a complete investigation requires the full examination of the spin contribution and the resulting relativistic effects beyond the disk truncation.

Flavonoids are important natural compounds characterized by their extensive biological activities. Citrus flavonoids form a significant segment within the broader flavonoid category. Naringenin, an integral part of this series, is recognized for its powerful anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. In addition, considering the lack of existing research on naringenin's potential effectiveness and intracellular mechanisms of action in skin-related applications, especially as a cosmetic ingredient, this study aimed to explore naringenin's role in reducing the fundamental generation of reactive oxygen species. This was achieved by examining its inhibitory effects on the expression levels of NADPH oxidase and iNOS, ultimately leading to a reduction in NO production. This research examined the anti-inflammatory and antioxidant capacities of naringenin by employing a cellular senescence model of LPS-induced HDFs. The evaluation of naringenin's efficacy was validated through several investigative procedures, including the NF-κB luciferase assay, ELISA assay, and qRT-PCR. To verify the anti-inflammatory effectiveness of naringenin, the study measured the responsive elements of NF-κB using a luciferase reporter assay. This assessment revealed that naringenin could decrease the concentration of genes activated by NF-κB. Moreover, the study found that naringenin inhibited the transcriptional expression of known NF-κB regulated inflammatory cytokines, including IL-1β, IL-6, and IL-8. In addition, results from the qRT-PCR analysis indicated a reduction in iNOS expression facilitated by naringenin. Based on the data gathered and analyzed in this study, it can be conclusively inferred that naringenin possesses promising potential as a cosmetic ingredient, offering both anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits.

(1) Background: Learning and training in variable conditions favors adapting to unstable or changing environments. The aim of the study was to test the effect of variable practice on the accuracy of the forehand net approach shot in tennis.; (2) Methods: Thirty (n=30) first-class national players (12.9 ± 1.1 years old) participated, divided into three groups: i) induced variability training (n=10) (varying court surfaces and balls), ii) specific training (n=10) and iii) usual training -control group- (n=10). All groups trained for a month: 12 sessions of 20 minutes -3 per week-. The accuracy of the shots were analyzed through a 2D capture and digitization process of the ball bounce on the court; (3) Results: The variability group presented better accuracy values after the period without practice than the stable training group (p = 0.041; ES= 0.51).; (4) Conclusions: the application of variability in the game conditions during tennis training seems to have a favorable effect on the retention of accuracy in the forehand down the line approach to the net.

Road traffic transportation has flourished in the process of urbanization by its advantages, but it also produces harmful environmental vibrations. The vibration problem is especially significant for production workshops with precision instruments. A field measurement was conducted to analyze the source characteristics and propagation laws of traffic-induced vibrations. Off the northern side of an urban highway lies a microelectronics workshop. When a large truck passes by, both the vibration responses on the ground and in the workshop considerably increase. Greater vibration is produced in the vertical direction than in the X and Y axes. The predominant frequency band of the vibration response caused by road traffic vehicles is lower than 20 Hz. The vertical vibration responses of the first and second floors in the workshop greatly exceed the VC-C limit because of the high daily traffic flow. Attribute to the excitation of the operation of the manufacturing equipment on the second floor, the vertical vibration level of the second floor is essentially higher than that of the first floor. Therefore, it is impossible to disregard the micro-vibration in the workplace produced by the manufacturing machinery as well as the ex-citement of the road traffic. The measured data can be used to test potential numerical models for forecasting vibrations caused by traffic on roads as well as to guide vibration assessment work throughout the planning and design stages of roads.

Background: the present study aimed to examine the effect of rehydration with mineral water on cardiorespiratory fitness in athletes. Methods: Twenty athletes (21.7±3 years) were ran-domly underwent a crossover design experimental trail. Three visits were arranged. The first visit was for baseline measurement. The second visit included three phases (pre-dehydration, post-dehydration, and post-rehydration), and either Zamzam (mineral water) or bottle water (control water) was used. The third visit was similar to the second visit with exchange the type of water. Cardiorespiratory fitness and blood parameters have been evaluated. Data were an-alyzed to compare results of Zamzam water with bottle water and to compare between the phases for each type of water. Results: although there was no significant difference found be-tween Zamzam and bottle water in the cardiorespiratory fitness markers, Zamzam water maintained cardiorespiratory function including VO2peak, VT1, VT2, and VEpeak even with re-hydration equal to 100% of losing body mass following exercise-induced dehydration (>-2% body mass), where rehydration with bottle water reported significant reduction in both VO2peak and VEpeak. Conclusion: rehydration with mineral water such as Zamzam water may not impair cardiorespiratory fitness even with amount equal to 100% of losing body mass.

The purpose of the current study was directed to investigate the effectiveness of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) as a chemopreventive agent on experimentally induced hamster buccal pouch (HBP) carcinogenesis; Material and methods: 40 Syrian male hamsters, five weeks old, were divided into 4 groups of 10 animals in each as follows, GI: Topical application of liquid paraffin alone (thrice a week for 14 weeks), GII: Topical application of 7, 12 dimethyl benz[a]anthracene (DMBA) alone (0.5 % in liquid paraffin, thrice a week for 14 weeks), GIII: Topical application of DMBA (0.5 % in liquid paraffin, thrice a week for 14 weeks) + Oral administration of DHA (125 mg/kg b.w. in 1 ml distilled water by oral gavage, thrice a week for 14 weeks on alternative days of DMBA application), GIV : Oral administration of DHA alone (125 mg/kg b.w. in 1 ml distilled water by oral gavage, thrice a week for 14 weeks); Results: Gross observations and histopathological findings revealed a-GI: normal stratified squamous epithelium b- GII: well and moderately differentiated squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) c-: GIII: showed variable results ranges from hyperkeratosis, hyperkeratosis and focal hyperplasia, mild dysplasia, and well differentiated SCC with superficial invasion of tumor cells not extended to deeper areas d: GIV: normal similar to GI. Immunohistochemical results revealed that oral DHA treatment to DMBA treated hamsters restored the normal expression of bcl-2; Conclusion: DHA has the potential to be a dietary chemopreventive agent due to its capacity to improve carcinogen detoxification and to block/suppress the initiation and promotion stages of experimentally produced HBP carcinogenesis.

We study strong optical coupling of metal nanoparticle arrays with dielectric substrates. Based on the Fermi Golden Rule, the particle-substrate coupling is derived in terms of the photon absorption probability assuming a local dipole field. An increase in photocurrent gain is achieved through the optical coupling. In addition, we describe light-induced, mesoscopic electron dynamics via the nonlocal hydrodynamic theory of charges. At small nanoparticle size (<20nm), the impact of this type of spatial dispersion becomes sizable. Both absorption and scattering cross section of the nanoparticle are significantly increased through the contribution of additional nonlocal modes. We observe a splitting of local optical modes spanning several tenths of nanometers. This is a signature of semi-classical, strong optical coupling via the dynamic Stark effect, known as Autler-Townes splitting. The photocurrent generated in this description is increased by up to 2%, which agrees better with recent experiments than compared to identical classical setups with up to 6%. Both, the expressions derived for the particle-substrate coupling and the additional hydrodynamic equation for electrons are integrated into COMSOL for our simulations.

Drug-induced movement disorders (DIMDs) are a group of neurological conditions caused by the use of certain medications. These disorders can significantly impact a person's quality of life and are essential to recognize and manage. This article provides an overview of the causes, symptoms, and treatment of DIMDs. DIMDs can manifest in various forms, including parkinsonism, tardive dyskinesia, dystonia, and akathisia. They are most commonly associated with medications such as neuroleptics, antidepressants, antipsychotics, antiemetics, and anticonvulsants. Risk factors for developing DIMDs include age, genetics, duration of medication use, and dose of medication. Symptoms of DIMDs can range from mild to severe and may include tremors, rigidity, bradykinesia, and involuntary movements. These symptoms can significantly impact a person's ability to perform daily activities and lead to social isolation and decreased quality of life. DIMD diagnoses are based on clinical evaluation, including a thorough medical history and physical examination. Imaging studies such as MRI or CT scans may also be used to rule out other possible causes of symptoms. Treatment of DIMDs involves the withdrawal of the offending medication if possible. Pharmacological treatments such as anticholinergic drugs, benzodiazepines, and dopamine agonists may also be used to manage symptoms. Non-pharmacological treatments such as physical, occupational, and speech therapy can also be beneficial. DIMDs are necessary neurological conditions that can significantly impact a person's quality of life. Early recognition and management of these disorders are essential for optimizing outcomes. Further research is needed to understand the underlying mechanisms of DIMDs better and to develop more effective treatments.

Chronic stress is a major risk factor for various psychiatric diseases, including depression; it induces a range of cellular and structural adaptations, culminating in altered neurocircuitry and subsequent depression. Accumulating evidence suggests that microglial cells orchestrate stress-induced depression. Preclinical studies of stress-induced depression revealed microglial inflammatory activation in regions of the brain that regulate mood. Although studies have identified several molecules that trigger inflammatory responses in microglia, the pathways that regulate stress-induced microglial activation remain unclear. Understanding the exact triggers that induce microglial inflammatory activation can help find therapeutic targets to treat depression. In the current review, we summarize the recent literature on possible sources of microglial inflammatory activation in animal models of chronic stress-induced depression. In addition, we describe how microglial inflammatory signaling affects neuronal health and causes depressive behavior. Finally, we propose ways to target the microglial inflammatory cascade to treat depressive disorders.

Xanthone derivatives, a class of natural compounds abundantly found in plants such as mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) and certain herbs, have garnered substantial interest due to their diverse pharmacological properties, including antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and anti-cancer activities. Recent investigations have unveiled their potential as modulators of enzymatic activity, prompting exploration into their effects on hyaluronidase-mediated HA degradation, and their effects in topical treatment of telangiectasia and rosacea. Telangiectasia and rosacea are common dermatological conditions characterized by chronic skin inflammation, vascular abnormalities, and visible blood vessels, resulting in significant cosmetic concerns and impaired quality of life for affected individuals. This review aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the current understanding regarding the interplay between mechanisms of action by which xanthone derivatives exert their therapeutic effects, including the inhibition of pro-inflammatory cytokines, modulation of oxidative stress pathways, and regulation of vascular endothelial growth factors. Furthermore, we will discuss the implications of harnessing xanthone derivatives as therapeutic agents for mitigating vascular dysfunction and its associated pathologies, thereby offering insights into future research directions and therapeutic strategies in the field of vascular biology.

Despite the partial disclosure of driving scenario knowledge graphs, they still fail to meet the comprehensive needs of intelligent connected vehicles for driving knowledge. Current issues include the high complexity of pattern layer construction, insufficient accuracy of information extraction and fusion, and limited performance of knowledge reasoning models. To address these challenges, a hybrid knowledge graph method was adopted in the construction of the Driving Scenario Knowledge Graph (DSKG). Firstly, core concepts in the field were systematically sorted and classified, laying the foundation for the construction of a multi-level classified knowledge graph top-level ontology. Subsequently, by deeply exploring and analyzing the Traffic Genome data, 34 entities and 51 relations were extracted and integrated with the ontology layer, achieving the expansion and updating of the knowledge graph. Then, in terms of knowledge reasoning models, an analysis of the training results of the TransE, Complex, Distmult, and Rotate models in the entity linking prediction task of DSKG revealed that the Distmult model performed the best in metrics such as hit rate, making it more suitable for inference in DSKG. Finally, a standardized and widely applicable Driving Scenario Knowledge Graph was proposed. The DSKG and related materials have been publicly released for use by industry and academia.

The present paper describes a study case of the failure investigation of Duplex stainless steel (UNS S31803) on the tube and tube sheet section of a shell and tube heat exchanger BEM TEMA type with seawater as the cooling medium. Although UNS S31803 offers high strength, high resistance to chloride-induced SCC, and high resistance to pitting attack in chloride environments, in this study case, the heat exchanger experienced some material degradation; 26 tubes were leaked and plugged on both sides, and scales plugged 76 tubes. The examination in this study case revealed the formation of biofilm inside the tubes, XRD examination revealed that the film contained aragonite (CaCO3), and by using microstructural examination on the inner surface of the tube, the austenite grains were preferentially attacked by crevice corrosion. In this case, the failure was caused by crevice corrosion, and crevice corrosion was enhanced by microbiological-induced corrosion (MIC). Recommendations to avoid similar failures are also suggested in this paper.

We report on space-selective crystallization of congruent and polar Sr2TiSi2O8 crystals in a stoichiometric SrO-TiO2-SiO2 glass induced by (1030 nm, 300 fs) femtosecond laser irradiation. This allows us to compare with non-congruent laser induced crystallization of polar LiNbO3, in non stoichiometric Li2O-Nb2O5-SiO2 glass and gain information on the mechanism of nanocrystals orientation with the laser polarization that we pointed out previously. Using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Second-harmonic generation (SHG) and electron backscattered diffraction (EBSD), we studied the laser induced crystallization according to the laser processing parameters (pulse energy, pulse repetition rate, scanning speed). We found 1) a domain where the laser track is filled with crystals not perfectly textured (low energy), 2) a domain where an amorphous volume remain surrounded by a crystallized shell (high energy). This arises from Sr out-diffusion and may gives rise to crystallization of both SrTiO3 and Sr2TiSi2O8 phases at low speed. In the one-phase domain (at higher speed), it is found the possibility to elaborate a tube with a perfect fresnoite texture. Significant difference in size and morphology whereas crystallization threshold remains similar are discussed based on glases thermal propeties. Contrarily to Li2O-Nb2O5-SiO2 (LNS) glass, no domain of oriented nanocrystallization controlled by the laser polarization has been found in SrO-TiO2-SiO2 (STS) glass, which is attributed to the larger crystallization speed in STS glass. No nanogratings have also been found that is likely due to the congruency of the glass.

In this article some important observations have been reported on recent works related to weakly tripotent rings and locally invo-regular rings. Our findings give additional results as well as correct some recent results on weakly tripotent rings and locally invo-regular rings appeared in Rendiconti Sem. Mat. Univ. Pol. Torino (2021) and Azerbaijan Journal of Mathematics (2021) respectively. In addition we exhibit that if the Jacobson radical J(A) of a ring is strongly involution t-clean then the characteristic of J(A) need not be four. This finding improves an important result appeared in Eur. J. Pure Appl. Math (2022).

In this paper, based on the cumulated damage generated by the cyclical application of the testing vibration profile, a methodology to determine the reliability index of the analyzed component is given. In the analysis, the testing time, component geometry, applied weight, and material resonant frequency are all of them considered by using a dynamic, and amplitude factor. Then, from the generated vibration response data of the analysis, the corresponding bending stress is determined for each one of the rows of the testing profile. And by the cyclical application of the whole testing profile, the corresponding damage is cumulated to each profile cycle until the cumulated damage is D=1. Finally, the reliability that each one of the cumulated blocks (cyclical profile application) is determined by considering, the random vibration is a stress variable. Thus, we use the cumulative damage model with the inverse power law stress/life relationship to determine the two parameter Weibull distribution used to estimate the reliability index of each cumulated block. As a numerical application, we analyze a cantilever aluminum beam Al 6061-T6.

A thorough understanding of nuclear reaction rates at low energies is essential for improving our understanding of energy generation in stars and primordial and stellar nucleosynthesis. At low energies, fusion reactions between charged particles are strongly suppressed by the presence of the Coulomb barrier which classically inhibits the penetration of one nucleus into another. The barrier penetration causes the cross section to have a steep energy dependence at low energies, making cross section measurements very challenging. Furthermore, little is known about the impact of surrounding electrons in stellar plasmas that are currently beyond the reach of experiments. As a result, measuring the bare cross sections as accurately as possible is essential. Reaction rate measurements at very low energies have been made possible in recent years by the development of high-current low-energy accelerators as well as enhanced target and detection methods. Nevertheless, the presence of atomic electrons, which alter the Coulomb barrier by screening the nuclear charge and increase the cross section at low energies compared to the case of bare nuclei, complicates these observations. A review of the experimental and corresponding theoretical work on laboratory electron screening performed so far will be presented.

A tetraphenylethylene-derived compound, TPEPhDAT, has been prepared by successive Suzuki-Miyaura coupling and ring-closing reactions. This compound exhibits aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties in the DMSO/MeOH system, with a fluorescence emission intensity in the aggregated state that is 5-fold higher than that of its counterpart in a dilute solution. Moreover, the diaminotriazine structure of the molecule is a good acceptor of protons, and thus the TPEPhDAT molecule exhibits acid-responsive fluorescence. TPEPhDAT was protonated by trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), leading to a fluorescence quenching, which was reversibly restored by treatment with ammonia (On-Off switch). Time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) computational studies have shown that protonation enhances the electron-withdrawing capacity of the triazine nucleus and reduces the bandgap, producing a more intense intramolecular charge transfer (ICT), thus leading to fluorescence quenching. MeOH can easily remove the protonated TPEPhDAT, and this acid-induced discolouration and erasable property can be applied in anti-counterfeiting.

Introduction the outbreak of the Israel-Gaza conflict, initiated by a major attack on the civilian population in Israel provided a tragic opportunity to study the community wide association between severe emotional stressors related to acts of war and the incidence and clinical characteristics of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy (TCM) in this scenario. Methods Eight consecutive cases of TCM diagnosed during the first 50 days of the Israel-Gaza conflict were retrospectively collected from two southern medical centers who provided care to most of the war victims throughout the period of monitoring. The medical records were thoroughly reviewed and analyzed. Results During the monitoring period, the incidence of TCM increased substantially compared to the control period. Eight patients were included in the analysis. All patients were female and 100% of patients presented within the first 3 weeks of conflict whereas after this initial phase, despite the continuing war, the incidence of TCM reverted to pre-conflict levels. Two patients (25%) were under 50 years of age. All patients had hazardous clinical characteristics including severe left ventricular (LV) dysfunction (≤35%) and prolonged QTc interval (>500 ms). Five patients (62.5%) experienced complications. Nevertheless, no in-hospital mortality was reported. Conclusions Repeated exposure to severe emotional stress, on both personal and national level, due to mass crisis such as war is associated with an increased incidence of TCM potentially with high-risk phenotype in comparison to TCM following other, less potent, psychological insults.

Lichens are unique extremophilic organisms due to their phenomenal resistance to adverse environmental factors, including ultraviolet (UV) irradiation. Melanization plays a special role in the protection of lichens from UV-B stress. In present study, we analyzed the binding of melanins with the components of cell walls of mycobiont of upper cortex in the melanized lichen thalli Lobaria pulmonaria. Using scanning electron and atomic force microscopy, the morphological and nanomechanical characteristics of melanized layer of mycobiont cells were visualized. Melanization of lichen thalli led to the smoothing the surface relief and thickening mycobiont cell walls and resulted in the increase of deformation values and reduction of adhesion properties of lichen thallus. Treatment of thalli with hydrolytic enzymes, especially chitinase and lichenase, enhanced the yield of melanin from melanized thalli and release of carbohydrates, while treatment with pectinase increased the release of carbohydrates and phenols. Our results suggest that melanin by firmly binding with hyphal cell wall carbohydrates, particularly chitin and 1,4-β-glucans, can form associations, strengthen the melanized upper cortex of lichen thalli, and thereby can contribute to lichen survival under UV stress.

A simulation is performed to analyze the forces that arise in a conducting DNA-like double helix in the field of a microwave electromagnetic wave under half-wave resonance conditions. The helix is comprised of twenty-and-a-half turns and has geometric parameters proportional to the size of an actual DNA molecule. The forces acting on the strands of a double helix, both in the central region and at the edges of the helix, are investigated. It has been demonstrated that the afore-mentioned forces induce a change in the shape of the helix, specifically mutual repulsion of the strands, as well as their stretching and twisting in the field of electromagnetic waves. As opposed to a pair of parallel straight conductors, there is a radial repulsion of strands in all regions of a double DNA-like helix, including the center and the edges. This unique interaction of currents in a double DNA-like helix can be attributed to its pitch angle, a characteristic that has been estab-lished through empirical evidence. Consequently, exposure to an electromagnetic wave under half-wave resonance can damage the double helix. Conversely, the impact of electromagnetic waves has the potential to introduce novel avenues for controlling the shape of the double helix. These nonlinear effects must be considered for both actual DNA molecules and double DNA-like helices that serve as components of metamaterials and metasurfaces.

Olefin metathesis of ethyl linoleate (EL) was investigated under different conditions of substrate amount, temperature, and catalyst. Second-generation Grubbs catalyst (G2) was used in experiments at 20 and 50 ºC for 24 and 48h, whereas first-generation Grubbs catalyst (G1) and [RuCl₂(PPh₃)₂perhydroazepine] (LN) were used in experiments at 50 ºC for 24h, with the latter also being investigated in the presence or absence of SnCl₂ as co-catalyst. Catalytic products were analyzed for GC-MS and discussed in terms of relative percent of the metathesis products. With G2 as catalyst, GC-MS chromatograms were similar in all the amounts of EL investigated at 50 ºC for 24h, except for ethyl hexadec-9-enoate (compound K), which was obtained with different percentage as a function of EL amount (55% for 2 and 5 mL and 65% for 8 mL). An α,ω-dicarboxylic acid with m/z = 444.00 (compound L) was produced from the experiments at 50 ºC for 24h with similar percentage as a function of EL amount. However, the relative percentage of L changed with the increase of EL volume in the experiments at 20 ºC (ca. 18, 27, and 28%, with 2, 5, and 8 mL of EL, respectively). The olefin metathesis of EL conducted by G1 reached lower selectivity than that conducted by G2 for 24h at 50 ºC. Several intense peaks reached with G1 were similar to those obtained with G2, in addition to new peaks of medium intensity. Compound L showed higher m/z, similar to that presented with G2, but with lower relative proportion in the mixture. LN was inert for olefin metathesis of EL; however, it was activated in the presence of SnCl₂ at 50 ºC for 24h. Different compounds and selectivity as a function of the catalyst type and reaction conditions were obtained.

Abstract. This article proposes new fuzzy controller to regulation the voltage, damp the oscillations and limit the overshoot behavior in single-machine infinite-bus power system. Two different independent MISO fuzzy controllers are designed. First controller, is voltage stabilizer and it composes of two adaptive fuzzy modules and proportional gain AVR. The voltage stabilizer is designed to regulate the terminal voltage, damp the voltage oscillation and limit the voltage overshoot to the industrial maximum allowable limit. The input signals of this stabilizer is are taken from the terminal voltage and the imposed voltage disturbance that can be read from any smart relay. The fuzzy output is used as feedback signal to control the AVR in order to achieve stabilized voltage equal to the reference voltage. The second fuzzy controller is designed with two input signals; “mechanical angle” and its derivative, and one output which is used as feedback signal to adapt the damping torque in order to damp the mechanical oscillation fast and with maximum overshoot not exceeding 10%, and hence damp the power angle oscillation that is important in the PSS improvement. MATLAB-SIMULINK was used for modelling and the test cases simulation. The results show very good performance for the proposed fuzzy controllers.

The ingestion of ethanol presents a significant global public health challenge. Chronic alcohol consumption is associated with the development of conditions such as cancer, cirrhosis, hepatic diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes, as well as neurological impairments that may predispose individuals to dementia, schizophrenia, and behavioral disorders such as violence and suicide. Alcohol-related fatalities constitute 5.3% of worldwide deaths annually, totaling approximately 3 million. Notably, alcohol consumption is implicated in 25% of cirrhosis-related deaths and 4.1% of cancer-related deaths. Taurine (2-aminoethanesulfonic acid) is a non-protein β-amino acid essential for cellular homeostasis, possessing antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and cytoprotective properties crucial for life maintenance. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of taurine administration on hippocampal neurogenesis, neuronal preservation or reverse damage in rats exposed to forced ethanol consumption. Results demonstrated the neuroprotective effects of taurine on ethanol-treated rats, promoting tissue regeneration and suggesting its pivotal role in this process. However, this aminoacid failed to induce neurogenesis in the tissues of healthy rats, implying that its activity may be contingent upon post-injury stimuli.

Soil amendments with composted organic materials are recommended to increase soil organic matter (SOM), promote soil fertility, and the Circular Economy. Growing areas of hedged olive groves in southern Iberia peninsula generate huge amounts of olive leaves whose potential as soil organic amendment is not fully studied. An experimental field trial in a hedged olive grove (cv. “Cobrançosa”) was set up near Portalegre, Portugal, to test a compost of olive leaves plus sheep manure (2:1) applied in the row, at soil surface. Three nominal rates (0 or control, 2.5 and 5.0 kg m-2) were used, in a complete randomized block setup (3 treatments, 3 replicas, 9 plots) and soil chemical properties of layers 0-5, 5-15, and 15-30 cm deep were annually monitored. Results (mainly in layer 0-5 cm) showed increases in total N, carbon of the particulate organic matter (POM-C), permanganate oxidizable carbon (POX-C), extractable phosphorus, and zinc, after one year, and increases in soil organic carbon (SOC), C-stock, pHKCl, extractable phosphorus, and zinc, after two years. POX-C was the most sensitive SOM-related indicator, showing increases up to 30 cm deep after one year. This compost improved soil fertility, but should be monitored over longer periods of time, namely for SOC and extractable zinc content.

Acidic ostreolysin A/pleurotolysin B (OlyA/PlyB, formerly known as ostreolysin (Oly), and basic 20 kDa equinatoxins (EqTs) are cytolytic proteins isolated from the edible mushroom Pleurotus ostreatus and the sea anemone Actinia equina, respectively. Both toxins, although from different sources, share many similar biological activities: (i) colloid-osmotic shock by forming pores in cellular and artificial membranes enriched in cholesterol and sphingomyelin; (ii) increased vascular endothelial wall permeability in vivo and perivascular oedema; (iii) dose-dependent contraction of coronary vessels; (iv) haemolysis with pronounced hyperkalaemia in vivo; (v) bradycardia, myocardial ischemia and ventricular extrasystoles accompanied by progressive fall of arterial blood pressure and respiratory arrest in rodents. Both types of toxins are haemolytic within nanomolar range concentrations, and it seems that hyperkalaemia plays an important role in toxin cardiotoxicity. However, it was observed that the haemolytically more active EqT III is less toxic than EqT I, the most toxic and least haemolytic EqT. In mice, EqT II is more than 30 times more toxic than OlyA/PlyB when applied intravenously. These observations imply that haemolysis with hyperkalaemia is not the sole cause of the lethal activity of both toxins. Additional mechanisms responsible for lethal action of the two toxins are direct effects on heart, coronary vasoconstriction and related myocardial hypoxia. In this review, we appraise the pathophysiological mechanisms related to the chemical structure of OlyA/PlyB and EqTs, as well as their toxicity.

A fundamental aspect in the evolution of Time-to-Digital Converters (TDCs) implemented within Field-Programmable Gate Arrays (FPGAs), given the increasing demand for detection channels, is the optimization of resource utilization. This study reviews the principal methodologies employed for implementing low-resource TDCs in FPGAs. It outlines the foundational architectures and interpolation techniques utilized to bolster TDC performances without unduly burdening resource consumption. Low-resource Tapped Delay Line, Vernier Ring Oscillator, and Multi-Phase Shift Counter TDCs, including the use of SerDes, are reviewed. Additionally, novel low-resource architectures are scrutinized, including Counter Gray Oscillator TDCs and interpolation expansions using Voltage-Temperature-Consumption stable IODELAYS. Furthermore, the advantages and limitations of each approach are critically assessed, with particular emphasis on resolution, precision, non-linearities, and, especially, resource utilization. A comprehensive summary table encapsulating existing works on low-resource TDCs is provided, offering a comprehensive overview of the advancements in the field.

The importance and near ubiquity of the Golden Ratio in disciplines like chemistry and biology is well known, but only recently has it come to light in areas pertaining to the Quantum domain. By using a modified tool-kit of hyper-complex numbers (known as Dimensional Gate Operators) and numerical analysis, we uncover a connection between hyper-dimensional objects, the Fibonacci sequence and that of quasiparticles and excitations. The results show that dimensionality increases in step with the Fibonacci sequence.

The electroencephalogram (EEG) is a record of brain activity. Brain Computer Interface (BCI) technology formed by the EEG signal has become one of the hotspots at present. How to extract the feature signal of EEG is the most basic research of BCI technology. In this paper, A new method of recognizing fatigue, conscious, concentrated state of human brain is proposed by the combination of discrete wavelet transform and the neural network based on EEG signal. First of all, the law signal is preprocessed by the wavelet denoising method because the law EEG signal contains a large number of high frequency noise, which is decomposed into multi-layer high frequency signal and low frequency signal. thus, δ wave, θ wave, α wave, β wave are obtained by the wavelet transform. And then, frequency band energy of the different wave is regards as the feature signal of EEG. In the experiment, the feature signal is classified by radial basic function (RBF) and annealed chaotic competitive learning network (ACCLN). RBF and ACCLN networks are trained with 500 sets of sample data and are tested by 100 sets of samples in different mental states. The experimental results show that the average accuracy of RBF network under three conditions are 88.75%, 88.25%, 88.5%, respectively, and the correct rate of ACCLN network is 97%, 98%, 98%, respectively.

Antarctica has attracted increasing interest in understanding its microbial communities, metabolic potential, and as a source of microbial hydrolytic enzymes with industrial applications, for which advances in next-generation sequencing technologies have greatly facilitated the study of unculturable microorganisms. In this work, soils from seven sub-Antarctic islands and Union Glacier were studied using a whole-genome shotgun metagenomic approach. The main findings were that the microbial community at all sites was predominantly composed of the bacterial phyla Actinobacteria and Cyanobacteria, and the families Streptomycetaceae and Pseudonocardiaceae. Regarding the xenobiotic biodegradation and metabolism pathway, genes associated with benzoate, chloroalkane, chloroalkene, and styrene degradation were predominant. In addition, putative genes encoding industrial enzymes with predicted structural properties associated with improved activity at low temperatures were found, with catalases and malto-oligosyltrehalose trehalohydrolase being the most abundant. Overall, our results show similarities between soils from different Antarctic sites with respect to more abundant bacteria and metabolic pathways, especially at higher classification levels, regardless of their geographic location. Furthermore, our results strengthen the potential of Antarctic soils as a source of industrially relevant enzymes.

Epigenetic modifications play a significant role in determining the fate of AFSC in terms of differentiation into multiple lineages. There is a tight correlation among DNA methylation, histone modifications, and small noncoding RNAs during the epigenetic control of stem cells differentiation. The present study investigates the role of miRNAs in differentiation of AFSC and addresses how their unique signatures contribute to lineage-specific differentiation. miRNAs profile was assessed in AFSC after 4 weeks of endothelial and muscular differentiation. Our results showed a decreased expression of for 5 miRNAs (miR-125b-5p, hsa-miR-18a-5p, hsa-miR-137, hsa-miR-21-5p and hsa-let-7a-5p) and an increased expression for 12 miRNAs (miR-134-5p, miR-103a-3p, let-7i-5p, miR-214-3p, let-7c-5p, miR-129-5p, miR-210-3p, let-7d-5p, miR-375, miR-181-5p, miR-125a-5p, hsa-let-7e-5p) in EPC compared with undifferentiated AFSC. Smooth muscle differentiation of AFSC revealed significant changes in 9 miRNAs from total of 84 tested; 3 were downregulated (miR-18a-5p, miR-137, sa-miR-21-5p) and 6 were upregulated (miR-155-5p, miR-20a-5p, let-7i-5p, hsa-miR-134-5p, hsa-miR-214-3p, hsa-miR-375). miRNAs are molecular regulators of cell fate and differentiation, recent advances in molecular biology techniques revealed miRNA regulatory networks that can provide us information of endothelial and muscle cell biology in terms of homeostasis, growth, differentiation, and vascular function.

The predatory mirids Macrolophus pygmaeus Ramber and Nesidiocoris tenuis Reuter (Heteroptera: Miridae) are used for the biological control of Tuta absoluta Meyrick (Lep.: Gelechiidae) and other pests in tomato greenhouses. The functional response of 1 (young) and 10 (old) days old adult females and males of M. pygmaeus and N. tenuis on eggs of T. absoluta, was determined on tomato at two temperatures (20° and 25°C) and LD 16:8 and found to be Type II. M. pygmaeus females exhibited higher predation efficiency, than males at both tested temperatures. Young M. pygmaeus females had a higher efficiency than old ones, whereas males had a low efficiency irrespective of age. The predation efficiency of N. tenuis was high (but lower than M. pygmaeus) in both young females and males, although old females had a higher efficiency than the respective males. Our results show that the two predatory species have different functional response characteristics to their prey depending mainly on sex and age which may affect their role as biological control agents.

There is no well-defined threshold for intra-operative blood transfusion (BT) in advanced epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) surgery. We developed a Machine Learning (ML)-driven prediction algorithm to trigger and explain a communication alert for BT based on anticipated peri-operative events irrespective of BT policies. We analysed prospectively collected data from 403 EOC patients who underwent cytoreductive surgery between 2014 and 2019. We calculated the estimated blood volume (EBV) using the formula EBV = weight x 80 and set off 10%EBV as threshold for individual intervention. Based on the known estimated blood loss (EBL) we identified two groups. We employed Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves for performance metrics. The model performance for the above threshold prediction was satisfactory (AUC 0.823, 95% CI 0.76-0.88). The top feature commonly shared between interrogators was operative time (OT). Intra-operative blood loss of at least 10%EBV was associated with OT&gt;250 minutes, primary surgery, serous histology, performance status 0, R2 resection and surgical complexity score &gt;4. Large bowel resection, stoma formation, ileocecal resection/right hemicolectomy, mesenteric resection, bladder and upper abdominal peritonectomy were amongst sub-procedures clearly associated with increased intervention risk. Precise prediction of blood requirements is not possible unless a rough estimate of OT is known in advance.

Saline water irrigation contributes significantly to forage yield. However, the salinity threshold for safe saline water irrigation of tall wheatgrass in coastal saline-alkaline land remains unclear. In this study, 2 g L‒1, 3 g L‒1, 4 g L‒1, 5 g L‒1, and 8 g L‒1 saline waters were used for irrigation. Two irrigations with 2+3 g L‒1 saline waters produced the highest yield, followed by one irrigation with 4 g L‒1 or 5 g L‒1 saline water. After rainfall’s leaching, the soil electrical conductivity (EC1:5) reduced by 41.7%‒79.3% for the saline water irrigation treatments. In combination with saline water irrigation, plastic film mulching can be used for sward establishment of seed propagated tall wheatgrass. However, irrigation with high salinity of drainage water enhanced the risk of plant death. Further, a pot experiment demonstrated that irrigation with 5 g L‒1 saline water led to the least reduction of forage yield and the highest crude protein content in leaves. However, the plants irrigated with ≥7 g L‒1 saline water enhanced soil salinity and reduced plant height, leaf size, and gas exchange rate. Conclusively, one irrigation with ≤5 g L‒1 saline water at the end of April or early May could be acceptable to maximize the forage yield of tall wheatgrass and minimize soil salinization risk in the coastal saline-alkaline land around the Bohai Sea.

Introduction: The aim of the study was to test and validate the performance of the 2012 Briganti nomogram as a predictor for pelvic lymph node invasion (LNI) in men who underwent radical prostatectomy (RP) with extended pelvic lymph node dissection (PLND), to examine their performance and to analyse the therapeutic impact of using different nomogram cut-off . Material and methods: The study group consisted of 222 men with clinically localized prostate cancer (PCa) who underwent RP with ePLND between 01/2012 and 10/2018. Measurements included: preoperative PSA, clinical stage (CS), primary and secondary biopsy Gleason pattern and percentage of positive cores. The area under curve (AUC) of the receiver operator characteristic analysis was appointed to quantify accuracy of the primary nomogram model to predict LNI. The extent of estimation associated with the use of this model was graphically depicted using calibration plots. Results: The median number of removed lymph nodes was 16 (IQR 12-21). A total of 53 of 222 patients (23,9%) had LNI. Preoperative clinical and biopsy characteristics differed significantly (all p&lt;0.005) between men with and without LNI. A nomogram-derived cut-off of 7% could lead to a reduction of 43% (95/222) of lymph node dissection, while missing 19% (10/53) of patients with LNI. The sensitivity, specificity, and negative predictive value associated with the 7% cut-off were 81.1%, 50.3%, and 96.3%, respectively. Conclusions: Analysed nomogram demonstrated high accuracy for LNI prediction. A nomogram-derived cutoff of 7% confirmed good performance characteristics within a first external validation cohort from Poland.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) evaluates “very hot (>65 °C) beverages” as probably carcinogenic to humans. However, there is a lack of research regarding what temperatures consumers actually perceive as “very hot” or as “too hot”. A methodology for organoleptical assessment of such threshold temperatures was developed. The participants were asked to mix a very hot coffee step by step into a cooler coffee. Because of that, the coffee to be tasted was incrementally getting hotter during the test. The participants took a sip at every addition, until they perceive the beverage as too hot for consumption. The protocol was evaluated using 87 participants. Interestingly, the average pain threshold of the test group (67 °C) and the preferred drinking temperature (63 °C) iterated around the IARC threshold for carcinogenicity. The developed methodology was found as fit for the purpose and may be applied in larger studies.

Herein, we introduce a boron nitride nanosheet (BNNS)-reinforced cellulose nanofiber (CNF) film as a sustainable oxygen barrier film that can potentially be applied in food packaging. Most of commodity plastics are oxygen-permeable. CNF exhibits an ideal oxygen transmittance rate (OTR) of <1 cc/m²/day in highly controlled conditions. A CNF film typically fabricated by the air drying of a CNF aqueous solution reveals an OTR of 19.08 cc/m²/day. The addition of 0-5 wt% BNNS to the CNF dispersion before drying results in a composite film with highly improved OTR, 4.7 cc/m²/day, which is sufficient for meat and cheese packaging. BNNS as a 2D nanomaterial increases the pathway of oxygen gas and reduces the chances of pin-hole formation during film fabrication involving water drying. In addition, BNNS improves the mechanical properties of the CNF films (Young’s modulus and tensile strength) without significant elongation reductions, probably due to the good miscibility of CNF and BNNS in the aqueous solution. BNNS addition also produces negligible color change, which is important for film aesthetics. An in vitro cell experiment was performed to reveal the low cytotoxicity of the CNF/BNNS composite. This composite film has great potential as a sustainable high-performance food packaging material.

Diclofenac is a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) from the group of phenylacetic acid derivatives, which has analgesic, anti-inflammatory and antipyretic properties. The interaction of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs with cell membranes can affect their physicochemical properties, which, in turn, can cause a number of side effects in the use of these drugs. Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy could be used to study the interaction of diclofenac with the membrane, if its spin-labeled analogs existed. This paper describes the synthesis of spin-labeled diclofenac (diclofenac-SL), which consists of a simple sequence of transformations such as iodination, esterification, Sonogashira cross-coupling, oxidation and saponification. EPR spectra showed that diclofenac-SL binds to in a lipid membrane composed of palmito-yl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC). 2H electron spin echo spectroscopy (ESEEM) was used to determine the position of the diclofenac-SL relative to the membrane surface. It has been established that the average its depth of immersion corresponds to the 5th position of the carbon atom in the lipid chain.

Rising consumer demand for more safety, healthy and fresh-like food has given new concepts for food packaging. Besides, the growing concern with environmental issues has increased the search for materials from non-petroleum sources and biodegradable ones. Thus, active films based on biopolymers loaded with natural active compounds have potential to be used as food packaging. However, there are a lot of lipophilic active compounds that are a problem to incorporate in hydrophilic matrices, such as polysaccharides and proteins. One way to overcome these challenges is adding these compounds encapsulated in O/W emulsions. The incorporation of emulsion in biopolymeric matrix has influence in the film properties, such as mechanical, barrier, optical, among other. In this way, this review aims to point out the main characteristics of the emulsions systems encapsulating active compounds and its influence in the film properties and to present and discus critically the recent advances in the area.

Although most people are infected with Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV) during their lifetime, only a minority of them develop an EBV-associated malignancy. EBV acts in both direct and indirect ways to transform infected cells into tumor cells. There are multiple ways in which the EBV, host, and tumor environment interact to promote malignant transformation. This paper focuses on some of the mechanisms that EBV uses to transform the tumor microenvironment (TME) of EBV-associated gastric cancer (EBVaGC) for its benefit, including overexpression of IDO1, synergism between H pylori and EBV coinfection, and M1 to M2 switch. In this review, we expand on different modalities and combinatorial approaches to therapeutically target this mechanism.

Concerns about China’s air quality, and its impact on the important tourism industry have been on the debate in recent years. This article aims to investigate the potential effect of air pollution on direct economic impact of tourism, using the case of Beijing and Shanghai. The results indicate that air pollution negatively affects China's inbound tourism, resulting in huge loss of tourist arrivals and receipts, and Beijing suffers a greater loss in comparison with Shanghai, its loss in tourist number amounts to 1569,700 persons, equal to CNY 10264.268 million in tourism receipts, and the GDP losses ranges from CNY 20528.536 to 41057.072 across major source countries. This study provides a quantification of the impact helpful to generate a social awareness of air pollution detrimental impacts on inbound tourism and hence the economy.

The outbreak of coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has infected more than 11 million people and has claimed more than 530.000 deaths world-wide. In July 2020, still, there is no specific treatment for disease caused by the novel coronavirus. In the search to curb the global pandemic COVID-19, some eastern and developing countries have approved various treatment with controversial efficacy, among that the use of the antimalarial Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), so far with inconclusive clinical evidence of effectiveness. On the other hand, computer-based screening suggest that HCQs analog are promising molecules, to impair viral replication in vitro[1]. Therefore, what is emerging from this complex background, is the need to understand molecular mechanism beyond drugs that can be helpful against viral infection for this and future pandemic. The intent of this Brief Report is to highlight: i) the involvement of the Mitogen Activated Protein Kinase (MAPK) cascade in viral infection and ii) the urgent need to have molecular data on the effectiveness of the combination of MAPK inhibitors together with HCQ and HCQs analogs in curbing viral infection. We are convinced that a better understanding of the patterns of elicited molecular mechanisms will be critical for new molecular approaches to this severe disease

Strip-mined land (SML) disturbed by coal-mining is the non-crop land resource that can be utilized to cultivate high-yielding energy crops such as miscanthus for bioenergy applications. However, the biomass yield potential, annual availability and environmental impacts on growing energy crops in SML are less understood. In this study, we estimated the yield potential of miscanthus (Miscanthus sinensis) in SML and its environmental impacts on local streams using the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT). After calibration and validation of the SWAT model, the results demonstrated that miscanthus yield potentials were 2.6 (0.8−5.53), 10.0 (1.3−16.0) and 16.0 (1.34−26.0) Mg ha^-1 with the fertilizer application rate of 0, 100, and 200 kg-N ha^-1 respectively. Furthermore, cultivation of miscanthus in the SML has the potential to reduce sediment (~20%) and nitrate (2.5%−10.0 %) loads reaching to water streams with a marginal increase in phosphorus load. The available SML in the United States could produce about 10 to 16 dry Tg of biomass per year without negatively impacting the water quality. In conclusion, SML can provide a unique opportunity to produce biomass for bioenergy applications, while improving stream water quality in highly dense mining area (the Appalachian region) in the United States.

This study presents an innovative approach named Optimal Adaptive Continuous Barrier Function Terminal Sliding Mode Control (OACBF-TSMC) approach with a novel switching manifold, to control mathematical model of nonlinear systems under model uncertainties and external disturbances. The proposed OACBF-TSMC approach combines the advantages of adaptive control, continuous barrier functions, and terminal sliding mode control to achieve robust stability of the mathematical model of nonlinear systems, and by using a genetic algorithm that tries to optimize the controller parameters as much as possible so that the proposed controller is the most to have efficiency and performance. The proposed method is designed to address the challenges of systems and provide superior performance in terms of stabilization accuracy, disturbance rejection, and robustness against uncertainties. However, the critical challenge facing the proposed controller is the complete elimination of the chattering phenomenon, which is the most important problem of ordinary sliding mode controllers. The simulation results show that the system trajectories in the proposed approach have converged to the origin with minimal overshoot and under-shoot in a finite time; In addition, the chattering problem in the control inputs has been well eliminated, which makes the proposed method suitable for various systems, including chaotic systems, energy sources, and distributed production systems. Furthermore, the OACBF-TSMC approach has the potential to enhance the stability and reliability of control systems, contributing to the integration of the system states.

In this study, a new approach to pesticide permeation through the apple peel into the pulp is discussed. The tested compounds can be classified, based on mode of action, as systemic (boscalid, cyprodinil, pirimicarb, propiconazole and tebuconazole) or contact (captan, cypermethrin and fludioxonil) pesticides. The barrier effect was assessed using a Franz flow-type vertical diffusion cell system. Residue analysis was performed using a modified quick, easy, cheap, efficient, rugged and safe (QuEChERS) extraction method coupled to gas chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (GC-MS/MS). The limits of detection (LODs) ranged between 2.6 µg kg-1 (pirimicarb) and 17 µg kg-1 (captan), with the coefficient of variability (CV) lower than 6%, while recoveries ranged from 85% (boscalid) to 112% (captan) at 0.1 and 1 mg kg-1 spiked levels. The highest peel penetration was observed for pirimicarb, captan and cyprodinil, with cumulative permeation of 90, 19 and 17 µg cm-2, respectively. The total absorption was in the range from 0.32% (tebuconazole) to 32% (pirimicarb). Only cypermethrin was not quantitatively detected in the pulp and its use can be recommended in crop protection techniques. The obtained results indicate that molecular weight, octanol-water partition coefficient and water solubility are important parameters determining the process of pesticide absorption.

In the face of escalating cybercriminal sophistication, an innovative approach to network anomaly detection has been pursued in this longitudinal study, integrating computational data analytics in a geographic, organizational, and behavioral context. A data-driven scoring mechanism was employed to systematically analyze and correlate source countries of IP addresses and organization-associated Autonomous System (AS) Numbers (ASN) with network anomalies. Significant correlations between certain countries, specific organizations, and high behavior scores were identified through the data analytics. An increase in connection requests was also found to be linked with elevated behavior scores. Validated by cross-validation techniques, these findings emphasize the necessity for continuous model recalibration. The transformative role of integrative data analytics in cybersecurity is underscored, paving the way for the development of more sophisticated, context-aware anomaly detection systems. Specifically, the analysis underscores the need for organizations to adopt a proactive and adaptive approach to cybersecurity that can keep pace with the evolving threat landscape.

We analyze the R + R2 model of quantum gravity where terms quadratic in the curvature tensor are added to the General Relativity action. This model was recently proved to be a self-consistent quantum theory of gravitation, being both renormalizable and unitary. The model can be made practically indistinguishable from General Relativity at astrophysical and cosmological scales by the proper choice of parameters.

This paper based on systems - theoretic approach to the definition of a country's GDP as not directly observable characteristic of system state. Leontief dynamic model is generalized to take into account the stimulating effect of consumption on GDP growth. In consumption, apart from final consumption, terms are considered: balance of foreign trade, fictitious investments and hidden costs. The Kalman filter uses Rosstat's gross output (for system output) and final consumption (for system control) data from 1995 to 2015. It is concluded that if in the years 2014, 2015 it was possible to increase consumption by 5% by, say, price cuts or some increase in money supply, then GDP would be greater by about 2.5%. GDP real values in recent years are most likely greater than official values. Fictitious investments and hidden costs are found in the amount of up to third the value of final consumption. The accuracy of one-year forecasts of true GDP by the methodology of this article is approximately 1.5%.

The paper describes the new method for image compression based on coordinated group signal transformation. The algorithm is a type of difference coding. Coordinated processing significantly simplifies the difference signal conversion scheme using a single group codec for all signals. The described method considers color channels as correlated signals of a multi-channel communication system. The specifics of the processed data required modification of the coordinated group processing algorithm. First, we changed how to calculate the difference signals to prevent data loss. Secondly, the group codec was supplemented with a neural network to improve the quality of reconstructed images. We considered the following types of neural networks: fully connected, recurrent, convolution, and convolution in the Fourier space. Based on the simulation results, it is best to use fully connected neural networks if the goal is to minimize processing delay time. These networks have a response time of 13 ms. On the other hand, if the priority is to improve quality in cases where delays are not critical, then convolution neural networks in the Fourier space should be used. These networks have a response time of 140 ms and are of significant interest.

The key links of face recognition are digital image preprocessing, facial feature extraction and pattern recognition, this article aimed at the current problem of slow speed and low recognition accuracy of face recognition , from the above three key links, on the basic of analyzing the therories of Fractional Differential Masks Operator (FDMO), Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Support Vector Machine (SVM), design a kind of FDMO+PVA+SVM coupling algorithm that applies to face recognition to improve the speed and accuracy of it. To realize FDMO+PCA+SVM coupling algorithm, first, we should apply FDMO to face image processing binary marginalization, the purpose is getting face contour; Then, we apply PCA to get the feature of face image which is disposed by binary marainalization. At last, we can apply One-Against All of the SVM classifier and LibSVM software package to realize face recognition. Beside, the article with nine different coupling algorithm design four groups of experimental reaults on the ORL face database verified by comparative analysic FDMO+PCA+SVM coupling algorithm in the superiority of face recognition accuracy and speed.

Understanding the catalytic performance of different materials is of crucial importance for further technological advancements. This especially relates to the behavior of different classes of catalysts under operating conditions. Here we analyze the effects of local coordination of metal centers (Mn, Fe, Co) in graphene-embedded Single-Atom Catalysts (SACs). We have started from well-known M@N4-graphene catalysts and systematically replaced nitrogen atoms with oxygen or sulfur atom to obtain M@OxNy-graphene and M@SxNy-graphene SACs (x+y=4). We show that local coordination strongly affects the electronic structure and the reactivity towards hydrogen and oxygen species. However, the stability is even more affected. Using the concept of Pourbaix plots, we show that the replacement of nitrogen atoms coordinating metal center with O or S destabilizes SACs towards the dissolution, while the metal centers get easily covered by O and OH acting as additional ligands at high anodic potentials and high pH values. Thus, not only should local coordination be considered in terms of the activity of SACs, but it is also necessary to consider its effects on the speciation of SACs' active centers under different potential and pH conditions.

In this work, fluorinated graphene nanoscrolls (FGN) were synthesized via facile chemical methods under simple and mild conditions. Interestingly, the formation of the featured FGN was significantly solvent sensitive. Experimental results indicated that in the presence of aprotic solvent, for example, N,N dimethylformamide (DMF), the reaction system inclined to form the interesting FGN nanostructures. The structure and morphology of the prepared FGN were detailed characterized by atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) etc. The obtained FGN was used as a cathode material for primary lithium ion batteries with superior discharge specific capacity (eg. 979.3 mAhg-1), stable discharge platform and high energy density (eg. 2287.9 Wh kg-1), which fosters it a high density, low cost and durable candidate for cathode material for lithium ion batteries..

A new type of gold nanoparticles was synthesized by using benzoyl pyrazolone as a capping agent. The synthesized AuNPs exhibited a spherical shape and a monodisperse and fluorescence emission characteristic peak at 650 nm. The AuNPs –BMPBP was demonstrated as sensitive and selective fluorescent chemosensor for detection of Al ³⁺ ion. In the presence of Al ³⁺ ion, the fluorescent emission of BMPBP-AuNPs at 650 nm, increased with an increasing concentration of Al ³⁺ ion with a low detection limit (2 µM), the proposed method provided to apply determination of Al ³⁺ ion of tap water with satisfactory results.

Coseismic landslides pose significant threats, causing widespread destruction of buildings, roads, pipelines, and leading to numerous casualties. In recent years, the frequency of earthquakes has increased, prompting a growing interest in regional-scale assessment techniques for coseismic landslides. The infinite slope model proposed by Newmark is widely used to evaluate coseismic landslide hazard. However, the infinite slope model fails to reflect the impact of rock mass structure on the stability of slopes. This paper proposes a novel approach for mapping the hazards of coseismic landslides by considering the roughness of the potential slide surfaces in the inner slope. The proposed method is validated using data from the 2013 Lushan earthquake. The datasets, including geological units, peak ground acceleration (PGA), and high-resolution digital elevation models of topography, are rasterized at a grid spacing of 30 meters. They are then combined within an infinite slope model based on Newmark permanent-deformation analysis, enabling the estimation of coseismic landslide displacement in each grid area resulting from the Lushan earthquake. The modeled displacements are compared with the inventory of landslides triggered by the Lushan earthquake, allowing the derivation of a confidence level function that relates predicted displacement to the spatial variation of coseismic landslides. Ultimately, a hazard map of coseismic landslides is generated based on the established confidence level function. This map serves as a valuable tool for predicting the hazard zone of seismic regions and offers essential insights for decision-making related to infrastructure development and post-earthquake construction.

The production of a ton of steel in an integrated steel plant generates of approximately 1 ton of ferrous slag. A great part of ferrous slags is recycled in civil and road construction etc., but a huge amount is still dumped. Recycling ferrous slag as cement precursor was considered the upcycling route. Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 requires the Member States to provide information, until November 2026, on the critical raw materials (CRM) amount in their secondary resources and on quantification methods used for. This study addresses two synergic objectives: ensuring the reliability of XRFS results and screening for CRM in ferrous slags based on XRFS outcomes. The main novelty of the paper is the way of ensuring the reliability of the XRFS results based on weighted arithmetic mean and on the maximum likelihood approach. Secondly, the XRFS measurements carried on ferrous slags demonstrate that they contain significant amounts of CRM like Ba, Sr, Y, etc. XRFS cannot detect light CRM. Our preliminary LIBS measurements on ferrous slags disclosed the presence of Li and Be. The drawbacks of the XRFS technique impose further research to develop an integrated XRFS, LIBS and XRD procedure for comprehensive and trustworthy CRM screening in extractive waste piles.

Assessing corneal biomechanics in vivo has long been a challenge in the field of ophthalmology. Although recent wave-based optical coherence elastography (OCE) methods have shown promise in this area, the effect of intraocular pressure (IOP) on mechanical wave propagation in the cornea remains unclear. To address this, we constructed an artificial eye model and performed surface wave OCE measurements in the radial directions (54–324°) of the silicone cornea at varying IOP levels (10–40 mmHg). The results demonstrated increases in wave propagation speeds (mean ± STD) from 6.55 ± 0.09 m/s (10 mmHg) to 9.82 ± 0.19 m/s (40 mmHg), leading to an estimate of Young’s modulus, which increased exponentially from 145.23 ± 4.43 kPa to 326.44 ± 13.30 kPa. Our implementation of an artificial eye model highlighted that the impact of IOP on Young’s modulus (ΔE = 165.59 kPa, IOP: 10–40 mmHg) was more significant than the effect of stretching of the silicone cornea (ΔE = 15.79 kPa, relative elongation: 0.98%–6.49%). Our study sheds light on the potential of using an artificial eye model in OCE research for corneal biomechanics. Furthermore, it is critical to consider the impact of IOP on measurement results when utilizing wave-based OCE in clinical settings for enhanced assessment of corneal biomechanics.

Additive manufacturing (AM) or 3D printing of metals is gaining popularity due to its flexibility in fabricating parts with highly complex designs, as well as simplifying manufacturing steps and optimizing process times. In this investigation, 17-4 PH stainless steel was additively manufactured using Laser-Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), followed by functionalization through a DUPLEX treatment. This treatment involved a plasma-assisted nitriding process, followed by deposition of an arc-PVD c-Al0.7Cr0.3N hard coating. The microstructural modifications resulting from plasma nitriding (such as the formation of Fe2,3N and Fe4N, and the αN or expanded martensite phases), and the surface improvements with the c-Al0.7Cr0.3N coating on the 3D-printed 17-4 PH steel, are evaluated in comparison to conventionally manufactured 17-4 PH steel. These microstructural characteristics are correlated with the mechanical response of the treated surfaces. As a result of the plasma nitriding process, the hardness of the 3D-printed 17-4 PH SS increased by approximately 260%. The wear, measured through dynamic and static scratch-testing, was reduced by approximately 31%. This improvement was attributed to the modification of adhesive failure mechanisms, leading to a reduction in wear volume, improved coating adhesion, and enhanced scratch resistance.

This article proposes a monitoring system that allows to track transitions between different stages in the berry harvesting process (berry picking, waiting for transport, transport, and arrival to the packing) solely using information from temperature and vibration sensors located in the basket. The monitoring system assumes a characterization of the process based on Hidden Markov Models and uses the Viterbi algorithm to perform inference and estimate the most likely state trajectory. The obtained state trajectory estimate is then used to compute a potential damage indicator in real-time. The proposed methodology does not require information about the weight of the basket to identify each of the different stages, which makes it effective and more efficient than other alternatives available in the industry.

This study investigates the mean annual water temperature trends at the confluence of the Sava and Danube Rivers, along with air temperature trends at the Belgrade meteorological station, spanning from 1956 to 2020. Results reveal a consistent increase in temperature across all three measuring stations, with the Danube experiencing a rise of 0.34°C/10 years, the Sava at 0.44°C/10 years, and Belgrade's air temperature increasing by 0.39°C/10 years. Employing the RAPS method, sharp rises in water temperature were pinpointed in 1989 for the Sava and 1990 for the Danube, while Belgrade's air temperature surge began in 1998. The highest intensity of air temperature increase within the recent period (1998-2020) was observed at the Belgrade observatory, reaching 0.76°C/10 years. Notably, the Sava exhibited a faster increase in water temperature over the last thirty years compared to the Danube. August marked the peak average water temperature for both rivers, while July recorded the highest average air temperature in Belgrade. Despite differing flow rates, both rivers exhibit similar hydrological regimes, with maximum flows occurring in April and minimum flows in August for the Sava, and October for the Danube. Seasonal temperature increases were most pronounced in summer, notably in August, with the smallest rises occurring during cold periods. Additionally, an inverse proportional relationship between mean annual water temperatures and discharges was observed at both river stations.

The key towards a sustainable future is the reduction of mankind’s impact on natural systems via the development of new technologies and the improvement of source apportionment. Though days, years and seasons are arbitrarily set, their mechanisms are based on natural cycles driven by Earth’s orbital periods. This is not the case for weeks, which are a pure anthropic category and are known from literature to influence emission cycles. For the first time since it started data gathering operations, CO (carbon monoxide), CO₂ (carbon dioxide), CH₄ (methane) and eBC (equivalent black carbon) values detected by the Lamezia Terme WMO/GAW station in Calabria, Southern Italy have been evaluated via a two-pronged approach accounting for weekly variations in absolute concentrations, as well as the number of hourly averages exceeding select thresholds. The analyses were performed on seven continuous years of measurements, from 2016 to 2022. Moreso, the two results have been combined into a new parameter: the hereby defined WDWO (Weighed Distribution of Weekly Outbreaks) normalizes weekly trends of CO, CO₂, CH₄ and eBC on an absolute scale as percentages, with the scope of providing regulators and researchers alike with a new tool meant to better evaluate anthropogenic pollution and mitigate its effects.

High blood cholesterol levels are one of the main risks for atherosclerotic disease. A purified aqueous extract of Fucus vesiculosus, characterized as rich in phlorotannins and peptides, was described as having the capacity to inhibit cholesterol biosynthesis and intestinal absorption. In this work, the effect of this extract on intestinal cells metabolites and proteins was analysed, aiming to expand the knowledge about its mode of action targeting cholesterol metabolism, in particular exogenous cholesterol absorption and transport. Caco-2 cells differentiated into enterocytes were exposed to the purified aqueous extract of F. vesiculosus and analysed by undirected metabolomics and proteomics. The results of the metabolomic analysis showed only statistically significant differences in glutathione content of the cells exposed to the extract relatively to the control cells, with a decreased glutathione expression in exposed cells. The proteomic analysis showed an increased expression for cells exposed to the extract of NPC1, an important protein known to be involved in cholesterol transport. To extent of our knowledge this is the first study using untargeted metabolomics and proteomic analysis to study the effect of F. vesiculosus on differentiated Caco-2 cells, which aims to provide some insight about the molecular mechanism of extract compounds on intestinal cells.