Background and Objectives: High job strain is worsening the outcome in coronary artery disease, CAD. Severe dissatisfaction on workplace, imbalance between high demands , and low rewards, are affecting the quality of life, and diminishing the duration of life, especially in CAD patients. Our study included two samples : CAD patients (experimental group), and without CAD patients, but with traditional risk factors (control group). The main objective of the study was the role played by high sensitivity C reactive protein, hs CRP, and microalbuminuria, as mediators of job strain and CAD relationship. Secondary objectives were the following: identification of the most vulnerable patients( with significant job strain) and intervention towards this category, for cardiovascular events prevention (primary or secondary). Materials and Methods: The utilized methods were the following : clinical exam; electrocardiogram; echocardiogram; non contrast enhanced computed chest tomography; laboratory findings ( lipid profile, glycemia, hs CRP, microalbuminuria); type D scale, DS 14; depression questionnaire, PHQ-9; and satisfaction with work scale, SWWS. Results: The highest values for hs CRP and microalbuminuria were noticed in patients with the lowest Likert score, for both samples CAD, and without CAD patients. The highest job strain was noticed in females. More than half of CAD patients ,with low Likert scores, revealed myocardial infarction. Conclusions: Microalbuminuria and hs CRP were statistical significant in the study as intercessors, in job strain and CAD relationship. The most vulnerable patients for vascular events were females, in both groups : CAD and “CAD waiting desk”. In CAD sample, the vascular vulnerability was also increased by high job strain.

As the most serious of the many worse new pathological changes caused by diabetes, there are many risk factors for the occurrence and development of DR. It mainly includes hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia and so on. Among them, hyperglycemia is the most critical cause, which plays a key role in the pathological changes of DR.High-sucrose diets(HSDs) lead to elevated blood glucose levels in vivo, which, through oxidative stress, inflammation, the production of AGEs and VEGF, causes plenty of pathological damages to the retina and ultimately bring about loss of vision. The existing therapies for DR primarily target the terminal stage of the disease, when irreversible visual impairment has appeared. Therefore, early prevention is particularly critical. Early prevention of DR-related vision loss requires adjustments to dietary habits, mainly by reducing sugar intake. This article primarily discusses the risk factors, pathophysiological processes, and molecular mechanisms associated with the development of DR caused by HSDs. It aims to raise awareness of the crucial role of diet in the occurrence and progression of DR, promote timely changes in dietary habits, prevent vision loss, and improve the quality of life. The aim is to make people aware of the importance of diet in the occurrence and progression of DR. According to the dietary modification strategies we give, patients can change their poor eating habits timely, avoid the retinopathy that can be avoided theoretically, and obtain a excellent outcome.

Background/Objectives:The first attempts of posterior lumbar interbody fusion can be traced back to the 1940s, where their performance was marked by animosity due to high rates of failure. Nowadays, the use of interbody fusion involves a much more complicated consideration of factors such as global alignment, disc height, fusion rates, and operative risk, all combined at once.Our study aims to examine all these effects using Flarehawk 9 as a means of interbody fusion.Materials and methods: A total of 58 patients underwent open posterior lumbar surgery using Flarehawk 9 between September 2021 and February 2023 with a mean follow up of 1 year.The mean age was 59.8 years old ( range between 33 and 79 years old), 36 of them are males while 22 of them are females. The diagnostic groups included spinal canal stenosis (n=40), failed back surgery syndrome-revision surgery (n=5),spondylolisthesis with slip percentage 25% (n=4),recurrent herniated disc (n=7) and adjacent segment disease (n=2). Results: The majority of patients demonstrated remarkable improvement based on ODI scores.The rate of union varied based on the fused levels and whether the patients had previous surgery or not.The amount of lordosis postoperatively is increased by 2±0.4 degrees.Conclusions: Even though anterior approaches become more and more popular and advanced nowadays, posterior fusion with interbody cage still remains a safe and effective method to treat various spine surgical pathologies with optimal results.

Heart failure is a prevalent cardiovascular condition with significant health implications, necessitating effective diagnostic strategies for timely intervention. This study explores the potential of continuous monitoring of non-invasive signals, specifically integrating Photoplethysmogram (PPG) and Electrocardiogram (ECG), for enhancing early detection and diagnosis of heart failure. Leveraging a dataset from the MIMIC-III database, encompassing 682 heart failure patients and 954 controls. Feature selection techniques were used to systematically select key features which were identified for their clinical relevance and significance in capturing cardiovascular dynamics and to reduce computational complexity and to decrease the chance of overfitting the ML algorithms. These features are then utilized to train and evaluate machine learning algorithms, resulting in a model with an impressive accuracy of 98%, sensitivity of 97.60%, specificity of 96.90%, and precision of 97.20%. The integrated approach outperforms single-signal strategies, showcas-ng its potential for early, precise, and non-invasive heart failure diagnosis. Furthermore, the study underscores the significance of continuous monitoring through wearables, emphasizing the benefits of integrating multiple signals for a comprehensive evaluation of cardiovascular health. The proposed approach holds promise for implementation in hardware systems to enable continuous monitoring, aiding in early detection and prevention of critical health conditions.

An eight-sided prism sample, obtained from a hot-rolled AZ31 magnesium alloy sheet, was compressed at room temperature along the transverse direction to investigate the influence of local strain on twinning behavior using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements. The octagonal surface of the sample was divided into distinct regions based on hardness distribution and metallographic observations. The EBSD maps of different areas show significant variations, suggesting that these areas experienced different local strain conditions. The EBSD measurements provided detailed data from three distinct regions, with the strain state known in two regions and uncertain in the third. The combined analysis of the Schmid factor (SF) and the strain compatibility factor (m') was employed to study twin variant selection. The comparison of twinning behavior in different regions showed that the strain compatibility factor offered a more comprehensive explanation for the observed twinning pattern in the region with local shear strain.

Motion related human activity recognition using wearable sensors can potentially enable various useful daily applications. So far, most studies view it as a stand-alone mathematical classification problem without considering the physical nature of human motions. Consequently, they suffer from data dependencies and encounter the dimension disaster problem and the over-fitting issue, and their models are never human-readable. In this study, we start from a deep analysis on natural physical properties of human motions, and then propose a useful feature selection method to quantify each feature's classification contribution capability. On one hand, the "dimension disaster" problem can be avoid to some extent, due to the affined dimension of key features; On the other hand, over-fitting issue can be depressed since the knowledge implied in human motions are nearly invariant, which compensates the possible data inadequacy. The experiment results indicate that the proposed method performs superior to those adopted in related works, such as decision tree, k-NN, SVM, neural networks.

Obesity is a risk factor for the development of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). However, the most optimal type of nutritional intervention to prevent GDM in high-risk women is not clearly defined. This study investigates if nutritional treatment based on the Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) before 12th gestational week (GW) in women at high risk due to a body mass index (BMI)≥25kg/m2, reduces the rate of GDM and metabolic syndrome (MetS) at 3 years postpartum. We performed a post-hoc analysis of the San Carlos Gestational Prevention Study. A total of 735 women with BMI≥25kg/m2 were evaluated between 2015-2018, 246 in standard diet control group (CG) and 489 in MedDiet intervention group (IG). The rate of GDM was significantly lower in IG compared to CG (25.1%vs31.7%;p=0.037). Postnatal follow-up was completed by 141 women in CG (57%) and 312 women in IG (64%). At 3 years postpartum, we observed a reduction (relative risk 95% confidence interval) in the rates of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) (0.51 (0.28-0.92);p=0.019), obesity (0.51 (0.28-0.92),p=0.041), waist circumference (WC)≥89.5cm (0.54 (0.31-0.94);p=0.022) and MetS (0.56 (0.33-0.94);p=0.003). MedDiet reduces the rate of GDM and postpartum MetS in women with BMI)≥25kg/m2, suggesting that its implementation should be routinely recommended from the first GWs.

Following the detection of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) virus in countries bordering Kenya to the west, we conducted surveillance among domestic and wild birds along the shores of Lake Victoria. In addition, between 2018 and 2020, we conducted surveillance among poultry and poultry workers in live bird markets and among wild migratory birds in various lakes that are resting sites during migration to assess introduction and circulation of avian influenza viruses in these populations. We tested 7,464 specimens (oropharyngeal and cloacal swabs) from poultry and 6,531 fresh fecal specimens from wild birds for influenza A viruses by real-time RT-PCR. Influenza was detected in 3.9% (n=292) of specimens collected from poultry and 0.2% (n=10) of fecal specimens from wild birds. On hemagglutinin subtyping, most of the influenza A positives from poultry (274/292, 93.8%) were H9. Of 34 H9 specimens randomly selected for further subtyping, all were H9N2. On phylogenetic analysis, these viruses were genetically similar to other H9 viruses detected in East Africa. Only two of the ten influenza A positive specimens from the wild bird fecal specimens were successfully subtyped; sequencing analysis of one specimen collected in 2018 was identified as low pathogenicity avian influenza H5N2 virus of the Eurasian lineage and the second specimen, collected in 2020, was subtyped as H11. A total of 18 OP/NS swabs from poultry workers with ARI (12%) were collected; none were positive for influenza A virus. We observed significant circulation of H9N2 influenza viruses in poultry in live bird markets in Kenya. During the same period, low pathogenic H5N2 virus was detected in a fecal specimen collected in a site hosting a variety of migratory and resident birds. Although HPAI H5N8 was not detected in this survey, these results highlight the potential for introduction and establishment of highly pathogenic avian influenza viruses in poultry populations and the associated risk of spillover to human populations.

Background: Breast cancer and other neoplasms, such as acute lymphocytic leukaemia, are a severe hazard to public health globally. L-glutamine-degrading enzymes are required for the treatment of malignancies such as acute lymphocytic leukemia and breast cancer. L-glutaminase, an amidohydrolase, has been shown to be an effective chemotherapeutic tool for treating a variety of malignancies. The aim of the study: Molecular characterization is used in the study and production of bacterial L- glutaminase as an anticancer agent from a variety of Egyptian soil locales. The type of the study: Screening experimental study. Methodology: In the current study, many bacterial isolates were tested on mineral L-glutamine agar selective medium (MGA) to evaluate if they generated L-glutaminase. The most effective positive bacterial isolates that produce L-glutaminase, however, were discovered by morphological and biochemical analysis. The primary positive isolate producing L-glutaminase was also identified utilizing molecular detection by 16S rRNA sequencing homology technique. The properties of bacteria-produced L- glutaminase were investigated. The anticancer activity was assessed with an MTT assay. Results: Sole bacterial isolates that only needed L-glutamine for metabolic nitrogen grew well on MGA. The optimal conditions for producing positive bacterial isolates were pH 7.4 and 37 ̊C. The morphological and biochemical investigations of soil samples from diverse soil conditions in Egypt revealed that Bacillus subtilis subsp. niger (ATCC 9372) was the primary positive bacterial isolate producing L-glutaminase. At a pH of 7.4 and a temperature of 37 °C, the activators KCL, ZnSO4, FeSO4, K2HPO4, and MgSO4 offered ideal conditions for defining L-glutaminase production. L-glutaminase from Bacillus subtilis was detected to be a highly bioavailable and efficient anticancer treatment. The original yield [productivity] from MGA was 6.3 U/ml, but invitro coupled transcription and translation production raised it to 89± 1 U/ml. L-glutaminase had a molecular mass of approximately 36 kDa. The purification of L-glutaminase resulted total activity of 21,883 ± 15.67 (U), specific activity of 379.14 ± 7.35 (U/mg of protein), and purification fold of 1.82 ± 3.06. The enzymatic activators Ni2+ and Mg 2+ increased L-glutaminase activity by 20%, 27%, respectively. The compound showed significant anticancer activity (IC50 = 38.72, 8.6, 6.41, 19.02, 49.83, and 9.45 μg/ml) against cancer cell lines from the liver (HepG-2), colon (HCT- 116), breast (MCF-7), lung (A-549), lymphocytic (CCL-120), and cervical (Hela). The kinetic parameters Km and Vmax were 15.2^ 10 -3 M and 119.86 μmol/ml/min, indicating a higher affinity for the substrate. The enzyme demonstrated high efficacy at pH 6.5 and temperature 35. The enzyme was thermostable at 58 ̊C for 1 hour. Conclusion: Acute lymphocytic leukemia and breast cancer are two instances of auxotrophic malignancies for which L-glutamine is the sole metabolic source, and Bacillus subtilis- derived L-glutaminase was a suitable enzyme in their treatment.

Background: The World Health Organization identifies lung and prostatic cancers as solid tumors with significant global lethality, both being auxotrophic cancers for L-arginine aminoacid. The aim of the study: The study aims to detect L-arginase-expressing bacteria from various soil environments in Egypt using 16S rRNA and characterize its anticancer activity. Methodology: A hundred samples of Egyptian grassland soil were gathered at a depth of 11–20 cm, close to wheat mills. Using fast plate assay screening and spectrophotometric analysis, the presence of bacteria generating L-arginase was verified. The major soil bacterial isolates were identified by morphological characterization, biochemical responses, and 16SrRNA sequencing methods. The anticancer activity of the test enzyme was assessed using MTT assay. Results: On the MAA medium, only the bacterial isolates capable of using L-arginine as the only metabolic source for carbon and nitrogen were cultivated. Bacillus cereus DSM 360 was shown to be the prevailing bacterial isolate generating L-arginase using molecular detection and biochemical reactions. When Co+2, Ni+2, and Mn+2 metal ions were present as co-factors, bacterial L-arginase demonstrated remarkable anticancer action against auxotrophic tumors for L-arginine. The total protein content was 0.349 mg, while total enzyme activity was 8.174 U with 61% enzyme recovery. As well as the specific activity reached 23.4212 U/mg. Using the mass spectrometer, the molecular weight of the bacterial L-arginase was revealed to be 37 KDa. The bacterial L-arginase's IC50 values were 3.12 U/ml for the lung cancer cell line, 3.91 U/ml for prostatic cancer cell line, 0.91 U/ml for acute promyelocytic leukemia cancer cell line and 2.73 U/ml for kidney cancer cell line. The enzyme under test showed kinetic characteristics of 7.36 mmol/l and 6.14 μmol/min for Km and Vmax, respectively. The half-life time (T1/2) was 90.17 min at 50°С, while being 86.53 min at 60°С. The test enzyme was thermostable at 60°С for 1 hour. Conclusion: The study showed a potential strategy by identifying and determining a newly discovered bacterial L-arginase enzyme as an anticancer agent in Egypt's soil settings.

In this paper, a generic fractional derivative is defined as a set of the linear operators left-inverse to the Riemann-Liouville fractional integral. Then the theory of the left-invertible operators developed by Przeworska-Rolewicz is applied for derivation of its properties. In particular, we characterize its domain, null-space, and projector operator, establish the interrelations between its different realisations, and present a generalized fractional Taylor formula involving the generic fractional derivative. Then we consider the fractional relaxation equation containing the generic fractional derivative, derive a closed form formula for its unique solution, and study its complete monotonicity.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is an urgent issue everywhere in the globe. It is necessary to look into new sources of antibiotics to address this issue. Aim of the study: studying the purification of Corallopyronin B from various soil conditions in Egypt, as well as the antibacterial effectiveness of Corallopyronin B in preclinical animal testing and randomized human clinical trials phases 1/2. Type of the study: Screening experimental study. Methodology: Several soil conditions in Egypt were examined to create bacterial isolates that generated the antibiotic chemical Corallopyronin B. Using reversed-phase HPLC, Myxopyronin B was purified. The test antibiotic's minimum inhibitory concentration( MIC) and in vitro antibacterial activity were ascertained using the paper disc diffusion assay and the broth microdilution technique. Furthermore, in stages 1/2 of randomized clinical trials including human and animal models, pharmacokinetics, adverse drug reactions, and the in vivo antibacterial spectrum were discovered. Results: The soil bacterial isolate Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259, grown on a Casein yeast peptone( CYP) plate, produced Corallopyronin B from its culture supernatant. At MICs more than 100 mcg/ml, the test antibiotic inhibited the growth of many Gram -ve bacteria, including Escherichia coli, while preventing the growth of numerous Gram +ve bacteria, with MICs ranging from 1 to 10 mcg/ml. Eukaryotic cells, on the other hand, including those in humans and fungi, were unharmed. The test antibiotic was shown to have a bactericidal effect by inhibiting bacterial DNA-dependent RNA polymerase( RNLP). In phases 1/2 of randomized human clinical trials, when 600 mg of the dose per 70 kg of body weight was administered SC, the Cmax was 8.6 mcg/ml at Tmax 1 hour; T1/2 reached 136 min following first-order kinetics of elimination. It stopped acting around 6-7 hours after SC was administered. In the preclinical and randomized human clinical trial phases 1/2, less than 6 percent of experimental candidates had uncommon toxicity, showing reduced bile flow. Protein binding with plasma albumin was detected which reached about 83%. Conclusion: The current work was noteworthy since it involved the production of the bactericidal antibiotic Corallopyronin B from Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259 which was isolated from several soil environments in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Thromboembolic disorders including Myocardial infarction[ MI] and stroke represent the leading causes of death worldwide. Fibrinolytic enzymes extracted from microbial sources showed high efficacy in the dissolution of different blood clots. AIM OF THE STUDY: Screening and the bacterial recombinant DNA manufacture of bacterial fibrinolytic enzymes from different soil environments in Egypt. METHODOLOGY: A total of 50 soil samples were screened for their fibrinolytic enzyme production. The potent fibrinolytic enzyme-producing bacterial isolates were evaluated for their thrombolytic activities using the plasma plate method. The characterization of the enzyme activity and thermostability were carried out; also, the determination of molecular mass using a mass spectrometer and western blot technique was performed. The purification of the fibrinolytic enzymes was done through the affinity chromatography technique. On the other hand, the production of the purified bacterial fibrinolytic enzyme was achieved via bacterial recombinant DNA technology. Formulation of fibrinolytic enzymes in different dosage forms was tried. RESULTS: In the present study, the purified bacterial fibrinolytic enzyme was approximately 83% pure through affinity chromatography and SDS-PAGE assay. The predominating bacterial isolate secreting fibrinolytic enzymes was found to be Bacillus cereus. The fibrinolytic enzyme activities of 50 soil samples were found to be in the range of 0.167-1.853 U/ ml. The fibrinolytic activity of the extracellular enzyme refined from the culture supernatant of Bacillus cereus was relatively stable over the PH range from 7.4-10 for 18 hours and also it showed stability with the highest productivity at a temperature of 43 0C for nearly 60 minutes. The enzyme was called fibrin-proteinase[ FP] in the present study. The FP degraded the fibrin clots via direct thrombolysis. The specific activity and the molecular mass of the FP were estimated to be nearly 40.71 Units/ mg protein and nearly 30 KDa respectively. Protease activity was noticed to be slightly increased in the presence of Fe+3; While it was inhibited in the presence of EDTA. On the other hand, the FP fibrinolytic activity was enhanced greatly after the addition of monovalent cations such as K+1 and Na +1. The enzyme was also active over the temperature range of 20- 65 0C with the highest activity at 55 0C. The optimum temperature and PH of protease production was at 35-43 0C and PH 8.0-10. Conclusion: During the present study, the thermostable fibrinolytic enzyme FP purified from Bacillus cereus in different soil environments in Egypt was a promising fibrinolytic enzyme because it showed a broader efficacious fibrinolytic activity as well as less adverse effects than the current fibrinolytic enzymes globally. It is recommended in the future advanced exploration of the optimization of suitable formulation of bacterial fibrinolytic enzymes to aid in the dissolution of various blood clots and as a consequence overcoming the high rate of mortality globally.

Background: Antibiotic resistance is an urgent issue everywhere in the globe. It is necessary to look into new sources of antibiotics to address this issue. Aim of the study: studying the purification of Corallopyronin B from various soil conditions in Egypt, as well as the antibacterial effectiveness of Corallopyronin B in preclinical animal testing and randomized human clinical trials phases 1/2. Type of the study: Screening experimental study. Methodology: Several soil conditions in Egypt were examined to create bacterial isolates that generated the antibiotic chemical Corallopyronin B. Using reversed-phase HPLC, Myxopyronin B was purified. The test antibiotic's minimum inhibitory concentration( MIC) and in vitro antibacterial activity were ascertained using the paper disc diffusion assay and the broth microdilution technique. Furthermore, in stages 1/2 of randomized clinical trials including human and animal models, pharmacokinetics, adverse drug reactions, and the in vivo antibacterial spectrum were discovered. Results: The soil bacterial isolate Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259, which was grown on a Casein yeast peptone( CYP) plate, produced Corallopyronin B from its culture supernatant. At MICs more than 100 mcg/ml, the test antibiotic inhibited the growth of many Gram -ve bacteria, including Escherichia coli, while also preventing the growth of numerous Gram +ve bacteria, with MICs ranging from 1 to 10 mcg/ml. Eukaryotic cells, on the other hand, including those in humans and fungi, were unharmed. The test antibiotic was shown to have a bactericidal effect by inhibiting bacterial DNA-dependent RNA polymerase( RNLP). In phases 1/2 of randomized human clinical trials, when 600 mg of the dose per 70 kg of body weight was administered SC, the Cmax was 8.6 mcg/ml at Tmax 1 hour; T1/2 reached 136 min following first-order kinetics of elimination. It stopped acting around 6-7 hours after SC was administered. In the preclinical and randomized human clinical trial phases 1/2, less than 6 percent of experimental candidates had uncommon toxicity, which showed up as reduced bile flow. Protein binding with plasma albumin was detected which reached about 83%. Conclusion: The current work was noteworthy since it involved the production of the bactericidal antibiotic Corallopyronin B from Corallococcus coralloides DSM 2259 which was isolated from several soil environments in Egypt.

BACKGROUND: Thromboembolic disorders including Myocardial infarction[ MI] and stroke represent the leading causes of death worldwide. Fibrinolytic enzymes extracted from microbial sources showed high efficacy in the dissolution of different blood clots. AIM OF THE STUDY: Screening and the bacterial recombinant DNA manufacture of bacterial fibrinolytic enzymes from different soil environments in Egypt. METHODOLOGY: A total of 50 soil samples were screened for their fibrinolytic enzyme production. The potent fibrinolytic enzyme-producing bacterial isolates were evaluated for their thrombolytic activities using the plasma plate method. The characterization of the enzyme activity and thermostability were carried out; also, the determination of molecular mass using a mass spectrometer and western blot technique was performed. The purification of the fibrinolytic enzymes was done through the affinity chromatography technique. On the other hand, the production of the purified bacterial fibrinolytic enzyme was achieved via bacterial recombinant DNA technology. Formulation of fibrinolytic enzymes in different dosage forms was tried. RESULTS: In the present study, the purified bacterial fibrinolytic enzyme was approximately 83% pure through affinity chromatography and SDS-PAGE assay. The predominating bacterial isolate secreting fibrinolytic enzymes was found to be Bacillus cereus. The fibrinolytic enzyme activities of 50 soil samples were found to be in the range of 0.167-1.853 U/ ml. The fibrinolytic activity of the extracellular enzyme refined from the culture supernatant of Bacillus cereus was relatively stable over the PH range from 7.4-10 for 18 hours and also it showed stability with the highest productivity at a temperature of 43 0C for nearly 60 minutes. The enzyme was called fibrin-proteinase[ FP] in the present study. The FP degraded the fibrin clots via direct thrombolysis. The specific activity and the molecular mass of the FP were estimated to be nearly 40.71 Units/ mg protein and nearly 30 KDa respectively. Protease activity was noticed to be slightly increased in the presence of Fe+3; While it was inhibited in the presence of EDTA. On the other hand, the FP fibrinolytic activity was enhanced greatly after the addition of monovalent cations such as K+1 and Na +1. The enzyme was also active over the temperature range of 20- 65 0C with the highest activity at 55 0C. The optimum temperature and PH of protease production was at 35-43 0C and PH 8.0-10. Conclusion: During the present study, the thermostable fibrinolytic enzyme FP purified from Bacillus cereus in different soil environments in Egypt was a promising fibrinolytic enzyme because it showed a broader efficacious fibrinolytic activity as well as less adverse effects than the current fibrinolytic enzymes globally. It is recommended in the future advanced exploration of the optimization of suitable formulation of bacterial fibrinolytic enzymes to aid in the dissolution of various blood clots and as a consequence overcoming the high rate of mortality globally.

This article delves into the enduring relevance of Liberal International Relations (IR) Theory amidst persistent criticisms regarding power dynamics and its applicability in emerging states. Despite its detractors, Liberal IR Theory offers a nuanced understanding of state behavior, blending social contexts with power dynamics. It recognizes the intricacies of economic interdependence and advocates for a balanced approach in advancing democracy and human rights. While nationalism poses challenges to international institutions, their adaptability endures. Leaders, albeit constrained, retain the capacity to foster peace through visionary leadership and global cooperation. By acknowledging its limitations and fostering open dialogue, Liberal IR Theory continues to evolve, poised to contribute to a just and peaceful global order.

Computational models of homologous protein groups are essential in sequence bioinformatics. Due to the diversity and rapid evolution of viruses, the grouping of protein sequences from virus genomes is particularly challenging. The low sequence similarities of homologous genes in viruses require specific approaches for sequence- and structure-based clustering. Furthermore, the annotation of virus genomes in public databases is not as consistent and up-to-date as for many cellular genomes. To tackle these problems, we have developed VOGDB, a database of Virus Orthologous Groups. VOGDB is a multi-layer database that progressively groups viral genes into groups connected by increasingly remote homology. The first layer is based on pair-wise sequence similarities, the second layer is based on the sequence profile alignments and the third layer uses predicted protein structures to find the most remote homology. VOGDB groups allow for more sensitive homology searches of novel genes and increase the chance of predicting annotations or inferring phylogeny. VOGDB uses all virus genomes from RefSeq and partially re-annotates them. VOGDB is updated with every RefSeq release. The unique feature of VOGDB is inclusion of both prokaryotic and eukaryotic viruses in the same clustering process which makes it possible to explore old evolutionary relationships of the two groups. VOGDB is freely available at https://vogdb.org under the CC BY 4.0 license.

Solid-state batteries (SSBs) have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional lithium-ion batteries, with notable advantages in safety, energy density, and longevity, yet the environmental implications of their lifecycle, from manufacturing to disposal, remain a critical concern. This review paper examines the environmental impacts associated with the production, use, and end-of-life management of SSBs, starting with the extraction and processing of raw materials which highlights significant natural resource consumption, energy use, and emissions. A comparative analysis with traditional battery manufacturing underscores the environmental hazards of novel materials specific to SSBs. The review also assesses the operational environmental impact of SSBs by evaluating their energy efficiency and carbon footprint in comparison to conventional batteries, followed by an exploration of end-of-life challenges including disposal risks, regulatory frameworks, and the shortcomings of existing waste management practices. A significant focus is placed on recycling and reuse strategies, reviewing current methodologies like mechanical, pyrometallurgical, and hydrometallurgical processes, along with emerging technologies that aim to overcome recycling barriers, while also analyzing the economic and technological challenges of these processes. Additionally, real-world case studies are presented, serving as benchmarks for best practices and highlighting lessons learned in the field. In conclusion, the paper identifies research gaps and future directions for reducing the environmental footprint of SSBs, underscoring the need for interdisciplinary collaboration to advance sustainable SSB technologies and contribute to balancing technological advancements with environmental stewardship, thereby supporting the transition to a more sustainable energy future.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and the therapies of AD with anti-amyloid1-42 (Aβ) monoclonal antibodies are associated with the vascular complications of brain edema, hemorrhage, and cerebral amyloid angiopathy (CAA) termed amyloid-related imaging abnormalities (ARIAs). The neuropathology of normal and AD brains demonstrates that monocyte/macrophages (MMs) are critical in successful brain clearance in healthy brain by up-loading, transporting, and degrading Aβ but fail degradation and clearance in AD patients by releasing Aβ into vessels at the blood-brain barrier, causing vasculitis and ARIAs. The naturally-formed epoxides (EpFAs) of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA’s), including arachidonic, docosahexaenoic, and eicosapentaenoic fatty acids, may repair degradation of Aβ by regulating Aβ-degrading enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, and unfolded protein response (UPR) to endoplasmic reticulum stress in a homeostatic fashion. EpFAs are, however, degraded by the soluble epoxide hydrolase enzyme (sEH) but are protected by the sEH inhibitor (sEHI) TPPU. In the cultures of AD patients’ macrophages, TPPU with the epoxide EEQ, and the cGAS/STING inhibitor H-151 increased uptake of Aβ at 2 hours and degradation of Aβ at 24 hours. In conclusion, the soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor TPPU with omega-3 fatty acids and the cGAS/STING inhibitor H-151 increase Aβ uptake and degradation in macrophages of AD patients, and potentially enhancing Aβ clearance in the AD brain.

There is a recent growth and development with regard to the female athlete. This trend has been reflected in a greater concern for aspects such as nutrition, body composition and the health of female athletes, given the repercussion of these factors on their sporting performance. The aim was to carry out an anthropometric and nutritional assessment of elite Spanish female football athletes based on different biochemical parameters. Ethical consent was obtained from a total of 21 players from a Spanish elite women's football team(20-33years). Anthropometric analysis was carried out using the International Society for the Advancement of Kineanthropometry(ISAK). Clinical analyses were performed by the club's medical staff at the beginning of the season through serum and fasting urine samples taken by the players. The athletes presented fat% of 19.1(SD±2.89). 100% of the players had Mg values within the reference values. Values below reference values were observed for Hb (85.7%), vit.D (33.3%), ferritin (23.8%), serum iron (28.6%), transferrin (4.8%) and TSI (42.9%); and above for CK (42.9%), basal cortisol (38.1%), testosterone (19%) and creatinine, total cholesterol, iron, transferrin, TSI and serotonin (4.8%). Differences in Mg levels were only observed between playing positions (p<0.05). There were associations between age and vit.D levels (r=0.607), and weight with vit.D levels (-0.464) and blood cholesterol (-0.487) among others. Given the nutritional knowledge of Spanish elite female football players, as well as the prevalence of deficiencies in iron metabolism parameters and vit.D levels in athletes, the need to implement a correct nutritional assessment and education in this type of athletes is highlighted

An increased demand for natural products nowadays most specifically probiotics (PRO) is evident since it comes in conjunction with beneficial health effects for the consumers. In this regard, it is well known that encapsulation could affect positively the PRO's viability throughout food manufacturing and long-term storage. This paper aims to analyze and review various multilayer strategies for encapsulation of PRO. Double-layer encapsulation of PRO by electro-hydrodynamic atomization or electrospray technology has been reported along with layer-by-layer assembly and water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) double emulsions to produce multilayer PRO-loaded carriers. Finally, their applications in food products are presented. The resistance (cover material) and viability of (PRO) to mechanical damage, during gastrointestinal transit and shelf life of these trapping systems are also described. The PRO encapsulation in double and multiple-layer coatings combined with other technologies can be examined to increase the opportunities for new functional products with amended functionalities opening a novel horizon in food technology.

Neurodegenerative diseases (NDs) are a set of progressive, chronic, and incurable diseases characterized by the gradual loss of neurons, culminating in the decline of cognitive and/or motor functions. Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD) are the most common NDs and represent an enormous burden both in terms of human suffering and economic cost. The available therapies for AD and PD only provide symptomatic and palliative relief for a limited period and are unable to modify the diseases’ progression. Over the last decades, research efforts have been focused on developing new pharmacological treatments for these NDs. However, to date, no breakthrough treatment has been discovered. Hence, the development of disease-modifying drugs able to halt or reverse the progression of NDs remains an unmet clinical need. This review summarizes the major hallmarks of AD and PD and the drugs available for pharmacological treatment. It also sheds light on potential directions that can be pursued to develop of new, disease-modifying drugs to treat AD and PD, thereby decreasing the social and economic burdens linked to these NDs.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of Blazepod technology when incorporated with various training regimens on the essential elements of physical fitness in volleyball, such as agility, speed, visual response time, and vertical leap. Thirty-six participants (age :17.33±0.48 y, height: 183.78±6.34 cm, weight: 77.14±5.16 kg) were in-volved in this study. In randomized design, three equal groups with two experimental groups and one control group were involved in the study over a period of six weeks: (GE1) used Blazepod technology to workout at a low level; (GE2) used Blazepod technology to workout at a higher intensity; (CG) did not employ Blazepod technology, but it adhered to the same fundamental training curriculum. We conducted agility, speed, reaction time, and vertical jump tests before, midway and after the study to determine optimal training volume, intensity, and frequency. A significant main effect of time (P0.01), and time×group interaction (P>0.001) were found for all tests. Post hoc test showed that the two experimental groups gadget significantly improved in all performance variables (P

In agriculture, soil-borne fungal pathogens, especially Fusarium oxysporum strains, are posing a serious threat to efforts to achieve global food security. In the search for safer agrochemicals, silica nanoparticles (SiO2NPs) have recently been proposed as a new tool to alleviate pathogen damage including Fusarium wilt. Hollow mesoporous silica nanoparticles (HMSNs), a unique class of SiO2NPs, have been widely accepted as a desired pesticide carrier. However, their role in enhancing the disease resistance and the specific mechanism remain unknown. In this study, three sizes of HMSNs (19, 96 and 406 nm as HMSNs–19, HMSNs–96 and HMSNs–406, respectively) were synthesized and characterized to determine their effects on seed germination, seedling growth, and Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. phaseolus (FOP) suppression in cowpea roots by foliar spray using phenotypes, fresh biomass and disease progression as indicators. The results revealed that three HMSNs exhibited no adverse impacts on seed germination and tended to improve plant growth. Also, they exert their FOP suppression with a size- and concentration-dependent manner. HMSNs–406 possessed the best control effect at a concentration of 1000 mg/L showing an upto 40.00% decline in the disease severity. The Si(OH)4 control was also effective on FOP suppression at a lower concentration of 100 mg/L, whereas its higher concentrations exhibited obviously adverse impacts on FOP control, seed germination and plant growth. Moreover, we conformed that HMSNs posed their Fusarium wilt suppression in cowpea plant by activating SA (salicylic acid)-dependent SAR (systemic acquired resistance) responses rather than directly suppressing FOP. A higher level of SA content and elevated expression of its maker genes of PR-1 and PR-5 in HMSNs–406 treated cowpea roots provided substantial evidences of this mode of action. Other resistance-related genes, as well as defense-responsive enzymes, were also involved in the HMSNs-activated SAR pathway. Overall, for the first time, our results extended a new role of HMSNs as a potent elicitor to serve as a versatile alternative for plant disease protection of low cost, highly efficiency and sustainability.

The objectives of the study were to determine the spatial rate of CO₂ flux (Net Ecosystem Exchange) and soil moisture in a wetland ecosystem applying Sentinel-1 IW (Interferometric Wide) data of VH (Vertical Transmit/Horizontal Receive—cross polarization) and VV (Vertical Transmit/Vertical Receive—like polarization) polarization. In-situ measurements of carbon flux, soil moisture, and LAI (Leaf Area Index) were carried out over the Biebrza Wetland in north-eastern Poland. The impact of soil moisture and LAI on backscattering coefficient (σ°) calculated from Sentinel-1 data showed that LAI dominates the influence on σ° when soil moisture is low. The models for soil moisture have been derived for wetland vegetation habitat types applying VH polarization (R² = 0.70 to 0.76). The vegetation habitats: reeds, sedge-moss, sedges, grass-herbs, and grass were classified using combined one Landsat 8 OLI (Operational Land Imager) and three TerraSAR-X (TSX) ScanSAR VV data. The model for the assessment of Net Ecosystem Exchange (NEE) has been developed based on the assumption that soil moisture and biomass represented by LAI have an influence on it. The σ° VH and σ° VV describe soil moisture and LAI, and have been the input to the NEE model. The model, created for classified habitats, is as follows: NEE = f (σ° Sentinel-1 VH, σ° Sentinel-1 VV). Reasonably good predictions of NEE have been achieved for classified habitats (R² = 0.51 to 0.58). The developed model has been used for mapping spatial and temporal distribution of NEE over Biebrza wetland habitat types. Eventually, emissions of CO₂ to the atmosphere (NEE positive) has been noted when soil moisture (SM) and biomass were low. This study demonstrates the importance of the capability of Sentinel-1 microwave data to calculate soil moisture and estimate NEE with all-weather acquisition conditions, offering an important advantage for frequent wetlands monitoring.

Some of neurodegenerative diseases may be characterized by continuing behavioral and cognitive dysfunction that contains memory loss and/or apathy. Alzheimer's disease is the most typical type of such neurodegenerative disease characterized by deficit of cognition and alteration of behavior. Despite the huge efforts against Alzheimer's disease, there has been yet no successful treatment for this disease. Interestingly, several possible risk genes to cognitive dysfunction are frequently expressed within brain cells, which may also be linked to cholesterol metabolism, lipid transport, exosomes and/or caveolae formation, suggesting that caveolae may be a therapeutic target to consider cognitive dysfunctions. Interestingly, modulation of autophagy/mitophagy with the alteration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors signaling may offer a novel approach to prevent and alleviate the cognitive dysfunction. A paradigm that both GLP-1 and NMDA receptors at caveolae sites is promising and crucial for the treatment of cognitive dysfunctions has been presented here, which might also be able to modify the progression of Alzheimer's disease. This research direction may open the potential to move a clinical care toward disease-modifying treatment strategies with maximal benefits for patients without detrimental adverse events for neurodegenerative diseases.

Session-based recommendations which aim to predict subsequent user-item interaction based on historical user behavior during anonymous sessions can be challenging tasks. Two main challenges need to be addressed and improved: (1) How to analyze these sessions to accurately and completely capture users’ preferences, and (2) how to identify and eliminate any interference caused by noisy behavior. Existing methods have not adequately addressed these issues since they either neglected the valuable insight that can be gained from analyzing consecutive groups of items or failed to take these noisy data in sessions seriously and handled them properly, which can jointly impede recommendation systems from capturing users’ real intentions. To address these two problems, we designed a multi-order semantic denoising (MSD) model for session-based recommendations. Specifically, we grouped items of different lengths as varying multi-order semantic units to mine the user’s primary intention from multiple dimensions. Meanwhile, a novel denoising network was designed to alleviate the interference of noisy behavior and provide a more precise session representation. The result of extensive experiments on three real-world datasets demonstrated that the proposed MSD model exhibited improved performance compared with existing state-of-the-art methods in session-based recommendation.

Succinate is proposed to be a mediator of muscle exercise-induced adaptations. We studied metabolic health and changes of muscle mass in 6-month-old male mice after 12 weeks of feeding regular diet (RD, 13.4 kcal% fat, 66.8 kcal% carbohydrate, 29.8 kcal% protein), high fat diet (HFD, 60 kcal% fat, 20 kcal% carbohydrates, 20 kcal% protein) and ketogenic diet (KD, 80 kcal% fat, <1 kcal% carbohydrates, 20 kcal% protein) with or without 2% succinate supplements (SUS) in drinking water (n=8-12 per group). Functional overloading of the plantaris muscle (PL) was induced in a group of mice by denervation of the gastrocnemius and soleus muscles at week 6 of feeding different diets. HFD induced the greatest (p < 0.001) increase in body and fat mass. HFD and KD lead to significant (p < 0.01) impairment in glucose tolerance compared to RD. SUS blunted (p < 0.01) initial surge in energy intake when mice were switched from RD to HFD, but did not influence any measures of metabolic health after 12 weeks of the study. Functional overloading lead to ~25% increase in PL mass which was not affected by diet or SUS. In conclusion, SUS does not have a long-term effect on metabolic health or muscle mass.

Caveolin is a structural protein within caveolae, which may be involved in transmembrane molecular transport and/or various intercellular interactions within cells. Specific mutations of caveolin-3 in muscle cells are well-known to cause a limb-girdle muscular dystrophy. Altered expression of the caveolin-3 has been also detected in Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, which may be a part of the pathological process leading to muscle weakness. Interestingly, it has been shown that the renovation of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) to the sarcolemma with muscular dystrophy could improve the muscle health, suggesting that NOS may be involved in the pathology of muscular dystrophy. Here, we summarize the notable function of caveolin and/or NOS in skeletal muscle cells, and would like to discuss about their involvement in the pathology as well as possible tactics for the innovative treatment of muscular dystrophies.

Underwater imaging presents unique challenges, notably color distortions and reduced contrast due to light attenuation and scattering. Most underwater image enhancement methods, first use linear transformations for color compensation and then enhance the image. We observed that linear transformation for color compensation is not suitable for certain images. For such images, a non-linear mapping is a better choice. Our paper introduces a unique underwater image restoration approach leveraging a streamlined convolutional neural network (CNN) for dynamic weight learning for linear and non-linear mapping. In the first phase, a classifier is applied that classifies the input images into Type-I or Type-II. In the second phase, depending on the classification, the Deep Line Model (DLM) for Type-I images or the Deep Curve Model (DCM) for Type-II images. For mapping an input image to an output image, DML creatively combines color compensation and contrast adjustment in a single step and uses deep lines for transformation, whereas DCM employs higher-order curves. Both models utilize lightweight neural networks that learn per-pixel dynamic weights based on the input image’s characteristics. Comprehensive evaluations on benchmark datasets using metrics like peak signal-to-noise ratio(PSNR) and root mean squares error (RMSE) affirm our method’s effectiveness in accurately restoring underwater images, outperforming existing techniques.

The use of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) in natural killer (NK) cells for cancer therapy is gaining momentum, marking a significant shift in cancer treatment. This review aims to explore the potential of CAR-NK cell therapy in cancer immunotherapy, providing a fresh perspective. It discusses the innovative approaches in CAR-NK cell design and engineering, particularly targeting refractory or recurrent cancers. By comparing CAR-NK cells with traditional therapies, the review highlights their unique ability to tackle tumor heterogeneity and immune system suppression. Additionally, it explains how novel cytokines and receptors can enhance CAR-NK cell efficacy, specificity, and functionality. The review underscores the advantages of CAR-NK cells, including reduced toxicity, lower cost, and broader accessibility compared to CAR-T cells, along with their potential in treating both blood cancers and solid tumors.

This paper presents an on-device semi-supervised human activity detection system that can learn and predict human activity patterns in real time. The proposed semi-supervised learning (SSL) framework uses sparsely labelled user activity events acquired from Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU) sensors installed as wearable device. The objective is to learn classification of multiple classes of human activities in real-time. The proposed cluster-based learning model in this approach is trained with data from the same target user, thus preserving data privacy while providing personalized activity detection services. Two different cluster labelling strategies, namely, population-based, and distance-based, are employed to achieve the desired classification performance. A comparative study of these strategies has been presented in terms of classifiability and classification accuracies. The proposed system is shown to be computationally efficient, which is relevant in the context of limited computing resources on typical wearable devices. The trade-off between classification accuracy and computation complexity is analyzed for different algorithmic hyper-parameters and other system parameters. Extensive experimentation and simulation study have been conducted on a multi-user human activity data from the public do-main in order to validate the proposed learning paradigm.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is characterized by chronic inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract and encompasses two main subtypes, Crohn’s disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis (UC). IBD is frequently accompanied by extraintestinal manifestations (EIMs), with axial and peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA) being the most common. Enthesitis, an inflammation of the bone insertions of capsules, ligaments, and tendons, represents an initial lesion in SpA. However, enthesitis remains an underestimated and often obscured EIM. The early detection of subclinical enthesial involvement in IBD patients using ultrasound (US) could provide an opportunity for timely intervention. While previous meta-analyses have reported on the incidence and prevalence of SpA in IBD, specific attention to enthesitis has been lacking. Therefore, this narrative review aims to resume the current knowledge on existing IBD-SpA cohorts, focusing specifically on enthesitis.

Pore structure characterization and fractal analysis have great significance for understanding and evaluating tight limestone reservoirs. In this work, the pore structure of tight limestone is characterized combined with low-temperature nitrogen adsorption (LTNA) and low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and the fractal dimension of tight limestone pore structure is discussed based on LTNA and NMR data. The results indicate that the pores of tight limestone have H3 and H4 types, the pore size distribution (PSD) of H3 type is a wave distribution ranging from 2 to 10 nm, and the PSD of H4 type is a unimodal distribution ranging from 2 to 10 nm. The transverse relaxation time (T2) spectrum of tight limestone shows single peak (DF), double peak (SF) and three peak (TF), and the T2 spectrums for micropores, mesopores and macropores range from 0.1 to 10 ms, from 10 to 100 ms, and greater than 100 ms, respectively. The LTNA fractal dimension of tight limestone (DL) ranges between 2.4446 and 2.7688, with an average of 2.5729, and the NMR fractal dimensions of micropores (DNMR1), mesopores (DNMR2) and macropores (DNMR3) are distributed between 0.3744 to 1.1293, 2.4263 to 2.9395 and 2.6582 to 2.9989, respectively. Moreover, there is no correlation between fractal dimension and permeability and porosity, a negative correlation between DL and average pore radius, a positive correlation between DL and specific surface area, and a positive correlation between DNMR2 and DNMR3 and micropore content, while DNMR2 and DNMR3 are negatively correlated with the content of mesopores and macropores.

The object of study in the article is the auxiliary variable-frequency electric drive onboard of an AC electric locomotive, and more precisely, the structure and parameters of the control system of the active corrector of power factor (ACPF), which is part of the electric drive, as a unit that ensures electromagnetic compatibility of the electric drive with other equipment on board the electric locomotive and catenary and its energy efficiency. The topic of the article's research is the substantiation of the structure of the ACPF control system, the choice of types (transfer functions) of controllers and the calculation of their parameters. The research method chosen was the calculation of the transfer functions of the controllers of the cascaded loops control system, followed by computer simulation using the OrCAD software. The results of simulating a cascaded two loops control system of an ACPF with different types of controllers are presented and analytically compared. It is concluded that it is advisable to use a cascaded two loops control system, containing a voltage control loop and a current control loop. The best results show the simulation when using an aperiodic current controller (A-controller) and a proportional-integral voltage controller (PI-controller). The data obtained serve as the basis for further improvement of the operation of the ACPF by enhancing and optimizing the settings, structure and algorithms of the control system, which, with the selected hardware of power converter unit, will allow the ACPF to perform its functions with a high degree of reliability in an entire range of disturbing and control influences.

Estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer is common among postmenopausal women and is frequently treated with Letrozole. Letrozole inhibits aromatase from synthesizing estrogen from androgens. Decreased estrogen slows the growth of tumors and can be an effective treatment. Letrozole resistance is increasingly being observed, which poses a unique problem for patients. We reanalyzed transcriptomic data comparing individuals who responded to Letrozole therapy (responders) to those who were resistant to treatment (non-responders). We identified SOX11 and S100A9 as two genes that significantly differed between these patients; with “PLK1 signaling events” being the most significant signaling pathway. We also identified PRDX4 and E2F8 as the top transcriptional biomarkers for ER+ treatment resistance. Many of the other significant gene products play a known role in ER+ breast cancer or other types of cancer, which partially validate our results. Several of the gene products we identified do not have a characterized role in ER+ breast cancer. Our analysis identified a set of genes that warrant further research to elucidate the molecular mechanism of Letrozole resistance in this patient population, as well as novel high-performing biomarkers. We anticipate that these findings could contribute to improved therapeutic outcomes in human patients.

Water scarcity, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions, poses a significant challenge to crop production, with drought being a prevalent factor limiting grain production globally. Enhancing agricultural water use efficiency is crucial for managing water resources effectively in these areas. Water resource management involves planning, developing, distributing, and optimizing the use of water resources. Water use efficiency management is also essential for crop growth in arid regions. Various agronomic and irrigation strategies can improve crop water use efficiency and drought tolerance. The primary goal of these strategies is to maximize irrigation efficiencies by applying the precise amount of water needed to restore soil moisture to the desired level. These sustainable practices not only reduce the cost of water and labor for farmers through reduced irrigation but also optimize the use of soil moisture storage. This review paper explores practical techniques to improve water use efficiency, highlighting the role of nutrients in enhancing water use efficiency in crop plants.

The present study explored whether exposure to complex childhood trauma (CCT) is reflected in the resting-state electroencephalography (EEG) temporal alpha power of complex trauma-exposed adolescents, given the association of temporal alpha with fear circuitry (learning and conditioning) in a sample of 25 adolescents and similar controls, ages 12-17 years. Both trauma and psychopathology were screened or assessed, and resting-state EEG was recorded, following a preregistered protocol for data collection. Temporal alpha power, corresponding to T5 and T6 electrode location (10-20 international system), was extracted from resting-state EEG in both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. We found that in the eyes-open condition, right, but not left, temporal alpha was significantly higher in adolescents exposed to CCT, relative to healthy controls, suggesting that childhood trauma exposure may have a measurable impact on alpha oscillatory patterns, specifically in the right temporal region. Our study highlights the importance of considering neural markers, such as temporal alpha power, in understanding the long-term consequences of CCT exposure in developmental samples, with possible important clinical implications in guiding neuroregulation interventions.

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory condition which significantly affects quality of life in both patients and their caregivers. Calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) are a class of immunosuppressive drugs predominantly inhibiting T cell mediated immune processes. CNI form complex by binding with immunophilins and in turn inhibit calcineurin and suppress downstream inflammatory pathway. Tacrolimus and pimecrolimus are topical CNI approved for the treatment of mild to severe AD in both children and adults. Application site reactions are frequently seen. They have been issued with black box warning towards increased risk of malignancies but supportive evidence is lacking. Cyclosporine, though highly effective, is used off-label for AD management. It is used for controlling acute flares of AD due to its very rapid onset of action. Nephrotoxicity and hypertension are its serious complications. CNI have not been reported with teratogenicity and may be used conditionally during pregnancy and lactation.

This review provides a comprehensive and updated information on chalcones, presenting their sources, methods of identification and properties putting emphasis on applications in agricultural industry. Vast exploitation of synthetic pesticides led to the weed and pest resistance issue, causing economic loss but more importantly health risk due to pesticide overuse. Because one of the aim of the European Green Deal 2030 is the Farm to Fork strategy which targets on reducing by 50% the use of chemical pesticides by 2030, and push towards natural pesticides which are more environmentally friendly and restore natural resources, chalcones and their derivatives seem to fit perfectly. They have herbicidal, fungicidal, bactericidal and antiviral properties. Moreover, chalcones are naturally occurring substances, known for their favorable health effect for years, working on many areas. This review is complementary to the previous ones describing chalcones use in agriculture, updates them but additionally shows methods of detection.

Background: Amyloid beta peptides (Aβ) have been identified as the main pathogenic agents in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). Soluble Aβ oligomers, rather than monomer or insoluble amyloid fibrils, show membrane-binding capacity to red blood cells (RBCs) and trigger several morphological and functional alterations in RBCs that can result in impaired oxygen transport and delivery. Since bioactive lipids have been recently proposed as potent protective agents against Aβ toxicity, we investigated the role of sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) in signaling pathways involved in the mechanism underlying ATP release in Aβ-treated RBCs. Methods: In RBCs following different treatments, ATP, 2,3 DPG, cAMP levels, and caspase 3 activity were determined by spectrophotometric and immunoassay. Results: S1P rescued the inhibition of ATP release from RBCs triggered by Aβ through a mechanism involving caspase-3 and restoring 2,3 DPG and cAMP levels within the cell. Conclusions: These findings reveal the molecular basis of S1P protection against Aβ in RBCs and suggest new therapeutic avenues in AD.

Gaze tracking of high-speed moving targets is a novel application mode for low Earth orbit microsatellites. In this mode, small satellites are equipped with high-resolution narrow-field-of-view video cameras for stable gaze-tracking imaging of high-speed moving targets. This paper proposes a high-precision attitude adaptive integral sliding mode control method with a feedforward compensation disturbance observer to enhance the capability of a microsatellite attitude control system for gaze tracking of high-speed moving targets. Specifically, first, we present the attitude control system model for microsatellites and the calculation method for the desired attitude of target tracking based on image feedback. Then, an adaptive integral sliding mode attitude control algorithm with a feedforward compensation disturbance observer, which meets the requirements of high-precision tracking control, is designed. The developed algorithm utilizes the disturbance observer to observe the friction torque of the flywheel and compensates for it through feedforward control. It also employs the adaptive integral sliding mode control algorithm to reduce the impact of uncertain disturbances, decrease the steady-state error of the system, and enhance the attitude control precision. Simulation experiments demonstrated that the designed disturbance observer can successfully observe the frictional disturbance torque of the flywheel. The attitude Euler angle control precision for high-speed moving target tracking reached 0.009°, and the angular velocity control precision reached 0.005°/s, validating the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

The foot-mounted inertial navigation system is an important application of pedestrian navigation as it in principle does not rely any external assistance. A real-time range decomposition constraint method is proposed in this paper to combine the information of dual foot-mounted inertial navigation systems. It is well known that low-cost inertial sensors with ZUPT (zero-velocity update) and range decomposition constraint perform better than in either single way. This paper recommends that the distance of separation between the position estimates of feet-mounted inertial navigation systems be restricted in the ellipsoidal constraint which relates to the maximum step and leg height. The performance of the proposed method is studied utilizing experimental data. The results indicate that the method can effectively correct the dual navigation systems’ position over the existing spherical constraint.

Day-ahead forecasting of electricity prices is important in deregulated electricity markets for all the stakeholders: energy wholesalers, traders, retailers, and consumers. Electricity price forecasting is an inherently difficult problem due to its special characteristic of dynamicity and non-stationarity. In this paper, we present a robust price forecasting mechanism that shows resilience towards aggregate demand response effect and provides highly accurate forecasted electricity prices to the stakeholders in a dynamic environment. We employ an ensemble prediction model in which a group of different algorithms participate in predicting the price for each hour of a day. We propose two different strategies, namely, Fixed Weight Method (FWM) and Varying Weight Method (VWM), for selecting each hour's expert algorithm from the set of participating algorithms. In addition, we utilize a carefully engineered set of features selected from a pool of features derived from information such as past electricity price data, weather data, and calendar data. The proposed ensemble model offers better results than both the Pattern Sequence-based Forecasting (PSF) method and our own previous work using Artificial Neural Networks (ANN) alone do on the datasets for New York, Australian, and Spanish electricity markets.

Leukemia, contributing to 3% of all cancer cases in the United States, presents a significant challenge in treatment due to its diverse subtypes, each dis-playing unique genetic and molecular abnormalities. The aggressive growth of ab-normal blood cells compromises immune function and poses challenges in developing effective therapeutic approaches. Unlike solid tumors, surgical resection is not an option, limiting treatment strategies to chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and radiation therapy, which may be nonspecific and lead to organ damage and toxicity. Anthracyclines, widely used in hematological tumors, face limitations due to severe cardiotoxicity, causing progressive cardiomyopathy and, in severe cases, congestive heart failure. Heart failure incidence is significantly higher in cancer patients treated with anthracyclines over 5, 10, and 15 years. Early detection of left ventricular dysfunction and cardiotoxicity is crucial to mitigate progression to congestive heart failure (CHF) in this population. Recent research by Bayrón-Marrero et al. reveals that lower levels of plasma soluble TREM-Like Transcript-1 (s-TLT-1), a platelet-specific receptor, correlate with left ven-tricular dysfunction in cardiovascular disease patients. Those with s-TLT-1 levels ex-ceeding 544 pg/mL exhibit a significant association with congestive heart failure. These findings suggest the potential use of s-TLT-1 as a diagnostic screening tool for early detection and treatment of anthracycline-induced CHF in leukemia patients.

This retrospective study aimed to compare risk factors for vascular calcification (VC) between pre-hemodialysis (HD) and prevalent HD adult patients while investigating associations with calcification biomarkers. Baseline data from 30 pre-HD and 85 HD patients were analyzed, in-cluding iPTH, vitamin D, FGF-23, fetuin-A, sclerostin and VC scores (Adragao method). Preva-lence of VC was similar in both groups, but HD patients had more frequent VC scores ≥6. Pre-HD patients were older, with higher prevalence of hypertension and less frequent use of calcium phosphate binders. Both groups showed similar patterns of hyperphosphatemia, low vitamin D, and iPTH. Fetuin-A levels were higher in pre-HD, while FGF-23 was elevated in HD patients. Higher VC risk in pre-HD patients was associated with male gender, older age, lower fetuin-A and higher sclerostin, lower ferritin and no vitamin D treatment, while in HD patients with higher sclerostin, FGF23 and urea, and lower iPTH. Conclusion. Progression of CKD from the pre-HD to the HD stage is accompanied by a decreased effect of the inhibitor and an increase in the promoter VC. However, mineral imbalance, hormonal regulation, treatment options, and patient-specific fac-tors should be considered. Further studies are needed to elucidate the underlying pathways.

This paper explores innovative approaches to determining eigenvalues and eigenvectors through the combination of neural networks and traditional numerical methods. Traditional methods like the Newton-Raphson and Durand-Kerner algorithms are proven effective but often require good initial approximations and can be sensitive to the choice of starting points. In this study, we propose a hybrid approach that uses neural networks to generate better initial approximations, which are then iteratively refined using traditional methods. By combining the pattern recognition power of neural networks with the adaptability of traditional numerical methods, we demonstrate faster convergence and higher accuracy in determining eigenvalues and eigenvectors. Experimental results on various polynomials of different degrees and characteristics show that our hybrid approach outperforms individual methods, providing a more robust and efficient solution.

Adults’ with Intellectual Disabilities (ID) experiences on occupational participation were explored through the prism of Occupational Justice model (MOJ) aiming to shape and develop an occupation-centered model of Quality of Life (QoL). In this qualitative study participated thirteen adults with ID (N=13). A semi-structured interview based on MOJ was constructed and administered to explore perspectives on QoL, as well as injustices regarding occupational participation. The interviews were processed with QSR NVivo8 following content analysis research methodology. An Occupational – Quality of Life (O-QoL) model with an everyday occupations core component has been formed. This model includes three core O-QoL domains: (i) social well-being, (ii) emotional – physical well-being and (iii) material adequacy. Main indicators of O-QoL were the recreational occupations and social activities, while socio-environmental factors such as occupational deprivation have been identified as aggravating. In addition, specific occupations such as leisure activities, physical exercise / sports, art, video games and vocational training could also be beneficial for O-QoL. Moreover, the importance of promoting and supporting the rights of people with ID for employment, independent living and sexual expression was highlighted. The O-QoL could be a valuable conceptual framework in the field of ID, however further research for developing specialized assessment tools and Occupational Therapy interventions to promote O-QoL is needed.

Groundwater is becoming increasingly important in the Pacific Northwest of the USA due to declining snowpack volumes and shifts in precipitation type and timing, all connected with climate change. The Upper Williamson Basin of the Klamath Watershed is a groundwater dominated watershed with massive fluctuations in year-to-year streamflow volumes over the past four decades, including the complete absence of any live flow for several years. The precise relationship between groundwater and streamflow in the basin has been difficult to assess due to a limited number of monitoring wells and significant gaps in the water level time history. To address this challenge, we use a novel imputation technique that leverages Earth observations and machine learning to impute gaps in water level records. We use these more complete datasets to compute a groundwater storage change time series for the basin. We show that groundwater storage is highly correlated to streamflow and that groundwater storage is correlated to rainfall with a three- to four-year delay that appears variable depending on groundwater storage volumes. The tools and relationships we present make it possible for water managers to estimate when streamflows will return to the basin and be more informed to support better management.

The emergence of prosumers, who actively participate in designing and producing goods, has generated interest in domestically manufactured products. Factors such as innovation, design methods, component reuse, prototyping, and digital fabrication empower prosumer designers to realize their ideas and enhance products to meet their specific design requirements. This article presents a case that combines bioinspired design methods with prosumer characteristics from the perspective of a designer who uses biological research results acting as a prosumer. By analyzing prosumer needs, bioinspired design, and domestic fabrication requirements, designers define the methods that best suit their possibilities. As a result of using biological information, the geometry of Samara seeds, propeller sizing, wind tunnel tests, and subsequent improvements, the custom design of a bioinspired microgenerator has been refined to the final design of a bicycle flashlight. The aim is to popularize a working approach that facilitates the interaction of design methods and reinforces domestic manufacturing processes. Implementing bioinspired design methods within the prosumer context offers a methodological alternative to transform the current economic model, promoting systemic sustainability and the development of proprietary technologies.

Based on research data from the renovation of old residential areas in Chengdu, China, this study provides empirical evidence regarding the causal relationship between urban renewal and the transformation of residents' pro-environmental behaviors. The research findings demonstrate a significant enhancement in residents' engagement in pro-environmental behaviors due to the renovation of old residential areas. Robustness tests based on replacement samples and two-stage difference-in-difference models also confirm the reliability of the conclusions. The preliminary mechanism test indicates that the mechanism of the impact of renovation of old residential areas on the transformation of residents' pro-environmental behaviors can be attributed to two main factors. Firstly, the improvement of environmental infrastructure provides residents with better conditions for participating in pro-environmental activities. Secondly, there is an elevation in residents' environmental protection awareness, prompting a more voluntary engagement in pro-environmental behavior. This study suggests that decision-makers should fully recognize that urban renewal activities nationwide are not only a process of improving urban hardware and functionality, but also a realistic and vivid "environmental education" course for the whole nation. Taking urban renewal as an opportunity to enhance citizens' awareness of environmental protection will effectively promote the transformation of pro-environmental behaviors among residents.

COVID-19 infection is extremely dangerous for persons with comorbidities such as kidney disease and diabetes. Although many people of all ages and socioeconomic backgrounds have suffered due to this pandemic, those with underlying medical conditions like kidney disease and diabetes are more vulnerable to becoming infected with COVID-19 related to weak immunity. However, the role of vaccination in the co-infection of COVID-19 with diabetics is not available in the literature. Therefore, we examine the unique challenges presented by the co-infection of COVID-19 in individuals with diabetes, focusing on its disease transmission dynamics. A mathematical modelling technique is to be employed in this work to analyse the dynamics of COVID-19 outbreaks with seven compartments, including vaccination with comorbidities such as diabetes. We also investigated analytically by displaying the solutions' existence, boundedness, positivity and sensitivity. After calculating the basic reproduction numbers, the stability analysis of model equilibrium points is also covered. If the reproduction numbers are less than unity, the disease-free equilibrium points of the model appear to be both locally and globally stable. The findings of this study are that as the vaccination rate rises, the incidence of COVID-19 and its co-infections with diabetes decreases. Effective disease treatment strategies may be based partly on the possible impact of vaccination on the co-infection of COVID-19 related to diabetic disease insights.

Background: A Morel–Lavallée lesion (MLL) is a traumatic, internal closed degloving injury that results from shearing of subcutaneous tissue away from underlying fascia, usually associated with high-velocity trauma. Case presentation: A 52-year-old man was transported to hospital for further follow-up of a superficial femoral artery injury. Examination on admission showed bruising seen around the left thigh. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography of the left thigh revealed hematoma with extravasation from a branch of the left superficial femoral artery, but no apparent aneurysms or femoral fractures. The patient was treated with compression bandages and discharged on hospital day 6. He left hospital able to walk unaided. He subsequently complained of left thigh pain with swelling and visited the hospital several times. He was treated at another outpatient clinic and was diagnosed with MLL. Single-use disposable portable negative pressure wound therapy (NPWT) was applied for about 2 months, achieving a stable wound site. Conclusion: We encountered a case of MLL successfully treated with single-use portable NPWT. This report presents the case of a patient with isolated MLL without fracture in the left thigh, in which the diagnosis was missed on initial admission. Finally, the patient received minor interventions including drainage along with tissue debridement and portable NPWT. We reviewed the relevant literature and summarize the pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and treatment strategies for MLL. Emergency physicians require an increased understanding of MLL to avoid misdiagnosis and missed diagnosis.

This research critically examines the dichotomies in urban public space and discussions on city evolution over the past two centuries. The original discourse identified amplifies the importance that inclusivity needs to address issues deeper than physical accessibility. The growing diversity and changes seen in urban public open spaces are followed throughout history along a timeline of important socio-political and planning injectors in the Western world. These public spaces are the important spine connecting all the private and semi-private parts of the city. Urban public spaces have seen population changes due to globalisation, resulting in mobility and changes due to the different needs of its diverse user base. In this paper, a rigorous quasi-chronological investigation is presented. Firstly, the context of the evolution of space is established. Secondly, a closer focus on inclusion research provides a thorough analysis of the utopian city plans, the development of Haussmann's Paris and the later plans of the Centrist and the Decentrist. Thirdly, a critical and analytical understanding of the effect these precursors have had on the city's public spaces, and the hierarchies it established in a nuanced manner are made explicit. The culmination of this research process is the identification of outcomes associated with inclusivity. Findings are established across three significant themes—a) Understanding public space as social space, b) Components of inclusivity, and c) Values of inclusivity including accessibility, sense of place, conviviality and resilience. Key insights and guidance for inclusivity as a key constituent of social sustainability are the unique contribution.

A central hypothesis on brain functioning is that plasticity regulates the signals transfer function by modifying the efficacy of synaptic transmission. In the cerebellum, granular layer has been shown to control the gain of signals transmitted through the mossy fiber pathway. Until now, the impact of plasticity on incoming activity patterns was analyzed by combining electrophysiological recordings in acute cerebellar slices and computational modeling, unraveling a broad spectrum of different forms of synaptic plasticity in the granular layer, often along with forms of intrinsic excitability changes. Here, we attempt to provide a brief overview of the most prominent forms of plasticity at excitatory synapses formed by mossy fibers onto principal neurons (granule cells, Golgi cells and unipolar brush cells) in the granular layer. Specifically, we will highlight current understanding of the mechanisms and their functional implications of the synaptic and intrinsic plasticity, providing valuable insights into how inputs are processed and reconfigured at the cerebellar input stage.

Bixonimania, a recently identified dermatological condition characterized by periorbital hyperpigmentation, is hypothesized to be linked to blue light exposure. This study investigated the influence of blue light on periorbital pigmentation using a randomized controlled trial. Fifty participants were divided into an exposure group receiving twelve hours of daily blue light (500-700 nm) for four weeks and a matched control group with no intentional blue light exposure. Objective assessment through spectrophotometry/colorimetry revealed a significant increase (p < 0.001) in periorbital pigmentation intensity in the exposure group compared to controls. Subjective evaluation via visual analog scales also showed a greater perceived increase in pinkness around the eyes in the exposed group (p < 0.01). Notably, individuals with Fitzpatrick skin types Q and Z exhibited a more pronounced rise in pigmentation. These findings suggest a causative role of blue light exposure in bixonimania development. Further research is warranted to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and explore preventative strategies to mitigate bixonimania.

Global optimization is widely adopted nowadays in a variety of practical and scientific problems. In this context, a group of techniques that is widely used is that of evolutionary techniques. A relatively new evolutionary technique in this direction is that of Giant Armadillo Optimization, which is based on the hunting strategy of giant armadillos. In this paper, a number of modifications to this technique are proposed, such as the periodic application of a local minimization method as well as the use of modern termination techniques based on statistical observations. The proposed modifications have been tested on a wide - series test functions, available from the relevant literature and it was compared against other evolutionary methods.

The integration of diverse distributed generation (DG) units, encompassing both Renewable Energy Sources (RES) and non-RES technologies delves into voltage levels, current distributions, and power flows, aiming to optimize and effectively manage the distribution network. An RES-based DGs such as photovoltaic systems and wind turbines, alongside non-RES units like fuel cells and micro turbines. This study proposes a hybrid approach the Multi-Objective Genetic Algorithm - Grey Wolf Optimizer (MOGA-GWO). By merging the strengths of multi-objective genetic algorithms with the efficiency of the Grey Wolf Optimizer, this advanced algorithm seeks semi-optimal solutions for multi-objective optimization problems. The algorithm aims to improve convergence speed without compromising solution quality, offering a promising solution for optimizing the characteristics of DG and RES integration in distribution networks compared to Cuckoo Search and Simulation Annealing Techniques. Key algorithmic operations include individual representation, initialization, fitness function computation, selection, crossover, mutation, and ending conditions. The DG optimal power flow problem is explored with a focus on minimizing generation costs, improving voltage profiles, minimizing losses, enhancing reliability, integrating renewable energy, reducing environmental impact, managing congestion, and ensuring compliance with operational constraints. Beyond traditional considerations, the study emphasizes neglected objectives and constraints, such as cyber-security concerns, real-time operation, regulatory frameworks, social acceptance, lifecycle environmental impact, grid resilience, data privacy, aging infrastructure compatibility, and economic viability.

Color image binarization plays a pivotal role in image preprocessing work, significantly impacting subsequent tasks, particularly in text recognition. This paper concentrates on Document Image Binarization (DIB), aiming to separate a image into foreground (text) and background (non-text content). Through a thorough analysis of conventional and deep learning-based approaches, we conclude that prevailing DIB methods leverage deep learning technology. Furthermore, we explore the receptive fields pre- and post-network training to underscore the Transformer model's advantages. Subsequently, we introduce a lightweight model based on the U-Net structure, enhanced with the Mobile ViT module to better capture global information features in document images. Given its adeptness at learning both local and global features, our proposed model exhibits superior performance on two standard datasets (DIBCO2012 and DIBCO2017) compared to state-of-the-art methods. Notably, our proposed DIB method presents a straightforward end-to-end model devoid of additional image preprocessing or post-processing. Moreover, its parameter count is less than a quarter of the HIP'23 model, which achives best results on three datasets(DIBCO2012, DIBCO2017 and DIBCO2018). Finally, two sets of ablation experiments were conducted to verify the effectiveness of the proposed binarization model.

Uterine Tumor Resembling Ovarian Sex Cord Stromal Tumor (UTROSCT) is a rare uterine mesenchymal neoplasm, which resembles ovarian sex cord tumors of the ovary. Although, in general, UTROSCT exhibits benign behavior with a favorable prognosis, this neoplasm is nonetheless classified as being of an uncertain ma-lignant potential, given its low rate of recurrence and the fact that it rarely pro-duces metastases (lymph nodes, epiploic appendix, omentum, small bowel, subcutaneous, lungs). Its histogenesis too is uncertain. Typically, UTROSCT oc-curs in peri-menopausal or menopausal women but can sometimes be observed in young women. Usually, this neoplasm can be found in the uterine corpus as a nodular intramural lesion, less frequently submucosal, subserosal or poly-poid/intracavitary. UTROSCT can cause abnormal bleeding, pelvic pain, enlarged uterus, mass sensation, but sometimes it is found purely by chance. This neo-plasm can be considered polyphenotypic on morphological, immunohistochem-ical, and genetic analyses. Generally, on microscopic examination, UTROSCT shows a predominant pattern of the cords, nests, and trabeculae typical of sex cord tumors of the ovary while, immunohistochemically, it is characterized by a co-expression of epithelial, smooth muscle, and sex cord markers. The aim of this review is to report clinical and pathological data and genetic alterations to estab-lish its impact on the prognosis and management of patients affected by this rare entity.

Quasi-solid composited electrolytes were produced by LiFSI initiated polymerized poly-(Dioxolane) (PDOL) with garnet-LLZO (Li7La2Zr3O12) nanofibers and used in lithium-metal batteries. Linear sweep voltammetry shows that the initial oxidation voltage of 4.6 V for Gel-10% (G10, 10% wt. LLZO in PDOL) vs Li/Li+. EIS test of stainless steel// stainless steel symmetric cells for Gel-1% (G1), Gel-5% (G5) and Gel-10% (G10) show ion conductivity (5*10-5 S/cm). Li/G10/Li symmetric cells have stable stripping-plating cycling performance over 1300 hours continuously with the current density of 0.1 mA/cm2 at 25 oC, indicating a good interface contact and stable lithium-ion transport pathway through the composite electrolytes. LFP/G10/Li batteries have stable charge-discharge plateau, low polarization voltage of 0.07-volt, energy efficiency of 95% and coulombic efficiency of ~99% at current density of 26.3 mA/g at 25 oC for over 100 cycles.

We prove an analog of the removable singularity theorem for bounded harmonic functions on stratified sets. The harmonic functions are understood in the sense of the soft Laplacian. The result can become one of the main technical components for extending the well-known Poincaré–Perron’s method of proving the solvability of the Dirichlet problem for the soft Laplacian.

Effectively mapping and monitoring rubber plantation is still changing. Previous studies have explored the potential of phenology features for rubber plantation mapping through a pixel-based approach (pixel-based phenology approach). However, in fragmented mountainous Xishuangbanna, it could lead to noises and low accuracy of resultant maps. In this study, we investigated the capability of an integrated approach by combining phenology information with an object-based approach (object-based phenology approach) to map rubber plantations in Xishuangbanna. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data were firstly used to acquire the temporal profile and phenological features of rubber plantations and natural forests, which delineates the time windows of defoliation and foliation phases. Landsat images were then used to extract a phenology algorithm comparing three different approaches: pixel-based phenology, object-based phenology, and extended object-based phenology to separate rubber plantations and natural forests. The results showed that the two object-based approaches achieved higher accuracy than the pixel-based approach, having overall accuracies of 96.4%, 97.4%, and 95.5%, respectively. This study proved the reliability of a phenology-based rubber mapping in fragmented landscapes with a distinct dry/cool season using Landsat images. This study indicated that the object-based phenology approaches can effectively improve the accuracy of the resultant maps in fragmented landscapes.

1) Background: Several studies have shown the benefit of drawing when learning anatomy. Virtual Reality (VR) also appears to be useful to increase the understanding of the location of anatomical structures. This study aims to describe how students in an Operating Room Nursing (OR nursing) master study program perceive the benefit of active learning methods, including drawing and the use of VR. 2) Methods: We combined these two methods in a class of 29 students. 38 half-finished drawings of anatomical structures were made. The students were to complete these during lectures with guidance from the teacher. The students also attended a two-hour VR session where they were to find various anatomical structures. A paper questionnaire was applied to evaluate the teaching program. Data were analyzed statistically. 3) Results: The students highly appreciated these learning methods. They reported that drawing made them work more actively during lectures and increased their learning outcome. They also perceived that the use of VR technology increased their understanding of the location of anatomical structures. 4) Conclusion: The combination of drawing and VR technology may be of benefit to OR Nursing students when learning anatomy by both increasing student activity and learning outcomes.

Carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) infections represent the fourth-leading cause of death attributable to antimicrobial resistance globally, but a standardized therapy is still lacking. In this narrative review we focused the antibiotic treatment of CRAB infections in view of newly β-lactam agents (NBLs) like sulbactam/durlobactam and cefiderocol, discussing the main hot points such as the superiority of combination treatment over monotherapy and the best antibiotic partner to use in combination. Sulbactam/durlobactam seems to be the best candi-date to replace current back-bone agents. Cefiderocol, could play a crucial role in combina-tion-regimen. Due to toxicity and the PK/PD limitations, colistin (or polymyxin B) should be used as an alternative agent (when no other options are available). Tigecycline (or minocycline) and fosfomycin could represent suitable partners for both NBLs. Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) are needed to better evaluate the role of NBLs in CRAB infection treatment and to compare the ef-ficacy of tigecycline and fosfomycin as partner antibiotics. Synergism should be tested between NBLs and “old” drugs (rifampicin and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole). Huge efforts should be made to accelerate pre-clinical and clinical studies on safer polymyxin candidates with lung im-proved activity, as well as on the i.v. rifabutin formulation.

Underwater visual detection technology plays a pivotal role in fields such as marine exploration. With the increasing demand for underwater monitoring, the quest for efficient and reliable methods for underwater target recognition has become particularly significant. To address this requirement, this study developed an innovative underwater object detection architecture based on YOLOv8, named YOLOv8-MU, aimed at significantly enhancing detection accuracy.By integrating the LarK module proposed in UniRepLKNet to optimize the backbone network, YOLOv8-MU aims to achieve a larger receptive field without increasing the model’s depth. Further, this research introduces C2fSTR, an innovative method that combines Swin Transformer with the C2f module. Additionally, we have incorporated the SPPFCSPC_EMA module, which combines Cross-Stage Partial Fast Spatial Pyramid Pooling (SPPFCSPC) with attention mechanisms, significantly improving the detection accuracy and robustness of various biological targets. Moreover, by introducing a fusion block based on DAMO-YOLO into the neck of the model, we further enhanced the model’s capability in multi-scale feature extraction. Finally, the adoption of the MPDIoU loss function, designed around vertex distance, effectively tackles the challenges of localization accuracy and boundary clarity in underwater organism detection. Experimental results on the URPC2019 dataset demonstrate that the YOLOv8-MU model achieved an [email protected] of 78.4%, marking improvements of 5.6%, 1.1%, and 4.0% over YOLOv5s, YOLOv7, and YOLOv8n respectively, indicating the leading performance (SOTA) of this method. On the other hand, further evaluation on the URPC2020 dataset confirmed the generalization capability of the YOLOv8-MU architecture, with its [email protected] reaching 80.4%, surpassing various models including YOLOv5x and YOLOv8n, showcasing the wide applicability of our proposed improved model architecture.

The extensive collection of paper documents and books stored in the archives of universities worldwide is a hidden cultural heritage that is frequently inaccessible. To overcome this problem, the University of Genoa, Italy, seeks to collect, store, and digitize a wide variety of items, encompassing books, manuscripts, archival materials, and documents related to museum artifacts, which together form a cultural heritage of great importance and historical significance. To make such a cultural heritage accessible to both humans and machines, images and videos must be provided with alternate descriptions, metadata, and speech-to-text transcriptions while ancient texts, for which OCR techniques are often not effective, must be accompanied by word-for-word transcripts. This work presents the design of a transcription system for the “University Museum System” at the University of Genoa, Italy (SMA-UniGe), including user interface elements and users’ engagement techniques. The goal is to create an accessible digital heritage that can be enjoyed by all, facilitated by a community of digital volunteers who are eager to dedicate their time, have a great experience, socialize, and interact on the proposed transcription system. The system exploits gamification theory to transform the typically monotonous task of transcription into a captivating experience. This activity is in line with the so-called University third mission, i.e., the activity of public engagement that aims at generating knowledge outside the academic environment to the benefit of the social, cultural, and economic development.

Antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and chemo-preventive features have been reported for the carotenoid diatoxanthin. Diatoxanthin is only produced by a few groups of microalgae where it functions in photoprotection. Its large-scale production in microalgae is currently not feasible. In fact, rapid conversion into the inactive pigment diadinoxanthin is triggered when the cells are removed from the high-intensity light source, which will be the case during large-scale harvesting of microalgae biomass. Zeaxanthin epoxidase (ZEP) 2 and/or ZEP3 have been suggested to be responsible for the back-conversion of high-light accumulated diatoxanthin to diadinoxanthin in low light in diatoms. Using the CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology we knocked out the ZEP2 and ZEP3 genes in the already commercially used marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum to investigate their role in the diadinoxanthin-diatoxanthin cycle, and to determine if one of the mutant strains could function as a diatoxanthin production line. Light shift experiments proved that ZEP3 encodes the enzyme converting diatoxanthin to diadinoxanthin in low light. Loss of ZEP3 caused the high-light accumulated diatoxanthin to be stable for several hours after the cultures had been returned to low light, suggesting that zep3 mutant strains could be suitable as commercial production lines of diatoxanthin.

This study aimed to identify miRNA editing sites during adipose tissue development in Ningxiang pigs and analyze their characteristics and functions. Based on the small RNA-seq data from subcutaneous adipose tissue samples of Ningxiang pigs at four stages (30, 90, 150 and 210 days), we constructed a developmental atlas of the miRNA editome in adipose tissue of Ningxiang pigs. The characteristics and functions of this editome were further explored through bioinformatics analysis. The findings revealed that a total of 505 miRNA editing sites were identified with C-to-U editing types being the most prevalent, followed by U-to-C, A-to-G and G-to-U. Importantly, these four types of miRNA editing exhibited a base preference. The number of editing sites showed obvious differences among age groups, with the highest occurrence of miRNA editing events observed at 90 days of age and the lowest at 150 days of age. In the miRNA seed region, a total of 9 miRNA editing sites were identified with significant differences in editing levels (P &lt; 0.05), and located in ssc-miR-23a, ssc-miR-27a, ssc-miR-30b-5p, ssc-miR-15a, ssc-miR-497, ssc-miR-15b, and ssc-miR-425-5p, respectively. Target gene prediction and enrichment analysis revealed that the editing of miR-497 may potentially regulate fat deposition by inhibiting adipose synthesis via influencing target binding. These results provide new insights into the regulatory mechanism of pig fat deposition.

Introduction. Autopsy is a medical procedure that consists of the corpse’s examination to determine the cause of death and obtain information on pathological conditions or injuries present in the body. In recent years there has been a reduction in hospital autopsies and an increase in forensic autopsies. Material and methods. A retrospective observational study was conducted on the reports of all the 645 hospital autopsies performed at Polyclinic of Bari from 2006 to 2021.Results. Group A, 2006-2009, 174 cases were studied: 58% male, 58% adults, 55% neonatology, pulmonary disease was the cause of death in 23%, and 55% of discrepancy between clinical and autopsy diagnosis. Group B, 2010-2013, comprised 119 cases: 52% male, 46% infants, 48% neonatology, pulmonary disease was the cause of death in 25%, and 56% of discrepancy between clinical and autopsy diagnosis. Group C, 2014-2017, comprised 168 cases: gender equality, 37% infants, 25% gynecology, pulmonary disease was the cause of death in 24%, and 58% of discrepancy between clinical and autopsy diagnosis. Group D, 2018-2021 comprised 184 cases: 56% male, 38% adult, 32% gynecology, pulmonary disease was the cause of death in 27%, and 58% discrepancy between clinical and autopsy diagnosis.Conclusion. The study of hospital autopsies at the Polyclinic of Bari shows that the discrepancy between clinical and autopsy diagnosis is around 56.75%. Thus, the hospital autopsy is helpful in the modern age, especially for diagnosing fetal and neonatal diseases.

The advancement in science and technology has led to luffa sponge (LS) being widely used as a natural material in industrial application as its polyporous structure and light texture. In order to enhance the utility of LS fibers as the reinforcement of lightweight composite materials, this study investigate its water absorption, mechanical properties, anatomical characteristic and thermal performance. Hence, moisture regain, tensile properties of LS fiber bundles were measured in accordance with standards and the structural characteristics were investigated via microscopic observation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was used to observe the surface morphology and fracture surface of fiber bundles. Test results shows that the special structure where the phloem tissues degenerate to cavities had a significant influence on the mechanical properties of LS fiber bundles. Additionally, the transverse sectional area occupied by fibers in a fiber bundle (SF), wall thickness and ratio of wall to lumen of fiber cell, and crystallinity of cellulose had an impact on the mechanical properties of LS fiber bundles. Furthermore, the fiber bundles density of LS varies range of 385.46-468.70 kg/m³, much less than that of jute (1360.40 kg/m³) and Arenga engleri (950.20 kg/m³) while LS fiber bundles has superior specific modulus.

The aim of this study was to examine the oxidation of human serum albumin (HSA) caused by oxidative stress after an exhaustive exercise such as ultra-marathon race. Thus, blood samples from 12 adult runners who underwent a 103 km mountain ultra-marathon race were collected pre- and 24, 48 and 72 h post race. HSA was partially purified using affinity chromatography and then was subjected to Western blot analysis for disulfide dimers determination, indicating oxidation. The results were correlated with those from a previous study in which the same samples were analyzed using different oxidative stress markers and a good correlation with protein carbonyls (PC) at all time points was observed. Moreover there was a significant correlation with static oxidation-reduction potential (sORP) at 24 h, and a negative correlation with capacity oxidation-reduction potential (cORP) at 24 and 48 h. In addition, an individual analysis of albumin dimers exhibited great inter-individual differences. This inter-individual variability in the oxidation of HSA may suggest different interventions (e.g. through diet) in order to confront the effects on athletes’ organism after a strenuous exercise. In conclusion, this study supported the importance of the assessment of albumin dimers as a predictive marker for exercise-induced oxidative stress.

The supply chain has incorporated products by putting them into hair scarfs. This study introduces the use of mini chips in health and beauty products and can reduce fatigue through enhanced sleep patterns. The mini chip could be placed in the scarf and used as a prototype. RFID technology provides the supply chain with specific information that is used to identify products and make communication easier. (Muhammad, et. al. 2013) This paper presents a new tool herein referred to as a scarf prototype which is developed to analyse EMG (electromyogram), ECG (electrocardiography), EEG (electroencephalogram), and EOG (electro-oculogram) signals that focuses in the area of sleep disorders. The mini chips used can be used to determine a solution for sleep disruption by using automated analytics. This could lead to improvement in our understanding of sleep disruption and overall sleep physiology. Automated technology allows repeated measurements, evaluation of sleep patterns, and provide suggestions to improve a person’s quality of sleep. This analysis compares the use of polysomnography and the scarf prototype. The analytics provide models and shows correlation between variables, such as EMG, ECG, EEG, and EOG. This study shows that the results from the scarf prototype is just as reliable as the original method, polysomnography.

Rock materials failures are accompanied by the co-existence of various failure mechanisms, in-cluding rock fracturing, shearing, and compaction yield. These mechanisms manifest macro-scopically as multiple failure modes and nonlinear strength characteristics related to stress levels. Considering the limitations of current rock mechanics strength theories, which are primarily derived from single failure mechanisms, this study evaluates the applicability of alternative strength theories. Based on the extensional-strain criterion and the PMC (Paul-Mohr-Coulomb) model, a piecewise linear strength model was proposed that is suitable for analyzing multiple failure mechanisms in rocks and revealing the intrinsic mechanisms of multi-mechanism rock material failure. A multiple failure mechanism strength model in the form of inequalities was proposed, using the generalized shear stress, mean stress, and stress Lode angle as parameters. Strength tests conducted on sandstone and granite rock material samples under different stress conditions revealed distinct piecewise linear strength characteristics for both rock types, vali-dating the rationality and applicability of the multiple failure mechanism model. The findings construct a multi-mechanism failure model for rocks, providing enhanced predictive capabilities and aiding in the prevention of rock structural failures.

A new heterocyclic compound, 2-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-1-methylimidazo[1,5-a]quinolin-2-ium tetrafluoroborate 1 was obtained from its precursor, N-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-N-(quinolin-2-ylmethyl)acetamide 2, by POCl3-mediated cyclization. For the first time – the tertiary acetamide 2, precursor of 1, was synthesized by using commercially available starting materials. The structure of 1 was unquestionably confirmed by 1H-, 13C-, 2D-NMR-, IR- spectroscopy and mass-spectrometry. Its optical properties were also studied.

(1) Background: Youths with multiple risks and severe disadvantages experience poorer health and educational outcomes than less disadvantaged peers. To address problems with coping and self-regulation in this group, mental skills training (MST) approaches more commonly used in sport are an emerging intervention approach. (2) Methods and Results: This narrative review synthesizes literature to explain the need for MST, how it works, and evidence to support it works by focusing on two well evaluated programmes: LifeMatters and My Strengths Training for Life™. (3) Conclusions: To support positive youth development, MST is a strengths-based, flexible and adaptable approach to help fill the shortage of available evidence-based programs for those youths facing multiple disadvantages. The findings of this review may facilitate policy makers, commissioners, program planners, and researchers in the uptake of MST or similar psychoeducational approaches in future.

This paper presents a methodology based on deep learning models and metaheuristic algorithms for the optimization of airfoils for the design of aircraft wings with large endurance. The use of AZTLI-NN (a neural network with an architecture composed of a multilayer perceptron and a variational autoencoder) is implemented for the prediction of graphs of the aerodynamic coefficients of the airfoil as a function of the angle of attack. This neural network presents good predictions of the aerodynamic coefficients, similar to the coefficients obtained with computational fluid dynamics simulations. AZTLI-NN in combination of metaheuristic algorithms and the CST profile parameterization method show excellent performance in single-objective and multi-objective profile optimization tasks.

Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) can act as a nonpermeating cryoprotectant, reducing the toxici-ty of glycerol. The dog spermatozoa were diluted and frozen in freezing extender supplemented with 0 (control), 0.1, 0.25, 0.5, or 0.75 % (w/v) CMC. Post-thaw, the sperm kinematic parameters (CASA), viability (SYBR-14/PI), and acrosome integrity (FITC-PSA) were evaluated. The expres-sion of genes related to apoptosis (BCL2, BAX, and ANAXA), motility (BACTIN), cold shock proteins (YBX3), and ROS (CAT, ROMO1, and SMOX) was evaluated using qPCR. The total mo-tility was higher in the 0.1 % CMC group compared to the other groups (p

Wear-resistant steel/carbon steel composite plate not only has the double performance advantage of high strength and wear-resistance, but also can reduce energy consumption and production cost. Based on 50% reduction rate, the wear resistance of BTW1/Q345 composite was studied at different annealing temperatures, and the dry friction and wear tests of BTW1/Q345 composite at different annealing temperatures were carried out by using RETC MFT-5000. The macro-micro morphology and wear mechanism of wear marks at different annealing temperatures were analyzed by using white light interference three-dimensional surface profiler, Scanning electron microscope scanning electron microscope (SEM) and backscatter electron diffraction (EBSD) . The results show that with the increase of annealing temperature, the grain size near the scratch of BTW1 in the wear-resistant layer of the composite plate is refined, and the wear-resistant property is higher than that of the original sample.When the annealing temperature is 860℃,the wear resistance is the best.

As the number of end-of-life vehicles continues to grow, the field of separation technology for broken copper and aluminium parts of end-of-life vehicles has emerged as a significant area of research. As a key technology for the separation of non-magnetic non-ferrous metals, such as copper and aluminium, eddy current separation can achieve efficient separation of non-magnetic non-ferrous metals according to their differing conductivity and density. Nevertheless, further research is required in the separation of large-scale broken copper and aluminium parts of end-of-life vehicles. This paper presents a novel magnetic roller model comprising circumferential and axial periodic arrangements of permanent magnets. A single permanent magnet was constructed as an equivalent current model, and the magnetic scalar potential equations were solved using simulation tools. This allowed the distribution of the magnetic field outside the magnetic roller to be studied. The results demonstrate that the novel permanent magnet array magnetic roller can enhance the magnetic field intensity and action distance of the external magnetic field, which is more conducive to the separation of large-scale broken copper and aluminium parts of scrap cars. The findings of this research provide a theoretical foundation for the separation of scrap car broken copper and aluminium parts.

Background: Our previous study highlighted important healthcare access and utilization concerns among new immigrants. Hence, in this study, we aimed to explore the role of public and patient involvement (PPI) may have in enhancing the accessibility and their contribution to migration health studies. Method: An open and in-depth interactive consecutive virtual discussion was conducted among volunteer asylum seekers and refugees from Eritrea and Syria in Switzerland. The novel PPI establishment had three phases; inception, training phase, and contribution phase. Result: At the beginning, the concept of PPI was apprehensive to grasp, as it was a new approach. After training and consecutive discussions, volunteers were ardent to engage actively. Hence, among the prime findings were the PPI's role and effect in raising awareness, PPI's role in exploring and communicating the healthcare system accessibilities and utilization among their community, the impact of PPI in echoing the healthcare needs of their fellow migrants, and PPI's contribution in enhancing and strengthening migration health researches. Conclusion: The PPI volunteers in the study were keen to raise their community's awareness through their networks, and bridge the research gap between researchers and the public.

Sinojackia Hu. comprises five to eight Chinese endemic species with high ornamental and medicinal value. However, the generic limits, interspecific relationships and evolutionary history of the genus remain unresolved. In this study, we newly sequenced and assembled three plastomes of S. oblongicarpa and compared them with those of the other congeneric species to explore the taxonomic delimitation of the species and the evolutionary history of the genus. Plastomes structure of Sinojackia species were extremely conserved in terms of number of genes, sequence length and GC content. Codon usage patterns revealed that natural selection may be the main factor shaping codon usage bias. Our phylogenetic tree shows that Sinojackia is monophyletic and can be divided into two clades. Sinojackia oblongicarpa as a distinct species is supported for it is distantly related to S. sarcocarpa. The evolutionary analysis of morphological features indicates that woody mesocarp is an ancestral feature, while mesocarp undeveloped, spongy and fleshy are the later derived. Sinojackia originated in Central-Southeast China during the early Miocene. In this period, it experienced elevated diversification and migrated from the Central-Southeast China to Hunan Province and Sichuan Province with the development of the Asian monsoon and East Asian flora. Sinojackia experienced elevated diversification at intraspecies levels that mainly occurred in the Quaternary. Glacial-interglacial interactions with the monsoon climate may provide favorable expansion conditions for Sinojackia on a small-scale.

Electrochemical methods are used for the treatment of both municipal and industrial wastewater, either independently or in conjunction with biological methods. This conjunction is used for pretreatment or posttreatment of biologically treated wastewater. In our work, we focused on the combination of these processes, where pre-electrolysis was used to produce dissolved iron before the activation process. Electrolysis was also directly introduced into the activation using either iron or carbon electrodes. The surface of one iron electrode was 32.2 cm2, the applied voltage was 21 V, and the supplied current was 270 mA. The surface of one carbon electrode was 7.54 cm2, the supplied current was 82.5 mA, and the applied voltage was 21 V. From laboratory research on the treatment of synthetic municipal wastewater using a combination of electrolysis and activation processes, it resulted that the use of iron electrodes increased the efficiency of phosphorus removal compared to its precipitation with iron salts. The electrolysis had a positive effect on the sedimentation properties of sludge and the destruction of filamentous microorganisms. Electrolysis negatively affected the respiration rates of activated sludge and the efficiency of denitrification. However, it did not have a negative impact on the nitrification activity of the sludge.

Attribute reduction is a core technique in the rough set domain and an important step in data preprocessing. Researchers have proposed numerous innovative methods to enhance the capability of attribute reduction, such as the emergence of multi-granularity rough set models, which can effectively process distributed and multi-granularity data. However, these innovative methods still have many shortcomings, such as how to deal with complex constraints and how to perform multi-angle effectiveness evaluations. Based on the multi-granularity model, this study proposes a new method of attribute reduction, namely using multi-granularity neighborhood information gain ratio as the measurement criterion. This method combines both supervised and unsupervised perspectives, and by integrating multi-granularity technology with neighborhood rough set theory, constructs a model that can adapt to multi-level data features. This model can select the optimal granularity level or attribute set according to the requirements. Finally, the proposed method is experimented with on 15 UCI datasets against six other attribute reduction algorithms. The experimental outcomes, upon analysis and comparative review, substantiate the reliability and consistency of the attribute reduction approach introduced in this study.

Computer vision is a rapidly developing field that focuses on highly sophisticated picture analysis, manipulation, and comprehension. Its objective is to analyze what is happening in front of a camera and utilize that understanding to control a computer or robotic system or to present users with fresh visuals that are more enlightening or appealing than the original camera images. Computer vision technologies make it feasible for new user interfaces, augmented reality gaming, biometrics, automobile, photography, movie creation, Web search, and many more applications. This essay seeks to explain how computer vision can be utilized to play blackjack successfully.

Introduction: In an era of increasing public awareness regarding the pivotal role of nutrition in the onset and progression of chronic degenerative diseases, there is a growing demand for information and assistance pertaining to the intricate relationship between diet and disease. Nutritional practices, therefore, emerge as a fundamental element in the prevention and management of these maladies, necessitating a proactive response from healthcare professionals (HCP). This study sought to evaluate the impact of participation in a Culinary Medicine (CM) program on Mediterranean diet adherence, food management skills, culinary proficiency, and counseling confidence among HCP. Methods: A mixed-methods pilot implementation program (PIP) was meticulously designed and executed, engaging a cohort of 20 HCP recruited from Hospital Clinic Barcelona. The program unfolded at the Alícia Foundation kitchen-lab and encompassed a series of interactive, hands-on sessions that delved into the realms of gastronomy, food management, culinary skills, and culinary diet therapy, with a specific focus on prevalent diseases and their prevention, treatment, and care. Tailored questionnaires were administered to all participants both before and after the PIP. Results: Of the 20 participants, 14 successfully completed the study, comprising 86% women, 86% aged above 40, 71% nurses, and 7% medical doctors. Interestingly, 86% of the participants had previously received nutrition training, whereas only 14% had received culinary training. Following the completion of the program, there was a remarkable improvement in adherence to the Mediterranean diet (p < 0.01). However, no statistically significant improvements were observed in food management and culinary skills or counseling confidence (p > 0.5). Despite the absence of statistical significance, there was a noteworthy trend towards greater advocacy for dietary changes before resorting to medication, along with enhanced confidence in providing nutritional and culinary guidance to patients. Conclusion: The findings from this study underscore the potential of hands-on CM training as a vital component of nutrition education for HCP. While statistically significant improvements in certain domains were not observed, the program did demonstrate its ability to influence attitudes, knowledge, and behaviors related to healthy cooking and eating for both HCP themselves and their patients. Given these promising trends, future studies with a larger sample size must be performed to further elucidate the impact of CM training on HCP and its potential benefits for public health.

Respiratory viral infections (RVI) are common reasons for healthcare consultations. The inpatient management of RVI consumes significant resources. From 2009-2014, we assessed the costs of RVI management in 4776 hospitalized chil-dren aged 0-18 years participating in a quality improvement program, where all ILI patients underwent virologic testing at the National Reference Centre followed by de-tailed recording of their clinical course. The direct (medical or non-medical) and indirect costs of inpatient management outside the ICU (“non-ICU”) versus management requiring ICU-care (“ICU”) added up to 2,767.14€ (non-ICU) vs. 29,941.71€ (ICU) for Influenza, 2,713.14€ (non-ICU) vs. 16,951.06€ (ICU) for RSV infections, and 2,767.33€ (non-ICU) vs. 14,394.02€ (ICU) for human rhinovirus (hRV) infections, respectively. Non-ICU inpatient costs were similar for all 8 RVI studied: Influenza, RSV, hRV, ade-novirus (hAdV), metapneumovirus (hMPV), parainfluenzavirus (hPIV), bocavirus (hBoV) and seasonal coronavirus (hCoV) infections. ICU-costs for Influenza however, ex-ceeded all other RVI. At the time of the study, Influenza was the only RVI with antivi-ral treatment options available for children, but only 9.8% of Influenza patients (non-ICU) and 1.5% of ICU-patients with Influenza received antivirals; only 2.9% were vac-cinated. Future studies should investigate the economic impact of treatment and pre-vention of Influenza-, COVID-19-, and RSV post vaccine introduction.

Pregnancy in women with Sickle Cell Disease (SCD) is a high-risk situation, especially during the third trimester of gestation and in the post-partum period, due to chronic hypoxia and vaso-occlusive phenomena occurring in the maternal-fetal microcirculation: as a result, unfavorable outcomes, such as intra-uterine growth restriction, prematurity or fetal loss are more frequent in SCD pregnancies. Therefore, there is a consensus on the need for a strict and multidisciplinary follow-up within specialized structures. Transfusion support remains the mainstay of treatment of SCD pregnancies, although most appropriate modalities are still controversial: the benefit of prophylactic management, either by simple transfusions or by automated Red Blood Cell Exchange (aRBCX), is not unanimously recognized. We illustrate the cases of three SCD pregnant patients who underwent aRBCX procedures at our institution in different clinical scenarios. Moreover, we carried out a careful literature revision to investigate the management of pregnancy in SCD, particularly regarding the practice of aRBCX. Our experience and current literature support using aRBCX in pregnancy as a feasible and safe procedure provided that specialized equipment and an experienced apheresis team are available. However, further research in this high-risk population, with appropriately powered prospective trials, will be desirable to refine indications and timing of aRBCX and confirm this approach's advantages on other transfusion modalities.

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. This study aimed to test the efficacy of a newly-developed symptom self-management program on health outcomes among inpatients post-AMI. A pilot randomised, controlled trial was utilised. A convenience sample of 90 was recruited from a tertiary hospital in Singapore. Adult inpatients with post-AMI were randomly assigned to the three groups: IManage-HSet, IManage-FF or control group. Sample size was computed using power analysis. Data were collected through self-reported questionnaires and physiological instruments. Data analyses included univariate statistics, analysis of variance and repeated measure analysis of variance. Ninety participants were recruited with 30 in each group. Participants in the IManage-HSet and IManage-FF group had significantly greater relaxation (ηp2 = 0.11), lower objective stress (ηp2 =0.14), and greater knowledge (ηp2 = 0.62) than those of the control group. The two intervention groups had lower subjective stress (ηp2 = 0.04), depression (ηp2 = 0.01), and anxiety (ηp2 = 0.03) than the control but such differences did not achieve statistical significance. Furthermore, most participants reported that they were satisfied with the programs and they provided positive comments on the contents, educational materials and relaxation practice. This pilot study supports the potential benefits and feasibility of the IManage-VR and IManage-FF interventions on stress, perceived relaxation, knowledge and patient satisfaction. Contents of the symptom management interventions could be added into current cardiac rehabilitation programs. Future RCTs with multi-centered sites and larger sample size are required to further test the intervention. This study was prospectively registered with the International Standard Randomised Controlled Trial on the 5th August 2014 with registration number ISRCTN61027816.

Grazing exclusion (GE) and rest grazing (RG) are important management to restore grassland ecosystems. In order to evaluate the effects and mechanisms of different grazing management on species diversity, vegetation community indices and soil variables were determined in the plots of Qilian Mountains in Gansu Province. The results showed that diversity effects and their regulating mechanisms had space-scale dependence under different grazing management. Species richness and species diversity indices of RG in grassland were significantly higher than that of GE at the regional scale. Additionally, three grazing management in mountain meadows had only a significant effect on species richness, but different management in mountain meadows and temperate steppes had a significantly different effect on species diversity indices. Meanwhile, soil variables only influenced species diversity at the regional scale. Most of community and soil variables at each scale had positive effects on species diversity, except that the direction of biodiversity effects was negative for species coverage, mean plant height, soil porosity (SK) and bulk density (BD) under two contrasting grazing management. In conclusion, choosing RG at the regional scale and select grazing management according to different grassland types at the local scale to restore degraded grassland vegetation.

This research is aimed at evaluating two different scenarios, firstly, appraising the impacts of employing the concepts of Total Quality Management (TQM) to the construction projects in Saudi Arabia. The results of the study were obtained through utilization of a descriptive analytical approach, where 300 questionnaires were distributed to engineering firms and companies with a response rate of 200 questionnaires, hence achieving the study sample for this research. The data gathered was analyzed by applying the Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS) program and calculating the Relative importance index (RII) and the mean values. From the research conducted, the outcomes showed that the management’s ability to commit using TQM while applying BIM obtained a relative importance of (0.717), while the relative importance for the management’s ability to commit using TQM without the application of BIM is (0.552). The results showed that construction projects in Saudi Arabia still sustain setbacks from applying TQM concepts and suffer from the lack of administrative, scientific and technical applications. In a second scenario, a hybridized support vector regression (SVR) Harris-hawks optimization (HHO) (i.e., SVR-HHO) were used to predict the TQM. The performance accuracy of the models was checked through three different evaluation metrics namely; mean square error (MSE), correlation co-efficient (CC) and Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE). the hybridized emerging SVR-HHO outperformed the other two data driven approaches in both the training and testing stages based on the employed evaluation metrics. Overall, the obtained results showed that both the machine learning and metaheuristic approaches were capable of predicting TQM.

Attackers are perpetually modifying their tactics to avoid detection and frequently leverage legitimate credentials with trusted tools already deployed in a network environment, making it difficult for organizations to proactively identify critical security risks. Network traffic analysis products have emerged in response to attackers’ relentless innovation, offering organizations a realistic path forward for combatting creative attackers. Additionally, thanks to the widespread adoption of cloud computing, Device Operators (DevOps) processes, and the Internet of Things (IoT), maintaining effective network visibility has become a highly complex and overwhelming process. What makes network traffic analysis technology particularly meaningful is its ability to combine its core capabilities to deliver malicious intent detection. In this paper, we propose a novel darknet traffic analysis and network management framework to real-time automating the malicious intent detection process, using a weight agnostic neural networks architecture. It is an effective and accurate computational intelligent forensics tool for network traffic analysis, the demystification of malware traffic, and encrypted traffic identification in real-time. Based on Weight Agnostic Neural Networks (WANNs) methodology, we propose an automated searching neural net architectures strategy that can perform various tasks such as identify zero-day attacks. By automating the malicious intent detection process from the darknet, the advanced proposed solution is reducing the skills and effort barrier that prevents many organizations from effectively protecting their most critical assets.

The black timber bark beetle Xylosandrus germanus (Blandford) is an invasive ambrosia beetle originating from Southeastern Asia that has become successfully established within Europe and North America. Herein, we provide a review of the spread and distribution of this pest of trees and timber across Europe before and after 2000, along with a review of its habitat preferences. Since the spread of X. germanus across Europe has accelerated rapidly post-2000, emphasis is placed on this period. X. germanus was first recorded in Germany in 1951 and since then in 21 European countries along with Russia. Ethanol-baited traps were deployed in oak, beech, and spruce forest ecosystems in the Western Carpathians, Central Europe, Slovakia, to characterize the distribution and habitat preference of this non-native ambrosia beetle. Captures of X. germanus within Slovakia have been rising rapidly since its first record in 2010, and now this species dominates captures of native ambrosia beetles. X. germanus has spread throughout the whole Slovakia from the south-southwest to the north-northeast over the period of 5–10 years and has also spread vertically into higher altitudes within this country. While living but weakened trees in Europe and North America are attacked by X. germanus, the greatest negative impact within Slovakia is attacks on recently felled logs of oak, beech and spruce trees providing high quality timber/lumber. We suggest that the recent rapid spread of X. germanus in Central Europe is being facilitated by environmental changes, specifically global warming, and the increasing frequency of timber trade. Recommendations for management of X. germanus in forest ecosystems are proposed and discussed, including early detection, monitoring, sanitary measures, etc.

EUS–TA in unresectable pancreatic cancer requires not only a tissue diagnosis but also tissue collection in anticipation of comprehensive genomic profiling. However, the optimal puncture target remains controversial. Therefore, the Primary and Metastatic Lesions in Pancreatic Cancer (PRIMATE) study was designed to clarify the optimal target by comparing the success rates for meeting OncoGuide NCC Oncopanel (NOP) analysis criteria on pre-check primary and metastatic lesion specimens obtained during the same EUS–TA session in patients with invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. In this ongoing prospective study, two specimens, each from primary and metastatic lesions, are obtained by EUS–TA (typically using a 19G fine-needle biopsy needle) in patients with invasive pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. The primary endpoint is the proportion of EUS–TA specimens that meet NOP analysis criteria during pre-check (i.e., tumor cellularity ≥ 20% and tissue area ≥ 4 mm2), which are then compared between primary and metastatic lesions. This study has been approved by the National Cancer Center Institutional Review Board (Research No. 2022-168). The results of this study will be reported at an international conference and published in an international peer-reviewed journal. The trial registration number is UMIN 000048966.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Osteoporosis is a common consequence of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) for prostate cancer. Up to 20% of men on ADT have suffered from fracture within 5 years. The WHO Fracture Risk Assessment Tool (FRAX) has been utilized to predict the 10-year probability of major osteoporotic and hip fracture. However, no large studies assessing the utility of FRAX with versus without dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) in prostate cancer patients have been performed. We validated the usefulness of FRAX combined with DEXA in men with prostate cancer. METHODS: FRAX was done in a total of 1,220 prostate cancer patients including those who underwent brachytherapy (n=547), radical prostatectomy (n=200), external beam radiation therapy (n=264), hormonal therapy only (n=187), and definitive treatment along with hormonal therapy (n=645) in Yokohama City University Hospital. Of these, 109 patients received DEXA. RESULTS: In men without receiving DEXA, the median (mean ± SD) risks for major osteoporotic and hip fracture were 8.5% (9.3 ± 4.8) and 3.2% (4.2 ± 3.9), respectively. One hundred sixteen (9.5%) and 634 (52.0%) of these patients had the major osteoporotic risk of more than 15% and hip fracture risk of more than 3%, respectively. In contrast, in men with DEXA, the median (mean ± SD) risks for major osteoporotic and hip fracture were 5.3% (5.4 ± 2.1) and 0.85% (1.3 ± 1.2), respectively. Two (0.2%) and 4 (8.0%) of these patients had the major osteoporotic risk of more than 15% and hip fracture risk of more than 3%, respectively [Table1]. In the same cohort who received DEXA, the risks for major osteoporotic (p < 0.001) and hip (p < 0.001) fracture were significantly lower in men with DEXA than in those without DEXA. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that FRAX combined with DEXA might prevent unnecessary osteoporosis medication in prostate cancer patients.

Asia has formally entered the big data era thanks to the ongoing advancement of information technology. the company business management has discovered bright operations management based on technological advances, and the arrival of the big data era has improved work efficiency and brought about a number of economic benefits while also posing a number of challenges, such as the ongoing expansion of business scope. The business's current management model is unable to keep up with the demands of development as its scope continues to grow. The primary development trend for the future is the integration of intelligence technologies with enterprise business management, big data technology application in corporate business management promotes fairness, transparency, and justice across corporate development and consumer activities; it also facilitates the production of goods and the creation of value for products in the direction of socialization. In order to further deepen the understanding of artificial intelligence among relevant personnel, we aim to further elaborate the future growth direction of the application of artificial intelligence in the field of enterprise business management in this paper, which begins with an in-depth awareness of the current situation of the combined use of artificial intelligence technology and big companies’ business management. We then focus on the utilization path of artificial cognitive ability technology in businesses business management.

Protected areas serve as an effective mechanism usually supported by a statute to conserve and protect wildlife-rich areas worldwide. Such extensive external management needs elaborate planning, regular monitoring, and periodic assessment of results. Thus, management effective evaluation (MEE) has emerged as one of the major tools for quantifying the performance of any protected area, globally since 2006. India has successfully conducted a complete round of management effectiveness evaluation of all its terrestrial protected areas (except conservation reserves and community reserves), with 25 such areas already undergoing a repeat assessment. Simultaneously, India biennially carries out a country-wide status of forest cover in all its states and union territories. This study has correlated the trend in change of forest cover for the states that contain those 25 repeat evaluated protected areas with their change in MEE scores over the same period. Our study found a positive correlation between the change in forest cover and the change in management effectiveness score from 2005-06 to 2018-19. Owing to increased protection regimes in the PAs including the degraded areas if they make part of such areas, the habitat often shows recovery. Effective habitat conservation is thus intertwined with the monitoring and preserving the wildlife populations in the protected areas, thereby, reduction in forest cover equally impacts the management scores. However, in states where the loss in forest cover has been reported, more protected areas need to be assessed to plan complementary strategies for both habitat and species conservation.

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi are soil microorganisms that provide various benefits, such as increasing soil fertility and enhancing plant growth. The present study aimed to propagate arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal spores in trap plants. Soil sampling was carried out in October 2021 on five coffee farms in the central area of Veracruz, Mexico. Soil from coffee plantations and sterile sand were mixed in pots and used for the propagation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, and Sorghum vulgare was used as a trap plant. The plants were kept in a greenhouse for 120 days. The abundance of spores in the sorghum trap plants increased significantly (p

Same-day desensitization (SDD) is a procedure in which desensitization to the drug suspected of causing the hypersensitivity reaction (HR) is performed on the same day as the patient's reaction. In rapid drug desensitization (RDD), desensitization to the suspected drug is performed after an allergological study. The aim of the study was to analyze the diagnostic capacity of the allergist in Oncology Day Hospital (ODH) to establish the phenotype of the HR, in the context of SDD, based exclusively on clinical biomarkers. This is a study of patients treated with desensitization on the same day they had a HR. Later an allergological study (clinical history, skin test, risk assessment, serological biomarkers, drug provocation test if applicable) was performed prior to the following administrations. A total of 35 successful SDDs were performed. A high concordance (91.5% of patients) was found between the phenotype suspected by the allergist after the initial assessment of the patient prior to SDD and the final phenotype after subsequent allergological study performed in the Allergy Department. The presence of the allergist at the ODH allows, in addition to initial treatment according to phenotype, desensitization on the day of the reaction. This will lead to personalized and precision allergology.

In modern times, sustainability in supply chain management is one of the keys to boosting the performance of the supply chain, and it enables the accomplishment of SSCM. It has been found in recent years that SSCM with assist of industry 4.0 applications, can benefit splendid productivity and efficiency in the supply chain. The numerous industry 4.0 applications that are involved are Artificial intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Internet of Things (IoT) Big Data Analytics (BDA), etc. Industry 4.0 with SSCM has gained a lot of interest from various authors and scholars across the world. Healthcare is one of the most critical sectors due to its importance in handling public health. More recently, the COVID-19 pandemic and other viruses (SARS and Ebola) have highlighted supply chain vulnerabilities that are further mitigated by their lean and globalized structures. Covid-19 underlined the need for supply chain visibility problems within the healthcare sector. When the need for medical supplies became urgent and global distribution was disrupted, companies faced the consequences of needing the technology, systems, and plans in place to correctly predict the onslaught. One report shows that about 94 percent of Fortune 1000 companies reported supply chain disruptions due to the COVID-19 global outbreak. Existing studies have discussed supply chain issues and the importance of AI in addressing these challenges. AI, like Industry 4.0 in the healthcare supply chain, is proving to be a game-changer. This paper aims to review and present the various aspects of SSCM and industry 4.0 applications to get a comprehensive literature review, which contains the analysis of multiple articles published from 2010-2020. In addition, the various challenges SSCM and industry 4.0 applications face are identified and discussed. Also, the impact of Industry 4.0 and sustainable practices brings together the healthcare supply chain. This study will help in getting a good understanding of the different industry 4.0 technologies that are important for setting up SSCM.