Abstract Introduction: In the last thirty years, brain neuromodulation techniques have been used as an alternative to pharmacological treatment of neurological disorders. Parkinson's disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disorder leading to bradykinesia, rest tremor, postural changes, and non-motor symptoms such as depression, anxiety, sleep disorders, pain, and cognitive decline that compromises executive functions (EFs), responsible for the orderly execution of behaviors and tasks of daily life and intentional and directed actions. To this date, a few studies with transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) have shown beneficial effects in PD patients concerning specific motor and non-motor symptoms, targeting the motor cortex and/or prefrontal regions. Objective: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of left prefrontal tDCS across a broad spectrum of motor and non-motor symptoms of PD using established validated scales. Method: Single-blind randomized clinical trial with 18 volunteers with PD, aged between 45 and 80 years (66.1 ± 9.65), who met inclusion and exclusion criteria. Participants were submitted to assessments of motor and non-motor functions employing psychometric scales and tests to evaluate EFs and were randomly divided into two groups: control (sham stimulation) and experimental (active stimulation). All participants were involved in three separate tDCS sessions. The anode was positioned over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex and the cathode over the right supraorbital region, with a direct current intensity of 2mA, lasting 20 minutes. At the end of the three sessions, all participants were reassessed. Results: Significant effects of tDCS on non-motor functions were observed for cognition (verbal fluency of actions, clock copy test, appointment by visual confrontation, and verbal memory with immediate free recall) and subjective assessment of sleep quality (overall restlessness and discomfort in the arms and legs at night, leg and arm cramps at night and distressing dreams). There was also an improvement in the rate of errors and successes for congruent and incongruent stimuli of the Stroop Test. The beneficial effects on motor function were decreased rigidity, improved gait, and greater agility in the finger-tapping test. Conclusion: Three tDCS sessions showed positive results for participants with PD, producing significant improvements in various motor and non-motor functions, including sleep quality, cognition, and EFs. Additionally, the present results indicate that tDCS neuromodulation of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex region is feasible, safe, and provides significant objective benefits for PD patients.

Introduction: Hospitalization in a COVID-19 unit represents a significant source of stress and psychological distress for patients. Our study aims to determine the factors of psychological distress in the therapeutic and psychosocial management of patients hospitalized with a COVID-19 infection. Methods: This cross-sectional study was carried out over 8 months at the COVID-19 zone of the CHU HASSAN II of FES. 99 patients were evaluated within days of diagnosis by psychometric scales of anxiety, depression, and post-traumatic stress. In the course of this follow-up, we found the presence of psychological impacts in these patients, and we tried to find correlating factors between the occurrence of psychiatric disorders and the set of factors related to sociodemographic data, hospitalization course and treatments taken, as well as family support. Results: 35% of patients had scores in favor of post-traumatic stress disorder, 37% of the patients had definite depression and 50% had anxiety. Post-traumatic stress, depression, and anxiety were correlated with sociodemographic factors, hospitalization, treatments received, and length of stay. Conclusion: The prevalence of anxiety-depressive disorders and post-traumatic stress disorder was high in patients with COVID-19, hence the interest in providing psychological and psychosocial care in the emergency department.

We propose a new approach to extending the notion of commutator and Lie algebra to algebras with ternary multiplication laws. Our approach is based on ternary associativity of the first and second kind. We propose a ternary commutator, which is a linear combination of six (all permutations of three elements) triple products. The coefficients of this linear combination are the cube roots of unity. We find an identity for the ternary commutator that holds due to ternary associativity of the first or second kind. The form of the found identity is determined by the permutations of the general affine group GA(1,5)⊂S5. We consider the found identity as an analogue of the Jacobi identity in the ternary case. We introduce the concept of a ternary Lie algebra at the cubic root of unity and give examples of such an algebra constructed using ternary multiplications of rectangular and three-dimensional matrices. We point out the connection between the structure constants of a ternary Lie algebra with three generators and an irreducible representation of the rotation group.

Background: Among the cognitive markers of Alzheimer’s disease (AD), semantic and phonemic verbal fluency tasks seem to be an early indicator of deterioration. The aims of this study are 1) to evaluate both types of Verbal Fluency in the early stages of AD in order to know which of them deteriorates earlier and, 2) to investigate if Verbal Fluency Tasks can help to differentiate between patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment (MCI) who will progress to AD two years later (progresses) and those who do not (non-progresses). Method: A Verbal Fluency Task was administered to 25 patients with MCI and their respective control subjects. All patients underwent a neuropsychological evaluation twice in order to follow up their global cognitive status. The second time, 8 of them converted to AD. Results: On the one hand, Phonemic Verbal Fluency deteriorates earlier than Semantic Verbal Fluency in MCI patients; on the second hand, although we found statistically significant differences between patients with MCI and AD in both type of fluency tasks, they were not found when comparing the performance of progresses and non-progresses. Conclusion: These results point to a greater impairment in Phonemic Verbal Fluency in MCI patients and its potential predictive capacity to predict conversion to AD.

This study uses simulation and experimental methodologies to explore the efficacy of bi-sectional horizontal kinetic shading systems (KSS) featuring horizontal fins in enhancing daylight comfort across various climates. Given the increasing energy demands and shifting climatic patterns, optimizing daylight levels while minimizing solar heat gain is vital. The paper introduces a bespoke horizontal bi-sectional KSS, simulated in three distinct climates—Wroclaw, Tehran, and Bangkok—using Climate Based Daylight Modelling methods with Ladybug and Honeybee tools in Rhino software. The study employs standard daylight metrics such as Useful Daylight Illuminance (UDI) and Daylight Glare Probability (DGP), along with custom metrics designed to capture the specific dynamics of the bi-sectional KSS. Initial simulations indicated that the KSS significantly improved daylight distribution and uniformity, reducing glare and over-illumination risks by av. 42.34%. Including KSS switching schedules, which are seldom detailed in similar research, enhances the reproducibility and understanding of findings. Subsequently, a physical reduced-scale mock-up of the bi-sectional KSS was tested under real-weather conditions in Wroclaw (lat. 51° N) during June-July 2024. The mock-up utilized two chambers: one equipped with the prototype of bi-sectional KSS and the second without any protection. The operation of fins was guided by two stepper motors controlled by a Python script running on a Raspberry Pi 3 minicomputer. The control chamber served to benchmark the bi-sectional KSS's efficiency by providing results that would be expected if no shading system were installed. The experimental outcomes supported the simulations, demonstrating the KSS's robustness in reducing high illuminance levels to the target comfort level, thus enhancing indoor visual comfort. The values below 3,000 lux were maintained for 68% of the time. However, it must be explicitly stated that during the June-July 2024 heat waves, the illuminance levels inside the test room momentarily exceeded the comfort threshold of 3,000 lux, reaching up to 4,674 lux. Through quantitative and qualitative analyses, the paper advocates for the broader application and further development of KSS as a climate-responsive shading system in diverse architectural contexts.

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the loss of dopaminergic neurons and the buildup of misfolded alpha-synuclein proteins. While its exact cause remains unknown, several factors may influence its development. This review examines how factors like chronic constipation, head injuries, cholesterol and uric acid levels, pesticide exposure, smoking, NSAIDs, and caffeine intake may affect PD risk. Chronic constipation appears to be linked to a higher risk of PD, potentially serving as an early warning sign. Head injuries, especially mild-to-moderate ones, may also play a role in increasing PD risk. Surprisingly, higher levels of cholesterol seem to protect against PD, while lower levels of uric acid might increase the risk in the presence of some differences according to gender type. Exposure to certain pesticides is associated with a higher PD risk. NSAIDs, on the other hand, may or may not have a protective effect, with conflicting evidence. Interestingly, caffeine and tobacco smoking appear to lower the PD risk. Further studies are needed to fully understand the complex interplay between these factors and PD. It's also important to remember that these are just general trends, and individual risk factors will vary depending on a person's unique genetic makeup, medical history, and overall health.

The aim of this study is to present the spatial and temporal variability of the frequency of dry and wet days and dry and wet spells against the background of changes in precipitation and atmospheric circulation. The study is based on daily precipitation totals from 46 meteorological stations in Poland for the years 1966-2023. Additionally seven circulation indices were used: GBI, NAO, AO, EA, EA/WR. SCAND ana AMO. Dry days are defined as days without precipitation. Wet days are days with at least 1 mm of precipitation. It was shown that dry spells are much more common that wet spells, are longer and cover larger areas. Long term changes in annual characteristics of dry and wet days and spells are statistically insignificant. Only the length of the longest dry spell in the year increases. However, there are significant changes in their annual cycles. Spring is drier, in summer months, precipitation decreases in the south and increases in the north, November and December, symbols of gloomy rainy weather, are increasingly drier, rainy weather moved to January and February. The impact of circulation varies with seasons and NAO, Ao, SCAN and GBI indices have the strongest impact.

The feeling of beauty is one of the positive human feelings. In architecture and design, it is associated with forms appropriate to their purpose. The usefulness of products to meet needs is also important. They are well received by users. The task of designers is to achieve perfection in their work. The rational design and use of artificial living environments are expressions of concern for natural resources (sustainable environment). These issues are addressed, i.e., by an interdisciplinary initiative of the New European Bauhaus. The aim of the paper is to expand knowledge about beauty and utility. They are important when choosing mass-produced goods. The article uses research methods: interpretive research, analyses, comparisons, logical argumentation, etc. Experimental qualitative research using a checklist was used. The results expand the knowledge on the selected topic and research scope of the research of the paper. The survey can be used to rationally evaluate architecture, interiors, and design facilities. It can be helpful for various aesthetic and functional strategies dedicated to different users. The paper demonstrates the role of beauty and functionality in the built environment. They are analyzed in the context of social and technical conditions, as well as contemporary sustainable design

In this work, an analog front-end (AFE) circuit for Electrocardiogram (ECG) detection system has been designed, implemented, and investigated in an industry-standard Cadence simulation framework using advanced technology node of 45 nm. The AFE consists of an instrumentation amplifier, a Butterworth band-pass filter (with fifth-order low-pass and second-order high-pass sections), and a second-order notch filter- all are based on two-stage, Miller-compensated operational transconductance amplifiers (OTA). The OTAs have been designed employing the $g_m/I_D$ methodology. Both the pre-layout and post-layout simulation were carried out. The layout consumes an area of 0.0058 mm$^2$ without the resistors and capacitors. Analysis of various simulation results were carried out for the proposed AFE. The circuit demonstrates a post-layout bandwidth of 239 Hz with a variable gain between 44 to 58 dB, a notch depth of -56.4 dB at 50.1 Hz, a total harmonic distortion (THD) of -59.65 dB (less than 1\%), an input referred noise spectral density of $

Amid the swift progression of the global automobile industry, the aspiration for lightweight vehicle design has surfaced as a crucial approach to boost fuel efficiency and curtail environmental impact. The objective of this study revolves around achieving holistic optimization of vehicle structure via detailed scrutiny of vehicle process characteristics, amalgamated with a Back Propagation neural network (BPNN) optimized by a genetic algorithm (GA) and a topology optimization (TO) method.The process initiates with an examination of the vehicle's technical characteristics, succeeded by an optimization protocol that couples GA with BPNN. This exhaustive optimization procedure derives the best-fit values of design parameters and identifies the globally optimal lightweight design approach. Subsequently, a comprehensive structural optimization is actualized by modifying the topological distribution of the structure.A simulation experiment of the conceptual car body beam skeleton is conducted as a conclusive step, and the anti-collision capacity of the car body beam skeleton is assessed by measuring deformation intrusion. The findings reveal that in the vehicle topology optimization, a comparative analysis of pre and post-optimization results indicates an improved topological density across diverse sections. The topological density of the vehicle's frontal structure escalates from 0.75 to 0.8. Following optimization, the stiffness assessment records a marginal increase (within the range of 0.02–0.05), implying that the lightweight design does not compromise the general rigidity of the structure.The optimized body structure manifests superior crashworthiness in the crash test: the deformation intrusion diminishes by 27% in front-end collisions. In side impacts, the deformation and intrusion at critical points are reduced by 13.15% to 10% respectively. The comprehensive method proposed herein proves to be an efficient strategy to actualize the lightweight design of vehicles.

Performing optimisation and scale-up studies of crystallisation systems requires accurate and computationally efficient mathematical models. The assumption of the ideal mixing conditions in batch reactors typically produce inaccurate results while the computational expense of CFD models is still prohibitively high. Therefore, in this work, a new intermediary approach is proposed that takes into account the non-ideal mixing conditions in the reactor and requires less computational resources than full CFD simulations. Starting with the Danckwerts concept of the intensity of segregation, an analogy between its application to chemical reactions and the kinetics of the crystallisation phenomena (such as nucleation and growth) has been made. As a result, the modified kinetics expressions have been derived which incorporate the effect of non-idealities present in stirred reactors. This way, based on the experimental measurements of the mixing time using the Laser Induced Fluorescence (LIF) technique, computationally more efficient mathematical models can be developed in two ways: (1) the accurate semi-empirical correlations are available for standard mixing configurations with the most often used types of impellers, (2) CFD simulations can be utilised for estimation of the mixing time; in this case it is necessary to simulate only the mixing process. The benefits offered by the LIF experimental technique have been demonstrated and some frequent problems in its application analysed. The mixing time results for configurations with and without baffles for three types of impellers and four different rotational speeds have been presented. The false shorter mixing times in the non-baffled configurations have been observed and this phenomena explained by the existence of two segregated zones in the reactor and confirmed by additional experiments. The precise measurements in these cases have been shown as difficult using the LIF technique, particularly for higher rpms. The experimental data has been compared to the preliminary simulation results obtained from the Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics method and the standard k-ε turbulence model with the modest success. The shortcomings of the SPH model have been recognized and the directions for the future work discussed.

We study a two-echelon supply chain made up of a supplier and a manufacturer, both of which can reduce their component/product carbon emissions. With the vertical technology spillovers, we explore the optimal decisions of centralized and decentralized supply chains with price dependent demand and propose coordination strategy for the decentralized supply chain. Considering the cost contraction effectiveness of the technology spillovers, the centralized and decentralized game theoretic models of a two-echelon supply chain are developed to investigate optimal decisions of pricing and carbon emissions reduction. Through a systematic comparison and numerical analysis, we show that the profits of both players and the entire supply chain improve with the effect of technology spillovers increasing. Carbon emissions reduction will be taken by various protective measures so that the supplier and the manufacturer who do not innovate can hardly share the results of innovating via the “free-riding” methods when the technology spillover is relatively small. We also propose a revenue-cost sharing contract through bargaining to enhance the performance of the decentralized supply chain.

Over the past couple of decades, Global positioning system (GPS) technology has been utilized to collect large-scale data from travel surveys. As the precise spatiotemporal characteristics of travel could be provided by GPS devices, the issues of traditional travel survey, such as misreporting and non-response, could be addressed. Considering the defects of dedicated GPS devices (e.g., need much money to buy devices, forget to take devices to collect data, limit the simple size because of the number of devices, etc.), and the phenomenon that the smartphone is becoming one of necessities of life, there is a great chance for the smartphone to replace dedicated GPS devices. Although, several general reviews have been done about smartphone-based GPS travel survey in the literature review section in some articles, a systematic review from smartphone-based GPS data collection to travel mode detection has none. The included studies were searched from six databases. The purpose of this review is to critically assess the current literature on the existing methodologies of travel mode detection based on GPS raw data collected by smartphones. Meanwhile, according to the systematic comparison among different methods from data-preprocessing to travel mode detection, this paper could carefully provide the Strengths and Weaknesses of existing methods. Furthermore, it is the crucial step to develop the methodologies and applications of GPS raw data collected by smartphones.

The capacitated lot-sizing problem with product recovery (CLSP-RM) holds significant importance in reverse logistics but is notoriously complex (NP-hard). In this study, two techniques are introduced to confront this challenge. The first technique entails devising a linear optimization task that eliminates capacity limitations across a wide problem spectrum, yielding a remarkably accurate approximation of the optimal solution. This adaptable approach presents a potent alternative and holds potential for extension to diverse problem categories owing to its versatile nature. The second technique employs a simulation methodology utilizing Halton’s uniform random numbers to address the issue. This randomized production search method sidesteps considerations of production costs, inventory expenditures, and production order when determining production batches. The research’s novelty lies in its application of these techniques to the problem. The suggested methods undergo evaluation via a benchmark dataset of approximately 4200 instances, with comparison against solutions derived through the Gurobi solver. The results underscore the efficacy and resilience of the introduced methodology in tackling the CLSP-RM predicament.

Research into professionalization in health and safety has recently gained in interest. Graduate training is one of the factors that determines or conditions the role of the safety professional, thus intervene in the professionalization process. This article is the result of a workshop and the discussions of nine academic directors of safety education programs about quality evaluation. This article introduces the issue with a historic overview of safety education, presents a synthesis of nine selected education programs, discusses quality evaluation of health and safety education programs, propose a quality evaluation frame and finally, proposes a process for designing a quality safety education program with an associated model of the learning objectives. The outcomes are interesting for everyone who is interested in health and safety education and quality evaluation and will give insights into how safety professionals are educated.

Background Lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), particularly pneumonia, are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality among children worldwide, especially in low-resource settings. The World Health Organization (WHO) Integrated Management of Childhood Illness (IMCI) guidelines currently recommend antibiotic treatment for all case of with pneumonia based on clinical signs along, which can lead to over-prescription of antibiotics and contribute to antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Point of care Lung Ultrasound (LUS) has emerged as a promising diagnostic tool in this context and has demonstrated potential in distinguishing between bacterial and viral pneumonia, thus enabling more targeted antibiotic use. This study aims to explore whether integrating LUS into the IMCI-based management of clinical pneumonia will better identify those who would benefit from antibiotic treatment, reducing antibiotic overuse without compromising health outcomes. Methods An open label randomized controlled trial will enrol 3500 children aged 60 days to 12 years presenting with IMCI-defined pneumonia. Participants will be enrolled in Senegal, Tanzania, and South Africa. Participants will be randomly assigned in a ratio of 1:1, stratified by site and age group (<5years, 5-12years) to either an intervention group, where LUS will guide antibiotic prescriptions utilising a predefined interpretation framework, or a control group receiving routine IMCI-based care. The co-primary outcomes of this study are the reduction in antibiotic use on the day of enrolment (Day 1) and rate of clinical failure by Day 8, using an acceptable clinical difference of 1.5x as a non-inferiority margin (delta of 2.5%). Secondary outcomes will include adverse drug reactions, cure rates, hospital admissions including in-patient duration, and cost-effectiveness. Data will be collected at baseline (Day 1), Day 8, and Day 29 post-enrolment. Discussion This study seeks to provide evidence on the clinical and public health benefits of using LUS to improve the diagnosis and management of paediatric pneumonia in low-resource settings. If this intervention proves effective it could contribute significantly toward reducing unnecessary antibiotic prescriptions, thereby addressing AMR. The potential for LUS to be integrated into routine clinical practice could revolutionize pneumonia management, especially in areas with limited access to advanced diagnostic tools. Trial Registration This trial will be registered on ClinicalTrials.gov and The South African National Clinical Trials Register (SANCTR) prior to participant enrolment.

Drought affects human and natural systems, human and animal life and health, and socioeconomic activities. Drought consequences depend on its type and class, but also on the preparedness and resistance of communities to this climate disturbance. In the last decades, droughts accounted for about 16% of the total number of disasters but were responsible for 95% of the number of deaths and 26% of economic losses in Africa. This study aims to assess the drought regime in Southern Africa based on drought and vegetation indices. The SPI and SPEI were calculated at different timescales, using ERA5 data for the 1971 – 2020 period. The spatiotemporal distribution of drought descriptors was analyzed and compared with the patterns of the NDVI, EVI and VCI vegetation indices. The results reveal (i) the occurrence of droughts of various classes and at different timescales throughout the study period and region, (ii) high spatial variability in the number, duration, severity and intensity of drought, which tends to decrease with increasing timescale, (iii) high spatial-temporal agreement between drought and vegetation indices that confirm the dryness of vegetation during drought. These results aim to support policymakers in defining legislation to manage drought and water resources.

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.

This longitudinal study aimed to analyze the effects of a team rowing-based training program on physical fitness and anthropometric parameters in female breast cancer survivors (n=40; 56.78±6.38 years). Participants were divided into two groups: one rowed in fixed seat rowing (FSR) boats (n=20; 56.35±4.89 years) and the other in sliding seat rowing (SSR) boats (n=20; 57.20±7.7 years). Both groups engaged in two 75-minute sessions per week for 24 weeks. Significant improvements were observed in both groups in terms of weight (FSR: -1.93 kg, SSR: -1.75 kg), body mass index (FSR: -0.73 kg/m², SSR: -0.67 kg/m²), waist circumference (FSR: -2.83 cm, SSR: -3.66 cm), and hip circumference (FSR: -2.02 cm, SSR: -2.88 cm). Muscle strength improved in lower extremities (jump test: FSR: 2.99 cm, SSR: 3.11 cm) and upper extremities (dominant: FSR: 4.13 kgf, SSR: 4.34 kgf; non-dominant: FSR: 3.67 kgf, SSR: 3.32 kgf). Aerobic capacity also improved, with the SSR group showing a greater increase (FSR: 63.05 m, SSR: 93.65 m). Flexibility tests revealed better results in the SSR group for both dominant (SSR: 1.75 cm vs. FSR: -5.55 cm) and non-dominant limbs (SSR: 1.72 cm vs. FSR: -3.81 cm). These findings suggest that the type of rowing modality can influence physical fitness outcomes, with the SSR group showing superior improvements compared to the FSR group.

Cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC) is the second most common form of skin cancer, with an increasing global incidence. While most cases are successfully treated with surgical excision, a subset can metastasize, leading to significant morbidity and mortality. Current staging systems based on clinical and histopathological features have shown limitations in accurately predicting metastatic risk. This review examines the role of gene expression profiling (GEP), particularly the 40-gene expression profile (40-GEP) test, in improving risk stratification and management of cSCC. We assess the prognostic value of the 40-GEP test, its integration with current staging systems, and its impact on clinical decision-making. Recent studies suggest that incorporating GEP results with traditional staging methods can enhance the identification of high-risk patients, potentially leading to more personalized treatment strategies. The review also explores the challenges of implementing GEP in routine clinical practice, including cost-effectiveness considerations and the need for standardization. Finally, we discuss the implications for future cSCC management and highlight areas for further research. As molecular profiling techniques continue to evolve, GEP represents a promising approach to optimizing care for cSCC patients, aligning with the growing emphasis on personalized medicine in oncology.

In the context of rapid urbanization, the spatiotemporal patterns of socio-economic exposed to high seismic hazard in large cities lacks quantitative assessment, thus, it is difficult to understand the evolution of earthquake catastrophe risk there. In this paper, exposure change rate, and absolute and relatively exposure indices were proposed to quantitatively study the changes of spatiotemporal exposure to high seismic hazard in urban areas of large cities (i.e., permanent residents in urban areas more than 1 million) in Chinese mainland, using a set of multi-temporal population, GDP, and built-up datasets and a seismic hazard zoning map. The results show that, 64 out of 78 large cities are entirely or partially located in high seismically hazardous zones. Although the urban areas of large cities in high seismically hazardous zones (HSHUAs) cover only 1.73% (167177 km²) of mainland China, their share of population, GDP, and built-up land amounted to 18.14%, 30.24% and 24.55%, respectively, in 2015. Unprecedented urbanization has led to a dramatic exposure growth in HSHUAs between 1990 and 2015. The population, GDP, and built-up land in HSHUAs increased by 110 million people (with an average annual growth rate of 2.37%), 273.71 trillion USD(average annual growth rate of 11.15%), and 10593 km2 (average annual growth rate of 2.02%), respectively. HSHUAs experienced much faster population and GDP growth than the whole country, while relatively slower growth in built-up land. Exposure growth in HSHUAs also was varied for different types of large cities. Megacities had a higher proportion of increased GDP and population in HSHUAs, induced by industry and population agglomeration. Whereas, Type II large cities had a higher proportion of increased built-up land in HSHUAs, driven mainly by urban sprawl. Our analysis indicates that, for large cities under rapid urbanization, it is an urgent need to strengthen resilient urban planning, renewal and construction.

This survey of research literature is an overview of the current state of science addressing DSM-5 diagnostic criteria as it relates to identifying Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) in young children. Selected sources are of high quality and have been published since 2020 in peer-reviewed journals relevant to children’s health. The narrative is organized from the earliest to the most recent publications and is divided into sections around categories and themes that highlight the main arguments, findings, and controversies identified by researchers. There are indications in the literature that while ASD can be identified and differentiated from other developmental disorders in young children, doing so requires that clinicians who have relied on the DSM-5 should also use multiple measures, including other formalized screening tools as assessments that gather observational input from parents and caregivers, as well as findings from physical examinations, laboratory investigations, and magnetic resonance imagining (MRI). This high level of corroboration points to an emerging diagnosis paradigm through which transdiagnostic approaches to early diagnosis and intervention may exist.

Non-isocyanate polyurethane synthesis by non-Sn catalysis is an essential challenge toward green polyurethane synthesis. Bismuth compounds are attractive candidates due to their low cost, low toxicity, and availability to urethane chemistry. We applied various Bi catalysts to the self-polycondensation of a bishydroxyurethane monomer and found BiCl3 to be an excellent catalyst through optimization. The catalytic activity and price of BiCl3 are comparable to those of Bu2SnO, while its toxicity is significantly low. BiCl3 is, therefore, a promising alternative to Sn-based catalysts in non-isocyanate polyurethane synthesis.

The multiphase motors due to their reliability find new areas of application in the industry and transportation. Developing of any system with multiphase motors at first requires elaborate model of the system, define control mode and controllers. The model of control system for the six-phase drive is based on its conventional d-q mathematical model and indirect field-oriented control. Simulink model of six-phase drive with indirect field-oriented control and simulated with two types PID and PID fuzzy controllers. The simulation results, reflecting step response and provided speed reference law as well as load application at constant speed, are presented and analyzed. Fuzzy controller with 49 rules is considered and applied. Six-phase electric drive with field-oriented control at well-tuned PID controller has good step response specifications: settling time 0.13 s at starting without load, step response has no overshoot, small about 1 % short time decrease of speed at load of 5 Nm application. The system employing PID fuzzy controller shows slightly better results in response to torque application: the decrease in speed 1 % is eliminated in shorter time. Simulation results indicate the robustness of both systems with six-phase drive to disturbance and provide high quality transient specifications at determined reference speed.

Two coupled climate models which participated the CMIP6 project (Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6), the Earth System Model of Chinese Academy of Sciences version 2 (CAS-ESM2-0) and the Nanjing University of Information Science and Technology Earth System Model version 3 (NESM3), were assessed in terms of the impact of four new sea ice parameterization schemes. These four new schemes are related to air-sea heat flux, radiation penetration and absorption, melt ponds, ice-ocean flux, respectively. To evaluate the effectiveness of these schemes, key sea ice variables with and without these new schemes, such as sea ice concentration (SIC) and sea ice thickness (SIT), were compared against observation and reanalysis product from 1980 to 2014. The simulations followed the design of historical experiments within the CMIP6 framework. The results revealed that both models demonstrated improvements in simulating Arctic SIC and SIT when the new parameterization schemes were implemented. The model bias of SIC in some marginal sea ice zones of Arctic was reduced, especially during March. The SIT was increased and the transpolar gradient of SIT was reproduced. The changes of spatial pattern of SIC and SIT after adding new schemes bear similarities between the two coupled models. This suggests that the new schemes have potential for broad application in climate models, especially for those with underestimated SIT.

Rice cultivation stands as a cornerstone of Sri Lanka's economy, serving as a vital source of em-ployment for rural communities. However, the constraints of limited land availability have prompted an escalating dependence on agrochemicals, notably for pest management, thereby posing significant threats to human health and the environment. This review delves into the ex-ploration of silica nanoparticles as a promising eco-friendly substitute for conventional pesticides in the context of Sri Lankan rice farming. It comprehensively examines various aspects including the synthesis methods of silica nanoparticles, their encapsulation with synthetic pesticides, and an evaluation of their efficacy in pest control. Furthermore, it sheds light on the innovative utilization of agricultural waste such as rice husk and straw in the production of silica-based nano-pesticides. This approach not only demonstrates a shift towards sustainable agricultural practices but also aligns with the principles of green chemistry and circular economy, offering a holistic solution to the challenges faced by the rice farming sector in Sri Lanka.

The advancement of autonomous driving technology is becoming increasingly vital in the modern technological landscape, promising notable enhancements in safety, efficiency, traffic management, and energy use. Despite these benefits, conventional deep reinforcement learning algorithms often struggle to navigate complex driving environments effectively. To tackle this challenge, we propose a novel network called DynamicNoise, designed to significantly boost algorithmic performance by introducing noise into the Deep Q-Network (DQN) and Double Deep Q-Network (DDQN). Drawing inspiration from the NoiseNet architecture, DynamicNoise uses stochastic perturbations to improve the exploration capabilities of these models, leading to more robust learning outcomes. Our experiments demonstrate a 57.25% improvement in navigation effectiveness within a 2D experimental setting. Moreover, by integrating noise into the action selection and fully connected layers of the Soft Actor-Critic (SAC) model in the more complex 3D CARLA simulation environment, our approach achieved an 18.9% performance gain, substantially surpassing traditional methods. These results confirm that the DynamicNoise network significantly enhances the performance of autonomous driving systems across various simulated environments, regardless of their dimensionality and complexity, by improving their exploration capabilities rather than just their efficiency.

Early diagnosis of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (PAF) could suggest patients to receive timely interventions in clinical practice. Various PAF onset prediction algorithms might benefit from accurate heart rate variability (HRV) analysis and machine learning classification but to be challenged in real-time monitoring scenarios. The aim of this study is to present an end-to-end deep learning based PAFNet model that integrates a sliding window technique on raw R-R interval of electrocardiogram (ECG) segments to achieve a real-time prediction of PAF onsets. This integration enable the deep convolutional neural network (CNN) to be customized as a light-weight architecture that accommodates the size of sliding windows simply by altering the input layer, specifically its effectiveness in making a new prediction with each new heartbeat. Catering to potential influence of input sizes, three CNN models were trained using 50, 100, and 200 R-R intervals, respectively. For each model, the performance of automated algorithms was evaluated for PAF prediction using a ten-fold cross-validation. As a results, a total of 56,381 PAFN-type and 56,900 N-type R-R interval segments was collected from publicly accessible ECG databases, and a promising prediction performance of the automated algorithm with a 100 R-R intervals was achieved in terms of the sensitivity of 97.12%, the specificity of 97.77%, and the accuracy of 97.45%, respectively. Importantly, the automated algorithm with a sliding windows step of 1 could process one sample in only 23.1 milliseconds and identify the onset of PAF at least 45 minutes in advance. The present results suggest that the sliding window technique on raw R-R interval sequences along by deep learning based algorithms may offers the possibility of providing an accurate, real-time, and end-to-end clinical tool for mass monitoring of PAF.

The immune response is crucial in Pregnancy Loss (RPL), which affects 1-2% of women. In RPL, peripheral blood lymphocytes and local immune cells are activated with a concomitant decrease in the leukocyte tolerogenic response in the uterus and decidua. IL-17 plays an essential role in T cell activation, weakening tolerogenic responses of the T cells. The report aims to analyze the IL-17 genetic polymorphism, circulating IL-17 lymphocyte populations, the reaction upon lymphocyte priming, the amount of cytokine in serum, and the number of T-reg cells in a group of 50 RPL and 50 normal women from the admixed Venezuelan population. No differences were observed in the genetic polymorphisms rs2275913 and rs763780. A significant decrease (P&lt;0.001) was observed in RPL patients compared to controls in the IL-17+ cell populations CD3+, CD8+, CD56+, and CD4CD25 FoxP3, but not in the CD4IL17+ cells. The response upon cell priming was significantly decreased (P&lt;0.001) in all subpopulations of RPL as compared to controls. It is concluded that despite the increase in IL-17A in the serum of patients, the number of circulating IL-17 cells and the lymphocyte response to stimulation was significantly decreased (p&lt;0.001). No differences in the genetic polymorphism compared to controls suggest that biological factors influence IL-17 levels in RPL patients, which must be carefully studied.

Aiming at the APF algorithm in the collision-free path planning and LQR algorithm tracking process, there are problems such as unreachable target points, local optimization, low safety coefficient of autonomous lane change collision avoidance tracking control and poor stability, this paper proposes an optimized APF method, which solves the defects of the traditional artificial potential field method by adding the distance adjustment factor, the safety distance protection model and the sub-target virtual potential field, and at the same time generates the autonomous driving car collision-free path. The path tracking control system is designed based on feed-forward control and DLQR controller, in which the vehicle dynamics state space model is used as the basis, the model is linearized and discretized, and the corresponding constraint variables are set to minimize the control command objective cost function under the constraints, and the objective of the DLQR controller.The objective is to accurately determine the steering angle in order to achieve path tracking and eliminate the lateral error between the reference path and the actual path caused by external interference.Finally, the simulink model and CarSim parameter configuration joint simulation platform are built, and different obstacle scenarios and different speeds are selected for collision-free path planning and tracking motion simulation research and analysis, which verifies the accuracy and practicability of the algorithm, and shows more obvious advantages in obstacle avoidance ability, path smoothing degree, and collision avoidance safety stability. The ideas proposed in this paper are expected to be further extended and popularized to actual path planning problems, which has important practical significance and engineering value.

Purpose: This integrated review aims to identify and analyze the multifactorial contributors to the longevity of direct restorations, focusing on tooth-, patient-, and dentist-related factors. Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed using an electronic database, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus, between 1980 and 2024. Titles and abstracts of papers that evaluated aspects categorized into tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors influencing restoration failure were selected and screened. Full-text assessments were conducted, and the extracted data were compiled, summarized, and synthesized. The reference lists of the collected papers were also screened, and relevant citations were included in this review. Data were gathered from clinical and laboratorial studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses to provide a comprehensive understanding of restoration longevity. Results: Among the tooth-related factors, multiple-surface restorations, deep margins, tooth location, and tooth vitality significantly impact restoration survival. Patient-related factors such as medical conditions, risk predictors of caries, age, sex, parafunctional habits, smoking, periodontal health, number of restorations, and socioeconomic status all play crucial roles. Regarding dentist-related factors, the decision-making process, age, experience, and dentist manual dexterity are vital aspects. Furthermore, the technique used, including isolation methods for moisture control, as well as the type of dental practice (large group vs. small practice), notably influenced the restoration survival. Conclusions: The longevity of dental restorations is influenced by a complex interplay of tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors. Strategies to improve restoration outcomes should consider all these multifactorial contributors. Continuing professional education, diligent patient guidance on the factors that influence restoration survival, careful material selection and restorative technique, and tailored individual treatment are crucial factors to reduce failure rates and improve the lifespan of restorations.

The superconductivity of CaC6 as a function of pressure and of abundant Ca isotopes is revisited using DFT calculations on a 2c – double hexagonal superlattice. The introduction of superlattices is motivated by previous synchrotron absorption and Raman spectroscopy results on other superconductors that show evidence of superlattice vibrations at low (THz) frequencies. A 2c superlattice for CaC6 is illustrative of atomic orbital symmetry and periodicity, including bonding and antibonding s-orbital character implied by cosine modulated electronic bands. Inspection of the cosine band reveals that the cosine function has a small (meV) energy difference between bonding and antibonding regions relative to a midpoint non-bonding energy. Fermi surface nesting is apparent in an appropriately folded Fermi surface using a superlattice construct. Nesting relationships identify phonon vectors for conservation of energy and for phase coherency between coupled electrons at opposite sides of the Fermi surface. Detailed analysis of this Fermi surface nesting provides accurate estimates of the superconducting gaps for CaC6 with change in applied pressure. Recognition of superlattices within a rhombohedral or hexagonal representation provides consistent mechanistic insight on superconductivity and electron−phonon coupling in CaC6.

The aims of this study are to measure the technical efficiency (TE) of Cambodian household’s rice production and trying to determine its main influencing factors using the stochastic frontier production function. The study utilized primary data collected from 301 rice farmers in three selected districts of Battambang by structured questionnaires. The empirical results indicated the level of household rice output varied according to differences in the efficiency of production processes. The mean TE is 0.34 which means that famers produce 34% of rice at best practice at the current level of production inputs and technology, indicates that rice output has the potential of being increased further by 66% at the same level of inputs if farmers had been technically efficient. Furthermore, between 2013-2015 TE of household’s rice production recorded -14.3% decline rate due to highly affected of drought during dry season of 2015. Moreover, evidence reveals that land, fertilizer, and pesticide are the major influencing input factors of household’s rice production, while disaster, education of household head, family size and other crops’ cultivated area are core influencing factors decreasing TE. Conversely, the main influencing factors increasing TE are irrigated area, number of plot area and sex of household head.

The aims of this study are to measure the technical efficiency (TE) of Cambodian household’s rice production and trying to determine its main influencing factors using the stochastic frontier production function. The study utilized primary data collected from 301 rice farmers in three selected districts of Battambang by structured questionnaires. The empirical results indicated the level of household rice output varied according to differences in the efficiency of the production processes. The mean TE is 0.34 which means that famers produce 34% of rice at best practice at the current level of production inputs and technology, indicates that rice output has the potential of being increased further by 66% at the same level of inputs if farmers had been technically efficient. Furthermore, between 2013-2015, TE of household’s rice production recorded -14.3% decline rate due to highly affected of drought during dry season of 2015. Moreover, evidence reveals that land, fertilizer, and pesticide are the major influencing input factors of household’s rice production, while disaster, education of household head, family size and other crops’ cultivated area are core influencing factors decreasing TE. Conversely, the main influencing factors increasing TE are irrigated area, number of plot area and sex of household head.

The present study aims to measure the technical efficiency and establish core factors effecting rice production in Cambodia. Four-years dataset generated from the central government document “Profile on Economics and Social” of entire 25 provinces between 2012-2015 and the stochastic production frontier model (SFA) was applied. The results indicated that the level of output (quantity) of Cambodian rice production varied according to the different level of capital investment in agricultural machineries, total rice actual harvested area, and technically fertilizers application within provinces. Furthermore, evidence revealed the overall mean efficiency of rice production is 78.4% implies that there is still room to further improve technical efficiency by given the same level of inputs and technology. More importantly, the findings revealed that irrigation, production technique and amount of agricultural supporting staffs are being as the most important influencing factors of rice production’s technical efficiency in Cambodia. In conclusion, present study strongly recommends the development of irrigation systems and good water management practices to be considered and bring into more effective actions by the central government as well as related agencies for improving rice production in Cambodia in addition to capital investment and improving technical skills of supporting staffs and rural farmers.

The agricultural industry relies on physical fences to manage livestock. However, physical fences present some practical, financial, and ecological problems, that partly may be solved by virtual fencing. However, it is necessary for the livestock to be adapted to virtual fencing. This study aims to identify if adaptation to virtual fence can be improved through social facilitation between experienced cattle and the remaining herd. Moreover, which of the two different learning processes, a gradual or instant introduction to virtual fence is the most effective in associating warnings with impulses. Three pastures containing Angus (Bos taurus) will be used to examine these investigations; A, B and C. All investigations are conducted on the Danish Island of Fanø. Three methods of learning process were used, one gradual and two instant introductions to the virtual fence. The investigations had varying amounts of experienced cattle. Impulses and warnings were recorded during a learning period and the following observation period. To quantify if the cattle adapt to the warnings, impulses per warning are used. There was no evidence of improvement with the presence of experienced cattle for any pastures, indicating no social facilitation. Gradual introduction was found to be more beneficial than instant introduction. More standardized tests are necessary to discover the full effect of experienced cattle.

The accuracy of cosmic ray observation by the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory Wide Field-of-view Cherenkov/fluorescence Telescope Array (LHAASO-WFCTA) is influenced by variations in aerosols in the atmosphere. The solar photometer (CE318-T) is extensively utilized within the Aerosol Robotic Network as a highly precise and reliable instrument for aerosol measurements. With this CE318-T 23, 254 sets of valid data samples in 394 days from October 2020 to October 2022 at the LHAASO site were obtained. Data analysis revealed that the baseline Aerosol Optical Depth (AOD) and A˚ngstro¨m Exponent (AE) at 440-870 nm (AE440−870nm) of the aerosols were calculated to be 0.03 and 1.07, respectively, suggesting that the LHAASO site is among the most pristine regions on Earth. The seasonality of the mean AOD are the order of spring &gt; summer &gt; autumn = winter. The monthly average maximum of AOD440nm occurred in April (0.11 ± 0.05) and the minimum was in December (0.03 ± 0.01). The monthly average of AE440−870nm exhibited slight variations. The seasonal characterization of aerosol types indicated that clean continental background aerosol predominated in autumn and winter, which is the optimal period for the absolute calibration of the WFCTA. Additionally, the diurnal daytime variations of AOD and AE across the four seasons are presented. Our analysis also indicates that the potential origins of aerosol over the LHAASO in four seasons were different and the atmospheric aerosols with higher AOD probably originate mainly from Northern Myanmar and Northeast India region. These results provide a baseline for comparison to the future on-site measurement of extinction coefficient profile and aerosol phase function by LHAASO-WFCTA, also enrich the valuable materials on aerosol observation in the Hengduan Mountains and Tibetan Plateau.

Vascular impairment, muscle atrophy, and cognitive decline are important age-related conditions that have a significant impact on health. Vascular impairment directly disrupts the flow of blood, leading to the decline of muscle mass associated with aging (sarcopenia) and the decline of neuronal functions (neurodegeneration). Our inadequate understanding of the complex relationships between these conditions impedes precise diagnosis and effective treatment. This review analyzes the interrelated mechanisms that contribute to these conditions, with a specific focus on oxidative stress, chronic inflammation, and impaired nutrient delivery. The aim is to understand the common pathways involved and to suggest comprehensive therapeutic approaches. Vascular dysfunctions hinder the circulation of blood and the transportation of nutrients, resulting in sarcopenia characterized by muscle atrophy and weakness. Vascular dysfunction and sarcopenia have a negative impact on physical function and quality of life. Neurodegenerative diseases exhibit comparable pathophysiological mechanisms that affect cognitive and motor functions. Preventive and therapeutic approaches encompass lifestyle adjustments, addressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and integrated therapies that focus on improving vascular and muscular well-being. Better understanding of these links can enhance therapeutic strategies and lead to better outcomes for patients. Here, we highlight the intricate relationship among vascular dysfunction, degenerative muscle, and cognitive decline, underscoring the need for multidisciplinary approaches to treatment. Progress in this field can result in improved diagnosis, more potent therapeutic options, and enhanced preventative measures, all of which can contribute to an improved quality of life for the aging population.

Despite significant advancements in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs), detecting and mitigating bias remains a critical challenge, particularly within social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and in addressing cyberbullying present on them. This research investigates the effectiveness of leading LLMs in generating synthetic biased and cyberbullying data and evaluates the proficiency of Transformer AI models in detecting bias and cyberbullying within both authentic and synthetic contexts. The study involves semantic analysis and feature engineering on a dataset of over 48,000 sentences related to cyberbullying collected from Twitter (before it became X). Leveraging state-of-the-art LLMs such as ChatGPT-4o, Pi AI, Claude 3 Opus, and Gemini-1.5, synthetic biased, cyberbullying, and neutral data were generated to deepen the understanding of bias in human-generated data. AI models including DeBERTa, Longformer, BigBird, HateBERT, MobileBERT, DistilBERT, BERT, RoBERTa, ELECTRA, and XLNet were initially trained to classify Twitter cyberbullying data and subsequently fine-tuned, optimized, and quantized for multilabel classification (detecting both biases and cyberbullying). The study's outcomes include a prototype of a hybrid application that combines a Bias Data Detector and a Bias Data Generator, validated through extensive testing.

This paper discusses the mathematical modelling of exothermic explosions in a slab. This model is based on a nonlinear equation containing a nonlinear term related to Arrhenius, bimolecular, and sensitised laws of reaction kinetics. The absolute temperature can be obtained by solving the nonlinear equation using Akbari-Ganji’s method. The influence of the parameters Frank-Kamenetskii, activation energy and numerical exponent on temperature is discussed. The analytical results are compared with previous available analytical and numerical results ( Matlab). A satisfactory agreement is noted.

Starting from a very simple economic scenario, we build on it a game and then we introduce a general strategy able to reduce a regression problem to an equivalent binary classification problem. This reduction scheme (that we call adaptive reduction or also dynamic reduction) can be also used to derive a new boosting algorithm for regression problems named bOOst^d. The bOOst^d algorithm is very simple to implement, and it can use any learning algorithm with no priori assumptions. We present a conjecture for bOOst^d performances, which ensures a little error on training set. More important we can also provide a very good theoretical upper bound for the generalization error. We give a set of preliminary experimental results that seems to confirm our conjecture for bOOst^d performances on training set and the theoretical assumptions for the generalization error. We also provide a possible justification of why boosting often does not overfit. Finally, we leave some open problems and argue that in the future an adaptive single boosting (with an unique code) algorithm for binary, multi class and regression problems can be derived.

In the first part of this talk we review some prerequisites for and essential arguments involved in the construction of the thermal-ground-state estimate for the deconfining phase in the thermodynamics of SU(2) Quantum Yang-Mills theory and how this structure supports its distinct excitations. The second part applies deconfining SU(2) Yang-Mills thermodynamics to the Cosmic Microwave Background in view of (i) a modified temperature-redshift relation with an interesting link to correlation-length criticality in the 3D Ising model, (ii) the implied minimal changes in the dark sector of the cosmological model, and (iii) best-fit parameter values of this model when confronted with the spectra of the angular two-point functions TT, TE, and EE, excluding the low-$l$ physics. The latter, which is treated in an incomplete way because of the omission of radiative effects, is addressed in passing towards future work.

Internal and mesoscopic variables differ from each other fundamentally: both are state space variables, but mesoscopic variables are additional equipped with a distribution function introducing a statistical item into consideration which is missing in connection with internal variables. Thus, the alignment tensor of liquid crystal theory can be introduced as an internal variable or as one generated by a mesoscopic background using the microscopic director as mesoscopic variable. Because the mesoscopic variable is part of the state space, the corresponding balance equations change into mesoscopic balances, and additionally an evolution equation of the mesoscopic distribution function appears. The flexibility of the mesoscopic concept is not only demonstrated for liquid crystals, but is also discussed for dipolar media and flexible fibers.

In Einstein’s Special Relativity(SR), time is treated as one of the four dimensions within spacetime and is relative in nature. Typically, a photon clock serves as the illustrative device in the time dilation thought experiment, featuring a single photon bouncing between two mirrors. However, the present paper identifies a fundamental flaw in this thought experiment, hence challenging its validity. Contrary to SR, this paper asserts that time is a consequence of motion. Space and time should be treated differently as proposed by classical mechanics. Importantly, this stance does not challenge the concept of curved space in General Relativity (GR), but rather questions the idea of relative time, as employed in both SR and GR. The absence of time dilation also dispels the twin paradox, prompting a necessary reassessment of the second postulate of relativity to ensure a more precise depiction of relativistic effects.

The Power Theory of Exchange and Money (PTEM) refines the economic neoclassical two-equation model of exchange. PTEM replaces the statistical average condition of exchange, which represents the equality of supply and demand for all transactions in the market, with a more specific equation of the equality of the generalized power of the parties in relation to their objects of exchange. The purpose of the article is to show the application of PTEM for the study of various social phenomena. Along with a brief summary of the main statements of this theory, its integration into the existing corpus of theories and ideas in economics and sociology is considered. The conclusions of power theory are then applied to consider the following topics: the objective motivation of exchange by the desire to increase power, the power nature of market equilibrium, the power nature of money, the accumulation of power through profit, the creation of money as a power act, the role of the state in the creation of money, the measure of power as a possible tool for social and political research.

Ramsey theory influences the dynamics of mechanical systems, which may be described as abstract complete graphs. We address a mechanical system which is completely interconnected with the two kinds of ideal Hookean springs. The suggested system mechanically corresponds to the cyclic molecules, in which functional groups are interconnected with two kinds of chemical bonds, represented mechanically with two springs k1 and k2. In this paper, we consider a Cyclic system (molecule) built of six equal masses m and two kinds of springs. We pose the following question: what is the minimal number of masses in the such a system in which three masses are constrained to be connected with spring k1 or three masses to be connected with spring k2? The answer to this question is supplied by the Ramsey theory, and it is formally stated as follows: what is the minimal number R3,3? The result emerging from the Ramsey theory is R3,3=6. Thus, in the aforementioned interconnected mechanical system will be necessarily present the triangles (at least one triangle), built of masses and springs. This prediction constitutes the vibrational spectrum of the system. Thus, the Ramsey Theory supplies the selection rules for the vibrational spectra of the cyclic molecules. Symmetrical system built of six vibrating entities is addressed. The Ramsey approach works for 2D and 3D molecules, which may be described as abstract complete graphs. The extension of the proposed Ramsey approach to the systems, partially connected by ideal springs, viscoelastic systems and systems, in which elasticity is of an entropy nature is discussed. “Multi-color systems” built of three kinds of ideal springs are addressed. The notion of the inverse Ramsey network is introduced and analyzed.

A formulation of nonequilibrium thermo field dynamics has been performed using the nonequilibrium statistical operator method by D.N. Zubarev. Generalized transfer equations for a consistent description of kinetics and hydrodynamics of the dense quantum-field system with strongly coupled states are derived.

An observational cohort study of patients diagnosed with endometrial cancer (EC) stage IA G1, or atypical endometrial hyperplasia (AHE), undergoing organ-preserving treatment, was conducted. Objective of the study: to determine CDO1, PITX2, and CDH13 gene methylation levels in early endometrial cancer and atypical hyperplasia specimens obtained before organ-preserving treatment in the patients with adequate response and with insufficient response to hormonal treatment. Materials and methods: 41 endometrial specimens obtained during diagnostic uterine curettage in women with EC (n=28) and AEH (n=13), willing to preserve reproductive function, were studied; 18 specimens of endometrial cancer IA stage G1 from peri- and early postmenopausal women (comparison group) were included in the study. The control group included 18 endometrial specimens from healthy women obtained by diagnostic curettage for missed abortion and/or intrauterine adhesions. Methylation levels were analyzed using the modified MS-HRM method. Results: All 13 women with AEH had complete response (CR) to medical treatment. In the group undergoing organ-preserving treatment for uterine cancer IA stage G1 (n=28), 14 patients had complete response (EC CR group) and 14 had not (non-CR). It was found that all groups had statistically significant differences in CDO1 gene methylation levels with the control group (p&lt;0.001) except for the EC CR group (p=0.21). The p-value of difference between EC CR and EC non-CR groups was &lt;0.001. The differences in PITX2 gene methylation levels between the control and study groups were also significantly different (p&lt;0.001), except for AEH group (p=0.21). For the difference between EC CR and EC non-CR groups, the p-value was 0.43. For CDH13 gene methylation levels, statistically significant differences were found between the control and EC non-CR groups (p&lt;0.001), and the control and EC comparison groups (p=0.005). When comparing the EC CR group with EC non-CR group, the p-value for this gene was &lt;0.001. Simultaneous assessment of CDO1 and CDH13 genes methylation allowed to accurately distinguish between EC CR and EC non-CR groups (AUC=0.96). Conclusion: Assessment of CDO1 and CDH13 gene methylation in endometrial specimens from patients with endometrial cancer (IA stage G1), planned for medical treatment, can predict the treatment outcome.

Background and Objectives: Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the major causes of central vision loss in the older age group and its dry form accounts for the majority of cases. Although several causes and mechanisms for the development and progression of AMD have previously been identified, the pathogenesis of this complex disease is still not entirely understood. As the inflammation and involvement of the immune system are strongly suggested to have a central role to promote the degenerative process and to stimulate the onset of complications, we aimed to analyze the prevalence of serum anti-retinal (ARA) and anti-endothelial cell antibodies (AECA) in patients with dry AMD and to determine their relationship with the clinical features of the disease, notably area of geographic atrophy (GA). Materials and Methods: We enrolled 41 patients with dry AMD and 50 sex- and age-matched healthy controls without AMD. The presence of ARA was determined by indirect immunofluorescence using monkey retina as an antigen substrate, while the presence of AECA was determined using cultivated human umbilical vein endothelial cells and primate skeletal muscle. Results: ARA were detected 36 (87.8%) AMD patients (titers range from 1:20 to 1:320) and in 16 (39.0%) (titers range from 1:10 to 1:40) of controls (p=0.0000). Twenty of the 41 patients (48.8%) were positive for AECA, while in a control group AECA were present only in 5 sera (10.0%). The titers of AECA in AMD patients ranged from 1:100 to 1:1000 and in the control group the AECA titers were 1:100 (p=0.0001). There were no significant correlations between the presence of AECA and disease activity. Conclusions: This study provides evidence for the possible involvement of an autoimmune process against retina and retinal vessel antigens in the pathogenesis of geographic atrophy associated with dry AMD.

This review summarizes studies dedicated to the assessment of microvascular function based on microcirculatory oscillations monitored by the FMSF technique. Two approaches are presented. The first approach uses oscillatory parameters measured under normoxia conditions, expressed as flowmotion (FM), vasomotion (VM), and the normoxia oscillatory index (NOI). These parameters have been used for identification of impaired microcirculatory oscillations associated with intense physical exercise, post-COVID syndrome, psychological stress, and erectile dysfunction. The second approach involves characterization of the microcirculatory response to hypoxia based on the measurement of hypoxia sensitivity (HS). The HS parameter is used to characterize microvascular complications in diabetes, such as diabetic kidney disease and diabetic foot ulcers. Based on research conducted by the authors of this review, the FMSF parameter ranges characterizing microvascular function are presented. The diagnostic approach to assessing microvascular function based on flowmotion monitored by the FMSF technique has a wide range of applications and potential to be integrated into widespread medical practice.

Additives for anaerobic digestion (AD) can play a significant role in optimising the process by increasing biogas production, stabilising the system and improving digestate quality. The role of additives largely boils down to: (i) enhancing direct interspecies electron transfer (DIET) between microbial communities, resulting in improved syntrophic interactions and methane production rates (e.g. biochar, magnetite and carbon nanotubes), (ii) adsorption of toxic substances that may inhibit microbial activity (e.g. activated carbon, zeolites), (iii) improving microbial activity and increasing process stability (e.g. cobalt, nickel, iron, selenium), (iv) maintaining optimal pH levels for microbial activity (e.g. magnesium oxide), (v) reducing inhibition (the aforementioned adsorbents and conductive substances), (vi) accelerating the decomposition of complex organic materials into simpler compounds that are more easily digested by microorganisms, thereby increasing the rate of hydrolysis (enzymes, including cellulases, proteases and lipases). Through the aforementioned action, additives can significantly affect AD performance. The function of these materials varies, from enhancing microbial activity to maintaining optimal conditions and protecting the system from inhibitors. The choice of additives should be carefully tailored to the specific needs and conditions of the digester to maximise benefits and ensure sustainability. In light of these considerations, this paper characterizes the most commonly used additives and their combinations based on a comprehensive review of recent scientific publications, including a report on the results of conducted studies. The publication features chapters that describe: carbon-based conductive materials, metal oxide nanomaterials, trace metal and biological additives, including enzymes and microorganisms. It concludes with a chapter summarising reports on various additives and discussing their indications for functional systems with determined properties. A notable advantage of this work is the updated literature data, clear summaries, and a substantive description of the performance of the additives discussed.

The unique structure of G4.0 PAMAM dendrimers allows the drug to be enclosed in internal spaces or immobilized on the surface. In the conducted research, the conditions for the formation of the active G4.0 PAMAM complex with doxorubicin (DOX) were optimized. The physicochemical properties of the system were monitored using DLS, CD, and fluorescence spectroscopy. The QCM-D method was chosen to determine the preferential conditions for the complex formation. The highest binding efficiency of the drug to the cationic dendrimer was observed under basic conditions when the DOX molecule was deprotonated. The decrease in the zeta potential of the complex confirms that DOX immobilizes through electrostatic interaction with the carrier's surface amine groups. The binding constants were determined from the fluorescence quenching of the DOX molecule in the presence of G4.0 PAMAM. The two-fold way of binding doxorubicin in the structure of dendrimers was visible in the ITC isotherm. Fluorescence spectra and release curves identified reversible binding of DOX to the nanocarrier. Among the selected cancer cells, the most promising anticancer activity of G4.0-DOX was observed in A375 malignant melanoma cells. Moreover, the preferred intracellular location of the complexes concerning the free drug was found, which is important from a therapeutic point of view.

Understanding the distribution of rock glaciers provides key information for investigating and recognizing the status and changes of the periglacial environment. Deep learning algorithms and red-green-blue (RGB) bands from high-resolution satellite images have been extensively employed to map rock glaciers. However, the near-infrared (NIR) band offers rich spectral information and sharp edge features that could significantly contribute to semantic segmentation tasks, but it is rarely utilized in constructing rock glacier identification models due to the limitation of three input bands for classical semantic segmentation networks, like DeeplabV3+. In this study, a dual-encoder DeeplabV3+ network (DEDNet) was designed to overcome the flaws of classical DeeplabV3+ network (CDNet) when identifying rock glaciers using multispectral remote sensing images by extracting spatial and spectral features from RGB and NIR bands, respectively. This network, trained with manually labeled rock glacier samples from QiLian Mountains, established a model with accuracy, precision, recall, specificity, and mIoU (Mean Intersection over Union) of 0.9131, 0.9130, 0.9270, 0.9195, and 0.8601, respectively. The well-trained model was applied to identify new rock glaciers in a test region, achieving a producer's accuracy of 93.68% and a user's accuracy of 94.18%. Furthermore, the model was employed to two study areas in northern Tien Shan (Kazakhstan) and Daxue Shan (Hengduan Shan, China) with high accuracy, which proved that the DEDNet offers an innovative solution to more accurately map rock glaciers on a larger scale due to its robustness across diverse geographic regions.

The Double U-pipe ground heat exchanger, recognized for its straightforward process, cost-effectiveness, high heat exchange efficiency, and low thermal resistance, stands as the predominant ground heat exchanger type in today's shallow geothermal energy development and utilization. Recent years have seen significant research into the heat transfer influencing factors and heat exchange performance of Double U-pipe ground heat ex-changers via experimental testing methods. Yet, studies integrating numerical simulation with in-situ testing have been less frequent. Drawing on the cylindrical heat source model theory and the outcomes of regional in-situ thermal response tests, this paper develops a Double U-pipe ground heat transfer model by establishing physical, mathematical, and heat transfer geometric models. It assesses the impact of varying inlet temperatures, flow rates, and initial ground temperatures on heat exchange efficiency under heating conditions. The results validate the precision of the double U-pipe ground heat exchanger model based on in-situ testing. They show that enhancing the temperature differential between the inlet and initial temperatures, elevating the initial ground temperature, and moderately increasing the flow rate can boost the system's heat exchange efficiency.

Vaccination, particularly against pneumoccus and influenza, is a low-cost primary prevention, useful to avoid hard complications, particularly among frail older people. In this study, we aimed to assess the effect of a strategy for influenza and pneumococcal vaccination for outpatients, never practiced before, evaluating what could stimulate or demotivate vaccination among older people. This study was conducted during the 2023-2024 influenza season at the outpatient clinics of the Geriatrics section, University Hospital of Palermo (Italy). A total of 101 vaccinations were carried out. Half of the patients could be considered as pre-frail and about 20% frail, according to a comprehensive geriatric evaluation. Among participants, 46.3% received only vaccination against Pneumococcus and 26.8% only anti-influenza or the combination of anti-pneumococcus and anti-influenza. Compared with the previous seasons, a 19.5% increase of influenza and 90.2 % of pneumococcal vaccine uptake was observed. Side effects of vaccination were the main reason of the previous rejections, namely 74.8% for influenza and 29.5% for anti-pneumococcal vaccination. In conclusion, our study indicates how a new vaccination strategy in different settings is possible. Proposing influenza and pneumococcal vaccination for outpatients could be an effective instrument to improve immunization coverage that is still low among older people.

Background: The aim of this experimental work was to confirm the individual uniqueness of lip prints, to verify the presence of recurrent patterns according to the Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification and to search for characteristics that can be used in establishing the sex of a subject. Methods: Lip prints were taken from a sample of 172 volunteers using liquid lipstick and transparent adhesive tape and were digitally analyzed. Results: 59 prints (35.3%) were not considered for Suzuki and Tsuchihashi classification due to quality errors and the impossibility of visualizing lip wrinkles in one or more sextants, all the digitized prints revealed themselves to be unique after having been analyzed using superimposition. Qualitatively valid prints indicated a prevalence of Type II in both male and female and the presence of sex-linked features. A major problem was that the analysis of the same print by different operators often resulted in a different attribution of a Type. Conclusions: The potential of cheiloscopy lies mainly in the matching of prints, given their uniqueness, and can be a valid tool in gender determination but the absence of a database greatly limits its use. It is necessary to establish an acquisition protocol for taking and analyzing prints that could reduce the errors committed by the operator.

Snakebite envenomation remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality in rural populations. This study aimed to identify factors associated with complications from snakebite envenomation reported in health facilities in the Cascades region of Burkina Faso. This cross-sectional study used routine data of patients admitted for snakebite envenomation in five health facilities between January 1, 2016, and December 31, 2021. Data were collected on sociodemographic, clinical, and therapeutic characteristics of patients showing signs of envenomation. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to determine factors associated with complications. Among the 846 patients with envenomation, 355 (42%) experienced complications. Local complications at the bite site included wounds (21.5%) and skin necrosis (12.5%). Systemic complications included hemorrhage (30.5%), shock (16.3%), and coma (4.3%), with a mortality rate of 3.2%. Factors significantly associated with complications were rural residence (AOR: 4.80; 95% CI: 2.21-11.4), incision at the bite site (AOR: 4.31; 95% CI: 2.51-7.52), tourniquet application (AOR: 5.52; 95% CI: 1.42-30.8), bleeding (AOR: 14.2; 95% CI: 8.80-23.4), abnormal vital signs (AOR: 14.3; 95% CI: 9.22-22.7), and non-administration of antivenom serum (AOR: 2.92; 95% CI: 1.8-4.8). These findings highlight the importance of antivenom availability and public awareness to reduce complications from snakebite envenomation.

Indoor residual spraying (IRS) and use of insecticide treated bed nets for malaria vector control have contributed substantially to reduction in malaria disease burden. However, these control tools have important shortcomings including being donor-dependent, expensive, and often fail because of insufficient uptake. We assessed the safety and efficacy of a user-friendly, locally tailored malaria vector control approach dubbed ‟House Decoration for Malaria Control” (HD4MC) based on incorporation of a WHO-approved insecticide, pirimiphos-methyl CS (Actellic 300CS), into a customary hut decoration practice in rural Uganda where millions of the most vulnerable and malaria-prone populations live in mud-walled huts. Three hundred and sixty households were randomly assigned to either HD4MC (120 households), IRS (120 households) or control group without any wall treatment (120 households). Entomological indices were assessed using pyrethrum spray catch, CDC Light traps and human landing catches. Organophosphate (OP) toxicity on acetyl cholinesterase activity among applicators of HD4MC was evaluated using Test-mate (Model 400) erythrocyte acetylcholinesterase (AChE) test V.2 whereas toxicity in household occupants was monitored clinically. OP level in house dust was analyzed using reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (RP-HPLC). Entomological indices were compared between the 3 study arms at 1.5, 3- and 6-months post intervention. HD4MC- and IRS-treated huts had significantly reduced malaria vector density and feeding rate compared to control huts. There was no significant reduction in acetylcholinesterase activity at 1.5- and 24-hours post exposure. Organophosphate exposure did not result in any serious adverse event among the household occupants. In conclusion, HD4MC was safe and had comparable efficacy to canonical IRS.

Nutrient profiling (NP) models that assess nutrient density of foods can help remedy micronutrient deficiencies. We used NP methods to identify the most nutrient-rich foods in the 2019 FAO/INFOODS Western Africa Food Composition Table (WAFCT). The WAFCT had complete data for 909 foods. Three versions of the well-established Nutrient Rich Food (NRF) model were used: 1) the original NRF9.3; 2) a new NRF6.3 based on 6 priority micronutrients (iron, zinc, calcium, folate, vitamin A, vitamin B12); and 3) NRF 15.3, based on 15 nutrients to encourage (NRF6.3 nutrients + vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B3, vitamin B6, copper, and magnesium). Data analyses used one-way ANOVAs and independent t-tests, with significance at α=0.05. Animal-source foods were rated higher by NRF6.3 priority micronutrient and NRF15.3 NP models than by the NRF9.3 model. African indigenous vegetables had higher protein content and higher nutrient density compared to non-indigenous vegetables. African indigenous grains had higher nutrient density compared to non-indigenous grains. Though animal-source foods received some of the highest scores, NP models adapted to the West African context showed that African indigenous vegetables and grains were also nutrient rich. Indigenous foods could be important sources of priority micronutrients for the region.

Purpose To investigate the effects of intra-articular glenohumeral joint triamcinolone injection in treating secondary adhesive capsulitis after breast cancer surgery.Methods This study prospectively enrolled 37 participants, 22 of the breast cancer surgery group and 15 of the idiopathic group. All participants received intra-articular glenohumeral joint injection in the affected shoulder joint and received physiotherapy for 12 week. The clinical assessment evaluated before, and 1, 3, and 6 months after the intervention. The primary outcome was the change in the Shoulder Pain and Disability Index (SPADI).Results The total SPADI(%) in both groups showed significant decrease from baseline to 1, 3, and 6 months after the intervention. There was no significant difference in the differences of the total SPADI from baseline to 1, 3, and 6 months between two groups. However, the improvement in the SPADI pain subscale and the PROM of abduction at 3 and 6 months post-injection in the breast cancer group were inferior to the idiopathic group.Conclusion Intra-articular triamcinolone injection for adhesive capsulitis after breast cancer surgery significantly improved in significant improvements of pain, shoulder function and the PROM. The effects were similar to idiopathic adhesive capsulitis, but in the breast cancer surgery group, appropriate pain and ROM management and monitoring are required even 3 months after injection. With a standardized injection protocol, intra-articular triamcinolone injection could be an effective and safe treatment option for secondary adhesive capsulitis after breast cancer surgery.

In this paper, the mechanism of combined process of ion beam sputtering (IBS) and HF acid etching on the chemical structure defects of fused silica and its laser damage resistance perfor-mance were investigated. During the removal process of surface material, the sputtering effect causes lattice atoms to detach from their original positions, forming a large number of unsaturated structures on silica surface, which improves the chemical activity of Si and O atoms, accelerates the chemical reaction process between surface atoms and water molecules, increases the content of hydroxyl (OH-) groups in the shallow layer, and enhances the photothermal weak absorption intensity. However, the presence of OH- groups reduces the bonding strength of Si-O, destroys the spatial network structure of silica bulk, and reduces the mechanical strength of silica surface, resulting in a decrease in its laser damage resistance performance. The paper reveals for the first time the mechanism of IBS to change the structure characteristics of silica material, accelerate the surface hydroxylation process, and thereby reduces the laser damage resistance performance. This work provides technical guidance for effectively suppressing chemical structure defects on silica surface and improving laser damage resistance performance of optical components under high-flux laser irradiation.

Curcumin, a hydrophobic polyphenol compound derived from the rhizome of the Curcuma genus, has a wide spectrum of biological and pharmacological applications. Previously, curcumin nanoparticles with different stabilizers had been produced successfully in order to enhance solubility and per oral absorption. In the present study, we tested the anti-inflammatory effect of D-α-Tocopheryl polyethylene glycol 1000 succinate (TPGS)-stabilized curcumin nanoparticles in vivo. Lambda-carrageenan (λ-carrageenan) was used to induce inflammation in rats; it was given by an intraplantar route and intrapelurally through surgery in the pleurisy test. In the λ-carrageenan-induced edema model, TPGS-stabilized curcumin nanoparticles were given orally one hour before induction and at 0.5, 4.5, and 8.5 h after induction with two different doses (1.8 and 0.9 mg/kg body weight (BW)). Sodium diclofenac with a dose of 4.5 mg/kg BW was used as a standard drug. A physical mixture of curcumin-TPGS was also used as a comparison with a higher dose of 60 mg/kg BW. The anti-inflammatory effect was assessed on the edema in the carrageenan-induced paw edema model and by the volume of exudate as well as the number of leukocytes reduced in the pleurisy test. TPGS-stabilized curcumin nanoparticles with lower doses showed better anti-inflammatory effects, indicating the greater absorption capability through the gastrointestinal tract.

Blazars show rapid and high amplitude variability. In this work , Fermi daily light curve of 130 sources are analyzed, distribution of daily variability are compared with each other by using Kolmogorov-Smirnov (K-S) test. results show: 1)Some pairs of the distributions are similar; 2) In most cases, the distributions are not Gaussian.

In this work, we'll present the power spectra density, auto-correlation function, dentrended fluctuation analysis and multifractal spectrum are performed to the daily light curves of Blazars monitored by Fermi LAT. Some signs of power law are found.

The keratinocyte carcinomas, basal cell carcinoma (BCC) and cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), are the most common cancers in humans. Recently, an increasing body of literature has investigated the role of miRNAs in keratinocyte carcinoma pathogenesis, progression and their use as therapeutic agents and targets, or biomarkers. However, there is very little consistency in the literature regarding the identity of and/or role of individual miRNAs in cSCC (and to a lesser extent BCC) biology. miRNA analyses that combine clinical evidence with experimental elucidation of targets and functional impact provide far more compelling evidence than studies purely based on clinical findings or bioinformatic analyses. In this study, we review the clinical evidence associated with miRNA dysregulation in KCs assessing the quality of validation evidence provided, identify gaps, and provide recommendations for future studies based on relevant studies that investigated miRNA levels in human cSCC and BCC. Furthermore, we demonstrate how miRNAs contribute to the regulation of a diverse network of cellular functions, and that large-scale changes in tumor cell biology can be attributed to miRNA dysregulation. We highlight the need for further studies investigating the role of miRNAs as communicators between different cell types in the tumor microenvironment. Finally, we explore the clinical benefits of miRNAs as biomarkers of keratinocyte carcinoma prognosis and treatment.

Real-time object detection remains a pivotal topic in the realm of computer vision. Balancing the accuracy and speed of object detectors poses a formidable challenge for both academic researchers and industry practitioners. While recent transformer-based models have showncase the prowess of the attention mechanism, delivering remarkable performance improvements over CNNs, their computational demands can hinder their effectiveness in real-time detection tasks. In this paper, we elect to use YOLOX as our robust starting point and introduce a series of effective enhancements, culminating in a new high-performance detector named YOLOAX. To further exploit the power of the attention mechanism, we devise multi-dimensional attention-based modules that activate CNNs, emphasizing the most pertinent regions and bolstering the capacity to learn the most informative image representations from feature maps. Moreover, we introduce a novel leading label assignment strategy called STA, along with a groundbreaking loss function named GEIOU Loss, to further refine our detector's performance. We provide extensive ablation studies on the COCO and PASCAL VOC 2012 detection datasets to validate our proposed methods. Remarkably, our YOLOAX is trained solely on the MS-COCO dataset from scratch, without leveraging any prior knowledge, which achieves an impressive 54.2% AP on the COCO 2017 test set while maintaining a real-time speed of 72.3 fps, surpassing YOLOX by a significant margin of 3.0% AP. Our source code and pre-trained models are openly accessible at https://github.com/KejianXu/yoloax.

Background and Objectives: Wilson disease (WD) is a disorder of copper metabolism caused by genetic muta-tions in the ATP7B gene which lead to the accumulation of copper in the body. The aim of the present study is to investigate the severity of WD in patients in Romania. Materials and Methods: This study was conducted us-ing an online questionnaire consisting of 32 questions in a group of patients suffering from Wilson disease. Results: The study included 67 people aged 7 to 56 with WD. The most common symptoms of the participants were hepatic and neurological in 22 cases (32.8%). The most common neurological symptom in the assessed cases was muscle stiffness (49.5%), followed by tremor (45%), and speech disorders (40.5%). The Kay-ser-Fleischer ring was present in 50.7% of the participants. The most commonly used drug treatment in the participants was D-penicillamine (77.61%). Conclusions: The severity of WD is based on many aspects, the most important being early diagnosis and access to treatment throughout the year. The prognosis is favorable with early diagnosis and treatment, but it is crucial to diagnose individuals before they develop major symp-toms. Therefore, advances in WD screening can lead to an earlier diagnosis and better results.

There is an anecdotal impression that teenage patients report exaggerated postoperative pain scores that do not correlate with their actual level of pain. Nurse and parental perception of teenagers' pain can be complemented by knowledge of patient pain behavior, pain catastrophizing thoughts, anxiety, and mood level. Two hundred two patients completed the study: 56.4% female, 89.6% White, 5.4% Black, and 5% other race. Patient ages ranged from 11 to 17 years (mean = 13.8, SD = 1.9). The patient, the parent, and the nurse completed multiple questionnaires on day one after laparoscopic surgery to assess patient pain. Teenagers and parents (r=0.56) have a high level of agreement, and teenagers and nurses (r=0.47) have a moderate level of agreement on pain scores (p &lt;0.05). The correlation between patient APBQ (Adolescent Pain Behavior Questionnaire) and teenager VAS (Visual Analog Scale ) and between nurse APBQ and teenager VAS, while statistically significant (p &lt; 0.05), is weaker (r range = 0.14-0.17). There is a moderate correlation between teenagers' pain scores and their psychological assessments of anxiety, catastrophic thoughts, and mood (r range= 0.26 – 0.39; p &lt;0.05). A multi-modal evaluation of postoperative pain can be more informative than only assessing self-reported pain scores.

5-(4-aminophenyl )-2-amino -1,3,4-thiadiazole was prepared by reaction of Thiosemicarbazide with 4-amino benzoic acid under reflux condition for 7 hours. The compound which has been synthesized successfully was subjected to addition reaction with 4-(Dimethylamino) benzaldehyde under reflux condition for 6 hours to synthesize Schiff bases. These compounds was characterized by using FTIR) and evaluated for their anticancer activity. The effect of (1, 3, 4-thiadiazole derivative) on the activity of malignant cells was studied by using different types of cell lines [Breast cancer, and human prostate cancer]. And was used the Electron microscope to show that the effect of the derivative on the cancer cells before and after 3 days of the injection time. It was found that the Schiff base of thiadiazole-1,3,4-(Dimethylamino)benzylidineamino]- [4-2-phenyl]amino was effective in reducing the size and density of malignant cells. That of 46.7 while in breast ) 145(DUprostate for growth inhibition produce of equal 85.9 µg/ml.

In the present paper, we efficiently solve the two-body problem for extreme cases such as those with high eccentricities. The use of numerical methods, with the usual variables, cannot maintain the perihelion passage accurately. In previous articles, we have verified that this problem is treated more adequately through temporal reparametrizations related to the mean anomaly through the partition function. The biparametric family of anomalies, with an appropriate partition function, allows a systematic study of these transformations. In the present work, we consider the elliptical orbit as a meridian section of the ellipsoid of revolution, and the partition function depends on two variables raised to specific parameters. One of the variables is the mean radius of the ellipsoid at the secondary, and the other is the distance to the primary. One parameter regulates the concentration of points in the apoapsis region, and the other produces a symmetrical displacement between the polar and equatorial regions. The three most used geodesy latitude variables are also studied, resulting in one not belonging to the biparametric family. However, it is in the one introduced now, which implies an extension of the biparametric method. The results obtained by the method presented here now allow a causal interpretation of the operation of numerous reparametrizations used in the study of orbital motion.

The physical properties of a structure such stiffness although can be determined by some statical tests, the identification of damping parameter requires a dynamic test. In general, both theoretical prediction and experimental identification of damping are quite difficult. There are many different techniques available for damping identification, and each method gives a different damping parameter. The dynamic indentation method, rheometry, atomic force microscopy, and resonant vibration tests are commonly used to identify the damping of materials, including soft materials. While the viscous damping ratio, loss factor, complex modulus and viscosity are quite common to describe damping of materials, there are also other parameters such as the specific damping capacity, loss angle, half-power bandwidth, and logarithmic decrement to describe damping of various materials. Often one of these parameters is measured in practical applications and the measured damping parameter needs to be converted into another damping parameter for comparison purposes. In this review, the theoretical derivations of different parameters for the description and quantification of damping and their relationships, and the methods for damping identification are presented. The expressions for both high damping and low damping are included and evaluated. This paper could be a primary resource for damping research and teaching.

Hands-on gardening is linked with healthy eating behaviors, increased outdoor activities, and overall well-being. Although these positive associations are widely established for adults and school-agers, little evidence can be found on how such relationships may extend to early childhood, especially in the preschool years (3-5 years). One recent study conducted in North Carolina (NC) showed that participating in hands-on gardening significantly increased preschoolers’ accurate identification of fruits and vegetables (FV) and FV consumption compared to children who did not participate in hands-on gardening, but no association was found between participation in hands-on gardening and children’s liking (eating preferences) of FV. FV identification and liking during the early years may lead to lifelong healthy eating behaviors and preferences, making hands-on gardening a critical health intervention in early childhood environments, especially in childcare centers where a majority of the 13 million children in the United States between the ages of 0 and 5 spend most of their waking hours. This research aimed to investigate how hands-on gardening in childcare centers may impact preschoolers’ (3-5 years old) FV knowledge (identification) and liking in a semi-arid climate zone with a high concentration of Hispanic families by conducting experimental research with eight childcare centers and one hundred forty-nine children (n=149) in Lubbock County located in West Texas. Findings showed changes in average liking scores are generally positive in the experiment group of children who participated in hands-on gardening (compared to the control non-gardening group), implying improved liking. The findings indicate that the benefits of hands-on gardening in childcare centers for enhancing healthy eating preferences are evident even in a semi-arid climate zone, where high temperatures and limited rainfall present significant gardening challenges. This research underscores the importance of integrating hands-on gardening into childcare programs, highlighting its potential as an effective obesity prevention strategy not only within the U.S. but also in other regions with similar environmental constraints.

In this paper, a new way to obtain photoactive cements was presented. In this method amorphous TiO2 is added to cooler during the cooling of the cement clinker (Górażdże company) during cement production. Amorphous TiO2 was taken from the installation for obtaining titanium dioxide using the sulphate method. During the studies amorphous TiO2 was added to clinker at different temperature 300, 600, 700 and 800 °C. The properties of the obtained cement were tested during the bending and compressive strength and beginning and the end of bending setting time measurements. The adhesion of the obtained materials to concrete block, ceramic brick and plasterboard were also evaluated. The photocatalytic activity of the obtained materials was studied during NO and BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, p-,m-,o-xylenes decomposition) decomposition. Cement with 5 wt.% TiO2 added to clinker at 700 C had the highest photocatalytic activity and the best mechanical properties.

In the fast-changing world of software development, the protection of software products has emerged as an imperative requirement. This paper presents a new way to increase the maturity of development teams to reach the highest level of software security. Based on these, the framework uses the Fuzzy Analytic Hierarchy Process (Fuzzy-AHP) to systematically evaluate and enhance the people maturity of software development projects. The essence of the fuzzy logic and AHP technique interaction is to handle the uncertainty and complexity of human factors and team dynamics in the evaluation framework. Using the decision-making model allows the project managers and stakeholders to determine the appropriate areas for improvement and develop the right strategies and actions to nurture a secure and mature development culture. The paper identifies 24 human success factors (HSFs) and human security vulnerabilities (HSVs) and 38 practices for addressing these HSFs and HSVs. Furthermore, we discuss the local and global ranks of each HSF and HSV practice and categorize the identified practices into 9 categories to determine the ranks and weight of each category. Based on collected data, FAHP prioritized these practices; the category “C4: Skill Development and Stakeholder Engagement” is ranked highest at rank-1 and possesses the most significant weight of 0.12435. Similarly, the highest global weight is 0.051506, and the global ranked (rank-1) HSF and HSV practice is “P15: Hands-On Practice and Stakeholder Communication”. Research evidence and case discussions show how the described framework assists in building secure software development (SSD) practices, which can be considered evidence of the application of team maturity to improve cybersecurity in organizations. Additional research directions include improving the framework, especially using highly developed learning techniques and applying the framework to other forms of development.

The evidential value of an mtDNA match between biological remains and its potential donor is determined by the random match probability of the haplotype. This probability is based on the haplotype’s population frequency estimate. Consequently, implementing a population study representative of the population relevant to the forensic case is vital to correctly evaluating the evidence. The emerging number of poaching cases and the limited availability of such data emphasizes the need for improved fallow deer mtDNA population databank for forensic purposes, including targeting the entire mitochondrial control region. By sequencing the whole mitochondrial control region in 138 animals from five populations in Hungary we found four different haplotypes, including one which has not yet been described. Our results, supplemented with data already available from previous research do not support the possibility of determining the population of origin, although some patterns of geographical separation can be distinguished. Estimates of molecular diversity indicate approximately similarly low mtDNA diversity (Hd=0.565 and π = 0.002), compared with data from other countries. The calculated random match probability of 0.547 shows a high probability of coincidence and, therefore, a limited capacity for exclusion. Consequently, it may be necessary to search for polymorphic sites on other mitochondrial gene sections or to sequence the entire mitogenome of fallow deer.

The clinical features of increasing muscle weakening are shared by a diverse set of illnesses known as muscular dystrophies. In early childhood, males with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) exhibit proximal muscle weakening and calf enlargement, making it the most frequent X-linked disease of muscular dystrophy in children. Development of motor skills is typically delayed, and wheelchair confinement eventually leads to early death from heart or lung problems. In terms of function, ambulation, quality of life, and life expectancy, treatment approaches like corticosteroid therapy and intermittent positive pressure breathing have improved. This is a case report of a 6-year-old kid who had early ambulatory stage Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy and complained to the neuro-physiotherapy department about frequent falls, walking difficulties, and dyspnea when walking. Other grievances included being unable to get off the ground and having trouble ascending stairs. He had physiotherapy and dynamic neuromuscular stabilization for his complaints. The main goals of treatment were educating the family, respiratory training, preventing ankle plantar flexors, maintaining strength, balance and gait training.

The ubiquitous presence of microplastics (MPs) in the environment poses a threat to ecosystems and increases concerns about their exposure to the human body. However, despite being consumed for health improvement, limited research has been conducted on MPs in functional foods. This study aimed to investigate the occurrence of MPs and the relation of the source of raw material or the manufacture in various omega-3 oil in the Korean market. MPs in omega-3 capsule and raw oil, sourced from both plant-based (PB) and animal-based (AB) sources, were investigated. We developed the method by direct filtration with acetone washing and analyzed MPs greater than 5 μm using microscope-Raman spectroscopy. The average number of MPs was found to be 1.2 ± 1.7 MPs/g for PB raw oil, 2.2 ± 1.7 MPs/g for AB raw oil, 3.5 ± 3.9 MPs/g for PB capsule oil, and 10.6 ± 8.9 MPs/g for AB capsule oil. Polypropylene and polyethylene terephthalate were major specious (83-95 %) found in omega-3 oil. The ratio of size range remained consistent across all groups, with a trend of higher detection rates as the size diminished. The results reveal that the main reason of MPs contamination is not the source of raw material but the manufacturing and packaging process for omega-3 oil.

Chromium (Cr) metal has garnered significant attention in alloy systems owing to its exceptional properties, such as high melting point, low density, and superior oxidation and corrosion resistance. However, its processing capabilities are hindered by the high Ductile-Brittle Transition Temperature (DBTT). Recently, powder bed fusion-laser beam for metals (PBF-LB/M) has emerged as a promising technique, offering the fabrication of net shapes and precise control over crystallographic texture. Nevertheless, research investigating the mechanism underlying crystallographic texture development in pure Cr via PBF-LB/M still needs to be conducted. This study explores the impact of scan speed on relative density and crystallographic texture. At the optimal scan speed, an increase in grain size attributed to epitaxial growth was observed, resulting in the formation of cubic texture. Consequently, a reduction in High Angle Grain Boundaries (HAGB) was achieved, suppressing defects such as cracks and enhancing relative density up to 98.1%. Furthermore, with increasing densification, Vickers hardness also exhibited a corresponding increase. These findings underscore the efficacy of PBF-LB/M for processing metals with high DBTT properties.

Organic fertilizer application in agricultural land is known to improve soil microbial processes, fertility, and yield. In particular, stable changes in soil chemical composition through multi-year fertilization of organic fertilizers are thought to cause changes in the microbial community. Here, the effects of oil cake amendments (OC) on soil bacterial diversity, community profile and enzyme activity were evaluated and compared to those amended with chemical fertilizer (NPK). The comparison of diversity indices between OC and NPK amended soils shows that application of oil cake has increased microbial diversity potentially with an increase in the number of different microbial groups. The ordination plot distinguished and clustered both treatments showing differential effects of soils chemical factors on the microbial communities of each treatment. Proteobacteria, Verrucomicrobia and Bacteriodetes were significantly abundant in OC amended soil than in the NPK received soil, indicating alterations in community structure, composition, and diversity con-current to the changes in pH, Ca and Mg contents of the soil. These shifts in bacterial community structure and composition could also be observed from the phylum to the genus level in both NPK and OC amended soils partially explained by differences in soil chemical factors. The OC soil compared to the NPK amended soil also contain significantly higher abundance of predicted genes corresponding to enzymes related to biogeochemical cycling, decomposition and plant growth promotion. Collectively, these results support the use of an unconventional organic fertilizer positively altering bacterial populations in jujube orchards. The application of oil cake-based organic fertilizer improved microbial diversity and enhanced potential ecosystem functions related to bio-geochemical cycles, mineralization and plant growth promotion.

In recent years, Ethiopia's number of returnee entrepreneurs has increased dramatically, significantly contributing to personal financial achievement and the nation's economic development and transformation. However, their businesses are typically smaller and less profitable than non-migrant entrepreneurs. This study explores factors affecting the success of these returnee migrant entrepreneurs, including individual characteristics, entrepreneurial skills, and experience, financial resources, as well as the mediating role of government policies and institutional support. Data was collected from 390 returnee migrants who started their businesses and analyzed using a robust theoretical foundation and PLS-SEM to understand the impact of success factors. The results show that entrepreneurial skills, experience, and financial resources positively and significantly influence the success of returnee migrant entrepreneurs. Furthermore, social networks, while not directly significantly influencing the entrepreneurial success of returnee migrants are mediated by government policies and institutional support. Professional guidance and counseling provided by experts and mentors of the accelerator program were found to be essential for entrepreneurial success but did not improve the effectiveness of the policy. Financial resources, although crucial, did not significantly impact policy efficacy. These findings underscore the need for tailored policy interventions addressing the challenges faced by returnee migrants, including economic self-sufficiency, socio-psychological support, and effective social networks to boost the success of returnee migrants. Experienced returnee entrepreneurs play a key role in developing a vigorous and supportive entrepreneurial ecosystem through community engagement and policy advocacy. Additionally, personal traits are crucial for entrepreneurial success, while practical experience influences government policies for substantiated policy development in returnee migrant entrepreneurship and its benefits.

Urban lakes, especially those of natural origin, provide ecosystem services, recreation being one of the most important and highly valued by the city dwellers. Fulfilling the needs of city residents to relax and have contact with nature has become a priority in urbanized areas and has been proved to positively affect people’s health and well-being. The recreational potential of water bodies was identified to be most important aspect of ecosystem services to the residents of the neighboring areas. An assessment of recreational ecosystem services (RES) provisioning to society based on the real time spent by the citizens and housing values in the rural-urban gradient revealed that the economic benefits of lakes differ in urbanized, suburban and rural landscapes. The growth of cities has led to an increased population density in the surroundings of ecologically valuable areas, resulting in higher pressure from visitors seeking recreational areas. Along with urbanization, the impoverishment of ecosystem functions takes place, limiting their capability to provide ecosystem services. In this work provisioning of recreational ecosystem services of 28 floodplain lakes located along the urban-rural gradient of the Warsaw agglomeration was assessed. The relationship between the ecological value of the water bodies, measured using naturalness indices, and the recreational ecosystem services they can provide was assessed. The results showed that the floodplain lakes located along the urban-rural gradient are of a great importance to the citizens due to their recreational potential. The provisioning of recreational ecosystem services is poorly connected with the ecological characteristics of the floodplain lakes. Only hemeroby, was significantly correlated with provisioning, and there was no relationship with factors such as naturalness of vegetation or water quality, demonstrating that public preference was not generally influenced by high ecological quality. These data should be available to potential buyers and be integrated in spatial planning management plans in order to shape future housing policy.

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

Dynamic sparse training is an effective strategy to alleviate the training and inference demands of artificial neural networks. However, current sparse training methods face a challenge in achieving high levels of sparsity while maintaining performance comparable to that of their fully connected counterparts. The Cannistraci-Hebb training (CHT) method produces an ultra-sparse advantage compared to fully connected training in various tasks by using a gradient-free link regrowth method, which relies solely on the network topology. However, its rigid selection based on link prediction scores may lead to epitopological local minima, especially at the beginning of the training process when the network topology might be noisy and unreliable. In this article, we introduce the Cannistraci-Hebb training soft rule (CHTs), which applies a flexible approach to both the removal and regrowth of links during training, fostering a balance between exploring and exploiting network topology. Additionally, we investigate the network topology initialization using several approaches, including the bipartite scale-free and bipartite small-world network models. Empirical results show that CHTs can surpass the performance of fully connected networks with MLP architecture by using only 1% of the connections (99% sparsity) on the MNIST, EMNIST, and Fashion MNIST datasets and can provide remarkable results with only 0.1% of the links (99.9% sparsity). In some MLPs for image classification tasks, CHTs can reduce the active neuron network size to 20% of the original nodes (neurons), demonstrating a remarkable ability to generalize better than fully connected architectures, reducing the entire model size. This represents a relevant result for dynamic sparse training. Finally, we present evidence from larger network models such as Transformers, with 10% of the connections (90% sparsity), where CHTs outperform other prevalent dynamic sparse training methods in machine translation tasks.

The present article describes the synthesis of an isonicotinate-derived meso-arylporphyrin, that has been fully characterized by spectroscopic methods (including fluorescence spectroscopy), as well as by elemental analysis and by HR-MS. The structure of a n-hexane monosolvate has been determined by single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The radical scavenging activity of this new porphyrin against the 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DDPH) radical has been measured. Its antifungal activity against three yeast strains (C. albicans ATCC 90028, C. glabrata ATCC 64677 and C. tropicalis ATCC 64677) has been tested, using the disk diffusion and the microdilution methods. Whereas the measured antioxidant activity was low, the porphyrin showed moderate but encouraging antifungal activity. Finally, a study of its effect on the germination of lentil seeds revealed interesting allelopathic properties.

Smart electronic devices and telemedicine are widely used in humans' daily lives. This provides remote treatment of patients using information and communications technology. New telemedicine technologies, such as the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT), make it easier for medical and computing devices to communicate regularly and effectively. Critical motivations for adapting the IoMT are reduced cost, increased quality of life, and timely medical intervention. IoMT is significant because it enables continuous, real-time patient monitoring during routine everyday activities using a variety of wearables and sensors. With big data, the IoMT technology makes excellent use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) to support disease detection and health condition prediction, alerting patients and healthcare providers. Many research studies have been conducted to explore various aspects of IoMT and its applications in the real world. However, it is challenging to comprehend all the techniques and solutions proposed by the research community. Therefore, this survey sheds light on some crucial aspects of IoMT technologies and explores the potential research gaps and directions the research community could tackle. The survey examines and discusses the characteristics of IoMT standards, protocols, and types. It then delves into the layers of IoMT and distinguishes them into Fog and edge. The studies published under each type were explored, and the limitations of these works were highlighted. The research gaps and directions on IoMT approaches and technologies were also highlighted. With such findings and research directions, further research endeavors could be carried out to address the issues and existing limitations in the IoMT.

The recyclable paper based on photochromic materials not only reduces the pollution in the paper manufacture process, but also reduces the pollution caused by the use of ink, which receives wide attention. In this paper, a serial of PMoA-PWA/ZnO/PVP hybrid films which had different ratio of PMoA/PWA was prepared by the ultrasonic composite method. The results indicated that the hybrid film prepared when the ratio of PMoA to PWA was 3 had the best photochromic performance. In this system, ZnO was the photosensitizer while PMoA/PWA was the chromophore. The photochromic mechanism of PMoA-PWA/ZnO/PVP hybrid film was based on the photogenerated electron transfer mechanism. ZnO generated photoelectron under the excitation of visible light, then PMoA and PWA obtained the photoelectron and produced photoreduction reaction to generate heteropolyblue. The visible light photochromic paper was prepared by loaded PMoA-PWA/ZnO/PVP hybrid film (A3) on A4 paper. Application test showed that the prepared paper had extremely stable, excellent and reversible visible light photochromic properties, whether it was printing patterns or words and could replace the ordinary paper to realize the reuse of paper.

Simple Summary: The distribution of typical bacterial redox enzymes such as pyruvate-ferredoxin oxidoreductase (PFOR) in protozoa remains interestingly puzzling. Previous studies have demonstrated diverse cellular localizations of PFOR in some amitochondriate anaerobic protozoa. PFOR is of particular pharmacological importance because it catalyzes the reductive bio-activation of nitro-based prodrugs to cytotoxic radical metabolites. Metronidazole was developed primarily as an antiprotozoal agent against infections caused by Trichomonas vaginalis. However, its antimicrobial spectrum was subsequently expanded to cover anaerobic bacterial infections. It has been shown that mutations in the genes encoding PFOR result in inherent resistance of PFOR-possessing anaerobic protozoa and bacteria to nitro-based prodrugs. Deciphering the evolutionary history of PFOR is crucial in deepening our understanding of the evolution of anaerobic pathogens and unfold new approaches for drug discovery and targeting in pathogen chemotherapy. Abstract: The present frontrunners in the chemotherapy of infections caused by protozoa are nitro-based prodrugs that are selectively activated by PFOR-mediated redox reactions. This study seeks to analyze the distribution of PFOR in selected protozoa and bacteria by applying comparative bioinformatics approaches to test the hypothesis that PFOR was most likely acquired through horizontal gene transfer (HGT) from bacteria. Furthermore, to identify other genes that were putatively acquired using proteome-wide and gene expression analyses. A plausible explanation for the patchy occurrence of PFOR in protozoa is based on the hypothesis that bacteria are potential sources of genes that enhance optimal adaptation of protozoa in hostile environments. The exclusively expressed proteins obtained from Entamoeba histolytica and the putative gene donor, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, showed an over-expression of eleven genes involved in intermediary metabolism. If these results can be reproduced in other PFOR-possessing protozoa, it would provide a more validated evidence to support the horizontal transfer of pfor from bacteria.

Cities are complex systems requiring urban design models that balance order and disorder. Collective creativity initiatives engage citizens in these processes, empowering bottom-up approaches that prioritize people and social well-being within urban development. This paper investigates an 'Urban Laboratory' as a case study, examining the potential of collective creativity to address urban complexity. The successful and ongoing project 'El Campo de Cebada' in Madrid, Spain, demonstrates how a community transformed a vacant lot into a vibrant social hub. The phases of this study include case selection, data collection, data analysis, and presentation of the results. This study identifies key enabling factors, including agents, management, social dynamics, infrastructure, and actions. These insights offer a methodological framework for designing future collaborative, resilient, and inclusive urban spaces, addressing the complex needs of communities within our cities.

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

Based on a wealth of evidence, aspirin is one of the cornerstones of secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease. However, despite several studies showing efficacy also in primary prevention, an unopposed excess risk of bleeding leading to a very thin safety margin is evident in subjects without a clear acute cardiovascular event. Overall, the variability in recommendations from different scientific societies for aspirin use in primary prevention is a classic example of failure of simple risk stratification models based on competing risks (atherothrombosis vs. bleeding), perceived to be opposed but intertwined at the pathophysiological level. Notably, cardiovascular risk is dynamic in nature and cannot be accurately captured by scores, which do not always consider risk enhancers. Furthermore, the widespread use of other potent medications in primary prevention, such as lipid-lowering and anti-hypertensive drugs, might have reduced the benefit of aspirin in recent trials. Some authors, drawing from specific pathophysiological data, have suggested that specific subgroups might benefit more from aspirin. This includes patient with diabetes and those with obesity, as well as considering sex-based differences. Moreover, molecular analysis of platelet reactivity has been proposed. A beneficial effect of aspirin has also been demonstrated for the prevention of cancer, especially colorectal. This review explores evidence and controversies concerning the use of aspirin in primary prevention, considering new perspectives in order to develop a personalized approach.

While significant efforts have been made to recycle metals like lithium or cobalt for sustainable development in the battery industry, other high-value materials in the renewable energy sector, such as fluorinated carbon nanotubes (FCNTs), have not been adequately explored for re-utilization after their quality has been downgraded. FCNTs are expensive and energy-intensive to produce, making their sustainable use crucial. This study explores the potential of reusing quality-downgraded fluorinated carbon nanotubes (QD-FCNTs) as eco-friendly nano-additives in microgel composites for water retention applications. By employing a surface treatment process that avoids additional energy costs and environmentally harmful chemicals, we successfully enhanced the interaction between QD-FCNTs and microgels. This treatment significantly improved water retention time by reducing rapid evaporation, enabling sustained water release. Our findings demonstrate a promising avenue for the sustainable application of quality-downgraded fluorinated carbon nanotubes in agricultural and environmental technologies.

Genomic sequencing of Alternaria oxytropis OW 7.8 isolated from Oxytropis glabra was performed, the swnK gene was cloned and knocked out firstly. The colony morphology of ΔswnK-ACP differed from that of A. oxytropis OW 7.8, appearing milky white or pale yellow, with irregular shapes and a slower growth rate. SW was not detected in ΔswnK-ACP, indicating that the swnK gene promotes SW synthesis in A. oxytropis OW 7.8. 8 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 7 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) closely associated with SW biosynthesis were identified in the transcriptome and metabolome analysis of A. oxytropis OW 7.8 and ΔswnK-ACP. The SW biosynthesis pathway in A. oxytropis OW 7.8 was predicted and refined. These results may lay foundation of in-depth analysis of the molecular mechanisms and metabolic pathway of SW synthesis in fungi, and provide reference for future control of SW in locoweed, which would benefit the development of grassland animal husbandry and the sustainable use of grassland ecosystem.

The prospect of drinking water serving as a conduit for gut bacteria, artificially selected by disinfection strategies and lack of monitoring at the point of use, is concerning. Certain opportunistic pathogens, notably some nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM), often exceed coliform bacteria levels in drinking water, posing safety risks. NTM and other microbiota resist chlorination and thrive in plumbing systems. When inhaled, opportunistic NTM can infect the lungs of immunocompromised or chronically ill patients, and the elderly, primarily postmenopausal women. When ingested with drinking water, NTM often survive stomach acidity, reach the intestines, migrate to other organs using immune cells as vehicles, potentially colonizing tumor tissue, including in breast cancer. The link between the microbiome and cancer is not new, yet the recognition of intratumoral microbiomes is a recent development. Breast cancer risk rises with age, and NTM infections emerged as a concern among breast cancer patients. In addition to studies hinting at a potential association between chronic NTM infections and lung cancer, NTM have also been detected in breast tumors at levels higher than normal adjacent tissue. Evaluating the risks of continued ingestion of contaminated drinking water is paramount, especially given the ability of various bacteria to migrate from the gut to breast tissue via entero-mammary pathways. This underscores a pressing need to revise water safety monitoring guidelines and delve into hormonal factors, which includes addressing the disproportionate impact of NTM infections and breast cancer on women and examining the potential health risks posed by the cryptic and unchecked microbiota from drinking water.

Deep learning methods paired with sidescan sonar (SSS) are commonly used in underwater search and rescue operations for drowning victims, wrecks, and airplanes. However, these techniques are primarily designed to detect mine-like objects and are rarely applied to identifying features in dynamic dredge pit environments, due to a lack of datasets. In this study, we present a Sandy Point Dredge Pit (SPDP) dataset, in which high-resolution SSS data were collected from the west flank of Mississippi bird foot delta of the Louisiana inner shelf. This dataset contains a total of 385 SSS images. We introduce an Effective Geomorphology Classification model (EGC). By ablation studies, we analyze the utility of transfer learning on different model architectures and the impact of data augmentations on model performance. This EGC model will make geomorphic features identification in dredge pit environments quick and efficient which requires extensive experience and professional knowledge. The combination of SSS images and EGC model is a cost-effective and valuable toolkit for hazards monitoring in marine dredge pit environment. The SPDP SSS images dataset, especially the feature of pit wall without rotational slump, is also valuable for other machine learning modelers.

Highly diverse agroecosystems are increasingly of interest as the realization of farms' invaluable ecosystem services grows. Simultaneously there has been an increased use of uncrewed aerial systems (UAS) in remote sensing as drones offer a finer spatial resolution and faster revisit rate than traditional satellites. With the combined utility of UAS and the attention on agroecosystems, there exists an opportunity to assess UAS practicality in highly biodiverse settings.  In this study, we utilized UAS to collect fine-resolution 10-band multispectral imagery of coffee agroecosystems in Puerto Rico. We created land cover maps through a pixel-based supervised classification of each farm and assembled accuracy assessments for each classification. To bolster our understanding of the classifications, we interviewed farmers to understand their thoughts on how these maps may be best used to support their land management. The average overall accuracy (53.9%), though relatively low, was expected for such a diverse landscape with fine-resolution data. After sharing imagery and land cover classifications with farmers, we found that while the prints were often a point of pride or curiosity for farmers, integrating the maps into farm management was perceived as impractical. These findings highlight that while remote sensing of diverse agroecosystems may provide a detailed way of estimating land cover classes and ecosystem services for researchers and government agencies for example these maps may be of limited use to land managers without additional interpretation.

The application of smartphone-based color evaluation of passive sampling devices for gases has only been sparsely reported. The present review aims to compile available publications with respect to the configuration of the passive samplers, conditions of smartphone photographing, analytical procedure for color detection and quantification (including calibration processes), and their application to different target gases. The performance of the methods - whenever available - is presented regarding the analytical specifications selectivity, sensitivity, and limit of detection in comparison with other color evaluation methods of passive samplers. Practical aspects like requirements of instrumentation and ease of use will be outlined in view of the potential employment in education and citizen science projects. In one section of the review the inconsistent terminology of passive and diffusive sampling is discussed in order to clarify the distinction of information obtained from the uptake of the passive samplers between gas-phase concentration and the accumulated deposition flux of gaseous analytes. Colorimetric gas sensors are included in the review when applied in passive sampling configurations and evaluation is performed with smartphone-based color evaluation. Differences in the analytical procedures employed after the passive sampling step and prior to the detection of the colored compounds are also presented.

Mangrove plant seedling cultivation is crucial for the protection, management and restoration of mangrove ecosystem. In this study, we focused on Kandelia obovata, a typical mangrove, and evaluated nursery cultivation with different combinations of three salinity levels (S1: 0 ppt, S2: 10 ppt, and S3: 20 ppt), three genealogies (EZD, JX, and YZ), and five growth media (M1: 100% loess, M2: 100% sandy, M3: 50% loess + 50% sandy, M4: 40% loess + 40% sandy + 20% peat, and M5: 40% loess + 40% sandy + 20% coir), by measuring the growth parameters such as mortality rate, seedling height, diameter, and biomass partition. These growth indexes were significantly affected by salinity and medium, and genealogies also had significant effects on mortality rate and biomass accumulation. S2 or S3 both had lower mortality and higher growth indexes than S1. M1 was the medium that increased seedlings height, diameter and biomass the most and had the lowest death rate. EZD and JX were also higher levels than YZ in these indicators, but the difference between them was not obvious. S3, M1, and EZD consistently performed well in fuzzy evaluation and quality assessment. Furthermore, combinations involving these treatments also produced highly favorable results. These results furnish both a theoretical and practical foundation for advancing nursery cultivation techniques and germplasm breeding of K. obovata in mangroves.

Considering characteristics of high river density, special underlying surface in plain river network region, and municipal drainage system function, river network drainage unit model is proposed, which is defined as a region surrounded by main river or embankment. Flood storage variety and control projects regulation of small rivers in each unit is simulated. With drainage catchment as an object, according to its drainage capacity, simplified municipal drainage model was developed. Coupling river network drainage unit model, simplified municipal drainage model and 2D flood routing model, urban flood analysis model for plain tidal river network region was developed, which could be applied to analyzing flood from upstream river, storm surge and local rainfall. Demonstration research was carried out in Puxi flood protected area in Shanghai.

Background: The incidence of metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is increasing annually with a rise in the incidence of obesity and metabolic syndrome. Based on preliminary reports regarding the potential association of HCC and periodontitis, this study aimed to analyze the involvement of periodontal bacteria as well as the oral and intestinal bacterial flora in MASH-related HCC (MASH-HCC). Methods: Forty-one patients with MASH and 19 with MASH-HCC who completed survey questionnaires, underwent periodontal examinations, and subjected to sample collection (saliva, mouth-rinsed water, feces, and peripheral blood) participated in the study. Bayesian network analysis was used to analyze the causation between various factors, including MASH-HCC, examinations, and bacteria. Results: The occupancy rate of the genus Fusobacterium in the intestinal bacterial flora was significantly higher in in the MASH-HCC group than in the MASH group (p = 0.002), whereas that of Butyricicoccus (p = 0.022) and Roseburia (p &lt; 0.05) was significantly lower. Bayesian network analysis revealed the absence of periodontal pathogenic bacteria and enteric bacteria affecting HCC. However, HCC directly affected the periodontal bacterial species Porphyromonas gingivalis, Tannerella forsythia, Fusobacterium nucleatum, and Prevotella intermedia in the saliva, as well as the genera Lactobacillus, Roseburia, Fusobacterium, Prevotella, Clostridium, Ruminococcus, Trabulsiella, and SMB53 in the intestine. Furthermore, P. gingivalis in the oral cavity directly affected the genera Lactobacillus and Streptococcus in the intestine. Conclusion: MASH-HCC directly affects periodontal pathogenic and intestinal bacteria, and P. gingivalis may affect the intestinal bacteria associated with gastrointestinal cancer.

We assessed the impact of social determinants of health (SDOH) and psychosocial factors on screening behavior in a nationally representative sample of women in the US. A retrospective population-level cross-sectional sample was extracted from the 2022 Health Information National Trends Survey. Descriptive statistics were conducted for demographic characteristics and covariates. Population-based estimates with 95% confidence intervals (95% CI) were produced for Pap testing behaviors across study years. We used logistic regression models to assess Pap testing differences based on SDOH and psychosocial factors, adjusting for covariates, with a significance level of 0.05 for hypothesis testing. Women (n=2,224) with a mean age of 46.96 participated in the study. Our study found that 90% of women were interested in cervical cancer screening, with an 80% actual screening rate. Screening rates differed by age group and rurality. SDOH and psychosocial factors were associated with participants’ interest in screening and in actual screening behavior. The impacts of SDOH and psychosocial factors on screening behavior were 3% and 1%, respectively. The SDOH and psychosocial factors are associated with the uptake of cervical cancer screening among women in the United States. Policies must be directed at bridging the gap created by these SDOHs.