Computational investigations on the BPE-ligated Cu-catalysed enantioselective addition of enynes to ketones were performed with DFT method. Two BPE-CuMes catalysts, BPE-CuMes and (S,S)-Ph-BPE–CuMes, were employed to probe the reaction mechanism with the emphasis on stereoselectivity. The calculations on the BPE-CuMes system indicate that the actvie metallized enyne intermediate acts as the catalyst for the catalytic cycle. The catalytic cycle involves two steps: 1) the ketone addition to the alkene moiety of the metallized enyne; 2) the metallization of enyne followed by the release of product with the recovery of the active metallized enyne intermediate. The first step accounts for the distribution of the products, and therefore is the stereo-controlling step in chiral systems. In the chiral (S,S)-Ph-BPE–CuMes system, the steric hindrance is vital for the distribution of products and responsible for the stereoselectivity of this reaction. The steric hindrance between the phenyl ring of the two substrates and groups at the chiral centers in the ligand skeleton is identified as the original of the stereoselectivity for the titled reaction.

The high penetration of distributed energy resources poses significant challenges to the dispatch and operation of power systems. Improving the accuracy of short-term load forecasting (STLF) can optimize grid management, leading to increased economic and social benefits. Currently, some simple AI and hybrid models has issues to deal with and struggle with multivariate dependencies, long-term dependencies, and non-linear relationships. This paper proposes a novel hybrid model for short-term load forecasting (STLF) that integrates multiple AI models with Lasso regression using the stacking technique. The base learners include ANN, XgBoost, LSTM, Stacked LSTM, and Bi-LSTM, while Lasso regression serves as the meta-learner. By considering factors such as temperature, rainfall, and daily electricity prices, the model aims to more accurately reflect real-world conditions and enhance predictive accuracy. Empirical analyses on real-world datasets from Australia and Spain show significant improvements in forecasting accuracy, with a substantial reduction in Mean Absolute Percentage Error (MAPE) compared to existing hybrid models and individual AI models. This research highlights the efficiency of the stacking technique in improving STLF accuracy, suggesting potential operational efficiency benefits for the power industry.

New furan, thiophene and triazole oximes were synthesized through several-step reaction paths to investigate their potential for development of central nervous systems (CNS)-active and cholinesterase-targeted therapeutics in organophosphorus compound (OP) poisonings. Acute OP poisoning is still a challenge in treating patients despite the development of a large number of oxime compounds that should have the capacity to reactivate acetylcholinesterase (AChE) and butyrylcholinesterase (BChE). The activity of these two enzymes, crucial for neurotransmission, are blocked by the OP, which has the consequence of disturbing normal cholinergic nerve signal transduction in the peripheral and CNS, leading to cholinergic crisis. Oximes in use have one or two pyridinium rings and cross the brain–blood barrier poorly due to the quaternary nitrogen. Following our recent study on 2-thienostilbene oximes, in this paper we described the synthesis of 63 heterostilbene derivatives out of which 26 oximes were tested as inhibitors and reactivators of AChE and BChE inhibited by OP nerve agents – sarin and cyclosarin. While the majority of oximes were potent inhibitors of both enzymes in micromolar range, we identified several oximes as BChE or AChE selective inhibitors with a potential for drug development. Moreover, even oximes were poor reactivators of AChE, four heterocyclic derivatives reactivated the cyclosarin-inhibited BChE up to 70%, and cis,trans-5 [2-((Z)-2-(5-((E)-(hydroxyimino)methyl)thiophen-2-yl)vinyl)benzonitrile] had comparable reactivation efficacy to the standard oxime HI-6. In silico analysis and molecular docking studies connected the kinetic data to the structural features of these oximes, and confirmed their productive interactions with the active site of the cyclosarin-inhibited BChE. Based on inhibition and reactivation and their ADMET properties regarding lipophilicity, CNS activity, and hepatotoxicity, these compounds could be considered for further development of CNS-active reactivators in OP poisoning as well as cholinesterase-targeted therapeutics in neurodegenerative diseases like Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.

In this study, we present comprehensive climatologies of effective ultraviolet (UV) quantities and photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) over Cyprus for the period 2004 to 2023, leveraging the synergy of earth observation (EO) data and radiative transfer model simulations. The EO dataset, encompassing satellite and re-analysis data for aerosols, total ozone column, and water vapor, alongside cloud modification factors, to capture the nuanced dynamics of Cyprus's atmospheric conditions. With a temporal resolution of 15 minutes and a spatial of 0.05°x0.05°, these climatologies undergo rigorous validation against established satellite datasets and are further evaluated through comparisons with ground-based global horizontal irradiance measurements provided by the Meteorological Office of Cyprus. This dual-method validation approach not only underscores the models' accuracy but also highlights their proficiency in capturing intra-daily cloud coverage variations. Our analysis extends to investigating the long-term trends of these solar radiation quantities, examining their interplay with changes in cloud attenuation, aerosol optical depth (AOD), and total ozone column (TOC). Significant decreasing trends in the noon ultraviolet index (UVI), of -2 to -4% per decade have been found in Autumn, especially marked on the island’s Northeastern part, mainly originating from the (significant) positive trends in TOC. The significant decreasing trends in TOC, of -2 to -3% per decade that were found in Spring do not result in correspondingly significant positive trends in the noon UVI since variations in cloudiness and aerosols also have a strong impact on the UVI in this season. The seasonal trends in the Daylight Integral (DLI) were generally not significant. These insights provide a valuable foundation for further studies aimed at developing public health strategies and enhancing agricultural productivity, highlighting the critical importance of accurate and high-resolution climatological data.

Acting as the most abundant and widely distributed volatile secondary metabolites in plants, terpenoids play crucial roles in diverse physiological regulations and metabolic processes. Terpene synthases occupy a decisive proportion in determining the composition and diversity of terpenoids; though their regulatory effects have been extensively investigated across various plant species, limited studies have focused on the upstream transcriptional regulation of terpene synthases. In this study, we unveil linalool as the predominant volatile compound in Freesia hybrida flowers, demonstrating a gradual release pattern during flower blooming. In the context of the transcriptome, a typical MYB transcription factor, FhMYB108, was screened based on digital expression profile correlation analysis and homologous gene comparison. FhMYB108 is capable of regulating the expression of terpene synthase FhTPS1, and both their expression levels exhibit a gradual increase concomitant with flower opening. Moreover, transcriptional regulation and transient expression assays revealed that FhMYB108 exerts a stimulatory effect on the transcription of A. thaliana AtTPS14, while no significant increase in AtTPS14 expression was observed upon stabilization of FhMYB108 in Arabidopsis. Investigate its reason, the highly expressed AtMYC2 in A. thaliana can interact with FhMYB108 to suppress the activation of AtTPS14 by FhMYB108. The present study not only elucidated the regulatory mechanism underlying linalool synthesis, but also discovered the synergistic effect of MYB and bHLH transcription factors in governing the biosynthesis of volatile terpenoids.

Additive manufacturing processes offer various options to fabricate metal parts, which show numerous ecological and technological advantages compared to formative and subtractive manufacturing methods. Due to quick availability and high accuracy, they are particularly suitable to produce complex prototypes. Metal fused deposition modeling is a relatively new material extrusion additive manufacturing technique based on the widely used fused filament deposition process. This study focuses on the Inconel 625 metal filament from Markforged Inc., it consists of a mixture of metal powder and a binder system, the latter being removed during washing and sintering. In this article, the mechanical properties of printed and sintered Inconel were investigated using tensile testing specimens with three different infill patterns, solid, triangular, and gyroid, printed in flatwise and upright direction. In addition, investigations into the dimensional accuracy of the printed specimens and the sintering shrinkage were carried out. The results showed that neither the dimensional accuracy nor the sintering shrinkage was significantly influenced by the printing orientation. In the context of lightweight engineering, the structures proofed beneficial especially within the elastic region. Generally, triangular infill patterns resulted in higher stiffness, while gyroids led to more ductile specimens. A mass-related evaluation of tensile testing elucidates that with aid of the infill structures weight savings of 40 % resulted in mechanical performance decreased by only 20 % on average.

The pharmacological effects of the fruiting body of Ophiocordyceps sinensis (Os) exerted antioxidant, anti-virus, and immunomodulatory, whereas the anti-inflammatory effects and active components of Os mycelial submerged culture (OMSC) are not known. This study aimed to investigate the active compounds in the fermented liquid (FLOS), hot water (WEOS), and 50-95% (EEOS-50, EEOS-95) ethanol extracts of OMSC and their anti-inflammatory effects and potential mechanisms in LPS-stimulated microglial BV2 cells. The results demonstrated that all of the OMSC extracts could inhibit NO production in BV2 cells. EEOS-95 exhibited the strongest inhibitory effects (41 % inhibitory ability at 500 µg/mL), and its ergosterol, GABA, total phenolic, and total flavonoid contents were significantly higher than those of the other extracts (18.60, 18.60, 2.28, and 2.14 mg/g, p < 0.05, respectively). EEOS-95 also has a strong inhibitory ability against IL-6, IL-1β and TNF-α with IC50 of 617, 277 and 507 µg/mL, respectively, which is higher than that of 1 mM melatonin. The anti-inflammatory mechanism of EEOS-95 seems to be associated with up-regulation of PPAR-γ/Nrf-2/HO-1 antioxidant-related expression and down-regulation of NF-κB/COX-2/iNOS pro-inflammatory expression signaling. Therefore, we hypothesized that EEOS-95 can prevent neurodegenerative diseases, but the effect on the application in vivo should be further investigated.

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is a prevalent congenital disorder diagnosed with high frequency, affecting approximately 0.8% to 1.2% of all live births. Research has demonstrated that the use of pulse oximetry and clinical examination as a screening tool for CHD diagnosis has proven extremely valuable. We conducted a retrospective longitudinal study over a 3-year period that involved screening 1188 newborns admitted to the NICU during the first 72 hours of life within this timeframe. 201 newborns were diagnosed with CHD. Almost all (n=198) had a positive screening test during the 72-hour period, while 3 had a negative screening test, but were later diagnosed using echocardiography. The prevalence rate was 16.67%. A confusion matrix was constructed with 198 true positives (TP), 3 false negatives (FN), no false positives (FP), and 987 true negatives (TN). The sensitivity of the screening test was 98.51%, while the specificity 100%, with no false positives. In our study, a total of 9 deaths occurred. Using the Kaplan-Meier method, the survival probability appeared to be slightly above 0.9 (95.5%), indicating that almost all patients survived past 72 hours after being diagnosed with CHD. Pulse oximetry is an effective, low cost and easy-to-use method and a useful tool to assess and lead to the diagnosis of CHD.

Achieving effective control over microbial contamination necessitates the precise and concurrent identification of numerous pathogens. In this research, we have devised a remarkably sensitive duplex droplet digital PCR (dddPCR) reaction system to simultaneously detect Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P. aeruginosa) and Pseudomonas fragi (P. fragi). Employing comparative genomics, we identified four genes of P. fragi. By specific analysis, RS22680 gene was selected as the detection target of P. fragi and LasR gene was chosed as P. aeruginosa, which were applied to construct a dddPCR reaction. In terms of specificity, sensitivity and anti-interference ability, the constructed dddPCR detection system was verified and analyzed. The assay showed excellent sensitivity and applicability, as evidenced by a limit of detection of 100 CFU/mL. When the concentration of natural background bacteria in milk or fresh meat was 100 times that of the target detection bacteria, the method was still capable of completing the absolute quantification. In the simulation of actual sample contamination, P. aeruginosa could be detected after 3 h of enrichment culture, and P. fragi could be detected after 6 h. The established ddPCR detection system exhibits exceptional performance, serving as a foundation for the simultaneous detection of various pathogenic bacteria in food products.

Alternative fertilizations are essential to minimize the deteriorating effects of chemical fertilizers on soil and water quality/health. Accordingly, the present work investigated the effects of combined organic-inorganic fertilization (COIF) on wheat and rice yields, soil nutrients, and soil Cd accumulation. Hence, seven different treatments were set up: control (CK); conventional fertilization (CF); optimized fertilization (OF); organic fertilizer replacing 25% (T1) and 50% (T2) of OF; and organic nitrogen (N) replacing 25% (M1) and 50% (M2) of OF-N. Overall, significant increases occurred in the yields of COIF crops. Compared with the CF, the highest wheat and rice yields happened in M1 treatment (approximately by18.5%) (P < 0.05). COIF slightly alleviated soil acidification, and improved the cation exchange capacity (CEC) of the study soils. Besides, COIF treatments significantly increased the contents of total phosphorus, total potassium, available phosphorus, and available potassium by 6.35 to 16.9 %, 3.17 to 10.9 %, 5.53 to 28.7 %, and 2.6 to 12 %, respectively (P <0.05). Nevertheless, negligible increases took place in Cd content of COIF soils compared with the CK. Altogether, our results concluded on 25% replacement of OF-N by organic N (M1) to effectively improve the fertility/ecological sustainability of the study soils.

The real systems are often complex, nonlinear, and noisy in various areas including mathematics, natural science, and social science. We present the symplectic entropy (SymEn) measure as well as an analysis method based on SymEn to estimate the nonlinearity of the complex system by analyzing the given time series. The SymEn estimation is a kind of entropy based on symplectic principal component analysis (SPCA) which represent organized but unpredictable behaviors of systems. The key to SPCA is to preserve the global submanifold geometrical properties of the systems through symplectic transform in the phase space, which is a kind of the measure-preserving transforms. The capability of preserving the global geometrical characteristics makes the SymEn a test statistic to detect the nonlinear characteristics in several typical chaotic time series and the stochastic characteristic in the Gaussian white noise. The results are in agreement with findings in the approximate entropy (ApEn), the sample entropy (SampEn) and the fuzzy entropy (FuzzyEn). Moreover, the SymEn method is also used to analyze the nonlinearities of the real signals (including the EEG signals for ASD and healthy subjects, and the sound and vibration signals for the mechanical systems). The results indicate that the SymEn estimation can be taken as a measure for describing the nonlinear characteristics in the data collected from the natural complex systems.

An accurate assessment of the stage-discharge relationship in open channel flows is necessary and important to the design and management of hydraulic structures and engineering in practical hydrosystems such as rivers and streams. While the flow structures and patterns at open channel junctions are interesting and have been widely studied in the literature, this paper focuses further on the effect of flow junctions on stage-discharge relationship at mountain river confluences. In this study, both the flume and physical model experiments are designed and performed carefully to test and analyze the complex flow structures and characteristics at river confluences with different configurations and hydraulic conditions. The impacts of the flow junctions on the traditional stage-discharge relationship are analyzed in this study. The results of this study are discussed in the paper for the understanding of flow structures at flow junctions and the design and management of hydraulic structures in river engineering.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic disease characterized by a progressive in-crease in mean pulmonary arterial pressure. Mutations in the BMPR2 and AQP1 genes have been described in familial PAH. The bone morphogenetic proteins BMP9 and BMP10 bind with high affinity to BMPR2. Administration of BMP9 has been proposed as a potential therapeutic strategy against PAH, although recent conflicting evidence dispute the effect of such practice. Considering the involvement of the above molecules in PAH onset, progression, and therapeutic value, we ex-amined the effects of modulation of BMP9, BMPR2, and AQP1 on BMP9, BMP10, BMPR2, AQP1, and TGFB1 expression in human pulmonary microvascular endothelial cells in vitro. Our results demonstrated that silencing the BMPR2 gene resulted in increased expression of its two main ligands, namely BMP9 and BMP10. Exogenous administration of BMP9 caused return of BMP10 to basal levels, while restored the decreased AQP1 protein levels and the decreased TGFB1 mRNA and protein expression levels caused by BMPR2 silencing. Moreover, AQP1 gene silencing also resulted in increased expression of BMP9 and BMP10. Our results might possibly imply that the effect of exogenously administered BMP9 on molecules participating in the BMP-signaling pathway could depend on the expression levels of BMPR2. Taken together, these results may pro-vide insight into the highly complex interactions of the BMP-signaling pathway.

We aimed to evaluate the association between daily dietary calcium intake and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in postmenopausal women using data from the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). This cross-sectional study included 12,348 women aged 45–70 years who had reached natural menopause. They were classified into three groups according to daily dietary calcium intake: < 400 mg, 400–800 mg, and >800 mg. The risks of CVD, stroke, angina, and myocardial infarction were assessed in each group. Further, we performed subgroup analysis according to the post-menopause duration (≤10 vs. >10 postmenopausal years). We performed logistic regression analysis with adjustment for age, menopausal age, income, urban area, education, insulin use, body mass index, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, dyslipidemia, high alcohol intake, smoking, exercise, oral contraceptive use, and hormonal therapy use. Calcium intake level was not significantly associated with the risk of CVD in the total population and the ≤10 postmenopausal years subgroup. However, in the >10 postmenopausal years subgroup, daily calcium intake >800 mg was associated with significantly decreased risks of all CVD (odds ratio [OR], 0.27; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.11–0.64), stroke (OR, 0.06; 95% CI, 0.01–0.42), and myocardial infarction (OR, 0.27; 95% CI, 0.11–0.64). Our findings suggest that a dietary calcium intake of >800 mg/day decreases the risk of CVD events in women who have been menopausal for >10 years.

The nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) metabolomic analysis was applied to investigate the differences within nineteen Sicilian Nocellara del Belice mono varietal Extra Virgin Olive Oils (EVOO), grown in two zones different for altitude and soil composition. Several classes of endogenous olive oil metabolites were quantified through a nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) three-experiment protocol coupled with a yet developed data-processing called MARA-NMR. This method, taking around one-hour experimental time per sample, faces the possible quantification of different class of compounds at different concentration’s range which would require at least three alternative traditional methods. NMR results were compared with the data of traditional analytical methods to quantify free fatty acidity (FFA), fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), and total phenol content. The presented NMR methodology is compared with traditional analytical practices and its consistency is also tested through slightly different data treatment. Despite the rich literature about the NMR of EVOOs, the paper points out that there are still several advances potentially improving this general analysis and overcoming the other cumbersome and multi-devices analytical strategies. Monovarietal EVOO’s composition is mainly affected by pedoclimatic conditions in turn relaying upon the nutritional properties, quality, and authenticity. Data collection, analysis and statistical processing are discussed touching the important issues related to the climate changes in Sicily and to the specific influence of pedoclimatic conditions.

Solar pasteurization, as a means of treating milk in remote rural areas without electrical power, is based on using solar energy to thermally inactivate pathogenic microorganisms at temperatures below the boiling point to maintain or improve milk quality. A solar milk pasteurizer of flat‐plate water‐heating glass acting as the solar collector, connected to a stainless-steel cylindrical milk vat, was constructed and evaluated in Navrongo, in the tropical savanna zone of Ghana, West Africa. The novel approach taken in this project is to integrate the solar collection and heat exchanger into a single unit using materials and fabrication techniques readily available in the developing world. The vat comprises a 1.5 mm thick stainless steel cylindrical tank, a 2.2 cm wide hot water jacket, and an outer layer of 5.0 mm thick aluminium foil insulation. Hot water produced by the collector was used for pasteurizing milk. The optimum quantity of milk that this device could pasteurize under the study conditions was 8 L. The device could pasteurize raw milk to a maximum temperature of 74 °C at 14:00 h GMT. The ambient temperature during the pasteurization ranged from 30 °C to 43 °C. The microbial analysis before and after the pasteurization was done, and the result shows that the total bacteria count before pasteurization was 6.6x10⁶ log CFU/mL per unit volume, and the total bacteria count after pasteurization was 1.0x10² log CFU/mL. By acceptable standards, the total bacteria count after pasteurization is within a safe range for consumption, and coliform counts were negative. The solar milk pasteurization system is cost-effective. Hence, it is appropriate for milk producers in arid pastoral areas without electricity to adopt the solar pasteurizer as an alternative to firewood as a fuel source for milk pasteurization. This approach can potentially create a cottage industry that may also play a crucial role as a water treatment technology that will improve the health of rural populations.

Purpose: Investigation for the co-occurrence of two unrelated genetic disorders of muscular dystrophy and Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) (OMIM # 176270) using joint whole genome sequencing (WGS). Methods: Trio WGS joint analysis was performed to investigate the genetic etiology in a proband with PWS, prolonged muscular hypotonia associated hyperCKemia, and early-onset obesity. The parents were unaffected. Results: Results showed maternal isodisomy uniparental disomy (UPD) in chromosome 15 expanding from 15q11.2 to 15q22.2, including PWS regions at 15q11.2-15q13. Maternal heterodisomy was detected from 15q22.2 to 15q26.3. A pathogenic variant, NM_000070.3(CAPN3):c.550del (p.Thr184fs), was identified at 15q15.1 in a heterozygous state in the mother that was homozygous in the proband due to maternal isodisomy. Conclusion: This is the first study of the concurrent molecular etiology of PWS and calpainopathy (OMIM # 253600) in the same patient. This report highlights the utility of joint analysis and need for the assessment of autosomal recessive disease in regions of isodisomy in patients with complex and unexplained phenotype.

The escalation of mining activities in the karst regions of Guizhou Province has heightened the occurrence of water-inrush incidents in deep coal mines. This study focused on water-inrush phenomena within the Xinhua mining area of Jinsha County, Guizhou Province, aiming to investigate the sources of these incidents. The findings indicated that the overlying limestone of the Changxing Formation in the coal seam served as a vulnerable aquifer under certain conditions, leading to water inrushes. The analysis of the spatiotemporal distribution patterns of water-inrush incidents at the working face indicated that previous mining operations damaged the shallow Changxing Formation limestone, resulting in the accumulation of goaf water and the formation of numerous mining-induced fractures. These fractures served as rapid conduits for water inrushes from both atmospheric precipitation and underground sources at the deep working face. The examination of surface water and mine water quality demonstrated that both exhibited similar characteristics, predominantly featuring bicarbonate, sulfate, and sodium compositions. Investigation into the relationship between mine water inflow and atmospheric precipitation established that atmospheric precipitation influenced the mine water supply cycle, with a replenishment period of ~10 months during the operational phase of the Jinyuan Coal Mine and about one month post-closure. The fractures induced by mining activities within the Changxing Formation limestone facilitated water flow, with atmospheric precipitation serving as the primary water source for the mine. This study offered a valuable scientific foundation for addressing water-related damage resulting from atmospheric precipitation in mines susceptible to water inrushes under analogous hydrogeological conditions.

This bibliographic study addresses key aspects related to fishing, product safety, and climate change in the Adriatic Sea region. The examination of product safety focuses on the assessment of contaminants originating from human activities such as industry, mining, agriculture, and household waste disposal. The contamination of the aquatic environment has emerged as a pressing global concern, extending to the Adriatic subbasin. Aquatic organisms, including fish, are prone to accumulating pollutants directly from polluted water sources and indirectly through the food web. The bio-accumulation of potentially hazardous substances, particularly heavy metals, pesticides, PCBs, PAHs, and antibiotic resistance in aquatic organisms, poses a significant threat to human health. Climate change effects will deplete our seafood supply in terms of quantity and safety owing to negative consequences such as higher levels of pollution, parasites, viruses, infections, acidification, and toxicities such as shellfish poisoning. Global food safety strategies should be developed to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and promote environmentally friendly technology, which indirectly affects seafood quality and microbiological safety, especially for Adriatic Sea, which is part of the Mediterranean Sea, characterized by the most polluted waters in the world.

Introduction/Aim: Central sensitivity to thyroid hormones refers to the sensitivity of the hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis to changes in circulating free thyroxine (fT4). The relationship between fT4 levels and iodine intake is complex. The aim of the present study was to assess central sensitivity to thyroid hormones in pregnancy against iodine intake. Materials & Methods: One thousand one hundred two blood and urine samples were collected from pregnant women (with a mean age+SD of 30.4+4.6 years) during singleton pregnancies; women with known/diagnosed thyroid disease were excluded. Specifically, TSH & fT4 and 24-hour urinary iodine excretion (UI) were measured in each trimester and at two months postpartum. The Thyroid Feedback Quantile-based Index (TFQI) was calculated to assess central sensitivity to thyroid hormones. For the statistical analysis of TFQI by time period, analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used, while Pearson's correlation was used to assess TFQI versus UI. Results: The mean TFQI index ranged from -0.06 (first trimester) to -0.07 (two months postpartum), while the corresponding UI was 141 and 172 μg/L, respectively. The TFQI-UI correlation was negative (Pearson r: -0.325, p: 0.04 and r: -0.399, p: 0.023), for UI values over 250 μg/L, in the first and the third trimester of pregnancy, respectively. Discussion: TFQI is a new index reflecting central sensitivity to thyroid hormones. Lower TFQI indicates higher sensitivity to thyroid hormones. In our sample TFQI was inversely related to iodine intake, in the first trimester of pregnancy (the critical period of organogenesis) and the third trimester (the critical period of fetal growth). Thus, the observed changes in TFQI may reflect different ways of central action of thyroid hormones, according to the phase of pregnancy. The negative association between maternal TFQI (indicative of central sensitivity to thyroid hormone) and urine iodine levels during the third trimester of pregnancy may reflect the combined influence of maternal and fetal thyroid function. Our results are intriguing and have the potential to enhance our comprehension of the changes in the HPT axis’ function via variations in central sensitivity to thyroid hormones and its interplay with nutritional iodine status during pregnancy.

Background: Helicobacter pylori (H. pylori) is a prevalent bacterial pathogen implicated in various gastroduodenal diseases, including chronic gastritis, peptic ulcer disease, and gastric cancer. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly influenced antibiotic prescription practices, potentially exacerbating antibiotic resistance in H. pylori. Objective: This study aims to investigate antibiotic prescription during COVID-19 pandemic in Croatia and its possible impact on H. pylori antibiotic resistance, with a focus on Croatia. Methods: A comprehensive literature search was conducted to identify relevant studies from March 2020 to June 2024. The search strategy included terms related to COVID-19, antibiotic prescription, and Croatia. Studies were selected based on predefined eligibility criteria, focusing on observational research addressing antibiotic use during the pandemic. Results: The COVID-19 pandemic leads to significant fluctuations in community antibiotic consumption within the European Union/European Economic Area. In Croatia, antibiotic use in 2022 surpassed 2019 levels, driven by increased consumption of macrolides and other antibiotics. This surge, influenced by early pandemic treatment claims and penicillin shortages, contributed to rising antibiotic resistance in H. pylori. Resistance rates to clarithromycin and levofloxacin were notably high, driven by mutations in the 23S rRNA, gyrA, and gyrB genes. Discussion: The increased antibiotic use during the COVID-19 pandemic has highly likely complicated H. pylori eradication efforts, highlighting the necessity of judicious antibiotic use and robust antimicrobial stewardship. The pandemic underscored the need for new therapeutic strategies, optimized eradication regimens, and advanced diagnostic methods to manage bacterial infections effectively. Conclusions: The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted antibiotic use and resistance patterns, posing new challenges for H. pylori eradication. Addressing these challenges requires a multifaceted approach, including the development of new drugs and advanced diagnostics, coupled with sustained efforts in antimicrobial stewardship to combat emerging resistance threats.

Metasurface constitutes one of the most promising technologies for holographic imaging; however, the work for terahertz (THz) metasurface holographic imaging is relatively limited. Here, we propose a THz dielectric geometric-propagation phase metasurface, which can operate dual-mode (reflection and transmission) and reconfigurable multifunctional holographic imaging. The dual-mode is realized by controlling the Fermi energy level (Ef) of the graphene integrated into the metasurface unit, and the reconfigurable three-channel holographic imaging in reflection or transmission mode are achieved by switching the feed polarization among left-handed circular polarization (LCP), right-handed circular polarization (RCP) and linear polarization (LP). The metasurface is designed based on the transmission mode, and a physical model for switching to the reflection mode is established. For the first time to the best of our knowledge, a reflection-transmission dynamic modulation THz holographic imaging metasurface has been developed. The holographic metasurface operates in transmission mode at Ef = 0.1 eV, and in reflection mode at Ef = 0.9 eV. Compared with recently published holographic imaging metasurfaces, the proposed metasurface offers the following advantages: high holographic efficiencies (42.5% to 49%), more holographic imaging channels, dynamic modulation dual-mode operations, and reconfigurability.

Technological equipment in quarries that extract and deliver aggregates for different uses operates in a predetermined flow depending on the type of rocks exploited and the dimensional characteristics imposed on the final products. In this context, the interruptions in operation required to replace high-wear parts (such as the teeth of excavators and bucket loaders) must be limited as much as possible through technological solutions to increase their service life. The evolution of the wear of the teeth of the quarry equipment that come into direct contact with the rocks was concretely established in the production process, in parallel with the wear values obtained by simulating the wear phenomenon in laboratory conditions, in order to validate the data collected during the operation of the machines. Preventive-repetitive maintenance, within the activities of reconditioning the worn surfaces of the teeth, through the charging process by manual electric welding with covered electrodes, was applied directly to the machine, which led to the shortening of the interruptions in operation necessary to replace these spare parts.

This research aimed to study and compare prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal (MSK) problem and perceived discomfort among port crane operators consisting of quay and rubber tyred gantry (RTG) cranes working in the Laem Chabang Deep-sea Port, Thailand. Direct interviews for a cross-sectional analysis was selected for this unique job with a small amount of sample size. A standardized modified version of the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was lunched for 26 male participants, consisting of 11 quay and 15 RTG, where a priori power analysis using G*Power suggested the minimum as 24 for the hypothesis test. Socio-demographic characteristics showed no significant difference among them. The NMQ revealed lower back as the highest prevalent body part (76.9%) followed by neck, shoulders and upper back at the same percentage (23.1%) for all port crane group, with up to 96.2% reporting MSK problem over the past 12 months. And Borg scale rating, assessing the perceived discomfort, revealed lower back with the highest score (2.38) followed by upper back (0.65), shoulders (0.54) and neck (0.5). Remarkably, the comparation between the quey and RTG crane operators on the MSK prevalence (χ2 test) and perceived discomfort levels (Kruskal-Wallis test), regarding different 9 body parts, revealed a significant difference between the two on upper back with quay crane having more problem than the RTG at p < 0.05. while the rest of them were mainly in the same direction. MSK contributors such as: working awkward posture, mental stress, height, trolley distance and vibration are considerably the main causes of this. However, the larger in scale of exposure to those for the quey crane compared to the RTG might have led to the distinguishing MSK problem found in this study which require thoroughly deliberation for the particular solutions.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two different insertion speeds at 8 different insertion torque values ranging from 25-60 during implantation in a dense polyurethane D1 bone model on the placement status and removal torque of dental implants. In this study, 50 pcf single layer polyurethane plates were used. In the study, a total of 320 implant sockets were divided into 2 groups as Group 1 (30 rpm) and Group 2 (50 rpm) in terms of insertion speed. Group 1 and Group 2 were divided into 8 subgroups as 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 50, 55 and 60 torques. There were 20 implant sockets in each subgroup. During the implantations, implant placement status and removal torque values were assessed. There was a statistically significant difference between the 30 and 50 RPM groups in terms of overall implant placement status (p<0.01). It was found that the removal torque values at 50 RPM were statistically significantly higher than those at 30 RPM (p<0.01). This study showed that in dense D1 bone, the minimum parameters at which all implants could be placed at bone level were 50 torque at 30 rpm and 40 torque at 50 rpm.

Due to the retrognathic mandible, an orthodontist frequently observes skeletal class II malocclusion in growing patients. The preferred technique for analyzing and monitoring the temporomandibular joint alterations caused by the functional device is magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]. The study aimed to assess and compare changes in the articular disc's dimension and location before and following the use of various class II correctors to correct the class II molar relation using MRI technology. Methods: 39 adolescent patients aged 15-23 years old [24 girls and 15 boys] who were diagnosed with skeletal Class II division 1 malocclusion based on clearly defined criteria underwent treatment with either the power scope II [PS], Sabbagh Advanced Repositioning Appliance [SARA] and or Dynaflex [DF] with fixed appliances. For fixed functional treatment, the average length of treatment was 5-7 months. The changes in the articular disc dimension and position and condylar position were assessed. The study was done at the Department of Orthodontics at the College of Dentistry, Hawler Medical University in Erbil City. Results: Group DF has a significant effect on the condylar position index and posterior joint space on the closed mouth and disc length on both open and close mouth techniques, and in the group SARA, disc position, and condylar position index on closed mouth technique have shown that significant differences were observed. Conclusion: Class II malocclusions can be effectively corrected by fixed functional appliances. The statistical significance forward movement of the condyle in the glenoid fossa and the posterior movement of the articular disc concerning the condylar head was observed. The mechanism of action of functional appliances appears to include the forward migration of the C-GF complex.

ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) responsibility fulfillment increasingly affects enterprise valuation. Although researchers debate about the precise effects, the prevailing view suggests a linear relationship between ESG performance and enterprise value. This study introduces a novel ESG responsibility performance metric through the Regulated Intermediary Model to delve into this relationship within the Chinese context. Our findings reveal an inverted U-shaped relationship between ESG performance and enterprise value, with financing constraints having a significant moderating effect. These findings remain robust after employing instrumental variables to mitigate potential endogeneity. Heterogeneity analysis demonstrates that this inverted U-shaped relationship is particularly pronounced in non-polluting and non-state-owned enterprises. Moreover, a comparison between equity and debt financing mechanisms underscores that improved ESG performance is associated with lower cost of equity financing, thereby enhancing enterprise value. Financial institutions are encouraged to leverage innovative financial instruments to diversify enterprise financing channels and alleviate financing constraints of enterprises that fulfill their ESG responsibilities.

Silica fly ash, Certyd aggregate, and an alkaline solution were used to produce lightweight geo-polymer concretes. The compressive strength, water absorption, bulk density and SEM photos showing the structure of the obtained composite were carried out. Tests conducted on the specifi-cation of lightweight geopolymer concretes have revealed significant chemical interactions between the ash aggregate and the geopolymer mortar, particularly when the coarse aggregate surface has been pre-treated with an alkaline solution. Statistical analysis of the experimental data, which in-vestigated the influence of three key variables on compressive strength, water absorption, and bulk density of Lightweight Geopolymer Concrete (LBG), identified the following factors as having the most substantial impact: the quantity of alkali used, the curing temperature, and the concentration of alkali in the mixture. The optimal test series exhibited a commendable compressive strength of 20.14 megapascals (MPa), accompanied by a water absorption rate of 14.72% and a bulk density of 1486.6 kilograms per cubic meter (kg/m³). These findings underscore the importance of alkali con-tent, curing temperature, and alkali concentration in tailoring the properties of lightweight geo-polymer concrete to meet specific performance requirements.

In this paper, the integrated performance of a modular biomass boiler with an existing industrial Rankine steam heat and power cycle and a supplementary supercritical-CO2 (sCO2) Brayton cycle is analyzed. The aim is to leverage the high efficiency supplementary sCO2 cycle to increase net generation and energy efficiency from the existing biomass boiler. Two sCO2 heater configurations situated within the flue gas flow path are investigated, namely a single convective-dominant heater, and a dual heater configuration with a radiative and a convective heater. A quasi-steady-state 1D model was developed to simulate the integrated cycle, including detailed component characteristics for the Rankine and Brayton cycles. The model solves the mass, energy, momentum, and species balance equations. The system is analyzed for three cases: (i) the existing Rankine cycle without the sCO2 integration, (ii) with the single convective-dominant sCO2 heater configuration, and (iii) the dual sCO2 heater configuration. The results show the required rate of overfiring for the sCO2 configurations, with a 15.3% increase in fuel flowrate resulting in an additional 21.2% in net power output. The model quantifies the impact of the sCO2 heaters, with reduced heat uptakes for downstream boiler heat exchangers. Furnace water wall heat uptake increased due to overfiring, offsetting the reduced heat uptakes at downstream evaporative heat exchangers. The dual configuration has more impact on Rankine cycle operation due to the radiative sCO2 heater placement in front of the second superheater, absorbing some of the direct radiation from the furnace.

The existence of multiple copies of genes is a well-known phenomenon. A gene family is a set of sufficiently similar genes, formed by gene duplication. In earlier works conducted on limited number of completely sequenced and annotated genomes it was found that size of gene family and size of genome are positively correlated. Additionally, it was found that several atypical microbes deviated from the observed general trend. In this study, we reexamined these associations on a larger dataset consisting of 1484 prokaryotic genomes and using several ranking approaches. We applied ranking methods in such a way that genomes with lower number of paralogs would have lower rank. Until now only simple ranking methods were used; we applied the Kemeny optimal aggregation approach as well. Regression and correlation analysis were utilized in order to accurately quantify and characterize the relationships between measures of paralog indices and genome size. In addition, boxplot analysis was employed as a method for outlier detection. We found that, in general, all paralog indexes positively correlate with an increase of genome size. As expected, different groups of atypical prokaryotic genomes were found for different types of paralog quantities.

Background: Despite the tremendous effort in hamstring injury prevention, injury rates in soccer remain elevated. Hypothesis: Hamstring and hip/pelvic isometric strength imbalances may increase the likelihood of hamstring strain injury (HSI) occurrence amongst soccer players.Study design: Case-control study.Methods: In 120 male soccer players (mean age: 20.0 +/- 6.96 years) pre-season maximum isometric strength of the hip adductors, abductors, flexors, and knee flexors were measured, and strength ratios were calculated. Previous injury and anthropometric data were registered. Injury data were collected following the FIFA/UEFA consensus. A multivariate and Machine learning-based Logistic Regression model was employed to estimate the likelihood of players sustaining a hamstring injury.Results: 21 players sustained 32 hamstring injuries. Players with higher abduction strength in the dominant leg had an 18.5% lower risk of sustaining a hamstring injury (OR = 0.818, CI 95% = [(0.695-0.964]). No other significant contributor variables were found to be significant predictors of hamstring injury in the player group (p> 0.05).Conclusion: Isometric strength of the abductor muscles in the dominant limb had a significant association with hamstring injury.Clinical relevance: Our findings indicate the utilization of hip strength measurements as an integral component of the pre-season screening assessment, thereby affirming prior research on the correlation between lumbo-pelvic stability and incidence of hamstring injuries. Consequently, clinicians should contemplate incorporating hip strengthening exercises into regular training sessions, rehabilitation programs, and injury prevention protocols especially indicated when lower hip strength levels are observed.

The absorption of medium-chain fatty acids (MCFA) depends on the solubility of these components in the gastric fluid. Parameters such as the total MCFA concentration, carboxyl ionization level, and carbon chain length affect the solubility of these molecules. Moreover, the enzymatic lipolysis of solubilized triacylglycerol (TAG) molecules may depend on the carbon chain length of the fatty acids (FAs) components and their positions on the glycerol backbone. This present study aimed at investigating the effect of electrolyte usually formed during the gastric digestion phase on the solubility of MCFA, and evaluating the influence of the FA carbon chain length on the lipolysis rate during the in vitro digestion simulation. The results obtained here showed that the increasing of electrolyte concentrations tend to decrease the mutual solubility of systems composed by the caproic and caprylic fatty acids + sodium chloride, sodium bicarbonate, and potassium chloride solutions. We also observed that a conventional version of the thermodynamic UNIQUAC model was able to correlate the liquid-liquid phase behavior of the electrolyte solutions. Regarding the in vitro digestion simulation, the experimental data indicated that the action of the pancreatic enzyme occurred preferentially in TAG molecules comprised of short and medium-chain fatty acids.

The genus Allium L. attracts the attention of researchers due to the presence of valuable medicinal, nutritional and decorative properties, adaptive capabilities, resistance to pests and diseases, ecological plasticity in its representatives, which contributes to the competitiveness of species and the manifestation of a high degree of adaptation outside natural areas and wide geographical distribution. Allium resources in Russia are a potential source of genes for expanding the genetic base of agricultural crops. The leaves of Allium crops have a short freshness period and quickly deteriorate due to spoilage and loss of water. Spoilage and loss of water affect their freshness and properties. The aim of the work was to establish the yield and change in the quality of green leaves of Allium species introduced into the Moscow region during short-term storage, depending on the type of packaging, storage period and temperature. 4-5-year-old plants of 4 species (A. altyncolicum, A. chyatophorum, A. nutans and A. turkestanicum) were grown on the collection plot of perennial onions of VNIIO, a branch of the FGBNU FNTSO. In the conditions of the Moscow region, the yield per leaf generation varied from 2.7 kg/m2 (A. altyncolicum) to 4.9 kg/m2 (A. cyathophorum). The maximum yield of marketable products was noted in hermetically sealed plastic bags when stored for 10 days at a temperature of +6 ... + 80С in a refrigerator with controlled conditions: A. turke-stanicum - 70.0%, A. cyathophorum - 75.5%, A. altyncolicum - 84.9%, A. nutans - 92.9%. However, an increase in the dry matter content (10.1-15.5%) was found during storage in an open polymer box in all tested species. The maximum content of vitamin C during storage in hermetically sealed bags with a density of 100 μm was found in A. altyncolicum (37.1 mg%) and A. nutans (42 mg%). In other species, the maximum value of this indicator was noted before storage. A slight increase in the amount of sugars after storage for 10 days was noted in species with a linear leaf shape when stored in a polymer box. Temperature control is the most effective approach to extend the shelf life of fresh green leaves by measuring its weight loss and vitamin C. Packaging cannot prevent spoilage of vegetables but can protect it against contamination, damage and excessive moisture loss.

Vascular anomalies are a diverse group of abnormal blood vessel developments that can occur at birth or shortly afterward. Embolization and sclerotherapy have been utilized as a treatment option for these malformations but may cause moderate to severe pain. This study aims to evaluate the utilization of peripheral nerve blocks in opioid consumption, pain scores, and length of stay. A retrospective chart review was conducted at the UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh for all patients who underwent embolization and sclerotherapy between 2011 and 2020. Patient data was collected to compare opioid consumption, pain scores, and length of stay. Eight hundred fifty-four procedures were performed on 347 patients. The morphine milligram equivalent per kilogram mean ratio between groups was 0.9 (0.86, 0.95) with a p-value of <0.001. The pain score mean ratio was –1.17 (–2.2, -0.1) and a p-value of 0.027. Length of stay had a mean ratio of 0.94 (0.4, 2) and a p-value of 0.875. By decreasing opioid consumption and postoperative pain scores, peripheral nerve blocks may have utility in patients undergoing embolization and sclerotherapy while not clinically increasing the length of stay for patients. Their use should be individualized and carefully discussed with the interventional radiologist.

(1) Background: In this work, a series of benzimidazole derivatives containing colchicine-like and cathechol-like moieties with methyl group substitution in the benzimidazole ring were evaluated for their in vitro antiproliferative, pro-apoptotic and antioxidative activity against highly invasive breast cancer cell line MDA-MB-231 and related impairment of tubulin dynamics; (2) Methods: MTT assay was used to evaluate the antiproliferative activity. In vitro tubulin polymerization assay as well as docking analysis was applied to prove the alterations in tubulin polymerization. Immunofluorescent and DAPI staining reveal the pro-apoptotic potential of benzimidazole derivatives and the effect on tubulin’s dynamics in living cells. The antioxidant activity was evaluated by scavenging of H2O2 and hypochlorite ion and ortho-phenanthroline tests; (3) Results: The compounds containing colchicine-like moiety displayed significant growth inhibitory effect against cancer cell line as was highlighted the role of methyl functional group on the tubulin aggregation and blockage of mitosis. All compounds showed an ability to scavenge H2O2, while the compounds with cathecol-like moiety were more effective against hypochlorite ion and chelation of iron; (4) Conclusions: The benzimidazole derivative containing colchicine-like moiety and methyl group substitution in benzimidazole ring is a potential antiproliferative and microtubule destabilizing agent.

This study examines the association of sociodemographic risk factors and the comorbidities of COVID-19. Most COVID-19-related studies were conducted in inpatient settings among patients with severe infection during the first and second waves of the pandemic. The third wave with less severe Omicron variant presented a unique opportunity to observe the adult patients treated in outpatient settings. We conducted a cross-sectional study (117 patients aged > 40 years presented with symptomatic COVID-19). We employed the Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI) to compute comorbidity burden, Medical Outcomes Survey Short form (SF-12) to measure general health, and Self-care Self- Efficacy Scale (SCSES) to assess self-care ability. Fisher’s exact test and analysis of variance (ANOVA) were used to compute the relationship between comorbidities and demographics. This study report focuses on the distribution of the comorbidities and its relationship to demographic variables. The top five comorbidities were hypertension (42%), diabetes (31%), pulmonary disease/asthma (19%), depression (14%), and cancer (11%). Depression was significantly higher among younger age groups (p<0.01) and women (p<0.05). Age (p<0.0001) and income (p<0.01) were the most significantly associated demographics with the comorbidity burden. Incidence of pulmonary disease showed a positive association to educational status (p=0.05). This was the first study to report a significant prevalence of depression among adults with symptomatic COVID-19.

This study investigates the optical properties of Yttrium Orthoferrite thin films fabricated via plasma laser deposition. Yttrium Orthoferrite, a ferrimagnetic material known for its potential applications in spintronics and photonics, was deposited on single-crystal substrates under controlled conditions to analyze its optical characteristics. The influence of deposition time, on the film quality and optical properties was examined.

In recent decades, perovskite-type compounds (ABB′O3) have been exhaustively studied due to their unique ferroelectric properties. In this work, a systematic study aiming to prepare fine particles in the binary system SrZrO₃–SrTiO₃ was conducted under hydrothermal conditions in a KOH (5 M) solution at 200 °C for 4 h under a constant stirring speed of 130 rpm. The precursors employed were SrSO₄ powder (< 38 μm size) and coprecipitated hydrous gels of Zr(OH)₄•9.64 H₂O (Zr-gel) and Ti(OH)₄•4.5H₂O (Ti-gel), which were mixed according to the stoichiometry of the SrZr_1-xTixO₃ in the compositional range of 0.0>x>100.0 mol% Ti⁴⁺. The XRD results revealed the formation of two crystalline phases rich in Zr⁴⁺, an orthorhombic structured SrZr0.93Ti0.07O3 and a cubic structured SrZr0.75Ti0.25O3 within the compositional range of 0.1–0.5 mol of Ti4+. A cubic perovskite-structured solid solution, SrTi1-xZrxO3, was preferentially formed within the compositional range of 0.5>x>0.1 mol% Ti⁴⁺. The SrZrO₃ and SrZr_0.93Ti_0.07O₃-rich phases had particle sizes averaging 3 m with a cubic morphology. However, a remarkable reduction in the particle size occurred on solid solutions prepared with hydrous Ti-gel over contents of 15 mol% Ti⁴⁺ in the reaction media, resulting in the formation of nanosized particles agglomerates with cuboidal shape self-assembled via a 3D hierarchical architecture, the sizes of these particles varied in the range between 141.0–175.5 nm. The limited coarsening of the particles is discussed based on the Zr-gel and Ti-gel dehydration capability differences that occurred under hydrothermal processing.

Two-dimensional periodic Stokes flow of viscous incompressible fluid in a rectangular cavity with constant velocities applied to the top and bottom walls is considered. The study of chaotic advection regimes is reduced to the sequential solving of two problems. To solve the first problem, the analytical method of superposition, that allows to obtain any desired accuracy of the velocity field, is used. To solve the second problem, which is associated with obtaining the trajectories of individual fluid particles, numerical calculations of the Cauchy problem were performed. An analysis of the boundary conditions accuracy was performed based on the control of local integration. The advection of the selected volume of fluid in the rectangular cavity under the periodic motion of walls for a finite period time based on piecewise spline cubic interpolation is modelled. The obtained numerical results agree with well-known experimental data.

The optimal functionality and dependability of mechanical systems are important for the sustained productivity and operational reliability of industrial machinery which has direct impact on it’s longevity and profitability. Therefore, failure of a mechanical system or any of it component would be detrimental to production continuity and availability. Consequently,this study proposes a robust diagnostic framework for analyzing the blade conditions of shot blast industrial machinery. The framework involves analyzing the spectral characteristics of the vibration signals generated by Industrial Shot Blast. Additionally, a peak detection algorithms is introduced to identify and extract the unique features present in the peak magnitudes of each signal spectrum. A feature importance algorithm is then deployed as the feature selection tool, and these selected features are fed into 10 machine learning classifier, with Extreme gradient boosting (XGB) as the core classifier. Results show that the XGB classifier achieved the best accuracy of 98.05%, with a cost-efficient computational cost of 0.83 seconds. Other global assessment metrics were also implemented in the study to further validate the model.

The definition of patients with Special Needs (SN) is used in the literature to refer to individuals with mental and physical disorders for whom the usual perioperative pathways are not applicable due to lack of cooperation, regardless of age. Studies in the literature recognize the appropriateness of general anesthesia for performing day surgery dental care in this type of patient. The present retrospective, single-center, observational study involved 41 uncooperative patients aged between 3 and 17 undergoing dental surgery under general anesthesia. The main objective was to assess the possible incidence of difficult airway management, understood as difficulty ventilating and/or intubating the patient. A secondary objective was to highlight the influence of general anesthesia on patient outcomes by testing the incidence of perioperative complications. Tracheal intubation was successfully completed in all of the patients considered, and in no case did the patient have to be woken up because of difficulty in airway management. No perioperative complications attributable to anesthesia were found in any patients. From the present experience, it can be concluded that general anesthesia is a suitable option for performing dental care in pediatric subjects with special needs, and that although the peculiar peri-operative management of these patients might increase the risk of possible anesthesia-related side effects, no complications have been encountered in any case.

Cattle slurry is an important nitrogen source for maize on dairy farms. Slurry injection is an effective measure to reduce ammonia emissions after field application, but with higher risk of nitrous oxide emission than surface application. This study compared soil mineral nitrogen dynamics and nitrous oxide emissions with two ways of application. First, traditional injection at 25 cm spacing between rows followed by ploughing (called “non-placed slurry”), and second, injection using a new so-called goosefoot slurry injector that placed the slurry in ploughed soil as a c. 30 cm broad band at 10 cm depth below maize crop rows with 75 cm spacing (named “placed slurry”). Furthermore, the effect of treating slurry with the nitrification inhibitor 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) in Vizura® was tested with both application methods. The field experiment was conducted on a sandy loam soil in a temperate climate. Both nitrous oxide emissions, and the dynamics of soil mineral nitrogen, were monitored for eight weeks after slurry application and seeding of maize using static chambers. The level of nitrous oxide emissions was higher with non-placed compared to placed slurry, mainly due to higher emissions during the first four weeks. That might be due to higher rates of nitrification rate and in turn stimulation of denitrification process. In both placed and non-placed slurry treatments, Vizura® caused higher soil ammonium concentrations and lower nitrate concentrations, particularly from 3 to 8 weeks after slurry application. The final level of soil nitrate was similar with and without the nitrification inhibitor, but higher with placed compared to non-placed slurry. Adding Vizura® to non-placed slurry reduced nitrous oxide emissions by 70 % when compared to placed slurry. Surprisingly, there was a non-significant trend towards higher cumulative emissions from placed slurry with the nitrification inhibitor compared to untreated slurry, which were due to higher emissions in the last part of the monitoring period (5-7 weeks after slurry application). Possibly degradation of the nitrification inhibitor, and nitrification activity inside the slurry band as the soil dried, promoted nitrous oxide emissions by this time. In summary, placement of untreated slurry in a broad band under maize seeds reduced nitrous oxide emissions compared to non-placed slurry with more soil contact. A comparable reduction was achieved by adding a nitrification inhibitor to non-placed slurry. The pattern of nitrous oxide emissions from placed slurry treated with the inhibitor was complex and requires more investigation.

Solar radiation is the main energy source for mankind and an accurate data of solar radiation levels for a particular location is vital for the optimum operation of solar energy transducers such as photovoltaic cells and solar thermal collectors. In this work, we show that there is a linear relationship between recorded monthly average temperatures and solar radiation in Swaziland. The correlation can be utilized to develop two mathematical models for the estimation of solar radiation: one from the measured monthly average temperatures and the other based on the square-root of the difference between measured maximum and minimum monthly average temperatures. Both models fit the data well and can be applied to estimate solar radiation in other parts of the region.

A basic problem in all postulated pathways of prebiotic chemistry is the low concentration which generally is expected for interesting reactants in fluid environments. Even though compounds like nucleobases, sugars or peptides principally may form spontaneously under environmental conditions, they will always be rapidly diluted in an aqueous environment. In addition, any such reaction leads to side products which often exceed the desired compound and generally hamper the first steps of a subsequent molecular evolution. Therefore, a mechanism of selection and accumulation of relevant prebiotic compounds seems to be crucial for molecular evolution. A very efficient environment for selection and accumulation can be found in the fluid continuum circulating in tectonic fault zones. Vesicles which form spontaneously at a depth of approximately 1 km present a selective trap for amphiphilic molecules, especially for peptides composed of hydrophilic and hydrophobic amino acids in a suitable sequence. The accumulation effect is shown in a numeric simulation on a simplified model. Further, possible mechanisms of a molecular evolution in vesicle membranes are discussed. Altogether, the proposed scenario can be seen as an ideal environment for constant, undisturbed molecular evolution in and on cell-like compartments, the latter offering preferential starting conditions for a subsequent RNA world.

In this paper I show that, opposite to what is generally assumed, when a source accretes matter at the so-called Eddington mass accretion rate M˙ed, the generated accretion luminosity Lacc is smaller than Led, the Eddington accretion luminosity that can stop accretion. I demonstrate my thesis using pieces of informations that, one by one, are well known in the accretion theory but that, for some reason, they are not considered altogether. Namely, I use the following facts: i) Lacc, in the ideal case, is equal to the rate at which kinetic energy is deposited into the accreting source; ii) radiation pressure decreases the velocity of the infalling matter; iii) the generally accepted formula Lacc=GMM˙/R is valid only if the matter is in free fall. To give a quantitative demonstration of my thesis I use two accretion models: the first is the very simple spherical accretion of zero-temperature, fully ionized hydrogen; then I use a model developed some years ago where the energy transfer between matter and radiation is taken into account. The fact that M˙ed generates a Lacc<Led can have consequences in all the cases in which one would need to model accretion with M˙>M˙ed to reproduce the observations.

Land cover mapping, essential for understanding global land use patterns, relies on satellite imagery for monitoring changes, assessing ecosystem health, and supporting conservation ef- forts. However, significant challenges remain in managing large, complex satellite imagery datasets, acquiring specialized datasets due to high costs and labor intensity, and a lack of comparative studies for optimal deep learning model selection. Additionally, a scarcity of aerial datasets specifically tailored for agricultural areas exists. This study addresses these gaps by presenting a method for semantic segmentations of land covers in agricultural areas using satellite images and deep learning models with pre-trained backbones. We introduce an efficient methodology for preparing semantic segmentation datasets and contribute the "Land Cover Aerial Imagery" (LICAID) dataset for semantic segmentation. The study focuses on the Franciacorta area, Lombardy Region, leveraging the rich diversity of the dataset to effectively train and evaluate the models. We conduct a comparative study, employing cutting-edge deep learning-based segmentation models (U-Net, SegNet, DeepLabV3) with various pre-trained backbones (ResNet, Inception, DenseNet, EfficientNet) on our dataset acquired from Google Earth Pro. Through meticulous data acquisition, preprocessing, model selection, and evaluation, we demonstrate the effectiveness of these techniques in accurately delineating land cover classes. Integrating pre-trained feature extraction networks significantly improves performance across various metrics. Additionally, addressing challenges such as data availability, computational resources, and model interpret-ability is essential for advancing the field of remote sensing and supporting sustainable environmental stewardship worldwide.

Radiotherapy for cancer has been known to affect the responses of immune cells, especially those of CD8+ T cells that play a pivotal role in anti-tumor immunity. Clinical success of immune checkpoint inhibitors led to an increasing interest into the ability of radiation to modulate CD8+ T cell responses. Recent studies that carefully analyzed the CD8+ T cell responses following radiotherapy suggest the beneficial roles of radiotherapy on anti-tumor immunity. In addition, numerous clinical trials that evaluate the efficacy of combining radiotherapy with immune checkpoint inhibitors are undergoing. In this review, we summarize the current status of knowledge regarding the changes of CD8+ T cells following radiotherapy from various preclinical and clinical studies. Furthermore, key biologic mechanisms that underlie such modulation, including both direct and indirect effects, are described. Lastly, we discuss the current evidence and essential considerations for harnessing radiotherapy as a combination partner for immune checkpoint inhibitors.

This paper aimed to evaluate the growth, gas exchange and Chl a fluorescence in ipê-rosa seedlings, subjected to levels of 100, 75, 50 and 25% of water replacement (LWR), in a greenhouse. The morphometric variables of plant height, diameter at stem height, number of leaves and leaflets, root length and volume, plant dry mass and leaf area were evaluated. The potential evapotranspiration of seedlings (ETc) was obtained using direct weighing, considering as a reference the water replacement of 100% of the mass variation between subsequent days; the cultivation coefficients (kc) were obtained by the ratio between ETc and the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) obtained by the Penman-Montheit FAO-56 method. Biomass and evapotranspiration data were combined to determine water sensitivity. Diurnal fluxes of gas exchange (net photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, internal and atmospheric carbon ratio, water use efficiency and leaf temperature) and Chl a fluorescence (Fv/Fm, ΦPSII, ETR, Fv’/Fm’, NPQ and qL) were evaluated. Water restriction caused reductions of 90.9 and 84.7% in the increase in height and diameter of seedlings subjected to 25% water replacement when compared to seedlings with 100% water replacement, while biomass accumulation reduced by 96.9%. The kc values increased throughout the seedling production cycle, ranging from 0.59 to 2.86. Maximum water sensitivity occurred at 50% water replacement, with Ky = 1.62. Maximum carbon assimilation rates occurred in the morning, ranging from 6.11 to 12.50 µmol m-2 s-1. Ipê-rosa seedlings regulate the physiology of growth, gas exchange, and Chl a fluorescence depending on the amount of water available, and only 25% of the water re-placement in the substrate allows the seedlings to survive.

A reduction in population sodium (as salt) consumption is one of the most cost-effective strategies to reduce the burden of cardiovascular disease and it is a global health priority. High potassium intake is also recommended to reduce cardiovascular disease. To establish effective policies for setting targets and monitoring effectiveness within each country, the current level of consumption should be known. Greece lacks data on actual sodium and potassium intakes. The aim of the present study was therefore to assess dietary salt (using sodium as biomarker) and potassium intakes in a sample of healthy adults in northern Greece and to determine whether adherence to a Mediterranean diet is related to different sodium intakes or sodium-to-potassium ratio. A cross-sectional survey was carried out in Thessaloniki greater metropolitan area (northern Greece) (n=252, aged 18-75 years, 45.2% males). Participants’ dietary sodium and potassium intakes were determined by 24h urinary sodium and potassium excretions. In addition, we estimated their adherence to Mediterranean diet by the use of an 11-item MedDietScore (range 0-55). The mean sodium excretion was 175 (SD 72) mmol/day, equivalent to 4,220 (1,745) mg of sodium or 10.7 (4.4) g of salt per day and potassium excretion was 65 (25) mmol/day, equivalent to 3,303 (1,247) mg/day. Men had higher sodium and potassium excretions compared to women. Only 5.6% of the sample had salt intake <5g/d, which is the target intake recommended by the WHO. Mean sodium-to-potassium excretion ratio was 2.82 (1.07). There was no significant difference in salt or potassium intake or their ratio across MedDietScore quartiles. No significant relationships were found between salt intake and adherence to Mediterranean diet, suggesting that the perception of the health benefits of the Mediterranean diet does not hold when referring to salt consumption. These results suggest the need for a larger nation-wide survey on salt intake in Greece and underline the importance of continuation of salt reduction initiatives in Greece.

Exosome-based therapy has emerged as a promising strategy for addressing diverse disorders, indicating the need for further exploration of the potential therapeutic effects of the exosome cargos. This study introduces "enhanced exosomes," a novel type of exosomes developed through a novel cell culture system. These specific exosomes may become potent therapeutic agents for treating ovarian disorders. In this study, we conducted a comparative analysis of the protein and miRNA cargo compositions of enhanced exosomes and naïve exosomes. Our findings revealed distinct cargo compositions in enhanced exosomes, featuring upregulated proteins such as EFEMP1, HTRA1, PAM, RSU1, and SDF4, suggesting their potential for treating ovarian disorders. MicroRNA profiling revealed that miR-1-3p, miR-103a-3p, miR-122-5p, miR-1271-5p, miR-133a-3p, miR-184, miR-203a-3p, and miR-206 are key players in regulating ovarian cancer and chemosensitivity by affecting cell cycle progression, cell proliferation, and cell development. We examined polycystic ovary syndrome and premature ovarian insufficiency and identified altered expression of various miRNAs, such as miR-106a-5p, miR-130b-5p, and miR-130b-3p, for diagnostic insights. This study highlights the potential of enhanced exosomes as new therapeutic agents for women's reproductive health, offering a detailed understanding of the impact of their cargo on ovarian disorders.

This study addresses the urgent need for sustainable protein sources in aquaculture due to the depletion of marine resources and rising costs. Animal protein sources, particularly poultry by-product meal (PBM) and insect exuviae meal, are investigated as viable alternatives to fishmeal (FM). Research confirms the successful replacement of FM with a combination of PBM and insect exuviae meal (up to 50%) in the diet of European seabass without compromising growth, feed conversion, gut health and liver fat content. In particular, growth performance was robust with both PBM formulations, with the 25% PBM diet showing better results. Histological examinations showed good gut and liver health, contradicting the concerns of previous studies. The study emphasizes the importance of holistic analyzes that go beyond growth parameters and include histomorphological investigations. The results show that PBM in combination with insect/exuviae meal is well tolerated by seabass, which is consistent with literature reports of mitigating negative effects on gut health. A detailed analysis of the microbiota revealed a decrease in the Firmicutes/Proteobacteria ratio due to an increase in potentially pathogenic bacteria. However, the formulation containing insect exuviae partially counteracted this effect by preserving the beneficial Lactobacillus and promoting the synthesis of short-chain fatty acids (SCFA), particularly butyrate. Chitin-rich components from insect exuviae were associated with improved gut health, which was supported by increased production of SCFA, which are known for their anti-inflammatory properties. The study concludes that a combination of PBM and insect/exuviae meal can replace up to 50% of FM in the diet of seabass, supporting sustainable aquaculture practices. Despite some changes in the microbiota, the negative effects are mitigated by the addition of insect exuviae, highlighting their potential as a prebiotic to increase fish productivity and contribute to a circular economy in aquaculture.

The hump feature is one of the major instabilities in pump-turbines. When pump-turbines operate in the hump region, strong noise and serious fluctuations can be observed, which are harmful to their safe and stable operation and can even destroy the whole unit as well as water conveyance system. In this paper, a low specific speed (n_q = 36.1 min⁻¹) pump-turbine model was experimentally investigated. Firstly, the hump characteristic was obtained under 19 mm guide vane opening conditions. More interestingly, when the hump characteristic was measured in two directions (increasing and decreasing the discharge), characteristic hysteresis was found in the hump region. The analysis of performance characteristics reveals that the hump instability is the result of Euler momentum and hydraulic losses, and different Euler momentum and hydraulic losses in the two development processes lead to the hysteresis phenomenon. Then, 12 pressure sensors were mounted in the different parts of the pump-turbine model to obtain the time and frequency characteristics. The analysis of the corresponding fast Fourier transform confirms that the hump characteristic is related to low-frequency (0.04–0.15 times rotational frequency) vortices. The occurrence and cessation of vortices depend on the operating condition and measurement direction, which contribute to the hysteresis feature. Finally, the type of the low-frequency vortices was analyzed through the cross power spectrum.

Why do the eyes remain comparatively large whereas the cornea is reduced in most troglobiont mysids? Are there any important organ size-dependent functions served by non-visual eye rudiments? This issue was approached by measuring eye structures in five troglobiont species of Mysida and two Stygiomysida compared with 14 troglophile and 49 trogloxene Mysida species. The Organ of Bellonci (OB) was found in all Mysida and as first records also in Stygiomysida. The length of OBs increased with individual body length and eye length in four examined species: from postnauplioid larvae to adult stage in a troglophile and a trogloxene mysid species examined; and from juveniles to adults in a troglobiont mysid and a troglobiont stygiomysid. At the interspecific level, eye length was on average 26% shorter at a given body length while the OB was 40% longer at a given body length and 54% longer at a given eye length, respectively, in adult troglobionts compared with trogloxene mysids. The OB is clearly proliferating while the cornea is reduced in troglobionts. This points to sensory functions (possibly together with other functions). The sensory pore organ was found in all 15 Mysida species whose eyes were mounted on slides, and a first record of this organ was also found in Stygiomysida.

We suggest progress regarding the following six physics opportunities. List all elementary particles. Describe dark matter. Explain ratios of dark matter to ordinary matter. Explain eras in the history of the universe. Link properties of objects. Interrelate physics models. We use models based on Diophantine equations.

This study focuses on enhancing controllable fibrin-based hydrogels for tissue engineering, addressing existing weaknesses. By integrating a novel copolymer, we improve the foundation for cell-based angiogenesis with adaptable structural features. Tissue engineering often faces challenges like waste disposal and nutrient supply beyond the 200 µm diffusion limit. Angiogenesis breaks through this limitation, allowing the construction of larger constructs. Our innovative scaffold combination significantly boosts angiogenesis, resulting in longer branches and more capillary network junctions. The copolymer attached to fibrin fibers enables precise adjustment of hydrogel mechanical-dynamic properties for specific applications. Our material proves effective for angiogenesis, even under suppression factors like suramin. In our study, we prepared fibrin-based hydrogels with and without the copolymer PVP12400-co-GMA10mol%. Using a co-culture system of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC) and mesenchymal stem cells (MSC), we analyzed angiogenetic behavior on and within the modified hydrogels. Capillary-like structures were reproducibly formed on different surfaces, demonstrating the general feasibility of three-dimensional endothelial cell networks in fibrin-based hydrogels. This highlights the biomaterial's suitability for in vitro pre-vascularization of biohybrid implants.

Open-source devices are nowadays used in a vast number of research fields like medicine, education, agriculture, and sports among others. In this work, an open-source, portable, low cost pH logger, appropriate for in situ meas-urements was designed and developed to assist in experiments on agricultural produce manufacturing. Τhe device was calibrated manually using pH buffers for values of 4.01 and 7.01. Then it was tested by manually measuring pH from the juice of citrus fruits. A waterproof temperature sensor was added to the device for temperature compen-sation when measuring pH. A formal method comparison process between the open-source device and a Hanna HI9024 Waterproof pH Meter was designed to assess their agreement. We derived indices of agreement and graph-ical assessment tools using mixed-effects models. Advantages and disadvantages for interpreting agreement through the proposed procedure are discussed. In our illustration, indices reported mediocre agreement and the subsequent similarity analysis revealed a fixed bias of 0.22 pH units. After recalibration, agreement between the devices im-proved to excellent levels. The process can be followed in general to avoid misleading or over-simplistic results of studies reporting solely correlation coefficients for formal comparison purposes.

Until recently, no disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instrument existed for pediatric traumatic brain injury (TBI). In this revalidation study, the psychometric properties and the validity of the final German version of the 35-item QOLIBRI-KID/ADO questionnaire were examined in 300 children and adolescents. It is the first self-reported TBI-specific instrument for measuring pediatric HRQoL in individuals aged 8–17 years. The six-factor model fits the data adequately. Internal consistencies were excellent for the total score and satisfactory to excellent for the scale scores. Intraclass correlations indicated good test-retest reliability. Construct validity was supported by overlaps between the QOLBRI-KID/ADO and the PedsQL, which measures generic HRQoL. Discriminant validity indicated that HRQoL was significantly lower in older children and girls, and in those with anxiety, depression, and post-concussion symptoms than in comparison groups, replicating the results of the questionnaire’s first development study. Our results suggest that the QOLIBRI-KID/ADO is a valid and reliable multidimensional instrument for assessing disease-specific HRQoL after pediatric TBI in clinical and research settings, which can additionally be used across the lifespan in combination with the adult version. This may help to improve care, treatment, daily functioning and HRQoL after TBI.

Childhood obesity is a public health problem and most of the interventions are focused on healthy habits as reducing energy intake, avoiding a sedentary lifestyle and increasing physical activity. However, usually they are based in individual programs, with few structured interventions in health systems without satisfactory results. PinPo aims to carry out an integral intervention in children with obesity, as well as in their parents and caregivers, to get motivation to change towards healthy lifestyle habits. The program contains 9 educational grupal sessions directed by a multidisciplinary expert team. 10 boys and girls, and another group with 10 family members and/or caregivers participate in sessions during 90 min biweekly. Moreover, there is an individual adaptation depending on the severity and comorbidities. At the beginning and at the end of the program, an integral evaluation for health status is developed including anthropometric, nutritional, physical activity, and psychologist and analytical measurements. Finally, a satisfaction survey is carried out on the participants.In conclusion, the implementation of PinPo could offer to paediatric patients with obesity and their families, an integral intervention to treat obesity and its complications. So, there are expectations of achieving favorable results that also allow to optimize its effectiveness.

Complex atypical endometrial hyperplasia (CAH) carries a high probability of cancer. Intraoperative evaluation of endometrial cancer in cases of CAH has not been reliable. The safety and sensitivity of sentinel lymph node (SLN) sampling has been validated. We aim to evaluate the efficacy and safety of SLN sampling in CAH managed by the da Vinci robotic platform. A total of 113 patients with a preoperative diagnosis of CAH were included in this retrospective cohort study. All underwent a robot assisted total laparoscopic hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo-oophorectomy with 69 patients undergoing SLN sampling. Statistical analysis calculated the probability of cancer, SLN map rate, and surgical complications. Predictors of cancer were evaluated. Forty-seven percent of the entire cohort were diagnosed with endometrial cancer. Median age was 63 years in the SLN cohort (N = 69) and 61 in the No SLN cohort (N = 44) (p= 0.363).  Median BMI was 34 Kg/m2 in the SLN cohort and 40 in the No SLN cohort (p= 0.004). Bilateral SLN map was 92.8% and unilateral SLN map rate was 7.2%. There were no grade 3-4 complications in the SLN cohort, and 4 grade 3-4 complications in the No SLN group (p=0.021). A preoperative diagnosis of CAH bordering on or cannot rule out cancer was the only predictor of cancer.

Background/Objectives: Vitamin B12 deficiency can cause variable symptoms, which may be irreversible if not diagnosed and treated in a timely manner. We aimed to develop a widely accepted expert consensus to guide the practice of diagnosing and treating B12 deficiency. Methods: We conducted a scoping review of the literature published in PubMed since January 2003. Data were used to design a two-round Delphi survey to study the level of consensus among 42 experts. Results: The panelists agreed on the need for educational and organizational changes in the current medical practices for diagnosing and treating B12 deficiency. Recognition of clinical symptoms should receive the highest priority in establishing the diagnosis. There is agreement that the serum B12 concentration is useful as a screening marker, whereas methylmalonic acid or homocysteine can support the diagnosis. Patient lifestyle, disease history and medications can provide clues to the cause of B12 deficiency. Regardless of the cause of the deficiency, initial treatment with parenteral B12 was regarded as the first choice for patients with acute and severe manifestations of B12 deficiency. The use of high-dose oral B12 at different frequencies may be considered for long-term treatment. Prophylactic B12 supplementation should be considered for specific high-risk groups. Conclusions: There is a consensus that clinical symptoms need to receive more attention in establishing a diagnosis. B12 laboratory markers can support the diagnosis. The severity of clinical symptoms, the causes of B12 deficiency and the treatment goals govern decisions regarding the route and dose of B12 therapy.

PCSK9 is implicated in familial hypercholesterolemia via targeting the cell surface PCSK9-LDLR complex toward lysosomal degradation. The M2 repeat in the PCSK9's C-terminal domain is essential for its extracellular function, potentially through its interaction with an unidentified “protein X”. The M2 repeat was recently shown to bind an R-x-E motif in MHC-class-I proteins (implicated in the immune system), like HLA-C, and causing their lysosomal degradation. These findings suggested a new role of PCSK9 in the immune system and that HLA-like proteins could be “protein X” candidates. However, the participation of each member of the MHC-I protein family in this process and their regulation of PCSK9's function have yet to be determined. Herein, we compared the implication of MHC-I-like proteins such as HFE (involved in iron homeostasis) and HLA-C on the extracellular function of PCSK9. Our data revealed that the M2 domain regulates the intracellular sorting of the PCSK9-LDLR complex to lysosomes, and that HFE is a new target of PCSK9 that inhibits its activity on the LDLR, whereas HLA-C enhances its function. This work suggests the potential modulation of the PCSK9 functions through interactions of HFE and HLA-C.

Forests are increasingly becoming fragmented and declining due to natural causes and human-induced activities. The latter creates an imbalance which put the survival of vulnerable species such as those of avifauna at risk. Honeyeaters are group of birds common in Fiji, with certain species strictly confined to specific habitats. This study is an attempt to compare the abundance and foraging behaviours of three sympatric honeyeaters namely Kikau wattled honeyeater, Orange-breasted myzomela and Giant honeyeater at two contradicted sites (USP campus and Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve). The survey was carried out using point count method along three different transect routes of approximately 2 Km on each study sites . A higher species diversity and abundance was observed in Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve than in USP campus. Kikau wattled honeyeater are more populated at USP campus due to adequate nectar-producing plants. Whereas both Orange-breasted myzomela (highly adaptable bird species) and Giant honeyeater (forest specifics) are frequent in Colo-i-Suva Forest Reserve. All exhibited a wider range of foraging techniques across forest vertical strata and plant species, except for Giant honeyeater (not observed). The statistical analysis showed that there is a significant difference (p < 0.05) in abundance as well as between the number of honeyeater species in both sites across the forest vertical strata. However, there is no significant difference in the foraging behaviour and the number of honeyeaters found foraging on diverse plant species (p > 0.05).

Astragalus plants belong to the legume family and have obvious rhizosphere effect. The northwestern area of Yunnan China is the main distribution region of Astragalus plants with high application value, but low recognition and resource reserves. The aim of this research is to explore the species diversity of cultivable rhizosphere fungi derived from A. acaulis, A. forrestii, and A. ernestii growing in special high-cold environment of northwest Yunnan, and discover anti-infective components from these fungi. A total of 93 fungal strains belonging to 38 species in 18 genera were isolated and identified. Antibacterial and antimalarial screening yielded 10 target strains. Among them, the ethyl acetate crude extract of the fungus Aspergillus calidoustus AA12 from A. acaulis fermentation substance showed a broad antibacterial spectrum and the best antimalarial activity. Further chemical investigation led to the first discovery of seven compounds from the species of A. calidoustus, including a sesterterpine 6-epi-ophiobolin G (1), two sesquiterpenes penicisochroman A (2), pergillin (3) and 7-methyl-2-(1-methylethylethlidene)-furo[3,2-H]isoquinoline-3-one (4), and three polyketides trypacidin (5), 1,2-seco-trypacidin (6) and questin (7). Compound 1 exhibited moderate to strong antibacterial activity against six Gram-positive pathogens with the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ranging from 25 to 6.25 μg/mL, and prominent inhibitory effect on the biofilm of Streptococcus agalactiae at MIC value of 3.125 μg/mL. This compound also displayed potent antimalarial activity against Plasmodium falciparum strains 3D7 and chloroquine-resistant Dd2 at the half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 3.319 and 4.340 µmol/L at 72 h, respectively. This study contributed to our understanding of the cultivable rhizosphere fungi Astragalus-derived in special high-cold environment and further increased the library of fungi available for natural anti-infectious products screening.

In this paper, a new type of self-excited thermomechanical oscillator containing an oscillating shape memory alloy (SMA) filament with two symmetrically arranged spheres is investigated. The self-excitation of the oscillations is due to a heater of constant temperature, which causes periodic contractions of the filament when it approaches it. The contracted filament moves away from the heater a distance sufficient to cool it. Under the action of the weight of the spheres, the cooled filament re-approaches the heater, causing the above processes to repeat periodically. On the basis of experimental studies, approximating functions of the heater's heat field distribution are derived. A dynamic model of the oscillator has been created, in which the minor and major hysteresis in the SMA alloy and the distribution of the heat field around the heater have been taken into account. By numerical solutions of the differential equations, the laws of motion of the spheres are obtained. The displacements of the spheres in two perpendicular directions were measured using an experimental system. The obtained experimental results validate the proposed dynamic model and its assumptions with a high degree of confidence. Conclusions are drawn about the stochastic nature of the oscillations due to the hysteresis properties of the SMA and the temperature variation of the natural frequency of the oscillating system.

In this paper, we establish the generalized Qi-type inequality involving conformable fractional integrals. The results presented here would provide extensions of those given in earlier works.

The main purpose of our research is the evaluation of the efficacity of solvent polarity on phenolic composition, as well as the antibacterial, and antioxidant activities of extract of Moroccan Mentha aquatica L., leaves. To attempt these objectives, the HPLC-DAD was used to identify the biomolecules. The total amount of phenolic and flavonoid content was determined using the Folin-Ciocalteu and aluminum trichloride processes as well as the DPPH, RP, and TAC tests were used to evaluate the antioxidant capabilities. In addition, by employing both in vitro and in silico analysis through the microdilution method, the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) and minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC) of the extracts were assessed against multidrug-resistant bacteria. Furthermore, the High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) analysis indicated that all extracts of M. aquatica were abundant in noteworthy phytochemical compounds, especially gallic acid, vanillic acid, chlorobenzoic acid, quercetin, and kaempferol. Furthermore, the results indicated that the total phenolic content was higher in hydroethanolic extract (62.19 ± 1.19 mg GAE/g DW) in contrast to the acetonic and aqueous extracts (22.22 ± 0.64, and 22.44± 0.57 mg GAE/g DW) respectively. Similarly, the aqueous ethanol extract contained the greatest flavonoid concentration, with values of 29.15± 0.09 mg QE/g DW when compared with the other extracts. The seam extract poses excellent antioxidant power with an IC50 of 0.06 ± 0.00 mg/mL for the DPPH test, and lower RP with EC50 of 80± 0.00 µg/ml when compared with acetonic and aqueous extract (370± 0.00 and 460± 0.01 µg/mL) respectively. Moreover, the hydroethanolic extract has a high level of TAC 75.09± 2.00 mg EAA/g DW, followed by aqueous extract carrying a value of 28.53 ± 1.36 mg EAA/g DW. The antibacterial capacity is ranged between 0.78 ± 0.05 mg/mL and 12.60 ± 0.00 mg/L. The results of the in-silico study demonstrated that quercetin, vanillic acid, and naringenin components contribute to the antioxidant capability. While gallic acid, kaempferol, and quercetin components are attributed to the antibacterial capacity.

The production of high-quality wines is one of the primary goals of modern oenology. In this regard, it is known that the potential quality of a wine begins to be determined in the vineyard, where the quality of the grape, initially, and later that of the wine, will be influenced by the soil properties. Given the spatial variability of the fundamental soil properties related to the potential grape production, such as texture, soil organic matter content, or cation exchange capacity, it seems that a uniform management of a vineyard is not the most optimal way to achieve higher grape quality. In this sense, the delineation of zones with similar soil characteristics to implement site-specific management is essential, reinforcing the interest to incorporate technologies and methods to determine these homogeneous zones. A case study was conducted in a 3.3 ha vineyard located near Évora, South of Portugal. A non-contact sensor (DUALEM 1S) was used to measure soil apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) in the vineyard, and later, a kriged ECa map was generated. ECa and elevation maps were utilised to delineate homogeneous zones (management zones, MZs) in the field through a clustering process. MZs were validated using some soil properties (texture, pH, organic matter -OM, phosphorous -P2O5, potassium -K2O, sum of the exchange bases -SEB; and cation exchange capacity -CEC) which were determined from 20 soil samples taken in the different MZs. Additionally, validation was also performed using Rasch measures, which were defined based on the formula-tion of the objective and probabilistic Rasch model, integrating the information from the afore-mentioned soil properties at each sampling location. The comparison of the MZs was more evident with the use of the Rasch model, as only one value was to be employed in each MZ. The use of ECa constitutes an efficient technological tool for implementing site-specific man-agement in viticulture, which allows for the improvement of decision-making processes by con-sidering the inherent spatial variability of the soil.

Through the geometric relationships and force analysis of the main components of the panto-graph on high-speed trains, coefficients of aerodynamic forces and lift transmission between the pantograph and main components under crosswind conditions were derived. Based on the aer-odynamic forces acting on the pantograph at different crosswind speeds, wind angles, and oper-ating speeds, the aerodynamic lift of the pantograph and main components was ultimately de-termined. The results indicate that the aerodynamic lift of the pantograph is mainly distributed on the bow structure, with the aerodynamic lift of the upper frame all being negative values, while the absolute value of the aerodynamic lift of the lower arm rod is the smallest. The oper-ating speed of the pantograph and the wind angle of the crosswind have a significant impact on the aerodynamic lift of the main components, while the impact of the crosswind speed is rela-tively small. At the same operating speed of the pantograph, the lower the corresponding crosswind speed, the smaller the aerodynamic lift of the pantograph. The aerodynamic lift of the pantograph tends to decrease gradually with the increase of crosswind speed, and the impact of crosswind speed decreases gradually with the increase of pantograph operating speed. A com-prehensive relationship formula between the aerodynamic lift of the pantograph and the oper-ating speed, crosswind speed, and wind angle is obtained, and the empirical formula for the contact force of the bow net and train operating speed is modified. The research results are of great significance and value for the study and application of lift forces on pantographs under crosswind conditions.

This paper introduces a three-layer system, proposing a comprehensive model of granular mixture transport over a mobile sloped bed in a steady flow. This system, consisting of the bottom, contact and upper zones, provides complete, continuous sediment velocity and concentration vertical profiles. The model considers gravity’s effect on sediment transport in the bottom (dense) layer, a crucial factor often overlooked in previous studies. The induced movement in the mobile sublayer of the dense layer causes an increase in velocity at the upper boundary of this layer, significantly affecting the vertical distributions of velocity and concentration above this layer. We described the interactions between fractions and an intensive sediment mixing and sorting process in the contact layer. The proposed shear variation, with an increase in its maximum value at the bed, adds to the novelty of our approach. The data sets used for the model’s validation cover various conditions, including slopes, grain diameters, densities and grain mobility conditions, from incipient motion to a fully mobilised bed. This extensive validation process instils confidence in the theoretical description and its applicability to real-world scenarios.

Background and Objectives: The complications seen after lower impacted third molar surgery affect the quality of life of the patients. The aim of the study was to investigate the efficacy of a single preoperative dose of deflazacort on pain, swelling and trismus following impacted lower third molar surgery. Materials and Methods: This randomised, prospective, double-blind, split-mouth clinical study included 30 healthy individuals with bilaterally impacted lower third molars that was removed for orthodontic purposes between September 2017 and September 2018. Group 1 was given a placebo (single dose vitamin C tablet) and group 2 was given a single 30 mg dose of deflazacort 1 hour prior to the surgery. Pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale for 1 week postoperatively. Edema (in mm) and trismus (in mm) were evaluated preoperatively and on postoperative days 2 and 7. The Mann-Whitney U test was applied for group analysis. p values < 0.05 were considered statistically significant. Results: When postoperative pain scores were evaluated, a significant difference was found between the groups only at the 6th and 12th hours (p0.05). Even high trismus values were recorded on the 2nd day, it was observed that the trismus resolved on the 7th day. There were no significant differences in trismus between the groups at any time point (p>0.05). Evaluation of swelling showed that there was no statistically significant difference between the study and control groups at any time point (p>0.05). No side effect was detected in both the study and the control groups. Conclusions: This was the first split-mouth study evaluating the anti-inflammatory effect of deflazacort after lower impacted third molar surgery. A single dose of 30 mg deflazacort was shown to be effective in reducing pain at 6 and 12 hours postoperatively.

The reviews usefulness has been the aim of several research studies. However, results regarding the significance of usefulness determinants are often contradicting, thus decreasing the accuracy of reviews’ helpfulness estimation. Also, bias in user reviews attributed to differences e.g. in gender, nationality, etc., may result into misleading judgments thus diminishing reviews’ usefulness. Research is needed for sentiment analysis algorithms that incorporate bias embedded in reviews, thus improving their usefulness, readability, credibility, etc. This study utilizes fuzzy relations and fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE) in order to calculate reviews’ usefulness by incorporating users’ biases as expressed in terms of reviews’ articulacy and sentiment polarity. It selected and analysed 95.678 hotel user reviews from Tripadvisor, for five nationalities. The findings indicate that there are differences among nationalities. The British are most consistent in their judgments expressed in titles and review documents. The British and the Greek review titles suffice to convey any negative sentiments. The Dutch use fewer words in their reviews than the other nationalities. This study suggests that fuzzy logic captures subjectivity which is often found in reviews, and it can be used to quantify users’ behavioral differences, calculate reviews usefulness, and provide the means for developing more accurate voting systems.

Sixteen crossbred rabbits (New Zealand white x Thai native breed) were randomly divided into two groups of eight to determine the effects of daily oral administration of crude extracts from the butterfly pea (Clitoria ternatea L.) from weaning (at 35 days) to slaughter (at 90 days). Effects on phagocytic activity of blood polymorphoneuclear leukocytes, serum biochemistry, meat quality, muscular lipid peroxidation, apparent digestibility, and gut histology were studied. The results revealed that the phagocytic function of circulating leukocytes (75 and 90 days) and alveolar macrophages (90 days) did not differ between the two groups. At slaughter, treated rabbits had lower blood urea nitrogen concentrations and higher liver weight than control rabbits (p &lt; 0.05). After chilling at 4°C for 24 hours, lower meat pH and alteration of meat color (a brighter, less yellow, Hue angle and color saturation) were observed in the treated group (p &lt; 0.05). Furthermore, lipid peroxidation (measured at 3, 5 and 7 storage days) in the meat of treated rabbits was lower than in controls (p &lt; 0.05). Apparent digestibility (analyzed at 46 days for four days) revealed improved organic matter and ether extracts in the treated group (p &lt; 0.05), whereas gut histology was unaffected. In conclusion, butterfly pea extract supplementation did not affect phagocytic function but led to a modification in meat color, delayed lipid peroxidation, and improved digestibility.

Co-inhibitory receptors (Co-IRs) are essential in controlling the progression of immunopathology in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by limiting T cell activation. The objective of this investigation was to determine the phenotypic expression of Co-IRs T cells and to assess the levels of serum soluble PD-1, PDL-2, and Tim3 in Taiwanese RA patients. Co-IRs T cells were immunophenotyped employing multicolor flow cytometry, and ELISA was utilized for measuring soluble PD-1, PDL-2, and Tim3. Correlations have been detected across the percentage of T cells expressing Co-IRs (MFI) and different indicators in the blood, including ESR, high sensitivity CRP (hsCRP), 28 joint disease activity scores (DAS28), and soluble PD-1/PDL-2/Tim3. In RA patients, we recognized elevated levels of PD-1 (CD279), CTLA-4, and TIGIT on CD4+ T cells; TIGIT, HLA-DR, TIM3, and LAG3 on CD8+ T cells; and CD8+CD279+TIM3+, CD8+HLA-DR+CD38+ T cells. The following tests proved to be correlated with hsCRP: CD4/CD279 MFI, CD4/CD279%, CD4/TIM3%, CD8/TIM3%, CD8/TIM3 MFI, CD8/LAG3%, and CD8+HLA-DR+CD38+%. CD8/LAG3 and CD8/TIM3 MFIs are linked to ESR. DAS28-ESR and DAS28-CRP exhibited relationships with CD4/CD127 MFI, CD8/CD279%, and CD8/CD127 MFI, respectively. CD4+CD279+TIM3+% was correlated with DAS28-ESR (p=0.0084, N=46), DAS28-CRP (p=0.007, N=47), and hsCRP (p=0.002, N=56), respectively. In the serum of patients with RA, levels of soluble PD-1, PDL-2, and Tim3 were extremely elevated. CD4+ TIM3+% (p=0.0089, N=46) and CD8+ TIM3+% (p=0.0305, N=46) were correlated with sTIM3 levels; sPD1 levels were correlated with CD4+CD279+% (p<0.0001, N=31) and CD3+CD279+% (p=0.0084, N=30). Co-IRs expressions on CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, as well as soluble PD-1, PDL-2, and Tim3 levels, could function as indicators of disease activity and potentially play crucial roles in the pathogenesis of RA, in accordance to our findings.

Background: Inflammatory demyelination and impaired recovery processes result in permanent neurodegeneration and neurological disability in patients with multiple sclerosis (MS). In terms of smoldering MS, chronic neuroinflammation develops in the early period of the disease and leads to confirmed disability accumulation. There is a great need to identify biomarkers of neuro-degeneration and disease progression. Methods: We evaluated the concentrations of the param-eters of brain injury (NF-H, GPAF, S100B, UCHL1) in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and the se-lected interleukins (ILs) in serum of 123 relapsing-remitting MS (RRMS) and 88 progressive MS (PMS) patients. Results: The levels of GFAP, S100B and UCHL were higher in the PMS group compared to RRMS as opposed to the levels of NF-H. We observed a positive correlation be-tween the selected pro-inflammatory cytokines and the parameters of brain injury. The Ex-panded Disability Status Scale score (EDSS) increased with GFA and NF-H levels and correlated with the selected ILs. The concentrations of S100B, UCHL1 and NF-H reflected the duration of MS symptoms. Conclusions: The levels of brain injury parameters in the CSF and the selected serum ILs in MS patients seem to be promising biomarkers to determine neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in smoldering MS. Further studies are warranted in this respect.

Attention to the work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) involve also statistical surveys showing an increasing trend in the incidence of WMSDs. Technological development retrieves new tools and methods for the assessment of physical load at work. In addition to the conventional questionnaires and scaling assessment systems, these methods are mostly based on the direct sensing of appropriate parameters, which allows more precise quantification. The aim of this paper is to compare the assessment of ergonomic risk through current legislative regulations. A Captiv wireless sensor system was used at a car headlight quality control assembly workplace for sensing, data acquisition and data processing. During the evaluation of the postures and movements at work, we discovered differences in the applicable standards: Decree 542/2007 Coll. (Slovak legislation), STN EN 1005-4+A1, French standards default in the Captiv system. Standards define the thresholds for hazardous postures with significant differences in several evaluated body segments, which also affects the final evaluation of the measurements. Based on the results of our research, we found that respondents were in an acceptable position for approximately 63% of the total duration of the work activity in terms of the Legislative method, 44% with Captiv and 27% with Standards method.

Emulsifiers like egg yolk (EY) are necessary for the formation of mayonnaise, which is an oil-in-water type colloid. This study aimed to assess the potential of defatted soybean powder treated with supercritical carbon dioxide (DSF-SC) in enhancing the quality of plant-based may-onnaise as plant-based alternatives gain popularity. This study involved producing DSF-SC and comparing its quality attributes to those of mayonnaise made with varying amounts of control soy flour (CSF), DSF-SC, and EY. It was found that mayonnaise made with DSF-SC, with increased emulsifier quantity, showed better emulsion stability, viscosity, and smaller, more uniform particle size compared with CSF mayonnaise. Additionally, DSF-SC mayonnaise was overall rated higher in sensory evaluation. The addition of approximately 2% DSF-SC positively influenced the emul-sion and sensory properties of the vegan mayonnaise, making DSF-SC a promising plant-based alternative emulsifier for replacing animal ingredients.

This study aims to investigate the psychological cognitive mechanisms of rural residents amidst the renewal of suburban historical and cultural villages by examining the interplay between nostalgia, collective memory, subjective well-being and place identity in rural tourism destinations. Using Naobao Village as a case study—a suburban historical and cultural village in Hohhot, Inner Mongolia, this research employs a comprehensive approach integrating experimental methods and questionnaire surveys. The findings demonstrate that analyzing the interaction among the four emotions can elucidate the psychological cognitive mechanism of residents. Moreover, it uncovers that tourism effects significantly influence residents' perception of their living environment with positive effects on collective memory, subjective well-being and place identity. In the theoretical model for generating psychological cognition among residents in suburban historical and cultural villages, subjective well-being and collective memory play crucial mediating roles. This study provides a theoretical foundation and practical guidance for spatial reconstruction and cultural evolution of tourist landscapes in suburban rural tourist destinations.

Zinc cobalt oxide-zinc hydroxide (ZnCo2O4-Zn(OH)2) microspheres were successfully fabricated on carbon cloth via a sample hydrothermal method. The surface morphology of these microspheres and their efficacy in degrading methyl violet were further modulated by varying the thermal annealing temperatures. The manipulation of thermal annealing temperatures was pivotal in adjusting the porosity of ZnCo2O4-Zn(OH)2 microspheres to amplify their photocatalytic performance. Various analytical techniques were utilized to evaluate the physical and chemical properties of the ZnCo2O4-Zn(OH)2 microspheres, including field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, field-emission transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and UV-vis spectroscopy. Compared to untreated ZnCo2O4-Zn(OH)2 microspheres, those subjected to thermal annealing exhibited increased specific surface area and light absorption capacity, rendering them highly effective photocatalysts under UVC light exposure. Subsequent studies have confirmed the superior performance of ZnCo2O4-Zn(OH)2 microspheres as a reusable photocatalyst for degrading methyl violet and tetracycline. Additionally, trapping experiments during the photodegradation process involving ZnCo2O4-Zn(OH)2 microspheres have identified hydroxyl radicals (·OH) and superoxide radicals (·O2–) as the primary reactive species.

Rural landscapes are acknowledged for their potential to restore human health due to their natural characteristics. However, few studies have systematically analysed the impact of naturalness, landscape types, and combinations of landscape elements on restorativeness using both subjective and objective measurements. This study investigated the restorative effects of various rural landscapes in Guangzhou, employing electroencephalography and eye-tracking technologies to record physiological responses and using the Restorative Components Scale and the Perceived Restorativeness and Naturalness Scale to evaluate psychological responses. The results indicated the following: (1) There was a significant positive correlation between perceived naturalness and restorativeness, surpassing the impact of actual naturalness. (2) Different landscape types had a varying impact on mental health at the equal perceived naturalness. Natural forest landscapes and artificial forest landscapes exhibited the most substantial restorative effects among the natural and semi-natural landscapes examined, respectively, while settlement landscapes showed the highest restorative potential among the artificial landscapes. (3) Restorative properties varied across landscape elements, with identical elements yielding different benefits in different environments. Trees and water significantly enhanced restorativeness, whereas constructed elements such as roads and infrastructure reduced it. This study provides a scientific basis for restorative rural landscape design to enhance mental health and well-being.

Buruli ulcer is a chronic ulcerative disease of skin and subcutaneous tissues caused by infection with Mycobacterium ulcerans. Although Australian possums are known to be susceptible to Buruli ulcer, many aspects of the disease in possums, including welfare impacts, remain largely unreported. Severe clinical Buruli ulcer was identified in four common ringtail possums (Pseudocheirus peregrinus) from Melbourne, Victoria. All four possums were euthanised due to welfare concerns and poor prognosis, based on the presence of deep ulcerative lesions to paws, some of which exposed carpal or tarsal bones. These lesions were considered likely to cause partial or complete loss of limb function, which would severely affect the welfare and survival of these wild arboreal animals. Histologically, there was severe ulcerative necrotising pyogranulomatous dermatitis, panniculitis, and myositis, with intralesional acid-fast bacteria. M. ulcerans was detected by real-time PCR in all swabs and biological tissues collected from all four cases. Buruli ulcer may be an important and under-recognised cause of poor possum welfare in endemic areas. In addition to severe cutaneous lesions, infection extends to underlying bones and joints, and the systemic distribution of M. ulcerans throughout all major tissues and internal organs, as observed in these four cases, may further impact the health and fitness of infected possums. Further research is needed to investigate the epidemiology, pathogenesis and impacts of Buruli ulcer in possums, and to inform the design of interventions that may protect the health and welfare of possums and other affected animal species.

This study analyses regional development in one of the poorest provinces in China, Guizhou Province, between 2000 and 2012 using a multiscale and multi-mechanism framework. In general, regional inequality has been declining since 2000. In addition, economic development in Guizhou Province presented spatial agglomeration and club convergence, which shows how the development pattern of one core area, two-wing areas and a contiguous area at the edge of the province have been developed between 2006 and 2012. Multilevel regression analysis revealed that industrialization and investment level were the primary driving forces of regional economic disparity in Guizhou Province. The influences of marketization and decentralization on regional economic disparity were relatively weak. Investment level reinforced regional economic disparity and the development of core-periphery structure in the province. However, investment level actually weakened the regional economic disparity in Guizhou Province when the variable of time was considered. In addition, both the topography and urban–rural differentiation were the two main reasons for forming a core-periphery structure in Guizhou Province.

The Populus L. genus unites tree species, which are botanically grouped into several sections. The species successfully hybridize both in the same section and between some sections. The poplar hybridization widely occurs in nature and in variety breeding. Therefore, the development of poplar species specific molecular markers is very actual. The effective markers for trees of the Aigeiros Daby section have been recently developed using the polymorphism of the 5S rDNA non-transcribed spacers (NTSs). In this article, the 5S rDNA NTS based markers were designed for several species of the Leuce Daby section. The alb9 marker amplifies one fragment with DNA matrix of P. alba and P. × canescens (natural hybrid P. alba × P. tremula). The alb2 marker works the same way except the case with P. bolleana. In this case, the amplification of three fragments was observed. The tremu1 marker amplification is detected with DNA matrix of P. tremula and P. × canescens. Thus, the developed markers may be applied as useful tool for the P. alba, P. tremula, P. × canescens and P. bolleana identification in such areas of plant science as botany, dendrology, genetics of populations, variety breeding etc.

Background: The modified Duke index derived from coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) was designed to predict cardiovascular outcomes based on the severity of coronary ste-nosis. However, it does not take into consideration the presence or severity of peri-coronary in-flammation. The peri-coronary fat attenuation index (FAI) is a novel imaging marker determined by CCTA which reflects the degree of inflammation in the coronary tree in patients with coronary artery disease. Purpose: To assess the association between the modified Duke index assessed by CCTA, cardiovascular risk factors and peri-coronary inflammation in the coronary arteries of pa-tients with coronary artery disease. Methods: One hundred seventy-two patients who underwent CCTA for typical angina were assigned into two groups based on the modified Duke index: group 1 – patients with low index ≤ 3 (n=107) and group 2 – patients with high index > 3 (n=65). Demo-graphic, clinical and CCTA data were collected for all patients, and FAI analysis of coronary in-flammation was performed. Results: Patients with increased values of the modified Duke index were significantly older compared to those with a low index (61.83 ± 9.89 vs. 64.78 ± 8.9; p = 0.002). No differences were found between the two groups in terms of gender distribution, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia or smoking history (all p > 0.5). The FAI score was significantly higher in patients from group 2, who presented a significantly higher score of inflammation compared to the patients in group 1, especially at the level of the right coronary artery (FAI score 20.85 ± 15.80 vs. 14.61 ± 16.66; p = 0.01 for the right coronary artery, 13.85 ± 8.04 vs. 10.91 ± 6.5; p = 0.01 for the circumflex artery, and 13.26 ±10.18 vs. 11.37 ± 8.84; p = 0.2 for the left anterior descending artery). CaRi-Heart® analysis identified a significantly higher risk of future events among patients with a high modified Duke index (34.84 % ± 25.86 % versus 16.87 % ± 15.80 %; p

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV), a single-stranded RNA virus transmitted by Aedes mosquitoes, poses a significant global health threat, with severe complications observed in vulnerable populations. The only licensed vaccine, IXCHIQ, approved by the USFDA, is insufficient to address the growing disease burden, particularly in endemic regions lacking herd immunity. Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs), explicitly targeting structural proteins E1/E2, demonstrate promise in passive transfer studies, with mouse and human-derived mAbs showing protective efficacy. The article explores various vaccine candidates, including live attenuated, killed, nucleic-acid-based (DNA/RNA), virus-like particle, chimeric, subunit, and adenovirus vectored vaccines. RNA vaccines emerge as promising candidates due to their rapid response capabilities and enhanced safety profile. The review underscores the importance of E1 and E2 proteins as immunogens, emphasising their antigenic potential. Several vaccine candidates, such as CHIKV/IRES, measles vector (MV-CHIK), synthetic DNA-encoded antibodies, and mRNA-lipid nanoparticle vaccines, demonstrate encouraging preclinical and clinical study results. In addition to identifying potential molecular targets for antiviral therapy, the study looks into the roles played by Toll-like receptors, RIG-I, and NOD-like receptors in the immune response to CHIKV. It also offers insights into novel tactics and promising vaccine candidates.

This scientific paper explores the increasingly widespread use of collaborative robots in the industrial environment, highlighting them as a solution to challenges related to the high costs of human labour and the associated management difficulties. The authors focus on the process of defining requirements for the implementation of collaborative robots, providing strategies based on mathematical management models. This approach translates into significant benefits for companies, such as cost reduction, quality improvement, and increased operational efficiency. Additionally, the paper proposes an innovative mathematical model for assessing total costs, budgeting, profitability, and electric power consumption associated with the operation of collaborative robots. This model allows for a comparison between the costs involved in using human labour and those associated with collaborative robots, providing critical information for technological investment decisions. The efficiency of this mathematical model is demonstrated through a practical application, where collaborative robots were integrated into a production environment, and costs and efficiency were evaluated compared to the use of human labour. This scientific paper provides a systematic and efficient approach to implementing collaborative robots in industrial processes, benefiting from strategies based on mathematical management models and an original mathematical model for evaluating performance and associated costs.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs), a diverse group of cell-derived exocytosed particles, are pivotal in mediating intercellular communication due to their ability to selectively transfer biomolecules to specific cell types. EVs, composed of proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids, are taken up by cells to affect a variety of signaling cascades. Research in the field has primarily focused on stem-cell derived EVs, with a particular focus on mesenchymal stem cells, for their potential therapeutic benefits. Recently, tissue specific EVs or cell type specific extracellular vesicles (CTS-EVs), have garnered attention for their unique biogenesis and molecular composition because they enable highly targeted cell-specific communication. Various studies have outlined the roles that CTS-EVs play in signaling for physiological function and maintenance of homeostasis, including immune modulation, tissue regeneration, and organ development. These properties are also exploited for disease propagation, such as in cancer, neurological disorders, infectious diseases, autoimmune conditions, and more. The insights gained from analyzing CTS-EVs in different biological roles not only enhance our understanding of intercellular signaling and disease pathogenesis, but also open new avenues for innovative diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for a wide spectrum of medical conditions. This review comprehensively outlines current understanding of CTS-EV origins, function within normal physiology, and implications in diseased states.

Object detection algorithms for open water aerial images present challenges such as small object size, unsatisfactory detection accuracy, numerous network parameters, and enormous computational demands. Current detection algorithms struggle to meet the accuracy and speed requirements while being deployable on small mobile devices. This paper proposes DFLM-YOLO, a lightweight small-object detection network based on the YOLOv8 algorithm with multiscale feature fusion. Firstly, to solve the class imbalance problem of the SeaDroneSee dataset, we propose a data augmentation algorithm called Small Object Multiplication (SOM). SOM enhance dataset balance by increasing the number of objects in specific categories, thereby improving model accuracy and generalization capabilities. Secondly, we optimize the backbone network structure by implementing Depthwise Separable Convolution (DSConv) and the newly designed FC-C2f, which reduces the model's parameters and inference time. Finally, we design the Lightweight Multiscale Feature Fusion Network (LMFN) to address the challenges of multiscale variations by gradually fusing the four feature layers extracted from the backbone network in three stages. In addition, LMFN incorporates the Dilated Re-param Block structure to increase the effective receptive field and improve the model's classification ability and detection accuracy. Experimental results on the SeaDroneSea dataset indicate that DFLM-YOLO improves mAP by 12.4% compared to the original YOLOv8s, while reducing parameters by 67.2%. This achievement provides a new solution for UAVs to conduct object detection missions in open water efficiently.

Several pathotypes of enteric E. coli have been identified. The group represented by Shiga toxin-producing E. coli (STEC) is of particular interest. Raw milk and raw milk products are significant sources of STEC infection in humans; therefore, identifying pathogens at the herd level is crucial for public health. Most national surveillance programs focus solely on raw milk and raw milk cheeses that are ready for retail sale, neglecting the possibility of evaluating the source of contamination directly at the beginning of the dairy chain. In order to assess the viability of new molecular methodologies applied to raw milk filters enabling the identification of the presence of STEC serotypes in milk production and apply the same methods to identify the presence of these pathogens in calf feces we analyzed, through a commercial real-time PCR assay, a total of 290 samples coming from 18 different dairy herds; 88 bulk tank milk (BTM), 104 raw milk filters (RMF) and 98 calves’ feces samples. In total 3.4% of BTM, 41.4% of RMF and 73.4% of calves’ feces tested positive for stx presence, supporting our hypothesis that BTM is not a suitable matrix to assess the STEC presence at herd level, underestimating it. Our conclusion is that the surveillance program needs critical and extensive improvements such as RMF and calves’ feces analysis implementation in order to be more efficient in detecting and preventing STEC infections. The epidemiology of these infections and the characteristics of the pathogen clearly show how a One Health approach will be pivotal to improve our capabilities to control the spread of these infections.

This study presents the synthesis and electrochemical evaluation of nitrogen-doped vanadium oxide (N-V2O3/C) as a cathode material for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs), using a hydrothermal method. Compared to undoped V2O3/C, N-V2O3/C exhibits enhanced electrical conductivity, capacity, and electrochemical kinetics, attributed to the incorporation of pyridinic and pyrrolic nitrogen. Initial charge-discharge cycles indicate phase transitions to amorphous vanadium oxides, enhancing conductivity. N-V2O3/C shows a high specific capacity of 168.4 mAh g−1 at 10 A g−1 and remarkable reversibility, highlighted by the transient existence of intermediate species during cycling. Optimal electrochemical performance is achieved with a vanadium to nitrogen molar ratio of 2:3, indicating the significant impact of nitrogen doping concentration on the material’s efficiency. This work underscores the potential of N-V2O3/C as a superior cathode material for AZIBs.

Using density functional theory (DFT), the density of states of NH4V3O8 (NVO) was analyzed pre and post-oxygen defects (Od) formation. The findings revealed a reduced bandgap in NVO after Od introduction, emphasizing the role of Od in enhancing conductivity of the material, thus improving its electrochemical attributes. Through the water bath method, both NVO and its oxygen-deficient counterpart, (NH4)2V10O25⸱8H2O (NVOd), were synthesized as potential cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries (AZIBs). Experimental outcomes resonated with DFT predictions, highlighting the beneficial role of oxygen defects in boosting electrical conductivity. Notably, the refined material displayed a remarkable capacity of 479.3 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1, underscoring its promise for advanced energy storage solutions.

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) hold enormous potential in the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, benefit from their roles in intercellular signaling, as well as their plentiful presence and stability in body fluids. However, conventional EV isolation methods are labor-intensive, and harvest EVs with low purity and compromised recovery. In addition, the drawbacks, such as limited sensitivity and specificity of traditional EV analysis methods hinder the application of EVs in clinical use. Therefore, it is urgent to develop effective and standardized methods for isolating and detecting EVs. Microfluidics technology is a powerful and rapidly developing technology that has been introduced as a potential solution for the above bottlenecks. It holds the advantages of high integration, short analysis time, low consumption of samples and reagents. In this review, we summarize the traditional techniques alongside microfluidic-based methodologies for the isolation and detection of EVs. We emphasize the separation advantages of microfluidic technology in enhancing EV capture efficiency and precise targeting, while summarizing its analytical role in targeted detection and discussing the significance of EV detection in the tumor microenvironment, providing a direction for achieving automated and high-throughput EV detection in clinical samples.

Solar photovoltaic (PV) generation suffers from multiple serious issues, for example shading effects directly affect the performance of installed PV arrays. By studying these issues, it can play a key role in improving the limitations and performance of PV panels. The study of PV arrays under partial shading conditions is mentioned in many papers as a part of other studies and as an independent phenomenon. Therefore, it is essential to improve these studies and update them with new research and study this problem in detail to know how to limit the effects of partial shading irradiance conditions on PV arrays performances, including economical aspects. This paper proposes to study the effects of different partial shading irradiance conditions for a PV array in various configurations. The analysis is proved in detail through the simulation of the proposed PV array in the Matlab/Simulink environment. The obtained results show the performances of interconnected PV arrays under different partial shading irradiance and temperature conditions, including the solar array I-V and P-V characteristics. In addition, different PV array configurations with and without bypass and blocking protection diodes improve and minimize the effect of partial shading conditions and avoid the reductions in output power.

The difficult current environmental situation, caused by construction industry residues containing ceramic materials could be improved by using these materials as recycled aggregates in mortars, with their processing causing a reduction in their use in landfill, contributing to recycling and also minimizing the consumption of virgin materials. Although some research is currently being carried out into recycled mortars, little is known about their stress-strain (σ-ε); therefore this work will provide the experimental results obtained from recycled mortars with recycled ceramic aggregates (with contents of 0, 10, 20, 30, 50 and 100%), such as: the density, the compression strength, as well as the σ-ε curves representative of their behavior. The values obtained from the analysis process of the results are those of: σ (elastic ranges and failure maximum), ε (elastic ranges and failure maximum), and Resilience and Toughness; in order to finally obtain, through numerical analysis, the equations to predict their behavior (related to their recycled content). At the end of the investigation it is established that mortars with recycled ceramic aggregate contents of up to 20% could be assimilated just like mortars with the usual aggregates, and the prediction equations produced could be used in cases of similar applications.

Long COVID, a name often given to the persistent symptoms following acute SARS-CoV-2 infection, poses a multifaceted challenge for health. This review explores the intrinsic relationship between comorbidities and autoimmune responses in shaping the trajectory of long COVID. Autoantibodies have emerged as significant players in COVID-19 pathophysiology, with implications for disease severity and progression. Studies show immune dysregulation persisting months after infection, marked by activated innate immune cells and high cytokine levels. The presence of autoantibodies against various autoantigens suggests their potential as comorbid factors in long COVID. Additionally, the formation of immune complexes may lead to severe disease progression, highlighting the urgency for early detection and intervention. Furthermore, long COVID is highly linked to cardiovascular complications and neurological symptoms, posing challenges in diagnosis and management. Multidisciplinary approaches, including vaccination, tailored rehabilitation, and pharmacological interventions, are used for mitigating long COVID's burden. However, numerous challenges persist, from evolving diagnostic criteria to addressing the psychosocial impact and predicting disease outcomes. Leveraging AI-based applications holds promise in enhancing patient management and improving our understanding of long COVID. As research continues to unfold, unravelling the complexities of long COVID remains paramount for effective intervention and patient care.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a home-based efficacious modality for replacement of renal function in end-stage kidney failure patients but is still under-prescribed. A major limitation is the durability of the dialytic technique. Continuous exposure of the peritoneum to bioincompatible conventional glucose-based solutions is thought to be the main cause of long-term morpho-functional peritoneal changes eventually resulting in ultrafiltration failure. Poor PD solution biocompatibility is primarily related to the high glucose content, which is not only detrimental to the peritoneal membrane but has many potential metabolic side effects. To improve the clinical outcome and prolong the survival of the treatment, PD-related bioincompatibility urgently needs to be overcome. However, combining dialytic and osmotic efficacy with a satisfactory biocompatible profile proves quite difficult. New approaches targeting the composition of the PD solution include replacement of glucose with other osmotic agents and the addition of cytoprotective or osmo-metabolic compounds. Other strategies include infusion of mesenchymal cells or the administration of orally active agents. In the present article we review the current evidence on efforts to improve the biocompatible and functional performance of PD, focusing on studies performed in vivo (animal models of PD, human subjects on PD).

Spontaneous tumours in higher plants can develop depending on plant genotype without any pathogen invasion. Spontaneous tumour formation on the taproots is consistently observed in certain inbred lines of radish (Raphanus sativus var. radicula Pers.). In this work, we have sequenced the genomes of two closely related radish inbred lines that differ in their ability to spontaneously form tumours. We have identified numerous single nucleotide variants (amino acid substitutions, insertions or deletions) that are likely to be associated with the spontaneous tumour formation. Furthermore, we performed the identification of CLE and WOX genes the genomic sequences of the radish inbred lines and, as a result, identified two unique radish CLE genes which probably encode proteins with multiple CLE domains. The results obtained provide a basis for investigating the mechanisms of plant tumour formation and also for future genetic and genomic studies of radish.

This paper is aimed at studying the temporal evolution of the surface displacements occurred over the past few years in the ocean-reclaimed platforms of the Shanghai megacity (China), which are mainly ascribable to consolidation processes of large dredger fills and alluvial deposits. With respect to previous analyses carried out over the same area, this work provides a joint multi-platform differential interferometry synthetic aperture radar (DInSAR) analysis, based on the application of the advanced Small BAseline Subset (SBAS) algorithm. This led us to retrieve long-term deformation time-series that are helpful for a better understanding of the on-going deformation phenomena. To this aim, we have exploited two sequences of SAR data collected by the ASAR/ENVISAT and by the COSMO-SkyMed (CSK) sensors, respectively, spanning the whole time period from 2007 to 2016. Unfortunately, the large time gap (of about three years) existing between the available ASAR/ENVISAT and CSK datasets gave rise to additional difficulties for their combination. Nevertheless, this problem has been faced by benefiting from the knowledge of a time-dependent model describing the temporal evolution of the expected deformations affecting the Shanghai ocean-reclaimed platforms.

Economic, social, and environmental sustainability are the results of efforts aiming to improve all aspects of milk production, respecting animal welfare and improving herd health. An epidemi-ological study was designed to assess the role of contagious pathogens (S. aureus and S.agalactiae) in a cohort of 120 dairy herds located in the southern regions of Italy. Milk quality was assessed using certified methods, and the prevalence of mastitis pathogens in bulk tank milk was determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Welfare scores were assessed using a scoring card that have more than 100 items, including animal-based measurements. Statistical analyses were performed using general lineal model and logistic regression procedures. The results showed that S. aureus had a significant negative effect on the amount of milk components delivered to the dairy plant, and on the level of welfare. Whereas, the presence of S.agalactiae did not show any significant association. The major risk factors associated with the presence of S.aureus were also identified to help prioritise control programs. These results support the “One Sustainability” approach im-plying that an increase of animal productivity is related to the improvement of animal health and welfare and potentially leading to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.Economic, social, and environmental sustainability are the results of efforts aiming to improve all aspects of milk production, respecting animal welfare and improving herd health. An epidemi-ological study was designed to assess the role of contagious pathogens (S. aureus and S.agalactiae) in a cohort of 120 dairy herds located in the southern regions of Italy. Milk quality was assessed using certified methods, and the prevalence of mastitis pathogens in bulk tank milk was determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Welfare scores were assessed using a scoring card that have more than 100 items, including animal-based measurements. Statistical analyses were performed using general lineal model and logistic regression procedures. The results showed that S. aureus had a significant negative effect on the amount of milk components delivered to the dairy plant, and on the level of welfare. Whereas, the presence of S.agalactiae did not show any significant association. The major risk factors associated with the presence of S.aureus were also identified to help prioritise control programs. These results support the “One Sustainability” approach im-plying that an increase of animal productivity is related to the improvement of animal health and welfare and potentially leading to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.

The human landscape transforming activity contributes to the global change of vegetation in different forms. Hunting is one of the most ancient human landscape-shaping activities. Feeders for hunting are particularly disruptive to vegetation. In the present study, we conducted a vegetation survey in these highly disturbed places. We are investigating the vegetation dynamics over several years in in the turkey oak–sessile oak zone, in two areas with different moisture and shade conditions (forest and clearing). One important background factor is changes in precipitation and temperature. The novelty of our present study lies in the fact that the observation takes place with continuous disturbance, where the human influence is very large. Our results confirm that the weed infestation be detectable at bait sites over a long period, and the interannual changes were typical in every year, according to the fact that in August, more weed species are usually present with a greater cover at the bait sites. The main meteorological factors played a role in the degree of weed infestation in each year. There was a higher proportion of vegetation regeneration in wetter years, while dry periods do not favor successional processes. With the drying of the climate, the disturbed areas are constantly losing their natural value, but wetter weather is not an automatic solution either. A more precise understanding of vulnerable systems and careful planning of treatment interventions is necessary.

The effects of rare earth Ce on the microstructure and properties of cast pure copper were investigated through thermodynamic calculations, XRD analysis, mechanical testing, metallographic microscopy, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The experimental results demonstrate that the reaction between rare earth Ce and oxygen as well as sulfur in copper exhibits a significantly negative Gibbs free energy value, indicating a strong thermodynamic driving force for deoxidation and desulfurization reactions. Ce is capable of removing trace amounts of O and S from copper. Moreover, the maximum solid solubility of Ce in Cu falls within the range of 0.009% to 0.01%. Furthermore, Ce can refine columnar grains while enlarging equiaxed grains in as-cast copper.Upon addition of rare earth Ce, the tensile strength increased by 8.45%, elongation increased by 12.1%, and microhardness rose from 73.5HV to 81.2HV-an increase of 10.5%. Overall, rare earth Ce has been found to enhance both the microstructure and mechanical properties of cast pure copper.