This paper aims to provide an evaluation of how Value Added Tax (VAT) policy alterations influence market liquidity, trading volume, and stock performance. To fill the existing literature gap on the direct effect of (VAT) adjustments on stock market dynamic, particulate within the banking industry. The study employs an event study methodology to analyse the immediate and medium-term effects on bank stocks listed in markets subject to a (VAT) adjustments. The core of the study analysis is anchored around two pivotal events, the initial application of (VAT) on 1st January 2018, and the subsequent (VAT) increase to 15% on 1st July 2020 using MATLAB R2022b. The study analysis encompasses the period immediately before and after the introduction and subsequent increase (VAT) in kingdom Saudi Ariba (KSA) employing an eleven sample comprises the (KSA) largest banks with a ±7 days window period from the event. The analysis revels that the imposition of 5% (VAT) lead a substation downturn in trading volume and stock returns of 9.5%, and 39.5%, subsequently. While when the (VAT) was increased by 15% the market exhibited a mixed but ultimately positive response of 3.3% trading volumes increases and 128.7% average stock return recovery.

The authors undertook pilot studies to assess the accuracy of the reverse engineering process of worn nonstandard spur gears (non-standardized modulus value, unusual profile/pressure angle, high or low teeth), using conventional techniques and measuring instruments. Eight gears were tested, the module of which ranges from 1.020 to 4.98 mm and the number of teeth from 13 to 42. The key parameter, the basic pitch, was selected to estimate the accuracy of the process. The goal is to determine the value of the profile angle. Eleven models were proposed to estimate the nominal tolerance field, using various types of random data distribution. The tested gears were made in IT grade: 6, 7, 8 and 9 according to DIN 3961. Vernier disc micrometers with various measurement ranges were used for research. It has been shown that the nominal module does not have to be treated as a random variable in the population. EIG (Equation of Identity) was developed, allowing conversion of any gear with specific values of geometric parameters into an identical gear with alternative values of these parameters. The directions and degrees of shifts of the estimated tolerance fields relative to the nominal field were determined. The most effective estimating model was selected in the context of the percentage filling of the nominal tolerance field, taking into account the symmetric Student-Fisher distribution with a confidence level of 60%. Further directions of the research activities were described.

Dietary fibers regulate intestinal barrier function; however, the precise mechanisms remain unclear. This study investigated the effects of psyllium fibers on antimicrobial protein expression, focusing on the type II immunity and tuft cell-group 2 innate lymphoid cell (ILC2) circuit in the small intestine of the mouse. Supplemental psyllium fiber upregulated antimicrobial proteins, such as small proline-rich protein 2A (SPRR2A) and resistin-like beta (RELMβ), in mouse small intestine, evidently affecting cecal microbiota composition. Psyllium fibers also increased the RNA and protein expression of molecules related to ILC2 and tuft cells, such as IL-13, IL-25, DCLK1, Gfi-1b, SH2 domain-containing protein 3C, and Spi-B. In addition, ILC2 inhibitor (disulfiram) and bitter taste receptor blocker administration reduced psyllium-induced SPRR2A and RELMβ expression. Collectively, psyllium supplementation upregulates antimicrobial proteins such as SPRR2A and RELMß via the type II immune response and tuft cell-ILC2 circuit in the mouse small intestine.

Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (pPCI) has revolutionized the prognosis of ST-segment ele-vation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and is the gold standard treatment. As a result of its success, the number of pPCI centres has expanded worldwide. Despite decades of advancements, clinical outcomes in STEMI patients have plateaued. Out-of-hospital car-diac arrest and cardiogenic shock remain a major cause of high in-hospital mortality, whilst the growing burden of heart failure in long-term STEMI survivors presents a growing problem. Many elements aiming to optimize STEMI treatment are still subject to debate or lack sufficient evidence. This review provides an overview of the most contentious current issues in pPCI in STEMI patients, with an emphasis on unresolved questions and persistent challenges.

The Urban heat island (UHI) effect has evolved into one of the key environmental problems affecting urban ecological environment and sustainable development. Based on 52 Urban Thermal Heat spots (UTHSs) with significant differences between land use structure and UGI spatial layout within the influence range of UHI in Shanghai, Landsat-8/9 satellite images were used to construct a high-dimensional data set reflecting the impact of built environment components on urban thermal environment. Descriptive statistical analysis was used to analyze the spatial difference qualitatively. Using stepwise regression model and partial least square regression (PLSR) model, the complex response relationship between UGI pattern differentiation and urban thermal environment in three spatial stratification ranges of UTHSs was quantitatively analyzed. Overall, the statistical explanatory power of the partial least square regression PLSR model is due to the stepwise regression model. The PLSR model points out that moderately increasing the average building height, CA, PLAND, LSI and LPI play a positive role in inhibiting/slowing down the growth of LST (land surface temperature), and the cooling effect of index weights decreases in order. However, the interaction effects of CA×Cohesion×AI×LPI and PLAND×CA×Cohesion×AI×LPI exert relatively small weight on the cooling effect, and according to the results, suggestions such as UGI structure and urban construction layout optimization can effectively alleviate the urban heat island effect are proposed.

Sirtuins (SIRTs) are a family of evolutionarily conserved enzymes, and the aim of this study was to disclose/re-annotate uncertain paralogs in gilthead sea bream, expanding from seven to ten the repertoire of Sirts in this Perciform fish. Such gene expansion revealed up to three copies of sirt3 (sirt3.1a/sirt3.1b/sirt3.2) and two of sirt5 (sirt5a/sirt5b). Phylogenetic and synteny attempts disclosed the duplication of SIRT3/Sirt3 branch as a process shaped by the 2R whole genome duplication (WGD) at the early vertebrate evolution, with still vestiges in all living fish, and some Sarcopterygii. In gilthead sea bream and other Percomorphaceae, this duplication was accompanied by short segmental duplications of sirt3.1 (clustered to the mammalian SIRT3 ortholog), making a conserved tandem-duplicated synteny block (psmd13-sirt3.1a/b-drd4-cdhr5-ctsd). Conversely, the expansion of the Sirt5 branch was shaped by the 3R WGD as a specific event of the teleost fish lineage. Intriguingly, gene expression profiling across tissues and developmental stages highlighted a conserved high expression of sirt3.1 and sirt5a in skeletal muscle, while the duplicated sirt3.2 and sirt5b displayed an overall muscle suppression of transcriptional activity, and an enhanced expression on immune-relevant tissues and gills, respectively. Altogether offers new insights about the function, regulation, and timing of Sirt expansion.

This paper investigates the efficacy of YOLOv8 variants for vehicle detection and license plate detection within smart parking applications, emphasizing performance under varying ambient lighting conditions. The proposed system is to seize full video frames, extracts regions of interest containing vehicles, and feeds them into separate, pre-trained YOLOv8 models – one dedicated to vehicle detection and another for license plate detection. Four YOLOv8 variants, nano, small, medium, and large, are evaluated. As a pre-processing step, the images are processed with the help of OpenCV and Pillow libraries to adjust the luminosity and increase the images’ DPI so that they would be easy to perceive by the Tesseract OCR engine. Sixteen potential combinations arise from pairing the four YOLOv8 models for vehicle and license plate detection tasks. To identify the most suitable combinations, we employ the Multi-Criteria Decision-Making method, specifically Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution (TOPSIS) analysis. This analysis considers 4 critical metrics: Precision, mean average precision at 95% Intersection of Union threshold, Recall and Total Inference Time. The objective is to achieve an optimal balance between high accuracy and real-time processing. Following the selection of optimal YOLOv8 combinations through TOPSIS analysis, we assess their performance under varying ambient light intensity (measured in lux). This evaluation aims to identify the most robust model combinations that ensure accurate vehicle and license plate recognition across the diverse lighting conditions encountered in real-world environment.

This study examines Tim Rowett's YouTube channel, "Grand Illusions," which captures and maintains positive viewer engagement in the digital domain. Through a comprehensive YouTube channel analysis, this paper identifies key factors contributing to its success, including collaboration and influence, educational impact, legacy and continuity, personal style, and community engagement. Rowett, known for his extensive toy collection and in-depth knowledge of their mechanics and history, employs an educational and engaging presentation style that fosters a positive and inclusive online community. His approach entertains and educates, making him a valuable digital resource that inspires viewers of all ages. This research proposes the CECCE (Collaboration, Education, Continuity, Community Engagement) model as a framework for content creators seeking to replicate the success of "Grand Illusions." The study emphasizes the potential of tailored, passionate content to cultivate healthy digital communities and underscores the significant role of digital content creators in shaping online culture. The proposed framework will guide creators to achieve similar success.

In reinforced concrete (RC) structures, splicing is required owing to the length limitations of rebars, insufficient lengths, and transportation issues. In particular, splices connect the rebar of RC structures such as walls, columns, beams, slabs, and joints. Lap splices are the most commonly used method worldwide because they do not require specific equipment or skilled workers. However, lap splices incur high construction costs because of the long splice lengths required for large-diameter rebars in megastructures, as well as issues pertaining to material supply, labor costs, constructability, and project duration. Additionally, approximately 15% more rebar is required because of the overlap. Energy saving for a sustainable built environment is possible if the disadvantage of lap splices, which generate high CO2 emissions due to the excessive use of rebar, are resolved. Hence, mechanical rebar couplers (MRCs) have been developed. However, despite their advantages, they have not been widely applied in construction sites owing to concerns regarding safety, quality, and constructability. Although various MRCs have been developed, most studies focus only on their structural performance. Therefore, a data-driven approach for selecting MRCs based on the reinforcing bar shape and structural characteristics is proposed in this study. Using a data-driven MRC selection algorithm, using the T-threaded coupler for one rebar over two floors resulted in 56% more efficient labor productivity, 15% shorter assembly time, 17% lower costs, and 26% lower CO2 emission. Using a developed algorithm, the appropriate MRC can easily and rapidly be selected for frequent design changes.

Background: Recently, minimally invasive access via right-anterolateral mini-thoracotomy (RAMT) has been gaining popularity in cardiac surgery. This approach is also an option for sur-geons performing aortic surgery. Aim of the study is to present our surgical method highlighting the total endoscopic minimally invasive approach via RAMT for replacement of the ascending aorta (AAR) with or without involvement of the aortic root and the aortic valve. Methods: Clini-cal data of 44 patients from three participating institutions with AAR with or without involving the aortic valve or aortic root via RAMT between April 2017 and February 2024 were retrospec-tively analyzed. According to surgical procedure patients were divided in group A with only AAR and group B with concomitant valve or root replacement. Operative time, length of ventila-tion, perioperative outcome, length of intensive care unit (ICU) as well as postoperative hospital stay, and mid- and long-term results were retrospectively analyzed. Results: Mean age was 61.4 ± 10.7 years old with a frequency of male gender (63.6%). Mean cardiopulmonary bypass (CBP) time and aortic cross-clamping time was 94.9 ± 32.5 min. and 63.8 ± 25.9 min., respectively. CPB and aortic clamp time were significantly lower in group A. In the first 24 hours the mean drain-age volume was 790.3 ± 423.6 ml. Re-thoracotomy due to bleeding was zero. Sternotomy could be avoided in all patients. Patients stayed 35.9 ± 23.5 hrs at ICU and were discharged 7.8 ± 3.0 days following surgery from hospital. Mean ventilation time was 5.8 ± 7.6 hrs. All patients survived and 30-day mortality was 0.0%. At a median follow-up time of 18.2 months, all patients were alive. The results were similar in both groups. Conclusions: The full endoscopic RAMT approach with 3D visualization is a safe and feasible technique which can be transferred in the field of aor-tic surgery without compromising surgical quality, postoperative outcomes, or patient safety when performed by an experienced team in a high-volume center.

This study aimed to evaluate the early-childhood comorbidities of cerebral palsy (CP) in children with low birth weight (LBW) and assess the impact of maternal bio-psychosocial factors on the risk of CP in preterm infants across varying birth weights. Data for 15,181 prematurely born infants from 2009 to 2013 and 151,810 matched controls from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database were analyzed. Period prevalence of CP, and comorbidities of LBW were verified, and odds ratios (ORs) were calculated. Results confirmed that increasing prematurity and low birth weight (LBW) rates in Taiwan. LBW was associated with higher CP prevalence. Maternal age extremes (<20 and >40 years) were significant risk factors of CP in LBW infants. LBW infants showed higher risks of respiratory, circulatory, and nervous system and psycho-developmental comorbidities compared to controls. Infants with the lowest birth weights had even higher ORs for these comorbidities. However, gastrointestinal and nutritional comorbidities were less prevalent in premature infants. Maternal factors such as family income, number of hospital admissions, and length of hospital stay were significantly correlated with birth weight and subsequent complications. Each additional gestational week significantly reduced the risk of complications in premature infants. Additionally, maternal bio-psychosocial factors were associated with birth weight and related outcomes in premature infants, emphasizing the importance of addressing these factors in prenatal care and interventions.

The penetrability and directivity of ultrasound in different media is of interest in engineering and medical applications (imaging, nondestructive testing, sonochemistry, among others). The nonlinearity of a liquid can be used in the parametric antenna framework to generate low-frequency components with particular features from several ultrasonic signals at the source. Bubbly liquids are dispersive liquids in which a small amount of tiny gas bubbles leads to the increase of the nonlinear parameter of the media over certain frequency ranges. Parametric antenna applied to this huge nonlinear media gives rise to low-frequency components with relatively small intensity at the source. The evolution of a low-frequency component (difference-frequency component obtained from two primary signals) during its propagation in a bubbly liquid is somehow unknown. It is thus interesting to analyse its characteristics to establish whether this component can benefit from the quality of its own frequency and from the primary frequencies in terms of directivity and penetrability into the medium. It must be noted that no such study in bubbly liquids exists in the litterature, but only for homogeneous media. To this end, several numerical models developed previously are used here to analyse the difference-frequency component obtained from a parametric antenna emitting from two ultrasonic signals at the source in one and two-dimensional domains. These models allow us to observe the behavior of this frequency component. An angle that measures the directivity of a beam is also defined. Our results show a point hardly found in the literature: the high directivity and the huge penetrability of the secondary beam associated to the difference-frequency component into the bubbly liquid, compared to the same frequency signal excited directly from the source in the bubbly liquid and to the parametric acoustic array in homogeneous fluids.

This research aimed to synthesize Polyvinyl fluoride (PVDF) membranes and coat them with Tannic acid (TA) nanoparticles and Polyethylene glycol (PEG) additives so that the membrane's removal efficacy for humic acid (HA) pollutant from agricultural wastewater was investigated. Thus, six membranes with PEG:TA ratios of 0:0, 1:0, 0:1, 1:1, 4:1 and 1:4 were synthesized. Then the membranes' characteristics were identified by FT-IR ATR, FESEM, and AFM analysis, and HA's particle size and zeta potential were also investigated. Based on optimizing effective parameters, the operating pressure of 1.5 bar and HA concentration of 80 ppm were selected as optimal values. The membrane with PEG:TA=4:1, as the optimally modified membrane, had a pure water flux of 446.03 L/m2.h, effluent flux of 72.43 L/m2.h and pollutant removal rate of 86.62% at pH=7 After 60 min had passed. These values for the pristine membrane (PEG:TA=0:0) were 265.64 L/m2.h, 89.39 L/m2.h, and 75.59%, respectively. The results showed that although the effluent flux was lower in the optimized modified membrane than in the pristine membrane, HA removal percentage was increased.

Infant mortality remains a major global concern. Sudden unexpected death in infancy (SUDI) is reported globally and in the Western Cape of South Africa it accounted for 40% of all infant deaths between 2012 and 2016. Research highlighting molecular typing of respiratory viruses in SUDI cases is lacking. A total of 116 PCR-positive human rhinovirus (HRV) and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) swab samples collected from the lungs and trachea of SUDI cases admitted to Tygerberg Medico-legal Mortuary in Cape Town between 2015 and 2019 were included and underwent sequencing and phylogenetic analysis. Three distinct HRV species were identified; HRV-A (n=28), HRV-C (n=11), and HRV-B (n=4), including eight HRV-A, seven HRV-C and one HRV-B genotypes. For RSV, both RSV-A (n=5) and -B (n=5) were detected, but no RSV-A. After amino acid alignment indicating 20 amino acid duplication and nine substitutions, two BA9 genotypes were confirmed. This study describes the first molecular and phylogenetic characterisation of respiratory viruses in SUDI cases in South Africa. The rapid decline in viral viability in post-mortem samples and the retrospective study design employed for the current study did not allow for any correlations between viral genotypes and cause of death and future prospective studies should investigate temporality and specific viral strains associated with clinical disease severity.

The Philippines has the highest HIV incidence rate in the Asia-Pacific region. Previous studies identified multilevel factors contributing to this phenomenon. This scoping review describes the extent of the literature on HIV contributory factors and identifies gaps to guide directions for HIV prevention research. The keywords HIV incidence, individual, sociocultural, environmental factors, and Philippines, were used to search for evidence on Google Scholar, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases. A total of 1,017 peer-reviewed articles published in the English language from 2014 to 2024 were reviewed using the Joanna Briggs Institute Scoping Review protocol. Thirty articles were included in this review. The majority of the available evidence was quantitative studies published between 2020 and 2024. Individual, sociocultural, economic, educational, political, and environmental factors shaped the Philippines’ HIV epidemic. Low levels of HIV knowledge, low testing rates, high-risk sex behaviors, stigma, lifestyle, location, lack of HIV education in schools, conservative society, and restrictive policies are HIV contributing factors. The Philippine HIV epidemic is multifactorial. Identifying the contributory factors is crucial in developing targeted interventions for high-risk populations. A dedicated HIV research program is needed to provide evidence-based information to guide the development of HIV preventive programs and research.

There has been significant increase of studies investigating plasma biomarkers of Alzheimer’s and their relationship to cognitive functioning. The impact of ethnicity on this relationship has not been extensively studied. The current research investigated the relationship between the plasma biomarkers of total tau, Aβ40, Aβ42 and NfL and neuropsychological test performance in a bi-ethnic sample of cognitively unimpaired, older community dwelling adults. The 1326 cognitively unimpaired participants drawn from The Health & Aging Brain Study – Health Disparities (HABS-HD) study included 765 Mexican American participants and 860 non-Hispanic White participants with complete plasma biomarkers and neuropsychological testing. Plasma samples were assayed using Simoa technology. Significant differences in concentrations were found for all of the plasma biomarkers. NHWs had significantly higher levels of each of the biomarkers with a lower Aβ42/ Aβ40. With none of the biomarkers related to performance on any of the neuropsychological tests. For MAs, Aβ40 was the only biomarker that was significantly related to neuropsychological test performance. Aβ40 levels were negatively related to performance on Trails A, Trails B and Digit Symbol Substitution. Results suggest that the relationship of these biomarkers to cognitive functioning is impacted by ethnicity and may be domain specific.

The Indian Himalayan Region (IHR), due to its topography, geography, and active tectonics, a rough mountain zone, is among the most vulnerable zones to the landslip danger. The most cutting-edge and accurate ways for creating a landslip susceptibility model (LSM) are advanced statistical techniques. The goal of the current work was to use advanced statistical techniques to analyse and evaluate the updated landslip susceptibility for East District in the NE Himalayas of Sikkim, India. The spatiotemporal landslip inventory for the years are produced using literature surveys, historical satellite imageries and on-site observations. Slope, aspect, elevation, curvature, plane curvature, profile curvature, topographic wetness index (TWI), lithology, distance to faults, distance to streams, distance to roads, normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), rainfall, drainage density and land use/ land cover (LULC) are some of the topographic, environmental, geologic, and anthropogenic factors that were included in the spatial database. These LCFs were chosen to study the area's periodic landslip vulnerability. An inventory of 151 landslides from historical published records, field visits and Imagery interpretations, respectively, were used in the experimental design. Information Value Model (IVM), was used to evaluate the vulnerability to landslides as determined by fifteen LCFs. The goal of the study is to reduce the number of fatalities and possible economic harm caused by the region's frequent slope instabilities. It is expected that the application of statistical algorithms would assist relevant authorities and organisations in properly planning for and managing the region's landslip threat.

A comprehensive understanding of the genetic diversity among strains of Xanthomonas citri pv. citri (Xcc), the causative agent of citrus bacterial canker, is crucial for unraveling the pathological nature, structure, and evolution of populations, thereby facilitating the adoption of sustainable control measures. In a collection of 48 strains isolated in 2012, 2020, and 2021 from citrus production areas in Burkina Faso, polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests utilizing specific primers were conducted to investigate the distribution of type 3 effectors (T3E) and the structuring of strains based on their geographical origins. The analysis of the distribution of type 3 non-transcription activate like effectors (TALE) reveals a more extensive repertoire in strains isolated in 2020 and 2021 compared to those isolated in 2012. Nevertheless, all strains share a common repertoire of three genes, namely XopE2, XopN, and AvrBs2. Additionally, all screened effectors were observed in the Bobo-Dioulasso locality. Concerning the characterization of TALEs, two profiles consisting of two to three TALEs were identified. Profile 1, with two TALEs, was present in 37 Xcc strains, while Profile 2, with three TALEs, was identified in 11 strains. Among the three TALEs (A, B, and C) identified, TALEs B and C were common to all strains. The correlation matrix revealed a positive correlation between the T3E content of strains and the years of their isolation. Multiple component analysis indicated a weak structuring of the tested strains.

Objectives: The purpose of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of dental caries segmentation on the panoramic radiographs taken from children in primary dentition, mixed dentition, and permanent dentition with an Artificial Intelligence (AI) models developed using the deep learning method. Methods: This study used 6075 panoramic radiographs taken from children aged between 4 and 14 to develop the AI model. The radiographs included in the study were divided into three groups as primary dentition (n: 1857), mixed dentition (n: 1406), and permanent dentition (n: 2812). U-Net model implemented with PyTorch library was used for segmentation of caries lesions. Confusion matrix was used to evaluation of model performance. Results: In the primary dentition group, the sensitivity, precision and F1 scores calculated using the confusion matrix were found to be 0.8525, 0.9128, and 0.8816, respectively. In the mixed dentition group, the sensitivity, precision, and F1 scores calculated using the confusion matrix were found as 0.7377, 0.9192, and 0.8185, respectively. In the permanent dentition group, the sensitivity, precision, and F1 scores calculated using the confusion matrix were found as 0.8271, 0.9125, and 0.8677, respectively. In the total group including primary, mixed, and permanent dentition, the sensitivity, precision and F1 score calculated using the confusion matrix were 0.8269, 0.9123 and 0.8675, respectively. Conclusion: Deep learning-based AI models are promising tools for the detection and diagnosis of caries in panoramic radiographs taken from children in different dentitions.

Previous studies suggested that trauma-focused cognitive behavior therapy (TF-CBT) is effective in reducing symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression in children and adolescents. However, the effects of app-assisted TF-CBT-based interventions in psychiatric clinics compared to treatment-as-usual (TAU) are under-explored. The purpose of this study was to reveal the added value of the app-assisted TF-CBT-based intervention as an add-on to TAU. The digitalized measures of the Child and Adolescent Trauma Screen (CATS), The Adolescent Dissociative Experience Scale (A-DES), Short Moods and Feelings Questionnaire (SMFQ), PTSD Checklist (PCL-5), and Children's Post-Traumatic Cognitions Inventory (CPTCI) were applied at baseline and post-treatment. The app-assisted TF-CBT-based group participants started with higher levels of negative alterations in cognition and mood compared to TAU participants but at post-treatment, no significant differences were observed between the app-assisted TF-CBT and TAU groups. Within the app-assisted TF-CBT group, post-treatment scores were significantly lower in post-traumatic stress symptoms, intrusion symptoms, alterations in arousal and reactivity, overall post-traumatic cognitions, and belief in being "a fragile person in a scary world”. Within the TAU group, post-treatment scores were notably lower just in dissociation and intrusion symptoms. The study suggests that app-assisted TF-CBT-based intervention can be effective in addressing specific trauma-related symptoms. The findings imply the necessity for screening for traumatic experiences, incorporating trauma-informed care, implementation of TF-CBT into treatment protocols, utilization of app-assisted interventions, tailoring interventions to individual needs, and comprehensive assessment and monitoring of treatment progress.

Objective: The COVID-19 pandemic inferred on neuro-oncological patients (PTS) and the caregivers regarding tumor care and emotional functioning. This study aimed to understand how COVID-19 affects their psychological state and relations between PTS and health personnel in neuro-oncology. Methods: A cross-sectional study on neuro-oncological PTS and their caregivers. Results: A total of 162 PTS and 66 caregivers completed the questionnaire. The 37.5% of PTS perceived greater risk of contracting the COVID-19 compared to the general population. On the 0-10 scale, PTS tumor-related anxiety score was 5.8 and COVID-related 4.6. The caregivers reported 7.7 and 5.5 respectively. The QoL was described at least as good in 75% of both PTS and caregivers; the caregivers’ care burden increased in 22.7% during the pandemic, with no correlation with QoL. Future perception often changed both in PTS and in the caregivers. Cancer treatment schedule was changed in 18.5%, including for PTS decision. However, the 93.5% of PTS was satisfied with the overall care. Conclusion: A considerable proportion of PTS and caregivers still perceived the tumor disease as more burdensome than the pandemic, and perceived their future as more uncertain. Such data rinforce the need to build a proficient alliance between PTS and health personnel.

We conducted a pilot study to analyze the differential methylation status of 20 primary acinar adenocarcinomas of the lungs. These adenocarcinomas had to be wild type in mutation analysis and had either high (TPS>50%; n=10) or low (TPS<1%; n=10) PD-L1 status to be integrated into our study. To examine the methylation of 866,895 specific sites, we utilized the Illumina Infinium EPIC bead chip array. Both hypermethylation and hypomethylation play significant roles in tumor development, progression, and metastasis. They also impact the formation of the tumor microenvironment, which plays a decisive role in tumor differentiation, epigenetics, dissemination, and immune evasion. The gained methylation patterns were correlated with PD-L1 expression. Our analysis has identified distinct methylation patterns in lung adenocarcinomas with high and low PD-L1 expression. After analyzing the correlation between methylation results of genes and promoters with their pathobiology, we found that tumors with high expression of PD-L1 tend to exhibit oncogenic effects through hypermethylation. On the other hand, tumors with low PD-L1 expression show loss of their suppressor functions through hypomethylation. The suppressor functions of hypermethylated genes and promoters are ineffective compared to simultaneously activated dominant oncogenic mechanisms. The tumor microenvironment supports tumor growth in both groups.

Using both GRACE satellite data and statistical records, we apply the advanced Super-SBM model in this study to evaluate the efficiency of water resource utilization in 34 prefecture-level cities across three provinces in Northeast China from 2003 to 2020. Furthermore, we employ the Tobit model to examine the factors influencing efficiency. Our findings suggest that while spatial clustering is moderately low, the efficiency of water resource utilization in the Northeast Region is praiseworthy and significantly correlates with the level of technological advancement. Four distinct categories can be identified among the prefecture-level cities based on the scale and technological efficiency of water resource utilization. To promote enhanced utilization of water resources, different regions should implement measures that are specifically tailored to their unique circumstances.

As a key mediator of chronic pain, neurotrophin nerve growth factor (NGF) binds to two neurotrophin receptors: p75 neurotrophin receptor (p75NTR) and tyrosine kinase receptor A (TrkA). The formation of the p75NTR-NGF-TrkA complex is implicated in the potentiation of chronic pain signals, making it an attractive target for therapeutic explorations. NGF analogues and monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) targeting NGF represent two distinct approaches in modulating the intricate signaling pathways involved in pain transduction mediated by the p75NTR-NGF-TrkA complex. While NGF analogues offer the advantage of tailored design to fine-tune neurotrophic responses, monoclonal antibodies provide a more systemic and comprehensive blockade of NGF, inhibiting its interactions with both p75NTR and TrkA receptors. However, the use of mAbs may pose challenges related to potential side effects and interference with the physiological functions of NGF. As a result, balancing the benefits and drawbacks of the two approaches is critical for advancing therapeutic strategies towards the alleviation of p75NTR-NGF-TrkA-mediated pain. In this study, therefore, a novel structural and biophysical approach was employed for the design of NGF analogues to suppress p75NTR-NGF-TrkA-related chronic pain signaling. Employing high-throughput structural modeling and biophysics-based intermolecular binding affinity calculations, this article for the first time puts forward a set of NGF analogues, including in particular NGF analogues with four site-specific mutations, for whose dimerizations the K d at 37 ^◦C were reduced by three orders of magnitude (from 10^-9 M to 10^-6 M) compared to the K d at 37 ^◦C for the dimerization of native NGFs. Overall, the integration of structural and biophysical perspectives enhances our understanding of the rational design of NGF analogues as promising candidates for the development of NGF-targeted analgesic therapies, which balances the benefits and drawbacks of anti-NGF antibodies and NGF analogues for advancing therapeutic strategies towards the alleviation of p75NTR-NGF-TrkA-mediated pain.

In India, particularly within its North-Eastern territories, the occurrence of landslides triggered by post-dry period rainfall events is a significant concern, with the phenomena persistently causing extensive damage to both life and infrastructure. Despite the inevitability of such natural disasters, it is understood that the impact they exert can be substantially mitigated through the implementation of pre-emptive measures. Critical to the endeavour of landslide prevention is the application of a spectrum of mitigation strategies, predicated upon a foundational analysis of slope stability to ascertain critical surfaces for intervention. This investigation delves into the dynamics of partially saturated soils, a condition commonly resultant from the prolonged dry periods preceding the monsoonal rains. The study's focal point is an experimental examination conducted on soil samples to assess parameters such as soil matric suction and unconfined compressive strength across varying degrees of saturation and density, alongside performing analyses of slope failure incidents after dry period during the 2017 monsoon in the Lunglei district, Mizoram based on some established data. The Soil-Water Characteristic Curve (SWCC), derived from soil suction measurements employing the ASTM D5298-10 standard, utilizes a contact filter paper method and serves to delineate the moisture transition phases of the slope. To replicate the desiccation of the soil slope after monsoonal rains, a microwave drying technique based on the ASTM standard was employed to prepare unsaturated soil samples for Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS) testing. The integrity of the slope was evaluated in a temporal context, before and after rainfall events of varied intensities throughout the calendar year, utilizing a blend of numerical modeling and empirical laboratory investigations. The persistence of real onsite slope failures underscores the necessity for a numerical analysis approach to unravel the underlying factors causing slope instability, especially given the absence of prior stability assessments for the landslide in question. An evaluation of SWCC curves, UCS tests on partially saturated soil at different densities and saturation and the utilization of the benchmark data collected in 2017 on the shallow transitional landslide in Lunglei, Mizoram caused by intense monsoonal precipitation, are central key data and information used to carry out this research. Rainfall data for Lunglei, sourced from the Mizoram Meteorological Department, facilitated a real-time monsoonal data-driven numerical analysis. This analysis elucidated the pivotal role of rainfall in inducing slope failure, indicating a marked destabilization of the slope after precipitation events. The implications of these findings are far-reaching, suggesting a foundational basis for the development of an advanced landslide early warning system, thereby enhancing disaster preparedness, and mitigating potential damages.

Bacteria belonging to the genus Micromonospora are recognized as microorganisms with potential to be used in biotechnology processes, including their beneficial influence on plant growth and biocontrol of phytopathogens. In this study, nineteen Micromonospora isolates originating from root nodules of white clover plants were taxonomically assigned based on the phylogenetic analysis of the 16S rRNA gene and four housekeeping genes. The antifungal properties of the bacteria against phytopathogenic Botrytis cinerea, Fusarium oxysporum, Fusarium equiseti, Sclerotinia sclerotiorum, and Verticillium albo-atrum were tested with the agar plug test and the dual culture test. The ability to produce various metallophores was determined with the agar plug diffusion test on modified CAS agar medium. ISP2 broth amended with 0.2% L-tryptophan was used to indicate the bacterial ability to produce auxins. Strains belonging to M. tulbaghiae, M. inaquosa, and M. violae showed in vitro potential as antimicrobial agents against the tested fungi. M. inaquosa strain 152, M. violae strain 126, M. violae strain 66 and M. violae strain 45 were recognized as the most efficiency metallophores producers. M. alfalfae strain 55 and M. lupini strain 5052 were identified as the most promising auxin compound producers and, therefore, as potential plant growth promoting bacteria.

Introduction: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental condition in children in Saudi Arabia based on the results of the national mental health survey. ADHD significantly impacts the child and their family dynamics, particularly causing increased stress and diminished life quality for parents. In Saudi Arabia, there is a research gap regarding the quality of life and coping mechanisms of parents managing children with ADHD. This study assesses levels of depression and anxiety, quality of life, and coping strategies used by parents of children diagnosed with ADHD. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional online survey with 151 parents of ADHD-diagnosed children, utilizing the WHOQOL-BREF for life quality, the brief-COPE for coping strategies, and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ): depression (PHQ9-9 items) and generalized anxiety (GAD7-7 items) modules. Results: Among the parents surveyed, 36% reported moderate to severe depression, while 39.1% experienced moderate to high anxiety levels. Quality of life positively correlated significantly with higher household monthly income (HHI), employment status, sibling count, and effective coping strategies. Conversely, a parent's age, educational level, and particularly maternal status were inversely related to anxiety levels, with fathers displaying higher maladaptive coping scores. Conclusion: The study sheds light on the considerable anxiety and depression experienced by parents of children with ADHD, significantly affecting their quality of life. Lower parents' quality of life is associated with high levels of depression, anxiety, and ineffective coping strategies. These insights highlight the critical need for interventions to aid parental mental health, thereby improving their overall quality of life amidst ADHD challenges.

A screening questionnaire for autism symptoms is not yet available in Poland, and there are no recommendations regarding screening for developmental disorders in Polish primary health care. The aim of the study was to assess the opinions of parents and physicians on the legitimacy and ne-cessity of screening for autism spectrum disorders, potential barriers to the implementation of the screening program, and the evaluation and presenting the process of the online ASD screen-ing, which was part of the validation program of the Polish version of one of the screening tools. The study involved 418 parents whose children were screened online and 95 primary care physi-cians who expressed their opinions in prepared surveys. The results indicate that both parents and doctors perceive the need to screen children for ASD in general population without a clear preference as to the screening method (online or in-person). Online screening may prove to be at least a partial method of solving numerous indicated systemic difficulties - including: time con-straints, lack of experienced specialists in the field of developmental disorders or related to the organizational difficulties of health care.

Tomato brown rugose fruit virus (ToBRFV) is an emerging tobamovirus infecting tomatoes and peppers. Due to its ability to trigger seed contamination, efficient mechanical transmission, and to break the popular resistance genes (Tm-1, Tm-2 and Tm-22), the virus has resulted in a global pandemic on greenhouse tomato production in recent years despite the implementation of strict hygiene and disinfection measures. The objective of this study was to evaluate whether ToBRFV can be transmissible through recirculating hydroponic systems and search for effective approach to contain its spread under such circumstances. We not only detected the presence of ToBRFV in the runoff water solutions collected from ToBRFV-infected tomato greenhouses, but also demonstrated the infectivity of detected virus through initiating ToBRFV infection on tomato plants using bioassay. We then conducted treatment using cold plasma-generated ozone on ToBRFV-contaminated water reservoir and further assessed the efficacy of the treatment to inac-tivate the virus. Results showed the effectiveness of the cold-plasma ozone treatment was de-pendent on the ozone concentrations (0.1 mg/L to 1.0 mg/L), the periods of exposure (24 min to 72 min), and the relative virus titers (1:100 to 1:10,000 - dilution of virus-infected tissue extract), demonstrating the cold-plasma ozone treatment could offer a promising solution to cope with the potential ToBRFV spread through a recirculating hydroponic system in a greenhouse.

The subject of the conducted study was focused on the development of new type of technical blends reinforced with natural fillers. The study was divided into two parts, where in the firsts stage of the research unmodified POM was reinforced with different types of natural fillers: cellulose, wood flour and husk particles. In order to select the type of filler intended for further modification, the mechanical characteristics was assessed. The 20% wood flour (WF) filler system was selected as the reinforcement. The second stage of research involved the use of combination of polyoxymethylene POM and poly(lactic acid) PLA. POM/PLA blend (ratio 50/50 %) were modified with elastomeric compound (EBA) and chain extender as reactive compatibilized (CE). The microscopic analysis revealed that for POM/PLA system the filler-matrix interface is characterized by better wettability, which might suggest higher adhesion. The mechanical performance revealed that for POM/PLA-based composites the properties were very close to the results for POM-WF composites; however, there is still large difference in thermal resistance in favor of POM-based materials. The increase in thermomechanical properties for POM/PLA composites occurs after heat treatment. The increasing crystallinity of the PLA phase allows for an significant increase of the head deflection temperature (HDT), even above 125 °C.

: Sputtering of silicon in a Helium magnetron discharge (MS) has been reported as a bottom-up procedure to obtain He-charged silicon films (i.e. He nanobubbles encapsulated in a silicon matrix). The incorporation of heavier noble gases is demonstrated in this work with a synergistic effect producing increased Ne and Ar incorporations when using He-Ne and He-Ar gas mixtures in the MS process. Microstructural and chemical characterizations are reported by ion beam analysis (IBA) and scanning and transmission electron microscopies (SEM and TEM). In addition to gas incorporation, helium promotes the formation of larger nanobubbles. For the case of Ne high resolution X-ray photoelectron and absorption spectroscopies (XPS and XAS) are reported with remarkable dependence of the Ne 1s photoemission and the Ne K-edge absorption on the nanobubbles size and composition. The gas (He, Ne, Ar) charged thin films are proposed as “solid” targets for the characterization of spectroscopic properties of noble gases in a confined state without the need for cryogenics or high-pressure anvils devices. Also their use as targets for nuclear reaction studies is foreseen.

This study was conducted to determine the role of pre-operative 2 weeks use of Finasteride in reducing intra-operative blood loss in patients undergoing monopolar TURP. Number of enrolled patients were 120, on the basis of inclusion criteria. Patients who were candidates of monopolar TURP were given 5mg Finasteride for 2 weeks before the surgery. On the 13th day of medicine, they got admitted in ward and prepared for surgery. During surgery intra-operative irrigation fluid was measured and gathered, then tested for Hemoglobin and the blood loss was calculated with equation formula. Blood loss evaluation was done on the basis of irrigation fluid, hemoglobin in irrigation fluid, preoperative hemoglobin and resected tissue weight. Significant reduction in blood loss was observed in interventional group as compared to the control group. Mean blood loss was 296ml in Group-A and 370ml in Group-B while blood loss per gram was 11.7ml/g in Group-A and 14.7 ml/g in Group-B. Mean operative time was measured 42 minutes in Group-A and 49 minutes in Group-B. This research proclaims a clear-cut supremacy of pre-operative use of Finasteride for two weeks. It significantly reduces intraoperative blood loss and blood loss per gram in patients undergoing monopolar TURP.

Keywords: conservation; cultural pluralism; environmental regulation; community-based natural resource management; Indigenous law

The method for quantitative analysis is based on the direct measurement of the analyte using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), exploiting its oxidation peak. Calibration curves are set up to evaluate the figures of merit of the analytical method (LOD, LOQ, linear range). The application of the sensor for the dosing of GA in real matrices is carried out by analyzing non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages and comparing the results with those reported in the literature and with the content of total polyphenols determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. In all cases, concentrations of GA align with those previously found in the literature for the beverages examined. Moreover, the values are always lower than the total polyphenols content; this demonstrates the good selectivity of the sensor that can discriminate the target molecule from other polyphenols present.

There is a considerable increase in the use of substances and medical procedures aimed at changing the esthetics of the face, particularly the appearance of the lips. Permanent fillers such as polydimethylsiloxane, also called liquid silicone, are widely used, but their application for facial esthetics is currently obsolete. However, the long-term complications remain a reality, as they can occur decades after the application. Thus, the goal of this case report was to present a complication after 16 years of treatment using liquid silicone. This case report involved a 52-year-old male with a complication of bilateral permanent filler in the upper lip performed 16 years ago, its surgical removal, and histological analysis. Histologically, it was possible to identify a chronic inflammatory, lymphoplasmacytic, and granulomatous reaction, with foreign body giant cells’ reaction, in relation to non-polarizable exogenous material due to the reaction to silicone. The most common complications are granulomas' appearance and material displacement. The case report shows these granulomas are characterized as chronic low-caliber inflammation around the silicone. They have an unknown etiology but are probably multifactorial, from continuous trauma, friction or irritation, iatrogenic factors, infection, immunological mechanisms, and genetic and molecular variations, and can be highly related to the impurity of the injected material.

The study evaluated the impact of supplementing ZH in combination with D3 on growth performance, energy efficiency, carcass traits, and meat quality of feedlot lambs. Thirty-two Dorper x Katahdin cross lambs (37.3±5.72 kg) were utilized in a 29 d experiment in a complete randomized block design with a 2x2 factorial structure consisting of two levels of ZH for 26 d (0 and 0.20 mg /kg PV-1) and two levels of D3 for 7 d (0 and 1.5x106 IU/d-1). ZH improved (P≤0.05) average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency by 9.9% and 17.8%, respectively, as well as hot carcass weight (HCW) and dressing carcass by 4.3% and 2.6%, respectively. (p≤0.03). However, ZH increased (p<0.01) muscle pH and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) (2.5 and 23.0%, respectively). D3 supplementation negatively affected (P≤0.02) dry matter intake (DMI) (last 7 d) and ADG by 15.7% and 18.1%. On the other hand, D3 improved the pH of the longissimus muscle (LM) by 1.7% (p=0.03) without affecting WBSF. When D3 was supplemented in combination with ZH, it was observed that meat quality was improved by reducing muscle pH compared to lambs treated only with ZH. However, D3 did not improve meat tenderness produced by ZH supplementation.

In this article, we investigate both the Schrödinger and continuity equations in the presence of nonlocal potential that arising from electron-electron interaction and local one in the context of minimal uncertainty in momentum within commutative and noncommutative frameworks. Furthermore, the Frahn–Lemmer potential type is used. Interestingly, the combined effects of both the phase-space noncommutativity and nonlocality on the current density while considering a minimal uncertainty in momentum are examined. We find that the current density, as conventionally defined, does not fulfil the condition of current conservation, thus, a new definition of the current density that encompasses the aforementioned contributions is given. Thereafter, it is shown that the computed current using the new definition of the current density satisfies the current conservation. Noting that using both the $★$product and linear Bopp-Shift, the noncommutativity is inserted.

In a single-center, retrospective study, 22 cases were enrolled and divided into two groups: those who underwent surgical wide excision (group A) and those who did not (group B). The study included 13 cases in group A and 9 cases in group B. In group A, 6 cases solely underwent surgical wide excision, while 7 cases received additional treatments like radiotherapy or chemotherapy. Conversely, in group B, 4 cases received chemotherapy, 4 cases received radiotherapy, and 1 case was managed through observation alone. The mean follow-up time was 60.15 months in group A and 43.44 months in group B, with no significant difference observed. In group A, 9 cases resulted in mortality, whereas 6 cases died within the follow-up period in group B. Lesion-free intervals post-operation were observed predominantly in group A, while 7 cases in group B never experienced freedom from skin lesions. Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis demonstrated a significant difference between the survival curves of the two groups (P = 0.046). Among non-HIV Kaposi’s sarcoma patients, surgical wide excision appears to have a role in treatment. Patients in group A exhibit a more favorable outcome in the survival curve analysis.

Microarray gene expression analysis is a powerful technique used in cancer classification and research to identify and understand gene expression patterns that can differentiate between different cancer types, subtypes, and stages. However, microarray databases are highly redundant, inherently nonlinear, and noisy. Therefore, extracting meaningful information from such a huge database is a challenging one. The paper adopts the Fast Fourier Transform (FFT) and Mixture Model (MM) for dimensionality reduction and utilizes the Dragonfly optimization algorithm as the feature selection technique. The classifiers employed in this research are Nonlinear Regression, Naïve Bayes, Decision Tree, Random Forest and SVM (RBF). The classifiers' performances are analyzed with and without feature selection methods. Finally, Adaptive Moment Estimation (Adam) and Random Adaptive Moment Estimation (RanAdam) hyper-parameter tuning techniques are used as improvisation techniques for classifiers. The SVM (RBF) classifier with the Fast Fourier Transform Dimensionality Reduction method and Dragonfly feature selection achieved the highest accuracy of 98.343% with RanAdam hyperparameter tuning compared to other classifiers.

Despite widespread vaccination, early treatments, and improved understanding of the disease, the effects of SARS-CoV-2 infection remain significant worldwide. Many patients still suffer from severe COVID-19, necessitating admission to intensive care units. Remdesivir is a primary treatment option among viral RNA polymerase inhibitors for hospitalized SARS-CoV-2 patients. However, there is a lack of studies examining factors influencing its effectiveness in this context. We conducted a retrospective study throughout 2022, analyzing clinical, laboratory, and sociodemographic data from 252 hospitalized COVID-19 patients treated with remdesivir. Six machine learning algorithms were compared and validated to predict factors associated with the loss of clinical benefit from remdesivir in terms of mortality and hospital stay. Data were extracted from electronic health records. The eXtreme Gradient Boost (XGB) method achieved the highest balanced accuracy for both mortality (95.45%) and hospital stay (94.24%). Factors associated with worse outcomes of remdesivir use in terms of mortality included limitation of life support treatment, need for ventilatory support (especially invasive mechanical ventilation) on day 14 after the first dose of remdesivir, lymphopenia, low levels of albumin and hemoglobin, presence of flu and/or coinfection, and cough. Factors associated with worse outcomes of remdesivir use in terms of hospital stay included the number of doses of the COVID-19 vaccine, patchy lung density, bilateral pulmonary radiological status, number of comorbidities, oxygen therapy, troponin and lactate dehydrogenase levels, and asthenia. These findings highlight the effectiveness of XGB as a strong candidate for accurately categorizing COVID-19 patients undergoing remdesivir treatment.

Originally developed as a chemotherapeutic agent, miltefosine (hexadecylphosphocholine) is an inhibitor of phosphatidylcholine synthesis with proven antiparasitic effects. It is the only oral drug approved for the treatment of Leishmaniasis and American Trypanosomiasis (Chagas Disease). Although its precise mechanisms are not yet fully understood, miltefosine exhibits broad-spectrum anti-parasitic effects primarily by disrupting the intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis of the parasites while sparing the human hosts. In addition to its inhibitory effects on phosphatidylcholine synthesis and cytochrome c oxidase, miltefosine has been found to affect the unique giant mitochondria and the acidocalcisomes of parasites. Both of these crucial organelles are involved in Ca2+ regulation. Furthermore, miltefosine has the ability to activate a specific parasite Ca2+ channel that responds to sphingosine, that is different to its L-type VGCC human ortholog. Here, we aimed to provide an overview of recent advancements of the anti-parasitic mechanisms of miltefosine. We also explored its multiple molecular targets and investigated how its pleiotropic effects translate into a rational therapeutic approach for patients afflicted by Leishmaniasis and American Trypanosomiasis. Notably, miltefosine's therapeutic effect extends beyond its impact on the parasite to also affect positively the host's immune system. These findings enhance our understanding on its multi targeted mechanism of action. Overall, this review sheds light on the intricate molecular actions of miltefosine highlighting its potential as a promising therapeutic option against these debilitating parasitic diseases.

The swift progress in low-dimensional nanocarbons, specifically in the realm of the authentic one-dimensional carbon chain featuring sp¹ hybridization, has unveiled exciting prospects for integrating them into cutting-edge technologies across diverse industries. To fully harness their potential, precise control over the growth process is necessary to obtain desired nanostructure and functionality. However, optimizing properties through traditional approaches has been challenging due to complex interactions. To address this, we implement a focused data-driven strategy for nanocarbon inverse design by leveraging a state-of-the-art data-driven nanocarbon genome approach (NCGA). By uncovering relationships between growth parameters and resultant traits, this serves as an expedient catalyst in engineering nanostructures with tailored attributes. We introduce an extensive array of technological approaches aimed at precisely controlling the growth process. These methods encompass stimulating and precisely adjusting synergistic effects, coordinating atomic vibrations at a collective level through the implementation of multilayer nano-interfaces, harnessing the potential of active screen plasma surface engineering, utilizing nano-patterning and allotropic phase transformations, incorporating heteroatom doping, and effectively directing self-assembly. These aim to unlock nanomaterials' latent potential and reveal novel neural pathways within the data-driven NCGA, enhancing its predictive capabilities. Specifically, triggering self-organization during growth can potentially unlock previously unexplored neural pathways. The data-driven NCGA offers a paradigm shift, accelerating discovery and design of nanocarbons with optimized, application-specific properties.

Growth environment greatly alters many facets of pathogen physiology, including pathogenesis and antimicrobial tolerance. The importance of host-mimicking environments for attaining an accurate picture of pathogen behaviour is widely recognised. Whilst this recognition has translated into the extensive development of artificial cystic fibrosis (CF) sputum medium, attempts to mimic the growth environment in other respiratory disease states have been completely neglected. The composition of the airway surface liquid (ASL) in different pulmonary diseases is far less well characterised than CF sputum, making it very difficult for researchers to model these infection environments. In this review we discuss the components of human ASL, how different lung pathologies affect ASL composition, and how different pathogens interact with these components. This will provide researchers interested in mimicking different respiratory environments with the information necessary to design a host-mimicking medium, allowing for better understanding of how to treat pathogens causing infection in these environments.

Between a vineyard and the foliage wall of an adjacent forest, 25 traps containing different Drosophila attractants were applied on three occasions in autumn after the grape harvest. The attractant liquid was Pinot Blanc grape juice to which pure Saccharomyces cerevisiae yeast had been added to initiate fermentation. The five test variants differed in only one characteristic, namely the fermentation time, which was changed in two-day steps. Nine species of the genus Drosophila were captured, but only two were abundant enough to allow statistical analysis of variant differences in capture frequencies. Both species, D. suzukii and D. simulans, can affect the quality of the berries and ultimately the wine even before the harvest and are therefore considered pests. The studies showed that fermenting grape juice is significantly more attractive to both species than unfermented grape juice and that the attractiveness of the attractant liquid is maximised for D. simulans males with a fermentation time of seven to eight days.Parallel to this experiment, an analysis of the aroma spectrum of the fermenting grape juice was carried out with a temporal resolution of one day for the first twenty days. This made it possible to identify the aroma substances that had the highest concentrations in the time frame in which the attractant was particularly attractive and whose attractant effect should therefore be investigated further.

Children—Dependents in Social Construction Theory—are assessed within democracies regarding their ability to self-direct their behavior concerning their associated society. In this regard, childhood represents a lack of self-direction, a life period when people require the guidance and protection of adults. The assumed necessity of adults supervising children in democracies requires substantial social resources, reducing the self-direction of those charged with overseeing children. Given that self-direction defines the optimal experience of people within democratic society, finding ways to increase the self-direction of children is an individual and a social benefit. In this regard, smartphones have improved self-direction in children. How children have become empowered to self-direct their lives with smartphone use considering Social Construction Theory—as Advantaged, Contenders, or Deviants—is the focus of a scoping review conducted on “children, empowerment, smartphones” of the following databases: OVID, JSTOR, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The result is that children permitted to self-direct their activities aided by smartphone technology have comparable social behavior to adults positioned as Advantaged, Contenders, or Deviants and, as such they should be encouraged to utilize smartphone technology to improve their self-direction, as doing so will augment individual and caregiver self-direction, providing increased social benefit.

The Black population, often treated as ethnically homogenous, faces a constant challenge in accessing and utilizing healthcare services. This study examines the intragroup differences in health-seeking behavior among the multiple ethnic subgroups that comprise the Black community. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 239 adults ≥18 years who self-identified as Black in the United States and Canada. A multiple logistic regression model was fitted to evaluate the relationship between health-seeking behaviors and ethnic origin controlling for selected social and health related factors. The mean age of participants was 38.6 years, 31% were male, and 20% were unemployed. Sixty-one percent reported very good or excellent health status, and 59.7% reported not being treated for chronic disease at the time of the survey. Aging (OR=1.05, CI:1.01–1.09) and being female (OR= 0.30, CI: 0.14–0.65) were associated with favorable health-seeking behaviors. Compared with participants who had earned high school diplomas only, those who reported having earned graduate degrees were 75% less likely to have engaged in favorable health-seeking behavior (OR=0.25, 95% CI: 0.07–0.86). In the Black community of our sample, regardless of ethnic origins or country of birth, the factors associated with health-seeking behavior were age, gender, and educational attainment. Keywords: African American; African; Caribbean; Healthcare Utilization; Ethnic Disparities; Health-seeking behavior; intragroup difference, black populations, ethnic subgroups

Single-particle inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (spICP-MS) has been used for particle size measurement of diverse types of individual nanoparticles and micrometer-sized carbon-based particles, such as microplastics. However, its applicability to the measurement of micrometer-sized non-carbon-based particles such as silica (SiO2) is unclear. In this study, the applicability of spICP-MS to particle size measurement of non-porous/mesoporous SiO2 micro-spheres with a nominal diameter of 5.0 µm or smaller was investigated. Particle sizes of these microspheres were measured using both spICP-MS based on a conventional calibration approach using an ion standard solution and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as a reference technique and the results were compared. The particle size distributions obtained using both techniques were in agreement within analytical uncertainty. The applicability of this technique to the detection of metal-containing protein-binding mesoporous SiO2 microspheres was also investigated. Bound iron (Fe)-containing proteins (i.e., lactoferrin and transferrin) of mesoporous SiO2 microspheres were detected using Fe as a presence marker for the proteins. Thus, spICP-MS is applicable to the particle size measurement of large-sized and non-porous/mesoporous SiO2 microspheres; it has considerable potential for element-based detection and qualification of bound proteins of mes-oporous SiO2 microspheres in a variety of applications.

Upon the implementation of the European Union Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), substantial challenges are anticipated to impact the international trade of Chinese steel products. To safeguard the competitiveness of Chinese steel products on the global stage, this paper establishes a tripartite evolutionary game model, involving large steel enterprises, small and medium-sized steel enterprises, and the government. The model integrates collaborative emission reduction and free-riding benefits among enterprises, along with the government's dynamic subsidies and penalties. The paper analyzes the evolutionary trends and stable states of the three parties during different stages of CBAM, including a sensitivity analysis of key parameters. The findings indicate that large enterprises demonstrate a heightened sensitivity to CBAM, while small and medium-sized enterprises are more significantly influenced by free-riding benefits. Government intervention should be strategically timed and incline towards passive management during the strengthening phase of CBAM. Additionally, the refinement of the Chinese carbon market emerges as an effective means to counter CBAM. This paper provides theoretical support for how steel enterprises and the government can respond to CBAM, aiding stakeholders in selecting optimal strategies during different implementation stages and mitigating the impacts of CBAM to the maximum extent possible.

The reliability of concrete cable-stayed bridge structure is time variant. This is due to strength deterioration and time-variant mechanical and environmental loadings. Demands for keeping concrete cable-stayed bridge structure in functional and reliable states require maintenance interventions. Limited financial resources require optimal maintenance strategies. These strategies have to consider the effects of uncertainties not only on the structural reliability deterioration but also on the maintenance interventions. By analyzing variation of concrete cable-stayed concrete cable-stayed bridge liabilities and benefit expectation through different maintenance programs, on the condition of satisfying the concrete cable-stayed bridge performance, with the maximum expected benefit as the target to discuss repair and reinforcement strategies for the concrete cable-stayed bridges in service. The method takes into account the present performance and future expected benefit, optimizing the performance of the concrete cable-stayed bridge and the expected benefit through determination policies of concrete cable-stayed concrete cable-stayed bridge maintenance program. The proposed method also includes an advanced cost model which takes into account the interaction between costs of maintenance interventions and their effect on reliability. Examples are presented demonstrating the application of the proposed method to a stock of existing deteriorating concrete cable-stayed bridges under various maintenance scenarios.

In the domain of financial trading, where accuracy and swift response to data discrep- ancies are paramount for maintaining clienttrust, our research paper delves into the development of a real-time alert system utilizing SpringBoot, a framework renowned for its robustness and adaptability in enterprise applications. We embark on a comprehensive journey, beginning with addressing thefoundational challenges inherent in monitoring trade inquiries - the necessity for real-time processing, unwavering data accuracy,and ensuring unwavering system reliability. The study then methodically transitions to the architectural design, where we explore howSpringBoot’s capabilities are optimally utilized to meet these challenges. Following this, we delve into the im- -plementationphase, detailing the strategic selection of compatible technologies and methods for effective data management and discrepancydetection. The paper culminates in a thorough evalu- ation of the system, where we assess performance across various operationalscenarios, scrutinize the accuracy of the discrepancy detection mechanisms, and integrate real-world feedback from users in thetrading sector. This holistic approach not only highlights the versatility and efficiency of SpringBoot in creating reliable alert systems in the high-stakes world of financial trading but also serves as a detailed guide for similar endeavors in this field

Background: Exercise is an accepted intervention to improve the quality of life (QoL) of breast cancer patients. Exercise programs have been developed and all have shown satisfactory results in improving QoL. There is a lack of research comparing different prescription modalities. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of physical exercise (in-person, home-based, prescription) on QoL in breast cancer patients actively undergoing treatment; Methods Quasi-experimental study with randomized assignment to three groups (in-person: guided and supervised in-person exercise program; home-based exercise: guided and supervised exercise program with streaming monitoring; recommendation: exercise recommendation). Quality of life was measured using the QLQ-C30 questionnaire. Baseline and 24-week analysis. Results: The total sample analyzed was n=80. QoL improved significantly at 24 weeks in the face-to-face and home-based exercise groups, but not in the advice group. Exercise in all modalities improved fatigue, nausea, vomiting, appetite, and constipation. QoL at 24 weeks depended on active chemotherapy, tumor type, and assigned exercise group (r2 = 0.503; p &lt; 0.001). Conclusions: QoL in breast cancer patients undergoing active treatment improves after a 24-week exercise program, especially in face-to-face and home-based exercise. Home-based exercise, streaming-based recommendation is a viable option for exercise recommendation.

Introduction: It is widely recognized that young female sex workers (YFSWs) are at greater risk of HIV infection than their older counterparts. This study aims to unravel the complexities surrounding HIV transmission among this demographic group, by determining the prevalence of HIV infection and identifying high-risk sexual practices associated with HIV infection among YFSWs in Lubumbashi, in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Methods: We conducted an analytical cross-sectional study and used a comprehensive sample of all YFSWs who presented to the HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infections Screening and Treatment Center in Lubumbashi between April 2016 and December 2017. We collected data on age, number of years in the practice of selling sex, number of sexual encounters per day, number of clients per week, systematic condom use, having suffered from sexually transmitted infections in the last 3 months before the survey, regular alcohol consumption, having anal sex in the last 12 months, having had forced sex in the last 12 months. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify potential factors associated with HIV infection. Results: A total of 572 YFSWs were included in the study, 19 of whom were HIV-positive (3.3%; 95% CI: 2.1% - 5.1%). Participants who were forced to have sex (adjusted OR=12.2; 95% CI: 3.2 - 46.4; p&lt;0.0001), those who did not use condoms systematically (adjusted OR=4.1; 95% CI: 1.3 - 13.0; p=0.018), and those who had anal sex (adjusted OR=23.8; 95% CI: 6.9 - 82.4; p&lt;0.0001) were more likely to be HIV-positive. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that HIV prevalence among YFSW is higher than in the general Congolese population, and is significantly associated with high-risk sexual practices. Interventions aimed at increasing YFSW’s knowledge of high-risk behaviors should be vigorously pursued.

Late type II endoleak (T2EL) arising from internal iliac artery (IIA) network may occur after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of aortoiliac aneurysm and may require embolization if sac enlargement is demonstrated. When direct antegrade access to ipsilateral IIA is not achievable due to previous vessel coverage and/or embolization, access to the nidus can be challenging. We report a case of T2EL originating from IIA network causing iliac sac enlargement in a patient previously treated by EVAR for artoiliac aneurysm with IIA embolization and coverage, in which embolization of the nidus was performed through a percutaneous sheathless access to ip-silateral superior gluteal artery (SGA). A literature review dealing with all cases of percutaneous direct SGA access for retrograde embolization of T2EL arising from IIA after previous EVAR is also reported. The research was conducted on Pubmed database using keywords “superior glu-teal artery access,” “transgluteal embolization” and “retrograde embolization for type II endo-leak”. Related articles and references were screened for suitable articles.

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), including social distancing, wearing personal protective equipment, and lockdown measures, have been at the forefront of outbreak control in nursing homes. We used a mixed methodology to assess which NPIs nursing homes in the canton of Geneva, Switzerland, followed for their staff and residents during the first wave of the pandemic, between March 1, 2020 and June 1, 2020. For the qualitative component, we interviewed the attending physicians and/or director of each nursing home. Based on in-vivo codes, NPIs for nursing home workers and residents in each nursing home were thematically classified as: maximally restrictive, moderately restrictive, and minimally restrictive. In the quantitative component, we calculated incident rate ratios (IRR) for infection between the three levels of COVID-19-related measures taken in these nursing homes. We found an equal distribution of maximally (n=4), moderately (n=4), and minimally (n=4) restrictive NPIs. The extent of restriction did not show to be significantly associated with the cumulative incidence of COVID-19 cases among residents (maximally restrictive IRR = 3.90, 95%CI 0.82-45.54, p = 0.184; moderately restrictive IRR = 3.55, 95%CI 0.75-41.42, p = 0.212 ; minimally restrictive IRR = reference). Variabilities in NPIs adopted by nursing homes, and the number of COVID-19 cases appear to be randomly affected.

This study concentrates on assessing the insecticidal attributes of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles derived from remnants of Mentha pulegium, which include essential oil, ethanolic extract, and plant waste. The synthesis of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles was executed via a direct sol-gel procedure, affirming the crystal structure through extensive physicochemical analyses such as UV-VIS, XRD, FTIR, and SEM. The evaluation of insecticidal activity in vitro was conducted against Xylosandrus crassiusculus, a pest that infests carob wood, utilizing strains from diverse forests in the Khenifra region, situated in the Moroccan Middle Atlas. The lethal doses 50 ranged from 40 mg/g to 68 mg/g, indicating moderate effectiveness compared to the commercial insecticide Permethrin. The optimization of the conditions for the efficiency of γ-Al2O3 nanoparticles was determined by experimental plans, revealing that time, humidity, and temperature were influential factors in the lethal dose 50 of these nanomaterials. Moreover, this study encompasses the establishment of correlations through Principal Component Analysis (PCA) and Ascending Hierarchical Classification (AHC) among various geographic, biological, and physical data, amalgamating geographic altitude, γ-Al2O3 nanoparticle insecticide parameters, as well as the attributes of mechanical tests conducted on carob wood affected by insects. The correlation highlights a close connection between the effectiveness of the insecticide, mountain altitude, and the mechanical parameters that were examined. Ultimately, these nanoparticles demonstrate promising potential as alternative insecticides, thus opening encouraging prospects for safeguarding against carob wood pests.

Biofilm-associated bacterial infections are the major reason for treatment failure in many diseases including burn trauma infections. Uncontrolled inflammation induced by bacteria leads to materiality, tissue damage and chronic diseases. Specialized proresolving mediators (SPMs), including maresin-like lipid mediators (MarLs), are enzymatically biosynthesized from omega-3 essential long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) by macrophages and other leukocytes. SPMs exhibit strong inflammation-resolving activities, especially inflammation provoked by bacterial infection. In this study, we explored the potential direct inhibitory activities of three MarLs on gram-positive (Staphylococcus aureus) and gram-negative (Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Escherichia coli) bacteria in their biofilms that are leading bacteria in burn trauma related infections. We also examined the effects of MarLs on the bactericidal activities of a typical broad-spectrum antibiotics carbenicillin on these bacteria in their preformed biofilms. The results revealed that MarLs combined with carbenicillin can inhibit the survival of gram-positive and gram-negative bacteria in their biofilms although MarLs alone did not exhibit bactericidal activity. Thus, our findings suggest that the combination of MarLs and carbenicillin can lower the antibiotic requirements to kill the bacteria in preformed biofilms.

The primary objective of this research was to assess the energy consumption of the gas treatment units at Bonny NLNG Refinery, the first Gas Refinery in Rivers State, Nigeria, while utilizing semi-lean amine. To achieve this goal, a simulation of the units was conducted using the advanced software package Aspen Hysys (V.8.3). The simulation was designed to accurately represent the dynamic behavior of the refinery's gas treatment units, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of their energy usage. The research aimed to quantify the energy consumption of the gas treatment units and identify opportunities for energy optimization. By utilizing semi-lean amine, which is known to improve energy efficiency, the study sought to evaluate the potential energy savings that could be achieved in the refinery's operations. The simulation model incorporated the specific design and operational parameters of the gas treatment units at Bonny NLNG Refinery, including the gas flow rate, lean amine concentration, absorber pressure, stripping temperature, amine circulation rate, and acid gas removal efficiency. By considering these parameters, the simulation accurately represented the dynamic behavior of the gas treatment units, enabling a detailed analysis of their energy consumption. Through the simulation, various scenarios and operational conditions were evaluated to determine the optimal set of parameters that minimized energy consumption. The research also examined the trade-offs between energy consumption, acid gas removal efficiency, and other performance indicators, such as amine circulation rate and regeneration efficiency. The findings of this research have significant implications for the energy efficiency and sustainability of gas treatment operations at Bonny NLNG Refinery. By identifying opportunities for energy optimization and providing recommendations for the utilization of semi-lean amine, the study contributes to the development of more efficient and environmentally friendly gas treatment processes. Overall, this research combines advanced simulation techniques with a comprehensive analysis of energy consumption to provide valuable insights into the energy efficiency of gas treatment units at Bonny NLNG Refinery, enabling informed decision-making and potential improvements in energy utilization. By utilizing the percentage-based unit simulation approach, a detailed examination of the energy consumption patterns was obtained. This analysis provides valuable insights into the operational efficiency and determination of potential energy-saving opportunities within the gas treatment units. This study specifically focuses on the integration of an absorption column split stream (stream flow) and a flash unit as a potential means to reduce the energy consumption of gas treatment devices. The integration of these units aims to optimize the overall energy efficiency of the gas treatment process by recovering and utilizing waste heat and reducing energy losses. The absorption column split stream allows for the diversion of a portion of the gas stream to a flash unit before entering the absorber. The flash unit operates at a lower pressure, which facilitates the release of entrained hydrocarbons and reduces the overall energy requirements for gas treatment. By separating and recovering the hydrocarbons in the flash unit, energy losses associated with their absorption and subsequent regeneration are minimized. Through the simulation, the study analyzes the energy consumption patterns of the gas treatment units with and without the integration of the absorption column split stream and flash unit. Comparative assessments are conducted to evaluate the energy savings and overall operational efficiency achieved through this integration. The findings of this research will provide valuable insights into the potential energy-saving opportunities offered by the integration of the absorption column split stream and flash unit in gas treatment devices. It will help refine the design and operation of gas treatment units, enabling more energy-efficient processes in the gas refining industry. By optimizing energy consumption in gas treatment units, the study contributes to the industry's goals of reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving sustainability. The integration of the absorption column split stream and flash unit offers a promising approach to enhance energy efficiency, reduce operational costs, and minimize environmental impact. Overall, this research underscores the importance of exploring innovative solutions, such as the integration of different process units, to achieve energy savings in gas treatment operations. Through a comprehensive analysis of energy consumption patterns, this study aims to provide practical recommendations for optimizing energy efficiency in gas treatment units, fostering a more sustainable and efficient gas refining industry.The research specifically explores the impact of integrating the absorption column split stream and flash unit when dealing with sour gas streams containing carbon dioxide concentrations of less than mole ℅, while utilizing MDEA fluid as the solvent. Through comprehensive analysis and simulation using advanced software tools, the study demonstrates that by incorporating the absorption column split stream and flash unit, a significant reduction in device energy consumption of up to 10% can be achieved. The integration of the absorption column split stream and flash unit offers promising opportunities to enhance the energy efficiency of gas treatment devices. By diverting a portion of the gas stream to the flash unit, the separation of hydrocarbons and the subsequent release of entrained hydrocarbons at lower pressure significantly reduce the overall energy requirements for gas treatment. The comprehensive analysis and simulation conducted in the research provide concrete evidence of the energy-saving potential of this integration. By quantifying the energy consumption patterns and comparing scenarios with and without integration, the study establishes the effectiveness of the approach and its impact on operational efficiency. The findings of the research highlight the importance of considering the specific gas composition and utilizing appropriate solvents, such as MDEA, for optimizing energy efficiency. The integration of the absorption column split stream and flash unit not only reduces energy consumption but also offers the potential for cost savings and environmental benefits. Overall, the research demonstrates that by incorporating the absorption column split stream

The management of wounds is a significant issue that impacts individuals, healthcare systems, and society at large. This study evaluates Rigemed D (RD), a novel compound extracted from Bovine Colostrum with a unique combination of 20 different growth factors and exosomes, known for its exceptional properties in promoting cell proliferation and regeneration. This study aims to determine the effects of different doses of RD on cell survival (using CCK8) and to assess its antioxidant effect using the Comet assay in the presence of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on two human cell types, fibroblasts and immortalised keratinocytes (HaCat cell line). The study results revealed that RD, at doses of 1, 1.5, and 2 % v/v, significantly improved cell viability four, six, and 12 times, respectively, compared to the control group (p < 0.00001). Furthermore, the Comet assay showed a two-fold reduction in DNA damage in RD-treated cells at 2% v/v without and with H2O2 (p < 0.001). The effect of RD on cell proliferation and migration was evaluated using a scratch assay on fibroblasts and HaCat cells. The findings demonstrated a four-fold increase in cell proliferation and migration at 1 and 24 hours (p < 0.001). Immunohistochemistry confirmed this claim (p < 0.001). Also, angiogenesis induction of RD was assessed on human vein umbilical endothelial cells (HUVEC), showing that RD significantly enhanced the proliferation of endothelial HUVEC cells (p < 0.0001). In conclusion, RD is a promising vitalising compound with exceptional capabilities in promoting cell proliferation, migration, and regeneration. It also shows a significant antioxidant effect and has the potential to support all phases of wound healing involving cell proliferation, re-epithelialisation, angiogenesis, and tissue maturation. Hence, the present formulation presents a promising foundation for developing a 3D bio-printed membrane, potentially expediting the wound healing process.

This work aimed to identify chemical compounds of Cinnamomum burmannii leaf essential oil (CBLEO) and to unravel antibacterial mechanism of CBLEO at molecular level for developing antimicrobial. CBLEO had 37 volatile profiling with abundant borneol (28.40 %), and showed good potential to control foodborne pathogens, of which Staphylococcus aureus had the greatest inhibition zone diameter (28.72 nm) with the lowest values of minimum inhibitory concentration (1.0 μg/mL) and bactericidal concentration (2.0 μg/mL). To unravel antibacterial action of CBLEO on S. aureus, a dynamic exploration of antibacterial growth, material leakage, ROS formation, protein oxidation, cell morphology and interaction with genome DNA were conducted on S. aureus exposed to CBLEO at different doses (1/2-2×MIC) and times (0-24 h), indicating that CBLEO acts as inducer for ROS production and oxidative stress of S. aureus. To highlight antibacterial action of CBLEO on S. aureus at molecular level, a comparative association of ROS accumulation with some key virulence-related gene (sigB/agrA/sarA/icaA/cidA/rsbU) transcription, protease production and biofilm formation in S. aureus subjected to CBLEO at different levels and times, revealing that CBLEO-induced oxidative stress caused transcript suppression of virulence regulators (RsbU and SigB) and its targeted genes, causing protease level increase destined for biofilm formation and growth inhibition of S. aureus, which may be as key bactericidal action. Our findings provide valuable information for studying the antibacterial mechanism of essential oil against pathogens.

Introduction: Soft tissue sarcomas (STS) are low-incidence tumors whose clinical and histopathological factors are associated with adverse oncological outcomes. This study evaluated prognostic factors (PF) associated with tumor recurrence and overall survival (OS) in patients diagnosed with STS of the extremities, treated at the Instituto Nacional de Cancerología (INC), Bogotá, Colombia. Materials and methods: An analytical observational study of a historical cohort was carried out, including patients diagnosed with STS and managed surgically in the Functional Unit for Breast and Soft Tissue Tumors of the INC from January 2008 to December 2018. Results: A total of 227 patients were included; 74.5% had tumors greater than 5 cm. Most patients (29.1%) were in stage IIIB at diagnosis. Age was associated with higher mortality (HR=1.01; CI95%: 1–1.02; p=0.048); tumor persistence at admission to the INC (HR=2.34; CI95%: 1.25–4.35; p=0.007), and histologic grade III (HR=5.36; CI95%: 2.29–12.56; p=<0.001) showed statistical significance in the multivariate analysis for recurrence of any type, as were the PFs associated with a higher risk of local recurrence (HR=2.85; CI95%: 1.23–6.57; p=0.014 and HR=6.09; CI95%: 2.03–18.2; p=0.001), respectively. Tumor size (HR=1.03; CI95%: 1–1.06; p=0.015) and histologic grade III (HR=4.53; CI95%: 1.42–14.49; p=0.011) were associated with a higher risk of distant recurrence. Conclusion: This cohort showed that in addition to histologic grade and tumor size, tumor persistence at the time of admission has an impact on disease recurrence, so STS should be managed by a multidisciplinary team with experience in this pathology in high-volume reference centers.

.Background: Negative outcomes associated with medications (NOM) and drug-related problems (DRP) significantly impact individuals with kidney replacement therapy (KRT) given the complexities of managing kidney disease and associated comorbidities. The present study aims to assess the frequency of NOMs/DRPs among KRT patients and identify contributing factors. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Virgen de las Nieves University Hospital (Granada, Spain), involving 117 outpatient adults with KRT. Data were collected from February 2021 to July 2023 using electronic records, semi-structured interviews (Dáder Method), and discussions with nephrology specialists. NOMs/DRPs were identified following treatment guidelines. Binary logistic regression determined associated factors (p-value < 0.05). Results: Across 117 patients, 2,436 NOMs and 3,303 DRPs were identified, averaging 20.82 NOMs and 28.23 DRPs per patient. Prevalent NOMs included untreated conditions (58.95%), quantitative ineffectiveness (35.43%), and non-quantitative safety problems (5.13%). Dominant DRPs were undertreated conditions (37.63%), wrong dose/posology/length (33.00%), risk of adverse drug reactions (ADR) (16.14%), and non-adherence (6.87%). Patients with ADR, undertreated condi-tions, and anemia were associated with quantitative ineffectiveness. Risk of ADR and vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency correlated with non-quantitative safety problems. Conclusions: KRT pa-tients exhibited a substantial prevalence of NOMs/DRPs. Further research is needed to deepen our understanding of these complexities for improved patient care.

As belonging to one of the most isolated continents on our planet, the microbial composition of different environments in Antarctica could hold a plethora of undiscovered species with potential for biotechnological applications. This manuscript delineates our discoveries after an expedition to the Bulgarian Antarctic Base "St. Kliment Ohridski" situated on Livingston Island, Antarctica. Amplicon-based metagenomics targeting the 16S rRNA genes and ITS2 region were employed to assess the metagenomes of the bacterial, fungal and archaeal communities across diverse sites within and proximal to the research station. The predominant bacterial assemblages identified included Oxyphotobacteria, Bacteroidia, Gammaprotobacteria and Alphaprotobacteria. A substantial proportion of cyanobacteria reads were attributed to a singular uncultured taxon within the family Leptolyngbyaceae. The bacterial profile of a lagoon near the base exhibited indications of penguin activity, characterized by a higher abundance of Clostridia, similar to lithotelm samples from Hannah Pt. Although most fungal reads in the samples could not be identified at the species level, noteworthy genera, namely Betamyces and Tetracladium, were identified. Archaeal abundance was negligible, with prevalent groups including Woesearchaeales, Nitrosarchaeum, Candidatus Nitrosopumilus and Marine Group II.

Introduction: Overuse of antibiotics has been increasing in recent years and is currently the most prescribed drug in the paediatric age. It is estimated that 72% of patients in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) are treated with antibiotics. One of the effects observed with their use is the alteration of the microbiota, which is associated with metabolic disorders including obesity. In this study, the aim was to determine in newborn rats, whether most commonly prescribed antibiotics in Mexican NICUs have a differential effect on weight gain, development of adiposity, and modification of carbohydrate and lipid metabolism. Methods: This is an experimental study in newborn rats, comparing Ampicillin/Meropenem (Access/Watch groups) 100 mg/g every 12 h /10 mg/g every 12 h (each of these two antibiotics was adjusted to the required dosages based on weight); Cefotaxime 200 mg/g every 24 h; (Watch group) and Amikacin 15 mg/g every 24 h (Access group) versus Saline Solution as Control. Each antibiotic was intraperitoneal administered daily for 5 days in males (to avoid gender differences) to 14 newborn rats in each group. A comparison of anthropometric and biochemical parameters registered on day 28 was made using ANOVA analysis. Differences were considered if p < 0.05.Results: Amikacin was the antibiotic with the greatest effect on anthropometric measurements and LDL-cholesterol; as well as Cefotaxime on Glucose and triglycerides, while Meropenem plus Ampicillin showed the weakest effect on measured parameters. Conclusion: The administration of antibiotics in the neonatal stage has repercussions on the body composition of adult rats, as well as on lipids and carbohydrates serum levels. Future studies might evaluate the toxicity of antibiotics on the immature neonatal organs.

Sodium glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are currently available for the management of type 2 diabetes mellitus. SGLT2i act by inhibiting renal SGLT2, thereby increasing glucosuria and lowering serum glucose. Recent trials are emerging supporting a role for SGLT2i irrespective of the diabetic status pointing towards that SGLT2i have other mechanisms of actions beyond blood sugar control. In this review, we will shed light on the role of this group of medications that act as SGLT2i in non-diabetics focusing on pre-clinical and clinical data highlighting the mechanism of renoprotection and effects of SGLT2i in the non-diabetic kidneys.

It is unavoidable that the characteristics of the robot system alter inexactly or cannot be correctly determined during movement and are impacted by external disturbances. There are many adaptive control methods, such as sliding control or neural control, to improve the quality of trajectory tracking for robot motion systems. Still, those methods require a large amount of computation related to solving the problem of constrained nonlinear optimization problem. The article presents some techniques for determining an intelligent controller's online learning function parameters, including two circuits: the inner circuit is a state feedback linearized controller, and the outer course is an Interactive learning controller and does not use the robot's mathematical mode with function parameters online optimal learning and intelligent online learning closely following the joint model to stabilize the robot system. Finally, the 2-DOF planar robot simulation is performed on Matlab software R2022b. The findings indicate that outstanding tracking performance is achievable.

Pulmonary tuberculosis (PTB) is one of the leading causes of death in developing countries. This global health burden is worsened by the emergence of multi-drug resistance, which calls for new interventions to address the pandemic and medicinal plants remain a source for the new interventions. This study aimed to investigate the in vitro immunomodulatory effects of three plants used traditionally for the treatment of PTB in the Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. Eradication of Mycobacterium. tuberculosis in the lung tissue, requires the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype. Thus, a plant extract with a high potential for anti-tuberculosis effects is expected to produce a high concentration of nitric oxide (NO) as the indicator for the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype. To test this effect, lipopolysaccharide-activated RAW 264.7 macrophages were cultured and treated with the ethanolic crude extracts of three plants: Anthrixia philycoides, Lippia javaniva, and Sanicula elata at concentrations of 50µg/ml, 100µg/ml, and 200 µg/ml. After 24h, 50µl Griess reagent was added to the plates and absorbance was measure at 540nm. A standard curve of sodium nitrite dissolved in culture media was used to determine the concentration of NO in each sample. The results showed Anthrixia philycoides, and Lippia javanica, as anti-inflammatory when compared with the positive control, while Sanicula elata pro-inflammatory, producing a high amount of NO, compared with the positive control. Our results revealed the polarizing activity of Sanicula elata on macrophages towards M1 phenotype, with evidence of the nitric oxide production, warranting further in-vivo investigations of medicinal plant for anti-TB activity.

Klebsiella pneumoniae is a leading cause of healthcare acquired infections. The severity of the infections is multifactorial including virulence and antimicrobial resistance properties. The objective of the study was to investigate the virulence determinants of K. pneumoniae strains colonizing patients hospitalized in the intensive care units (ICU) of a tertiary hospital in Uganda. A hospital based cross-sectional study involving 103 patients admitted in the ICU of Mulago National Referral hospital was conducted from January 2022 to April 2022. A total of 31 identified clinical strains of K. pneumoniae isolated from rectal swabs of the same number of patients were characterized. Susceptibility testing of colistin was performed by broth microdilution method, thereafter, 5 colistin resistant K. pneumoniae were purposefully selected for whole genome sequencing. Bioinformatics analysis was performed using established web-based tools to detect virulence genes, sequence type and other genomic features. Numerous virulence factor genes related to pathogenicity of K. pneumoniae were identified. They ranged from those related to colonization to those of persistence and dissemination including capsule genes (wzi), siderophore systems; yersiniabactin (ybt15), aerobactin (iutA), enterobactin (entC, entD, entF, entS, fepB, fepD, fepG, fes), and salmochelin (iroN), secretion systems; type II (T2SS) and type VI (T6SS-1). Furthermore, the isolates harbored outer membrane protein (ompA) gene, biofilm synthesis gene (fimH) and several adhesion genes. The results demonstrate the dual-risk of K. pneumoniae strains combining high level of virulence and colistin resistance which is a great concern as it leads to unmanageable infection outbreaks with high morbidity and mortality.

The present study was conducted to compare embryo survival rate and treatment outcomes including pregnan-cy, miscarriage and live birth rates of IVF and ICSI vitrified-thawed embryo transfers. Authors suggested to compare treatment outcomes [clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and live birth rates] after transfer of IVF versus ICSI vitrified-thawed embryos. Cohort retrospective study in the IVF unit at a university af-filiated Medical Center which included 845 frozen thawed embryo transfer cycles of vitrified embryos from treatment cycles between the years 2013-2019. Out of 845 FET cycles of vitrified thawed embryos, 223 clinical pregnancies were achieved [26.4%]. Of these 64 [28.4%] following IVF, 131 [25.6%] after ICSI and 28 [25.9%] in the sibling oocytes group [P =0.631]. Live birth rate did not differ between the three groups: 23.6%, 22.3% and 21.5% for groups IVF, ICSI and IVF+ICSI, respectively [p=0.899]. Sub analysis by age below 35 and above 35 years old revealed no statistical difference between IVF and ICSI cycles in terms of clinical pregnancy, miscarriage, ectopic pregnancy, and live birth rates between the groups. The present study suggests that the technique of insemina-tion has no adverse effect related to vitrification.

The gold(I) N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC) complexes, containing a combination of 1,3-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)imidazol-2-ylidene (iPr) and the corresponding 7-azaindole derivative (HL1-4), were prepared and structurally characterized. The complexes of the composition of [Au(iPr)(HLn)], where n = 1–4 for 5-fluoro-7-azaindole (1), 5-bromo-7-azaindole (2), 3-chloro-7-azaindole (3) and 3-iodo-7-azaindole (4), were further evaluated for their in vitro anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory activities. The results showed that complexes (1–4) behave as considerably cytotoxic against human ovarian cancer cell line A2780 (with IC50 = 4–9 mircoM) and cisplatin-resistant cell line A2780R (with IC50 = 5–8 microM, except for 2 with IC50 > 25 microM), providing significantly higher cytotoxicity than anticancer drug cisplatin. Moreover, they also revealed a relatively good selectivity over normal cells (MRC-5), with the values of selectivity index, SI > 2.5. The complex 4 was further studied for its cellular effects in A2780 cells by cell cycle analysis, induction of apoptosis, intracellular ROS production, activation of caspases 3/7 and disruption of mitochondrial membrane potential. The ability of complexes (1–4) to influence the activity of pro-inflammatory transcription factor NF-κB and secretion of TNF-α were evaluated, showing that complex 4 reveals comparable effects as the inflammatory drug Auranofin.

Ruxolitinib has been approved by FDA for the treatment of myeloproliferative neoplasms such as polycythemia vera and idiopathic myelofibrosis. Although ruxolitinib has been in the clinic for more than ten years, surprisingly, no JAK2 drug resistant mutations have been identified in patients. At the moment, it is not clear whether the absence of JAK2 mutations in MPN patients is due to a lack of JAK2 addiction or residues that mediate the drug resistance compromising the JAK2 function. To find out this, we established a Ba/F3 cell-based screening strategy to predict mutations in JAK2-V617F that cause resistance towards ruxolitinib. In this study, we have recovered seven residues in the kinase domain of JAK2 that affect ruxolitinib sensitivity. All these mutations confer cross-resistance across the panel of JAK2 kinase inhibitors except JAK2-L983F. JAK2-L983F reduces the sensitivity towards ruxolitinib. However, it is sensitive towards fedratinib indicating that our screen identifies the drug-specific resistance profiles. All the ruxolitinib resistant JAK2 variants displayed sensitivity towards Type II JAK2 inhibitor CHZ-868. Finally, our study also shows that HSP90 inhibitors are potent against ruxolitinib resistant variants through the JAK2 degradation and provides the rationale for clinical evaluation of potent HSP90 inhibitors in genetic resistance driven by JAK2 inhibitors.

The Trail Making Test (TMT) is one of the most commonly administered tests in clinical and research neuropsychological settings. The two parts of the test [part A (TMT-A) and part B (TMT-B)] enable the evaluation of visuoperceptual tracking and processing speed (TMT-A), as well as divided attention, set-shifting and cognitive flexibility (TMT-B). The main cognitive processes that are assessed using TMT, i.e. processing speed, divided attention and cognitive flexibility, are often affected in patients with stroke. Considering the wide use of TMT in research and clinical settings since its introduction in neuropsychological practice, the purpose of our review was to provide a comprehensive overview on the use of TMT in stroke patients in an attempt to mainly identify its role for the evaluation of post-stroke cognitive dysfunction and progression over time, the identification of the underlying neuroanatomical pathology related to impaired TMT performance, and the association with other stroke outcomes, such motor function, driving ability and quality of life. Our comprehensive review underscores that the TMT stands as an invaluable asset in the stroke assessment toolkit, contributing nuanced insights into diverse cognitive, functional, and emotional dimensions. As research progresses, continued exploration of the TMT potential across these domains is encouraged, fostering a deeper comprehension of post-stroke dynamics, and enhancing patient-centered care across hospitals, rehabilitation centers, research institutions, and community health settings. Its integration into both research and clinical practice reaffirms TMT status as an indispensable instrument in stroke-related evaluations, enabling holistic insights that extend beyond traditional neurological assessments.

Education on native tree species using indigenous knowledge systems is crucial in elementary school environmental education because it sensitizes learners on the significant roles played by the native trees and their interconnections with their culture and existence. Unfortunately in Ghana, there is no pedagogical model that would aid elementary school teachers in carrying out such education.This study was aimed at developing, implementing and evaluating an indigenous knowledge inspired pedagogical model for native tree education among elementary school learners in Ghana. The convergent parallel mixed methods design that aimed at collecting quantitative and qualitative datasets on the development and evaluation of the developed pedagogical model. The results show that the pedagogical model was deemed very satisfactory in all its aspects for native tree education among elementary school learners in Ghana. The model was able to assist in developing the sustainability consciousness and competence of elementary school learners toward caring for native trees through tree planting, making of nurseries and gardens, and engaging in native tree conservation campaigns. The study recommends that the Ministry of Education should adopt, improve and widely disseminate the pedagogical model and help in its broader implementation in various elementary schools across the country.

Diving decompression theory hypothesizes inflammatory processes as a source of micronuclei which could increase related risks. Therefore, we tested 10 healthy, male divers. They performed 6-8 dives with a maximum of two dives per day at depths ranging from 21 to 122 msw with CCR mixed gas diving. Post-dive VGE were counted by echocardiography. Saliva and urine samples were taken before and after each dive to evaluate to evaluate inflammation: ROS production, lipid peroxidation (8-iso-PGF2), DNA damage (8-OH-dG), cytokines (TNF-, IL-6, and neopterin). VGE exhibits a progressive reduction followed by an increase (p<0.0001) which parallels in-flammation responses. Indeed, ROS, 8-iso-PGF2, IL-6 and neopterin increases from 0.19 ± 0.02 to 1.13 ± 0.09 μmol.min−1 (p<0.001); 199.8 ± 55.9 to 632.7 ± 73.3 ng.mg-1 creatinine (p<0.0001); 2.35 ± 0.54 to 19.5 ± 2.96 pg.ml-1 (p<0.001); and 93.7 ± 11.2 to 299 ± 25.9 μmol·mol−1 creatinine (p=0.005), respectively. The variation after each dive was held constant around 158.3 ± 6.9% (p = 0.021); 151.4 ± 5.7% (p <0.0001); 176.3 ± 11.9% (p<0.0001); and 160.1 ± 5.6% (p<0.001), respectively. When oxy-inflammation reaches a certain level, it exceeds hormetic coping mechanisms allowing second-generation micronuclei substantiated by an increase of VGE after an initial continuous decrease consistent with a depletion of “first generation” pre-existing micronuclei.

Agroforestry systems with multipurpose tree species, for the double production of timber and fruit, along with the intercropping with herbaceous crops, can be fundamental land use systems for multiple ecosystems services. Research was conducted in Italy, for one growing season, in 18 years old agroforestry experimental plots with common walnut (Juglans regia L.) trees, according to the previous agroforestry management (AFM) since tree planting. The aim is i) estimating trees growth and herbaceous yield in relation to increasing tree size, especially referring to the trees basal area (G); ii) evaluating the role of nut production as additional product to timber and food crops. Observations were run on tree growth and leaf phenology, total light transmittance (TTL) below tree canopy and hay yield with and without walnut intercropping. Nut yield was estimated from available literature and associated to G. At the end of the study year, representing two third of trees rotation, their height varied between 10 and 11 m, with much larger variation for tree diameter between 17 and 22 cm, according to the previous AFM, including tree mulching with plastic film. Hay yield varied between 4.5 and 3 Mg ha year-1 outside and under tree canopy, respectively. Negative regression were determined for G and TTL, and G and hay yield, with an annual reduction of 5% per G unit. Simulations were run on hay and nut yield, using G as main input parameter. The work points out the following key findings: i) the usefulness of plastic mulching, at tree planting, to increase the long-term timber productivity of the trees intercropped with herbaceous crops; ii) the negative linear relationship between hay productivity and walnut trees G; iii) G influences, in positive way, more markedly nut than hay yield. Suggestions are given on the optimum tree planting spacing and AFM for balancing timber, nut and hay yields.

Photovoltaic systems and wind energy systems are generally used in distributed system. However, zero-sequence and harmonic currents occur due to photovoltaic systems, and positive-sequence harmonic currents occur due to wind turbines. Thus, the sheath current in high voltage cables increases due to these currents and poor power quality in distributed generation plants. Metal parts of the cable are grounded to prevent the negative effects of sheath currents. When long high voltage cable lines are grounded with the method in the literature, high sheath current and voltage occur on the cable sheath. Therefore, the SSBLR method is designed as a new method for the distributed generation system. The SSBLR method has been optimized with prediction methods and multi-objective optimization methods to prevent negative effects of the sheath current. Pareto optimal method is used as multi-objective optimization method, and artificial neural network, hybrid artificial neural network and regression methods are used as prediction method. The most dominant result is searched using different estimation and optimization methods in pareto optimal method. When the artificial neural network-genetic algorithm hybrid method is used as a prediction method, and genetic algorithm used as optimization method, significant decreases are observed in sheath current and voltage.

Slave Province in Canada is an Archean granite-supracrustal terrane at the northwestern corner of the Canadian Shield. It is bordered by the Thelon–Taltson orogen (2.0 to 1.9 Ga) to the south-east and the Wopmay orogen (1.9 to 1.8 Ga) to the west. Acasta gneisses exposed in the western-most Slave province and the Wopmay rocks close to the gneisses were collected systematically for K-Ar and laser step-heating 40Ar /39Ar analyses of the biotite and amphibole. The K-Ar biotite ag-es of the four Wopmay samples range from 1816 ± 18 Ma to 1854 ± 26 Ma, which is within the reported U-Pb zircon age range of the Wopmay orogen. The K-Ar biotite ages of the fifteen Acasta gneisses range from 1779 ± 25 Ma to 1877 ± 26 Ma, except for a younger sample (1711 ± 25 Ma). The 40Ar/39Ar biotite analyses of the three samples from the Wopmay orogen give the plateau ages of 1826 ± 21 Ma, 1886 ± 13 Ma, and 1870 ± 18 Ma. On the other hand, the 40Ar/39Ar analyses of the biotite crystals from the Acasta gneiss show a variety of ages. Three samples show the plateau ages of 1877 ± 8 Ma, 1935 ± 14 Ma, and 1951 ± 11 Ma. These plateau ages are a little older than the total gas ages. The 40Ar/39Ar analyses of the amphibole crystals show more varied age rela-tions. The two samples show consistent age relations between the plateau ages (1814 ± 22 Ma and 1964 ± 12 Ma) and the total gas ages (1789 ± 23 Ma and 1967 ± 11 Ma), respectively. Some sam-ples have the apparent old age of 2000 Ma in the middle temperature fractions. These old frac-tions are due to that the originally existed amphibole crystals formed in Archean were affected by the thermal events during the Wopmay orogeny. but did not fully reset. The results suggest that the K-Ar system ages of the biotite and amphibole of the Archean Acasta gneiss that is aged from 4200 to 2600 Ma of zircon U-Pb ages were rejuvenated in the Paleo–Proterozoic ages. The heat source that rejuvenated the K-Ar system ages may have arisen due to the asthenospheric intrusion into the wedge mantle, which took place because of the subduction rollback.

Combustion parameters are the important aspects in the development and research of an internal combustion engines. Hence present work is an attempt to develop an artificial neural network (ANN) model for anticipating the combustion characteristics of computerized CI DI VCR, four strokes, single cylinder, and water cooled engine using mixture of two biodiesel and diesel blends as a fuel. The two biodiesel selected are Jatropha and Simarouba and mixed in the ratio of 75:25. Two biodiesel mixtures is used for the preparation of various blends with diesel. Experiments are carried out at different compression ratio, at different % load and blends B20, B40, B60and neat diesel (B00) fuel to accumulate the assorted combustion data. The input variables are % load, compression ratio, blends and crank angle. The outputs well thought-out are cylinder pressure (CP), net heat release rate (NHRR), cumulative heat release (CHR), rate of pressure rise (RPR), mass fraction burned (MFB) and maximum cylinder pressure. The assessment is focused on developing artificial neural network for the prediction and verifying the combustion characteristics of engine. MATLAB software is used for analysis of different combustion aspects of the engine. Multilayer neural network perceptions are used with Feed-Forward Back Propagation algorithm with performance function for mapping the input and output parameters. The experimental outcomes are compared with ANN estimated results for the analysis. The outcome from the study authenticate that experimental results are in match with ANN results. The accuracy of the ANN model shows the developed model can effectively predict the engine combustion characteristics with excellent regression coefficients ‘R’ and its values are close to unity and the mean square errors are extremely less. ANN model approach is competent towards predicting the combustion aspect of diesel engine with good accuracy

Flomoxef (FMX) may be a potential alternative to carbapenems for dogs infected with Enterobacterales producing extended-spectrum β-lactamase (ESBL-E). However, the appropriate dosage of FMX in dogs with ESBL-E infections has yet to be established. This study was carried out to establish appropriate treatment regimens for FMX against ESBL-E infections in dogs by a pharmacokinetics–pharmacodynamics (PK–PD) approach. Five dogs received an intravenous bolus dose of FMX (40 mg/kg). Serum FMX concentrations were evaluated using high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, and PK indices were determined based on non-compartmental model. The cumulative fraction of response (CFR) was calculated based on the distribution of minimum inhibitory concentrations among wild-type ESBL-E from companion animals. As the results, the dosage regimens of 40 mg/kg q8h and q6h were estimated to achieve a CFR of &gt;90% for wild-type isolates of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis for dogs. In contrast, all regimens exhibited a CFR of &lt;80% for ESBL-producing Enterobacter cloacae. Our results indicated that dosage regimens of 40 mg/kg FMX q8h and q6h can be a non-carbapenem treatment for dogs infected with ESBL-producing isolates of Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, and Proteus mirabilis, but not for those infected with ESBL-producing Enterobacter cloacae.

More than 13.5 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have so far been delivered between 2021 and 2023 through a mix of delivery platforms, with mass vaccination campaigns being the main approach. In 2022, with the most likely scenario of continued circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and the need for periodic booster doses, there was a need for countries to plan for more sustainable approaches to provide COVID-19 vaccination. In this context of uncertainty, a global tool for integrating COVID-19 vaccines into immunization programmes and primary health care was published jointly by WHO and UNICEF to respond to country needs. The guidance leveraged existing health system frameworks, proposed four steps for the COVID-19 integration journey, and identified investment areas. The development process maximized robust global stakeholder and country engagement, and the timeframe was aligned with donor funding windows to support the integration of COVID-19 vaccination. The rapid dissemination of guidance allowed its use by countries to ascertain their readiness for integrating COVID-19 vaccination and inform the development of national plans and funding applications. While progress has been made in specific areas (e.g., optimizing cold chain and logistics leveraging COVID-19 vaccination), in the context of decreasing demand for COVID-19 vaccines, reaching adult COVID-19 vaccine high-priority-use groups and engaging and coordinating with other health programmes (beyond immunization) remains a challenge. We share the learning that despite the uncertainties of a pandemic, guidance documents can be developed and used within a short timeframe. Working in partnership with stakeholders beyond immunization towards a common objective is powerful and can allow progress to be made on integrating health services and preparing better for future pandemics.

Background: In Malaysia, the mortality from melioidosis infection was reported to be higher than in other infectious diseases. The research on melioidosis is still limited in Malaysia but slightly increasing. Objective: To give an overview of the study designs, statistical methods and comparison of research in identifying the predictors of melioidosis mortality in Malaysia between January 2010 to December 2021. This review articles were divided into two sections; Section 1: Review of literature and Section 2: Findings on predictors of melioidosis mortality in Malaysia. Data sources: Pubmed/Medline. Study Eligibility Criteria: Original English-language articles were abstracted. The articles that identified the predictors of melioidosis from mortality in Malaysia only included. Letters to the editor, editorials, reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis, case reports and any other ineligible articles were excluded. Results: A total of 7 studies were identified related to predictors of melioidosis mortality in Malaysia. From the selected articles, all of the data were retrospectively collected. Six out of 7 articles (85.7%) used the logistic regression in identifying the predictors of melioidosis mortality. Only 1 (14.3%) used advanced survival analysis methods of Cox regression analysis. Conclusion: Logistic regression methods remain the most common methods of analysis in publications on predictors of melioidosis mortality in Malaysia while retrospective research designs are favoured. There is a limitation of research in predictors of melioidosis mortality and the use of advanced statistical techniques reported using the melioidosis data in Malaysia. More published research on melioidosis will provide input to the clinicians on a more detailed understanding of how to improve the diagnosis of melioidosis and the prognosis factors of this disease.

The cooking method is extremely important for the production of low-salt, wet-marinated, fermented golden pomfret because it strongly influences its flavor components and organoleptic quality. There are also significant differences in flavor preferences in different populations. The present study analyzed differences in the aroma characteristics of wet-marinated fermented golden pomfret after boiling, steaming, microwaving, air frying and baking using a combination of an electronic nose, GC-IMS and SPME-GC-MS. Electronic nose PCA showed that the flavors of the boiled (A), steam (B) and microwave (C) treatment groups were similar, and the flavors of baking (D) and air frying (E) were similar. A total of 72 flavor compounds were detected in the GC-IMS analysis, and comparative analysis of the cooked wet-marinated and fermented golden pomfret yielded a greater abundance of flavor compounds. SPME-GC-MS analysis detected 108 flavor compounds, and the results were similar to the baking and air frying. Twelve key flavor substances, including hexanal, isovaleraldehyde, and (E)-2-dodecenal, were identified by orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) and VIP analysis. These results show that cooking method is a key factor in the flavor distribution of wet-marinated fermented golden pomfret, and consumers can choose the appropriate cooking method accordingly.

There is a great need to develop research-based models for supporting collaboration between educational institutions. Collaboration models are needed, for example, to assist the transition from lower educational level to higher education or from higher education to work life. In this research, collaboration was conducted through a joint upper-secondary school and university course that addressed global challenges by using a project-based learning approach. There is a shortage of research exploring students’ perceptions of collaboration. Therefore, the main purpose of this qualitative case study is to explore the relevance of the joint course for students and university students. The research was guided by the following research question: What kind of relevance did the students experience in the joint project-based learning course? The data was gathered using questionnaires, interviews, and reflective study reports. The data was analyzed via theory-based content analysis where research-oriented relevance model was used as the analysis framework. The analysis framework enabled categorizing experienced relevance on individual, vocational and societal dimensions. Altogether, the analysis produced 7 relevance categories for upper-secondary students and 9 for university students. According to the analysis, upper-secondary school students felt that the course offered the most on an individual relevance dimension whereas university students experienced the vocational relevance dimension most diverse. As the main conclusion, this research produced new insights on the experienced relevance of upper-secondary level and higher education cooperation from the students’ point of view. The acquired knowledge can be useful for everyone developing new cross-institutional cooperation models.

Abstract: Few studies have been conducted in Iraq regarding the association of violence at multiple ecological levels and child mental health outcomes. Therefore, the study objectives were 1) to conduct a nationwide analysis to explore violence at multiple socio-ecological levels and children's mental health outcomes, and 2) to identify the most vulnerable children according to the spatial distribution of Iraqi governorates. This cross-sectional study used the 2018 Iraq Multiple Indicator Cluster Survey (MICS 6), which included 12,358 caregivers who provided complete information regarding their parenting and disciplinary practices regarding their children between the ages of 5 and 14. Logistic regression was employed to examine the factors associated with children’s depression and anxiety. This study showed that 22% of children had depression, while 38% experienced anxiety. Notably, children residing in Iraq's South/Central regions, specifically in areas like Nainawa, Najaf, and Basrah, exhibited notably higher anxiety and depression. The research also showed that living in unsafe neighborhoods, women's acceptance of domestic violence, and the use of severe physical punishment as corporal discipline all contributed to the development of anxiety and depression. This study addresses the scarcity of information on children's mental health outcomes in Iraq at national and governorate levels, emphasizing the need for urgent national-level policy discussions to achieve key Sustainable Development Goals related to ending all forms of violence against children by 2030.

The content of this paper is a very significant contribution to the heritage regional reconstruction and conservation interventions. The results about the iconographic analysis of the Early-Renaissance frescoes of St. Leocadia Church, in Chaves, in the north-east of Portugal, were presented for the first time. This paper aims to study facial similarity analysis applied to identification of the personages represented in the 1511-1513 mural paintings of the apse of St. Leocadia Church, in Chaves Municipality (North of Portugal) and those ones in the oil paintings by the Proto-Renaissance Portuguese painter Nuno Gonçalves. In this work, it was explored the feasibility of face recognition technologies in answering many ambiguities concerning Manueline stylistic identity and iconography. A proposal was made to identify the characters, fundamental to the meaning of the frescoes. It has been experimentally proved on 7 characters of St. Leocadia Church’s paintings, in comparison with the referred old master portraits. It was used an in-house trained deep face recognition model to extract facial features from images of 15th and 16th century portraits to compare their degree of similarity. It was undertaken facial similarity analysis of the faces in the formidable portrait gallery of the 15th century Portuguese society represented in the Panels of St. Vicent, which has been subject of national and international research for 130 years. On the other, in the oil painting of St. Peter and St. Paul and Infanta St. Joana, of the same old master. The iconographic interpretation of the mural paintings of St. Leocadia, based in the deep facial features of the images, is plausible: a catechetical purpose; the ritual practices of royal ancestor worship in royal portrait apses of the churches; the Portuguese maritime expansion and the macro-imperial ideology of D. Manuel I.

Introduction: This study explored the structural relationship between peer relations, exercise participation satisfaction, exercise commitment, and adherence to intention to exercise among Korean sports club participants. The objective was to offer insights that can enhance intentions for continuous exercise participation. Methods: To fulfill this objective, data were gathered using snowball sampling from teenagers at middle schools in Seoul and Gyeonggi, South Korea, who either currently participate in school sports clubs or have participated in the past. A total of 261 responses were analyzed using frequency, technical statistics, and confirmatory factor, reliability, correlation, and structural equation model analyses. Results: Through these analyses, this study found that peer relationships, exercise participation satisfaction, and exercise commitment were significant as both direct and indirect influences on exercise adherence intentions. Discussion: Intervention strategies should focus on fostering the positive emotions that stem from peer relationships.

The Earth's water resources, totaling 1.386 billion cubic kilometers, predominantly consist of saltwater in oceans. Groundwater, plays a pivotal role, with 99% of usable freshwater supporting 1.5–3 billion people as drinking water source and 60–70% for irrigation. Climate change, with temperature increase and altered precipitation patterns, directly impacts groundwater systems, affecting recharge, discharge, and temperature. Hydrological models are crucial for assessing climate change effects on groundwater, aiding in management decisions. Advanced hydrological models, incorporating data assimilation and improved process representation, contribute to understanding complex systems. Recent studies, employ numerical models to assess climate change impacts on groundwater recharge that could help in management of Groundwater. Groundwater vulnerability assessments vary with the spatial and temporal considerations, as well as assumptions in modelling groundwater susceptibility. The review assesses the vulnerability of groundwater to climate change and stresses the importance of accurate assessments for sustainable water resource management. It highlights challenges in assumptions related to soil and aquifer properties, multiple stressors, adaptive capacity, topography, aquifer properties, and groundwater contamination processes and gradual sea level rise scenarios and realistic representations of the region of study. The advancements in hydrological modelling, including the integration of uncertainty quantification and remote sensing data, artificial intelligence, could assist in the efforts to improve models for assessing the impacts of climate change on hydrological.

Deficient wound healing is frequently observed in patients diagnosed with diabetes, a clinical complication that compromises mobility and leads to limb amputation, decreasing patient autonomy and family lifestyle. Fibroblasts are crucial for secreting the extracellular matrix to pave the wound site for endothelial and keratinocyte regeneration. The biosynthetic pathways for collagen production are one of the main components of the extracellular matrix, as the crosslinking of extracellular collagen fibers is intimately related to fibroblast redox homeostasis. In this study, human dermic fibroblasts were cultured with 1 mM sodium selenite (inorganic) and 1 mM of two selenium amino acids (organic), Se-cysteine and Se-methionine. This concentration was compatible with long-term exposure necessary for extracellular matrix production and allowed us to examine the impact of these three compounds on the state and response of the thiol-based HyPer biosensor expressed in the cytoplasm. In addition, the abundance of extracellular matrix and ultrastructural properties were evaluated by Picrus Sirius red staining and scanning electronic microscopy, respectively. We also evaluated whether these selenium compounds effectively ameliorated the perturbations induced by culturing fibroblasts at high glucose levels (25 mM) regarding cytoplasmic redox, extracellular matrix, and glycation on collagen fibers. Our results indicate that cytoplasm protein oxidation was sensitive to selenium compound supplementation. Selenium amino acids increased the sensitivity to protein oxidation, and only Se-cysteine increased the disulfide bond reduction in fibroblasts maintained in high glucose. Despite the lack of effect of selenium compounds on the glu-cose-induced increase in matrix fiber thickness, we found that endothelial migration improved in the matrix generated by high glucose-cultured fibroblasts.

Crystalline phase engineering is a prominent strategy for synergistically optimizing the sur-face-body phases of a catalyst. In this work, TiO2 nanosheets assembled into nanotubes (TNSTs) with two-phases of anatase and rutile were firstly synthesized via crystal engineering by simple thermal annealing, and subsequently loaded with Ru nanoparticles to create efficient benzene hydrogenation catalyst Ru/TNSTs. The well- designed nanosheet-tubes structure boasts large specific surface area and excellent transmission channels, which effectively prevents the ag-glomeration and deactivation of loaded Ru nanoparticles, as well as promotes the internal diffu-sion in the reaction process of benzene hydrogenation to cyclohexene. Furthermore, titanium dioxide nanosheet-tubes contain numerous Ti3+ defects, which not only improves the overall generation rate of cyclohexene, but also enhances the suppression of cyclohexene adsorption. Most importantly, the two-phases of titanium dioxide increases the ratio of the electron defi-ciencies of Ru and promotes cyclohexene desorption. These synergistic properties enhance the selectivity and efficiency of the Ru/TNSTs catalysts, resulting in excellent performance in the hydrogenation of benzene to cyclohexene. Especially the Ru/TNSTs-4 catalyst achieves a 95% in-itial selectivity and 51% yield of cyclohexene in the reaction, outperforming most supported Ru-based catalysts. This work may provide new perspectives for designing efficient benzene hydrogenation catalysts via crystalline phase engineering.

Disposable surgical gowns are usually made from petroleum-based synthetic fibers that do not naturally decompose, impacting the environment. A promising approach to diminish the environmental impact of disposable gowns involves utilizing natural fibers and/or bio-based synthetic fibers. In this study, composite web from polylactic bicomponent fiber and natural fibers, cattail and kapok fiber, were prepared by hot-press method. Only the sheath region of the PLA bicomponent fiber melts, acting as an adhesive that enhanced the strength and reduced the thickness of the composite web compared to its state before hot-pressing. Mechanical and physical properties of composite webs were evaluated. Composite webs created from kapok fiber displayed a creamy yellowish-white color, while those made from cattail fiber showed a yellowish-brown color. Composite webs exhibit hydrophobic properties when adding the natural fiber. The maximum natural fiber content, at a ratio of 30, can be incorporated into composite webs while preserving mechanical properties and proper water vapor permeability. This nonwoven material presents an alternative with the potential to replace petroleum-based surgical gowns.

The mechanistic influences of dopamine (DA) signaling and impact on motor function is nearly always interpreted from changes in nigrostriatal neuron terminals in striatum. This is a standard practice in studies of human Parkinson’s disease (PD) and aging, and related animal models of PD and aging-related parkinsonism. However, despite dozens of studies indicating an ambiguous relationship between changes in striatal DA signaling and motor phenotype, this perseverating focus on striatum continues. Although DA release in substantia nigra (SN) was first reported almost 50 years ago. assessment of nigral DA signaling changes in relation to motor function is rarely considered. Whereas DA signaling has been well-characterized in striatum at all 5 steps of neurotransmission (biosynthesis and turnover, storage, release, reuptake, and post-synaptic binding) in the nigrostriatal pathway, the depth of such interrogations in the SN, outside of cell counts, is sparse. However, there is sufficient evidence that these steps in DA neurotransmission in the SN are operational and regulated autonomously from striatum, and are present in human PD and aging, and related animal models. To complete our understanding of how nigrostriatal DA signaling affects motor function, it is past time to include interrogation of nigral DA signaling. This brief review highlights evidence that changes in nigral DA signaling at each step in DA neurotransmission are autonomous from those in striatum and changes in the SN alone can influence locomotor function. Accordingly, for full characterization of how nigrostriatal DA signaling affects locomotor activity, interrogation of DA signaling in SN is essential.

The dynamic process of plants’ growth is primarily influenced by interconnected biochemical and physiological activities that operate throughout different growing phases. These processes respond to environmental conditions, affecting plant development and productivity. The present studies were carried out to investigate greenhouse conditions' impact on winter-grown cherry tomatoes (Cheramy F1) in terms of growth, yield, and nutritional composition.Data was collected on various dates during the period extending from December 2022 to March 2023. The greenhouse temperature varies from 22°C to 25.47°C (avg. 21.20°C) during plant growth and from 20°C to 23.85°C during fruit-bearing. Average CO2 concentration was 349.19 ppm; average light was 240.93 w/m2. Measured growth parameters include plant height, leaf growth, stem diameter, leaf spacing, leaf count, leaf area, and inflorescence count per plant. The key results of this study revealed the progressive growth report (PGR), which predicted the daily potential growth rate of plants: plant height, 2.86 to 3.81 cm/day; growth rate of mature old leaf: 0.003988 m2/day; middle younger leaf: 0.008733 m2/day; top Nascent leaf: 0.010722 m2/day; three to five leaves per week; and one inflorescence per week. In our accidental observation, we observed that plants with different orientations and growing spots within the greenhouse responded differently in view of their growth parameters. A exceedingly significant interaction among the inflorescence was found in view of length of inflorescence, number of fruits inflorescence, total fruit mass inflorescence, average fruit mass inflorescence, fruit dry matter inflorescence, fruit height inflorescence, and fruit diameter inflorescence. A non-significant interaction was found between the fruit keeping quality (Shelf days), fruit size, and inflorescence number. Inflorescence with a high, lower leaf area appeared to have high productivity. The nutritional composition of fruit was also different among the inflorescences.. The study's goal is to investigate and gather data to test the hypothesis that changes in greenhouse conditions and the adoption of green management practices will directly influence plant growth attributes, productivity, and fruit quality. The findings of this research could be valuable for optimizing greenhouse operations to enhance crop yields and quality while also promoting environmental sustainability.

This study investigated riverbank protection strategies along the dynamic Jamuna River in Bangladesh, a braided river prone to erosion and sedimentation. It reviews past countermeasures and emphasizes the effectiveness of groyne-type structures in redirecting flow and preventing erosion. Notably, the left bank exhibited greater stability than the right bank, emphasizing the need for effective groyne installations. A systematic methodology utilizing numerical modeling using International River Interface Cooperation (iRIC Nays2DH) ensured accuracy in assessing morphological impacts. This study presents novel countermeasures incorporating groyne installations in Zone 1 (from Singrabari to Meghai) and Zone 2 (from Pachthakuri to Subhagacga), accompanied by simulations for various flood conditions. Zone 2, identified as highly erosion-vulnerable, showed the greatest susceptibility. Simulations (Cases_0 1, 2, and 3) revealed groynes in Zone 1 alone ineffective, while Zone 2 installations successfully diverted oblique flow, reducing erosion risk. Although Case_3's combined approach was effective, it was uneconomical for Zone 1. Case_2, focusing on Zone 2 groynes, emerged as the optimal solution, redirecting flow and shaping sandbars to mitigate Jamuna River's riverbank erosion. It provides a practical and economical solution. Further research is recommended for groyne length and spacing variations. This study enhances Jamuna River protection, emphasizing groyne-type structures' importance and promoting a holistic understanding of morphological dynamics for future river management and effective countermeasures.

Background: Retinal vascular abnormalities may be associated with glaucomatous damage. Adaptive optics (AO) is a new technology that enables analysis of retinal vasculature at the cellular level in vivo. The purpose of this study is to evaluate retinal arteriolar parameters using the adaptive optics fundus camera (AO -FC) rtx1 in patients with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) at different stages and to investigate the relationship between these parameters and changes in optical coherence tomography (OCT) and perimetry. We wanted to assess whether vascular changes could be a cause or effect of glaucomatous damage. Methods: Parameters of retinal supratemporal and infratemporal arterioles (wall thickness (WT), lumen diameter (LD), total diameter (TD), wall-to-lumen ratio (WLR), and cross-sectional area of the vascular wall (WCSA)) were analysed with the rtx1 in 111 POAG eyes, divided into three groups according to the severity of disease and 70 healthy eyes in correlation of structural defects in retinal nerve fibre layer and visual fields defects. Results: Compared with the control group, the POAG groups showed significantly smaller TD and LD values (p<0,05) and significantly higher WLR and WT values (p<0,05) for supratemporal and infratemporal arterioles. Rtx1 parameters significantly correlated with OCT parameters (retinal nerve fibre layer, ganglion cell complex and rim area) and visual field parameters (mean deviation and pattern standard deviation) (p<0.05). Conclusion:  The results suggest that vascular dysfunction may be involved in POAG pathogenesis and neurodegenerative damage, even at the very early stage of glaucoma, without visual field defects.

Most shear tests are performed as standard three- or four-point bending tests, i.e., on one-way simply supported specimens subjected to concentrated loads. The major disadvantage is that these conditions usually do not correspond to the support and load condition of real structures. Structural members such as beams or slabs, are often multi-span components and subjected to distributed loads. As a consequence, the complex shear behavior, including crack kinematics, shear transfer mechanisms, and shear capacity, is studied almost only simply supported members with concentrated load. Positive impacts on the shear behavior resulting from continuous systems and distributed loads are thus neglected in the derivation of calculation models and in the development of design specifications. To incorporate the effect of continuous members and distributed loading conditions, more experimental investigations are necessary. Therefore, a total of 16 bending shear tests on CFRP reinforced concrete members without shear reinforcement were carried out. The tests specimens were tested as simply supported beams or as simply supported beams with loaded cantilever to simulate the continuous system with concentrated and distributed loads. Furthermore, the shear slenderness was varied by using different span lengths and degrees of restraint in the systems with intermediate support. All test specimens were made of high-strength concrete and were reinforced with a multilayer grid-like CFRP reinforcement in longitudinal direction. There was no shear reinforcement installed in the investigated shear span. This paper focuses the influence of the support conditions and load arrangements on crack development as well as on shear strength.

Background –The brinjal is of much importance in the warm areas of Far East, being grown extensively in India, Bangladesh, Pakistan, China and the Philippines. It is also popular in Egypt, France, Italy and United States. Preserving soil fertility throughout time by preserving organic matter and soil biological diversity, mechanical intervention, as well as exercise is highly needed in upcoming future. Effect of six different fertilizer, five organic and one synthetic fertilizers listing vermicompost, poultry manure, mustard cake, neem cake, bonemeal and N:P:K study were main concern of this investigation to find out the most suitable fertilizer for the brinjal.Result - the final growth and development through N:P:K @ 1.5%(19:19:19) outperformed all the organic fertilizers but when considering only organic fertilizer performance vermicompost@5 ton/ha was outperforming all the other organic fertilizers. Coming close to it, mustard cake@1.5ton/ha has shown its inheritance in providing nutrients. Use of other organic fertilizers are also effective use of poultry manure can provide nitrogen in higher amount in short time. Higher temperature above 25 degree Celsius cause slow growth, temperature range between 21 to 14 degrees Celsius was found better in terms of growth of flower and fruit formation.Conclusion – our experiment demonstrate specific organic fertilizer use over other fertilizers in terms of brinjal different developemental parameters and there is even comparision between synthetic fertilizer with organic fertilizer readily available in market. Vermicompost showed promising result followed by mustard cake for this specific brinjal genotype in northern plain of Indian subcontinent.

(1) Background: The chemotherapeutic drug cisplatin exerts toxic side effects causing acute kidney injury. Mesenchymal stromal cells can ameliorate cisplatin-induced kidney injury. We hypothe-size that the MSC secretome orchestrates the vicious cycle of injury and inflammation by acting on proximal tubule epithelial cells (PTECs) and macrophages individually, but further by coun-teracting their cellular crosstalk. (2) Methods: Conditioned medium (CM) from adipose stromal cells was used, first assessing its effect on cisplatin injury in PTECs. Second, effects of cisplatin and CM on macrophages were measured. Lastly, in an indirect co-culture system the interplay between the two cell types was assessed. (3) Results: First, CM rescued PTECs from cisplatin-induced apoptosis by reducing oxidative stress and expression of nephrotoxicity genes. Second, while cisplatin exerted only minor effects on macrophages, CM skewed macrophage phenotypes to the anti-inflammatory M2-like phenotype and increased phagocytosis. Finally, in the co-culture system, CM suppressed PTEC death by inhibiting apoptosis and nuclei fragmentation. CM lowered TNF-α release. While cisplatin inhibited macrophage phagocytosis, PTECs, and CM to a greater extent, enhanced it. CM strongly dampened the inflammatory macrophage cytokine secretion triggered by PTECs. (4) Conclusion: ASC-CM surpasses the PTEC-macrophage cross-talk in cisplatin injury. The positive effects on reducing cisplatin cytotoxicity, on polarizing mac-rophages and on fine-tuning cytokine secretion underscores MSCs CM benefit to prevent kidney injury progression.

In this work, a ferrocene-containing gallic acid derivative modified carbon nanotubes paste electrode (Gal-Fc-CNT) obtained by simple mechanical mixing was studied for fast simultaneous voltammetric detection of doxorubicin (DOX), capecitabine (CPB) and cyclophosphamide (CPP) as cytostatic index by cumulative signal and selective detection of DOX. The electrochemical behaviors of individual and simultaneous DOX, CPB and CPP studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) on Gal-Fc-CNT electrode at various pHs and potential ranges allowed the development of simple simultaneous detection method as cytostatic index at pH of 12 using square-wave voltammetry technique operated at modulation amplitude of 100 mV, step potential of 4 mV, frequency of 25 Hz and 100 mV·s−1 potential scan rate that allowed better performance than reported electrodes. Faster and selective detection of DOX with the lowest limit of detection of 75 ng⸱L-1 was achieved using square-wave voltammetry technique operated at modulation amplitude of 100 mV, step potential of 4 mV, frequency of 50 Hz and 200 mV·s−1 potential scan rate. The good results obtained for real tap water assessment indicated the utility of Gal-Fc-CNT paste electrode for practical applications (water samples, pharmaceutical formulations).

This case report describes a 71-year-old female with multiple comorbidities who presented with symptoms suggestive of stroke and was subsequently found to have severe acute kidney injury (AKI) due to acute interstitial nephritis (AIN). The patient has normal kidney function at baseline. She has been on hydrochlorothiazide and metoprolol succinate for hypertension for several years. Due to severe acute kidney injury, a kidney biopsy was performed, revealing severe Acute Interstitial Nephritis secondary and multiple intratubular oxalate crystals. The patient's renal function improved after withdrawing HCTZ, volume repletion and initiating prolonged prednisone taper. We attempt to provide some insights through our paper into the mechanism of acute renal failure from crystal nephropathy and its management.

The ultimate analysis parameters including carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), and oxygen (O) content in biomass was rarely found to be predicted by nondestructive tests until to date. In this research, we developed partial least squares regression (PLSR) models to predict the ultimate analysis parameters of chip biomass using near infrared (NIR) raw spectra of non-wood and wood samples from fast growing tree and agricultural residue and nine different traditional spectral preprocessing techniques. These techniques include first derivative (sd1), second derivative (sd2), constant offset, standard normal variate (SNV), multiplicative scatter correction (MSC), vector normalization, min-max normalization, mean centering, sd1 + vector normalization, and sd1 + MSC. Additionally, we employed a genetic algorithm (GA), successive projection algorithm (SPA), multi-preprocessing (MP) 5−range, and MP 3−range to develop a PLSR model for rapid prediction. A dataset consisting of 120 chip biomass samples was utilized for model development in which the samples was non-wood samples of 65-67% and wood samples was 33-35%, and the model performance were evaluated and compared. The selection of the optimum performing model was mainly based on criteria such as the coefficient of determination in the prediction set (R2P), root mean square error of the prediction set (RMSEP), and the ratio of prediction to deviation values (RPD). The optimal model for weight percentage (wt.%) of C was obtained using GA−PLSR, yielding R2P, RMSEP, and RPD values of 0.6954, 1.1252 wt.%, and 1.8, respectively. Similarly, for wt.% of O, the most effective model was obtained using the multi-preprocessing PLSR−5 range method with R2P of 0.7150, RMSEP of 1.3088 wt.%, and RPD of 1.9. For wt.% of N, the optimal model was obtained using the MP PLSR−3 range method, resulting in R2P, RMSEP, and RPD values of 0.6073, 0.1008 wt.%, and 1.6, respectively. However, wt.% of H model provided R2P, RMSEP, and RPD values of 0.5162, 0.2322 wt.%, and 1.5, respectively. Notably, the limit of quantification (LOQ) values for C, H, and O were lower than the minimum reference values used during model development, indicating a high level of sensitivity. However, the LOQ for N, exceeded the minimum reference value, implying the samples to be predicted by the model must be in the range of reference range in calibration set. By scatter plot analysis, the effect of combined non-wood and wood spectra of biomass chips on rapid prediction of ultimate analysis parameters using NIR spectroscopy was investigated. To include different species in a model, the species have to be not only in the different values of the constituents to make a wider range for robust model but also they must provide their trend line characteristics in the scatter plot i.e. correlation coefficient (R), slope and intercept (same slope and slope approached to 1 and intercept is same (no gap) and approached zero, high R approached to 1). The effect of the R, slope and intercept to obtain the better optimized model were studied. The results show that the different species affected model performance of each parameter prediction in a different manner and by scatter plot analysis which of these species were affecting the model negatively and how the model could be improved was indicated. This is the first time of the effect is studied by the principle of scatter plot.

In today's digital landscape, the use of smartphones is almost inevitable, and so is the pervasive use of social media (SM), a constantly evolving system that has become an integral part of the daily lives of adolescents. Over the past seven years, the usage of social media platforms such as Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok has seen exponential growth among younger audiences. Excess SM use has raised concerns. This paper examines the possible negative consequences of the escalating trend in social media usage, and the implications of social media addiction (SMA), especially platforms featuring short-form video content, among teenagers. The paper also addresses the debate surrounding the validity of the term "addiction" concerning social media overuse and highlights the neurobiological processes associated with addiction, including the activation of dopamine-related brain structures. Furthermore, it discusses the researched structural and functional changes to the adolescent brain, including drawing parallels with substance addictions based on neuroimaging studies. Finally, this review advocates for exploring avenues of regulation to ensure a safer digital future, emphasizing the importance of policy to mitigate unforeseen long-term consequences of SMA and provides recommendations for reasonable and efficient future policy directions, guided by scientific and health concerns rather than political motives.