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

This narrative review synthesizes recent basic and clinical research on visual disturbances in low-light environments, highlighting evaluation techniques for these conditions. It focuses on the degradation of visual acuity under dim lighting, exacerbated by pupil dilation, known as night vision disturbances (NVD). Key contributors to NVD include optical scattering, intraocular diffraction, ocular aberrations, and uncorrected refractive errors, all significantly impacting quality of life and functional abilities. The review also examines the effects of aging, eye disorders, surgical interventions, and corneal irregularities on NVD. It details the definitions, distinctions, and measurement methodologies for various optical phenomena, using both objective and subjective approaches, such as visual function questionnaires, simulators, and the Light Distortion Analyzer (LDA). The LDA is validated for clinical characterization and quantification of light distortion, proving useful in both clinical and research settings. The review advocates for continued innovation in therapeutic interventions to improve patient outcomes and alleviate the impact of visual disturbances.

We present an analysis of high-resolution, near-infrared (NIR) spectra relative to the solar transit of Venus of 5-6 June 2012, as observed with the Facility Infrared Spectropolarimeter (FIRS) at the Dunn Solar Telescope in New Mexico. These observations offer the unique opportunity to probe the upper layers (between ∼84 and 150 km in altitude) of a thick, CO2-dominated atmosphere with the transmission spectroscopy technique – a proxy for future studies of highly-irradiated atmospheres of Earth-sized exoplanets. We were able to visually identify absorption lines from the two most abundant CO2 isotopologues, and from the main isotopologue of CO in the retrieved spectrum of Venus. Furthermore, we perform a cross-correlation analysis of the transmission spectrum using transmission templates generated with petitRADTRANS. With the cross-correlation technique, it was possible to confirm detections of both CO2 isotopologues and CO. Additionally, we retrieve a cross-correlation signal for O3 on Venus. We demonstrate the feasibility of high-resolution, ground-based observations to study the chemical inventory of planetary atmospheres, employing techniques commonly used in exoplanet characterization.

Heat pumps are increasingly becoming a key solution in the quest for decarbonization, offering a significant advantage over traditional boilers due to their superior energy efficiency. Not only can heat pumps provide both heating and cooling, but they also achieve thermal efficiencies exceeding 500%, which can seem to defy conventional expectations. The outdoor unit of a heat pump consists of about twenty main components, one of which is a complex network of copper pipes and sheets welded to valves, connectors, and other fittings. This set involves over thirty welded joints, highlighting a significant opportunity for reducing manufacturing time through process optimization. Copper is a critical material extensively used in various applications due to its excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. However, these very properties make welding copper particularly challenging, especially when aiming to automate and streamline industrial processes. Traditionally, connecting copper pipes and fittings is done through brazing, yet, alternative methods such as LASER welding, electron beam welding, resistance welding, friction welding, and ultrasonic welding also exist. This study focuses on the ultrasonic welding of copper, aiming to identify the optimal parameters that maximize the mechanical strength of overlapping joints and ensure effective tube sealing. Experimental results showed that for copper sheets, the best outcomes were achieved with a welding time of 3 s and a pressure of 6 bar. For tube sealing, the optimal conditions were a welding time of 3 s and a pressure of 4 bar. For both scenarios, the same variables were used, retention time of 0.62 s, initial pressure of 2 bar, retention pressure of 2 bar and sonotrode rising pressure of 3 bar. The analysis reveals that ultrasonic welding of copper can achieve both robust mechanical strength and reliable sealing, making it a promising technique for industrial applications.

Air pollution has recently gained much attention from the general population. Despite pollution control being an issue in both urban and rural regions, most of the available research has concentrated on urban districts. Hence, investigations into how urban-rural transition affects PM2.5 are warranted within the framework of urban-rural integration. Using the Yellow River Basin as a case study, this study employed the entropy method and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) to uncover the extent of urban-rural transformation. It then used the spatial autocorrelation method to investigate the spatiotemporal features of PM2.5 and the spatial econometric model to investigate the mechanisms that influence the relationship between urban-rural transformation and PM2.5. The results are as follows: (1) Over time, there was a discernible upward tendency in the change in urban-rural areas. The development has progressed from asymmetrical north-east and south-west elevations to a more balanced pattern of north-east, middle-east, and west-west elevations. (2) The PM2.5 concentration increased steadily, then fluctuated, and finally decreased. Notably, the general pattern has not changed much, and it is high in the east and low in the west. (3) Different subsystems of the urban-rural transformation have different impacts on air pollution at different stages. The influence of industrial transformation (IT) on PM2.5 showed an inverted “N-shaped” curve of negative-positive-negative changes, and the industrial structure played a leading role in the spatiotemporal evolution of PM2.5. Currently, an inverted "U-shaped" curve forms the left side of the impact of population transition (PT) on PM2.5. Land development (LT) has a "U-shaped" curve for its effect on PM2.5. This research provides a new perspective on the topic of PM2.5 and its connection to urban-rural integration, which is crucial to understanding the dynamics of this shift. To achieve its goal of high-quality development, it supports regional initiatives to reduce PM2.5 emissions in the Yellow River Basin. Moreover, it can provide a reference for decision-makers in the world’s densely populated areas that suffer from serious air pollution.

Macrophages as a source and target of GDF-15

Due to the increasing use of computer equipment, institutions and companies face challenges, such as sensitive data leaks and the spread of hate speech, which have severe consequences for organizations and their employees. Addressing these challenges is essential to avoid financial losses, reputational damage, and impacts on the psychological health of those involved. This paper presents a solution based on microservices for monitoring computers used by employees in organizations, including capturing information from the equipment using spyware techniques and a web application for managing alerts. The solution seeks to detect data leaks, suspicious behaviour, and hate speech. The results of the evaluation indicate that the proposed solution has an efficient data capture time and can identify unwanted behaviour in a short period. The solution also includes applying prediction models to detect hate speech, achieving an average accuracy of approximately 87%. The performance, scalability, and security evaluation demonstrate that the solution is suitable for dealing with data leakage and hate speech challenges in the corporate environment.

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

A pivotal strategy in decarbonizing the transport sector is by transitioning from internal combustion engine vehicles (ICEVs) to electric vehicles (EVs), especially if they are charged with renewable energy. To provide an incentive to the common populace to switch to EVs, cities should set up - or enable or even encourage the private sector to do so - electric vehicle charging stations (EVCS) at multiple and suitably accessible locations. This paper aims to present a digitaltwin-enabled methodology study for selecting the most suitable possible locations to establish EVCS with consideration of the low voltage (LV) network operation in terms of power losses, active and reactive power in EV charging demand and the effect of the EVCS on the transformers, based on examples in Newcastle upon Tyne (England, UK). It also evaluates the most suitable type of charger that could be installed at these locations by studying the estimated traffic, cost and impact of the EVCS on the power grid, both at peak and off hours. This paper demonstrates how digitaltwin technologies, such as the web-based tool AutoDesign by Northern Powergrid and EA Technology and open source Pandapower can be used for identifying the most viable and cost-effective locations to connect EVCSs to a Distribution Network Operators (DNO)’s LV network. The results of the analysis indicate that with the installation of the most suitable type of EVCS in a particular location, the local power grid would not be significantly affected at any hour of the day.

Background: Infantile tibia vara (ITV) is a rare proximal tibia deformity in infancy, leading to progressive knee varus. High tibial osteotomy is commonly practiced but has high recurrence rates. This study analyzed factors affecting treatment failure and recurrence in children undergoing opening-wedge high tibial osteotomy (OWHTO) for ITV. Methods: We retrospectively studied children with ITV who had OWHTO with press-fit cancellous bone allograft between 2000 and 2020, with ≥2-year follow-up. Outcomes included recurrence (knee varus with tibiofemoral angle >10°), complications, and reintervention. Results: We analyzed 39 knees in 29 patients (mean age: 4.8 ± 1.9 years; median follow-up: 7.4 years). Recurrence occurred in 22 cases (56%). Age at surgery significantly influenced recurrence, with rates of 16% before age 5 versus 95% later (hazard ratio: 12.0, p = 0.001). Langenskiöld stage also affected recurrence (β-coefficient: 2.7, 95% C.I. 1.0–4.5, p = 0.002; pseudo-R-squared: 0.50, p = 0.001), with recurrence in all stage III IV or higher cases. Conclusions: Early diagnosis and treatment before age 45, ideally with Langenskiöld stage III or lower, are crucial for stable correction with OWHTO alone. Late, high-grade ITV may require combined, acute or gradual, and/or staged correction. Further evidence is needed for optimal management.

Aquifer karstic structures, due to their complex nature, present significant challenges in accurately mapping their intricate features. Traditional methods often rely on invasive techniques or sophisticated equipment, limiting accessibility and feasibility. In this paper, we propose a new approach to non-invasive, low-cost 3D reconstruction using a camera that observes the light projection of a simple diving lamp. Our method capitalizes on the principles of structured light, leveraging the projection of light contours onto the karstic surfaces. By capturing the resultant light patterns with a camera, we reconstruct three-dimensional representations of the structures. The simplicity and portability of the equipment required make this method highly versatile, enabling deployment in diverse underwater environments. We validate our approach through extensive field experiments conducted in various aquifer karstic settings. The results demonstrate the efficacy of our method in accurately delineating intricate karstic features with remarkable detail and resolution. Furthermore, the non-destructive nature of this technique minimizes disturbance to delicate aquatic ecosystems while providing valuable insights into the subterranean landscape. This innovative methodology not only offers a cost-effective and non-invasive means of mapping aquifer karstic structures but also opens avenues for comprehensive environmental monitoring and resource management. Its potential applications span hydrogeological studies, environmental conservation efforts, and sustainable water resource management in karstic terrains worldwide.

Enterococcus faecalis is a growing cause of nosocomial and antibiotic-resistant infections. Treating drug-resistant E. faecalis requires novel approaches. The use of bacteriophages (phages) against multidrug-resistant (MDR) bacteria has recently garnered global attention. Biofilms play a vital role in E. faecalis pathogenesis as they enhance antibiotic resistance. Phages eliminate biofilms by producing lytic enzymes, including depolymerases. In this study, Enterococcus phage vB_Efs8_KEN04 (ФKEN04), isolated from a sewage treatment plant in Nairobi, Kenya, was tested against clinical strains of MDR Enterococcus faecalis. This phage had a broad host range against 100% (26/26) of MDR E. faecalis clinical isolates and cross-species activity against Enterococcus faecium. It was able to withstand acidic and alkaline conditions, from pH 3 to 11, as well as temperatures between -80ᵒC and 37ᵒC. It could inhibit and disrupt the biofilms of MDR E. faecalis. Its linear double-stranded DNA genome of 142,402 bp contains 238 coding sequences with a G+C content and coding gene density of 36.01% and 91.46%, respectively. Genomic analyses showed that ФKEN04 belongs to the genus Kochikohdavirus in the family Herelleviridae. It lacked antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and lysogeny genes, and its stability, broad host range, and cross-species lysis indicate strong potential for the treatment of Enterococcus infections.

“Pecorino” is a typical semi-hard cheese obtained with raw or heat-treated sheep milk using procedures to valorize the raw material's chemical and microbiological properties. In the present study, using a high throughput method of 16S rRNA gene sequencing, we assessed the evolution of the microbiome composition from milk to Pecorino cheese in artisanal processes using milk from Comisana and Lacaune sheep breeds. The comparative analysis of the bacterial com-munity composition revealed significant differences in the presence and abundance of specific taxa in the milk microbiome of the Comisana and Lacaune breeds. NGS analysis also revealed differences in the curd microbiome related to dairy farming practices, which have a relevant effect on the final structure of the Pecorino-cheese microbiome.

Abstract: Peptide pools composed of short amino acid sequences have proven to be versatile tools in various research areas and clinical applications. They are powerful tools for epitope mapping, immunotherapy, and vaccine development. Their importance lies in their ability to map complex protein structures, enabling a comprehensive understanding of immune responses and facilitating the identification of potential therapeutic agents. The application of peptide pools also extends to the field of personalized medicine, offering tailored solutions for diseases such as cancer and infectious diseases. Peptide pools are complex mixtures of immunostimulatory antigens primarily intended for T-cell stimulation. They are commercially available in many different compositions and variants. However, unlike other reagents that consist of only one or a few compounds, peptide pools are highly complex products with limited stability. This makes their quality control a major challenge. Quantitative peptide analysis usually requires sophisticated methods, in most cases isotope-labeled standards and reference materials. None of these are routinely available for these products. Synthesis and purification of all labeled peptides might be required. Usually, this approach would be prohibitively laborious and expensive. Therefore, an approach is needed to provide a practical and feasible method for quality control of peptide pools. With insufficient quality control, the use of such products could lead to incorrect experimental results, which would worsen the well-known reproducibility crisis in the biomedical sciences. Here we propose the use of ultra-high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) with two detectors, a standard UV detector (at 214 nm) for quantitative analysis and a high-resolution mass spectrometer (HRMS) for identity confirmation. To be cost-efficient and fast, quantification and identification are performed in one chromatographic run. An optimized protocol is shown, and different peak integration methods are compared and discussed. This work was performed using a peptide pool known as CEF, which consists of 32 peptides derived from cytomegalovirus (CMV), Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) and influenza virus, ranging from 8 to 12 amino acids in length.

Postprandial glucose levels between 4 and 7.9 hours (PPG4–7.9h) correlate with mortality from various diseases including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. This study aimed to assess if predicted PPG4–7.9h could diagnose diabetes. Two groups of participants were involved: Group 1 (4420 participants) had actual PPG4–7.9h, while Group 2 (8422 participants) lacked this measure but had all the diabetes diagnostic measures. Group 1 underwent multiple linear regression to predict PPG4–7.9h using 30 predictors, achieving accuracy within 11.1 mg/dL in 80% of the participants. Group 2 had PPG4–7.9h predicted using this model. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that predicted PPG4–7.9h could diagnose diabetes with an accuracy of 87.3% in Group 2, with a sensitivity of 75.1% and specificity of 84.1% at the optimal cutoff of 102.5 mg/dL. Simulation on 10,000 random samples from Group 2 revealed that 175 participants may be needed to investigate PPG4–7.9h as a diabetes diagnostic marker with a power of at least 80%. In conclusion, predicted PPG4–7.9h appears to be a promising diagnostic indicator for diabetes. Future studies seeking to ascertain its definitive diagnostic value might require a minimum sample size of 175 participants.

Compared to the southern Tibetan Plateau, the northern part has been regarded as relatively lacking geothermal resources. However, there is no lack of natural hot springs exposed in beads along large-scale fracture systems, and research on them is currently limited to individual hot springs or geothermal systems. This paper focuses on the Wahongshan-Wenquan Fracture Zone (WWFZ), analyzes the formation of five hydrothermal activity zones along the fracture zone in terms of differences in the hydrochemical and isotopic composition of the hot water, and then explores the hydrothermal control of hot springs in the zone by the fracture. The results show that the main Fractures of WWFZ is the regional heat-control structures, and the fracture system formed by a small number of near-north-south and near-east-west fractures transversal to it provides a favorable channel for deep hydrothermal convective circulation. Ice and snow melt water from the Ngola Shan Mountains, with an average elevation of more than 4,500 meters above sea level, infiltrates along the fractures and is heated by deep circulation to form deep geothermal reservoirs. There is no detectable contribution of mantle source heat to the hot spring gases, and the heat source is mainly natural heat conduction warming, but the "Low-Velocity body (LVB)" in the middle and lower crust of the area may be the primary heat source of the high geothermal background in the area. The hydrochemical components of the hot springs in the area show a certain regularity, and the main ionic components, TDS and water temperature, tend to increase away from the main rupture, reflecting the controlling effect of the WWF on the hydrothermal transport in the area. In the future, the geothermal work in this area should focus on the hydrothermal control properties of different levels, the nature of fractures in the area, and the thermal contribution of LVB in the middle and lower crust.

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

The development of plant-based meat analogues has become a significant challenge for the food industry in recent years due to the increasing demand for sustainable and healthier proteins in the context of a global protein transition. Plant-based meat analogues imitate the visual, textural, and chemical properties of traditional meat products and are required to closely resemble meat to appeal to consumers. In addition, consumers demand natural, clean-label, and nutritional and healthy products. To address these challenges, the food industry must develop highly healthy, nutritious, and E-number-free meat analogue products. Understanding the functionality of each ingredient and its role in the food matrix is crucial to being a key player in the innovation of the meat analogues market. This review provides updated information on the primary ingredients utilized for the development of plant-based burger meat alternatives and their functionality. The key components of meat analogue burgers are outlined, including plant proteins, binding agents, fats and oils, flavorings, colorings, preservatives, fortificants, and clean-label considerations.

Several bio-actors are involved in the occurrence of leishmaniasis, which is made too complex for prevention and control options. Currently, all forms of leishmaniasis are being treated with chemical drugs, which have limitations and adverse effects on patients. Searching the bioactive molecules from plant sources allows the development of a novel drug. The essential oil and solvent extract of the roots of E. kebericho showed antileishmanial activity. But looking for biological activities of the isolated active ingredient from tubers of E. kebericho was scant. Thus, the isolation of the leishmanicidal compound from the roots of E. kebericho through a bioassay-guided technique was an aim of this work. Dehydrocostus lactone showed doubled potent than the standard drug miltefosine on leishmanicidal activities against L. major and L. tropica. Besides, the broad-spectrum biological activities of dehydrocostus lactone could be a potential drug candidate for co-infected patients caused by an association of leishmania and another pathogen.

The main purpose of the study was to study the effects of a specific rowing ergometer training program on the athletic performance of young adolescents (n=56; 11.73 ± 1.4 years old) com-pared to a workout based on general strength training. Eight-week training program was im-plemented, with four sessions per week and two-hours per session. Sample was divided in two groups: a control group (CG) that performed circuit training with exercises aimed at building general strength and an experimental group (EG) who focused on specifically training on a rowing ergometer (rowing machine). The data obtained in a rowing meter test over the compe-tition distance were analyzed to obtain the average power attained (W) at the beginning of the training, at the middle (4 weeks), at the end of the training (8 weeks) and one year after the ex-perimentation. The results show that, although both forms of training improve the average W obtained in both categories, the EG subjects (+29.94W) obtained better averages in all phases of the study compared to the CG (+5.88W). Furthermore, this increase was greater in male rowers (+ 34.06W) than in female rowers (+24.54W). These results reveal that a specific rower rowing ergometer training program has a significant effect than a general strength program and these effects can even be observed a year after the intervention.

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

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

The research presented in this article is based on a strategic approach to a rural area in the mountainous region of Romania and is underwritten by specialists in the economy of mountainous regions in order to elaborate relevant solutions to complex problems relating to sustainable development. In essence, the research underlines and promotes the particularities of performing research for the identification and valuation of endogenous resources, that is, creating relevant strategic options for the durable development of the mountainous region, centered on the renewal of economic activities related to the existent endogenous resources, by using methods, work techniques, and instruments of strategic analysis. These factors are subordinate to the process of harmonization to the requirements of community development and environmental protection according to the new strategy for the development of the European Union 2020 (European Green Pact). This pact also emphasizes the necessity of involving the different factor categories of local accountability, promotion, activation, and the development of specific economic activities of different local contexts of sustainability. The research methodology used involves a case study whose complexity necessitated the use of quality and quantity research methods in order to underline specific elements of the rural area in the Romanian mountainous region. Specifically, we used a strategic diagnosis of the Romanian mountainous region using the PESTEL and SWOT models. In order to have relevant strategic options available, the continuity of research was achieved through the use of SOR analysis, creating a problem tree and an objectives tree.

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

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

A previous report showed that the urine output of HPLBII-P in patients with diabetes mellitus and SARS-Cov-2 infection was increased as a sign of glomerular dysfunction. . The aim of this report was to investigate the relation of urine output of HPLBII-P to diabetes mellitus in two large community-based elderly populations i.e. the ULSAM and PIVUS cohorts. Methods HPLBII-P was measured by ELISA in the urine of a community-based cohort of 839 men (ULSAM) collected at 77 years of age and in urine of a community-based cohort of 75-year-old men, n=387, and women, n=401 (PIVUS). KIM-1, NGAL and Albumin were measured in urine and Cathepsin S and Cystatin C in serum. Results HPLBII-P was significantly raised among males with diabetes in the ULSAM (p

A case-crossover study examined how PM_2.5 from Asian Dust Storms (ADS) affects the number of emergency room (ER) admissions for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) and respiratory diseases (RDs). Our data indicated that PM_2.5 concentration from ADS was highly correlated with ER visits for CVDs and RDs. The odds ratios (OR) increased by 2.92 (95% CI: 1.22-5.08) and 1.86 (95% CI: 1.30-2.91) per increase 10 µg/m³ in PM_2.5 levels, for CVDs and RDs, respectively. A 10 µg/m³ increase in PM_2.5 from ADSs was significantly associated with increase in ER visits for CVDs among those 65 years of age and older (an increase of 2.77 in OR) and for females (an increase of 3.09 in OR). In contrast, PM_2.5 levels had a significant impact on RD ER visits among those under 65 years of age (OR=1.77). The risk of ER visits for CVDs increased on the day when the ADS occurred in Taiwan and the day after (lag 0 and lag 1); the corresponding risk increase for RDs only increased on the fifth day after the ADS (lag 5). In Taiwan’s late winter and spring, the severity of ER visits for CVDs and RDs increases. Environmental protection agencies should employ an early warning system for ADS to reduce high-risk groups’ exposure to PM_2.5.

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

The Himalaya is well known for high diversity and ethnobotanical uses of medicinal plants. However, not all areas of the Himalayas are well studied. In particular, studies on ethnobotanical uses of plants from the Eastern Himalayas are rare and lacking for many tribes. Past studies primarily focused on listing plants name and their traditional medicinal uses. However, studies on traditional ethnopharmacological practices on medicine preparation had not yet been reported in published literature from the Eastern Himalaya. In this study, we are reporting the first time ethnopharmacological used 24 medicines, their procedures of preparation and listed 53 plant species used for those medicines for Monpa tribe. Such documentations had not yet been done for other tribes in India. Our research demonstrates the urgent need to documents traditional medicine preparation procedures from the local healers before rapid cultural modernization forgets them in transforming country like India. This study should motivate national and international researchers to do more works on ethnopharmacology and bioprospecting.

Vancomycin is one of the ‘last-line’ classes of antibiotics used in the treatment of life-threatening infections caused by Gram-positive bacteria. Even though vancomycin was discovered in 1950s it was widely used after 1980s for the treatment of infections caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococci as prevalence of such strains were increased. However, currently it is evident that vancomycin resistant Staphylococcusaureusandvancomycin-resistant Enterococci have been developed as a result of various reasons including use of avaparcin, which is an analog of vancomycin, as feed additive in livestock. In present day context, more attention should be paid on prevention of emergence of resistance for the antibiotics in order to keep antibiotics effective. In order to prevent emergence of resistance, proper guidance for the responsible use of antimicrobials is indispensable. Therefore, almost all stakeholders who use antibiotics should have in depth understanding on the antibiotic they use. As such, it is imperative to be aware of the important aspects of vancomycin. In the present review, efforts have been made to discussthe pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics, indications, emergence of resistance, control of resistance, adverse effects and alternative therapy for vancomycin.

In review, the operating principles of the most common bio sensing devices, detection methods and the identification sensitivity of analyzed molecules were shown. The central focus was done on hybridization analysis of nucleic acids (NA), which are considered to be one of the most important analytes in terms of diagnostic point of view. Constructions enabling to transfer the fact of formation of nucleotide probe/target complex in to detectable signal by optical, electrochemical or micromechanical (piezoelectric) sensors were presented in this review.

The recent increase in global consumption of rice has led to increased demand for sustainable water management in paddy cultivation. In this study, we propose an enhanced paddy simulation module to be introduced to Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) to evaluate the sustainability of paddy cultivation. The enhancements added to SWAT include: (1) modification of water balance calculation for impounded fields, (2) addition of an irrigation management option for paddy fields that are characterized by flood irrigation with target water depth, and (3) addition of a puddling operation that influences the water quality and infiltration rate of the top soil layer. In a case study, the enhanced model, entitled SWAT-Paddy, was applied to an agricultural watershed in Japan. The results showed that the SWAT-Paddy successfully represented paddy cultivation, water management, and discharge processes. Simulated daily discharge rates with SWAT-Paddy (R² = 0.8) were superior to the SWAT result (R² = 0.002). SWAT-Paddy allows the simulation of paddy management processes realistically, and thus can enhance model accuracy in paddy-dominant agricultural watersheds.

National heatwave plans are aimed at reducing the avoidable human health consequences due to heatwaves, by providing warnings to and improving communication between relevant stakeholders. The aim of this study was to assess the perceptions of key stakeholders within plans in Belgium and the Netherlands on their responsibilities, the partnerships, and the effectiveness of the local implementation in Brussels and Amsterdam. Key informant interviews were held with stakeholders that had an important role in development of the heatwave plan in these countries, or its implementation in Brussels or Amsterdam. Care organisations, including hospitals and elderly care organisations, had a lack of familiarity with the national heatwave plan in both cities, and prioritised heat the lowest. Some groups of individuals, specifically socially isolated individuals, are not sufficiently addressed by the current national heatwave plans and most local plans. Stakeholders reported that responsibilities were not clearly described and that the national plan does not describe tasks on a local level. We recommend to urgently increase awareness on the impact of heat on health among care organisations. More emphasis needs to be given to the variety of heat risk groups. Stakeholders should be involved in the development of updates of the plans.

This paper proposed three-dimensional numerical simulation method by coupling of electrostatic and fluid fields to evaluating the performance of electrical sensor in the concentration measurement of gas/solid two-phase flow. Compared with the static numerical simulation, this real-time dynamic 3-D simulation method can research on a designed capacitance sensor combining the dynamic characteristics of the two-phase flows for concentration measurement. Several fluid-electrostatic models of transmission pipes with different sensor structures are built. Under different test positions and different particle concentrations, the flow characteristics and the corresponding electric signals can be obtained, and the correlation coefficient between the concentration values and the capacitance values are used for performance evaluation of the sensors. The effects of flow regimes on concentration measurement are also been investigated in this paper. To validate the results of simulation, an experimental platform with horizontal straight pipe for phase volume concentration measurement of solid/air two-phase flow is built, and the experimental results agree well with simulation conclusions. The simulation and test results show that the coupling models can give constructive reference opinions for the sensor design and collection of installation position in different transmission pipelines, which are very important for the practical process of pneumatic conveying system.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is an age-associated neurodegenerative disorder. A wealth of evidence indicates that the amyloid β (Aβ) aggregates result from dyshomeostasis between Aβ production and clearance, which plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of AD. Consequently, therapies targeting Aβ reduction represent a promising strategy of AD intervention. Tetramethylpyrazine nitrone (TBN) is a novel tetramethylpyrazine derivative with the potential for the treatment of AD. Previously, we demonstrated that TBN markedly improved cognitive functions and reduced Aβ, APP, BACE 1 and hyperphosphorylated tau levels in 3 × Tg-AD mice. However, the mechanism by which TBN inhibits Aβ deposition still unclear. In this study, we employed the APP/PS1 mice treated with TBN (60 mg/kg, ig, bid) for six months and N2a/APP695swe cells treated with TBN (300 μM) to explore the mechanism of TBN on the Aβ reduction. Our results indicated that TBN significantly alleviated cognitive impairment and reduced Aβ depositions in APP/PS1 mice. Further investigation of the underlying mechanisms revealed that TBN decreased the expression of APP and BACE1, activated the AMPK/mTOR/ULK1 autophagy pathway and inhibited the PI3K/AKT/mTOR/ULK1 autophagy pathway, as well as decreased the phosphorylation levels of JNK and ERK in APP/PS1 mice. Moreover, TBN was found to significantly reduce the mRNA levels of APP and BACE1, as well as those of SP1, CTCF, TGF-β, and NF-κB, transcription factors involved in regulating gene expression. Additionally, TBN was observed to decrease the level of miR-346 and increase the levels of miR-147 and miR-106a in the N2a/APP695swe cells. These findings indicate that TBN may reduce Aβ levels likely via reducing APP expression by regulating APP gene transcriptional factors and miRNAs, reducing BACE1 expression, and promoting autophagy activities.

Reducing fertilizer-N rate, applying nitrification inhibitor (NI), and incorporating straw are widely recommended to improve N use efficiency of crops and decrease N losses. However, how these practices affect crop N uptake by regulating the fertilizer-N fate during the growing season is not well understood. We conducted a field 15N tracer study to explore the effectiveness of reduced N application, NI, and straw incorporation on fertilizer-N fates for maize cultivation in Northeast China. The following six treatments were used: 1) no N fertilization (control); 2) 200 kg urea-N ha−1 (100%N); 3) 200 kg urea-N ha−1 and 2400 kg dry-straw ha−1 (100%N+S); 4) 160 kg urea-N ha−1 (80%N, i.e., 20% reduction of N fertilization); 5) 160 kg urea-N ha−1 and nitrification inhibitor (Nitrapyrin) (80%N+NI); 6) 160 kg urea-N ha−1, nitrification inhibitor and 2400 kg dry-straw ha−1 (80%N+NI+S). Our results showed that the five N fertilization treatments yielded 16%–25% more grain and 39%–60% more crop N uptake than the control receiving no N fertilizer, but the differences among the five treatments were not statistically significant. In contrast to plant growth, changes in fertilizer-N fates in soil and plant pools were more pronounced. Compared with the 100%N treatment, 20% fertilizer-N reduction (80%N) decreased 15N concentration in topsoil and plant pools but increased the proportion of plant 15N recovery at harvesting (N use efficiency, NUE15N, 60% vs. 50%) (P < 0.05). Nitrapyrin co-application (80%N+NI) delayed soil nitrification and increased soil 15N retention at harvesting (52% vs. 36%), thereby decreasing NUE15N significantly (P < 0.05). Straw incorporation (100%N+S) decreased fertilizer-N retention compared with NI co-application because it promoted NUE15N significantly (P < 0.05). The combined application of NI and straw (80%N+NI+S) was more conducive to fertilizer-N retention in soil. Our findings demonstrate that NI and straw additions are efficient strategies for stabilizing fertilizer-N in soils and potentially minimizing N loss; however, their effects on NUE15N vary and the related mechanism must be further clarified in long-term trials.

Telecoupling, interactions between social-ecological systems across large, often global, distances, drives negative impacts from the forest-based carbon market. Yet, these negative impacts have been underreported; and therefore, likely vastly underestimated. We identify how these unintended negative impacts may occur and provide recommendations for the forest-based carbon market to better account for externalities by prioritising positive social impact, expanding comprehensive ecological outcomes and improving transparency of investments. We call for a carbon market that is designed to account for its global interconnectedness.

Thorough and precise gene structure annotations are essential for maximizing the benefits of genomic data and unveiling valuable genetic insights. The cucumber genome was first released in 2009 and updated in 2019. To increase the accuracy of predicted gene models, 64 published RNA-seq data and 9 new strand-specific RNA-seq data from multiple tissues were used for manual comparison with the gene models. The updated annotation file (version 2.0) contains increased 24,145 predicted genes from previous version (24317 genes) with a higher BUSCO value of 96.9%. 6231 and 1490 transcripts were adjusted and newly added, respectively, accounting for 31.99% of the overall gene tally. These newly added and adjust genes were renamed (CsaV3.1_XGXXXXX), while genes remaining unaltered preserve their original des ignations. A random selection of 21 modified/added genes were validated using RT-PCR analyses. Additionally, tissue-specific patterns of gene expression were examined using newly obtained transcriptome data with the revised gene prediction model. This improved annotation of cucumber genome will provide essential and accurate resources for studies in cucumber.

In polymer-based dental composites, wear is a three-body wear system mainly abrasive, because of the food particles and wear products suspended in the oral cavity, which are transferred to the microcavities of the surface of the replacements. Due to this fact, the incorporation of nanodiamond as reinforcement in these polymer matrix composites, which promotes the creation of a solid lubricant tribofilm surface could be advantageous. When nanodiamond is added in contents of 0.8, 1.6 and 3.2 wt %, an increase in microhardness from 95 up to 420 %, compared to the one of neat BisGMA/TEGDMA, is observed. Additionally, the incorporation of a content of 1.6 wt % is enough to cause a diminution of ~78 % in the friction coefficient and a reduction of the specific wear rate and Archard’s coefficient of ~50 %. Nevertheless, the addition of relatively high contents reduces the effectiveness of photoinitiation and UV-curing, which is related to the scattering and absorption of UV radiation by ND.

This paper presents geometric analyses of welded frames after free relaxing and vibratory stress relief (VSR). Respected frames were tested components of a prototype packaging machine. Two types of relaxation were carried out to remove stresses introduced as a result of welding process. One of the frame was subjected to free relaxing, while the other one to accelerated vibration relaxing. Detection of the frame geometry changes was performed using a photogrammetric system. In addition, an evaluation of the geometry change was conducted for fifteen variants of steel frame support. A comparative analysis of the geometric deviations of the frames after free and vibratory stress relief confirmed the assumption that the frame after vibration stress relief better reproduces the nominal dimensions. Nevertheless, it should be emphasized that after vibratory stress relief the frame is not subject to further deformation, which is a desirable effect. In the case of free relaxing, the frame undergoes dimensional changes in a random manner. In summary, carrying out accelerated vibratory stress relief allows control of spontaneous dimensional changes in the designed frame of a packaging machine resulting from spontaneous relaxation of stresses arising from the welding process. The shortening of the relaxation process of the welded frame is also an unquestionable advantage.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is a systemic autoinflammatory disorder caused by inherited mutations in the MEFV (Mediterranean FeVer) gene located on chromosome 16 (16p13.3) and coding pyrin protein. Despite the existing data on MEFV mutations, the exact mechanism of their effect on the development of pathological processes leading to autoinflammation observed in FMF, remains unclear. Induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) are considered an important tool for studying the molecular genetic mechanisms of various diseases due to their ability to differentiate into any cell type, including macrophages, which contribute to the development of FMF. In this study, we developed iPSCs of an Armenian patient with FMF having M694V, p.(Met694Val) (c.2080A>G, rs61752717) pathogenic mutation in exon 10 of the MEFV gene. As a result of direct differentiation, macrophages expressing CD14 and CD45 surface markers were obtained. In addition, we found that the morphology of patient macrophages derived from iPSCs with MEFV mutation was significantly different from that of differentiated from iPSCs of a healthy donor carrying wild-type MEFV gene.

A field experiment was conducted for 2 years in Green Tea Laboratory of Saitama Prefectural Agriculture and Forestry Research Center, Iruma, Saitama, Japan from March 2014 to December 2015. Controlled release fertilizers (CRF) or organic fertilizers (ORG) which is the mixture of chicken manure and oil cakewere applied with the amount of 450 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 in 2014 and 397 kg N ha^-1 yr^-1 in 2015. Nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissionsfrom soil in green tea fields were measured by closed chamber method. The results showed that CRF has significantly lower N₂O compared to ORG. The cumulative N₂O emissions from CRF accounted for 51% of N₂O emissions from ORG fields and 138% of control with no fertilizer treatment. The N₂O flux from the row was higher than that of under the canopy, since fertilizer were applied on the row. However the total emission from the area between the rows was lower than that under the canopy because of the area ratio of row and canopy was 1:5.

There are many uncertainties and risks in residential electricity consumption during the economic development. Knowledge of the relationship between residential electricity consumption and its key determinant—income—are important to the sustainable development of electric power industry. Using panel data from 30 provinces for the 1995-2012 period, this study investigates how residential electricity consumption changes as incomes increase in China. Previous studies typically used linear or quadratic double-logarithmic models imposing ex ante restrictions on the indistinct relationship between residential electricity consumption and income. Contrary to those models, we employed a reduced piecewise linear model that is self-adaptive and highly flexible and circumvents the problem of “prior restrictions.” Robust tests of different segment specifications and regression methods are performed to ensure the conservatism of the research. The results provide strong evidence that the income elasticity was approximately one, and it remained stable throughout the estimation period. The income threshold at which residential electricity consumption automatically remains stable or slows has not been reached. To ensure the sustainable development of the electric power industry, introducing higher energy efficiency standards for electrical appliances and improving income levels are vital. And government should emphasize electricity conservation in industrial sector rather than in residential sector.

This study investigates the effect of altitude on the fatty acid composition of grass, yak milk, and yak ghee on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, aiming to understand how environmental factors influence the nutritional quality of these products. Samples were collected from four different altitudes and analyzed for fatty acid profiles using gas chromatography. The findings reveal significant differences in fatty acid profiles, with notably higher concentrations of lauric acid (C12:0) and myristic acid (C14:0) at altitude A2 compared to others (p＜ 0.001). Furthermore, the fatty acid composition in yak milk and ghee is influenced by the grass consumed and the metabolism of rumen microorganisms. The results indicate that yaks adapt their lipid biosynthesis to high-altitude conditions, as evidenced by a significant increase in stearic acid (C18:0) levels at higher altitudes, which subsequently affects the nutritional value of their milk and ghee. These insights are crucial for improving yak breeding and dairy production practices, ultimately enhancing food security and nutritional health for local communities residing in high-altitude areas. The study underscores the necessity for further research on optimizing these natural resources for better health outcomes.

(1) Background: Intravesical Chemotherapy is standard of care in intermediate risk non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). Different agents are used across the world based on availability, cost and practice patterns. Epirubicin (EPI), one of these agents is used by many centers over many decades. However, its true differential efficacy compared to other agents and its tolerability is still poorly reported. We aimed to assess the differential efficacy and safety of intravesical EPI in NMIBC patients. (2) Methods: A systematic search of PUBMED, Webofscience, clinicaltrials.gov, and Google Scholar databases was performed on December 31, 2023. We reviewed 28 studies that included patients treated EPI after TURBT (transurethral resection of bladder tumors) for NMIBC and who compared oncological outcomes such as recurrence and progression to other adjuvant treatment such as Mitomycin C (MMC), Gemcitabine (GEM) and BCG. Further, we looked at the safety profile of EPI at room temperature under hyperthermia intravesically and at the oncological outcomes when administrated with hyperthermia; (3) Results: When compared to other chemotherapeutics (MMC/GEM), EPI seemed to be equally effective; however, EPI seems less effective in preventing disease management recurrence compared to BCG intravesical. The most common adverse events of EPI include cystitis, dysuria, and pollakiuria. (4) Conclusions: EPI exhibits similar oncological performances to Gemcitabine and Mitomycin C currently used for adjuvant therapy in NMIBC. Novel delivery mechanisms such as hyperthermia are promising newcomers.

Climate change related increases in frequency and intensity of heatwaves affect viticulture, leading to losses in yield and grape quality. We assessed whether canopy architecture manipulation mitigates the effects of summer stress in a Mediterranean vineyard. Muscat of Alexandria grapevines were monitored during 2019-2020. Two canopy shoot positioning treatments were applied: Vertical shoot positioning (VSP); and Modulated shoot positioning (MSP), the west side upper foliage released to promote partial shoot leaning, shading the clusters. Clusters were sampled at pea size (PS), veraison (VER) and full maturation (FM). Measurements included rachis anatomy and hydraulic conductance, and aquaporins (AQP) and stress-related genes expression in cluster tissues. Results show significant seasonal and interannual differences in Kh and vascular anatomy. At VER, Krachis , Krachis+pedicels, and xylem diameter decreased but were unaffected by treatments. The Phloem/Xylem ratio was either increased (2019) or reduced (2020) in MSP, compared to VSP. Most AQP were down-regulated at FM in pedicels, and up-regulated at VER in pulp. A potential maturation shift in MSP was observed, confirmed by the up-regulation of several stress-related genes in all tissues. The study pinpoints the role of canopy architecture in berry water relations and stress response during ripening.

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

Lung cancer remains the main cause of global cancer-related deaths. Currently low-dose computed tomography (LD-CT) shows a 20% reduction of mortality. However, its clinical suitability is hindered by cost, radiation, and some false positives. Thus, the discovery non-invasive and less-expensive biomarker is urgent needed. In this scenario, proteins released in biological fluids could be considered interesting biomarkers for their role in cancer development. We conducted a pioneering case-control pilot study aimed at assessing the usefulness of Raf Kinase Inhibitory Protein (RKIP) and its phosphorylated form (pRKIP) as potential early-stage lung cancer biomarkers. Urine and Blood samples of two consecutive and independent cohorts of lung cancer patients and healthy controls were screened by means of a novel experimental ELISA assay designed to evaluate both forms of the biomarker. Although urinary levels of RKIP were not statistically different between the lung cancer group and high-risk healthy group, serum ones instead increased significantly in early stage LC patients and permitted to discriminate LC patients from both low-risk (HS) and high-risk healthy subjects (HR-HS) with an overall 93% accuracy (AUC 0.93) when LC was compared to HS and 74% (AUC 0.73) when it was compared to high-risk group. Of note, the analysis of RKIP/pRKIP ratio also showed a high accuracy (90% - AUC 0.95) in discriminating LC patients from HS and more importantly, it allowed to identify LC patients compared to HR-HS, with a higher accuracy (79% - AUC 0.79) than RKIP alone. We hypothesize that serum RKIP levels may be correlated to the activation of the immune systems against the tumor during the first phases of its development. Our study identified a preliminary, non-invasive, RKIP and pRKIP profile able to discriminate with high specificity and sensitivity the early-stage lung cancer patients from high-risk Healthy Subjects. These results, although preliminary, suggest the utility of measuring RKIP/pRKIP as potential new screening test for lung cancer and provide the basis for future validation studies.

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

Microplastics (plastic particles < 5 mm) are ubiquitous pollutants that pose the ability to carry microbiota, including pathogens. Microbial adhesion is usually a sign of pathogenicity, thus we investigated the adherent strains found on 4 mm nylon strips, which were ingested and excreted by wild fish specimens. Polymer analysis of the excreted samples shown no signs of degradation, nor have their controls, represented by the nylon strips submerged in the same water tanks. Both the ingested samples and controls presented pathogens in large numbers, revealing the fact that nylon microplastics can be physical carriers for pathogens in the aquatic environment.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death worldwide. Cardiac rehabilitation (CR) has proven to be effective in reducing the rate of recurrence and disease as secondary prevention (evidence-based intervention) in patients who have suffered from myocardial infarction (MI). CR is a multidisciplinary path in which the patient is followed pharmacologically, from a psychological, nutritional, nursing and physiotherapy point of view. Post-MI patients present a reduction in the performance of the diaphragm muscle, the main inspiratory muscle, and this condition can become a risk factor for further relapses or for the onset of heart failure. Despite the solidity of the international guidelines for CR, the latter are lacking in specifically indicating an evaluation and training path regarding the inspiratory muscles in post-MI patients who have not undergone cardiac surgery. The article reviews the information on the adaptation of the diaphragm post-MI and highlights the need for clearer indications for a rehabilitation process that gives importance to the diaphragm.

Urbanization degrades natural habitats and creates new urban ecosystems, like domestic gardens. The plant composition of these gardens varies with socio-economic factors and urban planning levels. However, the diversity and impact of introduced species are often poorly assessed, causing potential ecological imbalances, particularly in Lubumbashi (DR Congo). The objective was to analyze the spatial structure, plant diversity, propagation strategies, and ecological functions of domestic gardens. Three distinct neighborhoods were selected: planned, unplanned and residential neighborhood. 20 avenues (with 5 plots per avenue) were chosen to represent the diversity within each neighborhood, and stratified random sampling of plots was conducted to analyze gardening practices. Gardens were classified into types, and their vegetation was evaluated based on species origin and ecological impact. The analysis of domestic gardens in Lubumbashi reveals significant variations across different neighborhood types. Residential neighborhoods exhibit larger average garden sizes (315.1 m²), higher species richness (22 species), and larger plot sizes (1032 m²) compared to unplanned and planned neighborhoods, where garden areas and species richness are notably lower. Rectangular gardens dominate in unplanned areas, while planned neighborhoods feature more intentional landscaping elements, such as flowerbeds and hedges. The use of gardens for food production is prominent in planned areas (40.7%), whereas residential neighborhoods prioritize ornamentation (51.4%). The study identifies 232 species across 68 families, with a predominance of exotic species (80%) in all neighborhoods, particularly in unplanned areas (82.25%). The data reveals that Mangifera indica and Persea americana are abundant in all neighborhoods, illustrating their adaptability to different urban contexts. Herbaceous species are most common, followed by woody plants, with vines being sparse. Species dispersal is primarily driven by human activities (anthropochory), accounting for over 85% in all neighborhoods. These findings highlight the strong human influence on the composition and structure of domestic gardens in Lubumbashi, emphasizing the dominance of exotic species and the importance of anthropogenic factors in shaping urban green spaces. Urban policies should incorporate strategies to minimize the negative impacts of exotic species on native flora.

This study fabricated piezoelectric fibers of polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) with graphene using near-field electrospinning (NFES) technology. A uniform experimental design table U*7 (7^4 ) was applied, considering weight percentage (1-13 wt%), distance between needle and disk collector (2.1-3.9 mm), and applied voltage (14.5-17.5 kV). We optimized the parameters using electrical property measurements and the Kriging response surface method. Adding 13 wt% graphene significantly improved electrical conductivity, increasing from 17.7 μS/cm for pure PVDF to 187.5 μS/cm. The fiber diameter decreased from 21.4 μm in PVDF/1% graphene to 9.1 μm in PVDF/13% graphene. Adding 5 wt% graphene increased the β-phase content by 6.9%, reaching 65.4% compared to pure PVDF fibers. Material characteristics were investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD), contact angle measurements, and tensile testing. Optimal parameters included 3.47 wt% graphene, yielding 15.82 mV voltage at 5 Hz and 5 N force (2.04 times pure PVDF). Force testing showed a sensitivity (S) of 7.67493 log(mV/N). Fibers were attached to electrodes for piezoelectric sensor applications. Results affirmed enhanced electrical conductivity, piezoelectric performance, and mechanical strength. The optimized piezoelectric sensor could be applied to measure physiological signals, such as attaching it to the throat under different conditions to measure the output voltage. The force-to-voltage conversion facilitated subsequent analysis.

Organic electrophoretic coatings have gained significant attention due to their ability to provide a uniform and controlled coating thickness, high coating adhesion, and excellent corrosion protection properties. In this work, to investigate the aging behaviors of an organic electrophoretic coating for magnesium alloys, water absorption kinetics curves of the coatings after immersion in 3.5 wt.% NaCl at 20℃ and 40℃ were measured, and parameters such as the saturated water absorption and saturation time of the free film coatings were fitted to determine the densification evolution of the organic coatings. A tensile test was used to test the tensile strength of the organic coating during service to determine the evolution of the strength and toughness of the organic coating. The evolution of wet adhesion of organic coatings with service time was tested by ASTM D4541-02. The impedance spectra of the organic coatings under the above conditions were detected by EIS, and finally, the failure behavior of the organic coatings under immersion was analyzed.

The quest for youthful, healthy skin and full, vibrant hair has long been a driving force in the dermocosmetics field. However, traditional approaches often struggle to address the underlying causes of aging, damage, and hair loss. Regenerative cosmetics, powered by skin tissue engineering, offer a transformative alternative. This review explores the emerging field of using engineered skin tissues for cosmetic purposes, focusing specifically on their potential for anti-aging, repair, and hair restoration applications. We discuss how these technologies aim to rejuvenate aging skin by promoting collagen production, reducing wrinkles, and improving overall skin function. Additionally, the use of engineered skin for wound healing and scar reduction is examined, highlighting their potential to improve the appearance and functionality of damaged skin. Finally, we advance the exciting prospects of utilizing skin tissue engineering techniques to regenerate hair follicles, potentially offering solutions for hair loss and promoting denser hair growth.

Pseudomonas donghuensis P482 exhibits broad antibacterial and antifungal activity, primarily related to the production of 7-hydroxytropolone (7-HT). However, the restricted nutritional conditions (viz. mineral medium with single carbon source) diminished the antagonistic activity of P482. In this study, we unveil profiles of the secondary metabolites from P482 and its selected mutants, using nutrient-diluted (10% tryptone soy broth, TSB) and nutrient-restricted (M9 with either 0.4% glucose or 0.4% glycerol as a sole carbon source) media to explore differences in the quantity and quality of the secondary metabolites produced. No 7-HT was found to be synthetized by P482 under restricted nutritional conditions. However, both the wild-type and the tested mutants of P482 still did express some antagonistic activity towards the plant pathogenic bacteria tested. Based on these results, we postulate that 7-HT is not the sole antimicrobial compound produced by P. donghuensis P482 and that other antimicrobials may be involved in P482 antagonistic activity under limiting-nutrient conditions.

The Cobb angle is critical in assessing adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) patients. This study aimed to evaluate the error in selecting the cranial and caudal limit vertebrae on AIS digital X-rays of experienced and novice observers and its correlation with the error in measuring the Cobb angle and determining the length of the scoliotic curves. Using the TraumaMeter v.873 software, eight raters (four experienced and four novices) independently evaluated 68 scoliotic curves on 42 AIS X-rays across three sessions one month apart according to Hopkins’ criteria of absolute reliability. Two spine specialist experts using the Cobb method established the gold standard measurements. The percentage of error in the selection of the cranial vertebrae (the most-tilted vertebra above the apex) is higher than in the caudal vertebrae (the most-tilted vertebrae below the apex) (44.7%, CI95% 41.05-48.3 compared to 35%, CI95% 29.7-40.4). The error in the choice of the most tilted vertebrae, in number of vertebrae per scoliotic curve, was MBE (mean bias error) =0.45, CI95% 0.38-0.52 in the cranial and MBE=0.35, CI% 0.69-0.91 in the caudal. The percentage of errors in the choice of boundary vertebrae is lower for the experienced than for the novices, both in cranial and caudal. The experienced chose at least one boundary vertebrae incorrectly in 52% of the meas-urements and the novices in 65.1%. The error in the Cobb angle did not depend on the number of boundary vertebrae chosen incorrectly (r=0.198, p=0.111). Of the 50% of Cobb angle measurements closest to the actual value, 55.4% (454) were obtained by incorrectly selecting at least one boundary vertebra. There was a positive correlation (r=0.673, p=0.000) between the error in selecting the boundary vertebrae and the error in determining the length of the scoliotic curves. The error in quantifying the length of scoliotic curves was MBE=0.43, CI95% 0.35-0.51 vertebrae per curve. We can conclude that errors in selecting boundary vertebrae are common among experienced and novice observers, with a greater frequency of error in the cranial vertebrae. There is no correlation between the error in selecting the boundary vertebrae and the error in measuring the Cobb angle. Contrary to the consensus, the accuracy of determining the length of the scoliotic curve is limited by the Cobb method’s reliance on the correct selection of boundary vertebrae. Inappropriate choice of boundary vertebrae leads to an estimated error in determining the length of the scoliotic curves of 0.805 vertebrae for each boundary vertebra chosen incorrectly.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the full mutation in the FMR1 gene on the Xq27.3 chromosome region. It is the most common monogenic cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and inherited intellectual disability (ID). Besides ASD, ID and other issues, individuals with FXS may exhibit sleep problems and impairment of circadian rhythm (CR). The Drosophila melanogaster models of FXS, such as dFMR1B55, present excellent model for research in the FXS field. During this study, sleep pattern and CR in dFMR1B55 mutants were analyzed, using a new platform based on continuous high-resolution videography in integration with a highly-customized version of software. This methodology provides more sensitive results, which could be crucial for all further research in this model of fruit flies. The study revealed that dFMR1 B55 male mutants can be considered weak rhythmic flies rather than totally arrhythmic, and present a good alternative animal model of genetic disorder, which includes impairment of CR and sleep behavior. The combination of videography and software used in the current study should be recommended as a gold-standard methodology for such further research.

We used flow cytometry to follow diel variations of viruses, picoplankton, and nanoflagellates for 2 days with about 4 hours of temporal sampling in spring 2024 in coastal surface waters of the subtropical western Pacific. An event of wind change, associated with rainfall and increased turbulence, disrupted diel patterns of the overall microbial communities during the second cycle. We observed that bacterial abundance did not follow a consistent diel pattern and that viral abundance was positively correlated with bacterial abundance. Synechococcus spp. and Prochlorococcus spp. grew during the light period and with peak abundance at night, exhibited marked diel variability, however, opposite patterns were observed in picoeukaryotes. According to Synechococcus spp. and Prochlorococcus spp. diel changes, nanoflagellate grazing could control their abundances and may explain temporally varying picocyanobacterial abundances. As we observed in the culture experiments, the results showed a significant increase in picoeukaryotic abundance from noon to nighttime, and a decrease in bacterial abundance during nighttime, to show the prey-predator cycle. Our study suggests picoeukaryotes could serve as bacteria predators by being mixotrophs. Future studies aiming to understand the interactions between prokaryotes and picoeukaryotes within marine microbial communities should take these differences into account.

Autologous platelet-rich plasma (PRP) preparations are prepared at point of care. Centrifugation cellular density separation sequesters a fresh unit of blood into three main fractions: a platelet-poor plasma (PPP) fraction, a stratum rich in platelets (platelet concentrate) and, bioformulation dependent, also leukocyte and erythrocyte fractions. The employment of autologous platelet concentrates facilitates the biological potential to accelerate and support in numerous cellular activities that can lead to tissue repair, tissue regeneration, wound healing, and ultimately functional structural repair. Normally, after PRP preparation the PPP fraction is discarded. One of the less well known, but equally important features of PPP is that particular growth factors (GFs) are not abundantly present in PRP, as they reside outside the platelet alpha granules. Precisely, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) are mainly present in the PPP fraction. In addition to their roles as angiogenesis activators, these plasma-based GFs are also known to inhibit inflammation, fibrosis, and they promote keratinocyte migration and support in tissue repair and wound healing. Additionally, PPP is known for the presence of exosomes and other macrovesicles, exerting cell-cell communication and cell signaling. Newly developed ultrafiltration technologies incorporate PPP processing methods by eliminating in a fast and efficient manner plasma water, cytokines, molecules, and plasma proteins with a molecular mass (weight) less than the pore size of the fibers. Consequently, a viable and viscous protein concentrate of functional, total proteins, like fibrinogen, albumin, and alpha-2-macroglobulin is created. Consolidating a small volume of high platelet concentrate with a small volume of highly concentrated protein-rich PPP creates a protein rich platelet concentrate (PRPC) biological preparation. After the activation of proteins, mainly fibrinogen, the PRPC matrix retains and facilitates interactions between invading resident cells, like macrophages, fibroblast, and mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), and the embedded concentrated PRP cells and molecules. The administered PRPC biologic will ultimately undergo fibrinolysis, leading to a sustained release of concentrated cells and molecules that have been retained in the PRPC matrix until the matrix is dissolved. We will discuss the unique biological and tissue reparative and regenerative properties of PRPC matrix.

Background: The aim of this study was to investigate a series of complete blood cell count – based biomarkers of systemic inflammation as predictors of clinical outcomes in patients who underwent first-line chemoimmunotherapy for advanced NSCLC. Methods: Consecutive patients with pathologically diagnosed stage III/IV NSCLC who underwent first-line chemoimmunotherapy were retrospectively enrolled. The clinical outcomes used for biomarker evaluation were Objective Response Rate (ORR) and Overall Survival (OS). Results: Non-responders had significantly higher values of neutrophil to lymphocyte ratio (NLR, median: 5.36; IQR: 2.78–10.82 vs. 3.31; IQR: 2.15–4.12, p = 0.019), neutrophil to monocyte ratio (NMR, median: 14.00; IQR: 8.82–21.20 vs. 9.20; IQR: 7.45–11.20, p = 0.013), and systemic inflammation index (SII, median: 1,395; IQR: 929–3,334 vs. 945; IQR: 552–1,373, p = 0.025), but only NLR and NMR remained independently related with clinical response in multivariate logistic regression. In univariate analysis white blood cells (OR:1.2202; 95% CI: 1.0339 - 1.4400, p=0.019), neutrophils (OR:1.2916; 95% CI: 1.0692 - 1.5604, p=0.008), NLR (OR:1.3601: 95% CI: 1.0949 - 1.6896, p=0.005) and NMR (OR:1.2159; 95% CI: 1.00396 - 1.4221, p=0.015) were significantly associated with survival; Cox regression models confirmed that neutrophils, NLR and MLR were independently associated with survival; NLR at a cut-off value of 4.0 showed the better AUC (0.749) in predicting survival. Conclusions: Baseline complete blood cell count biomarkers, especially the NLR, can predict clinical outcomes in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with first-line chemoimmunotherapy.

Purpose: The aim of this article is to analyze the incidence of undiagnosed obstructive sleep apnea OSA in patients affected by dento-skeletal malformation. We also evaluated the patterns most affected by the condition and calculated the post surgical changes. Methods: We conducted a retrospective cohort study on 71 patients including 35 men and 36 women. Patients were evaluated with Polysomnography before surgery and at least 6 months after surgery to assess any improvement or worsening of the apnea hypopnea index AHI index. Regarding AHI evaluation criteria an AHI > 5 was considered indicative of OSA, 4 5, com-pared to 20.5% described in the Italian population. Conclusion: In patients who receive orthognathic surgery the presence of Obstructive Sleep Apnea is significantly higher than in the general population. When planning the surgical correction of a dentoskeletal malformation, the surgeon must aim not only to the aesthetics results, but also to a proper stomatognathic and respiratory function, this cannot be done without taking poly-somnography information into account.

To identify factors associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and build an algorithm to better define this association, for a personalized application in clinical practice. Methods. 78 SSc patients underwent HRCT to assess ILD. Demographic, clinical and laboratory variables were collected, focusing on those associated either directly or indirectly with lung involvement. The discriminant value of each variable was determined using the operating characteristic curves (ROC) and included in a model to estimate the strength of ILD association in SSc. Results. Thirty-three (42.31%) patients showed ILD on HRCT. DLco, M-Borg, GERD-Q, and capillary density were significantly associated with the presence of ILD-SSc. A model including these variables had a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.697. DLco had an AUC of 0.861 (p<0.001) with a cut-off ≤72.3% (sensitivity 78.8%, specificity 91.1%, +LR 8.86). The m-Borg scale showed an AUC of 0.883 (p<0.001) with a cut-off >2 (sensitivity 84.8%, specificity 82.2%, +LR 4.77), GERD-Q had an AUC of 0.815 (p<0.001) with a cut-off >7 (sensitivity 72.7%, specificity 86.7%, +LR 5.45). The capillary density showed an AUC of 0.815 (p<0.001) with a cut-off ≤4.78 (sensitivity 87.9%, specificity 68.9%, +LR 2.82). Based on the pre-test probability values, these four variables were applied to Fagan's nomogram to calculate the post-test probability of this association. Conclusions. Our study identified four associated clinical factors of ILD in SSc patients. Moreover, their inclusion in an algorithm for the post-test probability, tailored to the specific patients’ characteristics, significantly increases the ability to find out the presence of SSc-ILD.

Sporotrichosis’ clinical manifestations, lesions in the cutaneous or subcutaneous tissues, it is caused by dimorphic fungi of the Sporothrix complex, is a cosmopolitan mycosis that affects humans and animals. This study aimed to identify prevalent species in Minas Gerais, Brazil, and characterize virulence profiles and antifungal susceptibility associated with Sporothrix isolates. Isolates were identified using macro and micro-morphological traits as well molecular biology techniques. Antifungal susceptibility was determined using the Minimal Inhibitory Concentration test, while, virulence factors such as growth at different temperatures, biofilm formation, melanin production, and urease activity were assessed. Our findings revealed S. brasiliensis as a predominant species isolated. Urease activity was a crucial factor associated with growth at 50°C in S. brasiliensis isolates, highlighting their high thermotolerance. Furthermore, strains isolated from humans produced a more robust biofilm compare to those from felines. Strains of S. brasiliensis isolated from Felis catus exhibited faster melanin production, decreased susceptible to antifungal agents tested, and superior growth capacity at 50°C to strains isolated from humans. Therefore, our study highlights the prevalence of S. brasiliensis causing sporotrichosis in both human and felines. However, it underscores the circulation of different strains, with varying levels of virulence and susceptibility to antifungal agents.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health threat linked to increased morbidity and mortality. It has the potential to return us to the pre-antibiotic era. Antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) programs are recognized as a key intervention to improve antimicrobial use and combat AMR. However, implementation of AMS programs remains limited in Africa, particularly in Rwanda. This qualitative study, conducted at King Faisal Hospital (KFH) in Rwanda, aimed at assessing current prescription practices to identify areas for improvement and promote adherence to AMS principles. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and thematically analyzed, revealing four emerging themes. First, emerged on AMS activities that were working well which includes availability of microbiology laboratory results, and prescription guidelines as factors influencing antibiotic prescription adjustments. Second, Implementations challenges to AMS which identified the prescription of broad-spectrum antibiotics, limited local data on AMR patterns, stock-outs of essential antibiotics, Thirdly, the importance of adhering to AMR management guidelines at KFH was underscored. Lastly, participant recommendations centered on regular training for healthcare workers, widespread dissemination of AMR findings across departments, and the enforcement of antibiotic restriction policies. These actions can improve prescription behaviors, upholding the highest standards of patient care, and strengthening the nascent AMS program.

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

Sea cucumber peptides are small molecular peptides with biological function obtained from fresh sea cucumber as feedstock, which were hydrolyzed by protease, separated ,and purified. As the main product of sea cucumber refinement, it more accurately expresses the nutritional effect of sea cucumber and has a wide range of potential applications. It has been demonstrated that sea cucumber has a certain value-added effect on bone mineral density regulation, but the differences in bone mineral density regulation of extracts from different parts of sea cucumber and the techniques contributing to the efficient isolation of bone sea cucumber peptides have not been reported. Firstly, the aim of this study was to reveal the differences in osteogenic activities of enzymatic peptides from three major parts of sea cucumber: the body wall, the egg protein, and the intestinal protein. Then, the bone-enhancing sea cucumber peptides were isolated based on the characteristics of the dif-ferences in molecular weight distribution, hydrophilicity, and ionisation degree of sea cucumber, and to explore the possible mechanisms of their action. The findings indicated that sea cucumber peptides extracted from three distinct sites exhibited a dose-dependent enhancement of osteoblast proliferation and differentiation. Upon evaluating the three methods of sea cucumber peptide separation based on molecular weight distribution, hydrophilicity, and ionization, it was observed that the fraction isolated by hydrophobicity and

Keywords: retinoblastoma, RB, gastric inhibitory polypeptide receptor, GIPR, trefoil factor family peptide, TFF1, CAM, tumorigenesis, MK0893, miR5-542-5p

High-precision conical threads are widely used in responsible joints in the drilling of oil and gas wells. Difficult underground drilling conditions due to the occurrence of significant mechanical loads and an aggressive environment in wells require the use of workable materials that are often difficult to machine. The huge need for such connections dictates the use of high-performance cutting tools, which means that high demands are placed on their effective geometric performance. The study describes the theoretical dependence of the profile precision of the tapered drill-string tool-joint threads of all standard sizes on the complex of a cutting tool geometric parameters and cutting tool setting accuracy. The experiments include an assessment of the geometric accuracy of the profile of the obtained NC23 thread connector, depending on the values of the installation angles and the declared tangential displacement of the standard threaded carbide insert.

ACL instability poses a significant challenge in traumatology and orthopedic medicine, often requiring accurate diagnosis for appropriate treatment. While the pivot-shift test offers a crucial means of assessment, its reliance on subjective interpretation underscores the need for supplementary imaging studies. This study aims to address this limitation by developing a Bayesian classification algorithm tailored for integration into a mobile application. Using the built-in inertial sensors of smartphones, this new approach aims to dynamically evaluate rotational stability during knee examinations. Orthopedic specialists conducted knee evaluations on 52 subjects, with subsequent analysis revealing interesting insights. Intraobserver and interobserver analyses, as measured by ICC, demonstrated strong agreement both in terms of timing between maneuvers (ICC = 0.94) and signal amplitude (ICC = 0.71-0.66). Notably, the Bayesian algorithm successfully classified 95% of joint hypermobility cases, with an additional 7 cases of hyperlaxity identified by the Pivot-Shift Meter (PSM). These findings highlight the practicality and effectiveness of implementing a Bayesian classification algorithm within a mobile application for assessing and categorizing signals captured by smartphone inertial sensors during the pivot-shift test.

The study of the impact of polyQ expansion driven proteotoxicity on cell metabolism has evi-denced NAD molecule as a central player in regulating metabolic response and cell repair in neurodegeneration. The decline in NAD intracellular levels represents a hallmark of ageing aris-ing from a dysregulation between NAD-consuming and biosynthetic enzymatic reactions in which NMNAT plays a key role. By an integrated bioanalytical and proteomic experimental design, the derangement of NAD metabolism deriving from the accumulation of polyQ-Htt protein has been analysed in Saccha-romices cerevisiae harbouring a 103Q-Htt and compared with wild-type Htt, in absence and in presence of a phenolic extract from EVOO, as a source of antioxidant bioactive compounds. Quantification of NAD and its precursors and proteomic analysis of the differential protein ex-pression has been performed by LC-DAD-MS. Chronological lifespan and NAD homeostasis was strongly impaired by proteotoxic polyQ-Htt, eliciting a depletion of NAD levels and accumulation of NaMN. In parallel a downregulation of Sirt2 expression levels has been observed. Phenolic extract administration had no meaningful ef-fects on NAD replenishment to prevent proteotoxicity. NaMN can represent a biomarker of accel-erated aging, and/or a signaling molecule for cell repair.

Nowadays, the growing concern about improving thermal comfort in textiles, asphalt pavements and buildings has stimulated research into phase change materials (PCMs). However, the incorporation of PCMs directly causes mechanical impacts. Therefore, this study herein reported focuses on designing coaxial phase change fibres using commercial cellulose acetate (CA) or recycled CA obtained from cotton fabrics (CAt) as a coating and polyethylene glycol (PEG) 2000 as a core. The phase change fibres (PCF) were produced by wet spinning, varying the parameters: (i) CA concentration, molecular weight and source (virgin versus recycled); and (ii) PEG concentration and ejection. For phase change recycled fibres (PCFt), PEG concentration and ejection were varied. The fibres were assessed for their optical, chemical, thermal and mechanical properties. Bright-field microscopy images and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs proved the coaxial structure. Fourier Transform Infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of PEG in the core. Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) proved the ability of PCFs to tolerate high temperatures. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) attested to the presence of PEG2000 peaks, since their melting points were close to those of virgin PEG2000, with a slight change in the PCFs and PCFts caused by the protective sheath of CA and CAt.

The alcoholic fermentation process with agitation/static, followed by the acetic fermentation submerged in banana was evaluated. Kinetics parameters of alcoholic fermentation for the maximum ethanol/glycerol metabolites in agitated process was 29 and 27 h, and in static 47 and 45 h, respectively. For acetic fermentation, the kinetics parameters were medium time of 39.9 h, acetic acid yield of 53.1% and acetic acid productivity of 0.216 g/Lh. Wines from agitated/static process presented 5.73 and 6.81% (v/v) of alcohol content, respectively. Wine obtained by the static process presented higher concentrations of volatile compounds. The vinegar showed 49.2 g/L of acetic acid and the esters concentrations were higher than in wine. The wine and vinegar minerals were consistent with amount observed in the pulp, with an increase in sulphur concentration after alcoholic fermentation and decrease after acetic fermentation. Products showed chemical and composition of sensory and nutritional interest.

We generalize the point information gain (PIG) and derived quantities, i.e., point information gain entropy (PIE) and point information gain entropy density (PIED), for the case of the Rényi entropy and simulate the behavior of PIG for typical distributions. We also use these methods for the analysis of multidimensional datasets. We demonstrate the main properties of PIE/PIED spectra for the real data on the example of several images, and discuss further possible utilizations in other fields of data processing.

Major factors affecting in vitro immature embryo rescue efficiencies from Prunus persica or P. armeniaca accessions, have been identified along with improving its economic feasibility. Three culture media, based on Woody Plant Medium (WPM) have been used depending on the embryo size. Embryos less than 5-mm-long were cultured in WPM supplemented with 1 mM BAP and 1 mM GA3, while embryos bigger than 5-mm-long were cultured in hormone-free medium, with or without vermiculite. Environmental in vitro culture conditions consisted of three phases, a (I) stratification at 4 C during a 3 to 5-month-long period in the dark, followed by (II) growth of germinated embryos at 14 C for 4-week-long period, with 12h light a day, which favors plantlet development, and finally (III) growth at 24 C, with 16h light a day, until the plantlets were moved to the greenhouse for acclimatization. Germination of smaller embryos, at the end of the phase I, ranged from 82.2% to 22.1%, for apricot and flat peaches, respectively, whereas for bigger embryos the germination varied from 97.4% to 53.2% for the same type of fruits. Embryo germination for peaches and nectarines ranged from 40.1% to 30.3% for smaller embryos, and from 91.9% to 64.0% for bigger embryos. Endo- and exophytic contamination, affecting from 7.4% to 52.9% of cultured embryos depending on the fruit type and conservation conditions, and the capacity to acclimate to soil conditions, ranging from 50.4% to 93.2%, were the two most important factors influencing protocol’s efficiency and economic feasibility. Considering the overall efficiencies, expressed as hardened plants transferred to field plots over clean uncontaminated embryo, values ranged from 55.8% for nectarines, 54.0% for peaches, 45.6% for apricot, and 23.3% for flat fruits. Addition of vermiculite to the culture medium significantly improved plantlet development, avoiding subculture to fresh medium when an extension of the phase III was required before acclimatization. Compared to laboratory glassware, use of food glass containers with air-permeable sealing film, along with vermiculite-containing medium significantly reduced costs, when handling the large number of embryos required for breeding programs.

This study was conducted to identify the actual degree of underdevelopment and spatial characteristics of rural areas in Korea, which are expected to face extinction due to population decline and aging. For this purpose, the spatial scope was set to Eup and Myeon areas classified as rural regions. To assess the degree of underdevelopment, previous studies were reviewed and analyzed to develop a comprehensive underdevelopment index, which was then applied to Eup and Myeon areas to classify them into growth regions, general regions, and depressed regions. Mapping the classified regions revealed that both growth and general regions were concentrated in the metropolitan area and southeastern regions, where Korea's population and resources are densely clustered. In contrast, depressed regions were found primarily in areas where agriculture is the main industry and in regions with unfavorable geographical conditions. This study is significant as it covers the entire nation of Korea, providing a method for identifying depressed regions and highlighting the regions that are developing. The findings can serve as fundamental data for the development of policies to address population decline in the future.

In this paper, we demonstrate a method of measuring the flexural elastic modulus of ceramics at an intermediate (~millimeter) scale, at high temperatures. We used a picosecond laser to precisely cut micro-beams from the location of interest in a bulk ceramic. They had a cross-section of approximately 100 μm × 300 μm, and a length of ~1 cm. They were then tested in a thermal-mechanical analyzer at room temperature, 500°C, 800°C, and 1100°C using the four-point flexural testing method. We compared the elastic moduli of high-purity Al2O3 and AlN measured by our method with the reported values in the literature and found that the difference was less than 5% for both materials. This paper provides a new and accurate method of characterizing the high-temperature elastic modulus of miniature samples extracted from representative/selected areas of bulk materials.

The aim of this study was to investigate and effect of application of different conditions of freeze-drying on the kinetics of process and the sorption properties of dried apples. Slices of apple were frozen and subjected to freezing-drying process with different combination of a shelf temperature (-20, 10, 20, 30°C) and pressure (37, 63, 103, 165 Pa). During the freeze-drying, the temperature in the centre of material was recorded. The moisture content in dried material and changes of water content dried apples stored at humidity of 75.3% were obtained. The Midilli et al. model was used to describe drying kinetics of the freeze-drying with good fit. Drying time decreased from 660 (variant with a constant shelf temperature of 30°C, pressure 63 Pa) to 1305 minutes (variant with temperatures −20: 10: 20: 30°C, pressure 63 Pa). For this reason, the most favourable experimental parameters were: temperature of 30°C and pressure of 63 Pa. However, application of these parameters caused higher absorption of water vapour during storage. Therefore, the selection of freeze-drying parameters should also be related to the expected properties of the final product.

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDACis) are being recognized as a potentially effective treatment approach for peripheral T-cell lymphoma (PTCL), which is a diverse group of aggressive lymphomas with a bleak prognosis. Recent evidence has shown that HDACi are effective in treating PTCL, especially in cases where the disease has relapsed or is resistant to other treatments, and there are few available options. Several clinical trials have demonstrated that HDACi, such as romidepsin and belinostat, can elicit long-lasting positive outcomes in individuals with PTCL, either when used alone or in conjunction with conventional chemotherapy. They exert their anti-tumor actions by regulating gene expression through inhibiting histone deacetylases, which results in the halting of cell division, programmed cell death, and the transformation of cancerous T-cell, as indicated by gene expression profile studies. Importantly, besides clinical trials, real-world evidence indicated that the utilization of HDACi presents a significant and beneficial treatment choice for PTCL. However, although HDACi showed potential effectiveness, they couldn’t cure most patients. Therefore, new combination with conventional drugs as well as new targeted agents are under investigation.

This paper investigates the energy dissipation level of a nonlinear vehicle suspension system. The suspension system is modelled as a mass-spring-damper system, which is designed using the output frequency response function (OFRF) method. This method enables the derivation of an explicit relationship, between the system output spectrum (or Performance metric) and the system nonlinear parameters of interest. The OFRF polynomial, of the energy dissipation level, was derived in terms of the nonlinear parameters of interest. The results obtained show that the OFRF model, of the energy dissipation level, could be used to estimate the amount of heat dissipated, for a set of design parameters. This has potentials of providing some insights, in the design of vibration-based energy harvesters, as some of the wasted heat energy could be converted to electrical energy.

In this paper we suggest a first ever construction of fractional integral and differential operators based on signed measures including a vector-valued case. The study focuses on constructing the fractional power of the Riemann-Stieltjes integral with a signed measure, using semigroup theory. The main result is a theorem that provides the exact form of a semigroup for the Riemann-Stieltjes integral with a measure having a countable number of extrema. The article provides examples of semigroups based on integral operators with signed measures and discusses the fractional powers of differential operators with partial derivatives.

The objective of person re-identification (ReID) tasks is to match a specific individual across different times, locations, or camera viewpoints. The prevalent issue of occlusion in real-world scenarios affects image information, rendering the affected features unreliable. The difficulty and core challenge lie in how to effectively discern and extract visual features from human images under various complex conditions, including cluttered backgrounds, diverse postures, and the presence of occlusions. Some works have employed pose estimation or human keypoint detection to construct graph-structured information to counteract the effects of occlusions. However, this approach introduces new noise due to issues such as the invisibility of keypoints. Our proposed module, in contrast, does not require the use of additional feature extractors. Our module employs multi-scale graph attention for the reweighting of feature importance. This allows features to concentrate on areas genuinely pertinent to the re-identification task, thereby enhancing the model's robustness against occlusions. To address these problems, a model that employs multi-scale graph attention to re-weight the importance of features is proposed in this study, significantly enhancing the model’s robustness against occlusions. Our experimental results demonstrate that, compared to baseline models, the method proposed herein achieves a notable improvement in mAP on occluded data sets, with increases of 0.5%, 31.5%, and 12.3% in mAP scores.

Based on the detailed exploration of AI techniques for the early identification of learning difficulties in education, this study underscores the pivotal role of educational data analysis in enhancing student outcomes. Educators can proactively identify and address learning challenges through systematic data collection and analysis, thereby minimizing long-term academic obstacles and emotional stress. The integration of AI, particularly through natural language processing and computer vision technologies, facilitates personalized learning paths and real-time interventions, offering tailored support that maximizes each student's learning potential. These advancements optimize educational resource allocation and foster a more inclusive and effective learning environment, paving the way for future advancements in personalized education and intelligent teaching practices.

Background/Objectives: It is known that balance disorders involve occupational hazards. However, the inverse relationship (between certain occupations and an increased incidence of vertigo or dizziness) has been scarcely studied. The objective of this work was to analyze the occupation of a group of patients with vertigo, compared to economically active general population, and to evaluate the prevalence of occupational noise and/or vibration-exposure in both groups. Methods: A cross-sectional, observational, case-control study was carried out including 461 patients (220: Meniere’s disease; 73: vestibular migraine; 28: vestibular neuritis; 140: BPPV) (310 women and 151 men). These patients were compared to a control group from the general population, obtained from 6th EWCS-Spain (2015). Possible differences regarding sex, age, occupation, exposure to noise, and exposure to mechanical vibrations were analyzed. Results: Differences in distribution of occupations between patients with vertigo and general population were observed (Chi-square, p=6.142 e-30). Patients with vertigo were significantly more exposed to noise (p=8.19 e-12; OR=2,127, CI95% (1.720;2.630)) and vibrations (p=1.11 e-12; OR=2.288, CI95% (1.835;2.853)) than the control group. These differences were observed both between men and women. Conclusions: A relationship between occupational exposure to noise and/or vibrations and the presence of vertigo was observed. Protective and preventive measures could help prevent the occurrence of some diseases involving vertigo.

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

A two-stage pilot plant study has been completed that evaluated the performance of a reverse osmosis (RO) membrane process for the treatment of a feedwater that consisted of a blend of nanofiltration (NF) concentrate and brackish groundwater. Membrane performance was assessed by monitoring the process operation, collecting water quality data, and documenting the blended feedwater’s impact on fouling due to a combination of, or solely caused by, plugging, scaling, microbiological, or organic means. Fluorescence and biological activity reaction tests were used to identify the types of organics and microorganisms present in the blended feedwater. Additionally, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS) were used to analyze suspended matter that collected on the surfaces of cartridge filters used in the pilot’s pretreatment system. SEM and EDS were also used to evaluate solids collected on the surfaces of 0.45-µm silver filter pads after filtering known volumes of NF concentrate and RO feedwater blends. Water quality analyses confirmed that the blended feedwater contained little to no dissolved oxygen, and the blended feedwater was absent of a significant amount of particulate matter as defined by silt density index and turbidity measurements. However, water quality results suggested that the presence of sulfate, sulfide, iron, anaerobic bacteria, and humic acid organics likely contributed to the formation of pyrite observed on some of the membrane surfaces autopsied at the conclusion of pilot operations. It was determined that first-stage membrane productivity was impacted by the location of cartridge filter pretreatment; however, second-stage productivity was maintained with no observed flux decline during the entire pilot operation’s timeline. Study results indicated that the operation of an RO process treating a blend of NF concentrate and brackish groundwater could maintain a sustainable and productive operation that provided a practical zero-discharge process operation while the dilution of RO feedwater salinity would lower overall production costs.

Taiwan's bed and breakfast (B&B) development has been more than 25 years ago, from the first generation of retirement to the B&B industry, serving tourists from all over the world accom-modation, providing breakfast and accommodation mode to the present, after the change of employees from the second generation, more and more attention is paid to the cultivation and cultivation of business ability. With the advent of the era of AI technology networking, the ca-pabilities required for B&B operation are more focused on all aspects of service, and the good marketing ability of B&B can promote a green chimney-free tourism economy, which is also a favorite industry of various governments and the public. This study explores the basic vocational competency indicators required for running a B&B, with (1)EQ emotion management skills, (2)Financial management ability, (3)(SK) technical skills, and (4)Marketing and promotion management capabilities. Through the study method, the K-S Z test was determined by the con-sensus conclusion of expert reliability and validity p value

Although promoting healthy eating is a policy objective, the controllability of dietary habits remains uncertain. The personal dietary patterns reflect many factors, of which some are relatively controllable for individual, and others are not. In this article, assuming that some sort of information about controllability of dietary habits is contained in the observed pattern of food consumptions, we focused on dietary pattern on its own. We introduced a statistical descriptive model for data on food frequency questionnaire, estimated strength of pairwise linkage between foodstuffs, and grouped foodstuffs by applying community detection to the networks of the estimated inter-food linkages. Those linkages represent co-movement of pairs of foods consumption. Furthermore, we demonstrated an analysis on the relationship between health of mind and dietary habits considering the aspect of controllability of dietary habits. Using an observational study in Japan, we obtained the following results: 115 foodstuffs were divided into 3 groups for both of genders, but the compositions were different by gender; in the analysis of mental health, some stress response items were associated with the dependence on some of those food groupings. As the grouping of foodstuffs based on our estimation depicted the internal structure of dietary habit that a healthy eating policy should regard as constraint, it follows that we should design the policy along the line with that grouping.

This study investigates the valorization potential of yellowfin tuna tails for the production of high-value commercial products. Muscle and skins were firstly mechanically separated by using a specifically designed device. The muscle was then used as a nitrogen source for the growth of the proteolytic enzymes-producer Bacillus subtilis, whereas the skins were employed for gelatin extrac-tion. The proteases from Bacillus subtilis were partially purified and used to produce antioxidant peptides from gelatin obtained. The gelatin obtained formed a gel upon cooling, with gelling and melting temperatures at 16 ºC and 22 ºC, respectively, and Bloom Strength of ≈ 160. RSM was used to determine the optimal hydrolysis conditions to obtain the highest antioxidant activity (35.96%, measured as DPPH radical scavenging activity), which were 50°C / 6.5 IU of enzyme. The findings emphasize the importance of an integrated approach to maximize the value of tuna by-products, promoting sustainability in the frame of circular bioeconomy. Overall, these results contribute to the efficient utilization of tuna by-products, waste reduction, and enhance economic viability of the tuna industry.

Background Gingivitis can develop without mechanical cleaning within three weeks. The first clinical sign is bleeding on positive probing. The accumulation of dental biofilm generates an inflammatory gingival response. In the past decade, attention has focused mainly on the interproximal areas and the use of customsized interproximal toothbrushes.The aim of the study was to evaluate the effectiveness of individualized oral hygiene education and its role in dental prevention among patients with dental problems. Methods Before treatment, patients were clinically and radiologically examined, full mouth plaque score (FMPS), full mouth bleeding score (FMBS), and bleeding on brushing (BOB) were recorded, and matrix-metalloproteinase-8 (MMP-8) was measured by using a chair-side MMP-8 measuring system. Patients in group A had gingivitis, but no periodontal damage and patients in group B had periodontal damage. Patients in both groups A and B were identified in to four subgroups based on their toothbrushing habits and the oral health education they received. The three months after initial examination, each patient was examined three more times (2, 4 and 12 weeks later). Results It was concluded that subjects in groups A1 and B1 showed significant reduction in BOB, MMP-8, FMBS and FMPS levels after two weeks. Solo Prophylaxis (A1and B1) remained as a well-constructed protocol with hte complete resolution of interdental inflammation after two weeks. Other subgroups achieved significant reductions only after 12 weeks. Conclusions BOB and MMP-8 are valuable complements in preventive dentistry, and are able to detect potential pathological processes in interproximal spaces. The clinical relevance of BOB, in addition to FMBS, FMPS and gingival inflammation can be demonstrated to patients, which may increase compliance.

This study aimed to determine shifts in microbial populations regarding richness and diversity from the daily use of a popular over-the-counter nasal spray. In addition, the finding of nasal commensal bacterial species that overlap with the oral microbiome may prove to be potential probiotics for the “gateway microbiomes.” Nasal swab samples were obtained before and after using the most popular over-the-counter (OTC) nasal spray in 10 participants aged 18–48. All participants were healthy volunteers with no significant medical histories. The participants were randomly assigned a number by randomizing software and consisted of five men and five women. The sampling consisted of placing a nasal swab atraumatically into the nasal cavity. The samples were preserved and sent to Northwestern University Sequencing Center for whole-genome deep sequencing. After 21 days of OTC nasal spray use twice daily, the participants returned for further nasal microbiome sampling. The microbial analysis included all bacteria, archaea, viruses, molds, and yeasts via deep sequencing for species analysis. The Northwestern University Sequencing Center utilized artificial intelligence analysis to determine shifts in species and strains following nasal spray use that resulted in changes in diversity and richness.

This manuscript offers a concise overview of paper microfluidics, emphasizing its sustainable sensing applications in healthcare, environmental monitoring, and food safety. Researchers have developed innovative sensing platforms for detecting pathogens, pollutants, and contaminants by leveraging the paper’s unique properties, such as biodegradability and affordability. These portable, low-cost sensors facilitate rapid diagnostics and on-site analysis, making them invaluable tools for resource-limited settings. The review discusses fabrication techniques, principles, and applications of paper microfluidics, showcasing its potential to address pressing challenges and enhance human health and environmental sustainability.

(1) Background: The interplay between coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and laryngeal cancer represents a substantial challenge for both patients and healthcare. To garner information on recent mortality data for laryngeal cancer, including during the COVID-19 pandemic, we analyzed real-world data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). (2) Methods: We searched the CDC WONDER on-line database 2018-2022 using with the ICD-10 code for laryngeal cancer (C32; malignant neoplasm of larynx). We also performed a sub-analysis between genders, and across ten-year age groups. Data were analyzed with one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Tukey post-hoc test. (3) Results: The trend of age-adjusted mortality ×100,000 did not change significantly between 2018-2022 (p=0.553). Males had higher age-adjusted mortality rates (M/F ratios between 4.6 and 5.0), but no significant variation was found in both genders (males: p=0.676; females: p=0.596). Although the mortality rate remained unchanged in people aged 35-84 years, the variation reached statistical significance in those aged 85 or older (p=0.004), displaying significant increase in 2021 compared to 2018 (p=0.006) and 2019 (p=0.039). (4) Conclusions: The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on mortality for laryngeal cancer seemed to be relatively modest in the general US population. Nevertheless, closer attention must be paid to older people, in whom the unfavorable consequences of misdiagnosis or mistreating can be exacerbated.

For this research we are selected three indicators of wheat: yield (t/ha), producer price (USD/t) and share of the harvested area under wheat in relation to the total land area of country (%). The mentioned indicators were analyzed for the period 2006-2021 in thirty-two European countries. The purpose of the research is to determine which of the mentioned indicators achieve average annual growth/decrease rates, what is the correlation between them, how European countries are grouped with their similarities and differences. The research examines the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mentioned indicators in a two time phases: Phase I, before the pandemic (2006-2019); Phase II, during the pandemic (2020-2021). The methodological approach to the research topic involved the application of descriptive statistics, as the method of principal components analysis (abbr. PCA) with graphics. A positive correlation exists only between the yield of wheat and the share of the harvested area under wheat in the total area of the land (0.291). PCA method showed that countries are grouped differently depending on the observed indicator and the analyzed time phase.

Background: The purpose of this review is to clarify the natural course of Benign Paroxysmal Torticollis (BPT) and to update the relationship of this disorder with migraine. BPT belongs to a group of “episodic syndromes that may be associated with migraine” and is diagnosed when according to diagnostic criteria of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 3rd edition. It is present in infants and young children and it is an underdiagnosed manifestation, because it is not well recognized and in most cases with a benign evolution, but requires careful differential diagnosis. It was first described by Snyder in 1969 as a movement disorder, a cervical dystonia consequent to labyrinthic disorder.Materials and methods: The PubMed and Web of Science databases were consulted from 1968 to 2024, according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines ,2020.( PRISMA)Results: 113 articles were identified, 86 selected and 20 considered for the purpose of this review. The clinical studies were considered in relation to evolution, cognitive and motor development, to genetic and not genetic etiology, to the relationship with migraine with and without aura, vestibular migraine, hemiplegic migraine, and paroxysmal vertigo.

Duct-dependent lesions are classically divided into duct dependent pulmonary circulation which involves severe right sided obstructive lesions such as pulmonary atresia or critical stenosis, and duct dependent systemic circulation which is characterized by malformation of the left side of the heart, and whose severest spectrum is hypoplastic left heart syndrome. Dextro-transposition of the great arteries remains in gray zone between being included in some old classifications as a duct dependent pulmonary circulation lesion or a new category of duct-dependent or independent mixing lesion. We hypothesize that re-classifying duct dependent congenital defects into duct dependent perfusion and oxygenation offers a model to fit D-TGA into the same category of right sided obstructive lesions and reflects the clinical spectrum in a more comprehensive way.

Blockchain technology (BCT) has the potential for sustainable development, enhancing business efficiency, reducing costs, and strengthening data security. Despite its potential, adoption among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) is low due to the need for significant changes in technology infrastructure and the challenge of interoperability. A cross-sectional survey was done with 226 Hong Kong SMEs. The PLS-SEM results highlighted favorable transformation conditions as the most critical factor for SMEs considering the adoption of BCT. These conditions address both internal and external readiness for adopting the disruptive strategy. Other contributing factors to BCT adoption include trust in BCT developers, perceived usefulness and ease of use, government support, and perceived security. The research results contributed to the literature on disruptive technology acceptance, adoption, transformation conditions, technology readiness, and SMEs’ technology adoption. Government-supported policies and initiatives can promote BCT adoption, including educational programs, case studies, and resources for readiness. Financial support and regulatory frameworks can further encourage adoption. BCT developers can demonstrate the value of their systems, effectively communicate potential ROI and cost savings, and provide user-friendly interfaces to increase SMEs’ intention to adopt BCT.

Hemangioblasts give rise to endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs), which also express the cell surface markers CD133 and C-kit. They may differentiate into the outgrowth endothelial cells (OECs) that control neovascularization in the developing embryo. Reduced levels of EPC in circulation have been linked to human cardiovascular disorders, according to numerous studies. Furthermore, preeclampsia and senescence have been linked to levels of EPCs produced from cord blood. Uncertainties surround how preeclampsia affects the way EPCs function. It is reasonable to speculate that preeclampsia may have an impact on the function of fetal EPCs during the in utero period; however, given the present literature's suggestion that maternal vasculopathies, including preeclampsia, damage fetal circulation. Additionally, the differentiation potential and general activity of EPCs may serve as an indicator of the health of the fetal vascular system since they promote neovascularization and repair during pregnancy. Thus, the purpose of this review is to compare, through assessment of their quantity, differentiation potency, angiogenic activity, and senescence, the angiogenic function of fetal EPCs obtained from cord blood for normal and pregnancy problems. This will shed light on the relationship between the angiogenic function of fetal EPCs and pregnancy complications, which could have an effect on the management of long-term health issues like metabolic and cardiovascular disorders in offspring with abnormal vasculature development.

Mitochondria are semiautonomous organelles, which are pivotal for the energy metabolism of eukaryotic cells. These organelles contain their own genetic system (mtDNA, mitogenome) that encodes to some structural RNAs and organellar proteins. The biogenesis and function of mitochondria is tightly regulated by nuclear-encoded protein cofactors. The mtDNAs of land plants are characteristically large, with a complex mode of gene organization and expression, in particularly at the post-transcriptional level. To become functional, the primary organellar transcripts undergo extensive maturation steps, which include endo- and exo-nucleolytic cleavage, RNA-base editing, and both ‘cis’- and ‘trans’-splicing events. These essential processing steps rely on the activities of a large set of nuclear-encoded factors. Among these, the RNA helicases serve as key players in organellar (mt-)RNA metabolism. This review summarizes the important roles played by these factors in regulating the highly dynamic processes of transcription, RNA processing, and translation within the mitochondria of land plants. We further discuss recent advancements in understanding how dysregulation of mitochondrial RNA helicases affects the organellar gene expression, respiratory functions, and hence the growth, development and physiology of land plants.

The aim of this study was utilization of ground tea waste (GT) left after brewing the black tea as a biofiller of natural rubber (NR) composites. Ionic liquids (ILs), i.e., 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium lactate and 1-benzyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride, often used to extract phytochemicals from tea, were applied to improve the dispersibility of GT particles in elastomeric matrix. The influence of GT loading and ILs on curing characteristics, crosslink density, mechanical properties, thermal stability and resistance of NR composites to thermo-oxidative aging was investigated. The amount of GT did not significantly affect curing characteristics and crosslink density of NR composites, but had serious impact on tensile properties. Applying 10 phr of GT improved the tensile strength by 40% compared to unfilled NR. Further increasing in GT content worsened the tensile strength due to the agglomeration of biofiller in elastomer matrix. ILs significantly improved the dispersion of GT particles in elastomer and increased the crosslink density by 20% compared to the benchmark. Owing to the poor thermal stability of pure GT, it reduced the thermal stability of vulcanizates compared to unfilled NR. Most importantly, GT-filled vulcanizates showed improved resistance to thermo-oxidative aging, since the aging factor increased by 25% compared to the unfilled vulcanizate.