(1) Background: Mixed Reality is a technology that has gained attention due to its unique capabilities for accessing and visualizing information, becoming a valuable tool for medicine, particularly for the operating room and surgical learning; (2) Methods: A systematic review was conducted following the PRISMA guidelines to answer the research questions established using the PICO framework; (3) Results: Although implementation of Mixed Reality applications in the operations room presents some challenges, when used appropriately, it can yield remarkable results. It can make learning easier, flatten the learning curve for several procedures, and facilitate various aspects of the surgical processes; (4) Conclusion: Technical complexity, equipment costs, and steep learning curves present significant obstacles to the widespread adoption of Mixed Reality and computer-assisted evaluation. The possibility of integration of distinct medical imaging modalities and innovative functionalities holds promise for clinical applications. However, it is important to consider issues related to usability, bias, and statistical analyses need consideration. Mixed Reality offers significant benefits, but there are still open challenges such as ergonomic issues, limited field of view, and battery autonomy that must be addressed to ensure widespread acceptance.

In order to the effect of hydrated phase change materials on suppressing coal spontaneous combustion, the thermogravimetric experiment and reaction activation energy analysis experiment were used to explore the changes of combustion characteristic, parameters characteristic temperature and activating energy of gas coal, long flame coal, meagre coal, and lean coal before and after adding hydrated phase change materials. The research results showed that hydrated phase change materials increased the coal samples’characteristic temperature point and have effective inhibitory effects on different stages of oxidation process.However, the effect was best at low temperatures, as hydrated phase change materials undergo phase change and absorb heat when heated at low temperatures, isolating coal from contact with oxygen. The activating energy increased by 1.138 KJmol-1～23.048 KJmol-1 and the mass loss reduced by 1.6%～9.3% after the inhibition of the coal sample,indicating that the oxidation rate of various coal samples can be slowed down and the spontaneous combustion can be suppressed by using hydrated phase change materials.At the same time, this material can also reduce the combustibility index of meagre coal and lean coal, as well as the comprehensive combustion index and maximum loss rate of long flame coal and gas coal.

This review explores the transformative impact of sensor technologies in early disease detection. It highlights recent advancements in nanotechnology-based sensors, particularly focusing on their applications in identifying disease biomarkers at early stages. The integration of these sensors with artificial intelligence for predictive analytics in healthcare is also discussed. Applications in cancer, infectious diseases, and chronic disease management underscore their diverse utility. Challenges in sensor technology adoption and future directions, including multiplexed sensors and wearable devices, are examined. This review underscores sensors' potential in enhancing disease management and patient outcomes.

Legumes develop root nodules that harbour endosymbiotic bacteria, rhizobia. These rhizobia convert nitrogen to ammonia by biological nitrogen fixation. A thorough understanding of the biological nitrogen fixation in legumes and its regulation is key to develop sustainable agriculture. It is well known that plant hormones affect nodule formation; however, most studies are limited to model legumes due to their suitability for in vitro, plate-based assays. Specifically, it is almost impossible to measure the effects of exogenous hormones or other additives during nodule development in crop legumes such as soybean as they have huge root system in soil. To circumvent this issue, the present research develops suitable media and growth conditions for efficient nodule development under in vitro, soil free conditions in an important legume crop, soybean. Moreover, we also evaluate the effects of all major phytohormones during soybean nodulation under identical conditions. This versatile, inexpensive, scalable and simple protocol provides several advantages over previously established methods. It is extremely time-and resource-efficient, does not require special training or equipment, and produces highly reproducible results. The approach is expandable to other large legumes as well as for other exogenous additives.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) interventions first introduced by Lovas in the 1960s have been proven historically effective in reducing challenging behaviors such as self-harm aggressive behaviors and improving communicative language skills in children with autism. While the interventions have evolved, focusing on restricting punishments and enforcing more reinforcements to teach skills, some concerns are yet to be evaluated. With the boom of ABA in Asia, this review focuses on understanding the techniques used and the progression of ABA by reviewing the existing literature. It aims to critically analyze the ABA strategies used to target challenging behaviors and teach new skills to gauge their long-term impact on children undergoing these interventions.

In the present study. At first, some properties of r-fuzzy soft β-closed sets are introduced on fuzzy soft topological spaces based on the paper Aygunoglu et al. (Hacet. J. Math. Stat. 2014, 43, 193-208). Also, we define the closure and interior operators with respect to the classes of r-fuzzy soft β-closed and r-fuzzy soft β-open sets, and investigate some of their properties. In addition, the concept of r-fuzzy soft β-connected sets is introduced and characterized with help of fuzzy soft β-closure operators. Thereafter, some properties of a fuzzy soft β-continuity are studied. Furthermore, we introduce and study the concepts of fuzzy soft almost (weakly) β-continuous functions, which are weaker forms of a fuzzy soft β-continuity. Also, the relationships between these classes of functions are specified with the help of some illustrative examples. Finally, we explore new types of fuzzy soft functions called, fuzzy soft β-irresolute (strongly β-irresolute, β-irresolute open, β-irresolute closed and β-irresolute homeomorphism) functions, and discuss some properties of them. Also, we show that fuzzy soft strongly β-irresolute → fuzzy soft β-irresolute → fuzzy soft β-continuity, but the converse may not be true.

Recently, the Portuguese parliament approved the decriminalisation of euthanasia for incurable illnesses. As the experiences of other countries show us, it will be a matter of time before mental disorders are addressed. Studying the phenomenon, particularly in vulnerable groups, in advance is essential for proper law drafting. Therefore, instruments which allow an objective assessment and comparison between groups must be available. This study aims to explore the validation of Faria's Attitude about Euthanasia scale in Portuguese older adult patients with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder. A sample of 114 older adult patients with mixed anxiety-depressive disorder collected by convenience in the Psychiatry Department of Senhora da Oliveira Hospital in Portugal was included. The pre-final version of the scale was tested in a small group with good results. The validity of the internal structure was analysed using exploratory factorial analysis. The internal consistency study verified reliability. For construct validity, we assessed the correlation with other validated scales measuring attitudes toward euthanasia, cognitive performance, personality and empathy. Attitude about euthanasia scale showed good internal consistency. One factor was retained in the principal component analysis. Significant correlations verified construct validity. The results support the scale's usefulness and validity. This study makes available a unique instrument to assess the overall tendency of the attitudes towards euthanasia in European-Portuguese, which can be used, for example, to compare Portuguese with Brazilian older adult psychiatric patients suffering from the same disorder. Furthermore, the adapted scale paves the way for other cross-cultural translations, adaptations, validations, and comparative analyses.

In this paper, we investigate the so-called electronic dressed states, a unified quasiparticle resulting from the interaction between electrons in a two-dimensional material with an off-resonance optical dressing field. If the frequency of this field is much larger than all characteristic energies in the system, such as the Fermi energy or bandgap(s), the electronic band structure is affected by radiation so that some important properties of the electron dispersions could be modified in a way desirable for practical applications. For example, a circularly polarized light can be used to vary the bandgap of Dirac materials: it opens a gap in graphene and other metallic and semimetallic lattices, or modifies the magnitude of an existing gap. This will either enhance or reduce a gap, depending on its initial value as well as properties of a host material. Here, we consider gaped dice and Lieb lattices as samples, and put forward a full theoretical model to reveal how these electronic states are deformed by an elliptically-polarized irradiation with a focus on generation and modification of a bandgap.

In this paper, chaos sequence is used to replace the traditional Spread Spectrum sequence. From the perspective of the communication partner, a new method of generating the initial value of chaotic sequence is proposed, which is more suitable for the multi-base Spread Spectrum System and easy to extract. In order to further improve the error performance of the system and ensure the integrity of the system, an improved suboptimal soft information extraction method based on log-likelihood ratio (LLR) is proposed in the channel coding module, which can further improve the error performance of the system. On this basis, we choose the synchronization mode of multiple transmission of one reference signal to solve the problem that chaotic sequence is difficult to obtain synchronization because of its aperiodic characteristics. Finally, the system is simulated in the channel with low SNR. The simulation results show that chaotic sequence as Spread Spectrum code can make the signal transmit accurately in the worse channel environment. The performance gain of applying soft information decoding decision in the M-ary Spread Spectrum System with chaotic sequence as Spread Spectrum code can reach 5.2dB compared with the traditional Direct Spread Spectrum System.

Wireless communications are gaining massive demand for faster video streaming, virtual reality, and 5G-based IoT (Internet of Things) applications. Due to this network congestion increases hastily. The demand for user-specific services, machine learning, forcing the radio access network (RAN) to provide improvement in utilization of spectrum efficiency, minimizing power consumption, and improving data rate. For LTE/LTE-A network specifications provided by third-generation partnership project (3GPP), guarantees to provide qualitative of service (QoS). Release 15/16 utilizes two-dimensional (2D) active antenna array systems (AAS). This kind of AAS provides beam forming in both azimuth and elevation also termed as Full Dimensional MIMO (FD-MIMO). It enhances the radiation pattern of the antenna array element by adjusting the angular power spectra at the base station (BS), it also allows selecting the minimum number of antennas for effective beam forming toward specific user equipment’s (UEs). Spectrum allocation challenge can be dealt with at mm wave band having FR2 (>6GHz) frequency band specified by International Telecommunication Union (ITU-R) in line with IMT-2020 specifications. The spectrum is free at mm Wave for communication of 5G. However, the main challenge is, it faces path loss and atmospheric loss electromagnetic energy absorbed by gases like oxygen. In this work, the 5G new RAN power spectrum and power delay profile at 10GHz carrier frequency with 20MHz to 100MHz channel bandwidth is observed for line of sight (LOS) and non-line of sight (NLOS) communication for guaranteed QoS. To demonstrate the path loss and power delay profile (PDP) in directional and Omni-directional antennas NYUSIM channel simulator is utilized.

Background: Traumatic events adversely affect the clinical course of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). Our investigation explores the correlation between prolonged interpersonal trauma and the severity of symptoms related to obsessive-compulsive and anxiety disorders. Methods: The study follows a cross-sectional and observational design, employing the International Trauma Questionnaire (ITQ) to examine areas linked to interpersonal trauma, the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), and the Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (Y-BOCS) to assess anxious and obsessive-compulsive symptoms, respectively. Descriptive analysis, analysis of variance (ANOVA), and logistic regression analyses were conducted. Results: We recruited 107 OCD-diagnosed patients, categorizing them into subgroups based on the presence or absence of complex post-traumatic stress disorder (cPTSD). The ANOVA revealed statistically significant differences between the two groups in the onset age of OCD (p=0.083), psychiatric familial history (p=0.023), HAM-A, and Y-BOCS (p=0.000). Logistic regression indicated a statistically significant association between the presence of cPTSD and Y-BOCS scores (p=0.000). Conclusion: The coexistence of cPTSD in OCD exacerbates obsessive-compulsive symptoms and increases the burden of anxiety. Further advancements in this field are crucial for mitigating the impact of early trauma on the trajectory of OCD and associated anxious symptoms.

Cyclin-dependent kinase-like 5 (CDKL5) deficiency disorder (CDD) is a rare neurodevelopmental disease caused by mutations in the X-linked CDKL5 gene. CDD is characterized by a broad spectrum of clinical manifestations, including early-onset refractory epileptic seizures, intellectual disability, hypotonia, visual disturbances, and autism-like features. The Cdkl5 knockout (KO) mouse recapitulates several features of CDD, including autistic-like behavior, impaired learning and memory, and motor stereotypies. These behavioral alterations are accompanied by diminished neuronal maturation and survival, reduced dendritic branching and spine maturation, and marked microglia activation. There is currently no cure or effective treatment to ameliorate the symptoms of the disease. Aerobic exercise is known to exert multiple beneficial effects in the brain, not only by increasing neurogenesis, but also by improving motor and cognitive tasks. To date, no studies have analyzed the effect of physical exercise on the phenotype of a CDD mouse model. In view of the positive effects of voluntary running on the brain of mouse models of various human neurodevelopmental disorders, we sought to determine whether voluntary daily running, sustained over a month, could improve brain development and behavioral defects in Cdkl5 KO mice. Our study showed that long-term voluntary running improved hyperlocomotion and impulsivity behaviors, and memory performance of Cdkl5 KO mice. This is correlated with increased hippocampal neurogenesis, neuronal survival, spine maturation, and inhibition of microglia activation. These behavioral and structural improvements were associated with increased BDNF levels. Given the positive effects of BDNF on brain development and function, the present findings support the positive benefits of exercise as an adjuvant therapy for CDD.

The purpose of this study was to explore the association of cognition with hazardous drinking and alcohol related disorder in persons with bipolar disorder (BD). The study population included 1,268 persons from Finland with bipolar disorder. Alcohol use was assessed through hazardous drinking and alcohol related disorder including alcohol use disorder (AUD). Hazardous drinking was screened with the AUDIT-C (Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test for Consumption) screening tool. Alcohol related disorder diagnoses were obtained from the national registrar data. Participants performed two computerized tasks from the Cambridge automated neuropsychological test battery (CANTAB) on tablet computer: the 5-choice serial reaction time task, or, reaction time (RT) test and the Paired Associative Learning (PAL) test. Association between RT-test and alcohol use was analyzed with log-linear regression, and eβ with 95% confidence intervals (CI) are reported. PAL first trial memory score was analyzed with linear regression, and β with 95% CI are reported. PAL total errors adjusted was analyzed with logistic regression and odds ratios (OR) with 95% CI are reported. After adjustment for age, education and housing status, hazardous drinking was associated with lower median and less variable RT in females while AUD was associated with a poorer PAL test performance in terms of the total errors adjusted scores in females. Our findings of positive associations between alcohol use and cognition in persons with bipolar disorder are unique.

As the world endures the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, conditions of 35 million vulnerable individuals struggling with substance use disorders (SUDs) worldwide have not received sufficient attention for their special health and medical needs. Many of these individuals are complicated by underlying health conditions, such as cardiovascular and lung diseases and undermined immune systems. During the pandemic, access to the healthcare systems and support groups is greatly diminished. Current research on COVID-19 has not addressed the unique challenges facing individuals with SUDs, including the heightened vulnerability and susceptibility to the disease. In this systematic review, we will discuss the pathogenesis and pathology of COVID-19, and highlight potential risk factors and complications to these individuals. We will also provide insights and considerations for COVID-19 treatment and prevention in patients with SUDs.

Eating disorder (ED) symptoms often co-occur with nonsuicidal self-injury (NSSI). This comorbidity is consistent with evidence that trait negative urgency increases risk for both of these phenomena. We previously found that impaired late-stage negative emotional response inhibition (i.e., negative emotional action termination or NEAT) might represent a neurocognitive mechanism for heightened negative urgency among people with NSSI history. The current study evaluated whether relations between negative urgency and ED symptoms similarly reflect deficits in this neurocognitive process. One hundred and five community adults completed an assessment of ED symptoms, negative urgency, and an emotional response inhibition task. Results indicated that, contrary to predictions, negative urgency and NEAT contributed independent variance to the prediction of ED symptoms, while controlling for demographic covariates and NSSI history. Worse NEAT was also uniquely associated with restrictive eating, after accounting for negative urgency. Our findings suggest that difficulty inhibiting ongoing motor responses triggered by negative emotional reactions (i.e., NEAT) may be a shared neurocognitive characteristic of ED symptoms and NSSI. However, negative urgency and NEAT dysfunction capture separate variance in the prediction of ED-related cognitions and behaviors, distinct from the pattern of results we previously observed in NSSI.

We propose a novel optimization approach for determining the envelopes of thin-film transmittance spectra. This method can be coupled with the Swanepoel algorithm to determine the optical properties of the thin films.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic appears to be diminishing, the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 variants represents a threat to humans due to its inherent transmissibility, immunological evasion, virulence, and invulnerability to existing therapies. The previous COVID-19 pandemic affected more than 500 million people and caused over 6 million deaths. Vaccines are essential, but in circumstances when vaccination is not accessible or in individuals with compromised immune systems, drugs can give additional protection. Targeting host signaling pathways is recommended due to their genomic stability and resistance barriers. Plant-derived products, which have been used in traditional medicine for treating pathological conditions, offer structurally novel therapeutic compounds including anti-viral. In addition, plant-derived bioactive substances might serve as the ideal basis for developing sustainable/efficient/cost-effective anti-viral alternatives. Epigenetic modifications in the genome can affect gene expression without altering DNA sequence. Host cells can use epigenetic gene regulation as a mechanism to silence incoming viral DNA molecules, while viruses have recruited cellular epi transcriptomic (covalent modifications of RNAs) modifiers to increase the translational efficiency and transcript stability of viral transcripts to enhance viral gene expression and replication. Moreover, viruses manipulate host cells' epigenetic machinery to ensure productive viral infections. Environmental factors, such as natural products, may influence epigenetic modifications. In this review, we are exploring the potential of plant-derived substances as epigenetic modifiers for broad-spectrum anti-viral activity, reviewing modulation processes and anti-viral effects on DNA and RNA viruses, and addressing future research objectives in this rapidly emerging field.

Spectrum distribution is a classical licensed spectrum accessing method in mobile communication networks. The licensed idle spectrum resources are authorized and distributed from spectrum owners to mobile users. However, the exponential growth of user capacity brings excessive load pressure on the traditional centralized network architecture. As lack of sufficient supervision and penalty measures, dishonest behaviors of spectrum owners and spectrum users will lead to the unfair status in the distribution process. As a result, the honest participants’ interest will be harmed. As an important supporting infrastructure of Internet of things technology, 6G cannot completely follow the existing spectrum distribution method. Towards 6G network spectrum distribution, an blockchain based licensed spectrum fair distribution method is proposed. A lightweight consensus mechanism named as proof of trust (PoT) is applied to reduce computational power consumption and consensus time overhead. We deploy the method on the Ethereum test chain, theoretical analysis and experimental results demonstrate the fairness, effectiveness and security of the method.

The orthogonal matrix with cube be symmetric is a common class of matrices with important properties. We pay attention to this kind of matrices. By using the close relationship between the eigenvalues of a matrix and the trace of its power, we obtain the algorithm for its all possible different eigenvalues and multiplicities. The calculation formula is expressed only by the trace of a matrix and its power, avoiding solving the characteristic polynomial. The method is simple and practical. Furthermore, a new essential characterization for the sum of orthogonal matrix pairs being orthogonal is given as well.

The paper deals with applying Artificial Intelligence techniques to examine CHIRP-recorded data in sand and sandstone sea-bottom sites. The provided analysis of the state of the art portrays that actual time series or spectrum backscattered data from a point on the sea bottom were rarely used as the features for machine learning models. The results of the examination indicate that types of sea bottom can be quantitatively characterized by applying logistic regression models to either the backscatter time series of a frequency-modulated signal or the spectrum of that backscatter. The examination accuracy reached 90% for the time series and 94% for the spectra. The application of spectral data as features for more advanced machine learning algorithms, and the advantages of its combination with other types of data have great potential for future research and the enhancement of remote marine soil classification.

The next generation of wireless and mobile networks will have to handle a significant increase in traffic load compared to the actual one. This situation calls for novel ways to increase spectral efficiency. Therefore in this paper, we propose a wireless spectrum hypervisor architecture that abstracts a radio frequency (RF) front-end into a configurable number of virtual RF front-ends. The proposed architecture has the ability to enable flexible spectrum access in existing wireless and mobile networks, which is a challenging task due to the limited spectrum programmability, $i.e.$, the capability a system has to change the spectral properties of a given signal to fit an arbitrary frequency allocation. The main goal of the proposed approach is to improve spectral efficiency by efficiently using vacant gaps in congested spectrum-bandwidths or adopting network densification through infrastructure sharing. We demonstrate mathematically how our proposed approach works and present several simulation results proving its functionality and efficiency. Additionally, we designed and implemented an open-source and free proof of concept prototype of the proposed architecture, which can be used by researchers and developers to run experiments or extend the concept to other applications. We present several experimental results used to validate the proposed prototype. We demonstrate that the prototype can easily handle up to 12 concurrent physical layers.

Analytical channel design tools have not advanced appreciably in the last decades, and continue to produce designs based upon a single representative discharge that may not lead to overall sediment continuity. It is beneficial for designers to know when a simplified design may be problematic and to efficiently produce alternative designs that approximate sediment balance over the entire flow regime. The Capacity/Supply Ratio (CSR) approach, an extension of the Copeland method of analytical channel design for sand channels, balances the sediment transport capacity of a design reach with the sediment supply of a stable upstream reach over the entire flow duration curve (FDC) rather than just a single discharge. Although CSR has a stronger physical basis than previous analytical channel design approaches, it has not been adopted in practice because it can be a cumbersome and time-consuming iterative analysis without the use of software. We investigate eighteen sand-bed rivers in a comparison of designs based on the CSR approach and five single-discharge metrics: the effective discharge (Qeff), the 1.5-year recurrence interval discharge (Q1.5), the bankfull discharge (Qbf), and the discharges associated with 50th (Qs50) and 75th (Qs75) percentiles of the cumulative sediment yield curve. To facilitate this analysis we developed a novel design tool using the Visual Basic for Applications (VBA) programming language in Excel® to produce stable channel slope-width combinations based on the CSR methodology for both sand- and gravel-bed streams. The CSR Stable Channel Design Tool’s (CSR Tool) code structure was based on Copeland’s method in SAM and HEC-RAS (Hydrologic Engineering Center’s River Analysis System) and was tested with a single discharge to verify outputs. The Qs50 and Qs75 single-discharge designs match the CSR output most closely, followed by the Qbf, Qeff, and Q1.5. The Qeff proved to be the most inconsistent design metric because it can be highly dependent on the binning procedure used in the effectiveness analysis. Furthermore, we found that the more rigorous physical basis of the CSR analysis is potentially most important in designing ‘labile’ channels with highly erodible substrate, high perennial flow ‘flashiness,’ low width-to-depth ratio, and high incoming sediment load. The CSR Tool provides a resource for river restoration practitioners to efficiently utilize in-depth design techniques that can promote sediment balance in dynamic fluvial systems.

To achieve a narrow bandwidth optical filter with a wide swept range for new generation optical spectrum analysis (OSA), an optoelectronic equivalent narrowband filter (OENF) is investigated and a swept optical filter with bandwidth of several MHz and swept range of several ten nanometers is built using electric filters and a swept laser as local oscillator (LO). The principle of OENF is introduced and analysis of OENF system is presented. Two electric filters are optimized to be RBW filters for high and medium spectral resolution application. Both simulations and experiments are conducted to verify OENF principle and results show that power uncertainty is less than 1.2% and spectral resolution can reach 6 MHz. Then, a real-time wavelength calibration system consisting of HCN gas cell and FP etalon is proposed to guarantee a wavelength accuracy of ±0.4 pm at C-band and to reduce the influence of phase noise and nonlinear velocity of swept LO. Finally, experiments on OSA of actual spectra of various optical sensors using OENF system are conducted. Experimental results indicate that OENF system has an excellent capacity in analysis of fine spectrum structures.

Cannabis use disorder (CUD) is a growing public health concern, with rising prevalence and significant impact on individuals across age groups. This systematic review examined pharmacological and psychosocial interventions for CUD among adolescents, young adults, transitioning adults, and older adults. Database searches were conducted for randomized controlled trials of CUD interventions reporting outcomes such as cannabis use, abstinence, withdrawal symptoms, and treatment retention. In total, 53 studies were included. Pharmacological treatments such as cannabinoid agonists, gabapentin, and N-acetylcysteine demonstrated modest benefits predominantly in alleviating withdrawal and craving. Psychosocial approaches including motivational interviewing, cognitive behavioral therapy, and contingency management conferred greater abstinence and retention, either alone or combined with pharmacotherapy. However, age-specific efficacy remains unclear. Technology-based interventions represent promising alternatives to expand access and improve cost-effectiveness. In conclusion, cannabis disorders require expanded, affordable treatment tailored to individuals’ developmental stage. Further research should clarify the utility of harm reduction outcomes and establish age-specific best practices.

The purpose of this systematic review is to examine the various articles published in the field of neuropsychology of anxiety research in terms of publication type and volume, methodology, and subject matter. The significance of this topic derives from the clinical and functional consequences of cognitive symptoms. Generalized anxiety disorder refers to the cluster of clinical symptoms characterized by predominant anxious anticipation and difficulty controlling worry. In order for the review to be systematic and reproducible, a search of the PsycINFO, Scopus, PubMed, Elsevier databases and an analysis using the PRISMA method are suggested. After analyzing the research data, empirical studies evaluating the clinical neuropsychology of generalized anxiety disorder are discussed.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a chronic psychiatric disorder that occurs following exposure to traumatic events. The prevalence of PTSD is estimated to be 5-10% worldwide, and it is associated with significant distress and disability. Recent evidence suggests that PTSD may be a risk factor for the development of subsequent neurodegenerative disorders, including Alzheimer’s dementia and Parkinson’s disease. Identification of biomarkers known to be associated with neurodegeneration in patients with PTSD would shed light on the pathophysiological mechanisms linking these disorders, and would also help in the development of preventive approaches aimed at reducing the risk of neurodegenerative disorders in PTSD. In the current review, the PubMed and Scopus databases were searched for studies aimed at identifying genetic, biochemical, neuroimaging or behavioral markers associated with neurodegeneration in patients with PTSD. Out of a total of 342 citations retrieved, 29 relevant studies were identified for inclusion in the review. The results of these studies suggest that several potentially relevant biological markers, including cerebral cortical thinning, disrupted white matter integrity, specific genetic polymorphisms, immune-inflammatory alterations, vitamin D deficiency, metabolic syndrome and parasomnias, may be associated with an increased risk of neurodegeneration in patients with PTSD. Though many of these results need replication, they highlight a number of biological pathways that plausibly link PTSD with neurodegenerative disorders, and suggest potentially valuable avenues for prevention and early intervention in this patient population.

Background: Body dysmorphic disorder (BDD) is a psychiatric disorder characterized by excessive preoccupation with imagined defects in appearance. Optical illusions induce illusory effects that distort the presented stimulus thus leading to ambiguous percepts. Using electroencephalography (EEG), we investigated whether BDD is related to differentiated perception during illusory percepts. Methods: 18 BDD patients and 18 controls were presented with 39 optical illusions together with a statement testing whether or not they perceived the illusion. After a delay period, they were prompted to answer whether the statement is right/wrong and their degree of confidence for their answer. We investigated differences of BDD on task performance and self-reported confidence and analysed the brain oscillations during decision-making using nonparametric cluster statistics. Results: Behaviorally, the BDD group exhibited reduced confidence when responding incorrectly, potentially attributed to higher levels of doubt. Electrophysiologically, the BDD group showed significantly reduced alpha power at mid-central scalp areas, suggesting impaired allocation of attention. Interestingly, the lower the alpha power of the identified cluster, the higher the BDD severity, as assessed by BDD psychometrics. Conclusions: Results evidenced that alpha power during illusory processing might serve as a quantitative EEG biomarker of BDD, potentially associated with reduced inhibition of task-irrelevant areas.

Data on antimicrobial resistance in Burkina Faso’s agricultural sector is still limited. The study assessed the occurrence of extended spectrum β-lactamase -producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) and Klebsiella spp. (ESBL-K) in lettuce, environment, and gardeners’ stools in market gardens in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso. A total of 356 samples were collected from three vegetable gardens (76 lettuce, 76 soil, 62 manure, 63 irrigation water and 79 human stools). ESBL-selective medium was used for initial selection of ESBL-producing bacteria, and the isolates were further identified using biochemical tests. Antibiotic susceptibility test was performed using the disk diffusion method. The overall prevalence of ESBL-Ec and/or ESBL-K in the samples was 232/356 (65.2%). Of the lettuce samples, the prevalence of ESBL-Ec was 19/76 (25.0%) and ESBL-K 33/76 (43.4%). In the market gardens environment, the prevalence of ESBL-Ec was 32/201 (15.9%) and ESBL-K 124/201 (61.7%). In the gardeners’ stools the prevalence of ESBL-Ec was 42/79 (53.2%) and ESBL-K 24/79 (30.4%). Two ESBL-K isolates were found to produce NDM carbapenemase. Due to the high prevalence of ESBL-producing bacteria, which may also be carbapenemase producers, it is necessary to monitor pathogens in agricultural products with a "One Health" approach to limit and prevent infections in the population.

Background: Although many studies analyse gender differences in the clinical expression of Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and prevalence studies show that girls with ADHD are underdiagnosed, there are no instruments that are sensitive to the detection of girls with ADHD. Objective: The objective of this study is to develop a self-report early detection instrument for ADHD for boys and girls aged 7 to 16, which includes the gender perspective and is sensitive to the detection of girls with ADHD. Methods: The development of the scale and the items that comprise it were created from the thematic analysis of ADHD and its evaluation in children, based on the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5-TR. A modified e-Delphi method involving a three-round web survey was used to reach a consensus on the content of the scale. Ten experts were recruited into a professional panel. The panel members were asked to assess the differential symptomatology of ADHD in boys and girls, the dimensions to be evaluated, and the importance of the scale items to evaluate the content. Results: Consensus was reached regarding 13 total items distributed in three dimensions: Inattention, Hyperactivity/Impulsivity, and a third dimension, Internalisation, which includes symptoms most present in the expression of ADHD in girls. Conclusions: To the best of our knowledge, the development of this scale using the Delphi method is the first specific scale for identifying ADHD that addresses the gender perspective and the differential symptomatology between boys and girls. Although we must proceed to the analysis of the psychometric properties, we can anticipate that this scale will provide relevant and reliable information for the identification of ADHD in both boys and girls.

Importance: Neuropsychiatric disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar disorder lack objective diagnostic markers, hindering accurate diagnosis and treatment. A novel approach using patient-derived cerebral organoids and digital analysis of electrophysiological recordings could provide much-needed objective biomarkers.Objective: To develop a digital analysis pipeline that can identify distinct electrophysiological signatures of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder using multi-electrode array recordings from patient-derived cerebral organoids.Design: This was an experimental study using previously published data. The study type can be classified as a case-control study, comparing cerebral organoids and 2D neuronal cultures derived from patients with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and healthy controls. The study utilized multi-electrode array recordings for analysis. Setting: The study was conducted in a laboratory setting using previously recorded data. Main Outcomes and Measures: The primary outcome was the accuracy of a support vector machine classifier in distinguishing between healthy control, schizophrenia, and bipolar disorder samples based on electrophysiological features extracted from the recordings. Key cellular-digital biomarkers were identified using minimum redundancy maximum relevance feature selection.Results:Our Support Vector Machine classifier achieved 95.8% accuracy in distinguishing SCZ from control samples in 2D neuronal cultures under both baseline and post-electrical stimulation (PES) conditions. For cerebral organoids, classification accuracy was 83.3% under baseline conditions, improving to 91.6% under PES when distinguishing between control, SCZ, and BPD samples. Key features for classification included channel-specific measures such as median, covariance, autocorrelation, and kurtosis of neural activity. Confusion matrices visualize classification performance, with most misclassifications occurring in the BPD class under baseline conditions. These results demonstrate that our digital analysis pipeline can effectively distinguish between healthy control and patient-derived samples using electrophysiological features from multi-electrode array recordings, particularly under PES conditions.Conclusions and Relevance: This digital analysis pipeline demonstrates the potential to identify objective electrophysiological signatures of schizophrenia and bipolar disorder using patient-derived cerebral organoids. This approach could lead to improved diagnostic accuracy and personalized treatment strategies for neuropsychiatric disorders.

Background: Caring for individuals with mental disorders poses significant challenges for caregivers, often leading to compromised quality of life and mental health issues such as stress, anxiety, and depression. This study aims to assess the extent of these challenges among caregivers in Greece, identifying which demographic factors influence their well-being. Method: A total of 157 caregivers were surveyed using the SF-12 Health Survey for quality of life assessment and the DASS-21 questionnaire for evaluating stress, anxiety, and depression symptoms. T-tests, Kruskal-Wallis tests, Pearson correlation coefficients, and regression analyses were applied to understand the associations between demographics, quality of life, and mental health outcomes. Results: The study found that caregivers, especially women and younger individuals, faced high levels of mental health challenges. Marital status, educational level, and employment status also significantly influenced caregivers' well-being. Depression was the most significant factor negatively correlating with the mental component of quality of life. The magnitude of burden experienced by caregivers highlighted the urgency for targeted social and financial support, as well as strategic treatment programs that consider caregiver well-being. Conclusions: Caregivers of individuals with mental disorders endure significant stress, anxiety, and depression, influencing their quality of life. Demographic factors such as age, gender, marital status, education, and employment status have notable impacts. Findings emphasize the need for society-wide recognition of caregivers' roles and the creation of comprehensive support and intervention programs to alleviate their burden, particularly in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Abstract: In the Western of Mekong Delta belong to Vietnam a amount of alluvium sediments flows from upstream China to Vietnam, they are going from the river branches to in the Mekong Delta, then get out the Western Sea of Vietnam. This sediments accumulated gradually elevation the new land. The increase elevation of the land creates a fertile coastal plain where mangrove forests with a rich ecosystem of plants and animals. Over time, these forests change, with different plant species succeeding each other. This aims of this study to finding plant species in the forest, classification of forest types based on ecological regions, assessement the biodiversity of tree species, and compare the abundance communities, measuring the growth of the forest in these regions. In 2023, a comprehensive survey was conducted by using a systematic approach. The number of survey plots have done depend on the density of the forest, Base on the width of the forest range, the number of survey plots from 500m to 1,000m set up 1-2 plots, sub region set up from 10 to 15 plots. In total, 68 plots have done established in the erea, the area of plot is 100 square meters (10m x 10m). Using the statistical software in forestry to survey and analysis data. The result provided a complete picture of the tree species composition, distribution, and community structure characteristics in each ecological sub-region. The result of survey showed in the sub-region 1 have seven species as Sonneracia ovate, Rhzophora apiculata, Excoecaria agallochha, Avicennia officinalis, Avicennia alba, Agricerasvcoculatum, Bruguiera gymnorhiza. In the sub region 2 have eleven species as Sonneracia caseolaris, Annona reticulata, Lumnitzera littorea, Lumnizera racemosa, Rhizophora apiculata, Excoecaria agallocha, Avicennia officinalis, Avicennia alba, Hibiscus tillacerus, Bruguiera gymorhiza, Aericeras comiculatum. In the sub region 3 have eight as Sonratia caseolaris, Rhizophora mucronata, Rhizophora apiculata, Excoecaria agallocha, Avicennia marine, Avicennia alba, Bruguiera gymorhiza. In the region 4 have ten species as Sonneracia caseolaris, Sonneracia ovate, Lumnizera racemosa, Rhizophoa apiculata, Excoecaria agallocha, Avicennia marina, Avicennia officinalis, Aviecnnia alba, Bruguiera gymorhiza, Bruguiera cylindrica The total species of the mangrove forest in the Western Mekong Delta have 16 species from 11 plant families have been identified. Among these species have 6 dominant species include Avicennia oficinali),Avicennia alba, Rhizophora apiculata, Excoecaria agallocha, Someratia caseolaris, and Bruguiera yipamoriza. Two species easy grow on the new land are Avicennia officinalis Avicennia alba this findings show they can develope on the original new land for the shore of the Western Mekong Delta. The surveyed results also calculated the average of the height, diameter (D1.3), canopy, health of the nature mangrove tree for each sub region and total region. From these results showed the division of foresty structure, the structure of height, diameter (D1.3), canopy, vitality of the sub region and total region in the Western Mekong Delta.

Background: Post-marketing surveillance is crucial for gathering data on vaccine reactogenicity, enhancing public trust in immunization, and promoting vaccine uptake. This study aims to characterize adverse events following immunization (AEFI) and estimate the incidence rates of adverse reactions (ARs) associated with vaccines included in Taiwan's Expanded Program on Immunization (EPI). The study utilizes data from Taiwan's Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP). Methods: Vaccine injury claims submitted to the VICP between 2014 and 2019 were analyzed. ARs were defined as AEFIs adjudicated as ‘related’ or ‘indeterminate’ by the VICP committee. Data on the annual number of vaccine doses administered was obtained from the Taiwan CDC, which helped calculate AR incidence rates. Results: A total of 491 AEFI claims were reviewed, with 327 (66.6%) categorized as ARs. AEFIs were mainly associated with the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine (43.4%) and the seasonal influenza vaccine (22.0%). Most EPI vaccines demonstrated low AR incidence rates, ranging from 1.68 to 13.6 per million doses, with the exception of BCG, which exhibited 162.5 ARs per million doses. Shifting BCG immunization from below 5 months to at least 5 months reduced osteomyelitis incidence significantly, from 41.4 to 7.9 (P = 0.0014), but increased abscess and lymphadenitis cases. Conclusion: EPI vaccines in Taiwan are highly safe, with minimal AR incidences in the general population. The BCG vaccine remains an exception, occasionally causing severe ARs like osteomyelitis. Adjusting the immunization schedule to an older age may mitigate some of these adverse effects.

The literature has addressed the negative impact of poor neonatal conditions (NC) across regions. This has drawn attention to the need to improve NC, particularly in Africa. NC research can make an important contribution. However, there is no study dedicated to this topic in Africa. Through a bibliometric analysis, we arrive at outputs that can inform scientists in planning ongoing or new NC research and those involved in developing and implementing strategies to combat poor NC. Using bibliometrics, the study identified the scientific knowledge on NC between 2000 and 2019, its visibility in the community, the main topics researched, and collaboration patterns.The results show that knowledge on NC has increased between 2000 and 2019, it is concentrated in a few African countries (Egypt, South Africa, Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya), its visibility is below the world average, in general, maternal mortality is the most researched topic and collaborative activities are frequently, mainly international research collaboration (IRC), being the United States of America (USA) and the United Kingdom (UK) the main partners (they participated in 57% and 28% of all articles with IRC). The collaboration networks are fragile as 43%-67% of all links represent one article in 20 years.Ongoing or new research on NC in Africa should consider the main African players and their partners. There is a need to implement strategies to increase NC knowledge in other African countries, expand and strengthen the collaboration networks and diversify the sources of knowledge.

The two-scale method (TSM) is an effective approach to simulate electromagnetic (EM) scattering from rough sea surface, to interpret physical interaction of EM wave with rough sea surfaces. The sea surface roughness spectrum and the cutoff wavenumber are two key factors affecting the accuracy of TSM simulation. This paper takes the geophysical model functions (GMFs) of different band as reference, and quantitatively studies the two factors based on the numerical simulation of different polarization backscattering coefficients. The numerical simulation demonstrates that Apel spectrum is more suitable for the backscattering simulation in C/X/Ku-band, and the optimal cutoff wavenumbers are also derived for TSM simulation of EM scattering in C/X/Ku-band. Then an empirical model function of optimal cutoff wavenumbers with respect to frequency, incident angle and wind speed are obtained with regression method. Finally, the simulation results with the new model function of cutoff wavenumber are compared with the GMF and measured data in different bands and they are all consistent. Moreover, a physical explanation for the optimal cutoff wavenumber is also given.

Accurate evaluation of health status of lithium-ion batteries must be deemed as of great significance, insofar as utility and safety of batteries are of concern. Lithium plating, in particular, is notoriously known to be a chemical reaction that can cause deterioration in, or even fatal hazards to, the health of lithium-ion batteries. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), which has distinct advantages such as fast or non-destructive over its competitors, suffices in detecting lithium plating and thus has been attracting increasing attention in the field of battery management, but its ability of assessing quantitatively the degree of lithium plating remains largely unexplored hitherto. On this point, this work seeks to narrow that gap, by proposing an EIS-based method that can quantify the degree of lithium plating. The core conception is to eventually circumvent the reliance on state-of-health measurement, and use instead the impedance spectrum, to acquire an estimate on battery capacity loss. To do so, the effects of solid electrolyte interphase formation and lithium plating on battery capacity must be first decoupled, so that the mass of lithium plating can be quantified. Then, based on an impedance spectrum measurement, the parameters of the fractional equivalent circuit model (ECM) of the battery can be identified. These fractional ECM parameters are received as inputs by an artificial neural network, which is tasked to establish a correspondence between the model parameters and the mass of lithium plating. The empirical part of the work revolves around the data collected from an aging experiment, and the validity of the proposed method is truthfully attested by dismantling the batteries, which is otherwise not needed during the actual uptake of the method.

A structure-based view on mesons is given, based upon the concept of an archetype quark, described as a pointlike source producing an energy flux, the spatial description of which is derived from Dirac’s second dipole moment. This enables to conceive the archetype meson (pion) as a structure that behaves as a one-body anharmonic quantum mechanical oscillator. All mesons appear being excitations of the archetype, thereby allowing a calculation of the mass spectrum without the use of empirical parameters for the masses of the quark flavors. This includes a physically comprehensible analysis of the spin-spin interaction between quarks. It also provides a solution for the eta-etaprime puzzle. Next to this, it is shown that quite some particles that are presently regarded as elementary, have a common root and can be traced back to a few archetypes only.

We propose a novel plasmon nano-optical antenna that consists of three vertically superimposed discs with different materials. Two symmetrical nanometer-scale Yagi antenna elements with gold-material are embedded into the surface of the middle disc with silicon dioxide. Based on plasmon theory and Yagi antenna principle, we explore the properties of the far-field radiation and near-field transmission of the antenna in near infrared band. It is found that the pattern of the xoy plane in the antenna can be adjusted in arbitrary direction. The far-field pattern and near-field transmission spectrum can be reconfigured by changing the angle a of the Yagi antenna elements in the middle disc. Moreover, we also discuss the influences of the widths and lengths of the elements on the near-field transmission spectrum when a is fixed at 0 degree.

A calculation is presented for the mass relationships between electron, muon and the tau particle. It is shown that charged leptons with mass levels beyond the one of the tau particle cannot exist because of insufficient binding energy. The underlying mechanism of the relationship between the leptons is the isospin feature of Dirac particles, which appears being a substantial attribute next to nuclear angular spin. It is further shown that the energy of the elementary electric charge, such as embodied by the mass of an electron, is due to the interaction between the isospins of the pion’s quark and antiquark.

This review aimed at defining and classifying extended spectrum β-lactamases, ESBLs and carbapenemases, summarizing the different phenotypic methods used to detect production of these enzymes in clinically significant gram negative bacteria and also describing the methods that discourse challenges mostly encountered during detection of these enzymes in microbiology laboratories with the purpose of formulating recommendations on best practice to screen for these enzymes. We conclude that the modified double disk synergy, MDDS is not only suitable for the confirmation of ESBL production after screening isolates with the cephalosporin/clavulanate combination disc diffusion or broth micro-dilution methods but also distinguishes ESBL production and over-expression of AmpC-derepressed mutants and as well serves as an indicator for AmpC screening. Furthermore, we suggest cefotaxime, ceftazidime and cefpodoxime (for testing using a single drug) as indicator antibiotics of choice for ESBL detection. The MDDS and cefoxitin/AmpC inhibitor combination disc method, using cloxacillin and phenylboronic acid can be used as screening tests for AmpC production and either the AmpC disc test, the disc approximation test or the modified three dimensional extract test as confirmatory tests for AmpC production. We also suggest that confirmation of carbapenemase production be done with the modified hodge test, using Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 700603 as the indicator organism or the modified carbapenem inactivation method. However, to differentiate between the different classes of carbapenemases, boronic acid and EDTA based methods (double-disk synergy tests and combined-disk tests) using imipenem, meropenem and ertapenem, in combination with 3-aminophenylboronic acid and ethylene diamine tetra acetic acid be used.

Background: This study aimed to explore the association between the emotional impact of COVID-19 and emotional eating and the risk of alcohol use disorder among Peruvian health science students. Methods: We conducted a cross-sectional analytical study in which an online questionnaire was administered to 456 health science interns from four cities in Peru. We used the COVID-19 Emotional Impact Profile questionnaire, Mindful Eating Questionnaire, and Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test. Spearman’s correlations were calculated and two multiple linear regression models were developed. Results: 68.4% of the participants were emotional eaters and 8.6% reported low-risk levels of alcohol use disorder. Based on the results of the first model, the overall emotional impact of COVID-19, being overweight or obese, depression and anxiety levels, and living with only one parent were factors associated with emotional eating. The results of the second model showed that the level of depression, living with just one parent, living alone, sex, and number of months as an intern were factors associated with the risk of alcohol use disorder. Conclusion: To reduce emotional eating and the risk of alcohol use disorder among interns, universities should implement interventions aimed at reducing the emotional impact of COVID-19 and provide nutritional counseling.

Bipolar disorder (BD) is a complex mental health condition characterized by alternating periods of mania and depression. This review provides a comprehensive overview of BD, focusing on its genetics, causal hypotheses, clinical signs and evolution, potential biomarkers with an emphasis on electroencephalography (EEG), and treatment options. Genetic studies have identified several susceptibility genes and polygenic risk scores, highlighting the heritable nature of BD. Various causal hypotheses, including monoamine dysregulation, kindling, circadian rhythm disruptions, and neuroinflammation, have been proposed to explain its pathophysiology. The clinical course of BD is characterized by recurrent episodes of mania/hypomania and depression, with significant heterogeneity among individuals. EEG and other biomarkers hold promise for improving diagnosis, predicting treatment response, and elucidating the neurobiological underpinnings of BD. Current treatment options include pharmacotherapy, psychotherapy, and neuromodulation techniques, which can be tailored to individual needs based on clinical presentation and response to treatment. Future research should focus on identifying more specific biomarkers, developing novel treatments, and optimizing existing therapies to improve outcomes for individuals with BD.

Background: Infantile haemangiomas (IH) may require treatment with propranolol. Sleep disturbances are the most fre-quently reported side effects. Monitoring drug adverse events necessitates repeated hospital visits, despite the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic. Objectives: To explore the effectiveness of a new electronic questionnaire in identifying sleep disturbances as adverse events to treatment and potential confounders. To evaluate the response rate to the questionnaire. To report the propor-tion of patients on propranolol with sleep disturbances. Methods: In an observational, prospective cohort study, caregivers provided clinical information at office visits and via an electronic questionnaire after an 8-week treatment course and at treatment interruption. Adverse drug reaction (ADR) reporting forms were evaluated for causality assessment. Results: The questionnaire response rate was 91%, and the completion rate was 100%. The prevalence of sleep disturb-ances as adverse reactions was 59%. Sleep disorders were more frequent during sleep regression phases and in subjects who fell asleep with physical contact with caregivers or bed-sharing with parents. Conclusion: The application of this questionnaire allows for identifying sleep-adverse events associated with propranolol in IH and potential confounders. Counselling on sleep hygiene is recommended before treatment onset

Children with history of prematurity are at higher risk of complications, comorbidities and iron deficiency. In this study we assess the prevalence of restless sleep disorder, as well as that of periodic leg movements during sleep (PLMS) in these children. Retrospective chart review of sleep studies in children aged 1-18 years, with history of prematurity. Only diagnostic studies in children without diagnosis of a genetic syndrome or airway surgery or tracheostomy were included. Three groups were compared, children with PLMS index>5, children with restless sleep disorder (RSD), and children with neither elevated PLMS index nor RSD. During the study, 2,577 sleep studies were conducted. Ninety-two studies fit our criteria and were included in analysis. Median birth age was 31 weeks, interquartile range (IQR) 27-34 weeks. Thirty-two (34.8%) children were referred for restless sleep and 55 (59.8%) for snoring; after polysomnography 18% were found to have PLMS index >5/hour, 14% fit the criteria for RSD. There were no statistically significant differences in polysomnographic parameters between the children with RSD, PLMS and the remaining group, except for lower obstructive apnea/hypopnea index (Kruskal-Wallis ANOVA 8.621, p=0.0135) in the RSD group (median 0.7, IQR 0.3-0.9) than in the PLMS (median 1.7, IQR 0.7-3.5), or than in the nonRSD/nonPLMS group (median 2.0, IQR 0.8-4.5). There was elevated frequency of RSD and elevated PLMS in children with history of prematurity that might be linked to the increased risk of iron deficiency in premature infants. These new results add new knowledge on the prevalence of RSD in these children.

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. Given the growing evidence of gut microbiota being involved in psychiatric (including neurodevelopmental) disorders, we aimed to identify differences in gut microbiota composition between participants with ADHD and controls and to investigate the role of the microbiota in inattention and hyperactivity/impulsivity. Fecal samples were collected from 107 participants (NADHD=42; Ncontrols=50; NsubthreholdADHD=15; range age: 13-29 years). The relative quantification of bacterial taxa was done using 16S ribosomal RNA gene amplicon sequencing. Beta-diversity revealed significant differences in bacterial composition between participants with ADHD and healthy controls, which was also significant for inattention, but showing a trend in case of hyperactivity/impulsivity only. Ten genera showed nominal differences (P < 0.05) between both groups, of which seven genera were tested for their association with ADHD symptom scores (adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, time delay between feces collection and symptoms assessment, medication use and family relatedness). Our results show that variation of a genus from the Ruminococcaceae family (Ruminococcaceae_UCG_004) is associated (after multiple testing correction) with inattention symptoms, and suggest a role of gut microbiota in ADHD pathophysiology.

Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase (ESBL) -producing and multidrug resistant Enterobacterales pose a major threat to both human and animal health. This study assessed the prevalence of ESBL-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-Ec) and Klebsiella spp. (ESBL-K) in cattle farms in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, using a One Health approach. From May 2021 to September 2022, cattle faeces, farmers’ stools, their drinking water and farm soil samples were collected from semi-intensive and traditional farms. ESBL-selective medium was used to obtain resistant isolates, which were further characterized using biochemical tests. An-timicrobial susceptibility testing was performed using the Kirby-Bauer disc dif-fusion method. ESBL-Ec and/or ESBL-K were detected in 188 of 322 samples (58.0%). The prevalence of ESBL-Ec isolates was 42.2% (136/322) and ESBL-K isolates 24.5% (79/322). Notably, 156 of the 188 ESBL isolates (83.0%) exhibited multidrug resistance. The highest resistance rates were observed against tetracy-cline and cotrimoxazole. Importantly, no isolates showed resistance to mero-penem, which was used to test for carbapenem resistance. This study highlights the presence of ESBL-Ec and ESBL-K among humans, animals and the envi-ronment of the cattle farms. Good hygiene and biosafety practices are essential to limit the potential spread of multidrug resistant bacteria between different inter-faces on farms.

The problem can be stated as over 3 billion choices to improve 14 disease states with 9 optimization goals (some of the optimization goals are diametrically opposed) to improve dyspnea, shortness of breath, fatigability, exercise intolerance, edema, swelling, fluid retention, and arrhythmias. The goal is to increase Left Ventricular Outflow Integral, reduce mitral regurgitation, increase longitudinal conduction velocities and restore synchrony of the septum to the ventricle that needs it the most. A method to accomplish this task for the spectrum of cardiac disease is presented.

The photodegradation of azithromycin present was carried out in water using H2O2 under UV irradiation. The reaction variables considered in this study were the amount of H2O2 solution and the initial concentration of azithromycin to evaluate the performance of the photodegradation process. The azithromycin degradation was not observed in the dark during stirring for 20 minutes. The study showed efficient photodegradation of azithromycin using H2O2 as an oxidant in the presence of UV irradiation. The azithromycin degradation was affected significantly by the pH of the irradiated solution. The degradation was low at an acidic pH and showed an increasing trend as the pH changed to basic. The azithromycin degradation was increased with a higher amount (higher concentration) of H2O2. The degradation of azithromycin decreased with a higher concentration of azithromycin in the reacting solution. The highest degradation of AZT was achieved in 1 hour using a 1.0 ppm AZT solution containing 3 ml of H2O2. The experimental data obtained was well-fitted to zero-order reaction kinetics. The results of this study were found to be superior when compared with those reported in the literature, with photocatalysis using nanomaterials and photolysis using irradiation and H2O2. The UV/H2O2 system was found to be quite efficient for the photodegradation of azithromycin, and this system can be applied to degrade other organic pollutants present in industrial wastewater. To this point, such a study has not been reported specifically for AZT photodegradation.

The ZX Spectrum was a popular 8-bit home computer by Sinclair Research in the 80s. Even though some of these computers may still work, the audio tapes, the TV with an analog tuner and the micro-switch joystick, used with the original ZX Spectrum, nowadays are outdated and hard to find in good working order or replicate. Since many other old closed systems are also very difficult to update to support modern peripherals, there is a necessity to provide a methodology to adapt such systems to support new peripherals while being compatible with existing software. The work proposed in this paper is focused on recreating a ZX Spectrum+/48k computer and interface it with modern peripherals on an FPGA. This is accomplished by adding a co-processor to assist with the control of the new peripherals which would either require to complex architectural changes to the original system and in the end it would perform poorly due to the low performance of the Z80 CPU. This work distances from previous ones on emulating a ZX Spectrum since it focuses on the use of different upgraded peripherals and the use of a NIOS II soft-processor as a co-processor to manage the SD Card accesses. A demonstration of the proposed modernized architecture was made by successfully running a diagnostics ROM and playing original ZX Spectrum games from an SD card for game with a PS/2 keyboard and a pair of joysticks.

Autistic spectrum disease (ASD) is an increasingly common diagnosis nowadays with a prevalence of 1-2% in most countries. Its complex causality – a combination of genetic, immune, metabolic and environmental factors - is translated into pleiomorphic developmental disorders of various severity, which have in common two main aspects: repetitive, restrictive behaviors, and difficulties in social interaction varying from awkward habits and verbalization to complete lack of interest from the ASD child for the outside world. The wide variety of ASD causes also makes it very difficult to find a common denominator – a disease biomarker and medication – and currently there is no commonly used diagnostic and therapeutic strategy besides clinical evaluation and psychotherapy.It is known that inflammation is present in a majority of ASD children, and blood inflammatory markers, together with metabolic, electrophysiological markers and imagistics are useful for ASD diagnostic validation and treatment; however, they tend to leave out a sizeable proportion of ASD kids who do not have such modifications. Genetic testing – whole exome sequencing or targeted profiling on about 500 ASD-linked genes- may also provide good insight into pathophysiology, however many times its results are more restrictive rather than offering additional therapeutic options.Here we describe a new biomarker for ASD - the neuron-specific enolase (NSE) - which was elevated above the normal clinical range (less than 16.3 ng/mL) in the vast majority of ASD kids tested in our study (40 of 41, or 97.5%). This finding opens up a new direction for diagnostic confirmation, dynamic evaluation and therapeutic intervention for ASD kids.

We report four allelic variants (3 novel) in three genes previously established as causal for hypopituitarism or related disorders. A novel homozygous variant in the growth hormone gene, GH1 c.171delT (p. Phe 57Leufs * 43), was found in a male patient with severe isolated growth hormone deficiency (IGHD) born to consanguineous parents. A SOX3 allelic variant (p.Met304Ile) was found in a male patient with IGHD and hypoplastic anterior pituitary. YASARA, a tool to evaluate protein stability, suggests that p.Met304Ile destabilizes the SOX3 protein (ΔΔG = 2.49 kcal/mol). A rare, heterozygous missense variant in the TALE homeobox protein gene, TGIF1 (c.268C>T:p.Arg90Cys) was found in a patient with combined pituitary hormone deficiency (CPHD), diabetes insipidus, and syndromic features of holoprosencephaly (HPE). A novel heterozygous TGIF1 variant (c.82T>C:p.Ser28Pro) was identified in a patient with CPHD, pituitary aplasia and ectopic posterior lobe. Both TGIF1 variants have an autosomal dominant pattern of inheritance with incomplete penetrance. In conclusion, we have found allelic variants in 3 genes in hypopituitarism patients. We discuss these variants and associated patient phenotypes in relation to previously reported variants in these genes, expanding our knowledge of the phenotypic spectrum in patient populations.

The planetary wave activity in the stratosphere–mesosphere during the Arctic major Sudden Stratospheric Warming (SSW) in February 2018 is discussed on the basis of the microwave radiometer (MWR) measurements of carbon monoxide (CO) above Kharkiv, Ukraine (50.0° N, 36.3° E) and the Aura Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) measurements of CO, temperature and geopotential heights. From the MLS data, eastward and westward migrations of wave 1/wave 2 spectral components were differentiated, to which less attention was paid in previous studies. Abrupt changes in zonal wave spectra occur with the zonal wind reversal near 10 February 2018. Eastward wave 1 and wave 2, observed before the SSW onset, disappear during the SSW event, when westward wave 1 becomes dominant. Wavelet power spectra of mesospheric CO variations show statistically significant periods in a band of 20–30 days using both MWR and MLS data. Approximately 10-day periods appear only after the SSW onset. Since the propagation of upward planetary waves is limited in the easterly zonal flow in the stratosphere after the zonal wind reversal during SSW, forced planetary waves in the mid-latitude mesosphere may exist due to the instability of the zonal flow.

In cognitive radio systems, identifying spectrum opportunities is fundamental to efficiently use the spectrum. Spectrum occupancy prediction is a convenient way of revealing opportunities based on previous occupancies. Studies have demonstrated that usage of the spectrum has a high correlation over multidimensions which includes time, frequency, and space. Accordingly, recent literature uses tensor-based methods to exploit the multidimensional spectrum correlation. However, these methods share two main drawbacks. First, they are computationally complex. Second, they need to re-train the overall model when no information is received from any base station for any reason. Different than the existing works, this paper proposes a method for dividing the multidimensional correlation exploitation problem into a set of smaller sub-problems. This division is achieved through composite two-dimensional (2D)-long short-term memory (LSTM) models. Extensive experimental results reveal a high detection performance with more robustness and less complexity attained by the proposed method. The real-world measurements provided by one of the leading mobile network operators in Turkey validate these results.

Learning disorders (LD) are diagnosed in children whose academic skills of reading, writing or mathematics are impaired and lagged according to their age, schooling and intelligence. Children with LD experience substantial working memory (WM) deficits, even more pronounced if more than one of the academic skills is affected. We compared the task-related EEG power spectral density of children with LD (n= 23), with a control group of children with good academic achievement (n= 22), during the performance of a WM task. sLoreta was used to estimate the current distribution at the sources, and 18 brain regions of interests (ROIs) were chosen with an extended version of the eigenvector centrality mapping technique. In this way, we lessen some drawbacks of the traditional EEG at the sensor space by an analysis at the brain sources level over data-driven selected ROIs. Results: The LD group showed fewer correct responses at the WM task, an overall slower EEG with more theta activity in all ROIs, less upper-alpha power at posterior areas, and less high-frequency beta activity in frontal areas. We explain these EEG patterns in LD children as indices of an inefficient neural resource management related with a delay in the neural development.

A newly identified novel coronavirus named as severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus2 (SARS‐CoV 2) has given rise to the global pandemic. SARS-CoV2 which causes coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is a positive-stranded RNA virus with nucleocapsid. It binds to host angiotensin-converting enzyme2 (ACE2) receptor through surface glycoprotein (S protein). These ACE 2 receptors are attached to the cell membranes of many organs. Thus, COVID-19 does not only result in acute respiratory distress syndrome but also affects multiple organ systems, requiring a multidisciplinary approach to manage this disease. COVID-19 can damage the myocardial cells and result in fulminant myocarditis, acute cardiac injury, cardiomyopathy, heart failure, cardiogenic shock, or arrhythmia. COVID-19 seeds harmful immune response through cytokine storm leading to indirect organ damage. In this literature review, the available data is comprehended regarding cardiovascular complications in COVID-19, and the correlation of biomarkers with the disease activity is discussed. This literature review also highlights the important treatment options and outcomes of the individual study.

Power spectra always play an important role in the theory of inflation. In particular, the ability to reproduce the galaxy matter power spectrum $ P(k) $ and the CMB temperature angular power spectrum $ C_l $’s to high accuracy is often considered a triumph of inflation. In our previous work, we presented an alternative explanation for the matter power spectrum based on nonperturbative quantum field-theoretical methods applied to Einstein’s gravity, instead of inflation models based on scalar fields. In this work, we review the basic concepts and provide further in-depth investigations. We first update the analysis with more recent data sets and error analysis, and then extend our predictions to the CMB angular spectrum coefficients $ C_l $, which we did not consider previously. Then we investigate further the potential freedoms and uncertainties associated with the fundamental parameters that are part of this picture, and show how recent cosmological data provides significant constraints on these quantities. Overall, we find good general consistency between theory and data, even potentially favoring the gravitationally-motivated picture at the largest scales. We summarize our results by outlining how this picture can be tested in the near future with increasingly accurate astrophysical measurements.

An explosive growth in vehicular wireless services and applications gives rise to spectrum resource starvation. Cognitive radio has been used to vehicular networks to mitigate the impending spectrum starvation problem by allowing vehicles to fully exploit spectrum opportunities unoccupied by licensed users. Efficient and effective detection of licensed user is a critical issue to realize cognitive radio applications. However, spectrum sensing in vehicular environments is a very challenging task due to vehicles mobility. For instance, vehicle mobility has a large effect on the wireless channel, thereby impacting the detection performance of spectrum sensing. Thus, gargantuan efforts have been made in order to analyze the fading properties of mobile radio channel in vehicular environments. Indeed, numerous studies have demonstrated that the wireless channel in vehicular environments can be characterized by a temporally correlated Rayleigh fading. In this paper, we focus on energy detection for spectrum sensing and a counting rule for cooperative sensing based on Neyman-Pearson criteria. Further, we go into the effect of the sensing and reporting channels condition on spectrum sensing performance under temporally correlated Rayleigh sensing channel. For local and cooperative sensing, we derive some alternative expressions for average probability of miss detection. The pertinent numerical and simulating results are provided to further validate our theoretical analyses under a variety of scenarios.

This study explores the efficacy of using EEG-based parameters to diagnose bipolar disorder. A synthetic dataset was generated, including both correctly diagnosed and misdiagnosed cases, simulating realistic clinical conditions. EEG features such as theta-alpha mean, beta band mean, and coherence measures were used to train a multi-layer perceptron (MLP) model. The model achieved a validation accuracy of 92%, demonstrating strong potential for EEG-based diagnostics. However, challenges such as standardization of electrode configurations and addressing equipment differences are crucial for broader applicability and validity of the findings in diverse clinical settings.

Glycosylation, the most significant modification of proteins, plays an essential role in cellular processes. Congenital disorders of glycosylation (CDG) are multisystemic diseases resulting from mutations affecting glycosylation steps. Diagnosis of CDG relies on biochemical assays, such as isoelectric focusing. Despite its significance, CDG cases remain unreported in Cuba due to the lack of implemented diagnostic methods. This study aimed to evaluate transferrin glycoforms for diagnosing congenital N-glycosylation defects. We conducted a cross-sectional descriptive study using serum samples from 17 patients stored at the National Center for Medical Genetics of Cuba for suspected CDG. Results revealed abnormal glycosylation patterns in 7 patients, suggesting congenital N-glycosylation defects. We conclude that the implementation of transferrin glycoform analysis could pioneer a preliminary diagnosis of CDG in Cuba.

Proteomic analysis of purified rabies virus (RABV) revealed 47 entrapped host proteins within viral particles. Out of these, 11 proteins were highly disordered. Our study was particularly focused on five of the RABV-entrapped mouse proteins with the highest levels of disorder, Neuromodulin, Chmp4b, DnaJB6, Vps37B, and Wasl. We extensively utilized bioinformatics tools, such as FuzDrop, D2P2, UniProt, RIDAO, STRING, AlphaFold, and ELM for comprehensive analysis of the intrinsic disorder propensity of these proteins. Our analysis suggested that these disordered host proteins might play a significant role in facilitating the rabies virus pathogenicity, immune system evasion, and the development of the antiviral drug resistance. Our study highlighted the complex interaction of the virus with its host, with the focus on how the intrinsic disorder can play a crucial role in virus pathogenic processes and suggested that these intrinsically disordered proteins (IDPs) and disorder-related host interactions can also be a potential target for the therapeutic strategies.

Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) is a complex and severe mental disorder. It is associated with greater use of medical services. It is characterized by intense fear of abandonment, recurring suicidal thoughts or self-harm, paranoid ideation or dissociation, identity difficulties, chronic feelings of emptiness, impulsive behavior and unstable moods and relationships. BPD is one of the most prevalent personality disorders with a higher diagnosis in females. For a diagnosis of BPD in patients, they must have a chronic pattern of functional impairment in addition to five of nine listed DSM-5 criteria. This review was a narrative literature search between 2000 to 2023 with a focus on BPD comorbidities. Results: Researchers observed a complex pattern of comorbidities with BPD that connects with other externalizing and internalizing disorders. BPD has a high comorbidity rate with mood disorders including bipolar I and II disorders, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorders, panic disorder alcohol use disorder, nicotine dependence, marijuana dependance, posttraumatic stress disorder, other personality disorders, binge eating disorder and ADHD. Diagnosis and management of BPD in presence of some of these disorders are discussed.

Increasing research has indicated a strong association between identity functioning and eating disorder (ED) symptomatology. However, a detailed investigation of identity throughout ED treatment is lacking. The present longitudinal study examined identity in inpatients with an ED and explored its co-development with ED symptomatology throughout treatment. At admission (Wave 1), 110 women with an ED (Mage=21, SD=6.08, range:14-45) participated, of whom 83.64% participated during treatment (Wave 2) and 55.45% at discharge (Wave 3). Questionnaires on identity synthesis, identity confusion, identity processes, and ED symptomatology were completed. Latent growth curve modeling was used to address the research questions. Throughout treatment, a decrease in identity confusion and an increase in identity synthesis and adaptive identity processes were found. Accordingly, increases in identity synthesis and identification with commitment were related to general decreases in drive for thinness and body dis-satisfaction. Similarly, such decreases in ED symptoms were related to general decreases in identity confusion and ruminative exploration. The present study points to an increase in identity functioning throughout treatment, and longitudinal associations between identity functioning and ED symptomatology were found. Helping the patient to decrease ruminative exploration and to increase identification with previously made life commitments seem important in ED treatment.

Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a serious mental illness with a heavy social burden, but its underlying molecular mechanisms remain unclear. Mass spectrometry (MS)-based metabolomics is providing new insights into the heterogeneous pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of MDD by revealing multi-parametric biomarker signatures at the metabolite level. In this comprehensive review, recent developments of MS-based metabolomics in MDD research are summarized from the perspective of analytical platforms (liquid chromatography-MS, gas chromatography-MS, supercritical fluid chromatography-MS, etc.), strategies (untargeted, targeted, and pseudotargeted metabolomics), key metabolite changes (monoamine neurotransmitters, amino acids, lipids, etc.), and antidepressant treatments (both western and traditional Chinese medicines). Depression sub-phenotypes, comorbid depression, and multi-omics approaches are also highlighted to stimulate further advances in MS-based metabolomics in the field of MDD research.

Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) is a neurodevelopmental condition characterized by non-progressive central motor impairments. Mild movement disorder features have been observed in DCD. Until now, the etiology of DCD remains unclear. Recent studies suggested a genetic substrate in some patients with DCD, but comprehensive knowledge about associated genes and underlying pathogenetic mechanisms is still lacking. In this study, we first identified genes described in literature in patients with a diagnosis of DCD according to the official diagnostic criteria. Second, we exposed the underlying pathogenetic mechanisms of DCD, by investigating tissue- and temporal gene expression patterns and brain-specific biological mech-anisms. Third, we explored putative shared pathogenetic mechanisms between DCD and frequent movement disorders with a known genetic component, including ataxia, chorea, dystonia, and myoclonus. We identified 12 genes associated with DCD in literature, which are ubiquitously expressed in the central nervous system throughout brain development. These genes are involved in cellular processes, neural signaling and nervous system development. There was a remarkable overlap (62%) in pathogenetic mechanisms between DCD-associated genes and genes linked with movement disorders. Our findings suggest that some patients might have a genetic etiology of DCD, which could be considered part of a pathogenetic movement disorder spectrum.

Patients with Parkinson’s Disease (PD) experience REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) more frequently than healthy controls. RBD is associated with torpid disease evolution. To test the hypothesis that differential genetic signatures might contribute to the torpid disease evolution in PD patients with RBD. We compared the rate of genetic mutations in PD patients with or without probable RBD. Patients with a clinical diagnosis of PD in the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI) database entered the study. We excluded those with missing data or a diagnosis change over the first five years from the initial PD diagnosis. Probable RBD (pRBD) was confirmed by a REM Sleep Behavior Disorder Screening Questionnaire score &gt;5 points. Logistic regression and Machine Learning (ML) algorithms were used to relate Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNPs) in PD-related genes with pRBD. We included 330 PD patients fulfilling all inclusion and exclusion criteria. The final logistic multivariate model revealed that the following SNPs increased the risk of pRBD: GBA_N370S_rs76763715 (OR, 95% CI: 3.38, 1.45-7.93), SNCA_A53T_rs104893877 (8.21, 2.26-36.34), ANK2. CAMK2D_rs78738012 (2.12, 1.08-4.10), and ZNF184_rs9468199 (1.89, 1.08-3.33). Conversely, SNP COQ7. SYT17_rs11343 reduced pRBD risk (0.36, 0.15-0.78). The ML algorithms led to similar results. The predictive models were highly specific (95-99%) but lacked sensitivity (9-39%). We found a distinctive genetic signature for pRBD in PD. The high specificity and low sensitivity of the predictive models suggest that genetic mutations are necessary but not sufficient to develop RBD in PD. Additional investigations are needed.

Electroencephalograms (EEGs) of children with reading disorder (RD) are characterized by higher power and coherence in slow frequencies (delta and theta bands) and lower power and coherence in the alpha band compared to EEGs of typically developed children. Neurofeedback (NFB) is useful for treating learning disorders by reinforcing the reduction of the theta/alpha ratio. This efficacy is supported by EEG power normalization and cognitive-behavioral improvement. To further explore brain changes in isolated areas, this study aimed to explore the effects of this NFB protocol on functional connectivity (coherence) in children with RD. Twenty children with RD and an abnormally high theta/alpha ratio underwent 30 sessions of NFB. After treatment, 90% of par-ticipants learned to decrease their theta/alpha ratio, and on average, children increased their reading accuracy and comprehension scores. Interhemispheric coherence diminished in the delta, theta and beta bands, mainly between frontopolar regions. Intrahemispheric coherence decreased in delta, theta and beta bands and increased in alpha band. The reduction in theta coherence be-tween the left frontal area and other regions of the left hemisphere had particular relevance for reading. These results suggest that this NFB treatment could positively impact reading-related functions in the brain networks of children with RD.

Mitochondrial disorders, although heterogeneous, are traditionally described as conditions characterized by encephalomyopathy, hypotonia and progressive postnatal organ failure. Here we provide a systematic review of Linear Skin Defects with Multiple Congenital Anomalies (LSDMCA), a rare unconventional mitochondrial disorder which presents as a developmental disease; its main clinical features include microphthalmia with different degrees of severity, linear skin lesions, and central nervous system malformations. The molecular basis of this disorder has been elusive for several years. Mutations were eventually identified in three X-linked genes, i.e., HCCS, COX7B, and NDUFB11, which are all endowed with defined roles in the mitochondrial respiratory chain. A peculiar feature of this condition is its inheritance pattern: X-linked dominant male-lethal. Only female or XX male individuals can be observed, implying that nullisomy for these transcripts is incompatible with normal embryonic development in mammals. All three genes undergo X-inactivation that, according to our hypothesis, may contribute to the extreme variable expressivity observed in this condition. We propose that mitochondrial dysfunction should be considered as an underlying cause in developmental disorders. Moreover, LSDMCA should be taken into consideration by clinicians when dealing with patients with microphthalmia with or without associated skin phenotypes.

Mitochondrial malfunction is supposed to be involved in the etiology and pathology of major depressive disorder (MDD). Here, we aimed to identify and characterize the molecular pathomechanisms related to mitochondrial disfunction in adult human skin fibroblasts which were derived from MDD patients or non-depressive control subjects. We found that MDD fibroblasts showed significantly impaired mitochondrial functioning: basal and maximal respiration, spare respiratory capacity, non-mitochondrial respiration and ATP-related oxygen consumption was lower. Moreover, MDD fibroblasts harbor lower ATP levels and showed hyperpolarized mitochondrial membrane potential. To investigate cellular resilience, we challenged both groups of fibroblasts with hormonal (dexamethasone) or metabolic (galactose) stress for one week, and found that both stressors increased oxygen consumption but lowered ATP content in MDD as well as in non-depressive control fibroblasts. Interestingly, the bioenergetic differences between fibroblasts from MDD or non-depressed subjects, which were observed under non-treated conditions, could not be detected after stress. Our findings support the hypothesis that altered mitochondrial function causes a bioenergetic imbalance which is associated with the molecular pathophysiology of MDD. The observed alterations in OXPHOS and other mitochondria-related properties represent a basis for further investigations of pathophysiological mechanisms and might open new ways to gain insight into antidepressant signaling pathways.

Nanoparticles offer available tools for MDD research. In this assay, we applied CBR1 (cannabinoid receptor 1) knockout (CB1-/-) mice to study whether functionalized solid lipid nanoparticles loading with curcumin and dexanabinol (Cur/SLNs-HU-211) exhibited anti-depressant outcomes through CBR1. Wild-type (CB1+/+) animals together with CBR1 knockout (CB1-/-) animals received daily injections of Corticosterone (CORT) for 3 weeks to obtain MDD mice model, and then the therapeutic action of Cur/SLNs-HU-211 were evaluated, respectively. Our work show that Cur/SLNs-HU-211 nanoparticles in the existence of CBR1 facilitate an efficient motor function improvement in CORT-induced MDD mice model. Cur/SLNs-HU-211 nanoparticles alleviated symptoms on CB1+/+ MDD mice and resulted in dopamine and norepinephrine recovery following CORT-induced neurotoxicity. In conclusion, the possible mechanisms underlying the antidepressant effect of Cur/SLNs-HU-211 might be the induction of CB1 expression and downstream RASGEF1C and Egr1 expression, together with a significantly upregulation of neuron-specific genes in CB1+/+ mice only. In conclusion, CBR1 is necessary during the process of antidepressant activities of Cur/SLNs-HU-211 nanoparticles. This study confirms that Cur/SLNs-HU-211 nanoparticles based CBR1 in vivo targeting would be a potentially feasible and safe way to motivate future therapeutic strategies of Major Depressive Disorder.

The apparent metal-insulator transition (MIT) in two-dimension (2D) was discovered by Kravchenko et al. [1] more than two decades ago in strongly interacting 2D electrons residing in a Si-metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (Si-MOSFET). Its origin remains unresolved. Recently, low magnetic field reentrant insulating phases (RIPs), which dwell between the zero-field (B=0) metallic state and the integer quantum Hall (QH) states where the Landau-level filling factor υ > 1, have been observed in strongly correlated 2D GaAs hole systems with large interaction parameter rs (~20-40) and high purity. A new complex phase diagram was proposed, which includes zero field MIT, low magnetic field RIPs, integer QH states, fractional QH states, high field RIPs and insulating phases (HFIPs) with υ < 1 in which the insulating phases are explained by the formation of Wigner crystal. Furthermore, evidences of new intermediate phases were reported. All contribute to the further understandings of the puzzle. This review article serves the purpose of summarizing those recent experimental findings and theoretical endeavors, to foster future research efforts.

Background: Meniere's disease (MD) has been recently linked to gluten assumption. Approximately 75% of MD patients show positive skin test to food and about 50% of the positive responses are specific to the gliadin acid extract fraction. Aim of this study was to investigate the humoral immune responses to wheat antigens and related autoantigens in MD patients. Methods. We assessed the reactivity of sera from 28 patients with definite MD and 100 healthy controls against a repertoire of 51 antigens usually associated with immune reaction to gluten. Results. MD patients showed an increase of anti-wheat IgA, anti-cerebellar peptide IgA and anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) 65 IgM compared to healthy controls. In particular, the increase of anti-wheat IgA and GAD 65 IgM has been confirmed in a subgroup of MD patients symptomatically responding to a gluten free diet (GFD). Conclusion. In MD patients, an increase of the antibody production against gluten biomarkers was observed; in particular, anti-wheat IgA seems to be associated to clinical response to GFD.

Background Binge eating disorder (BED) is the most common eating disorder, categorized in DSM-V, but many patients are not diagnosed, because of the difficulty to consider BED distinct condition from obesity. Its identification is important for targeting individuals at high risk of obesity, adverse metabolic pattern, and cardiovascular disease. In this review we have highlighted the main aspects of screening, diagnosis and treatment of patients with BED and Obesity.

Brain-stimulation reward, also known as intracranial self-stimulation (ICSS), is a commonly used procedure for studying brain reward function and drug reward. In electrical ICSS, an electrode is surgically implanted into the medial forebrain bundle in the lateral hypothalamus or the ventral tegmental area in the midbrain. Operant lever responding leads to the delivery of electrical pulse stimulation. The alteration in the stimulation frequency-lever response curve is used to evaluate the impact of pharmacological agents on brain reward function. If a test drug induces a leftward or upward shift in the ICSS response curve, it implies a reward-enhancing or abuse-like effect. Conversely, if a drug causes a rightward or downward shift in the functional response curve, it suggests a reward-attenuating or aversive effect. A significant drawback of electrical ICSS is the lack of cellular selectivity in understanding the neural substrates underlying drug reward versus aversion. Excitingly, recent advancements in optical ICSS (oICSS) have facilitated the development of at least three cell type-specific oICSS models – dopamine-, glutamate-, and GABA-dependent oICSS. In these new models, a comparable frequency-rate response curve has been established and employed to study the substrate-specific mechanisms underlying brain reward function and a drug's rewarding versus aversive effects. In this review article, we summarize recent progress in this exciting research area. The findings in these new behavioral models have not only increased our understanding of the neural mechanisms underlying drug reward and addiction but have also introduced a novel experimental approach in preclinical medication development for treating substance use disorders.

The high demands of caring for and raising a child with autism spectrum disorder on a daily basis fatally lead parents to the appearance of physical and mental fatigue. This study aimed to assess the effect of social support and spirituality on the fatigue of parents with children with autistic spectrum disorder. A cross-sectional study with a convenience sample was conducted in Schools of Special Education in Attica (Greece). The sample consisted of 123 parents who completed The Fatigue Assessment Scale (FAS), the Multidimensional Scale of Perceived Social Support (MSPSS), and the Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Spiritual Well-Being Scale (FACIT Sp-12) to measure the levels of fatigue, social support, and spirituality, respectively. Demographic data were, also, recorded. Data analysis was applied using IBM SPSS 21.0. The mean age was 47.3 years old, 81.3% were women, and 38.9% stated much / very much religious. The mean of total FAS was 28.4 (SD±7.5), of total FACIT Sp-12 was 31.5 (SD±8.7), and of total MSPSS 5.1 (SD±1.1). Higher levels of total MSPSS and FACIT Sp-12 were associated with lower total FAS (r= -0.50, p &lt;0.001 and r= -0.49, p&lt;0.001 respectively). Social support and spirituality are significant predictors of fatigue.

Demyelinating diseases alter myelin or the coating surrounding most nerve fibers in the central and peripheral nervous systems. The grouping of human central nervous system demyelinating disorders today includes Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorders (NMOSD) as distinct disease categories. Each disease is caused by a complex combination of genetic and environmental variables, many involving an autoimmune response. Even though these conditions are fundamentally similar, research into genetic factors, their unique clinical manifestations, and lesion pathology has helped with differential diagnosis and disease pathogenesis knowledge. This review aims to synthesize the genetic approaches that explain the differential susceptibility between these diseases, explore the overlapping clinical features, and pathological findings, discuss existing and emerging hypotheses on the etiology of demyelination, and assess recent pathogenicity studies and their implications for human demyelination. This review presents critical information from previous studies on the disease, which asks several questions to understand the gaps in research in this field.

We report an all-optical radio-frequency (RF) spectrum analyzer with a bandwidth greater than 5 terahertz (THz), based on a 50-cm long spiral waveguide in a CMOS-compatible high-index doped silica platform. By carefully mapping out the dispersion profile of the waveguides for different thicknesses, we identify the optimal design to achieve near zero dispersion in the C-band. To demonstrate the capability of the RF spectrum analyzer, we measure the optical output of a femtosecond fiber laser with an ultrafast optical RF spectrum in the terahertz regime.

A lack of evidence exists regarding the intervention effect on motor performance, including the timing ability and health-related physical fitness, of children with developmental coordination disorder (DCD). We aimed to assess the effects of school-based intervention that improves fundamental motor skills (FMS) on the motor performance and health-related physical fitness of children with DCD. The participants were 55 children (age 8 – 9 years) with DCD. Children with DCD were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n = 27) or control group (n = 28). The intervention group participated in FMS training. The control group participated in a conventional physical education class. Motor performance was evaluated before and after the intervention using the Test of Gross Motor Development, second edition, Movement Assessment Battery for Children, second edition, and Interactive Metronome. Health-related physical fitness was assessed using the physical activity promotion system. A significant difference was observed when we considered the interaction effect of the intervention and time regarding motor performance and health-related physical fitness; however, no significant difference was observed regarding body composition. In conclusion, the intervention showed significant improvements in the parameters evaluated, suggesting that a school-based intervention to improve FMS may effectively improve the motor performance and health-related physical fitness of children with DCD.

Background/Objectives: Peer relationships are critical in the development of positive mental health during childhood and adolescence. Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms can adversely affect the development of positive peer relationships, and thus, have significant long-term implications for mental health. This study explored long-term relationships between ADHD symptoms, peer relationships and mental health in Western Australian adolescents. Methods: Participants were 1246 Western Australian young people, n=507 males and n=739 females (mean ages 14.05 and 14.52 years respectively). Data were collected at three timepoints across three successive years. Participants completed measures of ADHD symptoms and existing peer problems in the first year; five measures of peer relationships in the second year; and four measures of mental health in the third year. Multiple regression and path analyses were used to determine whether ADHD symptoms predicted scores on the peer relationship and mental health measures, and whether peer relationships mediated links observed between ADHD symptoms and mental health. Results: ADHD symptoms significantly predicted both long-term problematic peer relationships and long-term adverse mental health outcomes. Three peer relationship variables were significant mediators of relationships between ADHD symptoms and mental health: sense of belonging, friendships and perceived isolation. Conclusions: ADHD symptoms significantly predict poor peer relationships and adverse mental health outcomes in Western Australian youth, regardless of whether a formal diagnosis has been assigned. Early interventions for young people with ADHD symptoms are needed for such individuals to enjoy positive mental health in their adult years.

(1) Background: Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and Developmental Language Disorder (DLD) are neurodevelopmental disorders that affect various areas of chil-dren’s development, such as language. There is an emerging idea that ADHD is characterised by the presence of language difficulties, which could be explained by the high comorbidity between ADHD and DLD. The purpose of this study is to analyse the empirical evidence of language com-petence in children aged 6–17 years old, diagnosed with ADHD and/or DLD. (2) Method: Fifteen studies with experimental designs were identified from Scopus, PsycINFO and WoS databases, reporting on language skills in children diagnosed with ADHD and/or DLD. Studies relating ex-ecutive functioning to language skills in this target population were also included. (3) Results: The literature is heterogeneous and different components of language are also examined. Even though the results are contradictory they convincingly demonstrate that there are overlapping symptoms between ADHD and DLD, such as language skills and executive functions. (4) Conclusions: the differences in the samples limit the generalisability of the results. Therefore, this review highlights the importance of considering language skills when designing individualised interventions for the population with ADHD and DLD, both in comorbidity and in isolation.

Abstract: Objective: Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is an emerging psychiatric disorder that has received attention over the past decade. Few studies have attempted to describe this disorder in the Saudi population. This study aimed to examine the prevalence of IGD and associated factors. A cross-sectional study was conducted using translated Arabic and a validated questionnaire targeting both genders in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study using a validated questionnaire (IGD-20) and targeting Arabic-speaking children, youth, and transitional age including both genders. A snowball approach was used to sample our population using an electronic survey. Logistic regression was used to examine factors associated with IGD diagnosis. The study was guided by the STROBE statement. Results: Among 419 individuals who participated in the study, 171 were classified as non-IGD, 167 were at risk for IGD (RIGD), and 72 were IGD. There is no significant association between IGD diagnosis and gender, nationality, residence, and family income. Time playing per week was significantly associated with IGD diagnosis (X2=49.256, p<0.01). There is a significant association between IGD-20 groups and categorical age groups (X2=10.096, p<0.01). Among our sample, the percentages of males (54.2%) and females (45.8%) who met the criteria for IGD were comparable. Conclusion: IGD and RIGD prevalence was significantly high in both age groups. Both males and females were affected similarly.

The COVID-19 outbreak and the sudden lockdown of society in March 2020 had a large impact on people’s daily life and gave rise to concerns for the mental health in the general population. The aim of the study was to examine post-traumatic stress reactions related to the COVID-19 pandemic, the prevalence of symptom-defined post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and factors associated with post-traumatic stress in the Norwegian population during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. A survey was administered via social media channels, to which a sample of 4527 adults (≥18 years) responded. Symptom-defined PTSD was measured with the PTSD Checklist for the DSM-5. The items were specifically linked to the COVID-19 pandemic. We used the DSM-5 diagnostic guidelines to categorize participants as fulfilling the PTSD symptom criteria or not. Associations with PTSD were examined with single and multiple logistic regression analyses. The prevalence of symptom-defined PTSD was 12.5% for men and 19.5% for women. PTSD was associated with lower age, female gender, lack of social support, and a range of pandemic-related variables such as economic concerns, expecting economic loss, having been in quarantine or isolation, being at high-risk for complications from COVID-19 infection, and having concern for family and close friends. In conclusion, posttraumatic stress reactions were common in the Norwegian population in the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak. Concerns about finances, health, and family and friends seem to matter.

Indoor farming systems enable plant production in precisely controlled environments, managing factors such as lighting, photoperiod, and nutrient supply, to enhance crop yield and quality. However, the implementation of stable growth conditions and the absence of stress stimulants can weaken plants' defense responses and limit the accumulation of bioactive, health beneficial phytochemicals. A potential solution is the controlled application of stressors, such as supplemental ultraviolet (UV) light, which stimulates secondary metabolites (SM) synthesis and increase overall antioxidant potential. To this end, we analyzed the efficiency of short-term pre-harvest supplementation of red-green-blue (RGB, LED) spectrum with ultraviolet B (UV-B, 311 nm) or C (UV-C, 254 nm) light to boost phytochemicals synthesis. Additionally, given the biological harm of UV radiation due to high-energy photons, we monitored plants’ photosynthetic activity during treatment. Our analyses showed that UV-B radiation, applied with a cumulative dose of 15.622 kJ m–2, did not negatively impact photosynthetic activity while significantly increasing the overall antioxidant potential of lettuce through enhanced levels of polyphenolic SM (total phenolics, flavonoids, anthocyanins) and ascorbic acid. Conversely, UV-C radiation, applied with a lower cumulative dose of 6.008 kJ m–2, induced anthocyanin accumulation in the green leaf cultivar but significantly harmed the photosynthetic apparatus and limited plant growth. These results are crucial for understanding the potential of UV light supplementation in producing functional plants.

Background: In schizophrenia (SZ), social cognition mediates the relationship between neurocognition and social functioning. Although people with major depressive disorder (MDD) also exhibit cognitive impairments, which are often prolonged, little is known about the role of social cognition in MDD. Methods: Using data obtained through an internet survey, 210 patients with SZ or MDD were selected using propensity score matching based on their demographic information and illness duration. Social cognition, neurocognition, and social functioning were evaluated using the Self-Assessment of Social Cognition Impairments, Perceived Deficits Questionnaire, and Social Functioning Scale, respectively. The mediation effects of social cognition on the relationship between neurocognition and social functioning were examined in each disease group. Invariances of the mediation model across the two groups were then analyzed. Results: The SZ and MDD groups had mean ages of 44.49 and 45.35 years, contained 42.0% and 42.8% women, and had mean illness durations of 10.76 and 10.45 years, respectively. In both groups, social cognition had significant mediation effects. Configural, measurement, and structural invariances across the groups were established. Conclusion: The role of social cognition in patients with chronic depression was similar to that in schizophrenia. Social cognition could be a common endophenotype for various psychiatric disorders.

This systematic review provides a comprehensive neuropsychological analysis of psychotic spectrum disorders, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and depression. It explores cognitive impairments in memory, attention, and executive function, and the relation between brain abnormalities and these deficits. The paper emphasizes the use of neuropsychological tests in diagnosis and early psychosis management, while also discussing interventions, the impact of dementia on psychosis, and the neurobiological patterns associated with these conditions. Additionally, it underlines the importance of childhood trauma in the development of psychosis and examines the effects of substance abuse and brain injury. Neuropsychological evaluations and targeted therapies are highlighted as crucial for the understanding, diagnosis, and treatment of psychotic disorders. The research further includes evidence of neurocognitive dysfunction in individuals with a high risk of psychosis and emphasizes the advanced brain aging in schizophrenia and bipolar disorder. The necessity of comprehensive clinical evaluations and targeted therapies for cognitive impairments is underscored throughout the research. The potential effects of dementia on individuals with psychosis, neurobiological patterns, the role of childhood trauma, the impact of psychosis in dementia patients, and proposed treatments are also explored in depth. Overall, the paper underscores the integral role neuropsychological knowledge plays in understanding, diagnosing, managing, and treating psychotic spectrum disorders.

With the widespread application of Voltage Source Converter (VSC) in the power system with high penetration of renewable resources, the problem of wideband oscillations caused by the interaction between the power converters and the power grid has drawn large attention. This paper presents a new methodology for simplifying the mathematical derivations of the impedance model of VSC. Using the new simplified model, the stability and the spectrum characteristic of the performance of the VSC can be clearly analyzed. The proposed second-order d-q impedance model of the grid connected VSC at presence of PLL, not only mathematically proves that the wideband oscillatory modes always occurs in conjugate pairs, but also deliver a clear vision of the physical essence of the wideband oscillations. The classic modal analysis is executed in the paper to demonstrate the stability and frequency spectral characteristics of the wideband oscillations in the VSC integrated system. The impact of control parameters of the VSC on the wideband oscillatory stability is thouroughly analyzed using the results of the modal analysis. The methodology can be considered a powerful tool for the control design of VSC in the modern power system.

New generation antibiotics are needed to combat the development of resistance to antimicrobials. One of the most promising new classes of antibiotics is cannabidiol (CBD). It is a non-toxic and low-resistance chemical that can be used to treat bacterial infections. The antibacterial activity of Cannabis sativa L. byproducts, specifically CBD, has been of growing interest in the field of novel therapeutics. As research continues to define and characterize the antibacterial activity that CBD possesses against a wide variety of bacterial species it is important to examine potential interaction between CBD and common therapeutics such as broad-spectrum antibiotics. Here, we show that CBD-antibiotic co-therapy can effectively fight S. typhimurium via membrane integrity disruption. This research serves to examine the potential synergy between CBD and three broad-spectrum antibiotics for potential antibiotic-CBD co-therapy. In this study, we reveal that Salmonella typhimurium (S. typhimurium) growth is inhibited at very low dosages of CBD-antibiotic. This interesting finding demonstrates that CBD and CBD-antibiotic co-therapies are viable novel alternatives to combating Salmonella typhimurium.

Abstract: Nonlinear spectrum distortions are caused by the peculiarities of the operation of charge-coupled device elements (CCD), in which the signal exposition time (TINT) is one of the significant parameters. A change of TINT on a CCD leads to a nonlinear distortion of the resulting spectrum. Nonlinear distortion of the spectrum, in its turn, leads to errors in determining the central wavelength of Fiber Bragg Gratings (FBG) and spectrally sensitive sensors, which, in general, negatively affects the accuracy of measuring systems. The paper proposes an algorithm for correcting nonlinear distortions of the spectrum obtained on a spectrum analyzer using CCD as a receiver. It is shown that preliminary calibration of the optical spectrum analyzer with subsequent mathematical processing of the signal makes it possible to make corrections in the resulting spectrum, thereby leveling the errors caused by measurements at different TINT.

DARPA, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency from the United States, has started the Spectrum Collaboration Challenge with the aim to encourage research and development of coexistence and collaboration techniques of heterogeneous networks in the same wireless spectrum bands. Team SCATTER has been participating in the challenge since its beginning, back in 2016. SCATTER’s open-source software-defined physical layer (SCATTER PHY) has been developed as a standalone application, with the ability to communicate with higher layers of SCATTER’s system via ZeroMQ, and uses USRP X310 software-defined radio devices to send and receive wireless signals. SCATTER PHY relies on USRP’s ability to schedule timed commands, uses both physical interfaces of the radio devices, utilizes the radio’s internal FPGA board to implement custom high-performance filtering blocks in order to increase its spectral efficiency as well as enable reliable usage of neighboring spectrum bands. This paper describes the design and main features of SCATTER PHY and showcases the experiments performed to verify the achieved benefits.

Objective: This study investigated the effects of an easily implemented 8-week program centered around jump rope exercise (JRE) on executive function among children with ADHD. Methods: Using the Stroop Color Word Test to assess inhibitory control, the n-back task (1- and 2-back) to assess working memory, and task switching to assess cognitive flexibility. Results: After the intervention, there were within-group effects only for the experimental group, with higher accuracy on the 1-back working memory task (t= -2.79，p= 0.011< 0.05，Cohen’s d= 0.60) and on task switching after compared with before the JRE intervention (t= -4.00，p=0.01<0.05，Cohen’s d= 0.85), but with no change in reaction time. There was no significant within-group difference on the Stroop test (P> 0.05). Additionally, there were no between-group effects as assessed by one-way analyses of variance. Conclusion: 8-week program focused on JRE improved two aspects of executive function, working memory and cognitive flexibility, with no significant effect on a third aspect, inhibitory control, among children with ADHD aged 7 to 12 years.

Background: The potential impact of the pandemic on mental health should not be overlooked, especially among vulnerable populations such as women who gave birth during the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of the study was to assess the mental health status of women who gave birth during a pandemic and to examine the possible links between the onset of depressive disorder symptoms in close proximity to the time of delivery and the socio-demographic conditions, health status and obstetric circumstances of the patients. Materials and Methods: The study is a cross-sectional survey conducted from 01.03.2020 to 01.03.2023, during the period of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19) pandemic, based on a retrospective evaluation of 860 postpartum women. The screening tool used to assess symptoms of postpartum depression was the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Rating Scale (EPDS) questionnaire. The questionnaire was completed both in the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Clinical Sections I and II of the "Pius Brînzeu" County Emergency Hospital from Timisoara, Romania and online using Google Forms. Results: The highest severity of postpartum depression symptoms was observed during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of the study conducted during the period of SARS-CoV-2 pandemic (COVID-19) showed that the prevalence of major postpartum depressive disorder (EPDS ≥ 13) was 54.2% (466 patients), while 15.6% (134) had minor depressive disorder (10 &lt; EPDS ≤ 12) in the first year after delivery. Comparing these results with those obtained in research conducted before the onset of the pandemic period shows an alarming increase in the prevalence of postpartum depression. Risk factors associated with postpartum depression included type of delivery, level of education, socio-economic conditions, health status, age, background, personal obstetric history (number of abortions on demand, parity). Conclusions: The effects of the pandemic on mental health are of particular concern for women in the first year after childbirth. Observing these challenges and developing effective measures to prepare our health system early can help and facilitate effective mental health screening for postpartum women, promoting maternal and child health.

Background and objectives: Huntington disease (HD) is characterized by motor, cognitive and psychiatric manifestations and is caused by an expansion of CAG repeats over 35 triplets on the huntingtin (HTT) gene. However, expansions in the range 27-35 repeats (intermediate allele) can be associated with pathological phenotypes. The onset of HD is conventionally defined by the onset of motor symptoms, but psychiatric disturbances can precede the motor phase by up to twenty years. The aims of the present study are to identify HD patients in the pre-motor phase of the disease among patients diagnosed with bipolar disorders and to evaluate any differences between bipolar patients carrying normal HTT allele and patients with expanded HTT gene. Methods: We assessed the HTT genotype in an Italian cohort of 69 patients affected by bipolar disorder type 1 and type 2. Results: No patient was found to be a carrier of the pathological HTT allele, but 10% of bipolar subjects carried an intermediate allele. Carriers of the intermediate allele were older at onset of psychiatric symptoms than non-carriers. Conclusion: The pathological HTT gene was not associated with bipolar disorder, while we found a higher frequency of the intermediate allele among the bipolar population with respect to healthy controls.

Attention Deficit-Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) is a neurodevelopmental disorder with high incidence in children and adolescents characterized by motor hyperactivity, impulsivity, and inattention. MRI-based evidences support that neuroanatomical abnormalities as the volume reduction of neocortex and hippocampus are shared by several neuropsychiatric diseases as schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and ADHD. In addition, it is well documented the abnormal development and postnatal pruning of dendritic spines of neocortical neurons in schizophrenia, autism spectrum disorder and intellectual disability. A recent report using the prenatal nicotine exposure murine model of ADHD support a delay in spine maturation in CA1 neurons correlated with impaired working memory and hippocampal long-term potentiation (LTP). In vivo spine imaging show that dendritic spines are dynamic structures exhibiting Hebbian and homeostatic plasticity triggering intracellular cascades involving glutamate receptors, calcium influx and remodeling of F-actin network. The LTP-induced insertion of postsynaptic glutamate receptors is associated to the enlargement of spine head and long-term depression (LTD) to the spine shrinkage. In this review, we summarize recent evidence emerged from meta-analysis of brain imaging data from ADHD patients, risk loci from global genome-wide analysis and new reports focused on spine molecular structure and dynamics using in vivo imaging in neocortex and hippocampus.

Photocatalytic processes offer promising solutions for environmental remediation and clean energy production, yet their efficiency under visible light remains a significant challenge. Here, we report a novel silver-graphene (Ag-G) modified TiO2 (Ag-G-TiO2) nanocomposite photocatalyst that demonstrates remarkably enhanced photocatalytic activity for both dye wastewater degradation and hydrogen production under visible and UV light irradiation. Through comprehensive characterization and performance analysis, we reveal that the Ag-G modification narrows the TiO2 bandgap from 3.12 eV to 1.79 eV, enabling efficient visible light absorption. The nanocomposite achieves a peak hydrogen production rate of 191 μmolesg-1h-1 in deionized water dye solution under visible light, significantly outperforming unmodified TiO2. Intriguingly, we observe an inverse relationship between dye degradation efficiency and hydrogen production rates in dye solutions with tap water versus deionized water, highlighting the critical role of water composition in photocatalytic processes. Our findings demonstrate sustained hydrogen production under visible light and rapid initial rates under UV irradiation, underscoring the versatility of Ag-G-TiO2 catalyst. This work not only advances our understanding of fundamental photocatalytic mechanisms but also presents a promising material for solar-driven environmental and energy applications, potentially contributing to the global transition towards sustainable technologies.

An entomopathogenic nematode, Oscheius tipulae, was isolated from a soil sample. The identification of this species was supported by morphological and molecular markers. The nematode isolate exhibited pathogenicity against different target insects including lepidopteran, coleopteran, and dipteran insects. The virulence of this nematode was similar to that of a well-known entomopathogenic nematode, Steinernema carpocapsae, against the same insect targets. A comparative metagenomics analysis of these two nematode species predicted the existence of a combined total of 272 bacterial species in their intestines, of which 51 bacterial species were shared between the two nematode species. In particular, the common gut bacteria included several entomopathogenic bacteria including Xenorhabdus nematophila, which is known as a symbiotic bacterium to S. carpocapsae. The nematode virulence of O. tipulae to insects was enhanced by an addition of dexamethasone but suppressed by an addition of arachidonic acid, suggesting that the immune defenses of the target insects against the nematode infection is mediated by eicosanoids, which would be manipulated by the symbiotic bacteria of the nematode. Unlike S. carpocapsae, O. tipulae showed high virulence against dipteran insects including fruit flies, onion flies, and mosquitoes. O. tipulae showed particularly high control efficacies against the onion maggot, Delia platura, infesting the Welsh onion in the rhizosphere in both pot and field assays.

Introduction Urolithiasis, a prevalent urological condition (8-13% globally) exhibits regional variations, influenced by water quality, climate, health factors and diet. Sri Lanka with its tropical climate and dietary patterns is part of the "Stone Belt" of Asia. This study in Northern Sri Lanka examines urinary stone compositions and assesses the prevalence of metabolic disorders among urolithiasis patients. Methods This prospective cross-sectional study, conducted at tertiary urology centre from July 2022 to June 2023, focused on surgically treated urolithiasis patients. Institutional ethical clearance was obtained. Patient details and investigational findings were collected through questionnaires and data extraction forms. Stone analysis utilized Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and detailed metabolic evaluation of 24 hour urine collection sample is carried out. Results This study followed 153 surgically treated urolithiasis patients, primarily male (64.3%), mean age 48.64. Ureteric colic (48.4%) was common, with kidney stones (45.8%) prevalent; 57.52% had recurrent stones. Diabetes mellitus (DM=23.5%) was the top comorbidity. Calcium oxalate monohydrate (COM) stones (78.4%) were most frequent, followed by uric acid (12.4%). COM predominated in 40-59 age group. No significant gender-stone type association. 86.9% had metabolic abnormalities, notably hypocitraturia (60.1%). 23% had both hypocitraturia and hypomagnesuria. Some metabolic disorders showed gender differences, with a marginal age-metabolic disorders association (p < 0.061). Urine oxalate levels were normal with higher variability in males. Conclusion Middle-aged males with urolithiasis commonly presented with ureteric colic and predominantly had calcium oxalate monohydrate stones. Recurrent stones were common, often accompanied by metabolic abnormalities such as hypocitraturia and hypomagnesuria, with diabetes mellitus as the primary comorbidity.

Anorectal malformations (ARMs) represent a wide spectrum of congenital anomalies of the anus and rectum, of which more than half are syndromic. Their etiology is highly heterogeneous and still poorly understood. We report a 4-year-old girl who initially presented with an isolated ARM, and subsequently developed a global developmental delay as part of an ARID1B-related Coffin-Siris syndrome (CSS). The co-occurrence of ARMs and CSS in an individual is unexpected since both diseases are very rare. A review of the literature enabled us to identify 12 individuals with both CSS and ARMs. Among these 12 individuals, 9 had a variant in ARID1A, 2 in ARID1B, and 1 in SMARCA4. This more frequent than expected association between CSS and ARM indicates that some ARMs are likely a rare consequence of CSS, especially for ARID1A-related CSS.

Bisphenol A diglycidyl ether (BADGE) is widely existed in the inner coating of canned foods. It migrates into food and generate various derivatives in the process of storage, such as Bisphenol A (2, 3-dihydroxypropyl) glycidyl ether (BADGE·H2O), Bisphenol A (3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) glycidyl ether (BADGE·HCl) and Bisphenol A (3-chloro-2-hydroxypropyl) (2, 3-dihydroxypropyl) glycidyl ether (BADGE·HCl·H2O), which have negative effects on human health. A gold nanoparticle-based immu-nochromatographic assay for simultaneous detection of BADGE and its derivatives was developed by using a broad-spectrum polyclonal antibody, and the detection can be finished in 15 min. The visuali-zation of results was processed by Adobe Photoshop CC software to achieve quantitative analysis and the detection limit (IC15) is 0.97ng/mL. The recoveries of BADGE and its derivatives at various spiking levels in canned food samples ranged from 79.86% to 93.81%. The detection results of the proposed immu-nochromatographic assay were also validated by HPLC analysis, and got good consistency (R2=0.9580).

The present study was conducted to explore the floristic composition, life form, and leaf size spectrum of vegetation, seasonality, and habitat condition of the Sultan Khail valley, Hindu Kush range, Pakistan. Regular trips were arranged during 2017–2019 to collect plant specimens and prepare a checklist of the flora of the area. The life form and leaf size spectrum of vegetation were determined. The plant species were also classified based on their habitat. The area is home to 332 species belonging to 234 genera and 96 families. Asteraceae (32 species) was the dominant family in the area, followed by Rosaceae (28 species) and Lamiaceae (21 species). Therophytes were found to be dominant in the area, followed by phanerophytes, while microphylls were the dominant leaf size class, followed by nanophylls. Seasonal variation in life forms showed that the spring, autumn, and winter seasons' flora was dominated by phanerophytes, while therophytes were dominant in the summer season. Seasonal variation in leaf size spectra showed that microphylls were dominant in the spring and summer, while in the autumn and winter seasons, nanophylls were dominant. The highest numbers of species were found in dry places, followed by forests. The flora of the study area is diverse. The habitat condition of the area is dry. The area's phytoclimate is thero-phanerophytic. The flora of the area is subjected to severe anthropogenic stress and needs proper conservation.

Post-transplant lymphoproliferative disorders (PTLD) pose significant risks following organ transplantation, characterized by potential aggressiveness. This report aims to discuss a case of PTLD presenting as B-cell large cell lymphoma (DLBCL) post-kidney and pancreas transplantation. A 44-year-old female with type 1 diabetes underwent kidney and pancreas transplantation. She presented with fever, night sweats, and weakness, revealing multiple lesions on CT, including in transplanted and native kidneys, pancreas and lung. Biopsy of transplant kidney confirmed PTLD, DLBCL subtype, with complex immunohistochemical findings. Chemotherapy (R-CHOP) was initiated but complicated by infusion reactions and bowel perforation necessitating surgery and antibiotics. Despite the complications, the normal function of the transplanted kidney is maintained, which made it possible to implement the standard chemotherapy protocol. This case underscores the diagnostic challenges and therapeutic complexities of PTLD, specifically DLBCL, in transplant recipients. Comprehensive evaluation and vigilant management are crucial for successful outcomes in such cases.

Social Anxiety Disorder (SAD) is a common mental health condition characterized by an intense fear of social situations, leading to significant impairments in daily functioning. Traditional exposure therapies, including Cognitive-Behavioral Therapy (CBT), have shown efficacy in treating SAD but are often limited by logistical challenges and patient reluctance. Virtual Reality Exposure Therapy (VRET) has emerged as a promising alternative, providing a controlled and immersive environment for exposure to anxiety-provoking scenarios. This paper explores the integration of Generative Adversarial Networks (GANs) into VRET to enhance the personalization, realism, and adaptability of therapeutic scenarios. GANs, which consist of a generator and a discriminator network, allow for the creation of highly realistic virtual environments tailored to the specific fears and triggers of individual patients. By offering real-time adjustments and personalized exposure scenarios, GAN-enhanced VRET addresses key limitations of traditional therapies, increasing patient engagement and treatment adherence. This review synthesizes findings from key studies on GAN-enhanced VRET, evaluating its efficacy in reducing anxiety symptoms and discussing the potential for broader application across various anxiety disorders. The results indicate that GAN-enhanced VRET offers a significant advancement in the treatment of SAD, providing a more accessible, engaging, and effective approach to exposure therapy. Future directions include expanding accessibility through cost reduction, integrating additional AI techniques, and exploring applications beyond SAD to improve mental health outcomes across diverse patient populations.