This study describes the synthesis and characterization of mixed hydrotalcite–organosilica membrane for gas separation. Hydrotalcite exhibits the capability to adsorb carbon dioxide at elevated temperatures. High surface area and favorable coating properties are essential to harness its potential for practical applications. Stable alcohol-based dispersions are needed for thin film applications of mixed membranes containing hydrotalcite. Currently, producing such dispersions without the need for delamination and dispersion agents is a challenging task. This work introduces for the first time a manufacturing approach to overcoming the drawbacks mentioned above. It includes a synthesis of hydrotalcite nanoparticles, followed by agent-free delamination of their layers and final dispersion into alcohol without dispersion agents. Further, the hydrotalcite-derived sorption agent is dispersed in a matrix based on organo-silica gels derived from 1,2-bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane (BTESE). The analytical results indicate that the interconnection between hydrotalcite and BTESE-derived gel occurs via forming a strong hydrogen bonding system between the interlayer species (OH groups, CO32-) of hydrotalcite and oxygen and silanol active gel centers. These findings lay the foundation for applications involving incorporating hydrotalcite-like compounds into silica matrices, ultimately enabling the development of materials with exceptional mass transfer properties. In part 2 of this study, gas separation performance of the organo-silica and the hydrotalcite-like materials and their combined form will be investigated

: Climate change necessitates urgent actions to mitigate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil fuel-based energy generation. Among various strategies, the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) solutions are critical for reducing emissions from point sources such as power plants and heavy industries. In this context, cryogenic carbon capture (CCC) via desublimation has emerged as a promising technology. While CCC offers high separation efficiency, minimal downstream compression work, and integration potential with existing industrial processes, challenges such as low operating temperatures and equipment costs persist. Ongoing research aims to address these hurdles in order to optimize the desublimation processes for widespread implementation. This review consolidates diverse literature works, providing insights into the strengths and limitations of CCC technology, including the latest pilot plant scale demonstrations. The transformative potential of CCC is first assessed on a theoretical basis, such as thermodynamic aspects and mass transfer phenomena. Then, recent advancements in the proposed process configurations are critically assessed and compared through key performance indicators. Furthermore, future research directions for this technology are clearly highlighted.

Self-administered pre-participation screening for physical activity (PA) requires an instrument that should be easily used and identify individuals at high risk. The Physical Activity Readiness Questionnaire (PAR-Q+) has been used for many years. Its ease of use and ability to identify those not fit to undergo PA has not been assessed. This study was to determine the rates of the PAR-Q+ in identifying adults who may not be fit for moderate or intense PA and obtain feedback on the use of this tool. A public on-line voluntary survey on the PAR-Q+ was carried out obtaining participants’ bio-characteristics, them completing the PAR-Q+ form and providing feedback. With 1019 participants, about 57.8% engaged in at least 150 minutes of PA weekly. This decreased with increasing number of co-morbidities. Increasing age was associated with more co-morbidities. About 33.1% of the participants using the PARQ+ would have required further medical evaluation. Only 3 of the 7 main PAR-Q+ questions were easily understood. Difficulties were encountered with 39 of the 44 follow-up questions, especially amongst those with co-morbidities. The large number of technical terms was also a source of concern. The PAR-Q+ would need extensive simplification before it may be recommended for use.

This paper proposes a heuristic approach for managing complex construction projects. The tool incorporates with Primavera P6 EPPM and Synchro 4D, enabling proactively clash detection and resolution of spatial conflicts during concurrent tasks. Additionally, it performs resource verification for sufficient allocation before task initiation. This integrated approach facilitates the generation of conflict-free and feasible construction schedules. By adhering to project constraints and seamlessly integrating with existing industry tools, the proposed solution offers a comprehensive and robust approach for construction project management. This constitutes to our knowledge the first dynamic digital twin for the delivery of a complex project.

Neurological involvement following COronaVIrus Disease 19 (COVID-19) is thought to have a neuroinflammatory etiology. Co-ultraPEALut (an antiinflammatory molecule) and luteolin (an antioxidant) yielded promising results as neuroinflammation antagonists. This study aimed at describing cognitive impairment in post-COVID patient treated with co-ultraPEALut. Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA), Prospective-Retrospective Memory Questionnaire (PRMQ), Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS) and a subjective evaluation were administered at baseline and after 10 months. Co-ultraPEALut-treated patients were retrospectively compared with controls. 26 co-ultraPEALut-treated patients showed significant improvement in PRMQ (T0: 51.94±10.55, T1: 39.67±13.02, p

Selection of the most suitable material is one of the key decisions to be taken at the design stage of a manufacturing process. Traditional approaches as Ashby maps based on material properties are widely used in the industry. However, in the production of multimaterial components, the criteria for the selection can include antagonistic approaches. The aim of this work is the implementation of a methodology based on the results of process simulations for several materials and classify them by applying an advanced data analytics method based on Machine Learning (ML), in this case the Support Vector Regression (SVR) and Multi-Criteria Decision Making (MCDM) methodolo-gies, in this case Multi-criteria Optimization and Compromise Solution (VIKOR) combined with Entropy weighting methods. In order to do this, a Finite Element Model (FEM) has been built to evaluate the extrusion force and the die wear in a multi-material co-extrusion process of bimetallic Ti6Al4V-AZ31B billets. After applying SVR and VIKOR combined with Entropy weighting methodologies, a comparison has been established based on the material selection and complexity of the methodology used, resulting that material chosen in both methodologies is very similar and MCDM method is easier to implement because there is no need of evaluate the error of the pre-diction model and the time for data preprocessing is less than the time needed in SVR.

When it comes to financial transactions and counterfeit detection systems, banknote classification is crucial. In this paper, we propose an approach for the classification of Kazakhstan banknote images integrating Learning Vector Quantization (LVQ) with Statistical Texture Feature Extraction using the Gray Level Co-occurrence matrix (GLCM). Our methodology demonstrates effectiveness in accurately classifying banknote images, as evidenced by experimental results. The comprehensive testing scenarios show promising outcomes, with the combination of GLCM and Color Histogram under the LVQ algorithm achieving a high accuracy of 94.87 percent at distance 1 and 90°. These findings indicate the robustness and practical viability of the proposed method for authenticating banknotes.

This study aimed to investigate the coloring ingredient potential of liver homogenates that form Zn-protoporphyrin (ZnPP), a natural red pigment, after anaerobic incubation. The liver homogenates were used to develop nitrite-free sterile pork liver pâtés. These liver homogenates can be applied in the formulation of pâtés directly or as a centrifuged insoluble fraction that is highly concentrated in ZnPP. Both the whole homogenate and its insoluble fraction were adjusted to pH 7.5 before their use in the formulation of pâtés with and without antioxidant (0.5% ascorbate plus 0.1% tocopherol) addition. Pâtés formulated with the whole homogenate showed color and texture characteristics similar to those of the positive control with nitrite. However, high levels of the insoluble fraction also led to pâtés with improved color characteristics but with a two-fold softened texture. Therefore, the form and amount of ZnPP added played a role in the final appearance of the product. The ZnPP pigment was more stable than heme was in the sterilization treatment, and antioxidant addition proved to be unnecessary. The ZnPP-rich ingredients allowed for the preparation of nitrite-free cooked liver pâtés with a stable red color and could be potentially applied in other uncured cooked meat products.

Monometallic (Ni, Co, Cu) and bimetallic (Ni-Co, Ni-Cu) 10-20 wt. % metal containing catalysts supported on fly ash zeolite were prepared by post-synthesis impregnation method. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction, N2 physisorption, XPS and H2-TPR methods. Finely dispersed metal oxides and mixed oxides were detected after the decomposition of impregnating salt on the relevant zeolite support. By reduction intermetallic, NiCo and NiCu phases were identified in the bimetallic catalysts. Hydrogeoxygenation of lignocellulosic biomass-derived levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone (GVL) was studied. Bimetallic, 10 wt. % Ni, 10 wt. % Cu or Co containing fly ash zeolite catalyst showed higher catalytic activity than monometallic ones. Their selectivity to GVL reached 70-85 % at 100 % conversion. The reaction proceeds through formation of 4-hydroxy pentanoic acid, as the only intermediate compound.

Collaborative robots have experienced low acceptance in applications, especially in industry. 1 This fact has attracted the attention of researchers and practitioners, who point to different causes 2 for this low acceptance. One of the main reasons is the difficulty in converging on suitable methods 3 for modeling collaborative interactions between robots and their surrounding context during the 4 requirements phase. These interactions must be elicited and modeled during requirements modeling 5 to maximize value creation through collaboration and must be formally verified, taking into account 6 the risks of human-robot interaction. However, such modeling is often not present in collaborative 7 robot design, and the choice of an appropriate approach remains an open problem. In this paper, 8 this problem is addressed from a requirements engineering perspective, a goal-oriented model and 9 a service-based approach supported by an additional verification method based on Petri nets is 10 proposed. A case study based on collaborative robots used in a hospital environment is presented.

The anaerobic digestion (AD) of rumen residues and wheat straw in different proportions of inoculum (66.67, 50, 33.33 %V/V) to substrate and their co-digestion potential have been exhaustively studied in this research. It explores variation of feedstock characteristics such as biodegradability and methane potential during AD and anaerobic co-digestion (ACoD) of rumen residues (RR) with wheat straw (WS), under mesophilic conditions. Comparative performance was made with a organic load rate of 18 gVS/L (with 2:1, 1:1 and 1:2 g/g VS of inoculum to substrate). Among different kinetic models studied (modified Gompertz model, transfer model and logistic function), the AD and ACoD of substrates showed better fit to Gompertz model (R2: 0.977–0.997) indicating variation in lag phase and methane production rate depending on the substrate characteristics. During AD, the methane yield improved as the inoculum ratio increased, however, there was no significant difference in ACoD yield from RR to WS for the inoculum to substrate ratios studied, due to the synergistic effect as a result. of greater biodegradability and optimal conditions (such as the C/N ratio). A comparison of methane generation means indicated that maximum methane production can be achieved by mixing rumen residue (75 %) and wheat straw (25 %) with a C/N ratio of (38.15).

The development of antimicrobial resistance to conventional antibiotics is a major global health challenge. Infections caused by multidrug-resistant gram-negative bacteria have been named one of the most urgent global health threats. Considerable efforts are devoted to developing new antibiotic drugs and investigating the mechanism of antibiotic resistance. Recently, Anti-Microbial Peptides (AMPs) have emerged as a new platform for the target and design of novel drug resistant anti-microbial agents promising a new therapeutic strategy. AMPs are rapid, potent, possess an unusually broad spectrum of activity, and have shown efficacy as topical agents. Unlike traditional therapeutics that interfere with essential bacterial enzymes, AMPs interact with microbial membranes through electrostatic interactions and physically damage cell integrity. However, naturally occurring AMPs have limited selectivity and modest efficacy. Therefore, recent efforts have focused on the development of synthetic AMP analogs as suitable drug targets. This work explores the development of novel antimicrobial agents which mimic the structure of graft-copolymers and mirror the mode of action of an AMP. Chitosan-graft-polypeptide side chains are synthesized by the ring-opening polymerization of N-carboxyanhydrides of L-lysine and L-leucine initiated from the functional groups of chitosan. The derivatives with random- and block-copolymer side chains are explored as drug targets. These graft copolymer systems exhibit activity against clinically significant pathogens and disrupt biofilm formation. This work highlights the potential of chitosan-graft-polypeptide structures in biomedical applications.

Inherent low soil fertility status limits productivity of rice in the lowland ecologies in Northern Ghana. Combining organic and inorganic N fertilizers could help to maintain the fertility of lowland soils for rice production. A screen house pot experiment was carried out to investigate the combined effect of biochar-compost and inorganic N fertilizer on the nitrogen uptake and agronomic performance of rice plants grown on Eutric Gleysol lowland soil. Inorganic N fertilizer alone and its combinations with different types of biochar-compost (based on the proportions of biochar and compost) were used as treatment. A control (unamended soil) was also included. The incorporation of biochar-compost and inorganic N fertilizer improved the growth parameters and yield components of rice plants. The combination of biochar-compost and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer was also found to improve nitrogen uptake and nutrient use efficiency (NUE) in rice plants. This practice could be the most likely viable option for alleviating lowlands soil fertility issues and increasing rice productivity in Northern Ghana.

The spatial distribution of elements can be regarded as a numerical field of concentration values with a continuous spatial coverage. An active area of research is to discover geologically meaningful relationships among elements from their spatial distribution. To solve this problem, we propose an association rule mining method based on clustered events of spatial auto-correlation and applied it to the polymetallic deposits of the Chahanwusu River area, Qinghai Province, China. The elemental data for stream sediments were first clustered into HH (high-high), LL (low-low), HL (high-low), and LH (low-high) groups by using local Moran’s I clustering map (LMIC). Then the Apriori algorithm was used to mine the association rules among different elements in these clusters. More than 86% of the mined rule points are located within 1000 m of faults and near known ore occurrences, and occur in the upper reaches of the stream and catchment areas. In addition, we found that the Indosinian granodiorite is enriched in sulfophile elements, e.g., Zn, Ag and Cd, and the Variscan granite quartz diorite (P1γδο) coexists with Cu and associated elements. Therefore, the proposed algorithm is an effective method for mining co-existence patterns of elements and provides an insight into their enrichment mechanisms.

The devastating impact of the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) on public health, caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has made fighting of the COVID-19 pandemic is a top priority in medical research and pharmaceutical development. Surveillance of SARS-CoV-2 mutations is essential for the comprehension of SARS-CoV-2 variant diversity and their impact on virulence and pathogenicity. The SARS-CoV-2 open reading frame 10 (ORF10) protein interacts with multiple human proteins CUL2, ELOB, ELOC, MAP7D1, PPT1, RBX1, THTPA, TIMM8B, and ZYG11B expressed in the lung tissues. Mutations and co-mutations in the emerging SARS-CoV-2 ORF10 variants are expected to impact the severity of the virus and its associated consequences. In this article, We highlight 128 single mutations and 35 co-mutations in the unique SARS-CoV-2 ORF10 variants in this article. The possible predicted effects of these mutations and co-mutations on the secondary structure of ORF10 variants and host protein interactomes are presented. The findings highlight the possible effects of mutations and co-mutations on the emerging 140 ORF10 unique variants from secondary structure and intrinsic protein disorder perspectives.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), which consist of low-molecular-weight PAHs (LMW-PAHs) and high-molecular-weight PAHs (HMW-PAHs), form an important class of pollutants. Pyrene and benzo[a]pyrene (BaP) are the main pollutants belonging to HMW-PAHs, and their degradation by microorganisms remains an important strategy for their removal from the environments. Extensive studies have been carried out on the isolation and characterisation of microorganisms that actively degrade LMW-PAHs, and to a certain extent, the HMW-PAH pyrene. However, so far, limited work has been carried out on BaP biodegradation. BaP consists of five fused aromatic rings, which confers this compound a high stability, rendering it less amenable to biodegradation. The current review summarizes the emerging reports on BaP biodegradation. More specifically, work carried out on BaP bacterial degradation and current knowledge gaps that limit our understanding of BaP degradation are highlighted. Moreover, new avenues of research on BaP degradation are proposed, specifically in the context of the development of “omics” approaches

SARS-CoV2 RNA depended RNA polymerase is an essential enzyme for the survival of the virus in hosts as it helps in the replication of viral RNA. There are no human polymerases that share either sequence or structural homology with viral RNA depended RNA polymerase. These make it a good target for inhibitor discovery, as a specific inhibitor cannot cross-react with the human polymerases. We have used virtual screening, docking, binding energy calculation and simulation to show that valproic acid Co-A, a metabolite from prodrug valproic acid, forms stable interaction with nsP12 of CoV. Our results suggest valproic acid Co-A could be a potential inhibitor of nsP12 of SARS-CoV2.

The underground injection and geological sequestration of carbon dioxide (CO₂) is a promising approach for reducing the levels of CO₂ in the atmosphere. To mitigate the leakage of CO₂ resulting from natural fracture networks in rock masses, the sequestration process is commonly accompanied by the injection of reactive Portland cement representing a coupled hydro-chemo-mechanical process. In this work, a numerical approach based on the unified pipe network method (UPM) is presented that considers the coupled permeation and diffusion processes with chemical precipitation. Most input parameters are derived from the published literature. The proposed approach is validated through a comparison with analytical solutions, which are applied to simulate the CO₂ sequestration process in a fractured rock mass. The results indicate that the long-term sequestration effect, which is highly influenced by the fracture distribution, can be captured effectively by the model. Consequently, the presented approach can assist engineers in properly designing the arrangement of boreholes and determining the concentration of the grouting material.

The universal health insurance system in Taiwan was formed with good intentions to help vulnerable groups. However, the possibility of bankrupting the system due to wasted medical resources. In this study, using the medical expenditures of the Taiwanese Government and gross domestic product (GDP) as variables, the wavelet analysis method was used to empirically study the correlations and leading-lagging relationships in quarterly data in the period from 1996 to 2016. In addition, the dependent population of the insured was used as the control variable. This population had no income and had high medical demands. Results: After the dependent population was included as a control variable, there was a period of low-frequency (one to four years short-term) linkage correlation, as well as a period of high-frequency (four to eight years long-term) linkage correlation. In addition, for more than eight years, there was also a high degree of linkage correlation, indicating that the linkage between medical expenditures and GDP occurred over the long term. Moreover, since medical expenditures positively affected GDP, one-way causality was observed. However, after 2008, regardless of whether a long or short term was examined, there was almost no linkage correlation. Before 2008, the medical expenditures of the government were positively correlated with economic growth; i.e., they enhanced economic growth. But, after 2008, this effect had already disappeared. The universal health insurance system has long been denounced as a waste of medical resources, and the waste must be immediately stopped. The government urgently needs to find a new solution.

With the progress of immunotherapy in cancer, oncolytic viruses (OVs) are getting more and more attention during the past decade. Due to their cancer-selective and immunogenic property, OVs are considered ideal candidates to be combined with immunotherapy to increase both specificity and efficacy in cancer treatment. OVs preferentially replicate in and lyse cancer cells, generating pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) and danger (damage)-associated molecular patterns (DAMPs). These signals trigger innate immune response to modulate the solid tumor microenvironment, resulting in in situ autovaccination leading to adaptive anti-virus and anti-tumor immunity. Here, we summarize the conceptual updates of oncolytic virotherapy, immunotherapy, and the strategies to enhance the virus-mediated anti-tumor immune response, including: 1. Arm OVs with cytokines to modulated innate and adaptive immunity; 2. Combine OVs with immune checkpoint inhibitors to release T cell inhibition; 3. Combine OVs with immune co-stimulators to enhance T cell activation.

This paper investigates the effects of Inter-generational co-residence on health care market, and labor market outcomes, to see whether or not living under the same roof with at least one parent matters in health care market, and labor market behaviors in post-Affordable-Care Act (ACA) USA. The adopted analytical strategy involves not only looking at the gender differences in co-residence, and its effects on outcomes in the two markets, but also accounting for co-residence endogeneity following the recent literature. Unlike the recent literature that relies on instrumental variables methods, this study adopts a switching regression approach, defining inter-generational co-residence as an endogenous selection process using a binary probit equation, and modeled jointly with the extensive margins and intensive margins in the two markets. This novel approach results in a recursive trivariate probit model for each market, and estimated using penalized maximum likelihood methods. The results suggest that ACA by reorganizing the US health care market, seems to have reduced significantly disparities in health care access among males and females based on race, region of residence, place of birth, and citizenship. However not only do we observe significant differences in inter-generational co-residence status between males and females, we also find significant inequalities in the effects of co-residence on health care market, and labor market outcomes. In fact, co-residence is found to increase health care expenditure by 56.7% among females, while this figure increases to 74.2% among males. In addition co-residing individuals, while spending 69.7% more on health care annually are 1.22 times more likely to access health care, but 31% less likely to use health care intensively during the year. In the labor market, co-residence is found to reduce significantly hours of weekly labor supplied by 41% for females, and 55.6% for males. Furthermore co-residing individuals, while not significantly different in their likelihood of labor force participation, are 1.52 times less likely to work full time once they decide to participate, and also spend about 55.4% less time working in the labor market in post-ACA USA.

Porous MnO/C microspheres have been successfully fabricated by a fast co-precipitation method in a T-shaped microchannel reactor. The structures, compositions and electrochemical performances of the obtained MnO/C microspheres are characterized by X-ray diffraction, emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), Brunauer–Emmett–Teller analysis, charge-discharge testing, cyclic voltammograms, and electrochemical impedance spectra. Experimental results reveal that the as-prepared MnO/C, with a specific surface area of 96.66 m²·g^–1 and average pore size of 24.37 nm, exhibits excellent electrochemical performance, with a discharge capacity of 655.4 mAh·g^–1 after cycling 50 times at 1 C and capacities of 808.3, 743.7, 642.6, 450.1, and 803.1 mAh·g^–1 at 0.2, 0.5, 1, 2, and 0.2 C, respectively. Moreover, the controlled method of using a micro-channel reactor, which can produce larger specific surface area porous MnO/C with improved cycling performance by shortening lithium-ion diffusion distances, can be easily applied in real production on a large-scale.

Co-integration and Causality was built to conduct studies on causality relation between carbon intensity and coal consumption leading to providing important basis for the transition to a low carbon economy. The EG two-step method was performed to study the relation between carbon intensity and coal consumption of China during 1990-2015 and the co-integration and Granger test was constructed to build up the co-integration and error correction models for analysis of the interaction between carbon intensity and coal consumption. The results showed that in long term there is a stable co-integration relation and a positive correlation between carbon intensity and coal consumption; whereas fluctuations exist in short term and there is a one-way Granger causality of carbon intensity with respect to coal consumption.

This qualitative study investigates the adoption of Lean Principles in Supply Chain Management (SCM), aiming to explore the motivations, challenges, and outcomes associated with Lean implementation across diverse organizational contexts. Through semi-structured interviews and thematic analysis, insights were gleaned from stakeholders involved in SCM processes, revealing the critical role of organizational culture, leadership commitment, and strategic alignment in driving successful Lean initiatives. The findings underscore the importance of fostering a culture of continuous improvement, where employees are empowered to proactively identify and address inefficiencies. Leadership emerged as pivotal in setting the tone, providing resources, and championing Lean initiatives, while strategic alignment ensured integration with broader organizational goals and objectives. Operational practices and processes were central, highlighting the need for customization and contextual adaptation in Lean implementation. Despite the potential benefits, the outcomes and impact of Lean adoption varied depending on factors such as organizational maturity and industry context. The study also revealed broader cultural and organizational changes catalyzed by Lean adoption, fostering innovation, collaboration, and adaptability. In summary, this study contributes to our understanding of Lean adoption in SCM, offering practical insights for organizations seeking to enhance efficiency and competitiveness in today's dynamic business landscape.

Microalgae are highly attractive to various industrial sectors and can serve as indicators of aquatic environmental health. An essential step for cultivating microalgae is assessing the cell density, which is traditionally performed through viable cell counting by optical microscopy (OM). However, this method has some limitations, such as the time involved in the process of counting, and the need for specialized training of laboratory personnel. Spectrophotometry is an affordable alternative, especially when applied to culture growth and toxicological tests. We chose the wavelength of 680 nm to detect the optical density (OD) of the green freshwater microalga Desmodesmus subspicatus and green the marine microalga Tetraselmis sp. The correlation between the number of cells and OD was suitable for both microalgae and accuracy was comparable to traditional OM counting. In toxicological tests, the OD technique allowed the monitoring of microalgal growth in the presence of the chemicals potassium dichromate, potassium chloride and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS), with results very close to those reported in the scientific literature. This study sheds light on this well-known technique, which is an important contribution since few articles have explored its potentialities and fragilities, showing the successful application to monitoring green microalgal cultures and toxicological assays.

The Jakarta LARP community, established in March 2020 and primarily active in Gelora Bung Karno, fosters inclusivity, diversity, and physical role-playing activities. It adheres to a policy of excluding ultra-nationalist ideologies and integrates new members despite language barriers. Bruhn (2011) defines this kind of community sharing the same goals, values, and lifestyles, while McMillan & Chavis (1986) outline four aspects of the sense of community.The research discovered that communities endure by utilizing solidarity built on the basis of their peculiarities. This study employed ethnographic methods alongside grounded research to identify the community's culture and their efforts to sustain and utilize it as community solidarity.

In livestock, brucellosis is mainly an asymptomatic disease except for abortion, therefore two serological tests are used for diagnosis as no single test is suitable. Abattoir samples enable a combination of culture, molecular and serological tests to detect brucellosis. This study assessed Brucella specific PCR (ITS-PCR) to detect brucellosis and to conduct molecular characterization of Brucella spp. isolated from PCR-positive livestock (n=565) slaughtered at abattoirs and the appropriate sample tissue(s). ITS-PCR detected Brucella DNA in 33.6% cattle, 14.5% sheep and 4.7% pig tissues. Impure Brucella cultures from PCR-positive tissues were 43.6% (44/94) cattle, 51.7% (15/29) sheep, and 50% (2/4) pigs with predominantly B. abortus identification with AMOS-PCR and low isolation of mixed B. abortus and B. melitensis in all species. In cattle 33% of isolates were from lymph nodes while in sheep 38.0% were from liver and kidney and only from tonsils in pigs (2/4). Brucella infections identified with AMOS-PCR were present in seropositive and mainly seronegative (75.6-100%) livestock with the potential to cause brucellosis during pregnancy or breeding. This study demonstrated the value of the polyphasic approach, especially with chronic infections and the potential risk of these asymptomatic animals.

Recent years have seen organizations increasingly shift towards the development of a mentoring culture, as opposed to the imposition of formalized mentoring programs. This original research paper set out to explore the utility of fostering mentoring cultures within higher education settings with a particular emphasis placed on the ways in which a mentoring culture may support the nurturing of leadership potential and serve underrepresented minority faculty and staff members. Primary data was gathered using an open-ended qualitative survey, which was followed up by semi-structured interviews. One hundred faculty members in diverse academic and administrative leadership roles across the United States were sent online surveys, with 18 individuals expressing interest in participating in a semi-structured interview. Those who responded affirmatively were then contacted via telephone to follow up with further questions. Analysis of their insights, in conjunction with analysis of other literature, suggests that the cultivation of a mentoring culture offers diverse benefits for mentees advancing into leadership positions; for mentors; and for the institution as a whole. Overall, the development of a mentoring culture characterized by informal, spontaneous exchanges, and tailored to the needs of underrepresented minority faculty members, appears to be a useful tool in enhancing leadership potential in higher education contexts.

Prior to clinical trials, preclinical testing of oncology drug candidates is performed by evaluating drug candidates with in vitro and in vivo platforms. For in vivo testing, animal models are used to evaluate the toxicity and efficacy of drug candidates. However, animal models often display poor translational results as many drugs that pass preclinical testing fail when tested in humans, with oncology drugs exhibiting especially poor acceptance rates. The FDA Modernization Act 2.0 promotes alternative preclinical testing techniques, presenting the opportunity to use higher complexity in vitro models as an alternative to in vivo testing, including 3D cell culture models. 3D tissue cultures address many of the shortcomings of 2D cultures by more closely replicating the tumour microenvironment through a combination of realistic drug diffusion, paracrine signaling, cellular phenotype, and vascularization that can better mimic native human tissue. This review will discuss the common forms of 3D cell culture, including cell spheroids, organoids, organs-on-a-chip, and 3D bioprinted tissues. Their advantages and limitations will be presented, aiming to discuss the use of these 3D models to accurately represent human tissue and as an alternative to animal testing. The use of 3D culture platforms for preclinical drug development is expected to accelerate as these platforms continue to improve in complexity, reliability, and translational predictivity.

Few assessments and indicators on cultural sustainability have been applied to national and local development policies in Indonesia. Said policies have had the notion of space solely defined through its physical aspect. This study aims to establish the cultural aspect of space as a workable indicator for sustainability in development planning. The study grounds itself in the coastal area of Kalibaru Subdistrict, North Jakarta, a region characterized by dense and culturally diverse residential areas located in between heavy industrial development. Primary data are gathered from 10 informants of varying occupations with residence in the area for more than 20 years. In-depth interviews and Spatial Cognitive Mapping were conducted to articulate the cultural spaces of their everyday activities. Prevalent themes of spatial practice were identified and described in 3 categories of 1. core cultural spaces, 2. tactical cultural spaces, and 3. spaces of cultural conflict. The participatory procedures to identify cultural spaces as described in the study were concluded to be operable within existing indicator or index frameworks for sustainability policy. The availability of cultural spaces and its enumeration may be incorporated into national surveys for effective data collection and use.

Introduction- The dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 shedding and replication in humans remain incompletely understood. Methods- We analyzed SARS-CoV-2 shedding from multiple sites in individuals with an acute COVID-19 infection by weekly sampling for five weeks in 98 immunocompetent and 25 immunosuppressed individuals. Samples and culture supernatants were tested by RT-PCR for SARS-CoV-2 to determine viral clearance rates and in vitro replication. Results- A total of 2447 clinical specimens were evaluated, including 557 nasopharyngeal swabs, 527 saliva samples, 464 urine specimens, 437 anal swabs and 462 blood samples. The SARS-CoV-2 genome sequences at each site were classified as belonging to the B.1.128 (ancestral strain) or Gamma lineage. SARS CoV-2 detection was highest in nasopharyngeal swabs regardless of the virus strain involved or the immune status of infected individuals. The duration of viral shedding varied between clinical specimens and individual patients. Prolonged shedding of potentially infectious virus varied from 10 days up to 191 days, and primarily occurred in immunosuppressed individuals. Virus was isolated in culture from 18 nasal swab or saliva samples collected 10 or more days after onset of disease. Conclusions-Our findings indicate that persistent SARS-CoV-2 shedding may occur in both competent or immunosuppressed individuals, at multiple clinical sites and in a minority of subjects is capable of in vitro replication.

The study is based on the notion that big data predictive analytics is important for developing strategic alliances performance of companies. this study investigates the relationship between big data predictive analytics, big data culture, and competitive strategies 'techniques were adopted, such as descriptive statistics, correlation,regression, etc. using SPSS and SmartPLS statistical software. Hypotheses were tested with bootstrapped analysis using SEM (through SmartPLS). The study developed a structural equation model by using the SEM analysis. The results of the SEM analysis suggested the hypothesized model of the study was valid. The results supported all the hypotheses of the study.Through empirical analysis, demonstrated the conclusion is that the big data predictive analytics has a positive and significant relationship with strategic alliance performance

Digital microfluidics (DMF) holds great potential for the alleviation of laboratory procedures in assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). Electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) provides dynamic culture conditions in vitro that may better mimic the natural embryo microenvironment. Thus far, EWOD microdevices have been proposed for in vitro gamete and embryo handling in mice and for analyzing the human embryo secretome. This article presents the development of the first microfluidic chip utilizing EWOD technology designed for the manipulation of bovine embryos in vitro. The prototype sustains the cell cycles of embryos manipulated individually on the chips during in vitro culture (IVC). Challenges related to the chip fabrication as well as to its application during bovine embryo IVC in accordance with the adapted on-chip protocol are thoroughly discussed, and future directions for DMF in ARTs are indicated.

Tri-dimensional (3D) cell aggregates or spheroids are considered to be closer to physiological conditions than traditional 2D cell culture. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) assembling in spheroids have increased the survival of transplanted cells. The regulation of the biological processes that maintain crucial physiological reactions of MSCs is closely related to the functioning of ion channels. The pattern of expression, role and regulatory mechanisms of ion channels could be significantly different in 3D compared to 2D culture, and, thus, needed to be properly analyzed on the level of ionic currents. We developed a specific approach that allowed us to register, for the first time, endogenous ion channels in endometrial MSCs (eMSCs) assembled in spheroids. Particularly, using the single-channel patch-clamp technique, we have recorded the activity of ion channels and observed their functional interplay in mechanosensitive clusters. Our experimental protocol could be applied for identification and studying of ion channels in 3D cell cultures.

Recent improvements within the fields of high-throughput screening and 3D tissue culture have provided the possibility of developing in vitro micro-tissue models that can be used to study diseases and screen potential new therapies. This paper reports a proof of concept study on the use of microvalve-based bioprinting to create laminar MSC-chondrocyte co-cultures as an in vitro model of autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), an established cellular therapy for osteoarthritis. Microvalve-based bioprinting uses microvalves to deposit cells suspended in a liquid in a consistent and repeatable manner. In this case MSCs and chondrocytes have been sequentially deposited into an insert based transwell system in order to create a laminar co-culture, with variations in the ratios of the cell types used to investigate the potential for MSCs to stimulate improved repair. Histological and indirect immunofluorescence staining revealed the formation of dense tissue structures within the chondrocyte and MSC-chondrocyte cell co-cultures, alongside the establishment of a proliferative region at the base of the tissue. No stimulatory or inhibitory effect in terms of ECM production was observed through the introduction of MSCs, although the potential for an immunomodulatory benefit remains. This proof-of-concept study therefore provides a novel method to enable the scalable production of therapeutically relevant micro-tissue models that can be used for in vitro research to optimise ACI procedures.

The Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua) and red king crab (Paralithodes camtschaticus) processing wastes are massive and unutilized in the Murmansk region of Russia. The samples of skin-containing waste of Atlantic cod fillets production were hydrolyzed using enzyme preparations derived from red king crab hepatopancreases, porcine pancreases and Bacillus subtilis bacteria. The activity of enzymes from crab hepatopancreases was significantly higher than the activity of enzymes derived from other sources. The optimal conditions of the hydrolysis process have been figured out. The samples of cod processing waste hydrolysate were analyzed for amino acid composition and molecular weight distribution. The samples of hydrolysate were used as core components for bacterial culture medium samples. The efficiency of the medium samples was tested for Escherichia coli growth rate; the most efficient sample had efficiency 95.3% of that of a commercially available medium based on fish meal. Substitution of medium components with those derived from industrial by-products is one of the ways to decrease a cost of a culture medium in biopharmaceutical drug production.

Multi-step evolution characterizes the carcinogenesis of GI malignancies, where the disease progresses through the accrual of genetic mutations, co-option of multiple host cellular factors and the acquisition of increasingly aggressive pathological features. Ensuing cancer complexity and plasticity are challenges for therapeutic approaches. On the other hand, disease inception is often triggered by a defined oncogenic event, which leads to escalating effects on gene expression, cellular metabolism, chromatin organization and ultimately cell identity. Decoding this molecular cascade of events is crucial to design strategies for early diagnosis as well as to tackle tumor onset. To this aim, the in vitro culture of non-transformed epithelial cells represents a major technical challenge. Genetic studies, combined with lineage-tracing experiments demonstrated that pancreatic cancerous lesions originate from acinar cells, a specialized cell type in the pancreatic epithelium, following mutations of the KRAS oncogene. Ex vivo culture of pancreatic acinar cells has allowed the identification of early mutant KRAS-driven alterations. Primary acinar cells survive in vitro in organoid-like 3D spheroids, which can recapitulate histological and molecular features of disease initiation. Here, we will discuss the isolation and culture of primary mouse pancreatic acinar cells, providing and historical and technical perspective. Impact for pancreatic cancer research will also be debated; in particular we will dissect the role of KRAS signaling in driving oncogenic transformation and highlight differences with canonical 2D culture of established cancer cell lines.

With ongoing colony losses driven in part by the Varroa mite and the associated exacerbation of virus load, there is an urgent need to protect honey bees (Apis mellifera) from fatal levels of virus infection and from nontarget effects of insecticides used in agricultural settings. A continuously replicating cell line derived from the honey bee would provide a valuable tool for study of molecular mechanisms of virus – host interaction, for screening of antiviral agents for potential use within the hive, and for assessment of the risk of current and candidate insecticides to the honey bee. However, the establishment of a continuously replicating, honey bee cell line has proved challenging. Here we provide an overview of attempts to establish primary and continuously replicating hymenopteran cell lines, methods (including recent results) for establishing honey bee cell lines, challenges associated with the presence of latent viruses (especially Deformed wing virus), in established cell lines and methods to establish virus-free cell lines. We also describe the potential use of honey bee cell lines in conjunction with infectious clones of honey bee viruses for examination of fundamental virology.

Indonesia possesses significant biomass potential, including palm oil plantations. The palm oil industry has experienced rapid expansion, with a 7.67% growth rate over the past decade and an 11.09% annual increase in palm oil production. Co-firing (HT-FRD) is a beneficial technology for reducing exhaust gas emissions generated by coal-burning power stations. By utilizing Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), the study has modeled and evaluated co-firing palm frond residue (HT-FRD) with hydrothermal treatment into a 315 MWe boiler. In the simulation, six different HT-FRD co-firing ratios: 0%, 5%, 15%, 25%, 35%, and 50% were used to demonstrate the differences in combustion characteristics and emissions in the combustion chamber. The data indicates that HT-FRD co-firing can enhance temperature distribution, velocity, and unburned particles. All in all, co-firing conditions with 5% - 15% HT-FRD ratios appear to have the most favorable combustion temperature, velocity, and exhaust gas characteristics.

Green and sustainable electrocatalytic conversion of nitrogen-containing compounds to ammonia are currently in high demand in order to replace the eco-unfriendly Haber-Bosch process. Model catalysts for the nitrate reduction reaction were obtained by electrodeposition of metal Co, Fe and bimetallic Fe/Co nanoparticles from aqueous solutions onto a graphite substrate. The samples were characterized by the following methods: SEM, XRD, XPS, UV-vis spectroscopy, cyclic (and linear) voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Besides, the determination of electrochemically active surface was also performed for all electrocatalysts. The best electrocatalyst was a sample containing Fe-nanoparticles on the layer of Co-nanoparticles, which showed the Faradaic efficiency 58.2% (E=-0.785 V vs. RHE) at the ammonia yield rate of 14.6 μmol h-1 cm-2. An opinion was expressed on elucidation of the mechanism of coordinated electrocatalytic action of a bimetallic electrocatalyst. This work can serve primarily as a starting point for future investigations on electrocatalytic conversion reactions to ammonia using model catalysts of the proposed type.

Membrane gas absorption technology has been considered as a promising approach to mitigate CO2 emissions from power plants. The aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts of CO2 absorption and desorption processes by hollow fiber membrane contactors using life cycle assessment methodology. On the basis of ReCipe 2016 Midpoint and ReCipe 2016 Endpoint methods, the research results show that, membrane gas absorption system exhibits the lowest environmental impacts across the majority assessed categories in comparison with chemical absorption and membrane gas separation systems. The CO2 capture process via membrane gas absorption has the most significant impact on METP category, with heat consumption as the primary contributing factor accounting for 55%, followed by electricity consumption accounting for 43.1%. According to the sensitivity analysis, heating by natural gas shows a better performance than other heat supply sources in improving overall environmental impacts. In addition, the increasing utilization of renewable energy in electricity supply reduces the global warming potential, fossil resource consumption and ozone formation.

A co-curing resin system consisting of 9368 epoxy resin for prepreg and 6808 epoxy resin for resin transfer molding (RTM) was developed. A corresponding preparation method of novel polymer composite bolted T-joint with internal skeleton and external skin was proposed based on prepreg-RTM co-curing process, and novel T-joints were fabricated. A series of conventional configuration T-joints based on RTM process and T-joints made of 2A12 aluminum alloy were prepared simultaneously. Bending performances were studied on these T-joints experimentally. The results indicate that 9368 epoxy resin and 6808 epoxy resin exhibit good compatibility in rheological and thermophysical properties. The novel T-joints prepared with prepreg-RTM co-curing process show no obvious fiber local winding or resin-rich regions inside, and the interface quality between internal skeleton and external skin is excellent. The main failure modes of the novel T-joint under bending load include separation of skin and skeleton and fracture along the thickness on the base panel; the skeleton carries the main bending load, but there is still load transfer between external skin and internal skeleton through their interface. The internal damages of the novel T-joint are highly consistent with surface damages observed visually, facilitating the detection and timely discovery of damages. The initial stiffness, damage initiation load, and ultimate load of the novel T-joint are 1.65 times, 5.89 times, and 3.45 times that of conventional T-joint, respectively. When considering the influence of density, the relative initial stiffness and relative ultimate load of the novel T-joint are 1.44 times and 2.07 times that of aluminum alloy T-joint, respectively.

The characteristics of excess aerobic granular sludge, related to its structure and chemical composition, limit the efficiency of anaerobic digestion. For this reason, pre-treatment methods and compositions with other organic substrates are used. The aim of the research was to determine the effects of co-digestion of pre-hydrodynamically cavitated aerobic granular sludge with waste fats on the efficiency of methane fermentation under mesophilic and thermophilic conditions. The addition of waste fats improved the C/N ratio and increased its value to 19. The greatest effects were observed in thermophilic anaerobic digestion at 55°C, where a 15% waste fat content in volatile soilds was ensured. This resulted in the production of 1278.2±40.2 mL/gVS biogas and 889.4±29.7 mL/gVS CH4. The CH4 content of the biogas was 69.6±1.3%. The increase in biogas and CH4 yield compared to pure AGS anaerobic digestion was 34.4% and 40.1%, respectively. An increase in the proportion of waste fats in the substrate had no significant effect on the efficiency of methane fermentation.

To accurately predict the matching relationships between the various components and the engine performance in the whole aero-engine environment, this study introduces a two-dimensional throughflow simulation method for the whole aero-engine. This method is based on individual throughflow solvers for the turbo-machinery and the combustor. It establishes a throughflow simulation model for the whole engine by integrating with the compressor-turbine co-operating equations and boundary conditions. The turbo-machinery throughflow solver employs a circumferentially averaged form of the time-dependent Navier-Stokes equations (N-S) as the governing equation. The combustor solver uses the Reynolds Average Navier-Stokes (RANS) method to solve flow and chemical reaction processes by constructing turbulence, combustion, and radiation models. The accuracy of the component solver is validated using Pratt & Whitney’s three-stage axial compressor (P&W3S1) and General Electric’s high-pressure turbine (GE-EEE HPT), and the predicted results are consistent with the experimental data. Finally, the developed throughflow method is applied to simulate the throttling characteristics of the WZ-X turboshaft engine. The results predicted by the throughflow program are consistent with the GasTurb calculations, including the trends of shaft power delivered, specific fuel consumption (SFC), inlet airflow, and total pressure ratio of the compressor. The developed method to perform throughflow simulation of the whole aero-engine eliminates the dependence on a general component map. It can quickly obtain the meridian flow field parameters and overall engine characteristics, which is expected to guide the design and modification of the engine in the future.

Contemporary diagnostic practice in psychiatry relies on the tick-box approach of diagnostic manuals. In light of the obvious limitations of diagnostic systems, narrative formulations, whether in the form of biological, psychodynamic or behavioural cognitive ones, have been proposed. Their approach, which can be caricatured as one of drawing arrows, enriches our clinical tools and practice but in their explicitly theoretical orientation, as well as expanding the field of discovery, they also constrain it. In two previous papers I summarized the resulting limitations, with specific reference to the patient’s experience and proposed further enriching clinical perspicacity by attending to images and parataxis. The specific intent of attending to the patient’s experiences through a process that explicitly eschews narrativization, but allows clinical phenomena to “hang loose”, is to facilitate a process of clinical discovery and healing through practices of co-production between patient and clinician. In the present paper, I expand the range of phenomena that may assist in this co-production through adding attention to dreams to that of images and parataxis. In particular, I turn to the work of the Italian novelist Guido Morselli. Morselli agrues that the self is created through bundling experiences together through acts of “will” in order to establish our personal narrative. In doing so, however, the “will” forbids access to phenomena that do not fit the dominant narrative. Experience is therefore impoverished. Dream consciousness is a type of consciousness not harnessed by the constraints of narrativity. It allows a slipping of the narrative vigilance which bundles phenomena together to create a coherent narrative and thus offers a richer menu of potential experiences, including “bizarre” images that can serve to challenge our usual self-narrative and offer a new perspective on ourselves.

This study investigates the effect of Re addition on the microstructure evolution and oxidation resistance of Co-Cr-Ta-Ti-C alloys. The alloys tested in this study consist of a Co-rich matrix with mixed HCP and FCC phases, together with TaTiC2 and Ti-based carbides. The addition of Re promotes the precipitation and growth of a CoCr-rich σ phase. Differential thermal analysis (DTA) showed that the melting temperatures did not change drastically up to 10 at% Re addition, whereas 15 at% Re addition significantly increased the melting temperature of the alloys. Oxidation tests in air at 1200°C showed that excessive Re content could lead to deterioration in oxidation resistance, mainly due to the accelerated formation of volatile Re oxides.

In recent years, frequent occurrences of low temperature disasters due to global climate change have significantly impacted the normal growth of crops. Research has indicated that inorganic selenium (which is more toxic) can not only enhance the effects of low temperature stress but also increase selenium content on plants; however, there is a scarcity of studies investigating the impacts of organic selenium and nano-selenium on crops. In order to investigate whether organic selenium and nano-selenium can enhance low-temperature tolerance and increase selenium content in pak choi (Brassica chinensis var. pekinensis. cv. ‘Suzhouqing’), different concentrations (0, 5, 10, 20 mg L-1) of exogenous selenium were applied in this experiment to assess their effects on plant growth, nutritional quality and antioxidant properties. RNA-Seq technology was used to sequence the transcriptome of the leaves. Based on the transcriptome data, a Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) was employed to construct a network that associates with physiological traits related to stress resistance. Two highly correlated gene co-expression modules were identified, and within them, nine hub genes associated with endocytosis, antioxidant stress, absorption, transport, and metabolism of selenium were discovered. The results indicated that the beneficial effects on yield and total selenium content under low temperature were attributed to (1) protection of photosynthetic pigments for enhancing photosynthetic capacity by the up-regulation of LHca2, LHcb1, LHca1, LHcb4 in KEGG pathway: photosynthesis-antenna proteins; (2) activation of antioxidant system for efficient ROS homeostasis such as SOD, POD and CAT by the genes such as Superoxide dismutase, Monodehydroascorbate and (3) selenium absorption by endocytosis, seleninum transportation by ABC transporter gene family and selenium metabolism related genes such as Cysteine synthase, Glutaredoxin. These findings provide a foundation for further investigation into the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of organic selenium and nano-selenium on cyanochloride production at low temperatures.

The inaugural AIDS Program in Brazil was established in São Paulo in 1983, with the Instituto Adolfo Lutz appointed for laboratory assistance. Subsequently, research on HIV infections and HIV/HTLV (HIV/HTLV-1 and HIV/HTLV-2) co-infections were conducted. This narrative review focuses on studies from the Immunology Department (1983–2017) that significantly influenced AIDS diagnosis or provided epidemiological data such as prevalence rates, sex, age, and risk factors. Ten studies, encompassing over 8,000 individuals, are discussed. During 1983–1985, nearly all AIDS cases were attributed to homosexual/bisexual men aged 31 years old. Subsequently, heterosexual men and women emerged as risk groups owing to intravenous drug use (IDU) and/or unprotected sexual intercourse with AIDS patients or multiple partners per year. From 1985 onwards, vertical transmission led to child infections. HIV/HTLV co-infection rates decreased over time, initially associated with male IDU, and in the 2010s, with females, IDU, and individuals aged >40 years. Trends in HIV and HIV/HTLV co-infections among younger men and women (<30 years of age) were observed from 2015–2017. The changing characteristics and risk groups for HIV and HIV/HTLV co-infections over the years underscore the necessity for ongoing public policies to prevent retrovirus transmission, particularly among adolescents and young adults.

This paper explores the challenges of providing services of general interest in rural areas of Germany and proposes co-created mobility software solutions to address the specific needs of these regions. The research is part of the Smarte.Land.Regionen project, which aims to improve digital public services at the district level. Focusing on rural mobility, the paper introduces the concept of ride-sharing benches as a potential solution. Through workshops, surveys and market research, the study identifies barriers to the adoption of ride-sharing benches and investigates factors contributing to their success. The proposed software solution emphasizes user-centered development, geographic location of benches and prioritized matching of passengers. Findings highlight safety concerns, lack of reliability, and the importance of getting people who are theoretically interested in solutions to actively participate in them. The paper emphasizes the importance of collaborative development with county stakeholders. Future research should focus on sustaining and scaling digital solutions, measuring their impact on rural mobility, and ensuring their transferability to other regions. The ultimate goal is to contribute to inclusive and sustainable rural development by improving access to digital public services and promoting the adoption of tailored mobility solutions.

The genus Vigna is penta-tropical having more than 200 species with many desirable economically important traits. The aim of study was to validate the in-silico polymorphism of whole genome sequence developed mungbean specific SSR markers and their transferability among the different Vigna species. The present study utilized a set of 200 SSR markers developed from whole genome sequence of mungbean and validated using a diversity panel of 25 accessions which belongs to 13 Vigna species. Out of 200 SSR markers, 130 markers (65%) were polymorphic across the various Vigna species and the number of alleles amplified varied between 7 to24. The SSR markers showed more than 90 percent transferability across the different Vigna species accessions. Based on allelic data, the 25 Vigna accessions grouped into three clusters based upon the unweighted pair group method with arithmetic mean (UPGMA) phylogenetic tree. The principal co-ordinates analysis (PCA) biplot graph and UPGMA based neighbor joining clustering diagram showed similar pattern of Vigna accessions distribution. The population structure assessment has grouped the cultivated and wild species accessions into two sub-population. The estimated marker parameters such as polymorphic information content (0.09 – 0.84), marker index (0.091 – 3.342) and effective multiplex ratio (1.0 – 4.0) suggested their adequacy in several genetic studies such as parental selection, hybrid testing, genetic mapping and marker aided breeding programmes for genetic enhancement of species belonging to the Vigna genus.

In the end, this paper analyzed the economy from the investment in plant construction, raw material collection, product production and product sales. The resulting products include pyrolytic carbon, pyrolytic oil, pyrolysis gas. The results showed that when the treatment scale was 1 ton h−1, the pyrolysis plants with three loading modes will always be in a state of loss during the 20-year running time. When the processing scale was 9 ton h−1, the pyrolysis plant can be profitable in the first year. In the sensitivity analysis, the influence of three pyrolysis products on the total return on investment was explored. The results showed that the price change of pyrolysis oil has the greatest influence on the total return on investment (Total ROI) under the three loading methods, The price change of pyrolysis gas has minimal impact on the Total ROI. This study provides basic data and basis for the commercialization of coal-biomass co-pyrolysis technology and investment in plant construction.

The Density Wave Theory, which aims to explain the formation of spiral arms in disc galaxies, has been subject to discussion. According to this theory, at the co-rotation circle, the rotational velocity of the density waves or spiral arms matches that of the galactic matter. Consequently, this alignment should impede the formation of new stars within this co-rotation circle, leading to the presence of dark or dim gaps within the spiral arms. Additionally, the theory predicts the occurrence of the front side trail effect in the inner region of the co-rotation circle and the rear side trail effect in the outer region. However, despite these expectations, no such spiral patterns have been observed, prompting the need for revision or reconsideration of the Density Wave Theory.

The requirement for integration of power plants due to the cyclical rise in electrical energy consumption is due to fluctuating load demand with the current grid systems. This integration necessitates effective allocating loads to the power plants for a minimum grid-tied transmission line cost while meeting network constraints. In this paper, we formulate an optimisation problem of minimising the total operational cost of all committed plants transmitted to the grid while meeting network constraints and ensuring economic power dispatch (EPD) and energy management system co-optimization. The developed Particle Swarm Optimization (PSO) method resolve the optimisation problem using piecewise quadratic function to describe the operational cost of the generation units, and the B coefficient approach is employed to estimate the transmission losses. Intelligent adjustments are made to the acceleration coefficients, and a brand-new algorithm is suggested for distributing the initial power values to the generation units. The developed economic power dispatch strategy successfully demonstrated an imperative cost reduction with connected load of 850MW, 1263MW and 2630MW power demand are contrasted with previous PSO application cost values, maximum yearly cost savings of (0.55%, 91.87), (46.55%, 3.78), (73.86%, 89.10) respectively, and significant environmental-benefit. The proposed co-optimisation approach can enhance a significant self-consumption ratio compared to the baseline method.

The growth of two pairs of co-cultures (Escherichia coli/Geotrichum candidum, and Staphylococcus aureus/Geotrichum candidum) with a starter culture of lactic acid bacteria was studied in milk at temperatures related to artisanal cheesemaking ripening. For an inoculum of approximately 106 CFU/mL, LAB not only induced an early stationary phase of E. coli (two strains BR and PS2) and S. aureus (strains 2064 and 14733) but affected their death phase. G. candidum was found to be the subject of interactions with LAB within a given temperature range only partially. To develop a tertiary model for the growth curves of the populations, a one-step approach was used, combining two types of primary models (Huang and Gimenez and Dalgaard) with secondary square root models for growth rate and lag time. Furthermore, the reparametrized Gompertz-inspired function with the Bigelow secondary model was used to describe the death phase of the E. coli and S. aureus strains. The prediction ability of the growth of the H-GD tertiary model for co-cultures was cross-validated within the strains and data sets in milk and milk medium with 1 % NaCl.

Abstract: An attractive application of crude glycerol is in the generation of biomethane by means of anaerobic co-digestion, involving the decomposition of the organic matter in two or more substrates by bacteria and archaea, in the absence of oxygen. Thus, the objective of this work was to evaluate the potential of neural networks and fuzzy logic to predict the production of biomethane from the anaerobic co-digestion of glycerol and/or sugarcane molasses. Firstly, a reactor model was implemented using Scilab, with Monod kinetics involving two substrates and an intermediate (M2SI model), to generate a database for subsequent fitting and evaluation of neural and fuzzy models. The neural network package of Matlab was used. Fuzzy modeling was applied using the Takagi-Sugeno approach available in the ANFIS package of Matlab. The biomethane production results simulated by M2SI were used in neural network modeling, firstly employing a “generic” network applicable to all 8 scenarios. A very good fit was obtained (R²>0.99). Excellent performance was also observed for specific artificial neural networks (one for each condition). The parameters of the M2SI model for the 8 different conditions were also mapped using a neural network, as a function of the organic material composition. A fit with R²>0.99 was obtained using 25 neurons. In the case of the fuzzy logic, RMSE of 18.88 mL of methane was obtained with 216 rules, which was a value lower than 0.5% of the order of magnitude of the accumulated methane. It could be concluded from the results that fuzzy logic and artificial neural networks offer excellent ability to predict methane production, as well as to parameterize the M2SI kinetic model (using neural networks).

Using the onset of the COVID 19 pandemic, this chapter examines the cryptocurrencies as safe haven investment for stocks of our time varying realization as to the economic chock centralized by the growing pandemic. Using daily data of COVID 19 measures and daily prices for 4 cryptocurrencies and 4 stocks assets for the whole year 2020, we apply both the VAR-DCC-GARCH and Wavelet Coherency models. New evidence of our chapter find that the Bitcoin and Etherum are highly correlated in the short and long horizon with the selected stocks. However for the case of the Litecoin and the XRP are correlated negatively with the stocks in the whole COVID19 period. We find evidence that, Bitcoin is strong safe haven asset for all the selected stocks during the COVID19 era, while the Litecoin is weak safe haven investment for all the stocks and the XRP is with lowest potential of safe haven investment for all the studied stocks. Within the study we are providing a diversification of hedging for the investors and policy makers suggesting that the cryptocurrencies acted as safe haven investment similar to the precious metals during historic crisis and as fiat money for any economic shocks might occurred. The abstract should summarize the contents of the paper in short terms, i.e. 150-250 words.

An essential metric for determining the efficacy of tuberculosis (TB) control programs is the evaluation of TB treatment outcomes. Assessing treatment outcomes is fundamental to facilitating the End TB Strategy set target. Clinic records from 457 patients with DR-TB were examined for data collection while 101 patients were followed up prospectively. Data were analyzed using Stata version 17.0. The odds ratio and 95% confidence interval were calculated to check the association between variables. P ≤ 0.05 was con-sidered statistically significant. Of the 427 participants, 65.8% had successful treatment whilst 34.2% had unsuccessful TB treatment. A total of 61.2% and 39% of the HIV-positive and HIV-negative participants had a successful TB treatment whilst 66% and 34% of both HIV-negative and positive participants had unsuccessful TB treatment. From 101 patients that were followed up, smokers had longer treatment outcomes compared to non-smokers. In the study with HIV/TB co-infection, men predominated. HIV and tuberculosis co-infection made therapy difficult with unfavorable effects on TB management. The treatment success rate (65.8%) is lower than the WHO threshold standard with a high proportion of patients lost to follow-up. The co-infection of tuberculosis and HIV resulted in undesirable treatment outcomes. Strengthening TB surveillance and control is recommended.

Determining genetic and non-genetic sources of variation in a breed is vital for the formulation of strategies for its conservation and improvement. The present study was aimed at estimating the (co)variance components and genetic parameters of Mecheri sheep by fitting six different animal models in the restricted maximum likelihood method, with a preliminary investigation on the performance of animals for non-genetic sources of variation. A total of 2616 lambs were studied, and varying levels of significance were found for the effect of period, season, parity of dam and birth type on different body weight traits. Direct heritability estimates derived from the best animal model for body weight at birth, 3 months, 6 months, 9 months and 12 months were 0.21, 0.24, 0.10, 0.15 and 0.09, respectively, and maternal heritabilities of the corresponding traits were 0.12, 0.05, 0.04, 0.04 and 0.04, respectively. The genetic correlations between body weight traits were all positive and moderate to strong except for birth weight with the other body weight traits. The significance of non-genetic factors studied in this work demanded a correction to improve the accuracy of the direct selection of lambs for body weight traits. The estimated genetic parameters identified the weaning weight as a selection criterion for the improvement in body weight of Mecheri lambs at different ages. Inbred individuals accounted for approximately 13% of the total population in the Mecheri sheep population studied. There were 877 founders in the population, and the actual effective size of the population was 128.48. The population's mean generation interval was 3.26. The mean inbreeding values ranged from 0.005 to 0.010 across generations. The population's average relatedness ranged from 0.001 to 0.014 across generations. Individual inbreeding was found to be 0.45 per cent for the entire population and 3.4 per cent for the inbred population.

This study presents three forms of interdisciplinary expertise in the healthcare design context to approach a particular multifaceted problem around the current healthcare for older adult patients with chronic low-back pain (LBP). Using an interdisciplinary co-design framework, first, our design approach performs the role of an initiator to define the problem by exploring the current context of healthcare. Second, it facilitates the experiences of experts and patients to reach the roots of the problem by functioning as a mediator. Third, our approach fulfills the primary role of healthcare design in producing new meanings considering the principles of patient-centeredness. These roles significantly contributed to the design of healthcare innovations. Our framework transformed the distributed disciplinary knowledge developed while tackling the multifaceted problem into new forms of expertise for collaboration in healthcare innovation.

The article is aimed at a brief comparison and analysis of the results of queries to IEEE Xplore and the leading abstract databases Scopus and Web of Science to identify research trends. Some errors in the Author Keywords in Web of Science have been revealed. Therefore, a more detailed analysis was conducted by comparing different types of key terms for IEEE Xplore and Scopus platforms only. I used IEEE Access journal metadata as indexed on both platforms. The sample match for IEEE Xplore and Scopus was achieved by comparing DOI. The IEEE Xplore metadata contains more types of key terms, which provides an advantage in analyzing research trends. Using NSPEC Controlled Terms from expert-compiled vocabulary provides a more stable data, which gives an advantage when considering the change of terms over time. Apriori, an algorithm for finding association rules, has been used to compare co-occurrence of terms for a more detailed description of sample subjects on both platforms. VOSviewer was used to analyze trends in scientific research based on IEEE Xplore data. The 2011-2021 ten-year period was divided into two sub-intervals for comparing the occurrence of Author Keywords, IEEE Terms, and NSPEC Controlled Terms. Using the IEEE conference proceedings bibliometric data, I illustrated the importance of context in estimating the rate of growth of publishing activity on a topic of interest.

Spatial planning holds a key role in preventing or mitigating the impacts of climate change on both cities and rural areas, taking a forward-thinking and holistic approach to urban and regional development. As such, spatial planning deals with challenges occurring at different scales and across sectors. The international literature points out the need for horizontal and vertical cooperation to tackle climate change impacts. While there is abundant knowledge regarding the challenges related to climate change at different spatial levels, procedural integration into planning frameworks and practice is currently under-researched. This paper presents a novel theoretical framework that integrates various steps towards a holistic, integrative and adaptive climate proofing process. An iterative process was used for conceptual development, based on literature review followed by external feedback meetings and two workshops with the core team of planning experts responsible for exchange across federal states. By specifically addressing the challenges relating to cross-regional and cross-sectoral planning, this novel framework attempts to (i) facilitate a hierarchy of measures, (ii) maximise co-benefits for various adaptation purposes and climate change mitigation and (iii) foster the long-term institutionalisation of integrative processes across sectors, planning areas and policy levels.

Most smallscale farmers still use the traditional way of agricultural crop farming, and relay mostly use of chemical fertilizers (CF). Recently CF have become expensive and could in some way have a negative impact on soil quality after long term application. However, co-application of biogas slurry (BGS) with CF could help reduce farming costs while improving dry matter yields, grain yields, primary macronutrient uptake of (Nitrogen) N, (Phosphorus) P, (Potasium) K, (Calcium) Ca and (Magnesium) Mg and soil concentration of pH, (organic carbon) OC, N, P, K, Ca and Mg after crop harvest. The study was a field experiment conducted in 2016-2017 and 2017-2018 growing seasons. The field experiment was arranged in a randomized complete block design with four replicates. The treatments were based on percentages of recommended N rates of 120 kg N ha-1 for maize production. The BGS/CF treatments were (i) 0/0, (ii) 0/120, (iii) 24/96, (iv) 48/72, (v) 72/48, (vi) 96/24, (vii) 120/0 kg N ha-1. The spreading of the combination of BGS/CF treatments was performed by hand and incorporated into the top soil (0-10 cm) in each experimental plots. BGS/CF (48/72) treatment resulted into higher dry matter yield in 2016-2017, which was higher than all other treatment combinations, while in the 2017-2018 season, treatment of (0/120) resulted into higher dry matter than all other treatment combinations. The 48/72 and 0/120 treatments resulted into similar grain yield in 2016-2017 season which were higher than all other treatments. Treatments of 48/72, 72/48 and 120/0 had higher N, P, K, Ca and Mg uptake than 0/0, 0/120, 24/96 and 96/24 treatments in both seasons. Soil pH, total N, K, and Mg were high from the treatment of (120/0) than all other treatments in 2016-2017 while in the 2017-2018 season, treatment of (48/72) had higher OC, P and K after maize harvest. The findings of his study show that co-application of BGS/CF at 48/72 and 72/48 have maize yield benefits compared to the two resources, BGS/CF (120/0) and BGS/CF (0/120), applied separately in soil especially in the arid and semi-arid regions.

Early education is critical for improving energy efficiency. The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of Interactive Cross-Border Classes to increase awareness of energy efficiency among middle school students. We designed and tested an Interactive Cross-Border class between Chilean and Peruvian 8th-grade classes. The classes were synchronously connected and all students answered open-ended questions on an online platform. Some of the questions were designed to check conceptual understanding while others asked for suggestions of how to develop their economies while keeping CO₂ air concentration at acceptable levels. In real-time, the teacher reviewed the students’ written answers and the concept maps that were automatically generated based on their responses. Students peer-reviewed their classmates’ suggestions. This is part of an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) STEM Education project on Energy Efficiency using APEC databases. We found high levels of student engagement, where students discussed not only the cross-cutting nature of energy, but also its relation to socioeconomic development and CO₂ emissions, and the need to work together to improve energy efficiency. In conclusion, Interactive Cross-Border classes are a feasible educational alternative, with potential as a scalable public policy strategy for improving awareness of energy efficiency among the population.

Transporter associated with antigen processing 1 (TAP1) gene codes for a transporter protein, which is responsible for tumor antigen presentation in the MHC I or HLA complex. A defect in the gene results in an inadequate tumor tracking. TAP1 may also influence multi drug resistance, which is an extreme threat in providing treatment by drugs which are chemotherapeutic. The gene of TAP1 was analyzed bioinformatically. It gave us prognostic data as a confirmation of whether it should be used as a biomarker. The expression level and pattern analysis were conducted using ONCOMINE, GENT2 and GEPIA2 online platforms. Samples with different clinical outcomes were investigated for expression and promoter methylation analysis was done in cancer vs normal tissues using UALCAN. The copy number alteration and mutation frequency and expression in different cancer studies were analyzed using cBioPortal. The PrognoScan and KM plotter survival analysis of significant data (p-value<0.05) was representing graphically. Pathway and Gene ontology analysis of gene correlated to TAP1 gene was presented using bar charts. After arranging the data in a single panel and correlating expression to prognosis, understanding mutational and alterations and comparing pathways, TAP1 may be a potential novel target to evade a threat against chemotherapy and the study gives new aspects to consider for immunotherapy in human breast, lung, liver and ovarian cancer.

Corynebacterium pseudotuberculosis is a Gram-positive bacterium that causes caseous lymphadenitis, a disease that predominantly affects sheep, goat, cattle, buffalo, and horses, but has also been recognized in other animals. This bacterium generates a severe economic impact on countries producing meat. Gene expression studies using RNA-seq is one of the most commonly used techniques to perform transcriptional experiments. Computational analysis on such data through reverse-engineering algorithms leads to a better understanding of the genome-wide complexity of gene interactomes, enabling the identification of genes having the most significant functions inferred by the activated stress response pathways. In this study, we identified the influential or causal genes from four RNA-seq data-sets from different stress conditions (high iron, low iron, acid, osmosis, and PH) in C. pseudotuberculosis, using a consensus-based network inference algorithm called miRsig and identified the causal genes in the network using the miRinfluence tool, which is based on the influence diffusion model. We found that over 50\% of the genes identified as influential have some essential cellular functions in the genomes. In the strains analyzed, most of the causal genes have crucial roles or participate in processes associated with response to extracellular stresses, pathogenicity, membrane components, and essential genes. This research brings new insight into the understanding of virulence and infection by C. pseudotuberculosis.

This study aimed to assess the ecotoxicological effects of the interaction of fullerene (C₆₀) and benzo[a]pyrene (B[a]P) on the marine mussel, Mytilus galloprovincialis. The uptake of nC₆₀, B[a]P and mixtures of nC₆₀ and B[a]P into tissues was confirmed by GC-MS, LC-HRMS and ICP-MS. Biomarkers of DNA damage as well as proteomics analysis were applied to unravel the toxic effect of B[a]P and C₆₀. Antagonistic responses were observed at the genotoxic and proteomic level. Differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) were only identified in the B[a]P single exposure and the B[a]P mixture exposure groups containing 1 mg/L of C₆₀, the majority of which were down-regulated (~52%). No DEPs were identified at any of the concentrations of nC₆₀ (p < 0.05, 1% FDR). Using DEPs identified at a threshold of (p < 0.05; B[a]P and B[a]P mixture with nC₆₀), gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto encyclopedia of genes and genomes (KEGG) pathway analysis indicated that these proteins were enriched with a broad spectrum of biological processes and pathways, including those broadly associated with protein processing, cellular processes and environmental information processing. Among those significantly enriched pathways, the ribosome was consistently the top enriched term irrespective of treatment or concentration and plays an important role as the site of biological protein synthesis and translation. Our results demonstrate the complex multi-modal response to environmental stressors in M. galloprovincialis.

Contemporary literature dealing with the governance and exploitation of common-pool natural resources was initiated by Elinor Ostrom in 1990, and has been growing fast ever since. On the contrary, within the same research stream, the study of the presence and economic role of common resources in entrepreneurial organizations is, to date, under-researched. This work endeavors to fill some gaps in this research perspective by: (i) spelling out a new-institutionalist framework for the analysis of the accumulation and governance of common capital resources within organizational boundaries; (ii) considering co-operative enterprises as the organizational form that, on the basis of historical record, and of behavioral and institutional characteristics, demonstrated to be most compatible with a substantial role for common and non-divided asset-ownership and with its governance thereof; (iii) evidencing and explaining the strong connection between cooperative longevity and the presence of non-divided asset ownership. The economic forces influencing the optimal level of self-financed common capital resources in co-operatives are enquired. Conclusions to the paper evidence the main reasons why the new approach can better explain than preceding ones the economic sustainability and longevity of cooperative enterprises.

The viability, productivity and survival of higher plants under the adverse factors influence are largely determined by the functional activity of the antioxidant system. The aim of our work was to investigate changes in formation of high-molecular (superoxide dismutase and peroxidase) and low-molecular (phenolics, including flavanols and proanthocyanidins) antioxidants in callus culture of Camellia sinensis under influence of phenolic precursors (L-phenylalanine – 3 mM, trans-cinnamic acid – 1 mM, naringenin – 0.5 mM). According to the data obtained, precursors effect on tea callus cultures did not lead to significant increasing of superoxide dismutase and peroxidase activity in most cases. However, it led to the increased accumulation of the total phenolics content, as well as flavanols and proanthocyanidins contents. For C. sinensis callus cultures, the most promising regulator of phenolic compounds was L-phenylalanine, in the presence of which its content increased almost twice. Thus, the exogenous effect of various precursors is possible to use for the targeted regulation of the certain phenolics classes accumulation in plant cells.

Plant biotechnology is dependent today on accessing broader plant genetic resources for food and agriculture (PGRFA) diversity for ensuring food security for our future. Heterogenous agricultural lands are considered today as hotspot for biodiversity, and they also exist in the hilly mountain areas of Romanian’s Carpathians. The scope of this review is to describe traditional home-hardens related to the land use of households and cultivated species from Moșna commune, Sibiu County, Romania. The survey was realized with the support of authorities and local stakeholders from 2010 up to 2019. The results of this survey revealed that maintenance of crop species structure and land use of traditional households is longer than 100 years. Consequently at least 15 traditional Saxon home-gardens of 120 taken into the study may be defined. Today these home-garden covers a media of 26% of the total area of a household and should be part of a surface ranging between 5,000 and 1,500 m2. The first Local Council Decision in Romania in 2019 supporting the recognition of landraces and home-gardens as heritage values was officially adopted supporting the need to more access bottom-up approaches for supporting biodiversity conservation.

This paper aims to stress the nexus between sustainable development, economic freedom and local participatory democracy in 21 European smart cities. The development of smart cities is strongly correlated with technological advancements and improved access to pub-lic services for all residents. Furthermore, smart cities are characterized by efficient man-agement of social, economic and environmental resources and a strong partnership be-tween the public and private sectors. The paper aims to map the dynamics of local partic-ipatory democracy in European smart cities and to identify several relevant predictors of local participatory democracy. The sample is represented by 21 European capitals (20 EU countries plus UK), which are included in the Smart City Index (SCI). Using the quantita-tive design based on both statistical regressions and structural equations modelling (SEM), the paper shows positive statistical correlation between economic factors, sustainable de-velopment, political culture, education and the level of local participatory democracy. Be-sides the exogenous variables, the study emphasized the main priority areas, which might be seen as urgent issues for local governments. The conclusion of the paper underlines the fact that economic freedom, sustainable development, upper secondary education, afford-able housing and an increased level of citizens’ engagement could predict further evolu-tions of the local participatory democracy in 21 European capitals.

Electrospinning is a simple versatile method to generate nanofibres. Remarkable progress has been made in the development of electrospinning process. The production of nanofibers is affected by many parameters, which influence the final material properties. Electrospun fibers have a wide range of applications such as energy storage and biomedical scaffolds. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) has been widely used in the production of carbon nanofibers. PAN has received increasing interest in recent years, due to its excellent characteristics, such as spinnability, biocompatibility, and commercial viability, opening new applications in the biotechnological field. This paper provides an overview of the electrospinning process, its main parameters, and operation modes that affect nanofibers fabrication. A review of their biological applications is proposed. A focus is made on PAN fibers formation, functionalization, and application as scaffolds to allow cell growth. Overall, nanofibre scaffolds, made of stabilized PAN, appear as a powerful tool in medical applications needing controlled cell culture.

Since the 21st century, China's urbanization process has been rapid development, the concept and function of urban public space in the city has been gradually paid attention to. In order to guarantee life and water, most urban construction relies on rivers, and Bridges are the most important way to communicate between urban areas. The main functional part of the bridge is the span structure, that is, the bearing structure of the bridge, and the lower part of the "gray" space formed by the bridge structure. Considering the social level, with the economic growth and urbanization development, people have brought a better living environment and quality of life, and also improved the requirements for urban public environment. In the increasingly tense urban space, how to use and transform the space under the bridge is a problem that needs to be considered and solved. In view of this problem, in this study, we try to solve the micro-transformation of space under Bridges in cities through public art from the perspective of "regional culture" and "art for all". This paper analyzes the micro-transformation of space art under Bridges in two large cities of Shanghai and Foshan, namely, the space under Bridges under Songhong Road in Shanghai, the space under Bridges under Central Of Suzhou River and the space under Bridges under Pingsheng Bridge in Foshan. This paper discusses the cultural intervention of "regional culture" in the micro-transformation of the space under the bridge, and the influence and effect of "art for all" on the public art space under the bridge after the transformation to the community and the public.

Short chain quinones (SCQs) have been identified as potential drug candidates against mitochondrial dysfunction, which is largely dependent on their reversible redox characteristics of the active quinone core. We recently synthesized a SCQ library of > 148 naphthoquinone derivatives and identified 16 compounds with enhanced cytoprotection compared to the clinically used benzoquinone idebenone. One of the major drawbacks of idebenone is its high metabolic conversion in the liver, which significantly restricts is therapeutic activity. Therefore, this study assessed the metabolic stability of the 16 identified naphthoquinone derivatives 1-16 using hepatocarcinoma cells in combination with an optimized reverse-phase liquid chromatography (RP-LC) method. Most of the derivatives showed significantly better stability than idebenone over 6 hours (p < 0.001). By extending the side-chain of SCQs, increased stability for some compounds was observed. Metabolic conversion from the derivative 3 to 5 and reduced idebenone metabolism in the presence of 5 were also observed. These results highlight the therapeutic potential of naphthoquinone-based SCQs and provide essential insights for future drug design, prodrug therapy and polytherapy, respectively.

Cancer cell lines are widely used as in vitro models of tumorigenesis, facilitating fundamental discoveries in cancer biology and translational medicine. Currently, there are few options for glioblastoma (GBM) treatment and limited in vitro models with accurate genomic and transcriptomic characterization. Here, a detailed characterization of a new GBM cell line, namely AHOL1, was conducted in order to fully characterize its molecular composition based on its copy number alteration (CNA) and transcriptome profiling, followed by the validation of key elements associated with GBM tumorigenesis. Large numbers of CNAs and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified. CNAs were distributed throughout the genome, including gains at Xq11.1-q28, Xp22.33-p11.1, Xq21.1-q21.33, 4p15.1-p14, 8q23.2-q23.3 and losses at Yq11.21-q12, Yp11.31-p11.2 and 12p13.31 positions. Nine druggable genes were identified, including HCRTR2, ETV1, PTPRD, PRKX, STS, RPS6KA6, ZFY, USP9Y and KDM5D. By integrating DEGs and CNAs, we identified 57 overlapping genes enriched in fourteen pathways. Altered expression of several cancer-related candidates found in the DEGs-CNA dataset was confirmed by RT-qPCR. Taken together, this first comprehensive genomic and transcriptomic landscape of AHOL1 provides unique resources for further studies and identifies several druggable targets that may be useful for therapeutics and biologic and molecular investigation of GBM.

This is a theoretical and empirical article. In the first part, an original definition of the cross-border market for cultural services has been developed, based on classic market definitions. The structure and conditions of functioning for this market have also been presented. The next part of the article discusses the supply side of the cross-border market of cultural services for the two twin towns: Cieszyn (Poland) and Český Těšín (Czech Republic). Next, based on the surveys conducted, the participation of residents of both towns in the most important cultural events organised by cultural institutions on both sides of the border was examined.

Background: Metabolic flux analysis (MFA) is an indispensable tool in metabolic engineering. The simplest variant of MFA relies on an overdetermined stoichiometric model of the cell’s metabolism under the pseudo-steady state assumption, to evaluate the intracellular flux distribution. Despite its long history, the issue of model error in the overdetermined MFA, particularly misspecifications of the stoichiometric matrix, has not received much attention. Method: We evaluated the performance of statistical tests from linear least square regressions, namely Ramsey RESET test, F-test and Lagrange multiplier test, in detecting model misspecifications in the overdetermined MFA, particularly missing reactions. We further proposed an iterative procedure using the F-test to correct such an issue. Result: Using Chinese hamster ovary and random metabolic networks, we demonstrated that: (1) a statistically significant regression does not guarantee high accuracy of the flux estimates, (2) the removal of a reaction with a low flux magnitude can cause disproportionately large biases in the flux estimates, (3) the F-test could efficiently detect missing reactions, and (4) the proposed iterative procedure could robustly resolve the omission of reactions. Conclusion: Our work demonstrated that statistical analysis and tests could be used to systematically assess, detect and resolve model misspecifications in the overdetermined MFA.

Zinc Oxide nanoparticles functionalized with APTES were obtained to evaluate their CH4 and CO2 adsorption and separation behavior. First, ZnO nanoparticles were obtained by a precipitation method and subsequently coated with (3-aminopropyl)-triethoxysilane (APTES). The nanoparticles sample was characterized by UV-Vis, FT-IR spectroscopy, TGA, XRD, TEM/EDX, XPS and N2 adsorption at 77 K. CH4 and CO2 adsorption experiments were carried out at 298 K in a range between 0-10 bar. It was observed that the amount of gas adsorbed on the surface of the nanostructure is very small in comparison with other materials traditionally used for this purpose but slightly higher than those obtained in naked nanoparticles evaluated in previous studies.

The dissolution of CO₂ in seawater in the form of bicarbonate ions is an attractive alternative to the storage in geological formations, on the conditions that the storage is stable over long times and does not harm the marine environment. In this work, we focus on the long-term chemical stability of CO₂ absorbed in seawater as bicarbonate, by monitoring the physico-chemical properties of the solutions (pH, dissolved inorganic carbon and alkalinity), in six different sets of experiments on both natural and artificial seawater lasting up to three months. The bicarbonate treatment of natural seawater consists in pouring pre-equilibrated solutions obtained from the reaction of CO₂ and Ca(OH)₂. If the pre-equilibrated mixture does not exceed a critical threshold (ca. 1000-1500 mmol/L), the resulting bicarbonate-rich solutions can be stable for over three months.

Safety signal detection, an integral component of Pharmacovigilance (PhV), aims to identify new or known adverse events (AEs) resulting from the use of pharmacotherapeutic products. Post-marketing spontaneous reports from different sources are commonly utilized as a data source for detecting these signals but there are underlying challenges arising from data complexity. This paper investigates the implementation of the Apriori algorithm, a popular method in association rule mining, to identify frequently co-occurring drugs and AEs within safety data. We discuss previous applications of the Apriori algorithm for safety signal detection and conduct a detailed study of an improved method specifically tailored for this purpose. This enhanced approach refines the classical Apriori method to effectively reveal potential associations between drugs/vaccines and AEs from post-marketing safety monitoring datasets, especially when AEs are rare. Detailed comparative simulation studies across varied settings, coupled with the application of the method to vaccine safety data from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), demonstrate the efficacy of the improved approach. In conclusion, the improved Apriori algorithm is shown to be a useful screening tool for detecting rarely occurring potential safety signals from the use of drugs/vaccines using post-marketing safety data.

The revolutionary idea of complementary intelligence involves a unique strategy in which artificial intelligence (AI) works with human cognitive abilities embodied by natural intelligence (NI), creating a harmonious partnership instead of engaging in a competitive relationship. This innovative concept can potentially revolutionize how we approach scientific research and discovery. This cutting-edge process capitalizes on pooling the vast information from various distinct and autonomous sources to generate forecasts that frequently outshine human perspectives by significant margins, leading to groundbreaking advancements in scientific development based on hybrid intelligence. Multilayer networks extend traditional network theory to adjacent layers linked through copula nodes. Artificial intelligence, with its retrieval capacity to collect and interpret big data, sharply increases the number of nodes and their linking interpretation. This process, amplified by multilayer networks, dramatically improves the scalability of the networked ecosystem. Multilayer networks can represent NI and AI in complementary hyperplanes, connecting them with copula nodes and edge properties. Thus, it is possible to measure the interaction of NI and AI, assessing their scalable value co-creation properties. This study examines the interaction of NI and AI with an innovative and multidisciplinary approach. A theoretical framework of these related concepts precedes practical insights for possible applications in future research.

Volunteering has many social, emotional and health benefits and could be an option for people with younger/early onset dementia to engage in stage/age-appropriate, personally meaningful activity within their local community. Audio data of people with young onset dementia discussing their volunteering experiences were taken from the Dementia Diaries and co-analysed. This study explored how people with dementia volunteer in the UK, the benefits and barriers, and how we can improve access to volunteering opportunities. The findings suggest that stigma is the overarching concept (or net) which influences people’s experiences of volunteering with dementia. Within the stigma net, three themes were developed that employed a lifespan approach to challenging said stigma: 1) Valuing the past, 2) Valuing the present and 3) Valuing the future, each with additional subthemes. This research contributes to the limited pool of literature that highlights the clear benefits of volunteering for people with young onset dementia, while also considering how dementia stigma can create practical and institutional barriers to accessing volunteering. Guidance is provided for how to deliver meaningful and accessible volunteering opportunities.

A comprehensive investigation was undertaken at Vytautas Magnus University Experimental Station, located at 54°52’50” N latitude and 23°49’41” E longitude on soil (Epieutric Endocalcaric Planosol – PLe-gln-w) since 1999, to understand the impacts of different agrotechnical measures on soil health and crop yield. Two primary factors were assessed. Factor A incorporated practices of straw removal versus straw chopping and spreading, while Factor B evaluated a spectrum of tillage techniques: conventional deep ploughing, shallow ploughing, ploughless tillage, single seedbed discing, and two no-tillage practices, one of which involved cover crops. Findings from this long-term study highlight the significant potential of specific farming systems in enhancing soil organic carbon. It has a positive effect on the release of CO2 emissions from the soil, thus promoting soil resilience and increasing plant productivity. These insights are paramount in devising sustainable agricultural strategies to counter the challenges of climate change on agroecosystems. This research showcases the profound effects of combining residue management and tillage practices, setting a novel standard for sustainable soil management of climatic uncertainties.

Eco-agricultural technology is crucial to alleviating agricultural resource scarcity and environ-mental pressures. However, financial constraint affects its successful promotion. Digital finance has a significant impact on farmers, but existing research lacks an exploration of the impact of digital finance on farmers' adoption of eco-agricultural technology. This study focuses on Rice–Crayfish Co-cultivation Technology as an example. It utilizes survey data from 1,063 households in China. An Endogenous Switching Probit model is employed to solve self-selection bias. The results reveal several key findings. First, the average treatment effect on the treated is 51.5%. This indicates that if farmers who use digital finance were to stop using it, the probability of adopting rice–crayfish co-cultivation technology would decrease by 51.5%. Therefore, digital finance is beneficial for farmers in adopting this technology. Second, heterogeneity analysis reveals that digital finance has a greater promoting effect on older farmers, those with lower education levels, and higher proportions of agricultural income. This suggests a greater reliance on digital financial services among vulnerable groups. Third, digital finance promotes farmers' adoption of rice–crayfish co-cultivation technology by alleviating financial constraints, expanding information channels, and increasing social capital accumulation. Overall, the findings offer valuable insights for for-mulating supportive policies.

Marine lipids are recognized for their health promoting features, mainly for being the primary sources of omega-3 fatty acids, and therefore critical for human nutrition in an age when the global supply for these nutrients is experiencing an unprecedent pressure due to an ever-increasing demand. The seafood industry originates a considerable yield of co-products worldwide that, while already explored for other purposes, remain mostly undervalued as sustainable sources of healthy lipids, often being explored for low value oil production. These co-products are especially appealing as lipid sources since, besides the well-known nutritional upside of marine animal fat, particularly rich in omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), they have also interesting bioactive properties, which may garner them further interest, not only as food, but also for other high-end applications. Besides the added value that these co-products may represent as valuable lipid sources, there is also the obvious ecological upside of reducing seafood industry waste. In this sense, repurposing these bioresources will contribute to a more sustainable use of marine animal food, reducing the strain on already heavily depleted seafood stocks. Therefore, untapping the potential of marine animal co-products as valuable lipid sources aligns with both health and environmental goals by guaranteeing additional sources of healthy lipids and promoting more eco-conscious practices.

Functional dependence of the axial zero-field splitting parameter D with respect to a properly chosen geometrical parameter (Dstr) in metal complexes is termed the Magnetostructural D-Correlation. In mononuclear hexacoordinate Ni(II) complexes with the ground electronic term 3B1g (3A2g in the regular octahedron) it proceeds along two intercepting straight lines allowing to predict the sign and magnitude of the D-parameter by knowing the X-ray structure alone; Dstr is constructed from the metal-ligand bond lengths. In hexacoordinate Co(II) complexes it is applicable only in the segment of the compressed bipyramid where the ground electronic term 4B1g is orbitally non-degenerate so that the spin Hamiltonian formalism holds true. The D vs Dstr correlation is strongly non-linear and it is represented by a set of decreasing exponentials. In tetracoordinate Co(II) complexes, on the contrary, the angular distortion from the regular tetrahedron is crucial so that the appropriate structural parameter Dstr is constructed of bond angles. All of these empirical correlations originate in the electronic structure of metal complexes that can be modelled by the generalized crystal-field theory. As the barrier to spin reversal in the single-molecule magnets is proportional to the D-value, for a rational tuning and/or prediction of the single-molecule magnetic behavior knowledge/prediction of the D-parameter is beneficial. In this review, we present the statistical processing of an extensive set of structural and magnetic data of Co(II) and Ni(II) complexes, which were published over the past 15 years. Magnetostructural D-correlations defined for this data set are reviewed in detail.

The effective treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), also known as acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), has transformed a highly lethal disease into a chronic and manageable condition. However, better methods need to be developed for eliminating the virus from reservoirs, enhancing patient access and adherence to therapy, and improving treatment in the long term to reduce adverse effects. From the perspective of drug discovery, one promising strategy is the development of anti-HIV prodrugs. This approach aims to enhance the efficacy and safety of treatment, promoting the development of more appropriate and convenient systems for patients. In this review, we discussed the use of the prodrug approach for HIV antiviral agents and emphasized nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors. We comprehensively described various strategies that are used to enhance factors such as water solubility, bioavailability, pharmacokinetic parameters, permeability across biological membranes, chemical stability, drug delivery to specific sites/organs, and tolerability. These strategies might help researchers conduct better studies in this field. We also reported successful examples from the primary therapeutic classes while discussing the advantages and limitations. In this review, we highlighted the key trends in the application of the prodrug approach for treating HIV/AIDS..

A comparative study of the physicochemical properties of natural bentonite clays of Pogodayevо (Republic of Kazakhstan, mod.1) and Dash-Salakhli (Republic of Azerbaijan, mod.2) deposits and modification of the bentonite clay with polyhydroxocations of iron (III) and aluminium (III). It-wasestablished that the modification of natural bentonitesusing polyhydroxocations of iron (III) and aluminium(III) by the method of "co-precipitation" leads to a change in their chemical composition, structural and sorption properties. The results showed that hydroxy-aluminum cations ([Al3O4(OH)24(H2O)12]7+) and poly-hydroxyl-Fe or polyoxo-Fe were intercalated into clay layers, which led to an increase in the values of d001 and specific surface areas compared to those of the original bentonite, from 37 to 120 for the Pogodaevo bentonite and from 51 to 172 respectively for bentonite from the Dash-Salakhli deposit. It is shown that modified sorbents based on natural bentonite are finely porous objects with a predominance of pores of 1.5−6.0 nm in size. As a result, there is a significant increase in the specific surface area of sorbents. Modification of bentonite with polyhydroxocations of iron (III) and aluminium (III) by the "co-precipitation" method also leads to an increase in the sorption capacity of the sorbents obtained with respect to nickel (II) cations. Modified bentonites were used for the adsorption of Ni (II) ions from the model solution. Ni (II) was absorbed in a neutral pH solution. The study of equilibrium adsorption showed that the data are in good agreement with the Langmuir isotherm model. The maximum adsorption capacity of the Ni (II) monolayer obtained from the Langmuir equation was 25.0 mg/g (mod. 1_Al_5-c), 18.2 mg/g (mod. 2_Al_5-c) for Al-bentonite and 16.7 mg/g (mod. 1_Fe_5-c), 10.1 (mod. 2_Fe_5-c) for Fe-bentonite. The kinetics of adsorption is considered. The high content of Al-OH anion exchange centresin them determines the higher sorption activity of Al-modified bentonites.

Scrub typhus (ST) is one of the most neglected tropical diseases, a leading cause of acute undifferentiated febrile illness in areas of the ‘tsutsugamushi triangle’, diagnosed frequently in South Asian countries. The bacteria Orientia tsutsugamushi is the causative agent of the disease, which enters to human body through the bite of trombiculid mite (Chigger) of the genus Leptotrombidium deliense.The diagnosis of the disease becomes challenging as its early symptoms mimic other febrile illnesses like dengue, influenza, and corona viruses. Lack of rapid, reliable, and cost-effective diagnostic methods further complicates the identification process. Northeast India, a mountainous region with a predominantly rural tribal population, has witnessed a resurgence of scrub typhus cases in recent years. Various ecological factors, including rodent population, habitat characteristics, and climatic conditions, influence its prevalence. Entomological investigations have confirmed the abundance of vector mites, highlighting the importance of understanding their distribution and the probability of transmission of scrub typhus in the region. Proper diagnosis, awareness campaigns, and behavioral interventions are essential for controlling scrub typhus outbreaks and reducing its impact on public health in Northeast India. Further research and community-based studies are necessary to accurately assess the disease burden and implement effective prevention strategies.

This research elucidates the dynamic expression of expansin genes during the wheat grain (Triticum aestivum L.) development process using comprehensive meta-analysis and experimental validation. We leveraged RNA-seq data from multiple public databases, applying stringent criteria for selection, and identified 60,852 differentially expressed genes across developmental stages. From this pool, 28,558 DEGs were found to exhibit significant temporal regulation in at least two different datasets, and were enriched for processes integral to grain development such as carbohydrate metabolism and cell wall organization. Notably, 30% of the 241 known expansin genes showed differential expression during grain growth. Hierarchical clustering and expression level analysis revealed temporal regulation and distinct contributions of expansin subfamilies during the early stages of grain development. Further analysis using co-expression networks underscored the significance of expansin genes, revealing their substantial co-expression with genes involved in cell wall modification. Finally, qPCR validation and grain morphological analysis under field conditions indicated a significant negative correlation between expression of select expansin genes and grain size and weight. This study illuminates the potential role of expansin genes in wheat grain development and provides new avenues for targeted genetic improvements in wheat.

The ultrasonic vibration assisted pressing process can improve the fluidity, the uneven distribution of density and particle size of WC-Co powder. However, the microscopic mechanism of ultrasonic vibration on the powder remains unclear. In this paper, WC and Co particles are simulated by three-dimensional spherical models of two particle sizes with the aide of the secondary development of Python. At the same time, the forming process of powder at mesoscale is simulated in the virtue of the finite element analysis software ABAQUS. The influence of vibration amplitude on the fluidity, the filling density and the stress distribution of WC-Co powder is investigated when the ultrasonic vibration is applied to the conventional pressing process. From simulation results, the ultrasonic vibration amplitude has great influences on the density of the compact. With the increase of the ultrasonic amplitude, the compact density also increases gradually. At the initial stage of the compaction, the particles move violently under the action of ultrasonic vibration, the fluidity is obviously enhanced, the arch bridge effect between particles is destroyed, the fine particles quickly fill the pores between the large particles, which increase the density, and the residual stress in the billet decreases after the compaction. From the experimental results, the size distribution of the billet is more uniform, the elastic aftereffect is reduced, the dimensional instability is improved, and the density curves obtained by experiment and simulation are within a reasonable error range.

The objective of the current investigation is to identify the first or first draining node or sentinel lymph node (SLN) from the primary tumor mass in a regional lymphocenter. Four different indirect lymphography (IL) methods were employed in 96 canine patients with different types of cancer between 2018 and 2021. The IL technique involved intradermal, submucosal, and peritumoral injections of 2ml contrast agent in the four-quadrant principle which were divided into equal aliquots. Lymphatic mapping with lipiodol (iodized oil) was 100% in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck, anal sac apocrine gland adenocarcinoma, mast cell tumor, squamous cell carcinoma of the skin, mammary carcinoma, and with methylene blue dye, 100% detection was achieved in testicular tumor and mammary carcinoma. Instead of a very short washout time of 2 minutes, Iohexol showed an excellent detection in indirect CT lymphography for histiocytic sarcoma and in indirect radiographic lymphography for lymphosarcoma. The significance of contrast and blue dyes in detecting the lymphatic spread of canine cancers is clearly emphasized in the current investigation. The nature of cancerous tissue was again analyzed through image and machine learning approach in this work. Supervised machine learning technique is applied in this work for automatic classification of cancerous and non-cancerous regions. Various statistical and texture-based features are extracted from X-Ray images and support vector machine with linear, polynomial, multilayer perceptron (MLP), and RBF kernel functions are applied for classification. Highest 95.53%, 94.64%, 93.05% sensitivity, specificity, accuracy, respectively, is achieved using RBF kernel function.

Surface defect detection is one of the most widely used research areas in the field of image processing and machine vision. Detection of surface defects is used in visual inspection systems and medical image analysis. In this manuscript, an innovative method for detecting surface defects based on energy changes in co-occurrence matrices is presented in several directions. The method presented in this manuscript includes two stages of learning and testing. In the learning phase, to extract texture features, the gray level co-occurrence matrix operator is applied on the healthy image of the desired level. Then the energy value of the output matrix is ​​calculated. In the following, changes in the amount of energy are considered as statistical characteristics that are a good representative of the image of a healthy surface. Finally, with its help, a suitable threshold for the health of the images is obtained. Then, in the test phase, with the help of the calculated quorum, the defective windows that have suffered from non-normality are distinguished from the healthy surface sections. In the results section, the efficiency of the mentioned method has been measured on medical images and stone and ceramic images, and its detection accuracy has been compared with some previous effective methods. The advantages of the presented method include high accuracy, low calculations and compatibility with all types of levels due to the use of the learning stage. The proposed approach can be used in medical applications to diagnose abnormalities such as diseases. All extracted features are statistical, so its detection speed is higher than deep neural networks.

Mutations within the hepatitis B virus (HBV) genome have been associated with rapid progres-sion to hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC); however, there is limited information regarding the prevalence and impact of these mutations in most of sub-Saharan Africa, including Botswana. We aimed to determine the prevalence of HBV mutations known to be associated with progression to HCC using a retrospective, cross-sectional analysis of 48 previously generated HBV sequences from adults with concomitant HBV/HIV initiating HIV antiretroviral therapy in Botswana. The sequences were aligned with reference sequences, and HCC-associated mutations were manually identified using BioEdit. Sixteen (33.3 %) of 48 participant samples had 20 HCC-associated mu-tations. Seven HCC mutations were present in the core region, 4 in the preCore region, 7 in the X region, and one mutation in the surface region, as well as deletions within the preSurface 1 region. Seven of the 16 participants (43.8%) had multiple HCC-associated mutations. There were also previously uncharacterized mutations at positions with known HCC-associated mutations. HCC-associated mutations were common in this cohort; hence, some participants may require close clinical monitoring as they might be more prone to rapid disease progression. Other functionally uncharacterized polymorphisms were also detected and require characterization in future studies.

A digital text abstract presents the essential information of an article, and we can find the trend and value of the research by analyzing it rigorously and digging up knowledge. Therefore, this study focuses on the abstracts of index journals in China and Taiwan from July 2010 to June 2020 (a total of 3,283 abstracts). Through the concepts of text mining and natural language processing (NLP), it constructs processes such as text retrieval, text segmentation and word cloud analysis, TF-IDF weight analysis, co-word analysis, network analysis, and trend analysis, and analyses a large amount of text data. The results show that the scope of research in China covers the fields of social sports and sports science, and research in Taiwan covers both natural and social sciences. The network diagram highlights the richness of sports-related research fields in the two regions, but research on sports philosophy is relatively rare. It is suggested that all disci-plines/departments should re-allocate the same resources, so as to show a balanced development trend and help expand a new chapter in the sports academic field.

A polymer inclusion membrane (PIM) composed of 50 wt% poly(vinylidenefluoride-co-hexafluoropropylene) (PVDF-HFP) as its base polymer, 40 wt% Aliquat® 336 as its extractant and 10 wt% dibutyl phthalate (DBP) as plasticizer provided efficient extraction of vanadium(V) from its sulfate solutions adjusted to pH 2.5. It was suggested that V(V) was extracted as VO2SO4− via an anion exchange mechanism. Quantitative back-extraction was achieved in a sulfuric acid solution (6 mol L-1) containing 1 v/v% of hydrogen peroxide. It was assumed that the back-extraction process involved the oxidation of VO2+ to VO(O2)+ by hydrogen peroxide. The newly developed PIM with the optimized composition mentioned above exhibited excellent selectivity for V(V) in the presence of metallic species present in digests of spent alumina hydrodesulfurization catalysts (i.e., Al(III), Co(II), Cu(II), Fe(III), Mn(II), and Ni(II)). The co-extraction of Mo(VI) with V(V) was eliminated by its selective extraction at pH 1.1. The optimized PIM was characterized by contact angle measurements, atomic-force microscopy (AFM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)/derivatives thermogravimetric analysis (DTGA), and the stress-strain measurements.

Background: Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the SLC10A1 gene, coding for a functional receptor of hepatitis B virus (HBV), sodium taurocholate co-transporting polypeptide (NTCP), may influence the susceptibility, the outcome, and disease course of HBV infection in some populations. Aim: to determine the prevalence of SNPs of NTCP gene, rs2296651 and rs943277, and their relationship with chronic HBV infection in a group of Egyptian patients. Methods: 137 patients with HBV and 65 healthy controls were enrolled, and the patients were divided into two groups; group I chronic HBV infection (68 patients with normal ALT and minimal or no liver necroinflammation or fibrosis) and group II chronic hepatitis B (69 patients with elevated ALT and moderate or severe liver necroinflammation). They were subjected to full history taking, clinical examination, laboratory investigations, abdominal ultrasound, and liver stiffness measurement using both Echosens® Fibroscan and acoustic radiation force impulse (ARFI). Real time PCR TaqMan 5’ allelic discrimination assay was applied to detect the SNPs in NTCP gene, rs2296651 and rs943277. Results: On studying the rs2296651 variant, all controls and patients had genotype GG without any significant association with HBV infection or disease progression. However, the rs943277 variant in all controls and 98% of patients had genotype GA, except for two chronic HBV infection patients who had genotype AA, but no significant difference between patients and controls was found. The non-invasive methods for liver fibrosis assessment ARFI, AST/platelet's ratio (APRI), and fibrosis-4 score (FIB-4) could predict the stages of fibrosis in agreement with Fibroscan with AUCOR 0.8, 0.79, and 0.76, respectively. Conclusion: These findings may suggest that there is no relation between these SNPs of the NTCP gene and susceptibility or chronicity of HBV infection in the Egyptian population. We also suggest that the use of the non-invasive methods for liver fibrosis assessment, ARFI, FIB-4, and APRI may decrease the need for liver biopsies in prediction of significant hepatic fibrosis in chronic HBV patients.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is the most aggressive breast cancer accounting for around 15% of identified breast cancer cases. TNBC, by lacking estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR), and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2), is unresponsive to current targeted therapies. Existing treatment relies on chemotherapeutic treatment but, despite an initial response to chemotherapy, the inception of resistance and relapse is unfortunately common. Dasatinib is an approved second-generation inhibitor of multiple tyrosine kinases and literature data strongly support its use in the management of TNBC. However, dasatinib binds to plasma proteins and undergoes extensive metabolism through oxidation and conjugation. To protect dasatinib from fast pharmacokinetic degradation and to prolong its activity, it was encapsulated on poly(styrene-co-maleic acid) (SMA) micelles. The obtained SMA-dasatinib nanoparticles (NPs) were evaluated for their physicochemical properties, in vitro antiproliferative activity in different TNBC cell lines, and in vivo anticancer activity in a syngeneic model of breast cancer. Obtained results showed that SMA-dasatinib is more potent against 4T1 TNBC tumor growth in vivo compared to free drug. This enhanced effect was ascribed to the encapsulation of the drug protecting it from a rapid metabolism. Our finding highlights the often-overlooked value of nanoformulations in protecting its cargo from degradation. Overall, results may provide an alternative therapeutic strategy for TNBC management.

Based on electromagnetic heat transfer and metal phase transformation co-simulations, we modeled an AISI 1045 specimen under high-frequency heat treatment. Hardening zone predictions were confirmed through cooling and metal phase transformation simulations after obtaining the results from electromagnetic heat transfer simulations. The cooling process was modeled by applying the cooling coefficient of the cooling water in the same way as the actual heat-treatment process. To obtain the current flowing through the coil during high-frequency induction heating, the voltage was measured and applied using the resistance–inductance–capacitance circuit calculation method. Experimental and simulated results of the heating temperature and curing depth of an AISI 1045 specimen with a carbon content of 0.45% were compared; the comparison indicated good agreement between the two. Using the simulation results, we established a method for obtaining the current flowing through the induction coil for predicting the extent and depth of the hardening zone during high-frequency induction heat treatment.

In December 2019, pneumonia caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection emerged in Wuhan City, Hubei Province, China. Early in 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced a new name for the 2019-nCoV-caused epidemic disease: coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and declared COVID-19 to be the sixth international public health emergency. Cellular co-infection is a critical determinant of both viral fitness and infection outcome and plays a crucial role in shaping the host immune response to infections. In this study, sixty-eight public next-generation sequencing libraries from SARS-CoV-2 infected patients were retrieved from the NCBI Sequence Read Archive database using SRA-Toolkit. Using an alignment-free method based on K-mer mapping and extension, SARS-CoV-2 was identified in all except three patients. Influenza A H7N9 (3/68), Human immunodeficiency virus 1 (1/68), rhabdovirus isolate (3/68), Human metapneumovirus (1/68), coronaviruses NL63 (1/68), Parvovirus (1/68), Simian virus 40 (1/68), and hepatitis virus (1/68) genome sequences were detected in SARS-CoV-2 infected patients.

Angiogenesis is a term that describes the formation of new blood and lymphatic vessels from a pre-existing vasculature. This allows tumour cells to acquire sustenance in the form of nutrients and oxygen and the ability to evacuate metabolic waste. As one of the hallmarks of cancer, angiogenesis has been studied extensively in animal and human models to enable better understanding of cancer biology and the development of new anti-cancer treatments. Angiogenesis plays a crucial role in the process of tumour genesis, because solid tumour need a blood supply if they are to grow beyond a few millimeters in size. On the other hand, there is growing evidence that some solid tumour exploit existing normal blood supply and do not require a new vessel formation to grow and to undergo metastasis. This review of the literature will present the current understanding of this intricate process and the latest advances in the use of angiogenesis-targeting therapies in the fight against cancer.