Background/Objectives: This study looks at how a kinematic chain exercise regimen that targets the lower, core, and upper body affects university shot put participants' shoulder muscle strength and throwing efficiency. This study fills an apparent research void on shot put training approaches by presenting a comprehensive kinematic chain workout program. It was anticipated that this method would improve performance the most, considering the complex biomechanical require-ments of the sport. Methodology: Athletes, seventy in age (19.87 ± 1.31 years), were assigned into two groups at random: experimental (n = 35) and control (n = 35). While the control group carried on with their usual training, the experimental group participated in an 8-week kinematic chain training program, pre- and post-training evaluations were carried out to evaluate shot put throwing ability, shoulder muscle strength, and participant satisfaction with the exercise regimen. Results: demonstrated that, when compared to the control group, the athletes in the kinematic chain program had a significantly improved throwing distance (p = 0.01) and shoulder muscle strength (p = 0.01). Furthermore, there was a significant difference (p = 0.005) in the athletes' satisfaction levels with the workout program among those in the experimental group. This implies that a kinematic chain-focused strategy improves performance and emphasizes the significance this type of training is for shot put athlete performance. Conclusion: As an improvement forward in sports science, the study's finding promotes the inclusion of kinematic chain workouts in shot put training programs and calls for more research on kinematic chain-based approaches in a variety of sports.

Regulation of the diet in terms of the content of soluble and insoluble fibre is of great importance from the point of view of dietetics, microbiology of the gastrointestinal tract and immunology of the organism. Dietary fibre plays an important role in maintaining the balance between the con-tinuity of gut mucus production (intestinal mucosa), the stability of the intestinal microbiome composition, the regeneration of the intestinal epithelium and the immune status within the gut-associated lymphoid tissue (GALT) are played by pectin and their metabolic products in the form of pectin oligosaccharides. The main purpose of this review was to focus on pectin, their functions, their impact on the human's health and on some of the most promising prebiotics due to their solubility in the gastrointestinal tract in the form of pectin oligosaccharides. They have the properties of pectin, but have also additional features and postbiotics obtained in fermentation process can affect the intestinal microbiome and GALT-related immunity. They can be obtained from plant agro-wastes.

The per capita availability of freshwater resources on a global scale is gradually decreasing due to population growth, rapid urbanization, industrialization, and modern lifestyles. In this situation, wastewater management becomes a major concern. Conventional treatment processes used to treat wastewater discharges are not adequate for the advanced removal of pollutants, especially refractory organic pollutants, which are mainly organic compounds that are not easily biodegradable in the environment. The use of photocatalytic membrane reactors (PMRs) for tertiary wastewater treatment has attracted much interest in recent periods, and various configurations have been investigated. The performance of a PMR using an iron doped titanium photo catalyst and Polysulfone-based polymeric membrane for municipal wastewater treatment was evaluated under natural and simulated solar light. Obtained results proved that solar driven PMRs can remove organic loading (COD) with high efficiencies and may represent a suitable alternative for the tertiary treatment step of municipal wastewater.

The experiences gathered during the past 30 years support the operational use of irrigation scheduling based on frequent multi-spectral image data. Currently, the operational use of dense time series of multispectral imagery at high spatial resolution makes monitoring of crop biophysical parameters feasible, capturing crop water use across the growing season, with suitable temporal and spatial resolutions. These achievements, and the availability of accurate forecasting of meteorological data, allow for precise predictions of crop water requirements with unprecedented spatial resolution. This information is greatly appreciated by the end users, i.e. professional farmers or decision-makers, and can be provided in an easy-to-use manner and in near-real-time by using the improvements achieved in web-GIS methodologies. This paper reviews the most operational and explored methods based on optical remote sensing for the assessment of crop water requirements, identifying strengths and weaknesses and proposing alternatives to advance towards full operational application of this methodology. In addition, we provide a general overview of the tools which facilitates co-creation and collaboration with stakeholders, paying special attention to these approaches based on web-GIS tools.

Species identification and phylogenetic relationships clarification are fundamental goals in species delimitation. Yet these tasks pose challenges when based on morphologies, geographic distribution, and genomic data. Previously, two new species of fern genus Bolbitis, B. × multipinna and B. longiaurita, were described based on morphological traits, are phylogenetically intertwined with B. sinensis and fail to form monophyletic groups. To address the unclear phylogenetic relationships within the B. sinensis species complex, RAD sequencing was performed on 65 individuals from five populations. Our integrated analysis of phylogenetic tree, neighbor net, and genetic structure, indicate that the B. sinensis species complex should not be considered as separate species. Moreover, our findings reveal differences in the degree of genetic differentiation among five populations, ranged from low to moderate, which might be influenced by geographical distance and gene flow. The Fst values also confirmed that genetic differentiation intensifies with increasing geographic distance. Collectively, this study clarifies the complex phylogenetic relationships within the B. sinensis species complex, elucidates the genetic diversity and differentiation across the studied populations, and offers valuable genetic insights that contribute to the broader study of evolutionary relationships and population genetics within the Bolbitis species.

Background and Objectives: The purpose of the study was to analyze the relationships between several clinical and biological factors, but also the tumor topography and surgical strategies used in patients with colorectal cancer. Materials and Methods: We designed an analytical, observational, retrospective study that included patients admitted to our emergency surgical department and diagnosed with colorectal cancer. The study group inclusion criteria were: patients admitted during 2020-2022; patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer (including the ileocecal valve); patients who benefited from a surgical procedure, either in emergency or elective. Results: In our study group, consisting of 153 patients, we accounted for 56.9% male patients and 43.1% female patients. The most common clinical manifestations were pain (73.2% of the study group), followed by abdominal distension (69.3% of the study group) and absence of intestinal transit (38.6% of the study group). A number of 69 patients were operated in emergency (45.1%), while 84 patients (54.9%) benefited from elective surgery. The most frequent topography of the tumor was the sigmoid colon, with 19.60% of the patients, followed by the colorectal junction, with 15.68% of the patients and superior rectum and inferior rectum, with 11.11% of the patients in each subcategory. The most frequent type of procedure was right hemicolectomy (21.6% of the study group), followed by rectosigmoid resection (20.9% of the study group). The surgical procedure was finished by performing an anastomosis in 49% of the patients, an ostomy in 43.1% of the patients, while for 7.8% of the patients, a tumoral biopsy was performed. Conclusions: Colorectal cancer remains one of the most frequent cancers in the world, with a heavy burden that involves high mortality, alterations in the quality of life of the patients and their families, and also the financial costs of the medical systems.

Densely urbanized areas, with a low percentage of green vegetation, are highly exposed to Heat Waves (HW) which nowadays are increasing in terms of frequency and intensity also in the middle-latitude regions, due to ongoing Climate Change (CC). Their negative effects may combine with those of the UHI (Urban Heat Island), a local phenomenon where air temperatures in the compact built up cores of towns increase more than those in the surrounding rural areas, with significant impact on the quality of urban environment, on citizens health and energy consumption and transport, as it has occurred in the summer of 2003 on France and Italian central-northern areas. In this context this work aims at designing and developing a methodology based on aero-spatial remote sensing (EO) at medium-high resolution and most recent GIS techniques, for the extensive characterization of the urban fabric response to these climatic impacts related to the temperature within the general framework of supporting local and national strategies and policies of adaptation to CC. Due to its extension and variety of built-up typologies, the municipality of Rome was selected as test area for the methodology development and validation. First of all, we started by operating through photointerpretation of cartography at detailed scale (CTR 1: 5000) on a reference area consisting of a transect of about 5x20 km, extending from the downtown to the suburbs and including all the built-up classes of interest. The reference built-up vulnerability classes found inside the transect were then exploited as training areas to classify the entire territory of Rome municipality. To this end, the satellite EO HR (High Resolution) multispectral data, provided by the Landsat sensors were used within a on purpose developed "supervised" classification procedure, based on data mining and “object-classification” techniques. The classification results were then exploited for implementing a calibration method, based on a typical UHI temperature distribution, derived from MODIS satellite sensor LST (Land Surface Temperature) data of the summer 2003, to obtain an analytical expression of the vulnerability model, previously introduced on a semi-empirical basis.

An undesirable sensory attribute (“floral taint”) has been recently detected in red wines in some winegrowing jurisdictions in North America (e.g. Ontario, British Columbia, Washington), caused by introduction of frost-killed leaves and petioles [materials-other-than-grapes (MOG)] during mechanical harvest and winemaking. It was hypothesized that terpenes, norisoprenoids, and higher alcohols would be the main responsible compounds. Objectives were to investigate causative volatile compounds for floral taint, and explore threshold concentrations for this problem. Commercial wines displaying varying intensities of floral taints were subjected to GC-MS and sensory analysis. Several odor-active compounds were higher in floral-tainted wines, including terpenes (geraniol, citronellol, cis- and trans-rose oxide), norisoprenoids (β-damascenone, β-ionone), five ethyl esters, and three alcohols. Thereafter, fermentations of Cabernet franc (CF) and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) (2016, 2017) were conducted. MOG treatments were (wt/wt): 0, 0.5%, 1%, 2% and 5% petioles, and 0, 0.25%, 0.5%, 1%, and 2% leaf blades. Terpenes (linalool, geraniol, nerol, nerolidol, citronellol, citral, cis- and trans-rose oxides, eugenol, myrcene), norisoprenoids (α- and β-ionone), and others (e.g. hexanol, octanol, methyl and ethyl salicylate) increased linearly/quadratically with increasing MOG levels in both cultivars. Principal components analysis separated MOG treatments from the controls with 5% petioles and 2% leaves as extremes. Increasing MOG levels in CF wines increased floral aroma intensity, and were primarily associated with terpenes, higher alcohols, and salicylates. Increased leaf levels in CF were associated with higher vegetal and earthy attributes. Increased petioles in CS were not correlated with floral aromas, but increased leaves increased floral, vegetal and herbaceous attributes. Overall, petioles contributed more to floral taint than leaves through increased terpenes and salicylates (floral notes), while leaves contributed norisoprenoids and C6 alcohols (green notes).

The Australian tropical montane cloud forest (TMCF) is home to approximately 18 percent of the nation’s total vascular plant species. Over the past century, human activity and industrial development have caused global climate changes, posing a severe and irreversible danger to the entire land-based ecosystem, and WTWHA is no exception. The current average annual temperature of WTWHA in FNQ is 24 °C. However, in the coming years (by 2030), the average annual temperature increase is estimated to be between 0.5 and 1.4 °C compared to the climate observed between 1986 and 2005. Looking further ahead to 2070, the anticipated temperature rise is projected to be between 1.0 and 3.2 °C, with the exact range depending on future emissions. We identified 84 plant species endemic to the WTWHA in FNQ, which are already experiencing climate change threats. Few of these plants are used in herbal medicines. This study comprehensively reviewed metabolomics studies conducted on these 84 plant species until now toward understanding their physiological and metabolomics responses to global climate change. This review also discusses: i) recent developments in plant metabolomics studies that can be applied to study and understand the interactions of wet tropical plants with climatic stress, ii) medicinal plants and isolated phytochemicals with structural diversity, and iii) reported biological activities of crude extracts and isolated compounds.

A mathematical model that comprehensively captures the real behavior of riverbed deformation, encompassing all pertinent effects, is developed. The underwater slope reformation process, with the generatrix aligned along the flow velocity in the model, is considered. A numerical model is introduced to calculate the flow involving a deformable bottom, and the model's validation is established through rigorous analysis of experimental findings. The research firmly confirms the suitability of the proposed mathematical and numerical model for describing deformations in uneven and unsteady river flows, including the movement of dredging slots and channel quarries. The model's minimal equation count and reliance on empirical constants demonstrate the model's efficiency. The model's predictions align strongly with experimental data, although optimal values of empirical coefficients vary slightly across different experiments. Hence, there is a call for further investigation to derive more universally applicable closure relationships for the model. The importance of validating the model with reliable field data and its potential extension to accommodate hydraulically diverse soils is emphasized. Such an extension is feasible due to the concentration transfer equation, enabling independent calculations for particle fractions of varying sizes as long as the total particle concentration in the stream remains within reasonable limits. This dedicated research contributes significantly to understanding riverbed deformations and advancing accurate modeling and management of riverine environments.

Vertical-channel organic dual-gate/base transistors would be highly interesting since vertical organic transistors are the fastest organic transistors demonstrated today. However, incorporating a dual gate/base structure into an ultra-short channel vertical architecture represents a substantial challenge. Here, we successfully realize a new device concept of vertical organic permeable dual-base transistors (OPDBTs), where either of both base electrodes can be used to change the on-currents and tune the threshold voltages. The optimized devices yield a high on-current density of 1.54 A cm^-2 and a large current gain of 9.2×10⁵, corresponding to a high transmission value of 99.998%. The detailed operation mechanisms are investigated by calibrated TCAD simulations with the Poole-Frenkel mobility model, Gaussian density of states and tunneling model. Finally, high-performance logic circuits, e.g. inverter, NAND/AND computation functions are demonstrated with one single OPDBT operating at supply voltages of < 2.0 V. We believe that OPDBTs offer a compact and technologically simple hardware platform with excellent application potential for vertical-channel organic transistors in complex logic circuits.

Acute ischemic strokes are the third leading cause of death and the leading cause of neurological disability worldwide. The oxygen and glucose deprivation associated with ischemic strokes not only leads to neuronal cell death, but also increases the inflammatory response and decreases functional output of the brain. The only intervention approved by US Federal Drug and Food Administration for treatment of ischemic strokes is tissue plasminogen activator (tPA), however, such treatment can only be given within 4.5 hours of the onset of stroke-like symptoms. This narrow time-range limits its application, and it also might induce detrimental rather than beneficial effects to stroke patients by treatment of the tPA. In order to reduce the infarct volume of an acute ischemic stroke while increasing the time period for treatment, emerging therapies reveal great potential by targeting inflammation, growth factors, ion channels, and neurotransmitter receptors with monoclonal antibody (MAB). With successfully application in the treatment of cancer patient by MAB, in this review, we will focus on recent advances on stroke therapy by using MAB on the treatment of stroke by targeting inflammation, growth factors, ion channels, and neurotransmitter receptors. Therefore, developing specific MAB targeting the signaling pathway of stroke will contribute to stroke therapy.

Warsaw is among European cities with the worst atmospheric air quality, mainly due to very high pollution emitted by the residential sector and road traffic. This results in high concentrations of particulate matter and nitrogen oxides, often exceeding WHO standards. The paper discusses the current and expected effects of actions taken by the Warsaw authorities, to significantly improve air quality in the city. The Clean Air Program currently implemented mainly involves the reduction, and ultimately the total elimination, of coal combustion in all heat sources of the municipal sector, which is identified in numerous publications as the main source of air quality degradation in cities. The program's goal, which timeframe covers the years 2018-2029, is a definite reduction in particulate pollution. The second part of the remedial activities, covering the years 2024-2034, mainly concerns the reduction of nitrogen oxide pollution, the main source of which is urban road traffic. In the latter case, the expected effects of introducing Low-Emission Zone (launched July 2024) in the city center are considered. According to the project, the zone's implementation will consist of five two-year stages, in which the car emission limits will gradually tighten. The paper compares the effectiveness of two being considered versions, differing in size zones.

Introduction: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disorder characterized by cognitive decline and memory loss, predominantly affecting older adults. Understanding the multifaceted factors contributing to AD is crucial for developing effective prevention and intervention strategies. This narrative review synthesizes current literature on the various factors influencing the development and progression of AD in older adult populations.Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted across electronic databases including PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO using relevant keywords such as "Alzheimer's disease," "risk factors," "genetics," "environmental factors," and "lifestyle." Studies published between 2000 and 2023 were included, focusing on factors associated with AD in individuals aged 65 years and older.Results: The review identified several key factors contributing to AD in older adults. Genetic predisposition, particularly the presence of apolipoprotein E (APOE) ε4 allele, emerged as a significant risk factor. Environmental factors such as air pollution, pesticides, and heavy metals were also implicated. Furthermore, lifestyle factors including physical inactivity, poor diet, and smoking were associated with increased AD risk. Chronic conditions such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases were found to exacerbate cognitive decline in older adults.Conclusion: This narrative review highlights the complex interplay of genetic, environmental, and lifestyle factors in the development and progression of Alzheimer's disease among older adults. Understanding these factors is crucial for targeted interventions aimed at reducing AD risk and improving cognitive health outcomes in aging populations. Future research should focus on longitudinal studies and personalized medicine approaches to elucidate specific mechanisms underlying AD pathogenesis and to develop effective preventive strategies.

Extreme heat is a climate hazard that has been linked with high morbidity and mortality. The way extreme heat events are felt in the population varies depending on a variety of factors, such as age, employment status, living conditions, air-conditioning, housing conditions, habits, behaviors, and other socio-demographic parameters. To quantify and locate vulnerabilities of populations to extreme heat, we analyze socio-economic data at the NUTS3 level for the national case study of Greece and at the census tract level for the local case study of the city of Athens. The target variable for this study is defined as the average daily mortality during heatwaves per 100,000 individuals and a methodology is developed for constructing this variable, based on socio-economic data available in public databases. Independent variables were selected based on their contribution to socioeconomic vulnerability; they include the percentage of elderly, retired, unemployed, renting, living alone, residing in smaller houses, living in older houses, and immigrants from developing countries. An ensemble gradient boosted tree model was employed for this study to obtain feature importance metrics that was used to construct a composite index of socioeconomic heat vulnerability. The socioeconomic heat vulnerability index (SHVI) was calculated for each prefecture in Greece and for each census tract in the city of Athens, Greece. The unique feature of this SHVI is that it can be applied to any geographical resolution using the same methodology and produces a result that is not only quantifiable, but also allows comparison between vulnerability scores of different regions. This application aimed to map the SHVI of both prefecture and city, to examine the significance of scale, to identify vulnerability hotspots, and rank the most vulnerable areas, which are prioritized by authorities for interventions that protect public health.

This research aims to investigate psychological anxiety factors, particularly Music Performance Anxiety (MPA), that influence the sustainability of music learning systems. This study employs an innovative integration of qualitative and quantitative methodologies, marking the first use of a nonlinear system paired with a comprehensive data framework for analyzing questionnaire responses. This approach allows for a detailed examination of the effects of these factors on academic outcomes. Previous research has primarily focused on the fragmented music learning system from the perspective of teachers' instructional strategies, emphasizing phased teaching methods and learning objectives which focus often neglected a significant subset of music learners. Addressing this oversight, the current study specifically centers on the emotional aspects of anxiety within music learning systems, with a particular emphasis on students, who play a crucial role in music education. This perspective enables a deep exploration of how MPA and other related emotional factors affect music learning systems. A notable innovation of this research is the development of a stochastic nonlinear system designed to model the psychological factors impacting student music learning, complemented by a quantitative model that assesses actual learning outcomes. By analyzing this nonlinear system, the research identifies weight values for various negative emotions, particularly those related to MPA, that significantly influence the music learning process. The integration of MPA and other anxiety related emotional factors with practical learning outcomes provides a comprehensive understanding of their combined impact on the music learning system. These insights are invaluable for educators and policymakers aiming to enhance both the effectiveness and emotional well-being within music education. This comprehensive approach offers a novel perspective in understanding and improving the dynamics of music education through a more empathetic and scientifically grounded lens.

This paper is motivated by spatio-temporal pattern in the occurrence of Leishmaniasis in Afghanistan and the relatively high number of zero counts. We hold the view that correlations that arise from spatial and temporal sources are inherently distinct. Our method decouples these two sources of correlations, there are at least two advantages in taking this approach. First, it circumvents the need to inverting a large correlation matrix, which is a commonly encountered problem in spatio-temporal analyses. Second, it simplifies the modelling of complex relationships such as anisotropy, which would have been extremely difficult or impossible if spatio-temporal correlations were simultaneously considered. We identify three challenges in the modelling of a spatio-temporal process: (1) accommodation of covariances that arise from spatial and temporal sources; (2) choosing the correct covariance structure and (3) extending to situations where a covariance is not the natural measure of association. Moreover, because the data covers a period that overlaps with the US invasion of Afghanistan, the high number of zero counts may be the result of no disease incidence or lapse of data collection. To resolve this issue, a model truncated at zero built on a foundation of the generalized estimating equations was proposed.

Ghana, blessed with abundant solar resources and has strategically invested in solar photovoltaic (PV) technologies to diversify its energy mix and reduce the environmental impacts of traditional energy technologies. The 50 MW solar PV installation by the Bui Power Authority exemplifies the nation's dedication to utilizing clean energy for sustainable growth. This study seeks to close the knowledge gap by providing a detailed analysis of the system's performance under different weather conditions, particularly on days with abundant sunshine and those with cloudy skies. The research consists of one-year monitoring data of the climatic and AC energy output fed into the grid. This data was used to analyze PV performance on each month's sunniest and cloudiest days. The results show that the total amount of AC energy output fed into the grid each month on the sunniest day varies between 229.3 MWh in December and 278.0 MWh in November, while the total amount of AC energy output fed into the grid each month on the cloudiest day varies between16.1 MWh in August and 192.8 MWh in February. Also, the percentage variation in energy produced between the sunniest and cloudiest days within a month ranges from 16.9% (December) to 94.1% (August). The reference and system yield analysis showed that the PV plant has a high conversion efficiency of 91.3%; however, only the sunniest and overcast days had an efficiency of 38% and 92%, respectively. The BPA plant's performance can be enhanced by using this analysis to identify erratic power generation on sunny days and schedule timely maintenance to keep the plant's performance from deteriorating. Optimizing a solar PV system's design, installation, and operation can significantly improve its AC energy output, performance ratio, and capacity factor on sunny and cloudy days.

Genetic engineering has become an essential element in developing climate-resilient crops and environmental sustainable solutions to respond to the increasing need for global food security. Genome editing using CRISPR/Cas [Clustered regulatory interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-associated protein (Cas)] technology is being applied to a variety of organisms, including plants. This technique has become popular because of its high specificity, effectiveness, and low production cost. Therefore, this technology has the potential to revolutionize agriculture and contribute to global food security. Over the past few years, increasing efforts have been seen in its application in developing higher-yielding, nutrition rich, disease resistant, stress-tolerant “crops” fruits and vegetables. Cas proteins such as Cas9, Cas12, Cas13, and Cas14, among others, have distinct architectures and have been used to create new genetic tools that improve features that are important for agriculture. The versatility of Cas has accelerated genomic analysis and facilitated the use of CRISPR/Cas to manipulate and alter nucleic acid sequences in cells of different organisms. This review provides the evolution of CRISPR technology exploring its mechanisms and contrasting it with traditional breeding and transgenic approaches to improve different stress tolerance. We have also discussed the CRISPR/Cas system and explored three Cas proteins that are currently known to exist: Cas12, Cas13, and Cas14 and their potential to generate foreign DNA free or non-transgenic crops that could be easily regulated for commercialization in most countries.

Helical (frontier) molecular orbitals [Chem. Sci. 2013, 4, 4278] have been reported almost a decade ago. Yet, helical molecular spin densities [Mol. Phys. 2022, e2157774] have been observed by us only very recently. In this work, we have observed that some chiral boron clusters (B–16, B–20, B–24, and B–28) can simultaneously have helical molecular orbitals and helical spin densities. To our best knowledge, it is the first time we have discovered that inorganic boron clusters assume such an unprecedented property. We have unambiguously unraveled that it is chiral Jahn-Teller distortion of quasi-planar boron clusters that drives the formation of helical molecular spin densities. More interestingly, we have shown that elongation/enhancement of helical molecular orbitals can be achieved by simply adding more building blocks via a linker. Aromaticity properties of these boron clusters are also discussed. Implication of this work is straightforward that boron clusters may find potential applications in spintronics, such as molecular magnets.

Background/objectives: The health benefits of resistant starch are well known, but there have not been many studies available documenting the effect of basmati rice products containg resistant starch upon blood glucose level and lipid profile in vivo efficacy. Methods: Common cooking methods were used to prepare basmati rice products including two boiling methods viz. boiling 1 (boiling by absorption), boiling 2 (boiling in extra amount of water), frying and pressure cooking. The cooked rice were held at various temperatures and times: it was made fresh (T1), kept at room temperature (20–22°C) for 24 h (T2), kept at 4°C for 24 h (T3), and then reheated after being kept at 4°C for 24 h(T4). Next, the products' proximate composition, total dietary fibre (soluble and insoluble), resistant starch (RS), and In vitro starch digestion rate (rapidly and slowly digested starch) were examined. The effect of RS on blood glucose and lipid profile were measured in humans and rats. Histopathological study of liver and pancreas in rats were also observed. Results: The basmati rice prepared by boiling 1 and stored with T3 was found more effective to control blood glucose and lipid profile. Similarly in rats, the blood glucose level, cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL were reduced about 29.7, 37.9, 31.3 and 30.5% respectively, after consumption of basmsti rice prepared by boiling 1 and stored at T3. Conclusion: Rice products stored at 4⁰C have a high amount of resistant starh, insoluble dietary fibre, slowly digestible starch and low glycemic index. Thus helps to inhibit glycogen and lipid synthesis.

Chronological frameworks based on artefact typologies are essential for interpreting the archaeological record, but they inadvertently treat transitions between phases as abrupt events and disregard the temporality of transformation processes within and between individual phases. This study presents an absolute chronological investigation of a dynamic material culture from Early Iron Age urnfields in Denmark. The chronological framework of Early Iron Age in Southern Scandinavia is largely unconstrained by absolute dating, primarily due to it coinciding with the so-called ‘Hallstatt calibration plateau’ (c.750 to 400 cal BC), and it is difficult to correlate it with Central European chronologies due to a lack of imported artefacts. This study applies recent methodological advances in radiocarbon dating and Bayesian chronological modelling, specifically a statistical model for wood-age offsets in cremated bone and presents the first large-scale radiocarbon investigation of regional material culture from Early Iron Age in Southern Jutland, Denmark. Dated material is primarily cremated bone from 111 cremation burials from three urnfields. The study presents absolute date ranges for 16 types of pottery and 15 types of metalwork, which include most of the recognised metalwork types from the period. This provides new insights into gradual change in material culture, when certain artefact types were in production and primary use, how quickly types were taken up and later abandoned, and distinguishing periods of faster and slower change. The study also provides the first absolute chronology for the period, enabling correlation with chronologies from other regions. Urnfields were introduced at the Bronze-Iron Age transformation, which is often assumed to have occurred c.530-500 BC. We demonstrate that this transformation took place in the 7^th century BC, however, which revives the discussion of whether the final Bronze Age period VI should be interpreted as a transitional phase to the Iron Age.

Backgrounds Linear association has widely been assumed for prediction of aging-related fractional anisotropy (FA) decline in white matter of the brain. While useful for testing significance of the aging effect, it fails to identify a threshold age before and after which the age-FA association changes. Identification of such a threshold is often of clinical interest for timely intervention. Methods We employed a sigmoidal growth function to test a threshold effect in age triggering onset of cerebral decline in 21 white matter tracts, and compared its fitting performance to those of linear, and power regression. The study sample was a normal healthy cohort of 106 participants with ages in mid-life ranging from 18 to 60 years. Results Of the 21 white matter tracts analyzed, the posterior thalamic radiation showed better fit with sigmoidal curve model, compared to a linear or power regression. The estimated threshold age in years (95% confidence interval) were 47.2 (44.1-48.4). Conclusion While available evidence regarding the presence of a specific age threshold for cerebral decline in mid-life based on FA was limited, the posterior thalamic radiation exhibited a threshold age of 47.2. Beyond this age point, we observed a significant change in the FA risk pattern.

Intergenerational integration has given rise to a novel aging paradigm known as all-age communities, which is garnering international attention. In China, the aging population and the implementation of the three-child policy have resulted in increased demand for retirement and childcare services among residents in older neighborhoods. Consequently, there is a pressing need to retrofit these older neighborhoods to accommodate all-age living arrangements given the high demand they generate. Therefore, this study undertakes research interviews with residents and constructs an exploratory theoretical model rooted in established theory. To assess the significance of our model, we employ Smart PLS 3.0 based on 297 empirical data points. Our findings indicate that anxiety has a significant negative effect on payment behavior; objective perception, willingness to pay, and government assistance exert significant positive effects on payment behavior. By comprehensively analyzing the mechanisms underlying residents’ payment behavior, this study provides valuable insights to the government for promoting the aging process within communities and formulating effective transformation policies.

The OPV is the vaccine of choice in polio eradication, especially in developing countries, as it has eliminated the wild poliovirus type 2. However, the immunity induced by IPV is better than that induced by the OPV. The present study compared the mucosal and humoral response to poliovirus vaccines administered to previously OPV-immunized children to assess the immunity gap in children at-risk of high poliovirus transmission. This was a community-based three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial conducted from June 2013 to May 2014 in healthy children under five years of age living in three high-risk districts of Pakistan, i.e., Karachi, Kashmore, and Bajaur. 387 clusters were randomized (131 to arm A, 127 to arm B, and 129 to arm C); however, 360 remained in the trial until the end (116 in arm A, 122 in arm B, and 122 in arm C). These clusters were randomly allocated using a computer algorithm to receive routine polio program (bOPV) activities (control, arm A), additional interventions with community mobilization and provision of short-term preventive maternal and child health services and routine immunization, including bOPV via health camps, (arm B), or all interventions of arm B with an additional provision of IPV (arm C ~ bOPV and IPV). Blood and stool samples were collected from a sub-sample to estimate humoral and intestinal immunity. Study findings showed that the serum titers were highest in Group C (IPV+OPV) at the baseline for P1, where its increase over time was also more prominent. Titers for P2 and P3 were statistically significantly higher amongst those who had received a routine OPV dose versus those who had not; this was true for all study groups and visits. In populations with high Oral Polio Vaccine (OPV) failure rates, administering an Inactivated Polio Vaccine (IPV) booster after a minimum of two OPV doses may effectively bridge immunity gaps. The IPV alone offers limited benefits to humoral immunity and doesn't provide intestinal immunity to prevent the infection and propagation of live poliovirus among unexposed populations.

Accurately estimating a person's age is crucial for identity verification at all critical checkpoints, including airports, land borders, and seaports. Human gait may be used as a biometric identifier and indicator of age, among other things. This study aims to develop methods for estimating a person's age by observing their walk. In this paper, a novel technique for preprocessing the proposed gait dataset has been used by utilizing a combination of the gait energy image (GEI), the accumulated frame difference energy image (AFDEI), and the invariant moment of the image. The proposed technique outperformed state-of-the-art methods in terms of accuracy. The proposed method was tested and evaluated using a convolutional neural network (CNN), and it achieved an average accuracy of 90.35% across 14 different view angles within 5 K-Fold, the proposed method resulted in 94.68% and 94.54% in 30º and 75º view degree respectively. concluding that the approach is effective and promising for estimating age using human gait.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, antibody-based vaccines targeting the SARS-CoV-2 spike glycoprotein were the key focus for development because neutralizing antibodies were associated with protection against the SARS-CoV-2 infection in pre-clinical models and human trials. While deploying these spike-based vaccines saved millions of lives worldwide, it has become clear that the immunological mechanisms of protection against severe disease are multifaceted and involve non-neutralizing antibody components. Here, we describe a novel pan-sarbecovirus T-cell vaccine, ChAdOx1.COVconsv12, designed to complement and broaden the protection of spike vaccines. The vaccine immunogen COVconsv12 employs the two regions in the viral proteome most conserved among sarbecoviruses delivered by replication-deficient vector ChAdOx1. It focuses T cells towards epitopes shared among sarbecoviruses including evolving SARS-CoV-2 variants. Here, we show that ChAdOx1.COVconsv12 induced broad T-cell responses in the BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice. In the Syrian hamster challenge model, ChAdOx1.COVconsv12 alone did not protect against the SARS-CoV-2 infection, but when co-administered with 1/50th of the ChAdOx1 nCoV-19 spike vaccine protective dose, faster recovery and lower oral swab viral load were observed. Induction of CD8+ T cells may decrease COVID-19 severity and extend the T-cell response coverage of variants to match the known (and as yet unknown) members of the beta-coronavirus family.

This paper reports results of analysis of field ion emission mechanism from tungsten-epoxy composite emitters that are compared to tungsten nano-field emitters. In this context, the mechanism of emission from this type of emitters is described based on a theory of induced conductive channels. The tungsten emitters were prepared using the electrochemical polishing technique and coated with a layer of the epoxy resin. Field ion microscope (FIM) analyses are reported including the study of the emission-ion density distributions from both the uncoated and coated emitters. Two forms of emission patterns have been observed in the ion emission microscopy technique describing the differences in the emission mechanism of both types of emitters. The observed results show: (a) the expected crystalline surface atomic distribution images of the field ion microscopy in the case of uncoated tungsten tips, and (b) randomly distributed emission spots that describe the locations of the induced conductive channels inside the resin coating layer.

L-ascorbic acid represents one of the most potent antioxidant, photoprotective, anti-aging and anti-pigmentary cosmeceutical agents, with a good safety profile. However, the challenge remained to design the stable topical formulation, with such a permeability of L-ascorbic acid as active that the optimal effects on skin could be achieved. The aim of our research was to evaluate the difference between the penetration ability of ascorbyl palmitate incorporated in the same percentage (2%) within the creams and emulgels as carriers, as well as to determine the impact of its incorporation into liposome on the kinetics of penetration. Tape stripping was applied for studying the penetration of the ascorbyl palmitate into the stratum corneum. In addition, the sensory and textural properties of examined formulations were determined. In both cases (liposomal and non-liposomal formulations), creams exhibited a better penetration profile of active substance compared to the use of emulgel. Encapsulation of ascorbyl palmitate into liposomes led to an increase in the adhesiveness and density of the prepared cream and emulgel samples. The best spreadability and absorption during application were detected in liposomal samples. The obtained results confirmed improved dermal penetration of ascorbyl palmitate, either cream or emulgel bases were employed, which further indicates the advantages of its liposomal encapsulation.

Presence detection is essential in many applications, including smart homes, office automation, and public space management. Traditional technologies like infrared sensors and cameras frequently encounter obstacles due to privacy concerns, high costs, and complexity. The study provides a novel way to detect presence based on Wi-Fi signals and machine learning algorithms, utilizing the ESP8266 microcontroller. The suggested system attempts to reliably detect the presence of people in a given place by evaluating fluctuations in Wi-Fi signal strength and patterns. The theoretical basis of this strategy is investigated, including the ESP8266’s capabilities for Wi-Fi data gathering and the use of machine learning methods for data analysis. The methodology includes data collecting with the ESP8266, preprocessing, feature extraction, and training and evaluating machine learning models. This system’s potential uses include smart home automation, office occupancy tracking, and crowd management in public settings. The paper also discusses potential issues such as signal interference, data privacy concerns, and the limitations of Wi-Fi detection. Future work is also mentioned, including the suggested system’s installation and testing and enhancement proposals to improve accuracy and scalability. This research aims to provide a cost-effective, non-intrusive, and scalable presence detection system by harnessing the power of Wi-Fi signals and machine learning, enhancing intelligent environments

This review is dedicated to sustainable practices in liquid chromatography. HPLC and UHPLC methods contribute significantly to routine analytical techniques. Therefore, the transfer of classical liquid chromatographic methods into sustainable ones is of utmost importance in moving toward sustainable development goals. Among other principles to render a liquid chromatographic method green, substitution of the organic solvent component in the mobile phase with a greener one received great attention. This review concentrates on choosing the best alternative green organic solvent to replace the classical solvent in the mobile phase for easy rapid transfer to a more sustainable normal phase or reversed-phase liquid chromatography. The main focus of this review will be on describing the transfer of non-green to green and white chromatographic methods in an effort to elevate the sustainability best practice in analytical chemistry. The greenness properties and greenness ranking in addition to the chromatographic suitability of seventeen organic solvents for liquid chromatography are mentioned to have a clear insight into the issue of rapidly choosing the appropriate solvent to transfer a classical HPLC or UHPLC method into a more sustainable one. A simple guide is proposed for making the liquid chromatographic method more sustainable.

The integration of Wireless Power Transfer (WPT) technologies with Artificial Intelligence (AI) is poised to revolutionize multiple industries, including consumer electronics and industrial applications. This study delves into the latest advancements in WPT, with a focus on AI-enhanced efficiency, range, and reliability. AI-driven algorithms optimize power transfer, improve device alignment, and predict maintenance needs, leading to smarter and more sustainable power solutions. Machine learning and computer vision are employed to achieve precise alignment, while predictive maintenance minimizes downtime and costs. Additionally, AI-powered power management systems adapt to varying demands, optimizing energy usage. This research highlights the transformative potential of AI in enhancing WPT technologies, with significant implications for next-generation applications. The findings emphasize the importance of ongoing research in this interdisciplinary field to address existing challenges and unlock new opportunities for innovation.

Cars are a highly inefficient mode of urban transport with significant negative impacts. Electric vehicles make it possible to eliminate direct CO2 emissions (though the total over a vehicle’s entire life cycle greatly offsets the advantages) but leave unchanged – or even aggravate – all the other negative effects on the quality of urban environments. Three visions for urban transport were presented: automobility, multimodality and accessibility. The first dominates North American cities, the second European one. The anomalies of these two visions have been examined. The automobility cities cannot manage the congestion and the attempts are self- defeating. The anomalies of multimodality city are related to the public space consumption for mobility and the impossibility to plan spatial proximity. The sustainable vision, that resolve the anomalies, is represented by the accessibility city in the Triple Access System (TAS) version which, however, still has a long way to go to be accepted and implemented.

The review explores the therapeutic potential of mangrove plants as sources of bioactive compounds, particularly focusing on their anti-inflammatory properties. Mangroves, found in tropical and sub-tropical tidal coasts, exhibit unique ecological and biological activities. The review compiles and examines 136 research findings published between 1982 and 2018, with 41 studies specifically addressing the anti-inflammatory properties of mangroves in Indian coastal regions, including the Andaman and Nicobar Islands. It summarizes the chemical structures, molecular weights, formulas, solvents, and biological activities of these mangroves, as reported by various researchers over time. The data underscore the significant potential of tropical Indian mangroves in anti-inflammatory applications. However, a notable research gap exists regarding the extraction of bioactive compounds from mangrove species in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands compared to other regions such as Gujarat, Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, West Bengal, and Puducherry. Overall, the compilation provides valuable insights into mangrove-based studies for drug discovery research, emphasizing the need for further exploration and exploitation of these natural resources.

Euler’s product formula over the primes and Euler’s zeta function equate to enshrine the Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic that every integer > 1 is the product of a unique set of primes. The product formula has no zero, and with a domain ≤1 Euler’s zeta diverges. Dirichlet’s eta function η(s), negates alternate terms of zeta, permitting convergence when s∈C and Re(s) < 1, and its non-trivial zeros {ρ}, have a deep relationship with the distribution of the primes. The Riemann Hypothesis is that all the non-trivial zeros have Re(ρ) = 1/2. This work examines the symmetries in a partial Euler’s zeta series with a complex domain equating it to the difference between two finite vector series whose matched terms have mirror-image arguments, but whose magnitudes differ when Re(s) ≠ 1/2. Analytical continuation generates a modified eta series η_l(s), in which every l^th term is multiplied by (1-l). If the integer l is appropriately determined by the Im(s), similar paired finite vector series have a difference that closely follows η_l (s) and their terminal vectors intersect in a unique way permitting zeros only when Re(s) = 1/2. Furthermore, those vectors tracking the derivatives of the series, have a special relationship permitting zeros of the differential only when Re(s) > 1/2.

Global warming caused by climate change is a challenge for dairy farming, especially in sub-Saharan countries. Under high temperature and relative humidity dairy cows suffer from heat stress. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects and relationship of heat stress (HS) measured by temperature-humidity index (THI) on physiological parameters and milk yield and composition of lactating Holstein Friesian crosses reared in the humid coastal region of Tanzania. A total of 29 lactating Holstein Friesian x Zebu crossbred dairy cattle with 50% (HF50) and 75% (HF75) Holstein Friesian blood levels in their second and third month of lactation were used. Breed composition of Holstein Friesian was determined based on animal recording system used at the Tanzania Livestock Research Institute (TALIRI), Tanga. Data collected included daily temperature, relative humidity, daily milk yield, and physiological parameters (core-body temperature, rectal temperature, respiration rate, and panting score). The THI was calculated using the equation of National Research Council [39]. The THI values were categorized into three classes i.e. low THI (76-78), moderate THI (79-81) and high THI (82-84). The effects of THI on physiological parameters and milk yield and composition were assessed. Also, the effects of genotype, parity, lactation month, and interaction of these parameters with THI i on milk yield, milk composition, and physiological parameters were investigated. The results indicate that THI and its interaction with genotypes, parity, and lactation month had highly significant effect on all the parameters. THI affected (P ˂ 0.05) average daily milk yield and milk fat %, protein %, lactose %, and solids – not – fat %. When THI increased from moderate to high values, average daily milk yield declined from 3.49 ± 0.04 to 3.43 ± 0.05 liters/day while fat % increased from 2.66 ± 0.05% to 3.04 ± 0.06% and protein decreased from 3.15 ± 0.02% to 3.13 ± 0.03%. No decline was observed on lactose % whilst solids – not – fat % declined from 8.56 ± 0.08% to 8.55 ± 0.10%, when the THI values increased from moderate to high. Also, THI affected (P˂0.05) physiological parameters. Core-body temperature (CBT), rectal temperature (RT), respiration rate (RR) and panting score (PS) increased from 35.60 ± 0.01 to 36.00 ± 0.01oC, 38.03 ± 0.02 to 38.3.30 ± 0.02oC, 62.53 ± 0.29 to 72.35 ± 0.28 breaths/min and 1.35 ± 0.01 to 1.47 ± 0.09, respectively, when THI increased from low to high. THI showed a low positive correlation with average daily milk yield and fat percentage whilst protein, lactose, and solids – not - fat percentages showed negative relationships with THI (P ≤ 0.05). The CBT, RT, RR, and PS showed positive relationships (P ≤ 0.05) with THI. These negative relationships indicate that there is an antagonistic correlation between sensitivity to HS and degree of production. It is concluded that the THI, genotype, parity, and lactation month, and their interactions with THI significantly affected milk yield, milk composition, and physiological parameters of lactating Holstein Friesian dairy crosses at THI thresholds ranging from 77 to 84.

Being overweight or obese is a public health problem. This work evaluated a food and nutrition education (EAN) intervention against overweight schoolchildren in four schools in the West Panama Province. A quasi-experimental before-and-after study that implemented a 34-week EAN intervention through workshops with didactic material to 403 children between 8 and 13 years old. The knowledge and attitude survey was used as an evaluation tool before and after the educational intervention. The prevalence of excess weight (40%) did not report differences after the intervention. No differences were reported in the median level of attitude, although higher levels of knowledge were reported in students of both sexes. EAN in schoolchildren can be effective in acquiring knowledge and maintaining a positive attitude towards food.

In an era where the proliferation of large language models blurs the lines between human and machine-generated content, discerning text authenticity is paramount. This study investigates transformer-based language models—BERT, RoBERTa, and DistilBERT—in distinguishing human-written from machine-generated text. By leveraging a comprehensive corpus, including human-written text from sources such as Wikipedia, WikiHow, various news articles in different languages, and texts generated by OpenAI's GPT-2, we conduct rigorous comparative experiments. Our findings highlight the superior effectiveness of ensemble learning models over single classifiers in this critical task. This research underscores the versatility and efficacy of transformer-based methodologies for a wide range of natural language processing applications, significantly advancing text authenticity detection systems. The results demonstrate competitive performance, with the transformer-based method achieving an F-score score of 0.83 with RoBERTa-large (monolingual) and 0.70 with DistilBERT-base-uncased (multilingual).

According to the model of proactive motivation, we constructed a moderated impact model to examine the relationship between employees perceived overqualification (POQ), transformational leadership (TL), constructive deviant behaviour (CDB), and the generational differences in their relationships. We examined research hypotheses using data of 525 individuals. Results revealed that POQ positively affects CDB, and TL strengthened the effect of POQ on positive toward CDB. Furthermore, the effect of POQ on CDB is strongest among individuals born in the 1980s, followed by those born in the 1990s, and the moderating effect of TL is strongest among individuals born in the 1980s, and not significant among those born in the 1990s. Implications, limitations, and future directions of the present study are discussed.

Digital recruitment systems have revolutionized the hiring paradigm, imparting exceptional efficiencies and extending the reach for both employers and job seekers. This investigation scrutinizes the efficacy of classical machine learning methodologies alongside advanced large language models (LLMs) in aligning resumes with job categories. Traditional matching techniques, such as Logistic Regression, Decision Trees, Naïve Bayes, and Support Vector Machines, are constrained by the necessity of manual feature extraction, limited feature representation, and performance degradation, particularly as dataset size escalates, rendering them less suitable for large-scale applications. Conversely, LLMs like GPT-4, GPT-3, and LLAMA, adeptly process unstructured textual content, capturing nuanced language and context with greater precision. We evaluate these methodologies utilizing two datasets comprising resumes and job descriptions to ascertain accuracy, efficiency, and scalability. Our results reveal that while conventional models excel with structured data, LLMs significantly enhance the interpretation and matching of intricate textual information. This study highlights the transformative potential of LLMs in recruitment, offering insights into their application and future research avenues.

The 3 31 nucleotide minihelix tRNA theorem describes evolution of type I and type II tRNAs to the last nucleotide. In databases, type I and type II tRNA V loops (V for variable) were improperly aligned, but alignment based on the theorem is accurate. Type II tRNA V arms were a 3’-acceptor stem (initially CCGCCGC) ligated to a 5’-acceptor stem (initially GCGGCGG). The type II V arm evolved to form a stem-loop-stem. In Archaea, tRNALeu and tRNASer are type II. In Bacteria, tRNALeu, tRNASer and tRNATyr are type II. The positioning of the type II V arm is determined by the number of unpaired bases just 5’ of the Levitt base (Vmax). For Archaea, tRNALeu has 2 unpaired bases, and tRNASer has 1 unpaired base. For Bacteria, tRNATyr has 2 unpaired bases, tRNALeu has 1 unpaired base and tRNASer has 0 unpaired bases. Thus, the number of type II tRNAs is limited by the possible set points of the arm. From analysis of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase structures, contacts to type II V arms appear to adjust allosteric tension communicated primarily via tRNA to aminoacylating and editing active sites. To enhance allostery, it appears that type II V arm end loop contacts may tend to evolve to V arm stem contacts.

Integrated crop-livestock production (ILP) is an interesting alternative for more sustainable soil use. However, more studies are needed to analyze soil pore properties under ILP at the micrometer scale. Thus, this study proposes a detailed analysis of soil pore architecture at the micrometer scale in three dimensions. For this purpose, samples of an Oxisol under ILP subjected to minimum tillage (MT) and no-tillage (NT) with ryegrass as cover crop (C) and silage (S) were investigated. The soil micromorphological properties of the soil were analyzed using X-ray microtomography. The MT(C) system showed the highest values of porosity (c. 20.4%), connectivity (c. 32.8×103), volume (c. 26%), and number of pores (c. 32%) in a rod-like shape. On the other hand, the MT(S), NT(C), and NT(S) systems showed higher tortuosities (c. 2.2, c. 2.0, and c. 2.1) and lower pore connectivities (c. 8.3×103, c. 6.9×103, and c. 6.2×103), especially in S use. Ellipsoidal and rod-shaped pores predominated over spheroidal and disc-shaped pores in all treatments. The results of this study show that the use of ryegrass as a cover crop improves soil physical properties, especially in MT. For S use, the type of soil management (MT or NT) did not show any differences.

Traditional population-based metaheuristic algorithms are effective in solving complex real-world problems but require careful strategy selection and parameter tuning. Parameter-less population-based optimization algorithms have gained importance due to their simplicity and efficiency. However, research on their applicability for solving large systems of nonlinear equations is still incipient. In this paper, a systematic review and detailed description of metaphor-less optimization algorithms is made, including the Jaya algorithm, the main Jaya variants for continuous optimization problems, with a focus on the Enhanced Jaya (EJAYA) algorithm, the three Rao algorithms, the best-worst-play (BWP) algorithm, and the very recent max-min-greedy-interaction (MaGI) algorithm. This paper also discusses a few previous parallelizations of the Jaya optimization algorithm, as well as recent GPU-based massively parallel implementations of the Jaya, Enhanced Jaya (EJAYA), Rao, and BWP algorithms developed by the authors. In addition, a novel GPU-accelerated version of the MaGI algorithm is proposed. The GPU-accelerated versions of the metaphor-less algorithms developed by the authors were implemented using the Julia programming language and tested primarily on GeForce RTX 3090 and NVIDIA A100 GPUs, as well as on Tesla V100S and Tesla T4 GPUs, using a set of difficult, large-scale nonlinear equation system problems. The computational experiments carried out produced quite significant speedups, which highlights the efficiency of the GPU-based versions of the metaphor-less algorithms developed for solving large-scale systems of nonlinear equations.

In this paper, we investigate the Green measure for a class of non-Gaussian processes in $\mathbb{R}^{d}$. These measures are associated with the family of generalized grey Brownian motions $B_{\beta,\alpha}$, $0

Perceived peer support is a critical factor in the academic adjustment of higher vocational college students. While previous studies have explored this relationship, few studies have delved into the underlying mechanisms. This study surveyed 9782 students from 35 higher vocational colleges in 13 provinces and cities in China to explore the relationship and mechanisms between perceived peer support and academic adjustment. Drawing on Conservation of Resources theory and Social Support Resource theory, the findings revealed that perceived peer support not only directly predicted the academic adjustment of higher vocational college students, but also indirectly through the independent mediating effect of academic hope and professional identity, as well as the chain-mediating effect of academic hope to professional identity. Additionally, students from vocational high schools showed a more significant increase in academic hope due to perceived peer support compared to those from general high schools, highlighting the moderating effect of educational background. The study provided a new theoretical perspective for understanding the complex mechanisms of academic adjustment in students and offers valuable guidance for educational practice, emphasizing the importance of fostering perceived peer support, academic hope, and professional identity in higher vocational education.

Due to the continued deepening of today’s mining projects, there is a need to develop new or improved rockbolts that are strong and yielding and have high energy absorption when exposed to dynamic loading. Impact tests can provide useful information about the dynamic response of rockbolts but most laboratory tests involve high costs in preparation and result validation. Numerical modeling is an alternative that, in addition to complementing laboratory results, can be used to represent the process of deformation and energy absorption of support elements. In this paper the implementation and results obtained from a finite difference (FDM) numerical model are presented. The model functions as a simulation tool to illuminate all the elements that conform the large-scale (1:1) impact test and their behavior and influence on the dynamic response of a threadbar bolt (22 mm nominal diameter). The model was calibrated using published results and based on these results as well as parametric analysis, the response of each component (steel tube, grout, and bolt) could be identified and its behavior in terms of absorbed energy and displacement could be observed. Results show the model can provide important preliminary information to make design decisions about support elements design.

Partially state-owned firms are common in both developed and developing countries and contribute around 10% of the world's GDP. This has led to a rich literature exploring various aspects of competition between such “mixed”-ownership firms. This paper contributes to the existing literature by studying the effects of mixed ownership on the intensity of competition in oligopoly markets. Our findings indicate that state ownership exerts an anti-competitive influence, with a higher state ownership share resulting in less aggressive behavior by firms in the product market. This result implies that industries with a higher proportion of state ownership yield lower total surplus. Further, when considering factors such as taxes, soft budget constraints, and weak property rights, the anti-competitive effects of state ownership are accentuated.

Polarimetric Synthetic Aperture Radar (PolSAR) images encompass valuable information that can facilitate extensive land cover interpretation and generate diverse output products. Extracting meaningful features from PolSAR data poses challenges distinct from those encountered in optical imagery. Deep Learning (DL) methods offer effective solutions for overcoming these challenges in PolSAR feature extraction. Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) play a crucial role in capturing PolSAR image characteristics by leveraging kernel capabilities to consider local information and the complex-valued nature of PolSAR data. In this study, a novel three-branch fusion of complex-valued CNN named Shallow to Deep Feature Fusion Network (SDF2Net) is proposed for PolSAR image classification. To validate the performance of the proposed method, classification results are compared against multiple state-of-the-art approaches using the Airborne Synthetic Aperture Radar (AIRSAR) datasets of Flevoland, San Francisco, and ESAR Oberpfaffenhofen dataset. The results indicate that the proposed approach demonstrates improvements in OA, with 1.3% and 0.8% enhancement for the AIRSAR datasets and 0.5% improvement for the ESAR dataset. The analyses conducted on the Flevoland data underscore the effectiveness of the SDF2Net model, revealing a promising OA of 96.01% even with only 1% sampling ratio.

The signaling complex around voltage-gated sodium (Nav) channels includes accessory proteins and kinases crucial for regulating neuronal firing. Previous studies showed that one such kinase, WEE1—critical to the cell cycle—selectively modulates Nav1.2 channel activity through the accessory protein fibroblast growth factor 14 (FGF14). Here, we tested whether WEE1 exhibits crosstalk with the AKT/GSK3 pathway for coordinated regulation of FGF14/Nav1.2 channel complex assembly and function. Using the in-cell split luciferase complementation assay (LCA), we found that the WEE1 inhibitor II and GSK3 inhibitor XIII reduce FGF14/Nav1.2 complex formation, while the AKT inhibitor triciribine increases it. However, combining WEE1 inhibitor II with either one of the other two inhibitors abolished its effect on FGF14/Nav1.2 complex formation. Whole-cell voltage-clamp recordings of sodium currents (INa) in HEK293 cells co-expressing Nav1.2 channels and FGF14-GFP showed that WEE1 inhibitor II significantly suppresses peak INa density, both alone and in the presence of triciribine or GSK3 inhibitor XIII, despite the latter inhibitors’ opposite effects on INa. Additionally, WEE1 inhibitor II slowed the tau of fast inactivation, and caused depolarizing shifts in the voltage dependence of activation and inactivation. These phenotypes either prevailed or were additive when combined with triciribine but were outcompeted when both WEE1 inhibitor II and GSK3 inhibitor XIII were present. Concerted regulation by WEE1 inhibitor II, triciribine and GSK3 inhibitor XIII were also observed on long-term inactivation and use-dependence of Nav1.2 currents. Overall, these findings suggest a complex role for WEE1 kinase—in concert with the AKT/GSK3 pathway—in regulating the Nav1.2 channelosome.

The examination of ampacity in overhead transmission lines offers a comprehensive overview, covering its definition, thermal evaluation methodologies, standards, practical applications, and the potential of high-temperature low-sag (HTLS) conductors. By navigating through static and dynamic approaches to thermal evaluation and detailing methodologies prescribed by international standards like those from CIGRE and IEEE, this study provides a solid understanding of how ampacity is determined and optimized. Furthermore, the exploration of HTLS conductors introduces a forward-looking perspective on enhancing transmission capacity whereas mitigating the need for extensive infrastructure modifications. Through an analysis of regional considerations and preferences using Slovak standards and CIGRE Technical Brochure 601, insights are provided on how environmental factors influence transmission line performance. The analysis of the transition from traditional ACSR to advanced ACCC (Aluminium Conductor Composite Core) conductors demonstrates the tangible benefits of adopting advanced conductor technologies in real-world scenarios.

In recent years, the rapid expansion of urban areas has led to changes in land use, a reduction in pervious surfaces, and a disturbance in the balance between surface waters and groundwater. These urban changes, combined with inadequate drainage systems and misdirection of runoff, have resulted in severe urban floods, causing numerous fatalities and damage to urban areas. As a result, investigating the effects of flood occurrences and determining proper mitigation measures to reduce flood damage is essential. This paper aims to establish a novel economic-hydrologic model to evaluate the efficacy of Low-impact Development (LID) measures in urban Bronx River catchment, NYC. The model examines reduced peak discharge of flood and imposed damage. Initially, the EPA’s SWMM is used to simulate urban flooding based on recent extreme events. LID scenarios are then implemented, including individual and combined scenarios, to mitigate the adverse impacts of flood occurrences of high to low frequency. By means of the HEC-GeoRAS tool, highly detailed flood inundation maps are generated and seamlessly incorporated into the flood damage estimation model, namely HAZUS, to obtain estimates of the potential damage caused by floods. Using the reduced monetary damages and the implementation cost of LID measures, the benefit-to-cost (BC) ratio is then calculated. Findings indicated that the combined LID scenario is the most effective approach in peak flow reduction. Moreover, Permeable pavement outperforms infiltration trench, bio retention cell, and rain barrel in terms of benefit-to-cost ratio, with rain barrel showing the lowest ratio. The proposed evaluation system for LID measures, with a focus on flood damage reduction as a key benefit, provides valuable insights for identifying optimal scenarios and facilitating informed decision-making.

Lignocellulosic biomass has garnered attention as an abundant and sustainable alternative energy source that can facilitate reliable and environmentally friendly energy generation. Energy security improves, and environmental impacts diminish when bioethanol, a biofuel produced via lignocellulose-based processes, is utilized. The lignocellulosic biomass of Thysanolaena latifolia has considerable potential as a bioethanol feedstock due to its high carbohydrate content (62.4 ± 0.7%). In this study, feedstock derived from T. latifolia was pretreated with various concentrations of H3PO4 to determine the ideal conditions for enzymatic hydrolysis to convert the feedstock to fermentable sugar. The findings revealed that hydrolysis efficiency and glucose recovery yields were substantially improved compared to those of the untreated sample. Pretreated samples were enzymatically digested to produce a liquid hydrolysate. This hydrolysate was fermented without detoxification using Saccharomyces cerevisiae TISTR 5339 to produce ethanol. The results indicated that T. latifolia biomass hydrolysate is a promising long-term carbon source for ethanol production from cellulosic biomass. Furthermore, the morphological and crystallographic characteristics of the treated T. latifolia biomass were influenced by H3PO4 concentration, as indicated by the SEM images, X-ray diffractogram patterns, and crystallinity index values. Therefore, utilizing T. latifolia feedstock to produce bioethanol can enhance bioenergy sustainability.

High pressure crystallization technique has been successfully used to prepare an elusive form II of a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug, Mefenamic acid. Single crystal of form II was grown at 0.3 GPa from an 4:1 methanol/ ethanol mixture as a solvent using Diamond Anvil Cell. Comparison of crystal structures show that the efficient packing of MA molecules in Form II results from the structural flexibility of MA acid molecules. Compression studies performed on the single crystal of form I resulted in 14 % decrease of unit cell volume up to 2.5 GPa. No phase transition was observed up to this pressure. A reconstructive phase transition is required to induce conformational changes in the structure, which is confirmed by crystallization at high pressure results.

The effect of doublet state metalloradical complex in a solar cell inside the common active layer poly(3-hexylthiophene)/ [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (P3HT/PC60BM) is explored. In this work is demonstrated that the role of the Bis-[1,3-Bis-(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-4,5-dichloroimidazol-2-ylidene]palladium(I) hexafluoridophosphate dopant, [Pd(IPrCl)2][PF6], is crucial because, by having a stable unpaired electron in the molecule, it significantly improves the optoelectronic performance of the devices. We found the optimal concentration of this molecule in the active layer, and we demonstrated that the presence of this additive in the active layer helps to significantly improve the morphology of the device. The improvements in optoelectronic and morphological parameters are associated with a remarkable increase of photocurrent generation due to more favourable mechanisms of charge separation at the donor/acceptor (D/A) interfaces of the active layer and reduced recombinations. Moreover, the presence of this additive improves the stability of the unencapsulated solar cell against photochemical degradation produced by sunlight.

This study analyzes the eating behavior and factors associated with the presence of disordered eating attitudes in patients undergoing bariatric surgery. It is a cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study conducted at a hospital in the Amazon region of Brazil. The Disordered Eating Attitude Scale reduced version (DEAS-s) was used to assess the risk of eating disorders and the Three-Factor Eating Questionnaire (TFEQ-R21) to characterize eating behavior. A total of 205 patients participated, with a mean age of 37.5 ± 8.6 years, the majority being female (93.7%; p&lt;0.001), the mean BMI was 45.3±6.7 kg/m2. It was found that cognitive restraint had the highest mean (52.6±19.9; p&lt;0.001). As for the DEAS-s, the question with the highest mean was "spending one or more days without eating or consuming only liquids to lose weight" (2.80±1.99). Female participants had a higher score in the emotional eating (p=0.016). Disordered eating attitudes showed a correlation with emotional eating and uncontrolled eating. These results suggest that candidates for bariatric surgery may have susceptibility to eating disorders. The importance of a multidisciplinary team in monitoring during the preoperative period is highlighted.

The Source Region of the Yellow River (SRYR), renowned as the "Water Tower of the Yellow River", serves as an important water conservation domain in the upper reaches of the Yellow River, significantly influencing water resources within the basin. Based on the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) Model Hydrological modeling system (WRF-Hydro) model, the key variables of the atmosphere-land-hydrology coupling processes over the SRYR during the 2013 rainy season are analyzed. The investigation involves a comparative analysis between the coupled WRF-Hydro and the standalone WRF simulations, focusing on the hydrological response to the atmosphere. The results reveal that the WRF-Hydro model's proficiency in depicting streamflow variations over the SRYR, yielding a Nash Efficiency Coefficient (NSE) of 0.44 and of  0.61 during the calibration and validation periods, respectively. Compared to the standalone WRF simulations, the coupled WRF-Hydro model demonstrates enhanced performance in soil heat fluxes simulations, reducing the mean Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) of surface soil temperature by 0.96 K and soil moisture by 0.01 m\textsuperscript{\textsuperscript{3}}/m\textsuperscript{\textsuperscript{3}}. Furthermore, the coupled model adeptly captures the streamflow variation characteristics with the NSE of 0.33. This underscores the significant potential of the coupled WRF-Hydro model for delineating coupled atmosphere-land-hydrology processes in regions characterized by cold climates and intricate topography.

Pakistan flora is enriched with potent bioactive compounds that must be explored while Alzheimer's disease (AD) poses a global challenge driven by neurochemical imbalances. Acetylcholinesterase (AChE) inhibitors traditionally alleviate symptoms, but addressing the root cause remains elusive. This gap has led to the exploration of herbal sources for interventions. In this context, we analyzed fifty 50 medicinal plants for their phytochemical composition and antioxidant and acetylcholinesterase inhibition activities. AChE activity was measured using Ellman’s method. Santalum album exhibited significant AChE inhibition (86.2%), surpassing galantamine hydrobromide (81.8%). Promising inhibition was also seen in Bombax ceiba (77.8%), Acacia karoo (52.9%), and Phaseolus lunatus (50.1%). Detailed analysis revealed Santalum album's abundance in terpenoids, flavonoids, tannins, and phenolics, potentially correlating with its antioxidant and AChE inhibitory effects. Acacia karoo demonstrated elevated levels of total alkaloids, antioxidants, terpenoids, and tannins. Both Acacia karoo and Santalum album show promise for AD intervention due to their AChE inhibitory activities and unique phytochemical attributes, warranting further exploration, particularly for Acacia karoo's novel potential in AChE inhibition, to advance targeted AD therapeutics utilizing natural resources. This study contributes to the search for effective AD strategies from nature's pharmacological resources.

Pediatric onset multiple sclerosis (POMS), characterized by the onset of multiple sclerosis before the age of 18, is gaining increased recognition. Approximately 5 percent of MS cases manifest before the age of 18, with less than 1 percent occurring before the age of 10. Despite its rarity, pediatric MS exhibits distinct characteristics, with an association between younger age at onset and a comparatively slower disease progression. Despite this slower progression, individuals with POMS historically reach disability milestones at earlier ages than those with adult-onset multiple sclerosis. While various immunomodulatory agents demonstrate significant benefits in MS treatment, such as reduced relapse rates and slower accumulation of brain lesions on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), the majority of disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) commonly used in adult MS lack evaluation through pediatric clinical trials. Current evidence is predominantly derived from observational studies. This comprehensive review aims to consolidate existing knowledge on the mechanisms of action, efficacy, safety profiles, and recommended dosages of available DMTs specifically in the context of pediatric MS. Furthermore, the review outlines recent advancements and explores potential medications still in developmental stages, providing a thorough overview of the current landscape and future prospects for treating POMS.

Distributed Energy Resources might have a severe influence on Power Line Communications, as they can generate interfering signals and high frequency emissions or supraharmonics that may cause loss of metering and control data. In this paper, the influence of various energy resources on Narrowband Power Line Communications is described and analyzed through several test measurements performed in a real microgrid. Accordingly, the paper describes the effects on smart metering communications through MAC layer analysis. Results show that the commutation frequency of inverters and the presence of battery chargers are remarkable sources of disturbance in low voltage distribution networks. In this sense, the results presented can contribute to efforts towards standardization and normative of emissions at higher frequencies higher, such as CENELEC EN 50160 and IEC/TS 62749.

Foveal vision loss has been shown to reduce efficient visual search guidance due to contextual cueing by incidentally learned contexts. However, previous studies used artificial (T among L-shape) search paradigms that prevent the memorization of a target in a semantically meaningful scene. Here, we investigated contextual cueing in real-life scenes that allow explicit memory of target locations in semantically rich scenes. In contrast to the contextual cueing deficits in artificial scenes, contextual cueing in patients with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) did not differ from age-matched normal-sighted controls. We discuss this in the context of visuospatial working memory demands for which both eye-movement control in the presence of central vision loss and for memory-guided search may compete. Memory-guided search in semantically rich scenes may depend less on visuospatial working memory than search in abstract displays, potentially explaining intact contextual cueing in the former but not the latter. In a practical sense, our findings may indicate that Patients with AMD are less deficient than expected after previous lab experiments. This shows the usefulness of realistic stimuli in experimental clinical research.

Vaccine hesitancy has emerged as a significant barrier to achieving herd immunity and protecting populations from preventable diseases. Despite the proven effectiveness and safety of vaccines, many individuals remain hesitant or refuse to vaccinate themselves or their children. This review aims to identify the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy, including misinformation, lack of trust in authorities, cultural beliefs, and access barriers. We also discuss the impact of vaccine hesitancy on public health, including outbreaks of vaccine-preventable diseases and erosion of trust in public health authorities. Furthermore, we present evidence-based communication strategies for addressing vaccine hesitancy, including building trust, providing accurate information, addressing myths and misconceptions, engaging with local influencers, and utilizing social media and digital platforms. By understanding the factors contributing to vaccine hesitancy and implementing effective communication strategies, healthcare providers, public health officials, and community leaders can work towards promoting widespread vaccine acceptance and protecting public health.

Steel fibre reinforced concrete (SFRC) consists of short hooked steel fibres randomly distributed and oriented within the cementitious matrix. The contribution of fibre in bridging cracks to provide the stress transfer required relies upon the orientation of the fibre in the concrete. Bridging fibre aligned with a crack are less effective than those inclined to it. Therefore, understanding the pull-out behaviour of misaligned fibre is a key factor to quantify and optimize the design of SFRC in the structural applications. In the laboratory a single oriented fibre embedded in a solid cylinder of concrete is subjected to a pull-out test where the axis of a tensile force is aligned with the axis of the cylinder. Based upon the observed behaviour this paper presents a new analytical bounding approach to capture the pull-out response of misaligned hooked-end steel fibre embedded in a concrete matrix. The analysis is based upon a transversely isotropic condition assumed for the plasticity that occurs in the cold drawn fibre. The model accounts for the influence of fibre diameter and the combined strengths of the steel and concrete. The model predictions have also been compared with other experimental results published in the literature. The results showed that the model can predict pull-out loads reasonably for different fibre orientations between bounds of failure derived from the strengths of the two constituents. A critical orientation is observed at maximum strength. Therein, an understanding of the pull-out behaviour of misaligned, hooked-end fibres is necessary to optimize the strength of concrete from this method of reinforcement.

In today's intricate media landscape, the resilience and relevance of public service media (PSM) depend on their capacity to align with the diverse and evolving expectations of the public. However, the audience perspective is often overlooked, resulting in a limited understanding of public expectations. This study employs a bottom-up approach that allows for a re-evaluation of the expectations from the audience's viewpoint. It investigates the public's expectations for PSM, drawing on data from 10 focus group discussions (with 60 participants) conducted in the Czech Republic. The findings indicate that expectations can be categorized into four primary dimensions: (1) the expected roles and functions of PSM; (2) the general characteristics of the PSM content (defining the desired nature of PSM content); (3) the principles governing the functioning of PSM (outlining how PSM should operate); and (4) specific requirements concerning PSM news and non-news content. In the latter dimension, objectivity emerged as one of the most critical expectations and a major source of dissatisfaction. While participants collectively value objectivity, they disagree on its definition. A deeper examination revealed that certain public expectations may be unattainable due to the simplistic view of objectivity held by some.

Three species of subfamily Cultrinae currently live in Korea, but Erythroculter erythropterus has been introduced into the Nakdonggang River and has taken over the habitat, reducing the habitat of Culter brevicauda. Only the endangered species C. brevicauda still lives in the Yeongsangang River, and it is necessary to be careful not to introduce E. erythropterus in the future. And Hemiculter eigenmanni is also found throughout the country. In order to effectively manage and conserve the species in its various habitats and against invasions, this study was initiated. The ultrastructure of the egg envelopes of three species of Cultrinae— E. erythropterus, C. brevicauda, and H. eigenmanni, inhabiting the Geumgang and Yeongsangang Rivers were observed. It was found that the zona radiata of the egg envelopes of all three species were divided into two layers–an outer and inner layer, with the outer surface having a non-structural form. This form is characteristic of fishes with muddy, stagnant habitats or spawning grounds. The number of pore canals on the surface of the egg envelopes was 83 for E. erythropterus, 75 for C. brevicauda, and 58 for H. eigenmanni per 10 ㎛2, and the thickness was 7.89±0.34 ㎛, 12.27±0.46 ㎛, and 7.42±0.24 ㎛, respectively. The shape of the micropyle demonstrated a funnel shape narrowing toward the inner diameter in all three species, and the size of the inner diameter was 6.62±0.29 (6.09~7.10) ㎛ in E. erythropterus, 4.19±0.39 (3.39~4.58) ㎛in C. brevicauda, and 3.98±0.46 (3.47~4.93) ㎛in H. eigenmanni. The differences between species were identified in the number of pore canals, thickness, and micropyle inner diameter of egg envelopes, which were species-specific. Our study revealed a morphological mechanism in the egg envelope that prevents the formation of interspecific hybrids, and these features can be taxonomic traits that clarify species names. It also provided useful data for the production (breeding) of the second generation in aquaculture.

It is concerning that Cameroon's urban centers are experiencing an alarming rise in air pollution as a result of urbanization, population growth, industrial activity, and transportation emissions. We examined the causes, health impacts, research methodology, case studies, and government measures to address the urgent issue of air pollution in Cameroon's urban regions. We have emphasized how Cameroon's air pollution levels have significantly increased as a result of causes like population expansion, urbanization, industrial emissions, and automobile exhaust A thorough discussion of the negative health impacts of extended exposure to air pollution is included, with special attention to the sensitivity of the old and young. These effects include respiratory disorders, cardiovascular ailments, and early mortality. We emphasized the pressing need for all-encompassing strategies to address air pollution, such as increased public awareness campaigns, stronger emissions regulations, the development of renewable energy sources, and better waste management. The techniques employed in studies on air pollution, like as epidemiological research and air quality monitoring, are also explained to provide light on the unique health dangers that Cameroonian urban dwellers must contend with. We emphasized in our conclusion the significance of joint efforts by legislators, medical professionals, and the general people to reduce air pollution and protect public health in Cameroon in order to create a cleaner and healthier future. In order to protect public health in the future, it is imperative that Cameroon's air pollution be addressed.

Local polynomial smoother (LPS) is a weighted local least-squares nonparametric method. It provides a local Taylor series fit of the data at any location and can be directly used in a differential equation to provide a numerical scheme. In this article, we introduce this new nonparametric idea based on local polynomial smoother, for acquiring the numerical solution of the Bagley-Torvik fractional-order differential equations. Furthermore, this paper will present a numerical comparison with some methods, such as legendre operational matrix and pseudo-spectral method. The efficiency and accuracy of the LPS method are demonstrated by two numerical examples.

Modern fighter aircraft increasingly need to conjugate aerodynamic performance and low observability. In this paper we showcase a methodology for a gradient-based bidisciplinary aero-stealth optimization. The shape of the aircraft is parametrized with the help of a CAD modeler, and we optimize with the SLSQP algorithm. The drag, computed with the help of a RANS method, is used as the aerodynamic criterion. The stealth criterion, a function is derived from the radar cross section in a given cone of directions, weighed with a function whose goal is to cancel the electromagnetic intensity in a given direction. Stealth is achieved passively by scattering back the electromagnetic energy away from the radar antenna and no energy is absorbed by the aircraft, which is considered as a perfect conductor. A Pareto front is identified by varying the weights of the aerodynamic and stealth criteria. The Pareto front allows for an easy identification of the CAD model corresponding to a chosen aero-stealth trade-off.

Current trends in systemic risk literature provide new insights into multi-hazard risks that interact and compound with built environments, creating more significant impacts on socio-economic and human systems. Recurrent natural hazards and extreme weather events are more likely to compound and cascade into more impactful events, especially in vulnerable societies. In small-island communities (SICS), including large archipelagos and Small Island Developing States (SIDS), the long-term impact of multi-, compounding-, and cascading-hazards (MCC hazards) can result in persistent vulnerability and residual risks. This is due to delayed responses, limited resources, poverty, fewer evacuation options, and inadequate markets and infrastructure. Using Ternate, a densely populated small volcanic island in North Maluku, Indonesia, as a case study, this paper assesses the impacts of seven types of natural hazards: flash floods, landslides, extreme weather, extreme waves and abrasion, earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. The research focuses on the multi-hazard impact on population, land use, and infrastructure exposures in 60 villages in Ternate. The findings highlight population density, land use, and infrastructure exposure to multi-hazard risks, providing valuable information on potential losses in future hazard events.

Transportation systems through the ages have seen drastic evolutions in terms of transportation methods, speed of transport, infrastructure, technology, connectivity, influence on the environment, and accessibility. The massive transformation seen in the transportation sector has been fueled by the industrial revolutions which have continued expansion and progress into the fourth industrial revolution. However, the methodologies of data collection and processing used by the many drivers of this progress differ. The significance of standardized data and its mode of collection cannot be overstated as it has a major impact on the process outcomes. In order to achieve a better understanding of the impact of this, this study methodically reviewed the literature on the subject of the data collection and processing mechanism of 4IR technologies in the context of the transport industry with an emphasis on the areas of accomplishment of several studies and drawing attention to their limitations. Although the industry has advanced significantly as a result of the adoption and application of various research studies in this field, considerable focus needs to be placed in the areas of standardized data collection and computational approaches, which will ultimately assist in achieving various benefits in the transportation industry.

Silybin is a natural compound extensively studied for its hepatoprotective, neuroprotective and anti-cancer properties. Envisioning the enhancement of silybin potential by suitable modifications in its chemical structure, here, a series of new 7-O alkyl silybins derivatives were synthesized by Mitsunobu reaction starting from the silybins and tyrosol-based phenols, such as tyrosol (TYR, 3), 3-methoxytyrosol (MTYR, 4) and 3-hydroxytyrosol (HTYR, 5). This research sought to explore the antioxidant and anticancer properties of new eighteen derivatives and their mechanisms. In particular, the antioxidant properties of new derivatives outlined by DPPH assay, showed a very pronounced activity depending on the tyrosyl moiety (HTYR&gt;MTYR&gt;&gt;TYR). A significant contribution of the HTYR moiety was observed for silybins and 2,3-dehydro-silybin based derivatives. According to the very potent antioxidant activity, 2,3-dehydro-silybin derivatives 15ab, 15a and 15b exerted the most potent anticancer activity in human prostate cancer PC-3 cells. Furthermore, flow cytometric analysis for cell cycle and apoptosis revealed that 15ab, 15a and 15b induce strong G1 phase arrest and increase late apoptotic population in PC-3 cells. Additionally, western blotting for apoptotic marker cleaved caspase-3 confirmed apoptosis induction by these silybin derivatives in PC-3 cells. These findings hold significant importance in the investigation of anticancer properties of silybin derivatives and strongly encourage swift investigation in pre-clinical models and clinical trials.

Apple replant disease (ARD) is a complex issue caused by various fungal, oomycetes pathogens and parasites which can differ in their abundance between sites within a geographic region. Knowledge of the specific etiology of ARD at a particular site is required in order to develop commercially viable soil management strategies to combat specific/individual components of the disease. In this study we analyzed the soil from six ARD sites for the presence of fungal, bacterial and oomycetes communities and plant parasitic nematodes. Five fungal, and 17 bacterial classes were differentially represented in the microbiomes from different locations. Mortierellomycetes was the most abundant fungal taxa represented followed by Sordariomycetes. Mortierella exigua a fungal endophyte was the most abundant fungal amplicon sequence variant (ASV) in the core microbiome. Proteobacteria was the most prevalent phylum identified in orchard soils. Several potential phytopathogenic fungi involved in ARD and endophytes including Fusarium oxysporum, F. solani, Nectria ramulariae, Ilyonectria robusta and Nectriaceae were identfied in the orchard soil. Pythium attrantheridium (Globisporangium attrantheridium), P. monospermum and P. ultimum (Globisporangium ultimum) were the most abundant oomycete taxa identified in these soil samples. Six different groups of plant-parasitic nematodes were found across the six orchards soil. Root-lesion nematodes, Pratylenchus spp., which are commonly associated with ARD, were identified in all orchards soil at population densities ranging from 12 to 33/100 cm3 soil. This research contributes valuable understanding of the ARD complex as the apple industry needs alternative approaches to combat the disease.

The rheological properties of a polyamide (PA) resin with low crystallinity were modified by melt-mixing it with a small amount of an alternative a-olefin–maleic anhydride copolymer as a reactive compound. Because PA has a low melting point, rheological characterization was performed over a wide temperature range. Owing to the reaction between PA and the alternative a-olefin–maleic anhydride copolymer, the blend sample behaved as a long-chain branched polymer in the molten state. The thermo-rheological complexity was obvious owing to large flow activation energy values in the low modulus region. The primary normal stress difference under steady shear was greatly increased in the wide shear rate range, leading to a large swell ratio at capillary extrusion. Furthermore, strain hardening in the transient elongational viscosity, which is responsible for favorable processability, was clear. Because this is a simple modification method, it will be widely employed to modify the rheological properties of various polyamide resins.

This paper discusses the design and implementation of a portable IoT station. Communication and data synchronization issues in several installations are addressed here, making possible a detailed analysis of the entire system during its operation. The system proposed is interpreted as an additional tool which can be utilized in several applications, where the system operator requires a synchronized data stream, combining multiple communication protocols into one single time stamp. The hardware selected for the portable IoT station complies with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) industrial standards. A short discussion regarding interface customization shows how easily the hardware can be modified so that it is integrated with almost any system. A Programmable Logic Controller enables the Node-Red to be utilized. This open-source programming tool employs flows to define operations for each global variable nominated in the Modbus register. Two applications are presented and discussed in this paper, each application has a distinct methodology utilized to publish and visualize the acquired data. The portable IoT Station is highly customizable, consisting of a modular structure and providing the best platform for future research and development of dedicated algorithms.

Automated charging technologies are becoming increasingly important in the electrification of heavy road freight transport, especially in combination with autonomous driving. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of automated charging technologies for electric heavy-duty vehicles (HDVs). It encompasses the entire spectrum of feasible technologies, including static and dynamic approaches, with each charging technology evaluated for its advantages, potentials, challenges, and technology readiness level (TRL). Static conductive charging methods such as charging robots, underbody-couplers or pantographs show good potential, with pantographs being the most mature option. These technologies are progressing towards higher TRLs, with a focus on standardization and adaptability. While static wireless charging is operational for some prototype solutions, it encounters challenges related to implementation and efficiency. Dynamic conductive charging through an overhead contact line or contact rails holds promise for high-traffic HDV routes with the overhead contact line being the most developed option. Dynamic wireless charging, although facing efficiency challenges, offers potential for seamless integration into roads and minimal wear and tear. Battery swapping is emerging as a practical solution to reduce downtime for charging, with varying levels of readiness across different implementations. To facilitate large-scale deployment further standardization efforts are required. The study emphasizes the necessity for continued research and development to enhance efficiency, decrease costs, and ensure seamless integration into existing infrastructures. Technologies that achieve this best will have the highest potential to significantly contribute to the creation of an efficiently automated and environmentally friendly transport sector.

To explore the relevant factors that affect the efficacy of consciousness-regaining therapy (CRT)for prolonged disorder of consciousness(pDOC),a retrospective analysis was conducted on the case data of 114 patients with pDOC admitted to department of functional neurosurgery of Tianjin Huanhu Hospital from January 2019 to January 2022. Basic information on the cases,data on pDOC disease assessment, consciousness-regaining therapy methods, and efficacy evaluation were collected. A total of 114 patients were grouped and compared based on the efficacy at the end of treatment. Among them, there were 61 cases in the ineffective group and 53 cases in the effective group. There was no statistically significant difference (P&gt;0.05) between the two groups in terms of gender, age, etiology, acute cerebral herniation, emergency craniotomy surgery, emergency decompressive craniectomy, time from onset to start of consciousness-regaining therapy , and duration of consciousness-regaining therapy(P&gt;0.05). However, there were statistically significant differences (P&lt;0.05) in terms of secondary hydrocephalus, , consciousness-regaining therapy methods, CRS-R grading before treatment, and GOSE score at 6 months after treatment. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that the type of therapy (OR=0.169, 95% CI: 0.057-0.508) was a related factor affecting the efficacy of consciousness-regaining therapy (P&lt;0.05).Compared with non-invasive therapy, personalized awakening therapy using various invasive consciousness-regaining therapy methods can help improve the efficacy of therapy for pDOC.

Introduction: This study aims to elucidate the clinical diagnostic value of S100 Calcium Binding Protein beta (S100B) in epilepsy, a topic of ongoing debate among European and Asian epilepsy research centres.Methods and analysis: A structured long-term research plan was developed, comprising three phases. Phase one involves observational studies investigating the correlation between S100B levels in serum or cerebrospinal fluid and epilepsy. Phase two integrates observational and randomised controlled data to establish baseline S100B levels across diverse epilepsy demographics, underpinning the predictive value of S100B for epilepsy. Phase three focuses on randomised controlled trials to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of S100B as an epilepsy biomarker.Ethics and dissemination: All enrolled patients will provide written consent. The ethics committee of the Second People’s Hospital of Gansu Province, Affiliated Hospital of Northwest Minzu University, China, approved the study (GSSEY2022-KY009-01).Registration: The study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023425431).

Investigation of oomycete diversity in rice paddies of Fars Province in Iran led to the identification of two new Pythium sensu lato (s.l.) species as Globisporangium izadpanahii sp. nov. and Pythium banihashemianum sp. nov. The identification was based on morphological and physiological features as well as the phylogenetic analysis of nuclear (ITS and βtub) and mitochondrial (cox1 and cox2) loci using Bayesian inference and Maximum Likelihood. A major characteristic of G. izadpanahii was the production of globose hyphal swellings; this species did not produce vesicles and zoospores. The present paper describes formally these two new species and defines their phylogenetic relationships with other congeneric species. According to multiple gene genealogy analysis, G. izadpanahii grouped with other species of Globisporangium in the former clade G of Pythium s.l. and was closely related to both G. nagaii and the recently described G. coniferarum. The second species, designated P. banihashemianum, grouped with other species of Pythium sensu stricto in the former clade B of Pythium s.l. and according to the phylogenetic analysis shared an ancestor with P. plurisporium. In pathogenicity tests on rice seedlings, P. banihashemianum isolates were highly pathogenic causing severe root and crown rot, while G. izadpanahii isolates were not pathogenic.

This article seeks to provide an improved and more comprehensive understanding of the concept and theories on wasteland. It achieves this by focusing on the Indian context allowing us to unpack the importance of including multiple perspectives of wasteland narratives; this means including more positive narratives of the potential of wasteland to inform and improve prospects for land policies in the global south. Wasteland is commonly recognized as an underutilized category of land that may transform into a valuable resource base with proper management measures. The term waste has multiple angles that carry different notions ranging from fallow to agroforestry land in the global south and Brownfield to green space in the global north. We conduct a narra-tive review approach to qualitatively analyze the concept wastelands studied in pre-existing lit-erature from 1970 to present. The unsystematic literature review approach incorporates multiple elements of wasteland discourse, like understanding the meaning of the term on a global scale, setting out the meaning of the term waste into multiple perspectives explicitly in the Indian con-text, along with different classes and management approaches of wasteland from a national per-spective. The multiple perspectives of wasteland not only generate misconception on land resource but spawn difficulties in land use policy particularly for Indian scenario. For sustainable land use policy, reclaiming wasteland would be the best possible way for India and other countries in Global South, which requires a comprehensive methodological overview on wasteland narrative.

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) is associated with a generally poor prognosis due to its highly aggressive and metastatic nature, lack of targetable receptors, as well as the frequent development of resistance to chemotherapy. We previously reported that AU1, a small molecule developed as an inhibitor of BPTF (bromodomain PHD finger containing transcription factor), was capable of sensitizing preclinical models of triple negative breast cancer to chemotherapy, in part via the promotion of autophagy. In studies reported here, we identify an additional property of this compound, specifically that sensitization is associated with inhibition of the P-glycoprotein efflux pump. In silico molecular docking studies indicate that AU1 binds to active regions of the efflux pump, in a manner consistent with inhibition of pump function. This work identifies a novel chemical structure that can influence multidrug efflux, an established mechanism of drug resistance in triple negative breast cancer, that has not yet been successfully addressed by clinical efforts.

This study presents the chemical synthesis, purification, and characterization of a novel non-natural synthetic amino acid. The compound was synthesized in solution, purified, and characterized using NMR spectroscopy, polarimetry, and melting point determination. Dynamic Light 22 Scattering (DLS) analysis demonstrated its ability to form aggregates with an average size of 391 nm, extending to low micrometric sizes. Furthermore, cellular biological assays revealed its ability to enhance fibroblast cell growth, highlighting its potential for tissue regenerative applications. Circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy showed the ability of the synthetic amino acid to bind serum albumins (using bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a model), and CD deconvolution provided insights into the changes in secondary structures of BSA upon interaction with the amino acid ligand. Additionally, molecular docking using HDOCK software elucidated the most likely binding mode of the ligand inside the BSA structure. We also performed in silico oligomerization of the synthetic compound in order to obtain a model of aggregate to investigate computationally. More in detail, in the dimer formation achieved by molecular self-docking, two distinct poses were observed, corresponding to the lowest and comparable energies, with one pose exhibiting a quasi-coplanar arrangement characterized by a close alignment of two aromatic rings from the synthetic amino acids within the dimer, suggesting the presence of π-π stacking interactions. In contrast, the second pose displayed a non-coplanar configuration, with the aromatic rings oriented in a staggered arrangement, indicating distinct modes of interaction. Both poses were further utilized in the self-docking procedure. Notably, iterative molecular docking of amino acid structures resulted in the formation of higher-order aggregates, with a model of a 512-mer aggregate obtained through self-docking procedures. This model of aggregate presented a cavity capable of hosting therapeutic cargoes and biomolecules, rendering it a potential scaffold for cell adhesion and growth in tissue regenerative applications. Overall, our findings highlight the potential of this synthetic amino acid for tissue regenerative therapeutics and provide valuable insights into its molecular interactions and aggregation behavior.

In recent years, semantic communication has received significant attention from both academia and industry, driven by the growing demands for ultra-low latency and high-throughput capabilities in emerging intelligent services. Nonetheless, a comprehensive and effective theoretical framework for semantic communication has yet to be established. In particular, finding the fundamental limits of semantic communication, exploring the capabilities of semantic-aware networks, or utilizing theoretical guidance for deep learning in semantic communication are very important yet still unresolved issues. In general, the mathematical theory of semantic communication and the mathematical representation of semantics are referred to as semantic information theory. In this paper, we introduce the pertinent advancements in semantic information theory. Grounded in the foundational work of Claude Shannon, we present the latest developments in semantic entropy, semantic rate-distortion, and semantic channel capacity. Additionally, we analyze some open problems in semantic information measurement and semantic coding, providing a theoretical basis for the design of a semantic communication system. Furthermore, we carefully review several mathematical theories and tools and evaluate their applicability in the context of semantic communication. Finally, we shed light on the challenges encountered in both semantic communication and semantic information theory.

This paper presents results of the magnetic dynamics study (the microwave power absorptions at the fixed frequencies, during magnetic field sweeping) in samples of Y3Fe5O12 single crystals in the form of plates and spheres of various sizes, at frequencies exceeding 30 GHz, in magnetic fields up to 18 kOe, at room temperature and T=77 K. It was found, that in this case, the inhomogeneity’s of the magnetic state manifested itself in the Y3Fe5O12 samples in as 2D local phase separation regions. These 2D phase separation regions formed inside domain walls representing superlattices with size’s 700 – 900 Å. Landau diamagnetism or de Haas van Alphen oscillations observed in the 2D phase separation regions at room temperature and T=77 K, depending on the shape and size of the studied plates and spheres.

Integrating sustainable processes and innovative waste utilization not only addresses environ-mental challenges but also aligns with evaluating energy sustainability and creating the circular waste management. This study presents a comparative analysis of liquid fuel production from waste tires and water hyacinth using two thermochemical methods: co-pyrolysis (direct method) and co-gasification integrated with the Fischer-Tropsch (FT) process (indirect method). The As-pen Plus simulation software version 9 is employed to develop models, determining optimal operating conditions for maximum liquid fuel, and assessing economic viability. Co-pyrolysis simulations reveal an increase in oil products and a decrease in gas products with higher blending weight ratios of waste tires/water hyacinth (W/B) and lower pyrolyser temperatures. Operating at 400°C with a blending weight ratio of 75:25 provided the maximum liquid fuel rate of 6649.22 gal/day. For co-gasification, optimal conditions (W/B = 50:50, T = 800°C, steam to feed ratio (S/F) = 1) result in the highest syngas yield of 115.92 kmol/h. Fischer-Tropsch simulations demonstrate an increase in gasoline and a decrease in diesel with rising reactor temperatures. At 230°C, the maximum liquid fuel rate reaches 8817.15 gal/day. The economic and production yield analysis indicates that the indirect method better than the direct method, providing higher liquid fuel yields and investment worthiness.

The article discusses the issue of the sustainable development of the cross-border market for cultural services in a city divided by the state border. The article uses the example of Cieszyn and Český Těšín, a city divided following the decision of the Council of Ambassadors in 1920. The research carried out so far indicates the main constraints in the harmonious functioning of the cross-border market for cultural services in this city, such as: different cultural policies implemented on both sides of the city, language barriers as well as legal and administrative differences. Therefore, the authors undertook research aimed at recognising the role of Euroregional structures in stimulating the sustainable development of this region. On the basis of the analysis of the Cieszyn Silesia Euroregion's documentation and the results of qualitative and quantitative research, the article describes the role of the Euroregion in building a cross-border market for cultural services. Recommendations were also prepared that could constitute the principles of a common cultural policy not only for Cieszyn and Český Těšín, but also for other European cities in the Schengen Area, which, like Cieszyn and Český Těšín, have been divided by a state border.

The objective of the research was to examine the determinants that determine farmer participation and shallot farming development in search of effective farm management practices. The study used Structural Equation Modeling data analysis. The primary data was collected from direct-structural interviews with 150 randomly chosen shallot farmers in Bantaeng Regency, Indonesia. It was found that the physical attributes of the land, the economic framework of the community, and the political system of the agricultural community were fundamental factors that exerted a positive and significant influence on farmer participation. Therefore, improvements in the physical aspects of land, the economic framework, and the political structure of agricultural communities could promote farmer participation. Furthermore, the farmers’ participation and the political structure of agricultural communities have a positive and significant impact on the development of shallot farming. Thus, by increasing the influence of government officials and community leaders, shallot farming can be promoted. The farmers can then enhance their participation in the shallot farming plan's formulation and implementation, providing the continued development of shallot farming. The findings of this study contribute significantly to the body of knowledge by validating previous research and proposing different ways to improve effective farm management practices in shallot farming.

To encourage proper waste management from electrical and electronic devices (e-waste), it is necessary to invest heavily in the development of recycling technologies. One way to improve the process is to automate separating the shredded parts of e-waste using a robot. This paper's literature review, utilizing the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) framework, showcases potential robotic technologies for e-waste separation. However, the intricate design of these devices can pose significant challenges in their implementation. Various legal, organizational, and sociological obstacles have left Serbia's e-waste management practice underdeveloped, resulting in an unsatisfactory recycling rate. In this paper we examined the possibility of using robots on the precise example of recycling refrigerators in a recycling center in Eastern Serbia, concluding that such a solution would have multiple positive effects, both on the employees and the working environment, on the operations of the recycling center itself, and on increasing the e-waste recycling rate in the country.

Dietary patterns were recently applied to examine the relationship between eating habits and prostate cancer (PC) risk. While the associations between PC risk with glycemic index and Mediterranean score have been reviewed, no meta-analysis is currently available on dietary patterns defined by “a posteriori” methods. Search was carried out (PubMed, Web of Science) to identify studies reporting the relationship between dietary patterns and PC risk. Relevant dietary patterns were selected and the risk estimated were calculated by a random-effect model. Multivariable-adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for a 1st-percentile increase in dietary pattern score were combined by a dose response meta-analysis. 12 observational studies were included in the meta-analysis which identified “Healthy pattern” and “Western pattern”. The Healthy pattern was not related to PC risk (OR=0.96; 95% CI: 0.88-1.04) while the Western pattern significantly increased it (OR=1.34; 95% CI: 1.08-1.65). In addition, a “Carbohydrate pattern”, identified in four articles, was positively associated with a higher PC risk (OR=1.64; 95% CI: 1.35-2.00). A significant linear trend between the Western (p=0.011) and the Carbohydrate (p=0.005) pattern and the increment of PC risk was observed. The small numbers of studies included suggest that further investigations are necessary to support these findings.

Eutrophication, a global concern, impacts water quality, ecosystems, and human health. It’s crucial to monitor algal blooms in freshwater reservoirs, as they indicate the trophic condition of a waterbody through Chlorophyll-a (Chla) concentration. Traditional monitoring methods, however, are expen-sive and time-consuming. Addressing this hindrance, we developed models using remotely sensed data from the Sentinel-2 satellite for large-scale coverage, including its bands and spectral indexes, to estimate the Chla concentration on 149 freshwater reservoirs in Ceará, Brazil. Several machine learning models were trained and tested, including k-nearest neighbours, random forests, extreme gradient boosting, the least absolute shrinkage, group method of data handling (GMDH), and sup-port vector machine models. A stepwise approach determined the best subset of input parameters. Using a 70/30 split for the training and testing datasets, the best-performing model was the GMDH, achieving an R2 of 0.91, MAPE of 102.34%, and RMSE of 20.38 g/L, which are values consistent with the ones found in the literature. Nevertheless, the predicted Chla concentration values were most sensitive to the red, green, and near infra-red bands.

Ambiguity exists over treatment and surveillance strategies after endoscopic submucosal dissec-tion (ESD) for esophageal squamous cell neoplasia (ESCN) with unfavorable histologic features. This study investigated the long-term outcomes of ESD in high-risk ESCN patients. We retro-spectively included early ESCN patients treated with ESD at two medical centers in Taiwan be-tween August 2010 and December 2023. Demographic, endoscopic, and pathological data were collected. Among 146 patients (mean age 59.17 years) with 183 lesions, 73 (50%) had a history of head and neck cancer (HNC). En bloc and R0 resection were achieved in 100% and 95.6% of the lesions, respectively. The 5-year overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and local recurrence rates were 42.7%, 94.7% and 11%. R0 resection was significantly associated with re-currence in univariate analysis (adjusted OR: 0.23, 95% CI: 0.05-0.99, P=0.05). Alcohol abstinence was independently associated with lower recurrence (adjusted OR: 0.20, 95% CI: 0.08-0.48, P

Genome-wide association studies (GWAS) have accelerated the exploration of genotype-phenotype associations, facilitating the discovery of replicable genetic markers associated with specific traits or complex diseases. This narrative review explores the statistical methodologies developed using GWAS data to investigate relationships between various phenotypes, focusing on endometrial cancer, the most prevalent gynecological malignancy in developed nations. Advancements in analytical techniques such as genetic correlation, colocalization, cross-trait locus identification, and causal inference analyses have enabled deeper exploration of associations between different phenotypes, enhancing statistical power to uncover novel genetic risk regions. These analyses have unveiled shared genetic associations between endometrial cancer and many phenotypes, enabling identification of novel endometrial cancer risk loci and furthering our understanding of risk factors and biological processes underlying this disease. The current status of research in endometrial cancer is robust; however, this review demonstrates that further opportunities exist in statistical genetic that hold promise for advancing the understanding of endometrial cancer and other complex diseases.

The increasing focus on the development of positioning techniques reflects the growing interest in applications and services based on indoor positioning. Many applications necessitate precise indoor positioning or tracking of individuals and assets, leading to rapid growth in products based on these technologies in certain market sectors. Ultrasonic systems have already proven effective in achieving the desired positioning accuracy and refresh rates. The typical signal used in ultrasonic positioning systems for estimating the range between the target and reference points, specifically the linear chirp, can undergo shape aberration due to the effects of acoustic diffraction when the aperture exceeds a certain limit. The extent of the aberration is influenced by the shape and size of the transducer, as well as the angle at which the transducer is observed by the receiver. This aberration also impacts the shape of the cross-correlation, causing it to lose its characteristic easily detectable single global peak. In such instances, cross-correlation techniques yield results with a significantly higher error than anticipated. In this study, an alternative technique to global peak detection is proposed, leveraging the inherent symmetry observed in the shape of the aberrated cross-correlation. The numerical simulations, performed using the academic acoustic simulation software Field II, conducted using a typical ultrasonic chirp and ultrasonic emitter, compare the classical and the proposed range techniques in a standard office room. The results demonstrate that the proposed technique enables accurate range estimation even in the presence of severe cross-correlation shape aberrations. This allows the use of emitting transducers with a much larger aperture than that allowed by the classical cross-correlation technique. Consequently, it becomes possible to have greater acoustic power available, leading to improved Signal-to-Noise Ratio (SNR).

The design of randomized controlled trials for low-resource settings has unique challenges. One challenge is ensuring recruitment success in the face of a lack of information about prevalence of disease in the population. What disease burden data may exist is old and from distant regions, adding guesswork into site design. This leads to a high chance that the sample size will not be recruited in any reasonable timeframe—a challenge even in high-resource settings. While cross-sectional prevalence studies could be used as a type of feasibility study informing trials by generating near real-time prevalence estimates for the future trial site, such studies take years to complete. This duration makes insertion of such a study in trial design impossible. An empirically supported combination of new approaches that sidesteps unnecessary hurdles is presented, the Pop-Up Prevalence with Private Ethics (PUPPE) design. PUPPE includes using a COVID-validated, more targeted method of data collection, use of accepted ethics review from universities or hospitals to avoid lengthy public ethics review, and—if needed—post-study in silico participant randomization. Only this design would enable clinical trial designers to insert fit-for-purpose prevalence studies within the design phase of their trials, leading to informative outcomes.

Dyslipidemia is a disorder where abnormally lipid concentrations circulate in the bloodstream. The disorder is common in type 2 diabetics (T2D) and is linked with T2D comorbidities, particularly cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidemia in T2D is typically characterized by elevated plasma triglyceride and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) levels. There is a significant gap in the literature regarding dyslipidemia in rural parts of Africa, where lipid profiles may not be routinely captured through standard surveillance activities. This study aimed to characterize the prevalence and demographic profile of dyslipidemia in T2D patients in the rural community of Ganadougou, Mali. We performed a cross-sectional study of 104 subjects with T2D in Ganadougou between November 2021 and March 2022. Demographic and lipid profiles were collected through cross-sectional surveys and blood tests. The overall prevalence of dyslipidemia in T2D patients was 87.5% (91/104), which did not differ by sex (p = .368). High low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was the most common lipid abnormality (78.9%, [82/104]). Dyslipidemia was associated with age and hypertension status (p = .013 and p = .036, respectively). High total and high LDL-C parameters were significantly associated with hypertension (p = .029 and p = .006, respectively). In low-resource settings such as rural Mali, there is a critical need to improve infrastructure for routine dyslipidemia screening to guide its prevention and intervention approaches. The high rates of dyslipidemia observed in Gandadougou, consistent with concomitant increases in cardiovascular diseases in Africa suggest that lipid profile assessments should be incorporated into routine medical care for T2D patients in African rural settings.

Simulations based on Supernova (SN) observations predict several galactic SN explosions (SNe) occur every century. Unlike SNes within the Interstellar Medium (ISM) where ambient gas generally absorbs blast waves within a million years, SNes occurring in a rarified environment outside of the (ISM) generate blast waves which remain in a high velocity free expansion phase for more extended periods. The SN blast wave forms an expanding spherical shell and when multiple blast waves intersect, the overlapping region naturally takes the form of a ring, an arc, or an Einstein Cross structure. The analysis shows the high velocity plasma establishes a medium with permeability which drives the index of refraction greater than 1. As a result, when a shock discontinuity forms in the overlapping region, light is reflected from the host galaxy which exposes the intersecting blast wave regions. The expanding shells are shown to induce an achromatic redshift to the reflected light consistent with those measured for gravitational lenses. Further, it is shown that a Hubble equation for a blast wave around the Milky Way Galaxy can be parameterized to align with measured redshifts of extragalactic light fields over a wide range of distances.

This study aimed to examine trust in information provided by public authorities and financial measures put in place to address the impact of COVID-19. Using a cross-national approach among four Western countries; the United States of America, Norway, Australia, and the United Kingdom provides an analysis of responses related to trust and how they were associated with age group, gender, education level, employment status, size of place of residence, infection sta-tus, and social media use. When controlling for all included variables in logistic regression analyses, the likelihood of having trust in the public authorities’ information was higher for women, those with higher levels of education, and those living in urban areas. Being infected with the coronavirus, and spending more time daily on social media was associated with lower likelihood reporting trust in information. Although policies implemented to respond to eco-nomic concerns varied cross-nationally, higher age, identifying as female, being employed, liv-ing in a city, and lower levels of social media usage were associated with higher likelihood of trusting in the financial measures put in place to counteract the economic effects of COVID-19.

Modulation of the amplitude of high-frequency cortical field activity locked to changes in phase of a slower brain rhythm is known as phase-amplitude coupling (PAC). The study of this phenomenon has been gaining traction in neuroscience because of several reports on its appearance in normal and pathological brain processes in humans as well as across different mammalian species. This has led to the suggestion that PAC may be an intrinsic brain process that facilitates brain inter-area communication across different spatiotemporal scales. Several methods have been proposed to measure the PAC process, but few of these enable detailed study of its time course. It appears that no studies have reported details of PAC dynamics including its possible directional delay characteristics. Here, we study and characterize the use of a novel information theoretic measure that may address this limitation: local transfer entropy. We use both simulated and actual intracranial electroencephalographic data, and in both cases we observe initial indications that local transfer entropy can be used to detect the onset and offset of modulation process periods revealed by mutual information phase-amplitude coupling (MIPAC). We review our results in the context of current theories about PAC in brain electrical activity, and discuss technical issues that must be addressed to see local transfer entropy more widely applied to PAC analysis.

Given the cross-scale interactions of agricultural ecosystems, it is important to collect ecosystem service data at the multiple spatial scales they operate at. Mapping of ecosystem services helps to assess their spatial and temporal distribution and is a popular communication tool of their availability and value. For example, maps can be used to quantify distance between areas of available ecosystem services and their beneficiaries and how services fluctuate with changes in land use patterns over time, allowing identification of synergies and trade-offs. However, a lack of local context and too large a resolution can reduce the utility of these maps, whilst masking heterogeneities in access due to equity dynamics. This review identifies and summarizes eight main methods of ESS mapping found in the literature—remote sensing, biophysical modelling, agent based modelling, economic valuation, expert opinion, user preference, participatory mapping, and photo-elicitation. We consider what spatial scales these methods are utilized at and the transferability of data created by each method. The analysis concludes with a methodological framework for mapping ecosystem services, intended to help researchers identify appropriate methods for a multi-scale research design. The framework is exemplified with an overview of a research project in Ethiopia.

Visual question answering (VQA) is receiving increasing attention from researchers in both the computer vision and natural language processing fields. There are two key components in the VQA task: feature extraction and multi-modal fusion. For feature extraction, we introduce a novel co-attention scheme by combining Sentence-guide Word Attention (SWA) and Question-guide Image Attention (QIA) in a unified framework. To be specific, the textual attention SWA relies on the semantics of the whole question sentence to calculate contributions of different question words for text representation. For the multi-modal fusion, we propose a “Cross-modal Multistep Fusion (CMF)” network to generate multistep features and achieve multiple interactions for two modalities, rather than focusing on modeling complex interactions between two modals like most current feature fusion methods. To avoid the linear increase of the computational cost, we share the parameters for each step in the CMF. Extensive experiments demonstrate that the proposed method can achieve competitive or better performance than the state-of-the-art.

The flavor, aroma and color of coffee may change due to mechanical damage, reducing its qual-ity. To measure the mechanical response of materials, compression tests can be performed, de-termining the effect of force application on the mechanical behavior of the fruit at different stages of ripeness. In this context, this study aimed to analyze the deformation, strain energy and equivalent von Mises stress of coffee fruits at mature, semi-mature and immature maturation stages and compressed by collapse forces. Compression in three directions (x, y and z) was sim-ulated on coffee fruit models using the finite element method, with a compression support in the direction opposite to the force application axis. The numerical simulation of the compression process allowed to verify that the more mature the fruit, the greater the associated mean defor-mation (2.20 mm mm-1, 0.78 mm mm-1 and 0.88 mm mm-1), the lower the mean strain energy (0.07 mJ, 0.21 mJ and 0. 34 mJ) and the lower the mean equivalent von Mises stress (0.25 MPa, 1.03 MPa and 1.25 MPa), corresponding to ripe, semi-ripe and immature fruits; and these proper-ties may be used to analyze how processes in the production chain affect the amount of mechan-ical damage.

Prospects for predicting the fragmentation of polypeptide chains during their enzymatic hydrolysis using proteolysis models are considered. The opening of the protein substrate during proteolysis and the exposure of its internal peptide bonds for a successful enzymatic attack, the so-called demasking process, were taken into account. The two-step model of proteolysis was used, including the parameters of peptide bond demasking and hydrolysis rate constants for various peptide bonds. Herein, we presented an algorithm for calculating the concentrations of peptide fragments depending on the hydrolysis time or the degree of hydrolysis. The intermediate peptide fragments with two or one internal specific bonds were considered. The fragmentation of β-lactoglobulin (b-LG) with trypsin was predicted, and the calculated concentration curves for peptide fragments were compared with the experimental dependences of concentrations on the degree of hydrolysis. Numerical parameters characterizing the kinetic curves were proposed for the intermediate and final peptide fragments, and they were used to compare the calculated and experimental dependences. The predicted distribution of peptide fragments corresponded to the experimental data on the peptide release during proteolysis of b-LG by trypsin.