This retrospective study aimed to investigate the effect of known risk factors on nonsurgical periodontal treatment (NSPT) response using a pocket depth fine-tuning multilevel linear model (MLM). Thirty-seven patients (24 males and 13 females) with moderate to severe chronic periodontitis were treated with nonsurgical periodontal therapy. Follow-up visits at 3, 6, and 12 months included measurement of several clinical periodontal parameters. Data were extracted from a database system. Probing depth (PD) and Clinical Attachment Loss (CAL) reductions after NSPT in an overall of 1416 initially affected sites (baseline PD ≥ 4 mm), distributed on 536 teeth, were analyzed against known risk factors at three hierarchical levels (patient, tooth and site). The variance component models fitted to assess the three-level variance of PD and CAL decrease for each post-treatment follow-up showed that all levels contributed significantly to the overall variance (P < 0.001). Patients that underwent NSPT and were continually monitored had very curative results. All three hierarchical levels included risk factors who had impact on the to influence the magnitude of PD and CAL reduction. Specifically, the tooth’s type, surfaces involved and teeth mobility site-level risk factors showed the highest influence on these reductions, being highly relevant factors for the NSPT success.

Regional declines of the Korean fir (Abies koreana) have been observed since the 1980s on the subalpine region. To explain this decline, it is fundamental to investigate the degree to which environmental factors have contributed to plant distributions on diverse spatial scales. We applied a hierarchical regression model to determine quantitatively the relationship between the abundance of Korean fir (seedlings) and diverse environmental factors across two different ecological scales. We measured Korean fir density and the occurrence of its seedlings in 102 (84) plots nested at five sites and collected a range of environmental factors at the same plots. Our model included hierarchical explanatory variables at both site-level (weather conditions) and plot-level (micro-topographic factors, soil properties, and competing species). The occurrence of Korean fir seedlings was positively associated with moss cover and rock cover but negatively related to dwarf bamboo cover. On site-level, winter precipitation was significantly positively related to the occurrence of seedlings. A hierarchical Poisson regression model revealed that Korean fir density were negatively associated with slope aspect, topographic position index, Quercus mongolica cover, and mean summer temperature. Our results suggest that drought and competition with other species are factors which halt the survival of Korean fir. We can predict that the population of Korean fir will continue to decline on the Korean Peninsula due to rising temperatures and seasonal drought, and only a few Korean fir will survive on northern slopes or valleys where competition with dwarf bamboo and Q. mongolica can be avoided.

As an emerging building solution, cross-laminated timber (CLT) floors have been increasingly used in mass timber construction. The current vibration design of CLT floors is conservative due to the assumption of simple support conditions in the floor-to-wall connections. It is noted that end fixity occurs as a result of clamping action at the ends, arising from the gravity load applied by the structure above the floor and by the mechanical fasteners. In this paper, the semi-rigid floor-to-wall connections are treated as elastically restrained edges against rotations to account for the effect of partial constraint. A rotational end-fixity factor was first defined to reflect the relative bending stiffness between CLT floors and elastic restraints at the edges. Then, for the design of vibration serviceability of CLT floors as per the Canadian Standard for Engineering Design in Wood (CSA O86), restraint coefficients were defined and their analytical expressions were derived for natural frequencies and the mid-span deflection under a concentrated load, respectively. In particular, a simplified formula of the restraint coefficient for the fundamental frequency was developed to assist engineers in practical design. At last, by comparing with reported experimental data, the proposed design formula showed excellent agreement with test results. In the end, the proposed end fixity factor with their corresponding restraint coefficients is recommended as an effective mechanics-based approach to account for the effect of end support conditions of CLT floors.

The article presents the methodology for classifying economic regions with regards to selected factors that characterize a region, such as: the economic structure of the region, and thus the share of individual sectors in the economy; employment; the dynamics of the development of individual sectors expressed as an increase or decrease in production value; the population density in the region and also the level of occupational safety. Cluster analysis, which is a method of multidimensional statistical analysis available in Statistica software, was used to solve the task. The proposed methodology was used to group Polish voivodships with regards to the speed of economic development and occupational safety in the construction industry. Data published by the Central Statistical Office was used for this purpose, such as the value of construction and assembly production, the number of people employed in the construction industry, the population of an individual region and the number of people injured in occupational accidents.

Solid waste management in Accra is a major challenge to the Metropolitan Authorities and inhabitants. The rapidly increasing population coupled with poor capacity of the municipal and private waste management companies to management waste effectively has created issues of environmental concern. Due to poor waste managements systems, most household dispose waste indiscriminately leading to floods and health issues. The study showed that about 60% of household waste is organic materials which has the potential to be converted to compost for agriculture purpose. Meanwhile plastics and rubbers which litters the environment as well as blocking major storm drains and gutters hence creating huge environmental hazard is made of 11% of the total component of most household waste generated daily. The study also revealed that among the methods of disposing waste, dumping waste in skip containers located at authorized places was the preferred means of disposing waste by household though others also dispose waste by other means such as burying and burning. Inadequate skip containers per population of household in an area coupled with irregularity of tracks picking these containers makes skip containers dumping site ugly scene, hence creating health issues. Among the constraints that impact negatively on sustainable waste management in Accra Metropolis, economic constraints was perceived as the main challenge which affect efficient waste management. Currently the country is going through serious economic challenges so government does not release money timely to fund projects which waste management is key. Most donor partners that use to support the government with funds have either reduced or redrawn their services as they have no confidence in the state of Ghana economy. Aside the constrains, the study also indicated that factors such as poor public attitude towards waste management, poor enforcement of sanitation by-laws, inadequate and untimely release of government funds were also seen as the main factors affecting waste management.

Forest carbon sequestration is a widely accepted natural climate solution, however, methods to determine net carbon offsets are limited to commercial carbon proxies and CO2 eddy covariance research. Non-CO2 greenhouse gases (GHG) (e.g., CH4, N2O) receive less attention in the context of forests, in part, due to emphasis on CO2 and the operational requirements and cost for three-gas eddy covariance platforms. In this study, Howland forest flux tower (CO2, CH4) and soil flux data (CO2, CH4, N2O), representing net emission reductions, are linked to their respective social costs to estimate commercial revenue if sold as a GHG social cost forest offset product (GHG-SCF). Estimated annual revenue for GHG-SCF products, applicable to realization of a Green New Deal, range from 120,000 covering the site area of 557 acres in 2021, to 12,000,000 for extrapolation to 40,000 acres in 2040, assuming a 3% discount rate. The Howland Forest CO2 flux record for two adjacent towers is compared to California Air Resources Board forest carbon proxy data for compliance sequestration offsets, the only project site where these approaches overlap. Overcrediting, incomplete carbon accounting with annual errors of up to 2,256%, inadequate third-party verification, and limited application to non-CO2 GHG’s are established. In contrast, direct measurement of one or more GHG’s offers new forest products and revenue incentives to restore and conserve forests worldwide.

Plantar fasciitis is one of the most common causes of foot pain; in a significant percentage it is also associated with bone edema of the heel. A prospective randomized clinical trial was designed, in which 48 patients suffering from plantar fasciitis, with or without bone edema, were treated with temperature controlled high energy adjustable multi-mode emission laser and exercises (laser group) or with exercises only (control group). Patients were evaluated at recruitment (T0), at 2 (T1) and 6 months (T2), monitoring pain (with Visual Analogue Scale), functionality (with Foot Function Index) and perception of improvement (with Roles and Maudsley Score) and fascia thickness (with ultrasound examination). In both groups there was a significant improvement in pain, functional recovery, perception of remission and a reduction in plantar fascia thickness at T1 and T2. The laser group presented statistically better values at T2 for the Roles and Maudsley Score (z: 2.21; 0.027). Regression analysis showed that a greater reduction in fascia thickness occurred in the laser group (p-value: 0.047). In conclusion, the two conservative treatments were effective in patients suffering from plantar fasciitis, even in the presence of bone edema, but with lesser results.

The aim of the study was to compare the standard baseline imaging, with extended radiological staging. To assess our hypothesis, we performed a prospective, single-centre study which included 132 participants recruited between October 2015 and March 2020. Descriptive statistics, the Friedman and chi-squared tests were performed and p &lt; 0.05 was considered significant. Patients were grouped into two cohorts, CT scan cohort (n=87) and PET-CT cohort (n=43). In the first group the originally determined disease stage changed in 36.8 % of cases, in second group in 51.2 %. The consistency between assessment of axillary lymph nodes by imaging (cN) and the postoperative pathology report (pN) was evaluated. In most cases, clinical and pathological evaluation of involved nodes was consistent, for CT scan the result was χ2(1) = 18.98; p &lt; 0.001, for PET-CT the result was χ2(1) = 6.41; p = 0.03. Highly customized radiation therapy defined as dose boost within the involved lymph nodes, not covered by surgeon, was applied in nine patients.

The accurate detection and assessment of stress play a pivotal role in enhancing individual well-being and healthcare outcomes. Traditional methods of stress detection often grapple with limitations in accuracy and scalability. With the advent of machine learning (ML), the potential to revolutionize stress detection has emerged. This paper presents a comprehensive study on the application of ML algorithms for stress detection, with a focus on physiological and behavioral data analysis. Central to our approach is the integration of SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), an Explainable Artificial Intelligence (XAI) technique, to interpret ML models. SHAP provides a novel lens to understand the impact of individual features in the complex decision-making processes of ML models, thereby enhancing the transparency and reliability of stress predictions. We demonstrate how SHAP not only aids in elucidating model decisions but also contributes to refining the models for greater accuracy. Our results highlight the effectiveness of ML in detecting stress and the pivotal role of XAI in making these models more interpretable and trustworthy. This study underscores the synergy between advanced ML techniques and XAI, paving the way for more nuanced and reliable stress detection methodologies that are essential in diverse settings, from healthcare to workplace environments.

Background: Inflammatory Bowel disease (IBD) is one of the worldwide health issues with increasing incidence. Recent data point out that those patients can have a defective immune system, rendering response to vaccinations suboptimal. Since 1990, Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) vaccination has been introduced among the compulsory childhood vaccinations in Oman. Given the questionable immunogenicity of vaccinations in IBD patients, we designed this study to quantify the immune response to scheduled HBV vaccine in IBD patients and compare it with that in a matching control cohort of healthy blood donors at Sultan Qaboos University Hospital (SQUH). Methods: This is a retrospective case-control study that was conducted between the 1st of July 2023 and the 31st of May 2024 at SQUH. Using the hospital information System (HIS), a total of 252 participants were enrolled in our study and divided into two groups. Group (1) included 126 IBD patients and group (2) included 126 healthy controls. Baseline demographics, medical comorbidities and viral serologies before and after vaccination were collected. The primary outcome of the study was to compare the long term immune response to HBV vaccine between the two groups. The secondary outcomes included identifying possible risk factors for suboptimal vaccine response. Results: One hundred and twenty-six participants were included in each group. Durable protective immune response to HBV vaccine was attained in 29 patients (23%) of the IBD group compared to 109 participants (86.5%) of the control group. There was a statistically significant association (p = 0.0156) between prednisolone treatment and low immune response to HBV vaccine. Moreover, esomeprazole usage exhibited a statistically significant association (p < 0.0001) with suboptimal response to HBV vaccine. Meanwhile, there was no statistically significant correlation between low immunogenicity to HBV vaccine and age, sex, type of IBD, comorbidities, and BMI. Conclusions: IBD patients are less immunogenic to HBV vaccination compared to healthy controls. Factors like esomeprazole and/or corticosteroid therapy might be associated with poor immune response. These findings highlight the importance of reassessing the immunogenicity of HBV vaccination and probably other protective vaccinations in all IBD patients as part of their standard of care.

Education is generally considered to be a great equalizer as well as a tool the young generation can use in becoming the nation’s future leaders. It is imperative that today’s young people are well equipped with good quality education to better lead a country into the future. As a consequence, it is also important that we find out the factors that affect the learning success of the youth, since knowing these factors, either positive or negative will help the government in designing programs that can help propagate the positives and rectify the negatives. This study utilized data from the elementary and high school students of a private educational institution in the Philippines. Multiple linear regression using lin-lin model was used to analyze the data. Results indicated both the over-all significance of the model and the absence of violations regarding the basic assumptions of CLRM. Three variables English proficiency, Math proficiency, and time spent in playing video games turned out to be significant. This study adds to the existing body of knowledge by showing that time spent in commuting between house and school can also at times to be used to study resulting and impacting Cumulative Grade Point Average positively.

Background: Rabies, a zoonotic disease caused by the lyssavirus genus, is widely distributed and a significant cause of human death in Africa and Asia. This study aimed to investigate human rabies exposure and associated risk factors in Northwest Ethiopia. Methods: The study encompassed four zones, seven districts, and four kebeles from each district. The research team developed a questionnaire for data collection. Results: A total of 642 households were interviewed. The current study rabies exposure was revealed 10.47%. Over 98% of respondents displayed a strong understanding of rabies, with 99.69% correctly identifying rabies as a zoonotic disease. However, 80% of the interviewees were trusted traditional medicine could treat rabies. Only 21.93% of victims were took post exposure prophylaxis. Dogs were the primary affected animals (87.73%), of this 48.70% was bites by own dogs. Metema district had higher risk (p < 0.001) compared to others six districts. Dog ownership (p<0.05) and a higher number of households (p<0.01) were also identified as risk factors for rabies exposure. Conclusion: Residence, low education levels, high household density, free-roaming dogs, and dog ownership as key risk factors for rabies exposure. Public health awareness campaigns are crucial to emphasise the risks associated with animal bites.

(1) Background: Food waste (FW) in Romania is 70 Kg/capita/year, while 70% of food waste comes from public catering, retail services, and households (over 50% – 47 million tons). (2) Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online questionnaire via the Google Forms platform from 15 April 2023 to 15 May 2023. The questionnaire was designed to assess various aspects, such as some socio-demographic information (age, sex, occupation, area of residence, study level, household members number, children &lt; 18 years of age); the personal involvement and frequency of food purchases and homemade food cooking; the main sources that generate food waste; the motivation and frequency with which food waste occurs; the level of awareness regarding the impact of food waste; the respondents' intentions regarding sustainable behaviors and practices food management; the level of information and familiarity of the respondents with the notions of validity and how these may influence their food consumption decisions. (3) The results show that FW incidence is occasionally (42%), very rarely (43.33%), frequently (15%), and no food waste was reported by 2.66% of respondents. The [35-44] age category records the highest FW frequency, followed by [18-24]. The most wasted are homemade food (29.67%), bread and bakery products (27.00%), and fruits and vegetables (14.33%). High involvement in purchasing and buying food following a previously established list reduces FW frequency. The same is valid for high daily involvement in food and homemade cooking. High interest in the FW problem and its perception as a waste of money leads to diminishing it, while guilty feelings increase the FW level (37.50% to 73.33%). (4) Conclusions: The present study shows that household food waste management is a multifactorial process that involves numerous socio-demographic, behavioral, and emotional aspects. Extensive data analysis supports our results, revealing deep self-reported information details and confirming its complex approach.

This study sheds light on personal characteristics of and the coping strategies that older Canadians self-identifying as severely anxious post-COVID-19 were more and less prone to gravitate to. Our studied sample consisted of 606 older people residing in 10 Canadian provinces. Participants completed the Geriatric Anxiety Scale – 10 and a personal checklist of everyday coping strategies for mitigating anxiety. Severely anxious older Canadians tended to be in their 60s, and in poor to fair health. They were not significantly more likely to be women or to be chronically ill, nor to self-identify as non-binary or as having a life partner. Older Canadians experiencing severe anxiety were, however, far more likely to normalize their fear and anxiety, challenge their worries, and to relax or meditate. They were less inclined to decrease other sources of stress in their lives, to stay active, and to get enough sleep. We offer anticipatory guidance for mental health program planners and practitioners, and researchers, fruitful avenues of inquiry.

[3:46 PM] Anahita Zahertar This research explores the factors influencing bikeshare usage durations in the Detroit Metropolitan Area over two years, focusing on spatial, temporal, and COVID-19-related variables. Using a fully parametric hazard-based duration model with random parameters, we address data heterogeneity and uncover how different conditions affect bikeshare trips. Our findings reveal that a) intense environmental factors such as high traffic stress, poor weather, and high COVID-19 risk levels are associated with shorter trip durations b) in contrast, supportive initiatives like memberships, an affordable $5 Access Pass, a free one-month pass during the pandemic, and the introduction of new stations have been more likely to encourage longer rides c) furthermore, the study examines how variables like gym closures due to the pandemic, evening hours, and the addition of new stations, which were set as random variables in our model, exhibit both positive and negative relationships with ride durations. A key finding is the 20-minute mark in ride durations, which helps understand user behaviors and trip purposes. This insight aids urban planning by suggesting strategic bike station placements to enhance bikeshare system efficiency and meet diverse community needs. This study not only deepens our understanding of urban mobility dynamics but also underscores the effectiveness of adaptive strategies in promoting sustainable urban transportation.

The Kampar Peninsula, a significant peatland region in Riau, Indonesia, is vital for its carbon re-serves and biodiversity, including the Sumatran tiger. Covering approximately 735,091 hectares, it comprises critical peat domes essential for hydrological balance. This research investigates land use changes from 1990-2020 using the Normalized Difference Fraction Index (NDFI) to map disturb-ances and land cover changes. Additionally, interviews and regulatory analysis were conducted to examine the historical drivers of land use change in the Kampar Peninsula. In 2020, natural forests covered 433,395.20 hectares (59.9% of the total area), industrial pulpwood plantations (primarily acacia) covered 27.3%, oil palm plantations accounted for 10.4%, infrastructure occupied 2.4%, and water bodies made up 0.9%. Key drivers of land use change include the construction of access roads by oil companies since 1975 and government policies during the New Order period (1980s-1998) promoting forest exploitation and transmigration programs. These activities have significantly transformed the Kampar Peninsula's land cover, highlighting the need for sustainable management and conservation efforts.

Following the transfer of hospital services to provincial government oversight, it is essential to understand how such changes impact service quality and efficiency. This study, conducted from 1 March 2023 to 31 March 2024 at sub-district health-promoting hospitals in Thailand, aims to identify the factors affecting hospital service quality post-transfer and evaluate the role of profes-sional nurses in maintaining service standards under new governance. Utilizing a mixed-methods design based on the Global Fund-HSS framework (2012), which categorizes factors into accessibility, processes, productivity, and outcomes, we collected data from 340 nurses and 400 patients through structured questionnaires. These questionnaires were divided into seven sec-tions, capturing metrics such as the personal data of nurses, hospital service activities, and lead-ership qualities. We employed a Likert scale to gauge perceptions and expectations of service quality and conducted paired t-tests to compare performance metrics before and after the admin-istrative transfer. One-way ANOVA was used to assess variability among different service units, and binary logistic regression helped identify key determinants of service quality. The analysis revealed a significant correlation between the attitudes and competencies of healthcare teams and the levels of service quality. Notably, service units transferred less than 50% exhibited mini-mal changes, indicating that the degree of transfer significantly impacts service outcomes. Despite these variations, the fundamental mission of promoting health remained consistent. The study emphasizes the critical role of nurses and recommends further research to identify additional factors that could improve service quality in transferred healthcare facilities, potentially contributing to enhanced healthcare delivery across restructured health systems.

This study investigates the critical factors of trust, commitment, and adaptation within supplier relationship management (SRM) in the context of e-commerce. Through qualitative research methods, including semi-structured interviews and documentary analysis, the study explores how these factors influence relationship dynamics and organizational outcomes in digital business environments. Trust is examined as foundational to effective SRM, encompassing integrity, reliability, and shared values between buyers and suppliers. Commitment is analyzed in terms of long-term orientation, resource allocation, and relationship-specific investments aimed at mutual growth and sustainability. Adaptation emerges as essential for navigating the dynamic e-commerce landscape, encompassing proactive strategies, flexibility, and innovation to respond to market changes and technological advancements. The findings highlight the interplay and mutual reinforcement among trust, commitment, and adaptation, contributing synergistically to relationship resilience and organizational performance. However, challenges such as information asymmetry, cybersecurity risks, and organizational inertia are identified as barriers to effective SRM. Practical implications include strategies for enhancing trust, fostering commitment, and cultivating adaptive capabilities through continuous learning, collaborative innovation, and technology integration. By integrating these insights, businesses can strengthen supplier relationships, drive sustainable growth, and achieve competitive advantage in the digital economy.

Abstract: Transcription factors are crucial pre-transcriptional regulatory mechanisms that can modulate the expression of downstream genes by binding to their promoter regions. DOF (DNA binding with One Finger) proteins are a unique class of transcription factors with extensive roles in plant growth and development. Our previous research indicated a decrease in iron content in chlorotic bamboo leaves. However, to our knowledge, genes related to iron metabolism pathways in bamboo species have not yet been studied. Therefore, in the current study, we identified iron metabolism-related (IMR) genes in bamboo and determined the transcription factors that significantly influence them. Among these, DOFs were found to have widespread effects and potentially significant impacts on their expression. We identified specific DOF members in Dendrocalamus latiflorus with binding abilities through homology with Arabidopsis DOF proteins, and established connections between some of these members and IMR genes using RNA-seq data. Additionally, molecular docking confirmed the binding interactions between these DlDOFs and the DOF binding sites in the promoter regions of IMR genes. The co-expression relationship between the two gene sets was further validated using q-PCR experiments. This study paves the way for research into iron metabolism pathways in bamboo and lays the foundation for understanding the role of DOF transcription factors in D. latiflorus.

Enterococcal bacteraemia (EB) is on the rise both in Sweden and globally. While Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is susceptible to ampicillin and piperacillin/tazobactam (pip/taz), Enterococcus faecium (E. faecium) is not. The use of pip/taz has increased dramatically in Sweden, but it is unknown if this has affected the relative incidence of E. faecalis/E. faecium bacteraemia. Here we investigate whether the number and proportion of E. faecium bacteraemia (EfmB) cases have increased. Additionalle, risk factors associated with EfmB with focus on prior antibiotic exposure are analyzed. Medical journals of 360 patients with EB admitted to Sahlgrenska University Hospital were reviewed. The proportion of EfmB cases increased from 41% in 2015 to 51% in 2021. Hospital-acquired infection, previous exposure to pip/taz, and carbapenems were identified as independent risk factors for EfmB. There were considerable patient related differences between the EfmB and EfsB groups but there was no difference in mortality rates. In conclusion, the increasing proportion of EfmB cases is concerning and was seen parallell to the expanding use of pip/taz, one possible contributing factor. Our findings suggest that a cautious approach to antibiotic use is essential to prevent the spread of antibiotic-resistant bacteria.

Purpose: This integrated review aims to identify and analyze the multifactorial contributors to the longevity of direct restorations, focusing on tooth-, patient-, and dentist-related factors. Materials and Methods: A literature search was performed using an electronic database, PubMed/Medline, Web of Science, and Scopus, between 1980 and 2024. Titles and abstracts of papers that evaluated aspects categorized into tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors influencing restoration failure were selected and screened. Full-text assessments were conducted, and the extracted data were compiled, summarized, and synthesized. The reference lists of the collected papers were also screened, and relevant citations were included in this review. Data were gathered from clinical and laboratorial studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses to provide a comprehensive understanding of restoration longevity. Results: Among the tooth-related factors, multiple-surface restorations, deep margins, tooth location, and tooth vitality significantly impact restoration survival. Patient-related factors such as medical conditions, risk predictors of caries, age, sex, parafunctional habits, smoking, periodontal health, number of restorations, and socioeconomic status all play crucial roles. Regarding dentist-related factors, the decision-making process, age, experience, and dentist manual dexterity are vital aspects. Furthermore, the technique used, including isolation methods for moisture control, as well as the type of dental practice (large group vs. small practice), notably influenced the restoration survival. Conclusions: The longevity of dental restorations is influenced by a complex interplay of tooth-related, patient-related, and dentist-related factors. Strategies to improve restoration outcomes should consider all these multifactorial contributors. Continuing professional education, diligent patient guidance on the factors that influence restoration survival, careful material selection and restorative technique, and tailored individual treatment are crucial factors to reduce failure rates and improve the lifespan of restorations.

This retrospective study aimed to assess coronary artery calcium (CAC) progression in serial computed tomography measurements according to risk factor changes. In 448 asymptomatic adults who underwent CAC measurements with more than one-year intervals, CAC progression was assessed according to age, sex, variable traditional risk factors (diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and smoking), and initial CAC score (0, 0.1–100, and &gt;100). Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were assessed for independent predictors of rapid CAC progression (△CAC/year&gt;20). During the 3.5-year follow-up, coronary artery calcifications occurred in 43 (12.8%) of 336 individuals with an initial CAC score of zero. Of 112 individuals with initial CAC presence, 60 (53.6%) had △CAC/year&gt;20. Age, male sex, body mass index, and all risk factors were significantly associated with △CAC/year&gt;20, but recently diagnosed hypertension (odds ratio [OR], 11.3) and initial CAC score (OR, 1.05) were significant independent predictors in multivariate regression analyses. CAC progression was affected by demographic and traditional risk factors, but adjusting for these factors, recently diagnosed hypertension and initial CAC score were the most influential factors for rapid CAC progression. These findings suggest that patients with higher initial CAC scores may benefit from more frequent follow-up scans and checks regarding risk factor changes.

Road traffic accidents are associated with different factors, such as non-signalized road networks, inexperienced drivers, lack of communication skills, distraction, and visual or cognitive impairment of road users, which have led to this increase in traffic accidents. Understanding these factors in alignment with road user communication skills can provide solutions that can reduce traffic fatalities. Road users’ communication is predominantly formal in nature, but informal means of communication also exist but are not given proper attention during the driving training and licence testing processes. Therefore, this study investigated communication skills between drivers as a factor contributing to traffic accidents in South African cities. Consequently, 16 traffic scenarios of communication between drivers were simulated using PTV Vissim and Blender software, and a semistructured interview questionnaire was used to collect data from South African road users. The questionnaire was further used to evaluate the confidence level of road users concerning informal communication. The data were analysed via regression analysis to establish the relationship between traffic accidents and miscommunication between drivers. The information gathered and analysed from this study helps to understand the informal communication types between drivers and establish where communication loss exists, which ultimately leads to a traffic accident. The results also show that misinterpretation of communication signals can present the possibility of traffic safety risk.

(1) Background: Violence against each other via social media has increased and caused cyberbullying that can happen anytime through electronic communication tools that everyone can access easily. So, this study aims to investigate causal factors contributing to youth cyberbullying in Thailand's three Southern border provinces. (2) Methods: The subject group consisted of 340 youths and the data were analyzed with structural equation modeling (SEM). (3) Results: The study found that the model of the causal factors resulting in youth cyberbullying in the three Southern border provinces was consistent with the empirical data (the relative chi-square (χ2/df) was 1.77. The goodness-of-fit index (GFI) was 0.95. The root-mean-square-error of approximate (RMSEA) was 0.049). Cyberbullying was positively influenced directly and indirectly by negative upbringing, the influence of personal violence, and the influence of media violence at a statistically significant level of 0.001, with total effect sizes of 1.13, 0.74, and 0.64, respectively. Additionally, cyberbullying was positively influenced directly by negative mental traits with a statistically significant level of 0.05 and a total effect size of 0.17. (4) Conclusions: The study results could be beneficial in concretely forming policies and strategies to prevent and mitigate the problem of youth cyberbullying.

Long-haul truck drivers are responsible for transporting goods valued at millions of dollars of the world economy and may have their health affected by living and working conditions. This study analyzed and synthesized the scientific findings about risk factors for the development of chronic non-communicable diseases in long-haul truck drivers. An integrative literature review was conducted. We identified 23 studies that met the inclusion criteria and evaluated the health of 7,363 drivers. The biological risks identified were age, gender, race/ethnicity, genetics, comorbidities, and were considered non-modifiable for chronic diseases. The behavioral risks, considered modifiable, were sedentary lifestyle, smoking, alcohol consumption, overweight, diet, stress, anxiety, unfavorable socioeconomic conditions. Environmental risks involved working conditions such as the number of working hours per day, week and month; time away from home, risk of musculoskeletal injury, and opportunities for rest, hours of sleep and access to health services. The results were presented in two categories: 1) biological, behavioral and environmental risks, and 2) general recommendations to promote physical, cognitive and emotional health. Macro-structural changes are needed to reorganize work and rest, improve access to health services to control risk factors, and to support behavioral and environmental changes to reduce chronic non-communicable diseases and deaths.

Ovarian cancer (OC) represents a significant challenge in the realm of gynecological cancers, characterized by poor survival rates and complex etiology. In this review, we delve into the se-lected genetic, environmental, and hormonal factors underpinning OC development. We have reviewed scientific databases searching for ovarian cancer genetic and epigenetic factors. We have included studies based on their relevancy. As a result of exploring ovarian carcinogen-esis, this systematic review contains data collected from 126 various works. The role of prominent genetic players such as BRCA mutations, DNA repair mechanisms, un-derscores the intricate landscape of OC susceptibility. We explore Li-Fraumeni and Lynch syn-drome, which impart a heightened predisposition to OC development. Hormonal factors such as estrogen, progesterone, and androgens are also discussed. Environmental alterations, ranging from lifestyle influences on OC to microbiome dysbiosis and lifestyle factors such as obesity, al-cohol consumption, and physical activity intersect with genetic and epigenetic pathways, shaping the risk landscape for OC. Through a meticulous examination of current literature, this review provides a nuanced under-standing of the multifactorial nature of OC, emphasizing the need for holistic approaches to prevention, diagnosis, and treatment.

The use of energy resources is essential to the survival and development of human civilization. However, inefficient energy use not only has an impact on the economy, but it also has a significant impact on climate change. Studying and analyzing the factors that increase energy consumption is crucial for improving energy management. The aim of this study is to analyze the factors influencing energy savings in a building taken as a study model under two different climatic conditions. Measurements of the building's energy performance were carried out using the EnergyPlus calculation engine, which enabled us to analyze the strengths of building parameters such as the number of lights, the equipment used, occupancy, temperature and the relationships between the factors influenced. EnergyPlus is an important software tool in the field of building energy efficiency, enabling the precise simulation of building energy consumption. Simulation scenarios based on actual consumption data carried out by researchers have made it possible to develop energy management strategies in buildings in order to optimize energy efficiency, and in particular to promote the thermal performance of these buildings. In the present work, EnergyPlus building energy simulation software is used to simulate the energy consumption of the building of the Faculty of Electrical Engineering at the "Gheorghe Asachi" Technical University in Iasi, in order to determine the factors influencing building energy consumption. It has been shown that occupancy and heating and cooling systems are the key factors influencing energy consumption in buildings. The advantage of this study is that it can be used to model the most influential factors in predicting future energy consumption in buildings.

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) patients experienced multiple chemotoxicity affecting treatment compliance, survival, and quality of life (QOL). Prior research shows clinician-reported chemotoxicity (i.e., grading scales or diagnostic codes) predicts rehospitalization and cancer survival. However, a comprehensive synthesis of clinician-reported chemotoxicity is still lacking. Objectives: We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to determine the chemotoxicity's prevalence and risk factors in CRC. Methods: A systematic search from 2009 to 2024 yielded 30 studies for review, with 25 included in the meta-analysis. Results: Pooled prevalences of overall, non-hematological, and hematological moderate-to-severe toxicities were 45.7%, 39.2%, and 25.3%, respectively. The most common clinician-reported chemotoxicities were gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity (22.9%) and neuropathy or neutropenia (17.9%). Significant risk factors at baseline were malnutritional status, frailty, impaired immune or hepato-renal functions, short telomere lengths, low gut lactobacillus levels, age, female sex, aggressive chemotherapy, and low QOL. Age was associated with neutropenia (β: -1.44) and GI toxicity (β:1.85) (Ps 65 y.o.) had higher prevalences of overall (OR: 1.14) and GI (OR: 1.65) toxicities, but a lower prevalence of neutropenia (OR: 0.65) than younger adults (Ps

Background This study aimed to identify the prominent risk factors that may trigger danger signals of early onset of vascular deregulation in T1D. The risk factors we have identified may serve as dual-purpose biomarkers of rapid diagnosis that offer prospective tailor-made resolution therapeutics. Methods The healthy control (HC) was compared with individuals diagnosed with T1D for the risk factors of vascular deregulation in published research studies from year 2013 to 2023. The PubMed, Web of Science and Google Scholar databases were searched from 1/1/2013 to 1/9/2023. The risk of bias was assessed with the Cochrane (ROBINS-I ) tool, which is relevant to clinical subjects. A random effect model for continuous data was followed and analysed by RevMan 5.4 and GraphPad Prism software. Results 80 relevant case-control studies having 5293 HC and 7492 T1D patients were included. The age and sex-matched HC consisted of persons free of disease and not under any medication while clinical subjects of all age groups were included. 28 risk factors were grouped into six primary outcome models, all of which favoured the T1D synonymous with a high risk of CVD. Conclusions Our findings have strong implications for improving the quality of life and health economics related to vascular disease in T1D. HbA1c% is the most effective biomarker, followed by FBG, LDL-C, and AI% which the clinicians could evaluate using a simple blood test or non-invasive techniques. (Protocol registered at https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/ CRD42022384636).

Background: Metastatic triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is aggressive with a poor median overall survival (OS), ranging from 8 to 13 months. There exists considerable heterogeneity in the survival at the individual patient level. To better understand the survival heterogeneity and improve risk stratification, our study aims to identify the factors influencing survival utilizing a large patient sample in the National Cancer Database (NCDB). Methods: Women diagnosed with metastatic TNBC from 2010 to 2020 in the NCDB were included. Demographic, clinic-pathological, treatment data, and overall survival (OS) outcomes were collected. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to estimate OS. The log-rank test was used to identify OS differences between groups for each variable in the univariate analysis. For the multivariate analysis, the Cox proportional hazard model with backward elimination was used to identify factors affecting OS. Adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals are presented. Results: 2,273 women had a median overall survival of 13.6 months. Factors associated with statistically significantly worse OS included older age, higher comorbidity scores, specific histologies, higher number of metastatic sites, presence of liver or other site metastases in those with only one metastatic site (excluding brain metastases), presence of cranial and extra-cranial metastases, lack of chemotherapy, lack of immunotherapy, lack of surgery to distant sites, lack of radiation to distant sites, and receipt of palliative treatment to alleviate symptoms. In the multivariate analysis, comorbidity score, histology, number of metastatic sites, immunotherapy, and chemotherapy had a statistically significant effect on the OS. Conclusions: Through NCDB analysis, we have identified prognostic factors for metastatic TNBC. These findings will help improve prognostication at diagnosis, optimize treatment strategies, and facilitate patient stratification in future clinical trials.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer (CRC) are significant health problems and share some risk factors. The aim of our study was to develop and validate a predictive score for advanced colorectal neoplasia (CRN) based on risk factors for cardiovascular disease and CRC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study comprising a derivation cohort and an external validation cohort of 1049 and 308 patients respectively. A prediction score for advanced CRN (CRNAS: Colorectal Neoplasia Advanced Score) was developed from a logistic regression model, comprising sex, age, first-degree family history for CRC, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, body mass index, diabetes, smoking, and antihypertensive treatment. Other cardiovascular risk scores (Framingham-Wilson, REGICOR, SCORE and FRESCO) were also used to predict the risk of advanced CRN. The discriminatory capacity of each score was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC). RESULTS: CRN were found in 379 subjects from the derivation cohort (36%) including 228 patients (22%) with an advanced CRN. Male sex, age, diabetes, and smoking were identified as independent risk factors for advanced CRN. The newly created score (CRNAS), showed an AUC of 0.68 (95% CI: 0.64-0.73) for advanced CRN, which was better than cardiovascular risk scores (p

Measuring the impact of land use regulation on the land market involves identifying and classifying relevant impact factors related to the land market. The objective of this study was to identify land market impact factors in the context of the introduction of land use regulation in Nepal. A desktop review was carried out to identify preliminary set of impact factors, which were reclassified through intuitive analysis based on the degree of thematic closeness. Perspective-based impact factors were identified through the qualitative analysis of primary data collected through semi-structured interviews with the Nepalese land market stakeholders. These independently derived impact factors were compared with the desktop literature review impact factors resulting in fourteen land market impact factors across four dimensions, including transaction cost, valuation, mortgage availability, taxation, and compensation across the economic dimension; lot size, subdivision restrictions, and coordination across the institutional dimension; awareness, expectation and proximity across the social dimension; and risk reduction, quality of residential land, and suitability of zoning classification across the environmental dimension. There was significant overlap and commonality across factors identified from both the literature review and semi-structured interviews. The land market impact factors determined in the study may be adapted and generalized across other countries and could be utilized to better understand the impacts of land policy decisions on urban planning and development. Further research is recommended on the process to operationalize the use of these factors to quantify the impact of land use regulation on different land markets.

Understanding the optimal strategy for a real estate investment and how performance changes based on characteristics is crucial for optimising the achievable return. This is prominent in tourist areas such as Paphos where there is no clear distinction as to whether short or long-term approaches are optimal. The study aimed to develop a model for predicting the optimal rental strategy whilst assessing which model performed best and which property attributes impacted its return the greatest. Short-term data was collected from AirDNA and long-term data was manually collected from real estate agents websites. Furthermore, Random Forest, K-Nearest Neighbour and Multiple Linear Regression models were created to predict the highest and best use for each property. Model accuracy varied between data sets with the best performing model for short-term properties being Random Forest (R-Squared: 0.843), and Distance-Based Multiple Linear Regression for long-term approach (R-Squared: 0.843). The study demonstrated that accurate models could be created to predict the optimal rental strategy with the number of bedrooms being the main driver for rental income, followed by luxury finishes and the presence of a pool. It found that locational characteristics didn’t impact the returns significantly assuming that the property was located within a tourist area.

Globally, road traffic collisions cause over a million deaths annually, with pedestrians accounting for nearly one-quarter (23%) of these fatalities. This casualty proportion highlights the critical importance of adhering to traffic regulations. This study analyzes the factors influencing driver yielding behavior at midblock crosswalk improvements, comparing (1) a typical zebra crossing (C1) and (2) an intelligent signalized crosswalk (C2). The study used video-based observational data to investigate driver behaviors and factors influencing driver behaviors. The study applied multinomial logistic regression to formulate yielding behavior models. The results indicate that the number of traffic lanes, width of the traffic lanes, width and length of the crosswalk, vulnerable group, the number of pedestrian crossings, pedestrian crossing time, the number of vehicles approaching a crosswalk, speed of vehicle, headway, the post-encroachment time (PET) between vehicles and pedestrian, and roadside parking are the significant factors influence yielding behavior. These findings provide a better understanding of the factors influencing driver yielding behavior and propose measures to set proper physical improvements (e.g., curb extensions, raised pedestrian platforms, and pedestrian fencing), enforcement (e.g., parking restriction, speed violation detection), public awareness campaigns, and education initiatives.

Cryptococcus neoformans is a facultative intracellular fungal pathogen. Ten-generation-old (10GEN) C. neoformans cells are more resistant to phagocytosis and killing by macrophages than younger daughter cells. However, mechanisms that mediate this resistance and intracellular parasitism are poorly understood. Here, we identified factors important for the intracellular survival of 10GEN C. neoformans, such as urease activity, capsule synthesis, and DNA content using flow cytometry and fluorescent microscopy techniques. Real-time visualization of time-lapse imaging was applied to determine the phagosomal acidity, membrane permeability, and vomocytosis (non-lytic exocytosis) rate in J774 macrophages that phagocytosed C. neoformans of different generational ages. Our results showed that old C. neoformans exhibited higher urease activity, and enhanced capsule formation, which was supported by an increased Golgi complex. In addition, old C. neoformans were more likely to be arrested in the G2 phase, resulting in the occasional formation of aberrant trimera-like cells. To finish, the advanced generational age of the yeast cells slightly reduced vomocytosis events within host cells, which might be associated with increased phagolysosomal pH and membrane permeability. Altogether our results contribute to a better understanding of the strategies used by old C. neoformans to resist phagosomal killing and suggest that old generation C. neoformans intracellular behavior may be driving cryptococcosis pathogenesis.

Due to the growth of tourism, mining and manufacturing, economy of the Hainan Island, southern China has swiftly expanded, but also poses a risk of soil pollution by mercury (Hg) due to the traffic and mineral processing. In order to investigate the characteristics of soil Hg pollution in the Hainan Island and assess the health risk, a total of 239 samples were gathered from five representative regions across the island. A vehicle-mounted potable mercury analyzer was used to measure the atmospheric Hg and soil Hg concentrations in the collected samples. The results indicate that the soil Hg concentration of the five sub-study areas exhibits notable fluctuations, which was found to be influenced by various factors, including wind direction, mining activities, and economic development conditions. The degree of Hg pollution was assessed using both the Single Pollution Index Method and the Geoaccumulation Index Method. The results showed that although nearly half of the sampling points were contaminated, the current soil Hg level does not pose a non-carcinogenic risk to human health.

Despite advances in our understanding of molecular aspects of oncogenesis, cancer remains a leading cause of death. The malignant behavior of a cancer cell is driven by the inappropriate activation of transcription factors. In particular, signal transducers and activators of transcription (STATs), which regulate many critical cellular processes such as proliferation, apoptosis, and differentiation, are frequently activated inappropriately in a wide spectrum of human cancers. Multiple signaling pathways converge on the STATs, highlighting their importance in the development and progression of oncogenic diseases. STAT3 and STAT5 are two members of the STAT protein family that are the most frequently activated in cancers and can drive cancer pathogenesis directly. The development of inhibitors targeting STAT3 and STAT5 has been the subject of intense investigations in the last decade, although effective treatment options remain limited. In this review, we investigate the specific roles of STAT3 and STAT5 in normal physiology and cancer biology, discuss the opportunities and challenges in pharmacologically targeting STAT proteins and their upstream activators, and offer insights into novel therapeutic strategies to identify STAT inhibitors as cancer therapeutics.

Online teaching is considered an important approach for achieving sustainable learning and education, and college teachers’ attitude and behavioral intention are essential for the sustainable adoption of online teaching practice in higher education institutions. To examine the influencing factors that sustain teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention, we conducted a cross-sectional study based on a sample of 1,102 college teachers in central China, using hierarchical linear regression analysis to explore possible influencing factors in four levels: individual experience, environmental support, self-perception, and technology acceptance. The study results show that the subjective norms, readiness, beliefs, and perceived usefulness of online teaching had a significant impact on teachers’ attitude toward online teaching and behavioral intention. Nevertheless, the effect varied with factors like online-teaching load and teachers’ technology self-efficacy, as their influence seemed to be singular, affecting the teachers’ attitude toward online teaching or behavioral intention exclusively. In contrast, previous online-teaching experience did not notably affect either. The findings of this study reveal the complex interactions of factors that influence college teachers’ disposition toward and decisions about online-teaching practices and emphasize the need for targeted strategies to maintain and enhance online education in the post-pandemic era.

Advances in biological sciences have been applied in medicine, agriculture and industry with great benefit. Some recent trends in society, governance structures and communications, however, appear to be hampering the use of new scientific findings for controlling infectious diseases. These limitations are illustrated with examples related to (i) the adaptation of fresh water mosquito vectors of major arboviral diseases to salinity in coastal areas with consequences for disease transmission, (ii) understanding the implications of reduced dengue transmission during the COVID-19 lockdown for dengue control, (iii) causes underlying the rapid spread of the malaria vector Anopheles stephensi in South Asia and Africa, (iv) the application of serodiagnostic techniques for Lyme disease and tick-borne relapsing fever caused by tick-borne bacteria of the genus Borrelia, and (v) COVID-19 prevention.

(1) Background: The aim of study was to investigate the salt consumption by children and adolescents from the Silesian Province (Poland), taking into account the region’s dietary traditions and number of years of school education. (2) Methods : 300 students aged 10–18 from different types of schools, were enrolled in the study and divided into groups in terms of: school, sex, the state of nutrition. The survey questionnaire about dietary habits, including the frequency and serving size with respect to 12 salty products was used. On the basis of the frequency and the amount of consumed products, as well as the data on salt content, the amount of total daily intake of salt was estimated.; (3) Results: The mean daily intake of salt by children and adolescents was 1.083 g ( 0.433 g of sodium); children aged 10–12 consumed the highest amount of salt (1.296 g/day) compared to pupils aged 13–15 (1.131 g of sodium) and adolescents aged 16–18 (0.863 g/day); (4) Conclusions: With age, as a result of various factors, the consumption of salt declines. The parents impact and the familial socio-environmental factors begin to wane, and other factors start to have influence, e.g. school education of healthy lifestyle, health behavior of peers.

Efficient commencement of clinical trials is pivotal for their successful execution. The purpose of this study was to determine and examine the factors that contribute to trial start-up delays. The study assessed 20 clinical trials' start-up stages in order to identify relevant variables. Results showed that trials with an emphasis on devices, trials that did not outsource, trials that utilized less auxiliary services, and trials that employed interventional designs had quicker start-up times than observational studies. Furthermore, approval times were substantially shortened by using a centralized Institutional Review Board (IRB) rather than a local IRB. Furthermore, compared to studies that successfully enrolled subjects, those who failed to do so required more time to complete contracts and budgets and secure IRB clearance. This study underscores the diverse impact of clinical trial features on start-up timelines. Understanding these factors is crucial for optimizing the initiation process of clinical trials.

The study also found that older age was a protective factor in prospective studies. The consistency of results across different study designs and sensitivity analyses further supported the robustness of the findings. It is important to note that the existing literature on revictimization in women facing intimate partner violence is limited and exhibits significant heterogeneity in terms of methodology and conceptual frameworks.

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection is the largest global cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Current HBV treatment options include pegylated interferon-alpha and nucleos(t)ide analogues (NAs), which have been shown to be effective in reducing HBV DNA levels to become undetectable. However, literature has shown that some patients have persistent risk of developing HCC. The mechanism in which this occurs is not fully elucidated, however it has been discovered that HBV covalently closed circular DNA (cccDNA) integrates into critical HCC driver genes in hepatocytes upon initial infection and are not targets of current NA therapy. Some studies suggest that HBV undergoes compartmentalization in peripheral blood mononuclear cells that serve as a sanctuary for replication during antiviral therapy. The aim of this review is to expand on how patients with HBV may develop HCC despite years of HBV viral suppression and carry worse prognosis than treatment-naive HBV patients who develop HCC. Furthermore, HCC recurrence after initial surgical or locoregional treatment in this setting may cause carcinogenic cells to be-have more aggressively in the treatment experienced. Curative novel therapies targeting the life cycle of HBV, modulating the host immune response, and inhibiting HBV RNA translation are being investigated.

Background: Taeniasis and cysticercosis are human infections caused by the pork tapeworm, Taenia solium. This study is a baseline for the Community-based intervention. We determined the prevalence of human cysticercosis and associated risk factors following deworming program conducted throughout the country, Mbulu District being among the districts in Northern Tanzania.Methods: Human cysticercosis was determined by enzyme-linked Immunosorbent assay (Ag- ELISA). Household interviews and observations were conducted to identify risk factors for cysticercosis transmissions among households and communities. Results: Three hundred individuals participated in the study. The age ranged from five to 89 years, with a median of 19 years. The prevalence of human cysticercosis was 23(7.67%). The prevalence was high 6(11.76%) among individuals aged 26 to 35 years and ±45 years. There was no statistically significant difference in the prevalence by age group, sex, or occupation. Among the 300 participants, 82(27.3%) had received anthelmintic during the previous year; among these, 5(21.7%) were infected. The likelihood of infection was low among anthelmintic users by 28% [0.72 (0.26-2.01)], but the protection was not significant. The communities differed in risk factors on the availability of clean and safe water supply; 52.7% (46/86) of households visited had no pit latrine. The cysticercosis prevalence showed a significant difference by communities. Conclusion: The prevalence of human cysticercosis was high and associated with higher age groups. The prevalence was low among those who had taken anthelmintic and was associated with lower age groups. The school current school deworming program has a positive effect for school children meanwhile the elderly are at higher risk because the intervention did not target them. It is recommended to scale up anthelmintic intervention to higher age groups.

The aim of the research was to study the influence of the calving season in the conditions of the upcoming climate changes on the productive traits of dairy cows in Bulgaria. The study was conducted in a cattle farm with a capacity of 500 dairy cows, loose-housed in open free stall barn (shed type). In the research 286 lactations of 199 Holstein cows from the studied farm were included. The cows with the highest average milk yield for lactation calved in the spring - 8522.2 kg, and the cows with the lowest milk yield calved in the summer - 8082.7 kg. Cows calved in the spring had the highest maximum daily milk yield (lactation peak) - 38 kg, and the lowest in the summer - 35.7 kg. Regarding the composition indicators of milk, fat and protein content, no significant effect of the calving season was found, but a tendency for the lowest values for the percentage of fat in milk was reported for cows calved in the summer - 3.68%, and the most - high for those calved in the spring - 3.71%. Regarding the percentage of protein in the milk, the lowest values were for cows that calved in autumn - 3.19%, and the highest for cows that calved in summer - 3.27%.

PURPOSE: The aim of this study was to identify the incidence of early mechanical failure in the first post-surgical year in patients who had undergone spinal surgery, and to assess the related risk factors. METHODS: Retrospective observational study of a prognostic cohort was conducted at an orthopaedic hospital, examining all patients with spine degenerative disease who consecutively underwent arthrodesis surgery between March 2018 and March 2019. The incidence of postoperative mechanical failure during the first year was calculated as primary outcome; the time between the date of the implant surgery and diagnosis of the mechanical failure was calculated as secondary outcome. RESULTS: A total of 237 patients were identified for statistical analysis. The median age of the group of patients was 47 years (IQR of 44), and 66.6% were female. The incidence of mechanical failure in the first postoperative year was 5.1% overall with 12 events and the median time between surgery and the need for revision surgery was 5 months (IQR=7.75). ASA score (OR= 2,39; p=0.134), duration of the surgical procedure (OR=1,27; p=0,006) and inability to walk at discharge (OR=7,86; p=0,072) were independent risk of factor associated with the mechanical failure. CONCLUSION: Higher ASA score and longer duration of surgery are risk factors for mechanical failure in the first year in patients who had undergone spinal surgery and must be carefully considered when planning spinal surgery. During hospitalization, recovery of ambulation must be encouraged to prevent mechanical failure. All these factors are useful in identifying patients with a closer follow-up is needed.

Background: Pediatric ureteropelvic junction obstruction (UPJO) is a common urinary tract issue. Accurate assessment of postoperative kidney function is crucial for prognosis. Previous studies mainly focused on postoperative renal function and individual factors. Radionuclide imaging was costly and unsuitable for long-term follow-up. For aligning closely with clinical needs, we emphasizing renal morphology enhancement, and comprehensively analyzed factors influencing UPJO surgery outcomes. Methods: We retrospectively studied 150 pediatric UPJO patients (July 2012-July 2022) with severe anteroposterior renal pelvis dilation (APD grades 4-5) who underwent laparoscopic dismembered pyeloplasty. Demographics, symptoms, preoperative findings, and postoperative renal ultrasounds were assessed. We performed multivariable logistic regression analysis to identify significant predictors of prognosis and construct a regression model. Results: Among the 150 pediatric patients, 78 (52%) showed improvement in renal morphology after surgery. In the multivariate logistic regression analysis, age at surgery, duration of hydronephrosis, body weight, and preoperative creatinine were identified as significant prognostic factors for postoperative outcomes. The nomogram (AUC: 0.92) was constructed based on these factors and could serve as a useful tool for clinicians in evaluating the surgical prognosis of children with UPJO. Conclusions: This study reveals that among pediatric patients with severe hydronephrosis resulting from UPJO, those who are younger, have a shorter duration of illness, normal serum creatinine levels, and a healthy body weight tend to experience better postoperative recovery. This finding emphasizes the importance of adopting more proactive clinical interventions when managing such cases, with the goal of achieving enhanced recovery outcomes for affected children.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC), alternative term for kidney cancer, is becoming more common worldwide each year, and there are many different contributing factors. Among all cancers, RCC is the 14th most prevalent; and it ranks as the 14th and 9th most prevalent cancer overall for women and men respectively. RCC cases increased by more than 430,000 in 2020. While disease burdens are highest in Eastern Europe (Belarus and Russia) and North America (Canada and the United States), Africa, Asia, and Latin America are predicted to report increase in prevalence as these regions embrace change in lifestyle. The majority of RCC cases are accidentally found on imaging, and survival is greatly impacted by the disease stage at diagnosis, with a metastatic cancer having a 5-year survival rate of 12%. As a consequence of early discovery and more improved treatments, RCC mortality has declined. The key epidemiologic variables of RCC include vast regional and geographical heterogeneity in prevalence rates, and the cause is largely unclear. Recognized risk factors include smoking, being overweight, having previous episodes of hypertension, and suffering chronic renal illness. Unexpectedly swift, RCC diagnosis and therapy have advanced. RCC prevalence continues to rise although survival rates have sharply improved. Cancer survival and treatment have improved, and more gains are projected as a result of clinical and translational research. In this review, kidney cancer statistics and recent literatures are examined on a global scale. It covered aspects of kidney cancer, including its epidemiology, causes, risk factors, current immunotherapy, chances for prevention, and future planning.

Introduction: Intrauterine fetal death (IFD) is death of fetus after the 20th week of gestation. Despite regular monitoring, the incidence of IFD remains high. This study aims to assess the incidence and risk factors for IFD in term pregnancies for better prevention and reduction of neonatal morbidity and mortality. Materials and Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted with term pregnant women diagnosed with IFD. The analysis included the number of deliveries, live births, and stillbirths. Statistical analysis involves descriptive and analytical statistical methods. Results: Average age was 30 years. Most patients had intermediate and high education, and one-third of patients had regular pregnancy monitoring. 53.33% were primiparous, and pregnancies occurred spontaneously. IFD mainly occurred in the 39th week of gestation. The average birth weight was approximately 3000g. 38.3% had one to two associated diseases, 5% more than three, and 56.7% were healthy. Recurrence of IFD was reported by 10% of patients, while 8.33% had a history of spontaneous abortion. Over 80% of placental histopathological findings indicated some pathology (infarction, infections, abruptio placenta). Conclusion: The most significant risk factors were pregnancy-induced hypertensive disorders, obesity, and diabetes, followed by hypothyroidism, maternal tachycardia, and anemia.

Background. This study aimed to establish a prognostic nomogram for predicting overall survival (OS) and cancer-specific survival (CSS) of patients with early-onset endometrial cancer (EOEC). Methods. Patients diagnosed with EOEC during 2004-2015 were extracted from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) database. Univariate and multivariate Cox regression analyses were performed to ascertain the independent factors impacting the prognosis of EOEC patients, while a prognostic nomogram was established. Its performance was verified by the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves, and calibration plots. The prediction accuracy and clinical net benefit between the model, TNM stage and SEER stage were further compared by the concordance index (C-index) and decision curve analysis (DCA). Results. A total of 4415 eligible patients with EOEC were identified and enrolled in this study. Independent prognostic factors for OS and CSS were confirmed by multivariate Cox regression, which were further incorporated to constructed a nomogram. ROC curves and calibration curves indicated an optimal accuracy of the nomogram. Meanwhile, the C-index and DCA showed the predictive capability and the clinical applicability of the nomogram was superior over the TNM stage and SEER stage. Conclusions. Nomogram based on risk factors was developed as an individualized tool to predict OS and CSS for EOEC patients. The novel tool will assist in patient counseling and selection of appropriate therapeutic regimens.

Glioblastoma (GBM) is one of the most aggressive and intricate forms of brain cancer, demanding novel therapeutic interventions. The role of transcription factors in epigenetic regulation has emerged as a promising avenue for targeting GBM. This comprehensive review seeks to explore the complex interplay between specific transcription factors such as SNAI2, FOXA1, YAP1, TWIST1, ZEB1, and NF-kB, and their role in GBM progression and therapy. The focus extends to innovative therapeutic strategies, including epigenetic modifiers, targeted therapies, and CRISPR/Cas9 technology. A unique aspect of this review highlights the connection between transcription factors, neoantigen presentation, and personalized immunotherapy in GBM. By delving into current research, clinical trials, and immunological data, this review emphasizes the significant potential of targeting transcription factors for personalized immunotherapy in GBM. The challenges, future perspectives, and ethical considerations are also critically discussed, offering a complete and thought-provoking insight into a vital and rapidly evolving field.

The current global financial sector is dedicated to providing customers with more advanced and strategic services. With channels like internet banking, mobile phone banking, and telephone banking, the industry delivers multi-channel banking services to satisfy its clients. The COVID-19 pandemic has directly impacted the global economy, as well as the financial sector, with the banking sector facing lockdown initiatives to curb the virus's spread. As a result, mobile payment methods have been favored by people over physical money for transactions. This study analyzes the factors that influenced mobile banking usage during the pandemic in Sri Lanka.. Convenience sampling was used, comprising of 200 online questionnaires conducted among customers in Sri Lanka. The collected data was analyzed using descriptive analysis, exploratory factor analysis, and multiple linear regression through IBM SPSS 25. Research findings revealed that trust and risk were significant factors affecting mobile banking usage in Sri Lanka. Trust had a positive effect while Risk negatively effects to the mobile banking usage. Ease of use and Usefulness were irrelevant factors during the COVID-19 pandemic in Sri Lanka.

In recent years, the high-frequency abnormal price fluctuations of small-scale agricultural products have been detrimental to market stability. The traditional method based on statistical data of production factors can no longer accurately predict abnormal price fluctuations. Taking scallions as a case, the paper identifies price influencing factors from massive network information, and analyzes the causes and changing characteristics of price fluctuations from four perspectives: market supply, economic environment and market sentiment, and attention. Initially, the study employs an LDA topic model to extract factors from online sentiment data over the past four years, including market supply and demand, economic conditions, related agricultural prices, and market attention. Subsequently, using the SO-PMI algorithm to expand domain-specific lexicons and employing semantic and sentiment analysis with syntactic parsing, the study aims to improve the accuracy of sentiment quantification in text analysis. Furthermore, cointegration and Granger causality tests validate the significant impact of these factors on scallion price fluctuations, mitigating spurious regression issues. Finally, by employing a TVP-VAR model, the study compares the impulse responses and shock magnitudes of various factors in different time and spatial dimensions. It also delves into the mechanisms of heterogeneous impacts and trends in scallion prices, considering the corresponding socio-economic context and public sentiment events within specific time windows, thereby providing valuable decision-making insights for the healthy development of agricultural markets.

This study examines the relationship between firm-level and macroeconomic variables and stock prices (SP) in Iran, Saudi Arabia (KSA), and Iraq, where economic conditions are uncertain. The sample consists of all firms listed on these countries' stock exchanges between 2015 and 2019, yielding a comprehensive dataset from 154 Iranian firms, 82 KSA firms, and 33 Iraqi firms. Using a fixed effect model, intriguing relationships are uncovered between firm-level and macroeconomic factors on SP. The findings indicate that, at a 1% significance level, there is a strong link between Iran and Iraq's GDP and their respective SP. In KSA, the association between GDP and SP is positive and significant at a 5% level. In addition, there is a positive and statistically significant correlation between the inflation rate and SP in all three countries. Moreover, the association between exchange rates and SP is significant and positive in KSA and Iraq but negative and significant at the 1% significance level in Iran. Furthermore, in KSA, the connection between oil prices and SP is positive and significant, whereas, in Iran, the relationship is negative at the 1% level. Surprisingly, there is no association between the price of oil and Iraqi SP. Regarding intangible assets, their impact on SP in Iran and KSA is negligible. In Iraq, however, there is a negative and significant relationship at the 5% level, indicating that intangible assets have a detrimental impact on SP. These findings highlight the complex link among macroeconomic factors, intangible assets, and SP in the examined countries. Policymakers and governments should prioritize implementing measures to foster sustainable economic growth, manage inflation, and stabilize exchange rates. These actions can boost investor confidence and contribute to the stock market's overall development.

This work aims to explore the impact of side loads, drill-pipe tool-joint (DP-TJ) speed (RPM), and mud type on the austenitic stainless steel SM2535-110 casing wear characteristics. Actual field drill pipe tool joints, casings, and drilling muds are used in this study. The results of the study show that under both types of lubrication, the wear volume increased with radial load and DP-TJ speed. SM2535-110 casing specimens tested under oil-based mud (OBM) lubrication had higher casing wear volumes than those obtained under water-based mud (WBM) lubrication. This unexpected behavior is mainly due to the increase in the surface hardness of the casing specimens tested under WBM. The results also show that the specific wear factor (K) values of specimens tested under WBM are in general 2 to 4 times higher than those obtained under OBM. While K values under WBM increase with both the side load and RPM, those under OBM show a sharp decrease with RPM. This behavior under OBM is due to this lubricant’s higher viscosity and the change of lubrication regime from thin film to thick film lubrication at higher RPM. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the digital microscopic imaging (DMI) of SM235-110 casing specimens show that an aggressive combination of adhesive, abrasive, and plastic deformation was observed under WBM, while the dominant wear mechanism under OBM is abrasive wear.

Consumer preference for products made from transgenic technology has been widely studied, yet few studies exist exploring the factors influencing producers’ adoption of transgenic technology. Based on field surveys in Chinese provinces of Shanxi, Henan and Shandong, we employed a gambling experiment to capture producers’ risk preferences by estimating their risk aversion coefficients. We further estimated producers’ risk amplification and risk perception of GM technology. Using ordered logit model and Poisson model we identified the major factors influencing producers’ adoption of transgenic technology. We found the factors impacted the decision of producers from different regions in different ways. The results showed that over 60% of participants amplified the risk of transgenic crops. When there was potential risk, producers might not be rational even if they had high level of knowledge and cognition about the technology. Our results shed light on government policies aiming to increase the adoption of new technologies by producers.

Sustainability is a characteristic manifested in the ability to maintain the necessary level of performance for construction companies when risk factors arise during the implementation of investment and construction projects. The risk factors that arise during the implementation of in-vestment and construction projects differ in nature, degree of influence, and other characteristics. Ignoring these factors and measures to manage them often leads to critical consequences in the form of disruptions in the timing of work. Risk is a combination of the probability and consequences of the occurrence of adverse events. The article considers the concept of risk as a potential possibility of occurrence of adverse situations and related consequences when exposed to these factors. Risk factors are characterized by surprise, discreteness of changes, the presence of threshold values, upon reaching which a transition to a different mode of operation is required. The article discusses the risk factors arising at the construction stage, their classification. A methodology has been developed that includes conducting a survey in the form of a questionnaire in order to collect information about risk factors that affect the implementation of investment and construction projects. Experts with experience in the construction sector were involved in the survey. The processing of the survey results made it possible to assess the significance of various risk factors in investment and construction projects. Thus, statistical and expert methods were used in the study. The results showed that financial, technical, legal, economic, managerial and natural factors have the greatest impact on investment and construction projects. It is recommended to pay special attention to the listed factors when developing measures aimed at preventing risks and their consequences. The methodology described in the study can be used by construction companies in strategic planning. The analysis of the stability of construction companies, depending on their use of various ways to counteract risk factors, allowed us to develop a number of practical recommendations to reduce the impact of the studied factors on achieving the goals of investment and construction projects.

The aim of our study was to assess university students’ sleep quality and fatigue before and during the academic exam period and identify potential associated factors. A Web-based survey was completed by 940 students of 20 different Tertiary Institutions including demographics, sleep habits, exercise, caffeine, tobacco, alcohol use, subjective sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index - PSQI) and fatigue (Fatigue severity scale – FSS) at the beginning of semester and at examination period. During exam period, PSQI (8.9 vs 6.1, p&lt;0.001) and FSS scores (36.9 vs 32.7, p&lt;0.001) were significantly elevated compared to pre-exam period. Increase of PSQI score was associated with age (β=0.111, p=0.011), presence of chronic disease (β=0.914, p=0.006), and depressive symptoms (β=0.459, p=0.001). Increase of FSS score was associated with female gender (β=1.658, p&lt;0.001), age, (β=0.198, p=0.010), increase in smoking (β=1.7, p=0.029), coffee/energy drinks consumption (β=1.988, p&lt;0.001), decreased levels of physical exercise (β=1.660, p&lt;0.001), and depressive symptoms (β=2.526, p&lt;0.001). In conclusion, our results show that sleep quality and fatigue are affected in university students during exam periods. Potential factors were identified which may lead to development of strategies for better quality of sleep, and wellbeing.

Gastrointestinal diseases caused by parasites are frequently diagnosed in the clinical routine of domestic animals, especially dogs and cats. In general, they trigger factors that can affect individual health due to zoonoses. Therefore, this study aims to identify the main intestinal parasites obtained from the fecal samples of dogs and cats in the municipality of Jata, Brazil, and their associated risk factors. Between October 2020 and March 2022, fecal samples were collected from 359 dogs and 55 cats through spontaneous defecation and subsequently subjected to coproparasitological analyses using the Willis fluctuation and Hoffman spontaneous sedimentation techniques. The following parasitic species were identified: Ancylostoma, Toxocara, Trichuris vulpis, Dipylidium caninum; Giardia, Entamoeba, Cystoisospora, and Platynosomum fastosum. The risk factors associated with parasitism include age, average income of owners, access to garbage, sewage, waste, outdated deworming, and contact with animals. The results demonstrate the need to establish public policies and implement preventive and control measures to reduce the occurrence of parasites in animals and the exposure of humans to pathogenic agents.

Due to the progression of antimicrobial resistance, Photodynamic (aPDT) and Sonodynamic (SDT) Therapies arose as promising approaches for microbial control. Recently, the combination of both therapies, called Sonophotodynamic Therapy (SPDT), have shown greater effects than the single treatments. This study evaluated the effects of aPDT, SDT and SPDT mediated by curcumin on the metabolism, adhesion capacity, biofilm formation ability and structural alteration in the Staphylococcus aureus biofilm. Moreover, possible antimicrobial mechanisms involved, such as the production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and the degradation spectrum of curcumin by light, ultrasound and light+ultrasound, were measured. SPDT was more effective to inactivate the biofilm than aPDT and SDT. All treatments reduced the adhesion ability of the bacteria and it is probably related to the metabolism cell reduction. Regarding to the biofilm formation ability, all treatments reduced the total biomass. One possible mechanism involved in the inactivation is the ROS production observed. Curcumin had a significantly decay in its absorbance with the application of light, and a slighter one caused by the ultrasound. Finally, all treatments impacted the biofilm components and structure, reducing the cells and matrix. In conclusion, SPDT was more effective in the inactivation, and all treatments had the same effect in the virulence factors evaluated.

Current nutritional guidelines for stomach cancer survivors (SCS) mainly focus on the influence of surgical resection of the stomach, with limited guidance regarding a wider range of food options. We aimed to investigate the factors associated with healthier dietary changes in Korean adult SCS. This cross-sectional study assessed dietary pattern change after cancer treatment for 11 food categories, using a self-administered questionnaire. A ‘healthier dietary change’ was operationally defined as reduced consumption of red and processed meat, grains, salt, and burnt food, and increased consumption of poultry, fish, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and dairy products. Among a total of 624 SCS, approximately 60% of participants reported healthier directional dietary changes in three or more food categories, while 9.1% reported no changes. There was no significant difference in dietary habit changes between surgery types. Multivariable adjusted analysis showed that elderly and long-term survivors were inversely associated with a healthier dietary change. SCS with higher educational achievement and income were more likely to make healthier changes in their intake of processed meat, vegetables, fruits, burnt food, or salt. SCS with higher levels of fear of cancer recurrence, anxiety, or depression were more likely to follow healthier dietary changes for fish, meat, fruits, grains, or burnt food. Change in dietary pattern varied across different food items and was associated with various characteristics of SCS. It is crucial to repeatedly provide SCS with information about healthier dietary patterns, considering their sociodemographic, clinical, and psychological characteristics.

This study evaluates the agricultural carbon emission efficiency of Shandong Province from 2011 to 2020 using the DEA-SBM model. The nexus between endogenous and exogenous variables is estimated using the Tobit model. The findings reveal an overall increasing trend in agricultural carbon emissions, with significant variations in efficiency values among different cities, leading to a severe polarization. Spatial evaluation shows a high distribution trend in the central region and low in the eastern and western regions of Shandong Province. The empirical tests conducted for Shandong Province and its three regions indicate that urbanization plays a major role in sup-porting the growth of agricultural carbon emission efficiency, while the education level of the la-bor force has a suppressive impact. Economic development and crop cultivation structure, how-ever, have no significant influence. The impact of these variables varies across the eastern, central, and western regions. The proposed countermeasures include improving planting structure and reducing brain drain in the eastern region, strengthening agricultural and rural inputs and in-creasing the added value of agricultural products in the central region, and intensifying the link-age between urbanization and industrial layout in the western region to reduce agricultural car-bon emissions efficiency in Shandong Province.

Background: Considering its deleterious effects on health, as well as the importance of information to support actions, strategies and public policies, this study was aimed to identify and classify the risk factors for consumption of ultra-processed foods among Brazilian adolescents. Data sources: targeting observational studies involving samples of Brazilian adolescents (11 to 19 years old), which evaluated possible associations between the consumption of ultra-processed foods and individual, interpersonal, environmental and public policies variables, in October 2022, a systematic review was conducted, consulting electronic databases (Lilacs, Pubmed, Scielo, Scopus and Web of Science), Google Scholar and the reference lists of included articles. Data synthesis: The descriptive synthesis consisted of 11 papers, representing nine original studies. In general, the consumption of ultra-processed foods was associated with different individual, interpersonal and environmental variables. More specifically, the following variables can be highlighted: sedentary behavior (specially screen time), studying at a private school, having a higher Body Mass Index and being female. Conclusions: Based on this evidence, it is important to direct actions, strategies and public policies aimed at confronting the consumption of ultra-processed foods for these groups.

Introdução: Os fatores de risco vasculares são decisivos na evolução da doença aterosclerótica e a ecografia Doppler carotídea e vertebral permite acompanhar o seu aparecimento e evolução. A medida do espessamento da parede arterial permite o diagnóstico precoce da doença potencializando seu tratamento e controle dos fatores de risco vasculares. Objetivo: Analisar a presença de doença ateromatosa em indivíduos com idade > 65 anos e compreender sua transformação com fatores de risco vascular. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo observacional transversal, em indivíduos com idade > 65 anos manifestados ao ecoDoppler carotídeo entre 1º de janeiro de 2012 e 31 de dezembro de 2021. Foi calculado o índice médio-intimal, a presença de placas ateromatosas, sua repercussão hemodinâmica e fatores de risco vascular foram registrados. Resultados: Obteve-se uma amostra de 5885 indivíduos, sendo 41,8% do sexo feminino e 58,2% do sexo masculino. A média de idade foi de 76,59 anos, variando entre 65 e 98 anos (+6,69). A hipertensão arterial foi a mais prevalente 81,3%. Houve relação positiva significativa entre índice médio-intimal, idade e história pessoal de doenças cardiovasculares e cerebrovasculares (p=0,001). Na presença de placas, sexo masculino, hipertensão arterial, diabetes, dislipidemia, tabagismo e história pessoal de doenças cardiovasculares e cerebrovasculares apresentadas de forma positiva. Conclusões: Nesta amostra, fatores de risco vascular não modificáveis ​​parecem ser determinantes na presença de aumento da espessura da parede arterial. Na presença de sinais de um estágio mais avançado da doença aterosclerótica, os fatores de risco vascular modificáveis ​​​​são decisivos,

The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), locally known as Khaliji, is a group of six Arab nations, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a significant public health concern in the GCC region, but the research that synthesized the trend has received scant attention. The present narrative review examines existing research on the prevalence and frequency of IPV among Khaliji women in GCC nations. This review synthesized studies on physical violence, sexual violence, emotional abuse, and controlling behaviors perpetrated by an intimate partner. The prevalence rates of IPV among Khaliji women are observed to be high: women reported facing different types of abuse from their partners, namely physical (7% - 71%), sexual (3.7% - 81%), financial (21.3% - 26%) and psychological (7.5% - 89%), which is a culmination of controlling behavior (36.8%), emotional (22% - 69%) and social violence (34%). The extant studies in the GCC suggest that the most endorsed IPV was psychological abuse (89%) followed by sexual violence (81%). Qualitative content analysis of the associated factors resulted in four meaningful descriptors such as demographics of the victim, sociocultural factors, socioeconomic, and perpetrator-related issues. The study on IPV is still nascent and few. The way forward will require developing culturally appropriate interventions that address unique risk factors for IPV among Khaliji populations, strengthening institutional responses, and increasing awareness and social support for the victim of IPV.

The Lin28B gene is involved in the initiation of puberty, but its regulatory mechanisms remain unclear. Therefore, in this study, we aimed to study the regulatory mechanism of the Lin28B promoter by cloning the Lin28B proximal promoter for bioinformatics analysis. Next, a series of deletion vectors were constructed based on the bioinformatics analysis results for dual-fluorescein activity detection. The transcriptional regulation mechanism of the Lin28B promoter region was analyzed by detecting mutations in transcription factor-binding sites and overexpression of transcription factors. The dual-luciferase assay showed that the Lin28B promoter region -837 to -338 bp had the highest transcriptional activity, and the transcriptional activity of the Lin28B transcriptional regulatory region decreased significantly after Egr1 and SP1 mutations. Overexpression of the Egr1 transcription factor significantly enhanced the transcription of Lin28B, and the results indicated that Egr1 and SP1 play an important role in regulating Lin28B. These results provide a theoretical basis for further research on the transcriptional regulation of sheep Lin28B during puberty initiation.

The development of oxidation processes with generating powerful radicals is the most interesting and thought-provoking dimension of peroxymonosulfate (PMS) activation. In this study, a magnetic spinel CuFe2O4 was successfully prepared by a facile, non-toxic, cost-efficient co-precipitation method with the synergetic effect of photocatalytic PMS oxidation against recalcitrant benzotriazole (BTA) pollutant. The high particle dispersion and large surface area (201.898 m2/g) provided a high photocatalytic activity with CuFe2O4. The obtained results from the central composite design (CCD) analysis confirmed the optimum degrading rate of BTA reached 81.4% at the optimum operational condition of CuFe2O4= 0.4 g/L, PMS= 2 mM, BTA= 20 mg/L after 70 min irradiation time. As such, the active species capture experiments revealed the presence of •OH, SO4•‒, O2•‒ and h+ species in CuFe2O4/UV/PMS system where SO4•‒ was dominated for BTA photodegradation. The combination of photocatalysis and PMS activation enhanced the consumption of metal ions in redox cycle reactions, thus preventing metal leaching and maintain the recyclability with reasonable mineralization efficiency which achieved more than 40% total organic carbon removal after four batch experiments. A retardant effect on BTA oxidation was observed with comparing the water’s common anion constituents as HCO3‒ > Cl‒ > NO3‒ > SO2‒. Results from intermediates identification showed that the transformation pathway of BTA developed as the deprotonation, hydrolysis and ring cleavage processes promoting the practical potential of photo-absorbing CuFe2O4 catalyzed PMS which can be a promising method due to convenient magnetic separation form the solution.

Curcumin is a natural dietary polyphenol which that possesses potent anti-aging and neuroprotective properties through various mechanisms and signaling pathways. This study aimed to investigate the effect of curcumin on factors involved in neurogenesis and angiogenesis in the aged brain. Old female Wistar rats were divided into three equal groups (n=7): control, sham, and curcumin (received curcumin, i.p., 30 mg/kg and 5 days/week for 8 weeks) rats. Curcumin treatment caused a significant increase in the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and anti-apoptotic protein BCl-2 in the brains of aging rats but no significant effect on anti-apoptotic Bax protein. Additionally, curcumin attenuated brain lipid peroxidation and decreased transforming growth factor β1 (TGF-β1). These results suggested that curcumin possesses neuroprotective effects against brain aging, which were mediated by improvment in neurogenesis and angiogenesis. Also, curcumin could alleviate brain aging which may be due to attenuating oxidative stress, inhibiting apoptosis and down-regulating TGF-β1, which in turn enhances VEGF and BDNF. Therefore, curcumin has potential therapeutic value in the treatment of neurological apoptosis, neurogenesis and angiogenesis changes caused by brain aging.

The worldwide prevalence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and prediabetes is rapidly increasing, particularly in children, adolescents, and young adults. Oxidative stress (OxS) has emerged as a likely initiating factor in T2D. The role of natural antioxidant products in combating T2D is best evaluated in the context of the complex physiological processes that modulate T2D-OxS such as glycemic control and exercise. The role of natural antioxidant compounds such as vitamin E in T2D must likewise be considered beyond their roles as inhibitors of OxS. In addition to antioxidant properties, vitamin E vitamers (tocopherols and tocotrienols) also exhibit distinct abilities to regulate cellular signal transduction pathways important to T2D progression. Most research on the role of vitamin E in T2D or prediabetes has been limited to tocopherols (Ts) but emerging trials with tocotrienols (T3s) show promise. Minimizing factors that induce chronic damaging OxS and maximizing natural antioxidant protective factors may provide a means of preventing or slowing T2D progression. This “optimal redox” (OptRedox) approach also provides a framework in which to discuss the potential benefits of natural antioxidant factors such as antioxidant products. Since early, effective intervention is critical, the OptRedox strategy would be optimally effective if implemented in the pediatric population.

Migraine and neuropathic pain (NP) are evocative of painful, disabling, chronic conditions which exhibit resembling symptoms and thus considered to share a common etiology. Calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) has gained credit as a target for migraine management; nevertheless, the efficacy and the applicability of CGRP modifiers warrant search for more effective therapeutic targets for pain management. This scoping review overviews human studies of common pathogenic factors in migraine and NP to explore potential novel therapeutic targets. CGRP causes inflammation in the meninges; monoclonal antibodies and inhibitors target CGRP. Gluta-mate-induced hyperexcitability and subsequent sensitization are closely linked to an alteration of the tryptophan (Trp)-kynurenine (KYN) metabolic system; the Trp-KYN system may serve as a potential target. Microglial overaction is observed in migraine and NP; modifying the microglial activity may be a possible approach. Cytokine-induced inflammation is a leading hypothesis of the pathogenesis of the conditions; alleviating neuroinflammation may complement a pain-relieving armamentarium. Transient receptor potential (TRP) ion channels evoke the release of several substances; TRP ion channels may potentially emerge as new targets. The endocannabinoid system plays a major role in the pain trafficking pathway; modification of the system may open a new path toward discovery of new analgesics. Here we highlight the mechanism of those common pathogenic factors to explore therapeutic targets for innovative pain management in migraine and NP.

(Background) the aim was to determine related factors to recurrent vitreous hemorrhage (RVH) in a sample of proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR) patients. (Methods) A retrospective, review-based study. We studied 183 eyes from 121 type 2 diabetes patients with PDR. We recorded diabetes duration, history of hypertension, retinal photocoagulation status, the posterior vitreous status, the mean HbA1c, mean hemoglobin, the renal function, and the systemic complications related to diabetes. We also recorded the use of ranibizumab prior to vitrectomy and the following surgical variables: the application of segmentation and diathermy on fibrovascular proliferative tissue, the use of silicone oil, and the occurrence of surgical complications, to study which independent variables were significantly related to the presence of RVH. (Results) Duration of diabetes (P= 0.028), hemoglobin (P=0.02), status of the posterior vitreous (P=0.03), retinal photocoagulation (P=0.002) and use of segmentation surgery technique (P=0.003) have significant link to the presence of RVH. In addition, patients with diabetic polyneuropathy, myocardial infarction and ischemia in lower limbs had more vitreous hemorrhage events (p&lt;0.001). (Conclusions) Patients with PDR and with longer diabetes duration, anemia, attached posterior vitreous, deficient retinal photocoagulation, and previously cardiovascular events, were more prone to RVH.

Vagueira Beach on the Central Portuguese coast, is known as one of the places in Europe most affected by coastal erosion. The area has suffered more than 156 meters of coastline retreat over the period 1958 to 2001. With the aim to evaluate the influence of local factors on coastal erosion, this paper assesses the anthropogenic and natural factors that are related with the retreat of the coastline, by adopting statistical correlation and regression analyses. Through the Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) it was observed that local factors such as annual dredging at the Aveiro Port entrance (r = 0.93), the total length of groins in the Espinho-Vagueira section (r = 0.89), and storm events (r = 0.52) are directly related to coastline retreat in the area. A multiple linear regression model was developed in which coastline retreat is explained by these same factors over the period 1980 to 2006. With a coefficient of determination of R² = 0.91, it was observed that length of groins (significant at the 1% level), dredging of the port entrance (significant at the 5% level) and precipitation (as a proxy for storm events; significant at the 10% level) are significantly correlated with coastline retreat. Hence, it is shown that anthropogenic factors are the main drivers of coastline retreat in Vagueira Beach. This study provides an innovative approach for the assessment of coastal erosion, resulting in important information that can be used for decision-making related to coastal zone management as it allows to understand in greater detail the main drivers of coastal erosion.

Monte Carlo Filtering (MCF) is one of the methods of Experimental Statistical Energy Analysis (E-SEA), which allows the correction of a negative LF (Loss Factor). In this article, a modification of the MCF method, called DESA (Diagonal Extension of the Search Area), is proposed. The technique applies a non-uniform extension of the search area when generating a population of normalized energy matrices. The degree of expansion of the search area is controlled by the Diagonal Penalty Factor (DPF). The authors demonstrated the method's effectiveness on a system that could not be identified in several frequency bands by the classical MCF method. After applying DESA, it was possible to fill in the problematic bands that were missing CLF and DLF values. The paper also proposes a way to minimize the errors introduced by using overly high DPF values.

Epigenetic reprogramming using cyclic expression of Yamanaka factors has been demonstrated to rejuvenate on a systemic level in animal models with no obvious deleterious effects. Here we discuss a strategy for cyclic and systemic expression of Yamanaka factors in wild-type animals amenable for adaptation as a human therapy. This is based on the use of the little- known Amsacta moorei Entomopoxvirus vector in combination with microbubble mediated focused ultrasound-driven blood vessel permeabilization to facilitate the system-wide distribution of the virus.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is increasingly being recognized as a systemic disease rather than a mere disorder of the lungs. Central (respiratory) and peripheral (limb) muscle weakness are among the main pronounced systemic effects of COPD. While the disease primarily affects the lower limb muscles and contributes to gait impairment, COPD is also associated with an increasing risk of falls in patients (COPDp). Previous studies have reported higher rates of falls among COPDp (1.17 to 1.20 falls/person-year), amounting to four times higher than an age-matched healthy group. Potential fall risk factors include muscle weakness, impaired daily activities, cognitive dysfunction, and gait and balance impairment. Although COPDp often manifest many of these risk factors, there remains a gap in literature regarding falls during walking in this population. This study aimed to 1. analyze the literature to identify the risk factors of falling in COPDp, and 2. investigate the underlying mechanisms by which these risk factors can lead to increased prevalence of falling. The results suggest that in addition to the known risk factors of falling, low back pain and mental fatigue should also be considered as relevant risk factors in the treatment process of these patients. Moreover, respiratory problems, which are common in this population, have demonstrated pronounced effects on energy expenditure, gait, and other types of activities of daily living (ADLs), leading to reduced intensity, disrupted coordination of the trunk-pelvic structure with the lower limbs during gait, and altered motor control performance due to activation of muscles in an inefficient synergic manner. These problems potentially lead to the increased vulnerability of these patients to external disturbances and higher incidence risk of falls and injuries. Cognitive problems, which are typically due to reduced oxygen received by the brain, as well as general inflammation caused by COPD, also play a significant role in gait disruption and balance. Future research is warranted to determine the prevalence of falls in COPDp by examining the response of these patients to Medio-Lateral (ML) and Anterior-Posterior (AP) disturbances during gait in association with traditional and recommended fall risk factors.

Aim. To identify factors associated with mortality with tuberculosis diagnosis in the indigenous population in Peru 2015-2019. Methods. Case-control study nested in a retrospective cohort, using the registry of persons belonging to indigenous peoples of the National Tuberculosis Prevention and Control Strategy of the Ministry of Health of Peru. A descriptive analysis was applied, and then bivariate and multiple logistic regression was used to evaluate associations between the variables and the outcome (live-deceased), the results were presented as OR with their respective 95% confidence intervals. Results. The mortality rate of the total indigenous population of Peru was 1.75 deaths per 100,000 indigenous people diagnosed with TB. The community of Kukama kukamiria - Yagua reported 505 (28.48%) individuals. The final logistic model showed that indigenous men (OR=1.93; 95% CI: 1.001-3.7), with a history of HIV prior to TB (OR=16.7; 95% CI: 4.7-58.7) and indigenous people in old age (OR=2.95; 95% CI: 1.5-5.7), are factors associated with a greater chance of dying from TB. Conclusions. It is important to reorient health services among indigenous populations, especially those related to improving the timely diagnosis and early treatment of TB-HIV co-infection, to ensure comprehensive care for this population, considering that they are vulnerable groups.

Addressing factors modulating COVID-19 is crucial since abundant clinical evidence shows that outcomes are markedly heterogeneous between patients. This requires identifying the factors and understanding how they mechanistically influence COVID-19. Here, we describe how eleven selected factors influence COVID-19 by applying the Adverse Outcome Pathway (AOP) framework well-established in regulatory toxicology. This framework aims to model the sequence of events starting from an initial interaction of a stressor with the organism and the progress through key biological events leading to an adverse health outcome. Several linear AOPs depicting pathways from the binding of the virus to ACE2 up to clinical outcomes observed in COVID-19 patients have been developed and integrated into a network offering a unique overview of the mechanisms underlying the disease. As SARS-CoV-2 infectibility and ACE2 activity are the major starting points and inflammatory response is central in the development of COVID-19, we evaluated how eleven intrinsic and extrinsic factors modulate those processes impacting clinical outcomes. Applying this AOP-aligned approach enables the identification of current knowledge gaps orientating for further research and allows to propose biomarkers to identify of high-risk patients. This approach also facilitates expertise synergy from different disciplines to address public health issues.

The ongoing exponential growth of human population poses a risk to sustainable development goals (SDGs). Unless we understand the drivers of this growth and inform policy development accordingly, SDGs would remain a dream. One of the old theories of population growth known as the Malthusian theory predicts that resource availability drives population growth to a certain time when population growth outrun resource availability, leading to all sort of crises known as Malthusian crisis. Although the link between economic growth and population has been widely investigated while testing the theory, little is known about environmental and social factors po-tentially driving population growth. Here, because of various crises of our time recalling the Malthusian crisis, we revisited the theory by fitting structural equation models to environmental, social and economic data collected over 30-year period in South Africa. None of the social varia-bles tested predicts population growth. Instead, we found that biodiversity (species protection index) correlates positively with population growth. Biodiversity provides various resources through ecosystem goods and services to human, thus supporting population growth as pre-dicted in the Malthusian theory. However, we also found that this population growth may lead to conservation conflict as we found that biodiversity habitat (wetland area) correlates negatively with population growth, thus raising the compromising effect of population growth on life on earth. What’s more, we found a significant link between economic growth measured as GDP and population growth, further supporting the Malthusian prediction. Overall, our study re-affirms the value of biodiversity to human and suggests that the Malthusian theory should continuously be tested with predictors other than economic.

Tropical cyclones devastate large areas, take numerous lives and damage extensive property in Bangladesh. Research on landfalling tropical cyclones affecting Bangladesh has primarily focused on events occurring since AD1960 with limited work examining earlier historical records. We rectify this gap by developing a new tornado catalogue that include present and past records of tornados across Bangladesh maximizing use of available sources. Within this new tornado database, 119 records were captured starting from 1838 till 2020 causing 8,735 deaths and 97,868 injuries leaving more than 1,02,776 people affected in total. Moreover, using this new tornado data, we developed an end-to-end system that allows a user to explore and analyze the full range of tornado data on multiple scenarios. The user of this new system can select a date range or search a particular location, and then, all the tornado information along with Artificial Intelligence (AI) based insights within that selected scope would be dynamically presented in a range of devices including iOS, Android, and Windows. Using a set of interactive maps, charts, graphs, and visualizations the user would have a comprehensive understanding of the historical records of Tornados, Cyclones and associated landfalls with detailed data distributions and statistics.

Many children have suspected delayed language development and need extensive support from parents and the health care team. This study aimed to investigate suspected delayed language development and factors associated with suspected delayed language development among early childhood in Southern Thailand. Children aged 24 to 60 months were recruited as study samples using stratified random sampling conducted in 23 districts and simple randomized seven sections (425 children). Instruments comprised demographic data of the children and families, The preschool temperament questionnaire, and the Language Development Screening questionnaire using developmental surveillance and promotion manual. I was collecting data from July 2020 to January 2021. Data analysis used descriptive statistics and logistic regression. The results showed that 40.9 percent suspected delayed development. Daily screen time exceeding 2 hours per day (A.O.R. = 17.30, 95% CI: 7.35-40.72), and regarding a child's temperament, moderate-to-difficult temperament (A.O.R. = 9.56, 95% CI: 5.12-17.85) were significantly associated with a suspected delay of language development. The study suggested two-way communication and appropriate responses will help develop children's language.

Combining Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Time-of-Flight (MALDI-TOF) spectra data and artificial intelligence (AI) has been introduced for rapid prediction on antibiotic susceptibility test (AST) of S. aureus. Based on the AI predictive probability, the cases with probabilities between low and high cut-offs are defined as “grey zone”. We aimed to investigate the underlying reasons of unconfident (grey zone) or wrong predictive AST. A total 479 S. aureus isolates were collected, analyzed by MALDI-TOF, and AST prediction, standard AST were obtained in a tertiary medical center. The predictions were categorized into the correct prediction group, wrong prediction group, and grey zone group. We analyzed the association between the predictive results and the demographic data, spectral data, and strain types. For MRSA, larger cefoxitin zone size was found in the wrong prediction group. MLST of the MRSA isolates in the grey zone group revealed that uncommon strain types composed 80%. Amid MSSA isolates in the grey zone group, the majority (60%) was composed of over 10 different strain types. In predicting AST based on MALDI-TOF AI, uncommon strains and high diversity would contribute to suboptimal predictive performance.

Diabetes and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are a major public health burden in low-and-middle-income countries. This study aimed to explore factors associated with CKD in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D) in Bangladesh. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 315 adults with T2D presenting at the outpatient department of Bangladesh Institute of Health Sciences (BIHS) hospital between July 2013 to December 2013. CKD was diagnosed based on estimated Glomerular Filtration Rate using the ‘Modification of Diet in Renal Disease’ equations and presence of albuminuria estimated by the albumin-to-creatinine ratio. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to determine the factors associated with CKD. The overall prevalence of CKD among patients with T2D was 21.3%. In the unadjusted model Factors associated with CKD were: aged 40-49 years (OR: 5.7, 95% CI: 1.3-25.4), age 50-59 years (7.0, 1.6-39), age ≥60 years (7.6, 1.7-34); being female (2.2, 1.2-3.8), hypertensive (1.9, 1.1-3.5) and household income between 128.2-256.4 US$ (2.9, 1.0-8.2) compared with income ≤128.2$. However, after adjustment of other covariates, only duration of hypertension and household income (128.2-256.4 US$) remained statistically significant. There is a need to implement policies and programs for early detection and management of hypertension and CKD in T2D patients in Bangladesh.

Neuroendocrine tumors develop from systemic endocrine and nerve cells, and their occurrence has increased recently. Since these tumors are heterogeneous, pathological classification has been based on the affected organ. In 2019, the World Health Organization introduced a change that is expected to influence neuroendocrine tumor research, as gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors are now included within a unified classification. In this retrospective study, we aimed to investigate the characteristics (e.g., lymph node metastases, all other metastases) of gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors using this new classification in 50 cases. Tumor size, depth, MIB-1 index, lymphatic invasion, venous invasion, and neuroendocrine tumor grade were significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis and all other metastases. Venous invasion was more strongly correlated with lymph node metastasis and all other types of metastasis than with lymphatic invasion. Identification rates for lymphatic invasion were considered lower because of structural problems such as lymphatic vessels being much thinner than veins. However, venous invasion was considered effective in compensating for the low rate of identification in cases of lymphatic invasion. In future research, a unified classification and standardized framework for assessment will be important when analyzing the characteristics of neuroendocrine tumors, and large-scale studies are required.

This study examined the tail dependency structure of sovereign credit risk and three global risk factors in BRICS countries using copulas approach, which is known for its ability to provide the “true” tail correlation based on the correct marginal distribution. The empirical results show that global market risk sentiment comoves with sovereign CDS spreads across BRICS countries under extreme market events, with Brazil having the highest co-dependency followed by China, Russia, and South Africa. Furthermore, oil price volatility is the second biggest risk factor correlated with sovereign CDS spreads for Brazil and South Africa while exchange rate risk exhibits very small co-dependence with sovereign CDS spreads under extreme market conditions dominated by tail events. On the contrary, exchange rate risk is the second largest risk factor co-moving with China and Russia’s sovereign CDS spreads while oil price volatility exhibits the lowest co-dependence to CDS in these countries. Between oil price and currency risk, evidence of single risk factor dominance is found for Russia where exchange rate risk is largely dominant. These results suggest that BRICS policymakers might consider financial sector regulations that mitigate risks spill-over such as targeted capital controls when markets are distressed.

Objectives To delineate the features of ischemic stroke patients and their caregivers that may predict distress, depression, and anxiety symptoms in the caregivers. Methods The Hospital Anxiety and Depression Score (HADS), Zarit Burden Interview (22 item-ZBI), and Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10) were used to assess caregivers' burden, stress, depressive, and anxiety symptoms. We performed partial least square-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) in order to delineate a multi-step mediation model.Results In this study, 97 stroke patients and their caregivers were included. Multiple regression analysis revealed that ZBI-personal strain and stroke of other determined etiology explained 15.0 percent of the variance in the HADS depression score (p=0.001). We discovered that the caregiver's underlying disease and the National Institute Stroke Score (NIHSS) of the patients explained 13.6 percent of the variance in the total ZBI score of the caregivers (p=0.001). The total ZBI score, the presence of lacunar circulation infarction in the patients, and the caregiver's underlying disease explained 40.9 percent of the variance in the total PSS score of the caregivers (p <0.001). Moreover, PLS analysis showed that the NIHSS and the caregiver's underlying disease had significant indirect effects on the HADS score which were mediated by the ZBI score. Conclusions A large part of the variance in stress and depressive scores in caregivers of ischemic stroke patients is determined by the patient's disability, dependency, cognition, and stroke phenotypes, as well as the caregiver's health status and burden. Screening for the aforementioned factors in ischemic stroke caregivers is critical.

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder characterized mainly by the gradual decay in neuronal function as a consequence of diverse degenerating events primarily including mitochondria dysfunction and cascades of neuro-immune reactions. Besides the acquired harmful reactive oxygen species (ROS), neurotoxins, and amyloid-beta (Aβ) and TAU pathologies in neurons, accumulating evidence with time underlined the roles of cytokines and growth factors in the AD pathogenesis. It may help us in evaluating the propensities and specific mechanism(s) of cytokines and factors impacting neuron upon apoptotic decline. Proinflammatory cytokines often induce inflammation in AD and AD-like pathogenesis in response to the apoptotic scenarios where some growth factors are involved in cytokinetic reactions to activate microglia and causing inflammation in AD. In this report, we comprehensively reviewed role of cytokines and chemokines in immune response to AD and neuropsychiatry. We provided insights into the neuroinflammation and the role of diverse factors including the pro-/anti-inflammatory cytokines, APP, TAU phosphorylation, glycation end products, complement system, and the role of glial cells. Also, we discussed the pathogenic and protective role of macrophage migration inhibitory factors, choroid plexus-, neurotrophic- and hematopoietic -related growth factors in AD. We further shed light on the availability and accessibility of the cytokines across the blood-brain barrier in AD pathophysiology. Taken together, the emerging role of these factors in AD pathology emphasized the importance of building novel strategies for an effective therapeutic/neuropsychiatric management of AD in clinics.

During the COVID-19 outbreak, most university courses have been offered on online platforms. A sudden shift from face-to-face classroom learning to online formats could influence the learning effectiveness of classes. This study aims to investigate differences in the learning effectiveness of online and face-to-face lecture courses. It also explores factors that impact the effectiveness of online instruction. These factors include interactions among learners, interactions between learners and the instructor, the quality of online platforms, learners’ ability to use devices and follow instructions, and learners’ situational challenges. The study participants were 261 university students at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi in Bangkok, Thailand. All participants were enrolled in at least one lecture course, such as history, humans and the environment, the environment and development, or general philosophy, during the 2019 academic year. A questionnaire was distributed to participants after they completed these courses in May 2020. Paired simple t-test analyses were used to compare the effectiveness of online and face-to-face classes, and a multiple regression analysis was used to identify factors that impact the learning effectiveness of online classes. The results show that online classes are less effective than face-to-face courses. The multiple regression analysis also revealed that the effectiveness of online learning was significantly impacted by learners’ ability to interact with classmates during class, their ability to interact with instructors after the class, the quality of online platforms, and disturbances or distractions in learners’ environments.

The global burden of stroke is still high, particularly in developing countries, with hypertension serves as the main risk factor. Knowledge related to stroke is essential to establish better prevention strategies. This study aimed to identify factors associated with stroke awareness among hypertensive patients in Indonesia. This was a cross-sectional study conducted in five Community Health Centers in Indonesia. We used a standardized questionnaire to asses stroke awareness and the influencing factors. The knowledge on hypertension was assessed using Hypertension Knowledge Level Scale (HK-LS). Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to measure factors associated with stroke awareness. A total of 457 hypertensive patients were included. Majority of patients (77.46%) had low stroke awareness. Having higher knowledge on hypertension, higher income, and a history of previous stroke were associated with higher level of stroke awareness (odds ratio [OR] 1.878, 95%CI 1.176-2.999, p 0.008; OR 1.887, 95%CI 1.170-3.045, p 0.009; OR 5.276, 95%CI 2.210-12.594, p<0.001, respectively). This study suggests that knowledge on hypertension, income, and history of previous stroke are factors which may influence the level of stroke awareness. This emphasizes the need to provide better campaign and education program to raise stroke awareness in a community setting.

The construction industries face several challenges related to productivity. Productivity mainly depends upon labour effort and performance. The poor productivity of labour is one of the major reasons of time over-runs and increasing cost in construction projects. Our study aims to build a comprehensive assessment on the relationship between various factors that affect labour productivity in the construction of prestressed concrete Buildings in Ghana. A sample of 200 re-spondents collected from workers of Construction Company in Ghana. The questionnaire was designed which comprises two parts; the first part contains background information of the staff of construction company while second section explores the opinion of the staff regarding factors af-fecting labour productivity. The Smart-PLS was utilized to analyze and estimate the relationship among construct variables. By utilizing relative importance index and multiple linear regressions, it is identified that the management factor such as inadequate incentives; material factor such as poor quality of material; labour factors such as poor quality and training of labors; supervision factor such as incompetence of site supervisor; equipment factor such as frequent damage of equipment have a negative and significant relationship with labour productivity in the construc-tion of prestressed concrete buildings in Ghana. The findings of this study recommend that in order to improve labour productivity, the construction industries must conduct labour productivity measurements by adopting schedule for procurement of materials, safety programs, motivational system, and frequent meeting with project professionals.

Background: The passage through university, as a complex experience, can heighten personal susceptibility to eating disorders. The objective of this research is to determine how gender, age, year of course, and center or faculty can influence the risk of an eating disorder among university students. Method: A transversal and descriptive study with a probabilistic sample of 516 Spanish students from 26 university degrees is performed, by administering the Inventory Eating Disorder-Reference criterion (EDI-3-RF) to the students. Results: It was found that the female students enrolled in second-year grades presented a greater obsession with thinness and body dissatisfaction, that the male students did more physical exercise to control their weight, and that those under 20 years and the students from both the Health and Law Faculties presented greater bulimic behavior. Conclusions: It is necessary to implement preventive measures adapted to the university students.

The aim of study was to assess empirical model of factors determining the attitude towards learning communicative competences among nurses participating in the program of speciality training courses. A research by method a cross-sectional study. A representative group of the 1,010 Polish registered nurses that took part in the postgraduate education course answered self-report survey (three instruments: NEO-PI-R questionnaire, Communication Skills Attitude Scale (CSAS) and Empathy Understanding Questionnaire of other people (KRE II)) between beginning of March to the end of May 2018, which was evaluated using path analysis. The research results conducted confirmed the soundness of the created theoretical model (χ2 = 0.278, P = 0.598, RMSEA &lt;0.05). It was proved that learning communicative competences in nurses is determined with factors such as professional experience, emphatic tendencies and the intensity of agreeableness, whereby these factors are bound with each other creating a homogeneous network. The developed model demonstrated that the skills can be shaped most effectively on an individual attitude based on positive mentoring in work environment..

Genomic selection (GS) can accelerate variety improvement when training set (TS) size, and its relationship with the breeding set (BS) are optimized for prediction accuracies (PA) of genomic prediction (GP) models. Sixteen GP algorithms were run on phenotypic best linear unbiased predictors (BLUPs) and estimators (BLUEs) of resistance to both fall armyworm (FAW) and maize weevil (MW) in a tropical maize panel. For MW resistance, 37% of the panel was the TS, and BS was the remainder whilst for FAW, random-based training sets (RBTS) and pedigree-based training sets (PBTS) were designed. PAs achieved with BLUPs varied from 0.66 to 0.82 for MW resistance traits, and, for FAW resistance, 0.694 to 0.714 for RBTS of 37%, and 0.843 to 0.844 for RBTS of 85%, and, these were at least two-fold those from BLUEs. For PBTS, FAW resistance PAs were generally higher than those for RBTS, except for one dataset. GP models generally showed similar PAs across individual traits whilst the TS designation was determinant since a positive correlation (R=0.92***) between TS size and PAs was observed for RBTS and, for the PBTS, it was negative (R=0.44**). This study pioneers the use of GS for maize resistance to insect pests in sub-Saharan Africa.

Safety of source water streams is an urgent environmental issue, while protections in monsoon controlled subtropical regions face difficulties because of the lack of small scaled observation and analysis in small source water catchments. Basing on continuous weekly water quality data (2014-2017) in Pingqiao River Catchment, the annual average values of TN, NO₃, NH₄ and TP are 3.36, 1.64, 0.28 and 0.02 (mg/L) respectively. During dry, normal and wet seasons, the variability of parameters is over 35%, which indicates an obvious seasonality. Multiple methods are combined in order to assess the water quality and find the driving factors during dry, normal and wet seasons. This study suggests precipitation and fertilization are the mainly seasonal factors, which can make water quality better in wet season than dry season due to the dilution effect. The mechanism between seasonality and compound of nutrients can also be traced by log(TN:TP), and log(NO₃:NH₄). Among six main land use types (forest, tea plantation, cropland (paddy), urban, bare soil and water), the former three ones are influential mostly during dry and wet season. Tea plantation has the largest nutrients discharge amount per area, which is similar to cropland in dry season. By contrary, forest has the double power in reducing nitrogen release in wet and normal seasons. When transformed into paddies, croplands can lower the phosphorus concentration. Conclusions of this study can be used in southeastern China and similar regions on source water protection and agricultural plans.

Abstract: Many countries around the world suffer from the lack of a sea port directly linked to the rest of the world. Such countries are called "landlocked countries". This leads to Weak competitiveness of their products in the global market, as well as to the high cost of the imports. Africa has the largest share of these countries, with 16 of the 43 landlocked countries around the world. The aim of this paper is to propose a general framework for criteria that can be used to choose between ports in transit countries that can be used for import or export. These criteria are related to the assessment of the sea ports in terms of infrastructure and tariffs. It is also related to transport infrastructure from the transit country to the landlocked country and the level of safety. The study identified nine criteria that could be used to compare between ports in transit countries. Using Full Consistency Method (FUCOM) to evaluate those criteria showed that the number of navigation lines is the most important criteria followed by the port service level.

Many causal factors to marine traffic accidents (MTA) influence each other and have associated effects. It is necessary to quantify the correlation path mode of these factors to improve accident prevention measures and their effects. In the application of human factors to the accident mechanisms, the complex structural chains on causes to MTA systems were analyzed combining the Human Failure Analysis and Classification System (HFACS) with theoretical Structural Equation Modeling (SEM). First, the accident causation model was established as a human error analysis classification in sight of MTA, and the constituent elements of the causes of accident was conducted. Second, a hypothetical model of Human factors classification was proposed applying the practice of the structural model. Third, with the data resource from ship accident cases, this hypothetical model was discussed and simulated, and as a result the relationship path dependency mode between the latent independent variable of the accident was quantitatively analyzed based on the observed dependent variable of human behaviors. Application examples show that relationships in HFACS are verified and in line with the path developing mode, and resource management factors have a pronounced influence and a strong relevance to the causal chain of the accidents. Appropriate algorithms for the theoretical model can be used to numerically understand the safety performance of marine traffic systems under different parameters through mathematical analysis. Hierarchical assumptions in the HFACS model are quantitatively verified.

The use of cell phones has increased worldwide in the past few decades, particularly in children and adolescents. Using these devices provides personal benefits. Communicating through cell phones was a very important factor in the socioeconomic progress of developed countries. However, it is beyond doubt that its indiscriminate use can accompany certain psychiatric disorders or cause some disorder in a person, within the phobic group of anxiety disorders called nomophobia—associated with anxiety, nervousness, discomfort, and distress when contact with the smartphone is lost, mainly in young users. This research proposal aims to identify symptoms that have not yet been detected by intensive cell phone use, considering that in Peru there are few studies of human health engineering and the physical mental health. Is for this reason that in our study, we sought to identify the symptomatic factors of nomophobia presented by students at the National University of Engineering and its interference with their academic life. To accomplish this study, we designed a questionnaire according to our reality with the use of focus groups techniques when the test was taken in class. Three symptomatic factors of nomophobia were identified: feelings of anxiety, compulsive smartphone use, and feelings of anxiety and panic. The study included a representative sample of 461 students of different years of study engineering (21\% women, 79\% men, over 17 years of age). Finally, given the widespread adoption of smartphones and their integration into educational environments, the results of this study can help educators understand students’ inclination to use their smartphones at all times.

(1) Background: Premature infants require mothers’ milk fortification to meet nutrition needs, but breast milk composition may be variable leading to a risk of inadequate nutrition. We aimed at determining factors influencing mothers’ milk macronutrients. (2) Methods: Milk samples were analyzed for the first 5 weeks after premature delivery, by infrared spectroscopy. Mothers’ nutritional intake data were obtained during standardized interviews with dieticians then analyzed with reference software. (3) Results: Composition of 367 milk samples from 81 mothers was (Median [range]g/100mL): Carbohydrates 6.8[4.4-7.3], lipids 3.4[1.3-6.4], proteins 1.3[0.1-3.1]. There was a relationship of milk composition with mothers’ carbohydrates intake only (r=0.164; p<.01). Postnatal age was correlated with milk proteins (r=-0.505 p<.001) & carbohydrates (r=+0.202, p<.001). Multiple linear regression analyses showed (coefficient) a relationship between milk proteins r=0.547 and postnatal age (-0.028), carbohydrates intake (+0.449) and the absence of maturation (-0.066); and between milk lipids r=0.295 and carbohydrates intake (+1.279) and smoking (-0.557). Finally, between milk carbohydrates concentration r=0.266 and postnatal age (+0.012) and smoking (-0.167). (4) Conclusions: Variability of mothers’ milk composition is differentially associated for each macronutrient with maternal carbohydrates intake, antenatal steroids, smoking, and postnatal age. Improvement in milk composition could be achieved by modification of these related factors.

In this work we have investigated the role of various additives (emulsifier, anti-dripping agent) and formulation procedure (pre- dispersion of solid additives in polyol via milling) which influence the flame retardancy of 6,6′-[ethan-1,2-diylbis(azandiyl)]bis(6H-dibenzo[c,e][1,2]oxaphosphin-6-oxid) (EDA-DOPO) containing flexible polyurethane foams. For comparison, the flame retardancy of two additional structurally analogues bridged 9, 10-dihydro-9-oxa-10-phosphaphenanthrene-10-oxide (DOPO) based compounds i.e. ethanolamine-DOPO (ETA-DOPO) and ethylene glycol-DOPO (EG-DOPO) were also evaluated together with EDA-DOPO in flexible PU foams of various formulations. The flame retardancy of three bridged-DOPO compounds depends on the type of PU formulation. For certain PU formulation containing EDA-DOPO, lower fire performance was observed. Addition of emulsifier and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) to these PU formulations influenced positively the flame retardancy of EDA-DOPO/PU foams. In addition, dispersion of EDA-DOPO and PTFE via milling in polyol improved the flame retardancy of the PU foams. Mechanistic studies performed using pyrolysis combustion flow calorimetry (PCFC) and its coupling to FTIR showed no difference in the combustion efficiency of the bridged-DOPO compounds in PU foams. From these PCFC experiments we can conclude that these bridged-DOPO compounds and their decomposition products may work primarily in the gas phase as flame inhibitors. Physiochemical behavior of additives in PU formulation responsible for the improvement in the flame retardancy of PU foams was further investigated by studying the dripping behavior of the PU foams in UL 94 HB test. A high-speed camera was used to study the dripping behavior in the UL 94 HB test and results indicate a considerable reduction of a total number of melt drips and flaming drips for the flame retardant formulations. This reduction in melt drips and flaming drips during the UL 94 HB tests help PU foams achieve higher fire classification.

High porosity and mass transport properties of microfiltration polymeric membranes benefits nutrients supply to cells when used as scaffolds in interstitial perfusion bioreactors for tissue engineering. High nutrients transport is assumed when pore size and porosity of the membrane are in the micrometric range. The present work demonstrates that the study of membrane fouling by proteins present in the culture medium, though not done usually, should be included in the routine testing of new polymer membranes for this intended application. Two poly(ε-caprolactone) microfiltration membranes presenting similar average pore size (~0.7µm) and porosity (>80%) but different external surface porosity and pore size have been selected as case study. The present work demonstrates that a membrane with lower surface pore abundance and smaller external pore size (~0.67 µm), combined with adequate hydrodynamics and tangential flow filtration mode is usually more convenient to guarantee high flux of nutrients. On the contrary, having large external pore size (~1.70µm) and surface porosity would incur in important internal protein fouling that could not been prevented with the operation mode and hydrodynamics of the perfusion system. Additionally, the use of glycerol in the drying protocols of the membranes might cause plasticization and a consequent reduction of mass transport properties due to membrane compaction by the pressure exerted to force perfusion. Therefore, preferentially, drying protocols that omit the use of plasticizing agents are recommended.

Pheidole oxyops Forel, 1908 is a generalist ant, which forages actively for plant debris to dead arthropods. In addition, its nest has an entrance that allows the ants gather resources passively by capturing falling preys into the nest. Our objective was to verify if different day periods, temperature and residual soil accumulation (ground pile in the side of nest entrance) could influence the patterns of foraging activity. Foraging activities were registered in the morning, afternoon and twilight. We measured direction and vector of trails, air temperature and humidity during foraging events. Our results showed that foraging routes are independent of residual soil accumulation and other nearby nests. However, air temperature and the time daily period are significant factors to foragers’ exits. Higher air temperatures influenced negatively the exits. In the period of the afternoon, the ants do not show any preference for routes, different from the morning and twilight. In addition, foraging activities were significantly more frequent during twilight period. Leaving the nest at twilight could allow ants foraging in an environment with less exposition to potential predators and competitors. Moreover, it may be also related to opportunism to hunt other nocturnal insects.