Keywords: Kenaf; liquid cultivation; solid cultivation; in vitro propagation, life on land

Water reuse for irrigation is increasingly recognized as an essential and economical strategy in areas with water scarcity. A simple, low-cost, low-maintenance, and highly efficient Pond-In-Pond (PIP) treatment system can be used for wastewater reuse. PIP is a treatment technology in which two types of ponds -- anaerobic and aerobic -- are combined into a single pond and consist of a deeper inner section entirely submerged within the outer pond. Previous studies on PIPs and PIP-like systems have reinforced the potential for reuse through promising performance results with BOD removal over 80% and a reduction in land area requirements by approximately 40%. Yet, no prior efforts have been made to understand the performance mechanism of such systems. This study makes use of two, 2-D modeling tools in developing a fundamental understanding of PIP flow dynamics and the expected performance. The modeling results showed that the PIP configuration offers improved flow diversion along with reduced flow velocity. Additionally, the PIP retained approximately 17% more (p<0.05) particles than the traditional pond with most of the particles concentrated within the inner pond. Lower velocity and the higher solids retention in the PIP thus allowed for better treatment performance compared to traditional ponds. The findings from this study can be used as preliminary data for future in-depth investigations of the PIP system leading toward effective and optimal designs. This will help address the major societal concern of water scarcity with low-cost and effective wastewater treatment.

Accurate determination of protein localization, levels, or protein-protein interactions is pivotal for the study of their function, and in situ protein labeling via homologous recombination has emerged as a critical tool in many organisms. While this approach has been refined in various model fungi, the study of protein function in most plant pathogens has predominantly relied on ex-situ or overexpression manipulations. To dissect the molecular mechanisms of development and infection for Verticillium dahliae, a formidable plant pathogen responsible for vascular wilt diseases, we have established a robust, homologous recombination-based in situ protein labeling strategy in this organism. Utilizing Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (ATMT), this methodology facilitates the precise tagging of specific proteins at their C-termini with epitopes, such as GFP and Flag, within the native context of V. dahliae. We demonstrate the efficacy of our approach through the in situ labeling of VdCf2 and VdDMM2, followed by subsequent confirmation via subcellular localization and protein-level analyses. Our findings confirm the applicability of homologous recombination for in situ protein labeling in V. dahliae and suggest its potential utility across a broad spectrum of filamentous fungi. This labeling method stands to significantly advance the field of functional genomics in plant pathogenic fungi, offering a versatile and powerful tool for the elucidation of protein function.

Cariogenic oral biofilms cause a considerable amount of recurrent dental caries around composite restorations every year, resulting in unprosperous oral health status and expensive restorative treatment for many patients. Quaternary ammonium monomers that can be copolymerized with the current dental resin systems have been increasingly explored for modulation of dental plaque biofilm growth over dental composite surfaces. Here, we investigated the effect of bis(2-methacryloyloxyethyl) dimethylammonium bromide (QADM), against human overlying mature oral biofilms grown intra-orally in human participants for 7 and 14 days, for the first time. Seventeen volunteers wore palatal devices containing composite specimens containing 10% by mass of QADM or a control composite without QADM. After 7 and 14 days, the adherent biofilms were collected for determination of bacterial counts via colony-forming unit (CFU) counts. The biofilm viability, chronological changes, and percentage coverage were also determined by live/dead staining. QADM composites caused a significant inhibition of S. mutans biofilm formation for up to seven days. No difference in the CFU values were found for the 14-day period. Our findings suggest that (1) QADM composite was successful in inhibiting 1-3 day biofilms in the oral environment in vivo; (2) QADM significantly reduced the portion of S.mutans group in a time course where patients at high risk of caries would develop initial enamel carious lesions; and (3) stronger antibiofilm activity is required for the control of mature long-term cariogenic biofilms. These results provide a perspective on the value of integrating bioactive restorative materials with traditional caries management approaches into clinical practice. Contact-killing strategies via dental materials aiming to prevent or at least reduce high numbers of cariogenic bacteria seem to be a promising approach in patients at high risk of recurrence of dental caries around composites.

Cocaine addiction is a global health problem that causes substantial damage to the health of addicted individuals around the world. Dopamine synthesizing neurons in the brain play a vital role in the addiction to cocaine. But the underlying molecular mechanisms that help cocaine exert its addictive effect have not been very well understood. Bioinformatics can be a useful tool in the attempt to broaden our understanding in this area. In the present study, Gene Set Enrichment Analysis (GSEA) was carried out on the upregulated genes from a dataset of Dopamine synthesizing neurons of post-mortem human brain of cocaine addicts. As a result of this analysis, 3 miRNAs have been identified as having significant influence on transcription of the upregulated genes. These 3 miRNAs hold therapeutic potential for the treatment of cocaine addiction.

The complex progression, specialized care, and comorbidities of chronic diseases place a financial and health burden on society. In some instances, the high hospital readmission rate is also a result of chronic diseases. The readmission rates can be decreased if the quality of life for patients is increased and healthcare costs are reduced through effective management and preventive measures. As a result, healthcare professionals, service providers, and policy-makers are looking for innovative approaches to reduce healthcare costs while enhancing the quality of care. There is an emerging trend in deploying technological advancements like artificial intelligence (AI), the Internet of Things (IoT), sensors, wearables, social media, mobile apps, and genomics to decrease hospital readmissions. In some instances, predictive analytics, early warning systems, personal-ized care management, remote monitoring and Telehealth, decision support systems, patient education and engagement, and other areas of artificial intelligence and machine learning have outperformed traditional approaches in lowering hospital readmissions. Although AI effectively reduces readmission, there are potential risks if it is not combined with efficient interventions. Therefore, real-time monitoring and intervention are required for AI systems to increase patient safety and decrease hospital readmissions. To achieve autonomy, prevent harm, achieve fairness, and achieve explicability, the ethical principles relating to AI systems should be taken into ac-count. This study examines the significant impact on health and the economy of hospital read-missions for chronic diseases and the role of AI in reducing readmissions.

Simulation-based education is a part of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS) education. The paper discusses the experimental success of using Virtual Reality (VR) technology in simulation-based ITS education to improve the quality of education while increasing immersion and motivation. The study documents the application of VR technology to a microscopic simulation model and the methodology to capture and evaluate student experiences. The study discusses findings and ways to improve the planned VR technology implementation in the ITS laboratory.

The production of Moringa oleifera capsules has emerged as a promising agricultural activity in Mexico, driven by the plant’s well-documented health and nutritional benefits. In response, farmers have begun producing Moringa oleifera as a dietary supplement, using artisanal methods with minimal production controls. This study aimed to estimate the processing times of the Moringa oleifera production system using simulation modeling with Arena® software, and to evaluate the economic feasibility of capsule production. Methodologically, it was approached as a case study in the state of Veracruz, processing times were estimated through systematic sampling and modeled with Arena simulation software. Three simulation scenarios were considered to select a technically and economically viable alternative for agricultural producers: one with a 200-capsule encapsulator (1E200C), another with two 200-capsule encapsulators (2E200C) and a third with an 800-capsule encapsulator (1E800C). For the initial diagnosis a research stay was conducted for 180 days, and the production capacity was set at 24,000 capsules due to raw material limitations. Results indicated that the 1E800C scenario reduced processing time by 60% compared to the1E200C scenario, and by 35% compared to the 2E200C scenario. Additionally, the 1E800C model required only 2 days (16 hours) of work, while the 2E200C required 4 days (32 hours), and the 1E200C required 7 days (56 hours). In terms of production costs per unit of 90 capsules, the 1E200C was 3.93 USD the 2E200C 3.64 USD and the 1E800C 3.45 USD The study concluded that due to raw material limitations, the company can produce 12,800 units per year of 90 capsules. It is recommended to adopt the 1E800C encapsulator, which would lower overall production costs by 12.23%, representing 0.48 USD per unit produced, resulting in an additional profit of 6,150.50 USD Over a five-year evaluation period, the benefit-cost ratio was 5.03, the NPV was 922,370.11 and the IRR was 42.09%, indicating that this type of agribusiness in Mexico is both technically and economically feasible.

The world is currently, subjected to the worst health crisis documented in modern history; an epidemic led by the novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). At the epicenter of this crisis, healthcare professionals continue working to safeguard our well-being. To the regular high levels of stress, COVID new heights even more to healthcare professionals so depending on the area, specialty, and type of work. Here we investigated what are the tendencies, or areas most affected. Through an adaptation of the original COVID-stress scale, we developed a remote, fast test designed for healthcare professionals of the Northeastern part of Mexico, an important part of the country with economic and cultural ties to the US. Our results showed 4 key correlations as highly dependent: Work area – Xenophobia (p &lt; 0.045), Work with COVID patients - Traumatic stress (p &lt; 0.001) and Total number of COVID patients per day – Traumatic stress (p &lt; 0.027), and Total number of COVID patients - Compulsive checking and reassurance. Overall concluding that normal levels of stress have increased (mild – moderate). Additionally, we further determine that the fear of being an asymptomatic patient (potential to spread without knowing) continues being a concern.

Over the past few decades, the quantity of construction waste has steadily risen in tandem with the expansion of construction activities and the rapid pace of development and urbanization. This problem is rooted in the practice of delivering materials to construction sites without totally using them for their intended purpose. The primary aim of the JIT tactic is to ensure that the precise materials required for production are available at the precise location, exact time, and appropriate quantity, thereby facilitating timely production. Presently, the use of ready-mix concrete is the most typical instance of a just-in-time construction process Developed countries have benefitted immensely from the use. However, the reverse is the case in developing countries like Nigeria, where indigenous contractors still employ traditional in-situ concreting even when faced with restrictive site space. This study focuses on investigating Ready-mix concrete, to project its immense benefits and effectiveness in minimizing lean construction waste. A survey research design and case study were adopted for this study, with the population being the management staff of construction firms in Lagos State, Nigeria. The questionnaire was used to collect data and the targeted respondents were purposively selected from the population. A total number of 112 questionnaires were administered with a response rate of 51%. Percentage, mean, standard deviation, and ANOVA were used to analyze the data. The mean value is above 3 on a Likert Scale of 5, while faster construction speed and uniform quality of concrete are the topmost benefits derived from adopting Ready-mix Concrete in Nigeria. The Case study also revealed the effectiveness of Ready-mix concrete in minimizing the two lean construction wastes that were examined, namely; waste of overproduction and waste of waiting. It is recommended Just-in-Time technique should be extended to other construction materials aside from concrete to improve waste minimization through the adoption of an overall JIT policy for the construction process.

The opioid crisis in the United States has had devastating effects on communities across the country, leading many states to pass legislation that limits the prescription of opioid medications in an effort to reduce the number of overdose deaths. This study evaluates the impact of two categories of PDMP and Pill Mill regulations on the supply of opioid prescriptions at the level of dispensers and distributors (excluding manufacturers) using ARCOS data. The study uses a difference-in-difference method with a two-way fixed design to analyze the data. The study finds that both of the regulations are associated with reductions in the volume of opioid distribution. However, the study reveals that these regulations may have unintended consequences, such as shifting the distribution of controlled substances to neighboring states. For example, in Tennessee, the implementation of Operational PDMP regulations reduces in-state distribution of opioid drugs by 3.36% (95% CI, 2.37 to 4.3), while the out-of-state distribution to Georgia, which did not have effective PDMP regulations in place, increases by 16.93% (95% CI, 16.42 to 17.44). Our studies emphasize that policymakers should consider the potential for unintended distribution shifts of opioid drugs to neighboring states with laxer regulations as well as varying impacts on different dispenser types.

The study investigates the determinants of mobile Internet banking adoption among Gen-Y in Malaysia. Align the issue of the study and research objectives, and the study underpinned Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) as the main guideline or a blueprint to analyze the research model. The study applied survey research design and analyzed using Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) under the PLS-SEM technique with SmartPLS 2.0. A total of 358 mobile internet banking users in Malaysia were random proportional selected as respondents and analyzed. Results from the partial least square structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) revealed that perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, facilitating condition, and personal innovativeness in IT have significantly influenced the attitude of mobile internet banking adoption in Malaysia. Additionally, perceived ease of use and facilitating conditions found to have a significant influence on the perceived usefulness of Mobile Internet Banking. Lastly, facilitating conditions and personal innovativeness in IT are significantly influence the perceived ease of use of mobile internet banking among Gen-Y in Malaysia

To address the deficiency of existing relation extraction models in effectively extracting relational triplets pertaining to railway traffic knowledge in Tibet, this paper constructs a Tibet Railway Traffic text dataset and provides an enhanced relation extraction model. The proposed model incorporates subject feature enhancement and relational attention mechanisms. It leverages a pre-trained model as the embedding layer to obtain vector representations of text. Subsequently, the subject is extracted and its semantic information is augmented using an LSTM neural network. Furthermore, during object extraction, the multi-head attention mechanism enables the model to prioritize relations associated with the aforementioned features. Finally, objects are extracted based on the subjects and relations. The proposed method has been comprehensively evaluated on multiple datasets, including the Tibet Railway Traffic text dataset and two public datasets. The results on the Tibet dataset achieves an F1-score of 93.3\%, surpassing the baseline model CasRel by 0.8\%, indicating a superior applicability of the proposed model. On the other hand, the model achieves F1-scores of 91.1\% and 92.6\% on two public datasets, NYT and WebNLG, respectively, outperforming the baseline CasRel by 1.5\% and 0.8\%, which highlights the good generalization ability of the proposed model.

In an increasingly interconnected world, the internationalization of languages plays a pivotal role in shaping global linguistic landscapes. This qualitative study delves into the intriguing realm of Cebuano, a language with a rich cultural heritage and a vibrant community of speakers. Through a meticulous exploration of language variation, adaptation, and policy dynamics, the researcher unravels the complex interplay between Cebuano and the global linguistic tapestry. Drawing upon a comprehensive literature review and qualitative research, including in-depth interviews and focus group discussions, this paper illuminates the nuanced manifestations of Cebuano beyond its traditional borders and sheds light on its presence in diverse international settings. The findings reveal the intricate dance of language and identity, offering insights into the processes of language maintenance, shift, and revitalization. As the researcher navigates the multifaceted dimensions of Cebuano's internationalization, not only is its global significance unraveled, but also the intricate connections between language, culture, and human experience are investigated. This study not only contributes to the scholarly discourse on language dynamics but also raises compelling questions about the preservation of linguistic diversity, the power of language in shaping identities, and the role of language in fostering intercultural understanding. By embracing the kaleidoscope of Cebuano's global journey, this paper invites readers to contemplate the broader implications for language diversity, communication, and cultural preservation in an increasingly interconnected world.

Background. In the last decade, it was concluded that glaucomatous optic neuropathy is part of the neurodegenerative diseases in which destructive neuronal lesions are located not only in the structure of the retina, but they are also present at the level of the central visual and nervous pathways. Patients with Primitive Open Angle Glaucoma may have experienced changes such as sensorineural hearing loss as well as balance changes. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the degree of involvement of the auditory system in patients with glaucoma, the structural changes in the optic nerve and, to establish correlation between the hearing loss and structural changes in the optic nerve. The subjects included in the study are grouped as follows: a group of patients with glaucoma that will be compared to a group of patients without glaucoma only as well as identi-fy-ing the evolution of structural changes in optic nerve to patients with glaucoma and to normal patients. Material and methods. It is a prospective, cross-sectional study on 32 eyes of 16 subjects with Primitive Open Angle Glaucoma in a study group and 24 eyes of 12 healthy subjects in con-trol group with a mean age of 62 years in both groups. Both groups underwent ophthalmo-logical, audiological and radio imaging evaluation: Pure-tone audiometry (PTA) were recorded, oph-thalmologic evaluations according to a standardized protocol and MRI cerebral examination was performed. Results: In the Study group patients, compared to the Control group, the average lev-els of the left PTA, the cup/disc (C/D) area in both eyes, the C/D ratio in both eyes are in-creased. The mean level of Retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) mean thickness was slightly lower in patients with glaucoma. Multivariate analysis demonstrates that gender can be a good predictor of C/D area, gender and age can be good predictors of PTA both eyes and C/D ratio in the right eye, and gender, age and background can be good predictors of disc area in the left eye. Conclu-sions: Pa-tients with Primitive Open Angle Glaucoma show changes in audiometry test in correla-tion with ophthalmological parameters demonstrating that the auditory system can be affected in Primitive Open Angle Glaucoma. This study emphasizes the problem of interdisciplinarity in medicine with the aim of ensuring the quality of life of patients with glaucoma. A good collabora-tion between ophthalmologist and otolaryngologist will be very useful for these patients.

This study establishes life cycle assessment model to quantitively evaluate and predict material resource consumption, fossil energy consumption and environmental emissions of plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) by employing the GaBi software. the envi-ronmental impact of different vehicle working conditions, power battery degradation scenarios and mileage scenarios on the operation and use stage of PHEV, BEV and HEV is distinguished. The findings indicate that under urban, highway, and aggressive driving conditions, PHEVs' life cycle material resource and fossil fuel consumption exceed that of BEVs but are less than HEVs. Battery degradation leads to increased material resource consumption, energy use, and environmental emissions for both PHEVs and BEVs, en-vironmental emission of BEVs are more sensitive than those of PHEVs to the impact of power battery degradation. Among different-mileage scenarios, PHEVs demonstrate the least sensitivity to increased mileage regarding life cycle material resource consumption, with the smallest increase. Future projections for 2025 and 2035 suggest life cycle GWP of HEV, PHEV and BEV in 2035 is 1.21×104, 1.12×104 and 1.01×104 kg CO2-eq respectively, which is decreased by 48.7%, 30.9% and 36.1% compared with those in 2025. The out-comes of this study are intended to bolster data support for the manufacturing and de-velopment of PHEV, BEV and HEV under different scenarios and offer insights into the growth and technological progression of the automotive sector.

In recent years, the widespread introduction of bike-sharing systems in China has had a profound impact on the daily lives of Chinese citizens and the development of the urban transport system. This article attempts to analyse the impact of this phenomenon on sustainability. The gradual improvement of related monitoring measures has facilitated the maturation of the bike-sharing industry from the initial stage of uncontrolled growth to the current stage of standardised management. By tracing the global development of bike-sharing systems with a special focus on China, this study sheds light on the platformisation of bicycles and its multiple impacts on technical, environmental, cultural, economic and social sustainability. Furthermore, the study provides a comprehensive analysis of the transformation of bicycles in China and highlights the diverse impacts of platform-based bike sharing on various facets of Chinese society. The development of different bike-sharing systems in China is a unique and crucial case to interpret the current situation of bike-sharing and imagine future scenarios. In contrast to the prevailing and uniform approach derived from the experiences of Northern European countries, the massive and widespread experimentation with different bike-sharing schemes in China reveals not only potentials and aspects of sustainability, innovation and urban and social regeneration, but also some hidden shadows similar to those in small-scale contexts such as Northern Europe. Furthermore, the study emphasises the crucial role of sustainable development principles in addressing urban challenges specific to China.

Most studies on the association of in utero exposure to cigarette smoking and childhood overweight or obesity (OWO) were based on maternal self-reported smoking data and few were based on objective biomarkers. In this study, we evaluated the associations between self-reported and biomarkers of in utero exposure to cigarette smoking with risk of childhood OWO. We analyzed data from 2351 mother-child pairs in the Boston Birth Cohort, a US low-income minority cohort that enrolled children at birth and followed prospectively up to age 18 years. In utero smoking exposure was measured by maternal self-report and by maternal and cord plasma cotinine and hydroxycotinine metabolites. We assessed the individual and joint associations of each smoking exposure measure and maternal OWO with childhood OWO using multinomial logistic regressions. We used nested logistic regressions to investigate the childhood OWO prediction performance when adding maternal and cord plasma biomarkers as input covariates on top of self-reported data. Our results demonstrated that in utero cigarette smoking exposure defined by self-report and by maternal or cord metabolites were consistently associated with increased risk of long-term child OWO. Adding maternal and cord plasma biomarker information to self-reported data improved the prediction accuracy of long-term child OWO risk.

Recent developments in mid-infrared (MIR) spectroscopic ellipsometry enabled by quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) resulted in a drastic improvement in signal-to-noise ratio compared to conventional thermal emitter based instrumentation. Thus, it was possible to reduce the acquisition time for high-resolution broadband ellipsometric spectra from multiple hours to less than 1 second. This opens up new possibilities for real-time in-situ ellipsometry in polymer processing. To highlight these evolving capabilities we demonstrate the benefits of a QCL based MIR ellipsometer by investigating single and multilayered polymer films. The molecular structure and reorientation of a 2.5m thin biaxially oriented polyethylene terephtalate film is monitored during a stretching process lasting 24.5 s to illustrate the perspective of ellipsometric measurements in dynamic processes. In addition, a polyethylene/ethylene vinyl alcohol/polyethylene multilayer film is investigated at continuously varying angle of incidence ( 0∘ – 50∘) in 17.2 s, highlighting an unprecedented sample throughput for the technique of varying angle spectroscopic ellipsometry in the MIR spectral range. The obtained results underline the superior spectral and temporal resolution of QCL ellipsometry and qualify this technique as suitable method for advanced in-situ monitoring in polymer processing.

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colorless, odorless gas emitted from carbon fuel combustion. In this study we monitored indoor carbon monoxide (CO) levels for 120 homes over three seasons in the North Denver metropolitan region as part of an environmental justice initiative to quantify health and social well-being impacts from a major freeway construction upgrade nearby. Urban outdoor CO levels are typically very low (less than 1 ppm in Denver) due to air pollution control strategies and technologies implemented over the past several decades. However, people can still be exposed to higher than outdoor levels of CO in their homes due to the operation of indoor appliances that use carbon fuels such as natural gas. Our data show that ~10% of the homes had consistent daily average levels of CO above 3.5 ppm and 24-57% of the homes showed peaks greater than 9 ppm. While much higher levels can result in CO poisoning and fatalities, these lower levels of CO have been associated with adverse health impacts, especially pregnant women, and sensitive populations. Our results highlight the need for increasing awareness regarding CO exposures in homes with gas appliances and motivate the transition from non-electrified homes toward electrification.

As Automated Driving Systems (ADS) technology gets assimilated into the market, the driver’s obligation will be changed to a supervisory role. A key point to consider is the driver’s engagement in the secondary task to maintain the driver/user in the control loop. The paper’s objective is to monitor driver engagement with a game and identify any impacts the task has on hazard recognition. We designed a driving simulation using Unity3D and incorporated three tasks: No-task, AR-Video, and AR-Game tasks. The driver engaged in an AR object interception game while monitoring the road for threatening road scenarios. From the results, there was less than 1 second difference between the means of gaming task (mean = 2.55s, std = 0.1002s) to no-task (mean = 2.55s, std = 0.1002s). Game scoring followed three profiles/phases: learning, saturation, and decline profile. From the profiles, it is possible to quantify/infer drivers’ engagement with the game task. The paper proposes alternative monitoring that has utility, i.e., entertaining the user. Further experiments AR-Game focusing on real-world car environment will be performed to confirm the performance following the recommendations derived from the current test.

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals call for the eradication of poverty, and China has proposed the Rural Revitalization Strategy based on the achievements of its poverty alleviation efforts in 2020. As a vital component of this strategy, the impact of land transfer on farmers' income growth has become a hot topic in both theoretical and practical sectors. This paper utilizes data from the CFPS database for the years 2010-2018 to construct OLS regression models and a Heckman two-stage model to analyze the effects of land transfers on the incomes of different types and sources among farmers. The empirical results show: First, land transfers do promote income growth among farmers, but the effect is primarily positive for those transferring out land, with negligible impact on those acquiring land. Second, the impact of land transfers varies between different types of income for transferees and transferors. Wage income contributes up to 88.26% to the income growth of transferors, a significantly higher rate than the decrease in business income; however, the increase in business income for transferees does not offset the decline in wage income, leading to no significant change in overall income. Further sensitivity analysis using the Heckman two-stage model confirms the robustness of these findings. The conclusions of this study provide theoretical and empirical evidence to optimize land transfer policies, enhance participation in land transfers, and ultimately achieve the mission of rural revitalization.

The petroleum industry produces thousands of barrels of oilfield waters from the initial stage driven by primary production mechanisms to the tertiary stage. These produced waters contain measurable amounts of oil in water emulsions, the exact amounts being determined by the chemistry of the crude oil. To meet strict environmental regulations governing the disposal of such produced waters, demulsification to regulatory permissible levels is required. Within the electric double layer theory, coupled with the analytical solutions to the Poisson Boltzmann Equation, continuum electrostatics approaches can be used to describe the static and electrokinetic properties of such emulsion systems. Therefore, theoretical understanding of the stability of oil in water emulsions within such fundamental concepts provides reliable approaches to demulsification. In this paper, we have used theoretical approaches, based on zeta potential and surface charge density models to determine the stability of oil in water emulsions for different crude oil samples. Accordingly, we have used literature based data on the chemistry of the crude oils, and have ranked the order of emulsion stability based on criterial established by zeta potential plots for the oil. Our theoretical calculations show that where the isoelectric points of crude oil samples are closer to each other, the degree of ionization plots versus pH indicate close tends for salinities at varying pH of oilfield waters. Based on the chemistry of crude oil samples, the most efficient and cost-effective means of demulsification is by reducing produced water pH to values closer to the average point of zero charge pH values

Connected and Autonomous Vehicle (CAV) combines technologies of autonomous vehicle (AV) and connected vehicles (CV) to develop quicker, more reliable and safer traffic. Artificial Intelligence (AI) based CAV solutions play significant roles in sustainable city. The convergence imposes stringent security requirements for CAV safety and reliability. In practice, vehicles are developed with increased automation and connectivity. Increased automation increases the reliance on the sensor-based technologies and decreases the reliance on driver; increased connectivity increases the exposures of vehicles vulnerability and increases the risk for an adversary to implement a cyber-attack. Much work has been dedicated to identifying the security vulnerabilities and recommending mitigation techniques associated with different sensors, controllers, and connection mechanisms, respectively. However, there is an absence of comprehensive and in-depth studies to identify how the cyber-attacks exploit the vehicles vulnerabilities to negatively impact the performance and operations of CAV. In this survey, we set out to thoroughly review the security issues introduced by AV and CV technologies, analyze how the cyber-attacks impact the performance of CAV, and summarize the solutions correspondingly. The impact of cyber-attacks on the performance of CAV is elaborated from both viewpoints of intra-vehicle system and inter-vehicle system. We pointed out that securing the perception and operations of CAV would be the top requirement to enable CAV to be applied safely and reliably in practice. Also, we suggested to utilize cloud and new AI methods to defend against smart cyber-attacks on CAV.

Surfactants are widely used in the synthesis of nanoparticles, as they have a remarkable ability to direct their growth to obtain well-defined shapes and sizes. However, their post-synthesis removal is a challenge, and the methods used often result in morphological changes that defeat the purpose of the initial controlled growth. The cleaning methods could be classified as thermal or non-thermal. In general, the structure of materials can be better preserved by non-thermal treatments. After the removal of surfactants, the highly active surfaces of nanomaterials may undergo structural reconstruction by exposure to a different environment. Thus, ex situ characterization after air exposure may not reflect the effect of the cleaning methods. In situ characterization is required to better understand the impact of various cleaning procedures. Combining X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, in situ infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy, and environmental transmission electron microscopy measurements with CO probe experiments, we investigated different surfactant-removal methods to produce clean metallic Pt nanoparticles from surfactant-encapsulated ones. Non-thermal plasmas show the best results. It was demonstrated that both UV-ozone treatment and room temperature O2 plasma treatment lead to the formation of Pt oxides on the surface after the removal of the surfactant. These oxides are reduced to metallic Pt during in situ CO probe experiments. On the other hand, when H2 was used for plasma treatment, the Pt0 oxidation state and nanoparticle size distribution were preserved. In addition, H2 plasma treatment can reduce Pt oxides after O2-based treatments, resulting in metallic nanoparticles with clean surfaces. Thermal reduction in hydrogen leads to carbon species emerging onto nanoparticle surfaces after heating and agglomeration of Pt nanoparticles. Particularly, O2-based thermal treatments result in the formation of aggregates consisting of small nanoparticles. These findings provide a better understanding of the various options for surfactant removal from metal nanoparticles and point toward non-thermal plasmas as the best route if the integrity of the nanoparticle needs to be preserved.

With permafrost degenerating caused by climate change, water accumulation increases in permafrost regions during last decades. Water accumulation will deteriorate existing status of engineering in cold regions. Water accumulation can make a thermal effect on permafrost under construction, even result in failure of the subgrade. Moreover, the thermal effect is related to water temperature. However, temperature variation of water accumulation is complex, and its influence factors include air temperature, environment, scope of water accumulation and so on. In order to make analysis of the damage mechanism of water accumulation on permafrost, it is necessary to explore the internal temperature change of water accumulation. This paper proposes a review about temperature calculation method of water accumulation in cold environment. The thermal calculation method between air and water boundary of water accumulation is summarized. Water temperature change of water accumulation with various type is analyzed. The thermal calculation considering phase transformation in water accumulation is discussed, and heat transfer from the bottom of water accumulation to the underlying soil is further studied. Finally, the key factors which are advantageous to make research about the thermal effect of water accumulation in permafrost is proposed to optimize calculation method.

There is currently an interest in “active” implantable biomedical devices that include mechanical stimulation as an integral part of their design. This paper reports the experimental use of a porous scaffold made of interconnected networks of slender ferromagnetic fibres that can be actuated in vivo by an external magnetic field applying strains to in-growing cells. Such scaffolds have been previously characterized in terms of their mechanical and cellular responses. In this study, it is shown that the shape changes induced in the scaffolds can be used to promote osteogenesis in vitro. In particular, immunofluorescence, gene and protein analyses reveal that the actuated networks exhibit higher mineralization and extracellular matrix production, and express higher levels of osteocalcin, alkaline phosphatase, collagen type 1a1, runt-related transcription factor 2 and bone morphogenetic protein 2 than the static controls at the 3-week time point. The results suggest that the cells filling the inter-fibre spaces are able to sense and react to the magneto-mechanically induced strains facilitating osteogenic differentiation and maturation. This work provides evidence in support of using this approach to stimulate bone ingrowth around a device implanted in bone and can pave the way for further applications in bone tissue engineering.

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

The advancement of technology has led to a shift in the automotive industry from gasoline vehicles to electric vehicles. One of the key factors in modern vehicles is the communication between control devices and commands. This thesis presents a prototype of communication in the form of CAN BUS Protocol with CAN STANDARD SAE.J1939 for All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) using MRS Developers Studio software to control the CAN Bus system. This thesis discusses the operation of communication from the assembly of the ATV, the packing of a 72 V 25Ah battery as a power source for the vehicle, the layout of the wiring system for receiving/sending communication signals for the 3 CAN Bus control boxes, and programming with MRS Developers Studio software used in communication. The communication of the vehicle in the ATV consists of receiving/sending signals of switches, headlights, left turn signal, right turn signal, brake light, emergency light, horn, forward-reverse gear, and accelerator. The results of the operation of the CAN Bus Protocol found that the CAN Bus control box has only 6 input and output pins, making the communication that has both receiving and sending signals insufficient. Therefore, starting from the CAN Bus1 control box acts as a receiver of signals from the forward-reverse gear switch sent to the output of the CAN Bus3 control box, the CAN Bus1 control box acts as a receiver of all light signals sent to the output of the CAN Bus2 control box. The signal transmission between devices will send signals through the CAN HUB line to ensure stability and minimal interference. In addition, the communication between devices from testing the operation of various switches on and off up to 1000 times found that this communication does not cause errors, making this communication reliable and stable.

In recent times, the increasing concern for climate control has led to the widespread application of grid-connected inverter (GIC) based renewable energy systems. In addition, the increased usage of non-linear loads and electrification of the transport sector cause ineffective grid-frequency management and the introduction of harmonics. These grid conditions affect power quality and result in uncertainty and inaccuracy in monitoring and measurement. Incorrect measurement leads to overbilling/underbilling, ineffective demand and supply forecasts for the power system, and inefficient performance analysis. To address the outlined problem, a novel three-phase frequency component extraction and power measurement method based on Digital Lock-in Amplifier (DLIA) and Digital Lock-in Amplifier Frequency-Locked Loop (DLIA-FLL) is proposed to provide accurate measurement under the conditions of harmonics and frequency offset. A combined filter with a lowpass filter and notch filter for DLIA is employed to improve computation speed. A comparative study is performed to validate the performance of the proposed power measurement method, by comparing the proposed method to the windowed interpolated fast Fourier transform (WIFFT). The ZERA COM 3003 (a commercial high-accuracy power measurement instrument) is used as the reference instrument in the experiment

This article discusses the comparison between digital and traditional face-to-face coaching within the scope of shadow education institutions. While analyzing the differences and similarities between the two educational models, both their advantages and disadvantages are thoroughly discussed. In this context, interviews were conducted with students and teachers who receive education in both face-to-face and digital coaching, and the positive and negative aspects of both institutions, suitable and unsuitable courses, the future situation, and the effects on students' academic achievements were revealed. According to the results obtained from the research, it is noteworthy that students who do not receive education in digital coaching have prejudices against digitalization. Additionally, no significant difference was found between the academic achievements of students receiving education in digital coaching and those receiving education in face-to-face coaching.

Lower limb exoskeletons have the potential to reduce the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders; however, they often lack user-oriented control strategies. Human-in-the-loop (HITL) controls can adapt an exoskeleton’s assistance in real-time, to optimize the user-exoskeleton interaction. This study presents a HITL control for a knee exoskeleton to minimize the users’ physical effort, a parameter innovatively evaluated by their interaction torque with the exoskeleton (a muscular effort indicator) and metabolic cost. This work innovates by estimating the user’s metabolic cost within the HITL control through a machine-learning model. The regression model was able to estimate the metabolic cost, in real-time, with a root-mean-squared error of 0.66 W/kg and a mean absolute percentage error of 26%, making faster (10s) and less noisy estimations than a respirometer (K5, Cosmed) device. The HITL reduced the user’s metabolic cost and interaction torque by 7.3% and 32.3%, respectively, when compared to a zero-torque control. The developed HITL control surpassed both a non-exoskeleton and a zero-torque condition regarding the user’s physical effort, even for a simple task such as slow walking. Furthermore, the user-specific control enabled a lower metabolic cost than the non-user-specific assistance. This proof-of-concept demonstrated the potential for HITL controls in assisted working.

Isokinetic testing of the knee joint is the “gold standard” in strength assessment in sport especially in soccer, where it is part of pre-season screening to establish norms in case of injuries. There are many devices on the market that make it difficult to use of normative data. Isokinetics literature in females’ soccer players is scarce in comparison to males. Furthermore, evaluation protocols strongly differ from each other, using different ranges of speeds, movement patterns and output data. Thus, it is difficult for the researcher and the clinician to choose a correct protocol for isokinetic evaluation in female soccer players. The indexes of isokinetic performance that are widely accepted are the hamstring/quadriceps (H/Q) ratio and dominant/non-dominant (D/ND) ratio as reference. In this review are highlighted some common features of isokinetic testing in female soccer players of different levels of qualification. From this study, it emerges that, for a reliable test, 3 reps at the speed of 60°/sec in knee flexion/extension is preferable due to the high reliability and that an optimal H/Q ratio in healthy female soccer players of different level of qualification and age is 50%, while the interlimb differences (D/ND) should be below 10%.

The classical Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model is globally stable and uniformly persistent. However, in real-life biosystems extinction of species due to stochastic effects is possible. In this paper, we consider the classical Lotka-Volterra predator-prey model under stochastic perturbations. For this model, using an analytical technique based on the direct Lyapunov method and a development of the ideas of R.Z. Khasminskii, we find the precise sufficient conditions for the stochastic extinction of one and both species and the precise necessary conditions for the stochastic system persistence. The stochastic extinction occurs via a process known as the stabilization by noise of the Khasminskii type, and, in order to establish the sufficient conditions for extinction, we found the conditions for the stabilization. The analytical results are illustrated by numerical simulations. {\bf Keywords:} stochastic perturbations, white noise, Ito's stochastic differential equation, the Lyapunov functions method, stability in probability, stabilization by noise, stochastic extinction, persistence.

The use of nanomaterials has been increasing in recent times, and they are widely used in industries such as cosmetics, drug, food, water treatment and agriculture. The rapid development of new nanomaterials demands a set of approaches to evaluate the potential toxicity and risks related to them. In this regard, nanosafety has been using and adapting already existing methods (toxicological approach), but the unique characteristics of nanomaterials demand new approaches (nanotoxicology) to fully understand the potential toxicity, immunotoxicity and (epi)genotoxicity. Also, new technologies, such as organ-on-chip and sophisticated sensors, are under development and/or adaptation. All the information generated is used to develop new in silico approaches trying to predict the potential effects of newly developed materials. The overall evaluation of how from the production to final disposition chain of nanomaterials is evaluated under Life Cycle Assessment (LCA), which is becoming an important element of nanosafety considering sustainability and environmental impact. In this review we give an overview of all these elements of nanosafety.

Parental phubbing behavior is a significant factor in predicting adolescent smartphone dependence, but prior research has predominantly focused on a unidirectional perspective from the child's viewpoint, overlooking potential perceptual differences between parents and their children regarding parental phubbing. Therefore, are there differences in the perceptions of parental phubbing between parents and their children? Based on the "Discrepancy-Maladaptive" hypothesis, the presence of perceptual discrepancies in family factors can lead to adverse developmental outcomes in children. Does the parent-child perceptual discrepancy in parental phubbing influence adolescent smartphone dependence? And what role does parent-child relationship play in this context? This study selected 728 families from a middle school in Wuhan, and surveys were administered to both children and parents. The findings reveal: (1) There exist significant parent-child perceptual discrepancies in parental phubbing. (2) Parent-child perceptual discrepancies in parental phubbing significantly positively predict adolescent smartphone dependence and negatively predict parent-child relationships, while parent-child relationships significantly negatively predict adolescent smartphone dependence. (3) The parent-child relationship plays a mediating role between parent-child perceptual differences in parental phubbing behavior and adolescent smartphone dependence.

Polymers are one of the most widely used chemicals in the oil and gas industry. They are used for mobility control in enhanced oil recovery, in conformance control as a crosslinked plugging agent, as a fracking fluid for fracture propagation and proppant transportation, and in drilling fluids as an additive for drilling mud enhancement. In the majority of its applications in the petroleum industry, the polymer needs to be injected under high pressures and temperatures. This can impact the polymer structure significantly and compromises the possibility of reusing the injected polymer for cost reduction and material sustainability. This research characterizes the polymer injectivity in different pore sizes under different conditions and evaluates the polymer conditions after injection. Based on this, the ability to reinject the polymer in the porous media is discussed. The factors studied include the pore size, the polymer concentration, the polymer injection flowrate, and polymer injectivity. Results showed that the polymer usually undergoes four main degradations during injection including dehydration, syneresis, shearing, and excessive hydrolysis. The experimental results showed that one or more of the polymer degradations resulted in the inability to reinject the polymer in most cases.

In drilling small holes with diameters of 1 mm or less, minute clogging and twining of chips or adhesion of the workpiece material can become factors in causing breakages of the drill bit; moreover, it can be difficult to identify the machining state. Acoustic emission (AE) sensing is a nondestructive inspection technique that measures the elastic-stress waves that are generated when a material is deformed and fractured. AE sensing permits highly sensitive measurements to be made without changing the rigidity of the experimental system, unlike force sensing of cutting resistance, etc. In the present study, attempts were made to identify the machining state and tool wear, and to predict abnormalities in small-diameter drilling by using the change in the frequency of AE signal waveforms arising from deformation and fracture. It was shown that it is possible to predict the breakage of the drill bit by detecting the high-frequency AE signals caused by adhesion. In addition, a correlation map of the AE frequency spectrum for identifying the machining state in a drilling operation is suggested.

Background Community health workers (CHWs) drawn from the general population are an important human resource in health care systems, preventing non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and contributing to an increase in healthy life expectancy in Japan. Thus, we have developed the COmmunity health workers perceptual and behavioral Competency Scale for preventing Non-communicable diseases (COCS-N) to measure CHWs’ competence in preventing NCDs. The purpose of this study is to examine individual and community factors affecting CHWs’ COCS-N scores. Methods Municipal public health nurses and other public health professionals are responsible for training and supporting CHWs in Japan. Therefore, the existence of CHWs and their willingness to participate in the study were confirmed with the municipalities, who were asked to distribute the self-administered questionnaire to CHWs where consent was obtained (N = 6,480). Variables used included demographic characteristics, COCS-N scores, and individual- and community-related factors. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess associations between variables. Results A total of 3,120 people completed the questionnaire, a valid response rate of 48.1%. The respondents’ mean age was 67.0 years (standard deviation = 9.0), and 88.0% were female. Comparison of the high- and low- competence groups in terms of NCD prevention based on COCS-N scores identified 13 factors associated with significant differences, including years spent working as a CHW (p < 0.001), subjective sense of health (p = 0.005), European Health Literacy Survey Questionnaire (HLS-EU-Q47) scores (p < 0.001), and community commitment scale (CCS) scores (p < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis revealed that HLS-EU-Q47 scores (odds ratio [OR]: 1.02, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02–1.03) were a significant individual factor, while CCS scores (OR: 1.14, 95% CI: 1.11–1.16) were a significant community factor. Conclusions We found that the COCS-N score was associated with the individual factors overall health literacy (HL), perceptions of HL, and subjective sense of health, and with the community factor CCS scores. These results suggest that strengthening individual factors such as HL and subjective sense of health, and community factors such as sense of community is an effective strategy for increasing CHWs’ competence in preventing NCDs.

Abstract Octreotide is the first synthetic peptide hormone, consisted of eight amino acids, that mimics the activity of somatostatin, a natural hormone in the body. During the past decades, advanced instrumentation and crystallographic software established X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) as a valuable tool for extracting structural information of biological macromolecules. The latter was demonstrated by the successful structural determination of octreotide at a remarkably high d-spacing resolution (1.87 Å) (PDB code: 6vc1). This study focuses on the response of octreotide to different humidity levels and temperatures, with a particular focus on the stability of the polycrystalline sample. XRPD measurements were accomplished employing an Anton Paar MHC-trans humidity-temperature chamber installed within a laboratory X’Pert Pro diffractometer (Malvern Panalytical). The chamber is employed to control and maintain precise humidity and temperature levels of samples during XRPD data collection. Pawley analysis of the collected data sets revealed that the octreotide polycrystalline sample is remarkably stable and no structural transitions were observed. The compound retains its orthorhombic symmetry (space group: P212121, a = 18.57744(4) Å, b = 30.17338(6) Å, c = 39.70590(9) Å, d~ 2.35 Å). However, a characteristic structural evolution in terms of lattice parameters and volume of the unit-cell is reported mainly upon controlled relative humidity variation. In addition, an improvement of signal-to-noise ratio in the XRPD data under a cycle of dehydration/rehydration is reported. These results underline the importance of considering the impact of environmental factors, as humidity and temperature, in the context of structure-based drug design, thereby contributing to the development of more effective and stable pharmaceutical products.

Time series data are significant and are derived from temporal data, which involve real numbers representing values collected regularly over time. Time series have a great impact on many types of data. However, time series have anomalies. We introduce hybrid algorithm named novel matrix profile (NMP) to solve the all-pairs similarity search problem for time series data. The proposed NMP inherits the features from two state-of-the art algorithms: similarity time-series automatic multivariate prediction (STAMP), and short text online microblogging protocol (STOMP). The proposed algorithm caches the output in an easy-to-access fashion for single- and multidimensional data. The proposed NMP algorithm can be used on large data sets and generates approximate solutions of high quality in a reasonable time. The proposed NMP can also handle several data mining tasks. It is implemented on a Python platform. To determine its effectiveness, it is compared with the state-of-the-art matrix profile algorithms i.e., STAMP and STOMP. The results confirm that the proposed NMP provides higher accuracy than the compared algorithms.

Due to their well-defined plasmonic properties, gold nanorods (GNRs) can be fabricated with optimal light absorption in the near-infrared region of the electromagnetic spectrum, which make them suitable for cancer-related theranostic applications. However, their controversial safety profile, as a result of surfactant stabilization during synthesis, limits their clinical translation. We report a facile method to improve GNR biocompatibility through the presence of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS). GNRs (120 x 40 nm) were synthesized through a seed-mediated approach, using cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as a cationic surfactant to direct the growth of nanorods and stabilize the particles. Post-synthesis, SDS was used as an exchange ligand to modify the net surface charge of the particles from positive to negative while maintaining rod stability in an aqueous environment. GNR cytotoxic effects, as well as the mechanisms of their cellular uptake, were examined in two different cancer cell lines, Lewis lung carcinoma (LLC) and HeLa cells. We not only found a significant dose-dependent effect of GNR treatment on cell viability but also a time-dependent effect of GNR surfactant charge on cytotoxicity over the two cell lines. Our results promote a better understanding of how we can mediate the undesired consequences of GNR synthesis byproducts when exposed to a living organism, which so far has limited GNR use in cancer theranostics.

Composite materials are widely used in the dental field in clinics as biomaterials. For example, it has been used as a biomaterial to repair caries and restore masticatory function, and as a cement to adhere the restoration to the tooth substrate. In order to demonstrate its function, dental biomaterials are measured their mechanical strength. From such basic research, we explained the potential of dental biomaterials, especially flexural strength and modulus of elasticity. Mechanical properties of dental biomaterials similar to those of the tooth, thermal stimulation, and aesthetic elements in the oral cavity. In this part, we will introduce the commercialized products of composites suitable for the characteristics and tooth quality, and provide the reader with the characteristics from the flexural characteristics of the composite materials used in clinical dentistry. In clinical performance, it might be advisable to delay polishing when composite biomaterials are used for luting materials, filling materials and core build-up materials since improved the flexural strength and the flexural modulus of elasticity were displayed after 1-day storage. And it is thought that flexural strength or characteristics is a significant important mechanical property of oral biomaterials.

The feasibility of using full ion kinetics, instead of gyrokinetics, in simulating low-frequency Ion-Temperature-Gradient (ITG) instabilities in tokamaks has recently been demonstrated by Sturdevant et al. [Physics of Plasmas 24, 081207 (2017)]. In that work, a variational integrator was developed to integrate the full orbits of ions in toroidal geometry, which proved to be accurate in capturing both the short-time scale cyclotron motion and long time scale drift motion. The present work extends that work in three aspects. First, we implement a relatively simple full orbit integrator, the Boris integrator, and demonstrate that the accuracy of this integrator is also sufficient for simulation of ITG instabilities. Second, the equilibrium magnetic configuration is extended to general toroidal configuration specified numerically, enabling simulation of realistic equilibria reconstructed from tokamak experiments. Third, we extend that work to the nonlinear regime and investigate the nonlinear saturation of ITG instabilities. To verify the new numerical implementation of the orbit integrator and magnetic configuration, the linear electrostatic ITG frequency and growth rate are compared with those given in Sturdevant's work and good agreement is found.

CRISPR/Cas9 technology is expected to offer novel genome editing-related therapies for various diseases. We previously showed that an adenovirus vector (AdV) possessing eight expression units of multiplex guide RNAs (gRNAs) was obtained with no deletion of these units. Here, we attempted to construct “all-in-one” AdVs possessing expression units of four and eight gRNAs with Cas9 nickase. We expected this to be difficult because extremely high copies of viral genomes during replication may cause severe off-target cleavages of host cells and induce homologous recombination. However, four units in the all-in-one AdV genome were maintained completely intact. For all-in-one AdV containing eight gRNA units, we shortened the U6 promoter of the gRNA expression units and enlarged the E3 deletion in the vector backbone to shorten the AdV genome within the adenovirus packaging limits. The final size of the all-in-one AdV genome containing eight gRNA units still slightly exceeded the reported upper limit. Nevertheless, approximately one-third of the eight units remained intact even upon preparation for in vivo experiments. Although the genome editing efficiency unexpectedly decreased upon enlarging the E3 deletion, our results suggested that all-in-one AdVs containing four and eight intact gRNA units could be obtained if the problems caused by the excessive size of the vector genome are solved.

New approaches to collect in-situ data are needed to complement the high spatial (10~m) and temporal (5-day) resolution of Copernicus Sentinel satellite observations. Making sense of Sentinel observations requires high quality and timely in-situ data for training and validation. Classical ground truth collection is expensive, lacks scale, fails to exploit opportunities for automation, and is prone to sampling error. Here we evaluate the potential contribution of opportunistically exploiting crowd-sourced street-level imagery to collect massive high-quality in-situ data in the context of crop monitoring. This study assesses this potential by answering two questions: 1) what is the spatial availability of these images across the European Union (EU)? and 2) can these images be transformed to useful data? To answer the first question, we evaluated the EU availability of street-level images on Mapillary - the largest open-access platform for such images - against the Land Use and land Cover Area frame Survey (LUCAS) 2018, a systematic surveyed sampling of 337031 points. For 37.78% of the LUCAS points a crowd-sourced image is available within a 2-km buffer, with a mean distance of 816.11 m. We estimate that 9.44% of the EU territory has a crowd-sourced image within 300-m from a LUCAS point, illustrating the huge potential of crowd-sourcing as a complementary sampling tool. After artificial and built up (63.14%), and inland water (43.67%) land cover classes, arable land has the highest availability at 40.78%. To answer the second question, we focus on identifying crops at parcel level using all 13.6 million Mapillary images collected in the Netherlands. Only 1.9% of the contributors generated 75.15% of the images. A procedure was developed to select and harvest the pictures potentially best suited to identify crops using the geometries of 785710 Dutch parcels and the pictures' meta-data such as camera orientation and focal length. Availability of crowd-sourced imagery looking at parcels was assessed for 8 different crop groups with the 2017 parcel level declarations. Parcel revisits during the growing season allowed to track crop growth. Examples illustrate the capacity to recognize crops and their phenological development on crowd-sourced street-level imagery. Consecutive images taken during the same capture track allow selecting the image with the best unobstructed view. In the future, dedicated crop capture tasks can improve image quality and expand coverage in rural areas.

Efficient thermal management of modern electronics requires the use of thin films with highly anisotropic thermal conductivity. Such films enable the effective dissipation of excess heat along one direction while simultaneously providing thermal insulation along the perpendicular direction. In this study, we investigate the thermal conductivity of bilayer graphene (BLG) sheets using non-equilibrium molecular dynamics, examining both in-plane and cross-plane thermal conductivities. The in-plane thermal conductivity of 10 nm × 10 nm BLG with zigzag and armchair edges at room temperature is found to be around 204 W/m.K and 124 W/m.K, respectively. The in-plane thermal conductivity of BLG increases with sheet length. For all sizes, BLG with a zigzag edge exhibits higher thermal conductivity than that of the armchair edge, with this difference becoming more pronounced as the lengths of the sheets increase. In addition, increasing temperature from 300 K to 600 K decreases the in-plane thermal conductivity of a 10 nm× 10 nm zigzag BLG by about 34%. Similarly, the application of a 12.5% tensile strain induces a 51% reduction in its thermal conductivity compared to the strain-free values. Armchair configurations exhibit similar responses to variations in temperature and strain, but with less sensitivity. Furthermore, the cross-plane thermal conductivity of BLG at 300 K is estimated to be 0.05 W/m·K, significantly lower than the in-plane results by approximately four orders of magnitude. The cross-plane thermal conductance of BLG decreases with increasing temperatures, specifically, at 600 K, its value is almost 16% of that observed at 300 K.

The alignment of nanostructures in materials such as lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) templated materials has the potential to signicantly improve their performances. However, accurately characterising and quantifying the alignement of such fine structures remains very challenging. In situ small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and molecular dynamics were employed for the first time to understand the hexagonal LLC alignment process with magnetic nanoparticles under a magnetic field. The enhanced alignment has been illustrated from the distribution of azimuthal intensity in the samples exposed to magnetic field. Molecular dynamics simulations reveal the relationship between the imposed force of the magenetic nanoparticles under magnetic field and the force transferred to the LLC cylinders which leads to the LLC alignment. The combinational study with experimental measurement and computational simulation will enable the development and control of nanostructures in novel materials for various applications.

The interfacial polymerization (IP) of piperazine (PIP) and trimesoyl chloride (TMC) has been extensively utilized to synthesize nanofiltration (NF) membranes. However, it is still a huge challenge to monitor the IP reaction, because of the fast reaction rate and the formed ultra-thin film. Herein, two effective strategies were applied to reduce the IP reaction rate: (1) the introduction of hydrophilic interlayers between the porous substrate and the formed polyamide layer, and (2) the addition of macromolecular additives in the aqueous solution of PIP. As a result, in situ Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy was firstly used to monitor the IP reaction of PIP/TMC with hydrophilic interlayers or macromolecular additives in the aqueous solution of PIP. Moreover, the formed polyamide layer growth on the substrate was studied in a real-time manner. The in situ FTIR experimental results confirmed that the IP reaction rates were effectively suppressed and that the formed polyamide thickness was reduced from 138 ± 24 nm to 46 ± 2 nm according to TEM observation. Furthermore, an optimized NF membrane with excellent performance was consequently obtained, which included boosted water permeation of about 141–238 (L/m²·h·MPa) and superior salt rejection of Na₂SO₄ > 98.4%.

In northern Canada where permafrost is prevalent, a shortage of accessible, affordable, and high-quality housing has been ongoing for decades. Design of foundations in permafrost presents unique engineering challenges due to permafrost soil mechanics and climate change. There is no specific design code for pile or shallow foundations in northern Canada. Consequently, the design process heavily relies on the expertise and experience of Arctic geotechnical engineers who have specialized knowledge in this field. Therefore, a comprehensive review of the practice or literature in foundation design in the Arctic would be necessary. The main objective of this review paper is to provide an overview of the common foundations in permafrost and the techniques adopted to counteract the effects of frozen soils. This study conducted a literature review of state-of-the-art practices on deep and shallow foundations used in northern Canada, including common steel pipe piles and thermosyphons. The review summarized the current principles, including adfreeze strength, creep settlement, and frost heave, used in the foundation design in permafrost. Then this paper summarized the findings from interviewing several engineers or professionals who have experiences in the design of foundations in permafrost. The interviews revealed the technical and non-technical aspects of foundation design practice in northern Canada. Lastly, in order to demonstrate the design methods, the paper presented two examples where screw piles and steel pipe piles were designed to support a residential building in northern Canada, according to the state-of-practice criteria for adfreeze strength, long term settlement and frost heave.

Abstract: The quantitative analysis of the chromatographic behavior of basic compounds was performed in silico. The liquid chromatography (LC) data measured with pentyl-, hexenyl-, and octyl-bonded silica gels were analyzed in silico employing model phases. The main retention force was the van der Waals (VW) interaction, and the main desorption force was an electrostatic (ES) interaction. The contribution of hydrogen bonding (HB) was weak compared to that for acidic compounds. The quantitative explanation was achieved utilizing the calculated VW, HB, and ES energy values obtained from a molecular mechanics program. The electron localization was observed at the molecular interaction-site calculated MOPAC program. This fundamental approach was like that of explaining chemical reactions. The difference was electron localization in chromatography or electron transfer in a chemical reaction.

Recently, the indications for Cochlear Implant (CI) have also been extended to subjects with Single Sided Deafness (SSD) in order to restore binaural hearing. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the advantages of CI following one year of usage in SSD subjects. Secondarily we want to assess the long-term stability of the CI. 57 participants performed a complete audiological assessment (speech audiometry in quiet and in noise and localization test). For each was also evaluated subjective hearing profile (with Speech Spatial and Qualities_SSQ questionnaire) and the impact of tinnitus (with the use of Tinnitus Handicap Inventory_THI questionnaire) After one year of CI usage, we observed a significant improvement in speech-to-noise ratio, in sound localization abilities, in the Speech (p-value 0.001) and Spatial (p-value 0.001) subscales of the SSQ questionnaire and in THI questionnaire (p-value 0.001). The improvements in speech in noise and localization abilities and the reduction of the SSQ and THI questionnaires scores were maintained over time (6th to 60th month follow-up). Only eight participants did not fully utilize the CI. CI in SSD represents an effective method for improving speech recognition in noisy environments, restoring sound localization abilities, reducing tinnitus and improve subjective listening skills.

Background: We aimed to create a model of radiological and pathological criteria able to predict the upgrade rate of low-grade ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) to invasive carcinoma, in patients undergoing vacuum-assisted breast biopsy (VABB) and subsequent surgical excision. Methods: 3100 VABBs were retrospectively reviewed among which we reported 295 low-grade DCIS who subsequently underwent surgery. The association between patients’ features and the upgrade rate to invasive breast cancer (IBC) was evaluated by univariate analysis. Finally, we developed a predictive multivariable model based on the features which were significantly associated with the univariate analysis outcome. Results: the upgrade rate to invasive carcinoma was 10.8 %. At univariate analysis, the risk of upgrade was significantly lower in the absence of post- biopsy residual lesion (p<0.001), age > 50 (p=0.029), and in presence of low-grade DCIS only in specimens with microcalcifications (p=0.002). According to the final multivariable model, the predicted probability of diagnostic underestimation for a patient with all the three favourable features selected at univariate analysis was 1% (95% CI: 0.3%-4%). Conclusions: An easy to use predictive model of radiological and pathological criteria is able to identify patients with low-grade carcinoma in situ with low risk of upstaging to infiltrating carcinomas.

Changing climate conditions and rapidly increasing carbon dioxide emissions have severely affected the global ecosystem and world economy. Governments around the world have paid attention to these resulting challenges and enacted many policies to reduce environmental pollution and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. This study aimed to determine and understand the relationship between innovation, foreign direct investment, economic growth, renewable consumption and CO2 emission in Vietnam. Information was collected annually based on the annual data of the General Statistics Office of Vietnam and World Bank from 2000 to 2022. Data processing was conducted using the STATA 17.0 software. The innovation affects Vietnam’s environmental pollution. Innovation positively affect environmental pollution in Vietnam; if Vietnam’s innovation were to increase by 1%, CO2 emissions would increase by 0.68%. The empirical research results of this study also show that renewable energy consumption has a negative effect on environmental pollution in Vietnam; if renewable energy were consumed at a 1% increase, CO2 emission would decrease by 0.51%. In addition, FDI inflows and economic growth have strongly positive affecting to environmental pollution; if Vietnam’s FDI inflows were to increase 1%, CO2 emissions would increase 1.39%; if Vietnam’s GDP increase 1% then CO2 emission would increase 1.26%. This paper also provides some recommendations that can assist Vietnam in developing a green and sustainable economy in the technology revolution 4.0 to achieve the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) over a long-term period.

The cDNA sequences of the common gonadotrophic hormone α-subunit (ag-GTHα) and 13 of the specific follicle-stimulating hormone β-subunit (ag-FSHβ) of the giant Amazonian fish Ara-14 paima gigas, have been previously isolated by our research group. A synthesis of ag-FSH in HEK293 15 cells and its purification and preliminary characterization were also carried out. In the present work, 16 ag-FSH was obtained and purified from the same host cells and an extensive physical chemical 17 characterization was performed via RP-HPLC, HPSEC and MALDI-TOF-MS. Ag-FSH, when com-18 pared to human FSH (hFSH), showed a higher hydrophobicity by RP-HPLC and a higher molecular 19 mass (MM) via HPSEC. The same higher MM was also confirmed via MALDI-TOF-MS: 35,353 Da 20 for ag-FSH against 31,969 Da for hFSH. Its immunological activity was also confirmed via an hFSH 21 ELISA, in comparison with the highly purified pituitary preparation of hFSH-AFP7298A, from the 22 National Hormone and Pituitary Program (NHPP-USA). Finally, an in-vitro bioassay, based on the 23 stimulated release of 11-ketotestosterone (11-KT) from immature A. gigas testis, quantified its bio-24 logical activity in comparison with human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) and with the WHO Inter-25 national Standard of recombinant hFSH (NIBSC-08/282) This suggests that injections of ag-FSH in 26 A. gigas and ag-FSH cDNA Gene Therapy applications should improve the reproductive functions 27 of this threatened species.

Despite the advances in stent design, coating drugs, polymers, the use of intravascular imaging, special devices (such as intravascular lithotripsy, ultra-high-pressure non-compliant balloons, and drug-coated balloons), and improved operator skills and techniques, the problem of in-stent restenosis (ISR) and stent thrombosis (ST) remains a challenge for interventional cardiologists. Atherosclerotic lesions, ISR, and ST, are systemic metabolic chronic inflammatory illnesses with a local manifestation in the coronary vessels. Therefore, we propose managing these systemic illnesses systemically through plant-based diet (PBD) intervention. We explain how PBD intervention can help mitigate atherosclerosis, ISR, and ST. Thus, PBD intervention can overcome biological and epigenetic problems in managing ISR and ST similarly to reversing atherosclerosis. Our team is pioneering the implementation of PBD for cardiology patients who have undergone coronary intervention. So far, the results have been very promising. We hope that in the future, many research studies will be performed to investigate further the role of PBD in decreasing the incidence of ISR and ST.

This study evaluated five annual and eleven perennial Indian pasture legumes species for their nutritive value, dry matter, mineral contents and in vitro fermentation parameters, aiming to boost their potential as animal feed. Legume species significantly differed (p<0.05) in organic matter, crud protein (CP), ether extracts, fibres, and protein fractions. Clitoria ternatea (CT) a perennial had higher (p<0.05) buffer soluble protein (477), while neutral detergent soluble protein was highest in annually grown Lablab purpureus (420 g/kg CP). Atylosia scarabaeoides (AS) had higher NSC (392 g/kg DM) than SC (367 g/kg DM). Rapidly degradable fraction (51.7 g/kg tCHO) was lower (p<0.05) than other fractions of carbohydrate. Total digestible nutrients, digestible energy and metabolisable energy varied and values were higher for Desmenthus virgatus and lowest for Stylosanthas seabrana (SSe). The NE values for lactation (NEL), maintenance (NEM) and gain (NEG) were also higher for DV (6.6, 7.95 and 4.28) and lowest for SSe (3.54, 4.24 and 0.58 kJ/g DM), respectively. dry matter intake, digestible DM (DDM) and relative feed value of legumes differed (p<0.05) with mean values of 2.22% body weight, 592 g/kg DM and 102%, respectively. Annual grasses like Dolichos biflorus, Macroptilium atropurpureum, Rhynchosia minima (RM) were found better with micro minerals compared to other perennials. In vitro dry matter degradability, partition factor, short chain fatty acids and microbial protein production of legumes varied (P<0.05) and mean values were 578 g/kg DM, 5.61 mg DDM/mL, 2.42 mm/g and 352 mg/g, respectively. Gas and CH4 production (mL/g and mL/g DDM) varied (p<0.05) being lowest gas from AS (55.5) and highest from CT-blue (141), while CH4 production was lower (p<0.05) from CT-white and AS (8.24 and 9.14) and higher from Arachis glabrata (AG) and Arachis hagenbackii (AH) (15.2 and 15.1). Methane in total gas was low for DV, RM and CT-w (8.99, 9.72 and 9.51%) and loss of DE and ME as CH4 varied (P<0.05) amongst the legumes with mean values of 4.62 and 7.86%, respectively. Based on these findings, each legume offers unique benefits, allowing for tailored combinations of annual and perennial legumes to optimize rumen feed efficiency.

As a mediator variable, self-confidence is one of the most effective elements of the decision-making process of consumer behaviour. This research has studied the effects of different aspects of consuming fashion on the self-confidence and behaviour of consumers in Tehran’s clothing market. This study has considered the acceptance of new products, interest in mode and fashion, utilitarianism, and personal taste in its analysis. This research aims to understand the fashion buying behaviour amongst Iranian consumers in consideration of their attitude towards self-confidence and aspects of fashion consumption. The statistic sample is 400 consumers from Tehran’s clothing market who have been chosen based on the random availability procedure. The primary tool in this research was a questionary used to testify the assumptions and a model fit created by using structural equations and factor analysis. This research showed that the interest in mode and fashion, personal taste, utilitarianism, and new products positively impact self-confidence. In addition, the positive impact of self-confidence on fashion buying behaviour was confirmed.

Artificial intelligence (AI) driven language models have seen a rapid rise in development, deployment, and adoption over the last few years. This surge has sparked many discussions about their societal and political impact, including political bias. Bias is a crucial topic in the context of large models due to its far-reaching consequences on technology, politics, and society. It significantly influences public perception, decision-making, political discourse, and AI policy governance and ethics. This study investigates political bias through a comparative analysis of four prominent AI models: ChatGPT-4, Perplexity, Google Gemini, and Claude.Through a comprehensive analysis by systematically and categorically evaluating their responses to politically and ideologically charged tests and prompts, utilizing the Pew Research Center’s Political Typology Quiz, the Political Compass assessment, and ISideWith political party quiz, this study identifies significant ideological leanings and the nature of political bias within these models. The findings revealed that ChatGPT-4 and Claude exhibit a liberal bias, Perplexity is more conservative, while Google Gemini adopts more centrist stances. The presence of such biases underscores the critical need for transparency in AI development and the incorporation of diverse training datasets, regular audits, and user education to mitigate these biases. This analysis also advocates for more robust practices and comprehensive frameworks to assess and reduce political bias in AI, ensuring these technologies contribute positively to society and support informed, balanced, and inclusive public discourse, which will point towards neutrality.The results of this study add to the ongoing discourse about the ethical implications and development of AI models, highlighting the critical need to build trust and integrity in AI models. Additionally, future research directions have been outlined to explore and address the complex issue of bias in AI.

This paper reports on the production and mechanical properties of Ti6Al4V micro-lattice structures, with strut thickness nearing the single-track width of the laser-based powder bed fusion (LPBF) system used. Besides providing new information on the mechanical properties and manufacturability of such thin-strut lattices, this paper also reports on the in-situ deformation imaging of micro-lattice structures with 6 unit cells in every direction. LPBF lattices are of interest for medical implants, due to the possibility of creating structures with an elastic modulus close to that of the bones and small pore sizes which allow effective osseointegration. In this work four different cubes were produced by laser powder bed fusion and subsequently analyzed using microCT, compression testing and one selected lattice was subjected to in-situ microCT imaging during compression. The in-situ imaging was performed at 4 steps during yielding. The results indicate that mechanical performance (elastic modulus and strength) correlate well with actual density and that this performance is remarkably good, despite the high roughness and irregularity of the struts at this scale. In-situ yielding is visually illustrated.

Purpose: Hearing assistive technology (HAT) has been shown to be a viable solution to the speech-in-noise perception (SPIN) issue in children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD); however, little is known about its efficacy in tonal language speakers. This study compared sentence-level SPIN performance between Chinese children with ASD and neurotypical (NT) children and evaluated HAT use in improving SPIN performance and easing SPIN difficulty. Methods: Children with ASD (n=26) and NT children (n=19) aged 6-12 performed two adaptive tests in steady-state noise and three fixed-level tests in quiet and steady-state noise with and without using HAT. Speech recognition thresholds (SRT) and accuracy rates were assessed using adaptive and fixed-level tests, respectively. Parents or teachers of the ASD group completed a questionnaire regarding children’s listening difficulty under six circumstances before and after a ten-day trial period of HAT use. Results: Although the two groups of children had comparable SRTs, the ASD group showed a significantly lower SPIN accuracy rate than the NT group. Also, a significant impact of noise was found in the ASD group’s accuracy rate, but not in the NT group’s. There was a general improvement in the ASD group’s SPIN performance with HAT and a decrease in their listening difficulty ratings across all conditions after the device trial. Conclusion: The findings indicated inadequate SPIN in the ASD group using a relatively sensitive measure to gauge SPIN performance among children. The markedly increased accuracy rate in noise during HAT-on sessions for the ASD group confirmed the feasibility of HAT for improving SPIN performance in controlled laboratory settings, and the reduced post-use ratings of listening difficulty further confirmed the benefits of HAT use in daily scenarios.

The Dubai Digital Government launched its recent guidelines, which call for artificial intelligence systems to be subject to legal accountability. This study discusses the extent to which autonomous robots can be granted legal personality in UAE law and the consistency of this approach with the provisions of Islamic jurisprudence. This research paper answered two main questions: First, the extent to which these guidelines are considered the beginning of work on granting legal personality to AI systems in the UAE. Second, what form of legal personality can be given to autonomous robots in UAE law to be consistent with the provisions of Islamic jurisprudence as a primary source of legislation in the country? The research concluded the impossibility of considering autonomous robots as a "thing" and classifying them within the concept of "persons." It also concluded that it is possible to give them legal personality according to two legislative solutions: granting them partial or incomplete performance eligibility like minors.

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

Costa Rica, renowned for its environmental sustainability, faces a pressing waste management crisis that threatens its ecological and public health achievements. This study provides a comprehensive analysis of Costa Rica's waste management challenges, focusing on urban areas like San José, where nearly half of the nation's waste is generated. Key issues include insufficient landfill capacity, a low recycling rate of 9.6%, and significant regional disparities in waste practices. Employing a hybrid modeling approach with Linear Regression and ARIMA models, the study forecasts CO2e emissions and waste minimization trends from 2024 to 2050, highlighting the critical role of public participation and innovative waste management strategies.The introduction of a Waste Management Innovation Index allows for a comparative analysis, positioning Costa Rica against global leaders like Germany and South Korea, and identifying areas where significant improvements are needed. The study also incorporates stakeholder perspectives to reveal the complex interplay of cultural, economic, and regulatory factors influencing waste management policies.Findings indicate that despite government initiatives like the Environmental Health Route and the National Circular Economy Strategy, success has been limited, particularly in rural areas. The study underscores the necessity of enhancing infrastructure, launching targeted public education campaigns, and adopting advanced technologies such as AI and blockchain to achieve sustainable waste management. Strategic recommendations are provided to help Costa Rica align its waste management practices with global standards.

The theory of the continuous two-dimensional (2D) Fourier Transform in polar coordinates has been recently developed but no discrete counterpart exists to date. In this paper, we propose and evaluate the theory of the 2D discrete Fourier Transform (DFT) in polar coordinates. This discrete theory is shown to arise from discretization schemes that have been previously employed with the 1D DFT and the discrete Hankel Transform (DHT). The proposed transform possesses orthogonality properties, which leads to invertibility of the transform. In the first part of this two-part paper, the theory of the actual manipulated quantities is shown, including the standard set of shift, modulation, multiplication, and convolution rules. Parseval and modified Parseval relationships are shown, depending on which choice of kernel is used. Similar to its continuous counterpart, the 2D DFT in polar coordinates is shown to consist of a 1D DFT, DHT and 1D inverse DFT.

Polymer electrolyte was used as a medium for testing the performance of microband electrodes under conditions of linear diffusion. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry experiments were performed in such viscous medium, where diffusion rates are much slower than in fluid solutions. Confirmation of the existence of such conditions from the log i vs. log v or log i vs. log t relationships in the current equation always yielded values lower than the expected value of 0.5. This could indicate impure linear diffusion profile, i. e. some contribution from radial diffusion (edge effect). However, performing these tests in monomeric solvents of similar viscosities, such as glycerol or propylene glycol, gave the desired value of 0.5. These results lead to the conclusion that current equations which are based on Fick’s laws may not be applicable for polymer electrolytes, where various obstruction to diffusion make it a more complicated process than in monomeric solvents.

Delta 9 tetrahydrocannabinol (Δ-9-THC or THC), the primary psychoactive constituent of marijuana, has been found to affect the human body in a variety of ways. According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the amount of THC in marijuana has steadily climbed over the past few decades, with today's marijuana having three times the concentration of THC compared to 25 years ago. Inhalation is a major route of exposure, allowing substances to enter the body via the respiratory tract. Therefore, it is imperative to understand the molecular underpinning of THC exposure in the lung epithelium, as lung cells receive significant amounts of THC during marijuana smoking. In this study, the transcriptional alterations caused by various concentrations of THC in non-cancerous human bronchial epithelial cell line (BEAS-2B) were studied. THC exposure (0, 800, 1000, 1200, and 1500 ng/mL) caused a significant dose-dependent decrease in cell viability after 24-hour exposure. Transcriptome analysis showed a distinct dose-dependent response. HIF-1 signaling, ferroptosis, AMPK signaling, and immunogenic pathways were activated by upregulated genes associated with dosing concentration of THC. Glutathione and fatty acid metabolic pathways were significantly altered by THC-dependent downregulated genes. and downregulated genes and their associated pathways in BEAS-2B cells. Ingenuity Pathway Analysis revealed several top canonical pathways altered by THC exposure, among which ferroptosis, NRF-2 mediated oxidative stress response, caveolar mediated endocytosis (loss of cell adhesion to the substrate), tumor microenvironment, HIF1alpha signaling, and the unfolded protein response pathways were the major pathways affected. The top genes that were significantly altered as a result of THC exposure were HMOX1, CDK7, HLA-C, and SLC39A4. Present results suggested that THC exposure can induce a variety of effects, including cell death, which may involve ferroptosis and the NRF-2 signaling pathway. Moreover, the Δ-9-THC-induced cell death was ameliorated by inhibiting the ferroptosis pathway. In contrast, the ferroptosis agonist exacerbated the cell death process, suggesting that Δ-9-THC utilizes the ferroptosis pathway to induce cell death in bronchial epithelial cells.

In article 16 of the United Nations Convention (UN), or the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC), which is usually called the Convention on the Rights of the Child, outlines the right of every child to privacy and protection against violations of privacy related to the home. , family, communication, and their good name. Children's privacy, especially when it comes to personal data, requires strict boundaries. Current digital developments influence children's parenting and thinking patterns with potential negative impacts. Children can be targets of abuse in the digital world. Children's personal data is often used until they become independent. This research, using normative legal methods, aims to analyze regulations related to the protection of children's personal data in the digital era. Therefore, updates are needed in the laws and regulations governing children's personal data to safeguard their privacy rights in accordance with the UNCRC.

Demand response flexible loads can provide fast regulation and ancillary services as reserve capacity in power systems. This paper proposes a joint optimization dispatch control strategy for source-load system with stochastic renewable power injection and flexible thermostatically controlled loads (TCLs) and plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs). Specifically, the optimization model is characterized by a chance constraint look-ahead programming to maximal the social welfare of both units and load agents. By solving the chance constraint optimization with sample average approximation (SAA) method, the optimal power scheduling for units and TCL/PEV agents can be obtained. Secondly, two demand response control algorithms for TCLs and PEVs are proposed respectively based on the aggregate control models of the load agents. The TCLs are controlled by its temperature setpoints and PEVs are controlled by its charging power such that the DR control objective can be fulfilled. The effectiveness of the proposed dispatch and control algorithm has been demonstrated by the simulation studies on a modified IEEE 39 bus system with a wind farm, a photovoltaic power station, two TCL agents and two PEV agents.

Axon guidance is a crucial process for growth of the central and peripheral nervous systems. In this study, 3 axon guidance related disorders, namely- Duane Retraction Syndrome (DRS) , Horizontal Gaze Palsy with Progressive Scoliosis (HGPPS) and Congenital fibrosis of the extraocular muscles type 3 (CFEOM3) were studied using various Systems Biology tools to identify the genes and proteins involved with them to get a better idea about the underlying molecular mechanisms including the regulatory mechanisms. Based on the analyses carried out, 7 significant modules have been identified from the PPI network. Five pathways/processes have been found to be significantly associated with DRS, HGPPS and CFEOM3 associated genes. From the PPI network, 3 have been identified as hub proteins- DRD2, UBC and CUL3.

The study investigated the influence of white vs 12 background and overlay colours on the reading process in school age children. Previous research reported that colours could affect reading skills as an important factor of the emotional and physiological state of the body. The aim of the study was to assess developmental differences between second and third grade students of elementary school and to evaluate differences in electroencephalography (EEG), ocular, electrodermal activities (EDA) and heart rate variability (HRV). Our findings showed a decreasing trend with age regarding EEG power bands (Alpha, Beta, Delta, Theta) and lower scores of reading duration and eye-tracking measures in younger children compared to older children. As shown in the results, HRV parameters showed higher scores in 12 background and overlay colours among second than third grade students which is linearly correlated to the level of stress and readable from EDA measures as well. The existing study showed the calming effect on second graders in turquoise and blue background colours. Considering other colours separately for each parameter, we assumed that there are no systematic differences in Reading duration, EEG power band, Eye-tracking and EDA measures.

Newly characterising 245 Italian and Albanian HCV-2 NS5B sequences collected between 2001 and 2016 was used to reconstruct the origin and dispersion pathways of HCV-2c. The tree of a subset of these sequences aligned with 247 publicly available sequences was reconstructed in spatio-temporal scale using the Bayesian approach, and the effective replication number (Re) was estimated using the birth-death model. Our findings show that HCV-2c was the most prevalent subtype in Italy and Albania, and that GT2 originated in Guinea Bissau in the XVI century and spread to Europe in the XX century. The HCV-2c subtype had two internal nodes respectively dating back to the 1930s and 1950s having as most probable locations Ghana and Italy, respectively. Phylodynamic analysis revealed an exponential increase in the effective number of infections and Re in both Italy between the 1950s and 1980s, and Albania between the 1990s and the early 2000s. It seems very likely that HCV-2c reached Italy from Africa at the time of the second Italian colonisation (1936-1941), but did not reach Albania until the period of dramatic migration to Italy in the 1990s.

This study investigates the impact of experienced contact on prejudiced attitudes toward individuals with intellectual disabilities (ID), examining beliefs in a just world (BJW) and social dominance orientation (SDO) as potential serial mediators. Data were collected from 224 university students (M = 23.02, SD = 2.48). Path analysis modeling assessed the structural relationships between the study variables. The findings revealed that experienced contact was negatively and significantly associated with BJW and SDO. Additionally, BJW and SDO fully mediated the relationship between experienced contact and overt prejudice. These findings underscore the influence of individual differences on attitudes toward individuals with ID, establishing a crucial foundation for future research and the development of interventions aimed at reducing prejudice and discrimination.

This study was aimed to highlight the trends of antibiotic resistance (AR) prevalence in two annualities, 2021 and 2022, for a major bacterial pathogen, Staphylococcus aureus, that causes mastitis infections necessitating antibiotic therapy in milk producing animals. Fiftyfour isolates, 27 for each year, were obtained from routine tests for the identification of clinical mastitis agents carried out in the author institution for four provinces of Abruzzo and Molise regions, Italy. These were analyzed for phenotypic resistance to eight antibiotics used in human therapy suggested for testing by the European guidelines and for the presence of 14 transferable AR genes by qPCR tests developed in this study. The prevalence of AR genes was lower than reported in studies carried out in other countries, except for blaZ detected in 59.2% 2021 isolates and in 48.1 % 2022 isolates. However, some iso-lates with blaZ were not resistant to cefoxitin. One methicillin resistant (MRSA) strain, carrying the mecA gene, was isolated in 2022 and two multidrug resistant (MDR) isolates were identified in 2021. Other AR genes occurring were aph3’-III (two 2021 isolates), ant6-Ia (one 2021 isolate), ermB (one 2022 isolate), ermC/T (two 2021 isolates) and mph (one 2022 isolate). An interview to the veterinarians who conferred the samples indicated a good management of antibiotic therapies in farms that could explain why AR prevalence was stable in the time inter-val considered, thus underlining the effectiveness of controlled antibiotic usage in containing the AR threat.

In the domain of financial trading, where accuracy and swift response to data discrep- ancies are paramount for maintaining clienttrust, our research paper delves into the development of a real-time alert system utilizing SpringBoot, a framework renowned for its robustness and adaptability in enterprise applications. We embark on a comprehensive journey, beginning with addressing thefoundational challenges inherent in monitoring trade inquiries - the necessity for real-time processing, unwavering data accuracy,and ensuring unwavering system reliability. The study then methodically transitions to the architectural design, where we explore howSpringBoot’s capabilities are optimally utilized to meet these challenges. Following this, we delve into the im- -plementationphase, detailing the strategic selection of compatible technologies and methods for effective data management and discrepancydetection. The paper culminates in a thorough evalu- ation of the system, where we assess performance across various operationalscenarios, scrutinize the accuracy of the discrepancy detection mechanisms, and integrate real-world feedback from users in thetrading sector. This holistic approach not only highlights the versatility and efficiency of SpringBoot in creating reliable alert systems in the high-stakes world of financial trading but also serves as a detailed guide for similar endeavors in this field

The ancient Duchy of Urbino (Marche and Emilia-Romagna Regions, Italy) is known for its spectacular landscapes linked to a unique geological history. This area owns an unexpected cultural resource, which concerns using its landscapes in art. Some great Renaissance artists, including Piero della Francesca, Raphael, and Leonardo, were so impressed by the landscapes that they reproduced them in their most famous paintings. This paper summarizes research concerned with their identification, employing a multidisciplinary method that has enabled the recognition of many morphologies. This contribution provides the scientific community with information on the methodology and regional and national projects developed in this area to enhance its cultural landscapes. Starting from the geological description of the territory, the research focuses on famous works by three great Renaissance artists, providing evidence and morphological details related to the recognition of places: “Nativity” by Piero della Francesca, “Madonna Litta” by Leonardo da Vinci and “Knight’s Dream” by Raphael. Finally, it is proposed to make these landscapes a timeless resource through their inclusion in UNESCO’s cultural heritage. This contribution is addressed to representatives of the administration, conservation, and enhancement of artistic and landscape heritage to stimulate new perspectives for research, education, and tourism within the cultural heritage of this area.

Oxidoreductase (OXR) enzymes are in high demand for biocatalytic applications in food industry and cosmetics: glucose oxidase (GOx), cellobiose dehydrogenase (CBDH), bioremediation: horseradish peroxidase (HRP), laccase (LAC), and medicine for biosensors and miniature biofuel cells (GOx, CBDH, LAC, HRP). They can be used in a soluble form and/or within the yeast cell walls expressed as chimeras on the surface of yeast cells (YSD), such as P. pastoris and S. cerevisiae. However, most of the current studies suffer from either low yield for soluble enzyme expression or low enzyme activity when expressed as chimeric proteins using YSD. This is always the case in studies dealing with heterologous expression of oxidoreductase enzymes, since there is requirement not only for multiple OXR genes integrations into the yeast genome (super transformations), and codon optimization, but also very careful design of fermentation media composition, and fermentation conditions during expression due to need for adding transition metals (copper, iron), and metabolic precursors of FAD and heme. Therefore, scientists are still trying to find optimal formula using above mentioned approaches, and most recently also using protein engineering and directed evolution for additional increase in the yield of recombinant enzyme production. In this review article we will cover all the current state of the art technologies and most recent advances in the field that yielded high expression level for some of these enzymes in specially designed expression/fermentation systems. We will also tackle and discuss new possibilities for further increase in fermentation yield by the cutting-edge technologies such are directed evolution, protein and strain engineering, high-throughput screening methods based on in vitro compartmentalization, flow cytometry and microfluidics.

This study presents a methodology to reveal traces of viral particles, as aerosol with known chemical and molecular structure, in a sample by means of photon and electron interactions. The method is based on Monte Carlo simulations and on the analysis of photon-electron fluxes-spectra through energy channels counts as a function of different aerosol viral concentrations in the air sample and looking at the peculiar photon/electron interactions with the potential abnormal atomic hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), carbon (C), and phosphorus (P) compositions present in the air sample as a function of living and nonliving matter with PO4 group RNA/DNA strands in a cluster configuration.

This paper investigates the classical but yet intriguing question of modeling orthotropic RC floor systems endowed with lightening elements, by means of a uniform orthotropic slab, in order to describe accurately the building response under seismic loads. The simplified method, commonly adopted by engineers, based on the equivalence between the transverse stiffness of the RC elements of the real floor and those of the orthotropic slab is presented. A case study in which this simplified method is used is also provided. Then, an advanced finite elements (FE) based method to determine the elastic properties of the equivalent homogenized orthotropic slab is proposed. Based on the results obtained from the application of this method to a case study, a discussion on the adequacy of the simplified method is also provided.

This study investigates the transformative impact of ChatGPT, a cutting-edge AI language model developed by OpenAI, on the financial sector. We explore ChatGPT's applications in financial analysis, focusing on its ability to perform tasks traditionally handled by human analysts. By creating a set of multi-step and advanced reasoning financial tasks, and establishing several task-specific evaluation metrics, our experimental results demonstrate that ChatGPT-4o can effectively perform both basic and some complex financial analysis tasks comparable to those executed by humans. However, our empirical evaluation reveals limitations in its performance on complex tasks that require comprehensive understanding and critical thinking. The study highlights the necessity for meticulous task formulation and robust evaluation to achieve consistent functionality. While ChatGPT enhances efficiency in financial analysis, its integration with human expertise remains crucial for effective decision-making. This study contributes to the understanding of AI's role in finance and provides insights into its potential and constraints, guiding future integration of AI technologies in financial practices.

This article purposed to examine the impact of integration between Lean accounting (LA) tools & Just in Time (JIT) technique on Cost Reduction (CR) in modern manufacturing environment in Saudi establishments, these two variable moderated by Ethical Standards (ESs). A quantitative methodology was used for realizing the study objectives and answering study questions, the main tool exercised for producing the incipient data was a fully-structured questionnaire with closed ended questions, which was designed and passed around online among a selected sample of (109) managers and accountants in Saudi manufacturing firms. Descriptive and deductive statistics adopted to derive the findings, wherefore the compiled responses analyzed by SPSS & AMOS and the results showed that there is direct and indirect effect of LA tools & JIT technique on CR in Saudi industrial companies, especially when using ESs. These findings could provide decision makers in Saudi manufacturing companies with the acuity of adopting both methods in a combined way to maximize the profits of these firms. The results of this study also suggest that the application of LA tools & JIT technique has a positive effect on the promotion of sustainable manufacture and consequent achievement of high sustainable performance.

Background: Abdominal migraine (AM) is a clinical diagnosis specified by Rome IV and ICHD III as a functional gastrointestinal disease (FGID) and a migraine associated syndrome, respectively. AM is undiagnosed and undertreated, and thus far the FDA has not approved any drug for AM treatment. We and others showed that changes in the kynurenine (KYN) pathway of tryptophan (TRP) metabolism played an important role in the pathogenesis and treatment of FIGDs. Changes in the KYN pathway were shown in migraine. Findings: Abdominal migraine reflects impairments in communication within the gut-brain axis. Treatment approaches have not been sufficiently documented and are based on experience of physicians, presenting personal rather than evidence-based practice and including efficacy of some drugs used in adult migraine. Non-pharmacological treatment of AM is aimed preventing or ameliorating AM triggers. Modulations within the KYN pathway of TRP metabolism induced by changes in TRP content in the diet, may ameliorate FGIDs and support their pharmacological treatment. Pharmacological manipulations of brain KYNs in animals have brought promising results for clinical applications. Conclusions: In conclusion, controlled placebo-based clinical trials with dietary manipulation to adjust the amount of the product of the KYN pathway of TRP metabolism are justified in children and adolescents with AM. Further preclinical studies are needed to establish details of these trials.

A fully analytical treatment of the base-pair and codon dynamics in double-stranded DNA molecules is introduced, by means of a realistic treatment which considers different mass values for G, A, T, and C nucleotides and takes into account the intrinsic three-dimensional, helicoidal geometry of DNA in terms of a Hamitonian in cylindrical coordinates. Within the framework of the Peyrard-Dauxois-Bishop model we consider the coupling between stretching and stacking radial oscillations as well as the twisting motion of each base pair around the helix axis. By comparing the linearized dynamical equations for the angular and radial variables when going from the bp local scale to the longer triplet codon scale, we report an underlying hierarchical symmetry. The existence of synchronized collective oscillations of the base-pairs and their related codon triplet units are disclosed from the study of their coupled dynamical equations. The possible biological role of these correlated, long-range oscillation effects in double standed DNA molecules containing mirror-symmetric codons of the form XXX, XX’X, X’XX’, YXY, and XYX is discussed in terms of the dynamical equations solutions and their related dispersion relations.

There is a growing need to implement modern technologies, such as digital twinning, to improve the efficiency of transport fleet maintenance processes and maintain the company's operational capacity at the required level. Therefore, the paper reviews the existing literature to present an up-to-date and content-relevant analysis in this field. The proposed methodology is a systematic literature review using the Primo multi-search tool following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyzes (PRISMA) guidelines. The main inclusion criteria included the publication dates (studies published from 2012–2024) and studies published in English. This resulted in the selection of 201 of the most relevant papers in the area of investigation. Finally, selected articles in this review were categorized into seven groups: a) air transportation, b) railway transportation, c) land transportation (road), d) in-house logistics, e) water and intermodal transportation, f) supply chain operation, and g) other applications. One of the main advantages of the study is that the results are obtained from different scientific sources/databases thanks to using the multi-search tool. Moreover, a bibliometric analysis of the selected papers was performed. The results have led the authors to specify the main research problems and trends related to the analyzed area and to identify the main research gaps for future investigation from academic and engineering perspectives. In addition, based on the review results, a framework for DT in transportation system maintenance was developed. The study ends with conclusions and future research directions.

Bridging the gap between traditional education and matching the pace of education with the rest of the world, Govt. of India implemented a new education policy this year which was much awaited for a long time. The new education policy is a big step to change India's overall education scenario by changing the examination pattern. However, this new type of decision-making process seeks to ensure that it achieves great benefits covering all uncovered elements while keeping technology as a parameter, so this new policy in the previous education system is also missing some key issues that must be addressed in the next amendments. Making it an example of impact, this paper describes salient issues where new educational policies are silent or those grey areas have been only superficially touched upon.

Spatial biology is a rapidly growing research field which focuses on the transcriptomic or proteomic profiling of single cells within tissues with preserved spatial information. Imaging-based spatial transcriptomics uses epifluorescence microscopy, which has shown remarkable results for identification of multiple targets in situ. Nonetheless, the number of genes that can be reliably visualized is limited by the diffraction of light. Here, we investigate the effect of structured illumination (SIM), a super-resolution microscopy approach, over the performance of single gene transcript detection in spatial transcriptomics experiments. We performed direct mRNA-targeted hybridization in situ sequencing for multiple genes in mouse coronal brain tissue sections. We evaluated spot detection performance in widefield and confocal images versus those with SIM in combination with 20X, 25X and 60X objectives. In general, SIM increases the detection efficiency of gene transcripts spots compared to widefield and confocal modes. For each case, the specific fold increase in localizations is dependent on gene transcripts density and the numerical aperture of the objective used, which showed to play an important role especially for densely clustered spots. Taken together, our results suggest that SIM has the capacity to improve spot detection and overall data quality in spatial transcriptomics.

In the most cases, invasive ductal carcinoma (IDC) of the breast is identifiable when they present with classic infiltrative growth pattern. However, subset of IDC can occur in a very sneaky way, significantly mimicking the appearance of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS). In this condition, it’s much easier to miss the invasive component without pulling ancillary staining when morphologic findings are extremely compatible with DCIS, especially the diagnosis of DCIS was made on the previous biopsy. Here, we reported a 55 year-old female who was noted to have microcalcification at the 11:00 o’clock of the right posterior breast on routine mammographic examination in 09/2023. Biopsy of the calcification area in 10/2023 reported high grade DCIS (ER+ PR-). Histologic examination of subsequent mastectomy specimen showed two separate DCIS-looking areas (Figure 1A-D and Figure 2). Immunohistochemical (IHC) staining showed that myoepithelial markers, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SMMHC), p63, CK5/6 and S100, were retained at the periphery of all the expanded acini in one area (Figure 1E-H). Unexpectedly and surprisingly, myoepithelial markers were completely lost at the periphery of part of the DCIS-looking acini in another area (Figure 3A-H), immunohistochemically compatible with the diagnosis of invasive ductal carcinoma admixed with DCIS. Knowing that invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast can present as DCIS-looking morphology, especially given the condition that the diagnosis of DCIS was rendered on the previous biopsy, will enhance awareness of pathologists to recognize DCIS-looking invasive ductal carcinoma. In turn, this will prevent misdiagnosis and under-treatment of patients with invasive ductal carcinoma of the breast.

The growing shortage of human resources to manage landscape in the water environment has led to problems concerning preservation of the landscape in Japan. To cultivate people with awareness about preserving the landscape, it is important to understand the process of how a region’s residents develop an attachment toward the water environment in their area. This paper identified factors influencing the attachment of residents toward the Fukushima-gata lagoon, Niigata prefecture, Japan, as a case study while focusing on changes in the lifestyle of the regional residents. The findings are as follows: (1) The target households frequently used Fukushima-gata lagoon for “fishing and for picking edible wild plants” and “gathering reeds to make thatched roofs” before “the reclamation project was carried out by the government in Fukushima-gata lagoon.” They also frequented Fukushima-gata lagoon for “walking and cherry blossom viewing” after “the reclamation project” was implemented. (2) Even the fact that distance from the lagoon to their place of residence increased after the project did not lose their attachment to the lagoon. (3) It was suggested that the project contributed to increase the attachment of regional residents towards Fukushima-gata lagoon because of multiple factors such as “playing in the water,” “livelihood opportunity,” “recreational use,” and so on. (4) Changes in the attachment of regional residents toward Fukushima-gata lagoon before and after the reclamation project was carried out by the government corresponded to “changes in the lifestyle of the local residents” before and after the project.

This study addresses the critical need for standardizing Building Information Modeling (BIM) Execution Plans (BEPs) in the Architecture, Engineering, Construction, and Operations (AECO) sector. By analyzing 36 BEP documents from international organizations, we identify key elements and propose a comprehensive framework aimed at enhancing digital transformation and collaboration in complex construction projects. This research employs scientometric analysis to map the evolution of BEP standards and integrates empirical data from industry surveys to validate the proposed framework. Our findings highlight the benefits of standardized BEPs in reducing inefficiencies and improving project outcomes, thereby providing a significant contribution to the field of BIM implementation.

Salmonid alphavirus strain 3 is responsible for outbreaks of pancreas disease in salmon and rainbow trout in Norway. Although the extensive amount of research on SAV3 focused mainly on the heart and pancreas (of clinical importance), tropism and pathogenesis studies of the virus in other salmon tissues are limited. Here, we used a combination of RT-qPCR (Q_nsp1 gene) and in situ hybridization (RNAscope®) to demonstrate the tropism of SAV3 in situ in tissues of Atlantic salmon, employing a challenge model (by cohabitation). In addition, as previous results suggested that pseudobranch may harbor the virus, the change in the expression of different immune genes upon SAV3 infection (RT-qPCR) was focused on the pseudobranch in the current study. In situ hybridization detected SAV3 in the heart, pseudobranch, gills, pyloric caeca, and pancreas after virus infection, with the heart ventricle showing the most extensive infection. Furthermore, the detection of the virus at different adipose tissues associated with the internal organs of the salmon, suggests a specific affinity of SAV3 to adipocyte’s components. The innate immune response to SAV3 in the pseudobranch after infection dominated over the adaptive responses, yet it did not mitigate the infection in that tissue. The early detection of SAV3 in the pseudobranch after infection, along with the persistent low infection over the experimental course, suggests a pivotal role of the pseudobranch in SAV3 pathogenesis in Atlantic salmon.

Alkyl moieties—open chain or cyclic—are common in drug molecules and can be internal or terminal. The open-chain alkyls can be linear or branched; the cyclic alkyls may be substituted. Usually, the branches in open-chain alkyls and substituents in cycloalkyls influence both the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of a drug molecule. The hydrophobicity of alkyl moieties in drug molecules is modified by metabolic hydroxy functionalization via free-radical intermediates to give primary, secondary, or tertiary alcohols depending on the class of the substrate carbon. The hydroxymethyl groups resulting from the functionalization of methyl groups are mostly oxidized further to carboxyl groups to give carboxy metabolites. As observed from the surveyed cases in this review, hydroxy functionalization leads to loss, attenuation, or retention of pharmacologic activity with respect to the parent drug. On the other hand, carboxy functionalization leads to a loss of activity with the exception of only a few cases in which activity is retained. The exceptions are those groups in which the carboxy functionalization occurs at a position distant from a well-defined primary pharmacophore. Some parent-drug equiactive hydroxy metabolites have been developed into metabolite ester prodrugs, while some of the parent-drug carboxy metabolites have been developed into metabolite drugs. In this review, we present and discuss the above state of affairs for a variety of drug classes, using selected drug members to show the effect on pharmacologic activity as well as dependence of the metabolic change on drug molecular structure. Some subtexts found to manifest from the hydroxy and carboxy functionalization of alkyl moieties in drug molecules are presented and discussed. The review provides basis for informed predictions of (i) structural features required for metabolic hydroxy and carboxy functionalization of alkyl moieties in existing or planned small drug molecules; and (ii) whether the resulting metabolites will possess pharmacologic activity or be devoid of it.

Endometriosis is a common finding among women with infertility and women who are diag-nosed with endometriosis are almost twice as likely to experience infertility. Mechanisms by which endometriosis causes infertility remain poorly understood. In this review we evaluate the current literature on the impact of endometriosis on oocyte and embryo quality. The presence of endometriosis evidently reduces ovarian reserve, oocyte quality and embryo quality, however this does not appear to translate to a clear clinical impact. Analysis of data from large assisted reproduction technology registries has shown that women with endometriosis have a lower oo-cyte yield but no reduction in reproductive outcomes. There is a need for future studies in the form of well-designed randomised controlled trials to further evaluate the role of surgical and medi-cal treatment options in women with endometriosis undergoing assisted conception.

Wolfram syndrome 1 (WS1) is an uncommon autosomal recessive neurological disorder that is characterized by diabetes insipidus, early-onset non-autoimmune diabetes mellitus, optic atrophy, and deafness (DIDMOAD). Other clinical manifestations are neuropsychiatric symptoms, urinary tract alterations, and endocrinological disorders. The rapid clinical course of WS1 results in death by the age of 30. Severe brain atrophy leads to central respiratory failure, which is the main cause of death in WS1 patients. Mutations in the WFS1 gene, located on chromosome 4p16, account for approximately 90% of WS1 cases. The gene produces wolframin, a transmembrane glycoprotein widely distributed and highly expressed in retinal, neural, and muscular tissues. Wolframin plays a crucial role in the regulation of apoptosis, insulin signaling, and ER calcium homeostasis, as well as the ER stress response. WS1 has been designated as a neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorder due to the numerous abnormalities in the ER stress-mediated system. WS1 is a devastating neurodegenerative disease that affects patients and their families. Early diagnosis and recognition of the initial clinical signs may slow the disease's progression and improve symptomatology. Moreover, it is critical to provide genetic counseling to the patient's relatives in order to reduce the risk of transmitting WS1. Regrettably, there are currently no specific drugs for the therapy of this fatal disease. A better understanding of the etiology of WS1 will make possible the development of new therapeutic approaches that may enhance the life expectancy of patients. This review will examine the pathogenetic mechanisms, development, and progression of neuropsychiatric diseases commonly associated with WS1. A thorough understanding of WS1's neurophysiopathology is critical for achieving the goal of improving patients' quality of life and life expectancy.

In the text, the synthesis and characteristics of the novel ONS-type vanadium(V) complexes with thioanilide derivatives of amino acids are described. They have shown inhibition of human protein tyrosine phosphatases (PTP1B, LAR, SHP1 and SHP2) in the submicromolar range, as well as inhibition of non-tyrosine phosphatases (CDC25A and PPA2) similar to bis(maltolato)oxovanadium(IV)(BMOV). The ONS complexes increased [14C]-deoxy-D-glucose transport into C2C12 myocytes, and one of them, VC070, also enhanced this transport in 3T3-L1 adipocytes. These complexes inhibited gluconeogenesis in hepatocytes HepG2, but none of them decreased lipid accumulation in the non-alcoholic fatty liver disease model using the same cells. Compared to the tested ONO-type vanadium complexes with 5-bromosalicylaldehyde and substituted benzhydrazides as Schiff base ligand components, the ONS complexes revealed stronger inhibition of protein tyrosine phosphatases, but the ONO complexes showed greater activity in the cell models in general. Moreover, the majority of the active complexes from both groups showed better effects than VOSO4 and BMOV. Complexes from both groups activated AKT and ERK signaling pathways in hepatocytes to a comparable extent. One of the ONO complexes, VC068, showed activity in all of the above models, also including glucose utilization in the myocytes and glucose transport in insulin-resistant hepatocytes. The discussion section explicates the results within the wider scope of the knowledge about vanadium complexes.

We argue that the problem of time is not a crucial issue inherent in the quantum picture of the universe evolution. On the minisuperspace model example with the massless scalar field, we demonstrate four approaches to the description of quantum evolution, which give similar results explicitly. The relevance of these approaches to building a quantum theory of gravity is discussed.

In this paper, an in-wheel vibration absorber for In-wheel-motor electric vehicle (IWM EV) is designed, and a comprehensive control strategy of in-wheel absorber and vehicle suspension is proposed to improve vehicle ride comfort. The proposed in-wheel vibration absorber, designed for suppressing the motor vibration, is composed of a spring and a controllable damper. The values of in-wheel spring stiffness and damper initial coefficient are determined by using the improved particle swarm optimization (IPSO) algorithm, which is carried on the typical driving condition. To deal with the negative interaction effects between vehicle suspension and in-wheel absorber, the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) algorithm is utilized to control suspension damper, and the fuzzy PID method is utilized to control in-wheel damper. Based on the four evaluation indexes including vehicle body vertical acceleration, suspension dynamic deflection, wheel dynamic load and motor wallop, the simulation results show that, the proposed LQR control of suspension effectively improves vehicle ride comfort, and the fuzzy PID control of in-wheel damper exhibits superior performance of motor vibration suppressing in comparison to conventional electric wheel.

Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common subtype of non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a heterogeneous disease characterized by mature B-cell neoplasms. The standard immunochemotherapy for DLBCL is R-CHOP, which includes rituximab, cyclophosphamide, doxoru-bicin, vincristine, and prednisone. Up to 30-40% of patients with DLBCL either exhibit primary refractory disease to standard treatment or experience relapse after the initial response. A 72-year-old man diagnosed with DLBCL involving chromosomal translocations t(1;22)(q21;q11.2) and t(6;18)(p25;q21) showed primary refractory disease after the fourth cycle of R-CHOP. The patient ultimately experienced cardiac involvement by the lymphoma and received salvage chemotherapy. He passed away about 15 months away after the diagnosis of DLBCL. We conducted fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for further analysis of the chromosomal translocations. The breakpoint of chromosome 1q21 was located at a distance of around 151 Mb from the telomeric end of chromosome 1p. The breakpoint in chromosome 22q11 contains the immunoglobulin lambda locus. Furthermore, the breakpoint of chromosome 6p was in the telomeric region of chromosome 6p21. The breakpoint of chromosome 18q21 contains BCL2. This case report presents the first documented co-occurrence of chromosomal translocations t(1;22)(q21;q11.2) and t(6;18)(p25;q21) in a patient with DLBCL. These chromosomal translocations may indicate a worse clinical outcome.

The article attempts to place the research within the broader context of urban living labs (ULLs) and highlights the significance of understanding success criteria by gathering data from key stakeholders associated with Basaksehir Living Lab, Bodrum Living Lab and Mezopotamya Living Lab via the in-depth interview method. However, there is a literature gap in terms of a comprehensive understanding of the success criteria specific to ULLs, which hinders the effective utilization of ULLs as platforms for addressing urban challenges. The conclusions drawn from the article emphasize the need for further examination of these labs' openness, user empowerment, and transferability criteria. Nevertheless, the article contributes to understanding the success criteria of ULLs and provides insights for future research and practice.

Over the last decade, Psidium guajava L. (guava) leaves have demonstrated their in vitro and in vivo effect against Diabetes mellitus (DM). However, there is a lack of literature concerning the effect of the individual phenolic compounds present in the leaves in DM disease. For this reason, the aim of the present work was the in silico evaluation of each phenolic compound. The identification of an 80% ethanol extract of guava leaves revealed the presence of 73 compounds. The in silico study carried out with the DIA-DB web server revealed that aldose reductase was the target protein with heterogeneous affinity. Naringenin exhibited the highest number of interactions with target proteins, and compounds like catechin, quercetin, naringenin and morin displayed similarities with known antidiabetic drugs. In conclusion, the computational workflow showed that guava leaves contain several compounds that can play a therapeutic role in the treatment of DM.

We study the resonant dipole-dipole interaction energy between two uniformly accelerated identical atoms, one excited and the other in the ground state, prepared in a correlated Bell-type state, and interacting with the scalar field or the electromagnetic field nearby a perfectly reflecting plate. We suppose the two atoms moving with the same uniform acceleration, parallel to the plane boundary, and that their separation is constant during the motion. We separate the contributions of vacuum fluctuations and radiation reaction field to the resonance energy shift of the two-atom system, and show that Unruh thermal fluctuations do not affect the resonance interaction, which is exclusively related to the radiation reaction field. However, nonthermal effects of acceleration in the radiation-reaction contribution, beyond the Unruh acceleration-temperature equivalence, affect the resonance interaction energy. By considering specific geometric configurations of the two-atom system relative to the plate, we show that the presence of the mirror significantly modifies the resonance interaction energy between the two accelerated atoms. In particular, we find that new and different features appear with respect to the case of atoms in the free space, related to the presence of the boundary and to the peculiar structure of the quantum electromagnetic field vacuum in the locally inertial frame. Our results suggest the possibility to exploit the resonance interaction between accelerated atoms, as a probe for detecting the elusive effects of atomic acceleration on radiative processes.