New data on the climate in southern Spain from 1792 to 1808 are analyzed in this work. The data source is the newspaper Correo Mercantil de España y sus Indias, where summaries of the weather conditions in Spain were published at weekly resolution. The study is focused on southern provinces, providing 2788 new records, some of them corresponding to areas without data previously recorded. The analysis indicates the predominance of cold-dry winters, cold-wet springs, warm-dry summers, and variable conditions in autumn, from west (cold-wet) to east (warm-dry). Some examples of these situations are presented.

Research has shown that second language reading is the bridge that leads to developing otherlanguage skills such as speaking, writing, and vocabulary acquisition. Hence, the present studyaimed to explore adult language learners’ perspectives regarding the most effective andbeneficial reading strategies that can be used to develop their reading competency. Using aqualitative research method, the study examined what specific reading strategies languagelearners believe is effective in developing their reading skills. Analysis of the focus groupsrevealed five different reading strategies mentioned by the participants. These strategies were:Reading Aloud, Silent Reading, Shared Reading, Scanning or Skimming, and Timed Reading. Findings suggest that understanding the use of different reading strategies is important, solanguage teachers need to devote more learning time to introduce reading strategies during ESL classes.

Here, I introduce a concept called autonomous selection to refer to a source of selection that is part of the individuals upon which it acts. The concept is motivated by a set of phenomena with the following characteristics: Natural selection shaped a variant (e.g., gene, epigenetic mark, or combination thereof) to act in a manner that reduces the frequency of one or more heritable traits of the individual in which it is located if those traits are detrimental to individual or group fitness. Phenomena with these characteristics are peculiar to traditional evolutionary theory but have been identified rather frequently in recent decades. They are also relevant to adaptive evolution: By reducing the frequency of a trait detrimental to fitness, the variant accelerates the evolution of adaptations, which allows its holders to adapt better to constantly changing environments. The variant is shaped by (natural) selection, but also does (autonomous) selection. Several phenomena with these characteristics have been invoked by proponents of the extended evolutionary synthesis (EES). The concept of autonomous selection helps resolve some of the controversy surrounding the EES: EES proponents call attention to the incompleteness of contemporary theory, emphasizing individuals’ processes that influence which adaptations those individuals evolve. I argue for the special importance of individuals’ processes that do not just influence those individuals’ adaptations, but also accelerate the adaptive evolution of those individuals. All known phenomena that fit this description are examples of autonomous selection. Other phenomena raised by EES proponents do not meet this threshold.

The influence of both the absolute values of the dollar/ruble exchange rate (rate) and its changes per day on the balance of the Bank of Russia operations for ruble liquidity provision and absorption (saldo) was investigated. Daily data were used from January 2015 to April 2018. It was found that the change in the rate 6 days ago is the cause (according to Granger) of the saldo value. For the saldo dynamics, an oscillatory model with an external force - a change in the rate - is proposed. Using the Kalman filter, the model parameters were estimated and saldo forecasted. Found period of self-oscillation is 4.218 days and attenuation of the amplitude for a day in 2.179 times. The rate growth of 1 RUB, after 6 days, causes saldo increase of approximately 20 billion rubles. In fact, the changes in rate cause the variability of the saldo not more than for found coefficient of determination (26.7%), but the "change in the rate-liquidity saldo" system during the crisis-free period has a high "Q-factor," and changes in the rate, repeated with a period close to self-one, can cause large-amplitude fluctuations in saldo.

The speech entailed in human voice comprises essentially para-linguistic information used in many voice-recognition applications. Gender voice-recognition is considered one of the pivotal parts to be detected from a given voice, a task that involves certain complications. In order to distinguish gender from a voice signal, a set of techniques have been employed to determine relevant features to be utilized for building a model from a training set. This model is useful for determining the gender (i.e, male or female) from a voice signal. The contributions are involved in two folds: (i) providing analysis information about well-known voice signal features using a prominent dataset, (ii) studying various machine learning models of different theoretical families to classify the voice gender, and (iii) using three prominent feature selection algorithms to find promisingly optimal features for improving classification models. Experimental results show the importance of sub-features over others, which are vital for enhancing the efficiency of classification models performance. Experimentation reveals that the best recall value is equal to 99.97%; 99.7% of two models of Deep Learning (DL) and Support Vector Machine (SVM) and with feature selection the best recall value is 100% for SVM techniques.

This paper based on systems - theoretic approach to the definition of a country's GDP as not directly observable characteristic of system state. Leontief dynamic model is generalized to take into account the stimulating effect of consumption on GDP growth. In consumption, apart from final consumption, terms are considered: balance of foreign trade, fictitious investments and hidden costs. The Kalman filter uses Rosstat's gross output (for system output) and final consumption (for system control) data from 1995 to 2015. It is concluded that if in the years 2014, 2015 it was possible to increase consumption by 5% by, say, price cuts or some increase in money supply, then GDP would be greater by about 2.5%. GDP real values in recent years are most likely greater than official values. Fictitious investments and hidden costs are found in the amount of up to third the value of final consumption. The accuracy of one-year forecasts of true GDP by the methodology of this article is approximately 1.5%.

Modern radio spectrometers make measurement of polarized intensity as a function of Faraday depth possible. I investigate the effect of depolarization along a model line of sight. I model sightlines with two components informed by observations: a diffuse interstellar medium with a lognormal electron density distribution and a narrow, denser component simulating a spiral arm or H~{\sc ii} region, all with synchrotron-emitting gas mixed in. I then calculate the polarized intensity from 300-1800 MHz and calculate the resulting Faraday depth spectrum. The idealized synthetic observations show far more Faraday complexity than is observed in Global Magneto-Ionic Medium Survey observations. In a model with a very nearby H~{\sc ii} region observed at low frequencies, most of the effects of a ``depolarization wall'' are evident: the H~{\sc ii} region depolarizes background emission and less (but not zero) information from beyond the H~{\sc ii} region reaches the observer. In other cases, the effects are not so clear, as significant amounts of information reach the observer even through significant depolarization, and it is not clear that low-frequency observations sample largely different volumes of the interstellar medium than high-frequency observations. The observed Faraday depth can be randomized such that it does not always have any correlation with the true Faraday depth.

A classical origin for the Bohmian quantum potential, as that potential term arises in the quantum mechanical treatment of black holes and Einstein-Rosen (ER) bridges, can be based on 4th-order extensions of Einstein's equations. In Bohm's ontological interpretation, black hole radiation, and the analogous tunneling process of quantum transmission through an ER bridge, are classically allowed if the dynamics are modified to include such a quantum potential. The 4th-order extension of general relativity required to generate the quantum potential is given by adding quadratic curvature terms with coefficients that maintain a fixed ratio, as their magnitudes approach zero. Quantum transmission through the classically non-traversable bridge is replaced by classical transmission through a traversable wormhole. If entangled particles are connected by a Planck-width ER bridge, as conjectured by Maldacena and Susskind, then the classical wormhole transmission effect gives the ontological nonlocal connection between the particles posited in Bohm's interpretation of their entanglement. It is hypothesized that higher-derivative extensions of classical gravity can account for the nonlocal part of the quantum potential generally.

Over past decades, a frequent co-morbidity of cerebrovascular pathology and Alzheimer's disease pathology has been observed. Numerous published studies indicate that preservation of healthy cerebrovascular endothelium can be an important therapeutic target. By incorporating appropriate drug(s) into biomimetic (lipid cubic-phase) nanocarriers, one obtains a multitasking combination therapeutic which targets certain cell-surface scavenger receptors, mainly class B type 1 (i.e., SR-BI), and crosses the blood-brain barrier. This targeting allows for various Alzheimer’s-related cell types to be simultaneously searched out for localized drug treatment in vivo.

Hybrid carbon-silicon, carbon-nitrogen, and carbon-boron clathrates are new classes of Type I carbon-based clathrates that have been identified by first-principles computational methods by substituting atoms on the carbon clathrate framework with Si, N, and/or B atoms. The hybrid framework is further stabilized by embedding appropriate guest atoms within the cavities of the cage structure. Series of hybrid carbon-silicon, carbon-boron, carbon-nitrogen, and carbon-silicon-nitrogen clathrates have been shown to exhibit small positive values of the energy of formation, indicating that they may be metastable compounds and amenable to fabrication. In this overview article, the energy of formation, elastic properties, and electronic properties of selected hybrid carbon-based clathrates are summarized. Theoretical calculations that explore the potential applications of hybrid carbon-based clathrates as energy storage materials, electronic materials, or hard materials are presented. The computational results identify compositions of hybrid carbon-silicon and carbon-nitrogen clathrates that may be considered candidate materials for use as either electrode materials for Li-ion batteries or as hydrogen storage materials. Prior processing routes for fabricating selected hybrid carbon-based clathrates are highlighted and difficulties encountered are discussed.

Owing to the complexity of neurodegenerative diseases, multiple cellular types need to be targeted simultaneously in order for a given therapy to demonstrate any major effectiveness. Ultrasound-sensitive coated microbubbles (in a targeted nanoemulsion) are available. Versatile small-molecule drug(s) targeting multiple pathways of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis are known. By incorporating such drug(s) into the targeted LCM/ND lipid nanoemulsion type, one obtains a multitasking combination therapeutic for translational medicine. This multitasking therapeutic targets cell-surface scavenger receptors (mainly SR-BI), making possible for various Alzheimer's-related cell types to be simultaneously searched out for localized drug treatment in vivo. Besides targeting cell-surface SR-BI, the proposed LCM/ND-nanoemulsion combination therapeutic(s) include a characteristic lipid-coated microbubble [LCM] subpopulation (i.e., a stable LCM suspension); such LCM substantially reduce the acoustic power levels needed for accomplishing temporary noninvasive (transcranial) ultrasound treatment, or sonoporation, if additionally desired for the Alzheimer's patient.

Due to the complexity of Alzheimer's disease, multiple cellular types need to be targeted simultaneously in order for a given therapy to demonstrate any major effectiveness. Ultrasound-sensitive coated microbubbles (in a targeted lipid nanoemulsion) are available. Versatile small molecule drug(s) targeting multiple pathways of Alzheimer's disease pathogenesis are known. By incorporating such drug(s) into the targeted LCM/ND lipid nanoemulsion type, one obtains a multitasking combination therapeutic for translational medicine. This multitasking therapeutic targets cell-surface scavenger receptors (mainly SR-BI), making possible for various Alzheimer's-related cell types to be simultaneously searched out for localized drug treatment in vivo. Besides targeting cell-surface SR-BI, the proposed LCM/ND-nanoemulsion combination therapeutic(s) include a characteristic lipid-coated microbubble [LCM] subpopulation (i.e., a stable LCM suspension); such film-stabilized microbubbles are well known to substantially reduce the acoustic power levels needed for accomplishing temporary noninvasive (transcranial) ultrasound treatment, or sonoporation, if additionally desired for the Alzheimer's patient.

We study almost hypercomplex structure with Hermitian-Norden metrics on 4-dimensional Lie groups considered as smooth manifolds. All the basic classes of a classification of 4-dimensional indecomposable real Lie algebras depending on one parameter are investigated. There are studied some geometrical characteristics of the respective almost hypercomplex manifolds with Hermitian-Norden metrics.

A new type of gold nanoparticles was synthesized by using benzoyl pyrazolone as a capping agent. The synthesized AuNPs exhibited a spherical shape and a monodisperse and fluorescence emission characteristic peak at 650 nm. The AuNPs –BMPBP was demonstrated as sensitive and selective fluorescent chemosensor for detection of Al ³⁺ ion. In the presence of Al ³⁺ ion, the fluorescent emission of BMPBP-AuNPs at 650 nm, increased with an increasing concentration of Al ³⁺ ion with a low detection limit (2 µM), the proposed method provided to apply determination of Al ³⁺ ion of tap water with satisfactory results.

Four 1,10-phenanthroline derivatives (1-4) have been synthesized as potential telomeric DNA binders, three substituted in their chains with thiosemicarbazones (TSCs), the neutral compound (1) and two ionic derivatives (PF6¯ and BF4¯ salts, 2 and 3, respectively), and a fourth corresponding to a 4-phenylthiazole derivative (4). Quadruplex and dsDNA interactions have been preliminarily studied, especially for the neutral derivative 1, by FRET-based DNA melting assays, equilibrium dialysis (both competitive and non-competitive), circular dichroism and viscosity titrations. The TSC derivatives bind and stabilize the telomeric Tel22 quadruplex more efficiently than dsDNA, with an estimated 24-fold selectivity determined by equilibrium dialysis for compound 1. In addition, cytotoxic activity against different tumor cells (PC-3, DU145, HeLa, MCF-7 and HT29), and two non-tumor cell lines (HFF-1 and RWPE-1) has been evaluated. Except for the 4-phenylthiazole derivative, which was inactive, the compounds show moderate cytotoxic properties, with the salts displaying lower IC50 values, compared to the neutral TSC. However, the neutral derivative was the only compound that exhibited a modest selectivity in the case of prostate cells (tumor PC-3 versus healthy RWPE-1). Cell cycle analysis and Annexin V/PI assays revealed that the compounds can produce cell death by apoptosis, an effect that has proven similar to that demonstrated by other known 1,10-phenanthroline G4 ligands endowed with antitumor properties, such as PhenDC3 or PhenQE8.

Two novel inorganic–organic hybrid supramolecular assemblies, namely, (4-HNA)(18-crown-6)(HSO₄) (1) and (4-HNA)₂(18-crown-6)₂(PF₆)₂(CH₃OH) (2) (4-HNA = 4-nitroanilinium), were synthesized and characterized by infrared spectroscopy, single X-ray diffraction, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and temperature-dependent dielectric measurements. The two compounds underwent reversible phase transitions at about 255 K and 265 K, respectively. These phase transitions were revealed and confirmed by the thermal anomalies in DSC measurements and abrupt dielectric anomalies during heating. The phase transition may have originated from the [(4-HNA)(18-crown-6)]⁺ supramolecular cation. The inorganic anions tuned the crystal packings and thus influenced the phase-transition points and types. The variable-temperature X-ray diffraction data for crystal 1 revealed the occurrence of a phase transition in the high-temperature phase with the space group of P2₁/c and in the low-temperature phase with the space group of P2₁/n. Crystal 2 exhibited the same space group P2₁/c at different temperatures. The results indicated that crystals 1 and 2 both underwent an iso-structural phase transition.

The Chang’e-4 (CE-4) lunar rover, equipped with The Visible and Near-IR Imaging Spectrometer(VNIS) which based on acousto-optic tunable filter spectroscopy, was launched to the far side of the moon on December 8, 2018. The detection band of VNIS ranges from 0.45 to 2.4μm. Because of the weak reflection of infrared radiation from the lunar surface, a static electronic phase-locked acquisition method is adopted in the infrared channel for signal amplification. In this paper, full-link simulations and modeling are conducted of the infrared channel information flow of the instrument. The signal/noise characteristics of VNIS are analyzed in depth, and the signal-to-noise(SNR) ratio prediction and laboratory verification are presented. On January 4, 2019, the VNIS started working successfully and acquired high-resolution spectrum data of the far side of the moon for the first time. Through analysis, the SNR ratio is in line with predictions, and the data obtained by VNIS in orbit are consistent with the information model proposed in this paper.

Ponderosa pine is an integral part of the forested landscape in the western US; it is the dominant tree species on landscapes that provide critical ecosystem services. Moderate drought tolerance allows it to occupy the transition zone between forests and open woodlands and grasslands. Increases in stand density resulting from wildfire suppression, combined with lengthening, intensifying and more frequent droughts have resulted in reduced tree vigor and stand health in dry ponderosa pine throughout its range. To address a management need for efficient landscape-level surveys of forest health, we used Random Forests to develop an object-oriented classification of individual tree crowns (ITCs) into vigor classes using existing, agency acquired 4-band aerial imagery. Classes of tree vigor were based on quantitative physiological and morphological attributes established in a previous study. We applied our model across a landscape dominated by ponderosa pine with a variety of forest treatments to assess their impacts on tree vigor and stand health. We found that stands that were both thinned and burned had the lowest proportion of low vigor ITCs, and that stands treated before the 2014-2016 drought had lower proportions of low vigor ITCs than stands treated more recently (2016). Upland stands had significantly higher proportions of low vigor trees than lowland stands. Maps identifying the low vigor ITCs would assist managers in identifying priority stands for treatment and marking trees for harvest or retention. These maps can be created using already available imagery and GIS software.

Acid promoted amination of 4-chloro-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine with anilines have been studied using hydrochloric acid. Four alcoholic solvents and water were evaluated as reaction medium, and the highest rate was observed in water. Although the initial rate increased by using higher concentration of acid, this leads to more solvolysis of the pyrrolopyrimidine, reducing the potential yield. The substrate scope of the amination of 4-chloro-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidine in water using 0.1 equivalent of hydrochloric acid was evaluated using 20 aniline derivatives with variance in basicity and steric bulk. Preparative useful reactions were seen for 14 of the 20 derivatives. Unsuited anilines are ortho substituted anilines with a pKa below 1. Aliphatic and benzylic amines react poorly under these conditions, but such aminations can proceed well in water without acid. Pyrrolopyrimidines with a low water solubility, also reacted slowly in water, however they could easily be aminated in 2-propanol.

An elevated level of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress is considered an aggravating factor for inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). To develop an ER stress attenuator that is effective against colitis, 4-phenylbutyric acid (4-PBA), a chemical chaperone that alleviates ER stress, was conjugated with acidic amino acids to yield a 4-PBA-glutamic acid conjugate (PBA-GA) and a 4-PBA-aspartic acid conjugate (PBA-AA). The PBA derivatives were converted to 4-PBA in the cecal contents, where the conversion was greater with PBA-GA. After oral administration of PBA-GA (oral PBA-GA), millimolar levels of PBA were accumulated in the cecum, whereas 4-PBA was not detected in the blood, indicating the targeting of PBA-GA to the large intestine. At concentrations in the cecum achievable by oral PBA-GA, 4-PBA effectively attenuated ER stress in human colon epithelial cells. In 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid-induced colitis in rats, oral PBA-GA alleviated the damage and inflammation in the colon. Moreover, oral PBA-GA substantially reduced the elevated levels of ER stress marker proteins in the inflamed colon. Moreover, PBA-GA was as effective as the currently used anti-IBD drug, sulfasalazine. In conclusion, PBA-GA is a colon-targeted prodrug of 4-PBA and is effective against rat colitis probably through the attenuation of ER stress in the inflamed colon.

Different types of engineered cardiac constructs are being developed nowadays by many research groups. However, the immunological properties of such artificial tissues are not yet clearly understood. Previously, we have studied microfiber scaffolds carrying iPSC-derived cardiomyocytes. In this work, we evaluated the ability of these tissue-engineered constructs to activate the expression of CD28 and CTLA-4 proteins in T-lymphocytes which are early markers of the immune response. For this purpose electrospun PLA nanofibrous scaffolds were seeded with human iPSCs-CM and cultivated for 2 weeks. After, allogeneic mononuclear cells were co-cultured during 48 hours with 3 groups of samples that were tissue-engineered constructs, pure culture of cardiomyocytes and bare scaffolds followed by analysis of CD28/CTLA-4 expression on T-lymphocytes via flow cytometry. PLA scaffolds and concanavalin A (positive control) stimulation statistically significantly increased CD28 expression on CD4+ cells (up to 61.3% and 66.3%) and on CD8+ cells (up to 17.8% and 21.7%). CD28/CTLA-4 expression didn’t increase during co-cultivation of T-lymphocytes with cardiac engineered constructs and iPSC-CM monolayers. Thus, iPSCs-CM in monolayers and on PLA nanofibrous scaffolds didn’t cause T-cell activation, which allows us to expect that such cardiac constructs are not a cause of rejection after implantation.

A series of novel N-n-butyl-1,8-naphthalimide derivatives were synthesized via a three-step reaction involving nucleophilic substitution and acylation. All of the compounds were characterized by IR, ¹H NMR, ¹³C NMR, MS, and elemental analysis, and the crystal structure of N-n-butyl-4-[N’,N’-bis(2`,4`-dichlorobenzoyl)ethylamino]-1,8-naphthalimide was determined. The π-π stacking interactions and hydrogen bonds between the two molecular core planes (naphthalimide ring) and the van der Waals forces between the flexible n-butyl groups resulted in a 3D long-chain structure. The UV-vis and fluorescence properties of the title compounds were investigated. The results indicated that the monosubstituted 1,8-naphthalimide derivatives bearing an electron-donating group on the benzene ring or a structure with a larger conjugative effect exhibited enhanced fluorescence properties.

Phosphorus (P) deficiency is a major constraint limiting sustainable rice cultivation in sub-Saharan Africa—partly due to the deeply weathered soils that have low pH and contain high P-fixing Fe and Al oxides. Soil texture also affects P availability and use efficiency. In this study, we evaluated the combined effect of soil texture (sand, clay loam, and clay) and P treatments (P-dipping and two other P fertilizer levels) on growth of NERICA 4 rice in the initial growth stages. In a factorial experiment, we measured the interaction effects of soil texture and P treatments on shoot parameters and root morphology. Both treatments had significant interaction effects on all measured parameters, except shoot biomass, and affected the photosynthetic rate, with the highest mean values obtained under clay loam soil texture and P-dipping treatment, respectively. The treatments also affected rice root morphology. In a striking contrast, whereas mean root length under clay was significantly higher than that under clay loam texture, mean shoot P uptake under clay loam soil was significantly higher than that under clay soil texture. The interactive effect of soil texture and P-dipping influenced NERICA 4 shoot and root physiological and morphological characteristics under clay loam soil texture.

Powder and SLM additively manufactured parts of X5CrNiCuNb17-4 maraging steel were systematically investigated by electron microscopy to understand the relationship between the properties of the powder grains and the microstructure of the printed parts. We prove that satellites, irregularities and superficial oxidation of powder particles can be transformed into an advantage through the formation of nanoscale (AlMnSiTiCr)-oxides in the matrix during the printing process. The nano-oxides showed extensive stability in terms of size, spherical morphology, chemical composition and crystallographic disorder upon in situ heating up to 950°C in the scanning transmission electron microscope. Their presence thus indicates a potential for oxide-dispersive strengthening of this steel, which may be beneficial for creep resistance at elevated temperatures. The nucleation of copper clusters and their evolution into nanoparticles as well as the precipitation of Ni and Cr particles upon in situ heating have as well been systematically documented.

Ribotoxin-like proteins (RL-Ps) are specific ribonucleases found in mushrooms that are able to cleave a single phosphodiester bond located in the Sarcin-Ricin Loop (SRL) of the large rRNA. The cleaved SRL interacts differently with some ribosomal proteins (P-stalk). This action blocks protein synthesis because the damaged ribosomes are unable to interact with elongation factors. Here, the amino acid sequence of eryngitin 3 and 4, RL-Ps isolated from Pleurotus eryngii fruiting bodies, was determined to: i) obtain structural information on this specific ribonuclease family from edible mushrooms; and ii) explore the structural determinants which justify their different biological and antipathogenic activities. Indeed, eryngitin 3 (exhibited higher toxicity with respect to eryngitin 4 against tumoral cell lines and model fungi. Structurally, eryngitin 3 and 4 consist of 132 amino acids, most of them identical and exhibit a single free cysteinyl residue. The amino acidic differences between the two toxins are: i) an additional phenylalanyl residue at the N-terminus of eryngitin 3, not retrieved in eryngitin 4; and ii) an additional arginyl residue at C-terminus of eryngitin 4, not retrieved in eryngitin 3. The 3D-models of eryngitins show slight differences at the N- and C-terminal regions. In particular, the positive electrostatic surface at C-terminal of eryngitin 4 is due to the additional arginyl residue not retrieved in eryngitin 3. This additional positive charge could interfere with the binding to the SRL (substrate) or with some ribosomal proteins (P-stalk structure), during substrate recognition.

Films prepared from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate-co-4-hydroxybutyrate) copolymers produced by Aneurinibacillus sp. H1 using an automatic film applicator were homogeneous and had a defined thickness, which allowed a detailed study of physicochemical properties. Their properties were compared with a poly (3-hydroxybutyrate) homopolymer film prepared by the same procedure, which proved to be significantly more crystalline by DSC and XRD. Structural differences between samples had a major impact on their properties. With increasing 4-hydroxybutyrate content, the ductility and release rate of the model hydrophilic active ingredient increased significantly. Other observed properties, such as the release of the hydrophobic active substance, the contact angle with water and ethylene glycol, or the surface morphology and roughness, were also affected by the composition. The identified properties predetermine these copolymers for wide use in areas such as biomedicine or smart biodegradable packaging for food or cosmetics. The big advantage is the possibility of fine-tuning properties simply by changing the fermentation conditions.

Background: Prediction of neurorehabilitation outcomes after a Spinal Cord Injury (SCI) is crucial for healthcare resource management and improving prognosis and rehabilitation strategies. Arti-ficial neural networks (ANNs) have emerged as a promising alternative to conventional statistical approaches for identifying complex prognostic factors in SCI patients. Materials: a database of 1256 SCI patients admitted for rehabilitation was analyzed. Clinical and demographics data and SCI characteristics, were used to predict functional outcomes using both ANN and linear regression models. The former was structured with input, hidden, and output layers, while the linear regression identified significant variables affecting outcomes. Both ap-proaches aimed to evaluate and compare their predictive accuracy for rehabilitation outcomes measured by the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) score. Results: Both ANN and linear regression models identified key predictors of functional outcomes, such as age, injury level, and initial SCIM scores (correlation with actual outcome: R=0.75 and 0.73, respectively). When alimented also with parameters recorded during hospitalization, the ANN highlighted the importance of these additional factors like motor completeness and compli-cations during hospitalization, showing an improvement in its predictive accuracy (R=0.87). Conclusion: ANN seemed to be not widely superior to classical statistics in general, but, taking into account complex and non-linear relationships among variables, emphasized the impact of complications during the hospitalization on recovery, particularly respiratory issues, deep vein thrombosis, and urological complications. These results suggested that the management of com-plications is crucial for improving functional recovery in SCI patients.

The human innate immune response to the pore-forming toxin of Vibrio cholerae VCC, is currently under study. Here, in vitro studies on a human macrophage cell line (THP-1), helped explore the activated pathways involved on the onset the innate immune response towards the cytotoxin. The secreted monomeric 65 KDa form interacts with mature macrophages in pg/ml concentrations, determined by dose response experiments after treatments under 1 h. Non vacuolating concentrations (pg/ml) were applied to the cells; immunoblots revealed activation of MAPKs: early overexpression of p38 and ERK. Cell lysis by release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) was not apparent in the first hour, nonetheless it was positive after 24 h. Finally, to discern whether the VCC stimulates transcriptional activators via MAPKs pathway, NF-κB and AP-1 were studied by real time quantitation. Increased expression of p50 (NF-κB), cJun and cFos (AP-1) was observed. Given that NF-κB is the transcription factor initiating inflammation of innate immune response and in turn, AP-1 is responsible for cell surviving response, results from this study lead us to conclude that VCC in vitro treatments, induce a pro-inflammatory and a surviving response, in less than one hour on activated macrophages.

COVID-19 poses a significant burden to healthcare systems. Healthcare organisations with a better health innovation infrastructure have faced a reduced burden and achieved success in curbing COVID-19. In Saudi Arabia, digital technologies have played a vital role in fighting SARS-CoV-2 transmission. In this paper, we aimed to summarise the experience of optimising digital health technologies in Saudi Arabia as well as discuss capabilities and opportunities during and beyond the COVID-19 pandemic. A literature review was conducted up to September 2021 to retrieve peer-reviewed articles that critique the use of digital health technology platforms (DHTPs) in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 outbreak. A small but significant body of literature examined the digital response to the COVID-19 pandemic in Saudi Arabia. Health officials succeeded in optimising and maintaining a strategy to mitigate the spread of the virus via different digital technologies, such as mobile health applications, artificial intelligence, and machine learning. The quick digital response in Saudi Arabia was facilitated by governmental support and considering users and technology determinants. Future research must concentrate on establishing and updating the guidelines for using DHTPs.

A simple approach was developed to predict corn yields using the MoDerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data product from two geographically separate major corn crop production regions: Illinois, USA and Heilongjiang, China. The MOD09A1 data product, which are 8-day interval surface reflectance data, were obtained from day of the year (DOY) 89 to 337 to calculate the leaf area index (LAI). The sum of the LAI from early in the season to a given date in the season [end of DOY (EOD)] was well fitted to a logistic function and represented seasonal changes in leaf area duration (LAD). A simple phenology model was derived to estimate the dates of emergence and maturity using the logistic function parameters b1 and b2, which represented the rate of increase in LAI and the date of maximum LAI, respectively. The phenology model predicted emergence and maturity dates fairly well, with root mean square error (RMSE) values of 6.3 and 4.9 days for the validation dataset, respectively. Two simple linear regression models (YP and YF) were established using LAD as the variable to predict corn yield; the yield model (YP) used LAD from predicted emergence to maturity, and the yield model (YF) used LAD for a predetermined period from DOY 89 to a particular EOD. When state/province corn yields for the validation dataset were predicted at DOY 321, near completion of the corn harvest, the YP model performed much better than the YF model, with RMSE values of 0.68 t/ha and 0.66 t/ha for Illinois and Heilongjiang, respectively. The YP model showed a similar or better performance, even for the much earlier yield prediction at DOY 257, compared to that of the YF model. In conclusion, the phenology and yield models were developed based only on logistic changes in remote sensing-derived LAD, and predicted phenological dates and corn yields with considerable accuracy and precision for the two regions selected for this study. However, these models must be examined for spatial portability in more diverse agro-climatic regions.

The study of precipitation amount at different time scales constitutes an important issue in climate research and risk assessment. When dealing with daily totals, a frequent but sometimes underestimated problem is at what time the observation day begins. The choice of different starting times may lead to incompatibility between stations and incorrect identification of extreme events. In this work, the problem of temporal misalignment between precipitation datasets characterized by different starting time of the observation day is analyzed. The most widely used adjustment methods (1day and uniform shift) and two methods based on reanalysis (NOAA and ERA5) are evaluated in terms of temporal alignment, precipitation statistics and percentile distributions. As test series, the precipitation amount collected from 9 a.m. local time (09 LT) on the previous day to 09 LT on the target day (9-9 datasets) of the Padua and nearby stations in the period 1993-2022 have been selected. Results show that the reanalysis-based methods, in particular ERA5, outperform the others in temporal alignment, regardless the station. But, for the periods in which reanalysis data are not available, “1day” method, which shifts the daily amount back one calendar day, and “unif” method, which distributes uniformly the daily total from a 2-day moving window surrounding the target date, can be considered valid alternatives. On the other side, concerning the precipitation statistics, the reanalysis-based methods are not the best option, as they increase the precipitation frequency and reduce the mean value over wet days, NOAA much more than ERA5. Nevertheless, the uniform method provides a larger deviation from the original daily series. The use of the series of a station nearby the target one, which is mandatory in case of missing data, gives similar or better results than applying any adjustment method to the 9-9 series. General conclusions can hardly be drawn as they depend on the method and station. For the Padua dataset, the analysis was repeated at monthly and seasonal resolution. In general, the adjustment series show the most relevant changes in the precipitation statistics in summer and less temporal alignment with the original series in summer and autumn, the two seasons mainly affected by heavy rains in Padua. Finally, the percentiles distribution, analyzed for all the methods and stations, indicates that any adjustment method underestimates the percentile values, except ERA5. Only Legnaro, the station most correlated with Padua, gives results like ERA5.

This work reports a characterization of crystallographic phases and chemical composition of hercynite-spinel (FeAl2O4) natural long crystals and their powders using X-ray Diffraction, Scanning Electron Microscopy, Inductively Coupled Plasma mass spectrometry, and mineralographic/petrographic analysis. The samples studied show a high content of hercynite with Neumann bands/Widmanstätten patterns, coexisting with other crystallographic phases such as corundum, spinel (MgAl2O4), esseneite, kamacite, hedenbergite, pseudobrookite, and ulvospinel. The diffractograms of two of the samples examined exhibit an extraordinary sharpness of the diffraction peaks that determines a high degree of crystallinity, which is hard to obtain in hercynite synthesized by artificial methods. In addition, the hercynite natural samples are less porous than the artificially synthesized hercynite. The x-ray diffraction pattern of one of the pulverized crystalline samples allowed us to estimate the percentage of the main phases present. The crystallographic existent phases with the highest participation in one of the spinel samples were hercynite (43.4%), corundum (18.7%), spinel (18.4%), esseneite (17.2%), and kamacite with a 2.3 %. These results contribute to the structural characterization of this unique material widely used in many technological applications.

The ecotoxic effect of glyphosate, a commonly used Parthenium control herbicide, was evaluated in laboratory on biological and fitness attributes of Zygogramma bicolorata. Bioassay of glyphosate was carried within a minimum range of field recommended dose. Indirect exposure experiment reveals that glyphosate caused maximum mortality of 3^rd larval instars, extends the development stages of larvae, pre pupation and pupation. Significant negative effect was observed on sex ratio, fecundity, egg viability and on other fitness attributes. The study demonstrated the non-compatibility of glyphosate and unsafe with Zygogramma bicolorata. The study concludes that owing to acute toxicity of glyphosate at recommended field dose may be used in combination with Z. bicolorata for successful control of Parthenium weed, but needs to be evaluated under natural field conditions.

The multidrug-resistant fungal pathogens belonging to the Candida haemulonii complex and the phylogenetically related species Candida auris are well-known for causing infections that are difficult to treat due to their multidrug-resistance profile. C. auris is even more worrisome due to its ability to cause outbreaks in healthcare settings. These emerging yeasts produce a wide range of virulence factors that facilitate the development of the infectious process. In recent years, the aggregative phenotype has been receiving attention, as it is mainly associated with defects in cellular division and its possible involvement in helping the fungus to escape from host immune responses. In this study, we initially investigated the aggregation ability of 18 clinical isolates belonging to the C. haemulonii species complex and C. auris. Subsequently, we evaluated the effects of physicochemical factors on the fungal aggregation competence. The results demonstrated that cell aggregation was a typically time-dependent event, in which almost all studied fungal isolates exhibited high aggregation after 2 h of incubation at 37°C. The aggregation was not impacted by pH, temperature, -mercaptoethanol (a protein-denaturing agent) and EDTA (a chelator agent). Conversely, proteinase K, trypsin and sodium dodecyl sulfate significantly diminished the aggregation. Collectively, our results demonstrated that the aggregation ability in these opportunistic yeast pathogens is time-dependent, and surface proteins and hydrophobic interactions seem to mediate cell aggregation, since the presence of proteases and anionic detergent affected the aggregation ability. However, further studies are necessary to better elucidate this phenomenon.

The velocity distribution of flow in an eccentric cylindrical annulus is determined in an attempt to investigate the vertical capillary rise in the channel. The radii ratio and the eccentricity at which a transition from monotone to oscillatory rise occurs, are determined. The results are shown to converge to the well-known limiting cases of concentric annuli and circular tubes.

Triatoma infestans (Klug) is an insect recognized as not only an important vector of South-American trypanosomiasis (Chagas disease) but also a model of specific cellular morphofunctional organization and epigenetic characteristics. The purpose of the present review is to highlight certain cellular processes that are particularly unveiled in T. infestans, such as 1) somatic polyploidy involving nuclear and cell fusions that generate giant nuclei; 2) diversification of nuclear phenotypes in the Malpighian tubules during insect development; 3) heterochromatin compartmentalization into large bodies with specific spatial distribution and presumed mobility in the cell nuclei; 4) chromatin remodeling and co-occurrence of necrosis and apoptosis in the Malpighian tubules under stress conditions; 5) epigenetic markers; 6) unexplained response of heterochromatin to valproic acid, an epidrug that inhibits histone deacetylases and induces DNA demethylation in other cell systems. These cellular processes and epigenetic characteristics emphasize the role of T. infestans as an attractive model for cellular research.

Silicified ostracods from the Lower Carboniferous (Lower Tin Mountain Limestone; Kinderhookian-early Osagean; 350-358.9 Ma) of Lost Burro Gap, Death Valley region, Inyo County, California, USA augment the diversity of Paleozoic ostracods of western North America. Acid maceration of pelmatozoan, micritic and silicate clay-rich micritic marine limestones yielded the following palaeocopid and podocopid ostracods: Acratia spp., Bairdia quasilecta Bushmina, 1975, Bairdia sp. cf. B. orientalis, Ceratobairdia sp., Kirkbya panamintensis sp. nov., Rectobairdia sp. cf. R. legumen, and Silenites sp. This is the first report of Ceratobairdia and Silenites from the Tin Mountain Limestone. These ostracods occupied a Panthalassan carbonate ramp environment, and represent part of a fauna that was widespread in shallow marine waters of Panthalassa.

This venture targets giving a correspondence framework that can improve the legal framework execution and cooperation and furthermore make it simple to lead execution audits. This examination depicts restricted admittance to the right legitimate data just as admittance to courts and court administrations as the essential factors that limit admittance to equity. The basic target fundamental for accomplishing the point incorporates planning an online easy to understand data framework that would improve correspondence and association between legal professionals like legal advisors and disputants. The undertaking uses a subjective methodology that zeroed in on the substance investigation of essential information. Key members were court laborers like attorneys and agents, just as court clients like disputants. Pre-plan discoveries uncovered that current legitimate data frameworks – basically court sites – neglect to recognize their crowd by treating all court clients similarly comparative with the correspondence of lawful data. Likewise, the issue of admittance to equity includes the significant expense of equity also, restricted legal data that elevates admittance to equity. Post-plan discoveries from the online overview directed after the turn of events and execution of the IT curio uncovered a powerful and productive legitimate data framework. Exploration discoveries supported the advancement of an IT antiquity that records for huge shortcomings in current legal data frameworks, for example, their failure to pass on fitting legitimate data intelligently and productively. In outline, the investigation prescribes the reception of saw control to work fair and square of certainty of court clients and the differentiation between court clients to convey the right data to the right crowd.

In recent years, Blockchain has been favorably adopted in the Supply Chain industry as it provides guaranteed transparency and traceability. The flexibility of Blockchain allows different applications to enable to exchange information; a significant middleweight layer is responsible for information transfer in the Agricultural Sector. The products that are manufactured at a global level in the agriculture industry are improved in safety, validation of some criteria, and quality. In the agriculture industry, the increasing number of complications associated with food safety and impurity risks needs high-level effective traceability solutions that act as necessary quality management tools to make sure satisfactory safety of crops. The agricultural supply chain today has complex ecosystems, consisting of several stockholders to authenticate criteria which are important like crop development stages, monitoring and validation, and compliance with the quality standard. In this proposed research, a systematic literature review will be done that includes smart contracts, Blockchain, and business transactions exclusively for crop production traceability across the agricultural and food supply chain. By using Blockchain in the agriculture sector, productivity, consistency, safety, reliability, and advanced security are increased. All transactions are kept and recorded on the immutable record of Blockchain associates with a decentralized system. Thus, it provides more traceability and clarity in the agriculture system in asafe, trustworthy, and effective way. A systematic literature review is thus enforced to classify the papers which are selected by the following classification: crop traceability, contribution type, research type, and their approach. For this systematic review, the papers which extracted are classified according to defined criteria. The purpose of this study is to fill the gap by collecting and analyzing studies available within the literature aiming to firstly, gain complete insight on the integration of Blockchain in the agriculture sector. Secondly, provide a summary of the present state of research on this area and identify gaps in existing studies. To achieve this aim an SLR was conducted. The findings of this SLR are discussed and researchers were provided with suggestions on possible directions for future research.

Coaches are vital stakeholders in sports development and player/team performances. However, how they perform as coaches is significantly anchored on their relationship with players as the coach-player relationship influences coach’s roles and responsibilities. This study aimed to establish an understanding of how coaching behavior positively influences job satisfaction in Hong Kong. This study sought to achieve the following objectives; to investigate coaching traits for coaching different sports, explore the factors contributing to a coaching behavior, identify effects of coaching behavior on job satisfaction, and describe how coaching behaviors influence the way coaches react to player behavior and competitions. The study used a quantitative research approach to collect and analyze data. A closed-ended questionnaire was used. Both descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze data. The main finding of this study is that career commitment positively influences coaches’ job satisfaction; however, their coaching behavior plays a substantial mediating role. This implies that coaches with high career commitment are positively satisfied with coaching when they focus on coaching behavior factors such as effective communication to have their players perform and achieve common goals.

Social enterprises are very common in Birmingham having the largest concentrations of social enterprises in the United Kingdom. With the emergence of the Covid-19 pandemic, the operations and management of social enterprises in Birmingham has been greatly affected. This study seeks to analyse the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the operations and funding of social enterprises in Birmingham UK. In order to achieve this, the study is going to carry out a qualitative methodology in order to analyse the impact Covid-19 has had on social enterprises. The research is going to select relevant stakeholders through a non-purposive sampling criteria identifying individuals who have direct interest in the functioning of social enterprises. The relevant stakeholders will be expected to respond to semi structured interviews that are structured to evoke responses relevant to this area of research. The research realized that Social enterprises in Birmingham are a critical player in the economy of UK with many individuals depending on the social enterprise industry. In addition to that, the study realised that the Covid-19 pandemic exposed social enterprises to various financial and market risks. Moreover, social enterprises were forced to make a change in their organizational structure through cost management changes and offering alternative services. However, the government came in support through provision of grants and funding to boost the social enterprise economy.

The reason for this dissertation is to establish the effects of vaccination on the elderly (>65 years old) in Hong Kong in reducing flu infection. Influenza vaccine uptake in the elderly (˃65 years old) in Hong Kong significantly increased in 2003 after the SARS epidemic. The exact impacts of influenza vaccine among the elderly in Hong Kong are a subject of contention. The effectiveness of the influenza vaccine comes from observed studies which may be prejudiced since it is difficult to identify and justify the evidence. A review of various literatures has shown that influenza causes serious illness and death particularly highly vulnerable groups such as adults aged 65 years and above. Therefore, more efforts should be initiated to reduce mortality caused by influenza among the elderly. According to the WHO (2005), vaccination is among the most effective approach for preventing death associated with influenza to vulnerable groups such as the elderly.

The stress testing methodology should be implemented and applied to the entity's overall financial system at least annually, and if the organization operates in a volatile economy, it should be performed at least twice a year. Finally, managers should include regular training and development sessions for relevant employees of their organization to be fully informed and more informed and informed, considering the evolving science, theory and practicality of a discrete range of stress testing mechanisms that can be appropriately applied to overall financial framework and system of multiple financial institutions and banks. In addition, stress testing is essentially a methodology that collects and analyzes certain future macro-prudential and micro-prudential economic drivers and indicators, the primary purpose of which is to assess the future financial and economic well-being, level of growth and status quo of a financial institution, bank, organization, credit institution or economy or the nation as a whole. In addition, several of these reviews were specifically focused and incorporated into the paper, which substantially and broadly discussed and summarized the importance, feasibility and implementation and conclusions of different stress testing approaches for financial institutions and banks, especially in European and Chinese countries. region. with the primary intention of assessing the future financial and economic well-being, level of growth and status quo of a group of financial institutions, banks, organizations, credit institutions or the economy or the nation as a whole. In addition, several of these reviews were specifically targeted and incorporated into a paper that substantially and broadly discussed and summarized the importance of the feasibility and implementation and conclusions of different stress testing approaches for financial institutions and banks, especially in European and Chinese countries. region. with the primary intention of assessing the future financial and economic well-being, level of growth and status quo of a group of financial institutions, banks, organizations, credit institutions or the economy or the nation as a whole. In addition, several of these reviews were specifically focused and incorporated into the paper, which substantially and broadly discussed and summarized the importance, feasibility and implementation and conclusions of different stress testing approaches for financial institutions and banks, especially in European and Chinese countries. region. the level of growth and status quo of the financial institutions, banks, organizations, credit institutions or the economy or the nation as a whole. In addition, several of these reviews were specifically focused and incorporated into the paper, which substantially and broadly discussed and summarized the importance, feasibility and implementation and conclusions of different stress testing approaches for financial institutions and banks, especially in European and Chinese countries. region. the level of growth and status quo of the financial institutions, banks, organizations, credit institutions or the economy or the nation as a whole. In addition, several of these reviews were specifically focused and incorporated into the paper, which substantially and broadly discussed and summarized the importance, feasibility and implementation and conclusions of different stress testing approaches for financial institutions and banks, especially in European and Chinese countries.

One of the most remarkable features in the 20th century was the digitalization of technical progress, which changed the output of companies worldwide and became a defining feature of the century. The growth of information technology systems and the implementation of new technical advances, which enhance the integrity, agility and long-term organizational performance of the supply chain, can distinguish a digital supply chain from other supply chains. For example, the Internet of Things (IoT)-enabled information exchange and Big Data analysis might be used to regulate the mismatch between supply and demand. In order to assess contemporary ideas and concepts in the field of data analysis in the context of supply chain management, this literary investigation has been decided. The research was conducted in the form of a comprehensive literature review. In the SLR investigation, a total of 71 papers from leading journals were used. SLR has found that data analytics integrate into supply chain management can have long-term benefits on supply chain management from the input side, i.e., improved strategic development, management and other areas.

The human capital index is a multivariate variable used to measure the assessment of human resource productivity in the future. Human capital has a connection with economic development. Moreover, the study looks to analyses the relationship between Human Capital and Economic Growth indicators such as HCI and GDP. Human Capital relates to the development of individual skills to make them function more profitable for the national economy. The study was aimed at investigating the effect of population, the number of people engaged and the average annual hours worked by engaged persons on the human capital index. The analysis was in SPSS for the findings. Correlation tests were used for analysis. The study revealed that population, the number of people engaged and the average annual hours worked by engaged persons had a significant positive effect on the human capital index.

More than 800 million tons of fish are utilizing in a year and 25-30% become waste. The waste amount is beneficial source for extraction of collagen. But procedure of extraction is still to be optimized. The current study was designed to extract collagen from fish through fish waste fermentation under various conditions. For collagen extraction we did lactic acid fermentation in which yogurt and Dough bacteria was added with fish sample and placed it in incubator at 30ºC for one month. In yogurt and dough culture have at least 10 type of lactic acid bacterial species. After every week we check PH of each sample and take soup of that sample. After centrifugation of that sample’s TCA (Trichloroacetic acid) precipitation was done of yogurt and dough sample and kept at -20ºC. then did SDS-PAGE) using 6% resolving and 5% stacking gel of already stored sample. Then HaCaT cells (1 × 10⁴ cells/well) were cultured in 96-well flat-bottom culture plates and treated with appropriate doses of FFCP (fermented fish collagen peptide) for 24 and 48 hours.The SDS-PAGE revealed that the collagen protein of fish had doublet pattern for α1 and α2 chains at corresponding to 145 kDa and 132 kDa respectively. The density for α1 twice as compared to α2. Our result agrees that The fish collagen consists mostly of α-chain as well as little amount of inter and intra molecular cross-linked components of α-chains; b (dimmer) and c (trimer). Different biochemical tests were done for identification of lactic acid bacteria catalase positive, citrate positive, urease negative. Our fermented fish collagen and peptides mixture were test for cellular cytotoxicity and proliferative effect on HaCaT cells. Current result shows that fermented extracted collagen are nontoxic and induce the proliferation of HaCaT cells. Current study is supported by various studies that revealed the medical application of fish extracted collagen as underline.

This research contributes to the detailed discussion about the approach to secure, hygienic water and cleanliness in Uganda and its pastoral regions. The relationship between the sanitation and clean water access with destitution is also discussed. Although this document is not leading towards the policy recommendation but it is an overall idea of how Uganda progressed because of the provisions adopted by the government, local and international organizations, and NGOs, and how the country lacked before these steps taken. Most of the data mentioned is taken from the house surveys of a decade 2002-2013 alongside the qualitative data. Literature review is also considered and is divided in two sections: first included researches related to water accessibility and usage, while the second section included researches related to work done and progress for diarrheal diseases and sanitation. Afterwards, methodologies were discussed where, firstly, trends and then the limitations in access to the basic necessities of life that is clean water and hygiene are mentioned. At last, the implementations and how they affected the rural Ugandans was discussed.

The polymer cures as it enters the ballast, forming a three-dimensional geo-composite reinforcing cage. Although there will be some adherence to the ballast in dry conditions, the polymer's primary job is to construct this reinforcing cage. Polymer penetration is controlled by altering the rheology of the polymer. The method is also said to include a built-in safety system, with the track reverting to a ballast state in the event of a polymer or geo-composite failure. Many of the sites were considered unmaintainable before the polymer was put. The design method was utilized to forecast track behaviour before and after treatment, allowing the most appropriate polymer rheology, polymer distribution, and loading levels to be designed in order to achieve optimum performance and confirm that the procedure worked. This method can be utilized to tackle these types of long-standing problems by displaying actual polymer application profiles at a typical important location.

Cases of road cave-ins have been reportedly increasing globally and reports have associated this phenomenon to underground soil erosion due to defective sewer pipes. As the sewer pipes age, they may develop some defects which may lead to cracks and crevices that will lead to infiltration of the soils surrounding the pipe into the pipe, leading to the formation of cavities around the pipe. Therefore, this study investigated the factors behind the causes of underground soil erosion due to defective sewer pipes and proffered solutions for combating underground soil erosion due to defective sewer pipes. The study objective included; (a) establishing how the soil particle sizes affect the internal soil erosion due to defective sewer pipes, (b) determination of the effect of defect sizes on the internal soil erosion due to defective sewer pipes, (c) establishing the effect of the embedment material used on the internal soil erosion due to defective sewer pipes, (d) investigation of the type of soil erosion mechanism in the presence of a buried sewer pipe defect caused by the groundwater infiltration process. The methodology of the study involved reviewing and analyzing secondary qualitative and quantitative data. The findings established that the defect size of the pipe, the type and characteristics of the soil and the type of embedment materials used affected erosion of soil around a defective sewer pipe.

In this paper, we review devices used in silicon photonic switches. Devices in switches are divided into active and passive devices. Active devices consist of microring resonator, contra directional couplers, mach zhender switches. Passive devices consist of waveguide crossings and arrayed waveguide gratings. We also list the state of the art in devices in a comparison table.

We report a micro-ring resonator with adiabatic bends, non contact waveguide heaters and small bend radius. The ring has the lowest reported off resonance loss and can support 8 wavelength division multiplexed channels at 200 GHz spacing. We measure 0.49 nm/mW tuning efficiency and 0.085 dB off resonance loss.

We present a simulation library in Python 3 called Lumos. Different optimization routines areimplemented using multiple instruments. Automated measurements are implemented in this librarywhich lead to faster measurements as compared to manual sweeps. We elaborate on the experimentalmethods and also example usage is mentioned.

In this work, we investigate the embedding of a four-dimensional spherically symmetric metric in a six dimensional bulk. By using the Nash-Greene theorem, the additional $SO(2)$ symmetry of the two space-like extra-dimensions induces the appearance of horizons of a lukewarm charged black hole. Accordingly, an emerged mass-dependent cosmological constant is obtained with a prediction with a bound for the mass and minimal charge.

This research paper explores the framework of Extended Classical Mechanics, with a focus on the Equivalence Principle, Mass, and Gravitational Dynamics. Volume 1 of this study re-examines the classical equivalence principle, which maintains the equivalence of inertial mass and gravitational mass (also referred to as gravitating mass) and extends this concept to incorporate new findings related to both illuminating (baryonic) matter and dark matter. The paper provides a comprehensive analysis of Matter Mass (Mᴍ) and Gravitating Mass (Mɢ) and their roles within the extended framework. It introduces the concept of Apparent Mass (Mᵃᵖᵖ), a negative mass component that influences Effective Mass (Mᵉᶠᶠ), in alignment with the research by A.D. Chernin et al. on dark energy and the structure of the Coma Cluster of Galaxies. Additionally, the paper reinterprets Newton's Law of Universal Gravitation by integrating Apparent Mass, leading to a revised understanding of gravitational potential. The study demonstrates how the interaction between Matter Mass and Negative Apparent Mass contributes to a redefined concept of Gravitating Mass. These extensions enhance classical mechanics by incorporating modern scientific insights, including the gravitational effects of dark matter and the alignment of Apparent Mass with the negative effective mass of dark energy.

Glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) dynamics are implicated in excitotoxicity and Alzheimer's disease (AD) progression. Early stages of AD are often marked by hyperactivity and increased epileptiform activity preceding cognitive decline. Previously, we identified a direct interaction between GLT-1 and Presenilin 1 (PS1) in the brain, highlighting GLT-1 as a promising target in AD research. This study reports the significance of this interaction and uncovers a novel role of GLT-1 in modulating amyloid-beta (Aβ) production. Overexpression of GLT-1 in cells reduces the levels of Aβ40 and Aβ42 by decreasing γ-secretase activity pertinent to APP processing and induces a more "open" PS1 conformation, resulting in decreased Aβ42/40 ratio. Inhibition of the GLT-1/PS1 interaction using cell-permeable peptides produced an opposing effect on Aβ, highlighting the pivotal role of this interaction in regulating Aβ levels. These findings emphasize the potential of targeting GLT-1/PS1 interaction as a novel therapeutic strategy for AD.

Interactions between human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) and the host factors or restriction factors of its target cells determine the cell’s susceptibility to, and outcome of, infection. Factors intrinsic to the cell are involved at every step of HIV-1’s replication cycle, contributing to productive infection and replication, or severely attenuating HIV-1’s chances of success. Furthermore, factors unique to certain cell types contribute to the differences in infection between these cell types. Understanding the involvement of these factors in HIV-1 infection is a key requirement for the development of anti-HIV-1 therapies. As the list of factors grows, and the dynamic interactions between these factors and the virus are elucidated, comprehensive and up-to-date summaries that recount the knowledge gathered after decades of research are beneficial to the field, displaying what is known so that researchers can build off the groundwork of others to investigate what is unknown. Herein, we aim to provide a review focusing on protein host factors, both well-known and relatively new, that impact HIV-1 replication in a positive or negative manner at each stage of the replication cycle, highlighting factors unique to HIV-1’s various target cell types where appropriate.

Despite the effectiveness of insulin injections in managing hyperglycemia in Type 1 Diabetes, they fall short in addressing autoimmunity and regenerating damaged islets. This review aims to explore the potential of various treatment modalities for T1DM, including mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), MSC-derived exosomes, gene therapy, islet allotransplantation, and pancreatic islet cell transplantation. Results: MSCs demonstrate efficacy in T1DM treatment through immunomodulation and tissue regeneration, although further research is warranted to optimize their therapeutic potential. Gene therapy presents a promising approach despite challenges such as donor shortage and immune rejection. Pancreatic islet cell transplantation emerges as a viable option, albeit with associated risks including graft rejection and the need for immunosuppression. Teplizumab, an FDA-approved humanized monoclonal antibody, revolutionizes the treatment landscape of Type 1 Diabetes by significantly delaying its onset, offering a paradigm shift since the discovery of insulin Conclusion: Ongoing studies and technological advancements in T1DM management offer a promising outlook for improved treatments and possibly even eradication on a global scale. MSCs, MSC-derived exosomes, gene therapy, and pancreatic islet transplantation hold considerable potential.

Introduction – Gender influences the presentation and progression of various diseases. Studies regarding the impact of gender on the course and outcome of HIV demonstrate conflicting data. Studies may be biased due to socioeconomic status differences between females and males and uneven gender representation, among other factors. In order to minimize the effect of non-biological elements this study cohort compares HIV males and females with similar ethnicity and social class in 2 Israeli AIDS centers. Methods –the study is a retrospective study. The cohort consists 334 females and 223 males diagnosed with HIV during the years 2000-2015. All patients were immigrants from Ethiopia who acquired HIV heterosexually and had a similar socioeconomic status. Data regarding demographics, clinical status, virological (viral load; VL), immunological (CD4) and treatment modalities were collected for each patient. Results - At the time of HIV diagnosis, males were older (43.2 ±13.2 vs. 35.4±11.95 years; p

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is one of the most common neurodegenerative diseases. Recent data highlight similarities between neurodegenerative diseases including PD and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) suggesting a crucial interplay between the gut–brain axis. GLP-1R agonists, known for their use in T2DM treatment, are currently extensively studied as novel PD modifying agents. For this narrative review article, we searched PubMed and Scopus databases for peer-reviewed research, review articles and clinical trials regarding GLP-1R agonists and PD, published in the English language with no time restrictions. We also screened the references of the selected articles for possible additional articles in order to include most of the key recent evidence. Our research was conducted between February 2023 and February 2024. We used the terms “GLP-1”, “GLP-1 receptor”, “GLP-1R agonists”, “PD”, “T2DM”, “insulin”, “neurodegenerative disease”, “glucose”, “animal models”, “clinical trials” in different combinations. Many data on animal models and preclinical studies show that GLP1-R agonists can restore dopamine levels, inhibit dopaminergic loss, attenuate neuronal degeneration and alleviate motor and non-motor features of PD. Evidence from clinical studies are also very promising enhancing the possibility of adding GLP1-R agonists in the current armamentarium of drugs available for PD treatment.

This paper presents a new discrete counterpart of the mixture exponential distribution by utilizing the survival discretization method. The moment-generating function and associated moment measures are discussed. The distribution’s hazard rate function can assume increasing or decreasing forms, making it adaptable for diverse fields requiring count data modelling. The paper explores four distinct parameter estimation methods and assesses their performance through Monte Carlo simulations. The applicability of this distribution extends to time series analysis, particularly within the framework of the first-order integer-valued autoregressive process. Additionally, the paper explores quality control applications, addressing serial dependence challenges in count data encountered in production and market management. The performance of two distinct control charts, the cumulative sum chart and the exponentially weighted moving average chart, is evaluated for their effectiveness in detecting shifts in the process means under various models. A bivariate Markov chain approach is used to estimate the average run lengths of these charts, offering valuable insights for implementation. Design recommendations for achieving robustness in-control chart applications are provided. The effectiveness of the proposed models and charts is illustrated using a real data, demonstrating their practical superiority.

Adult T-cell leukemia (ATL) is an aggressive hematologic disease caused by human T-cell leukemia virus type 1 (HTLV-1) infection. Various animal models of HTLV-1 infection/ATL have been established to elucidate the pathogenesis of ATL and develop appropriate treatments. For analyses employing murine models, transgenic and immunodeficient mice are used because of the low infectivity of HTLV-1 in mice. HTLV-1 Tax and HBZ transgenic mice spontaneously develop tumors, and roles for both Tax and HBZ in cell transformation and tumor growth have been established. Severely immunodeficient mice were able to engraft ATL cell lines and have been used in preclinical studies of candidate molecules for the treatment of ATL. HTLV-1-infected humanized mice with an established human immune system are a suitable model to characterize cells in the early stages of HTLV-1 infection. This review outlines the characteristics of mouse models of HTLV-1 infection/ATL and describes progress made in elucidating the pathogenesis of ATL and developing related therapies using these mice.

Diabetes may cause an increase blood levels of cytokines inducing a rising of C reactive protein (PCR) and fibrinogen stimulating a subclinical inflammation which lead to adhesive molecules expression and to endothelial disfunction. A comprehensive panel of type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) interleukins polymorphisms is not provided yet. As chronic periodontitis (CP) is considered the sixth complication of DM, a clarification is needed about the inflammatory role managed by single nucleotides polymorphisms (SNPs). The goal of this review is to focus on the significant diversity of SNPs in T1DM patients with and without CP. After a digital search on PubMed and Scopus with reference to the last 5 years, 21 items were enrolled. Several ILs were analyzed. T1DM still needs to be thoroughly explored regarding the ILs polymorphisms panel, however the last 5 years have led to the increased independence of this condition, causing autonomous inflammatory effects which requires further investigations. CP and T1DM association in children and adolescents represents a severe gap in literature that should be filled, the scarce presence of studies also about adults serves as a motivation for ulterior clinical researches

Soil moisture maps are essential for hydrological, agricultural and risk assessment applications. To best meet these requirements, it is essential to develop soil moisture products at high spatial resolution which is now made possible using the free Sentinel-1 (S1) SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) data. Some soil moisture retrieval techniques using S1 data relied on the use of a priori weather information in order to increase the precision of soil moisture estimates, which required access to a weather forecasting framework. This paper presents an improved and fully automated solution for high-resolution soil moisture mapping in bare agricultural areas. The proposed solution derives a priori weather information directly from the original Sentinel images, thus bypassing the need for a weather forecasting framework. For soil moisture estimation, the neural network technique was implemented to ensure the optimum integration of radar information. The neural networks were trained using synthetic data generated by the modified Integral Equation Model (IEM) model and validated on real data from two study sites in France and Tunisia. Main findings showed that the use of radar signal averaged over grids of a few km2 in addition to radar signal at plot scale instead of a priori weather information, provides good soil moisture estimations. The accuracy is even slightly better comparatively to the accuracy obtained using a priori weather information.

Arrestin-1, or visual arrestin, exhibits an exquisite selectivity for light-activated phosphorylated rhodopsin (P-Rh*) over its other functional forms. That selectivity is believed to be mediated by two well-established structural elements in the arrestin-1 molecule, the activation sensor detecting the active conformation of rhodopsin and the phosphorylation sensor responsive to the rhodopsin phosphorylation, which only active phosphorylated rhodopsin can engage simultaneously. However, in the crystal structure of the arrestin-1-rhodopsin complex there are arrestin-1 residues located close to rhodopsin, which do not belong to either sensor. Here we tested by site-directed mutagenesis the functional role of these residues in wild type arrestin-1 using direct binding assay to P-Rh* and light-activated unphosphorylated rhodopsin (Rh*). We found that many mutations either enhanced the binding only to Rh* or increased the binding to Rh* much more than to P-Rh*. The data suggest that the native residues in these positions act as binding suppressors, specifically inhibiting the arrestin-1 binding to Rh* and thereby increasing arrestin-1 selectivity for P-Rh*. This calls for the modification of a widely accepted model of the arrestin-receptor interactions.

Currently SARS-CoV-2 is spreading around the world as an Omicron strain. Recently, the Omicron variants (BQ.1 and BQ.1.1) were identified as novel Variants of Concern. UpToDate, there is little information about the Omicron Variants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1. The widely altered Omicron variants are spread globally, providing a high risk of infection surges with devastating consequences in some areas. The Omicron type of SARS-CoV-2 has a harm risk of reinfection, according to early reported findings. COVID-19 Variants particularly, BQ.1 and BQ.1.1 have gained global attention and caused a worldwide sensation since their discovery. Therefore, this communication discusses the present status of COVID-19 Variants BQ.1 and BQ.1.1, and their consequences.

Abstract The expression patterns of microRNAs (small non-coding RNAs) are altered in many biological processes such as myogenesis. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of predicted miR-202, its target genes Akt2 and Rock-1 as a potential regulator of myoblast in the myocyte differentiation process using the C2C12 cell line. After confirmation of the differentiation process induced by 3% horse serum, the expression level of miRNA and its targets were evaluated. In the following, a luciferase assay was conducted to approve the effect of miRNA on its target. Our results indicated that miR-202 and Akt2 were significantly up-regulated during differentiation, while Rock-1 was downregulated. Co-transfection of miRNA with psiCHECK2-Rock-1 significantly presented that Rock-1 was directly targeted by miR-202. On the contrary, miR-202 has failed to enforce its inhibitory effect on Akt2 expression. In particular, miR-202 seems to be a regulator of muscle differentiation pathway thought targeting Rock-1.

Neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) antagonists exert an antitumor action, are safe and do not cause serious side-effects. These antagonists (via the NK-1R) exerted multiple actions against cancer: antiproliferative and anti-Warburg effects, apoptosis, anti-angiogenic and antimetastatic. These multiple effects have been shown in a broad-spectrum of cancers. The drug aprepitant (an NK-1R antagonist) is currently used in clinical practice as antiemetic. In in vivo and in vitro studies, aprepitant also showed the aforementioned multiple antitumor actions against many types of cancer. A successful combination therapy (aprepitant and radiotherapy) has recently been reported in a patient suffering from lung carcinoma: the tumor mass disappeared and side-effects were not observed. Aprepitant could be considered as an intelligent bullet against cancer. The administration of aprepitant in cancer patients to prevent recurrence and metastasis after surgical procedures, thrombosis and thromboembolism is discussed as well as the possible link, through the SP/NK-1R system, between cancer and depression. Our main aim is to review the multiple antitumor actions exerted by aprepitant and the use of this drug is suggested in cancer patients. Altogether, the data support the reprofiling of aprepitant for a new therapeutic use as an antitumor agent.

Soil moisture (SM) plays an essential role in environmental studies related to wetlands, an ecosystem sensitive to climate change. Hence, there is the need for its constant monitoring. SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) satellite imagery is the only mean to fulfill this objective regardless of the weather. The objective of the study was to develop the methodology for SM retrieval under wetland vegetation using Sentinel-1 (S-1) satellite data. The study was carried out during the years 2015–2017 in the Biebrza Wetlands, situated in northeastern Poland. At the Biebrza Wetlands, two Sentinel-1 validation sites were established, covering grassland and marshland biomes, where a network of 18 stations for soil moisture measurement was deployed. The sites were funded by the European Space Agency (ESA), and the collected measurements are available through the International Soil Moisture Network (ISMN). The NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) was derived from the optical imagery of a MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) sensor onboard the Terra satellite. The SAR data of the Sentinel-1 satellite with VH (vertical transmit and horizontal receive) and VV (vertical transmit and vertical receive) polarization were applied to soil moisture retrieval for a broad range of NDVI values and soil moisture conditions. The new methodology is based on research into the effect of vegetation on backscatter () changes under different soil moisture and vegetation (NDVI) conditions. It was found that the state of the vegetation may be described by the difference between  VH and  VV, or the ratio of  VV/VH, as calculated from the Sentinel-1 images. The most significant correlation coefficient for soil moisture was found for data that was acquired from the ascending tracks of the Sentinel-1 satellite, characterized by the lowest incidence angle, and SM at a depth of 5 cm. The study demonstrated that the use of the inversion approach, which was applied to the new developed models and includes the derived indices based on S-1, allowed the estimation of SM for peatlands with reasonable accuracy (RMSE ~ 10 vol. %). Due to the temporal frequency of the two S-1 satellites’ (S-1A and S-1B) acquisitions, it is possible to monitor SM changes every six days. The conclusion drawn from the study emphasizes a demand for the derivation of specific soil moisture retrieval algorithms that are suited for wetland ecosystems, where soil moisture is several times higher than in agricultural areas.

1) This study describes the good evolution of a 6-year-old girl genetically diagnosed with Rett syndrome (RTT), after having been treated with IGF-1, MT (MT), blackcurrant extracts (BC), and rehabilitation during 6 months. 2) The patient stopped her normal development from the first year of age. The patient showed low weight and height and met the main criteria for typical RTT. Curiously, there was pubic hair (Tanner II), very high plasma testosterone, despite low gonadotropins. No adrenal enzymatic deficits existed, and ultrasound abdominal studies were normal. Treatment consisted in IGF-1 (0.04 mg/kg/day, 5/week, sc) during 3-months and then 15-days resting, MT (50 mg/day, orally, uninterruptedly) and neurorehabilitation. The new blood tests were absolutely normal and the pubic hair disappeared. Then, a new treatment with IGF-1, MT, and BC started for another 3 months. After it, pubic Tanner stage increased to III, without a known cause. 3) The treatment followed led to clear improvements in most of the initial impairments, perhaps because of the effect of IGF-I, the antioxidant effects of MT and BC, and the increase in cyclic-glycine-proline (cGP) after BC administration. 4) A continuous treatment with IGF-1, MT and BC may recover most of the neurologic disabilities that occur in RTT.

Radar altimetry provides valuable measurements to characterize the state and the evolution of the Antartica and Greenland ice sheet cover. Global Navigation Satellite System Reflectometry (GNSS-R) has the potential capacity of complementing the dedicated radar altimeters incrementing the temporal and spatial resolution of the surface height measurements. In this work we perform an study of the Greenland ice sheet using data obtained by the GNSS-R instrument aboard the British TechDemoSat-1 (TDS-1) satellite mission, designed primarily to provide sea state information, like sea surface roughness or wind, but not altimetric products. The data has been analyzed with altimetric methodologies, already proved in aircraft based experiments, to extract signal delay observables to be used to infer the topography of the Greenland cover. The penetration depth of the GNSS signals into ice has also considered. The topographic signal obtained is consistent with those obtained with other passive or active microwave sensors. The main conclusion derived from this work is that GNSS-R also provides valuable measurements of the ice sheet cover and, as taken at a variety of geometries and at least two frequency bands, they prospect different depths into the ice. They have thus potential to complement our understanding of the ice firn and its evolution.

Aims/Hypothesis): Type 1 diabetes is an immune-mediated disease with destruction of the pancreatic β-cells, a process that is conditioned by multiple genes and other factors. HLA counts as the major susceptibility gene. Significant variations in HLA genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes between Caucasians, African and Asian and other ethnic groups may have led to the variation in incidence of type 1 diabetes globally. Type 1 diabetes is characterized upon HLA identification. In this chapter we discuss global variations in genetic susceptibility of HLA with regard to type 1 diabetes globally with a particular attention to Arab population. Methods): Haplotype configuration of HLA class I A, B, C and Class II –DR/DQ/DP were studied in Caucasians, African and Asian and in Arab population to see if that is responsible for the exponential rise in the rate of type 1 diabetes. Results): Although Arabs have one of the highest global incidence and prevalence rates of type 1 diabetes, unfortunately, there is a dearth amount of information regarding HLA genetic susceptibility to type 1 diabetes in the Arab world. HLA haplotype configurations contribute to its risk value. However, out of an insufficient present study there are examples of misjudgment of HLA risk according to HLA alleles rather than haplotypes. Conclusion): To date HLA outlooks for the characterization of type 1 diabetes. There is an ethnicity difference in HLA characteristics which is responsible for variation in type 1 diabetes. Although Arab population have contributed heavily in the rise of burden of type 1 diabetes, however, there is significantly a dearth amount of studies on HLA in Arab population. Obviously, any future prediction, prevention or cure of the disease will be based on the HLA genetics. There is a dire need for a systematic screening of HLA for Arab population with type 1 diabetes, identification of Arab HLA-risk values and identify those who are prone to get the disease.

In the present study, the efficiency of a biomimetic approach by coating demineralized bone matrix (DBM) amorphous calcium phosphate (DBM+CaP), including its combination with serum albumin (DBM+CaP+BSA), was investigated. The intact structure of DBM promotes the transformation of amorphous calcium phosphate (CaP) into DPCD with a characteristic plate shape and particle size of 5–35 µm. The inclusion of BSA in the coating resulted in a better and more uniform distribution of CaP on the surface of DBM trabeculae. MG63 cells showed that both the obtained forms of CaP and its complex with BSA did not exhibit cytotoxicity up to a concentration of 10 mg/ml in vitro. Ectopic (subcutaneous) implantation in rats revealed pronounced biocompatibility, as well as strong osteoconductive, osteoinductive, and osteogenic effects for both DBM+CaP and DBM+CaP+BSA, but more pronounced effects for DBM+CaP+BSA. In addition, for the DBM+CaP+BSA samples, a pronounced full physiological intrafibrillar biomineralization and proangiogenic effect with the formation of bone-morrow-like niches, accompanied by pronounced processes of intramedullary hematopoiesis, indicating a powerful osteogenic effect of this composite have been achieved.

A 68-year-old man with malignant metastatic melanoma in complete remission after Pembrolizumab treatment, developed 10 months after Pembrolizumab cessation due a grade 3 diarrhea, confusion, altered mental status, progressive memory loss, gait disturbance. He was admitted to the neurologic department and comprehensive neurological workup, brain magnetic resonance imaging, cerebral fluid analysis, EEG, blood test allowed the diagnosis of autoimmune encephalitis. The patient was treated with plasmapheresis, high dose of intravenous steroids and intravenous immunoglobulins. The patient improved and he is now well with a performance status 1. This case is interesting since the AE developed approximately 10 months after the cessation of immunotherapy, the underlying cancer was in complete remission and the AE showed a good response to the treatment done.

This article illuminates the reception and transformation of Ippen一遍(1234-1289)’s religious tenets and practices by Enju Kato加藤円住 (1919-2021) and his temple Shōjōkō-ji清浄光寺. While Enju Kato asserts that his life has been dedicated to adhering and enacting Ippen's concept of "renunci-ation," he has reinterpreted this concept based on his personal experiences and comprehension. Second, Enju Kato and Shōjōkō-ji have inherited some of Ippen's religious practices yet adapted these to align with contemporary settings. This article presents a case study discussing the ac-ceptance and transformation of doctrines and practices of jishū時宗 in contemporary era, which has been overlooked by academia thus far.

S-adenosylmethionine (SAM) is considered to be a useful therapeutic agent for degenerative cartilage diseases, although its mechanism is not clear. We previously found that polyamines stimulate expression of differentiated phenotype of chondrocytes. We also found that cellular communication network factor 2 (CCN2) played a huge role in the proliferation and differentiation of chondrocytes. Therefore, we hypothesized that polyamines and CCN2 could be involved in the chondroprotective action of SAM. In this study, we initially found that exogenous SAM enhanced proteoglycan production but not cell proliferation in human chondrocyte-like cell line-2/8 (HCS-2/8) cells. Moreover, SAM enhanced gene expression of cartilage-specific matrix (aggrecan and type II collagen), Sry-Box transcription factor 9 (SOX9), CCN2 and chondroitin sulfate biosynthetic enzymes. Blockade of the methionine adenosyltransferase 2A (MAT2A) enzyme catalyzing intracellular SAM biosynthesis restrained the effect of SAM on chondrocytes. The polyamine level in chondrocytes was higher in SAM-treated culture than control culture. Additionally, alcian blue staining and RT-qPCR indicated that the effects of SAM on the production and gene expression of aggrecan were reduced by the inhibition of polyamine synthesis. These results suggest that the stimulation of polyamine synthesis and gene expression of chondrogenic differentiation factors, such as CCN2, account for the mechanism underlying the action of SAM on chondrocytes.

The filamentous cyanobacterium Anabaena sp. PCC 7120 expresses during the differentiation of heterocysts a short peptide PatS and a protein HetN, both containing an RGSGR pentapeptide essential for activity. Both act on the master regulator HetR to guide heterocyst pattern formation by controlling the binding of HetR to DNA and its turnover. A third small protein, PatX, with an RG(S/T)GR motif is present in all HetR-containing cyanobacteria. In nitrogen-depleted medium, inactivation of patX does not produce a discernible change in phenotype, but its overexpression blocks heterocyst formation. Mutational analysis revealed that PatX is not required for normal intercellular signaling, but it nonetheless is required when PatS is absent to prevent rapid ectopic differentiation. Deprivation of all three negative regulators – PatS, PatX, and HetN – resulted in synchronous differentiation. However, in nitrogen-containing medium, such deprivation leads to extensive fragmentation, cell lysis, and aberrant differentiation, while either PatX or PatS as the sole HetR regulator can establish and maintain a semiregular heterocyst pattern. These results suggest that tight control over HetR by PatS and PatX is needed to sustain vegetative growth and regulated development. The mutational analysis has been interpreted in light of the opposing roles of negative regulators of HetR and the positive regulator HetL. Keywords: cyanobacteria; heterocyst, regulation of differentiation

Since the spread of the deadly virus SARS-CoV2 in late 2019, researchers have restlessly been seeking for unraveling how the virus factually enters the host cells. Some proteins on each side of the interaction between the virus and the host cells are involved as the major contributors to this process: 1- the nano-machine Spike protein on behalf of the virus, 2- angiotensin converting enzyme II, the mono-carboxypeptidase and the key component of renin angiotensin system on behalf of the host cell, 3- some host proteases and proteins exploited by SARS-CoV2, In this review, the complex process of SARS-CoV2 entrance into the host cells with the contribution of the involved host proteins as well as the sequential conformational changes in the Spike protein tending to increase the probability of complexification of the latter with angiotensin converting enzyme II, the receptor of the virus on the host cells, are discussed. Besides, the release of the catalytic ectodomain of angiotensin converting enzyme II as its soluble form in the extracellular space and its positive or negative impact on the infectivity of the virus are considered.

S-licarbazepine was prepared by asymmetric reduction of oxcarbazepine with interface-assembled carbonyl reductase at the interface of oil/water biphasic system. The carbonyl reductase was conjugated with polystyrene in the surface of toluene/Tris-HCl biphasic system and formed a surfactant-like structure. The conversion and enantiometric excess of S-licarbazepine reached 97.39% and 99.6% when 3.97 mmol/L oxcarbazepine was reduced by interface-assembled carbonyl reductase with 60 g/L ethanol as co-substrate in toluene/Tris-HCl(12.5:10) biphasic system at 30 °C, 180 rpm for 6 h.

The Koka gold deposit is located in the Elababu shear zone between the Nakfa terrane and the Adobha Abiy terrane, NW Eritrea. Based on the paragenetic study two main stages of gold mineralization were identified in the Koka gold deposit: 1) an early stage of pyrite-chalcopyrite-sphalerite-galena-gold-quartz vein; and 2) a second stage of pyrite-quartz veins. NaCl-aqueous inclusions, CO2-rich inclusions, and three-phase CO₂-H₂O inclusions occur in the quartz veins at Koka. The ore-bearing quartz veins formed at 268℃, from NaCl-CO₂-H₂O(-CH₄) fluids averaging 5 wt% NaCl eq. The ore-forming mechanisms include fluid immiscibility during stage I, and mixing with meteoric water during stage II. Oxygen, hydrogen and carbon isotopes suggest that the ore-forming fluids originated as mixtures of metamorphic water, meteoric water and magmatic water, whereas sulfur isotope suggest an igneous origin. Features of geology and ore-forming fluid at Koka deposit are similar to those of orogenic gold deposits, suggesting the Koka deposit might be an orogenic gold deposit related to granite.

Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 19) pandemic, researchers have been trying to investigate several active compounds found in plants that have the potential to inhibit the proliferation of SARS-CoV-2 (Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2). The present study aimed to evaluate bioactive compounds found in plants by using a molecular docking approach to inhibit the Main Protease (M^pro) and Spike (S) glycoprotein of SARS-CoV-2. The evaluation was performed on the docking scores calculated using AutoDock Vina as a docking engine. A rule of five (RO5) was calculated to determine whether a compound meets the criteria as an active drug orally in humans. The determination of the docking score was done by selecting the best conformation of the protein-ligand complex that had the highest affinity (most negative Gibbs' free energy of binding / ΔG). As a comparison, nelfinavir (an antiretroviral drug), chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine sulfate (anti-malarial drugs recommended by the FDA as emergency drugs) were used. The results showed that hesperidin, nabiximols, pectolinarin, epigallocatechin gallate, and rhoifolin had better poses than nelfinavir, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine sulfate as spike glycoprotein inhibitors. Hesperidin, rhoifolin, pectolinarin, and nabiximols had about the same pose as nelfinavir, but were better than chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine sulfate as M^pro inhibitors. These plant compounds have the potential to be developed as specific therapeutic agents against COVID-19. Several natural compounds of plants evaluated in this study showed better binding free energy compared to nelfinavir, chloroquine, and hydroxychloroquine sulfate which so far are recommended in the treatment of COVID-19. As judged by the RO5 and previous study by others, the compounds kaempferol, herbacetin, eugenol, and 6-shogaol have good oral bioavailability, so they are also seen as promising candidates for the development lead compounds to treat infections caused by SARS-CoV-2.

Dissemination of resistant pathogens via food supply chains is a notable public health danger from farm to fork. The proposed work analysed the distribution of E. coli among various sources of animal-based food supply chain. Overall, 500 samples were heaped up from livestock, poultry sectors, environment, fisheries, and dairy. Standard microbiological procedures were used to isolate and identify E. coli. Further, isolates were confirmed by using MALDI-TOF and virulence associated genes (VAGs). The phenotypic resistance pattern of the isolates was determined by molecular identification of antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) through PCR using specific primers. Shiga toxin producing E. coli (STEC) were subjected to PCR based O typing using specific primers against different O types. Overall results revealed that 154 (30.5%) samples were confirmed as E. coli, in which77 (50%) isolates were MDR E. coli. Among these, total 52 (67.53%) isolates showed array of VAGs in which 21 (40.38%) were confirmed as STEC based on stx1 and stx2. Furthermore, 12/52 (23.07%) isolates were detected as Non-O157 STEC co-harboring mcr-1 and blaNMD-1. Overall, O26 STEC was found to be the most prevalent among different non-O157 types. Herein, results proposed that detection of such STEC MDR E. coli causing serious public health consequences in developing countries.

Omicron SARS-CoV-2 variants have dominated the strains of COVID-19 circulating worldwide for the last two years. Although the mortality rate of the COVID-19 Omicron variants is only approximately half that of previous variants, vaccines effective against Omicron are needed. Demonstrating that a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine can protect against Omicron in an in vivo infection model, particularly in that of Syrian hamsters, is important for the preclinical characterization of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines. Here, we report on the evaluation of W-PreS-O for its ability to protect Syrian hamsters against infection by Omicron. W-PreS-O is a chimeric vaccine based on a single fusion protein (W-PreS-O), combining RBDs from Wuhan hu-1 wild-type and Omicron adsorbed to aluminum hydroxide. The Syrian hamsters were immunized three times at three-week intervals with W-PreS-O or with aluminum hydroxide (placebo), and then they were infected with Omicron BA.1. Non-infected and non-vaccinated animals served as controls. Neutralizing antibody (nAB) titers, weight, lung symptoms (i.e., edema and pneumonia index), and viral loads, as measured using RT-PCR in the upper and lower respiratory tracts, were determined. In addition, infectious virus titers from the lungs were measured using a plaque-forming assay. W-PreS-O-vaccinated hamsters developed robust nABs against Omicron, showed almost no development of pneumonia, and had significantly reduced infectious virus titers in the lungs. Importantly, the viral loads in the nasal cavities of W-PreS-O-vaccinated hamsters were close to or above the PCR cycle threshold considered to be non-infectious. Our data provide compelling evidence demonstrating that the W-PreS-O vaccine has protective effect against Omicron in a Syrian hamster in vivo infection model. W-PreS-O is therefore a highly promising candidate vaccine for Omicron infections, and it should be further evaluated in clinical studies.

In this work, pure TiO₂ and binary nanocomposites of Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ and Ag/TiO₂ were synthesized in order to improve photocatalytic performance of these samples for degradation of 2, 4-dichlorophenol (2, 4-DCP) as an organic pollutant. A range of analytical techniques including XRD, DRS, SEM/EDX, and elemental mapping were employed to reveal the crystal structure, morphology and property of the nanocomposites. XRD data demonstrated that the prepared samples are purely in TiO₂ anatase phase and cubic spinel Fe₃O₄ exist in the synthesized nanocomposite. We calculated the TiO₂ crystal size from XRD patterns, in the range of 8.35-11.09 nm. The presence of Ag, Fe, O, and Ti atoms in the synthesized nanocomposites was confirmed by SEM/EDX. We obtained 30.43, 32.02 and 42.40 % degradation of 2, 4-DCP (100 ml 2, 4-DCP 40 ppm and 0.01 g catalyst) for pure TiO₂, Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ and Ag/TiO₂, respectively, after 180 min of irradiation under visible light. Similar conditions were employed for 2, 4-DCP degradation under UV irradiation, we obtained 53.05, 51.00 and 71.50 % degradation of 2, 4-DCP pure TiO₂, Fe₃O₄/TiO₂ and Ag/TiO₂, respectively. Thus, the synthesized binary nanocomposites exhibited higher photocatalytic activity compared to pure TiO₂ under visible light.

High-power output and high conversion efficiency are crucial in the study of microfluidic microbial fuel cells (MFCs). In our previous work, we attempted various methods to increase the power density of the MFCs, but nutrient consumption was limited to the bottom (electrode) layer of the microfluidic channel due to the diffusion limitations. In this work, long-term experiments were conducted on a new 4-electrode microfluidic MFC design, which grew Geobacter sulfurreducens biofilms on upward- and downward-facing electrodes in the microchannel. It was discovered that inoculation and growth of the electroactive biofilm did not proceed as fast as the downward facing anode, which we hypothesize is due to gravity effects that negatively impacted bacterial settling on that surface. Rotating the device during the growth phase resulted in uniform and strong outputs from both sides, yielding individual power densities of 4.03 and 4.13 W m-2, which was increased to nearly double when the top- and bottom-side electrodes were operated in parallel as a single 4-electrode MFC. Similarly, acetate consumption could be doubled with the 4-electrodes operated in parallel.

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly altered how people work, with an increasing number transitioning to working-from-home (WFH). This paradigm shift has raised various challenges in adapting living spaces to meet the needs of remote work. Dedicated workspaces or home offices need to be customised for creativity and productivity. Thus, this systematic literature review explores the potential challenges and limitations of implementing modern office design features in residential environments. The study synthesises findings from 108 peer-reviewed articles published within the last decade, focusing on ergonomics, productivity, work-life balance, and spatial constraints. The study found several challenges in translating office design features to home settings. Firstly, spatial limitations in residential areas often restrict the implementation of open-plan layouts and collaborative zones, which are hallmarks of modern office designs. Secondly, the integration of ergonomic furniture and adjustable workstations are limited by budget constraints and the dual-purpose nature of many home spaces. Furthermore, the review highlights the psychological challenges of maintaining work-life boundaries when professional and personal spaces overlap. Noise pollution and distractions emerge as significant factors impacting productivity in home offices, which contrasts controlled modern office environments. The review suggests that the complete replication of modern office design in homes may be impractical, a hybrid approach that adapts key features to residential constraints could enhance home office productivity. Potential solutions could include modular furniture designs, the simulation of collaborative spaces, and the development of noise-cancelling technologies specifically for home environments. This study contributes to the growing body of knowledge on remote work environments and provides valuable insights for enhancing work-life balance, environmental sustainability, and economic growth.

Excess hepatic lipid accumulation is the hallmark of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), for which no medication is currently approved. However, Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Ag-onists (GLP-1RAs), already approved for treating type 2 diabetes, have lately emerged as possible treatments. Herein we aimed to investigate how the GLP-1RA Exendin-4 (Ex-4) affects the mi-croRNA (miRNAs) expression profile using an in vitro model of steatosis. Total RNA, including miRNAs, was isolated from untreated, steatotic, and Ex-4-treated steatotic cells and used for probing a panel of 799 highly curated miRNAs using NanoString technology. Enrichment path-way analysis was used to find the signaling pathways and cellular functions associated with the differentially expressed miRNAs. Our data shows that Ex-4 reversed the expression of a set of miRNAs. Functional enrichment analysis highlighted many relevant signaling pathways and cellular functions enriched in the differentially expressed miRNAs, including hepatic fibrosis, in-sulin receptor, PPAR, Wnt/β-Catenin, VEGF, and mTOR receptor signaling pathways, fibrosis of the liver, cirrhosis of the liver, proliferation of hepatic stellate cells, diabetes mellitus, glucose metabolism disorder and proliferation of liver cells. Our findings suggest that miRNAs may play essential roles in the processes driving steatosis reduction in response to GLP-1R agonists, which warrants further functional investigations.

Objective: Obstructive sleep apnea syndrome (OSAS) is a common sleep disorder that is caused by the reduction or cessation of airflow in the upper airway. Irisin, retinol-binding protein-4 (RBP-4), and adiponectin are the three significant factors in the metabolic process of the human body. The objective of this study was to investigate whether plasma irisin, RBP-4, and adiponectin levels are associated with the severity of OSAS. Methods: According to inclusion and exclusion criteria, 125 patients with OSAS and 46 healthy, gender matched controls were included to the study. The patients were classified according to the apnea hypopnea index (AHI) as 14 mild cases (5<AHI<15), 23 moderate OSAS cases (15<AHI<30) and 88 severe OSAS cases (AHI>30). The plasma irisin, RBP-4 and adiponectin levels were measured and compared between groups. Results: RBP-4 levels were higher in severe OSAS compared to moderate (p<0.05) and mild (p<0.001) OSAS groups, irisin levels were significantly lower compared to moderate (p<0.05) and mild (p<0.001) OSAS groups. There was a negative correlation between irisin and RBP-4 (r=-0.379; p<0.001) and AHI (r=-0.834; p<0.001) and a positive correlation with minimum oxygen saturation (MOS) (r=0.341; p<0.001) in the patient group. In the patient group, there was a negative correlation between adiponectin and BMI (r=-0.682; p<0.001), RBP-4 (r=-0.292; p<0.01) and AHI (r=-0.179; p<0.05) and a positive correlation with MOS (r=0.397; p<0.001). In the patient group, there was a positive correlation between RBP-4 and BMI (r=0.406; p<0.001) and AHI (r=0.473; p<0.001) and a negative correlation with MOS (r=-0.805; p<0.001). As a predictor of OSAS, adiponectin showed the highest specificity (84.8%) and RBP-4 the highest sensitivity (92.0%). Conclusion: The results of the present study demonstrated that the severity of OSAS causes more metabolic problems, including decreased plasma irisin and adiponectin levels and an increased plasma RBP-4 level. As a result, patients with an AHI score greater than thirty should be closely monitored for metabolic and cardiovascular abnormalities.

This study explores the comparative performance of FinBERT, GPT-4, and Logistic Regression for sentiment analysis and stock index prediction using the NGX All-Share Index dataset. By leveraging advanced language models like GPT-4 and FinBERT, alongside a traditional machine learning model, Logistic Regression, we aim to classify market sentiment, generate sentiment score, and predict market price movements. The models were assessed using metrics such as accuracy, precision, recall, F1 score, and ROC AUC. Results indicate that Logistic Regression outperformed both FinBERT and GPT-4, with an accuracy of 81.83% and a ROC AUC of 89.76%. GPT-4 predefined approach exhibited a lower accuracy of 54.19% but demonstrated strong potential in handling complex data. FinBERT, while offering more sophisticated analysis, was computationally demanding and yielded a moderate performance. Hyperparameter optimization using Optuna and cross-validation techniques ensured the robustness of the models. This study highlights the strengths and limitations of these approaches in stock market prediction and presents Logistic Regression as the most efficient model for this task, with FinBERT and GPT-4 showing promise for future exploration.

The article presents investigations of rail vehicle bogie of Y25 type. The Y25 bogie family is one of the most commonly used freight car bogie designs. In addition to several significant advantages characterising this design, it also has several disadvantages observed since the beginning of more than fifty years of operation in several types of cargo vehicles. One of these defects observed in real systems is "unsatisfactory running stability", particularly at long straight tracks. The article used commercial engineering software VI-Rail to create a model of the gondola car (type 412W Eaos) with two Y25 bogies. The car model was tested empty and loaded (maximum permissible load). Motion along straight and curved tracks with different radii values was analysed. The vehicle velocity was changed from a few m/s to the maximum values for which stable solutions of the model existed. For each route, a non-linear critical velocity was determined, defining the maximum operating velocity of the modelled car. The model solutions were recorded, while just one was selected to present the results - the first wheelset lateral displacement ylw. The opinion about the "imperfect running quality" in curved tracks was confirmed. The possible appearance of self-exciting wheelset vibrations in the modelled car's operating velocity range in the laden state was also observed. The research results on the impact of the bogie suspension parameters change on the vehicle model stability are presented. The crucial parameter in the bogie suspension was indicated. Reducing its value by several percent about the nominal value increases the critical velocity of the car to values higher than the maximum operating velocity of the modelled vehicle.

The World Health Organization has estimated an annual occurrence of approximately 392 million Dengue virus (DENV) infections in more than 100 countries where the virus is endemic, and this represents a serious threat to humanity. DENV is a serologic group with four distinct serotypes (DENV-1, DENV-2, DENV-3, and DENV-4) belonging to the genus Flavivirus, in the family Flaviviridae. Dengue is the most widespread mosquito-borne disease in the world. The ~10.7 kb DENV genome encodes three structural proteins (capsid [C], pre-membrane [prM], and envelope [E]) and seven non-structural (NS) proteins (NS1, NS2A, NS2B, NS3, NS4A, NS4B, and NS5). The NS1 protein is a membrane-associated dimer and a secreted, lipid-associated hexamer. Dimeric NS1 is found on membranes both in cellular compartments and cell surfaces. Secreted NS1 (sNS1) is often present in patient serum at very high levels, which correlates with severe dengue symptoms. This study was conducted to discover how NS1 protein, microRNAs-15/16 (miRNAs-15/16), and apoptosis are related during DENV-4 infection in human liver cell lines. Huh 7.5 and HepG2 cells were infected with DENV-4, and miRNAs-15/16, viral load, NS1 protein, and caspases-3/7 were quantified after different times of infection. This study demonstrated that miRNAs-15/16 are overexpressed during infection of HepG2 and Huh 7.5 cells by DENV-4 and have a relationship with NS1 protein expression, viral load, and activity of caspases-3/7, thus making these miRNAs potential injury markers during DENV infection in human hepatocytes.

Stage IV grade C localized periodontitis (pre-puberal localized aggressive periodontitis/LPP), an extremely rare form of periodontal disease, occurs in otherwise healthy individuals (no signs of dental plaque/calculus) due a hyper-aggressive auto-immune response to high periodontopathic bacteria levels. Methods: A 4-year-old Caucasian girl with unusual high mobility of temporary lower left canine and localized gingival inflammation was misrecognized by multiple clinicians (initially diagnosed with hypophosphatasia, genetic and metabolic disorders, all turning negative), over a period of 4-6 month, despite initial radiographs showing clear pathognomonic signs. LPP diagnostic was made by the last clinician, but by now the tooth was lost. Similar inflammation signs appeared around the lower temporary right canine. X-ray examination showed similar bone and periodontal loss as previously seen, while periodontopathic bacteria tested highly positive. The patient received both mechanical cleaning and ten days systemic antibiotic treatment (Augmentin and Metronidazole). Results: Two months after, inflammation signs disappeared, with periodontal regeneration radiologically present, and only small periodontopathic bacteria precursors concentrations. Conclusions: Despite initial periodontal loss, an adequate treatment can keep under control an LPP disease. Moreover, bone and periodontal regeneration appears if periodontopathic bacteria scores are kept lower, showing the importance of fast adequate diagnostic and treatment.

Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is a severe lung condition with a high mortality rate for which there are no effective therapeutics. The failure of the alveolar-capillary barrier, composed of lung endothelial (EC) and alveolar epithelial (AEC) cells, is a critical factor leading to excessive inflammation and edema characteristics of acute lung injury (ALI). Phosphodiesterases (PDE) are enzymes well-recognized for their roles in regulating endothelial permeability and inflammation. Although PDE inhibitors are used as therapeutics for inflammatory diseases like COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), their efficacy in treating ARDS has not yet been established. In this study, we investigate the effects of ensifentrine, an FDA-approved novel dual PDE 3/4 inhibitor, on lung endothelial and epithelial dysfunction caused by methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA), a pathogen involved in bacterial ARDS. Human primary lung endothelial cells and alveolar epithelial cell lines (A549 and immortalized AEC) were treated with heat-killed MRSA, and their responses were assessed in the presence or absence of ensifentrine. Ensifentrine given either pre- or post exposure attenuated MRSA-induced increased lung endothelial permeability. VE-cadherin junctions, which serve to stabilize the EC barrier, were disrupted by MRSA; however, ensifentrine effectively prevented this disruption. Pre-treatment with ensifentrine protected against MRSA-induced EC pro-inflammatory signaling by inhibiting the expression of VCAM-1, ICAM-1, and by reducing the IL-6 release. In AEC, MRSA caused upregulation of ICAM-1, activation of NF-kB and production of IL-8, all of which were inhibited by ensifentrine. These results indicate that dual inhibition of phosphodiesterases 3 and 4 by ensifentrine is barrier protective and attenuates MRSA-induced inflammation in both lung endothelial and epithelial cells. The PDE3/4 inhibitor ensifentrine may represent a promising novel strategy for the treatment of ALI.

To better understand the shape memory materials and self-healing materials, a new series of liquid-crystalline shape memory polyurethane (LC-SMPU) composites, named SMPU-OOBAm, were successfully prepared by incorporating 4-octyldecyloxybenzoic acid (OOBA) into the PEG-based SMPU. The effect of OOBA on the structure, morphology and properties has been carefully investigated. The results demonstrate that SMPU-OOBAm have liquid crystalline properties, triple-shape memory properties and self-healing properties. The incorporated OOBA promotes the crystallizability of both soft and hard segments of SMPU, and the crystallization rate of the hard segment of SMPU decreases when the OOBA-content increases. Additionally, the SMPU-OOBAm forms a two-phase separated structure (SMPU phase and OOBA phase), and it shows two-step modulus changes upon heating. Therefore, the SMPU-OOBAm shows triple-shape memory behavior, and the shape recovery ratio decreases with an increase in the OOBA content. Finally, SMPU-OOBAm shows self-healing properties. The new mechanism can be ascribed to the heating-induced “bleeding” of OOBA in the liquid crystalline state and the subsequent re-crystallization upon cooling. This successful combination of liquid crystalline properties, triple-shape memory properties and self-healing properties make the SMPU-OOBAm composites with many promise applications in smart optical devices, smart electronic devices and smart sensors.

“White matter disease” identifies series of different conditions and pathological mechanisms: autoimmune, infectious, toxic-metabolic and vascular. Each of these leads to a global impairment of the neural myelination process through the secondary destruction of previously myelinated structures. To date, the imaging spectrum represents an irreplaceable tool to detect these lesions, describe their distribution patterns and stage them over time. This study aims presents a pictorial review of white matter disease, from pathology to imaging spectrum, reporting current main staging systems with greater emphasis to relationship between cerebrovascular disease and white matter hyper-intensity appearance, and the newest advances in this field.

The human body tries to tolerate the pigment-producing cells through several mechanisms including; central deletion of melanocyte-specific T cells or peripheral induction of inhibition or anergy of the released cytotoxic T cells. The melanocytes also try to hide their antigenic components from the immune system. The breakdown of these mechanisms leads to the induction of the adaptive immunity and the production of unopposed melanocyte-specific cytotoxic T cells, destroying the melanocytes, leading to the development of depigmentation. Vitiligo will develop whenever tolerance-jeopardizing factors outnumber or over-weigh the tolerance-inducing factors.

This paper discusses domestic problem of waiting hot water for the shower use till it reaches satisfactory temperature, which result a lot of wastage in fresh water. The outcome from research survey shows that there is no satisfactory solution till now as all solutions were either expensive or with no effective results. Local small inline electric heater equipped with fuzzy logic controller is proposed in this paper to be installed just before the showerhead to measure the water temperature and flow before the showerhead, as control input-variables, and decide the operating voltage of the heater, as control output-variable (MISO). MATLAB Simulink is used to model the proposed system. Different test cases are simulated to prove the performance and the safe operation of the system. Techno-economic study is carried out to determine the “Direct Benefits” and “Indirect Benefits” that can be achieved if such system is implemented in wide range. Azerbaijan data is taken as an example to calculate the economic benefits. The results show important benefits not only for economy but also for climate and the reduction of CO₂ gas emission. Different economic indices are provided to be an easy reference for decision makers and project managers.

We are witnessing a progressive divestment of some institutions with strong traditions and skills in physical modelling and their consequent impoverishment, to the detriment of numerical modelling. For many reasons, the economic imperatives and the exponential growth of computational means and numerical methods should certainly not be excluded. In this work, we aimed to highlight the new requirements of the recent sophisticated developments in physical modelling, precisely due to the new needs imposed on them by mathematical and numerical modelling and the growing risks in civil construction works. In this context, reflections are reported, justified by scientific and real-world examples, on the need for maintenance and reinforcement of investments in physical modelling, both to support the scientific community and to design buildings of significant economic, social and environmental impact.

Objective: The article presents a methodology for the design and validation of two assessment instruments: one focused on competency development and the other on knowledge acquisition on sustainability, aimed at nutrition students from a Mexican university. Method: These instruments were adapted using the triangulation methodology and administered to a group of 45 students after receiving an intervention based on the systemic approach to nutrition. Following the intervention, an analysis of the results was carried out to validate the reliability and validity of the instruments, and to evaluate the impact of the intervention compared to a control group. Results: The findings indicated that the dimensions used in the instrument are suitable for evaluating competency development, additionally, it was found that both instruments are reliable tools for assessing competency development and knowledge in sustainability among nutrition students, concluding that they have the potential to be used for evaluating education in sustainability. Furthermore, the results reveal that the application of an intervention based on the systemic approach to nutrition has a positive impact on the development and acquisition of sustainable nutrition education. The students who received the intervention achieved significantly higher scores in all sustainability sub-competencies (W=100, p=0.019), as well as in the total percentage of sustainable knowledge (w=53, n=0.01). Conclusions: The results of this study pave the way for the operationalization of competency and knowledge dimensions in food sustainability, which can contribute to the evaluation of sustainability education and its impact on the training of nutrition students committed to sustainability.

By performing DSC measurements on RNase A, we studied the stabilization provided by the addition of potassium aspartate or potassium glutamate, that leads to a significant increase in the denaturation temperature of the protein. The stabilization proves to be mainly entropic in origin. A counteraction of the stabilization provided by KAsp or KGlu is obtained by adding common denaturants such as urea, guanidinium chloride and guanidinium thiocyanate. A rationalization of experimental data is devised on the basis of a theoretical approach developed by one of us. The main contribution to the conformational stability of globular proteins comes from the gain in translational entropy of water and co-solute ions and/or molecules for the decrease in solvent-excluded volume associated with polypeptide folding (i.e., there is a large decrease in solvent-accessible surface area). The magnitude of this entropic contribution increases with the number density and volume packing density of the solution. The two destabilizing contributions come from the conformational entropy of the chain, that should not depend significantly on the presence of co-solutes, and from the direct energetic interactions between co-solutes and the protein surface in both the native and denatured states. It is the magnitude of the latter to discriminate between stabilizing and destabilizing agents.

The ultrasound guided viscosupplementation of the hip joint with hyaluronic acid(HA)is considered a standard procedure among the conservative treatments for hip arthritis.The aim of the study was to evaluate the clinical benefit and the incidence of adverse events of the technique in a obseravtional study at one year follow up. We evaluated a consecutive series of 85 patients with a diagnosis of symptomatic arthritis that performed intra-articular ultrasound-guided hyaluronic acid injections. The scales used for evaluation were modified Harris Hip Score(mHHS),WOMAC (Western Ontario and McMaster University),Hip Outcome Score (HOOS) with subscale Sport (HOOSs), for pain the Visual Analogic Scale (VAS).The patients were classified according to Tonnis’ radiological classification of arthrosis (range 0-3):20 patients(grade 0),32(grade 1),18(grade 2),15(grade 3).At last follow up all the scales increased:mHHS from 59.35 to 82.1,HOOS from 69.45 to 78.53,HOS Sport from 47.4 to 58.11,VAS from 6.09 to 3.97,WOMAC from 33.2 to 31.5 (p<0.05 for all the parameters);13/85 requested arthroplasty. Based on our findings, indication for use of hyaluronic acid is limited to patients with mild to moderate arthritis.Patients in advanced arthritis refusing replacement surgery and asking for this treatment should be informed about the poor results of the technique even in the short term follow up.