The risk classification of barrier lake is the key to conducting emergency treatment in a scientific manner. Such difficulties are faced as short time for risk evaluation, complex evaluation indicators, difficulty in obtaining information quickly and quantifying index weights. Based on this, this paper constructs a quantitative risk classification model for barrier lakes based on D-AHP. On the basis of studies on nearly 100 cases of barrier lakes, an 8-factor evaluation index system and quantitative classification are proposed. The methods of rapid calculation of reservoir capacity curve of barrier lake and intelligent identification of particles on the surface of barrier body were developed, which realized the rapid acquisition of 8-factor evaluation index information in emergency environment. The D-AHP method dealt with inconsistent weight assignment to evaluation factors by experts, which helped achieve weight quantification of 8 factors. The risk assessment on15 barrier lakes such as Tangjiashan barrier lake show that the conclusion drawn with risk classification method proposed in this paper is basically consistent with that of the traditional table-lookup method. However, the table-lookup method ignores cumulative loss’s impacts on the risk level of barrier lakes, and considers the extremely severe loss of barrier lakes as a sufficient condition for the evaluation level to be grade I, and thus a deviation in the evaluation. The risk classification method proposed in this paper is more reasonable and reliable.

ObjectivesIn increasingly stressful times, many people are increasingly turning to fast food, neglecting to drink enough fluids and often forgoing regular exercise. The fast tempo of everyday life leaves little room for healthy habits, such as cooking at home, which means that a conscious and balanced diet takes a back seat.MethodsA descriptive pilot study was conducted to investigate the effects of an eight-week intervention program. This program included the daily intake of breakfast, cooking at home, adequate fluid intake and daily physical activity. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effects of these measures on the participants' body weight and general health.Results During the 56-day intervention, there was a steady trend towards weight reduction, and at the end of the intervention phase, a significant weight reduction in the test person could be observed. At the end of the intervention, the participant was still 45 years old, measured a body weight of 73.4 kg, which represents a BMI of 25.1 and is classified as slightly overweight. ConclusionThe results of the pilot study demonstrate clearly that the health mix of regular cooking at home, a daily breakfast, a daily physical activity session and sufficient fluid intake can be an effective booster for weight loss in adults. This combination has not only led to a significant reduction in body weight, but has also shown that simple, everyday measures can have a profound effect on health.

This study delves into the complex challenges that arise when managing rescue operations in the aftermath of traffic accidents spanning various forms of transportation, including roads, railways, aviation, and waterways. Given the inherent complexity of traffic-related disasters, these events typically necessitate well-coordinated rescue strategies, involving the collaboration of multiple emergency services and the use of specialized equipment. The legal framework set forth by the Republic of Serbia plays a pivotal role in shaping the procedures and responsibilities within these rescue efforts, guiding the allocation of resources, enforcing safety protocols, and ensuring effective coordination between different agencies. Moreover, the incorporation of innovative technical solutions is critical in successfully extricating victims from perilous situations. This paper also underscores the vital importance of preventive measures, particularly in road traffic, which are mandated by national legislation. The establishment of specialized investigative bodies, such as the Traffic Accident Investigation Center, has greatly enhanced the systematic approach to preventing future incidents. By examining the various components of rescue operations, this research highlights the essential role of timely and efficient interventions in minimizing casualties and mitigating the broader impacts of traffic disasters.

Cross-lingual sentiment analysis is crucial for understanding and interpreting emotions expressed in text across diverse linguistic contexts. However, cross-lingual sentiment analysis faces challenges such as differences in emotional lexicons, data imbalance, and the need for multi-language sentiment normalization. In this study, we propose a novel approach to address these challenges by leveraging low-resource language training techniques to enhance cross-lingual sentiment analysis. Our method aims to bridge the gap in emotional lexicons by adapting sentiment analysis models to diverse linguistic contexts. Additionally, we tackle issues of data imbalance through innovative data augmentation strategies tailored to each language, and we introduce a multi-language sentiment normalization technique to ensure consistent sentiment interpretation across different languages. Our method achieved state-of-the-art results in twelve languages across four domains, demonstrating superior performance in both text-level and sentence-level sentiment analysis tasks. By conducting comprehensive evaluations across diverse linguistic contexts and domains, we showcase the versatility and effectiveness of our approach in achieving top-tier results in cross-lingual sentiment analysis.

The water exit problem, which is ubiquitous in ocean engineering, is one of the significant research topics in the interaction between navigators and water. The study of the water exit problem can help to improve the structure design for marine ships and underwater weapons for better strength and movement status. However, the water exit problem involves complex processes such as gas-liquid-solid three-phase coupling, cavitation, water separation, liquid surface deformation and fragmentation, making it challenging to study. According to the works carried out by many researchers towards this issue, we summarize the recent developments from three aspects, i.e. theoretical research, numerical simulation and experimental results. In theoretical research, the improved von Kaman model and linearized water exit model are introduced. Several classical experimental devices, data acquisition means and cavitation are introduced in experimental development. Three methods, namely, BEM(boundary element method), FVM(finite volume method) and LES(large eddy simulation) are concluded for numerical simulation. The limitations and shortcomings of these three aspects are then analyzed. Finally, an outlook on the future research improvements and developments of the water exit problem is provided.

Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a mental disorder caused by exposure to traumatic stress, affects 5-10% of the world’s population. PTSD is associated with several medical and neurological comorbidities. It has been suggested that these are due to accelerated aging, and that changes in telomere length (TL) and telomerase enzyme activity may serve as biomarkers of this process. Early research in this field suggested that TL was significantly reduced in PTSD. The current review was conducted to provide a critical analysis of recent clinical and translational research on telomere length and telomerase in PTSD. The results of 26 clinical studies suggest that TL in PTSD is highly variable, and may be influenced by methodological, demographic, trauma-related and psychosocial factors. There is no evidence for altered telomerase activity in PTSD, though this was hypothesized by earlier workers in the field. Translational research suggests that exposure to traumatic stress does lead to TL shortening. Overall, it is likely that TL in PTSD depends on several variables that are specific to individuals and groups. Other markers of cellular aging, such as epigenetic changes, may be more specific indices of accelerated aging in patients with PTSD.

Cleft lip and palate are the most common congenital craniofacial anomalies. The etiology of this condition is unclear. The overall incidence of cleft lip and palate is 1/700. Prenatal diagnosis of cleft lip by 3D ultrasound is possible in more than 70% of cases, while it is less effective for cleft palate. There are several classifications of cleft lip and palate that were proposed over the years, however, only few have found clinical application, with none of them generally accepted as most effective and understandable. Allori et al. presented classification of a cleft lip and palate which is comprehensive and uniform, and it can precisely define the vast majority of the clefts, thus enabling easier communication between the health workers during their everyday practice. In this paper, we compared the accuracy of preoperative diagnoses compared to intraoperative diagnoses according to Kernahan and Stark classification from 1958, and these diagnoses were converted according to the Allori et al. classification of cleft lip and palate. Classification of cleft lip and palate presented by Allori et al. is clear, easy to understand, and it can be successful tool in studying the epidemiology of clefts.

This manuscript explores significant advancements and emerging challenges in CAR T cell therapies, focusing on the production methodologies and regulatory complexities. The discussion highlights ongoing challenges like the lack of in vivo persistence, lengthy production times, and elevated costs associated with current CAR T cell therapies. It analyzes innovative solutions such as genetic engineering techniques aimed at enhancing cellular efficacy and endurance, alongside cutting-edge manufacturing processes, including closed systems and development of allogeneic products. These advancements hold promise for reducing costs and improving production efficiency, potentially increasing patient access to these transformative therapies globally. Furthermore, the manuscript underscores the necessity for expanding ongoing research and enhancing regulatory frameworks to fully realize and implement these innovations in CAR T cell manufacturing and bring these innovations to fruition.

The Ultra-Cold Neutron (UCN) source being commissioned at North Carolina State Universityâs PULSTAR reactor is uniquely optimized for UCN production in the former graphite-filled thermal column outside of the reactor pool. The source utilizes a remote moderation design which is particularly well suited to the PULSTAR reactor on account of its large thermal and epithermal neutron leakage from the core face. This large non-equilibrium flux from the core is efficiently transported to the UCN source through the specially designed beam port in order to optimize UCN production at any given reactor power. The increased distance to the source from the core also greatly limits the heat load on the cryogenic system. A MCNP model of this system was developed and is in good agreement with gold foil activation measurements using a mock-up setup as well as with the real UCN source heavy water moderator. These results established a firm baseline for estimates of the cold neutron flux available for UCN production and prove that remote moderation in a thermal column port is a valuable option for future designs of cryogenic UCN sources.

Increasing concerns on animal welfare in commercial pig industry include aggression between pigs as it affects their health and growth. Early detection of aggressive behaviors is essential for optimizing their living environment. A major challenge for detection is that these behaviors are observed occasionally in normal conditions. Under this circumstance, a limited amount of aggressive behavior data will lead to class imbalance issue, making it difficult to develop an effective classification model for the detection of aggressive behaviors. To overcome this problem, we approach the aggressive behavior detection problem as a case of anomaly detection rather than classification and propose a model based on anomaly detection, which can better handle unbalanced class distribution and effectively detect the infrequent, aggressive episodes of pigs. The model consists of a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a variational long short-term memory (LSTM) autoencoder. Additionally, we adopted a training method similar to weakly supervised anomaly detection and included a few aggressive behavior data in the training set for prior learning. To effectively utilize the aggressive behavior data, we created Reconstruction Loss Inversion, a novel objective function, to train the autoencoder-based model to increase the reconstruction error of aggressive behaviors by inverting the loss function. Our anomaly detection approach significantly outperforms traditional classification-based methods, effectively identifying aggressive behaviors in a natural farming environment. This method offers a robust solution for detecting aggressive animal behaviors and contributes to improving their welfare.

This paper discusses the application of artificial intelligence in imaging omics, especially in cancer research. Imaging omics enables detailed analysis of spatial and temporal heterogeneity of tumours through high-throughput extraction of quantitative features from medical images such as MRI, PET, and CT. This paper focuses on applying PARKS systems to automate the recognition, segmentation, and extraction of image features, significantly enhancing the capabilities of clinical decision support systems (CDSS). The future direction is to establish a robust network infrastructure for radiology Medication-led Health care (RLHC) to facilitate the development and application of personalised treatment protocols, and to improve diagnostic accuracy, prognosis assessment, and treatment recommendations by uploading quantitative image features to a shared database and comparing them with historical images.

This paper aimed to evaluate the growth, gas exchange and Chl a fluorescence in ipê-rosa seedlings, subjected to levels of 100, 75, 50 and 25% of water replacement (LWR), in a greenhouse. The morphometric variables of plant height, diameter at stem height, number of leaves and leaflets, root length and volume, plant dry mass and leaf area were evaluated. The potential evapotranspiration of seedlings (ETc) was obtained using direct weighing, considering as a reference the water replacement of 100% of the mass variation between subsequent days; the cultivation coefficients (kc) were obtained by the ratio between ETc and the reference evapotranspiration (ETo) obtained by the Penman-Montheit FAO-56 method. Biomass and evapotranspiration data were combined to determine water sensitivity. Diurnal fluxes of gas exchange (net photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, stomatal conductance, internal and atmospheric carbon ratio, water use efficiency and leaf temperature) and Chl a fluorescence (Fv/Fm, ΦPSII, ETR, Fv’/Fm’, NPQ and qL) were evaluated. Water restriction caused reductions of 90.9 and 84.7% in the increase in height and diameter of seedlings subjected to 25% water replacement when compared to seedlings with 100% water replacement, while biomass accumulation reduced by 96.9%. The kc values increased throughout the seedling production cycle, ranging from 0.59 to 2.86. Maximum water sensitivity occurred at 50% water replacement, with Ky = 1.62. Maximum carbon assimilation rates occurred in the morning, ranging from 6.11 to 12.50 µmol m-2 s-1. Ipê-rosa seedlings regulate the physiology of growth, gas exchange, and Chl a fluorescence depending on the amount of water available, and only 25% of the water re-placement in the substrate allows the seedlings to survive.

This paper contains a comparative review of existing Zitterbewegung models. It attempts to synthesize them by offering a toy model containing an extra hypothesis of electromagnetic self-oscillation at the Fermi scale (10−15m). Inspired by Bell violation experiments, Zitterbewegung models and hydrodynamic walker studies, we revisit standing waves in quantum mechanics, echoing de Broglie-Bohm pilot wave theories. Starting with the electromagnetic self-oscillation hypothesis at the Fermi scale we propose an emergent and deductive hierarchical electron structure across multiple scales. The model spans Fermi, Compton (10−13m), Bohr (10−11m) and finally de Broglie (>10−10m). At the Fermi scale, the hypothesis is one of "source-free chiral light", known as the "zilch", emerging as a self-oscillating electromagnetic field at the Schwinger limit. This self-interaction of retarded potentials due to real relativistic delays is a generic self-oscillation of Liénard-Wiechert potentials. This primary Fermi oscillation accounts for charge and mass at the Fermi scale. It generates secondary stable "auto-orbits" dynamics at the Compton scale, manifesting as observable spin and other quantum properties of the usual Dirac zitterbewegung models. These zitter models account for known electron characteristics, including mass, charge, spin and g/2 anomalous factors up to 9 digits precision. We explain the de Broglie wavelength through Doppler-shifted Compton-scale standing waves, in the tradition of de Broglie. The framework extends to electron-positron pair production at the Schwinger limit, described as a result of natural light focusing in non-homogeneous media, utilizing René Thom’s catastrophe theory. This offers a new perspective on baryogenesis and matter emergence from electromagnetic fields. We dub this toy model the "sub-standard" model of the electron.

Human-elephant conflict has become a conservation challenge in Asia and Africa resulting in considerable human fatalities annually. We deployed an AI-embedded camera-alert system in a conflict hotspot in West Bengal, India to determine if AI algorithms could accurately detect elephants and if real-time alerts that triggered a rapid response could prevent serious incidents. The system successfully detected elephants near villages (266 events) and transmitted real-time alerts (x̄ = 42 seconds) permitting quick response by field personnel to prevent conflict (x̄ = 18.2, SD = 12.4 min to arrival). Matriarch herds of elephants were detected mostly at night when human traffic was minimal; lone adult bulls, the class most prone to conflict, were detected day and night. Frequent detections of humans (33,217 events) on routes used by elephants highlighted the value of real-time monitoring especially during daytime. Twelve human fatalities and eighteen serious injuries occurred in the study area between 2019-2023 but none during deployment of the AI system, supporting the hypothesis that alerts integrated with rapid response can reduce conflict. Loss of lives and livelihoods underscore the urgency of applying this approach to other elephant ranges and adapting AI models to conflict-prone species to provide early warning and promote coexistence.

The present study adopted a diverse approach to obtain antioxidant peptides from red seaweed, starting with an aqueous extraction of the entire seaweed followed by enzymatic hydrolysis of the solid residues from the first step. Additionally, the impact of three different pH levels (i.e. 3, 6, and 9) during the aqueous extraction phase was examined for their influence on the outcomes. The findings revealed that the solid fraction resulting from the sequential extraction process contained significantly higher levels of proteins and amino acids compared to other fractions (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the solid fractions (IC50 ranging from 2.29 to 8.15) proved to be significantly more effective free radical scavengers than the liquid fractions (IC50 either ranging from 9.03 to 10.41 or not obtained at the highest concentration tested) at both stages of extraction (p < 0.05). Among the solid fractions, those produced under alkaline conditions did not exhibit as potent radical scavenging abilities as those produced under acidic or nearly neutral conditions. The most effective metal ion chelating activity was found in the solid fractions derived from the subsequent enzymatic stage, particularly at pH 3 (IC50 = 0.63 ± 0.04) and pH 6 (IC50 = 0.89 ± 0.07), which were significantly more potent than those from the initial extraction stage (p < 0.05). Given that no significant difference was noted in the total phenolic content of these solid fractions compared to their corresponding liquid fractions (3.79 ± 0.05 vs. 3.48 ± 0.02 at pH 3 and 2.43 ± 0.22 vs. 2.51 ± 0.00 at pH 6) (p > 0.05), the demonstrated properties might be attributed to the potential roles of bioactive amino acids such as histidine, glutamic acid, aspartic acid, tyrosine, and methionine, whether present as free amino acids or integrated within the structure of proteins and peptides.

The construction industry is a cornerstone of Nigeria's economic growth, yet it faces significant hurdles, particularly from governmental constraints. This research aims to (1) identify the primary governmental constraints impacting the Nigerian construction sector and (2) evaluate the effectiveness of existing government interventions in addressing these challenges. Employing a comprehensive literature review, this study analyzes regulatory frameworks, bureaucratic processes, corruption, political instability, and infrastructure deficiencies. It also examines the consequences of these constraints on project costs, timelines, and quality. Key findings reveal that bureaucratic red tape and corruption are the most pervasive constraints, significantly hindering project execution. Consistent government policies and adequate infrastructure also contribute to project delays and cost escalation. To enhance the construction sector's performance, it is imperative to (1) streamline bureaucratic procedures and strengthen anti-corruption measures and (2) develop and implement consistent, long-term sector-specific policies. By addressing these recommendations, the government can create a more favorable environment for construction businesses, stimulate investment, and accelerate Nigeria's overall development.

Wheat straw (WS) is a promising substrate for biogas production by anaerobic digestion (AD) due to its high carbohydrate content. An estimated 0.603 million t yr-1 of WS are generated from wheat production systems in South Africa. This is equivalent to an energy potential of 11 PJ. Despite, WS is still undervalued as a bioenergy resource in South Africa due to its structural complexity and low nitrogen content. WS disposal methods, such as use in livestock bedding, burning and burying into the soil, inter alia, are not sustainable and may contribute to global warming and climate change. Commercialization of the AD of WS needs to be further developed and promoted. Pre-treatment (i.e. physical, chemical, biological and hybrid methods) and anaerobic co-digestion (AcoD) are novel strategies that can support the conversion of WS into biogas and other value-added products. Current and future research should focus on optimizing pre-treatment and AcoD conditions towards industrialization of WS into valuable products. This paper focuses on the potential use of WS for biogas production by AD in South Africa. The aim is to create information that will promote research and development, and encourage policy makers and stakeholder participation and investment in WS biogas technology.

Chronic wounds remain trapped in a pro-inflammatory state, with strategies targeted at inducing re-epithelialization and the proliferative phase of healing desirable. A member of the lectin family, galectin-3 is implicated in regulation of macrophage phenotype and epithelial migration. We investigated if local delivery of galectin-3 enhanced skin healing in a full thickness excisional C57BL/6 mouse model. An electrospun gelatin scaffold loaded with galectin-3 was developed and compared to topical delivery of galectin-3. Electrospun gelatin/galectin-3 scaffolds had an average fiber diameter of 200 nm, with 83% scaffold porosity approximately and am average pore diameter of 1.15 μm. The developed scaffolds supported dermal fibroblasts adhesion, matrix deposition and proliferation in vitro. In vivo treatment of 6 mm full thickness excisional wounds with gelatin/galectin-3 scaffolds did not influence wound closure, re-epithelialization or macrophage phenotypes, but increased collagen synthesis. In comparison, topical delivery of galectin-3 [6.7 µg/ml] significantly increased arginase-I cell density at day 7 versus untreated and gelatin/galectin-3 scaffolds (p<0.05). Preliminary assessment of increasing the concentration of topical galectin-3 demonstrated that at day 7, galectin-3 [12.5 µg/ml] significantly increased both epithelial migration and collagen content in a concentration dependent manner. In conclusion, local delivery of galectin 3 shows potential efficacy in modulating skin healing in a concentration dependent manner.

Cumulative evidence attests to the essential roles of commensal microbes in the physiology of the hosts. Although microbiome has been a major research subject since the time of Luis Pasteur and William Russell over 140 years ago, recent findings that certain intracellular bacteria contribute to the pathophysiology of healthy or diseased tissues have brought the field of microbiome to a new era of investigation. In particular, in the field of breast cancer research, breast-tumor resident bacteria are deemed to be the essential players of tumor initiation and progression. This is a resurrection of Russel’s bacterial cause of cancer theory abandoned over 100 years ago. This review will introduce some of the recent findings that exemplify the roles of breast tumor-resident microbes in breast carcinogenesis and metastasis and provide mechanistic explanations of these phenomena. Such information would be able to justify the utility of breast-tumor resident microbes as biomarkers for disease progression and therapeutic targets.

This study investigates the diversity and evolution of research topics within the dental sciences from 1994 to 2023 using topic modeling and Shannon's entropy as a measure of research diversity. We analyzed a dataset of 412036 scientific articles across six dental disciplines: Orthodontics, Pros-thodontics, Periodontics, Implant Dentistry, Oral Surgery, and Restorative Dentistry. This research relies on BERTopic to identify distinct topics within each field. The study revealed significant shifts in research focus over time, with some disciplines exhibiting robust growth in article numbers such as Periodontics and Prosthodontics. The application of Shannon's entropy revealed an increasing diversification of research efforts in disciplines such as Restorative Dentistry, while others, like Prosthodontics, in spite of their size and their high number of research topics, maintain a more specialized research focus. Taken together, our findings describe the dynamic nature of dental re-search and highlight the balance shifts in research focus across several key areas of Dentistry.

The astro-structures with the shape of comet and semi-circle, are found in the electronegative inductively coupled plasmas (ICPs), e.g., Ar/O2 and Ar/SF6. They are formed by means of the self-coagulation theory. This theory is built and based on two-dimensional fluid model simulation dynamic data of the above ICP sources. Concretely, quasi-Helmholtz equation is constructed through the free diffusion transport component and a novel negative chemical source term. The absolute value of recombination rate is higher than the attachment rate and so the net source of simulated anion is negative. This is quite a new chemical phenomenon in the electronegative and gaseous discharging plasmas when compared to the previously reported normal positive chemical source that will generate ambi-polar diffusion potential. In electronegative plasma, the self-coagulation is ambi-polar to sustain the electrical neutrality. Besides, when the anions are accelerated by ambi-polar potential before self-coagulated, the self-coagulation is again advective which leads to the formation of blue sheath. At the ambi-polar self-coagulation of high electronegativity, the electrons dynamics are relatively decoupled from ions and meanwhile they have their own relatively weak, spontaneous, and monopolar self-coagulation in the periphery of astro-structure. At the ambi-polar self-coagulation, both the anion and cation are individually treated as mass point models that carry charge (point charge models, more precisely). When the charge amounts of two individual astr-structures, e.g., semi-circle SF3+ and Ar+, are equal, the coagulated profile of heavy species SF3+ collapses by the expelling effect of Coulomb force that exists between the two point-charges. This is an anti-collective behavior of astro-structure, instead of the collective interaction of plasma, since the collapse of coagulated heavy species creates spatially dispersed charge density that cannot be shielded. The simulation shows that the lighter the species, the easier it self-coagulates, determined by the inertial effect of density quantity. The discharge picture of electronegative plasma is combined by a dynamic continuum transport (e.g., forming the ellipse background) and the mechanical balance contained in the static self-coagulation process (proven by dimensional analysis of continuity equation). The popular astro-structure of electronegative ICP source awaits urgently for the validation of experiment.

Introduction: There is a significant gap in accessibility to mental health care in Canada, worsened by various factors including rurality. Therefore, an important resource is crisis hotlines. Responders are hypothesized to be affected by the occupational phenomenon of burnout, partly due to the inherent nature of the job and partly due to the widespread negative mental health effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Difficulties for crisis hotlines is expected to continue due to the ongoing fallout from the pandemic and from increased awareness of the Canada Suicide Prevention Line after introduction of a new 3-digit (9-8-8) number. This manuscript aims to characterize the population of Canadian crisis hotline responders and investigate the variables that contributed to burnout during COVID-19.; Methods: An online questionnaire assessed sociodemographic information, shift related variables, burnout, and current support methods utilized by crisis hotline responders across Canada. A qualitative component was also included to reflect participants’ experiences; Results: The cross-sectional assessment was completed by 136 participants. During COVID-19 Canadian crisis hotline responders reported relatively high levels of burnout/stress on both the Copenhagen Burnout Inventory and Professional Quality of Life Survey. Younger age emerged as the sole predictor of greater burnout amongst the variables we studied. The normal limitations of a cross-sectional survey apply. The COVID-19 pandemic may have affected the generalizability through several factors.; Conclusions: Findings suggest that Canadian crisis hotline responders, especially younger ones, require greater support to manage workplace burnout. Nevertheless, conducting comprehensive studies during times when there are no public health emergencies are warranted to understand the full scope of burnout in this population.; Recommendations: Based on our data, we offer 5 recommendations to mitigate the risk of burnout for responders and improve access to this important public health resource.

Identification the parameters of triple-diode electrical circuit structure of PV-module is a challenging issue and has been emphasized as an important research area. Accordingly, a hybrid evolutionary optimization algorithm is presented in this paper. Differential evolution algorithm (DEA) is hybridized with electromagnetism-like algorithm (EMA) in the mutation stage to enhance the reliability and efficiency of DEA. The presented algorithm is called differential evolution with integrated mutation per iteration (DEIMA). A new formula is presented to adapt the control parameters (mutation factor and crossover rate) of DEA and is based on a sigmoid function in terms of the current and previous fitness function values. Seven different experimental data sets are used to assess the performance of the proposed DEIMA. The results of the proposed PV modeling method are evaluated with other approaches in literature. According to different statistical criteria, DEIMA offered superiority in terms of root mean square error and main bias error by at least 5.4% and 10%, respectively, as compared to other methods. Furthermore, DEIMA needs 27.69 sec. as an average execution time less than other compared methods.

The P versus NP problem is a fundamental question in computer science. It asks whether problems whose solutions can be quickly verified can also be quickly solved. Here, "quickly" refers to computational time that grows proportionally to the size of the input (polynomial time). While the problem's roots trace back to a 1955 letter from John Nash, its formalization is attributed to Stephen Cook and Leonid Levin. Despite extensive research, a definitive answer remains elusive. Closely tied to this is the concept of NP-completeness. If a single NP-complete problem could be solved efficiently, it would imply that all problems in NP can be solved efficiently, proving that P equals NP. This work posits that ONE-IN-THREE 3SAT, a notoriously difficult NP-complete problem, can be solved efficiently, thereby establishing the equivalence of P and NP.

The adoption of the Internet of Things (IoT) in supply chain operations has emerged as a pivotal advancement, offering the potential to significantly enhance operational efficiency, visibility, and responsiveness. This study explores the multifaceted impact of IoT integration in supply chains, emphasizing both the opportunities and challenges associated with its implementation. Through a combination of semi-structured interviews, case studies, and a comprehensive literature review, the research uncovers how IoT technologies contribute to improved asset tracking, real-time inventory management, and optimized logistics. Key benefits include enhanced operational efficiency, predictive maintenance capabilities, and better supply chain collaboration, which collectively lead to increased customer satisfaction and cost savings. However, the study also identifies several challenges, including the high costs of IoT infrastructure, difficulties in integrating new technologies with existing systems, and concerns over data security and privacy. These challenges pose significant barriers to adoption, particularly for smaller organizations. Despite these obstacles, the study highlights the substantial opportunities presented by IoT, such as fostering innovation, developing new business models, and enhancing supply chain resilience. The findings suggest that while the path to successful IoT adoption may be complex and resource-intensive, the potential benefits make it a valuable investment for organizations seeking to remain competitive in a rapidly evolving market. Addressing the identified challenges while leveraging the advantages of IoT will be crucial for companies aiming to optimize their supply chain operations and achieve long-term success.

The Minamata Disease in Japan was one of the most notorious public nuisance cases in the 1960s and 70s, but is still ongoing “unfinished business” in terms of victims’ protection even after several decades of struggles. The world standard of epidemiological causation has still been applied in limited cases. However, it has been pointed out in the international report that, in recent years, mercury contamination has decreased in countries in the Global North, except the Canadian Indigenous peoples’ case, at the same time that it has increased in the Global South. In the Amazon, many Indigenous peoples, most prominently, the Munduruku people in Para state and the Yanomami people in Roraima state, suffer from the Brazilian Minamata Disease due to mercury contamination differently as a typical case of global environmental injustice issues. This paper discusses the comparative difference of the Minamata Disease between inside and outside Japan: In Japan, accumulated mercury contamination in Shiranui Bay of Kyushu due to the poisonous waste release by a big corporation named Chisso Co. was serious, while in the Amazon, contamination due to gold mining by ASGM has been much broader and more diffused. Thus, civil law damages litigation has historically worked despite some challenges in Japan, while it’s practically impossible to stop numerous small scale gold mining by judicial approach in the Amazon. Instead, the administrative regulation under the Lula administration contrasted to the Bolsonaro administration might be especially important, although it’s still limited, considering the global demand for gold and related continuous gold mining activities. Minamata Disease symptoms among the Indigenous peoples along the Amazon are generally minor compared to the Japanese case, but they should also be considered the case from the liberal standard that criticizes the traditional stringent standard such as the Hunter=Russell criteria. However, facing the worsening situation of mercury contamination, the challenges in the Global South are serious: The effective measures for their global health are limited except for dietary education to avoid poisonous carnivorous fishes as opposed to herbivorous fishes. International assistance for providing clean water is also imminent agenda.

With the increasing awareness of environmental protection, the rotary hearth furnace system has emerged as a key technology that facilitates a win-win situation for both environmental protection and enterprise economic benefits. This is attributed to its high flexibility in raw material utilization, capability of directly supplying blast furnaces, low energy consumption, and high zinc removal rate. However, the complexity of the raw material proportioning process, coupled with its reliance on manual labor, results in a time-consuming and inefficient process. This paper innovatively introduces an intelligent formula method for raw materials based on online clustering algorithms and develops an intelligent batching system for rotary hearth furnaces. Firstly, the ingredients of raw materials undergo data preprocessing, which involves using the Local Outlier Factor (LOF) method to detect any abnormal values, Kalman filtering to smooth the data, and performing one-hot encoding to represent the different kinds of raw materials. Afterwards, the affinity propagation (AP) clustering method is used to evaluate past data on the ingredients of raw materials and their ratios. This analysis aims to extract information based on human experience with ratios and create a library of machine learning formulas. The incremental AP clustering algorithm is utilized to learn new ratio data and continuously update the machine learning formula library. To ensure that the formula meets the actual production performance requirements of the rotary hearth furnace, the machine learning formula is fine-tuned based on expert experience. The integration of machine learning and expert experience has demonstrated good flexibility and satisfactory performance in the practical application of intelligent formulas for rotary hearth furnaces. An intelligent batching system is developed and executed at a steel plant in China. It shows an excellent user interface and has significantly enhanced batching efficiency and product quality.

The elasticity of red blood cells (RBCs) is crucial for their ability to fulfill their role in the blood. Decreased RBC deformability is associated with various pathological conditions. This study explores the application of machine learning to predict the elasticity of RBCs using both image data and detailed physical measurements derived from simulations. We simulated RBC behavior in a microfluidic channel. The simulation results provided the basis for generating data on which we applied machine learning techniques. We analyzed the surface-area-to-volume ratio of RBCs as an indicator of elasticity, employing statistical methods to differentiate between healthy and diseased RBCs. The Kolmogorov–Smirnov test confirmed significant differences between healthy and diseased RBCs, though distinctions among different types of diseased RBCs were less clear. We used decision tree models, including random forests and gradient boosting, to classify RBC elasticity based on predictors derived from simulation data. The comparison of the results with our previous work on deep neural networks shows improved classification accuracy in some scenarios. The study highlights the potential of machine learning to automate and enhance the analysis of RBC elasticity, with implications for clinical diagnostics.

Acinar cell carcinoma (ACC) accounts for about 1% of pancreatic cancers. The molecular and clinical features of ACC are less characterized than pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. We retrospectively evaluated the clinical and molecular features of ACC patients who underwent germline and/or somatic molecular testing at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center from 2008 to 2022. Patient information was extracted from our institutional database with the approval of Institutional Review Board. We identified 16 patients with available molecular testing results. Fourteen patients had metastatic disease, 1 had borderline resectable disease, and 1 had localized resectable disease at diagnosis. Fifteen patients were wild type for KRAS (1 patient had unknown KRAS status). Somatic/germline mutations of DNA damage repair genes (BRCA1/2, PALB2, and ATM) were present in 5 of 12 patients tested for these genes. One patient was found to have RET fusion and responded favorably to selpercatinib for over 42 months. The median overall survival (OS) was 24 months for patients with metastatic disease. One of the additional two cases which had BostonGene tests was found to have NTRK1 fusion. RNA and TME analysis by BostonGene of the two cases reported immune desert features and relatively lower RNA levels of CEACAM5, CD47, CD74 and MMP1 and higher CDH6 compared with PDAC.

Traditional urban design often overlooks the synchronisation of human and ecological connectivities, typically favouring corridors for ecological continuity. Our study challenges this convention by introducing a computational design approach, Meta-Connectivity, leveraging the deep generative models performing cross-domain translation to integrate human-wildlife landscape connectivity in urban morphology amidst the planetary urbanisation. Utilising chained Pix2Pix models, our research illustrates a novel meta-connectivity design reasoning framework, combining landscape connectivity modelling with conditional reasoning based on deep generative models. This framework enables the adjustment of both human and wildlife landscape connectivities based on their correlative patterns in one single design process, guiding the re-materialisation of urban landscapes without the need for explicit prior ecological or urban data. Our empirical study in East London demonstrated the framework's efficacy in suggesting wildlife connectivity adjustments based on human connectivity metrics. The results demonstrate the feasibility of creating an innovative urban form in which the land cover guided by the connectivity gradients replaces the corridors based on simple geometries. This research thus presents a methodology shift in urban design, proposing a symbiotic approach to integrating disparate yet interrelated landscape connectivities within urban contexts.

Leguminous Inga trees are thought to enhance soil carbon (C) accumulation following reforestation through mostly unknown mechanisms. This study amplified soil DNA using the ITS1F and ITS4 primers for PCR and Illumina MiSeq methods to identify fungal taxa, and traditional C analysis methods to evaluate how planted 4, 8, 11-year-old, Inga punctata trees affected soil fungal community compositions and C utilization patterns compared to old growth I. punctata trees and adjacent unplanted pasture within the same reforestation zone in Monteverde, Costa Rica. Along the tree age gradient the planted I. punctata trees enhanced the tree soil C-capture capacity as indicated by increased levels of soil Biomass-C, Respiration, and efficiency of organic C use (as lower qCO2 values), and development of increasingly more abundant, stable and successionally developed fungal communities, including those associated with decomposition of complex organic C compounds. The level and strength of differences coincided with differences in time of separation between the pasture and tree age or between the different tree ages. Fungal taxa were also identified as potential indicators of early and late stages of soil recovery. Thus, planting I. punctata should be part of future reforestation strategies used in this region of Costa Rica.

Photocatalysis is a promising method for methylene blue (MB) degradation due to its effectiveness and environmental compatibility. Among photocatalysts, titanium dioxide (TiO2) has been widely used for MB degradation due to its exceptional photocatalytic activity. However, the wide bandgap limits the degradation efficiency of TiO2 under visible light. Herein, an interstitial nitrogen-doped TiO2 (5%NT/TiO2) used thiourea as the N source is fabricated for the visible light-derived MB degradation. 5%NT/TiO2 exhibits an extended visible light absorption range. Besides, photoelectrochemical measurement shows an improvement in photocurrent response and charge transfer behavior on N/TiO2. Thus, 5%NT/TiO2 has enhanced photocatalytic activity compared to pristine TiO2 and substitutive N-doped TiO2 (5%NAB/TiO2). The accelerated photocatalytic MB degradation process on N/TiO2 should be mainly attributed to the interstitial N doping, which causes the appearance of new energy states and extended optical properties.

Large-scale deep learning models have produced significant results in underwater visual image target detection. However, deploying these models on underwater embedded devices poses a series of issues and challenges. Firstly, underwater devices have limited communication capabilities and carry relatively short supply of energy, resulting in constrained computing power for edge devices. Secondly, the large scale of deep neural networks creates a conflict in power demands with unmanned underwater equipment. Thirdly, insufficient underwater light and turbid water quality will lead to degradation problems in the images acquired by the device. In this paper, we build an offline system to complete the task of underwater scene target recognition. This paper introduces several innovations: 1) The new YOLO-TN model is developed by compressing the target recognition model based on YOLO-V5. The model use a model compression algorithm replace the YOLO-V5’s backbone network with a lightweight network, then perform parameter pruning on the model detection head, while reduce the size of the input image. The model uses a Teacher-guided Neural Architecture Search method based on YOLO-V5, named as YOLO-TN. 2)A method for constructing and processing real underwater environment data sets is designed. The datasets are all captured using underwater unmanned vehicles in real underwater environments, addressing issues present in existing underwater datasets, such as unbalanced target volume and single-image environment. Experimental results demonstrate that the YOLO-TN model significantly reduces the model size while maintaining the original recognition accuracy. Furthermore, it achieves 28.6 FPS on embedded devices, which is 12 times that of the original model.

Cognitive impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia, playing a pivotal role in understanding the causes, processes, and outcomes of the disorder. Cognitive impairments in schizophrenia encompass a wide range of domains, including processing speed, episodic memory, working memory, and executive function. These deficits persist throughout the course of the illness and significantly impact functional outcome and quality of life. Therefore, identifying the biological basis of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia and developing effective treatments are imperative. The role of N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors in synaptic transmission and plasticity has long been recognized, making them potential targets for schizophrenia treatment. This review will focus on emerging pharmacology targeting NMDA receptor, offering strategies for the prevention and treatment of cognitive deficits in schizophrenia.

In order to study the corrosion resistance of 904L composite plate pressure vessel under high temperature and high pressure gas field environment, the pitting corrosion and stress corrosion cracking resistance of 904L composite plate body and weld material were compared with those of 2205 composite plate and 825 composite plate, which have been used in high temperature and high pressure gas field environment. The results showed that the pitting resistance of 904L composite plate was lower than that of 825 composite plate and higher than that of 2205 solid solution pure material plate and 2205 composite plate. The corrosion resistance of welds on 904L composite plate with different materials was very different. The corrosion rate of 904L composite plate body, welding seam and surfacing welding were all slight corrosion, and the sensitivity of chloride stress corrosion cracking was low in the simulation of the corrosion environment of high temperature and high pressure gas field. 904L composite plate met the requirements of corrosion resistance of pressure vessel material in high temperature and high pressure gas field environment.

Background: The Fat-Augmented Latissimus Dorsi (FALD) flap is an autologous flap that combines Latissimus Dorsi (LD) flap with immediate autologous fat transfer (AFT) in order to improve breast reconstruction (BR) volume. In recent years, our team has described the ergonomic FALD flap, an evolution of this technique which helps to achieve a complete BR in a single surgical step. In this long-term study, we analyze morphological variations of the breast after ergonomic FALD flap reconstruction compared to the traditional transverse FALD flap technique. Methods: Between December 2020 and September 2022 we prospectively enroll patients undergoing BR using FALD flap into 2 groups: Group A included ergonomic FALD flap, while Group B included traditional FALD flap. The primary endpoint of the study was to compare the two groups in terms of breast projection (BP), breast width (BW) and breast height (BH), while the second endpoint concerned the analysis of the aesthetic outcomes. Results: 32 FALD flaps (23 patients) were performed for the Group-A and 31 FALD flaps (25 patients) for Group-B. There were no significant differences regarding demographic variables. After propensity score weighting analysis, Group-A showed a statistically significant better breast projection (p<0.0001) compared to Group-B. (6.05 vs 5.60). Final aesthetic analyses showed to be superior in Group-A concerning breast shape (p=0.001) and global score evaluation (p=0.004). Conclusion: The ergonomic FALD flap offers better long-term aesthetic outcomes for autologous BR with higher breast projection compared to the traditional transverse FALD flap.

The recent COVID-19 pandemic has led to a reassessment of workplace necessities. It has resulted in the current shift from traditional workplace design to creating work experiences - a new par-adigm in workplace management. Hence, while some conventional workplace factors remain important to the experiences of workers and, thus, to their well-being, comfort and productivity, recent studies suggest other factors, not widely known, as important in creating the appropriate work experience. Our study explores these other factors in the workplace that contribute to, or may be very important to, workers’ comfort, well-being and productivity. These include working mode, facilities, sustainability practices and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) – cultural connection. A sample of 149 occupants across offices in New Zealand was conveniently collected for the study and analysed using descriptive and content analysis in SPSS vs 24. The results show that the occupants prefer to have private offices in the workplace and separate meeting rooms for better concentration on work. In terms of working mode, a combined model of remote working and in-office working is preferred. Furthermore, occupants prefer to have access control and fire safety systems essentially in the workplace and for their offices to be cleaned daily. For sustainable measures in the workplace, the respondents choose the following as practical and convenient: turning off computers outside work hours, using more LED light bulbs in the office, opening windows and doors when required and using a motion sensor lighting system. Interestingly, most of the respondents did not think having a cultural connection in their workplace was important. The study findings represent significant progress in identifying the needs of contemporary office workers. These findings assist facility managers and workplace designers in developing more proactive approaches to anticipated user issues in buildings.

More than half of the states in the U.S. report that over 30% of adults are obese. Obesity increases the risk of many chronic diseases, including type 2 diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, and can even reduce one’s lifespan. Similarly, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes follows a comparable trend. As a result, researchers are striving to find solutions to reduce obesity rates, with a particular focus on gut health, which has been previously linked to both obesity and type 2 diabetes. Recent studies suggest that Akkermansia muciniphila(AKK) may have a positive probiotic effect on preventing the onset of type 2 diabetes and obesity. We conducted a quantitative meta-analysis of 15 qualified animal studies investigating the effects of AKK administration as a probiotic. The statistical analyses showed that AKK administration significantly reduced body weight gain by 10.4% and fasting blood glucose by 21.2%, while also significantly improving glucose tolerance by 22.1% and increasing blood insulin levels by 26.9%. However, our analysis revealed substantial heterogeneity between the control and experimental groups across all subgroups. Overall, AKK appears to be effective at reducing the onset of type 2 diabetes and diet-induced obesity. Long-term studies with larger sample sizes are needed to confirm these beneficial effects, as the current animal studies were of short duration (less than 20 weeks).

In 2021, Japan's medical expenses will exceed 45 trillion yen, and the shortage of doctors, especially in remote and mountainous areas, is becoming serious, making it difficult to maintain the medical system. We have conducted a study of 800 health consultation text data. We developed an on-premise health counseling LLM system by constructing a dialogue flow based on 800 health counseling text data. We conducted a Turing test of this system using 200 test data and verified its effectiveness with three medical professionals. The Turing test was a comparison experiment between this system and a conventional LLM system. The health counseling LLM infrastructure focuses on exercise guidance and analyzes gender, height, weight, body fat percentage, and muscle mass. While the accuracy of the conventional LLM system was 87.5%, this system showed a higher accuracy of 93.1%. Although telemedicine has been slow to spread in Japan, the introduction of a health consultation system using Personal Health Record and Large Language Models has the potential to reduce the burden on physicians. In the future, we aim to improve the accuracy of the system by using Japanese language and medical-specific evaluation scales.

Signal approximation, is the basic idea of signal processing and mathematical analysis where complex signals can be represented with simpler ones. This paper explores unifying two mathematical fundamentals, Dirichlet-type problems, and hyperbolic series identities, into signal approximation. In this paper, we address a well-known classic topic in mathematical analysis - the Dirichlet problem - to improve (the approximation of) signal using Fourier series. We also discuss using hyperbolic series representations to increase signal modeling flexibility. In this way, we hope to create new links that span some distance along this dimension and result in a somewhat theoretical view of signal behavior - present with the mathematical rigor needed for speculation but absent from an understanding capable of appropriately handling real-world complexity. This paper provides a theoretical investigation of the mechanics at play and reveals by analogy how these mathematical tools can potentially advance signal processing techniques and understanding. This paper illustrates Fourier series and fuzzy logic methods by two case studies on signal processing, satellite communication and financial risk measurement. The first case study performs signal approximation using the Fourier series and hyperbolic function identities to provide insight into how signals behave and are modeled. The second case study deals with applying fuzzy logic for risk evaluation of investment portfolios, emphasizing the utility in evasion systems solving uncertainty and imprecision problems related to financial decisions.

Swamp soil presents significant challenges for infrastructure development due to its soft and deformable nature, which compromises the stability of structures. Traditional wood pillars, while cost-effective and locally available, suffer from degradation caused by moisture and biological organisms. This study investigates various methods to strengthen wood pillars, focusing on the combination of wood and concrete pillars to enhance durability and load-bearing capacity in swamp soil environments. Laboratory experiments and field tests demonstrate that encasing wood pillars in concrete or using composite materials significantly improves their mechanical strength and resistance to deformation. The results highlight the potential of these techniques to provide sustainable and economical solutions for construction in swamp areas, ensuring greater stability and longevity of the infrastructure.

Billions of euros are invested every year by professional football clubs for the recruitment of players. This article presents the latest advances in the statistical modelling of the factors that market actors take into consideration to determine the transfer prices of professional football players. It extends to a global scale the econometric approach previously developed by the authors to evaluate the transfer prices of players under contract with clubs from the five major European leagues. The statistical technique used to build the model is multiple linear regression (MLR), with fees paid by clubs as an independent variable. The sample comprises over 8000 transactions of players transferred for money from clubs worldwide during the period stretching from July 2014 to March 2024. This paper shows that a statistical model can explain almost 85% of the differences in the transfer fees paid for players. Despite the specific cases and other possible distortions mentioned in the discussion, the use of a statistical model to determine player transfer prices seems highly relevant.

Background/Objectives Gastroparesis, a chronic digestive disorder characterized by delayed gastric emptying, often results from diabetes, post-surgical complications, autoimmune diseases, and neurological disorders. In approximately 50% of cases, the cause is idiopathic gastroparesis (IGD). Recent studies suggest a link between chronic enteroviral infections and persistent gas-trointestinal symptoms, including delayed gastric emptying. This study investigates the effects of a silydianin-rich extract from Silybum marianum seeds on enteroviral infections in vitro and the mitigation of delayed gastric emptying in mice. Silydianin, a key bioactive compound known for its liver-protective and antioxidant properties, has not been extensively studied for its impact on enteroviral infections and gastroparesis; Methods NMR spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C, and DEPT) identi-fied silydianin as the primary compound, with minor flavonolignans and trace amounts of an oxidation product. The study assessed the cytotoxicity and antiviral activity of the extract at various stages of the viral life cycle, including virucidal activity, cell protection, and post-infection effects, using neutral red assays in RD cells, with results confirmed by real-time PCR. The viruses studied included Coxsackievirus B2, Coxsackievirus A10, Poliovirus SL-1, and Enterovirus EV71. The impact on delayed gastric emptying was evaluated in a mouse model of gastroparesis using doses of 100 and 200 mg/kg compared to a control; Results: The silydianin-rich extract exhibited con-sistent antiviral activity, with the highest selectivity index (SI) for EV71 (4.08) during virucidal activity. It provided moderate cell protection, with EC50 values ranging from 120.88 to 186.10 µg/mL and SI values from 2.20 to 3.39. Post-infection treatment showed varying efficacy, with Coxsackie A10 demonstrating the highest SI (3.90). In vivo, the extract at 200 mg/kg significantly improved gastric emptying to 96.47% and slightly increased gastrointestinal transit from 50.33% to 61.46%; Conclusions These results suggest that silydianin may be effective in treating enteroviral infections and enhancing intestinal function, making it a promising candidate for gastroparesis treatment and warranting further research.

The color of carcass fat is an important factor in meat quality. To investigate the characteristics and changes in lipid metabolism of SAT in Mongolian cattle at 34 M of age compared with the control group, we evaluated the color, relative expression of genes associated with browning, and profiles of lipid metabolites by using qPCR and non-targeted lipidomics techniques. Overall, the yellowness value and relative expression of mitochondrial biogenesis–specific markers, thermogenic, UCP2, and beige adipocyte marker genes in the SAT of 34 M cattle were higher than those control (p &lt; 0.05). Using multivariate analysis, 172 significantly different lipids (SDLs) were identified. Triacylglycerols (TGs) and phosphatidylcholines (PCs) had high relative contents with abundant unsaturated fatty acids. The upregulation of TGs observed in the SAT of 34 M cattle mainly consisted of medium- and long-chain fatty acids. Pathway analysis demonstrated that 172 SDLs were primarily involved in glycerophospholipid, glycerolipid, ether lipid, and sphingolipid metabolism. In summary, yellow fat of naturally grazed cattle was impacted by many factors such as lipid metabolism, browning genes expression and age. These findings provide new insight into the characteristics and metabolic pathways of adipose tissue in natural grazing Mongolian cattle.

Maritime surveillance technology faces challenges of astronomical size in this vast ocean world—challenges vital to global security and environmental protection alike. Such as these may be reversible or not. Remotely sensed monitoring also uses photos taken from satellites, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) equipment, and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to fully monitor maritime activities but also ferret out suspicious behaviour like piracy, bootleg shipments, and illegal fishing. This mixed-method approach--quantitatively and qualitatively——measures the efficiency of difficulties associated with, and legal implications behind aerospace-monitored maritime surveillance. The results show that remote sensing provides a great deal of sea-level situational awareness; however, there are also many complex technical, operational, and legal issues, including information overcrowding, complications in integration, privacy issues, as well as the need for worldwide legal harmonisation. It ends with recommendations on ways to ultimately increase capacity, how to write standard procedures for secondary development and proposals for revising laws to absorb these new technologies. Its goal, therefore, is to benefit the global anti-maritime crime effort. Ultimately, though, it dreams that we might construct an entirely marine environment where all marine activities are conducted both safely and freely, without fear.

Extracting entities from large volumes of chicken epidemic texts is crucial for knowledge sharing, integration, and application. However, Named Entity Recognition (NER) encounters significant challenges in this domain, particularly due to the prevalence of nested entities and domain-specific named entities, coupled with a scarcity of labeled data. To address these challenges, we compiled a corpus from 50 books on chicken diseases, covering 28 different disease types. Utilizing this corpus, we developed a nested NER model, MFGFF-BiLSTM-EGP. This model integrates the Multiple Fine-Grained Feature Fusion (MFGFF) module with a BiLSTM neural network and employs an Efficient Global Pointer (EGP) for predicts the entity location encoding. In MFGFF module we designed three encoders, character encoder, word encoder and sentence encoder, this design effectively captures fine-grained features and improves the recognition accuracy of nested entities. Experimental results show that the model performs robustly, with F1 scores of 91.98%, 73.32%, and 82.54% on the CDNER, CMeEE V2, and CLUENER datasets, respectively, outperforming other commonly used NER models. Specifically, on the CDNER dataset, the model achieved an F1 score of 79.68% for nested entity recognition. This research not only advances the development of knowledge graph and intelligent question-answering system for chicken diseases but also provides a viable solution for extracting disease information that can be applied to other livestock species.

7046 aluminum alloy has good fatigue property, corrosion resistance and weld property, but the moderate strength and plasticity limit its wider application and development. In the present study, severe plastic deformation (SPD) was applied prior to T6 treatment to significantly strengthen and toughen the 7046 aluminum alloy. Results indicate that the alloy processed by 4 passes of equal channel angular pressing (ECAP) at 300 ℃ prior to T6 treatment exhibits an excellent mechanical performance, with ultimate tensile strength (UTS) and elongation (EL) of 485 MPa and 19%, exhibiting an improvement of 18.6% and 375% compared to that of the T6 alloy, respectively. The mechanical properties of the alloy are further improved by the additional room temperature (RT) rolling process, with UTS of 508 MPa and EL of 23.4%. There are more precipitates of η' and Al6Mn phases in the 300℃4P-R80%-T6 and 300°C4P-T6 alloys, which contribute to the strengthening and toughening enhancement by SPD processed T6 alloy. The results of this work may shed some light on enhancing 7046 aluminum alloy.

Introduction: Diagnosing and managing Borrelia miyamotoi disease (BMD) is challenging due to its symptom overlap with Lyme disease (LD) and the lack of reliable laboratory diagnostics for BMD. This case study demonstrates the use of phage-based PCR (phb-PCR) to identify B. miyamotoi in a patient who had been bitten by ticks. Case presentation: A female patient aged 46 presented with joint and muscle pain, myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, and cognitive impairment after multiple tick bites in Europe. The patient was assessed for LD at the National Reference Centre in Strasbourg using Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and immunoblot. Additional diagnostics involved screening for Bartonella and Anaplasma antibodies using indirect immunofluorescence, and tests for antinuclear antibodies to check for autoimmune conditions. All serological and immunological tests yielded negative results. However, the phb-PCR identified B. miyamotoi. Consequently, the patient received treatment for BMD with a regimen of intravenous ceftriaxone, oral azithromycin, and additional intravenous vitamin and mineral therapy. Post-treatment evaluations showed significant improvements in pain levels, cognitive abilities, and fatigue. Conclusion: This case highlights the importance of direct diagnostic methods like phb-PCR for identifying BMD when serological tests fail. Clinicians should consider B. miyamotoi testing for accurate and timely management of complex TBDs.

Ovarian torsion (OT) is a rare gynaecological emergency that requires a prompt diagnosis for optimal patient management. To determine whether there were any biomarkers suitable for the non-invasive detection of OT, two independent reviewers performed systematic searches of five literature databases following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Full-texts of 24 selected articles were assessed for risk of bias and quality assurance using a modified Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS).  15 articles described studies on animals and all described serum biomarkers comparing results between OT versus a sham operation, a control group or readings before and after OT. Ischaemia modified albumin (IMA), serum D-dimer (s-DD), heat shock protein-70 (hsp-70), Pentraxin-3 (PTX-3) and c-reactive protein (CRP) showed the most promise, each with p-values for the difference between groups achieving ≤0.001. In studies of humans, the biomarkers ranged from 16.4-92.3% sensitivity and 77-100% specificity. The most promising biomarkers for the early prediction of OT in patients included s-DD, interleukin-6 (IL-6), IMA and tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-. IL-6 had the highest sensitivity of any biomarker identified in this review and was raised in all 13 patients with proven OT, with values of ≥10.2pg/ml, indicative of a 16 times higher risk of having OT. Signal peptide, CUB domain and EGF like domain containing 1 (SCUBE1) had a high specificity at 93.3%, second only to s-DD and a positive likelihood ratio (LR)&gt;10. IMA was the only other biomarker that also had a positive LR&gt;10, making it a promising diagnostic biomarker. The studies identified by this systematic literature review each analysed small patient groups but IMA, DD and SCUBE1 nevertheless showed promise as serum biomarkers with a pooled LR&gt;10. However, further well-designed studies are needed to identify and evaluate individual markers, or diagnostic panels to help clinicians manage this important, organ-threatening condition.

Productivity levels of architecture students have been ascertained via research to relate strongly to the quality of studio culture in architecture studios. Students' comfort is significantly influenced by the quality of daylight within architecture studios, as demonstrated by research findings. The comfort level in architecture studios is also known to influence the productivity of architecture students significantly. Building on separate research findings that have proven the individual impact of daylighting and studio culture on the performance of architecture students, this research aims to explore the potential connection between daylighting and studio culture. At the commencement of this research, data collection was via a qualitative approach in the form of interviews. At a later stage, we administered structured questionnaires for a quantitative analysis. From observations, many students would instead not work in their studios but elsewhere – at the expense of cultivating a good studio culture. Hence, this research is pertinent in that it would discover the reason(s) behind this trend among architecture students in the sample universities and the contribution of daylighting to studio culture in these universities. The outcome of this research would provide a knowledge base to further improve the design of architecture studios in Nigerian universities.

The survival rates of women with stage 0 or 1 breast cancer stands at almost 100% and around 93% for stage 2. As the disease advances with decreasing survival, the rate detoriates to 72% for stage 3 and about 22% for stage 4 (ACS, 2018). Undoubtedly, earlier presentation is synonymous with better prognosis and survival. In fact data indicates that early stage breast cancer diagnoses has 90% survival rate as compared to 27% for the advanced states (ACS, 2018). In this regard, governmental and non-governmental agencies are working tirelessly towards the realization of improved breast cancer care and survival through early presentation and detection. For instance, the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) Target 3.4 seeks to reduce by one third, premature mortality from cancers and other non-communicable diseases through prevention and treatment. Clearly, early presentation, diagnoses and treatment will assist in the realization of the SDG target 3.4 goal. To achieve this, research must be focused on early presentation among women with breast cancer.. However, current studies have focused mainly on advanced breast cancer regarding treatment, symptoms experience (emotional and psychological), coping and support systems, and the reasons for delayed diagnoses and treatment. Objective In this review, it is argued that, rather than focusing on advanced breast cancer which has been adequately explored, the attention has to be on what measures or approaches promote early presentations among Ghanaian women. Methods The review included all primary studies that provided answers to the phenomenon of interest. It included both quantitative and qualitative studies. Search scope encompassed studies within the last ten years; thus from 2010 to 2020 irrespective of the country of study.Studies were included if: The paper is of a primary study; the study population included women with early BC or BC symptoms; the study outcome is the association between early stage breast cancer and earlier presentation; the study has a comprehensive data analysis protocol; the results of the studies are unique.A thorough literature search was conducted using the following electronic database: Google scholar and Pubmed. Google scholar alert on new studies was subscribed. This gave update on newly published papers for appraisal and possible inclusion.Manual identified of other potentially eligible publications by searching the reference lists of retrieved studies was also done. After a thorough search, this review included studies from several countries around the Globe such as Ireland, London, Turkey, Iran, Ghana, Kenya, Ethiopia etc Data Collection The title and or abstract of all retrieved papers were independently scanned through to establish which studies should be further evaluated. The full texts of these potential articles were then assessed. Extraction The Cochrane extraction form for data extraction was resorted to. From each eligible article, the following study identifiers/information were extracted: author(s), first author, year, title, objective, article type, location, setting, study design and method, sample size, instruments used, and results. Results Prompt help seekers mainly self-discovered their BC, and this occurred through accidental touch, after menstruation, through breastfeeding, during grooming, and while taking their bath.Notably, women who were termed prompt help seekers had higher seriousness perception of their symptoms. This was likened to their level of understanding and awareness, as well as periodic examination and comparison. Similarly, women who knew they were at risk for breast on account of family history, and increased incidence of BC in their localities, labeled their initial symptoms as requiring prompt attention.Following interpretation and labeling of symptoms, the participants generally resorted to symptom monitoring until the onset of additional and or intense symptoms. Though most women thought of benign growths, a few feared it could be malignant. These emotional reactions led the women to purposively seek clarification by selectively consulting others. Further, participants opened up to social acquaintances such as family relationships, people with prior experience of breast disease, and in some few instances health professionals. Some women also resorted to media items to better their understanding. Remarkably, prompt help seekers sort for help within one month. Last but not least, some women first communed with their creator after discovery and labeling based on their spiritual affiliations.Also, researchers should consider conducting surveys to assess the BC risks for specific smaller groups. This would help tailor specific educational interventions to promote earlier presentation and treatment among the vulnerable.

Aging is a complex biological process characterized by the progressive decline of physiological functions and increased vulnerability to age-related diseases. Epigenetic changes, particularly DNA methylation alterations, play a critical role in the aging process by influencing gene expression and genomic stability. This study explores the potential of epigenetic reprogramming as a strategy to reverse aging phenotypes in human fibroblasts. Using CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing and small molecule inhibitors targeting DNA methylation and histone acetylation, we successfully induced significant changes in DNA methylation and gene expression profiles. Our results demonstrate a global reduction in DNA methylation levels and the identification of differentially methylated regions (DMRs) associated with cellular senescence and DNA repair. Additionally, treated fibroblasts exhibited enhanced proliferative capacity, reduced cellular senescence, and improved differentiation potential. These findings suggest that epigenetic reprogramming could be a promising approach for regenerative medicine, offering potential therapeutic strategies to counteract age-related decline and extend healthy lifespan.

Mobile health technologies enable continuous, quantitative assessment of mobility and gait in real-world environments, facilitating early diagnosis of gait disorders, disease progression monitoring, and prediction of adverse events like falls. Traditionally, mobile gait assessment predominantly relied on body-fixed sensors positioned at the feet or lower trunk. Here, we investigate the potential of an algorithm utilizing an ear-worn motion sensor for spatiotemporal segmentation of gait patterns. We collected 3D acceleration profiles from the ear-worn sensor during varied walking speeds in 53 healthy adults. Temporal convolutional networks were trained to detect stepping sequences and predict spatial relations between steps. The resulting algorithm, mEar, accurately detects initial and final ground contacts (F1 score of 99% and 91%, respectively). It enables determination of temporal and spatial gait cycle characteristics (among others stride time and stride length) with good to excellent validity at a precision sufficient to monitor clinically relevant changes in walking speed, stride-to-stride variability, and side asymmetry. This study highlights the ear as a viable site for monitoring gait and proposes its potential integration with in-ear vital sign monitoring. Such integration offers a practical approach to comprehensive health monitoring and telemedical applications, by integrating multiple sensors in a single anatomical location.

The development of solar energy on a regional scale necessitates a thorough understanding of available resources. Cuba, facing prolonged economic, environmental, and energy crises, urgently needs to enhance its sustainability through solar energy. While solar resource mapping is widespread, Cuba lacks extensive field measurements, often relying on models that may not be ideally suited for large regions like Matanzas province. Spanning over 12,000 km² with nearly 150 km between its northern and southern extremes, Matanzas presents challenges for high-resolution solar mapping. This study introduces a methodology that integrates various methods and databases to achieve maximum resolution in the resulting solar map. The approach is designed for large areas where conventional high-resolution models fall short. By optimizing calculation times and parameterizing the entire surface latitudinally, a high-resolution solar resource map for Matanzas has been developed. This map significantly enhances the understanding of solar resources in Cuba and proposes new methodologies for analyzing solar potential in similarly large regions.

[Objetive] The objective of the present study was to characterize different sperm subpopulations based on morphometric parameters of frozen-thawed semen in two bovine subspecies using a CASA system. [Methodology] The experiment was carried out at the Costa Rica Institute of Technology from May to December 2023. Spermatozoa from 10 bulls (five animals of each species Bos taurus and Bos indicus) were evaluated after thawing of the semen doses by an ISAS^®v1, computer-assisted sperm analysis (CASA)-Morph system. Sub-populations of head morphometric spermatozoa were characterized using multivariate procedures such as principal components (PCs) analysis and clustering methods (k-means model) [Results] The ejaculate of male exhibits significant heterogeneity and comprises diverse sperm subpopulations with differing morphometric patterns. Three different sperm subpopulations were identified from three PCs: t head size, head shape, and symmetry of the sperm head and the degree to which it was pyriform. The proportions of the different sperm subpopulations varied in the two-bovine subspecies; Bos taurus and Bos indicus. Results indicated that subpopulations SP1, SP2, and SP3 were different for PC criteria and these differences were relevant. The variability in sperm morphometry assessments underscores the need to standardize semen evaluation protocols [Conclusions] These findings highlight the importance of knowing the diversity in sperm morphometry between subspecies to both improve in vitro evaluation tests and to distinguish subspecies.

Community-Based Disaster Risk Reduction (CBDRR) plays a vital role in strengthening the resilience of local communities against both natural and human-made disasters. This paper seeks to examine the role of CBDRR in enhancing the resilience of local communities to both natural and man-made disasters. It underscores the critical importance of active community involvement across all stages of disaster management, from preparedness and mitigation to response and recovery. The paper also explores the key factors that contribute to the successful implementation of CBDRR, including institutional backing, capacity development, inclusive strategies, and the use of modern technologies. Additionally, it discusses the challenges and opportunities in building strong partnerships between local communities and external stakeholders, which are crucial for ensuring the sustainability of these efforts. Finally, the paper offers recommendations aimed at improving the effectiveness of CBDRR initiatives, drawing on insights gained from past disaster experiences. The findings of this study point to the importance of continuous monitoring and evaluation of CBDRR programs to maintain their relevance and ensure their effectiveness as risks evolve. Incorporating lessons learned from past disasters into future planning also plays a crucial role in helping communities enhance their resilience over time. Ultimately, by encouraging collaboration between communities, governments, and various organizations, CBDRR lays the foundation for a comprehensive disaster management framework that is equipped to meet future challenges and supports long-term sustainable development.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has severely impacted children with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D), placing them at high risk for severe outcomes. Despite extensive observational data suggesting a link between T1D and severe COVID-19, there is a lack of understanding regarding the causal effects. This study aims to determine whether Type 1 diabetes (T1D) influences the risk of severe COVID-19 outcomes, particularly respiratory failure, in pediatric ICU patients. Methods: This two-sample Mendelian Randomization (MR) study utilized genetic data from large-scale genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Genetic variants associated with T1D were used as instrumental variables to assess their impact on severe COVID-19 outcomes. The primary datasets included genetic data for T1D from 457,695 individuals (6,447 T1D cases) and severe COVID-19 outcomes from 3,790 individuals (1,610 severe cases). Various MR methods, including Inverse Variance Weighted (IVW), MR-Egger Regression, and Weighted Median, were employed to ensure robust causal inference and eliminate potential biases such as pleiotropy. Results: The MR analysis revealed no causal relationship between T1D and severe COVID-19 outcomes in pediatric patients. Odds ratios (ORs) obtained using MR-Egger, Weighted Median, and IVW methods varied from 0.7648 to 0.9853, with p-values greater than 0.05, indicating no significant causal effect. Sensitivity analyses confirmed the robustness of these findings, showing no evidence of heterogeneity or directional pleiotropy. Conclusion: Our findings indicate no genetic causal link between T1D and severe respiratory failure from COVID-19 in children. These results contrast with numerous observational studies and suggest that metabolic dysfunction and other non-genetic factors should be the focus in managing this susceptible group. The insights gained are crucial for developing targeted interventions and improving clinical management strategies for pediatric ICU patients with T1D during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Health resorts aim to create health sanctuaries, fostering an environment conducive to treatment, healing, and well-being. Material selection choices for health resort designers should comply with specific minimal requirements and criteria to provide a suitable atmosphere for health and wellness. Based on this assumption and some selection criteria, the study intended to analyse purposefully selected health resorts as the foundation for identifying acceptable materials to construct health resorts. This study had three main goals: to define the evaluated health resorts’ physical characteristics, determine their external works specifications, and investigate the material usage utilised in the interior of three primary functional spaces. We employed a case study approach as the qualitative research method.Top of Form Data was analysed using narrative and content analysis. According to the findings, natural materials, particularly those produced locally, are best suited for the outside and interior of health resort buildings. Wood is the most commonly used material, appearing in all instances studied. The findings are consistent with current worldwide trends toward environmentally friendly facilities. Adopting natural materials such as wood, stone, and soil for health resort planning would be practical, considering the health advantages of such environmentally friendly materials.

Necroptosis is a regulated form of cell death implicated in several pathological conditions, in-cluding viral infections. In this study, we investigated the expression and correlation of necroptosis markers, MLKL, RIP1 and RIP3, in human liver tissue from fatal cases of yellow fever (YF) using immunohistochemistry (IHC). Liver samples were obtained from 21 YF-positive individuals and five flavivirus-negative controls with preserved liver parenchymal architecture. The cases un-derwent histopathological analysis, followed by tissue immunostaining with the immuno-histochemical method of streptavidin-biotin peroxidase. Using the in situ method, we evaluated the centrilobular (Z3), midzonal (Z2), periportal zone and portal tract (PT) zones of human liver parenchyma with markers for necroptosis, RIPK1, RIPK3 and MLKL. Quantitative analysis re-vealed significantly higher expression of MLKL, RIP1 and RIP3 in the liver parenchyma of YF cases compared to controls in different zones (Z3, Z2, Z1) and portal tracts (PT) of the liver, especially in zone 2. Immunostaining confirmed the localization of MLKL, RIP1 and RIP3 in hepatocytes and inflammatory infiltrates, highlighting their involvement in the pathogenesis of YF. Pearson's correlation analysis demonstrated significant correlations between necroptosis markers which indicate their coordinated regulation during YF-induced liver injury.

Introduction After the first use of infliximab in Crohn’s disease in 1995, the wide scale introduction of anti-tumour necrosis factor alfa (anti-TNF alfa) medications revolutionized the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD’s). During the last two decades an increased number of molecules with multiple mechanisms of action were approved for the treatment of IBD with substantial increase of the costs of related to therapy. The increasing costs and access to therapy became a concern of payers and regulators but also for healthcare professionals. Biosimilars are biologic medical products that are highly structurally identical to their reference products and without any clinically meaningful differences in immunogenicity, safety or effectiveness. The introduction of biosimilars was seen as a way to provide a lower-cost alternative to the originator anti-TNF molecules and hence to increase treatment access and availability for patients. Material and methods This an observational, prospective study conducted in two IBD centers in Bucharest. The study included 53 patients, 27 male(M) and 26 female(F), diagnosed with UC or BC according to standard clinical,endoscopic, radiological, histological criteria that were non medically switched to a biosimilar. All patients completed at least the induction treatment with the originator adalimumab and they were clinically stable. After switch they received one of the market available biosimilars of Adalimumab(Hukyndra, Imraldi or Hyrimoz). For each patient, the following data were collected: age, sex, BC or UC diagnosis, previous and current therapy, clinical evolution, endoscopic scores as well as several biological markers. Aim The primary objective was the maintenance of clinical remission at twelve months after switching the original Adalimumab treatment to the biosimilar Adalimumab. The secondary objectives were to evaluate the presence of adverse effects and the treatment persistence at one year. Results In our population, there were 42 patients with Crohn's disease and 11 with ulcerative colitis who switched from the originator adalimumab to a biosimilar Adalimumab. The average age was 44,07 years old for patients with BC and 51,72 years old for patients with UC. No significant differences were found in terms of CF and CRP levels at 6 and 12 months after changing the originator biologic treatment to a biosimilar. Only one patient required changing the biological treatment, following the clinical and biological loss of response. The main adverse effect reported by patients was pain at the injection site. Of the 53 patients, only 2 patients reported pain at the injection site, but this was considered not significant because the patients had a BMI below 20 and they also reported the same symptom when administering the originator. One patient reported experiencing abdominal pain and rectal bleeding immediately after switch, but no recurrence was observed clinically and endoscopically. Conclusion: This observational study is the first carried out in Romania that shows that the after the non-medical switch, biosimilars of Adalimumab were as efficient as the originator Adalimumab in the clinical practice of patients with IBD. These results support that conclusion that the large-scale use of biosimilars does not significantly affect the effectiveness of the therapy and the safety of the patient.

As Large Language Models (LLMs) increasingly accommodate larger inputs, context windows spanning hundreds of thousands or even millions of tokens are touted as promising for a wide array of applications. However, the potential decay in reasoning ability for larger inputs may compromise their utility. This study introduces a new benchmark called Find the Origin, which progressively tests the efficacy of LLMs on a simple intellectual task as the size of the context window increases. The test, conducted on 14 different LLMs for comparative analysis, demonstrated that reasoning ability is dependent on input size. Additionally, three independent tests were performed with the GPT-4 Turbo model to demonstrate its reasoning degradation in different contexts as input size increases.

Tidal energy, with its potential to provide a consistent energy output and reduce carbon emis-sions, has garnered significant interest. This study, which is the first to evaluate the performance of tidal turbines in seawater conditions involving sand particles, presents a novel approach. A slurry rig was developed to examine composite materials, and a glass fibre reinforcement poly-meric material was tested over a range of particle size, velocity, impact angle, and exposure time. The results, which show significant changes in the mass loss materials as a function of these variables, have profound implications for the design and performance of tidal turbines. The study also utilized a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and depth profiling analysis, and erosion maps were generated to demonstrate the changes in erosion mechanisms. These tools can be used to optimize such materials in tidal turbine conditions.

Manure-compost-soil is the main pathway for the use of agricultural livestock waste. Biochar, regarded as the conditioner, was beneficial to nitrogen fixation during aerobic composting, and was to the enhancement of soil organic matter (OM) and nitrogen content, when applied with compost to the soil. But, the manure-compost-soil process was also related to microbial succession, whether biochar could affect this succession was not studied. In this paper, we investigated the influence of biochar on the manure-compost-soil process and its microbial community succession. Compared with the control group, biochar increased the OM and total nitrogen content of the compost. Biochar, compost and biochar-based compost improved the total carbon (TC) and OM of the soil. The genera of the initial composting sample were Saccharomonospora, Atopostipes and Lactobacillus, and were eliminated after high-temperature fermentation. Lysobacter, Glutamicibacter and Streptomyces were the dominant genera in the soil samples, promoting plant growth. Nocardiopsis, Saccharomonospora, Bacillus and Oceanobacillus dominated the genera in the whole manure-compost-soil process. Thus, aerobic composting could eliminate the toxic or negative bacteria that were directly input into the soil by manure. Those genera from compost or biochar-based compost flux into the soil could make an important contribution to OM’s cycle.

Real-Time Kinematic (RTK) is currently the most widely used method for positioning using Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) due to its accuracy, efficiency and ease of use. In forestry, position is a critical factor for numerous applications, with GNSS nowadays the preferred solution for obtaining such data. However, the decreased performance of GNSS observations in challenging environments, such as under the forest canopy, must be considered. This paper analyzes the performance of a survey-grade GNSS receiver under coniferous/deciduous tree cover, with short observation times of 30 seconds and corrections received in the field from a Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS) of the national RTK network in Romania. 84 test points were determined, randomly distributed under the canopy, with reference data collected by topographical surveys using total station equipment. Relatively good accuracies were obtained, especially for horizontal position (RMSEs of 1.47 – 2.07 meters). The variation of GNSS performance under the different forest compositions was found to be statistically significant, while GNSS-specific factors such as DOP values only influenced the precision and not the accuracy of observations. We established that this methodology offers sufficient accuracy, application-dependent, even if the majority of GNSS solutions were code-based, rather than carrier phase-based, due to strong interference from the vegetation.

Cotton fiber is the leading natural textile material, and fiber elongation plays an essential role in the formation of cotton yield and quality. Although a wealth of components in the molecular network controlling cotton fiber elongation have been reported, a lot of players still need to be functionally dissected to understand the regulatory mechanism of fiber elongation comprehensively. In the present study, an R2R3-MYB transcription factor gene, GhMYB201, was characterized and functionally verified via CRISPR/Cas9 mediated gene editing. GhMYB201 was homologous to Arabidopsis AtMYB60, and both coding genes (GhMYB201At and Dt) were preferentially expressed in elongating cotton fibers. Knocking-out of GhMYB201 significantly reduced the rate and duration of fiber elongation, resulting in shorter and coarser mature fibers. It was found that GhMYB201 could bind and activate the transcription of cell wall loosening genes (GhRDLs), and also β-ketoacyl-CoA synthase (GhKCSs) genes to enhance very-long-chain fatty acid (VLCFA) levels in elongating fibers. Taken together, our data demonstrated that the transcription factor GhMYB201s play essential roles in promoting fiber elongation via activating genes related to cell wall loosening and VLCFA biosynthesis.

(1) Background: The significant progress observed over last two decades in coherent beam combining (CBC) technology has mainly focused on its applications in high-energy physics and laser weapons. This work provides insight into the basic principles of CBC and the search for an alternative, namely optical angular momentum (OAM) generation using CBC; (2) Methods: The semi-analytical model based on the paraxial wave equation explored generating OAM-CBC beams by manipulating the tilts and phases of CBC (T&amp;P-CBC) of hexagonal architecture; (3) Results: The specially arranged T&amp;P-CBC shows typical properties of OAM, such as annular profiles for the zero diffraction order and 1-st order replicas in the far field and correlation coefficients of 1% between different OAM-CBC fields; (4) Conclusions: The differences between classical OAM beams and OAM-CBC are substantial due to hexagonal lattice properties. Moreover, applications in free space optical communications are feasible as T&amp;P CBC fulfills the main conditions and requirements for OAM generation.

In this paper we investigate the differential topological properties of a subclass of singular space--subcarteisan spaces. First, we get further result on partition of unity for differential spaces. Second, we establish the tubular neighborhood theorem for subcartesian spaces with constant structural dimension. Third, we generalize the concept of Morse functions on smooth manifolds to differential spaces. For subcartesian space with constant structural dimension, we provide examples of Morse functions; With the assumption that the subcartesian space can be embedded as a bounded subset of an Euclidean space, we prove that smooth bounded functions on this space can be approximated by Morse functions; We study the infinitesimal stability of Morse functions on subcartesian spaces. Classical results on Morse functions on smooth manifolds can be treated directly as corollaries of our results here.

Powders with phase composition including syngenite K2Ca(SO4)2·H2O and/or calcium sulfate di-hydrate (gypsum) CaSO4·2H2O were synthesized from powder of calcium carbonate CaCO3 and water solutions of potassium hydrosulfate KHSO4 of various (0.5M, 1M and 2M) concentrations. Molar ratio of starting salt KHSO4/CaCO3=2 were used to provide formation of syngenite K2Ca(SO4)2·H2O. But when using 0.5M water solution of potassium hydrosulfate KHSO4 the phase composition of synthesized powder was presented by calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) CaSO4·2H2O. When using 1M and 2M water solution of potassium hydrosulfate KHSO4 the syn-genite K2Ca(SO4)2·H2O was found as predominant phase in synthesized powders. According es-timations made from thermal analysis data when 1.0M and 2.0M water solutions of potassium hydrosulfate KHSO4 were used the content of calcium sulfate dihydrate (gypsum) CaSO4·2H2O in these powders were not higher then as 7.9 and 1.9 % respectively. Phase composition of products isolated from mother liquors via water evaporation consisted of syngenite K2Ca(SO4)2·H2O and potassium sulfate (arcanite) K2SO4. Synthesized powders can be used in preparation of biocom-patible bioresorbable materials with phase composition in the K2O‑CaO‑SO3‑H2O system; as matrix of thermo- or photo-luminescent materials; as components reducing the setting time and increasing strength of sulfate cements; in the fertilizing industry and also as a components of Martian regolith simulant.

Interferon-gamma release assays (IGRAs) gained attention for diagnosing latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) due to their higher specificity compared to the tuberculin skin test (TST). However, IGRA performance varied across different populations. This study evaluated the diagnostic performance of three IGRA assays (TBF-FIA, TBF-ELISA, and QFT-Plus) in Ghana, comparing them among individuals exposed and unexposed to MTB infection. Conducted in TB clinics across three regions, this prospective and cross-sectional study included healthy individuals with no known TB exposure (unexposed group) and patients with confirmed active TB (exposed group). Blood samples were tested using all three assays per manufacturers’ guidelines. The TBF-ELISA showed 3.4% higher sensitivity, but 4.6% lower specificity compared to QFT-Plus. The TBF-FIA had a sensitivity of 78.5%-87.3% and a specificity of 82.9%-90.0%. These findings indicated that while the three IGRA assays offered similar diagnostic accuracy, variations in specificity and limited data on point-of-care assays like TBF-FIA required further investigation.

The electron of spin −1/2 is a Dirac fermion of a complex four-component spinor field. Though it is effectively addressed by relativistic quantum field theory, an intuitive form of the fermion still remains lacking and it is often described by the so-called Dirac belt trick. In this novel undertaking, the electron is examined within the boundary posed by a recently proposed MP model of a hydrogen atom into 4D space-time. Its transformation to Dirac fermion appears consistent with Dirac belt trick, quantum mechanics and Lie group with gravity considered to be a classical force for an irreducible spinor field. These outcomes are compatible with Dirac field theory and its associated features like wave function collapse, quantized Hamiltonian, non-relativistic wave function, Weyl spinor, Lorentz transformation and Feynman diagrams. The model though speculative, it could become important towards defining the fundamental state of matter subject to further examinations.

Background: In 2006 to 2014, 10 cases of urolithiasis in yaks, with calcium carbonate uroliths, were confirmed in Switzerland and at the same time a 6-fold calcium overhang in roughage in an affected farm was shown. Methods: Blood samples from 99 animals were examined from 10 farms (n=6 problem farms; n=4 control farms). In addition, roughage, soil and water samples were analyzed. The farms are distributed within different regions in Switzerland. Results: The study revealed different Ca : P ratio from 1.56 to 7.74 : 1 in the forages and mild hypercalcemia in the animals of problem farms. In the univariate analysis, problem versus control farms, about 20 other significant factors emerged. The multivariate analysis has shown that altitude, CP (crude protein), P, Mg, NDF (neutral detergent fibre) and ADF (acid resistant detergent fibre) in the diet are important factors. Based on the analysis of the pedigree there was no evidence for an obvious genetic background of urolithiasis. Limitations: Limitation is the small number of Yaks in Switzerland. Conclusion: The question of whether urolithiasis in yaks in alpine Switzerland, poses a husbandry risk, can be answered affirmatively. The calcium-rich forages play a crucial role in this multifactorial process.

Background/Objectives: Lung cancer remains a global health concern, with substantial variation in patient survival. Despite advances in detection and treatment, the genetic basis for the divergent outcomes is not understood. We investigated germline polymorphisms that modulate overall survival in 1,464 surgically resected lung adenocarcinoma patients. Methods: A multivariable Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the association of more than 7 million polymorphisms with overall survival at the 60-month follow-up, considering age, sex, pathological stage, decade of surgery and principal components as covariates. Genes in which variants were identified were studied in silico to investigate functional roles. Results: Six germline variants passed the genome-wide significance threshold. These single nucleotide polymorphisms mapped to non-coding (intronic) regions on chromosomes 2, 3, and 5. The minor alleles of rs13000315, rs151212827, and rs190923216 (chr. 2, 3 and 5, respectively) were found to be independent negative prognostic factors. All six variants have been reported to regulate the expression of nine genes, seven of which are protein-coding, in different tissues. Survival-associated variants on chromosomes 2 and 3 were already reported to regulate the expression of NT5DC2 and NAGK, with high expression associated with the minor alleles. High NT5DC2 and NAGK expression in lung adenocarcinoma tissue were already shown to correlate with poor overall survival. Conclusions: This study highlights a potential regulatory role of the identified polymorphisms in influencing outcome and suggests a mechanistic link between these variants, gene expression regulation, and lung adenocarcinoma prognosis. Validation and functional studies are warranted to elucidate the mechanisms underlying these associations.

Infill drilling is one of the most effective methods to improve the performance of poly-mer flooding. The difficulties related to infill drilling are determining the optimal numbers and placements of infill wells. In this study, an improved archimedes optimization algorithm with Halton sequence (HS-AOA) was proposed to overcome the aforementioned difficulties. First, to optimize the infill well placement for polymer flooding, an objective function that considered the economic influence of infill drilling was developed. Then, the novel optimization algorithm (HS-AOA) for infill well placement was developed by combining the AOA with the Halton se-quence. The codes were developed in MATLAB and connected to a commercial reservoir simula-tor CMG STARS to carry out the infill well placement optimization. Finally, the HS-AOA was compared to the basic AOA to confirm its reliability and then used to optimize the infill well placements for polymer flooding in a typical offshore oil reservoir. The results showed that the introduction of the Halton sequence into AOA effectively increased the diversity of the initial ob-jects in the AOA and avoided the HS-AOA trapping into the local optimal solutions. The HS–AOA outperformed the AOA. It was an effective approach to optimize the infill well placement for polymer flooding processes. In addition, infill drilling could effectively and economically im-prove the polymer flooding performance in offshore oil reservoirs. The NPV of the polymer flooding case with infill wells determined by HS-AOA reached 3.5 × 108 $, which was an increase of 7% over that of the polymer flooding case. This study presents an effective method for opti-mizing infill well placement for polymer flooding processes. It also can serve as a valuable refer-ence for other optimization problems in the petroleum industry, such as joint optimization of well control and placement.

Aim: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the remineralization potential of primary teeth enamel after being exposed to different laser diode therapy. Methods: Ninety-six vestibular primary teeth enamel samples were divided into eight groups (n=12) with varying treatments: control (G1), CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish (G2), diode lasers at 980 nm (G3), 808 nm (G4), 450 nm (G5), 980 nm + CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish (G6), 808 nm + CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish (G7), and 450 nm + CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish (G8). Each sample was assessed using DIAGNOdent® at baseline, post-treatment, and post-pH cycle re-mineralization. SEM imaging was performed before and after treatment and following the pH cycle. Results: The results indicated that the 980 nm and 808 nm diode lasers, both alone and in combination with CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish, either maintained or increased the calcium (Ca) weight percentage (Wt%) in the enamel. The 980 nm diode laser combined with CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish (G6) showed a significant increase in Ca Wt%, suggesting a strong remineralization effect. Similarly, the 808 nm diode laser alone (G4) also promoted a substantial increase in Ca Wt%. In contrast, the 450 nm diode laser, whether applied alone or in combination with CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish, resulted in a lower Ca Wt% and an increase in phosphorus (P) Wt%. Most groups, except for the CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish alone (G2), demonstrated an increase in P Wt%, indicating a complex interaction between laser therapy and enamel remineralization. Conclusions: The combined use of laser therapy with CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish significantly enhanced the remineralization of temporary teeth enamel. The 980 nm diode laser + CPP-ACP-fluoride varnish showed the most pronounced improvement in remineralization, while the 808 nm diode laser alone also effectively increased calcium solubility. These findings suggest that higher wavelength diode lasers, particularly when combined with remineralizing agents, can effectively enhance the mineral content of primary teeth and promote enamel remineralization.

This article provides a proof that the Ramanujan's Inequality given by, \begin{align*} \pi(x)^2 < \frac{e x}{\log x} \pi\left(\frac{x}{e}\right) \end{align*} holds unconditionally for every $x\geq \exp(43.5102146)$. In case for an alternate proof of the result stated above, we shall exploit certain estimates involving the Chebyshev Theta Function, $\vartheta(x)$ in order to derive appropriate bounds for $\pi(x)$, which'll lead us to a much improved condition for the inequality proposed by Ramanujan to satisfy unconditionally.

The exposure of employees to specific risks is usually due to increasing levels of work-related stress, which negatively affects their skills and effectiveness in their job duties, lead-ing to the onset of physical/mental illnesses, mistakes, or even accidents. The aim of this study is to investigate the psychosocial risks experienced by nurses in tertiary hospitals in Greece and their association with their attitudes towards safety and the occurrence of medication errors. The research was conducted in four tertiary hospitals in Greece, with the participation of 514 nurses of all educational levels. Questionnaires were used to collect data on work-related stress, professional burnout, and medication errors. The results highlighted that psychosocial risks, such as high work pressure and lack of support, are directly linked to professional burnout and an increased likelihood of medication errors. The necessity of social support, job autonomy, and work-life balance are underscored as critical factors for reducing stress and improving the quality of care. Specific strategies are proposed to enhance the mental health of nurses and improve working conditions.

With the widespread adoption of 3D scanners, reverse engineering methods for obtaining CAD drawings from physical objects have become increasingly utilized. When converting point data obtained from a 3D scanner into a mesh structure, a smoothing process is typically applied because the point data often contains a lot of noise. However, this can result in the loss of important high-frequency details, or in cases where significant high-frequency information remains, there are limitations in representing the object with basic geometric shapes. In this paper, a method to address this issue by using environment mapping and supervised learning techniques is proposed. By mapping the object to an environment and then using supervised learning to analyze the data, it can accurately identify the basic geometric shapes. This approach reduces the working time and allows for easier design of complex surfaces that were previously difficult to model.

Influenza A Virus (IAV) is a multi-host pathogen maintained in water birds and capable of spillover into humans, wildlife, and livestock. Prior research has focused on dabbling ducks as a known IAV reservoir species, yet our understanding of influenza dynamics in other water birds, including gulls, is lacking. Here, we quantify morphological and environmental drivers of serological (antibody detection by ELISA) and virological (viral RNA detection by PCR) prevalence in two gull species: Ring-billed (\emph{Larus delawarensis}) and Franklin's (\emph{Leucophaeus pipixcan}) gulls. Across 12 months and 10 locations, we tested over 1500 gulls for influenza viral RNA, and additionally tested antibody levels in nearly 1000 of these. We find substantial virus prevalence and a large, nonoverlapping seroprevalence, with significant differences across age and species classifications. Body condition index had minimal explanatory power to predict (sero)positivity, and the effect of the surrounding environment was idiosyncratic. Our results hint at a nontrivial relationship between virus and seropositivity, highlighting serological surveillance as a valuable counterpoint to sequencing. By providing indication of both past infections and susceptibility to future infections, serosurviellance can help inform the distribution of limited resources to maximize surveillance effectiveness for a disease of high human, wildlife, and livestock concern.

Onychomycosis is a common fungal nail infection for which new antibiotics are needed to overcome antifungal resistance and other limitations of conventional treatments. This study reports the development of antifungal nail lacquers containing oregano essential oil (OEO), rosemary essential oil (REO), and/or biogenic silver nanoparticles (bioAgNP). The formulations (F) were tested against dermatophytes by agar diffusion, ex vivo nail infection, and scanning electron microscopy techniques. They were evaluated pharmacotechnically and by FTIR-PAS to access permeation across the nail plate. F-OEO and F-OEO/Ag were promising for the final nail lacquer formulation, they permeated through the nail plate and showed antifungal efficacy against dermatophytes-contaminated nails after 5 days of treatment. The treated nails had decreased hyphae and spores compared to untreated control; the hyphae were atypically flattened which indicates loss of cytoplasmic content due to damage to cytoplasmic membrane. Formulations were stable after centrifugation and thermal stress, maintaining organoleptic and physicochemical characteristics. F-OEO and F-OEO/Ag had pH compatible with the nail, and drying time (59-90 s) within the reference for nail lacquer. For the first time, OEO and bioAgNP were incorporated in a nail lacquer, resulting in a natural and nanotechnological antifungal product for onychomycosis that may combat microbial resistance.

The refugee crisis has been one of the most challenging problems in the European in recent years, causing sudden and significant political turmoil in most of its member states. Notwithstanding the international treaties on refugee protection, a crucial issue is the reluctance of many local commu-nities to offer refugees access to the labour market and daily social activities. In addition to the dif-ficulties regarding social acceptance, there are also many other legal, social, ethical and political obstacles for refugees. This discussion is mainly limited to the realm of politics and ethics with very few references to the field of management, Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) and corporate sustainability (CS) where the issues of marginalized people, minorities and vulnerable people are frequently addressed. To fill this gap, this article aims to discuss the role of CSR and CS in over-coming obstacles for refugees in their effort to integrate into the labor market. Through a narrative literature review and snowballing techniques, a theoretical framework is developed to outline the ways that CSR and CS can assist refugees in overcoming different types of obstacles in host coun-tries. Finally, in the discussion, ways in which CSR and CS literature could play a critical role in this discussion are highlighted and how the private sector could relieve the refugee crisis through CSR strategies.

This paper presents the development of a hardware-in-the-loop ground testbed featuring active gravity compensation via software-in-the-loop integration, specially designed to support research in autonomous robotic removal of space debris. The testbed is designed to replicate six degrees of freedom (6DOF) motion maneuvering to accurately simulate the dynamic behaviors of free-floating robotic manipulators and free-tumbling space debris under microgravity conditions. The testbed incorporates two industrial 6DOF robotic manipulators, a 3-finger robotic gripper, and a suite of sensors, including cameras, force/torque sensors, and tactile tensors. Such a setup provides a robust platform for testing and validating technologies related to autonomous tracking, capture, and post-capture stabilization within the context of active space debris removal missions. Preliminary experimental results have demonstrated advancements in motion control, computer vision, and sensor fusion. This facility is positioned to become an essential resource for the development and validation of robotic manipulators in space, offering substantial improvements in the effectiveness and reliability of autonomous capture operations in space missions.

Digital transformation and green innovation are critical to firms’ competitive advantage and, thus, firms desire to make digital transformation enhance green innovation. However, the relationship between the digital transformation on green innovation is unclear. Drawing on digital empowerment, we delineate types of digital transformation and their impacts on green innovation in manufacturing firms. Our empirical results indicate that production digitalization and service digitalization have a significant promoting effect on both of green technological innovation and green management innovation. However, the effect of production digitalization on green management innovation is stronger than that of service digitalization. Moreover, environmental regulation enhances the positive effect of service digitalization on green technological innovation and green management innovation. While it enhances the effect of production digitalization on green management innovation. Peer firms’ green innovation strengthens the effect of service digitalization on both of green technological innovation and green management innovation.

Understanding the factors affecting semen quality is important for optimizing male reproductive efficiency. The present study aimed to evaluate the seminal quality associated with breed, age, season, and sperm counting chamber in boar ejaculates. A total of 22 sexually mature and healthy boars from maternal and sire commercial breeds were utilized as semen donors, with an average age (mean ± standard deviation) of 21.0 ± 7.2 months. Boars were housed individually in well-ventilated pens and fed a standard breeder mix. Semen samples were collected from each boar in dry and rainy season. The boars were grouped according to age into three categories: &lt;12 months, 12-24 months, and &gt;24 months. Only ejaculates with at least 75 % morphologically normal sperm and more than 8.5 x 109 total sperm per ejaculate were used. The samples were analyzed using the Computer-Assisted Semen Analysis (CASA) ISAS®v1 system. Results showed that younger boars (&lt;12 months) exhibited higher total and progressive sperm motility and faster swimming patterns compared to older boars. The percentages of total motility and fast spermatozoa were increased by rainy season. The kinematics variables showed significant differences (P&lt;0.05) between sperm counting chambers. Duroc and Landrace breeds presented spermatozoa with greater total motility, while terminal sire line breeds showed accelerated linear progressiveness (P&lt;0.05). Overall, the impact of various factors on seminal and kinematic variables in boar ejaculates, including age, season, genetic breed composition, and sperm counting chamber enables to better understand the semen quality of boar ejaculates. This highlights the importance of optimizing swine reproductive management practices in sexually active boars.

Stevia rebaudiana Bertoni, a perennial herb, has garnered significant attention for its diterpene glycosides, natural sweeteners approximately 250 to 300 times sweeter than sucrose. These glycosides, concentrated in the plant's leaves, not only serve as a low-calorie alternative to traditional sweeteners but also exhibit notable antimicrobial properties, making Stevia a promising candidate for both the food and pharmaceutical industries. In order to study the effect of mycorrhiza fungi on some growth characteristics of the stevia herb under inoculum conditions with Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi(AMF)Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi, a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design with four replications was conducted at University of Mohaghegh Ardabili. The first factor was Imma & Angel and Novella nutrient solutions; the second was planting bed including leaf composts, vermicompost, and biolan (peat & perlite); and third factor involved inoculation with mycorrhiza (Glomus Musea). The control fungi indicated that the highest percentage of stevioside (16.45%) was related to vermicompost planting bed under conditions of invocation with mycorrhizal in harvest for the Imma and Angel nutrient solution. The maximum percentage of Rebaudioside A (7.57%) was related to vermicompost planting bed under conditions of invocation with mycorrhizal in harvest for the Novella nutrient solution. Further, the greatest levels of Rebaudioside C were obtained under the same conditions, with the difference that in the case of this glycoside, the leaf composts planting bed showed a higher percentage. Then, the highest leaf fresh weight, leaf dry weight, and number of main branches were obtained for the Novella nutrient solution in vermicompost planting bed under inoculation with mycorrhiza. Finally, Mycorrhizal inoculation in vermicompost beds with the Novella nutrient solution resulted in the greatest plant height. Conversely, the Imma & Angel nutrient solution in leaf compost beds, when combined with mycorrhizal inoculation, produced the tallest plants. The positive impact of AMF on plant growth was evident in the quantitative and qualitative improvements observed across various measured parameters.

Changes in hydrology from aridification in the U.S. Southwest have led to tension at the urban-rural divide about conservation and land management strategy. Strain on multi-generational agricultural livelihoods and a nearly 150-year-old Colorado River water adjudication system presents an opportunity for multidisciplinary solutions and symbiotic partnerships. In this study, producers in a small San Juan River headwater community in southwestern Colorado participated in a convergence research study developed collaboratively with community partners, prioritizing local objectives and policy needs. Acknowledging the historic and sometimes perceived role of academic institutions as representing urban interests, our goal was to highlight how research could support rural governance and identify rural interests. Respondents identified water availability and climate changes as the factor that most negatively affects operations. Respondents had interest in nature-based agroforestry methods like windbreak trees and drought-resistant crop species. Community members identified cost as the leading perceived barrier to implementing nature-based agricultural solutions, with over half of respondents indicating that programs to subsidize or eliminate cost would improve willingness to try nature-based methods. Analyses identified that satisfaction with community resources was positively correlated with scale of production, satisfaction with irrigation equipment, and familiarity with water rights. Further, our results outline barriers to perceptions about nature-based solutions on rural landscapes. We hope to contribute this model for wider applications in other regions to uncover place-based solutions to resource challenges and contribute to addressing stress at the urban-rural divide.

Background: Ovarian, cervical, and endometrial cancers stand as fatal health killers for women's mental and physical health, especially affecting female reproductive systems. Exploiting weakly supervised learning and explainable AI techniques are crucial for fast, accurate, and robust automatic marker detection, efficient prevention, and primary treatment of gynecological tumors. Methods: With respect to the PRIMSA methodology, weakly supervised learning schemes and deep learning-based schemes are investigated in the cross-subject fields of clinical diagnostic imaging and explainable AI technology. Related methods, opening research problems, and challenging subjects are explored in the screening and treatment of gynecological tumors and performing cancer image diagnosis in the latest study. Results: Keynote approaches combining ultrasound medicine, explainable AI, and clinical imaging technology are summarized. In combination with learning-based methods with medical imaging, prospective insights are put forward for refreshed concepts on treatments in the area of gynecological oncology, with a feasible range of applications for their corresponding AI techniques. Conclusions: Explainable AI and deep learning-based approaches are capable of performing accurate classification between benign and malignant tumors, yielding a pathway to care for women's health, improving the survival rate of patients, pacing with disease prediction, and matching the strategic goal of "Healthy China 2030".

In this paper, we investigate various graphene monolayer nanomesh structures (diodes) formed only by nanoholes, with a diameter of just 20 nm and etched from the graphene layer in different shapes (such as rhombus, bow-tie, rectangle, trapezoid, and triangle), and their electrical properties targeting electromagnetic energy harvesting applications. In this respect, the main parameters characterizing any nonlinear device for energy harvesting are extracted from tens of measurements performed on a single chip containing the fabricated diodes. The best nano-perforated graphene structure is the triangle nanomesh one, which exhibits remarkable performance in terms of its characteristic parameters, i.e., a 420 Ω differential resistance for optimal impedance matching to an antenna, a high responsivity greater than 1000 V/W, and a low noise equivalent power of 847 pW/√Hz at 0 V.

Exopolysaccharide (EPS)-producing bacteria were isolated from the intestines of freshwater fish as prebiotics. Among the isolates, Bacillus sp. P1 was the potent EPS producer with a high EPS production and was then identified as Bacillus subtilis P1 based on 16S rRNA and biochemical characteristics. The produced microbial EPS was characterized its functional groups by FTIR, showing a 90.20% correlation to inulin while the EPS molecular weight was approximately 105 Da with a high PDI (&gt;1.5). Moreover, the EPS from B. subtilis P1 was assessed for prebiotic properties by growing probiotic bacteria and the significant cell growth occurred in sugar-free TSB with 0.5% EPS (p&lt;0.05). EPS exhibited approximately 55.37% DPPH radical scavenging at 20 mg/mL and inhibited certain fish pathogens at 400 μg/mL (10-13 mm inhibition zone). EPS cytotoxicity was confirmed (&lt;1% hemolysis) prior to use as immunobiotics in Nile Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) diet supplementation. Nile tilapia growth and immune response were monitored after feeding with control (C): Basal Diet (BD) and treatment (T): BD + EPS 5 g/kg. In the T-group, WG, %SGR, and ADG significantly increased compared to control (p&lt;0.05) by week 4th, with no negative effects on blood chemistry parameters. Lysozyme activity and respiratory burst activity in T-groups were significantly higher than control (p&lt;0.05), with a 50% RLP survival rate of Nile Tilapia challenged with Aeromonas veronii in the T-group within two weeks. On the other hand, for the proximate analysis revealed higher protein content in the T-group. These findings suggest that EPS from B. subtilis P1 in fish diets efficiently supports fish growth and stimulates innate immune responses in Nile Tilapia, thus showing potential as the immunobiotics for aquaculture.

Analytical methodologies were developed based on the near infrared spectroscopy (NIR) associated with chemometric tools to predict the content of macronutrients (total carbohydrate, total protein, and total lipids) in medical food. We prepared the samples employed in this study according to a mixture design with percentual variations from 25% to +25% of macronutrients. Partial least squares (PLS) regression models were built with 70 and 30 samples as calibration and validation sets, respectively. We chose the best processing techniques and results based on the parameters of the ASTM 1655 standard. The models were used to determine these macronutrients in marketed enteral nutrition products, of three different batches, that have quality certification. The average errors in the determination of total carbohydrate, total protein, and total lipids were 1.8, 4.3, and 2.3 %, respectively. The percentages of errors found in this study suggest that the developed model may be useful for the quality control laboratory routine.

Tropical regions face unique challenges in building sustainability due to high temperatures, humidity, and heavy rainfall. While building energy regulations are essential for promoting energy efficiency, their effectiveness in addressing tropical climate conditions needs to be studied more. This research aims to systematically investigate tropical building sustainability issues and evaluate the impacts of building energy regulations on these challenges. The study will identify gaps in current regulations by analyzing existing research and recommend strategies for developing more comprehensive frameworks that promote sustainable building practices in tropical regions. This research contributes to developing effective policies and strategies for achieving sustainable and energy-efficient built environments in tropical climates.

Recent data has shown a continued rise in the worldwide annual incidence and mortality rates of head and neck cancers. The present standard for diagnosis and monitoring for disease recurrence or progression involves clinical examination, imaging, and invasive biopsy techniques of lesions suspected of being malignant. In addition to limitations relating to cost, time, and patient discomfort, these methodologies have inherent inaccuracies for detecting recurrence. In view of these limitations, the analysis of patient bodily fluid samples via liquid biopsy proposes a cost-effective and convenient alternative, which provides insight on the biogenetic and biomolecular underpinnings of oncologic disease processes. Liquid biopsy’s monitoring for biomarkers of head and neck cancer, including circulating tumor DNA, circulating tumor cells, and circulating cell-free RNA, has shown clinical utility in the screening, diagnosis, prognostication, and monitoring of patients with various forms of head and neck cancer. The present review will provide an update on the current literature examining the use of liquid biopsy in head and neck cancer care and the clinical applicability of potential biomarkers, with a focus on viral and non-viral circulating tumor DNA. Possible future avenues for research to address specific shortcomings of liquid biopsy will be discussed.

This study investigates the impact of DNA methylation on phenotypic diversity in chickpeas (Cicer arietinum). By analyzing DNA methylation landscapes across various chickpea cultivars, we aim to decipher the evolutionary processes underlying phenotypic variation. Using bisulfite sequencing and advanced genomic techniques, we identified significant methylation patterns associated with key adaptive traits. Our findings provide novel insights into the role of epigenetic modifications in plant evolution and offer potential applications in crop improvement.

Study assessed the wind potential of three sites in Chad: Koro Toro, Salal and Nedeley. Analysis of the Weibull distribution curves reveals marked seasonal variability in wind speed, concentrated around the mean. Three models of high-power wind turbines were analyzed. At Koro Toro, the Siemens Gamesa SG 14-222 DD has a capacity factor of between 0.52 and 0.682, allowing a daily flow of pumped water of between 1.4 and 6.1 million m³. The Enercon E-126 EP4 performs slightly less well. At Salal, the Siemens Gamesa has a capacity factor of between 0.4463 and 0.6605, with a water flow rate of between 0.9 and 3.7 million m³/day. The Vestas V164-10.0 MW has a higher capacity factor (0.6327 to 0.8115) but a lower water flow rate (0.5 to 1.9 million m³/day). Enercon's performance is comparable to that of Siemens Gamesa. The Nedeley study reveals favorable conditions, with seasonal variations in wind speed and capacity factor indicating good wind potential, and maximum daily water flows of between 3 and 6 million m³. Analysis of the wind roses shows interesting potential in these towns, with a dominant east-north-easterly wind at maximum frequencies of 40%. The absence of calm winds is promising, although Nedeley and Salal have a residual presence. This study shows that the sites offer good wind potential This, enabling the production of electricity and heat.

Advanced chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) is accompanied by increased circulating regula-tory T cells (Tregs) and increased susceptibility to severe infections, which were also shown to en-tail a striking induction of FOXP3 expression in Tregs. As homeostasis of the most suppressive CD45RA-FOXP3high activated Treg (aTreg) subset differs, it is critical to analyse homeostatic sig-naling in Treg subsets. Therefore, in this study, by using conventional and imaging flow cytome-try, we monitored STAT5 signaling/phosphorylation (pSTAT5) and investigated Treg subsets in relation to the Binet stage, the total tumor mass score (TTM) and disease course during follow-up of 37 patients with CLL. aTreg percentage was significantly increased among CD4+ T cells from patients with advanced disease and significantly correlated with the TTM. A subgroup of patients with higher aTreg percentages among CD4+FOXP3+ T cells at the start of therapy was character-ized by more frequent episodes of severe infections during follow-up, suggesting that aTreg frac-tion could represent a possible marker of severe disease course with infectious complications. Augmented homeostatic STAT5 signaling could support aTreg expansion, as higher pSTAT5 lev-els were significantly corelated with increased aTreg frequency among CD4+FOXP3+ T cells during follow-up of patients on therapy as well as following SARS-CoV-2 antigen-specific stimulation in vitro.

As the world’s second-largest economy, China has undergone rapid industrialization and urbanization, leading to high energy consumption and significant carbon emissions. This development has exacerbated conflicts between human-land relations and environmental conservation, contributing to global warming and urban air pollution, both of which pose serious health risks. This study utilizes nighttime light (NTL) data from 2005 to 2019, combined with scaling techniques and statistical analysis, to estimate city-scale energy carbon emissions over a 15-year period. Our focus is on Northeast China, a traditional industrial region comprising 36 cities across three provinces, rich in natural resources but now facing severe aging challenges. We analyzed the spatial patterns of energy carbon emissions, while spatiotemporal evolution was assessed through spatial autocorrelation and dynamic changes. These dynamic changes were further evaluated using standard deviation ellipse (SDE) parameters and SLOPE values. Additionally, we examined the conflict between city-scale emissions and economic growth using the Tapio decoupling index. Our findings for the 36 cities over the 15-year period include: (1) Heilongjiang shows low emissions with a downward trend; Jilin shows overall improvement; Liaoning has high and steadily increasing emissions. (2) The global spatial autocorrelation of energy carbon emissions is significant, with a positive Moran’s I, while significant local Moran’s I clusters are concentrated in Heilongjiang and Liaoning. (3) The SDE shows the greatest changes in city-scale emissions occurred in 2015, followed by 2019, 2005, and 2010. (4) Emission growth across the 36 cities is fastest in Heilongjiang, followed by Liaoning and Jilin. (5) Tapio decoupling analysis shows overall positive decoupling in Heilongjiang, a decline in decoupling quality in Jilin, and no significant change in Liaoning. Finally, we recommend strategies to reduce emissions from the perspectives of government, industry, and residents. This research offers a quantitative foundation for achieving dual carbon goals and supports the implementation of policies focused on energy transition and sustainable urban planning.

The number of persons immersed in excessive gaming has increased in this age of rapid digitalization. The World Health Organization and American Psychiatric Association Organization recognizes gaming disorder as a disorder that results in significant problems in daily life as a result of excessive gaming. Both organizations emphasize the similarities to behavioral addictions such as gambling. We examined the appropriate usage of video games from the perspectives of health and management in this study. For the general population, video games provide positive impacts such as stress alleviation and memory improvement. Excessive gaming, on the other hand, might lead to addiction. Gaming addiction is often accompanied by psychological disorders and other addictions, necessitating long-term medical treatment such as cognitive behavioral therapy. Therefore, prevention of gaming disorder is essential. From a societal standpoint, action is required at three levels: the government, game developers, and within the household as a whole. Simultaneously, the public needs to be made understand the positive potential of gaming, such as e-sports.

Lung involvement in rheumatic diseases is a major determinant of patient morbidity and mortality; however, its diagnosis depends on the detection methods used. We compared the incidence of pulmonary involvement in newly diagnosed treatment-naive patients with rheumatic diseases, as assessed by pulmonary function tests (PFTs) and chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT). This retrospective study reviewed the symptoms, spirometry results, and HRCT scans of 22 newly diagnosed, treatment-naïve patients and age-matched controls from the University General Hospital “Attikon”, Athens, Greece, between January 2021 and December 2023. Correlations between clinical findings and spirometry parameters were tested. HRCT scans revealed lung abnormalities in all patients, including peribronchial wall thickening (61.5%), ground glass opacities (59.1%), parenchymal bands (54.5%), air-trapping (50%), reticular patterns (45.5%), bronchiectatic changes (40.9%), and parenchymal opacities (31.8%). PFTs, performed in 17/22 (77.3%) patients, revealed definite pathology in 5 patients (restrictive: N=4; obstructive: N=1). No association was found between spirometric indices and clinical parameters. The results indicate a higher prevalence of abnormal chest CT than of PFT abnormalities, suggesting that HRCT is more sensitive in detecting early lung involvement in pediatric patients with rheumatic disease and should be considered in the routine evaluation of these patients.

It is imperative to conduct experimental studies on the seepage behavior of gas-bearing coal under cyclic dynamic loading conditions. This paper focuses on the evolution of coal permeability under the combined effects of dynamic loading, static loading, and gas adsorption. The principal conclusions are as follows. (1) As the frequency and amplitude of dynamic loading increase, the development of pore and fissure structures within the coal body becomes increasingly pronounced during dynamic loading cycles, resulting in a gradual rise in permeability. Notably, as the coal approaches its yielding stage, the permeability can increase by up to 47%. (2) The permeability curve is divided into four regions: the compaction reduction zone, the oscillation zone, the gradual recovery zone, and the abrupt increase zone of failure. Ultimately, in the failure phase, the permeability surges dramatically, potentially reaching 4 to 5 times the initial permeability. (3) When the static load stage is constant, the rate of change in permeability of the coal under dynamic loading decreases with increasing adsorption amount. When the adsorption amount is constant, the rate of change in permeability of the coal under dynamic loading increases with the increase in static load stress stage, with the maximum increase reaching 75.2%. It can be concluded from the rate of change in permeability and the dynamic loading sensitivity coefficient that the permeability of the coal is highly sensitive to cyclic dynamic loading, with increased sensitivity associated with larger static load stages and decreased sensitivity with greater adsorption amounts.

Underwater natural gas pipelines constitute critical infrastructure for energy transportation. Any damage or leakage in these pipelines poses serious security risks, directly threatening marine and lake ecosystems and potentially causing operational issues and economic losses in the energy supply chain. Due to the difficulty in detecting deterioration over time and regularly inspecting these submerged pipelines by divers, the use of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) becomes crucial in this field. In this study, an underwater pipeline tracking experiment was carried out by providing autonomous features to a remote-controlled unmanned underwater vehicle. During the tracking of the underwater pipeline, damages were identified, and the locations of these damages were determined. The navigation information of the underwater vehicle, including orientation in the x, y, z axes (roll, pitch, yaw) from a gyroscope integrated with magnetic compass, speed and position information in the three axes from an accelerometer, and the distance to the water surface from a pressure sensor, was integrated into the vehicle. Pre-tests determined the necessary pulse width modulation values for the thrusters of the vehicle, enabling autonomous operation by providing these values as input to the thruster motors. In this study, the vehicle moves in 3D was achived by the vertical thruster of the vehicle was activated to maintain a specific depth, and applying equal force to the vehicle’s right and left thrusters forward movement, while differential force induced deviation angles. In pool experiments, the unmanned underwater vehicle autonomously tracked the pipeline as intended, identifying damages on the pipeline using images captured by the vehicle's camera. The images for damage assessment were processed using a convolution neural network (CNN) algorithm, which is a deep learning method. The position of the damage relative to the vehicle was estimated from the pixel dimensions of the identified damage. The location of the damage relative to its starting point was obtained by combining these two positional pieces of information from the vehicle's navigation system. The all study was performed within the Python environment.

The continuous expansion of urban areas has significantly increased the coverage of impervious paved surfaces, leading to heightened heat absorption and the formation of urban heat islands (UHIs). This research centres on environmental footprint accounting and management to address the escalating UHI risks in the City of Salisbury, Adelaide, South Australia. To comprehend the extent of land use change over time, the study employs the Normalised Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) in conjunction with Landsat satellite maps. The satellite maps were also analysed for the historical land surface temperatures, exploring the correlation between land use change and land surface temperatures. This approach allows for exploring the correlation between land use transformations and UHI intensity. The research cross-referenced the satellite data with meteorological station records for verification, which led to identifying possible factors associated with the temperature change in the city. Furthermore, the research extends its scope by analysing aerial photography images of the city, enabling a comprehensive investigation of land cover contribution to UHI effects.