Pericyte and their tunnelling nanotubes (P-TNTs) have been described as involved in the early phases of angiogenesis in the human normal developing brain and glioblastoma, being a common feature of combined endothelium/pericyte vessel sprouts. Based on the few data available so far about this ‘alternative’ pericyte-TNT-driven mode of angiogenesis, whose precise function in vessel growth through vascular cells communication, has still to be determined, this study aims to cast light on the regulative molecules involved in this process, governed by intimate pericyte-endothelial interactions. After considering the existence of the sprout guiding pericyte and P-TNT, as shown by pioneering ultrastructural studies as well as by more recent observations with NG2/CD146 pericyte markers and basal lamina molecules, a step-by-step profile of the process has been suggested and an investigation undertaken on ‘unconventional’, pro-angiogenic ligand/receptor systems, that may have a role aside from the canonical pathways. In this context, a possible candidate worthy of investigation is the c-KIT receptor, a member of the tyrosine kinase family of proteins, which also includes the well-known VEGFR and PDGFR. According to the obtained results showing a primary localization of c-KIT on endothelial cells and pointing out a differential distribution of the receptor on normal vs glioblastoma vessels, it seems conceivable to propose the stem cell factor/c-KIT signaling as a key factor in pericyte-TNT-driven angiogenesis, advancing this alternative mode of angiogenesis and the c- KIT pathway as possible targets for devising effective antiangiogenic therapeutic strategies.

E-waste is considered the fastest-growing global waste stream and has become an emerging environmental challenge. The widespread usage of digital devices has generated a large amount of e-waste. According to the Ministry of Commerce, India annually generates ~14.5 lakh metric tons of e-waste and recycles only ~5 % of e-waste. Annually, the global production of e-waste has been expected to increase by 4–5 %. Advancements in IT and communication divisions have improved the usage of electronic equipment. Heavy metals such as (Pb), mercury (Hg), arsenic (As), tin (Sn), and organic chemicals such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), polybrominated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PBDDs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are subsequently released from e-wastes and contaminates soil and water sources. These toxic compounds are hazardous to human health and the environment. They are capable of entering various biological systems and causing alterations in respiratory functions of the lungs, DNA damage, impaired functioning of the thyroid, and increased risk of chronic diseases such as cancer and cardiovascular ailments. Such concerns raise the quintessential need to manage e-waste to prevent future hazards. This manuscript critically reviews the sources, health and environmental impact, disposal techniques, recycling, and regulation of e-waste.

The importance of radar-based human activity recognition increased significantly over the last two decades in safety and smart surveillance applications due to its superiority towards vision-based sensing in the presence of poor environmental conditions, like illumination, increased radiative heat, occlusion, and fog. An increased public sensitivity for privacy protection, and the progress of cost-effective manufacturing, led to a higher acceptance and distribution. Deep learning approaches proved that the manual feature extraction that relies heavily upon process knowledge can be avoided by its hierarchical, non-descriptive nature. On the other hand, ML techniques based on manual feature extraction provide a robust, yet empirical based approach where the computational effort is comparatively low. This review outlines the basics of classical ML- and DL-based human activity recognition and its advances while taking recent progress of both categories into regard. For every category, state-of-the-art methods are introduced, briefly explained and discussed in terms of their pros, cons and gaps. A comparative study is performed to evaluate the performance and computational effort based on a benchmarking data set to provide a common basis for the assessment of the techniques’ degree of suitability.

Various environmental, food security and population health problems seem to be related to intensive agriculture production worldwide. This type of food production system impacted the loss of biodiversity and natural habitats; high usage rates of agrochemicals and natural resources had affected soil composition, human health, and nutritional plant quality in rural areas. Intercropping agroecological systems that respect agrobiodiversity could significantly benefit ecosystems, human health, and food security by modifying the nutritional profile and the content of some health-promoting bioactive compounds of the species cultivated in this system. Research on intercropping strategies focuses on the benefits they can offer to ecosystems and less on nutrient plant composition, leaving information scattered when this theme should be more studied due to the critical impact it could provide for human nutrition. Therefore, this review aims to collect viable details on the investigation status of nutrients and bioactive compounds profile in intercropping systems by verifying different regions of the world with unique mixed crops using plant species, along with the criteria for combining them, as well as the nutrients and bioactive compounds analyzed to show what intercropping systems can contribute to food availability and quality.

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has affected the entire world, has not only created a number of emerging issues for each country, especially in the field of public health, but has also provided a number of opportunities for risk management, alternative strategies and completely new ways of looking at challenges. This paper examines the COVID-19 pandemic response in Türkiye and the possible implications of the experience for future responses to other health emergencies and disaster risk management, based on the lessons learned. This study uses publicly available literature from government, private sector, and academic sources to analyse the conflicts, changes and lessons learned during the COVID-19 pandemic, which are components of the World Health Organization (WHO) Health Emergency and Disaster Risk Management (Health EDRM) framework. The COVID-19 experience in Türkiye has several aspects, including the significant role of healthcare workers, the existence of an effective health system accustomed to emergencies, applications based on information technologies, partial transparency of public authorities in providing information, and socio-cultural environment related to cooperation on prevention strategies, including wearing masks and vaccination. Challenges in Türkiye include distance learning in schools, lockdowns that particularly affect the elderly, ensuring environmental sustainability, hesitation about the effectiveness of social/financial support programmes, socio-cultural trivialisation of pandemics after a while, and relaxation of prevention strategies. Lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic include the value of transparency in public health/healthcare information, the strengthening of all aspects of the health system in terms of health workers, and the importance of a balanced economy prepared for foreseeable risks.

The main focus of this paper is to propose a comprehensive framework for the cognitive meas-urement and modelling of the built environment. This will involve exploring and measuring neural mechanisms. The aim is to create a foundation for further studies in this field that are consistent and rigorous. Additionally, this framework will facilitate collaboration with cognitive neuroscientists by establishing a shared conceptual basis. The goal of this research is to develop a human-centric approach for urban design that is scientific and measurable, producing a set of urban design guidelines that incorporate cognitive measurement and modelling. By doing so, the broader intention is to design urban spaces that prioritize human needs and well-being, mak-ing them more liveable.

Gait variability (GV) is a crucial measure of inconsistency of muscular activities or body seg-mental movements during repeated tasks. Hence, GV might serve as a relevant and sensitive measure to quantify adjustments of walking control. However, has not been clarified whether GV is associated with walking speed to exploit effective better coordination level. Fourteen male stu-dents (age 22.4 ± 2.7 years, body mass 74.9 ± 6.8 kg, body height 1.78 ± 0.05 m) took part in this study. After three days of walking 1 km each day at a self-selected speed (SS) on asphalt with Apple Watch S. 7 (AppleTM), the participants were randomly evaluated on a treadmill at three different walking speed intensities for 10 minutes each one, at SS-20% / SS+20% of SS, with 5 minutes of passive recovery in-between. Heart rate (HR) was monitored beat-to beat and nor-malized as HR%MAX, while the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) (CR-10) was asked after each trial. Kinematic analysis was performed assessing the Contact Time (CT), Swing Time (ST), Stride Length (SL), Stride Cycle (SC) and Gait Variability as Phase Coordination Index (PCI). RPE and HR increased with higher walking speed (P = 0.005 and P = 0.035, respectively). CT and SC decreased as the speed increased (P = 0.0001 and P = 0.013, respectively), while ST remained un-changed (P = 0.277). SL increased with higher walking speed (P = 0.0001). Conversely, PCI was 3.81 ± 0.88 % (high variability) at 3.96 ± 0.47 km·h-1, 2.64 ± 0.75 % (low variability) at SS (4.94 ± 0.58 km·h-1), 3.36 ± 1.09 % (high variability) at 5.94 ± 0.70 km·h-1 (P = 0.001). These results indi-cate that while the metabolic demand and kinematics variables changing linearly with increasing speed, the most effective GV was observed at SS. Therefore, SS could be a new methodological approach to choose the individual walking speed, normalize the speed intensity, and avoid a gait pattern alteration.

This essay critically discusses the integration of queer theory into human geography while emphasizing its ties to the principles of traditional geography. The need for a separate sub-discipline called queer geography is questioned. At the same time, legitimate concerns about possible departures from the fundamental goals of geography and the risks of anachronistic interpretations in applying modern concepts to historical landscapes are acknowledged. In this discourse, we strongly advocate for values such as freedom of speech, freedom of expression, and international human rights. It is important to emphasize that it is not the intent of this essay to denigrate campaigns for feminism or equality or to disparage the scholarship that emerges from the application of queer theory. On the contrary, we recognize the emergence of gender theories out of a need to advance social justice approaches. We believe that traditional human geography, itself, is capable of comprehensively examining space, time, and the complexity of human experience and offering workable solutions within its established framework. We therefore believe that the inclusion of queer theory can be harmoniously integrated into the contours of human geography, eliminating the need for a separate sub-discipline while preserving the integrity and purpose of the discipline.

This advanced scholarly article examines gender equality, human rights, and women’s rights in Uzbekistan, focusing on domestic violence and women's leadership. It explores their relevance to the region and their connections to global human rights discussions and social justice theories. The first section addresses the widespread problem of domestic violence in Central Asia, emphasizing the need for comprehensive understanding and effective measures. The second section assesses women's progress in achieving gender equality and leadership positions in the Uzbek workplace, identifying research gaps and the impact of recent reforms. The study employs an observational approach, integrating raw data and social media information to analyze gender equality and research. Findings and recommendations draw from global human rights debates and social justice theories, contributing to future research on gender issues in Central Asia. Overall, this article offers a comprehensive analysis, contextualizing the issues within local and global perspectives and contributing to the dialogue on gender equality in a cultural context.

Since a few decades, the world has been facing severe global challenges with context to water, food, agriculture science, energy resources, healthcare, medicines, diseases, etc. One of the causes of these challenges is excessive human activities. So, there has arisen a necessity to tackle these challenges using sustainable solutions so as to minimize the effect of human interference. Nanotechnology (NT) has gained pace as a new technique that provides cost-effective, efficient, and eco-friendly solutions to such challenges. The advantages of the usage of NT have increased in every field of science. As compared to traditional methods, NT possesses wider use and benefits as it is designed at the nano levels and also keeps the environment clean. It is the science of tiny particles that has an important role to play in international efforts in sustainability. The innovation of NT is revolutionary and therefore subsequently will cover a wider space in terms of scientific achievements. Technology saves time, money, and human resources. This paper discusses and highlights the usage of NT with respect to its application, knowledge, and sustainable development. It also gives a broad view of the approaches, properties, and applications of NT in various sectors including the treatment of water bodies, agricultural science, drug delivery systems, medicines, and energy saving.

The length of time it takes to experimentally make one-sided choppers, as found in the fossil record, bears a linear relationship to the knapping process of fabricating them. In addition, this temporal frame appears to be related to human heart rates measured as beats per minute, which act as a physiological metronome. We achieved these observations assuming that any paleolithic one-sided chopper has the information needed to estimate quantitatively the number of strikes on it. The experimental data allow us to establish the total timing needed for the standard fabricating of any one-sided chopper. We discuss issues derived from these experimental results, showing the evolution of human neurological abilities from 2.4 million years ago to the Modern period through the duration of time needed for making one chopper to that needed to play a 19th-century music score on a piano. Given that the neuronal and physiological distance between both actions differs by a factor of 6, we propose the concept of “technome” to measure human evolution by using methodological homogeneous metrics applied to these two human technologic objects, the chopper and the piano.

In large industrial plants, the trend is to move the position of the human to the area of service and diagnostics, in medium and smaller plants the trend is different and is mainly directed to the sphere of close cooperation between the human and the robotic system. This paper deals with the implementation of human-cooperating robots in manufacturing processes. The analytical part of the paper deals with theoretical knowledge, taking into account the latest trends in the subject area. To achieve a successful implementation of cobots based on the above-mentioned operating systems in manufacturing systems, it is necessary to pay attention specifically to the interfacing of the robotic operating system with the control systems of the manufacturing systems at the process level of the enterprise. Within the practical part, an algorithm with well-defined steps towards the successful implementation of cobots in holonic manufacturing processes is proposed. By setting up an experimental workstation in the laboratory, the proposed procedures are verified at the end of the paper. In the context of the implementation of collaborative robots in enterprises, the paper also discusses cloud computing. The creation of a design for the implementation of a collaborative robot with a human represents the missing link in the whole chain of commercial applications of the latest trends from the field of robotic systems in the industrial sphere.

Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder have deficits in social interaction and expressing and understanding emotions. Many robots for children with ASD have been proposed. However, few studies were found about how to design a social robot for children with ASD. Studies reviewed employed non-experimental studies to evaluate a social robot, but the methodology to design a social robot is rare. This study proposes a design path for a social robot for emotional communi-cation for children with ASD, following User-Centered Design approach. This design path is ap-plied with a study case, evaluated with an expert group on psychologist, human-robot interaction, human-computer interaction, and parents of children with ASD. Results show than following the design path proposed to design a social robot to communication emotions for children ASD is favorable.

Botswana, Eswatini and Lesotho are three Southern African countries which make use of re-turn-of-service (RoS) schemes to increase human resources for health in their countries. These initiatives bind beneficiaries to a pre-defined period of service upon completion of their studies based on the length of funding support received. We aim to review the history of these policies to understand the conceptualisation, intent and implementation of these schemes. We used a mul-ti-methods research design which consisted of a literature review, policy review and semi-structured interviews with policymakers and implementors. All three governments have a combination of grant-loan schemes and full bursaries or scholarships. The policies have all been operating for over 20-years, with Eswatini’s pre-service being the oldest since it was introduced in 1977 followed by Lesotho’s 1978 policy and Botswana’s 1995 pre-service policy. These policies have never been reviewed or updated. RoS schemes in these countries were introduced to ad-dress critical skills shortages, improve employability prospects for citizens, to have competent public sector employees by global standards, and to aid career progress of government employ-ees. Ministries of Health are passive role players. However, these schemes can only be efficient if there is clear cooperation and coordination between all stakeholders.

The current epoch, known as the Anthropocene, is characterized by significant human impact on the global ecological system, including altered species survival and distribution patterns due to global warming resulting from industrialization. Accurately quantifying and assessing the extent of human impact on the environment is of utmost importance. To this end, four primary methods have been developed to measure human impact: (1) ecological footprint, (2) Human appropriation of net primary production (HANPP), (3) Planetary boundary, and (4) Living Planet Index. In this paper, we aim to provide a comprehensive understanding of these methods, including their strengths and weaknesses, to evaluate their efficacy in accurately assessing the impact of human activities on the global ecosystem. Furthermore, we explore the potential of utilizing novel machine learning modelling for future predictions in this area. By analyzing and comparing these methods, we can gain insight into the ways in which human activities impact the environment and use this knowledge to inform future policies and practices to mitigate negative effects.

Marine seaweeds are nature’s largesse resource in human well-being. Seaweed’s contribution to the food industry is being widened for its rich source of essential vitamins, minerals, and PUFA. ‘Nori’ is a dried sheet of red seaweed Porphyra sp. used to make ‘sushi’ a renowned cuisine in Japan, and other Southeast Asian countries. In this present study, commercial-grade ‘Nori’ was extracted and fractionated with different solvents, and subjected to evaluate the cytotoxic activity on human ovarian tetracarcinoma cells (PA1). As a result, the ethyl acetate fraction was found effective in inhibiting the proliferation of human ovarian cancer cells with an IC50 value of 41.1 µg/mL. The main component responsible for anticancer activity was determined as a sesquiterpene lactone Tatridin B (3h-cyclodeca[b]furan-2-one, 4,9-dihydroxy-6-methyl-3,10-dimethylene-). Moreover, it was found effective in inhibiting NSD2, an important and recently proposed biomarker for several types of cancer. This is a hitherto report on the presence of this compound in ‘Nori’ showing potent anticancer activity on human ovarian tetracarcinoma (PA1).

An HPLC method for indicating stability was developed, created, and confirmed for the quantification measurement of recombinant human erythropoietin in large quantities as well as dosage forms. An isocratic separation was accomplished using a Thermo Biobasic C18 (250 mm 4.6 mm i.d., 300Ao, 5 m) column with a flow rate of 1.0 mL min-1 as well as a UV detector to monitor the eluate at 278 nm. Acetonitrile, 0.05 mM potassium dihydrogen phosphate (80:20 v/v), and orthophosphoric acid adjusted to 4.0 made up the mobile phase. The drug was exposed to oxidative stress, hydrolysis, and photodegradation to simulate stress conditionsRecombinant Human Erythropoietin, the parent compound, was eluted at roughly 6.675 minutes, as well as all byproducts have been entirely disconnected inside an overall analytical run time of about 15 minutes. To identify quantification limits of 0.05 and 0.2 g mL-1, respectively, the method was linear over a concentration range of 1-6 g mL-1 (r = 0.9989). Recombinant Human Erythropoietin can be measured accurately, selectively, sensitively, and precisely using this method both in dosage form and in bulk. Stress-induced degradation products did not interact with the identification of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin, indicating that the assay is stable.

Reducing office buildings’ energy consumption can contribute significantly towards carbon reduction commitments since it represents 10% of total energy consumption. Major components are lighting (40% of consumption), electrical equipment (35%), and heating and central cooling systems (25\%). Occupants’ behaviours impact these energy consumption components, with solid evidence on the role of individual behaviours. In this work, we propose a methodology that uses virtual choreographies to identify and prioritize behaviour-change interventions towards office users based on the potential impact on energy consumption. The data shows that some behaviours with significant consumption have little potential for behavioural change impact, while other behaviours hold substantial potential for lowering energy consumption via behavioural change.

The relationship between the host and the microbiome, or the assemblage of microorganisms (including bacteria, archaea, fungi, and viruses), has been proven crucial for its health and disease development. The high dimensionality of microbiome datasets has often been addressed as a major difficulty for data analysis, such as the use of Machine Learning (ML) and Deep Learning (DL) models. Here we present BiGAMi, a bi-objective genetic algorithm fitness function for feature selection in microbial datasets to train high-performing phenotype classifiers. The proposed fitness function allowed us to build classifiers that outperformed the baseline performance estimated by the original studies by using as few as 0.04% to 2.32% features of the original dataset. In 19 out of 21 classification exercises, BiGAMi achieved its results by selecting 6-68% fewer features than the highest performance of a Sequential Forward Feature Selection algorithm. This study showed that the application of a bi-objective GA fitness function against microbiome datasets succeeded in selecting small subsets of bacteria whose contribution to understood diseases and the host state was already experimentally proven. Applying this feature selection approach to novel diseases is expected to quickly reveal the microbes most relevant to a specific condition.

International migration is closely tied to demographic, socioeconomic, and environmental factors and their interaction with migration policies. Using a combination of a gravity econometric model and an overlapping generations model, we estimate the probability of bilateral migration among 160 countries in the period of 1960 to 2000 and use these findings to project international migration flows and their implication for income inequality within and between countries in the 21st century under five shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs). Our results show that international migration not only increases the welfare in developing countries, but also closes the inequality gap within and between low-skilled and high-skilled labor in these countries. In most developed countries on the contrary, international migration increases the inequality gap and slightly reduces output. These changes are not uniform and vary significantly across countries depending on their population growth and human capital development trajectories. Overall, while migration is strongly affected by inequality between developed and developing countries, it has an ambiguous impact on inequality within and between countries.

Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD+) is an essential molecule involved in various metabolic reactions, acting as an electron donor in the electron transport chain and as a co-factor for NAD+-dependent enzymes. In the early 2000s, reports that NAD+ declines with aging introduced the notion that NAD+ metabolism is globally and progressively impaired with time. Since then, NAD+ became an attractive target for potential pharmacological therapies aiming to boost NAD+ levels to promote vitality and protect against age-related diseases. This review summarizes and discusses a collection of studies that report the levels of NAD+ with aging in different species (i.e., yeast, C. elegans, rat, mouse, monkey, and human) to determine whether the notion that overall NAD+ levels decrease with aging stands true. We find that despite systematic claims of overall changes in NAD+ levels with aging, the evidence to support it is very limited and often restricted to a single tissue or cell type. This is particularly true in humans, where the development of NAD+ levels during aging is still poorly characterized. There is a need for much larger, preferably longitudinal, studies aimed to assess how NAD+ levels develop with aging in various tissues. This will strengthen our conclusions on NAD+ during aging and should provide a foundation for better pharmacological targeting of relevant tissues.

Virtual human body models contribute to designing safe and user-friendly products through virtual prototyping. Anthropometric biomechanical models address different physiques using average dimensions. In designing personal protective equipment, biomechanical models with the correct geometry and shape shall play a role. The presented study shows the variations of subject-specific anthropometric dimensions from the average for the different population groups in the Czech Republic and China as a background for the need for personalized human body models. The study measures a set of clothing industry dimensions of Czech children, Czech teens, Czech adults and Chinese adults and compares them to the corresponding age average, which is represented by a scaled anthropometric human body model. The cumulative variation of clothing industry dimensions increases the farer is the population group from the average. It is smallest for the Czech adults 7.54% ± 6.63%, Czech teens report 7.93% ± 6.25% and Czech children differ 9.52% ± 6.08%. Chinese adults report 10.86% ± 11.11%. As the variations of the particular clothing industry dimensions from the average prove the necessity of having personalized subject-specific models, the personalization of particular body segments using the measured clothing industry dimensions leading to a subject-specific virtual model is addressed. The developed personalization algorithm results in the continuous body surface desired for contact applications for assessing body behavior and injury risk under impact loading.

This manuscript aims to provide a nuanced study of the idea of rights and duties prevalent in ancient Vedic society through Vedic literature and Dharmaśāstras . This manuscript delves into the exegesis of the Védas and Dharmaśāstras to accomplish this. The archaic Vedic literature and Dharmaśāstra texts are the origin and backbone of Sanskrit literature. They have a plethora of ideas that, if accepted, could be quite useful for the protection of any person's human rights. In Védas and Dharmaśāstras, rights and duties complement each other, and rights are integrated by duties. According to these texts, rights and duties are correlated and the relationship between rights and duties leads to the core concept of dharma (constitutional laws). Dharma is a systematic Sanskrit concept that includes traditions, obligation, morals, laws, order, and justice. It was a unique concept of dharma that kept checks and balances on sovereign officials and prevented them from becoming autocratic and anarchist. It also provided the common man with a protective shield against the dictatorship of sovereign officials. Ordinary citizens had more privileges and fewer responsibilities relative to the state's highest officials. The greater the authority, the less his privileges were, and the more extensive his responsibilities became. This research is an exegetical analysis of ancient Indian Vedic and later Vedic literature and is primarily aimed at deciphering some of the essential ideas of the rights found in these texts, which are akin to contemporary human rights. It endeavours to discern and explain the tenets of human rights obnubilated in the pristine mantras of Antediluvian Vedic and Smṛti texts of India. The essay further attempts to add a much needed non-western perspective to the historiography of human rights.

In the present study, we aimed to investigate whether an automated molecular diagnostic method based on PCR-reverse blot hybridization assay can discriminate between human Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB)-positive and -negative FFPE tissues and to compare the relative mRNA expression levels of various host immune markers between MTB-infected and uninfected human tissues using quantitative reverse transcription (qRT) PCR. A total of 52 human FFPE tissue samples from various regions of the body, including the lungs, lymph nodes, tendons, colon, and appendix, were collected and used for the molecular identification of Mycobacterium species and analysis of cytokine mRNA expression. As a result, IFN-γ, TNF-α, IP-10, CXCL9, CXCL11, and GM-CSF mRNA expression levels in MTB-infected tissues were significantly higher than those in uninfected samples. Additionally, the differences in the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, CXCL9, and GM-CSF between MTB-infected and uninfected tissues were statistically significant were statistically significant (p < 0.05). Correlation curve analysis indicated that the mRNA expression of IFN-γ was inversely proportional to that of IP-10 and that the mRNA expression levels of IFN-γ, TNF-α, CXCL9, CXCL11, GM-CSF, and TNFR were proportional and well-correlated. Furthermore, to establish marker profiles for detecting MTB infection, the statistically significant expression levels of three markers were combined. We confirmed that the combined profile of IFN-γ, CXCL9, and GM-CSF expression levels was statistically significant (P < 0.001). Although the mRNA expression patterns of host immune markers may vary according to MTB infection status, these patterns may be highly correlated and can be simultaneously used as an additional indicator for diagnosing TB.

Onchocerciasis volvulus is the second highest infectious cause of blindness in the world, and is estimated to affect 37 million people, of whom 99% reside in sub-Saharan Africa. As a public health problem the disease is most closely associated with Africa, where it constitutes a serious obstacle to socio-economic development. Using the human ecology triad, this paper evaluates the dynamic interplay of population, habitat and behavioural factors in predicting perceived exposure to onchocerciasis among coastal inhabitants in Tanzania. Generalized linear models with log-log link function were fitted to cross-sectional survey data on 1253 individuals in three contiguous coastal regions. A significant proportion of respondents (28%) perceived that they were exposed to onchocerciasis. Residents in urban locations irrespective of wealth status were less likely to report living in onchocerciasis endemic environment compared with their rural counterparts. This is understandable given that urban areas of Tanga and Dar es Salaam are definitely non-endemic and perceived risk of onchocerciasis is related to the fact of living in an endemic area with active onchocercasis transmission. Individuals who had attained secondary (OR=0.51, p<0.01) or tertiary education (OR=0.37, p<0.001), and reported easy access to health facility (OR=0.53, p<0.001) were all less likely to report perceived exposure to onchocerciasis. This is not surprising because higher level of education and easy access to health facilities are characteristics of urban compared with rural areas. Policy implications suggest the need for the Tanzanian national neglected tropical disease control programme (TZNTDCP) to intensify health and educational campaigns at the community level and address susceptibility of vulnerable populations to the disease especially, for rural dwellers.

Anxiety, chronical stress and depression during pregnancy are considered to affect the offspring, presumably through placental dysregulation. We have studied the term placentae of pregnancies clinically monitored with the Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI) and Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale (EPDS). A cutoff threshold for BAI/EPDS of 10 classed patients into an Index group (>10, n=23) and a Control group (<10, n=23). Cortisol concentrations in hair (HCC) were periodically monitored throughout pregnancy and delivery. Expression differences of main glucocorticoid pathway genes: i.e. corticotropin-releasing hormone (CRH), 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD11B2), glucocorticoid receptor (NR3C1), as well as other key stress biomarkers (Arginine Vasopressin, AVP and O-GlcNAc transferase, OGT) were explored in medial placentae using real-time qPCR and western blotting. Moreover, gene expression changes were considered for their association with HCC, offspring, gender and birthweight. A significant dysregulation of gene expression for CRH, AVP and HSD11B2 genes was seen in the Index group, compared to controls, while OGT and NR3C1 expression remained similar between groups. Placental gene expression of the stress-modulating enzyme 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD11B2) was related to both hair cortisol levels (Rho= 0.54; p<0.01) and the sex of the newborn in pregnancies perceived as stressful (Index, p<0.05). Gene expression of CRH correlated with both AVP (Rho= 0.79; p<0.001) and HSD11B2 (Rho= 0.45; p<0.03), and also between AVP with both HSD11B2 (Rho= 0.6; p<0.005) and NR3C1 (Rho= 0.56; p<0.03) in the Control group but not in the Index group; suggesting a possible loss of interaction in the mechanisms of action of these genes under stress circumstances during pregnancy.

Consumption of milk contaminated with antibiotic residues above the maximum residue limit (MRL) causes direct toxicity to humans and the development of superbugs that leads to the failure of antibiotic therapy and threatens human life. Besides, long-duration exposure might alter the nature of gut microflora results in the enhancement of many diseases. Therefore, we examined 300 raw and processed packet milk samples using thin layer chromatography (TLC) and ultra high performance liquid chromatography (UHPLC) method against five veterinary antibiotics and assessed the risk for consumers in Chattogram, Bangladesh. Risk analysis was calculated by using hazard quotient on the basis of 165 ml per capita milk consumption. We found a total of 7% prevalence of antibiotic residues in raw milk samples which were higher (8%) in individual samples than the pooled samples (4%). However, we did not find any processed packet milk samples as positive. The mean concentration of oxytetracycline residue was detected 61.29 µg/l and amoxicillin was 124 µg/l in individual milk samples. Risk analysis showed the hazard quotient values of 0.0056 for oxytetracycline and 0.0017 for amoxicillin residue which was confirmed that, no significant health risk associated with the consumption of milk produced and marketed in the study area. Our study might fill the gap of knowledge to measure the safety status of milk regarding public health issues.

This review chronicles the indirect transmission method which seems to be overlooked by most people and makes attempts to clearly document the various transmission ways with a hope that such information may strengthen the knowledge base of researchers towards methods of eradicating the pandemic. Current knowledge of transmission and exposure of SARS-CoV-2 has been explained. Various researchers have put forward different ways of exposure and transmission. Literature does not reveal whether the indirect transmission route is the dominant one. However total lockdown could be a veritable means to reduce both direct and indirect transmission routes. In many countries where the indirect transmission has been reduced, the scourge of the virus is less. The work creates awareness on the need to watch out for those routes of transmissions that may not be popular and suggested key knowledge gaps that needs to filled.

Background and Research Highlights: Despite all the concerns and initiatives, natural resources like forests, as well as biodiversity are decreasing at an alarming rate worldwide. Conservation is considered as one of the major tools to prevent such loss and rapid degradation. Evidence around the world shows the adverse effects of conservation laws and policies on indigenous peoples and other local communities. Objectives: This study was conducted in one of the forest-dependent communities situated in Sundarban (world’s largest mangrove forest) to understand the impact of conservation laws and policies on their livelihood. Materials and Methods: A qualitative methodology was designed to collect data, using focus group discussions and case study with community people, and individual interviews with the personnel from NGOs and relevant government departments. Findings: Strict conservation policies and restrictions in accessing forest resources made lives and livelihoods of the local community insecure and unstable, thus putting the community in a vulnerable situation. The had to leave their traditional mode of income and look for alternative livelihood options. Almost no evidence was found in relation to upkeeping their rights in conservation activities. Prohibited movement, provision of punishment for entering into the forest without proper permission and struggles in everyday life were some of the highlighted issues. They had no participation in conservation activities, management of alternative livelihood options, and even they were not sensitized before putting restrictions. Although they had a history of emotional and physical attachment with the forest, existing activities did not consider these issues. In addition, corruption and abuse of power by law enforcement agencies towards the local community intensified the sufferings. Conclusion: This study argues that the realization of human rights in conservation activities and the sensitization of the implementing stakeholders are prerequisites for ensuring the sustainability of both biodiversity and the affected people.

The employee turnover literature to date is teeming with process models that assume only organizational and personal factors contribute to employees’ intentions to leave and stay. However, with the average percentage variance explained still only around 50%, it is clear that other factors play a substantial role in these decision-making processes. One possible explanation is to explore the unique role that clients play in employees’ intentions to stay or leave. This paper extends the conceptualization of the role that clients play on employee’s intentions to stay and leave their roles, particularly within service industries such as health care. This paper presents the results of two qualitative studies that examine employees’ decision-making process for turnover and retention intentions. The first study explores the factors influencing employees’ intentions to stay and leave the Australian aged care sector (N = 420) and the second study explores prison health care nurses in the United States (N = 175). The results of both studies reveal that client-related factors affect the choice to stay within a job and, in some cases, are the favoured aspect of the role. Therefore encouraging client-staff relationships will expand job satisfaction and therefore increase retention of employees within both contexts.

Pyrrole-imidazole (PI) polyamides are novel gene silencers that strongly bind the promoter region of target genes in a sequence-specific manner to inhibit gene transcription. We developed a PI polyamide targeting human TGF-b1 (hTGF-b1). To develop PI polyamide targeting hTGF-b1 (Polyamide) as a practical medicine for progressive renal diseases, we examined the effects of Polyamide in two common marmoset models of nephropathy.We performed lead optimization of PI polyamides targeting hTGF-b1 by the dose-dependent inhibition of the PMA-stimulated expression of TGF-b1 mRNA in marmoset fibroblasts. Marmosets were housed with a 0.05% NaCl and magnesium diet and treated with cyclosporine A (CsA; 37.5 mg/kg/day, 8 weeks) to establish chronic nephropathy. Marmosets with nephropathy were treated with Polyamide (1 mg/kg/week, 4 weeks). We also established a unilateral urethral obstruction(UUO) model and examined the effects of Polyamide (1 mg/kg/week, 4 times) in marmosets.Histologically, the renal medulla from CsA-treated marmosets showed cast formation and interstitial fibrosis in the renal medulla. Immunohistochemistry showed strong staining of Polyamide in the renal medulla from CsA-treated marmosets.Polyamidetreatment (1 mg/kg/week, 4 times) reduced hTGF-b1 staining and urinary protein excretion in CsA-treated marmosets. Polyamide reduced the glomerular injury score (GIS) and tubulointerstitial injury score (TIS) in UUO kidneys from marmosets. Polyamide significantly suppressed the hTGF-b1 and Snail mRNA expressionin UUO kidneys from marmosets.PI polyamide effectively improved CsA- and UUO-associated nephropathy, indicating its potential application in the prevention of renal fibrosis in progressive renal diseases.

In this work, the decennial experience of Policumbent student team at Politecnico di Torino is summarized by focusing on the acquired knowledge in design of Human Powered Vehicles (HPVs) and on soft skills developed by both students and staff. Policumbent was funded by the authors at the end of 2008 in order to gather engineering students interested in design and construction of HPVs. In the last decade, the team has grown from 10 up to 50 students enrolled per year, exploring a range of HPV design for sports and mobility. Even when focusing on sport vehicles and extreme HPVs for speed record, such kind of projects allows students to familiarize with important concepts related to sustainable mobility: the amount of resistive forces and dissipated power, the role of vehicle weight and the impact of acceleration on the overall energetic balance as far as fundamental concepts about energy consumption, efficiency and emissions of the ``human engine'' in comparison with other kind of engines. By touching with hands such topics in the framework of a ``human-centred'' design project, the students have opportunity to develop awareness about the impact of design choices on sustainability of any kind of vehicle for transportation. Also, the paper retraces the team evolution path by focusing on a thorough analysis of what factors contributed to the success of this project.

Wearable sensors for human physiological monitoring have attracted tremendous interest from researchers in recent years. However, most of the research was only done in simple trials without any significant analytical algorithms. This study provides a way of recognizing human motion by combining textile stretch sensors based on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and spandex fabric (PET/SP) and machine learning algorithms in a realistic applications. In the study, the performance of the system will be evaluated by identification rate and accuracy of the motion standardized. This research aims to provide a realistic motion sensing wearable products without unnecessary heavy and uncomfortable electronic devices.

Sulforaphene (SFE), a major isothiocyanate in radish seeds, is a close chemical relative of sulforaphane (SFA) isolated from broccoli seeds and florets. The anti-proliferative mechanisms of SFA against cancer cells have been well investigated, but little is known about the potential anti-proliferative effects of SFE. In this study, we showed that SFE purified from radish seeds inhibited the growth of six cancer cell lines (A549, CHO, HeLa, Hepa1c1c7, HT-29, and LnCaP), with relative half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values ranging from 1.37 to 3.31 g/mL. Among the six cancer cell lines evaluated, SFE showed the greatest growth inhibition against A549 lung cancer cells. In A549 cells, SFE induced apoptosis via changes in the levels of poly (adenosine diphosphate ribose) polymerase and caspase-3, -8, and -9. Our results indicate that SFE from radish seeds may have significant anti-proliferative potency against a broad range of human cancer cells via induction of apoptosis.

Woody vegetation in farmland acts as a carbon sink and provides ecosystem services for local people, but no macro-scale assessments of the impact of management and climate on woody cover exists for drylands. Here we make use of very high spatial resolution satellite imagery to derive wall-to-wall woody cover patterns in tropical West African drylands. In arid and semi-arid Sahel, areas of more people are associated with more trees: mean woody cover is greater in farmlands (12%) than in savannas (6%), and likewise it is higher close to villages than further away. In sub-humid savannas of West Africa, woody cover is generally above 20% and decreases with increasing population density, but remains around 15% in farmlands, independent of rainfall. In the region as a whole, rainfall, terrain and soil are the most important (80%) determinants of woody cover, while management factors play a smaller (20%) role. We conclude that agricultural expansion cannot generally be claimed to cause woody cover losses, and that observations in Sahel contradict simplistic ideas of a high negative correlation between population density and woody cover.

Piezoelectric nanotransducers may offer key advantages in comparison with conventional piezoelectrics, including more choices for types of mechanical input, positions of the contacts, dimensionalities and shapes. However, since piezo-semiconductive nanostructures are generally much easier to fabricate and integrate into functional systems than insulating materials, modeling becomes significantly more intricate and the effects of free charges have been considered only in a few studies. The available reports are complicated by the absence of proper nomenclature and figures of merit. Besides, some analyses are incomplete. For instance, the local piezopotential and free charges within axially strained conical piezo-semiconductive nanowires have only been systematically investigated for very low doping (1016 cm-3) and under compression. Here we give the definitions for the enhancement, depletion, base and tip piezopotentials, their characteristic lengths and both the tip-to-base and the depletion-to-enhancement piezopotential-ratios. As an example, we use these definitions for analyzing the local piezopotential and free charges in n-type ZnO truncated conical nanostructures with different doping levels (intrinsic, 1016 cm-3, 1017 cm-3) for both axial compression and traction. The definitions and concepts presented here may offer insight for designing high performance piezosemiconductive nanotransducers.

The rapid technological progress has ushered in a new era of human-computer interaction, where the distinction between the physical and virtual realms is becoming increasingly blurred. This research paper explores the profound and multifaceted intersection of Human-Data Interaction (HDI) and Data Virtualization (DV), examining how emerging technologies can significantly enhance the exploration, comprehension, and utilization of complex, multidimensional data sets. Informed by the insights gleaned from prior research in this domain , the present study delves into the potential of DV techniques to improve HDI, with a particular focus on three experimental investigations conducted within the realms of education, healthcare, and retail. The findings reveal the benefits and potential challenges associated with the implementation of DV in these diverse contexts, offering valuable guidance for the design and development of future HDI systems. Drawing upon a diverse array of authoritative sources, this paper presents a holistic, forward-looking perspective on the future of HDI, underscoring the critical role that DV will play in shaping the next generation of human-computer interfaces and facilitating a deeper, more intuitive understanding of the digital world. Furthermore, the paper presents a preliminary framework for integrating HDI principles into standard design practices. This framework outlines key considerations and guidelines to help designers and developers incorporate HDI techniques more effectively into the development of data-driven applications and interfaces.The proposed framework outlines key considerations for enhancing data accessibility and comprehension, empowering users to exercise greater control over their data, and cultivating transparent dialogues between data providers and end-users. By establishing this conceptual foundation, the paper aims to facilitate the seamless integration of HDI principles into standard design practices, ultimately leading to more intuitive, user-centric, and ethically-grounded approaches to data interaction and utilization.

Multivariate Time Series Classification (MTSC) is one of most important tasks in time series analysis, aiding in activities such as human motion recognition and medical diagnostics. Existing methods for MTSC do not explicitly model temporal differences and generalize the idea of temporal difference into a efficient temporal module. Additionally, existing methods are not yet able to capture cross-variable relationships well during network training. As a result, they are unable to achieve convincing feature representation, leading to suboptimal classification accuracy. In this paper, we propose a novel MTSC model called Temporal Difference and Cross-variate Fusion Network (TDCFN), which integrates a two-stream differential LSTM network and a cross-variate feature extraction network to enhance feature representation. TDCFN achieves superior classification accuracy by capturing dynamic temporal evolution and inter-variable relationships. The experimental results show that TDCFN can achieve competitive performance with state-of-the-art multivariate time series classification approaches.

In recent years, the Canadian dairy sector has faced escalating challenges due to its significant contribution to greenhouse gas emissions, particularly methane. This paper critically examines a spectrum of innovative techniques aimed at mitigating methane emissions within this sector, scrutinizing their cost-effectiveness, efficiency, compatibility with animal welfare standards, and adherence to both existing and prospective Canadian environmental legislations. The discourse commences with an exhaustive overview of contemporary methane reduction methodologies pertinent to dairy farming, followed by a rigorous analysis of their economic feasibility. This includes a detailed cost-benefit analysis, juxtaposed with the efficiency and technological advancements these techniques embody. A pivotal aspect of this examination is the alignment of animal welfare with emission reduction objectives, ensuring that strategies employed do not compromise the health and well-being of dairy cattle. Furthermore, the paper delves into the legislative landscape of Canada, evaluating the congruence of these techniques with current environmental laws and anticipating future regulatory shifts. Performance indicators for emission reduction are critically assessed, establishing benchmarks tailored to the Canadian context. This is complemented by an exploration of the market potential of these innovations, including factors influencing their adoption and scalability in the market. The analysis culminates with a synthesis of case studies and best practices within Canada, offering insights into successful implementations and drawing lessons for future endeavors. This comprehensive approach serves not only to address the immediate environmental and health impacts associated with dairy farming emissions but also contributes significantly to the overarching goal of sustainable development in the agricultural sector.

Background: With continuous advances in next-generation sequencing (NGS), novel hepadnaviruses have been discovered in many species over the last 10 years. Methods: In this study, the cloud search and analysis of NGS data published in Nature by Edgar et al. was used as a basis to re-mine and reanalyze public NGS data for new hepadnaviruses. Results: Ultimately, at least 41 new species of hepadnaviruses were identified, including hepadnaviruses from the model animals hamster and mouse, frog hepadnavirus with pan-species infectivity, and diverse African cichlid hepadnaviruses that circulate within populations. Conclusions: The discovery of the new species of hepadnaviruses not only provides new clues for the study of the origin and evolution of hepadnaviruses, but also can be used to construct new hepadnavirus animal infection models, which will be helpful for the research of eradicative drugs for hepatitis B virus (HBV).

The Developing Countries Vaccine Manufacturing Network coordinated a multi-laboratory study funded by the US National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals to assess the performance of the Pertussis Serological Potency Test (PSPT) in the laboratories of seven whole-cell pertussis vaccine (wP) manufacturers and three National Control Laboratories based in Southeast Asian countries. To this end, common protocols for the immunization of mice and serological testing by ELISA were shared with all laboratories. Each laboratory used their own wP vaccines and the reference vaccine routinely used in the regulatory required mouse protection test (MPT) and assayed the products both in the MPT and PSPT. Whereas in all laboratories the PSPT showed decreased serum IgG levels after immunization with sub-potent compared to potent final batches, some issues were encountered during execution of the assay, which prevented drawing of definitive conclusions on assay performance. Nevertheless, the study provided the participants with the opportunity to familiarize themselves with the PSPT protocols and revealed the next steps to be addressed for implementation of the method.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with Olea europaea L. extract on the animal welfare and milk quality of lactating Italian Holstein-Friesian dairy cows at different calving orders. Cows in mid lactation phase received, for 60 days, the natural olive extract Phenofeed Dry® (500 mg/cow/day) with high antioxidant power. Hormonal and metabolic parameters were determined through ELISA assays, the milk fatty acid profile through gas chromatography, chemical-nutritional and hygienic-sanitary parameters through ultrasonic analyses. The milk lysozyme content was measured through a specific ELISA assay. The administration of the enriched feed did not alter the hormonal balance. Primiparous cows were more sensitive to the treatment and showed a better general health status compared to other calving orders. The enriched feed resulted in a reduction of saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and an increase of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), ensuring an adequate nutritional content and, above all, a significantly higher content of the antibacterial protein, lysozyme. Overall, our study demonstrate that the inclusion of natural bioactive molecules such as Olea europaea L. polyphenols contributes to improving the welfare status of dairy cows and ensuring high nutritional and functional quality of animal productions.

Sepsis is a life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection, with septic cardiomyopathy being a common and severe complication. Despite its significant clinical impact, the molecular mechanisms underlying sepsis-induced cardiomyopathy (SICM) remain incompletely understood. In this study, we performed a comparative analysis of whole transcriptome profiles in two widely used mouse models of septic cardiomyopathy, the cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) model and the lipopolysaccharide (LPS) model. Our aim was to identify key genes and pathways involved in the development of septic cardiomyopathy and to evaluate the similarities and differences between the two models. Our findings suggested that 1) both methods can induce septic heart dysfunction within 24 hours; 2) distinct whole transcriptome expression profiles are revealed; 3) potentially different pathways are involved in causing heart failure in sepsis. The comprehensive comparison provides valuable insights into the molecular basis of septic cardiomyopathy and contributes to the ongoing search for effective treatment strategies, triggered by different factors for SICM.

Drones equipped with thermal cameras have recently become readily available, broadening the possibilities for monitoring wildlife. The European hare (Lepus europaeus) is a nocturnal mammal that is closely monitored in Denmark due to populations declining since the mid-1900s. The limitations of current population assessment methods, such as spotlight counts and hunting game statistics, could be overcome by relying on drone surveys with thermal imaging for population counts. The aim of this study was to investigate the use of a DJI Mavic 2 Enterprise Advanced drone with thermal imaging as a tool for monitoring the Danish hare population. Multiple test flights were conducted over agricultural areas in Denmark in spring 2022, testing various flight altitudes, camera settings, and recording methods. The test flights were used to suggest a method for identifying and counting hare. The applied use of this methodology was then evaluated through a case survey that had the aim of identifying and counting hare over an agricultural area of 242 ha. Hare could be detected with thermal imaging at flight altitudes up to 80 m and it was possible to fly as low as 40 m without observing direct behavior changes. Thermal images taken at these altitudes also provided enough detail to differentiate between species and animal body size proved to be a good species indicator. The case study confirmed the use of thermal imaging based drone surveys to identify hare and conduct population counts, thus, indicating the suggested methodology as a viable alternative to traditional counting methods.

Background: When we talk about zoonoses, it is undeniable that we have a human and animal population that has been isolated in studies over time. Besides human and animal health, zoonoses also impact the economy and society. Therefore, the integration of the analysis in this area is essential to optimize resources in public health decisions. We have new challenges in public health that we need to overcome in a more comprehensive method such as One Health. For better measures in public health, the dual burden of zoonoses seems a logical way to determine the integral impact of such diseases in society and thus take better measures to prevent and reduce the impact of these diseases. Methods: We follow the guidelines for “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). We search human and animal zoonoses on Embase, Ovid Medline, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar, from an unrestricted period until November 2021. For the search, we consider the Disability Adjusted Life Years (DALYs) for the human zoonotic burden and the animal zoonotic burden in monetary terms. A librarian collaborates to optimize the search string for the databases, and two reviewers screen eligible articles (first by title, then by abstracts, and finally, by full-text assessment.) For the analysis, we aim to convert the burden of zoonoses of all selected studies into the zoonotic Disability Adjusted Life Years (zDALYs) – including the human and animal components. Discussion: The study results will provide information on published studies that have accounted for the dual burden of zoonoses (both human and animal health aspects.) In addition, the synthesis of the available literature will address the knowledge gap in this area in order to know to what extent it is possible to convert the burden of human zoonoses to the animal burden of zoonoses and integrate them into a more comprehensive approach (dual burden of zoonoses.)

COVID-19 affects many organs in our body, including the heart and lungs. COVID-19 cases that require hospitalization often exhibit pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to changes in the lung microvasculature in which the blood vessels become stiff, damaged, or narrow, causing increased pulmonary arterial pressure. This review examines the hypothesis that PH can lead to right ventricular hypertrophy (RVH) as a long-lasting aftereffect of COVID-19. Recent studies have shown that significant percentages of hospitalized patients develop right ventricular hypertension and right ventricular dilatation (RVD), which may lead to right ventricular failure and death. Despite recommendations for echocardiogram reports to include right ventricular wall thickness to assess RVH, few published reports have reported this parameter. Relevant studies on animal models of PH in which the timing of PH can be precisely controlled suggest that one to three weeks of PH can cause RVH. Thus, according to the hypothesis proposed here COVID-19 patients who have long-lasting severe disease (e.g., needed to be on a ventilator for one or more weeks) accompanied by PH and RVD may develop RVH as a long-lasting sequela outlasting the infection itself. Echocardiogram studies of recovered COVID-19 patients may determine whether oft-reported cardiovascular sequelae include RVH.

Testing in animals is mandatory in drug testing and the gold standard for evaluation of toxicity. This situation is expected to change in the future because the 3Rs principle, which stands for replacement, reduction and refinement of the use of animals in science, is reinforced by many countries. On the other hand, technologies for alternatives to animals experiments have increased. The necessity to develop and use of alternatives is influenced by the complexity of the research topic and also by the fact, to which extent the currently used animal models can mimic human physiology and/or exposure. Rodent lung morphology and physiology differs markedly for that of humans and inhalation exposure of the animals are challenging. In vitro and in silico methods can assess important aspects of the in vivo action, namely particle deposition, dissolution, action at and permeation across the respiratory barrier and pharmacokinetics. Out of the numerous homemade in vitro and in silico models some are available commercially or open access. This review discusses limitations of animal models and exposure systems and proposes a panel of in vitro and in silico techniques that, in the future, may replace animal experimentation in inhalation testing.

The use of swine manure as a source of plant nutrients is one alternative to synthetic fertilizers. However, conventional manure application with >90% water and a low C:N ratio results in soil C loss to the atmosphere. Our hypothesis was to use biochar as a manure nutrient stabilizer that would slowly release nutrients to plants upon biochar-swine manure mixture application to soil. The objectives were to evaluate the impact of biochar-treated swine manure on soil total C, N, and plant-available macro and micronutrients in greenhouse-cultivated corn (Zea mays L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Neutral pH red oak (RO), highly alkaline autothermal corn stover (HAP), and mild acidic Fe-treated autothermal corn stover (HAPE) biomass were pyrolyzed to prepare biochars. Each biochar was surface-applied to swine manure at a 1:4 (biochar wt/manure wt) ratio to generate mixtures of manure and respective biochars (MRO, MHAP, and MHAPE). Conventional manure (M) control and manure-biochar mixtures were then applied to the soil at a recommended rate. Corn and soybean were grown under these controls and treatments (S, M, MRO, MHAP, and MHAPE) to evaluate the manure-biochar impact on soil quality, plant biomass yield, and nutrient uptake. Soil OM significantly (<0.05) increased in all manure-biochar treatments; however, no change in soil pH or N was observed under any treatment. No difference in soil ammonium between treatments was identified. There was a significant decrease in soil M3-P and soil NO₃^- for all manure-biochar treatments compared to the conventional M. However, the plant biomass nutrient concentrations were not significantly different from control manure. Moreover, an increasing trend of N and decreasing trend of P in the plant under all biochar-manure treatments than the controls were noted. This observation suggests that the presence of biochar is capable of influencing the soil N and P in such a way as not to lose those nutrients at the early growth stages of the plant. In general, no statistical difference in corn or soybean biomass yield and plant nutrient uptake for N, P, and K was observed. Interestingly, manure-biochar application to soil significantly diluted the M3-extractable soil Cu and Zn concentrations. The results attribute that manure-biochar has the potential to be a better soil amendment than conventional manure application to the soil.

Background: The use of animal models for biomedical research provides us with a convenient and feasible route to establish causal relationships by recapitulating the temporal sequence of events in a controlled environment with a potential to manipulate the variables at multiple levels including genetic, protein, physiological or environmental. Objectives: The current review was conducted to gain insights into various animal models for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Material and Methods: A literature review (PUBMED, PUBMED Central, PMC, Google Scholar, Google search engine) following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines performed in early April 2020 revealed 9 articles of interest. Search terms included covid 19, covid-19, novel corona virus, SARS-CoV-2, animal models, experimental models, laboratory models & covid 19 animal models. Two independent reviewers extracted the data; the third reviewer was involved in case of discrepancy. Results: SARS-CoV-2 shares an identical receptor binding domain with the SARS-CoV virus and has a superior binding affinity to the host ACE2. Based on this, the role of rhesus macaques, golden Syrian hamsters, transgenic hACE2 mice and ferrets as animal models have been studied. All four animals are susceptible to infection with SARS-CoV-2 with variable clinical presentation but universal recovery. The respiratory tract is primarily involved in all four models. Involvement of intestines was also seen in at least one study in each animal. Transfer to naïve animals in close contact has been documented in case of hamsters and ferrets. Seroconversion was documented in all although the role of convalescent sera was tested in hamsters only, with positive results though. Air-borne transmission was documented in ferrets and the possibility of feco-oral transmission was suggested for hamsters. The possibilities of recurrence and re-infection were ruled out by experiments upon the rhesus macaques. The fulfilment of Koch’s postulates has been highlighted. Discussion: The various studies available on animal models have been able to establish models of infection and transmission that recapitulate different aspects of disease in humans. However, the response between different animals and the same animal in different experiments is not completely coherent. Some of them do not manifest the disease clinically while others behave differently at molecular and immunological levels. Moreover, the physiology of these animals is not identical to human beings and the findings may not be extrapolated to human beings in an ‘as-is’ manner. Conclusions: The review acknowledges the achievements made by these experiments in a short span of time and highlighted the urgent need for a deeper dive in search of a quintessential animal model which can be studied for efficacy and safety of newer drugs and vaccines before a make-shift from the petri-dish to the human body can be contemplated.

Over the years influenza B virus (IBV) contribute annual disease and can lead to serious respiratory disease among humans. More attention should be paid to the mammalian adaptive processes of B viruses and development of vaccines against current influenza. Because of preclinical trials of anti-influenza drugs are conducted mainly on mice, we developed adequate animal model using antigenically-relevant IBV strain for testing anti-influenza drugs and protective efficacy of flu vaccines. We serially passaged Victoria lineage (clade 1A) IBV 17 times in BALB/c mice. The adaptive amino acid substitutions were found in HA (T214I) and NA (D432N). By the electron microscopic examination, we showed spherical and elliptical shapes of IBV. Light microscopy showed that mouse-adapted B virus caused influenza pneumonia on day 6 post inoculation. We evaluated the illness pathogenicity, viral load and histopathological features of mouse-adapted IBV and estimated anti-influenza drugs and vaccine efficiency in vitro and in vivo. Assessment of investigational anti-influenza drug oseltamivir ethoxisuccinate and flu vaccine Ultrix® revealed effectivity against our mouse-adapted influenza B virus.

Next-generation sequencing is now a mature technology, allowing partial animal genomes to be produced for many clades. Though many software exist for genome assembly and annotation, a simple pipeline that allows researchers to input raw sequencing reads in fastq format and allow the retrieval of a completely assembled and annotated mitochondrial genome is still missing. mitoMaker 1.0 is a pipeline developed in python that implements (i) recursive de novo assembly of mitochondrial genomes using a set of increasing k-mers; (ii) search for the best matching result to a target mitogenome and; (iii) performs iterative reference-based strategies to optimize the assembly. After (iv) checking for circularization and (v) positioning tRNA-Phe at the beginning, (vi) geneChecker.py module performs a complete annotation of the mitochondrial genome and provides a GenBank formatted file as output.

Previous literature has linked working for pay while attending university with negative academic and health outcomes, yet working students are often resilient when experiencing such adverse circumstances. This makes it crucial to explore potential psychological mechanisms which transform adverse experiences into sources of motivation and persistence for working students. We explore one mechanism – social identification – and its different foci – identifying as a student, employee, working student, or as a student of one’s discipline of study – as potential predictors of important academic (academic self-efficacy, approaches to learning, and academic achievement) and social (status in society) outcomes in three cross-sectional studies. In Study 1, part-time working hours (but not identification processes) were associated with academic self-efficacy. In Study 2, discipline identification and part-time working hours were associated with using deep approaches to learning. In Study 3, student identification was associated with increased status in society. Overall, discipline identification may be solely linked to academic outcomes, yet student identification should be explored further as a potential enhancer of social and graduate outcomes. We discuss additional mechanisms which can help to transform working students’ experiences through their social identities and suggest boundary conditions which can affect the link between these identities and important outcomes.

The study aims at evaluating the demand of forest bathing in the Northern Italy’s regions underlining the willingness to pay and the potential tourists’ habits and flows on attending alpine contexts. Through the submission of a questionnaire, the sample’s answers have been analyzed employing a stratified sampling methodology considering three different macro areas (Northwest regions, Northeast regions, and Friuli Venezia Giulia region). After analyzing the sample attitudes, the research approached the estimation section by calculating the flow as the number of potential forest bathing hikes per year and the willingness to pay trough the Contingent Valuation Method. The main results indicate that Forest Bathing activity in Northern Italy have a considerable monetary value and it is generally compared with positive feelings, particularly concerning well-being, and fascination factors.

Introduction: Rural Americans face significant health disparities due to limited access to healthcare services. Telehealth has emerged as a promising solution to mitigate these disparities by facilitating remote access to medical care. This paper comprehensively reviews the advantages, challenges, and implementation strategies of telehealth in rural areas.Method: A narrative review methodology was employed to synthesize existing literature and case studies on telehealth in rural settings. Databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and JSTOR were searched for relevant studies published in the last three decades. Keywords such as "telehealth," "rural health," and "healthcare disparities" guided the search process. The review focused on studies assessing the impact of telehealth on healthcare access, cost-effectiveness, and quality of care in rural areas.Results: The review findings indicate that telehealth significantly enhances healthcare access by reducing travel distances, increasing availability of specialist consultations, and promoting patient engagement. It improves chronic disease management and patient satisfaction by enabling convenient access to healthcare services at home. Despite initial setup costs and challenges such as broadband access and regulatory issues, telehealth demonstrates long-term cost savings through reduced travel expenses and improved healthcare efficiency. Quality of care is enhanced through improved communication between healthcare providers and patients, leading to better treatment adherence and health outcomes.Conclusion: Telehealth represents a transformative approach to address healthcare disparities in rural areas. It offers a cost-effective solution to improve access to healthcare services, enhance patient outcomes, and reduce healthcare costs in the long run. However, successful implementation requires addressing infrastructure challenges, refining reimbursement policies, and ensuring regulatory support. Future efforts should focus on expanding broadband infrastructure, refining policy frameworks, and conducting further research to optimize telehealth's impact on rural healthcare delivery.

Computational neuroscience has undergone a significant transformation in recent years, driven by the exponential growth of neural data and advancements in data science and machine learning. While traditional theoretical models remain valuable, there is a growing emphasis on integrating data-driven approaches to develop more accurate, biologically plausible, and predictive models of neural function. This shift has led to a new equilibrium in the field, where data-driven model development, machine learning techniques, and hybrid approaches that combine data and theory are increasingly prevalent. In this article, we discuss the evolving landscape of computational neuroscience, highlighting the importance of data-driven methods and the emergence of a more integrative approach that leverages both data and theory to unlock the mysteries of the brain. We also explore the implications of this shift for future research and clinical applications, emphasizing the potential for data-driven computational neuroscience to revolutionize our understanding of neural function and pave the way for new treatments for neurological disorders.

This research presents a novel algorithmic implementation to improve the analysis of visually controlled interception and accompanying motor action through the computational application of harmonic ratios and stimulation invariants. Unlike traditional models that focus mainly on psychological aspects, our approach integrates the relevant constructs into a practical mathematical framework. This allows for dynamic prediction of interception points with improved accuracy and real-time perception-action capabilities, essential for applications in neurorehabilitation and virtual reality. Our methodology uses stimulation invariants as key parameters within a mathematical model to quantitatively predict and improve interception outcomes. The results demonstrate the superior performance of our algorithms over conventional methods, confirming their potential for ad-vancing robotic vision systems and adaptive virtual environments. By translating complex theo-ries of visual perception into algorithmic solutions, this study provides innovative ways to im-prove motion perception and interactive systems. This study aims to articulate the complex inter-play of geometry, perception, and technology in understanding and utilizing cross-ratios at infin-ity, emphasizing their practical applications in virtual and augmented reality settings.

Developing countries, including Small Island Developing States (SIDS) and Least Developed Countries (LDCs), are exceptionally vulnerable to climate change due to their distinct geographical and environmental characteristics. The impacts of climate change extend across their ecosystems, water resources, and vital economic sectors, such as food systems, health, education, and energy. Escalating sea levels and heightened salinity levels imperil freshwater reserves, while warmer ocean temperatures and acidification disrupt water demand, tourism, health services, and fisheries. Furthermore, developing countries bear the brunt of water shortages, flooding, and deteriorating water quality. Alarmingly, nearly two-thirds of the global population experience severe water scarcity for at least one month annually, with the majority residing in developing countries. By 2025, half of the world's population could inhabit areas grappling with water scarcity, predominantly concentrated in developing nations. In this context, innovative adaptation strategies, notably transformative wastewater projects, are imperative for fostering sustainability and resilience in these regions. However, significant barriers impede progress, creating a stark disparity between current financing capabilities and the imperative to fund water security initiatives. Compounding these challenges, developing countries find themselves ensnared in a burgeoning debt crisis, marked by escalating interest rates and inflation, which threatens to impede developmental progress and curtail investments in adaptation and mitigation endeavors. Consequently, there arises a critical necessity to harness innovative financial mechanisms to transform these debts into assets that facilitate climate action. This paper meticulously explores the potential of debt-for-climate swaps as a catalyst for advancing transformative wastewater projects, with a focused lens on their strategic deployment to underpin critical initiatives. Through rigorous examination of case studies and empirical evidence, the paper elucidates how debt-for-climate swaps can effectively bolster sustainable wastewater management systems in developing countries. Furthermore, it delineates best practices for leveraging these mechanisms to fortify environmental sustainability and resilience. Additionally, the paper delineates the roles and responsibilities of key stakeholders, including governments, policymakers, the private sector, communities, and climate financial institutions. By amalgamating theoretical insights with tangible examples, this paper furnishes a comprehensive framework for harnessing debt-for-climate swaps to enhance water security and resilience in developing countries. It endeavors to furnish actionable strategies for policymakers, practitioners, and stakeholders to navigate the complex terrain of climate change and engender sustainable development.

Background. Escherichia coli commonly causes catheter-related bloodstream infection (C-RBSI) in specific populations. The differential time to positivity (DTTP) technique is the recommended conservative procedure for diagnosing C-RBSIs. Methods. We conducted a retrospective study of episodes in which E. coli was isolated from catheter lumens obtained using the DTTP technique. We analysed microbiological and clinical data based on the DTTP technique as either catheter colonization, C-RBSI, or non-C-RBSI. Results. We included 89 catheter blood cultures classified as follows: catheter colonization, 33.7%; C-RSBI, 9.0%; and non-C-RBSI, 57,3%. Catheter withdrawal was 15.7% without positive catheter-tip cultures. We found no statistically significant differences in catheter type, antibiotic treatment, or clinical outcome among groups, except for the frequency of catheter lock therapy or in the frequency of successful treatment. Mortality was associated with C-RBSI in only 1 patient. Conclusion. E. coli bacteremia diagnosed by the DTTP technique was non-catheter related in most patients. As the majority of the catheters were retained, E. coli bacteremia could not be microbiologically confirmed or ruled out as catheter related by catheter-tip culture. Future studies are needed to assess the profitability of the DTTP technique for diagnosing E. coli C-RBSIs..

This retrospective study examines 248 test-bolus examinations preceding contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CE-MRA) to extract clinically relevant data for critical limb ischemia (CLI) management. Methods involved a retrospective review of test-bolus exams, analysing 60 graphs for time-to-peak (TTP), full-width half-maximum (FWHM) time, and time to continual rise in signal intensity. These values were correlated with heart function parameters (ejection fraction, ASA-Classification, Lee-Index, and MET-Score). Results indicate a mean TTP of 31.2 ± 7.3s, showing a correlation between ejection fraction and ASA classification. Patients with atrial fibrillation exhibited prolonged TTP compared to those without. Despite population heterogeneity, findings facilitate risk stratification for limb-saving interventions in CLI. TTP emerges as a potential clinical cardiovascular parameter and a risk factor for vascular interventions. Given the variation in injection protocols across centres, this study underscores the importance of precise bolus arrival time documentation for future multicentre studies.

Pipeline conflicts arising from data dependencies are a common issue encountered in the hardware implementation of layered QC-LDPC decoders. This paper proposes an efficient layered decoding architecture to reduce pipeline conflicts without introducing stall cycles, by reordering the processing order offline and using the patch method based on variable-to-check message. The experimental results on the LDPC code of the IEEE802.16 standard in the OFDM-PON system demonstrate that the proposed architecture has a sensitivity improvement of 0.125 dBm and 0.375 dBm, respectively, compared with our previous work and the method described in the other work.

Silicon Photomultipliers find applications across various fields. One potential Silicon Photomultiplier application domain is neutrino telescopes, where they may enhance the angular resolution. However, the elevated dark count rate associated with Silicon Photomultipliers represents a significant challenge to their widespread utilization. To address this issue, it is proposed to use Silicon Photomultipliers and Photomultiplier Tubes together. The Photomultiplier Tubes signals would serve as a trigger to mitigate the dark count rate, thereby preventing undue saturation of the available bandwidth. This paper presents an investigation into a fast and resource-efficient method for filtering Silicon Photomultiplier dark count rate. A low-resource and fast coincident filter has been developed, which removes the Silicon Photomultiplier dark count rate by using as trigger the Photomultiplier Tube input signals. The architecture of the coincidence filter, together with the first results obtained, which validate the effectiveness of this method are presented.

There are two generic approaches to curing any medical condition. The first treats every patient for all of the known possible causes that contribute to pathogenesis; the second individualizes potentially curative therapy by identifying in each separate patient only those components of pathogenesis that are actually operative, and treating those. This article adopts the second approach for formulating a cure of Alzheimer’s dementia (AD). Components of AD’s pathogenesis are, in alphabetical order: circadian rhythm disturbances, depression, diabetes and insulin resistance, dyslipidemia, hypertension, inflammation, metabolic syndrome, mitochondrial dysfunction, nutritional deficiencies, TGF-β deficiency, underweight, vascular abnormalities, and Wnt/β-catenin deficiency. For each component, data are described that show the degree by which its prevalence is more in the patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) who did not revert to having normal cognition than in those who did, because the former group is the pool of patients from among which future AD may develop. Addressing only those components that are present in a particular individual, is potentially a curative strategy. Published data indicate that curative therapy requires that the number of such components to address should be ≥3. Although structural brain changes cannot be directly addressed, the impaired neural tracts result from many of the reversible causal elements, so correcting them will benefit those tract

It is unavoidable that the characteristics of the robot system alter inexactly or cannot be correctly determined during movement and are impacted by external disturbances. There are many adaptive control methods, such as sliding control or neural control, to improve the quality of trajectory tracking for robot motion systems. Still, those methods require a large amount of computation related to solving the problem of constrained nonlinear optimization problem. The article presents some techniques for determining an intelligent controller's online learning function parameters, including two circuits: the inner circuit is a state feedback linearized controller, and the outer course is an Interactive learning controller and does not use the robot's mathematical mode with function parameters online optimal learning and intelligent online learning closely following the joint model to stabilize the robot system. Finally, the 2-DOF planar robot simulation is performed on Matlab software R2022b. The findings indicate that outstanding tracking performance is achievable.

Inverse optimal control is a method for recovering the cost function used in an optimal control problem in expert demonstrations. Most studies on inverse optimal control have focused on building the unknown cost function through the linear combination of given features with unknown cost weights, which are generally considered to be constant. However, in many real-world applications, the cost weights may vary over time. In this study, we propose an adaptive online inverse optimal control approach based on a neural-network approximation to address the challenge of recovering time-varying cost weights. We conduct a well-posedness analysis of the problem and suggest a condition for the adaptive goal, under which the weights of the neural network generated to achieve this adaptive goal are unique to the corresponding inverse optimal control problem. Furthermore, we propose an updating law for the weights of the neural network to ensure the stability of the convergence of the solutions. Finally, simulation results for an example linear system are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed strategy. The proposed method is applicable to a wide range of problems requiring real-time inverse optimal control calculations

People are drawn to woodcut-style designs due to their striking visual impact and strong contrast. However, traditional woodcut prints and previous computer-aided methods have not addressed the issues of dwindling design inspiration, lengthy production times, and complex adjustment procedures. We propose a novel network framework, the Woodcut-style Design Assistant Network (WDANet), to tackle these challenges. Notably, our research is the first to utilize diffusion models to streamline the woodcut-style design process. We've curated the Woodcut-62 dataset, featuring works from 62 renowned historical artists, to train WDANet in absorbing and learning the aesthetic nuances of woodcut prints, offering users a wealth of design references. Based on a noise reduction network, our dual cross-attention mechanism effectively integrates text and woodcut-style image features. This allows users to input or slightly modify a text description to quickly generate accurate, high-quality woodcut-style designs, saving time and offering flexibility. As confirmed by user studies, quantitative and qualitative analyses show that WDANet outperforms the current state-of-the-art in generating woodcut-style images and proves its value as a design aid.

Natural gas plays a significant role in Tunisia's energy mix. Tunisia imports 66% of natural gas (NG) from Algeria (ANG), and the rest is provided by local gas fields mainly Miskar gas (MNG). To counteract this deficit, the Power-to-Gas approach emerges as a promising solution, given Tunisia's abundant renewable energy resources. By blending green hydrogen into the NG network, it is possible to (i) address the current energy crisis, (ii) lower the carbon intensity of the gas grid, and (iii) encourage sector coupling through the use of various renewable energy sources. This study presents an overview of various interchangeability indicators and investigates accordingly the allowable ratios for hydrogen blending with two types of natural gas distributed in Tunisia (ANG and MNG). It also explores the impact of hydrogen injection on the energy content variation and various combustion parameters. The results confirm that both ANG and MNG can withstand a maximum hydrogen blend of up to 20%. The article concludes with recommendations for further experimental testing of the findings and emphasizes the need to look into infrastructure and safety requirements with regards to the Natural gas network in Tunisia. This research serves as a critical step towards harnessing the potential of green hydrogen in Tunisia.

This paper delves into the essential role of local communities in mitigating climate change in the post-pandemic landscape, with a specific focus on Barangay Acmac, Iligan City, Philippines. Employing a qualitative research approach, the study integrates in-depth literature reviews, informal interviews with participants (B-Part 1 to B-Part 20), meticulous observations, and thematic analysis. The research has uncovered crucial insights, including variations in community climate change awareness that emphasize the necessity of comprehensive education and awareness campaigns. It highlights the significance of community-driven initiatives, adaptation, and resilience as key elements in addressing climate change. Collaborative efforts between local government officials and the community are showcased as effective instruments of climate change mitigation, yet challenges persist, including addressing the perceived powerlessness of some community members. The methodology, participants, and theoretical framework offer a robust foundation for exploring community responses to climate change. Drawing from a diverse theoretical framework, this study presents a comprehensive understanding of the climate change and pandemic intersection. The findings firmly establish that local communities are pivotal players in the global endeavor to mitigate climate change, underscoring the need for collective action, extensive education, and shared responsibility. The post-pandemic era presents a unique opportunity for local communities, policymakers, barangay officials, and residents to champion climate education, foster community-driven initiatives, and empower individuals to enact change at the grassroots level. The collaborative spirit observed in Barangay Acmac in 2022 serves as a model for communities worldwide, offering a blueprint for addressing similar challenges. Overall, this paper concludes with a resounding call to action, advocating for the recognition of local communities as the driving force in climate change mitigation, stressing that the power to combat climate change resides within these communities. The time for action is now, and local communities are the catalysts of this essential mission.

The aim of this article is to review hydrogen combustion applications within the energy transition framework. Hydrogen blends are also included, from the well known hydrogen enriched natural gas (HENG) to the hydrogen and ammonia blends whose chemical kinetics is still not clearly defined. Hydrogen and hydrogen blends combustion characteristics will be firstly summarized, in terms of standard properties like the laminar flame speed and the adiabatic flame temperature, but also evidencing the critical role of hydrogen preferential diffusion in burning rate enhancement and the drastic reduction in radiative emission with respect to natural gas flames. Then, combustion applications in both thermo-electric power generation (based on internal combustion engines, i.e., gas turbines and piston engines) and hard-to-abate industry (requiring high temperature kilns and furnaces) sectors will be considered, highlighting the main issues due to hydrogen addition related to safety, pollutant emissions, and potentially negative effects on industrial products (e.g., glass, cement and ceramic).

This study aims to investigate how the adoption of an online to offline (O2O) transition strategy impacts the sales volume of Kampoeng Merdeka Clothing. The O2O strategy includes various components, such as establishing O2O platforms, delivering personalized services, ensuring secure transactions, and engaging in offline business activities. The research employs a quantitative approach, focusing on consumers who have made clothing purchases from Kampoeng Merdeka Clothing in Macassar. The sample size comprises 83 respondents, deliberately selected using the Slovin approach. The data analysis and methodology involve the application of Partial Least Squares (PLS) structural equation modeling to assess both the external and internal models. The findings of this study emphasize the significant and positive influence of the variables "Build O2O Network Platform," "Provide Personalized Experience," "Safeguard Transactions Security," and "Offline Business" on driving the sales growth of Kampoeng Merdeka Clothing. These results indicate that the O2O transition strategy has a substantial impact on the brand's sales performance, with the establishment of O2O platforms and personalized services playing crucial roles. Additionally, ensuring secure transactions and engaging in offline business activities further contribute to the overall success of Kampoeng Merdeka Clothing in the market. This research sheds light on the effectiveness of the O2O approach in boosting sales for clothing brands and underscores the importance of integrating online and offline elements to maximize business outcomes.

This paper offers a set of comprehensive guidelines aimed at facilitating the widespread adoption of hydrogen in the industrial hard-to-abate sectors. The authors begin by conducting a detailed analysis of these sectors, providing an overview of their unique characteristics and challenges. The paper delves into specific elements related to hydrogen technologies, shedding light on their potential applications and discussing feasible implementation strategies. By exploring the strengths and limitations of each technology, the paper offers valuable insights into its suitability for specific applications. Finally, through a particular analysis focused on the steel sector, the authors provide in-depth information on the potential benefits and challenges associated with hydrogen adoption in this particular context. By emphasizing the steel sector as a focal point, the authors contribute to a more nuanced understanding of hydrogen's role in decarbonizing industrial processes and inspire further exploration of its applications in other challenging sectors.

Higher salt (sodium) intake has been associated with a higher blood pressure (BP). The association degree may be influenced by factors such as age, origin and dietary components. This study aimed to evaluate the 24-hours urinary sodium (Na) and potassium (K) excretion in normotensive and hypertensive Dominicans adults and estimate their salt intake. 163 volunteers (18-45, 46-80 years) participated in a cross-sectional study. 24-hours Na and K urinary excretion were measured using an ion selective electrode technique. Na and K urinary excretion (99.4±46.5 and 35.0±17.5 mmol/24h) did not correlated with BP, except in the normotensive group in which K correlated with SBP (0.249, p=0.019). Na and K excretion were similar for normo- and hypertensive subjects. Na-to-K molar ratio (3.1±1.3) was higher in younger subjects (p=0.040). Na-to-K ratio was associated with DBP in the total group (r=0.153, p=0.052), in the hypertensive group (r=0.395, p<0.001) and in the older group with SBP (0.350, p=0.002) and DBP (0.373, p<0.001). In the older group, Na-to-K ratio and DBP correlated after controlling for subjects with hypertension controlled by treatment (r=0.236, p=0.041). The Na-to-K ratio correlated, when salt intake was over 5g/d (52.2%), with SBP (rho=0.219, p=0.044) and DBP (rho=0.259, p=0.017). Determinants of BP were age-dependent and in younger subjects were: sex (SBP, beta: 14.02±2.87, p<0.001) and body mass index (BMI) (beta:-12.07±3.72, p=0.001, beta:9.44±2.87, p=0.001, for SBP and DBP, respectively) and, in the olders, the Na-to-K ratio, for SBP (beta:6.7±2.4, p=0.005) and DBP (beta:3.8±1.1, p<0.001). The mean Na and salt intakes (2.3 and 5.8 g/d) were slightly higher and K intake lower (1.4 g/d) than WHO recommendations.

Abstract: Systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is a clinical diagnosis based on abnormalities in patients' vital signs and white blood cell count. Neutrophil-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) is used as an easily accessible parameter to assess the patient's inflammatory status and stress. There are some studies showing that NLR affected by the inflammatory response is a criterion to support the diagnosis of SIRS. In this study, it was aimed to compare the interrelation between SIRS (+) and SIRS (-) groups in patients with high positive feline coronavirus (FCoV) in the light of NLR. Based on the anamneses, physical examination findings, laboratory findings, enzyme immunoassay antibody test kit titer were included in the sick groups. These patients were further categorized based on the presence of SIRS symptoms, vital signs and laboratory findings. The NLR as diagnostic marker demonstrated to differ between high antibody titer FCoV positive and healthy cats. However the diagnostic significance of NLR remains questionable between the high antibody titer FCoV positive cats with SIRS (+) and SIRS (-). As a result of our study NLR can be used as a blood parameter like albumin/globulin ratio and elevated total bilirubin in cats with high FCoV antibody titer and high probability of developing FIP.

The basic constitutional freedoms and rights of a person and citizen are in principle unlimited: the full scope of their exercise is the rule, and the restriction determined by law can only be an exception based on explicit constitutional authority and the legitimate aim of the restriction determined by the Constitution. That being so, the restrictions - in addition to being based on constitutional authority and pursuing constitutional objectives - should be commensurate with the needs to achieve these objectives. This means that restrictive legal rules must be suitable for achieving the legitimate aim pursued, must not be stricter than necessary and must be balanced between the constitutionally guaranteed subjective right of the individual and the interests of society. In this scholar paper, the authors point out the economic and legal consequences of the violation of individual privacy and data protection rights caused by the public disclosure of personal data of people who, at a certain time, were obliged to self-isolate due to suspicion of Covid-19 virus infection.

One of the models that could be used to understand the adoption of vaccine uptake is the Health Belief Model (HBM). The aim of this study is to assess the role of HBM constructs and perceived health status (PHS) on vaccination status of individuals and to understand the role of socio-demographic variables on HBM scoring. A comparative cross-sectional telephone survey was conducted among 1,325 vaccinated (60.0%) and non-vaccinated (40.0%) vaccinated individuals aged 40 years and above in July 2021 in Punjab province, Pakistan. A higher level of education was the strongest predictor of positive HBM. All constructs of HBM, PHS and cues-to-action were significant predictors of COVID-19 vaccination uptake with perceived benefits as the strongest predictor. In order to expand the vaccination coverage, doubled pronged interventions utilizing both ICT and human resources should be designed that address each barrier perceived by individuals and understandably communicate the benefits of COVID-19 vaccine to the broader population.

The effects of transcranial magnetic stimulations (TMS) show that the human brain is impacted by some magnetic fields (EMFs). Moreover, after a delay, it produces potentials that reveal a subsequent processing of this impact. The human brain might also be sensitive to very weak magnetic fields of extremely low frequencies (vwEMFelf). Namely, to the vwEMelf produced by the brain of other persons when they process visual stimuli. In effect, two studies report that the event-related brain potentials (ERPs) that are evoked by presenting a picture to a participant can be modulated by simultaneously presenting a picture to a partner. To confirm it here, we followed most of the methods of these studies. We recorded the ERPs evoked by presenting, at each trial, the photograph of a face. Simultaneously and, most importantly, privately, we presented a partner with the same or with a different face photograph. ERPs of participants were found to depend on that sameness (p0.001), unbeknownst to them. These joint processing effects (JPEs), confirm a sensitivity of the human brain to the vwEMFelf produced by other brains.

A major challenge in the clinical management of patients with mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (MTLE) is identifying those who do not respond to antiseizure medication (ASM), allowing for the timely pursuit of alternative treatments, such as epilepsy surgery. Here, we investigated changes in plasma metabolites as biomarkers of pharmacoresistance in patients with MTLE. Furthermore, we used the metabolomics data to gain insights into the mechanisms underlying MTLE and response to ASM. We performed an untargeted metabolomic method using magnetic resonance spectroscopy and multi- and univariate statistical analyses to compare data obtained from plasma samples of 28 patients with MTLE compared to 28 controls. The patients were further divided according to response to ASM: 20 patients were refractory to treatment, and eight were responsive to ASM. We only included patients using carbamazepine in combination with clobazam. We compared the group of patients with controls and found that the profiles of glucose (p = 0.01), saturated lipids (p = 0.0002), isoleucine (p = 0.0001), β-hydroxybutyrate (p = 0.0003), and proline (p = 0.02) were different in patients compared to controls (p &lt; 0.05). In addition, lipoproteins (p = 0.05), lactate (p = 0.05), glucose (p = 0.05), unsaturated lipids (p = 0.05), isoleucine (p = 0.05), and proline (p = 0.05), could discriminate between the two groups of patients classified according to response to ASM. The identified metabolites were linked to different biological pathways related to cell energy metabolism, and pathways linked to inflammatory processes and the modulation of neurotransmitter release and activity in MTLE. In contrast, we found that pyruvate metabolism may be linked to resistance to ASM. In conclusion, in addition to insights into the mechanisms underlying MTLE and the response to treatment with ASM, our results suggest that plasma metabolites may be used as biomarkers of disease and response to ASM in patients with MTLE. These findings warrant further studies exploring the clinical use of metabolites to assist in decision-making when treating patients with MTLE.

We describe a method for protein quantification and for mRNA quantification in small sample quantities of human induced pluripotent stem-cell-derived-cardiomyocytes (hiPSC-CMs). Demonstrated here is how the capillary-based protein detection system Wes^TM by ProteinSimple and the Power SYBR^TM Green Cells-to-CT^TM Kit by Invitrogen can be applied to individual samples in a 96-well microplate format and thus made compatible with high-throughput (HT) cardiomyocyte assays. As an example of the usage, we illustrate that Cx43 protein and GJA1 mRNA levels in hiPSC-CMs are enhanced when the optogenetic actuator, channelrodopsin-2 (ChR2), is genetically expressed in them. Instructions are presented for cell culture and lysate preparations from hiPSC-CMs, along with optimized parameter settings and experimental protocol steps. Strategies to optimize primary antibody concentrations as well as ways for signal normalization are discussed, i.e. antibody multiplexing and total protein assay. The sensitivity of both the Wes and Cells-to-CT kit enables protein and mRNA quantification in a HT format, which is important when dealing with precious small samples. In addition to being able to handle small cardiomyocyte samples, these streamlined and semi-automated processes enable quick mechanistic analysis.

Plants characterized by a soft or weak steam, such as climbing plants, need to find a potential support (e.g., wooden trunk) to reach greater light exposure. Since Darwin’s research on climbing plants, several studies on their searching and attachment behaviors have demonstrated their unique ability to process different support features to modulate their movements accordingly. Nevertheless, the strategies underlying this ability are yet to be uncovered. The present research tries to fill this gap by investigating how the interaction between above- (i.e., stem, tendril, …) and belowground (i.e., the root system) plant organs influence the kinematics of the approach-to-grasp movement. With three-dimensional (3D) kinematical analysis, we characterized the movement of pea plants (Pisum sativum L.) towards a support with different thicknesses above and belowground (i.e., thin below, thick aboveground, or the opposite). As a control condition, the plants were presented to supports with the same thickness below- and aboveground (i.e., either entirely thin or thick). The results suggest an integration between the information from below- and aboveground for driving the reach-to-grasp behavior of the aerial plant organs. Information about the support conveyed by the root system seems particularly important to fulfil the end-goal of the movement.

Both academic literature and global organizations have emphasized the need for responsible water consumption, as stated in the Sustainable Development Goal 12. However, individuals’ water-saving behaviors in their current state are not enough. This situation entails a resistance to change (RC) in consumer habits and a lack of perceived risk of scarcity. The novelty of this study lies in examining the influence of RC (through its emotional, cognitive, and confidence components) and perceived risk on water-saving intention. Interviews (n = 384) were conducted in the southeast Mediterranean area of Spain by interviewers using a paper-and-pencil questionnaire. The results of the structural equation modeling show that the perceived risk and the components of cognitive rigidity and negative emotions exert a direct influence on water-saving habits and an indirect influence on water-saving intention. None of the components of RC directly influence intention, and a lack of confidence in the outcomes of water saving does not influence water-saving habits or water-saving intention. In addition to the results obtained, the novelty of the work lies in the idea that in order to influence the perception of the risk of water scarcity through awareness campaigns, it is better to use an emotional message rather than showing facts or information, because this does not drive water saving behavior.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) energy trading – where energy prosumers transact directly between each other – could help enable transition to a low-carbon energy system. If it is to be supported in policy and regulation, it is important to anticipate the distributional impacts (or how it might impact segments of society differently). However, real-world evidence on P2P energy trading is currently extremely limited. To address this challenge in the short- to medium-term, this study aimed to explore what might be learned from the extensive body of research on a comparable offering in the accommodation sector: Airbnb. A realist review approach was employed to maximise transferability of findings, focused on what mechanisms are thought to lead to what distributional outcomes, in what contexts. On the basis of the review, participation in (and receipt of benefits of) P2P energy trading schemes would be expected to represent disproportionately those living in areas with network management challenges, who are younger and more highly educated. The review also raised the prospect of discrimination on the basis of characteristics such as race and gender where there are high levels of individual choice over who to trade with. Recommendations include monitoring, incentivising diversity, anonymization, and limiting trading choices.

High-performance motor drives that operate in harsh conditions require an accurate and robust angular position measurement to correctly estimate the speed and reduce the torque ripple produced by angular estimation error. For that reason, a resolver is used in motor drives as a position sensor due to its robustness. A resolver-to-digital converter (RDC) is an observer used to get the angular position from the resolver signals. Most RDCs are based on angle tracking observers (ATOs). On the other hand, generalized predictive control (GPC) has become a powerful tool in developing controllers and observers for industrial applications. However, no GPC-based RDC with zero steady-state error during constant speed operation was proposed. This paper proposes an RDC based on a second-order difference GPC (SOD-GPC). In SOD-GPC, the second-order difference operator is applied to design a GPC model with two embedded integrators. Thus, the SOD-GPC is used to design a type-II ATO whose steady-state angle estimation error tends to zero during constant speed operation. Simulation and experimental results prove that the proposed RDC system has better performance than other literature approaches.

The primary purpose of the study was the determination of the spatial day-to-day variability of extreme temperatures in Poland and the dependency of large temperature changes on atmospheric circulation in accordance with the Grosswetterlagen (GWL) classification. The goal was implemented based on data from 1966 to 2015, made available by the Institute of Meteorology and Water Management – National Research Institute. Day-to-day changes in maximum and minimum temperatures were designated with a rate of ≥ 6 °C (large) and with a rate of ≥ 12 °C (very large) and their spatial distribution was presented. Finally, the analysis of the dependency of considerable temperature changes on atmospheric circulation in accordance with the Grosswetterlagen (GWL) classification was conducted. The obtained results showed that in Poland in the period 1966-2015 the number of large changes in both Tmax and Tmin slightly increased, although the fluctuations show spatial variability. Large changes in Tmax occur more frequently in spring, and in Tmin in winter. Large changes in Tmax and Tmin are mainly recorded during cyclonic circulation, however, the anticyclonic circulation types favour especially large decreases in Tmin.

Over the past decade, wireless communication technologies have developed significantly for intelligent applications in road transport. This paper provides an overview of telecommunications-based intelligent transport systems with a focus on ensuring system safety and resilience. In vehicle-to-everything, these problems are extremely acute due to the specifics of the operation of transport networks, which requires the use of special protection mechanisms. In this regard, it was decided to use blockchain as a system platform to support the needs of transport systems for secure information exchange. This paper describes the technological aspects of implementing blockchain technology in vehicle-to-network; the features of such technology are presented, as well as the features of their interaction.

This study presents a new kinetic scheme for the mass yield prediction of waste lignocellulosic biomasses treated by Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC). The proposed reactions are based on the decomposition, solubilization, and polymerization of each main fraction of the biomass: cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. The ash content was assumed to be inert. The kinetic parameters have been obtained by non-linear adjustment using a data set with 220 experimental runs collected from the literature. The results indicate that the pre-exponential factors range was from 7.33 x10¹ to 1.412x10⁵ min^-1, and activation energies were between 33.75 y 225.3 kJ/mol. A good fit is achieved between the observed and predicted data with an R² of 0.81 and an RMSE of 7.7 %. The proposed scheme was validated with the experimental data obtained by the HTC of sawdust (Pinus radiata) and rapeseed (Brassica napus). The experiments were carried out at temperatures of 190, 220, and 250 ºC and reaction times of 0, 30, 60, 90, and 120 min. The predicted values showed an average error of 2.3 and 3.5 %, respectively. Therefore, the kinetic scheme is a useful tool in the conversion analysis of waste biomass treated by HTC.

The tobacco epidemic is one of the leading public health threats the world has ever faced and public health policy that seeks to limit the problem may not only have to target the price of tobacco but also the initiation stage in a smoker’s life – the adolescent stage. This research contributes to the health economics literature by using a Bayesian hierarchical logistic model, estimated using Hamiltonian Monte Carlo (HMC) methods to empirically identify what drives the intentions to quit smoking among adolescent smokers in Zambia. Results suggest that among the junior secondary school-going adolescent smokers in Zambia, about 63% have plans to quit smoking. We find socio-demographic characteristics and several tobacco-smoking-related factors as the main drivers of adolescent smokers’ plans to quit smoking. Most importantly, we provide insights that could be useful to help adolescent smokers realize their quitting plans.

Background: Telemedicine (interconsultation between primary and hospital care teams) has been operating in the counties of Central Catalonia Bages, Moianès and Berguedà since 2011 in the specialties of teledermatology, teleulcers, teleeyelids and teleaudiometries. For the period until the end of 2019, a total of 52,198 visits have been recorded. Objective: To analyse the differential costs between telemedicine and usual care in a semi-urban environment. Methodology: A cost-minimization evaluation, including direct and indirect costs from a societal perspective, distinguishing healthcare and user’s costs, within a three-month period. Results: Telemedicine saved € 780,397 over the period analysed. A differential cost favourable to telemedicine of about € 15/visit has been observed, the patient being the largest beneficiary of this saving (by 85%) in terms of shorter waiting times and travel costs. From the healthcare system perspective, moving the time spent in a hospital care consultation to primary care is efficient in terms of the total time devoted per patient. In social terms and in this context, telemedicine is more efficient than usual care. Conclusion: Users’ saving of time in terms of consultation and travel is the main driver of interconsultation between primary and hospital care savings in a semi-urban context. The telemedicine service is also economically favourable for the healthcare system, enabling it to provide a more agile service, which also benefits the healthcare professionals.

This study used double-bounded dichotomous-choice to estimate and analyze the factors affecting households’ willingness to pay (WTP) for water quality improvement. This study notes that households with higher income, living near polluted water source, using tap water instead of natural water, who are handicraft producers, and who have more members are willing to pay more. However, households who rarely hear about environmental pollution issues and who are offered a higher bid are more likely to refuse to pay. Solutions to improve water quality are suggested such as to raise people's awareness through communication channels and social organizations; to increase income associated with environmental protection policies; to construct wastewater treatment plants; to encourage the relocation of production establishments to industrial parks and industrial complexes; to put regulations on collection, payment and sanctions in case of not declaring and paying fees into village conventions; to promulgate circulars, and bylaws to concretize and simplify regulations and policies of the Government, Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment.

Purpose: Localization and mapping with LiDAR data is a fundamental building block for autonomous vehicles. Though LiDAR point clouds can often encode the scene depth more accurate and steadier compared with visual information, laser-based Simultaneous Localization And Mapping (SLAM) remains challengeable as the data is usually sparse, density variable and less discriminative. The purpose of this paper is to propose an accurate and reliable laser-based SLAM solution. Design/methodology/approach: The method starts with constructing voxel grids based on the 3D input point cloud. These voxels are then classified into three types to indicate different physical objects according to the spatial distribution of the points contained in each voxel. A global environment model with Partition of Unity (POU) implicit surface is maintained along the process and located voxels are merged into it from stage to stage, through scan-to-model matching implemented by Levenberg-Marquardt method. Findings: We find a laser-based SLAM method. The method uses POU implicit surface representation to build the model and is evaluated on the KITTI odometry benchmark without loop closure. Experimental results indicate that the method achieves accuracy comparable to the state-of-the-art methods. Originality/value: We propose a novel, low-drift SLAM method, which falls into a scan-to-model matching paradigm, operates on point clouds obtained from Velodyne HDL64. The method is of value to researchers developing SLAM systems for autonomous vehicles.

Background: Although transcatheter arterial chemoembolisation (TACE) is the standard of care for intermediate-stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), this is a largely heterogeneous disease that includes a subgroup of patients who do not benefit from TACE. The treatment strategy for this subgroup of patients currently remains an unmet need in clinical practice. Here, we performed a proof-of-concept study that lenvatinib may be more favourable treatment option over TACE as an initial treatment in intermediate-stage HCC patients with large or multinodular tumours exceeding the up-to-seven criteria. Methods: This proof-of-concept study included 642 consecutive patients with HCC initially treated with lenvatinib or conventional TACE (cTACE) between January 2006 and December 2018. Of these patients, 176 who received lenvatinib or cTACE as an initial treatment and met the eligibility criteria [unresectable, beyond the up-to-seven criteria, no prior TACE/systemic therapy, no vascular invasion, no extrahepatic spread and Child-Pugh A liver function] were selected for the study. Propensity score matching was used to adjust for patient demographics. Results: After propensity-score matching, outcome of 30 patients prospectively treated with lenvatinib (14 in clinical trials, 1 in early access program and 15 in real world setting) and 60 patients treated with cTACE as the initial treatment was compared. The change of ALBI score from baseline to the end of treatment were -2.61 to -2.61 for 30 patients in lenvatinib group (p = 0.254) and -2.66 to -2.09 in cTACE group (p < 0.01), respectively. The lenvatinib group showed a significantly higher objective response rate (73.3% vs. 33.3%; p < 0.001) and significantly longer median progression-free survival than the cTACE group (16.0 vs. 3.0 months; p < 0.001). Overall survival was significantly longer in the lenvatinib group than in the cTACE group (37.9 vs. 21.3 months; hazard ratio: 0.48, p < 0.01). Conclusion: In patients with large or multinodular intermediate-stage HCC exceeding the up-to-seven criteria with Child-Pugh A liver function, who usually do not benefit from TACE, lenvatinib provides more favorable outcome than TACE.

Children’s motor competence (MC) has declined in the past decades, while sedentary behavior (SB) has increased. This study examined the association between MC and physical activity (PA) levels among primary schoolchildren. Demographics, body height and weight, MC (Athletic Skills Track) and PA levels (ActiGraph, GT3X+) were assessed among 595 children (291 boys, mean age = 9.2 years, SD = 1.1). MC was standardized into five categories: from very low to very high. PA levels were classified into sedentary behavior (SB), light physical activity (LPA), and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA). Mixed model analyses were conducted with PA levels as dependent variables and MC as the independent variable, while adjusting for age, gender, and BMI z-score on the individual level. Additional moderation analyses between covariates and MC and PA levels were also conducted. A negative association between MC and SB (β = -3.17) and a positive association between MC and MVPA (β =1.41) were found. The strength of both associations increased as children expressed lower or higher levels of MC. Increased age and being a girl were significant predictors of higher levels of SB and lower levels of MVPA. Non-overweight children spent significantly more minutes in MVPA compared with overweight children. No moderating effects of BMI, gender, and age were found on the association between MC and PA levels. MC is an important correlate of both SB and MVPA, particularly for children with very high or low MC. Developing and improving children’s MC may contribute to spending less time in SB and more time in MVPA, particularly for high-risk groups, i.e. children with low MC. Moreover, addressing MC development and PA promotion simultaneously might create positive feedback loops for both children’s MC and PA levels.

The practice of collecting, treating and management of solid waste prior to disposal has become a necessity in developing and modern societies. Over the years, it is known that most wastes that are disposed have a second hand value. However, the construction cost for conventional Material Recovery Facility(s) (MRFs) has been a major barrier for implementation. These technologies require considerable technical expertise, which is often not available in developing nations to successfully operate the MRFs. Covenant University; a private mission institution through her waste to wealth scheme is focused on managing and processing used materials to reusable products. These include Pet bottles, Paper wastes, Food wastes from cafeteria, plastic food packs, nylon, tin cans and others. Specific areas chosen for the Survey include the residential areas for staff and students and the two cafeterias. The waste generated was characterized based on the waste stream so as to quantify the amount of recyclable waste generated and most occurring. The survey involved the use of structured questionnaires, on-site observations and measurements. The study reveals an average amount of recyclable waste generated per day in the institution as 13.46% pet bottles, 4.03% paper, 55.56% food waste, 12.64% plastic, 9.63% nylon and 4.68% tin cans. The study established that adequate waste characterization is a requirement for effective integrated solid waste management which would boost resource recovery, reuse and recycling.

This paper investigates the effects of Inter-generational co-residence on health care market, and labor market outcomes, to see whether or not living under the same roof with at least one parent matters in health care market, and labor market behaviors in post-Affordable-Care Act (ACA) USA. The adopted analytical strategy involves not only looking at the gender differences in co-residence, and its effects on outcomes in the two markets, but also accounting for co-residence endogeneity following the recent literature. Unlike the recent literature that relies on instrumental variables methods, this study adopts a switching regression approach, defining inter-generational co-residence as an endogenous selection process using a binary probit equation, and modeled jointly with the extensive margins and intensive margins in the two markets. This novel approach results in a recursive trivariate probit model for each market, and estimated using penalized maximum likelihood methods. The results suggest that ACA by reorganizing the US health care market, seems to have reduced significantly disparities in health care access among males and females based on race, region of residence, place of birth, and citizenship. However not only do we observe significant differences in inter-generational co-residence status between males and females, we also find significant inequalities in the effects of co-residence on health care market, and labor market outcomes. In fact, co-residence is found to increase health care expenditure by 56.7% among females, while this figure increases to 74.2% among males. In addition co-residing individuals, while spending 69.7% more on health care annually are 1.22 times more likely to access health care, but 31% less likely to use health care intensively during the year. In the labor market, co-residence is found to reduce significantly hours of weekly labor supplied by 41% for females, and 55.6% for males. Furthermore co-residing individuals, while not significantly different in their likelihood of labor force participation, are 1.52 times less likely to work full time once they decide to participate, and also spend about 55.4% less time working in the labor market in post-ACA USA.

This study uses data from the pilot project "Community Monitoring for Better Health and Education Services Delivery Project'' in Burkina Faso, to model the joint impact of generic essential drugs and nursing staff supplies constraints on access to primary health care in the country. The results show that statistical endogeneity of supply side constraints are present in the standard univariate probit specification of access to care. However, when accounted for, the resulting Trivariate Probit model shows that although shortages of generic essential drugs supply do not seem to constitute a significant barrier to access in Burkina Faso, shortages in nursing staff supply do. In fact, the likelihood of primary care access is reduced by 85.5% among those that reported having experienced a shortage in nursing staff, while paradoxically increasing by 60.3% among those that reported having experienced a shortage in generic essential drugs. A potential explanation for these findings is that overall the health care needs in the three surveyed regions in the country were more linked to primary health care services consumption from nurses, although further research would be important to clearly elucidate the position of health goods such as generic essential drugs.

This paper proposes two fully-automatic machine-extracted linguistic features from an unlimited text input for Mandarin prosody generation. One is the punctuation confidence (PC) which measures the likelihood of inserting a major punctuation mark (PM) at a word boundary. Another is the quotation confidence (QC) which measures the likelihood of a word string to be quoted as a meaningful or emphasized unit in text. Because a major PM in a text is highly correlated with a prosodic break, and a quoted word string plays an important role in human language understanding, the two features potentially could provide useful information for prosody generation. The idea is first realized by employing conditional random field (CRF)-based models to predict major PMs, quoted word string locations, and their associated confidences, i.e., the PC and the QC, for each word boundary. Then, the predicted punctuations and their confidences are combined with traditional contextual linguistic features to predict prosodic-acoustic features. Both objective and subjective tests showed that the prosody generation with the proposed linguistic features performed better than the one without the proposed features. So, the proposed PC and QC are promising features for Mandarin prosody generation.

There is a growing interest in fibers supporting optoelectrical properties for textile and wearable display applications. Solution-processed electroluminescent (EL) material systems can be continuously deposited onto fiber or yarn substrates in a roll-to-roll process, making it easy to scale manufacturing. It is important to have precise control over layer deposition to achieve uniform and reliable light emission from these EL fibers. Slot-die coating offers this control and increases the rate of EL fiber production. Here, we report a highly adaptable, cost-effective 3D printing model for developing slot dies used in automatic coating systems. The resulting slot-die coating system enables rapid, reliable production of alternating current powder-based EL (ACPEL) fibers and can be adapted for many material systems. The benefits of this system over dip-coating for roll-to-roll production of EL fibers are demonstrated in this work.

Vibration suppression in a field of frequencies and the creation of band gaps which do not allow the propagation of the waves is studied in this paper by means of microstructures designed through topology optimization. Topology optimization is formulated in frequency domain. Band gap design is based on Floquet-Bloch theory and genetic optimization. The result is appealing in view of modern 3D printing techniques.

The extremely controversial conclusions about the function of human interferon-gamma (hIFNγ) C-terminus as well as the lack of a consistent model explaining its role in the receptor binding prompted us to scrutinize the interaction of hIFNγ with its extracellular receptor hIFNGR1 in different scenarios by means of molecular dynamics simulations. We find that the two molecules alone fail to form a stable complex but the presence of heparan-sulfate-like oligosaccharides largely facilitates the process by both demobilizing the highly flexible C-termini of the cytokine and assisting in the proper positioning of its globule between the receptor subunits. An antiproliferative-activity essay on cells depleted from surface sulfation confirms qualitatively the simulation-based multistage complex-formation model. Our results reveal the key role of HS and its proteoglycans in all processes involving hIFNγ signalling.

Scaffold guided breast tissue regeneration (SGBTR) can both transform reconstructive and cosmetic breast surgery. Implant-based surgery is the most common method. However, there are inherent limitations as there is replacement of tissue rather than regeneration. Regenerating autologous soft tissue has the potential to provide a more like-for-like reconstruction with minimal morbidity. Our SGBTR approach regenerates soft tissue by implanting additively manufactured bioresorbable scaffolds filled with autologous fat graft. A pre-clinical large animal study was conducted implanting 100 ml breast scaffolds (n=55) made from medical-grade polycaprolactone in 11 minipigs for 12 months. Various treatment groups were investigated where immediate or delayed autologous fat graft, as well as platelet rich plasma were added to scaffolds. Computed Tomography and Magnetic Resonance Imaging was performed on explanted scaffolds to determine volume and distribution of regenerated tissue. Histological analysis was performed to confirm tissue type. At 12 months we were able to regenerate and sustain a mean soft tissue volume of 60.9 4.5 ml (95% CI) across all treatment groups. There was no evidence of capsule formation. There were no immediate or long-term post-operative complications. In conclusion, we were able to regenerate clinically relevant soft tissue volumes utilizing SGBTR in a pre-clinical large animal model.

Abstract: The glucocorticoid receptor (GR), including both alternative spliced isoforms (GRa and GRb), has been implicated in the development of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) and iatrogenic glucocorticoid-induced glaucoma (GIG). POAG is the most common form of glaucoma, which is the leading cause of irreversible vision loss and blindness in the world. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are commonly used therapeutically for ocular and numerous other diseases/conditions. One serious side effect of prolonged GC therapy is the development of iatrogenic secondary ocular hypertension (OHT) and OAG (i.e. GC-induced glaucoma (GIG)) that clinically and pathologically mimics POAG. GC-induced OHT is caused by pathogenic damage to the trabecular meshwork (TM), a tissue involved in regulating aqueous humor outflow and intraocular pressure. TM cells derived from POAG eyes (GTM cells) have lower expression of GRb, a dominant negative regulator of GC activity, compared to TM cells from age-matched control eyes. Therefore, GTM cells have a greater pathogenic response to GCs. Almost all POAG patients develop GC-OHT when treated with GCs, in contrast to a GC responder rate of 40% in the normal population. Increased expression of GRb can block GC-induced pathogenic changes in TM cells and reverse GC-OHT in mice. Endogenous expression of GRb in the TM may relate to differences in the development of GC-OHT among the normal population. A number of studies have suggested increased levels of endogenous cortisol in POAG patients as well as differences in cortisol metabolism, suggesting that GCs may be involved in the development of POAG. Additional studies are warranted to better understand the molecular mechanisms involved in POAG and GIG in order to develop new disease modifying therapies to better treat these two sight threatening forms of glaucoma.

Low-intensity noisy galvanic vestibular stimulation (nGVS) can improve static and dynamic postural deficits in patients with bilateral vestibular loss (BVL). In this study, we aimed to explore the neurophysiological and neuroanatomical substrates underlying nGVS treatment effects in a rat model of BVL. Regional brain activation patterns and behavioral responses to repeated 30-min nGVS treatment in comparison to sham stimulation were investigated by serial whole-brain [18F]-FDG-PET measurements and quantitative locomotor assessments before and at 9 consecutive time points up to 60 days after chemical bilateral labyrinthectomy (BL). [18F]-FDG-PET revealed a broad nGVS-induced modulation on regional brain activation patterns encompassing biologically plausible brain networks in the brainstem, cerebellum, multisensory cortex and basal ganglia during the entire observation period post-BL. nGVS broadly reversed brain activity adaptions occurring in the natural course post-BL. Parallel behavioral locomotor assessment demonstrated a beneficial treatment effect of nGVS on sensory-ataxic gait alterations, particularly in the early stage of post-BL recovery. Stimulation-induced locomotor improvements were finally linked to nGVS brain activity responses in the brainstem, hemispheric motor and limbic networks. In conclusion, combined [18F]-FDG-PET and locomotor analysis discloses the potential neurophysiological and neuroanatomical substrates that mediate previously observed therapeutic nGVS effects on postural deficits in patients with BVL.