The scientific community has shown considerable interest in Industry 4.0 due to its capacity to revolutionise the manufacturing sector through digitalisation and data-driven decision-making. However, the actual implementation of Industry 4.0 within complex industrial settings presents obstacles that are typically beyond the scope of mainstream research articles. In this paper, a comprehensive case-study detailing our collaborative partnership with a leading medical device manufacturer is presented. The study traces their evolution from a state of limited digitalisation to the development of a digital intelligence platform that leverages data and machine learning models to enhance operations across a wide range of critical machines and assets. The main business objective was to enhance the energy efficiency of the manufacturing process, thereby improving its sustainability measures while also saving costs. The project encompasses energy modelling and analytics, Fault Detection and Diagnostics (FDD), renewable energy integration and advanced visualisation tools. Together, these components enable informed decision making in the context of energy efficiency.

In this study, we evaluated the physicochemical and microbial qualities of source and stored household waters in some communities in Southwestern Nigeria using standard methods. Compared parameters include physicochemical constituents; Temperature (T), pH, Total Dissolved Solids (TDS), Total Hardness (TH), Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD), Magnesium ion (Mg²⁺) and Calcium ion (Ca²⁺) and microbiological parameters included Total Coliform Counts (TC), Faecal Coliform Counts (FC), Fungal Counts (Fung C), Heterotrophic Plate Counts (HPC). Comparing Stored and Source samples, the mean values of some physicochemical parameters of most of the stored water samples significantly (P<0.05) exceeded that of Sources and ranged in the following order: T (15.3±0.3^oC - 28.3±0.5^oC), pH (6.4±0.1 - 7.6±0.1), TDS (192.1±11.1 ppm - 473.7±27.9 ppm), TH (10.6±1.7 mg/L - 248.6±18.6 mg/L), BOD (0.5±0.0 mg/L - 3.2±0.3 mg/L), Mg²⁺ (6.5±2.4 mg/L - 29.1±3.2 mg/L) and Ca²⁺ (6.5±2.4 mg/L - 51.6±4.4 mg/L). The mean microbial counts obtained from microbial comparison of different points (Stored and Source) of collection showed that most of the stored water had counts significantly exceeding (P<0.05) those of the source water samples (cfu/100 mL) which ranged as follows: TC (3.1±1.5 - 156.8±42.9), FC (0.0±0.0 - 64.3±14.2) and HPC (47.8±12.1 - 266.1±12.2) across all sampled communities. Also, the predominant isolates recovered from the samples were identified as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumonia, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter aerogenes, Aspergillus spp, Mucor spp, Rhizopus spp and Candida spp. The presence of these pathogenic and potentially pathogenic organisms in the waters and the high counts of the indicator organisms suggest the waters to be a threat to public health.

Recently concluded, large-scale cancer genomics studies involving multiregion sequencing of primary tumors and paired metastases appear to indicate that many or most cancer patients have one or more “clonal" mutations in their tumors. Clonal mutations are those that are present in all of a patient’s cancer cells. Clonally mutated proteins can potentially be targeted by inhibitors or E3 ligase small molecule glues, but developing new small molecule drugs for each patient is not feasible currently. Achilles Therapeutics is currently the only company specifically targeting clonal mutations. However, they are doing so with tumor-derived T cells. To address the potential limitations of immunotherapy, I have devised another approach for exploiting clonal mutations, which I call “Oncolytic Vector Efficient Replication Contingent on Omnipresent Mutation Engagement” (OVERCOME). The ideal version of OVERCOME would likely employ a bioengineered facultative intracellular bacterium. The bacterium would initially be attenuated, but (transiently) reverse its attenuation upon clonal mutation detection.

Ab initio density functional theory molecular dynamics extensive calculations were used for the first time to evaluate stability conditions for relevant phases of InN. In particular, thermal decomposition of InN with formation of N2 molecules and pressure induced wurtzite – rocksalt solid-solid phase transition were established. The results consistent with available experimental data allowed a critical evaluation of potential and limitations of the proposed simulation method. The ab initio molecular dynamics as an efficient tool for simulations of phase transformations of InN including solid-solid structural transition and thermal decomposition with formation of N2 molecules has been demonstrated. It is of high interest because InN being important component of epitaxial quantum structures has still not been obtained as a bulk single crystal making difficult a determination of its basic physical properties and designing new applications.

This study investigates the effects of home-based Kakao health care breathing exercises and stretching on respiratory function and fatigue in COVID-19 cured patients. A total of 35 participants performed four movements of home-based breathing exercise and five respiratory muscle stretching exercises four times a week for four weeks. Respiratory function was measured using FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and PEF. Fatigue was assessed using the Fatigue Severity Scale (FSS). Data analysis was performed using Independent Samples and Paired Samples T-tests in SPSS 24, with a significance level set at p &lt; 0.05. After four weeks of Home based Kakao health care Breathing Exercise, there were significant increases in respiratory FVC, FEV1, FEV1/FVC, and PEF function values observed in the training group (T.G.) after the exercise intervention (p &lt; 0.05). Such an increase was observed when comparing these values with the pre-exercise measurements. In contrast, there was no statistically significant difference in respiratory function outcomes before and after exercise in the control group (C.G.) (p &gt; 0.05). The FSS scores were statistically significant within the training group (T.G.). (p &gt;0.05). The 4-week Kakao health care Breathing Exercise was found to be capable of improving some respiratory functions in COVID-19-recovered patients, but it showed no significant improvement in fatigue levels.

Autoimmune kidney diseases arise from a loss of tolerance to antigens, often with unclear triggers. In this review we explore the role of the gut microbiome and how disease, diet and therapy can alter the gut microbiota consortium. Perturbations in the gut microbiota may induce the translocation of microbiota-derived inflammatory molecules such as liposaccharide (LPS) and other toxins systemically by penetrating the gut epithelial barrier. Once in the blood stream these pro-inflammatory mediators activate immune cells which release pro-inflammatory molecules many of which are antigens in autoimmune diseases. The ratio of gut bacteria Bacteroidetes:Firmicutes is associated with worse outcomes in multiple autoimmune kidney diseases including Lupus nephritis, MPO-ANCA vasculitis and Goodpasture’s syndrome. Therapies which enhance short chain fatty acid (SCFA)-producing bacteria in the gut have powerful therapeutic potential. Dietary fibre is fermented by gut bacteria which in turn release SCFAs which protect the gut barrier as well as modulate immune responses towards a tolerogenic anti-inflammatory state. Herein, we describe where the current field of research is and the strategies to harness the gut microbiome as potential therapy.

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

The method for quantitative analysis is based on the direct measurement of the analyte using differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), exploiting its oxidation peak. Calibration curves are set up to evaluate the figures of merit of the analytical method (LOD, LOQ, linear range). The application of the sensor for the dosing of GA in real matrices is carried out by analyzing non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages and comparing the results with those reported in the literature and with the content of total polyphenols determined by the Folin-Ciocalteu method. In all cases, concentrations of GA align with those previously found in the literature for the beverages examined. Moreover, the values are always lower than the total polyphenols content; this demonstrates the good selectivity of the sensor that can discriminate the target molecule from other polyphenols present.

This paper presents the fabrication and characterization of cylindrical capacitors utilizing magnetodielectric materials composed of magnetizable microfibers dispersed within a silicone oil matrix. The microfibers, ranging in diameter from 0.25 to 2.20 μm, comprise hematite (α-Fe2O3), maghemite (γ-Fe2O3), and magnetite (Fe3O4). The study investigates the electrical behavior of these capacitors under the influence of an external magnetic field superimposed on a medium-frequency alternating electric field, across four distinct volume concentrations of microfibers. Electrical capacitance and resistance measurements are conducted every second over a 60-second interval, revealing significant dependencies on both the quantity of magnetizable phase and the applied magnetic flux density. Furthermore, the temporal stability of the capacitors’ characteristics is demonstrated. The obtained data are analyzed to determine the electrical conductance and susceptance of the capacitors, elucidating their sensitivity to variations in microfiber concentration and magnetic field strength. To provide theoretical insight into the observed phenomena, a model based on dipolar approximations is proposed. This model effectively explains the underlying physical mechanisms governing the electrical properties of the capacitors. These findings offer valuable insights into the design and optimization of magnetodielectric-based capacitors for diverse applications in microelectronics and sensor technologies.

We previously found that chronic adenosine A1 receptor stimulation with N6-Cyclopentyladenosine increased α-synuclein misfolding and neurodegeneration in a novel α-synucleinopathy model, a hallmark of Parkinson’s disease. Here, we aimed to synthesize a dimer caffeine-indan linked by a 6-carbon chain to cross the blood-brain barrier and tested its ability to bind α-synuclein, reducing misfolding, behavioural abnormalities, and neurodegeneration in our rodent model. Behavioural tests and histological stains assessed neuroprotective effects of the dimer compound. A rapid synthesis of the 18F-labelled analogue enabled Positron Emission Tomography and Computed Tomography imaging for biodistribution measurement. Molecular docking analysis showed that the dimer binds to α-synuclein N- and C-termini and the non-amyloid-β-component (NAC) domain, similar to 1-aminoindan, and this binding promotes a neuroprotective α-synuclein “loop” conformation. The dimer also binds to the orthosteric binding site for adenosine within the adenosine A1 receptor. Immunohistochemistry and confocal imaging showed the dimer abolished α-synuclein upregulation and aggregation in the substantia nigra and hippocampus, and the dimer mitigated cognitive deficits, anxiety, despair, and motor abnormalities. The 18F-labelled dimer remained stable post-injection and distributed in various organs, notably in the brain, suggesting its potential as a Positron Emission Tomography tracer for α-synuclein and adenosine A1 receptor in Parkinson’s disease therapy.

This study investigates the effects of subclinical hypothyroidism and BDNF on telomere length in T1DM mothers and their neonates. Methods: In this prospective cohort study, 70 pregnant women with T1DM were enrolled. Subclinical hypothyroidism during the first trimester was characterized by elevated thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) levels ranging from 2.5 to 5.0mIU/L alongside normal free thyroxine (FT4) concentrations. Participants were stratified into two groups based on TSH levels: a maternal subclinical hypothyroid group (SHG, n=35) and a maternal euthyroid group (ETG, n=35). Leukocyte telomere length (LTL) measurements were conducted using whole blood samples from the mothers and umbilical veins. Results: The maternal LTL mean was 1.7 (SD=1.1), which was significantly shorter than the neonatal telomeres, with a mean of 2.3 SD (1.2). A significant correlation was observed between maternal and neonatal LTL (r=0.750, p&lt;0.001). A positive association was found between neonatal LTL and BDNF levels in maternal circulation [β=0.421 (95% CI 0.536; 1.873; p=0.001)]. Neonatal LTL was negatively associated with gestational weight gain [β=-0.266 (95% CI-0.138; -0.009)], and with TSH in the first trimester [β=-0.237; (95% CI -0.493; - 0.010)]. Notably, neonates in the SHG exhibited shorter LTL, with a mean of 2.1 (1.0), compared to those in the ETG, who had a mean LTL of 2.7 (1.4). A positive association was found between maternal LTL and BDNF levels in maternal circulation [β=0.523 (95% CI 0.790; 1.950; P&lt;0.001)]. Maternal LTL was negatively associated with gestational weight gain [β=-0.259 (95% CI -0.122; -0.010)], and with TSH in the first trimester [β=-0.231; (95% CI -0.422; - 0.015)]. Conclusions: Genetic factors affect neonatal LTL. Maternal subclinical hypothyroidism reduces neonatal LTL. The link between maternal and neonatal LTL and BDNF reveals the complex endocrine-neurotrophic interaction in T1DM telomere dynamics.

The proposed method deals with the problem of data privacy and sharing when processing personal mobility tracking data. Previous methods concentrate on producing highly detailed data on short-term and restricted areas, e.g. for autonomous driving scenarios. Another possibility consists of city-wide scales and beyond, that are used to predict general traffic flows. The presented approach takes the tracked mobility behavior of individuals to create coherent new mobility data that reflects the long-term mobility behavior of the person, guaranteeing location persistency and sound embedding within the point-of-interest structure of the observed area. After an analysis and clustering step with the original data, the area is distributed into a geospatial grid structure (H3 is used here), and the neighborhood relationships between the grids are interpreted as a graph. A feed-forward-autoencoder and a graph encoding-decoding network generate a latent space representation of the area. The original clustered data is associated with their respective H3 grids. With a greedy algorithm approach and concerning privacy strategies, new combinations of grids are top-level patterns for individual mobility behavior. Concrete locations are found and connected within the grids based on the original data. The described method is then applied to a study with 1000 participants from the city of Munich in Germany, and the results are described, showing the application of the approach in generating synthetic data, enabling further research on individual mobility behavior and patterns. The result is a sharable dataset on the same abstraction level as the input data, which makes it interesting, particularly for machine learning applications.

Evidence is emerging on the role of maternal diet, gut microbiota, and other lifestyle factors in establishing lifelong health and disease, which are determined by trans-generationally inherited epigenetic modifications. Understanding epigenetic mechanisms may help identify novel biomarkers for pregnancy-related exposure, burden, or disease risk. Such biomarkers are essential for developing tools for the early detection of risk factors and exposure levels. It is necessary to establish the exposure threshold to the fetus due to nutrient deficiencies or other environmental factors that can lead to clinically relevant epigenetic changes that modulate disease risks. This narrative review summarizes the latest updates on the roles of maternal nutrients (n-3 fatty acids, polyphenols, vitamins) and gut microbiota on the placental epigenome and its impacts on fetal brain development.

Background/Objectives: Population aging is rapidly increasing, and the importance of preventive medicine has been stressed. Health checkup, diet, and exercise are of paramount importance. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a personalized dual-task intervention that combined exercise with cognitive tasks in improving physical and cognitive functions among independently living elderly individuals. Methods: Participants were aged &gt;65 years who were mostly independent in their activities of daily living, divided into 2 groups. The group receiving the 20-min robot-assisted session was compared to the group receiving traditional functional restoration training. This randomized trial assessed the impact of this intervention on the 30-s chair stand test score and Montreal Cognitive Assessment-Japanese version score of the participants. Results: Both scores significantly improved in the intervention group, indicating enhanced lower-limb function and cognitive capabilities. Conclusions: These findings suggest that integrating cognitive tasks with physical exercise can be a potent strategy to improve overall well-being in the elderly, offering valuable insights for designing comprehensive preventive health programs tailored to this demographic.

This paper is concerned about the novel exact solitons to the truncated M-fractional (1+1)-dimensional non-linear generalized Bretherton model with arbitrary constants . This model is used to explain the resonant nonlinear interaction between the waves in different phenomenon, including fluid dynamics, plasma physics, ocean waves, and many others. A series of exact solitons, including bright, dark, periodic, singular, singular-bright, singular-dark, and other solitons are obtained by applying the extended sinh-Gordon equation expansion (EShGEE), and the modified (G′/G2)-expansion tech- niques. A novel definition of Fractional derivative provides the solutions distinct from the present solutions. Mathematica software is used to obtain, and verify the solutions. The solutions are shown through 2-D, 3-D, and density plots. The stability process is performed to verify that the solutions are exact and accurate. The modulation instability is used to determine the steady-state stable results to the corresponding equation.

Biochar (BC) is a carbonaceous material obtained by pyrolysis at 200−1000 °C in the limited presence of O2 of different vegetable and animal biomass feedstocks. BC has demonstrated great potential, mainly in environmental applications, due to its high sorption ability and persistent free radicals (PFRs) content. These characteristics enable BCs to carry out the direct and PFRs-mediated removal/degradation of environmental organic and inorganic contaminants. The types of PFRs possibly present in BC depend mainly on the pyrolysis temperature and the kind of pristine biomass. Since they also can cause ecological and human damage, a systematic evaluation of the environmental behavior, risks, or management techniques of BC-derived PFRs is urgent. PFRs generally could consist of a mixture of carbon- and oxygen-centered radicals, and of oxygenated carbon-centered radicals, depending on the pyrolytic conditions. Here, to promote a more productive and beneficial use of BC and related PFRs and stimulate further studies to make them environmentally safer and less hazardous to humans, we have first reviewed the most common methods used to produce BC, its main environmental applications, the primary mechanisms by which BC remove xenobiotics, as well as the reported mechanisms for PFRs formation in BCs. Secondly, we have discussed the PFRs environmental migration and transformation; we have reported the main PFRs-mediated applications of BCs to degrade inorganic and organic pollutants, the correlated environmental potential risks, and the possible strategies to limit them.

Exosomes are small extracellular vesicles produced by almost all cell types in the human body and exosomal microRNAs (miRNAs) are small non-coding RNA molecules that are known to serve as important biomarkers for diseases such as cancer. Given that the upregulation of miR-106b is closely associated with several types of malignancies, the sensitive and accurate detection of miR-106b is important but difficult. In this study, a surface acoustic wave (SAW) biosensor was developed to detect miR-106b isolated from the cancer cells based on immunoaffinity separation technique using our unique paddle screw device. Our novel SAW biosensor could detect a miR-106b concentration as low as 0.024 pM in a linear range from 0.1 pM to 1.0 μM with a correlation coefficient of 0.9939. Additionally, we were able to successfully detect miR-106b in total RNA extracted from the exosomes isolated from the MCF-7 cancer cell line, a model system for human breast cancer, with performance comparable to commercial RT-qPCR methods. Therefore, the exosome isolation by paddle screw method and the miRNA detection using the SAW biosensor has the potential to be used in basic biological research and clinical diagnosis as an alternative to RT-qPCR.

In recent years, an interest in multimedia services has grown expeditiously where the main part is comprised of video. Firms as well as subscribers require higher resolutions, framerates and sampling precision which results to higher amount of data need for processing, storing and transmitting. Therefore, a big challenge arises for researchers to develop new compression standards which should reduce the huge amount of data and keep quality at the same level. This paper examines compression performance of the latest and currently most used video codecs, namely H.266/VVC, AV1, H265/HEVC and H.264/AVC. The test set consists of seven sequences with various content at 8K, Ultra HD and Full HD resolution and encoded to bitrates from 1 to 15 Mbps for Full HD and Ultra HD resolutions and from 5 to 50 Mbps for 8K resolution, respectively. Codec performance was measured using PSNR, SSIM and VMAF objective quality metrics. In terms of the Bjøntegaard-Delta (BD) model, the results showed that H.266/VVC outperforms all other codecs, namely H.264/AVC,H.265/HEVC and AV1, respectively. Averaged bitrate savings were approximately 78\% for H.266/VVC, 63\% for AV1 and 53\% for H.265/HEVC relative to H.264/AVC, 59\% for H.266/VVC, 22\% for AV1 compared to H.264/AVC and 46\% for H.266/VVC relative to AV1, all for 8K resolution. The results also showed that the performance varies depending on resolution – with higher resolution, the efficiency of newly developed codecs such as H.266/VVC and AV1 is greater, which confirmed the fact that the H.266/VVC and AV1 codecs have been primarily developed for videos at high resolutions as 8K and/or UHD.

South Africa (SA) is grappling with a severe food insecurity crisis exacerbated by socioeconomic challenges. This resulted in the Department of Basic Education (DBE) advocating for the establishment of vegetable gardens at schools. However, information on the suitability of the soils in SA for sustainably growing Beetroot is unavailable. This study aimed to assess the suitability of soils for sustainable Beetroot production at various schools in the Kgakotlou circuit. Four Secondary Schools were selected: Mothimako, Madipoane, Klaas Mothapo and Phomolong. A detailed soil survey was carried out to study soils in vegetable gardens. Soil samples were collected for laboratory analysis of physicochemical properties. The soil suitability was evaluated using the physicochemical properties of the soils and optimal soil requirements for Beetroot production. We found various soils in the schools, including Cambisols (Hutton and Nkonkoni), Leptosol (Glenrosa), Plinthosol (Westleigh), and Acrisols (Tshiombo and Tubatse). Portions of the gardens on Hutton and Westleigh soil were moderately suitable (S2), limited by electrical conductivity (EC). Meanwhile, portions of Tshiombo, Tubatse, and Nkonkoni were marginally suitable (S3), limited by pH and EC. Portions on Glenrosa soil at Klaas Mothapo and Phomolong were not suitable (NS) and were limited by shallow depth, soil pH and EC. The results reveal the importance of considering soil suitability before establishing vegetable gardens in school settings. Indexing soil suitability using the physicochemical properties of soil resources for sustainable beetroot production is proposed for schools in the Kgakatlou circuit and other parts of SA.

Abstract Objectives: Aging may challenge life and even affect individuals' well-being and flourishing. This includes challenges of shrinking social relations and being by yourself in old age while using your personal strengths. The current study examines two important personal resources, i.e., the skill of positive solitude and the 24 character-strengths, that may be associated with flourishing in old age. Methods: A convenience sample of 1085 community-dwelling adults (M = 57.20, SD = 6.24, range = 50-87), completed an online self-report survey with demographic measures and scales measuring personal strengths, the skill of positive solitude, and flourishing. Results: As hypothesized, the 24 character-strengths and positive solitude, were each associated with flourishing, and positive solitude moderated the relationships between the 24 character-strengths and flourishing. The 24 character-strengths and flourishing relationship was stronger among participants with lower levels of positive solitude. Conclusion: These findings highlight that despite the decrease in social relations which often characterizes old age, the skill of positive solitude serves as a valuable resource for flourishing in the later stages of life.

Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques are widely investigated for the cost-effective use of titanium (Ti) alloys in various aerospace applications. One of the AM techniques developed for such applications is plasma transferred arc solid free-form fabrication (PTA-SFFF). Materials manufactured through AM techniques often exhibit anisotropies in mechanical properties due to the layer-by-layer material build. In this regard, the present study investigates the isothermal directional fatigue of Ti-TiB metal matrix composite (MMC) manufactured by PTA-SFFF. This investigation includes rotating beam fatigue test, electron microscopy, and fatigue calculations. The fatigue experiments were performed at 350 ºC using specimen with the test axis oriented diagonally (45º) and parallel (90º) to the AM builds directions. The fatigue values from the current experiments along with literature data find that Ti MMC manufactured via PTA-SFFF exhibit fatigue anisotropy reporting highest strength in 90º and lowest in perpendicular (0º) AM build directions. Further, the electron microscopy investigations on 0º, 45º, and 90º AM build specimens reveal frequent TiB clusters in all three AM build directions and suggest that the spread of these TiB clusters play a role in fatigue anisotropy. Moreover, the fatigue calculations were performed using both the Paris’ and recently reported modified Paris’ equations. Comparison of R^2 values for these calculations show that modified Paris’ equation predicts the fatigue life of AM Ti-TiB MMC more accurately than the Paris’ equation.

In marine ecosystems communication among microorganisms is crucial since the distance is significant if considered on a microbial scale. One of the ways used by microorganism cells to reduce this gap is the production of extracellular vesicles. Marine bacteria release extracellular vesicles (EVs), small membrane-bound structures of 50 to 250 nm diameter, into their surrounding environment. The vesicles contain various cellular compounds, including lipids, proteins, nucleic acids, and glycans. EVs may mediate the communication between microorganisms in aquatic environments thus influencing ecosystem function and determining the structure and composition of microbial populations. This review will focus on marine bacterial EVs analysing their structure, composition, functions, and applications.

The financial crisis augmented the need to predict real estate prices. The current study examines the application of Artificial Neural Network (ANN) model and Vector Autoregressive (VAR) model in forecasting real estate prices. The study uses daily observations, which accounted for a total of 2955 observations collected. We found that ANN outperformed significantly the VAR model providing evidence that these models can be used for valuation purposes in the area of real estate and financial markets. These findings are novel and important as they provide evidence of the usefulness of more sophisticated methodologies for market participants and regulators in real estate and financial markets.

Telecommunication infrastructure, as a technology-intensive industry, provides fundamental support for informatization construction. This paper empirically studies the impact of telecommunication infrastructure construction on economic and social innovative development using provincial panel data from China spanning from 2009 to 2022. The research findings indicate the following: (1) Telecommunication infrastructure significantly promotes innovation in terms of R&amp;D investment, knowledge output, and application output. (2)At various stages of telecommunication technology development, the impact on innovative development varies. Iterative updates in telecommunication technology drive higher R&amp;D expenditures, facilitating better utilization of innovation outcomes in industries. (3) There are regional disparities in the influence of telecommunication infrastructure on economic and social innovative development. In the eastern regions, telecommunication infrastructure construction primarily promotes mobile communication, with clear spillover effects. In contrast, in western regions, it mainly facilitates fixed communication networks. Therefore, in the new development stage of China, further strengthening telecommunication infrastructure construction provides a new impetus and space for economic and social innovative development. It is essential to persistently advance the coordinated construction of mobile and fixed communication infrastructure to achieve regional development coordination.

Infrared and visible light image fusion technology integrates image feature information from two different modalities to generate an image that integrates complementary information from the source images. However, in low-light scenarios, the degradation of lighting in visible light images leads to existing fusion methods being unable to effectively extract texture detail information from the scene. At this time, the target prominence information provided by infrared images alone is far from sufficient. To address this challenge, this paper proposes a lightweight infrared and visible light image fusion method based on low-light enhancement, named LLE-Fuse. Firstly, the method improves the MobileOne Block by embedding the Sobel operator in the Edge-MobileOne Block to perform feature extraction and downsampling on the source images. Then, intermediate features of different scales are obtained and fused through a cross-modal attention fusion module, followed by image reconstruction using a decoder with upsampling. Next, the CLAHE algorithm is used for image enhancement of infrared and visible light images, and the enhanced loss guides the network model to learn the capability of low-light enhancement. Finally, upon completion of the network training, the method optimizes the Edge-MobileOne Block into the direct connection structure of MobileNetV1 through structural re-parameterization, effectively reducing the computational resource consumption of the model network. Through extensive experimental comparisons, this paper's method demonstrates excellent performance in both visual appeal and evaluation metrics, providing satisfactory fusion results even in low-light scenarios.

In recent years, the potential of insects has been explored as a sustainable protein alternative to sustain the growing world population. Differences in the way insects are processed can affect their proximate composition and digestibility. This work studies the effects of the combination of different types of slaughter methods and drying temperatures on the proximate composition, organic matter digestibility (OMd), hydrolysis degree (DH/NH2 and DH/100 g DM), total hydrolysis (TH) and hygienic sanitary study of BSFL (black soldier fly larvae). Four types of slaughter methods were used: frozen (F), blanched + frozen (B), Melacide® + frozen (M) and liquid nitrogen (N), each with three drying temperatures (50, 70 and 90 °C). A negative correlation between acid detergent fibre (ADF) and protein digestibility parameters was obtained. 70 °C was the most suitable drying temperature, as it reported higher values of protein digestibility (DH, TH), resulting in hygienic and sanitary conditions suitable for food use. Slaughtering with liquid nitrogen and blanching were more convenient than traditional freezing or the use of Melacide® to achieve higher protein digestibility results.

Among nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, ibuprofen, diclofenac, and celecoxib have been frequently used in multimodal analgesia. Recent studies challenge the conventional theory that they exhibit activity and toxicity by acting on cyclooxygenase selectively. We compared their membrane interactions that may be associated with analgesic and gastrointestinal toxic effects. Biomimetic membranes suspended in buffers of different pH were prepared with 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoylphosphatidylcholine, sphingomyelin, and cholesterol to mimic neuronal membranes and with 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine to mimic gastrointestinal mucosae. The membrane interactivity was determined by measuring fluorescence polarization. At pH 7.4, the drugs interacted with neuro-mimetic membranes to decrease membrane fluidity at pharmacokinetically-relevant 0.5–100 μM. Celecoxib was most potent, followed by ibuprofen and diclofenac. At pH 4.0 and 2.5, however, the drugs increased the fluidity of 1,2-dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine membranes at 0.1–1 mM corresponding to gastroduodenal lumen concentrations after administration. Their membrane fluidization was greater at gastric pH 2.5 than at duodenal pH 4.0. Low-micromolar ibuprofen, diclofenac, and celecoxib structure-specifically decrease neuronal membrane fluidity, which hypothetically could affect signal transmission of nociceptive sensory neurons. Under gastroduodenal acidic conditions, high-micromolar ibuprofen, diclofenac, and celecoxib induce fluidity increases of membranous phosphatidylcholines that are hypothetically associated with gastrointestinal toxic effects, which would enhance acid permeability of protective mucosal membranes.

The present study examined metabolites in Northern wild rice (WLD), the impact of WLD supplemented high fat (HF) diet on gut microbiota, short chain fatty acids (SCFAs) and correlation with metabolism or inflammation versus HF+white rice (WHR) in mice. C57BL/6J mice received HF diet supplemented with 26g% WHR, 26g% WLD, or 13g% WHR+13g% WLD (WTWD) for 12 weeks. The levels of fasting plasma glucose, total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin resistance, inflammatory cytokines and monocyte adhesion were lower, and the abundances of fecal Lactobacillus gasseri species bacteria and propionic acid were higher in HF+WLD diet-fed mice compared to HF+WHR diet-fed mice (p<0.05). The anti-inflammatory effects of HF+WTWD diet were weaker than that in HF+WLD diet, but were greater than that in HF+WHR diet-fed mice (p<0.05). Relative abundances of fecal Lactobacillus gasseri and propionic acid in HF+WLD fed-mice were higher than that in HF+WHR fed mice. The abundance of fecal L. gasseri and propionic acid negatively correlated with metabolic and inflammatory markers (p<0.05). The findings suggest that WLD dose-dependently attenuated metabolic and inflammatory disorders in HF diet-fed mice. Interactions between WLD components and gut microbiota may upregulate fecal propionic acid and contribute to metabolic and anti-inflammatory benefits of WLD diet-induced insulin resistant mice.

The inclusion of various chemical substances in personal care products (PCPs) and cosmetic formulations can be associated with disruption and damage to the nervous system. Microplastics, benzophenones, parabens, phthalates and metals are among the most common chemical substances found in cosmetics that have been shown to induce neurotoxic mechanisms. Although cosmetic neurotoxin exposure is believed to be minimal, different exposure scenarios of cosmetics suggest that these neurotoxins remain a threat. Special attention should be paid to early exposure in the first gestation weeks, when critical processes, like the migration and proliferation of the neural crest derived cells start to form the ENS. Importantly, cosmetic’s neurotoxins can cross the placenta barrier and so affect the future embryo, but are also secreted in the breast milk, so that babies remain exposed for longer periods, even after birth. In this review we explore how neurotoxins contained in cosmetic and PCPs may have a role in the pathogenesis of various neurodevelopment disorders and neurodegenerative diseases, and therefore also in congenital enteric aganglionosis as well as in postnatal motility disorders. Understanding the mechanisms of these chemicals used in cosmetic formulations and their role in neurotoxicity is crucial to determining the safety of use for cosmetic products during pregnancy.

Objectives: Metabolic interactions amongst mutated genes in myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) offer promising avenues for novel anticancer treatments. Our comprehensive study delves into these mutational and transcriptomic landscapes, pinpointing hallmark gene mutations and deregulated gene expression that could influence MDS patients’ metabolomes. Methods: The study utilized a retrospective, cross-sectional approach, employing mutational data on the cBio Cancer Genomics Portal conducted and reported by the University of Tokyo in 2011 and multi-center MDS cohorts regulated by Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute, United Kingdom, all in 2020. For transcriptomic data, we selected three publicly accessible independent cohorts on the Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database (GSE114922 in Wellcome Trust Centre for Human Genetics, United Kingdome, GSE63569 in University of Oxford, United Kingdome, and GSE183328 in CIMA, Spain) held in 2015, 2018, and 2022, respectively. To compile clinical, mutational, and transcriptomic data on MDS patients from multiple datasets and studies. This meta-analysis included genomic data derived from cellular genomics sources to assess mutations in specific genes, alongside an examination of transcriptomic data from three separate datasets that have been previously published. Results: DNMT3A presented a 20% mutation frequency, playing a pivotal role in MDS metabolomics. The DNMT3A gene mutations displayed significant mutual exclusivity with the SRSF2, ASXL1, JAK2, and TP53 genes. The mutational analysis also showed that the gene expression landscape in MDS is associated with alterations to DNA methylation pathways. Conclusion: This analysis suggests a potential therapeutic niche. Identifying signature genes in MDS that have metabolic and methylation affiliations could illuminate the disease's intricate biology and inspire novel treatments.

First-line treatment for advanced large-cell neuroendocrine carcinoma of the lung (LCNEC) has limited efficacy. This study aimed to explore the efficacy and safety of everolimus combined with EP regimen chemotherapy (etoposide + cisplatin, EP) in the first-line treatment for LCNEC. The patients were randomly assigned to the experimental or control group, with 20 patients in each group. The experimental group received the mTOR inhibitor everolimus 5 mg once a day combined with EP ivgtt, d1-3, every 3 weeks for 4–6 cycles. The control group received EP only and the infusion method was the same as that of the experimental group. The safety in the experimental group was controllable and not inferior to that in the control group. Serious adverse effects were observed in approximately 10% of patients. Objective response rate (ORR) for the experimental and control groups were 15% vs. 0 (P=0.231), disease control rate (DCR) was 100% vs. 32% (P

With the growing trend of urbanization and the growing number of people migrating to cities, the demand for the development and construction of new buildings as well as the infrastructure has risen, meaning that the construction industry must adapt to the trends. The growing demands with shorter deadlines for an industry already known for high costs and not delivering on time means that productivity must be increased without increasing the cost. The solution for this might lie in the application of the Lean philosophy to the construction industry. This paper analyses the application of the Lean philosophy in order to increase the productivity in the airport construction site. The paper highlights the potential for enhancing productivity in construction workplaces by concurrently fostering continuous improvement and sustainability through the implementation of the A3 methodology and Lean principles, resulting in waste reduction and increased value.

Zein protein (ZP) is the major storage protein of corn (maize). It is safe, biodegradable, edible, and characterized by unique amphiphilic and self-assembly properties. We exploited these properties to prepare stable ZP microcapsules by oil-in-water ultrasound-assisted emulsification. The opti-mal experimental conditions were determined in terms of the sonication frequency, applied acoustic power, sonication time, protein concentration and temperature. The morphology and stability of ZP microcapsules were characterized by optical spectroscopy and microscopy tech-niques. We found that a thick ZP outer layer protects the inner oily phase from internal/external diffusion, and enables the microencapsulation of Curcumin, a very active anti-inflammatory and nutraceutical agent.

This paper shows the usage of a numerical analysis model which enables the calculation of the life of a railway wheels used for low-floor freight wagons as a function of its primary operating factors, which allows carrying out sensitivity analyses. Low-floor wagons are being increasingly used for combined transport applications and many types of bogies have been proposed in order to constitute the wagons. Due to the uniqueness of this type of wagons, the bogie configurations in terms of wheelbase and axle load have hardly been analyzed so far. The numerical analysis model used addresses the primary challenges that arise in the vehicle – track interaction and establish the relations among them. The main aspects of this model have been described in the paper, which has been later used to calculate the life of an ordinary-diameter wheel for several wheelbase and axle load values. This study has been replicated with reduced-diameter wheels, which are commonly used for low-floor wagons. In this way, it is possible to know the evolution of the life depending on the wheelbase and the axle load. The root causes underlying the observed behaviors can be explained by the entire understanding of the rolling phenomenon provided by the full analytical work.

Background: Recent studies suggest an association between long-term air pollution, diet, and health outcomes, but there are limited studies on how short-term air pollution affects dyslipidemia in particular. We aimed to investigate this association with modified fruit and vegetable consumption.Methods: The Cardiovascular Disease Association Study (CAVAS) included 8,779 participants between 2007 and 2016. Particulate matter (PM_2.5) and nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) levels were estimated using community multiscale air quality models. Short-term air pollution exposure was defined as a moving average over a lag time from “lag 1 days” to “lag 14 days.” Fruit and vegetable intake was categorized into 'total vegetables (TV),’ 'non-salted vegetables (NSV),' 'salted vegetables (SV),' 'fruits (F),' 'non-salted vegetables + fruits (NSVF),' and 'total vegetables + fruits (TVF).' Dyslipidemia was defined by total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dl, LDL cholesterol ≥160 mg/dl, HDL cholesterol <40 mg/dl, serum triglycerides ≥200 mg/dl, or physician-reported dyslipidemia.Results: Higher short-term PM_2.5 concentrations were associated with an increased risk of dyslipidemia (odds ratio (OR) = 1.012, 95% CI: 1.003, 1.020 for a lag of 14 days). High PM_2.5 groups (≥23.3 μg/m³) with a higher TV intake (≥186.1 g/day) were associated with a decreased risk of dyslipidemia (OR = 0.88, 95% CI: 0.78, 0.99). Additionally, high PM_2.5 groups (≥23.3 μg/m³) with a higher intake of SV (≥110.6 g/day) were associated with a decreased risk of dyslipidemia (OR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.76, 0.97). Conclusion: Our study suggests that vegetable consumption is an important dietary factor for attenuating risk of dyslipidemia associated with short-term air pollution exposure.

Prenatal diagnosis of clubfoot traditionally relied on two-dimensional ultrasonography. To enhance diagnosis and predict postnatal outcomes, we examined the parameters that differentiate pathological clubfoot using three-dimensional ultrasonography. In our retrospective study, we examined the findings of prenatal ultrasound and the postnatal outcomes of pregnancies with suspected congenital clubfoot between 2018 and 2021. Based on the three-dimensional perspective, we measured the angles of varus, equinus, calcaneopedal block and forefoot adduction and compared the sonographic variables between the postnatal treated and non-treated groups. We evaluated 31 pregnancies (47 feet) with suspected clubfoot using three-dimensional ultrasonography. After delivery, a total of 37 feet (78.7%) underwent treatment involving serial casting only or additional Achilles tenotomy. The treated group showed significantly greater hindfoot varus deviation (60.5° vs. 46.6°, p=0.026) and calcaneopedal block deviation (65.6° vs. 26.6°, p &lt;0.05) compared to the non-treated group. The calcaneopedal block had an area under the curve of 0.98 with a diagnostic threshold of 46.2 degrees (sensitivity of 97%, specificity of 90%, positive predictive value of 97%, and negative predictive value of 90%). During prenatal evaluation of clubfoot using three-dimensional ultrasonography, the calcaneopedal block deviation has the potential to predict postnatal treatment.

Background: Animal-assisted therapy has positive effects on cognitive function, depression, performance ability, and social functioning in elderly patients. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of rearing pet insects on the cognitive function of healthy elderly participants, with fMRI (functional magnetic resonance imaging) being used for this purpose. Methods: Community-dwelling elderly women (≥60 years) with normal cognitive function were enrolled during April 2015. They were randomized at a 1:1 ratio into two groups: insect-rearing and control (n=16) groups, with the insect-rearing group being further classified into two groups for analysis according to the subjects’ scores in the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, WCST) at the first fMRI: insect-rearing group I with a relatively high score (n=13), and insect-rearing group II with a relatively low score (n=6). All subjects were educated on a healthy lifestyle for better cognitive function at every visit, and the insect-rearing groups received and reared crickets as pet insects. The fMRI was performed at baseline and after 8 weeks using the WCST as a stimulus. The WCST consisted of two variations, a high level baseline (HLB) and semi-WCST version. Results: There were no significant differences in the baseline characteristics among the three groups. There was a significant difference accuracy of the HLB–semi-WCST (p<0.05) in insect-rearing group II after 8 weeks from the baseline test. In the fMRI analysis involving the WCST reaction test, increased activation was observed in the right dorsal lateral prefrontal cortex and parietal cortex in insect-rearing group II when the semi-WCST, rather than the HLB, was performed. There were no significant differences in the other groups. Conclusion: The rearing of pet insects as an animal-assisted therapy is cost-effective, easy, and occupies little space. In this study, it showed positive effects on executive functions and performance improvement in elderly women. Further larger studies on the effects of pet insects on cognitive function are warranted.

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

Zanthoxylum armatum is an forest tree with apomixis characteristic, and RWP-RKs are plant-specific transcription factors known to regulate nitrogen response and embryonic development. However, the genome-wide analysis of RWP-RK family genes in Z.armatum is unclear. In this study, 36 ZaRWP-RK transcription factors were identified in the genome of Z.armatum, among which 15 genes were belonged to the RKD subfamily and 21 belonged to the NLP subfamily. Duplication events of ZaRWP-RK genes were mainly segmental duplication, and synteny analysis revealed close phylogenetic relationship between Z.armatum and Arabidopsis. The analysis of cis-elements indicated that ZaRWP-RK genes may be involved in the regulation of embryonic development of Z.armatum by responding to plant hormones such as abscisic acid, auxin, and gibberellin. Real-time PCR showed that the expression levels of most ZaRWP-RK genes were significantly increased from flowers to young fruits. Protein-protein interaction network analysis further revealed the potential roles of the ZaRWP-RK proteins in apomixis. Collectively, this study provide a theoretical basis for future investigations into the ZaRWP-RK genes and their regulatory mechanisms in the apomixis process of Z.armatum.

Cardiovascular disease is a major global health concern, with early detection being critical. This study assesses the effectiveness of the portable ECG device, based on Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) technology, for remote cardiovascular monitoring during daily activities. We conducted a clinical trial involving 2,000 participants who wore the HiCardi device while engaging in hiking activities. The device monitored their ECG, heart rate, respiration, and body temperature in real-time. If an abnormal signal was detected while a physician was remotely monitoring the ECG at the IoMT monitoring center, he notified the clinical research coordinator (CRC) at the empirical research site, and the CRC advised the participant to visit a hospital. Follow-up calls were made to determine compliance and outcomes. Of the 2,000 participants, 318 showed abnormal signals, and 182 were advised to visit a hospital. Follow-up revealed that 139 (76.37%) responded, and 30 (21.58% of those who responded) sought further medical examination. Most visits (80.00%) occurred within one month. Diagnostic approaches included ECG (56.67%), ECG and ultrasound (20.00%), ultrasound alone (16.67%), ECG and X-ray (3.33%), and general treatment (3.33%). Seven participants (23.33% of those who visited) were diagnosed with cardiovascular disease, including conditions such as arrhythmia, atrial fibrillation, and stent requirements. The portable ECG device using the patch-type electrocardiograph detected abnormal cardiovascular signals, leading to timely diagnoses and interventions, demonstrating its potential for broad application in preventative health care.

In this article we present the design and development of T-Shirt prototypes that embed novel textile sensors for the capture of cardio and respiratory signals. The sensors are connected through textile interconnects to either an embedded custom designed data acquisition and transmission unit or to snap fastener terminals for connection to external monitoring devices. Prototypes with diverse approaches of integration are presented. The performance of the wearable systems is addressed in terms of signal-to-noise ratio amplitude and signal interference caused by baseline wander and motion artifacts, through laboratorial tests with subjects in standing and walking conditions. Performance tests were also conducted in Hospital environment using a T-Shirt prototype connected to a commercial 3-channel Holter monitoring device. The textile sensors and interconnects were realized with the assistance of an industrial 6-needle digital embroidery tool and their resistance to wear addressed with normalized tests of laundering and abrasion. The main aspects of the system´s design leading to major improvements and failure factors are discussed. Pathways and methods for the overall system´s optimization are highlighted.

Monkeypox virus belongs to the Orthopoxvirus genus, which belongs to the Poxviridae family. The Monkeypox virus is responsible to cause monkeypox, a developing zoonotic disease that has been identified as the most common orthopoxvirus infection in humans in the post-eradication era of smallpox. The virus can be transmitted by a variety of animals, including monkeys and rodents as well as person-to-person. Monkeypox has a clinical presentation that is quite similar to smallpox but mortality is low, in that the febrile prodrome is followed by a period of skin eruption. Monkeypox cases have extended outside the forests of central Africa, where they were first discovered, to other regions of the globe, where they have been imported. This pattern of transmission is most likely related to a global reduction in orthopoxvirus immunity following the discontinuation of smallpox vaccination in 1980, when smallpox was proclaimed eliminated. As a result, monkeypox might become the very common orthopoxvirus infection that affect humans. The emergence of epidemics outside of Africa emphasizes the disease's global significance. Increased monitoring and identification of monkeypox cases are critical tools for gaining a better knowledge of the disease's ever-changing epidemiology.

This paper presents a comprehensive simulation study of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) in a fabricated production environment for toy car assembly. This paper uses Petri Nets for modeling and the General Petri Net Simulator (GPenSIM) for model implementation on MATLAB and simulation. The primary focus of this research is to analyze the operational efficiency of AGVs under varying conditions, particularly examining the impact of battery charge reduction rates and the strategic placement of charging stations within the production line. By employing Colored Petri Nets (CPN) within GPenSIM, we have developed a detailed and dynamic model that captures the intricate movements and interactions of AGVs in a simulated manufacturing setting. By presenting an approach to simulating AGVs in a production environment, this paper specifically focuses on two critical operational parameters: the battery charge reduction rate of AGVs and the number of charging stations available in the production line. Unlike previous studies that have primarily concentrated on general path planning or bottleneck detection in manufacturing systems, this paper delves into the intricate balance between AGV operational efficiency and the logistical constraints imposed by battery life and charging infrastructure.

Palytoxins are a group of highly potent and structurally complex marine biotoxins that rank among some of the most toxic substances known to science. Palytoxins are naturally synthesized by a variety of marine organisms, including Palythoa zoanthids, Ostreopsis dinoflagellates, and Trichodesmium cyanobacteria, and are widely distributed in tropical and temperate regions where they can bioaccumulate in marine life. The evolution of research on palytoxins has been an intricate exchange between interdisciplinary fields, drawing insights from chemistry, biology, medicine, and environmental science in efforts to better understand and mitigate the health risks associated with this family of toxins. In this review, we begin with a brief history covering the discovery of this group of toxins and the events that led to its isolation. We then focus on the chemical structure of these compounds and their proposed mechanism of action. Finally, we review in vitro and in vivo studies related to their toxicity, with the aim to provide a broad overview of the current knowledge on palytoxin toxicology.

Reducing waiting times is crucial for ports to be efficient and competitive. Important causes of waiting times are cascading interactions between realistic hydrodynamics, accessibility policies, vessel-priority rules, and detailed berth availability. The main challenges are determining the cause of waiting and finding rational solutions to reduce waiting time. In this study, we focus on the role of the design depth of a channel on the waiting times. We quantify the performance of channel depth for a representative fleet rather than the common approach of a single normative design vessel. It relies on a mesoscale agent-based discrete-event model that can take processed Automatic Identification System and hydrodynamic data as its main input. The presented method’s validity is assessed by hindcasting one year of observed anchorage area laytimes for a liquid bulk terminal in the Port of Rotterdam. The hindcast demonstrates that the method predicts the causes of 73.4% of the non-excessive laytimes of vessels, thereby correctly modelling 60.7% of the vessels-of-call. Following a recent deepening of the access channel, cascading waiting times due to tidal restrictions were found to be limited. Nonetheless, the importance of our approach is demonstrated by testing alternative maintained bed level designs, revealing the method’s potential to support rational decision-making in coastal zones.

Abstract Cerebral microbleed(s) (CMBs) are increasingly being viewed not only as a marker for cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) but also as having an increased risk for the development of stroke (hemorrhagic/ischemic) and aging-related dementia. Recently, brain endothelial cell activation and dysfunction and blood-brain barrier dysfunction and/or disruption have been shown to be associated with SVD, enlarged perivascular spaces, and the development and evolution of CMBs. CMBs are a known disorder of cerebral microvessels that are visualized as 3-5mm, smooth, round or oval, and hypointense (black) lesions seen only on T2*-weighted gradient recall echo or susceptibility-weighted sequences on MRI images. CMBs (a global problem) are known to occur with high prevalence in community-dwelling older individuals. Since our current global population is the oldest recorded in history and only expected to continue to grow, we can only expect the health care burdens associated with CMBs to also grow. CMBs should raise a red flag regarding the increased risk of large symptomatic neurologic intracerebral hemorrhages. Importantly, CMBs are also currently regarded as markers of diffuse vascular and neurodegenerative brain damage. Thus, it is essential that we try to learn as much as we can about their development, evolution, and their relation to impaired cognition, dementia, and neurodegeneration.

One of the main products of the forest, which has the greatest economic impact, is wood. Due to its characteristics, the wood requires certain types of vehicles for transport it. For this reason, the accessibility of the stands with forest roads plays significant role in the efficiency of the wood logging process, which aims to bring the wood from the forest to the harvesting area located, frequently, next to a permanent transport route. The process of wood transport from the forest initially takes place on forest roads and after that on public roads. The technological process of wood transport represents an important stage in this process, and its good organization can have implications on the final price of the wood material. Based on those mentioned above, the paper aims to highlight the factors that can influence productivity in the case of loading wood in forestry trucks and forestry platforms, in different conditions. Thus, the research was carried out in four counties in Romania and addressed the loading of wood in different forestry trucks and platforms, with or without trailers. Following the evaluation of the work phases specific to the process of round wood loading in vehicles of transport, it was found that sometimes a significant importance is given to the working phases that can be carried out before the loading process, as phases of preparation of the wooden material in order to load it. Also, the facilities of the transport vehicles, the assortments of wood material, as well as the experience of the operators are the main factors that can lead to an increase in productivity.

Food safety in dairy shops has gained increasing attention. Consequently, this study aims to evaluate dairy handlers' knowledge of food safety practices, assess compliance with food safety codes regarding facility maintenance and personal hygiene, and understand retail dairy shops' capacity to implement food safety standards. This research involved surveys and interviews with 110 dairy retail workers to gauge their grasp of food safety principles, their recognition of its importance, and the obstacles they encounter in implementing proper food safety measures. Among the participants, 93% were males under 35 years old, with experience ranging from 1 to 8 years. The study revealed that while over 83% of participants were familiar with standard procedures ensuring dairy product safety, only 37% understood “HACCP” in relation to food safety. Additionally, 42% believed that freezing food at -18°C eliminates food bacteria, and 56% thought food contamination could be identified by taste, indicating misconceptions among respondents. Results showed that 90% of survey participants had a strong awareness of food safety, with 98% emphasizing the importance of regular inspection of production areas for cleanliness to ensure a safe dairy production environment. However, less than 45% had received formal training on dairy-specific food safety practices, and only 53.6% had a documented system for correctly labeling and providing production dates for dairy products. These findings have significant implications for public health and food safety policies in Jordan. Furthermore, the study provides valuable insights to enhance food safety practices among dairy retail vendors.

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

Dengue is one the most significant mosquito-borne viral diseases globally, with its prevalence extending across tropical and subtropical regions, exerting a considerable financial strain on health systems. Despite decades of research leading to the development of a vaccine implemented in endemic countries, its usage remains restricted to a fraction of the population at risk of contracting dengue. Due to these limitations, there is a growing focus on research aimed at unraveling the cellular mechanisms crucial for Dengue virus (DENV) infection to pinpoint potential host targets. Multiple studies propose a pivotal role of cytoskeletal remodeling in DENV infection. Specifically, DENV alters the organization of actin to facilitate viral entry, replication, and release. In this study, we investigated the involvement of the protein c-Abl, a kinase crucial in actin dynamics, in the context of DENV infection. Our findings suggest that either silencing or pharmacological inhibition of the kinase c-Abl leads to accumulation of dengue ENV protein in vitro, associated with actin remodeling. These results illuminate cellular mechanisms that could serve as potential therapeutic alternatives for dengue management.

Von Hippel-Lindau disease (VHL) is a multiple organ neoplastic syndrome with autosomal dominant transmission, complete penetrance, and variable expression caused by mutations in the VHL gene. Although VHL disease is hereditary in many cases, new mutations cause up to 20 % of the incidence. Mutations in VHL may cause the development of cysts and tumors in many organs, including brain and spinal cord hemangioblastoma, renal cell carcinoma (RCC), retinal heman-gioblastoma (RH), pheochromocytoma, epididymal and broad ligament cystadenomas, endo-lymphatic sac tumor, pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors, and renal and pancreatic cysts. VHL is a syndrome associated with functional inactivation of the Von Hippel–Lindau protein (pVHL). pVHL is a tumor suppressor mainly known for its role as a regulator of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) activity. The prevalence of VHL disease is between 1 in 39 000 and 1 in 91 000 individuals in different regional populations. Here, we review the etiology, epidemiology, pathophysiology, genetics, clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and current treatments, as well as the molecular aspects of this disease. We also discuss the animal models used to study this disease, VHL biomarkers, and current VHL clinical trials for VHL according to NIH.

Plant growth regulators (PGRs) and deficit irrigation (DI) play a crucial strategic role in sustaining agricultural yield and reducing water stress in drought prone areas. The study was carried out in 2021-2022 to assess the impact of various PGRs (SA & NAA) & irrigation levels (60% Epan, 80 % Epan, and 100 % Epan) with DI & partial root drying (PRD) irrigation strategies. PGR application boosted fruit yields and demonstrated its significance in reducing water stress by lowering canopy temperature, maintaining higher relative water content in the leaves, modifying stomatal opening, and increasing photosynthetic rate. PGRs were used to assess the increased accumulation of total phenols, flavonoids, and improved antioxidant activity. Results indicated that exogenous use of PGRs like SA+NAA in conjunction with 80% irrigation levels increased fruit yield (31.97 and 40.38%) and water productivity (64.92 and 75.39%) for DI and PRD treatments, respectively. Thus standardizing irrigation and crop management practices including PGR application can be recommended to boost pomegranate productivity particularly in water-scarce environments.

Despite the success of recent efforts to increase access to improved water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) globally, approximately one-third of schools around the world still lack adequate WASH services. A lack of WASH in schools can lead to the spread of preventable disease and increase school absences, especially among women. Inadequate financing and budgeting has been named as a key barrier for integrating successful and sustainable WASH programs into school settings. For this reason, the purpose of this review is to describe the current knowledge around the costs of WASH components as well as financing models that could be applied to WASH in schools. Results show a lack of information around WASH costing, particularly around software elements as well as there is a lack of data overall for WASH in school settings as compared to community WASH. This review also identifies several key considerations when designing WASH budgets or selecting financing mechanisms. Findings may be used to advise future WASH in school programs.

Breast cancer mortality rates vary across ethnic groups in Israel, where protective factors such as high fertility and breastfeeding rates may be moderated by socioeconomic factors and mammography rates. We aim to investigate disparities in breast cancer mortality between Jewish and Muslim Arab women in Israel and examine how sociodemographic variables and number of children are associated with mortality. Our retrospective follow-up study uses data from the Israeli Central Bureau of Statistics and multivariable Cox regression models, adjusting for age, number of children, country of origin, locality size, and socioeconomic status. Compared to Jewish women, Muslim Arab women exhibited lower breast cancer mortality rates. However, after adjusting for multiple sociodemographic variables, no significant differences persisted between Jewish and Muslim Arab women. Having more than three children was associated with lower mortality among Muslim Arab women, but not among Jewish women. European/American origin, larger localities, and medium socioeconomic status were associated with higher mortality. Sociodemographic factors may therefore explain the disparities in breast cancer mortality between Jewish and Muslim Arab women in Israel. Targeted intervention programs considering unique characteristics and risk factors of different ethnic groups are needed to reduce disparities and improve outcomes.

Purpose: This study analysed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the diagnosis of malignant neoplasia of the bronchus and lung. Cases diagnosed in the Burgos region in the year prior to the official declaration of the pandemic were compared with those in the year after the pandemic. The research sought to identify whether there was a decrease in the number of cases during the pandemic, and whether this may have led to a delay in diagnosis, reflected in more advanced stages of the disease. Mortality and survival time in each of the periods were also analysed.

The intracellular calcium dynamics in vascular endothelial cells (VECs) in response to wall shear stress (WSS) and/or adenosine triphosphate (ATP) have been commonly regarded as an important factor in regulating VEC function and behavior including proliferation, migration and apoptosis. However, the effects of time-varying ATP signals have been usually neglected in the past investigations in the field of VEC mechanobiology. In order to investigate the combined effects of WSS and dynamic ATP signals on the intracellular calcium dynamic in VECs, a Y-shaped microfluidic device, which can provide the cultured cells on the bottom of its mixing micro-channel with stimuli of WSS signal alone and different combinations of WSS and ATP signals in one single micro-channel, is proposed. Both numerical simulation and experimental studies verify the feasibility of its application. Cellular experimental results also suggest that a combination of WSS and ATP signals rather than a WSS signal alone might play a more significant role in VEC Ca²⁺ signal transduction induced by blood flow.

Vimentin has been reported to play diverse roles in cell processes such as spreading, migration, and cell-matrix adhesion. Here, we use vimentin knock out cells (Vim KO) to assess how vimentin impacts cell spreading, morphology, and myofibroblast transformation of human corneal fibro-blasts. Overall, loss of vimentin did not significantly impact corneal fibroblast spreading, as indicated by Vim KO morphology and mechanical activity (traction force). However, we found that Vim KO cells had reduced elongation in response to PDGF as compared to controls. Furthermore, absence of vimentin did not completely block TGFβ induced myofibroblast transformation, since αSMA protein expression was detected in Vim KO cells. Nonetheless, the degree of transformation and amount of αSMA protein was reduced as compared to control cells. Proteomics showed that Vim KO cells cultured in TGFβ had a similar pattern of protein expression as controls. One exception included periostin, an ECM protein associated with wound healing and fibrosis in other cell types, which was highly expressed only in Vim KO cells. We also demonstrate for the first time that LRRC15, a protein previously associated with myofibroblast transformation of cancer-associated fibroblasts, is also expressed by corneal myofibroblasts. Overall, our data shows that vimentin has a limited, yet measurable impact on corneal fibroblast spreading and myofibroblast transformation. We also identified novel proteins that may regulate corneal myofibroblast transformation in the presence and/or absence of vimentin.

Interrelationships between traditional dental variables are becoming more evident in far reaching aspects of life such as psychosocial interaction, self-esteem, overall health and even occupational performance. This study compares quality of life (QoL) in postmenopausal women (PMW) with poor oral health (POH) with QoL in PMW with good oral health. 200 randomly recruited PMW received a dental evaluation and completed Utian Quality of Life Survey. The participants were divided into POH and healthy groups based on dental exam. Mean scores were calculated for each QoL item, domain and the overall summary score. For each of the four parameters for periodontitis diagnosis, periodontitis patients’ QoL outcomes were compared to those of healthy patients using T-test with threshold of significance at p<0.05. QoL in all fields measured were significantly poorer in the POH compared to the healthy patients, occupational (19.95±5.35vs. 27.56±6.13), health (18.02±8.23 vs. 26.59 ±6.45), emotional (15.68±10.22vs. 21.15±9.15), sexual (6.2±5.98vs. 10.02±5.35), and total score (60.21±25.85 vs. 84.26±22.35). This study finds that PMW with POH, report significantly poorer quality of life. Clinicians caring for PMW should be aware of that oral health impacts QoL and make appropriate referral decisions for patients’ dental care. Keywords: Quality of Life, Oral Health, Post-menopause, Women

Background: Excessive sun exposure is a significant risk factor for various skin conditions, including sunburn, premature aging, and skin cancer. This study aims to assess the awareness, attitudes, and practices regarding sun exposure and sunscreen use among college students in Saudi Arabia. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted with 388 college students from various disciplines. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering demographic information, knowledge, and practices related to sun exposure and sunscreen use. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and multivariate logistic regression analysis were employed to analyze the data. Results: The study comprised 53.9% females, with the majority aged 18-23 years. Formal education on sun exposure dangers was lacking for 43.0% of participants. The most recognized consequences of excessive sun exposure were sunburn (80.6%) and skin cancer (74.4%). Intermediate knowledge of sun exposure effects was most common (40.7%). Sunscreen use was inconsistent, with 27.3% never using it during peak sunlight hours. Factors influencing sunscreen use included weather conditions and healthcare provider recommendations. Males were significantly less likely to use sunscreen. First-year students and participants without formal education on sun exposure were less likely to use sunscreen regularly. Conclusion: Despite awareness of the risks associated with excessive sun exposure, sunscreen use among college students in Saudi Arabia is inconsistent and influenced by various factors, including gender and education level. These findings highlight the need for enhanced educational initiatives to promote regular sunscreen use and other sun protection behaviors to mitigate the risk of skin conditions associated with sun exposure.

Background: The objective of this study was to evaluate, the clinical benefit of benralizumab in patients with uncontrolled severe asthma associated with chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyposis (CRSwNP). Methods: The study included patients with uncontrolled severe asthma associated with CRSwNP who started therapy with benralizumab. Pulmonary function, eosinophilia, IgE, comorbidity, changes in the Asthma Control Test (ACT), Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), Quality of Life (AQLQ), VAS (obstruction, drip, anosmia, facial pressure), SNOT-22, decrease or withdrawal of steroids and other medication, hospital admissions and emergency visits were analysed. The FEOS scale and EXACTO were employed in the assessment of response. Results: We analyzed 58 patients who completed minimal treatment at 12 months. After treatment with benralizumab, exacerbations were reduced by 82% (p

Accurate cloud quantification is essential in climate change research. In this work, we construct an automated computer vision framework by synergistically incorporating deep neural networks and finite sector clustering to achieve robust whole sky image-based cloud classification, adaptive segmentation, and recognition under intricate illumination dynamics. A bespoke YOLOv8 architecture attains over 95% categorical precision across four archetypal cloud varieties curated from extensive annual observations (2020) at a Tibetan highland station. Tailor-made segmentation strategies adapted to distinct cloud configurations, allied with illumination-invariant image enhancement algorithms, effectively eliminate solar interference and substantially boost quantitative performance even in illumination-adverse analysis scenarios. Compared with the traditional threshold analysis method, the cloud quantification accuracy calculated within the framework of this paper is significantly improved. Collectively, the methodological innovations provide an advanced solution to markedly escalate cloud quantification precision levels imperative for climate change research, while offering a paradigm for cloud analytics transferable to various meteorological stations.

All-inorganic perovskite materials are promising in optoelectronics but their morphology is a key parameter for achieving high device efficiency. We prepared CsPbBr3 perovskite microcrystals with different shape, grown directly on planar substrate by conventional drop casting. We observed the formation of CsPbBr3 microcubes on bare indium tin oxide (ITO) coated glass. Interestingly, with the same technique CsPbBr3 microrods were obtained on (3-Aminopropyl) triethoxysilane (APTES) modified ITO-glass, which we ascribe to modification of formation kinetics. The obtained micro-crystals exhibit orthorhombic structure. Green photoluminescence (PL) emission is revealed from the CsPbBr3 microrods. Contact angle measurements, Fourier-transform infrared and PL spectroscopies confirmed that APTES linked successfully to the ITO-glass substrate. We propose a qualitative mechanism to explain the anisotropic growth. The microrods exhibited improved PL and slower PL lifetime compared to the microcubes, likely due to diminished occurrence of defects. This work demonstrates the importance of the substrate surface to control the growth of perovskite single crystals and to boost the radiative recombination in view of high performance optoelectronic devices.

The effect of pH regulation on biohydrogen production was studied using suspended and immobilized mixed cultures. Four sets of experiments were conducted using suspended cells under regulated pH (Sus_R) and non-regulated pH conditions (Sus_N) as well as alginate-immobilized cells under pH regulated (Imm_R) and non-pH regulated conditions (Imm_N). Sus_R showed a peak hydrogen fraction of 44% and complete glucose degradation, compared to Sus_N with a peak hydrogen fraction of 36% and a glucose degradation of 37%. Imm_R experiments showed a peak biohydrogen fraction of 35%, while the peak hydrogen fraction observed with Imm_N was 22%. The highest hydrogen fraction was observed using suspended cells under regulated pH conditions. A 100% glucose degradation was observed in both pH regulated and non-regulated processes using immobilized cells. The rate of pH change was slower for immobilized cells compared to suspended cells suggesting a better buffering capacity under non pH regulated conditions. The study showed that biohydrogen production with suspended cells in a non-regulated pH environment resulted in early termination of the process and lower productivity.

Metalloproteinases are zinc-dependent endopeptidases that function as primary effectors of tissue remodelling, cell-signalling, and many other roles. Their regulation is ferociously complex, and is exquisitely sensitive to their molecular milieu, making in vivo studies challenging. Phenanthroline (PhN) is an inexpensive, broad-spectrum inhibitor of metalloproteinases that functions by chelating the catalytic zinc ion, however its use in vivo has been limited due to suspected off-target effects. PhN is very similar in structure to phenanthrene (Phe), a well-studied poly aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) known to cause toxicity in aquatic animals by activating the aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). We show that zebrafish are more sensitive to PhN than Phe, and that PhN causes a superset of the effects caused by Phe. Morpholino knock-down of the AhR rescues the effects of PhN that are shared with Phe, suggesting these are due to PAH toxicity. The effects of PhN that are not shared with Phe (specifically disruption of neural crest development and angiogenesis) involve processes known to depend on metalloproteinase activity. Furthermore these PhN-specific effects are not rescued by AhR knock-down, suggesting that these are bona fide effects of metalloproteinase inhibition, and that PhN can be used as a broad spectrum metalloproteinase inhibitor for studies with zebrafish in vivo.

Cyanobacteria are ubiquitous phototrophic bacteria that inhabit diverse environments across the planet. They dominate many eutrophic lakes impacted by excess nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) forming dense accumulations of biomass known as cyanobacterial harmful algal blooms or cyanoHABs. Their dominance in eutrophic lakes is attributed to a variety of unique adaptations including N and P concentrating mechanisms, N fixation, colony formation that inhibits predation, vertical movement via gas vesicles, and the production of toxic or otherwise bioactive molecules. While some of these molecules have been explored for their medicinal benefits, others are potent toxins harmful to humans, animals, and other wildlife known as cyanotoxins. In humans these cyanotoxins affect various tissues, including the liver, central and peripheral nervous system, kidneys, and reproductive organs among others. They induce acute effects at low doses in the parts-per-billion range and some are tumor promoters linked to chronic diseases such as liver and colorectal cancer. The occurrence of cyanoHABs and cyanotoxins in lakes presents challenges for maintaining safe recreational aquatic environments and the production of potable drinking water. CyanoHABs are a growing problem in the North American (Laurentian) Great Lakes basin. This review summarizes information on the occurrence of cyanoHABs in the Great Lakes, toxicological effects of cyanotoxins, and appropriate numerical limits on cyanotoxins in finished drinking water.

The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 mutations pose significant challenges to diagnostic tests as these mutations can reduce the sensitivity of commonly used RT-PCR assays. Therefore, there is a need to design diagnostic assays with multiple targets to enhance sensitivity. In this study, we identified a novel diagnostic target, nsp10 gene, using nanopore sequencing. Firstly, we determined the analytical sensitivity and specificity of our COVID-19-nsp10 assay. The COVID-19-nsp10 assay had the limit of detection of 74 copies/mL (95% confidence interval: 48-299 copies/mL) and did not show cross-reactivity with other respiratory viruses. Next, we determined the diagnostic performance of the COVID-19-nsp10 assay using 261 respiratory specimens, including 147 SARS-CoV-2-positive specimens belonging to ancestral strain and Alpha, Beta, Gamma, Delta, Mu, Eta, Kappa, Theta and Omicron lineages. Using the LightMix E-gene RT-PCR assay as the reference method, the diagnostic sensitivity and specificity of the COVID-19-nsp10 assay were 100%. The median Cp values for the LightMix E-gene RT-PCR and our COVID-19-nsp10 RT-PCR were 22.48 (range: 12.95-36.60) and 25.94 (range 16.37-36.87), respectively. The Cp values of the COVID-19-nsp10 RT-PCR assay correlated well with those of the LightMix E-gene RT-PCR assay (Spearman’s ρ = 0.968; P&lt;0.0001). In conclusion, nsp10 is a suitable target for SARS-CoV-2 RT-PCR assay.

Background: Introduction of new technologies in the management of oral disease has revolutionized treatment approaches, offering less invasive options and improved patient outcomes. Among oral cavity diseases, sialolithiasis is the most common disorder of the salivary glands. It involves the formation of calculi or stones within the salivary ducts, primarily affecting the submandibular gland due to its tortuous duct and the alkaline nature of its saliva. In particular, Laser-assisted techniques have shown significant promise in enhancing the precision and safety in the management of sialolith removal. This article aims to present a case report and also explores the scientific evidence supporting these innovative methods, highlighting their benefits and limitations in clinical practice.; Methods: The research was conducted using PubMed and Scopus search engines with a combination of relevant keywords, including laser, laser-assisted, laser treatment in combination with sialolith, sialolith removal, and sialoadenectomy. Selected articles were carefully reviewed to identify studies reporting data on the effectiveness of laser-assisted sialolith removal; Results: The results of the literature review indicate a growing interest in the application of Diode Laser and CO2, with evidence suggesting improved clinical outcomes and reduced postoperative pain compared to traditional methods; Conclusions: Although lasers offer enhanced safety and reduced morbidity and bleeding, which ensures optimal visibility, their high cost and the need for specialized training are limitations. Further randomized clinical trials and longer follow-up studies are needed to better evaluate their use in sialolith removal.

The study addresses improving disaster management performance using artificial intelligence to achieve sustainable development and support the global economy and proposes implementable strategies to achieve resilience and growth. Through a literature review, it examines the impact of natural disasters on international trade and focuses on the challenges faced by developing economies in developing countries. The study emphasizes the interconnectedness of global trade networks and the need for proactive risk management. Existing qualitative literature from previous studies was compiled and analyzed for the study. The results indicate potential disruptions in commercial activities and economic growth in Middle Eastern countries due to natural or human-caused disasters such as wars and terrorism. Here we find the importance of measures to build resilience and diversify trading partners and markets. Recommendations include investing in resilient infrastructure, promoting digital trade, strengthening institutional capacities, and enhancing regional and international cooperation. By providing insights to policy makers, businesses and stakeholders, this study contributes to understanding the resilience of developing economies to natural disasters and provides practical guidance for them to overcome the challenges posed by such disasters and achieve sustainable growth.

The circular economy is one of the main strategies for mitigating the environmental impacts of civil construction, due to the generation of construction and demolition waste (CDW). In this transition, evaluating alternatives for using buildings as material banks is a way to make the process of reusing construction components more efficient. Thus, the article aimed to evaluate the state of the art of publications on the relationship between the circular economy in civil construction and the conceptual model of buildings as material banks, to mitigate the environmental impacts of CDW. The authors chose the methodological design of Systematic Literature Review, using the Scopus and Web of Science databases for research, with the following search strings: ("construction" or "civil construction" or "built environment" or "construction industry" ) and ("circular economy" or "circular construction") and ("material banks" or "BAMB" or "buildings as material banks" or "building stocks" or "building materials") and ("construction waste" or "demolition waste" or "CDW" or "construction and demolition waste" or "environmental impacts"). After a screening in which only articles published in journals were selected, from 2013 to 2023, inclusion and exclusion criteria were applied, to evaluate only those that had a direct relationship with CDW management through circular economy strategies and buildings such as banks of material. As a result, 93 articles remained, which were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative approach. The quantitative results showed an increase in publications since 2020, which are concentrated in European countries and China. The predominance of applied studies was also noted, through case studies that evaluate the management of materials and waste in the urban environment. The qualitative analysis, carried out using a SWOT Matrix, highlighted the strengths of the buildings, such as material banks, the potential reduction of resource extraction and urban mining, promoting the circulation of construction products. However, the recycling of waste, such as aggregates, still stands out as the main end-of-life strategy adopted, even without occupying the top of the waste hierarchy.

This article examines illicit financial flows (IFFs) perpetuated in financial statements to develop a framework to curb IFFs. IFFs create opacity, impeding economic progress through investment deterrents and financial uncertainty. Through a comprehensive literature review and the synthesis of sets of qualitative propositions, the researchers previously developed a conceptual framework to address IFFs, and the purpose of the present article is to strengthen and validate the framework among stakeholders in the financial and audit sectors. Following a mixed inductive and deductive research approach and a qualitative methodological choice, the researchers conducted interviews among practitioners to enhance the framework, followed by a focus group to validate the framework. IFF challenges that emerged are tax evasion, for example, investments in untraceable offshore accounts, harming the economy, bitcoins not being subject to regulation everywhere in the world and being used by cryptocurrency criminals to transfer IFFs to nations with lax regulations. Internationally, IFF risks are also determined by geographical position, trade links and porous borders among countries emerged as further challenges, calling for entities to execute existing policies, improve tax enforcement methods, apply cross-border coordination, and practice financial reporting transparency aimed at combatting IFF practices. On the strength of these, the industry surveys significantly enhanced the conceptual framework.

Background/aim: Insulin- and non-insulin treated diabetes (ITDM and NITDM) may have different prognostic impact in patients with ST-elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) and /or heart failure. The aims of this study were to analyze the impact of ITDM and NTIDM on the incidence of all-cause mortality and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE- cardiovascular death, non-fatal infarction, non-fatal stroke and tagert vessel revascularization) in the eight-year follow-up of STEMI patients with a reduced ejection fraction (EF). Method: we analysed 2,230 STEMI patients with EF <50%. Patients presenting with cardiogenic shock were excluded. Results: The incidence of DM was 20.7%; among the patients with DM, 103 (22.3%) had ITDM, and 358 (77.7%) patients had NITDM. Eight year mortality and MACE were higher in patients with ITDM than in patients without DM (19.8% vs. 37.8%, and 15.2% vas 40.8%, respectively, p<0.001); there was no difference in mortality and MACE between patients without DM and patients with NITDM. IDM was an independent predictor for 8-year mortality (HR 1.72, 95%CI 1.12-2.62, p=0.013) and MACE (HR 1.49, 95%CI 1.01-2.19, p=0.041). Conclusion: ITDM independently increased long-term mortality and MACE in patients with EF<50% after STEMI. NITDM had no significant influence on long-term mortality and MACE in analyzed patients.

Introduction Delayed intra-operative neuro-monitoring (IOM) events can be defined as loss of responses, after baseline traces were present upon completion of instrumentation and deformity correction. This study reports this subgroup of events, assesses their incidence and evaluates potential causative factors. Methods We reviewed 1881 consecutive patients who underwent spinal deformity correction between 2011 and 2021. Surgeries were performed using a standardised anaesthetic regimen and multimodal IOM protocol. Results 44 patients (2.4%) had an IOM event. 9 patients (6F:3M) had a true positive delayed event after posterior segmental pedicle screw instrumentation. Mean age was 12.5 (2-17) years with mean thoracic Cobb angle of 78° (51-94°). Mean estimated blood loss was 28%. Titanium beam shaped rods were utilised in 3 patients and 5.5mm titanium rods in 5 patients. Motor evoked potentials were lost on average 18 (10-30) minutes after completion of instrumentation. 7 patients had bilateral loss and 2 patients had unilateral loss of MEP traces. Sensory evoked potential amplitude was preserved in all cases. There was a transient latency shift in one patient. MEPs returned within 20 minutes of rod release. The rod was re-contoured to incorporate more scoliosis in 1 patient. 2 patients had beam rods exchanged to 5.5mm titanium rods. 6 patients had rod removal with retention of pedicle screws and staged completion of instrumentation at mean 5 (1-7) days later. No patients had a postoperative neurological deficit. Conclusion Delayed IOM loss represented 15% of all events. Increased cord tension and hypo-perfusion were considered likely mechanisms. Rod release restored MEPs in all cases. The timing of events emphasises the importance of continued monitoring for minimum 30 minutes after completion of spinal instrumentation or until wound closure.

Diffuse type of gastric cancer (GC) has an increasing prevalence worldwide, especially in Western countries, is usually diagnosed at advanced stages, and has no efficacious treatment options. Epidemiological studies have reported an increased mortality from GC after occupational exposure to well-studied pro-carcinogen that are metabolically activated by Cyp P450 enzymes through aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). Substantial studies support the involvement of AhR in gastric carcinogenesis. However, little is known about the role of AhR in diffuse GC, as compared to intestinal GC. In a cohort of 29 gastric tumors, we described a significantly increased AhR protein and mRNA expression levels in GCs, independently of subtypes and clinical parameters. AhR and RhoA mRNA expression were correlated in diffuse GC. Further, our study characterized how AhR affects gene expression in diffuse GC. Using qRT-PCR, we compared the expression levels of AhR, Cyp1A1 and Cyp1B1 to the expression of genes in a panel previously described. In diffuse GC, Cyp1A1 expression correlated with genes involved in IGF signalling, EMT (VIM), migration (MMP2). In an in vitro assay using the poorly differentiated KATOIII epithelial cell line, two well-known ligands for AhR (TCDD and BaP) induced mRNA expression of CYP1A1, IL1b, as well as UGT1, NQO1 and AhRR to a lower extent. We also observed a strong increase in Cyp1B1 expression in diffuse GC, along with a lower TCDD-increased Cyp1B1 expression as compared to Cyp1A1 in KATOIII cells, and immunostaining in stromal cells. In intestinal GC, Cyp1B1 inversely correlated with several genes including IDO1 (generating endogenous kynurenin-e AhR ligand). Our data provide evidence for a major role of AhR in GC, as an environmental xenobiotics receptor, through different mechanisms and pathways in diffuse and intestinal GC. Our results support continued efforts to clarify the identities of exogenous AhR ligands in diffuse GC in order to define new therapeutic strategies.

Androgenetic alopecia, the most common cause of hair loss affecting both men and women, is typically treated using pharmaceutical options such as minoxidil and finasteride. While these medications work for many individuals, they are not suitable options for all. To date, the only non-pharmaceutical option that the United States Food and Drug Administration has cleared as a treatment for androgenetic alopecia is low-level laser therapy (LLLT). Various clinical trials utilizing LLLT devices of various types are available. However, a myriad of other physical treatments for this form of hair loss are reported in the literature. This review evaluated the effectiveness of microneedling, pulsed-electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy, low-level laser therapy (LLLT), fractional laser therapy, and non-ablative laser therapy for the treatment of androgenetic alopecia (AGA). It also explores the potential of multimodal treatments combining these physical therapies. LLLT has the majority of evidence in the literature as a physical therapy for androgenetic alopecia. However, other physical treatments, such as non-ablative laser treatments, and multimodal approaches, such as PEMF-LLLT, seem to have the potential to be equally or more promising and merit further exploration.

Flexible polymer-based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) offer promising potential for lightweight, cost-effective and versatile photovoltaic applications. However, the critical challenge in their widespread applications is the weak thermal stability of the majority of polymeric substrates, which can only withstand a maximum temperature processing of 150°C. In this study, we propose a facile and low-cost strategy to develop at low temperature DSSC flexible photoanode based on a polymeric matrix. Highly porous nanocomposites fibrous mats composed of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and titanium dioxide (TiO2) nanobars were prepared through electrospinning process using different configurations (uniaxial electrospinning, coaxial electrospinning, and electrospray-assisted electrospinning). These techniques enabled precise control of the microstructure and the positioning of TiO2 within the composite nanofibers. Therefore, the as-produced photoanodes were loaded with N719 dye and tested in DSSC prototype using iodide-triiodide electrolyte and platinum (Pt) coated counter electrode. The results show that incorporating TiO2 on the fiber surface through the electrospray-assisted electrospinning enhanced the performance of the nanofiber composite, leading to improved dye loading capacity, electron transfer efficiency and photovoltaic performance.

A canine population’s immune resistance to canine distemper virus (CDV), canine parvovirus (CPV), and infectious hepatitis virus (CAV-1) was evaluated. In this study, a total of 112 sera were analyzed. Animals were considered as vaccinated if, in the last two years, they had re-ceived at least one dose of a vaccine that provides joint protection against CDV, CPV, and CAV-1. Animals that had never received any dose of these vaccines were designated as non-vaccinated. CDV, CPV, and CAV-1 antibodies were detected via a modified solid-phase enzyme-linked im-munosorbent assay (ELISA), which detects IgG antibody levels in sera and provides semi-quantitative results in less than 30 min. In total, 41.1% of the dogs had been vaccinated, and 58.9% of dogs were designated as non-vaccinated. Overall, 90.2%, 92.0%, and 78.6% of the tested dogs had positive results for the presence of IgG antibodies against CPV, CDV, and CAV-1, re-spectively. CPV antibodies were present in 93.5% (43/46) of the vaccinated and 87.9% (58/66) of the non-vaccinated dogs, while CDV antibodies were present in 95.5% (63/66) of the vaccinated and 87.0% (40/46) of the non-vaccinated dogs. Finally, CAV-1 antibodies were present in 84.8% (56/66) of the vaccinated and of 69.6% (32/46) the non-vaccinated dogs.

We explore an idea put forward many years ago by Zeldovich and Novikov concerning the existence of compact objects endowed with arbitrarily small mass. The energy-density of such objects, which we call “Ghost stars”, is negative in some regions of the fluid distribution, producing a vanishing total mass. Thus, the interior is matched on the boundary surface to Minkowski space-time. Some exact analytical solutions are exhibited and their properties are analyzed. Observational data that could confirm or dismiss the existence of this kind of stellar object, is commented.

A semi–numerical approach proposed many years ago for describing gravitational collapse in the post–quasi–static approximation , , , , is modified in order to avoid the numerical integration of the basic differential equations the approach is based upon. For doing that we have to impose some restrictions on the fluid distribution. More specifically, we shall assume the vanishing complexity factor condition, which allows for analytical integration of the pertinent differential equations and leads to physically interesting models. Instead, we show that neither the homologous nor the quasi–homologous evolution are acceptable since they lead to geodesic fluids, which are unsuitable for being described in the post–quasi–static approximation. Also, we prove that, within this approximation, adiabatic evolution also leads to geodesic fluids and therefore we shall consider exclusively dissipative systems. Besides the vanishing complexity factor condition, additional information is required for a full description of models. We shall propose different strategies for obtaining such an information, which are based on observables quantities (e.g. luminosity and redshift), and/or heuristic mathematical ansatz. To illustrate the method, we present two models. One model is inspired in the well known Schwarzschild interior solution, and another one is inspired in Tolman VI solution.

TGF-ꞵ signaling is a vital regulator for maintaining articular cartilage homeostasis. Runx transcription factors, downstream targets of TGF-ꞵ signaling, have been studied in the context of osteoarthritis (OA). Although Runx partner core binding factor β (Cbfβ) is known to play a pivotal role in chondrocyte and osteoblast differentiation, the role of Cbfβ in maintaining articular cartilage remains obscure. This study investigated Cbfβ as a novel anabolic modulator of TGF-ꞵsignaling and determined its role in articular cartilage homeostasis. Cbfβ significantly decreased in aged mouse articular cartilage and human OA cartilage. Articular chondrocyte-specific Cbfb-deficient mice (Cbfb△ac/△ac) exhibited early cartilage degeneration at 20 weeks old and developed OA at 12 months old. Cbfb△ac/△ac mice showed enhanced OA progression under the surgical-induced mice OA model. Mechanistically, forced expression of Cbfβ rescued Col2α1 and Runx1 expression in Cbfβ-deficient chondrocytes. TGF-ꞵ1-mediated Col2α1 expression failed despite the pSmad3 activation under TGF-ꞵ1 treatment in Cbfβ-deficient chondrocytes. Cbfβ protected Runx1 from proteasomal degradation through Cbfβ/Runx1 complex formation. These results indicate that Cbfβ is a novel anabolic regulator for cartilage homeostasis, suggesting that Cbfβ could protect OA development by maintaining the integrity of the TGF-ꞵ1 signaling pathway in articular cartilage.

Leishmanial skin lesions are characterized by inflammatory hypoxia alongside the activation of hypoxia inducible factors, HIF-1a and HIF-2a, and subsequent expression of the HIF-a target VEGF-A during Leishmania major infection. However, the factors responsible for HIF-a activation are not known. We hypothesize hypoxia and pro-inflammatory stimuli contribute to HIF-a activation during infection. RNASeq on leishmanial lesions found transcripts associated with HIF-1a signaling are induced. To determine whether hypoxia contributes to HIF-a activation, we followed the fate of myeloid cells infiltrating from the blood and into hypoxic lesions. Recruited myeloid cells experience hypoxia when they enter inflamed lesions, and the length of time in lesions increases their hypoxic signature. To determine whether pro-inflammatory stimuli in the inflamed tissue can also influence HIF-a activation, we subjected macrophages to various pro-inflammatory stimuli and measured VEGF-A. While parasites alone did not induce VEGF-A, and pro-inflammatory stimuli only modestly induce VEGF-A, HIF- stabilization increases VEGF-A during infection. HIF-a stabilization does not impact parasite entry, growth or killing. Alternatively, the absence of ARNT/HIF- signaling enhances parasite internalization. Altogether, these findings suggest HIF-a is active during infection, and while macrophage HIF-a activation promotes lymphatic remodeling through VEGF-A production, HIF-a activation does not impact parasite internalization or control.

Objective: To investigate whether the relationships between acute care occupational therapy (OT) and physical therapy (PT) utilization and community discharge are moderated by functional or physical performance at discharge among individuals hospitalized with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Setting: 14 acute care hospitals in the state of Colorado. Participants: We studied 5,599 adults hospitalized with TBI between June 2018 and April 2021. Design: In a secondary analysis of de-identified electronic health record (EHR) data, multivariable moderation logistic regression models were performed to calculate odds ratios (ORs) for the likelihood of community discharge among patients who utilized OT/PT services. Main Measures: Functional (activities of daily living [ADL]) and physical (mobility) performance at discharge, OT and PT utilization, and community discharge status. Results: Overall, 67% of patients discharged to the community. The mean age of the sample was 55 years (SD = 20 years). Most participants were male (64%) and non-Hispanic white (72%). Mean hospital length of stay was 6 days (SD = 6 days). Both OT and PT utilization (OT: OR= 1.21, 95% CI [1.11, 1.33]; PT: OR= 1.22, 95% CI [1.14, 1.30]) and discharge ADL and mobility scores (ADL: OR= 1.34, 95% CI [1.30, 1.39]; mobility: OR= 1.38, 95% CI [1.33, 1.42]) were significantly and positively associated with community discharge. The OT and PT utilization-by-discharge ADL and mobility interaction terms yielded slightly negative, but statistically significant moderation effects in both models (ORs= 0.99, 95% CIs [0.98, 1.00]); indicating the magnitude of the OT and PT utilization effect diminished as ADL and mobility scores increased. Several sociodemographic characteristics and clinical factors were also independently associated with community discharge in both models (p-values

Background: Since there is no cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) currently, it is very important for searching diagnostic biomarkers and novel treatments to reduce the severity of this disease; one of these treatment approaches is stem cell transplantation. This study aims to evaluate the safety and efficacy of repeated transplantation of autologous bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) in patients with ALS by analyzing molecular data. Methods: In this single-centre, open-label, phase II clinical trial, retrospective study, fifteen confirmed ALS patients entered the study based on defined inclusion and exclusion criteria and underwent repeated stem cell transplantation (3 times BM-MSCs transplantation (1×10^6) , MSC/Kg BW per injection) concurrently intrathecally (IT) and intravenously (IV), with one-month interval). Clinical assessment of molecular investigation by evaluating specific microRNAs expression (Mir206, 133a-3p, 338-3p) in the patient's serum and Cerebra spinal fluid (CSF) samples were done three times during the 3-month follow-up. Statistical analysis includes paired T-test or Wilcoxon signed ranks. Results: No serious adverse effects were reported following stem cell transplantation. Besides, the mentioned microRNA expression slightly increased but still non-significant (P&gt;0.05). Conclusions: Although Our study demonstrated non-signifying results. However, the still increasing of these MircRNAs in serum and CSF overall, can indicate that repeated transplantation of BM-MSCs was a safe procedure in ALS patients, leading to delay in disease progression and improvement in clinical symptoms. Future studies are needed to confirm these results.

Tori are bony growths in the mouth caused in general by genetic and environmental factors. Oral tori may grow over time and interfere with oral hygiene, speech, mastication and the application of dentures. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence and patterns of torus mandibularis and torus palatinus according age and gender among patients attending the Diamond Dental Hospital in Tirana. Methodology. A case-series study conducted at DDH from February 1-30 April 2024. Written consent was taken from each participant and the questionnaire comprises some variables. The patients were examined intraoral only by one examiner and were taken photos from participants having positive findings. Results. The prevalence of oral tori in Albania was very high 48.4% and the peak incidence was 18-29 age group (54.2%). The most common type was TM 39.3%. The most prevalent form for TP was flat (71.4%) and for TM was solitary bilateral (47.9%). Conclusions. The prevalence of oral tori was found to be very high and not related to gender or bruxism. Dental professionals should be aware of the high occurrence of oral tori and their importance in dental practice. Nevertheless, further assessment of the prevalence of tori in a larger sample is required.

We examine the relation between environmental, social, and governance commitment levels (ESG) and firm dividend payer status. Given that larger and more profitable firms are positively associated with both payer status and ESG, it could be that ESG and dividends are complements. However, given that both dividends and ESG relate to firm spending decisions, it may be that the choice is “either/or” and that ESG and dividends are substitutes. We document a positive relation between ESG and dividend payer status in U.S. firms over the period 1991-2016. In particular we find that the proportion of dividend payers is roughly 13% higher for firms with positive ESG compared to those with negative ESG. Including ESG in the models used to predict payer status provides, on average, a nearly 26% improvement in relative forecast accuracy. Our results are robust to estimation techniques and the inclusion of variables known to be determinants of payer status.

The rapid growth of the metropolitan area around Budapest has led to increased traffic, infrastructure problems, and social and economic issues in the suburbs, making the sustainability of these areas a key topic in professional and public discussions. The article aims to explore the intricacies of sustainability in a suburban town by utilizing the Smart Growth framework, which is highly pertinent in Hungary. The focus of scientific and public discussions revolves around urban planning to curb urban sprawl and enhance public transportation usage. The analysis concentrates on compactness, commute, and community, utilizing quantitative survey data between 2018 and 2023. The findings demonstrate that the town under analysis is dense regarding common and regular services but depends significantly on the central area for more specialized services. The local community is tightly interconnected and shows no evidence of atomization. Commuting patterns show that polycentricity leads to new spatial connections and a growing reliance on cars, even while the quantity of vehicles is still growing. The results indicate that assessing the sustainability of suburbs may not be universally applicable, and examination should be conducted at the town level. Secondly, the sustainability of suburban areas may be distinct from the sustainability of denser, urbanized places.

This work presents a historical-epistemological analysis of the foundations of quantum mechanics. From a philosophical point of view, the relationships between quantum mechanics and scientific realism are highlighted, as well as the influence of the neo-positivist philosophy of the first decades of the 20th century. The great significance of measurement in the context of quantum mechanics is underlined, as an essential element in providing a coherent description of reality moving from the microcosm to the macrocosm, as well as the role that the measurement apparatus and the consciousness of the observer assume during the act of measurement, the ontological problem, the problem of the objectification of the wave function and the problem of the definition of discernibility. This is followed by an overview of the most important alternative proposals to the standard interpretation (Copenhagen interpretation), with particular reference to hidden variable theories, and other alternatives to standard quantum mechanics that profoundly modify the vision of reality, such as the Everett’s many-worlds theory, the QBism, the unified holistic approach.

The vagina is an essential component of the female reproductive system and is responsible for providing female sexual satisfaction. Vaginal smooth muscle contraction plays a crucial role in various physiological processes, including sexual arousal, childbirth, and urinary continence. In pathophysiological conditions such as pelvic floor disorders, aberrations in vaginal smooth muscle function can lead to urinary incontinence and pelvic organ prolapse. A set of cellular and sub-cellular physiological mechanisms regulates the contractile properties of the vaginal smooth muscle cells. Calcium influx is a crucial determinant of smooth muscle contraction, facilitated through voltage-dependent calcium channels and calcium release from intracellular stores. Comprehensive reviews on smooth muscle biophysics are relatively scarce within the scientific literature, likely due to the complexity and specialized nature of the topic. The objective of this review is to provide a comprehensive description of alterations in the cellular physiology of vaginal smooth muscle contraction. The benefit associated with this particular approach is that conducting a comprehensive examination of the cellular mechanisms underlying contractile activation will enable the creation of more targeted therapeutic agents to control vaginal contraction disorders.

Background: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused several cardiovascular complications, including acute myocardial infarction(AMI) in infected patients. Our study aims to understand the overall trends of AMI among COVID-19 patients during the first two years of the pandemic and the disparities and outcomes between the first and second years. Methods: Our retrospective analysis via the 2020 and 2021 National Inpatient Sample(NIS) for hospitalizations between April 2020 and December 2021 analyzed adults with a primary diagnosis of COVID-19 who experienced events of AMI. We compared month-to-month events of AMI and mortality of AMI patients with COVID-19, patient characteristics, and outcomes between the 2020 and 2021 AMI samples. Results: There were 2,541,992 COVID-19 patients, with 3.55% experiencing AMI. The highest rate of AMI was in December 2021 (4.35%). No statistical differences in trends of AMI mortality were noted over the 21 months. AMI cases in 2021 had higher odds of undergoing PCI (aOR 1.627, p

The tailoring of the surface properties of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) to meet various requirements in environmental, food, and material areas has always been of great interest. In this study, the surface chemistry of CNCs was noncovalently modified by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), followed by characterizations and an application as a coating material for interfacial interaction investigation over various substrates. Due to the CTAB modification, the surface charge of the CNCs was neutralized, resulting in an increased size of each nanocrystal at the aqueous status and the aggregated microfibers when dried up. The CTAB modification not only decreased the crystallinity of the samples from 48.57% to 9.12% but also hydrophobized the CNCs and decreased their total surface energy. Finally, the adsorption behavior of the CNCs and CTAB-CNCs over nonionic, anionic, and cationic polymers was investigated by ellipsometry. Based on the thickness of the CNC and CTAB-CNC layers over 2-Hydroxyethyl cellulose (HEC), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and polyethyleneimine (PEI), we proposed that the adsorption behavior was overall influenced by electrostatic interaction, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals forces and the thickness of the adsorbed layers could be impacted by both the surface charge and the size of the crystals.

Visceral leishmaniasis is a disease caused by protozoa of the species Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum (syn=Leishmania chagasi) and Leishmania (Leishmania) donovani, which are transmitted by hematophagous in-sects of the genera Lutzomyia and Phlebotomus. The domestic dog (Canis familiaris) is considered the main ur-ban reservoir of the parasite due to the high parasite load on its skin, serving as a source of infection for sand-fly vectors and, consequently, perpetuating the disease in the urban environment. Some factors are consid-ered important in the perpetuation and spread of canine visceral leishmaniasis (CVL) in urban areas, such as stray dogs with their errant behavior and houses that have backyards with trees, shade, and organic materi-als, creating an attractive environment for sandfly vectors. CVL is found in approximately 50 countries with the number of infected dogs reaching millions and, due to the difficulty of controlling and diagnosing the disease, the number of infected animals could be even greater. In the four continents endemic for CVL there are reports of disease expansion in endemic countries such as Brazil, Italy, Morocco, and Tunisia, as well as in areas where CVL is not endemic, for example, Uruguay. Socio-environmental factors, such as migration, drought, deforestation, and global warming, have been pointed out as one of the reasons for expansion to ar-eas where it had been absent. Thus, the objective of this review is to address (i) the distribution of CVL in endemic areas (ii) the role of the dog in the visceral leishmaniasis epidemiology and the factors that influence dog infection and spread of the disease, and (iii) the challenges faced in the control of CVL.

Digitalization have force emerging markets (EMs) firms operating in resource-constrained environment to adopt market-driven strategies, particularly frugal innovation, to provide affordable, optimize processes and high-value solutions. However, understanding the mechanisms behind developing frugal innovation capability (FIC) at the firm level in diverse EMs remains limited. From the perspective of the Resource-based View, this study added to the existing body of knowledge by exploring how strategic orientation (entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and market orientation (MO)) and organizational ambidexterity (OA) impact the development of FIC in EMs. The study utilized a cross-sectional survey in data collection with 386 valid respondents from Tanzanian manufacturing firms to empirically validate our theoretical predictions. The results show that both EO and MO have strong and positive association with OA and the development of FIC in EMs. In addition, OA partially mediate the relationship of both EO and MO with the development of FIC. Furthermore, our results indicate that MO exerts a more significant impact on the development of FIC than EO in EMs. Managers of manufacturing firms in EMs can use these findings to review their strategic decisions and their exploitative and exploratory approaches to enhance supply chains, develop cost-effective technologies, and produce affordable offerings that cater to the preferences of price-conscious consumers in the digitalization age.

Background: Extra virgin olive oil is a fundamental component of the Mediterranean diet. It contains several molecules that sustain human well-being by modulating cellular metabolism and exerting antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-ageing effects to protect normal tissues and can exert anti-angiogenic, and pro-apoptotic effects on cancer cells. Metabolites found in different parts of the olive tree, including leaves, also possess properties that might help in cancer prevention and promote wellness in aging. Olive mill wastewater (OMWW), a liquid residue produced during olive oil extraction, represents an environmental issue. However, it is enriched in phytochemicals with potential beneficial properties. Dietary supplements based on OMWW can be produced for nutritional supplementation with advantages to the ecology. Purpose: This work aims to measure hematochemical, anthropometric and metabolomic parameters in volunteers assuming an OMWW dietary supplement, OliphenoliaⓇ (OMWW-OL). Methods: The supplementation of OMWW-OL 25 mL twice daily for 30 days was tested on a pilot cohort of volunteers with characteristics close to metabolic syndrome. Hematochemical, anthropometric, and metabolomic parameters were analyzed before the intervention, at 30 days and 30 days after stopping consumption. Results: 29 volunteers were enrolled and 23 completed the study. The participants’ parameters at baseline were measured, and then twice daily at 30 days of treatment and 30 days after assumption discontinuation. Although treatment was with an olive derivative, weight and body mass index instead of increasing slightly decreased, particularly in women. Also, hydration increased, especially in women, while blood pressure, glycemia and insulin decreased. Cholesterol, low-density and high-density lipoproteins and triglycerides were stable while vitamin D levels, alongside calcium, sensibly increased. Albumin also increased and parameters related to sarcopenia displayed promising, although not statistically significant, trends toward positive effects. All the values were in support of an equilibrium with no damaging effects. By mass spectrometry analysis, we also found favorable changes in the vitamin D/histamine and homocysteine/methionine ratios, an increase in a new metabolite of unknown formula, and vitamin D/unknown metabolite ratio. Conclusions: Supplementation of OMWW-OL has no detrimental effects and, although with limited potency of a pilot study, might imply the beneficial modulation of several biological parameters, being potentially valuable for people at risk of metabolic syndrome. Some of these parameters could also be relevant as anti-ageing and in cancer prevention.

Membrane gas absorption technology has been considered as a promising approach to mitigate CO2 emissions from power plants. The aim of this study is to evaluate the environmental impacts of CO2 absorption and desorption processes by hollow fiber membrane contactors using life cycle assessment methodology. On the basis of ReCipe 2016 Midpoint and ReCipe 2016 Endpoint methods, the research results show that, membrane gas absorption system exhibits the lowest environmental impacts across the majority assessed categories in comparison with chemical absorption and membrane gas separation systems. The CO2 capture process via membrane gas absorption has the most significant impact on METP category, with heat consumption as the primary contributing factor accounting for 55%, followed by electricity consumption accounting for 43.1%. According to the sensitivity analysis, heating by natural gas shows a better performance than other heat supply sources in improving overall environmental impacts. In addition, the increasing utilization of renewable energy in electricity supply reduces the global warming potential, fossil resource consumption and ozone formation.

This study investigates the anthropogenic activities, water quality, and ichthyofaunal diversity of the Navotas Riverine Ecosystem. It examines the anthropogenic influences, analyzes the physicochemical and microbiological properties of water, identifies fish species, evaluates the water quality index, and determines ichthyofaunal diversity using various indices. Water samples and fish collections were conducted from January to April 2024 at three sites. Key findings indicate that water quality parameters such as temperature (23.20-37.5°C), dissolved oxygen (6.22-7.84 mg/L), phosphate concentration (0.55-3.72 mg/L), and fecal coliform (350-160,000 MPN/100 mL) failed to meet DENR standards for Class C water. The TDS (1153.33-10700 ppm) and conductivity (17653.33-21333.33 µS/cm) were also elevated, indicating significant pollution. The study identified low ichthyofaunal diversity, with six native and one invasive fish species. A total of 269 fish were collected: 161 from Site 1, 46 from Site 2, and 62 from Site 3. The most abundant species was Scatophagus argus (19% occurrence), while the invasive Sarotherodon melanotheron ranked third (17% occurrence). Notably, pH (r = 0.753) correlated highly with nitrate concentration. S. melanotheron significantly correlated with pH (r = 0.602, p = 0.019) and nitrates (r = 0.555, p = 0.031). Lutjanus argentimaculatus also had significant correlations with pH (r = 0.527, p = 0.039) and nitrates (r = 0.651, p = 0.011). Conversely, S. argus had a negative moderate correlation with temperature (r = -0.529, p = 0.039) and conductivity (r = -0.536, p = 0.036). These correlations suggest that the water parameters significantly influence the diversity and abundance of fish in the river. The study concludes that the river's water quality is heavily influenced by anthropogenic activities which negatively affect ichthyofaunal diversity. Recommendations include continuous monitoring, gut and heavy metal analysis of fish, assessment of avifauna diversity, and strict implementation of conservation regulations.

Metaverse has become an emerging trend for both academia and industry, and it seems to concern the next generation of the Internet. Although it is still in its grassroots, metaverse is estimated to bring disruption to people’s lives. One of the effects concerns the generation of new value oppor-tunities that don't exist in real life. These new types of value as well as their impact on people's lives must be explored. In this respect, this paper utilizes literature evidence to define the value types of metaverse, which are circulated with experts from the focus group on metaverse of the Interna-tional Telecommunications Union. Results uncover economic, public, and social values that metaverse generates, which can ensure its financial viability and the community's social sustaina-bility. The economic value sources come from both the industrial and the commercial sectors, while the public values concern citizen empowerment and government efficiency. The social values of metaverse concern employment growth, and the provision of immersive experiences in enter-tainment and education environments. Finally, this paper critically reviews their role for envi-ronmental, economic, and social sustainability. The literature review indicated that metaverse can on the one hand, enhance sustainability but on the other hand, it can cause environmental impact.

Deep learning image reconstruction (DLIR) algorithms employs convolutional neural networks (CNNs) for CT image reconstruction to produce CT images with a very low noise level, even at low radiation dose. The aim of this study was to assess whether the DLIR algorithm reduces the CT effective dose (ED) and im-proves CT image quality in comparison with filtered back projection (FBP) and iterative reconstruction (IR) algorithms in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. We identified all consecutive patients referred to the ICU of a single hospital who underwent at least two consecutive chest and/or abdominal contrast-enhanced CT scans within a time period of 30 days using DLIR and subsequently FBP or IR algorithm (Advanced Mod-eled Iterative Reconstruction model-based algorithm [ADMIRE], or Adaptive Iterative Dose Reduction 3D [AIDR 3D]) for CT image reconstruction. The radiation ED, noise level, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were compared between the different CT scanners. The non-parametric Wilcoxon test was used for statistical comparison. Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05. A total of 83 patients (mean age, 59 ± 15 years [standard deviation]; 56 men) were included. DLIR vs FBP reduced ED (18.45 ± 13.16 mSv vs 22.06 ± 9.55 mSv, P < 0.05), while DLIR vs FBP and vs ADMIRE and AIDR 3D IR algorithms reduced image noise (8.45 ± 3.24 vs 14.85 ± 2.73 vs 14.77 ± 32.77 and 11.17 ± 32.77\, P < 0.05) and increased SNR (11.53 ± 9.28 vs 3.99 ± 1.23 vs 5.84 ± 2.74 and 3.58 ± 2.74, P < 0.05). CT scanners employing DLIR reduced radiation ED and im-proved SNR compared to CT scanners using FBP, whereas CT scanners using DLIR improved SNR com-pared to CT scanners using FBP or IR algorithms in ICU patients.

Fusing data from many sources helps to achieve higher results of analysis. In this work, we present a new algorithm to fuse data from multiple cameras with data from multiple lidars. This algorithm was developed to increase the sensitivity and specificity of autonomous vehicle perception systems, where the most accurate sensors measuring the vehicle’s surroundings are cameras and lidar devices. Perception systems based on data from one type of sensor do not use complete information and have lower quality. The camera provides two-dimensional images; lidar produces three-dimensional point clouds. We developed a method for matching pixels on a pair of stereoscopic images using dynamic programming inspired by an algorithm to match sequences of amino acids used in bioinformatics. We improve the quality of the basic algorithm using additional data from edge detectors. We also improve the algorithm performance by reducing the size of matched pixels determined by available car speeds. We perform point cloud densification in the final step of our method, fusing lidar output data with stereovision output. We implemented our algorithm in C++ with Python API, and we provided the open-source library named Stereo PCD. This library very efficiently fuses data from multiple cameras and multiple lidars. In the article, we present the results of our approach to benchmark databases in terms of quality and performance. We compare our algorithm with other popular methods.

Dry periods and drought are inherent natural occurrences. However, due to the increasing pressures of global warming and climate change, these events become more frequent and severe on a global scale. These phenomena can be traced with various indicators and related indices proposed by various scholars. In general, drought risk assessment is done by modelling these indicators and determining the drought occurrence probabilities. The proposed adaptation introduces the "Kaplan-Meier Estimator," a non-parametric statistic traditionally used in medical contexts to estimate survival functions from lifetime data. The study aims to repurpose this methodology to assess drought risk by treating past droughts as "events" and evaluating the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) and map these results for a better understanding of the drought risks within larger spatial scales such as a river basin. The adapted method provides the probability of non-occurrence, with inverted results indicating the likelihood of drought occurrence. As a case study, the method is applied to SPI and SPEI values at different time steps (3, 6, and 12 months) across 27 meteorological stations in the Gediz River Basin, located in Western Turkey—a region anticipated to be profoundly affected by global climate change. The results are represented as the generated drought risk maps and curves, which indicate that (i) drought risks increase as the considered period extends, (ii) drought risks decrease as the utilized indicator timescales increase, (iii) locally plotted drought curves indicate higher drought risks as their initial slope get steeper. The method used enables the generation of historical evidence based spatially distributed drought risk maps which expose more vulnerable areas within the river basin.

We present a first formal analysis of specific and complete local integration. Complete local integration was previously proposed as a criterion for detecting entities or wholes in distributed dynamical systems. Such entities in turn were conceived to form the basis of a theory of emergence of agents within dynamical systems. Here, we give a more thorough account of the underlying formal measures. The main contribution is the disintegration theorem which reveals a special role of completely locally integrated patterns (what we call ι-entities) within the trajectories they occur in. Apart from proving this theorem we introduce the disintegration hierarchy and its refinement-free version as a way to structure the patterns in a trajectory. Furthermore we construct the least upper bound and provide a candidate for the greatest lower bound of specific local integration. Finally, we calculate the i-entities in small example systems as a first sanity check and find that ι-entities largely fulfil simple expectations.

RNA extraction from human cumulus cells (CCs) is considered challenging due to low cell’s pop-ulation and small cell. The successful gene expression analysis from cumulus cells ultimately de-pends on an excellent concentration of Ribonucleic acid (RNA) yield by an appropriate technique. Our study aims to consolidate appropriate cumulus cell collection method, preparation and ex-traction techniques to ensure a good yield of RNA for better gene expression analysis. From the results obtained, the optimal strategy found involved mechanical denudation without an enzy-matic process, followed by the use of RNA stabilizer prior to RNA extraction. Subsequently, uti-lizing a smaller homogenizer, preferably manual pressure control with filter (Bio-Masher III®) is paramount for a pure and homogenize sample. Subsequently, during RNA extraction, the use of RNeasy micro kit and RNA carriers is recommended. These sample collection, preparation, and extraction techniques yielded an excellent-quality RNA concentration and successful gene expres-sion analysis. We also conducted a systematic review to consolidate our findings with current evidence of RNA extraction technique. Our results added a value as a current strategy for opti-mizing RNA extraction in CCs for experimental studies. Thus, our findings can contribute to for-mulating a better strategy for optimizing the RNA extraction in CCs for transcriptomic studies.