Background: The purpuse was to investigate the influence induced by magnesium chloride (MgCl2) and zinc gluconate (ZnG) supplementation on liver and kidney injuries experimentally-induced with acetaminophen (AAPh) and potentiated by ciprofloxacin addition in rats. Material and methods: The experiment was performed on 5 animals groups: group 1 – control, treated for 6 weeks with normal saline, 1mL/kg; group 2 – AAPh, treated for 6 weeks with AAPh, 100 mg/ kg/day; group 3 – AAPh+C, treated AAPh 100 mg/kg/ day for 6 weeks and ciprofloxacin, 50mg /kg/day, only in the last 14 days of the experiment; group 4 – AAPh+C+Mg, with the same treatment as group 3, but, and in the last 14 days, MgCl2 10 mg/ kg/day was added; group 5 – AAPh+C+Zn, with the same treatment as group 3, but, and in the last 14 days, zinc gluconate (ZnG),10 mg/kg/day was added. All administrations were performed by oral gavage. At the end of the experiment, the animals were sacrificed and blood samples were collected for biochemistry examinations. Results: Treatment with AAPh for 6 weeks determined an alteration of the liver function (increases in alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, lactic dehydrogenase and, and gamma-glutamyl transferase) and of renal function (increases in serum urea and creatinine) (P < 0.001 group 2 vs. group 1 for all mentioned parameters). Also, the antioxidant defense capacity was impaired in group 2 vs. group 1 (superoxide dismutase and glutathione peroxidase activity decreased in group 2 vs. group 1, 0.001 < P < 0.01, respectively 0.01 < P < 0.05). The addition of ciprofloxacin, 50 mg/kg/day during the last 14 days resulted in further increases in alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, urea and creatinine (0.01 < P < 0.05, group 3 vs. group 2). MgCl2 provided a slight protection against liver enzymes increase and a more pronounced protection against the increase in serum urea and creatinine (0.001 < P < 0.01 group 4 vs. group 3). MgCl2 provided a slight protection against the decrease in superoxide dismutase (0.01 < P < 0.05 group 4 vs. group 3), but not against decrease of glutathione peroxidase. The improvement of mentioned parameters could also be seen in case of ZnG, to a higher extent especially in the case of alanine aminotransferase and lactic dehydrogenase (0.01 < P < 0.05 group 5 vs. group 4). Conclusions: This study represents a furthermore proof for beneficial effect of magnesium and zinc salts against toxicity induced by different agents, including antibacterials added to the analgesic and antipyretic acetaminophen; the protection is proven on the liver and kidney’s function; the antioxidant profile improvement has a key role, especially in case of zinc gluconate.

This study aimed to compare three different extracts of Saco sweet cherry, namely non-coloured fraction, coloured fraction and total extract concerning phenolic composition, antioxidant and antidiabetic potential, erythrocytes’ protection and effects on Caco-2 cells. A total of 22 phenolic compounds were identified by LC-DAD. Hydroxycinnamic acids were the most predominant in both non-coloured fraction and total extract, while cyanidin-3-O-rutinoside was the main anthocyanin found in the coloured fraction. The total extract was the most effective against DPPH, nitric oxide and superoxide radicals, and in the inhibition of α-glucosidase enzyme. Finally, the protective effect of the extracts to prevent oxidative damage in human erythrocytes was assessed. The coloured fraction revealed the best activity against hemoglobin oxidation and hemolysis. Regarding to Caco-2 cells, the coloured extract exhibited the most cytotoxic effects, while the total extract was the most efficient in protecting these cells against oxidative damage induced by t-BHP.

Land degradation and climate change are among the main threats to the sustainability of ecosystems worldwide. Therefore, the restoration of degraded landscapes is essential to maintain the functionality of ecosystems, especially those with greater social, economic and environmental vulnerability. Nevertheless, policy-makers are frequently challenged by deciding on where to prioritize restoration actions, which usually includes to deal with multiple and complex needs under an always short budget. If these decisions are not taken based on proper data and processes, restoration implementation can easily fail. To help decision-makers taking informed decisions on where to implement restoration activities, we have developed a semiautomatic geospatial platform to prioritize areas for restoration activities based on ecological, social and economic variables. This platform takes advantage of the potential to integrate R coding, Google Earth Engine cloud computing and GIS visualization services to generate an interactive geospatial decision-maker tool for restoration. Here, we present a prototype version called "RePlant alpha" which was tested with data from the Central Zone of Chile. This exercise proved that integrating R and GEE was feasible, and that the analysis, with at least six indicators and for a specific region was also feasible to implement even from a personal computer. Therefore, the use of a virtual machine in the cloud with a large number of indicators over large areas is both possible and practical.

Schizophrenia is widely seen as a disorder of dysconnectivity. Neuroimaging studies have examined both structural and functional connectivity in the disorder, but these modalities have rarely been integrated directly. We scanned 29 patients with schizophrenia and 25 healthy control subjects and acquired resting state fMRI and diffusion tensor imaging. The Functional and Tractographic Connectivity Analysis Toolbox (FATCAT) was used to estimate functional and structural connectivity of the default mode network. Correlations between modalities were investigated, and multimodal connectivity scores (MCS) were created using principal components analysis. Nine of 28 possible region pairs showed consistent (>80%) tracts across participants. Correlations between modalities were found among those with schizophrenia for the prefrontal cortex, posterior cingulate, and lateral temporal lobes with frontal and parietal regions, consistent with frontotemporoparietal network involvement in the disorder. In patients, MCS values correlated with several aspects of the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale, positively with those involving inwardly directed psychopathology, and negatively with those involving external psychopathology. In this preliminary sample, we found FATCAT to be a useful toolbox to directly integrate and examine connectivity between imaging modalities. A consideration of conjoint structural and functional connectivity can provide important information about the network mechanisms of schizophrenia.

Understanding behavioral factors associated with obesity is of importance in addressing this issue. This study examined the association between cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, emotional eating and body mass index (BMI) and amount of food plated, consumed, leftovers, and leftover food thrown into the trash (food wasted) in early adolescent girls nine to 13 years in O’ahu, Hawai’i (n = 93). Food plated, consumed, leftovers, and food wasted were estimated using a three-day mobile food record (mFR). Weight and height were measured to compute BMI (kg/m2). The three-factor eating questionnaire provided a score from 0 to 100 for cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating. Higher scores are indicative of greater cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, and emotional eating. Pearson’s correlation and general linear models were computed to examine the relationship between three factor eating scores, BMI, and food plated, consumed, leftovers, and food wasted. There was no clinically significant association between cognitive restraint and amount of food wasted. Cognitive restraint was positively correlated with BMI (r=0.36, p<0.001) and with BMI z score (r=0.40, p<0.001). Uncontrolled eating and emotional eating were positively correlated with amount of leftover food at dinner (r=0.30, p=0.006; r=0.33, p=0.003, respectively). Emotional eating was positively associated with percentage of leftover food at dinner (r=0.24, p=0.30). Additional research should examine the specific roles of cognitive restraint, uncontrolled eating, emotional eating and food waste in the development of obesity in adolescents.

After a local pollution control plant significantly reduced phosphorus loading into a phytoplankton-dominated tributary of the Potomac River in the early 1980’s, water quality and biological communities were monitored bi-weekly from April-September. After a 10-year time-lag, submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV), once abundant in this freshwater tidal embayment, returned to the area in 1993. After additional reductions in nitrogen load starting in 2000, the system completely switched to a SAV-dominated state in 2005. Fish abundance didn’t change during these distinct phase changes, but the fish community structure did. Increases in SAV provided refuge and additional spawning substrate for species with adhesive eggs such as Banded Killifish (Fundulus diaphanus), which is now the most abundant species in the embayment. Other changes seen were a decrease in the relative contribution of open water dwelling species such as White Perch (Morone americana), and an increase of visual predators such as Largemouth Bass (Micropterus salmoides). The 30-year record of data from this Potomac River tributary has revealed many important long-term trends that validate the effectiveness of initiatives to improve water treatment, and will aid in the continued management of the watershed and point source inputs.

Here, we present a staged approach for an innovative repurposing of a portable infant humidicrib into a live cell growth, observation, and imaging system. Furthmore, humidicrib can support different variations of “umbilical” bioreactors, and can be used to conduct electrophysiology experiments and in situ immunohistochemistry. Modifications incorporate a closed loop carbon dioxide (CO₂) concentration control system with umbilical CO₂ and heating support for tailored bioreactors. The repurposing cost is inexpensive and allows for the continued observation and imaging of cells. This prototype unit has been used to continuously observe and image live primary neurons for up to 21 days. This demonstrates the repurposed units’ suitability for use in tissue culture based research, particularly where modifications to microscopes are required or where sensitive manipulation outside of a standard incubator is needed.

Background: As the opioid epidemic continues, understanding the geospatial, temporal and demand patterns is important for policymakers to assign resources and interdict individual, organization, and country-level bad actors. Methods: GIS geospatial-temporal analysis and extreme-gradient boosted random forests evaluate ICD-10 F11 opioid-related admissions and admission rates using geospatial analysis, demand analysis, and explanatory models, respectively. The period of analysis was January 2016 through September 2018. Results: The analysis shows existing high opioid admissions in Chicago and New Jersey with emerging areas in Atlanta, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, and Las Vegas. High rates of admission (claims per 10,000 population) exist in the Appalachian area and on the Northeastern seaboard. Explanatory models suggest that hospital overall workload and financial variables might be used for allocating opioid-related treatment funds effectively. Gradient-boosted random forest models accounted for 87.8% of the variability of claims on blinded 20% test data. Conclusions: Based on the GIS analysis, opioid admissions appear to have spread geographically, while higher frequency rates are still found in some regions. Interdiction efforts require demand-analysis such as that provided in this study to allocate scarce resources for supply-side and demand-side interdiction: prevention, treatment, and enforcement. Based on GIS analysis, the opioid epidemic is likely to spread or diffuse through the country, and interdiction efforts require demand-analysis such as that provided in this study to allocate scarce resources for supply-side and demand-side interdiction: prevention, treatment, and enforcement.

Standard of care for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) involves the use of microtubule poisons like paclitaxel, which are proposed to work by inducing lethal levels of aneuploidy in tumor cells. While these drugs are initially effective in treating cancer, dose-limiting peripheral neuropathies are common. Unfortunately, patients often relapse with drug resistant tumors. Identifying agents against targets that limit aneuploidy may be a valuable approach for therapeutic development. One potential target is the microtubule depolymerizing kinesin, MCAK, which limits aneuploidy by regulating microtubule dynamics during mitosis. Using publicly available datasets, we found that MCAK is upregulated in triple negative breast cancer and is associated with poorer prognoses. Knockdown of MCAK in tumor-derived cell lines caused a two- to five-fold reduction in the IC50 for paclitaxel, without affecting normal cells. Using FRET and image-based assays, we screened compounds from the ChemBridge 50k library and discovered three putative MCAK inhibitors. These compounds reproduced the aneuploidy-inducing phenotype of MCAK loss, reduced clonogenic survival of TNBC cells regardless of taxane-resistance, and the most potent of the three, C4, sensitized TNBC cells to paclitaxel. Collectively, our work shows promise that MCAK may serve as both a biomarker of prognosis and as a therapeutic target.

Buerger's disease or Thromboangiitis Obliterans (TAO) is a nonatherosclerotic segmental vascular disease which affects small and medium arteries and veins in the upper and lower extremities. Based on pathological findings, TAO can be considered as a distinct form of vasculitis that is most prevalent in young male smokers. There is no definitive cure for this disease as therapeutic modalities are limited in number and efficacy. Surgical bypass has limited utility and 24% of patients will ultimately require amputation. Recently, studies have shown that therapeutic angiogenesis and immunomodulatory approaches through the delivery of cells to target tissues are potential options for ischemic lesion treatment. In this review, we summarize the current knowledge of TAO treatment and provide an overview of stem cell-based treatment modalities.

This article explores the cutting-edge advancement of gypsum and cement building boards infused with shape-stabilized n-octadecane, an organic phase change material (PCM). The primary focus is on improving energy efficiency and providing electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capabilities for contemporary buildings. The research investigates the integration of these materials into construction materials, using red-mud Carbon Foam as a stabilizer for n-octadecane (OD@CCF). Various analyses, including microstructural examination, porosity assessment, and additive dispersion, were conducted using X-ray microtomography and density measurements. Thermal conductivity measurements demonstrated the enhancement of composite boards as the OD@CCF content increased, while mechanical tests indicated an optimal additive content of up to 20%. The thermal-regulated capabilities of these advanced panels were evaluated in a custom-designed room model equipped with a homemade environmental chamber, illustrating a consistent temperature environment during heating and cooling cycles. The incorporation of OD@CCF into cement boards exhibited improved thermal energy storage properties. Moreover, the examined composite boards displayed efficient electromagnetic shielding performance within the frequency range of 3.2–7.0 GHz, achieving EMI values of approximately 18 and 19.5 dB for gypsum and cement boards, respectively, meeting the entry-level value required for commercial applications.

The aim of this study was to determine the extent to which the Tyme Wear smart shirt is as reliable and valid in detecting personalized ventilatory thresholds when compared to the Parvo Medics TrueOne 2400. In this validation study, 19 subjects were recruited to conduct two graded exercise test (GXT) trials. Each GXT trial was separated by seven to ten days of rest. During the GXT, gas exchange and heart rate data were collected by the TrueOne 2400 (TRUE) in addition to the ventilation data collected by the Tyme Wear smart shirt (S-PRED). Gas exchange data from TRUE was used to detect VT1 and VT2. TRUE and S-PRED VT1 and VT2 were compared to determine the reliability and validity of the smart shirt. Of the 19 subjects, data from 15 subjects were used during analysis. S-PRED exhibited excellent (ICC &gt; 0.90) reliability for detection of VT1 and VT2 utilizing time point and workload and moderate (0.90 &gt; ICC &gt; 0.75 ) reliability utilizing heart rate. TRUE exhibited excellent reliability for detection of VT1 and VT2 utilizing time point, workload, and heart rate. When compared to TRUE, S-PRED appears to underestimate the VT1 workload (p &gt; 0.05) across both trials and heart rate (p &lt; 0.05) for trial 1. However, S-PRED appears to underestimate VT2 workload (p &lt; 0.05) and heart rate (p &lt; 0.05) across both trials. The result from this study suggests that the Tyme Wear smart shirt is less valid but is comparable in reliability when compared to the gold standard. Moreover, despite the underestimation of S-PRED VT1 and VT2, the S-PRED detected personalized ventilatory thresholds will provide an adequate training workload for most individuals. In conclusion, the Tyme Wear smart shirt provides easily accessible testing to establish threshold-guided training zones but does not devalue the long-standing laboratory equivalent.

Background: While it is established that intravenous catheter placement duration is strongly linked to the risk of catheter colonization and bloodstream infections, there are still substantial knowledge gaps concerning the varying durations of PICC placement that lead to either infection or colonization by common pathogens, particularly MDR pathogens. The present study aims to compare the dwell time required for MDR pathogens to colonize with the time required to cause Central Line-Associated Bloodstream Infections (CLABSIs) in critically ill patients with PICCs and compares it with non-MDR pathogens, shedding light on the significance of preventive procedures to control MDR infections in clinical settings. Methods: Data from critically ill patients with PICCs admitted consecutively to «Metropolitan» Hospital in Athens, Greece, from May 2017 to May 2020 were retrospectively analysed. Results: In this study, 86 hospitalized patients, consisting of 56 (65.1%) males and 30 (34.9%) females, with a mean age of 55.67±21.1 years (range 16-91 years), presented with both CLABSIs and colonization following PICC placements. Specifically, 42 (48.8%) of them presented with CLABSIs, while 44 (51.2%) presented with colonization. Among the total participants, an MDR pathogen was isolated from 26 (30.2%) PICCs, while other pathogens were isolated from 60 (69.8%). The mean duration of catheter dwell time for all participants was 20.94±14.22 days (range 3-72 days). When analysed separately for each group, the dwell time for PICCs with CLABSIs was 25.73±16.19 days and 16.36±10.28 days for those with colonization (T test, p=0.002). Additionally, the mean dwell time for PICCs infected by non-MDROs was 22.48±15.64 days whereas for PICCs with MDROs, it was 17.38±9.5 days (T test, p=0.005). In PICCs with CLABSIs, the mean indwelling time for MDR pathogens was 21.50±12.31 days, while for non-MDROs, it was 27.73±16.98 days (T test, p=0.417). In PICCs with colonization, the mean dwell time for MDR pathogens was 15.55±7.73 days, while for non-MDROs, it was 16.92±11.85 days (T test, p=0.124). Among PICCs with MDR pathogens (n=26), the mean duration in CLABSIs events (n=18) was 21.5±12.31 days and in colonization events 15.55±7.73 days, (n=8) (T test, p=0.146). Conclusions: The present study reveals that colonization of PICCs exhibited a shorter dwell time compared to those with CLABSIs. Moreover, PICCs infected by MDROs had a shorter mean dwell time than those with non-MDROs. These findings underscore the importance of considering infection status and microbial resistance patterns when evaluating PICC dwell times.

The beating heart is subject to intrinsic mechanical factors, exerted by contraction of the myocardium (stretch and strain) and fluid forces of the enclosed blood (wall shear stress). The earliest contractions of the heart occur already in the 10-somite stage in the tubular as yet unsegmented heart. With development the looping heart becomes asymmetric providing varying diameters and curvatures resulting in unequal flow profiles. These flow profiles exert various wall shear stresses and as a consequence different expression patterns of shear responsive genes. In this paper we investigate the morphological changes of the heart after changes the blood flow by ligation of the right vitelline vein in a model chicken embryo and analyze the extended expression in the endocardial cushions of the shear responsive gene Tgfbeta receptor III. A major phenomenon is the diminished endocardial-mesenchymal transition resulting in hypoplastic (even absence of) atrioventricular and outflow tract endocardial cushions, that might be lethal in early phases. The surviving embryos exhibit several cardiac malformations including ventricular septal defects and malformed semilunar valves related to a malposition of the aortopulmonary septum and the enclosed neural crest cells. We discuss the results in the light of the interactions between several shear stress responsive signaling pathways including Vegf, Notch, Pdgf, Klf2, eNos, Endothelin and Tgfβ/Bmp/Smad.

Functional articular cartilage regeneration remains an unmet medical challenge, increasing the interest for innovative biomaterial-based tissue engineering (TE) strategies. Hydrogels, 3D macromolecular networks with hydrophilic groups, present articular cartilage-like features such as high water content and load-bearing capacity. In this study, 3D porous polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels were fabricated combining the gas foaming technique and an UV-based crosslinking strategy. The 3D porous PEGDA hydrogels were characterized in terms of their physical, structural and mechanical properties. Our results showed that the size of the hydrogels pores can be modulated by varying the initiator concentration. In vitro cytotoxicity tests showed that 3D porous PEGDA hydrogels presented high biocompatibility both with human chondrocytes and osteoblast-like cells. Importantly, the 3D porous PEGDA hydrogels supported the viability and chondrogenic differentiation of human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem/stromal cells (hBM-MSCs)-based spheroids as demonstrated by the positive staining of typical cartilage extracellular matrix (ECM) (glycosaminoglycans (GAGs)) and upregulation of chondrogenesis marker genes. Overall, the produced 3D porous PEGDA hydrogels presented cartilage-like mechanical properties and supported MSC-spheroid chondrogenesis, highlighting their potential as suitable scaffolds for cartilage TE or disease modelling strategies.

Existence of hybrid electric vehicles nowadays is one of the emerging technologies worldwide. Different countries are using this technology on their transportation, and nowadays, a lot of other countries are gradually adapting on using this kind of innovation in their transport system. Philippines is among these countries which aims to have a sustainable mobility by embracing the use of hybrid - electric vehicles but still lots of consumers are lacking awareness on this technology. Lack of information on the social, environmental, and economic potential benefits are among the main issues of Philippines consumers that really affect its uptake. The goal of this study was to evaluate the consumer’s perception and purchase intention on the transition of hybrid - electric vehicles for sustainable mobility and transportation here in the Philippines. It aimed to assess consumer awareness with hybrid - electric vehicles and its potential benefits to human beings in terms of social, environmental, and economic aspects. The study also gauged the impact of this perception on consumer’s purchase intention on hybrid - electric vehicles. These objectives were attained using the Descriptive Statistics and Correlation Analysis. Using these methods, the results revealed that majority of the consumers believed on the positive benefits of transitioning to hybrid - electric vehicles in terms of social, environmental, and economic aspects. This study also showed that these benefits have high impact on the consumer’s intention of buying or having a hybrid – electric vehicle. Electric vehicle is one of the most effective measure of decarbonizing the transport system. Furthermore, government and automotive businesses must strengthen their drive in spreading awareness of hybrid – electric vehicle’s benefits to consumers to further support country’s effort for development.

Background: Visceral leishmaniasis affects approximately 12 million people worldwide. Current existing drugs cause several side effects and resistance, the identification of new therapeutic targets for the development of new drugs is necessary. The vesicular trafficking in the parasite flagellar pocket is essential for parasite survival and proliferation, but little is known about the proteins involved in the endocytic/secretory pathways. In this work, we are describing the characterization of a transporter cargo protein SFT-2/Got-1 like in Leishmania infantum. Material and Methods: Using bioinformatics tools, the putative Got-1 protein A4HSK3 was characterized structurally and phylogenetically. Molecular biology was used to clone and express the protein and confocal fluorescence to determine its subcellular localization. Results: The Got-1 like protein presents four alpha helix TM conserved domains (aa38-aa147) characteristics of the Got-1/SFT-2 family proteins and an important Pen-2 conserved motif LGDYXXF located in the extracellular loop. Confocal microscopy suggests that Got-1/SFT-2 like is localized in the flagellar pocket, and is partially co-localized with the L. infantum presenilin-like protein. Phylogenetically, the Leishmania sp Got-1 like is contained in a subgroup of proteins clearly detached from the other Trypanosomatidae, such as T. cruzi and T. brucei. Conclusions: Our data show the presence of an important transported proteins, and its colocalization with the presenilin aspartyl protease in the flagellar pocket of the L. infantum open new perspectives to identify novel targets, which can be an alternative therapeutic strategy against leishmaniasis.

Additive manufacturing (AM) of high strength Al alloys promises to enhance the performance of critical components related to various aerospace and automotive applications. The key advantage of AM is its ability to generate lightweight, robust, and complex shapes. However, the characteristics of the as-built parts may represent an obstacle to satisfy the part quality requirements. The current study investigates the influence of selective laser melting (SLM) process parameters on the quality of parts fabricated from different Al alloys. A design of experiment (DOE) is used to analyze relative density, porosity, surface roughness, and dimensional accuracy according to the interaction effect between the SLM process parameters. The results show a range of energy densities and SLM process parameters for the AlSi10Mg and Al6061 alloys needed to achieve “optimum” values for each performance characteristic. A process map is developed for each material by combining the optimized range of SLM process parameters for each characteristic to ensure good quality of the as-built parts. The second part of this study investigates the effect of SLM process parameters on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the same Al alloys. This comprehensive study is also aimed at reducing the amount of post-processing needed.

Human milk reduces risk for necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm infants. Necrotizing enterocolitis occurs in the ileocecal region where thousands of milk protein-derived peptides have been released from digestion. Digestion-released peptides may exert bioactivity, such antimicrobial and immunomodulatory activities, in the gut. In this study, we applied mass spectrometry-based peptidomics to characterize peptides present in colostrum before and after in vitro digestion. Sequence-based computational modeling was applied to predict peptides with antimicrobial activity. We identified more peptides in undigested samples, yet the abundances were much higher in the digested samples. Heatmapping demonstrated highly different peptide profiles between undigested and digested samples. Four peptides (αS1-casein [157–163], αS1-casein [157–165], β-casein [153–159] and plasminogen [591–597]) were selected, synthesized and tested against common pathogenic bacteria associated with necrotizing enterocolitis. All four exhibited bacteriostatic, though not bactericidal, activities against Klebsiella aerogenes, Citrobacter freundii and Serratia marcescens, but not Escherichia coli.

The rehabilitation of abandoned mining sites is an increasingly pressing issue in the context of sustainable development. Recent research has emphasized the need for a holistic approach to the abandoned mining sites and their environmental rehabilitation. Based on field analysis, environmental assessments, satellite imagery processing and geographic information operations, this paper pushes forward the existing knowledge by doing a comprehensive assessment of abandoned mining sites in the Romanian Carpathians and by proposing innovative and sustainable rehabilitation solutions. Our findings highlight that abandoned mining sites and their surrounding territories in the Romanian mountains have significant ecological imbalances and complex socio-economic issues. The findings also suggest that by adopting innovative, integrated, and sustainability-oriented approaches, territories affected by mining can be transformed into valuable and sustainable spaces to meet human needs. We conclude by presenting the importance of innovation in ecological reconstruction and spatial-functional reintegration of mining sites in mountain areas as a useful tool in making fair decisions, both in the context of implementing appropriate development policies as well as for resilience and environmental sustainability of mining-affected mountain areas.

Paleoclimatic and paleoceanographic studies routinely rely on the usage of foraminiferal calcite through faunal, morphometric and physico-chemical proxies. The application of such proxies presupposes the extraction and cleaning of these biomineralized components from ocean sediments in the most efficient way, a process which is often labor intensive and time consuming. In this respect, in this study we performed a systematic experiment for planktonic foraminiferal specimen cleaning using different chemical treatments and evaluated the resulting data of a Late Quaternary gravity core sample from the Aegean Sea. All cleaning procedures adopted here were made on the basis of their minimum potential bias upon foraminiferal proxies, such as the faunal assemblages, degree of fragmentation, stable isotope composition (δ18O and δ13C) and/or Mg/Ca ratios that are frequently used as proxies for surface-ocean climate parameters (e.g., sea surface temperature, sea surface salinity). Six different protocols were tested, involving washing, sieving, and chemical treatment of the samples with hydrogen peroxide and/or sodium hexametaphosphate (Calgon ®). Single species foraminifera shell weighing was combined with high-resolution Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and synchrotron X-ray Microtomography (SμCT) of the material processed by each of the cleaning protocols, in order to assess the decontamination degree of specimen’s ultrastructure and interior. It appeared that a good compromise between time and cleaning efficiency is the simultaneous treatment of samples with a mixed hydrogen peroxide and Calgon solution, while the most effective way for an almost complete decontaminate of the calcareous components from undesirable sedimentary material is a two-step treatment - initially with hydrogen peroxide and subsequently with Calgon solutions.

Over the coming decades, global freshwater withdrawals are expected to grow, especially in low and middle-income countries. Unless there are significant improvements in the efficiency of water use by economies, freshwater stress, crises and scarcity will worsen. This paper explores further the economic relationship between water use efficiency and scarcity. Because growing scarcity of freshwater in many regions and countries is not adequately reflected in markets, there is often insufficient incentives for investment and innovation to improve the efficiency of water use. To explore further changes in water use efficiency across countries, we conduct a panel analysis of water productivity changes for 130 countries over 1995 to 2020. Countries with lower initial levels of water use efficiency tended to have higher water productivity growth, whereas more agriculturally dependent economies displayed lower improvements in water use efficiency. Better institutional quality and capacity for innovation may also increase water use efficiency. We discuss the implications of these results for improving water use productivity in economies, and in particular, the opportunities and challenges for improving water markets and trades to alleviate water scarcity. We conclude by identifying further areas of research.

Traceability is the ability to determine the path of a product from purchase to consumption to determine when and where it originated. This paper aimed to determine the factors that influence fishers’ decision-making to participate in tuna traceability program, it also explores the determinants of fish catch for small-scale fishers and the feasibility of implementing tuna traceability in the Davao Gulf, Philippines. The result of the interview showed that the significant factors that highly affected the decision-making of fishers in implementating tuna traceability program: boat capacity, fishing hours and communication of fishers (P≤0.05). Household size, years in community, fishing hours, volume of fish sold, and the fishers' communication in the fishing ground (P≤0.05) were other factors that determined the daily catch of the fishers. The results of this study showed that fishers from the Davao Gulf were willing to be part of traceability program that would sustain and increase the value of their fish catch. Moreover, communication was shown to be critically needed in such programs adjusting it for the fish catch to remain fresh or of good quality. Our study will help in deterring and mitigating illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing (IUU) through fish catch traceability.

MicroRNA-155 (miR-155) expression promotes inflammatory responses in macrophages. Activation of macrophages with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) elevates miR-155, while the anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-10 (IL10) reduces miR-155 levels. MiR-155 exists in two forms, miR-155-5p and miR-155-3p, produced from the precursor of miR-155 (pre-miR-155). MiR-155-5p is the most abundant strand in activated macrophages, but in response to LPS, the miR-155-3p level is upregulated first, followed by miR-155-5p later. We have previously identified CELF2 protein which interacts with pre-miR-155 and impairs miR-155-5p expression. We now show that CELF2 only regulates the miR-155-5p expression and that another protein FUBP1 controls miR-155-3p levels in response to LPS and IL10.

The radiosensitivity of biological systems is strongly affected by the system oxygenation. On the nanoscopic scale and molecular level, this effect is considered to be strongly related to the indirect damage of radiation. Even though particle track radiolysis has been the object of several studies, still little is known about the nanoscopic impact of target oxygenation on the radical yields. We present here an extension of the chemical module of the Monte Carlo particle track structure code TRAX, taking into account the presence of dissolved molecular oxygen in the target material. The impact of the target oxygenation level on the chemical track evolution and the yields of all the relevant chemical species is studied in water under different irradiation conditions: different linear energy transfer (LET) values, different oxygenation levels, and different particle types. Especially for low LET radiation, a large production of two highly toxic species (HO₂^• and O₂^•− ), which are not produced in anoxic conditions, is predicted and quantified in oxygenated solutions. The remarkable correlation between the HO₂^• and O₂^•− production yield and the oxygen enhancement ratio observed in biological systems suggests a direct or indirect involvement of HO₂^• and O₂^•− in the oxygen sensitization effect. The results are in agreement with available experimental data and previous computational approaches. An analysis of the oxygen depletion rate in different radiation conditions is also reported.

The effect of graphene oxide (GO) on mechanical strengths and durability of cement composites has been studied by preparing GO-modified cement mortars. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and nuclear magnetic resonance (29Si MAS-NMR) were performed on the cement paste to research the influence of GO on the hydration process and chain structure of calcium-silicate-hydrate (C-S-H) gels. In addition, mechanical strength test, such as compressive and flexural, were performed on cement mortars. The addition of GO at 0.05 wt.% (by weight of cement) increased the compressive strength by 9.02% after 28 days. Furthermore, the flexural strength of cement mortars with 0.05 wt.% GO and superplasticizer (SP) after 7 and 28 days increased by 12.26% and 21.86%, respectively, compared with reference mortar. At the same time, the effect of GO proved to be more significant and effective in the durability tests, suggesting that GO can enhance the microstructure through hydration products to create a highly cross-linked micro structure.

Concrete production requires a significant amount of natural resources, with aggregates comprising between 55% and 80% of the total volume. However, over-exploitation of natural aggregates has led to the exploration of alternative materials for use in concrete production. In this study, crushed hazelnut shells were investigated as a partial replacement for fine aggregate, addressing the problem of natural resource depletion and offering a second use for this important agricultural waste product available in Chile. Hazelnut shells were incorporated in percentages of 2.5%, 5%, and 10% by weight of sand for water-cement ratios of 0.4 and 0.5. The compressive strengths at 7 and 28 days and bending tensile strengths at 28 days were determined, alongside physical properties such as workability, temperature, air content, fresh density, and hardened density of the concrete. Our findings show that replacing 2.5% of the fine aggregate with hazelnut shells led to higher compressive strength at 28 days, exceeding the strength of the standard specimens by 9.5%, whereas replacing 5% of the fine aggregate led to the highest bending tensile strength, exceeding the resistance of the standard specimens by 3.5%. Moreover, the 0.4 w/c ratio consistently led to better results for both compressive and bending tensile resistances, with fewer and lower reductions in mechanical resistances compared to the standard mixture. Our results suggest that concrete mixes with hazelnut shells as a replacement for fine aggregate at a percentage of up to 2.5% can be used in constructive systems with compression strengths lower than 17 MPa, and mixtures with up to 10% hazelnut shell replacement can be used in structures with tensile bending stress requirements lower than 6 MPa. Overall, the use of hazelnut shells as a partial replacement for fine aggregate in concrete production presents an environmentally-friendly and cost-effective solution for the construction industry.

Pharmacogenetics and DNA methylation influence therapeutic outcomes and provide insights into potential therapeutic targets for brain-related disorders. To understand the effect of genetic polymorphisms on drug response and disease risk, we analyzed the relationship between global DNA methylation, drug-metabolizing enzymes, transport genes, and pathogenic gene phenotypes in serum samples from two groups of patients: Group A, which showed increased 5-methylcytosine (5mC) levels during clinical follow-up, and Group B, which exhibited no discernible change in 5mC levels. We identified specific SNPs in several metabolizing genes, including CYP1A2, CYP2C9, CYP4F2, GSTP1, and NAT2 that were associated with differential drug responses. Specific SNPs in CYP had a significant impact on enzyme activity, leading to changes in phenotypic distribution between the two patient groups. Group B, which contained a lower frequency of normal metabolizers and a higher frequency of ultra-rapid metabolizers compared to patients in Group A, did not show an improvement in 5mC levels during follow-up. Furthermore, there were significant differences in phenotype distribution between patient Groups A and B for several SNPs associated with transporter genes (ABCB1, ABCC2, SLC2A9, SLC39A8, and SLCO1B1) and pathogenic genes (APOE, NBEA, and PTGS2). These findings appear to suggest that the interplay between pharmacogenomics and DNA methylation has important implications for improving treatment outcomes in patients with brain-related disorders.

Fibroepithelial lesions (FL) of the breast, in particular Phyllodes tumors (PT) and fibroadenomas, pose a significant diagnostic challenge. There are no generally accepted criteria that distinguish benign, borderline, malignant PT, and FA. Combined genome-wide DNA methylation and copy number variant (CNV) profiling is an emerging strategy to classify tumors. We compiled a series of patient-derived archival biopsy specimens reflecting the FL spectrum and histological mimickers including clinical follow-up data. DNA methylation and CNVs were determined by well-established microarrays. Comparison of the patterns with a pan-cancer dataset assembled from public resources including "The Cancer Genome Atlas" (TCGA) and "Gene Expression Omnibus" (GEO) suggests that FLs form a methylation class distinct from both control breast tissue as well as common breast cancers. Complex CNVs were enriched in clinically aggressive FLs. Subsequent fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis detected respective aberrations in the neoplastic mesenchymal component of FLs only, confirming that the epithelial component is non-neoplastic. Of note, our approach could lead to the elimination of the diagnostically problematic category of borderline PT and allow for optimized prognostic patient stratification. Furthermore, the identified recurrent genomic aberrations such as 1q gains (including MDM4), CDKN2a/b deletions and EGFR amplifications may inform therapeutic decision-making.

Elastic properties of materials and their changes with temperature are important for their applications in engineering. A study on the influence of phase composition of AISI 4130 alloy on Young's modulus (Ed), shear modulus (Gd), and damping (Q-1) was carried out by Impulse Excitation Technique (IET). The material characterization was carried out using confocal microscopy, XRD, MET, HV, and dilatometry. A stable structure, composed of ferrite (BCC) and pearlite (α-Fe+Fe3C), was obtained by annealing. Metastable structure of martensite (BCT) was obtained by quenching. The Ed, Gd, and Q-1 were measured, varying the temperature from RT to 900 °C. The values of Ed and Gd, at RT, were determined as 201.5 and 79.2 GPa (annealed), and 190.13 and 76.5 GPa (quenched), respectively. In the annealed steel, the values Ed and Gd decrease linearly on heating up to 650 °C, with the thermal expansion. In the quenched steel, weak changes in the dilatometric curve, Ed, Gd, and Q-1, in the range of 350-450 °C, indicated decompositions of the martensitic phase. Sharp decrease in the moduli and high peak of Q-1, was observed for both samples around 650-900 °C, revealing low lattice elastic stability of the phases during transformations α(BCC)+Fe3C↔γ(FCC).

Cosmopolitan Gram-negative cyanobacteria may affect human and animal health by contaminating terrestrial, marine and freshwater environments with toxins, such as lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The cyanobacterial genus Scytonema (S) produces several toxins, but to our knowledge the bioactivity of genus Scytonema LPS has not been investigated. We recently reported that cyanobacterium Oscillatoria sp. LPS elicited classical and alternative activation of rat microglia in vitro [1]. Thus, we hypothesized that treatment of brain microglia in vitro with either cyanobacteria S. javanicum or S. ocellatum LPS might stimulate classical and alternative activation with concomitant release of superoxide anion (O₂⁻), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and cytokines and chemokines. Microglia were isolated from neonatal rats and treated in vitro with either S. javanicum LPS, S. ocellatum LPS, or E. coli LPS (positive control) in a concentration-dependent manner for 18 hours at 35.9 °C. We observed that treatment of microglia with either E. coli LPS, S. javanicum or S. ocellatum LPS generated statistically significant and concentration-dependent O₂⁻, MMP-9 and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-6 and TNF-α, pro-inflammatory chemokines MIP-2/CXCL-2, CINC-1/CXCL-1 and MIP-1α/CCL3, and the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10. Thus, our results provide experimental support for our working hypothesis because both S. javanicum and S. ocellatum LPS elicited classical and alternative activation of microglia and concomitant release of O₂^-, MMP-9 and cytokines and chemokines in a concentration-dependent manner. To our knowledge this is the first report on the toxicity of cyanobacteria S. javanicum and S. ocellatum LPS to microglia, an immune cell type involved in neuroinflammation and neurotoxicity in the central nervous system.

Galectin-3 is considered a cancer biomarker and bioindicator of fibrosis and cardiac remodeling, and, therefore, it is desirable to develop convenient methods for its detection. Herein, an approach based on the development of multivalent electrochemical probes with high galectin-3 sensing abilities is reported. The probes consist of multivalent presentations of lactose–ferrocene conjugates scaffolded on poly(amido amine) (PAMAM) dendrimers and gold nanoparticles. Such multivalent lactose–ferrocene conjugates are synthesized by coupling of azidomethylferrocene-lactose building blocks on alkyne-functionalized PAMAM, for the case of the glycodendrimers, and to disulfide‐functionalized linkers that are then used for the surface modification of citrate-stabilized gold nanoparticles. The binding and sensing abilities towards galectin 3 of both ferrocene-containing lactose dendrimers and gold nanoparticles have been evaluated by means of isothermal titration calorimetry, UV-vis spectroscopy, and differential pulse voltammetry. The highest sensitivity by electrochemical methods to galectin-3 was shown by lactosylferrocenylated gold nanoparticles, which are able to detect the lectin in nanomolar concentrations.

The determination of the parameters that characterise the air-void system in hardened concrete elements becomes crucial for structures under freezing and thawing cycles. The ASTM C457 standard describes some procedures to accomplish this task, but they are not easy to apply, require specialised equipment such as a stereoscopic microscope and result in highly tedious tasks to be performed. This paper describes an alternative procedure to the modified point-count method described in the Standard that makes use of macro photography. This alternative procedure is successfully applied to a large set of samples and presents some advantages over the traditional method, since the required equipment is less expensive and provides a more comfortable and less tedious procedure for the operator.

Thyroidectomy has been post-operatively managed by hormone replacement therapy in order to satisfy the reference ranges of thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and thyroxine (T4) levels. While medication and standardized reference ranges have proven to be effective, many patients continue to report unintentional weight gain despite adequate amounts of treatment and levels of TSH and T4. Physicians, over the years, have become complacent to these “normal” ranges, and have ignored the metabolic consequences that are affecting thyroidectomy patients. This paper aims to redefine the approach to post-thyroidectomy clinical care by: challenging the current standardized hormonal range values, exploring the gaps in thyroid hormone conversion, investigating the metabolic pathways of T3, considering the influence of inflammatory markers, and proposing the future for patient-centered management.

Over the past few decades, digitalisation has pushed patient care towards a new era, inducing the evolution of health care delivery and enhancing the overall sustainability of health systems worldwide. Despite the ever-evolving technology leading to a change in health care provision, the uptake of these novel technologies by medical professionals is slow, largely because of concerns about the potential impact on patient care and patient safety, and medico-legal implications. Hence, this research aimed to understand doctors’ perceptions of the adoption of digital virtual consultations in the practice setting.In this survey, an online questionnaire, adapted from the construct by Venkatesh and Bala and based on the Technology Acceptance Model by Davis, was distributed to 886 hospital doctors. Altogether 133 responses were obtained.Results suggest that the respondents perceived digital virtual consultations as adjuncts to face-to-face consultations and as able to diminish time and place barriers. Doctors were willing in principle to utilise these alternatives to traditional methods if the appropriate infrastructure and technology were in place. Feasibility and cost-effectiveness studies are recommended to establish the technology-fit factor and the impact of the technology on the workforce, coupled with a stakeholder analysis to include all the actors involved in such a strategy.

A hydrothermal technique with microwave heating (200 °C, 2 hours, 2 magnetrons, 2.45 GHz) was modified to obtain UV-C luminescent LaPO4: Pr3+ colloidal nanorods for the potential use in X-ray cancer theranostics. For further possible biofunctionalization, a compound of tartaric acid formed under basic conditions was used as a coating and stabilizing agent to provide colloidal properties to the surface of nanoparticles in basic to neutral aqueous media, which was confirmed by zeta potential measurements. In addition, the colloidal properties and clustering processes of synthesized LaPO4:Pr3+ nanorods in aqueous solutions with different pH values were studied in real time using a highly sensitive laser ultramicroscope operating according to the “light-sheet” scheme. A comparative analysis of the transmission electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction and high-energy spectroscopy showed the different effects of synthesis parameters on the morphological, crystalline and luminescent properties of the obtained nanorods. Through optimization of the synthesis parameters, stable aqueous solutions of m-LaPO4:Pr3+ nanorods with sizes less than 30 nm and an intensity of UV-C luminescence equal to 5-10% of the unmodified nanofibers were obtained.

Viral hepatitis remains one of the largest public health concerns worldwide. Especially in Central Africa, information on hepatitis virus infections has been limited, although the prevalence in this region has been reported to be higher than the global average. To reveal the current status of hepatitis B and C viruses (HBV and HCV) infections and the genetic diversity of the viruses, we conducted longitudinal surveillance in Gabon. We detected 22 HBV and 9 HCV infections in 2,047 patients with febrile illness. Genetic analyses of HBV identified subgenotype A1 for the first time in Gabon and an insertion generating a frameshift to create an X-preC/C fusion protein. We also revealed that most of the detected HCVs belonged to the “Gabon-specific” HCV subtype 4e (HCV-4e), and the entire nucleotide sequence of the HCV-4e polyprotein was determined to establish the first reference sequence. HCV-4e strains possessed resistance-associated substitutions similar to those of other HCV-4 strains, indicating that the use of direct-acting antiviral therapy may be complex. These results provide a better understanding of the current situation of hepatitis B and C virus infections in Central Africa, and will help public health organizations develop effective countermeasures to eliminate chronic viral hepatitis in this region.

Considering the relevance of the pathogenesis research of different liver diseases, in our study we investigated the possible activity of IL-23/IL-17 axis on the im-munohepatotoxicity of two etiologically different CLD. A total of patients with CHC infection, 19 with NASH and 20 healthy controls (CG) were recruited. After histological verification from liver tissue obtain by liver biopsy, patients with CHC were divided into two groups: CHC-NSF (F0/F1/F2)-non-significant fibrosis, 20 patients, and CHC-SF (F3/F4)-significant fibrosis/cirrhosis, 16 patients. All anthropometric, biochemical, immunological cytokines (IL-6, IL-10, IL-17 and IL-23) tests were performed accordance to standard procedure. The plasma levels of IL-6, Il-17A and IL-23 were significantly higher in CHC-SF and NASH in compared with CG. Also, plasma levels of IL-23/IL-17A were significantly higher in NASH in compared to CHC-SF. In CHC-SF we had significantly lowest IL-10 level in compared with all three groups. Liver tissue levels of IL-17A and IL-23 in CHC-NSF were significantly lower in compared with NASH. IN CHC-SF and NASH, IL17-A and IL-23 in liver tissue were significantly higher in compare to plasma levels. In conclusan, proinflammatory response of IL-23/17A axis is dominant in plasma and liver tissue in CHC with higher levels of liver fibrosis and in NASH patients.

Plants of the genus Monochoria have long been utilized in food, cosmetics, and traditional herbal treatment. Thailand has the highest species diversity of this genus and a new member, Monochoria angustifolia (G. X. Wang) Boonkerd & Tungmunnithum has been recently described. This plant is called “Siam Violet Pearl” as a common name or “ไข่มุกสีม่วงแห่งสยาม” as its vernacular name in the same meaning in Thai language. Despite their importance, few researches on Monochoria species have been conducted. This study, thus, provided the results to fill in this gap by: i) determining flavonoids phytochemical profiles of 25 natural populations of M. angustifolia covering the whole floristic regions in Thailand, and ii) determining antioxidant activity using various antioxidant assays to investigate the probable mechanism. The results revealed that M. angustifolia presented a higher flavonoid content than the outgroup, M. hastata. Our results also revealed that flavonoids might be used to investigate Monochoria evolutionary connections and for botanical authentication. The various antioxidant assays revealed that M. angustifolia extracts preferentially act through a hydrogen atom transfer antioxidant mechanism. Pearson correlation analysis indicated significant correlations emphasizing that the antioxidant capacity is most probably the result of a complex phytochemical combinations rather than of a single molecule. Altogether, these results showed that this new species provide an attractive alternative starting material with phytochemical variety and antioxidant potential for the phytopharmaceutical industry.

C-reactive protein (CRP) and leukocytes are blood biomarkers involved in "Inflamm-Aging", which is a risk factor for the onset and progression of age-related diseases. Studies show that higher serum concentrations of these biomarkers are associated with functional disability, increased risk of low muscle strength, decreased muscle mass and mortality in the elderly. The objective was to estimate the predictive power and discriminating criteria of C-reactive protein and leukocyte concentrations for the risk of adverse health factors in the elderly within 30 days after hospital discharge (HD). Prospective cohort study using exploratory methods and blood biomarkers with 135 older adults admitted to medical and surgical clinics at a government hospital. The elderly were monitored at home after 30 days of HD for adverse health factors (rehospitalization, falls, amount of medication consumed, disability in basic and instrumental activities of daily living and mortality). CRP> 2.4; ≥ 0.7 and> 24.7 mg / dL and leukocytes ≥ 6.410; ≥ 8.690 and> 8.310 mm³ were discriminant for rehospitalization, falls and mortality within 30 days after HD, respectively. The cut-off points described may be used as a reference in the screening of hospitalized elderly vulnerable to adverse health events after hospital discharge.

Recently, the medical image processing is extensively used in several areas. In earlier detection and treatment of these diseases is very helpful to find out the abnormality issues in that image. Here there are number of methods available for segmentation to detect the lung nodule of computer tomography (CT) image. The main result of this paper, the earlier detection of lung nodules using Pre-processing techniques of top-hat transform, median and adaptive bilateral filter was compared both filtering methods and proved the adaptive bilateral filter is suitable method for CT images. The proposed segmentation technique uses novel strip method and the image is split into number of strips 3, 4, 5 and 6. A marker- watershed method based on PSO and Fuzzy C-mean Clustering method was proposed method. Firstly, the input image was reduced noise reduction and smoothing and the filter image is using strips method and then the image is segmented by marker watershed method. Secondly, the enhanced PSO technique was used to locate the better accurate value of the clustering centers of Fuzzy C-mean Clustering. Final stage, with the accurate value of centers and the enhanced target function and the small region of the segmented object was clustered by Fuzzy C-mean. In segmentation algorithm presented in this paper gives 95% of accuracy rate to detect lung nodules when strip count is 5.

Energy is a fundamental ingredient in economic development and energy consumption is an index of prosperity and the standard of living. The consumption of energy has increased significantly in the last number of decades, as the standard of living has improved. Renewable energy is a sustainable and clean source of energy derived from nature. Renewable energy technology is one of the solutions, which produces energy by transforming natural resources into useful energy forms. When you do something for the first time in the world, you never attain a perfect product or solution from the start. In Central Greece Lamia city, we are the first to design and implement an off-grid energy system using hydrogen energy storage technology and phase change materials for a house residence. The action plan for energy efficiency, a series of directives and incentive mechanisms, mandatory energy certification of buildings, indicate the urgent need to reduce energy consumption in buildings, which results in a more comfortable living, long service life of buildings, which in turn preserves the environment.

High mountain rainforests are vital in the global energy and carbon cycle. Understanding the exchange of energy and carbon plays an important role to reflect responses to climate change. In this study, an eddy-covariance (EC) measurement system installed in the high Andean Mountains of South Ecuador was used. As EC measurements are affected by heterogeneous topography and vegetation height, the main objective was to estimate the effect of the sloped terrain and the forest on the turbulent energy and carbon fluxes considering the energy balance closure (EBC) and the heat storage. The results showed that the performance of the EBC was generally good and estimated to be 79.5%. This could be improved when the heat storage effect was considered. Based on the variability of the residuals in the diel modifications in the imbalances were highlighted. Particularly, during daytime residuals were largest (56.9 W/m² on average) with a clear overestimation. At nighttime mean imbalances were rather weak (6.5 W/m²) and mostly positive, while strongest underestimations developed in the transition period to morning hours (down to -100 W/m²). With respect to the Monin-Obukhov stability parameter ((z-d)/L) and the friction velocity (u*) it was revealed that largest overestimations evolved in weak unstable and very stable conditions associated with large u* values. In contrast, underestimation was related to very unstable conditions. The estimated carbon fluxes were independently modelled with a non-linear regression using a light-response relationship and reached a good performance (R²=0.52). All fluxes were additionally examined in the annual course to estimate whether both, energy and carbon fluxes, resembled the microclimatological conditions of the study site. This unique study demonstrated that EC measurements provide valuable insights into land surface -atmosphere interactions and contribute to our understanding of energy and carbon exchanges. Moreover, the flux data provide an important basis to validate coupled atmosphere ecosystem models.

Antibiotic resistance is a persistent and growing concern. Our objective was to analyze antibiotic prescribing in the United States (US) in the Medical Expenditure Panel System (MEPS) and to Medicaid patients. We obtained total MEPS prescriptions for eight antibiotics from 2013 to 2020. We extracted prescribing rates per 1,000 Medicaid enrollees for two years, 2018 and 2019, for four broad spectrum (azithromycin, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin) and four narrow spectrum (amoxicillin, cephalexin, doxycycline, and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole) antibiotics. Antibiotics in MEPS decreased from 2013 to 2020 by -38.7% with a larger decline for broad (-53.7%) than narrow (-23.5%) spectrum. Antibiotic prescriptions in Medicaid decreased by -6.7%. Amoxicillin was the predominant antibiotic followed by azithromycin, cephalexin, trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole, doxycycline, ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin, and moxifloxacin. Substantial geographic variation in antibiotic prescribing existed with 2.8-fold between the highest (Kentucky = 855/1,000) and lowest (Oregon = 299) states. The South prescribed 52.2% more antibiotics (580/1,000) than the West (381/1,000). There were significant correlations across states in antibiotic prescribing. This study identified sizable disparities by geography in prescribing rates of eight antibiotics with over three-fold state level differences. Areas with high antibiotic prescribing rates, particularly for outpatients, may benefit from stewardship programs to reduce potentially unnecessary prescribing.

This review summarizes the use of CRISPR system in yeasts, identifying advantages and disadvantages of its applications. 39 articles were evaluated including 12 articles that discussed the advantages of new CRISPR systems that improved the initial system, and another 27 were evaluated, among these: three were applications in Cryptococcus neoformans, four in candida sp., three in Schizosaccharomyces pombe, nine in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, four in Yarrowia lipolytica, and four in industrially important yeasts such as Pichia pastoris and Saccharomyces pastorianus. It was concluded that the CRISPR system is one of the most versatile genetic editing systems available nowadays. It can be applied in different organisms for several effects including gene knock-outs, performing point mutations, gene expression, or even applying multiple edition operations in several genes. However, we recognize that numerous studies lack a control group of the mutated strains, which leaves many questions unanswered. For instance, the extent and precision of this techniques, it also represents a risk to biosecurity standards. Therefore, this review shows the compilation of CRISPR system information, which could be used to generate different alternatives in the industry and clinical fields.

Schinus terebinthifolius Raddi is a plant native to Brazil. The objective of this work was to analyze the chemical composition, antioxidant and antibacterial potential of essential oils (EOs) from the leaves, fruits and twigs of S. terebinthifolius aiming for their application in food safety. EOs were obtained by hydrodistillation and the chemical composition was determined by gas chromatog-raphy coupled to mass spectrometry. Phenolic compounds were quantified and antioxidant ac-tivity was evaluated using three different methods. The antibacterial activity was determined by the broth microdilution method against foodborne bacteria. In the chemical analysis, 22 com-pounds were identified in the leaves, 13 compounds in the fruits and 37 compounds in the twigs, revealing the presence of the main compounds germacrene D, caryophyllene, α-pinene, β-pinene and γ-gurjunene. EOs showed better antioxidant potential using the β-carotene/linoleic acid method with 40.74, 61.52 and 63.65% oxidation inhibition for leaves, fruits and twigs, respectively. The EO from the leaves showed greater antibacterial potential against Escherichia coli and Staphy-lococcus aureus with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 0.62 mg mL-1, values lower than the MIC of sodium nitrite (5.00 mg mL-1), antimicrobial standard synthetic. The activities of pink pepper EOs suggest their potential as a biopreservative in foods.

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus type 2 (SARS-CoV-2) continues to be a global threat due to its ability to evolve and generate new subvariants, leading to new waves of infection. Additionally, other coronaviruses like Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV, formerly known as hCoV-EMC) which first emerged in 2012, persists and continues to present a threat of severe illness to humans. The continued identification of novel coronaviruses, coupled with the potential for genetic recombination between different strains, raises the possibility of new coronavirus clades of global concern emerging. As a result, there is a pressing need for pan-CoV therapeutic drugs and vaccines. After extensive optimization of an HCV protease inhibitor screening hit, a novel 3CLPro inhibitor (MK-7845) was discovered and subsequently profiled. MK-7845 exhibited nanomolar in vitro potency with broad spectrum activity against a panel of clinical SARS-CoV-2 subvariants and MERS-CoV. Furthermore, when administered orally, MK-7845 demonstrated a notable reduction of viral burdens by &gt;6 log orders in the lungs of transgenic mice infected with SARS-CoV-2 (K18-hACE2 mice) and MERS-CoV (K18-hDDP4 mice).

Methylmercury (MeHg) intoxication is a global health concern. Although MeHg neurotoxicity is well-recognized, less is known about MeHg's effects on metabolism. In this study, we evaluated MeHg intoxication (20mg/L in drinking water for 20 days) effects on liver and epididymal white fat (EWF) in young ApoE knockout (ko) and wild-type mice. The former is well-known to show spontaneous dyslipidemia. Hg levels in hair, liver, and EWF were measured to assess the degree of MeHg exposure. We also evaluated body weight gain, plasma triglycerides, total cholesterol levels, and liver injury by assessing steatosis score, AST, ALT, SOD, and TBAR levels. To evaluate EWF, we analyzed mean wet weight and adipocyte diameter, plasma leptin levels and metabolomics. Hg levels were markedly higher among intoxicated mice. ApoE ko mice showed higher Hg in the hair but lower levels in the liver and EWF than wild-type controls. Among wild-type mice, MeHg compromised weight gain and increased liver TBAR levels compared to non-challenged controls. Among non-intoxicated mice, ApoE deficiency significantly increased triglyceride, total cholesterol, and liver transaminases with reduced EWF wet weight, hepatic SOD, and plasma leptin levels. MeHg accumulation together with ApoE deficiency elevated total cholesterol, triglycerides, hepatic transaminases, and TBARS. We found distinct EWF metabolite activity in different scenarios of ApoE deficiency and MeHg intoxication, highlighting increased cardiovascular risk especially when both challenges occur. Further studies are required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms involved in these effects and the target nutritional interventions in most need to ameliorate them.

ABSTRACT(1) Background:. Because of the numerous debates about the training on the use of force provided to police officers, this study intends to evaluate several parameters (Police Ergonomic Parameters, PEP) in connection with such training. (2) Research method: : A smartsuit equipped with a set of 19 wireless sensors including triaxial accelerometers, Inertial Measurement Units (IMU), gyroscopes and geomagnetic sensors has been used. Biomechanics of Body (BoB) software application allowed to evaluate the risks associated to the basic technique number 1 of the Operational Tactical Procedures (OTP) with regard to the established parameters (PEP). The OTP basic technique number 1 was performed by 4 novice police officers. (3) Results: According to the evaluation of a number of specific parameters such as Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA), asymmetry over the sagittal plane, compression force at the L5-pelvic junction, shear force at the L5-pelvic junction and total muscle power, it was observed that the measured values clearly varied depending on each individual's performance, although they remained consistent with the values established by Police Ergonomic Parameters, and were significantly different from the values measured when a police officer used a traditional physical intervention procedure, in which case, the values measured were indicative of higher risks. (4) Conclusions: In order to achieve lower and more uniform values in terms of risk, we believe that it is necessary to employ a greater number of hours to the training of police officers on the use of force and also the convenience of conducting further studies on a larger and more representative sample of officers.

Bamboo is the building material of the past and future. It offers numerous properties that make it versatile for various applications, including construction. Its impressive strength-to-weight ratio enables it to bear substantial loads and stresses, while its good elasticity allows efficient energy absorption. However, its mechanical properties can vary based on factors such as species, age, locations, methods, and treatment. Treating bamboo is essential to enhance its properties and durability. The literature provides various natural and chemical treatments which enhanced some of the properties but also reported a drawbacks on higher temperature, content and duration. This paper reviewed 57 articles from Scopus database, specifically focusing on article-document type publications from the years 2003 to 2023. Additional references were also incorporated to address concerns in properties, treatment and standards to provide systematic understanding. MATLAB was utilized for data text analytics. With extensive assessment on the articles, the following gaps and concerns were observed and recommends for further study and assessment such as for bamboo properties, the development of centralized guidelines and procedures for the preparation and processing; exploration of alternative materials to reinforce bamboo without compromising its ductility; development of joint connections, and testing of mechanical properties considering seismic, wind and vibration. For treatment methods, the standardization of procedures using natural, chemical or combination. Lastly, for bamboo codes and standards, assessment of existing codes and standards for testing the mechanical properties of bamboo highlighting the potential limitations and areas, uniformity, differences with all existing similar standards. By filling these gaps, it can support the reliability and robustness of bamboo as a sustainable material, fostering its promotion and adoption in construction industry.

To define and evaluate the areas of consideration concerning in identifying the critical factors that top universities in Nueva Ecija, Philippines can be used for triangulating the courses of actions that can be applied to improve the current practices of universities towards its combat to the COVID–19 disease is the primary objective of this study. The researchers used a descriptive design of methodology by using questionnaire–checklist to scientifically describe the situation, problems, phenomenon, or program, or provide information about certain issues related to the virus outbreak. The respondents of the study were faculty and staff of five established universities in Nueva Ecija, Philippines wherein the researchers employed a non–probability sampling technique to be logically assumed as the representative of the entire population. The results of the study shown that the top universities in Nueva Ecija have made efforts to ensure the safety of university workers by complying with the Inter–Agency Task Force (IATF) protocols. It can be inferred, in reality, that there are some areas that must be improved especially when it comes to ensuring the welfare of the personnel who are still reporting to work even in this time of the pandemic. The researchers suggested an enhancement plan that can be adapted by these universities to resolve the concerns of the faculty and staff especially in reducing the spread of the virus without sacrificing the day–to–day transactions of the academic institutions.

Background: The association of echocardiographic findings and subsequent risk of left-sided native valve endocarditis (LS-NVE) is undefined. The aim of this study was to determine if transthoracic echocardiographic (TTE) measurements are associated with the subsequent development of LS-NVE in patients without cardiac predisposing conditions. Methods: Institutional databases were evaluated for adults diagnosed with LS-NVE from 2008 to 2020. Patients with prosthetic valves, cardiovascular implantable electronic devices, intracardiac devices, injection drug use, and predisposing cardiac conditions were excluded. Only patients who had a TTE performed 6 months to 3 years before the development of LS-NVE were included as cases. Controls were patients within the same Mayo location with a TTE report and were matched in a 1:3 ratio according to age, gender, Charlson Comorbidity Index, and echocardiography date. Results: There were 148 cases and 431 matched controls. As compared to controls, IE cases had a higher prevalence of diabetes mellitus (46.6% vs. 30.4%) and chronic kidney disease (46.6% vs. 28.1%) (p<0.001). Left ventricular outflow tract velocity (p=0.017), left ventricular ejection fraction (p=0.018), and E: e’ ratio (p=0.050) were associated with LS-NVE. Conclusions: Echocardiographic measurements were associated with subsequent LS-NVE development in this pilot study. A larger cohort of LS-NVE patients, however, is needed to validate these findings.

Human hair is characterized by significant diversity, which is dictated by the individual genetic makeup. It is estimated that up to 70% of the world’s population has textured hair, with a signif-icant proportion also living in areas with high exposure to ultraviolet radiation (UVR). This highlights the unique requirements for textured hair care products that can protect hair shafts from the harmful effects of the environment whilst enhancing the natural features of the fibre. In this study, we investigated the UV-protective effects of hair conditioner formulated from active ingredients, mangiferin, ferulic acid and naringin. The analysis of UV-irradiated straight and textured hair was performed by measurements of hair thickness and darkness, the uptake of the fluorescent dye, spectral absorbance of keratin extracts, ATR-FTIR and SEM. We found that tex-tured hair was more sensitive to UVR-induced changes than straight hair, with the primary mo-lecular targets represented by chemical groups in keratins. Pre-treatment of the hair with condi-tioner had protective effects against structural damage and oxidative stress caused by UVR. These data indicate the importance of the personalized approach to hair research and the formu-lation of hair care products tailored to the individual demands of textured hair types.

Polyhymnia (33 Polyhymnia) is a main belt asteroid in our solar system with a diameter of around 54km. The density of asteroid 33 Polyhymnia, located in the main asteroid belt, is calculated to be 75g/cc. Researchers have speculated the possibility that Polyhymnia could be composed of high-density superheavy elements near atomic number 164. Here we propose that Polyhymnia could be an asteroid composed of degenerate Dark Matter (DM) and there could be many such asteroids in our solar system (this is following our earlier work suggesting Planet Nine could be such an object).

We point out that field equations of general relativity are implied by a maximal force given by c⁴/4G, analogous to the way that special relativity is implied by a maximal speed given by c. We present some of the arguments for this equivalence. The maxi-mal force naturally plays the role of an elastic constant for space-time. Implications of the maximal force for gravitational wave measurements, cosmology and black holes are highlighted. Quantum aspects of the maximal force are discussed.

The estimation of the Hubble constant in the past few decades has increasingly become more accurate with the advance of new techniques. But its value seems to depend on the epoch at which the measurements are made. The Planck estimate of the Hubble constant from the observations of the CMBR in the early Universe is about 67.

December 4, 2020 marks 90 years since the concept of neutrinos was proposed as a consequence of the observed discrepancies in several experiments on radioactive decays of various isotopes. There have been great many developments in our understanding of this elusive particle over the past nine decades, also leading to several Nobel Prizes awarded to work on neutrino physics. But there are many aspects of the neutrinos that are still not completely understood, including even its actual rest mass. The neutrino still remains an enigma and we have yet to learn a lot about its different properties. This article summarises the overall picture of the current understanding of the neutrino, right from its inception.

The presence of dark matter, though well established by indirect evidence is yet to be observed directly. Various dark matter detection experiments running for several years have yielded no positive results so far. In view of these negative results, we had earlier proposed alternate models by postulating a minimum gravitational field strength (minimum curvature) and also a minimum acceleration. These postulates led to the modified Newtonian dynamics and modified Newtonian gravity (MONG). The observed flat rotation curves of galaxies had also been accounted for through these postulates. Here we extend these postulates to galaxy clusters and model the dynamical velocity-distance curves for such large-scale structures. The velocity-distance curve of the Virgo cluster, plotted with this model is found to be in accordance with that observed.

Here we propose a modification of the gravitational field on large scales as an alternate explanation for the discrepancy in the value of the Hubble constant as implied by Planck observations of the CMBR in the early Universe and that deduced from other distance indicators in the present epoch.

The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid protein (N protein) is critical to viral replication by undergoing liquid-liquid phase separation to seed the formation of a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex to drive viral genomic RNA (gRNA) translation and in also suppressing both stress granules and processing bodies which is postulated to increase uncoated gRNA availability. The N protein can also form biomolecular condensates with a broad range of host endogenous proteins including RNA binding proteins (RBPs). Amongst these RBPs are proteins that are associated with pathological neuronal and glial cytoplasmic inclusions across several adult-onset neurodegenerative disorders, including TAR DNA binding protein 43 kDa (TDP-43) which forms pathological inclusions in over 95% of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis cases. In this study, we demonstrate that the N protein can form biomolecular condensates with TDP-43 and that this is dependant on the N protein C-terminus domain (N-CTD) and the intrinsically disordered C-terminus domain of TDP-43. This process is markedly accelerated in the presence of RNA. In silico modelling suggests that the biomolecular condensate that formed in the presence of RNA is composed of a N protein quadriplex in which the intrinsically disordered TDP-43 C terminus domain is incorporated.

Exposure to ionizing radiation, accidental or intentional, may lead to delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE) that manifest as injury to organ systems including kidney, heart, and brain. This study examines the role of activated protein C (APC), a known mitigator of radiation-induced early toxicity, in long-term plasma metabolite and lipid panels that may be associated with DEARE. Male and female cohorts of C57BL/6N wild-type and APCHi transgenic mice were exposed to 9.5 Gy γ-rays with their hind-legs shielded to allow long-term survival that is necessary to monitor DEARE, and plasma was collected at 6 months for LC-MS based metabolomics and lipidomics. We observed significant dyslipidemia, indicative of inflammatory phenotype, upon radiation exposure. Additionally, observance of several other metabolic dysregulations was suggestive of gut damage, perturbations in TCA and urea cycles, and arginine metabolism. We also observed gender and genotype modulated metabolic perturbations post radiation exposure. The APCHi mice showed near normal abundance for several lipids. Moreover, restoration of plasma levels of some metabolites including amino acids, citric acid, and hypoxanthine in APCHi mice are indicative of APC-mediated protection from radiation injuries. With the help of these findings the role of APC in plasma molecular events after acute -radiation exposure in a gender-specific manner can be established for the first time.

Vectorial Boolean functions and codes are closely related, and each corresponding domain gives been to each other. On the one hand, various requirements of binary linear codes are needed for their theatrical interests but, more importantly, for their practical applicants (such as few-weight codes or minimal codes for secret sharing, locally recoverable codes for storage, etc.). On the other hand, various criteria and tables have been introduced to analyse the security of S-boxes that are related to vectorial Boolean functions, such as the Differential Distribution Table (DDT), the Boomerang Connectivity Table (BCT), and the Differential-Linear Connectivity Table (DLCT). In previous years, two new tables have been proposed for which the literature was pretty abundant: the $c$-DDT to extend the DDT and the $c$-BCT to extend the BCT. In the same vein, we propose extended concepts to study further the security of vectorial Boolean functions, especially the $c$-Walsh transform, the $c$-autocorrelation, and the $c$-differential-linear uniformity, and its accompanying table, the $c$-Differential-Linear Connectivity Table ($c$-DLCT). We study these properties of the novel functions at their optimal level concerning these concepts and describe the $c$-DLCT of the crucial inverse vectorial (Boolean) function case. Finally, the derived functions could lead to new families of binary minimal codes, as the recent achievements on minimal codes from low differential uniformity. We draw new avenues for future research toward linear code designs.

Volunteer scuba divers have become indispensable stakeholders in marine environmental protection, as their educational knowledge and environmental awareness create environmentally responsible attitudes and behaviors, which are the key elements to promote the sustainable development of marine environments. This study used the C-A-B model to examine the relationship between environmental knowledge, environmental sensitivity, destination social responsibility, and environmentally responsible behaviors of volunteer scuba divers. It also explored the mediating effects of destination social responsibility and first-time and repeat volunteers. In order to achieve the research purpose, this study adopted quantitative research to verify the research structure, proposed the hypotheses and prepared a questionnaire with reference to relevant previous studies. A total of 238 Taiwan marine volunteer scuba divers were selected as the subjects by intentional sampling, and the effective questionnaire recovery rate is 92.9%. Structural equation was used to verify the model of environmentally responsible behaviors of volunteer scuba divers, as based on the C-A-B model. This study found that environmental knowledge had a significant impact on destination social responsibility, and destination social responsibility had a significant impact on environmentally responsible behaviors. Destination social responsibility also had the effect of complete mediation on the model. In addition, the first-time and repeat volunteers had a significant mediating effect on the causal relationship between environmental knowledge and environmentally responsible behaviors, as well as between environmental sensitivity and environmentally responsible behaviors. The explanatory power of the overall model on the environmentally responsible behaviors of volunteer scuba divers is 69.0%, and their knowledge, sense of responsibility, experience, and level of involvement can be regarded as the determinants of their environmentally responsible behaviors.

We identified a single nucleotide variation (SNV) (c.1264A&gt;G) in the KCNQ1 gene in a 5-year-old boy who presented with a prolonged QT interval. His elder brother and mother, but not sister and father, also had this mutation. This missense mutation leads to a p.Lys422Glu (K422E) substitution in the Kv7.1 protein, never mentioned before. We inserted this substitution in an expression plasmid containing Kv7.1 cDNA and studied the electrophysiological characteristics of the mutated channel expressed in CHO-K1 using the whole-cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique. Expression of the mutant Kv7.1 channel in both homo- and heterozygous conditions, in the presence of auxiliary subunit KCNE1, results in a significant decrease in tail current densities compared to the expression of wild-type (WT) Kv7.1 and KCNE1. This study also indicates that K422E point mutation causes a dominant negative effect. The mutation was not associated with a trafficking defect, the mutant channel protein was confirmed to localize at the cell membrane. This mutation disrupts the poly-Lys strip in the proximal part of the highly conserved cytoplasmic A-B linker of Kv7.1, which was not shown before to be crucial for channel functioning.

Aim. The purpose of the work was the development of a machine learning model for diagnosing the stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C according to the data of routine clinical examination. Materials and methods. A total of 1240 patients with chronic viral hepatitis C was examined. A set of data obtained from 689 patients balancing by the stage of liver fibrosis was used for developing and testing machine learning models. 9 routine clinical parameters were selected as the most important predictors for determining the likelihood of liver fibrosis the 3–4 stages presence: age, height, weight and body mass index of the patient, the number of platelets in the clinical blood test, levels of alanine transaminase, aspartate transaminase, gamma-glutamyltransferase, and total bilirubin in a biochemical blood test. Results. The accuracy of the developed method for determining the 3–4 stages of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C in comparison with the «gold standard» of diagnosis (liver biopsy) was 80.56% (95% CI: 69.53–88.94%), sensitivity — 66.67%, specificity — 94.44%. Conclusion. The developed method is an alternative to more expensive and geographically inaccessible studies. The method does not require the purchase of additional equipment or software, as well as additional laboratory tests, when used in real clinical practice. The introduction of the method into clinical practice can help to solve the problem of low material and territorial availability of diagnostic tests and allow determining the stage of liver fibrosis in patients with chronic viral hepatitis C.

The CCAAT/enhancer-binding protein β (C/EBPβ) is a transcription factor that regulates cellular proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and tumorigenesis. Although the pro-oncogenic roles of C/EBPβ have been implicated in various human cancers, how it contributes to tumorigenesis or tumor progression has not been determined. Immunohistochemistry with human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) tissues revealed that higher levels of C/EBPβ protein are expressed compared to normal lung tissues. Knockdown of C/EBPβ by siRNA reduced the proliferative capacity of NSCLC cells by delaying G₂/M transition of the cell cycle. In C/EBPβ-knockdown cells, a prolonged increase in phosphorylation of cyclin dependent kinase 1 at tyrosine 15 (Y15-pCDK1) was displayed with increased Wee1 and decreased Cdc25B expression, simultaneously. ChIP analysis showed that C/EBPβ bound to distal promoter regions of WEE1 and repressed WEE1 transcription through the interaction with histone deacetylase 2. Treatment of C/EBPβ-knockdown cells with a Wee1 inhibitor induced a decrease in Y15-pCDK1 and recovered cells from G₂/M arrest. In the xenograft tumors, the depletion of C/EBPβ significantly reduced tumor growth. Taken together, these results indicate that Wee1 is a novel transcription target of C/EBPβ that is required for the G₂/M phase of cell cycle progression, ultimately regulating proliferation of NSCLC cells.

Atoms in Molecules (AIM), Natural Bond Orbital (NBO), and normal coordinate analysis have been carried out at the global minimum structures of TH₅⁺ (T = C/Si/Ge). All these analyses lead to a consistent structure for these three protonated TH₄ molecules. The CH₅⁺ has a structure with three short and two long C-H covalent bonds and no H-H bond. Hence, the popular characterization of protonated methane as a weakly bound CH₃⁺ and H₂ is inconsistent with these results. However, SiH₅⁺ and GeH₅⁺ are both indeed a complex formed between TH₃⁺ and H₂ stabilized by a tetrel bond, with the H₂ being the tetrel bond acceptor. The three-center-two-electron bond (3c-2e) in CH₅⁺ has an open structure, which can be characterized as a V-type 3c-2e bond and that found in SiH₅⁺ and GeH₅⁺ is a T-type 3c-2e bond. This difference could be understood based on the typical C-H, Si-H, Ge-H and H-H bond energies. Moreover, this structural difference observed in TH₅⁺ can explain the trend in proton affinity of TH₄. Carbon is selective in forming a ‘tetrel bond’ and when it does, it might be worthwhile to highlight it as a ‘carbon bond’.

Caffeine is a naturally occurring alkaloid found in various plants. It acts as a stimulant, antioxidant, anti-inflammatory and even an aid in pain management, and is found in several over-the-counter medications. This naturally derived bioactive compound is the best-known ingredient in coffee and other beverages, such as tea, soft drinks, and energy drinks, and is the most widely consumed substance worldwide. Therefore, it is extremely important to research the effects of this substance on the human body. With this in mind, caffeine and its derivatives have been extensively studied to evaluate its ability to prevent diseases and exert anti-aging and neuroprotective effects. This review is intended to provide an overview of the effects of caffeine on cancer, cardiovascular, immunological, inflammatory, and neurological diseases, among others. The heavily researched area of caffeine in sports will also be discussed. Finally, recent advances in the development of novel formulations, in the form of dietary supplements of caffeine and nanocarriers, to enhance the bioavailability of caffeine and its beneficial effects will be discussed. On the other hand, caffeine may contribute to elevated blood pressure, anemia, and migraine.

High-grade gliomas are the most common and aggressive adult primary brain tumors with a median survival of only 12-15 months. Current standard therapy consists of maximal safe surgical resection followed by DNA-damaging agents, such as irradiation and chemotherapy that can delay but not prevent inevitable recurrence. Some have interpreted glioma recurrence as evidence of glioma stem cells which persist in a relatively quiescent state after irradiation and chemotherapy, before the ultimate cell cycle re-entry and glioma recurrence. Conversely, latent cancer cells with a therapy-induced senescent phenotype have been shown to escape senescence, giving rise to more aggressive stem-like tumor cells than those present in the original tumor. Therefore, approaches are needed to either eliminate or keep these glioma-initiating cells in a senescent state for a longer time to prolong survival. In our current study, we demonstrate that the radiation-induced cell cycle inhibitor P21 can provide a powerful route to induce cell death in short-term explants of PDXs derived from three molecularly diverse human gliomas. Additionally, cells not killed by P21 overexpression were maintained in a stable senescent state for longer than control cells. Collectively, these data suggest that P21 activation may provide an attractive therapeutic target to improve therapeutic outcomes.

African trypanosomes are an early branch in eukaryotic evolution and developed a unique endomembrane system as an adaptation to their parasitic life style. The key virulence mechanism of many pathogens is successful immune evasion to enable survival within the host, which is a feature requiring both genetic events and membrane transport in African trypanosomes. Intracellular trafficking not only plays a role in immune evasion, but also in homeostasis of intracellular and extracellular compartments and interactions with the environment. Significantly, historical and recent work has unravelled some of the connections between these processes and highlighted how immune evasion mechanisms associated with adaptations in membrane trafficking may have, paradoxically, provided specific sensitivity to drugs. Here we explore these advances in understanding the membrane composition of the trypanosome plasma membrane and organelles and provide a perspective for how transport could be exploited for therapeutic purpose.

Neurodevelopmental and late-onset neurodegenerative disorders present as separate entities that are clinically and neuropathologically quite distinct. However, recent evidence has highlighted surprising commonalities and converging features at the clinical, genomic, and molecular level between these two disease spectra. This is particularly striking in the context of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Genetic causes and risk factors play a central role in disease pathophysiology and enable the identification of overlapping mechanisms and pathways. Here, we focus on clinico-genetic studies of causal variants and overlapping clinical and cellular features of ASD and PD. Several genes and genomic regions were selected for our review, including SNCA (alpha-synuclein), PARK2 (parkin RBR E3 ubiquitin protein ligase), chromosome 22q11 deletion/DiGeorge region, and FMR1 (fragile X mental retardation 1) repeat expansion, which influence development of both ASD and PD with converging features related to synaptic function and neurogenesis. Both PD and ASD display alterations and impairments at the synaptic level, representing early and key disease phenotypes which support the hypothesis of converging mechanisms between the two types of diseases. Therefore, understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms might inform on common targets and therapeutic approaches. We propose to re-conceptualize how we understand these disorders and provide a new angle into disease targets and mechanisms linking neurodevelopmental disorders and neurodegeneration.

Herein we report the expansion of the chemical space available from the chitin, accessible via the biogenic N-platforms 3A5AF, M4A2C and di-HAF. The biologically active heteroaromatics furo[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-one and furo[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-amine can be selectively accessed from 3A5AF and M4A2C, respectively. The chiral pool synthon di-HAF is a viable substrate for the Achmatowicz rearrangement, providing streamlined access to 2-aminosugars possessing a versatile hydroxymethyl group at C5.

Background: Coffee is the second most popular drink in the worldwide, and it has different components with antioxidant and antitumor properties. The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between coffee consumption and the incidence and mortality of stomach cancer in the main consuming countries. Methods: An observational study was performed. Dataset of coffee consumption was obtained from WorldAtlas, and incidence and mortality rates from GLOBOCAN database. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was calculated. All statistical analysis were performed using STATA software. Results: A total of 25 countries were included in the study. There was a significant linear correlation between coffee consumption kg per person per year and an estimated age-adjusted incidence (r=0.5984, p=0.0016) and mortality (r=0.5877, p=0.0020). Conclusion: Coffee consumption could potentially have beneficial effects on incidence and mortality by stomach cancer.

In this study, a field experiment was conducted to evaluate the growth and yield responses of Sri Lankan lowland rice (Oryza sativa L.) with the application of beneficial Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) inoculum, and inter-cropping with highly mycorrhizal dependent vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides L.) under two different soil nutrient management systems (NMSs): conventional/chemical (CNMS) and organic (ONMS). The experiment was designed as a split plot with three blocks. Each CNMS and ONMS experiment included untreated control (T0), and three treatments—AMF inoculation (T1), vetiver intercropping (T2), and the combination of AMF and vetiver (T3). According to the results, colonization of rice roots with AMF was not affected significantly by the treatments and ranged from 0‒15.8%. The effect was very low or absent in the early stage and then higher in the later stages of the rice plant. Furthermore, plant growth was not significantly different between the two NMSs, although grain yield was significantly higher (P &lt; 0.05), with the order T1 (0.45 kg/m2) &gt;T2 (0.42 kg/m2) &gt;T3 (0.41 kg/m2) in CNMS and T2 (0.44 kg/m2) &gt;T1 (0.41 kg/m2) &gt;T3 (0.40 kg/m2), in ONMS than for the respective controls (T0), thus suggesting beneficial utilization of AMF and vetiver in the lowland rice farming system.

Although evolutionary transitions of individuality have been extensively theorized, little attention has been paid to the origin of levels of organization within organisms. How and why do specialized cells become organized into specialized tissues or organs? What spurs a transition in organizational level in cases where the function is already present in constituent cell types? We propose a model for this kind of evolutionary transition in terms of two key features of cellular self-maintenance: metabolic constraints on functional performance and the capacity for metabolic complementation between parenchymal and supporting cells. These features suggest a scenario whereby pre-existing specialized cell types are integrated into tissues when changes to the internal or external environment favor offloading metabolic burdens from a primary specialized cell type onto supporting cells. We illustrate this process of “supra-functionalization” using the nervous system and the pancreas as examples. The model reveals distinctive concerns for explaining this kind of evolutionary transition—instead of the suppression of “cheating” by components, the issue is how a tissue comes under modular genetic control as a distinct body part—and also points to a novel form of evolutionary complexity-increasing ratchet.

Pharmaceuticals including antibiotics are among hazardous micropollutants (HMP) of the environment. Incomplete degradation of the HMP leads to their persistence in water bodies causing a plethora of deleterious effects. Conventional wastewater treatment cannot remove HMP completely, and a promising alternative is comprised by biotechnologies based on microalgae. The use of immobilized microalgae in environmental biotechnology is advantageous since immobilized cultures allow recycling of the microalgal cells, support higher cell densities, and boost tolerance of microalgae to stresses including HMP. Here we report on a comparative study of HMP (exemplified by the antibiotic ceftriaxone) removal by suspended and chitosan-immobilized cells of Lobosphaera sp. IPPAS C-2047 unialgal culture. We also monitored the dynamics of photosynthetic pigments content and the physiological condition of the cells as reflected by the activity of their photosynthetic apparatus. Special attention was paid to the changes in the accumulation of valuable arachidonic acid (C20:4). In addition to this, we followed the changes in the culture microbiome induced the antibiotic exposure. Collectively, our results showed that both suspended and immobilized cultures took up ceftriaxone from the culture medium. In the case of immobilized culture, a significant amount of the antibiotic was adsorbed on the chitosan carrier itself. The dynamics of the taxonomic composition of the microbiome of the microalgae was more shifted by the immobilization on the chitosan than by exposure to 20 mg/L of ceftriaxone. The possibility and limitations of the using of chitosan-immobilized Lobosphaera sp. IPPAS C-2047 for HMP removal coupled with the production of valuable long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids is discussed.

Background: IBD is a spectrum of pathologies characterized by dysregulated immune activation leading to uncontrolled response against intestinal, thus resulting in chronic gut inflammation and tissue damage. Due to its complexity, the molecular mechanisms responsible for disease onset and progression are still elusive, thus requiring intense research effort. In this context, the development of models recapitulating the etiopathology of IBD is critical.Methods: Colon from C57BL/6 or BALB/c mice were cultivated in a gut-ex-vivo system (GEVS), exposed 5h to DNBS 1,5 or 2,5 mg/ml, and the main hallmarkers of IBD were evaluated.Results: Gene expression analysis revealed a DNBS-induced: i) compromised Tight junction organization, responsible for tissue permeability dysregulation; induction of ER stress, and iii) tissue inflammation in colon of C57BL/6 mice. Moreover, the concomitant DNBS-induced apoptosis and ferroptosis pathways was evident in colon from both BALB/c and C57BL/6 mice.Conclusions: Overall, we have provided results demonstrating that GEVS is a consistent, reliable, and cost-effective system for modeling DNBS-induced IBD, useful for studying the onset and progression of human disease at the molecular level, while also reducing animal suffering.

Cartilage regeneration requires a balance of anabolic and catabolic processes. This study examined the susceptibility of fibromodulin (FMOD) and lumican (LUM) to degradation by MMP-13, ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5, the three major degradative proteinases in articular cartilage in osteoarthritis (OA). Immunolocalisation of FMOD and LUM in foot sections of developmental cartilages demonstrated prominent localisations in metatarsal and phalangeal foetal rudiment cartilages and growth plate. An MMP-13 neoepitope antibody (TsYG11) demonstrated localisation of MMP-13 cleaved FMOD in the hypertrophic chondrocytes of the metatarsal growth plate. FMOD was more prominently localised in the superficial cartilage of normal and fibrillated zones in OA cartilage, TsYG11 positive FMOD was located deeper in the cartilage samples. Ab TsYG11 also identified FMOD fragmentation in Western blots of extracts of normal and fibrillated cartilage and total knee replacement OA cartilage. The C-terminal anti-FMOD used in this study (PR-184) failed to identify FMOD fragmentation due to C terminal processing, an equivalent Ab to the C-terminus of LUM (pAb PR-353) identified 3 prominent LUM fragments in OA human knee cartilages. In-vitro digestion of human knee cartilage with MMP-13, ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5 generated equivalently sized FMOD fragments of 54, 45 and 32kDa to those in blots of OA cartilage, LUM was not less susceptible to fragmention in in-vitro digestions however Ab PR-353 detected N-terminally processed LUM fragments of 39, 38 and 22 kDa in 65-80 year old OA knee cartilage. FMOD and LUM were differentially processed during in-vitro digestions with MMP-13, ADAMTS-4 and ADAMTS-5 with FMOD susceptible to degradation by MMP-13, ADAMTS-4 and to a lesser extent ADAMTS-5 however LUM was less susceptible to fragmentation. FMOD was processed by MMP-13 in metatarsal and phalangeal foetal rudiment developmental cartilages and growth plate indicating a role in skeletogenesis.

Guayule (Parthenium argentatum Gray) is a shrub native of the arid regions of Mexico. In the last decades, significant attention for its cultivation has risen because it is the raw material for the production of hypoallergenic natural rubber. Guayule biomass contains also high amounts of resin, which is not normally exploited in any way. Among other sesquiterpenic esters, guayulins (i.e. the parteniol esters of cinnamic acid, guayulin A, or of anisic acid, guayulin B) are contained in resin. In addition, minor amounts of guayulin C and guayulin D are formed by degradation/oxidation of guayulins A and B, respectively. Guayulins likely act as cinnamate and p-anisate reservoirs for Guayule shrub, in addition, it has been postulated that they might have a key role in the chemical defense system of Guayule. Furthermore, it seems reasonable that guayulins may possess significant biological properties (e.g. antibacterial and anticancer activities), in close analogy with those shown by sesquiterpene lactones contained in many other species of Parthenum genus. As a matter of fact, guayulins A and B play an important role in the synthesis of antineoplastics used in breast cancer treatment. In this contribution we propose an original and validated RP-HPLC approach to the simultaneous quantification of guayulins A, B, C and D. The procedure of resin extraction from Guayule biomass has been optimized in terms of both extraction method and solvent. RP-HPLC separation has been accomplished by an Ascentis^® C18 column under isocratic elution with a 80:20 (v:v) acetonitrile:water mixture. Validation was carried out in terms of limits of detection and quantification, linearity, precision, and trueness. Finally, the method was tested with a number of fresh and seasoned samples of spontaneous Guayule shrub from Mexico.

Social plasticity, defined as the ability to adaptively change the expression of social behavior according to previous experience and to social context, is a key ecological performance trait that should be viewed as crucial for Darwinian fitness. The neural mechanisms for social plasticity are poorly understood, in part due to skewed reliance on rodent models. Fish model organisms are relevant in the field of social plasticity for at least two reasons: first, the diversity of social organization among fish species is staggering, increasing the breadth of evolutionary relevant questions that can be asked. Second, that diversity also suggests translational relevance, since it is more likely that “core” mechanisms of social plasticity are discovered by analyzing a wider variety of social arrangements than relying on a single species. We analyze examples of social plasticity across fish species with different social organizations, concluding that a “core” mechanism is the initiation of behavioral shifts through the modulation of a conserved “social decision-making network”, along with other relevant brain regions, by monoamines, neuropeptides, and steroid hormones. The consolidation of these shifts may be mediated via neurogenomic adjustments and regulation of the expression of plasticity-related molecules (transcription factors, cell cycle regulators, and plasticity products).

Aedes albopictus is considered one of the major invasive species in the world and can transmit viruses such as dengue, Zika, or chikungunya. The Sterile Insect Technique (SIT) can be used to suppress the native populations of Ae. albopictus. To support the development of the release strategy during the SIT application, Mark-Release-Recapture (MRR) studies are crucial. Mean-while, weather conditions can affect the MRR trial’s results and it is critical to understand the influence of climatic factors on the results. In October 2022 in Faro, Southern Portugal, 84,000 ir-radiated sterile males were released for three consecutive weeks and mosquitoes were recapture by Human Landing Collections (HLC) one, two, four and six days after. Generalised linear models with a negative binomial family and log function were used to estimate the factors asso-ciated with the number of recaptured mosquitoes, prevalence ratios, and the 95% confidence in-tervals (CI). A total of 84,000 sterile male mosquitoes were released, with 528 recaptured (0.8%) by HLC. The prevalence of recaptured mosquitoes was 23% lower when the wind intensity was moderate. Sterile-marked males had an average median distance travelled of 88.7 m. Median probability of daily survival and the average life expectancy were 61.6% and 2.1, respectively. Wild male population estimates was 443.33 males/ ha. Despite no statistically significant asso-ciation was found with humidity, temperature and precipitation, it is crucial to consider weather conditions during MRR trials analyses to obtain the best determinants estimation and a more ef-ficient application of SIT in an integrated vector management program.

This review article seeks to provide relevant information about the applicability of cell-based assays in assessing cytotoxicity of phytochemicals in light of several traditional methods available. Phenolic compounds and other phytochemicals are significant resources for drug discovery and development, thus underlining the enormous potentials of plant-derived natural products for the prevention and management of oxidative stress associated with cancer and other diseases. These effects have been linked to the content of phytochemicals such as phenolic compounds and their antioxidant properties. The abundance and complexity of these bio-constituents highlight the need for well-defined methods for the in vitro characterization and quantification of extracts and/or preparations that can translate to in vivo effects. Cell culture systems provide a useful model for basic research and a wide range of clinical in vitro studies and physiological processes as well as assessing the toxicity and therapeutic potential of compounds including plant extracts with potential medicinal benefits. Their use in cancer research provide a useful insight into possible therapeutic properties of phytochemicals at the cellular level. This approach has been instrumental in the initial stages of developing chemotherapeutic agents where human cancer cell lines are used as experimental models. These models have continued to contribute to elucidating specific requirements for certain biochemical events associated with proliferation, metabolism, loss of cell viability/apoptosis. Cell culture systems remain a promising tool in natural product development.

Commercial buildings are a significant consumer of energy worldwide. Logistics facilities, and specifically warehouses, are a common building type yet under-researched in the demand-side energy forecasting literature. Warehouses have an idiosyncratic profile when compared to other commercial and industrial buildings with a significant reliance on a small number of energy systems. As such, warehouse owners and operators are increasingly entering in to energy performance contracts with energy service companies (ESCOs) to minimise environmental impact, reduce costs, and improve competitiveness. ESCOs and warehouse owners and operators require accurate forecasts of their energy consumption so that precautionary and mitigation measures can be taken. This paper explores the performance of three machine learning models (Support Vector Regression (SVR), Random Forest, and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost)), three deep learning models (Recurrent Neural Networks (RNN), Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), and Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU)), and a classical time series model, Autoregressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) for predicting daily energy consumption. The dataset comprises 8,040 records generated over an 11-month period from January to November 2020 from a non-refrigerated logistics facility located in Ireland. The grid search method was used to identify the best configurations for each model. The proposed XGBoost models outperform other models for both very short load forecasting (VSTLF) and short term load forecasting (STLF); the ARIMA model performed the worst.

Globalization and industrialization have significantly disturbed the environmental ecosystem, leading to critical challenges such as global warming, extreme weather events, and water scarcity. Forecasting temperature trends is crucial for enhancing the resilience and quality of life in smart sustainable cities, enabling informed decision-making and proactive urban planning. This research specifically targets Ahmedabad city in India and employs the Seasonal Auto Regressive Integrated Moving Average with eXogenous factors (SARIMAX) model to forecast temperatures over a ten-year horizon using two decades of real-time temperature data. The stationarity of the dataset was confirmed using the Augmented Dickey-Fuller test, and the Akaike Information Criterion (AIC) method helped identify the optimal seasonal parameters of the model, ensuring a balance between fidelity and predictive accuracy. The model achieved an RMSE of 1.0265, indicating high accuracy within the typical range for urban temperature forecasting. This robust measure of error underscores the model’s precision in predicting temperature deviations, which is particularly relevant for urban planning and environmental management. The findings provide city planners and policymakers with valuable insights and tools for preempting adverse environmental impacts, marking a significant step towards operational efficiency and enhanced governance in future smart urban ecosystems. Future work may extend the model's applicability to broader geographical areas and incorporate additional environmental variables to refine predictive accuracy further.

Objective: The influence of gender on the number and pattern of co-morbid psychiatric illness was archivally compared between patients with and without an Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) among psychiatrically treated individuals drawn from a large Danish birth cohort. Method: By age 45, fifteen percent of the Copenhagen Perinatal Birth Cohort (N=8,109) had been treated in a Danish psychiatric facility. Of those 1,247 patients, 368 were assigned an AUD diagnosis (29.5%). All psychiatric diagnoses assigned to these patients, over all admissions, were classified into one of 14 broad ICD-10 F categories for comparative purposes. Results: More of the patients with an AUD diagnosis were male. Patients with an AUD diagnosis were significantly more likely to receive two or more non-AUD psychiatric diagnoses than patients without an AUD diagnosis. The number of psychiatric diagnoses was greater for female than male AUD patients, a difference not found among male and female patients without an AUD diagnosis. For patients with no AUD diagnosis, the influence of gender on the pattern of psychiatric disorders was similar to that commonly reported. In contrast, the influence of gender on the number and pattern of psychiatric disorders for patients with an AUD diagnosis indicated fewer gender differences. Several diagnostic categories that discriminated male from female patients without an AUD-related diagnosis, no longer discriminated male from female patients with an AUD-related diagnosis. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that gender differences associated with psychiatric comorbidity that have been reported in large heterogenous study, should not be generalized to specific diagnostic groups without further study.

Glucose is the primary energy fuel used by the brain and is transported across the blood-brain barrier (BBB) by the glucose transporter type 1 and 2.[1] A GLUT1 genetic defect is responsible for glucose transporter type 1 deficiency syndrome (GLUT1DS). Patients with GLUT1DS may present with pharmaco-resistant epilepsy, developmental delay, microcephaly, and/or abnormal movements, with tremendous phenotypic variability. Diagnosis is made by the presence of specific clinical features, hypoglycorrhachia and an SLC2A1 gene mutation. Treatment with a ketogenic diet therapy (KDT) is the standard of care as it results in production of ketone bodies which can readily cross the BBB and provide an alternate energy source to the brain in the absence of glucose. KDTs have been shown to reduce seizures and abnormal movements in children diagnosed with GLUT1DS. However, little is known about the impact of KDT on cognitive function, seizures and movement disorders in adults newly diagnosed with GLUT1DS and started on a KDT in adulthood, or the appropriate ketogenic diet therapy to administer. This case report demonstrates the potential benefits of using a modified Atkins diet (MAD), a less restrictive ketogenic diet therapy on cognition, seizure control and motor function in an adult with newly-diagnosed GLUT1SD.

Emotional instability and stress are main disturbances that condition the learning process, affecting both teachers and students. The main objective of this review is to analyze the influence of stress and emotions (as part of stress) on the learning process. The quality and intensity of emotions will not depend exclusively on a particular situation, but also on the subjective evaluation that the person makes of the situation in terms of a set of assessment dimensions. Emotions lead to sentimental, cognitive, behavioral and physiological changes, which will have a strong influence on intellectual performance. Stress is a physiological mechanism that the organism develops to adapt and survive in external and internal environments. Although it seems that it is a general pattern of response to emotions, it could be assumed that each emotion seems to have its own pattern of physiological reaction. In conclusion, extreme stress situations can generate anxiety and frustration in students. The activation of coping strategies constitutes a key mechanism for dealing positively with problems and challenges, generating positive emotions essential for the self-regulation of learning.

Objectives: The hierarchical structure of enamel gives insight on the properties of enamel and can influence its strength and ultimately caries experience. Presently, past caries experience is quantified using the decayed, missing, filled teeth/decayed, missing, filled surface (DMFT/DMFS for permanent teeth; dmft/dmfs for primary teeth) or international caries detection and assessment system (ICDAS) scores. By analyzing the structure of enamel, a new measurement can be utilized clinically to predict susceptibility to future caries experience based on a patient’s individual’s biomarkers. The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that number of prisms by square millimeter in enamel and average gap distance between prisms and interprismatic areas, influence caries experience through genetic variation of the genes involved in enamel formation. Materials and Methods: Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images of enamel from primary teeth were used to measure number of prisms by square millimeter and interprismatic spaces, prism density and gap distances between prisms in the enamel samples. The measurements were tested to explore a genetic association with variants of selected genes and correlations with caries experience based on the individual’s DMFT+ dmft score and enamel microhardness at baseline, after an artificial lesion was created and after the artificial lesion was treated with fluoride. Results: Associations were found between variants of genes including ameloblastin, amelogenin, enamelin, tuftelin, tuftelin interactive protein 11, beta defensin 1, matrix metallopeptidase 20 and enamel structure variables measured. Significant correlations were found between caries experience and microhardness and enamel structure. Negative correlations were found between number of prisms by square millimeter and high caries experience (r value= -0.71), gap distance between prisms and the enamel microhardness after an artificial lesion was created (r value= -0.70), and gap distance between prisms and the enamel microhardness after an artificial lesion was created and then treated with fluoride (r value= -0.81). There was a positive correlation between number of prisms by square millimeter and prism density of the enamel (r value= 0.82). Conclusions: our data support that genetic variation may impact enamel formation, and therefore influence susceptibility to dental decay and future caries experience. Clinical Relevance: The evaluation of enamel structure that may impact caries experience allows for hypothesizing that the identification of individuals at higher risk for dental caries and implementation of personalized preventative treatments may one day become a reality.

Science seeks to explicate truths about our reality. But what is truth? How do we know things? Given our ignorance, and our fallibility, why should scientists be trusted? A theory of knowledge that addresses these human questions is sketched, in conversation with recent advances in thermodynamics which underline the seminal importance of unity by demonstrating (i) a definite physical meaning of the idea of “unitary entity”, (ii) the commensurability of the local and the non-local (resolving the Loschmidt Paradox), and (iii) the applicability of this entropic physics to entities at all scales, whether small (“quantum mechanical”) or large (subject to “general relativity”). Similarly, integrity is indispensable to the scientific enterprise, whether at the level of the mathematico-physical, the practising scientist, the scientific community, or the public. As a human activity aimed at touching reality, it is fundamental that the scientific enterprise necessarily also has an irreducibly poetic component. Although in principle it cannot be completely specified, this enterprise is a cluster of procedures designed to increase our understanding of the natural world. Our apprehension of knowledge is irreducibly personal, depending both on our own individual integrity as well as on the integrity of the scientific community. Believing that “reality” exists and can be grasped (however incompletely), scientists look for coherence and value unified accounts. Strictly speaking, although reality can be known truly (if only in part) the idea of “objective” knowledge is an oxymoron, even if such an idea is often a useful approximation. Knowledge is necessarily personal.

Keywords: early childhood; education; quality; measurement; monitoring; majority world; Item Response Theory; psychometrics

Biodiesel is one of the most popular biofuels as it is a promising substitute of the conventional diesel fuel, but for now it cannot be used as a stand-alone fuel due to its low oxidative stability. For this reason, the last years there have been efforts for its upgrading through the partial hydrogenation of the fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs) that biodiesel consists of. This procedure succeeds in resolving the problem of low oxidative stability, but in some cases a new problem arises as the non-selective hydrogenation is deteriorating the fuel’s cold flow properties, which are crucial for its operation without damaging the vehicle’s engine. More specifically, the problem of deteriorated cold flow properties is caused by the formation of trans-monounsaturated FAMEs and fully saturated FAMEs while the hydrogenation reaction is taking place. The hydrogenated biodiesels are preferred to contain more cis-monounsaturated FAMEs, because these are considered to have the best combination between high oxidative stability and good cold flow properties. As a result, various systems and methods have been tested in order to achieve a selective partial hydrogenation of biodiesel’s FAMEs. In this review article, the catalytic systems and methods that stood out in various researches are presented and the factors that lead to the best possible outcome are investigated and discussed.

We analyze the expected arrival time spectrum of supernova neutrinos using simulated luminosity and computing the expected number of events in future detectors such as the DUNE Far Detector and Hyper-Kamiokande. We develop a general method using minimum square statistics that can compute the sensitivity to any variable affecting neutrino time of flight. We apply this method in two different situations: First, we compare the time spectrum changes due to different neutrino mass values to put limits in electron (anti)neutrino effective mass. Second, we constrain Lorentz Invariance Violation through the mass scale, MQG, at which it would occur. We consider two main neutrino detection techniques: 1. DUNE-like liquid argon TPC, for which the main detection channel is νe+40Ar→e−+40K*, related to the supernova neutronization burst, and 2. HyperK-like water Cherenkov detector, for which ν¯e+p→e++n is the main detection channel. We consider a fixed supernova distance of 10 kpc and two different masses of the progenitor star: (i) 15 M⊙ with neutrino emission time up to 0.3 s and (ii) 11.2 M⊙ with neutrino emission time up to 10 s. The best mass limits at 3σ are of O(1) eV. For νe, the best limit comes from a DUNE-like detector if the mass ordering happens to be inverted. For ν¯e, the best limit comes from a HyperK-like detector. The best limit for the Lorentz Invariance Violation mass scale at 3σ level, considering superluminal or subluminal effect, is MQG≳1013 GeV (MQG≳5×105 GeV) for linear (quadratic) energy dependence.

Physics has been thought to truly represent reality since at least Galileo, and the foundations of physics are always established using philosophical ideas. In particular, the elegant naming of physical entities is usually very influential in the acceptance of physical theories. We here demonstrate (using current developments in thermodynamics as an example) that both the epistemology and the ontology of physics ultimately rest on poetic language. What we understand depends essentially on the language we use. We wish to establish our knowledge securely, but strictly speaking this is impossible using only analytic language. Knowledge of the meanings of things must use a natural language designed to express meaning, that is, poetic language. Although the world is really there, and although we can indeed know it truly, this knowledge is never either complete or certain but ultimately must rest on intuition. Reading a recently discovered artefact with a palaeo-Hebrew inscription as from the first century, we demonstrate from it that this ontological understanding long predates the Hellenic period. Poetic language is primary, both logically and temporally.

The less virulent human (h) coronaviruses (CoVs) 229E, NL63, OC43, and HKU1 cause mild, self-limiting respiratory tract infections, while the more virulent SARS-CoV-1, MERS-CoV, and SARS-CoV-2 have caused severe outbreaks. The CoV envelope (E) protein, an important contributor to the pathogenesis of severe hCoVs infections, may provide insight into this disparate severity of the disease. We, therefore, generated full-length E protein models for SARS-CoV-1, -2, MERS-CoV, HCoV-229E, and HCoV-NL63 and docked C-terminal peptides of each model to the PDZ domain of the human PALS1 protein. The PDZ-binding motif (PBM) of the SARS-CoV-1, -2, and MERS-CoV models adopted a more flexible, extended coil while the HCoV-229E and HCoV-NL63 models adopted a less flexible alpha helix. All the E peptides docked to PALS1 occupied the same binding site and the more virulent hCoV E peptides generally interacted more stably with PALS1 than the less virulent ones. We propose that the increased flexibility of the PBM in more virulent hCoVs may permit more stable binding to various host proteins, thereby possibly contributing to more severe disease. This is the first paper to model full-length 3D structures for both more virulent and less virulent hCoVs E proteins, providing novel insights for possible drug and/or vaccine development.

We report the results of the characterization of local Monte Carlo (MC) dynamics of an equilibrium bond fluctuation model polymer matrix (BFM), in time interval typical for MC simulations of non-linear optical phenomena in host-guest systems. The study contributes to the physical picture of the dynamical aspects of quasi-binary mosaic states characterized previously in the static regime. The polymer dynamics was studied at three temperatures (below, above and close to the glass transition), using time-dependent generalization of the static parameters which characterize local free volume and local mobility of the matrix. Those parameters play the central role in the kinetic MC model of host-guest systems. The analysis was done in terms of the probability distributions of instantaneous and time-averaged local parameters. The main result is the characterization of time scales characteristic of various local structural processes. Slowing down effects close to the glass transition are clearly marked. The approach yields an elegant geometric criterion for the glass transition temperature. A simplified quantitative physical picture of the dynamics of guest molecules dispersed in BFM matrix at low temperatures offers a starting point for stochastic modeling of host-guest systems.

In a recent paper we had discussed possibility of DM at high redshifts forming primordial planets composed entirely of DM to be one of the reasons for not detecting DM (as the flux of ambient DM particles would be consequently reduced). In this paper we discuss the evolution of these DM objects as the universe expands. As universe expands there will be accretion of DM, Helium and Hydrogen layers (discussed in detail) on these objects. As they accumulate more and more mass, the layers get heated up leading to nuclear reactions which burn H and He when a critical thickness is reached. In the case of heavier masses of these DM objects, matter can be ejected explosively. It is found that the time scale of ejection is smaller than those from other compact objects like neutron stars (that lead to x-ray bursts). These flashes of energy could be a possible observational signature for these dense DM objects.

This paper proposes a real-time local positioning system (RT-LPs) utilizing a mobile platform equipped with three anchor nodes placed in a right-angle triangle formation for a real-time locating system (RTLS). After deriving an analytic formula to calculate the target position utilizing the measured distances among anchor nodes and the target node, we find that four parameters have an effect on the position error of the target node. The spacing between anchors is a design parameter that must be large enough to the reduce position error. However, the distance from the anchor node to the target node is an operation parameter that must be small enough to reduce the position error. Additionally, the measured ranges among the anchors and the target node have probabilistic distributions with a mean and variance, which are dominant parameters that have effects on the position error. A comparison study was conducted to determine the effects of the parameters of the target position in both a simulation and an experiment, showing rates of approximately 4% ~ 10%. These findings indicate that our simulation can work properly with the proposed method after assuming that the distance error is a Gaussian model.

The steady-state dissolution rates of basaltic glass and labradorite have been measured in the presence of 10 to 700 x 10-3 mol kgw-1 aqueous NaCl, KCl, CaCl2, and MgCl2 at 25 oC. All rates were measured in mixed flow reactors, and at pH~3.6 by the addition of HCl to the reactive fluids. Steady-state basaltic glass dissolution rates based on Si release increased by ~0.3 log units in the presence of 1 x 10-2 mol kgw-1 of CaCl2 or MgCl2, compared to their rates in 10 x 10-3 mol kgw-1 of NaCl, and KCl. In contrast, the steady-state dissolution rates of labradorite decreased by ~0.4 log units in the presence of 10 x 10-3mol kgw-1 of CaCl2 or MgCl2, compared to their rates in 10 x 10-3 mol kgw-1 of NaCl, and KCl. These contrasting behaviours likely reflect the varying effects of these cations on the stability of rate controlling Si-rich activated complexes on the surface of the solids. On average, the Si release rates of these solids are similar to each other and increase slightly with increasing ionic strength. As the pH of water charged with 10 to 30 bars CO2 is ~3.6, the results of this study indicate that both basaltic glass and labradorite dissolution will likely be effective at increasing pH and adding Ca to the aqueous phase in saline fluids. This observation supports potential efforts to store carbon through its mineralization in saline aquifers containing Ca-bearing feldspar and in submarine basalts.

Land registry is one of the instruments most mentioned by public actors in land management in Benin to solve land problems faced by the country. Its implementation and functioning depend not only on technical actions but also on political will. Through a methodology based on participant observation, semi-structured interviews, focus group, as well as on the theory of "change in public action" by P. Muller (2005), legal and institutional changes have been observed in the implementation of the cadastral project. It is a project whose political component is readable through government action and the legal reforms carried out. At the technical level, the land data collected are processed by computer systems that can facilitate the mass production of land titles.

Viruses are the most common congenital infections and an important cause of fetal malformations, morbidity, and mortality. The effects of these infections, which are transmitted in-utero (transplacentally), during childbirth or in the puerperium depend on the timing of the infections. These vary from miscarriages (usually with infections in very early pregnancy), congenital malformations (where the infections occur during organogenesis) and morbidity (with infections occurring late in pregnancy, during childbirth or after delivery). The most common of these viruses are cytomegalovirus, hepatitis, parvovirus B-19, rubella, varicella and zika. There are currently very few efficacious antiviral agents licensed for use in pregnancy and therefore for most of these infections, prevention by means of immunisation (where there is a vaccine), administration of immunoglobulins to those exposed to the virus to offer passive immunity or appropriate measures to avoid being infected would be options to minimise the infections and their consequences. In this review, we discuss the current understanding of some of the congenital infections and their consequences on both the mother and fetus and their management focusing mainly on prevention.