In this work, we explore Conjecture 1 proposed in the newly released pioneering paper “Volatility transformers: an optimal transport-inspired approach to arbitrage-free shaping of implied volatility surfaces” by Zetocha Valer, which posits that the “One-X” property is both a necessary and sufficient condition for convex order between non-negative continuous strictly increasing distributions with the same mean. We provide a counterexample demonstrating that the conjecture, as originally stated, does not hold. By examining stochastic orders, particularly the increasing convex order, and the “One-X” property, we propose an enhanced version of the conjecture which is shown to be valid. Furthermore, we discuss the implications of these findings in the context of equity implied volatility fitting and the construction of implied volatility surfaces, highlighting the challenges posed by real-market conditions. In the end, we propose several applications in implied volatility surface construction or simulation.

In this work, we designed a MEMS device which allows simultaneous direct measurement of mechanical properties during deformation under external stress and characterization of the evolution of microstructure of nanomaterials within a transmission electron microscope. This MEMS device makes it easy to establish the correlation between microstructure and mechanical properties of nanomaterials. The device uses piezoresistive sensors to qualitatively measure the force and displacement of nanomaterials, e.g., in wire and thin plate forms. The device has a theoretical displacement resolution of 0.19 nm and a force resolution of 2.1 μN. The device has a theoretical displacement range limit of 2.74 μm and a load range limit of 27.75 mN.

The importance of bio robotics has been increasing day by day. Researchers are trying to mimic nature in a more creative way so that, the system can easily adopt the complex nature and its environment. Hence, bio robotic gripper plays a role in physical connection between the environment and bio robotics system. While handling the physical world in biorobots gripper, the complexity occurs in feedback system where sensor plays a vital role. Therefore, human centered gripper sensor has a good impact on bio robotics field. But categorical classification and their selection process is not very systematic. This review paper follows PRISMA methodology to summarize the previous works on bio robotics gripper sensor and its selection process.. This paper discusses challenges in soft robotics systems, and the importance of sensing systems to facilitate critical control mechanisms along with their selection considerations. Furthermore, a classification of soft actuation based on gripper has been introduced. Moreover, some unique characteristics for soft robotics sensor are explored namely compliance, flexibility, multifunctionality, sensor nature, surface properties, and material requirements. In addition, a categorization of sensors for soft robotic gripper in terms of modalities has been established ranging from the tactile and force sensor to slippage sensor. Various tactile sensors ranging from piezoelectric sensing to optical sensing are explored as it has utmost importance in soft gripper to effectively address the increasing requirements for intelligence and automation. Finally, taking everything into consideration, a flow diagram has been suggested for selecting sensors specific to soft robotics applications.

(S)-1-Methyl-2-oxoimidazolidine-4-carboxylic acid 1 is an analog of (S)-pyroglutamic acid, a key component of naturally occurring peptide hormones and synthetic pharmaceutical candidates. Reaction of (S)-2-amino-3-(methylamino)propionic acid with COCl2 and aqueous NaHCO3 followed by ion exchange afforded 1, which was recrystallized from acetonitrile and then characterized by IR, 1H NMR, 13C NMR, polarimetry, elemental microanalysis, high resolution mass spectrometry and single crystal X-ray diffraction. The acid 1 crystallized in the orthorhombic chiral space group P212121 with cell constants a = 6.2275(4) Å, b = 8.3963(5) Å, c = 24.9490(14) Å. The X-ray crystal structure reveals that two distinct conformers of 1 occur at alternating positions within helices which are supported by hydrogen-bonding. Each molecule of 1 is linked to its two neighbors in the helix by a total of three hydrogen bonds and four molecules of 1 are contained within each turn of the helix. The pattern of hydrogen bonds illustrates a preference for the carboxylic acid group to act as a hydrogen bond donor and for the urea unit to be a hydrogen bond acceptor.

This study investigates the relationship between housing prices and vacancy rates in Hong Kong, offering insights distinct from previous cross-sectional analyses. Addressing limitations in data availability and methodological approaches, the study examines annual data spanning multiple housing size categories to uncover nuanced dynamics in the housing market. Two major contributions emerge: firstly, the analysis reveals the price elasticity of vacancy, elucidating how housing prices respond to changes in vacancy rates over time. Secondly, by considering housing vacancy changes as outcomes of the interactions between supply and demand, the study challenges the conventional independence assumption between these variables. The results support the hypothesis that housing vacancies exert a negative impact on housing prices, holding other factors constant. These findings have significant implications for policymakers, urban planners, and real estate investors, providing valuable insights for crafting targeted interventions and informing investment decisions.

This paper explores the geometric impossibility of angle trisection within Euclidean geometry, with a particular focus on the 90° angle. It presents a rigorous proof that highlights the fundamental limitations of various approaches to angle trisection, highlighting their failure to achieve universality. The paper critiques modern proofs that allow for the trisection of certain angles while dismissing others, arguing that such methods are inherently flawed due to their lack of geometric consistency. The paper introduces a new perspective through a new property named “inconsistent property”, a concept derived from geometric operations involving proportional magnitudes. This property reveals contradictions within the framework of Euclidean geometry, paralleling the logical challenges faced in proving the impossibility of trisecting an arbitrary angle. By drawing comparisons between traditional and contemporary proofs, the paper demonstrates that inconsistencies arise not only from specific cases but also from broader geometric principles. The findings reaffirm the robustness of Euclidean geometry in addressing the trisection problem and challenge the validity of alternative proofs that do not adhere to universal geometric principles. This paper contributes to a clearer understanding of the limitations of angle trisection methods and encourages further investigation into the technical implications and broader impact of the angle impossibility proof.

Effects of oxygen content on microstructure and creep property of FGH96 superalloy were investigated. When oxygen content increased from 135ppm to 341ppm, prior particle boundary (PPB) rose from degree 2 to degree 3, and the size of γ′ phase on PPB enlarged from 1.07μm to 1.27μm, and MC carbide size grew from 77.4nm to 104.0nm. Meanwhile, the steady creep rate accelerated form 4.34×10-3 h-1 to 1.87×10-2 h-1, and the creep rupture life shortened from 176h to 94h, and the creep rupture mode transferred from intergranular and transgranular mixed fracture to along PPB fracture. During creep, the micro-twins formation and gliding will be restrained by ∑3 boundaries. FGH96 superalloy with higher oxygen content contains less ∑3 boundaries and its micro-twins cross slipped instead of single direction slip in lower oxygen content superalloy. Consequently, specimen with higher oxygen content creeped faster and raptured earlier.

The dielectric constant (ε) reflects the ability of a material to align and orient electrical dipoles within its structure in response to an externally applied electric field; the greater the polarizability of molecules, the greater the value of dielectric constant. In this study a data set of 86 polymers was investigated to develop a structure-property quantitative relations (QSPR) model to predict the dielectric constant in polymers. An initial set of 1273 descriptors was used to select a best set of descriptors and to construct two machine learning models with Gradient Boosting Regressor (GB_A and GB_B). The best performing model (GB_A) with 8 descriptors, exhibited a performance of (R2train) = 0.938 and (R2test) = 0.802. The models were internally validated by 5 folds cross-validation, demonstrating robustness. Additionally, using the Accumulative Local Effect (ALE) technique, we analyzed the relationship between the 8 descriptors involved and the impact of these descriptors to dielectric constant of polymers.

Imitation learning, also known as programming by demonstration, has been shown to be a promising paradigm for intuitive robot programming by non-expert users. However, the classical kinesthetic approach with physical hand guidance suffers from generalizability across different robot types and is impractical for demonstrating tasks with long horizons. Visual imitation learning enables the recording of multi-step tasks as a single continuous video, allowing non-experts to demonstrate tasks naturally. Existing approaches typically require a large amount of data to develop end-to-end deep learning models that map raw pixels to robot actions. This paper explores the application of visual imitation learning from one-shot demonstration, significantly reducing the data requirements and simplifying the programming process. To achieve this target, a framework is proposed to map hand trajectories to the robot end-effector, consisting of four essential components: hand detection; object detection; segmentation of the trajectories into elemental skills; and learning the skills. Methods are developed for each component and evaluated on recorded videos to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed framework.

Mangroves offer vital ecological advantages including air and water filtration, coastal and estuarine habitat provision, sediment stabilization, and wave energy absorption. Their intricate root systems play a key role in safeguarding shorelines from tsunamis and erosive storms by dissipating wave energy. Moreover, mangroves shield against boat wakes and wind-waves, bolstering shoreline defense. Wave dissipation is a function of forest width, tree diameter, and forest density. Restoration efforts of juvenile mangroves in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon (IRL) aim to reduce wave energy in areas vulnerable to erosion. Physical model testing of wave dissipation through mangroves is limited due to the complexity in representing the mangrove structure, where prop roots are non-uniform in both diameter and location. Previous studies have quantified wave dissipating effects through use of scaled and parameterized mangrove structures. This study measures the dissipation effects of live mangroves in a wave flume, forced by conditions representative of the IRL. These measurements are used to validate a parameterized dowel model. Error between wave attenuation factors for the live mangrove and dowel system was on average 2.5%. Validation of the modularized dowel system allowed for further parameterized testing to understand forest structure effects, such as sediment stabilization and wave attenuation.

This paper discusses the bioethics of intellectual property (IP) and intellectual property rights (IPR) applicable to biotechnology-based IP. It outlines some of the laws that are related to IPR in Zimbabwe and globally. The paper additionally highlights gaps, opportunities and concerns with the laws. Finally, the paper highlights some initiatives already underway in Zimbabwe targeted at promoting entrepreneurship, commercialization and industrialization while proposing strategies that can be used to further promote the generation and granting of biotechnology-related IP and IPR in Zimbabwe.

The application of antimicrobials in aquaculture primarily aims to prevent and treat bacterial infections in fish. Inappropriate use of antimicrobials in fish farming may result in the emergence of zoonotic antibiotic-resistant bacteria and subsequent transmission of resistant strains to humans via food consumption. From recently, AMR emerged as a significant public health concern in the aquaculture ecosystem and fisheries. The aquatic environment serves as a potential reservoir for resistant bacteria, with aquaculture practices providing an ideal breeding ground for AMR due to the excessive use of antimicrobials to prevent and treat diseases. The mutual inter-connection of intensive fish farming systems with terrestrial environments, food processing industry and human population creates pathways for the transmission of resistant bacteria, exacerbating the problem further. One Health concept, which recognizes the interconnectedness of human, animal and environmental health, enables a holistic approach to address the challenges posed by AMR. By understanding the evolution of such approach, the future of aquaculture, being the important source of a global animal protein supply, can be safeguarded. Risk mitigation strategies for AMR should be based on One Health concept to contribute to sustainable aquaculture practices that protect human and animal health, ensure food safety and protection of environment.

Halide perovskite materials gain enormous attention for their semiconducting properties, higher power conversion efficiency and potential applications in a wide range field of studies along with their two key limitations: stability and toxicity. In spite of great progress made on the halide perovskites and many promising research developments, overcoming these limitations is not realized yet. Therefore, coordination engineering of new framework for obtaining alternative new halide perovskite materials and fundamental understanding of the coordination chemistry and electronic interactions forming the structure of these newly engineered halide perovskite materials might be one way in order to overcome the issues related to both stability and toxicity. In this review, the current development of halide perovskite families, both lead halide perovskites and lead free halide perovskites followed by coordination engineering of the new frameworks to engineer new halide perovskite materials will be reviewed comprehensively. Moreover, all the concerns of the fundamental ideas of coordination chemistry and electronic interactions that are keys in forming the halide perovskite structures are discussed in detail and form the main aim of this review. Interestingly, we also discuss recent potential energy applications beyond photovoltaic and this review has completed with an essential and open question: ‘what could happen in the future of halide perovskites?’ in order to excite commercial enterprises and research institutions again as well as to get motivating new predictions on the future continuity of this field.

(1)Background: Fascioliasis is considered a neglected tropical disease affecting an estimated 17 million people in more than 70 countries worldwide. The highest prevalence of human fascioliasis is found in regions where livestock farming and consumption of raw or undercooked freshwater plants are common, such as parts of Africa, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. It is responsible for over 90,000 disability-adjusted years of life due to associated abdominal complications. We conducted a study to investigate the prevalence of human fascioliasis through a systematic review and meta-analysis of all available literature in Sun-Saharan Africa.(2). Methods: We screened a total of 126 publications using pubmed online search engine databases; Web of Science and CAB for articles published within a 20-year period between 2000 and 2022. We used a comprehensive search method using a combination of terms, parasite and disease names. The initial search resulted in a screening of articles by title, abstracts and full texts. The relevant information on the prevalence of human fascioliasis in Africa was extracted. Of the 126 publications, 33 articles were selected for meta-analysis. The essential information required was extracted from these documents and determined through statistical analysis in Microsoft Excel for calculating the prevalence of human fascioliasis in sub-Saharan Africa. The variance of each study was assessed using a bimodal distribution and heterogeneity assessment using a I2 index. Analysis was performed using random effects models.(3)Results: A total of 271 articles were searched through the database search and 33 articles were eligible studies that provided qualitative information on the prevalence of human fascioliasis in Africa. These make up 12.17% (n=33). The pooled prevalence estimates for human fascioliasis are 0.032% (IVhet PPE: 0.032% (95%CI 1.4-6.53). The highest prevalence rate was observed in Egypt with a prevalence of 100%. The prevalence of human fascioliasis is very high in some sub-Saharan countries, partly due to neglect of diagnostics, demonstrating the bias of available information for decision-making in human fascioliasis across Africa, given the spatial presence, scarcity and incompleteness are region.(4)Conclusions: The prevalence of Human fascioliasis is very high in some Sub-Saharan Countries partly due to neglect in diagnostics. This presents how highly focal with spatial occurrences, scarcity and patchy the available information for decision making is on Human fascioliasis across the Sub-Saharan African region.

Colleges and universities play a crucial role in fostering innovation, making it essential to explore effective strategies for promoting innovation at the institutional policy level. This paper focuses on the establishment of intellectual property (IP) model cities as a starting point and conducts an empirical analysis using innovation data from 234 cities and 942 colleges and universities between 2007 and 2017. By constructing a multi-temporal double-difference model, this study reveals that the establishment of IP model cities effectively fosters innovation in colleges and universities. Further analysis demonstrates that this promotion effect is particularly significant in the western region, key cities, key colleges and universities, as well as in the fields of invention and utility model patents. These conclusions withstand a series of robustness tests, confirming their validity. In terms of the underlying mechanisms, it is found that the national IP pilot city policy has a substantial impact on university innovation by promoting research and development (R&D) investment and strengthening innovation cooperation. The insights provided by this study offer valuable policy recommendations for leveraging the innovation potential of the IP model city policy, thereby driving economic transformation, upgrading, and fostering innovation development in China.

This paper examines certain implications from the literature on Tiebout’s model of local gov-ernment service provision, particularly Hamilton’s extension of the model to include local control of land use and property taxation. Our empirical analysis focuses on the use of fiscal zoning to lower property tax rates, a topic that has not been addressed in the extensive Tiebout literature. Using data for over 100 municipalities in the Miami, Florida, metropolitan area, we specify property tax rates as a function of fiscal zoning measures, other municipal characteristics, and tax mimicking. We conclude that single-family zoning is by far the most important variable ex-plaining municipal property tax rates.

Economic, social, and environmental sustainability are the results of efforts aiming to improve all aspects of milk production, respecting animal welfare and improving herd health. An epidemi-ological study was designed to assess the role of contagious pathogens (S. aureus and S.agalactiae) in a cohort of 120 dairy herds located in the southern regions of Italy. Milk quality was assessed using certified methods, and the prevalence of mastitis pathogens in bulk tank milk was determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Welfare scores were assessed using a scoring card that have more than 100 items, including animal-based measurements. Statistical analyses were performed using general lineal model and logistic regression procedures. The results showed that S. aureus had a significant negative effect on the amount of milk components delivered to the dairy plant, and on the level of welfare. Whereas, the presence of S.agalactiae did not show any significant association. The major risk factors associated with the presence of S.aureus were also identified to help prioritise control programs. These results support the “One Sustainability” approach im-plying that an increase of animal productivity is related to the improvement of animal health and welfare and potentially leading to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.Economic, social, and environmental sustainability are the results of efforts aiming to improve all aspects of milk production, respecting animal welfare and improving herd health. An epidemi-ological study was designed to assess the role of contagious pathogens (S. aureus and S.agalactiae) in a cohort of 120 dairy herds located in the southern regions of Italy. Milk quality was assessed using certified methods, and the prevalence of mastitis pathogens in bulk tank milk was determined using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Welfare scores were assessed using a scoring card that have more than 100 items, including animal-based measurements. Statistical analyses were performed using general lineal model and logistic regression procedures. The results showed that S. aureus had a significant negative effect on the amount of milk components delivered to the dairy plant, and on the level of welfare. Whereas, the presence of S.agalactiae did not show any significant association. The major risk factors associated with the presence of S.aureus were also identified to help prioritise control programs. These results support the “One Sustainability” approach im-plying that an increase of animal productivity is related to the improvement of animal health and welfare and potentially leading to the mitigation of greenhouse gas emissions.

High-accuracy geolocation is crucial for high-resolution spaceborne SAR images. Most advanced SAR satellites have better theoretical geolocation accuracy than 1 meter but maybe unrealizable with less accurate external data, including the atmospheric parameters and the ground elevations. To investigate the actual SAR geolocation accuracy in common applications, we analyze the properties of different geolocation errors, propose a set of geolocation procedures, and conduct experiments on TerraSAR-X images and a pair of Tianhui-2 images. The results show that based on GNSS elevations, the geolocation accuracy is better than 1 meter for TerraSAR-X and 2 meters / 4 meters for the Tianhui-2 reference / secondary satellite. Based on the WorldDEM and the SRTM, an extra geolocation error of 2 and 4 meters will be introduced, respectively. By comparing the effectiveness of different tropospheric correction methods, we find that the GACOS mapping method has advantages in terms of resolution and computational efficiency. We conclude that the tropospheric error and the ground elevation error are the primary factors influencing the geolocation accuracy, and the key to improving accuracy is to use higher-accuracy DEMs. Additionally, we propose and validate a geolocation model for the Tianhui-2 secondary satellite.

Ice accumulation poses considerable challenges in transportation, notably in the domain of general aviation. The present study combines the strengths and limitations of conventional aircraft de-icing techniques with the emerging trend toward all-electric aircraft. The study aims to utilize laser-induced graphene (LIG) technology to create a multifunctional surface, seamlessly integrating hydrophobic properties with efficient electrical heating to mitigate surface icing effectively. We investigated the utilization of a 10.6 μm CO2 laser for direct writing on polyimide (PI), a widely-used insulating encapsulation material. From the thermomechanical perspective, our initial analysis using COMSOL Multiphysics software revealed that when the laser power P exceeds 5 W, the PI substrate experience ablative damage. The experimental results show that when P ≤ 5W, an increase in power has a positive impact on the quality, surface porosity, roughness reduction, line-spacing reduction, and water contact-angle enhancement of the graphene. Conversely, when P > 5 W, higher power negatively affects both the substrate and the graphene structure by inducing excessive ablation. However, it influences the graphene line height positively and is consistent with overall experimental-simulation congruence. Furthermore, the incorporation of high-quality graphene resulted in a surface that exhibited higher contact angles (CA > 120°), lower energy consumption, and higher heating efficiency compared to the use of traditional electrically heated materials for anti-icing applications. The potential applications of this one-step fabrication method extend across various industries, particularly aviation, marine engineering, and other ice-prone domains. Moreover, the method has extensive prospects for addressing pivotal challenges associated with ice formation and serves an innovative and efficient anti-icing technology.

In (Semigroup Forum 77: 325-338, 2008) Mahmoudi M. and Renshaw J. solved a study that covers of cyclic $S$-acts over monoids. This article is an attempt to initiate the covers of finitely generated $S$-acts. We give a necessary and sufficient condition for a monoid to have the properties that $n$-generated $S$-acts have strongly flat covers, Condition $(P)$ covers and projective covers. The main conclusions extend some known results. We show also that Condition $(P)$ covers of finitely generated $S$-acts are not unique, unlike the situation for strongly flat covers. Additionally, we demonstrate that the property of Enochs' $\mathcal{X}$-precover of $S$-act $A$, where $\mathcal{X}$ denotes a class of $S$-acts that are closed under isomorphisms.

Bi1-xSbx crystal is one of the best n-type thermoelectric materials below 200 K, but its weak mechanical strength hinders practical applications for deep refrigeration. Herein, we adopted the mechanical enhancement method of hot extrusion to investigate the comprehensive mechanical and thermoelectric properties of Bi0.905Sb0.095. It revealed that reducing the grain size of the matrix and increasing the extrusion ratio can improve the gain size uniformity and mechanical properties. While the thermoelectric performance depends on the texture, grain size, and local composition. The extruded sample prepared by ingot with the high extrusion ratio of 9:1 generated a high texture degree of (001) plane and small grain sizes between ~4-40 mm, which resulted in the high bending strength of Bi1-xSbx ~130 Mpa and a high-power factor of ~ 68 μW·cm-1·K-2@173 K, as well as the relative high figure of merit of 0.25@173K. This work highlights the importance of the uniform distribution of the grain size and the compositions for Bi1-xSbx, as well as the required universal key parameter for the hot-extrusion method.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is caused by the full mutation in the FMR1 gene on the Xq27.3 chromosome region. It is the most common monogenic cause of Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and inherited intellectual disability (ID). Besides ASD, ID and other issues, individuals with FXS may exhibit sleep problems and impairment of circadian rhythm (CR). The Drosophila melanogaster models of FXS, such as dFMR1B55, present excellent model for research in the FXS field. During this study, sleep pattern and CR in dFMR1B55 mutants were analyzed, using a new platform based on continuous high-resolution videography in integration with a highly-customized version of software. This methodology provides more sensitive results, which could be crucial for all further research in this model of fruit flies. The study revealed that dFMR1 B55 male mutants can be considered weak rhythmic flies rather than totally arrhythmic, and present a good alternative animal model of genetic disorder, which includes impairment of CR and sleep behavior. The combination of videography and software used in the current study should be recommended as a gold-standard methodology for such further research.

Emerging infectious diseases are a major threat to biodiversity and an important public health issue. West Nile virus (WNV) is an emerging vector-borne zoonotic arbovirus that is currently broadening its distribution in Europe. The evidence of WNV circulating in resident and migratory species has implications for both animal and public health, and should therefore be studied in depth. An integrated surveillance program, namely in birds, is essential for reducing the risk of infection in human populations within the One Health principles. In the present study, wild birds admitted to wildlife rehabilitation centres in Portugal were sampled. Two-hundred and eight blood samples were assayed serologically to antibodies to WNV, by using a commercial ELISA kit. An overall seroprevalence of 19.6% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 13.7-26.7%) was observed. Antibodies to WNV were detected in 13 (35.1%) different species of wild birds. Accipitriformes (26.7%; 95% CI: 18.5-36.2%) and Strigiformes (26.7%; 95% CI: 14.6-42.0%) were the orders with the highest seroprevalence recorded. There were no statistically significant differences (p = 0.725) between the geographical regions (NUTS II) studied, but statistically significant difference (p = 0.017) was found between gender (male: 34.4%; female: 4.8%). A higher seroprevalence was found in adults (32.1%) compared to juvenile birds (9.3%) (p = 0.014), and age was considered a risk factor to WNV infection in wild birds (odds ratio 1.4; 95% CI: 0.5–4.0). More epidemiological studies are needed in Portugal, since the actual spread of the WNV throughout the country is unknown.

Abstract Antibacterial activities can be improved using mixed ligands. Mixed ligands involved in this research are sodium sulfadiazine (Na-sfz) and dithiocarbamate (ai-dtc). One-pot synthesis was used to synthesize ligand of aniline dithiocarbamate (ai-dtc) and the corresponding coordination compounds of [VO(sfz)(ai-dtc)] and [Zn(sfz)(ai-dtc)]. Crystals of ai-dtc, which grew from the solution when refrigerated after five days, were diffracted with technique of single crystal x-ray crystallography to reveal the structure. Other characterization techniques involving physicochemical parameters, FT-IR, UV-Vis and NMR (1H NMR and 13C NMR) were carried out on ligands of ai-dtc, sfz and corresponding coordination compounds. Differences in results of FT-IR, UV-Vis and NMR between ligands and their respective metal ions confirmed the coordination. The in vitro antibacterial studies showed that the ligands (not the metal complexes) had modest activity against Gram negative bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, whereas, the coordination compounds had modest activities against the Gram negative bacteria: Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The collaboration of multimodal transport documents is the foundation for conducting multimodal transport operations. Blockchain technology can effectively address trust issues and information sharing difficulties in current multimodal transport document collaboration. However, in current blockchain-based electronic document research, the bottleneck problem lies in the collaboration of multiparty in multimodal transport under the "one-bill coverage system". We design a blockchain platform architecture for multimodal transport, reshaping collaboration processes for different modes of transport based on the blockchain platform. It proposes a collaboration model for multimodal transport under the "one-bill coverage system" and performs model solving and case analysis. The obtained collaboration strategies are embedded into the platform's application layer. Finally, using Solidity language, it writes smart contracts related to multimodal transport under the "one-bill coverage system " and deploys and executes them on the Remix platform.

A prominent class of reactions, reductive aminations are used extensively in research labs and industry to synthesize amines; which are applied in a variety of medicines, agrochemicals, and biomolecules. Amine compounds are essential in many aspects of life; amino groups exist in many natural and agricultural products. New 4-(benzylamino)benzoic acid derivatives with general formula of C14H12NO2R, where [R= (H), (4-Cl), (4-NMe), (4-Br), (3-NO2), (4-NO2), (2-OMe), (3-OMe), (4-OMe), (2,3-OMe), (3,4-OMe), (2-OH, 3-OMe), (3-OMe, 4-OH), (3,5-OMe, 4-OH), (2-OH, 5-Br), (3-OH), (4-SMe), (2,3-OH), (3-CF3)] (compounds 1-19) were obtained by reductive amination reaction via reacting p-amino benzoic acid with benzaldehyde derivatives and sodium borohydride. All prepared compounds has been characterized by a variety of spectroscopic techniques (HRMS, FT-IR, 1H, and 13C{1H} NMR) and elemental analysis. Furthermore, the structure of some of the synthesized derivatives were confirmed by single crystal X-ray diffraction (R = 4-Cl, 4-Br, 2-OMe, 3-OMe, 4-OMe, 2,3-OMe), compounds 2, 4, 7-9 and 11, respectively. Moreover, some of these new compounds have shown somehow moderate antibacterial activities against different strains of bacteria (gram-positive and gram-negative) with MIC values ranging from 64-256 µg/ mL. The anticancer activities of all compounds (IC50 values, µM) were evaluated against different cell lines, HGF (Fibroblasts; normal cell line), A549 (Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer cell line) and H69 (Small Cell Lung Cancer cell line). Compound 18 showed a considerable IC50 value of 90.69 against A549 and an excellent value of 32.22 and H69, respectively.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is a genetic disorder caused by a mutation in the fragile X messenger ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene and known to be a leading cause of inherited intellectual disability globally. It results in a range of intellectual, developmental, and behavioral problems. Fragile X premutation associated conditions (FXPAC), also caused by a smaller CGG expansion (55 to 200 CGG repeats) in the FMR1 gene, is linked to other conditions that increase morbidity and mortality for affected persons. Limited research has been conducted on the burden, characteristics, diagnosis, and management of these conditions in Africa. This comprehensive review provides an overview of the current literature on FXS and FXPAC in Africa, epidemiology, clinical features and challenges faced, such as discrimination against affected persons, limited awareness and research, poor access to resources and genetic services and treatment. It further provides an in-depth analysis of the existing worldwide data for the diagnosis and treatment of these disorders. This review will improve understanding of FXS and FXPAC in Africa by incorporating existing knowledge, identifying research gaps, and potential topics for future research to enhance the well-being of individuals and families affected by FXS and FXPAC in the region.

The majority of Candida species are known as non-pathogenic yeasts and rarely involved in human diseases. However, recently case reports of human infections caused by non-albicans Candida species have increased, mostly in immunocompromised hosts. Our study aimed to describe and caracterise as thoroughly as possible, a new species of the Candida genus, named here Candida massiliensis (PMML0037), isolated from a clinical sample of human sputum. We compared genetic data based on the sequences of four genetic regions: "Internal Transcribed Spacers" of rRNA, D1/D2 domains (28S large subunit rRNA) and part of the genes encoding Translation Elongation Factor 1-α and β-tubulin2, to morphological characters, from scanning electron microscopy (TM 4000 Plus, SU5000), physiological, including the results of oxidation and assimilation tests of different carbon sources by the Biolog system, and chemical mapping by Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy. Lastly, the in vitro antifungal susceptibility profile was performed using the E-testTM exponential gradient method. The multilocus analysis supported the genetic position of Candida massiliensis (PMML0037) as a new species of the genus Candida, and the phenotypic analysis highlighted its unique morphological and chemical profile when compared to other Candida species included in the study.

(1) Background: Parents of children with autism spectrum disorders often experience psychological distress, which can affect the quality of childcare they provide. It is crucial to screen for psychiatric symptoms among these parents. The Core Symptom Index (CSI) is a widely used tool for assessing general symptoms such as depression, anxiety, and somatic symptoms, with demonstrated validity and reliability across various populations. However, there is limited research on the validity and reliability of the CSI in the general Chinese population. This study aimed to investigate the psychometric properties of the Chinese version of the CSI among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders using Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA). (2) Methods: A total of 794 Chinese parents raising children with autism participated in this study. All completed the CSI, along with the social inhibition subscale of the Interpersonal Problems Inventory and the Couple Satisfaction Index. Factorial validity was assessed using CFA to determine how well the bifactor three-factor model fits the data. Various structural models were compared using model fit indices. Convergent and discriminant validity were examined by exploring correlations with the social inhibition subscale and the Couple Satisfaction Index. Invariance testing of the CSI was conducted across multiple groups based on gender, age, and education using CFA. The reliability of the CSI was evaluated using McDonald’s omega coefficients. (3) Results: The bifactor model emerged as the best-fitting model for the data, suggesting that the total score of the CSI adequately represents overall psychiatric symptoms. The CSI exhibited significant correlations with the social inhibition subscale (r = 0.41, p < 0.01) and smaller correlation coefficients with the Couple Satisfaction Index (r = -0.16, p < 0.05), indicating both convergent and discriminant validity. Invariant tests supported scalar invariance levels based on gender and age but only partial invariance for education. The Chinese version of the CSI demonstrated high consistency, with McDonald's omega coefficients ranging between 0.86 and 0.95. (4) Conclusions: The bifactor model of the Chinese version of the CSI is validated, making it a suitable tool for measuring depression, anxiety, and somatization symptoms among parents of children with autism spectrum disorders. Further research on other Chinese populations is encouraged.

This paper investigates pseudo-polymorphism in 2-pyridylmethoxy derivatives of p-tert-butylcalix[4]arene (PyC4), p-tert-butyldihomooxa-calix[4]arenes (PyHOC4), and p-tert-butylhexahomotrioxacalix[3]arenes (PyHO3C3), presenting 11 crystal structures with 15 crystallographically independent molecules. The macrocycle of PyC4 is smaller and less flexible with respect to those of PyHOC4 and PyHO3C3 and in solution, the cone conformation of these three molecules exhibit different point symmetries: C4, Cs and C3, respectively. A correlation is observed between the macrocycle's structural rigidity and the number of pseudo-polymorphs formed. The more rigid PyC4 displays a higher number (6) of pseudo-polymorphs compared to PyHOC4 and PyHO3C3, which exhibit a smaller number of crystalline forms (3 and 2, respectively). The X-ray structures obtained show that the conformation of the macrorings is primarily influenced by the presence of an acetonitrile guest molecule within the cavity, with limited impact from crystal packing and intermolecular cocrystallized solvent molecules. Notably, both calix[4]arene derivatives produce host-guest complex with acetonitrile, while the most flexible and less aromatic PyHO3C3 do not give crystals with acetonitrile as guest. Intertwined 1D and 2D solvent channel networks were observed in the PyHOC4-hexane and in the PyHO3C3-H2O-MeOH crystal structures, respectively, while the other pseudopolymorphs of PyHOC4 and PyHO3C3 and all PyC4 crystal forms exhibit a closely packed crystal structures without open channels.

This study addresses the implementation of the International Financial Reporting Standard 9 (IFRS 9) in the European Union as of January 1, 2018, replacing the International Accounting Standard 39 (IAS 39) to introduce a new model for recognizing Loan Loss Provisions (LLP) based on Expected Credit Loss (ECL). This model responds to criticisms of the former Incurred Credit Loss (ICL) system for its inability to reflect credit losses in a timely manner, potentially exacerbating the effects of financial crises (Bushman & Williams, 2015; Gebhardt & Novotny-Farkas, 2011). The study focuses on the effects of adopting the ECL model on the level of Loan Loss Allowances (LLA) in loans, own equity, and the Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio across 13 Portuguese commercial banks. A mean comparison test is used to evaluate scenarios before and after the application of the ECL model, highlighting the importance of regulator actions and the adequacy of loss recognition policies, including the effects of Regulation (EU) 2017/2395 of December 12. The results obtained demonstrate significant negative impacts on the net values of loans, own equity, and the CET1 ratio upon adopting the IFRS 9 ECL model, due to the widespread increase in LLAs.

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

The objective of this study was to investigate the concentration and spatial distribution patterns of six potentially toxic heavy metal elements (Mn, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cu and Ni) in bus station dusts in the Xifeng district of Gansu province, NW China. The contents were analyzed for Mn, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cu and Ni by using S8 TIGER Brochures wavelength dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry. Geoaccumulation index (Igeo ), enrichment factor (EF), pollution index (PI) and integrated pollution index(IPI) were calculated to evaluate the heavy metal contamination level of bus station dusts. The results indicate that, in comparison with the background values of local soil, bus station dusts in Xifeng have elevated metal concentrations as a whole. The concentrations of heavy metals investigated in this paper are compared with the reported data of other cities. The results show that the arithmetic means of Mn, Zn, Cr, Pb, Cu and Ni are 440.8, 137.9, 60.0, 42.8, 33.5 and 19.8mg kg−1 respectively. The mean values of Igeo reveal the order of Ni<Mn<Cr<Cu<Zn<Pb. The high Igeo and EF for Cu, Zn and Pb in bus station dusts indicate that there is a considerable Cu, Zn and Pb pollution, which mainly originate from traffic and industry activities. The Igeo and EF of Ni, Mn and Cr are low and the assessment results indicate an absence of distinct Ni, Mn and Cr pollution in bus station dusts. The assessment results of PI also support Cu, Zn and Pb in bus station dusts presented middle pollution, and IPI indicates heavy metals of bus station dusts polluted seriously.

In On Revolution, Hannah Arendt makes the case that a constitution must account for the need of the human person to participate in the building of society, both as a primordial and continual action of founding. This paper draws on Arendt's insight on the relationship between privacy and the notion of property, both of which the constitution must protect, as it is dependent on those notions. Property in its fullest sense is the means by which a person interacts with others and establishes a society. Particularly important for this notion of engagement are the concepts of shame and the love of goodness. The actor emerges from the private sphere to interact with others on the strength of the secrecy and confidentiality of her intimate, private relationships. Property is therefore essential to human flourishing and happiness. Following this, the activity of constructing the public forum on the basis of the private is an important feature of Arendt's constitutionalism. Human action showers third-party esteem on the actor's family and friends, binding them to the constitutional structure and strengthening familial relationships and social cohesion.

This paper is devoted to the study of reproducing kernels on 2-inner product Hilbert spaces. We focus on a new structure to produce reproducing kernel Hilbert and Banach spaces. According to multi-variable computing, this structures can be useful in electrocardiographs, machine learning and economy

The present work investigates primarily the morphology evolution of the body-centered-cubic (BCC)/B2 phases in AlxNiCoFeCr high-entropy alloys (HEAs) with increasing Al content, which has been neglected so far. There exist two types of microscopic morphologies of BCC and B2 phases in this HEA series: one is the weave-like morphology induced by the spinodal decomposition, and the other is the microstructure of a spherical disordered BCC precipitation on the ordered B2 matrix that appears in HEAs with a much higher Al content. The shape of coherent precipitates is found to be closely related to the lattice misfit between BCC and B2 phases, which is sensitive to Al. The mechanical properties, including the compressive yielding strength and microhardness of the AlxNiCoFeCr HEAs, are also discussed in light of the concept of the valence electron concentration (VEC).

Reactions of quinones with compounds containing an amino group can produce a wide variety of addition or substitution products that depend on reactivity of both quinone and amino derivative. 6,7-Dichloropyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-8,9-diones undergo selective nucleophilic substitution reaction with different benzohydrazides and α-hydroxy-p-quinone imine derivatives stabilized by strong intramolecular hydrogen bond were isolated. Synthesized compounds represent a combination of several structural motifs: benzimidazole core fused with α-hydroxy-p-quinone imine which contains a benzamido fragment. The protonation/deprotonation processes were investigated in a solution using UV-Vis spectroscopy and 1H NMR titration experiment. X-ray crystallography analysis revealed a set of weak non-covalent interactions such as intra- and intermolecular hydrogen bonds and π-π stacking. Additionally, the redox behavior of 6,7-dichloropyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-8,9-dione and its p-imino derivative was investigated in acidic and neutral environment using cyclic voltammetry measurements. Cathode material based on 6,7-dichloropyrido[1,2-a]benzimidazole-8,9-dione could act as potential effective active electrode in aqueous electrolyte batteries, however further optimization is required.

In this paper, we study the weighted reproducing kernels. We introduce a generalization of weighted reproducing property and extend it to relative reproducing property on Banach spaces. This generalization will develop the parallel computing and it can be used as a base of parallel learning for machines especially in the case that there are non-homogenous weighted hypothesis. This methods formulate learning and estimation problems in a relative reproducing kernel Banach space (RRKBS) of functions defined on the data domain, expanded in terms of a kernel.

A strategy to propose solutions to health-related problems recognizes that people, animals, and the environment are interconnected. Fusarium and Neocosmospora are an example of this interaction due to the capable of infecting plants, animals, and human. This review provides information on various aspects of these relations and proposes how to approach fusariosis with a One Health methodology. Here we give a framework to understand infection pathogenesis, through the epidemiological triad and explain how the broad utilization of fungicides in agriculture may play a role in the treatment of human fusariosis. We assess how plumbing systems and hospital environments might play a role as a reservoir for animal and human infections. We explain the role of antifungal resistance mechanism in both humans and agriculture. Our review emphasizes the importance of developing interdisciplinarity research studies where aquatic animals, plants, and human disease interactions can be explored through coordination and collaborative actions.

The atomic structures of Zn and Na borophosphate glasses were studied by X-ray and neutron diffraction. Peaks assigned to the B−O, P−O, and O−O distances confirm that only BO4 units co-exist with the PO4 tetrahedra. The Zn−O and Na−O coordination numbers are found to be a little larger than four. The narrowest peaks of the Zn−O first-neighbor distances exist for the glasses along a line connecting the Zn(PO3)2 and BPO4 compositions (50 mol% P2O5) which is explained by networks of ZnO4, BO4, and PO4 tetrahedra with twofold coordinated oxygens. Calculated amounts of the available oxygen support this interpretation. Broadened peaks occur for glasses with lower P2O5 contents, consistent with the presence of threefold coordinated oxygens. The two distinct P−O peak components of the Zn and Na borophosphate glasses differ in their relative abundances which is interpreted by Na+ cations that coordinate oxygens in some P−O−B bridges, something not seen for the Zn2+ ions.

The present study explained factors influencing citizen satisfaction service in the Investment and One-Stop Service Agency of Tanah Bumbu Regency. In particular, this research analyses the level of citizen satisfaction and the extent to which Awareness, Rules, Organizational, Income, Skill-Ability, and Service Facility Factor influence Citizen Satisfaction. This study uses a mixed methodology with a sequential explanatory strategy. Using the incidental sampling with Slovin's Formula to calculate the number of samples is 93 respondents. The quantitative data were analyzed by the SmartPLS 3.0 program. The findings showed that the level of citizen satisfaction is included in the category "Satisfied". Furthermore, the variable of Citizen Satisfaction is influenced by variables of Awareness, Rules, Organizational, Income, Skill-Ability dan Service Facility Factor for 70,5%. Whereas Awareness, Rules, Organizational, and Skill-Ability Factor has a significant influence on Citizen Satisfaction. Besides, Income and Service Facility Factor do not have a significant influence on Citizen Satisfaction.

Background: Emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases that infect wildlife, such as African swine fever, avian influenza, and SARS-CoV-2, have highlighted the necessity for wildlife health surveillance (WHS) due to their direct and indirect impacts on wildlife species, ecosystems, domestic animals, and human health. While global policies and guidelines exist, a critical gap remains in local-to-national implementation of WHS systems. A group of local, national, and global actors in WHS have formed a working group to address this gap. Methods and Findings: The working group reports on a theory of change (ToC) developed to implement WHS from local to global scales. Through brainstorming, plenary exercise, and building on peer-reviewed science and existing surveillance systems, we identified six transformative pathways to be implemented via collaborations across scales and contexts: mindset change, policy and investment, user-driven science, user-driven technologies, capacity enhancement, and mobilization of a global community of practice. Interpretation: This ToC serves as a roadmap to develop effective WHS systems that support adaptive management and implementation. WHS is fundamental to understanding the impacts of health threats to biodiversity and human and domestic animal health. This ToC presents an approach to operationalize integration of wildlife health into collaborative One Health surveillance. Funding: The Science for Nature and People Partnership.

Abstract Octreotide is the first synthetic peptide hormone, consisted of eight amino acids, that mimics the activity of somatostatin, a natural hormone in the body. During the past decades, advanced instrumentation and crystallographic software established X-ray Powder Diffraction (XRPD) as a valuable tool for extracting structural information of biological macromolecules. The latter was demonstrated by the successful structural determination of octreotide at a remarkably high d-spacing resolution (1.87 Å) (PDB code: 6vc1). This study focuses on the response of octreotide to different humidity levels and temperatures, with a particular focus on the stability of the polycrystalline sample. XRPD measurements were accomplished employing an Anton Paar MHC-trans humidity-temperature chamber installed within a laboratory X’Pert Pro diffractometer (Malvern Panalytical). The chamber is employed to control and maintain precise humidity and temperature levels of samples during XRPD data collection. Pawley analysis of the collected data sets revealed that the octreotide polycrystalline sample is remarkably stable and no structural transitions were observed. The compound retains its orthorhombic symmetry (space group: P212121, a = 18.57744(4) Å, b = 30.17338(6) Å, c = 39.70590(9) Å, d~ 2.35 Å). However, a characteristic structural evolution in terms of lattice parameters and volume of the unit-cell is reported mainly upon controlled relative humidity variation. In addition, an improvement of signal-to-noise ratio in the XRPD data under a cycle of dehydration/rehydration is reported. These results underline the importance of considering the impact of environmental factors, as humidity and temperature, in the context of structure-based drug design, thereby contributing to the development of more effective and stable pharmaceutical products.

The cuttlebone-like structure is a complex porous bionic structure with asymmetric sinusoidal S-shaped wall structure connecting laminar septa, and studies have shown that the cuttlebone-like structure has light weight, high strength and excellent energy absorption capability. It has become an important research to investigate the mechanical mechanism of cuttlebone-like structure and to design a bionic structure beyond nature structure based on it. In order to investigate the mechanical properties of the static compression and shearing processes of the cuttlebone-like structure, this paper establishes theoretical formulas and analyzes the influence of dimensionless parameters such as height-to-thickness ratio $\lambda$, period-to-thickness ratio $\xi$ and amplitude to period ratio $\eta$ on the compression and shearing processes with the help of ABAQUS finite element software.The parameter sensitivity analysis method was used to compare the important influence degree of each dimensionless parameter on the mechanical properties of the structure and to determine the relative optimal parameters of the structural mechanical properties under compression and shearing. Based on the relatively optimal parameter of the cuttlebone-like structure, the cross-sectional geometry of the structure is improved to build a new cuttlebone-like structure.The experimental results showed that the new cuttlebone-like structure with revised cross-section improved the mechanical properties of the cuttlebone-like structure.The study results are of theoretical guidance to enhance the mechanical properties and geometric design of cuttlebone-like structures.

This study explores the industrial property market in Hong Kong, a sector characterized by its unique features and atypical market behaviour. Particularly, this research employs machine learning techniques to predict property prices based on a set of features, including location, square footage, floor level, accessibility to mass transit railway station and the like. To ensure transparency and understanding, the Shapley value is employed to quantify the relative importance of each feature in predicting property prices. Our analysis reveals the existence of non–linear relationships among these features, as demonstrated by the wide distribution of SHAP values for most features, which are illustrated in a beeswarm plot that span both sides of the baseline. This finding indicates a complex interaction among such features as square footage, age, floor level, carpark, proximity to mass transit railway stations, location, and property prices. The results contribute valuable insights into the relationships between industrial property characteristics and their corresponding values, thereby equipping stakeholders with enhanced understanding of the market to support informed decision–making.

The finite-time turnpike property describes the situation in an optimal control problem where an optimal trajectory reaches the desired state before the end of the time interval and remains there. We consider a machine learning problem with a neural ordinary differential equation that can be seen as a homogenization of a deep ResNet. We show that with appropriate scaling of the quadratic control cost and the non-smooth tracking term the optimal control problem has the finite-time turnpike property, that is the desired state is reached in the interior of the time interval and the optimal state remains there until the terminal time $T$. This property is useful to achieve a compromise between the depth of the network and the size of the optimal system parameters which we hope will be useful to determine optimal depths for neural network architectures in the future.

Property Assessed Clean Energy (PACE) programs finance energy efficiency and renewable energy improvements in residential and commercial properties with a special tax assessment added to property taxes. The paper surveys the literature and documents the quantitative estimates of environmental and economic benefits. The paper extends to discuss the securitization of PACE loans. The issuance of PACE green bonds frees up capacity for more PACE improvements. In addition, we summarize the concerns raised after the programs have been implemented. Those concerns include consumer protection, audit after program implementation, and lien-related risks for lenders. We highlight the challenges and discuss measures to continue to grow PACE financing. The success of PACE programs will contribute to mitigating climate change and to achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Soil compaction is a major environmental stress to root development and plant growth. Meanwhile, drought always results in increasing soil mechanical impedance, which in turn aggravates soil compaction stress. In this study, a column experiment with three levels of compaction stress (low, moderate, and severe, respectively) and two levels of soil water content (well-watered and drought, respectively) was established to investigate the effects of soil compaction combined with drought on soil pore structure, root development and maize growth properties. Results showed that soil compaction combined with soil water stress significantly affected the characteristics of soil pore structure. With the increase of soil compaction, the porosity, larger pores (> 500 μm), and the maximum pore diameter significantly decreased (P < 0.05) regardless of soil water status. Additionally, pore morphology and network parameters were also deteriorated under soil compaction with drought conditions. Soil compaction substantially affected root length, root volume, root surface area and root average diameter in the whole profile (p < 0.05). Compared to well-watered conditions, the effects of soil compaction on root characteristics under drought conditions was more obvious, which indicated that appropriate soil water content could alleviate compaction stress. Aboveground biomass and plant height showed a consistent trend with root traits under soil compaction stress regardless of water status. Pearson’s correlation analysis showed that there were significant correlations between most soil pore parameters and maize growth traits. In addition, soil compaction showed a significant effect on stomatal conductance and transpiration rate while soil water showed a significant effect on SPAD.

Background: One challenge in implant dentistry is to reduce marginal bone resorption to avoid long-term esthetic and biological complications. Sub-gingival implant placement has been suggested as a suitable strategy. Methods: 38 healthy patients were enrolled to receive bone level (BL – Control group) or 2 mm sub-crestal (SC - Test group) conical connection, platform-switched implants. An immediate tissue level abutment was used in the Test group by following a One Time Abutment (OTA) restorative procedure. Marginal Bone Modification (MBM) was calcu-latied on standardized radiographs at surgery (T0), loading (T1), and 6 months (T2) and 12 months after loading (T3), and cathegorised in Bone Loss (BL) if the resorption occurred below the implant neck and Bone Remodeling (BR) if above. Pocket probing depth (PPD), Bleeding on probing (BoP) and Plaque Index (PI) were also collected. Results: The mean MBM in the test group after 12 months was 0.61mm, compared to 0.52mm in the control group. However, no BL was observed in the test group, as the MBM completely occurred above the implant neck as BR, whilst in the control group MBM corresponded in total to BL. The average PPD was 2.38mm in the test group and 3.04mm in the control group after 12 months, BoP 50% and 43%, PI 33% and 19.44% respectively. Conclusions: Sub-crestal conical connection, platform-switched implants could be a suitable clinical choice to avoid BL with exposure of the treated implants surfaces.

Globally increasing antibiotic resistance has been connected to the use of antibiotics in medical, veterinary, and agricultural medicine, contributing to the burden of antibiotic resistance in Asia and Europe. The main objective of this study was to correlations of antimicrobial-resistant of various pathogens in three compartments: humans, animals and the environment in India and Germany. A systematic search was carried out in Medline via PubMed, Google Scholar, and science direct, including studies published in 2022. Out of 532 papers, 24 were considered for meta-analysis. This study reveals that in India, β-lactam is highly resistant in animals. Quinolone, on the other hand, was highly resistant in humans. Furthermore, in the environment and integrated studies, aminoglycosides and β-lactams is resistant. While in Germany, a high rate of AMR resistance in all three sectors was reported in β-lactam. However, E. coli was the most frequent pathogen in both countries and is highly resistant to β-lactam, followed by cephalosporin in all the compartments. Monitoring and evaluating antibiotic-sensitivity patterns and developing proper antibiotic regimens may lead to improved outcomes for inhibiting and controlling E. coli infections in various parts of the world.

Background: Bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and ultrasound (US) have become popular for estimating body fat percentage (BF%) due to their low cost and clinical convenience. However, agreement of these devices with gold standard method still require investigation. The aim was to analyze the agreement between a gold standard %BF assessment method with BIA and US devices. Methods: Twenty-three men (age 30.1 ± 7.7 years, 82.5 ± 14.9 kg, 1.77 ± 0.05 m) underwent Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DXA), BIA (tetrapolar) and US (three-site method) %BF assessment. Pearson and concordance correlations were analyzed. T-test compared means between methods, and Bland Altman plots analyzed agreement and proportional bias. Alpha was set at &lt; .05. Results: Pearson coefficients between BIA and US with DXA were high (BIA = 0.94; US = 0.89; both p &lt; .001). Concordance coefficient was high for BIA (0.80) and moderate for US (0.49). BF% measured by BIA (24.5 ± 7.5) and US (19.4 ± 7.0) were on average 4.4% and 9.6% lower than DXA (29.0 + 8.5%), respectively (p &lt; .001). Lower and upper agreement limits between DXA and BIA were -1.45 and 10.31, while between DXA and US were 2.01 and 17.14, respectively. There was a tendency of both BIA (p = .09) and US (p = .057) to present proportional bias and underestimate BF%. Conclusions: Despite the correlation, the mean difference between the methods were significant, and the agreement limits are very wide. This indicate that BIA and US, as measured in this study, have limited potential to accurately measure %BF compared to DXA, especially in individuals with higher body fat.

Training researchers and stakeholders is crucial to mitigate the risks associated with toxins and venom. By sharing knowledge on the responsible use of toxins, venoms, chemicals, and data from biosecurity and cyberbiosecurity perspectives, we empower laboratorians to make informed choices. We need to remember that cultivating a culture of sustainable biosafety and biosecurity is vital for one health. This technical note highlights the essence of safeguarding biosecurity and cyberbiosecurity in toxin and venom research laboratories workshop designed and implemented to boost biosecurity.

The present paper discusses an elliptic equation with Steklov boundary conditions and $(p(x),q(x))$-Laplacian. Using mountain pass theorem together with Ekeland's variational principle, we prove, under appropriate conditions on the functions involved, that the problem admits at least two solutions.

Sodium phenyl dithiocarbamate (pl-dtc) as a ligand was prepared from the reaction of aniline (C6H5-NH2) and carbon(IV) sulfide (CS2) in the presence of sodium hydroxide via method of one-pot synthesis. Two coordination compounds ([VO(sfz)(pl-dtc)] and [Zn(sfz)(pl-dtc)]) from respective oxovanadium (IV) sulfate hydrate and zinc (II) chloride were prepared with mixed ligands involving sodium sulfadiazine (sfz) and the synthesized pl-dtc crystals, also via the method of one-pot synthesis. Structural analyses of the ligand and coordination compounds were assessed using characterization techniques involving physicochemical parameters and spectral analysis ( FT-IR, UV-Vis and NMR (1H NMR and 13C NMR) to confirm their synthenses and structures. Additionally, pl-dtc crystals which grew from the pl-dtc solution when refrigerated after five days, has its structure confirmed and revealed when subjected to single crystal x-ray crystallography technique. Differences in results of spectral analysis between ligands and their respective coordination compounds confirmed the coordination between ligands and coordination compounds. The in vitro antibacterial studies showed that the ligands had modest activity against Gram positive bacteria: Staphylococcus aureus, while, the coordination compounds had modest activities against the Gram negative bacteria: Escherichia coli when compared with ligand of pl-dtc.

The CuCrSn alloy is promising as high-strength and high-conductivity Cu alloy due to its relative low smelting requirement, while thus far reports on the CuCrSn alloy is still quite lacked. In this study, the microstructure and properties of Cu-0.20Cr-0.25Sn (wt%) specimens prepared under different rolling and aging combinations were comprehensively characterized, in order to reveal the effects of cold rolling and aging on the CuCrSn alloy. The results show that increasing the aging temperature from 400 ºC to 450 ºC can obviously accelerates the precipitation, and the cold rolling before aging significantly increases the initial microhardness and promotes the precipitation. Whereas, the deformation hardening will be eliminated during the aging process, making the microhardness even decrease monotonically when the aging temperature and the rolling ratio before aging are high. Performing the cold rolling after the aging can maximize the effects of precipitation strengthening and deformation strengthening, and its adverse impact on the conductivity is not serious. A tensile strength of 506.5 MPa and a conductivity of 70.33% IACS were obtained with such a treatment, only the elongation decreases. Different strength-conductivity combinations of the CuCrSn alloy can be achieved through appropriate combinations of the aging and post aging cold rolling conditions.

Fractional differential systems have received much attention in recent decades likely due to its powerful ability in modeling memory processes, which are mostly observed in real world. Fractional models have been widely investigated and applied in many fields such as physics, biochemistry, electrical engineering, continuum and statistical mechanics. It is shown by many researchers that fractional derivatives can provide more accurate models than integer order derivatives do. Obviously, bang-bang property is of a significant importance in optimal control theory. In this paper a Bang-Bang property and time-optimal control problem for time-Fractional Differential System (FDS) is under consideration. First we formulate our problem and we prove the existence theorem. We state and prove the bang-bang theorem. Finally we give the optimality conditions that characterized the optimal control. Some illustrate applications are given to clarify our results.

The manufacturing parameters influence the properties of thermo-mechanically processed met-als such as Mg alloys. This paper presents how the mechanical properties, the microstructure and the degradation rate of extruded Mn-containing Mg-Gd-alloys can be modified. Gd as repre-sented REE-element is particularly interesting due to the influence on the texture development in Mg and therefore studied as a base alloy system. The contents of Gd were investigated be-tween 2 to 9 wt.% with Mn-addition of 0.5 and 1.0 wt.%. The grain sizes and the corresponding textures were modified by the extrusion parameters and the alloy content. It was shown that modification by Mn can decrease the grain size, but increase the degree of recrystallization and decrease the degradation rate in the biological medium compared to the binary Mg-Gd system from previous studies. The results suggest that the binary Mg-Gd system can be produced more efficiently by adding Mn and that the resulting properties are more robust.

In the present paper, based on the ideas of Algerian physicist M.E. Hassani, the generalized Hassani spatio-temporal transformations in real Hilbert space are introduced. The original transformations, introduced by M.E. Hassani, are the particular cases of the transformations, introduced in this paper. It is proven that the classes of generalized Hassani transforms do not form a group of operators in the general case. Further, using these generalized Hassani transformations as well as the theory of changeable sets and universal kinematics, the mathematically strict models of Hassani kinematics are constructed and the performance of the relativity principle in these models is discussed.

The microbioma is presently one of the hottest areas of scientific and medical research and exerts a marked influence on the host during homeostasis and disease. Fermented foods arise in the human relationship to the microbial environment. Further to the traditionally recognized effects of fermented foods and beverages on the digestive health and well-being there is now strong evidence on their general health benefits, namely the significance on the gut microbiota and brain functionality. We highlight the possibilities in this field, how little is still known, and call for a convergence of interdisciplinary research fields of One Health microbe-nutrition with fermented foods and gut-brain research. A consequence of civilisation, changes in present-day society in diets with more sugar, fat and salt, habits and lifestyle, contributes to the likelihood of an inflammatory microbiome, particularly the global epidemics of obesity and mental health. Although two recent papers claim that probiotics perturb rather than aid in microbiota recovery back to baseline after antibiotic administration in humans, consuming fermented foods has shown to reduce inflammation so improve gut health and the proper function of the body’s immune system.

Fragile X syndrome (FXS), the most common monogenic cause of inherited intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder, is caused by a full mutation (&gt;200 CGG repeats) in the Fragile X Messenger Ribonucleoprotein 1 (FMR1) gene. Individuals with FXS experience a wide range of challenges related to social interaction (SI). Animal models, such as Drosophila melanogaster model for FXS where the only ortholog of human FMR1 (dFMR1) is mutated, have played a crucial role in understanding of FXS. The aim of this study was to investigate SI in the dFMR1B55 mutants using the novel Drosophila Shallow Chamber and a Python data processing pipeline based on social network analysis (SNA). In comparison with wild-type flies (w1118), SNA analysis in dFMR1B55 mutants revealed hypoactivity, fewer connections in their networks, a lower ability to efficiently transmit information, fewer alternative pathways for information transmission, a higher variability in the number of interactions they achieved, and tended to stay near the boundaries of the testing chamber. These observed alterations indicate the presence of characteristic strain-dependent social networks in dFMR1B55 flies, commonly referred to as the group phenotype. Finally, a combination of novel research tools is a valuable method for SI research in fruit flies.

We describe our investigations of the surface physicochemical and biological properties of polylactic acid modified by silver, argon and carbon ion implantation to doses of 1 × 10¹⁴, 1 × 10¹⁵ and 1 × 10¹⁶ ion/cm² at energies of 20 keV (for C and Ar) and 40 keV (for Ag). X-ray analysis shows enhancement of coherent scattering regions and lattice constant increase after ion implantation. Secondary electron mass-spectrometry indicates that Ag concentration in the subsurface layer is less than 80%, but at a depth of 500 nm does not exceed 1–2%. The silver forms metal particles in the subsurface layer rather than making additional chemical bonds with polymer atoms. Atomic force microscopy reveals that the higher the irradiation dose the larger the surface roughness of the samples. Ag-irradiated samples implanted to a dose of 1 × 10¹⁶ ions/cm² have the highest roughness, 190 nm. Our investigation of the cytotoxicity of two individual donor macrophages shows that Ag-implanted polylactic acid has no negative impact on immune system cells and could be a promising material for biomedical application.

Chlamydia trachomatis (Ct) infections are the most common sexually-transmitted infection (STI). Despite effective antibiotics for Ct, undetected infections or delayed treatment can lead to infertility, ectopic pregnancies, and chronic pelvic pain. Besides humans, chlamydia poses similar health challenges in animals such as C. suis (Cs) in pigs. Based on the similarities between humans and pigs as well as their chlamydia species, we use pigs as a large biomedical animal model for chlamydia research. In this study, we use the pig model to develop a vaccine candidate against Ct. The vaccine candidate consists of TriAdj-adjuvanted chlamydial protease-like activity factor (CPAF) protein. We tested two weekly administration options – twice intranasal (IN) followed by twice intramuscular (IM), or twice IM followed by twice IN. We assessed the humoral immune response not only in serum by CPAF-specific IgG including antibody avidity determination but also in cervical and rectal swabs by CPAF-specific IgG and IgA ELISAs. The systemic T-cell response was analyzed upon in vitro CPAF-restimulation via IFN-γ and IL-17 ELISpots as well as intracellular cytokine staining flow cytometry. Our data demonstrate that while the IN/IM vaccination mainly led to non-significant systemic immune responses, the vaccine candidate is highly immunogenic if administered IM/IN. This vaccination strategy induced high serum anti-CPAF IgG levels with strong avidity as well as high IgA and IgG levels in vaginal and rectal swabs and in uterine horn flushes. In addition, this vaccination strategy prompted a pronounced cellular immune response: Besides inducing IL-17 production, the vaccine candidate induced a strong IFN-γ response by CD4 T cells. In the IM/IN vaccinated pigs, these cells also significantly downregulated their CCR7 expression – a sign for differentiation into peripheral tissue homing effector/ memory cells. Conclusively, this study demonstrates strong immunogenicity of the IM/IN administered TriAdj-adjuvanted Ct CPAF vaccine candidate. Future studies will test vaccine efficacy of this promising Ct vaccine candidate. In addition, this project demonstrates suitability of the Cs pre-exposed outbred pig model for Ct vaccine development. Thereby, we aim to open the bottleneck of large animal models to facilitate the progression of Ct vaccine candidates into clinical trials.

Klebsiella pneumoniae (KP) is an important gram-negative zoonotic conditional pathogen. It can infect humans and a variety of farm animals, leading to infections such as pneumonia, meningitis and even sepsis. thereby posing a significant threat to public health. OmpX acts as a virulence protein that can participate in bacterial pathogenesis, mediates bacterial adhesion to and invasion of epithelial cells, and is involved in bacterial adaptation to the osmotic pressure of the external environment. In this study, MBs-SELEX was used as the main strategy for screening aptamers. Omp X was used as the target protein and Omp A as the counter-screening target. qPCR and flow cytometry were used to determine the nature and specificity of the obtained aptamers for the Omp X protein. The analysis showed that among the obtained aptamers, three aptamers, Apt-1, Apt-2 and Apt-3, were selected with Kd values of 62.50 nM, 22.05 nM and 7.9 nM, respectively. In addition, total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy (TIRFM) was used for the characterization of KP in complex with specific FITC-labeled aptamers (FITC-Apt-3) and AuNCs. The complexes were characterized by observing blue fluorescent dots from AuNCs and green fluorescent dots from FITC-labeled aptamers overlapping with bacterial presence. These results suggest that AuNCs and aptamers can specifically bind to target bacteria, forming complexes. Furthermore, in vitro results demonstrated that Apt-1, Apt-2 and Apt-3 inhibited bacterial growth, with Apt-3 having the most significant inhibitory effect. The results suggest that aptamers can selectively recognize membrane proteins, thereby disrupting bacterial cell membrane formation and effectively inhibiting bacterial growth. Aptamers have a potential mechanism to inhibit bacterial growth.

This research focuses on examining the responses of interest groups listed in the European Transparency Register to the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. Its aim is to investigate the nuanced reactions of 2,579 commercial and business associations and 2,957 companies and groups to the conflict, as expressed through their X (Twitter) activities. Utilizing advanced text mining, NLP and LDA techniques, this study conducts a comprehensive analysis encompassing language dynamics, thematic shifts, sentiment variations, and activity levels exhibited by these entities both before and after the outbreak of the war. The results obtained reflect a progressive decreasing in negative emotions regarding the conflict over time. Likewise, multiple forms of outside lobbying are identified in the communication strategies of interest groups. All in all, this empirical inquiry into how interest groups adapt their messaging in response to complex geopolitical events holds the potential to provide invaluable insights into the multifaceted role of lobbying in shaping public policies.

Sentinel eggs used to monitor field parasitism of stink bug pests (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) can only be deployed for a few days to avoid releasing the pest in the monitored area. Using sterile eggs removes the risk of accidental pest introduction and extends deployment time. Freezing the eggs before deployment is one common method for sterilizing sentinel eggs. However, some egg parasitoid species have lower to no parasitism on frozen eggs. In this study, x-ray irradiation was used to sterilize Bagrada hilaris sentinel eggs intended for monitoring parasitism by Gryon aetherium (Hymenoptera: Scelionidae), the most promising biological control candidate. In this case, freezing sentinel eggs is not recommended because G. aetherium has low levels of parasitism on frozen eggs. Doses as low as 10 Gy induced 100% sterility. Irradiated eggs successfully sustained the development of G. aetherium and Ooencyrtus californicus (Hymenoptera: Encyrtidae), another egg parasitoid attacking B. hilaris, and parasitism levels were comparable to fresh eggs up to seven days. In addition, G. aetherium showed no preference for fresh non-irradiated over seven-day-old irradiated eggs. Our results indicate that x-ray irradiation is a suitable alternative to produce safe and reliable sentinel eggs to monitor egg parasitism of B. hilaris and possibly other species.

Fungal infections (FIs) are spreading globally causing a significant public health concern. However, its documentation remains sparse in Africa, particularly in Rwanda. This literature review, aims to assess the risk and document current gaps in evidence and policy. It summarizes the published data about FIs in Rwanda, including ten reports published between 1972-and-2022. Blastomyces, Candida, Cryptococcus, Histoplasma, Microsporum, Pneumocystis, Rhinosporidium, and Trichophyton caused human infections. These infections primarily affected the brain, respiratory, urinary and reproductive organs, and they were diagnosed using culturing, histopathology, immunology, and/or microscopic techniques. Our findings provide an overview of the diversity and distribution of FIs, highlighting significant limitations in the country’s diagnostic capacity and surveillance system for FIs. Also, indicating severe gaps in evidence to inform policymaking, guide strategic planning and intervention, underscoring the urgent need to build national capacity in fungal diagnosis, surveillance, and research. Raising awareness among the public, scientific community, healthcare providers, and policymakers remains crucial. Furthermore, this report reveals the threats of FIs on public health and food insecurity in Rwanda. A Multisectoral One Health Strategy is essential in research and intervention to determine and reduce the health and safety impacts of fungal pathogens on human, animal, and the environment.

It is well-known that simulation tools are essential for the design and optimization of wireless communication systems. In this paper proposes a python script that can be used for planning and predicting a connection link budget by analyzing its basic parameters. Our proposal consists of an application that calculates the connection budget for point-to-point links operating at 5 GHz, taking into account all the necessary microwave parameters. For validating the efficiency of the proposed tool, the paper presents comprehensive simulation results derived from comparing our tool to a couple of other simulation tools by means of calculating the same parameters.

Statistical denoising techniques have been well studied, however many challenges still remain. This 9 article focuses on determining the least necessary number of significant samples in a statistical pop-10 ulation sampling, while minimizing the impact on the statistical detection of the fiber Bragg grating 11 (FBG) power spectra. This is achieved by using Bayesian decision making, small population statis-12 tics while excluding false detection. First, we investigate the impact of two-sided sliding window 13 technique applied near the cell under the test. The window size varies from 8 to 60 samples. The 14 considered maximum size of population sampling is connected with the number of wavelength 15 samples within the bandwidth of the symmetrical FBG power spectra peaks. Regarding the sym-16 metry of FBG power spectra peaks and the possible reduction of computational demands, we inves-17 tigate the impact of a one-sided sliding window. This enables to achieve less processing latency for 18 real time applications thus brings benefits to FBG-based fiber optical sensing. Both, two- and one-19 sided small population sampling techniques are then experimentally verified. Detection results are 20 analyzed in depth via calculating detection thresholds by using the small size window sliding along-21 side the waveband. From results achieved, it was found that the normality three-sigma rule does 22 not need to be followed while using the small population sampling. Experimental demonstrations 23 and analyses showed that the proposed concept of denoising and statistical threshold detection 24 based on the sliding window does not depend on the prior knowledge of probability distribution 25 functions of the FBG power spectra peaks level and background noise. We have also found that the 26 thresholds’ adaptability mainly depends on the statistical numerical characteristics of the above ad-27 ditive mixture of the FBG power spectra peaks signals and background noise.

3,4-Dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-ones represent a class of valuable bioactive compounds with six-membered nitrogen-containing heterocyclic structures. The development of simple, mild and efficient synthetic methods has been widely concerned by synthetic chemists. In this review, we have summarized a series of different synthetic strategies for the synthesis of dihydroquinoline-2(1H)-ones via catalytic annulation of α,β-unsaturated N-arylamides in the past decade, including covering electrophilic cyclization, radical initiated cyclization and photochemical cyclization reactions. Besides, the substrate scope and mechanistic details are also discussed. This paper will provide a useful reference for the development of diverse synthesis methodologies of 3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-ones.

In this work, a novel single crystal (3-(4-chlorophenyl)-4,5-dihydroisoxazol-5-yl)methyl benzenesulfonate has been synthetized via a one-pot sequential strategy under sonication. A single crystal X-ray diffraction analysis was reported. In the crystal, a layer structure is generated by C—H···O and C—H···N hydrogen bonds. A Hirshfeld surface analysis indicates that the most important contributions to the crystal packing are from H···H (28.9%), H···O/O···H (26.7%) and H···C/C···H (15.8%) interactions. The optimized structure calculated using density functional theory at the B3LYP/6–311 G+(d,p) level is compared with the experimentally determined structure in the solid state. The calculated highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) energy gap is 4.6548 eV.

Acid stress poses a common challenge for bacteria in diverse environments by the presence of inorganic (e.g., mammals’ stomach) or organic acids (e.g., feed additives; acid-based disinfectants). Limited knowledge exists regarding acid-tolerant strains of specific serotypes, clonal lineages, or sources in human/animal pathogens, namely non-typhoidal Salmonella enterica (NTS) and Enterococcus faecium (Efm). This study evaluated acidic pH and peracetic acid (PAA) susceptibility of Efm (n=72) and NTS (n=60) from diverse epidemiological/genetic backgrounds, and with multiple antibiotic resistance profiles. Efm minimum growth/survival-pH was 4,5-5/3-4 and for NTS 4,0-4,5/3,5-4,0. Among Efm, only those of clade-non-A1 (non-hospital associated) or food chain demonstrated greater tolerance to acidic pH compared to clade-A1 (hospital-associated clones) or clinical isolates (P<0.05). MDR (multidrug-resistant) NTS survived better to acidic pH (P<0.05). The MICPAA/MBCPAA was 70-120/80-150mg/L for Efm and 50-70/60-100mg/L for NTS. Efm-clade-A1 or MDR strains exhibited higher PAA tolerance than clade-non-A1 or non-MDR ones (P<0.05). Higher tolerance was found in non-MDR and clinical NTS than in food chain isolates (P<0.05), but not between different serogroups. This unique study identifies specific NTS or Efm populations more tolerant to acidic pH or PAA, emphasizing the need for further research to tailor control measures of public health and food safety within a One Health framework.

Aiming at the problem of low charging efficiency caused by the scattered sensor nodes in traditional wireless rechargeable sensor networks (WRSNs), a UAV-assisted WRSN Online Charging Strategy Based on Dynamic Queue and Improved K-means (UOCS) is proposed. The scheme assumes that the energy consumption of nodes is unpredictable, and only generates charging requests when the energy is lower than a threshold, and performs on-demand responses to nodes that issue charging requests. The scheme combines the characteristics of one-to-one charging of UAVs, the selection and allocation timing of waiting queues and the number of UAVs, and the improved K-means partitioning based on space-time coordination(SPKM), which simplifies the problem of coordinated charging of multiple UAVs and maximizes energy. Using the efficiency and charging success rate, the optimal charging trajectory can be found under the constraint that the node will not starve to death due to power shortage. Finally, a simulation comparison experiment is carried out with the existing UAV charging scheduling strategy. UOCS achieves the optimal node survival rate with low algorithm complexity.

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) poses one of the significant challenges for the progress of modern medicine not only by its myriad manifestations on a microbiological plane but also due to its demand for a complex, multisectoral approach for its annulment. While some nations have been actively involved in the deployment of counter measures against AMR, the same have yet to be implemented in India. This can be attributed due to a combination of its epitomizing multivariate nature and the challenges encountered on a ground-level in policy implementation. This review surveys mechanisms and factors promoting incidence of AMR, potential Artificial Intelligence (AI) implementation alongside evaluating the efficacy of the One Health approach on national and state levels in curbing the rise of AMR.

Hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites (HOIPs) are promising materials in several fields related to electronics, offering long carrier-diffusion lengths, high absorption coefficients, tunable band gaps, and long spin lifetimes. Recently, chiral perovskites have attracted a huge interest thanks to the possibility of further widening the applications of HOIPs. Chiral materials, being intrinsically non-centrosymmetric, display several attractive physico-chemical properties, including circular dichroism, circularly polarized photoluminescence, nonlinear optics, ferroelectricity, and spin-related effects. Recent studies have shown that chirality can be transferred from the chiral organic ligands into the inorganic perovskite framework, resulting in materials combining the advantages of both chirality and perovskite superior optoelectronic characteristics. Thus, chiral HOIPs have emerged as promising materials for chiroptoelectronic, spintronic, and ferroelectric applications. Here, we report a summary of the latest advances in the field of chiral HOIPs, with a specific focus on lead-free materials and on the first attempts to understand the correlation between the crystal structure features and the chirality-induced functional properties

The relationship between the street environment and the health, education, mobility, and criminal behaviors of its citizens has long been investigated by economists, sociologists and urban planners. Home buyers were found to pay a premium for better street appearance. Prior studies considering streetscapes mainly focus on objective measures such as the number of nearby trees, the tree canopy area, or the view index of physical features such as greenery, sky or building. However, subjective perceptions may have complex or subtle relationships to physical features, individual physical features or simply summing them up do not capture people’s comprehensive perception. In contrast, this study proposed a new approach for the urban-scale application to quantify both subjectively and objectively measured streetscape scores for six important perception qualities, namely Greenness, Walkability, Safety, Imageability, Enclosure, and Complexity. Built on prior quantitative studies in urban design quality and emerging applications in deep learning and open source street view imagery for urban perceptions, we integrated existing frameworks to (1) effectively collect and evaluate both subjectively and objectively- measured perceptions; (2) investigate the coherence and divergence in ML-predicted subjective scores and formula-derived objective scores; and (3) compare their effects in affecting house prices taking Shanghai as a case study using a large-scale dataset on home transactions. The results implied: first, the percentage increase in sales price attributable to street scores is significant for both subjective and objective measurements. In general subjective scores explained more variance over structural attributes and objective scores in hedonic price model. Particularly, objective Greenness, subjective Safety and Imageability scores positively affected house prices. Second, for Greenness and Imageability scores, the subjective and objective measures exhibited opposite signs in affecting house prices, which implied that there might be mechanisms related to the psychological, social-demographical characteristics of street users that have not been fully incorporated by objective measures that taking view indices or recombination of them. In addition, certain objective measure might outperform subjective counterpart when the connotation of the perception is self-evident and not complicated, for example the Greenness. For those concepts were not familiar to the average person, subjective framework exhibits better performance. This is the first study comprehensively expanding hedonic price method with both subjectively and objectively measured streetscape qualities. It suggested that city authorities could levy a street environment tax to compensate the public budget invested in street environment where developers secured benefits from a price premium. This study enriches our understanding of the economic values of the subjective and objective measures street qualities. It sheds light on promising future study areas where the coherence and divergence of the two measurements should be further stressed.

Mulberry (Morus) cultivated worldwide in diverse agro-ecological conditions recognized as the fodder of silkworms (Bombyx mori). In India, ranging from high altitude Himalayan region to coastal region, the farmers generally cultivate these four species of mulberry (Morus alba, M. indica, M. serrata, and M. laevigata). Mulberry fruit is used in traditional medicine for several years in China and also consumed as food material in different countries of Asia and Africa. Mulberry fruit, along with high nutritious value, contains many bioactive phytochemicals that are30 of health benefits and can fight against many diseases. Many researchers attracted to this property of mulberry fruit, and they isolated bioactive polysaccharides, anthocyanins, flavonols, flavonols, phenolic acids, alkaloids, and melatonins. These compounds have antioxidant property and due to this, either in synergistically or in the pure form, these components have direct or indirect curative activity on diabetes, inflammation, tumor, hepatic diseases, immunomodulation, hyperlipidemia, neural damage, and chronic diseases. This tremendous bioactivity of mulberry fruit extract may open up a new dimension in the food and medicine industry. The present review provides recent findings of the phytochemical foundation and their bioactivities, which may encourage many researchers to explore the molecular mechanism of the biological activities which can be used for human welfare.

Microporous organic polymers (MOPs) are promising materials for gas sorption because of the intrinsic and permanent porosity, designable framework and low density. The introduction of nitrogen-rich building block in MOPs will greatly enhance the gas sorption capacity. Here, we report the synthesis of MOPs from the 2,4,6-tris(4-ethynylphenyl)-1,3,5-triazine unit and aromatic azides linkers via click polymerization reaction. FTIR and solid state 13C CP-MAS NMR confirm the formation of the polymers. CMOP-1 and CMOP-2 exhibit microporous networks with BET surface area of 431 and 406 m2 g-1 and narrow pore size distribution under 1.2 nm. Gas sorption isotherms including CO2 and H2 were measured. CMOP-1 stores superior CO2 level of 8.2 wt% (1.88 mmol g-1) at 273 K/1.0 bar and H2 uptake up to 0.6 wt% at 77 K/1.0 bar, while CMOP-2 with smaller surface area shows lower CO2 adsorption capacity of 7.3 wt% (1.66 mmol g-1) and H2 uptake (0.5 wt%). In addition, I2 vapor adsorption was tested at 353 K. CMOP-1 shows higher gravimetric load of 160 wt%. Despite of the moderate surface area, the CMOPs display excellent sorption ability for CO2 and I2 due to the nitrogen-rich content in the polymers.

Radio-dynamic therapy (RDT), as an emerging cancer treatment method, has attracted attention due to its remarkable therapeutic efficacy using low-dose, high-energy radiation (such as X-rays), and has shown significant potential in cancer treatment. The RDT system typically consists of scintillators and photosensitizers. Scintillators absorb X-rays and convert them to visible light, activating nearby photosensitizers to generate cytotoxic reactive oxygen species (ROS). Challenges faced by the two-component strategy, including low loading capacity and inefficient energy transfer, hinder its final effectiveness. In addition, the tumor microenvironment (TME) with hypoxia and immunosuppression limits the efficacy of RDTs. Recent advances introduce one-component RDT systems based on nanomaterials with high-Z metal elements, which effectively inhibit deep-seated tumors. These novel RDT systems exhibit immune enhancement and immune memory, potentially eliminating both primary and metastatic tumors. This review comprehensively analyzes recent advances in the rational construction of RDTs, exploring their mechanisms and its application in the treatment of deep-seated tumors. Aimed at providing a practical resource for oncology researchers and practitioners, the review offers new perspectives for potential future directions in RDT research.

Advances in technology and information systems have had a major impact on people's lives and activities. Smartphone use plays an important role in many areas, including housing governance. One of the problems faced by housing administrators is administrative management, which is still manual. To overcome this, it is proposed to use a web-based application. A literature study was conducted to support the development of this application. Data collection through interviews and observations was carried out to obtain system requirements. The Agile Scrum method is used in making applications. These applications have non-functional requirements such as security, availability, performance, usability, and compatibility. Implementation using PHP and MySQL. Testing is done to ensure the application functions properly. This application allows administrators to manage citizen data, payment of contributions, billing, and print financial reports. Residents can upload proof of transfer and print proof of payment. It is hoped that this application will facilitate housing administration, improve the quality of life in the community, and create a better housing environment.

Composite materials are widely used in the dental field in clinics as biomaterials. For example, it has been used as a biomaterial to repair caries and restore masticatory function, and as a cement to adhere the restoration to the tooth substrate. In order to demonstrate its function, dental biomaterials are measured their mechanical strength. From such basic research, we explained the potential of dental biomaterials, especially flexural strength and modulus of elasticity. Mechanical properties of dental biomaterials similar to those of the tooth, thermal stimulation, and aesthetic elements in the oral cavity. In this part, we will introduce the commercialized products of composites suitable for the characteristics and tooth quality, and provide the reader with the characteristics from the flexural characteristics of the composite materials used in clinical dentistry. In clinical performance, it might be advisable to delay polishing when composite biomaterials are used for luting materials, filling materials and core build-up materials since improved the flexural strength and the flexural modulus of elasticity were displayed after 1-day storage. And it is thought that flexural strength or characteristics is a significant important mechanical property of oral biomaterials.

The mosquito-borne zoonotic nematode parasites, Dirofilaria immitis and Dirofilaria repens, primarily affect dogs. In recent years, their distribution has expanded due to various factors influencing vector-borne pathogens. This study aimed to investigate the comparative prevalence of infection in dogs and humans within a hyperenzootic region of Europe and to estimate the proportional relationship between infection prevalence in dogs and humans, in the concept of “One Health”. To this end, 604 blood samples from dogs and 625 serum samples from humans living in the Thrace region of northeastern Greece were collected. Dog samples were examined using Kott’s test for Dirofilaria spp. microfilariae and a commercial serological test for D. immitis antigen. Human sera were analysed by western blot for both parasites. The overall prevalence of infection in dogs was 177 (29.3%), with 173 (28.6%) testing positive for D. immitis and 7 (1.3%) for D. repens, including 6 (1%) cases of mixed infection. Specific IgG antibodies were detected in 42 (6.7%) human samples, with 24 (3.8%) positive for D. immitis and 18 (2.9%) for D. repens. The infection proportion in humans was 23.4% of the corresponding canine infection, indicating a high risk of human infection in this hyperenzootic region.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) is the dominant risk factor for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). HBV X protein (HBx) plays crucial roles in HCC carcinogenesis. HBx interferes with several signaling pathways including Notch1 pathway in HCC. In our study, we found that Notch1 was highly expressed in HCC especially in large HCC. Notch1 and HBx co-localized in HCC and their levels were positively correlated with each other. Notch1 expression was more elevated in HepG2.2.15 than that in HepG2. HBx activated Notch1 pathway in HepG2.2.15. Repression of HBx and Notch1 pathway attenuated the growth of HepG2.2.15. Notch1, ERK and AKT pathways were inhibited after a γ-secretase inhibitor treatment. Dual-specificity phosphatase 1 (DUSP1) and phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) were up-regulated after the γ-secretase inhibitor treatment and Hes1 inhibition. Luciferase reporter assays showed that Hes1 repressed the promoters of DUSP1 and PTEN and this was reverted by γ-secretase inhibitor treatment. Western blotting demonstrated that DUSP1 dephosphorylated pERK and PTEN dephosphorylated pAKT. Collectively, we reported a link among HBx, Notch1 pathway, DUSP1/PTEN, and ERK/AKT pathways, which influenced HCC cell survival and could be a therapeutic target for HCC.

Silencing of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene and consequently lack of synthesis of FMR protein (FMRP) are associated with fragile X syndrome, which is one of the most prevalent inherited intellectual disabilities. FMRP is a multifunctional protein involved in many cellular functions in nearly all subcellular compartments under normal conditions and under conditions of cellular stress in both neuronal and non-neuronal cell types. This is achieved through its trafficking signals, nuclear localization signal (NLS), nuclear export signal (NES), and nucleolar localization signal (NoLS), as well as its RNA and protein binding domains, and is modulated by various post-translational modifications such as phosphorylation, ubiquitination, sumoylation, and methylation. This review summarizes recent advances in understanding the interaction networks of FMRP with a special focus on FMRP stress-related functions, including stress granule formation, mitochondrion and endoplasmic reticulum plasticity, ribosome biogenesis, cell cycle control, and DNA damage response.

An outbreak of esophagitis and ingluvitis caused by Salmonella Typhimurium in passerines seized from illegal wildlife trafficking is described. This illegal activity causes stress and leads to lowered immunity in the birds. Additionally, inadequate hygiene conditions predispose the birds to diseases such as salmonellosis. Few studies report the occurrence of Salmonella-induced lesions in the esophagus and crop of wild birds; thus, this study aimed to describe the disease in these species, investigate its presence in the environment, and determine the antimicrobial resistance profile. Three birds of the genus Sporophila were necropsied. In the esophagus and crop, yellowish plaques corresponding to necrosis with bacterial aggregates were observed. Salmonella spp. was isolated from these lesions, with genus confirmation via MALDI-TOF. Environmental samples were collected from the enclosures and cages where the animals were quarantined, and the same bacterium was isolated. In two birds, the serotype S. Typhimurium was identified. Antibiograms performed on the strains from the birds and the environment revealed resistance to antibiotics in the classes of Penicillins, Sulfonamides, Aminoglycosides, Monobactams, Tetracyclines, and first and third-generation Cephalosporins. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first report of this agent causing death in Sporophila due to esophagitis and ingluvitis. It is also the first report of salmonellosis in three species of passerines in Brazil. The study underscores the importance of understanding the pathogens circulating in wild animals, especially within the context of One Health.

This paper presents a two-stage ADC based on pseudo-differential operational transconductance amplifier (OTA), which is designed for the readout circuit of X-ray linear array sensor. This hybrid ADC employs an incremental sigma-delta ADC and a cyclic ADC, achieving a good trade-off between accuracy and conversion speed. The two stages share the same hardware to reduce power consumption and die area. A common-mood feedback module is used to suppress the influence of charge injection, and the effectiveness is demonstrated by detailed theoretical analysis. A test chip of 14-bit ADC is fabricated in 0.35μm CMOS technology. The measured root mean square (RMS) value of DNL is 0.254 LSB, and the maximum value of INL is -0.776/+1.56 LSB. The measured effective number of bits (ENOB) is 13.43 bits.

Leishmaniasis are neglected diseases that affect regions such as South Asia, South Africa and Latin America, less developed regions. Current treatment, for cutaneous, mucocutaneous and visceral leishmaniosis, which are the main forms of the disease, is based on the administration of pentavalent antimonial and amphotericin B. However, these drugs have low efficacy and high toxicity. For this reason, the search for new treatments for this disease is necessary, based on studies of new molecules and their conformations. The research proposed the conformational study of brominated guanidine compounds with potential antileishmanial activity using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The present study involves the bro-minated molecules, LQOF-G2, LQOF-G30, LQOF-G35 and LQOF-G35-Br. The later was synthesized by the reaction of LQOF-G35 with NBS under IR irradiation at 120 Watts of potency and dichloro-methane as solvent by 12-h of exposition. The obtained results demonstrated the efficiency of the bromination method, since two bromines atoms entered the molecule. Furthermore, NMR analysis showed the occurrence of a conformational change from Z to E when compound LQOF-G35 was brominated to LQOF-G35-Br. This feature was well confirmed by comparative DRX study of the LQOF-G35 and LQOF-G35-Br compounds. The antileishmanial activity of LQOF-G2 e LQOF-G35 motivated the synthesis of new brominated compounds LQOF-G30 e LQOF-G35-Br.

The use of flexible sensors has tripled over the last decade due to the increased demand in various fields including health monitoring, food packaging, electronic skins and soft robotics. Flexible sensors have the ability to be bent and stretched during use and can still maintain their electrical and mechanical properties. This gives them an advantage over rigid sensors that lose their sensitivity when subject to bending. Advancements in 3D printing have enabled the development of tailored flexible sensors. Various additive manufacturing methods are being used to develop these sensors including inkjet printing, aerosol jet printing, fused deposition modelling, direct ink writing, selective laser melting and others. Hydrogels have gained much attention in the literature due to their self-healing and shape transforming. Self-healing enables the sensor to recover from damages such as cracks and cuts incurred during use and this enables the sensor to have a longer operating life and stability. Various polymers are used as substrates on which the sensing conductive material is placed. Polymers including polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), polyvinyl acetate (PVA), and Kapton are extensively used in flexible sensors. The most widely used nanomaterials in flexible sensors are carbon and silver, however, other nanomaterials such as iron, copper, manganese dioxide and gold are also used to provide controlled levels of conductivity or other functional properties.

Similar to humans, the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a key role in regulating blood pressure and body fluid homeostasis in dogs and cats. The classical RAAS pathway, which involves the conversion of angiotensin I to angiotensin II by the angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), leads to aldosterone production and associated maladaptive effects in cardiovascular and renal diseases. Recent studies have highlighted the alternative RAAS pathway, which counteracts these effects through angiotensin 1-7, promoting vasodilation and reducing inflammation. Beyond RAAS modulation, RAAS inhibitors have been shown to exert significant anti-inflammatory properties. This is particularly relevant given the American Heart Association's recent focus on Cardiovascular-Kidney-Metabolic (CKM) health, which emphasizes the interconnected risks of cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease (CKD), type 2 diabetes, and obesity. These conditions share common pathophysiological pathways, including chronic inflammation, oxidative stress, and metabolic dysregulation. Advances in biomedical research, including the development of adult stem cell-derived canine organoids, provide impetus to study the effects of RAAS modulators and new CVD drugs on CKM health, with a focus on epithelial inflammation within the context of One Health.

Viral Encephalitis is a significant public health concern globally, especially west Africa. There are more than 500 known arboviruses with over 100 of them identified to cause encephalitic diseases in humans and animals, giving rise to a tremendous burden of the diseases, and socioeconomic strains in tropical and subtropical regions worldwide. Despite their importance, few effective preventive and control measures in form of vaccines and therapeutics are available and where they are, usage is limited. These limitations are largely hinged on the paucity of information about the molecular epidemiology and transmission patterns of VE in west Africa. Here, we reviewed the transmission dynamics, ecological drivers, and molecular epidemiology of VE in the region. Collectively, timely and accurate interventions are essential for encephalitic viral disease control. Moreover, the integrated health system approach, combining surveillance, vaccination, vector control, and community engagement could be effective in preventing viral encephalitis globally.

Usually, the two-bath dyeing process using disperse dyes and reactive dyes separately was employed for the dyeing of PC blends. The cost of the double bath, dyeing cycle, energy consumption and chemical consumption is quite higher than the one-step or single bath dyeing methods. In this study, the one-bath dyeing process using one kind of dye was investigated. Polyester cotton blends dyed in one-bath one-step dyeing methods with disperse dye after surface modifications of cotton by acetylation methods were studied. Surface modification of cotton was carried out using fibrous acetylation methods. The effect of acetic anhydride and time on percent acetyl content at room temperature was studied. Modified polyester/cotton was carried out in HTHP dyeing machine incorporates with different dye concentrations and dyeing temperature. Surface chemistry, thermal decomposition property and moisture regain of modified polyester/ cotton blend are evaluated. The color strength of the dyed fabrics and their fastness properties to washing, light, and rubbing as well as tear strength and abrasion resistance were evaluated. The effect of dye concentration and temperature color strength, tensile strength warp and weft direction was assessed. The optimum value for surface modification was obtained with a concentration of acetylation agent 16% and time of reaction 2.5 hours, gave percent acetylation of 34. An FTIR spectrum shows acetylation resonance. The experiment result of dyeing showed that the optimum value was obtained with dye concentration above 1% at a temperature of 120oC, warp tensile strength decreased by 12% and weft tensile strength was decreased by 9% from the control half-bleached fabric. Results of this study showed that a one-step one-bath dyed modified polyester/cotton blend with disperse dye fabric presents good fastness property compared with conventional two-bath dyed fabric as well as colour strength values.

Due to the increasing risk of extreme events caused by climate change (i.e. floods, fires, hurricanes) or wars, European veterinary public health may need some improvement. Utilizing a mix of qualitative (participatory observation) and quantitative methods (Internet mining), we analyzed the Greek media responses to the millennial flood in Thessaly (September 2023), focusing on animal health (including wild, companion animals and livestock) and public sentiment towards epizootic/epidemic threats. The study revealed a gap in crisis management plans regarding veterinary-related issues, emphasizing the need for comprehensive emergency response strategies. Our findings show how: (i) lay-referral system is projecting perception of epidemic threats into the population; (ii) emotional load of images of animal carcasses is misused by media creators aiming for big audience; (iii) pets owners are creating on-line communities for searching and treatment of their pets. Our results stress the importance of integrating crisis communication in consecutive phases of the discourse, such as (i) weather change; (ii) acute flood; (iii) recovery; (iv) outbreaks, into veterinary practices to better prepare for such disasters.

Lift-offs of the sensor could significantly affect the measurement signal and reconstruction of material properties when using the electromagnetic (inductive) eddy current sensor. Previously, various methods (including novel sensor designs, and features like zero-crossing frequency, lift-off point of intercept) have been used for eliminating the measurement error caused by the lift-off distance effect of the sensor. However, these approaches can only be applied for a small range of lift-off variations. In this paper, a linear relationship has been found between the sensor lift-off and ratio of dual-frequency eddy current signals, particularly under the high working dual frequencies. Based on this linear relationship, the lift-off variation can be reconstructed firstly with a small error of 2.5 % when its actual value is up to 10 mm (10.1 % for 20 mm). The reconstructed lift-off is used to further get the property of the material under a low single frequency. Experiments on different ferrous metals have been carried out for the testing of the reconstruction scheme. Since the inductance is more sensitive to the material property (and less sensitive to the lift-off) under low frequencies, the reconstruction error of the material property is much smaller than that of the lift-off, with 1.4 % under 12 mm (and 4.5 % under 20 mm).

Natural products are an important source of antibacterial agents. Canthin-6-one alkaloids have displayed potential antibacterial activity based on our previous work. In order to improve the activity, twenty-two new 3-N-benzylated 10-methoxy canthin-6-ones were designed and synthesized through quaternization reaction. The in vitro antibacterial activity against three bacteria was evaluated by double dilution method. Four compounds (6f, 6i, 6p and 6t) displayed 2-fold superiority (minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) = 3.91 µg/mL) against agricultural pathogenic bacteria R. solanacearum and P. syringae than agrochemical propineb. Moreover, the structure–activity relationships (SARs) were also carefully summarized in order to guide the development of antibacterial canthin-6-one agents.

The spectra and global distributions of the X-ray emissions generated by the solar wind charge-exchange (SWCX) process in the terrestrial magnetosheath are investigated based on a global hybrid model and a global geocoronal hydrogen model. The solar wind O6+ ions which are the primary charge state for oxygen ions in solar wind are considered. The line emissivity of the charge-exchange born O5+ ions are calculated by Spectral Analysis System for Astrophysical and Lab oratory (SASAL). It is found that the emission lines from the O5+ ranges from 105.607 to 118.291 eV with the strong line at 107.047 eV. We then simulated the magnetosheath X-ray emission intensity distributions with a virtual camera at two positions of north pole and dusk at six stages during the passing of a perpendicular interplanetary shock combined with a tangential discontinuity structure through the Earth’s magnetosphere. During this process, the X-ray emission intensity increases with time, and the maximum value is 27.11 keV cm-2 s-1 sr-1 on the dayside, which is 4.5 times that before the solar wind structure reaches the Earth. A clear shock structure can be seen in the magnetosheath and moves earthward. The maximum emission intensity seen at dusk is always higher than that seen at north pole.

The issue of antibiotic resistance represents a significant threat that extends beyond human health, encompassing animal welfare and the sustainability of the natural environment. The inappropriate use of antibiotics, poor sanitation and inadequate control measures, have contributed to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria, which can spread at the human-animal-environment interface. The documented presence of antimicrobials in agriculture, veterinary medicine and human medicine has convinced all stakeholders of the need to contribute to the development of a "One Health" approach, which recognises the interrelationships between animals, humans and their environment and the need to adopt a common strategy encompassing these sectors to limit the spread of antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Although a number of countries have implemented integrated surveillance systems to monitor antibiotic use and antimicrobial resistance, available data suggest that the use of antibiotics in humans, animals and the environment is increasing worldwide. Consequently, the emergence of antibiotic-resistant pathogens is becoming a recurring concern. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the measures that are necessary to be taken and implemented in order to guarantee global health security.

Chitosan (CS) nanoparticles are under investigation for a wide range of applications in nanomedicine. The structural, molecular and physicochemical properties of chitosan nanoparticles have a direct bearing on their efficacy in drug conjugation and delivery, gene delivery, and tissue engineering. Herein we report on the structural, morphological and molecular properties of chitosan nanoparticles synthesized using the ionic gelation method with the intended purpose of being used for drug delivery. The chitosan nanoparticles (CS-NPs) were prepared in the 0.25 to 1.0% w/v concentration range, whereas separate samples of the 1.0% w/v CS-NPs were also functionalized with polyethylene oxide (PEO) alone and with a diblock copolymer of PEO and polypropylene glycol (PPG). The average size of the CS-NPs was determined from TEM imaging to be in the range of 11.3 to 14.8 nm. The XRD and TEM analyses show that the CS-NPs have semi-crystalline structure with the degree of crystallinity depending upon the nature of synthesis. Our results show that functionalizing the 1.0% w/v CS-NPs with PEO increases the degree of crystallinity whereas functionalizing with the diblock copolymer PEO - PPG results in a significant increase in their degree crystallinity. The CS/TPP concentration (CS:TPP fixed at 1:1 ratio) had no apparent effect on the degree of crystallinity of the CS-NPs. The results from the FTIR analysis confirm incorporation of TPP with CS in the CS-NPs. Additionally, FTIR analysis shows an enhancement of hydrogen bonding that is consistent with the increase in the degree of crystallinity of the CS-NPs.

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations present a sophisticated nano-scale computational approach that can play a critical role in material design for next generation batteries. One critical piece of information needed for MD simulations is the non-bonded potential parameters, which can be obtained through quantum mechanics (QM) calculations or experimental methods. However, experimental data is not available for exploratory and novel materials to derive the potential parameters. Also, the QM approach needs significant computational power and is too time consuming for large systems. On the other hand, current Artificial Intelligence techniques are faster, but they cannot be generalized across molecules and properties. As a result, there is a significant barrier to discovering and exploring new materials. Overcoming this barrier, in this work, we propose a Machine Learning (ML) based technique that can learn inter-atomic potential parameters for various particle-particle interactions employing QM calculations. This ML model can be used as an alternative for QM calculations for predicting non-bonded interactions in a computationally efficient manner. Using these parameters as input to MD simulations, we can predict a diverse range of properties, enabling researchers to design new and novel materials suitable for various applications in the absence of experimental data. We employ our ML-based technique to learn the Buckingham potential, a non-bonded interatomic potential. Subsequently, we utilize these predicted values to compute the densities of four distinct molecules, achieving an accuracy exceeding 93%. This serves as a strong demonstration of the efficacy of our proposed approach.

For the purpose of improve the sustainability of products sold in the EU, Digital Product Passports is a mandatory solution. These passports would systematically gather information about products, such as detailing the materials involved to aid recycling and remanufacturing efforts, or recording the emissions produced throughout the manufacturing process. The overall goal is the establishment of a circular economy in the EU. Current research on Digital Product Passports is focused on collating content for sector-specific applications. However, achieving sustainability goals through Digital Product Passports will require new methods and technical solutions for digital collaboration between supply chain participants, especially in the manufacturing sector. Collaborative work on Digital Product Passports requires trust and traceability in data and access management to ensure privacy over the data contained. One way to enable this securely and confidentially is through the use of blockchain technology, in which stored data cannot be concealed, which is key to the traceability of digital product data documentation. This paper therefore presents a concept for the implementation of generically applicable cross-industry blockchain-based digital product passports. To this end, generic supply chain processes have been abstracted and condensed into the architecture of smart contracts. Great attention is paid to the establishment of traceability as well as privacy through the selection of the blockchain technology Secret Network in combination with Gaia-X functionalities. An illustrative use case for digital product passports in manufacturing is used to demonstrate the applicability of the presented concept. In this use case information about the digital nameplate and carbon footprint is exchanged securely and confidentially in a multi-tenant supply chain network based on the Industry 4.0 infomation model of the Asset Administration Shell.

Leishmaniosis is a zoonoses caused by Leishmania spp., an intracellular protozoan parasite. This parasite is transmitted by sandflies and the disease is endemic in Mediterranean basin. In the last years, the number of species which could be reservoir of parasite is increased. One of the most relevant is the horses, due to contact with humans and its ability to control the disease, being a possible silent reservoir. In this study, we have analyzed the prevalence and factors related to L. infantum infection in healthy horses in Mediterranean region. Epidemiological data and serum samples were obtained to 167 apparently healthy horses and presence of L. infantum was evaluated by ELISA method and qPCR. The results show 27,5% of prevalence and the main factors related to infection are equine breed, outdoor living, use and season. In conclusion, the prevalence of L. infantum infection in apparently horses from Eastern Spain (Mediterranean basin) is elevated. To control this zoonosis, it would be advisable to carry out more studies on this and other species that could be silent reservoirs of the parasite, as well as carry out measures such as the use of repellents on a regular basis.

Heat stress affects the yield of medicinal plants and can reduce biomass and/or metabolite production. In order to evaluate the effect of heat-induced stress on the essential oil production in Mentha x piperita L. var. Mitcham (Mitcham mint) and Mentha x arvensis var. piperascens Malinv. ex L. H. Bailey (Japanese mint), we studied the chemical composition of the oils of the two mint species under different heat shock stress in growth chambers. The antibacterial activity of the essential oils was also evaluated; microscopic observation (fluorescence and electron transmission) was used to assess the effect of the tested samples on bacterial growth. The results obtained shed light on the mint essential oils composition and biological activity in relation to heat stress.