Leaf senescence in plants is the last stage of leaf development that is characterized by a decline in photosynthetic activity, an active degeneration of cellular structures and the recycling of accumulated nutrients to areas of active growth such as buds, young leaves, flowers, fruits and seeds. This process holds economic significance as it can impact yield, influencing the plant´s ability to maintain an active photosynthetic system during prolonged periods, especially during the grain filling stage, which affects plant weight and oil content. It can be associated with different stresses or environmental conditions, manifesting itself widely in the context of climate change and limiting yield, especially in crops of agronomic relevance. In this work we study the stability of two widely described sunflower genotypes belonging to the INTA Breeding Program against differential N conditions, to verify their yield stability in control conditions and under N supply. Two inbred lines were utilized, namely R453 (early senescence) and B481–6 (late senescence), with contrasting nitrogen availability in the soil but sharing the same ontogeny cycle length. It was observed that, starting from R5.5, the B481-6 genotype not only delayed senescence but also exhibited a positive response to increased nitrogen availability in the soil. This response included an increase in intercepted radiation, resulting in a statistically significant enhancement in grain yield. Conversely, the R453 genotype did not show significant differences under varying nitrogen availability and exhibited a tendency to decrease grain yield when nitrogen availability was increased. The response to nitrogen can vary depending on the specific genotype.

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a condition marked by a significant drop in blood pressure upon standing, resulting from impaired autonomic regulation of vascular tone and blood volume. This study investigates the prevalence, physiological mechanisms, and occupational risk factors for OH among high-risk professions in Nepal, such as traffic police, security guards, and shopkeepers. Using a cross-sectional design, participants were evaluated for blood pressure variability, autonomic function, and fluid balance. The findings reveal a high incidence of OH, linked to reduced baroreceptor sensitivity and impaired sympathetic activation due to prolonged standing and inadequate hydration. This study highlights the need for tailored clinical interventions and workplace modifications to mitigate OH in vulnerable occupational groups.

Introduction: Early childhood caries is a significant public health problem among preschool children. The COVID-19 pandemic, which restricted dental services, altered family dynamics, affected child development, and created new demands on caregivers, may have exacerbated this issue. Objective: Analyze the occurrence and severity of caries and identify associated factors in preschool children attending public municipal daycare centers in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil, Methodology: A cross-sectional epidemiological study was conducted to investigate caries in children aged 2 to 5 years in 2022 and 2023. Caries was assessed using the decayed, extracted, filled, and missing teeth (DEFT) index, and prevalence was calculated. Sociodemographic, family dynamic, dietary, and healthcare utilization data were obtained through a questionnaire. After descriptive and exploratory analyses, robust Poisson multivariable regression was conducted at a 5% significance level, considering socioeconomic, psychosocial, and behavioral aspects. Results: A total of 440 preschoolers participated, with a mean age of 55 months. The majority were Black or mixed race (88.86%) and female (52.73%). The prevalence of caries was 30.91% and the mean DEFT score was 1.1. In the multivariable analysis, low family income (up to one minimum wage) and not playing outdoors during the pandemic were associated with a higher prevalence of caries. Conclusion: The prevalence and severity of caries remain high, and the pandemic has contributed to the maintenance of this epidemiological scenario. Public health measures and policies promoting social justice should be planned to improve oral health conditions in childhood.

In this study, we propose a conservative and compact finite difference scheme designed to preserve both the mass change rate and energy for solving the sixth-order Boussinesq equation with the surface tension. Theoretical analysis confirms that the proposed scheme achieves second-order accuracy in temporal discretization and fourth-order accuracy in spatial discretization. The solvability, convergence, and stability of the difference scheme are rigorously established through the application of the discrete energy method. Additionally, a series of numerical experiments are conducted to illustrate the effectiveness and reliability of the conservative scheme for long-time simulations.

Software Engineering education has grown during the past couple of decades as a specialized branch of computer science education to address employment demands. Software Engineering education is constantly evolving because of its dynamic nature. However, there are still some gaps between the skills being taught in the universities and skills required for employment. In this paper, we present our experience of designing and delivering a new module to enhance skills for employment. We have taken a structured approach to analyze the gap through literature review and our personal experiences of engaging with employers of our students. Based on the analysis, we arrived at a set of gaps between what we teach and what the employers of our students need. We prioritized the gaps and envisaged a new module ‘Contemporary Software Engineering’ to address the gaps and subsequently help our students for an easy transition to job. As part of our experience, we present the background, design and delivery of the module and reflect on our journey of delivering the module for a few years.

Polluting discharges are produced at a rate that is inexorably rising in tandem with human activity development. Eutrophication and other matters, such as offensive aquatic life, require wastewater to be treated before being discharged into the environment. Prior releasing into water bodies, the treated waters must to undertake laboratory analysis. For this purpose, an analysis using standard methods was carried out at the Laboratory Waterworks in Debrecen on various samples taken from various wastewater treatment plants (sewage treatment plants) in Hungary. The overall objective of this study was to assess the quality of the effluents from the fourteen (14) wastewater treatment plants and investigate their efficiency by measuring various physicochemical parameters and microbiological parameters as excellent indicators to evaluate the performance of the studied wastewater treatment plants. The microbiological indicator monitored was the heterotrophic count (HPC) by estimating its total number, which provides useful information for the assessment and monitoring of water samples. The determination of physicochemical parameters included biological oxygen demand (BOD5), chemical oxygen demand (COD) and nitrite -N (NO2), ammonia-N (NH3-N), nitrate-N (NO3) total phosphorus (TP), Kjeldahl- Nitrogen (organic N+ammonia-N) (TKN), total inorganic N (TI), total suspended solids (TSS) and total nitrogen (TN). The performance of the wastewater treatment plants examined was checked and the results were conclusive. In the future, solutions should be applied to these wastewater treatment plants and some recommendations are suggested.

Formaldehyde is generated via the biochemical and chemical pathways, and it widely exists in foods. Its chronic exposure causes carcinogenic, neurotoxic, reproductive, allergic, immunological, genetic and respiratory toxicities. However, food-sourced formaldehyde is usually neglected due to its rapid metabolism after intake. Compared with its residual level in processed foods, a large proportion of formaldehyde disappears because of its high reactivity. Nevertheless, its elimination reaction mechanism and the potential consequences remain unclear. In this review, the disappearing pathway of formaldehyde from two aspects, the formation of formaldehyde-derived toxins and aromas, was reviewed. This review article may help food scientists take appropriate strategies to use the beneficial reactions of formaldehyde or divert its harmful effects to beneficial ones.

Employee turnover is a significant issue for financial institutions, impacting productivity, increasing recruitment costs, and disrupting critical operations. In this project, this study aimed to predict employee turnover using a dataset containing attributes such as employee satisfaction, performance, and tenure. By framing the task as a binary classification problem, this study employed CatBoost and XGBoost, two advanced regression-based algorithms, to develop predictive models. This paper's analysis demonstrated that CatBoost outperformed XGBoost across all evaluation metrics, including MAE, MSE, RMSE, and R², making it the more effective model for predicting turnover in the financial sector. The study highlights key factors contributing to employee attrition, such as job satisfaction, tenure, and promotion opportunities, offering actionable insights for retention strategies. Additionally, by predicting probabilities rather than binary outcomes, this study aims to make more detailed decisions about employee retention. This research provides valuable tools for financial institutions to mitigate the risk of turnover, retain critical talent, and ensure operational continuity.

Granular material is one of the most common in nature. Recently, there has been a significant amount of interest in the granular materials, such as powders or sand. It is challenging to describe the motion of such kind of macroscopic size matter, because it behaves like solid, fluid or gas. Size division, pattern formation, avalanches, packing and convection - these are just a few examples from a wide range of observed phenomena that occur during the motion process of granular matter. Most of these processes are based by flow and no wonder that much effort has been devoted to obtain a hydrodynamic description in which granular materials are treated as a continuous medium. During the research of vertically shaken granular medium motion in an opened container it was found that experimental and numerical results are explained by hydrodynamic theory. This paper investigates the motion of a granular matter for a shallow, vertically shaken bed. We assume the Leidenfrost state as initial and the matter resembles a fluid heated up from below.A one-dimensional isothermal and a non-isothermal problem of granular material motion,simulatedby a hydrodynamic model are considered, and the material is assumed to be a continuous medium. The local temporal solvability of isothermal and non-isothermal initial boundary-value problem in Sobolev’s spaces is proved. This work presents a numerical study of the one-dimensional model of granular medium flow. The feature of this model is consideration of the Navier-Stokes equations accounting an interpolation form of VanderWaals constitutive equation for pressure. A finite-difference approximation for numerical solution is proposed.

This bibliometric study analysed breast cancer research trends and outputs from 2014 to 1 2023, utilising data from the Scopus database. The primary objectives include analysing publication 2 growth, citation metrics, document type distribution, leading countries, preferred journals and 3 authorship patterns. The study reveals a significant increase in breast cancer research publications, 4 with a total of 12,073 documents and 216,769 citations over the ten-year period. The United States 5 leads in publication output and citation impact, followed by China and Japan. Articles are the 6 predominant document type for total 73.4% of publications, while reviews and book chapters also 7 contribute notably. The most preferred journals for publishing breast cancer research include Breast 8 Cancer Research and Treatment, Clinical Breast Cancer, and Breast Cancer Research. Authorship 9 patterns show a trend towards multi-authored papers, with a substantial number of papers having 10 more than five authors. The study underscores the global collaborative effort in advancing breast 11 cancer research and highlights key areas for future exploration.

Breast cancer is among the most prevalent cancers in Indonesia. One of the methods for early detection of breast cancer is utilizing ultrasound images to classify breast conditions into normal, benign tumors, or cancer. The advent of deep learning technology facilitates the image analysis process, such as the use of Transfer Learning Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). Generally, CNN models require large and balanced datasets to perform well in classification tasks. However, medical datasets like breast ultrasound images tend to be limited and imbalanced. The Wasserstein GAN (WGAN) is a generative data augmentation method capable of producing synthetic images by learning the pattern of the distribution of real image data. The implementation of the Wasserstein distance results in the training process of WGAN demonstrating stability from epochs 3000, 2500, and 3000 out of a total of 5000 epochs. The quality of the synthetic images improves with an increasing number of training iterations. By using WGAN, all of the evaluation metrics of each classifier are increasing, with the best accuracy score is achieved by VGG16 model with 83.33% accuracy.

Background: Nanotechnology has emerged as a promising field of study, aiming to revolutionize healthcare through the innovative development of drugs, diagnostic tools, and medical devices. As a result, healthcare professionals in training are constantly faced with the challenge of understanding and applying these emerging technologies. The objective of this study is to determine the factors to consider for including the teaching of nanotechnological tools in medical specialty postgraduate programs. Methods: A study based on the Nominal Group Technique (NGT) was conducted to identify the factors that promote and hinder the implementation of nanotechnology in certain postgraduate programs where nanotechnology is employed, such as Internal Medicine, Critical Care Medicine, Family Medicine, and Clinical Pharmacology at the School of Medicine of Universidad de La Sabana. A framework analysis was used to analyze the collected data. Results: Based on the two research questions, several aspects were identified for the inclusion of nanotechnology in the medical practice of specialties. Key challenges include lack of knowledge and resource availability, misinformation, and lack of knowledge, as well as paradigmatic analysis as the main obstacles to the use of nanotechnology. Conclusions: The findings provide a first-time study on nanotechnology curricula within medical specialty programs in Colombia, with potential extrapolation to similar situations in other medical schools.

Reaction of the phosphonated hydrazone (2-hydrazineylidenepropyl) diphenylphosphine oxide 1 with p-fluorophenyl-isothiocyanate yields as major product the thiosemicarbazone Ph2P(=O)CH2{C=N-NH(C=S)-N(H)C6H4F}CH3 (2-(1-(diphenylphosphoryl)propan-2-ylidene)-N-(4-fluorophenyl)hydrazine-1-carbothioamide) 2 along with bis(N-p-fluorophenylthiourea) 3 as minor product. This latter product 3 was isolated as main product by direct treatment of p-FC6H4N=C=S with hydrazine in a 2:1 ratio. Both 2 and 3 were characterized by NMR. Furthermore, the molecular structure of 3 was elucidated by an X-ray diffraction study. A conformational DFT study, at the B3LYP/6311 G++ (d, p) level of theo-ry, confirmed a good match between the calculated structure and the experimental one.

The design and control of lower limb rehabilitation robots for patients after a stroke has gained significant attention. This paper presents the dynamic analysis and control of a 3-degree-of-freedom lower limb rehabilitation robot using combined position-force control based on the force feed-forward and compensate gravity proportional derivative method. In the lower limb rehabilitation robot, the interaction force between the patient with the joints and links of the robot is uncertain and nonlinear due to the disturbance effect of Coriolis force, centrifugal force, gravitational force, and friction force. During recovery stages, forces exerted by the patient's lower limb are considered disturbances. Therefore, to meet the quality requirements in using the rehabilitation robot with different recovery stages of patient training, combining position control and force control is essential. In this paper, we proposed a combinations of proportional-derivative gravity compensation motion control and force feed-forward control to form an advanced combined controller (Position-Force Feedforward Control - PFFC) for a 3 DOF lower limb functional rehabilitation robot. The forces can be sensed using a 3-axis force sensor. In addition, the robot's position parameters are also measured by encoders. The control algorithm is implemented on the STM32F4 Discovery board. Verified test of the proposed control method is shown in the experiments and shown good performance of the system.

This paper presents an approach to assess and improve the cybersecurity infras- tructure of developing countries. We have highlighted and addressed the critical gaps through a hybrid approach encompassing SWOT analysis, benchmarking using Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) and, Root Cause Analysis (RCA). This approach has provided a strong basis for evaluating cybersecurity performance by combining qualitative insights with quantitative metrics. As a case study, we have compared an underdeveloped country’s (Pakistan) cybersecurity pos- ture to five highly developed countries (Lithuania, Estonia, Singapore, Spain,and Norway). Our analysis has identified cybersecurity shortcomings and pro- vided actionable recommendations within a flexible framework, applicable for all developing countries to identify and address vulnerabilities, and align their cybersecurity infrastructure with international standards.

The increasing energy consumption and industrial activities that release carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions into the atmosphere have become one of the most serious environmental issues of today. This article discusses the current status in Azerbaijan regarding the development of effective approaches to reduce carbon emissions and ensure sustainable development, and it proposes relevant strategies for managing the carbon footprint. By exploring the interrelationship between the economy and the environment, it aims to contribute to the formation of more effective policies for managing CO2 emissions in Azerbaijan. According to the results of the econometric model established within the research for the period of 1990-2023, as the Azerbaijan economy grows, per capita CO2 emissions tend to increase, which can be linked to rising industrial activity, energy consumption, and other factors driving economic growth. The presence of a positive long-term relationship between population growth and per capita CO2 emissions can be attributed to higher overall energy consumption, increased demand for goods and services, and rising transportation needs. The strong correlation between economic growth and CO2 emissions suggests that it may be too early to assert the validity of the Kuznets curve for Azerbaijan economy as a developing country.

Fluctuations in kynurenic acid (KYNA) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels in the brain reflect its neurological status. The aim of the study was to investigate the effect of transiently elevated KYNA concentration in the cerebroventricular circulation on the expression of BDNF and its high-affinity tropomyosin-related kinase receptor B (TrkB) in specific structures of the sheep brain. Intracerebroventricularly cannulated anestrous sheep were subjected to a series of four 30-min infusions of KYNA: 4×5 μg/60 μL/30 min (KYNA20, n=6) and 4×25 μg/60 μL/30 min (KYNA100, n=6) or a control infusion (n=6), at 30-min intervals. Sections of the hippocampal CA3 field, amygdala (AMG), prefrontal cortex (PCx), and the hypothalamic medial-basal (MBH) and preoptic (POA) areas were dissected from the brain immediately after the experiment. The highest concentration of BDNF protein was found in the CA3 field (P<0.01), which was 8-fold higher than in the AMG and 12-fold higher than that in the PCx (MBH and POA were not analyzed). The most pronounced BDNF mRNA expression was observed in the MBH followed by the PCx, POA, AMG and CA3, while the highest abundance of TrkB mRNA was recorded in the AMG followed by the MBH, PCx, CA3 and POA. KYNA increased (P<0.05-P<0.01) BDNF protein levels and the expression of its gene in the brain structures examined, with the effect varying by dose and brain region. KYNA, particularly at the KYNA100 dose, also increased (P<0.01) TrkB gene expression, except for the AMG, where the lower KYNA20 dose was more effective (P<0.01). These findings suggest a positive relationships between KYNA levels in the cerebroventricular circulation and BDNF-TrkB expression in specific brain regions in a sheep model. This indicates that a transient increase in CSF KYNA concentration can potentially restore BDNF production, whose deficiency underlies numerous neurological disorders.

Diospyros kaki, the most widely cultivated species of persimmon, has been long used in traditional medicine since its leaves extracts contain high amounts of flavonoids and terpenoids, endowed with potential antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anticancer, antidiabetic and antimicrobial effects. Re-cently, many in vitro and in vivo studies have assessed different potential health benefits of per-simmon leaves; however, its anticancer activity towards colorectal cancer (CRC), the second deadliest cancer in Western countries, has not been investigated in depth. Since CRC current therapies are associated with serious side effects and show no efficacy towards patients carrying RAS/BRAF mutations, the search for new and more effective therapies has turned to plant extracts, which could help reduce conventional drugs dosages and toxicity. The effect of Diospyros kaki al-coholic extract has been investigated on E705 CRC cell line, representative of most CRC patients, and on SW480 cells, carrying a KRAS activating mutation. This extract is effective in reducing tumor cells viability, without affecting the healthy mucosa cell line CCD 841, and it triggers apoptosis in CRC cells, by disrupting mitochondrial functionality and increasing oxidative stress.

Pre-transport management activities can cause stress, injuries, and mortality in poultry. This study aimed to gather information about the current pre-transport practices (selection of unfit chickens, catching preparations, catching, and crating) for spent hens and broilers by questioning Flemish poultry farmers. The results showed that catching preparations such as an extra selection of chickens unfit for transport was performed by a minority of the poultry farmers, and that layer farmers were less in line with the EU-legislation for water and feed withdrawal than broiler farmers. All birds were caught inverted except for one broiler farmer who used mechanical catching (not yet common in Flanders). Additionally, mechanical catching may involve extra costs, increased biosecurity risks, and specific recommendations for the stable (height and width). The broiler farmers preferred mechanical catching for broiler catchers' well-being, while upright catching was considered better for animal welfare than catching more than three chickens by one/two legs, mechanically, or by wings. Awareness of the need to perform an extra selection by the poultry farmers before catching is required. Preparations like closing areas under the aviary system and removing litter (layers) can further streamline the process and reduce animal suffering.

This stability analysis method is simply represented and understood on a Bode plot of two impedances without complex equations. The external impedance of the charging system is properly quantified and designed based on the stability criteria by analyzing.

Arbutus unedo (strawberry tree) is a small Mediterranean tree capable of vigorous regrowth after disturbances like fire. Traditionally used for biomass fuel, its bark and branches hold potential for higher-value products through ecovalorisation into liquid mixtures that could replace petro-leum-based materials. This study aimed to explore the chemical composition of various compo-nents of Arbutus unedo and to produce a liquefied material from its internal (IB) and external bark (EB). Chemical compositions of internal and external bark were determined using TAPPI standards including ash, extractive content, lignin, and cellulose. Metal cations were analyzed by ICP. Liquefaction of bark was optimized in a PARR reactor, evaluating factors such as particle size, temperature, and time and the best polyols were monitored by FTIR-ATR. Polyurethane foams were made with internal and external bark liquefied materials by polymerization with isocyanate, a catalyst and water as blowing agent. Results showed that EB has a higher extractive and lignin content, while IB contains more cellu-lose. Liquefaction yields were higher for IB (74%) than EB (68%), with IB yielding polyols that produced stronger and more resilient foams. Mechanical properties of the foams were influenced by the NCO/OH ratio and catalyst levels. Overall, the internal bark demonstrated superior performance for foam production, highlighting its potential as an eco-friendly alternative to petroleum-derived materials.

Introduction: Leptin and ghrelin are two hormones that play a role in weight homeostasis. Leptin, which is produced primarily by adipocytes and is dependent on body fat mass, suppresses appetite and increases energy expenditure. Conversely, ghrelin is the “hunger hormone”, it stimulates appetite and promotes fat storage. Bariatric surgery significantly alters the levels and activity of these hormones, contributing to weight loss and metabolic improvements. Clarifying the interplay between bariatric surgery, weight loss, physical exercise, leptin, and ghrelin is essential for developing comprehensive strategies for optimizing long-term outcomes for candidates for bariatric surgery, especially sarcopenic patients. Methods: This was a randomized controlled study with two groups (n=22). The patients in both groups have obesity and sarcopenia. A Roux-en-Ygastric bypass (RYGB) procedure was performed in all patients. The intervention group participated in a structured exercise program three times per week beginning one month after surgery and lasting 16 weeks. Patient assessment was performed before surgery (baseline) and after completion of the exercise program. The control group received the usual standard of care and was assessed similarly. Results: After surgery, weight, BMI and lean mass decreased significantly in both groups from baseline to the second assessment. Leptin was not significantly different from baseline to the second assessment in the physical exercise group but was significantly lower in the control group (p=0.05). Ghrelin increased over time in both groups, but the differences were not significant. When we associated leptin (the dependent variable) with weight (the independent variable), we found that lower weight was associated with lower leptin levels. A similar relationship was also observed between leptin and sarcopenia parameters (muscle strength and mass), as well as with bone health parameters (bone mineral density and t-score). Higher ghrelin levels were significantly associated with higher t-scores and z-score (p<0.05). Conclusion: Exercise has been shown to have a significant effect on leptin and ghrelin levels after bariatric surgery. By incorporating regular physical activity into their lifestyle, bariatric patients can optimize their weight loss outcomes and improve their overall health. After the physical exercise protocol, patients in the intervention group revealed more established leptin levels, which may indicate a protected pattern concerning decreased leptin levels. An unfavorable profile was evidenced, according to which greater weight loss, sarcopenia, and osteoporosis were associated with lower leptin levels.

Among the theoretical problems with the prevailing theory of cosmology, Lambda Cold Dark Matter (λCDM), the most serious appears to be the twofold problem with the cosmological constant lambda: Dark Energy and Hubble Tension. Despite a two-decade search for systematic errors in astrometry the problems have not been resolved. This paper posits a potential source of error that may have affected astrometry related to the current and past measurements of lambda.

Differential beamforming has attracted much research since it can utilize the array with small aperture size to form frequency-invariant beampatterns and achieve high directional gains. It has recently been applied to the linear loudspeaker array to produce a broadside frequency-invariant radiation pattern. However, designing steerable frequency-invariant beampatterns for the linear loudspeaker array has yet to be explored. This paper proposes a method to design the steerable differential beamformer with the linear loudspeaker array. We first determine the target differential beampatterns according to the desired direction, the main lobe width, and the beampattern order. Then, we transform the target beampattern into the modal domain for representation. The Jacobi-Anger expansion is subsequently used to design the beamformer so that the resulting beam pattern matches the target differential beam pattern. Furthermore, based on the criterion of minimizing the mean square error between the synthesized beam pattern and the ideal one, a multi-constraint optimization problem is formulated to calculate the optimal desired weighting vector. Simulations and experimental results show that the proposed method can achieve steerable frequency-invariant beamforming over 300 Hz – 4 kHz.

Chikungunya is mosquito born disease that is spread across continents. This research provides valuable insights into the potential functional significance of the hydrophobic tail and cysteine-rich regions in E2 proteins. These findings lay the groundwork for future investigations into the specific roles of the C-terminal domain and post-translational modifications, which could ultimately lead to a better understanding of viral mechanisms and potential therapeutic targets.

Fanconi syndrome is a disorder of renal proximal tubule transport characterized by metabolic acidosis, amino aciduria, glucosuria, and phosphaturia. There are acquired and hereditary forms of this disorder. Fanconi syndrome in Basenjis was first described in 1976 and is now recognized as an inherited disease in these dogs. Linkage analysis within a large family of Basenjis that included both affected and unaffected individuals was performed to localize the causative variant within the genome. Significant linkage was identified between chromosome 3 (CFA3) makers and the disease phenotype. Fine mapping restricted the region to a 2.7 Mb section of CFA3. A whole genome sequence of a Basenji affected with Fanconi syndrome was generated, and the sequence data were examined for the presence of potentially deleterious homozygous variants within the mapped region. A homozygous 317 bp deletion was identified in the last exon of FAN1 of the proband. 78 Basenjis of known disease status were genotyped for the deletion variant. Among these dogs, there was almost complete concordance between genotype and phenotype. The only exception was one dog that was homozygous for the deletion variant but did not exhibit signs of Fanconi syndrome. These data indicate that the disorder is very likely the result of FAN1 deficiency. The mechanism by which this deficiency causes the disease signs remains to be elucidated. FAN1 has endonuclease and exonuclease activity that catalyzes incisions in regions of double-stranded DNA containing interstrand crosslinks. FAN1 inactivation may cause Fanconi syndrome in Basenjis by sensitization of kidney proximal tubule cells to toxin-mediated DNA crosslinking resulting in accumulation of genomic and mitochondrial DNA damage in the kidney. Differential exposure to environmental toxins that promote DNA crosslink formation may explain the wide age-at-onset variability for the disorder in Basenjis.

Background: Patients undergoing brain tumor resection experience neurological and cognitive (i.e., neurocognitive) changes reflected in altered performance on neuropsychological tests. These changes can be difficult to explain or predict. Brain connectivity, measured with neuroimaging, offers one potential model for examining these changes. In this study, we evaluated whether longitudinal changes in brain connectivity correlated with changes in neurocognitive abilities in patients before and after brain tumor resection. Methods: Patients underwent functional and diffusion MR scanning and neuropsychological evaluation before tumor resection followed by repeat scanning and evaluation two weeks post-resection. Using this functional and diffusion imaging data, we measured changes in the topology of the functional and structural networks. From the neuropsychological testing scores, we derived a composite score that described a patient’s overall level of neurocognitive functioning. We then used a multiple linear regression model to test whether structural and functional connectivity measures were correlated with changes in composite scores. Results: Multiple linear regression on 21 subjects showed that connectivity changes were highly correlated with changes in neuropsychological evaluation scores (R² adjusted = 0.79, p<0.001). Changes in functional local efficiency (p<0.001) and global efficiency (p<0.05) were inversely correlated with changes in composite score, while changes in modularity (p<0.01) as well as the patient’s age (p<0.05) were directly correlated with changes in composite score. Conclusion: Short interval changes in brain connectivity markers were strongly correlated with changes in the composite neuropsychological test scores in brain tumor resection patients. Our findings support the need for further exploration of brain connectivity as a biomarker relevant to brain tumor patients.

The gut, often referred to as the "second brain," has significant contributions in the maintaining of the good bacteria contribute enormous role such as digestion, produce essential vitamins, support the immune system, and protect against harmful bacteria. The beneficial flora including Akkermansia muciniphila, Adlercreutzia equolifasciens, Barnesiella, Christensenella minuta, and Oxalobacter formigenes, along with their derived bioactive metabolites emerged as a key player in maintaining host metabolic and immune health. Dietary choices such as blending of prebiotic, fermented, symbiotic, anti-inflammatory foods, and secondary metabolites from a wide variety of plants and fruits promotes the diversity, composition, and stability of beneficial intestinal microbes. The colourful plant foods rich in phytochemicals bioactive compounds such as carotenoids, flavonoids, polyphenols, alkaloids, anthocyanins, and capsaicin offer a wide array of unique properties such as analgesics, antioxidants, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobials effect and promoting the abundance of beneficial gut bacteria and their bioactive metabolites confer numerous health-promoting effects. Here, we present knowledge about most beneficial gut bacteria and their derived metabolites in terms of their sources and health benefits. Finally, we discuss best foods that skew towards promoting healthy intestinal microbes.

This article presents a method for detecting P, QRS, T, and U waves in electrocardiogram (ECG) signals through advanced signal processing techniques, including a Butterworth bandpass filter and peak finding algo- rithms. The results are evaluated against the voltage ranges recommended in the literature, underscoring the importance of accurate wave detection for the diagnosis of various cardiac conditions.

Additive Manufacturing (AM) methods are increasingly beign abopted in the industry as an alternative for mass production. In particular, Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) technology is leading the way in this field. However, the adhesion of layers in products produced using FDM technology is an important issue. These products are particularly vulnerable to forces acting parallel to the layers and specially to impact strength. This study aims to optimize the impact strength against loads acting parallel to the layers (ZX orientation) of PA6, one of the most widely used materials in the industry. This orientation is critical in term of mechanical properties, and the mechanical characteristics are significantly lower compared to other orientation. In this study, filaments containing pure PA6 with 15% short carbon fiber and 30% glass fiber were utilized. Additionally, printing temperature, layer thickness and heat treatment duration were used as independent variables. An L9 orthogonal array was employed in this study, and each experiment was repeated three times to conduct impact strength tests. Characterization, Taguchi optimization, a factor analyses were performed, followed by fracture surface characterization by SEM. As a result, the highest impact strength was achieved with pure PA6 at 8.9 kJ/m2, followed by PA6 GF30 at 8.1 kJ/m2 and the lowest impact strength was obtained with PA6 CF15 at 6.258 kJ/m2. When compared to the literature and manufacturer datasheets, it was concluded that the impact strength values have significantly increased, and the chosen experimental factors and their levels, particularly nozzle temperature, were effective.

Antisense oligonucleotides (ASOs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for a wide variety of diseases, offering the potential to modulate gene expression with a high degree of specificity. These small, synthetic nucleic acid-like molecules provide unique advantages over traditional pharmacological treatments, including the ability to target previously "undruggable" genes. Despite this promise, several biological barriers severely limit their clinical efficacy Upon administration, ASOs primarily enter cells through endocytosis, becoming trapped inside membrane-bound vesicles known as endosomes. Studies estimate that only 1-2% of ASOs successfully escape endosomal compartments to reach the cytosol, and ultimately the nucleus, where they bind target mRNA and exert their therapeutic effect. Endosomal entrapment and inefficient nuclear localization are therefore critical bottlenecks in the therapeutic application of ASOs. This review explores the current understanding of endosomal escape, and nuclear transport of ASOs. Furthermore, we examine strategies aimed at overcoming these challenges, including the use of endosomal escape agents, peptide-ASO conjugates, non-viral delivery vehicles, and nuclear localization signals. By improving both endosomal escape and nuclear localization, significant advances in ASO-based therapeutics can be realized, ultimately enhancing their potency and expanding their clinical utility

Rhynchocypris kumgangensis, endemic to Korea, is limited to the upper Hangang River and Gucheondongcheon Stream. As a key and climate-sensitive biological indicator species in Deogyusan National Park, it has a southern range limit in the Gucheondong Valley. Due to climate change, notable shifts in the activity, vertical distribution, and population of R. kumgangensis in the Gucheondongcheon Stream are expected. Owing to the rapidly changing climate, significant changes in the activity, vertical distribution, and population size of R. kumgangensis in the Gucheondongcheon Stream are anticipated, and continuous surveys of the distribution of R. kumgangensis in this river area have been conducted. This study assessed the habitat of R. kumgangensis at 13 sites, including five in the Gucheondongcheon Stream, from July to October 2020 and compared the results with historical data to evaluate the impacts of climate change. At the five Gucheondongcheon Stream sites, 102 individuals were recorded from April to October 2020, and 378 were recorded between June 2018 and July 2019. Additionally, the subdominant species shifted from R. kumgangensis (2014–2018) to Zacco koreanus (2020). In the two southernmost Gucheondongcheon Stream sites, only 18 R. kumgangensis were observed in 2020 compared to 82 in 2019, indicating a significant population decline.

This study presents the experimental and analytical evaluations on an innovative connection class under cyclic loading. The connection was an H- or I-shaped section as a short stub column (SSC) between the end-plate and the column. The stub section was bolted to the column flange on the one side and bolted to the beam along with the welded end-plate on the other side. Stiffeners were installed on the webs and flanges of the beam and stub to ensure the necessary stiffness of the connection. The variables included thickness of stub flange/web and height of stub web. The cyclic loading was applied on a sample of the proposed connection according to AISC ANSI/AISC 341-16 loading protocol. Experimental observations displayed that the proposed connection, one can either employ hot rolling sections or create the connection as a plate girder, in which case the flange thickness and stub web, as well as the distance between two flanges and their height, was obtained according to the demand and performance of the structure. The optimum cross-section of the stub was then obtained. Also, the analytical model was calibrated using the finite element method (FEM), and its performance was confirmed. The effective parameters of the proposed connection were determined by modeling in the FEM software, and the design method was presented.

Objective: In recent years, the field of Essential Thrombocythemia (ET) research has seen a significant accumulation of scientific findings, but comprehensive bibliometric analyses remain lacking. This study aims to fill that gap by performing a thorough bibliometric analysis of ET research, identifying key contributors and collaboration networks, and mapping the development trends to provide insights for future research directions. Methods: A bibliometric analysis of ET-related publications from 2001 to 2024 was conducted using CiteSpace, VOSviewer, and R packages. Data were retrieved from the Web of Science Core Collection, with a focus on publication volume, citation analysis, co-authorship networks, co-citation relationships, and citation bursts. Results: A total of 4,297 studies published in 778 journals were included in the analysis. ET research has seen rapid growth, with researcher clusters in the United States and Europe driving progress through extensive regional and international collaborations. Leading researchers, such as Ayalew Tefferi from the Mayo Clinic and Alessandro M. Vannucchi from the University of Florence, have made significant advances in ET classification, molecular mechanisms, targeted therapies, and disease management. The discovery of driver mutations, such as JAK2, has revolutionized the diagnostic and therapeutic approaches to ET. Research focus has shifted from clinical morphological diagnosis to molecular diagnostics, with the field now entering the era of targeted therapies. However, the inherent heterogeneity of ET continues to present challenges for the widespread implementation of personalized precision treatment. Conclusion: Bibliometric analysis demonstrates significant advances in ET research, particularly in molecular pathology and targeted therapies. However, the heterogeneity of ET remains a major obstacle to personalized treatment. Future research should focus on further elucidating the pathogenesis of ET and improving stratified management approaches to achieve individualized precision therapy.